Sunday, July 31, 2011

Summer Giveaway Hop!!! (USA & International)

Yet another fantastic giveaway hop presented by I Am A Reader Not A Writer
This one is Co-Hosted by Mary from BookHounds and Forever Young (adult).

Please click HERE to go to the entire hop list!  
There are more than 290 blogs participating!!! You are at #73 on the list!
On to the giveaway... there will be four (4) winners!
I have a number of books that I have a couple copies of, so....
I am giving away three sets of books:
Set #1: How Do You Spell g*e*e*k?, April Adventure, and The Homework Machine
Set #2: Touching Spirit Bear and Among the Hidden
Set #3 The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa and A Season of Gifts
The sets are US only, but because I don't want to leave anyone out I will have an International drawing as well: ONE book ($10.00 or less) from the Book Depository, as long as they ship free to your location.    
Please fill out the proper form to enter:
Must be at least 13 years old and a follower of The Wormhole!
Good Luck - Happy Reading!

Review: The Hand He Dealt by Tanith Davenport

The Hand He Dealt by Tanith Davenport

**I received this book from the author via Roxanne Rhoads and Bewitching Book Tours in exchange for an honest review and participation in the tour.

Product Description (Total E-Bound Publications):

Nobody can beat Astra Scott in playing the hand she’s dealt.
Astra Scott likes to live life to the full. A sorority girl and Gaming Management student, she spends her days studying and practising guitar, and her nights partying or working at the Fountain Casino, where she has an internship as part of her final semester. The only blot on her landscape is Ash Drake, her best friend Sasha’s boyfriend. Arrogant, physical and blond, Ash has never forgiven Astra for her rejection months earlier and enjoys annoying her at every turn.
But when Astra’s boyfriend Harry reveals a shocking secret, Astra responds in the only way she can think of: by finding a way to take on a more attractive, masculine role in the relationship. 
My thoughts:
I guess I should begin this review with the fact that erotica is not my usual genre so I am greatly out of my element here.  This book is not for the timid reader.  It contains alternate lifestyles and explicit sexual content.  


This is the first book I have ever read where the main character is studying gaming management.  I am a gambler and love to go to the casino so I enjoyed learning about Astra's college choice and seeing the casino from another point of view.  


Tanith Davenport has created interesting characters representing a wide variety of groups.  She has placed those characters in a realistic college setting.  There are a number of fraternities and sororities that the characters are involved with.


The entire storyline is character driven.  The characters seem to grow throughout the book.  In the beginning they are unsure of themselves and don't seem to know what they want.  As the story progresses they appear to figure things out.  


This story gives a whole new meaning to the term love triangle!


There is a bit of mystery throughout the book with Astra being attacked a few different times by unknown attackers.  This is all worked out towards the end. 


The ending finds closure, acceptance and happiness for all the characters.  

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Release Day Blitz and Giveaway: Without Mercy by Belinda Boring

Welcome to The Wormhole and the Release Day Blitz and Giveaway for Without Mercy by Belinda Boring!!!
You can read my review HERE!
Author Bio:  
A homesick Aussie living amongst the cactus and mountains of Arizona, Belinda Boring is a self proclaimed addict of romance and all things swoon worthy. When she's not devouring her latest read, you can find her celebrating her passion for books on her blog The Bookish Snob.

With all that excitement, it wasn't long before she began writing, pouring her imagination and creativity into the stories she dreams. Whether urban fantasy, paranormal romance or romance in general, Belinda strives to share great plots with heart and characters that you can't help but connect with. Of course, she wouldn't be Belinda without adding heroes she hopes will curl your toes.
Surrounded by a supportive cast of family, friends and the man she gives her heart and soul to, Belinda is living the good life. Happy Reading!


Book Blurb:
What would you do if a simple errand takes a deadly twist, turning you from cautious prey to dangerous predator?


When Darcy’s outing takes a turn for the worst and tests her to the point of breaking, she struggles to maintain her humanity. Where loyalty and pack mean everything, she surrenders to the inevitable and only an act of complete trust can touch her. When all is said and done, with memories flooding her mind, Darcy holds tightly to the only thing that makes sense – it was all a dream. Or was it?

And now...what you have all been waiting for:
The Giveaway! 
There will be two winners (on each blog stop on the tour!) - each will receive an ecopy of Without Mercy from Belinda Boring herself.
Must must be 18+  and you must fill out the form below - INTERNATIONAL!



