Desolation blog tour

The Desolation Trilogy

by Ali Cross

BECOME

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend.

DESOLATE

Where darkness lives, all becomes desolate . . .

It’s been two months since sixteen-year-old Desolation Black chose Earth over Hell and her friend Miri over her eternal love, Michael.

Desi goes through the motions of life: school, training, remaining vigilant against the forces of darkness, but her dreams are full of the choices she wishes she could change. When she’s injured by a strange demon, old temptations arise, and the lines between good and evil blur. Desi discovers those choices aren’t so final after all.

And this time, the power of love—for a friend, for a lover—may not be enough to save her from the darkness that lurks within.

Destined

Choosing is a bad idea, because Desi always makes the wrong one, and sometimes there are no do-overs. Certainly not this time, when all has been lost and Desi can’t even save herself, let alone her friends. For Desi, the hardest thing is letting someone help her, to accept their sacrifice on her behalf. But that’s exactly what she’ll have to do in order to save the worlds from Helena’s destruction.

The goddess of Helheimer, long imprisoned by Desi’s father, Loki, is free at last, and she’s bent on reclaiming what once was hers. The nine worlds will be drawn into war, over Hell, over Earth, with innocent humans meaningless collateral. While Michael and the Gardians of Asgard, along with the golden-armored Valkyrie lead the battle for freedom, it’s Desi who holds the destiny of all the worlds in her hands.

Can she set aside her doubts, once and for all, and claim the gifts that are hers to bear? Can she accept the sacrifice that is made for her and Become all that she was created to be?

Her final choice will define not only her future, but the fate of humankind, forever more.

About the Author

Ali Cross is the sensei of the Writer's Dojo where she holds a black belt in awesome. She lives in Utah with her kickin' husband, two sparring sons, one ninja cat, two sumo dogs and four zen turtles.

Where to find more info

Her writer's dojo: www.ninjaswrite.com.

websites: http://www.alicross.com

blog: http://www.alicross.blogspot.com

Face book pages:

http://www.facebook.com/authoralicross

http://www.facebook.com/ninjaswrite

http://facebook.com/happygrrl

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/happygrrl

My Reviews

Become

This book was soooo amazing! Okay I know I say that about every book I love but I have not felt this much emotion while reading a book for awhile. Become had me at the prologue. Before I was even introduced to the main character I knew this book would be one that I couldn't put down.

Desolation Black is the daughter of Loki aka Lucifer. Living in Hell the only way she can defy her father is to deny him by not giving in to what he truly wants from her, to "become", and give in to become the demon she holds within. All he wants is for her to step up and except her place at his side.

When she's sent to Earth for some training in human behavior she finds something she never thought she'd ever know or deserve, Love. Now she not only has to choose or not choose her fate to "become" she also has to choose between the cold dark within her or embrace the warmth that she now feels growing through the dark giving her a new destiny.

This book has a great flow. It was so easy sink into the story. To see it so clearly in my mind, I could easily imagine the settings, the characters and the emotions. The characters were very well defined and the emotion felt real. I'll admit to being a very emotional woman but it's been awhile since a book has made me cry. Not just a lump in my throat cry but a tears streaming down my cheeks, hand me some tissue kind of cry. Everyone knows that any book that can bring on that kind of emotion is a best seller (at least in my opinion it should be).

This book is an amazon and barnes and noble freebie so everyone with a Nook or Kindle should open up a new tab and grab this book while it lasts, as for me I'm off to amazon myself to pick up Desolate the next book in the series.

Desolate

Desolate: ADJECTIVE

1. empty: bare, uninhabited, and deserted

2. alone: solitary, joyless, and without hope

3. grim: dismal and gloomy

Desolation:

grief, sadness, loneliness,devastation, ruin

When reading this book you have to keep in mind not only the name of the book but the name of the main character. They both say so much about the way this book and story unfolds. Where Become makes you feel hope Desolate is quite opposite. I feel so sad for Desolation she has such a genuine and good heart that you have no choice but to feel her sadness and loneliness.

Just when I thought my tears would dry up and Desolate would be on the road to a happy ending I started the second book and realized that she has such along way to go. Not only does she need to shed her life in Hell which at times she misses (she did live there for centuries), her father Loki aka Lucifer who is the only parent she's ever known. She also needs to embrace her lighter side and the warmth within her that she doesn't think she deserves.

