Sunday, June 29, 2014

Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry - Relaunch Blitz & Giveaway!

http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page.html

Welcome to the Blue Sky Days Relaunch Blitz!

Contemporary new adult
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A year after graduating from high school, nineteen-year-old Emma Ward feels lost. She has spent most of her life trying to please her frigid, miserable mother - studying hard, getting good grades, avoiding the whole teenage rebellion thing - and now she feels she has no identity beyond that. Because she spent so many years working hard and planning every moment of her life, she doesn't have any friends, has never had a boyfriend, and basically doesn't know who she is or what she really wants from life. Working two part-time jobs to save money for college hasn't helped her make decisions about her future, so she decides it's time for a change. She leaves home to live with her free-spirited, slightly eccentric Aunt Daisy in a small town that makes Emma feel like she's stepped back in time.

When Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, everything changes - he's unlike anyone she's ever met before, the kind of man she didn't even know existed in the 21st century. Carefree and spirited like Daisy, Nicholas teaches Emma to appreciate life, the beauty around her, and to just let go and live. Between Daisy and Nicholas, Emma feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in her life, and realizes that you don't always need a plan - sometimes life steers you where you're meant to be.

Life is wonderful, an endless string of blue sky days, until Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer, and life changes once again for Emma in ways she never thought possible. Now it's time for her to help Nicholas the way he's helped her. Emma will have to use her new-found strength, and discover along the way if love really is enough to get you through.



June 27th is the 20th anniversary of my dad’s death from leukemia. For a long time I’ve wanted to honour him in some way, and I thought having the relaunch of Blue Sky Days, a book that was partly inspired by him, would be the perfect tribute. My dad was a wonderful man—smart, funny, kind, and loyal. He was an amazing father, husband, brother, and friend. Even before he died, I knew I wanted to be a writer, and he would listen to my crazy made-up stories with the patience of a saint.


From the 27th-30th of June, half the proceeds from all sales of Blue Sky Days will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society. If you already own a copy, maybe you’d consider buying the book for a friend or family member? Or buying another copy from a different retailer (like Smashwords, which offers the book in every format)?

I greatly appreciate the support of the online reading/writing community for helping me honour my dad.





Thanks to eight incredible sponsors, there's a huge blitz-wide giveaway! There will be three (3) $20 PayPal cash prizes. Three chances to win - not too shabby, huh? This giveaway is open internationally to people aged 18+ who can accept PayPal cash.



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Marie has always been a daydreamer; since early childhood she's had a passion for words and a desire to create imaginary worlds, so it only seemed natural for her to become a writer. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, watching copious amounts of TV on DVD, or having grand adventures with her nephews and niece. She's a hopeless romantic, an unapologetic eavesdropper (occupational hazard), an equally unapologetic squeeing fangirl, and a lover of swoonworthy book and TV characters.


For more on Marie and her books please visit http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca. She also loves to chat with fellow book lovers, so feel free to tweet her @SweetMarie83 any time.



Find Marie online:
{Blog || Twitter || Facebook || GoodReads || Instagram}





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Thursday, June 26, 2014

Check this out ~ Broken Souls (Broken Hearts) by Beth Ashworth

Broken Souls (Broken Hearts) by Beth Ashworth
 
This is an adult contemporary romance novel (Rated NC-17)
 
 ♥♥♥♥
(Four Broken Hearts)
 
 
Book Summary
 
Pain, desperation and grief.

For Ashley Akerman, they are things that she has grown accustomed to feeling over the twenty-five years of her life.

She always found it difficult to integrate into society, realising that her imperfections were always going to be the cause of her own insecurities.

Stumbling upon the sassy Gabriela one day changed Ashley’s life for the better. She was introduced into a new circle of people that accepted her for her personality and didn’t judge her on her looks. But the good luck had been running for far too long... and time was up.

When that devastating moment arises and Ashley loses the support system she has grown to rely on, how will she be able to continue?

Will she revert to her previous life of merely existing as an empty shell in the world, or will the unplanned arrival of a certain Italian playboy throw everything into absolute and utter turmoil?

Finding the strength to fight on through the destruction will be key for Ashley. Will she be able to overcome the overwhelming fear of her past catching up with her once again? Can her broken soul be repaired, or has she finally reached the point of irrevocable damage?

(18+) Although it isn't essential to have read the first book in this series before reading Broken Souls, you may encounter some spoilers along the way if you decide to read this book first.
 
 
My Review


A lot of times in contemporary romance novels there is an element of fantasy because the “perfect” looking guy meets a “perfect” looking girl. And even though they may be messed up emotionally, they are still beautiful.
I love that this author took the time to write a story were the female lead is truly flawed. And I don’t mean overweight, I mean she has a significant birthmark that in her mind mars her beauty. And everything else that happens in the story, it’s a wonder that she remains sane.
When two broken souls meet, it will take each other to mend the wounds and accept love. Not your typical romance story, this one heartbreaking events that being two people together in the worst possible circumstances.
Although this is the second book by this author and there are some cross over with characters, each book can be read as standalone.
My book boyfriend Marco.

 
 
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*Disclaimer - I am not the owner of this picture. I found it on the web for causal fun use on my blog for which I receive no compensation. If this picture belongs to you (you are the copyright owner) please let me know and I will remove it.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

This story is -> Undeniable by Serena Grey

Undeniable by Serena Grey
 
This is a new adult contemporary romance novel (Rated NC-17)
 
 ♥♥♥♥1/2
(Four and a half Undeniable Hearts)
 
 
Book Summary
 
“Protest all you want,” he says, “It won’t change the fact that this thing we have between us, it’s undeniable.”

Olivia Wilder fell in love with Jackson Lockewood the first time she laid her eyes on him. She gave him her heart and her love, and ended up alone, heartbroken and with scars that were almost too much for her to bear.

Seven years later, they cross paths again. Jackson is everything she remembers, only more irresistible. Underneath his disdain, his desire to possess her lights a response within her, but she has no desire to rekindle their past, or face the pain of all those years ago.

However, Jackson has no intention of making it easy for her, this time he’s determined to make her pay for the past, and for the future they should have had, even if it means destroying her in the process.
 
 
My Review 

Sometimes there is an attraction that is undeniable. This is one of those times. As much as I wanted to dislike Jackson, much like Olivia, I was compelled to read further and chant for a man I wanted to hate.
This story has drama which I love and some misunderstanding which I hate. However, it wasn’t so bad that I didn’t enjoy the story.
Almost every conceivable romance story has been told. But sometimes an author crafts a tale that sucks you in no matter. This was one of the times and I find myself repeating myself. Okay, that sounded weird. Anyway, I really enjoyed this one. It was a clever read and I recommend it.
So don’t wait, pick this one up. It’s a good read that will keep you turning the pages late into the night.
My book boyfriend is Jackson.

 


 
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*Disclaimer - I am not the owner of this picture. I found it on the web for causal fun use on my blog for which I receive no compensation. If this picture belongs to you (you are the copyright owner) please let me know and I will remove it.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Review: Shadowfever (Fever, #5) by Karen Marie Moning

Shadowfever (Fever, #5)Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You know a book (series) is epic when…
1. You cannot put it down. Literally. All life around you becomes unimportant. Sleep? Don't need it. Food? Will accommodate as long as you can eat one-handed while holding your Kindle in the other.

2. You invest in the characters. You dream of them. You wish you could meet them. You want to be them. You miss them when they are gone. More than you miss your family.

3. The story comes to life. You are driving down the street expecting to see a rhino-boy at any moment (or insert fictional creature of your choice).

4. You are in love with one of the characters and if he showed up on your doorstep you could die happy. Jericho Z. Barrons. Enough said.

5. Even the secondary characters that you know next to nothing about pique your interest so much that you want to stalk the author until she promises to write a book about them and then stalk her until she actually writes it and you have it in your hands.

This is what the Fever series did to me. I finished Shadowfever two days ago and I am craving more. I miss Barrons so much. *Sigh* There's not much else to say. I knew it was going to end eventually but still I went through it as fast as I could because I had to find out what was going to happen. As they say, don't cry because it's over, be happy because it happened. I'm happy.


View all my reviews


Saturday, June 07, 2014

Blood and Magic by Ann Gimpel




Blood and Magic
by Ann Gimpel


Publisher: Taliesin
Genre: Dark Paranormal Romance

Can Luke conquer his past and claim the only woman he’s ever loved?

Magic didn’t just find Luke Caulfield. It chased him down, bludgeoned him, and has been dogging him ever since. Some lessons are harder than others. Luke survives by embracing danger and upping the ante to give it one better. An enforcer for the Coven, a large, established group of witches, his latest assignment is playing bodyguard to the daughter of Coven leaders. 


Abigail Ruskin is chaperoning a spoiled twelve-year-old from New York to her parents’ home in Utah Territory when Luke gets on their stagecoach in Colorado. A powerful witch herself, Abigail senses Luke’s magic, but he’s so overwhelmingly male, she shies away from contact. Stuck between the petulant child and Luke’s raw sexual energy, Abigail can’t wait for the trip to end.

