Book Review: A Cowgirl's Christmas

Title: A Cowgirl's Christmas
(Carrigans of the Circle C)
Author: CJ Carmichael
eBook from Tule Publishing
Pub Date   Oct 28 2014

For years Callan Carrigan has been her father’s right hand man, so when her dad’s will names city slicker Court McAllister the new owner of The Circle C Ranch, Callan feels betrayed on every level.

Then she and her sisters find their mother’s diaries, hidden from them by their father since their mother’s accidental death 18 years ago, and the shocking revelations explain a lot. Reeling, Callan seeks refuge in the local saloon, where it seems no one can reach her, until Court offers her a challenge.
If she agrees to be foreman at the Circle C for one year, he’ll deed the ranch back to her and her sisters. The deal seems too sweet at first—until Callan realizes Court has his eyes on something she protects even more than her family’s land—her heart.

Right from the start, I had tears in my eyes when the patriarch of the Carrigan family dies. But it also shocked me when he uttered the swear word "bastard" in front of her daughter before he met his demise. This immediately peaked my interest and had me reading A Cowgirl's Christmas until the end.

Luckily, I was able to read two of CJ Carmichael's Carrigans of the Circle C series, so I already had an idea about the Carrigan sisters. But this latest book takes the cake, because it further explains Callan's and her sister's true identity. It shocked me, really, to learn about their mother and respective fathers. Yes, you read it right, there is something much deeper and intriguing about the lives of the Carrigan sisters, but somehow, Callan's true parentage was the biggest revelation in the story. Callan spent all her life with a father who barely acknowledged or showed affection and love to her. Hawksley dying was bad enough to her, learning that he didn't bequeath the ranch to any of his daughters just rubbed salt into Callan's wound. Meeting Court McAllister, her father's distant relative from St. Paul, inherited Circle C ranch instead, and now, he is offering half of the ranch to her, provided that she stay with him for at least a year. This is an offer that made Callan even more furious. How could she ever accept that deal and how could she ever live with him?

A Cowgirl's Christmas is an entertaining and emotional read. Callan was the most affected among the Carrigan brood, having had to witness her father's death. That itself was tear-jerker to me. Coming to terms with the truth also made me realize that life isn't really fair. That life is full of surprises and the truth actually hurts. But above all these, Callan learned that finding one's self and moving forward with love and acceptance helps. THis is truly a wonderful read :)

About this author 

Rita Award nominated author C.J. Carmichael has published more than 30 books with Harlequin. Right now she's loving cowboys and Montana--those are the themes of the books she's writing for Harlequin American.

CJ likes to write stories about romance and intrigue with a strong sense of community and family. If you enjoy her Harlequin books, you might want to check out her self-published titles. The Gift is a short novella Christmas story and A Buried Tale is a puzzler of a mystery that will keep you guessing and shock you with the surprise ending.

You'll find both on Amazon, kobo and her website.

http://www.cjcarmichael.com

Book Review: Wicked Road

Wicked Road: Midnight Scars Series Book 1
Author: H'deel Batnij

What does a dark but innocent girl do when Death follows her, and hurts all that she loves?
"It brought on a memory of my parents. I remembered the screaming, the pants, the gasps, the pain, the cries, and the burn. It also brought on the memory of Mathew dying. I closed my eyes and sighed deep as I counted from ten to one backwards a couple of times, something I learned from therapy a long time ago.After I reopened them and collected myself I looked into the distance. I couldn’t keep count of how many times I had felt paralyzed lately.I watched the fire till it all burned into ashes, till there was nothing left of it, till there was nothing left of the evidence just like the memory of my house burning down into nothingness.I was wrong.Revenge isn’t always beautiful."
Donnie not being able to take control of her own body during the day of the "recording" was terrifying and hard to believe. Thanks to Marylin, the Goth guitarist in her foster brother's band (or used to be), is not just any normal Goth. But a practiced Demon summoner looking towards a high seating in Lucifer's chair. And to do so, he needs an innocent lady who shall be his virgin bride. Donnie was perfect to his set of eyes.Donnie falling madly in love with her best friend, Ronnie Sykes, was not in her hands to stop it. And as the grieving months passed by she was losing herself into her own heart. Being alone definitely sucked for her when her friends were nowhere near her anymore, her best friend moving to another state, and her foster brother being dead...Yeah, Hell was on the loose.Will hope be there for her? Is there a light ahead for her at the end of the road?

Cheers to a new haunting series! Wicked Road is H’deel Batnij maiden offering and I am already impressed with her writing. Although I read on the editor’s note that this novel had to go through some rigid editorial task, as a grammar guru myself, I can say that this book is perfect – in storytelling, in capturing the attention of the readers, in mesmerizing and urging the reader to read until the end and clamor for more. That is exactly how I felt upon reading Wicked Road.

The story begins with an abandoned child at the footsteps of Dr. Todd Ronalds’ home. He named the newborn child Mathew who was loved and well-taken care of. Fast forward five years later, a girl named Donnie Sparks witnessed the death of her parents due to fire, just one day before her birthday. Tragic, isn’t it? Luckily, Todd came at the right moment and adopted her and raised her as his own. Together, Mathew & Donnie bonded and shared what natural siblings have – a family – a real relationship between a brother and a sister.

It wasn’t long after Donnie grew up and turned into a beautiful but goth-like lady, with tattoos, weird hairstyles and piercings on her body, a far cry from what she had envisioned herself as a magical pink princess before her parents’ death. She had a bestfriend – Ronnie, who also played on her brother’s band, whom she was slowly falling in love with. Things got way too complicated when one day, the guitarist of the band, Marilyn, had somewhat controlled Donnie’s mind, causing her to strip her clothes in front of him. Oh my! That’s when I knew something menacing and disturbing lurked behind his eyes.

The book in its entirety is a fast-paced, easy to read and positively scary! Satanism was introduced in the story, which was really frightening and hair-raising. I cringe a lot whenever Donnie’s mind got controlled by Marilyn, which were really too creepy and sick. especially with him playing tricks with Donnie, plus a number of deaths surrounding them. ! H’deel Batnij ended the story with one hell of a cliffhanger, a gateway to a more complex sequel that I am sure, is going to be another nail-biting experience. This is a highly recommended read!

Meet H’deel Batnij

I am a twenty-one year old college student who is currently married to the man of my dreams. I live in Houston, Tx. When I’m not writing, you can find me getting lost in a book, smoking flavored tobacco (hookah) while drinking mango juice, listening to new music, and attending classes to keep me busy. I plan on taking a BA degree in Literature to teach High Schoolers.

I want to be that type of teacher that gives motivation to her troubled, and untroubled students…Or to anyone for that matter…

I also plan on taking film classes in order to film my own novels/short stories cause surely I don’t think anyone else is going to do it for me as the way I want it. Plus, I prefer to learn things on my own…

Life is too short to not get anywhere where you want to in life.

Random fact/s: I like collecting candles o.o and different various pens. And I’m a big shopper!

Find me on the internet!

websitehttps://www.facebook.com/AuthorHdeelBatnij

twitter usernameSkeletons93

Into The Woods Trailer - In Theaters December 25!

I'd definitely watch this!

Review: The Jennifer Series by Cristina Imre

The Halloween Attraction: Hidden Angels (Jennifer #1)

Author: Cristina Imre

A gift for all the fans of the words mystery, thriller, suspense, murder, occult, sprinkled with romance.

Starting with intriguing but mild scenes, the plot develops into a highly sophisticated mystery tale about power, influence and knowledge, with deep explorations inside religion, myth, the occult and bloodthirsty cults. All for one cause …

Everything about the Fallen Angels gives you shivers down your spine. They are a secret group with more power that you can imagine.

The book meets your “clever and catchy” expectations. It has a great plot with well-developed characters, a lot of excitement and suspense about what’s around the corner. You can empathize with one or more characters from the books, since the palette is wide. The skeletons from the closet encompass our own personal fears. Cristina connects the dots carefully, revealing her story in a uniquely tailored setting. At the end, she leaves some mysteries for the readers to solve, letting their imagination grow.

Until … next time, when the storyline and all its details will be unveiled in the coming books of the series, without compromising the integrity of each individual book. The mystery and thrills run all throughout.

Enjoy the thrill!

This was a terrifying read! My first occult book for this year and I couldn’t have timed (reading) it perfectly! Halloween Attraction is a great start of a thriller series, featuring a group of really evil people, a seriously sick occult rituals, chopped body parts, screaming blondes, blacks and brunettes, and a high-profiled lawyer gearing up for the biggest case of her life – and that of her father, too. Jennifer’s life was dramatically changed after she found herself in the dungeon, getting ready to be sacrificed. Will she came out alive or is she doomed to die?

Cristina Imre didn’t mince with words with this novel. She described the Halloween parties and rituals as gruesome yet as real as it could get. And the cliffhanger – fantastic! I’m actually reading the sequel as of this moment!

Shades of Revelation – Before Christmas
A Novella (Jennifer, #2)
by Cristina Imre

She thought she knew so much about this world, as any intellectual and open minded person with a great career should. But she is so wrong. Her life changes completely and there’s no way back since the Fallen Angels invaded her life. Nothing will ever be the same again. She finds herself in a middle of surreal nightmare where nothing is the way it seems anymore. Driven by the lost love who has come back into her life, she finds the power to go on and act normally. But the world is shaken and destructive intentions are spreading all over in full gear. Does she have a chance, together with the good guys, to change the odds? Christmas is coming and an evil plot knocks on the door. Will they stop it?

The second book of the Jennifer series (A Suspense Occult Thriller) will stimulate all your senses, revealing a world you never knew existed. By Halloween (the first book), Jennifer’s world turned upside down. By Christmas, she faces new challenges which will seal her future.



Allow me to say this: After reading Shades of Revelation – the sequel to The Halloween Attraction, I can safely say that Cristina Imre is the author worth calling The Next Stephen King.

The story Before Christmas picks up from the time when Jennifer’s life had drastically changed, after getting abducted and almost sacrificed to a cult and after being saved by her lost love, Nate. Things will never be the same in her life, including her father’s. What they thought have ended in Halloween was actually just the beginning of another holiday-themed creepy murder mystery. Now there’s more people involved, including an avenging family who lost their son from a recent gruesome ritual failure. Jennifer thought she had formed an alliance with Nate and she was about to discover what truly brings the Illuminati in this diabolical equation.

I really loved all the characters in Shades of Revelation. Everyone one of them has traits that was their own, that distinctively distinguishes them from one another. The plot, although it was supposed to be a jolly yuletide season, was marked with blood, power, deceit and vengeance. Truly a remarkable read from one of the finest thriller storyteller. I couldn't sleep anymore after reading this!

Cristina Imre

Cristina Imre

website: http://www.cristinaimre.com

twitter username: Cristina_Imre

genre: Thriller, Self Help, Mystery

Cristina dares to switch genre and prove herself in the world of Fiction with her new release, part of a breathtaking series, Jennifer. A series designed for all the fans of the words mystery, thriller, suspense, murder, occult, sprinkled with romance.

“I’ve always wanted to do this. Not many people know but I’ve started many novels in the past, just to explore my imagination. I am a big fan of the Mistery, Thriller/Suspence genre, and today I decided to immerse myself in this world,” explains Cristina.

Her hidden passion for mystery and forensics it’s finally revealed. Together with her medical background and criminalist blood – through her late grandfather – she developed an inner knowledge of the human mind as well as pathology and deviations from the normal. She seriously studied murder cases during her life, reading a wide number of Best Sellers in the area. Her favorite authors list include names as: Patricia Cornwell, Mary Jane Clark, Robert Crais, Anne Perry or Ann Rule.

Review: Breaking My Heart by Aleya Michelle

Title: Breaking My Heart
Series: My Heart #1
Author: Aleya Michelle
Kindle Edition, 300 pages
Published May 5th 2014

Roxy is a fighter, she is strong and independent. 

She knows exactly what she wants and is not afraid to go after it, especially when it comes to men. 

Roxy thinks she has men figured out, that is until she meets Kade. He storms into her life like a knight on a white horse to save her. He makes her question everything she ever thought she knew about life, men and herself. 

With a past that keeps holding her back will Kade be able to break down her walls?

Will he be able to prove to Roxy that everything she thinks she knows about men is wrong, or will he prove her right?

Oh. My Gosh… I actually felt my heart pulsing, my mind racing & my cheeks blushing while reading this!

Aleya Michelle found a gold mine in this provocative first novel of hers. Roxy clearly got issues with men, so it’s understandable how she is with guys around her, and those she meets in bars and parties. It’s understandable how she continuously puts up a wall around her heart when men like Kade profess feelings for her. But Kade is entirely different from all the men who came into her life. A surfer guy, thoughtful, one-woman man and oozing with great personality, what’s not to like? Of course, Roxy would feel insecure, would think that there are a lot of girls falling for Kade, so she’s guarding her heart against disappointment and jealousy. But clearly, what her mind tells her to do does not agree to what her heart feels for Kade. So she gives in to her emotions and makes a life with Kade… until he eventually breaks her heart.

Ouch! I couldn’t put words to what I felt when Kade seems to drift away from Roxy. I am aghast with chock and pain. I’m not surprised if Roxy feels the same.

Roxy & Kade are the next hottest book couple to watch out for! That much is true!

P.S. I got this book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

About ALEYA MICHELLE

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia. Happily married and mother of 3 gorgeous and very active boys. A true lover of reading and escaping into a book, I love to write and find solace and escape through my characters and storylines.

Favourite past times include shopping, reading, going to the beach and seeing friends. Music is another great love.

Book Highlight of the Month: SNAKES (Shaolin Darkness)

SNAKES: A Shaolin Darkness Thriller 

Author: Wesley Robert Lowe
Kindle edition; published Oct 2014


Micah Keating. Son of missionaries. Mentored by a Shaolin Grandmaster. President of three-billion-dollar foundation with funds hijacked from Triad leader, Chin.

Severely burnt and in rehab, Chin commissions his son, King, master and connoisseur of all things connected to snakes, to lead the savage charge to recover the family’s illicit fortune.

King, with clandestine military precision, hounds Micah as he accompanies his mentor on a journey of death and adventure to Heaven, the mystical Kung Fu monastery in the mountains where the aged master learned The Way of the Shaolin.

With a story that moves with the speed of a Ferrari, yet with the breathtaking drama of Star Wars, SNAKES is a rich story of experiences never seen that will entertain even the most adrenaline-charged reader.

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

Q. What is unique about the Shaolin Darkness series?

A. There are many talented action and thriller writers out there: Russell Blake, James Patterson and the late Robert Ludlum are three that I particularly admire. I want to write books that have the electrifying action, intrigue and suspense that are hallmarks of their best sellers.
That said, I am a product of East and West, Chinese heritage born in America. I grew up watching Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali, reading Mario Puzo and Amy Tan, and wanted to integrate the “Orient and Occident” into my stories. Shaolin martial arts training, organized crime, Triads, the Tao, Confucius, Christianity, Hong Kong, New York, Shanghai, Portland” novels that show the contemporary world as a multicultural, multi-dimensional, inter-racial society.
The Shaolin Darkness series is like that. The heroes and villains are more than pulp fiction caricatures but have deep, even pathologic personalities. Murder, madness, and mayhem ”” with an on again, off again romance that drives our young protagonist crazy.

Q. There is an extraordinary amount of violence, including brutality against animals. Is this really necessary?

The underbelly of the world does not battle using Gentleman’s Warfare principles or conduct meetings with Robert’s Rules of Order. The lives of humans and beasts are insignificant. Bloodshed and assassination just go with the territory. That being said, none of the violence is gratuitous and are essential story elements.

Q. What order should I read the books in?

A. While each book has its own complete story arc, I suggest reading them in numerical order.

TIGER – Shaolin Darkness 1
SNAKES – Shaolin Darkness 2
CRANE – Shaolin Darkness 3
LEOPARD – Shaolin Darkness 4
DRAGON – Shaolin Darkness 5

The short 10,000 word prequel, UNLEASHED is not necessary to appreciate the series but is a great case study in the making of a psychopath.

Q. You’re a pretty new author. Why should I give you a try?

A. Fair question. I launched the Shaolin Darkness series May 2014 and the first books have hit the Top 50 Bestsellers in several categories of Kindle. I try to make sure that each new release continues with creative action, unexpected twists and turns and riveting stories.

WESLEY ROBERT LOWE

I write what I know and care about.

My work is infused with relentless furious action and/or paranormal charismata. Contemporary worlds infused with mysticism. Breathless, brain-twisting plots. High stakes suspense that churns the psyche.

But ultimately it is knowing and experiencing the lives of people that provide the impetus of Stories that Grip the Soul.

I’ve made music with Kainai First Nations, helped save Russian refugees from deportation, hung with Martial Arts Grandmasters, counseled WWII vets on their deathbeds. Not to mention deep Chinese, cultural participation,

Wesley Robert Lowe is an award-winning writer, filmmaker and composer (including four seasons on Sesame St.).

Book Review: TORTURED

Title: Tortured (Tortured Soul #1) 

Author: Kate Givans
Series: Tortured Soul Series, Book 1
Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Publisher: Kate Givans
Publication Year: 2014

More than a year after the death of his best friend, Josh is still tormented by the past. Everything changes when free-spirited Willow barges into his life. She challenges him, helps him feel something other than the overwhelming pain, sadness, and anger.
There’s just one problem.
Underneath that carefree spirit, Willow is elusive and secretive. Josh believes she may be fighting a few demons of her own, but the harder he tries to uncover the truth, the more she pushes him away.
Can Josh get her to open up before it’s too late? Or will he discover that some secrets are better left untold?

I’ve read quite a number of novels about moving on & Tortured belongs to my Top Ten Favorites! Kate Givans captured the emotions of love, acceptance, trust & hope in Josh & Willow.

Josh thought he’d be forever imprisoned by guilt after his bestfriend Brad died in his hands. He couldn’t work properly, he was getting left behind in his studies, he didn’t want to drive a car, he couldn’t even take a look at one.

Then a bird-girl showed him how to break out, let go, fly away, be free.

Willow, a spirited girl, helped Josh get his wings back, but there seems to be something holding her back to the ground. A secret she never liked to share, even to Josh, after all the good things she’d done for him. When Josh wanted to get intimate with her, she scurried back to her nest and hide.

After reading the last chapter of the book, I was left hanging in the air. What’s the big secret Willow has been hiding?

Now I’m getting tortured guessing and thinking and anticipating the next book!

K A T E   G I V A N S 

Hello! I’m new adult and contemporary romance author Kate Givans. Those closest to me might say I’m quirky, clumsy, and a little off-key . . . but they also know there’s more to me than my oddities and eccentricities. kategivans

I’ve always been a bit of a book nerd, reading almost anything I could get my hands on.
Now I’m fortunate enough to be the one writing the stories. No stranger to the darker and more painful aspects of life, I drag my complicated characters through unimaginable losses and pain–domestic violence, death, sex trafficking, child abuse, and more. But because I’m obsessed with creating more empathy, understanding, and compassion in the world, those same characters often find the happily ever afters that seem to evade us in everyday life.

In addition to my fiction writing, I contribute annually to the End the Silence Campaign. I also blog about parenting at Growing Your Baby, and I provide non-fiction copywriting services. In my “spare” time, I also offer formatting services to other Indie authors.

I’m also a wife and mother of five with a serious coffee addiction. I like to dance for no reason at all, I’m a day-dreamer who loves to play with the voices in my head, and somewhere in the midst of all the fun and crazy, I remind myself to “breathe” and enjoy the life I have.

Review: His Frozen Heart by Nancy Straight

Author Nancy Straight will be touring His Frozen Heart from November 3-14, 2014.

Join us for reviews and more!

Author: Nancy Straight

Publisher: Self-published

Age Group: NA

Genre: Romantic Suspense

For best friends, Candy and Libby, money is tight with hardly enough to cover their living expenses. When they are desperate for grocery money, the girls bet on their pool playing skills to add to their income.A simple wager on a quiet winter evening has devastating results, with a stalker determined to kill them both. With Libby in the hospital after a vicious attack, and Candy being pursued by the same stalker, she vows to find Libby's attacker.
What she finds is Dave, an old friend with a secret past filled with misfortune. Will Dave’s past provide the answer to all of Candy’s problems or will it become Candy’s worst nightmare realized?

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I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read the latest contemporary romance novel penned by Nancy Straight and I am proud to say that I’ve read the whole story twice. I just can’t seem to get enough of Candy Kane, (the character, not the sweet candy treat I usually get every Christmas) and her one-of-a-kind man, Dave. I have indulged myself in this story, even imagined myself as Candy, and made me fall in love all over again.

The premise follows BFFs Candy and Libby breaking in. Actually, it was Libby’s idea to go to her professor’s house (Mr. Brink) and tee-pee the ground (wrap the lawn with rolls of toilet paper) and sneak out. But their plans went awry when an “Intruder Alert” boomed across the lawn. Cut to graduation day, Candy couldn’t take a look at their superintendent’s face while getting her diploma because the house they actually TPed was the superintendent’s house and not Mr. Brinks’. It was actually a cute scene.

Then Candy’s parents had to move to New Mexico and had to leave the house to Candy & Libby who would shoulder the rent. The two struggled financially, to the point that they no longer had anything to eat. So they resorted to sharking pool in a nearby bar, where Candy was awarded chicken wings and Libby hustled off $400 from two brothers. However, things didn’t go well with the guys; the older brother warned Candy & Libby to leave immediately after his younger brother reluctantly and violently paid them. Things got down harsher and dirtier when midnight came, after Candy went to her work at a gas station. She almost died when stranger attacked and shot at her. Good thing she was inside a bulletproof booth, so her life was spared. Before the attacker left, he told her about getting back the $400 that she and Libby had sharked from his friend and he told her that he had gone to their house and made sure Libby won’t be talking soon.

Candy’s life shattered after this. Her bestfriend was in the hospital in a life-and-death situation, her house was broken into and the attacker was waiting for her to come home, but thanks to her elderly neighbor, she managed to escape death again. But the one surprise she didn’t count on was seeing Dave, who was once her high school classmate. Dave had grown into a beautiful man, far different from what he used to be. But one thing that really worried and puzzled her was Dave’s involvement with the thug inside her house and with the brothers that they have hustled off in a pool game. Dave had always been mysterious in high school, and five years later, he still mystified Candy to no end.

I won’t divulge the rest of the story, but one thing for sure, this is one of the best and wonderfully written books I’ve read this year. Candy’s & Libby’s emotional life stories made me cry, Dave’s childhood had me sobbing and the ending really kept me on the edge of my seat. It was a really sweet end that made me believe in happy ever after. Although there were still some questions left unanswered, I was left grinning from each-to-ear and had me dreaming about the characters at night. I seriously thought I was part of the book and I actually yearned to be in Candy’s shoes, except for those brush with death scenarios.

Nancy Straight has done it again! I’ve actually been a fan of hers from her first book, Missing Destiny, up to her Legacy series. Nancy Straight is a pure genius. She knows how to tickle a poor hopeless romantic like me. She describes the characters and the plot with vivid details. From the first page all the way to the last, I never got bored with her writing. The story was something that would stay on my mind for the next weeks or months to come. Those nights that I stayed up late just to be able to finish His Frozen Heart was all worth it.

Amazon 
Nook 
Kobo 
iTunes

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Author Nancy Straight Bio: 
I LOVE Starbucks’ White Mocha Latte and Mountain Dew, (but not together). I have a lead foot so I set cruise control when I drive, even in 25 MPH zones. I almost never win when I play Angry Birds, but have my 9 year old close, so he can clear the hard levels for me. I grew up on a farm and am opposed to eating fresh chicken (not opposed to meat - just opposed to any meat that was alive a few hours before lunch). I am a huge fan of the show, Big Bang Theory, on CBS. I share my life with two fantastic sons, three rotten dogs and a husband that I adore. 

Twitter: @NancyStraight
Blog: www.NancyStraight.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-Straight/243616005687882
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4114202.Nancy_Straight

promo tour courtesy of WordSmith Publicity

Book Review: Lament

Title: Lament (The Faerie Queen's Deception)

Book 1 of 3 in Books of Faerie

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Paperback, 325 pages

Published October 1st 2008

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand -- one who can see faeries.Unexpectedly, Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy named Luke who enters her ordinary life, seemingly out of thin air. But his interest in her might be something darker than summer romance. When a sinister faerie named Aodhan shows up with deadly orders from the Faerie Queen, it forces Dee right into the midst of Faerie.  Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her summer weren't so dull, but taking on a centuries-old Faerie Queen isn't exactly what she had in mind.

Deirdre is a brilliant harpist. She has gigs and competitions almost everyday. The only problem is: she hates being in front of people. Aside from that, she throws up before her performances. On the day of a particularly important competition, she has just fled to a bathroom and is starting to throw up when someone holds her hair back and tells her its almost over. 


The strange boy who helped her is Luke; who is actually a guy from her dreams - literally she dreamed of him the night before. As things progress we learn Dee has more power and strength inside than she ever expected and that Luke has some dark secrets. This is only part of the problem for Dee is being hunted for her powers that rival the Faerie Queen's, and the Hunters want to torment and play games with her. 


The only thing that has a chance of stopping the Faerie Hunters is Iron and a strange substance her grandmother made. What happens when Luke tells her he loves her and the same day she gets a text saying that James loves her? Who will she choose? Is Dee strong enough to take on the Faerie Queen and her minions and rule the Faerie world?

Truth is, I kinda liked the story. It's something new compared to those other fairy-infested myths I've read. I had fun with the characters, especially James.  I really liked that about this book it had a great message and that is about the difficult choices one has to go through in life and how those choices make up the person you become.


Looking forward to reading the 2nd book - Ballad; which is about James this time. 

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About this author :

Maggie Stiefvater

New York Times bestselling author of The Shiver Trilogy, The Raven Cycle, and The Scorpio Races. Artist. Driver of things with wheels. Avid reader.


