Thursday, September 25, 2014

BOOK BLITZ~A Little Like Fate by Cheyanne Young


The promo event for Cheyanne Young's A Little Like Fate complete series has ended. Relive the event below and be sure to get your copy today!

23112467
Release date: October 1st 2014
Publisher: 336Love
Purchase: Amazon

SYNOPSIS VIA GOODREADS:

A New Adult Clean Romance told in 3 novellas. 

Part 1

Robin Carter made a promise to her grandfather on his deathbed: to stop killing herself climbing up the corporate ladder and to follow her heart- wherever it may lead. Her plan is to quit her life and hit the road in the middle of the night. When her knocked up teenage niece begs to come along, the pair find themselves stranded in the middle-of-nowhere Texas. Too much alcohol and one redneck festival later, she’s starting to regret everything until she trips over a handsome cowboy named Tyler. Whether it’s the alcohol or his sexy southern voice that sways her, she doesn’t know. But she’s going to find out. 

Part 2 

Robin and her niece Miranda have decided to stay in the tiny but friendly town of Salt Gap, Texas while they figure out what to do with their lives. With only a picture to go by, Robin goes on a scavenger hunt through town trying to discover the link between her late grandfather and coincidence that brought her to the same place. 

She’s still afraid of relationships, so when the hot cowboy Tyler starts to get a little too friendly, she’s more than happy to spot all the red flags she can find to help her avoid liking him. Like the waitress Elizabeth and her weirdly close relationship with Tyler. But as Miranda is quick to point out, they’re on a journey guided by fate and that can only mean one thing – if she’s meant to find love in Salt Gap, it will happen with or without her permission. 

Part 3 

With Tyler’s help, Robin discovers the secrets of her Grandfather’s past and learns what it means to be a part of the community at Salt Gap. Miranda’s baby is due soon and with the holidays around the corner, Robin and her niece are forced to confront the people and the drama they left behind when they moved. 

When everything starts to fall apart, the guys in their new life help pick up the pieces of their old one and put everything back in place.




 


Cheyanne Young
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cheyanne is a native Texan with a fear of cold weather and a coffee addiction that probably needs an intervention. She loves books, sarcasm, nail polish and paid holidays. She lives near the beach with her family, one spoiled rotten puppy and a cat who is most likely plotting to take over the world.

She also writes under the pen name Amy Sparling.


WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM



Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Balance Broken by Hilary Thompson

Check out the cover reveal for the second book in Hilary Thompson's YA Dystopian series. 



Series: Starbright #2
Release date: October 2014
Pre-order: Amazon

SYNOPSIS VIA GOODREADS:
Balance Broken is the second in the Starbright series. In the first book, Justice Buried, Astrea fights to remain independent in a world which demands she submit to an ancient prophecy. In Balance Broken, she learns that independence means little when the world is depending on her.

The world cries for Order, but she’s igniting a revolution.

One hundred years before, the Great Sickness reduced the world to three cities. Now, Asphodel no longer lingers underground, and the Starbright Maiden of Justice has returned.

Everyone has faith in Astrea’s ability to save the world - but only she knows the dark truth about her powers. Astrea teams with Stian, Lexan, and Zarea to enlist the help of Lord Hadeon of Tartarus. They hope Hadeon will aid in attacking Asphodel’s First Leader Keirna, but the Destroyer usually takes lives, not sides.

As Astrea discovers life outside of Asphodel, she begins to wonder whether the remaining world is too broken to save - especially since the price of freedom just might be her own life.






EXCERPT

The burn of rage in my chest starts to spread, searching for an outlet. My palms are no longer sweaty but warm, and then hot. Lexan sucks in a breath as the heat grows, but he just squeezes my hands tighter, trapping the power in our fingers. A bit of wind swirls around us, lifting the heat from our palms, and I grin at this feeling of subtle power, turning my cheeks up toward the sun’s orange light, trapping it behind my closed eyelids.

A sudden crackle behind me breaks my focus and I twist to see a figure step from behind a tree.

“What are you doing with him?” Stian asks in a dangerous voice.

“It…nothing! How…what did you see?” I stammer. I rip my hands from Lexan’s and step toward Stian, guilt and dread coursing through me.

He glares at Lexan, then stalks back into the trees without another word. My stomach is churning with nerves. I thought we’d been so careful: finding an isolated spot to practice our silly games, telling Stian we were going to train, taking our bows and knives.

“Do you think he suspects anything?” I whisper to Lexan, remembering how Stian had already gone through the passage when the power of Justice finally slipped into my hands. He really shouldn’t know any of this. Could he have felt the heat in the air?

Lexan looks down at me, his eyes thoughtful. “I believe he thinks we were kissing.”

“What?”” My stomach drops into nothingness as I recreate the scene in my mind, from Stian’s viewpoint: joined hands, smiles, my upturned face and closed eyes. A hot flush creeps into my cheeks.

“Because I’m pretty sure I was thinking about it,” he adds with a slow smile, catching my elbow as I try to turn after Stian. His fingers slide down to my wrist.

“Just because you think something at me doesn’t mean I have to let it in,” I answer, jerking my hand from his. I’ve glimpsed a few of Lexan’s ideas throughout our training this morning, and an uncontrollable ferocity washes over me.

“I trust you to be a friend, Lexan – not try to sabotage my shot at happiness!” I yell, yanking away again as he tries to grip my fingers.

“Trea, just wait a minute! I’m sorry – I’ll talk to him.” 

“Just stay out of it! Out of everything!” I stumble backwards as a fierce wind pulls my curls across my face. I throw my hands up to block the swirl of dust and leaves when suddenly a burst of flame shoots into the air, buoyed upwards by the cool gust.

It burns out as quickly as it appeared, leaving me gaping up at the trees. Sunlight streams in a thick shaft through a neat, new hole in the canopy, and wisps of smoke swirl lazily around us.

“About time,” Lexan smiles halfway, his hands propped on his narrow hips. Suddenly he looks just like his brother Aitan, standing triumphantly in the classroom after tricking me to get what he wanted. Everything is too clear, and I feel ill.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hilary ThompsonHilary Thompson was born to parents who made a habit of taking roads less traveled. But she was also a first child, and an independent, willful child, so she has made a habit of taking a few roads on her own.
After trying on hats made for artists, architects, restaurant and retail workers, landscape designers, legal secretaries, and professional students, she retreated back to her first loves of education and writing.
Hilary now teaches high school full time, writes whenever and wherever she can, and reads as much as her eyes can handle. She also tries not to spoil her own independent, willful children or neglect her wonderful soul-mate of a husband too much. She tends to ignore laundry baskets and dirty dishes.
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK





Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Review: The Secrets of Lily Graves by Sarah Strohmeyer

18635076Release date: May 13th 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis via Goodreads:
With the intrigue of Pretty Little Liars and plenty of romance, bestselling author Sarah Strohmeyer weaves a story of secrets and lies—set in a funeral parlor.

Growing up in a house of female morticians, Lily Graves knows all about buried secrets. She knows that perfect senior-class president Erin Donohue isn’t what she seems. She knows why Erin’s ex-boyfriend, hot football player Matt Houser, broke up with her. And she also knows that, even though she says she and Matt are just friends, there is something brewing between them—something Erin definitely did not like.

But secrets, even ones that are long buried, have a way of returning to haunt their keeper.

So when Erin is found dead the day after attacking Lily in a jealous rage, Lily's and Matt’s safe little lives, and the lives of everyone in their town of Potsdam, begin to unravel. And their relationship—which grew from innocent after-school tutoring sessions to late-night clandestine rendezvous—makes them both suspects.

As her world crumbles around her, Lily must figure out the difference between truth and deception, genuine love and a web of lies. And she must do it quickly, before the killer claims another victim.

*Received a copy from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.





The Secrets of Lily Graves had been sitting on my shelf for a few months now, so while looking for my next read I decided to find out what the story was all about. Besides, I really liked Sarah Strohmeyer's Smart Girls Get What They Want and was really interested in seeing how the author transitioned from light and funny contemporary to something dark and mysterious as a murder concept and a character whose family ran a funeral home. 

So, did I like the story? Yes, mostly. But there were some things that bugged me. For instance, I felt like Lily's character seemed to be trying too hard to appear Gothic, fascinated by the world of the dead, etc. It didn't come out as natural to me. And I was a bit annoyed at times with her feelings for Matt. I guess you can say I didn't warm up as much to her character, but that never threw me off a story before. Lily was tolerable, and I wanted to see how everything would wrap up.

My other issue is that the story seemed a tad stretchy throughout, and then by the last chapter it was being rushed as if the author grew tired of writing it. Also, it was a little obvious. I mean, I'd already suspected who was behind the murder from jump, so the reveal at the end wasn't very climatic on that person's part. However, I had no clue whatsoever about the other person so that made up for the ending somewhat.


credit: epicreads

As mentioned before, I liked the story for the most part. The writing was good. I liked Lily's mom and aunt. The funeral home setting was new to me so it was interesting reading about how they prepared the dead and the effort that went into it. That was intriguing and good to know that the Graves' respected the families enough to want to do their best. That was conveyed greatly in the story. 

This is a switch from Sarah's previous release but I don't mind it at all. It's great when an author can take on different genres, and while I wasn't in love with The Secrets of Lily Graves, it was still a good story that I liked reading. I recommend this book if you're into YA drama with a murder mystery.




Friday, September 19, 2014

Trailer Reveal & Giveaway: Earth & Sky by Megan Crewe

Check out the book trailer for Megan Crewe's upcoming release, Earth & Sky, the first in her YA Science Fiction trilogy. Be sure to enter the awesome giveaway!

Series: Earth & Sky #1
Release date: October 28th 2014
Publisher: Amazon Skyscape/Penguin CA
Pre-order: Amazon | B&N


Synopsis via Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Skylar has been haunted for as long as she can remember by fleeting yet powerful sensations that something is horribly wrong. But despite the panic attacks tormenting her, nothing ever happens, and Sky’s beginning to think she’s crazy. Then she meets a mysterious, otherworldly boy named Win and discovers the shocking truth her premonitions have tapped into: our world no longer belongs to us. For thousands of years, Earth has been at the mercy of alien scientists who care nothing for its inhabitants and are using us as the unwitting subjects of their time-manipulating experiments. Win belongs to a rebel faction seeking to put a stop to it, and he needs Skylar’s help--but with each shift in the past, the very fabric of reality is unraveling, and soon there may be no Earth left to save.

Megan CreweAbout the Author
Like many authors, Megan Crewe finds writing about herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite facts: she lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and son (and does on occasion say "eh"), she tutors children and teens with special needs, and she's spent the last six years studying kung fu, so you should probably be nice to her. She has been making up stories about magic and spirits and other what ifs since before she knew how to write words on paper. These days the stories are just a lot longer.
Her books have been published in translation in several countries around the world. She has also published short stories in magazines such as On Spec and Brutarian Quarterly.



Thursday, September 18, 2014

BOOK BLITZ~Phobic by Cortney Pearson


The promo event for Cortney Pearson's YA Horror release, Phobic has ended. Re-live the tour below.

22465896Series: The Forbidden Doors #1
Release date: September 8th 2014
Purchase: Amazon



Synopsis via Goodreads:

Fifteen-year-old Piper Crenshaw knows her house is strange. It’s never needed repairs since it was built in the 1800s, and the lights flicker in response to things she says. As if those things aren’t creepy enough, it’s also the place where her mother committed murder.

To prove she’s not afraid of where she lives, Piper opens a forbidden door, which hides a staircase that leads to the ceiling. That’s when the flashbacks of the original residents from 1875 start, including a love affair between two young servants. Each vision pulls Piper deeper into not only their story, but also her house. Piper confides in her best friend, Todd, whom she's gradually falling for, but even he doesn't believe her. At least, not until her house gets axed during a prank, and the act injures Piper instead, cutting a gash the size of Texas into her stomach.

Piper realizes her house isn’t haunted—it’s alive. To sever her link to it, she must unravel the clues in the flashbacks and uncover the truth about her mother’s crime, before she becomes part of her house for good.




Cortney Pearson

About the Author
Cortney Pearson is a book nerd who studied literature at BYU-Idaho, a music nerd who plays clarinet in her local community orchestra, and a writing nerd who creates books for young adults. She lives with her husband and three sons in a small Idaho farm town.


Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Review: Scoring Wilder by R.S. Grey

22625225Release date: June 15th 2014
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:
What started out as a joke-- seduce Coach Wilder--soon became a goal she had to score. With Olympic tryouts on the horizon, the last thing nineteen-year-old Kinsley Bryant needs to add to her plate is Liam Wilder. He's a professional soccer player, America's favorite bad-boy, and has all the qualities of a skilled panty-dropper. * A face that makes girls weep - check. * Abs that can shred Parmesan cheese (the expensive kind) - check. * Enough confidence to shift the earth's gravitational pull - double check. Not to mention Liam is strictly off limits. Forbidden. Her coaches have made that perfectly clear. (i.e. "Score with Coach Wilder anywhere other than the field and you'll be cut from the team faster than you can count his tattoos.") But that just makes him all the more enticing...Besides, Kinsley's already counted the visible ones, and she is not one to leave a project unfinished. Kinsley tries to play the game her way as they navigate through forbidden territory, but Liam is determined to teach her a whole new definition for the term "team bonding."

*Purchased the ebook on Amazon.





I enjoyed the story for the most part. The main character is funny, witty, and likeable. I love that the plot surrounded soccer and that Kinsley was so athletic. I haven't read many books with such a character so that was different for me. 
From start to finish she held my interest, and I was either laughing or swooning along with her. I liked how focused she was on her goals and how hard she worked to accomplish them. It sucks that she was screwed over by her past boyfriends but I'm glad it didn't impact her in such a way that she wallowed in self-pity and put her life on hold. It did affect her ability to trust though, so I could understand her being afraid of her intense feelings for Liam and constantly questioning his motives for her. Thankfully, it didn't throw a monkey wrench in their relationship and any doubts were quickly dealt with.

Her friends were interesting people as well, Becca in particular. She had a youthful nature and was really fun. Emily was more laidback and quiet (like me), but I wish she was part of the story more and not always described as being caught up with her long distance relationship. It almost seemed like she was left out and that kinda made me feel sad for her. I also didn't connect as much with Liam as I'd like to, and maybe it's because the story is told only from Kinsley's POV. Had it been dual narration, I probably would have loved Liam more. 

Another thing is that after a certain part the story went on for too long. I feel like it could have wrapped up sooner than it did and some things that happened towards the end seemed like filler and were too dramatic. I actually rolled my eyes at them, but fortunately I'd enjoyed the story up till that point so it didn't throw me off completely.

Overall, the writing was good--lucid and entertaining. The main character was also well developed. This is my first experience with R.S. and I must say that I'm impressed, motivated enough to want to read her other works. If you're looking for New Adult that's funny and sweaty be sure to pick this one up.



BLOG TOUR~Shameless by Nina Lemay


The blog tour for Nina Lemay's debut NA novel has ended. See details below:

22447460Release Date: August 18th 2014
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:
~New Adult Contemporary Romance -- recommended for mature readers~

Girls like me don’t get happy endings.

I know what I am. At worst a cliché, at best a cautionary tale. I put an international border between me and my past, only to wind up working in a low-end titty bar. Even my excuse is as lame as it gets: I’m paying for college, getting my art degree from Montreal’s most prestigious school. Although some days it becomes confusing: am I just a student who moonlights as a stripper, or a stripper who masquerades as a student?

But the inevitable happens and my two lives collide. And now there’s one other person who knows both the quiet, antisocial Hannah and the sensual, shameless Alicia. One person who keeps my secret.

