PROMOTIONAL SPOTLIGHT & ABOUT THE AUTHOR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW - FIRE - ELEMENTS OF POWER BY HEATHER JAMES

ASIN: B00AX5FOVC

Series: Elements Of Power

Publisher: Self/Indie

Pages/File size: 202pages/371KB

Formats Available: E-Book

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Is control over the elements a gift, or a curse?

Roxy thinks that she is in control of everything: with flames flaring at her fingertips and an equally fiery attitude, what more could she need? But then she meets Brae, a prince from a rival Realm, who turns her assumptions of superiority upside down.

Jasmine has none of Roxy’s confidence or intensity. But she does have a secret - and Brae - and she’s not going to give either up willingly.

A Little About The Author

(from Goodreads)

Heather James is a young-adult author who writes about heroines with amazing powers, heroes who will break your heart and fantasy realms that you will want to move to. 
She works in the attendance office of a South-East London secondary school and spends her school holidays writing, reading, playing flag-American football and wasting time marketing on Pinterest.

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

I'm Heather James, I was born and live just outside of London in the UK.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?

Yes, I work in an office in a secondary school, which provides a wealth of inspiration and also gives me lots of holidays to write during.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?

My debut novel is called Fire. It is:

A YA fantasy novel based around the four elements; read it if you like magic, feisty heroines, action and romance.

Who is your publisher? or do you self-publish?

Fire is self-published. It’s a lot of hard work, but I’m really enjoying it so far.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

It varies considerably. Fire took a few years to finish. I’ve been working on Water for almost a year now, but in the meantime I’ve written a first draft of the series finale, Air, and a few chapters of another project. 

Which of your books were easier/harder to write than the others?

I think they’re getting easier – finishing Fire seemed like an impossible task for a while, but I know now that I am capable of writing complete novels, so long as I put the necessary work in.

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

There are two more novels to come out in the Elements of Power series, then my next book will be more dystopian/sci-fi.
(Please let me know when the dystopian book is ready to be read.reviewed. Dystopian is my favourite genre)

Where do you get your book plot ideas from? What/Who is your inspiration?

I’ve got my most recent ideas from the news – I’ve been watching a report and thinking ‘why isn’t the world more like X’ and I’ve created an entire plot line off the back of it.

Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them? ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?

Yes, my parents are great for discussing plot issues with and for catching mistakes. My sister is pretty much my target audience – I’m usually thinking about her reactions as I write, so she always gets to read things first. And my friends, who have supported me from the second I told them that I had written a novel.

Do you gift books to readers to do reviews?

Absolutely. As a debut author, it’s the best way of introducing people to my writing. I’m always happy for people to contact me and ask for a review copy.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

I read everything that is posted on goodreads and anything that bloggers let me know they have posted. Even the critical ones: I’m a self-published author and I know that my work isn’t flawless, so reading reviews which pick up on minor mistakes helps me to fix them.

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?

No – because everyone is entitled to their opinion, and something that one reviewer really doesn’t like, will often be something that another loves; particularly because the two protagonists in my work are very different. I’ve noticed that readers often warm to one or the other and that completely shapes their perspective of the novel! I did once read one review which was really positive, but the reviewer had only given it one star, so I messaged them to ask what they hadn’t liked, and they came straight back saying that the one star was a mistake and changed it to five!

How do you come up with characters’ names and place names in your books? Are character names and place names decided after their creation? or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?

I love names and whenever I come across an interesting one, I’ll make a note of it to use when I next need a new character. My novel, Fire, is split into four very different Realms and I have a spreadsheet which sorts names I like by the Realm I believe they fit best with. Occasionally I’ll change someone’s name part way through the story, if I don’t think that it fits their character.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?

Usually I will let them evolve as I write, then I will go back and change things from the opening chapters if I need to. I always have a basic idea of what the character will be like when I introduce them, but I base their personality off of how they need to react in certain situations.