Thanks for stopping by The Wormhole!
***don't forget to check out the rest of the Blitz!

Without Mercy author Interview! Meet Belinda Boring!!!

Without Mercy by Belinda Boring

Amazon Product Description:

What would you do if a simple errand takes a deadly twist, turning you from cautious prey to dangerous predator? 

When Darcy's outing takes a turn for the worst and tests her to the point of breaking, she struggles to maintain her humanity. Where loyalty and pack mean everything, she surrenders to the inevitable and only an act of complete trust can touch her. When all is said and done, with memories flooding her mind, Darcy holds tightly to the only thing that makes sense - it was all a dream. Or was it?
And now...let's get to know the woman behind the wolves: Belinda Boring!!!
? When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I actually wasn’t the first to realize it. I’ve always loved writing and putting my thoughts down on paper and someone I trusted pulled me aside one day and said “Belinda, have you ever thought about writing?” I’ll be honest; I laughed and shared that I would never write. I can be pretty shy and I was terrified that people would think what I’d shared was stupid. Two years later here I am - loving it and I can almost guarantee the person is grinning and thinking, “I told you so”

? How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?

Since moving to America 11 years ago, I’ve had about *counts on fingers* 5. I was a hotel housekeeper for the grand total of 3 days, an assistant manager at Carl’s Jnr, a college tutor in math, science and other courses, a biology lab assistant and a program coordinator in a mental health and substance abuse program. Right now I’m self-employed and run a blog tour company called The Bookish Snob Promotions.

? How long does it take you to write a book?

TOO LONG! I’m forever telling my husband I wish I could just plug my laptop into my brain and have it type out what I see when I’m plotting out scenes. That way I can avoid all the distractions of life that seem to pop up every time I sit down to write. I’d say it can take me anywhere from a month to a year.

? What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Hmmm, a quirk? I’m quirk free! *as husband scoffs in the background* I have to have total silence when I start writing. When I was writing Without Mercy, I did a large chunk of it in one day and my poor hubby sat the entire time watching his TV programs on mute. Once I’m in the story, I can pretty much tune things out but in the beginning, I swear I can hear someone breathing a mile away LOL

? Do you have a routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write?

Yep, and it’s a pretty good one too. When I begin a new project, I find songs that match the feel of the story. I’m an emotional writer and really draw on it when I’m trying to get into the heart of what’s happening. I’m also visual so I’ll look for the perfect muse to inspire me. Right now, I’m writing Cherished which is the next installment in the Mystic Wolves novelettes. Each time I begin writing, I turn on “In My Head” by Jason Derulo and “Just The Way You Are” by Bruno Mars and it’s only a matter of minutes before I can feel tingles and the mood of the story flowing. I’ve picked Francesco Cura to be Mason and found all kinds of HOT pics of him. Pair that with the playlist and it’s instant inspiration!

? Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?

I honestly don’t know. I have a general idea of who I want them to be and how I want them to interact within the story. But once I start writing, they take over and show me who they are. Sometimes I’ll argue with them and say “Nope, I want you this way” or “You need to act like this” They just shake their heads and say “Poor, sweet author. This is who we are.” LOL I learned real fast to let them lead the way and it’s an exciting process.

? How do you decide what you want to write about?

All my story ideas so far have come from dreams. I’ll wake up overwhelmed with certain emotions that won’t let go away or I’ll remember a main idea with certain images. I’m also in the process of writing Broken Promises. That was a dream I woke from and remembered that eyes changed color, blood and that there was an invasion. That’s all. Over the course of the day, I outlined 3 books. Without Mercy came from me waking up with this gut wrenching grief. I remembered a gun and terror. All day, I sobbed and it wouldn’t go away until my BFF said “Belinda, write about it.” Pair it with the song “Running Up That Hill” by Placebo and the short story was born.

? What books have most influenced your life?

Okay, I would have to say the Harry Potter books. I was an avid reader growing up but there were years where I didn’t touch a book. A friend took me to see the second Harry Potter movie and was shocked I’d never heard of them. I went home, ordered the first book on Amazon and it lit a flame under me. I’ve been devouring books ever since. From Harry, I moved onto Young Adult paranormal – Twilight, House of Night series, Mortal Instruments. I moved through paranormal, fantasy and loved it! My hubby bought me a Christine Feehan book for Christmas and it was in that moment I fell in love with paranormal romance and I’ve been addicted ever since. It’s why I’m called The Bookish Snob. I know what I like and I very rarely read outside the genre.

