Spotted Book Blitz for Under My Skin by Laura Diamond with Giveaway

I am excited to be part of this book blitz, the minute that I read the synopsis for this book I knew that I wanted to devour this book instantly. It's an emotionally charged, contemporary romance that will give you ALL THE FEELS and SWOONS. From the few reviews that I've read for this book, the author does a beautiful job of illustrating life and death and the fact that everything can change within the span of a heartbeat. It's a gorgeously compelling contemporary romance that will lift you up and weigh you down with all of the painful baggage that comes along with the affliction Adam faces on a daily basis. 

If you're looking for a book that will stay with you long after you've turned the page, then I suggest picking up a copy of Under My Skin by the beautifully talented Laura Diamond. If you'd like to know more about it and get a feel for how it reads, then continue reading this post, because Laura Diamond has generously provided an excerpt for you to read and there is also a giveaway going on.

Happy Reading!

Under My Skin
Laura Diamond

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Published: 04/12/16

Genres: YA Contemp

Bookish Brit Adam Gibson is one wonky heartbeat away from a fatal arrhythmia. But staying alive requires Adam to become keenly focused on both his pulse and the many different daily medications he must take in exactly the right dosages. Adam’s torn between wanting to live and knowing that someone else must die in order for him to do so. He needs a new heart.

The pressure is getting to him. Adam stops talking to his friends back home, refuses to meet kids at his new school, and shuts his parents out entirely. His days are spent wondering if can cope with having a dead man’s heart beating inside his chest, or if he should surrender to the thoughts of suicide swirling around in his head.

And then a donor is found…

Outspoken artist Darby Fox rarely lets anything stand in her way of achieving her goals . Whether it’s painting, ignoring her homework (dyslexia makes a mess out of words anyway), kissing a hot boy she doesn’t even know, or taking the head cheerleader down a peg , no one has ever accused Darby of being a shy. She also happens to be the twin sister to a perfect brother with good looks, good grades, manners, and the approval of their parents – something Darby has never had.

Darby’s always had bad timing . She picks the worst time to argue with her brother Daniel. In a car with bald tires, on an icy road in the freezing cold, the unthinkable happens. In a split-second, everything changes forever.

Goodreads * Amazon * B&N

EXCERPT:

ADAM:

Best to get it over with now. I type: I had the thought today.

I click send.

For a few seconds, I watch the screen, waiting for her to reply. I can’t expect Dr. Shaw to be right there to answer me. She’s probably in session with someone.

A group of students pass by, chattering and laughing, light at bubbles. They halt at the curb to wait for the light to change. They’re all wearing NYU sweatshirts and carrying messenger bags or laptops with silkscreen logos about “being green” and “tolerant of diversity.” Adventurers embarking on the quest known as Life. What it must be like to have a whole lifetime to look forward to, no dead end staring back at you.

My mobile buzzes.

It’s Dr. Shaw. Tell me the exact thought and context.

I had a flutter. After, I saw Mum and Dad. Their backs were turned to me and I thought: They’d be happier without me. They’ll be fine after I’m dead. I click send and try to ignore the gnawing pit in my stomach. My message seems dramatic now that I’ve sent it off for her to scrutinize. It was better left unsaid.

A bubble with three dots surfaces at the bottom of my screen. She’s typing right now. I suck in a dry, exhaust laden breath.

She replies: What evidence do you have that they’ll be happy?

That was simple. They were laughing.

Your death will be devastating to them.

My heart twinges a bit. Will be? Does she somehow know I won’t make it until I find a donor? Maybe the surgeon told her I’m not a candidate. I blink and re-read her statement. No, I’m over-reacting. She’s just countering my argument with logic. It’s her style to challenge me with the opposite idea so I’ll find the reality somewhere between. Still, I’m not ready to admit she’s right. Mum and Dad don’t need me dragging them down. I text, Yes, but they’ll be alright.

Of course they will. Life goes on.

Dr. Shaw is unrelenting in her approach. So different from Mum who tries to comfort me with delusional happy thoughts.

Right. And I’m such a burden on them now.

Whatever you think they’re sacrificing is nothing compared to how much you mean to them.

I’m tired of waiting for my heart to stop.

Do you want it to stop? You won’t suffer anymore.

About the Author

Laura Diamond is a board certified psychiatrist currently specializing in emergency psychiatry. She is also an author of all things young adult—both contemporary and paranormal. An avid fan of sci-fi, fantasy, and anything magical, she thrives on quirk, her lucid dreams, and coffee. When she’s not working or writing, she can be found sniffing books and drinking a latte at the bookstore or at home pondering renovations on her 225 year old fixer upper, all while obeying her feline overlords, of course.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter

AWESOME GIVEAWAY IS AWESOME!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by:

Spotted: #AWTeen Twitter Chat Happening April 6th at 8pm CST

Join 10 YA authors from AW Teen on Wednesday, April 6th at 8 pm CST for a Twitter chat and giveaway! You can tweet your questions and follow along using the hashtag #AWTeen.

I'm really excited to share some new happenings in the bookish world lately, on April 6th (next Wednedsay) don't forget to mark your calendars for an awesome Twitter Chat that's going to be taking place with 10 different YA author's. They'll be talking and chatting about their upcoming books to be released, there's going to be a giveaway where 5 lucky participants will be winning an AW book of their choice, and so much more. 

I have to say that after looking at all of these books and reading through their fantastic premises, the ones that I'm the most looking forward to are Girl Last Seen (because I absolutely love anything Anne Greenwood Brown writes), South of Sunshine, Biggie (because I feel like there is a big need for more books like these in the YA market), and Hurricane Kiss because that's so my jam! 

Really, though! I'm just so excited for all of them and can't wait to read them. Take a look through the list and tell in the comments below if you're looking forward to any of these books and why. :)

Happy Reading!

Authors:

Susan Moger (@SusanMoger), Of Better Blood (2/1) 

Anne Greenwood Brown (@AnneGBrown), Girl Last Seen (3/1)

Heather Anastasiu (@h_anastasiu), Girl Last Seen (3/1)

Laura Hurwitz (@hurwitzlaura), Disappear Home (paperback 3/1) 

Amy Allgeyer (@amy7a), Dig Too Deep (4/1)

Elizabeth Briggs (@lizwrites), Future Shock (4/1)

Dana Elmendorf (@DanaElmendorf), South of Sunshine (4/1)

S.A. Harazin (@SAHarazin), Painless (paperback 5/1)

Derek E. Sullivan (@DerekESullivan), Biggie (paperback 5/1)

Deborah Blumenthal (@deborahblu), Hurricane Kiss (5/1)

Prize: 5 participants will be randomly selected to receive an AW Teen book of their choice!

Hope to see you there!

Blog Tour & Book Review: Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley

Worlds of Ink and Shadow

Lena Coakley

Published: January 5, 2016

Publisher: Amulet Books

Pages: 352

Age Demographic: Young Adult

Amazon | B&N

Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been inseparable. After all, nothing can bond four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage out on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Gondal. But at what price? As Branwell begins to slip into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as their characters—the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna—refuse to let them go.

Gorgeously written and based on the Brontës’ juvenilia, Worlds of Ink & Shadow brings to life one of history’s most celebrated literary families. 

Book Review

Worlds of Ink and Shadow, is one of the most originally gripping and compelling historical fantasy novels that I've read in a while. I was absolutely floored at how beautifully crafted the fantasy world was created, it was so incredibly stunning that it left me almost breathless. Lena Coakely never ceases to amaze me with her brilliant imaginative storytelling narrations and the sheer beauty of life that she breathes into her characters. My love for the Bronte sister's knows no bounds and to see how well she wove this story together, was such a wonderful note to end the year on. There's such a genuinely magical feel to this book, that I found the moments passing during the time I was reading it will likely not be forgotten any time soon. It will always have a special place in not only my heart, but on my bookshelf as well. 

