Feature and Follow Friday #18

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Q: Have you ever read a book that you thought you would hate -- ? Did you end up hating it? Did you end up loving it? Or would you never do that?

No, I have never attempted to read a book I thought I would hate, and I never will. Why put myself through that? I read because I like to read, because I want to read, because I want to read THAT book. Why put myself through that torture?

Every book I read has to intrigue me at some level, even if it is very vague and minuscule.

Blast and Giveaway: Chivalry and Malevolence by Rae Z. Ryans

Chivalry and Malevolence

When the Unseelie Court sentences an innocent man to death, the elven Princess Morgana cannot sit idly by as the human Knight perishes. The Queen calls her pathetic and worthless. It does not change how Mori feels about the old laws of Alfheim. These rules punish the faultless, lesser races of the Nine Realms of Odin.   Purchase Chivalry and Malevolence on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords Of the nine, this realm of the Light is home to many mythical creatures. The portal gates remain forever closed to the human race. However, neglected for centuries, a Knight from the realm of Earth enters the Light. Holding onto his faith and code of honor, he holds stoically in the face of capture and death. Princess Mori remains his only hope, but to save him, she must first save herself.

About Author Rae Z. Ryans

Rae Z. Ryans loves to create mythical lands and characters that entertain, promote equality, and love. She writes for both children and adults in her world of Six and Twenty. When she is not writing, Ms. Ryans spends her days chasing after her own children, and dreaming up new adventures.

Follow Rae Z Ryans: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Amazon
Check out Rae Z Rayns Release Day Party on April 4th on Facebook 12 - 4 CDT There will be fun and prizes and you can chit chat with the author! HERE

Wicked queens, knights in shining armor and dragons oh my! Chivalry and Malevolence was a book I read in one sitting. It appealed to my love of fae, elves, dragons and the UnSeelie and Seelie courts. I was hooked. ~Jen @ The Crafty Cauldron
I loved the way the author created such vivid imagery in describing the setting and characters in the fae world of Alfheim. ~ Lisa@ Mommy Reads too Much Acting Balanced - Excerpt
Chivalry and Malevolence is an lovely blend of romance, strength and adventure. Princess Morgana's journey from insecurity to empowerment is relatable for every young woman. Jessi @ Mama's Got Flair 
Gina's Library - Excerpt
Taking Time for Mommy - Review
Andi's Book Reviews - Excerpt
Generations of Savings - Excerpt
Adventures Frugal Mom - Excerpt

The author is giving away a Swag pack and autographed book. Fill out the Form Below to Enter. Open to US Residents
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Tour and Giveaway: The Legend of Mickey Tussler

The Legend of Mickey Tussler

In the late 1940s, the minor league Milwaukee Brewers are foundering yet again and manager Arthur Murphy is desperate. When he sees seventeen-year old Mickey Tussler throwing apples into a barrel, he knows he has found the next pitching phenom. But not everyone is so hopeful. Mickey’s autism—a disorder still not truly understood even today—has alienated the boy from the world, and he is berated by other players and fans. Mickey faces immense trials in the harsh and competitive world of baseball while coping with the challenges inherent to his disorder. An honest and knowledgeable book about overcoming adversity, and the basis for the television movie A Mile in His Shoes, Mickey’s powerful story shows that with support and determination anyone can be triumphant, even when the odds are stacked against him. Purchase The Legend of Mickey Tussler on Amazon.

Sophomore Campaign

It’s 1949 and eighteen-year-old pitching phenom Mickey Tussler is back with the rejuvenated minor league Brewers in the sequel to The Legend of Mickey Tussler (the basis for the television movie A Mile in His Shoes). Despite Mickey’s proclamation that he will never play baseball again after last season’s violent conclusion, his manager—and now surrogate father—Arthur Murphy cajoles the emotionally fragile, socially awkward boy with autism into giving it another shot. Mickey reluctantly returns to the field and must once again cope with the violence and hatred around him. When a young African American player joins the team, the entire team is subjected to racial threats and episodes of violence, one of which Mickey witnesses firsthand. Struggling to understand such ugliness and hatred, and fearful of reprisal should he tell anyone about what he has seen, the boy’s performance on the field suffers. Mickey now must deal with a side of human nature he scarcely comprehends. Purchase Sophomore Campaign on Amazon.

About Author Frank Nappi

Frank Nappi has taught high school English and Creative Writing for over twenty years. His debut novel, Echoes From The Infantry, received national attention, including MWSA's silver medal for outstanding fiction. His follow-up novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler, garnered rave reviews as well, including a movie adaptation of the touching story "A Mile in His Shoes" starring Dean Cain and Luke Schroder. Frank continues to produce quality work, including Sophomore Campaign, the intriguing sequel to the much heralded original story and the just released thriller, NOBODY HAS TO KNOW, which received an endorsement from #1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille. Frank is presently at work on a third installment of his Mickey Tussler series and his next thriller. He lives on Long Island with his wife Julia and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony.  

Follow Frank Nappi Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads Follow the Tour
The Author is having a contest for a $50 Amazon Gift Card. Fill out the form below to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway

REVIEW: Starting Now by Debbie Macomber

Title: Starting Now
Series: Blossom Street
Author: Debbie Macomber
Published Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Format: ebook
Pages: 352
ISBN: 0345533534 
Copy provided by: NetGalley
Genre: fiction
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon
Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Synopsis: #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber returns to Seattle’s beloved Blossom Street in this heartfelt tale of friendship, renewal, and discovering what’s truly important in life.
For years Libby Morgan dreamed only of making partner in her competitive, high-pressure law firm. She sacrificed everything for her career—her friends, her marriage, her chance at creating a family. When her boss calls Libby into his office, she assumes it will finally be good news, but nothing can prepare her for the shocking reality: She’s been let go and must rebuild her entire life . . . starting now. 
With no job prospects in sight, Libby reaches out to old friends and spends her afternoons at A Good Yarn, the local knitting store. There she forms a close bond with Lydia, the sweet-natured shop owner; Lydia’s spirited teenage daughter, Casey; and Casey’s best friend, Ava, a shy yet troubled girl who will shape Libby’s future in surprising and profound ways. 
As A Good Yarn becomes a second home—and the women a new kind of family—Libby relishes the different person she’s become. She even finds time for romance with a charming and handsome doctor who seems to be her perfect match. But just as everything is coming together, Libby must make a choice that could forever change the life she holds so dear.
Warmly told and richly textured, Starting Now is filled with the promise of new beginnings and the unending delights of companionship and love.

My Review: I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book for review. This was the first Debbie Macomber book I've ever read. My mother-in-law has been after me to read some of her books and I never got around to it.
After reading this book, I'm kicking myself for not starting sooner. There's no death-defying action, or paranormal creatures in it. But it makes you feel good, reading this book. You really start to care about the characters, and towards the end of the book, I was pacing as I was reading, wanting to kick the major character for doing what she was doing. I wanted to shake her by her shoulders and say, "What the heck do you think you're throwing away?!"
It's been awhile since I've felt that emotionally invested in a character.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's the time again! Monday...the day where I'm loading up on coffee to get myself through today.

I look back at last week's list and I'm amazed....I got through a number of books, but others I wasn't able to start on. Disappointing but this week, I promise to do better!

So this week looks like (based on tour schedules and the like):

1. Starting Now by Debbie Macomber
2. Forgotten by Sarah J Pepper
3. Witch Love by Emma Mills
4. The Boleyn King by Laura Andersen

I know I'll definitely get two of these done this week. I'm only about 90 pages away from finishing the first already. I can hope for more, but with Girl Scouts again this week and the start of softball practice this week as well, it doesn't look very promising.

Week In Review and Best of the Week

Hi everyone! Looking back, its been a busier week than I expected it would be.

A few reviews:

• Review Redux: The Guilty Innocent by D.N. Simmons
• Witchcraft by Emma Mills
• So Shines the Night by Tracy Higley
• Star Trek: The Stuff of Dreams by James Swallow

Contests:

• Phantom by Laura DeLuca Tour and Giveaway: $50 gift card, Amazon Kindle White, signed book in print, and three ebook copies.
• The Guilty Innocent Tour and Giveaway: $100 Amazon GC and free ebook copy
• A Scholar's Journey by Herrick C Erickson-Brigl: $20 Amazon GC, Kindle, and ebook copy of A Scholar's Journey

Now for the best of the week!

I read some really good books this past week from very different genres (religious and science fiction), so I can't pick a favorite out of them. However! The cover of So Shines the Night makes me keep looking at it....

REVIEW: Star Trek: The Stuff of Dreams by James Swallow

Title: Star Trek: The Stuff of Dreams
Series: Star Trek The Next Generation Universe
Author: James Swallow
Published Date: Marh 25, 2013
Publisher: Pocket Books
Format: ebook
Pages: 132
ISBN: 1451696612
Copy provided by: NetGalley
Genre: science fiction
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon
Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Synopsis: The Enterprise-E arrives in unclaimed space for a rendezvous with the Starfleet science vessel Newton. Jean-Luc Picard and his crew have been ordered to assist the Newton with the final phase of its current mission—a mission that brings Picard face to face with something he never thought he would see again: the phenomenon known as the Nexus. Less than twelve years after it left the Alpha Quadrant, the Nexus ribbon has now returned. Tasked to track and study the phenomenon as it re-entered the galaxy, the specialist science team on the Newton discovered that the orbital path of the Nexus has been radically altered by the actions of the rogue El-Aurian Tolian Soren—taking it deep into the territory of The Holy Order of the Kinshaya, one of the key members of the Typhon Pact. Starfleet Command is unwilling to allow the Kinshaya—and by extension, the Typhon Pact—free access to what is essentially a gateway to anywhere and anywhen, as a single operative could use the Nexus to change the course of galactic history….

My Review: I'd like to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
Its been awhile since I've read anything from the Star Trek universe, as much as I consider myself a closet Trekkie (not quite so closet to some of my friends). This was the perfect quick read to get my Trek fix in, since I haven't been able to go back lately and chill to the old episodes of Enterprise.
The author does a great job of adding a little to the Star Trek universe, while keeping to the skeleton of the Star Trek: The Next Generation that we all know and love. Jean-Luc is in there, along with Worf, Beverly Crusher and Geordi LaForge. William Riker, Deanna Troi, Guinan and Data are all given passing mentions.
The story is short, it is a novella in length, and it was just perfect enough to read in a day even with my busy schedule. The storyline wasn't overly complicated, and just short enough to be almost like an episode of the show.
Basically reading the book was like bringing in an old security blanket in for awhile, and enjoying the comfort of an old friend. I would love to read more.