Luna Rising by Selene Castrovilla

Luna Rising
by Selene Castrovilla

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website | Blog
Facebook | Pinterest
Twitter

Release date: April 25, 2017
Publisher: Last Syllable Books
Genre: Chicklit
Paperback: 450 pages
Rating: 3.5

First sentence(s):
Luna peered through her peephole, watching Trip cut across her yard past the inflated Santa. He was an hour late—early for him.

Life begins at thirty-eight for Long Island mom and writer Luna Lampanelli, when she kicks her secretly gay husband to the curb. She’s got her freedom, but what she wants is love.

Luna knows she doesn’t need a man to exist, but try telling that to her heart. Against the advice of Sunny, her snarky best friend, and Jiminy, the cautioning voice in Luna’s head that just won’t shut up, Luna sets course to find a mate.

Luna speed and on-line dates her way into several short-lived, surreal relationships. There’s Ari, the humorless Israeli who refuses to assimilate – to America, and to humanity. There’s Alex, the young and handsome ex-crackhead who informs Luna he doesn’t want to be monogamous while they’re in bed. There’s Memphis, the wild-eyed sadomasochist. There’s Red, angry and crippled, who becomes the catalyst for Luna to join Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous.

But before Luna can proceed to recovery, she meets the elusive but oh so appealing Trip. He’s emotionally unavailable and has the Madonna-Whore Complex, but how can Luna (aka “whore”) let him go when she enjoys his dry wit so much, and his naked body even more?

Humorously haunting and packed with unspeakable truths, Luna Rising follows a woman’s funny and heart-breaking struggle to relate with un-relatable men and an un-relatable world, and to figure out something even more un-relatable: herself.

My two-bits:

This story explores the contemporary singles scene as a newly divorced mother of two young children.

Navigating through the dating world and trying to forge relationships to avoid singledom is the focus. The theme "looking for love in all the wrong places" hits home with this read. At some points it was frustrating and painful to see the main character, Luna, make the choices she did.

Loved Luna's best friend, Sunny, who provided a chuckle or two.

A lot of inner dialogue going on, so beware if you are not into this.

About the author:

Selene Castrovilla is the award-winning author of multiple narrative nonfiction picture books and young adult novels. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School and a BA in English from New York University. She lives on Long Island with her two sons and too many cats.

--~ Blog Tour Giveaway ~--
WIN $25 Gift Card to Amazon or Book Depository (International)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~*~
* review copy courtesy of book tour (here) sponsored by JHPR

Feb 1st - A Nook for Books
Feb 2nd - Her Book Thoughts
Feb 3rd - A Leisure Moment
Feb 7th - Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf
Feb 10th - A Chick Who Reads
Feb 13th - Actin' Up With Books
Feb 14th - The Invisible Diva
Feb 16th - Reese's Reviews
Feb 20th - Bookish
Feb 22nd - Jersey Girl Book Reviews
Feb 24th - vvb32 reads​

Perfectly Good Crime by Dete Meserve

Perfectly Good Crime
by Dete Meserve

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Facebook
Twitter @DeteMeserve

Just released: February 27, 2016
Publisher: Melrose Hill Publishing
Genre: Mystery, Los Angeles
Paperback: 288 pages
Rating: 3.5

Kate Bradley Mystery series:
Good Sam
Perfectly Good Crime

First sentence(s):
My heels dug into the muddy ground as I clambered up the hill. Cries for help mingled with the drone of helicopters overhead, filling the early evening air. I had no idea what I would see at the top of that hill, but I suspected it would give me nightmares for a long time to come.

When the estates of the 100 wealthiest Americans are targeted in a series of sophisticated, high tech heists, Los Angeles TV news reporter Kate Bradley must venture inside the world of the super rich to investigate the biggest story of the year.

As the heists escalate, Kate’s search is thwarted when the Los Angeles police detective she’s been working with mysteriously disappears, her senator father demands that she stop reporting on the heists, and the billionaire victims refuse to talk to the media. Kate uncovers clues that those behind the robberies have shocking, yet uplifting, motives—it just may be a perfectly good crime that brings about powerful change.

Further complicating her life is a dream job awaiting her in New York, a choice that could shatter from her deepening relationship with Fire Captain Eric Hayes. Kate must trust her instincts—and her heart—in a high stakes search that will test everything she believes and force her to decide where she belongs.

My two-bits:

I did not read book one in this series, but this one was fine as a standalone.

Good intentions is the feeling I get with this one in regards to the crime and with the story itself.

The mystery is revealed through various interviews and speculations by the main character, Kate.

I liked the references to L.A. locations. The settings were captured pretty well. As well as the perspectives of being a reporter and politician in L.A.

A touch of romance and love triangle action is inserted into the story. As this is book two in a series, it looks like Kate could easily end up with either suitor.

Got me thinking of charity funds and fundraising.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of and part of Summer Reading Challenge (here) @booksparks #SRC2016 #BestSummerEver

The Book of Aron by Jim Shepard

The Book of Aron
by Jim Shepard

Find out more about this book and author:
Powells
Goodreads
Website
Twitter @jimshepardfan

Published: 2015
Publisher: Knopf
Genre: Historical, WW2
Hardback: 272 pages
Rating: 3.5

First sentence(s):
My mother and father named me Aron, but my father said they should have named me What Have You Done, and my uncle told everyone they should have called me What Were You Thinking.

Aron, the narrator, is an engaging if peculiar and unhappy young boy whose family is driven by the German onslaught from the Polish countryside into Warsaw and slowly battered by deprivation, disease, and persecution. He and a handful of boys and girls risk their lives by scuttling around the ghetto to smuggle and trade contraband through the quarantine walls in hopes of keeping their fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters alive, hunted all the while by blackmailers and by Jewish, Polish, and German police, not to mention the Gestapo.

When his family is finally stripped away from him, Aron is rescued by Janusz Korczak, a doctor renowned throughout prewar Europe as an advocate of children’s rights who, once the Nazis swept in, was put in charge of the Warsaw orphanage. Treblinka awaits them all, but does Aron manage to escape — as his mentor suspected he could — to spread word about the atrocities?

Jim Shepard has masterfully made this child's-eye view of the darkest history mesmerizing, sometimes comic despite all odds, truly heartbreaking, and even inspiring. Anyone who hears Aron's voice will remember it forever.

My two-bits:

I found this to be a look at a Jewish ghetto during WWII from a teen boy's perspective. The main character, Aron, interacts with a variety of people to present life at this time period. Although, by the end of the story I felt the focus on Janusz Korczak and became more curious and interested in him than Aron.

~*~

Tournament of Books short list nominee (details)

Silent Circle by Cassandra Larsen

Silent Circle
(The Witches Circle #1)
by Cassandra Larsen

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Facebook
Twitter @LarsenBooks

Published: 2014
Publisher: self
Genre: Fantasy, Witches, YA
ebook
Rating: 3.5

The Witches Circle series:
Silent Circle
Deceitful Circle
Shattered Circle - coming soon

First sentence(s):
Most teens get a car for their seventeenth birthday. Me? I get inducted into a freaky coven of witches.

“Most teens get a car for their seventeenth birthday. Me? I get inducted into a freaky coven of witches.”

When Emerson wakes up on her seventeenth birthday, she has no idea that her life will change forever. After her mother’s inexplicable suicide three years ago, she’s gotten used to the scorn and sideways looks of her classmates. She knows that everyone believes her mother was crazy, and that it’s only a matter of time before Emerson cracks herself. So when Emerson starts seeing auras and hearing voices, she begins to think that the rest of the town may be right.

That is, until Caiden, an enigmatic boy from her class, tells her that she’s a witch, just like her mother. With the truth revealed, a whole new world opens up to Emerson, a world she soon discovers holds its own dangers.

Caiden agrees to help Emerson navigate this secret world, training her to control her newfound abilities. But Caiden isn’t the only witch in town. When a rival coven shows up to recruit Emerson, she has to decide whether to join Caiden’s coven, or risk facing these dangerous witches alone.

My two-bits:

I felt this was a slow introduction to this world of witches, but interesting. My curiosity is always peaked when I come across male witches as we usually only see female ones in the forefront.

This story is a coming-into-witch story for the main character, Emerson. It is a totally new world for her so we get to learn about it as she does.

Most of the story though is high school related drama that Emerson encounters when trying to juggle a boyfriend, girlfriends and the secret witch world she is getting into.


About the author:

I graduated from The College of New Jersey with a degree in English Education. An avid reader of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, I have been dreaming up stories from a very early age. Silent Circle is my first novel. I live near Baltimore with my husband and son.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

* part of the R.I.P. X challenge (here)

The Demon's Grave by E.M. MacCallum (with giveaway)

The Demon's Grave
by E.M. MacCallum

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Blog
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter @EMMacCallum

Just released: June 17, 2015
Publisher: National Library & Archives of Canada
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Paperback: 434 pages
Rating: 3.5

Series:
Demon's Grave
Midnight Ruling

First sentence(s):
Each syllable of her practiced incantation was perfect to her ears.

When strange shadows and messages plague Nora's daily life she fears for her sanity. To escape questions from her family, Nora joins her friends on a weekend getaway. Despite not liking Aidan Birket, Nora finds his remote, Victorian house charming. Until they discover the marble doorway on the third floor and, against Nora's better judgment, they open it.

Trespassing into an unfamiliar world called the Demon's Grave, the group face a charismatic demon and six nightmarish Challenges as punishment. Those that make it to the end can go home, but those that don't will be his forever. Friendships are tested, secrets revealed and sacrifices will be made.

Nora battles zombies, doppelgängers, eyeless bikers, and the demon—whose interests are more than just a game of cat and mouse. If it's all in her head, then it should be easy. But, if not, it means the demon knows about her sticky past, and the death of her twin sister.

Zombie sighting:
I did a zombie shuffle to my bedroom for clothes.
-chapter 2, page 18

My two-bits:

Perfect for the Halloween season with lots of paranormal action (zombie fighting, too) which keeps this story hopping.

The story starts out with a visit to an old Victorian house that gives off a haunted house vibe. But, quickly turns into something else more disturbing and creepy.

There is an ensemble cast of characters, but the focus in this book was on Nora and Aidan. A little of their backstories slowly get revealed as they accomplish their demon challenges.

And a touch of romance is introduced amidst the chaos.

