Archive for December, 2014

A witching we will go…. Rehab Is For Witches ~ My Review

Posted: December 3, 2014 in Anthology, Blog Tour, Fantasy, reviews, Witches
Tags: , ,
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I’m so happy to share Rehab Is For Witches. I’ve had to wait for my stop on the tour to introduce you to these authors and their witches.

There’s snark and snortable humor galore in these pages. Plus some sweet and some steamy romance.

Beware the villain, a bad one indeed.

Come meet the witches of Little Raven. Discover their secrets. Find out why they ended up in rehab.

~~~

 Rehab is for Witches

Anthology

Various Authors

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Published By- SideStreet Cookie Publishing

Publication Date- October 31st, 2014

My review

Six authors. Six witches. And so much trouble brewing in their cauldrons.

Rehab is for Witches is just what it says. A place for witches to go when they misuse their magick. When the dark magick seduces them until they’re hooked.

There is no way I can pick a favorite story or a favorite character. Each story was so good and all of the characters came alive.

There was so much funny, so much sad, so much bad, and so much more. I loved this book.

A Diary Full of Names

Dierdre (Die for short) landed in rehab for selling bad love spells. Bear is like her probation officer. If I had to choose a favorite character, both of these would be at the top of the list.

The way her heart beats faster whenever he’s around, the way he ‘looks’ at her, listens to her, and the way he makes her blush when he teases her. These two make me feel happy.

Die is frustrated. No magick. It wasn’t her fault the penis exploded, yet she winds up in rehab with all of the other naughty witches.

Closet Full of Dreams

Behind those sunglasses and gloves hides Catherine. Sent to rehab for loving the dark side. For embracing the dark magick, for using it to control. It’s all about control with her.

Oran charms her. But Catherine is hesitant. He seems too good to be true.

And what’s with the waiter, Jorolf? He’s not a waiter, he’s something else, and he warns Catherine to watch out for Oran.

Full of attitude and bearing the scars of taking power that she shouldn’t, Catherine is half herself, half something less, or maybe more.

Cauldron Full of Goodbyes

Trista and Angus. Both duped. Both used and cast aside by someone. Someone so dark and malignant. They share that same someone.

Trista is in rehab for something really foul. She helped steal magick from a coven of witches. Drained them of their power. Not for herself though.

Angus needs her help. He’s appeals to her, hiding his true purpose. Playing on her guilt.

He did bad because of his mother. She did bad in spite of her mother.

Why did Trista’s mother throw away her magic? Maybe she should too.

His mother stole his magick. Can he get it back?

A Trunk Full of Peril

I bet a lot of people judge Circe by her looks. Lots of piercings and that blue hair. Maybe it’s her cover. A way to keep people away. She’s still in shock from a horrible loss.

Her parole office, Hadrian, wants to be so much more.

Her addiction still strong, can Circe resist the call?

Caring for her more than he should, will Hadrian set his job aside, or will he turn her in to save her?

A Basement Full of Secrets

Finally. I get to know what’s up with Gertie and her knitting needles. She’s weird but sweet.

And her love affair was tragic. Finally reunited with her childhood sweetheart, she lost him again.

Will she use her magick, her ability to bring the dead back, to have Mason again?

Should she?

A Suitcase Full of Revenge

Robie plays with fire, literally and figuratively. That’s why she stays at rehab.

She also knows things. Things about her father that could ruin his chances in the mayoral race.

Her decision on whether to expose her father is hers alone to make, as Jasper bailed on her.

Now they have come together to save someone. Can she trust Jasper? Will he bail on her again?

A Photo Full of Justice

At last we come to the end. Where all of the authors write together, each bringing their character to the grand finale.

This is where you meet the true villain, the one who can’t be mentioned.

All of the miscreants band together to face off against the dastardly foe who’s been stealing their magic. What a perfect villain.

This whole book was fantastic. Little Raven, a town for witches.

Each author gave their characters a strong voice, powerful personalities.

The therapy sessions were fun. That’s how each character is introduced as they tell why they were sent to rehab.

The snark, the dialogue, the sexy scenes.  The many quotable moments. It all charmed me.

Then the ending, which came to soon. I would love to read more about all of the characters. I’d like to know where they go from here. Do they get a happily ever after? Maybe some of them relapse. I want, I need more.

5 Stars

~~~

Blurb-

Welcome to Little Raven: an unsullied, beautiful woodland hamlet in the heart of the Midwest. The sort of place where furry creatures romp about and spend their days bursting into song.

Actually, that’s a giant pack of lies.

Little Raven is a town…for witches.

And some of those witches might have bent the rules. A teensy bit. When six magical miscreants dabble with black magic, they end up together at Incantations, the town’s rehab center for witches gone awry. It’s a slap on the wrist for naughty witches. Pretty much a daycare center so they don’t wander off and start turning people into newts on a whim. Each witch must work through her addiction to black magic, and follow the tenets designed to lead them back to the path of the straight and narrow, as boring as that sounds. Even if following the tenets sucks worse than a group round of kum-bay-ya. Which sucks. Horribly.

We will admit we are powerless over magic—that our lives have become unmanageable.

We will make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of the Goddess as we understand Her.

We will make a searching and fearless moral and magical inventory of ourselves.

We will admit to the Goddess, to ourselves, and to another being the exact nature of our magical wrongs.

We will make a list of all persons or beings we have harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all.

We will make direct amends to such beings whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

We are entirely ready to bow before the Goddess and have Her remove all our defect of character, even at the risk of being entirely stripped of our magic.

But this is just the start. There’s something rotten in Little Raven, something that seeks to take all the magic it can, and devour the inhabitants in the process. It will take the strength and power of all the witches to defeat the darkness seeping into their town, beat it back, and be rid of it forever…and maybe just make it through rehab while they’re saving the world.

The Authors & Titles-

Tara S. Wood – A Trunk Full of Peril

Tyffani Clark Kemp – A Diary Full of Names

Cynthia Valero – A Cauldron Full of Goodbyes

Miranda Stork – A Closet Full of Demons

  1. A. Howell – A Basement Full of Secrets

Elle J Rossi – A Suitcase Full of Revenge

Links-

Goodreads ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ B&N

About the Authors-

Miranda Stork-

I’m Miranda Stork, and I’m addicted. Addicted to writing and reading books, anyway. And chocolate, but that’s another issue – no interventions, please.

I live in the middle of a forest in North Yorkshire, spending my spare time as the wild woman of the woods, scaring small children and upsetting the sheep. On the days that I feel like being civilized, or I haven’t got any unicorns to ride, I sit down and pour the tumbling thoughts in my head out onto digital paper. Mainly the thoughts and characters come out in paranormal form, with a good smattering of romance, because everyone likes a good cuddle. But you can also find strong elements of thrillers, myths, and even dystopia amongst the pages of all my novels. I’ve wanted to write books ever since I first realised that fairytales were not the newspapers of the fairy kingdom, but the imaginings of actual people who wanted to tell fancy made-up stories to other people. From that moment, I was hooked.

Why do I write? Good question. It might be easier to just keep the stories in my head, or even just to write them for myself. But I want to share them. There is no greater delight for a writer than when a reader devours your book, and declares, “Something in that novel resonated with me. And I want MORE.” So grab your lucky clover and a baseball bat (there’s some nasty paranormal creatures where we’re going), eat the cookie with ‘eat me’ tagged on it, and enter through the tiny door into the world of Miranda Stork…

