Release Day Giveaway – The Waiting Game by J L Flynn

The Waiting Game by J L Flynn is a series about Gypsys. I am always looking for something a little different and I don’t see a lot of gypsy novels, so I was eager to participate in this tour. Take a look and see if it is something that catches your interest.

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BLURB

Twenty-five-year-old Tommy Costello has been going out on the road with his best friend Jim Reilly since they were kids. They’ve pulled cons together, picked up dates together, and have always had each other’s backs. They’re as close as brothers, and Tommy’s sure their bond will never be broken.

That is, until Maggie Downey shows up. She’s an enigma: smart, bold, and charming. From the moment they meet, sparks fly. But there’s a huge problem. She’s arranged to be married to Jim.

Tommy tries to keep his feelings for Maggie in check, but it’s not easy, especially when he’s also hiding a dark secret for Jim—both from Maggie and the rest of their Irish-American Gypsy clan. A secret that not only affects his friend, but that could mean a life of misery for Maggie as well. Tommy does his best to protect both his friendship and his own heart, but it’s soon clear that falling in love with his best friend’s girl is the least dangerous thing happening in the Village that year.

The Waiting Game is a prequel to The Long Game, and the second book in J.L. Fynn’s American Gypsy series.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J.L. Fynn is the public face of the writing collaboration between Katherine Ernst and Chelle Bruhn. Katherine and Chelle disagree on most everything (music, food, need for punctuality), except for what’s really important, which is why they’ve been best friends for seventeen years and writing together for three.

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jlfynnauthor

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jlfynnauthor

Tumblr: jlfynn.tumblr.com

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173188.J_L_Fynn

Website: www.jlfynn.com

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GIVEAWAY

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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To get your copy of a J L Flynn novel, click on the cover below.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Blog Tour Party with Terri Bruce for Hereafter

Terri Bruce has released her novel, Hereafter and wants you to help her celebrate.

Hereafter_Banner_450_x_169I love this unique approach to life after death. It left me screaming for more.

Soooooo, let’s cross over and see what Irene is up to in the Afterlife.

To see my Review of Hereafter by Terri Bruce, go HERE.

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Hereafter

Afterlife  Book One

Terri Bruce

Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary Fantasy

 Publisher: Mictlan Press    /     Date of Publication:  January 20, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-9913036-0-1    /    ISBN: 978-0-9913036-1-8

Number of pages: 369    /    Word Count:  111,000

Cover Artist: Shelby Robinson

BOOK DESCRIPTION

 Thirty-six-year-old Irene Dunphy didn’t plan on dying any time soon, but that’s exactly what happens when she makes the mistake of getting behind the wheel after a night bar-hopping with friends. She finds herself stranded on earth as a ghost, where the food has no taste, the alcohol doesn’t get you drunk, and the sex…well, let’s just say “don’t bother.” To make matters worse, the only person who can see her—courtesy of a book he found in his school library—is a fourteen-year-old boy genius obsessed with the afterlife.

Unfortunately, what waits in the Great Beyond isn’t much better. Stuck between the boring life of a ghost in this world and the terrifying prospect of three-headed hell hounds, final judgment, and eternal torment in the next, Irene sets out to find a third option—preferably one that involves not being dead anymore. Can she wipe the slate clean and get a second chance before it’s too late?

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EXCERPT

“Come.” Samyel gestured, indicating that they should follow him. “We must go.”

“Go? Go where?”

“Away. Inside. Or they will see.”

“Who will see what?”

The dark glasses revealed nothing as he stood impassively for a moment. “Everyone.”

Samyel was attracting a lot of attention. The crowd moving around them was giving him a wide berth, and he was the focus of a lot of strange looks, which just confirmed that he wasn’t dead—people could see him. Irene knew that it looked like a seven-foot tall man in a trench coat and dark glasses was talking to himself in the middle of the sidewalk. It wouldn’t be long before the cops came to investigate.

Irene gestured for Samyel to lead the way. “Fine. Let’s go.”

Irene heard another choke of protest and glanced at Jonah. There was a silent exchange of mouthed words, pantomimed gestures, and angry, exaggerated looks.

“Don’t be crazy,” Jonah hissed. “You can’t go with him!”

“You’re the one that always wants to stop and talk to every weirdo we meet,” she countered. “And what do you mean ‘you’? We’re both going.”

“Uh uh,” Jonah said. “This is your idea. If you get murdered, I’m not saving you.”

With an exasperated look, she motioned for Jonah to follow and set out after Samyel, who was nearly out of sight. Jonah reluctantly followed. Irene gave him a wry look as they trailed, side by side, a few feet behind Samyel. “You know, at some point, we’re going to have to talk about your propensity for picking fights with people bigger than yourself.”

“What’s propensity?”

“A really bad habit that you should stop.”

Jonah’s expression turned unreadable for a long moment, as if he was debating with himself, and then he looked away, stuffing his hands in his pockets and bowing his head to stare at the sidewalk as they went.

“I’ve changed the password, by the way, so you can’t do that again,” he said darkly.

She grabbed his arm, pulling him to a halt. “Jonah, listen to me. It’s not that I don’t appreciate you trying to protect me. I do. Even when it’s annoying and misplaced, like with Ernest. You’re the bravest, sweetest guy I’ve ever met, but I’m dead. You’re not. I’m already probably going to Hell for dragging you along on this adventure. Don’t add being the cause of your death to my list of crimes, okay?”

The tips of his ears had turned pink and his head was down, shoulders hunched. Then, to her surprise, he suddenly looked at her, his eyes inquiring as he searched her face. She didn’t know what he was looking for, but he was gazing at her so earnestly that she blushed.

To see my Review of Hereafter by Terri Bruce, go HERE.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Terri_Bruce_Author_Pic_OfficialTerri Bruce has been making up adventure stories for as long as she can remember and won her first writing award when she was twelve. Like Anne Shirley, she prefers to make people cry rather than laugh, but is happy if she can do either. She produces fantasy and adventure stories from a haunted house in New England where she lives with her husband and three cats. Her second novel, Thereafter (Afterlife #2), will be released May 1, 2014.

 

Website/Blog / Goodreads / Facebook  / Twitter

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Facebook Party With Lots of Prizes

 Please feel free to tell them I sent ya.