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--signup to win this book (here)
~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

* part of the R.I.P. X challenge (here)

If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins

If You Only Knew
by Kristan Higgins

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter @Kristan_Higgins

Just released: August 25, 2015
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Chick-lit
Hardback: 416 pages
Rating: 3.5

First sentence(s):
Today is one of those days when I realize that staying friends with my ex-husband was a huge mistake.

Zombie sighting:
Five minutes later, I watch as the girls, who could sleep though being eaten by zombies, are packed into the minivan.
-kindle, location 4214, chapter

The drama, hilarity and tears of sisterhood are at the heart of the thoroughly captivating new novel by New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins—a funny, frank and bittersweet look at marriage, forgiveness and moving on.

Letting go of her ex-husband is harder than wedding-dress designer Jenny Tate expected… especially since his new wife wants to be Jenny's new best friend. Sensing this isn't exactly helping her achieve closure, Jenny trades the Manhattan skyline for her hometown up the Hudson, where she'll start her own business and bask in her sister Rachel's picture-perfect family life… and maybe even find a little romance of her own with Leo, her downstairs neighbor, a guy who's utterly irresistible and annoyingly distant at the same time.

Rachel's idyllic marriage, however, is imploding after she discovers her husband sexting with a colleague. She always thought she'd walk away in this situation, but her triplet daughters have her reconsidering her stance on adultery, much to Jenny's surprise. Rachel points to their parents' perfect marriage as a shining example of patience and forgiveness; but to protect her sister, Jenny may have to tarnish that memory—and their relationship­—and reveal a family secret she's been keeping since childhood.

Both Rachel and Jenny will have to come to terms with the past and the present and find a way to get what they want most of all.

My two-bits:

The story flip flops between the love lives of two sisters - one is married and the other divorced/single. However, there is also a third storyline of a secondary character which was entertaining to follow.

Each sister is forced to assess their relationships when it comes to men and love. Weddings, marriage and fidelity are issues brought about in this tale.

The story was a bit slow-going for me, but had a satisfying ending.

About the author:

Kristan Higgins is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA TODAY and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of more than a dozen novels and a two-time winner of the Romance Writers of America RITA Award. Her books have been translated into more than twenty languages and received numerous starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal, Kirkus and Romantic Times. She is a four-time nominee for The Kirkus Prize for best work of fiction.

Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, National Public Radio, Library Journal, iBooks and Amazon have named Kristan's books to their best books of the year numerous times. The author is a popular speaker at schools, writers conferences, bookstores and book festivals.

Before she was a writer, Kristan worked in advertising and public relations. She waited tables and nannied while in high school and college, cleaned houses as a young mother, and is the proud descendant of a laundress and a butcher.

The author loves animals, children (even teenagers), the New York Yankees and dessert.

Along with her heroic and tolerant firefighter husband and two snarky and entertaining children, Kristan lives in her hometown in Connecticut.

~*~
* ebook review copy courtesy of publisher

A Sporting Murder by Lesley A. Diehl

A Sporting Murder
by Lesley A. Diehl

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter @LesleyDiehl

Release date: July 15, 2015
Publisher: Camel Press
Genre: Cozy Murder Mystery
Paperback: 250 pages
Rating: 3.5

Eve Appel Mystery series:
A Second Hand Murder
Dead In The Water
A Sporting Murder

It's smooth sailing for Eve Appel and her friend Madeleine, owners of Second to None Consignment Shop in rural Florida's Sabal Bay, land of swamps, cowboys, and lots and lots of 'gators. Eve and her detective boyfriend Alex have joined Madeleine and her new beau David Wilson for a pleasure cruise on his boat. But cloudy, dangerous waters lie ahead. A near fatal encounter with Blake Reed, David's supremely nasty neighbor, is soon followed by a shooting death on the dividing line between David and Blake's land. Both men run sport-hunting reserves, but Blake imports "exotics" from Africa and promotes gator killing, while David stays within the law, pointing clients toward the abundant quail and turkey as well as the wild pigs that ravage the landscape. Nevertheless, when a mutual client is killed, it is David who is arrested and charged with murder.

Blake's nastiness is only exceeded by that of his wife, Elvira, who forces Eve and Madeleine out of their shop, intending to replace it with a consignment shop of her own. It seems that bad luck looms over them all, even Eve's brawny and hard-to-resist Miccosukee Indian friend Sammy, whose nephew has disappeared. As the case against David grows stronger and his friends' misfortunes multiply, Eve and her strange and diverse group of friends, including her ex, a mobster, her grandma, and Sammy's extended family, band together to take on the bad guys. But the waters are getting muddier and more troubled, and Eve and Madeleine may end up inundated in every sense of the word.

My two-bits:

It could be because I started this series at book 3, but I had a little bit of a hard time distinguishing who was who as character descriptions and back story were lacking for me. Just wanted to mention that the experience reading would be enhanced by reading books 1 and 2 first.

For the most part the mystery had interesting elements in regards to the world of sport hunting "exotics".