I feel very lucky and fortunate to have been able to read an advanced copy of this book, as it's just one of those books that becomes so meaningful and somehow starts to shape the way you feel about literature in general and the way you view the world and the people in it around you. I can't recall where I've read this before, but I almost feel certain that I've heard stories told about the Bronte siblings writing to escape the darkness of their own harsh realities they each had to face either together or on their own. Whispers of escaping into their own rich, dark, and intriguing fantasy worlds like Verdopolis (the very one that Lena Coakely explores in Worlds of Ink and Shadow) and other's such as, Gondal, Angria, etc. The depth of inspiration drawn from such dark realties and experiences from the lives of the Bronte siblings, is wonderfully compelling and such a magical part of why I love this book so much. Even though, it's still considered fiction, the way Coakley wove this gorgeous and breathtaking  tale together, pulled at my heartstrings in such a way that it will probably be one of my most memorable reads for a long time to come. 

It was so amazing to see how Charlotte, Emily, Branwell, and Anne so easily crossed over between the worlds of reality and fantasy and immersed themselves into their own creations becoming different and sometimes better versions of themselves. It was just a richly beautiful and vastly different and unique world that was so creatively brought to life by Coakely in such a memorable and enjoyable way. She masterfully weaves the realities of their real world and creative fantasy lands together in such a way that it comes to life so big and so gorgeously on the pages. Dark and beguiling, Worlds of Ink and Shadow, encompasses a dark and deep outlook on their lives and illustrates their adventures and passion for writing in such a way that it ignites and comes to life so beautifully. 

If you are looking for a book that possesses magic and creativity and you are fascinated by the Bronte siblings juvenilia then this is the book that will have you transfixed until the last page. I was absolutely transfixed from start to finish, captivated by this gorgeous book of fantasy tales and reality bent to desire.

And now for the giveaway...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Lena Coakley was born in Milford, Connecticut and grew up on Long Island. 

In High School, Creative Writing was the only course she ever failed (nothing was ever good enough to hand in!), but, undeterred, she went on to study writing at Sarah Lawrence College. 

She lives in Toronto, Canada. Witchlanders is her debut novel.

Blog Tour & Author Interview: Truest by Jackie Lee Sommers

"Rescue wears masks, you know. It's why people say it's darkest before the dawn."

*Truest ;; Jackie Lee Sommers*

I'm excited to be a part of this blog tour, for such a compelling, raw, and realistic young adult contemporary romance novel. Jackie Lee Sommers completely puts me away, with the bare bones of this story, the twist thrown towards the end, and the breaking of stereotypes all too commonly associated with young adult literature. I'm lucky to have her with me on the blog today, sharing some insight into what she would love to see more of in YA novels, more on the characters and the concept behind Truest and why she wrote it, and just general things to share. 

But first, I'd love to share a little bit more about the book with you guys. 

Truest
Jackie Lea Sommers
Published: September 1. 2015
Age Demographic: YA Contemporary
Pages: 384

Silas Hart has seriously shaken up Westlin Beck's small-town life. 

Brand new to town, Silas is different than the guys in Green Lake. He's curious, poetic, philosophical, maddening-- and really, really cute. 

But Silas has a sister-- and she has a secret. 

And West has a boyfriend. 

And life in Green Lake is about to change forever.

Truest is a stunning, addictive debut. Romantic, fun, tender, and satisfying, it asks as many questions as it answers.

To purchase Truest by Jackie Lea Sommers please visit:

Amazon * Barnes&Noble

An Interview with the Author

Jackie Lea Sommers

Hi Jackie, thank you for joining me today on the blog, it's nice to have you here. I'm really excited about reading your debut YA novel, Truest. From the synopsis alone, there's an air of mystery to this tender romance novel that has definitely gripped me, can you talk a little bit about that without giving too much of it away?

Thank you for having me here! Yes, while this book has a lot of sweet romance between Westlin, the pastor’s daughter, and Silas, the new guy in town, the mystery in the book surrounds Laurel, Silas’s twin sister, who is battling against a little-known mental disorder. All three teens try to help one another with their individual struggles, but the summer still surprises them.

I know with some authors, they draw inspiration and feeling from personal events and various moments of their lives, was there anything in particular that motivated you when you were writing Truest?

Yes, actually! The mental disorder that Laurel is facing is one that I’ve dealt with at various times in my own life, though at those times, I never knew it had a name. When I learned its name, I knew I would write about it eventually.

It seems that with YA fiction all of those tropes and cliches seem to come along, if there were anything that you could change about the genre or explore more of within the genre what would it be and where would you like to see YA within the next three to five years?

Wow, this is an amazing, deep question! I hope my answer is duly thoughtful. What would I like to see YA look like five years from now? I’d love to see YA fiction continue to embrace the realistic contemporary path. I once read this quote from a fantasy author who said that fantasy literature was exciting and magical and full of color and victory cries, and then he compared real life to paying taxes and white walls and the buzz of the lawnmower. And I just found that quote so faulty. I think that real life has so much magic in it-- and that’s why I love to write realistic contemporary YA, to show that. There are already so many tremendous authors writing contemp in ways that are literary and magical; in five years, I hope there’s even more.

Getting back to the book, Truest, I have just a fun little question for you. If the rights to Truest were ever optioned to become a feature adaptation film and you had the chance to cast the the two main roles in it, who would you choose and why would you chose them?

West would be Emma Watson BECAUSE EMMA WATSON.
Silas would be Grant Gustin from The Flash. He’s tall and cute and a runner. ;-)
Laurel would be played by Elizabeth Olsen; I look at that actress and see Laurel.

Since Truest is your debut novel into the YA market, what have you learned or experience that you think might be helpful to another author that might just be starting out?

I’ve learned just how much work it is, even post-book deal. I guess I had once assumed that all the hard work came before getting the contact, and then after that would be mostly gravy. I couldn’t have been more wrong! The book deal was the starting line to another year of tremendously hard work on Truest. I’m so grateful to my incredible editor at HarperCollins; she pushes me past my own boundaries in such beautiful, thoughtful, brilliant ways. I am so proud of her and so delighted I get to work with her again on my next novel.

Thank you, so much for being on the blog with me today Jackie, I really do appreciate you dropping by and sharing your thoughts and insights into the world of YA and what it's like writing a book for the first time and putting it out there. Is there anything else that you would like to say?


Truest is a labor of love, and the characters you’ll encounter are so real and dear to me. I hope you’ll fall in love with them too.

Spotted: A Super Awesome Giveaway

One signed and annotated hardcover of Truest

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Jackie Lea Sommers lives and loves and writes in Minnesota, where the people are nice and the Os are long. She is the 2013 winner of the Katherine Paterson Prize. 

She dislikes OCD, horcruxes, and Minnesota winters. She likes book boyfriends, cranky teenagers, and Minnesota springs. 

Truest is her first novel.

Don't forget to visit Jackie on Goodreads.

#Friday Reveal: Rise (The Order of the Krigers #1) by Jennifer Anne Davis

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are revealing the cover for

Rise (The Order of the Krigers #1)
by Jennifer Anne Davis 

an upcoming Month9Books Title!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

The people of Nelebek live in fear of persecution from the evil Morlet, who reigns with a dark and destructive magic. The kingdom’s only hope lies with the Order of the Krigers—twelve warriors with mysterious powers linked to magical weapons.

For over a century, Morlet has been annihilating the Order, picking them off one by one. Eleven Krigers have been hunted down, tortured, and imprisoned in his dungeon. Now, only one remains.

Sixteen-year-old Kaia survives by keeping her head down and minding her own business. But when she finds herself in the middle of a public execution where the mysterious Morlet is in attendance, an odd compulsion she can’t resist comes over her.

Kaia looks into Morlet’s eyes.

Soon, an ancient power awakens and Kaia can no more blend into the scenery. Will she heed the call of the Krigers or will Morlet’s dark magic destroy the last of the Order?

Fans of GRACELING and THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS will enjoy RISE, book one in the RISE OF THE KRIGERS series from international bestselling author Jennifer Anne Davis.

Rise (The Order of the Krigers #1)
by Jennifer Anne Davis
Publication Date: May 17, 2016
Publisher: Month9Books

Available for Pre-Order:
AMAZON

  

About the Author

Jennifer Anne Davis graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. Afterwards, she married her best friend and high school sweetheart. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three young children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids' creativity.

Connect with the Author: 

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Tumblr * Pinterest * Instagram * YouTube

Complete the Rafflecopter for a chance to win!

Title will be sent upon it's release.