And here is an excerpt from A Closet Full of Demons
Counsellor Fitzsimmons finally appeared Catherine sneered down at the buffet of soggy finger sandwiches and half-baked sausage rolls. These meetings always brought out the food snob in her, and this one was no different. Swallowing back her distaste, she settled on a plastic cup of orange squash, hugging her grey woollen coat close as she reached for it. Her dark grey eyes hidden behind fashionable shades, she spun around to view the rest of the reprobates who had turned up.
None of them looked vaguely interesting, but they certainly were eclectic. Catherine stifled a yawn as she checked her silver watch for the twentieth time. It didn’t matter how often she looked, she was certain someone had cast a spell to make the time drag on. Her fingers tingled with the temptation to speed it up, but a droning voice in the back of her head reminded her of the warning she had received. Huffing to herself, she glanced away and curled her hand tightly once more. She winced as she took a sip of the badly mixed juice, scanning the peeling cracks in the ceiling of the building.
Little Raven was a dump, anyway. Catherine had no idea what she was really doing here, never mind getting into trouble here. The only reason she had travelled from England to this goddess-forsaken town was because she had felt it. An energy so strong it had called to her from the other side of the world. But it was dark, full of all the wicked things witches knew they shouldn’t touch. It’s probably why none of them answered its call when I did, Catherine smirked to herself, trying to hide it behind another slurp of tepid liquid. ‘Heavy Magic’, her mother used to call it. Black magic so intense you could lose your head over it, sink into it, drown in it. And never come up for air.
with a clipboard in hand, clearing his throat in the irritating way that only therapists were able to produce. “Ladies? Let’s sit down, shall we?” He smiled broadly, a fakery for the witches gathered in the sparse waiting area. Catherine held back rolling her eyes, and settled for squeezing the empty plastic cup in her hands until it crushed in on itself instead. Dropping it casually onto the table, she tucked a loose strand of her corn-blond hair behind her ear, stepping across to the ring of chairs in the centre with the others.
Catherine settled back in her chair, crossed her legs, and closed her eyes behind her shades. Hopefully I’ll die of boredom before they get to me, she thought to herself, letting out a soft sigh. Counsellor Fitzsimmons prattled on to one of the other witches, droning on about consequences and resolving them. It was all old hat to her—this wasn’t her first meeting of this kind. Rehab. Even the word left a bad taste in her mouth. If only she could spit it out. She was damn well sick of going into it.
It wasn’t that Catherine Middling was a bad person, quite the opposite, in fact. She loved her parents. She loved her friends. And cooing over kitten and puppy videos on YouTube was dangerously close to an online obsession. But she liked to be in control. Of everything. And control required power, lots of it. She had tapped so many sources of energy that she shouldn’t, it was a wonder her fingers were still attached to her hand. A hard shove on her shoulder woke her up, snapping her back into the room with a jolt. Catherine shook her head violently to wake up, and straightened herself in the chair, grunting in annoyance.
The mousey-haired witch next to her hissed, “He was talking to you. Wake up, or we’re going to be here forever.”
Casting the witch a cool stare, Catherine cleared her throat and jerked her head towards the group. “Yeah, uh…I’m Catherine Middling, I’m a magical miscreant, and I’m bored shitless already.” There were a few sniggers and smirks from the other witches, and Catherine gave a hard shrug to the counsellor’s deep frown.
“Now, Catherine…language. You know that’s not going to help. Why not tell us why you’re here?” He gestured towards her shades with a chewed biro. “And how about removing those so we can all see your face? Hmm?”
She sighed. “No way. I don’t remove anything on the first date, counsellor. Besides, why should I? People have turned up here with faces full of paperclips and safety pins, and you want me to take off my Dolce and Gabbana glasses? No chance.” Catherine pointed with one black leather glove towards a punky witch on the other side of the circle, who scowled at her fiercely before turning back to inspect the floor. “Fine. I’m here because I can no longer control my magic. I like to change the circumstances if they’re not working for me. Good enough for you, Counsellor Fitzsimmons?”
Her clipped northern British accent rang out into the room as she folded her arms, hoping to slip back into her nap.
The pen wagged in the air. “Not good enough, Catherine. Tell us a little more. What kind of magic?”
His persistence rankled her, and a pang of deep anger burned through her veins. She sprang forwards in the cheap plastic chair, whipping her glasses off to reveal her eyes. A collective gasp filtered through the witches as they took in the dark, blood-red stains around her grey irises, the sliced scar running across both eyes. The leather of her glove squeaking, Catherine pointed sharply towards them, her voice dripping with venom. “This is what kind. Black magic. This is why I’m here, sat in the middle of the ladies’ knitting circle, with my magical finger stuck up my arse.” She nodded towards a nervous-looking girl, sat literally with a pair of knitting needles in her lap. Goddess only knew what she thought she was doing here, she looked like she was as much out of place as Sandwich Girl. “Because real power, real control, frightens everyone. But it didn’t frighten me. I did something wrong with it, tapped into some real bad juju that split me in half. And my other half still wants to come out. Want to see her? She really doesn’t play well with others.”

 

Links-

Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website

Tara S. Wood-

Tara Wood divides her time between creating domestic bliss and creating hot paranormal romance with the occasional side of kink. When not playing June Cleaver for her hubby and daughter, she can be found at the local Starbucks slamming back Frappuccinos and plotting out her next idea. Or she’s watching the BBC. Tara resides with her wonderful and tolerant family in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. She is currently at work on several projects, one of them being the next book in her In Blood series.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Facebook

Elle J. Rossi-

Elle J Rossi is a writer of Dark Paranormal and Fantasy Romance. Overly fond of the happily ever after, Elle lets her characters take control as they lead her down dark and twisted paths on their haunting journey toward love.

When not writing, you’ll more than likely catch her hanging with her husband, two kids and a cat who truly does rule the roost, or stealing the mic from her friends as the duel over country karaoke.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Facebook

Cynthia Valero-

Cynthia Valero is an award-winning author of three paranormal romance novels and two anthologies written with Beth Ciotta as CB Scott. Her newest solo novella, A Cauldron Full of Goodbyes, is one of six dark and edgy stories in the anthology, Rehab is for Witches. A student of Natalie Goldberg, Zoetrope All-Story, and The Writers Studio, Cynthia is currently writing a rich tale of forbidden love and deadly feuds set off the coast of 1904 America. You can visit her on Facebook at Cynthia Valero Books or at cynthiavalero.com.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Facebook

J.A. Howell-

J.A Howell is an office drone by day, and a writer by night. Her love of writing took off when she was eleven years old and decided to fill a composition notebook with stories to read to her friends. Many years (and notebooks) later, not much has changed. She still loves writing and sharing her works with others. When she isn’t writing, she can often be found trying her hand at whatever artistic pursuit strikes her fancy. J.A. Howell resides in Apopka, FL with her husband and their menagerie of animal children.

Links-

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~ Youtube ~ Amazon Author Page

Tyffani Clark Kemp-

Tyffani Clark Kemp might be the quietest person in the room, but that just means she’s probably the biggest freak too. She is a multi-genre author with a gift for the written word and a desire to help all Indies reach their full potential. In 2012, she and her best friend Kimberly Fudge started SideStreet Cookie Publishing for authors who want to remain independent, but don’t have the time or the knowledge to do it all themselves. From the age of eleven she dedicated her life to writing and making sure she was good at her craft. Now, she passes that knowledge on to others. Her friends would describe her as determined and giving. She may be quite, but she always has a story to tell.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Blog/Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool ~ Blast Giveaway

Posted: December 3, 2014 in Action/Adventure, Book Blast, Children's books, Fantasy
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Girls Powers-front cover for Amazon

Title: The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool | Author: PJ LaRue | Illustrator: Aristides Rodriguez | Publication Date: June 28, 2014 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 63 | Recommended Ages: 5 to 10

Book Description: Join Exciting Princess Adventures and Learn Life Lessons Along the Way

Have you ever wanted to ride a dolphin or dreamed of playing on a rainbow as if it were a waterslide? How would you feel if someone tried to kidnap you, and you were forced to move to Hawai’i to hide and live with people you don’t know? That happened to Harmonie. Come meet Harmonie, her new Mystic Princess friends, and find out what happens when her enemies, the Children of Ares, find her again.

Purchase * Goodreads

 

The Buzz About the Book

“The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool has a delightful plot. P. J. LaRue uses mythological characters to tell a lively story of bravery and friendship. The book teaches important lessons on strengths and weaknesses, conservation and safety. This is the first book in the Mystic Princesses series, and I cannot wait for the next princesses’ adventure to come. Young girls will love The Mystic Princesses adventure on their bedside table.” ~ Kelly Santana, Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews

“A lovely book for children with colourful pictures and any child who reads it will be looking for a sequel.” ~ 5 Star Review, Diane, Amazon

“‘The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool’ is a confidence boosting book for children, giving them important information. It is the first in a series and I look forward to reading more about Harmonie and her friends.” ~ 5 Star Review, Mary C., Goodreads

“This early chapter book is perfect for children ages six through ten. It does not portray wimpy princesses, but strong, respectful and independent female role models involved in many adventures in which they learn to overcome their weaknesses, act against bullying, and cooperate with friends and family to promote human welfare and peace. Short chapters interspersed with illustrations will maintain interest if the book is read aloud for younger children. Introduce your little princess to this one.” ~ 5 Star Review, Barbara M., Amazon

“The short chapters would make this ideal for younger girls who are newer to reading Chapter Books. The colourful illustrations are excellent, and compliment this warm story nicely. A new series for girls, offering a fun way to learn valuable life lessons.” ~ 5 Star Review, M.J. Kinsmen, Amazon

 

About the Author: PJ LaRue

PJ LaRuePJ LaRue wrote poetry in high school, but she discovered writing children’s books and short stories later in life. Her writing inspirations are hiking, photography and environmental consciousness, but she links these interests to much larger social issues. A person very close to PJ was molested as a child, making PJ passionate about providing child safety tips. And, PJ was bullied in the third grade by girls much larger than she, who demanded that PJ give them her lunch money. As a result, PJ is committed to spreading the word that bullying must be stopped.

