Thursday, July 31, 2014

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY: Abiding Flame by Pauline Creeden

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Join us July 21 - August 29 as we celebrate Pauline Creeden's books

Part Steampunk, part Fantasy, all Romance… When a crippled young lord rescues a girl falling from a tree, it reveals a secret about himself and his mother’s side of the family that could put him at the center of a war with beings he thought only existed in fairy tales. Tristan Gareth Smyth lived his entire life stuck at home at Waverly Park and left behind while his Grandfather makes trips to London, all because of his blasted wheelchair. Then an American heiress falls in his lap, literally, and he must find a way to keep her at a distance to protect not only his secret, but everyone around him from an assassin sent to kill him.

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  Darkness can be overcome…

Terminally ill Lynette Lamb is forced to reunite her wayward son and grandson. Her options are as limited as her strength and mobility. Through a fateful series of events, the rejoined pair will leave Earth to become part of a colony orbiting a new planet. Sam Austin and his wife mourn the loss of their only child and decide to make a fresh start at the space station. The same ship holds the one who will fulfill the dark planet’s prophecy, but a demonic force boards to stop the vessel. The demon’s obedient but unwilling servant is sent on a suicide mission to keep the ship from reaching its destination.

EXCERPT:“Freak!” a boy in green yelled, drawing Lynette Lamb’s attention from her second story window. Three boys caught up with her eleven-year-old grandson, Jeremy and blocked his path. “Why you look so weird?” one boy asked.“Do—,” Jeremy clenched a pharmacy bag. “Why do I look so weird?”
The green one laughed. “That’s what I asked. See, he doesn’t even know.” Snickering, two of the boys punched each other in the shoulders.
Lynette could smell their bloodlust on the breeze. Like rough burlap, her tired lungs scratched against her rib cage, but she ignored the pain and watched the three boys who harassed her grandson. One wore red, one blue, and one green. Otherwise only a modicum of disparity existed among them. That was the problem with normalization. In an effort to make everyone look the same, society succeeded in taking away individuality. She could hardly tell the kids apart anymore. She coughed, and splatters of blood stained the washcloth she gripped in her weak fingers.
“Is your doctor blind or sumthin’? Cuz I can almost see through you, white boy.” Green smacked Jeremy in the chest to punctuate his words. “And what’s with those teeth? Was yo’ momma a horse?”
“No.” Jeremy attempted to cross the street.
The boy in red pushed him and knocked the pharmacy bag to the sidewalk. “You ain’t goin’ nowhere.”
The one in blue giggled like a hyena. “Yeah. Unless it’s to a doctor. It’s called normalizing. Ain’t you never heard of it?”
“Shut it.” The one in red smacked Blue in the back of the head. Blue cowered, nearly falling backward as he stepped off the curb.
Jeremy focused on the bag at his feet and stood still. His tall, lanky frame and pale skin made him an anomaly to the normalized, olive-skinned, children his age. Because of his recent growth spurt, he seemed to be more knees and elbows than his limbs accounted for. Next to the other children, he stood like an awkward, leafless cedar.
Lynette clenched her teeth, hoping none of the young brutes held a weapon. If only she had the strength and wind in her lungs to yell at them! Tears filled her eyes. It crushed her that she could no longer take care of her grandson like he needed.
Green poked Jeremy in the chest to emphasize each word. “Why. You. Look. So. Weird.”
“I look the way God made me.”
Lynette’s heart swelled. But the primary colors doubled over and slapped each other on the backs. Green barked laughter, but stopped, spit on the ground, and said, “You one of those religion freaks, ain’t you? I knew it.”
Blue giggled, hand over his mouth, and pointed at Jeremy. “My dad said you was extinct!”
Red gripped the front of Jeremy’s shirt and growled, “Well, I says we make you extinct.”
He rammed his fist into Jeremy’s stomach. The other two boys jumped into the fray, arms thumping in a wild rhythm.

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Chira Kelly thought she didn’t need anyone…until she met Ben.

