Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Cover Reveal: His Black Wings


Drum roll please....


His Black Wings is...
Beauty and the Beast set in the future during a Victorian era revival. 
The Grand Council has brought the world peace, but will it last?
Malice, revenge and lust are not easily defeated...

Claren Maidstone has been forced to flee her childhood home, following the death of her parents and a vicious attack from a man who intends to marry her. 
She assumes a new identity and finds employment as an assistant to the handsome, Fredrick Lowood. However, Fredrick's generosity isn't without a price and Claren soon finds herself forced into a strange friendship with his disfigured son. 
Unaware of how Claren's past entwines with his own, 
Etrigan Lowood begins to yearn for her love. 
Unfortunately, the past is not far behind.
Is his love for Claren enough? 
Or will Etrigan remain alone with his black wings... 

AUTHOR BIO AND LINKS:
Astrid Yrigollen is a self published author of young adult and children's books. Astrid started her writing career when she begun work for the international video game giant, Sega of America. Working her way up the ranks, she began writing companion guides for games. With a love for writing fiction since childhood, she took her short stories out of storage and had her first story ever written published. It was only after that she found out that first stories are never published! She has resumed writing full time and has succeeded in putting out the titles, The Doughnut Tree, Mysterious Pootkins, and The Mosswoods--to name a few. Her short stories have appeared in the literary journal of Threshold Press and Shock and Awe Magazine. 



Connect with the author! 



Friday, September 21, 2012

Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Image & Description from goodreads.com
Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. 

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.


My Thoughts:

What a FANTASTIC telling of the Robin Hood story. I had no idea what to expect. My favorite aspect is that it's told from a woman's point of view instead of Robin's. This was such a fresh, original outlook on the folklore of the bandit-hero. As I progressed through the book it became quite apparent the author had done an exceptional job researching the Robin Hood legend and incorporating as much of it as possible into story. The dialect and the description of the scenery made me feel like I was right there in the cold damp surrounding of Nottinghamshire. The story was very well paced. Scarlet is now one of my favorite female characters. If you're ready to take a little break from the Vamps, Weres & Fey this book is a great read!









Monday, September 17, 2012

Celebrating Womanhood - Am I really someone's mother?!


I'm the mother of two daughters.  Holy smokes, who's idea was that?!!  I have a feeling it's the result of the prayers of my mothers (I have 2 awesome ones) and my mother-in-law praying that I and my husband pay for our raising.  You know what?  I wouldn't have it any other way.  
My daughters are 11 & 8.  They are like night and day.  My oldest is quiet and reserved for the most part.  She has a tongue as sharp as her mother's that will be the cause of many battles yet to come. She's athletic like her father, thank goodness!  She has this endless brave streak that continues to amaze me.  Even at 11 years old she's one of the strongest people I've ever known.  She rarely cries, unlike her emotional mother & sister.  She's the beautiful quiet before the storm. 
My 8 year old is my personality made over!  She's loud and energetic.  She LOVES life and all it can show her.  She's creative and funny.  While her sister's sense of humor is dry; her's is silly and meant to make you laugh.  I can often hear her yell "Boo" as her sister comes around a corner and then run of with this wild cackle of a laugh echoing down the hall.  She will dance to any beat of music.  It never ceases to amaze me what she remembers.  I often think she's not paying attention to all her surroundings because she's always going 90 to nothing.  And, yet, she can tell me what Disney actor played in what movie or show she's ever seen them in.  She's the brightest star in the sky.
I could go on of course.
Right now they don't appreciate their differences.  I hope they will as they get older.  I hope they will become the best of friends.  I think my biggest fear is they won't.  
I can't wait to become friends with the women they will be as I have with both my moms and wonderful mother-in-law.  


Thursday, September 13, 2012

Under The Sea Giveaway Hop


There is something so magical about the ocean.  I think it's the mystery of the unknown and what's under that deep blue wonder.

For my splash on the hop I'm giving away an e-book of 
Of Poseidon.



Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway for Last Wish of Summer


Synopsis: 
As the sun prepares to rise on the last day of summer, three friends find themselves totally
unprepared for the events that are about to take place around them. For Tanya it is a chance to
find peace three years after losing her parents in an auto accident. Deciding she simply can’t
continue blaming God for her loss, she places a heartfelt poem in a bottle and throws it into
the sea on the eve of her birthday, granting her birthday wish to whoever finds it.

Early the next morning, her best friend Anton and his buddy Johnno find the bottle washed
up on the shore and set about putting it to the test. When Johnno falls for the new waitress at
the café where Tanya works, it stirs up feelings of jealousy in Tanya. Surely Johnno couldn’t
be the man that God had in mind for her? Suddenly, strange wishes are beginning to come
true, but is it all a coincidence? Or is God about to change people’s lives for the better?

Welcome to Kings Beach, where the forecast for the last day of summer promises to be hot,
hot, hot, with a definite change in the air.

Excerpt:

Johnno grabbed the bottle and turned it upside down. The letter caught in its neck. Then with a bit of prying using his car key, he was able to gently pull the letter from the bottle and let it fall onto the table. It lay there wrapped only with a small hair ribbon tied in the centre. Anton reached across to untie it as Johnno stood the now empty bottle back in the centre of the table.

“Well here goes.” Anton said as he uncurled the two pages and held them up for his friend to see.

The pages were cream in color, decorated with a border of flowers entwined along the edge of each page in black ink. At the top of the first page before the letter began, was a small turquoise colored love heart someone had painted, again in what appeared to be nail polish. It left a slightly oily stain around the edges which only added to the letter’s charm. Around them, the air filled with the scent of women’s perfume that wafted up from the page. With their curiosity now firmly aroused, Anton and Johnno huddled in closely and began to read.

To whoever finds this,
If I’ve washed up on your distant shore,
From a land far over the sea.
Please tread carefully on the morning sand,
And know you’ve set me free.
Wrapped in my mother’s ribbon,
This letter is but a token.
A plead to let her see the world,
From a young heart torn and broken.
A turquoise heart that was my Aunt,
Left footprints in the sand.
Her magic just a memory,
You now hold in your hand.
So I light a candle for my Dad,
But this gift I give to you.
He always told me to make a wish,
So today may all yours come true.
It’s time to live, to find true love.
Before the winter’s scorn.
Somewhere it’s always summer,
May my true love’s arms be warm.

P.S. Please return me to the sea at sunset.


My Thoughts:

This book is a very clean read that anyone who likes contemporary would enjoy.  I liked that all the characters had different beliefs.  I appreciated that Tanya was a Christian and not afraid to let that be known.  She did get on my nerves a little.  I think it was because she came off as a little prissy.  The name of her dog annoyed me to no end.  I loved Anton & Johnno!  They cracked my up.  They all seemed to grow and develop quite well through out the story.  I could see this movie on the Hall Mark Channel or on Lifetime.  The chaos that ensues as the characters try to make sense of the sudden granted wishes is hilarious!  One thing this book brought to my attention was the way we throw the word wish around.  I can't imagine the consequences that would result if I got what I wished for every time I said "I wish...".  By the end, the story was a complex tapestry perfectly woven bringing everything together.  This book is a fantastic read for the beach or a lazy Sunday afternoon.  


*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*






About the Author:

Phillip Overton’s writing has been compared to none other than Nicholas Sparks (http://
www.readerviews.com/ReviewOvertonAWalkBeforeSunrise.html), and his latest novel Last
Wish of Summer offers readers the perfect book to spend a summer’s day reading at the
beach. In a book that reminds us to be careful what we wish for, it manages to weave the
wholesome, virginal qualities of the main character Tanya with her band of misfit friends
in their pursuit of being able to reason why a washed up message in a bottle is somehow
granting their every wish come true. Often in a manner that is both coincidental and strangely
bizarre.

Just as a movie adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel will appeal to people of all ages, so too
will this story that follows the adventures of a group of twenty-something’s on the last day
of summer. The book not only manages to cut through any pre-conceived ideas we hold on
morals, body-image and social status, but delights in helping us discover what may already be
right under our nose to begin with.

http://sbpra.com/phillipoverton/
Twitter: @phillipoverton

Links to Buy (currently paperback only)



Monday, September 10, 2012

Books to Movies Giveaway Hop

A million thanks to Sweeping the USA & I am a Reader, Not a Writer for hosting this fun giveaway hop!  

I am so excited to do this hop.  I love when one of my favorite books becomes a movie.  I try really hard not to judge too harshly Hollywood's version of MY story.  
For my "scene" on the hop I'm giving away the movie Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief.

 I love, love, love these books and the movie wasn't too bad.  It's a great family movie too.  If you haven't read the books they are great for ages 10 & up.  
This is US only, UNLESS, I can send you the movie through Amazon Internationally.  Thanks.




Review: Gwen Reaper by Jaz Primo

Image and description from goodreads.com
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness." John Keats, English romantic poet. 
I never thought that my first exposure to real beauty would be tinged with the threat of oblivion…
~ ~ ~ 
When high school junior Scott Blackstone is forced to move from his childhood home in Springfield, Illinois to small-town Custer, South Dakota, he expects nothing less than to languish in complete disappointment. Instead, he discovers a beautiful and mysterious seventeen-year-old girl named Gwen, who captivates him from his initial, adrenaline-laced sight of her on the shores of Stockade Lake. Scott’s pursuit of the elusive Gwen sweeps him into the midst of a potentially lethal family heritage that was birthed in hope, only to be passed into a legacy of guilt and death. 

Scott engages in a journey of discovery, tinged with both angst and danger. Like many dire legends throughout history, he is unprepared for the untimely revelation that both love and despair are often two sides of the same coin.


My Thoughts:
3.7
First, I like that it's from a male's POV and the one without the supernatural powers, too.  So, I really liked that aspect.  The story is original and well written.  I would have liked to see a little more history about the reapers.  I liked Scott, but had a hard time feeling connected to him.  I think it was because he didn't seem to think like a typical teenage boy.  His inner dialogue lacked just a little snark, maybe.  Gwen was a great character.  It was easy to ascertain why she was the way she was and her reactions to the events in her life were realistic.  I really liked the relationship between Scott and Gwen as well.  
There are some good lessons in this book too.  Teaching kids to think before they act.  The music references add a great touch of pop culture.  Over all I'd say this book is a great read for both girls AND boys.  The football lingo helps balance out the romance.  The ending was satisfying.  I'm not sure if there will be a sequel; this story could stand alone or open up for another.  


Review copy provided generously by the author.


Author links:

http://jazprimo.com

Twitter - @jazprimo




















Thursday, September 6, 2012

Look out! It could be a TRAP!!!

When I was a freshman in high school it was cool (by who's standards I have no idea) to where silk, baggy shirts and ZCavarrici jeans.  Yah, you guessed it, I'm a victim of the 90's.  When I look back at those pictures I cringe.  We've all fallen into those fashion trend traps of youth.   
Lately I've found myself falling into something similar but with books.  I'll see posts on several of my favorite blogs singing the praises of a book.  After seeing it 10 or 30 times I think "Oh I must add that to my TBR list right away!"  Only to find that when I read the book I'm quite disenchanted with it.  I think to myself "Is there something wrong with me?"  Well, I know the answer to that, but that's another twisted tale for another day.  LOL.  But seriously.  When a book gets rave reviews from bloggers that I respect the opinion very highly, what should I think?  I know we all have our own preferences for books and what I like may not be what you like.  So what I've finally deduced is that I've fallen into that same trap I did in high school.  I read a book because it was the popular book that week.  I'm not saying there's a single thing wrong by doing this.  How else would I find the books I love without suggestions from my book buddies?  At least there's no photographic evidence to come back and haunt me at a later date.  Has this happened to you?  If so, what book?  I'd love to know.  

 
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