CONJURE by LEA NOLAN BLOG TOUR - EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY

WINNER: MARY PRESTON

Thanks so much for having me, Damaris! It’s a pleasure to visit Good Choice Reading to introduce my debut MG/YA crossover novel, CONJURE, book one in The Hoodoo Apprentice Series. I’ve got a super special excerpt to unveil exclusively on the blog, but before we get to that, here’s a little description of CONJURE…

Be careful what you search for...

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry—hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

But when a strange girl appears bent on revenge, demon dogs become a threat, and Jack turns into a walking skeleton, Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends—are lost forever.

***EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT FROM CONJURE***

A snap, loud and cracking, ricochets in the woods.

My heart seizes, and I stop short. “What was that?”

Cooper shakes his head. “I didn’t hear anything.”

“Are you sure?” The echo of the sound still rings in my ears. I stand stiff, straining for any sound. Night creatures sing, filling the night air, but theirs are the normal sounds of summer. Crickets and toads aren’t big enough to crunch things in the forest.

He grasps my arm and smiles. “Trust me, Emmaline. There’s no boogeyman waiting to eat us.”

Warmth fills my quivering chest, easing my tense shoulders. I’m being silly. It’s been a long day. Between Jack, his burn, and that creepy letter, I must be going nuts.

I start down the path again, passing sedge brooms and saw palmettos. As crazy as the day has been, I don’t want the night to end. Maybe I can get Cooper to stay awhile, watch a movie or something. It’s not like he’s dying to get back home to hang with Missy and Beau in the hot tub.

Another snap, sharper than the first, slices the night.

My pulse charges. Cooper and I freeze.

The night critters suddenly stop mid-song, leaving a heavy silence in the sultry air. My heart threatens to leap from my chest.

Dead leaves rustle just a few feet away. It’s right behind us.

Forgetting to breathe, I sink my nails into Cooper’s arm. Together, we pivot on our heels.

Two enormous, glowing yellow eyes flash in the pitch black.

I scream.

Cooper snatches my hand and bolts down the path, dragging me behind him.

Twigs break and crack in the woods behind us. Heavy, quick footsteps pound. Whatever it is, it’s keeping pace, following us.

“Run faster!” Cooper yells and tugs on my hand, navigating us around the thick roots that cut across the path.

I try to keep up, but my flip-flops and flapping bandage trip me up, and my short legs struggle to match Cooper’s long stride.

“I’m going as fast as I can!”

The footfalls gain speed and draw closer.

“Not fast enough! Come on, dig in!” He yanks hard on my hand and flings me in front of him, launching me farther down the path. Still running, I gape. He has taken my place, wedged himself between me and whatever is out there. “GO!” he yells, and I do, tapping into an unknown reserve of adrenaline, speeding toward the caretaker’s cottage.

                        Lea Nolan writes the kinds of stories she sought as a teen—smart paranormals with bright heroines, crazy-hot heroes, diabolical plot twists, plus a dose of magic, a draft of romance, and a sprinkle of history. She’s holds degrees in history and women’s studies concentrating in public policy and spent fifteen years as a health policy analyst and researcher. She lives in Maryland with her heroically supportive husband and three clever children. Her debut YA novel, CONJURE, book one in The Hoodoo Apprentice Series is a new release from Entangled Publishing under the Entangled Teen imprint. You can learn more about Lea on her website, on Facebook, Twitter and on Goodreads. CONJURE is available at both Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Additional Social Media links (if needed):


Facebook Series page: http://www.facebook.com/TheHoodooApprentice

Group blog: http://honestlyya.blogspot.com/

Group blog: www.entangledteen.com

We have a copy of Conjure to share with one lucky commenter. 

Just leave a comment below with your e-mail address.

Contest ends one week from today. 

Good Luck!