? What is the first book you remember reading by yourself?

You know what? I honestly don’t remember.  I know that we had loads of books growing up. There was one book about Louis Pasteur. He was standing on the front with this MASSIVE needle and a monster with funny teeth. Funny the things we remember!

? What are you reading right now?

I’m reading a few books at the moment. Picture Perfect by Deena Remiel (swoony), Deeper Than Midnight by Lara Adrian and Defying Pack Law by Eve Langlais. I’m DESPERATE for the new release from the Dark Hunter series, Retribution. Only a few more weeks!

? What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I LOVE reading and blogging. I also love watching movies and spending time with family and friends.  I seem to be attached to my laptop a lot and you can usually find me chatting on Facebook or Twitter. Online I’m the social butterfly and in real life, I’m super shy. Go figure, right?

? What is your favorite comfort food?

Ice cream and salt and vinegar chips. So not healthy but they always hit the right spot.

? What do you think makes a good story?

Being a lover of romance, I’d definitely say it’s all about the emotion and swoon. If the story can pull me in and give me an experience where I can connect with the characters and imagine myself with them, it’s a story I’ll remember and rave about. I love strong heroines, cocky heroes with swagger and I enjoy seeing into the heart of the story. I want to be moved and excited.

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

Hahahahaha! There is no way I could choose just one. I definitely have authors who are auto buys for me: Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lacey Weatherford, Stacey Kennedy, Marcia McClure, Richelle Mead, Cherise Sinclair, Deena Remiel, Amber Scott, Ilona Andrews, Jeaniene Frost, Karen Moning, Hannah Howell … the list could seriously go on forever.

? What book, if any, do you read over and over again?

I don’t have much time to reread books at the moment L My TBR and review pile have seriously taken on a life of their own and I’m like a little girl in a candy store! I know I’m desperate to reread the Dark Hunter series and after reading Karen Moning’s recent post from Barrons’ POV, I’m craving to reread the Fever series. Just need more hours in the day!

Fun random questions: 
  • dogs or cats? Dogs but only if they’re Chihuahuas
  • Coffee or tea? Blech, neither!
  • Dark or milk chocolate? Milk chocolate
  • Rocks or flowers? Flowers
  • Night or day? Night
  • Favorite color? Red
  • Crayons or markers? Crayons
  • Pens or pencils? Pencils

Thanks for stopping by The Wormhole! 
Happy Reading!
You can buy a copy of this great story at Amazon.com for a mere 99 cents!

Friday, July 29, 2011

The form is fixed!!!!


Sorry to those who wanted to enter for the free copy of Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth and couldn't because I had linked the form wrong - I have embedded the form now - so click HERE to enter!!!!

Blog Tour: Skipping Stone at the Center of the Earth by Andy Hueller (Giveaway!)

This virtual book tour is being presented by Cedar Fort Publishing
Please click HERE to go to the entire tour schedule.
Please click HERE to see my review.
Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour!
It is my pleasure to feature author Andy Hueller!


Andy Hueller is the author of Dizzy Fantastic and Her Flying Bicycle. He teaches at St. Paul Academy and Summit School and lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Debbie. He gives Cal Cobble credit for leading him to a career writing for younger readers. “I closed my eyes one day years ago and saw this boy with flaming red-orange hair and freckles that looked like smoldering embers. For some reason, he was living in a remote place and didn’t have many friends. I wanted to figure out why he lived so far away and what it was like to be picked on for reasons he couldn’t control.”

I am thrilled to present the interview...
? When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? I don’t know the answer, but I can share some pieces that might add up to something like an answer. My parents were regular readers around the house and, therefore, so was I. (My twin brother and older sister were and are readers, too.) Like most kids who read, I came to want to tell and write my own stories. I wrote stories for school and on my own. I remember even submitting ideas for movies I wanted to see to different studios. I typed these movie pitches on a typewriter somebody gave our family. Or maybe it was my mom’s from when she was younger? I stopped writing stories in junior high (which is part of why, now that I’m a teacher, I so encourage creative construction in my classroom. How cool is it to create something where before there was nothing?). By the time I was a junior in high school, I knew I would be an English teacher one day. I wasn’t as devoted to reading—too many varsity and intramural sports, movies with friends, etc.—at that point but knew I needed to get back to it. My senior year and just after, I went back and reread every book I’d been assigned in high school. I began spending a lot of my free time, once again, reading. As spring of my first year in college came, I suddenly had an idea for a story. I began getting up every morning and spending at least an hour and a half writing. That first story—a novella, I suppose—wasn’t very good, of course, but I didn’t know that. And I had developed the habits of a writer. College became a lot more fun (and in some ways easier) because I maintained those habits. A couple years into my teaching career, I had to change my habits. I was just too busy planning lessons, grading student work, and trying to spend some time with my wife. So now I write mostly (and feverishly) on breaks. So maybe the answer is this, and I know I’m not the only one: For me, the writing always comes from the reading. Reading regularly gets me thinking narratively.
? How many jobs did you have before you became a writer? Hmm. Well, I still have a job (the best one in the world, this side of Major League middle-infielder): middle school and high school English teacher. But before I published a book? Let’s see. After college (and I worked in college, too, by the way) I was a camp counselor, a tennis coach, a medical-supplies-company low-end editor, and an online writing tutor. Now I’m a teacher and a writer. I still coach, too (basketball and tennis). The medical-supplies-company low-end editor position was kind of like Mr. Bucket’s job in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He screwed caps on toothpaste tubes over and over. I cut and pasted information into letters that went out to sales reps. It was the same letter, which I assembled fifty or sixty times a day.
? How long does it take you to write a book? The first book I ever finished writing is the one that will be out in August, Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth. It took me four and a half years to write a draft of it, and I continued to tweak it for another couple years before it got published. The first book that got published, conversely, took me only a couple weeks to write initially, and then several months to edit properly. Why did the second book I wrote (and the first to get published) take me so much less time than the first? I think it’s because it’s not so complicated a story. Also, I had developed a system: I would write by hand first, which tended to free up my brain, and then type up later what I’d written that morning.
? What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk? I LOVE figurative language (metaphors, similes, personification). I love it like my dog loves chasing squirrels. I often need to tone myself down, for everyone’s benefit. My dog loves to chase those squirrels, but she nearly takes my arm off as she tugs on the leash.
? Do you have a routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write? I write best when I’ve been reading a lot. I usually have a book or two in mind as I write my own stories. It’s never the content of the book I’m concerned with. It’s the tone. The nearness of the narrator to the story. When I wrote Dizzy Fantastic and Her Flying Bicycle, for instance, I had Kate DiCamillo’s The Tiger Rising with me. Those two stories have very little in common, but the tone and point of view of the narrator are similar (I think, anyway). If I just can’t compose on my computer—my brain’s stuck—I open a notebook and begin writing there. When I’m ready, I’ll type up what I wrote and, sometimes, that will give me enough momentum to keep going.
? Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters? Hmm. Well, Dizzy is my wife as a girl. It’s fiction, of course, but lots of what I knew about that character come from what my wife has told my about herself as a girl. Other characters come to me pretty much whole and I’m not sure if they’re inspired by anybody in my life or not. In Skipping Stones, though, there’s a principal whose bald spot turns red when he’s angry. When I was in third and fourth grade, a teacher at my school had a similar bald spot.
? How do you decide what you want to write about? I usually write to myself as a ten-year-old. I cherished Roald Dahl’s books above all others, so when I wrote my first book (Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth, which, again, is the second to be published) I wrote a fantasy with perhaps a similar feel to it. But I liked lots of other books, too—well, nearly every book I read, actually; I just liked stories at that age—and I try to write in those genres. Sometimes when I write something I begin with a sentence that appeared in my head. Other times, I know a little more about the story and when I sit down to write I’m figuring the rest of the story out. Even then, I pay a lot of attention to the language. It needs to sound right for me to move on. Settings almost always come from my own reality. When I was driving in a nearby farm town, for instance, I saw a huge, green yard. That became the yard between the orphanage and the rock beach in Skipping Stones.
About you as a person:
? What books have most influenced your life? Here are the books I’ve had the most fun reading: The BFG, by Roald Dahl; The Basement Baseball Club, by Jeffrey Kelley; The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon; Last Days of Summer, by Steve Kluger; and The Princess Bride, by William Golding. In each of these books, there’s a sense of imagination—of anything’s possible. The language is important, always, as well. I love when authors play with language.
? What do you like to do when you are not writing? Read novels, the newspaper, and poetry; watch television on DVD; play sports (basketball, softball, and tennis, these days); bike with my wife (her bike has a horn plus a basket with flowers!) to some restaurant we haven’t chosen yet; and lots of other stuff.
? What is your favorite comfort food? Pizza from Bascali’s. No, scratch that: a peach-and-butterscotch muffin from Keys Bakery.
? What do you think makes a good story? Characters who feel real or believable in their story’s world.
? Who would you consider your favorite author and why? I always say Roald Dahl because he’s so playful and trusts his readers. I’ll add Michael Chabon for the same reasons.
? What book, if any, do you read over and over again? Last Days of Summer. It’s funny, smart, and heartwarming. I leaf through Dahl’s books a lot. I reread, again and again, the opening chapter of Bridge to Terabithia, where Jess runs for the first time. This chapter and the opening chapter in Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book strike me as the most compelling first chapters I’ve ever read. I compare all of my first chapters to their high standards. Admittedly, I haven’t met them yet!
Fun random questions: 
·        dogs or cats? DOGS
·        Coffee or tea? Iced tea. Coffee ice cream.
·        Dark or milk chocolate? Yes, please.
·        Rocks or flowers? Rocks to skip. Flowers to give my wife.
·        Night or day? Day.
·        Favorite color? Mauve, because you can find that color if you press down on your finger nail. That’s what a friend told me once, anyway.
·        Crayons or markers? Markers, in function. Cray-on is more fun to say, though.
·        Pens or pencils? Pens. My scribbly handwriting doesn’t get any better after I’ve erased it and started over.
You can buy a copy of this great story at Amazon HERE and at Barnes and Noble HERE!
*****and of course you are all wondering about the giveaway right!!!!
Here is the form - sorry it didn't work earlier today!

Thanks for stopping by The Wormhole!
Happy Reading!
There is another tour stop today at: Book Twirps
The next stop on the tour is: July 30 at Earth's Book Nook

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Release Day Blitz: Winnemucca by Laura A.H. Elliott

This Release Day Blitz is presented by The Bookish Snob Promotions
You can get to the entire tour schedule by clicking HERE!

My travel and personal essays have been published in The Los Angeles Times and other Southern California newspapers and magazines. I honed my storytelling skills as a multimedia designer in the financial, entertainment and news industries but also learned a lot at dinner tables.
A gypsy myself, I'm currently on the road with my husband. Our first stop outside of LA was Big Sur, CA, where we lived for a few years. I have two grown daughters. My husband and I live in our third stop along the way, on the Monterey Peninsula, with our aussie shepherd, Oso.
This biography was provided by the author or their representative.

Amazon Product Description:
Winnemucca is a young-adult small-town fairy tale about a teenage girl's enchanted road trip to her true self no matter who or what tries to stop her. This is a digitally signed edition by the author with a 70 cent donation to The Wounded Warrior Project.

One mistake will change Ginny’s life forever.
One answer will set her free.

Once upon a time Ginny’s road blood ripened, the day she got wise to love. Engaged to the high school quarterback, his quarter-carat ring and enchanting smile should have been enough for her. But, she stands him up and takes a walk where every step questions her happily ever after gone-bad and the fate of the mother she never knew. The mother her father refuses to talk about. Ginny fights to untangle her big, fat, lie-of-a-life on an enchanted road trip to Winnemucca, where she believes all her answers lie. She must solve the riddle of her past and outrun everyone who wants a piece of her future, including a man determined to see she never has one. When fear’s as blind as love, how far would you go to find the flesh-and-blood reality of your own happily ever after?


You can buy a copy HERE!
Please be sure to check out the other stops on the Blitz!
Here is a note to you readers from the author:
The giveaway: I have five books and the $15 Amazon gift cert. to giveaway. I'll monitor comments on the blogs and pick a random winner. 

Here are the rules: I'm going to giveaway five copies of Winnemucca [the digitally signed, Wounded Warriors Edition] during the blitz and one Amazon $15 gift certificate. To win, I'd like readers to leave their road trip story in thecomments of the blogger [with their email address in case of a win!]. I'd also like them to also "like" me at http://www.facebook.com/Laura.A.H.Elliott    Giveaway goes until 10PM July 28th, PST. 
Thanks for stopping by The Wormhole!
Happy reading!!!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Review: Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth by Andy Hueller

Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth by Andy Hueller

* NetGalley book

Amazon Product Description:
Calvin Comet Cobble lives at Hidden Shores Orphanage. Location: the very center of the earth. Cal's life is full of the school bully and mean teachers, but when he meets Mr. E, who can skip a stone clear across Lake Arctic, everything about Cal's life changes. Told with wit and charm, Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth is guaranteed to excite and inspire readers of all ages.


My thoughts:
This is an interesting story set in a most unusual place!  The center of the Earth!  What a creative mind to have built such a setting.  The author leaves the reader the opportunity to easily see and feel the similarities and differences between people (good and evil sides of them) and the world he has created for the orphans and prisoners in the center of the Earth.
The characters are brought to life by careful descriptions.  Mr. E - of course - is my favorite character, besides Bernie and Cal.  The orphanage and it's teachers and staff are given terrible personalities and totally dishonorable human traits.  Such unfortunate situations for children, so much hardness and sorrow.  The bright spot being Mr. E and his skipping stones.  
The characters are courageous and I found myself cheering, holding my breath, being outraged at their treatment, and hoping.  Cal and Bernie find a friend in each other and a true friend in Mr. E.  It is here in the story where you will see the true measure of determination.  The story leans towards deep meaning and gives the reader the opportunity to find their own story within the tale.

Blog Tour: Dark Magick by Stacey Thompson-Geer & Stevie Trinity (with Giveaway!)

This Virtual Book Tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.
You can get to the entire tour schedule by clicking HERE.
Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour!
Author Bios:
Stevie Trinity
Stevie lives in Wyoming with her family. She loves the wide open space There is nothing better than sitting out on the prairie looking out at the stars, or driving less than an hour to the Mountains and climbing trees, and yes she still climbs trees! :)

Stevie started to write short stories when she was 12. She loves poetry and started to write poems when she was 13. She then stopped writing in her early 20s, due to raising a family and focusing her attention elsewhere. When she was 30 she started to write again.

A couple of years later the Gatekeeper series emerged. She and her co author spent many hours talking about and discussing the world they created. Stacey really encouraged Stevie to write again.

Currently Stevie is working on a historical romance about the old west in a time of amazing change! She is also working on the second book to the Gatekeeper Series.
Stacey Thompson-Geer

Stacey is a wife and mother of three. She started writing in High School with horror short stories. One of her first is now published through the kindle - Silver Bullet. When she's not dreaming up her next story or novel, she can be found hanging out with her kids or reading one of her favorite authors. She is also an avid Facebooker and Twitter user. Stop by her website to see what she's working on and any of her backlist work.
 

Please enjoy the featured guest post:


 The World Of The Gatekeepers

When we started writing this book, we knew what our world was going to look like. We planned out the different places where the gateways are as well as how it works. It's a rich and complex world of Fae, Witches, Demons, and much more all stuck together to make something new and different from other books we read.

The Gateways

In Dark Magick, there are seven gateways that open up to let in beings of all kinds. Some are able to help us in some way or another, while others are made of your worst nightmare. There is one on each continent, creating seven. It's impossible to know what ones are for good beings and what ones are for the scarier kinds, but they must all be closed to maintain some kind of balance.

Each gate has a witch assigned to them to open or close the gateway. They are hunted and captured in order for the evil to control the gateways and what ones close or stay open. They are also hunting witches who are working to stop them in their plans.

The Bad Guys

The bad guys are made up of a few different levels within this world. We have the ones we are confronted with regularly, being Acacia and Kalerian. We also have government officials who's only goal is to gain power. They helped to move the world into the chaos it is now and benefit from it.

These government officials create prisoner camps to collect humans and break their spirits. They also use these camps to find Witches in hiding.

We also have the Kings of Hell, which is loosely taken from the Japanese cultures. In our world, The Kings of Hell are trying to break the final barrier to the lowest realms of hell to take over the earth realm. They also materialize as black smoke to those they are using for their goals.

The Good Guys

The good guys consist of many levels of Witch to human. They are fighting to stay alive in a world that is totally against them. In Dark Magick, you get to see some of these pocket groups as they try to find each other and mount a war of sorts against those that want to kill them.

Along with the human and Witch survivors, we have a light touch of Fae. They want to stay out of the fight for the most part, but are inclined to help when one of their own is aligned with the bad guys of the world.

Dark Magick is full of action, romance, and fun. We think readers will love the mix and the characters as much as the world we created to put them in.

Character Profile: Raiden

Raiden is one of the characters you will find in Dark Magick. He is a smart ass guy with a past all his own, but he also carries secrets even he is unsure about telling Lynn or the others.

Raiden is the typical surfer dude, with blond hair and blue eyes. He is happy to be who he is, even if he's still unsure about exactly what that is. Raiden can control the thunder and lightening as his gift and electricity in general. When the world went into chaos, he received a ramp up in powers from the Goddess to help try and save the world from distruction.

Lynn and Raiden have a past, but it's not as clear to either of them as Lynn's and Kalerian's Past lives seem to be. They are good friends and Raiden would give his life to help Lynn or the others in the retreat they worked so hard to build.

Character Profile: Acacia

She is a mean jealous kind of person. She wants everything to be as she see's it and control those around her. When she met Kalerian, he helped her to find power and to use it against those that would bring her down.

Acacia is very beautiful with long blond curls and bright green eyes, but under all that is a dark witch with abilities that even Rhea and Lynn are not able to fully understand. She has a past with Rhea as they were once coven sisters. Rhea chose a path of good, while Acacia chose one of darkness. 

And now...the giveaway!
To win an ecopy of Dark Magick:
1. be a follower of The Wormhole
2. be at least 18 years old
3. leave a comment with your name and a valid email address
Giveaway ends July 30, 2011 and the Winner selected by random.org.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Review: Dark Magick by Stacey Thompson-Geer and Stevie Trinity

The Gatekeepers Series: Dark Magick by Stacey Thompson-Geer and Stevie Trinity

*I received this ecopy ARC from Roxanne at Bewitching Book Tours in exchange for an honest review and participation in the virtual book tour.


Book Description:
The world has changed, we have changed. The world we once knew has fallen away and left us in a wasteland of Magick. Powerful witches and underworld gods control our lives. The past comes back in ways we are not prepared for. The Gatekeepers are our only hope. The question is if we can get to them first.


My Thoughts:
I enjoyed the story.  It is told from the viewpoint of the main characters alternately.
This book is filled with interesting, dedicating, self-sacrificing characters.  It is also filled with nasty, evil, cruel, betraying characters.  All these characters are mixed together in complex relationships, leaving the reader to wonder which are which at times.
The main characters, Rhea and Lynn, are both witches and have an incredible friendship that includes an emotional psychic type of bond.
I found the fact that some of the characters are able to recall past lives and interact with people in this life in response to those past lives, the freedom fighting witches and the bad government hunting good witches to all be aspects both original and intriguing.
The ending is a cliffhanger that leaves the reader with their jaw hanging open and waiting for the next book.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Blog Tour: Fezariu's Epiphany by David M. Brown (Review)

The Virtual Book Tour is being presented by Bewitching Book Tours.
You can get to the entire tour schedule by clicking HERE.
You can buy your own copy of this book HERE.
Welcome to my stop on the tour!
Today I am pleased to feature David M. Brown's
Fezariu's Epiphany!

Book Blurb: 


"The White Oak, Clarendon’s oldest brothel, lured and destroyed men by the thousands. Fezariu was different. He had never been drawn by the White Oak’s vices but the brothel had still ruined him when he was just a boy. 

Salvation came in the form of the Merelax Mercenaries – Elenchera’s most prestigious hired hands. They gave Fezariu the chance to escape from his past. Immersed in the world of dangerous assignments in the colonies Fezariu longed to forget everything about his childhood but only in facing the past would he 

ever be free of it."

Author bio: 

"David Brown was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, and first conceived the idea of the Elencheran Chronicles at college in 1999. He spent ten years compiling the history of Elenchera, resulting in 47,000+ years of events, 500+ maps, 2000+ pages, several short stories and many much-needed acquaintances with Jack Daniels.

David also has a blog, The World According to Dave (http://www.elenchera.com/blog), which features reviews, stories and dramatic tales of the horrors of owning cats.

David now lives in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with his wife, Donna, and their six cats.
Fezariu's Epiphany is his first novel."

David's Twitter profile: http://www.twitter.com/elenchera
My Thoughts:
     This story is remarkably well written.  The language is descriptive.  The story flows smoothly at just the right pace to keep the reader interested and awaiting what will be on the next page.  
     The characters have been carefully crafted and possess their own individual querks.
     My heart goes out to Jessamine for the choices life gives her and bleeds for Fezariu as life continues to throw him curves.  
Be sure to check this one out and journey with Fezariu as he attempts to discover his past, his present, and his future.