BLOG TOUR: Forbidden Trilogy by Kimberly Kinrade

Thanks to I.O. Book Tours for hosting this blog tour. I'm sharing my review of The forbidden Trilogy by Kimberly Kinrade. Happy reading!

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Summary:

Paranormal teens with unimaginable powers. A secret organization with deadly intentions. When Sam, a girl who reads minds, meets Drake, a boy who controls minds, they discover their lives aren't what they thought. Together, they must escape their fate and free their friends, before they lose everyone they love. This special edition omnibus includes the entire Forbidden Trilogy--Forbidden Mind, Forbidden Fire and Forbidden Life, as well as extensive bonus content. Meet the author in an in-depth Q&A, get to know your favorite characters better, enjoy never-before-revealed interlude scenes and so much more.

Title:  The Forbidden Trilogy
Series:  N/A
Book #: N/A
Author:  Kimberly Kinrade
Approximate Book Length:  694 Pages
Recommended Reader Age:  16+
Sexual Content:  Mild

Thoughts:

This entire trilogy was kind of a mixed bag for me. It’s a well rounded story with action, humor, and romance. The characters are well developed and the plot is elaborate. For some reason I just couldn’t fully connect with the whole thing.

I had my moments where I cried some and was on the edge of my seat and even wanted to smack some characters around now and then, but ultimately I wasn’t so invested that I absolutely had to know what came next.

I suspect my disconnect comes into play with the overall sinister nature of the plot. I get that it’s mostly about the freedom of these kids who’ve been lied to, used, and abused all their lives in one way or another, but some pretty outrageous things occur with some truly twisted results. I normally have a pretty good suspension of disbelief, but it just wasn’t strong enough to fully immerse myself into this saga.

Bottom Line:

A fantastic story with multifaceted depth, The Forbidden Trilogy is a 3 book story of kids with extraordinary powers and their endeavor for freedom and a life of their own. Be prepared for nail-biting suspense, grey areas regarding morals and ethics, and a complicated and highly emotional romance. It’s a very intriguing read that gets your imagination up and running as you consider the possibilities. If you like worlds like X-Men, you don’t want to miss out!

Rating:

Links:

Website
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

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About the Author

Kimberly Kinrade was born with ink in her veins and magic in her heart. She writes fantasy and paranormal stories for children, YA and adults and still believes in magic worlds. Check out her YA paranormal novels Forbidden Mind and Forbidden Fire and her illustrated children's fantasy chapter books Lexie World, and Bella World, all on Amazon.

She lives with her three little girls who think they're ninja princesses with super powers, her two dogs who think they're humans and her husband, also known as the sexy Russian Prince, who is the love of her life and writing partner.

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The Forbidden Trilogy

FORBIDDEN MIND

49% of Americans believe their government officials are honest. I don't know these officials, or their supporters, but I know their secrets, and 49% of Americans are wrong.

My employers pay me well to be right, to know things others can't. But I don't know why they brought that boy in, strapped to a stretcher, barely conscious. He asked me for help when I could give none.

I'm a wealthy spy, a talented artist, a martial arts black belt, and a prisoner. They tell me that on my eighteenth birthday, I will be released, free to go to the college of my dreams. It's my eighteenth birthday, and a man in black is at my door. I know he's not here to free me.

I know, because I can read minds.

My name is Sam, and this is my story.

So begins the tale of Sam and Drake--from the time they link minds, forging a bond that leads to an unconventional romance--to their fight for survival against the corrupt, twisted organization known as 'Rent-A-Kid.'

FORBIDDEN FIRE

"She escaped, but she'll never be free."

"Time held no meaning as my mind darted in and out of memories. Past and present collided to create a full-sensory collage out of my life: playing hide-n-seek with my best friends Luke--who always cheated by walking through walls when he was about to be caught--and Lucy; Mr. Caldrin critiquing my sketches and offering ideas to make them more realistic; targets changing faces, blending into the same person, their thoughts rippling through my mind like waves. Through it all, a demon stalked me from the shadows of my memories, never quite showing its face, but crouching, waiting.

And then I dreamed...."

Sam and Drake may have escaped, but they aren't free—not with a powerful Seeker after them. As Sam struggles with the ethics of her new powers and embraces a blossoming physical relationship with Drake, Lucy and Luke face challenges of their own.

With forces coalescing inside and outside the Rent-A-Kid dorms, it's only a matter of time before the fire they started forces each of them to make choices they can't undo. But will it be enough to save them?

FORBIDDEN LIFE

The road to redemption begins in darkness.

A sinister force waits for them in darkness, ready to devour their powers and take their lives.

Sam's baby is the key to a lock that must never been opened. To keep her child safe, Sam will do anything.

Drake might have found a way to get his powers back and save his family, but is it too late?

Luke and Lucy uncover secrets in an organization they thought they could trust, and the lives of all Rent-A-Kid children are at stake.

In this last Forbidden Trilogy installment, the secrets to Rent-A-Kid will finally be revealed.

***Up for grabs on this tour is a giant SWAG pack open to US/CAN only. Enter via the Rafflecopter below!***

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BLOG TOUR: Welcome to Adelheid by Mia Darien

Thanks to Bewitching Book Tours for hosting this blog tour. I have Mia Darien, author of Welcome to Adelheid here today with some wild characters. Welcome!

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This is what happens when you let your characters run wild...

Sadie: Mia is letting us have control of a blog post for today. We get to talk about whatever we want.

Dakota: She’s a bigger idiot than I thought.

Madison: Dakota, play nice. Just because you’re in a bad mood doesn’t mean you have to be nasty to everyone else.

Sadie: She’s in a bad mood? I hadn’t been able to tell the difference.

Dakota: *growls deep in her throat, snapping her teeth*

Sadie: Down, kitty!

Vance: Do I have to separate the two of you?

Madison: Vance! Where the hell did you come from?

Vance: My parents, or so they claim. I haven’t seen any proof yet.

Dakota: Are you here to do anything useful, or just be obnoxious?

Vance: Dakota, I hardly noticed you doing anything useful. You were just growling at my girlfriend. I don’t take too kindly to that really. Oh, that’s a mature expression you’re making. You’re older than all of us, put together, including the vampire. When are you going to learn to behave?

Sadie: I’m guessing not ever.

Dakota: I could kill both of you so easily.

Vance: You’d be arrested.

Dakota: You’d never catch me. I’m the best hunter around. Even Mia admitted it.

Sadie: I know who could find you.

Dakota: You wouldn’t…

Madison: You know she would.

Dakota: *growls again, but a little quieter this time* Damn Mia and her book, butting into my life. I refuse to forgive her just because some things worked out well in the end.

Madison: You do have a way with animals, Sadie.

Sadie: I live with you, don’t I?

Madison: Hey! I clean up after myself every shedding season. I don’t want to hear it out of you, bloodsucker.

Sadie: Love you too, Madison.

Dakota: Aren’t we supposed to be doing something constructive with this blog post?

Madison: Look who is suddenly the voice of maturity!

Dakota: Well, my age was brought up. I figured I had to do something with it, now that I’m the old-as-dirt one.

Sadie: Oh, I’d never say you were older than dirt. Whatever is older than dirt. That’s you.

Dakota: *hisses* I really could kill you and find a way to hide the body. Maybe I’d just turn into a big cat and eat the remains.

Sadie: Now there’s a thought that’s gonna fester.

Vance: Don’t worry. She’d never do it. Vampires taste like death.

Sadie: Damn this blog and its PG rating! I’d really like to reply to that properly.

Vance: That’s why I said it.

Dakota: Would you like us to leave you two alone?

Sadie: Honestly…?

Dakota: Oh, God. I’m out of here.

Sadie: If only I’d known it would be that easy to get rid of her…

Madison: You love us and you know it. Even her. You don’t know what you’d do without us.

Sadie: I suppose that’s true. Just don’t tell her that. And keep your voice down. She could be anywhere. She could be that fly buzzing around our heads right now…

Dakota: *calls from other side of door* Or I could be eavesdropping right outside the door!

Sadie: Oh, hell. So much for being constructive…

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About the Author

Mia Darien is an indie author of speculative fiction, and a New England Yankee transplanted into Alabama clay. No matter her geography, she continues to stubbornly and rebelliously live the life of her choosing along with her family and pets. She doesn't miss the snow.

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Welcome to Adelheid Books One - Three

Welcome to Adelheid, CT. Freak central. Unofficial capital of legal preternatural creatures in the Northeast. Focal point for anti-preternatural sentiments in the United States.

Who would ever guess that this otherwise sleepy New England town houses many of the most powerful beings known to exist?

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In "Cameron's Law," meet Sadie Stanton, vampire poster girl for preternatural rights. She's just trying to start a business to help the community, but when vampires and werewolves start attacking each other, she gets thrust in the middle.

In "When Forever Died," Dakota is a rare shifter and hunter who has lived a long, hard life. But the past never sleeps and two simultaneous cases are going to test the personal defenses she's built over the centuries.

In "Voracious," the life D wants isn't what it seems. He certainly never planned on the fangs, but he's going to need a lot more than the pointy teeth to survive the first weeks of his new existence.

***Up for grabs on this tour are four paperback copies of Welcome to Adelheid (open to US only) and twelve ebook copies of Welcome to Adelheid. Enter via the Rafflecopter below!***

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BLOG TOUR: Seven Seals Series by Traci Douglass

Thanks to Bewitching Book Tours for hosting this blog tour. I'm spotlighting the Seven Seals series by Traci Douglass today. Happy reading!

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Love conquers all… but can it stop the Apocalypse?

Mira Herald is having the worst life ever. Not only is she plagued by horrific nightmares starring the Devil himself, she’s now the target of a power-hungry, rogue minion, freshly sprung from Hell and bent on her destruction. To complicate matters further, she’s acquired a stalker. One who insists he’s a divine warrior sent for her protection because she houses an ancient relic with the power to unleash Armageddon. Last time Mira checked, she wasn’t insane. Still, all this celestial mayhem is enough to drive a girl crazy.

Kagan is a member of the Scion, an elite team of immortal warriors selected by Divinity to aid mankind and save the world. After a century alone, Kagan is summoned for a new mission. He’s eager to begin. Eager until he’s informed his mission consists of protecting a woman with no clue to the power she wields. Plus, his briefing fails to prepare him for his new target’s cosmic-sized attitude problem. As Divinity’s sworn servant, he’s required to fulfill his duty. His oath, however, does not require him to be enthusiastic about his new assignment or warm-and-fuzzy toward his new compatriot. He plans a wham-bam rescue and a quick return to solitude.

The rogue minion attacks—with the backing of a mysterious organization—and all Hades erupts, putting a fast end to any whirlwind escapes. Accustomed to staunch independence, Mira’s survival now requires full cooperation and an unwavering belief in Kagan. The battle-hardened warrior is also forced to chose: between duty and desire. Amidst the turmoil, Kagan and Mira’s undeniable passion draws them closer to each other and down a path neither expected but both yearn for, more than they ever knew.

Will love save the day? The world’s fate depends on the answer.

~EXCERPT~

“Basta!” Kagan grabbed her by the arm and twisted slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to let her know he meant business as he directed her to a corner booth. He ignored the half-full beverages and coats scattered on the seats and shoved Mira into the confined space. When the booth’s original owners took issue with his hostile takeover, Kagan dispatched them with a lethal glare. He wasn’t sure where the girl had gotten the idea his mind was damaged, but he was damn sure he didn’t like it. He moved in behind her to block her escape.

“Oh, hell, no!” After several unsuccessful strikes to his muscled physique, Mira tried to slide out beneath the table. The angle proved too awkward. Defeated, she shoved as far away as she could into the corner and propped those killer boots on the seat in front of her in warning. “You better let me out of here, asshole, before I call the cops! I caught you stalking me, pervert!”

Kagan took a deep breath. He never lost his cool in battle, and he wasn’t about to start now. “Pervert? You’re of age, si?”

Mira glared. Kagan ticked through their earlier interactions, searching for a reason behind her intense hostility. His preternatural instincts sensed her intention before her hand reached his carotid. He blocked her quickly, locking her small hand within his and forcing it to the table beneath his own. Her pulse raced against his palm. He took another swig of beer then flashed his most endearing grin. “Let’s start over.” He released his bottle and extended his hand. “I’m Kagan.”

She refused to acquiesce. Kagan spoke in quiet tones meant to calm, to reassure. “I know I’m a stranger, but we have things to discuss.” He glanced around the crowded club, at the bodies packed tight. “We can’t do it here, though—no privacy. My apartment is close. Why don’t we go there and talk?”

Mira kicked him hard in the thigh.

“Merda!” Kagan grabbed his throbbing leg. “What’s in those damn boots? Marble?”

“Let me out of here, jackass, before I sideline your baby-maker!” Mira struggled within the tight confines of the booth. As she squirmed, the spicy scent of her shampoo wafted, and he was overcome with the strangest urge to plunge his hands into the riotous mass of her hair, to feel it curl around his fingers. She tugged on the hand pinned beneath his, and his thumb traced over her thudding veins. His heart pounding along with hers. The odd tingle sped through his torso, and his mouth turned to cotton. Her gaze blazed up at him, a swirling mix of green and golden brown. He noted the dark smudges below and wondered what kept her from slumber.

Dolce Cristo! Kagan looked away, fought for control. This was getting way out of hand. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d bedded a woman, but apparently it had been far too long.

Love, like War, will always find a way…

War has shaped every aspect of Irena Soldan’s life—her childhood, her work, her DNA. Unaware she is the genetic host of the second Seal of the Apocalypse, Irena battles for those who cannot fight for themselves. As a top human-rights operative for The Omega Consortium, her company provides both the financial backing required to undertake her task and a charismatic, publicity-loving boss to promote her cause. Life proceeds on plan for Irena until a mysterious, sexy stranger arrives claiming to be her guardian and Irena’s path takes a sudden, inauspicious turn for both the erotic and the lethal.

