Spotlight: Fire & Ice Book Tour: The Fallen

Blurb:
For hundreds of years, the Blaukenev clan has wandered across Tilzam, from one end to the other and back. Each wagon carries history, love, laughter, pain, sorrow, and secrets. Their greatest secret of all may be Chavali, the clan Seer.

Spirits claim/use/save/damn her.

With her gift/curse, nothing surprises her anymore, no one keeps secrets from her. She, on the other hand, has more than enough secrets to keep. Secrets of her own, secrets of her clan, secrets of the world, secrets she even keeps from herself.

There are always people who want secrets.
Some will do anything to get what they want.

The Fallen is the first story of The Greatest Sin, of a world adrift from its God that desperately wants Her back. Chavali's comfortable, predictable life will be ripped apart and burnt to ashes as she's forced into the middle of that struggle. Change, she hates it passionately. It hates her right back.

Buy Link:

Amazon  

Excerpt:

“Come in.” They did not speak the clan tongue in front of Outsiders, not without dire need, lest someone overhear enough to translate it and learn it. Instead, they spoke Shappan, the dominant language of Tilzam. Nearly everyone knew it, regardless of country or native tongue. Along with the words, spoken in the light accent of the clan, she lifted a hand to gesture to the stool opposite herself. “You are welcome here.”

He was timid as a mouse and small like one, too. Keino could probably lift this man over his head with one hand, or break him in half over his knee. Chavali watched him take small steps and dart his eyes all around. “Um, you’re the Seer?” His Shappan was obviously better than her own, she could tell even with so few words spoken.

“Yes. No one can see into the tent, it is safe, you are safe here. Sit, be calm.” Coaxing a scared little man onto the seat was not her preferred way to spend her time, and she stifled a sigh and a roll of her eyes. “If you do not sit, I cannot help, yes?”

“Oh, right. Of course.” He moved quickly, practically jumped onto the stool while shooting terrified looks all around the tent. “I’ve just never done anything like this before, and, um, I’m worried about…”

Holding out her hand, she kept her tone calm and patient. “Give me your hand. I cannot help if I have no connection to you.”

His audible gulp made her want to roll her eyes again, but he tentatively offered her his hand. As she seized it, the spirits rushed him, eager as always for new people to interact with. DearCreatorIhopeyoucanhelpmeI’mdoomedthisissocrazy

“Calm,” she told him, shutting her eyes to make it easier to focus on this pile of crap. “If you do not calm down, I see nothing, just a bouncing jumble of nervous. Deep breath in through your mouth, out through your nose. Come, do this a few times.”

His thoughts began to settle as he followed her orders. It became less a rushed mush and more actual coherent ideas. Amy is going to kill me for this. I shouldn’t be doubting her, but I am, and I need to fix that. She’s a sweet girl, this is all my fault.

“I see a name. A-something, Anna? No, Amy. Does this name mean something to you?”

As expected, he gasped a little. How does she know that? Is this the real thing? If she knows that, she must know if she’s seeing Marcus or not. “Yes, that’s my wife.”

“You worry about her, you think she is meeting someone else?”

“Yes!” His mind flooded with images of Amy, who he loved, deeply, but also with images of a man much more virile than himself. That other man wore armor and used a blade for his work. A city guard, perhaps, or a soldier.

“There is another name, with a…’c’. But not at the front, maybe in the end? No, no, the middle. Arcu, Marcus. Yes, Marcus. He wields authority.”

“Yes, he’s in the Order of the Strong Arm, one of their knights. I need to know.” He already knew, of course. That was the beauty of what Chavali did. All the answers were in his mind already, he just needed someone else to say it out loud because he couldn’t, the poor fool. People really were the same no matter where she went.

Still, it wasn’t good to just say things like this aloud with no feeling or props, or anything to give her an air of more authority than just pulling things out of the air. Her free hand dipped into the pouch tied to the thin belt around her waist (it also held a small blade in a sheath at the small of her back), pulled out five objects at random and tossed them on the table. Keeping hold of his hand, she peered down at the bones, finding it amusing that all five were actually bones. The pouch also had crystals, stones, and even bits of shell and wood, all minimally shaped and etched with ink-stained runes by her own hand.

It wasn’t that the bones were only props - they had meaning for Chavali. It was that they weren’t tools for divining. In this context, she used them as prompts, as ideas for how to word things. “Mmm.” Starting with the one closest to him, because she didn’t like having them out of her control for any longer than necessary, she picked up a chicken wing bone, displayed it, then deposited it back into her pouch. “Pain of the soul, for you.” The next was a finger bone, from Seer Marika’s dead body. “Betrayal. Face down, the betrayer is a woman.” A bone from the paw of a dog was next. She liked that dog enough to preserve a part of him. “Love, but face down, so actually just lust.”

This was all so stupid and predictable. His mind raced as her words confirmed everything he feared. The next, a horse’s tooth, was an amusing addition. “Secrets. Many secrets.” The last one almost always turned up when she did this. It was a chunk of unidentified bone, picked up some time ago just because of its odd shape. “Fear. There is much fear through all of this.”

She needed nothing more from this man to make her pronouncement, and she didn’t care in the slightest if it turned out to be true or not. They would be gone tomorrow morning, and likely wouldn’t return for several years, if ever. Letting go of his hand, she gave him a mildly sympathetic look. “The bones have spoken. She has betrayed you, and you must deal with that in your own way. The bones, I think, suggest you confront it head-on, but this Marcus may not be wise to cross.”

He nodded, resigned. “Thank you.”

“It is not a thing I wish to be thanked for. Good fortune to you.” She watched him get up and leave, and snorted at him as soon as the tent flap was shut again. Idiot. He was, of course, the first of today’s parade of idiots and twits, each of them with a story as uninteresting as the next, a story Chavali had heard dozens of times before.

About the Authors:
This book has two authors, Lee French and Erik Kort.

Lee French lives in Worcester, MA with two kids, two mice, two bicycles, and too much stuff. She is an avid gamer and active member of the Myth-Weavers online RPG community, where she is known for her fondness for Angry Ninja Squirrels of Doom. In addition to spending much time there, she also trains year-round for the one-week of glorious madness that is RAGBRAI, has a nice flower garden with absolutely no lawn gnomes, and tries in vain every year to grow vegetables that don't get devoured by neighborhood wildlife.

Twitter
Facebook
Blog 

Erik Kort abides in the glorious Pacific Northwest, otherwise known as Mirkwood-Without-The-Giant-Spiders. Though the spiders often grow too numerous for his comfort. He is defended from all eight-legged threats by his brave and overly tolerant wife, and is mocked by his obligatory writer's cat. When not writing, Erik comforts the elderly, guides youths through vast wildernesses, and smuggles more books into his library of increasingly alarming size

Twitter
Facebook  

Giveaway:

The authors are giving away five print copies of The Fallen – autographed by both authors! Enter at Goodreads! Entry will be open the length of the tour. Enter now by clicking here.

Spotlight: Fire & Ice Blog Tours: Blood Beginnings by Alison Beightol

Virtual Book Tour Dates: 2/11/14 - 3/11/14

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

Blurb:

Only a day after Eamon Rutherford destroys a cadre of vampire hunters sent to kill him, he decides to take his human lover Amelie to London to turn her into a vampire and look for Bernard Townsend, the vampire who sent the hunters to kill Eamon and declared a blood war on him.

This war isn’t just to settle a rivalry. It’s a war for power.

Bernard wants control of the European Shadow Government, the vampire governing board, and bring his plan to fruition, a plan that begins with the revelation of vampires to humans and ends with the domination of the human race. He knows that this will never happen as long as Eamon is alive. Bernard also knows that to get to Eamon, he has to get what he cares about most. To ensure the success, Bernard brings forward his secret offspring Reinhard Heydrich, the Butcher of Prague, who will kidnap and kill Eamon’s beloved Amelie.

