Nissa Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway!

Thank you to the awesome AToMR Tours and author Bethany Lopez for providing the book for review! Make sure to check out the Giveaway at the bottom of the page; some great prizes are being raffled off!

Nissa: A Contemporary Fairy Tale
by Bethany Lopez
Published: April 23, 2013
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Formats Available: eBook, ~216 pages

Book Blurb:At 900 years old, Nissa is finally ready to follow her mother's path and become the best Fairy Godmother she can. She’s not thrilled when her first assignment turns out to be a teenage human girl with self-esteem issues, but she knows she has to start somewhere. Her assignment has dealt with bullies since her freshman year and they haven’t let up. If Nissa can’t help her regain her self-confidence her future is bleak.

To complicate matters Nissa experiences all the signs that she's met the being fated for her. This impossibility distracts her from her purpose. After all, fairies and humans aren't meant for each other. How can her heart believe otherwise? Can Nissa successfully complete her first assignment as a Fairy Godmother? Will the fates allow Nissa and Levi to be together? And even if they do, will Levi believe Nissa once she reveals the truth?

Amazon   -  Barnes & Noble  -  Smashwords

The first thing that attracted me to Nissa was the cover, it reminded me of one of those smashed fairy pictures, but done in a beautiful and oh-so alluring way. It was a case of cover love from the very beginning. The plot of Nissa is interesting too, which also helps when I pick something just for the cover. I have been burned many times by my wandering eye! Nissa: A Contemporary Fairy Tale is just that, an almost Disney like tale set in modern times, but with Fairy Godparents - those who intervene in human lives to fulfill a purpose to help the human in need. Nissa's mother was a Godmother and Nissa always knew she wanted to follow in her footsteps. After rigorous training, Nissa is finally set out on her very first assignment as a full fledged Godmother.

Her first assignment is Vicky, a girl with low self-esteem due to bullying and ridicule at the hands of two boys at school who have made it their mission to make her life miserable and they have succeeded. It is Nissa's job to not only help Vicky and her self-image issues, but to find a way to infiltrate her life and gain her confidences. Which she does without incident, and then she meets Levi, Vicky's brother, and things become so much more complicated then she could ever have imagined.

I found Nissa to be a nice light-hearted story that will be perfect for the younger set. I enjoyed to story too, but it was a tad bit predictable for me. However, that didn't stop me from rooting for both Vicky to be the beautiful, talented girl she is, or from wanting to see love bloom for Nissa. But like I said, it was a good story that came together in a nice little bow. There wasn't a whole lot of obstacles or challenges that were not solved easily, but sometimes it is nice to not be stressed out the whole time. I actually got to keep my fingernails while reading Nissa.

Overall, the writing was fun and kept me captivated. In fact, I read the entire book in an hour. There were very few typos and it is a perfect book for a leisurely afternoon. It is definitely a book for the younger YA set, though it could be read by all. If there were some more descriptions and more character development and more bulk, it could have been turned into something for a more mature audience, but it is good as is. I would recommend Nissa to lovers of Fairy Tales, anything Disney, and Fairies in general. 

FTC Advisory: I was given a copy of this book from the author for an honest review as part of a blog tour. No backroom deals or whispered promises were made.

Bethany Lopez was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Michigan and San Antonio, Texas. She went to High School at Dearborn High, in Dearborn, Michigan, which is where she has set her Young Adult series. She is married and has a blended family with five children. She is currently serving in the United States Air Force as a Recruiter in Los Angeles, California. She has always loved to read and write and has seen her dream realized by independently publishing her novels through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. 
Bethany Lopez | Facebook | Twitter | IAN | Pinterest

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Cover Reveal: The Broken Prince by Jen Wylie

The Broken Prince

(Book 2 of The Broken Ones)

by Jen Wylie

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy

Reveal Host:Lady Amber's Tours

Sometimes, when you're broken, you can heal on your own. Sometimes, you need the help of your friends, your family, and the people you love. Keeping those pieces together when the world seems intent on ripping you apart is the greatest challenge of all. Especially when the ones you love, the ones who hold you together, start falling apart themselves. 