Wraiths, wolves, and humans with dark magick attack. Unpleasant truths surface about the child and Abigail’s well-ordered world crashes around her. Luke’s so attracted to Abigail, she’s almost all he can think about, but he’s leery too. In over his head, he summons enforcer backup. Will they help him save the woman he’s falling in love with, or demand her immediate execution?




My Review:
4/5 stars
Blood and Magic is a quick, fun story full of adventure, magic, suspense, and romance.  One of the things I really like about it is that it is a standalone, which is a rarity.  Abigail is chaperoning a child home on the stagecoach while Luke is playing bodyguard.  Abigail is a witch, a strong female lead, which I absolutely love.  Luke is an enforcer for a group of witches, a protector.  Together they must fight through all sorts of dark magic to keep themselves alive.

The connection between Abigail and Luke is great.  I enjoyed both of the characters, which of course is always a plus.  I also loved the different forms of magic described in the book.  The author did a great job of building the story and creating a believable backdrop for what was to come.  Set in the 1800s, Blood and Magic is an imaginative story that will keep you turning the pages.  




Ann Gimpel is a mountaineer at heart. Recently retired from a long career as a psychologist, she remembers many hours at her desk where her body may have been stuck inside four walls, but her soul was planning yet one more trip to the backcountry. Around the turn of the last century (that would be 2000, not 1900!), she managed to finagle moving to the Eastern Sierra, a mecca for those in love with the mountains. It was during long backcountry treks that Ann’s writing evolved. Unlike some who see the backcountry as an excuse to drag friends and relatives along, Ann prefers solitude. Stories always ran around in her head on those journeys, sometimes as a hedge against abject terror when challenging conditions made her fear for her life, sometimes for company. Eventually, she returned from a trip and sat down at the computer. Three months later, a five hundred page novel emerged. Oh, it wasn’t very good, but it was a beginning. And, she learned a lot between writing that novel and its sequel. 

Around that time, a friend of hers suggested she try her hand at short stories. It didn’t take long before that first story found its way into print and they’ve been accepted pretty regularly since then. One of Ann’s passions has always been ecology, so her tales often have a green twist. 

In addition to writing, Ann enjoys wilderness photography. She lugs pounds of camera equipment in her backpack to distant locales every year. A standing joke is that over ten percent of her pack weight is camera gear which means someone else has to carry the food! That someone is her husband. They’ve shared a life together for a very long time. Children, grandchildren and three wolf hybrids round out their family. 

www.anngimpel.com
http://anngimpel.blogspot.com
http://www.amazon.com/author/anngimpel
http://www.facebook.com/anngimpel.author
@AnnGimpel



Excerpt

…It wasn’t Luke but a long, drawn-out shriek that brought Abigail thumping back to consciousness, her heart hammering triple time in her chest. Eyes wide and staring against the darkness, she warded herself just in time. Strong magic battered her. She tried to sense Luke, but that was the problem with wards. They protected by forming an impenetrable barrier and corralled her magic inside.

Whatever was pummeling her seemed to have given up. She risked chinking enough of a hole in her warding to send a tendril of magic outward because she needed information. When it came, it terrified her so badly, her heart stuttered. Dark things surrounded them: wraiths, mad wolves—those who’d been turned to serve the other side—and humans who’d sold their immortal souls for forbidden knowledge. Had the girl rallied them? How could she possibly be that powerful? Luke didn’t seem to be anywhere. Abigail hoped he’d concealed himself out of harm’s way, because the two of them couldn’t make the slightest dent in the dark horde outside. The stagecoach rocked and she realized someone was climbing onto the roof. Throat so dry she could barely breathe, she mended her warding.

The books. That’s what they want… Let them haul the miserable things out of here. She knew she should risk heaven and hell to keep such knowledge out of dark hands, but Abigail didn’t see how throwing her life away would alter the outcome. She heard voices speaking the Satanic tongue, and then dragging sounds as someone transferred the trunk to the ground. Luke shouldn’t have bothered to put it back up top, she thought grimly.

What had the Girauds been doing with such arcane tomes in the first place? She supposed there was the slightest chance they’d been protecting them from falling into the wrong hands. Yes, by all means, let’s give Coven members the benefit of the doubt. Except it was a struggle, and she didn’t know who the hell to trust anymore.

She waited until it was absolutely still outside, and a tentative scan told her the dark host she’d sensed earlier had moved on, before loosing her wards. The minute she did, she felt Luke’s energy. He pulled open one of the coach doors. “I scared up a couple of horses from a nearby farm. We need to go after those books—and the girl.”

She fought down the protest that rose to her lips, but it slid out anyway. “There aren’t enough of us.”

“Fixed that problem too.” He smiled grimly. “I can ward you if you want to stay here, but if you’re coming we need to get moving. Don’t want to let the trail get too cold.” From the smirk in his voice, she knew he was being sarcastic.

She sent her magic spiraling outward and felt the books pulsing with evil. No way that path would ever get cold. “Why couldn’t I feel them this strongly before? I know the trunk had to have been spelled, but still…”

“The trunk was spelled, and by someone with magic to burn. It’s over in those trees. I guess Carolyn’s minions were in a hurry and didn’t have a wagon.”

Abigail felt like a rube. The book trunk had already been packed and sealed when she’d picked Carolyn up in New York. She’d never even thought to examine it. “Did you see Carolyn?”

“Yup.” His upper lip curled into a sneer. “Caught a glimpse of her riding a mad wolf.”

“Do you suppose there’s some way we could separate her from Goody Osborne?” Abigail bit her lip nervously.

Luke shook his head. “Even if we could—and I don’t think it’s possible—there are too many unknowns. Her parents might have been turned. If that happened, the kid could have embraced evil before it entered her body. By the time we sorted all that out, the dark would have had one too many chances to kill us.”

Abigail winced at the unvarnished truth in his words. Any residual doubts she held about the necessity of destroying the girl melted away. “Yes,” she said through clenched teeth. “I’m coming with you.”

Luke boosted her onto one of the horses. She pulled her skirts out of the way. It was a normal saddle and this was scarcely a time for modesty. Luke vaulted onto his horse, kneeing it, and they took off up the Overland Stage Road at close to a full gallop. “We’re making too much noise,” she sent.

“Doesn’t matter. They’ll expect us to come after them.”

She clung to the horse with her legs, enjoying the feel of not having to ride sidesaddle. Luke’s horse was larger, faster, and soon pulled so far ahead she could barely see him. She kneed her horse, urging it to greater speed, but the animal shied, and then reared. Abigail struggled for balance and called magic to calm the spooked animal. Something sprang at her and knocked her to the ground. She sent killing magic to stop its heart, before realizing what it was. Panting, she crawled out from under a black and gray mad wolf with blood dribbling from its nostrils, and glanced warily about. Were there more of them?

Carolyn stepped from the shadows. It looked as if she was alone, but Abigail suspected otherwise. “What do you want?”

“Simple enough. I plan to use you to get rid of Breana Giraud—and others.” A sneer twisted the girl’s features into something unpleasant. “You think people don’t know you’re part of Coven government?”

Abigail set her mouth in a hard line. “Fine. So the other side knows about me. Question is, who are you really?”

“Don’t you recognize me?” Carolyn stepped closer and turned her face from side to side as if posing for a photographer. “I gave you my name, but I am far more than that.”

She’s arrogant. Perhaps I can use that in some way. Abigail spread her hands in a placating gesture. “Because I’m used to seeing you as Carolyn Giraud, I’m not certain who you are.” She paused for emphasis. “I’d like you to tell me.”

“Certainly.” A feral grin made the child look like something out of a nightmare. “It is always better to know who your adversary is.” Her voice became soft and silky. “I have access to magic you would kill for. You may not know it, but you’d like to work for us.” She laughed, but it sounded more like broken glass shattering against itself, than a twelve-year-old girl’s mirth. “We have real power, not that paltry tripe the Coven settles for.”

Abigail waited. When Carolyn didn’t say anything else, she said, “I’m listening…and considering your offer. Life is always better than the alternative.”

“Ha! They said you couldn’t be turned, but I told them they were wrong. I am The Promised, resurrected out of legend. Goody Osborne was but a start, and this little girl is merely a convenience.” Something like an outraged squawk followed the words, but Goody silenced Carolyn almost immediately. “What I really want is you, Abigail Ruskin.”

Shit! She couldn’t be The Promised… “You mean the Dark Messiah?” Abigail scrunched up her face and held her breath, hoping against hope she’d gotten it wrong.

“The same.” A supercilious expression etched into the girl’s features. “At least the other side has heard of me. Warms my black, black heart.”

“The books—?” Abigail hunted for a connection while she rode herd on terror that threatened to immobilize her, and clouded her judgment. If ever she needed a clear head, it was now, but her mind raced feverishly.

“They weren’t doing the girl’s parents any good moldering away in that underground chamber. I’d actually been searching for them for years.” She flashed a sly smile. “They used to be mine…”



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