Cover reveal ~ A Shard Of Ice by Alivia Anders

Happy Birthday to Alivia Anders and Happy Cover reveal!!

Goodreads

A Shard Of Ice
The Black Symphony Saga #1
Publisher: Red Alice Press
Release Date: April 14th, 2014

Synopsis  ~ 

THEIR SOULS, REAWAKENED
When 13 year old Lilix Morgan is found alive and floating on a bed of ice at sea, everyone counts it a miracle. Kidnapped nearly four weeks earlier, she remembers nothing of her mysterious abduction. When she tries to remember what happened, she hears only a melody - a faint and delicate set of notes, strung together in a tune she doesn't understand.

THEIR POWER, UNMATCHED
A year later and desperate to put the lingering nightmares of her past behind her, Lilix crosses the country to enroll at Baelmorte Academy, aiming to become the violinist she once dreamt of. Things seem to be finally going well, and Lilix settles into a routine of sheet music and inspiration among new friends. 

Then the dreams start.

The melody and night terrors she thought she'd left behind return with a vengeance  threatening to ruin her fragile version of normalcy. Then an unlikely ally tells her that she isn't alone. That there are others just like her, fighting to hide their own shocking truths from coming to light. That they know who she is, and what she's been through. Now, accompanied by four other girls, Lilix discovers her nightmares are larger than a single trauma; they're a window to a hidden part of her soul, a place of immense power with a destiny that cannot be ignored.

THEIR BATTLE, IS ONLY BEGINNING
With this knowledge comes a new and  frightening reality. For Lilix has been reawakened to stop an age-old enemy, one thought to have been destroyed centuries ago. Trapped by her destiny, Lilix is torn between what feels right and what she remembers. Her memories tell her of a star-crossed love waiting to be reunited, of friendship and trust broken in the past. But can she save that love when reality brings her an enemy, and an evil that will be the undoing of them all if they don't destroy it?

LINKS:

Facebook for Alivia Anders: http://www.facebook.com/aliviaanders

Twitter for Alivia Anders: https://twitter.com/AliviaAnders

Blogger for Alivia Anders: aliviaanders.blogspot.com

Official author website (still under construction): aliviaanders.com

A Shard of Ice on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17207178-a-shard-of-ice

Goodreads Author Page:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5020443.Alivia_Anders

Better Off Dead by H. P. Mallory

Goodreads

Better Off Dead (Lilly Harper #1)

by H.P. Mallory

Publisher: HP Mallory

Pub. date: March 25, 2013

eBook

My Rating:  ♥♥♥♥

Summary ~from goodreads~

If there's such a good thing as luck, Lilly Harper definitely doesn't have it.

Killed in a car accident before it's her time to go, Lily learns that the hereafter isn't exactly what she hoped it might be.

First, there's AfterLife Enterprises, the company responsible for sorting out the recently dead and sending them on their way to the kingdom, (aka happily ever after,) or to the Underground city, (not so happily ever after.) Learning that Lily's death was indirectly their fault (her guardian angel Bill, was MIA during her accident and was one of their employees,) Afterlife Enterprises offers Lily the chance to live again.  But, as with most things involving the afterlife, beware the fine print.  Most notably, Lily will have to become a soul retriever, venturing into the bowels of the Underground City to retrieve souls that were mistakenly sent there by Afterlife Enterprises during a Y2K computer glitch.

Second, there's angel Bill. As if risking her second life the underground city wasn't enough, Lily's guide to the Underground is none other than her incompetent, alcoholic, womanizing guardian angel, Bill, the antithesis of anything wholesome.  With only Dante's Infernal and Bill to help her in her quest, Lily's future isn't looking bright.

Finally, there's the legendary blade smith, Tallis Black. As Scottish as his kilts and heavy brogue, Tallis Black is a centuries-old Celt who, for reasons only know to him, offers to train Lily and act as her escort into the depths of the Underground City.  Dark, brooding and definitely dangerous, Lily knows she shouldn't trust Tallis, but she also can't deny her attraction to him.

Between soul retrieving in hell, dealing with Bill and trying to figure out what's in it for Tallis, Lily wonders if maybe she would've just been better off dead.

My Review:

 A fun, entertaining, paranormal story with a unique combination of characters.   A very good first book to start a new series. Just like meeting a person for the first time, a readers feelings of a first book to a series, is based on first impressions. Meeting a new character, may be easy to get to know and some new characters take a little more time to grow on you. I will share with you my thoughts on the three main characters.

Lilly Harper is a character that is relate-able. She is an average young woman with a career, friends and family. She is a girl who works on staying positive with her life.  And like many of us, she is doing the best she can living her life. She has the misfortune of dying before her time, because her guardian angel Bill is not good at focusing on his job.  Because of this, she is given two choices, and she picks to live again. But like any choice a person makes, there are always consequences. It may be good, bad or a little of both, and Lily gets a little of both.

Bill, Lilly's guardian angel, cares for Lilly. But by first impression, you would never guess it. When he is not being Lilly's guardian, he does not act like how an angel should act. He is a drunk, a foul mouth womanizer, with an over the top sarcastic sense of humor. At first I did not know how to feel for Bill's character, I found myself feeling a little uneasy on some of his remarks, but with his comedic and sometimes gross remarks, I did grow to like him. Just like a person who unconditionally cares for an obnoxious relative.