Arowyn and her family continue on their journey to return the Elven Prince, Shael, to his homeland before he fades and dies. A journey full of triumph and horror, love and sorrow, rips them apart with every fighting moment, and yet brings them together as a family. They don’t allow the prophecy to rule their lives. Some don’t believe, some don’t care. Prophecies aren’t written in stone. Events can change. People can change. They are only words. From besieged cites, to the elusive Were and wild Fey, nothing quite prepares them to face their deadliest of enemies, one they didn't know existed.

Damon knelt before them."Will she get better? Will she…" Prince’s voice trailed off.Her eyes locked on Damon’s face as he regarded her thoughtfully. His hand came up and she flinched as it rested on the top of her head. No pain came. She felt…nothing. If he tried to speak to her, she couldn’t hear him."No," he said finally. "There has been damage to the brain. There is bleeding and swelling inside."Prince’s cry startled her, almost as much as the sudden clutching of his arms around her. "Can you do anything," he choked out. "Please, I am responsible. I can not…I will pay–"Damon chuckled. "It is not your life that needs saving." He stared at Prince for a long moment. "I see." He shook his head. "Perhaps I was wrong and she isn’t the one. I read so few pages of the book." He turned to Kei."No," the Fey said. "I don’t remember.""Pity.""Dragos, I beg of you," Prince began again."The Elven prince begs, and for a human. How very far you have fallen." He looked down at her again.Blinking up at him, she tried to get her scattered thoughts to work. She’d barely comprehended what he’d said past the inference she was dying. The words sent an icy chill through her body. Terror crawled through her, speeding her heart. Sweat broke out on her forehead and all she could hear was her increasingly frantic breathing.Kei startled her, leaning forward over her to press a kiss to her forehead. She tilted her head back, trying to see him."I’m with you."Damon’s fingers brushes her cheek, drawing her attention back to him. "Do you wish to live, young Arowyn?"Words refused to pass her lips. Somehow she managed to nod. She didn’t know what the cost would be, certainly there would be one. Right then, she didn’t care. Rot it all, she wanted to live!"Very well." He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. "Dragos rarely heal others. I do know the magic, but it is difficult. Your story has barely begun. I find I would actually attempt it, just to see what you might become and how it will unfold."He sat back and gestured to the pile of furs next to him. "Lay her down. This will take some time and I’ll need no distractions."Prince carefully set her amongst the furs, arranging her arms so her hands rested on her chest, tucking stray locks of hair behind her ears. Leaning forward, he rested his forehead for a moment against hers."Get well, Arowyn."Bo appeared next, smoothing the hair back on the top of her head and squeezing one of her hands. "You can do this, pup."Garen pressed his wet nose against her temple. If he spoke, she didn’t hear him.Kei pushed the wolf aside and took her face in his hands. His eyes glowed with that strange orange inner light. Tears streaked down his cheeks. Despite the awkward position he leaned down and held her close for a moment. "Remember our promises," he whispered in her. "I’m always with you." He choked on a sob and squeezed her tightly again. "I love you," he whispered fiercely before quickly pulling away.She wished she could speak. More than anything, she wanted to tell him she loved him, too. She wanted to tell all of them she did. Tears filled her eyes and slid down her face.Damon knelt beside her and turned her head to look at him. "I will do what I can," he said. "However I can’t guarantee it will work. I have never tried to heal a human before. Understand?"She managed a faint nod and pressed her quivering lips together.He glanced up and gestured the others away. "Stand back and be silent." His eyes found hers again. "Don’t fight me this time, little one. Fall into my eyes…"Blinking once more to clear the tears away, she tried to do as he asked. Damon’s eyes were strange enough she found it not difficult to stare. They had vertical slits and no whites at all. The iridescent color was a wash of blue-green with streaks of gold and red. The colors began to swirl, making her dizzy as she tried to watch them. A comforting thrum emanated from his chest, soothing her as his power wrapped around her. Her thoughts drifted into nothing.

Jen Wylie resides in rural Ontario, Canada with her  two boys, Australian shepherd and a disagreeable amount of wildlife. In a cosmic twist of fate she dislikes the snow and cold.
Before settling down to raise a family, she attained a BA from Queens University and worked in retail and sales.
Thanks to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and finds it amazing most people don’t. Jennifer writes various forms of fantasy, both novels and short stories.

