Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout Blog Tour ♥ APOLLYON Day (Teasers & Giveaway!)

 Hi, people! So. I was originally going to review Apollyon, since I have yet to do that, but life did its funky thing and I have to hold off on my review until next week sometime. So for now, I'm posting TEASERS! 

Okay, okay. I know what you're thinking. "TEASERS, Jessica? We've all already read the aweosmeness that is this book. You're the only one who's been slow about this."

I know. For real, I know. BUT. This is a walk down memory lane, right? Remember after we finished Deity and we were all flipping out over that ending, how Alex was smiling and we were like AWW AIDEN and were like holy crap WTF is Jen going to do? And then in the months before we got our hands on this beauty, Jen was posting teasers.

Remember how those teasers made us feel? Excited, terrified, and then excited all over again--even more so. THAT is why I'm doing this.

Plus, it's cool to look back on what used to tease us and know that we know exactly what was going on in that scene--often, for me anyway, what I imagined turned out to be nothing like what I imagined it would be. 

So. TEASERS! 

(I'm grabbing these from Deity Island, because Vi has always been amazing at keeping up with what Jen teases us with. Oh, and these probably aren't ALL the teasers EVER. Just some.) 

Teaser #1:

Teaser #2: 

My feet touched the ground and I took a step forward—one, and then another. And Aiden didn’t move. He waited. It was in those eyes of his, the finality of this. He wouldn’t win, he couldn’t and he knew it. Aiden accepted it. As I reached him, the rain stopped and the clouds parted. The sun followed my footsteps. “Alex.” Aiden’s voice was broken. Like a cobra striking, I took Aiden’s legs out from under him and he was on his back before another breath could be taken. Straddling him, I placed my hands on his shoulders. The marks of the Apollyon glowed a vibrant blue and raced over my skin. I leaned in, placing my lips above his and the words that came out of my mouth were mine… but weren’t. “All moments end, Saint Delphi. And now yours has.” I pressed my lips to the corner of his and he flinched. “You are weak because you love.” Aiden stared up at me, unblinking. “To love is not weak. Love is the strongest thing there is.” My lips curved into a smile. Idiot. 

Teaser #3:

His all-white eyes gleamed. “I’ve seen it all in battle. There is the way the body curls into itself when it wants death. There is the silent scream for release. There are the eyes, and they speak even when the tongue no longer works. And then there is the soul that rots so poorly when death is wanted but withheld that it carries a certain stench.” Ice shot through my veins, turning my blood to slush. At that moment I knew no matter how much I fought, this… this was going to suck. 

Teaser #4:

“One down,” I said, turning around. “Who’s ne—?”
Thanatos tossed Marcus to the ground, deflected Solos’ attack, and turned on me in a nanosecond. It was pretty epic.
A bolt of white light flew from Thanatos’ hand and there wasn’t a single thing in this world that could move fast enough. Not even Seth, I was betting.
It hit me just below the chest and my legs collapsed from underneath me. Red-hot, searing pain sliced through my skin and my face smacked off the ground. I didn’t even feel it. There was nothing but the razing pain locking up my muscles.
God bolts sucked.
Aiden yelled my name, and then I thought I heard my name called again, but it was inside my head, loud, and so very angry… and it sounded like Seth.
Without any warning, the ground trembled under my twitching body. A flash of golden light cascaded through the clearing. Warmth stole over my body. Weakly, I lifted my head.
Two leather-clad legs stood before me.
“That is enough, Thanatos.” Apollo’s voice was calm, but it was that creepy, deadly calm I never wanted to be on the receiving end of.
“N-n-nice of y-you to s-show up,” I gasped.
“Shut up, Alex.” Apollo strode forward. A ray of light followed his steps. 

Teaser #5:

“They do.” Apollo’s eyes narrowed on me. “But I was hoping there was something knocking around in her brain that held the answer to that little problem. But—” Apollo smacked a hand down on my leg. “Must you always be moving some part of your body?”
I glared at him as I not-so-gently removed his hand. The contact of his flesh on mine brought the marks of Apollyon out like nothing else. And I knew he saw them by the way his eyes darted over my face. “It’s not hurting you,” I said.
“It’s annoying.”
“You’re annoying,” I shot back. 

Teaser #6:

 

Teaser #7: 

  

Teaser #8: 

Absolute power—unforgiving and hard, pure as it was deadly— coursed over my skin. I reared back, summoning the fifth and final element. Intense blue light erupted from my palm. Akasha ripped from me, arcing through the air like cloud-to-cloud lightning, homing in on its target and striking true. The sky crackled and heated. One second, the automaton was on his knee, and the next he was nothing but a pile of shimmery dust. “Good gods,” came Olivia’s hoarse whisper. Another automaton took the fallen one’s place, swinging out with a metal hand that clinked and clicked. Fire sparked from its open mouth. I spun, catching the broad side of his arm and twisting. The hoarse shout of pain was lost in the clash of metal, the thunder of bullets finding another automaton. It raised its bull face and snapped at me with massive jaws. “Please.” I placed my hand on the massive forehead. Blue light coursed over the head and down the body, lightening up the metallic skull and bone structure. For a moment, it was like a pretty x-ray or a jellyfish—a really disturbing jellyfish—and then cobalt light radiated from its eyes and open mouth. It imploded—caved in on itself, turning to nothing but dust. And then the crap really hit the fan. The automatons—every last one of the freaky bull things—turned on me. They moved quickly, metal legs rattling and clinking. Fire spewed from their mouths like the poor man’s version of a dragon. They came from all directions, Apollyon-seeking missiles with “Kill Alex” stamped all over them. Fire came from them, blinding and intense. Nothing existed outside the flames. No sound. No sight. My world was red and orange... And my world was tinted in amber. Alex? His voice came through the thrumming connection. I ignored him and the way his consciousness slid in alongside mine. What are you up to? 

Teaser #9: 

"Sounds like a smart idea." Dark humor laced Aiden's voice. "You might want to get your gun off my brother's face while you're at it."  

Teaser #10:

  

And that's it for the teasers!

Now, for other stuffy stuff...

Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

Release Date: April 4, 2013

Pagecount: 343

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Series: Covenant #4

Buy It: Amazon | B&N 

Description from Goodreads:

Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

About the Author

# 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia.

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true.

Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen.

Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

 Author Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway 

Spencer Hill Press is giving away a $200 gift card to Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Book Depository or any indie bookstore of the winner's choice to not only stock up on amazing books, but to perhaps buy a Nook HD or Kindle Fire!  

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♥Jessica(: 

A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris Release Day!

 

 

A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris

 

Release Date: August 6, 2013 (TODAY!)

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Series: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #2

 

Description from Goodreads:

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

 

Teasers

 

 

 

Oh, Austin... Hehehe

 

Excerpt

 

Without stopping or even slowing his stride, he grabs a map from a vendor and flips it open. “So Lethal Xperience is at the back of the park. We’ll hit that first and then make our way up to the front.”

 

He seems unaware that the length of his legs far exceeds my own. As I frantically attempt to match his stride, I must pant or wheeze because he finally looks down at me, no doubt pink-faced and wide-eyed both from the sensory overload surrounding us and my huffing at a near jog to stay beside him. He grins. “Try to keep up, Short Stuff.”

 

I grit my teeth with determination and somehow keep myself from muttering, Yes, Master. But the thought still makes me smile. Cat must be rubbing off.

 

We pass a circular ride filled with fake horses going up and down. Giggling and drooling children clap their adorable hands from their belted saddles while a spirited tune blares overhead. Just past that is a miniature roller coaster made to look like a giant, happy centipede. The child in the front seat waves to his mother as the cart dips, and his squeal of joy tails behind him. It’s too bad that not all roller coasters can be five feet tall.

 

Then I get a wicked idea.

 

Austin believes I am a child, naive and boring, and, it would seem, without any humor. This second challenge is supposed to be about fun, and nothing—not even the lead role in a prestigious play with a crowd of a thousand—will give me more joy than turning the tables on him, even if only for a moment.

 

Looking back at the children’s ride, I grab Austin’s elbow and say innocently, “Is this not the roller coaster you are looking for?”

 

He stops rather abruptly and peers at me through squinted eyes. “You know, it’s like you look normal…” He trails off and shakes his head. He points a long tan finger at the centipede ride and in a tone dripping with condescension explains, “Less, Arthropod Picnic is a kiddie ride. It’s made for pint-size ankle-biters ages three and under.”

 

I try my best to look disappointed. I do everything I can to contain my mounting delight. But after no more than a few brief moments, I let forth a victorious giggle.

 

Realization dawns on his face. “You think you’re funny, huh?”

 

When I nod, he chuckles. He leans back on his heels and lets his gaze travel over my body. Humor dissipates as my skin prickles to life. On Austin’s slow ascent back up, he pauses to look me in the eye and an emotion crosses his face. It’s so fleeting—gone and there in an instant—that I cannot catch it.

 

“So, you think you’re ready to play at the big girl table now.” The left side of his mouth kicks up in a grin. “We’ll just have to see about that.”

 

The apparent taunt and Austin’s added wink spur me on.

 

This is my chance to prove to him that I’m not the timid girl I once was. To prove to myself that I’m no longer the child of my youth but a woman ready for the future.

 

I sashay toward a person dressed as a shiny nugget of gold posing for pictures with children, feeling Austin watching me, his gaze on my every step like a physical touch. My legs feel wobbly under my skirt, but an energizing spark ignites in my blood. I glance over my shoulder, confirming I have his complete attention, and then with an outward shrug (and an inner dance), I reply with every ounce of confidence I can muster, “Yes. We will.”

 

Austin’s smile widens. The sounds and patrons of the park fade away, and it is as if we are the only two around. I don’t know what is happening…I scarcely even recognize myself in this moment. Being with Austin does that. It turns me into someone else.

 

And I like who I become.

 

I watch his slow saunter, my body poised with tension. I don’t know what is going to happen next, but I wouldn’t trade the delicious expectation for anything. Austin doesn’t stop until he is right in front of me, close enough that I have to look up to meet his demanding blue gaze, and so close that warmth fans across my face as he says in a low voice, “Careful, girl. You’re playing with fire.”

 

“I’ve been careful my whole life,” I tell him, surprising myself with the resentment ringing in my tone. But it’s the truth. “And you know, I think it’s about time for me to be a little…” I bite the corner of my bottom lip, searching for exactly the right word to describe the emotions and thoughts that have surfaced the last few days. When I find it, I smile and wiggle my eyebrows suggestively “Wild.”

 

Austin sucks in a breath. He searches my eyes and I boldly stare back, praying that he cannot see my knees shaking. Then, obviously concluding that I meant every word, he flashes his devilish grin. “I can work with that.”

About the Author

Rachel Harris grew up in New Orleans, where she watched soap operas with her grandmother and stayed up late sneak reading her mama’s favorite romance novels. Now a Cajun cowgirl living in Houston, she still stays up way too late reading her favorite romances, only now, she can do so openly. She firmly believes life’s problems can be solved with a hot, powdered-sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.

When not typing furiously or flipping pages in an enthralling romance, she homeschools her two beautiful girls and watches reality television with her amazing husband. Taste The Heat is her adult romance debut. She’s the author of MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY and A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES. She loves hearing from readers! Find her at www.RachelHarrisWrites.com.

 

More places to find Rachel:

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 

 

 

Giveaway!

 

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♥Jessica(:

Cover Reveal/Teaser Tuesday: The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram & Giveaway

Title: The Avery Shaw Experiment
Author: Kelly Oram
Publisher: Bluefields
Format: ebook
Genre: YA contemporary romance
Release Date: May 2013

Summary:

When Avery Shaw’s heart is shattered by her life-long best friend, she chooses to deal with it the only way she knows how—scientifically.

The state science fair is coming up and Avery decides to use her broken heart as the topic of her experiment. She’s going to find the cure. By forcing herself to experience the seven stages of grief through a series of social tests, she believes she will be able to get over Aiden Kennedy and make herself ready to love again. But she can’t do this experiment alone, and her partner (ex partner!) is the one who broke her heart.

Avery finds the solution to her troubles in the form of Aiden’s older brother Grayson. The gorgeous womanizer is about to be kicked off the school basketball team for failing physics. He’s in need of a good tutor and some serious extra credit. But when Avery recruits the lovable Grayson to be her “objective outside observer,” she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for, because Grayson has a theory of his own: Avery doesn’t need to grieve. She needs to live. And if there’s one thing Grayson Kennedy is good at, it’s living life to the fullest.

Teaser One - Avery

Grayson finally noticed Aiden and I on the couch. “What are you two dorks doing?”

“Learning about steroids,” I said cheerfully. “You should probably know that using them can cause acne, testicular atrophy, decreased sperm count, prostate enlargement and gynecomastia.”

Grayson looked rightfully appalled. “Gyneco-what-ia?”

“Enlarged breasts in men,” Aiden translated. “So you should lay off the juice before you have to start borrowing Avery’s bras.”

I gasped at the mention of my underwear and whacked Aiden’s shoulder hard.

Behind me, Grayson laughed. I knew he was about to deliver a comeback, but I refused to look at him. Seconds later his breath was warm on my neck. He whispered just low enough that his mother couldn’t hear what he said. “I like my bras colorful and lacey, Aves. Not sure your collection would do it for me.”

Total mortification. Grayson may be as close as family to me, but he was still one of the hottest, most popular guys in our whole school. Him discussing my bras in that low sexy voice that could stop a girl’s heart on the spot made my lungs constrict. Plus, he was right of course. My bras were all of the plain white cotton variety.

Teaser Two - Grayson

I started to leave the room but she stopped me at the door. “Grayson?” Her tone tugged at something inside me. “You really want to take me with you tonight?”

She sounded so small and unsure of herself. It was how she always sounded at school and around strangers, but never when she was at home with us. I think my brother had really broken her. I was seriously going to have to beat him sometime.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I know I really freaked out on you earlier, but I promise I’ll be fine. Aiden’s right.” She swallowed back a lump in her throat. “I’ll manage without him somehow.”

“Aiden’s a tool. You can learn how to manage tomorrow. Tonight’s New Years Eve and for once in your life you’re going to spend it without Aiden or The Discovery Channel.

I knew I was making progress when she cracked a smile and asked, “What about Whootylicious in 7 B?”

I thought of the luscious booty I’d originally planned on seeing tonight and sighed. “That will be an unfortunate loss, but, like you, I will just have to deal.”

I winked and then decided I’d give her ten minutes before I came back and physically dragged her out of bed.

Other books by Kelly Oram

About Kelly Oram...

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which family and friends still tease her. She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and loves to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and four children.

Website † Twitter † Facebook † GoodReads 

Win all four books by Kelly Oram in ebook format. This giveaway is open international, as long as you have a way to open the file.

Must be 13 or older to enter.

Enter via Rafflecopter below.

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Before I let y'all go, I just have to say...sweet baby Jesus, this book looks GOOD! I want to reeeeeeeeeeead iiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!

 

Okay, fangirl moment over. ;)

 

♥Jessica(: 

THE COLLECTOR Teasers ;)

 

For those of us who spend ginormous amounts of time on Twitter, you may have seen these already, but if you DON'T spend loads of time tweeting your life away, you may have missed these. Either way, I'm posting them here because, um, hello? I want them to be on my blog.

 

BECAUSE THEY'RE SO AMAZING.

 

So here are some of the teasers Liz Pelletier (V's editor) was tweeting from THE COLLECTOR.

 

"Some"?! Y'all are probably caught on that word, right? I know I would be.

 

Well, you see, Liz did some tweeting of Dante teasers TWICE. And first of all, I only caught one of these days. Second of all, I'm not actually taking these from Twitter. Ha, I'm too lazy for that, guys. So these are actually being taken from V's website where she posted about Liz being a tease!

 

Okay?

 

Are you ready for the teasers now?

 

GOOD.

 

“I’m playing my part on Team Hell like a heavyweight.” – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR


“If I don’t get an A in this class, my grandma will skin me alive and make it look like an accident.” – Charlie Cooper, THE COLLECTOR


“As Charlie is leaving, she somehow trips on the threshold and nearly face-plants. Out of all the souls on Planet Earth, how is this the soul I’ve come to collect?” – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR


“Man it feels good to seal souls. Like a little slice of bacon.” – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR


“Steal is an ugly word, Charlie. What we’re doing is letting loose.” – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR


“I stare at Charlie until a shining light engulfs her small frame. Then I point my finger and release a seal. It attached to her soul and stays there. And damn it if she doesn’t turn around at that very moment…and smile.” – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR


“I’m no doctor, but I’m fairly certain Grams is hopped up on enough meds to bring down a rhinoceros.” – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR


“I was sure a city with the name Peachville couldn’t have a rough part of town. I stand corrected.” – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR


“She’s getting drunk because of me. This fact is ninety-five percent pleasing, and five percent…something else.” – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR


“Behind her glasses, her eyes are red and swollen and so filled with hurt that I fear I will murder someone. That I will actually end someone’s life.” – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR


“Wait, is [Charlie's best friend] trying to intimidate me? Because if she is…it just might work. Bitch be scary.” – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR


“I lean in and whisper in Taylor’s ear, “You don’t know who you’re fucking with, princess. Ain’t no one do bad like I do.” – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR


“I’m sorry, Charlie,” I whisper. I’m not sure she hears me, and I’m definitely not sure I mean it. – Dante Walker, THE COLLECTOR

And that is it for the awesome teaser-sharing. Is it just me or is this book going to be soooo ah-maaaazing?!?! Goodness. I'm so sad that April is still SO. FAR. AWAY. Blaaah!

 

What do YOU think of the teasers? Are you as excited about this book as I am?!

 

♥Jessica(: