Wednesday, July 30, 2014

30 Days of Summer, featuring Pandora by Storm Chase!!

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BOOK INFORMATION
Title: Pandora
Series: Self standing, complete intrigue romance
Author: Storm Chase
Word/Page count: 57,000
 
Storm Chase - Book Cover
BOOK SYNOPSIS
Pandora Fitchett’s life has taken a bad turn. Very bad.

Treachery lies behind the closed doors of British government’s most secret services, and when Pandora finds herself an innocent victim of a treason plot, she has nowhere left to turn.
At least that’s what she assumes.

Stalked by a ruthlessly logical cyber terrorist who follows her every intimate move, and who then has her kidnapped, she is thrown into a tornado of action-packed and violent world events.

Pandora’s only chance of safety will depend on a man who has no empathy, no sense of justice or obligation. A man who can destroy lives from his laptop.

Who is “Dragon” and why is he feared by so many?

Captor, or saviour? In a passionate story of intrigue and espionage, Pandora is about to discover nothing can be assumed about anyone. Even herself.
Pandora Chase - Teaser
EXCERPT
There was a loud bang followed by a rattle of sounds. Horrified, Pandora realised it was gunfire. She wriggled round, looking about her in a panic. The barrage of bullets was coming from outside, splintering wood and punching holes in metal. Something exploded, filling the compartment with smoke.

“Down!”

The policeman’s heavy hand was keeping her flat on the bench but she could see white-shirt sitting opposite them had pulled out a gun. He was firing through the window. The sound was deafening.
AUTHOR BIO
Delicious novels with fully depicted love scenes that straddle the categories of Romance and Erotica with the occasional Crime committed on the side.

Storm Chase was born September 2012. Her alter ego is Ellen Whyte, a syndicated author who has published over 2000 newspaper columns, 1000 magazine articles and 10 print books. Her clients and publishing partners include the Singapore Straits Times, Malaysia’s The Star, Womens Weekly, Cleo, Pearson and Marshall Cavendish. The alter ego is the steady type; Storm is the tearaway who's dedicated to making it work with e-publishing. Since November 2013 Storm also acquired alter ego, AJ Adams who writes cartel and mob stories. AJ’s book, The Degas Girl, is now a #100 paid Kindle bestseller so Storm is hoping Pandora will reach the same heights.
FOLLOW LINKS
GIVEAWAY
Twelve (12) $5 Amazon Gift cards Six (6) Romance Paperbacks Swag & Jewellery
Tour Organized By:

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Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Review and Interview with Tara Lee Reed, Author of Coulda Woulda Shoulda!!


BOOK DESCRIPTION
“The End” is Only the Beginning.

Elle Masters is over dating. It used to be fun: the drama, the angst, the exhilarating beginnings, the bittersweet middles, the blowout endings. Then the tears, hangovers, rebounds, and another addition to the shoebox of memories in her closet. Now Elle can’t remember the last time a guy made his way into her box.

When her friends Rachel and Valerie insist she snap out of her post-breakup funk with a girls’ night out/rebound hunt at a San Francisco bar, Elle isn’t expecting tall, dark, and hummuna-hummuna, Nick Wright. This is no rebound guy. He’s definitely, maybe, The One.

In Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda, the interactive romantic comedy where you direct the plot, you play Elle as she and her pals put the “antics” in “romantics.” Get ready to question everything you thought you knew about love, over-analyzing and second-guessing your way through hundreds of modern dating dilemmas and passionate predicaments. Will you accept a last minute date? Freak out if Nick wants space? Be the first to use the ‘L’ word? Live in sin? Or hold out for a ring? Wait, do you even want a ring?

With 60 good, bad and inexplicable endings, you’ll always have another second chance at love with Mr. Wright.


LINKS
AMAZON

THE REVIEW
 
I could read this book for hours trying to figure the different scenerios for Elle and Nick!! 
 
Ella is done with dating.  After her most recent break up, she's bound and determined to stay single.  Her two best friends have other plans, and decide to take her out for a night on the town.  That night, she notices a cute guy checking her out. 
 
Nick Wright is good-looking, charming and very interested in Elle.  Throughout this book, you can pretty much see where the relationship goes and where it doesn't.  You make up the story as you go along, and I loved that!!  As I said, I could read it for hours seeing the different paths their relationship take!!
 
I loved her two best friends, who were there for Elle through everything.  Even getting mad at Nick for not calling for a week. 
 
Really great story!!!!
 
THE INTERVIEW

How long have you been writing?

For fiction, I started writing six years ago with my first novel, Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda. I had a great idea for a book but was nearly a decade into my career in public relations, so I never expected I’d actually do anything beyond daydream about it now and then. But when I had to give up my career (and the outdoors) because of disabling health issues, my cabin fever led me to digging it out of my “Things I’ll Probably Never Do” notebook.

Beyond that, I’m a very wordy person. Some people think in pictures (and I do, too, sometimes), but I more frequently can see words as I think them. I kept journals from elementary school through college, all of which have long since been (regrettably) destroyed. There was a half-hearted (and wildly naive) attempt at a novel in elementary school, and a screenplay (which had a killer soundtrack) in high school.

My career in public relations always involved a lot of writing, which has been very helpful, particularly in character development, as I was already accustomed to adopting vastly different individuals’ “voices” when writing speeches, talking points, or other media materials.

And jokes. I write jokes. (Thank you, Twitter, for giving me an outlet for this.)

What or who inspires you to write?

Enthusiasm inspires me! My own and others’. It’s as contagious as a yawn to me. If I’m feeling unproductive, I watch or read something about a favourite performer, like Jim Henson’s biography, or Dave Chappelle’s first appearance on Inside The Actors Studio. I admire them both greatly for what they’ve accomplished in regards to their own craft, and that’s usually enough to get me fired up.

It’s generally hard to hold my attention, but when something grabs my focus, you’ll be unlikely to get it back. I have little bursts of inspiration that multiply exponentially, and my memory is terrible, so there are post-it notes, scrap papers, emails and voice memos pretty much everywhere on and around my person, all with scattered bits of dialogue and plot points. Compiling it is an adventure in itself. (Especially guessing how much wine fueled a particular idea).

My blog is about as organized as my bread crumb notes, and I try not to write anything just for the sake of it. But...if you can provoke a strong enough emotional response from me, I’ll feel compelled to write an impassioned response or open letter. (I’m a bit of a rabble rouser.)

What genre do you like to read?

My taste is pretty eclectic, and obsessive. Last year the bulk of my reading was historical fiction and nonfiction. Memoirs and biographies are always in the mix, actually. It’s rare that real life isn’t more interesting than fiction. That old expression “You can’t make this stuff up!” comes to mind.

I just finished Patience Bloom’s memoir Romance is My Day Job: A Tale of Finding Love at Last, and it’s up there with Jenny Lawson’s Let’s Pretend This Never Happened (which should be read repeatedly) in my Top 10. Rob Lowe’s Stories I Only Ever Tell My Friends sits at Number One. It’s The Bee’s.

 
What is your favorite genre to write?

I’ve only officially written commercial fiction, with a largely humorous vibe, and I imagine that’s where I’ll spend most of my time for now. First up, there are the next two titles in the Once Upon a Theme series, each leaning to the romantic comedy end of the spectrum, and will alternate points of view, giving Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda’s supporting characters Rachel and Valerie each their own title with a unique focus.

I’m also working on a story dealing with chronic illness. It’s been six years since I had to stop working due to disabling fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. That’s a long time, and not a thing has changed in terms of understanding, research effort or awareness. The rate of diagnose is increasing exponentially, already affecting up to six percent of the North American population, mostly women, and no one seems to be looking into it. I’d like to contribute something toward changing that.

Who is your favorite author and why?

I tend to have favourites for each genre, and for women’s fiction, that’s Emily Giffin. Something Borrowed remains my go-to reread, in print and on audio. I remember finishing it in about sixteen consecutive hours without sleep. I love all of Giffin’s work, but have always been impressed that she made me root for the “bad girl,” while turning a common trope on its ear in Something Borrowed. And in the follow up, Something Blue, she even managed to make me like Darcy (the actual bad girl), which I’d decided was against the laws of physics. I’d love to see more of her books made into movies. Where We Belong would be an excellent screen adaptation.

What do you love about writing and why?

Writing is both always the same and always different - at least, it’s as different as you want it to be. As a restless soul, that’s comforting. I can decide on a whim to switch to a new story, or a new genre - or even jump to screen or teleplays, which is something I’d very much like to do. (Basically, I want to be Vajayjay Abrams and conquer TV and films in addition to books.)

What is the book about?

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda is a choosable path novel, much like the books you may remember from grade school, only this one’s way grown up and for chicks! It has hundreds of unique choices inspired by popular dating advice and culture, and 60 endings.

As the reader, you assume the role of Elle, a single gal ready to swear off dating following another break up that didn’t break your heart. That is, until you meet Nick Wright and find yourself over-analyzing and second-guessing your way through courtship conundrums and passionate predicaments, and then living with the outcome – even when it means starting over. Fifty-nine times.

What or who was the inspiration for the book?

I met a guy in a bar and we hit it off. My friend and I agreed to join him at another spot where he was meeting friends from college. On the way, we stopped at his place so he could change, and I noticed a copy of Neil Strauss’ The Game - a fascinating memoir about an underground society of pickup artists. I’d recently heard of it, but didn’t want to assume it was his and not a roommate’s. But for the rest of the night, he’d sort of flit back and forth between me and a number of girls from his school days, something I suspected was meant to make me insecure.

So that wasn’t going anywhere, but I was curious and bought the book, along with an Amazon-suggested copy of dating advice classic, The Rules. Not two chapters into The Game, I found nearly a dozen “techniques” that guy had tried on me. It was actually pretty funny. Then I read The Rules, which is a very rigid list of Do’s and Don’ts. I contrasted those titles with the only other advice book I’d ever read, He’s Just Not That Into You, and found they had little in common. And that was a mere sample of what was out there.

When I thought of how impossible it would to keep up with all of it, it brought to mind the adventure and role-playing video games published by the company I worked for. A heroine always working toward the next level, forging her own path, jumping through hoops and getting advice along the way. She’d get so far before, out of nowhere, boom! Game Over. Try Again? Fast forward and there I am, knee-deep in research by experts, creating an inclusive and (hopefully) relatable representation of modern dating culture.  

Who are the characters in the book?

Elle Masters is our protagonist. She’s a mid-level public relations consultant in San Francisco. And while she’s most definitely looking for love, she’s unclear on marriage and kids, currently more distraught with the fact she can’t remember the last time she met a guy who made her think about either of those things. She’s a reasonable and independent gal but, like all of us, is occasionally prone to a little neurosis when it comes to relationships. Just a little.
Elle’s best friend since high school is the half-Canadian, one hundred percent sarcastic, Rachel Winters. A music supervisor for film and television, she’s got pretty much the coolest job on Earth. She’s not a Rules Girl. In fact, she’s more of a No Rules Girl, much preferring to keep things casual than stay perpetually partnered. In her Once Upon a Theme title, Good on Paper, Rachel finds her unromantic self barraged with classic romance archetypes.

Rachel lives a few floors down from Elle in an apartment she shares with Valerie, who the two met in college. A stark contrast to the bold and brash Rachel, Valerie is a girly girl and true romantic. A lifelong student of romance novels, movies and soaps, she loves a little drama, but not in her own life, which she’d prefer to keep neat and uncomplicated. In her Once Upon a Theme title, As the Plot Thickens, Valerie’s life becomes a veritable soap opera, with scandal, secrets and studs.

Elle’s leading man is Nick Wright. He’s a tall, dark and Henry Cavill type who works in one of those finance jobs no ever truly understands. He’s a guy’s guy, in every sense of the word, and not without his own reservations about traditional approaches to relationships. He’s a straight shooter (and according to Elle, one heck of a kisser).

If you could have five authors, over for dinner, alive or dead, who would they be and why?

Emily Giffin - She’s incredibly genuine. I never read her books and sarcastically think, “Oh yeah, that happens in real life.” It would also be a great time to ask her to sign my books.  

Chelsea Handler - I’m kind of obsessed with her. Obviously, yes, she’s hilarious, but uniquely so. Her mind is remarkable - razor sharp wit, and keen, unforgiving observation. She has a confidence that’s rare among women in entertainment today. Her books are art, and I think it’s great she started her own publishing company. I’m also looking forward to her upcoming talk show on Netflix, which is a great example of what a shrewd business woman she is.

Gilda Radner - Oh, I love her. I named my cat after her. Saturday Night Live has been a launching ground for some pretty incredible women, but Gilda is my favorite. Such memorable characters - larger than life characters - and they all came out of this tiny woman with this adorable voice. When I was around 12 years old, I read her memoir It’s Always Something about her journey as a comedy giant on SNL, falling in love, and battling cancer. When you can make something so harrowing funny, you’re my hero. I’ve loved memoirs ever since.

Mildred Wirt Benson - The most frequent author behind the pseudonym, “Carolyn Keene” - the name associated with Nancy Drew, my favorite books as a kid. My mom tracked down the entire original series one at a time at used book stories, and I maintain they’re to thank for my early developed writing aptitude. It felt like fate when my first job out of college included PR for the video games based on the series. I mean, Nancy Drew. The original Veronica Mars.

Steve Martin - He’s probably one of few truly genuine examples of a modern renaissance man, and would definitely have been a fixture on Henry VIII’s court. He writes...everything, he paints, he plays music, he dances, he does the whole gamut in comedy. And I bet he brings really good wine (that he makes himself) to dinner parties.

THE AUTHOR

Author Bio:
Tara Lee Reed is the accidental writer from Toronto, Canada, not that chick from Sharknado. When her career in public relations was forced into hiatus by a jerky plot twist, she wrote the first in a series of interactive novels. When she received offers of single and multi-book deals from top houses, she turned them down to publish independently. Because she’s crazy.


She was voted Most Sarcastic Female at her high school prom, which she went to alone. (Not that she thinks about it.) She can fit her whole fist in her mouth (which makes the prom thing surprising), and she can sing with her mouth closed, but she can’t do both at the same time.

Her tweets on The Bachelor have been aired in a live broadcast and picked up by national media. She once appeared on the cover of a romance novel with her longtime partner, who has done 79 more – with other women. She thinks that’s qualification enough to write this book.

 

LINKS:







 

THE GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review for Desire Awaits and Interview with Author Jaidis Shaw!

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Title:  Destiny Awaits
Series:  Juniper Grove Chronicles
Author:  Jaidis Shaw
Published: July 19th, 2014
Publisher:  Crushing Hearts & Black Butterfly Publishing
Word Count:  approx. 50,000
Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age:  14+
Synopsis:
She wants a normal life. They want her dead. Destiny has other plans.
Twenty-year-old Alayna Scott receives visions around water, but even her foresight couldn’t prepare her for the tragic accident that claimed the lives of her parents. With everything she loves gone, Alayna packs up and moves to the small town of Juniper Grove in hopes of starting over.
Jayden McKnight can’t explain the attraction that he feels whenever Alayna is near, but he does know that he will do whatever it takes to win her heart. When a vampire selects Alayna as his next victim, Jayden will stop at nothing to ensure her safety – even if that means bringing Alayna into a world that she never knew existed.
Love blossoms, challenges are made, and Alayna will find herself fighting not only to survive, but to understand what she has become.

Prologue from Destiny Awaits:
 Sunlight caught the crystal that hung from the rear view mirror, and rainbow bursts of color radiated throughout the car. My parents and I had gotten up early so that we could make the three hour drive to my uncle’s house, but from the line of backed up traffic in front of us, it seemed that it would take us longer. I leaned back in my seat and let the music blaring in my earbuds help pass the time. My mother turned in her seat in the front, and I glanced at her. Seeing her mouth my name, I pulled one side of the earbuds out of my ear.
“What did you say?” I asked.
“I asked if you were hungry,” she replied. “Your father thinks that we should get off the interstate at the next exit and grab something to eat while the traffic clears up.”
“Sure, that’s fine with me. It’s a good idea, anyway, since Uncle John turned vegetarian. There’s no telling what he’s going to try to get us to eat.”
My father’s hearty laugh rumbled through the car. “Do you remember that rolled up spinach thing he tried to feed us last time?”
“How could I forget?” I said.
Mom sprung to her brother’s defense. “It wasn’t so bad.”
“Then how come you didn’t eat it? I saw you slip it to the dog when you thought nobody was watching.” My father glanced at my mother while she tried to come up with a retort.
“If you saw that, then it’s obvious that I wasn’t sneaky enough.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the window.
My dad laughed as he flipped on the turn signal and merged into the right lane, coming to a stop behind a logging truck. I looked at the long logs protruding from the flatbed. “It always makes me nervous when they hang off like that,” I said. A shiver raced over my body.
“It’s okay. They make sure to load them on so that they won’t come off,” my dad reassured me.
I opened my mouth to reply, but stopped when I heard a screech of tires behind us. Turning my head, I locked eyes with the man in the driver’s seat of the truck that was hurtling toward us. The truck slammed into the back of our car, and my mother’s scream echoed in the tight space around me. A shower of white stars filled my vision as pain ripped through my shoulder and cut off my own scream. As the darkness closed in around me, I heard the faint shrill of sirens in the distance.

THE REVIEW
I felt honored reading this book, because I have done so many tours for Jaidis that I was overjoyed to read her book!!

When I first started reading this book, I felt horrible for Alayna.  She's lost her parents in a fatal car accident, and all she wants to do is escape.  She decides to do just that by moving to Juniper Grove.  It's the farthest place from her home, and little does she know how much moving there will change her life.

She meets Jayden McKnight on her first official day in her new house.  He's the one who's been keeping up the place, and the one responsible for cleaning up the house for her.  Also, he's good looking.  Alayna feels an attraction for him that she isn't expecting, and decides to give him a chance.  
When she's suddenly attacked by Gavin, a vampire, her world is completely turned upside down.  She finds out from Jayden that the things she believed were only fiction are actually true, and that Jayden himself is a shifter.  Things go from bad to worse when she finds out that because of the attack, her blood is now mixed with Gavin's and Jayden's, and they don't know what she is exactly.

I loved this book!  Definitely one I will read again.  I loved Jayden, as his love for Alayna is complete.  He will stop at nothing to protect her and see her safe.  One thing Alayna didn't expect was to find a family again.  Jayden's family surrounds her and are willing to protect her no matter what.  


THE INTERVIEW
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing since I was in elementary school, but never really considered taking it up as a profession. I had my first short story, The Tower, published in 2011 by a small publishing house so I’m relatively new to being an author. That was followed by my first book, Destiny Awaits, being self-published in April of 2012, followed by another short story, Blind Justice, in June of that same year by the same publisher who had my other short story. Destiny Awaits was recently picked back up and is re-released with Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing and I couldn’t be more excited.
What or who inspires you to write?
I started on my first book when I was in college. It was off to a great start, but then I was diagnosed with epilepsy and had to put my writing on hold. I experienced a seizure that turned into status epilepticus, or to put it simply, I was experiencing a grand mal seizure every few seconds for over six hours. It really took its toll on my body and especially my mind. I couldn’t remember who my father was. I had to learn how to form sentences again. I was forced to put my writing on hold to focus on controlling my new condition. After that, I had lost the drive to write. Then a couple of years later, I got married and shortly after we found out that I was pregnant.
I’ve always had the desire to write, but having my first daughter really helped put things into perspective. I felt that I needed to be a good role model for her and to show her that if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen. She is my inspiration to continue writing and that’s why my first book is dedicated to her.
What genre do you like to read?
I love reading in all genres! Each one offers their own unique quality.
What is your favorite genre to write?
So far I’ve dabbled in YA paranormal romance, suspense, western, and am currently working on a paranormal thriller. I’ve loved each one so far and so I don’t think I could pick just one genre to call my favorite.
What do you love about writing and why?
I love writing because it allows me to escape from reality and create something that others can enjoy. It is also a great stress reliever, not to mention much cheaper than therapy.
What is the book about?
Destiny Awaits is about a young woman who has lost her closest family in a tragic accident. Though those still around her try and offer support, she knows that what she once called home will never be the same. She sets out on her own to find a new path to follow and create her new future. She ends up in Juniper Grove where she finds that not everything is as it appears. A vampire has taken a fancy to her, she’s learning about the paranormal world around her, and will have to fight for survival if she hopes to find some part of the new life she so desperately wants.
Who are the characters in the book?
The two main characters are Alayna and Jayden. Alayna is the female lead and is the focus of the book. Jayden is her new neighbor and soon gives in to his feelings for Alayna when she is attacked by a vampire named Gavin.
There are several secondary characters which I enjoyed creating. Julian and Sofia are Jayden’s parents and they were a fun pair to create. When they arrive in town, they bring a couple clan members with them, Darren and Kyle. Those two were especially fun to create as they have a quirky, brother-like relationship so they are always picking on each other.


THE AUTHOR
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Jaidis Shaw currently resides in South Carolina with her husband and beautiful daughter (with another daughter on the way). With a passion for reading, Jaidis can always be found surrounded by books and dreaming of new stories. She enjoys challenging herself by writing in different genres and currently has several projects in the works.
Jaidis also owns and operates Juniper Grove Book Solutions, voted Top Three for Best Promotional Firm, Site, or Resource in the 2013 Preditors & Editors Readers’ Poll. In her spare time, Jaidis maintains her two blogs, Juniper Grove and Blooming with Jaidis. One of her main goals in life is to encourage her daughters to let their imaginations run wild.
Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Blog | Pinterest | Instagram

Giveaway Details:

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

  • A $20 Amazon Gift Card
  • Winner’s choice of any one current Kindle eBook release from CHBB, Vamptasy, or Hot Ink Press
Giveaway is International.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
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Friday, July 25, 2014

Review for Trust by Mia Fox!!

Trust - Tour Banner  
BOOK INFORMATION
TITLE – Trust SERIES – Chasing Shadows
AUTHOR – Mia Fox
GENRE – Paranormal romance/contemporary romance
PUBLICATION DATE – July 20, 2014
PUBLISHER – Evatopia Press
PHOTOGRAPHY - Cathleen Tarawhiti
MODEL - Melanie Bevan
DIGITAL ART - Consuelo Parra
TYPOGRAPHY - Eden Crane
 
  Trust - Book Cover  
BOOK BLURB / SYNOPSIS
Ella’s struggle... After losing Nate, trusting her heart to love again seems impossible for Ella. In spite of her family’s desire that she move on with her life, it’s the last thing she wants...especially since she has a connection to Nate’s ghost.
 
Ethan’s resolve... Ethan knows about grief. Not only does he counsel people suffering from loss, he’s also lost a loved one. When he meets Ella, he makes it his mission to heal her broken heart. With time the boundary between patient and doctor blurs as Ethan finds himself falling in love. Yet he must suppress his feelings for fear of crossing a line that is based on trust.
 
Nate’s determination... Being without Ella while in Afghanistan was hard. Having to say goodbye again is even worse. Although now a ghost, Nate can still make Ella happy when he visits. Their time together is precious, yet fleeting. Although being with Ella again is life’s sweetest gifts, Nate is desperate to heal her troubled mind and broken heart.
 
An unbreakable bond... When Ella becomes increasingly reckless and sets off on a dangerous journey into the rugged wilderness, it’s up to both Nate and Ethan to find her. One man represents her past and one her future. One will use his marine training and the other his knowledge of psychology to keep Ella safe and help her...Trust.
 
BUY & TBR LINKS
MY REVIEW
 
 


This is a book where I really felt for the heroine.  She's struggling with the death of her boyfriend Nate, who died in a car accident.  She believes there is no other man for her, and she will never feel happiness again. 
 
When Ethan comes in, she doesn't expect the feelings of attration for him.  Neither does she welcome them.  He's there to help her through her grief, but what he doesn't know is that she doesn't want to get over it.  Nate's ghost comes to her, and she doesn't want to lose him again a second time. 
 
Ella, being reckless and wanting to feel closer to Nate decides to go on a hike.  She's an experiences hiker, but because she was upset at the time that she went... she doesnt think about what is going to happen during the hike.  Little does she know how much her lack of thinking puts her in danger.
 
What I loved about this book, is you get both Nate's and Ethan's perspective.  Nate is determined to help her through her grief, knowing there is another loves her, he realizes that he must let her go for her to be truly happy.  Ethan, feeling horribly for crossing a line he shouldn't have crossed, is at odds with his feelings for her. 
 
This was a quick read, which was a little disappointing to me.  I wished it had been longer, but other then that, I loved the book!!
 
I loved Ella, and understood her confliction.  She wanted to Nate to stay by her side, but her feelings for Ethan keep intruding into her thoughts.  She has guilt about her feelings for Ethan, and deciding who she wants is a constant struggle for her.
 

