Author Spotlight, Excerpt and GIVEAWAY- Remote by Lisa Acerbo

Happy Saturday, angels! I'm pleased to introduce a new Young Adult Science-Fiction novel by the talented Lisa Acerbo. Check out the excerpt and giveaway ($20 Amazon gift card) below!!!

Love to all
xoxo
SJ

 

 

 

Release Date: November 20th 2014

Genre: Young Adult Romance/ Science-Fiction

 

Where to Buy:

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE

 

 

Here's the Summary:

When technology fulfills every dream, reality becomes a nightmare.
Below the streets of New State, the undergrounders fight to remain free of the technological control of the world above. Every night, Yara risks her life fighting New State’s deadliest weapons, the drones. Half human and half machine, their living half tortured until everything human is gone, the drones have only one objective. Kill. And they do it with exacting precision.

Yara is good at her job and committed to her raids on New State. Until one of those raids brings her face-to-face with Joshua, a New State citizen who doesn’t quite fit her preconceived expectations. After a couple of awkward encounters, he shows her the meaning of hooking up—a computer simulation that allows people to live out their fantasies—without the complication of emotional entanglements or physical reality. But what Yara feels for Joshua is very real. And it’s punishable by law.

As she and Joshua grow closer, she convinces him to leave New State for her underground cause. But as the unrest between New State and the underground escalates, and the drones move in to destroy her world, nothing goes as planned. Families are arrested, loyalties are strained, and Yara’s forced to choose between her people and her feelings. The wrong choice could mean the end of her people, and reality could slip away—forever…

 



 

Excerpt:

 

 

       “Hi,” he called out.

       Yara’s heart hammered, and adrenaline coursed through her limbs. She turned to run.

       “Wait,” the stranger whispered. “I won’t turn you in. I’m out here too.” He obviously didn’t realize that Yara was a rebel. He might not know it yet, but he would soon. Still, he didn’t sound dangerous. Maybe Yara could take care of him. She had never had to kill anyone totally human, but she had trained to do so. At this point, she didn’t think she would need to. The skinny boy didn’t look like a real threat, either.

       She turned back toward him and attempted what she hoped was a look of death and destruction.

       Instead of being scared, he smiled at her and brushed the hair out of his eyes. Even in the shadowy street, Yara could see the color was a beautiful emerald green. She had a hard time looking away, until his voice jarred her back to reality.

       “I’m Joshua15111,” he said robotically. “What are you doing out here?”

       “I could ask you the same thing.”

       “Enjoying the night sky,” he replied, each word clipped and succinct. Unable to make prolonged eye contact, he looked toward the stars.

       “Aren’t you supposed to be hooked up to an alternate universe, enjoying battle, boobs, or whatever perverted fantasy you want to conquer tonight?” Yara asked, and then instantly regretted her words.

       “Hey, it’s not like that. You know how it is.” For the first time, his voice took on a more humanistic quality. He sounded peeved.

       She grunted in response. She didn’t know anything of the sort.

       Joshua15111 looked at her briefly, quizzically. “Wait, do you know that? Are you one of them? The rebels?”

       Oh no. “What rebels?”

       “Are you for real? Everyone knows about the rebels. You must be one. Are you a rebel? That’s so cool.”

       Me and my big mouth. Fear finally overtook her. Vague ideas about running away from or fighting the stranger flitted by, but Yara’s feet felt like concrete blocks. She wasn’t even sure she’d be able to form a coherent sentence if he asked her something about the underground.

 

 

The Giveaway!!!

 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About the Author:

 

 

Lisa Acerbo is a high school teacher and holds an EdD in Educational Leadership. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, daughters, three cats, and horse. She is the author of Apocalipstick and has contributed to local newspapers, news and travel blogs including The Patch and Hollywood Scriptwriter.

 

Connect with Her:

FACEBOOK | TWITTER



Cover Reveal - Edge of Evil, Book Two of the Dark Secrets Series by Shea Berkley

This cover.... this. cover! I could stare at it all day. It embodies everything Adult Paranormal Romance should be - gritty and gory with heaps of delicious seduction. Yes, please!!!  Read below to find out more.

xoxo
SJ

Release Date: March 3rd

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

 

 

Buy the First Book in the Series, Stone Cold Dead, Now!

 AMAZON

 

 

Here's the Summary:

What if nightmares, best kept in the dark, refuse to stay hidden?

Dr. Maya Kelbeck believes no matter how unusual her patients’ delusions, she can help. When billionaire Alden Caldwell seeks her counsel to escape a controlling relationship, she’s intrigued by his unusual diagnosis, lycanthropy—her patient actually believes he is over 400 years old and a werewolf.

Alden Caldwell’s life is not his own and hasn’t been since the middle ages, not since he was transformed into a werewolf. The once noble knight now finds himself no more than a slave to a female vampire who is without morals, without conscious, without a soul.

Maya promises Alden she can help him, and at first it looks like she can, until the supernatural world in which he lives wants him back. Can Alden convince Maya his delusions are real in time to save her, or has he just sentenced a woman who cares for him despite his past transgressions to a fate worse than death?

 

 

 

About the Author:

 



Shea Berkley started out writing nonfiction (not so fun) and quickly moved into fiction (totally fun), and knew she'd found her calling. (Her family was thrilled she'd found friends to play with even if they weren't technically real.) She's still pleasantly surprised people are willing to pay to read her stories. Besides writing, her many diversions include kickboxing, reading awesome books and hanging out with her loud and rambunctious family. With five kids (all girls), her biggest job is to make sure the little darlings don't harass the neighbors and then play dumb when the cops come knocking on her door.

 

Connect with Her:

 

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

 

 

 

 

 



Trailer Reveal - I Heart Robot by Suzanne van Rooyen

Ooooh look, angels! Another Young Adult/ Sci-Fi/ Romance novel!!! And guess what? It's available for pre-order on Amazon! Watch the trailer below, then follow the link on over to Amazon to buy. :)

PS- SO in love with that cover!!! <3

xoxo
SJ

 

 

 

 

Release Date: March 31st

Genre: Young Adult Romance, Science Fiction

 

 

Where to Pre-Order:

AMAZON

 

 

Here's the Summary:

 

Sixteen-year-old Tyri wants to be a musician and wants to be with someone who won’t belittle her musical aspirations.

Q-I-99 aka ‘Quinn’ lives in a scrap metal sanctuary with other rogue droids. While some use violence to make their voices heard, demanding equal rights for AI enhanced robots, Quinn just wants a moment on stage with his violin to show the humans that androids like him have more to offer than their processing power.

Tyri and Quinn’s worlds collide when they’re accepted by the Baldur Junior Philharmonic Orchestra. As the rift between robots and humans deepens, Tyri and Quinn’s love of music brings them closer together, making Tyri question where her loyalties lie and Quinn question his place in the world. With the city on the brink of civil war, Tyri and Quinn make a shocking discovery that turns their world inside out. Will their passion for music be enough to hold them together while everything else crumbles down around them, or will the truth of who they are tear them apart?

 

The Trailer!!!
 

 



 

 

About the Author:

 

 

I'm a YA author with a penchant for the dark and strange. I primarily write speculative fiction but enjoy literary writing as well. I occasionally delve into adult genres too.

I'm a musician and have a Master's degree in music, but I prefer writing strange stories, baking peanut butter cupcakes and playing with my shiba inu.

I'm repped by Jordy Albert of the Booker Albert Agency.

 

 

Connect with Her:

 

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

 



Book Review - Where Death is a Hunter by Chris Stookey

 

Release Date: May 2015

Genre: Thriller

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

 

 

Here's the Summary:

 

Hannah Fâtier is a thirty-two-year-old physician fresh out of residency training. She’s just started her first job as an anesthesiologist at Deaconess Hospital in San Francisco, she’s bought a new home, and she’s engaged to be married.

In short, life is good for Hannah--until, one morning at work, tragedy strikes. A patient under her care dies unexpectedly during a routine operation. An investigation into the case reveals the cause of death to be a basic medical error committed by Hannah. Wracked with guilt, Hannah falls into a malaise of depression and self-reproach. Yet the more she ponders her alleged “error,” the more she realizes that something about the way her patient died doesn’t add up. Digging deeper into the records of the case, Hannah discovers a number of puzzling inconsistencies. She begins to suspect that someone has framed her for a medical mistake she never made. But who would do such a thing and why? And, more importantly, if there was no medical error, then why did her patient really die that morning on the operating table?

Where Death Is a Hunter is a medical mystery/thriller dealing with hospital death, betrayal, one doctor’s self-doubt, and the search for redemption.

 

 

My Review:

 

This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Good:

Mr. Stookey has a way with descriptions that I like; they’re not flowery or over the top, but vivid and to the point. The story also had a nice pace to it. At no point did I feel like it dragged on or that it was rushed. I also liked the fact that the author took time to develop his characters. I feel like I could run into any of these people on the street and be like “Oh, hey! Sorry about horrible thing that happened to you.” Except for Dr. Lu... I'd smack her. lol And that horrible lawyer lady, Ms. Bellows.

I LOVED Hannah, the POV character. She’s smart, loving and tenacious. Once she realized something was off about what happened in the Operating Room she never quit fighting to find out the truth. Not only for herself but for the victim. Her deep friendship with her ex also endeared me to her. It takes an incredibly secure person to be able to do that, and to be so accepting of their current partner on top of it. Kudos to the author for not going the clichéd route of bitterness and jealousy.

Now… about the plotline. We start off with a bang in Operating Room 3 where Deborah Thein (wife of the head Dermatologist at Deaconess Hospital) flatlines before her scheduled breast augmentation even begins, and Hannah (the anesthesiologist) is in charge of saving her life until the Code Blue team can get there. But despite everyone’s tireless efforts, Ms. Thein dies anyway. And while her death is untimely and tragic, it seems it was nothing more than a bad reaction to the drugs or some other unknown cause that was no fault of anyone’s in the Operating Room, key word being seems. When the autopsy report is released, we then learn that the cause of death was a misplaced breathing tube, and you can guess who they’re pointing fingers at – Hannah. Except… except Hannah remembers placing the breathing tube without incident. So something is wrong. Way wrong. Not only that, but something is off with the rest of the ‘evidence’ they have against Hannah, as well, so with the help of her appointed hot surfer/ lawyer (that she has to have because Mr. Thein is suing her for malpractice), they set out to find the truth. And so the rest of the novel spirals us down a rabbit hole of deceit and conspiracy with delicious twists and turns along the way.

My kind of novel. ;)

I have to mention here, though, that I don’t usually read a lot of medical or legal dramas, but because the main character is so well conceived and the novel hooks you from the get-go, I can’t see many people turning this novel down no matter what your preferred genre. I also learned a lot about the medical world, namely anesthesiologists. I have a newfound respect for them. Not that I didn’t have respect for them before, but they deserve a lot more credit than they receive.
 
Here’s my favorite quote:

“Although a lot of patients don’t seem to appreciate us much (anesthesiologists don’t get a lot of Thank You cards), we are really a patient’s best friend. Really. The surgeon is merely a technician, a mechanic who knows how to wield a scalpel. The anesthesiologist, on the other hand, is a friendly wizard who turns a painful and frightening experience – the operation – into a painless, timeless dreamland.

You’re welcome.”


The Bad:

This isn’t really bad, per se, just something that I found odd: why in the world Hannah never reached out to her mother during any of this. After everything that happened, she didn’t even make a phone call? A text? A visit? It was always Anesu (her ex) she was reaching out to. The only time a daughter wouldn’t reach out to her mother during a crisis would be if they’re on bad terms or estranged, but Hannah was neither of those, if I remember correctly. I get waiting to break news because you don’t want to worry them, but it’s a little, a lot, inconceivable that she never reached out… at all. Not to mention my mom would have my *ss if I ever kept all of that from her. lol I’d be afraid not to tell her!


The Ugly:

Nothing to say in this category.
 

In conclusion, this well-thought-out medical thriller drew me in from the first page and had me hooked until the end. With a cast of dynamic, believable characters and a plotline rife with tension and suspense, this un-put-down-able book will keep you up all hours of the night.


 

 

About the Author:

 

 

Christopher Stookey, MD, is an emergency physician and author. HIs first novel, Terminal Care (also a medical mystery/thriller), was published in 2010. In his spare time, Chris enjoys surfing and mountain biking. He lives with his wife and two dogs in Laguna Beach, California.

 

 

 

Connect With Him:

 

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Cover Reveal - Numbers Game by Rebecca Rode

Oh, how I love Dystopians! And beautiful book covers!!! So I'm pleased to be a part of the cover reveal tour for Ms. Rode's Numbers Game. See the details below.

xoxo
SJ

 

 

 

Release Date: February 19th, 2015

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian

 

 

Here's the Summary:

Treena can’t wait for Rating Day. Her high score will mean a life of luxury, showing the world that she’s a valuable member of society, not a pathetic waste of space. It won’t hurt her chances with her top-Rated boyfriend, either. But when the big day arrives, her true number shocks everyone.

To get her life—and boyfriend—back, she must go undercover and expose a military spy. Doesn’t sound too hard, except that someone seems to want her dead. And then there’s the mysterious soldier with a haunted past and beautiful brown eyes. Together, they discover a dark numbers conspiracy, one that shatters the nation’s future. They must band together if they are to survive the dangerous game of numbers—and the terrible war that rages within Treena’s heart.

 

 

About the Author:

 

 

 

By day, I'm a busy mom of four who struggles with housecleaning and cooking. By night...well, I'm still a busy mom of four. But scattered into those rare quiet moments is my life's passion--writing. My first book, HOW TO HAVE PEACE WHEN YOU'RE FALLING TO PIECES, was released in March 2013. It's a nonfiction quick-fix book for moms whose lives feel as crazy and out of control as mine does--and from what readers are saying, it's fun and entertaining to read. I also write for Deseret News and KSL.com on occasion, and some of my articles have also appeared in Schooled Magazine. For a sneak peek at the first two chapters of my book, HOW TO HAVE PEACE WHEN YOU'RE FALLING TO PIECES, check it out on Amazon.com. Bye now!

 

Connect with Her:

 

FACEBOOK | TWITTER  | WEBSITE

 



Book Blitz and Giveaway - Strange Magic by Michelle Mankin

Morning, Angels!!! Today I'm pleased to introduce Strange Magic by Michelle Mankin, and just LOOK at that cover! It's sexy, intriguing, beautiful...  Makes you want to run right out and snag a copy! So you should do just that. ;) Also, Ms. Mankin is kind enough to give away an e-copy. See below to win!

xoxo
SJ

Release Date: January 20th, 2015

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Where to Buy:

AMAZON

Here's the Summary:

Billy Blade is a hardworking, hard living, razor sharp musical force. Mysterious behind his dark shades, the rough around the edges Texan mesmerizes with his haunting harmonica and tantalizes with his dangerous looks and smooth country charm. His latest album is topping the charts. He’s the newly crowned King of the Bacchus Krewe. He’s definitely living the rock star dream.
Exotic Creole beauty Thyme Bellerose couldn’t be more content. She has it all. An adoring grandmother. A handsome Tulane medical student beau. A satisfying job in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter. Her life is as rich as the ice cream she creates. She’s got everything under control.
But control is an illusion. Dreams can turn into nightmares. And now during Mardi Gras, otherworldly powers stand ready to shape their destinies in ways they could never imagine.
Shadow and light. Magic and mystery. Reality and myth. All come together in a place where rules bend and lines blur. Even those between life and death.

Ooooh, Look! A Book Trailer:

The Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About The Author:

Michelle Mankin is the Amazon bestselling author of the Black Cat Records series of novels. 

Romance with subtext.

Reimagining classic stories with sexy rock stars and thought provoking issues.

For many years she worked in the insurance industry as an underwriter. Somehow, the boredom didn't kill her but the hours and hours of looking at facts and figures provided ample time for her mind to wander. 

Love Evolution, Love Revolution, and Love Resolution are a Brutal Strength centered trilogy, combining the plot underpinnings of Shakespeare with the drama, excitement, and indisputable sexiness of the rock 'n roll industry.

Things take a bit of an edgier, once upon a time turn with the Tempest series. These pierced, tatted, and troubled Seattle rockers are young and on the cusp of making it big, but with serious obstacles to overcome that may prevent them from ever getting there.

Rock stars, myths, and legends collide with paranormal romance in a totally mesmerizing way in the Magic series.

When Michelle is not prowling the streets of her Texas town listening to her rock music much too loud, she is putting her daydreams down on paper or traveling the world with her family and friends, sometimes for real, and sometimes just for pretend as she takes the children to school and back.

Connect With Her:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS