Desire (Twisted Hearts Duet Book 1) by Max Henry…Release Blitz with Review

 

Cover Design: Max Henry

Release Date: January 24, 2018

Synopsis

 

Four simple rules when you’re a man on parole:

1. Don’t lust after your best friend’s daughter.
2. Don’t get into a physical fight over her.
3. Definitely don’t f*ck her.
4. And whatever you do, don’t fall in love.

I have a bad habit of breaking rules.

 

Goodreads

 

Purchase Links

 
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2mVit2V

iBooks: https://apple.co/2rhIlL4

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2mOrY3l

 

 

Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card from Max Henry

 

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Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b1257f8d249/?

 

 
 

Okay have to say that I was FLOORED and I mean FLOORED at the end of Desire! I am still saying to myself “No way did it end like that”. Bella and Zeus are truly the definition of forbidden love. Bella is only eighteen years old and has always had a crush on Zeus, who by the way is a young friend of her father’s. Yes, you read that right! These two start out with two things against them. Recently released from prison, Zeus not only finds himself signing divorce papers but also falling in love with Bella. It’s so forbidden that I could not put the book down.

It was such a nice change to read this book as well. For once the characters are flawed and the male character is not a hero by any means. Also, I liked that they are not the typical wealthy people and are simple people working “blue collared” jobs. In a way, it makes them more relatable.

As for the age difference between the two, it did not bother me as much because I know people who are happily married or together with a much larger age difference. I actually found myself wanting them to find that same happiness. The desire between these two are undeniable and as a reader I was routing for them as they fought for their love.

About the Author

 

For as long as she can remember, Max has always had a love of the macabre and thought provoking side to life.

Which probably stands to reason why each of her books takes the reader on an emotional journey that not only promises twists, turns, and suspense, but a heart-wrenching journey where her motto holds true:

Love never comes easy.

When she’s not lost in an alternate world – fuelled by coffee and the odd sneaky bowl of chocolate (preferably M&Ms) – she spends her days as a wife to a dedicated husband, mother to two rambunctious boys, and an obsessive petrolhead enjoying the muscle on display at the local car shows.

Connect with Max

 

Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/2DF3e4m

Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2zV7bPQ

Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2ls61Hq

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2CgFerO

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2ltdJ3U

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2zTX0v6

BookBub Author Page: http://bit.ly/2EmbhnJ

 

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Release Day Blitz….Dirt by Cassie Leo

Today we have the release blitz for DIRT by Cassia Leo! Check it out and grab your copy today!

 

Title: DIRT
Author: Cassia Leo
Series: Evergreen Series
Release: January 12, 2018

 

About Dirt

A hard-hitting, emotional new series from New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo.

Jack and I had everything. Then, in one brutal instant, the universe tilted on its side, discarding us into black nothingness.

Now, I have a cocky a**hole for a husband.

The only way we communicate anymore is when we’re fighting or f**king.

With nothing left to lose, I write Jack a goodbye letter and head for Portland, where I quickly meet a neighbor who helps me find a job.

My new neighbor—broody, tattooed ex-soldier Isaac Evans—is complicated. Nevertheless, we form a fast friendship, bonding over our mutual desire to create something beautiful from the wreckage of our lives.

But despite the distance between us, Jack and I are still trying to make things work—fighting and f**king dirtier than ever. And he doesn’t appreciate my new friendship with Isaac. Not one f**king bit.

Buy Now

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Add the Evergreen Series to Goodreads

 

 

Excerpt

I slid out of bed as he knelt down to tie the laces of his gym sneaker. “Why don’t you stay a while? It’s Sunday. We can have breakfast, then we can Netflix and chill all day.”

He stood up and flashed me an uncomfortable smile. “I wish I could, but I have to get home. I have a Q&A in the Facebook group at two p.m.”

My stomach dropped. I had just asked him to stay here and basically have sex with me all day and he would rather do a Q&A with some internet sleuths in the Justice for Jack Stratton Jr. Facebook group.

I blinked a few times as I attempted to recover. “Okay. Have fun.”

He rolled his eyes. “This Q&A has been planned for months.”

“Yeah, I get it,” I said, turning to leave the room. “I’m fine. I swear. I have to get started in the garden, anyway.”

He followed me down the hall toward the stairs. “Are you sure you’re not going to hold this over my head later?”

I bit my lip to keep from lashing out. I wanted to tell him that I had every right to hold this over his head, because this was one of the reasons I had decided to leave. But I had initiated this separation. He was simply adhering to the rules of living separately.

As we reached the bottom of the stairs, I headed straight for the front door. “I’m not going to hold this over your head, but I’m also not going to pretend it doesn’t bother me. We can talk about it later, maybe with the marital counselor.”

He sighed as he reached for the doorknob. “Great. Something to look forward to.”

I flashed him a fake smile as he pulled the front door open. “I’ll call you when I’ve scheduled our first appointment.”

He nodded. “Right.” He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something else, then he pressed his lips together to stop himself. “All right, well, I guess we’ll talk later?”

I nodded, but I remained silent, afraid my words would betray me and we’d end this conversation with an argument.

“All right,” he said, eyebrows raised. “This is really fucking awkward. Can we at least acknowledge that?”

“Acknowledged.”

“Okay,” he said, stepping toward me. “I’ll call you later.”

He planted a quick kiss on my forehead, then stepped out onto the porch. As I watched Jack’s truck drive away, I knew I’d made the right decision. How could two people who knew each other the way we did feel like strangers?

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About Cassia Leo

New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she’s not writing, she spends way too much time re-watching Game of Thrones and Sex and the City. When she’s not binge watching, she’s usually enjoying the Oregon rain with a hot cup of coffee and a book.

Find her on…

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Giveaway

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SPECIAL EXCLUSIVE…xo, Zach by Kendall Ryan

 

 

The first time we met was at a party.

Your ex arrived to show off the person he’d left you for last month, and you asked me to pretend to be your date.

I was more than happy to help. You were attractive, smart and witty–and that kiss we shared? It left me wanting you for days.

The second time we met was in my office on campus where we were both surprised to discover you were the new master’s degree student in poetry that I would be working with. You promised to be professional. I did no such thing.

The late nights and intense study sessions spent alongside you majorly throw me off my game. I want you, and I fight with myself daily over this fact.

I know I’m crass, that my sexual innuendos and dirty mouth annoy you, but I live for those two bright spots of color in your cheeks. If that’s the only reaction I can get out of you, I’ll gladly take it.

You hate Mondays so every Monday I slip an anonymous poem into your bag and your smile gets me through the week.

I think I’m falling for you, and I know it’s wrong. I know that I’m only supposed to be your adviser and nothing more, but here’s the thing. I think you’re falling for me too.

xo, Zach

 

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“This is serious, Poppy. Will you promise?”

“What am I promising?” This man had a way of getting me to say things, to feel things, to admit things that I might not have otherwise. I wasn’t sure if it was because he was older and wiser and that much more cunning at these types of discussions, or if it was just because being near him seemed to physically lower my inhibitions. He was like a walking shot of tequila.

“I need you to promise me that if anything physical happens between us—that it will be very consensual, and very sex-positive. I need you to understand that I will worship you and make you come So. Many. Fucking Times.”

He annunciated those words so clearly and slowly, I felt them with every beat of my heart, every pulse of heat between my legs.

Oblivious to my hammering heart, Zach continued. “But I also need you to know that if I do or say anything you don’t like, all you have to do is say so and everything will stop. Just the word no, Poppy. Use it and I promise to leave you alone.”

“Leave me alone as in stop mentoring me, stop helping me in the program?”

His face was serious and he shook his head without even considering it. “I will never stop mentoring you, as long as you want it. Giving in to our attraction—or not—will never be a condition for my help. I want you to succeed, and it has nothing to do with how much I want you in my bed. Do you understand that?”

I felt myself nodding my head.

I knew what he was saying. Despite how aggressively Zach put his feelings on the subject of us out there—I knew he’d never betray my wishes.

“Okay,” I murmured.

He considered me for a long moment, neither of us blinking.

“Why did you approach me that night at the party, Poppy. Did you find me attractive?”

Was he fucking serious?

Of course I find him attractive. Actually, attractive was too weak a word. I found him mesmerizing. Addictive. Enchanting. Impossible.

“I’m not saying I do, but if I wanted something to happen …” I swallowed a wave of nerves and took a shallow breath as Zach’s mouth curved into a grin.

Something as in finding out how many times in a row I can make you come using my mouth, my hands, and my …”

I held up one hand. “Yes. That. How would it work, isn’t it, like, forbidden?”

God, why did the word forbidden make me feel even hotter?

 

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A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She’s a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she’s appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTREST | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB | NEWSLETTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Chance by Lauren Runow…Release Day Blitz & Review

Please join us in celebrating the release of

Last Chance by Lauren Runow! 

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Title: Last Chance by Lauren Runow
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Designer: Designed With Grace
Release Date: January 9, 2017

Amazon

Add to your TBR on Goodreads

Synopsis

Last Chance is a story of love and heartache proving that life is not always fair, but it’s worth the pain to get the moments you’ll treasure forever.

Mackenzie

From the very first moment I laid eyes on him, I knew my heart was his for the taking. He was the boy who filled me with butterflies and made my palms turn clammy at the mere sight of him.

There was only one problem… he was my best friend’s older brother.

It’s been eight years since I’ve last seen him, and I refuse to live another day without telling him the truth. So here I stand, taking my last chance to get him to notice me, my last chance to see if he feels the same way.

I need to know if he is just a fantasy, or if he could be my reality…

Before my reality changes forever.

Connor

I never wanted a girlfriend; I was burned by love and vowed to never go down that road again. But when the beautiful girl I’ve known practically my entire life snuck her way into my arms there was something that changed in me. I wanted to be with her, next to her. Just simply kissing her lips made my life complete.

Now I have one mission.

To make hers complete, too.

 

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GOD DAMNIT, Lauren!!! I love you and I hate you right now. LOL This book was so much more than what I thought it was going to be when I started reading it. I went into this book blind – I didn’t read the blurb and just dove right in. And let me tell you, even after finishing this, I went back and read the blurb and it still won’t prepare you for everything and to be honest, I love that the blurb doesn’t give the story away. But geezus, this book had me in a ball of emotions.

I am going to say this now and get it out of the way. If this book came with any type warning as to what is going to possibly happen in this book, the whole plot of this book would have been ruined. So any reader out there that states they wish they had an inkling of what was going to happen needs to be quiet; giving away any portions of a book because the reader needs “to be prepared” for what is going to happen is ridiculous. You need to go into this book without any knowledge of what is to come – enjoy the “suspense” of what the author is writing. It just makes the book that so much more enjoyable and meaningful.

I am writing this review with tears streaming down my face, even a day after I finished this book; I just can’t hold them in. This book broke me, it really did. I applaud Lauren for writing such a heart wrenching book, but I want to “yell” at her too for making me feel so much. LOL But in all honesty, I love when an author is able to pull such strong emotions from me – I was completely vested in these characters and their story; they became like family to me.

I won’t say much about this book except is it soooo much more than the blurb. Kenzie is one hell of a strong woman; she’s a god damn pillar of strength. I just can’t fathom being in her shoes, but she definitely made me want to be just as strong as she. And Connor – that man is one in a million. There are no others like him. This story is heart wrenching yet so beautiful. I can’t say enough wow’s to express my feelings on this book.

Something I feel that is worth mentioning too, is the songs that Lauren mentions throughout this book. Many of the books I read, songs are always mentioned in them and at times I do look them up, and sometimes I just ignore it altogether. However, with this book, these songs were a very important part of the story and I felt moved to look up the lyrics to them and even listen to them (when I could) while reading this book. And wow are they even more impactful than I anticipated.

And that’s all you are getting from me on that. Just be prepared for more when you read this book. The story is so beautiful but will make you cry. Once you start this book, you won’t be able to stop reading it. I finished this book while I was at work because I had to know how it all played out. And yes, I was ugly crying so hard, I had to leave my office to compose myself.

Lauren’s message behind this story is something we all take for granted daily. Live life to it’s fullest, each day is a blessing. Never take for granted what you already have; it’s not always greener on the other side.

Lauren, you are a diamond in the rough that everyone needs to know about. Your writing is impeccable. Your characters are so real and their stories are amazing. And I love that write not only contemporary but erotic/bdsm novels. I can’t wait to read more from you in the future.

 

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Enter to win a signed copy and a $10 Amazon giftcard!

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 About the Author:
Lauren Runow.jpg

Lauren Runow is the author of multiple Adult Contemporary Romance novels, some more dirty than others. When Lauren isn’t writing, you’ll find her listening to music, at her local CrossFit, reading, or at the baseball field with her boys. Her only vice is coffee, and she swears it makes her a better mom!

Lauren is a graduate from the Academy of Art in San Francisco and is the founder and co-owner of the community magazine she and her husband publish. She lives in Northern California with her husband and two sons.

You can also stay in touch through the social media links below.

Twitter at https://twitter.com/LaurenRunow

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/laurenjrunow

Instagram at https://instagram.com/Lauren_Runow/

BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/authors/laure…

or sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/btD6j9

The Bitterroot Inn by Denvey Perry…Pre-order Blitz

Today we have the preorder blitz for The Bitterroot Inn by Devney Perry! Be sure to preorder your copy now!
Title: The Bitterroot Inn
Author: Devney Perry
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Day: January 16th
About The Bitterroot Inn:

Her past. His secrets. They have more in common than she knows.

Maisy is happily content with the life she’s built for herself and her young son in small-town Prescott, Montana. Her child is thriving, her business is growing, and her family is as close as they’ve ever been. But when a handsome stranger walks into the lobby of her motel, her simple life is swept up in a wave of affection for his gentle heart. None of those feelings can be trusted, though. She made that mistake before with another man. The man she murdered.

Hunter was a different man when he first saw Maisy Holt from afar. He took one look at her and ran in the opposite direction. But years later, he’s back in Montana and unable to keep his distance. He shouldn’t have tried to find her but he never was good at rejecting temptation. The promise of the good she could bring into his life is too hard to resist. Maybe if he can disguise the lies and hide the deceit, he can keep her from learning the truth. Because his only chance at a future with her is by burying his past.

Preorder Today!
Check out the trailer:
About the Author:

Devney lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own stories.

Enter Devney’s Giveaway:

 

 

Musings of a Gossip Queen by Victoria Bright…Release Day Blitz

Today we have the release blitz for MUSINGS OF A GOSSIP QUEEN by Victoria Bright! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

 

Title: Musings of a Gossip Queen

Author: Victoria Bright

Genre: Romantic Comedy

 

About Musings of a Gossip Queen:

Thoughts of the day:

 

  1. Silas is a sex bomb
  2. Madison is determined to ruin my life
  3. Nothing online is EVER private, no matter how insane your “strong” password is.

#FML

 

Gossip queen Blake Spencer thought she received the opportunity of a lifetime when she was offered a writing position as a gossip columnist at Hot Topic magazine. By day, she’s a model columnist that quickly earns the respect of her team and boss but by night, she writes all the secrets of those around her in a password-protected blog.

 

When the office mean girl has Blake’s not-so-private blog hacked and uploaded to the magazine’s home page, the secrets are out and Blake’s “awesome life” starts to crumble around her. With her friendships, budding relationship, and job on the line, Blake will have to decide whether being a gossip queen is worth losing everything she’s worked to rebuild.

Amazon  | Goodreads

 

Exclusive Excerpt:

9:05am

Hot Topic magazine office

 

I try to make a quiet entrance and make my way to my desk without anyone noticing Milo, but apparently my dog has other plans. He barks as soon as his beady little eyes focuses on a stranger and everyone looks over to me.

“Oh my goodness, a puppy!” Shayla squeals as she jumps from her chair and dashes over to me. “It’s so precious!”

“Can I hold it?” Carrie Jo asks, holding her hands out. I place Milo in her arms and watch as he licks her face and barks, his tiny tail wagging. “I wish I could take this cute little thing home with me! What’s its name?”

“His name is Milo,” I say as Carrie Jo passes him to Shayla. Leo and Caesar walk over.

“What’s all the fuss—OH SWEET JESUS, IT’S A PUPPY! I NEED THE PUPPY!” Leo exclaims and nearly snatches Milo from Shayla.

“Hey! I wasn’t done cuddling him!” she complains. Leo holds Milo close to his chest and scratches him behind the ears.

“Isn’t he the cutest little thing!” he says. “If I had a dog this small, I would dress it in the cutest little doggy fashion. He would be the most fashionable dog on the block.”

“I’m sure,” I say and giggle.

A throat clears behind us. “Why is everyone standing in the middle of the floor and not preparing for work?” Free Willy barks. I roll my eyes. It seems like baby Jesus is taking a little longer than I’d like in making her fall in to a sewer drain and disappearing.

Milo barks and growls, squirming in Leo’s arms. I take him back and scratch him behind the ears to calm him as Madicunt walks over to us. I know, Milo. I don’t like her either, the cunt.

“You brought a dog here?” she asks. I fight the urge to roll my eyes again. Well, yes, Captain Obvious. I think the furry animal in my arms would classify as a dog. When I don’t answer, she scoffs. “Last I checked, this isn’t a doggy daycare.”

And last time I checked, this isn’t SeaWorld, yet here she is.

“I have Gary’s permission and that’s the only person’s opinion I care about in regards to my dog,” I answer.

“He’s cute and all, but why is he here?” Caesar asks, scratching under Milo’s neck.

“Yeah, Blake, why is he here?” Madicunt repeats, standing next to Shayla and folding her arms across her chest. I almost want to slap the smirk that’s settled on her lips, but I have something that’ll do the trick.

“Well if you must know, Silas and I have something to work on this evening and there’s no telling when I’ll get back home,” I say, gauging Madame Cunt’s face. “I don’t want to leave my helpless little puppy all alone for hours when I could be gone all night. What kind of puppy mom would I be to do such a thing?”

“A project, eh?” Caesar asks and chuckles. “Is that what you kids are calling dates now?”

Before I could answer, Gary walks into the work space and claps his hand. “Okay, guys, everyone get to work,” he says and points to me. “I told you not to let that puppy be a distraction.”

“He won’t be. I promise!” I say and scurry to my desk.

Madicunt stomps off to her desk and glares at me from across the room. I bet that pea-sized brain of hers is probably churning with all kinds of thoughts as she tries to figure out what Silas and I are going to be doing. Wouldn’t be surprised if she even questions him about it. She’s such a nark.

 

About the Author:

Victoria Bright is from a small town in North Carolina and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina. You can usually find her hoarding bottles of Cool Blue Gatorade, playing The Sims when not writing, or obsessing over Camaros.

 

Connect with Victoria:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Website

 

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Cover Reveal…Follow Me Back by A.L. Jackson

Follow Me Back

A stand-alone romance in A.L. Jackson’s Fight for Me series…

Coming February 5th

Photo: Sara Eirew
Ahh, you guys!! I am so thrilled to unveil the cover of FOLLOW ME BACK!!! I am absolutely in love with this gorgeous, sexy cover created by the incredible Letitia Hasser of RBA Designs with photo cred going to the amazing Sara Eirew. The image is absolutely SPOT-ON for my vision of Kale Bryant, the super sexy, swoony doctor in FOLLOW ME BACK.
I fell for this book and these characters HARD ((YES, YES, there’s a chance it may be my favorite!)). There is just something so sweet gliding beneath all the sexiness that drew me deeper and deeper into these characters with each line I wrote! I absolutely CANNOT WAIT for you to meet Kale and Hope on February 5, 2018!
DETAILS:
TITLE: FOLLOW ME BACK
SERIES: A Fight For Me Stand-Alone Novel
RELEASE DATE: February 5, 2018

WHAT’S IT ABOUT, YOU ASK…

The next seductive, unforgettable stand-alone romance in the FIGHT FOR ME series from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson . . .
 
Kale Bryant. Arrogant. Gorgeous. Commanding.
This ER doctor is married to his job. His only vice is one-night stands and short-lived flings. He learned a long time ago loving someone isn’t worth the risk.
Harley Hope Masterson. Beautiful. Brave. Sweet.
The owner of a small coffee shop knows what it’s like to struggle. Embroiled in a bitter divorce, she’s threatened with losing everything.
When Kale accepts a new position down the street from Hope’s shop, he begins to question every wall he’s built around his heart.
He wants her in a way he hasn’t wanted anyone.
One touch is fire.
One kiss, and he’s spinning out of control.
But taking her won’t come without consequences.
Hope is in for the fight of her life. One neither of them saw coming.
Now Kale must decide if loving her is worth risking it all.
She will fight with everything she has.
But sometimes even hope needs a hero . . .

 
Don’t miss our amazing giveaway going on to celebrate the FOLLOW ME BACK Cover Reveal!! Grand prize includes a Kindle Fire HD 8, a signed Show Me the Way Paperback, plus a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card!! Heck yes! 

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.
Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, and BLEEDING STARS novels. Watch for A.L. Jackson’s upcoming novel, FOLLOW ME BACK, the second stand-alone novel in her brand-new FIGHT FOR ME SERIES.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson – Sign up to receive her newsletter http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson or text “aljackson” to 33222 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

Connect with A.L.

Facebook: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonPage
Reader Group: http://smarturl.it/AmysAngelsRock
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonAmzn
Bookbub: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonBookbub
Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
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Snapchat: @aljacksonauthor

Between The Blade and The Heart by Amanda Hocking…Blog Tour & Review

SUMMARY:

When the fate of the world is at stake
Loyalties will be tested

Game of Thrones meets Blade Runner in this commanding new YA fantasy inspired by Norse Mythology from New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking.

As one of Odin’s Valkyries, Malin’s greatest responsibility is to slay immortals and return them to the underworld. But when she unearths a secret that could unravel the balance of all she knows, Malin along with her best friend and her ex-girlfriend must decide where their loyalties lie. And if helping the blue-eyed boy Asher enact his revenge is worth the risk—to the world and her heart.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-a-Million

IndieBound

Powells

 

 

EXCERPT

ONE

The air reeked of fermented fish and rotten fruit, thanks to the overflowing dumpster from the restaurant behind us. The polluted alley felt narrow and claustrophobic, sandwiched between skyscrapers.

In the city, it was never quiet or peaceful, even at three in the morning. There were more than thirty million humans and supernatural beings coexisting, living on top of each other. It was the only life I’d ever really known, but the noise of the congestion grated on me tonight.

My eyes were locked on the flickering neon lights of the gambling parlor across the street. The u in Shibuya had gone out, so the sign flashed SHIB YA at me.

The sword sheathed at my side felt heavy, and my body felt restless and electric. I couldn’t keep from fidgeting and cracked my knuckles.

“He’ll be here soon,” my mother, Marlow, assured me. She leaned back against the brick wall beside me, casually eating large jackfruit seeds from a brown paper sack. Always bring a snack on a stakeout was one of her first lessons, but I was far too nervous and excited to eat.

The thick cowl of her frayed black sweater had been pulled up like a hood, covering her cropped blond hair from the icy mist that fell on us. Her tall leather boots only went to her calf, thanks to her long legs. Her style tended to be monochromatic—black on black on black—aside from the shock of dark red lipstick.

My mother was only a few years shy of her fiftieth birthday, with almost thirty years of experience working as a Valkyrie, and she was still as strong and vital as ever. On her hip, her sword Mördare glowed a dull red through its sheath.

The sword of the Valkyries was one that appeared as if it had been broken in half—its blade only a foot long before stopping at a sharp angle. Mördare’s blade was several thousand years old, forged in fires to look like red glass that would glow when the time was nigh.

My sword was called Sigrún, a present on my eighteenth birthday from Marlow. It was a bit shorter than Mördare, with a thicker blade, so it appeared stubby and fat. The handle was black utilitarian, a replacement that my mom had had custom-made from an army supply store, to match her own.

The ancient blade appeared almost black, but as it grew closer to its target, it would glow a vibrant purple. For the past hour that we’d been waiting on our stakeout, Sigrún had been glowing dully on my hip.

The mist grew heavier, soaking my long black hair. I kept the left side of my head shaved, parting my hair over to the right, and my scalp should’ve been freezing from the cold, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t feel anything.

It had begun—the instinct of the Valkyrie, pushing aside my humanity to become a weapon. When the Valkyrie in me took over, I was little more than a scythe for the Grim Reaper of the gods.

“He’s coming,” Marlow said behind me, but I already knew.

The world fell into hyperfocus, and I could see every droplet of rain as it splashed toward the ground. Every sound echoed through me, from the bird flapping its wings a block away, to the club door as it groaned open.

Eleazar Bélanger stumbled out, his heavy feet clomping in the puddles. He was chubby and short, barely over four feet tall, and he would’ve appeared to be an average middle-aged man if it wasn’t for the two knobby horns that stuck out on either side of his forehead. Graying tufts of black hair stuck out from under a bright red cap, and as he walked ahead, he had a noticeable limp favoring his right leg.

He was a Trasgu, a troublemaking goblin, and his appearance belied the strength and cunning that lurked within him. He was over three hundred years old, and today would be the day he died.

I waited in the shadows of the alley for him to cross the street. A coughing fit caused him to double over, and he braced himself against the brick wall.

I approached him quietly—this all went easier when they didn’t have time to prepare. He took off his hat to use it to wipe the snot from his nose, and when he looked up at me, his green eyes flashed with understanding.

“It’s you,” Eleazar said in a weak, craggy voice. We’d never met, and I doubt he’d ever seen me before, but he recognized me, the way they all did when their time was up.

“Eleazar Bélanger, you have been chosen to die,” I said, reciting my script, the words automatic and cold on my lips. “It is my duty to return you to the darkness from whence you came.”

“No, wait!” He held up his pudgy hands at me. “I have money. I can pay you. We can work this out.”