What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?

I play American Flag-Football whenever I get the time to and I also love to bake. Every week, I help to run a Rainbows group, which is a youth club for 5-7 year old girls.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or paperback)

I am currently reading Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. It is a paperback which I was lucky enough to get signed by Meyer at her first International book signing! I am therefore being very, very careful with it and not taking it out of the house.

Did you read a lot at school and write lots of stories or is being a writer something newer in your life?

I have always read books and written stories, from a young age. Books and stories make up so much of the fabric of who I am; I would be utterly lost without them.

Did you have a favourite author as a child?

JK Rowling. I love the Harry Potter books; I started reading them when I was 6 or 7 and Deathly Hallows came out when I was 14, so they had a huge presence in my childhood. I’ve read each one so many times.

Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?

I have tried to read the Hobbit twice now and given up both times. For some reason I just can’t get into it. I haven’t seen the film yet, but I’m intrigued as to whether it will help me to enjoy the story.

Where can readers follow you?

Blog: http://heatherfjames.blogspot.co.uk/p/home.html

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/heatherjamesfire

Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6879785.Heather_James

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakexBelieve

Google+: https://plus.google.com/b/115868498453069781032/115868498453069781032/posts

Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fire-Elements-Power-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00AX5FOVC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368890157&sr=8-1&keywords=heather+james+fire

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/273346

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/makexbelieve/boards/  

PURCHASE LINK

AUGUST 2013 NEW RELEASES

Have you already made your lists of the August titles you'd like to read?  I have put together this post of the books I'm looking forward to that release in August! I'll admit the majority of the titles I feature are also one's I want to read myself, but I've tried to include something for everyone's taste.

THE RETURNED BY JASON MOTT

Publisher: Harlequin/MIRA

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Harold and Lucille Hargrave's lives have been both joyful and sorrowful in the decades since their only son, Jacob, died tragically at his eighth birthday party in 1966. In their old age they've settled comfortably into life without him, their wounds tempered through the grace of time ... Until one day Jacob mysteriously appears on their doorstep—flesh and blood, their sweet, precocious child, still eight years old.

All over the world people's loved ones are returning from beyond. No one knows how or why this is happening, whether it's a miracle or a sign of the end. Not even Harold and Lucille can agree on whether the boy is real or a wondrous imitation, but one thing they know for sure: he's their son. As chaos erupts around the globe, the newly reunited Hargrave family finds itself at the center of a community on the brink of collapse, forced to navigate a mysterious new reality and a conflict that threatens to unravel the very meaning of what it is to be human.

WINDS OF SALEM by MELISSA DE LA CRUZ

Publisher: Hyperion

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Modern-day witch Freya Beauchamp is cast back in time to 1692 amongst the Salem Witch Trials by an enemy spell, as her present-day family attempts to reopen the passages of time to bring her home.SOON TO BE A LIFETIME TELEVISION SERIES!Freya Beauchamp is trapped in 1692, in Salem of all places, with no recollection of her past. A powerful enemy spell has sent her spiraling away so that she is separated by centuries from her mother, Joanna, and sister, Ingrid. This is not good news for a twenty-first-century witch. Not to mention the immediate threat she faces from the wealthy and influential Putnam family. When little Annie Putnam is one of the first to make accusations of witchcraft, her landowner father jumps at the opportunity to consolidate his power and expand his holdings in Puritan Salem Town. If Freya is caught using magic, she will be forced to relive the witch trials, and this time, even her immortality is in question. 
Meanwhile, twenty-first-century North Hampton has its own snares. Joanna and Norm consult the Oracle for advice, and Freddie and his pixie allies search for a missing totem that could reopen the passages of time and help bring his sister home. When Ingrid bumps into an old flame, she finds that her new love for Detective Matt Noble is in doubt.
Moving between past and present, Winds of Salem's dizzying plot twists and page-turning suspense is sure to bewitch fans old and new.

