#REVIEW: Professor Birdsong's 177 Dumbest Criminal Stories: International by Leonard Birdsong

Professor Birdsong is out with another volume of his Dumbest Criminal stories. And he has done it again! Many of his stories are so funny that they will make you laugh out loud. He has managed to use his expertise and experience in criminal law to bring you 177 more of the most outrageous and dumbest criminal law stories from around the world. This new volume features stories of dumb criminals from China and the Far East, Stories from Around the Indian Ocean basin, Russia and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom and France, as well as stories from Canada and Mexico. There is the story of a Chinese woman accused of killing a shopkeeper by squeezing his scrotum when he asked her not park her motorbike in front of his shop; her grip was so strong that the man went into shock and died. Then there is the story about a South Korean airline passenger who was not allowed to bring a certain liquid on the plane. She drank the liquid in front of airline officials but refused to swallow. When officials made her spit the liquid into a bucket they found she was attempting to sneak dozens of tadpoles on board. In India we learn about the use of “weapons-grade” spice wherein a group of criminals hijacked a train and freed a fellow gang member by throwing locally made chili powder in the face of police chasing them. They got away with it, too. From Australia there was a 20-year-old thief who stole a tanker truck containing 5,811 gallons of milk and led police on a two hour chase. From Poland we learn of a man who sued his ex-wife for a refund on the $8,000 he had spent on her breast implants. From Germany we find that a well-endowed woman allegedly tried to kill her boyfriend by smothering him with her size 38 DD breasts. Then there is the one about the English man arrested for having sex with his girlfriend’s dog. The stories just go on and on; this book covers just about every silly, unlawful citizens from around the in the globe. The stories are all true stories. Full of his witty “Birdsong” commentary the book is sure to deliver some great laughs. Professor Birdsong presents a wide variety of just plain, dumb criminals that make this anthology worth reading and, will, as previously stated, at times, make you laugh out loud.

MY RATING: 3 stars

MY REVIEW: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've read two of this author's other books, and they were pretty amusing. It just goes to show you that people are not always the brightest when they are going against the law, and that sometimes people will sue for anything (an example above is the man who sued his ex for the refund of the cost of her breast implants). This time around though, I think the author missed his mark. A few of the stories weren't even criminal, or legal, just plain sad and absurd, like the guy who was in his house for 15 years dead, without anyone realizing. Others weren't quite dumb but pretty well-executed like the chili-powder one from India.
While this was an extremely short and quick read, with some of the stories making me roll my eyes at the idiotic things done by the criminal element of our world, it wasn't as well done as his previous two books I have read.I'm sure the author could have come up with some better stories if given enough time.
The one thing I did like the author did was give a quick background in the legal system of the country he was going to tell the stories from. Although I don't know the different between the types of legal systems, it was nice to have that background to try to put things into context.

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About the author:

Professor Birdsong received his J.D. from the Harvard Law School and his B.A. from Howard University. He teaches law in Orlando, Florida. After graduation from law school he worked four years at the law firm of Baker Hostetler. He then entered into a varied and distinguished career in government service. He served as a diplomat with the U.S. State Department with various postings in Nigeria, Germany and the Bahamas. Professor Birdsong later served as a federal prosecutor. After leaving government service, and before he began teaching, Professor Birdsong was in private law practice in Washington, D.C. Find Pfr Birdsong on his website and on Twitter @Prof_Birdsong  

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#SPOTLIGHT and #GIVEAWAY: Linear Shift by Paul B Kohler

 

Title: Linear Shift  

Author:  Paul B Kohler

Published:  April 7th, 2015

Publisher:  Global Endeavor Publishing

Genre:  Sci-Fi Thriller

Synopsis:  No one said time travel would be easy.

Peter Cooper, a widowed father of two whose life is crumbling around him—until a bizarre encounter with a desperate Army general launches him on a risky mission: to go back to 1942 and change a moment in time. The repercussions will almost certainly alter the conclusion of World War II. But will the ripple effects stop there? And what kind of life will Peter return to?

Unknown Consequences:

A successful mission may not have the success he had intended.

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EXCERPT:

As Peter lay on the sofa bed, he looked around the darkened room, waiting. Slivers of bluish moonlight cascaded through the partially open drapes, saving Peter from utter obscurity. He listened intently toward the bedroom door. Silence. Julie was sure to be fast asleep.

Wondering if it was time to get moving, he glanced at the nightstand, but the moonlight wasn’t cooperating. He moved his wrist in front of his face, but he couldn’t see the hands on his new watch either. It has to be after one, he surmised.

He dropped his legs off the hide-a-bed mattress and into a new pair of trousers he had purchased a few days earlier. He stood, sliding his feet into a pair of Oxfords, which were the closest to casual tennis shoes he could find. Finally, he grabbed the tattered leather jacket acquired from a secondhand store and stepped into the hallway.

The lights were dim because of the late hour, but they were bright enough that he could see his watch. It was 1:46—later than he’d anticipated but still giving him plenty of time.

Peter took the back stairway, which dropped him in the alley behind their hotel. The guest parking lot was just across the street. Peter had purposefully parked the Packard in the back row to avoid waking anyone when the engine rumbled to life.

As he slalomed his way through the parking lot, he considered the leather jacket. The temperature was hovering around sixty degrees, but the humidity was high. He contemplated leaving it, but with only a white cotton T-shirt, it might be useful, if a bit uncomfortable. He slipped it on as he slid into the driver’s seat. He chuckled at the reflection in the rearview mirror. He looked like James Dean from Rebel Without a Cause. It was one of Minnie’s favorite movies. If she could only see me now, he mused. Of course, she wouldn’t be born for another thirty years.

Peter eased out of the lot and turned toward his midnight destination. In all practicality, he could have walked the mile and a half to the bay, but the thought of lugging his supply bag made him rethink his mode of travel.

At nearly two in the morning, the streets were deserted. Without traffic, he could make it the water’s edge and back with time to spare. The only unknown lay beneath the streets. His plan was simple. Tonight’s excursion was Peter's “dry run” into the U.S. Mint.

Back in 2013, Peter had meticulously analyzed all potential entry points into the mint. Armed with Chet's fortuitous information, Peter had discovered the only feasible, yet incredibly unsanitary, approach was through the city's sewer system. According to the historical maps, there were several storm drain overflows that dumped directly into the bay. Because the sewer had recently gone through a major renovation, the outlets still remained uncovered. It wasn't until 1953 that the vulnerability was discovered and barriers installed. Since that wouldn’t happen for another eleven years, Peter was free to enter the sewer at his leisure.

About the Author:

Paul began writing in 1998, shortly after the birth of his daughter. His first short story, Amy, was written in November of that year, but went unpublished until November of 2013. That was when Paul found the courage to publish.

Despite the 15 year lag, Paul has written many unpublished works throughout the years. Linear Shift, Part 1 (September/2013) was his first published story, and was the kick off to his four part serial novel. Part 2 followed up in December of 2013, and Part 3 is planned for a May/2014 release.

Aside from his Linear Shift series, a number of Paul’s short stories have been included in anthologies. Amy, was included in “Something To Read On The Ride”. Lookout Mountain and Gold Rush were both included in “Something For The Journey”. His short story Alone has been submitted to another anthology, but has yet to be published.

When not writing, Paul is hard at work in the field of architecture. He has been in the field of design since 1992, and loves what he does. He lives with his wife and daughter in Littleton, Colorado, where he was born and raised.

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Giveaway Details:

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

• A $20 Amazon gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is International.

#REVIEW: Only For Her by Cristin Harber

Title: Only For Her

Series: Only #2

Author:  Cristin Harber

Published Date: March 17, 2015

Publisher: Mill Creek Press

Format: ebook

Pages: 135

ASIN: B00TYVCNYM

Genre: contemporary romance

Add to: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: The second installment in the Only series. Must read book one first!!

First loves never die but Grayson Ford comes close. Bleeding out in a war zone, he barters with God. Bring him back alive, and he'll make it right with his girl.

All I want is Emma. I need her, and I fight for her memory. A story. A smile. Anything. But it's all blank .

Emma is not his girl anymore. Time has skipped by and life's been hard. She strips to pay the bills, waitresses to fill the hours between classes and her third job. All while working to be the best mama she can be to the little girl who will never know her daddy. Even though Grayson abandoned her, she mourned his death. Until he calls, and everything she knew was wrong.

It's him. The him that ruined my life. That made my life. That confused my mind to the point that I can't figure out if I've been destroyed or set free. The him that... is... dead. 

He's back with one objective--Emma Kingsley--and she never sees it coming.

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

I have loved Cristin Harber’s Titan series. I wasn’t sure if I was going to love this new series from her. I mean, nothing could be as good, right? However, I was so pleasantly surprised when I couldn’t put my kindle down for the first book, and even found myself crying while reading it. I think Cristin Harber is one of the rare authors that make me care so much for the characters that I have this kind of physical response for them.

Emma and Grayson are back. Grayson is a broken soldier, fighting massive bouts of PTSD after he is the only man left standing from his group. Emma is working three jobs, and doing an internship, just to provide a decent life for their daughter, whom Grayson never knew about. Suddenly Grayson is back and…. Whoa wait….is that Parker from Titan in there too?!

I love Cristin’s writing, I love the couples she writes about, and now Emma and Grayson are rating right up there alongside Beth and Roman. She puts in enough reality to make the reader truly care about the couples she writes about. You can feel Emma’s exhaustion as she pushes herself day after day into a minute by minute schedule trying to keep all the balls juggling properly to give her daughter a good life.

#WorthOfSouls: Cover Reveal and Pre-Order

 

 We are so excited to share the covers for this amazing series - Worth of Souls. The first book will be released July 6, book 2 July 8, and book 3 July 10 but you can pre-order NOW so they come to your eReader the day of release!

Cost of Survival, Book #1

Anger isn’t an emotion anymore, it’s more of a survival mode I can’t afford to let go. My dad predicted World War III would happen in his life, but he died two years before… with my brother… …before Mom and I walked in search of refuge from the bombing. Strengthened by her faith, Mom never feels alone. But me? I don’t know what to believe or where to turn. Someone once said keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but I disagree. Friends scare me the most. They know me and my mom. Nothing about them is safe. The ones in charge… Control everything… Crud, I’ve started crying because I’m scared I won’t survive World War III. But a bigger part of me is scared I will. My mom is bleeding in my arms and she’s making me promise to follow her three rules. Pray. Don’t trust anyone. Stay alive. How long do I need to break all three? Amazon iBooks Nook Kobo Exchange Rate, Book #2 I’m pregnant and I couldn’t be more excited. But the community Bodey, his dad, and I live in has rules. Rules that make Mom’s rules seem like safety nets. Only 200 people are allowed at a time. My baby will make it 201. The leader is making me choose someone from our house to die so there will be room for my child. Either I make the decision or they take… my… Even in the craziness that the world has become, I refuse to believe only 200 can live in it at once. The “community” is safe-ish, comfortable. We have food, warmth, and there isn’t immediate danger of being robbed while we sleep. Doesn’t it make sense we’d have to exchange something for all that? I’ve survived this long. Maybe that’s enough. Maybe I should die so my family can live. Or maybe I can get through the lines and find a people worth sacrificing for. Amazon iBooks Nook Kobo Worth of Souls, Book #3 Running for my life and six months pregnant, I’m terrified but confident in my decisions.With my love and family behind me, captured by the same man who chases me, I have only a small window to find help. The baby needs to come out eventually.Nobody said the end of the world would define people so much. Everywhere I turn I have to prove my worth.Mom was gone before I learned my value lay in my eyes. Not others. But how would that save Bodey? How could my worth change how the world me spins?If I can’t figure it out, everyone I love will die, trapped in a place where even following the rules won’t protect us. Amazon iBooks Nook Kobo    Bonnie R. Paulson mixes her science and medical background with reality and possibilities to make even myths seem likely and give every romance the genetic strength to survive. Bonnie has discovered a dark and twisty turn in her writing that she hopes you enjoy as much as she has enjoyed uncovering it. Dirt biking with her family in the Northwest keeps her sane. Follow on: Facebook / Blog / Twitter / Goodreads / Newsletter / Literary Addicts / Amazon

#SPOTLIGHT and #GIVEAWAY: Legacy by Ellery A Kane

Title:  Legacy

Author:  Ellery A. Kane

Published:  September 17th, 2014

Publisher:  Balboa Press

Genre:  YA

Recommended Age:  13+

Synopsis:

How do you want to feel today?

In 2041, the choice is yours.

San Francisco is deserted, the Bay Bridge bombed, and the BART subway trains grounded. The Guardians, members of an elite and mysterious government-appointed military police force, are maintaining order at all costs—thanks to emotion-altering drugs like Emovere that suppress fear and anxiety. Lex Knightley, daughter of a prominent forensic psychiatrist, risks entering the devastated city to partner with the Resistance, a group of rebels intent upon exposing the dangers of Emovere. Lex discovers an ally in Quin McAllister, a magnetic Guardian Force recruit with a haunting past that binds them together. As she uncovers the secrets of the Guardian Force and confronts the truth about her family, Lex begins to realize that even those closest to her are not quite who they seem.

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Excerpt from Legacy by Ellery A. Kane:

The first time I kissed someone, it wasn’t at all like I had imagined—and trust me when I say that I had spent hours imagining it. It was a summer night just after my seventeenth birthday. We were sitting side by side in the empty football stadium. I can still feel the bleachers, cold and hard beneath my legs. My elbow was touching the side of his body. I could feel how warm he was. He didn’t move, but just let me touch him. The air between us was thick with anticipation. And then, just like that, his lips were on mine. In a few seconds, a wall that had once seemed impenetrable was crossed. I was no longer unkissed.

* * *

The first time I killed someone, it wasn’t at all like I had imagined. It was as quick and as effortless as snipping a string. I squeezed the trigger, and the man fell back. It was so dark that I could barely see the outline of his face. I watched him for a long time, waiting for something. What was I waiting for? The man didn’t move, except for a brief shudder. It seemed for a moment as if I too had stopped breathing. But in the cold I could see my breath visible in small white puffs. I waited for the world to open up and swallow me, but nothing came. In the corner where I hid, I saw a small brown bird hopping. He reached the edge of my vision and took flight. It was only me who had changed.

About the Author:

In her non-fiction life, Ellery Kane works as a forensic psychologist. Evaluating violent criminals and treating victims of trauma has afforded her a unique perspective on the past and its indelible influence on the individual. An avid short story writer in adolescence, Ellery only recently began writing for enjoyment again, and Legacy was born.

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Giveaway Details:

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

• 10 Signed print copies of Legacy (US & Canada) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#SPOTLIGHT and #GIVEAWAY: Crimson Tree Publishing

The owners of Clean Teen Publishing founded their Crimson Tree Publishing imprint in 2013. Created to host their non-teen fiction titles, they signed their first author—Jon Messenger and his Brink of Distinction Series. Today, they have ten authors and more than twenty titles in circulation or pending release. Some of their most recent titles include the Kindling Flames Series by Julie Wetzel, The Bionics Series by Alicia Michaels, and Sweet Contradiction by Peggy Martinez.

In keeping with Clean Teen Publishing’s motto: “Because you deserve to know what you are reading,” Crimson Tree Publishing adopted the same full disclosure system, with the exception of the rating tree. A full content disclosure for every Crimson Tree Publishing title can be found on the company’s website. This details out exactly what kind of language, romance, drug use, and violence is in every book, giving readers the information necessary to choose a book based on their personal preference. If readers prefer a book with little violence but lots of romance, they can now read the disclosure and know if the book is for them before they get halfway through a brutal battle scene that turns their stomach. Crimson Tree Publishing believes in empowering their readers so they can easily find books they will enjoy the most.

Readers can find fresh fiction in a broad range of genres at Crimson Tree Publishing including: science fiction, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, fantasy, dystopian, and more. For a complete list of authors and titles, visit their website at: www.crimsontreepublishing.com.

Crimson Tree Publishing is a great place for authors as well. Founded by owners who have experience in the Indie publishing world, they are dedicated to fostering new up-and-coming authors and guiding them along their publishing journey. They are known by their authors to be very involved and hands-on in order to give them the guidance and tools needed to establish their writing careers. Authors interested in submission information for either Crimson Tree Publishing or Clean Teen Publishing can find the full submissions guidelines on their website at: http://www.crimsontreepublishing.com/submissions.

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Be sure to check out all of the FREE ebooks that Crimson Tree Publishing has to offer!

Rebecca Gober

Chief Executive Officer

Rebecca Gober has thirteen years experience in upper level management, sales, marketing, and business relations. She has a history of finding ways to market outside the box and a passion for social media marketing and customer relations. She’s not afraid to take risks and doesn’t believe in the word impossible. Since entering the publishing world in 2011, Rebecca has co-authored seven young adult novels and has since gone on to open Clean Teen Publishing. Rebecca is continually working hard to make new strides in the Indie publishing world.

Courtney Nuckels

Chief Operating Officer

Courtney Nuckels graduated from UNT with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She went on to teach Middle School where she found her love for the Young Adult genre. Courtney is a perfectionist who loves to work behind the scenes in formatting and web design. She believes that the interior formatting of a book should shine as much as the exterior does. Since entering the publishing world in 2011, Courtney has co-authored seven young adult novels and has since gone on to open Clean Teen Publishing. Courtney is committed to making her mark in the Indie publishing world.

Marya Heiman

Chief Creative Officer

Marya Heiman has ten years of experience in customer relations and creative design. In 2011, Marya entered the publishing world when a friend asked for her help in designing their book cover. Soon, she found that she had a knack for image manipulation and an eye for bringing multiple elements together to create a visually stunning cover. Marya decided to do what she loved and began freelancing as a cover designer, and later went on to open Clean Teen Publishing. Marya was recently honored with a RONE Award for one of her covers and has received numerous other accolades for her gorgeous designs. Marya believes that people do judge a book by its cover and she’s determined to make the Indie publishing world a more beautiful place, one cover at a time.

Giveaway Details:

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

• A bookmark swag pack, winner’s choice of any Crimson Tree Publishing eBook, and a $15 Amazon gift card.

Giveaway is International.

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#SPOTLIGHT and #GIVEAWAY: Wind Catcher by Jeff and Erynn Altabef

Title:   Wind Catcher

Author:  Jeff Altabef and Erynn Altabef

Published:  March 23rd, 2015

Publisher:  Evolved Publishing

Genre:  YA, Native American, Fantasy

Synopsis:

Juliet Wildfire Stone hears voices and sees visions, but she can’t make out what they mean. Her eccentric grandfather tells her stories about the Great Wind Spirit and Coyote, but he might as well be speaking another language. None of it makes any sense.

When she stumbles upon a series of murders she can’t help but worry her grandfather might be involved. To discover the truth, Juliet must choose between her new life at an elite private school and her Native American heritage. Once she uncovers an ancient secret society formed over two hundred years ago to keep her safe, she starts to wonder whether there’s some truth to those old stories her grandfather has been telling her.

All she wants is to be an average sixteen-year-old girl, but she has never been average—could never be average.

Betrayed by those she loves, she must decide whether to run or risk everything by fulfilling her destiny as the Chosen.

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Excerpt from Wind Catcher:

Everything about me is a lie.

