Trailer Reveal for INTO THE FIRE by Kelly Hashway

INTO THE FIRE released on 2/16/16. It's been out for nearly a month, with book 2, OUT OF THE ASHES, set to release on 3/22/16. Book 3, UP IN FLAMES, will conclude the trilogy on 4/12/16.

On today's blog is the trailer for INTO THE FIRE, but first, here's a quick refresher of the story:

Synopsis: 

In one month’s time, seventeen-year-old Cara Tillman will die and be reborn from her own ashes…

Her life of secrecy has never been easy. She’s watched her younger brother, Jeremy, burn and rise again in a coming-of-age process called rebirth. And just like her brother, when her time comes, she won’t remember anything from her first life other than she’s a Phoenix—a member of a small group of people descended from the mythical Phoenix bird.

The last thing she needs to worry about is falling for the new guy in town—Logan Schmidt.

Cara is drawn to Logan in a way she can’t explain, but she’s not exactly complaining. Everything is perfect…except it’s not. Once she’s reborn, she’ll forget Logan. And to make things worse, a Phoenix Hunter is on the loose, and Cara’s involvement with Logan is bringing out her Phoenix qualities—the very qualities that will draw the Hunter right to her.

Desperate times call for desperate measures…

Afraid of hurting Logan, Cara breaks it off for good. But her attraction to him runs deeper than a typical high school crush. She wants him—needs him. And if he proves willing to stay by her side, their love might destroy them both.

Can Cara hide from the Phoenix Hunters long enough to survive her rebirth? And if so, will it mean a new beginning with Logan—or the beginning of the end?




Find Kelly Hashway on her website, blog, Facebook Author Page, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest, Amazon Author Page, GoodReads Author Page, Into the Fire on GoodReads, and YouTube.

THE PACKING HOUSE is now IndieReader Approved!

So, this just happened at the end of last week: my debut received its first cover sticker, thanks to the Indie Reader Discovery Awards. THE PACKING HOUSE is officially, "Indie Reader Approved," having received a 4 star review as part of the judging process. Time will tell if THE PACKING HOUSE progresses in the IRDA, but I was also treated to a lovely blurb from the IndieReader reviewer:

"THE PACKING HOUSE is an enthralling and important piece of fiction that tastefully and honestly addresses the topic of sexual abuse of minors."
~IndieReader

Check out the cover with the "Indie Reader Approved" sticker:

 

You should also know that THE PACKING HOUSE is currently on sale at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, so now is the perfect time to grab your copy before they go back up to full price. Links are in the side bar to the right. Just click the corresponding book cover to go to your online bookstore of choice. Happy Reading!

Release Day Blitz: FACSIMILE by Vicki L. Weavil with Giveaway

 

Happy Release Day to

Facsimile by Vicki L. Weavil!!

Join us in celebrating this release from Month9Books!

Enter the giveaway found at the end of the post.

Happy Book Birthday, Vicki!

 

 

For a ticket to Earth, seventeen-year-old Anna-Maria “Ann” Solano is willing to jettison her birth planet, best friend, and the boy who loves her. Especially since all she’s required to do is escort Dace Keeling, a young naturalist, through the wilderness of the partially terraformed planet Eco. Ann‘s determination to escape the limitations of her small, frontier colony never falters, until Dace’s expeditions uncover three secrets. One offers riches, one shatters Ann’s perceptions of herself, and one reveals that the humans stranded on Eco are not its only inhabitants.

Ann’s willing to sacrifice friendship and love for a new life on Earth. But when an entire species is placed in jeopardy by her actions, she must make a choice – fulfill the dream that’s always sustained her, or save the planet she’s never considered home.

Facsimile by Vicki L. Weavil Publication Date: March 8, 2016 Publisher: Month9Books

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

 

Vicki L. Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Virginia, a Masters in Library Science from Indiana University, and a Masters in Liberal Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After working as a librarian at the NY Public Library at Lincoln Center, and the Museum of Television & Radio (now the Paley Center for Media) in NYC, she is currently the Director for Library Services at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband and some very spoiled cats. A member of SCBWI, Vicki is represented by Fran Black at Literary Counsel, NY, NY.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Tumblr | Goodreads

 

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Cover Reveal: OUT OF THE ASHES by Kelly Hashway

Today on the blog I am delighted to share with you the cover for Book 2 in the Into the Fire series, OUT OF THE ASHES, which releases later this month on March 22, 2016! Pre-order will be available soon, but in the meantime, you can add OUT OF THE ASHES to your GoodReads To Be Read (TBR) shelf.

If you missed the  INTO THE FIRE, book 1 cover reveal, click the title for the link. After you purchase your copy (links are in the post), you might want to check out my release post for a series of scorching quotes you won't want to miss while you wait for your copy to ship. Check that post out HERE.

_____________________________________________________________

Synopsis for Out of the Ashes (Book 2): 

Seventeen-year-old Cara Tillman’s worst nightmare has come true…
She’s been reborn as a Phoenix and has forgotten everything from her first life—including Logan Schmidt. He’s handsome and protective, but with no recollection, he can’t be trusted.

Accused of being a Hunter, Logan’s mortality is put to the test…
Logan isn’t willing to admit he and Cara are over—not even after he watches her rise from her own ashes.
While the other Phoenixes are convinced Logan is a sworn enemy, a group of deadly Hunters are sure he is a Phoenix. Only being guilty of loving Cara, he must prove them all wrong—and convince Cara she loves him.

However, a magical link may be the demise of Logan’s devotion…
With the Hunters hot on their heels, it’s up to Logan to save Cara. But when the dagger calls out, Logan is drawn to its power.
Cara’s missing memories may not be the only obstacle standing between her and Logan. Their relationship isn’t just complicated—it’s deadly. And when Cara finds herself at a crossroad, she is forced to choose…

She can plunge into the darkness of her treacherous fate, or use her Phoenix instincts to once again rise Out of The Ashes.

_____________________________________________________________

 

YA Author, Kelly Hashway

 

Now that you've read the description, meet the author, Kelly Hashway. Kelly is the author of several speculative fiction tiles and series, including:

 

YA Touch of Death Series:

Touch of Death

Stalked by Death

Face of Death

 

and the Touch of Death Prequels:

Curse of Death

Kiss of Death

 

YA Monster Within Series:

The Monster Within

The Darkness Within

 

YA Into the Fire Trilogy Series:

Into the Fire (Book 1)

Out of the Ashes (Book 2)

Up in Flames (Book 3)

 

As well as a MG series (Curse of the Granville Fortune), and picture books. For more information, check out Kelly's website: www.kellyhashway.com

 

Author Bio:

Kelly Hashway grew up reading R.L. Stein’s Fear Street novels and writing stories of her own, so it was no surprise to her family when she majored in English and later obtained a masters degree in English Secondary Education from East Stroudsburg University. After teaching middle school language arts for seven years, Hashway went back to school and focused specifically on writing. She is now the author of three young adult series, one middle grade series, and several picture books. She also writes contemporary romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake. When she isn’t writing, Hashway works as a freelance editor for small presses as well as for her own list of clients. In her spare time, she enjoys running, traveling, and volunteering with the PTO. Hashway currently resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, daughter, and two pets.

 

Hashway is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

 

Find Kelly Hashway on her website, blog, Facebook Author Page, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest, Amazon Author Page, GoodReads Author Page, Into the Fire on GoodReads, and YouTube.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now it's time to reveal the amazing new cover for book two of the Into the Fire Trilogy, OUT OF THE ASHES, which is completely breathtaking:

 

 



Don't just stare, click the cover to add this title on GoodReads! Okay, stare for as long as you like, then go add OUT OF THE ASHES to your TBR. Stunning, right? I know! I loved the first two books, and am currently reading book three, and OMG, it's amazing.

 

You won't have to wait long for it, either, since book 1 is already out 2/16/16 (You got your copy already, right? Don't forget to post those reviews while you wait for book 2), followed by book 2 on 3/22/16, and finally, book 3 on 4/12/16. Hooray! I am so excited for this series, I can't even stand it. I am thrilled to get to share it with you and soon we can all fanboy and fangirl about it like crazy. Feel free to come back here and tell me what you think of book two.

If you thought Into the Fire was an amazing read, just wait until you read Out of the Ashes! Book 2 picks up where book 1 leaves off, and without spoiling anything, readers of book 1 will love the parallels drawn out in book 2 with a focus on Logan this time. Stakes are raised, and book 2 ratchets up the tension and risks as if book 1 were only a flicker of a flame. Trust me, book 2 has flames that will scorch you and keep you turning pages all the way to the end!

 

Plenty of fire, lots of kissing, and scorching hot besides. Get your copy soon. You won't want to grab it Out of the Ashes. You might get singed. Get yours before it goes Up in Flames.

 

Scorching Quotes from INTO THE FIRE Release Celebration

It's time! INTO THE FIRE, book 1 of the INTO THE FIRE Trilogy has been released and it is burning up the pages and devices of readers everywhere. If you haven't grabbed your copy yet, now's the perfect time! Here's a quick recap:

 

Buy your copy now: http://amzn.to/1Thk38Y

 

Synopsis:

In one month’s time, seventeen-year-old Cara Tillman will die and be reborn from her own ashes…

Her life of secrecy has never been easy. She’s watched her younger brother, Jeremy, burn and rise again in a coming-of-age process called rebirth. And just like her brother, when her time comes, she won’t remember anything from her first life other than she’s a Phoenix—a member of a small group of people descended from the mythical Phoenix bird.

The last thing she needs to worry about is falling for the new guy in town—Logan Schmidt.

Cara is drawn to Logan in a way she can’t explain, but she’s not exactly complaining. Everything is perfect…except it’s not. Once she’s reborn, she’ll forget Logan. And to make things worse, a Phoenix Hunter is on the loose, and Cara’s involvement with Logan is bringing out her Phoenix qualities—the very qualities that will draw the Hunter right to her.

Desperate times call for desperate measures…

Afraid of hurting Logan, Cara breaks it off for good. But her attraction to him runs deeper than a typical high school crush. She wants him—needs him. And if he proves willing to stay by her side, their love might destroy them both.

Can Cara hide from the Phoenix Hunters long enough to survive her rebirth? And if so, will it mean a new beginning with Logan—or the beginning of the end?

Book 2, Out of the Ashes, is set to release on 3/2/16, and Up in Flames, book 3 releases on 4/12/16. So you can read book one in time to nab books 2 and 3 in just a couple months. Yay! I hope you'll come back here to fanboy with me about all your Cara/Logan favorite moments and we can discuss all the twists and turns that these two go through at the hands of the Hunters, and as Cara and her family of phoenixes learns more about their powers, including each rebirth.

Find Kelly Hashway on her website, blog, Facebook Author Page, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest, Amazon Author Page, GoodReads Author Page, Into the Fire on GoodReads, and YouTube.

To celebrate the release of Into the Fire, here's a few scorching hot quotes to get you ready to dive into this great paranormal romance series:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name your favorite quotes in the comments below. And if you're an Amazon member with Kindle Unlimited access, you can read Into the Fire for free! As always, thanks for stopping by the blog!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: THE BROKEN HALF by Sahar Abdulaziz

The Broken Half by Sahar Abdulaziz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Still reeling from the onslaught of pages, I am not sure I can adequately express how profoundly this book has changed me, leveled me to the ground, dropped a building on top of me, throttled me through the jarring effects of an 8.0 earthquake (which I have personally experienced), or otherwise left me an inarticulate glob of human numbed by the harrowing story of Zahar Evans and what she suffered at the menacing hands of her husband Jamal. In one aspect, this is the story of a woman trapped in a difficult situation with no apparent means of escape. Yet, despite this obstacle, Abdulaziz spared no amount of obstacles firmly lobbed at Zahar at a dizzying and often breakneck speed, deftly written in an account that seemed to fly by as if the reader were watching CNN live, or some other streaming news account happening right now.
The setting is modern, and easily incorporated into the background as the story unfolds. Within this story a secondary, yet equally important layer of story paralleled the main plot. A moderate Muslim community, the masjid, the Imam, the brothers and sisters living out their faith, demonstrating their customs, and in a way that the reader can approach even if he or she has zero knowledge of the Muslim culture or religion. I found this aspect of the story fascinating and illuminating as at times characters experience the intolerance and bigotry our culture so easily assumes in the face of anything it doesn't understand. This made me want to read the book all the more.
The characters are well developed and fully realized. Of particular interest, I most loved the marriage of Tamim and Hawadah. Hawadah is a secret best friend of Zahar, and I always delighted in those parts of the story where they were included. Still, I must say that Abdulaziz gave every character a challenge to face, and spared no amount of troubles to sprinkle by the bucket full at nearly every character, beloved or not. I am not one who weeps easily or often. Very rarely, in fact. However, I found myself openly and unashamedly weeping at several times in this book.
Finally, this book addresses the issue of domestic violence in the context of a married couple, and many of the related aspects including the assumption of male supremacy over women, those who are religious, and those who live a life in reverence. Bias, bigotry, prejudice, cultural insensitivity, vengeance, retribution, retaliation, revenge, generational curses, and so on.
This is a powerful story, that may not allow you to do anything else until you sit down and read it cover to cover in one sitting. But it is one that will stay with you long after you've finished, and will call out to you to be pondered and shared. Highly recommended. A must read.

View all my reviews

INTO THE FIRE by Kelly Hashway Cover Reveal

 

Into The Fire by Kelly Hashway has a brand new cover!

 

But before you check out the new cover, why not read the description of the story synopsis to whet your appetite for more?

 

from the upcoming Into the Fire Trilogy Series:

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

Synopsis for Into the Fire (Book 1): 

In one month’s time, seventeen-year-old Cara Tillman will die and be reborn from her own ashes…
 
Her life of secrecy has never been easy. She’s watched her younger brother, Jeremy, burn and rise again in a coming-of-age process called rebirth. And just like her brother, when her time comes, she won’t remember anything from her first life other than she’s a Phoenix—a member of a small group of people descended from the mythical Phoenix bird.
 
The last thing she needs to worry about is falling for the new guy in town—Logan Schmidt.

Cara is drawn to Logan in a way she can’t explain, but she’s not exactly complaining. Everything is perfect…except it’s not. Once she’s reborn, she’ll forget Logan. And to make things worse, a Phoenix Hunter is on the loose, and Cara’s involvement with Logan is bringing out her Phoenix qualities—the very qualities that will draw the Hunter right to her.
 
Desperate times call for desperate measures…

Afraid of hurting Logan, Cara breaks it off for good. But her attraction to him runs deeper than a typical high school crush. She wants him—needs him. And if he proves willing to stay by her side, their love might destroy them both.

Can Cara hide from the Phoenix Hunters long enough to survive her rebirth? And if so, will it mean a new beginning with Logan—or the beginning of the end?

_____________________________________________________________

 

YA Author Kelly Hashway

 

Now that you've read the description, meet the author, Kelly Hashway. Kelly is the author of several speculative fiction tiles and series, including:

 

YA Touch of Death Series:

Touch of Death

Stalked by Death

Face of Death

 

and the Touch of Death Prequels:

Curse of Death

Kiss of Death

 

YA Monster Within Series:

The Monster Within

The Darkness Within

 

YA Into the Fire Trilogy Series:

Into the Fire (Book 1)

Out of the Ashes (Book 2)

Up in Flames (Book 3)

 

As well as a MG series (Curse of the Granville Fortune), and picture books. For more information, check out Kelly's website: www.kellyhashway.com

 

Author Bio:

Kelly Hashway grew up reading R.L. Stein’s Fear Street novels and writing stories of her own, so it was no surprise to her family when she majored in English and later obtained a masters degree in English Secondary Education from East Stroudsburg University. After teaching middle school language arts for seven years, Hashway went back to school and focused specifically on writing. She is now the author of three young adult series, one middle grade series, and several picture books. She also writes contemporary romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake. When she isn’t writing, Hashway works as a freelance editor for small presses as well as for her own list of clients. In her spare time, she enjoys running, traveling, and volunteering with the PTO. Hashway currently resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, daughter, and two pets.

 

Hashway is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

 

Find Kelly Hashway on her website, blog, Facebook Author Page, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest, Amazon Author Page, GoodReads Author Page, Into the Fire on GoodReads, and YouTube.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now it's time to reveal the amazing new cover for book one of the Into the Fire Trilogy, which is completely breathtaking:

 

 

 

Don't just stare, click the cover to place your pre-order! Okay, stare for as long as you like, then go pre-order your copy. Stunning, right? I know! The great news is there's even more content this time, and the story is even better than before. I cannot even imagine how it could possibly get any better, other than adding MORE story, which she did! I loved the first two books, and am currently reading book three, and OMG, it's amazing.

 

You won't have to wait long for it, either, since book 1 is coming out 2/16/16, followed by book 2 on 3/2/16, and finally, book 3 on 4/12/16. Hooray! I am so excited for this series, I can't even stand it. I am thrilled to get to share it with you and soon we can all fanboy and fangirl about it like crazy. Feel free to come back here and tell me what you think of book 1.

Into the Fire is an amazing read. Plenty of fire, lots of kissing, and scorching hot besides. Grab your copy now. You won't want to grab it Out of the Ashes. You might get singed. Get yours before it goes Up in Flames.