Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Spring Into Horror Read-a-Thon

http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/2014/04/spring-into-horror-read-thon-starting.html

Ah! I'm late to this party and I has a sad! We've been having some tornando-tastic weather in my neck of the woods, so I've been distracted and sleep deprived! (Don't EVER move into a trailer with a metal roof..you will not have success a: riding out a tornado and b: sleeping through anything stronger than a swift breeze!)  So yeah, I missed the first 2 days it seems. I AM SORRY MICHELLE! Don't beat me senseless!

This will act as my starting line and my update post!


My selections:



I'm still working on finishing The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglass.




Update 4/30 and 5/1
Book: From the Depths (ebook)

Update: Finished this book and Atheist's Prayer! Both were really fun and quick reads, so look for those reviews soon!

Final:
I finished these too books! I think I can say that it was a success, although I did miss the chats!


Storm Without End


Epic Fantasy
Date Published: November 10, 2013


   
Kalen’s throne is his saddle, his crown is the dirt on his brow, and his right to rule is sealed in the blood that stains his hand. Few know the truth about the one-armed Rift King, and he prefers it that way. When people get too close to him, they either betray him or die. The Rift he rules cares nothing for the weak. More often than not, even the strong fail to survive.

When he’s abducted, his disappearance threatens to destroy his home, his people, and start a hopeless and bloody war. There are many who desire his death, and few who hope for his survival. With peace in the Six Kingdoms quickly crumbling, it falls on him to try to stop the conflict swiftly taking the entire continent by storm.

But something even more terrifying than the machinations of men has returned to the lands: The skreed. They haven’t been seen for a thousand years, and even the true power of the Rift King might not be enough to save his people — and the world — from destruction.


My Review: 
I love me some riveting fantasy! I have a few things that nag me as I read when I open up a brand new series, and one of them is the great big info dump! It takes me right out of the action and kind of bogs me down and pulls me back to reality. Everyone first book of a series, no matter the genre, has an introduction to the world you are about to walk into. The BEST writers do with without jarring you out of the story. It takes a LOT of talent and skill to get all the info out and not make it so glaringly obvious what you are doing. 


R.J. Blain made me a happy camper. YES, there was a bit of info lobbed at you as you started to read the book. Was it a lot, yes, BUT..and here's where it made me happy..I *WANTED* to know this stuff. I felt like all the information was relevant to diving into this new world. I never thought the book just dumped everything out all at once. In SWE (storm without end..since I'm lazy) everything counted. Everything I found out mattered. It felt like the start of something very special and very intersting. 


Onwards to the characters!

Here is where this book really shines! All of the characters, emphasis on ALL, of them are important or so it seems. R.J.Blain makes you take note of everyone she introduces you to and gives you subtle hints that all of them might be important. I like that as you don't want to forget anyone just in case they may pop back up at any moment and be all SURPRISE..remember me!? 



Ugh..I cannot say anything else without getting spoilery here. I really liked this book! There is so much potential for this series, so yeah..I'll be checking out the next one!



R.J. Blain

RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.

When she isn't playing pretend, she likes to think she's a cartographer and a sumi-e painter. In reality, she herds cats and a husband. She also has a tendency to play MMOs and other computer games.

In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Should that fail, her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until she is satisfied.



BUY LINKS
Amazon - Buy Here



Monday, April 28, 2014

One Steamed Night (Novella)


One Steamed Night 
 by Lara Nance 

Mina Davis is sick of the modern dating scene with its vanilla settings and weak-willed suitors. What ever happened to old-world romance and swashbuckling gentlemen? She craves adventure, and hungers for a charming rogue who’ll sweep her off her feet and into his bed.

