The Thirteenth by G.L. Twynham Blog Tour: Review, Excerpt & Giveaway!

The Thirteenth
(The Thirteenth, #1)
by G.L. Twynham
Publication Date: November 20, 2009
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Formats Available: eBook, Audio Book, Paperback ~336 pages

Book Blurb: Imagine starting at the end and finishing back at the beginning. This is the story of a teenage girl called Valerie Saunders who is about to be thrown through time and space. Being bestowed with abilities beyond her wildest nightmares, she discovers that she not only has to deal with turning eighteen, her first job and an unwanted tattoo, but also magical powers and intense urges to fall in love. She envisaged she would spend her life blending into the scenery, not blowing it up!

Val has a calling, but which side is dialling her number?

Amazon Kindle - Amazon Print - Amazon Audio Edition

Valerie Saunders (Val) is about to turn eighteen and she just got her first job working for an antique/first edition bookstore. She also starts having vivid dreams and mysterious pain. Then a tattoo just happens to appear on her arm on her eighteen birthday: the Zodiac symbols in a circle with a backwards 'y' with a dot above it in the middle. Then after an encounter at the shop, she realizes she has powers. Val has no idea what is going on so she turns to her best friend Delta and the owner of a tattoo parlor for help (who she doesn't know). No one knows what is going on but they will try to find answers, but what they get are more questions. Why is this happening? Where did the powers come from? Who is behind it all?

The beginning of The Thirteenth started out with a bang and I was hooked. Everything that happened to Val came at a frantic pace and just as one episode ended another began. I really liked the premise of the story: a girl with powers that found her that she can't run away from, but there were time that the plot became somewhat predictable. Each challenge she faces is more extreme than the next, but each trial is so short and could have been better explained. It isn't until the end that I am completely surprised by the events. I am baffled by who the bad guys are! I am even more surprised at the origins of Val's powers - sorry no spoilers!

The characters are likeable, but not quite fleshed out. I would have liked to see more interaction with her Scooby Gang. Then there was the fact that Val seems to trust nearly everyone she meets with her secret (except her parents). Then they all turned around and believed everything she said - not quite realistic, but it did make it easier for the story to progress. I know that this is fiction, but you still want things to feel like they could happen. Val also accepted her "powers" really fast, but when everything keeps getting thrown at her one right after another, she would have to acclimate quickly. My biggest pet peeve was the grammar and copy editing. I don't mind a few mistakes here and there, but when they are so distracting that it pulls me from the story, that is when I get annoyed. The Kindle formatting isn't the best either so you have to be hyper aware of who is speaking as there aren't correct paragraph cuts.

Despite my misgivings, I could not put the book down. I had to see what was to come of Val and her friends and see who it was that kept tormenting her. There are some really good things about The Thirteenth. I like the author's ability to add humor to dire situations and her metaphors and sarcasms are hilarious. I also really enjoyed the tiny hints that are left throughout the book. Looking back I can see how well she tied certain aspects together, but until you read the ending they don't always make sense. So, the ending is a complete turning point and I am excited to see what will happen next. Not only were there huge revelations, but the whole genre of the book expanded! There are three books out in the series - The Thirteenth, The Turncoats, and Nyteria Rising - and one due out this spring. I will definitely be reading on to see more of Val's adventures!

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.

Chapter 1

The Tattoo

A young woman stood alone looking up at the night sky, a cool breeze effortlessly caressing her slim frame as darkness closed around her. At long last it would be her turn to be part of something that had been her destiny since birth.

She moved on, passing the pond; she caught her reflection in the water and smiled. The time had arrived; the moon had reached the tops of the trees. On this particular evening, the shadows of the dense woods, mixed with the bruised sky made the adventure that lay ahead seem all the more exciting.

As she left the village behind and made her way into the woodland, her body filled with anticipation. She began to run.

Knowing instinctively where to go, she weaved like a needle in and out of the undergrowth, dodging the trees as if they were merely smoke trails rising in front of her.

She was moving swiftly when an unfamiliar sound suddenly stopped her dead in her tracks. A strange crackling in the air made every hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Something was very wrong. She span around, trying to find where it was coming from, but soon realized it was everywhere. Then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped.

She had cautiously started to move forward again, when the silence was shattered once more by another wave of sound. In the confusion, her foot caught under a loose tree root, causing her to fall awkwardly into a pile of leaves. Before she had time to stand up, she heard violent screams coming from the distance. These weren’t joyful cries; the cries of pleasure and happiness she had been expecting. These turned her blood cold and left her paralyzed where she lay on the wet forest floor, her heart pounding.

After a few seconds, she gathered enough courage to slowly lift herself up and move forward again. She was suddenly very frightened, aware of the risk she was taking just by being there. She darted to an old oak tree, hiding for a moment in the shelter of its huge trunk.

Cautiously, she edged around it. Everything was quiet again so she leant the top half of her body out, to see if it was safe. In that split second a ball of light came towards her, travelling at amazing speed and growing as it came, until it seemed to be the size of a mountain.

When it hit her, its power engulfed her whole body and she was instantly lifted off the ground. She screamed helplessly as it raised her into the treetops.

Her ears filled with a piercing noise, like nothing she had ever heard before. Her whole body felt like it was burning up, yet still she kept rising and rising, until she was high above the trees.

Then the light and noise stopped as quickly and as it had started. Her upward flight came to a violent halt, and she began to fall. As she tumbled through the trees, the thick branches scratched aggressively at her clothes and face. The ground came towards her at terrifying speed. The scream that was struggling to escape her was silenced when she hit the ground with tremendous force. Her body filled with pain, the taste of warm blood filled her mouth, and she slipped into unconsciousness.

Born in Wellingborough in 1972, Georgia was brought up with her two older brothers in a sleepy Leicestershire village until at the age of fifteen, her parents decided to move abroad, taking her with them. A new country and a new language helped her come out of her shell and for eleven years, she lived and worked on the beautiful island of Menorca.
Georgia wrote short stories and poetry from an early age but her real passion for writing didn’t truly emerge until she was 31. Writing for her own web site and articles for magazines helped to support her and her daughter. After meeting her now fiancé, she was given the encouragement and opportunity to write full-time and the rest is history.
Georgia felt there was a need for a strong British female heroine. She also wanted a main character that had a normal family, with problems that most teenagers/young adults in this country might be experiencing and could relate to. And so Val Saunders, daughter to Mike and Susan Saunders, was born.
Georgia spends time with her daughter in their home in Leicestershire and her life is filled with promoting her books, writing and walking her dog Milly, the Jack Russell.

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The Travelers by Claudia Lefeve: Promo Blitz & Giveaway

Haven't read the Travelers Series yet? Now's your chance to get started! 

The first three books (Volume 1) in the Travelers Series are now available! Find out what happens when seventeen-year-old Etta Fleming finds out she's not only from an alternate reality, but is destined to become the future leader of a band of paranormal misfits in order to protect a future reality from destruction.

The fourth book in the series, PARAMETER, will be available late-Spring 2013!

Parallel
(Travelers Series, #1)
by Claudia Lefeve
Book Links: Goodreads  -  Amazon  -   B&N

Book Blurb:
Destiny has a way of catching up.
Saddled with powers she doesn't understand, Etta Fleming's world is turned upside-down the day she meets Cooper Everett, the man who transports her to an alternate reality. A reality she was meant to be a part of.
One minute, she's an orphan living at Dominion House for Girls, an institution for delinquent foster kids, then finds herself attending the exclusive Dominion Hall Academy.
Plucked from the only world she's ever known, Etta now has to deal with an aunt she never knew, a boyfriend she doesn't know, and a best friend who can't know.

"...every time a choice is made, we end up playing out a different scene – like a choose your own adventure book."

Paradox
(Travelers  Series, #2)
by Claudia Lefeve
Book Links: Goodreads  -  Amazon  -   B&N

Book Blurb:Everything is predestined.
Etta is slowly readjusting to life in her new reality, while still recovering from the shock over the news regarding her relationship with Cooper.
While learning more about her role as leader of the Council, she soon discovers that her future is linked to the five extraordinary individuals she must recruit in order to ensure her destiny.
Nothing is as it seems, as rivals become allies and friends become the enemy.

"Don't ever settle for what you think is going to happen. Take life as it comes and don't prepare too much for what might be. Live for the moment."

Paradigm
(Travelers Series, #3)
by Claudia Lefeve
Book Links: Goodreads  -  Amazon  -   B&N

Book Blurb:Take hold of your destiny.
Etta Fleming doesn’t know she was meant to return to her true reality four years ago. After years of being the “orphan girl” in the alternate world she grew up in, she’s finally carved a niche for herself with a great job, a steady boyfriend, and a best friend by her side.
Undeterred by the shift in the timeline, it is up to Cooper Everett and his friends to convince Etta that she is still destined to become their leader, fighting against their post-apocalyptic future.
Will meeting the ghosts of her past convince Etta that she’s part of a grander destiny? Or will her past, present, and future worlds collide?

“Because life isn’t a John Hughes movie. And even if it were, we’d be cast as one of the social misfits in The Breakfast Club...”

Book Excerpts 

(The Many Faces of Jenny) 

PARALLEL 

“Ouch!” I whip around and spot a group of girls playing lacrosse. The back of my head continues to throb where the ball made contact.

“Sooo sorry,” a voice calls out followed by hollow laughter.

I’d recognize that apology anywhere. A tall lithe blonde comes rushing in my direction in order to claim her ball. There’s no doubt in my mind that she’s the one responsible for the pathetic attempt at an apology. Per her usual M.O., she doesn’t sound sorry at all.

“Come on Etta, it’s not worth getting into it with her.” Jaime miraculously appears by my side just in time to grab me by the shoulder. Her attempt is clear: to steer me away from a confrontation. As always, Jaime takes the position of buffer when it comes to me getting into trouble.

Even though I recognized the voice, I still manage to do a double take at the girl running towards us. “Who is that?” I ask anyway, already knowing the answer. I have a feeling this isn’t going to be the end of me and Lacrosse Barbie and I want to be sure.

“You sure you’re okay? The ball must have hit you harder than I thought. That’s Jenny, duh. You know, her dad’s the Mexican Ambassador? Access to free booze because her family owns and operates Mexia beer? Super bitch from hell? Ring any bells?” Jaime looks at me curiously. “And judging from bump on your head, she must really have it in for you.”

My eyes narrow as I watch Jenny claim her ball and trot back to her group of giggling friends. The Barbie Brigade is just going to have to watch out. If they think they’re dealing with the same Etta, they’re in for a rude awakening – they have no idea who they’re messing with now.

PARADOX 

“Thank you. Now, back to this Jenny thing. Seriously?” But maybe it isn’t as complicated as I imagine it to be. I mean, logically, I know there are various versions of us running around in other realities, but my confusion lies more with Jenny being my friend. She can’t possibly be. Jaime is my best friend, not the queen bee of bitchdom. Even though Cooper said she’s from a different reality, I have a hard time believing she’s changed. She always manages to remain the same in the two realities I already know her from.

He rejoins me on the chaise lounge. “There’s not a whole lot of difference between science and destiny when you’re talking about alternate universes. Scientifically speaking, there are multiple universes that play out different scenarios, as you are now well aware, but in every reality, we maintain relationships with the same people. Some people call it fate. We are forever linked, no matter what reality you’re in. In some, we’re friends, in others, foes.”

“So, there’s a Jenny running around who’s my ally in the other world?” Incredible. My biggest nemesis is now a friend and confidant. How the hell does something like this happen?

PARADIGM 

Etta sighed. She knew her friends came from other realities that didn’t always share the same literature as she had growing-up. “Well, it was worth a shot. Charles Dickens was a legendary writer in my orphan reality. You couldn’t get through school without reading one of his classics.” As an orphan, or rather, when she lived in the reality in which she was lead to believe she was an orphan, she had developed a sort of kinship with the writer. His characters touched her in a way no author could. He would always remain one of her favorites. “I’m thinking a little Christmas Carol is in order,” she said, already scheming.

“But it’s May,” one of the Dyson twins pointed out. “What does any of this have to do with Christmas?”

“Yes, I know this, thank you, Chance. In the story by Dickens, Ebenezer Scrooge was visited by three ghosts,” Etta started.

“I think you’re thinking of the three wise men who visited Jesus in the manger,” Jenny chimed in. “Is that the Christmas story you’re thinking of?”

“No, Jenny, A Christmas Carol. I just said it was a story by Dickens.” She really did love Jenny, but sometimes she could be a bit spacey. “As I was saying, Ebenezer was visited by three ghosts: past, present, and future. If Cooper expects me to believe that he’s not only from the future, but a future in another reality in which I lead the rebellion against Thornberry, he’s going to need to bring in the big guns.” Etta looked around the room to make sure they were all listening. “And by that, I mean you guys.”

Claudia Lefeve was born and raised in the Gulf Coast border town of Brownsville, Texas; a curious place where folks see curanderas in lieu of shrinks, tortillas are served at every meal, and even gringos speak Spanish. PARALLEL, the first book in The Travelers series, is her debut YA speculative novel. She currently resides in Northern Virginia with her husband and two pugs.

Website  -  Blog  -  Twitter  -  Goodreads  -  Facebook  -  Pinterest

Contest Info:

Win 1 of 5 eBooks Sets of the Traveler Series Volume 1 (Parallel, Paradox and Paradigm.

eBook Giveaway open Internationally and Paperback open US/Canada. See full contest rules here.

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The Messenger Blog Tour & Tour Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on The Messenger Tour! This tour is brought to you by AToMR Tours. Thank you to Pamela DuMond for providing the book to review. There is also a tour-wide giveaway for some nifty goodies! Giveaway: The author is giving away (1) print copy of THE MESSENGER to US addresses. Open International giveaway is (5) eBook copies of THE MESSENGER.

The Messenger
(Mortal Beloved, Book 1)
by Pamela DuMond
*Formerly Titled: The Messenger's Handbook

Release Date: April 2012

Age Group: Young Adult

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Historical Fiction

Synopsis:

Infinity. Life. Death. Rebirth. Some souls are meant to be together, but pursuing true love can be dangerous and often deadly. When sixteen-year-old Madeline falls in love with Samuel, a boy who lives hundreds of years before she is even born, she will risk her very existence to be with him.

Madeline’s from present day Chicago when she is pushed onto the train tracks, and accidentally time travels to a bloody war between the Natives and the colonists. She falls in love with a Native boy, Samuel. But, she’s living in the body of a colonial girl and their romance is a crime that carries harsh punishments.

Madeline discovers that she is meant to be a Messenger, a traveler who if properly trained, can slip through time's fabric at will. The Medicine Woman mentors her. But Madeline doesn't fit in this world. She’s different from the other colonists. Rumors of witchcraft and spying arise. Deadly Hunters, dark-souled predators as well as skilled time travelers, crave Madeline's powers. Can Madeline find the way back to her future? And will that future include her one true love, Samuel?

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My Thoughts:

I am a huge fan of time travel books and The Messenger did not disappoint! Madeline has had a hard time ever since her mother vanished in a car crash. Madeline was in the car when it crashed and only remembers the fear of the car falling and that her mother was no where to be found afterward. Her family had her mom legally declared dead so they could move on, but somewhere in the back of her mind, Madeline isn't sure of what really happened. On her birthday, her father gave her a book that her mother made for you ten years earlier; a book that she remembers her mother working on, but only finds it to be nothing more than an album. But it is so much more.

Madeline is a Messenger but she doesn't know what that is. It isn't until she is almost killed that she blacks out and wakes up nearly 300 years in the past. 1675 to be exact. Everyone thinks she is this girl named Abigail, except for one medicine woman who believes her story. I knew right then that this medicine woman was going to play a big part in the story because who just believes someone when they say they are from the future? As she lives the life of an upright colonial woman, she sees things that make her sick: a reverend who is supposed to be holy using his power unethically, people who jump to condemnation and live through fear and suspicion and the ravages of a war and the treatment of the local Natives. All of this makes Madeline angry, but she can't do anything about it. She just wants to get home.

Along the way, Madeline meets Samuel, a gorgeous boy with whom she falls for. However, they should not be together because he is part native and the fact that she isn't from his time. But despite the hindurances, they do fall in love and through that find enemies. Samuel promises Madeline that no matter where or when they are, they will find each other again. He is a Healer and they are part of a duo - a Healer to work with a Hunter. However, Hunters hunt Messengers. And the Hunter that appears in Madeline's dreams is there with them.

This is a fantastic story that I could not put down. The writing was easy and flowed well and I never once had to stop because of bad grammar. My main issue with this book is that there are so many questions left unanswered. I'm not sure if this was done purposefully so that we have to read on or if things were just glossed over. I would love to know more about what it means to be a Messenger. What are they, why are they and why are they hunted? And how do healers fit into the whole equation. Also, the idea of reincarnation is used and never discussed why or how. Are all souls reincarnated? Is there a reason people meet back up in other lives? You see, so many questions. And I want answers, dang it!

Despite my previous issues, I really found The Messenger to be an exciting and engaging read. I was enthralled by Ms. DuMond's characters and her vivid descriptions of the world around them. I will definitely be reading book two as soon as she presses print! For those who like The Immortals series by Alyson Noel, Timeless by Alexandra Monir, or The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller - The Messenger is a must read!

★ ★ ★ ★ ½

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:

Website     Facebook-Book     Facebook-Personal     Twitter

Pamela DuMond is the writer who discovered, pitched and sold the real-life Erin Brockovich story to Hollywood. Erin Brockovich the movie was nominated for four Academy Awards.

In grade school Pamela was an A student but stuttered and was bullied. Reading became her refuge. She devoured every thriller and mystery she could get her hands on and eventually wrote her own. When she was twenty-two years old she finally started talking. Her brother swears she hasn't shut up since.

Pamela writes comedic sexy Cupcakes mysteries: Cupcakes, Lies, and Dead Guys (An Annie Graceland Mystery) was published by Krill Press in 2010. She published Cupcakes, Sales, and Cocktails – A Novella in 2011 and Cupcakes, Pies, and Hot Guys in 2012.

***Giveaway***

The author is giving away (1) print copy of THE MESSENGER to US addresses.

Open International giveaway is (5) eBook copies of THE MESSENGER.

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"Waiting On" Wednesday: Timekeeper

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

Timekeeper

(Timeless #2)

by Alexandra Monir
Expected Publication Date: January 8, 2013
Published by Delacorte Books

When Philip Walker appears as a new student in Michele Windsor's high school class, she is floored. He is the love she thought she lost forever when they said goodbye during her time travels last century. Overjoyed that they can resume the relationship they had a lifetime ago, Michele eagerly approaches him and discovers the unthinkable: he doesn't remember her. In fact, he doesn't seem to remember anything about the Philip Walker of 1910.

Michele then finds her father's journals, which tell stories of his time-traveling past. As she digs deeper, she learns about his entanglement with a mysterious and powerful organization called the Time Society and his dealings with a vengeful Windsor ancestor. Michele soon finds herself at the center of a rift over 120 years in the making, one whose resolution will have life-or-death consequences.

Alexandra Monir's Timekeeper combines breathtaking romance with a tale of complex magic in a sequel that will have every reader believing in the transcendent power of love.

I picked up the first book Timeless at the library on a whim and I am so glad I did! Time travel, mystery, romance and beautiful music galore! The author also recorded the songs from the first book that she wrote and composed herself. I can't wait to see what happens next to Michelle and Philip. I only hope that if there is to be a third book it does not take as long as it did for number two to come out!


What are you waiting on this week?