And then there's Michael whom she sacrificed to her father to not only to save his life but the life of her best friend Miri. I feel so sad for her because she feels the need to keep her demon side close as penance for everyone who has been hurt just by getting close to her. And I really hate that she never allows her self a moments worth of happiness.

The beginning of the book is from Desi's point of view but half way though the story changes from chapter to chapter between Desi and Michael. I love stories that are told for more than one point of view but in Desolates case it means twice the sadness, guilt and grief. This story makes my heart ache for the characters. But as I've said before the way I know a book will be imprinted on my soul is the feelings it invokes within me be it happiness or sorrow and not every amazingly great book has a happy ending.

Excerpt

"Your love for Desolation has shaped this world. you have taught us to love.Your heroic deeds in the Great War are told as bedtime stories. Michael and Desolation--there have been few other loves as powerful as yours, and certainly none greater. Do you agree?
"Yes my king." My heart felt like it had been ripped out of my chest. I could barely breath, couldn't think. My mind filled with memories of Desi. Memories of love.

I felt I had to put a excerpt there to show you the love that is trapped in all of the sorrow. A love that Desi doesn't think she is capable of or deserves because she is Hell's daughter after all.

Desi has so much guilt she can't let go of and so easily falls prey to her fathers influence becoming what she never wanted to be "his". Little does she know there are more player fighting for her soul (her light) than she knows. At 84% (kindle) I began to cry and I didn't stop until the end.

And in the end this book held my sadness and sorrow, Does it have a happy ending after all.......Well I guess you have to read it and see. I can say this: I am so glad I picked up Become (It's still free on amazon.com)

Destined

The Desolation series is a very dark but great series! I loved every one of these books not only for the happy moments but for the sorrow that had to be over come to get there.

 Destined was an amazing end to a wonderful story of love and Desi's personal journey to except herself for all that she is and will be.

She has been though so much though out her journey. She never thought herself worthy of friends or love. She had to learn not only to except that she was more than just a child of hell but a woman who was worthy of others love. A woman worthy to love with all of her heart with no trepidation.

Without giving any spoilers away I will leave this review kind of short and just say that this was a perfect and amazing end to a fantastic series! And I am really hoping for some spin off books. *wink*

Tour Schedule :

Dec. 12 - Lovely Reads *Review, Dream Cast, Giveaway

Dec. 13 - Chapter by Chapter *Interview, Character Bio, Giveaway

Dec. 14 - Magan Vernon (playlist)

Dec. 15 - SnifferWalk *Review, Character Guest Post w/ Desi, Giveaway

Dec. 16 - Jessabella Reads *Author Guest Post

Dec. 17 - My Reading Addiction *Review, Giveaway

Dec. 18 - http://terrisbookaddiction.blogspot.com

Dec. 19 - Reviewing Shelf *Review, Giveaway
- Night Owl Reads *Author Guest Post

Dec. 20 - Christine Fonseca *Video Chat with Ali

Dec. 21 - The Stuff of Success *Promo and Character Bio

Dec. 22 - Open the Page *Review, Giveaway

Dec. 23 - Susan Kaye Quinn

Dec. 24 - The Cover Contessa *Author Guest Post, Giveaway

Dec. 25 - Overflowing BookShelves *Review

Dec. 26 - SupaGurl Books *Review

Dec. 27 - Leigh Talbert Moore

Dec. 28 - Book Dream Land *Review, Author Guest Post, Giveaway

Dec. 29 - Escaping...One Book @ A Time *Character Guest Post, Character Bio, Giveaway

Dec. 30 - I Know That Book *This or That with Ali Cross

Dec. 31 - The Cover (and Everything In Between) *Top 5

Jan. 1 - RaShelle Workman

Jan. 2 - YA Book Addict *Character Bio, Giveaway

Jan. 3 - C.K. Bryant

Jan. 4 - Nomi's Paranormal Palace *Character Bio, Promo

Jan. 5 - Black Lilies Are Deadly *Review, Character Bio

Jan. 6 - A Dream Within A Dream *Character Guest Post, Excerpt

Jan. 7 - FanGirl Hostess *Author Interview

Jan. 8 - Just Me, Myself, and I *Review

Jan. 9 - A Dragons Love *Review, Character Interview, Giveaway

Giveaway

The Ultimate Desolation Fan Prize Pack!

Personalized, Signed copies of BECOME, DESOLATE & DESTINED

Silver Desi Necklace, original design & hand-created by Gail Zuniga

Desolation Tote Bag

Desolation T-Shirt

3 Desolation Bookmarks

Celtic Knotted Heart bracelet made my Ali

The Ultimate Digital Reader Prize Pack!

Kindle Paperwhite

The Desolation Trilogy

Twenty-five additional books by awesome indie authors

Twelve Signed Books!

And Each Blog on the Tour will Give Away a Desolation (e) Trilogy!

Available in any format

I'll be using random.org to choose a winner from the comments

so make sure to include your e-mail address to be entered.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!

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Q&A, reviews, and Giveaway with author Airicka Phoenix

Touching Smoke

(book one in the Touch series)

and

Touching Eternity

(book 1.5 in the Touch series)

by

Airicka Phoenix

 Secrets...

Fallon has one. She doesn’t know it, but it will kill her... if she’s caught.

Love...

Isaiah. Her soul mate. Made especially for her. Created especially for her. Designed to be everything she would ever need. But loving him will destroy her.

Betrayal...

Willing to die for her, kill for her, Isaiah must first save her from the monster chasing them — the man that had created them to annihilate the world.

What would you risk for love?





What would you choose?

She had everything but freedom.
He had nothing but his loyalty, his wits and his training.

She was a prisoner, a disease, not fit for the world, and she didn't know why. But she did know she wasn't allowed to die, she wasn't allowed to live and she wasn’t sane.

He was a soldier, a protector, but his foundation will be tested when he must destroy the only light in his dark world.

Thrown together, prisoner and keeper, their rebellion will splinter through time, changing the course of history and the fate of the world. Their love  will challenge their greatest enemy and immortalize them forever.

Loyalty. Freedom. Love.

What would you risk?

"Let me die."
Pain darkened his eyes. "Never."

 

About the author

Airicka Phoenix is the author of TOUCHING SMOKE (Touch Book #1), TOUCHING ETERNITY (Touch 1.5), TORRID, a short story as part of the Whispered Beginnings: A Clever Fiction Anthology and WANTING & INTENTIONS, two stories as part of the Midnight Surrender Anthology. When she's not hammering away at the keyboard, she can be found banishing pirates or crawling through the attic looking for lost treasure with her kids. She loves baking, gardening and reading. She also likes to travel and take pictures of everything she comes across. When asked, Airicka describes herself as a sarcastic basket case that has an unhealthy addiction to chocolate, old movies and really bad jokes. She loves to laugh, make friends and write. If she could have one wish granted, it would be to spend one day as a fly-on-the-wall inside Stephen King's mind. If she could have two wishes granted, she would ask for a castle dedicated entirely to her overwhelming collection of books.

10 question Q&A

I'd like to take a second just to say thank you Ms. Phoenix for take the time to sit down and answer my questions.

1. What made you want to become a write?
I have always loved reading! The library was my hangout place. I spent so much time there, I knew all the staff and all the people that came and went. The written word has always held a fire in my heart. It’s my escape when the real world is just too much to bear. Writing was a natural progression. When I was younger, it was harder to find Young Adult books for my age. It was either middle grade or adult and I wasn’t interested in either, so I started writing my own, just for me. Publishing was never something I even considered. I was just a kid at the back of the library, writing books I wanted to read.

 2. I have spoken to you and know that you have small children when do you find the time to write?
Whenever I can. That’s the trick. I mostly do my writing as soon as they go to school or when they go to bed, but I have a pen and pad that I carry around and scribble things down while I’m cooking, washing dishes, etc. About 90% of my writing is done at night. It’s when the ideas and characters really come to life.

3. Do you get alot of support from your family and friends when it comes to your writing?
I have an amazing support system, both online and off. My kids are my biggest fans—so they tell me. They tell everyone we come across that my mommy wrote Touching Smoke. I love them for it. And I have friends who I call up and rant to when my characters refuse to listen. They tell me I complain more about my characters behaving badly then my kids.

4. Where did the idea for Touching Smoke from?
I was working on my Hunter Series (release date spring 2013). I was at a part where Clara was fighting a demon when something flickers from the corner of her eyes, a vapor or mist and that’s where Amalie stepped into my mind. Originally, Touching Smoke was about Amalie, but somehow Fallon worked her way in and refused to leave.

5. I love your characters did you have any inspiration for them before hand?
  Before the Hunter Series, I hadn’t. Amalie and crew were cooked into creation at that moment.

6. Fallon and Isaiahs' story so far is the start of an epic love story where do you see it going in the future?
I think a lot of people would argue with me, but Isaiah and Fallon’s story was never about the kind of love most people talk about. I think when people think love, they automatically think romance and Romeo and Juliet. The Touch Series is about the darker side of love, the obsession behind it. It’s about questioning yourself and everything you were ever told. If, instead of making you strong and complete, love could destroy you, leave you powerless and broken this would be that brand of love. I can’t make many promises, but I will say that by Touching Ash, you will either love me or hate me.

7. Is it true that you originally thought of Amalie as your main character?
It is very true. Originally, The Touch Series was written through Amalie.

8. If so what changed your mind?
Fallon convinced me the only way to do Amalie’s story justice was by writing it through her, because Fallon is everything Amalie is not. Fallon is strong. She’s brave and stubborn, and with what will be coming up in the following three books, those are the only things that will save the world.

9. What made you decide to go back and tell Amalies' story?
It was never a matter of going back. I always had every intention of writing her story. Amalie’s life is essential to the entire series. She is the key to everything that will unfold throughout the series. Without her, there would be no Fallon, no Touch Series. She is the foundation. Touching Eternity is strictly her in her most vulnerable existence.

10. Do you see the Touch novels as a trilogy or something longer?
The Touch Series is five books,
Touching Smoke, (Book #1)
Touching Fire (Book #2)
Touching Embers (Book #3)
Touching Ash (Book #4)
Touching Eternity (Book #1.5)

(Touching Eternity is a standalone, the only adult book in the series while the others will remain 16+.)



For more about Airicka,

also on how to win giveaways, read author interviews and reviews, visit her website at: http://airickaphoenix.com/Author/?cat=10

You can add Airicka on any/all of her social networks. Making new friends is the highlight of her day!

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5823058.Airicka_Phoenix

https://twitter.com/#!/AirickaPhoenix (@AirickaPhoenix)

Author page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Airicka-Phoenix/252135634831614?ref=hl

The Touch Series Page - http://www.facebook.com/TouchSeriesByAirickaPhoenix?ref=hl

Design Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Airickas-Mystical-Creations/462373910480084?ref=hl

 

My reviews
I'm going to start by saying Ms. Phoenix is an amazing author and woman. I have had the privilege of getting to know a little about her in the past couple of weeks. She is so sweet and very humble about her unbelievable talent as an author that I felt so honored and excited to read and review her books for her.
 

Touching Smoke

Touching Smoke is a great start to what I am sure will be epic and ever evolving love story. It starts off action packed, grabs you from chapter one, never lets you go and never slows down.

Fallon and Isaiah are wonderfully written characters. I love the way they compliment each other. Their relationship nice flow to it and it was such a joy to read as it grew and progressed.

However I found certain things they learn about themselves and their soul mate like bond to be very saddening. How heartbreaking would it be to find out that the love you feel may not be true under different circumstances.

All they have is each other. All they live for is to love and protect one another.
It is truly the start to a beautiful love story.

Touching Eternity
This book is a stand alone novel but I highly recommend starting with Touching Smoke. It lets you get a feel of the characters on a deeper level.

I really like that this book comes from several P.O.V.s I like to read a story from different perspectives. This book actually takes place in the past so I had to keep reminding myself that this Isaiah is Amalie's Isaiah and not Fallon's. (Touching Smoke)

Amalie and Isaiah both reflect on their childhood and growing up together as their relationship turns from child hood friends to young love.Their flashbacks are very sweet, heartwarming, and tender. They are also filled with sadness and sorrow.

When the story shifts back to their present day it is filled with just the opposite. filled with Sadness, cruelty, sorrow and heartbreak. But also has very touching moments of kindness and love.

My heart broke to read of the misery that is Amalie's life, as well as the guilt and regret that is Isaiah's.

Amalie's story is the saddest story I have read in such a long time. i just wanted to reach into the book, wrap my arms around her and tell her everything would be fine. I definitely read this book with a heavy heart.

Touching Eternity is a very tragic love story but one that I would recommend very highly. The characters and story as a whole are so in depth wonderfully written. Beautiful work Ms. Phoenix!
GIVEAWAY!!!
There will be two winners
one will recieve ecopies of both Touching Smoke and Touching Eternity from me
and one will recieve ecopies of both Touching Smoke and Touching Eternity
from Ms. Phoenix.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!!!
This giveaway will run from now until Dec. 31st.

 



 

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