Review Day: Running Into the Darkness

It's Review Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Title: Running Into the Darkness

Author: D.A. Bale

My Rating: 4 stars

**This novel is not suitable for readers under the age of 18.  Some mature content is involved.  All content is purely fictional and not based on true events.**

Book Blurb:

Death follows Dr. Samantha Bartlett throughout her life until it claims everyone close to her. There's one powerful man responsible on whom Samantha sets her sights for revenge. The price is her soul. For centuries, sex has been the weapon of men...now it's her turn.

“I never intended to kill the President. As a doctor, I swore an oath to protect life – not take it. But that was before...”

Second year resident, Dr. Samantha Bartlett, is swept from the frigid New York winter to once again confront the sting of death back home – and face those she left behind. But she’s not alone. A strange man she dubs Shades haunts her every step as she seeks answers to the inferno which claimed her grandmother, an eerie reminder of her parents’ deaths. The secrets Samantha uncovers forever changes her image of those she only thought she knew.

Confronted by Shades, Samantha joins a secret underworld known only as the Elite, where a web of power and control is woven deep within governments worldwide. Their sights are set on the power structure of the United States, and Samantha becomes the unlikely key to infiltrating the White House at its most intimate levels.

The quest for blood threatens to destroy Samantha. From the darkness there is no escape.

About the Author, D.A. Bale:

Sometimes life emulates fiction.

Life is filled with tragedy and Ms. Bale's writing reflects this reality. However, there is always a silver lining...even if one must spend their entire life searching for it.

In her previous career, Ms. Bale traveled the United States as a Government Relations Liaison, working closely with Congressional offices and various government agencies. This experience afforded her a glimpse into the sometimes "not so pretty" reality of the political sphere. Much of this reality and various locations throughout her travels make it into her writing.

She dreams of the day she can return to visit Alaska.

My Review:

I enjoyed reading the story of miss Samantha's adventures in New York and Kansas.  What a wild ride indeed!  After finding out that her Gramm was actually killed by The Elite, not in just a hit-and-run accident, Samantha's world is turned upside down.  She becomes the "key" to fixing the problems occurring at the White House (the President accepts bribes that involve sexual favors) and her own deep rooted anger problems at the same time.

When she goes back to her hometown in Kansas for her Gramm's funeral to sort everything out, she isn't sure if she should leave or stay.  D.A. Bale did a great job of keeping the reader intrigued and creating a story that feels real, or could be based on realistic events but is completely fictional.  I enjoyed reading the story to see what would happen next and how each character's story would fit together in the end.  The chapters didn't always seem to fit together, but in the long run they did!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

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Happy Review Day!

~HilyBee~

The Great Fiction Idea Machine: 3 Methods to Inspire Creativity

Release Party - Come What May!

Title: Come What May (Heartbeat #2)

Author: Faith Sullivan

Expected release date: June 4, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Ebook available at: Kindle ($2.99)

Paperback available at: Amazon ($6.99)

Book Blurb:

Adam is through with love.

He unravels blaming himself for what happened with Katie.

His final moments with her echo through his nightmares.

She owns him body and soul.

To dull the pain, Adam invites a string of women into his bed. Fueled by alcohol and desperation, his meaningless hook-ups provide little comfort. When he closes his eyes, it's Katie he sees.

The only one who helps to ease his guilt somewhat is Jada. But as his new ambulance partner, Adam considers her off limits. He doesn't want to get seriously involved with anyone, much less her. Yet he can't stop fantasizing about the feel of her caramel skin against his.

Despite his intentions, Adam's bond with Jada deepens as they respond to a series of emotional calls. Their mutual attraction becomes undeniable. But how can he give his heart to Jada when it still belongs to Katie?

Excerpt:

But I’m unsure of where this is going. Is he trying to open up or just making idle conversation? Whatever it is, it’s not enough for me. I crouch, hanging my legs over the side. A cool breeze issues from the waterfall. Its hypnotic rhythm is so relaxing. I can stretch out right here and fall asleep. I lean back on my elbows and close my eyes against the sun. So I’m startled when something smacks me in the face.

It’s Adam’s t-shirt. He’s standing before me in nothing but his jeans. “Care for a swim, Jada?” Laughing, he peers over the edge. All I see are the broad lines of his back. It doesn’t get any sexier than that.

“You’re going to jump into that tiny little pool of water?” My pulse is racing, but somehow I keep my voice steady.

“No, we’re going to climb down together. But you’re going to have to lose some of that clothing first.” His gaze runs across the length of my body, and I’m on fire.

“If you think I’m going to strip down…”

I shut up when I realize he’s bending over me. “Well, you can rid yourself of these muddy shoes for starters.” He undoes the laces and gently slips them off. My breathing gets heavy when his fingers slide up to remove my sock. He doesn’t stop there. On his knees before me, his touch glides up my leg as he rolls the cuff of my pants.

“That takes care of the bottom half. Now what about the top?” I ask brazenly. I’m fighting to regain control of the situation, but it’s a lost cause.