Website  -  Blog  -  Twitter  -  Goodreads  -  Facebook  -  Amazon

Nefertiti's Heart Blog Tour: Review

"Thank You" to Ashley at Bookish Brunette Book Tours for being an awesome host and for giving me the opportunity to participate in this tour. Another "Thank You" to A.W. Exley for providing a copy of Nefertiti's Heart for review.

Nefertiti's Heart
by A.W. Exley
Publication Date: February 14, 2013
Published by Curiosity Quills Press
Formats: eBook, Paperback ~280 pages
Genre: NA Steampunk, Fantasy, Egyptian Mythology

Book Blurb:
Cara Devon has always suffered curiosity and impetuousness, but tangling with a serial killer might cure that. Permanently.

London, 1861. Impoverished noble Cara has a simple mission after the strange death of her father - sell off his damned collection of priceless artifacts. Her plan goes awry when aristocratic beauties start dying of broken hearts, an eight inch long brass key hammered through their chests. A killer hunts amongst the nobility, searching for a regal beauty and an ancient Egyptian relic rumored to hold the key to immortality.

Her Majesty’s Enforcers are in pursuit of the murderer and they see a connection between the gruesome deaths and Cara. So does she, somewhere in London her father hid Nefertiti’s Heart, a fist sized diamond with strange mechanical workings. Adding further complication to her life, notorious crime lord, Viscount Nathaniel Lyons is relentless in his desire to lay his hands on Cara and the priceless artifact. If only she could figure out his motive.


Self-preservation fuels Cara's search for the gem. In a society where everyone wears a mask to hide their true intent, she needs to figure out who to trust, before she makes a fatal mistake.

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

For those of you who know me, I love pretty covers. I usually lean toward the ethereal or the Gothic styles, but there was something about the cover to Nefertiti's Heart that drew me in. While it blatantly presents the Steampunk genre, there was something else to it that made me take a second look. Maybe it was the Ankh, maybe it was the mystery of what the heart contraption meant, but all I know is that I had to read this book.

Now, if you want to read about some simpering girl who is always rescued by a man then this is NOT the book for you! However, if you want a kick-ass heroine who knows her way around a gun and will not hesitate to use it, then Nefertiti's Heart is one you can't miss! 

"My friend here, Mr. Smith, also wants you to leave...Mr. Smith has his own friend, Wesson."

Cara Devon is not your typical Victorian lady. She hates to wear skirts, always has a gun strapped to her, and the mouth on her would make anyone blush. She is one of my favorite female characters of all time. After being brutalized at the hands of a man who her father sold her to in order to pay off his gambling debts, she was taken in by her Grandmother and has lived a life very different from the girls she played with as a child. While they had debutant balls and coming out parties and are being courted by a gaggle of suitable gentlemen callers, Cara travelled the globe learning how to become someone who will never be hurt again - and all the while wearing *gasp* pants! Now she is back in London to settle her father's estate after he was killed by an Asp bite. Quite curious of a death for one not in Egypt, but he is dead nonetheless. Cara is not about to shed a tear for dear ole' dad, but there are a few things that she needs to do. The first is getting a notebook containing her father's prize possessions and then the second is to sell off his precious items one by  one. 

However, there is someone else who wants his collection: Viscount Nathaniel "Nate" Lyons; a man with great means and very little morals. He has ideas of scaring and coercing Cara into giving him what he wants, but after sending his henchmen to strong arm Cara into giving away her secrets, he quickly learns that she is not one to trifle with or one to push around. In fact, when it comes to Cara, Nate has to learn quite a few things...The romance in Nefertiti's Heart is definitely steamy and Nate is swoon worthy and not the man I thought he would be. And especially with Cara's past, she isn't one who likes intimacy - or to be touched, in general - but, like most humans, she craves to be cared for and loved. I so love that Nate is a gentleman and is able to slowly break down enough walls to let someone else into her world. I love that the romance is not rushed. Cara is like a fine wine and must be decanted slowly in order to bring it to its full potential.

Cara is also under suspicion for killing her father. It isn't a great secret as to what happened to her years ago and it is perfectly reasonable to think that the killing may be revenge, but little do the Enforcers know, that there is a much bigger picture to be looked at. Young women are being murdered, stabbed with keys as if they are being unlocked. And there is a connection between all of the victims, just not in the way you might think. I wavered back and forth throughout the novel as to who was the culprit and I was close. I love the way that the author wove Egyptian mythology, Steampunk mechanics and a serial killer together to create the mystery in Nefertiti's Heart. 

Overall, I love the mixing of genres to create such a unique book. I love the mechanical horses and the intricate corsets. The writing is beautiful and elaborate and you can picture yourself in each scene. I am always thrilled when a writer can put me into the story and not just have me looking through a window. This book has the obvious Steampunk themes as well as a exciting mystery and suspense that will keep you guessing until the very end. Plus, the romance is hot and is most definitely at least in the New Adult - Adult category due to sexual content. I would recommend Nefertiti's Heart to who wants something exciting and creative!

FTC Advisory: I was given a copy of this book from the author for an honest review as part of a blog tour. No backroom deals or whispered promises were made.

Books and writing have always been an enormous part of my life. I survived school by hiding out in the library, with several thousand fictional characters for company. At university, I overcame the boredom of studying accountancy by squeezing in Egyptology papers and learning to read hieroglyphics.
Today, I write steampunk novels with a sexy edge and an Egyptian twist. I live in rural New Zealand surrounded by an assortment of weird and wonderful equines, felines, canine and homicidal chickens.

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The Harvesting Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway

"Thank You" to Julie at AToMR for being an awesome host and for giving me the opportunity to participate in this tour. Another "Thank You" to Melanie Karsak for providing a copy of The Harvesting for review. I am truly appreciative of being a part of The Harvesting Blog Tour.
*Make sure to check out the video with Melanie - the link is under Extras. Also, don't forget to enter the Giveaway for your very own ecopy of The Harvesting or a The Harvesting theme T-Shirt!!

The Harvesting
(The Harvesting, #1)
by Melanie Karsak
Publication Date: September 18, 2012
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Horror and Fantasy, Zombie
Formats Available: eBook, Paperback ~386 pages
Tour organized by: AToMR Tours

Book Blurb: 
It's all fun and games until someone ends up undead.

Though Layla reluctantly returns home to rural Hamletville after a desperate call from her psychic grandmother, she could never have anticipated the horror of what Grandma Petrovich has foreseen. The residents of Hamletville will need Layla's help if they are to survive the zombie apocalypse that's upon them. But that is not the only problem. With mankind silenced, it soon becomes apparent that we were never alone. As the beings living on the fringe seek to reclaim power, Layla must find a way to protect the ones she loves or all humanity may be lost.

"To label this a zombie book would be a false pretense . . . this is so much more than that. What you start out with and what you end up with are very different, and those twists and turns in the middle will make your heart beat faster over and over again."-- Colossal Pop

Amazon   -   Smashwords   -   Barnes & Noble

"If you ever need to slice someone's head off, this is the blade you want..."

Layla is a museum curator who specializes in Medieval weaponry (how cool is that?!) who also teaches sword-play classes. She is in the middle of teaching one of her classes to a group of kids when she receives a very cryptic phone call from her Grandmother who tells her to come home. No explanations, nothing. So because Layla knows that her Grandmother would not call if it wasn't important, she gets in her car, cancels a date with a sexy German, and takes off to the little town she was raised in which does not hold such great memories...or people.

When she arrives, Grandma Petrovich gives her money and a list and tells her to go and run errands, still without any explanations which Layla knows not to argue with because Grandma knows things and is a seer or a witch or a medium, depending on who you are asking. When Layla finally gets home and talks to her Grandmother, she is still met with half answers and Layla is getting anxious - her Grandmother has an artillery that the NRA would covet! But all Grandma says is that her own Grandmother knew when she was to see the spirits and then drugs Layla. When she wakes up the next day, she also has the ability to see the spirits and is told by one to "Help them!"

Meanwhile, in the real world, there is an epidemic that is causing people to get sick with a flu like illness, but with a 100% mortality rate.The weird thing is that while all the people with the illness die, post mortem they still have some brain functions. And the first thing that happens after Layla sees a spirit is that she sees two people on her property that are bloody and seem to be dead, but are still upright and quick. After a quick lesson on how to kill these people - or zombies - she has to kill her own Grandmother who was bitten by one of the monsters and has turned herself. With her own set of artillery, swords, and a mission from the spirits, she goes into town to help the rest of the living population - even if Ian, her once lover, is there.

Layla is a natural leader and is probably the smartest and most courageous person in that town and becomes the de facto leader. I love Layla's character. She is strong and methodical and never acts rashly. Unlike some people who just run into a situation, she sits and waits and plans. Layla is the epitome of a female heroine: smart, intelligent, and kick-ass! I want to be like Layla, sword and all! She is able to rally together the townspeople and bring order to a chaotic apocalyptic situation. There is a bit of romance in the book too,but thankfully it does not overshadow the rest of the book. The team of Layla, Ian, and Jamie (Ian's brother) are a force to be reckoned with, and yet comical at the same time.

The plot is creative and action packed! The author Melanie Karsak brought together the paranormal, an account of a post-apocalyptic scenario, and fantasy elements to a story that is a completely powerful and gripping story. The world-building Ms. Karsak imagined and brought to life is vivid and gory and terrible (in an awesome way!) The scene with the Boy Scouts is one of my most favorite depictions of the dichotomy of survival and compassion that The Harvesting brings.This is not just a "Zombie" book, it is an epic tale told with impeccable writing skills and many storylines interwoven to shape a tale that twists and turns and brings you to a place you never thought you would be.

I am in genuine awe of Melanie Karsak and her prowess as an author and I can't even fathom what she will bring in book two. Full of suspense, captivating writing, endearing characters - even the ones that are not quite secondary characters, and a storyline that will keep you guessing, The Harvesting is a book that I would definitely recommend! In fact, I want to read it again because there is so much about The Harvesting to love!

Five brightly burning candles!!

FTC Advisory: I was given a copy of this book from the author for an honest review as part of a blog tour. No backroom deals or whispered promises were made.

From the author: I was interviewed on a local TV show, a Halloween special, about zombies. I am first up in the special and I talk about zombies in general and the novel in particular--and I have horrible posture and they made me wear my t-shirt--but this might be something nice for people to watch if they are interested in the paranormal.

Video: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGHrhTv5YAA

Melanie Karsak, steampunk connoisseur, white elephant collector, and caffeine junkie, resides in Florida with her husband and two children. Melanie is the author of "The Harvesting" series. Visit the author at her blog, melaniekarsak.blogspot.com, to learn more about upcoming projects, book signings, and other neato things.

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(1) eBook of THE HARVESTING (International) 
and 
(1) eBook or Print copy of THE HARVESTING and theme t-shirt (US/Canada)

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Winter Sparrow by Estevan Vega Blog Tour: Review & Excerpt

Winter Sparrow
by Estevan Vega
Release Date: Sept 2012
Publisher: Stonehouse Ink
Formats Available:  eBook & Print ~195 pages
Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Tour Host: RBTL Tours

Book Blurb:
“I’ll grow wings all by myself.”

Mary is a young artist about to enter a new chapter in her life. After years of waiting and searching, she has finally found true love. She’s also just discovered that her fiancé Joshua has inherited his father’s rundown countryside mansion. To add to the rising pressure, her wedding day is so close she can practically hear the music. All she has to do is accept what the future holds. Accept…and be happy.
But something’s missing.
As the seasons change, her doubts turn to fears, and her fears become reality. Through struggle and loss, the love she once possessed for Joshua transforms into contempt. When Mary is confronted with a magical escape, the life she has and the life she dreams of will collide, awakening a mysterious change within. But no choice comes without cost, and each one will draw her closer to the truth.
At times both beautiful and haunting, Winter Sparrow dares you to step into a world where eternity is a moment and every breath is a second chance. The fantasy begins….

Amazon Kindle   -   Amazon Print

Winter Sparrow is a beautifully written story. I read it in about an hour as it is more of a novella than a full length novel. The story is about Mary, a girl who has issues with herself and with her mind. She is in love with Joshua and they plan to marry and live in his dad's mansion out in the middle of the woods. Although Mary hates the house, she loves the garden and reluctantly agrees to live there.However, their marriage isn't what Mary thought it would be and they drift apart. He is tirelessly working on the house for them and she is left without purpose and can't bring out her creativity to paint and is left empty. Then after she has a miscarriage, they become two people who live together rather than a couple. Mary's mental stability starts to unravel and then tragedy strikes and her savior is not what he seems and her life becomes a dream and reality is long gone.

Winter Sparrow is a book that I had to think about for a while before writing about. On the surface it is a romance with a paranormal twist. And while the prose was poetic, the plot has huge holes. Why are the woods magic? Who is Lucas and why is he there? And how does Joshua and his family fit into everything? I was left with more questions than I had answers. As I thought about the story more, I realized that it is more about the symbolism and the allegorical inferences then the actual storyline. This is a story about redemption and is very in line with biblical themes. From this standpoint I can see what Mr. Vega was trying to create.. While I still would like a fully formed book with a back story, more answers and characters that make sense, I am able to see the underlying beauty of Winter Sparrow that left me with a sense of awe and heartache. 

FTC Advisory: I was given a copy of this book from the author for an honest review as part of a blog tour. No backroom deals or whispered promises were made.

By the end of September, dawn resembled dark poetry. A spellbound earth sat behind the hills and clouds and dim but rising light. It was made new by irregular colors. The trees on the south end of the mansion flexed rebelliously out of the black dirt womb and created skinny branches. The shades of leaves faded. Mary imagined mutinous veins charging up the bark of its tree—the very same wires that showed the lifeline of every leaf that would soon slip off to die—as a nearly invisible force that plagued the world. The world was so unbalanced. When would she be able to explain the mystery of death? The mystery of change? Or perhaps no clean answer existed for why things were lost. Perhaps only the fallow grounds of the earth displayed the questions with similar unfinished lines.

Mary blinked and realized the sunrise had already come, and she had missed its final movement. She turned her gaze from the strange reality of nature to her still canvas—a pale, man-made thing desperate to come alive again with a fresh soul. Her paint¬ing had no beginning and no end. Where was her inspiration?

The light reaching down from a sky with no conviction seemed like a curse. There was no common ground in her, she knew that now more than ever. Maybe there had never been. She was purgatory, if such a wretched place could be conceived while wives were left empty.

The sounds of her husband hammering in the hallway less than fifty feet away encompassed her. Every time he swung against that drywall, she felt her brain brush up against her skull, wondering if ever he’d hit it hard enough to render her unconscious.

The center of her quivered at the thought of being reunited with him. He didn’t deserve to have her. Nor did the sky, with all of its apathy and neglect. Stuck in this spot. Stuck in this house. Stuck in this body with no life. Her roots had been planted deep, with no true comprehension that these grounds would seek to contain her for eternities no dream could compose.

Estevan Vega fell in love with storytelling in the fifth grade when he was forced to write short stories every day for English class. That's right, forced. But with a little help from his father, he realized, he actually liked writing and loved people's reaction to his work. Now, after many, many moons, Estevan Vega has authored 6 books and several short stories all ready to be consumed by you. His hobbies include singing in the shower, going to concerts, and trying to always emulate Optimus Prime. He loves Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, writing peculiar tales, and still hasn't learned how to whistle.

Website  -  Twitter  -  Facebook  -  FB We Are Arson  -  Goodreads  -  Amazon

Cover Reveal: Broken Gates

The Broken Gates

(P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy #2)

by D.T. Dyllin

Paperback

Expected publication: May 24th 2013 by Dragonfairy Press 

 ***Genre - New Adult Paranormal Romance

P.J. Stone is a Seer who saw too little, too late.

In the past, her biggest worries were boys and school—but war has a way of changing things. Now, the alien Riders are trying to overrun the world. As the last of their kind, P.J. and her friends must find a way to save humanity before there’s nothing left to save.

After choosing a mate, P.J. hoped she'd have time to enjoy her love life. But with everything changing so quickly and major secrets revealed, who knows what the future will bring?

First Book in this series

Click on the photo above to learn more.