One of PJ’s goals is to help educate children, parents and caregivers, in a fun way, using her children’s book series, The Mystic Princesses. Because PJ loves to travel, the princesses will visit many locales, learning about environmental concerns along the way.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Pinterest | Google+ | Goodreads

 

About the Illustrator: Aristides Rodriguez

Aristides Rodriguez has worked with clients to create websites, social media graphics, print graphics, and logos. His print media projects include cards, posters and magazine ads. He is comfortable working with a team, but has also designed client projects independently. While in school, Aristides participated in job shadows to Central Florida design community members including Disney Event Group, Orlando, SeaWorld, Orlando, and large offset and digital printing companies. Currently, Aristides is a Winter Park Tech Advisory Board member.

Website

 

* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 25 gift card

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: December 17, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author PJ LaRue and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send an email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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MDBR Book Promotion Services

Christmas Capers ~ Holiday Book Blitz

Posted: December 2, 2014 in Blitz, Holidays, Short stories and collections
Tags: ,
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Christmas is right around the corner so let’s spread some cheer!
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19 holiday short stories by New York Times, USA Toady and award winning authors.
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You are invited to share in the cheer!
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CozyChristmasCapers_cover

 

holiday book blitz

CYBER MONDAY December 1 – December 4, 2014

This book will only be available December 1 – January 31, 2015

If you can’t post during the initial Blitz the authors would love to
spotlight the book anytime during December and January!

    19 holiday short stories by 19 New York Times, USA Today and award
winning authors!

Enjoy these tales of mystery, romance, and laughter
amid the backdrop of pine trees, gingerbread men, and Santas galore!


The perfect short bites for cozying up by the fire with a cup of
cocoa…or waiting in line at gift wrapping!

http://www.gemmahalliday.com/Halliday_Publishing/ourbooks/Christmas/

Stories include:

Rosolio Red (Franki Amato Mysteries) by Traci Andrighetti
Chasing Tinsel (Miranda Vaughn Mysteries ) by Ellie Ashe
Death of a Christmas Witch (A Crewel to be Kind Mini Mystery) by Diane Bator
Queenie Baby: Pass the Eggnog (Queenie Baby Mysteries) by Christina A. Burke
The Holiday Inside Job by Mary Jo Burke
Hard to Catch a Christmas Thief (Hard Targets) by Wendy Byrne
A Christmas Ghost & Zero Regrets (Dead by the Numbers Mysteries) by Jennifer Fischetto
Christmas Canapés & Sabotage (Culinary Competition Mysteries) by Janel Gradowski
Christmas in High Heels (High Heels Mysteries) by Gemma Halliday
Christmas Al Dente (Southern Pasta Shop Mysteries) by Jennifer L. Hart
Santa Claus, Lies, and Murder (Amber Fox Mysteries) by Sibel Hodge
A (Gingerbread) Diorama of Death (Helen Binney Mysteries) by Gin Jones
Mini Pie the Christmas Spy! (Mini Pie Mysteries) by Libby LaManna
Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas (Greatest Hits Mysteries) by Leslie Langtry Ornamental Danger (Working Stiff Mysteries) by Kerri Nelson
Motion for Mistletoe (Jamie Winters Mysteries) by Kelly Rey
Christmas in Venice by Maria Grazia Swan
Baby, It’s Cold Outside (Tahoe Tessie Mysteries) by T. Sue VerSteeg
Santa’s Little Mistake by Stacey Wiedower

 

This link takes you to the site.

http://www.gemmahalliday.com/Halliday_Publishing/ourbooks/Christmas/.

Purchase Links

Amazon ~ Barnes&Noble ~ Kobo ~ Smashwords

~~~

You can still sign up to take part in this fantastic Holiday Book Blitz!!

SIGN UP HERE

 

Blogs Participating!

December 1

Books Are Life – Vita Libri

Jersey Girl Book Reviews

Shelley’s Book Case

i blog 4 books

Queen of All She Reads

Lisa Ks Book Reviews

3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!

Jane Reads

fundinmental

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

A Blue Million Books

Traci Andrighetti’s Blog

Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf

The Gal in the Blue Mask

 

December 2 –

Queen of All She Reads

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Sapphyria’s Book Reviews

Carole’s Book Corner

Celticlady’s Reviews

A Chick Who Reads

Michele Lynn Seigfried’s Blog

MysteriesEtc

Traci Andrighetti’s Blog

Socrates Book Reviews

Christy’s Cozy Corners

fuonlyknew

Mochas, Mysteries and Meows

 

December 3 –

Queen of All She Reads

Lisa Ks Book Reviews

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Christa Reads and Writes

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Kaisy Daisy’s Corner

Bea’s Book Nook

Chloe Gets A Clue

Traci Andrighetti’s Blog

A Cup of Tea, A Friend, And A Book

December 4 –

Queen of All She Reads

Lisa Ks Book Reviews

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Libriamorimiei

Brooke Blogs

Cozy Up With Kathy

readalot

Traci Andrighetti’s Blog

deal sharing aunt

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Teaser Tuesdays #90 ~ Come Along With Me

Posted: December 2, 2014 in Action/Adventure, Children's books, Fantasy, Series, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: ,
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~~~

My tease is from

Come Along With Me

A Gracie Book: Volume #1

by Linda Lee Schell

22576187

 

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Here is my tease from page 16 of the paperback.

“My name is Gracie. I’m from a different place in a different space.”

and from page 41

…Gracie wondered aloud, “Do you think our little girl will blow our cover?” “No, Gibson replied. “But she’s got something up her sleeve. I just don’t know what.”

~~~

I hope you don’t mind if I share my review.

Gracie is a wee kangaroo from the thirty-sixth universe. And she’s so excited. She’s finally going to visit St. Petersburg, Russia.

When something goes wrong, she winds up on a farm in St. Clair, Pennsylvania. Not quite what she planned.

Once you meet Gracie, you’ll see why her travel plans went haywire. She’s a precocious little roo, plus she’s clumsy and absent minded.

She’s also very brave and arrives in time to save a rather bedraggled city cat from the ferocious farm dogs.

From then on, Gracie and the cat, Gibson, are in cahoots. Each trying to help the other. Gracie wants to go home. Gibson is trying to make the best of it and make the farm his new home.

This was very wordy in the beginning. The prose felt strange yet familiar. Then I got it. It felt like in Willa Wonka or Alice in Wonderland. Otherworldly and zany. I began to suspect much of this was coming from Gracie, the kangaroo from somewhere else. She is a bit rattle-brained and silly.

The last third of the book flowed more easily. And the plot came forward. There’s several other animals that help or hinder the two pals, and one little girl who teaches Gibson how to earn his keep.

I’d say because of the sometimes peculiar use of words, this would be better suited to the upper range of young children. But, I may be wrong. Kids now a days learn to read before starting school, so they may follow the context better than I give them credit for. But there is a rather dark scene on the farm, something that even shocked me. This book is suggested for kids 8 to 12 and I’d recommend it to those closer to 12.

As I read this adventure I was sure it would be a 3 star rating. But that last third of the book sucked me in and by the time I reached the end, I wanted more.  I felt that connection to the characters and wanted to know what kind of pickle they would land in next. I don’t give half star ratings and that’s why it went up to 4 stars.

