Elsker Saga by ST Bende #Excerpt #Giveaway

The Amazon bestselling New Adult Paranormal Romance series inspired by Norse mythology and featured in USA Today.

Title: Tur
Series: The Elsker Saga #0.5
Author: S.T. Bende
Genre/Age Range: Paranormal, Romance, New Adult
Release Date: May 29, 2014


Inga Andersson is the envy of every girl in Asgard. On the surface she has it all -- great friends, a job as Odin’s personal fight choreographer, and a happy ever after with her realm’s hottest assassin. But when evil invades Asgard, her perfect world comes crashing down. Someone is planning to kill off the gods, and Inga’s best friend Ull is first on their list. With the Norse apocalypse a nanosecond away, Inga has to decide how she’ll spend her final moments of freedom. Because from the moment this battle begins, Inga’s happily ever after will be nothing more than a memory.

Some things are worth fighting for.



Title: Elsker
Series: The Elsker Saga #1
Author: S.T. Bende
Genre/Age Range: Paranormal, Romance, New Adult
Release Date: May 29, 2014

You don’t win the heart of an immortal assassin without making a few enemies along the way.

Kristia Tostenson prefers Earl Grey to Grey Goose and book clubs to nightclubs, but when she transfers from her one-stoplight town to Cardiff University in Wales she falls in love with Ull Myhr. Her new boyfriend isn’t exactly what she was expecting. He’s an honest to goodness Norse God - an immortal assassin fated to die at Ragnarok, the battle destined to destroy Asgard and Earth. Kristia’s crazy visions are the only thing that can save their realms. Her orderly life just got very messy.



“Are you sure you will be all right on the stairs?” Ull stood in the grand hall of Cardiff Castle, glancing at the four-inch, shiny death-traps Victoria called shoes. Since Ull’s eyes practically bugged out of his face when he picked me up, I had no intention of changing into the emergency flats I’d stuck in my purse. Victoria had scored another hit.
“Probably not. Walk behind me in case I fall?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
“On our right, the coats of arms,” continued the tour guide. He’d been talking for a good five minutes and I couldn’t remember a single word. That was because Ull had started stroking the small of my back when our tour began, and it took all my concentration just to stay upright.
“The castle is gorgeous.” I admired the stonework as we made our way toward the stairs. There I shifted focus to my feet, staring at each step until I’d reached the top. “Made it.”
“And I was so hoping I would get to catch you.” Ull came up next to me and skimmed my hand with the pads of his fingers.
“Well, the night is young and these shoes are high. You may still get your chance.”
“Tease.” Ull kissed my palm.
“Um.” I swayed on the heels and he chuckled.
“Come, Miss Tostenson. We are losing the group.”
“Right.”
We walked the long corridor framed with paintings. All of the history in these walls was kind of overwhelming. The castle was two thousand years old. The oldest thing we had back in Nehalem was probably the Homestead. Cardiff Castle had about eighteen hundred years on that farm.
“This place is huge,” I whispered when we’d caught up to the tour. “I can’t imagine living here. How could you ever get comfortable?”
“You get used to it,” Ull shrugged. “Find little corners to make your own.”
“How on earth could anyone get used to all of this?”
“When you are stuck in it every day it gets old. Trust me.”
“Right.” Like Ull was an authority on royal dwellings. “Living in a castle sounds sooo terrible.”
“Depends on the day.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just that these walls did more than keep people out -- they kept people in, too.”
I thought about my vision from Friday night -- of Ull and me in a meadow by a castle. Huh.
“Where did you say your family lived, exactly?” I probed.
But Ull bristled. I’d hit a nerve. “Come Kristia, we have lost our group again.” He gently pulled me down the hall.
“You may have noticed the Animal Wall in front of the Castle. Though William Burges designed the Wall in 1866, it was not constructed until 1890 -- nine years after Burges’s death.” The guide lifted an eyebrow as we caught up.  “Please do try to stay with the tour,” he admonished before turning down another corridor. The rest of the group followed closely.
“Sorry.” I ducked my head.
Ull raised a corner of his mouth in a smile. “Why, Kristia, you are blushing.”
“And?” I lifted my chin, and took a step back so I stood against the wall.
“It is sweet.”  Ull paused and lifted a finger to my cheek. My knees buckled and he grabbed my arm to steady me. The touch sent shockwaves straight to my head, leaving me with the unnerving sensation of being underwater. I lost my bearings again and Ull wrapped both hands around my waist to stop my fall.
“Sorry,” I mouthed. “Must be the shoes.” I couldn’t stop staring at his eyes. They almost looked nervous.
“Must be.” He ran his finger along my jaw, stopping to grasp my chin between his thumb and forefinger. His eyes focused on my mouth and my heartbeat accelerated. He ran his thumb lightly over my lips. They parted under his touch. A wave of heat shot from my lower lip straight to my abdomen, creating a slow burn that wasn’t altogether uncomfortable. I watched as his eyes slowly moved down then back up, lingering at the neckline of my dress. Victoria had been right about the push-up bra.
“Must be,” I repeated.
Ull drew his eyes away from my cleavage and took a step closer. He leaned one forearm against the wall, leaving me enveloped between the cold stone and his warm chest. I was suddenly very dizzy.
“Kristia,” he spoke in a whisper.
“Yes?” I whispered back. Ull was looking at me with an intensity I wasn’t prepared for. He stepped in, closing the last inch between us.
“Look at me.” He spoke again, lifting my chin so my lips were tilted towards his. If his body hadn’t been pressed against mine, I would have collapsed in a heap that instant. Instead, I took a shaky breath as Ull dropped his head. He ran his nose along my jaw line, pausing when he reached my ear. He breathed in, the cool air sending a shiver down my neck. With painstaking slowness he drew his nose across my cheek until our lips were almost touching. Now when I looked into his eyes I saw something entirely different. He was strong. Confident. And very much in control.
I let out a small sigh and immediately he covered my mouth with his. It wasn’t a gentle kiss -- it was commanding, almost forceful. I melted against him as he claimed my lips, moved down my jaw to consume my neck. My insides throbbed. In that moment, I would have done absolutely anything he asked me to.
“Kristia,” he whispered again.
“Mmm.” It was the best I could muster by way of response.
“I think we need to stop.”
In God’s name, why?
“Will you be joining the rest of my tour, or shall I leave the two of you here?” The guide stood at the end of the corridor, literally tapping his foot. Oops.
Ull placed his hands around my waist to right me. I smoothed my hair and straightened my dress, my cheeks burning the whole time.
“Great timing,” I muttered. Just when things were getting good.
“Do not worry Kristia.” Ull winked. “We have all the time in the world.”
I sure hoped so.








Before finding domestic bliss in suburbia, ST Bende lived in Manhattan Beach (became overly fond of Peet’s Coffee) and Europe… where she became overly fond of the musical Cats. Her love of Scandinavian culture and a very patient Norwegian teacher inspired the ELSKER series. She hopes her characters make you smile and that one day pastries will be considered a health food.

You can follow ST Bende on Twitter @stbende, or send an e-mail to stbende@gmail.com.

   

Sing It Like You Read It! What are you listening to?


I'm very fond of playlist. I often make playlist called "Jen's Angry Music" ,"Jen is Sad", "Girl Power" or just whatever I feel like hearing the day. So of course I have a "Book Songs" playlist. I throw any songs that remind me of books. I don't have a list of what books they remind me of but I know when I make a playlist for a book I can hit the list and say oh ya this song!! So I thought I would share my list with you so you can check it out. Maybe some of the song remind you of books too.



Do you have a book playlist?? What are some of your favorite songs that remind you of books?

Pefectly Messy by Lizzy Charles Release Day!! #Giveaway

Welcome to the Release Day Blitz for

Perfectly Messy (Effortless With You #2) by Lizzy Charles

presented by Swoon Romance!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
Popularity isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. Justin Marshall knows this better than most. For the captain of the basketball team, small business owner, and son of Minnesota’s next governor, life can get pretty overwhelming. But Justin can handle anything as long as he has Lucy, the girl who fell for the man he’s trying to be.
But for Justin and Lucy, finding time together proves challenging. Stolen kisses and whispered promises just aren’t enough. That is, until scandalous photos of the couple are leaked to a press intent on creating a juicy scandal during Justin’s dad’s gubernatorial campaign. And when Lucy becomes fair play for the tabloids and gossip pages, Justin does the only thing he can to protect her: he breaks her heart.
For Lucy, junior year is everything she hoped it would be: new friends, second chances, and a boyfriend she can’t stop kissing. That is, until the boy she’s pretty sure she loves chooses the life his family wants for him, over her.
Now it’s up to Lucy to teach him what it really means to have everything. Because for Justin, being who everyone needs him to be just might cost him the one person he can’t live without.

add to goodreads
Perfectly Messy by Lizzy Charles
Publisher: Swoon Romance
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Available for Purchase:Amazon | Kobo | Chapters Indigo
Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author
Lizzy Charles
When Lizzy Charles isn’t scrambling to raise her two spunky toddlers or caring for premature and sick babies as a neonatal intensive care nurse, she’s in a quiet corner writing or snuggled up with a novel and a few squares of dark chocolate. Black tea keeps her constant and she loves guacamole. She married her high school sweet heart, a heart-melting musician, so it’s no surprise she’s fallen in love with writing contemporary YA romance novels.
Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


Effortless With You

add to goodreads
Effortless With You (Effortless With You #1)
by Lizzy Charles
Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway
Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!


