Saturday, September 8, 2012

Blog Tour: Excerpt - The Vampire Hunter's Daughter Collection by Jennifer Malone Wright


This is soooo late! I apologize! This collection seems really really interesting. Check out the excerpt below! 


The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter 
Complete Collection
Parts I-VI
Genre: YA Paranormal
June 2012


This special edition of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter contains parts I-VI, the complete collection. Fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters.

Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community. When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets.

Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder. With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her.

Experience the world of vampire hunter’s, vampires and mythology with Chloe in this exciting series.




Drew let me be until snowflakes began to drift down from the sky. “Come on, Chloe. We have to go now.” 


With tears still staining my cheeks, I gave my mother‟s grave one last caress and then stood. “All right, I‟m ready.” 


Drew took my hand again and led me between the plots as best as we could manage. The air outside had chilled even more than when we arrived. It was cold. Really cold. When we approached the gates, warmth suddenly filled my stomach and spread through my body. 

“Oh, my… what the heck?” I clutched my stomach as the tingling spread all the way into my fingertips.  

“Are you okay?” Drew asked. “What‟s wrong?” 

“I don‟t know.” I shook my head. Tears threatened to surface again. “I don‟t know.” 

“It‟s your senses, Chloe, telling you something is off.” 

Drew and I both spun around and Drew whipped his gun out from underneath his jacket. 

“Who are you?” Drew yelled. 

There, sitting atop one of the gravestones, bathed in the green glow of florescent lights, was a woman. Even though it was freezing, she barely wore anything, and what she did have on looked like leather wrapped around her body and a halter top with crude lacing holding it together. Snowflakes drifted down and passed through her tanned skin, dissolving into nowhere. 

“How do you know me?” I shouted. “Who are you?” 

My stomach was still flooded with warmth, and it made me feel like I had to pee. I wished I had brought my gun. 

She clicked her tongue and tossed a wave of dark brown hair over her shoulder. “You do not need your weapons, my children. I do not come to harm.” 

She slid off the gravestone, and I watched her bare feet sink into the snow. They left no footprints. 

“Who are you?” Drew demanded again. 

She moved forward slowly. “I am your mother, many times over.” 

This chick scared me. Was she a ghost? I moved backward a few steps as she approached, using Drew as a shield, since he had the gun. 

She smiled, her dark eyes intently focusing on Drew. “Andrew, lower your weapon. You cannot harm me.” 

As if under a spell, Drew lowered his arms and his gun came to rest by his side. “What do you want?” 

“I am here to help, Chloe.” She nodded at me and smiled. “You need the help of your ancestors. Your mother cannot help you, so I have come to give you guidance.” 

The warmth in my stomach turned into fire in my heart. I can‟t explain it, but I felt the connection with this apparition. I moved out from behind Drew. 

“Who are you?” I whispered. 

She lifted her chin arrogantly. “I am Sostrate, the daughter of Artemis, and as I have told you already, your mother, many times over.” 

“Why are you here?” 

“I have come to give you the guidance your mother cannot give you. It is my duty.” 

“Are you a ghost?” 

She only shook her head and gave me a crooked grin. “I am a demi-goddess. I gained immortality from my mother. I do not come as an apparition, because I cannot die.” 

“Holy shit.” Drew actually dropped his gun in the snow. 

I moved forward, not afraid anymore. I knew she was who she said she was. As we approached each other, I stretched out my hand, wanting to touch her. She also extended her hand and as my gloved fingers connected with the solid fingertips of hers, I gasped. “You‟re real.” 

She nodded. “Of course.” 

“Sostrate,” I pulled my hand from hers, “How can you help me?” 

“Chloe, it is time that you think with a clear head. Revenge has taken over your heart and your soul, taken over so much of you that you cannot possibly win this battle. It takes more than thinking with your brain. You must fight with love,” she pressed her fist against her heart “not only hatred.” 

“I don‟t understand,” I told her. 

“Wars are not won because of hatred for the enemy; they are won because of love for what is being defended.” 



MORE INFO: 

Part I of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter is FREE and the author would appreciate it if this was included in the tour spots. You can find it FREE at the links below.


Buy Links for The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter Complete Collection:


Giveaway 

The Author is giving away a $100 gift card from Amazon as the Grand Prize throughout the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jennifer Malone Wright

Jennifer Malone Wright resides in the beautiful mountains of northern Idaho with her husband and five children. Between the craziness of taking care of her children, whose ages range from fourteen all the way down to six months, and being a homemaker, Jennifer has little time left for herself. The time she does have left, usually leading far into the night, is spent working on freelance work or her beloved fiction.

When she grew up, Jennifer always had her nose in a book. She has been writing stories and poems since grade school. This love of the written word and her strong interest in the paranormal is what has led to her first novel “The Birth of Jaiden.”