When her friend, Regina sets her up on a one-night stand through an exclusive matchmaking website, Mina leaps at the opportunity. Little does she know, and thanks to Madame Eve’s magic touch, Mina’s about to have
one steamed night



Excerpt:

A cloud of gray smoke drifted by, clearing the air. Her breath caught in her throat and she clutched her chest, fear shooting through her. They traveled in a galleon, high above the ground. Over her head floated a large inflatable attached by a series of ropes. Madame Eve was a magician to create such reality.
“This way,” her escort shouted above the din. He held tightly to her elbow and hurried to an aft deck a few steps above the main deck. “Cap’n. Here she is.”
A tall man behind the ship’s wheel yelled, “Aye. Now, man the main engines. We need more steam.”
Using both hands, she held onto the stair rail, staring, her mouth slack. The captain was the embodiment of all her fantasies. Broad-shouldered with muscular thighs and narrow hips. Long, blond hair hung to his shoulders. Dear Lord. This man belonged on the cover of a romance novel. That’s more like it.
“My lady, please come up. We’re trying to fight off air pirates.” He extended a hand in her direction.
She gulped in a breath. Smoke from the cannon swirled about her. The acrid scent stung the back of her throat and she choked.
“What is all this?” she asked, wiping her tearing eyes.
“Hurry.” With a wave of his hand, he motioned her to his side.
A cannon ball whizzed past her head and over the side. With a scream, she ran up the steps.
The captain’s arm encircled her waist, pulling her to his side. . He wore a brown leather jacket and flight helmet. Goggles covered his eyes, so she could only guess at their expression. His tan pants were tucked into thigh-high boots. Like the other man, he sported a scabbard and sword, with a pistol in his belt.
“Captain Ross, we scored a direct hit,” one of the men on deck shouted.
His fellows roared their approval, raising hands in the air.
“Don’t stop now, mates. There’s three more of them,” the man at her side shouted. He gazed down at her and grinned. “Don’t worry, my lady. Three to one are odds I like.”
“Who are they?” Her breath caught in her throat at the nearness of his handsome face.
“Air pirates. No doubt they heard you were aboard and figured you’d have a fortune in jewels with you.” He gave her a saucy wink and squeezed her waist.
“Why would they think that?” She wiggled in the tight embrace. Who is this man?


My Review 

So this book packed quite a good deal of steam..(see what I did there?!) in just a few pages. I really enjoyed that there was a very nice build up to the fun bits. I liked Mina and her personality quite a lot from the start. She's smart, selective in whom she dates, and isn't afraid to say it and say it quite bluntly I might add. Her friend Regina gets tired of her friend being so picky, so she gets her set up with Madame Eve and her "special" services. 

...If Madame Eve existed in real life she would be the richest person on the planet.. *She'd have to be a wizard, but she'd be a VERY RICH wizard!* 

Like I mentioned before, the story is short but very fun! I thought the hot bits were smoking hot, the build up parts were nice and smooth..no awkward chit chat, just flirtatious fun and teasing! 

My only complaint is that it's sooo short! I really wished there was more! Great story!


Sunday, April 27, 2014

What Are You Reading This Week Melissa?

Super glad you asked! So I've gotten a nice little BOOSTERROCKET from Saturday's read-a-thon, and well now I'm thinking I'm outta my slump. So I'm gonna try to keep my momentum going this week with some awesome reads!




Reviews Coming:


Special Features:








So that's my upcoming week plans! Got lots of "end of the month" shizz to get done this week, so I will be super duper busy! What are you gonna read?


Saturday, April 26, 2014

Update Post: Dewey

Hour 1 and 2 (slept in a little! curses to you Game of Thrones re-run!)

Book: The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglas
Page Start: 83
Page End:147
Food: Coffee, Water, Banana, plum

Intro Meme:
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?  Alabama, or more specifically my comfy chair in Alabama. :)
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? Tough question! I picked them all for their *I wanna read this-ness*
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? I tried to stick to healthy snacks, so the spinach and artichoke dip and chips!
4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I'm 33, a book hoarder, an author's assistant, and a lover of all things random and strange. I'm addicted to perrier and junk food. :)
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? I won't stress out. This is my 4th or 5th so I will take things easy, try not to focus on reading the MOSTEST and just have fun. 



