Tour Launch: I Have People

Launching  a new Tour...

On tour with Prism Book Tours

Feeling forgetful? Can't remember where the heck you set down your keys? Your glasses?

We've all been there.

But . . . what if you forgot your life?

What if that life wasn't worth remembering?

In spite of the happy cover, I HAVE PEOPLE deals with the sensitive issue of domestic abuse. It is about learning to recognize a good man versus a bad one. It's about second chances and finding love, real love. 

The overpowering message behind I HAVE PEOPLE is that verbal, mental, and physical abuse is NOT OKAY! EVER!

Read along and learn Holly's story. It will change your life.

The Book:

I Have People

by Taylor Dean

Paperback, 366 pages

Published September 19th 2012 by Create Space

Premise:

Missing any memories? 

Holly Sinclair is happily married to the love of her life, Gabriel. Young and in love, Holly hopes to have their first child soon. Of course, Gabriel wants to wait till Holly’s health is restored, much to Holly’s dismay. She feels perfectly fine. So what if she just woke up from an eight-month coma? So what if some of her memories are missing? She remembers Gabe and that’s all that matters, right?

That is, until HE enters her life again . . . she forgot about HIM.

Smashwords * Barnes & Noble * Amazon:

The Tour:

8 –  Launch!

9 – Snuggling on the Sofa - Review; Amnesia

-          Sylv Jenkins - The Cover of I Have People

10 – PauseTime - Review; The Music that Inspired I Have People

11 – TheBroke Book Bank - Ten Things You Don't Know About I Have People

12 – Mel’sShelves - Review; The Worth of a Soul

14 – TheReaddicts - Review; Two Kinds of Love

15 – Paulette’sPapers - A Gentleman Who Says "Gosh"

-          Christy’s Cozy Corner - Review; The Inspiration behind I Have People

16 – fuonlyknew - The Prologue to I Have People

17 – Tressa’sWishful Endings - Review; The Locations Featured in I Have People

18 – LiteraryWinner - Review

19 – GettingYour Read On - Review; Soooo Cliche!

21 – That Girl Reads - Review; Two Kinds of Men

22 –  A Tiffyfit’s Reading Corner - My Favorite Character in I Have People

 - Beck Valley Books - The Title of I Have People

23 – Deco MyHeart - Review

-          Mrs. Mommy Booknerds Book Reviews - Review

24 – GreenMountain Couple - Review

25 – icultgen - Friendship

  – I Am a Reader, Not a Writer  - When is it Abuse

26 – Grand Finale Blast!

The Author:

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding that she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it's paranormal, contemporary, or suspense-you'll find all sub-genres of romance in her line-up. 

Website/Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

The Giveaways:

5 prize packs to US winners: 1 signed paperback, 1 tote bag, 2 bookmarks, 1 "I Have People" pencil, and 1 "I Have People" pink dog tag necklace.

10 ebooks to US or International winners

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced on Rafflecopter and Grand Finale posts as well as emailed and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry and Prism Book Tours and sponsored by Taylor Dean. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Blog Tour: Silver Sphere

Tour Schedule

The Silver Sphere

Shelby Pardow never imagined killing someone. That's about to change.

While hiding from her troubled father in the local library, Shelby stares at a flashing instant message on her computer: YOU ARE NEEDED. She discovers a portal that opens and teleports her to the planet Azimuth, where soldiers await. Here, she is not a child but a warrior, Kin to one of the six Aulic Assembly members imprisoned by Malefic Cacoethes, the daunting leader of the Nightlanders.

Malefic, the evil spawn of the demon Biskara, razes towns and cities in his quest to rule Azimuth, and yearns to turn his forces against Earth. Yet every time Biskara gets close to achieving his malevolent goals, the Assembly uses the Silver Sphere, a sophisticated armillary device, to thwart him.

With the Assembly deposed, Biskara directing Malefic's conquests, and the Silver Sphere out of reach, Shelby is thrust into an unforgettable quest with her fellow Kin. She must learn to kill and lead an army into battle, or Azimuth—and Earth—will fall.

What a story! I got into it a little ways and was pretty confused with all the characters that were being introduced. I started thinking that I should have written them down so I could figure it out. Then, I looked at the Table of Contents and at the end, there was a link to the Glossary! That came in quite handy during this book. I also read it a little more slowly than I usually do so I could keep the characters and storylines straight in my head. I loved it, though! 

We meet Bianca first, who is part of the Aulic Assembly and is being tormented by Malefic, but we have no idea who they are. Then we meet Shelby Pardow, a teenager whose mother has abandoned her and her father drinks a lot. She has nicknamed him "the beast." The beast is having a tough morning and starts abusing her so, the first chance she gets, she runs off to the library. Mr. Dempsey, the librarian, is always kind to her and she feels safe when she's there. She gets on the computer and a message pops up: "You are needed." She's a little confused and responds, "For what?" She gets another message and is told to go to the storage room and she will be greeted soon. She shows it to Mr. Dempsey and he suggests they go to investigate. 

Next we meet Zach. He's getting out of school and helps a friend get out of a bullying situation. When he gets home, his parents are arguing and he escapes to the guesthouse where he turns his computer on. A message pops up: "YOU ARE NEEDED." He asks who it is and gets a message and is told to step outside and he will find them waiting. He opens the door to fog and as he walks, he realizes that he's not walking toward his house. He hears two men talking about the opening to the portal and they are clearly looking for him. Since he doesn't know who they are, he hides from them. He also notices changes to his clothes and body and is pretty confused about what's going on.

We learn a little more about Shelby and she and Mr. Dempsey are both taken into the fog where they meet up with the men who take them to the others. We then meet Riley, Stuart, Max and Emily, who are already in Meredia. They're learning who they are: Meridia's governing body, the Aulic Assembly, has disappeared and each of the six teens were born with a psychic link to one of the six members of the Assembly. They need to utilize their psychic links to rescue the Assembly members so they can operate the "Silver Sphere."

This is where it really starts getting complex as they start meeting people and creatures in Meridia. There are some illustrations, too, to help get a better idea of what some of them look like. There are some good relationships that start forming as the Kin learn their role in what's happening and what they are destined to do. There's lots of action and strategy and adjusting to new problems that come up. One of the characters is introduced toward the beginning and we don't hear much more about him and I was wondering why he was in the story and then he reappears during a pivotal point (yes, the Glossary will come in very handy). The ending was feeling complete and then the last chapter contains a revelation that screams, "Sequel!" This is a world I will definitely continue reading about and recommend it to others to learn about, too.

My Rating: 4 stars
YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi, 274 pages
Content:Fighting-type violence (nothing too graphic)

Author Michael Dadich

I’ve been writing since first setting pencil to steno pad at age 8. A year later, I began developing the world of my current series-in-progress, and even created its title, The Silver Sphere. Now, with the support of years of experience, those early maps and back stories have progressed into what I hope is a fresh and entertaining take on the classic young adult fantasy adventure.
Despite my frequent escapes into parallel worlds, I root myself firmly in my very real family and community. When not pacing the yard maniacally after every few pages of writing, I spend as much time as possible hanging out with my studly 9-year-old son, and my inspirational wife Jenna. I also coach several local youth sports teams in Beverly Hills, and alternate between yelling at my two crazy Corgis and hiking with my trained German Shepherd.
For more, join me in my favorite fantasy worlds, from Lord of the Rings to the creations of C.S. Lewis, Anne McCaffrey and Terry Brooks. Even more importantly, stop by and say hello on my Facebook page at AuthorMichaelDadich, tweet me at @MichaelDadich, and stalk my website at http://www.thesilversphere.org.

Current Giveaways

Here are some giveaways that are currently going on, so if you haven't entered them yet, be sure to. They all have awesome prizes!!

Starseed (ends in 5 days)
Kindle Fire or $199 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash (ends in 10 days)
Terra (ends in 21 days)

Also, today you can get Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 for $1.99! There are only two books out so far and I believe it will eventually have 7 books in it. It's a great series to share with your teens. 

Here's the description from Amazon:  To everyone at Meridian High School, fourteen-year-old Michael Vey is nothing special, just the kid who has Tourette’s syndrome. But in truth, Michael is extremely special—he has electric powers. Michael thinks he is unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor has the same mysterious powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up with their abilities, and their investigation soon brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric teens—and through them, the world.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans introduces a character whose risk-filled exploration marks the beginning of a riveting new series. With only his powers, his wits, and his friends to protect him, Michael will need all his strength to survive…. 

Cellar Door Mysteries: Escape

"Cellar Door Mysteries: Escape" is book # 2 in the "Cellar Door Mysteries" series. This book continues following siblings Darius and Veronika and the adventures they encounter on their quest to uncover the truth about their parents mysterious death. (Amazon)

Last month, my 9-year-old daughter shared her review of Cellar Door: Secret Room and she was anxious to read part 2. She has now read it and wrote another report, so this is her take on the story. She left her first review on a cliffhanger, so reading this review will spoil the end of part one. To read her review on Cellar Door: Secret Room, look here

So they are down in the cellar with all the gold. They smell smoke so they come up and see their Aunt Sylvair crying, "The children! The children!" When the officer came, Aunt Sylvair said, "We were eating breakfast and I went to go get the mail and when I turned around, the house was on fire." The kids ran out of the forest. "Officer, she is lying," said Veronika. "We were in the forest," said Darius. "What were you doing in the forest?" asked Aunt Sylvair. The officer said, "Everyone come with me." The kids turned around and ran into the forest. They ran into the cellar door with Officer Parks running after them. They got into the cellar and went down and Officer Parks didn't see them. They grabbed the ladder and walked down the hall and put the ladder against the wall and climbed up. They went looking for a way out. They kicked the floor, pushing the walls until they pushed on one wall and it opened. 

They ran inside and closed the door and were standing in a big room. Veronika looked in the fridge and it was full. She looked inside the cupboards and they were full. She looked in the pantry and it was full. So they decided to go back and get their backpacks full of gold. So when they looked at the gold, they saw a receipt that their parents had purchased the gold from Eloise Parks. They went back to the big room and felt around for another way out. They moved the bookcase and there was a different paint color. They pushed on the wall and it opened. They went inside and saw it was blocked by a metal door. "Look up, look down," said Veronika. Two rods were there. They each pulled on one and it opened. They ran forward until they came outside. Then they went back and got their backpacks. 

So they went until they got to where Eloise worked. They went in and Eloise took them to her office and they talked and she convinced them to come to her house. So she closed up work and they went to her house and saw their rooms, which looked just like theirs at home. Eloise left them in their rooms. She went downstairs. Ring! Ring! Ring! Eloise picked up the phone and you have to read the book to find out what she says on the phone.

This book is 60 pages, so it's a little longer than the first book, but there weren't any chapters so it felt like one long chapter to her. She didn't like that at all. But she is enjoying the story. It's really hard to find out if there will be any more installments in this series. The first two were released a month apart and then nothing.

Her rating: 4 stars

I haven't yet had a chance to read this so I don't have a rating for it.


 

Blog Tour: Terra

On Tour with Prism Book Tours... 

Hello there! My name is Gretchen Powell. I am 24 years old, half-Chinese, and the owner of two adorable miniature schnauzers. I am an occasional drinker of classy wines, and I wrote a book.

By day, I work for a government contractor in our nation’s capital.

By night, I binge on episodes of Doctor Who and sleep fitfully.

Sometime in the mid-afternoon, I write another blog called Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen! about weight loss, food, fitness, and my life.

Some of my favorite things include polka dots, Harry Potter, pretty much any TV show that airs on Thursday nights (yep, I'm talking Vampire Diaries #notashamed), and playing the ukulele.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

Terra

by Gretchen Powell

Paperback, 286 pages

Published December 12th 2012 by Hopewell Media

Premise:

A broken and desolate Earth. A young girl struggling to survive. A lost boy with a powerful secret.

A discovery that will change everything.

In the distant wake of a plague that has decimated the Earth's population, humanity is split in two: The rich and powerful live in skycities that float overhead, while those who remain on the ground have gathered in settlements strewn across a dying planet. Eighteen-year-old Terra Rhodon is a terrestrial--a denizen of the barren groundworld--who makes her living as a scav. Long abandoned by her father, her caregivers gone, Terra supports herself and her younger brother, Mica, by scouring the earth for discarded scraps and metals to recycle for profit. One day, while on a routine scavenging run, she discovers something that shocks her home settlement of Genesis X-16. When the value of her discovery is revealed, Terra's world is turned upside down.

Terra suddenly finds herself asking questions no one will answer. Her search for the truth leads her to Adam--a beguiling skydweller unlike any she has ever met. But Adam has secrets and a quest of his own, and with him by her side, the world Terra thought she knew begins to unravel. Soon her discoveries unearth a terrifying conspiracy that has the potential to shatter everything--a revelation that will test the bonds of loyalty, family, and love.

Amazon  *  Barnes & Noble

I loved this book! First of all, I have a sister named Tera, so I knew I had to give this book a chance. When I first started it, I felt that it had some similarities to The Hunger Games (which isn't bad--I love THG, too) but then it takes a turn and goes down its own unique, adventurous path. Terra, 18, and Mica, 13, are orphans--their mother and grandmother have died and their father abandoned them. Terra scavenges for scraps and metal to recycle to help them survive. One day she discovers something she's never seen before and she gets a lot of credits (money) for it, which will keep them comfortably fed for a long time. As she realizes how life changing this find is, she decides to look for more to help her brother get an even better advantage in life. 

What happens next, though, changes her life even more and the book is full of twists and turns I didn't see coming--a big plus for me! She meets Adam and he's mysterious (with beautiful, blue eyes) and, at first, she tries to get away from him but he keeps turning up so they decide to work together. I love the way their relationship develops and am excited to read the rest of the series to see how it will turn out since his secret is pretty big. 

Terra is a strong character. She's loyal and tough and gives it her all when she fights. She's also caring and is willing to let her walls down for the right person.

I like Terra's relationship with Mica. They look out for each other and care about what happens to the other one. Mica doesn't always make the best decisions, but he is only 13, and doesn't try to do anything harmful. I also kept expecting their father to appear again and it will be interesting to see if he does. Because of how their world works, he would be able to come back and be forgiven or come back and be hated even more. 

And the ending--oh, my! I'm really looking forward to book 2 to see what happens next! I highly recommend this to anyone that likes dystopian, and if you've never read dystopian, this is a good one to start with. 

Content: A few swear words

My Rating: 4.5 stars

In Terra's world, resources are scarce and many people make their living as "scavs," hunting for scraps to turn in on Collection Day in exchange for credits. For this tour, YOU are a scav, and there are scraps all over the blogosphere for you to find! On each participating blog, there will be one of 9 possible questions. Answer the question to receive a keyword that will get you an extra entry in the awesome giveaway!

Find the BEST answer to Terra Collection #4 in the excerpt at  Jessie's Book Place

Giveaway April 1 - 26

One lucky scav will win a Terra prize pack! Get a signed copy of Terra, along with three exclusive (and gorgeous!) bookmarks, as well as a delicate silver watch--just like Terra's!--all packed up inside a scav bag of your very own! US only.

An additional five (FIVE!) winners will get a digital copy of Terra in the format of their choice. International.

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced on Rafflecopter and Grand Finale posts as well as emailed and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry and Prism Book Tours and sponsored by Gretchen Powell. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Terra on Tour!!

April 2013

Check out the Reviews of Terra!! And become a "scav" and track down all the answers to the Collections questions hidden in the excerpts. :-)  Plus, celebrate Gretchen's birthday by bringing something fun to the party!!

1 - April Fool's Day LAUNCH!

 - Colorimetry

 - I Am a Reader, Not a Writer Excerpt 1

 - fuonlyknew Excerpt 2

2 - A Tiffyfit's Reading Corner Review

 - Pause Time - Review

3 - Jessie's Book Place Excerpt 3

 - The Reading Diaries - Excerpt 4

4 - Mel's Shelves - Review

5 - Lovin' Los Libros - Review

7 - Christy's Cozy Corner - Review

 - Total Book Geek - Excerpt 5

8 - The Quiet Concert - Review

9 - LDS & Lovin' It - Review

10 - Jessabella Reads - Excerpt 6

11 - Gretchen's Birthday Party!!

 - Passion & Life - Excerpt 7

12 - Tressa's Wishful Endings - Review

14 - Living a Goddess Life - Review

 - Books, Books and More Books - Review

15 - Marked by Books - Excerpt 8

16 - Blood, Sweat and Books - Review

 - My Seryniti - Review

17 - Bookworm Lisa - Review

 - Mortality Bites - Excerpt 9

18 - Getting Your Read On - Review

 -The Broke Book Bank Interview 10

19 - Grand Finale Blast!!

The False Prince

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, 2012, 342p, rating=5
Content: Clean; Source: Audio from library; Young Adult Fiction

THE FALSE PRINCE is the thrilling first book in a brand-new trilogy filled with danger and deceit and hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end.

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.

As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.

An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.(Goodreads)

I've heard lots of good things about this book and have lots of other books to read right now so I was glad to find it on audio and had to wait a while until I got it. I started listening to it and it was hard to stop. If you've listened to an audiobook before, then you know that the reader can make or break the story for you and the guy who read this, Charlie McWade, did a great job! 

Sage is snarky and sarcastic, yet also has a soft side, and that comes through really well. He made me laugh and there were times that I wondered what he was up to and why certain things seemed so important to him. Conner has just the right amount of snootiness in his voice to make him unlikable. He's conniving and mean but since he holds all the power, the orphan boys are at his mercy.

Towards the end, as the holes started filling in and my questions started getting answered, the story was so intriguing that I just couldn't stop listening. Wow! What a reveal! There's a love triangle that starts to form and it looks like it carries through to book 2 and it will be interesting to read what happens there.

Also, at the end of the audio, there's an extra excerpt which tells a little more detail behind one of the stories that is referenced in the book--when Prince Jaron, 10 years old at the time, challenged a king to a duel. He's quite the character.

This is definitely a 5 star book to me and I highly recommend it to everyone! Book 2 just came out a month ago and I can't find any info right now on when book 3 will be released. There is a question about it being made into a movie on the author's website and this is her response: "THE FALSE PRINCE has been optioned by Scholastic Entertainment. In December 2012, it was announced that Paramount Pictures has hired a screenwriter named Bryan Cogman (also a writer for HBO’s GAME OF THRONES) to do a screenplay adaptation. He is an excellent writer, and I’m very excited to have him working on the script, but this is still only one of many steps before it can become a movie. I’d love to see it happen though." Fingers crossed!!

No Joke--Big April Fools Giveaway!

Be sure to enter this giveaway and check out these books, too!

No Joke - Win Big April Fools Giveaway

Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway

 The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)

Sponsoring Authors

The Breeders by Katie French

"The Breeders is a YA dystopian read that's as gritty and dark as the cover and title suggest. It takes a look at how society might devolve if females were commodities: bought, sold, stolen, and traded to keep the dwindling human race going. Frightening concept. I loved it." --A.G. Henley, author of The Scourge

 Facebook * Twitter * Blog * Purchase

Dissidence by Jamie Canosa

"An amazingly snarky protagonist, two hot boys, a mass rebellion, and an ending that will blow your mind are the perfect ingredients that will make Dissidence the next big thing in YA." --Beth, YA Sisterhood

Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Purchase

The Moon Dwellers and Fire Country 

by David Estes

“Fire Country is an epic start to the Country saga and left me with my heart pounding and totally breathless. Phenomenal" --K-booksxo.blogspot.com

Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Purchase

Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas

Love between humans and androids is forbidden, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen...

Twitter * Facebook * Website * Purchase

The Tale of Mally Biddle by M.L. LeGette

"To say I loved this book is an understatement." --April Holgate

 Facebook * Twitter * Blog * Purchase

Terra by Gretchen Powell

"This could be your world... but it's definitely Terra's, and she navigates it with determination, and a longing for answers that makes her story engrossing and entertaining." -- abookobsession.com

Twitter * Facebook * Website * Purchase

After the Fear by Rosanne Rivers

"The book is just breathtaking from the moment you start till the moment you put it down." -- Amazon review

Twitter * Website * Facebook * Purchase

Entanglement by Dan Rix

A YA Dystopian Romance where every human is born with a soulmate, whom they meet on their 18th birthday...and the one boy who's the exception.

Twitter * Facebook * Blog * Purchase

daynight by Megan Thomason

“Sure to win over YA readers looking for a dangerous, dystopian adventure story” --Kirkus Reviews

 “Gripping; page-turner” --BlueInk Review (starred review)

Twitter * Facebook * Blog * Purchase

Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan

"The novel's take on otherworldly travel is a compelling one, and the romantic plot will likely appeal to Twilight fans." - Kirkus Reviews

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Giveaway Details

1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).

Ends 4/15/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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