About the author:

Lesley A. Diehl retired from her life as a professor of psychology and reclaimed her country roots by moving to a small cottage in the Butternut River Valley in upstate New York. In the winter she migrates to old Florida--cowboys, scrub palmetto, and open fields of grazing cattle, a place where spurs still jingle in the post office. Back north, she devotes her afternoons to writing and, when the sun sets, relaxing on the bank of her trout stream, sipping tea or a local microbrew.


--~ Blog Tour Giveaway ~--
a Rafflecopter giveaway

~*~
* added this to my Bookish Bingo challenge - square:

* review copy and giveaway courtesy of book tour sponsored by Tribute Books Blog Tours.

Blue Sun, Yellow Sky by Jamie Hoang

Blue Sun, Yellow Sky
by Jamie Hoang

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter @heyjamie

Release date: April 25, 2015
Publisher: HJ Press
Genre: Art, Women's Fiction
Paperback: 298 pages
Rating: 3.5

Hailed as “One of the best technical painters of our time” by an L.A. Times critic, 27 year-old, Aubrey Johnson's work is finally gaining traction. But as she weaves through what should be a celebration of her art, a single nagging echo of her doctor’s words refuses to stay silent—there is no cure. In less than eight weeks Aubrey is going blind.

Traveling on a one-way ticket around the world with childhood friend Jeff Anderson, Aubrey is in complete denial. But a blindfolded game of tasting foreign foods in China jolts her into confronting the reality of her situation. So begins her quest.

In this adult coming of age story, Aubrey struggles to make sense of her crippling diagnosis. But on her journey she finds a deeper understanding of herself and her life—sometimes fragmented and complex, but always with relentless truth.

My two-bits:

This tale is a combination of travel, art, coming of age and transformation - with also a touch of romance.

Most of the book is a journey to different parts of the world which includes some wonders of the world. The descriptions of some of the places visited got me adding them to my destination to travel wish list.

Because the main character is an artist, the perspective of things had a creative and colorful quality.

Although the main topic of going blind is a bit heartbreaking, it is handled well with a positive attitude.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

* added this to my Bookish Bingo challenge - square: April release

* fyi: BLUE SUN, YELLOW SKY was a finalist in the North Texas RWA’s “Great Expectations” Contest, and was recently named one of Kirkus Reviews’ Indie books of the Month (February 2015 issue).

Years and an Ocean by Jo Noelle

Years and an Ocean
by Jo Noelle

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Twitter @AuthorJoNoelle

Published: 2014
Publisher: Little Box Press LLC
Genre: Historical, Romance, YA
Paperback: 330 pages
Rating: 3.5

Going to a séance was supposed to be a harmless diversion in Victorian England, but for Delia Spencer, it was life altering. Since that day, she has been plagued by fainting spells, while her consciousness visits Elle Thomas more than a century in the future. In modern-day New York, Elle has kept secret the dream-like memories of Delia’s life. As the visits have become more frequent, Elle is confused about what is her life and what is not. Back in England, Delia’s father is determined to marry her off to any marginally suitable man before her illness becomes known to society. But will Delia consent, now that she’s had a taste of Elle’s independence?

Zombie sighting:
"What?" My stomach flutters, and not in a good way — one, because I automatically react with excitement to hearing his voice even when I don't want to, and two, because he's here in my kitchen when I look like a zombie. "Who let you in?"
-chapter 4

My two-bits:

This story switches back and forth between the past plight of a Victorian girl and present day high school teen in regards to love and romance.

Both perspectives of the same person (in past and present) were engaging to read. The oppressiveness of the Victorian era comes out well. While I usually like to read of the fashion and etiquette of the times, it and was portrayed as very un-glamourous.

On the flip-side, the modern day was true and in keeping with today's teens and troubles.

I liked how memories and insight from each character played a part in each other's lives.

An interesting concept to ponder is introduced about a person's soul and what can come about in a paranormal sense.

--~ Blog Tour Giveaway ~--signup to win this book here
~*~
* added this to my Bookish Bingo challenge - square: Parallel Universes

* review copy and giveaway courtesy of book tour - check out the other stops here for more details on this book and goodies sponsored by I Am A Reader.

Race To Tibet by Sophie Schiller (with giveaway)

Race To Tibet
by Sophie Schiller

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Facebook
Twitter @SophieSchiller

Just released: January 26, 2015
Publisher: Tradewinds Publishing
Genre: Adventure, Historical, France
Paperback: 336 pages
Rating: 3.5

An intrepid band of explorers headed by Gabriel Bonvalot, France’s greatest explorer, and his partner, Prince Henri d’Orléans, attempt to be the first living Europeans to reach Lhasa. Before they leave Paris, Bonvalot meets Camille Dancourt, the beautiful, strong-willed wife of a French surveyor who disappeared in Tibet, who desperately wishes to join the expedition.

When the caravan sets out they face freezing temperatures, violent winds, mountain sickness, hostile Tibetans, duplicitous Chinese Mandarins, and a beguiling Tibetan Buddhist princess with a deadly secret.

When the explorers reach Tibet, they discover a land of mystery and intrigue, a land of danger that promises them only one thing: death. On the verge of collapse, Bonvalot realizes they must resort to deadly force if they ever wish to escape Tibet alive.

My two-bits:

For the most part, this story was a travelogue (without pictures). It went into the details and logistics of a caravan traveling to, in and around Tibet during the 1800s. Along with horrendous weather and terrain conditions to battle at times, local people and authorities in regards to paperwork, official documents and bribes created road blocks to contend with as well.

Despite different personalities and reasons to travel, the key characters of this story shared the same one-track mind and determination to get through the journey.

Although there was a woman in this expedition, not much of her experience is presented. I would have liked to read more about what she had to deal with during her travels. For instance, how did she deal with personal grooming i.e. the monthly periods?

I was also curious to know more about the different cultures they encountered and wanted more colorful descriptions of the people and surroundings.

There is also a side story of a missing person mystery that carries to the end.

The author's notes revealed how the two explorers came to be the focus of this story which was a fun trivia bit to learn about.

About the author:

Sophie Schiller was born in Paterson, NJ and grew up in the West Indies.

Among other oddities her family tree contains a Nobel prize-winning physicist and a French pop singer.

She loves stories that carry the reader back in time to exotic and far-flung locations.

She was educated at American University, Washington, DC and lives in Brooklyn, NY.

She is currently at work on a new historical thriller set in the Caribbean.

--~ Blog Tour Giveaway ~--
For 5 winners
Print/digital for US/Canada residents
Digital for other countries

You can enter the giveaway here or on the book blogs participating in this tour.

Be sure to follow each participant on Twitter/Facebook,
they are listed in the entry form below.

Entry-Form

Visit each blogger on the tour:
tweeting about the giveaway everyday
of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time!
[just follow the directions on the entry-form]

~*~
* review copy and giveaway courtesy of book tour - check out the other stops here for more details on this book and goodies sponsored by France Book Tours.

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman (with giveaway)

Shadow Scale
by Rachel Hartman

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Blog
Facebook

Just released: March 10, 2015
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Genre: Dragon, Fantasy, YA
Hardback: 608 pages
Rating: 3.5

Seraphina series:
Seraphina
Shadow Scale

The kingdom of Goredd: a world where humans and dragons share life with an uneasy balance, and those few who are both human and dragon must hide the truth. Seraphina is one of these, part girl, part dragon, who is reluctantly drawn into the politics of her world. When war breaks out between the dragons and humans, she must travel the lands to find those like herself—for she has an inexplicable connection to all of them, and together they will be able to fight the dragons in powerful, magical ways.

As Seraphina gathers this motley crew, she is pursued by humans who want to stop her. But the most terrifying is another half dragon, who can creep into people’s minds and take them over. Until now, Seraphina has kept her mind safe from intruders, but that also means she’s held back her own gift. It is time to make a choice: Cling to the safety of her old life, or embrace a powerful new destiny?

My two-bits:

I found most this to be a kind of travel/road trip kind of book with new sights, sounds and dragons.

As Seraphina is put to the task of gathering and uniting dragons, she grows to be a kind of ambassador.

Seraphina finally gets to learn more about the different types of dragons and their ways with her many meetings. Also, instead of huge fiery breathing dragons creating havoc, there are different sorts in this tale - cerebral fighting.

Things to note:

A lot of interactions with differents sorts of dragon folk - moslty in human form.

A lot of politics and magical mind play with a large cast of characters.

A little bit of romance.

Music continues to play a part as in the first book.

--~ Blog Tour Giveaway ~--
WIN a copy of this book!

Open to US and Canada only.

Offer ends: April 7, 2015

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ADD this book to your Want To Read list on Goodreads.

OR

Tweet about this giveaway.

2. TELL me what you did in comments.

AND, leave your email OR make sure I have a way to contact you (twitter link, clickable profile, etc).

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - winner is here

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

~*~
* review copy and giveaway courtesy of book tour

Never by Shay Lynam

Never
by Shay Lynam

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Blog
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter @shay_lynam

Published: 2014
Publisher: self
Genre: Fairy Tale, YA
Paperback: 302 pages
Rating: 3.5

Wynn Harper spends her days trying to blend into the background. This isn't very easy, especially being the great granddaughter of the late Wendy Darling. Wynn used to love Great Gran's stories about her adventures in Neverland with Peter Pan and his lost boys, but that's all they were. Just stories, right? That's what Wynn keeps telling herself.

But then she meets Peter, the beautiful boy with a voice to match, and when he whisks her off to Neverland, Wynn knows this is no fairy tale. The lost boys are a group of rebellious ex-pirates, young Hook has a soft side, and Peter Pan isn't as innocent as you might think.

Zombie sighting:
The day dragged on at an irritatingly slow pace as I tried and failed to avoid Annabel and her cheerleader zombies.
-chapter 2

My two-bits:

Nice romp in Neverland with Peter Pan and Wendy's great granddaughter, Wynn.

Interesting reveal (to me) is made in regards to the relationship between Captain Hook and Wendy.

Romance is in the forefront in this tale with Peter Pan.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

* added this to my Bookish Bingo challenge - square: Fairy Tale Retelling

Tortured Souls by Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Tortured Souls
The Orion Circle #1
by Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter @Cymberle

Published: June 30, 2014
Publisher: Sea Dragon Press
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, YA
Paperback: 364 pages
Rating: 3.5

The Orion Circle series:
Tortured Souls
book 2 - coming soon

Sometimes Rest in Peace isn't an option

Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts—and it's ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity.

When the phantom appears at a party, Kacie's longtime crush, Logan, saves her. He invites her to join the Orion Circle, a group of supernatural hunters with chapters in schools all over the country. Through the Circle, Kacie learns to embrace her spiritual powers, and for the first time in her life she feels in control rather than a victim.

But the Foxblood Demon will not give up so easily. A demented serial killer in life who trapped the souls of the thirteen children he murdered, imprisoning them within the walls of his mansion. Now in death, he plots his return while drawing power from the pure souls of the children. He recognizes something in Kacie he's never seen before—a medium powerful enough to provide a vessel for his tainted soul.

Kacie can't ignore the tortured souls of the children crying out to her every night. With Logan at her side, she will fight the Foxblood Demon. But can they banish this powerful phantom, or will Kacie lose not only her body, but her eternal soul to the monster.

My two-bits:

Nice start to a YA paranormal series.

This story follows a character with special powers who enters a group where she can be herself. She learns more about her powers and how to use her powers for good.

There are many scenes where we see the group in action and how their powers come into play.

Plenty of romance for the heroine as well, but not so much the push-pull kind, but the kind where coupledom is established at the start. So, lots of lovey dovey moments.

This book works as a standalone. However, there is a big threat that is hinted at which will continue into book two.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

* added this to my Bookish Bingo challenge - square: Start a Series

Soul Meaning by A.D. Starling

Soul Meaning
by A.D. Starling

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
B&N
Smashwords
iBooks
Kobo
BookExcerpt
Character Profiles
Website
Blog
Facebook
Google+
Pinterest
Twitter @ADStarrling
Wattpad

Published: February 2014
Publisher: self
Genre: Action, Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller
ebook
Rating: 3.5

Seventeen series:
Soul Meaning
King's Crusade
Greene's Calling

From the award-winning series Seventeen comes a high-octane, action-packed twist on immortality. 'My name is Lucas Soul. Today, I died again. This is my fifteenth death in the last four hundred and fifty years.'

Soul is an outcast of the immortal societies. Born of a Bastian mother and a Crovir father, a half breed whose very existence is abhorred by the two races, he spends the first three hundred and fifty years of his life being chased and killed by the Hunters.

One fall night in Boston, the Hunt starts again, resulting in Soul’s fifteenth death and triggering a chain of events that sends him on the run with Reid Hasley, a former US Marine and his human business partner of ten years. From Paris to Prague, their search for answers will lead them deep into the immortal societies and bring them face to face with someone from Soul’s past. Shocking secrets are uncovered and fresh allies come to the fore as they attempt to put a stop to a new and terrifying threat to both immortals and humans.

Time is running out for Soul. Can he get to the truth before his seventeenth death, protect the ones he loves and prevent another immortal war?

My two-bits:

This story is filled with fighting action (guns and swords - katana). It is the introduction and start of a series that involve immortal beings. The immortals are not vampires which gives a refreshing take on another kind of paranormal creature.

I liked the friendship and light banter between the main character, Soul, and his business partner, Reid.

A bit of romance is included but not noticeable.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

* added this to my Bookish Bingo challenge - square: Male POV

Hit by Lorie Ann Grover

Hit
by Lorie Ann Grover

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Blog
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter @lorieanngrover

Just released: October 7, 2014
Publisher: Blink
Genre: YA
Hardback: 224 pages
Rating: 3.5

After receiving a full-ride scholarship to Mills College for Girls, it appears Sarah's future is all laid out before her … that is until she walks into a poetry class led by Mr. Haddings, a student teacher from the nearby University of Washington. Suddenly, life on the UW campus seems very appealing, and Sarah finds herself using her poetry journal to subtly declare her feelings for Haddings. Convinced Mr. Haddings is flirting back, she sets off for school in the rain with a poem in her back pocket—one that will declare her feelings once and for all.

Mr. Haddings has noticed Sarah's attention; the fallout from any perceived relationship with a student is too great a risk, and he has decided to end all speculation that morning.

But everything changes when Mr. Haddings feels a thud on his front bumper when he glances away from the road, and finds Sarah in the street with blood pooling beneath her.

PeekAbook:



Zombie sighting:
I come back to Luke whispering. "I can't believe I couldn't wait to see her! I just wanted to be sure she didn't look like a freak, but she does! Look how huge her head is. Don't you think her skin's actually green? And those black stitches and red ones clumped with brown blood chunks. Oh, man. She looks like death. A zombie, right?"
-chapter 18, page 84

My two-bits:

This story details the aftermath of a car accident where a pedestrian is hit by a car. The author creates an awareness of the hazards of texting and driving with this tale.

The reaction of family and friends and hospital scenes were vividly portrayed.

Flashbacks of a budding romance between a student teacher and high school student occur throughout which included lovely poetry. This was the only part that did not work for me. Mostly because the crossing of boundaries between teacher and student did not sit right - in this particular story.

About the author:

Lorie Ann Grover was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She used to pretend to read before she could by carrying around Nancy Drew books and flipping through the pages. She studied ballet for ten years and was a member of the Miami Ballet Company. When she grew too tall for the profession, Lorie turned my focus to fine art at the University of Miami. Eventually, her love for the written word yielded verse novels and board books.

Her fantasy novel, Firstborn, received a Kirkus Starred Review, and her board book, Bedtime Kiss for Little Fish, was named a Parents Magazine Best Children's Book. Lorie co-founded readergirlz and readertotz. Living with her husband in the foothills of Mt. Rainier, Lorie writes, practices weapons tai chi, and watches hawks take flight.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of Fall Reading Challenge 2014. @booksparks #FRC2014

The Curse of Van Gogh by Paul Hoppe

~*~

The Curse of Van Gogh
by Paul Hoppe

Visit Paul:
Amazon
Facebook
Goodreads
Website
Twitter @AuthorPaulHoppe

Just released: July 29, 2014
Publisher: SparkPress
Genre: Art, Thriller
Paperback: 344 pages
Rating: 3.5

Series:
The Curse of Van Gogh
Chasing Mona Lisa - tba

Tyler Sears, art thief, just released from a Federal prison, vows never again. He slides into a simple life bartending in NYC until one day an invitation arrives to the hottest art event of the season, where Tyler meets Komate Imasu, famed art collector.

Suddenly Tyler's vows of abstinence slip away as Imasu uses threats against Tyler's family. Tyler quickly learns that gambling against a ruthless billionaire is never a good idea.

Forgetting his own safety, Tyler plunges headfirst into a world of art forgers, hit men, Yakuza, a femme fatale named Chanel N°5, and the hideous curse of van Gogh, in order to pull off...the greatest art heist in history.

Zombie sighting:
"Please understand, the medication was used as a tool to pacify your brother. I know you think we turned him into a zombie, but he already was one when he walked through the doors. Our concern all along has been to keep him from harming himself, and as I said to eliminate the horrible nightmares."
-chapter 26, page 149

My two-bits:

While it was interesting to learn a bit about the art world and art forgery, this book took awhile for me to get into. I felt the story was slow paced until the last quarter of the book. Also although the main characters were likable, they were not very interesting to follow.

It would have been interesting to read more on the doings of Van Gogh's curse besides the one story presented.

However, the book ends with a doozy - in a good way.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of Summer Reading Challenge 2014. It's not too late, join the reading challenge here. @booksparks #SRC2014!

Gravel On The Side Of The Road by Kris Radish (with giveaway)

~*~

Gravel On The Side Of The Road
by Kris Radish

Visit Kris:
Amazon
Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Instagram
YouTube
Twitter @krisradish

Just released: July 22, 2014
Publisher: SparkPress
Genre: Essays, Memoir
Paperback: 240 pages
Rating: 3.5

A woman who worries about carrying a .38 special in her purse, nearly drowns in a desert canyon, flies into the war in Bosnia, dances with the FBI, tells Geraldo he shouldn’t put guests in hotel rooms with rats and spends time with murderers, has more than a few stories to tell.

Gravel on the Side of the Road-True Stories From a Broad Who Has Been There is a daring and revealing adventure itself.

Beloved novelist Kris Radish returns to her non-fiction beginnings with her first, but not last, book of autobiographical essays. Her writing career has spanned four decades and has included award winning newspaper work, magazine features, a national syndicated column, eleven books and enough stories and adventures to fill up many more.

Radish’s talent for telling it like it is, sharing the wit and wisdom of a life lived mostly on her own terms and her keen sense of humor are highlighted in these stories- some of them old- some of them new, but all of them a glimpse into worlds many never dare to enter. This author always lives in a world where nothing is sacred but the sweet emotions of the heart.

Kris is definitely a broad who has been there.

Zombie sighting:
Ann calls once and I slump through my days and nights like a zombie, hoping for the miracle, praying for the miracle, wishing for the miracle like I have never wished before.
-Becky Barton, page 66

My two-bits:

This is an insightful collection of stories that reflect on friends and family situations during the ups and downs of the author's life.

I found a couple interesting and amusing tidbits.

WANNA give this a try...

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN my review copy of this book!

Open to US only.

Offer ends: August 31, 2014

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ADD this book to your Want To Read list on Goodreads.

OR

Tweet about this giveaway.

OR

Recommend this on Google using the mini-button at end of this post (g+1).

OR

Facebook or Instagram or Pinterest or Tumblr the Book Cover image.

OR

Join the BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge 2014 here.

2. TELL me what you did in comments.

AND, leave your email.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - winner is here

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

~*~
* review copy and giveaway courtesy of Summer Reading Challenge 2014. It's not too late, join the reading challenge here. @booksparks #SRC2014!

Serenade by Emily Kiebel (with giveaway)

~*~

Serenade
by Emily Kiebel

Visit Emily:
Amazon
Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Pinterest
Twitter @TheEmilyKiebel

Just released: July 15, 2014
Publisher: SparkPress
Genre: New Adult, Paranormal
Paperback: 358 pages
Rating: 3.5

Suddenly the voice she prized is now dangerously seductive.

Lorelei Clark’s only concern was her future as a classically trained soprano, that is, until the day her father was tragically killed. Shattered by his death, she hesitantly accepts an invitation from a mysterious aunt to visit her lavish oceanside home in Cape Cod. She quickly discovers that her aunt and the two women who live with her are harboring a frightening secret – they are sirens, terrifying mythical creatures responsible for singing doomed sailors to their deaths. Even more astounding, Lorelei is one of them.

In this new world where water comes alive at her touch and an ancient power pulses beneath the tide, the most important rule Lorelei must learn is that a siren never interferes with fate. When she breaks this rule by rescuing a handsome sailor who should have died at sea, the sirens vow she must finish the job or face grave consequences. Finding herself inexplicably attracted to him, she must fight to keep him safe from the others, even if it means risking her own life – and her heart – in the process.

My two-bits:

Starts out as a mellow slow paced story that introduces the world of sirens and power of the Song.

I liked learning about the differences between sirens, banshees and mermaids. Other entities were also mentioned that figure into this world.

The last quarter of the book has some action scenes and interesting reveals.

Also included, a touch of romance.

About the author:
Emily Kiebel was raised in Colorado and went on to study classical music and English at Concordia University.

She found a love for singing early in life and now sings professionally and directs a local church choir.

In her spare time, she can be found exploring the natural beauty of the great outdoors with her beloved dogs, Ginny and Diggory, cooking for friends and family, traveling or dragging her friends along to obscure historical sites. Serenade is her debut novel.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN my review copy of this book!

Open to US only.

Offer ends: July 30, 2014

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ADD this book to your Want To Read list on Goodreads.

OR

Tweet about this giveaway.

OR

Recommend this on Google using the mini-button at end of this post (g+1).

OR

Facebook or Instagram or Pinterest or Tumblr the Book Cover image.

OR

Join the BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge 2014 here.

2. TELL me what you did in comments.

AND, leave your email.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - winner is here

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

~*~
* added this to my Bookish Bingo challenge

* review copy and giveaway courtesy of Summer Reading Challenge 2014. It's not too late, join the reading challenge here. @booksparks #SRC2014!

Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan

Glitter and Glue
by Kelly Corrigan

Visit Kelly:
Amazon
Website
Facebook
Goodreads
Instagram
Twitter

Just released: Feb 2014
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Memoir
Hardback: 240 pages
Rating: 3.5

From the author of The Middle Place comes a new memoir that examines the bond—sometimes nourishing, sometimes exasperating, occasionally divine—between mothers and daughters.

When Kelly Corrigan was in high school, her mother neatly summarized the family dynamic as “Your father’s the glitter but I’m the glue.” This meant nothing to Kelly, who left childhood sure that her mom—with her inviolable commandments and proud stoicism—would be nothing more than background chatter for the rest of Kelly’s life, which she was carefully orienting toward adventure. After college, armed with a backpack, her personal mission statement, and a wad of traveler’s checks, she took off for Australia to see things and do things and Become Interesting.

But it didn’t turn out the way she pictured it. In a matter of months, her savings shot, she had a choice: get a job or go home. That’s how Kelly met John Tanner, a newly widowed father of two looking for a live-in nanny. They chatted for an hour, discussed timing and pay, and a week later, Kelly moved in. And there, in that house in a suburb north of Sydney, 10,000 miles from the house where she was raised, her mother’s voice was suddenly everywhere, nudging and advising, cautioning and directing, escorting her through a terrain as foreign as any she had ever trekked. Every day she spent with the Tanner kids was a day spent reconsidering her relationship with her mother, turning it over in her hands like a shell, straining to hear whatever messages might be trapped in its spiral.

This is a book about the difference between travel and life experience, stepping out and stepping up, fathers and mothers. But mostly it’s about who you admire and why, and how that changes over time.

My two-bits:

This memoir focuses on the "glue" which is the author's mother through experiences away from home.

I found that this book got me thinking about relationships between parents and children and its effect on parenthood. And of course, questioning what both my parents mean to me.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
signup to win this book
~*~
* review copy courtesy of publisher

A Matter of Temperance by Ichabod Temperance

A Matter of Temperance
by Ichabod Temperance

Visit Ichabod:
Amazon
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter

Published: 2013
Publisher: GoldenBear Creative Works
Genre: Steampunk
ebook: 258
Rating: 3.5

In a past that never was...

The year is 1869. Earth experiences the close pass of a comet never before seen. In its wake, many of Terra's inhabitants find themselves changed. Among men, prodigies rise in unprecedented numbers, while many ordinary adults suddenly find themselves possessed of preternatural genius. Likewise, non-hominid animals become self-aware and intelligent.

Fast forward to 1875. A young “comet prodigy” from humble beginnings, Ichabod Temperance, has become the world's foremost inventor. He travels to England to deliver his latest brilliant invention to a famous explorer, until Fate intervenes. Meanwhile, a lovely young Bluestocking, Miss Persephone Plumtartt, survives an experimental accident only to find herself imbued with a power she can neither understand nor control, while dark forces and malevolent creatures pursue her, leaving a gruesome wake of death.

Yet, worse is to come. The naïve young inventor and the lovely intellectual find themselves fighting not only to save their own lives, but to prevent the destruction of all life on Earth.

The Adventures of Ichabod Temperance series:
A Matter of Temperance
A World of inTemperance
For the Love of Temperance

My two-bits:
Lots of action scenes with mechanical insect-like creatures and amusing dialogue between a pair of victorian steampunky characters.

Somewhat fun read.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

* part of virtual book event: TEA at The Filigree