#REVIEW: AD 30 by Ted Dekker

Title: A.D. 30

Series: none

Author:  Ted Dekker

Published Date: October 28^th, 2014

Publisher: Center Street Publishers

Format: hardback

Pages: 432

ISBN:  9781599954189

Genre: Christian fiction

Add to: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: A sweeping epic set in the harsh deserts of Arabia and ancient Palestine.

A war that rages between kingdoms on the earth and in the heart.

The harrowing journey of the woman at the center of it all.

Step back in time to the year of our Lord...A.D. 30.
The outcast daughter of one of the most powerful Bedouin sheikhs in Arabia, Maviah is called on to protect the very people who rejected her. When their enemies launch a sudden attack with devastating consequences, Maviah escapes with the help of two of her father's warriors--Saba who speaks more with is sword than his voice and Judah, a Jew who comes from a tribe that can read the stars. Their journey will be fraught with terrible danger. If they can survive the vast forbidding sands of a desert that is deadly to most, they will reach a brutal world subjugated by kings and emperors. There Maviah must secure an unlikely alliance with King Herod of the Jews. 

But Maviah's path leads her unexpectedly to another man. An enigmatic teacher who speaks of a way in this life which offers greater power than any kingdom. His name is Yeshua, and his words turn everything known on its head. Though following him may present even greater danger, his may be the only way for Maviah to save her people--and herself.

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

This was a fascinating book. From the very beginning, you are pulled into Maviah’s world, the world of a single mother full of shame, just for being born a woman, and for being born to a woman of lesser status than her father. A world where violence rules, and the innocent are destroyed in its wake.

And yet, somehow, no matter what her father feels for her, she is pushed into an adventure to ally herself and her people with Herod, the same Herod at the time of Jesus’ death. Maviah meets an unexpected ally in Herod’s wife. One of her father’s warriors, Judah, is adamant about meeting this Yeshua, the mystic who he believes could be the long-awaited Messiah of his people.

I love reading fictionalized accounts of meeting Jesus like this. The author does such an extraordinary job of bringing this, so it feels like the reader is actually there, meeting Jesus as well. You get to feel what it must have felt like when someone else met him for the first time, what kind of personality he had, things that you don’t get out of the dry reading of the Gospels.

I hope the author continues this into a series. 

#FREE: Kingsmen Series by Tara Oakes November 29th and 30th ONLY!

The Fist two books in the Kingsmen Series are Free for this weekend only!!

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#COVER REVEAL: Tryst by Arie Lane

Release Date: January 6th

Goodreads

SYNOPSIS

Bentley Celeste has everything to lose, literally. On a night she should have been celebrating, her world came crashing down. Left with no other choice, she ran for her life and has been hiding ever since.

The day Tristan turned into a teenager his whole life changed. Faced with the reality that his father was more of a child than he was, Tristan chose to forego the rest of his childhood and become an adult.

Both have secrets that could destroy the fragile foundation that Tristan fights hard to build. But what happens when the very secrets you are hiding are the very ties that will either bind or break you? Can Bentley stop running long enough to let someone in? Can Tristan start believing that not everyone he loves is destined to abandon him? 

***WARNING*** This book is intended for 18+ due to strong language, violent scenarios, and sexual content. 

Pre - order links 

Amazon.com - http://amzn.com/B00PJK646A

Amazon.co.uk - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PJK646A

Book Trailer:

About this Author

Arie Lane is an avid reader and stay at home mom to two beautiful little boys. When not writing or chasing them around she is usually catching up with other Indie authors and constantly keeping up with new blogs.
She loves to connect with people and is proud that she finally had the courage to put some of her crazy thoughts into written words. From the time she started reading her nose was always stuck in a book and she's couldn't be happier that now she's encouraging others to get their noses stuck also. Even if her readers are of the +18 variety.

Connect with the Arie:

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9850637.Arie_Lane

Amazon author Page - http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00PMNMHRO

Facbebook page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Arie-Lane/1559450517600148?fref=ts

#BLAST and #GIVEAWAY #PenBlast: The Fortuitous Pen by Cara Addison

Can their everyday life of sexy trysts and loving adventures be enough to overcome mistakes of the past?

Publication Date: November 25, 2014

Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance

After making an immediate connection in ‘Going the Distance’, Austin Campbell and Brett Tanner continue their lives together as they adjust to life as a sexy New York couple.

Having fallen madly in love with Brett, Austin balances her time between her writing, and the delicious romps with her fiercely loyal and equally adventurous lover.   Determined to focus on her writing, Austin experiences an accidental encounter that sets the two off on a journey of pain and healing.  Can their everyday life of sexy trysts and loving adventures be enough to overcome mistakes of the past?

GoodReads

BookStrand

I’m the accidental author.

In so many ways, becoming a published author happened by chance.

For years, I’ve worked in the corporate world.  My degrees are in business.  Essentially, I’m a problem solver for corporations and government.  So, you can imagine how much of a shift it was for me to sit down and write fiction.

