BOOK COVER REVEAL & EXCERPT - CREATORS by TIFFANY TRUITT - LOST SOULS # 3 - ENTANGLED TEEN - YA DYSTOPIAN

Today Tiffany Truitt and Entangled Teen are revealing the final cover for The Lost Souls Trilogy, CREATORS. Along with an exclusive excerpt and a pre-order giveaway that Tiffany has set up on her blog! Look for the info at the end of this posting.

On to the reveal!

Blurb:

Heartbroken but more determined than ever after a tense showdown in the woods, sixteen-year-old Tess once again returns to the safety of her community of Isolationists. Bolstered by new alliances and desperate to protect those she loves, this time she knows she can return stronger and more powerful than ever to take back what is hers.

As she trains in combat and grows more confident, Tess receives beautiful letters penned by her forbidden love, the chosen one James, from his prison in Templeton. He is now serving as a bodyguard to the creators—the team of scientists who created artificial life in the first place. And what he has discovered about the true origin of the illness that halted natural life could change everything.

Enemy will become ally and death will bring new hope in this stunning conclusion to Tiffany Truitt’s epic Lost Souls trilogy.

Exclusive Excerpt!

Somewhere, James was just as trapped as I was.

            I thought of the morning when we lay with each other, curled against one another, never beginning and never ending. How we’d stayed like that till the sun began to rise.

            James had reached down and pulled me off the ground. He wore a satisfied grin on his face. “Someone is mighty proud of himself,” I teased.

            He laughed. It bounced through the forest, calling it awake. Readying it for the day. “I’m just insanely happy.”

            I stood on the tips of my toes and kissed him gently on his scar. “I’m insanely happy too,” I whispered.

            James looked down at me, and I was lost all over again. I would never tire of looking into those mismatched eyes. They didn’t make him different. They made him him. He chuckled as he reached over and pulled a leaf from my tangled hair. “They’ll know just by looking at you that we’ve been up to no good.”

            “No good?” I purred. “I thought it was very, very good.”

            James growled and lifted me into the air. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he pressed his lips hungrily against mine. I moved my hands to his hair, curling my fingers into it, attaching myself to him. I never wanted to let go. Every part of me ached to be touched by him, and every part of me ached to touch him right back.

            “Do you know how much I love you?” he breathed into the base of my neck. His lips fluttered against my skin.

            I nodded, kissing the top of his head. “As much as I love you.”

            James slowly put my feet back on the ground. He cradled my face in his hands. “That will never change. No matter what.”

            I looked deep into his eyes. “I know.” Because I did. It was one of life’s few assurances. I would always love James.

            I pressed my lips once again to his scar. “I adore this scar,” I whispered, unable to hide the smile that seemed etched on my face all morning.

            “You’re enough to drive a man crazy,” he said The tremble of his voice caused my toes to curl. I wanted him again. And again. And again.

            My fingers traced the waist of his pants. “Tonight?” I said, knowing full well it was a promise that I probably wouldn’t be able to keep.

            James grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. “Tonight,” he echoed.

            As the sun climb higher into the sky, I knew our moment was coming to an end. James reached down and placed his hand over my heart. “Thank you,” he said.

            “For what?” I asked, my voice choked with emotion.

            “For everything.”

            As the memory slipped away, I looked back up at the night sky. Praying and hoping that James knew how much I wanted to thank him too.

            For everything.

About Tiffany:

Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of  one McDonalds and Banana Rats (don’t ask), she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).

Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman(5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”

Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom. She currently teaches the following novels: The Outsiders, Speak, Night, Dystopian Literature Circles: The Hunger Games, The Giver, The Uglies, and Matched.

Tiffany is proud to call herself an educator and Young Adult author. Her first book will be published by Entangled Publishing.

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Also Tiffany has a Pre-Order Contest going on over at her blog http://tiffanytruitt.wordpress.com/ three lucky people that pre-order CREATORS will win a signed Cassandra Clare poster!

Michelle

BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAYS & GUEST POST FROM LOCKWOOD - NATURALS by TIFFANY TRUITT - ENTANGLED PUBLISHING - YA DYSTOPIAN

Today on Novels On The Run on my stop of the Blog Tour I have a guest post from Tiffany, chatting about Lockwood, who I LOVED in Naturals. He is a great character. 

Want more Lockwood!!

And a couple giveaways. Rafflecopter is for USA and one digital copy is for Australian residents.