 
  Trust - Teaser 1    
EXCERPT
I loved Nate with all my heart and the tragedy of losing him became somehow manageable when his ghost visited me. I never would have believed, if it hadn’t happened so many times. But it’s real. It’s possible for me to still be with Nate -- even if nobody else believes me.
Lily things I’m nuts, which is why she was so in favor of my being counseled by Ethan. If my work hadn’t insisted, I would never have agreed to it. And if I had known that being near Ethan would lead to even more heart ache, well...
At least he doesn’t make me feel as if I’m going crazy for saying that I can see Nate. He’s been through something this side of horrible as well. Maybe that’s why he’s the only one who doesn’t look at me with pity. Yeah, I could fall for him.
But in doing so, I would lose Nate. I just know it. I lose a bit of him every day and it just tears me apart to betray his memory, even when he tells me to go on with my life. The only way to figure out this mess of my life is to spend time away from both of them. So that’s just what I’m going to do. Looking out into the distance, I can see the high peaks of these mountains that encompass the National Parks Recreation Area. They extend for miles from inland valleys, up and over the passes, to the ocean shore. One could spend hours and days, weeks and months, and never have the chance to explore every inch of them. It was a perfect escape.
 
Trust - Author Photo
AUTHOR BIO
 
Mia Fox is a Los Angeles-based novelist who writes across varied genres including Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance, Steampunk, and Chick Lit. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from U.S.C.
Before writing full time, she worked as an entertainment publicist, a career she chronicles in her novel, “Alert the Media.” However, she is happy to leave that world behind her, preferring that any drama in her life is only that which she creates for her characters. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, three children, Casey, the Wonder Westie, and Bean, his brother.
 
AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS
 
Trust - Teaser 2
 
GIVEAWAY
One “Believe” necklace (“Believe” is book one of the Chasing Shadows series) One “Trust” paperback
 
 
  Tour Organized By: 
myfamilyheartbutton

Monday, July 21, 2014

Release Day Blitz for Rout of the Dem-Shyr by Raine Thomas!!

NEW RELEASE!

Title: Rout of the Dem-Shyr
Series: Ascendant Series #2
Author: Raine Thomas
Genre: New Adult Sci-Fi Romance
Audience: Ages 17+

Cover Design by MaeiDesign

Book Blurb:
Touted as the future ruler and savior of worlds, Ascendant KyrVawn is ready to put her growing power to good use. She intends to begin with her home planet of Alametria, where hints of corruption have infiltrated the highest levels of the palace. It’s a monumental task, but one she won’t undertake alone.
By her side is her personal bodyguard and secret lover, Dem-Shyr TaeDane. Together, they’re determined to uncover the truth behind the changes that occurred while they were off-planet…changes that violate long-standing Alametrian laws.
But it’s hard for them to champion the rules when they don’t live by them. Their love is forbidden by official decree, and with every illicit touch, they edge closer and closer to discovery and disaster. Despite their good intentions, they’ll find out that sometimes love doesn’t conquer all.
In fact, it might just be the very thing that destroys them.

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Rout of the Dem-Shyr Excerpt
Fear and confusion once again overwhelmed her. Where was she? Why was she in a dark, contained space? Why couldn’t she mentally connect with the man she loved?
As each question ran through her mind, her strength amplified. She shoved against the surface above her until her muscles protested. The sound of creaking prompted her to push even harder. It didn’t matter what awaited her outside of wherever she was. She’d greet it with open arms.
It took several minutes of heaving with her enhanced strength, but eventually, the surface gave way. She tossed aside the entire length of whatever was containing her, giving her freedom to sit up. As she did, a wave of dizziness almost made her fall back down. Terror kept her upright, clinging to the sides of her rectangular prison for support.
She looked around and saw she was in a dimly lit room. She also realized that she was sitting in a death box.
Another scream built in her throat. In an instant, she was standing beside the death box rather than inside of it. She had no memory of climbing out, nor did she know how long she stood beside it, staring at it as though it could offer her answers to the long stream of questions running through her barely functioning mind.
The sound of a door handle turning sent her skittering back into the shadows. She clung to a tall column in the middle of the room and tried not to make a sound. She wished she had thought to cover the death box, but knew there was nothing she could do about it now. Hushed whispers reached her ears as the door opened and closed. Unable to resist, she eased her head around the column to see who had entered the room.
Zasha, the Wrym who had seen to Kyr’s comforts since her return to Alametria, stepped into the dim light of a wall sconce. Her hair was covered by a red scarf. She wore a simple red dress, as well, reminding Kyr that the Alametrian color of mourning was red…the color of blood and pain. The flowers Zasha carried, however, were purple. Kyr’s favorite color.
Behind Zasha walked a male that Kyr didn’t recognize until he stepped into the light: LeoVawn. The pair walked all the way into the center of the room, stopping short when their eyes adjusted enough for them to see that the death box was now open and unoccupied. The container of flowers dropped from Zasha’s hands with a jarring thud.
Kyr couldn’t stop herself from stepping out of the shadows. She had to get some answers, and the only thoughts she received from the male and female in the room were shock and confusion. Those emotions heightened when Leo and Zasha saw her and recognized her. Their eyes went wide. Their complexions turned the color of wax.
And one single thought got through: But she’s dead.
Their reactions told Kyr why she had been in the death box. “Zasha,” she said, finding her voice at last. “Where’s Ty?”
The Wrym female stood rooted in place as Kyr approached her and took her by the upper arms. Leo watched with a slack jaw, but made no move to intervene.
Kyr tried again. “Please, Zasha. Please tell me where Ty is. Where is Dem-Shyr TaeDane?”
“Ma’jah,” Leo said in a hoarse voice. “This cannot be.”
Frustration made Kyr want to shout, but she knew anyone could be outside the doors and listening. Drawing on her growing abilities, she centered herself and sent calming thoughts to Zasha and Leo. She needed their help.
“I’m fine, Leo. You can see that. Please tell me where I can find the Dem-Shyr.”
Leo swallowed audibly before he replied, “I’m sorry to say that he’s been banished to the Dark Lands, Ma’jah.”
Kyr sifted through her still-muddy memories of her home planet. “The Dark Lands?” she repeated. “But I thought only murderers are sent there. It’s the punishment of eternal exile.”
“Yes, Ma’jah,” Leo whispered.
Emotion rose within Kyr. Disbelief. Horror. Anguish. Her gaze moved between Leo and Zasha, reading only truth in their thoughts and expressions.
“But…who did he kill?” she asked at last.