“This is not my decision to make,” I said as I pulled the sword from my sheath.

His eyes widened as he realized I couldn’t be bargained with. For a moment I thought he might just accept his fate, but they rarely did. He bowed his head and ran at me like a goat. He was stronger than he looked and caused me to stumble back a step, but he didn’t have anywhere to go.

My mother stood blocking the mouth of the alley, in case I needed her. Eleazar tried to run toward the other end, but his leg slowed him, and I easily overtook him. Using the handle of my sword, I cracked him on the back of the skull, and he fell to the ground on his knees.

Sigrún glowed brightly, with light shining out from it and causing the air to glow purple around us. Eleazar mumbled a prayer to the Vanir gods. I held the sword with both hands, and I struck it across his neck, decapitating him.

And then, finally, the electricity that had filled my body, making my muscles quiver and my bones ache, left me, and I breathed in deeply. The corpse of an immortal goblin lay in a puddle at my feet, and I felt nothing but relief.

“It was a good return,” my mother said, and put her hand on my shoulder. “You did well, Malin.”

Copyright © 2018 by Amanda Hocking in Between the Blade and the Heart and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Griffin.

 

I was really looking forward to this new series as am I a huge fan of Amanda’s, but this one fell short. And it’s for various reasons, and most of them are just more of a personal thing.

Between the Blade and the Heart is a new series from Amanda. It’s based on Norse Mythology and more precisely, the Valkyrie. The Valkyries are mortal women with supernatural strength that the Gods had created to destroy the immortals and return them to the Underworld. The blurb tells you the main plot of the story, so I won’t repeat all that.

Let me tell you what I enjoyed most about this book – the world itself. Amanda has always done a great job of describing the world in which everything is to set forth. I loved the different backgrounds on the characters and that there was no biases on their sexual preferences (Malin is bi-sexual). The diversity in this book is what kept me interested in this book.

Where I had a hard time connecting was the characters and the love triangle aspect. Outside of the diversity of the characters, I really didn’t connect to any of them. I have no qualms about love triangles, but I had hard time really understanding this one. Again, I truly believe it’s because I couldn’t connect to any of the characters, so anything beyond that was hard for me to grasp onto.

The story felt a bit slow too for me. I found myself glazing over parts and not feeling completely immersed in the story, like I was hoping. There was something lacking from the character development that kept me from really enjoying this book more.

Overall, it was an ok start to the series. I am still up in the air on if I will continue. A part of me wants to know what happens next, but another part of me is afraid I will be wasting my time if I don’t feel any connections to the characters.

If you love YA books that are set in different worlds, I would give this book a go. It’s definitely one where you have to see for yourself if it’s the book for you.

 

 

 

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Q&A with Amanda Hocking

 

Q: What or who was the inspiration behind Between the Blade and the Heart

A: I have already written several books inspired by Scandinavian folklore, and I was always fascinated by Valkyries. But because I had already done in Scandinavian fantasy, I wanted to come at this one from a different angle. I imagined the Valkyries helping to police a gritty, diverse, cyberpunk metropolis, in a world filled with not just Norse figures but from many mythologies.

Q: What are the life lessons that you want readers to glean from your book? 

A: That love is a strength, not a weakness.

Q: If you were given the chance to go on a date with one of your characters, who would you choose and what would you do together? 

A: Oona. She doesn’t swing that way, but since I’m married anyway, it would be a friendship date. I think it would be fun to go to an apothecary with her and have her show me around the magic. Or maybe just veg out and watch bad movies.

Q: Would the essence of your novel change if the main protagonist were male?

A: Yes, it would be changed dramatically. For one, Valkyries are women. But I also think the book explores the relationships between mothers and daughters, and friendships between young women.

Q: What is your definition of true love in YA literature? 

A: There has to be passion and desire – not necessarily anything physical, but so much of young love is about yearning. But I also think that true love is based on mutual respect and selflessness.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to be an author/start writing?

A: My biggest piece of advice is to just write. It’s so easy to get caught up in self-doubt or procrastination. There are lot of great books and blogs about the art of writing, but the most important thing is really to just do it. The best way to get better at writing is by doing it.

Q: What’s one book you would have no trouble rereading for the rest of your life?

A: It would be a toss up between Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli and Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. I’ve read both of those books a dozen times already, at least, and I never get sick of them.

Q: How did you name your characters? Are they based on people you know in real life?

A: It’s combination of names I like and taking inspiration from the world itself. With Between the Blade and the Heart, the names were inspired both by the mythology they come from – many Valkyries have Norse names like Malin, Teodora, and Freya, for example – and the futuristic setting of the book, so I wanted names that seemed a bit cooler and just slightly different than the ones we use now.

Q: Alright, Amanda, I know you’re a movie buff. What are some movies your characters would pick as their all-time favorites?

A: That’s a tough one. Malin – The Crow, Oona – Pan’s Labyrinth, Quinn – Wonder Woman, Asher – Inception, and Marlow – Twelve Monkeys.

Q: Which mythological character is the most like you?

A: Demeter, because she’s pretty dramatic – she basically kills all the plants in the world when her daughter goes missing – but she’s also determined, and will stop at nothing to protect those she cares about.

Q: Who is your favorite character in this book and why?

A: Oona or Bowie. Oona because she’s so practical, supportive, and determined, and Bowie because he’s adorable.

Q: What is your favorite scene and why?

A: I don’t know if there is one particular scene that I loved more than the others, but I really enjoyed writing about the city that Malin lives in and all the creatures that inhabit it.

Q: What cities inspired the urban haven where the Valkyries live?

A: I was really obsessed with this idea of an overpopulated metropolis, and so I took a lot of inspiration from some of the biggest cities in the world, particularly Tokyo, Mexico City, Mumbai, and Manila. The city itself is actually a sort of futuristic, alternate reality of Chicago (one of my favorite cities in the world), and I wanted to incorporate that into it as well.

Q: What came first: The world, the mythology, or the characters?

A: I usually say the characters come first, and the world builds around it. But for this one, it really was the world that drew me into it. I knew I was writing about a young woman who was a Valkyrie, but that about all when I began building up the world and the mythology.

Q: I love that these characters are in college. What inspired this choice?

A: Because of the complex relationship Malin has with her mother, I knew I wanted some distance between them, so I thought putting her in college, living away from her mom, was a good way to do it. Plus, I thought it would be fun to explore the all the supernatural training that would be needed to do these specialized jobs that come up in a world where every mythological creature exists.

Q: What songs would you include if you were to make a soundtrack for the book?

A: This is my favorite question! I love creating soundtracks that I listen to while writing a book, and here are some of my favorite tracks from my Between the Blade and the Heart playlist: Annie Lennox – “I Put a Spell on You,” Daniel Johns – “Preach,” Halsey – “Trouble (stripped),” Meg Myers – “Sorry (EthniKids Remix),” and MYYRA – “Human Nature.”

Q: Was this book always planned as a series or did that develop afterwards?

A: It was always planned as a duology. I don’t want to go into too much or risk spoiling the second book, but I had this idea that one book would be above, and the other below.

Q: Your novels and characters are so layered. How do you stay organized while plotting/writing? Do you outline, use post-it notes, make charts, or something else?

A: All of the above! This one was the most intensive as far as research and note taking goes, and I also had maps, glossaries, and extensive lists of various mythologies. I think I ended up with thirteen pages of just Places and Things. I do a lot of typed notes, but I also do handwritten scribbles (which can sometimes be confusing to me later on when I try to figure out what they mean. I once left myself a note that just said “What are jelly beans?”) For this one, I really did have to have lots of print outs on hand that I could look to when writing.

Q: You’ve said that pop culture and the paranormal both influence your writing. How do these things intersect for you? 

A: In a way, I think they’re both about how humans choose to interpret and define the world that surrounds us. So many mythologies come from humans trying to make sense of the seasons and the chaos of existence, and even though we’ve moved past a lot of the scientific questions, pop culture is still tackling our existence. Even when looking at shows made for kids, like Pixar, they handle a lot of difficult concepts, like what it means to love someone else, how to be a good friend, facing your fears, and overcoming loss. These are things that mythologies and stories have been going over for centuries.

Q: Did you choose the title first, or write the book then choose the title?

A: It depends on the book, but I will say with this one that it took a very, very long time to come up with a title. It was already written and edited, and we were still bouncing around different names.

Q: How many more books can we expect in “Between the Blade and the Heart” series?

A: One more! From the Earth to the Shadows will be out in April 2018.

Q: What scene from the book are you most proud of (because of how you handled the atmosphere, characters, dialogue, etc)?

A: I don’t want to say too much or risk spoiling it, but there’s a scene near the end of the book where a confrontation leaves Malin reeling. I wrote it in an almost present tense, stream-of-consciousness way because I thought that was the best way to capture the raw intensity of her emotions.

AUTHOR BIO:

Amanda Hocking is the author of over twenty young adult novels, including the New York Times bestselling Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles. Her love of pop culture and all things paranormal influence her writing. She spends her time in Minnesota, taking care of her menagerie of pets and working on her next book.

Social Links:

Author Website: http://www.worldofamandahocking.com/

Twitter: @Amanda_Hocking

Facebook: @AmandaHockingFans

Author Blog

Chapter Reveal…Dirt by Cassie Leo

Today we have the chapter reveal for DIRT by Cassia Leo! Check them out and pre-order your copy today!

 

Title: DIRT
Author: Cassia Leo
Series: Evergreen Series
Release: January 12, 2018

 

About Dirt

A hard-hitting, emotional new series from New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo.

Jack and I had everything. Then, in one brutal instant, the universe tilted on its side, discarding us into black nothingness.

Now, I have a cocky a**hole for a husband.

The only way we communicate anymore is when we’re fighting or f**king.

With nothing left to lose, I write Jack a goodbye letter and head for Portland, where I quickly meet a neighbor who helps me find a job.

My new neighbor—broody, tattooed ex-soldier Isaac Evans—is complicated. Nevertheless, we form a fast friendship, bonding over our mutual desire to create something beautiful from the wreckage of our lives.

But despite the distance between us, Jack and I are still trying to make things work—fighting and f**king dirtier than ever. And he doesn’t appreciate my new friendship with Isaac. Not one f**king bit.

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Chapter Reveal

Chapter 1

Laurel

I hugged Jack Jr. tightly against my breast, and he molded his soft, warm body to mine. His eyes remained closed as his tiny fingers curled around the fabric of my blouse, his rosy lips puckering as he geared up for more food.

“You sucked me dry, little fella,” I whispered, leaning in to press my nose against the downy-soft, golden hair on the top of his head. I inhaled his scent and my muscles unspooled. “But I’ll be back to feed you soon. I promise.”

Why do babies smell so damn good?

Before I got pregnant with Junior, my favorite smell was orange blossoms. As a teenager, I often got scolded by my mom for picking the flowers off the orange tree in our backyard in Portland. I’d rub the creamy petals between my fingers, bruise them with my fingernails, then sniff my hand for hours until the scent wore off.

When I was pregnant with Junior, my favorite scent became the rich aroma of the forbidden coffee I could no longer drink.

After Junior was born, and my decaf days came to a glorious end, I realized how wrong I’d been. There was absolutely no scent as sweet and soul-quieting as the smell of the top of a baby’s head. Bonus points if the baby was lying peacefully on your chest sound asleep.

“Are you ever going to put him down?”

I flicked my head sideways, startled by Jack’s clear, baritone voice.

He stood in the doorway of Junior’s nursery, the silhouette of his six-foot-three athletic body framed by the warm light in the hallway. His head was tilted to the side. He’d probably been standing there admiring us for a while. After six years together, I knew Jack’s body language and facial expressions better than I knew my own face.

I stood from the rocking chair and stole one more sniff of Junior’s head before I placed him gently on his back in the center of the crib. I adjusted the left sleeve of his pajamas, pulling it down to make sure it covered his entire chubby arm. I didn’t want to imagine him waking up cold and alone in here.

Jack appeared at my side as I switched on the video baby monitor. “He’s going to be fine,” he murmured, reaching down to stroke the soft patch of hair on Junior’s head. “In fact, he’ll probably enjoy some time alone. After all, he is just like his daddy; sometimes, we need a break from the constant attention from the ladies.”

I rolled my eyes and headed for the door. “Making jokes only makes leaving him slightly less scary, you know,” I said as we stepped into the hallway of our five-bedroom dream home in Hood River, Oregon. I couldn’t wait to fill up every one of these bedrooms with brothers and sisters for Jack Jr.

Jack chuckled as he followed closely behind me. “Less scary is an improvement,” he replied, grabbing my hand to stop me in the middle of the corridor. “You promised Junior you’d be back soon. Can you also make me a promise?”

The hallway lights made his dark hair look glaringly shiny, but I couldn’t help but notice how weary his blue eyes looked tonight. Since Junior arrived three months ago, I’d been so focused on my baby boy’s vulnerability, his scent, his beauty, I hadn’t slowed down enough to appreciate how those were the same qualities that made me fall in love with Jack.

Suddenly, my worries about leaving Junior with my mother for the evening evaporated. All I wanted to do was kiss Jack, grab hold of that dark hair and make love to him for hours. I wanted to replace the weariness in his eyes with dark hunger, or maybe a glint of mischief.

I squeezed his hand and smiled at the thought of possibly having sex with him in public tonight. We hadn’t done that in a while.

“What kind of promise?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Nope, you’re not allowed to ask. Just promise me you’ll say yes.”

My stomach vaulted at the sound of those words. They were the same words Jack spoke when he asked me to marry him. I wondered what he would ask this time.

The phrase “just promise me you’ll say yes” had become like an inside joke, our own private, unspoken promise to each other that we would always do whatever it took to stay together. The last time he had uttered this phrase, he asked me to stop taking my birth control pills. With Junior here, it was easy to trust that whatever Jack asked me for this time would turn out to be exactly what I needed.

I tilted my head back so I could look up and into his crystal-blue eyes. “Yes, I can make you a promise.”

His expression became sober. “Promise me you’ll be present tonight.” He fixed me with a piercing gaze as his large hand cupped my face. “It’s just you and me for the next three hours. Promise me.”

I smiled. “I promise. Just you and me. And I’ll even put my cell phone on vibrate.” As I said the words, a sharp finger of fear prodded my subconscious, telling me it was a bad idea to risk missing a phone call tonight.

The exhaustion in Jack’s eyes melted away as he smiled. “I can deal with that, but you have to promise me one more thing.”

“What’s that?”

His smile turned almost menacing as he looped his arm around my waist and drew me close. “Promise me you’ll lemme smash that blonde bombshell booty,” he said, landing a light swat on my ass.

I shook my head as I recalled how we often had sex in public during our first year together, in our senior year at Oregon State University, Cascades. For some reason, once we graduated and moved in together, having sex in public seemed like something we couldn’t get away with so easily. We decided public sex-hibitions — or throw downs, as we more commonly referred to them — would be reserved for special occasions like anniversaries or vacations.

Truthfully, Jack and I kicked off our relationship by having sex on the first date. He was always a very difficult man to resist. When he showed up at my apartment to pick me up that night, I couldn’t resist his suggestion that we should stay in and make paper masks of ourselves, then put them on and ask each other first date questions as if we were the other person. I had never laughed so much on any date. Ever. But when he asked — while pretending to be me — if I’d ever had sex with someone on the first date, I couldn’t help but respond with, “I’m Jack-fucking-Stratton. I’ve fucked a lot of girls on the first date. But none as gorgeous as you.”

Jack always knew how to keep things fresh and alarmingly sexy. Six years in and my body still craved him almost every second of every day.

Today was our three-year wedding anniversary. We’d only had sex twice since I gave birth to Junior three months ago, and both of those times were truly awkward.

The first time was painful. My C-section incision hadn’t fully healed yet, and even trying to have sex with him behind me was uncomfortable. The second time we tried, Jack was so afraid of hurting me, he stopped midway through. There’d been a lot of oral sex happening in this house since then.

Luckily, a few weeks had passed since our last attempt, and I had repeatedly assured him I was fully healed up now. I was certain that even if the sex did hurt a little, it would still be worth it. I couldn’t understand couples that didn’t consider sex an important part of a relationship. I never felt more complete, more present, more alive than when my body and mind were entwined with Jack’s.

I smiled as I wrapped my arms around his waist. “I think I know just the place for a proper throw down.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Ooh. Tell me more.”

As he leaned in to kiss me, my mother’s voice interrupted us.

“Are you two making out again?” she said, standing at the top of the stairs with her hands on her hips as she gawped at us. “Well, don’t let me stop you.”

Jack laughed and I shook my head as we moved toward her.

“We’re just trying to keep you entertained while you’re on vacation, Beth,” Jack said.

My mother cocked an eyebrow. “If I wanted to watch porn, I’d open up your laptop and have a look at your internet history.”

“Mom, don’t be gross,” I protested, trying not to laugh.

Jack smiled as he held out his elbow for my mom to grab hold as they descended the stairs in front of me. “I made a special collection of links for you. They’re in a folder labeled Tantric Geriatric. You’ll love it.”

I rolled my eyes. Jack and my mother exchanged jabs like this all day.

My mother was staying with us for a few days, so Jack and I could have some time to ourselves and get some much-needed uninterrupted sleep. She was leaving tomorrow to go back to the house where I grew up in Portland. Though she pretended as if she was desperate to get home to her Craftsman cottage in the city, and I even teased her about how she was dying to get back so she could see the handsome new neighbor she’d been going on about, I knew she was going to miss Jack’s pretend insults as much as she would miss Junior and me.

My mother practically shoved me toward the front door. “I order you to go have fun,” she said, smiling as Jack opened the door and stepped outside. “And don’t come home until you’re too drunk to walk.”

I shook my head. “Thanks, Mom. Please call if you need anything. And don’t answer the door for anyone. There’s a house that got broken into a few streets away.”

She waved off my paranoia. “Stop worrying so much. We’ll be fine. See you later, babe.”

I blew her a kiss, then I closed the door behind me.

* * *

“I have to admit, having sex on the waterfront was one of my favorite public throw downs ever,” Jack said, pulling his Tesla into the long driveway of our four-acre estate. “But do we really have to wait until our fourth anniversary to do it again?”

I tugged the silky fabric of my skirt straight as I pressed my thighs together. Though my body was still raw with the evidence of the dirty deed we’d just committed, I couldn’t wait to get Jack inside and pounce on him again. I hadn’t realized how much I missed the sensation of him moving inside me, and how good he was at making me feel beautiful.

“We can do that anytime we can snag a babysitter,” I replied as he turned the car off.

He made no move to exit the Tesla. “Well, babycakes, you’d better get ready to interview a fuck-ton of babysitters.”

I laughed. “Babycakes? That’s a new one.”

Jack rarely used the same term of endearment twice in a row. He liked to keep me guessing.

He scrunched up his nose. “Yeah, that one was kind of creepy. Now that I’ve tried it out, I think I can bury that one in the nickname graveyard.”

“Try the incinerator,” I said, reaching for the door handle.

“Duly noted,” he replied, exiting the vehicle.

Jack and I glided unhurriedly along the flagstone walkway, which was lined with sparkling pathway lights. As we made our way toward the steps leading up to the covered porch, I stopped in the middle of the path and closed my eyes as I inhaled the sweet scent of the lavender and honeysuckle I’d planted with my mom’s help.

That was when I made a wish, a corny wish, but I didn’t care.

I wished that every person could find someone they loved as much as I loved Jack. I wished every child could feel as loved as Junior was. And I wished every anniversary could be as perfect as this one.

“No… No, no, no!” Jack’s voice grew louder with each no.

They say mother’s intuition is scientifically proven to exist. I knew by the tone of Jack’s voice, without even opening my eyes, that my world would never be the same. I knew in that instant, I would regret leaving Jack Jr. tonight for the rest of my life.

Though I knew something was wrong, I wasn’t prepared for what we found.

At some point, while we were lost in our blissful celebration, the front door of our home had been forced open. This discovery was what had made Jack cry out in disbelief. Father’s intuition must also be a thing, because he told me later that, even though the door was still closed, the moment he saw the gouges in the wood near the handle, he had felt that same sense of dread. That feeling that the universe had suddenly tilted on its side, discarding us into black nothingness.

The house was ransacked.

Furniture upended, paintings and flatscreen televisions torn off the walls, shards of shattered vases littered the floors. Complete and utter chaos.

The master bathroom doorknob looked as if it had been shot off. We found my mother’s lifeless form huddled against the bathtub, my baby boy’s dead body clutched tightly in her arms.

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About Cassia Leo

New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she’s not writing, she spends way too much time re-watching Game of Thrones and Sex and the City. When she’s not binge watching, she’s usually enjoying the Oregon rain with a hot cup of coffee and a book.

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1,001 Dark Nights 2017 Year in Review & 23 eBook Collection Giveaway

Hi everyone!

As some of you may know, I am the social media manager for the super awesome 1,001 Dark Nights Series. I am also the lucky gal who gets to interview all of the 1,001 Dark Nights authors for their newsletters.  It’s one of the most amazing and fun things I’ve ever been asked to do.  I mean to get a chance to ask some of the biggest authors out there questions is so flipping cool to a huge fangirl reader like myself.  To add to that, I contribute to these newsletters with a fun column called “A Note From Jillian”, which usually involves some sort of funny story that happened or a random real life connection that occurs while reading one of these novellas.

As the end of 2017 approaches, I wanted to take a look back at all that 2017 held and thought it would be great to share my fave questions from each interview with all of you! And, if you’re so inclined to read, the Note From Jillian is in each of the “read more” of the interview links.

And, to make it even more exciting, I have the entire 2017 e-book collection of 1,001 Dark Nights novellas to give away to one lucky winner!  Yahoo! (enter in the rafflecopter below)

 

Interview with Kristen Ashley:

I loved loved loved this story! Was it hard to decide on this prequel of sorts for your novella?

Yes. I was never certain that I was going to tell Daisy and Marcus’s story because I adore Daisy to distraction and I knew what precipitated them getting together and it was heartbreaking. I didn’t want to be in that place with Daisy. Not to mention, I wanted to be certain to do their story justice. They were my most-asked-for secondary character couple. I wanted to do it right for Daisy and Marcus and I wanted to do it right for my readers. We’ll just say Daisy never lets anyone down. Neither does Marcus. So in the end it worked out for everyone!

And just a note of thanks to Liz Berry for cheering on this decision. If I didn’t have her enthusiasm, I might have forever shied away from telling this story. Thank God I had her and my sister Erika supporting me writing it or it might never have been told!

I adore all of your series and how they all have a very different feel. Is it ever hard switching gears from your paranormal to your contemporary work?

Nope. I love this. It’s nice to be in the real world (as such, since it’s fictional :-)) and then pop into a straight-up fantasy where anything but anything can go. I’m always ready to hit a paranormal/fantasy when the time comes and when it’s done, just as ready to spend time in your average, everyday bar or coffee shop (average, everyday with the addition of really hot guys). So it’s perfect for me.

Read the full interview here

 

Interview with Carrie Ann Ryan:

Who would you cast as Holly and Brody in an Adoring Ink movie?

Ack! I’m always so bad at this. Hmmm…for Holly I would say a blonde Felicity Jones. You know her from Rogue One and I adore her and her strength in movies. For Brody? Probably Aaron Taylor-Johnson in his bearded glory. He played Quicksilver in the Age of Ultron movie and just won a Golden Globe for his work as well.

What is one of your favorite moments since joining 1,001 Dark Nights?

I’m such a fangirl, so all of my favorite moments include other authors. I love this group of talented women—and Chris! One of my favorite moments was probably sitting next to Kristen Ashley at RT16 and talking about 1001 Dark Nights and how many yummy books I get to read that I wouldn’t have before. She was so sweet and amazing and it wasn’t until a couple months later that I found out she was going to write Daisy’s story with 1001. I screamed. Ask Liz! LOL

Read the full interview here

 

Interview with K. Bromberg:

You’ve given these characters two fantastic names. Where do you find your character name inspiration?

I’m very particular about my characters’ names to be honest. I don’t have a rhyme or reason to how I pick them, but I have a list of names that I’ve overheard that I like. For instance, in another novel I write, I overheard a mom at my daughter’s kindergarten class call her daughter’s name and I was like, ‘That’s the name!’ I also go by the theory that I want a reader to hear my characters’ names and be brought back to the book somehow. So for instance, I’d never name a character Christian… because I know when readers hear that name, they automatically think of FSOG.

Speaking of inspiration…Ryder’s appearance had me totally drooling. Is there anyone you used as a visual muse?

Can I say my imagination? It’s funny because I prefer the clean-cut look myself but I know a lot of my readers enjoy the tattoos and beard. . . so in a sense, I combined both of our wants and created Ryder. Plus, as fun as it is to write the bad boy, it’s also super fun to write the nice guy too.

What would we find on the top shelf of your refrigerator right now?

Diet Coke. There’s always Diet Coke.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Joanna Wylde:

I loved Shade and Mandy’s story so much! How did you choose them for this novella?

As president of the Reapers Motorcycle Club, Shade has been a background character in several of my other books. I’ve had readers ask for his story, but until I got the idea for Mandy’s character I just wasn’t ready. Then I woke up one Saturday morning with Mandy’s whole life history in my head. I knew she’d be perfect for Shade.

When I started writing, I really thought they’d just be a short story but they kept talking to me. Then they grew into a novella, and now I think it’s safe to say they’re a full book, LOL. Sometimes the story doesn’t go quite the way you expected it!

The soft side Shade has toward Mandy is just fantastic. Is it ever a challenge to give a character those different layers?

I think it’s technically challenging as a writer to portray a character in such a way that the person in your head translates into someone the readers can empathize with, but the characters themselves tend to be very fully developed in my head. I don’t have to sit down and try to come up with a soft side or an emotional angle for my heroes… I don’t change who they are, either. They’re in my head, they’re real and they have their own personalities.

Once a character comes to life in my imagination, all I really do is throw them into a given situation and see what they do. Sometimes they surprise the hell out of me.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Larissa Ione:

With so many characters and layers to your world, I have to ask how you keep it all straight. Do you have a story bible or do you just keep it all in your head?

Both, but keeping it in my head is becoming harder and harder, so I’m actually slowly going through all my books and adding more detail to the existing bible, since I didn’t keep up with it.

If you could pick one song to be your theme song, what would it be?

That has always been a tough question. My go-to is “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” by Alan Jackson, and I’ve always been surrounded by music boxes and stuff that play “Lara’s Theme,” (From Doctor Zhivago, where my name came from…my family nickname is also Lara,) but you know what song always gives me a big lift when I need it? The theme song from Star Trek: Enterprise. Yes, really. Just give it a listen. It was totally my theme song when I was trying to get published.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Lexi Blake:

Is there a place in real life that was inspiration for the island of Loa Mali?

Kauai, Hawaii! One of my favorite places on earth. I love that you can go from gorgeous canyons to amazing beaches. I coupled that with some of the culture of southern India and you get Loa Mali.

 

You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?

I would be the brand new ombre crayon. I start a deep blue, almost purple and gradually go lighter until you can color the sky with me. Because being just one color is boring….

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Rebecca Zanetti:

In the second book, Ginny held herself very differently and is now a very strong gal. Did you know when you wrote her that she would evolve so awesomely?

In TEASED, Ginny was just mentioned as a woman who’d broken Theo’s brother’s heart. Then she shows up in TRICKED, and she’s all delicate and feminine and a little helpless…except Theo is the only one to see that she’s not quite that way. Then she shows her true colors (she’s a badass thief who can fight), and the hunt is on in TANGLED.

I know you write in many different genres but is there a genre you haven’t written in yet and would like to try?

I think a women’s fiction – part romantic comedy and part suspense – would be a lot of fun to write.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with J. Kenner:

I loved this peek into Nikki and Damien’s life. It deals with a pretty rough spot for Nikki and I love that you showed that side of her. Why did you choose to write this particular slice of their life?

A couple of reasons. First, it made sense, because Hold Me comes on the heels of Anchor Me, which ends with, ah, um, stuff that happens a few months before Hold Me starts (she says, coyly avoiding spoilers), and I knew readers would want to see these moments in their lives.

But more than that, I wanted to show the challenges Nikki—and all women—face juggling working and being a mom!

I’m always curious about character names. How did you choose Nikki and Damien’s daughter’s names?

Oh, good question! Sometimes I don’t choose the names, they choose for me. But in this case, there are reasons:

For Lara Ashley Stark, the Lara is a name I saw when I was looking at Chinese adoption websites to refresh my memory as to the process for adopting (it’s been 10 years for me!) and to make sure I knew the details of how Chinese adoptions have changed since my daughter came home. I saw a little girl’s picture with the name Lara, and it grabbed me!

Her middle name, Ashley, is the first name of Nikki’s sister, who died before the series begins.

Their youngest daughter, Anne, is also named after Ashley (Anne was her middle name).

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Jennifer Probst:

I love this entire series and love the design/building aspect in each book. If you could live in one of the homes you’ve written about, which one would it be?

I’m such an HGTV addict and enjoy binge watching all the shows with my family. If I had to pick one house I’d love to live in from the series, it would be the Pierce family mansion. After losing their beloved mother and matriarch, the mansion became the heart and soul of the brothers struggle to repair the breaks and tears in their relationship. It has a rich history. It’s also gorgeous! I pinned some inspirational pics on my Pinterest page if you want to take a peek, but think of a huge wraparound porch, soaring columns and high ceilings, magnificent gardens, an Infiniti pool, and a gorgeous cedar deck. It’s southern charm in a Northeastern setting, and surrounded by over 40 acres of woods.

Who would you choose to play Charlotte and Brady in a movie?

I think Amanda Seyfried would be awesome as the bubbly, stubborn Charlotte. And for my hot Latino Brady? I’d say either William Levy *YUM* or Jay Hernandez.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Tessa Bailey:

If you could dream cast Bree and Kyler, who would you choose?

Actress Tessa Thompson was my inspiration for Bree. She is beautiful and has this quiet, lovely grace about her that I associate with Bree. As for Kyler, I went searching for actual football players that matched the charming, sexy and devoted Kyler in my head. And I struck gold with Christian McCaffery, who now plays for the Broncos. Total swoon factory.

I know it must be bittersweet when you end a series. What series of yours would you love to go back and write one more book in?

All of them! But hmm. Maybe the Made in Jersey series. When I ended that series late last year, I was falling into a second stage of love with the town and it’s people. Since it’s set in a factory town, there are so many struggles and stories I could have created. I’ll just be over here lamenting my choices in peace.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Elisabeth Naughton:

If you could choose a theme song for this couple, what would it be?

This one’s easy. 🙂 “You Are Not Alone” by Lifehouse. Absolutely fits these two perfectly.

What book would be your choice for a beach read this summer?

I don’t get as much time to read these days as I used to. (All authors say that, don’t they? LOL) When I find time to read something other than what I’ve written, I usually veer toward books written by my awesome author friends. I recently plowed through Julie Kenner’s SIN series. (Warning…dark, sexy, and totally addictive.) I also happen to be a little OCD so when I find a series I like, I HAVE to read them all ASAP. A book I’m looking forward to reading this summer is Darcy Burke’s So In Love (I helped her plot this one and it’s going to be hot! Releases in August.) And if you’re a romantic suspense fan, I can definitely recommend Rachel Grant’s Tinderbox. Perfect beach read!

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Laura Kaye:

I loved Wolf and Olivia together! They are so smoking hot. How did you choose them for this novella?

Yay! I love writing them! They just totally surprised me with their chemistry, playfulness, and connection. When I first starting planning the Blasphemy series, I knew Wolf was a voyeur, and I also knew I wanted him paired with someone not currently in the lifestyle. And Olivia was just so fearless in her willingness to give herself permission to have what she really wanted. I really love the way their romance turned out – so hot and sexy and fun!

I enjoy all of your different series and the different genres you write in. Do you ever find it difficult to switch gears?

No! Actually, I find it invigorating. I get to go from the playful sexiness of Blasphemy to the intense grit of the Raven Riders to even a whole other era with the historical fiction I write as Laura Kamoie. I feel like the different genres pull from different parts of my brain, and so switching gears isn’t as hard as I might’ve thought and makes me excited to return to each one.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright:

I love that Blade is a bad ass but also so tender and protective of his young. Is it ever a challenge to write characters with such complex sides to their personalities?

Alex and Laura: It’s always easier for us to write characters who have more than one dimension. Weaving in conflicting goals gives an extra suspense to the story and makes for more believable characters. And when we write romance, the ending is more satisfying when our characters discover that there is someone out there who can help them heal or grow, even though they were determined to be alone.

Who would you choose to play both Blade and Valli if you had to cast them in a movie?

Alex: For me Blade would be Chris Hemsworth and Valli would be Felicity Jones.

Laura: Oooooo, so hard!! Blade.. I think a blond Chris Evans. And for Valli, I’m going with Lily Collins!

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Donna Grant:

How do you choose your character names? Is there any name you’re dying to use but haven’t yet?

I use several sources for names. I’ve got a naming source book, I also use BehindTheName.com, and then I have a list of names that I keep when I run across something I find interesting. Sometimes it’s a matter of just liking a name. But…I have had a few instances where I’ve chosen a name and after a page or two of writing I realize it doesn’t fit the character. And oddly, it’s always the woman’s name I change. For DRAGON BURN, I sat on the name Gianna for years, waiting on the right time to use it. As soon as I knew I was setting the story in Italy, I had the name.

You always paint such a beautiful pictures of the surroundings your stories. Have you been able to visit a lot of the places you write about?

Thank you! That means a lot, especially since I think the one thing I need to continually work on in my writing is descriptions.

While I have been to Scotland a few times, I’ve not made it to Italy/Venice. Yet. I spent a few days immersing myself in everything about Venice before I started writing so I could hopefully incorporate enough of it within the story. One of my favorite parts was searching houses for sale to get an idea of what the inside would look like. I found about a dozen I wanted.

It helps that I’ve always wanted to visit Venice, so it was no great hardship to find all the places I’d like to see if I went.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Lorelei James:

As for the story, it was certainly unlike anything I have ever read and I loved it. What made you decide to write about such an interesting and different topic?

It interested me and living so close to Colorado, I had the opportunity to do hands-on research. The cannabis industry is still in its infancy. To the general populace and states where it’s not available even for medicinal use, the old school mentality about weed, pot, marijuana continues to exist and that’s too bad. The cannabis available now ain’t nothin’ like the old school stuff—haha.

If you had to choose a theme song for yourself, what would it be?

Believe It Or Not by Christopher Cross. It’s a happy little sing-along-in-your-car ditty.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Lauren Blakely:

All of your characters are so fun and interesting with all sorts of fun hobbies and fascinating careers. Is it ever challenging to build these character layers?

Thank you! Yes, it is challenging, but that’s what makes people stand out, in my opinion. I believe so strongly that our careers can be huge sources of satisfaction in life, so I always try to find interesting ones for characters, and then likewise to develop hobbies, traits and interests that drive them on. The world is a great and wondrous place with so many things to do. When I look at it that way, I always see that I have so many options in building characters.

Who would you choose to play Dylan and Evie in a book-to-movie adaptation?

Let’s cast a blonde Brittany Snow as Evie! In Pitch Perfect, Brittany has a certain crispness, but also a warmth that works for our matchmaker. For Dylan, can we put Armie Hammer in glasses and call it good?

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Lara Adrian:

Trygg was such a great wounded hero and I was swooning hard-core over him. Is it difficult to give heroes the dual hard and soft sides?

I’m so glad you liked him! I think I’m just wired as a writer to create heroes who are tough and impenetrable on the outside, but who are wounded on the inside. That dichotomy really speaks to me as a writer—and as a reader.

All of your book titles in the Midnight Breed series are so cohesive. How hard is it to keep that going while coming up with new titles?

It has been challenging at times, but I’ve got a running list of ideas and every time I run across a word that evokes something dark or passionate or intriguing, I jot it down as a potential title idea. I’ve also moved away from the “Midnight” titles on my series’ next generation to allow myself more options when it comes to fun titles.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Heather Graham:

I’m always in awe of how many books you’ve written and how many characters you’ve developed over the years. Do you keep some sort of story bible or flow chart to keep track of it all?

Each summer with the trio that comes out with Mira, I always have a bible to keep the characters straight.

Do you have a favorite Halloween movie or TV show you love to watch around this time of year?

Yes, Hocus Pocus! (A very dear friend and incredible man and actor—Doug Jones—plays Billy Bones!)

What would be your theme song if you had to choose one?

Zombie.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Laurelin Paige:

I always feel a part of every story you write. It’s like a movie playing in my head when I read. Do you feel that way as you write them?

I do! My background is in theater, so I think it’s automatic for me to try and fill in scenery and dialogue in a way that feels like the story is unfolding around you instead of just in front of you.

Who would you dream cast as Nathan and Trish?

David Beckham was always my Nathan. I didn’t have someone as Trish, but let’s say a younger Monica Bellucci.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Kendall Ryan:

If you could cast Sam and Maggie for a movie, who would you choose to play them?

Oh my goodness, that is such a hard question to answer!!! I truly do not know. But I do know, they’d need to have that great, flirty chemistry, and work as both friends and as lovers.

What’s your favorite 90’s jam?

I love the 90s! I like everything from Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins to Janet Jackson!

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with C.D. Reiss:

Raven is a woman who knows what she wants and goes after it, unabashedly. I loved her for that. Is it hard to strike a balance between a forward female character who doesn’t come off as unlikable?

To be frank, if a woman who is smart and unapologetically ambitious is unlikeable to a reader, they won’t like any of my books. Almost all of my heroines are determined, loyal, and motivated. Sometimes the guy gets in the way. Sometimes he helps her get what she wants. But she always has to find a place for a man inside a life that’s already complete.

If you could cast Roman and Raven for a movie, who would you choose?

Roman would be Christian Bale. He looks so serious but when he smiles, the frame just lights up and you can tell he’s a guy who likes to have fun. He also looks stunning in a suit.

Raven would be Natalie Portman. She can play so tough and businesslike, but when she melts, she melts hard.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Kristen Proby:

Who would you dream cast for these two?

Rachel McAdams and Ryan Reynolds.

Your characters are all so wonderfully real and relatable. Do you ever find that kind of realness hard to write?

Not at all. They are real to me, so translating that to the page is natural to me.

Read the full interview here 

 

Interview with Liliana Hart:

Who would you dream cast for Elizabeth and Cole?

Cole is a good decade older than Elizabeth, so I’d have to say Scott Eastwood would be perfect to play Cole MacKenzie. As far as Elizabeth, I love her so much. She’s such a badass, scoffing at traditional roles of how a woman should be during that era. She’s tough, she owns her own property, she shoots, and she wears pants. So I can easily see Kate Beckinsale in that role.

A penguin walks through the door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?

“My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

Oddly enough, this would not be an uncommon occurrence in our house. We have 5 kids under roof and one of them has a penguin costume that gets worn way too often.

Read the full interview here 

 

 

I hope you all enjoyed sharing in the fun 2017 was and I can’t wait to see what 2016 has in store for all of us!  Thanks for stopping by! ~Jillian

Enter to win the 2017 1,001 Collection in the Rafflecopter here:

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Direct Link for giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f6e7132a145/?

Titles include:

ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING by Kristen Ashley

ADORING INK: A Montgomery Ink Novella by Carrie Ann Ryan

SWEET RIVALY by K. Bromberg

SHADE’S LADY: A Reapers MC Novella by Joanna Wylde

RAZR: A Demonica Underworld Novella by Larissa Ione

ARRANGED: A Masters and Mercenaries Novella by Lexi Blake

TANGLED: A Dark Protectors Novella by Rebecca Zanetti

HOLD ME: A Stark Ever After Novella by J. Kenner

SOMEHOW, SOME WAY: A Billionaire Builders Novella by Jennifer Probst

TOO CLOSE TO CALL: A Romancing the Clarksons Novella by Tessa Bailey

HUNTED: An Eternal Guardians Novella by Elisabeth Naughton

EYES ON YOU: A Blasphemy Novella by Laura Kaye

BLADE: A Bayou Heat Novella by Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright 8

DRAGON BURN: A Dark Kings Novella by Donna Grant

TRIPPED OUT: A Blacktop Cowboys ® Novella by Lorelei James

STUD FINDER by Lauren Blakely

MIDNIGHT UNLEASHED: A Midnight Breed Novella by Lara Adrian 1

HALLOW BE THE HAUNT: A Krewe of Hunters Novella by Heather Graham 1

DIRTY FILTHY FIX: A Fixed Trilogy Novella by Laurelin Paige

THE BED MATE: A Room Mate Novella by Kendall Ryan 1

PRINCE ROMAN: A Games Novella by C.D. Reiss

NO RESERVATIONS: A Fusion Novella by Kristen Proby

DAWN OF SURRENDER: A MacKenzie Family Novella by Liliana Hart 1

 

Trailer Reveal…Brave (Wicked Trilogy #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

SYNOPSIS:

Ivy Morgan hasn’t been feeling like herself lately. Not like anyone can blame her. After all, being held captive by a psychotic fae prince hell-bent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld is bound to leave some mental scars.

It’s more than that, though. Something dark and insidious is spreading throughout Ivy, more powerful than she could ever imagine… and it’s coming between her and the man she’s fallen deeply in love with, elite Order member Ren Owens.

Ren would do anything to keep Ivy safe. Anything. But when he makes a life altering choice for her, the fallout of his act has far reaching consequences that threaten to tear their lives apart.

If Ivy is going to have any hope of surviving this, she must put aside the hurt and betrayal she feels, and work with not only those she loves, but with an enemy she would rather kill than ever trust. War is coming, and it soon becomes clear that what Ivy and Ren thought they knew about the Order, themselves, and even their enemies, has been nothing but a cluster of dangerous, deadly lies. Ivy knows she must be more than just brave to save those she loves–and, ultimately, to save herself.

Because behind ever evil fae Prince, there’s a Queen

Series: The Wicked Trilogy, Book # 3

RELEASE DATE: December 11th, 2017

Available Formats: Paperback (U.S./Canada) and E-book

RETAILER LINKS:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2fwiarG

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/brave-jennifer-l-armentrout/1127158232?ean=9781947591707

iBooks: http://bit.ly/BRAVE-JLA

 

 

TRAILER:

 

CREDIT:

Created by Franggy Yanez Photo –http://www.franyanezphoto.com/

Talent: Justin Edwards (the cover model)

 

BIO:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. She spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Website: https://jenniferlarmentrout.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JLArmentrout

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_l_armentrout/

 

GIVEAWAY INFO

  • PRIZE: SURPRISE SIGNED PRIZE PACK (containing multiple signed books & swag)
  • OPEN INTERNATIONAL
  • ENDS 12/22/17

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