Eamon must find and save Amelie before Heydrich kills her and Townsend’s plan unfolds. If he doesn’t, there is no limit to what a vampire like Heydrich might be capable of. But saving Amelie won’t be easy. Everywhere he turns he finds intrigue and deception. Even from those he trusts the most.

Excerpt:

You Don’t Declare a Blood War on Me and My Line without the Expectation of Retaliation

Kill Townsend. That was what needed to happen. And as soon as possible. Eamon Rutherford rubbed the bridge of his nose and again tried to come to grips with the events of the past twenty-four hours.

A scowl appeared on his face and the muscles of his shoul- ders knotted before he could even process anything. Eamon took in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. Destroying a makeshift band of vampire hunters in his former companion’s nightclub wasn’t something he would have chosen, but he was forced to do that very thing. And it had been ages since a hunter had threatened him personally. Or tried to threaten him. The ones last night were far from what he remembered from centuries past. The group he destroyed were nerds and armchair warriors, not organized, well-practiced hunters. However, before Eamon killed one of them the hunter mentioned a name, the name of an ancient rival, Bernard Townsend.

Bernard Townsend was a half-assed, one-time knight from centuries ago, an on-again-off- again problem for Eamon. Townsend fancied himself to be more powerful than Eamon despite the age gap of many centuries. In the late seventeen hundreds, Eamon almost imposed a final death on Townsend, but at the last moment Eamon spared his rival, figuring that leaving Townsend with the humiliating knowledge that he only survived through Eamon’s mercy was enough to keep the repugnant man away once and for all.

Since that time, Townsend had avoided Eamon and any- one, human or vampire, that Eamon knew and Eamon had all but forgotten about him up until last night. And his sudden reappearance raised an alarm in Eamon’s mind. Why would Townsend send a group of poorly trained vampire hunters after him?

Eamon rose from the bed and walked to the window over- looking Amelie’s back garden. Normally, he enjoyed the col- orful, fragrant roses and oleander bushes filling the quaint yard, but not today. He rubbed his shoulders, removing some of the tension, and sighed. The phone in his pocket vibrated, but he ignored it. The vampires of his line had nagged him the better part of the day, leaching as much of his time as they could before he left. His phone had vibrated non-stop with their calls and text messages. Should the meeting of the United States Shadow Government be arranged? Could they call him while he was in London or was he serious that he wanted no contact while he was gone? The main question was when was he coming home? He wondered if he was leaving children or vampires. But that was part of being a Primigenio of a vampire line. You were a father to them and had to deal with many of the same issues as a human father.

Because of this and Bernard Townsend’s unknown motives plaguing his thoughts, Eamon had gotten little day sleep. Fortunately, at his age, he didn’t require much rest. He also had the added benefit of being a day walker, a vampire who could move about without a problem when the sun was up. It was a lucky trait the vampires of his small line carried. Eamon looked back at Amelie and remembered they were leaving soon. He sent a text message to Jason, the pilot of his private plane, and verified the departure time. Eamon didn’t want any last minute surprises or problems.

Eamon returned to the bed and kissed Amelie’s forehead. He hated to wake her, but they’d be leaving for London in a few hours. He took a moment to watch her sleep. She was snuggled up next to him with a tiny, contented smile on her lips. Whatever she was dreaming about seemed to make her happy, and he wanted that for her more than anything. He wanted her to have a life of happiness and love with him and to never have any worries. If he had his way that would always be the case.

His phone vibrated again, shattering the moment of much-needed quiet Eamon craved. He hesitated before answering, thinking it was one of his vampires trying a last minute grab for his time and attention.

“Yes?” Eamon said and climbed back out of the bed.

“So you killed Sanchez and his followers? I expected as much. I didn’t honestly think they would succeed but they wanted to do it.”

The caller’s voice reignited a centuries-old anger within Eamon. He paced back and forth, wanting to reach through the phone and snap the caller’s neck. It was Bernard Townsend.

Instinctually Eamon checked on Amelie, who still slept. He turned away so as not to disturb her, his rising angst causing him to grip his phone until the plastic cracked.

“I’m coming for you, Townsend. You don’t declare a blood war on me and my line without the expectation of retaliation.” Eamon would rip Townsend’s throat out right now if he could, and put an end to whatever scheme Townsend was formulating.

Townsend laughed his hearty, jovial laugh. “The humans I sent after you last night were a warm up, a bit of target practice. I felt it would give you a sporting chance.”

“I will find you and when I do, you’re dead,” Eamon said.

“Rutherford, you’ve been a problem for me for as long as I can remember. Now, I have the advantage.”

“You’re nothing but a two-bit gangster.” Eamon looked around the room, calming himself. “I should have killed you when I had the chance.”

“But you didn’t, which shows how weak and short-sighted you truly are. Well, until we see each other, Eamon. And we will see each other,” Bernard said.

The sudden dial tone cooled Eamon’s ire and he withered with regret as he turned back to Amelie. Their trip to London would not be the same. Townsend would see to that. Eamon wanted the trip to be perfect for Amelie. He wanted to show her London, the city he had known for centuries, not the What’s On version of the city. For a moment, he considered not taking Amelie with him. He could find and kill Townsend and then bring her over afterward. But he knew how much she wanted to go and he wanted her to go as well. After their recent separation, he didn’t want to be away from her any longer than he had to be. No, he refused to let Townsend ruin this. After all, Eamon had waited too long for Amelie.

And he could kill Townsend at any time.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Alison Beightol formerly lived in an active haunted house in rural northern Florida but now lives in a non haunted but still active house with her author husband, Scott Baker, her daughter, two ice cream craving Boxer dogs, a rescued cat that thinks he’s a dog and a rabbit. For as long as she can remember, she's loved vampire stories, romance and gothic tales that keep her up at night. Although she works as a registered nurse, she studied both history and theatre at the University of Florida and loves intertwining history with a theatrical touch in her writing. She is the author of Blood Betrayal: Book One of The Primigenio Tales and its sequel Blood Beginnings, which introduces a sinister historical figure as an adversary for her vampires. Alison is hard at work on the third and final installment of the Primigenio Tales.

Connect with Alison Beightol:

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Publisher

Giveaway:

The author is giving away a tote bag filled with swag and goodies... Valued at over $150! Includes a t-shirt, a copy of the book, an amazon gift card, an iTunes gift card, vampire themed pins and knick knacks. USA only, please! The giveaway runs through the length of the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Discoveries Of A Writer - More Ashley Randomness

I should be writing Blood Gold right now, but instead I am sitting on my blog looking at the screen and thinking, "Man we need some Ashley Randomness right now." And that is exactly what I am going to do.

I just got finished watching NATIONAL TREASURE with Nicholas Cage and it has me in the patriotic and explorer mood. Some of you might know but most of you probably don't know that for many many years I wanted to go into politics.

It all started on a Sunday afternoon in the Kansas City Airport when my mother was picking my brother and I up from the airport. We were just arriving home from visiting my father's house and that is when my life, as a seven year old, changed forever.

I was standing at the carousal in luggage claim with my mom's friend Lowanda. We were looking up at  the television screen and there was this beautiful emblem looking back at us. I asked her what it was and she told me it was the national seal, the bald eagle. And that President Bush was getting ready to be shown. (The first President Bush, remember this was 1990) Now I don't know if this was a live address or if this was just a playback of something previously done, I don't remember that detail. But what I do remember was impacting.

The airport silenced (as much as an airport can) and everyone's attention went to the President. He controlled the room, a room he wasn't even technically in. Men and women were looking up, watching as the words that came out of his mouth resonated throughout luggage claim.

Now to a seven year old shy girl, this was cause for shock and awe. I was myself mesmerized by what this man was doing. I had of course heard of him before,  The Gulf War I had just started and we had been taught about where Iraq was in relation to the United States during school.

But I never had any idea of what power a president could wield. And by power, I didn't mean the ability to force yourself on others. To myself at seven I meant the ability to capture an audience and control a room.

And I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, - President.

Now this isn't the first time that a 'Nemer' had wanted to become president. I later found out that my father's paternal grandmother, who came here from Lebanon had one phrase she knew in English, or at least one phrase my father remembered. "Mike will be President." I laugh about this now - the irony I find knowing that. But it makes me laugh and brings me comfort because it gives me some kind of mental connection to a matriarch of my family that I never had the privilege to meet.

Of course, I am not yet thirty-five so my ability to become president hasn't quite yet even been able to come up in actual conversation but that doesn't mean that that childhood dream doesn't still exist somewhere in the depths of my heart and mind.

I attended Sam Houston State University. My dad and I fought over what I was going to major in. We came to an agreement, I will do Business as my major and Political Science as my minor. Because I wasn't going to let anyone tell me I can't be the first woman president.

And then, Spring 2002 I met Dr. Frank, an Economics Professor who was instructing my introduction to macro-economics class and bamm, it was love at first chapter. I fell in love with Economics. It was like it was in my blood. My entire essence thrived when I was studying this field. I took forty hours of Economics classes while attending Sam Houston State University - and thirty seven of those hours I got a grade of an "A". I tutored it on the side for money, I tutored it while employed with the economics department student aid. I was even accepted into  PhD program at Oklahoma State University for it.

My passion had changed and my political life was over before it even began. Now that isn't to say I didn't love my Political Science classes because I did. I loved them a lot. 4.0 in my minor. And I'm damn proud of it.

But somewhere that passion I had as a child, that used to drive everything I did had left me. And now, I
am not sure where its gone. At my day job, Senior Inside Sales Rep at a construction rental company I use my economics training on a daily basis. Profit, loss, margin, supply, demand and the list goes on and on. My education isn't wasted but that passion I held for America and the American dream somehow dissipated.

My junior year at Sam Houston State University I took an internship with Congressman Jim Turner at his Huntsville Field Office. I had wanted to go work for his office in D.C. so badly but it just didn't line up. I learned a great deal of the workings of our government, watching Anne, my boss, work to fulfill all requests that were needed. And there were a lot.

As a child I could have sworn it was my life's fated path to join politics, but now, sitting at the edge of my thirty first birthday only a few months away I question - Is that really what I was fated to be?

I can make a difference in this world with out joining the rat race of deceit, corruption and bureaucracy. Or maybe it just isn't my time quite yet.

Who knows .... But as my Ashley Randomness often do I have digressed a great deal - the point of all this was I was sitting here, on a rainy Sunday enjoying a movie about a legend of this great country I live in and it made me realize, I wish I was an archeologist. Someone who is discovering old worlds that are long forgotten. Making new finds that could change the way life as we know it exists.

And then I realized, I'm a writer ... I discover old worlds, new worlds and things long forgotten every time I start typing.

So maybe there is a greater plan out there, a path you don't notice until you've passed by many steps along its journey. But here I am ... a Writer, and as Stacy and my motto at the Art of Safkhet is, Uncovering Myths and Creating Legends.

Sunday Review: Forsaken by Jaquelyn Frank

Title  Forsaken

Author Jacquelyn Frank

Publication January 7, 2014

Source I received this from Net Galley in exchange for an Honest review

Purchase Links AMAZON  

Blurb

New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Frank continues her scorching and sensual new series set in the world of the Nightwalkers, where alluring entities known as Bodywalkers are the vanguards against the raging forces of darkness.

As a mercenary, Leo Alvarez has signed on for a lot—but he never signed on for his best friend becoming host to the soul of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. Jackson is now inhabited by a Bodywalker, and Leo is forced to grapple with a realm of supernatural beings far more dangerous than anything he’s ever encountered.

But when Jackson is wounded by an attack from a demon god, Leo must team up with another supernatural creature—a Night Angel—to save his friend from utter destruction. With skin as black as midnight, hair as white as snow, and a body of pure perfection, the Night Angel arouses a burning desire in Leo, even as he refuses to be intimidated by her power—or the power of those who would destroy his friend. An unusual alliance is forged, electrified by sexual temptation, and together the two must unite their strengths to bring down a supreme evil.