THE BONE SEASON BY SAMANTHA SHANNON

Publisher: Bloomsbury

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It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.

But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.
Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine—a young woman learning to harness her powers in a world where everything has been taken from her. It also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

BANISH BY NICOLE MARSH

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

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Alyssa has one week to destroy her enemy, save her spirit... and save her soul. 

After her ex-boyfriend commits suicide and her mum’s alcoholism sparks yet another psychotic episode, seventeen-year-old Alyssa Wood flees her small hometown of Broadwater and heads to New York City to stay with her bohemian aunt — a Wicca High Priestess.

Alyssa revels in the anonymity of a big city and her new life. Her grades climb, she has a new best friend, and a new guy: the sexy geek Ronan — a saxophone player who prefers jazz to pop.

But her newfound peace is soon shattered when she sees a dead body in one of Ronan’s music clips — and she’s the only one who can see it. Worse still, Alyssa recognises the body that has been murdered a week forward!

Alyssa doesn’t believe in the supernatural...despite her family’s Wicca background. So how will she overcome evil when it’s closer than she thinks?

AQUIFER BY JONATHON FRIESEN

Publisher: Zondervankidz, Zondervan

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Only He Can Bring What They Needed to Survive.

In 2250, water is scarce, and those who control it control everything. And they’ll do anything to maintain their power – deceiving, dividing families, banning love ... even killing those who oppose them. But above all, they seek to control knowledge and communication – ensuring the truth that will bring their downfall will never be known. But one person verges on discovering it all. Sixteen-year-old Luca becomes the Deliverer, the only one allowed to contact the people called ‘Water Rats,’ who mine the essential water deep underground and bring it to the ‘Toppers’ who desperately need it above. But when he meets a Water Rat who captures his heart and leads him to secrets – secrets about a vast conspiracy, and about himself – the net around him tightens. Luca and those around him must uncover and share the truth needed to overthrow tyranny – even as they fight for their lives.

RUNNING LEAN BY DIANA L. SHARPLES

Publisher: Zonderkidz, Zondervan

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Running Lean [run·ning leen]

A term referring to a deficiency of fuel in the fuel-to-air ratio of an internal combustion engine.

A physical condition where not enough caloric fuel is present for optimal performance of the body.

A spiritual condition in which a believer relies on his own strengths.

Equilibrium. That’s what Stacey and Calvin found in each other. He is as solid as his beloved vintage motorcycle and helps quiet the constant clamor in Stacey’s mind. She is a passionate, creative spirit—and a lifeline after Calvin’s soldier brother dies.

But lately the balance is off. Calvin’s grief is taking new and more dangerous forms. Voices of self-loathing are dominating Stacey’s life. When struggles with body image threaten her health, Calvin can’t bear to lose another person that he loves. Taking action may destroy their relationship, but the alternative could be much more costly.

PROTECTED BY CINDY M. HOGAN

Publisher: All Night Reads

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She has the guy. The terrorists have been taken care of. She has a shot at becoming popular.
Life is great!
Until they find her. 
Now she must run and leave behind everything she knows, including herself.

GATED BY AMY CHRISTINE PARKER

Publisher: Random House

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Do the gates keep the unchosen out or the chosen in?

In Mandrodage Meadows, life seems perfect. The members of this isolated suburban community have thrived under Pioneer, the charismatic leader who saved them from their sad, damaged lives. Lyla Hamilton and her parents are original members of the flock. They moved here following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, looking to escape the evil in the world. Now seventeen, Lyla knows certain facts are not to be questioned:

Pioneer is her leader.

Will is her Intended.

The end of the world is near.

Like Noah before him, Pioneer has been told of the imminent destruction of humanity. He says his chosen must arm themselves to fight off the unchosen people, who will surely seek refuge in the compound's underground fortress--the Silo.