Help celebrate the re-release of HEREAFTER back into the wild at the Online Release Party January 21st from 12:00 pm EST (noon) to 12:00 am EST (midnight). Join Terri and over a dozen special guest authors—including Alma Alexander (“The Secrets of Jin-Shei”) , Gail Z. Martin (“Chronicles of the Necromancer”), Barbara Ann Wright (“The Pyramid Waltz”), and Jennifer Allis Provost (“Copper Girl”)—for games, giveaways, and other shenanigans.

So please stop on by and bring your friends—the more merrier!

Follow the yellow brick road, I mean the follow link below:

 https://www.facebook.com/events/1411503999089050/

Be there or be square!

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To see my Review of Hereafter by Terri Bruce, go HERE.

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook below or on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

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Grand Finale Giveaway – Mistress of the Wind by Michelle Diener

This is such a gorgeous cover that I had to share it. Hope you enjoy all the goodies and be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of the post.

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Tour!

Did you miss any of the tour stops for this beautiful New Adult retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon? Catch what you missed now!

12/29: Launch

+ Saeit Yahalomi – Review

“The descriptions are superb, told in a way that is unique, fantastical, and yet, as crazy as this will sound, believable (a world filled with strange magical creatures and trolls).”

12/30: My Seryniti – Review

“Super easy to read and once I melted into the story, really easy to follow and enjoy! Lovely story which makes me want to check out the original myth!”

+ Tome Tender – Guest Post

Because Mistress of the Wind is a retelling of the Scandinavian fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon, I used Norse mythology throughout the story.

Trolls are an intergral part of Scandinavian myth and folklore, and there are plenty of trolls in Mistress of the Wind. But I also introduced two other folklore creatures which came from my imagination or which were a tweak of existing folklore.

The first of these is the yggren. . .

2/31: Kelly P’s Blog – Guest Post

Mistress of the Wind is based on the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and as I researched it, I was enchanted by the number of unusual and interesting elements in the original tale. Thinking about how to deal with them in Mistress of the Wind, and de-constructing them for a better and deeper understanding of the original, inspired some of the storyline I wove into Mistress of the Wind.

+ Giveaway Breaking News for Indonesia – Guest Post

I don’t write with music playing, I find it distracting, but I most definitely would go for my morning walk and listen to music that suited the mood of the story, and think about what I was going to write next. I find it interesting how music can so affect our moods and our tempo and pace.

1/1: Mel’s Shelves – Review

She didn’t realize, either, what powers she possessed until she decided to do her best to get Bjorn back. Bjorn is also very likable and they have a great connection. Then there are some secondary characters which add to the story and are fun to learn about. I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first half and towards the end, I couldn’t put it down.

1/2: Mythical Books – Guest Post

The concept of a wind hag, the controller of the winds, was one that delighted me immediately. In the book Women Who Run With the Wolves, Clarissa Estes talks about hags and crones, including the Russian uber-hag, Baba-Yaga, as women of power and consequence. The word ‘hag’ generally has such negative connotations, but Estes introduced me to the idea that rather than a negative, it was a positive. Her ideas really resonated with me, so when I stumbled upon the Wind Hag folk tale, I was all over it. It just fit so well into the story, as seamlessly as if it was meant to be there.

+ Tressa’s Wishful Endings – This or That

Read a book or watch TV?

Reading a book wins 90% of the time.

Get out of the house or stay at home?

I like to get out of the house, because I work from home, so it is the office and the house, and sometimes, I need a break.

Winter or summer?

Winter. I love boots, I love coming in to a warm house from the cold, and I love how green everything gets (winter in Western Australia is probably like summer in some parts of the world :))

1/3: Brooke Blogs – Guest Post

The challenge with Mistress of the Wind, given I wanted to remain true to the original fairy tale, was to give Astrid a good reason to go against Bjorn’s request to see him as a man.

The consequences of her doing so are huge, to both her and Bjorn, and I really had to create a compelling situation for her to act against his wishes. If she doesn’t do it, however, the story is over, they win and everyone lives happily ever after.

Unfortunately for them, they have to work a little harder for their happy ending than that.

1/5: Leeanna.me; – Review

I thought this book was well-written and engaging, and I would check out the author’s next fairy tale retelling, THE GOLDEN APPLE, based on “The Princess on the Glass Hill.”

1/6: The Book Landers – Guest Post

I love being asked for a list of ten of my favorite fairy tales. There are so many great ones, and I’ll probably head-smack myself in a couple of days because I left out a really good one, but here goes, in no particular order – and I’ve put in a link to a version of the fairy tale on the Sur La Lune Fairy Tale website, where there is one. It comes with annotations, and I really love the site, even if some of my favorites are a slightly different version to the one they have up there…

+ Deal Sharing Aunt – Interview

2. Where do you shop for books? What format?

I shop for print books at Amazon, Book Depository and my local Dymocks bookstore, and for ebooks on Amazon. Because I live in Australia, I can’t always get the books I want in ebook format, because the rights for electronic book sales to Australia haven’t been enabled, so I probably buy more print books than ebooks, but that isn’t by choice, it’s by necessity.

1/7: So Many Reads – Review

If you are fond of fairy tales and fantasy, you should check out Mistress of the Wind. I will admit that I have a tough time getting into fairy tales because it seems the walls on my imagination only allow me to go so far. However, Michelle’s writing is fantastic and she sets my mind free and helps me really visualize what is going on in the story.

1/8: My Devotional Thoughts – Guest Post

Mistress of the Wind is such a great fairy tale because the heroine gets to take an amazing journey to find where her lover has been taken, and rescue him. But part of why I love the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon so much is because the physical journey she takes mirrors a spiritual journey of coming into her power and into her sense of self. So here are ten things you can discover about yourself on a quest – – Astrid certainly did…

1/10: Colorimetry; – Review

Michelle Diener follows the fairy tale quite closely while weaving in the Norse mythology stuff. Right in the middle of the story there’s a very big switcheroo… and this is where I expected things to get boring or fuzzy with lack of specific detail because… well, read the story. This is where Michelle totally won me over. The Norse mythology side fills in all the vagueness of the fairy tale and the second half of the book is even better than the first.

1/12: The Reading Diaries – Review

I think the author did a fantastic job creating a complex story that mixes fantasy with adventure and romance. It was one of those stories you just can’t put down if not for sleep I would have stayed up all night to finish even though I knew how it would play out. The characters are easy to connect with you can’t help rooting for Astrid on her journey. I enjoyed the book it was worth reading and I’m sure I’ll read it again.

+ Bookish Outsider – Review

Ms Diener’s writing is delightful and so descriptive, especially in the latter half of the book when Astrid is traveling with the winds and I could have quite easily carried on reading for some time thanks to the wonderful world the characters inhabited brought to life by the author’s writing style and obvious love of the original fairy tale.

1/13: The Wonderings of One Person – Interview

How has this story touched your life?

All my stories touch my life, because I live in the world of the story every day I write it, and I walk in the steps of the characters, and know them as well as I know myself. Mistress of the Wind is about magical things and enduring love and finding your strength. I love its depth and the world it is set in.

1/14: Dalene’s Book Reviews – Interview

4) Why did you decide to write Mistress of the Wind?

I’ve always loved fairy tales. But when I was at university, doing research for a history paper on the witch hunts of the 17th Century, I came across a really interesting (but totally unrelated :)) journal full of articles on the meanings of fairy tales. It was fantastic, and mind-blowing. I suddenly saw the subversion in the tales…

1/15: A Backwards Story – Interview

What was the hardest scene/element to write in MISTRESS OF THE WIND? The easiest?

Definitely the hardest was working on a way to give Astrid, my heroine, a good reason to go against Bjorn’s wishes to see him as a man. It has to happen, it is part of the story, but creating the conditions for her to do so in a way that didn’t show her to be careless of what would happen to him was challenging.

The easiest scenes were between Astrid and the troll princess. I’m not sure if it is because I had such a clear idea of who each of them were and their motivations, but I loved writing those scenes and they came easily to me.

+ Books & Chocolate – Interview

What inspired you to become a writer?

It was a decision made a long time ago, and at its heart, has never really changed – I love books and love telling stories.

What the inspiration behind Mistress Of The Wind?

I love fairy tales, and the fairy tale East of the Sun West of the Moon has always been one of my absolute favorites. The idea of writing a book based on the fairy tale has been swirling through my head for many, many years.

1/16: Addicted Readers

For me, it was about revelling in the world I had fallen in love with in the original tale. Perhaps I could have contemplated shaking things up a lot more if I didn’t adore the tale just as it is, but I do, and it was fun and satisfying to set Mistress of the Wind in that world. I felt like I was honoring the original.

1/17: Grand Finale


Mistress of the Wind
by Michelle Diener
New Adult/Sci-Fi Fantasy
Paperback, 342 pages
Expected publication: December 19th 2013
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Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . .The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .She’s clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he’s taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid’s response.

It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . .

A captivating and magical adult retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

 

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction. Her Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series, set in the court of Henry VIII, includes In a Treacherous Court, Keeper of the King’s Secrets and In Defense of the Queen.Michelle’s other historical novels include Daughter of the Sky, The Emperor’s Conspiracy and Banquet of Lies (loosely connected to The Emperor’s Conspiracy).

Michelle’s first fantasy novel, Mistress of the Wind, is set for a December 23, 2013, release.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

Goodreads; * Amazon; * Website * Twitter; * Facebook

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Grab your copy of Mistress of the Wind by Michelle Diener, click on the cover below.

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taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and PhotosInternational Giveaway

10 copies of Mistress of the Wind, Kindle or print, winner’s choice.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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PNR Blog Tour & Giveaway – Beneath Manhattan Skies by Emma Meade

BMS-banner4-1I am very excited to be a part of the tour for Beneath Manhattan Skies by Emma Meade.

Emma has numerous short stories available and the ones I have read are top shelf. She is a fantastic writer, spinning her worlds of fantasy for us to enjoy and get lost in.

Be sure to add Beneath Manhattan Skies to your TBR list and enter the giveaway below..

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Beneath Manhattan Skies by Emma Meade

Publication Date: November 15, 2013

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

(A 45,000 word Novella)

SUMMARY

November in New York is cold but full of possibility for college freshman Erin Harris. When her twin brother, Nick, shows up on her doorstep for a surprise visit, Erin is delighted. Unfortunately, Nick’s arrival coincides with the discovery of a body outside her apartment building, a body drained of blood. Right away, Nick assumes vampires are involved. He’s not exactly their biggest fan since Erin dated one in high school.

Juggling nosy roommates, a first date with a gorgeous guy from college and a brother on a Van Helsing kick is enough to keep any nineteen year old girl busy – And then Erin’s old flame walks back into her life.

Is Erin destined to be caught up in supernatural shenanigans, or will she choose a different path?

Purchase Links

Amazon  /  Smashwords

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My review of Beneath Manhattan Skies by Emma Meade

Emma Mead’s books have interesting and pretty covers. Beneath Manhattan Skies is no exception. The words of the story flow smoothly across the pages, making Erin’s world believable, if you believe in vampires, that is. So, let’s go into the city and see what is happening.

Looking through Erin’s eyes, we see the world as a teenager, going through the angst of roommates and forbidden love during her college years. But, how many people can say they were jilted by a vampire? And what happens when he shows up again?

 I knew James, her vampire ex-boyfriend, would enter her world again, even as she struggled to move on from their break-up. Do you remember all those hormonal teenage uncertainties and insecurities?

Emma Meade’s descriptions of the characters make them come to life. Sadie is everything you could ever want in a best friend. Loyal, giving and accepting of Erin, vampires and all. The cast of characters stand by her and put their lives on the line to solve the mystery of the killer vampire and end his run of terror.

With plenty of mystery and the paranormal, I enjoyed this novella. I would highly recommend Beneath Manhattan Skies to all the Young Adult paranormal lovers out there.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 STARS – Would Highly Recommend To Others

I received this book from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you Emma and I look forward to traveling through many more fantasy worlds with you.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

EmmaEmma Meade writes paranormal fiction. She lives in rainy Ireland and loves all things supernatural. Stephen King’s The Stand is one of her most loved books and she’s lost count of the number of times she’s read L.J. Smith’s trilogy, The Forbidden Game.

Books, DVDS & TV show boxsets take up lots of space in her home and she collects all the Point Horror books she can get her hands on.

She is not ashamed to admit that Dirty Dancing and Twilight make her top ten movie list but wishes to point out that The Last of the Mohicans, Reality Bites, Dead Poets Society, Stand by Me and The Goonies are in there too.

Writing supernatural stories & watching marathon re-runs of Buffy are some of her favourite ways of escaping reality.

Social Media Links:

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To grab you copy of Beneath Manhattan Skies, or another Emma Meade story, click on the cover below.
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taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and PhotosGIVEAWAY

Emma Mead is offering for the giveaway 3 ebooks of Beneath Manhattan Skies.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Interview, Review and Giveaway for Award Winning Novelist Bette Lee Crosby’s Jubilee’s Journey

BlogBanner_copyTo follow the tour, go HERE.

I am so happy to be sharing a new novel, Jubilee’s Journey, from the award winning novelist, Bette Lee Crosby.

Bette Lee is as warm and charming as her characters. Maybe that is why her characters are so realistic, as are their stories. Read the interview below to find out for yourself.

Spare Change was the first book of Bette Lee’s that I read and it is still my favorite. To see my review, go HERE. I have been an avid fan of hers ever since.

Be sure and check out my review of Jubilee’s Journey and Bette Lee Crosby’s two great giveaways below.

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BOOK BLURB FROM GOODREADS

When tragedy strikes a West Virginia coal mining family, two children start out on a trek that they hope will lead them to a new life. Before a day passes, the children are separated and the boy is caught up in a robbery not of his making. If his sister can find him, she may be able to save him. The problem is she’s only seven years old, and who’s going to believe a kid?

Jubilee’s Journey is Book Two in the Wyattsville Series. This story of discovering lost family and finding love reconnects readers with Ethan Allen and the other heart-warming characters of the bestselling novel SPARE CHANGE.

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INTERVIEW WITH BETTE LEE CROSBY

I am so happy to have you here today Bette. I believe your interview will give my readers an idea of how you are able to come up with such wonderful and interesting characters and stories for your books.

1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?

My mother, born and raised in the mountains of West Virginia, was not a writer, but, she was a wonderful storyteller. Not realizing that at heart I was my mother’s daughter, I studied art intent upon becoming a graphic designer. My first job was that of a packaging designer, but it was a short-lived career. Faced with an immediate deadline and a blank space where the copy should have been, I began to write. I never looked back, and it didn’t take long for me to realize that my love for words far outweighed any design skills I acquired along the way.

2. Jubilee’s Journey is Book Two in the Wyattsville Series, but wasn’t Book One, Spare Change, written as a stand-alone novel?

Yes it was. Actually all of my books are stand-alone novels, but after Spare Change was published, I discovered that both I and my readers were not ready to leave Wyattsville and the people living there. That’s when I turned it into an ongoing series. Like many writers, I tend to favor the books that reflect the most poignant aspects of their life. For me, it’s my Southern heritage.

3. Will there be more books in The Wyattsville Series?

Although I do not have one currently planned, I’m sure there will be. Once you get involved with characters you are fond of, it’s hard to let them leave your life forever. I find that I think of characters like Olivia Doyle, Ethan Allen, Paul and Jubilee as friends. I might not get back together with them for six or eight months, but I always know they are there…waiting for me and ready to start off on a new adventure.

4. You’ve written six novels, in those books, which character is your favorite and why?

I suppose I’d have to say Ethan Allen of Spare Change and the reason why is because he is the type of kid I imagine my mom being when she was his age. She came from a family of eleven siblings and they were what many of us would consider poor; so she had to be resilient and determined to survive. And although she wasn’t one to toss around obscenities indiscriminately, she could cuss up a storm when she was really mad. When Mama started cussing we knew to step aside and mind our manners.

 5.  Is Ethan Allen is modeled after your mom, is there a character that you’d modeled after yourself?

There is probably a bit of me in every character, but the one most like me would probably be Olivia Doyle in both Spare Change and Jubilee’s Journey. Like Olivia, I have quirky ideas about life, I am an eternal optimist and regardless of the odds, I will always go down swinging. When life takes a turn for the worse, that’s when you need to be strong, draw on your Faith and cling to the love of those around you…which is pretty much what Olivia does.

5. What is your next book project?

I am currently working on a novel titled “Previously Loved Treasures.” Although it is not a sequel, it does dovetail into the mystery that ended “The Twelfth Child.” One of the protagonists in this book is a delightful man of magical talents called Peter Pennington and much of the story centers around a very special second-hand store. I believe this book is scheduled for release in April or May of 2014.

6. What is your favorite quote?

It probably depends upon when and where you ask me. I would love to be deep and profound like so many brilliant writers, but I’ve learned over the years that I am still my mother’s daughter – sometimes irreverent, always a story-lover, but seldom brilliant. So here is the quote that most closely reflects my own thinking…”The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

7. What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

 Be yourself. Discover what’s in your heart and create characters you love or love to hate. Never allow yourself to follow in the tracks of another author simply because he or she sold a million copies of their book. If you stumble on that pathway, your readers will know; your characters will sound shallow and superficial. But if you’re true to yourself and work to develop your own voice it will ring loud and true with believability. It isn’t something that happens overnight. I wrote four novels before the fifth was published, but the truth is that the first four didn’t deserve to be published, they were all part of my learning curve. So, stay with it and learn from the writers who inspire you, from the books you love, and from the books you hate. You learn something from every book you read, and sometimes that something is what not to do.  Most of all enjoy every minute you spend writing—because if you’re not writing for fun, you shouldn’t be writing.

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MY REVIEW OF JUBILEE’S JOURNEY

“We’ll name her Jubilee, because this child is a celebration of our love.”

Thus, Jubilee’s story began and you will not want to miss it.

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Jubilee’s Journey is the sequel to Spare Change. Spare Change was the first book of Bette Lee’s that I read and it is still my favorite. I have been an avid fan of hers ever since.

The southern charm and giving nature of the characters captivate me. It makes me think of Hillary Clinton’s book, It Takes A Village. This book drives home the point that a community can accomplish so much more than a single individual. We can definitely learn some lessons from the loving and giving characters in Bette Lee’s novels.

I love her covers and this one speaks to me as strongly as all the others. They are some of the most touching and emotional covers in their simplicity. The cover design for Jubilee’s Journey was done by Kathleen Valentine of valentinedesign.com. Bette Lee will also occasionally incorporate a friend or fan’s name into her novels.

