Tuesday 20 December 2016

Pirate from the Stars Book 1- Renegade by Cheree Alsop Giveaway!

Eeeep, only 5 sleeps till Santa!!!! ;) Who else is excited?? I have another awesome giveaway today from the equally awesome Cheree Alsop. 2 winners can win her new book called Pirate from the Stars Book 1- Renegade. This sounds amazing but have a look at it yourselves and see!



Space pirate meets Robin Hood in this edge-of-your-seat space adventure about an officer turned pirate. When a tragedy makes his brother his enemy, Gage becomes a pirate captain who fills his time robbing from the rich Coalition and giving to the poor planets struggling to survive across the vast Macrocosm. But being a pirate comes with its risks, and Gage is hard-pressed to protect his crew and loved ones against the dangers of having enemies with bigger guns and faster ships. It doesn’t help that he has a soft heart for damsels in distress and can never say no to a good adventure.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33392966-the-pirate-from-the-stars-book-1--renegade?from_search=true

Author Bio:
Cheree AlsopCheree Alsop is an award-winning, best-selling author who has published 38 books, including two series through Stonehouse Ink. She is the mother of a beautiful, talented daughter and amazing twin sons who fill every day with joy and laughter. She is married to her best friend, Michael, the light of her life and her soulmate who shares her dreams and inspires her by reading the first drafts and giving much appreciated critiques. Cheree works as a fulltime author and mother, which is more play than work! She enjoys reading, traveling to tropical beaches, riding motorcycles, spending time with her wonderful children, and going on family adventures while planning her next book.

Cheree and Michael live in Utah where they rock out, enjoy the outdoors, plan great quests, and never stop dreaming.

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Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop!


Welcome to my stop on the Midwinter's Eve Giveaway!! It's nearly Christmas!!!!! What do you hope to get this year? 
One winner will win a book of choice, up to 15$ :) Once you've entered mine, don't forget to enter all the rest. I hope you all have a Happy Christmas and see you all in the New Year. 



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Friday 16 December 2016

The Fae Rift Series by Cheree Alsop Giveaway!

I have an awesome giveaway for you today!! Two lucky winners can win the entire series in The Fae Rift Series by Cheree Alsop! eBooks to be redeemed through Smashwords. Check out the books below and if they're something you would like to win, then enter below!!

When the divide between the fae world and the human world is torn apart, Aleric Bayne is thrown into the ensuing chaos. Hurt and disoriented, the werewolf finds himself in a hospital emergency room. When other fae creatures begin to show up, Aleric sneaks them into the D wing of the hospital. With no one else able to treat their unusual conditions, Aleric steps into the role of Dr. Wolf. He has one goal in mind, to help the fae and close the Rift. But Dr. Wolf has walls around the memories of his own broken past that threaten to unravel the world he is holding together by a thread.


 
When the head doctor’s daughter is bitten by a goblin, Dr. Wolf is forced to the edge of his limits to save her life. Other victims show up, turning the chance attack into one calculated to send a message. With the safety of the human race hanging in the balance, Dr. Wolf has to find out how an Archdemon made it to Edge City. The answer could mean life or death for the young woman whose blue eyes and warm smile have stolen his heart.


 A plague spreads through Edge City. Certain the Four Horsemen are behind it, Aleric tracks the plague to a restaurant in the middle of the city. With the possibility of an apocalypse hanging by a thread, Aleric has to confront each of the Horsemen to end the threat to the city he loves. Still dealing with pain from the Archdemon’s wound, Aleric is pitted against gorgons, a vampiress, and limited time to find what Death is looking for and return the Four Horsemen to the fae world.


 Rumors of a dragon have rattled Edge City along with mangled bodies that throw a light of distrust on Dr. Wolf. Protestors warn against the werewolf doctor while Dr. Wolf pushes himself to the limits to save more fae that have fallen through the rift into a scared city. A new foe surfaces. Desperate to save Lilian, Aleric goes back to Blays. But when he finds the city of his youth under attack from terrifying creatures, Dr. Wolf realizes he might be the only one who can save it. Torn between protecting his home or saving the woman he loves, Dr. Wolf faces a fight that might destroy them all.


Author Bio:
Cheree AlsopCheree Alsop is an award-winning, best-selling author who has published 38 books, including two series through Stonehouse Ink. She is the mother of a beautiful, talented daughter and amazing twin sons who fill every day with joy and laughter. She is married to her best friend, Michael, the light of her life and her soulmate who shares her dreams and inspires her by reading the first drafts and giving much appreciated critiques. Cheree works as a fulltime author and mother, which is more play than work! She enjoys reading, traveling to tropical beaches, riding motorcycles, spending time with her wonderful children, and going on family adventures while planning her next book.

Cheree and Michael live in Utah where they rock out, enjoy the outdoors, plan great quests, and never stop dreaming.

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Thursday 15 December 2016

Dark Faerie Prize Pack Giveaway!

Let's celebrate the holidays and ring in the new year with fabulous prizes.  Today we are giving away a HUGE dark faerie themed prize pack.

Dark Faerie Prize Pack

We are giving away a Dark Faerie Prize Pack, including a coloring book, faerie necklace, book, earbuds, and more!

  • Gothic Dark Fantasy Coloring Book
  • Faerie Necklace
  • Amy Brown Faerie Greeting Card
  • Ivy Granger LED Keychain Flashlight
  • Ivy Granger Button
  • Shadow Sight (Ivy Granger #1) Ebook
  • Signed Ivy Granger Postcard
  • Custom Purple Earbuds

Dark Faerie Prize Pack EJ Stevens Ivy Granger Fantasy Purple

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is open to the US, UK, and Canada.  Giveaway begins December 15, 2016 and ends December 31, 2016.

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What is your favorite creature from folklore?
(Faeries, Banshees, Unicorns, Trolls, Pixies, Goblins, Kelpies...)

Wednesday 14 December 2016

Giveaways!!!

Hi Guys. I'm enjoying my little break from the blog, though I do miss interacting with you all!! I'm back with another few awesome giveaways I've found on the web ;) 

Win an iPad Mini from author Elicia Hyder #giveaway. Click HERE


Big Box of Paperbacks Giveaway – Win a Mini Library with 62 #PNR and #UF #Books!  (Click Picture Below)



Giveaway #ya #yalit #amreading #fantasy #scifi #win20yahardcovers #giveaway




Holiday 2016 Signed Book Contest, Click HERE

Science Fiction Voyage Giveaway, Click HERE

#HeroesofOlympus and Gatekeeper’s Saga Paperback #Giveaway for #KeepersofGreek


#EllaSummers #Giveaway #Win an #iPad + 30 #books! #PNR #UrbanFantasy


Monday 14 November 2016

Gratitude Giveaway Hop!



Welcome to my stop on the Gratitude Giveaway hop! Even though I'm taking a break from the blog, I had to participate in this hop as I am truly grateful of anyone who stops by my little blog. YOU all rock so much!!! I'm offering up a book of choice, up to 15$, to one lucky winner! When you enter my giveaway, don't forget to enter all the rest, tons of blogs are taking part :) 

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Wednesday 9 November 2016

Audiobook Review: Cthulhu Armageddon by C. T. Phipps!


    Cthulhu Armageddon Audiobook
  • Written by: C. T. Phipps
  • Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
  • Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins 
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Release Date:10-10-16
  • Publisher: Crossroad Press
  • Cthulhu Armageddon is the story of a world 100 years past the rise of the Old Ones which has been reduced to a giant monster-filled desert and pockets of human survivors (along with Deep Ones, ghouls, and other "talking" monsters).
    John Henry Booth is a ranger of one of the largest remaining city-states when he's exiled for his group's massacre and the suspicion that he's "tainted". Escaping with a doctor who killed her husband, John travels across the Earth's blasted alien ruins to seek the life of the man who killed his friends.
    It's the one thing he has left.
    My Thoughts:

  •  This is a massive departure from this author's other works but it was just as good. It's a blend of different genres, which can be hit or miss, but it works here. It's kind of like Mad max with a western feel, mixed with a little Stephen King and Lovecraft thrown in. Sounds odd, but I really enjoyed it. 

    This tells the story of John Henry Booth, a soldier who protects the remnants of humanity from the hellish creatures that have taken over the world. During a mission, things take a turn for the worst and his team are killed, he is the only survivour but is blamed for their deaths. Declared dead himself, he sets out with some questionable characters to get revenge and find out the truth of what happened. It's actually a really really hard book to summarise in my own words because there is so much to this book that can't be explained, it needs to be experienced to enjoy it fully. It is an immensely complex world but one that will grab you and suck you in.

    The characters were all well written and developed. The MC was badass but he was also kind, thoughtful and reliable. He really shines with his attitude to different people, like the little girl and the Ghoul. Plus his dedication to his team members was admirable. I also have to give the author props for his imaginative and crazy imagination!!! The creatures and monsters in this were equal parts crazy as they were scary. You seriously have to read it to see what I'm on about.

    I have read a lot of this author's books and really loved them, but this one shows much more of his abilities than the other ones. The writing and world building was amazing and really complex. It's the type of book that you will need to concentrate on but also one that takes no effort to enjoy. You will find yourself immersed in a magical, desperate, desolate world yet it will captivate you and bring you on an unforgettable journey. It definitely defies categorisation, genre wise, so should appeal to a wide variety of people.

    In all, this was a fast paced, action packed and addicting read. I finished it last week yet still find myself remembering details of the world daily. It may not have been as funny and witty as his other works, but this was an amazing read and I devoured it.

    Jeffrey Kafer absolutely nailed this book. He brought the characters and the world to life. He definitely knows how to tell a story the right way and is a narrator that never fails to deliver!

    I received this for free via Audiobook Boom. This in no way affected or influenced my thoughts.

Audiobook Giveaway: Struck by Amanda Carlson!

Hi guys. I have an awesome giveaway for you today! I have an Audiobook of Struck by Amanda Carlson up for grabs. I listened to, and loved this and am excited to be able to offer up a copy to one lucky reader!!

    30627848
  • Written by: Amanda Carlson
  • Narrated by: Emma Wilder
  • Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins 
  • Unabridged Audiobook

  • Release Date:06-02-16
  • Publisher: Amanda Carlson, Inc.
  • When Phoebe Meadows gets struck by a strange light in the stock room of Macy's, life as she knows it flies out the window. As if being hit by lightning isn't bad enough, she's accosted in the subway by a man with a missing hand, arrives home to find a raven on her kitchen counter, and her neighbor Ingrid shows up dressed like a gladiator, hell-bent on protecting her.
    Before Ingrid can shuttle her off to safety, Phoebe is kidnapped and tossed into one of the Nine Worlds, where she's quickly forced to come to terms with what she is: a Valkyrie. The only problem is, she has no idea what that means.
    After a narrow escape, she finds an unlikely ally in Loki's son, Fenrir. Together, the Valkyrie and the wolf must battle their way back to New York City and reach the Valkyrie stronghold where Ingrid is waiting for her. But with danger and obstacles at every turn, Phoebe might not live long enough to learn the full truth about who and what she really is.

  • If this is something you would like to listen to then enter the Rafflecopter below. 

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Saturday 29 October 2016

Time for a much needed break!

Image result for taking a break

Hi guys. I've been blogging pretty much non stop for 3 years, and feel like it's time to take a short break!! I'm not sure when I will be back but for the moment I'm going to take a month off to catch up on reading and just take a breather. If I feel I need more time, then I may not come back till after Christmas. I will definitely be back and the blog won't be quiet all the time as I have some giveaways lined up and a review or two , but other than that I won't be posting. See you soon :) 

Image result for i'm reading sign

Friday 28 October 2016

The Decision by L.K. Kuhl Book Blitz and Giveaway!


