Supernova Blog Tour - Excerpt and Giveaway!!!

Release date: October 4th 2013

Self-Published

Purchase: Amazon 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18075975-supernova

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

On Cleo’s first day at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Academy, things get pretty weird pretty fast. After being confronted by a strangely hostile boy, she meets two girls and instantly bonds with them. Before long danger threatens the entire student body, in the form of a soul eating possessor fae. When her brother is savagely beaten and left in a coma, the girls decide to use their fae powers to become superheroes and stop the possessions. 

They quickly learn things are a lot more complicated than they had ever imagined. A government plot that had begun when they were infants endangers them all, and a demented former soldier bent on revenge is after them. The line between friend and foe has become so blurry, Cleo has no idea who she can trust. Will their superhero plot help them save the day, or just get them killed?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elizabeth has a near crippling Facebook addiction, dwarfed only by her need for Dr. Pepper. A self-proclaimed techno geek, she loves cell phones, computers, tablets and all things technological. The internet has to be the greatest invention since the wheel, in her opinion. She lives in a quiet subdivision with her husband, one-year-old son, three cats, and far too many electronics. It’s quite possible she has some raccoon in her DNA, because she loves glitter and anything that sparkles. She enjoys making jewelry and costumes. Halloween is her favorite holiday since it’s the one day of the year that you can be whatever you want. But her first love will always be writing. Otherwise, hearing voices in her head would make her feel schizophrenic.

somesharpwords.blogspot.com | twitter.com/SomeSharpWords

Excerpt From Supernova

     Someone slammed into my shoulder, making me stumble into my brother. I whipped around, my hair flying around my head as I lost control of my power. Logan stood there, a wicked grin tilting up one corner of his mouth. I considered letting a little of my explosive power loose, but I’d be on a slippery slope if I did. I knew from past experience that I must be starting to glow by now, but the other students seemed to be filing past without noticing. With more willpower than I thought I possessed, I reined myself in. Once the fires were quenched, I realized what a bad idea it would have been to let them out. I glanced around, but the only people who seemed to have noticed were Violet and Antonio.

     “What exactly is going on?” Violet asked. She narrowed her eyes as she studied me. “I…felt something. And I think you glowed.”  

     I wanted to tell her nothing had happened aside from a confrontation with a jerk, but Logan wasn’t done being a grade-A bully.

     Logan got really close, almost in my face. “Fae.” He spat the word like it was distasteful. “And a good girl I’d bet.” He packed so much malice into the words, I felt offended, despite the fact that I really was a good girl.

     My brother’s strong fingers wrapped around my upper arm, pulling me back. As I took one reluctant step away from the boy who’d been trying so desperately to rile me up, my hand raised, my fingers clenched tightly in a fist I was moments from throwing. And if I lost control of myself, even for a moment, I could turn the school into a fiery inferno. I took a deep breath to calm myself as I glanced around at the students who had no idea how close they had been to disaster.

     Something odd was going on here. Why weren’t the humans noticing us using magic in the middle of the hall? They should be freaking out, stampeding out the doors and reporting the freaks to the government by now. Instead they just hurried about their lives, chattering about inconsequential things as if they were life and death. I suppose to them, it was. But it was hard to imagine a formal dance as the most important event of the year when you’re standing toe to toe with a boy who wanted to hurt you simply because you were there.

     “You reek of good.” Logan was cloaked in darkness as he spoke, shadows rolling around him like smoke. Horns curved forward out of the dark hair on top of his head, the tips curving up to his hairline. I glanced around again but the students continued to flow around us as if they didn’t see anything. Maybe they couldn’t.

     My brother coughed and I could feel a surge of energy in him, a strange sixth sense we shared. I grabbed his wrist before he did something as stupid, as I tried not to do the same. I glanced around again, still expecting everyone to be standing and staring at us. Aside from a few scattered stragglers, we were alone in the hall. A boy with dark curls rounded the corner, rushing to Logan’s side. He grabbed his arm and gave him a shake.

     “Dude, back off.”

     Logan snarled at him, and the shorter boy’s eyes glowed red, moving as if the irises were made of liquid. With his jaw set, Logan stepped backwards away from me.

     “Is this entire school made up of fae?” I asked, spinning to face forward with my hands thrown up in the air. Too late I remembered Violet walking along beside us, oblivious to the fae world.

     She took the weirdness in stride. “Not entirely, but we seem to have more than our fair share. I think all the teachers are, and a good chunk of the staff too.”

     Or maybe not so oblivious. I didn’t realize I had stopped until she turned to face me.

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The Borderlands of Death and Life

Published:  October 9th, 2012
The Unfailing Light (Katerina # 2)
By: Robin Bridges
Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13:  9780385908306

Having had no choice but to use her power has a necromancer to save Russia from dark forces, Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, now wants to forget that she ever used her special powers. She's about to set off to pursue her lifelong dream of attending medical school when she discovers that Russia's arch nemesis--who she thought she'd destroyed--is still alive. So on imperial orders, Katerina remains at her old finishing school. She'll be safe there, because the empress has cast a potent spell to protect it against the vampires and revenants who are bent on toppling the tsar and using Katerina for their own gains. But to Katerina's horror, the spell unleashes a vengeful ghost within the school, a ghost more dangerous than any creature trying to get in.

Review

 

     Katerina, Duchess of Oldenburg has used her necromancy to save all of Russia and the Tsar in particular.  But now she just wants to put it aside and go to medical school like she's always dreamed of, becoming a Doctor like her Father.  Katiya is forced to put her plans on hold when she finds out that Lich Tsar, Konstantin, is still alive and after the Tsar.  She is forced to return to the Smolny School and the Empress casts a spell to protect the school and keep all the girls from being able to leave without her say so.  The spell awakens something that has been dormant in the school for the better part of a century.  Now Katiya not only has to deal with the court intrigues and threat of Konstantin, but also the machinations of a violent spirit, who will stop at nothing to get what they want.  Even if that means murder is carried out.  Can Katiya find a way to save all the girls in the school, uncover the secret of the mysterious Germanic Princess Alix and protect the Tsar?  And what secrets are those closest to her keeping that have the power to destroy them all?

     I had absolutely loved the original premise of the first book in this series.  It was doing something that nothing else I've read recently in YA has gone in the direction of.  It combined Russian history with paranormal elements, but went further back past the Romanov dynasty.  The happenings of the this story are set about 20 years before the downfall of Imperial Russia and the line of Tsars.  But mostly its about a teenage girl, trying to find her place in a world of political intrigues, while struggling to come to terms with the dark powers within herself.  This sequel expands upon the first book, with a leisurely plot that stops just short of being meandering.  Katiya is vacationing in Greece with her Mother, Cousin and Aunt before going off to medical school in Zurich.  But a disturbing encounter with the Lich Tsar in the caves leads to her plans being put aside and being forced to return to her finishing school. 

      After the events of the previous book, we are told by Katiya that George (the son of the Tsar) has proposed to her a couple of times but she has refused him because of their opposite positions on the Light and Dark Courts.  I feel like the reasons for this and the differences between the types of vampires, fae and the existences of werewolves/shapeshifters were far more expanded and clarified in this book than the first one.  There was some play on the love triangle between Vampire Prince Danilo, George and Katiya but the majority of this book was centered around the struggles of the side characters like Princess Alix, Katiya's Brother Piotr and George himself with his descent into a secret order that might actually be treasonous and evil.  The storyline with the ghost in Smolny was a slow burn and for me it was pretty obvious as to her identity, but I did enjoy the exposition as to her motives/fate at the end of the book.  Also, the aspect of Katiya being able to pass into the land between life and death was really well drawn and interesting to me as a reader.  The revelation about her Mother was definitely NOT what I expected and I'm curious to see what Bridges does with it.  I do feel like there wasn't enough action to really know the direction book three will take, but I liked the easy pace of this one (I'm not in the majority here though I would assume).  Not a perfect sequel, but it keeps up the momentum of the series, if slightly directionless.  And I'll be reading the third one to see how it all ends!  Recommended for those looking for something completely different from the average YA paranormal read, historical or otherwise.

 

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

 

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Storm Clouds Above Us

Published: January 10th, 2012

The Gathering Storm (The Katerina Trilogy #1)

By: Robin Bridges

Delacorte Books For Young Readers

ISBN-13: 9780385740227

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

Review

   Katerina is a Duchess, related to the Tsar through blood and living in a glittering world of balls and aristocrats.  But in 1888, Russia is a dangerous place to have the ability that Katerina was born with - she is a necromancer, able to raise the dead and use them.  The court of the Tsar is split into light and dark, those who want to protect the current order and those who wish to overthrow it.  All Katerina wants is to be a doctor like her Father.  Coming home from finishing school, she hopes to persuade her parents to her way of thinking.  But she is drawn into the Palace intrigues against her will, when she is forced to use her power to save the Tsar's heir.  As vampires, werewolves, witches and fae all try to use Katerina for their own ends, she must find a way to do what is right in the face of serious danger to herself and her loved ones.  Will she allow herself to be used by Prince Danilo of Montenegro for a dark ritual or follow her heart as it leads her to George (the Tsar’s middle son)?  Most importantly, can she save the royal family before it’s too late?  I thought the subject matter of this book was truly interesting.  Not very often do you find a book set in Russia in the 1880s, with supernatural elements, that is in the YA genre!  I liked the inclusion of necromancy, when it is usually the illegitimate brother of the other supernatural persuasions.  Most of the side characters were sufficiently fleshed out, but I didn't find myself connecting to anyone other than Katerina and George which disappointed me.   I like political intrigue as much as the next history fan, but it felt like it dragged through this book rather than lifted it up.  There was a lot of action, but I felt like the boring parts were also too plentiful and really caused me to slog through an otherwise awesome book.  Overall, really liked the concept but the execution could have used some more work.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*

Into The Dragonswood We Go...

Published: January 5th, 2012
Dragonswood
By: Janet Lee Carey
Dial Books
ISBN-13: 9780803735040

Wilde Island is not at peace. The kingdom mourns the dead Pendragon king and awaits the return of his heir; the uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is strained; and the regent is funding a bloodthirsty witch hunt. Tess, daughter of a blacksmith, has visions of the future, but she still doesn't expect to be accused of witchcraft.

 

Review

 

   Tess has always known there was something different about her from everyone else in her small village.  She can see visions of the future in fire sometimes.  She has always been very careful to keep this a secret, but when a witch hunter comes to town and Tess stands accused, her only option is to run for her life.  If only Tess hadn't gone into the Dragonswood to escape her abusive Father, the place everyone believes to be cursed and a sanctuary for witches and other evils.  In reality it is land that was set aside to house the dragons and the fey, protect them from the outside world.  Tess is joined on the run by her friends Meg and Poppy, because she mentioned them while she was being tortured.  They are all taken in by a strange woodsman named Garth, who seems only to have the best intentions.  He has a secret though and it may be one that could ruin them all.  Will Tess and the others be able to clear their names and save the kingdom, using an ages old prophecy as their guide?  This book was absolutely wonderful.  It has a sincerity that endeared it to me from the beginning and Tess is such an honest character, even with all of her flaws.  I loved the prophecy and royalty storylines.  Plus it was nice to see the slow but steady romance of Garth and Tess, which even though it wasn't the book's focus, added an extra layer of depth to it.  All of the supporting characters were interesting and attachable as well.  I loved the dragons and fey, their treaty with the humans and the fact that this was a companion novel but I was able to read it as a stand-alone perfectly well.  I CANNOT WAIT to read the first book about Rosalinda, a princess with dragon blood.  Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy.  Half a star is deducted though for the obviousness of Garth's 'shocking' secret.

 

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

 

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*

The Dawn of A New Era

Published: October 11th, 2011
Awake at Dawn
By: C.C. Hunter
St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN-13: 9780312624682


Now that she’s settled in at Shadow Falls Camp, Kylie Galen’s determined to discover the extent of her supernatural abilities. But with a ghost insisting someone Kylie loves is about die, a rogue vampire on a murdering rampage, and her sixth sense telling her someone is watching her, Kylie’s quest for answers is quickly put on hold.

To make matters worse, just when she’s about to give her heart to Derek, a half-fairy, he starts pulling away. When Lucas, a werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past, returns, Kylie’s feels more conflicted than ever. Her weekend with her mom should have been the just the break Kylie needs, but it turns out to be her breaking point. Someone from the dark side of the supernatural world has plans for Kylie--and it'll take all her resources to get back to Shadow Falls alive...

Review

   Kylie has finally begun to settle in at Shadow Falls, but she still feels like she doesn't quite belong.  Still unsure of what supernatural subcategory she belongs in, Kylie feels at loose ends.  She still has her friends Della and Miranda to try and help her figure it out.  Also, Kylie has decided to search for her birth father Daniel's biological parents, by finding his adoptive ones.  She's having a hard time tracking them down though.  Derek is confusing her and Lucas is still on her mind even though he's gone.  Kylie is also getting creeped out because someone's been following her and she has no idea who it is.  When she starts growing up and out overnight, she freaks out.  Her new super-strength is a little much to process.  Holliday is desperately trying to find funding to keep the camp open while rebuffing offers from Burnett, the vampire that she shares a mutual attraction with.  Kylie is in constant conflict, trying to keep the peace between her best friends Miranda (a witch) and Della (a vampire).  Oh and her cat Socks keeps getting transformed into a skunk - don't ask.  Her best friend from home, Sara, is ignoring her and she doesn't know why.  There's also a ghost trailing her, warning her that "she'll die if you don't save her."  Will Kylie find her grandparents, learn what she is and be able to save 'her', whoever that may be?  I did enjoy this book and I honestly loved the change in Kylie's relationship with her Mom (although the 180 did give me a little bit of whiplash).  The things that really bogged this book down for me were the constant crying jags, misunderstandings with Derek, problems (mean insults) between Della and Miranda, and the general angstiness of the book overall.  It definitely has sequel syndrome, but it kept me reading despite that.  I am going to read the next book and would still recommend the series to newcomers.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*