 GIVEAWAY: 

MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz+Giveaway: The Secrets We Keep by Lily Velez

I'm excited to be sharing The Secrets We Kept by the lovely Lily Velez on the blog today. It's an incredibly sweet and endearing Young Adult contemporary romance that will pull at your heartstrings and leave you with ALL THE FEELINGS. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this book in the coming year and sink into it. I have a feeling that I'm absolutely going to fall in love with the beautifully broken yet strong Cadence and Sully. I am such a sucker for those childhood sweetheart romance stories and I think this book has ALL OF THAT and SO MUCH MORE!

Just the excerpt alone, has me vying for this book and this couple! Also, don't forget to stick around and enter the giveaway. It's filled with some pretty amazing prizes. 

The Secrets We Kept

Lily Velez

Published: November 8th 2015

Genres: YA Contemporary

One year. That’s how long it’s been since childhood sweethearts Sully Graham and Cadence Gilbertson broke up, since one adoption and one out-of-state move turned their worlds upside down.

Suddenly, Cadence is back in New York City, but something’s different about her. The light in her eyes, the music in her laughter, the warmth in her smile—all of those things have entirely vanished. In their place stand the makings of a girl Sully can’t even begin to recognize, much less understand.

Still, despite the collective history of heartbreak between them, he’s convinced he can win her trust again, and he’s committed to proving the invincibility of their love no matter what it takes.

But Cadence is quietly harboring secrets of her own. Dark secrets. Ugly secrets. Secrets that could break a person. And though broken herself and unbearably lonely, she’s determined to protect Sully from her terrible, biting truths. Even if it means locking him out of her life forever.

The only problem is it seems her heart hasn’t quite received the memo. One glimpse of him is all it takes for her to trip into familiar (and, she’ll admit, addictive) feelings that threaten to all but consume her. Now her biggest fear is that her secrets will begin to slowly unravel one by one…long before Sully’s resolve ever does.

The Secrets We Kept is a moving story about first love, friendship, and forgiveness, and the enduring bonds that forever connect us and give us our strength.

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Excerpt from The Secrets We Keep
by Lily Velez

Sully still remembered the first time that he saw Cadence. It was a sweltering summer that year. Push-cart ice cream vendors roamed the neighborhood blocks like soldiers on patrol, circling playgrounds and community swimming pools. It was common to see people pop open fire hydrants like champagne bottles, children dancing in the shoots of water as miniature rainbows reflected off the asphalt.

Sully and his brother, twelve and ten years old at the time, were living with the Petersons back then along with a tribe of foster siblings. Ol’ Man Peterson was a Vietnam vet with PTSD and a short-fuse temper that exploded so quickly, it was like his personality had a gas leak. Usually, maintaining a thirty-foot distance from the man at all times was insurance against his drunken rampages. His military pedigree had bred in him a no-nonsense adherence to hard work and, where appropriate, hard discipline—both of which were far less easy to escape.

The hard work in particular manifested in the Peterson prison as an endless checklist of chores (otherwise known as “slave labor” in the Spencer Graham lexicon), the completion or lack thereof of which determined whether or not you ate dinner that night. Additionally, each child had to fulfill their assigned task in accordance with certain standards, and as Ol’ Man Peterson was an uncompromising perfectionist, one chore could go through three to five rounds before the man extended a grunt of approval.

The afternoon Cadence arrived, Sully and Spencer were attached to yard work. While the Peterson walk-up sat only a few yards from the curb, which meant there barely existed a lawn between the chain-link fence and the front door, Ol’ Man Peterson preferred his grass cut to an exact height. It was taking painstaking precision to perfect his science.

Spencer lay on his stomach with a see-through ruler to measure the blades of grass. “I think you cut this side of the walkway too short.”

Sully rested a broom atop his shoulders, arms draping over it like a scarecrow. “It’s way too hot to even care, dude.”

“I care because I want to see the new Adam Sandler, movie and I’m not about to get grounded for another weekend.”

“How many times have I been grounded because of you?”