Lyla loves her family and friends, but given the choice, she prefers painting to target practice. And lately she'd rather think about a certain boy outside the compound than plan for married life in the Silo with Will. But with the end of days drawing near, she will have to pick up a gun, take a side, and let everyone know where she stands.

CROWN ON MIDNIGHT BY SARAH J. MAAS

Publisher: Bloomsbury

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Eighteen-year-old Celaena Sardothien is bold, daring and beautiful – the perfect seductress and the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But though she won the King’s contest and became his champion, Celaena has been granted neither her liberty nor the freedom to follow her heart. The slavery of the suffocating salt mines of Endovier that scarred her past is nothing compared to a life bound to her darkest enemy, a king whose rule is so dark and evil it is near impossible to defy. Celaena faces a choice that is tearing her heart to pieces: kill in cold blood for a man she hates, or risk sentencing those she loves to death. Celaena must decide what she will fight for: survival, love or the future of a kingdom. Because an assassin cannot have it all . . . And trying to may just destroy her.

Love or loathe Celaena, she will slice open your heart with her dagger and leave you bleeding long after the last page of the highly anticipated sequel in what is undeniably THE hottest new fantasy series.

THE UPRISING BY LISA M STASSE

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

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In this dystopian sequel to The Forsaken, Alenna has survived the brutality of life on the wheel—and now she’s going back for more.
Alenna escaped. It was expected that she would die on the wheel, the island where would-be criminals are sent as directed by the UNA—the totalitarian supercountry that was once the United States, Mexico, and Canada. But Alenna and her boyfriend, Liam, made it to safety. Except safety, they will soon learn, is relative.

In order to bring down the UNA, they must first gain control of the wheel. If the mission succeeds, the wheel will become a base of revolution. But between betrayals, a new Monk leading a more organized army of Drones, and the discovery of a previously unknown contingent, Alenna, Liam, and their allies might be in over their heads. One thing Alenna knows for sure: There will be a reckoning. And not everyone she loves will make it out alive.

ELEGY BY AMANDA HOCKING

Publisher: St Martin's Griffin

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Now that Gemma holds the key to breaking the siren curse, the stakes have never been higher. At last, a future with those she loves—and a romance with Alex—is close enough to touch...but not if Penn has anything to say about it. Penn is more determined than ever to have Daniel for her own and to destroy Gemma and Harper along the way, and Penn always gets what she wants. Now a final explosive battle is about to begin, and the winner will take everything Gemma holds dear.

THE WEIGHT OF SOULS BY BRYONY PEARCE

Publisher: Strange Chemistry, Angry Robot

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Sixteen year old Taylor Oh is cursed: if she is touched by the ghost of a murder victim then they pass a mark beneath her skin. She has three weeks to find their murderer and pass the mark to them – letting justice take place and sending them into the Darkness. And if she doesn’t make it in time? The Darkness will come for her…

She spends her life trying to avoid ghosts, make it through school where she’s bullied by popular Justin and his cronies, keep her one remaining friend, and persuade her father that this is real and that she’s not going crazy.

But then Justin is murdered and everything gets a whole lot worse. Justin doesn’t know who killed him, so there’s no obvious person for Taylor to go after. The clues she has lead her to the V Club, a vicious secret society at her school where no one is allowed to leave… and where Justin was dared to do the stunt which led to his death.

Can she find out who was responsible for his murder before the Darkness comes for her? Can she put aside her hatred for her former bully to truly help him? 

And what happens if she starts to fall for him?

DON'T LOOK NOW BY MICHELLE GAGNON

Publisher: Harpercollins

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The jaw-dropping sequel to breakout YA thriller Don't Turn Around, which Kirkus Reviews named a Best Book of the Year, calling it "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for teens, a surefire hit"

Noa Torsen is on the run. Having outsmarted the sinister corporation Pike & Dolan, Noa and her friend Zeke now move stealthily across the country, protecting runaways before they become test subjects for P&D's horrific experiments. Noa knows all too well what that feels like: Whatever they did to her has left her exhausted and scared.

