Rising Tide: Dark Innocence by Claudette Melanson Book Tour and Giveaway :)
Rising Tide: Dark Innocence
The
Maura DeLuca Trilogy Book 1
by
Claudette Melanson
Genre:
YA Paranormal
Rising
Tide will sink its fangs into you, keeping you awake into the wee
hours of the night
Could
Maura's life get any worse? ...turns out it most certainly can.
Isolated
and sheltered by her lonely mother, Maura's never been able to make
friends. She seems to drive her classmates away—except for the odd
times they pay enough attention to torture her—but she doesn’t
understand why. Maura considers herself to be a freak of nature, with
her unusually pale skin and an aversion to the sun that renders her
violently nauseous. Her belief is only worsened by the fact that
almost everyone around her keeps their distance.
Even
her own father deserted her before she was born, leaving Maura alone
with her emotionally distant mother, Caelyn. Even though Maura is
desperate for answers about her unknown parent, Caelyn remains
heartbroken and her daughter can’t bring herself to reopen her
mother’s wounds. Or is there a more sinister reason Caelyn refuses
to utter a word about her long-lost love?
When
a cruel prank nearly claims Maura’s life, one of her classmates,
Ron, rushes to her rescue. Darkly handsome & mysteriously
accepting, Ron doesn’t seem to want to stay away, but Maura is
reluctant to get too close, since her mother has announced she’s
moving the two of them to Vancouver…nearly 3,000 miles away from
their hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
If
life wasn’t already challenging enough, Maura begins to experience
bizarre, physical changes her mother seems hell bent on ignoring,
compelling Maura to fear for her own life. Vicious nightmares, blood
cravings, failing health and the heart-shattering loss of Ron—as
well as the discovery of a tangled web of her own mother's
lies—become obstacles in Maura's desperate quest for the
unfathomable truth she was never prepared to uncover.
2015
Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner for YA Mystery
2015
RONE Award Finalist for YA Paranormal
2015 New Apple Top Medalist for Young Adult Ebook
Chosen as one of 400 for the second round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award for 2014!!!
Praise
for Rising Tide:
"This
captivating and commendable work had me immersed from the beginning.
The story flows from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows
exceptional skill when it comes to storytelling."
"Mrs.
Melanson’s writing is so descriptive and talented. Throughout the
entire story, I felt like I was watching a movie."
"Melanson
grabs you from page 1 and doesn't let you go until the very bitter
end, only bitter because the book is finished."
"I
found pure delight in this book and will recommend it to other
readers."
"The
writing by Claudette Melanson in this novel is top notch and I can
see the movie rights for this being grabbed in no time."
˃˃˃ Sure to become one of the Books to Read of the year, Rising Tide: Dark Innocence isn’t the usual YA tale of vampires. Full of Mystery and Suspense, this Vampire Mystery Thriller packs just enough Romance & Humor, while delivering plenty of Dark Fantasy served with a side of the Supernatural. Maura, in the midst of her vampire awakenings is unarguably a vampire in denial. It is a novel that is certain to become one of the classic paranormal and fantasy books of its time--the series is not only for Teen & Young Adult readers, but has been well-received by many adult readers, as well. Maura doesn't live in Castle Dracula in Transylvania, but she must still discover the bloodlines constructing the creature she is destined to become, while overcoming social issues, such as bullying, that rock her world while coming of age. She is an strong Urban Scienece Fiction & Fantasy female protagonist readers love.
**Get
it FREE!!***
It was too late then… He was ringing
the doorbell. He looked so much braver than I felt. I could see the
anger that had crept back into him in the hard set of his lips, the
flash in his dark eyes. Caelyn had torn the door open
immediately, anxiety all over her face. She looked at Ron,
dumbfounded. She must have then caught sight of some part of me,
because she instantly peered around his shoulder to find me standing
meekly behind him, clad only in a boy’s shirt that just barely
cleared my hips. “Maura?! What the …” Her eyes
fairly popped with dismayed astonishment. “Hi, Mom.” What an asinine thing to
say. I should have at least started with “I’m okay.” Caelyn just stood there with her mouth
hanging open. I felt the fear turn over, like a living thing in my
stomach. How was I going to survive our confrontation? How could I
even begin to explain everything that had happened that night? Luckily, I had Ron. “Hi, um, Ms.
DeLuca.” He started out sounding very shy, but as my mother’s
brows furrowed closer together, he put a stronger edge to his voice.
“I came to bring Maura home.” She was still scowling. “Um … I’m Ron by the way.” He put
his hand out to her. She ignored that entirely. My mother’s glare was venomous.
“Maura! Get in the house this instant!” Oh boy … She thought Ron was at fault
for whatever imagined atrocities were going through her brain right
at the moment. “Mom!” I was desperate to put
everything right, despite how much trouble I knew I’d be in. “You
have it all wrong!” “I said GET IN THE HOUSE!” she
screamed at me, absolute fury flying from her eyes. I’d never seen
her so angry before, and I was terrified. “Do I need to ask you
again?” “N-n-no ma’am,” I stuttered. I
hurried past Ron, but not without looking up at him with apology in
my eyes. I felt horrible for his being put in the middle, just
because he’d happened to save my life. Once inside, I steeled myself for
another attempt at speaking to my mother. “Mom, will you please
just let me …” “Don’t say anything, Maura.” Her
voice shook. “Do you have any idea what you’ve put me through
tonight?”
I was confused then. Did she want me to
stay quiet or answer her question? Ron saved me again. “I think I can
explain.” He took a tentative step onto the living room carpet. I didn’t like the way Caelyn’s head
snapped around when she looked at him. “What was your name again?”
she asked viciously. I saw him swallow hard as he answered,
“Ron.”
She turned on him then. “Well, Ron!”
It sounded like she’d chewed on his name before spitting the one
syllable out. “Do you mind telling me why it is you’re out with
my daughter when she’s supposed to be with Katie Parker? And after
you’ve answered that, I’d really love to know why you
would bring her home wearing only that!!” She pointed the
index finger of her shaking hand at me, standing on the plush blue
carpet next to our couch, holding onto its arm for support, my knees
knocking together. Ron went a little pale… I couldn’t
stand to see my hero wrongly accused. “Mom! Listen to me! If-if it weren’t
for him, for Ron…Mom, I’d be dead right now!” I shouted
all the words out quickly before she had a chance to silence me
again.
Undertow: Death's Twilight
The
Maura DeLuca Trilogy Book 2
Maura
finally found the truth she was always seeking…or has she?
After
being left in the dark for all of her life, Maura’s father,
Maxwell, has finally returned to reveal sinister family secrets Maura
could never have dreamed possible—including his revelation that she
is one of The Born. But his daughter soon discovers both he and her
mother are keeping pieces of her reality hidden, still. As Maura
struggles to unravel the mysteries surrounding her new existence and
discover every piece of the cryptic puzzle, life appears intent on
casting stumbling blocks across her path with every step forward.
Tragedy
seems to stalk Maura, and those around her, as she stumbles along,
altering the young changeling’s family, just when they have all
come back together. The changes left in its wake could be for the
better, or may threaten their existence, entirely.
With
the arrival of Christmas comes the opportunity for Maura to draw
close to everyone she loves—and finally reunite with Ron, the man
she loves. But permanence has always eluded her, and in her current
state of flux this pattern endures, as fate seems intent on snapping
the threads that bind her to those she holds most dear. Maxwell’s
good intentions pave a road for Maura, littered with misery, while
her mother, Caelyn’s, desire to shield her family from pain may
tear her away from them, altogether. The perfect happiness in the
young vampire’s grasp is so easily swept away and dragged under,
out of reach. Can Maura erupt from the darkness and confusion to
break the surface and find the life she’s always dreamed of?
In
the midst of chaos, assistance materializes in the form of another of
her kind—ephemerally beautiful, yet explosively volatile, this new
vampire may prove capable of unlocking the puzzle-box Maxwell seems
intent on securing from her sight. Maura will discover the darkest
parts of herself in her quest to understand the being she is destined
to become. Her newfound friend has some shady intentions of his
own—such as thwarting the love that has grown between Maura and
Ron. Following in the wake of the impulsive vampire’s misguided
instruction may further pull a naive Maura down into the depths of
ultimate despair, heartbreak…and even destruction.
2015
Readers' Favorite Honorable Mention for YA Horror
2016
New Apple Summer eBook Solo Medalist for YA Horror
Praise
for Undertow:
"This
series offers so much: the heartwarming family moments, the comedic
back and forth banter between characters, life lessons tragically
instilled."
"I
actually cried during a few parts of the story."
"The
story is well written and gripping until the very end."
"If
it’s written by Claudette Melanson, you’re guaranteed to have an
amazing piece of literature that anyone can enjoy."
“W-w-what?!!”
seemed to be all I could manage in way of a response.
My
long-lost father had appeared, after seventeen long years…and
informed me I
was
turning into a vampire. My hold on reality was tenuous at best. The
very air
around
me felt watery and surreal. In fact, I was reasonably sure I had
to be dreaming.
My
father, Maxwell, had released me from our first-ever embrace, and I’d
begun to
back
away—an auto-response to his little revelation. He stood with my
mother now,
both
hands out in a conciliatory gesture. “Now, Maura, please calm
down…”
“Calm
down?!” My voice came out shrill and thready. He’d just said
something
utterly
ridiculous—impossible. I threw both arms around my ribcage, trying
to stabilize
myself
somehow. My breaths were coming so fast; I was sure I’d
hyperventilate.
My
mother finally spoke, after her long silence, “Maura, it’s okay.”
She was
advancing
very slowly toward me. I
didn’t feel like anything would ever be okay again. What my father
had divulged defied
reality itself. That tiny, but logical, voice in my head I’d been
hearing insisted they
explained a lot of things happening lately. Like the bloody tears
smeared across my
face and hands... But vampires weren’t real! The
disease I’d inherited must’ve possessed the capability to
deteriorate the mind in order
for my father to believe such a thing. *Then why does Caelyn believe
it too?* my mind
asked. Or was she merely going along with his maniacal raving to
avoid upsetting a
dying man? I looked back and forth between them and another
realization struck. “It
was him! This is who you’ve been with at all those ‘work
dinners!’ We saw you!” There!
I’d let the cat out of the bag about me and my best friend, Susie,
following Caelyn
after work one night. Once I’d put two and two together, I became
so enraged, all
thought of ludicrous vampires was chased from my head. My
mother’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Excuse me? Did you just say
you’ve been
spying on me, Maura?” My father simply stared at the ground. That
was the last straw. “You have the nerve to be angry about me spying
on you?!! You’ve
been keeping me from my own father!!” I was screaming now. “How
could you??
How could you?!!!” Caelyn’s
mouth was moving, but no words were coming out. I
continued to scream at her, my temper completely beyond my control.
“We’re both sick,
maybe dying, and you sneak around behind my back.” My brain
connected more dots.
“And you?!” I pointed a trembling finger at Maxwell. “You
didn’t want to see me? Or
are you just completely out of your mind, spouting nonsense about
vampires?” My
father’s head jerked up suddenly when that word escaped my lips.
His eyes darted
to either end of the alley, and I noticed small groups of people
peering in, most likely
in response to the volume of my shrieking. His
expression switched from alarmed to a combination of stern and
resolute. I’d seen
an identical look on my own face in the mirror before. He moved past
my mother —reminiscent
of a mannequin stuck in suspended animation—to grab me firmly by
the arm.
“Come along, Maura, we are leaving.” There
was no arguing with that vicelike grip. He towed me along and
collected my mother
in similar fashion, as we moved toward the end of the alley from
which I’d originally
come. A lingering assault of the senses flashed in the forefront of
my mind, overwhelming
me. I unconsciously muttered, “Sushi.”
“What?”
my mother asked, glancing over at me like I’d grown another head. “I
planted that suggestion,” he explained to her calmly. “Oh!
I see.” I
felt my legs go weak again…and the fog that had stolen my
consciousness before started
creeping in from the corners of my eyes.
Riptide: Betrayal of Blood
The
Maura DeLuca Trilogy Book 3
Maura
has never felt so alone in her life…nor has her existence ever been
so overshadowed by peril…
Not
only do both her parents—her distant but loving mother and
recently- returned father—remain absent from her life, but due to
the hideous error in judgement executed in collusion with her best
friend, Valdamir, and adoptive sister, Susie, Maura has been cut off
from the pair’s friendship and support, forbidden by both her
father and the fallout from the dire outcome to see either of them.
The heartbreak she suffers, brought on by the weight of these
estrangements, is only intensified by the continued mysterious
absence of her supernaturally-destined mate, Ron…whose
disappearance delivers grave consequences Maura would have never
dreamed possible…
Despised
by her vampire cousin, Aldiva, for reasons Maura cannot yet
comprehend, the young changeling will be forced to guard her back
with every step, as she comes to realize this member of her vampire
family would love nothing more than to bring about her demise.
Aldiva’s wrath calls forth other members from both Vancouver
covens, forcing them to rush to Maura’s aid—even though her
father, their king, has expressly forbidden the other vampires to
initiate contact with his daughter. Will her extended family on
Vancouver Island obey, abandoning Maura to her doom, or will they
instead rebel against Maxwell’s wishes in order to save her
life?
In
addition to the menace personified in her unsolicited enemy, the
unlikely vampire princess will find herself drowning as she is pulled
down into the depths of a far more devastating crisis…one which may
condemn her to a fate she considers much more undesirable than death.
But in order to tear herself free from the deadly pull which is
drawing her under, Maura must enlist the help of her preternatural
family, exposing her newfound friends to a danger none of them have
ever had the misfortune to face before. Can she be saved or will the
riptide drag Maura under…along with those she loves the most…
2017
New Apple Solo Medalist for Summer eBook - Young Adult General
Fiction
Praise
for Riptide:
"I will
scream it from the rooftops how much I love this series."
"I
can only say that Riptide is one of the best modern vampire stories I
have ever read, and I read them all from Stephen King to Ann Rice to
Stephenie Meyer."
"Riptide
was action packed and the fight scenes were well written but more
than that it was the story of family and love, of taking
responsibility, and dealing with hate when all sane avenues
fail."
"The
lore is superb, as is the writing. I can't wait to catch up with
Maura again!"
I
should have realized something was amiss before she laid a finger on
me. A
minute
before, the air had swirled with snow. Snow was rare in Vancouver.
Snow in
September—an
impossibility. The
iron solidity of my fear prevented an answer to her question from
escaping my lips. “I
asked you a question, Changeling!” she hissed out into the silent,
cold air. “Do you realize
what a mess you have made of everything?” I
scarcely managed a “Y-y-yes,” in response to that. Aldiva
lingered just at the edge of
my peripheral vision, her pale-blonde hair shining like sunbeams
through icicles. “H-h-h-how...” “Did
I find you?” she finished for me. I
gathered every fragment of courage within me, drawing it up from the
very tips of my
toes, and turned to face her. She’d
been so very young when she’d been turned. She could be no older
than I and,
perhaps, had been even younger. Her huge ice-blue eyes had probably
been innocent
at one time…when she’d still been human. Her pale,
finely-chiseled features would
have been angelic, excepting those cold, inhuman eyes. I didn’t
miss the fangtips extended
to light on her baby-pink lower lip. Surely, she feared my father’s
wrath too much
to eat me?
“Have
you nothing at all to say, Changeling?” Her grip at my shoulder
became frozen
needles in my skin. I
tried to be brave. “Does my father know you’re here…with me?”
I countered. One
side of her mouth turned up in a coy sort of way… Could she be
attempting a smile?
“That matters not at the moment. Would you not agree? I do not find
your father in
my line of sight. Do you?” I
felt it imperative to remind her of my father’s protection, anyway.
“Maxwell … ummm … Dad …” “I
know what you did to your friend,” she stated, throwing my tenuous
hold on my mental
axis to the stabbing wintry wind.
My
defenses kicked in, brought purely to light by some unfamiliar
instinct. “I didn’t…
It
was Susie …” Shame flooded my entire being. “You
turned her. It was your doing, ultimately,” she articulated with
icy absolution. It
hadn’t been I alone who’d turned her, but I wouldn’t have
mentioned my lost friend, Valdamir,
for a pint of fresh, warm blood. I feared for his life and safety
enough already. Still,
her words gave pause to the blood in my veins and reminded me of my
part in the murder
of one of my best friends, Amanda.
Aldiva
stalked after me, toppling me over with the smallest push of her
slight index
finger.
Her eyes blazed at me… I’d never known blue could hold such fire. I
scrabbled backward like an upside-downed tortoise—ineffective—my
palms scraping
over the thorny rocks. The saltwater’s sharp sting was barely
registered by my mind.
Her gaze was far more cutting. If
there had been anyone around to watch such a ridiculous display, I’m
sure they would
have been left bewildered—me, scuttling backward like the world’s
clumsiest crab —backing
away in horrified haste from a young girl of such slight stature, who
appeared much
more angel than demon from a distance. “YOU
broke our peace. You disrupted the harmony of my family.” She
pointed her icicle
finger at me as she hissed out her rage. “Maxwell can keep his
mate, but I will deny
him his daugh …” The
chilled idea of sudden, unavoidable death assaulted me with a cold
unlike any I’d
ever felt before—even the preternatural touch of my father’s
skin—and it permeated me
long after the threat had been nullified. Aldiva’s
words were cut short, and she disappeared from my line of sight, her
iceblue cloak
becoming a blur which perfectly matched her irises, as she was
propelled a safe
distance away.
Claudette Melanson writes dark fantasy, horror and children’s books in Kitchener, Ontario with seven bun babies at her side: Tegan, Pepper, Butters, Beckett, Sansa, Daenerys & Caramel. She graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BA in English, BS in English Education and an MA in Literature. Harboring a deep admiration of vampires since the age of five left her with the desire to eventually become one, and now fuels the creation of her favorite paranormal characters. She hopes to one day work full time as an author, since there are many, many stories playing out inside her head.
In
her very scant spare time, she enjoys watching Japanese Anime and
reading vampire stories...along with other genres of great fiction,
as well as riding every roller coaster she encounters in both her
hometown and away at signings. An advocate for good health and
ketogenic eating, her favorite foods are bulletproof coffee,
cashew-flour crust pizza and treats made with xylitol and almond,
coconut or cashew flours.
Future
dreams include a cabin boasting a roaring fire, isolated inside a
snow-filled wood in the Yukon—the perfect writing spot—and the
completion of dozens of future novels and stories. A Rabbit Rescue
fanatic and loving bunmom, she also hopes to help rescues all over
the world save many innocent lives.
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the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!
Thank you so much for featuring the books today!
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