Saturday, November 30, 2013

New dates for the Imperfection by Phaedra Seabolt tour!

 
 
~The Tour~

 I'm organizing a Two Week Reviews Only Tour for Imperfection by Phaedra Seabolt. It'll run between December 9th through December 23rd. Review copies will be available in ebook format.

Anyone can sign up! Bloggers and Authors, you also do not need to be a Tour Host for this Company to sign up! If you sign up, no matter what, I'll make sure there'll be room for you as there is no limit on the number of blogs! The only thing that matters is that we get at least 10 more blogs to sign up!

Along with reviewing this Novella you can also interview the author for the blog tour! So, what are you waiting for! Come join the fun!
 
 
 
Imperfection
Imperfection by Phaedra Seabolt
Publication Date: July 23rd 2013
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 146
Goodreads
 
 
~Blurb~
 
Meara Falk always followed her parents' rules, until one night in March when the temptation to let loose changed her life forever. Nine months later, disowned and with a baby on her hip, she discovers werewolves are real after being on the wrong end of one’s teeth and claws.

When her first change is upon her, werewolves attack her home, stealing her son and driving her out of her home. Now she’s looking for the man who kidnapped her baby and turned her life upside down.

A war is brewing between the two packs with Meara’s son being in the center. Will she be able to get her son back before losing everyone she cares about?


Purchase Links:



~About The Author~


Phaedra Seabolt is the youngest of four and the only girl. She spent her childhood trying to be the best she could be at everything she did which drove her to attend college long enough to attain her master’s degree. Now she is a stay at home mom and happily married.
Author Links:
  
The Partial Schedule:
~December 9~
~December 10~ 
~December 11~
 
~December 12~
 
~December 13~
 
~December 14~
 
~December 15~
~December 16~
 
~December 17~
 
~December 18~
~December 19~
~December 20~
~December 21~
 
~December 22~
 
~December 23~

If you'd like to join, Sign up now!


 
Thanks for stopping by!



Book Spotlight: Witch Way Bends (The Bend-Bite-Shift #1) by Olivia Hardin

Witch Way Bends (Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy #1)
Witch Way Bends (The Bend-Bite-Shift #1) by Olivia Hardin
Publication Date: November 23rd 2011
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
 
 
~Summary~
 
Devan Stowe is a woman on a quest. She has only one thing on her mind when she teams up with Kent Crosby and his associates—putting an end to her father’s child trafficking business. Her determination takes her on a journey to discover her true strength and… the one man she was destined to love. In his arms, she’ll learn the meaning of trust, honor, and courage. Old friends and new will come together to help Devan unlock an amazing gift that will free her from her past and open up a future full of magic, faeries and more things than she ever imagined possible.
 


 
 
 
~About The Author~
 

Olivia Hardin realized early on how strange she was to have complete movie-like character dreams as a child. Eventually she began putting those vivid dreams to paper and was rarely without her spiral notebooks full of those mental ramblings. Her forgotten vision of becoming an author was realized when she connected with a group of amazingly talented and fabulous writers who gave her lots of direction and encouragement.
 
With a little extra push from family and friends, she hunkered down to get lost in the words. She's also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and is sometimes accused of being artistic, though she's generally too much of a perfectionist to appreciate her own work. A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband and their puppy Bonnie.
 
 
Thanks for stopping by!

*Book Spotlights are mainly dedicated to books I have received for review but have yet to get to them*

Friday, November 29, 2013

Review: Mine to Tarnish (Mine 0.5) by Janeal Falor

Mine to Tarnish (Mine, #0.5)
Mine to Tarnish (Mine 0.5) by Janeal Falor
Publication Date: November 13th 2013
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Pages: 98
Format: Kindle
Source: Netgalley
 
 
~Summary~
 
Katherine’s place is the same as any woman’s—on the shelf next to the dresses and bolts of cloth. When she’s sold to a warlock, life grows even bleaker. Her new owner is as old and rancid as he is cruel, driving her to do the unthinkable: run.

Nothing prepared her for being on her own. And she’s definitely unprepared for the warlocks hunting her down. But she must stay one step ahead because if caught, the best she can hope for is death.
 
