Archive for the ‘Romance’ Category

Gateway to Reality ~ Scavenger Hunt Giveaway

Posted: April 15, 2013 in Blog Tour, giveaways, otherworldly, Romance, Science Fiction
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Welcome to my stop on the Scavenger Hunt for Gateway to Reality by Becca Campbell. Please, enjoy the post, enter the giveaway and read on for details about bonus entries in the scavenger hunt!

GATEWAY TO REALITY; A MIND-BENDING URBAN FANTASY TALE BY BECCA J. CAMPBELL

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Gateway to Reality, now available at Amazon US and Amazon UK and Barnes and Noble.  Keep reading for a chance to win one of three prize packs!

Description

Talented artists shouldn’t be waiting tables, scraping by, and living mediocre lives. But that’s exactly what art school graduate Wes Teague is doing.

Then he wakes from a bizarre dream, haunted by the sense that his life isn’t real. A harrowing truth presents itself–the real world lies in his dreams, not when he’s wide awake.

The dream world he enters each night is rich and vibrant. Chicago appears the same on the surface, but chaos runs rampant as gravity, physics, and other laws of nature become fluid, changing unexpectedly. There, Wes’s parents, brother, and sister are strangers. His girlfriend Emily doesn’t recognize him. Wes longs to return, to unlearn the truth about his dual reality.

Wes would sacrifice almost anything to get back to blissful ignorance in a false world.

But now he has feelings for the real Emily.

My Review

Are our dreams real or are our lives a dream?

That’s what Wes Teague is about to discover.

He’s a struggling artist waiting for his big break.

Then he wakes up one day and everything appears out of focus, like peering through a cloudy lens.

Everything familiar feels out of sync and his life feels ,just, wrong.

He’s about to learn his current life is a dream, and the bizarre dreams he’s been having are real life.

In the world of his dreams, he’s lost his love, Emily. In real life, she doesn’t even know him.

Whew, what a step out of reality.

I felt like Wes. It was overwhelming to contemplate the ‘real’ world. Everything was chaotic and seemed without purpose.

Why would he choose this world? Maybe because he can have a fresh start with the new Emily, and his job is to create worlds. What better task than to imagine other worlds and build them?

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But he still yearns for Emily. The Emily he loved and lost in his dreams.

Does he have a choice of which world to live in and which one should he choose?

Gateway to Reality is like peering through a kaleidoscope, dazzling you with its possibilities.

Rebecca gives you a love story and  a search for one’s self,  with a science fiction flavor. I can honestly say, I’ve never read anything like it.

The author showed me a new reality in a way I could understand without becoming confused. It kind of reminded me of The Matrix as far as the dreaming, but it also made me think of an old Twilight Zone episode where a girl could create different realities.

I enjoyed feeling like I had stepped out of this world to read Gateway to Reality, but I’m glad I’m still here in mine.

It is just a story….. right?

Four Stars for an out of this world story.

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Giveaway
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I’m really excited about the giveaway. For those of you who may not know, the majority of the story takes place in Chicago, and it is heavily intertwined with the Cloud Gate sculpture (aka the Bean). All that comes together in the big prize pack. Here’s a peek at the prizes:
  • Grand prize: Chicago theme prize pack (autographed paperback of Gateway to Reality, a journal with an artistic representation of Chicago on the cover, Cloud Gate button, Gateway to Reality button, Gateway to Reality postcard, Cloud Gate postcard, and Crown Fountain postcard. (US only)
  • Second prize: autographed paperback of Gateway to Reality and Gateway to Reality postcard. (US only)
  • Third prize: entire Becca J. Campbell eBook library (Gateway to Reality, Foreign Identity, Not the Norm, and Unmasked Alloy). (All countries)

 Enter the rafflecopter giveaway

Visit all of the stops, collect the clues, and Good Luck

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Happy Hunting!

The Scavenger Hunt Blog Tour

You can enter the giveaway now, but to really amp up your odds at snatching one of these prize packs, check out each site along the blog tour.

April 1st     Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Reviews

April 2nd     The Peasants Revolt

April 3rd     Catharsis of the Bogue

April 4th     The Pen and Whisk

April 5th     Write for Life

April 6th     S.M. Boyce

April 8th     Paranormal Lounge

April 9th     Lisa Is a Bookworm

April 10th     Jade Kerrion

April 11th     Paper Book Princess

April 12th     Now is Gone

April 13th     Worlds Away Book Blog

April 15th     FU Only Knew

April 17th     Sarcasm and Lemons

April 18th     Brandon R. Luffman

Your Thirteenth Clue

Wes visits many worlds in the Existence. Here’s your challenge in this scavenger hunt:

Collect the names of the fifteen worlds in Gateway to Reality (one will be revealed each day).

Following the schedule above, collect a world name at each stop, and when you have them all, plug that list of 15 worlds into the giveaway below to win a BONUS TEN ENTRIES.

HERE’S YOUR THIRTEENTH WORLD:  Crestview Drive

Continue with your hunt tomorrow at Sarcasm and Lemons. Good luck!

About the author

Becca J. Campbell

An avid lover of stories that tiptoe the line between fantasy and reality (even when they plunge off one side or the other), Becca J. Campbell looks for new angles on bridging the gap between the two. She holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity.

Becca’s journey into writing began as many of her other creative endeavors do – by daring herself to try something new. The question “what if I wrote a novel?” and some hastily scribbled notes on a church handout were the inspirations that jump-started her first book. Since then, she has written three additional novels and several shorter works.

As the wife of a musician and mother of three young boys, Becca’s life is never dull. Whether it is writing, painting or knitting, she enjoys making stuff that wasn’t there before. You can find her blog, Inspiration for Creation, at http://www.beccajcampbell.com.

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Win Spare Change! Bring your own Kleenex!

Posted: April 12, 2013 in Contemporary Literature, giveaways, reviews, Romance, suspense
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Keep a box of Kleenex handy.

This one will tug at your heart-strings.

Spare Change

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Literary Awards
 

My Review

In the early 1920’s Olivia Ann Westerly rebels against her father and moves out on her own, despite his threats to disown her. She never looks back. Working at the telephone company for many years, she sees her friends get married, and become mothers shortly after.  When she questions them about it, they say, sure, that’s what’s expected:

1) Get married

2) Get pregnant

3) Have a baby

4) Have more babies…

The thought terrifies her.

But she does fall for Herbert and excepts his proposal. But then she gets to thinking about what her friends told her, and breaks off the engagement.

“I told people the thought of being tied down to a man who expected a clean shirt and dinner on the table at the dot of six was something I simply couldn’t face; but the real truth of the matter is that I’ve grown petrified of babies. They look all cute and cuddly in their little pink and blue buntings, but I’ve seen what they do to women.”

So, that’s how it went, year after year, relationship after relationship. Until 1956.

That’s when Charlie Doyle steps into her life. His son, Benjamin,  is grown and married with a boy of his own, so children aren’t in the picture. So Olivia, at 58 years old, lets herself fall in love and get married.

What should have been the beginning of the rest of her life, ends abruptly when Charlie dies suddenly during their honeymoon. A massive heart attack takes him from her arms and her future.

She returns to Virginia and quickly realizes she can’t go home again, so she settles into Charlies apartment in Wyattsville and begins to make friends, until something happens that changes everything she ever believed.

Ethan’s mother, Susanna, never grew up. She was what you called a free spirit, fun to be around.

His father, Benjamin Doyle, was the opposite. He dished out tough love, sometimes violently.

His best friend is Dog, his loyal canine companion.

A violent argument turns deadly and Benjamin hits Susanna so hard, she never wakes up.  Ethan has been hiding in the woods, afraid to come home when he sees a man pull up to the house, Shortly after, the man comes out, attacks his father, and beats him to death before tearing off in his car.

When Ethan ends up placed in the murderers home, he steals off in the night with nothing but his dog. He comes upon a tired looking gas station and a kindly man who gets him a ride right to his grandfathers apartment building. Charlie Doyle’s apartment building.

That’s where Olivia finds Ethan and Dog, fast asleep at her doorstep.

This is where it gets fun. There are no pets or children allowed in the apartment complex and Olivia is scared of being kicked out. Also, she has no clue what to do with this stubborn, taciturn boy and his raggedy dog.

Soon enough, some friends learn she’s hiding them in her apartment, and before you know it, everyone is clambering to help her keep her secret.

One detective back home suspects Ethan knows what happened to his parents and keeps searching for him. The killer is looking for Ethan to silence him for good.

There’s no avoiding it. They will all meet again.

There is a lot I didn’t tell you about Spare Change. About Olivia’s trip home from her honeymoon and the mysterious and kindly woman who gives her advice or about her eccentric and mixed bag of neighbors. I can’t tell you everything or I’d spoil it.

I wanted to gather Ethan Allen up in my arms and take him home with me. He may be double tough but he’s just a boy. A scared little boy who’s just witnessed the horrifying deaths of both parents. He shows a taciturn front, but inside he’s scared.

Olivia. She deserves a hug and a big pat on the back. Here she is confronted with her worst fear, and she handles it so sensitively and wisely. I bet she didn’t know she had it in herself.

I was swept away by Bette’s writing. The South oozes from the pages. I swear she writes with a southern drawl.

Bette’s characters are so real, so genuine. They have the same fears and insecurities as you or I. They all have their flaws. They are so real you might think you recognize one as someone you know.