4 Stars

~~~

Synopsis

Come Along With Me will transport eight-to twelve-year old children, their parents, and their grandparents to another world when they read Come Along With Me, an adventure about friendship and caring, the unfortunate consequences of jealousy, and the power of hope.

Meet Gracie, a ditzy dwarf kangaroo from the Thirty-sixth Universe–a creature who lives in a perfect realm. Because she is bored, Gracie longs for an adventure to St. Petersburg, Russia, a place she imagines is filled with beauty and enchantment. Much to the tiny ‘roo’s surprise, her ability to transport herself to the land of the czars has failed. She ends up at a dairy farm in St. Clair, Pennsylvania, where she saves the life of Gibson, an abandoned Maine coon cat.

The unlikely pair become fast friends. While Gracie tries to find her way back home, Gibson carves a life for himself on a farm with his newly adopted mistress, the farmer’s young daughter. There’s one hitch: The overworked farmer demands that Gibson earn his keep. Gibson’s task is thwarted somewhat when he experiences strange visions. But are these visions the result of a thrashing he received from the farmer’s two dogs? Or, maybe Gibson sees parallel universes?

As outsiders the little kangaroo and the cat from the city negotiate the perils of farm life. They meet two malicious rats who hate anyone who is happy. The two devoted friends must contend with stampeding cows and a barnyard of critters that have little use for newcomers.

Will Gibson keep his sanity and become the little girl’s pet? Will Gracie ever see the splendor of the Russian Versailles? Will the farmer survive the evil machinations of the rats, Bratwold and Eastman? Drift back to the days of Barbie dolls, hula hoops, and Sputnik to find out.

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About the author


Linda’s favorite genre is fantasy/adventure, and her goal is to expand the imaginations of children while simultaneously exposing them to a variety of cultures and histories.

Combining childhood innocence with historical verisimilitude and a dash of magical fantasy–that was Linda’s impulse behind writing her first book, Come Along With Me.

Linda was born in Youngstown, Ohio and moved in 1977 to St. Clairsville, Ohio. Her husband of forty-four years and one son now live in Venice, Florida.

Linda is the daughter of an Ohio dairy farmer and an elementary school teacher. Her working years were in a competitive sales and business environment.

Active in Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce, she is a Paul Harris Fellow.

Entering the work force at age sixteen Linda is now retired, and is seriously devoting her attention to writing children’s books.

You can find her on Goodreads HERE.

Other books in The Gracie Series

20728903

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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A Year in the Secret Garden ~ Blast and Giveaway

Posted: December 1, 2014 in Book Blast, giveaways
Tags: ,
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A Year in the Secret Garden - cover

Title: A Year in the Life of the Secret Garden | Author: Valarie Budayr | Illustrator: Marilyn Scott-Waters | Publication Date: November, 2014 | Publisher: Audrey Press | Pages: 144 | Recommended Ages: 5 to 99

Book Description:

Award-winning authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters have co-created A Year in the Secret Garden to introduce the beloved children’s classic, The Secret Garden to a new generation of families. This guide uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, with fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book.Over 140 pages, with 200 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room.

 

Purchase

Great News!

You can purchase your very own copy of this gorgeous book for only $15 (a savings of $5) directly from Audrey Press between Dec. 1 and 7, 2014. PLUS, if you miss these dates, you can still purchase the book between December 8 and 31, 2014 for $15 using the code word “SECRETGARDEN”.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK NOW!!

Amazon * Audrey Press * Goodreads

 

Blog Tour Excerpts

The Blog Tour for A Year in the Secret Garden took place Nov. 1 to 30, 2014. Below you will find review excerpts from some of the participating blogs as well as links to a guest post by the author and an interview with the illustrator. Click HERE for the full Tour Schedule and the full list of participating blogs.

“A Year in the Secret Garden is a treasure trove of activities, crafts, games, recipes and information all related to the classic children’s book, The Secret Garden, bringing to life this wonderful book to a new generation of readers. I cannot recommend this beautifully illustrated and detailed, information-packed book highly enough to parents, homeschoolers, teachers, and librarians.” ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews

“The authors love of the Secret Garden book comes through SO clearly and I am a student of literature so I loved it for the explanations and history of what was happening.” ~ WS Momma Readers Nook

Guest Post by Author Valarie Budayr: “A brief article on A Year in The Secret Garden” ~ Coffee, Books & Art

“A perfect book not only for the summer activities but all through the year. Truly it shows the way into the SECRET GARDEN.” ~ Eloquent Articulation

“These ladies have created a fabulous book that can stand alone or be used as companion to the classic either in a classroom setting, or homeschool setting or for anyone that loves to share great literature and activities with their children.” ~ Adalinc to Life

“While the children enjoyed the activities associated with this book, I was entranced by the beautiful water color illustrations and the scrumptious looking images of foods to make. I am certain that any person who grew up hoping to find that secret key to let them into an enchanting garden will fall in love with the magic inside this book to share with their children.” ~ Books, Babies and Bows