Back in Boston, Peter anxiously follows Noa's movements from his computer, using his hacker skills to feed her the information she needs to stay alive. But he's desperate to do something more, especially when he learns what P&D has done to his ex-girlfriend Amanda.

Then, in an explosive confrontation, Noa and her team are trapped in the one place they thought was safe. It will take everything Noa and Peter have to bring down the corporation before it gets them first. And with no one to trust and enemies hiding at every turn, they may be the only people alive who can.

This stunning second book in the critically acclaimed Don't Turn Around trilogy raises the stakes to their absolute limit and will leave readers begging for the exciting conclusion, Don't Let Go.

EXCERPT & ABOUT THE AUTHOR - MIST - MIDGARD BY SUSAN KRINARD

ISBN: 978-0765332080

ASIN: B00AEC8OCK

Series: Midgard

Publisher: Tor Books

Pages/File Size: 384pages/535KB

Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book

EXCERPT

Mist fingered the talisman pendant hung on a sturdy leather cord around her neck, the one Odin All- father had given her before the Last Battle.

“You will go to Midgard,” he had said. “You and each of your Sisters will bear a weapon that must not fall into the hands of the evil ones. As long as you live, you will guard them. Until . . .”

Mist had never seen him again, nor understood why the Allfather had sent the Valkyrie away when there would never be anyone to wield the Treasures, let alone steal them, when the Last Battle ended. Evil would die along with the Good.

And yet Mist’s duty remained. Until the German invasion of the Northlands, her only reason for existing was to carry her burden through eternity.

This war, among all the countless that had come and gone in two millennia, had ended her self- imposed exile. She had found a new purpose, and it resided in this little girl and hundreds like her. Rebekka would know an end to conflict and a life that, for all its smallness, would find meaning in simple pleasures, in love, in future generations. All the things Mist had learned to live without.

The guttural cry of a gyrfalcon overhead pulled Mist from her thoughts. White against white, her Sister Valkyrie, Bryn, was only a flicker of motion in the colorless sky, almost invisible. As Mist watched her circle, Bryn faltered as if caught by a noose and pulled abruptly toward the earth. Her wings trembled, and a shower of pale feathers fluttered down amid the snow.

“What is wrong with that bird?” Rebekka asked, following Mist’s gaze.

Mist caught a puff of white down and clenched it in her fingers. From the beginning of the war Mist had refused to accept that, even with the gods so long dead, the Valkyrie were still forbidden to use the Treasures. It was she who had suggested that Bryn take advantage of the magic cloak she had vowed to protect.

So far, it had been invaluable. But lately Bryn had been giving disturbing reports, claiming that it was becoming increasingly difficult to put on the cloak and change her shape.

“It’s as if it doesn’t want me to wear it,” the dark- haired Valkyrie had said at their last camp. “As if Freya is punishing me for my blasphemy.”

Mist had scoff ed. “Blasphemy for using it to aid her people in their time of greatest need?”

Bryn had shivered and shook her head. “The Treasures were ours to guard, not to use. We have no right.”

PURCHASE LINKS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan Krinard has been writing paranormal romance and fantasy since 1993, when a published author friend read a short story she’d written and advised her to try writing a novel. She sold her first novel to Bantam Dell, and has since written for Bantam, Penguin, Harlequin/ Silhouette, Harper Collins, St. Martin’s Press., and Tor Books. Her output includes twenty-three novels and twelve novellas and short stories.

Susan’s love for Science Fiction and Fantasy began when her fourth grade teacher read Madeleine L’Engles’ A Wrinkle In Time to the class. She attended her first Star Trek convention at the age of 14. Since then she’s continued to read voraciously and has attended numerous local and World Science Fiction conventions. Her first major urban fantasy series is the “Midgard” series, beginning with Mist, a July 2013 release from Tor Books.