Tallis Black is all man! He is described as a tall, strong, gorgeous man who is mysterious and dangerous with a dark past. He is Celt who has lived for hundreds of years. I did find his speech difficult to read but I eventually came accustomed to it. His way of speaking is a part of what makes Tallis Black a believable character who comes from a different time period.

I have always enjoyed all of H.P. Mallory's books. I loved meeting her new characters and seeing them come to life. I can't wait to read and learn more about Lilly, Tallis and Bill.

And congratulations to Sherita Landers, a fellow fan and book lover who won the contest to be a character in this book.  I loved reading Sherita being all tough! She will forever be imortalized in a book!  
I am so jealous!!  :P  LOL

Here are some links to learn more about H.P. Maloory and her other books:

https://www.facebook.com/hpmallory

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4108184.H_P_Mallory

http://hpmallory.com/

Innovera Yakov: The Journey of A Thousand Eyes by Kia Garriques, Book Blitz Tour / Giveaway / Interview

A big thanks to Xpresso Book Tours  for hosting  the Book Blitz. 

Xpresso Reads is also organizing a blog tour for this book. For more information and if you are interested in signing up, click here :
Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes Tour, Sign Up

♥Thank You Kia Garriques for the giveaway!♥

a Rafflecopter giveaway
I will pick a winner on April 1st and give the winners email address to Xpresso Reads.

Goodreads

Innovera Yakov: The Journey of A Thousand Eyes
by Kia Garriques
Pub. date: February 14th, 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis ~

Be prepared to immerse your self in a world where falling in love could cost you your life and nothing is as it seems.

Innovera Yakov – The Journey of A Thousand Eyes is the first installment in an action-packed fantasy drama where characters with powers of healing and destruction live, love, compete and disappear without a trace while they are being prepared for the Journey.

What is the Journey? What happens to the ones who do not return? What unspeakable, stomach-churning things can happen to them there?

Even Ayana the Great Healer, Krave ‘The Golden One’ and the powerful Blu Tara are terrified of it.

GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17351504-innovera-yakov

PURCHASE: 

Amazon - http://www.amazon.ca/s?ie=UTF8&index=blended&keywords=Innovera%20Yakov

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Author Interview

1:How different is INNOVERA YAKOV: THE JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND EYES from other books out there? Innovera Yakov: The Journey of A Thousand Eyes is the first installment in an action-packed fantasy drama where characters with powers of healing and destruction live, love, compete and disappear without a trace while they are being prepared for ‘The Journey’. Innovera Yakov is a faraway planet in a faraway universe: under five moons and two brilliant suns that never set. The wise words of Odors Apeno guide from within the Learning Dome; the Circle of Knowing decides their fate; the forbidden forests of the Dimmer Zone swallow trespassers. And at the very edges of Innovera Yakov there is always the terrifying watery darkness of Verheer. We meet Ayana, the questioning outsider, forever searching for herself and the truth of their world; Vinton, her protector. Gamma and Blu Tara are beautiful, fiery twins who can kill with one look. Innovera Yakov: the journey of a thousand eyes is fantasy fiction and more: it is also a story that explores the desire for acceptance, the need to belong, the importance of self-belief, the danger of secrets, the pain of betrayal and the power of love.

 2: What was your favorite chapter or part to write?

Visualising the world my characters live in. I love mind-mapping that world and thinking of the possible dangers of falling in love in that world, including the terrible jealousies and rivalries that threaten to destroy the ones involved.

 3: Any pet peeves?

Grass! I really have a phobia of standing on grass and I hate having to explain this to people. Going to a park is an unleasant experience, because while other people simply run across it, I tend to walk the long way around. If anyone notices, the questions begin: What are you doing? Why would you do that? Then I would have to explain my dislike of grass and I'm both annoyed and embarrassed when doing that. This is where the pet peeve comes in.

 4: Why should we read your book?

Apart from being an action-packed, romantic adventure, Innovera Yakov: The Journey of A Thousand Eyes is a story about the power of love and loyalty. It is about the desire to become stronger, better beings, and the need to accept yourself and to embrace your strengths and talents in order to make the most of the gift of life. It is what most readers talk to me about when they've finished reading it. Some of them have even thanked me.

I think there is something for everyone in the novel: adventure, romance and valuable life-lessons.

5: What is next for your writing?

I am working on the second book in the series and I already have ideas for the third and fourth novel.

6: If you are going to be born again, what would you like to be?

I would like to be a bird. It would be wonderful to be able to fly and be anywhere you want to without restriction. Next to life, freedom must be the greatest gift. It’s a wonderful privilege.

AUTHOR BIO

Kia Garriques studied writing and English literature at University and has been a published short story writer since 2009. Her first story “The Invisible Alien Watcher” was published by Micro Horror in 2009 and reprinted by Pill Hill Press in 2011. Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes – is her first novel in the ‘Worlds’ series and will be out on amazon mid February. visit www.kiagarriques.com/books to read the first chapter.

Author links:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter