Monday, June 30, 2014

Month in Review – June 2014




I read 4 books in June. I’m always looking for new read-a-thons – let me know if you know of one.
This is the first time I am participating in the Write On Review-A-Thon by The Book Vixen. They are scheduled every month – the next one is June 27th – 28th.
I’ve also signed up for the Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon sponsored by My Shelf Confessions – July 14th – 24th. I signed up for the Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop July 2 – July 9 sponsored by Bookhounds & I am a Reader, Not a Writer


Books Reviewed:
Posts:
Author Interview (Bewitching Book Tours): The Cowboy and the Vampire: Rough Trails and Shallow Graves by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall
Book Tour (Bewitching Book Tours): My Hunger and No In Between by Lisa Renee Jones
Book Blitz/Giveaway (Pump Up Your Books Tours) The Soul of the City by John McMillan
Book Blitz (YA Bound) : Plumb Crazy by Molly Blaisdell
Book Blitz/#Giveaway (YA Bound) : Breaking Fences by Juliana Haygert
Cover Reveal/#Giveaway (YA Bound) : Tortured Souls by Kimber Leigh Wheaton
Cover Reveal (YA Bound) : Bound by Duty by Stormy Smith
GRAND FINALE BLITZ (Prism Book Tours) : The Dystopian Tour
Release Day Blitz (Bewitching Book Tours): A Vampire’s Promise by Carla Susan Smith
Release Day Blitz (InkSlinger PR): Ready to Wed by J L Berg
Author Guest Post (Bewitching Book Tours): After the Silence – Bree by Jacqueline Paige
Book Blast/#Giveaway/#Virtual Scavenger Hunt (I Am A Reader): The Hunt for Tomorrow
Midsummer’s Eve Giveaway Hop (I Am A Reader)

broken.html>Book Blitz/Giveaway (Pump Up Your Books Tours) : Mothers with Broken Hearts by Monica Shipley

Midsummer’s Eve Giveaway Hop (I Am A Reader)
Book Poll (InkSlinger PR): Help Decide What Elisabeth Grace Writes Next
Book Blast (I Am A Reader): True Colors by Kysten Lindsay Hager
Book Blast/#Giveaway (I Am A Reader): Polar Opposites by Kai Strand
Book Blast (YA Bound) : Honey Queen by Christina Mercer
Sue’s 2014 Reading Challenges Progress:
>> GoodReads Challenge - Travel the United States 4/51
>> GoodReads Challenge – 2014 Reading Challenge 39/100
>> GoodReads Challenge- National Football League Challenge
>> 2014 Finishing the Series Reading Challenge (Socrates' Book Review)
>> 2014 Cruisin' thru the Cozies (Socrates' Book Review) 1/6
>> 2014 What An Animal Reading Challenge VII (Socrates' Book Review) 8/13
>> 2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge (Bookish) 3/52
>> I Love Library Books Reading Challenge 2014 (My Book Dragon) 3/24
>> I Love Picture Books Reading Challenge 2014 (Book Dragon's Lair) 14/20
>> You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge 2014 (Book Dragon's Lair) 39/100
>> 2014 Audiobook Challenge (HotListens & The Book Nympho) 1/6
>> 2014 Nonfiction Reading Challenge (Introverted Reader) 12/5 – COMPLETED 5/2014
>> State by State in 2014 (USA Fiction Challenge) 4/50
>> 2014 Erotic Romance Reading Challenge (Herding Cat & Burning Soup) 12/12 – COMPLETED 4/2014
>> 2014 Anna & Kristilyn’s Book Bingo Reading Challenge (Reading in Winter and Creativity’s Corner) 3/5
>> 2014 Where Are You Reading? Challenge (Book Journey) 4/50
>> 2014 Kristin Hannah Reading Challenge (Rachael Turns Pages) 0/2
>> 2014 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge (Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book) 7/26
>> 2014 Romance Reading Challenge (The Bookworm) 1/3
>> 2014 Read Your Freebies! Reading Challenge (The Book Vixen) 23/50
>> Let Me Count the Ways 2014 Reading Challenge (Creatively Crazed) 3302/10,000

PROMO Blitz/#Giveaway : The Trouble With Flying by Rachel Morgan









The Trouble With Flying - PROMO Blitz
By Rachel Morgan
Young Adult/New Adult
Date Published: June 24, 2014

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When introvert Sarah boards a plane to fly home after an overseas holiday, the last thing she expects is Aiden, the guy sitting next to her who’s never flown anywhere before and refuses to shut up. Hours of random conversation later, they part ways. Sarah can’t stop thinking about Aiden, though, and wondering if she made a terrible mistake letting him go. Should she abandon her safe, predictable life and go in search of him, or would she be chasing a happily ever after that could never exist in real life?


EXCERPT

CHAPTER ONE
I don’t make friends on aeroplanes. I know there are people who like to strike up a conversation with the complete stranger sitting next to them, but that’s not me. It’s not that I’m an unfriendly person. It’s more the fact that the conversation centre of my brain seems to seize up in the presence of strangers, and I can’t for the life of me figure out what to say. And even if the other person is happy to simply babble on while I pretend to listen and be interested, I’d really rather be doing something else. Like reading. Or watching a movie. Or sleeping. Or trying to figure out how to stop crying.

Yes. Crying. Because if being shy and awkward isn’t enough, today I’m adding red eyes, tears, and suppressed sobs to the embarrassing mix.

I stare out the tiny, oval window at the patches of reflected light on the wet runway and silently ask God to leave the seat next to me empty. I can’t deal with a chatty neighbour right now. I’d rather watch the black sky and incessant rain until we reach cruising altitude. Then I’ll close my eyes and let sleep take the pain away.

Oh, STOP IT. It’s not like someone died.

I wiggle around a bit in my seat and sniff, trying to listen to my inner pep-talk voice. Think of the good things, I tell myself. I’m on my way home. I’m leaving behind the dreary, wet weather for a sunny, summer climate. That, at least, should make me happy. But thinking about home leads to thoughts ofwho I’m flying towards, and that only makes my stomach twist further.

I hear the sound of a bag being dumped onto the seat at the end of my row. There are only three seats between the window and the aisle—mine and two others—so there’s a fifty-fifty chance this person is about to plonk him or herself down right next to me.

I angle myself more towards the window and swipe my fingers beneath my eyes. I start the furious tear-banishing blinking. Stop crying, stop crying, stop crying. All I need now is for someone to see my blotchy, wet face and start asking me what’s wrong.

I hear someone settling into a seat. I don’t feel movement right beside me, so it must be the aisle seat. Fantastic. I send up a quick thank-you prayer and remind God that it would be spectacularly awesome if He could keep the seat next to me empty.

A tickle inside my left nostril alerts me to the fact that my nose is dribbling. I sniff, but it doesn’t help.Crap, where are my tissues? I lean forward and reach down by my feet for my handbag. Brown strands of hair fall in front of my face and block my vision, but if I can just get the zip open and feel past my purse to the tissues—

No. Too late. Now it’s trickling down my lip and I’m digging around in the bag and I can’t feel the stupid tissues and a drop of tear-snot just landed on my hand and yuck! I haul the ridiculous handbag—I told Jules I didn’t need something so big—onto my lap with one hand while holding the back of my other hand to my nose. And there the tissues are. Right next to my purse. Perfectly easy to find. I rip one from the packet and jam it against my nose to stop the tear-snot flood.

And that’s when I catch a glimpse of the guy sitting in the aisle seat. A quick sideways glimpse, but enough to tell me he’s cute. Excellent cheekbones, a strong jawline, and perfectly messy dark brown hair. Terrific. My nose is dripping snot in front of a cute guy. Not that I should care that he’s cute, or that he’s a guy, because it’s not like I’m going to talk to him, and it’s not like I’m even available—am I? I don’t actually know. And thinking about that makes me want to cry all over again—but STILL. I don’t want to look blotchy and snotty in front of a cute guy.


Rachel Morgan was born in South Africa and spent a large portion of her childhood living in a fantasy land of her own making. After completing a degree in genetics, she decided science wasn't for her--after all, they didn't approve of made-up facts. These days she spends much of her time immersed in fantasy land once more, writing fiction for young adults.

Author Links





Buy Link

GIVEAWAY

A $20 Amazon gift card for one winner

E-copy of THE TROUBLE WITH FLYING for two winners
  

a Rafflecopter giveaway







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Sunday, June 29, 2014

Sunday Post Edition #69




The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

This Last Week @ Books, Books The Magical Fruit
Week of June 16 – June 22
Author Interview (Bewitching Book Tours): The Cowboy and the Vampire: Rough Trails and Shallow Graves by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall
Book Blitz/#Giveaway (YA Bound) : Breaking Fences by Juliana Haygert
Release Day Blitz (InkSlinger PR): Ready to Wed by J L Berg
Book Blast/#Giveaway/#Virtual Scavenger Hunt (I Am A Reader): The Hunt for Tomorrow
Midsummer’s Eve Giveaway Hop (I Am A Reader)
Week of June 23 – June 29
Midsummer’s Eve Giveaway Hop (I Am A Reader)
Book Poll (InkSlinger PR): Help Decide What Elisabeth Grace Writes Next
Book Blast (I Am A Reader): True Colors by Kysten Lindsay Hager
Book Blast/#Giveaway (I Am A Reader): Polar Opposites by Kai Strand
Book Blast (YA Bound) : Honey Queen by Christina Mercer


Next Week @ Books, Books The Magical Fruit

Week of June 30 – July 6
PROMO Blitz/#Giveaway (Reading Addiction Blog Tours) : The Trouble With Flying by Rachel Morgan
7/1 - Release Day Blitz (YA Bound) : Goodbye To You by A.J. Matthews
7/1 - Release Day Blitz (YA Bound) : Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch
7/2 - Cover Reveal (InkSlinger PR): Illicit Desires by Taylor Michaels
Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop July 2 – July 9

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Book Blast : Honey Queen by Christina Mercer




Honey Queen
Release Date: 05/31/14

Summary from Goodreads:
Love is honey sweet,
but it comes with a fatal sting . . .



Melaina Maris needs wings to fly the gap between loving Sam and her family’s
ancient curse that forces carnal love and then kills the male lovers. She won’t
let the same fate that killed her father befall another. She refuses to allow
her goddess-created bloodline to continue. But there’s no easy way out,
especially after the curse turns her into the Honey Queen—savior to honey
bees—intensifying her charms.



To help her fulfill the curse’s demands in the least harmful way, her grandmother
takes her to mate with terminally ill Boyd. But Boyd’s gay. And an expert in
mythology. Instead of having sex, Melaina learns how she might summon the
goddess who created the first ancestor bee-charmer and cursed her bloodline.
Melaina's magic—tears to save honey bees from endangerment—could be enough to
persuade the goddess to end the curse. But an unexpected discovery soon changes
that hope, spinning Melaina into a swarm of love, friendship and death.




Available from:

Amazon





Book Excerpt
The kiss of a sting sends heat up my arm. I don’t flick away the stinger. Instead, I watch the barb pulse like a heartbeat as it unloads its venom. Pleasure and guilt war within me. I’ve never before felt the sensation of a sting, as if a swarm buzzed through my veins. Nor have I ever murdered one of my own. But life with our honey bees changed last summer. Now our connection to them is even more twisted, morphed into a love-hate battle I wish would end.

“I know,” I say with partial regret, as squadrons of bees swoop in to investigate their sister’s death. The banana-like scent of alarm pheromones fills my nose. I pull on my glove, deciding not to kill any others or further tempt fate. Even one sting raises my risk of becoming like Mom, crazy with need, using alcohol to replace her addiction to bee venom. But I had to understand what seduced my mother. I had to taste the pleasure that deceives, so that I know firsthand what I’m fighting against.

I wait until the buzzing heat of the sting fades, ignore the temptation to expose my flesh again, and continue to work the hives. Three colonies down, three more to go—just enough to pollinate our fruit orchard and release the pheromones Gran, Mom, and I need to stay alive.

A part of me misses the rows of hives that used to make up our apiary, how spring’s arrival was like a big party with a million honey bees as our guests. A bigger part of me misses my mother who, before last summer, danced in the orchard every morning and sang to me every night. Now it’s my turn to come out here in the morning and greet bees that would kill her in a wing’s flutter but that we both depend on for life.




About the Author

Christina Mercer is an award-winning author of fiction for children and
young adults. She took Writer’s Best in Show at the 2012 SCBWI CA North/Central
Regional Conference, was a Semi-Finalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakout Novel
Award Contest, and won Honorable Mention in the 21st Annual Writer's Digest
Self Published Book Awards. She holds a degree in Accounting from California
State University at Sacramento and a Certificate in Herbal Studies from Clayton
College of Natural Health. Christina resides in Northern California enjoying
life with her husband, two sons, four dogs, and about 100,000 honeybees. 



Author Links:
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GIVEAWAY:

1 ebook of Honey Queen (INT)
1 "Honey Bee" swag pack (USA). Swag will be bookmark,
buzz card, beeswax lip balm, honey sticks, honeybee charm.
a Rafflecopter giveaway





Book Blitz Organized by:

Friday, June 27, 2014

Book Blast/#Giveaway : Polar Opposites by Kai Strand



Polar OppositesPolar Opposites: Super Villain Academy #2

The supers are balanced. Academies have altered their curriculum to teach both sides of the super power spectrum. All’s well in the super world. Right?

When Mystic kidnaps Oceanus, Jeff learns it isn’t all right. Turning to the newly balanced supers for assistance, he panics to find they’ve done nothing to rescue Oceanus. When no ransom request follows, he worries Mystic’s plan never included returning his girlfriend. Frustrated, he’s forced to work with the only super willing to help. Oceanus’ ex-villain, ex-boyfriend, Set.

Mystic isn’t the only one hiding something. Nothing about Jeff is balanced. Temper flares result in scorched clothing or flying furniture, and his charm has become an indiscriminating people-magnet.

Jeff is convinced, or maybe just hopeful, that his lack of control is directly related to Oceanus being gone. But will he and Set find her before Jeff loses control completely and will they find her alive?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

They never talked about how they ended the world. Twice. Jeff glanced at Oceanus, bent over her phone in the passenger seat of his car. A curtain of black hair shielded her profile from view, but he thought he saw her smile.

He reached over and tucked her hair behind an ear. Yep, she was smiling. So was he. He felt his skin heat, but not as a side-effect of his super power ability to create fire. This heat was due to thoughts of Oci running her small warm hands down his back and tilting her face up to accept his kiss.

“ How about a movie?” Oceanus asked.

“ Which one?” Jeff replied, scanning the traffic and then his girlfriend.

Oci’s thin arms, delicate wrists, and bird-like legs that barely reached the floorboards, all gave the impression she needed protection and caring for. Whereas, with her super strength, she could lift the car they drove in onto two wheels if someone were trapped underneath.

“ Oh, perfect!” Oceanus flung her hair over her shoulder and straightened in her seat. Her smile illuminated Jeff’s peripheral vision as he concentrated on traffic. “The one I want to see starts in forty-five minutes. That gives us plenty of time to get there, get popcorn and some good seats, and watch the previews. I love the previews, don’t you?”

Jeff glanced at her again. The devilish glint in her eye made him frown. “What movie?”

Oceanus peeked through thick black lashes. Jeff was pretty sure she even batted them a bit. “What movie, Oci?”

“ Accidental Hero.” At Jeff’s groan, Oceanus chuckled. “Come on, you have to admit the storyline looks kinda familiar. Besides, the special effects look amazing. You love that crap.”

Jeff stared at the traffic and said nothing. He knew it was useless. He could mount the best argument against seeing the movie, but Oceanus always got her way. Cursing his Oceanus-shaped soft spot, he turned at the next intersection and headed toward the theater.

The whiny guitar tones of the heavy metal song Super Villain erupted from his cell phone. He looked at the display and saw Mother’s number. “Can you answer that?”

Reaching for his phone, Oceanus said, “You know, now that we aren’t technically super villains anymore, you should consider changing your ringtone.”

 

King of BadKing of Bad: Super Villain Academy #1

Jeff Mean would rather set fires than follow rules or observe curfew. He wears his bad boy image like a favorite old hoodie; that is until he learns he has superpowers and is recruited by Super Villain Academy – where you learn to be good at being bad. In a school where one kid can evaporate all the water from your body and the girl you hang around with can perform psychic sex in your head, bad takes on a whole new meaning. Jeff wonders if he’s bad enough for SVA.

He may never find out. Classmates vilify him when he develops good manners. Then he’s kidnapped by those closest to him and left to wonder who is good and who is bad. His rescue is the climactic episode that balances good and evil in the super world. The catalyst – the girl he’s crushing on. A girlfriend and balancing the Supers is good, right? Or is it…bad?

 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

 

Author Kai StrandAuthor Kai Strand

When her children were young and the electricity winked out, Kai Strand gathered her family around the fireplace and they told stories, one sentence at a time. Her boys were rather fond of the ending, “And then everybody died. The end.” Now an award winning children’s author, Kai crafts fiction for kids and teens to provide an escape hatch from their reality. With a selection of novels for young adult and middle grade readers and short stories for the younger ones, Kai entertains children of all ages, and their adults.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Blog

Pinterest * Goodreads * Google+ * Youtube

 

 

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Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 7/20/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Thursday, June 26, 2014

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Book Poll : Help Decide What Elisabeth Grace Writes Next




poll-graphicElisabeth Grace is always up for a challenge and thought it would be fun for readers to participate in deciding some details to be included in an upcoming book! Have you always wanted to decide the name of a character or what the hero’s profession will be? Now’s your chance!

Fill out the poll below and enter for a chance to WIN A SIGNED copy of Rumor Has It and Picture Perfect by Elisabeth Grace! This is an international giveaway.

And, as a bonus, Elisabeth is sharing an exclusive first look at volume one of her upcoming erotic serial, Indiscretion, which releases August 4th!

Indiscretion: Volume One

F*ck and chuck. Pump and dump. Hit it and quit it. One night stand. Didn’t matter how I branded it—that’s all she had wanted it to be. That much was clear when she left me with my pants down and my dick still out.

What she hadn’t counted on was fate intervening and our worlds colliding—again.

The day I showed back up in the life of Chloe Griffins, I knew I had to have her again. My body was hungry for another taste. Like an addict, I’d been craving another hit for months, and there she was—flesh and bone, tits and ass.

The fact that she worked for the competition should’ve been reason enough for me to leave her alone. I had a job to do that summer and f*cking Chloe wasn’t part of it. But I was like a man possessed.

I’d do whatever it took to haveher again.


Excerpt:

“Enough talk about the heavy stuff. Let’s get back to finding a guy for me to flirt with tonight.”

“I thought we’d already found one.” She nodded mischievously toward the insanely hot guy with the blue eyes.

“Yeah, right,” I scoffed. “A little out of my league, I think.”

“Oh please,” Jackie frowned. “For all we know, he could be covered in back hair and have a small dick.”

I burst out laughing and gave my friend a light smack across the arm. It took me a minute to catch my breath. “You’re horrible,” I grinned at her. “Do you know how long it’s been since I flirted with someone? Maybe I should start with more of an average Joe.”

I was in the mood for some innocent fun tonight. Being away from home and all the memories and responsibilities it held seemed to have had that affect. Even so, I had a feeling any conversation with the blue-eyed stranger had the potential to turn into something not entirely innocent.

“Alright then.” Jackie leaned in to give me a hug as the rest of the bridal party returned from the bar and placed down a variety of drinks and . In the spirit of the evening, I picked up a shot of God-knows-what neon concoction and held it in the air. The other girls followed suit.

Smiling at my friend, I shoved down the lump of nostalgia. “I’d like to propose a toast to Jackie and her upcoming nuptials. May she and Rob have a long and happy life together, full of nothing but love, trust, joy...and because it’s Jackie, a whole lot of mind-blowing sex.”

All the girls cheered and clinked the assortment of drinks and shots before tossing them back. Jackie beamed. Whether a result of alcohol, love, or the fact that I was looking to have a little fun, I couldn’t be sure. I hoped it wasn’t the latter or my friend would end up disappointed. Despite what I’d said, I had no intention of pursuing anything beyond a mild flirtation with anyone—blue-eyedstranger included.

 

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Connect with Elisabeth Grace

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Google + | Instagram

Book Blast/#Giveaway: True Colors by Kysten Lindsay Hager





True Colors CoverTrue Colors

Landry Albright enters a modeling competition with her two best friends, but runs into jealousy when she advances to the next level without them. Enter the gorgeous Devon, who also makes the first cut of the modeling contest. Devon seems like the perfect new best friend, but can their friendship survive the competition? Throw in a new boy, jealousy and loyalty issues, and insults from hair stylists. How’s a girl to deal?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

Excerpt

The competition was for girls between the ages of thirteen and seventeen, but it felt like Ericka, Tori, and I were the youngest ones there. I only saw a couple of girls from school, and the lineup looked more like something you’d see on a music video set. All the girls were gorgeous, and they had these curvy womanly bodies. I looked like a skinny little kid next to them. The first girl walked out, and I heard the judges say she “owned the runway,” and, “walked like a gazelle.” I was starting to feel ill. I wasn’t sure which way it was going to come, but I knew I had to find a bathroom — fast. I started to get out of line when Ericka grabbed my wrist.

“It’s almost time,” she said. A tiny bit of spit flew out of her mouth and hit my cheek.

I wasn’t sure why she was so intent on me going through with it, but she had a death grip on my arm, so I didn’t have much of a choice. Her number was called and she walked out to the stage. One of the other girls said she walked like a kid with sand bucket stilts on her feet, but she came back with a smirk on her face like she knew she’d get chosen.

“They said they had never seen such long legs,” she said.

Tori was next.

“She walks like a gorilla at feeding time,” said the girl behind me. I went next, and I tried to focus on not tripping over my feet. My mom’s pumps had a rubber sole on the bottom, which probably wasn’t the brightest idea seeing as my shoes were making squeaking noises as I walked. I was so nervous I couldn’t stop smiling as I walked. I looked like the plastic clown who blows up balloons with its mouth at the Pizza Palace. When I got to the end of the runway, I tried to cross my feet to turn like the other girls had, but I over rotated and ended up doing a full spin which made my kilt fan out and gave the mall walkers a view of my blue underpants. I tried to act like it was intentional and did an extra turn. One of the judges put her hand up to stop me, and I held my breath as she started to speak.



add to goodreads

 

Krysten LAuthor Biography

Krysten Lindsay Hager is an author and book addict who has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and also writes middle grade, YA, humor essays, and adult fiction. Her debut novel, TRUE COLORS, will be out June 17th from Astraea Press. She is originally from Michigan and has lived in South Dakota, Portugal, and currently resides in Southern Ohio where you can find her reading and writing when she’s not catching up on her favorite shows.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

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Blast Giveaway


$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 8/8/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, June 20, 2014

Midsummer’s Eve Giveaway Hop– June 21 – June 30







Summer Reading


GoodReads Synopsis

On the face of it, Rebecca Bloomwood has it all. Confident, single and happily living in des-res Fulham with her best friend Suze, she's a financial journalist who spends her days writing articles advising other people on the importance of budgeting and prudent investing. Her private life is a different story though; Rebecca manages her own finances in a way that would make most of her readers' hair curl--for Rebecca is a woman on a mission--she just can't stop spending.

I look up and I'm in front of Octagon. My favourite shop in the whole world. Three floors of clothes, accessories, furnishing, gifts, coffee shops, juice bars and a florist which makes you want to fill your entire home with flowers. I've got my purse with me. Just something small, to cheer me up. A T-shirt or something. Or even some bubble bath. I won't spend much. I'll just go in and... I'm already pushing my way through the doors. Oh God, the relief. The warmth, the light. This is where I belong. This is my natural habitat.



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Thursday, June 19, 2014

Book Blitz : Breaking Fences by Juliana Haygert








Breaking Fences (The Breaking Series, #2)
Genre: NA contemporary romance
Word Count: ~80,000
Release date: June/2014

Cover by: Okay Creations

Summary from Goodreads:
All Beatriz “Bia” Fernandes wants is to prove herself—to her family and friends—though it’s hard to prove anything with an overbearing father and three famous polo-playing older brothers. After her acceptance into college results in a heated family argument, the Brazilian girl leaves everything behind to find her own American dream.



College life away from home is perfect until the people she believes to be her friends turn on her. With lies and rumors threatening to suffocate her, Bia turns to her only freedom. Riding.



But one thing gets in the way of her escape. Garrett Blackwell and his bad cowboy attitude. Working at the ranch is his obligation, bugging Bia is his newfound hobby. His thick skin and easy grin don’t hide what Bia already knows—this misunderstood and lonely cowboy fights his own demons. Brushing horses’ coats and mucking out stalls shouldn’t be this sexy, and it isn’t long before he becomes a part of her distraction.



However, escaping won’t solve her problems, and it’s up to Bia to break down the fences around her and prove her strength—not to her family and friends, but to herself … and for Garrett. Because standing on her own doesn’t have to mean standing alone.

** Companion novel of Breaking the Reins. Can be read out of order.**




Available from:
Amazon | B&N | Kobo iBooks




Breaking Fences – Excerpt 01:

Tom was working on untacking the horses, while Carl hosed them down, and another man brought the tack inside the stables. Eyeing Midnight Dream, I dismounted close to them, and started unbuckling Pepper’s saddle. If they let me, I would do it all myself. Midnight saw me and slowly approached me. He poked my back with his muzzle while I unstrapped Pepper’s saddle.
“You want to play, big boy?” He poked me again, nickering. I laughed.
The trainer came out of the stables, and I froze with the saddle in my arms. Midnight Dream shot away from me, and not having seen or recognized me, the trainer chased after the horse for a couple of minutes until he finally caught his reins.
The trainer turned to bring the horse to the stables and halted, his eyes on me.
“What are you doing here?” Garrett asked. His brows knotted in a deep frown.
I forced myself to move and set the saddle on the fence rail. “Riding.” I kicked my foot in the air, showing off my black and white cowboy boots. “Did you think these were just for show?” I picked up a hose. “And you’re a trainer here?”
Without acknowledging my question, he led the horse inside.
Whatever.
I hosed Pepper off and she nickered in delight.
A moment later, Garrett was by my side. He took the hose from me. “I’m an instructor, a trail guide, a trainer, caretaker, handyman, and everything else in between.” He washed Pepper’s hot coat. “I work here full time.”
“Of all the places I could have chosen to ride,” I whispered, taking a step back. Which wasn’t true. There weren’t that many places around.
He finished hosing Pepper, and then pulled her inside the stable. I followed, but only because I had to go through it to reach the parking lot on the other side. However, with Garrett walking right in front of me, it was hard to focus on anything else. He wore fitted blue jeans, a gray T-shirt that showed a hint of the muscles under it, his brown boots, and hat. There was a small stain of sweat right between his shoulder blades, and I wondered if I could get close enough to sniff him. Not that I liked sweat per se, but a hot guy sweating from hard work? Add that to a great natural scent and I was done for.
I wasn’t a slut like the girls from the sorority made me look like, but I wasn’t a saint either. I liked boys. I liked staring at boys. I liked kissing boys. I liked … I sighed.
Garrett opened a stall and put Pepper in. He closed the door and picked up a bucket of water for her. I leaned over the door and caressed her long neck.
“Thanks for the ride, girl. I needed it.”
I turned and found Garrett right behind me. He stared at me with those hazel eyes, and I wondered what was going on in his mind. He probably had heard about the lies Audrey and Sarah were spreading about me. I wouldn’t be surprised if he believed them. Everyone on campus, except for Phoebe, believed them. What could I do? I seemed to have “Brazilian Slut” stamped on my forehead.
“I … I should go.” I turned to the door as the girl sauntered out of the tack room.
She flipped her long, blond hair back and looked me up and down with disinterest before shifting her gaze to Garrett. “Am I dismissed?”
“Yes, Delilah,” Garrett said, walking around me to meet her.
The girl, who couldn’t be older than eighteen, stopped by Midnight Dream’s stall. “Goodbye, M.D.” She reached her hand inside, but the horse retreated.
I frowned.
“Hey, if it isn’t the Brazilian girl,” Jonah’s voice filled the air, and I turned toward it. He was entering the stable. “What a nice surprise.”





Companion Book:

(cover linked to Goodreads)


About the Author:
New Adult author and contributor at NA Alley blog.
While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.


Author Links:

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***GIVEAWAY***
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Book Blitz Organized by:

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Kindle Fire #Giveaway #2




Enter to win 1 of 2 great prizes. Winner’s choice of a Kindle Fire HDX or $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 Paypal Cash!

The first prize is available via the rafflecopter below. The 2nd is available only to bloggers who post about this giveaway. You can find info on how to enter the 2nd giveaway in the rafflecopter.

June Kindle Fire

 

Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)



The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)
 

Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
 

Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)
 

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Giveaway Details

1 winner will receive their choice of an all new Kindle Fire 7" HDX (US Only - $229 value), $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash (International).

There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire HDX 7", $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash.

Ends 7/15/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Book Blast/#Giveaway/#Virtual Scavenger Hunt : The Hunt for Tomorrow




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THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW

22 AUTHORS. 3 DYSTOPIAN BOXED SETS. 1 MASSIVE EVENT.

A virtual scavenger hunt through twenty-two fictional dystopias.

Friday, July 18 at 6:00pm (EST) - Sunday, July 20 at 6:00pm (EST).

Join THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW, an on-line scavenger hunt, and embark on a virtual odyssey through twenty-two dystopian futures. Become an intrepid scavenger and solve clues at each of the dystopian author stops as you navigate your way to the finish line where you’ll be entered into a random draw for the Grand Prize. For each correct answer collected along the way you’ll get an additional chance to win. During The Hunt, the authors will offer up their own exclusive material, sneak peeks, contests, and giveaways at their individual stops on The Hunt, giving all scavengers multiple chances to win bonus prizes.

The twenty-two participating indie authors include best-selling, award-winning and emerging writers from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom who all have books included in three dystopian boxed sets - - What Tomorrow May Bring, A Taste Of Tomorrow, and Shattered Worlds.

In a unique collaboration of story-telling, nineteen of the authors will write a progressive short story over nineteen days following The Hunt. The Grand Prize Winner of The Hunt For Tomorrow will name characters and contribute the title for this dystopian world, and all participants in The Hunt will receive an advance copy of the story for an exclusive period before it is made available as a free download. The Grand Prize also includes a signed copy of books included in the boxed sets, an ebook of all the boxed sets, and the first copy of this one-of-a-kind progressive story.

THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW begins at http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com on Friday, July 18 at 6:00pm (EST) and ends on Sunday, July 20 at 6:00pm (EST). The Hunt is on for one weekend only, although there is no time-limit for completing the course. The Hunt is open to scavengers around the world; there is no cost to enter and one grand prize winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries.

Go to THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW for details and the full list of participating authors.

JOIN THE HUNT. JULY 18-20.

 

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$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 7/20/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Monday, June 16, 2014

Release Day Blitz/#Giveaway: Ready to Wed by J L Berg



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Title: Ready to Wed
Series: Ready #1.5
Author: JL Berg
Publication Date: June 16, 2014
Summary: “You are my family, my future and my forever.”

After a long road filled with trials and tears, they’ve finally made it to the other side—a place where beginnings are made. Life is always an uphill journey, but together, they are ready for anything.

Be there when Clare Murray becomes Mrs. Logan Matthews…

Ready to Wed…a novella from the bestselling Ready series.

Includes bonus short story, Never Been More Ready, which gives readers a glimpse into the lives of Leah and Declan as they prepared for one of life’s greatest joys – parenthood!




Goodreads Link
Amazon Link: Coming soon!




About JL Berg: J.L. Berg is the USA Today bestselling author of the Ready Series. She is a California native living in the beautiful state of historic Virginia. Married to her high school sweetheart, they have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she's not writing, you will find her with her nose stuck in a romance novel, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate. J.L. Berg is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.

Website: www.jlberg.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorjlberg
Twitter: @authorjlberg
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/authorjlberg


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Author Interview : The Cowboy and the Vampire: Rough Trails and Shallow Graves by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall






Little Blurb about yourself:


1. Who or what inspired you to become a writer?

It must have been something both our mother’s ate while we were in the womb because each one of us came out spewing words. Clark cut his teeth on cowboy poetry, inspired by the majestic and seemingly endless mountain ranges surrounding him during his Montana cattle ranch childhood. Kathleen, on the other hand, turned her words toward the microscopic and found post-womb inspiration in geology. Although, now in hindsight, we can say we were both inspired by the natural landscape, especially the American west. This reverence plays out in a big way in the setting of The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection.

2. How long did it take you to write (title of book you're promoting)?

It took us about a year to write The Cowboy and the Vampire: Rough Trails and Shallow Graves. We’re getting better. We published book one — The Cowboy and the Vampire: A Very Unusual Romance — in 1999 and it was more than a decade before we finished book two, The Cowboy and the Vampire: Blood and Whiskey. We’re epic procrastinators. We could probably write faster, but it takes a surprising amount of time for a married couple writing together to argue about plot, character and commas. Well, the arguing is only half of it; it takes time to make up too (the fun part). In the end, however, we think the fussing about the writing makes the book considerably stronger.

3. While writing how many times do you go back and rewrite a plot?

The plot itself stay relatively constant. But we rewrite individual scenes dozens of times. However, by this time, in book three, the characters are well-established and they often write their own scenes, in a way, oddly. It’s clear how they will behave and so it becomes easier to write their actions and words.

4. You run into a bookstore, where do you go first?

Clark makes a beeline for the latest graphic novels and then heads for non-fiction, often history-based. Kathleen peruses the new literary fiction releases and then ambles toward the science shelf.

5. How many books in a month do you tend to read?

On average, we each probably read three books a month.

6. In all the books you've read. Who is your most favorite character and why?

That’s tough and changes daily! For Kathleen, today, it’s detective Jack Daniels in the series by J.A. Konrath. For Clark, it’s Corporal Louis Barthas, a World War One trench soldier whose journals were recently rediscovered and translated into English in a book called Poilu.

7. State 5 random facts about yourself.

Clark: Loves clouds; is a discriminating whiskey aficionado; hates the sounds that flip flops make; once accidentally shot himself in the leg and bled all over his sky-blue tuxedo on the way to the prom; collects antique knives.

Kathleen: Loves rocks; hates the Muppets; can’t understand people who speak with British accents; has musical anhedonia; wears only black (occasionally gray).

8. Your favorite Genre?

Western Gothic, of course!

9. What are you currently reading?

Kathleen has just started The Jack Daniels series by J.A. Konrath after finishing Ignorance: How it Drives Science by Stuart Firestein (kind of a literary whiplash there!)

Clark is working through The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman (yes, it’s helping).

10. What is the best book you've read?

For Kathleen, it’s Anna Karenina by Tolstoy; For Clark, its Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. There’s an unexpected connection there. Check out Jared Diamond to discover it.

11. Any new projects coming up?

Yes! We are working on book four of The Cowboy and Vampire Collection. We’ve promised our readers that we will quickly resolve the “issue” that occurs between Tucker and Lizzie at the end of book three. Right now, we are naming a new evil character. Any ideas for evil sounding names?

Here’s your chance to market your book. Describe it. And why readers should pick it up?

The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection is a beautiful, dark love story, like life itself. And, we’re told, all of the books will make you laugh out loud!

Where you can find Clark and Kathleen:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cowboyandvampire

Twitter: @cowboyvamp

Goodreads: Clark Hays or Kathleen McFall

Website: www.cowboyandvampire.com

Instagram: @cowboyvampire




Rough Trails and Shallow Graves
The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection
Book Three
Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Western Romance

Publisher: Pumpjack Press

Date of Publication: May 5, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-9838200-4-8

Number of pages: 358
Word Count: 82,900

Cover Artist: Aaron Perkins

Book Description:

Say goodbye to LonePine, Wyoming, a typical small town in the American west with typical small town problems — romantic intrigues, warm beer and vampires.

When Lizzie goes missing on their wedding night, Tucker is forced to team up with his bloodthirsty Russian nemesis to find answers. Crashing through cowboy country, the vampire spirit world and wrecked salmon canneries, they confront an evil more ancient than even the undead — human greed — twisting science into something terrible.

Can there be a happily-ever-after for a cowboy and vampire, or is their unusual love just a delusion? Time to cowboy up.

This is the third book in The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection.

Available at Amazon



Reviews of the first two books….

Introducing racial issues isn’t the only adjustment the authors have made to the vampire mythos, but it’s more than just the details that set this series apart. Rather, it’s the way the authors utilize those details to create meaningful conflicts and world-altering choices for the characters...the book is first and foremost a thriller, upping the ante in every chapter as bullets fly and relationships strain under the weight of old loyalties and new revelations…with strong writing, funny characters (no irony is lost on one vampiress who takes to sporting a “Future Farmers of America” jacket) and plenty of action, it’s hard to fault the authors for keeping the focus on a story this riveting. ~ Kirkus Reviews

As a vampire novel, The Cowboy and the Vampire is sure to satisfy Dracula fans’ expectations. However, this book has a little something extra to offer readers. A little something that harkens back to the days when man fought against the wild in the name of civilization. Hays and McFall have succeeded in mixing the Western genre tropes with the Gothic conventions to create a zany grey romance.
~ Writastic Thoughts from the Thinking Realm

One of the weirdest stories I have ever read. It’s right up there with Neil Gaiman’s man-swallowing woman parts and talking tents. Instead, here we have rocket-launching, womb-sucking, Bible-bending, non-pointy-toothed vampires. And love. And cowboys. Depending on what you are looking for, that might be a good thing. If I had to liken this book to a movie, it would either be to Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, or maybe more appropriately, Quentin Tarantino’s From Dusk to Dawn.
~ The Avid Reader

The Cowboy and the Vampire: A Very Unusual Romance is one of the funniest and most engaging books I have read in a long time. Jam-packed with adventure, vampires, true love, and a cast of characters you will not soon forget, you find yourself turning the pages thinking, “What more could possibly happen to these two?” And then, you find out. I never imagined the melding of a contemporary western and a paranormal romance could ever be so seamless or so much fun.
~ Bitten by Books

A choice and very much recommended read, not to be missed. Relationships are tumultuous when they may only last a few decades, but when they last eternity, it can get more difficult. “Blood and Whiskey” is a novel of adventure, horror, and cowboys as a follow up to previous novel ‘The Cowboy and the Vampire’, as couple Tucker and Lizzie retreat to a tiny town to of LonePine, hoping to settle down, but the reality of the Vampires on their trail may make that an impossibility. A riveting read that explores many concepts on top of the intrigue of vampires in the lawless lands of the west, “Blood and Whiskey” is a choice and very much recommended read, not to be missed. ~ Midwest Book Review, Micah Andrew, Reviewer

If you’re looking for a combination of sex, blood and Western romance, pour yourself a shot of the good stuff and settle in for a wickedly good read.
~ Renee Struthers, Eastern Oregonian Newspaper
About the Authors:

Between the two of them, Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall have worked in writing jobs ranging from cowboy-poet to energy journalist to restaurant reviewer to university press officer. After they met, their writing career took center stage when they wrote the first book in The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection as a test for marriage. They passed. Clark and Kathleen now live in Portland, Oregon.

www.cowboyandvampire.com

www.facebook.com/cowboyandvampire

@cowboyvamp (Twitter)

@cowboyvampire (Instagram)