H.A.L.F.: The Makers by Natalie Wright (Review, excerpt and GIVEAWAY) GFT

H.A.L.F.: The Makers

by Natalie Wright

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GENRE: Young Adult Sci Fi Romance

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BLURB:


Roswell. Area 51. The X-Files.
You've seen the aliens known as the Greys in movies and on T.V. You may think you know all about them.
But what if everything you think you know is wrong?
And what if the Greys are only the beginning?

The Makers is Wright's follow-up to her award-winning Sci Fi debut H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath. A fast-paced action adventure with a touch of romance.

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EXCERPT


The cold void that had swallowed Erika’s scream as she entered the alien ship enveloped her. Her once-again boyfriend Jack was no longer below her. Ian was not beside her. She didn’t know where Tex or Dr. Randall were. She was surrounded by darkness, the only sound the frantic beating of her heart.

The fat, wet tears that had spilled onto her cheeks evaporated into the cool, dry air. She’d feared being compressed into nothingness, but the pressure subsided. She tried to kick her legs and run but she was paralyzed, able to move only her eyes.

She couldn’t tell if she was floating in the center of the alien ship or hovering in a void of nothingness. She could have been upside down and not known it.

Erika screamed for Ian but no sound came from her. Despite the chill in the air, sweat dripped from her temples. Her eyes flitted wildly from side to side, trying to see something – anything. She closed her eyes in an effort to shut out the unnatural vacuum around her, but it was no good. The dark inside her mind was no better than the black emptiness of the ship she presumed she was in.

Don’t panic, Erika. Maybe they immobilize us for our own safety. Since humans had not achieved interstellar travel, there was no reference point for how it was done. She remembered Jack’s words. “Cowboy up,” he’d said. Erika wasn’t sure she was cowboy enough for space travel.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon Kindle Book
Amazon Paperback





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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Natalie is the author of adventurous speculative fiction for teens and adults including her award-winning science fiction series, H.A.L.F., and The Akasha Chronicles, a young adult fantasy trilogy. She lives in the high desert of Tucson, Arizona with her husband, teen daughter, and two young cats.


Natalie spends her time writing, reading, hanging out on social media, and meeting readers and fans at festivals and comic cons throughout the western United States. She likes to walk in the high desert, snorkel in warm waters, travel, and share excellent food and conversation with family and friends. She was raised an Ohio farm girl, lives in the desert Southwest, and dreams of living in a big city high rise.

Natalie enjoys chatting with readers, so stop by and say hi:

Website/blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Wattpad
Pinterest
YouTube

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GIVEAWAY



a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
The tour dates can be found here


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My review:

3.5 out of 5 stars

H.A.L.F.: The Makers by Natalie Wright is the second story in the ‘H.A.L.F.’ series and is a science fiction story that is told through multiple points of view in different venues and time periods. The majority of the story is centered around the abduction of two separate groups of beings and their respective quests for freedom, but there is also a subplot that involves an alien culture (or two) which has its own agenda for the inhabitants of Earth. One group, consisting of Tex, Erika, Ian, and Dr. Randall deals with the mysterious Tro and the Conexus, while the other, consisting of Jack, Anna and Thomas are enmeshed in the battle between the Sturgis and Croft families.  Ultimately, they all are battling for control of the world, but there may be a requirement for enemies to become allies and vice versa.

This story is replete with imaginative scenarios and creative twists on the concepts of aliens versus humans and the idea of cruelty versus expediency. I think that it is very necessary to have read the story that precedes this one as I was very lost at first, despite the pronunciation and definition guide at the beginning, and I would have benefited from a recap of previous events as well as a definition of the acronyms.  I was disconcerted by the way events were seen through the eyes of a different character for each chapter, focused on the experiences of four major beings with sparse viewpoints from a fifth, and it took me a while to establish a connection to any of them.

Despite this, there are vividly described scenes that cover a gamut of conflicts that contrast with some of the more awkward allusions to romantic or familial connections between various characters that weren’t really fleshed out. One should have a fairly strong stomach and I think that the story requires a relatively mature reader, given the amount of violence being portrayed. I think this is a thought-provoking story that is bubbling with concepts that might benefit from a more expanded storyline, to allow more in-depth understanding of the connections and motivations of the characters. Be forewarned that this ends on a cliffhanger and my advice would be to read “H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath” first so that hopefully things will be a bit clearer before starting this story.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

Rules for Riders by Natalie Scott (spotlight and GIVEAWAY)

                                           



Rules for Riders, by Natalie Scott, was published in August 2014 and is available for sale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in eBook and paperback. Genres: Young Adult / Romance

Synopsis:

Rules for Riders is a fast-paced coming-of-age novel set in the competitive world of equestrian riding.

After a near fatal riding accident, Bebe Barkley is banned from riding and sent off to boarding school. There, she meets her roommate and fellow equestrian rider, Finn Foxley. The girls devise a scheme to get themselves kicked out of boarding school in order to return to the world that they love. Once back on the circuit, former friends become deadly rivals.

Bebe's handsome trainer, Billy O'Reilly, gives her seven rules to follow in order to successfully compete. Through a series of tragic events, both girls are forced to abandon their dreams of Olympic gold. Bebe ventures down a dark road of self-destruction as she breaks every rule Billy taught her, only to be forced to relearn them in order to reclaim her life. Rules for Riders is a tale of lost dreams and the struggle to create new ones.



Excerpt

KING

CHAPTER 1
I can still remember the first time I saw him...

He’s seventeen hands high, a dark bay, almost black, a white star on his forehead, and four white socks on his hind legs. I’m fifteen years old when I spy King bucking and rearing and giving the grooms a terrible time. I think he’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

I point straight at him, “I want that horse.”

My father (otherwise known as the Colonel) rolls his eyes. “No, he’s wild. You just want him because he’s difficult like you.”

We’re at our neighbors, the O’Rileys, on a crisp Sunday morning. Jim O’Riley owns Starlight stables and is one of the best horse trainers in Connecticut. Jim winks at me. “For God’s sake, Colonel, everyone knows you made a ton of money in the stock market. Let her have the damn horse.”

“I said no,” shrieks the Colonel, remaining unconvinced. “Besides, who’ll train her?”

“I will,” Billy O’Riley, Jim’s oldest son, steps forward. His clear green eyes stare straight at King. “He’s a warm blood, sir, from Holland. We just bought him.”

The Colonel growls at Billy. “Listen son, I don’t care if he’s from friggin’ Japan! For God’s sake you’re only a couple of years older than my daughter.”

We all stand there watching, while his face turns bright red with rage. There’s no way in hell he's going to let me have this horse now. That would be too perfect. Instead, he shocks the pants off of me!

“Fine, but if you break your neck, don’t blame me.”

First thing the next morning I race over to the O’Rileys. By the time I reach the stables, I’m out of breath. Billy’s busy brushing down his horse, Stargazer. I walk over to King and stroke his mane. Then I pull a sugar cube out of my pocket. “Hey, boy.”

Billy looks up. “That’s funny, he doesn’t usually take to people so quickly. So let me guess, you want to take a ride?”

God, I’ve been riding since I was six! Okay, I admit it— Billy’s a hottie. I’ve had a crush on him forever. But it makes me crazy the way he still treats me like a little kid. He leans closer and places his hands firmly on his hips.

“Bebe, if I’m going to train you, there are rules for riders. The first one’s commitment. Without it, none of the other rules exist. If I agree to train you, you’ve got to give me 100 percent.”

I stare right back at him, giving him my best killer smile. “I’m all yours!”

For the next few weeks, he insists I do nothing but flat work. He hardly lets me ride across the yard without making sure I am doing it properly. Unlike the Colonel, Billy brings out the best in me and plays down the worst. Whatever I lack, he teaches me with infinite slowness; guiding King and I so we both gain confidence.

“That’s right. Keep your back straight, hold your head up, shoulders back.”

I learn from Billy that difficult horses become easy once you know how to handle them. With Billy’s training, I’m right on course. The Colonel’s threats don’t scare me. Instead, they fuel me, making me even more determined to succeed.

A few days later, I get to the stables early for some quiet time with King. Billy sneaks up behind me. I can feel his breath against my neck.

When I turn around, he has an amused look on his face. “So, do you finally want to take a ride? Isn’t that what you’ve been dying to do—jump every fence this side of Connecticut?”

I have this wild urge to hug him. Instead, I saddle up King. “C’mon, boy.”

King and I take off.

“Tell me what you’ve learned when you get back!” Billy shouts.


Buy links:

Amazon
 
Barnes & Noble


About the Author:

Natalie Scott grew up in Melbourne, often referred as the cultural capital of Australia because of its great restaurants, trendy cafes and great shopping! Natalie developed a love of books when her fourth grade teacher read the book Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis.

In high school Natalie devoured the classics, her favorite being Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. At University she studied English Literature and Communications, though she will openly admit to spending a lot of time at the college pub where she liked to make up outrageous stories before traveling extensively through Europe and the United States.

Throughout her travels, she fell in love with sunny California where she attended classes at UCLA Writer’s Program. Natalie also attended numerous writers’ conferences including Santa Barbara, San Diego State and Grubstreet. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Fiction award given at the Southern California Writers Conference. In her spare time, Scott worked as a spokesmodel for companies including the AMC Network, We Entertainment, Hasbro, Adobe and Sony.

The Aussie gal is a foodie who loves Vegemite and currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona where she enjoys sharing her passion for food, enjoys exploring new restaurants, happy hour, traveling, and a passion for books and fashion.

Natalie Scott’s debut novel Rules for Riders was published in August 2014.

Connect with Natalie on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

To learn more, go to her website.



GIVEAWAY

A Kindle version of Rules for Riders will be awarded to one lucky commenter.  Please comment on whether you are a foodie and what your favorite dish is.  A winner will be chosen after January 22, 2015.

No Light by Devi Mara (VBBT, excerpt and GIVEAWAY) Goddess Fish Tours

This post is part of a book blast organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter will be awarded a $20 Amazon/BN gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Dems have been held captive since before the world was made. They are the darkness only spoken of in whispers. As much as they are hated and feared, those who guard them are even more so. The pariahs of society, they live apart from the rest of the world in a settlement called Ameritat. That is where The Dems Trilogy begins. An unlikely and dangerous love between a human guard and the most feared of all the Dems. It will be the beginning or the ending of everything.


Sarah Mackenzie was never meant to be a guard, never meant to descend into the bowels of the earth, but The Corridor is where she is sent. With little information and even less training, she is thrust into her position as a Dem handler. She walks a thin line between life and death, as she tries to uphold her family honor and unlock the mystery of the Dem’s captivity. The pursuit of truth will drag her deep into a world of corruption, hatred, and greed and she will have to decide where her loyalties lie. With the humans who have mistreated her or the Dem who could destroy them all.

Enjoy an excerpt:

"Dem, can you hear me?" She stepped to the door and gasped.

"Yes, human. I hear you." The Dem pulled open the door and reached for her. "Rule one. Do not disengage the locks when the prisoner is not restrained." His tone was full of dark amusement.

Sarah stared at him with wide eyes, too terrified to move. His fingers circled her arms. He jerked her forward and a choked gasp left her throat, as her toes skimmed the floor before it fell away. Her mind raced, but she forced herself still as he lifted her until they were eye to eye.

"Name?" he demanded.

"Sarah Mackenzie." She swallowed hard. She would be like the ones who had fallen, her remains something to be cleaned from the floor.

"Age?"

She tried not to tense when he brought his face to her neck and inhaled deeply.

"Twenty-two." The lie tried to stick in her throat.

He pulled back and gave her a dark look. "Try again."

"Eighteen," she whispered, tensing when his lips pulled back from his teeth in a shark smile.

"A lie, Sarah? How nice that you are not as innocent as you look."


Buy the book at Amazon




About the Author:

Writer of cross genre romance, Devi Mara, grew up in rural Missouri. An avid reader and writer, she found inspiration in the people and places around her. The result, a fluid concept of the romance subgenres.

Her debut novel, No Light, was released in January of 2014 and is the first book in the Dems Trilogy. It was followed by her first stand-alone novel, Kingdom Come, in May. The second novel of the Dems Trilogy, Darkness Blooming, was released in August of 2014.

Devi is a lover of coffee and chocolate and partakes in both daily. She lives in Missouri with her family. Including two dogs too human for their own good.

She loves hearing from readers and encourages them to message her on Facebook or contact her on Twitter. She is always open to questions and comments.

Website
Blog
Twitter: @devimarawrites
Facebook


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GIVEAWAY

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Spirit Vision by Morgan Straughan Comnic (guest post, excerpt and GIVEAWAY)

I have the pleasure to host Morgan Straughan Comnic today and am delighted to have an interesting guest post to share.


Top Ten Things I Did Not Know I Would Have to do as an Author

by

Morgan Straughan Comnic

Writing has been a comfort to me, a thrill, my way of communicating and being myself.  Words allow me to tell the stories in my head, the craft of my on-going imagination and share the excitement of the characters with the world. I love this experience every time, this feeling, this freedom.  However, like most naïve fifteen year olds, I assumed once my book got accepted by an agent, I would be set to go and all the motions would magically roll on their own.  As I got older, I realized I had to work harder on my work with my editor, to edit my work so it is the best it can be for all my readers. I figured all I had to do was edit it, await for the release date, smile for the camera, and write the next book. Simple, right? Boy…did I live in a dream land! Still, there are some components I never would have dreamed I had to worry about when getting my work published, when I became an official author to the world.  Although none of this stuff by any means is bad, I wanted to overdramatically declare: “WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME?!”

Here is my top ten list of things I wish I would have known before becoming an author (in no personal ranking or order):
 
#1. Social media is your best friend.
  Okay, I knew I would have to make a website, but when I started writing my book ten years ago, social media did not exist.  MySpace came out two years later!  I do like my social media, but I never realized how many there are and how effective they are to reach out to fans and grabbing the attention of readers.  Again, I like using my social media, but with so many, it is a lot to walk into being new.
 
#2. Advertising. 
 I am not afraid to make contests, giveaways, and spread the word about my works and updates, however, I never realized to what extent! I feel like I need a business degree sometimes to keep up.  I cannot imagine what my publisher has to go through!
 
#3. You go through about three sets of edits. 
  Time to sharpen your editing skills and note taking! You will be getting to know your work in a way you never first imagined…
 
#4. Guest Posts.
I really like doing guests post and having guests, but it was just something I did not know I got to do!  
#5. Be friends with other authors, but remember, they are also competition. 
0.o This was a shock to my system! I have met several beyond nice, supportive authors and I enjoy discussing writing styles and publishing with them and I want to continue to do this.  Yet, I never considered other authors at “competition,” but I have heard of some stories to see this can be true. Sort of scary to think about, but I still believe authors should support each other!
 
#6. You may have to “Love it and kill it.”
This was a HARD concept for me! Sometimes, you can love a part or a wording and no matter how many times you ignore it or beg your publisher to let you keep it, that it is your baby, you have to cut it… It feels like a part of your soul is being ripped out of your chest. 

#7. Characters may change.
You figure your characters are the only part safe in your manuscript, right? WRONG!  I have not had to “love it and kill it” to any character that was mentioned more than twice or that had any importance, but I did have to completely change a name of a character due to it confusing my publisher.  It did not rip my soul out, but it was strange. Just to prove to you that nothing…or no one is safe from the wrath of edits!
 
#8. Reviews.
I knew reviews would be coming, but oh fudge biscuit! I never realized how nerve-wrecking it is! *Knocks on wooden desk* So far, I have not had a negative review, but my publisher warned me they will happen and I have to be brave and objective.  I respect and understand that and appreciate her concern for me, but man! I am dreading it!
 
#9. Handling the “You wrote a book?!” exclamation.
Being that my book has been released for about three months, which is not overly long, I am still getting this a lot, especially from family. I am grateful for the praise, but I also get embarrassed.  I have said my blurb so many times that I have caught myself reciting it in my sleep as I am slowly waking up! The praise is overwhelming sometimes and I am still figuring out how to react properly, being grateful and informative and never boastful, but I get told I am too modest and that writing makes me a star…-_-;; Yeah…The mix of emotions with this is not what I was expecting.
 
#10. Inspiring others.
I work at a middle school and since I published a book, it is amazing how many people, students and adults, have given me their ideas for stories, told me they always wished they had written a book, or have short stories for me to edit. My students often send me stories and poems that I edit and the smile on their faces, the light, the fuel writing brings in their eyes after I edit it and continue their story, makes me realize that even if I sold only one book or it was ripped apart by reviews, me writing a book and all the time, stress, and learning I had to go through to get it published was worth it to inspire students to know that they can dream big and achieve anything they set their mind to. 

Thank you so much for having me!

(note from ELF...the author had very cute emoticons for some of the comments but for some reason Blogger and I had a difference of opinion about whether they would work...so I had to remove them...sorry!)


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Spirit Vision
By Morgan Straughan Comnick

Blog Tour Link

Blurb:  
If God gave you a mission, would you answer His call?

The Lord has given Stary, a high school freshman, a mission: extinguish the evil residing in the murderer of two teens—Maren and Umbra. Stary never imagined that her strange visions meant that she was the Spirit Warrior for God and now with her powers activated, she must train to use them and try not to get caught by the murderer who has the ability to hide and conjure up the dark powers from the fallen angel himself—Lucifer. If Stary fails, not only will she lose her life, but Maren and Umbra will lose their entry into heaven and the world will be exposed to the madness of the murderer for the next forty years until the new Spirit Warrior is born.



Excerpt from Chapter 4

Maren patted my hands, smiling sincerely, about to answer my silent questions. “Every forty years, someone is born with a gift to communicate to spirits and ghosts. Oh, there is a difference—”
I finished her sentence by impulse. “I know. Spirits are land angels that have to stay on Earth to finish something they left unfinished in their life before they can move on to rest their soul. Ghosts are jealous of the living and their hatred forces them to stay on Earth, so they haunt or scare the living for a type of cruel revenge. But most of them can’t truly hurt a human.”
 
Maren and Umbra looked impressed, almost bewildered, not speaking for a minute. I only sat there, my head held up high with confidence, an all-knowing grin on my face. I’ve always liked to read about the world of the non-living for some reason, which helped me here. I sat there, still as a statue, soaking in the amazement on their faces.
 
Maren finally spoke up. “Very good Stary…Anyhow…someone is born with a gift to talk, see, and help ghosts and spirits move on or stop them from interfering with human life. Many of the Spirit Warriors do not know they have this gift at all. We need someone to help us. We have tried to search on our own for two years, but to no avail. The Lord said we could ask you to help punish or save the murderer from their own evil, in any way. We are…genuinely ready to move on and rest in peace together in heaven. I also want to be with my family again. Sadly, we cannot find our murderer, even with our connection and powers. They must be full of too much malevolence. It may be too late to save them from themselves.”
 
Too late? Like they couldn’t be stopped? No, if that was the case, they wouldn’t have asked for my help if that was true. Was it too late to save the murderer from their own evil? And God wanted me to do the mission? But I’m only fifteen! I can barely lean forward in a car without hitting my forehead on something!
 
“A Spirit Warrior, which is your official title, is the only one who can take the evil out of our murderer. It is a long and painful process, which will end up being their punishment. If they are lucky, they will live and have no urge to follow darkness again. Hon, if you can get the evil out, we are allowed entry into heaven’s gate and can rest in peace forever and you can be allowed to live your normal life again with your spirit powers only if you are needed again. But Umbra and I have to find him or her on our own. You have to stop them and talk to them. Sometimes that method has worked. If the murderer finds out about you however…they will try to stop you at any cost I am afraid to say, love…” Maren gulped and stared at me with moisture in her eyes. It was similar to the look my momma gave me before I went into surgery when I was small—a fear of someone you care for being harmed.
 
Oh great! I hoped the killer wasn’t too smart. MAN! This was a lot of information to take in. “Maren, why do you only say murderer?” I asked, the singular noun bugging me.
 
“Because, when one is killed by another human, that person’s negative energy becomes a part of you until heaven’s golden light shatters it. Every person has their own and different negative energy. Umbra and I have the same glow surrounding us.”
I nodded to show I understood the sad reality; they were killed by the same person…


Add the book to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19274927-spirit-vision

Buy links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
iTunes 
Kobo
Smashwords


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About the Author:


Educator of young minds by day, super nerdy savior of justice and cute things by night, Morgan Straughan Comnick has a love for turning the normal into something special without losing its essence. Morgan draws from real life experiences and her ongoing imagination to spark her writing. In her spare time, she enjoys doing goofy voices, traveling to new worlds by turning pages, humming child-like songs, and forcing people to smile with her "bubbliness." It is Morgan's mission in life to spread the amazement of otaku/Japanese culture to the world and to stop bullying; she knows everyone shines brightly.

Social media links:


Official website

Facebook
Goodreads
Pinterest
Twitter
Youtube

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GIVEAWAY

Giveaway rules: Giveaway is open internationally and ends on April 4, 2014. Winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen randomly via Rafflecopter and announced on the widget as well as emailed; they will have 48 hours to respond. Failure to respond will result in a new winner being selected. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter, or any other entity unless otherwise specified. Number of eligible entries received determines odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Paper Crane Books and sponsored by both the press and the author. Void where prohibited by law.

Rafflecopter Code (for giveaway): a Rafflecopter giveaway