The Decision
L.K. Kuhl
(Everlasting Trilogy, #2)
Publication date: October 20th 2016
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

The guests are invited. The cake is all set. In just a few short hours Sophia Bandell will be saying “I do” to a guy she isn’t sure she loves. But where does she go from here? She feels her life is headed in a downhill spiral. Her first and real true love, Tate Forester, is a ghost. But he’s the man she wants to be with…the one she can’t live without. Sophia is faced with the toughest decision of her life. Does she forget about Tate and marry the egotistical lawyer, Aaron Stuart? Or does she take the plunge and join Tate to be with him for eternity?
EXCERPT:

I turned again and caught a glimpse of Aaron coming into the backyard, dressed to the nines in a black tuxedo, his arms splayed wide. He advanced toward my sister-in-law Kristy, who had just come out the backdoor, his voice tight and full of despair. “No sign of her. I’ve looked everywhere. I don’t know what to do next.” His arms flopped down to his sides, and he slumped into a lawn chair on the deck. “This is so unlike Sophia to do something like this.”
Just then, all of my bridesmaids, my best friends—Claudia Bunker, Jenny Staid, and Laura Anderson—came out of the house to join them on the deck. All three of them, along with Kristy, were dressed in their lacy purple bridesmaid dresses, long diamond earrings, and flattering braided up-dos.
“Sophia, you’d better go break the news to them now. Don’t put them through this any longer.” Tate gave me a gentle nudge, urging me to put an end to this.
My chin trembling, I answered him with a small nod. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t answer, my mind tossing a stormy chaos of what to do next. Did I go break the news to everyone that the wedding is called off? Everyone go home. It’s over. There will be no Mrs. Aaron Stuart today. My eyes slanted back to the yard again. This time Aaron sobbed into his hands. I blinked, then blinked again, my vision blurry.
My chest ached, and I shivered as though the wind had shifted, wind that carried in cooler air— air consumed with an acidic premonition and a feverish guilt. My hands fell limp and I sagged against the tree, sliding down the length of the trunk to deposit my butt on the ground, too weak to stand.
I rubbed my face, trying to come up with the right words, words that wouldn’t disintegrate me— kill us. There were none. This was going to be the hardest thing I’d ever done in my life, but I’d been weighing the consequences since early this morning. Ever since Tate told me there was no possible way there could ever be a future for us, not in this life anyway. Carrying out this agonizing feat would mean shredding my existence, tearing every piece of livable being out of me and turning me into a hollow shell. But I saw no other way.
My breathing picked up pace, amped, making the dizziness spin my world out of control. I was losing it. It got so bad I could no longer breathe. I gasped and wrenched my body, reaching for the sun— grasping, grabbing, trying to save my life. But the air was gone. Nothing to sustain me.
Tate knelt beside me and clutched my shoulders to keep me sitting upright. “You going to be okay, Ladybug? I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t think it would be this difficult for you.”
Finally, my voice spewed the bitter, vile words out like a hot rush of lava. The knife had already sliced its way through and gutted me, my heart pierced to the end of the blade, long before they spilled forth. I was too debilitated to even clear my throat. I gurgled out. “I’m letting you go, Tate.” The repugnant, volcanic ashes floated to the ground in a hushed whisper, singeing the ground as they lit.
Tate tipped his head, his mouth falling open. His eyes wouldn’t move, they drilled into me. “What are you saying?”
The tears… I couldn’t stop them. They surged forth like a rapid river, spilling down my face. “I’m so in love with you and… and I know that this time… this time I’ll never be able to forget you. And I know what that means. It means that in six weeks you’ll be going away. But I can’t fight it anymore. My love for you is too strong, and I’m too tired.” Now that I said the words I knew there was no going back for Tate. He would be gone.
Tate lowered his head, his lips pressed into a thin line. He swallowed twice, a small sound escaping from the back of his throat like something wanted to burst forth but couldn’t quite get the job done, caught somewhere between hurt and anger. He sat back on his heels, looking at his hands that trembled on his thighs, then finally whispered. “Do what you have to do. For as much as it hurts both of us, I think it’s for the best. You’ll find someone besides Aaron and move on, and we’ll be together in eternity.”


Author Bio:
L.K. Kuhl lives in Nebraska with her husband Gene of twenty-nine years, young son, Nathan, and Greg, their Black Lab dog. She has two older daughters, Morgan and Brittani and son-in-law, Trevor. L.K. has been writing for over twenty years. She first began writing children’s books and poetry, moved on to writing music, and is now writing Young Adult and Adult novels. She loves spending time with her family, vacationing, writing, reading, and taking long walks. It’s the characters who write their own stories in her novels, and she is just their messenger, sharing it with the world.

GIVEAWAY!
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
  • $25 Amazon Gift Card

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Thursday 27 October 2016

Distant Horizon by Stephanie & Isaac Flint Book Blitz!


Distant Horizon
by Stephanie & Isaac Flint
Genre: YA Dystopian/Superhero
Release Date: October 27th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

The Community is safe.
Unless you have superpowers.

Sixty years ago, a hallucinogenic plague annihilated half the world’s population, leading to the formation of the Community—an international government that promises its citizens safety, security, and efficiency. Every day, Community citizens swallow a mandatory pill to ensure their immunity to the plague. A year after graduating high school, they take the Health Scan.

Most pass, and continue with their lives. Others disappear.

Eighteen-year-old Jenna Nickleson hasn’t taken the pill since her senior year in high school. She feels more alive without it, and she hasn’t shown any signs of infection—at least, not until two days after a surprise Health Scan is announced and Special Forces arrive at her university campus.

Spurred by the recent string of hallucinations, Jenna searches for any inkling of what happens to those who fail the scan. Rumor has it that they’re sent away for treatment and, once cured, receive a menial job. But when she uncovers the cruel truth behind the plague, her ideal world is shattered.

Underneath the illusion of safety, Special Forces agents harbor a dark secret.

The plague is a lie.






About the Authors
Stephanie and Isaac Flint met at the University of Central Missouri, where they soon discovered a common interest in world-building and tabletop role-play games. Distant Horizon is their first joint world, the result of a role-play game Isaac ran in the summer of 2010. After graduating with Bachelors of Science (Photography for Stephanie, Psychology for Isaac), Stephanie and Isaac married in 2012. Together, they plot stories, torment each other’s characters, and enjoy the occasional cosplay. Infinitas Publishing Website: infinitaspublishing.com

Author Links:

A PDF of sample chapters can be downloaded from the Infinitas Publishing website: http://www.infinitaspublishing.com/distant-horizon2.html

Book Trailer

 

Wednesday 26 October 2016

Giveaways!

Hi Book Lovers!! I've seen some amazing giveaways around the blogosphere that I wanted to share with you. Best of luck to all, click on the pics to enter  :)

Win an iPad Air!! Click HERE


Kindle Fire and $500 Giveaway for all of our #BookWorm fans! That’s a lot of books! #AmReading




#UrbanFantasy #PNR #Dystopian #Win $1000 #GiftCard + get 20 FREE #books





Big Box of Paperbacks Giveaway – Win a Mini Library with 62 #PNR and #UF #Books !




#UrbanFantasy #Win any 2 Urban Fantasy #Books + $250 Amazon #GiftCard #Giveaway



THE SCYTHE WIELDER'S SECRET Trilogy in paperback and a POP Figure!

THE SCYTHE WIELDER'S SECRET Trilogy in paperback and a POP Figure!

Silencing The Seam by Kathleen Groger Blog Tour and Giveaway!



Welcome to my stop on the Silencing the Seam bog tour! I loved book 1 and get to share my thoughts on this on too below. You can check out the full schedule HERE

Silencing The Seam
Kathleen Groger
(Seam Stalkers, #2)
Publication date: October 18th 2016
Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult

Sixteen-year-old Sam Drake thought she’d left the horrors of spring break and Defiance Castle behind her. But back home, the spirits swirling around her are more demanding, more aggressive.
Fear of being institutionalized by her skeptical mother drives Sam to follow her dad to New Orleans. There she hopes to take back control of her life. But the French Quarter and the cities of the dead have other plans. Hour by hour they drain her, making it next to impossible to fight off a ghost who is determined to use her for its own revenge.
Ensnared in an ancient power struggle where Voodoo rituals, betrayal, and murder rule, Sam must determine who to trust. One step in the wrong direction will lock her inside the Seam to walk among the dead for eternity.

Sequel to:
30325327

My Thoughts:

After the events of the last book, Sam just wants life to return to normal, well sort of! She is finally coming to terms with the fact she can see and communicate with Ghosts. Her mum though is on the verge of putting her into an asylum, so she decides to follow her father to New Orleans on a trip and stays with her uncle, Eric, while her dad works. He still hasn't gotten over what happened to his crew. But unbeknownst to both, someone isn't finished with them yet and they have some unfinished business to sort!!

This was such an awesome second book! Sam has really come into herself and shines in this one. She is finally coming to terms with her ability and is becoming what she is supposed to. Eric though, is a shade of himself. He hasn't gotten over what happened at the castle and is intent on finding out all he can about Novak. His life seems to be spiraling yet he can't seem to help it. I felt so bad for him!!! He lost his crew, his job and his enthusiasm of the job and is plodding along. Then to top it off, women are being murdered in what looks like a ritual killing and the clues seem to point to Eric!! Sam is devastated but tries to find the truth. Then we have Kyle. He turns up in New Orleans and Sam is thrilled, though he doesn't seem to be acting normal. Maybe it's his close proximity to the birth place of Novak, or maybe his feelings for Sam have changed, either way Sam wants to get to the bottom of it.

I have always loved the setting of New Orleans! It's a place that's steeped in history and reeks of paranormal activity!! It's a place that's on my bucket list ;) I think setting book 2 here was perfect as Sam is trying to get to grips with her ability and New Orleans seems to be swimming in Ghosts! Plus having it as the birth place of Novak was brilliant as we find out why he is the way he is!

In all, this was a great second book! We see Sam as her best and find out a bit of Novaks back story. It was a fast paced and addicting read and I really hope we see more from Sam! A perfect Halloween read!!!



Author Bio:
Kathleen wrote her first story in elementary school about a pegasus named Sir Lancelot. It had no plot or conflict, but it sparked a dream. After serving a fifteen-year sentence in retail management, the bulk in big box bookstores, she turned her love of reading into a full-time career writing dark and haunting characters and stories. She writes paranormal, fantasy, suspense, horror YA books. She is a contributing member of READerlicious, writers who love readers. Check out her blogs here.
She lives by the mantra that a day is not complete without tea. Lots of tea. Kathleen lives in Ohio with her husband, two boys, and two attention-demanding dogs. When not writing or editing or revising, you can find her reading, cooking, spending time with her family, or photographing abandoned buildings.

GIVEAWAY!
Tour-wide giveaway (US/CAN)
  • a Kindle Fire

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ECHO Campaign by Taylor Brooke Book Blitz!


ECHO Campaign (Isolation #2)
by Taylor Brooke
Genre: YA/Older Teen Urban Science Fiction
Release date: November 1st 2016
Limitless Publishing

Summary:

Brooklyn Harper’s worst nightmare has become her reality. She has been captured by Isolation…
Trapped in a white-walled labyrinth by Juneau Malloy, Brooklyn is faced with the horrors of Isolation’s finest training yet. The skills she learned as an Omen Operative in Camp Number Eleven are put to the test in the form of brutal assessments of her strength, skills, and fortitude. Confused and disheartened, Brooklyn and the group of renegade Omens prepare for whatever trials Isolation has in store for them.
Juneau has caged her once again, but Brooklyn is far from broken…

When Brooklyn finds out her best friend Gabriel is alive, she goes on a violent rampage in search of her, but instead earns herself a stint in solitary confinement. Juneau attempts to tame Brooklyn through grueling exercises before offering her one radical choice. Brooklyn must hand over her freedom in order to spare her friends. She’ll become a showpiece Juneau will auction off to the highest bidder for her skills in assassination, defense, and combat.
There must be a way out, and the renegade Omens have to find it…
Brooklyn has no intention of becoming Juneau’s latest achievement. During a mind-warping training simulation, Brooklyn uncovers Isolation’s greatest secret and their darkest mistake. Juneau Malloy has created something far more sinister than the Omens, and it’s ready to eat the world alive.

As the battle with Isolation intensifies, Brooklyn is faced with her most dangerous choice yet…
Save her friends—or save humanity.



Pre-order Link: Amazon

Omen Operation (Isolation #1) is FREE from October 25-30 on Amazon! Get yourself a copy!
Book One (click on image for Goodreads link):


ECHO Campaign Excerpt:

Limbic Simulation Phase One—Proceed with Caution—Number 178

Music fluttered through the speakers of a room unlike any other Brooklyn had seen at the facility. Tapestries hung from the ceiling, stitched with patterns of the solar system. Grand images of suns and moons and stars were placed upon the walls in the form of quilts, rugs, and blankets. Above them was a line of thin candles cradled in iron sconces. Light from their flames cast long shadows across the ceiling and darkened the bright threading of the obscure cloths.
She didn’t recognize the song, but the gentle cries from a cello filled the room with a sense of calm that Brooklyn wasn’t comfortable with. The Limbic Simulation was a fear exercise, a way for Juneau to gauge their control over primal instincts. Whether flight would overcome the urge to fight or vice versa. Sweet chocolate and brown sugar filled her nostrils, the smell of baking cookies. Brooklyn inhaled as much of it as she could.
As long as she kept her wits about her she could enjoy the small moment of peace presented to her. The candlelight, the pleasant smell, even the interesting tapestries made Brooklyn want to curl up on the floor and stay in that room. Maybe she would. Maybe she would ignore whatever monsters Juneau and his team had cooked up, and stay in this moment until it was taken from her by force, like everything else.
A solid wooden door, carved with intricate swirling patterns and a gold doorknob was across from her. She listened carefully, and beyond the popping of the candles wicks, she heard a faint tapping, like fingernails against the other side of the door. She glanced over her shoulder to the docking station, wondering briefly if it would be worth it to turn around and not cooperate. To walk out of the room and back into the white hallway where Michelle and Gabriel probably waited for her.
The tapping turned into scratching, like cat claws in the center of the wooden door.
Brooklyn rolled her shoulders and stretched out all her fingers, cracking them against the side of her legs. Whatever was behind that door, it was going to die. That was what she told herself as she took long strides past the pretty hanging quilts, swallowed a last gulp of cookie scented air, and swung the door open.
On the ground was Amber—a clone of her. It writhed with a hand wrapped around the deep wound on its throat. Blood soaked its shirt and its bulged eyes pleaded with Brooklyn for help. Its other hand, slick with syrupy blood, scrambled over Brooklyn’s boot.
“Not supposed to happen like this,” it croaked. “He’s out of containment.”
Brooklyn lifted her foot and crushed the clones hand beneath her heel. “Who?”
“Stop the sim…stop…”
The clone’s voice faded and the life in its eyes dimmed. Brooklyn listened to its heart simmer out one beat at a time.
Its crimson blood was the brightest thing in the room, harsh against the eggshell walls, and dark as it soaked the light mauve carpet. She stepped away from the body, well aware of the pair of eyes glued to her from across the room. Brooklyn kept her body poised for an attack. Cloaked by a slanted shadow in the corner of the near empty room stood another clone, one she’d prepared herself to see.
Porter’s clone watched her, hunter and hunted,, but Brooklyn stood her ground. She met his gaze, rationalizing the jarring bit of panic that flew through her. The sight of one of their clones would always cause her nerves to jump, wouldn’t it? This was no different.
Her initial thought was to flee, which surprised her, and the following urge was to wait. She saw his bare feet tap against the carpet. Her nostrils flared for a hint of emotion. Nothing. No fear, sadness, excitement, nothing but stagnant air.
“Look at you,” the clone said. A peculiar grin moved across its face, tongue darting out to wet its lips. “Now I can see it. You’re beautiful.”
Brooklyn bristled but stayed quiet.
“I’ve wondered for quite some time why he likes you. You’re stubborn, irrational, explosive even, yet he chose to chase you. I see it now. I see it clearer than ever before.”
