Friday, July 4, 2014

"Shattering Halos" by Sunniva Dee

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
Shattering Halos
by Sunniva Dee



Shattering Halos is on tour with Literary Quill Promotions. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.


Description
He traded my death for love. I wasn’t given a choice. His decision has caught up with us, so now I am a living, breathing catalyst to war between Heaven and Hell.
The violations he committed saved my life. Since the collision, he’s appeared everywhere. In my hospital room, my school, even my house. He shows up in my paintings, my drawings, in all of my art projects. I can’t stop thinking about him.
He says his name is Gabriel, and he doesn’t understand what’s happening to him. He doesn’t know how I can see him or why he loves me in ways that should be impossible for a Celestial.
My obsession grows. I want him to hold me, kiss me - give all of himself. For every day he protects me, the consequences loom darker and taller. Soon, they’ll crash down on us. Yes, the war is about to begin.


Excerpt
"Why was she so upset with you, Gabriel?” I asked.
“I can’t read her mind.”
“Oh right, how silly of me.” I rolled my eyes. His thoughts were somewhere else, so my sarcasm didn’t register with him.
“I’ve never had to cloak myself before.”
“Oh, with your other humans, you mean?” My voice came out strange.
Gabriel turned fully and looked at me. His eyebrows lifted. “Right…”
“How many others have you had?”
“I don’t know, thousands.”
Holy. Crap.
I leaned my forehead against the window, trying to hide the flare of jealousy.
“Gaia.” A gentle hand reached around and pulled me back toward him. I couldn’t meet his stare.
“They were humans that lived before you.”
“Girls?” Why did I sound sulky? Oh, right, because I was a terrible actress. Gabriel’s quiet laughter drizzled over me. “Babies. Some growing into women and others into men. Many never grew up.”
“Did they see you?” Did you kiss them?
Gabriel didn’t reply at first. Then the back of his hand traced my cheekbone down to my mouth.
“No, I didn’t.”
My breath hitched. I must have heard wrong. His eyes focused on my lips, and my gut clenched.
He let go of me too fast. An arm hid his expression as he fell back into his seat. I leaned over, my palm molding to his face. I needed him close.
When it slid down his neck, a muffled groan slipped from him. “Please don’t touch me, Gaia.”
“You started it.”
“I know—I won’t. We have to stop this.”
“Crap! You’re not making any sense—you know that? This is bullshit!”
Gabriel pushed his seat up and faced me, his irises shimmering like water. “Gaia. I don’t know why the archangels haven’t come for me, but humans and angels—” He cut himself off, then continued. “I screwed up. Since I’m still with you, they must have given me another chance.”
And just like that, I transformed into pure instinct all over again and jumped into his lap. Clearly I could not be trusted near this—this…angel.
The steering wheel jabbed into my back, but I barely noticed. The pain was just another reason to get closer, much closer to him. My fingers slid into his hair, tangling with it. I tugged him to me and pressed my mouth against his.
Gabriel reacted immediately. He crushed me so tight that my breath wheezed out. The seat lowered underneath him, and he pulled me with him, devouring my mouth.
“We can’t be together?” I panted.
“No, we can’t.”
“Never?” Desperate, my tongue found his. He shook his head against my mouth. My stomach burned with need.
One at a time, I forced the words out in clipped gasps. “I can’t ever touch you again?” Gabriel groaned. I could feel him under me. So male, so alive.
“No.”
I want him so much it hurts!
Gabriel’s eyes opened beneath me. He rocked me closer, and I moaned.
“Will you be visible to me?”
“Sometimes.” The tiny suckling noises as he feasted on my lips sent fire straight to my womb.
“Please, promise me you’ll be visible always.”
His hands moved up to my face and held me out from him. The kiss he gave me was too light on my lips, and I shuddered.
“No, not always. But I promise that you will see me every day.”
I absorbed the kisses, lucid enough to know they were the last ones I would ever receive from Gabriel.


Praise for the Book
"Getting told from one of my most favourite authors out there, 'Holly, you NEED to read this book. It's so amazing, you will love it.' (...) I was in this book haze for days afterwards. Just wandering around replaying scene after scene in my head, like memories of something that had actually happened to me. If you're not such a fan of Paranormal then that's ok. You don't need to be. Shattering Halos is very much an NA book, only with the added perfection of shimmering, and brooding angels that will win you over, and have you swooning in no time at all." ~ Holly's Hot Reads
"I thanked God and Sunniva for giving us Gabriel and almost started praying he would be my guardian angel and being a fallen angel only made me pray more he would fall into my bed!! I loved Gabriel's character, he was so protective of Gaia. He had me swooning, while in a heartbeat he would be all alpha male and sexy!! This would have me fanning myself and trying to cool my kindle down." ~ Make My Day Book Blog
"Something about the way she spoke about Gabriel the Angel was completely different than any book I had ever read about angels, and believe me, I've read A LOT! Free of time and worldly constraints like sound, hunger, pain, cold. All the way through this book her descriptions of both types of beings were phenomenal!" ~ My Secret Book Spot
"Sunniva Dee has created a brand new genre in Shattering Halos, merging new adult and paranormal romance seamlessly. Sexy, action-packed, and oh, so sweet, this book will stay on your mind long after the last page. And supporting character, Cassiel, will leave you pleading for a sequel. I loved this book and cannot wait for more!" ~ Cheryl McIntyre, bestselling author of the Sometimes Never series and the Dirty series


From the Author
Originally from Norway, I moved to the United States twelve years ago.
The first awesome five years I spent in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, before moving to the beautiful city of Savannah, Georgia.
I'm currently on my seventh year in the South, where my husband, son, and I are enjoying the heat, the humidity, as well as our crazy menagerie of animals better known as the petting zoo. The only one not here is my daughter, who returned to Norway for college.
I hold a Master's degree in languages, and for ten years, I taught at university level, before settling in as graduate adviser at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Writing is my passion, my joy, and my addiction. Shattering Halos is my debut novel. When I'm not writing, I read. A lot. :)

Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win some great prizes.

Links