All of Maggie Stiefvater's life decisions have been based around her inability to be gainfully employed. Talking to yourself, staring into space, and coming to work in your pajamas are frowned upon when you're a waitress, calligraphy instructor, or technical editor (all of which she's tried), but are highly prized traits in novelists and artists. She's made her living as one or the other since she was 22. She now lives an eccentric life in the middle of nowhere, Virginia with her charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, two neurotic dogs, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki.

Jumper & Friends

Title: Jumper & Friends
Author: Rebecca Scarberry
ebook
Published September 5th 2014

Jumper, the friendly talking red ball, goes on more great adventures with his owner, Tony Thompson and Bouncy Brianna, Emily’s red ball. They both experience new things like tubing, sailing, and Jumper has a wonderful Christmas.



I love this book, not because my own kids’ names were in the story, (yes, my sons Kyle & Kian are characters here!) but also because the story of Jumper and his friends brought so much joy to those who read it.

Jumper made new friends and enjoyed every minute they’re all together – festivals, sailboat rides, Halloween, Christmas, and yes, even when the thought his friend Bouncy disappeared because the magician “magicked” her, Jumper still had a lot of fun being a red ball.

My kids really enjoyed listening to me when I read them this book. They actually jumped up and down everytime their names were mentioned in the book. It was an awesome experience!

Thanks so much Miss Rebecca Scarberry for this wonderful book, for including my kids’ name and making them friends with Jumper, and bringing unlimited supply of smiles to everyone. I am personally touched by this book. Again, thank you!

Security by Mandy Baggot

Title: Security
Author: Mandy Baggot
Kindle Edition, 354 pages
Published June 30th 2013

Autumn Raine is a pop vocalist at the very top of her game. She’s a style icon, the paparazzi’s darling and everyone wants to be her friend. But when her safety is threatened, her whole life starts to unravel.Enter Nathan Regan, an ex-elite soldier who is assigned to protect her. He’s a good man doing bad things but what drives him? Passion? Madness? Or grief? Demons from his past are threatening to consume him. Can he win the fight alone or will he have to admit he needs help?As the threat deepens, Autumn starts to find out who she really needs in her life. Is there still room for personal assistant Janey or rapper boyfriend Rockweiler? When everyone around her is feeding her lies, how does she work out the truth? Does her record producer know more than he’s letting on? What is her mother, the British Foreign Secretary’s involvement in the situation? And can Autumn put her faith in a forty-something Jamaican woman who handles an automatic weapon as expertly as she cooks?Eluding kidnap and trying to stay alive, can Autumn find the strength to be the person she longs to be? And can two people, poles apart, forge something strong enough to survive anything?

I've watched The Bodyguard before & when I got this book by Mandy Baggot, at first I thought this was just another one of those rip-offs. But when I started reading Security, I was clearly mistaken. 

This book focused more with the safety & security of a famous celebrity because of her ties with the Foreign Secretary & As-Wana, a terrorist group under the Al-Qaeda. Autumn Raine, the famous celebrity/singer was regarded as a wild-child, OC, & spoiled brat. She seemed to have everything and had everyone wrapped around her finger. She had her bestfriend-turned personal assistant, Janey, and a rapper-wannabe boyfriend at her beck and call. And there were the fans, the paparazzi and the awards, all at the tip of her fingertips. But these people didn't know what Autumn really desired. Deep inside, she longed for a mother who would nurture and care for her ever since her father died when she was young. 

When Foreign Secretary Alison Raine, hired a bodyguard for her daughter without her knowing, Autumn's chaotic yet organized status turned into a world full of danger, betrayal and seclusion from celebrity life. Especially now that there were groups of people wanting to kill her.

Security is a well-written book, bursting with drama, action, suspense and romance. An enjoyable read! I loved the twists and turns in the story, how Autumn was betrayed and almost killed by the people she trusted. How Nathan Regan, her bodyguard, had changed her life's perspective and opened her eyes to the real world. Mandy Baggot's writing is genuine and highly recommended. Hoping to read more of her stories in the next days. 

Review: Kelly's Quest

Title: Kelly's Quest (NYC Love #2) 

Author: Jennifer Ann

Age: NA

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release date: October 14, 2014

Publisher: Treetop Fantasies

Goodreads

Shunned by her family back home, she followed her best friend to New York with aspirations to start over. Now broke and homeless with two guys vying for her affection, she realizes she made a colossal mistake. If she gives in to her desires, will she only be breaking the rule she set for herself, or will she also be proving she’s the disappointment her family sees her as?

