The Tide of War by Lori A. Witt Blog Tour, Excerpt Review & Giveaway!

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Hey guys, we have the amazing Lori A. Witt stopping by today with her newest release The Tide of War, and I have to say it’s an amazing Sci-fi/ Dystiopian/ Thriller 🙂 We have an amazing excerpt, a fabulous giveaway and Aerin’s review, so enjoy the post, leave a comment (with email, facebook or twitter details) and check out this fantastic book! <3 ~Pixie~

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The Tide of War

(Defending Epsilon 01)
by

Lori A. Witt

Lieutenant Commander Kyle West is one of Earth Fleet’s greatest fighter pilots. Every day, he leads his squadron into battle over Earth’s cities in a seemingly endless war against a vicious alien race, defending his home and his loved ones.

 

Millions of miles away, the Fleet’s Elite Squadron attacks from another angle, engaging the enemy on its home turf. Casualties are high, and the Squadron needs more of the Fleet’s very best. But joining the Elite is a death sentence—a surety Kyle isn’t willing to face. Until a devastating attack wipes out the family he refused to leave.

 

Commander Andrei Dezhnyov, an Elite Squadron gunner, isn’t sure what to make of the cocky new American pilot. Kyle is equally uncertain about the snarly Russian, but as they warm up to each other, their tentative alliance becomes a deep bond—one that endangers them both when a daring and disobedient rescue reveals secrets that call into question everything they’ve ever believed about their enemy. Secrets that their superiors would kill to protect.

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Excerpt

Alarms. Red lights.

Emily and Kyle both dropped the tablets they’d been reading and sprinted out of their stateroom. Doors flew open on both sides of the corridor, and the other members of their squadron were hot on their heels.

When they reached the hangar, the maintainers were scrambling to get their tools and scaffolding out of the way as pilots and gunners jumped into their fighters.

“Come on, come on,” Kyle muttered at the maintainers as he pulled on his O2 mask. “Out of the way, boys.” He kicked on the engines, and the maintainers moved even faster. By the time Emily lit up the weapon systems, they were clear.

He released the brake and eased the throttle forward.

And nothing happened.

One by one, the other birds rolled out, took the sharp turn beyond the hangar door, their engines screaming and afterburners flaring to life just before they snapped forward to launch into the air.

But Kyle’s didn’t move. At all.

“What the fuck is happening?” Emily shouted.

“Nothing!” Kyle frantically searched for something—an alarm, a light, anything—to indicate what was going on. “Nothing’s happening. That’s the problem!”

“Shit . . .”

He clicked the radio over to the aircrew channel. “I need aircrew over here for an undetermined malfunction. Now!”

“On it, sir.”

He didn’t even need to use his call sign or identify his fighter. There was only one bird left on the ground, and it was his. Aircrew came running from all directions.

“Come on, come on, come on,” Kyle muttered, tapping his fingers on the control stick. They didn’t have time for this. They had to fly. Right now.

Panels opened. Closed. Others opened. Closed. Warning lights came on. Went off. Came on again.

“What the fuck?” someone said on the radio. One of the men popped up from beneath the left wing and gestured for two others to join him.

Kyle’s heart stopped. That wasn’t good. “What the fuck is going on down there?”

Someone held up a gloved hand in a just a minute gesture. Just a minute? He didn’t have a minute. He didn’t have thirty seconds. His guys were about to be taking fire out there, if they weren’t already.

Digging his teeth into his lower lip and squirming in the cockpit, he stared helplessly at the hangar door. Though there was a cacophony of sound around his craft—voices and mechanical alike—the silence of the rest of the hangar threatened to drive him insane. The noise around his craft echoed through the empty, cavernous building.

And still, the bird didn’t move.

“What the fuck?” he barked into the radio. “Give me an update, guys. I need to get off the ground.”

“Uhhh . . .”

Kyle closed his eyes. Fuck. “Come on. Status update.”

“Sorry, sir,” a voice crackled on the radio. “This thing isn’t getting off the ground.”

“What the hell do you mean it’s—”

“With all due respect, sir,” the crewman snapped. “This isn’t something you can override. This aircraft is grounded pending major repairs.”

“Major repairs?” Emily said. “That’s not possible.”

“Come down and take a look, ma’am.”

Emily and Kyle got out of the fighter and dropped onto the concrete floor. They joined the crewmen who’d gathered around the wing.

“It was flying just fine yesterday,” Kyle said. “What the hell is—”

“That’s fine and good, sir.” The man gestured at the open panel. “But with those wires melted together like that, you’re not getting off the ground, and even if you did, you’d crash and burn before you made it past the flight line.” He looked Kyle in the eye. “Whatever happened here, it must have happened while you were in the air yesterday. You two are lucky you managed to land safely at all.”

Kyle’s blood turned cold. He stepped closer and inspected the damage. Several wires had burned through their insulation and melted together. He didn’t know for certain which wire went to what, but it was bad. Very bad.

“How did everyone miss this?” Kyle shouted, jabbing his finger at the damage. “How did anyone not see this on the preflight?”

“I don’t know, sir,” the crewman said. “But if you’ll get out of the way, we’ll fix it as fast as we can.”

He got out of the way. Someone’s ass was getting hemmed up for this. Someone’s career was over.

Kyle sank onto a closed toolbox and cradled his head in his hands.

The squadron should have been hundreds of miles away by now, but they must not have been as far as he’d hoped. Their engines still roared in the distance. He thought he even heard the scream of a missile, and he hoped to God it was one of theirs and not a Menarian missile.

And he hoped like hell that the rumble he’d just felt had been a Menarian crashing into an abandoned building.

Kyle shuddered.

He watched the aircrew pulling wires and guts out of the fighter. It would take at least a couple of hours just to get all that back in and properly seated. The repair itself? Anyone’s guess.

The air vibrated with another explosion in the distance. Holy fuck, the battle was close. Kyle shifted his gaze to the open hangar door, thankful he couldn’t see the smoke from here. But some of the aircrew, those who weren’t needed to fix Kyle and Emily’s fighter, stood at the door, watching something to the south. Kyle stayed put; he didn’t want to see it. He didn’t want to know what was happening unless it was a Menarian fighter that had gone down. Unless it was the whole lizards’ motherfucking formation going down in a ball of fire.

The battle went on, practically in the base’s backyard. Missiles whistled. Explosions thumped. It was going on longer than usual—more intense by the sound of it, as well—and too fucking close.

Griff, Brendan, please be safe. Please be safe.

Nearly ninety minutes after the alarm had gone off, while Kyle and Emily’s fighter was still a half-dissected mess of wires and equipment, the roar of engines and activity out on the flight line simultaneously relieved and frustrated Kyle. One of the fighters had made it home. Moments later, another landed. No one headed back to base if the fight was still going on unless they were badly damaged. Within the next twenty minutes or so, the whole squadron—God willing—would be back.

The first fighter rolled into the hangar, smoke rising from a gaping tear in the fuselage. One wingtip was damaged. He’d probably grazed a building or another fighter. Shit, they must have been fighting in tight quarters.

And they’d been here in London.

For more excerpt click here: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/tide-of-war (Just click the excerpt tab)

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About Lori A. Witt

Lori A. Witt is the fourth corner of the Gallagher-Witt quad, and prefers to play in the genres of science fiction and fantasy over all that romance nonsense. Okay, so romance does show up sometimes, but these are the books she writes when she needs a change of pace. Sword and sorcery, spaceships, and just general weird nerdy goodness—Lori writes it all. Like the other members of the quad (L.A. Witt, Lauren Gallagher, and Ann Gallagher), Lori is in the process of relocating from Omahabad, Nebraskastan to the southwestern coast of Spain. In her spare time, she tries to stay out of the middle of L.A.’s and Lauren’s ongoing rivalry, while never missing a chance to trip Ann when she’s not paying attention.

Connect with Lori:

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Giveaway!

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist (including books written as L.A. Witt or Lauren Gallagher, excluding The Tide of War) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit.

(Just leave a comment on this post, with a way to be contacted)
(Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on June 28th, and winners will be announced on June 29th. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.)

Review

Lori A. Witt - The Tide of War _600x900Title: The Tide of War

Series: Defending Epsilon 01

Author:  Lori A. Witt

Genre: Dystopian

Length: Novel (371 pages)

ISBN: 9781626492646

Publisher: Riptide Publishing (June 22nd 2015)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Aerin

Blurb: Lieutenant Commander Kyle West is one of Earth Fleet’s greatest fighter pilots. Every day, he leads his squadron into battle over Earth’s cities in a seemingly endless war against a vicious alien race, defending his home and his loved ones.

Millions of miles away, the Fleet’s Elite Squadron attacks from another angle, engaging the enemy on its home turf. Casualties are high, and the Squadron needs more of the Fleet’s very best. But joining the Elite is a death sentence—a surety Kyle isn’t willing to face. Until a devastating attack wipes out the family he refused to leave.

Commander Andrei Dezhnyov, an Elite Squadron gunner, isn’t sure what to make of the cocky new American pilot. Kyle is equally uncertain about the snarly Russian, but as they warm up to each other, their tentative alliance becomes a deep bond—one that endangers them both when a daring and disobedient rescue reveals secrets that call into question everything they’ve ever believed about their enemy. Secrets that their superiors would kill to protect. 

Product Link: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/tide-of-war

Review: 5 mindfucking hearts!!!

This book was awesome, but if you’re looking for a romance story in the traditional sense you’re going to be disappointed. There is a story about love but not necessarily between the main characters, although we do have sort of a relationship developing between them as well. Any romance in this book is secondary and nicely woven around the main idea: Fighting to protect the Earth against an alien species that seems intent on destroying us. But is it really? What exactly is the truth? Is everything as it seems or is it all a mindfuck of epic proportion? I’m not going to give much detail because that would result in a major spoiler. But this book is beautifully written and as much as it gutted me to read this, it’s something that I could definitely believe as possible. I’m in so much awe with this author for coming up with this amazing story.

I had a feeling early on that this was going to lead somewhere that my mind refused to go. No way! But my gut feeling was right, and while the journey was painful (yes I teared up a lot of times), I enjoyed reading this all the way to the end.

I loved the chemistry between Kyle and Andrei, but it was bitter sweet! I wanted them together and at the same time I didn’t. I was hoping from the beginning that Griff and Kyle would be together all the way to the end, I was really hoping for a threesome, even though none of that was mentioned in the blurb. I was HOPING even though I knew it was in vain. Besides Andrei was married to his pilot, Ogrufina; so was he cheating on her? No, not really. She knew Andrei was bisexual and wanted, even encouraged, him to find male lovers, so the fact that Andrei did is not considered cheating. There is no MF sex (thank God!!!!) in this story, so if you’re like me and don’t like female bits in your MM books, you don’t need to worry.

This book’s pace was awesome, there was never a dull moment! It was interesting and clever, the writing is great and it made me FEEL. I felt rage, sadness, heartbreak, outrage, but also hope, love, and I guess happiness. There is somewhat of a happy ending between Andrei and Kyle, but not in the traditional sense. I’m not sure they’re in love exactly; they are in a relationship, but I felt it was based more on friendship at that point. Was I disappointed? NO! It was the perfect timing for that kind of relationship, the one that has a great potential of becoming more. The affection is there, the respect is there, the trust is obvious, and the chemistry is strong. 

The ending didn’t feel complete (but good enough for now) because I don’t think this is the end. There has to be more, a whole other book can be written with Andrei and Kyle’s relationship as a focus, and while the men did what they set out to do, there’s so much more that will happen next. So Mrs. Witt, will we have a sequel to this wonderful book? (since I read and reviewed this, I found out there will be a book two and this has become a series).

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Check out the other blogs on the blog tour

June 22, 2015 – Prism Book Alliance
June 22, 2015 – Creative Deeds
June 23, 2015 – The Novel Approach
June 23, 2015 – MM Good Book Reviews
June 24, 2015 – The Jeep Diva
June 24, 2015 – Book Reviews and More by Kathy
June 25, 2015 – The Blogger Girls
June 25, 2015 – GGR-Review
June 26, 2015 – TTC Books and More
June 26, 2015 – Rainbow Gold Reviews
June 27, 2015 – Love Bytes Reviews
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11 thoughts on “The Tide of War by Lori A. Witt Blog Tour, Excerpt Review & Giveaway!

  1. I am delighted to find this series. The first book looks fantastic.

  2. Great excerpt and review! I love LA Witt books, so I guess this is not going to be an exception. Thank you for the giveaway
    susanaperez7140(at)gmail(dot)com

  3. Thanks for the post and review! I have this on my list to read – looking forward to it.

    jen(dot)f(at)mac(dot)com

  4. Great to read such an enthusiastic review!

    Thank you for the chance at the giveaway.
    caroaz [at] ymail [dot] com

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