BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Eyrie by Emma Michaels + CONTEST!

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...the place to be when bookish needs call and you feel the need to be among friends as you explore your next adventure between the pages.  NO worries, we're here for you.  ^_^

Today is an EXTRA exciting day...and no, not merely because I posted something new on the site.  (Hardy-har-har. ^_^)  NO, it's EXTRA exciting because there are TWO posts hitting the blog and they have two things in common.  First, I've read the authors work before.  Second, I enjoyed what I read!  Good combination, right?  So, on to THIS post....

Here and now, we are celebrating the OFFICIAL BOOK BIRTHDAY of book two in a Young Adult series that really got us going back in 2012, and from the sound of it...will continue to stoke the fires of true interest straight through 2014.  *SQUEE!*  Sorry, I just LOVE future reads...well current and past ones too, but you know what I mean.  Ready to join the celebration?  Let's!  Please join me in giving two bookmarks up to author Emma Michaels as she celebrates here latest release....

Eyrie:

Society of Feathers #2



Somewhere between falling and flying...you will find the truth.



The truth is being unveiled and Iris’ past is unlike anything she ever could have guessed. For Stryx, finding your missing half doesn’t always mean finding your mate. Iris has been missing a part of herself for so long that no one is sure she will be able to put the pieces back together and her ever reliable dreams may be forcing her astray. Coping with the death of someone she loved, she is forced to face the truth and break free from the lies that have caged her.

Kindle * Nook * iBookstore

Smashwords * Google * PDF

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Sounds good, right?

So. How would you like a little taste of this one...you know, beyond the synopsis? WISH GRANTED! Read on my friends, read on for an excerpt of Iris and Falcon's "first flight"!

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Excerpt

Iris lost herself in Falcon's arms, feeling the world drift away again as her lips melted against his stronger, larger ones. The warmth spreading through her body felt like electricity filling very part of her, pooling at the tips of her fingers where she touched his shoulders then traced along his arms. The tension that had worked its way up her back and through her own shoulders released as his hand brushed lightly down the length of her spine, sending sparks through every nerve.



"Please," she whispered softly, centimeters from his lips as they breathed in each other's warm breath. She felt herself lean towards him, this time not holding back as she moved his arm to her waist, making him wrap both arms around her fully. His secure hold on her was the only thing keeping her upright.



"Anything," he whispered into her ear a few moments later after she had caught her breath.



"Be the one beside me when I enter the masquerade. Be the one by my side when I change it all. I know I can do it on my own or with Nestor but...I don't want to. I want you both
there with me,” Iris said.



The look on Falcon's face, the light in his eyes, showed her the joy he found in her invitation. "I was waiting for you to ask. Waiting for you to want to need me, even if you never will. It would be my pleasure, Izzy. I will always be there for you. Nothing could pull me away." He didn't say the words but they still hung silently between them, the knowledge that anyone who tried to pull him away from her would die trying. She knew she should be afraid, but
somehow he was the only person she knew she could trust, the only one her heart was perfectly sure about, like a tether tied them together, connecting their lives.



"I do need you. Even if I don't, I still need you." She whispered and kissed him harder, forgetting the world outside their doors, ready to explore the man that the boy she had known had become. The man who felt like such a part of her now that she had accepted him. She didn't know what she’d do if she ever lost him. She had never felt a connection this powerful, this all
consuming.



"I love you." He whispered, his eyes gazing into hers, their intensity only pulling her
further into the joy of just being close to him, just letting herself forget the world she wanted so desperately to help, to change. "I want to do something for you."



"What is it?" Iris almost pulled back, not wanting to lose the moment between them but instead she leaned the side of her face against his chest so that she could hear his heart beating.



"I want to show you what it’s like to run without hesitation, without taking away the one part of running that makes it so magical - the freedom. I want to show you that freedom." He
bent and traced his fingers along the back of her legs. They buckled but he lifted her, taking it as an invitation.



