TOUCHING DARKNESS by Jaime Rush (Review & Giveaway!)

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TOUCHING DARKNESS
Author: Jaime Rush
Source: Author/Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Avon; Original edition (April 27, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0061690376
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061690372
SYNOPSIS:
They live ordinary lives, but they are extraordinary. They are the Offspring, children of a mysterious experiment gone awry—and they are in terrible danger. 
Nicholas Braden has an uncanny psychic talent for finding things—which is why he’s been recruited for a covert government program designed to hunt down terrorists. While his work for a shady controller named Darkwell is leading him down some very questionable alleyways, it’s also bringing him closer to Olivia, Darkwell’s stunning young assistant. A “good girl” with a wild, secret side, Olivia tempts Nicholas in ways he never believed possible—and in his business, a loss of control could prove fatal.
But there is something not right about the operation. And as Nicholas and Olivia’s passion reaches a white-hot intensity, chilling reversals of good and evil, of right and wrong, suddenly threaten their very survival. 
MY THOUGHTS:
Nicholas is the Offspring from parents that were experimented on. The Offspring have special powers. He falls for the assistant Olivia, who works for Darkwell.  This book had the true paranormal feel to it with some passionate romance that brings the term Paranormal Romance to life. This book was my first novel I have read by this author except for a short story. I truly loved this story and can’t wait to get my hands on the others in this series! It had suspense, drama and romance all rolled into one. I would love to get inside the authors head and see what is store in the future!
MY RATING: 

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading!

GIVEAWAY:
Thanks to author Jaime Rush, she is donating one copy of Touching Darkness and one signed bookplate to a lucky commenter! 
Rules:
You must live in the USA or Canada
No PO Boxes
To Enter:
Just leave a comment on this post with an email address! 

Contest will run until 5/9/2010 and the winner announced on 5/10/2010

Awesome Award from Geeky Blogger’s Book Blog

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I received this cute award from Felicia at Geeky Blogger’s Book Blog! Isn’t it amazing?! 
 Here is how it works: If you are given this award you must first accept it by leaving a comment on the post you were nominated on. Then copy and paste the post and add it to your own blog. 
Make a list of the last 5 books you read and pass the award on to 5 other bloggers (no backsies!). Please also identify the blog from which you got the award and don’t forget to tell them they have a blog award! 

Here are my 5 books:
1. Touching Darkness by Jaime Rush
2. We Hear the Dead by Dianne K. Salerni
3. The Handy Law Answer Book by David L. Hudson Jr.
4. Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell
5. The Sight by Jude Watson

Here are the 5 nominations:
4. Cindy at Princess Bookie

GUEST POST: Author Jaime Rush

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Today I also have the pleasure of introducing to you author Jamie Rush!  Jamie was kind enough to provide a guest post today for all of us. Sit, down, relax, and enjoy her post!

Nicholas Braden, a psychic spy in a covert government program, suspects he’s a pawn in a mad man’s quest for justice. His boss’s stunning assistant is too loyal to give him answers, but Olivia’s secret, wild side bends his mind and fires his body. As they edge closer to the darkest truth, good and evil blur, threatening their very survival.
Ideas, Ideas, everywhere!
The best part of writing is the getting ideas part. It’s like falling in love, with a flush on my face and a swelling in my heart. Usually it’s just a tidbit or maybe a scene that flashes into my mind. Sometimes it’s a bit of dialog between my main characters. I look at it all like finding a piece of treasure, the glint of a diamond lying in the grass. It’s really nice when there are a bunch of diamonds, but I’m happy even when it’s just one.
When people ask where I get my ideas, I say, “Everywhere and nowhere.” My Offspring series, for instance, came from allowing my muse free reign to do whatever she wanted. A fresh start. And she came up with a series, something I’d never considered. The series itself came from my love of three shows that were no longer on the air: X-Files, Highlander, and Roswell. I put the elements of those shows that spoke to me into my series, including psychic/paranormal abilities, being hunted by the government, and a group of very different people having to work together. It’s funny because I’ve seen reviews that compare my series to the X-Men and Heroes, but I’ve never watched those. (When I was telling my mom about my new idea, she said, “Oh, that sounds like Heroes!” I had intended to watch it, but I decided not to, just in case there were similarities.)
I’ve also gotten ideas from songs, movie trailers (which spin off from the original idea), snippets of conversations … that’s the fun part of it. Ideas spring from anywhere. I have a sweatshirt that says, Be careful, you might end up in my novel. And that’s so true. A great example of that is a guy at my gym who sounds like a porn movie actor when he works out. It used to annoy me, and then one of my characters started doing the same thing! So now, whenever Mr. Porn starts making noise, I have to stifle a smile.
So if you see someone staring off into space, a wicked grin on her face, you never know … it might be a writer getting a brilliant idea!
Question for commenters: Where do you get your best ideas?
And for something fun! I’ve been running my Kick Butt First Line contest for every book I release:  Shocking, suspenseful…make us want more!  Cash prizes! Contest runs from May 1 through June 1, 2010. It’s open to readers and writers. The entries are entertaining to read, even if you don’t enter. For details on that and my books, go to www.jaimerush.com. 
TOUCHING DARKNESS
Book Three of the Offspring Series
Avon Books, May, 2010
Jaime Rush

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Cate Masters

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Hello my fellow book addicted readers!  Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to author Cate Masters! She is the sweetest person to talk to and she was kind enough to answer some fun questions for me to share with you.  So lets get started!
To start off, welcome and can you tell the readers a little about yourself?  
Thanks so much for having me here, Amy! I write across a variety of genres, from fantasy/dark fantasy to contemporary to historical, mainstream and women’s fiction as well as romance, in lengths from short stories to novellas to novels. Reviewers described my stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” “such romantic tales that really touch your soul,” “filled with action scenes which made it a riveting story,” and “the author weaves a great tale with a creative way of using words that makes the story refreshing to read.” The proud mom of three adult children, I live in Pennsylvania with my husband, Lily the dog, our dictator-like cat, Chairman Maiow, and dozens of characters inhabiting my imagination.  Visit me online at www.catemasters.com, http://catemasters.blogspot.com or follow me on Facebook or Twitter.

Can you tell us a little about your upcoming or latest release?  

Eternal Press released Fever Dreams, my contemporary novel with fantasy elements on May 7. Dreams allow us to delve deeper into our subconscious. Most importantly, they allow us the freedom to explore our most basic desires, and to set our imaginations free. Fever Dreams was a fun way to explore these concepts. The novel contains many fantasy dream sequences that allowed me to delve into the subconscious of the heroine, Diana, in a unique way. Through her dreams, she recognizes her feelings for Cal overwhelm her reason and better judgment. She knows the relationship has wonderful elements, but in almost a sensory overload way. I hope you’ll view the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/user/catemasters?feature=mhw4#p/a/u/0/9nA_fWQ_3vc   Here’s the blurb: When Diana Taylor changes jobs, she doesn’t expect it to change her life. Meeting Cal opens up a new world of passion. He encourages her to pursue her passion for photography. Her love overwhelms her, blurs the line between reality and dreams. But is it love or obsession?

I am a fly on your wall.  What would I report back to my master of the daily grind of Cate?

The fly has fallen fast asleep, bored by the tedium of me sitting in front of my laptop, blocking out everything else in the room, fly included. I treat writing as my real job (though I do have a day job) and almost every day, put in as many hours as possible.

When you are not writing, what kind of books do you like to read? Do you have any favorite authors, that are must reads?

I like to read the same type of stories I write – fantasy/dark fantasy/urban fantasy, contemporary and historical. Though my shelves are full of authors I love, I automatically put books on my wish list from Alice Hoffman, TC Boyle, Michael Chabon and Margaret Atwood, though I love finding writers that are new to me, too, such as Natasha Mostert – I just finished Season of the Witch and loved it. I’m also trying to catch up on many of my fellow authors, too many to mention. There’s a real wealth of talent out there.

What are 3 things that are “must haves” for you when you sit down to write a new book?

My laptop, because if I write on the computer connected to the Internet, I too often check mail or blogs. Quiet, because it takes me awhile to get into the flow but once I do, it’s very jarring to be taken out of it. A basic idea’s necessary, but that’s usually all I start with – I’m not a plotter, though I believe there’s value in it. I’m just no good at it! And I like to let my characters surprise me with where they lead.

Do you have a blog or website that your readers can keep up with you and your books? 

Absolutely! I’d love for you to check out my sites:
Web site:  http://www.catemasters.com
I have a fan page at Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cate-Masters/89969413736?ref=ts
 
Twitter?  
Yep, Twitter too:  http://www.twitter.com/CateMasters  Though I feel terribly guilty about it – it’s connected to my Facebook page so I rarely actually go to the Twitter site.
I love to hear from readers too – email me at cate.masters AT gmail.com with feedback, ideas, rants, whatever you’d like. 🙂

Now for some fun stuff:

1. What came first–the chicken or the egg? Unless another nesting species hatched the egg, had to be the chicken. Two chickens, actually, if logic follows.
2. Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle? It would make the marketer’s job hell.
3. If you choke a Smurf, what color do they turn? Depends on what color their blood is, I suppose. Let’s try it and find out!
4. If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him? It’s a reminder for us all: no one wants to be Jimmy.

Favorite perfume: The most extravagant thing I use is baby powder
Favorite TV show: Saturday Night Live
Favorite Movie: At the moment, Avatar but most of my “favorites” don’t stay current for long
Favorite Drink: Starbucks Chai Latte
Favorite Dessert: Tiramisu

Thanks again for having me at the Overstuffed Bookshelf! It’s been a pleasure.
Thank you Cate for taking the time to do the interview! It was great to have you here!


WE HEAR THE DEAD by Dianne K. Salerni

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WE HEAR THE DEAD
Author: Dianne K. Salerni
Source: Sourcebooks Fire
* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Paperback: 448 pages
  • Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (May 1, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1402230923
  • ISBN-13: 978-1402230929
SYNOPSIS:
Maggie:
I began the deception when I was too young to know right from wrong. Only with the passing of time did I come to understand the consequences of my actions.
Kate:
I do not believe that I have ever intentionally deceived anyone. Maggie has a different understanding of the events that have happened. To her the spirits were always a game. For me they were my life’s calling. I have no regrets.
It starts as a harmless prank…then one lie quickly grows into another. Soon Kate and Maggie Fox are swept into a dizzying flurry of national attention for their abilities to communicate with the dead. But living a lie is sometimes too much to handle, even if you have the best intentions. Based on a true story, We Hear the Dead reveals how secrets and lies can sometimes lead you to what’s real and what’s right. And how sometimes talking with the dead is easier than talking with the people around you.
MY THOUGHTS:
Let’s start with the cover of this book.  I loved the time period portrayed from the clothing on the girl and the colors were captivating.  I fell in love with this cover as soon as I saw it. Standing in front of the old time curtain, just as it is opening, gave you the feeling of peeking inside the book. It was a great cover that captured my interest right away.
What was so amazing is how the book is based on a true story.  The characters of Kate and Maggie kept my interest throughout the book.  I wanted to see if they were going to be able to pull off the ruse. The book mesmerized me, and would keep even the teens mesmerized!  The book has mystery and suspense that will keep you turning the page for more.
MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading!