Naomi's Reading Palace

Release Day Blitz/Promo/Excerpt - Resisting Velocity by Trinity Evans and Xoe Xanders

Welcome to my stop on Resisting Velocity book tour which has been brought to you by Bewitching Book Tours. Here you can read a summary of the book, an excerpt and learn a little more about the authors Trinity Evans and Xoe Xanders. Don't forget to visit the other blogs on this tour for more information about this book and the authors.

Title: Resisting Velocity

Author: Trinity Evans and Xoe Xanders

Series: High Velocity #1

Published by Elysium Fields, LLC

Book Description:

As frontman of up-and-coming rock band, High Velocity, werewolf Zane Alexander has everything a man could want: Fame, fortune, friendship, and a pack to call home. Well, almost everything. Despite being able to take his pick of pretty much any woman, he wants the one girl he can’t have—the one girl who’s eluded his every advance.

Charlie Banks has always had a thing for Zane, but being the band’s head of security, she knows firsthand just the sort of guy he is. She’s determined not to become just another notch on his bedpost, but if doesn’t stop the want for a mate curling in her gut. It’ll happen, someday—it just won’t be Zane. She’s decided that it’s time to leave High Velocity, to find a nice little home and settle down to live the rest of her life, away from sexy smiles and ripped bodies of rock stars.

But when someone threatens Zane’s life, she’s the only one he wants to protect him. Except, Zane has a hidden agenda. One that involves claiming Charlie as his mate, once and for all.

Excerpt

Breathing in short, sharp breaths, Zane followed her through the winding corridors of the Richter Stadium, past the women’s bathrooms and down a flight of stairs. He held his breath for a moment as he slid through the remaining security crew. His golden eyes zeroed in on the whipcord lean beauty, a few dark curls coiling down from the sensible bun she always wore it in.

She stopped, hesitating right outside the doors. Two more steps and he’d lose her to the nightlife, his identity keeping him from following her any farther. If fans saw him, his life would become a hurricane of screams and groping hands. He wasn’t in the mood to put on his usual charming-playboy air to deal with them and he knew that going furry on their asses would damage his career.

Now or never. As she stepped out, he lurched forward, his pulse pounding furiously at his throat, and he crossed the floor in three strides. His fingers curled around her shoulders, firm and commanding, though he knew she hated it when he pulled the alpha role. She spun and her lips formed a thin line, as if she’d been expecting this. She’d known. You couldn’t really lie to pack and get away with it.

“Charlie.” The one word was all he could say before her eyes pinned him. They were pale as a sheet of blue ice, staring up at him with a gentle ferocity that she’d only ever reserved for him. He had no doubts that she wanted him—he’d smelled it on her in the past, saw the way she looked at him sometimes, as if she was seeing through to his soul—but she was wary. Guarded. The walls around her heart were made of marble and he was left pounding both fists against the cool stone.

“You can’t leave.” His words were a statement. A fact.

“I can and I am,” she replied coolly.

“What about the guys? What about High Velocity? You’re just going to throw it all away?” He was surprised at the intensity behind his words, but he was far from done. “Are we not paying you enough? There’s always ways around that. How much will it take?”

She blew out a harsh expel of air and glanced down at his hand clamped around her arm, but she didn’t bother to pull away. Her winter gaze met his molten gold once more. “I’ve made my decision, Zane. You need to respect it. There comes a time in everyone’s career where they have to make a choice and take a stand. This is it. I’ve put in my notice, I’ve followed protocol. There shouldn’t be a problem.”

A growl slid up his throat, escaping with a rumble. “I don’t give a damn about protocol. You could flash your tits to the crowd if you wanted and we still wouldn’t fire you. I don’t care. You’re part of our group. And, like it or not, you’re part of the pack. My pack.”

“You and I both know that I’ve never really been part of the pack.” Her voice carried a touch of wistfulness. She was right—she’d always been a bit of a loner, keeping herself estranged from the members of Elysium, try as his parents might to welcome her in. But she’d never been distant with Zane and the guys and he wasn’t about to let that happen. Not now.

“You’re staying.”

She lifted a brow. “Since when are you my master?”

“Since you started talking crazy shit about leaving us!” He tamped his anger back down. He never had a temper. What was up with him? He took a deep breath, letting it whistle out his nose as he tried to soften his posture, tried to be less demanding. “We need you. Okay? I respect your decision to quit, but you don’t have to skip town and leave us. Just stay.” Please…

Her smile was tight. She shook her head slowly, like he just didn’t get it, and pulled free of his grasp. “Goodbye, Zane.”

His mind spun, thoughts bouncing off the walls of his head as he tried to scrape ideas together in a last-minute rush. He needed more time. He needed a damn good reason for her to stay, but damn it, he couldn’t think! She turned around, agonizingly slow, and he could see the muscles in her back through the crispness of her suit.

“Charlie. One last night.” His voice was soft, a plea in the undercurrent that he cursed himself for exposing. She stopped and he moved forward until his chest was pressed against her back, one arm wrapping around her waist. He pulled her against him, her body cupping his perfectly, like it was made for him.

She stiffened, but he didn’t let her go. His arm snug around her, he rubbed his chin lightly across the back of her neck, letting the stubble scrape gently against her skin. He murmured in her ear, using the sexiest voice he could muster. His beautiful-girl voice. “Go for a run with me. Tonight. One run.”

He’d figure something out between then and now. He’d get her back.

About the Authors

Trinity Evans is an upbeat, slightly off-color author with a wild imagination and a taste for the eclectic. Born and raised in a small-town Americana, she loves the lighter and fluffier side of life with some paranormal spice thrown in. She definitely enjoys the more comical side of relationships. She adores hearing from fans and you can find her at http://trinityevans.wordpress.com./

Xoe Xanders is a quirky small-town punk princess whose ideas range from dark and dangerous to light and fluffy. She enjoys writing in the vein of paranormal, fantasy, and soft sci-fi, all of it with a romantic edge. She believes that love is love—no matter what gender, race, or color—and writes both straight and LBGT romance. Wanna stalk her? You can find her site at xoexanders.wordpress.com

Trinity Evans Web/Blog: http://trinityevans.wordpress.com/

Xoe Xanders Web/Blog: http://xoexanders.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @xoexanders

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Stacking the Shelves/Sunday Post #8

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews. It is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

First of all I wanted to announce the winner of my Cry Sanctuary by Sadie Hart. The lucky winner is:

Holly H

This week I browsed the Top 100 free list at Amazon to see what was available and picked up some great books!! Check them out!!

(All links go to Amazon)

Darkness Awakened by Stephanie Rowe

Darkness Falls by Jessica Sorenson

Daryk Hunter by Denise Agnew

Hide ‘N Go Seek by Dale Mayer and Pat Thomas

Marked by Elisabeth Naughton

Mortal Obligation by Nichole Chase

That’s it for Stacking the Shelves this week, what did you get?

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news and to post a recap of the past week on your blog, showcase some books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up in your blog for the week ahead.

This past week on the blog I shared:

Monday- Tour/Review: Rogue’s Pawn by Jeffe Kennedy

Tuesday- Promo/Excerpt Giveaway: Affinity by Mary E Merrell

Wednesday- Tour/Excerpt/Giveaway: Hyde by Lauren Stewart

Waiting On Wednesday #11 - Omega by Susannah Sandlin

Thursday- Tour/Review: Dead Radiance by T.G. Ayer

Swoon Thursday #13 – Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Friday- Review: Blood Purple by Ashley Nemer

Saturday- Guest Post: Forged by Greed by Angela Orlowski Peart

This week there will be:

Monday- Release Day Blitz - Resisting Velocity by Trinity Evans and Zoe Xanders

Tuesday- Tour/Promo/Review - Hidden Salem by Kiki Howell

Tour/Promo/Excerpt - Pure and Sinful by Killan McRae

Wednesday- Tour/Review/Interview – Stitch by Samantha Durante

Thursday- Review/Excerpt/Giveaway - Determinant by A.M. Hargrove

Friday- Promo/Review/Giveaway - Hands On Me by Kim Carmichael

Saturday- Reviews for Madly AND Madly and Wolfhardt by Michelle Leighton

I am also running some competitions to win some eBooks, check them out!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What did you receive this week? What’s happening in your neck of the woods? I’d love to know!!

Guest Post/Promo - Forged By Greed by Angela Orlowski Peart

Welcome to my stop on the Forged By Greed book tour which has been brought to you by Bewitching Book Tours. Here you can read a summary of the book and learn a little more about the author Angela Orlowski Peart. Angela has also written a post for us today, 12 Steps to a Positive Attitude! Don't forget to visit the other blogs on this tour for more information about this book and the author.

Title: Forged By Greed

Author: Angela Orlowski Peart

Series: The Forged Series #1

Publisher: Three Graces Publishing

Published: September 20^th 2012

Book Description

Their choice had been taken away long before they were born.

Two Seattle 16-year-old Shape Shifters, Jatred and Jasmira, are torn between following their hearts and protecting the order of the world. The path of the star-crossed lovers leads only to destruction.

The ancient Shape Shifter Races—the Winter wolves and the Summer leopards— live among humans and fit perfectly into modern life, while keeping secret societies with their own laws and traditions.

Two Goddesses, Crystal and Amber command their respective Races. One is on a quest to tilt the scale of power to her side. The other will never let it happen, even if it means sacrificing Jatred and Jasmira’s love.

The Amulet commissioned to bring stability into the world remains hidden and concealed with the help of advanced technology. Jatred is the guardian of the Amulet and key to the Goddesses’ conflict.

When the forces of nature are disrupted, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions rake the world. The Goddesses go to war and summon all their Shifters to join in the conflict. Jatred and Jasmira must fight not only for their love but to protect the future of both Races and humankind

Guest Post

Angela Orlowski-Peart

12 SIMPLE TIPS TO A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

This post was inspired by one of my good friends. Several times in the past she praised me on dealing well with stress. Recently she wondered what I do when things don't go my way; how do I keep my upbeat, positive attitude.

"You always know what to do and you always seem okay. How the heck do you do that?" she asked. And I thought, "Well... erm... how do I do that?"

So I sat down, pen and notebook in hand, and came up with 12 things I do to keep the beast at bay.

Here is how:

1. Smile: a smile can ease out others' anxieties and insecurities. People naturally gravitate toward the smiling, happy individuals. When you make people around you feel comfortable, they, in return, make you feel appreciated, and thus happy.

2. Pick your battles. Regardless of the situation, not everything is worth a fight. You don't have to be right all the time. Seriously, realizing that will be a relief for you and those around you.

3. Be honest, be yourself, don't try too hard to fit, or to please everyone around you. Nobody is perfect but those who pose as such don't come across as honest and friendly, that's why they drive potential friends away. And then they feel unhappy, lonely and misunderstood.

4. Don't fret over small things. A simple solution is often available to everything. But if something bothers you a lot and you can't seem to deal with it, try setting that problem aside for later. Think it over before acting. A good solution might present itself when the problem sinks in.

5. If you face a tough problem, talk with others about it. Maybe you blow things out of proportion and make yourself believe that things are worse than they in fact are. Friends, family and sometimes even strangers often let us see things in a new perspective.

6. When you can't resolve a problem, go to sleep. Think about a solution when you are rested.

7. If you struggle and can't find a solution to a problem, write it down, and then put the paper away for an hour, or a day. Read it out loud to yourself while relaxing in a bath, or in a comfortable chair with a bowl of a comfort food in hand.

8. If that problem can wait a bit longer, write a letter to yourself, as if it was meant for a friend, and then mail it to yourself. When you receive it back, open it and read it out loud (see #7).

9. Don't deal with stress-induced situations on an empty stomach. Have a healthy, protein-filled meal, or at least a small snack before you take action.

10. If you feel sad, depressed or stressed out, try a piece of chocolate (and not a whole bar!). The endorphins in chocolate do wonders for my mood.

11. Speaking of endorphins—exercise is probably the best way to quickly release those to your blood stream. So get going!

12. For best results, withdraw yourself from a stressful situation as soon as possible, even if it is just for a few moments. Let yourself calm down—you will see things in a more positive manner.

How do you deal with stress, disappointment, or depression? Do you keep it all inside, or do you explode when the stress level gets too high? Are you an easy-going person or a highly stressed individual? Or maybe you are somewhere in-between?

About the Author

Angela Orlowski-Peart was born and raised in Poland. She describes herself as “European born, American by choice”. She was just seven-years-old when she decided to learn English to translate her favorite Polish fairytales.

Angela is a Young Adult fiction writer. She completed her first YA paranormal romance novel, Forged by Greed, which is scheduled for publication on September 20, 2012. It is the first book in The Forged Series. Angela writes in multiple genres, including paranormal, fantasy, urban fiction, sci-fi, and short stories. She is a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Western Washington Chapter (http://www.scbwi.org), and several authors’ and readers’ networking groups on Linkedin and Goodreads.

Angela loves reading good books almost as much as writing them. She can’t decide which is her favorite season—summer or fall. She speaks with Polish accent, but loves listening to the Southern drawl.

She is passionate about watercolor painting, fashion—especially stilettos, rock climbing, environment, and organic food and gardening. She lives in the Seattle area with her husband, two children, and a very independent and chronically curious cat.

Angela can be found online at:

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Thank you Angela for being at Nomi’s Paranormal Palace today! So what did you think of her post? Such simple steps can make us more positive about ourselves.

Review: Blood Purple by Ashley Nemer

Title: Blood Purple

Author: Ashley Nemer

Publisher: XOXO Publishing

Published: September 25^th 2012

Book Description

In a world we think we know, live other races entirely hidden from the mortal perspective. Creatures of legend, of fable and myth, their very history and nature have allowed them to walk side by side with humans since time immemorial. They are warriors, they are hunters, and they are Algula. Vampire. And in their own midst, a battle is brewing for supremacy, for dominance, that can and will affect all around them. Old hatred never dies and vengeance is a fiery sword that cuts a bloody swath.

My Review

This was a fabulous start to the series. We have a mix of paranormal/romance with a bit of an ancient twist as the story prologue starts with a feud between immortals centuries ago. As we move into the modern day, the feud continues but with some new players. It's fun, graphic and has a touch of romance too.

Nikole and Zayn are siblings and Zayn is the current King of the Algula (Vampires). They are currently in hiding from Haydar, who is their Uncle, and the person who began the war over a millennium ago. He wants to rule the Algula and will use anyone and anything within his power to obtain his objective.

Nikole's greatest desire is to be able to join the Algula army so she can fight alongside her brother Zayn. She is put to the test, but she lets her guard down. To escape the lectures of her brother she ventures out to the local night club to meet her best friend Adara, where they meet some guys who aren't exactly who they appear to be.

I really like Nikole, she may be a Princess but she has a warrior’s heart and a very strong personality. She doesn't crack under pressure and she is able to push Zayns buttons. They are very close siblings and Zayn just wants to protect his sister.

Zayn wasn't as dominating as I hoped, but at the conclusion of the book, things are going to change! He has a confident exterior but when he's behind closed doors his emotions are able to escape. He has been ruling his people for so long that he always puts others before himself. I don't think he has really done anything for his own pleasure. But even during a crisis the King needs to find someone for support.