In addition to being a mother and homemaker, Jennifer is also a very proud military wife. Moving around the country for the last ten years has made her a bit of a nomad and she finds it difficult to be in one place for too long.

Jennifer is also the author of The Birth of Jaiden, a paranormal novel filled with action, suspense, and even a love story.



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Blog Tour: Top Five Contemporary YA Novels 2012 by Jennifer Synder, Author of the Unloved





Top Five Contemporary YA Novels In 2012

by Jennifer Synder


I know these novels were not all released in 2012, but these are my top five that I have read so far this year! ;)



1) Slammed by Colleen Hoover
This was one of the best novels I have read in a long time! It was very emotional, to the point of finding myself literally bawling in parts!


2) Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover
The epic book number two in Mrs. Hoover’s Slammed Series. If you have not read these books, you really should. Seriously.


3) Forget You by Jennifer Echols
One of the best beach reads I think there is. I loved everything about this book! The very first sentence still gives me chills for some reason.


4) Because Of Low by Abbi Glines
One of my favorite Abbi Glines novels! I loved Low’s character and couldn’t get enough of Marcus!

5) My Heart For Yours by Jolene Perry and Steph Campbell
Last but certainly not least. This was a sweet story like nothing I’d ever read before. There was so much back story woven in throughout; it really gave you the feeling of getting to know the characters bit by bit.

Naj's Comment: I haven't read any of these and I feel bad that I haven't! They all sound and look so good. Thanks for stopping by Jennifer! :D





Title: The Unloved
Author: Jennifer Snyder
Genre: YA Contemporary

Sometimes the love our heart needs to heal can be found in the familiar eyes of a childhood friend...

Julie Porter learned the hard way that trust is something which must be earned and not something to be given out lightly, those who say they love you are those who hold the power to hurt you most, and best friends can help you survive anything—until they move away.

Nick Owen knows a thing or two about a hard life. At a young age Nick learned how to take a hit and to make lemonade out of the lemons life tossed his way. Returning home after nearly two years of being away, all Nick cares about now is protecting his mom from the abusive hands of his father and catching up with his best friend—the girl who lived across the street, the girl he can’t seem to stop thinking about.

Finally reunited after two years apart, Nick and Julie are about to learn that age does nothing to protect you from life’s trials and tribulations, heartache and loss, but maybe together they’ll find a way to survive.

Author Bio 

Jennifer Snyder lives in North Carolina were she spends most of her time writing young adult fiction, reading, and struggling to stay on top of housework. She is an instant coffee lover with an obsession for spiral bound notebooks and smooth writing pens. Jennifer lives with her husband and two children, who endure listening to songs that spur inspiration on repeat and tolerate her love for all paranormal, teenage-targeted TV shows.



Links 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Review: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare


(Click image to add to your to be read pile)
Title: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Walker Books
Genre: Adventure, Young Adult: Paranormal, Young Adult: Fantasy
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository



When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

I've been meaning to start reading this series since... umm... 2010. But I didn't feel it when I did pick it up for the first time, and I had to put the book back down. Then finally, two years later, I got the chance to sit still and finish the entire book without falling asleep.

There is a lot of hype about this series and yes, my expectations were pretty high the first time I picked it up. But the second time around, I was passive about it. I didn't really know what I would like about the book. At the moment, I still feel pretty emotionless and neutral to the entire storyline and characters.

Let's start with the beginning. As much as I'd say it was a good start to the book, I felt indifferent to it. It was something I've read in Urban Fantasies or Adult Paranormal Books. In adult paranormal books, they seem to all start with a club scene. I guessed Clare mixed things up to be unique.

When the characters came in, the only thought I had was that Simon is sweet, and Jace is hot, I disliked Isabelle and Clary. Clary because she tends to use Simon ALOT. And Isabelle because her mood swings are intolerable. I'm waiting for the part in the series when I start liking and falling in love with each good character in the story. At the moment, my favorites are Luke and Simon. Jace is just an idiot towards the end.

Now, lets talk about the storyline/plot. As much as I'd like to say that it was awesome, it wasn't to me. I don't know why this book has driven me to be utterly emotionless about it. The storyline kept me turning pages thats for sure. It was like a mixture of predictability and originality. But then it's sometimes not original at all. I guess, Clare put in a WHOLE mixture of everything to confuse us, so we'll just settle on calling the series unique.

Aside from that confusion, the book had a collection of the usual paranormal creatures like, warlocks, shadowhunters (demon hunters), feys, vampires, werewolves, witches, nixies and a whole lot more of creatures of the night that I have yet to understand and read about.

Finally, the ending of the book was disturbing, irritating and it makes me feel so happy that I have the rest of the series waiting to be read on my shelf, so all my doubts and fears can be written out.

Overall, the book was good, page-turning but not as awesome as I thought it would be. I'm not disappointed but simply, apathetic to the whole thing. I'm curious on how the movie will be like. And curious if the rest of the series will manage to make me fall in love with it.