Susan and works in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her husband Serge Mailloux—whom she met because of a mutual love of the works of writer C. J. Cherryh—dogs Cagney, Nahla and Freya, and cats Agatha and Rocky. www.susankrinard.com

MIST BY SUSAN KRINARD

ISBN: 978-0765332080
ASIN: B00AEC8OCK
Series: Midgard
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages/File Size: 384pages/535KB
Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book

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New York Times bestselling author Susan Krinard launches her first urban fantasy series

Centuries ago, all was lost in the Last Battle when the Norse gods and goddesses went to war. The elves, the giants, and the gods and goddesses themselves were all destroyed, leaving the Valkyrie Mist one of the only survivors.

Or so she thought.

When a snowy winter descends upon modern-day San Francisco in June, Mist’s quiet existence starts to feel all too familiar. In quick succession, Mist is attacked by a frost giant in a public park and runs into an elf disguised as a homeless person on the streets…and then the man Mist believed was her mortal boyfriend reveals himself to be the trickster god, Loki, alive and well after all these years.

Loki has big plans for the modern world, and he’s been hanging around Mist for access to a staff that once belonged to the great god Odin. Mist is certain of one thing: Loki must be stopped if there is to be any hope for Earth. But the fight is even bigger than she knows….

Because Loki wasn’t the only god to survive.

MY REVIEW
I received an e-arc of this from Netgalley, and then was contacted by Tor to ask if I'd like to be part of the book tour,in exchange for my honest review.
So the cover gives a quite dramatic feeling,with the lightning. I like the strong stance of Mist which gives an accurate impression of her character.The bridge comes into the plot, as a bridge between worlds not just a physical bridge.I think the cover suits the book quite well. I like the larger sized title and font style works really well.The title and author name are both well placed and enhance the cover rather than impose on it.
So would I pick it up from the shelf in a bookstore? Yes I'd be drawn to the cover, to want to know more, the lightening suggest action and the stance of the female onthe cover suggests a kick butt female lead character!
So this book is all about mythology and Norse Gods and Goddesses.Mist is a Valkyrie.The Valkyrie have been given ancient magical weapons to guard until they are once needed again.Not all the Gods/Goddesses are honorable, so there's lots of deception, and betrayal in the book. Most of the Gods and Goddesses are trapped in a "between world".Mist is in Midguard, where she's been since the "last battle" took place. Many were destroyed but there were others that survived and have been hidden planning another battle for supremacy. An elf know as the betrayer as he was something of a double agent between the different sides of the great battle arrives and finds Mist. Dainn the elf has been sent to prepare Mist so that her mother one of the Goddesses can basically use her body to appear in Midguard for a "final battle".Dainn doesn't plan on becoming attracted to Mist which causes him to question the task ahead of them.The "enemy" is Loki a God who can shapeshift. This Loki has been in the form of a man named Eric and has been living with Mist to steal her ancient weapon and in the hope of Mist giving away the whereabouts of her sister Valkyrie with their weapons.
I have to say this is not my usual/favoured genre of book,but I decided I wanted to read something a little different so decided to give this a go. I did initially think I'd made a major mistake as I found all the different Gods and Goddesses etc somewhat confusing.The plot jumped about a little from before Ragnorak the supposed "last battle", to another time in history to the present day, which I did find a little confusing to begin with.
I persevered with the book and did end up becoming drawn in by it. I did end up enjoying it even though the book felt a more complex read for me.
So did I enjoy the book? I found it difficult going at the beginning, but did enjoy parts of the book later as I got more into the complexities of the plot and story. Would I recommend the book? Yes, though I would point out that it is definitely not a "light" read.I think those who read mythology would enjoy the book more also. Would I read a BK#2? I think I would, I invested the time and patience to read Bk#1 that has set up the scene/plot.I also learnt about the characters and their capabilities,so I would want to know more about what happens next. Also I'd be more prepared for the heavier more complex read next time too. Would I read other books by Susan Krinard? I'd certainly take a look at any books by her.

PURCHASE LINKS

PROMOTIONAL SPOTLIGHT & GIVEAWAY - MIST BY SUSAN KRINARD

ISBN: 978-0765332080
ASIN: B00AEC8OCK
Series: Mist
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages/File Size: 384pages/535KB
Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book

BLURB from Goodreads
New York Times bestselling author Susan Krinard launches her first urban fantasy series

Centuries ago, all was lost in the Last Battle when the Norse gods and goddesses went to war. The elves, the giants, and the gods and goddesses themselves were all destroyed, leaving the Valkyrie Mist one of the only survivors.

Or so she thought.

When a snowy winter descends upon modern-day San Francisco in June, Mist’s quiet existence starts to feel all too familiar. In quick succession, Mist is attacked by a frost giant in a public park and runs into an elf disguised as a homeless person on the streets…and then the man Mist believed was her mortal boyfriend reveals himself to be the trickster god, Loki, alive and well after all these years.

Loki has big plans for the modern world, and he’s been hanging around Mist for access to a staff that once belonged to the great god Odin. Mist is certain of one thing: Loki must be stopped if there is to be any hope for Earth. But the fight is even bigger than she knows….

Because Loki wasn’t the only god to survive.

PURCHASE LINKS

Indiebound, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BooksAMillion,

Powells, Walmart, Overstock

GIVEAWAY

The Giveaway is US/Canada ONLY

There's going to be 3 Winners!

Each Winner will receive a 

hardcover copy of Mist by Susan Krinard

EXCERPT - SOUL STORM - SOUL SERIES BY KATE HARRISON

Indigo Fierce Fiction’s #MurderontheBeach blog tour officially kicks off today, right here on my blog! – and further down the page on this very post is a little sneak peek at the first chapter of the third in the Soul Beach trilogy – SOUL STORM – by Kate Harrison is for your reading enjoyment!

ISBN: 978-1780620251
ASIN: B00D434ANS
Series: Soul
Publisher: Indigo, Orion
Pages/File Size: 370pages/470KB
Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book

BLURB supplied by Indigo, Orion,

When Alice Forster received an email from her dead sister she assumed it was a sick practical joke. Then an invitation arrived to the virtual world of Soul Beach, an idyllic online paradise of sun, sea and sand where Alice could finally talk to her sister again - and discover a new world of friendships, secrets and maybe even love . . . in the final twists of the tale, can Alice unmask the killer without becoming the next victim?

Someone is stalking Alice Forster. She's sure it's her sister's murderer, but her parents think she's cracking under the stress of Meggie's death.

Only in the virtual world of Soul Beach - an online paradise for the young, the beautiful and the dead - can Alice feel truly free.

But in SOUL STORM there's trouble in paradise . . . Clouds are gathering. A storm is brewing.
The killer is about to strike…

EXCERPT

CHAPTER ONE

Loneliness is worse than death. It rots you from the inside out, making you disappear. I avoid mirrors, because I am afraid I will see a space where I should be. And when I accidentally catch a glimpse of my reflection in a window, I am surprised at how solid I look. How ‘normal’. All that keeps me going is the knowledge that, one day soon, the loneliness will end. When I confide in the right person, I know I will finally be understood. Now, I think of what happened to Meggie as a dress rehearsal. I didn’t remember my lines, or the right time to exit. It was a failure on my part that meant Meggie and I both suffered more than necessary. Yet the lessons I learned from Meggie will benefit her sister – how bittersweet is that? This time, I will get it right. I can only hope that Alice is intelligent enough to understand her role. To realise it is in her interests to be understanding.