He pulls me up with him, and our bodies are so close together. He grips my waist and I start to get dizzy. Drawing me in, I’m surprised when he tugs at the fabric of my shirt, untucking it in a series of quick motions. His actions cause my chest to rub against his. My legs get shaky and I think I’m going to have to grab onto him for support. But I resist and somehow keep my hands to myself. Slowly, he unfastens the last two buttons and ties the shirt at my waist. His fingertips linger over the exposed skin of my midriff. His touch is driving me wild. I can’t take much more of this.

Stepping back, I feel so exposed even though I’m not showing that much skin. He’s practically naked in front of me and he doesn’t seem embarrassed at all. It’s like he wanted to bring me to some secluded spot in order to seduce me. Was this his plan all along? I’m so confused. Nothing is ever clear with him. It’s impossible to figure out what’s going through his mind and why he’s practically taking off my clothes in the middle of the woods.

And that’s the problem. I kind of like it. His unpredictability keeps me guessing, and I’ve never been so turned on. I’m practically panting before him, wishing his hands would explore every inch of me. But for some reason, it seems like there’s an invisible barrier separating us. He teases me but doesn’t take it further. And all that does is make me want him more. I’m not the type to pursue a guy, but I’d put myself out there for him if I knew that was what he was after. But what if it’s not? We do have to work together, and things can get really awkward between us if I’m wrong.

A shadow of a frown crosses his face when he sees me back away from him. Whatever was happening in that moment is over—I can’t tell if he’s disappointed or relieved. His chest rises and falls as he clenches his fists. The sheer masculine beauty of his sculpted torso is right in front of me. Yet he appears so fragile. Like one hasty word from me will break him. We’re so close. If only I knew his true intentions. Is he just playing with me or is he after something more?

“C’mon, let’s cool off.” But I can’t allow myself to get that close to him again. My thoughts scatter just picturing him against me in the water. With my inhibitions lowered, I’ll be too tempted. If I let down my guard and give into him, I’ll only regret it later when he acts like nothing’s changed between us.

“Nah, you go ahead. I’m just going to stick my feet in.” The creases in his brow deepen, but I don’t stop. “If I have any hope of salvaging this uniform, I don’t think it’ll take any more wear and tear.” It’s the lamest excuse ever, but it’s all I have to go with.

“Suit yourself.” He’s pissed as he makes his way down the rocky incline. He doesn’t even wait for me. What girl wouldn’t want to fool around with him in the water after all that? Who would ever turn him down?

Only me.

The first book of the HEARTBEAT series is only 99 cents on Amazon! 

Click cover to purchase.

Random Things about Author, Faith Sullivan:

- She was so much smarter as a teenager.

- She's a slow reader.

- She tends to like a book more for its characters rather than its plot.

- She appreciates people who are genuinely kind and come through when you need them.

- As a creative person, she's not always fun to live with, but she keeps things interesting.

- She misses the days when all she had was a rotary phone that didn't even have an answering machine.

- She's a child of the 1980s, and a teenager of the 1990s.

- She loves her dog.

- She likes to travel and see new places - when her limited budget allows.

- She thinks in another lifetime she lived in the UK somewhere by the coast.

- When she feels an emotion, she feels it deeply. It's a curse.

- She has an overactive imagination. Writing helps alleviate that problem.

- Nine times out of ten, she believes a good book trumps reality.

Author Links: Blog | Amazon | Twitter | Goodreads

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Happy Release Day!!
~HilyBee~

New Series Alert! Vibe by Kayla Curry

Hi all! My name is J. Scott Sharp and I am the minion Bee...you can call me mini-Bee! Muhahahahahaha! But before I get drunk with power, I just wanted to thank Hilybee for the opportunity to guest post on her blog for a while. She's a busy little Bee currently and I am going to help her keep the hive in order...the best I can! :) Thanks again Hilybee!

I wanted to introduce you all to a new series that I am really getting into called Vibe. Kind of science fiction, dystopian, crime...all in one series...so of course, I think it rocks! :)

                                                         Welcome to the World of "Vibe"

Welcome to a world where emotions have become weapons, currency and livelihood. Welcome to Vibe City.
Greys feed on apathy. The only problem with that is they sometimes soak up so much apathy, they experience the emotion so strongly that they can't make themselves do anything. Even feeding becomes a chore that may or may not get done. Everyone knows you can't feed on your own emotion. So if you're isolated enough, you could end up drained.
Prism is a detective with problems of her own. She's been off the job for a while, but now she's back and working with a transfer named Atramen on the case of the drained grey. Being a color wheel has its advantages and disadvantages. The power to make anyone feel any emotion you want them to is a pro, but being bombarded 24/7 with the emotions of others is most definitely a con. Can Prism and Atramen find the killer and overcome the obstacles associated with a new partnership? 

Adult-content rating: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages.

Kayla Curry is a stay-at-home mom. She says, " I started writing seriously in high school. The classroom I spent most of my time in was the school newspaper room. I went to that class every day since the beginning of my sophomore year and loved every minute of it. After I graduated I continued to write short stories in my free time and I eventually worked up to writing a full length novel. I still love to write short stories when I'm not working on my Mystic Stones Series. My husband is the one who makes it all possible by bringing in about 98% of the household income. I hope to one day be the 98 percenter through my writing, so that he can do something he wants to do."

I just picked this short story up and already it is great! I hope to give you a review of it in the next couple of days! In the meantime, you can pick it up on Amazon!