Spencer stood. “Whatever. I’m taking over sweeping duty.” He stretched out a hand to receive the broom, but Sully’s gaze had already shifted to a royal blue SUV parking alongside the curb. A woman emerged from the driver’s side. She came around to open the backseat door closest to the Peterson home. Two ballet flats appeared from under the door, reaching for the street. When the woman closed the door, a girl who looked to be Sully’s age or slightly younger stood with her, hands bracketed to the straps of her backpack and her bottom lip caught softly under her front teeth.

Spencer snapped in Sully’s face. “Hellooo? Earth to Sully.” Sully nodded toward the two, and when Spencer turned and saw them, he said, “Uh oh. Another casualty.”

The woman, clearly the girl’s caseworker, greeted the boys with a cheery “working hard?” before continuing up the walkway with her charge. Sully waited for the girl to look his way, and when she finally did, he offered her a soft, barely-there smile by way of hello. Part greeting, part commiseration. She instantly looked away.

They discovered her name only because she was sharing a bunk-bed with their friend Novah. “Cadence Livingston,” she told them. “She’s been in the system for a few years. She doesn’t talk much. Or at all. Those are the only things I was able to get from her. She’s probably halfway to being a mute.”

“I wish Spencer was a mute,” Sully muttered.

“Ha ha,” Spencer said. “You’re so funny. Absolutely hilarious. How did I get so lucky to have a brother like you?” Then he excused himself to see about fixing the eyesore Sully had made of the front lawn and left Sully fixated on the enigma of the quiet and elusive Cadence Livingston.

About the Author

Lily Velez has been writing stories since she was six years old. Not much has changed since then. She still prefers the written word and her overactive imagination over the ‘real world’ (though to be fair, her stories no longer feature talking dinosaurs). 

A graduate of Rollins College and a Florida native, when she’s not reading or writing, she spends most of her days wrangling up her pit bulls Noah and Luna, planning exciting travel adventures, and nursing her addiction to cheese. All this when she isn’t participating in the extreme sport known as napping. 

You can learn more about Lily and her books at www.lilyvelezbooks.com. Lily’s debut novel, The Secrets We Kept, comes out November 8, 2015.

Website * Goodreads * Twitter

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by:

Book Blitz+Giveaway: (Dis)Content (Judgement of the Six #5) by Melissa Haag

I'm excited to talk to you about a new-to-me series that I've just discovered recently. I stumbled onto this book blitz and was excited the second that I read the synopsis for the first book in the Judgement of the Six series (Hopeless) by the lovely and wonderfully talented Melissa Haag. I don't know where I've been lately, because this is the type of young adult paranormal romance series that's right up my street. I absolutely adore books that have anything to do with the paranormal, especially werewolves and their nature/lore. 

It's been a while since I've posted anything of quality lately, because I've been working a lot at a new job (which, I am really enjoying) and have also been trying to figure out how to make the blog work as well as have a bit of a social life. 

So today, I'm happy to share with you an excerpt from book five in the series, (Dis)Content and an awesome giveaway for a Kindle Fire that's being included in this book blitz. So, if you're anything at all like me, and you absolutely love paranormal romance that involve super intense and broody unkept men and stand-offish girls that try hard not to fall for them and end up falling anyway - then this is definitely going to be the series you WANT to read!

(Dis)Content
Melissa Haag
(Judgement of the Six #5)
Publication date: November 24th 2015
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

I hate. I thought I hated before the letter, before the werewolves, but now I understand that was nothing more than a chip on my shoulder. The urbat took what was mine. They will pay.

Isabelle leads a very normal life…for an emotional syphon. If not for Ethan and his bar, she would have lost her sanity long ago. But everything changes with the crash of her fighting cage and a man who transforms into a wolf. There’s something about Carlos—when he’s not growling at her—that makes her do things she wouldn’t normally do, like sigh and daydream.

Attraction aside, she is faced with the very real evidence that werewolves and urbat exist, and the urbat are after her. And the only way she can keep Ethan safe is to join with the werewolves and Carlos. It’s a race against time to stop a war, fight for love, and find the last Judgement.

Previous books in the series:

Goodreads * Amazon * B&N * iBooks * Smashwords

Book 1, Hope(less) is available as a free series starter on all retailer sites!

Find the complete series on 
Amazon here!

Book Excerpt from
(Dis)Content written by Melissa Haag

I ducked under Brick’s next swing and came back with a punch to his jaw. Something crunched, and I wanted to cringe for him. Brick staggered back a step and shook his head. I didn’t press him. Instead, I gave him a moment to clear the hit.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed the repetitious movement of a dark-haired man near the fence, but I didn’t look away from Brick. His gaze looked a little unfocused, and I hoped I hadn’t done any real damage. I still had a lot to drain. Sometimes, if a single fight wasn’t enough to empty everything, I called out to the crowd for another contender. I might need to do that with Brick. He’d taken enough of a beating. The guy pacing beside the cage might be up for a round or two.

Brick brought his gloves back up and stepped toward me. A low growl, barely loud enough to hear over the noise, reached me. I turned to look and met the deep brown eyes of the tall, dark-haired man. My stomach dipped at the sight of him.

Just as I was registering the details of the stranger’s strong, clean-shaven jaw, Brick swung and knocked my lights loose.

Time slowed as my head snapped back. Something crashed against the fence. I barely heard it over the ringing in my ears. I widened my stance to stay upright and saw one of the brackets pull from the ceiling before I straightened. Stunned, my gaze followed the dust down as I automatically brought my fists up.

I expected more from Brick, but he wasn’t moving toward me. He wasn’t looking at me, either. Something crashed against the cage again. Then, I saw it.
The metal of the cage bent inward as a huge dog crashed against the fence again and again. It didn’t look at me. It only looked at Brick, who stared back at it blankly. I’d hit him too hard. I must have. Maybe Brick had hit me too hard, too.

Ethan shouted my name as a few more of the brackets tore from the ceiling. A memory surfaced of a video I’d seen earlier that year. A man had been attacked by a dog, just about the same size as the one that crashed against the cage. When the dog had fled, there’d been little left of the man. The memory shook me free.

“Brick, move!” I yelled, trying to jar him from his stupor.

I gave the man a shove toward the door, then ran past him when he showed no interest in saving himself. People in the main bar were screaming and running for the exit. Chaos reigned beyond the cage—every man for himself. Worried for Ethan, I pushed through the door to the hall so hard that it bounced back on me and banged my left shoulder.
The rhythmic slamming of the cage stopped as I stumbled out into the service hall and eyed my options. The employee entrance was too close to the dog. I’d need to go out to the alley, then circle around to the front to get Ethan.

Claws screeched on the employee door, and I almost tripped over myself in my rush toward the back exit. Behind me, the door shuddered as something hit it with enough force to make the metal groan. My heart stopped, and I twisted to look over my shoulder. I was still alone. But for how long? A burst of adrenaline helped me reach the end of the hall.

The cold metal exit bar of the back door gave way, and I flew outside, startling a few of the users who lingered amongst the trash. I pulled emotions from them as I ran past, fueling myself. The people sagged. I didn’t stop running or pulling. I might need it to get to Ethan.

Ahead, the mouth of the alley beckoned. Already, people from the club ran past on the street. Screaming and shouting filled the air, along with my own rapid breathing and the pounding of my feet on the pavement.

Before I reached the mouth of the alley, the door burst open behind me. Taking a risk, I looked back. Just in time, too. The dog flew at me, knocking me backwards. I lifted my arms to block its snapping jaws as I fell to the ground under its weight. My head hit the blacktop with a burst of pain, and I lost my breath a second time.

My ears rang. I gave my head a tiny shake and blinked as I looked up at my hands. They weren’t braced on fur but a human arm. I blinked again, trying to focus. Beyond the snarling face and snapping teeth, I met the light grey gaze of an older man. He had wrapped his arm around the thing’s neck in an attempted chokehold.

“Run,” he said. The man pulled back, straining to win me some wiggle room.

© 2015 Melissa Haag. From (Dis)Content by Melissa Haag, self published.
All rights reserved.

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Melissa Haag currently resides in Wisconsin with her husband and three children. Touch was her first published novel. She is currently working on book five of the Judgement of the Six Series...along with several other new books. Register for her newsletter to learn more about her upcoming projects, and subscribe to her mailing list for deleted scenes, deals, and giveaways, go to http://melissahaag.com/subscribe/

Website * Goodreads Facebook * Twitter

Hosted by: