Review/Giveaway: Five by Christie Rich

Title: Five
Series: Elemental Emnity Book 1
Author: Christie Rich
Format: Ebook provided for review
Published: August 2011
Tour: Yes, Dark Mind Book Tours

Rayla Tate’s life is about to turn vertical…again. As if it wasn’t bad enough her mother disappeared under questionable circumstances leaving Rayla to be raised by her aunt in a horrendously small town. Her overprotective guardian is determined to ruin Rayla’s life. She refuses to let Rayla out of her sight or out of the state. Provincial living might be what her aunt demands of her purposely sheltered niece; but, Rayla has other ideas. In a desperate attempt to follow her dreams she flees the safety of her home and runs away to college with her best friend toward a bright future in the art world.
 
However, excitement over her newfound freedom turns into terror when she is chased by a mysterious stranger on her way to school. When his motorcycle suddenly morphs into a fire-breathing pegasus, Rayla questions her sanity. Worse, the man riding next to her stirs a burning desire in her soul she has never known or could have ever imagined. Using all the will she owns, she manages to resist the compulsion she feels; yet, as he disappears into the night, she is certain he hasn't gone far. 

Rayla quickly dismisses the encounter to her overactive imagination. She is determined to settle into her new life, yet the images and feelings of that night still haunt her. To make matters worse, her aunt seems to be in on the act, insisting that Rayla will soon be hunted by a pack of fae lords for a power over the elements she never knew she possessed—a power that could change the world. Quicker than she ever thought possible, she finds herself surrounded by stunning men that all seem determined to win her heart. Why does she feel drawn to each one of them? More importantly, what dark power do they hold over her? Rayla must quickly learn to fend off these beautiful and seductive pursuers using whatever means necessary or find herself lost to the fae world forever.

I am kind of on the fence about this book.  On one hand I really loved the storyline and the characters, but on the other hand there were some elements that I really don't get into that much.  Five is very much about fae and fairytales and all of the magic that goes with it. For my own personal tastes, I could have had a bit more fae, and a bit less fairytale. Here’s what I mean: 

Onyx black Pegasus: Awwwwesome. Trolls that steal things and no one can see them: meh. Fae lords who all want to claim you and make you their own: Awwwwwesome. Crystalcastles and beautiful alternate dimensions: beautiful, but not quite my "thing"!

Now, of course, some people dig trolls and fairy kingdoms. And while it is not exactly my thing, the descriptions were absolutely beautiful and magical. And I did catch myself kind of holding my breath wishing I could see a picture of this beautiful fairyland. Maybe the issue I had with the book is it was a bit more on the ‘Y’ side of YA than the ‘A’ side. 

Even with those things, it was a really good story. Rayla is an intriguing character who has been lied to her entire life, and then she finds out the truth just a bit too late. She’s informed that she has Elemental powers, but they don’t become active until she bonds with a lord. Meanwhile she is trying to stay away from the lords because they want to absorb some of her power during the bonding.  She has kind of a feminist view on the whole situation, while most Elementals are eager to bond and mate with lords.  I would have really liked to see her learn more about her actual self, more than the fae – but I imagine that will come up in upcoming books. From the little bit you do get to see of her power, it sounds pretty cool.

There were a lot of characters in this book to keep up with. Some of them I really liked quite a bit, like Zach, Rayla’s new sort of boyfriend. He very much seems to be the strong, protective type that I love to see.  Some were really interesting and I wanted to learn more, like the Waynebrothers. They were quite interesting and had some very deep secrets.  And some I just didn’t connect with at all, like Cassie, Rayla’s best friend. At first I was really on board with Cassie, but as time went on I started to sway away, and by the end I was totally off Team Cassie.  She seemed to be in a book all her own, and not really the friend to Rayla that she claimed to be.  However, she did aide her in getting away from Aunt Grace, so she does get points for that.

The story was fast paced and had a lot of action. Things kept changing and morphing, and I was entertained through nearly the whole story. The high point to it all, for me,  was Rayla, who took her life into her own hands right from the start. I really admired her strong and independent attitude and enjoyed getting to know her. 

I think readers of YA Fantasy will really dig this story. If you love fae and all that goes with, then this is surely for you. I hope you get a chance to read (and enjoy!) it soon!

Click banner to view tour schedule

Author Bio

I grew up daydreaming about fairytales, and my love for discovering new worlds has never died. I am not one of those writers who always knew I would write. I thought that was what other people did until one day a few years ago, I took a challenge from a friend and typed my first words. My journey has been wonderful, and I cannot imagine a day where I would ever give up writing now. My love for reading is what fueled my imagination in the first place and still does. When I am not writing or reading, I am enjoying family time with my husband and two children. We live in a quiet community under the Wellsville mountains in Utah, and I am so thankful for the rich life I have been blessed with.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Pinterest

YouTube | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Book's Links:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Goodreads

Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Createspace


Do you want to read Five?  Here's your chance!  For the giveaway, Christie is offering one e-copy of Dark Matter (Book 2) and one e-copy of Genesis (Book 3) to one winner, open Internationally, 
Ends 11-16-12 

Five (Book 1 in the Elemental Emnity Series) is free on Smashwords and Barnes & Noble, so go grab your copy and enter the giveaway for your chance to win Book 2 & 3!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review/Giveaway: Five by Christie Rich

Title: Five
Series: Elemental Emnity Book 1
Author: Christie Rich
Format: Ebook provided for review
Published: August 2011
Tour: Yes, Dark Mind Book Tours

Rayla Tate’s life is about to turn vertical…again. As if it wasn’t bad enough her mother disappeared under questionable circumstances leaving Rayla to be raised by her aunt in a horrendously small town. Her overprotective guardian is determined to ruin Rayla’s life. She refuses to let Rayla out of her sight or out of the state. Provincial living might be what her aunt demands of her purposely sheltered niece; but, Rayla has other ideas. In a desperate attempt to follow her dreams she flees the safety of her home and runs away to college with her best friend toward a bright future in the art world.
 
However, excitement over her newfound freedom turns into terror when she is chased by a mysterious stranger on her way to school. When his motorcycle suddenly morphs into a fire-breathing pegasus, Rayla questions her sanity. Worse, the man riding next to her stirs a burning desire in her soul she has never known or could have ever imagined. Using all the will she owns, she manages to resist the compulsion she feels; yet, as he disappears into the night, she is certain he hasn't gone far. 

Rayla quickly dismisses the encounter to her overactive imagination. She is determined to settle into her new life, yet the images and feelings of that night still haunt her. To make matters worse, her aunt seems to be in on the act, insisting that Rayla will soon be hunted by a pack of fae lords for a power over the elements she never knew she possessed—a power that could change the world. Quicker than she ever thought possible, she finds herself surrounded by stunning men that all seem determined to win her heart. Why does she feel drawn to each one of them? More importantly, what dark power do they hold over her? Rayla must quickly learn to fend off these beautiful and seductive pursuers using whatever means necessary or find herself lost to the fae world forever.

I am kind of on the fence about this book.  On one hand I really loved the storyline and the characters, but on the other hand there were some elements that I really don't get into that much.  Five is very much about fae and fairytales and all of the magic that goes with it. For my own personal tastes, I could have had a bit more fae, and a bit less fairytale. Here’s what I mean: 

Onyx black Pegasus: Awwwwesome. Trolls that steal things and no one can see them: meh. Fae lords who all want to claim you and make you their own: Awwwwwesome. Crystal castles and beautiful alternate dimensions: beautiful, but not quite my "thing"!

Now, of course, some people dig trolls and fairy kingdoms. And while it is not exactly my thing, the descriptions were absolutely beautiful and magical. And I did catch myself kind of holding my breath wishing I could see a picture of this beautiful fairyland. Maybe the issue I had with the book is it was a bit more on the ‘Y’ side of YA than the ‘A’ side. 

Even with those things, it was a really good story. Rayla is an intriguing character who has been lied to her entire life, and then she finds out the truth just a bit too late. She’s informed that she has Elemental powers, but they don’t become active until she bonds with a lord. Meanwhile she is trying to stay away from the lords because they want to absorb some of her power during the bonding.  She has kind of a feminist view on the whole situation, while most Elementals are eager to bond and mate with lords.  I would have really liked to see her learn more about her actual self, more than the fae – but I imagine that will come up in upcoming books. From the little bit you do get to see of her power, it sounds pretty cool.

There were a lot of characters in this book to keep up with. Some of them I really liked quite a bit, like Zach, Rayla’s new sort of boyfriend. He very much seems to be the strong, protective type that I love to see.  Some were really interesting and I wanted to learn more, like the Wayne brothers. They were quite interesting and had some very deep secrets.  And some I just didn’t connect with at all, like Cassie, Rayla’s best friend. At first I was really on board with Cassie, but as time went on I started to sway away, and by the end I was totally off Team Cassie.  She seemed to be in a book all her own, and not really the friend to Rayla that she claimed to be.  However, she did aide her in getting away from Aunt Grace, so she does get points for that.

The story was fast paced and had a lot of action. Things kept changing and morphing, and I was entertained through nearly the whole story. The high point to it all, for me,  was Rayla, who took her life into her own hands right from the start. I really admired her strong and independent attitude and enjoyed getting to know her. 

I think readers of YA Fantasy will really dig this story. If you love fae and all that goes with, then this is surely for you. I hope you get a chance to read (and enjoy!) it soon!

Click banner to view tour schedule

Author Bio

I grew up daydreaming about fairytales, and my love for discovering new worlds has never died. I am not one of those writers who always knew I would write. I thought that was what other people did until one day a few years ago, I took a challenge from a friend and typed my first words. My journey has been wonderful, and I cannot imagine a day where I would ever give up writing now. My love for reading is what fueled my imagination in the first place and still does. When I am not writing or reading, I am enjoying family time with my husband and two children. We live in a quiet community under the Wellsville mountains in Utah, and I am so thankful for the rich life I have been blessed with.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Pinterest

YouTube | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Book's Links:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Goodreads

Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Createspace


Do you want to read Five?  Here's your chance!  For the giveaway, Christie is offering one e-copy of Dark Matter (Book 2) and one e-copy of Genesis (Book 3) to one winner, open Internationally, 
Ends 11-16-12 

Five (Book 1 in the Elemental Emnity Series) is free on Smashwords and Barnes & Noble, so go grab your copy and enter the giveaway for your chance to win Book 2 & 3!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post/Giveaway: See Me by Natalie-Nicole Bates

See Me

Natalie-Nicole Bates

Carly Anders  is hearing voices in her head. Another one of her kind is trying to contact her. She knows of the malevolent freaks—others who are eternal like her and seek out the weak to inflict pain upon. For years, Carly has held up huge protective walls to keep herself and her secrets safe. Now, physically and mentally exhausted, Carly needs protection and rest.She accepts the invitation to visit an internet friend who needs help appraising a collection of antique photographs.  The situation is not ideal, but Carly hopes a male presence in her life will deter the determined suitor who haunts her thoughts and dreams.

Daniel Tremont is not what Carly is expecting.The former funeral director has a secret of his own. Not only is he eternal like Carly, he is her creation from all those years before—her abomination she thought she killed.

Daniel has been searching for Carly for years. He knows she is the piece of his life that he has been missing for so long. Now that he has found her, he has no intentions of letting her go. 

Delving Into the Paranormal Genre 

By Natalie-Nicole Bates 

If you asked me two years year ago what I write, I would have told you without any hesitation, I write contemporary romance. Indeed, my first novel sale was a contemporary romance called Change of Address.

A while back, I won an auction where the prize was a three chapter critique of a current work-in-progress by an established editor. The who and where the editor works is not important, it was the results of the critique. The first thing that caught my attention was that the editor told me to watch the fantastical elements of my hero, that they weren’t really suited for contemporary romance.

This comment got me thinking. I always was the kind of writer who liked the more unusual aspects in a hero—ethereal eyes, long hair, tattoos, body piercings, killer chin beards. But somehow my hero had transcended the contemporary and was what? I wasn’t so sure. Then it hit me: Maybe it was time to try writing paranormal.

I have always been drawn to the allure of the paranormal genre. But as a book reviewer, I have seen it all—vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters. With the influx of television shows such as The Walking Dead, even zombies were turning up with alarming regularity. The paranormal genre has always been popular, but has literally exploded over the last few years. Writers are writing it well, too. While I felt an inclination towards the genre, I knew that if I wanted to write paranormal, I was going to have to conceive a new twist on it.

I found my inspiration quickly.

I am an avid collector of Victorian and Edwardian-era photographs. To me, there is much beauty in these black and white stills. This past spring, I found a photograph from an online seller that completely captivated me. The size of a postcard, but printed on a much thicker stock was the image of a funeral home (I come from a long line of folks in the funeral care business). Outside, a very handsome man stands proudly with his hands clasped in front of him, most likely one of the owners at the time. Although the photo is slightly faded, you can still clearly make out the reflection in the glass of a black funeral carriage tied with elaborate ribbons. The back of the photo reads in very elegant script, Week of Oct-11-1896.

Although the photo was pricy, I splurged and bought it for myself.

When I finally held it in my hands, I was in love. I then wondered, was it possible to use my love of Victorian photography as a way to put a new spin on a paranormal character?

It was then that an idea occurred to me. What if a very lovely lady who is just starting out in the funeral business buys this particular funeral home, determined to restore it to its former glory. And what would happen if one night this woman was visited by the very handsome man in the photo who claims to still own the funeral home?

To me, the idea seemed like a good one. Adam wasn’t a ghost or a vampire, although readers have speculated that he is a vampire because of his magnetism. I love that the story has sparked debate! The closest I could describe him is as a dybbuk. In Jewish folklore, a dybbuk is the wandering soul of a dead person that enters the body of a living person and controls his or her behavior. But even a dybbuk isn’t quite accurate.

So, Antique Charming was a success. But it was a short story. Would it be possible to write something longer?

Once again, I returned to my photographs. I had recently bought a Carte de Viste (1860’s) of a beautiful little girl about age 3, her photo surrounded by a memorial wreath. In my mind, Baby Charlotte was born.

SEE ME begins in 1896, where we meet sixteen year old Charlotte. Charlotte always knew she was special, but never knew why. She believed it all stemmed from a near drowning incident when she was three. An incident her family members refused to speak of.

Her hunch comes true one day in 1896 during a lumber yard fire when her true powers reach fruition.

One very small photograph from the 1860’s suddenly became one huge idea for a novella.

I then went in search of my Daniel Tremont, the hero of SEE ME. Daniel’s inspiration is a magnificent 1860’s Daguerreotype of a young man. The matt on this photograph is purple, which is usually the colour of significance for mourning, which means this young man probably passed away young. He was perfect.

Sometimes what you know well can be a powerful ally. In writing, this is so true. I took my love for Victorian photography and turned it into a plot for a novella that combines romance, paranormal, and a touch of my beloved horror.

I hope you will read SEE ME, now available at Leap of Faith Publishing. To view the photographs that inspired both SEE ME as well as Antique Charming, visit my new blog Ghosts and Phantoms at: http://ghostsandphantoms.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Follow Natalie-Nicole Online

Twitter: BatesNatalie

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/natalienicole.bates

Blog: www.natalienicolebates.com

Natalie-Nicole Bates is a book reviewer and author.

Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography and antique poison bottles. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia.

She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19^th century post-mortem photos.

Click Banner to View Entire Schedule

Also be sure to click on the banner to view and enter a tour wide giveaway (in addition to the giveaway here!!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post/Giveaway: See Me by Natalie-Nicole Bates

See Me

Natalie-Nicole Bates

Carly Anders  is hearing voices in her head. Another one of her kind is trying to contact her. She knows of the malevolent freaks—others who are eternal like her and seek out the weak to inflict pain upon. For years, Carly has held up huge protective walls to keep herself and her secrets safe. Now, physically and mentally exhausted, Carly needs protection and rest.She accepts the invitation to visit an internet friend who needs help appraising a collection of antique photographs.  The situation is not ideal, but Carly hopes a male presence in her life will deter the determined suitor who haunts her thoughts and dreams.

Daniel Tremont is not what Carly is expecting.The former funeral director has a secret of his own. Not only is he eternal like Carly, he is her creation from all those years before—her abomination she thought she killed.

Daniel has been searching for Carly for years. He knows she is the piece of his life that he has been missing for so long. Now that he has found her, he has no intentions of letting her go. 

Delving Into the Paranormal Genre 

By Natalie-Nicole Bates 

If you asked me two years year ago what I write, I would have told you without any hesitation, I write contemporary romance. Indeed, my first novel sale was a contemporary romance called Change of Address.

A while back, I won an auction where the prize was a three chapter critique of a current work-in-progress by an established editor. The who and where the editor works is not important, it was the results of the critique. The first thing that caught my attention was that the editor told me to watch the fantastical elements of my hero, that they weren’t really suited for contemporary romance.

This comment got me thinking. I always was the kind of writer who liked the more unusual aspects in a hero—ethereal eyes, long hair, tattoos, body piercings, killer chin beards. But somehow my hero had transcended the contemporary and was what? I wasn’t so sure. Then it hit me: Maybe it was time to try writing paranormal.

I have always been drawn to the allure of the paranormal genre. But as a book reviewer, I have seen it all—vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters. With the influx of television shows such as The Walking Dead, even zombies were turning up with alarming regularity. The paranormal genre has always been popular, but has literally exploded over the last few years. Writers are writing it well, too. While I felt an inclination towards the genre, I knew that if I wanted to write paranormal, I was going to have to conceive a new twist on it.

I found my inspiration quickly.

I am an avid collector of Victorian and Edwardian-era photographs. To me, there is much beauty in these black and white stills. This past spring, I found a photograph from an online seller that completely captivated me. The size of a postcard, but printed on a much thicker stock was the image of a funeral home (I come from a long line of folks in the funeral care business). Outside, a very handsome man stands proudly with his hands clasped in front of him, most likely one of the owners at the time. Although the photo is slightly faded, you can still clearly make out the reflection in the glass of a black funeral carriage tied with elaborate ribbons. The back of the photo reads in very elegant script, Week of Oct-11-1896.

Although the photo was pricy, I splurged and bought it for myself.

When I finally held it in my hands, I was in love. I then wondered, was it possible to use my love of Victorian photography as a way to put a new spin on a paranormal character?

It was then that an idea occurred to me. What if a very lovely lady who is just starting out in the funeral business buys this particular funeral home, determined to restore it to its former glory. And what would happen if one night this woman was visited by the very handsome man in the photo who claims to still own the funeral home?

To me, the idea seemed like a good one. Adam wasn’t a ghost or a vampire, although readers have speculated that he is a vampire because of his magnetism. I love that the story has sparked debate! The closest I could describe him is as a dybbuk. In Jewish folklore, a dybbuk is the wandering soul of a dead person that enters the body of a living person and controls his or her behavior. But even a dybbuk isn’t quite accurate.

So, Antique Charming was a success. But it was a short story. Would it be possible to write something longer?

Once again, I returned to my photographs. I had recently bought a Carte de Viste (1860’s) of a beautiful little girl about age 3, her photo surrounded by a memorial wreath. In my mind, Baby Charlotte was born.

SEE ME begins in 1896, where we meet sixteen year old Charlotte. Charlotte always knew she was special, but never knew why. She believed it all stemmed from a near drowning incident when she was three. An incident her family members refused to speak of.

Her hunch comes true one day in 1896 during a lumber yard fire when her true powers reach fruition.

One very small photograph from the 1860’s suddenly became one huge idea for a novella.

I then went in search of my Daniel Tremont, the hero of SEE ME. Daniel’s inspiration is a magnificent 1860’s Daguerreotype of a young man. The matt on this photograph is purple, which is usually the colour of significance for mourning, which means this young man probably passed away young. He was perfect.

Sometimes what you know well can be a powerful ally. In writing, this is so true. I took my love for Victorian photography and turned it into a plot for a novella that combines romance, paranormal, and a touch of my beloved horror.

I hope you will read SEE ME, now available at Leap of Faith Publishing. To view the photographs that inspired both SEE ME as well as Antique Charming, visit my new blog Ghosts and Phantoms at: http://ghostsandphantoms.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Follow Natalie-Nicole Online

Twitter: BatesNatalie

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/natalienicole.bates

Blog: www.natalienicolebates.com

Natalie-Nicole Bates is a book reviewer and author.

Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography and antique poison bottles. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia.

She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19^th century post-mortem photos.

Click Banner to View Entire Schedule

Also be sure to click on the banner to view and enter a tour wide giveaway (in addition to the giveaway here!!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt/Giveaway: Stealing Breath by Joanne Brothwell

Stealing Breath

(Stealing Breath #1)

Joanne Brothwell

Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, twenty-one year old Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing-eyed, transparent... creature. Sarah survives, destroying the monster by using mysterious abilities she didn't even know she had. Bloody and bruised, Sarah flees the scene and runs directly into Evan Valente, a handsome, charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But what is Evan doing out in the forest at five in the morning? Turning to a healer, Sarah is shocked to learn her eyes bear the mark of the Indigo Child-an evolved human with the ability to feel the emotions of others. But her indigo aura also makes her an easy target for those who wish to consume her powerful essence. Soon, Sarah is falling deeply in love with Evan and wants nothing more than to follow her heart and trust that he is the man he says he is. But she can't ignore the lingering feeling that Evan is hiding a terrible secret. The deeper she digs, the more danger she faces, leading her on a course that will force her to face the darkest, innermost parts of her soul.

“You saw that Evan guy again?” Amber asked. She sucked the last of her frothy pink drink through a straw. The mischievous look on her face was mirrored in the giddy emotions she gave off, emotions that were always especially loud when she was drinking. They resonated within me like a bouncy ball flying around in my stomach.

I downed another shot of “Sex on the Beach”, hoping it would finally be enough to filter out the emotions of everyone here. Smooth at first, then tart, the booze finally burned its way down the back of my throat. The buzz-on was almost immediate, and the effect was wonderful, the way it almost obliterated all of the sex-obsessed feelings that seemed to roll off of nearly ever patron at the bar like a hot blanket being wound around me. Sick.

We sat at a booth right next to the bar. Amber held her glass up, signaling to the bartender who nodded and began to pour. He bobbed his head to the blaring country music from the loudspeaker.

Tables ringed the bar, booths along the wall and stools on the other side. Every few feet a brightly lit neon beer sign provided a dash of garish décor. Right in the middle was the dance floor, a little postage-stamp sized circle of parquet flooring that reminded me of an interlocking puzzle. Alongside it was a raised section with a few pool tables.

“Yeah, I saw him.” I proceeded to explain his land development business to Amber and Kate, who listened with rapt expressions.

“That’s amazing. Nobody ever comes to Slave Lake. People only leave,” Amber said. Our waitress, dressed in skin-tight jeans and a too-tight tank-top, brought us another

round. Behind her, the giant flat screen on the wall lit up with random explosions of fuchsia, neon yellow and acid green, perfectly paced with the lyrics of the canned music.

Kate sat across from me on the bench seating, her copper hair shimmering pink from the neon “Budweiser” sign and the black light hanging on the wall behind her. Her teeth were glowing an unnatural white in the light, and every piece of lint on her black shirt stood out like a 3D movie.

“How interesting that you both were out in the bush that morning,” Kate said.

I nodded. “I know. Quite a coincidence.”

Amber sat beside Kate in the bench seat, facing the bar. She leaned forward in one fluid motion, her black hair sweeping the table. “Sarah. Look who just walked in.” I turned in my seat. “And he’s coming right over—”

“Mind if I join you?” asked a familiar voice, before I’d even had a chance to look.

I turned and smiled at Evan. “Sure.”

He pulled a stool up to our table, his arms rippling with the movement. His very presence seemed to heat the air around me, his cologne eclipsing the bar smell of dirty jeans, stale beer and desperation.

I glanced at Kate and Amber, who both stared at him, bright-eyed. His dark fitted jeans hugged his legs, the denim slung low across narrow hips. A black t-shirt made of a material I couldn’t identify hinted of the peaks and valleys of muscle beneath and a single silver chain with a dog-tag hung at his neck, a crest emblem engraved on it with the name Valente. This guy would look good in a burlap sack. Or nothing.

“You remember Kate and Amber from the campground?” I asked. They nodded in acknowledgement and exchanged niceties. Then Amber and Kate excused themselves and hit the dance floor. They’d been dancing together since we’d become bar age, both of them with the attitude that they weren’t about to wait around for a guy to ask.

Evan and I watched as they twirled each other around, the only people dancing in the whole bar. Then they attempted to two-step, each of them fighting to lead. Goofballs.

I turned back to Evan. “How are you?”

He flashed that thousand-watt smile. “I’m great. You?” He inched closer and the atmosphere around my head seemed charged, like a swelling electrical storm. A shiver traveled through my body.

“Fine, thanks.” I smiled.

“You look great.” He gestured to my outfit.

I looked down at my jeans and a loose white shirt and glanced back up at him, cocking my eyebrow. “Thanks?”

“What? Not used to compliments?”

“Not when I’m dressed like a slob, no, not really.”

He rolled his eyes. “You look awesome. Seriously. Want to dance?”

I stared at him, half-expecting he was kidding. But his face showed no trace of a joke. I glanced at the dance floor where Kate and Amber had begun to dance hip hop to the country beat.

I turned back to him. He held out his hand, across the table. Reluctantly, I took it and he led me to the dance floor where Amber and Kate made room for us, their expressions barely-muted surprise. People rarely danced in Slave Lake. Except for Amber and Kate, of course.

Evan placed his palm in my right hand and set his other hand on my waist. I glanced up at a set of smoldering eyes and immediately looked away, his gaze too intense. Unfortunately, by looking away, I realized that every single person in the bar was staring at us. Some people, who should have had their backs to us, had actually turned around on their stool to gawk. I felt like a fish in a fishbowl.

Evan leaned down, his breath caressing my cheek. I caught a silky coil of his scent, a rich, musky fragrance of expensive cologne, soap and his own unique smell. It was addictive. The hand on my waist snaked around to my back, pulling me closer. Heat radiated over my entire body as we began to move in slow, gentle circles. When the song came to an end, my arm fell from his shoulder. His hands didn’t move.

“One more?” he asked as the music transitioned to a faster song, modern country with a dance beat. Kate and Amber were already dancing to it in a way that looked more fitting for a city club, Amber’s arms reaching up and over her head, hips swinging. Kate had her own little groove going alongside her.

“Sure,” I said.

He smiled and set his hand back on my waist, and suddenly we were in the fastest two-step I’d ever danced in my life. We moved around the dance floor at a dizzying pace, spinning circles around Kate and Amber who were laughing out loud watching us.

He twirled me several times, only to end up back in that break-neck, two-stepping pace once again. Now I was giggling to the point of breathlessness, my head spinning from the four shots I’d just downed and my racing pulse. He spun me three more times, and when the song ended, he lowered me into a long dip.

With his arm around my back, I was gently pulled up, our bodies touching from torso all the way down, so that even the tips of our shoes connected. I looked into his face, expecting to see a grin, but was met with a burning look that made my heart stutter and my breath catch. The whiskey on his breath was all I could think of, the heat of his mouth, so close to mine.

Then a sensation folded over me. A soft lethargy, like I was levitating, weightless. My eyes closed, and explosions of purple and blue light flashed behind my eyelids. I relaxed into the feeling.

“Are you okay?” Evan asked. I opened my eyes. He peered down at me, forehead wrinkled with concern. His skin was flushed bright pink.

My lungs began to re-inflate as my entire body tingled like I’d just had the best orgasm of my life.

Had he even kissed me? I licked my lips, but there was no taste of whiskey, no evidence of his mouth on mine. Obviously I’d had one too many shots. And yet, I felt perfectly lucid, his gorgeous face crystal clear before me.

“Uh…I’m fine,” I said, my voice breathy. There had to be an explanation. Like maybe I was losing my mind. Or maybe my fainting spells were starting to happen again, ever since the stressful Skinwalker incident. Whatever it was, right now I had to make sure this perfect specimen of a man in front of me did not think I was a raving lunatic. I forced myself to speak, my mind scrambling for small-talk. “I…I had no idea you could dance like that.”

The concerned look faded, and he flashed his perfect teeth. “Thanks. You’re not too bad, yourself.”

I dropped my hand from around his shoulder and backed up. He let go of me slowly, as if with reluctance.

“Come on. I need a drink,” I said, motioning back to the bar where Amber and Kate had just sat down. We veered toward them.

Evan made eye contact with the bartender who nodded at both of us. “Scotch, on the rocks, please. What are you drinking?”

“I’ll have a Long Island Iced T—”

“Who’s he?” A guy’s voice said, close enough that I cringed from the volume. I whipped around.

Jeff Hansen. Town drunk that never seemed to do much of anything, other than sit in the bar, hit on locals and look pissed off. And boy, did he look pissed off. Emotions rolled off him like jagged pieces of glass, hurt and anger all twisted up into one gigantic ball of irritation.

“He’s cool, Jeff. He’s with me,” I said. My heart started to pound as I remembered the last time Jeff had picked a fight. He’d bitten a guy’s ear and torn part of it right off.

Jeff stared at Evan, his teeth exposed like he was snarling.

“Is he treating you right, Sarah?”

“It’s all good, Jeff,” I said.

“You think you’re pretty tough?” Jeff said through gritted teeth. He stepped forward and poked Evan in the chest. Evan was pushed slightly off-balance, and he took a step backward.

My stomach clenched. “Jeff, I said it’s cool.”

Evan straightened up. He had at least four inches on Jeff and well over thirty pounds. Jeff stepped back, and the sickly-sweet smell of weed came wafting off of his ratty jean jacket.

Evan looked down his nose at Jeff. “Back off, man.” His jaw muscles popped in and out, and his hands balled up at his sides. The only thing Jeff had going for him was a bad attitude and liquid courage.

“Shut up, asshole!” Jeff slurred, a fine mist of spittle burst from his mouth and rained all over us. Jeff turned his head and flashed a snide grin, probably to impress his buddies who watched the spectacle along the sidelines of the bar.

“Jeff, stop it!” I said. Jeff ignored me completely, staring at Evan. I reached for Evan’s hand, wound my fingers through his and tugged. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

Evan nodded, and we strode toward the exterior door. I glanced back to see Jeff running. He ran straight into Evan, knocking him forward.

Evan hit the crash bar of the metal door, his body weight forcing it wide open so that it squeaked when the hinges were pushed to their limit. My heart jumped into my throat as he stumbled and fell onto the cement outside. Immediately, he righted himself and jumped back to his feet.

Jeff smiled, eyes flashing. “I bet that hurt, didn’t it, tough guy?”

I ran toward Jeff. “Stop it! Just leave him alone!”

Jeff smiled at me. “Aww, you’re getting your little bi-otch to fight for you.” Then he turned back to Evan. “Tell you’re ho to shut her pie-hole, or I’ll shut it for her.”

“You’re going to wish you’d never said that,” Evan said, his voice a low, warning growl.

Jeff snorted. “You’re in my town. You’re gonna regret having a mouth.” His arms rose above his head in some kind of attempt to look intimidating, but to me he looked like a bird about to take flight.

“Stop it, Jeff.”

Stepping forward, Jeff hurtled his fist toward Evan’s face but Evan snatched his clenched fist mid-air. I lunged toward them, placing one hand on Evan and the other hand on Jeff’s jacket.

Instantly, the atmosphere around my head changed, filling with static.

The lights above the entryway flickered, humming like dying bees before building into a sizzling pulse. With a bang, the lights exploded in a rainfall of glass shards. I ducked to shield my face.

I opened my eyes and gasped. Jeff lay crumpled on the ground, his torso folded inward, his limbs pulled into a fetal position, moaning as he clutched his stomach. Then his face went slack, and his eyes rolled back into his head. Why was he on the ground? And why did he look like he’d been knocked out cold?

I glanced around, but all I could hear was the retreating sound of footsteps running outside, the parking lot no longer lit up by the overhead light.

“Evan?” I called out.

Silence.

About the Author

Joanne Brothwell lives in the country on the Canadian prairie with her family where her stories are inspired by the dead things that appear at her doorstep on a daily basis.


Website: www.JoanneBrothwell.com
Facebook: Author Joanne Brothwell
Twitter: @JoanneBrothwell

Click Banner To View Tour Schedule And Tourwide Giveaway

There will also be one big giveaway (international as well) of a signed printed copy of Stealing Breath!!  Just click on the banner above to get to that giveaway!

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Excerpt/Giveaway: Stealing Breath by Joanne Brothwell

Stealing Breath

(Stealing Breath #1)

Joanne Brothwell

Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, twenty-one year old Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing-eyed, transparent... creature. Sarah survives, destroying the monster by using mysterious abilities she didn't even know she had. Bloody and bruised, Sarah flees the scene and runs directly into Evan Valente, a handsome, charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But what is Evan doing out in the forest at five in the morning? Turning to a healer, Sarah is shocked to learn her eyes bear the mark of the Indigo Child-an evolved human with the ability to feel the emotions of others. But her indigo aura also makes her an easy target for those who wish to consume her powerful essence. Soon, Sarah is falling deeply in love with Evan and wants nothing more than to follow her heart and trust that he is the man he says he is. But she can't ignore the lingering feeling that Evan is hiding a terrible secret. The deeper she digs, the more danger she faces, leading her on a course that will force her to face the darkest, innermost parts of her soul.

“You saw that Evan guy again?” Amber asked. She sucked the last of her frothy pink drink through a straw. The mischievous look on her face was mirrored in the giddy emotions she gave off, emotions that were always especially loud when she was drinking. They resonated within me like a bouncy ball flying around in my stomach.

I downed another shot of “Sex on the Beach”, hoping it would finally be enough to filter out the emotions of everyone here. Smooth at first, then tart, the booze finally burned its way down the back of my throat. The buzz-on was almost immediate, and the effect was wonderful, the way it almost obliterated all of the sex-obsessed feelings that seemed to roll off of nearly ever patron at the bar like a hot blanket being wound around me. Sick.

We sat at a booth right next to the bar. Amber held her glass up, signaling to the bartender who nodded and began to pour. He bobbed his head to the blaring country music from the loudspeaker.

Tables ringed the bar, booths along the wall and stools on the other side. Every few feet a brightly lit neon beer sign provided a dash of garish décor. Right in the middle was the dance floor, a little postage-stamp sized circle of parquet flooring that reminded me of an interlocking puzzle. Alongside it was a raised section with a few pool tables.

“Yeah, I saw him.” I proceeded to explain his land development business to Amber and Kate, who listened with rapt expressions.

“That’s amazing. Nobody ever comes to Slave Lake. People only leave,” Amber said. Our waitress, dressed in skin-tight jeans and a too-tight tank-top, brought us another

round. Behind her, the giant flat screen on the wall lit up with random explosions of fuchsia, neon yellow and acid green, perfectly paced with the lyrics of the canned music.

Kate sat across from me on the bench seating, her copper hair shimmering pink from the neon “Budweiser” sign and the black light hanging on the wall behind her. Her teeth were glowing an unnatural white in the light, and every piece of lint on her black shirt stood out like a 3D movie.

“How interesting that you both were out in the bush that morning,” Kate said.

I nodded. “I know. Quite a coincidence.”

Amber sat beside Kate in the bench seat, facing the bar. She leaned forward in one fluid motion, her black hair sweeping the table. “Sarah. Look who just walked in.” I turned in my seat. “And he’s coming right over—”

“Mind if I join you?” asked a familiar voice, before I’d even had a chance to look.

I turned and smiled at Evan. “Sure.”

He pulled a stool up to our table, his arms rippling with the movement. His very presence seemed to heat the air around me, his cologne eclipsing the bar smell of dirty jeans, stale beer and desperation.

I glanced at Kate and Amber, who both stared at him, bright-eyed. His dark fitted jeans hugged his legs, the denim slung low across narrow hips. A black t-shirt made of a material I couldn’t identify hinted of the peaks and valleys of muscle beneath and a single silver chain with a dog-tag hung at his neck, a crest emblem engraved on it with the name Valente. This guy would look good in a burlap sack. Or nothing.

“You remember Kate and Amber from the campground?” I asked. They nodded in acknowledgement and exchanged niceties. Then Amber and Kate excused themselves and hit the dance floor. They’d been dancing together since we’d become bar age, both of them with the attitude that they weren’t about to wait around for a guy to ask.

Evan and I watched as they twirled each other around, the only people dancing in the whole bar. Then they attempted to two-step, each of them fighting to lead. Goofballs.

I turned back to Evan. “How are you?”

He flashed that thousand-watt smile. “I’m great. You?” He inched closer and the atmosphere around my head seemed charged, like a swelling electrical storm. A shiver traveled through my body.

“Fine, thanks.” I smiled.

“You look great.” He gestured to my outfit.

I looked down at my jeans and a loose white shirt and glanced back up at him, cocking my eyebrow. “Thanks?”

“What? Not used to compliments?”

“Not when I’m dressed like a slob, no, not really.”

He rolled his eyes. “You look awesome. Seriously. Want to dance?”

I stared at him, half-expecting he was kidding. But his face showed no trace of a joke. I glanced at the dance floor where Kate and Amber had begun to dance hip hop to the country beat.

I turned back to him. He held out his hand, across the table. Reluctantly, I took it and he led me to the dance floor where Amber and Kate made room for us, their expressions barely-muted surprise. People rarely danced in Slave Lake. Except for Amber and Kate, of course.

Evan placed his palm in my right hand and set his other hand on my waist. I glanced up at a set of smoldering eyes and immediately looked away, his gaze too intense. Unfortunately, by looking away, I realized that every single person in the bar was staring at us. Some people, who should have had their backs to us, had actually turned around on their stool to gawk. I felt like a fish in a fishbowl.

Evan leaned down, his breath caressing my cheek. I caught a silky coil of his scent, a rich, musky fragrance of expensive cologne, soap and his own unique smell. It was addictive. The hand on my waist snaked around to my back, pulling me closer. Heat radiated over my entire body as we began to move in slow, gentle circles. When the song came to an end, my arm fell from his shoulder. His hands didn’t move.

“One more?” he asked as the music transitioned to a faster song, modern country with a dance beat. Kate and Amber were already dancing to it in a way that looked more fitting for a city club, Amber’s arms reaching up and over her head, hips swinging. Kate had her own little groove going alongside her.

“Sure,” I said.

He smiled and set his hand back on my waist, and suddenly we were in the fastest two-step I’d ever danced in my life. We moved around the dance floor at a dizzying pace, spinning circles around Kate and Amber who were laughing out loud watching us.

He twirled me several times, only to end up back in that break-neck, two-stepping pace once again. Now I was giggling to the point of breathlessness, my head spinning from the four shots I’d just downed and my racing pulse. He spun me three more times, and when the song ended, he lowered me into a long dip.

With his arm around my back, I was gently pulled up, our bodies touching from torso all the way down, so that even the tips of our shoes connected. I looked into his face, expecting to see a grin, but was met with a burning look that made my heart stutter and my breath catch. The whiskey on his breath was all I could think of, the heat of his mouth, so close to mine.

Then a sensation folded over me. A soft lethargy, like I was levitating, weightless. My eyes closed, and explosions of purple and blue light flashed behind my eyelids. I relaxed into the feeling.

“Are you okay?” Evan asked. I opened my eyes. He peered down at me, forehead wrinkled with concern. His skin was flushed bright pink.

My lungs began to re-inflate as my entire body tingled like I’d just had the best orgasm of my life.

Had he even kissed me? I licked my lips, but there was no taste of whiskey, no evidence of his mouth on mine. Obviously I’d had one too many shots. And yet, I felt perfectly lucid, his gorgeous face crystal clear before me.

“Uh…I’m fine,” I said, my voice breathy. There had to be an explanation. Like maybe I was losing my mind. Or maybe my fainting spells were starting to happen again, ever since the stressful Skinwalker incident. Whatever it was, right now I had to make sure this perfect specimen of a man in front of me did not think I was a raving lunatic. I forced myself to speak, my mind scrambling for small-talk. “I…I had no idea you could dance like that.”

The concerned look faded, and he flashed his perfect teeth. “Thanks. You’re not too bad, yourself.”

I dropped my hand from around his shoulder and backed up. He let go of me slowly, as if with reluctance.

“Come on. I need a drink,” I said, motioning back to the bar where Amber and Kate had just sat down. We veered toward them.

Evan made eye contact with the bartender who nodded at both of us. “Scotch, on the rocks, please. What are you drinking?”

“I’ll have a Long Island Iced T—”

“Who’s he?” A guy’s voice said, close enough that I cringed from the volume. I whipped around.

Jeff Hansen. Town drunk that never seemed to do much of anything, other than sit in the bar, hit on locals and look pissed off. And boy, did he look pissed off. Emotions rolled off him like jagged pieces of glass, hurt and anger all twisted up into one gigantic ball of irritation.

“He’s cool, Jeff. He’s with me,” I said. My heart started to pound as I remembered the last time Jeff had picked a fight. He’d bitten a guy’s ear and torn part of it right off.

Jeff stared at Evan, his teeth exposed like he was snarling.

“Is he treating you right, Sarah?”

“It’s all good, Jeff,” I said.

“You think you’re pretty tough?” Jeff said through gritted teeth. He stepped forward and poked Evan in the chest. Evan was pushed slightly off-balance, and he took a step backward.

My stomach clenched. “Jeff, I said it’s cool.”

Evan straightened up. He had at least four inches on Jeff and well over thirty pounds. Jeff stepped back, and the sickly-sweet smell of weed came wafting off of his ratty jean jacket.

Evan looked down his nose at Jeff. “Back off, man.” His jaw muscles popped in and out, and his hands balled up at his sides. The only thing Jeff had going for him was a bad attitude and liquid courage.

“Shut up, asshole!” Jeff slurred, a fine mist of spittle burst from his mouth and rained all over us. Jeff turned his head and flashed a snide grin, probably to impress his buddies who watched the spectacle along the sidelines of the bar.

“Jeff, stop it!” I said. Jeff ignored me completely, staring at Evan. I reached for Evan’s hand, wound my fingers through his and tugged. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

Evan nodded, and we strode toward the exterior door. I glanced back to see Jeff running. He ran straight into Evan, knocking him forward.

Evan hit the crash bar of the metal door, his body weight forcing it wide open so that it squeaked when the hinges were pushed to their limit. My heart jumped into my throat as he stumbled and fell onto the cement outside. Immediately, he righted himself and jumped back to his feet.

Jeff smiled, eyes flashing. “I bet that hurt, didn’t it, tough guy?”

I ran toward Jeff. “Stop it! Just leave him alone!”

Jeff smiled at me. “Aww, you’re getting your little bi-otch to fight for you.” Then he turned back to Evan. “Tell you’re ho to shut her pie-hole, or I’ll shut it for her.”

“You’re going to wish you’d never said that,” Evan said, his voice a low, warning growl.

Jeff snorted. “You’re in my town. You’re gonna regret having a mouth.” His arms rose above his head in some kind of attempt to look intimidating, but to me he looked like a bird about to take flight.

“Stop it, Jeff.”

Stepping forward, Jeff hurtled his fist toward Evan’s face but Evan snatched his clenched fist mid-air. I lunged toward them, placing one hand on Evan and the other hand on Jeff’s jacket.

Instantly, the atmosphere around my head changed, filling with static.

The lights above the entryway flickered, humming like dying bees before building into a sizzling pulse. With a bang, the lights exploded in a rainfall of glass shards. I ducked to shield my face.

I opened my eyes and gasped. Jeff lay crumpled on the ground, his torso folded inward, his limbs pulled into a fetal position, moaning as he clutched his stomach. Then his face went slack, and his eyes rolled back into his head. Why was he on the ground? And why did he look like he’d been knocked out cold?

I glanced around, but all I could hear was the retreating sound of footsteps running outside, the parking lot no longer lit up by the overhead light.

“Evan?” I called out.

Silence.

About the Author

Joanne Brothwell lives in the country on the Canadian prairie with her family where her stories are inspired by the dead things that appear at her doorstep on a daily basis.


Website: www.JoanneBrothwell.com
Facebook: Author Joanne Brothwell
Twitter: @JoanneBrothwell

Click Banner To View Tour Schedule And Tourwide Giveaway

There will also be one big giveaway (international as well) of a signed printed copy of Stealing Breath!!  Just click on the banner above to get to that giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway