Short Story - Ice by Terra Harmony

And so the ‘Week of Terra Harmony’ comes to an end…

Day 6 – Short story by Terra Harmony

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Title: Ice
Author’s Introduction: Thank you for your interest in my writing! The following short story is based on some of the main characters from the Akasha Series.  Follow the links posted at the bottom to read the next short story and to check out more awesome book review bloggers!

At first, they had been plentiful.  Tiny specks of concentrated energy – each one of them so dense they could be seen with the naked eye, like specks of dust visible in the sun’s rays.  Shawn collected them, willing them to group together, building a wall around the old man standing across from him.  But now they were fewer, and so transparent they could only be felt, not seen.

They were also no longer cooperating.  Many floated away from the mass, compromising the strength of the wall.  The purpose was to block Cato, the old man, from being able to wield magic.

“Pay attention, son.  Your creation comes from synching yourself with nature.  Shields are not built by sheer willpower.”  Cato lectured the 10 year-old boy, who had been at the exercise for the better part of an hour.  Sweat poured down the boy’s forehead as he furrowed his eyebrows in concentration.  If walls were built with willpower, Cato wouldn’t have a chance.

Cato smiled, forcing air into the flimsy block Shawn had constructed.  Once the air tunnels had penetrated even the smallest pores, he pushed bits of earth through the tunnels with a burst of speed, effectively blowing apart everything Shawn had constructed.

Shawn’s frustrated growl made Cato laugh out loud.  “How did you do that?”  Shawn asked.

“Think of it like overpopulation.  Just as the Earth cannot handle a limitless amount of humans, neither can your wall handle a limitless amount of force.  Now – try again.  This time, concentrate on the purity of your energy.”

Shawn took a sip from his water bottle and threw it aside.  He wiped the sweat off his forehead with his shirt, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes – centering himself just as Cato had taught him.  He drew energy again, attempting to build a wall around Cato’s magical abilities, molecule by molecule.  This time he packed them in tighter, giving his structure a sturdy base. 

“Good, good,” Cato commented.  “Soon you will be able to practice with the Gaia herself.  Your manipulation of her magical abilities will include strengthening it, altering it or even blocking it when necessary.”

Shawn fell into a rhythm.  Slowly but surely, the wall was beginning to rise.  It soon became boring, monotonous work.  His thoughts fell to the overpopulation comment Cato made.  “If humans are destroying the planet, because of how many of us there are – why don’t we just make it so there are less of us?”  Shawn asked.

Cato turned a wary eye to the 10 year-old boy, “What do you mean, son?”

“I mean, maybe there should just be less people.”  Shawn continued constructing his wall, brick by brick.

Cato wasn’t sure he should pursue the subject, but he had felt guilty – having spent all his time with the two new children he adopted three weeks ago.  He at least owed it to the boy to treat his ideas with respect; owed him a serious conversation.  “How would you propose we go about doing that?”

Shawn took his time answering.  In the past when he had brought up the subject, he had been either brushed off or rebuked.  “Well, population control, for one.  Like China does.  One kid per family.”

Cato nodded his head, “A valid point.”  Shawn’s wall had completely enclosed Cato from the ground up to his knees.  He could still knock it down, but the boy needed to practice.  “Religion poses a problem.  Many religions preach that faith equals fertility.  Going against such a fundamental belief is not a good idea – even if your original intentions are to save the planet.  Not many will be on your side.  You would alienate our organization from the majority of the population.”

“Religion isn’t all bad – I mean, look at all the wars started because of religious differences.  That got rid of some of the population,” said Shawn.

“You’ve been paying attention in your history lessons!  Good boy!”  Cato ruffled Shawn’s hair, choosing to ignore the darker implications of Shawn’s thought.  Shawn had suddenly picked up speed with his wall – it was now closing over Cato’s chest.

Encouraged, Shawn continued.  “Governments spend so much money on disaster efforts, sick people, old people.  Why don’t they just, you know, stop doing that?  Might help with population numbers.”

“Most certainly.  But then you are telling people to ignore one of the very traits that define humanity – compassion.”  Cato uttered the last word with uncertainty.  He pushed a small amount of energy into the wall.  Impenetrable.  The boy was learning.  Slowly, the wall began closing in; squeezing Cato like a sinister hug.

“But it is compassion, because you are saving the Earth – making it a better place for humans and in the end even saving people,” Shawn said.

Cato tried taking a deep breath, but the squeezing was too intense.  Even though Shawn’s wall was invisible to the naked eye, it was as solid, and as real – as steal.  The boy’s magic, as well as the conversation, were treading dangerous ground. 

“Shawn – I think you are missing the point.”  Cato was having more and more difficulty talking as the wall snaked around him.  “The Seven exists to protect and help the Earth.  Those of us that have been blessed with the ability to manipulate elements and energy must do our best to counter the harmful effects of the human population.  We are not here to counter the human population itself.”

“Well, maybe we should.”  Shawn completed the wall; it surrounded Cato like a claustrophobic igloo.  The two stood there, still as ice – one by choice, the other not so much.

Cato was taking in short, constricted breaths, “To what end?  Why then, would we be saving the Earth?  Who would be here to enjoy it?” 

Suddenly, the wall disintegrated.  Shawn released his adoptive father and said, “You know – the rest of us.  Whoever is left.”

Cato resisted the urge to brush off of the non-existent wall debris.  “No.  The answer is no.  We will all abide by the mission of the organization – and the mission is not depopulation.”

Completely unnerved by the entire experience, Cato picked up his gym bag and walked away, mumbling excuses of the work awaiting him. 

Shawn watched him go.  “Then maybe we need a new organization.”

Elemental powers and dark thoughts; not a good combination – especially with a 10 year old boy! Interested in what kind of man Shawn shapes up to be? Check out the Akasha Series, and follow my blog to get your own dose of magic through my weekly flash fiction posts.

To see more of my flash fiction, check out these blogger sights:

Oil Spill at Dreamland: A Teenage Fantasy

Good Luck Charm at Can’t Put It Down

Raining Mud at Ritesh Kala’s Book Reviews

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I hope you guys enjoyed this week as much as I did! The giveaway is still ongoing until 5 February 2012 and is open internationally. If you haven’t entered yet, you can do so here!

Much love

xx

Eye Candy by Terra Harmony

As you know from my schedule post, Terra Harmony has done a guest post!

Day 5 – A guest post

“In this day and age, when we have thousand upon thousands of reading options at our fingertips, the book cover is often the one and only chance to grab the reader’s attention. The cover makes the first impression and the book is judged before even getting a chance to present its blurb. This is especially true with e-readers.”

“How could we possibly forego the smell of a freshly printed book – or even the smell of an old, dusty book pulled from the back of the shelf? How could we give up the way it feels in our hands, the way it crinkles as we turn the page, or the way it bends exactly to our hands’ size? Furthermore, what in the heck will we do with our favourite bookmarks?”

“The entire experience of reading a book is an escape for many of us – a treat.”

To read further, head on over to Ritesh’s blog for the rest of the guest post as well as Terra’s and my favourite book covers J

Happy reading…

Much love

xx

Character Interview with Kaitlyn

Day 4 - Character Interview with Kaitlyn…

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Alexia: Welcome Kaitlyn! Let’s jump right in…

Alexia: If you could compare Micah to any celebrity, who would you compare to and why?

Kaitlyn: That is a tough question.  I’ve never met anyone like Micah – though I guess I haven’t met any celebrities, either.  His green eyes, by far his most striking feature, are just not comparable to any I have come across.  The rest of him, well he’d probably pass for a blue-collar worker.  Always has a five o’clock shadow on his cheeks and chin, sandy brown hair, about a head taller than me.  He is in good shape; strong arms, the hands of a diligent worker…is it getting hot in here?  Can we just move on to the next question?

Nat: Oh yes, I think I want to order an ice latte and maybe a cute green eyed waiter. 

Alexia: *wipes drool off face, clears throat* uh… sure 

Nat: Do you have a favourite book, movie or song?

Kaitlyn: I have a secret crush on anything vampire.  They are so powerful, yet at the same time so vulnerable – falling victim to the very thing our world is centered on; the sun.  In a way…I guess I can relate.  Not about the sun – I love me a good tan, but about being powerful and vulnerable at the same time.

Nat: Me too, who’s your favorite vampire? Mine (currently) is Damon Salvatore from the Vampire Diaries, I’m Vaddicted to him…

Alexia: OMG, Nat, yes – so with you there, Damon is a hotness monster of note!

Nat : I have him as my Google Chrome wallpaper *drools*

Kaitlyn: Ever read the Vampire Empire series? After the first book, I may just have fallen in love with the Greyfriar (sorry Micah).  Still have the second book to read!  The author set up a very interesting relationship between the lead characters.

Alexia: Describe your relationship with Micah, Shawn, and Alex.

Kaitlyn: Micah.  Mmmmm – Micah.  The name in itself is a delicious rumble between pressed lips, like you just took a bite of the creamiest, most decadent piece of cheesecake ever.  Don’t get me wrong.  He has his flaws – big ones.  But so do I.  In a way, these flaws shape who we are.  Whether or not we work out as a couple remains to be seen.  We definitely have a big talk coming, and our next steps sort of hinge on the outcome of that talk.  Don’t tell him I said that, ok? In fact, maybe we should strike that whole bit from the record…

Alex is great – like the little brother I never had.  He can be annoying but we get along most of the time.  When having the powers that I have goes to my head, he is right there to let me know I have ketchup on my chin.  He definitely knows how to keep me grounded.

As for Shawn – not sure I can speak about him right now, especially without retching.  Besides, I wouldn’t want our interview to be interrupted by any…storms.

Nat: I would love to meet Micah and Alex, can we go on a triple date? I don’t mind taking Shawn…. I’ll force him to behave for one day!

Alexia: Dude, you’re absolutely loco to want to go on a date with Shawn, the only reason why I’d want to meet Shawn is to go ape shit on his ass… *clears throat* sorry, got carried away there for a sec…

Nat:  Well, I needed a date and it’s impossible for you to take Micah and Shawn, unless you wanted to trade Alex with the old man?? I don’t mind taking Alex *grins*

Kaitlyn: Actually, Nat may have a point – perhaps the right woman can make Shawn behave! Besides – those bad boys can be hard to resist…

Nat: How has being a Gaia changed your life? 

Kaitlyn: Since I came to the Seven and took on the role of Gaia, everything has changed.  Who I thought I was, who my parents were and what they did.  Hell – I can’t even look at the ocean the same way I used to.

I only wish I could speak to other Gaias to find out more.  What is ultimately expected of us?  How did they cope?  Maybe they could even teach me a few tricks of their own.  When things seem to be at their worst, it helps to remind myself that each of these women were alone, too.  Speaking to another Gaia is highly unlikely, as I’ve been told they have all passed on. But as recent experience proves, anything is possible.

Nat: Being a Gaia sounds like a tough job, I wish you all the luck Kaitlyn…

Kaitlyn: Thanks!  Hey – want the job?  You never know what’s in you unless you try!

Alexia: Who is your favourite person in your life?

Kaitlyn: For those that have read my story, I think you know the answer to that!  : )  I’ll give everyone else a hint – it is a character that isn’t introduced until the very last chapter.

Nat: Unfortunately I couldn’t reveal any spoilers ><

Alexia: Ooh, so exciting!!

Kaitlyn: Oh, yeah. Get your cameras ready! 

Nat: Do you miss being a freelance photographer?

Kaitlyn: For sure!  I miss everything about it; the freedom, the flexibility, the feeling I get when I snap that perfect picture and it comes out so beautiful people will think it’s been digitally altered.  Although being a Gaia offers far more adventure than I could ever want, I miss the adventure of photography.  Discovering new places through the lens and sharing it with the world.   More than anything, I miss the independence of the job.  If I didn’t do the work, I wouldn’t get a paycheck.  But it was just me – no one else relied on me and that was far less pressure than what I do now.  

Nat: I admire your perspective on photography, I never ventured into the art of photography and I regret for not doing so…

Kaitlyn: No time like the present! And take a few pics for me, the Seven doesn’t give me much free time these days.

Alexia: Can you please explain exactly what ‘The Seven’ does, for those who haven’t read your story yet?

Kaitlyn: The Seven exists to help nature balance itself out.  I know – sounds part hippie, part dungeons and dragons – like tree-hugging wizards.  Truth of the matter is, mankind is destroying the planet, slowly but surely.  The Seven counteracts what humans inflict.  There are certain people born with the ability to manipulate the elements; water, air, fire and earth.  Those people are recruited to help.  There are fewer still born with the ability to manipulate all of the elements to a much stronger degree.  I am one of those unlucky few.  I can control two or more elements at a time.  The problem with this is I may tip the scales, so to speak.  It would be easy for me to send the ecosystem out of whack; which is what I was doing, unbeknownst to me, before I joined the Seven.  The other problem, or so I’ve been told, is two Gaias cannot be practicing at once.  Too much power.  So once a stronger one is found…I take my leave.

Nat: That sounds….painful…What would you do when it’s your time to take the leave?

Kaitlyn: Two options come to mind; fight back or run. Though I understand the importance of a Gaia, I definitely don’t agree with many of the Seven’s policies in how to handle them. I can tell you this much, things are going to change.

Alexia: I get the slight inkling that you don’t usually think before speaking – has your mouth ever gotten you into more trouble than you can handle?

Kaitlyn: Oddly enough, no. I think speaking out has put me in enough awkward and even troubling situations that I have learned to cope.  I am not superwoman, but I have been through some shit and I am still here.  If anything, it has helped prepare me, especially through my ordeal with Shawn and for whatever else is to come.

Nat: Atta girl! Believe me or not, your sarcasm made my day! And had taught me to be more outspoken.

Alexia: *snorts* I could learn a thing or two from you Kaitlyn – I can’t seem to keep my mouth shut when it counts!

Nat: Any future plans for the world?

Kaitlyn: To be honest, it is hard to put the world before myself right now.  Sounds selfish, I know, especially given my role as Gaia.  But things have changed, even since I became Gaia, and I really need to concentrate on me.  I think about this a lot and feel incredibly guilty.  Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder if this is the thought process that lead the planet to its current state.  There is a saying, “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little."  It’s true, *sigh*, so I promise to recycle this coffee cup after I finish.  : )  It’s the little things, ya know?

Nat: Uh huh *sipping the last drop of the ice latte*….Darn it, it’s plastic. 

Alexia: I’m with you on that Kaitlyn, each person needs to do their part.

Nat : You’re making me feel bad……zzzzzzzz, I’ll blame it on the person who gave me this plastic cup!

Alexia: Which element is your favourite?

Kaitlyn: It is ultimately water that saved me from Shawn, so yeah - without a doubt my favourite is H2O.  There is certainly something intriguing about each of the others, though.  Fire is the purest, it cannot be polluted.  Earth is steady and strong; the most persistent of the four.  Air is, well, in a word – magical.  The breath of life, winds of change, all that jazz.  But let’s not forget the fifth element – Akasha.  The spirit that binds them all. 

Nat: My favourite element is also water, nothing but H20 to ensure the continuity of life, without H20 you get droughts, sore throat, constipation ~coughs~ My point is, water symbolizes calm and serenity to me.  

Alexia: My fav would be fire! It’s intense, pure and passionate.

Alexia: Well, that’s it for today. Thank you for joining Nat and I, we appreciate you coming in and answering our questions. Good luck with all your adventures – watch your back with that Shawn!

Nat : Hey now, I like Shawn, even if I want to stick a pole up his ---

Kaitlyn: Ladies, ladies – who wants another latte?

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But wait, there’s more… Ritesh did an interview with Terra Harmony! To view their Q & A head on over to Ritesh’s blog J

Much love peeps

xx

Teaser of 'Air' by Terra Harmony

Day 3 – Reviews of ‘Water’ and teaser of ‘Air’

Feast your eyes peeps… I almost died reading this – I.WANT.THIS.BOOK.NOW! *hint hint, wink wink* J

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I made my way down the path toward the rock and nearly collapsed when I entered the clearing. There, in front of the rock, was a spot where the soil was compressed and indented with a shape similar to a body. Half a dozen rose petals fluttered around the clearing with the morning breeze, drawing attention to the most damning evidence of all; the red cord tied to a root protruding from the ground.

Micah knelt down beside me and untied the cord. “I don’t get it – were you here last night?” As if to answer his own question, he stood and reached inside my nest of matted hair to pull out a rose petal that was buried deep within.

I nodded. “I think so. In person, or…otherwise.” How could I explain it to him?

His hands felt the outline of the body in the soil, then moved down to two much deeper knee marks, “And who else?” His voice suddenly grew tight, weary of my answer.

“Shawn.”

He took up a handful of soil and squeezed until I thought minerals would come out. He stood up in anger. “How? Why?”

Still bent over, with my eyes cast down, I barely whispered, “Look at the cord, Micah. How many blood streaks do you see?” I stayed quiet for a moment, letting realization hit him.

I heard the hesitant footsteps of our three followers enter the clearing. They each looked over Micah’s shoulder at the cord. Susan let out a gasp muffled by her hand over her mouth. Alex gave a very audible, “No way.”

“It is done, then.” Vayu said softly to Micah. “They are bound just as you and she are bound.”

Everyone grew silent but I felt all eyes turn to me. I stood up with my back still to them, not bothering to brush the tainted soil from my knees.

“The hell we are. Give me that cord.” I held out my hand and Micah passed it over. “Now stand back.”

I heard them take a few steps back and knew it wasn’t enough.

No matter, they’ll scatter as soon as they see.

I drew energy that came willingly up through the ground. Almost immediately the wind picked up and clouds blew in at my insistence. I called upon all the elements, infusing moisture into the atmosphere and charging the clouds with electrical energy. Next I used opposite-charged energy to create a conductive path. The first lightning strike hit the cord dead-on, filling the area with a sudden light and a loud crack. My ears rang in protest, but I ignored them. Before the effects of the first bolt wore off, I had another racing to the ground. Those behind me half-jumped, half-stumbled back. I turned my head slightly and smiled; had they not been scared shitless, they would have been proud of me.

My robe came undone. Combined with my cackle and hair rising from the static electricity, I must have seemed an insane witch. I have to admit, I was quite insane in those moments. The cord disintegrated in a matter of seconds, and I set my targets to the impression of my body in the ground. Soil exploded up around me with each lighting strike, then rained down again – offering more and more energy to my cause. The lightening was coming dangerously close to me, but I didn’t particularly care. It fueled my excitement.

“Do something!” Micah shouted over the noise at Vayu and Susan.

Before they could, I delved deep into their centers and retracted their energy. I had no idea I could do that until it was done. Susan actually fainted at the sudden loss of energy. Vayu fell to the ground, paralyzed. Alex moved toward me. I stopped him with a bolt of lightning at his feet. He flew back into the brush. Before Micah could try disarming me with one of his famous kisses, I did the same to him.

Clear of distractions, I concentrated on the annoying little rose petals that still had the nerve to grace the clearing with their presence. The smell of ashes floated through the air. I felt the incredible deposit of energy I had built up draining, and decided to go out with a bang. With just enough to create a powerful final strike, I focused. The lightning paused for a moment while I fueled the force-to-be.

As I finished carving a path of energy and released the charge from the clouds overhead, Micah took me from behind. We went tumbling across the clearing and the strike skewed off to the side in my confusion. It hit the boulder, hard. Pieces of rock shot at us through the air like shrapnel. The world went white.

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To see another teaser of ‘Air’ visit Natasha’s blog and head on over to Ritesh’s blog to see all the reviews of ‘Water’. Enjoy J

Much love

xx

Introduction to 'The Akasha Series'

Welcome back to a fun filled week of Terra Harmony! Happy reading folks J

Day 2 – Introduction to ‘The Akasha Series’:

“I am so excited to be writing a detailed introduction to The Akasha Series!  I could write several pages explaining the series, but as you know – each reader interprets a story differently.  Instead, I’d like to convey the story using bits and pieces of reviews by readers themselves.  Every sentence below is taken directly from a book blogger’s review.”

Want to read more? Head on over to the blogger that has it all…

Psst… Don’t forget about the awesome giveaway! Remember you’ll also get extra entries for commenting on posts throughout the week!!

Until tomorrow…

Much love

xx

Terra Harmony on life, her books and some awesome powers!

And so the ‘Week of Terra Harmony’ begins… feast your eyes peeps, there is a lot in store for all you avid readers!

Day 1 – Terra’s Biographical Write-up:

“I admittedly always have trouble talking about myself – it feels awkward. I’ll start with something simple – my name. Several people have already commented on my author name. It is, in fact a pen name. Although my first name is truly ‘Terra’, meaning ‘Earth’, it is actually my middle name, not my last name that is ‘Harmony’ meaning ‘peace’. Put together my name means ‘Peace on Earth’. You guessed it – my parents were hippies. I have to say Terra Harmony was a much better choice than their original idea of ‘Moon Shadow’.”

“My series is more fantasy than anything else, but there is a larger message I want to convey. We don’t exactly have to be blessed with elemental powers to make a difference!”

Yeah, I got your curiosity going, right? Have a look see at the whole post on Ritesh’s blog and answer Terra’s question for a chance to get an extra entry in the giveaway!

For in case you missed it, the giveaway is international and is open until 5 February 2012 - there are 10 copies of Water, book 1 in The Akasha Series up for grabs, so be sure to check it out J Enter here!

Visit Terra’s website for more information about her series and other fun short stories.

That’s it on my side for today… see ya’ll tomorrow peeps

Much love

xx

The Masseuse by Claudia Easton

The Masseuse [The Soiled Dove Series #1]

By Claudia Easton

Author website

From Amazon:

When, out of desperation, Abby answers a cryptic ad in the classifieds, she ends up working at an underground massage parlor that gives new meaning to the words “deep tissue.” Though the Chinatown parlor is dark and sleazy, the money is seductive, and the more money that pours in, the deeper Abby falls into the paid sex industry of Manhattan.

Or is she moving up in the world?

Living somewhere between pain and pleasure, glamour and depravity, it’s hard for Abby to know which way is up, which way is down, who her friends are, and how much of herself is too much to give away.

Alexia’s Review:

This book really describes the life of ladies that work in the paid sex industry in detail – the ups and downs, the emotional battle of wanting more for oneself but staying because the money is good.

Reading the story of Abby made my emotions run wild. There were times that I wanted to climb into the book and shake the hell out of her and say, “What are you doing?”. She starts off easy at a massage parlor, that seems harmful but turns out, there is a twist.

Her name and services start spreading like wild fire and before she knows it, she has her own clients. She is introduced into a new world of money, glamour and extravagance.

In this novel, Abby goes through the ups and downs of being in the industry – the good, the bad and the ugly.  Once the events escalade and she realizes she needs to get out – she leaves everything behind and starts over. I loved the ending of this book! There is still hope for Abby even though she has a tainted past.

Adequately tantalizing

A Demon Made Me Do It by Penelope King

A Demon Made Me Do It [Demonblood Series #1]

By Penelope King

Author website

From Goodreads:

Some girls share clothes, a bathroom, or a bedroom. Seventeen-year-old Liora Greyson has to share, too. Only she shares her body--with a demon.

Liora just wants to survive her final year of high school unscathed, her dark secret intact. But the walls she’s carefully constructed to keep people away crack wide open once she meets the sexy and mysterious Kieron, and he lights her world on fire. She can’t let him know she transforms into a demon named "Lucky" at nightfall—a demon with an entirely separate personality who passes out Torment, Justice, and Revenge like Halloween candy.

Turns out Kieron is the one who should be afraid once Lucky discovers his true identity and motivations. Liora wants to love him, but Lucky thinks he’s public enemy number one. And having a demon with a vendetta show up during a romantic date puts a serious crimp in any relationship.

Fighting your demons is one thing. Having one that fights back, messes with your guy, and leaves you with nasty hangovers is quite another.

Being bad has never been so good...

Alexia’s Review:

Overall I found this novel a slow read – that being said, I still enjoyed it.

Liora is the type of girl that just wants to blend in, sort of be invisible and Lucky is the type of chick that stands out and attracts attention where ever she goes. They are exactly the opposite… even though their actually one person. Yes, that does sound super confusing!

Liora and Lucky went through a great tragedy when they were younger and live with the memories everyday. I can only imagine what it must feel like to lose people so close to you, to have to see it happening and then have to re-live it when Lucky crosses paths with trouble-making demons. At a very young age their two halves were split – human and demon. Now, they hardly get along!

Along comes Kieron… he turns Lucky and Liora’s world upside down. He wants both of them but they don’t necessarily want to share. What a mix up! Take Kieron out of the picture, Lucky is also battling feelings for her long time friend Bones. What a love triangle!

Penelope King did a great job with the relationships of all the characters! This novel has a bit of everything - romance, action, witty chicks, sexy guys and a fab storyline!

Adequately tantalizing

Featured Author of the Week - Terra Harmony - Schedule

As ya’ll saw in a previous post I did earlier this week (if you missed it, see it here), Ritesh, Natasha, Jennifer and I have kidnapped Terra Harmony for an entire week of interviews, guest posts, book reviews and a giveaway!

Here is the schedule for each day:

23 January – A biographical write-up

24 January – An introduction to The Akasha Series

25 January – Reviews of Water and a teaser of Air

26 January – An interview with Terra and character interview

27 January – A guest post

28 January – Short story by Terra Harmony

All the bloggers participating in this fabulous ‘Terra Harmony Week’:

Ritesh @ Ritesh Kala’s Book Reviews

Natasha @ Dreamland: A Teenage Fantasy

Jennifer @ Can’t Put It Down

… and me

Feel free to drop by Terra Harmony’s website – she revealed the cover of Air, book 2 in The Akasha Series today! *jumps up & down* Come on, I know you want to…

Giveaway:

Don’t forget about the giveaway… there are 10 copies of Water, book 1 in The Akasha Series up for grabs. The giveaway is open internationally until 5 February 2012. All you need to do is fill in the entry form. You’ll also get extra entries for commenting on posts throughout the week!!

Much love

xx

The Awakening of Leeowyn Blake By Mary Parker

The Awakening of Leeowyn Blake [The Kahl’Nar Saga #1]

By Mary Parker

From Publisher:

I’m a normal teenager. I have a normal teenage life with normal teenage problems. The summer is my heaven. I live with my mom during the summer months. We stay in her tiny condo in Jacksonville, Florida. My parents split up when I was little. I’m not sure why. My mom never talks about it. Whatever it was, it was bad enough to make my mom pack me up in the middle of the night when I was four years old and run to my Gran’s condo. My mom got the condo after Gran died. From that time on all I had known my entire life was beach life.

Until four years ago.

Until my uncle found me.

Alexia’s Review:

The Awakening of Leeowyn Blake has an epic storyline, completely original and it captures your interest from the get go. I really enjoyed this book! What a page turner!

Lee (short for Leeowyn) is a young girl thrown into a whole new world where she has to prove her worth. I am so amazed at how she handled herself and everything going on around her. As a teenager you’d expect her to throw a fit, stomp her foot and have a total freak out session - Lee was exactly the opposite. Yes, it was a major shock finding out that she’s ‘different’, but she totally blew me away with handling the situation in such a mature manner! She’s freaking awesome! Enough said!

I love all the characters in this novel, each one of them play a big role in Lee’s life. They kept many secrets from her and wouldn’t tell her anything, and she just dealt with it – I for one, would’ve thrown a fit and demanded to know what’s going on if I was in her situation. I take my hat off to her. Lee now has major responsibilities resting on her shoulders and I can’t wait to find out how she deals with everything. She has already shown great potential and I’m sure she’ll knock my socks off in the next book of The Kahl’Nar Saga.

Now, I usually always have something to say about the male characters in books, but honestly, I don’t know how I feel about the guys in this novel. At first I thought the hunk showing interest in Lee was yummy and had good intentions, but as the story progressed… it was like a bucket of ice cold water was thrown onto me! I can’t figure out what his exact intentions are – is he sincere or does he have a hidden agenda? I love that about this book; it is intriguing and fast paced.

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Featured Author of the week - Terra Harmony

Now you all know how much I lurve Terra Harmony so Ritesh @ Ritesh Kala’s Book Reviews, myself and one or two other book bloggers have gotten together and we’ve kidnapped Terra Harmony for an entire week of interviews, guest posts, book reviews and a giveaway!

Just to refresh your memory…

About Water [Akasha Series #1]

All of the elemental powers are in the palm of her hand…and it won't be enough to save her. When Kaitlyn Alder is involuntarily introduced to a life of magic, she becomes part of an organization hell-bent on saving the Earth. Just as her new-found life holds promises of purpose, romance, and friendship, the organization divides and a rogue member holds Kaitlyn hostage. Now one of the most terrifying men the human race has to offer stands between her and Earth's survival.

Details of the giveaway

Go stalk Ritesh’s blog and fill in the entry form to win one of *pause* 10 copies of Terra Harmony’s novel, Water. The giveaway is open internationally until 5 February 2012.

Have a fabulous day peeps

xx 

Rapture by Renee Field

Rapture

By Renee Field

http://www.reneefield.com

From Goodreads:

Mermen aren't real. That's what biologist Jamie Winters thinks until a gorgeous Greek god enters her life and drowns her, forcing her to rapture into a Siren. Used to logic, she can't quite come to terms with Seth Cutter's magical undersea realm or the fact that he's a macho Titan. Being a Siren causes Jamie's hormones to go into overdrive, which isn't good when she realizes that's exactly what Seth was hoping for. Sure, the sex is out of this world, but she's not about to change her character.

As Prince of the North Seas, Seth is used to having his commands followed. A decade of exile on land was easier than having to deal with the sexy-as-sin Siren who tips the scales of his existence and doesn't listen to one word he says. They must overcome their prejudices to recover stolen relics that are key to the undersea kingdom, stop a deadly plague and destroy an underwater diva who wants to rule the roost. Are they two souls destined for each other or will the Fates decide otherwise? Seth knows firsthand, Fate can be a bitch.

Alexia’s Review:

I have never read mermen / siren novels before, so I was very excited about this book. My oh my… what a way to be introduced into this category. I was captivated from the first page to the very last, I could not put this book down.

The two main characters, Jessie and Seth are so awesome! They have so much freaking chemistry and they really don’t disappoint at all – I mean, my glasses were steaming up with the way these two were carrying on.

Jessie is very serious about her education and career and works super hard to reach her goal in life. At first I thought Jessie is a real marshmallow, but when danger lurks, she is front and center to protect those she loves.

Seth… hubba hubba – Can I have me some of that??! He turns Jessie’s world upside down and takes her away from what she knows. He wants her and that’s that. He has yet to learn that Jessie is not the type to sit back and let people / mermen dictate to her.

I absolutely love the world that the author has created in this novel. Renee Field is an amazing writer. I will definitely be reading more of Renee’s novels in the future!

 Superb cocktail creation

Dark Matter by Christie Rich

Dark Matter [Elemental Enmity #2]

By Christie Rich

http://www.christierich.blogspot.com

Series order:

1. Five (search for review via labels)

2. Dark Matter

From Goodreads:

Rayla Tate’s dreams for the future shattered when she discovered she was an Elemental capable of manipulating matter. Thrust, once again, into the magical fae realm of Faeresia, she has an important choice to make. But now that she has Heath to contend with, deciding between Zach and Luke is the least of her concerns. Tall, dark and lethal to her will, her attraction to Heath eclipses all she has experienced with any other lord, but he is using compulsion to wear her down. If only she could trust her feelings?

In a desperate attempt to escape Heath, she accepts the help of a little troll and finally gets what she wants; however, her relief is short lived. Things go terribly wrong when a dark force closes in on her, threatening to steal her burgeoning power before she even has a chance to test her abilities. Now, with Rayla as their captive, the Order will stop at nothing to create a male Elemental, and willing or not, Rayla is the key.

Caught up in the age-old battle for dominance between human and fae, only one question matters to her now—will she be able to save those she loves most without losing herself in the process? Or will she be forever haunted by the choices she alone can make?

Alexia’s Review:

Wow!! I absolutely loved the first book, Five in this series, but Dark Matter just takes it up another notch. Christie Rich has outdone herself. Dark Matter has a great storyline with mouth watering hunks that curl your toes.

There is never a dull moment in this book with so many characters to follow. The main character being Rayla - she is one freaking lucky girl having men drool over her left, right and center. She has difficult decisions to make and one of them being, who will she choose as her mate when she is in love with 3 guy?

Christie Rich introduces a new character which is Heath (one of the men that Rayla is in love with). Oh my… he is so freaking yummy! He has this dark and mysterious side of him that just does it for me. At times his softer side comes out, but I have a feeling there is way more to him then he is showing or telling, I am so curious as to see what cards he has up his sleeve.

All in all Dark Matter is a definite must read! Absolutely LOVE the cover!! I can’t wait for the next installment.

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