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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"Waiting On" Wednesday: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea & Born of Illusion

"Waiting On" Wednesday (WoW) is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week's book that I am eagerly anticipating is...

I have two books this week. I can't get either one out of my head and I want to read both of them so bad! I even have some cool ideas of what to do when I review them for giveaways or just for fun! Plus both covers are gorgeous. I am on a kick of black and white and red. So here they are:

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

(Between, #1)

by April Genevieve Tucholke

Expected Publication Date: August 15, 2013
Published by Dial

You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Born of Illusion

by Teri Brown

Expected Publication Date: June 11, 2013
Published by Balzer & Bray

Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City. Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived.

But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think that both of these books look amazing! The covers are striking and mysterious and their descriptions leave me wanting more.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea sounds like the perfect blend of horror and romance with a twist. I love Gothic horror; they bring a feeling that other books can't quite touch. Throw in a supernatural element - such as the Devil - and you have something truly terrifying and enticing.

Born of Illusion has some of my most favorite elements: magic, the age of spiritualism, the roaring 20s, secret societies, and a mystery. What is there not to like? Although very different, just reading the synopsis for Born of Illusion evokes the feelings I had while reading The Night Circus, which is one of my favorite books of all time.

I could go on and on as to why I want to read these books, but I will leave my read thoughts for my reviews when I get my hands on them.

What to you think? Do either of these books sound good to you? Will you be adding them to your TBR list?

The Hallowed Ones Blog Tour: Review

The Hallowed Ones
The Hollowed Ones, #1
by Laura Bickle
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: September 25, 2012

ISBN-10: 0547859260

ISBN-13: 978-0547859262

Format Reviewed: eBook sent from Author

Synopsis:

If your home was the last safe place on earth, would you let a stranger in?

In this captivating thriller, an Amish settlement is the last safe haven in a world plagued by an unspeakable horror…

Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers are free to experience non-Amish culture before officially joining the church. But before Rumspringa arrives, Katie’s safe world starts to crumble. It begins with a fiery helicopter crash in the cornfields, followed by rumors of massive unrest and the disappearance of huge numbers of people all over the world. Something is out there...and it is making a killing.

Unsure why they haven’t yet been attacked, the Amish Elders make a decree: No one goes outside their community, and no one is allowed in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man lying just outside the boundary of their land, she can’t leave him to die. She refuses to submit to the Elder’s rule and secretly brings the stranger into her community—but what else is she bringing in with him?

Amazon     Barnes & Noble

My Thoughts:
Amish life and vampires?? Ummm....Hell Yes! I have to say that I am completely in love with this book. Laura Bickle has brought the dystopian genre, vampires, and the Amish together in an incredible and thrilling book. But be forewarned, there is a lot of gore and it is not for the weak! The basis is given in the synopsis above, but I will add a few tidbits. The Amish, or Plain Folk as they refer to themselves are very different from the Outside or English world. Katie has to sneaks things like comic books and Coca Cola - both of which is unacceptable in her world. Katie is a fantastic character and is what makes this book great. She is obstinate, defiant, and yet has more backbone and morals than those of her community.

When the end of the world is upon them, the Elders close the gates - no one in and no one out. Something is happening outside, something that is killing people off in droves. No one knows what is really going on. When an Outsider is found just beyond the gates Katie saves his life by invoking "Gelassenheit" or God's will and saves him from being put down. She even goes as far as sneaking around and bringing him to her barn and hiding him. Then when she needs to get him (Alex) antibiotics desperately, Katie leaves and encounters the very thing that is tearing the world down. Vampires. And not your sparkly, brooding, sexy vampires; they are the 30 Day's of Night vampires who kill without remorse and are evil incarnate.

I could not put this book down. I enjoyed reading and learning about the Amish culture as well as some of the more fictional aspects of the book. I really liked the inclusion the Hexenmeister - or Amish wizard/witch. They are basically there to put markings on buildings to protect them or bring about fertility or a good harvest. Not many Ordnungs use them anymore so this showed just how strict and old school this community was. As for the more horrific parts of the book, well I have to say that the image of a pack of feral vampire cheerleaders is a favorite for me. The vampires are creeptastic and had me turning on my lights while reading about them.

Laura Bickle is a great storyteller and was able to bring in some difficult subjects with ease. She wove religion and faith together in a way that made me think and had the characters thinking about what is right and true and what that meant to them at what might be the end of the world. There is also a bit of romance for those who can't live without it, but it is not the overall theme. The book is over 300 pages, which is a little longer than some young adult books though it was paced well. There were times in the beginning where I wanted more, but the background and information was all there for a purpose. I am ecstatic that there will be a second book. It could stand alone with the ending that it has, but I am happy to know that we will be seeing more of Katie.

"Plain folk are taught that evil is spiritual. The absence of God."

Mrs. Parsall bit back a sob. "Well it seems as if God's left the building, and we're left to our own devices."

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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.

About the Author:

Laura Bickle's professional background is in criminal justice and library science. When she's not patrolling the stacks at the public library, she can be found reaming up stories about the monsters under the stairs.

She has written several contemporary fantasy novels for adults, and THE HALLOWED ONES is her first young adult novel. Laura lives in Ohio with her husband and five mostly-reformed feral cats. For more about Laura, please visit her website at: www.laurabickle.com.

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This tour of The Hallowed Ones is hosted by Bewitching Book Tours.

My Immortal The Vampires of Berlin Tour: Review & Excerpt

A big Thank You to Lee Rudnicki and Bewitching Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review My Immortal and be a part of the tour. Click on the picture above to see all the other stops on the tour.

My Immortal The Vampires of Berlin
By Lee Rudnicki

Genre:  Horror

Publisher:  23 House

Date of Publication:  March 9, 2012

ISBN-10: 0984645810

ISBN-13: 978-0984645817

Number of pages: 306

Synopsis:

A supernatural adventure set in present day and 1945 Berlin. Our heroine is Eva, a shell-shocked young vampire who is found wandering around in the ruins of Berlin Cathedral on the last day of the war by soldiers.

BARNES AND NOBLE     AMAZON    AMAZON KINDLE   

VAMPIRE BLOG – (SIGNED COPIES) 

Excerpt:

Eva sat on the riverbank as the sounds of battle resounded in the distance. She didn't say anything when Sebastian sat down next to her. Nor did he expect her to.

“Guten Abend,” he said. “Not the best time for a picnic on the riverbank, is it?”

Eva didn't respond.

Sebastian didn’t believe in vampires until he met one. Until one bit him. Now, the sight of blood excited him and his strength was growing by the hour. He knew what the other men only suspected. Eva was a vampire and he was turning into one himself. He also instinctively knew that their survival depended on Eva, for reasons known only to God—assuming that God was still in Berlin. Somehow, he needed to get through to her. He tried again.

“Eva. Do you understand me? Do you know where you are? Please, talk to me.”

If Eva heard him, she didn't show it. Opening the lines of communication with the young vampire was going to be far more difficult than Sebastian had anticipated. Discouraged, he turned her towards him. “Look at me. That Luftwaffe pilot over there...”

“Axel,” Eva said softly.

“Yes. Axel is about to die from burns he got when a vampire torched his face. He got hurt saving you.”

Eva blinked hard and then pointed to the sky. “It’s in the stars, Sebastian.”

Sebastian looked up. There were no stars, only a dark gloom lit by the flash of sporadic explosions. Before he could ask another question, an artillery shell exploded in the river. The freezing water that cascaded over them brought him crashing back to reality.

Sebastian got up and took Eva’s hand. It was time to go.

My Review:

I have been dying (no pun intended) to get my hands on My Immortal for a long time so I jumped at the chance to be a part of this tour. I have to say, it was not what I expected...in a good way. I expected the book to be about vampires - but it was so much more. My Immortal crosses many genres from Historical WWII Fiction to Horror to Fantasy to Mystery. Vampires are a part of the book no doubt, but I would say that it is a book about war with vampires as opposed to a vampire book set during the war.

We start in present day Berlin with a "Professor" known for his books on conspiracy theories. However, what he has in his brief case is so much more than what the pyramids represent or UFOs. What he carries is a dossier on Operation Tristan; Hitler's secret weapon. When a fan of the professor's hacks into his computer to find what he is working on, he is shocked by what he finds and alerts the United States government to the situation. No one can know what is inside the briefcase; in fact, the president doesn't even know what it entails. The CIA attempts to thwart the professor's plan to release the information publicly and a set of events occurs that has you wondering what is so important. What is Operation Tristan? The scene then changes to Berlin, 1945. The German army is losing the war and Hitler will do anything -anything- to stop the Red Army from taking over. 

Lee's writing is superb. He details the atrocities of the war in horrific detail without being overly gory. The interaction between the soldiers was realistic and reminds the reader that not everyone was an automaton; that people did what they had to in order to survive.  Hitler is portrayed as a manic, unstable man who wants nothing more than to see the world burn. The glimpse into his mind is frightening. The vampires were created in the traditional form: they had fangs, no reflection, and incredible speed and strength. And even though they looked human, they were anything but. The story is told from many points of view, which I am generally not a fan of, but Lee's transitions were clearer than some.

Overall, My Immortal was a suspenseful, thrilling read that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and if you are like me biting off all your fingernails in the process! Through war ravaged Germany, the story unfolds and you will find yourself immersed in Sebastian and Eva's plight. I recommend to history buffs, conspiracy theorists and horror fans alike. 

★ ★ ★ ★ ½ 

FTC Advisory: I received this book from BBT in exchange for an honest review. I am never paid or compensated in any way for my reviews. No backroom deals or whispered promises are made.

About the Author:

Lee Rudnicki is an entertainment lawyer, producer, and writer in Los Angeles. Lee has a law degree from the University of San Francisco, a music degree from San Jose State, a Certificate in Screenwriting from UCLA and studied international law at Trinity College, Ireland and Charles University, Prague. Before law school, Lee was a world-class rudimental drummer and drum corps instructor.

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Promo Tour & Giveaway: Dollhouse by Anya Allyn

Dollhouse
By Anya Allyn

Book blurb:

Fifteen-year-old Aisha disappears in the dark forests on a school hiking trip. She's the latest in a string of children to vanish there over the past five years. The towns surrounding the forests are on edge and they want answers. And wildboy Ethan—Aisha's boyfriend—is on the run after he and his grandfather are blamed for her disappearance.

Cassie is just about the only friend Ethan has left. She's been secretly in love with him ever since her mother dragged her to the wilds of Australia from Florida six months ago.

Desperate to prove Ethan's innocence, Cassie searches the forests with Ethan to find out what really happened to Aisha. But Ethan's growing strangely silent, and Cassie's left questioning if her feelings for him are clouding her judgment.

Cassie discovers a dark secret lurking in the heart of the forests; a secret world of nightmarish horrors—where nothing is as it seems, where the supernatural invades your soul, where the people she trusts most might be the people she can trust least, and where escape exists only in dreams.

A YA Paranormal Mystery/Horror

kindle paperback

Book Trailer

Author Bio:
Anya Allyn lives near the beach an hour north of Sydney, Australia. She loves anywhere outdoors that is natural and wild. Or anywhere indoors where Black Forest Cake is on offer. She has four amazing boys and enjoys their energy and happy-go-lucky spirit, and wishes she could plug into some of that energy on days when her 'get up and go' has packed up and gone! She is a former Features' Editor/Community Manager for a media organisation in Australia. The idea for Doll House was born after a trip to the beautiful Barrington Tops region of Australia--sparked by places there such as Devils Hole, Ladies Well and Thunderbolt's Way.

http://dollhousetrilogy.com

*****Giveaway*****

Win an ecopy of Dollhouse -Kindle or PDF format! To enter leave a comment below. For an additional entry follow Breathe In BooKs blog. Winner will be chosen randomly. Open internationally. Must be at least 13 years old to enter. Winner will be announced on 8/8/12. Please leave an email or a link to find winner.
**Giveaway has been extended to this Monday the 13th!
This giveaway is now CLOSED!


 **Congratulations to the winner...Lorraine Beaumont!!**

Review: Inside Evil

Inside Evil
(Inside Evil Series #1)
by Geoffrey Wakeling
Publication Date: March 12, 2012
Formats Available: eBook ~176 pages

Synopsis: Roberta Arlington lives in Ridgewood, a small and sleepy town on the Scottish border, where she is completely content with her life. That is, until she stumbles upon a corpse at the local boarding school and finds that her world starts to unravel into chaos.
As questions begin to emerge as to just how the victim died, Roberta discovers herself caught in a world which she never knew existed. Like a shadow hanging behind Roberta’s own life, another world hovers in the background, waiting silently until trying to break through. Roberta soon discovers that she’ll have to find all the strength she has to survive the path laid before her. -from Goodreads

Cover: I’m not quite sure what it is about the color green that evokes feelings of evil, but it does. It is usually shown through a person’s eyes, but on the cover of Inside Evil the green encompasses the entire page. The picture is of a black cat sitting the woods, not scary by itself, but when you add the bright, glowing green the woods seem ominous. Very cool trick.

 

My Thoughts:

“It’s happening again…”

The small town of Ridgewood has a secret, one that only a select group of people know about. There is a curse, one that has been handed down from generation to generation. Every ten years there will be deaths unless a riddle is solved and to find the riddle is its own adventure. I was completely enthralled with this book. From the moment I began reading I could not tear myself away. What I first thought was a horror novel is actually a fantasy within a mystery.

Roberta, a teacher at the local boarding school, finds one of her students, Vanessa, dead in the hallway. Vanessa - a local girl who lived on campus, but her parents live in town. Her mother even runs a popular book shop. But ever since Vanessa moved to campus, things haven’t been right. Vanessa’s teachers think it may be drugs, but in reality it is something so much worse. When Vanessa is found dead strange things start to happen. Roberta isn’t quite feeling like herself anymore. She is quick to anger and at times violent, but she hasn’t any idea why. There is something inside of her. Whatever killed Vanessa is making its way into Roberta and sending her into a descending spiral of madness.

“For just the smallest second, the smile on her daughter’s face vanished and was replaced with a snarl. Lips drawn into the face of the devil, eyes hollowed and black…”

While I am not usually a fan of so many viewpoints being shown, the author Geoff Wakeling does a good job of making the transitions from one character to the next. His descriptions of the small town of Ridgewood were well written and I could imagine exactly what it looked like without him being overly verbose. The entire cast of characters made this book great. From Sam the reluctant believer to Detective Karl who has been investigating the unusual deaths for over 10 years to Martha whose husband was one of the lost; we see a web spinning them all together. Each character is well-rounded and thought out. The fantastical parts of the book, while not trying to give anything away, were imaginative, original and strange.

There is a big difference between American English and British English and for those who aren’t used to reading the latter will need to be aware of the variances. For example, the spelling is different: favorite is favourite, meter is metre. The punctuation is also different; as to where I would use a period after Mr. or Mrs., British English does not, so Mrs. Peacock is Mrs Peacock. In addition, there are a few British colloquialisms that are used, but nothing that can’t be understood.

Aside from the language variations, I really enjoyed reading Inside Evil and cannot wait until he writes the second installment in the series. Anyone looking for a good mystery/fantasy to cozy up to the fire with a cup of tea or to even sit and read on the beach, Inside Evil is a great choice.

Favorite Quote: “Black shining gems bored down onto her. It was like looking directly into hell where all things were evil.”

★ ★ ★ ★ ½

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

Where to Buy:

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Stalk the Author:

Website

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