Goodreads summary: Rose Whitfield's senior year just went up in smoke. Instead of having a blast with her best friend, her cheerleading squad, and her boyfriend Ryan, she's framed for arson. Popularity and criminal records don't mix, apparently.
I think this book almost killed me because it caused me not to sleep for two days straight! Two days! Much needed rest! I could not stop reading or thinking Torched! I could not put this book down!
Lizzy’s links online: Website||Facebook||Twitter||Goodreads||Google+||Amazon
Title: “Dark Summer” (Book I, Witchling Trilogy)
Genre and Age Group: Young Adult Paranormal
Author: Lizzy Ford
Release date: August 16
Links: Amazon||Amazon UK||Goodreads
“This is simple. Decker, you lead. When he steps forward, Summer you step back.”
They stumbled through the first few steps, with Decker mumbling apologies as he stepped on her toes. Summer’s body felt like it was on fire. Her breathing sounded too loud in her ears.
“Step back, Summer,” Jessie said again. “Let Decker lead!”
Decker smashed her toes, and she stumbled. He caught her as she crashed into him.
“Careful, Decker!” Jessie called.
Summer looked up, instantly caught in Decker’s gaze. His grip stayed around her, pressing their bodies together. As if something clicked, she sensed his next move before he made it. She stepped back with her right foot as he stepped forward with his left. They made it through another step, then another. Their moves grew faster as they began keeping up with the music.
“Excellent!” Jessie exclaimed. “Now you’ve found the rhythm. One, two, three. One, two, three.”
Summer couldn’t look away from him. Their bodies moved as if they belonged together. Decker’s warmth and magick made her feel like her insides were shaking. Jessie’s voice broke through Summer’s trance.
“Sorry, guys, but I can’t find any of my other music. I’ll download some for tomorrow. You want to come back in the morning, after your class, Summer?”
Summer broke eye contact with Decker. Immediately, they fell out of sync and stumbled. He released her and stepped away.
“Sure,” she managed.
“You, too, Decker. You guys are naturals together.”
Summer flushed and turned away, avoiding Decker’s gaze. She’d felt it, too, the instant connection that went too deep to be normal.
“Thanks, Jessie,” Summer said and hurried out of the room. She ran once she entered the hallway and sprinted up the stairs to her room.
Her hands shook. Her heart felt like it was doing cartwheels in her chest. She’d never felt this way for any guy, even Beck.
Decker was off limits. He was aligned to the Dark. She wouldn’t—couldn’t—be falling for him! Yet their connection was unlike anything she’d ever felt. In his arms, she hadn’t been alone.
My mother led her into the living room. The lady’s piercing green eyes rested on me, sending a chill down my back. My father followed her gaze. “Rylie, do you know this woman?” Dad asked.
“No.” I shook my head slowly. “I’ve never seen her before.”
“Rylie, maybe you should go to your room,” Dad suggested, his gaze demanding I do as he said.
“No. If this has something to do with me, I want to hear it.” I crossed my arms and sank against the back of the couch.
Mom and Dad exchanged a worried glance, but turned back to the lady on the couch. “Please, go on.”
Without taking her eyes from me, the lady calmly stated, “My name is Azura, and I am Rylie’s birth mother.”
My father, who was always a level-headed man, was on his feet in seconds, his face hard. “What are you talking about?”
I felt like I had fallen into some kind of parallel universe. Did this woman just say she was my birth mother? How could she be my birth mother? That would mean I was adopted, but wouldn’t my parents have told me something like that?
My mother shook her head. “Birth mother? Rylie isn’t adopted.” She reached over and took my hand. “Believe me, I’ll never forget the eleven hours of labor.”
The woman sat perfectly still in the blue armchair across from us, with her hands clasped on her lap. “I know it’s hard to accept, but it’s true. Your daughter died shortly after she was born. I switched the infants. Rylie is mine.”
The wind left me as if I had been punched in the stomach. I couldn’t breathe, and the room spun. I gripped the pillow next to me with my other hand as I clung to my mother.
Silence filled the room for a moment, and then my father exploded. “You need to leave now!” He pointed to the door. “Get out of this house and don’t come back without a court order.”
The lady smiled sincerely, her face still as calm as it had been when she walked in the door. “Please, hear me out. I realize this is a lot to take in.”
“No! This is preposterous! Nobody died. Rylie is ours.” Dad’s voice was like thunder.
I studied the lady. She seemed so honest and soft-spoken. Why would she pretend something like this? Why would she ruin our family if it weren’t true? And if was true, why was she coming clean now? Something in me believed her even though I didn’t want to. I swallowed hard and rubbed my sweaty palms on my shirt.
“Let her talk,” I said hoarsely.
“Rylie, you can’t believe her.” Dad looked stricken.
“I’m curious as to why she thinks I’m her daughter. Let’s hear her out.” I crossed my arms and scooted closer to my mother, comforted when she wrapped an arm around me.
Dad turned back to the woman called Azura, and his frown deepened. “Fine.” He sat back down in his seat and glared. “Talk.”
“Thank you. I’m going to tell you something not many humans know, and I have to trust you to keep it secret for Rylie’s sake.” She addressed the statement to my parents.
Humans? Who talks like that?
THE CLAIMING OF SLEEPING BEAUTY
The Prince had all his young life know the story of Sleeping Beauty, cursed to sleep for a hundred years, with her parents, the King and Queen, and all of the Court, after pricking her finger on a spindle.
But he did not believe it until he was inside the castle.
Even the bodies of those other Princes caught in the thorns of the rose vines that covered the walls had not made him believe it. They had come believing it, true enough, but he must see for himself inside the castle.
Careless with grief for the death of his father, and too powerful under his mother’s rule for his own good, he cut these awesome vines at their roots, and immediately prevented them from ensnaring him. It was not his desire to die so much as to conquer.
And picking his way through the bones of those who had failed to solve the mystery, he stepped alone into the great banquet hall.
The sun was high in the sky and those vines had fallen away, so the light fell in dusty shafts from the lofty windows.
And all along the banquet table, the Prince saw the men and women of the old Court, sleeping under layers of dust, their ruddy and slack faces spun over with spider webs.
He gasped to see the servants dozing against the walls, their clothes rotted to tatters.
But it was true, this old tale. And, fearless as before, he went in search of the Sleeping Beauty who must be at the core of it.
I have the cover for Kate Evangelista's newest YA novel, Reaping Me Softly to reveal! It will be available on October 30, 2012. Published by Omnific Publishing.
I couldn't have done this reveal if AToMR Tours didn't host this event.
Book description: Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.
You can now add Reaping Me Softly to your TBR list in Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/15988916-reaping-me-softly
Stacking the Shelves is a new meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews, which is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It features each blogger’s most anticipated books.
This week's pick is:
Goodreads summary: In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love.
Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.
Expected publication: September 11, 2011