Blog/BEA Update



So my friends I've off to BEA this week. I will be there later because I get in early Thursday morning due to some back and forths of if we could go Wednesday or not. I booked my ticket thinking Thursday thinking that was it. Nope could have gone Wednesday but it's too expensive to change my ticket. Which really stinks so I won't be at the blogger convention like planned.

I haven't written much about BEA because I don't know what I am doing. Rather than actually plan and have an awesome schedule like some other bloggers. Jenna Does Books and The Bawdy Book Blog in particular, I will just run around flailing my arms until I get there. Then I will proceed to stare in aww and just hope that I make it to at least some of the signings I want to go to. The conversations with the hubs

Me: What if I don't get any books
Husband: Why wouldn't you get any books
Me: Because I'm weird

I'm excited to be going to BEA in New York and even more excited that it will be moving to Chicago in 2016 since I won't have to book a room or fly or anything like that. I'm trying to take a deep breath and use this as a time to network and get better and meeting other bloggers. Pass out business cards (that I made for the first time) and say hey over here. I love books and I just want to bask in that glory. I've been to other large scale shows. Mainly Print Shows (my dad repairs printing presses) and I know how overwhelming and exhausting it can be. I'm a fly by the seat of my pants live in the moment person.

So I have things scheduled on the blog this week but for the most part it will be slow. I hope to see you at BEA and if you see me. Please please say hi. I might be awkward but once I start talking I'm usually okay. I'll be in a dress/sweater/Toms combo no doubt. That's actually most comfortable to me even if I have to sit on the floor.

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Covers that Scare Me


This weeks Top Ten Tuesday is a Freebie Week so I'm doing...
Book Covers that Scare Me
I've actually have wanted to do this topic for a while. I might continue to add today because of course when  I think of them I can't find it. This DOES NOT say anything about the book. They might be great books but I would rather have them as ebooks then on my shelf. 

 

 

 
I think Gas mask scare me in general. Ever since I saw this one episode of Dr. Who....


Intercepting Love by L.P. Dover Release Day!! #Playlist #Giveaway




Intercepting Love by L.P. Dover
(Second Chances #5)
Publication date: May 26th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Romantic Suspense

Both have what she wants … but only one has what she needs.

Working with professional athletes and helping them recover from their injuries has always been Kate Townsend’s dream, but after an accident left her scarred and heartbroken years ago she refuses to let what happened in her past happen again. Staying focused is the key, as well as not letting her feelings interfere with her job … no matter the circumstances. All of that is easier said than done when not only one, but two men crave her healing touch, igniting every single desire she’s denied herself for so long.

Cooper Davis, NFL’s star quarterback and most eligible bachelor, packs up and leaves his home to move across the states to the East Coast after an injury results in the embarrassing trade to another team. Bitter from the pain, he deals with his problems through drugs and alcohol—almost ruining his football career—until he meets the one woman who makes him want to feel; the same woman who refuses to give up on him no matter how many times he screws up. He has to have her, and he’s not going to stop until he makes her his. Especially, now that someone else threatens to take her away.

Motocross champion and local bad boy Luke Collins never takes no for an answer. For the past four months he’s used his charms to get what he wants, and now he’s so close to getting the girl of his dreams … if she’ll give in just once. One time is all he needs, and he’s never been known to fail, but he’s also never had to fight for a woman’s affections. Only one man will win their way into Kate’s heart, but which one will intercept the other and take what they want? Which one will she choose?

   




Intercepting Love Soundtrack

1. Me and My Broken Heart by Rixton
2. Story of My Life by One Direction
3. Not a Bad Thing by Justin Timberlake
4. Just a Kiss by Lady Antebellum
5. Chokehold by Adam Lambert
6. I Need Your Love by Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding
7. Pony by Ginuwine
8. Together by Demi Lovato & Jason Derulo
9. All of Me by John Legend
10. Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran



USA Today Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is a southern belle residing in North Carolina along with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she even began her literary journey she worked in Periodontics enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.

Not only does she love to write, but she loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes, white water rafting, and you can't forget the passion for singing. Her two number one fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime and those songs usually consist of Christmas carols.

Aside from being a wife and mother, L.P. Dover has written over nine novels including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, and her standalone novel, Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read is romantic suspense and she also loves writing it. However, if she had to choose a setting to live in it would have to be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.

L.P. Dover is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.