Hour 3

Book: The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglas
Page Start: 147
Page End: 179
Food: Water, perrier, chips and spinach dip

Hour 4:

Book: The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglas
Page Start: 179
Page End:223
Food: perrier

Hour 5:

Book: The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglas
Page Start: 223
Page End:252
Food: perrier

Challenge: Book Puzzle 

Can you guess my book title? (Hint: 2 words)


Hour 6 and 7 (NAPTIME)  

I snoozed a  great snooze that will help me stay up later! 


Hour 8 and 9: (Gonna spend one more hour on TWR then start another one)

Book: The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglas
Page Start: 252
Page End: 320
Food: salad (lunch) with perrier, plum

Hour 10:
Book:  One Steamed Night by Lara Nance (ebook)-novella (FINISHED)
Page Start:1
Page End: 27
Food:perrier and water

Hour 11 and 12, 13
Book:  Convergence (ebook) by Michael Hicks (FINISHED)
Page Start:35
Page End:231
Food:chicken Alfredo, water, grapefruit juic

Hour 14 and 15:

Book:  *Back to The Wayfarer Redemption*
Page Start: 320
Page End:
Food:

Friday, April 25, 2014

Dewey's!!!! It is ON LIKE DONKEY KONG!

24hourreadathon.com

This Saturday I am going to do NOTHING but read! I will probably only hit the 14 or 15th hour of the 'thon, but I will have SO MUCH OF THE FUN! 


I will try to keep up with the updating and keeping things all neat and orderly, but I'm not making any promises! I will be distracted by reading and ALL THE SHINY TWITTERERS AND BLOGS!

So without further ado..my tbr list for the 'thon:

TAAA DAAAA 

  • The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglass (already started this one)
  • The Clockwork Dragon 
  • The Poisoned Crown 
  • Rosemary and Rue
  • One Steamed Night by Lara Nance
  • Innocence by Dean Koontz
  • The Well's End
  • The Queen of the Tearlings
  • Ansible by Stant Litore
  • Dead Space: Martyr
  • Wintergirls
  • Convergence
Does this list mean I will read them all? AAAHHH HELLS NAW! I will probably graze from them or wander around my book hoard..erm house to find something else, but these are the ones I have my grubby eyes on.

See ya tomorrow!


Thunderclap campaign: Ansible by Stant Litore


He's not looking for money or anything, he's looking for help spreading the word out about his newest book! I've bought it ( since it's only 1.99 on amazon and I'm a cheap gal) and will probably squeeze it into the 'thon this weekend! Stant's a pretty spiffy guy so lend him a hand would you kindly?


Monday, April 21, 2014

Guest Post: When Love Hurts


Title: When Love Hurts.  
Author: Aderonke Moyinlorun  
Release Date: September 28, 2013 
Genre: Romance suspense

Blurb
Tamara Price’s world is about to tumble down around her and the one responsible for it is none other than Raymond Brock, her ex-boyfriend. She hasn’t seen him in one year after he ran off to Paris and married her best friend. 

Tamara is smart, intelligent, single and a divorce attorney. When Raymond asks her to be his divorce attorney, they rediscover a passion that never died and the lies that kept them apart. Only one problem exists- Tamara is better at fixing broken marriages than she is at dissolving them. Can Raymond and Tamara find a way to overcome the obstacle of his wife- short of murder, that is?


Buy link



Author bio


Aderonke is a self-published author who founded Adom Publishers at the age of 22. She appeared on several bestseller lists, amazon kindle being one of them.

Much of her works revolves around ordinary women who face seemingly insuperable challenges, but find their heart's desire through unflinching determination. Compassionate and lively, and with future projects in the making, Aderonke is a woman with vision as she continues to blaze trails and inspire others around her.

She presently tours the country speaking about how to follow your dreams starting from a young age as well as encouraging other aspiring writers. A graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, she is presently studying for a second degree at Indiana State University. She is presently living in Indianapolis, Indiana and working on her next novel, That Night (When Love Hurts, #3).

Author Links:



Guest Post:

                                                                            Show, don’t tell

“Show, don’t tell” is one of the longstanding rules in fiction that is very hard to explain to

beginning writers, and even harder for experienced writers to practice.


Yet, it’s simple and easy. Don’t spend page upon page telling readers your main character is

loving, caring, kind, polite, and so on.



Show him loving someone. It’s as simple as him telling someone, “I love you.”

Show him being kind. It’s as simple as him holding the door for someone.


Show him being polite. It’s as simple as him saying, “Please” and “Thank you.”


Often, you’re tempted to write unnecessary details and long passages telling the readers what

you’re thinking in relation to a character or what you want them to know. It’s not good for

storytelling.


Simply show it to them and trust your readers to see what you want them to see.


Will all readers see what you want them to see? No, but most will.

In my last book, When Love Hurts, my main character is a divorce attorney who, due to all the

heartbreaks she’s had in her life, decides to help save marriages, which she does so well, until

she messed up and fell in love with her client’s husband. Despite the fact that I wrote an angry

client saying, “We paid her to save our marriages, but she…” a reader still asked me how she

gets money if she saves people’s marriages rather than filing for divorce.


Did this reader skip that part? Did the reader not understand that she was getting paid to save

people’s marriage? After all, in reality, marriage counselors get paid. Or maybe I should have

specifically wrote it out that, Hey, she saves marriages, but gets paid this certain amount to do

it, instead of having a client get angry and say, “I paid you, but you didn’t do what I asked you to

do.”


If I had to write that book again, I’d write it the same way. I still wouldn’t tell my readers she

gets paid. Instead, I’ll show them the angry client.


What I’m trying to say is – when it comes down to it, we writers have to learn to trust readers to

see the details we leave out. Our readers are smart, and there is no reason to spell everything

out to them.



Friday, April 18, 2014

Book Blast: Big Fat Disaster


BethFBlast

BFD CoverBorder
Big Fat Disaster
By Beth Fehlbaum
Insecure, shy, and way overweight, Colby hates the limelight as much as her pageant-pretty mom and sisters love it. It’s her life: Dad’s a superstar, running for office on a family values platform. Then suddenly, he ditches his marriage for a younger woman and gets caught stealing money from the campaign. Everyone hates Colby for finding out and blowing the whistle on him. From a mansion, they end up in a poor relative’s trailer, where her mom’s contempt swells right along with Colby’s supersized jeans. Then, a cruel video of Colby half-dressed, made by her cousin Ryan, finds its way onto the internet. Colby plans her own death. A tragic family accident intervenes, and Colby’s role in it seems to paint her as a hero, but she’s only a fraud. Finally, threatened with exposure, Colby must face facts about her selfish mother and her own shame. Harrowing and hopeful, proof that the truth that saves us can come with a fierce and terrible price, Big Fat Disaster is that rare thing, a story that is authentically new.
Pre-Order this Novel From These Fine Retailers: 
BOOK TRAILER

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1 Winner will get a Signed Hardcover of BIG FAT DISASTER as well as a surprise pack of other Merit Books titles. 
Must be 13+ To Enter | Open to US Only
GIVEAWAY (Click here)
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About The Author
In addition to writing Young Adult Contemporary Fiction, Beth Fehlbaum is an experienced English teacher who frequently draws on her experience as an educator to write her books. She has a B.A. in English, Minor in Secondary Education, and an M.Ed. in Reading. She is currently a Library Science student at Sam Houston State University.
 
Beth is the author of Big Fat Disaster (Merit Press/F+W Media, March 2014); Courage in Patience (Kunati Books, 2008); and Hope in Patience(WestSide Books, 2010). Hope in Patience was named a 2011 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. Truth in Patience, which rounds outThe Patience Trilogy, is as yet unpublished. The Patience Trilogy has been revised and is available for acquisition!
 Beth has a following in the young adult literature world and also among survivors of sexual abuse because of her work with victims’ advocacy groups. She has been the keynote speaker at the National Crime Victims’ Week Commemoration Ceremony at the Hall of State in Dallas, Texas and a presenter for Greater Texas Community Partners, where she addressed a group of social workers and foster children on the subject of “Hope”.