Review

I think what I love most about Jacquelyn Frank's novels is that you can pick any one of them up, it doesn't matter where in the series it is, and completely fall in-love with the world and characters. This was most certainly no exception. Leo was great. I loved this character. His hard outer shell that seemed unbreakable. Then the Night Angel. Who slowly chipped away at the exterior. And let us not forget the genie who made it all possible.

Every time I pick up another night walker or day walker book I just get completely sucked into the reading and I wish more authors had worlds so captivating as this one. The mix of characters and character types (Genies angels etc...) make it interesting and never dull.

The only thing I wish was that we didn't have to wait months for the next installment. And if that's the worst thing about a book then I'm completely okay with that.

This was a five star book, hands down, because an action packed, never dull and totally captivating story deserves nothing less.

Spotlight: Fire & Ice Book Tour: My Cup Of Tea by Kat Lieu

Virtual Book Tour Dates: 2/20/14 - 3/20/14

Genre: New Adult Romantic Comedy 

Blurb: It’s another suck-tastic summer for book nerd and baker, Sara Lee-Affen. She’s broke, she’s single, and she’ll probably die a virgin. At her beautiful cousin’s wedding, Sara meets a sexy and delicious stud muffin, Ian Forrests. He’s totally her cup of tea, that is until he laughs at her misery when a bee burrows into her ear. Yes, a dang bee. She’s dying (well not really) as he’s dying from laughter.

What a jerk. A smoking hot, Adonis of a jerk with strikingly green eyes, dark hair, and drool-worthy pecs and eight-pack abs. As luck and fate would have it, Sara keeps bumping into Ian all summer long and ends up working for him as a pastry chef at his failing bakery. Despite her better judgment, Sara falls for the sexy, badass rich boy. She discovers the truth about Ian: he’s a tortured soul who’s still pining for his deceased girlfriend, Sarah. One look at Sarah’s picture and poor Sara knows that she could never compete. She could never be Ian’s cup of tea. 

Or could she? 

Excerpt: 

A minute ago, when I noticed someone approaching me, I couldn’t help but ogle at perfectly-formed man pecs and a tapered waist sporting well-defined washboard abs. Droplets of water glisten on his tan skin. Said tan skin belongs to a guy, a hot guy walking toward me. Water from the pool drips off his dark hair. His lean and muscular legs are made for running. His blue swim trunks, wet and plastered to his skin, leaves little to my imagination. I gulped. I felt his eyes on me, all hot and smoldering. Having a feeling that a handsome face goes along with his hot bod, my eyes traveled upward to confirm my theory.

Sharp features. Chiseled jawline. Straight nose with two nostrils that are perfectly shaped and sized. Cellophane forest-green eyes filled with intelligence. Hot...

But too bad it’s him, that jerk from Millie’s wedding.

 

Buy Links: 

Amazon

About the Author:

Kat's most current publication is My Cup of Tea: Summer of Love. Read My Cup of Tea here: http://amzn.to/1fKJ4YW

Kat read her first book (a picture book) while potty training at the age of one and half. Reading became an addiction and a must during subsequent potty sessions. Writing as a passion soon followed when Kat was in the fifth grade. She drew a picture storybook, hand-stitched the pages together, and presented it to a class of second graders. The children loved hearing Kat's story and that cemented Kat's love for writing.

Kat wrote My Cup of Tea, Summer of Love during maternity leave. While caring for her newborn, Kat sacrificed nap time and much needed rest in order to write. When her baby slept, she quickly typed away, ignoring carpal tunnel. Now Kat works full-time by day. By night, she's a dedicated mommy and a writer. She hopes to be able to spend more time with her son, Philly Cheese Steak, and write for a living in the near future.

Dreams do come true, when you believe in them and work hard. Many of Kat's dreams have come true and she wishes the same for all her fans and readers.

Kat is also a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Lymphedema Therapist. She also runs a tween/teen empire, Nummyz Productions. Nummyz Productions creates original Flash games for girls and provides them with a safe community, love advice, free stories, and support. Nummyz Productions publishes books and e-books. Kat's company has also created websites for celebrities of The Young and the Restless (Kate Linder) and Flash games for multi-million dollar company LittleMissMatched.

Connect with the Author:

Twitter 

Goodreads 

Facebook 

Amazon 

Website

Maid for Me, Too Book Trailer  

Giveaway:

Kat is giving away four ebook copies of Maid for Me and one print copy at each stop! This giveaway is open to USA residents only. Make sure to follow the tour and enter at every stop by leaving a comment with a valid email address. Winners will be randomly selected by the author after the tour is over!

 

Sage Blog Tours: Spotlight: Will Shakespeare and the Ships of Solomon by Christopher Grey

Will Shakespeare and the Ships of Solomon
By Christopher Grey
Publisher: Basilicus Press (February 3, 2014)

Purchase Links: Amazon

Synopsis:

Post-War Treasure Hunt, Old World Secrets

In the fall of 1947, Will Shakespeare saw the world collapse around him. Shakespeare, a secret soldier for the Knights Templar, barely escapes the slaughter of his entire knighthood at the hands of a rogue militant arm of the Vatican in a small Montreal church.

With orders to escort Templar business associate Dorothy Wilkinson back to her home in Bermuda, Will must locate and rescue the most important secret treasure in human history before it is devoured by a hurricane in the watery caves beneath her father’s property.

The spiraling quest sends Will and Dorothy into uncovering dark secrets that make up the origins of the knighthood as they confront the traps and puzzles that masterfully protect the world’s most coveted treasure.

Sunday Review: Fire & Ice Book Tour: Gospel for the Damned by Gordon Gravley

TITLE GOSPEL FOR THE DAMNED
AUTHOR Gordon Gravley
PUBLICATION DATE  March 24, 2013
BUY LINKS  Amazon   Createspace  
SOURCE Received from the author for an honest review

BLURB

Set against the backdrop of a city under quarantine, Gospel for the Damned is an episodic and introspective novel that follows young journalist Aaron Garrett on his three day assignment within sequestered San Francisco. His assignment: Interview The Elliots, family of the missing minister suspected of releasing the deadly Omega virus.

What he finds is a fractured community and a myriad of ways of facing hopelessness: clinging to normalcy in banal routines; thrill seeking in dangerous truth-or-dare games; mercy killing and federally sanctioned euthanasia; embracing sorrow through macabre celebrations; and searching for God where faith has been abandoned.

Together with The Elliot Family, Aaron embarks on a mission to save someone, anyone, from a doomed existence.

This is Gordon Gravley’s first literary work, and its philosophical leanings may very well provoke questions of your own about the world we live in, and the future we face.

 EXCERPT

It was an opportunity that would make my career or crumble it, and I’d like to say it came to me by way of my diligence and journalistic talent. But truthfully, I was given the assignment for the simple reason that I was the only one on staff at the Sound who tested as resistant to the Omega virus; it was my luck to be in the 2 percent of the nation immune to a disease that, to date, had wiped out a third of the West Coast’s population.

REVIEW

 I’d like to start out by saying that the cover doesn't do this book justice. I wouldn't have picked it up had I judged it solely on that. Another good reason to read the blurb and possibly a page or two before deciding to pass on a book.

Overall this book was very well written and the plot was solid. It wasn't at all what I expected. I like 'end of the world' type books but this had an element to it that made you stop and think about things.

While the blub says, thought provoking, often times I find that misleading. Which was deff not the case in this book.

It took me a while to get into it and I found myself at times pushing through it. I think mainly because I couldn't quite identify with the main characters myself and thus didn't get sucked deep into the book like I normally would have. I don't think that was a fault of the author, I think it was more attributed to my hectic life.

Overall I'd give this a 3.5 stars. It was a great 'first' novel and an enjoyable read.

After decades of self-doubt and errant life choices, Gordon Gravley finally came to write this, his first novel, and is now diligently working on his next two. He and his wife currently reside in the Northwestern United States.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website

Facebook

Blog 

Goodreads Book Page

Freado.com Page

One lucky winner will win a signed print copy of Gospel for the Damned. The giveaway will run the length of the tour, USA only please! Click here to enter.