Unwarranted heat rushed into Brooklyn’s cheeks. She straightened her back and curled her fingers into fists. A pain suddenly spiked in her lower abdomen, searing, achy knots. This clone was unlike any she’d encountered, and the thought made her violently uneasy.
“Porter and I—we’re brothers. I feel connected to him more than to my own father. Perhaps it was his visibility, his life, his accomplishments. Maybe it was my own jealousy of him that built the bridge between us, I don’t know. The only thing I do know for certain, Brooklyn Leona Harper, is that I did not know envy until you. You…”
It slithered from the shadows, and like Porter, it had pools of whiskey for eyes. His intense gaze pushed into her like a dagger. Her voice crawled away, hidden in the back of her throat. He moved slowly like an ancient predator, a scaled, winding dragon taking inventory of its meal.
“You are a star nursery, giving birth to clusters of energy and fire and unrelenting anger. I can feel it burning the deepest parts of me, and now, in your presence, I understand his love for you better than I understand myself. The thought of taming a force like you, being sucked into your gravity, it thrills me.”
Brooklyn wanted to back up but her legs wouldn’t budge. She tried to reign in her runaway heartbeat, to squash the irrational fear that was hollowing out her courage. The clone took another step, its nostrils flaring as it leaned toward her face and inhaled. Its lips tightened, and when it let the breath go Brooklyn could see the delicate curve of its cupids bow quiver.
“You,” it breached the space between them, cheek brushing against Brooklyn’s face as it whispered against her ear, “You are a force, a goddess among simple creatures.”
The fear buried inside her launched into her throat and Brooklyn lashed out, shoving the clone backward. She raised her fist, aiming it directly at its jaw.
Its long fingers gripped her hand, catching the punch before she could land it. Her wrist crumbled. Her eyes watered. She felt all the strength in her body push toward the surface, but it was no use. The clone, stronger than anything she’d encountered before, slammed her smaller frame against the wall. It held her arms above her head, fingers latched around her wrists, its other hand snatching her jaw like a bear trap.
“We could take it all,” the clone’s mouth moved against her temple, lips scorching a trail down to her chin. “You and I, we could lead them all. Start over. There are enough of us.”
“What are you?” Brooklyn whimpered, kicking her feet against its shins.
Her strength was nothing against Porter’s clone. Her fear evolved into dismay, and then into hysteria. She thrashed. Her breath was hard to catch as the heated press of the clone’s body held her to the wall like she weighed nothing.
The hand wrapped around her jaw moved down to grip her waist, and the clone laughed, eyes leaving burns on her wherever they settled. It closed the space between them, taking her lips in a searing kiss. She recoiled and slammed her teeth into its lip until she tasted blood.
Shouts came from every direction. First she heard the clone, its voice hot against her mouth, licking blood off her lips, “My brother is a lucky man, Brooklyn. You are incredible.”
Next Brooklyn was falling, her body a heap, shaking on the floor.
Michelle burst through the door, a mobile radio in her hand. “Asset 0 is out of containment!”

About the Author
Taylor Brooke is the author of the upcoming sci-fi adventure trilogy The Isolation Series. She started out as a freelance makeup artist, and quickly discovered her love of elves, zombies, mermaids, kaiju, and monsters of all kinds. After receiving eight professional certifications in special effects makeup, working on countless projects, and fleshing out a multitude of fantastical creatures, she turned her imagination back to her one true love- books. Taylor has had a knack for writing since she was a little girl, and received recognition for her skills throughout grade school and junior college. When she’s not nestled in a blanket typing away on her laptop, she can be found haunting the local bookstore with a cup of steaming hot tea in her hands, scanning the shelves for new reads, or hiking one of the many mountains that surround her home in Oregon.

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