Here is my review of CHOSEN ONES and NATURALS

GUEST POST

I thought I would have a little fun today by introducing you to one of the newest characters to enter the series--- Lockwood. Using a character analysis questionnaire created by the well-known Proust, I hope to shed some light on a character that readers, and myself, seem to really dig in this second installment.

So, without further fanfare, let’s meet Lockwood:

• What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Lockwood:  Teaching Tess how to milk a dang cow. Seriously. The girl didn't know what she was doing. I really thought it was a lost cause. I mean, she didn't even know that before you grab on anyone's...well, you know, you need to at least say good morning.

• What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Lockwood:  Being myself. Not worrying about what others think. Living to see another day isn't so bad either.

• What is your favorite occupation?

Lockwood:  How about my only one? Here in the community, we are assigned jobs based on our abilities. I deal mostly with the livestock.

• What is your most treasured possession?

Lockwood:  My wit. Oh, and I have managed to hold onto some novels over the years. I always ask Eric and the boys to bring any that they find while doing supply runs out in the cities.

• What or who is the greatest love of your life?

Lockwood:  Haven't met her yet. And I don't see the point in wasting my time on those maybe girls. I'll know when I meet her. I'm a only love once sort of soul. Very old-fashioned.

• What is your favorite journey?

Lockwood:  Well, the only ones I've been on have been with Tess. Through the woods. Filled with danger. And weird stuff. So, by default...yeah, none of them.

• What is your most marked characteristic?

Lockwood:  Easy-going attitude.

• What is it that you most dislike?

Lockwood:  Small-minded people.

• What is your greatest fear?

Lockwood:  That the people of the community will limit my freedoms out of fear...that they will turn into another council.

About Tiffany Truitt: 

Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of one McDonalds and Banana Rats (don’t ask), she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).

Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”

Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom. Tiffany is proud to call herself an educator and Young Adult author.

About NATURALS:

Ripped away from those she loves most, Tess is heartbroken as her small band of travelers reaches the Isolationist camp in the mysterious and barren Middlelands. Desperate to be reunited with James, the forbidden chosen one who stole her heart, she wants nothing to do with the rough Isolationists, who are without allegiance in the war between the Westerners and Easterners. But having their protection, especially for someone as powerful as Tess, may come at a cost.

When James returns, Tess’s world once again feels complete—until she discovers her sister, Louisa, has taken up her old post at Templeton, the dangerous chosen ones training center and the site of Tess’s loss of innocence. Tess will do anything to protect her loved ones—but will the price be more than she can give?

This second book in Tiffany Truitt’s dystopian series is a thought-provoking, thrilling story that asks who the true enemy really is—the chosen ones who are different, or the naturals…who are just like us.

GIVEAWAY TIME

USA/CAN

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2nd GIVEAWAY FOR AUSSIES ONLY

I am also giving away 1 ebook of Naturals to

 Australian residents

Entry Requirement:

Leave a comment with your email address

What was the last dystopian you have read?

STARTS NOW

ENDS 14TH MAY 2013

BOOK REVIEW - NATURALS by TIFFANY TRUITT - THE LOST SOULS # 2 - ENTANGLED TEEN

By: Tiffany Truitt
Published By: Entangled Teen
Released : Available Now
Details : Digital copy, 326 Pages

RATING: 4.25 JAMES & LOCKWOOD STARS!

Blurb : Goodreads

Tess is finally safe from the reach of the Council, now that she is living in the Middlelands with the rebel Isolationists. With James having returned to Templeton, she easily falls back into her friendship with Henry, though her newfound knowledge of Robert’s chosen one status still stings. Even surrounded by people, Tess has never felt more alone. So she’s thrilled when James returns to the settlement, demanding to see Tess — until she finds out that it’s because her sister, Louisa, has been recruited into Tess’s old position at Templeton, and that the dangerously sadistic chosen one George has taken an interest in her.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

Two days later....

McNair, Eric, Jones, Robert, Henry and Tess are making their way to the Isolationist's Compound.

The super human strength, brutal, deformed abnorm soldiers are standing in their way.

The compound is about everybody having a job assigned to them and pitching in.

Lockwood is a really likable character. I loved how he brought a sense of casualness, normality to Tess’s day. He is a very loyal character who can think for himself, he isn’t a clone. He makes up his own mind what is right and wrong in the compound. 

I loved him in the bath scene. 

"Welcome home, Tess,"  he said with a sincere smile.

It was difficult, but I returned his smile.

New sub character’s are an asset to this storyline. At the same time, I felt this instalment for the most part was character driven. Towards the latter half of the book we get more of that danger of the characters from Templeton Mansion and we are back in the saddle of villains and danger.

Henry is a likeable character, we get a lot more of him in this instalment. I do feel for him but also I wanted to shake him and give him a stinky dead fish slap. He is redeemable.

James is a gorgeous character. I love the Tess and James combination. He is such a stand up guy, loyal to Tess and determined for her, and so in love.

Do I still understand the bigger picture of those in charge of the Chosen? No. I think I want to understand that more. We get the minions. We understand what makes them strive to climb the food change, but the why of where that food change leads......? I can feel like I am in the bubble of these characters lives and Templeton’s Chosen.

Tiffany shows us there is more several days walk from Templeton Mansion, being where the Isolationists have tried to live a peaceful life.

Tess of the DÚrbervilles was a nice story parallel addition that is slid into some scenes. 

Robert is a great guy. I really like him and McNair, Eric is a guy you want behind a gun, but he also has this big brother side to him. These characters help bring a more humane side to this dystopian and its soldiers.

“Did you two eat some mushrooms you found in the woods?”Eric asked, resting his rifle against his chest. Clearly, he was welcoming the break as well. “Bad idea, I did that once on a hike for supplies, and let me tell you... whew, the things I saw. One time, I swear these fairy things with the largest bo--“

It was great seeing how the Naturals choose to judge the same way the Chosen judge. It made me realize James has a need to be accepted and treated differently as he is a different Chosen. He has heart and a soul, even though he was genetically engineered to be a soldier and fed propaganda. He shows he can think for himself and want more from the life he had no choice but to accept and follow. 

Tess has grown in character, which you would expect after everything she has witnessed and gone through. She has accepted her new life until............ then she fires up like the little rocket she needs to be to save those she loves.

The ending has me all intrigued to where Tiffany will take us next. I know Tess will be heading in a certain direction and I know the shiz will be hitting the fan along the way.

A great sequel that shows us that humanity still prevails in some, there is still hope for a better life. The Chosen to me don’t seem to have a job at Templeton Mansion unless they have Naturals to toy with .

Where is all this going to end up?

A great couple of twists are thrown in to keep us guessing for book # 3.

Michelle 

BOOK COVER REVEAL - NATURALS by TIFFANY TRUITT - THE LOST SOULS TRILOGY # 2 - ENTANGLED PUBLISHING - YA GENRE

Today on Novels On The Run I have the pleasure in helping with the cover reveal for Naturals by Tiffany Truitt. The Lost Souls Trilogy # 2. I have read and reviewed Chosen Ones the first book in the trilogy and LOVED it. I am a huge fan of dystopian. I love this cover. I have always liked the cracked ground beneath Tess , with the beautiful flawless girl laying on it. 

I just reread my review of Chosen Ones and I am so excited to read this book. If you have not read Chosen Ones, pick it up and read it. It is an awesome read and it will get your heart racing . Check out the blurb and a bit about Tiffany down below and enjoy!

Michelle

NATURALS - THE LOST SOULS TRILOGY # 2

Due For Release - 9th April 2013

Tess is finally safe from the reach of the Council, now that she is living in the Middlelands with the rebel Isolationists. With James having returned to Templeton, she easily falls back into her friendship with Henry, though her newfound knowledge of Robert’s chosen one status still stings. Even surrounded by people, Tess has never felt more alone. So she’s thrilled when James returns to the settlement, demanding to see Tess — until she finds out that it’s because her sister, Louisa, has been recruited into Tess’s old position at Templeton, and that the dangerously sadistic chosen one George has taken an interest in her.

 CHOSEN ONES # 1 

MY REVIEW

About Tiffany Truitt:

Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of one McDonald's and Banana Rats (don't ask) she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book). 

Tiffany Truitt

Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman(5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”

Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom. She currently teaches the following novels: The Outsiders, Speak, Night, Dystopian Literature Circles: The Hunger Games, The Giver, The Uglies, and Matched.

NATURALS on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15811135-naturals

Tiffany's website: http://tiffanytruitt.wordpress.com/

Tiffany on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tiffanytruitt

BOOK REVIEW - CHOSEN ONES by TIFFANY TRUITT - THE LOST SOULS # 1 - ENTANGLED PUBLISHING

By: Tiffany Truitt
Published By: Entangled Publishing
Released : Available now
Details : Digital for Review, 264 Pages

RATING : 4.5 JAMES STARS!!

Book Blurb : Goodreads

What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle :

The Chosen Ones, being all male, are the genetically created and improved ‘saviours’. The soldiers that will go out and fight the war and keep the naturals protected.

The Creators are naturals, humans. They are the best of the best scientists, making these beautiful boys who are left in a coma until they are thirteen. They are fed video images directly into their brains of how they are to perceive the world and the ‘naturals’ when they are awakened or unplugged.

Once I got into this book, there was no stopping. The pages kept turning, I was in a reading trance. There are twists and sad moments, brutal moments. All is not what it seems.

I loved the use of classic books like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, passages woven into the storyline, very cleverly done.

Books were a reminder of a time when the world wasn’t perfect but it was better than what the Council were doing to the humans and what the world had become. The Council, I don’t understand these people? The rules are brutal , the punishment swift if you do not follow them.

This story got quite frightening the more you read, the more you realised what was actually going on. I still don’t understand how the world got to where it got, but I am willing to overlook this as the characters within the pages draw you in. I don’t understand anything outside of Tess’ compound. There are snippets of information. My mind was trying to grab hold of some ‘whys’. Tessa’s father’s letters helped a great deal.

The book starts with Emma, Tess’ sister ,who is married to Robert and dying from ......well, I wasn’t quite sure. She was pregnant. She died. There was a lot of blood. If you get pregnant, you pretty much are signing your death notice. Something has happened to the female anatomy.

Tessa is angry at Robert, at everything. All Tessa has left of her family is Louisa and she does not know how to be a sister to Louisa. Her mother, an alcoholic, and her father are dead/missing. Emma is now dead too. Tessa is not yet sixteen.

The mansion of Templeton, where the Chosen Ones live, learn, train , is a frightening place for the girls who are branded and must work there. Tessa being the oldest female in her remaining family, must suffer for her sister’s wrong. The things Tessa sees...... the things she is made to do, be a part of........

Henry, Tessa’s friend, they have an understanding. They know words can’t fix anything. Sometimes all you need is somebody close by, to know they are there. He is the quiet boy who has become a man before her eyes, he pops in and out of the storyline.

James, a Chosen One, the only one of these boys with a scar, an imperfection, these boys are not imperfect, or else......

James behaves very human like, but the danger of what he is ,is prevalent. James should be dangerous to Tess, but he treats her different. He ‘sees’ Tess.

Tessa is brave and leaps before she thinks. She befriends James. I loved the piano scenes. Tessa has nothing, but when James lets her read books and they steal a moment with the piano, they are special moments in this book. All the ugliness fades into the background, even if it is only for a few moments.

Tessa becomes what she feared in her sister Emma.

This story has quite a deep web of intrigue as the pages turn. You become quite tense reading the pages, hoping Tessa and James are not found out.

I could pick up book 2 now, I am buzzed. You will never be bored by this book, you will have questions, you will feel frightened and tense and hope that our world we live in now, does not become Tess’ world. Pregnancy can kill you. Something has happened to women, they can’t give birth. If you can’t give birth, what does this mean to the human population?

Women are not needed or wanted by the Council. Boys are created, without the use of a woman. Women ‘disappear’. The compound will not let you run, find a better place, an escape from poverty and danger of extinction. There is so much waste within Templeton, but poverty in the compounds.

Chosen Ones took me a little bit to grasp at the start of this book. I didn’t fully understand the world that Tiffany was giving me. I may have liked a prologue that gave a bigger picture to what had happened. I understood the bombs and war, and humans = naturals were a dying being.

There are questions you can’t help ask yourself when you are reading.

Don’t get me wrong. I really loved Tiffany’s story. You just have to keep reading and pieces of puzzles slide into place. Some thoughts you have will still be unanswered, but I am incredibly intrigued for book 2.

A story of love and hope against all odds, that we as the reader want desperately to climb into the pages and help fight back, reclaim our world no matter how damaged and broken it may appear.

Michelle

BOOK COVER REVEAL - CHOSEN ONES by TIFFANY TRUITT- LOST SOULS # 1

What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.


Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

DUE FOR RELEASE APRIL 2012

ENTANGLED PUBLISHING

 

We are proud today to help reveal the cover to Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt. This is an exciting new dystopian series. I am looking forward to reading Chosen Ones shortly. I love a good dystopian so stay tuned for my non spoiler review.

 

 

Michelle