Because of one ugly rumor, Chira lives as an outcast at her school. Which is fine with her, because she works better alone. Always has, always will. And at least she has her one and only true friend, Tasha. When Tasha insists that they join a group to visit a possibly haunted abandoned old schoolhouse, she's wary, but joins her friend. Because of that decision, their lives are in jeopardy as a malevolent spirit targets the group. Tragedies and accidents pick them off one by one, and Chira finds herself drawn to the one person who can see the truth. But can he protect her?

*A Young Adult Paranormal Romance - Urban Fantasy with a blend of Mystery*  

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Left Behind for the Hunger Games generation


In a heart-racing thriller described as Falling Skies meet The Walking Dead, Jennie struggles to find a safe place for what’s left of her family. But it seems as though there is no place sacred, no place secure. First the aliens attacked the sun, making it dimmer, weaker, and half what it used to be. Then they attacked the water supply, killing one-third of Earth’s population with a bitter contaminate. And when they unleash a new terror on humankind, the victims will wish for death, but will not find it…

When the world shatters to pieces around her, will Jennie find the strength she needs to keep going?  

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Pauline CreedenPauline Creeden

Pauline Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.
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Wednesday, July 30, 2014

REVIEW: Dr Who: The Bog Warrior by Cecelia Ahern

Title: Doctor Who: The Bog Warrior
Series: Time Trips
Author:  Ceclia Ahern
Published Date: May 8, 2014
Publisher: BBC Digital
Format: ebook
Pages: 42
ISBN: 9781448142378
ASIN: B00K2U4OGE
Genre: fanfiction
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 2 stars

Synopsis: Arriving on the planet Cashel, the Tenth Doctor witnesses a strange masked ball. To guarantee peace, Prince Zircon has to choose a bride from the Bog People - dead men and women who have been resurrected as slaves. Or as warriors. But Zircon is in love with the enslaved Princess Ash, whose parents were deposed and executed by the current Queen. As usual, the Doctor has walked right into trouble, and it's up to him to sort it out.

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.
The overall storyline was good enough to keep me reading for the duration of this short novella. I love Dr.Who, so I felt compelled to read it. In the end though, I was extremely disappointed in this story.
Throughout the story, I did not feel any empathy towards the characters, and most importantly, I don't feel like the author properly conveyed the Tenth Doctor. Perhaps one of the other Doctors, maybe Tom Baker's Doctor, but definitely not Ten. Ten is my absolute favorite and not feeling him in the story sorely disappointed me.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

REVIEW: Lady Philippa's Peril by Katy Walters

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SteenaLadys Phillipas Peril2Travelling to her fiancés estate for her forthcoming marriage, Lady Phillipa Frencham counts herself as the happiest of young women. She is to wed Lord Hector Thurston, Baron of West Mead. The only bane in her life is her treacherous brother-in-law to be, Lord Demetrius who takes every opportunity to seduce her. How can she tell Hector of his brother’s ardour for her? To do so could result in a duel and ruin the wedding, even tear the family apart. However, she is unaware that Hector too may not be all he seems; and who is the new comer, the charming Lady Amaryllis Wilbraham? On her arrival at the Manor, Phillipa receives a threatening note, ‘Marry at Your Peril’ which Hector casually dismisses as a poor joke. Enter the Duke of Denfordshire, who immediately enchanted with Phillipa, is determined to make her his own. Phillipa in turn fights with her heart, and her conscience, as danger besets her from all sides.

Goodreads / Amazon

 Rating: 3 stars

My review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third in a series from this author that I have read. The language the author uses in the conversations really makes you feel like you're in that regency time period. Sometimes, I could only understand the language in the context of the conversation.
Most of the book was about an arranged marriage between Philippa and Hector, since they were childhood friends. Philippa feels compelled to marry Hector because of her family's situation, Hector feels compelled to marry her just because it is what is expected. Are either of them really happy? Enter in Damien and Amaryllis, and both Hector and Philippa find out what true love really is about. 
Though Philippa is considered a forward thinker of her time, putting women's rights to the forefront, including war, writing, and art, I found that throughout most of the book, she seemed rather shallow to me. It was only when she was put into a situation where she wanted to put forward women's rights, did she really bloom. Hector was the typical macho male of his time, the heir and well-off. 
Even between Damien and Philippa, I felt the emotion between them was kind of flat and two dimensional. Even towards the end of the book when the big confrontation happens, I felt nothing towards her, or Hector.
It was an enjoyable book to read, I didn't feel an emotional connection to the characters though.

About the author:

katy Thank you for having me here today. My main loves are writing, painting and singing. I began work as a PA but to my joy was spotted by an agent in London and had an exciting career as a singer, meeting and singing with some wonderful people. Singing meant a lot of travelling both in the UK and abroad. At one time, I toured Germany and Turkey singing for the American troops, which was a fantastic experience. But then, my husband and I wanted a family, so I said good-bye to the singing career, although I did the occasional gig. Having children is such a precious time, and I would say to anyone, treasure it, it goes so quickly and before you know it, you’re waving them off to Uni or pursuing their own dreams and their own homes. I have always had a deep interest in psychology for various reasons, and especially the area of neurosis arising from abuse. Later, I was to study how we could use our body, mind and spirit to relieve pain and overcome some life-threatening diseases. One important thing here is, I always told my patients to continue with medical treatment along with the complementary and spiritual methods, for I believe medical research and medication is also a gift from God, Spirit or the Universe, as each of us wishes to name it. I have loved writing from a child and during the years of study, research and treating some wonderful people, whom I called my friends, I would write at night, mainly short stories, and reams of poetry. I wanted to learn how to write self-help books for my clients, so I took creative writing courses at university, which led to writing a novel. So self-help novels turned to fiction but even so, I hope the novels help the reader through their own challenges, as the characters experience love, loss, passion, jealousy, illness, joy and conflict, even the threat of death. At present, I am writing the third book in the series ‘Lady Phillipa’s Peril’ and also putting together some ideas for the self-help book. This has been so enjoyable thank you.

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Monday, July 28, 2014

GUEST POST: Eucatastrophe by Kerry Nietz the author of Amish Vampires in Space


~ About the Book ~


Title: Amish Vampires in Space
Author: Kerry Nietz
Published: January 14th, 2014
Word Count: 137,000
Genre: Science Fiction
Content Warning: Minor Violence/Gore
Recommended Age: 13+

~ Synopsis ~


Jebediah has a secret that will change his world forever and send his people into space.The Amish world of Alabaster calls upon an ancient promise to escape destruction. Then end up on a cargo ship bound for the stars.But they are not the only cargo on board. Some of it is alive...or used to be.Now, with vampires taking over and closing in on the Amish refugees, these simple believers must decide whether their faith depends upon their honored traditions or something even older.

~ SALE ~




Amazon | Barnes & Noble | GoodReads

~ About the Author ~


Kerry Nietz is a refugee of the software industry. He spent more than a decade of his life flipping bits, first as one of the principal developers of the database product FoxPro for the now mythical Fox Software, and then as one of Bill Gates’s minions at Microsoft. He is a husband, a father, a technophile and a movie buff. He has one non-fiction book, a memoir entitled FoxTales: Behind the Scenes at Fox Software. Amish Vampires in Space is his fifth novel.

~Guest Post~
“Eucatastrophe” is a term coined by J.R.R. Tolkien to mean “a dramatic event that results in the protagonist’s well-being.” Now, I don’t know if I can claim that anything that has happened regarding Amish Vampires in Space rises to the level of Gandalf and the Riders of Rohan charging in to rescue Helm’s Deep, but there have certainly been moments that have seemed eucatastrophic in nature.
Amish Vampires in Space (AViS) originally released in October of 2013 from Marcher Lord Press. However, in December of 2013 I got word that the owner of Marcher Lord was selling the company. The catch there for me was that while the new owner wanted to retain the rights to my other four novels, he didn’t want to keep the rights to AViS. 
Why, you ask? Well, the reasons are mostly his own. I can say that it wasn’t because he thought the book was poorly written. He hadn’t read it! The only reason I got was: “To actually incarnate a punchline isn’t something I would’ve done.”
The move came as a shock to me, of course, because sales were good, the early reviews were great, and the buzz for my genre mashup was outstanding. It had been mentioned twice in Publishers Weekly, twice by Library Journal, given a nod on Dave Barry’s blog, and was the subject of an article in the Washington Post. 
So at Christmastime, I was left with this dilemma: I had a book that I’d spent most of a year writing and promoting. The talk and sales were still good, but it was soon to be without a publisher. The end result? The previous owner and I scrambled through the holidays to get AViS to the point where I could sell it 
independently. Thankfully, I already had accounts with all the major eBook providers and CreateSpace, so the process took less than a month. And the book remained available the entire time.
Skip ahead a couple months to March of 2014. By then the buzz and sales had leveled off, and I was beginning to think the ride was over. A friend of mine, Dawn Shelton (who is an excellent proofer) had read the book and found a handful of typos. Since sales were now a trickle, it seemed the perfect time to incorporate her changes. With the eBooks, that process was almost instantaneous. I fixed the files and uploaded them and they went live as soon as they were approved. The book was always available. 
Such was not the case with the print book. As is CreateSpace’s procedure, the moment I uploaded a new interior file, the book went out-of-print on Amazon pending approval of the new version. And while the changes to AViS were trivial, there are some graphic elements in the book that always send up red flags for their reviewers. Also, the approval process only happened in the middle of the night. So every time they flagged a problem, I’d have to call support, who would attach a note, and then I’d have to wait until the next morning to see if it finally was approved. It took most of a week to get the interior finally approved. On Tuesday, March 11th, AViS was available for sale again. That very night Amish Vampires in Space was mentioned by Jimmy Fallon on the Tonight Show. The buzz, and consequently, sales, exploded all over again. 
A eucatastrophe? I think even Tolkien would think so. 

~ Excerpt ~

Jebediah had a secret.
It was a weight, really. Something the songs of church service couldn’t lighten. Even daily prayers and scripture reading were no help. It was always present. Always hidden.
“It is Gelassenheit,” his father had said. “Surrendering yourself for others.”
So Jeb bore the weight. It was God’s will. Like Abraham tying Isaac to the altar. We hold the knife with the faith that God will stop us from using it.
With a groan, Jebediah pushed his way out of bed. Beside him, Sarah sighed and rolled his direction. Even with the passage of decades, she still appeared as beautiful to him as when they married. A day twenty years ago now. Her in a simple white dress and kapp. He in his best black suit. Family and friends, similarly attired. A simpler time. A happier time. An early spring.
Before the secret had passed to him.
“Is it morning so soon?” she whispered.
Jeb smiled. “Ya, it is.”
She made to get out of bed, but Jeb frowned and held out a hand. “Stay in,” he said. “At forty, you’ve earned a few more minutes.”
She put the back of her hand over her mouth and yawned. “So much to do today. The Troyers need breakfast. And Eli will need help with that baby. And the garden.”
Jeb glanced out the bedroom window. The sun had not yet begun to rise. And neither moon. Only a few distant stars and the mass of what was commonly called the Morning Nebbit.
Still very dark. That was a comfort, at least.

~ Giveaway ~




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RELEASE DAY SALE: A Dangerous Season by Olivia Hardin

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A Dangerous Season- Olivia

The characters of Bend-Bite-Shift and For Love of Fae all converge in A Dangerous Season (For Love of Fae Trilogy Book Three). JUST 99CENTS RELEASE DAY SPECIAL - ONLY GUARANTEED TODAY!!!










* iTunes * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

Description:
Pain, joy, death, life, magic: All of it fits. Or does it…
The faery realm is in a frenzy now that the Women on the Hill are no longer united in power. The fabric of life as the fae know it is changing, and with it the dynamics of friends, lovers and neighbors.
Devan will risk both her life and Kent’s love to locate her missing father. Nicky must follow Gerry headfirst into danger as she runs from the new demons within herself. Doc and Jill choose an ally in the cold war between faery factions as Robin struggles to help McKenna recover from a loss that could cripple her forever. Kristana and Langston seek answers and follow a ghost into enemy territory, while Rooney confronts the challenges of Belle’s growing powers and the path revealed for their lives.
A collision of forces could create a new order between the faery and human realms, but will everyone survive the fallout of the cataclysm?

Friday, July 25, 2014

REVIEW: Wicked Waves by Sharon Kay

Title: Wicked Waves
Series: Solsti Prophecy #2
Author:  Sharon Kay
Published Date: Jan 17, 2014
Publisher: Createspace
Format: e-book
Pages: 357
ISBN: 9781494292270
Genre: paranormal romance
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Synopsis: Making daggers out of raindrops is only the tip of the iceberg for Brooke Bonham. As one of four women who can control the elements, her ability to manipulate water packs a deluge of potential. Eager to learn more, she’s frustrated at the precautions she must take to avoid the wrong kind of attention on Earth.
Kai's duties as a Lash demon have kept him busy on Earth for nearly two hundred years. Fighting? He was born to do it.
Females? They're drawn to him. And Earth? The perfect place for him to avoid supernatural bounty hunters.
Though the two of them mix like oil and water, Kai senses that beneath Brooke’s frosty exterior hides a vortex of simmering passion. He’s determined to thaw his ice princess.
Forced to work together in the immortal realm, they track a rogue Lash demon at the helm of a widespread kidnapping operation. All too soon, Kai’s dark past catches up to them. Time runs out as a second enemy, bent on revenge, vows to stop at nothing short of Brooke’s enslavement and Kai’s death. As they and their foes stalk each other in a demonic game of cat-and-mouse, will her evolving skills and their fledgling bond be enough to save them?

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book in a new paranormal romance series, and it is just as amazing as the first. I was first introduced to Brooke and Kai in book one when it was obvious something was up with them.
Enter: book two and they just can't be in the same room with each other. Brooke hates Kai's presence and thinks he's a conceited, pompous jerk....well, with the first words out of his mouth, I wouldn't blame her! Kai's confused by his attraction to her, and does some knee-jerk reactions that include some open-mouth-insert-foot scenarios (including the above-mentioned). However, the attraction between them is irresistible and when they are forced into a partnership going to Torth, the sparks end up flying.
I love how Brooke is so eager to learn about her powers, to extend them and control them as much as possible, willing to learn and take chances. Kai is a major Alpha male, with a very painful slave past to deal with. He's very much a Spartacus-like figure, escaping from the Gladiator-like prison and becoming a hero-like figure to the general populace of Torth. When they finally come to accept their attraction to one another, its nothing short of phenomenal.
In this book, we see another part of Torth, which is fast becoming one of my favorite worlds with the vastly different environments and species.
If you love paranormal romance series, this will definitely not disappoint you!

REVIEW: Thrive Student Edition by Mark Hall

Title: Thrive: Digging Deep, Reaching Out Student Edition
Author: Mark Hall
Series: none
ISBN: 
9780310747574
Publisher: Zondervan
Published Date: August 5, 2014Genre: Christian
Buy It LinkAmazon | CBD | Zondervan

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Synopsis: Taking the Next Step in Your Faith Life to
GROW DEEP AND STRONG
The only way to be the hands and feet of Jesus is to love him and serve others out of our love for him. But to do that we must first be deeply rooted in our life with God. In Thrive, Mark Hall, lead singer for the popular band Casting Crowns, shows us what it really looks like to walk with Jesus.
In part 1, Digging Deep, Hall demonstrates how to truly engage with the Word and a community of faith, worshiping and pursuing God wholeheartedly as our hearts and minds are transformed. In part 2, Reaching Out, we see the fruits of our engagement with the Word and the community, the grateful giving back of service and love.
Using relatable stories, grounded teaching, and great application, Hall helps everyone who wants to take the next step of faith and see their life grow deep and strong.


In this student edition of Thrive, Mark Hall explores the two sides of our faith life---the roots that help us grow deep and the trunk and branches that are the evidence of what God does inside. With insight and humor, Mark gives teens steps and inspiration for growth in every area.

Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from BookLook Bloggers review program.As I read the non-student edition a few months previous, this review is almost exactly like the other with a few changes.
I have to say I love this book. I knew from the very first chapter, it was going to be one of those books that was going to be 5 stars for me. Immediately, I started telling people about this book.
Mark Hall is such a relatable person, and a great writer. The stories that he tells make you see that even as a pastor and the lead singer of a successful Christian rock group, he is still very human like his readers. He struggles just as much as we do.
There were only two things I did not like. The first was towards the end of the book with the proselytizing. I don't agree with it. I've hated when people have done it to me, and I would hate to make other people feel uncomfortable as some once did to me. I have never agreed with it, and I can't see me doing it to someone. I understand why the author feel that proselytizing is necessary, but its not for me. On the other hand, there are those who are very comfortable with it. If it's your thing, go for it.
The second thing I did not like was more about where I am in my faith journey in relation to the book. The book itself assumes that you're somewhat further on your journey than I am. I am a very new returner to my faith, so I really need more digging deep time before I could even think that I am near to where the author assumes I am in my journey.
Overall, it was an incredible book that I am keeping on my bookshelf for a very long time.

REVIEW: A Beautiful Defeat by Kevin Malarkey

Title: A Beautiful Defeat: Find True Freedom and Purpose in Total Surrender to God
Series: none
Author:  Kevin Malarkey
Published Date: July 8, 2014
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Format: hardcover
Pages: 192
ISBN: 9781400206391
Genre: nonfiction, Christian self-help
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 2 1/2 stars

Synopsis: "Total surrender to God: the surprising key to experiencing the sense of peace and purpose you crave.
There is a gnawing feeling inside all of us that says we could be better. If we would just be more organized or work a little harder, we'd finally have the rich and fulfilling life we want.
But the message of the cross is different.
The message is not one of God saying, "I died for your sins to work as a consultant to help you achieve the life you're determined to have." Jesus died to reconcile us to God so that we can die and give our lives to him and to others--a total surrender that is truly "a beautiful defeat"!
Perspective and peace in the midst of the stormy chaos of life are always available to the person who lives a surrendered life. The result is a rich existence basking in the pleasure and approval of God.

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not too impressed by this book. The author had some points that he made, but I don't see much of a difference between his points and the points that every other "Give your life to God completely" book out there makes. It was good to read that the author had his own struggles to deal with, so that he didn't sound like a preachy, holier-than-thou author. It brought a level of realism to the situations that he wrote about.
However, the biggest issue I had was the step about dying, especially the action step of writing your own death certificate. Morbid? Yes! If you have ever been the one to sit at the table to give the details of your departed loved one's life, to be the one to fill in the blanks on that death certificate, you will realize how morbid this step really is, and how emotionally troubling it would be to fill out your own death certificate. Can anyone imagine how disturbing that would be if a spouse or child came across that?
A suggestion here I would make would be to make a death certificate not for yourself, but for your struggles. You struggle with anger? Take his action step and make a death certificate for your anger. Let it die, let God take over.

BOOK TOUR and GIVEAWAY: Just Desserts by Tawdra Kandle

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JustDessertsSWCover   When her friend Julia needed help forming a revenge plan against her ex-boyfriend, Ava was happy to lend a hand. She never expected that in the course of making Liam pay, she'd be the one to fall hard. . .for the one person who was absolutely off-limits. Crushing on the guy who humiliated her best friend is definitely against the girl code. Besides, Ava has goals. Her life is all about graduating with honors and landing the perfect job. And Liam Bailey—sweet-talking, complicated son of a well-known local politician—isn't part of those plans. But Liam doesn't give up easily. And he doesn't intend to let their friends' opinions, his parents' disapproval or Ava's past get in the way of what he wants--Ava's heart.

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About the Author

Tawdra Kandle has been a writer since the invention of the pen. Her first published work appeared in Child's Life magazine when she was 13. After a brief, thirty-year hiatus, she published a young adult quartet, The King Series. More recently, she's released contemporary and paranormal romances in both the adult and New Adult genres. Tawdra lives in central Florida with her husband and children, of both skin and fur types. And yes, she has purple hair.

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Thursday, July 24, 2014

BOOK BLAST and GIVEAWAY: Second Chance Bride by Sandra Edwards

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Second-Chance-Bride resizedAfter being jilted, practically at the altar, Genie Wainwright heads to Hawaii to escape the well-meant pity party her friends and family are bound to throw on her behalf. What she never expects is to find someone to help her mend her broken heart. Donnie Taylor, owner of the posh Sapphire Bay Resort, has no interest in marriage—until he meets an unforgettable guest at the hotel. What starts out as a kindhearted gesture brings Donnie something he never expects—love!
Buy on:
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About the author:

Author Sandra EdwardsNEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY Bestselling Author Sandra Edwards writes award-winning romance in a variety of subgenres such as paranormal (mostly time travel and reincarnation), contemporary, and suspense. She lives in the U.S. (west coast) with her husband, two kids, four dogs and one very temperamental feline. Sandra's books often push the envelope and step outside the boundaries of conventional romance. For more info on Sandra's books, visit her website at www.sandrawrites.com.
Sign up for Sandra's NEW RELEASE ALERT at http://bit.ly/1k31XDr.

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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

RELEASE DAY: Jaded by Michelle Bellon

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New Release!


Jaded_highTo what lengths will a man go for the woman he loves? Reed Dartmouth will learn the answer to those questions time and time again throughout his relationship with Jade Montgomery. When he first meets her as a young, gentle boy the heartache from losing his mother only a year before is still fresh and painful. Jade is different from anyone else he’s ever met; tough, sassy, and even a bit cruel. But she’s also the same as he is: she knows what it’s like to lose a parent. Their friendship begins and a bond like no other is formed. Time passes and Reed learns that not only are Jade’s parents dead, they were murdered and she’s made an oath to one day bring them justice. No matter the price. As they grow older their love evolves but for Jade, old habits die hard and she can’t stop hurting those she loves the most. Even in the midst of searching for her parents’ killers, passion ignites and jealousy burns as Jade tests Reed’s devotion for her. Will she push him too far?

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About the author:

Michelle BellonMichelle Bellon lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their four children. She drinks ungodly amounts of coffee and has an addiction to chapstick. She works at a surgery center as a registered nurse and in her spare time writes novels. She writes in the genres of romance suspense, young adult, women’s fiction, and literary fiction. She has won three literary awards.

Website | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | LinkedIn



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Check out Michelle's Other Books
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Friday, July 18, 2014

REVIEW: Wicked Wind by Sharon Kay

Title: Wicked Wind
Series: Solsti Prophecy #1
Author: Sharon Kay
Published Date: July 23, 2013
Format: ebook
Pages: 297
ASIN: B00E3CDUZS
Genre: paranormal romance
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: SHE GREW UP THINKING SHE WAS HUMAN
Born with the ability to command the wind, Nicole Bonham spends her life hiding her gift. Deciding to take control of her power, she dispenses her own brand of vigilante justice in Chicago’s worst neighborhoods. Stealth and surprise are always on her side.
UNTIL A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH A WARRIOR DEMON
Lash demon Gunnar prowls Earth and several supernatural realms to help maintain peace among the immortal species. His chance encounter with Nicole creates a hurricane of sparks between them, and he can’t let her out of his sight until he discovers her true identity. In his two hundred years, he has never seen a creature like her.
PLUNGES THEM BOTH INTO A FIGHT FOR HER LIFE
Nicole and Gunnar race to discover who - or what - is stabbing the city's most destitute residents and stealing their blood. The fire that forged their bond explodes into white-hot passion, weaving their souls together on an unexpected level. Haunted by the past, Gunnar's fiercely protective instincts battle with her need to defeat the creatures she was born to fight. As they track the mastermind behind the attacks, will Nicole’s unique talent unwittingly send her straight into his lair?

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, what an exceptional start to a new paranormal romance series.

The characters, Gunnar and Nicole were both strong, and fresh, and absolutely likeable. Gunnar is a kick butt demon whose Alpha characteristics make him butt heads with Nicole, the human with special abilities, as he tries to protect her.  Nicole is a stubborn, family-centered woman, all about protecting her family secret and her sisters, and not about to give into his macho character, until she finds out the truth about who she and her sisters really are.
I am infatuated with the new world the author introduces us to, full of different types of demons, nymphs and other supernatural creatures. It's beautiful and vicious. The way the author writes kept me on my toes the entire time I was reading this book. The action was well-paced, and kept the tension at the same level throughout.
The romance between Nicole and Gunnar is hot, magnetically attracting each other as they both try to stay individuals. The physicality of their growing relationship was completely sexy. One of those books that you really shouldn't be reading in public.

I am looking forward to reading the next in this series, Wicked Waves, as she delves into the story of Nicole's younger sister. And however will they get Gin on board?

Thursday, July 17, 2014

REVIEW: Dilemma: A Priest's Struggle with Faith and Love by Fr. Albert Cutie

Title: Dilemma: A Priest's Struggle with Faith and Love
Series: none
Author:  Father Albert Cutie
Published Date: Jan 4, 2011
Publisher: Celebra Publishing
Format: hardback
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780451232014
Genre: nonfiction, memoir
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis: He was a Roman Catholic priest whose love affair became headline news. Now, he shares his explosive story-in his own words...
In this deeply personal and controversial memoir, Father Albert Cutié tells about the devastating struggle between upholding his sacred promises as a priest and falling in love. Already conflicted with growing ideological differences with the Church, Cutié was forced to abruptly change his life the day that he was photographed on the beach, embracing the woman he would later call his wife.
Once a poster boy of the Roman Catholic Church-loved and admired by millions-Cutié found that he was not happy and able to live as a celibate priest, especially having to defend the number of positions he was no longer in agreement with. For years he kept his relationship a secret, while he soul searched and prayed for answers. The love that he deemed a blessing was bringing him closer to God, but further from the Church. In Dilemma, Cutié tells about breaking that promise, reigniting the very heated debate over mandatory celibacy for Catholic priests, beginning a new way of life and discovering a new way of serving God.

My Review: I went into this book, trying to understand why a Catholic priest would switch to the Episcopal Church. All of the Catholic priests I've known, and I've known quite a few, seem to be very content with Catholicism. And in this book, I saw that some Catholic priests are not happy with the rigid demands of the Mother Church, some truly can't handle them psychologically. They sometimes turn to alcohol or sex. Some hide their relationships. I enjoyed reading from the human perspective of a priest, and seeing the human side of other priests. Too often do we put them on a pedestal, expecting super-human things from them, when they are just humans, struggling with their own issues.
What I didn't like about this book was that the author kept tooting his own horn, telling all about how wonderful of a priest he was, how hardworking, how welcoming, in spite of all the rigidity of the Catholic Church. I am sure he was....15 hour days don't sound fun, and doing them year uponm year sounds mentally and physically exhausting. Reading it once made me wish the Catholic priests I knew were like him. Some of them were, some of them were about as flexible and welcoming as a 10 foot thick brick wall. Reading it for the 10th time through the book, it was a little much.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

PROMO: Embracing My Submission by Jenna Jacobson

Jenna Jacob
"Embracing My Submission"
~~~SALE~~~
Haunted for years by dreams of a savage, amber eyed Dominant with lips so enticing my soul ached in frustration and lust. None of the Dominants at Genesis, my local BDSM club ever stirred me in such blistering ways. While I tried to fill my submissive desires vicariously through interactions at the club, I attempted to convince myself it was enough. But it wasn?t. My dream Dom made certain I hungered for more. 

Forced beyond what I could bear, my passion and frustration exploded. I threw in the towel, determined to stop chasing a dream and gave up completely on finding submissive surrender. But fate intervened when two gunshots split the night. Forced to confront my desires and insecurities, I was shocked to realize that my dreams may have held a deeper meaning. Were they compelling me to finally embrace my submission?
~~~BUYLINK~~~
***Book 1***
on Sale for $.99
LIMITED TIME ONLY

Embracing My Submission

Book 2

Masters Of My Desire

 

Book 3

Master Of My Mind

 

BIO:


Jenna Jacob is married and lives in Kansas. A lover of music, cooking, camping, and riding Harleys on the open country roads. When she was thirteen she began writing--and not on a stone tablet, as her youngest son often teases. There is always a plot bubbling inside her head that has to be written.
With four grown children, she finally has time to paint the pictures of her twisted mind with words. Outgoing with a sassy sense of humor, she's never once been accused of being shy. With nearly twenty years of experience in the dynamics of the BDSM lifestyle, she strives to portray Dominance and submission with a passionate and comprehensive voice.

Author Links:


Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Jenna-Jacob/e/B00CEKYRLW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/jenna.jacob.author?fref=ts

Twitter:  @JennaJacob3

WebSite:  http://www.jennajacob.com/