by Philip J. Gould Genre: YA Action/Adventure, Sci-fi Release Date: March 29th 2016 Summary from Goodreads: With her mother murdered and her traitor father taken by the CIA, could things possibly get any worse for Sophie Jennings? In her quest for the truth Sophie travels to America in search of the bio geneticist father responsible for the genetically enhanced DNA that has given her super-human abilities. Wanting an explanation for recent tragic events and a cure for her invisibility, Sophie finds herself in Washington DC. With the help of the British Secret Intelligence Service and her own unique deadly skills Sophie uncovers a terrible truth. Plunged into the middle of a battle involving the American army, Sophie is faced with a task that threatens both her morality and sanity - save her father or save thousands of lives. The Sons of Gyges is the explosive, action-centric second novel in The Girl in the Mirror series.
Emily Porter felt like sheâd barely had time to take a breath as she followed Sophieâs voice at a run through the corridors, down flights of stairs and eventually out of the hospital.
Armed police heading into the building gave her little notice, assuming her haste was due to fear and the continuing racket of the alarm system. An invisible hand occasionally grappled with hers, leading her in directions less obvious.
Street lighting illuminated the paths surrounding the hospital buildings. Running to the left of the Critical Care Centre, passing the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer and the Pasquerilla Health Centres, Sophie brought her to a stop outside the garage entrance of the Georgetown University Hotel.
Out of breath, Emily doubled over in her standing position, trying to recover. She looked up to where she imagined Sophie was standing, just a step away from her. âI guess...â she started, â... I owe you one...â Her words were punctuated by gasps for oxygen.
âWhat were you and Ryan thinking?â Sophie scorned. âYou couldâve died in there!â
âI...â Emily couldnât think of an excuse. She stood upright. Her heart was still pumping fast. Instead she said: âI know. We are trying to help you!â
âAnd I appreciate that.â Sophie sounded quite the opposite. âJust do it from the end of a phone. I can do without these... distractions...â
âI think you are forgetting something.â Emily held up Agent Robertsâ shoes. âWithout me we wouldnât know how important these are.â
âSize nine brogues... Classy.â
âHe hid something in the heel of one of them.â Emily turned the shoes over to inspect the soles. Not seeing anything obvious, she put one shoe down and paid closer attention to the one still in her hand. With a finger she probed the inside, feeling the lining for any signs of a secret compartment. She turned it back over and tapped the sole with the nail of her index finger. It sounded solid. She discarded the shoe in favour of the other.
âItâs beginning to look like you nearly died for nothing...â
Emily repeated her actions from the first shoe. Probing the lining inside the shoe again, she turned it over and ran the flat of her hand over the surface of the sole. The treads were rough for the most part but worn smooth in others.
âJust ditch the shoe and letâs go...â
Emily tapped the sole with the nail of an index finger once again. Solid... until the heel. The sound of the tapping changed pitch slightly â more dull, hollow.
âYou were saying?â Emily noticed a very minute line of an indentation just above the surface of the flat of the heel. She tried prying it off with her nail but it seemed stuck down fast. âDo you have a knife?â
âDo I look like someone who carries a knife?â Sophie countered.
âUm, yes... actually you do!â
Sophie ignored the comment. âHere. Give it to me.â
Emily held the shoe out. It abruptly disappeared into thin air as Sophie snatched it away.
âHmm. I see,â Sophie made a few more noises of affirmation. âYes. Got it.â She placed the shoe back into Emilyâs hand where it suddenly reappeared.
âA sliding compartment,â she grunted satisfactorily. âShould have guessed that.â A thin piece of hard rubber at the base of the heel had been pushed from the centre outwards to the back, to reveal a small square compartment big enough to hide any object the size of a small matchbox. Whatever was hidden in the secret compartment was steeped in shadow. Emily upended the shoe and gave it a gentle tap with the flat of four fingers. A small flat piece of plastic the size of a thumbnail came dislodged and fell out into the palm of her hand. Carefully, she examined it under the soft light of a neighbouring streetlamp.
âA flash card,â she said with an air of bewilderment, turning it over one handed with her thumb. In her head she heard Agent Spencer Roberts:
âIn my... shoe... youâll find... what you... want...â
Book One:
The Girl in the Mirror
Genre: YA Action/Adventure, Sci-fi
Release Date: October 27th 2015
Summary from Goodreads:
Abduction. Theft. Murder. Betrayal.
Created as a prototype for a soldier of the future, sixteen-year-old Sophie Jennings possesses abilities like no other. With exceptional strength, intelligence, endurance, longevity and the ability to become invisible, she is a force to be reckoned with, but many will try. Her father, a bio-geneticist with a murky past, has ties to a corporation whose motives are questionable. His unease with their intentions, prompts him to run, taking Sophie with him. Their journey unleashes a malicious chain of events that will pin Sophie up against a sadistic and equally powerful opponent and force her into a position to utilise every skill necessary to outwit and outrun her pursuers. Fight or flight? Hide or seek? For Sophie, the decision is simple. Unbeknownst to her, taking out two armed men will only be the beginning of what sheâll face during the next forty-eight hours. Will Sophie, inexperienced and untested, prove to be their worst enemy? The Girl in the Mirror is a gripping action adventure that twists and turns, and twists some more. Like Sophie Jennings, you won't see the end coming...
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Sophie was now standing in front of the fallen soldier. He slowly reached up to his ear and removed the earpiece, electronic voices continuing to whisper commands and instructions, oblivious to what had concluded in the apartment. He pulled the microphone out from his jacket and tossed it aside.
âIâm done,â he repeated hoarsely, then spat a globule of spit and blood out.
Sophie reached down and picked up the ear and mouth piece, holding it up to her ear.
âAlpha Team, whatâs going on? Report? Back up team will be with you shortly. Do you copy?â
Sophie walked over to the place where the window had been, the curtains billowing in like an unfurled flag. She peered out just as her father had done earlier.
âWhy wonât you leave us alone?â she asked into the microphone. âWeâve done nothing to you!â
At first the radio went silent.
In the distance the sound of sirens wailed as they fast approached in answer to all the gunfire and an elderly neighbour whoâd been crudely woken from a nap in his armchair from all the hullabaloo. A small gathering of nosey onlookers had gathered at a safe distance down the road, their macabre fascination for blood, death and destruction fuelled their appetite to watch, no matter the risk to themselves.
âItâs not what youâve done⦠Sophie. Itâs what you are programmed to do.â An electronic voice secreted from the earpiece now held in the palm of Sophieâs right hand.
âYou should stop. Whilst you have the chance. Stop now, Iâm warning you.â
A police car appeared at the end of the road, tyres screeching, siren blaring, flashing lights splashing blue translucent colour urgently as it drew closer, coming to a halt outside the apartment block. Another police vehicle arrived moments later and still more sirens sounded in the background.
âSophie⦠It doesnât have to be like this. We could be friends, you and I.â
Sophie knew the voice at the end was playing with her, stalling for time, time which she didnât have. She had to leave, and leave immediately, but before she did there were things she had to retrieve, things essential to her (and her fatherâs) survival.
Speaking as she worked, Sophie replied: âI doubt that very much.â
Retrieving a backpack and a large sports holdall, she filled the backpack with things she absolutely needed; spare clothes; provisions, water, food; the iPad which had miraculously survived the gunfire and violence; a mobile phone; a torch; her fluffy kangaroo from the safe room. What she couldnât fit into the backpack, she placed into the holdall. She then emptied the refrigerator of every vial of serum, not forgetting to pack the jet injector.
From one of the fallen soldiers she unholstered a handgun and collected all the ammunition she could find (from them both), six magazines in all.
âWe need to meet Sophie. Iâm sure we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.â
Lastly, Sophie located the place where her fatherâs floor safe was, hidden beneath a section of carpet that was easily lifted. She pulled up the floorboard, exposing the digital combination lock of the safe. She keyed in her date of birth â a combination, or version thereof favoured by her father:
1-6-0-4
The latch clicked as the door from within was released. Sophie opened the door and reached in; removing her fatherâs laptop and two thick A5 envelopes which she knew each contained a thick wad of fifty pound notes. These last items she dropped into the holdall without much ado, and zipped it closed.
âNice talking to you creep. Letâs do it again⦠not!â Sophie dropped the ear and mouth piece back to intruder number two, and unseen she left the apartment carrying the big holdall in one hand and the backpack over the shoulder of her opposite arm. She passed the policemen who were busy marking their territory, some armed and taking up strategic positions, rifles aimed ahead of them; others cordoning off the area at a safe distance, trying to assess the situation.
She passed further the group of bystanders whoâd gathered into a very large force of spectators, busily gleaning and gloating at the theatrics now playing out ahead of them. Ignoring them, she continued at a pace putting distance between her and the Chelsea apartment, passing the black car that had gained her fatherâs attention but which hadnât quite convinced him that there was an occupant staking them out, despite the possible sighting of a riflescope or the glass from a pair of binoculars.
She paid the car little more than a sideward glance, deep in concentration as she tried to make sense of what had just happened and formulate some ideas as to what next to do.
Sophie knew there was only one place she could really go, one place where the people who lived therein she could honestly trust. Although angered to be leaving all her worldly goods and her home behind, she was equally excited at the prospect of seeing her sister again, the only friend she knew.
The rear window of the black car, now behind her, electrically wound down. The passenger watched from a safe distance, night vision binoculars held against his eyes. For all intents and purposes he looked like a Peeping Tom. He watched the girl religiously, unseen by all she passed, her dishevelled appearance and determined look concealed to all except one. The man picked up a walkie-talkie and spoke into it.
âBravo Team, stand down. Do not engage; repeat, DO NOT ENGAGE.â
About the Author
Philip John Gould, was born during the hot summer of August 1974 in Suffolk, England. From an early age he escaped reality by spending many hours daydreaming and aspiring to be an author. It's owing to positive feedback on the back of a short story when, aged 13, Phil's English teach wrote an encouraging phrase at the end of his assignment, that inspired him to persevere with his ambitions deep into adulthood.
In 1990, Phil left school and took a job in shipping, where he worked as an Export clerk for a very abusive manager. He changed careers in 1993, joining a large insurance company, where he undertook a number of positions, including training guide writer, and culminating in a junior manager role which he maintained until he was made redundant in 2003. A day after the announcement of losing his job, he had blood tests in relation to a growth in the side of his neck. A month later he was diagnosed with having Hodgkins Lymphoma. In 2002, work on The Book of Alternative Records had begun, written with the assistance of Ralf Laue who owned the second largest database of achievement records in the world, behind the Guinness behemoth. Together, the book was compiled and completed in 2003 and published in 2004 by John Blake Publishing. In 2005 a German translation of the book was produced. Phil's ambition to be published was fulfilled, but his health and personal circumstances thwarted any hopes to pursue an immediate career in writing. In fact, it wasn't until 2011 that Phil got the itch to write again. Having been working back in insurance for a while, he decided that he would leave his paid day job early the following year to fulfil two things. One, to spend more time with his family (his wife had given birth to a son in October 2011 and Phil wanted to be more hands-on with his newborn's upbringing, an opportunity he'd missed with his two daughters), and two, to start working on a new writing project. Actually, an idea for a series of novels had been at the back of his mind for some time, but it wasn't until September 2012 (after an extended holiday), that Phil finally sat down and started working on what would be The Girl in the Mirror. Still spending too many hours daydreaming, Phil continues to live in Suffolk with his wife, Beth, and three children, Rebecca, Sophie and Matthew.
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Title: Til Fear Do Us Part
Series: A Grim Awakening Series #1
By: Michelle Gross
Publication Date: February 24, 2016
Cover Designer: Mayhem Cover Creations
Genre: PNR/Fantasy
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How long does it take to change a person’s life from happy to terrifying? How long was I normal before that part of me was taken away? How long would I live in fear after that? After being attacked by something she can’t explain as a child, Melanie Rose is left with the ability to see ghosts and it haunts her everyday life. It only gets worse the night before her eighteenth birthday. Things that shouldn't be real, start appearing before her. The evil that attacked her as a child is back to finally take her life. Then he appears, a stranger wearing a black leather jacket. All the unanswered questions she’s had, start to unfold around her. She soon realizes it’s only the beginning. Melanie must control her fear before Fear claims her.
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Michelle is from a small town in Kentucky where she spends her days chasing after her twin girls and conjuring up crazy stories in her mind. She loves all things paranormal and fantasy, the crazier, the better.She has a slight obsession with Korean Dramas and their men. She loves to write just as much as loves to read, but there's nothing like a good smutty read with strong alpha men!
Social Media Links Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/michellegrossauthor/ Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15037639.Michelle_Gross Twitter - @AuthorMichelleG
by Intisar Khanani Genre: YA Fantasy Release Date: June 17th 2013 Summary from Goodreads: The winding streets and narrow alleys of Karolene hide many secrets, and Hitomi is one of them. Orphaned at a young age, Hitomi has learned to hide her magical aptitude and who her parents really were. Most of all, she must conceal her role in the Shadow League, an underground movement working to undermine the powerful and corrupt Arch Mage Wilhelm Blackflame. When the League gets word that Blackflame intends to detainâand executeâa leading political family, Hitomi volunteers to help the family escape. But there are more secrets at play than Hitomiâs, and much worse fates than execution. When Hitomi finds herself captured along with her charges, it will take everything she can summon to escape with her life.
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Memories of Ash (The Sunbolt Chronicles #2) Pre-Order Links ($0.99 Special):
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About the Author
Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. Born in Wisconsin, she has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. She first remembers seeing snow on a wintry street in Zurich, Switzerland, and vaguely recollects having breakfast with the orangutans at the Singapore Zoo when she was five. She currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband and two young daughters. Until recently, Intisar wrote grants and developed projects to address community health with the Cincinnati Health Department, which was as close as she could get to saving the world. Now she focuses her time on her two passions: raising her family and writing fantasy. Intisar's next two projects include a companion trilogy to Thorn, following the heroine introduced in her short story The Bone Knife, and The Sunbolt Chronicles, a novella serial following a young mage with a propensity to play hero, and her nemesis, a dark mage intent on taking over the Eleven Kingdoms.
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Deviations
**On sale for $2.99 until April 1st only!** -- Are you a reviewer? -- EXCERPT: It’s funny how I never noticed till now. Miho, I mean. I’d talked to her a few times in the library, though only to exchange the usual greetings and perform book transactions. But we hadn’t really talked, not until Taka approached her. Then watching her, I realized she was like me. Her eyes had that same deadness to them. Did her preference for long clothes make it easier to cover bruises, like I had to? Was she always alone because it was easier—easier to hide the shame and the pain if you had no one around? Now that I’d acknowledged it, I was hyperaware of it, looking for more clues. When she checked me out at the library, I thought I spotted a white scar on her wrist. I wanted to ask her, ask her about all of it, but that would have been crass. You never talk about that sort of thing in public, and not with strangers. We were still strangers, after all, even if we had the darkness in common. After leaving the library, I’d taken the books to our hideout before heading back into town. I never took the books I got home out of fear something might happen to them. It was one thing when they were my own books, but letting my dad destroy other people’s property, much less community property, would be pretty crappy. So I kept them safe where only Taka and I could find them. I was heading home when I spotted her walking across the river from me. I don’t think she saw me before that pack of girls surrounded her. It was clear they’d been lying in wait. I leaned on the rail and watched them with an odd sense of pride in Miho for not crying. She was used to it, like I was. People like us, we learn how to endure. Crying, appearing weak, it only gets them going worse, feeding on whatever it is inside them that makes them have to hurt others. Miho only broke when they stole the scarf we’d picked out for her. That bothered me a little. Though I knew it was better not to interfere, I moved towards the bridge to cross to the other side. I was halfway across when the scarf hit the river and Miho was left there to watch it float away. Only she didn’t. She dived into the water without hesitation. I ran, scared she would drown. All those heavy clothes could easily pull her under, but when I reached the bank I realized she was swimming. Her arms breached the water at her side before slicing back into the water above her head like a professional. The only difference was her legs stuck straight out behind her instead of kicking. Smart girl. Then she was back at the bank and lying on top of me, both of us panting even though she’d done all the work. Her body was thin, but soft and warm. Her chest was small, a B cup at best, but more likely an A. Still, they felt nice. She felt nice.
GIVEAWAY! -- Maybe Yes
**FREE on March 24 & 25 only!** -- EXCERPT: I just don’t know what I want. I think of everything I’ve been told I want—money, clothes, a modeling career, an acting career, and an intelligent husband who will run the company in order to give me even more money. But not one of those things has ever made me happy. I try to think about things that have made me happy—my family and Scarlett. But that leaves me with fewer answers. I know what I don’t want. I don’t want a modeling career. I don’t want an acting career. I don’t want to marry a complete stranger. I try to think of my happiest memory with my dad. It was on my eighteenth birthday. It coincided with my high school graduation. He took me to a casino in California, one I could legally gamble at. He taught me how to play blackjack and how to count cards. We won—a lot. It wasn’t the winning that made it fun. It was learning something from my father. It was the confidence he displayed in me when he gave me high amounts of money to place a bet that I would win because I was capable. It was one of the only times I felt he was proud of me for something other than my looks. The line I will never forget my father saying to me is, “No one would ever suspect you of counting cards. You’re too pretty.” It was that day that I learned that my beauty was a weapon that could be used to my advantage. I just have never learned how to harness it. I head to my room to grab my shoes and purse to head to a casino, to find a happy memory…because, tomorrow, I’ll meet the man I’m going to marry. Tomorrow, I’ll have to face the fact that I don’t get to decide my own future, but I don’t have to today. I still have a chance to make today better. I was wrong. Today isn’t the worst day of my life. Tomorrow probably will be, so I’m going to make the most of my last night of freedom.
GIVEAWAY! -- by Jamie Blair & Dawn Rae Miller Release Date: March 21st 2016 Summary from Goodreads:
Haddie, Livie, Reggie, and Val. Four girls with secrets to tell.
A murderer is loose on the FU campus, and despite their best efforts, the police are nowhere near making an arrest. Itâs beginning to look like Jacksonâs murderer may walk free â until someone calling themselves The Fifth begins threatening each girl.
Suddenly, The Fifth starts revealing the girlsâ darkest secrets:
Reggie is the campus drug dealer, Livie is a kleptomaniac, Haddie hasnât remained a virgin, and Val is struggling with her sexuality.
With no option but to work together, the girls dive deeper into Jacksonâs web of lies, and hope to unmask The Fifth while solving the mystery of Jacksonâs death.
The more answers they get, the more dangerous life at FU becomes â not just for the girls, but for the people they love the most.
Which makes a girl wonder, whoâs next on the murdererâs list?
Previous book in the series (click on image for Goodreads link):
Kiss Kill Love Him Still is now FREE!
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About the Authors
Jamie Blair-
Jamie Blair lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, their two kids and a cat that broke into their house and refused to leave. She won a young author's contest in third grade, but it probably shouldn't count since her mom wrote most of her entry. LEAP OF FAITH is her first novel. She promises her mom didn't write one word of it.
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Dawn Rae Miller-
Dawn is a Twitter and fashion addict whose favorite things in life are her family, gorgeous dresses, tea leaf salad, and French macarons. She splits her time between San Francisco and Northern Virginia, and is always up for a trip to Paris.
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