 
~My Thoughts~
 
*was given a copy from the author in exchange for my honest opinions*


The Mine series by Janeal Falor is becoming a new favorite of mine! I absolutely love this world she has created! It’s both interesting and revolting at the same time as in this world women are worth nothing. The only thing their world cares about is how much magic they have in their blood and if they don’t have much, they can become tarnished. That’s why you can’t help but hope that these women find strength in this world and finally stand up for themselves.
In Mine to Tarnish, Janeal shows us that there is hope with Katherine’s story.  Katherine was a strong, brave character in You Are Mine and I was so excited to see that she wanted to tell us her story. Katherine’s story is so intense! I knew the moment I started this novella, I wouldn’t have been able to put it down! I was glued to my phone, letting time slip by as Katherine’s world unfolded before my eyes.
I was sitting on the edge the whole entire time! From the very first moment to the very end, my heart was racing and whenever things would settle down in this roller coaster of a read, I knew things wouldn’t be quiet for long. When you’re on the run it never is.
Overall if you loved the first book, You Are Mine, then this is a must read! This series is a must read! It’s refreshing with amazing world building. Its mind blowing and I can’t wait till Mine to Spell (Mine #2) comes out! I hope Mrs. Falor will put it on Netgalley as that’s where I got the first two from. I just want to fall back into this astounding world!  And sooner than later of course ;)
 
P.S: read You Are Mine (Mine #1) first before this one, you'll enjoy it more in that order as you'll understand the world more and the character Katherine more


It will take possession over you



Sweet Readings Everybody!



Thursday, November 28, 2013

{Book Blitz: Excerpt + Interview} The Perimeter (Outside #3) by Shalini Boland

 
 
The Perimeter (Outside #3)
The Perimeter (Outside #3) by Shalini Boland
Publication Date: November 18th 2013
Genre: Young Adult Dystopia
 
 
~Summary~
 
In this fractured world, a sinister force is coming for Riley, and the only things keeping her safe are a perimeter fence and the people she loves. As her life is threatened, she must make impossible choices. But help comes from the most unlikely of places, and all Riley needs to know is: who can she really trust?

Meanwhile, a repentant killer searches for peace and salvation, but what he gets is the exact opposite. Now he’ll have to make the hardest decision of his life.

The Perimeter is a darkly captivating dystopian tale of adventure, danger, love and redemption that will have you on the edge of your seat and up at night turning the pages to find out what happens next . . .
 
 
 
 
~Excerpt~
 
‘Have you done things you’re ashamed of, Jamie?’
An image of the dead girl flashed into Jamie’s mind. Shiny beads of blood and glass.
‘I can help you come to terms with those things. I can give you peace. Absolution. Are you tired, Jamie? Are you sick of the road and the hostility of your fellow man? Do you crave a warm bed and a clear purpose?’
Jamie wanted to tune out Mr. Carter’s voice, but the soft seductive words crept into his brain like a virus. Part of Jamie knew that this man was skilled in the art of telling people what they longed to hear. That he wasn’t doing anything out of the goodness of his heart. That he had an ulterior motive for approaching him. But the other part of Jamie was tired. Bone-weary in fact, and this Mr. Carter bloke knew it. Knew how to press his buttons and get him to do what he wanted.
 
 
~Sequel To~
 
Outside - a post-apocalyptic novel (Outside #1)The Clearing (Outside, #2)
 
 
 
~Trailers~
 




 

 
 
 
~About The Author~
 
 
Shalini lives in Dorset, England with her husband and two noisy boys. Before children, she was signed to Universal Music as a singer songwriter. Now, writing novels has hijacked her life and she is usually to be found with a laptop welded to her fingers and the house in a permanent state of neglect.
 
 
 
 
 
~Interview~
 
How do you develop your characters?
 
My characters grow as I write them. I always think of their upbringing and their circumstances and what bearing this will have on their actions. I try to put myself in their position - How would they really react in a particular situation?
 
I often back my characters into impossible situations or give them difficult dilemmas to deal with, that even I don’t know how to deal with. I hope this makes the story more unpredictable and the drama more realistic.
 
The naming process is very important to me. If a character has a good name, they can come alive. Sometimes, a minor character with a great name will try to take over and carve out a bigger role. I usually let them!
 
What was your journey as a writer?
 
I used to be a singer songwriter, signed to Universal Music. But it’s not a lifestyle that goes well with having a family and I found myself resenting the time spent away from my kids. I wasn’t successful enough to have nannies and entourages!
 
One day, I had an idea for a great ending to a story and I started scribbling my first novel. Writing fiction gave me the new creative outlet I needed. Plus, I can write from home and set my own timetable. I love it!
 
What is your writing process?
 
I don’t have a set-in-stone process. I usually have a rough plan and work my way steadily through the chapters, editing as I go.
 
Did any real world event inspire your post-apocalyptic vision?
 
Yes. The 7/7 bombings in London gave me the initial idea for the setting. After 9/11 and 7/7 I wondered what would happen if the bombings didn’t stop. What would become of the western world? I remember it as quite a scary time.
 
What was the hardest part of the book to write?
 
There are two storylines running through the novel and it was quite tricky to make the sequence of events tie up in the right place. The story also has a few major twists and it took me several attempts to get the reveals right. I hope I did it justice in the end.
 
 
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 


Wednesday, November 27, 2013

{Book Blitz: Excerpt + Giveaway} Alive (Crave #1) by Megan D. Martin

 
 
Alive (Crave, #1)
Alive (Crave #1) by Megan D. Martin
Publication Date: November 22nd, 2013
Genre: New Adult Post-Apocalyptic Romance
 
 
~Summary~
 
 Flesh-eating zombies, dirty sex, and a shattered past…
What’s more dangerous—the man who broke her heart or those trying to eat it?
Fighting to survive, Eve finds herself alone in the world after the Crave—the only parallel of her former life. On the hunt for her sister, she runs into Gage—the first and only boy to have her heart and break it. It’s been four years and he isn’t a boy anymore, nor is he the same person he used to be. Against her better judgment, Eve agrees to stay with him when he divulges information on a safe haven near the small town they grew up in—but that doesn’t mean she has to like it…

Returning home elicits a myriad of emotions that both Eve and Gage thought they had buried. The past and present collide and they are  forced to the face bitter deceits that ruined them in the before and threaten to destroy them now…
 
 
 
 
~Excerpt~
 
“Come here,” he whispered, barely recognizing his own voice. He heard her movement in the dark, the rustling of leaves against the thick soles of her boots. His hand slipped down her arm and he reveled at the smooth skin.
 
“Don’t touch me.” The harsh words were a shock to his system. She jerked her arm away and scooted away from him. What the hell?
 
“Eve—”
 
“Go to sleep. I’ll keep watch.”
 
He took a deep breath trying to get his rioting emotions under control. “How do I know you won’t try to kill me while I sleep?” 
 
“You don’t.”
 
 
~About The Author~
 

Megan D. Martin
 
Megan D. Martin is a multi-published author, mother, student and editor. In her spare time she enjoys decorating her house with strange things that do not match, playing her old school Nintendo Entertainment System, and buying fish for her many fish tanks.
 
 
 
 
~Giveaway~
 
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 

Review: Beneath Manhattan Skies by Emma Meade

Beneath Manhattan Skies
Beneath Manhattan Skies by Emma Meade
Publication Date: November 2013
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Format: kindle
Source: author
 
 
~Summary~
 
November in New York is cold but full of possibility for college freshman Erin Harris. When her twin brother, Nick, shows up on her doorstep for a surprise visit, Erin is delighted. Unfortunately, Nick’s arrival coincides with the discovery of a body outside her apartment building, a body drained of blood. Right away, Nick assumes vampires are involved. He’s not exactly their biggest fan since Erin dated one in high school.

Juggling nosy roommates, a first date with a gorgeous guy from college and a brother on a Van Helsing kick is enough to keep any nineteen year old girl busy - And then Erin’s old flame walks back into her life.

Is Erin destined to be caught up in supernatural shenanigans, or will she choose a different path?

(A 45,000 word Novella)
 
 
~My Thoughts~
 
*was provided with a copy from the author for my honest opinions*


When I was presented with this latest short from Emma, I was so excited! But then I read from a review that this is actually a sequel, I got a little scared. However once I started reading it that fear was washed away. Emma did great at giving background detail when needed be, so I never really felt lost. Though this story makes me crave to read the first book, Under the Desert Moon.
Emma writes amazing atmosphere, you’ll be hooked in seconds! Her story telling is easy to get drawn into, the world building is hypnotizing, and you’ll be desperate to know what happens next! I enjoyed this vampire tale! It was interesting, and I was intrigued on who was doing the killings. The whole entire time I was guessing who it might be and wondering if there was going to be a big twist (but that’s just my writing style haha). But no matter what, I honestly didn’t see where this was going, which was a great thing!
Overall this was an action packed novella and one cast of characters I would love to read about again! I think the only thing I really felt left out of was the romance. There are two guys that want Erin’s heart, however one guy is an ex, an ex that broke his promise and never came to her when she got to New York. So throughout the book I was rooting for the other guy. So because I don’t really know Erin’s and ex James’s love story, I couldn’t really get into the romance of the book. But nonetheless, I couldn’t get enough of this! Emma has once again swept me away!  
 

4.5 Bats
Will disturb your being



Sweet Readings Everybody!



Monday, November 25, 2013

{Book Blitz: Excerpt + Guest Post} Lost Eden (The Soulkeepers #5) by G.P. Ching

 
 
 
Lost Eden (The Soulkeepers, #5)
Lost Eden (The Soulkeepers #5) by G.P. Ching
Publication Date: November 18th 2013
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
 
 
~Summary~
 
 Rules. Balance. Consequences. War.

When Fate gave Dane the water from Eden to drink, she did more than save his life. She changed his destiny.

Since the beginning, a compact between God and Lucifer has maintained a tenuous peace, balancing Soulkeepers and Watchers and the natural order of things. Dane upset that balance the day he became a Soulkeeper. Fate broke the rules.

Now, Lucifer is demanding a consequence, requiring Fate to pay the ultimate price for her involvement. God intervenes on the immortal’s behalf but in order to save her soul must dissolve the compact and with it the rules, order, and balance that have kept the peace. A challenge is issued. A contest for human souls begins. And the stakes? Earth. Winner take all.

The Soulkeepers are at the center of a war between Heaven and Hell, and this time, nobody, anywhere, is safe from Lucifer’s reach.
 
 
 
 
~Excerpt~
 
“Hello, Abigail.” The velvet smooth voice lassoed her shoulders, stopping her short.
 
She turned to face her enemy. At first the man’s attire, a double-breasted suit with Italian loafers, threw her. Very human. But then she noticed his eyes matched the deep navy blue, almost purple color of his tie. A Watcher, for sure. Human beings didn’t have eyes that color or noses that straight. He twisted the gold, lion’s head ring on his manicured finger.
 
Lucifer was the Lord of Illusions, and his followers boasted similar talents, but under it all, Abigail knew the Watcher’s skin and blood were black as tar. “How is your illusion so strong during the day?” she spat, nervously. Distraction was her only hope.
 
“Well fed.”
 
“Who are you? I deserve to know who Lucifer sent for me.”
 
“You don’t remember me, Abigail? That hurts. We were once very close.”
 
A deadly smile crossed his full lips, and he smoothed a hand over his meticulously styled black hair. Abigail tried to place his voice, but in her human form all she could sense was the illusion. Worse, the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls had filled the maple grove. His sorcery drew her in, luring her, a fly to the spider’s web. The smell triggered a memory of a long ago day, before Lucifer had become jealous of God and led the Watchers to fall from grace.
 
This Watcher had chosen an illusion not far from his appearance as an Angel. Abigail shook her head. Lucifer must be serious about her capture to send his right hand man. “Cord.”
 
He took a step closer. “Good girl. I see your senses haven’t completely dulled with your humanity. Now come, Lucifer is waiting.”
 
Abigail took a step back, dropping into the fighting stance Lillian had taught her.  She wasn’t completely defenseless. She’d learned the martial arts basics Lillian insisted all of them learn. Cord took another step toward her, and she whipped her knife from her boot. “I think it’s you who have lost your senses, Cord, if you think for a second I’m coming with you willingly.”
 
~Sequel To~
 
The Soulkeepers (The Soulkeepers, #1)Weaving Destiny (The Soulkeepers, #2)Return to Eden (The Soulkeepers, #3)Soul Catcher (The Soulkeepers, #4)
 
 
 
~About The Author~
 
G.P. Ching
 
G.P. Ching is the author of The Soulkeepers Series, Grounded, and a variety of short fiction. She specializes in cross-genre paranormal stories, loves old cemeteries, and enjoys a good ghost tour. She lives in central Illinois with her husband, two children, and one very demanding Brittany Spaniel. Visit her at www.gpching.com and www.thesoulkeepersseries.com.
 
 
 
 
~Guest Post~
 
5 Ways to be a Soulkeeper this Holiday

 

It seems like only yesterday I was releasing the first book in my Soulkeepers series. Releasing book 5 is almost surreal. As I prepare to complete the series, I’m reminded of what it means to be a Soulkeeper and how thankful I am for the real-life Soulkeepers out there. Here are five ways you can be a Soulkeeper this holiday season.

 

  1. Bell Ringing- two hours of your time could go a long way toward raising funds for the Salvation Army, an organization that houses and feeds the most vulnerable among us. It’s fun, easy, and the Salvation Army makes it simple to sign up for a slot. Visit this site for more information http://salvationarmynorth.org/volunteer/bellringing .
  2. Collect and Donate – Coats for the homeless and cans for the food drive are things you might do every year, but don’t forget your local Humane Society. Homeless dogs and cats need love too. Many times humane societies need used towels and blankets for the care of the animals. (Call yours first to check for their specific needs.)
  3. Deck the Halls- Many retirement home residents don’t have family and often the home itself can’t afford the time or expense of decorating. Check with your local hospitals and convalescent homes for opportunities to use your crafty talents to spread the holiday cheer.
  4. Provide, Cook, or Serve a Meal- Chances are your local mission has opportunities to help with serving meals this holiday. Usually you have the choice of donating toward the cost of the meal, helping to cook, or serving the residents.
  5. Reach out – To the person in your life that needs a friend. Charity starts at home. Think about the neighbor or family member most in need of compassion and offer it. Sometimes just extending an invitation to dinner can make a huge difference.

 

There’s no better way to relax after a day of charitable giving than with a good book! I’m so excited to bring you this installment in the series. I hope you will find some time to enjoy Lost Eden.
 
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 


Review: The Virginity Mission by Cate Ellink

The Virginity Mission
The Virginity Mission by Cate Ellink
Publication Date: June 1st 2013
Genre: New Adult Romance
Format: Kindle
Source: Netgalley
 
 
~Summary~
 
It’s lust at first sight when Mac sees Jason shirtless and sweating on the back of a truck. Jason is the army sergeant assigned to support the six‐week scientific expedition that Mac is participating in, and might just be the perfect candidate for another journey of discovery that Mac is desperate to undertake — sex.

Fraternisation between students and staff might be strictly prohibited, but everybody knows fruit always tastes better when it’s forbidden.
 
 
~My Thoughts~
 
*was given a copy from the author for my honest opinions*
 
I honestly feel like I don’t have many words for this because I honestly don’t remember that being the summary back when I requested this book, because with that blurb I so wouldn’t have wanted to read this (probably, if I had this summary before my opinion might have been different). That blurb is so accurate, it’s showing this book is just all about sex while the rest is absolutely boring! When it’s just Mac and no Jason around, I was completely bored! I even stopped reading the book for a couple of months, it was just so easy to walk away.
The only interesting parts about this book was the lust between Mac (Willow) and Jason. Yet that’s all I see between them, however at the end they somehow fall in love? I didn’t see how but I guess there was that kind of connection between the characters. I just didn’t see what they had in common to give them that kind of connection.
Oh the characters. Mac, our female lead, was boring. I had no connection to her or her journey. I really didn’t care what she did when she wasn’t with Jason. But when Jason got into the picture, things would pick up and I would become interested in the story. Mainly cause whenever those two got together it would lead into a hot make out scene or more. So who wouldn’t find interest in that, those scenes were the best thing about this book ;)
Now see, this is where I’m torn. Ugh! Sometimes I hated Jason, like this one scene where he got Mac completely naked and played with her but when she tried to have fun with him, he stopped it saying this was wrong. Yet it’s fine if you play with her even though there’s that “no fraternization” rule. So apparently that rule only applies to her, not you? I get it, things can get out of hand when you’re attracted to someone but still, that scene made me dislike you Jason.
Anyways, why I’m torn is because the author wrote that amazing connection I feel when I’m with the man I love. When our flesh is touching, our legs are tangled, and our hearts are beating as one. She wrote that perfectly into the scenes when Mac and Jason were getting it on and that’s when I was able to feel somewhat connected to the story, because I know how that feels. I also know how bad it hurts to have to walk away from a man in the military, from my Marine. It’s because we too can’t be completely together because of the “rules”, because I’m not yet his wife. So by the end of the book, I was swept away and hoping for a happily ever after.
 
There was another time where I would get connected, when Mac would get confident because of Jason. I've gotten my confidence from my boyfriend, he helped bring it out of me which made me fall in love with him. But I still wasn't a big fan of this. Again, I'm being torn because of two those little situations in this novella. Overall I wouldn't completely recommend it but who knows, you might enjoy it more than me.
 
 
2.5 Bats
It will make you shrill
 
 
Sweet Readings Everybody!
 
 
  

Sunday, November 24, 2013

{Trailer Reveal} The Replacement by Rachael Wade

The Replacement
The Replacement by Rachael Wade
Publication Date: January 27th 2014
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
 
 
~Summary~
 
*Contains sexually explicit content and mature subject matter, including language and elements of abuse.*

A gritty New Adult drama about a young woman’s self-destructive quest to find purpose, self-worth, and love in a broken world.

My name is Elise Duchamp. I’m twenty-three years old and I’m known as the town whore.

No, not the kind who exchanges sexual favors for money. The other kind. The kind who gives it all away for free, whenever and however she likes. I am that girl. The one everyone whispers about and the one none of the girls seem to like, because all of their boyfriends either want to sleep with me or already have. Promiscuity is my thing—the kind that slowly, violently turns my insides black, but gives me something I need.

All things considered, I’m not completely reckless. I’m safe, and contrary to popular opinion, I do have a heart. I live in a world of careless choices, and with those choices come careless people. I cannot judge them, because I am one of them. I too bow down to the altar of the self-serving. I am not a good friend. I am not and never could be anyone’s girlfriend. I’m convinced any goodness in me shriveled up and died long ago.

But I am a replacement. That is something I know how to be, and this is a story of the lengths I’d go to in order to keep it that way.






~About The Author~
 
 
Rachael Wade is the Amazon bestselling author of The Preservation Series, The Resistance Trilogy, and the upcoming sci-fi series, The Keepers Trilogy. When she’s not writing, she’s busy learning French, watching too many movies, and learning how to protect animals and the environment. Visit her at www.RachaelWade.com and www.LightsOnOutreach.com, or come chat with her on Twitter via @RachaelWade.
 
 
 
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 


Saturday, November 23, 2013

{Book Blitz: Excerpt + Interview + Giveaway} Drawn by Cecilia Gray

 
 
 
Drawn
Drawn by Cecilia Gray
Publication Date: November 13th 2013 
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
 
 
~Summary~
 
Take a journey into the gritty world of political espionage through the eyes – and lies – of one extraordinary girl. A wholly original tale of friendship and betrayal from the author of The Jane Austen Academy series….

Sasha has a secret – that she can make you spill your secret with nothing more than a question. Her strange gift makes her a burden to her foster family and a total freak of nature. Not that Sasha cares. Why should she when no one cares about her?

Then the CIA knocks on her door. They want to give Sasha a new identity and drop her into a foreign country to infiltrate a ring of zealous graffiti terrorists. They want to give Sasha something to care about.

To survive a world where no one is who they seem, Sasha needs to make people trust her. But when that trust blossoms into love, Sasha is forced to decide between duty and friendship, between her mind and her heart, and whether to tell the truth or keep her secrets.
 
 
 
 
~Excerpt~
 
First 2 pages
 
FBI Field Office, Atlanta, Georgia
 
I've studied Chelsea since the FBI teamed us up when I was twelve. She has a move…classic Chelsea. She turns the doorknob and her body stiffens, a metal rod shoved down her spine. As she sets a high heel inside the interrogation room, her southern accent and soft manners are buried beneath a terrifyingly sleek, blond exterior in a perfectly pressed pinstriped suit.
Four years of practice, two custom-cut suits of my own, and I still look epileptic when I try to project that sense of total control. Of I've got this. Even though I don't have her drawl and my posture's not bad.
I follow Chelsea, stiff as can be, into the room with the bright white walls. Our sicko suspect glances up from the steel table in its center. I flinch at his chilling stare. Flinching already, see. A slow smile bulges his cheeks as he studies me. Attention from a guy in an orange jumpsuit sitting at a steel table—to which he is handcuffed—is what Chelsea would officially term an undesirable outcome. More undesirable—me showing I care. Like she always says, "Don't let 'em see you sweat, hon."
No way am I giving this psycho the satisfaction. I suppress a shiver as the air conditioning kicks on with a groan. Tiny goosebumps break out on my forearms, raising the fine hairs to attention. Can't rub myself warm—that's a tell. Instead, when Chelsea slides into one of the fold-out metal chairs across from him, I follow her lead and take comfort in her giraffe-like posture in the chair next to mine.
Chelsea tosses a manila folder so that its contents spill across the table. The file details his alleged heinous crimes, the FBI's efforts to track him, and the blood evidence in his garage that matches that of the latest missing girl—Georgia State art major, vegetarian, and more important to the suits, daughter of a local bigwig. Funny, the things you remember from a file when they have nothing to do with the case, like how she specialized in collages. They'd found cut-up pieces of magazines littered across the desk and floor of her dorm room. The pieces trailed into the hall like flower petals down a church aisle.
The strewn high-gloss photos of his suspected victims—his own personal collage of the young, female, and carved—don't solicit a cringe from him when I can barely hold down my water and I've been staring at them for weeks. My gaze flickers to the one-way mirror—a silent promise: We're gonna nail this freak.
"I'm FBI Agent Chelsea Tanner. This is my partner. How are you this evening?"
This is normally when a suspect will ask, with understandable outrage, why I'm party to the interrogation because aren't I, at almost sixteen, too young to be in the FBI? Pinstriped suit or not, I look my age, maybe even a year or two younger because I've always been small—childhood malnutrition will do that to a girl.
It's the suspects who don't care that I'm in the room who worry me. Like this guy, whose pale eyes flicker to my throat.
I fight the urge to shift, even to clench my fingers tight into a fist. I don't blink.
"Fine weather we're having this winter." Chelsea manages not to smirk at our sitting in a windowless room. Her face is unbreakable. "These are perfect skies for a getaway. Do you have plans for the weekend?"
When he doesn't answer, she shares our itinerary—a leisurely drive to Savannah to visit her mother at their family wintering home. Yes, that's a thing. The trip always involves mint juleps and wide-brimmed hats, not that Chelsea shares the finer details. A genteel background rarely earns cred with criminals.
She chit-chats as if he's not imagining the slice of his boning knife into my neck. The careful incision he would carve against the clavicle, removing the flat bone from the ligaments attached to the shoulder. I don't need my unique magic to know what's on his mind. Some things in the case file stick for a reason.
My bone structure fascinates him. His gaze caresses my cheekbones, roams over the bridge of my nose, dips into the hollow of my neck, and brushes the stray dark corkscrew curls that drape over my sternum.
Don't move. Don't blink. Don't even breathe.
"Savannah's so beautiful this time of year. Any time of year. I go as often as I can. Don't you think you should make time for family?" The word rolls off her tongue in three syllables, a rare ray of southern shining through her otherwise stiff facade.
Fah. Mil. Lee.
He closes his eyes as though in prayer. When he opens them, his pupils dilate to nearly black and he rubs his thumbs over his knuckles. He does not take the bait.
Come on, Chelsea. You work your magic and I'll work mine.
 
That's our deal. She gets them talking. I make them spill their guts.
 
 
~About The Author~
 
 
Cecilia Gray lives in the San Francisco Bay Area where she reads, writes and breaks for food. She also pens her biographies in the third person. Like this. As if to trick you into thinking someone else wrote it because she is important. Alas, this is not the case.

Cecilia has been praised for “instilling a warmth and weight into her characters” (Romancing The Book Reviews) and her books have been praised for being “well-written, original, realistic and witty” (Quills & Zebras Reviews).

Her latest series of young-adult contemporary Jane Austen retellings was named a What’s Hot pick (RT Book Reviews magazine) and is a Best of 2012 pick (Kirkus Reviews) where it was praised for being a “unique twist on a classic” and offering “a compelling mix of action, drama and love.”

She’s rather enamored of being contacted by readers and hopes you’ll oblige.
 
 
 
 
~Interview~
 

Tell us about DRAWN.

DRAWN is about Sasha, a girl who has the strange ability to make people tell the truth and because of that ability, she's been abandoned by her parents and studied and used by the government. When the story opens, she's being reassigned to work overseas with an undercover CIA agent who has a daughter – Sasha's age – who doesn't know the truth about her CIA father or what Sasha does. Sasha has to use this girl in order to complete her mission and lines start to blur between her mission and her cover, between what is real and true and what is a lie, and what Sasha is willing to do in order to complete her mission.

It has comic illustrations at the start of each chapter, a fiercely intelligent and independent heroine and despite the paranormal bent to the premise, quite a bit of realistic spy craft.

You've also written The Jane Austen Academy series of lighthearted romance-heavy contemporary novels but DRAWN is a dark spy thriller – why the change?

I love stories about girlfriends and girl dynamics, so while The Jane Austen Academy series is romantic contemporary and Drawn is a spy thriller, both stories deal with complicated female relationships and navigating girl dynamics where you aren't sure how much of yourself to share or how much to trust new friends.

What kind of research did you do to prepare for DRAWN?

In Drawn, Sasha is assigned to find local graffiti artists and convince them do jobs for her so I took a how-to-graffiti class. It was taught by a real graffiti artist Jeremy Novy who does the coi fish sidewalk graffiti in San Francisco.

He taught negative stencil graffiti which finds the picture by spraying its negative space. So for example, if you want to stencil a donut, you would do it by painting what is NOT the donut. It's kind of a mind boggling thing for me because I'm a terrible artist and can barely draw what I want to draw, much less not draw what it is I want to draw.

It was also great to get a sense of the teaher's political feelings and priorities which came out a bit during class and that led me to read up on graffiti artists and watch a few documentaries. While Sasha isn't a graffiti artist, she interacts with some in the book and I wanted to represent their commitment to this way of life and self-expression.

It was also kind of fun, if nerve racking, to be incognito with a can of spray paint.

Drawn also takes place mostly in Brussels, Belgium and I lived there for a few years when I was the same age as Sasha. A lot of the culture shock she goes through is stolen straight from my life.

How did you get the idea for DRAWN?

Drawn has a real mix of inspirations. I wanted to write a spy thriller – that was first – and I wanted to write one because I like spy thrillers. I basically wanted Tom Clancy for teenagers, where there was a focus on the mission but also on the character.

My first draft for Drawn had her involved on the ground in infiltrating this foreign country but it became a little too unrealistic. I had to give her ground training that might be fun and exciting, but drew the story away from being a realistic contemporary to a more fantasize spy story. I didn't want Sasha to be good at martial arts or shooting people.

At the same time, I was developing a little bit of an obsession with graffiti. I live in San Francisco, and there are tons of beautiful graffiti displays around the city – particularly in the Mission District of San Francisco where two entire streets are set aside for graffiti. Sasha happens to not be very in touch with her emotions, so I got to thinking, what if Sasha liked to express her feelings through drawings?

Then, in real life, Egypt was underdoing political turmoil as a result of public reaction to graffiti. One of the subsequent riots even resulted in public takedown of their leader. Those three things combined nailed it for me – that Sasha would draw, that the government would want to take advantage of graffiti artists to incite political turmoil – and that these two elements would clash in Drawn.

Who did the illustrations for DRAWN?

Not me! I'm a terrible artist. I can't even draw a circle. The comic book illustrations for Drawn were created by Sherry Leak, an incredibly talented artist. I gave her the script as well as scene descriptions and she made all the sketches happen. I also think she did a great job of creating a bit of an unfinished look because the idea is that Drawn's heroine, Sasha, created the drawings herself in between going to school and working for the FBI, so they aren't perfectly polished and inked.

Is there a sequel to Drawn? What's next for you?

Drawn was imagined and written as a standalone, and I really like where I left Sasha at the end of the book, but I have had some grumblings for more stories in this universe so I could see doing a spin-off although I haven't planned one.
My next release will be the final two books in The Jane Austen Academy series and I'm also working on a dark contemporary thriller for 2015, which thankfully feels like an eternity away.
 
 
~Giveaway~
 
 
Thanks for stopping by!