I’ve been lied to, deceived, and manipulated once again. I shouldn’t be surprised, but in a way I am. You’d think I’d be treated with dignity, my every desire fulfilled by those who need me the most. But instead, they plan to control me, keep me hidden, and force me to be complacent while I give birth over and over again.
Hell, I’m the one who’s supposed to save humanity, right? I’m the one with the power to re-populate this world of clones, my ancestors who were produced from harvested DNA.
Michael. He loves me. At this point, he may be my only friend. There may be others. Tension is building in the regions. A secret sect is growing. A rebellion is imminent.
My awakening into this future should have been my savior, my renaissance, my ally.
But instead, it has become my plague.
BOOK ONE REVIEW: My review is of book one in this series titled Mirror X! I'm not going to lie when I tell you that this particular genre is out of my normal tastes. I wanted to venture out and try something new. New I got. I'm not going to tell you I loved it but I did not hate it. I'd give it 3.5 Stars. Kudos to the author for her creativity though! She managed to bring something new to us instead of the same ole story lines that many authors seem to be doing lately. Karri Thompson has given you science, betrayal, love, and more! Cassie's been awaken after 1,000 years thanks to modern day science (well, future science to us) the world as she knows it has changed. She doesn't know who's friend or foe after more and more secrets are unveiled. These secrets kind of got me. I have no idea how so many of them stayed a secret for so long. Not little ones but HUGE ones. More and more unfold and you don't ever see them coming! I didn't know what to think. I wanted to reach in and strangle people for treating Cassie the way they did. Michael, her "doctor", was a sweet young man...note the word young..... whom tried to protect Cassie the best he can and struggled with things that were being done to her. Yet, he's also the one that hides the BIGGEST secrets of them all. But, after the death of someone Cassie cared strongly about, Michael was the only hope she had of getting out.................... Actually thinking about it now.... yeah, I'll probably read book two because I want to find out what happens next!!
About the Author:
Karri Thompson, a native of San Diego, California, grew up hanging out at the beach, playing sports, and eventually attending San Diego State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English and master’s degree in education. When she’s not nerding out at San Diego Comic-Con or watching Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings movies for the umpteenth time, she can be seen doing normal people stuff like teaching high-school English, cooking delicious meals for her family (she attributes all of her culinary skills to the Food Network), and attending her son’s football games. In her spare time, she writes young adult and new adult fiction, her biggest passion, and loves listening to hard rock music and going to concerts. She hopes to live long and prosper, and that you will, too.
Website: www.karrithompson.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorkarrithompson?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarriThompson
Instagram: authorkarrithompson
Read Below for an excerpt from the book:
Michael was the only good thing to come out of my awakening. I didn’t know how long we’d have together, but I realized I wanted to make every second with him count. Twisting to face him, I brought my right leg to the other side of his body and kissed him gently at first, and then a little harder as he brought his hands to my back, massaging his fingers against my shoulder blades.
His lips moved to my neck, and he slid his hand through the hair at the base of my head. I lay against him, savoring his warm breath at my throat as his chest pressed against mine.
“Duck!” Cradling my body, he scrambled to the floor, bringing me down with him.
“What?” I whispered.
“I saw something outside. A shadow. It looked like a person.”
“Victoria! I need to get her.” Crawling on my hands and knees, I entered the living room and picked up my sleeping baby.
“Behind the couch. Let’s go.”
“Watch her,” I said, and rested her on the floor next to Michael.
Drawing the laser pistol from my waist, I scooted to the edge of the couch where I could see the back door.
“I locked it,” he whispered, “but any Security guard or SEC can open it.”
The door slid open. I aimed my pistol, my arms and hands trembling.
The Giveaway::
A signed copy of Ascendancy by Karri Thompson; open US only
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A Sexy Shifter Fairytale Romance
Jessica Aspen
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Abracadabra Publishing
Date of Publication: January 2015
Number of pages: 73
Word Count: 33,853
Cover Artist: Viola Estrella
Description:
When Red runs into the hot new forest ranger she thinks it will be just a quick fling but passions ignite and soon Red is scrambling to hide all her secrets.
Fraternizing with humans is taboo but when feisty werewolf, Red, runs into the hunky new forest ranger, Evan Brewster, she jumps on the opportunity to let loose her desires. Evan is stoked when he meets the petite red haired hottie, and combined with his new discovery of wolves in Colorado, thinks his career and life are made. Then Red pushes him away, her hostile brother threatens his life, and things begin to spiral out of control.
Caught between her sexy lover and her pack can Red trust Evan with her secrets? Or must she sacrifice her human lover—and her heart?
Excerpt:
RED
A Sexy Shifter Fairytale Romance
Red entered the deep woods, sniffing in appreciation of the cool damp piney scent. The familiar narrow path was little more than a deer trail through the brush. It would get her to Grandma’s in good time. Grandma was a bit of a lone wolf who refused to have a phone. She lived up on the mountain in an area of the forest you couldn’t get to by road. Her independence drove Red’s mother crazy but Red admired the sheer rebelliousness. Good old Grandma. She insisted the old ways were best and she would live off the land until she died.
No wonder Mom had sent her to check on Grandma. Red’s lips curved in a smile. Kill two rebel birds with one stone. Her mother was ever-efficient.
She moved deeper into the woods musing about ways to get the old she-wolf on her side of the argument. Each stride loosened joints tight from a week trapped in the kitchen with her mother. The warm morning sun coming though the trees dappled the earth in an ever-changing pattern and increased her pleasure in her body’s movements. Her pace slowed and she became lulled into feeling there wasn’t any danger.
She wished she dared to change into wolf form and really move. Feel the trail under her paws, smell the true scents of the woods, taste the air. But her mother’s warning about the hunters in the park was fresh. Hunters wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a wolf.
All they would have to do was say it had attacked them, their dogs, or their squeaky duck lures and the new park ranger would side with them. No, ever since the new ranger had taken over, all the pack had become more cautious.
Her body moved her up the trail on auto-pilot while her brain continued to re-hash her problem. She was stuck in limbo, like a lamb before the slaughter. Alive, but going nowhere. She was desperate to get out of town. Her mating instincts told her she should search out a mate. But they conflicted with her personal instincts that told her to go find a career and separate from her controlling family.
But instead of taking charge of her own destiny like a human woman, here she was, checking on Grandma like a good girl. She even had a Tupperware box of goodies stuffed in her pack in case Grandma wasn't eating anything but rabbit.
Zoned out on the familiar path, her sensitive nose picked up a smell. An appetizing smell, of cloves and wood smoke and something…something male.
She froze, all her senses on alert.
Her ears and nose almost twitched forward.
There, in the shadows on the side of the trail, was a man. A man in a ranger uniform standing next to a large frame backpack. How could she not have noticed him before?
How long had he been watching her?
She forced her body to look relaxed and stifled the urge flooding her system and threatening to overwhelm herthe urge to change into her wolf and deal with the danger.
She smiled, and hoped it wasn’t too toothy. Her instincts said she was a wolf, but all he would perceive was a young woman—not a threat.
This had to be the new ranger Seth had talked about non-stop for the last week. How this new guy had taken Uncle Bob’s spot when Uncle Bob died last month in a car accident. How no one was ready from the pack to step into Bob’s position and handle the pack’s personal area of the forest. How the ranger had better watch his step—or there would be trouble.
Seth had bitched and moaned, but what he hadn’t said was how totally hot this guy was. Or how delicious he smelled. She put him at just under six foot, but that was tall compared to her petite five-foot two. Long and lean, he had the look of someone who spent a lot of time outdoors, hiking or maybe skiing. He stepped forward and swept back his shaggy brown hair, revealing warm brown eyes that held the look. The look men gave women—open, appreciative, and a touch guarded.
She returned it with a bold appraising one of her own. He was just what she needed to distract her from her family issues. He was hot, male—and a stranger.
“Hi, I’m Evan Brewster.” He held out his hand, waiting for her to take it. She hesitated. A slow smile crept across his lips.
She swallowed. Wolves didn’t shake hands and she didn’t usually meet anyone she hadn’t known since birth. She stepped forward, held out her hand like she thought a normal girl would. And ignored her stomach’s quivering.
“You must be Uncle Bob’s replacement. Nice to meet you.” Here was her chance to practice with a regular human. To prove to her parents and the pack elders she could function in the wide world. That her days of indiscriminate changes were over, and that she was a competent adult. He took her hand. His calloused grip was warm and strong.
Electricity shot up her arm and into her chest. Her heart rate sped up just like the seconds before a kill. Sudden warm wet heat pooled between her legs. She yanked her hand back, stopping short of rubbing her tingling palm on her thigh.
Oh man! She didn’t even know this guy. He wasn’t pack, wasn’t even a shifter, despite his touch that had her shaking. Shaking like a spindly branched cottonwood in the fall breeze. She took another deep sniff, reassured herself that he was all human. And knew he was not only human, but he was all male.
She wasn’t in heat. Why would she respond to him like this? Like she wanted to strip him down and do him right here on the path. Maybe it was the uniform. This guy filled out the standard park ranger uniform nicely. Much nicer than Uncle Bob. This was what her family had been afraid would happen if she went to college and was around too many human males. That she would pick a human, instead of one of the not-so-distantly related wolves they kept parading in front of her. Mate with one of them, instead of her own kind.
Inter-species relationships between humans and wolf-shifters were common in the old days when populations were spread out and the choice of mates was slim. Now they were rare. Extremely rare. No one mated permanently with humans. It was wrong, just wrong. Maybe her family was right. If she was this desperate she should just pick one of the available local wolves and settle down.
But she’d never felt like this about any of the pack males. Not even the human guy she’d been with as a teenager had caused this immediate tingling urge for sex. She swallowed, feeling suddenly shy and cautious, and smiled.
Evan.
She rolled his name through her mind, resisted the desire to taste the flavor of it on her tongue. Maybe if she wasn’t touching him she could do this—carry on a normal conversation. She struggled for something to say, something that would cover this incredible desire to fuck a complete stranger.
“Welcome to Radon,” she managed to get out. “How do you like it so far?” Inane. Moronic. But it was out now. She hoped he couldn’t see the shaking that had started at his touch, or smell the moisture between her legs. Luckily, he was only human.
Calm down, Red! You can do this. You have to do this.
“It’s been interesting. It’s a pretty tight-knit little town.” His gaze had warmed, becoming friendly. And interested.
She knew what that appraising look meant. She’d received it from all the available males her parents had invited to their house in an effort to entice her to settle down. But none of the bachelor wolves had made her feel like this. Like her whole body was tuned in to his. Like she should get on all fours, push her ass in the air, spread her legs, and beg.
Her palms were damp. She caught him checking her out and was glad her hoodie was zipped up over her chest. Her nipples tightened so fast, so hard, they almost hurt.
"Town's been a little tough on you, huh?" she asked. Poor guy, he couldn't have known what coming to this area would be like. They hadn’t had a ranger who wasn’t pack in her lifetime. The county was up in arms.
“You could say that.” He shot her a conspiratorial smile that warmed his eyes to molten chocolate. She had a sudden vivid picture of a sheepskin rug and him lying naked in front of a fire, her lips and tongue tracing the contoured lines of muscles illuminated by the flames.
She dragged her mind back, forcing it to focus on the present. Focus on the words coming out from between his sexy lips.
“You’re the friendliest person I’ve run into in this town. Where have you been hiding?”
Wrong question ranger. The question was who had been hiding him from her? Now her mother keeping her home from work to make jam made sense. Her mother would never think she was an adult. Although maybe her mom was right—given her lusty thoughts maybe she should be sequestered.
“I normally work in town—at the general store. I must have just missed you.” Yeah right. Did that sound as lame to him as it had to her? She lifted her chin. Her mother’s plan had backfired. Despite being sent off to the boonies she’d met the new guy in town. And boy was he hot.
“Is that Burdock’s? It’s the only general store I’ve seen.” One long hand reached up, pushing his thatch of hair back off his face in an unconscious slow sensual movement. The hair fell forward back into place as soon as he released it, thick and dark and oh so touchable.
“Yeah. I guess you’ve been in there.”
“Yeah. Is the black haired dude with the bad-ass attitude related?” His eyes crinkled up at the corners when he smiled. Another urge to spread her thighs slid through her. In an effort to control it, she clenched them tight.
What had he asked?
“Seth,” she said, relieved she knew what to say. “He’s one of my brothers. He’s none too happy you’re here.”
“Why is that?”
“Let’s just say we’re a typical small town. Outsiders aren’t really welcome.”
“You know, you’re the first woman I’ve met under thirty all week. I was beginning to wonder where they all were.”
Dangerous territory. She’d better be careful what she said. Obviously the alphas had the few available females under lock and key.
“We have a surplus of men in this town. You probably just missed the women.” He made her so nervous, she just knew she would slip and let something out. Something that would alert him that all was not as it seemed in small town Radon, Colorado. “It’s been nice but I have to get going.”
She smiled and started to move down the path, but he stepped in front of her, blocking her.
The back of her neck prickled.
She supposed he was eager to talk to the only friendly face in town but she wished he would back off. She was having enough trouble controlling herself as it was. Her heightened senses told her to take action. Now.
He’d moved too close. His spicy male scent filled her nostrils, caressing her skin. She wanted to bury her face in the crook of his neck and inhale, suck him in like oxygen before going underwater.
“Where are you
off to?”
“My grandmother lives up the mountain. I’m just going to check on her, stay a while.”
His face lost its easy smile and grew concerned. “You’re hiking up the mountain by yourself? A woman like you shouldn’t be out here alone.” She bristled at his statement. Just like her brother! What was it with men and their bossy attitudes?
“A woman like me? Slow down buster! I’ve been hiking this mountain since I could walk. You’re out here alone, why not me?”
“But I’m a trained outdoorsman. What if the weather changes? You hardly look prepared in those shorts. What do you have in that pack?” He moved closer to her. She backed up, suppressing the desire to bare her teeth. With relief she channeled her newfound sexuality into anger instead. This she understood. Human or not, he was beginning to get her back up, just like any other male.
“I’ll be at Grandma’s before dark. And it’s an incredible day. No storm in sight. See ya.” She edged around him back onto the path, determined to put both him and temptation behind her.
“Wait, I’ll go with you. There are signs of hunters in the area. You shouldn’t be hiking alone.” He shouldered his oversize pack with ease. Then scrambled, trying to buckle the waist straps and keep up with her at the same time. She stepped up the pace.
She could feel him close behind, knew he was eye level with her ass. Knew he watched her backside swish with each step. Her tingling nerves began to send messages again. With him nipping at her ankles, she felt like prey.
“No, thanks. You won’t be able to keep up.” She moved faster, pumping her legs in a rapid rhythm on the familiar trail. His legs might be longer than hers, but she had wolf stamina and a light pack. No way he could keep up with her for long.
“Hey, I’ve been through hell in the military. If I could keep up in basic, then I can keep up with you, little girl.”
She laughed. Flashing a catch-ya-later look over her shoulder she put on a hair more speed. He’d find out soon enough that she might be little but she had more oomph in this little package than most. And he could just watch her swish her tail until she was out of sight.
About the Author:
Jessica Aspen always wanted to be spirited away to a world inhabited by elves, were-wolves and sexy men who walk on the dark side of the knife. Luckily, she’s able to explore her fantasy side and delve into new worlds by writing spicy paranormal romance. She loves indulging in dark chocolate, reading eclectic novels, and dreaming of ocean vacations, but instead spends most of her time, writing, walking the dog, and hiking in the Colorado Rockies.
To sign up for Jessica Aspen’s new release email and to get your FREE bonus book, please go to: http://eepurl.com/zs4Sj
Website: http://jessicaaspen.com
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Tour giveaway
5 e-copies RED
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“Author K.N. Smith uses her mastery of the written word to weave an entrancing, yet powerful tale of adventure that keeps you turning pages in an unquenchable desire to find out what happens next. The author’s matchless prose details cinematic fight sequences and fully developed characterizations especially in a final, stupendous scene that will take your breath away and leave you limp with spent emotions. Five stars for this imaginative and inspiring story, sure to be as appealing to general audiences as it will be to the YA crowd!”
Publishers Daily Reviews
“K.N. Smith has at her disposal a lyrical prose that describes the environment and the characters in such fine (and magical) detail that you can’t help but fall in love with the world she has created. ‘The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses’ is a great start to this new series and the premise holds much promise for more entertaining episodes.”
Midwest Book Review
“The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses” is both a rollicking ride filled with mystery, suspense and literary drama; as well as a sensitive portrayal of individuals and families called by an unknown force to fight evil. It grips the imagination and engages the senses from the very first words of the Prologue through the whole frenetically evolving story. It’s an amazing work for a new fiction writer and one that will keep the book in your hands as you relax, ride in airplanes or stop for coffee. I couldn’t put it down; and felt I was wasting time whenever I wasn’t going from one colorful chapter to another. It’s a great ride and highly recommended! You will want to get to know “The Urban Boys” and experience their “Discovery of the Five Senses.”
M. Assagai, Sacramento, CA
"An energetic YA adventure debut with stellar action sequences. Smith's writing is intelligent and often lyrical. Her exuberant prose never fails to dazzle."- Kirkus Media
About the Author:
K.N. Smith is an American author and passionate advocate of childhood and family literacy programs throughout the world. She continues to inspire students of all ages to reach their highest potential in their literary and educational pursuits. An established non-fiction writer, Smith chose the teen fiction genre as a way to enhance her daughters’ (then) high school literary experience, and to engage other youth in literacy development. Her creative literary flair offers young and mature readers central themes of loyalty, responsibility, honesty, fear, and triumph. As a result, scenes become artfully integrated with cinematic-level action and high drama. Her stories twist, turn, and grind through elements of science-fiction and action-adventure in diverse, exciting, edge-of-your-seat narratives. As an ardent supporter of youth and family literacy programs across the globe, she states, “My hope is that The Urban Boys will spark imagination in a wide variety of readers while elevating global literacy efforts. It’s important that we have diverse families of readers for generations to come.” K.N. Smith has over twenty years experience in writing, communications, and creative design. She lives with her family in California.
A BLANKET OF DEEP CHARCOAL MOVED ABOUT LIKE A SPRAWLING, SMOGGY MASS high above Sandry Lake bringing with it gloom and despair for all to see. As a town that had fallen into a desperate state of disrepair, it was still amazingly contained, and unfortunately not as far from Danville Heights as one would prefer. The approximate eight mile span between the two towns was actually very close.
Sandry Lake was contained in the sense that it now had as few citizens as when it was first established, considering that most of its residents had abandoned ship in the name of self-preservation and fear of evil. Its small police force and body of elected officials had all but disappeared. Crime and corruption expressed itself in dark and evil ways.
Coming up from beneath the shadows in unexpected moments of terror, something or someone had assumed control of the entire town and twisted the meaning of what it was to be a community. There were two factions at hand: the last of the committed citizens who would hang-on to the end, and a cruel, dark, malicious force. Fighting what they largely could not see made for a very unpleasant battle, but these faithful citizens were not giving up. Their hearts were embedded in memories of better times when Sandry Lake served as a model community within the region. The citizens had used their very own hands to build the city, and to have what was rightfully theirs stolen from them was an atrocity none could fathom. The problem was that their manpower had waned. So what began as a counterattack became a waiting game, and they struggled to survive.
Living in squalid, makeshift quarters, a dirty band of goons who were all given free range as connivers, thieves, and thugs, roamed around at all hours looking for whatever they wanted to steal. If they encountered a citizen, they simply took what they wanted and beat them to the ground. The goons had been uncaged and even a trace of any rule had simply vanished into thin air.
He orchestrated their moves, lavishing upon them promises of riches and power if they would only align with his grand scheme. By dispensing such promises to the lost, his following had amassed, and they were ready to strike at any given time.
The goons referred to him as “he,” likely not even knowing his name. In fact, the mind washing was so elaborate that they had even forgotten their own names. So far away from the truth were their lives that it would be impossible to salvage any one of them. Intent to rule, this boisterous atrocity displayed itself as the lowest band of hooligans on a totem pole built entirely out of filth and lies. Unlikely to have been an overnight foray, he obviously had been present for some time. He often dreamed of his long-range plans to dominate this once beautiful and established town.
As a loud altercation between a citizen and a wild ruffian unfolded in the background, the depth of a shadow revealed a nasty episode in an otherwise unfortunate, yet common day. With its desperate hunger aired out in the open, a meandering chicken ruffled its brown and green feathers. It walked and pecked for any scrap that would kindly spare itself.
In a place unfriendly to a lonely bird, it would take mountains of hope for a meal to be realized. Unfortunately, he had the same on his mind and wildly snatched the chicken, which sent feathers flying up and about. And with a quick snap of its neck, he brought it all to an end. Void of hesitation, he bit into the chicken spitting out blood and feathers in a most expressionless manner. In his mind, dinner was what it was, and if another bird approached, it would most certainly meet the same fate. Chewing and grinding away, his eyes glazed over, he cared less how this came to be and continued to spit in all directions while wiping his bloody chin with his filthy rags.
Like a fallen angel, he wanted power. He worked for evil and fought against good. Only he could orchestrate the details of these crimes so expertly executed as a way to run folks out so he could command the stage. Tall, slender, and disheveled looking, he’d been surviving in the depths for quite some time. The comfort associated with his brand of chaos led him to the loneliest of places, and there he reveled.
Not understanding his own emotional insecurities, he chose evil as a basis from which to operate. He had settled into a routine of madness, which was now in the director’s chair of Sandry Lake.
And from where did this emerge?
As his eyes revealed a sliver of perceived childhood trauma, feeling lonely and unloved, second and not first, feeling left out perhaps, his internal emptiness spilled over, and he hung his head momentarily. Once happy, he somehow became willing to trade his hand for the dark side, surely to gain attention and a sense of power that would fill an enormous void. Perceived or imagined, his hurt was real. But it would not slow him down on his journey to destruction.
Compared to Sandry Lake, nightfall in Danville Heights had quite the opposite effect. Children’s eyes fluttered as they winked themselves to sleep, quieted down, and settled-in for the night. For these were the common routines of the peaceful valley.
There was only one thing aside its normal during this particular twilight: five boys lay wide awake sensing each other. They responded to instincts that they did not question, but also did not understand. The day had been long and rest would normally be embraced, but this evening had a tale to be told.
Jordan found himself ruffling through his black sweat clothes, and he got dressed, opened his window, and jumped outside. Every single one of the boys followed suit, all dressed in black athletic gear, and three in hoodies. They briskly walked toward the preserve deep into the night. They were transfixed on the north and not speaking to each other, but occasionally traded glances as their respective senses burned away.
By way of mystery, the incident with the floating light balls had caused a hypersensitive reaction with their senses, and Jordan could literally hear the altercation between the citizen and the goon unfolding. Alex licked his lips, his tongue protruded, and then it went back in and out again. Kinsu’s vision sharpened like a razor’s edge, and he led the way. And as they picked up the pace, they gained incredible speed. From calm to chaotic, their worlds would change in a flash.
As if to run off to save our very own lives, the boys charged ahead and never looked back, although uncertain of the path they were on. Enveloped by the night, they felt strangely at home moving into dark shadows. They felt a certain power as allies on this journey, which was now quite a ways from home.
The boys’ actions brought an anticipated interruption to the Dark Stranger who was resting, knowing fully that this day would come. Aware of the infancy of the situation, he quickly sprung to his feet, but decided to use reservation in measuring the boys. He could sense them, feel them, even being able to see them running toward Sandry Lake.
He shared similar instincts and sensations to the boys, but these connections had yet to be made. Sensing their urgency, he followed them to this dark place, his black hood wrapped tightly while his cape-like covering embraced the wind and advanced his commanding presence.
Akin to an alarm clock from hell, these new, powerful instincts coupled with nightfall would prove to be bolder than ever in the history of Danville Heights. The boys could have ignored this calling, fought its beckon, but this would prove to be out of alignment with fate. As they tore into Sandry Lake, whipped air encircled a crooked, dangling sign that ironically read: Welcome to Sandry Lake. It swung left to right in a squeaky and unwelcoming manner.
They stopped in their tracks taking view of this evil domain, which loomed large above them. Underfoot, filthy trash served as their greeter, while broken glass and coarse rubble served as their guide. Moving forward slowly, they surveyed the area leading to the altercation. Rhee could smell the goon while pinpointing his exact location.
Filthy or not, Chase stooped down and put his hands on the ground to feel for human vibrations that may have been surrounding them. Kinsu remained laser focused on his target, leading the way with Jordan next to him taking in every harsh word spit out by the goon, who then slapped the citizen causing him to crash to the ground. He grabbed at the citizen’s back pocket, ripping his pants in an effort to steal his wallet because he had refused to hand it over. With his makeshift weapon knocked away, the citizen had become defenseless. He flipped over on his back to use his legs as a last, self-protective resort.
Now upon the scene, Alex rushed toward the goon, and out of nowhere, handled him with finesse in a style of martial arts for which he had never been trained. Every single one of the boys had the same skill. Coupled with their newfound instincts, they made for serious human weapons against which the thug could not prevail.
Taking him down was one thing, but when three more came out of the shadows armed with sharp, spiked weapons, the brewing battle took a turn. The boys quickly and strategically synchronized to whip and outsmart these thuggish creatures. A furious fight ensued with two-on-one, one-on-one, one-on-three, and all in between. The boys realized they were pitted against a vicious band of cruelty accustomed to roaming in dark places and causing mayhem at will.
Mean and muscular, the goons fought back with precision, punching and slapping into eternity. But the boys’ sudden martial arts mastery was unleashed upon these dreadful hooligans, and their detailed, accurate moves dazzled in the twilight.
“Two more, left,” said Chase as two more thugs joined the fracas. Their uninvited presence agitated the boys.
With the Dark Stranger witnessing it all, he allowed the boys to handle themselves, and he remained reserved. The night wind moved in and out of his black hood and framed his handsome face and his long hair.
Spinning, punching, kicking, and calculating every move, the boys ripped into the thugs with fury knocking each one unconscious, sprawled out for all to see. Like a mound of sorry, soggy laundry, the goons were piled high and left for their maker, whoever that might be hiding in the shadows.
And with the same laser sharp vision afforded to Kinsu, he saw what happened and could not believe his eyes. Members of his own army defeated, representative of weakness and a pathetic emptiness? He stood up boldly with the dead chicken dangling in his hand, blood dripping to the ground, realizing he had no conceivable idea of who these boys were. Their prowess struck him, for he knew he would need to assemble quickly in order to defend his perch.
With that blanket of deep charcoal hanging over his head, he could do nothing besides keep his feet planted right where they were. Somehow, he too could sense them, and he knew he would need to go deep in order to prevail. But the night sky offered zero comfort to anyone involved, and a new chapter had emerged. But how it would unfold remained as cloaked in darkness as he himself.
Read Below for a Guest Post from the Author:
Books for Boys VS Books for Girls (in general and Urban Boys in particular) Topic originally proposed from Mythical Books.
I love your very interesting question, thank you! Very clearly, there are literary works specific to girls, and others specific to boys. It's certainly okay to separate these, in case an author is trying to convey something directly to a gender. As we know, there are books that girls view as boys' books and they don't want to read those kinds of books, and vice versa. It's certainly a matter of taste.
In my opinion, there is something that everyone can glean from every book. And I personally am not all that interested in limits. For example, what happens if there is something tucked inside of a boy’s book, and I am encouraged not to venture within. What will I be missing out on? Is there something you don't want me to see, or learn?
My mind immediately shifts to The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, so much considered a boy’s book that she was told not to reveal her name at the time of publication (and also because of her young age: 15). J.K. Rowling was told the same thing. I can tell you personally from reading The Outsiders at a very young age, and numerous other books by the author, that girls' lives were transformed with the flipping of those pages, which perhaps were meant mainly for boys, according to some. The truth, rawness, and beauty of those scenes will stay with me forever. So again, limits cannot apply if we are to grow as individuals. We do this in part by reading.
The Urban Boys has its own dynamics. Sure, it is a story about five boys and there are numerous fight scenes, as well as a football chapter, in the book. It might seem that it is a book written for boys. It is not. They just happen to be the central characters. It is really a story about families, interactions amongst friends, lifelong bonds, and how a mysterious incident changes their lives. It's an action adventure story that boys and girls and men and women can relate to. In fact, all of these audiences are reading the book currently. There's a little bit of each of us in the story. I also believe that the detail in the scenes appeals to both boys and girls, if they gravitate toward lyrical writing.
We would not want to limit ourselves based upon another person's insistence that we stay in one area. So, I think it's important for each of us to venture out, read all kinds of books, and learn something new along the way. If a heart can be touched by moving prose or a rugged scene with tenderness buried underneath, then the author has indeed done a fine job regardless of the reader.
Who has time to miss coffee and chocolate when there’s an Alien Warrior superhero stealing hearts?
Clever with a bright future ahead of her, Dr. Phoebe Brown has it all— intelligence, an enviable career as a highly respected doctor, beauty and brains. That is until her life is endangered on a failing maintenance Space Station.
A heroic rescue by a fleet of honorable, if not unbelievably sexy Warrior Aliens, places a now comatose Phoebe in a new alien world.
She wakes to find her entire life as she knew it is gone and she must start over—alone.
Malm is the ultimate warrior, committed to fulfilling his duty as second-in-command to his cousin and friend, Tordin. So, when he experiences an undeniable pull and extraordinary attraction for the sleeping human female, he wants nothing more than to get her safely to his planet. There she can find a male worthy of her and… away from him.
Will Phoebe be able to create a new life after Earth—alone—when her heart longs for the attention and touch of the one man who is the least interested—the one with the emerald eyes called Malm.
Mychal Daniels grew up fantasizing about the wonderment of what ifs. This love spilled over into her ability to weave stories that arrested the attention of her siblings and friends. After going the way of the office drone for far too many seasons, she decided to follow her love of romance, fantasy and storytelling to create and share her highly imaginative take on the great what ifs. The result is these books that allow you to step into the world of her fanciful imagination. Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review while Mychal is off lassoing in your next book boyfriend!
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Welcome to Phenomenal Reviews! On behalf of Bawaka’s Book Fair, I have been selected to be part of this awesome blog hop! Since is a Christmas Hop, let me tell you about how my family spend it! We watch movies together each year as a family. The Polar Express, Charlie Browns Christmas, A Christmas Story and of course, Rudolph! It's pretty traditional for us! Of course hot chocolate with an obscene amount of marshmallows is MANDATORY for each show/movie!
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway! And keep your eyes on pictures on these pages below! Did you see mine?
They will all have a secret word you have to input into the rafflecopter!
I've read all three of these books and loved them! There's a fresh originality to them. Matter of fact, I think I'm going to re-read them!
Blurb for Frostbite:
Amanda Smith is sick of getting chased from town-to-town. So when she lands in tiny Trifle, Arizona, she hopes it’s her last move for a long time. Despite hating the smallness of the town, she settles in and finds a best friend, and even a boyfriend. Normality at its finest.
But for a girl who can shoot snow from her hands and lift a two-ton truck over her head like a bag of feathers—normal is not an option.
The scientists who murdered her mother come barreling into Amanda’s quiet life. She must decide if she’ll run again or stay and fight. The price of either choice might be her life or the lives of those she’s come to love…
The Kiss is a Contemporary Paranormal Romance on sale for .99
Blurb:
Best friends since birth, Leisel Gottschalk and Baden Dietrich are months away from the ceremony that will unite them forever, until Baden learns that everything they’ve been told about their arranged union is based on lies. He knows he has to let her go, but getting her away from their family will cost them everything.
Koen Lockton is determined to make the most of his life. He’s just signed a recording and tour contract that will jump start his music career. With one year of school left before he hits the road, his life changes in a way he never would have dreamed when he hears Leisel Gottschalk’s laugh. But when she fails to recognize him for what he is, he knows something is terribly wrong.
Driven into hiding and divided by an ancient wrong, a forgotten race of people are nearing extinction. Old traditions and long held grudges will be exposed and challenged when one man risks it all to right the wrong he caused and three young lives are caught in the middle. Will they be strong enough to change the future and unite a broken people? All it will take is a single kiss, but are they willing to break her family rules?
BOOK ONE
