Rambling about the #HeroineTourney and whatnot

Heya!

OMG YOU GUYS! That battle yesterday in the #HeroineTourney was SO FREAKING FIERCE! And so MUCH FUN! There are so many Alex (The Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout)  and Rose (Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead) fans out there, it's scary! Yes, Alex won, but it was crazy, the gaping between the votes was sooo small and constantly changing in favor of one of the heroines or the other. It was nerve wrecking, to say the least! And it was hard because most of us love both heroines; battling against people we know wasn't easy either - but it was all AWESOMESAUCE! And even though we tweeted like crazy, I say we kept things friendly. So thumbs up for both #TeamAlex and #TeamRose for that, we're both winners IMO! <3

I don't know how many of you voted, spread the word, etc etc, but THANK YOU! The support for #TeamAlex was incredible! Let's keep in mind that Rose had a few years and six books to gain our love, and Alex's journey has just started a few months ago, but she gained our love too. So, yeah... Pretty incredible!

And don't get me started on the #HalfBloodLegion - you guys are amazing! I want to have you all at my Christmas dinner!:))

And Momo - you're the best advocate ever!<3 *cheers*

So, after all this, I don't know if it has anything to do with it being Christmas Eve and the Christmas spirit, but:

• I don't do hugs. But I would hug each and every person who's part of the #HalfBloodLegion right now. 
• I don't do high praising and fangirling, not even for my all time favorite authors. But I'd go all fangirly on Jennifer L. Armentrout right now, because she's too awesome for words. Seriously. 
• I don't get uber excited about novellas and book excerpts. But I stayed up until over 4AM to read a specific scene from Daemon's POV (well, to tweet too) and got all warm and fuzzy reading another specific scene from Aiden's POV. 
• I don't let things that happen in the virtual world (so to speak) get to me IRL. But I got all excited, worked up and/or exasperated last night when the voting was constantly changing in favor of Alex/Rose.
• I don't do rereading books (not often, anyway) but I would drop everything and re-read Half-Blood and Obsidian right now. (I almost did yesterday, anyway, when I was looking for some killer quotes).

I could go on and on forever, but bottom line, that match was quite an experience! One that reminded my why I love blogging and being part of this community so much! And I would do it all over again!<3

Now, to sum it up, here are our prizes, as JLA promised:

Pure (Covenant #2) Teaser - Pool Scene

Chapter 16 from Half-Blood (Covenant #1) from Aiden's POV 

Chapter 26 (frying laptop scene) from Obsidian (Lux #1) from Daemon's POV

Shadows (Lux #0.5) cover AND blurb:

(out February 2012 just in time for my birthday woohoo!!!!)

Dawson and Daemon are identical twins & that's Dawson on the cover

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane. Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in. Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence…and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

Holly smokes!!! How cool does that sound?! *faints* 

Argh, is it February yet?!

Now... Because Alex won, in the next match she'a up against Katniss. yes, that Katniss. And if we brought the big guns for the fight against Rose, we're going to need some nuclear bombs or something in this next battle. But nothing is impossible for the #HalfBloodLegion now, is it? ;)

Ok, time to wrap this up.

I hope you all have a peaceful, wonderful, full of presents Christmas Eve! I'll see you all next week with the Top 10s, featuring the best books, characters etc from 2011.

Once again, congrats Team Alex!!! *throws confetti*

Stay warm and cozy and Happy Holidays!

xoxo

Rambling about the #HeroineTourney and whatnot

Heya!

OMG YOU GUYS! That battle yesterday in the #HeroineTourney was SO FREAKING FIERCE! And so MUCH FUN! There are so many Alex (The Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout)  and Rose (Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead) fans out there, it's scary! Yes, Alex won, but it was crazy, the gaping between the votes was sooo small and constantly changing in favor of one of the heroines or the other. It was nerve wrecking, to say the least! And it was hard because most of us love both heroines; battling against people we know wasn't easy either - but it was all AWESOMESAUCE! And even though we tweeted like crazy, I say we kept things friendly. So thumbs up for both #TeamAlex and #TeamRose for that, we're both winners IMO! <3

I don't know how many of you voted, spread the word, etc etc, but THANK YOU! The support for #TeamAlex was incredible! Let's keep in mind that Rose had a few years and six books to gain our love, and Alex's journey has just started a few months ago, but she gained our love too. So, yeah... Pretty incredible!

And don't get me started on the #HalfBloodLegion - you guys are amazing! I want to have you all at my Christmas dinner!:))

And Momo - you're the best advocate ever!<3 *cheers*

So, after all this, I don't know if it has anything to do with it being Christmas Eve and the Christmas spirit, but:

• I don't do hugs. But I would hug each and every person who's part of the #HalfBloodLegion right now. 
• I don't do high praising and fangirling, not even for my all time favorite authors. But I'd go all fangirly on Jennifer L. Armentrout right now, because she's too awesome for words. Seriously. 
• I don't get uber excited about novellas and book excerpts. But I stayed up until over 4AM to read a specific scene from Daemon's POV (well, to tweet too) and got all warm and fuzzy reading another specific scene from Aiden's POV. 
• I don't let things that happen in the virtual world (so to speak) get to me IRL. But I got all excited, worked up and/or exasperated last night when the voting was constantly changing in favor of Alex/Rose.
• I don't do rereading books (not often, anyway) but I would drop everything and re-read Half-Blood and Obsidian right now. (I almost did yesterday, anyway, when I was looking for some killer quotes).

I could go on and on forever, but bottom line, that match was quite an experience! One that reminded my why I love blogging and being part of this community so much! And I would do it all over again!<3

Now, to sum it up, here are our prizes, as JLA promised:

Pure (Covenant #2) Teaser - Pool Scene

Chapter 16 from Half-Blood (Covenant #1) from Aiden's POV 

Chapter 26 (frying laptop scene) from Obsidian (Lux #1) from Daemon's POV

Shadows (Lux #0.5) cover AND blurb:

(out February 2012 just in time for my birthday woohoo!!!!)

Dawson and Daemon are identical twins & that's Dawson on the cover

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane. Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in. Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence…and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

Holly smokes!!! How cool does that sound?! *faints* 

Argh, is it February yet?!

Now... Because Alex won, in the next match she'a up against Katniss. yes, that Katniss. And if we brought the big guns for the fight against Rose, we're going to need some nuclear bombs or something in this next battle. But nothing is impossible for the #HalfBloodLegion now, is it? ;)

Ok, time to wrap this up.

I hope you all have a peaceful, wonderful, full of presents Christmas Eve! I'll see you all next week with the Top 10s, featuring the best books, characters etc from 2011.

Once again, congrats Team Alex!!! *throws confetti*

Stay warm and cozy and Happy Holidays!

xoxo

Betrayed (Ednah Walters) Blog Tour: Guest Post & Giveaway

Hey!

I guess you know by now that I am a moody reader. Well, lately I'm in the mood to read books about (fallen) angels, demons, Guardians etc - you get the idea. :D And today I'm really happy because not only do I get the opportunity to talk about my new book crush, but I also can give you a snipped from it. But first, I should tell you what book crush I'm talking about: 

The Guardian Legacy by Ednah Walters

Awakened

Published August 22nd 2010
Goodreads blurb: 

Most teens turn sixteen and get the license to drive, but Lil Falcon gets the license to kill demons. Orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric grandfather, Lil is concerned with surviving high school and is unaware that she's a Guardian-a being with super powers charged with killing demons and protecting humanity. When she meets Bran, a mysterious boy with amazing abilities, his psi energy unlocks her latent powers. But Bran has a secret that can ruin their growing relationship, and the truth she discovers may destroy everything she believes in unless she finds the right balance between love and sacrifice. 

***

Betrayed

Published August 1st 2011
Goodreads Blurb: 

Lil has come to terms with her life as a Guardian/demon hunter and the wielder of the Nephilim most powerful weapon. She trains everyday to master her growing powers, gets along with her Guardian trainee friends (most of the time) and cherishes her moments with her human friends.
Just when she feels she belongs, her nature-bender father contacts her and warns her about a betrayal by someone close to her. Then Bran, the guy she loves, starts to act strange and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability. While Lil struggles find a connection between these three things, she begins to realize that someone is manipulating her and Bran, and will stop at nothing (including hurting those she loves) to lure them to the dark side.

And now *inserts drum roll effect here* this is an excerpt from Betrayed,  The Guardian Legacy book #2:

Lil and Bran’s Second Moment

Kim and Izzy still waited for me outside the classroom, but they weren’t alone. Along the opposite wall, Remy, Sykes, and Bran argued in low tones. They all looked up, concern and sympathy etched on their faces. My gaze lingered on Bran’s and I shook my head. I couldn’t deal with any of them. Not yet.
I closed the door on their pity and teleported home. Resisting the urge to throw the cell phone, I dropped it on my dresser, curled up on my bed, and covered my head with a pillow. The humiliation. The look on the faces of the students when they realized I was Lilith. No, I was never, ever going back to school again. Never.
Grampa home-schooled me until I was ten. He could plan my lessons again for the rest of high school. What did a Cardinal Guardian need with a high school diploma anyway? We were demon hunters.
The room buzzed with Bran’s energy the moment he materialized. His psi energy brushed mine, gentle and soothing. My grip tightened on the pillow, not wanting him around yet lacking the will to send him away. I hated depending on anyone, even him. One word out of him, just one word of sympathy, and I’d kick him out.
The mattress dipped. His warmth and piney scent drift to my senses. More movements behind me, then his long body curled against my back. I stayed stiff even as his arm wound around my mid-section and his hand covered mine. He didn’t speak, just held me, his warmth seeping into my numb limbs until my hand opened and welcomed his.
“Lil…,” Bran started.
“No,” I said, still not wanting to talk.
“I wanted to say lunch period will be over soon. Are you going—?”
“I’m never going back.” I burrowed deep under the pillow.
“Your grandfather—”
“Will understand,” I finished, but inside I knew Grampa wouldn’t. He didn’t raise me to be a quitter, to run when things got tough or painful. Or humiliating.
Bran became silent. After a while, he said, “talk to me, Sunshine.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I mumbled.
He slipped his head under the pillow and whispered, “You know you’ll tell me eventually. We don’t keep secrets from each other.”
“Don’t be too sure about that,” I mumbled.
“Damn, you’re stubborn.” He sat up. “Are you hungry?”
“No.”
“Too bad. I got us sandwiches. I’ll be back in a second.” He teleported, taking his vibrant presence with him.
How could he think of food at a time like this? The whole school probably knew the call was for me. Then there was the nonsense Valafar spewed about not trusting the Guardians. I hated the fact that for a brief moment I’d actually listened and wondered if there was some truth to them.
Bran returned and the scrumptious aroma of teriyaki chicken drifted to my nose. My stomach growled. There was the rustling of a plastic bag as though he was setting it down.
“So? How long are you going to feel sorry for yourself?” he asked.
Anger slammed through me at his indifference. He knew I was hurting. Felt it, too, I was sure. I pulled down the pillow and glare at him.

Thank you, Ednah! 

Gosh, I love those two!:)) Actually, I love this series! Lil is a super fun, likeable character and Bran is just...well... *swoon* Not to mention all the action and the super awesome cast of characters! You just have to read it!;) 

About the author: 

I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries before I graduated to Mills & Boons (starting with Janet Daily's Shutter the Sky).

  I enjoy good love stories, tingly mysteries and wondrous adventures. When I finished college and decided to be a stay-at-home mother, I devoured books like they were going out of production, until reading just wasn't enough. So I decided to teach myself to write fiction.

I've written picture books, contemporary and romantic suspense, biracial/multicultural books, and finally YA fantasy. Most of them are still taking up RAM on my computer. Awakened is the first book in The Guardian Legacy series. It was released in September 2011 with rave reviews. Betrayed (book 2 in the series) was released August 1^st 2011. Hunted, book 3 in the series, is due out in March.

When I'm not knee deep in battles between Guardians and demons, I write adult contemporary romance (the Fitzgerald family series), sassy, stubborn and gutsy women anyone can identify with and men anyone would be proud to claim. When not writing, I do things with my family, five children or my darling husband of 19 years. I live in a picturesque valley in Utah, the setting for my YA series.

Contact Ednah:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

So, if you want to know what was all that about, buy Betrayed at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Or enter our quick giveaway, just filling in the form bellow:





If you still need more convincing, check out the tour next stop, The Worm Hole and Ednah's blog for The Full Tour Schedule, for more book excerpts and more chances to win. There's also a special post by Ednah and a special prize at the end. ;)

Betrayed (Ednah Walters) Blog Tour: Guest Post & Giveaway

Hey!

I guess you know by now that I am a moody reader. Well, lately I'm in the mood to read books about (fallen) angels, demons, Guardians etc - you get the idea. :D And today I'm really happy because not only do I get the opportunity to talk about my new book crush, but I also can give you a snipped from it. But first, I should tell you what book crush I'm talking about: 

The Guardian Legacy by Ednah Walters

Awakened

Published August 22nd 2010
Goodreads blurb: 

Most teens turn sixteen and get the license to drive, but Lil Falcon gets the license to kill demons. Orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric grandfather, Lil is concerned with surviving high school and is unaware that she's a Guardian-a being with super powers charged with killing demons and protecting humanity. When she meets Bran, a mysterious boy with amazing abilities, his psi energy unlocks her latent powers. But Bran has a secret that can ruin their growing relationship, and the truth she discovers may destroy everything she believes in unless she finds the right balance between love and sacrifice. 

***

Betrayed

Published August 1st 2011
Goodreads Blurb: 

Lil has come to terms with her life as a Guardian/demon hunter and the wielder of the Nephilim most powerful weapon. She trains everyday to master her growing powers, gets along with her Guardian trainee friends (most of the time) and cherishes her moments with her human friends.
Just when she feels she belongs, her nature-bender father contacts her and warns her about a betrayal by someone close to her. Then Bran, the guy she loves, starts to act strange and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability. While Lil struggles find a connection between these three things, she begins to realize that someone is manipulating her and Bran, and will stop at nothing (including hurting those she loves) to lure them to the dark side.

And now *inserts drum roll effect here* this is an excerpt from Betrayed,  The Guardian Legacy book #2:

Lil and Bran’s Second Moment

Kim and Izzy still waited for me outside the classroom, but they weren’t alone. Along the opposite wall, Remy, Sykes, and Bran argued in low tones. They all looked up, concern and sympathy etched on their faces. My gaze lingered on Bran’s and I shook my head. I couldn’t deal with any of them. Not yet.
I closed the door on their pity and teleported home. Resisting the urge to throw the cell phone, I dropped it on my dresser, curled up on my bed, and covered my head with a pillow. The humiliation. The look on the faces of the students when they realized I was Lilith. No, I was never, ever going back to school again. Never.
Grampa home-schooled me until I was ten. He could plan my lessons again for the rest of high school. What did a Cardinal Guardian need with a high school diploma anyway? We were demon hunters.
The room buzzed with Bran’s energy the moment he materialized. His psi energy brushed mine, gentle and soothing. My grip tightened on the pillow, not wanting him around yet lacking the will to send him away. I hated depending on anyone, even him. One word out of him, just one word of sympathy, and I’d kick him out.
The mattress dipped. His warmth and piney scent drift to my senses. More movements behind me, then his long body curled against my back. I stayed stiff even as his arm wound around my mid-section and his hand covered mine. He didn’t speak, just held me, his warmth seeping into my numb limbs until my hand opened and welcomed his.
“Lil…,” Bran started.
“No,” I said, still not wanting to talk.
“I wanted to say lunch period will be over soon. Are you going—?”
“I’m never going back.” I burrowed deep under the pillow.
“Your grandfather—”
“Will understand,” I finished, but inside I knew Grampa wouldn’t. He didn’t raise me to be a quitter, to run when things got tough or painful. Or humiliating.
Bran became silent. After a while, he said, “talk to me, Sunshine.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I mumbled.
He slipped his head under the pillow and whispered, “You know you’ll tell me eventually. We don’t keep secrets from each other.”
“Don’t be too sure about that,” I mumbled.
“Damn, you’re stubborn.” He sat up. “Are you hungry?”
“No.”
“Too bad. I got us sandwiches. I’ll be back in a second.” He teleported, taking his vibrant presence with him.
How could he think of food at a time like this? The whole school probably knew the call was for me. Then there was the nonsense Valafar spewed about not trusting the Guardians. I hated the fact that for a brief moment I’d actually listened and wondered if there was some truth to them.
Bran returned and the scrumptious aroma of teriyaki chicken drifted to my nose. My stomach growled. There was the rustling of a plastic bag as though he was setting it down.
“So? How long are you going to feel sorry for yourself?” he asked.
Anger slammed through me at his indifference. He knew I was hurting. Felt it, too, I was sure. I pulled down the pillow and glare at him.

Thank you, Ednah! 

Gosh, I love those two!:)) Actually, I love this series! Lil is a super fun, likeable character and Bran is just...well... *swoon* Not to mention all the action and the super awesome cast of characters! You just have to read it!;) 

About the author: 

I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries before I graduated to Mills & Boons (starting with Janet Daily's Shutter the Sky).

  I enjoy good love stories, tingly mysteries and wondrous adventures. When I finished college and decided to be a stay-at-home mother, I devoured books like they were going out of production, until reading just wasn't enough. So I decided to teach myself to write fiction.

I've written picture books, contemporary and romantic suspense, biracial/multicultural books, and finally YA fantasy. Most of them are still taking up RAM on my computer. Awakened is the first book in The Guardian Legacy series. It was released in September 2011 with rave reviews. Betrayed (book 2 in the series) was released August 1^st 2011. Hunted, book 3 in the series, is due out in March.

When I'm not knee deep in battles between Guardians and demons, I write adult contemporary romance (the Fitzgerald family series), sassy, stubborn and gutsy women anyone can identify with and men anyone would be proud to claim. When not writing, I do things with my family, five children or my darling husband of 19 years. I live in a picturesque valley in Utah, the setting for my YA series.

Contact Ednah:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

So, if you want to know what was all that about, buy Betrayed at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Or enter our quick giveaway, just filling in the form bellow:





If you still need more convincing, check out the tour next stop, The Worm Hole and Ednah's blog for The Full Tour Schedule, for more book excerpts and more chances to win. There's also a special post by Ednah and a special prize at the end. ;)