Tuesday 30 April 2013

SALE! Limited time only!




To celebrate the huge success that this blog tour was, I decided to offer In a Heartbeat for $0.99 exclusively on Amazon Kindle. It's a 3 day offer so hurry up and buy it while it's 75% off!

Thank you to all blogs that participated and to everyone who read, reviewed and supported the book!

Links:





Friday 26 April 2013

The fabulousness continues....


Let me rave about the In a Heartbeat blog tour a little more - I freakin' love you guys! When I read your fabulous reviews of my book I feel so proud and so happy that I can burst into millions of colourful confetti. Thank you!
I'm going to post excerpts of some of the amazing reviews here, but I'll urge you to click on the links, visit those blogs and read more. Even better, add them to your favourites and check them often - there are some really good book recommendations there!

Lets start with Alba and her blog BookPics:

I never tire to fall in love with books, with their characters, with the authors' writing... Everything.
When I picked up this book and read those first pages I knew I was in for a ride, a torturous, sad yet magical ride.
I love that the book had 2 POVs, I always have enjoyed contemporary books that are told from both the main character plus another one. It doesn't necessarily have to be the love interest, a best friend, a mother... Any can do as long as I get a double insight which means double the awesome.
The main character Stella, while not as relatable to me, I think a lot of girls out there will be able to make the connection sooner and definitely so much more deeply than I did since I've never had to go through what she has... But she was likable in a way that made me ache for her, trust her, believe her, and root for her.

To read the rest click here.


Next, it's Kelly from Paperback Cowgirl.

I was thrilled when I was asked to review this book. My good friend Kathryn from Tsk, Tsk raved about it, so I knew it was going to be fantastic. Fantastic doesn't even begin to describe this book, In a Heartbeat is a beautiful masterpiece to the epic power of undying hope & love.
The book opens with the carefree, optimistic & loving Stella. After a few life altering events, Stella has the desire to shake off the dust and reboot herself by going to visit her cousin Lisa for the summer in picturesque Italy. From the aqua crystal clear waters, to boldly painted shops in town Teodora paints a breathtaking backdrop for this sexy love story fixing to unfold.
Soon after arriving in Italy, Stella meets Lisa's friend Max *sigh & cue the fireworks* the two quickly find themselves falling for each other & spend every minute together. Max cooks for Stella (yes he cooks), takes her on a picture perfect vacation & even teaches her how to drive his car.

Click here for the full review and check out Max as her Cowboy of the Week.


This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. I honestly don't know that I can give it high enough praise. To start off, it is definitely my favorite book of 2013. And I think it has a really good shot of being my favorite book of the year. I just know it.

The story is incredible. It's well written, addictive, and beautiful beyond words. Stella and Max have the most amazing chemistry. They have the love that every woman dreams of having one day. It's an earth-shattering, I'd-do-anything-for-you type of love. Teodora does it so well that your heart breaks from the incredible power of it. Their love blossoms into something so real that you can almost touch it. It's tangible. Max and Stella are the perfect pair, they were made for each other. This was a definite soul-mate pairing. I couldn't help but fall in love with them.

In A Heartbeat is a complex story. It revolves around not only a great cast of characters (each and everyone of them are a delight-you can't help but feel for all of them!), but also a wonderful setting that becomes as much of the story as the characters. It's also not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of tragedy in the story, but I think that's what makes the story, and especially the ending, so special. One of the things I took away from IAH was to always have hope and to love with everything you have.

Full review click click.

And last, but definitely not least, it's Becca from Becca the Bibliophile's blog.

 OH MY...I just finished In A Heartbeat last night and I have been thinking about it all day long. It's just one of those books that you can't get out of your head. 

It tugged on every emotion that I had. Happiness, sadness, excitement, joy, laughter, fear ~ it was an EPIC read. I started the book late at night and usually when the nook hits you in the head it's time to put the book away. I just couldn't do it. I needed to know what was going to happen next for Stella and Max. Just one  more chapter...until it was 5am and almost time for me to get up with my kids.

Would they ever be able to find their love that was so apparent to everyone around them? Stella is a stubborn girl and she had every right to be. The girl had been through enough in her lifetime. Heartbreak over and over again. But Max oh Max. He is not one to get out of your mind. This sexy Italian with a jealous streak bigger than Texas. Boy oh boy was he hot and romantic and just...sigh. But this book is not only about Max and Stella. It's about relationships, friendships, love lost and found. Forgiveness. There is Beppe, Gia and Lisa and all of their wonderfully complicated lives that pull you into the story even more. 

Full review here.


Thank you girls, you're incredible! The love you spread for my book makes me all giddy and happy inside!



Tuesday 23 April 2013

Darkness Kindled Release Day Blast and Giveaway!



I'm so happy to be a part of the Release Day Blast of Darkness Kindled by Samantha Young! Fire Spirits is one of my favourite young adult series and I've been waiting for that book for ages. Well, it's finally here!




Darkness Kindled blurb:
Ari Johnson wishes adjusting to living with her boyfriend was her only source of excitement and anxiety.

She wishes a lot of things.
But then wishing was what got her here in the first place.

Ari chose to be a Guild Hunter. She wanted to hunt dangerous Jinn and destroy them before they could harm innocent people. But now that Ari is a member of The Guild, she finds herself in the impossible position of hunting her ex-best friend – human-turned-dangerous sorcerer, Charlie Creagh. As Ari struggles to come to terms with her duty, an ancient Jinn and his companion want revenge on her for using the command of the Seal against them; the White King refuses to give up on his quest to resurrect Lilif, and Asmodeus isn’t done toying with her.

When Ari can take no more, rushing to the Sultan Azazil’s side to demand of him the favor he owes her, the events she sets in motion will not only alter everyone’s lives, it will kindle a darkness that will shake the realms to their very core.

Where to buy?



If you haven't read the Fire Spirits series yet - you definitely should! Here's what you need to know:

Fire Spirits Series (Books 1-3)




Smokeless Fire 


For the last two years Ari Johnson's life has been anything but normal, and on her 18th birthday, when her friends surprise her with a gimmick genie claiming to grant wishes, Ari discovers the truth. The tragic and strange occurrences surrounding her 16th birthday were not coincidental and her life is never going to be the same again.  Ari's real parents are not normal.  They are not loving.  They are not human. They are myth. They are Smokeless Fire. They are Jinn.

Scorched Skies 



The White King has crossed the line, sounded the horn, sent out the wolves.
When blood is shed and life is lost the reality of Ari’s position as both hunter and prey finally sets in. It seems her father will stop at nothing to force her will to his own and distracted by Charlie’s latest mistake and her seemingly misguided attraction to Jai, Ari never thought to fear anyone else but the Jinn King.
Blindsided and attacked, Ari learns a new wolf has joined the hunt. A dark sorcerer believes he knows a way to bleed the power of the Seal and wield it as his own, and he is even less patient than The White King. The War for the Seal has only just begun… and it’s time for Ari to turn it on its head. It’s time for Ari to stop acting like the hunted.
It’s time for Ari to become the hunter.


Borrowed Ember


Everything in Ari’s life until this point has been borrowed.
Her human life with a man who wasn't her real father.
A love for a boy who needed more than her to be strong.
Kisses with a Jinn who refused to do anything but lend them out in moments of weakness. And even her resolve, which seemed to fail her whenever she needed it most.
But Ari is done borrowing. She finally feels strong enough to make hunting Jinn not just a hobby to get her through her dismal situation, but to make hunting a permanent and necessary career.  Her friendship with Charlie might finally make it onto real and steady ground if only she can save him from the trial on Mount Qaf. And her love for Jai could be eternal, if only she could gain control over the darkness of the Seal within her.
Ari believes all of this is doable. That finally she will truly own the relationships in her life and to a certain extent have ownership over her future.
But none of that matters when it isn't up to her……For high in the emerald mountains of Mount Qaf, the Sultan Azazil has been keeping secrets. Even from the Jinn Kings. Secrets that will change everything… and bring Ari to the crashing realization that once again…… she’s borrowed something that will never truly belong to her. Something that is desperate to be unleashed. Something that could destroy them all.


Where to buy?




About Samantha Young



Samantha Young is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. She's been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Author and Best Romance for her international bestseller ON DUBLIN STREET.
She is a 27 year old Scottish book addict that graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2009. She studied ancient and medieval history at uni, and it was in her  first year there, in the middle of a classical literature lecture, that she first came up with the idea for The Tale of Lunarmorte. She’s  been writing since as long as she can remember, and she writes in a number of genres including romance, paranormal, urban fantasy, fantasy, and contemporary.

She loves pulling pieces of historical fact (or mythology) and twisting it to fit my stories, and she is more than thankful her degree is being put to good use in her writing. She began self-publishing in 2011 and now writes full time. 



Stalking Links




Enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win ebook set of all 4 books, and 4 ebook copies of Darkness Kindled.






Monday 22 April 2013

I love this blog tour!


I absolutely love In a Heartbeat's blog tour! Everyone's been more than amazing, I can't even put it into words how much I appreciate every single blogger/reviewer/reader who's read and supported my book! I keep receiving messages from people who've been moved by the story and it just makes me so, so happy. Thank you!

The lovely Kristina has a very personal story that she shares in her fabulous review. Read it on her blog Kristina's Books and More

I also wrote an exclusive scene for her blog stop - Top Ten things to do on a date according to Max and Stella. Here's an excerpt:

Top Ten things to do on a date...

According to Stella and Max from “In a Heartbeat”


Stella: “I can tell you’re going to say sex just by your annoying smirk.”

Max: “Sex.”

Stella: “Now that we got that out of the way, stop grinning like a horny teenager and let’s say something constructive.”

Max: “Do we need anything else? I think that pretty much covers it.”

Stella: “It says Top Ten things. We have to come up with nine more.”

Max: “Well, if you’re on a date with me, there won’t be much time left for anything else, let alone nine more things.”

Stella: “Then, let’s just imagine I’m not on a date with you. Hm, what would I want to do?”

Max: “Hey! Stop imagining dating someone else.”

Stella: “Come up with better ideas then.”

Max: “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

Stella: “Oh yeah.”


Click here to read the rest of the conversation.




Thursday 18 April 2013

Interview with Confessions of a Book Heaux




Confessions of a Book Heaux hosted me recently on their blog as a part of the "In a Heartbeat" blog tour and I loved their interview questions! Here's the whole interview:



Celebrity crush – Do I have to choose just one? Oh my, that’s hard! OK, I’m going to go with Joe Manganiello. No wait, Taylor Kitsch. No, no! Alexander Skarsgard! Why are you doing this to me?!

Weirdest phobia – Used cups and glasses. It’s not that I’m afraid of them or something, but I just can’t stand drinking from the same cup or glass twice. The moment it’s used once it needs to go in the dishwasher, no refills.

The best time of the day for sex – All day, every day. Every chance you get – use it!

I'm totally addicted to – books, tumblr, my Kindle, my phone, Dr. Pepper.

Marriage is – hard work, but once you’ve put in the hours and made the compromises, the rewards are amazing.

The best compliment I've been given was – “I miss you.”

The most important lesson I’ve learned about love – it’s unexpected, uncontrollable and can’t be forced.

If I could pick four people to have dinner with, dead or alive, I'd choose – Abigail Roux, Jared Leto, Rihanna and Taylor Kitsch.

Sex on the first date – if it’s what you want – go for it.

The illegal thing I would do if I could get away with it – speeding.

The quality I like in a man – patience, because I lack any.

The comfort food you most crave – pizza and French fries.

The best gift I've ever been given was – my Kindle. It opened a whole new world to me.

Most embarrassing moment was – during my university years (the first time around). It’s a blur of constant partying, drinking and a horde of people, so I don’t really remember the exact embarrassing moment, but I’m sure it was during that time.

I feel most sexy when – my husband looks at me.

5 book boyfriends (yes only 5) – Ty and Zane (yes, I’ll count them as one, because they’re already a couple), Vishous (Black Dagger Brotherhood), Trey (Sinners on Tour), Eric Northman (Sookie Stackhouse), Gideon Cross (Crossfire)

What is your favorite drink? – Red Bull and Dr. Pepper.

If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be? – Alice in Wonderland.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be? – invisibility (on demand, not all the time), speed, the ability to speak any language.

How would you describe yourself in three words? – impatient, sarcastic, loyal.



Wednesday 10 April 2013

First tour stop - at YA Book Addict



Kicking off this fabulous blog tour with a review and giveaway at YA Book Addict.

Review excerpt:

And just like that, in a heartbeat, their lives changed forever.

Happiness is discovering an author who's work you haven't read before and falling in love with the characters they have created and the story they have woven. So after reading In a Heartbeat, I am very happy indeed!!!

In a Heartbeat started with me having a huge smile on my face. Stella is part of a wonderful happy family. But within a few pages of starting this my face no longer contained that smile. Things fell apart very quickly. From one thing to the next Stella endures way more than any girl her age should have to deal with. Cancer being one of those things. After her latest round of treatment, Stella decides to get away for a few months and go to Italy to spend time with her Cousin Lisa and her Aunt Niki. Somewhere where she's not known as the girl with cancer.

Not long after arriving, Stella is on the beach when she catches sight of the incredibly gorgeous lifeguard Max. Stella is completely captivated by him. And it turns out that he is her cousins friend and they will be spending plenty of time together. After fighting their feelings for each other it soon becomes impossible to ignore and a beautiful romance blossoms between the two of them. But always in the back of Stella's mind is the possibility of her cancer returning.

My favourite character hands down was Max. He starts out as a flirt and readily admits to the amount of girls that he's been with. But his feelings for Stella are like nothing he's ever felt before. He was so loving and sweet and caring. It was impossible not to love him. And he's definitely going on my list of book boyfriends.

He had black shorts on and nothing else. The muscles on his chest, arms and shoulders flexed with every step he took.The tattoo on his hip moved in sync with his body and at that moment all Stella wanted to do was yank his shorts down and explore it. With her mouth.



Click here to read the whole review and enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a copy of 'In a Heartbeat' and some signed swag.
Thank you, Tracey, such a wonderful way to start!


Tuesday 9 April 2013

Blog Tour!!!






In a Heartbeat Blog Tour is kicking off tomorrow! It's going to be huge with blogs taking part over 3 weeks! We've got so much going on - interviews, reviews, playlist listings, giveaways, alternate POV scenes... It's hosted by TSK TSK What to Read and organized by the wonderful Kathryn Grimes.
I'm very excited about it, but most of all I'm thankful and humbled by everyone's support! Book bloggers and reviewers are such amazing people, with passion for books and unending support for authors. I've made some really good friends along the way and I couldn't be happier right now. Thank you!!!
Here's the full schedule - mark the dates and make sure you visit the blogs, not just because they all are pretty awesome, but also for a chance to win books and swag.











Thursday 4 April 2013

In a Heartbeat Release Day Blast!






In a Heartbeat is out everyone! Yes, today is the day! Head over to my Facebook author page - we're having a huge Release Day Blast with lots of games and prizes. Also, there's a Rafflecopter going on for 5 days till April 9th, with 17 individual prizes - check your favourite book blogs, there's a good chance some of them are taking part in the blast. If not, visit Tsk Tsk What to Read who are hosting the whole event and enter the Rafflecopter. You can also read Kathryn's amazing review of In a Heartbeat and browse through their book recommendations.

At the moment, In a Heartbeat is available on all Amazon sites and Smashwords. In a few weeks it will be available everywhere, including iTunes, Kobo, B&N. But for now, here are all the links you need:

Smashwords

Amazon US and worldwide

Amazon UK

Amazon Germany

Amazon Italy

Amazon Spain

Amazon France

Amazon Japan

Amazon Brazil

Amazon Canada

I'm hoping in a couple of weeks the paperback will be available as well, still working on it.

Happy reading and enjoy!