She smiled and leaned against his chest. This time he wasn't carrying her because something was wrong. It was like when they were kids and he wanted to show her he was strong enough to support her, that he could be that person who would pick her up even if she hadn't fallen. He walked to the door and she turned the doorknob for him. They found Autumn in the hallway.



"Wanna go for a run?" Falcon asked Autumn, his voice a conspiratory whisper.



"Sure!" She said and smiled lightly when she realized what Falcon was planning. "Every girl should get to feel the aves inside of her come alive."



Iris smiled feeling like she had her team. They were the people she needed and wanted by her side. They were the ones who kept her human and kind, protecting her at all costs. Nestor was upstairs with Nathaniel preparing for his duties in their upcoming plans. The rest of her family was downstairs. As they jogged by, they passed Jarem on the way, heading up to meet Diana. "We’re going running, wanna come?" Falcon offered and Iris laughed.



"If you invite everyone we may as well all go." Iris giggled and smiled widely, looking forward to it, not caring who decided to come. Iris knew that no matter how people surrounded her and Falcon, somehow they were always alone. They were the only two people in on the secret. That was their unusual type of love. It would only grow with time and trust as long as it was never betrayed.



"Sure, why not." Jarem said and smiled. He opened the door to Diana's room and hollered, "We’re going running with Falcon, wanna come?"



"Absolutely!" They heard Diana yell back. She joined them even though she was wearing a short dress. Not bothering to change, she threw a pair of high-tops on with it.



As they jogged through the house David joined them, leaving the fort to Neal, Garah and Griffin so as not to disturb Nathaniel and Nestor. When they went out the door, Diana led them to the back of the house, going through the garden to a strange trail beyond it. "Is this the fairy trail?" Jarem asked. When Diana nodded, he smiled and looked at Iris. "It's perfect."



"Wooooo!" Diana shouted, crying out like a hawk soaring through the sky. Jarem and even Autumn joined in and Iris realized it was for her and Falcon, egging them on. Falcon set her on her feet and knelt down the way he once had to offer her a ride on his back. She blushed
feeling like that same little girl for one beautiful moment, attaching herself to his back and holding onto him tightly.



The bird calls got louder and louder until Falcon got ready and whispered, "You ready?"


"Yes." She whispered next to his ear and then looked straight ahead realizing, she really did need him. Falcon knew what she needed even before she did. As he started running, she shifted her weight and realized, she fit so well against his back, like they had been molded for just this moment, for him to give her the freedom that her body robbed her of. Suddenly her grudges against her body for being made the way it was disappeared as the wind whipped her hair away from her face. She arched her back ever so slightly to get the full effect and to keep her weight manageable for Falcon as he ran faster and faster. Her heart felt like it was soaring for the very first time. There was nothing like it, the faster he went the more amazing it felt. All she could feel was the earth around her and the link to her aves.



She couldn't help but giggle with glee as she watched Diana pass them, holding her arms out at her sides like wings. The wind was pushing her arms behind her, and her face was lifted toward the sunlight shining through the trees. Jarem sped to catch up with her and they started to race each other, getting competitive each time one of them would pass the other.



Autumn was at Falcon’s side as she called out, "Oh come on, go for it. She'll love it!"



"Faster!" Iris squealed like a little kid, the sheer joy of movement giving her a rush she had never felt before. As she leaned her face against Falcon's, she could feel that he was smiling as he gained speed. He wrapped his arms behind her, entwining his fingers at her back like he was stretching as his position formed a brace for her. She leaned into it and as he went faster and faster. She slowly let go of his shoulders and held her arms out at her sides like Diana. The sun
beat down on her face and arms. As she closed her eyes, she felt like she was flying, really and truly flying.

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Author Emma Michaels



Emma Michaels is a multi-talented bookish girl. Not only is she the designer of beautiful covers, but she has many other accomplishments under her belt. She started book blogging in 2009 and was first published in 2010 (The Thirteenth Chime). She started The Writers Voice in 2011 as a way to help readers get to know authors on another level.



She moved to Washington at seventeen to be with the man that she loves, who asked her what she secretly wanted to be when she grew up. Naturally, she told him that she wanted to be an author, but at the time she thought "it was a pipe dream." He encouraged her to pursue her dreams and taught her that "sometimes reaching for the impossible can make a world of difference in your life." Now she is published and reaching well beyond what most people can imagine.

Web site * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

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Haven't had the pleasure of reading book one just yet?
GOOD NEWS!
Book 1 is now 99 cents on Kindle!






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Add Book 3 to your Goodreads list!
coming October 13, 2014










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Special thanks to Nicole over at Tribute Books for the chance to participate in this RELEASE DAY celebration!  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as the former and future books in the series, feel free to click through the links provided within this post.

Now to up the excitement even more (if that were possible), Tribute Books is giving you a chance to win!  Just enter the Rafflecopter Form below and you're in to win!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time...GOOD LUCK...and happy reading!

BLOG TOUR: Owlet by Emma Michaels - Review, Read Along + CONTEST!

Hi guys!

Welcome back to the place that aims to please the reader in you…Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we play host to a stop along an exciting tour brought to you by the fabulous folks over at Tribute Books.  (Hi Nicole!)  It features a Young Adult title that’s set to kick start what thus far reads as a pretty AWESOME series.  Don’t believe me?  Oh ye of little faith.  Have I ever steered you wrong before?  Besides, it’s not merely my opinion of the book you’ll be basing your decision to read upon, oh no.  You are in for a treat my friends, a treat indeed and that treat will include a sample of the book AND a chance to win a copy to call your own!  But before we get too carried away, allow me to introduce the featured title properly…deal?  Good.  Today’s book of choice and blog tour guest is…

Society of Feathers #1:

Owlet

By

Emma Michaels

Somewhere between falling and flying… there is a girl.
Iris has a secret. She lost her memory eight years ago and never told a living soul. After an asthma attack one night she finds out that her dreams of a strange house on a snowy island may be a memory resurfacing but the more she learns about the past the more she realizes the life she has been living is a lie. As the façade her father has built starts to crumble around her she will have to decide which means more to her; the truth or her life.

KINDLE  |   NOOK   |   iBookstore   |   Smashwords   |   PDF

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Sounds good right?
Oh but it was!
Let me see if I can sum it up for you so that you can move on to the next part of the post.  Yes, yes....I am aware that I am breaking my usual protocol of rambling on and on and well, you get the point but there are TWO more parts to this tour stop and I want to make sure you don't get lost in my subtext.  Anywho...

This book, this book....this wonderfully awesome first book in the SOCIETY OF FEATHERS series (the sequel to which is planned for October 2013....wait 2013?! Egads that's a ways off!) really knows how to get the party started.  Now, don't get the wrong idea, there's no cake and balloons, in fact there's a lot more hiding and secrets and revelations in the making, but it IS a party in the fact that everything comes together so nicely from such a unique idea.  I've honestly never read a novel where a human's soul was part bird.  Sound odd?  Not really...once you get to the explanations and get to them they do, eventually.  Hey, events have to unfold in order for revelations to be made...even those they had no intentions of revealing until a MUCH later date.  It was really interesting to see how they worked together (the two sides of their soul) and the limitations that they each had while together and apart.  Aside from the story lines originality, you also have some incredible characters.  My favorite was actually Iris....and Falcon.  Okay, so I'm cheating, I chose TWO but I could have kept selecting more because they all have something unique, something special to add.  Back to my favorites....I value Falcon for his pure heart despite its tainted beginnings...and Iris, sweet innocent Iris has so much untapped strength within that once unleashed I can't imagine where it might take it.  Might also explain what happens in the little excerpt of Book 2....

Moving on....the only part I found difficult was connecting the dots on who's who throughout the story as additional characters were added from Iris' past; lotsa names, lotsa history. The cool part though is that you get reintroduced to them all (thanks to a tragedy that occurs...the not so cool part and OH SO SAD!) while learning exactly why they were valued as friends and family from someone who knew them well.  I can't say much more without spoiling it for you but suffice it to say that the mysteries will keep you guessing, the characters will keep you connected emotionally and the story line will have you flying high (pun totally intended).  It's a breath of fresh air and a change of pace from the norm in YA right now; definitely a book I'll be recommending to YA readers of all ages.

Now, let's move on to the next part of the post, shall we?  How’s about that excerpt I mentioned earlier to tempt your reading taste buds even further?  ^_^  Your wish is my command.  Ready, set….READ!

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**SPECIAL READ ALONG EXCERPT**

When they made it to the house, Falcon felt like he was going to drop in the doorway but he kept moving toward the stairs. Slowly, one step at a time, he made it to the top. When he finally got Iris to a bed, he nearly fell onto it and Diana had to stop Iris from rolling off his back in the wrong direction.
“Go change out of your clothes and find something old of Roger’s. I will take care of her. If we let either of you get too cold I won’t be able to save you,” Diana said, looking from Falcon to Iris.
“Why would you save me?” Falcon was now willing to speak since Iris was safely laying on the bed in Diana’s care. He ignored the fact that his words sounded so strange from all the shivering. He knew she would save and protect Iris, even if she hadn’t known who he had been to her family, but she could have had Joseph be the one to help her. She could have just left Falcon to his own devices.
“You love her whether you are her mate or not. I should have learned more before telling her about who you were. I didn’t even think about that. Well, you’re here now. Roger wouldn’t have let you be here unless he had known you. Unless she had too. You know she doesn’t remember, don’t you? We thought she did but...she just doesn’t. I just...I panicked. We have been waiting for Caleb to discover the secret and send an assassin or a vulture and I was terrified that day had come.”
“I know,” Falcon said quietly; he was fading fast. Crawling to his feet, he searched for clothes while Diana started hooking Iris up to the machinery for her asthma. Falcon had almost forgotten it would be harder for her because of her affliction. Her body wouldn’t know what side of the soul to listen to while she was healing. The Stryx inside of her would be subjected to her bad health and have to feel it on its own, while the normal half of her soul came back to life. It would be unnatural since asthma was never a part of the Stryx soul’s form...whatever that form might be.

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Oh buddy, what an excerpt for me to have drawn from the virtual bag!  (Thanks again, Nicole!)  This scene happens right after a fairly major (yet not ENTIRELY true) revelation about Falcon and Iris’ connection to each is made by someone dear to her.  It’s heart stopping and confusing and…..SO not the full story but as often happens in fiction (well, heck…even in REAL life) someone flies off the handle (Ha! Unintentional pun…love it….) and possibly winds up dead.  Hey, you didn’t think I was going to ruin the outcome of this revved up scene now did you?  No siree.  You’ll have to keep following the blog tour to discover more as you read along its virtual route….or of course you can always pick up a copy of the book yourself and squash all that suspense you’re dying of.  ^_^  Oh and speaking of getting a copy to call your own, it’s….

….CONTEST TIME!

Prizes up for grabs include...

...38 "Owlet" swag packs...

...35 Kindle versions of the "Owlet" ebook...

...4 original sketches from the author herself...

...(2) $10 Amazon GCs...

...an original "Owlet" painting by the author...

...custom designed "Owlet" necklace...

...owl bracelet and owl keychain...

...need I say more?

The variety of prizes available make this contest open to one and all (some prizes are US only but that’s all sorted out on the entry form).  Entries are being accepted as we speak all the way through the end of December 2012; but you can’t win if you don’t enter!  Get your hat in the proverbial ring by filling out the rafflecopter form below….

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Ebook for review received courtesy of Nicole at Tribute Books as well as the opportunity to bring this blog tour to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their full catalog, be sure to visit them online, like them on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter.  To discover more about the world of author Emma Michaels, seek her out online at her website, on GoodReads, at Facebook, or on Twitter.  To stay up to date on this blog tour, be sure to follow the official hashtag on Twitter (#Owlet).  Looking to catch up on the read along?  Not to worry!  Just follow your mouse to the sites below and become further enchanted by Iris’ Never-Never….

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Until next time…good luck….and happy reading!