My entire life is a leaning tower of lies that threatens to collapse at any moment and bury me so deep I may never climb out from under the rubble.

I slam the bathroom door and my hand trembles as the old-fashioned steel bolt slides into place.

Click.

The locked door offers no real safety. Locked doors can be broken, but it does give me a moment of privacy and a chance to breathe. So much has happened over the past few days. It’s like I’ve become a totally different person, someone unrecognizable.

The adrenaline that had been pumping through my veins has completely melted away now as I lean against the wooden door. My breath comes fast and ragged. My body feels heavy and weary and my legs weaken. Gravity pulls me down. Too tired to resist, I slide down the length of the door until the white marble floor rushes up to meet me.

I work hard to steady my breath and focus on taking in fresh air, expelling the old. It’s a simple process, yet it takes all of my concentration. When air starts to flow, my eyes close. Time slows and drifts by erratically.

Images flash through my mind—an eclectic group of memories: childhood birthdays, second place in a spelling bee, hanging out with Troy, rock climbing with Sicheii. Most are happy, but they’re all tainted now. The lies spoil them. They were never true. They were just part of a story, one that’s changed forever.

My weary mind reaches for sleep, but I resist. Too much time would be wasted. There’s too much for me to do. Too many loose ends need to be tied, so I open moist eyes and wipe away tears I don’t recall crying.

When my vision clears, crimson-streaked fingers flutter near my face as if directed by someone else. I thought blood looked like ketchup, but it’s darker and thicker than you would think. My hands spin in tight circles. Each finger is stained with thick, mud-colored smears.

Whose blood is on them?

A cold sweat coats my back and my chest tightens. This blood must be scrubbed away immediately. It starts to burn as if it’s alive, as if possessed by dark spirits, spirits that want to harm me. It freaks me out. I have got to wash them clean now, this second, immediately, before....

I turn the faucet and hot water tumbles over my skin. I frantically rub my fingers together and hope friction and water alone will make the blood disappear. The water in the sink turns red and then pink, but traces of blood stubbornly stay behind. A bar of soap rests on the edge of the porcelain sink. 

Lather squishes between my fingers—twisting and turning, scrubbing and rinsing. My skin turns raw from the rubbing, and when the water has lost all its warmth, I turn the faucet off.

Hard to find specks of blood cling to my flesh, but I still see them and feel them.

Will they ever wipe clean? I don’t think so.

A silent scream builds deep within me, which so desperately wants to be released it practically hurts, but no sound slips past my lips. I’m too tired to scream.

A square mirror hangs over the sink, but it’s an enemy. I don’t want to see who I’ve become, so my gaze stays fixed down toward the sink. Unfortunately, the blood-smeared faucet is shiny, stainless, and reflects back an image of myself anyway. I glare deep into my eyes, leaning close to the faucet to study them. They look familiar, but as I pierce them more deeply, a hollowness appears that has never been there before. It scares me.

People change. Sometimes they change over the course of a lifetime, and other times change happens swiftly because of a single momentous event. I’m not the same person I was just a few days ago. Too much has happened, too many lies revealed. Truths, solid and real, have crumbled away before me and left behind falsehoods, shadows, and a future as uncertain as a prisoner on death row waiting for a pardon.

The pendant Sicheii gave me flops out from underneath my shirt. It was supposed to protect me. I grip it until my knuckles turn white.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Juliet, we’ve got to talk, Love. We need to come up with a story for the police.”

Just a few days ago, I was an average teenaged girl who looked forward to her sixteenth birthday, hoping for a little freedom and a chance to get a driver’s license.

Being average is a joke. I will never be average. I was never average....

About the Author:

Jeff Altabef lives in New York with his wife, two daughters, and Charlie the dog. He spends time volunteering at the writing center in the local community college. After years of being accused of “telling stories,” he thought he would make it official.

He writes in both the thriller and young adult genres. Fourteenth Colony, a political thriller from Tate Publishing, was his debut novel. Evolved Publishing released his second novel, the thriller Shatter Point, in 2014, and will release his young adult fantasy series Chosen, co-written with his daughter Erynn, starting in the spring of 2015.

Jeff has a column on The Examiner focused on writing, and a blog designed to encourage writing by those that like telling stories. You can find his blog, The Accidental Writers’ Workshop, on The Chappaqua-MountKisco Patch, via the link under the “Contact” tab above. You’ll also find under that tab ways to join with Jeff in various social media venues.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Website

About the Author:

Erynn Altabef is an avid reader, dancer, and community activist. When she’s not in High School, she loves Starbucks, performing in school musicals, baking, and watching movies with her friends.

Some of her favorite authors are Veronica Roth, Joelle Charbonneau, and her dad! (That would be Jeff Altabef.)

Giveaway Details:

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

• Signed print copy of Wind Catcher & Bracelet

Giveaway is US only.

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#BLITZ and #GIVEAWAY: Chasing Midnight by Ranae Glass

Title:  Chasing Midnight

Series:  Dark of Night, Book 2

Author:  Ranae Glass

Published:   April 21st, 2015

Publisher:  Crimson Tree Publishing

Genre:  NA Paranormal Romance

Content Warning:  Violence and adult language

Recommended Age:  18+

Synopsis:  Isabel Stone’s life is far from normal. She’s a girl with problems—vampire problems to be specific and, now, she also has one ticked-off specter on her hands. Approached by a childhood friend and medium, Isabel agrees to look into the murder of a local girl, only to wind up inhabited by the solitary witness—a centuries-old ghost who is all too happy to piggyback along in Isabel’s body, and she’s not leaving until the culprit is behind bars.

With the help of her partner, Shane, and her crazy family, Isabel struggles to get to the truth, unmask a killer, and deal with her growing feelings for not one, but two, of the sexy, undead men vying for her heart. Just when things are finally falling into place, a huge revelation takes her out of the frying pan… and straight into the fire.

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Excerpt from Chasing Midnight by Ranae Glass:

I ducked behind the brick wall just before a beer bottle whizzed past my head, exploding into shards of brown glass behind me.

            “You have got to be kidding me,” I yelled, and peeked over the wall. He was running. I caught sight of him just as he rounded the far corner of the alley. “Get back here, Gallas!”

            I didn’t think he would actually take me seriously enough to listen, so I was stunned at his decision to take off rather than stand his ground and fight. I was maybe 130 lbs. soaking wet, and a head shorter than him to boot. Maybe my reputation was finally preceding me. I smirked at the idea as I bolted over the top of my cover, chasing after him.

            At the end of the alley there was a tall barbed wire topped fence. The sound of my boot heels hitting the pavement echoed down the dark street. He must have looked up and saw the fence because he turned, bursting through the back door of the antique shop at the end of the alley. I cussed and backtracked. Thank God I was familiar enough with these back streets to know where most of the entrances would exit. Running to the front I arrived at the glass picture window just as Dave Gallas, parole violator and accused hit and run driver, threw himself into the window from the inside, breaking through in a shower of clear glass. I shrieked and collapsed downward, instinctively covering my head with my arms. He leapt over me and kept running.

            Aside from a few small scratches, I didn't feel any severe pain from more wounds.  I wasn't planning for Gallas to be so lucky. Out of breath and patience I stood, watching him run into the night. Not human, I realized. Besides the idiocy of crashing through a plate glass window and taking off without hesitation or harm—which any meth head could manage—his gait gave him away. It looked almost fluid, as if at any moment he’d lean forward and run like an animal on all four limbs.

            With a sigh that contained more than a little satisfaction, I drew the small silver whistle from under my red t-shirt, stuffed it between my lips and blew. Instantly Gallas clutched his hands to his ears and pitched to the side, falling into the middle of the street. I kept blowing as I jogged up to him.

            Just as I reached him, I heard some commotion and turned my head to see that we were less than a block from Xavier’s seedy club, the Painted Lady. The bouncer at the door was mimicking Gallas’ stop, drop, and roll impression. Two men who were probably vampires rushed out of the club. Of course. It might not affect them the same way, but with their superior hearing, they could at least hear the dog whistle. I stopped blowing as they helped the burly Were to his feet. He pointed to where I stood over Gallas. Shit. I was about to have company. With fangs.

About the Author:

Ranae Glass writes New Adult Paranormal Romance. A Southern girl at heart, Ranae loves feeding people, gardening, and sweet tea. She hails from Oklahoma and lives with her family out West where she spins tales of vampires, werewolves, and other things that go bump in the night. You won’t find any ‘vegetarian’ monsters here, her books are best served bloody and are not for the faint of heart. Ranae is the author of the Dark of Night novels from Crimson Tree Publishing.

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Crimson Tree Publishing Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway Details:

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

• A bookmark swag pack and winner’s choice of any Clean Teen Publishing eBook.

Giveaway is International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#REVIEW: Miracles from Heaven by Christy Beam

Title: Miracles from Heaven: A Little Girl, Her Journey to Heaven, and Her Amazing Story of Healing

Series: none

Author:  Christy Beam

Published Date: April 14, 2015

Publisher: Hachette Books

Format: hardcover

Pages: 224

ISBN: 9780316381819

Genre: nonfiction

Add to: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: In a remarkable true story of faith and blessings, a mother tells of her sickly young daughter, how she survived a dangerous accident, her visit to Heaven and the inexplicable disappearance of the symptoms of her chronic disease.
Annabel Beam spent most of her childhood in and out of hospitals with a rare and incurable digestive disorder that prevented her from ever living a normal, healthy life. One sunny day when she was able to go outside and play with her sisters, she fell three stories headfirst inside an old, hollowed-out tree, a fall that may well have caused death or paralysis. Implausibly, she survived without a scratch. While unconscious inside the tree, with rescue workers struggling to get to her, she visited heaven. After being released from the hospital, she defied science and was inexplicably cured of her chronic ailment. 
MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN will change how we look at the world around us and reinforce our belief in God and the afterlife.

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

As a mom, I couldn’t put this book down. I can’t even imagine the heartbreak, pain and stress it must be in your life, to have a child so chronically ill that they must take the cocktail of medications that this poor child was taking just to keep a somewhat reasonable quality of life. As a mother, it broke my heart. And then there was the terror of having that same child in such a nightmare situation, I can’t even comprehend.

The author did a fantastic job of keeping the reader engaged, and pulling at our heartstrings. The tension in the storyline kept the book glued to my hands, there was no way I could put it down until I finished it.

The only thing that really bugged me was the timeline kept jumping back and forth from GI issues to tree and back again. Just when I wanted to continue with the GI issue storyline, it would switch to the tree, just as I got really hooked into the tree storyline, I got transported back to the GI issues.

I understand the whys of the flipping back and forth, but as a reader, it was a little annoying.

Did she really get miraculously healed? Only her medical charts can show that.

#GIVEAWAY: Jill Cooper's YA Series Celebration

 

 Author Jill Cooper just released her second novel in the Rewind Agency Series, Plugged and is currently writing the third novel, Detached. To celebrate her awesome YA series she decided to giveaway a fantastic Lit-Cube that is YA themed! If you haven't heard of Lit-Cube its a very fun company that feeds a hopeless book geek who needs a monthly fix! As the owner says: because book geeks deserve awesome subscription boxes too!

Lara Crane is stuck in her mind, in an indefinite stream of timelines where her life is perfect, just the way she wants it to be. But it's not real. It's all made up to give those who want to use time travel for their own personal ambitions. To give time to finish their experiments and turn Lara into a deadly time travel assassin.

If Lara wants to survive and to stop them, she needs to risk her own mind and soul to get out of a prison so perfect it completes the one dream Lara has always had.

Family.

Order on Amazon for $2.99! Read book 1 - 15 Minutes

Order the Dream Slayer Series on Amazon, Book 1 is Free!

About the Author:

I could write this in the third person. I could tell you what I like, where I was born, and what my favorite things are.

But instead, I'll say I don't want to write like everyone else. I don't want to craft stories you've read a thousand times before. I want my novels to be a cinematic experience, blending themes, genres, and situations unlike any you've ever read.

I want to break the rules. I want you to break out in a cold sweat as you read my books out of fear, love, and excitement. I want my books to be an experience. When you finish, I want you to feel something. Good or bad.

If you do, then I'll have succeeded. If not, I'll keep trying. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Literary Addicts | Goodreads | Tsu   Giveaway ends 4/28/15 at 11:59 EST. Continental US only please, 18+ to enter. a Rafflecopter giveaway

#REVIEW: Thomas by VA Dold

Title: Thomas

Series: Le Beau Brothers #4

Author:  V.A. Dold

Published Date: April 10, 2015

Publisher: self published by author

Format: ebook

Pages: 214

ASIN: B00VZ4HRN8

Genre: paranormal romance

Add to: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: NOTE: Complete novel. No cliffhanger. Dual POV. Rated 18+ for language and strong sexual content. This is an adult paranormal romance with erotic content. The series centers on Billionaire Wolf Shifters with plus sized BBW for mates. It also includes vampires, voodoo priestess, a Marine, and magic. These are stand alone books that create a series. They do not need to be read in order. 
Julia is happy with her place in the shifter community as the owner of the famous shifter bar, The Backwater. But the life she's created for herself isn't enough to satisfy her crazy-ass mother, Lucinda, who shops her and her sister, Krystal, around to the pure blood shifters like pieces of meat. Only a born shifter mate is good enough for her girls. 
Thomas James has his hands full as the shifter king's head of security. He certainly wasn’t looking for a girlfriend during the first annual shifter gathering. He had the king and queen to protect, not skirts to chase. 
A childhood of emotional and physical abuse by his birth father has left Thomas emotionally unavailable and uninterested in romantic relationships. His father Tim’s cruelty to his mother and brother molded him into an extremely protective person. No one messes with his loved ones without answering to him. 
Even though Julia and Thomas are destined to be mates, the obstacles standing between them and their happily-ever-after seem insurmountable. 
Lucinda insists Julia stay away from the filthy human. 
Tim is trying to kill every one Thomas loves. 
The mysterious Benevolent Sovereign, who is trying to overthrow the throne, has sent swampers to attack Thomas and destroy Julia’s livelihood. 
With family like theirs, who needs enemies? 
Will Julia and Thomas’s happiness be snuffed out before it has a chance to begin or will they forge through - obstacles be damned. 

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

In this book we continue on with the Le Beau males finding their human mates, or in this case, Thomas James, the human Le Beau by marriage finds his mate though a female shifter, who happens to also be a Le Beau cousin.

Of course, things can never be easy, and they find  obstacles on both sides, one with Julia’s rather amusingly annoying mother who thinks all humans are filthy and wants to maintain the purity of their race. By the end of it, I found myself cheering when Julia finally put her mother in her place.

And then there is the other side of it, Thomas’ abusive father who was cursed and exiled to Las Vegas in the first book. If you thought you saw the last of him, you thought wrong. There’s a nice showdown there. Fortunately, enough of the back story is written into it that if you are coming into the series for the first time, you won’t feel like you are missing an integral part of the story.

The storyline kept moving, I think the pain that was supposed to happen at the absence of mates was severely understated. That should have been delved into more. Overall though, this book was very well-written, the action moved along, and the author writes the characters so that you care about them.

#REVIEW: Fairy Tale Romance Collection by Melanie Dickerson

Title: Fairy Tale Romance Collection

Series: none

Author:  Melanie Dickerson

Published Date: April 7, 2015

Publisher: Zondervan

Format: ebook

ISBN: 9780310749219

Genre: fantasy

Add to: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon | Zondervan

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: Five of bestselling author Melanie Dickerson's popular YA fairytale retelling novels now available as a bind-up.

Romance, intrigue, and danger abound in this bind-up of five of Melanie Dickerson's fairy-tale retellings presented in realistic historical settings. Includes The Healer's Apprentice, The Merchant's Daughter, The Fairest Beauty, The Captive Maiden, and The Princess Spy.

The Healer's Apprentice: Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, and when Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, Rose tends to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to fall in love, and wonders if he feels the same. But Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

The Merchant's Daughter: Annabel is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. She soon finds he is not beastly after all, and becomes involved in a situation that could place Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, in her hands.

The Fairest Beauty: Sophie desperately wants to get away from her stepmother's jealousy, and receives her chance when Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castle, claiming she is betrothed to his older brother, and that he has come to rescue her. Though romance is impossible--she is his brother's future wife, and Gabe himself is betrothed to someone else--the pair flee to the Cottage of the Seven to find help. Before long both must not only protect each other from the dangers around them, they must also protect their hearts.

The Captive Maiden: When Gisela learns the duke's son, Valten--the boy she has daydreamed about for years--is throwing a ball in hopes of finding a wife, she vows to find a way to attend, even if it's only for a taste of a life she'll never have. To her surprise, she catches Valten's eye. Though he is rough around the edges, Gisela finds Valten has completely captured her heart. But other forces are bent on keeping the two from falling further in love, putting Gisela in more danger than she ever imagined.

The Princess Spy: Margaretha has always been a romantic, and hopes her newest suitor, Lord Claybrook, is destined to be her one true love. But then an injured man is brought to Hagenheim Castle, claiming to be an English lord who was attacked by Claybrook and left for dead. And only Margaretha--one of the few who speaks his language--understands the wild story. It is up to her to save her father, Colin, and Hagenheim itself from Claybrook's wicked plot.

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

Five of the most popular fairytales being re-written in a historical setting, no fairy godmothers, no magic, but a lot of faith in God. The first four books, The Healer’s Apprentice, The Merchant’s Daughter, The Fairest Beauty and The Captive Maiden were very easy to figure out which fairytale it was from.

The Healer’s Apprentice was a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, with Rose Roemer, not much of a stretch there to see a parallel there. An evil man is bent on destroying the daughter of his enemy, and she is hidden away her entire life for her safety. In plain sight seems to be the order of the day here as her betrothed searches here and there to find the evil man, destroy him, and bring his betrothed (whom he has never met) into safety.

In The Merchant’s Daughter, this is a beautiful retelling of Beauty and The Beast, one of my absolute favorite fairytales. A daughter takes upon her family’s sentencing and goes into servitude to the local lord for three years, the lord being supposedly terrifying to look upon and “beastly”.

Fairest Beauty is a retelling of Snow White, complete even with the Cottage of the Seven. No, they are not dwarves, at least not all of them, but they are all misfits and shunned by society. Add in a romantic twist of denied love, and you get a wonderful retelling of the story.

The Captive Maiden, a story of Gisela, the daughter of a horse breeder and merchant who remarried and later died. The stepmother and two step-sisters (sound familiar?) waste away the family fortune on gowns and carriages. A kindly neighbor helps Gisela out to go to the tournament, where she becomes crowned the Queen of Love and Beauty. And thus the tale of Cinderella arises.

The last book is supposed to be a retelling of The Princess and the Frog, but I certainly couldn’t figure that one out, besides a very small scene where Colin is put into some clothes that remind her of a frog.

I don’t really see these as being Christian novels. Yes, they make an awful lot of “Oh God” and “Oh Jesus” remarks, but these novels are set in the 1400s, when the Church and God held a huge amount of sway over the common people’s life. I see these remarks more of a historical setting, not necessarily making the novels Christian, just as someone saying “Jesus Christ” doesn’t make them a Christian.

These books each had their positive and negative points, but overall, they were all very well-written, and I like how they were all tied together so we could see the characters from previous books in the current one.