Thursday 30 May 2013

Tour Stop ~ Alizel's Song by Bill Pottle - Guest Post and Giveaway




Alizel's Song
by Bill Pottle



About The Author:

Bill is a martial artist, author, and university professor in Colorado. He tries not to take himself too seriously while his work explores the interplay between religion and science, fantasy and technology, and what it means to be a human. Bill earned his Master's Degree in Biological Engineering from Cornell University and lives happily ever after with his wife and daughter.
See  for details
Website |  Book Site | Facebook

Genre: Christian Fantasy
Publisher: Ellechor Publishing House
Release Date: March 3, 2013
Amazon

Book Description:

An unranked angel, Alizel, tells the inside story of the rebellion of Lucifer and the fall of man. Join him as he strolls through Heaven’s gardens, ponders theological questions with other angels, and battles against others who have turned away.

This epic tale will take you from the inner workings of the quark to the interplay between galaxies, from what lies hidden in the soul to the fundamental questions of good and 
evil.

Praise for Alizel's Song!
“When Pottle told the story of Lucifer and man's fall he cleverly incorporated modern scientific theory into the biblical creation story.” ~ Carol Peterson, Amazon Reviewer
"Highly recommended for Fantasy Fiction lovers! ”~Rachel Shelley, Amazon Reviewer
"This book captured my attention from page 1, Cannot wait for the sequel. ”~Linda, Amazon Reviewer

Excerpt:
 Raphael, however, was braver than most. Alizel crouched behind the tree as he saw him approaching Luciferel slowly from behind, his soft footfalls beating a calm rhythm. Rafael had broad, even shoulders and was never in a hurry. Raphael, Alizel imagined, was a healer, although he may not have been aware of it at the time, since angels were never “injured” or in need of being healed. They were either perfectly healthy or in the Containment. Neither situation could be made better by anyone else’s help. The concepts of destruction and healing were only just beginning to dawn on them. Still, Raphael’s gentleness always made Alizel and the other Unranked feel safe in his presence, and he seemed to have a gift for fixing whatever troubled angels’ hearts. Alizel watched anxiously.

Luciferel was still hunched over the rail that guarded the Portal, and didn’t notice the other angel’s approach. Rafael stood there for a moment as if contemplating what to say, and then placed a firm hand on Luciferel’s shoulder.
Luciferel whipped his head around, fear shining in his eyes. His body relaxed slightly in Rafael’s presence but his expression was still guarded. Rafael’s countenance was serene but troubled. He was one of the few who could take in the full pain of another and still exude a soothing aura to those around him. Alizel wondered how much pain he had already absorbed from the rest of the angels…and how much more he would have to before this was all over.
Rafael just looked at his fellow Seraph, as if trying to probe the depths of Luciferel’s soul. He didn’t speak for several minutes, until Luciferel finally met his gaze. Rafael didn’t flinch, but the lines around his eyes drew downwards.
“What has happened to you?” Rafael seemed to already know, but asked his question more to see if Luciferel himself understood.
“I am becoming stronger,” he said, gasping for breath. If it weren’t for the seriousness of the situation, Alizel would have almost thought it to be a joke.
Rafael swept his soft brown eyes over Luciferel’s body and then raised his eyebrows. “You have rejected God’s power that sustains us. Your body is falling apart. If you do not let Him flow through you again, you will surely perish.”
“I will not die. I have found another power to sustain me.”
The shock of his words made Rafael look on in confusion. Alizel’s eyes narrowed as he listened. Was Luciferel bluffing? He certainly didn’t seem to be sustained.
“All this time,” Luciferel continued, each word labored, “we thought that was the only way that we could live. Yet only after blocking that vile substance did I find my own true power.”
“This power you speak of has left your body broken and damaged. This internal power cannot compete with God,” Raphael countered.
“It is still dormant, unused.” Luciferel waited to catch his breath before speaking more. “I am the first one to find this fiery power within me. I surely meant to perish. Why would I want to continue in a world where I must bow down to a Son of Mud? But my anger, my displeasure, my feelings against the current situation sustained my body. As these feelings grow stronger, so does my body. I just do not know how to channel this power yet.”
“You never doubted the Lord before. You must come back and let your body receive the Father again. You can still be bright!”
Alizel could tell Rafael’s mind was working furiously, probing to find a crack in the wall of resentment Luciferel had erected around himself.
“I was a fool then, surely. I did not understand that God only meant to betray us.” The more Luciferel talked, the stronger he seemed to become.
“There are uncertain times ahead, to be sure. But that is all the more reason we need you with us, as our leader.” Rafael was appealing to Luciferel’s sense of vanity now. “No one was able to lead as well as you or to command as much respect as you. What will we do without you?”
“Honestly?” Luciferel looked at him, but from Rafael’s expression it was obvious he didn’t see the same Luciferel looking back at him. “Honestly, I don’t care.”
Luciferel got up to leave. His gait was still hobbling, but he could walk away on his own. His words trailed after him. “Come find me if you come to your senses. Come find me if you want to be stronger.”



