Sizzling Book Blog: August 2013

Released by Mia Fox

Title: Released
Author: Mia Fox
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/Steampunk
Tour Dates: Aug. 17-25
Tour Organizer: B3 Tours

Synopsis:

The discovery of an ancient bottle unleashes a Genie - and the wrath of the Demon Gypsies chasing her...
When Suzette (“Suki”) is released from her bottle by two teen girls, she is more than a
bit surprised that a Genie of her calibre is beholden to two average high school students.
After dealing with dignitaries and noblemen, however, she believes this will be a welcome break.
Until she discovers the teens’ hidden powers and that one will come to possess the
Amulet of Pollox, a necklace that contains the secrets from some of the greatest minds
throughout history. Unfortunately, she’s not the only one who notices. The Amulet draws
the attention of the two powerful and vengeful Demon Gypsies who have pursued Suki
through time and will stop at nothing to snatch the girls and the Amulet.
Suddenly, Suki is not just helping the girls navigate high school crushes, she’s
safeguarding them from danger unlike anything they’ve ever known. To make matters
more complicated, she must also fight her attraction to James - her protector through the
ages - whose sudden arrival threatens her resolve and her heart.
A time-traveling Genie and her unrequited love...
Demon Gypsies with an insatiable quest for power...
And the teen girls whose existence threatens them all.
This is the world of “Released,” book one of The Romani Realms series by Mia Fox, a
Young Adult trilogy featuring elements of paranormal romance and steampunk.

Author Bio:

Mia Fox is a Los Angeles-based novelist who writes across varied genres including
contemporary fiction, chick lit, and young adult/new adult. She received a Bachelor
of Arts degree in Communications from U.S.C. followed by a Masters Degree in
Professional Writing also from U.S.C.
A lifelong reader and history lover, Mia enjoys infusing her writing with details of the
past as she has done in her first book, "Released," part of the Romani Realms trilogy,
which combines paranormal romance with elements of steampunk.
Her follow up book, "Alert the Media," is based on her previous professional life working
as an entertainment publicist. Today, she is happy to leave that world behind her,
preferring that any drama in her life is only that which she creates for her characters.
Mia is happily married to her best-friend, a Brit who has inspired her with annual visits to
England, an appreciation for dark chocolate, and the blessing of their three children.

*~*My Review*~*

At first I was intrigued with the idea that this was going to be through the eyes of a female genie, and two teenage girls who released her. It was interesting to see the world through the eyes of a third party that neither of the girls knew was there. Then learning about the years Suki had been 'alive' who she had met, and what she had done. Charlotte and Sam were fun to listen to, and they are a bit of a contrast, both of them in high school, both slightly immature but yet both are on their own, and have been for sometime. Unfortunately I feel like Suki is a bit shallow and she does think of her self as quite something, for living over 300 years she doesn't seem to have learned much about emotions. Plus she still talks like a high school girl who never learned a thing about maturity. James was a welcome addition I think grounding Suki and even though I despised Raven and Phin, Phin started to grow on me. But every time I felt this may go well, Raven would throw a wrench in the plan. The ending was perfect for this story, and it completely easily sets up another story to follow. There are questions unanswered which will be eagerly awaited to be in the next book.
I give this book 3.5 stars.

Links to buy book:

Amazon Kindle
Amazon UK
Amazon Paperback
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Links to connect with Mia Fox:

Website
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Wattpad

Goodreads

Love-struck Giveaway Blog Hop

Hosted by Under the Covers Book Blog

I am joining this fantastic Blog Hop to introduce to you a brand new

Urban Fantasy book!

Juniper's Princess

by Chelsea O'Neal

Juniper's Princess (Released July 2, 2013):

~Juniper's Princess is the first book in the Angel Crest Series~

Blurb:

Daniah is different, she always has been and now her dreams and visions of the future are increasing, she knows her life is changing. She just doesn't know by how much...

Jaiden is different, but he knows why and he knows his responsibilities. He must find the saviour of his race, the angel human half-breeds who are fighting a war for humanity's souls. If he can't convince Daniah she is more than just a little different - she is the princess of their people - they are all going to die.

Unfortunately Daniah doesn't have many reasons to trust Jadien, especially when he is caught in a web of his own lies.

In a world where half-breed angels walk among us, fighting an evil for our souls, Daniah must find the strength to become the princess we all need.

My favorite part in writing this book was getting to know the characters. Whether we had proper Shelly, or dark and mysterious Jaiden, or a little lost though confidant Daniah to a wildy charming and funny Cordelia, each character has something wonderful to add.

I loved watching my two main characters Jaiden and Dani on their journey to love...

Jaiden takes a step towards me and lays his hands on my arms. ““I promise,”” he vows. ““I really like you, and I am more sorry than you know that I didn’’t tell you everything at first.””
I feel my stomach flutter and my face flush in pleasure.
““You like me huh?”” I ask, feeling brave.
Jaiden takes a step closer and nods, smirking a bit at me. ““I do, and I meant it when I told you that you’’re beautiful. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,”” he says looking down at me, his face close to mine, and I feel my eyes drop to his lips.

I swoon almost every time Jaiden speaks to Dani a little naughty yet so adorable...

““I would like to be with you as you learn to trust me again,”” he says after a moment of silence and I frown, wondering what exactly he means.
““What do you mean?”” I finally sputter out, after trying to find the right way to phrase my question.
““I would like to be with you, by your side, as your potential bond,”” he says, sounding confident though his eyes give away his nerves.
Is he asking me out?
““Are you asking me out, I mean like as my boyfriend?”” I ask slowly.
He frowns at me this time then looks as if he is searching for a word. “
“For humans, is a boyfriend the same as a lover?”” he asks and I feel my cheeks flame with his direct question.
I clear my throat. ““Ah, yes, that would be correct.””
He grins then nods. ““Then yes, I would like to be your boyfriend.”

““What would you call us then, if Zoku doesn’’t use the term boyfriend?”” I wonder out loud, still feeling heat in my cheeks.
““What do you mean call us?”” he asks, looking confused.
““Well, are we dating? Are we a couple?”” I ask, just throwing phrases out. ““If another guy so much as looks at me, are you going to flip out?”” I ask, grinning now because he looks so cute with the confusion written all over his face.
He frowns down at me for a moment then shrugs. ““I would say we are lovers,”” he answers bluntly and my mouth drops open again.
He reaches over and gently closes my mouth for me, but promptly presses his lips against mine. I sink into his kiss and am amazed at the depth of emotion I have. I wrap my arms around his neck and feel the length of his body against mine.

My favorite scene is one that would be oh so much fun to play out. With Dani in the kitchen baking cookies, and Jaiden coming in to 'help'...

““Oh,”” I breathe as I spin and find Jaiden standing directly behind me. He flicks his eyes to the bowl of mixed ingredients then back to my eyes.
““What are you making?”” he asks, sounding curious. I search his face to see if he is hurt by my nervousness earlier.
““Ah, cookies,”” I say softly, trying to remember how to breathe.
““Would you like some help?”” he asks softly, settling his hands on my waist lightly.
““Do you know how to bake?”” I ask, feeling the heat of his hands spread from my waist to warm the rest of me.
He smiles wickedly and nods his head slowly, then his eyes wander from my eyes to my lips and they hold, looking as if they will gaze there forever.
““When we were at the salon, and I first met you, I wanted to kiss you,”” he says almost as if to himself. ““I still want to every time I see you, do you want me to kiss you?”” he asks softly, leaning in a bit forcing me against the counter top, the cookies forgotten.
I watch as Jaiden leans in to whisper in my ear, ““do you want me to kiss you Daniah?”” His lips brush up against my ear then he leans his cheek against mine, pressing his face into the side of my neck. I can’’t stop the shudder and my eyes flutter closed.

My second favorite characters to write were Trevor, Cord and Jim. They were so much fun to see in different places...

He may not have been shouting but I wince involuntarily and groan again. I slowly peel my heavy eyelids open, to complete darkness, so I close them again.
““I’’m blind again, aren’’t I?”” I ask dejectedly. Tears fill my eyes and make their way down my temples into my hair.
I hear a soft laugh and feel a pressure over my eyes. ““Nah, cutie you just have a towel over your eyes, and its dark in here. I’’m going to pull it off, m’’kay,”” says a male voice I can’’t place.
““Okay, but who are you?”” I question, thinking he sounds a little familiar.
I feel the pressure over my eyes lessen so I open my eyes again. There are two guys looking down at me. One I don’’t know, and Trevor.
““You’’re breaking my heart!”” the unknown male says in mock torment. ““You mean to tell me you don’’t remember these strong arms holding you?”” he says smiling as amusement flickers in his dark eyes while flexing his biceps. He winks at me.

Another wonderful moment with these three...

““Trev is right,”” I say softly. He looks over at me smiling a little. I smile back then turn to look at Jim. ““What was it you said earlier about you being right, about me being an angel?”” I ask while smirking.
Jim looks confused for a minute, then he blushes a little. ““I ah, well when I saw you in the parking lot, the first thought in my head was that you looked like,”” he stops, looks up at Trev then back at me, seeming as thought he doesn’’t want to finish.
““Yes,”” I say, enjoying his discomfort.
““I thought you looked like an avenging angel or a,”” he stops, swallows, then continues quietly, ““a goddess.”” He blushes more, looking like he wants to be swallowed up by the floor.
I laugh and Trev surprises me by joining in. Jim glares at both of us.

One last little bit from the three it takes a bit to set up the scene but I think this will give you a good idea on why I enjoyed writing them so much...

We walk into the hotel room and there is only one bed, a king size bed. Jim and Trev are both so worried about me being sucked into another dream, they argue with me to agree to sleep in between them on the king size bed.

I change into my pj’’s and they are definitely as skimpy as I remember. I brush my teeth and pick up my dirty clothes then slowly open up the door.
““Ah, guys?”” I question, holding my clothes in front of me, not covering much, still half way in the bathroom.
““Yeah?”” Trev answers looking over at me. He freezes, holding up a shirt from his bag, his eyes going wide.
““Well, you see I didn’’t expect to be, ah sleeping with anyone and my pj’’s are kind of...”” I trail off, feeling my face turn bright red.
““Hot?”” Jim suggests, smirking at me. ““Barely there? Comfortable? What are you trying to say?”” he teases, going from a smirk to a full-blown belly laugh.
I glare at him then stride from the bathroom throwing my clothes on top of my bag. The boy shorts barely cover my rear, and the tank top is tight enough it leaves little to the imagination, but my anger keeps me from being embarrassed. I cross to the bed, yank the covers back and throw a couple decorative pillows forcefully off to the side with my good arm.
““I was just going to ask to borrow a shirt but whatever, skin on skin right, maybe you two should sleep naked, just in case,”” I say angrily then flop down on the bed, scoot to the center then pull the covers over me, rolling to where both boys are behind me.
Jim’’s laughter cuts off and Trev clears his throat, ““ah, I have a shirt.””
I cut him off, ““I’’m already in bed, goodnight boys."”

I enjoyed writing a character who is fully angel and not used to living on earth with the mortals. Here is a little snippet were two young boys play 'parade' with toy trucks as she watches...

I lift my head from Jake’’s shoulder as he laughs at something Shelly says, who turns to glare at him. I smile at the exchange then listen to Jason who innocently explains.
““No, Miss Shelly, there aren’’t little people who use these trucks, we just play with them.”” He smiles then lifts another truck to explain it as Isaac moves the previous truck forward making driving noises, while Todd keeps the waiting parade of cars lined up.
Shelly frowns down at the ‘‘parade’’.

I think you will be smitten with this book and it's characters, because there is an underlying message of hope, love and happiness, along with action, romance, betrayal, and intrigue.

Buy Juniper's Princess:

From Amazon.com

From Barnes & Noble

From Smashwords

From Mirador Publishing

Signed copy from Author

~*~Giveaway~*~

Chelsea is giving away

one signed paperback copy of

Juniper's Princess.

(Giveaway is for US only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Chelsea's Website

Chelsea O'Neal

Chelsea lives in her fantasy world where people can fly, vampires could be real, money is never an issue and the romantic meeting of your true love is a normal happening. When not relaxing in Chelsea-ville, she enjoys talking with animals who talk back and taking long walks with her prince charming.

Actually Chelsea lives in the United States in Nebraska, where she was born and raised, with her black lab Daisey, who hasn’t spoken actual words to her but she is pretty sure Daisey understands her. She is yet to meet her prince charming, though she is quite sure he is out there. Chelsea enjoys working in a library as well as a cosmetologist. She is an avid reader and writing has always been her passion. Juniper’s Princess is her first novel, set to be released soon, and she is working on her next book now.

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