He’s beautiful, he’s sophisticated. He comes from the other side of life, the one where I’m not wanted or accepted. But he calls me la petite Américaine, and his hot, hot hands on my skin promise me things I long ago gave up on.

The problem? He teaches my Classic Photography class.

This is a standalone novel, no series, no cliffhanger.


Nina Lemay
About the Author
Nina Lemay is a YA writer by day and author of sinfully twisted New Adult…well, also by day. She loves all things dark and edgy and never tires of tormenting her characters. While Nina is a fan of all things scary, Gothic, and fantastic, she doesn’t shy away from a gritty contemporary romance when the muse strikes. She lives in Montreal, a city that never fails to inspire, with her partner and her dog.

ninalemay.com | twitter.com/NinaLemay | Facebook






September 22nd -
Leeanna.me *Review
Sizzling Book Blog *Spotlight

September 23rd -
Spiced Latte Reads *Guest Post
Book Enthralled *Review & Playlist (blogger's choice)

September 24th -
deal sharing aunt *Spotlight
Pen and Muse *Review & Favorite Quotes

September 25th -
Karen Blue Reviews *Review & Excerpt (blogger's choice)
Books and Starlight *Interview & Review
Fiction Dreams *Interview

September 26th -
The YA's Nightstand *Guest Post
Refreshingly Riki *Interview & Review







Waiting on Wednesday #101


 
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spines. This is a cool way to spotlight a upcoming release that you're anxious about, as well as checking out what other book lovers are anticipating. Here's what I'm waiting for:

20588931The Fire Artist
by Daisy Whitney
Release date: October 14th 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pre-order: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads

A forbidden romance literally heats up in this new fantasy from acclaimed author Daisy Whitney.

Aria is an elemental artist—she creates fire from her hands. But her power is not natural. She steals it from lightning. It’s dangerous and illegal in her world. When she’s recruited to perform, she seizes the chance to get away from her family. But her power is fading too fast to keep stealing from the sky. She has no choice but to turn to a Granter—a modern day genie. She gets one wish at an extremely high price. Aria’s willing to take a chance, but then she falls in love with the Granter . . . and he wants his freedom. Aria must decide what she’s willing to bargain and how much her own heart, body, and soul are worth.

In a world where the sport of elemental powers is the most popular form of entertainment, readers will be swept away by a romance with stakes higher than life and death.





Why I'm Waiting


I don't read much about characters who have such an ability so this one piques my interest. I'm also curious as to how she gets her power from lightning, and what's going to happen with the Granter because from the synopsis I perceive that they fall in love. Sounds like a tough situation. Can't wait to read the story.

What are you waiting for?

Friday, September 12, 2014

BOOK BLITZ~Dia of the Dead by Brit Brinson


The promo event for the first book in Brit Brinson's YA Supernatural series is now running. Continue for an excerpt and playlist, and enter the international giveaway.

23117815Release date: September 16th 2014
Publisher: Big Moon Press
Purchase: Amazon


Synopsis via Goodreads:
Protecting Romero High from all things supernaturally spooky as Dia Muerto is a tough gig for sixteen-year-old Dia Summers, but it’s nothing compared to protecting the ones she loves from real, live—well, formerly alive—zombies. Unlike the zombies that shambled around on set, the real deal don’t follow a script. 

At the majorly important birthday party of her boss’ daughter, Dia experiences a series of potentially career-ruining social disasters. Before the night is over, she soon discovers that the possible cancellation of her show isn’t her biggest worry. 

Armed with what they can find around Bixby Studios, Dia and her friends band together to find out why everyone they know has begun popping up as gray-skinned, black-eyed, limb-nomming zombies. With the ailment spreading, time is running out before Dia is swept up in Hollywood’s latest trend.

 


EXCERPT
=================

Blaze, the studio’s dealer in residence that everyone knew about except me, turned out to be Blake, the makeup artist. Brendan led the way to his regular hangout. We found him in the alley between buildings Eleven and Twelve taking a drag from a cigarette, his bright blue hair shining in the sunlight. The cigarette dropped from his lip, landing on the ground. He stamped out its glow with the toe of his boot and ran his hands over the thighs of his too tight skinny jeans then through his hair before approaching us.

“What can I do for you?” he asked.

Before anyone could question Blake about Z, Brendan lunged at him, grabbing him by his t-shirt and pushing him against the wall. 



“Tell us about the drugs, punk!” Brendan yelled, lifting him a couple inches off the ground.



“Put me down, bro!” Blake shouted.



Brendan let go, and Blake fell to the ground.



“What the hell, dude?” he asked, regaining his footing. “What was that all about?”



“Sorry, dude. I’m reading for a role as a loose cannon rookie in a cop drama tomorrow so I figured I’d get some practice.”



“Not cool.” Blake adjusted his shirt and frowned. “What do you want?”



“We’re here to see what you know about these.” I pulled Mason’s baggie out of my satchel.

“Did you have a bad experience? I have a no refund policy. Your bad high is your problem, not mine.” Blake folded his arms across his chest.

“Bad experience?” I asked.

“I’ve been…uh…handling these for months and haven’t had any problems until recently. People have been calling and saying their friends have been freaking out on them. I’ve told them that’s it’s probably stress—acting is hard—but they believe it’s a bad batch of Z. I’ve been taking this stuff for a while now and I never had any problems. In fact, I took a couple this morning and I’m fin—“ Blake was interrupted by a pretty nasty coughing fit.

The three of us took a step back.

“Dude, are you okay?” Brendan asked from a three-step distance.

“I-I—I’m c-c-cool.” Blake coughed. “I hope I’m not coming down with something.” He cleared his throat. 

“Can I see the pills?” he asked.

I handed them over to him from a distance. He inspected the baggie and opened it. He picked out a pill, pinching it between his thumb and index finger for a moment before popping it into his mouth. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.

“See. Fine!” His smiled faltered as he grimaced. “Wait.” He hunched forward, holding his stomach and coughed up a torrent of black liquid just like the mess that had come out of Amber. 

Blake hit the ground and started to convulse wildly. 

A sense of dread washed over me. “Guys, I think we better go.”

“He needs help.” Brendan pointed at Blake’s shaking body.

“Yeah, and someone else can get it for him,” Reagan chimed in.

I nodded in agreement. “I think we’d better head back to Props, make sure Taylor’s okay, wait for help to arrive, and head home.”

I needed to call my mom and ask her to come pick me up. I pulled out my phone, turned it on ready to dial when Reagan interrupted me.

“I need to check on BB. I need to see if she’s all right,” her voice wavered as she started off to find her sister.

“Reagan! Wait!” I called after her. She didn’t stop. I turned to Brendan. “I’m gonna go with her.” I slipped my phone back in my bag.

“I’m gonna go check on the others and see if help has arrived. Maybe they can help him too.” He pointed down at Blake who’d stopped shaking. “Do you think I should try to bring him inside?”

“No. When help comes, just show them where he is.”

My gut told me it would probably be best to leave him there for now.

Brendan nodded and I hurried to catch up with Reagan.

I knew I wasn’t her first choice for company but it seemed like she went out of her way to prove her point. I practically had to run to keep up with her as she led the way to the office building. It stood at the center of the studio, a few stories taller than the other buildings. Its facade was made of reflective glass windows instead of bland beige siding like the rest. I followed her up the pathway leading to the building and through the doors. She breezed right past the receptionist in the lobby and unlike everyone else that entered, she didn’t have to sign in or have an appointment. I sped up and followed her to the elevator. She pressed a button and suddenly we were heading to the building’s top floor.

We stepped out of the elevator at the end of a long hallway I’d never been in before.

“Hurry up,” Reagan called. She was already out of the elevator. “BB should be in there.” She pointed at one of the three doors on the hall.

I hurried to join her.

“BB, where are you, bitch?” Reagan called as she opened the door and stepped inside the darkened room.

No bitches made their whereabouts known.

I hesitated at the entrance, a little afraid to follow Reagan inside. Not only was the room dark, it was quiet. Too quiet. Reagan had disappeared farther into room. Other than the little light that filtered into the room from the hallway, I could barely see past my nose.

“Reagan?” I took another step inside.

She didn’t answer.

I took a few steps back toward the safety of the light.

“Come on, Dia. I know this place is giving you the creeps but you can do this,” I whispered, trying to psych myself up to step into the room again.

“Maybe this will help.” I flipped the switch on the wall, expecting a light to turn on. Nothing happened. I tried again. Still no light.

“Reagan!” I called louder. She still didn’t answer.

Something isn’t right.

I stepped further inside.

A light flickered on in another room spilling into the room I was in. It definitely had BB Bixby flair—tons of purple and white one-of-a-kind furniture and decor plus lots with shiny, sparkly things. Heavy purple drapes covered the windows, blocking sunlight. Looking up, I saw why the light didn’t work. Wires snaked out of a hole in the ceiling and the chandelier they were once connected to was in pieces on the white carpet. Joining the broken light was a knocked over table, a broken vase, and a dozen trampled lilies.

Reagan had to be in the other room. There was nowhere else she could’ve gone. My stomach clenched as I slowly approached the doorway, stopping just outside.

A thud from the other room made me jump.

I took a step and hesitated.

“Come on, you’re Dia Muerto. You can do this,” I muttered.

Fearless Dia Muerto would’ve headed into the next room without a second thought. She lacked the ability to think things through—you know, being a zombie and all. Dia Summers, on the other hand, was well aware of the creepiness in the air, and I wasn’t one for barging into unknown territory without at least some of the facts. I held my breath as I walked toward the doorway and peeked my head inside. Reagan rushed past me, her hand cupped over her mouth, a terrified look in her eyes. She nearly knocked me down as she ran out into the hall.

A low ominous moan came from the room Reagan fled. My stomach dropped to my feet.

I turned on heel and ran from the room as quickly as Reagan did. I didn’t want to know what was responsible for the sound, and I wasn’t going to stick around to find out. Reagan frantically beat on the door at the end of the hall, crying for her dad to open up. 

Dread crept over me as I watched Reagan jiggle the doorknob with one hand and pound the door with the other as she screamed for Mr. Bixby. The door didn’t open. Something was wrong. Whatever was in the other room had frightened her to tears. I turned around, ready to run back to the elevator when I saw what had caused Reagan to run.

Her sister, BB Bixby, stood between the elevator and me in a shimmery silver mini dress. She limped toward us, covered in splatters of red, one foot in a strappy silver sandal and the other foot bare. Her hands were tipped in red liquid, one clutching a lock of hair. Red rimmed her mouth like a gruesome lipstick. It streaked across her cheek toward her hairline where a chunk of pink matter settled on a wisp of dark hair while the rest was a wild tangle. Her skin had gone gray and she had the same blue rash as Amber. She cocked her head to the side, setting black eyes on me. She bared black-stained teeth and let out a low growl.

BB didn’t look like any heiress I knew. She didn’t look like an actress either. She looked like a monster. Like something from Dia of the Dead but way more terrifying. I gasped, covering my mouth and took a step back. I knew what I was looking at. The realization made my blood run cold. I’d watched dozens of movies about them as research for my role. It didn’t dawn on me earlier but now, looking at BB, it clicked. The walk. The moans. The stench. The appetite for flesh. Barbara Bush Bixby was a zombie with blood stained hands and a walk that put Dia Muerto’s to shame.



PLAYLIST
=================

The following are songs I listened to while working on Dia of the Dead:


Da Rockwilder by Method Man & Redman (perfect for action scenes)



Stole Your Heart by One Direction




Shake Your Rump by the Beastie Boys

Bad Boy by Big Bang



Glad You Came by The Wanted

You Da One by Rihanna



Brit BrinsonABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brit Brinson was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. After time away to attend college and graduate school, she returned home. When she’s not writing, she enjoys doing nerdy stuff with her friends. She lives for all things horror, paranormal, and sci-fi.
Dia of the Dead is her first novel.












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