Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Raven by Pauline Creeden

Title: Raven
Series: Chronicles of Steele #1
Author: Pauline Creeden
Format: Kindle Edition, 249 pages
Release date: October 28th 2014
Publisher: AltWit Press

Book Description:

This is the complete Steampunk Fantasy novel - all four parts of the serial in one volume! Also includes bonus features not found in the episodes ~

Human life has value.
The poor living in the gutter are as valuable as the rich living in a manor.
The scoundrel is no less valuable than the saint.
Because of this, every life a reaper takes must be redeemed.

Raven has lived by this first tenet since she was trained by her father to become a reaper. But since his death, she’s been spending years redeeming the lives she’s taken. By her count, she’s even and it’s time for that life to end. If she settles down and becomes a wife, she might just feel human again. But on the way to the life she thinks she wants, the baron of New Haven asks her to complete a task which she cannot ignore… Just when Raven decides to give up on her life as an assassin, she’s pulled right back in.



Buy it here:

Amazon | BN

About the Author:

In simple language, Pauline Creeden creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long. Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy.
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Review:

★★★★

I'll let you all in on a secret: I love steampunk novels. But, because I love them so much, I tend to be a little bit more picky with this genre than other ones that I read, so I rarely get a steampunk book that I truly enjoy. I'm happy to say that Raven, while not a perfect score for me, was definitely an enjoyable read overall.

I really enjoyed the writing detail of all of the characters involved. Characters make or break a book for me, and in this book, even the characters that you are going to hate (and you will) are at the very least well written. I liked that Raven was a strong and independent character without being harsh about it in the process (a personal trend I've been seeing lately in young adult books, but I digress). She might be tough but she has a different, more approachable side to her as well, and I liked that.

The pacing of this book is on point, and makes for a book that's easy to complete in one sitting. I didn't read this book in its original serial novella form, but I can totally see where if I didn't have the complete story in front of me, I'd be left clamoring for more. There is a lot of action and hardly a dull moment in this book, which I always love.

The world-building was also pretty detailed and it was easy to get lost in this steampunk world that Creeden has created for her characters. My only real complaint is that sometimes it felt like aspects of this world were added just for the sake of making it steampunk-ier, which was a bit of an annoyance but not anything that hindered my reading too much.

I think this is a book young adult fans of steampunk will really enjoy, and if you haven't read a steampunk book before, this one is a great book to introduce you to the genre. Thanks to the author and IFB Tours for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Check out the rest of the tour here!

Giveaway:

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Book Blitz, Excerpt, & Giveaway: Breaking the Rules by Katie McGarry

Breaking the Rules (Pushing the
Limits #1.5)

by Katie
McGarry 

Release Date: 12/08/14

Harlequin Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

A summer road trip changes
everything in this unforgettable new tale from acclaimed author Katie McGarry.



For new high school graduate Echo Emerson, a summer road trip out west with her
boyfriend means getting away and forgetting what makes her so... different. It
means seeing cool sights while selling her art at galleries along the way. And
most of all, it means almost three months alone with Noah Hutchins, the hot,
smart, soul-battered guy who’s never judged her. Echo and Noah share everything
— except the one thing Echo’s just not ready for.



But when the source of Echo’s constant nightmares comes back into her life, she
has to make some tough decisions about what she really wants — even as foster
kid Noah’s search for his last remaining relatives forces them both to confront
some serious truths about life, love, and themselves.



Now, with one week left before college orientation, jobs and real life, Echo
must decide if Noah's more than the bad-boy fling everyone warned her he'd be.
And the last leg of an amazing road trip will turn... seriously epic.

Excerpt:

From Echo’s Point of View
I smile, amazed by the roses, by his faith in me and by the fact that he’s absolutely fantastic. “Thanks.”
Noah gently pulls one of the curls. “Damn, baby, don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want me to kiss you.”
But I do want him to kiss me. Instead, I shove at his wall of a chest, and he winks at me before he grabs the keys to the car and walks out the door. The air conditioner kicks off, and I lean against the headboard, staring at Noah’s roses on the bedside table. I pick one up, inhale the sweet scent and wonder, when it comes to it, why I’m waiting.
From Noah’s Point of View
I crouch by the edge and watch as Echo kicks up from the bottom. Her red hair wildly fans out in the water, and as she breaks through to the surface, it slicks back against her head. She coughs, then drags in her first gulp of air. Damn if my siren doesn’t look sexy all wet and disheveled.

Available for Pre-Order:

     



Books in the series:

(covers linked to Goodreads)

    

About the Author

KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.

Author Links:

   

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Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: Penthouse Variations on Oral

Title: Penthouse Variations on Oral
Editor: Barbara Pizio
Format: Paperback, 232 pages
Pub. Date: October 14th 2014
Source: Cleis Press



About the Book:

Great oral sex can be mind-blowing, life-changing and create memories that last a lifetime. In the debut of the book series inspired by the wildly popular Penthouse Variations Magazine, the focus is on oral pleasures of every kind. Penthouse Variations on Oral reminds us that nothings is more appetizingly erotic than a good blow job and that going down on the object of your affection is sheer bliss for both parties. Giving head - taking in the essence, taste, smell and sexy up-closeness of a lover is a powerful aphrodisiac that affects one physically, mentally and emotionally. Once you have your lover in your mouth, the heat of desire, passion, and lust focus before your eyes and tie your arousal directly to them. In Penthouse Variations on Oral, lovers explore the many ways oral sex can be an act of love, tenderness, devotion or pure sexual act that lets readers revel in the emotion and sensuality of it all. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy this sexy read of explicit stories to get you hot and bothered with more than a mouthful. These sizzling stories are meant to be savored. And shared.

Review:

★★★★

I have to say, I really love that this collection focuses on one very specific theme: the art of oral sex. Within this anthology, there are twenty-two short stories that in one form or another tell a steamy story about going down on their partner. As with most anthologies, there were some stories in this collection that I thought were sexy beyond belief, and others that I didn't quite enjoy as much. I won't go through each story and review each and every one, but rather rate and review the book as one collection.

That being said, I would definitely like to highlight a few of the stories that I enjoyed the best because I think they deserve a shout out in this review. The first story in this anthology is entitled Lickety-Split by Alison Tyler. This totally gets the ball rolling for the rest of the collection, and it involves some sexy fun at a coffee shop that involves way more than just your standard cup of joe. Per usual, Tyler's writing is the perfect amount of erotic, leaving the reader satisfied after just a few pages. The next story I most enjoyed is Local Delicacies by Evan Wilcox, which tells about a steamy encounter of a man looking to get a special taste of all the flavors that the locals have to offer, and maybe try some foods too. The last story I'll highlight is called Honky-Tonk Heat by Nancy Richman, and it's about a lovely few trysts with my favorite type of man (at least at the moment)- the southern, drawlin', cowboy hat wearin' variety. Yum. As some of my followers know, I've been going through a Western/Southern/Cowboy erotica phase and this one hit the spot quite nicely.

These stories are all bite sized little morsels that are easy, fast, and fun little reads. Because it is made of such short components, it's nice that you get get a quickie fix and just read one story when you can and dive back into it later. Given that this particular theme is my favorite bedroom activity, I have to say that this is a great collection for those who enjoy giving and receiving oral, or any fan of erotica in general.

Thanks for Cleis Press for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Stacking the Shelves [68]

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where we get to show off the books we've won, bought, or otherwise received in the past week. If a book catches your eye, *click* the picture to go to the Goodreads page of that book.

Netgalley:

Captive by Aimee Carter
Fat Witch Bake Sale by Patricia Helding, Lucy Baker


Freebies:
A Moment by Marie Hall
Delicate Freakn' Flower by Eve Langlais
Forever & Always by Jasinda Wilder


In My Inbox:
None!

Purchased:

The Feast of All Saints by Anne Rice

In My Mailbox:

Unremembered by Jessica Brody *signed*
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Thank you The Novel Hermit!

Swag. Thanks Anna!

Nine-to-Five by Alison Tyler Thanks Cleis Press!

The Darkest Minds series by Alexandra Bracken

I am so freaking excited about this one you guys. Thank you so much to Disney-Hyperion and Chapter by Chapter!

Be sure to enter to win an ebook copy of a back list historical romance by Victoria Vane, 18+ here! or a paperback copy of Tomboy by Liz Prince, 13+ here!

Book Blitz, Trailer, & Giveaway: The Silence of Six by E.C. Myers

Title: The Silence of Six
Author: E.C. Myers
Release date: Nov 05, 2014

Book Description via Goodreads:

“What is the silence of six, and what are you going to do about it?”

These are the last words uttered by 17-year-old Max Stein’s best friend, Evan: Just moments after hacking into the live-streaming Presidential debate at their high school, he kills himself.

Haunted by the image of Evan’s death, Max’s entire world turns upside down as he suddenly finds himself the target of a corporate-government witch-hunt. Fearing for his life and fighting to prove his own innocence, Max goes on the run with no one to trust and too many unanswered questions.

Max must dust off his own hacking skills and maneuver the dangerous labyrinth of underground hacktivist networks, ever-shifting alliances, and virtual identities — all while hoping to find the truth behind the “Silence of Six” before it’s too late.

Author Video:

On Technology and Being Safe


Buy it here:
Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Advanced Praise:

"With a story built around advanced technology and government conspiracy that is close enough to reach out and touch, The Silence of Six will keep you up all night turning pages!”
- Julie Cross, international bestselling author of the Tempest series

Trailer:

Request a review copy from Netgalley!

About the Author:

E.C. Myers was assembled in the U.S. from Korean and German parts and raised in Yonkers, NY by his mother and the public library. He is a graduate of the Clarion West Writers Workshop and a member of the prolific NYC writing group Altered Fluid. In the rare moments when he isn't writing, he blogs about Star Trek at The Viewscreen, reads constantly, plays video games, watches films and television, sleeps as little as possible, and spends far too much time on the internet. His first novel, FAIR COIN, won the 2012 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy.
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Book Blitz, Excerpt, & Giveaway: The Spirit Heir by Kaitlyn Davis

The Spirit Heir (A Dance of Dragons #2)

by Kaitlyn Davis 

Release Date: 10/30/14

Summary from Goodreads:

From bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis comes the second book in the thrilling A Dance of Dragons series--perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Graceling, and Game of Thrones!



Drenched in darkness and surrounded by the echo of screams, Jinji waits deep in the dungeons of Rayfort, haunted by the memory of the knife stabbing Rhen, plagued by a foreign voice whispering through her mind. A few floors above, Rhen rests trapped in a coma, about to wake to a changed world—a world where his best friend is a woman, his nephew is the king, and an enemy army surrounds him on all sides.



But human wars are insignificant compared to the darkness gathering unseen. Memories of lives she never lived flash through Jinji's thoughts, hinting at a past that cannot be repeated. A mysterious phantom visits Rhen, carrying cryptic messages of the future. And somewhere out there, the shadow continues to lurk in silence.



Uncertain of their relationship and tempted by new feelings, Rhen and Jinji must find a way to work together. The fate of humanity rests on their shoulders and the real battle has only just begun…

Excerpt:

The Spirit Heir – Chapter 1 → Jinji has just been freed from the dungeons of Rayfort and was brought into a finely decorated room to wait and see who ordered her release.

The entry swung open, and there he stood. Commanding. Taking up the entire frame of the doorway, hair just as bright as Jinji remembered, eyes just as sparkling.

All breath left her body and she stood speechless, still not sure if she was awake.
Rhen looked at her with an expression Jinji couldn't read. Confusion. Horror. Sympathy. Longing. All of them or none of them, she couldn’t decide.

Jinji watched, waiting for him to disappear, to wink out of existence just like her illusions. But he seemed so solid.
Seconds ticked by but the room felt frozen in time.

Why was he just standing there? Jinji silently commanded he step forward, but Rhen didn’t move. Stubborn.

He must be real, she thought and bit her lower lip, almost afraid to find out the answer. But Jinji had waited a long time in the dark, and she would wait no longer.

Stepping cautiously forward, she approached Rhen. He watched on, impassive but not moving away. She stopped close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body, but far enough away to keep herself composed.

There were so many things to say, but her lips would not open. So many words that would not come.

Jinji wanted to collapse against him, to fall into his arms and let them catch her, protect her, convince her that it was all real. But she wouldn't, no matter how much her body protested against her. If this Rhen were real, he did not trust her. He did not view her as a woman to comfort. He did not ache for her in the way she ached for him.

To Rhen, she was a liar. A stranger. Without Jin, he didn’t know who she was. In time, she might change that. But now was not that time.
Still, she needed to touch him, to feel his strength, his solidity.

So instead, Jinji simply reached her hand up, cupping his warm cheek—peachy against her dirty fingernails. To her surprise, his eyes softened and his hand followed, holding hers tightly against his freckles.

"You're alive?" she asked, her emotions hanging by a thread. There was one thing her illusions could not do, one thing only a real person could create—noise.

Rhen smirked, left side of his lip raising slightly, and responded, "Barely."
Joy flooded Jinji's body, filling her up, and spilling over into tears that she could not contain. Just as she thought her legs could hold her no longer, that it was too much and she would fall against him just to feel his embrace, it was Rhen who faltered. Clutching his stomach, he slumped, stumbling as one leg gave out beneath him.
Against all of her predictions, Jinji was the one who caught him.

Buy Links:

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Book One:

(Currently FREE!)

The Shadow Soul (A Dance of Dragons, #1)

by Kaitlyn Davis

Release Date: 02/20/14

Release Date:

GAME OF THRONES meets GRACELING in a new fantasy series by bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis.

Jinji has been haunted by the death of her twin brother for ten years. Now, on the dawn of her joining, the nightmare that claimed him has returned for her.

Prince Whylrhen is determined to prevent the past from repeating itself. His kingdom is expecting a new heir, and he will stop at nothing to keep the child safe.

Though they've never met, the two share a deep secret—magic. Jinji can weave the elements to create master illusions and Whylrhen can pull burning flames into his flesh. But neither of them knows what they are truly capable of until a chance encounter brings them together. For their story has played out before, in a long forgotten time—an age of myth that is about to be reborn…

Get your free copy!

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& Noble│iTunes│Kobo│Smashwords

About the Author

I've always been a writer. I grew up duct taping my novels together, started writing complete manuscripts in high school and studied creative writing at Johns Hopkins University. Upon graduating, I decided it was finally time to actually give my dream career a chance. So, of course, I started writing a young adult paranormal romance series -- and no, I'm not jumping on the bandwagon. I've been a true paranormal supporter for my entire life! I blame my obsession almost completely on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, my all-time favorite television show. And, before you ask: Yes, I own every season... even the post WB ones! I especially challenge anyone to watch the first three seasons and not fall in love with Angel, securing a lifelong love of vampires! Other culprits of my paranormal obsession are some of my favorite authors: JK Rowling, Raymond Feist, Meg Cabot, Richelle Mead, Lynne Ewing and Tamora Pierce.

Author Links:

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