During the summer of 2013, I put pen to paper.  I let my sexy imagination loose and before I knew it I’d filled a more than a few pages.  The characters came to life and a story began to take shape.

And so began, the greatest chapter of my life.

Writing has been cathartic.  Becoming published has been exhilarating.

This journey isn’t over.  I continue to write, as time permits.  Another manuscript is in the works.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

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#GIVEAWAY and #Gift guide: Winter Wonderland Gift Guide by Literary Addicts

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#EXCERPT and #GIVEAWAY: Beautiful Evil Winter by Kelly K Lavender

Title: Beautiful Evil Winter

Author:  Kelly K. Lavender

Published:  November 13th, 2013

Word Count:  60,000

Genre:  Suspense Thriller

Recommended Age:  18+

Synopsis:  Beautiful Evil Winter is about an international adoption in one of the most dangerous countries in the world. When Sophia and her husband Ethan set off to Russia to adopt a baby boy, little do they realize they are headed straight into the open arms of the Mafia. To make matters worse, an untrained, inexperienced adoption coordinator orchestrates the effort to complete the task and keep the American couple safe as they deal with ironfisted syndicate control of orphaned children. Beautiful Evil Winter is a modern-day odyssey about the human capacity for hope, the traumas that shape our lives, and the hardship we’ll endure for love. What will devoted parents do for their child? Anything.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | GoodReads

Awards and Honors for Beautiful Evil Winter:

• The Eric Hoffer Awards - Commercial Fiction - Honorable Mention. The Hoffer Awards spotlight "...writing of significant merit."

• The National Indie Excellence Awards - The New Fiction Finalist

• Dan Poytner's Global EBook Awards-Bronze Medalist Suspense

• Readers' Favorite International Book Awards-Triple Genre Finalist- Suspense, Thriller and Romance Sizzle

• Readers' Favorite International Book Awards-Honorable Mention Suspense

Readers' Favorite International Book Awards contestants include New York Times Best-Selling Authors and celebrities, comedian Jim Carey won an award this year.

 Excerpt:

Will it happen this time? The ban announced last night—will it ruin everything? Dad says Russian law takes effect the moment it’s ratified. I’m so worried, Ethan.” I rub my eyes and lean my head back while the jet engines roar in the background. My head throbs and my hands sweat as we try to begin our 13-hour journey. We’ve been sitting on the tarmac for two hours due to a mechanical problem. Ethan grabs my hand and squeezes it softly, leaning over to plant a kiss on my forehead. I gaze at his face, bags frame his red eyes. I look out the window to distract myself. It’s a sunny cold day, the sky clear of clouds and full of promise for flight. “One step at a time, Sofia. We’re closer than we’ve ever been. Remember that,” he says soothingly. Turning back to him, my body becomes rigid as anger spills over me like hot molten lava. “You’re thinking the same thing I am! We should be overjoyed at the prospect of meeting our son! This is a time for celebration, a time for effervescent bottles of uncorked champagne! But this do-it-yourself adoption is a nightmare! How much longer can we handle disappointment after disappointment? The closer we think we are—the farther away we are,” I vent. The conversation with Natasha on the phone last night burns in my brain. “Adoption very risky in Russia now. The ban make Mafia watch money very close.” How could she say that on the eve of our trip? I play back what Natasha said. “This trip big gamble for you. l work to keep adoption away from Mafia. If I do not, police arrest you for human trafficking or Mafia take you. Better to go to prison. My name not appear anywhere, only yours. Phone will be disconnected. And I never know you.” “Hello, folks. This is your pilot I apologize for the delay. The maintenance crew is working diligently to insure the safety of our trip. Thanks again for your patience.” I glance over at Ethan, who’s dozing now. “Honey?” I place my hand on his arm, but he doesn’t stir. Guess the fatigue finally caught up with him. If he had a drink, he’d be comatose. I think I’ll go to the restroom before the plane takes off. “Be back in a minute.” I carefully unclasp my seat belt and try to skitter by him without disturbing him. As I walk past the rows on either side, I glance at the tendrils of ear plugs reaching upward like small sun-seeking plants, and the hand-held devices, passengers attached to them like farmers admiring prized vegetables pulled from the fields. As I reach the door, the occupied sign forces me to pause and begin to turn around. Suddenly, I hear the click of the door unlocking. What luck! I’ll just dash in and dash out. Hopefully, I won’t have to hold my breath to stay in there. My face twists in repulsion at the thought. A haggard looking middle ̶ aged man with a large paunch emerges and smiles too brightly at me. That look—that look of recognition like I’m a favorite relative, but I’m not. His lids half close as he squeezes past me taking his slow sweet time. And he looks back at me before he stumbles down the aisle way. Yuck. I push the door open and inhale a shallow breath. The smell of pump soap greets me. All clear. I can breathe. Ting, Ting. The strained voice of the stressed-out flight attendant echoes through the tiny bathroom cabin. “Within the next twenty minutes, The Captain will be turning on the fasten seat belt sign. Until then, you can use your electronic devices. We apologize for the inconvenience” Turning from the sink to the opposite side to grab paper towels, all 5’2” 115 pounds of me twists like a corkscrew to move around. A quick swipe of the towels, a glance at my nostrils, a push of the lever, and I’m free to escape into the main cabin. As I near my seat, I notice that “Mr. Too Brightly” is sitting next to Ethan. Damn! I have to sit next to him! Looks like comatose Ethan has just re-positioned himself to face the aisle way. Why doesn’t this plane offer two across seating instead of three? My steps slow, but I don’t want to wake Ethan up to swap seats since he’s so tired. As I stand next to our row of seats, Mr. Brightly realizes with a dazzling repugnant smile that I’ll be seated next to him. “Don’t tell me you’re with that guy,” he says, gesturing at Ethan. “He’s out cold. Between the screaming baby and me trying to wedge past him, he hasn’t moved an inch.” He smirks, his smile now a beacon of light. I grit my teeth and carefully squeeze by Ethan’s knees grabbing the headrest of the seat in front of me for support. Glancing back over my shoulder, I see him looking at Ethan. I focus on the seat space next to him, zeroing-in on the instructions on the pocket pouch for my seat. Someone scribbled in red pen, HELL A MILE HIGH. As I wiggle into my seat and grope for my seatbelt, he watches my every move.