Beth is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, like Ashley in The Patience Trilogy, and the day-to-day manager of an eating disorder much like Colby’s in Big Fat Disaster. These life experiences give her a unique perspective, and she writes her characters’ stories in a way meant to inspire hope.
Beth lives with her family in the woods of East Texas.

You can find Beth online at http:www.bethfehlbaumbooks.com
on Facebook, and on https://twitter.com/bethfehlbaum.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Promo Blitz: Hearing Love





Hearing Love - Release Blitz
By Katie Lee
Contemporary Romance
Date Published: April 16, 2014

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

   
Ella James, the beautiful, feisty Director of Operations at Coopers’ Treats finds herself immediately at odds with Alexander Shepard, CEO of SBS, Inc. Alex’s company is looking to merge with the financially shaky Coopers’ Treats, but from the moment they met, Alex had this way of getting under Ella’s skin. Alex’s plans for the merger would require Ella to uproot herself from her safe, quiet existence in the bucolic suburban enclave of Brookside and move to the bright lights of Manhattan. For Ella, who lost her hearing at a young age, change wasn’t something she embraced or welcomed freely. She was also reluctant to leave Chase Kramer, her on-again, off-again boyfriend, even though they were currently in the “off-again” phase.


But a merger with the more financially stable SBS, Inc. would mean ensuring Coopers’ Treats continued existence, so Ella packs up and heads for the Big Apple, hoping that giving Chase the chance to really miss her might clarify his feelings for her. When Ella gets to Manhattan, she is charmed by both the big city and Alex. Despite her feelings for Chase, she finds herself hopelessly drawn to Alex and the chemistry between them is sizzling. They embark on a passionate, fun, whirlwind affair. Ella is surprised by her intense feelings for Alex, even though she is still haunted by dreams of chasing after an elusive man, dreams that she started having when Chase first broke off their relationship.

 As the merger deadline approaches, Ella finds herself caught between her feelings for two very different men. As she works to see that the merger is completed successfully, her muddled feelings for both men threaten to jeopardize everything she holds dear. Will she finally be able to hear love and make the right choice?



EXCERPT

(SHORT EXCERPT)


“What happened to Alexander Shepard?”

“I kicked him out,” Ella James answered, her voice dismissive.

“You what?” Cynthia asked with a gasp.

Ella was surprised by the distressed expression on her assistant's face. “What?”

“I-I. . .” Cynthia stopped, shaking her head. “You really kicked him out?”

“Cyn, what’s going on?”

Cynthia took a deep breath before answering. “I saw Mr. Cooper while I was in the bakery and he told me that he forgot to tell you that someone named Alexander Shepard would be coming in to meet with you. He said to tell you that he’s the CEO of the corporation and that you’d know what that means.”

Ella bolted out of her chair as panic gripped her. “Oh my God!”

As she fought to contain the rising panic, Ella's mind went back to her meeting earlier that day

About the Author:

 photo DenverBar_zps81c40bb7.jpgKatie Lee has had a lifelong love affair with books. She fell in love with her first book in the second grade and hasn’t looked back since. She first took up writing as a hobby, wanting to craft her own magical adventures, and through the love and encouragement of family and friends, decided to get serious about writing and share her stories with the world.

She currently resides in Maryland in the United States. She works for the government during the day, and her spare time is devoted to writing. She gains inspiration from all sorts of things, but mostly from the fun and adventurous trips she takes when she can.

Her debut novel, "What Endures" was published in August of 2013 and is available on Amazon.

Author Links


Buy Link


Giveaway

$10 Amazon Gift Card


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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 photo readingaddictionbutton_zps58fd99d6.png

Blog Tour: Stone Cold


Title: Stone Cold (Ironhill Jinn #2)
Author: Jocelyn Adams
Genre: PNR, Urban Fantasy
Release Date: April 11th, 2014

Not all monsters can be tamed.

Blurb:   
Lou Hudson makes a deal with the Isaac to save the Ironhill jinn from execution…and lands on the front line of a war between the vampire and his sire.

Daddy Dearest intends to have Lou for himself to spite Isaac and begins meddling in every corner of her life. Her reputation shatters when people die, her monster-whispering skills shelved by public outcry and vampire politics.

When forced to confront their enemy, she isn’t prepared for the depth of Isaac’s plotting—or her increasing attraction to him—and to end their latest crisis will only cost Lou a piece of her soul.

My review:

Alrighty peoples! Don't you dare make any judgements about this book based off the hunky stud on  the cover! This is not just some silly highland romance! This is a very well written, complex, and kick ass book! I am a HUGE HUGE HUGE fan of the bad ass lady as the main character, and Lou is certainly one of those. She's got a super fun Lara Croft(ish) kind of feel to her, yet also comes across as wonderfully vulnerable too.

The story picks up nicely from the first book, however, I think you could easily read this one without reading the first (but why the hell would you want to do that?) Lou and Isaac are just smoking hot and have a simmering chemistry that threatened to boil over on every single page they occupy together!

Here's the deal. This is a must read for any lover of hot romances with kick ass ladies, sexy vampires, and great writing!

Buy It:
Amazon




Authors Bio: 
 
Jocelyn is an office grunt by day and creator of romance and adventure by night. Born a farmer’s daughter with a vivid imagination, she spent her childhood dreaming up stories that remained untold until 2010.

With no formal training, she relied on the honest feedback of her writing group to take her from that first short story all the way to THE END of her first novel. She now has five published novels and has recently signed a 3-book deal with Entangled Publishing.

When she isn’t slinging words, you can find her shooting her bow or enjoying the serenity of family life in her little house in the woods.

Author's Links:
http://www.joceadams.com


Excerpt:

In the serenity of the Colorado night, without distraction, I noticed a scent surrounding Isaac I’d either ignored or hadn’t noticed before. Mineral hints of snow in chilled night air, and beneath it, the dewy scent of the earth in autumn. It drew up thoughts of Mum and the better times we’d spent together. My mind quieted further.

“Are you afraid?” Isaac asked, once again the guarded, regal lord. “Your terror should be painting the wind in shades of bitterness, but I scent nothing but your vanilla-tinged contentment.”

I thought for a moment before answering, watching a hawk sail across the last splashes of pink. “No, I don’t think I am. Is it strange that I find comfort in the scent of my executioner? That it plunges me into my most pleasant memories during my life?” I smiled. “I’ve never believed in God, but perhaps he exists after all and has granted me this small mercy at the end of all things.”

A rustle of fabric came to my ears as he shifted closer. “What do I smell like?”

Encouraged by his interest, I rolled his scent on my tongue, through the halls of my memory. “Frost-coated leaves on the forest floor in autumn when the earth is damp yet not frozen, and the wind has that first crisp hint of winter.” I’d always wondered why prisons would send a priest to the condemned, seeing no point in confessing anything, but I had a sudden understanding of how unburdening just having someone to listen could be.

I decided to share the memory. “Mum forbade me from using my abilities when I was young and we lived in England. Never let them see your strangeness, Lou-Lou Bean, she’d say. My jinn magic would build up and become almost blinding, and the longing was worse than starving. She finally gave in to my begging and took me up north to a small forest when I was three.”

My smile grew, and I let out a small laugh, remembering. “The first thing I did when she set me free was to drop to my knees and dig my fingers into the earth.” I stretched my hand out, almost feeling the cool soil squish against my palms. “It was late October like it is now. I had to shove away the leaves, inhaling the earthy scent of my element. The instant the rock called out to me and I could actually connect with it was like I’d been breathing with one lung all my life and could suddenly take in a full breath.”

I tried to shake off Mum’s reaction to it all back then, but it wouldn’t leave me, sucking the remembered joy out of me. “Mum always turned her back while I changed to stone. She didn’t like to see my strangeness, as if it would somehow drive the hurt deeper, that my father had cursed her with a condemned abomination for a daughter. She lived her entire life looking over her shoulder because of me.”

A tug came on my braid. I imagined Isaac running his fingers along the length of it, and that, too, was a strange sort of comfort coming from the last source I expected it from. I’m here, I heard in the act. I’m listening.

Giveaway:
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