I think she’s following me. Again. I check the mirror. Nothing. Signal. Move into the kerb, then pull the handbrake, hard. Check the mirror once more. Where is she hiding? My instructor is smiling. ‘The test should be a doddle, Alice. You’ve good motor control, and your hazard awareness is excellent for someone of your age. When I taught your sister, she seemed oblivious to the rest of the world . . .’ He stops, blushing all the way across the dome of his bald head. ‘It’s OK,’ I say. ‘I don’t mind it when people talk about her. We don’t have to pretend she never existed.’ He takes a deep breath. ‘Of course. I just meant – well, you have the makings of a very safe driver, Alice. Confi dent, but observant, too.’ I won’t tell him that I love driving because it gives me eyes in the back of my head, and a hard shell of metal to protect me. And because the car lets me cover more ground than I could ever hope to on foot. ‘Thanks, Mr Gregory. So – next Monday, eleven thirty. My date with fate.’ He nods. ‘You’ve got some practice drives set up this weekend?’ ‘With friends, yes.’ ‘Don’t pick up any bad habits between now and then. Hopefully you should be on the road on your own by Monday afternoon.’

‘Thanks.’ I’m about to climb out of the car when I see something in the rear-view mirror. It’s hot, even for July, and the street is busy with sunburned shoppers, but I’m certain that was her. Well, as certain as I can be. ‘Alice? Time to let go of the reins now.’ He taps the steering wheel and I release the seat belt, bracing myself to leave the one place I feel in control. ‘You can’t wait to be in the driving seat full-time, can you?’ I fake a smile. When I step out, the pavement feels spongy under my feet, and goosebumps ripple across my skin, even though the sun is scorching hot. Out here, I am completely exposed. I look for her wiry body, straw-coloured hair, pale face. If she was following me, she’s found a way to disappear. Town shouldn’t be this busy on a Thursday afternoon, but the pavements are full of people shopping for their holidays. Crowds are perfect cover. ‘Watch it.’ A skateboarder misses me by millimetres after I step right in front of him. ‘Sorry . . .’ He’s already gone, the death-head design on his t-shirt getting smaller and smaller. I try to slow my breathing, think straight. Why would she follow me? I’ll be seeing her on Sunday; she’s always got another visit planned, whether I want to see her or not. So there’s no logical reason for her to snoop on me. But logic can’t explain that feeling of darkness. The same one I felt in my sister’s old uni room, and on the smoky streets of Barcelona, and at Tim’s inquest. It’s stronger than a feeling. It’s instinct. ‘. . . bridge o-ver tr-ou-u-bled water . . .’ Two girls I half recognise from school are busking on the street corner. They smile at me, and I smile back. As I pass, they exchange glances with each other. I know what people think of me. Yeah, Meggie’s death was a tragedy, but the word on the school corridor is that I should have got over it by now. If only they knew how hard I’ve tried to move on. But the visit on Sunday isn’t a choice. It’s not like I want to hang out with someone I suspect of killing two people, and almost murdering a third. Of course what I’m doing could be dangerous. Stupid. No one sane would willingly get close to a potential psychopath. But how else can I get justice for the people I’ve lost? First, my sister, murdered in a way that the entire world agreed was motivated by possessiveness or jealousy. Then her boyfriend, Tim, killed in a staged suicide attempt that had everyone fooled except me and his closest friend, Zoe. And where is Zoe now? She’s in a coma, after an ‘accident’ in Barcelona that no one witnessed. The world has accepted that everything was wrapped up by Tim’s ‘suicide’. That he was responsible for my sister’s murder. So why can’t I let it lie? Because my gut tells me my stalker’s guilty, just as it convinces me she’s tracking me like prey right now, when she should be studying twenty miles away. It wouldn’t be the fi rst time she’s done it. Last week, as I ate my lunch alone on the far side of the playing fi eld, that same icy sensation spread through me, the feeling of being watched. But I dismissed it as paranoia: till I walked straight into her outside the school gates, three hours later. She blushed, insisting she was ‘just passing’. Since then, I’ve realised I must listen to my instincts. And my instincts say that only one person knows the truth about my sister’s death. Sahara.

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