“You, Ma’jah,” Zasha answered with tears in her eyes. “He killed you.”


Watch the Ascendant Series Trailer:
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About the Author:

Raine Thomas is the award-winning author of bestselling Young Adult and New Adult fiction. Known for character-driven stories that inspire the imagination, Raine recently signed with multiple award-winning producer Chase Chenowith of Back Fence Productions to bring her popular Daughters of Saraqael trilogy to the big screen. She's a proud indie author who is living the dream. When she isn't writing or glued to e-mail or social networking sites, Raine can usually be found vacationing with her husband and daughter on one of Florida's beautiful beaches or crossing the border to visit with her Canadian friends and relatives.
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Sunday, July 20, 2014

Review for Fantasized By You by Steph Nuss!!

 

 
Steph Nuss
Title: Fantasized by You
Series: Love in the City – Book #2
(is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone - Book #2 is based on a different couple, but you will see characters from Book #1)
Cover Designer: IndieBookCovers

RELEASED: JULY 14th
 
 
Celebrity fashion designer, Harper Jennings is only months away from turning thirty, and her dream of living a happily ever after has yet to come true.
She's given up on her fantasy.
Personal trainer and gym owner, Maverick Jones isn't thrilled about having a designer mentoring in his new clinic, but after meeting the brunette beauty face-to-face, he dreams of having his way with her.
He's ready to turn his fantasy into reality.
But when their fantasies collide, love in the city becomes more complicated than they ever imagined.

BOOK LINKS:
AMAZON
B&N

MY REVIEW

I loved this book!!  Maverick.... OMG.. he is every woman's fantasy...

All Harper Jennings has ever wanted was a man to love her.  The real her.  Her problem?  She's a famous fashion designer, and she's bulemic.  When a good friend dies from complications of bulemia, she takes the wake up call and goes to rehab to get herself better.


Three years later, she is back and finally in a place where she is feeling good.  Through her future sister-in-law, she meets Maverick, and their first meeting doesn't go very well.  She expects it, as most people have the same perception of her career, but his is for different reasons.  What Harper isn't expecting is for Maverick to be so damn goodlooking.  Also, after a few weeks of stolen glances and flirting back and forth, he finally asks her to dinner. 

Everything about him is different for Harper.  From the first date on the two are in tune with each other in a way she has had with no other man.  This is the love she's been dreaming of; this man is the one for her. 

Maverick is gorgeous and smart.  Also, he's totally into Harper.  I loved how he treated her like she was something to be cherished, and it was something Harper was not used to.  The men she dated usually only wanted one thing from her, and all she wanted now was to settle down. 

As I said, I loved this book!!  I couldn't put it down!  There was the complication of her best friend Max, but all she sees is Maverick.  Also, I want a friend like Elly!!!  She was too damn cute!!


Carter was captivated by Ellyson Evans the moment he laid eyes on her,
but she was the one girl who didn't beg for his attention.
He wanted her.
Ellyson vowed to never fall in love, because love can destroy you,
but then she met Carter Jennings.
She wanted him.
Unwilling to risk their comfortable friendship, neither confessed their desires.
Losing touch after college, a chance meeting reconnects them.
They want each other.
But love in the city is never quite that easy.




Steph Nuss was born and raised in rural Kansas, where she currently resides with her black Labrador son named Gunner. She grew up with a passion for reading and writing. When she’s not immersed into the land of fiction, she enjoys listening to music that came before her time, watching movies and reruns of her favorite shows, and hanging out with her family and friends. She also has a bachelor’s degree in psychology that she’ll never use…unless she’s profiling her characters of course.

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Thursday, July 17, 2014

Wrecked by Anne Conley!!

Wrecked

BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – Wrecked 
SERIES – Stories of Serendipity 
AUTHOR – Anne Conley 
GENRE – Contemporary Romance 
PUBLICATION DATE – June 10th 
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 226 pages/71K words 
PUBLISHER – Anne Conley 
COVER ARTIST – Vanessa Booke

  Wrecked - Book Cover

BOOK SYNOPSIS Welcome to Serendipity, Texas, where the days are hot and the nights are steamy. Meet real people with real problems, as they live life and find love in a small town.One moment of distraction, and Renae causes Jason to wreck his motorcycle, setting into motion a love affair that could be her undoing.She has big plans for her empty nest, but one night of passion changes everything. He's perfect. Too perfect, but her own stupidity entwines their lives together forever. What if she finds out he's gassy, doesn’t like kittens, has a terminal illness, or…hates babies?Jason is just visiting his dad in Serendipity, not staying. But his plans change when things with his dad are worse than he thought. Renae is a pleasant distraction, and the more he gets to know her, the more she becomes another reason to stay.When their lives entwine, they both have choices to make, hurts to get over, and ideals to let go of. Is it possible for them to do it, in order to get their happily ever after? Or will things be wrecked?

  Wrecked - Teaser 1


  Wrecked - Teaser 2  
EXCERPTShe started out watching the movie on the opposite end of the couch, but pretty soon she found herself flush against him, needing to feel human contact. They shared her blanket, but it wasn’t a sexual thing. It was comforting to feel his warmth pressed against her body. To her delight, he jumped when she did, but when she looked at his face to see if he looked scared, he showed very little emotion. Only his eyes held the fear that she knew her entire face was projecting. At some point, one of his arms crawled around her shoulders and he pulled her close to him. At another point, she reached for his other hand, holding it to her chest and squeezing it when she closed her eyes against the soggy girl in the movie. His warmth and comfort was something she had never experienced, though had often wished for. She tried not to dwell on that thought too much. In Renae’s experience, dwelling on the positive was inevitably a mistake. It always set her up for a let-down. After it was over, Jason let out a pent up breath. “I forgot how freaky that damn movie was.” “Not me, I remembered. I won’t be sleeping tonight.” She laughed nervously and unfolded herself from the ball she’d curled up into on the couch, standing and stretching. Jason stood too. “I guess I should go. As much as I would like to stay… I don’t think you want a repeat performance.” He sounded hurt, and she wanted to reassure him. He’d been so agreeable all night, and they’d gotten along so well. Renae touched his arm. “It’s not that I don’t want that, Jason, I do. As long as we’re talking about that amazing night we shared.” She watched as he nodded. “But I was really drunk that night, and I want a real relationship with you. Not like a marriage or anything, but I don’t want something based on great sex. Does that make sense?” He nodded soberly, waited a beat, then his face cracked into that grin that made Renae willing to do anything. “Great, huh?” She laughed. “Stud-muffin caliber sex.” He stilled, a perplexed expression on his face. “I don’t know what that means.” She answered with a shrug, secretly amused by his confusion. “But sex in the future is still on the table, right?” Renae nodded. “Yes, I think so.” It was something she’d considered, repeatedly. Especially at night when she was supposed to be sleeping. “Good.” He lowered his head to hers and kissed her. It was such a sweet and tender kiss, considering they’d just been talking about how great the sex between them was, that Renae was caught off guard. She’d been preparing for a conquering kiss of triumph, since she’d just agreed they might have sex someday. But this kiss was a consuming kiss, his warm lips softly nibbled on her lips and when she opened, he slowly swept his tongue inside, softly overwhelming her senses, until yet again she was a trembling mass of nerves. He seemed to sense it, and his hand came to her lower back where he supported her. He didn’t pull her closer, or press himself against her, he just held her, kissing her softly. When his other hand reached for her face, she couldn’t stop herself from melting into him. Her own hands tugged on his hair, adjusting the position of his face so she could deepen the kiss. As much as she loved the tender kiss, Renae wanted more. She whimpered into his mouth as she pulled his hair, and something seemed to snap inside Jason. He hauled her against his body and a primal sound came from the back of his throat. He trailed kisses across her cheek and down her neck, whispering about her smell and the things she did to him. “No control around you… so fucking perfect… want more.” She pulled his head back up to her face to keep kissing him and wrapped one arm around his neck while her other hand snaked down his chest. She felt like a volcano had erupted inside her and her veins were filling with molten lava. The only thing to quench it was Jason.
Wrecked - Teaser 3  
AUTHOR BIO:Anne has written her entire life and has the boxes of angst-filled journals and poetry to prove it. She’s been writing for public consumption for the last four years. Currently she is writing two romance series. In Stories of Serendipity, she explores real people living real lives in small town Texas in a contemporary romance setting. In The Four Winds, she chronicles God’s four closest archangels, Uriel, Gabriel, Raphael, and Michael, falling in love and becoming human. She lives in rural East Texas with her husband and children in her own private oasis, where she prides herself in her complete lack of social skills, choosing instead to live with the people inside her head.

  Wrecked - Teaser 4  

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS: 

  Wrecked - Teaser 5  

GIVEAWAY PRIZES 2 kindle copies of Wrecked 3 autographed postcards from Anne Conley 1 kindle copy of Boy in The Band by NJ Frost 1 kindle ebook up to $2.99 1 kindle copy of Arora Love’s Under My Skin – Complete Serial (or something else up to $2.99) 1 Kindle copy of Bound to You, Part One, by Vanessa Booke

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  Wrecked - Teaser 6   

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