Interview with Illustrator, Marilyn Scott-Waters: “A Year in the Secret Garden Interview” ~ Pragmatic Mom

“This would make such a nice Christmas gift for a young one to grow up with. Why not add a copy of the reading book and maybe even the DVD and some supplies to do an activity or two. ” ~ The Blended Blog

“It is a wonderful, hands on, practical way to take kids on a journey back in time and see how children and families lived in another era.” ~ Hide-N-(Sensory)-Seeking

 

Month by Month Guide

September

  • Indian Style Chicken Curry
  • Rangoli
  • Magic Carpets
  • Misselthwaite Manor
  • Character Study: Mary Lennox
  • Ploughman’s Lunch

 

October

  • Cutouts of the Secret Garden Characters
  • Planting Bulbs
  • The English Garden
  • Character Study: Mrs. Medlock

November

  • Hot Oatcakes
  • Jump Rope
  • Plastic Bag Jump Rope
  • Jump Rope Rhymes
  • Shovel, Shovel, Spade
  • Character Study: Ben Weatherstaff

A Year in the Secret Garden - Inside Pages 26 27

December

  • Bringing in the Evergreen
  • Yorkshire Pudding Toad-in-a-Hole
  • The Oak King vs. The Holly King
  • The Story of Mistletoe
  • Character Study: Martha Sowerby

January

  • Parkin Cake
  • Wutherin’ Wind Flags
  • Ice Disks
  • Yorkshire Phrasebook
  • Character Study: Dickon Sowerby
  • Perfectly Good Porridge with Treacle

February

  • Oaten Pipe
  • Garden in a Jar
  • Death in Victorian England
  • Character Study: Archibald Craven

A Year in the Secret Garden - February

March

  • Sticky Toffee Pudding
  • Nest Building
  • Seed Paper & Packets
  • Grow-Me Seed Paper
  • Seed Packets
  • Class of Hunger
  • Character Study: Colin Craven

April

  • Robin Cake
  • Dickon’s Felt Creatures
  • The World of Mason Bees
  • Making of a Mason Bee House
  • British Money
  • Old British Money
  • Character Study: Dr. Craven

 

May

  • Freezer Strawberry Jam
  • Planting a Rose Bush
  • Wheelbarrow Race
  • Wheelbarrow
  • Spot-Sitting
  • Character Study: Lilias Craven

A Year in the Secret Garden - Inside Pages 84 85

June

  • A Midsummer Garden Tea Party
  • Ladybug Sandwiches
  • Rainbow Fruit Kabobs
  • Simply Divine Lemon Cookies
  • Daisy Chain Crowns
  • Midsummer Dancing Ribbon Wreaths
  • Flower Pressing
  • Character Study: Victorian/Edwardian Family Life

July

  • The Secret Meal
  • Tin Foil Breakfast
  • The Cooking Campfire
  • Creating a Garden Journal
  • Colin’s Exercises
  • Blindfolded Garden Walk
  • Colin’s Magic Chant and Affirmations
  • Affirmation Stones
  • Character Study: Susan Sowerby

August

  • Scones and Ginger Tea
  • A Taste of Summer
  • Paper Garden Model
  • Garden Games for Family and Friends
  • Blind Man’s Bluff
  • Red Rover
  • Character Study: Frances Hodgson Burnett

 

About the Author: Valarie Budayr

Valarie BudayrValarie Budayr loves reading and bringing books alive. Her popular website, www.jumpintoabook.com, inspires children and adults alike to experience their books through play, discovery, and adventure.

She is founder of Audrey Press, an independent publishing house, as well as an Amazon and iTunes best-selling author. She has written The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden and The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Valarie is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and encouraging families and schools to pull books off the shelves and stories off the pages.

 

Book Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Pinterest | Google+ | Goodreads

 

About the Illustrator: Marilyn Scott-Waters

Marilyn Scott-WatersMarilyn Scott-Waters loves making things out of paper. Her popular website, www.thetoymaker.com, receives 2,000 to 7,000 visitors each day, who have downloaded more than six million of her easy-to-make paper toys. Her goal is to help parents and children spend time together making things.

She is the creator of a paper toy craft book series The Toymaker’s Christmas: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling), and The Toymaker’s Workshop: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling). She is also the co-creator with J. H. Everett of the middle grade nonfiction series, Haunted Histories, (Christy Ottaviano Books / Henry Holt Books for Young Readers). Ms. Scott-Waters illustrated The Search For Vile Things (Scholastic), and created paper engineering for Pop & Sniff Fruit (Piggy Toes Press).

Website | Facebook | Google+

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* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 100 gift card

Prize: $100 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: December 31, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

MDBR Book Promotion Services

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways click on the  Southern Christmas Charm below.

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Bewitching Brews and Devilish Desserts Holiday Giveaway

Posted: December 1, 2014 in Book Blast, giveaways
Tags: ,
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You are invited to the Bewitching Brews and Devilish Desserts Holiday Giveaway. We are giving away an autographed copy of the book, a vintage style frilled apron, and some awesome Bewitching Swag

Come see!

Bewitching Brews and Devilish Desserts 

A Collection of Cocktail and Dessert Recipes 
By Bewitching Book Tours’ Authors

Roxanne Rhoads, Sharon Bayliss, Ami Blackwelder, Cassandra Lawson, Susannah Sandlin, Cherrie Mack, Maggie Mundy, Suzanne Johnson, Katalina Leon, Kay Dee Royal, Sophie Avett, Elizabeth Loraine, G.L. Ross, T.W. Kirchner 
Book Description:
Stir up a little magic from our cauldron full of cocktails and desserts.
The authors of Bewitching Book Tours conjured a collection of delicious potions inspired by their books and characters.
Grab your wand (or spoon) and cast one of these spellbinding recipes today.

 

Available at Createspace and Amazon

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Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways click on the  Southern Christmas Charm below.

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