Posts Categorized: Excerpt

Monday, May 21, 2012

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century Exclusive!

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My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century
Rachel Harris
Release date: September 11th 2012
by Entangled Publishing

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On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

Old cover vs new cover

Who’s excited for this!? I was surprise to see a redesign already for Rachel’s upcoming time travel novel. I thought the first one was great, but this redesign is even better! I especially love the font of the new one and I find it overall a lot more eye catching! I, for one, am excited to read this one!

Continue reading for an excerpt, the book trailer, and a sweet giveaway!

Never-Before-Seen Excerpt & Trailer

“I thought I’d teach you a dance from where I come from,” I tell him. “One that’s much easier than that multi-step mess inside.”
     I place my left hand on Lorenzo’s shoulder and slip my right one into his. I pause to listen to the music floating over the tinkling voices and bubbling fountain, and begin counting the three-beat tempo. “One, two, three. One, two, three.”
     I stand still, only my head moving, slowly nodding with my words so he can hear the rhythm.
     When his head begins subtly bobbing with mine, I show him how to add his feet. He takes a tentative step forward with his left while I step back with my right, then we side step, close, and repeat the steps with our other feet, all while I lightly whisper the beat count.
     The breeze picks up, blowing my skirt and skimming my veil across the back of my neck. Chills run down my spine, but the warmth coursing through my veins from being in his arms provides a delicious contradiction.
     Lorenzo continues nervously darting his eyes to our feet, but he is dancing. As he relaxes into the movement, his shoulders rising and falling with the steps, the confidence he always seems to exude creeps back on his face, and he tightens the hold around me. Our faces are kissably close, our lips a hairs breadth away from touching. I stare into the chocolate depths of his eyes and the rest of the ball fades away. The only music guiding our steps is my light whisper and the erratic rhythm of our breathing. Time slows. Lorenzo grins.
     “I think you got it,” I say breathlessly, running my hand along the soft fabric of his shoulder, feeling the rock-hard muscles underneath.
     My body curls inward, pressing against his. The proper form for the waltz is a straight spine and shoulders back, but if there was ever a time to break the rules, this is it.

Book trailer:

As a teen, I threw raging parties that shook my parents’ walls and created embarrassing fodder for future YA novels. As an adult, I read and write obsessively, rehash said embarrassing fodder, and dream up characters who become my imaginary friends. When I’m not typing furiously or flipping pages in an enthralling romance, you can find me homeschooling my two beautiful princesses, hanging out with my amazing husband, or taking a hot bubble bath…next to a pile of chocolate.
MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY is my first novel. I did have my own fantabulous Sweet Sixteen in high school. Sadly, it wasn’t televised.

Giveaway
YA Bound is hosting a *Super Sweet* giveaway along with this reveal! Rachel’s giving away a backpack full of signed swag: bookmarks, bookplates, tattoos, and more!
Open internationally
Ends May 27th, 2012
Use the Rafflecopter below to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So, what do you think?

Guest post by Devri Walls

Posted by on 05/10/2012 • 16 Comments

Hello lovelies! So today I have Devri visiting Xpresso Reads to share a fantastic and especially amusing excerpt of her debut novel, Wings of Arian.

Wings of ArianDevri WallsSeries:Wings of Arian, #1Release date: April 24th, 2012by Stonehouse Ink

Goodreads / Purchase

Kiora thought she had never heard a lie until she was sixteen. But she was wrong. Her entire existence was based on nothing but. She thought that evil did not exist. Lie. That magic was not real. Lie. And that the land of Meros was all there was. One more lie.

With Aleric telling her that evil is knocking on the door and that she is the only one who can stop them she has a choice to make. Refuse, or start the wildest most painful ride of…

Pure Tour Stop – Excerpt

Posted by on 04/03/2012 • 26 Comments

I’m quite certain you have heard about Jennifer Armentrout’s covenant series, if not – we’re changing that now! Today I’m happy to gave the Pure blog tour stop by to show you all a fun excerpt from this highly anticipated sequel to Half-Blood!

PureJennifer L. ArmentroutSeries: Covenant, #2Release date: April 3rd, 2012by Spencer Hill Press

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There is need. And then there is Fate…

Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn’t exactly awesome–especially when Alexandria’s “other half” is everywhere she goes. Seth’s in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom–so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what…

Cover Reveal: Pretty Amy

Posted by on 03/05/2012 • 11 Comments

Pretty Amy Lisa BursteinRelease date: May 15th, 2012by Entangled Publishing

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Sometimes date is a four-letter word.

Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she’s somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when their dates stand them up for prom, and the girls take matters into their own hands—earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx—Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating “rehabilitation techniques” now filling up her summer. Worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing—like she is nothing.

Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide…

Black City Cover Reveal + Giveaway (INTL)

Posted by on 02/29/2012 • 340 Comments

Black CityElizabeth Richards Release date: November 13th, 2012by G.P. Putnam’s Sons BYR

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Deep in the heartland of the United Sentry States are the burning ruins of the Black City, a melting pot simmering with hostility as humans and Darklings struggle to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of a brutal and bloody war. A wall now divides the city separating the two races. Trapped on the wrong side of the wall is sixteen-year-old hustler Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling who’ll do whatever it takes to survive, including selling his addictive venom ‘Haze’ to help support his dying mother.

Then there’s Natalie Buchanan, the daughter of the Sentry Emissary, who feels imprisoned by her life of privilege and fame. When their paths cross, they…

Bound Tour Stop

Posted by on 01/12/2012 • 27 Comments

Today, Xpresso Reads is welcoming the Bound blog tour for an excerpt of the book. If you haven’t heard of Bound yet, have a look see if it’s up your alley!

BoundKira SaitoRelease date: October 28th, 2011

Goodreads / Purchase

Sixteen year old Arelia LaRue lives in New Orleans where the music is loud, voodoo queens inhabit every street corner, and the ghosts are alive and well. Despite her surroundings, all she wants is to help her Grand-mere Bea pay the rent and save up for college.

When her best friend Sabrina convinces her to take a well-paying summer job at the infamous Darkwood plantation, owned by the wealthy LaPlante family, Arelia agrees.

However, at Darkwood strange things start to happen, and gorgeous Lucus LaPlante insists that…