FREEBIE Alert!! - "True Colors"

"True Colors"
(The Masks Series, Book 1)
by Melissa Pearl

Price dropped as of April 20, 2017

from $2.99 to FREE (that's a 100% Price Drop)

Book Link: Click Here

Series Spotlight Post: Link Here

"Spotlight Saturday": Author Melissa Pearl

Penned Series: Time Spirit Trilogy", "The Elements Trilogy","The Fugitive Series", "The Masks Series", "The Betwixt Series" and "Songbird Novels", as well as the "Mica & Lexy Series" (Co-Authored with Brenda Howson)

Website: www.melissapearlauthor.com 
Other Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, Amazon Author Page, YouTube Channel.

Email: hello@melissapearlauthor.com

Check out the Spotlight Saturday Post on Masks Series: 2/28/15

Fugitive Series

Author Bio:

Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan... not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has continued to produce a steady stream of books, ranging in genres from Fantasy to Romantic Suspense to Contemporary Romance. She loves the variety and is excited about the books she has coming out in 2015. 

The Elements Trilogy

 "I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love.” 

The Betwixt Series

Melissa Pearl is an open book when it comes to her readers and fans. It’s hard for any reader not to become a fan of Melissa once you read one of her books. Then there is just the fact that Melissa makes it extremely easy to get to know her. She is not shy about conversing via a YouTube channel she created to keep readers up to date on her works in progress, answer any questions, show her character inspiration boards and just be overall personable with her readers. 

Songbird Novels

Time Spirit Trilogy

“I am an indie author who is passionate about the craft of writing. I love every stage of a book’s journey, from conception to final edits.” 

 Melissa Pearl believes in her author motto of “Laugh, Cry, Swoon.” And boy, does she deliver on that promise book and book again, as each story she writes gives readers memorable highs and lows. 

Now, Melissa was gracious to give me a moment of her time, especially since it was just her birthday, but she took a few minutes to answer some questions revealing a little more about herself and what may inspire some of her writings. Truly you can tell a lot about a person, and author, when they say what movies or music they like. ;)

What is your favorite color? 
         Purple, I also love orange, because it's such a bright and happy color. :)

Who is your favorite author? 
    I have a ton of authors I enjoy, but just off the top of my head - Cambria Hebert comes to mind first...and Anna Cruise. I also like Francine Rivers and Nora Roberts. I also think Jodi Picoult is a REALLY talented author, but I don't always love all her books, but man - that woman can WRITE!!!

And what was you career goal as a child? 
          I had SO many. I changed my mind all the time. The ones I can remember are.... Nurse, teacher, singer, actor, make-up artist on a movie set, builder, architect...never a writer though, I've always found that funny. :)

What birth order are you? i.e. first born, middle, etc. 
         Youngest. It's just me a my big bro. There's four years between us, but we were really close growing up.

Where was your favorite place to have lived, or visit? 
         My 9 month trip around the USA and Canada was so incredibly EPIC and will always be considered a favorite year in my life. All those AMAZING national parks and the history up the east coast of the USA was totally fascinating...and then though mountains in west Canada....STUNNING!!!!!

Favorite book boyfriend? *not one you've written(Sorry we already know yours are great catches)                
           Ummmm - oooooo - let me think... Probably Alex from Sarah Alderson's Lila Series. TOTALLY fell for that guy!

Who is your Celebrity Crush? *No worries, they can be anyone from musician to an actor 
         Paul Walker was always right up there for me...and most definitely Chris Evans. He seems to have a cheeky charm that I find very appealing Oh - and Olly Murs...he does too.

Favorite song at the moment or all time? *I know music is your thing, so you can list a few if you'd like 
         That is a REALLY hard question. I LOVE music...and all kinds too! How about I just list the songs I've been enjoying this week. Haha 
          "Country's Written All Over Me" by Kira Isabella 
          "Goodbye In Her Eyes" by Zac Brown Band 
          "Trust Me" by Amanda Marshall 
          "Come On Over" by Jessica Simpson 
                  **Can you tell I've been listening to the Home soundtrack a lot this week?** I've also been enjoying.. "You're Not Alone" by Owl City and Britt Nicole, "If Your Lips Are Moving" by Meghan Trainor, "True Love" and "Run" by Pink. There are a ton more, but those would be my top picks for the week. 

Favorite TV show from your childhood, teens, college years and now adulthood/present time?                     
         Childhood - Gummy Bears & Full House 
        Teens - Beverly Hills 90210 & there was another one about cops that I really loved, but I can't remember what it's called. It had Blue in the title. 
        College Years - FRIENDS 
        Present - Rookie Blue & Castle would probably be my top two, but there are plenty more. 

Last Movie you saw? 
        I watched Focus last night with Will Smith and Margo Robbie. It was really cool.

Favorite character you've written? 
       Ahhhh - that's super hard!!! I love all my characters. Um - the characters from the Fugitive Series would be right up there for me. I really love their friendship and how quirky they were. I also adore writing Mica because she's a crazy, silly nut.

Worst character you've written, as in the hardest character to develop or most annoying? 
      Tracey from Forbidden Waters drove me nuts. She is SO annoying!! You'll meet her at the end of this month. But other than that, I actually really love writing bad guys. I love that they can say and do things I'd never do myself. It's like a release or something. LOL As for character development - Nicole from Betwixt was a tricky one in the sense that she can be kind of unlikeable to start with because of all her issues, but deep down she's actually a really awesome person. I LOVED her, but I was worried my readers wouldn't give her a chance. Thankfully most of them have.

Are you struck by story inspiration at random moments, or do sit in your office contemplating your next novel? 
      Definitely random moments - the shower is my most inspirational place or if I'm out walking...also lying in bed and cooking in the kitchen. Any task that doesn't take my full concentration to do...so that my mind can wander. :)

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Well, that's it for now peeps, as you can tell Melissa is just too cool for school. So she dropped teaching and became a writer. Anyways, bad joke aside, you can chat or check in with Melissa any time on her website, or sign up for her newsletter (CLICK HERE) to always stay informed of her upcoming novels. 

Speaking of which, Melissa and Brenda Howson have their next installment of Mica & Lexy Series coming out this month titled: "Forbidden Waters".

Melissa will also be releasing her forth installment in her Songbird novels, titled "Home" in the coming months, so stay tuned as the release date is set for sometime in August.

"Spotlight Saturday": The Masks Series by Melissa Pearl

"True Colors" (Book 1)- Click Here

"Two-Faced" (Book 2)- Click Here

"Snake Eyes" (Book 3)- Click Here

"Poker Face" (Book 4)- Click Here 

My Thoughts: Amazing Series from Beginning to End!!

 The Masks Series is a Y.A./ N.A. series written by Melissa Pearl (Amazon Author Page) that is a contemporary romance with a paranormal twist, which is so beautifully crafted and well written that a reader is instantly caught up in the books. This whole series is a complete adventure full of crazy moments one after another that will just wrap you up and take you through Caitlyn Davis' life as she ventures out into the world trying to live with a gift to see beyond people's facades. A reader can't help but feel for her plight in not only trying grow up as a young woman in trying to balancing a life, school, family, and maybe a relationship, but now she also this new gift. This gift causes Caitlyn to take on a new perspective on life where she can't help but be empathetic towards people's situations and finds herself always wanting to help them out of their situations despite what it may cost her. In the end it's the connections Caitlyn makes with some new friends, especially with her man the amazing Eric Shore, that will leave any reader jealous and wanting to read more and more. Seriously the adventures and sometimes very dangerous situations Caitlyn manages to get herself into are page turning, or should I say ebook swiping moments. But seriously, readers will get that reading tunnel vision where the world just needs to go away for a while, because I MUST finish this part now! Yeah you know what that feeling is like, well these books make you do that time and time again, because this author, Melissa Pearl, is just gifted that way, and this series proves she knows how to capture her audience. So yes, I greatly endorse this awesome series and have been a reader of it from the beginning to the bittersweet end. So if you are still not convinced, though I haven't the foggiest clue why not, listed below is my True Colors review and links to each book with their book blurps. Now be forewarned none are too revealing BUT still read at your own risk. I dare ya! 

"True Colors" (Book 1)-

Price: $0 ebook FREE (at time of post) **LIMITED TIME OFFER**

Listed Rating:.4

Book Link: Click Here

           The main character Caitlyn Davis, is first introduced as a modern girl to a fault. She chooses to let her best friends and social status at school dictate who she should be and how she should act, despite how she may feel on the inside about everything. Like many high schoolers, Caitlyn goes with the flow and does not go against what everyone else does and instead holds her tongue most of the time. However it's upon receiving her gift that Caitlyn begins to see everyone's TRUE emotions hidden by their fake smiles and laughs, which causes her to change her lifestyle for the better.
          The concept that a person can see behind the masks we put up to hid our true feelings is so brilliant and real. I mean the book is paranormal, but not to out there in the sense that Caitlyn isn't reading minds, flying, controlling time or the elements. Instead Caitlyn is given the power to read the real person behind who they try to present to the world, and its from there Caitlyn must decided what to do with that information. With some help Caitlyn learns to harness her gift and use it to understand the people she reads, in order to help those in need.
          Caitlyn's biggest supporter and helper through her discovery of her gift is Eric, who was once her next neighbor, but then becomes her boyfriend, her Hercules, her Silver Lining. Their relationship is something she can count on as pure and true, when all Caitlyn encounters are false realities and emotions from people she thought she knew. Eric is perfect for her and Caitlyn discovers this especially after her disaster of a boyfriend Chase in the beginning of the story. I must mention there is talks about sex and partial sexual situations that would makes this is a YA and a bit of a NA book too in my opinion, since Caitlyn is a senior in H.S. 
         Then there is the violence that occurs in the book. It's strange because while reading the book I was is enraptured I didn't really comprehend the reality of maybe how much abuse could have been happening to some of the characters. However, in thinking back on it, those situations would be very sickening in reality. I think Melissa Pearl just does an amazing job in writing about the violence in a away were it's just enough to make it vivid and descriptive but not disturbing. I don't know if that makes sense, but if you've read her work before you know what I mean, if you haven't take my word on the fact that she keeps your attention with a scene with out making you cringe despite the scene probably being ten times worse than how she's portraying it, she's just great and not disgusting us.
         Overall, I would definitely recommend this series. In fact I've already talked it up to a couple friends and have shared it with my sister. Of course the title "True Colors" always reminds me of the Cindy Lauper song, but don't let that stop you from reading this book if that too pops into your head every time you say the book title. This book is thrilling, sweet, and filled with deep contemporary teen and YA issues. I can't wait to see what happens next for this modern day heroine and how Caitlyn can develop relationships with the gift of insight past the facades of people.

"Two-Faced" (Book 2)-

Price: $2.99 ebook (at time of post)

Listed Rating: .4

Book Link:Click Here

           Caitlyn Davies has an unusual gift. She knows exactly what people feel. She sees their true reactions, every time. Everyone wears a mask, but she can see the truth hiding behind it. This ability has changed her life, both for the better and the worse. She can choose to ignore what she sees...but what happens when it involves the guy she loves?
           Eric Shore knew getting involved with a girl who could read people was risky, but he couldn't help himself. Caitlyn is gorgeous and he loves being with her. Things have been going great...until she tells Eric that his step-brother and star basketball player, Connor, is doing drugs. Having looked up to the guy for years, Eric just can't buy it. Things only get worse when Caitlyn starts to question the true nature of Eric's favorite teacher at UCLA.
          Their first year at college together was supposed to be amazing, but their relationship is off to a rocky start, especially when Caitlyn refuses to deny what she's seen in order to keep her boyfriend happy. As more and more masks are peeled away, Caitlyn is thrown into a dangerous world where secrets are exposed and Eric once again has to decide whether dating Caitlyn is worth the risk. It doesn't take long for the young couple to realize that even those closest to you can be two-faced.

"Snake Eyes" (Book 3)-

Price: $2.99 ebook (at time of post)

Listed Rating: .4

Book Link:Click Here

       Caitlyn Davis expects her sophomore year at UCLA to be perfect...until she walks into her dorm room to find Special Agent Zoey Kaplan of the FBI waiting for her. In that instant, she knows her idyllic year with new best friends, Nicole and Dale, along with her super hot boyfriend, Eric, is about to fall apart.

       Having been forced to work with the FBI months earlier, Caity accidentally gave away her special ability to read people's emotions and know whether they were telling the truth. Now, Kaplan wants Caity to go undercover again for a secret operation that will bring her close to the sadistic Diego Mendez, a man believed to be involved in human trafficking.

       Eric Shore is not a man who trusts easily. Having been burned multiple times, it's hard for him to open up completely, but his love for Caity makes him want to try. Yet, her sudden withdrawal worries him, particularly when she chooses to spend time with her new roommate, Quella Mendez, over him. When Caity's behavior begins to match that of her wild roommate, Eric wonders if their relationship is as strong as he believed.

      As Caity struggles to maintain her relationship and do her job, she finds herself pulled further into a dangerous world that could take away everything she holds dear. Will Eric learn the truth in time to save her? Or will the man with the eyes of a snake destroy their perfect romance?

"Poker Face" (Book 4)-

Price: $2.99 ebook (at time of post)

Listed Rating:***NEW RELEASE***

Book Link: Click Here

       When Caitlyn Davis agreed to work with the FBI, she never imagined it would lead to her own kidnapping. But her special ability to read people's emotions and decipher the truth has attracted the unwanted attention of Santiago Gomez, a rich casino owner who intends to use Caity's talent to further his own business.
       Eric Shore knew Caity didn't want to break up with him; her scribbled note left on his bed gave him a snippet of the truth she'd been hiding. Still reeling from his brush with death and the loss of his beloved grandfather, Eric throws himself into searching for his girl.
      With help from his reemerged father and a rogue FBI agent, Eric follows a tenuous lead to Las Vegas, not caring that his rescue attempt could bring him face-to-face with the same man who killed his grandfather and wants him dead as well. While Caity fights to survive the horrors of her slavery, Eric is thrust into a dangerous world that could cost him his life, along with Caity's.

"Friday Favs": Poker Face by Melissa Pearl

Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. 246 pages

Price: $2.99 ebook, (at time of post)

Publisher & Date: Evatopia Press. February 23, 2015

Book Link: Click Here

Listed Rating: ***NEW RELEASE***

Price I Paid: $2.99,  FYI I love any book by this author

My Rating: 

My Thoughts: Such a Thrilling and an Almost Heartbreaking Ending!

         Wow! Such a thrilling and an almost heartbreaking ending, but Melissa Pearl pulls it off once again, bringing readers through another great ending to a fantastic series! Poor Caity and Eric, everything for them has just kept getting worse and worse, especially after that end in Snake Eyes.  I seriously kept thinking "How is Melissa Pearl going to fix this?!" and "She needs to fix this!" and “Oh! She better not leave them like this!"

       Caity is separated from Eric, when she was enlisted against her will by Agent Kaplan in an undercover operation. Things went wrong at the end of said operation and now she is sold and hidden away to be left alone in the place where sins abound and masks are worn daily for acts of violence corruption and deceit all conducted without remorse or guilt. All the while Eric is left with a deep sense of sadness, longing and guilt that he pushes away in order to put forth all his efforts into find his girl. Eric just knows that Caity is in trouble and will do anything even risking his own life if need be, to get to her and bring her back safely.  However,  when help is offered will Eric be wise enough to take even if it’s from a person he has grown to hate? And will Caity be able to last and use her gift wisely enough to last in a place where men care for nothing but money and power?

       Overall this book was frustratingly fantastic! I mean I just knew Melissa would do right by her readers and give Caity and Eric their HEA of sorts,  but I just couldn't see it while reading this book. So a reader will just have to endure the great book to see if Caity and Eric do get their HEA. Cause honestly I wasn’t sure it could happen, but I will hint at the fact that Melissa, went with a more realistic ending and not a fictitious way out. Which I applaud, since I sooo hate it when authors force a happy fake ending that's a bit unbelievable, so rest assured Caity and Eric do get an ending weather its happy or not?  You’ll just have to read it to see it.