  

About the Author:

My fascination with fiction began in middle school when I entered a book-reading contest and won. As an ardent fan of the resonating narrative and the cliffhanger, I decided to dedicate myself to becoming a skilled writer. When college professors spotlighted my writing in the classroom, it anchored my interest in becoming a novelist. I continued to pursue my education at UCLA where my writing earned praise from an award-winning author. Of equal and enduring importance, in my life, is a passion for horses. As an avid, lifelong equestrian and horse owner, I now live on a ranch with my family,which we share with a menagerie of four-legged friends.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Website

Giveaway Details:

There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:

• One Lucky Winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card.

Giveaway is International.

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#GUEST POST and #GIVEAWAY: Favorite Supporting Character by Belinda Frisch

Title: The Missing Year

Author:  Belinda Frisch

Published:  November 17th, 2014

Word Count:   72,000

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Thirty-four-year-old Blake Wheeler was everything Lila had ever wanted. A rising-star surgeon with his whole life ahead of him, Blake gave Lila ten perfect years of marriage before plunging her into the hardest year of their lives.

When a late night shooting leaves Blake in a coma, Lila is faced with a difficult decision: continue life support or let him go.

One year later, Lila remains unwilling to speak, in a private mental health facility where she refuses to move on.

Dr. Ross Reeves knows firsthand about loss, having spent the better part of five years burying himself in his work. Tasked with the challenge of breaking Lila’s silence, Ross investigates Lila’s past and her husband’s death, finding more to Blake’s murder than meets the eye. A series of mysterious coincidences has Ross wondering if Lila is acting out of grief … or guilt.

Amazon | GoodReads

Guest Post: Favorite Supporting Character by Belinda Frisch

Who is your favorite supporting character? Why?

My favorite supporting character in The Missing Year is Camille, hands down. I’ve never written a 

witty trickster or sarcastic troublemaker, though those personality traits are close to my heart. I did a 

brief stint in a high school theater troupe, and somehow that seemed the perfect fit for her. Camille 

is a bit of the folks I knew back then. She is a chameleon and lives to play a role. Unfortunately for 

my main character, Dr. Ross Reeves, that usually means pulling him out of his comfort zone and 

embarrassing him. 

In addition to her comic value, Camille’s suffered from the loss of Ross’s wife, her best friend, Sarah. 

The emotions she brings out in Ross help him erase years of focusing on Sarah’s illness, on her end, 

which have made him forget the woman he fell in love with. It’s easy when someone dies to focus on 

the most recent memories first. Camille is instrumental in Ross’s healing.

Camille is a mixed bag, and I like that about her. She stands up for and defends Sarah despite the fact 

that she’s gone. She realizes when she goes too far and always does the right thing. Is she passive-

aggressive? Maybe. But her intentions are always good. I love that about her. I hope readers will, too.

About the Author:

*Runner-up Halloween Book Festival 2012 and optioned for film, Cure *Honorable Mention New York Book Festival 2014, Better Left Buried *Amazon Top 100 Medical Thriller, Fatal Reaction

After fifteen years of working in healthcare, Belinda Frisch’s stories can’t help being medicine influenced. A writer of dark tales in the horror, mystery, and thriller genres, Belinda tells the stories she’d like to read. Her fiction has appeared in Shroud Magazine, Dabblestone Horror, and Tales of the Zombie War. She is the author of Cure, Afterbirth, Fatal Reaction, Better Left Buried, and The Missing Year. She resides in upstate New York with her husband and a small menagerie of beloved animals.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Blog

Giveaway Details:

There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:

• 10 Kindle copies of Fatal Attraction or The Missing Year (winner's choice)
• 10 ACX audiobook codes for Fatal Reaction
• A $25.00 Amazon gift card

Giveaway is International.

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