Kelly Cavenaugh is a lot of things: intelligent, sexy, vivacious, and a great friend. But the one thing she’s determined to prove to herself and others is that she’s not promiscuous. So why do a spoiled rich boy with a dark past and a former Marine with a high-powered job have to come along and try to break her resolve?

Theo Roberts and Erik Murphy only have two things in common: they’re both dangerously gorgeous, and have their sights set on Kelly. Everyone tells her Erik isn’t someone she wants to get involved with, however, and Theo seems to be the total package. If Kelly allows herself to be with one of them, the choice should be easy. But it’s complicated, and she’ll find herself struggling to separate passion from reality while trying to establish her new life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1yq-VPM11U

My Review:
★★★★★

Kelly's Quest is the second book in the NYC Love series and I'm happy to have read the first one Adam's List a few months ago. The 2nd book is another "hard to put down" and I don't know how Jennifer Ann does it!

When Jewels and Adam Murphy decided to move to New York after the couple battled with their own dark secrets, Jewels' best friend Kelly Cavenaugh decided to come along with them to help them move. Then she met Theo, the hottie guy next door, and there's also Erik, Adam's equally handsome brother with a dark past. Just when they all thought she was just in NYC for a couple of days, she surprised all of them when she declared that she won't be coming back to their place in Wisconsin, because she got a one-way ticket to NYC and stay for good.

Things got a little tense between Kelly and her bestfriend when she thought Jewels was selling her out to ex-Marine hunk Theo for a one-night stand. And there's the issue of Adam's brother Erik whom everyone seemed to hate because he was obnoxious and playboy. She further made things worse when she decided to be Erik's room mate, much to the disappointment of everyone who advised her to stay away from him.

And then there's her problem at home. The main reason why she moved to New York in the first place. The one reputation that she tried to uphold, only got shattered because of sick rumors and one cheating bastard. When she decided to find herself in another place, she told herself she's gonna change. The more she tells herself to stop thinking about sex with random men, the more she was drawn to them.

I liked this second book. I actually had expected it to be good but after reading it, all I can say is wow! I wasn’t prepared for all the emotions it entailed. Kelly Cavenaugh may not have been the ideal girl I envisioned her from Adam's List, but in her quest for true love, I've grown to like her more. All the characters have their distinct personalities, which made this story much more appealing. Jennifer Ann's writing is great, I'm glad I was able to read her first book, and now this! I can tell she puts so much passion in her writing and I know she has a lot more surprises up on her sleeves. I'm so looking forward to her next book in the series.

About the Author:

When Jennifer Ann isn't writing heart wrenching romance novels with hot scenes or chasing her children around southern Minnesota, she either has her nose stuck in someone else's book, is curled up watching a movie, can be found taking pictures of other people (not in a creepy way), or is rocking out at a concert.

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJennif...
Pinterest: https://www.Pinterest.com/AuthorJenni...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5765367.Jen_Naumann
Jennifer also writes YA paranormal under Jen Naumann.

Cover Reveal: The Syrian Virgin

 

Title: The Syrian Virgin

Author: Zack Love

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Cover Design: PinkInk Designs (Cassy Roop)

Release Date: October 20th 2014

 

Anissa is traumatized by the most brutal conflict of the 21st Century: the Syrian Civil War. In 2012, Islamists in Homs terrorize her Christian community and destroy everything in her life. Narrowly escaping death, Anissa restarts her devastated life as a college student in NY. She is bewildered and lost -- a virgin in every sense.

But despite her inexperience with men and life in the United States, Anissa is quickly drawn to two powerful individuals: Michael, the Syrian-Christian American who leads the political effort to protect his community, and Julien, her college professor who runs a $20 billion hedge fund. Complicating matters, Michael is still attached to his ex-girlfriend and Julien is the most sought after bachelor in Manhattan. Anissa's heart and her communal ties pull her in different directions, as she seeks hope and renewal in a dark world.

LIFE shattered her. LOVE empowered her.

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Zack Love graduated from Harvard College, where he studied mostly literature, psychology, philosophy, and film. After college, he moved to New York City and took a corporate consulting job that had absolutely nothing to do with his studies. The attacks of September 11, 2001 inspired him to write a novelette titled "The Doorman," and heightened his interest in the Middle East. A decade later, that interest extended to the Syrian Civil war, which provided the backdrop for his latest work. In late 2013, Zack began releasing his unpublished works of fiction and became a full-time author. He has published comedy, psychological and philosophical fiction, and romance. Zack enjoys confining himself to one genre about as much as he likes trying to sum up his existence in one paragraph.

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