Guest Post
Why this was the hardest book I ever had to write. 

Alizel’s Song was easily the most difficult book I ever had to write. The book is a retelling of the War in Heaven between Lucifer and Michael. What factors would make such a book difficult to write? 

Setting – The book is set primarily in Heaven, which creates a host of issues. What is it like? How do people/angels/souls eat, sleep, spend their days, etc? I also had to deal with the fact that readers have very high (to put it mildly) expectations about what Heaven might be like. 

Fighting – What happens if you die when you are in Heaven? If no one can die, it is not going to be a very exciting war. Would angels with wings fight in three dimensions? What type of formations and tactics would they use? 

Characters – Although I was free to make up my own characters, I also used many characters who are commonly known to the general public. Readers already knew the destinies of several of the main characters. How could I make their stories interesting when the reader already knew the main points of what would happen? 

Plot – Again, the readers knew most of the main plot points. (Hint: Lucifer doesn’t defeat God) How could I make a story that would use foreshadowing and let them guess at the details, when the readers already knew the ending? 

Scientific/Religious Harmony – In addition to this, I had to make a story that could be true when seen through both the current scientific and religious worldviews. How could I reconcile the two? The main problem has to do with how souls/angels/demons could interact with the physical world without violating the laws of thermodynamics. I used quantum physics here, borrowing an idea first put forth by Sir John Polkinghorne. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle means that we can never completely know both the position and velocity of any particle. This provides a ‘window’ through which the spiritual world can influence the physical world. 

Because of these issues, this book took almost ten years to complete. In the end, however, I think I have provided answers that are at least coherent with each other. The book also took longer since this was my first traditionally published book, and  I had to work with several excellent editors from Ellechor Publishing House. (http://www.ellechorpublishinghouse.com/



Wednesday 29 May 2013

Books Spotlight - Gabriella by Alan Hardy

GabriellaGabriella

Description

The occasion of the annual cricket match between the St. Swithin’s Boys School First XI and the team from the local grammar school is a grudge match, the grammar school never having won or drawn a match. Gabriella Blenkinsop is the Head Girl of the St Swithin’s Girls School and takes it personally when a grammar-school boy called Jim Collier starts to show some prowess and begins to get their batsmen out, putting the public-school team in grave danger of actually losing for once.

Using her personal charm (or is it charms?) she begins to systematically disarm Jim, but it seems he is responding to it rather than being cowed. Suddenly the tables are turned and it is Gabriella who is disarmed. Each of the two protagonists alternately rises to the challenge and then succumbs, until the game becomes a metaphor for the sexual act.


Genre: Romance/Satirical

Buy Links: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iBookstore

Alan  HardyAbout the Author
I'm a director of an English language school for foreign students. Married, with one daughter. Poetry pamphlets: Wasted Leaves, 1996; I Went With Her, 2007. I've had poems published in such magazines as Orbis, Iota, The Interpreter's House, Poetry Nottingham, Poetry Salzburg Review, Poetry Cornwall, and others. I have now written five novels. I would describe them as surreal novels exploring the nature of relationships, romantic and sexual, and Britain's class-system, with liberal use of comedy and satire, creating original and riveting settings full of humour, romance, sex and adventure.

Follow Here:  GoodreadsTwitter



Tuesday 28 May 2013

Summer Giveaway Promotion!



Summer Giveaway PROMOTION
Announcing Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours Summer
PROMOTIONS and GIVEAWAY!

Reading Addiction Blog Tours will is offering 15% Off to
All Authors who book a Tour this summer!
(Tours must start by August 31st)
Contact us HERE and mention the CODE WORD: SUMMER



Thank you to all of the Authors Participating in this Giveaway!

There are Links to Authors Websites, check out more Books from these Lovely Authors! Goodreads Links next to them go to their Goodreads page to read more about the books. (ones that have a page there that is)





Prize Pack #1 eBook Copies 
Fate War: Alliance by E.M. Havens  Goodreads
Contemporary Romance


Prize Pack #2 eBook Copies
New Adult
Young Adult/ New Adult


Prize Pack #3 eBook Copies
Young Adult/ New Adult
New Adult


Prize Pack #4 eBook Copies 
To Trust a Theif by Michelle McLean  Goodreads
Historical Romance
Women's Fiction
Romantic Suspense


Prize Pack #5 eBook Copies
Contemporary Romance
Contemporary Romance

New Adult


Prize Pack #6 Signed Paperback Copies
Mything You by Greta Buckle  Goodreads
Historical Romance
Illicit Love by Jane Lark  Goodreads
Historical Romance


Prize Pack #7 Signed Paperback Copies
Young Adult


Prize Pack #8 Signed Paperback Copies
Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy
Young Adult Fantasy

Prize Pack #9 Signed Paperback Copies
Extreme Love by Abby Niles Goodreads
Contemporary Romance


Prize Pack #10 Signed Paperback Copies
 Sci/Fi Dystopian Romance
Paranormal Romance



Prize Pack #11 Signed Paperback Copies
Awakenings by Hally Willmott Goodreads
Young Adult Paranormal
Young Adult Paranormal





Runner Up Prizes (Signed Book and Swag):

Paranormal Romance


Teaser Tuesday (21)




This is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.
To participate you:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser comes from...



Divine by Mistake (Partholon, #1)Divine by Mistake (A Goddess of Partholon Novel) by P.C. Cast



"I turned to face the centaur, kind of resting half on my butt and half crouching, but definitely under the water and covered to my shoulders. Hie face was in shadow, but I saw the white of his teeth flash as he smiled at me."
Page 184


Amazon Paperback
Amazon Kindle

Monday 27 May 2013

Review ~ Don't Fear the Reaper (Netherworld #1) - Michelle Muto

Don't Fear the Reaper (Netherworld, #1)
Ebook received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Published: September 23rd 2011

ASIN: B005P4534O

Description


Grief-stricken by the murder of her twin, Keely Morrison is convinced suicide is her ticket to eternal peace and a chance to reunite with her sister. When Keely succeeds in taking her own life, she discovers death isn’t at all what she expected. Instead, she’s trapped in a netherworld on Earth and her only hope for reconnecting with her sister and navigating the afterlife is a bounty-hunting reaper and a sardonic, possibly unscrupulous, demon. But when the demon offers Keely her greatest temptation—revenge on her sister’s murderer—she must uncover his motives and determine who she can trust. Because, as Keely soon learns, both reaper and demon are keeping secrets and she fears the worst is true—that her every decision will change how, and with whom, she spends eternity.


My Opinion


I'm not sure why but for some reason I kept putting off reading this book. I don't know why as I was excited when I first got it but now I have read it I can't believe I waited so long to pick up this book. It was a really great read that I couldn't put down once I started.

The storyline was well constructed and interesting. It was also surprisingly original. I wasn't sure how Michelle was going to develop the reaper side of things but I really enjoyed it and can honestly say it was a new take on the paranormal characters that I have read about before. I also loved the after-life aspect. Although it was related to Heaven, Hell and Purgatory and used that as a basis, I liked how the author developed the earth-bound characters and changed how we think of the after-life. One thing I really enjoyed was reapers being the enforcers rather than just death-bringers. 

Because of this different take and Banning's relationship with Keely he was a character I could really feel compassion for and connect with. He contrasted well with Daniel's personality and the two together were great. They had a few funny moments and others where they split your opinion with their view. I also liked how Daniel developed, I'm not sure if there is anything going on with Keely or if there will be but it was subtle concern that helped me grow to like him by the end.

With the way the book started I was a bit wary about it being a book that covers teen and hard hitting issues. Now, I know death and grief is one of these but it was more the suicide aspect that I think helped put me off reading this book. I understand why it was needed and it wasn't as bad as I expected. As well as this thankfully that was the only way it was majorly involved and the way Keely comes to deal with it (and Daniel's stages of grief/blunt nature) made it more interesting. I liked how Keely comes to accept and and her journey was filled with fast-paced moments and slower moments that kept my interest well and helped me engage with the story and characters well. 

The only thing I wasn't so keen on was how the story built itself around this mystery and secrets that were kept from Keely. There were some successful moments that I couldn't predict how parts would turn out, however the main ending I saw coming a mile away and for me, the rest of the mystery became slightly irrelevant as it didn't matter what happened. Once I figured out how the characters were going to get out of the situation the rest of the secrets became a little pointless. Although saying that, it didn't stop me reading as I was really enjoying the book. As well as this even though I knew how it would end when I got there it was executed well and had a good resolve that satisfies the reader while wanting to find out more if there is a sequel. 

Overall this was an enjoyable read that had an original take on a paranormal species and stands out from other books I have read in the genre that deals with these beings. The characters were interesting and engaging, as well as easy to relate to. Although it's predictable it was a nice read and if there is a sequel I will be looking forward to it.

4.5

          


Sunday 26 May 2013

Book Spotlight - Concealed in the Shadows by Gabrielle Arrowsmith

Concealed in the Shadows


Description

Sydney Harter has long awaited September 12th, 2033, her eighteenth birthday. She can finally apply for guardianship of her sister Evvie, her only family and entire world. Sydney holds a sliver of hope that they will be lawfully reunited, and that light will return to her desolate life, but she is prepared to defy authority and risk everything to escape Miles County so that she and Evvie can live full lives together.

Escaping will be difficult and dangerous. Citizens are bound to their county by sophisticated chip implants that deliver shocks to anyone who crosses the county’s electric barrier. Sydney is very clever, but her trickery is limited against the all-seeing eyes of county technology. It seems impossible to escape into the forgotten forests and cities of the past, but Sydney is determined to find a way if she is denied guardianship of her sister. For years she has longed to break free from the government’s experimental Petri Dish and the hallowed drones that inhabit it.

What Sydney doesn’t know is that the county has particular interest in her. Her place in this complex dystopia is about to change. Deceit, fear, and warfare, will come to characterize her life, yet her love for Evvie will always prevail. She must protect her sister, but at what cost?

Concealed in the Shadows is a novel with gripping action, intriguing suspense, and unexpected turns of events. The situations and decisions that the characters must face pull at the very fabric of the human heart.

The subtext artfully examines an array of timeless social and political complexities, fitting this novel for both adults and inquisitive, young readers. The heart and soul are equally satisfied through immersion into such human themes as trust, love, and courage.


Genre: YA Fiction, Dystopian, Sci-Fi (due to futuristic setting - no extraneous creatures), Action

Buy Links: Amazon


About the Author
Gabrielle Arrowsmith was born to her loving mother, father, and older brother on August 16th, 1988. She grew up in the small town of Ham Lake, MN enjoying soccer, school, and adventuresome play with her brother and cousins (who were much like siblings).

As she grew older, her desire to write led her to fill many diaries and notebooks with her thoughts, poems, stories, and scripts, some of which were even turned into rudimentary short films. Some of her other adolescent hobbies included reading, playing soccer, acting, and playing piano.

Gabrielle recalls her junior year in high school as the time when she first believed in the worth of her writing. Her AP course that year both challenged and celebrated her craft. Aiming for perfection caused her to slave over her work, but only so much as to allow time for her other college-level courses, soccer, track, National Honor Society, and school plays.

From 2006-2009 she attended the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN where she earned a degree in Elementary Education with minors in mathematics and Spanish language. She played collegiate soccer for the Saints, volunteered often, worked two on-campus jobs, and acted in three theater productions.

For the past three years, Gabrielle has taught third through sixth graders in various school settings. The relationships she has formed with her students have been very meaningful. However, after rediscovering her passion for storytelling (through both writing and acting) during the summer of 2012, Gabrielle recently decided to transition to day-to-day substitute teaching in order to pursue both of these creative outlets. She will follow these passions wherever they take her. She also continues to enjoy both playing and coaching soccer.



Saturday 25 May 2013

Book Spotlight - The Saga Of Spheres by Mary Twomey

The Saga Of Spheres
Genre: young adult fantasy fiction

The Silence of Lir (Saga of the Spheres)The Silence of Lir
Book One

Dscription
Behind the scenes of our spinning earth are keepers of the elements who make sure that tornadoes don’t destroy cities, fires don’t ravage forests, earthquakes don’t decimate towns, and floods don’t take out
humanity. They wrestle with the natural elements to ensure that the world keeps spinning smoothly on its axis.

Since the beginning of time, the Sun has been fading, and the light that shines on the earth is dimming, causing the elements to be more volatile and impossible for the keepers to control.

Now they must enlist the help of one man, Finn, to help them bring the light back to the Sun. The keepers war, the North Star steals light from the Sun, and the Moon is in disrepute. The end of existence is coming, and all the while the king, the Moon, Lir, remains silent.

Buy Link: Amazon

Thursday 23 May 2013

Review ~ The Accident - Dorice Grey


The AccidentEbook received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Published: May 6th 2013

ASIN: B00COKLL98

Description

Miruna meets a mysterious young man which seems to follow her everywhere. Soon, she realizes that she is the only one who can see him, but he is not a ghost and she's pretty sure he is not just the result of her imagination, either. He has a secret mission. Will she find out what is all about with this man and what is he hiding?





My Opinion

It was a combination of the mystery created in the description and cover that made me accept this book. It sounded like my kind of thing and looked like a nice romance novel so I gladly accepted The Accident. As well as this standing at only 27,112 words it looked like a perfect quick read that could break up my revision in short bursts. Sadly though this novel (well novella) didn't really live up to my expectations.

At the start of the book we find out that Miruna has been in an accident and intrigue is built as to what is going to happen next, especially when a mystery man starts following her. However the writing quickly started to irritate me due to the weird use of punctuation. Besides the excessive use of exclamation marks in places they were not needed as they put an odd emphasis on utterances,  the author also uses elipsis (...) continuously in random places that didn't require it. I tried to find a pattern but couldn't and not only did this lead to a break up in the flow of writing as I was constantly thinking "why is that there?" but it also had me re-reading parts with appropriate punctuation so the lines didn't sound so weird; either being shouted or with long pauses in between. 

As well as this the writing becomes repetitive with sentences frequently starting with "She did....She...She" or "he" one after the other. This was another thing that started to make my interest sway as it didn't engage me or keep me hooked. It needed more variations. As I mentioned I was reading this book as a break from revision so I decided I would read a chapter or two as a break, this plan did not go accordingly though as strangely this book has none! I know it's short in length but it was definitely too long to be one chapter and needed to be split into sections as there are readers like me who hate stopping mid chapter.

One thing I did like was the new take on angels and guardians with Adrian that I haven't come across before. It seemed more like a military organisation with the ID numbers and hierarchy and I thought it was original and interesting. However I do think it needs a lot of work as this is where the biggest problem arose. The concept was there but the writing is not. My biggest problem with the book is that the author more often than not 'tells' the audience rather than 'shows' them through description. It came across I was reading lists of facts and they didn't really build up a picture of what was going on or a relationship with any of the character. This also made the writing jumpy and lack fluency as a scene never really developed before the reader is thrown into another one. For me it needed a lot more description to help engage the reader and make it flow better. It would also have made it a longer read as it felt like the story was over before it started. 

As well as this when I did get to the end it was confusing and in my opinion really unoriginal. I won't tell you what it is in case you read this book but it is something I have been taught not to do since high school. Personally, when I read it, it rendered the rest of the book totally pointless and irrelevant and I was left feeling disappointed as it started to pick up slightly in the last 30 pages or so.

Overall I liked the concept of this book but I think it needs to go through some serious editing to fill in the gaps where the writing jumps, pick up the random punctuation and grammar/spelling errors and basically add more to the story as I feel it is under developed as it stands right now and leaves little for the reader to imagine or get lost in.


1.5
          


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