There are a few Villains in the book, some of which have some serious physiological issues, and some of the things that they do are a little disturbing, but they give great depth to the story. To see the inner workings of their minds and some of the hardships they have had to deal with enables us to see why they have become that way.

I found that Ashley Nemer has a fabulous writing style. Even though we are in the present day, she often takes us back into the past and shows us glimpses of some of the characters lives. There are some steamy bedroom scenes, but there is also torture and murder too! Not everything can be black and white; loyalties change, new relationships are developed and some friendships are challenged. So basically to sum it up, some nasty things happen, crap hits the fans all over the place and War maybe coming. Things are going to be interesting in the next book.

Purchase Links

Amazon / All Romance / Book Strand / XOXO Publishing

Author Bio

Ashley was born in Wichita, Kansas. She is the eldest of three. She has two brothers who she completely adores and who were the inspiration for her Alpha Lead Zayn. She has always enjoyed writing and using her creativity. This started at a young age in Kansas City, Missouri when her brother Ryan and her would take scraps of wood and paint different pictures on them. Eventually when her articulation of feelings and emotions gained depth she started writing Original Oratory while attending Clear Brook High School.

Ashley’s first novel, Blood Purple is based on Algula vampires who dwelled in the Middle East and were forced from their home. The idea for this series spurred from one evening of Ashley researching her nationality after talking with her Aunt Pam about where her family originated. She and one of her friends did research on the folklore of that part of the world and found there was very little information about the paranormal genre and how it tied into the Middle East. Ashley took this idea and ran with it.

Ashley is married and lives in Houston with her husband Tony. They have two dogs named Toto and Doogie. They have been together for almost 8 years and he brings her more joy than she could ever imagine as a child. She loves to read and has been hooked on the romance genre ever since her lifelong best friend Laura gave her "Ashes to Ashes' by Tami Hoag to read when they were younger.

Ashley finds her strength through her family, especially her parents. They always support her in life, they push her to strive for greatness. There once was a motto that Ashley heard in her youth through her Taekwondo life 'Reach for the Stars' and that is what Ashley has always done. It was through her upbringing that the values Ashley has and display's came from. With her Parents always cheering her on in life she was able to grow up having faith in herself and her ability to conquer the world.

You can stalk Ashley online at:

Feature & Follow #10

Feature & Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. The purpose is to meet new people and gain more followers in the book blogging community. If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers — but you have to know — the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

Here’s this week’s question:

What writing device or trick most irritates you when reading a book? For example, if an author employs an omnipotent narrator that is sometimes considered bad form.

I am currently reading a book that has irritated me a little. In the beginning of the book, the girl has had one of the worst childhood’s I’ve ever read about. She is so smart she finished high school two years early, she was even the Valedictorian. But her parents were so cruel to her that she has low self-esteem and trust issues. I shed a tear for her a few times.

But now that she met the boy, she has done a complete 180 and is a total different person, but I think she did it way too quickly. For someone to endure what she has would take some time to trust someone, but she has done it in a matter of days, and I found it a bit unbelievable.

What do you think?

What's your FF?

To play along visit Parajunkee & Alison Can Read.

Follow them, follow their Featured Blogs and then visit as many blogs as you can, posting your answer.

And don't forget to leave your link in the comments section below!

Tour/Review/Giveaway - Dead Radiance by T.G. Ayer

Welcome to my stop on the Dead Radiance book tour which has been brought to you by Innovative Online Book Tours. Here you can read a summary of the book, my review and learn a little more about the author T.G. Ayer. There is also a Tour wide giveaway, so please enter!! Don't forget to visit the other blogs on this tour for more information about this book and the author.

Title: Dead Radiance

Author: T.G. Ayer

Series: Valkyrie #1

Publisher: Evolved Publishing

Published: February 25^th 2012

Blurb

"That day I knew for sure. I'd lost control of my tears then. They fell in huge, mocking drops. I stared at Joshua through those bitter tears, my heart missing beats as I tried to remember to breathe.

I finally knew what the glow meant.

I was a freak and Joshua was going to die."

Bryn Halbrook had always seen the glow. But it is only when her best friend dies that she discovers the meaning of those beautiful golden auras - Death. Alone, lost in the foster system, she struggles to understand who she is and why she was cursed with the ability to see the soon-to-be-dead.

The new foster kid, Aidan, isn't helping any. Mr. Perfect seems to fit in no matter what, making her feel even more pathetic. But when his affections turn to her, Bryn finds him hard to resist. Impossible actually. A mystery himself, Aidan disappears, leaving behind a broken heart and a mysterious book that suggests Bryn might not be entirely human.

Bryn stands at the threshold of a journey of discovery. Will destiny help her find herself, find her purpose and her place in a world in which she'd never belonged?

My Review

I have been reading a few books involving Mythology lately and have enjoyed every single one! Each time I read one, they seem to get better! So it comes as no surprise that I really enjoyed this one too. Although when you first begin reading Dead Radiance, it doesn’t have the mythology connection from the very start; it grows into it as the story evolves. T.G. Ayer has done a beautiful job at writing Bryn’s story and I was able to connect with the characters easily.

Bryn hasn’t had the greatest upbringing, her father died when she was 13 and has been shuffled around foster homes for the past 4 years. She has finally settled in a nice home and has been able to connect with her new foster mother and the other three foster kids that live there too. She has never had friends as she has always been the freak girl, but at her new school she meets Joshua and they kick it off straight away. There are no ulterior motives behind their friendship, just bonding at its best.

Bryn is struggling with her own emotions when the new foster kid Aidan rocks in on his Ducati. Not only does he fit in at home, but he hits it off at the school and isn’t labelled a freak like her. He doesn’t seem to fit the ‘foster kid’ mould. But there is something about him that Bryn finds attractive but she tries her best to dislike him. Biker dude is mysterious, smart, hot and looks like he has money to burn.

I didn’t even get a quarter of the way into the book and my heart shattered twice, along with Bryn’s. She has to deal with some traumatic issues and she has no support other than her foster mother. As if her life hasn’t been hard enough. But she has to move on and continue as normal, the best she can.

She returns home from school one day and that is when her life changes forever and the fun begins!! There are many twists within the storyline...again, and my heart shattered one more time!! It was fantastic to watch Bryn grow and become a more confident person/valkyrie, especially after she is sent out on a mission of her own.

Dead Radiance was a marvellous story. The characters were fantastic and I was able to imagine the surroundings as it was detailed perfectly. However, the story is not over and it will be interesting to see how Bryn deals with everything. It is only the beginning and I think bigger things will be install for us in the future!!

Buy Now Links

About the Author

I have been a writer from the time I was old enough to recognize that reading was a doorway into my imagination. Poetry was my first foray into the art of the written word. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am essentially a recluse but this part of my personality is impossible to practice given I have two teenage daughters, who are actually my friends, my tea-makers, my confidantes… I am blessed with a husband who has left me for golf. It’s a fair trade as I have left him for writing. We are both passionate supporters of each other's loves – it works wonderfully…

My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in South Africa where my old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. My love for Ma Afrika will never fade. The other half of me has been transplanted to the Land of the Long White Cloud. The land of the Taniwha, beautiful Maraes, and volcanoes. The land of green, pure beauty that truly inspires. And because I am so torn between these two lands – I shall forever remain cross-eyed.

You can stalk T.G.Ayer online at:

www.facebook.com/TGAyerAuthor

twitter.com/#!/TGAyerAuthor

tgayer.wordpress.com

www.goodreads.com/author/show/5726831.T_G_Ayer

www.shelfari.com/tgayerauthor

amzn.to/QECLcY

Giveaway

There is a tour wide giveaway running and up for grabs is a Signed Print book, 4 eBooks, signed swag and a necklace! The Giveaway is open to International entries!!

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