Enlightenment by: Liz Keel w/ Interview & Review

Title: Enlightenment

Author: Liz Keel

Series: The Driel Trilogy (Book 1)

Genre: Upper YA/Fantasy with SciFi Elements

Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing

Release Date: April 18 2016

Edition/Formats: eBook & Print (1^st Edition)

Page Count: 190 (Approximately)

Rating: 

Blurb/Synopsis:

After losing everything, all seventeen-year-old Thea wanted was to be a normal teenager. Instead, she was attacked by a mysterious creature she thought only existed in fairy tales. Now thrown into the unknown realm of Faey, Thea is forced to determine the difference between reality and fantasy, in a world ruled by a dark elite and a society wracked by intolerance and prejudice.

With the support of her new friends and a mysterious dark haired, blue-eyed guardian watching her every move, Thea will discover that when it comes to Faey, nothing is what it seems. Will her courage and desire to save this new world from darkness be enough? Or will Thea be the next victim to fall to the dark whispers of fate...

The twins and I walked over to our archery class together. As this was my first class, I was a little apprehensive, yet excited at the same time. Apparently using a bow and arrow was something every Elf learned and all are accomplished in this as we’d been gifted with this skill from the goddess Elebrin. It was therefore one of the oldest types of weaponry Elves used, Isaac had told me. Because I had come into this type of training much later than everyone else, it was Janin who had the task of getting me caught up with the others.

“As magic flows through you and into your arrow, you will need to harness that energy as well as your instinct as an Elf, to get the arrow to fall on the intended target. There are obviously other things you need to take into consideration when aiming such as the wind, humidity and temperature, which you can feel by just closing your eyes. Imagine the arrowhead piercing your target,” he finished unhelpfully.

On seeing my exasperated face, Bay chipped in with another bit of advice. “The arrows you will be using are footed arrows. They contain two types of wood found in the Forest of Arlain so they’ll be lighter and more flexible for you to use. You’ll be fine.”

Wanting to prove myself, I focused on one of the targets the professor had set up for practice, which was about a hundred yards away. After concentrating for a couple of minutes, I let my body relax and cleared my mind as Janin had suggested. As my breathing slowed, I felt my magic begin to surface and pushed it down through my arm and into the arrow I had poised. The only way I can describe the feeling was that it was as if the magic was being pulled taut within me and was about to snap. At that exact moment I pictured the target in my mind, took a couple of deep breaths and released the arrow, praying I would be vaguely near the target.

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Between Breaths by: Alexa Padgett w/ Interview

Title: Between Breaths

Author: Alexa Padgett

Series: Seattle Sound Series (Book 2)

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Self Published

Release Date: TBA

Edition/Formations: eBook & Print

Blurb/Synopsis:
Grief brought them together

A hospice center is no place to fall in lust. But with his world cracking during his estranged mother’s last days, Hayden Crewe needs something sweet to focus on. It doesn’t matter that he’s the backbone of Australia’s hottest international rock group—here, watching his mother die, he’s more alone than ever. So when he meets long-legged, clear-minded Briar Moore, he suddenly knows exactly what will fill the hole inside.

Fortune will drag them apart

Briar has just escaped a job and relationship that nearly crushed her. Crawling out of the wreckage of her previous life, she’s done playing it safe. Sexy, vibrant Hayden is what she wants, and Briar is going to take him.  For as long as she can…

Out of heartbreak comes hope

With their time short and the ghosts of their pasts haunting every moment, Briar and Hayden know they’ve fallen too deep. While those few, intense days changed them both forever, everyone knows a connection this intense should burn out as fast as it ignited…

She winced as the brush caught in her hair. I plucked the brush from her hand, falling victim to an overwhelming need to squeeze each gram of enjoyment from our time together. Maybe the expiration date on our time together made each moment special.

I led her toward the big picture windows with great views of the sound. She glanced at me over her shoulder, and I pressed a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth. She inhaled, her body melting back into mine. Liked that, she did.

I grinned as I adjusted my grip on her. Taking my time, I placed more small kisses there.

She hummed deep in her throat, and I cupped her cheek. Pressing my lips to hers, I waited a heartbeat for her to part her lips. She did, and I slid my tongue into her mouth, lapping up her taste and fanning the flames of desire between us in long, lazy swipes of my tongue.

She moaned and struggled to turn fully into my arms. Blood pumping hot and thick through my veins, I stepped back and turned her until she once again faced the window. Lifting the brush, I swept it through her wet hair, letting it pull to the ends. Briar released a breath and relaxed.

“Mmm. You’re good at brushing my hair.”

I smiled at the slightly ragged quality of her voice.

“I’ve never done this before.” I paused, hesitant to reveal too much of myself. But this was Briar. We were in a space that no one could enter. So I said, “Hair brushing or courting a woman. Never wanted to.”

She turned her head a little, and I let the brush hover over her. Her blue eyes were dark. Her lips parted, a little swollen from my kiss. Her cheeks bloomed with soft pink color.

“I like firsts with you, Hayden.”

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Can't Live Without You by: Andrew Grey w/ Creative Post & Giveaway

Title: Can’t Live Without You  

Author: Andrew Grey

Series: Standalone

Genre:  M/M Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: Sept 12 2016

Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print

Blurb/Synopsis:

Justin Hawthorne worked hard to realize his silver-screen dreams, making his way from small-town Pennsylvania to Hollywood and success. But it hasn’t come without sacrifice. When Justin’s father kicked him out for being gay, George Miller’s family offered to take him in, but circumstances prevented it. Now Justin is back in town and has come face to face with George, the man he left without so much as a good-bye… and the man he’s never stopped loving.

Justin’s disappearance hit George hard, but he’s made a life for himself as a home nurse and finds fulfillment in helping others. When he sees Justin again, George realizes the hole in his heart never mended, and he isn’t the only one in need of healing. Justin needs time out of the public eye to find himself again, and George and his mother cannot turn him away. As they stay together in George’s home, old feelings are rekindled. Is a second chance possible when everything George cares about is in Pennsylvania and Justin must return to his career in California? First they’ll have to deal with the reason for Justin’s abrupt departure all those years ago.

“So you made it big and you never looked back,” George said to Justin.

“I worked hard and got lucky. But it’s hard not to look back.” Justin talked softly, and George noticed that a lot of heads were turned their way. “There are people I have missed since the day I left.”

George didn’t dare hope that he was one of them. His heart did a little leap anyway, and he looked down at the table and began eating once again.

“Mr. Hawthorne, would it be okay if I got your autograph?” a teenage girl asked as she came to stand next to the table. She held out a small notebook in shaking hands. George watched as Justin took it from her.

“Of course. What’s your name?”

“Carrie,” she answered softly, and Justin signed the autograph. “I heard you grew up here.”

“Yes. I used to come into this diner with George here when he and I were about your age.” He smiled at her as he handed back the book.

“I just love your movies,” she told him, clutching the notebook like it was a precious object.

“Thank you. Are you still in high school?”

She nodded. “Tenth grade. I’m in the drama club, and we’re trying to raise money for our winter production.” She looked over toward a table and then back at Justin. “We’re selling candy bars.”

“How much are they?” Justin asked.

“Two dollars,” she answered.

“Here.” Justin pulled out his wallet and handed the girl a fifty-dollar bill. “I’ll buy one, and you keep the change to help with the production, okay?” She took the bill and raced back to the table, then brought Justin his candy bar. “Thank you.” He took it gently and shook her hand. Then the girl half floated back to her table, and Justin returned to his lunch as though nothing had happened.

“That was incredibly nice,” George said.

“Justin is always nice,” Ethan said. “He always has been. That was part of what attracted me and why I wanted to help him. If someone didn’t look out for him, he was going to be chewed up and spat out by the sharks.”

George nodded slowly. “Have you thought about where you’re going to stay?”

“We stayed at a hotel last night, but we haven’t given any thought beyond that. I wasn’t sure what I was going to be walking into, so we didn’t make any plans. If I had to, I figured we could go back to Baltimore, stay there, and fly home.”

Obviously Justin hadn’t been expecting any sort of welcome in his hometown. As much as George had wished for years that Justin had stayed with him, he had to admit that, at the time, there had been little here for him. Maybe leaving had been Justin’s only choice. It seemed to have worked out for him, but it most definitely had left footprints on George’s heart.

“Has there been anyone else?” George asked, no longer able to hold off asking what he really wanted to know. He wanted to know if Ethan and Justin were a couple. It was hard for him to tell by the way they acted. They were close; that was obvious. But Justin had introduced Ethan as a friend.

Justin leaned over the table, and a tingle of electricity went up George’s back. He wanted him to lean far enough that George could meet him and find out if the way he kissed had changed or if his lips tasted the way he remembered. George swallowed, parting his lips slightly.

“If you’re asking if Ethan and I are lovers, then no. We never have been. I’ve dated a little. But mostly I’ve worked and worked. Guys don’t want someone who’s on set for three months at a time.”

George met Justin’s piercing gaze.

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