Living in coal country is never easy, but for Paul and Jubilee it became impossible.

Their mother died and my tears began. Paul did his best to be there for Jubilee – he never returned to school, so he did all he could think of to make Jubilee’s life better  and took care of the house. After his father’s death, they were evicted from the only home they had ever known. How would Paul keep his promise to his mother to take care of Jubilee and his promise to his father to never work in the mine?

He knew of an aunt in Wyattsville, Virginia. He only had a name, Anita, but off they went.

Into the clouds - (c) Sherry J Fundin

Into the clouds – (c) Sherry J Fundin

Hurt McAdams dad had abused him and raised him with fear. As a defense, he took the offensive line and became a bully, then a murderer. He ended up in Wyattsville on his search to find his father and make him pay for his miserable life.

Oh no, Paul is in the store looking for work and here comes Hurt. I am very fearful, my heart is heavy with dread. I knew it. Bette!!!! But, what’s this? Who should arrive but Ethan Allen and I breathe a sigh of relief. No way will he allow anything bad to happen to Jubilee.

“Grandma Olivia’s nice. She helps kids in trouble.”

That being said, I knew things would be okay. Somehow.

Bette Lee Crosby writes stories as if they are biographies. They are full of the cruelties and unfairness of life, but also the beauty and wonder. The worlds and dialogue are so real, I feel as if I am there and I feel frustrated because I do not know what to do to help. She packs so much life and realism into her novels, sometimes a BOX of tissues is not enough. I laugh and cry with the characters. I go through their highs and lows, their ups and downs, all the while trying to figure out how Bette is going to make this end with a happy ever after.

The ending left me begging for more. I was sitting on the edge of my seat as if my happiness was on the line.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos    5 STARS Would Buy It For Them (lol)

I received this book from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review. I can hardly wait to see what she has in store for us next.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bette Lee Crosby    Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama to
works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a
cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away.

Crosby’s work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American
Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. Since then, she has gone on to win
several more awards, including another NLAPW award, three Royal Palm Literary Awards, and the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal.

Her published novels to date are: Cracks in the Sidewalk (2009), Spare Change (2011), The Twelfth Child (2012), Cupid’s Christmas (2012) and What Matters Most (2013). She has also authored “Life in the Land of IS” a memoir of Lani Deauville, a woman the Guinness Book of Records lists as the world’s longest living quadriplegic.

Crosby originally studied art and began her career as a packaging designer. When asked to write a few lines of copy for the back of a pantyhose package, she discovered a love for words that was irrepressible. After years of writing for business, she turned to works of fiction and never looked back. “Storytelling is in my blood,” Crosby laughingly admits, “My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in most everything I write.

Website  /  Goodreads  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

There are two giveaways, so be sure and enter both.

The first is the giveaway here on my blog.

  Check out this fantastic giveaway from Bette Lee Crosby.

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos US/Canada – One (1) print copy of Jubilee’s Journey

OR

International – One (1) ebook of Jubilee’s Journey

To enter, leave your email, what giveaway you are entering (US or International) and answer the question.

What do you think of when you look into Jubilee’s eyes?

To enter the second giveaway, go to Bette Lee Crosby’s blog and enter the rafflecopter HERE.

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To get your copy of Jubilee’s Journey or any Bette Lee Crosby novel, click on the covers below.

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To see my Review of What Matters Most, go HERE.

To see my Review of Spare Change, go HERE.

To see my Review of Cupid’s Christmas, go HERE.

To see my Review of Cracks In The Sidewalk, go HERE.

To see my Review of The Twelfth Child, go HERE.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blog Tour,Review & Giveaway for Dark Cravings by Madeline Pryce

I am very pleased to be a part of Madeline Pryce’s blog tour for Dark Cravings.

I read the book when it came out as Blood Lust Rising. I had a review ready, but never published it. Madelyne had seemed to drop from sight, but I found out why. She was doing the author thing, you know, finding a publisher and such. lol

Warning: This novel is rated for Adults only.

I rarely do erotic, but this book was recommended to me by Laura, my sister, at fuonlyknew. I always pay attention to her recommendations. She could not quit talking about the first chapter. “Whew”, I say, as I blush head to toe. But Laura was right. Not only was my Kindle smoking, it was burning up! For all you erotic lovers, this is a MUST Read!

Read more about Book 1.5, Dark Innocence and Book 2, Dark Secrets by Madeline Pryce.

Dark Cravings (Dark #1)

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BLURB

As a half-breed vampire, Ella Grey’s life sucks. She does her best to pass the time killing demons and secretly admiring her Shadow Hunter partner, Micah. He’s hot, dangerous and knows it. He’d be just Ella’s type if he weren’t likely to kill her the moment she put a toe out of line.

A chance encounter with a succubus changes everything. From the second the succubus’s spell washes over them, Ella and Micah are helpless to keep their hands off one another. The sex, when it’s not leaving them on the verge of death, is earth shattering and for the first time in ages Ella is connected with someone on a level she’d feared lost forever. But a dangerous prophecy has been set into motion, and if Ella’s not careful it’ll pull her straight from Micah’s arms and into the deepest bowels of the underworld.

A Romantica® Paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Publisher’s Note: This book was previously published under the title Blood Lust Rising. It has been revised and expanded for EC.

BUY LINK

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My Review of Dark Cravings by Madeline Pryce

I read this book when it was Blood Lust Rising. I have reread the new and improved Dark Cravings and I must tell you, I could not put it down. That is, until the battery in my Kindle died.

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Hot cover and very appropriate title.

Dark Cravings is Ella’s story. The detail and depth of Madeline Pryce’s descriptions is amazing. It is easy to visualize the battles, Ella and Micah’s attraction to each other, the characters that surround them and the world they inhabit.

Ella Gray – I am neither human nor vampire, the thing I was raised to kill. Some consider me a demon, an undesirable, an abomination. I am a hunter and I love every minute of it. I work for the Shadow Agency  My mission is to protect humans from rogue vampires and keep our existence a secret.

The vampire world has its own set of rules and regulations with appropriate penalties for those that run afoul of the Shadow Agency.

Micah is the son of the agency’s leader. Ella and Micah had an attraction they fought, but could never put aside. I thought they were already fated to be together before the succubus came into their lives.

By her and Micah being together, Ella had changed. They had changed. The gates of Hell were opened, spawning demons, and the earth protested with hurricanes and tornadoes. Who knew what else would be affected by their lust and desire.

Their journey through their destinies are treacherous. Betrayal follows them everywhere they go. The gruesome, graphic horror is peppered with humor and laughter.

Madelyne describes Ella getting dressed to go to the club and I couldn’t help but laugh at her thoughts about the choice of clothing Hannah, her sister, had chosen for her.

Either the top was too small or my tits had gone from a B cup to a C. Jesus, if I bent over, my nipples might pop out.

I was so involved with the story, the hours passed as if they were minutes. I felt a huge letdown when I reached the last page, wanting the story to continue. And it will. So, you will want to follow Madeline Pryce to see what she has in store for Ella, Micah and the cast of characters you will either love or hate in Dark Cravings.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos   5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them

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QUOTES

“The Vampire Queen and yes…the Demon Son. Destruction and Mayhem.”

“God, you’re a bitch. The way he said it, I heard goddess.”

“I crossed my arms under my breasts, which is a mistake, because they almost fell out.”

“When the hell did you get so possessive? Why don’t you just pee on me and get it over with.”

“Nothing says heartless like matching coffee mugs that read, ‘Stand back. I’ve got fleas and ‘Demons do it better’.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My only complaint: The cover. I know you can’t judge a book by its cover or you might miss some good reads. However, covers do have a huge influence over me.

I confess that I liked the Blood Lust Rising cover better. Ella looks so fierce, I just knew there was a fantastic story waiting to be told – and it is Ella’s story. BUT I know sometimes this is taken out of the author’s hands and that’s okay. It doesn’t affect the quality of the novel.
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“So this is your little ball of claws.”

I love Madelyne’s description of Ella and the old cover fit this phrase to a T.

What do you think of the Dark Cravings cover?

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 Madeline Pryce

ABOUT MADELINE PRYCE

Madeline Pryce wrote her first novel when she was ten, penned with neon-pink ink in a loose-leaf binder. Captivated by romantic literature, yet intrigued by the paranormal, she continues to develop her own voice, writing the kinds of stories that inspired her as a teen.

 

EC AUTHOR PAGE | BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

To grab your copy of a Madeline Pryce novel, click on the cover below.

 

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GIVEAWAY

Madeline Pryce says:

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and PhotosFor a chance to win an electronic copy of DARK CRAVINGS leave a comment (be sure to include your email). I’ll randomly pick a replier within three days for each blog stop. Don’t forget to enter the grand prize (Rafflecopter link at bottom). One lucky winner will receive a $25 gift card from Amazon or Barnes & Nobles.

Emma Meade has won the ebook of Dark Cravings for my blog, BUT you can still enter the Rafflecopter below to receive the $25 gift card!

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Exquisite Betrayal by A M Hargrove

 

A M Hargrove is a fantastic author and I am always happy to share her books with my readers.

Check out the fantastic giveaway A M Hargrove is offering at the end of the post.

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BOOK SUMMARY:

A male Romance Author… a convention in Vegas… a female book blogger… a goal to lose her virginity… what happens when you mix all the above?

Fallon McKinley is headed to Vegas for the Wicked Wenches Romance Con and losing her virginity is only one of her goals. The other is to meet her favorite author of romance novels, R.T. Sinclair. What she doesn’t realize is that the sexy green-eyed god she rams into at the airport is the real R.T. When they keep running into each other, she’s shocked, but excited, because the attraction is irresistible.

Ryland Thomas Sinclair doesn’t want anyone to know his true identity. He’s the author that all women love, but everyone thinks he’s a female. He hides his persona behind the public face of his twin sister, keeping his own a secret. But after meeting the lovely Fallon, his intentions to avoid a relationship come to a screeching halt. She’s put an unwanted kink into his perfectly laid out plans. His unusual reaction surprises him because after a heart-shredding breakup a few years ago, he’s managed to avoid women at all costs.

Resisting Fallon becomes more difficult than he imagines. Soon things are spiraling out of control, until a major miscommunication has Fallon walking out of his home and his life. Will Ryland Thomas succeed in losing the woman he loves? Or can he win her back?

BUY LINKS:

Exquisite Betrayal Teaser #7

 Who knew that five minutes of walking at seven-fifteen in the morning could turn five perky women into five sweaty, dripping, angry, whining bitches?

We walk inside the convention center and the AC smacks us like a freezer. In minutes, we’re all shivering because our clothing and hair are soaked. We look at each other and shake our heads.

Kat looks down at her chest. “Don’t say it. Just don’t.” She’s referring to our chests. We all have our brights on.

“Aw fuck,” Amanda and I say simultaneously. As a team, we all enter the large room with our arms crossed over our chests.

“How are we going to carry our coffee and croissants?” Mandy asks as she shakes from the cold.

“I’m not eating,” Andrea replies.

“Neither am I,” I agree. “Let’s just grab a seat. Maybe when we dry off, things will flatten back out.”

We find seats as close to the front as possible and plop our wet and now frosty butts down. I want to huddle close to both my neighbors as I shiver, but of course, I don’t.

“Bloody hell, I’m freezing,” Andrea mutters.

“I know, right?” Kat answers as she scans the room, taking in the faces of the other guests.

Hopping to my feet, I announce, “Headlights be damned. I’m going for some coffee. Can I get y’all some?” Four sets of greedy eyes look at me, begging for some java. “Okay, I’ll do my best.”

I hurry to the coffee stand and quickly make five cups. Making sure to put the lids on tightly, I stack them up and slowly head back to the room. Not paying attention to where I’m going because I’m juggling five towers of java, I do the unthinkable and bash into someone.

As I stumble, the cups tip against me and coffee starts to dribble out of the openings and then they go all topsy-turvy on me. I watch in horror as the catastrophe unfolds before my eyes.

The lids fly off and then I’m screeching as the scorching fluid hits my skin. My hands let the rest of the cups loose and fly to my chest as I attempt to stop the burning.

“Shit,” I hear and then someone is dragging me to the bathroom and putting cold towels on me. I’m not paying attention to anything except the stinging of my skin. The cold water begins to ease the pain. I wave my hands in front of me and then get a good look at the damage. My white t-shirt is now caramel colored and the V of my chest is bright pink.

“Does it still burn?”

Oh no! That accent. I’d recognize it anywhere. I lift my head and lock onto Green Eyes himself.

Shit, shit, double shit.

“We really have to stop meeting like this,” he says, trying to inject a bit of humor into the situation.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A.M. Hargrove One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life.  So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase.  Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head.  Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what laptop out the window.  She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss and quit her job.  Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).

So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer. Her books include the following: Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge and Kissing Fire (The Edge Series); The Guardians of Vesturon series (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, reEmergent and Beginnings); Dark Waltz and Tragically Flawed.

Other than being in love with writing about being in love, she loves chocolate, ice cream and coffee and is positive they should be added as part of the USDA food groups.

 Author Links:

Blog  /  Twitter  / Facebook  /   Author Goodreads  /  Pinterest

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GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and PhotosWin a bracelet, a “She Said Fire” t-shirt & Boom! EP album download, signed copy of Tragically Flawed, & $100 Amazon Gift Card.

Share some love with A M Hargrove and leave a comment or question for her.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Follow the tour by clicking on the banner below.

To get your copy of Exquisite Betrayal, or another A M Hargrove novel, click on the cover below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hot New Romance Release – Exquisite Betrayal by A M Hargrove – FANtastic Giveaway

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BOOK SUMMARY:

A male Romance Author… a convention in Vegas… a female book blogger… a goal to lose her virginity… what happens when you mix all the above?

Fallon McKinley is headed to Vegas for the Wicked Wenches Romance Con and losing her virginity is only one of her goals. The other is to meet her favorite author of romance novels, R.T. Sinclair. What she doesn’t realize is that the sexy green-eyed god she rams into at the airport is the real R.T. When they keep running into each other, she’s shocked, but excited, because the attraction is irresistible.

Ryland Thomas Sinclair doesn’t want anyone to know his true identity. He’s the author that all women love, but everyone thinks he’s a female. He hides his persona behind the public face of his twin sister, keeping his own a secret. But after meeting the lovely Fallon, his intentions to avoid a relationship come to a screeching halt. She’s put an unwanted kink into his perfectly laid out plans. His unusual reaction surprises him because after a heart-shredding breakup a few years ago, he’s managed to avoid women at all costs.

Resisting Fallon becomes more difficult than he imagines. Soon things are spiraling out of control, until a major miscommunication has Fallon walking out of his home and his life. Will Ryland Thomas succeed in losing the woman he loves? Or can he win her back?

Amazon   /   B&N   /   Smashwords   /   iTunes
.

~~~~~~~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life.  So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase.  Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head.  Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what laptop out the window.  She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss and quit her job.  Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).

So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer. Her books include the following: Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge and Kissing Fire (The Edge Series); The Guardians of Vesturon series (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, reEmergent and Beginnings); Dark Waltz and Tragically Flawed.

Other than being in love with writing about being in love, she loves chocolate, ice cream and coffee and is positive they should be added as part of the USDA food groups.

 Blog   /   Twitter   /    Facebook   /    Author Goodreads

~~~~~~

To pick up your copy of Exquisite Betrayal or another A M Hargrove novel, click on the cover below.

~~~~~~

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and PhotosGIVEAWAY

Win a bracelet, a “She Said Fire” t-shirt & Boom! EP album download, a signed copy of Tragically Flawed, & $100 Amazon Gift Card.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Have you been good or bad this year? North Pole Reform School by Jaimie Admans

nprs-tourbannerThe title, North Pole Reform School, caught my attention and made me smile.

I like the pretty cover and the book sounds like a fun read.

NPRSCover photo goodreads-badge-add-38px11_zps1ae6e47f.jpg

Title: North Pole Reform School
Author: Jaimie Admans
Date of Publication: November 6, 2013
Genre: YA rom-com, fantasy
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BLURB

Mistletoe Bell hates Christmas. So would you if you had a name like hers. Her Christmas-mad parents make the festive season last all year, and with another Christmas looming, Mis doesn’t think she can take any more. After her carelessness causes an accident at school, it seems like things can’t get any worse.
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Then she wakes up to find The Ghost of Christmases Ruined in her bedroom.
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She is taken to the North Pole, to a reform school run by elves determined to make her love Christmas. Stuck in a misfit group of fellow Christmas-haters with a motley crew of the weird and even weirder, watched over by elves day and night, she doesn’t expect to meet cute and funny Luke, who is hiding a vulnerable side beneath his sarcastic exterior. She doesn’t expect to fall in love with him.
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But all is not as it should be at the North Pole. A certain Mr Claus is making the elves’ lives a misery, and pretty soon Mistletoe and Luke are doing more than just learning to like Christmas.
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A YA romantic comedy in which Santa is the bad guy, teaching reindeer to fly is on the curriculum, and zombies have a fondness for Christmas music.
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Suitable for older teens and upwards due to bad language.
Purchase link: Amazon
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EXCERPT
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It started with a purple moose.

At least I thought it was a moose. On reflection, it could have been a reindeer, but it didn’t matter at the time because it was obviously just a dream.

“Mistletoe,” the moose-reindeer said.

Yep. Still hate my parents for naming me that.

“Mistletoe,” it said again in a spooky echo of a voice, “I am the Ghost of Christmases Ruined, and I have come to tell you something.”

“Go away.” I turned over in bed.

“Mistletoe Bell,” it said sharply. “Listen to me right now.”

I sat up, suddenly wide awake. God, what a freaky dream.

“Mistletoe Bell,” it said again. I jumped out of my skin. I clutched the duvet to me as I turned around. Of all the things I expected to see, the purple moose sitting in the middle of my carpet and looking annoyed was about the last of them.

“Wh… what are you?” I asked quietly. I didn’t really believe my eyes. I must still be dreaming.

“I’ve tried to tell you already. I am the Ghost of Christmases Ruined.”

I tried to pinch myself awake without the moose noticing. It didn’t work. I didn’t wake up and the moose noticed.

“It won’t work,” the moose said. “You’re already awake.”

“I’m looking at a talking purple moose. I don’t think so.”

“You are Mistletoe Bell?” the moose asked.

I dropped my head into my hands and edged closer to the other side of the bed.

The moose continued to look at me expectantly.

“Unfortunately, yes. I couldn’t be anyone else with that stupid name.”

“It’s a very nice Christmas name.”

“That’s exactly the bloody problem. You try having a stupid Christmassy name in the middle of July or something.”

“Ah yes, but it’s December now.”

“Screw December,” I muttered.

“Aha,” the moose said. “This is exactly why I’m here.”

I gave it an angry look. “What the hell are you going on about?”

“Well, if you’d be so kind as to allow me to get to my point, I will enlighten you.”

I sighed in frustration.

“Mistletoe Bell,” the moose said, “you have been charged with ruining Christmas. Multiple counts over the years, but a particularly aggressive case this year when taking into account the fire—”

“The fire was an accident.”

It gave me a glare and I rolled my eyes. “Please go on,” I said, complete with a sarcastic hand gesture.

“As I was saying…” The moose had an annoyed tone to its voice now. “Ruining Christmas, multiple counts, we can’t let it continue. We’ve been keeping an eye on you for a while now. We were actually hoping you might grow out of it now you’re nearly seventeen, but the fire this year is the final straw. Mistletoe—”

“Please stop calling me that.” I interrupted it again. “It’s Mis, Misty, or nothing.”

The moose rolled its eyes. “I am required to call you by your proper name at all times. Now, can we get on with it?”

“Get on with what?”

“Mistletoe Bell, tomorrow you will be taken to the North Pole where you will stay until you can learn how to behave acceptably and stop ruining Christmas for others. You will be part of a group who will learn the value of Christmas to all involved.”

“That’s ridiculous. Who’s going to teach me? The polar bears?”

“The elves will teach you.”

“Of course they will.” I smacked my forehead. “Of course there are elves. I don’t know why I expected anything else from a purple moose.”

The moose made a frustrated noise. “Mistletoe, do you understand?”

“I will be taken to the North Pole and taught by elves? Yes, I understand perfectly.”

“I must be on my way. Sweet dreams, Mistletoe.” The moose got up and jumped out of the window.

I rolled over and went back to sleep. I must’ve eaten cheese before bed last night or something.

There were more weird dreams. I dreamt of flying above the rooftops and over the oceans, and it was really, really cold. I’m pretty sure I could hear strains of “Walking in the Air” in the distance.

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Jaimie_Admans
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jaimie is a 28-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, drinking tea and watching horror movies. She hates spiders and cheese & onion crisps. She has been writing for years but has never before plucked up the courage to tell people. Afterlife Academy is her third novel and she hopes you enjoy it. There are plenty more on the way!
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To get your copy of North Pole Reform School, or learn more about Jaimie Admans, click on the cover below.

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taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and PhotosGIVEAWAY
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Tour-wide giveaway: $25 Amazon GC
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Follow the tour schedule by clicking on the banner below.
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nprs-tourbanner

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giveaway Tour for Devilty Afoot by Carol Pritt

deviltryafoottourbanner2The title alone made me want to read this.

As if that wasn’t enough, take a looooong look at the cover.

Deviltry Afoot is one creepy cover. I keep looking, finding more to scare me.

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Genres: Paranormal, Occult

 BLURB

Seeking justice for her daughters murder Tina must seek answers in the supernatural realm. Terror is spreading over Pendale. Love is pitted against a dreadful force.

EXCERPT

Deep into an uneasy dream Tina’s face was twisted in consternation.
Dan hadn’t stayed over this evening. She’d told him she needed time to gather strength and come to grips with what lay ahead.
He’d looked hurt. She knew he could not understand her need to be alone at such a time.
He offered to sit up with her all night.
She told him she was wrung out; she would be able to sleep a bit.
She longed to fall into unconsciousness and to block all thought.
Her bedroom felt airless.
The little clock on her nightstand seemed to have a very loud tick tonight. The dials revealed it to be 1:00 pm.
Still asleep Tina shifted her weight to lie on her back.
Her heavy cotton nightgown became bunched up under the small of her back.
Suddenly she brought up her hands folding them over her chest in the position that the dead are laid out.
Beads of sweat broke out on her face, although the temperature in her room was a cool sixty-four degrees.
She was carrying groceries to her car in a dark parking lot.
Behind her there was a small convenience store. It was lit up. The buildings light stopped at the front of the building.
Tina tossed her bag of groceries into the passenger side of the seat. Just as she lifted her leg to get in behind the wheel she thought of her mother. She’d yell up a storm if she could see her now. As a teen Tina was lectured countless times about getting into a car alone. First check out the back seat to make sure no one was lurking there, she could still her mom stress.
Tina sat her leg back down on the pavement. She opened the back door. All clear.
She slid into the front seat closing her door and rolling down her window most of the way.
Glancing out her open window she began to shake all over.
Two hands with long tapered fingers suddenly grasp the window!
As if in slow motion a hooded figure raised itself!
Her door was flung open wide.
It pushed her backward sending her sprawling across the seat.
She was immobile from fear.
The thing lowered itself to her feet.
It covered her with its form inch by inch.
Its dark cloak was spread wide to enfold her completely.
Her heart thumped so hard she felt ready to pass out praying she would.
It was up to her head now.
Tina was so cold it was as if she were entombed within a block of ice
The smell of decay surrounding her was so rank she couldn’t catch a good breath.
The hood slipped back a bit. She couldn’t decipher its features clearly. She could only make out black pinpoint eyes.
Drool oozed from its mouth. A great gob of spittle plunked down on her forehead.
She let out a scream.
She thought she’d cried out, and awoken.
It was actually only phase two.
Still dreaming she thanked the Lord that it was only a nightmare.
Lights flickered from the traffic through her drapes.
Something in the room didn’t feel right.
The sheet was shifting downward of its own accord.
Two hands grasp the foot of the bed as a cloaked figure crawled up and over her!
She surrendered herself up to it.
She was entirely passive until sirens from a passing rescue unit brought her to an actual waking state ending her ordeal.
Rest would elude her the remainder of the night. She sighed and got up from the bed.
First light would signal the start of her greatest trial.
She must commend her only offspring to eternal rest.

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Carol PrittABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carol Pritt lives in the northeast with her family. She has two Associate degrees, one in Liberal Arts, and the other in Journalism from the local community college. Ms. Pritt enjoys writing, reading, spending time with her family, and playing with her pets. This is her first novel.

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Carol is giving away a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Car, Winner’s Choice! The giveaway will start 11/25/13 at 12 am eastern time and ends 12/24/13 at 12 am eastern time.

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