Chago has always been the quiet one amongst his warrior Scion brethren—the brooding, Spanish combat expert with a hidden soft side. A member of Divinity’s covert special forces, he’s protected humanity for more than a millennium. Still, his greatest joy comes not from the battlefield, but from tending the cattle herd on his remote Montana ranch.

Irena’s new assignment takes her straight to the heart of a bloody civil conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa and Chago’s mission demands he follow. Expecting a seething cauldron of female whoop-ass, he instead discovers a harbinger of peace amidst a world of ever-increasing violence. The explosively tense situation is further magnified by the cunning Omega Consortium leader, his ambiguous personal agenda, and an ancient foe whose audacious rise to power threatens the world’s very existence.

Despite the cataclysmic circumstances, an undeniable attraction ignites between Chago and Irena. Together, they must unravel the ancient puzzle of the Seals and discover her employer’s ulterior plans before they both become casualties of War. Soon, both are forced to choose between a past riddled with old torments or risk everything they treasure on a love capable of defeating evil incarnate.

~EXCERPT~

Irena dropped her gaze and took a sudden interest in her shoes. Funny. She’d been asking herself the same question all night. “And Drake is not my boyfriend.”

“Oh, so he’s just your sex buddy then?”

“He is not my sex buddy!” Her sexual affairs were none of this man’s damn business anyway. Why should he care who she slept with? Still, she couldn’t seem to stop the excuses. “He was ... available.”

Cringe. Her overloud pronouncement echoed through the vacant lobby. The words sounded crass, cheap. Things she’d never meant to imply. How could she tell a man she’d met only hours before about the terror of the bombing raids? About the deep, gnawing loss she’d experienced when the Burmese school had been struck by mortar fire. About the unquenchable need to reaffirm life. Those were things he couldn’t possibly comprehend.

The elevator arrived and they both hustled inside. Chago reached to push the button then returned to his corner, his arms crossed and gaze averted. Irena shuffled uncomfortably in her own space and tried to pretend his presence didn’t disturb the hell out of her.

“Look, I’m not easy with my affections, okay?” Shit. There went her mouth again. She didn’t owe this man any explanation for her behavior. So why couldn’t she stop talking? “When you’ve seen the things I have, you need some kind of life affirmation to keep going.”

“Hmmm. Is that what they’re calling it these days?”
Irena glanced up to find him focused on the ceiling. She returned to studying the carpet.
“Look. I’m a man of war. I understand the need to affirm life.” Chago sighed, stepping closer to rest his hand on the wall beside her head. “But what occurred in that office was not affirming anything except the fact Drake Benedict is a supreme ... douchebag.”

Her bottled-up stress erupted into a catharsis of giggles. To hear such an intimidating guy call her boss a douchebag had been the highlight of Irena’s disastrous evening. His poleaxed expression only made Irena laugh harder. Soon helpless tears streamed down her cheeks. “I—I’m sorry. I can’t stop thinking about the look on Drake’s face when you came out of the closet. Priceless!”

He studied her for several moments before cracking a smile of his own. “You really do have shitty taste in men.”

“Beware, mister.” She chucked him on the arm, her giggles subsiding. “For a minute downstairs, I thought you were pretty hot too.”

His gaze narrowed. “Hot?”
“Don’t worry. The minute has now passed.” “Maybe your taste is improving, querida.” Chago moved closer and grasped her chin, raising her gaze to his. His thumb traced over her lips and incited a tingle that nosedived straight between her legs.

Irena’s pulse raced and her throat went arid. The scent of his aftershave, cassis and vanilla, surrounded her. He hovered, allowing her an opportunity to break free. When she didn’t move, Chago closed the miniscule gap between them and his lips brushed softly over hers.

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About the Author

Traci is the author of paranormal/urban fantasy and contemporary romances featuring a sly, urban edge, including her current Seven Seals series. Her stories feature sizzling alpha-male heroes full of dark humor, quick wits and major attitudes; smart, independent heroines who always give as good as they get; and scrumptiously evil villains who are—more often than not—bent on world destruction. She enjoys weaving ancient curses and mythology, modern science and old religion, and great dialogue together to build red-hot, sizzling chemistry between her main characters.

Traci is an active member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Indiana Romance Writers of America (IRWA) and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Writers (FF&P) and is pursing a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Writing Popular Fiction through Seton Hill University. Her stories have made the final rounds in several RWA chapter contests, including the 2012 Duel on the Delta, the 2012 Molly Awards, and the 2012 Catherine Awards. An earlier draft of Seal of Destiny won the paranormal category of the 2012 Marlene Awards sponsored by the Washington Romance Writers.

Other current projects include upcoming books in the Seven Seals series and a new futuristic suspense series with hints of the paranormal and plenty of romance.

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