The ending. You are going to love the ending! It left me smiling as tears ran down my face. It is one of the best endings of any book I’ve read and filled me with happiness and hope.

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Five Hugs for Spare Change.

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Giveaway

I have one paperback copy to giveaway.

*****Us/Canada Only. Sorry to my International friends.*****

Good news!

I also have one e-book to giveaway.

***Anyone can enter for the e-book!***

To enter, please leave your email address, specify if entering as for the paperback or e-book,  and answer this question,

“Has a book ever made you cry?”

Giveaway ends April 19th.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonly and Good Luck!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bette Lee CrosbyBette Lee Crosby’s work was first recognized in 2006, when she won the National League of American Pen Women Award for unpublished fiction with What Matters Most. Her novel, Cracks in the Sidewalk, received the 2009 Royal Palm Literary Award and then went on to win the 2011 FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal. In 2011 Spare Change received the Reviewer’s Choice Awards and it garnered a second Royal Palm Literary Award. Her books have earned numerous five-star ratings with readers acclaiming them as heartwarming and captivating.

Most recently, Bette completed a memoir written for Lani Deauville, a woman the Guinness Book of Records lists as The World’s Longest Living Quadriplegic.

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Spare Change  The Twelfth Child  Cupid's Christmas  Cracks in the Sidewalk  What Matters Most  Life in the Land of IS...the amazing story of Lani Deauville, the world's longest living quadriplegic

January Black ~ Blog Tour & Giveaway

Posted: April 10, 2013 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, YA
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January Black

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He’s been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost…or call the king’s bluff.

Praise

Refreshingly intelligent and loads of fun!

I lost a few hours as I read this book. It’s a Young Adult novel that is refreshingly and astonishingly intelligent, and the love story is perfectly played out.

~Christine Ashworth, Amazon Review

The mystery was intriguing – I loved how Wendy Russo weaved in all her secrets throughout the book, how she incorporated just enough to keep you reading, while never actually divulging much of anything. I was guessing for most of it and that’s pretty hard to make me do.

~Julie, Clean Teen Reads

Wendy Russo has created a masterpiece.

~Ivan Amberlake, Author
Book Trailer

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Author Wendy S. Russo

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

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BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/5/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck ya’ll!

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Teaser Tuesday’s # 19 ~ Broken Illusions

Posted: April 9, 2013 in Meme, Paranormal or fantasy, Psychic, Romance, suspense, Teaser Tuesdays, Uncategorized, YA
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

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!
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My tease for today is from Broken Illusions by Ellie James

A Midnight Dragonfly Novel

Broken Illusions (Midnight Dragonfly, #2)

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A sexy, suspenseful paranormal thriller.

Here’s my tease.

“Love isn’t supposed to have conditions,” I said, staring at the dull haze of moonlight from behind the clouds. “Or rules. It’s not supposed to hurt.”

Chase stiffened. I felt it, even through the feather-light touch of his fingers.

 Love was something we didn’t talk about.

“How can it not hurt?” he asked quietly. “When someone else has that much control over you?”

I’m about two-thirds through with this one and it’s fun. I like books with a psychic element and this  has a lot of suspense and some light romance.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Cover Reveal ~ Kissing Fire ~ Mmm Mmm Good!

Posted: April 9, 2013 in Cover Reveal, Mytery/Thriller, New Release, Romance
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Have you seen the cover art for A.M. Hargrove’s upcoming new release Kissing Fire?

Well, I have it here just for you.

I love it! Check it out!

What do you think?

Read further to get the description and she’s also given us a teaser!

Make sure you read all the way through and catch sight of all of Hargrove’s other books too!

She has some amazing covers and I’ve read all of the books and can tell you, they are incredible!

KissingFire amazon GR Smashwords

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Releasing April 15th!

Kissing Fire….Description

Preston Mitchell, undercover DEA agent, has led a life of danger and obscurity. Knowing his job would never allow a normal relationship, he’s never opened himself up to any woman…that is until the lovely Avery Middleton stumbles into his life.

To the outsider, Avery has it all…wealth, family, connections and a great job. But on the inside, she’s miserable. Her social life is in the dumpster, the kooky gal next door has some zany plans for her and her selfish mother drives Avery to the point of insanity. Her only salvation is to get out of Charleston and start a new life. So that’s precisely what she does. She moves to Seattle and steps right into the path of hot and sexy, Preston.

Unfortunately for both of them, Avery ends up being in the wrong place at the wrong time and is now running for her life. But she’s not alone. She has a gorgeous DEA agent protecting her and suddenly finds herself irresistibly captivated by him. There’s only one problem. Preston carries more than his share of mental baggage, courtesy of his job. His covert missions have put him in places and situations he can barely stand to think about. Avery rocks Preston’s world because she is nothing like anyone he’s ever met and something extraordinary begins to happen between them.  But can their love survive in this world, where danger, intrigue and deception lurk on every corner?

KISSING FIRE Teaser

Boy oh boy, was Preston hot. Make that boiling. Scorching. Molten lava kind of hot. Messy dark brown, slightly wavy hair that was not long but not short either. And, oh what a mouth he had. His mouth made me want to jump on board and ride that train for life. His lips were the perfect kind of full and every so often, he’d run his tongue across them and I’d automatically squirm. His face was pure angular perfection…high cheekbones with those slight hollows beneath them, that were the perfect shape to accommodate my lips. But those eyes…my oh my. They were golden brown, like coffee with lots of cream. I could only imagine what they looked like right when he was…

Cheezits Ava, get your head out of the bedroom!

“Wouldn’t you agree Ava?” my brother was asking me.

I shook my head and swallowed. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“We were talking about the weather here in the summer and I was saying how much more pleasant it is than in Charleston?”

“Oh, yes it is.” Was my voice breathy sounding, or was it my imagination?

Preston was wearing jeans that rode low on his hips. They were tight and he had a superior set of buns. What would I pay to see those babies?

“Ava? What do you think?” someone asked.

“Buns!” I blurted out.

“Excuse me?” Caroline, my sister-in-law, asked.

Holy Toledo, did I just say buns out loud? What the hell Ava!!!

“Fun! Anything sounds fun!” I quickly said.

“Ava, you look a little flushed. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

“Hot! I mean no, I’m fine.” I looked across the room and my face totally flamed. Everyone was staring at me. I had unbuttoned my blouse and was fanning myself. I’d noticed that Preston had a gloriously hot tattoo of a sideways cross on his arm. I think I needed to go home.

“So Avery, where are you staying?” Caroline asked.

“Oh, I’m at the Four Sexy. Seasons! I mean the Four Seasons.”

Oh dear God, I need to get my act together here.

About the author and her books.
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A.M. Hargrove

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life.  So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase.  Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodgeball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head.  Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window.   She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone and hit #4 on her speed dial.

“Hello.” “Boss, is that you?” “Why yes, A. M., who else would be answering my phone?” “Er… right.  Well, I’m calling to let you know you can pick up my luxury Ford Focus at Starbucks near the interstate.” “Why ever would I want to do that?” “Because I quit you idiot!”

A.M. hit the end button and speed dialed her husband.

“Hi hubs, can you pick me up at Starbucks?” “Sure… Having some car trouble?” “Not at all.  I don’t have a car to have trouble with because I just quit my job.” “WHAT?!” “It’s time for a new career and I am going to be a very famous novelist.”

So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as a young adult paranormal romance author of self-published ebooks.  Her series, The Guardians of Vesturon, centers around a family of six siblings and is a mix of humor, mystery, suspense and of course, love. If you’re wondering, it didn’t happen EXACTLY that way, but….

Author links:

   Blog        http://www.amhargrove.blogspot.com/
   Twitter      http://www.twitter.com/amhargrove1

Goodreads   http://www.goodreads.com/amhargrove1

 The Guardians of Vesturon Series

Beginnings: Prequel to The Guardians of Vesturon Survival (The Guardians of Vesturon, #1)  Resurrection (The Guardians of Vesturon, #2)  Determinant (The Guardians of Vesturon #3)

The Praestani Novels

  Dark Waltz (Praestani, #1)

Edge Novels

  Edge of Disaster (An Edge Novel, #1)  Shattered Edge (An Edge Novel, #2)

Thread on Arrival ~ Come on over and get cozy!

Posted: March 31, 2013 in Cozy Mystery, Humor, reviews, Romance, Series
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I won Thread on Arrival by Amanda Lee from a giveaway on Lori’s blog escape with dollycas.

I fell in love with the soft, pastel colors on the cover art. I love a cover that is, well, cozy.

Thread on Arrival (An Embroidery Mystery, #5)

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It’s been almost a year since Marcy moved to Tallulah Falls and opened up her embroidery shop,  The Seven-Year Stitch. She’s made some close friends and even has a couple of love interests.

When she agreed to help her friend, Reggie, by teaching an embroidery class to abused women, she had no idea she’d become entangled in a hunt for lost treasure and a murder.

The town and its denizens reminds of Cabot Cove from Murder She Wrote. Everyone knows each others business and like with most small towns, news travels faster than the telephone.

Marcy is a smart business woman, a very loyal friend, and is either gifted or cursed with an impulsive nature. She dives into things quickly, wanting to help out, and often lands in hot water. Her close-knit (no pun intended) group of friends are often right in the middle of it with her.

In the beginning, there is a bit of a love triangle, but Marcy makes her choice fairly early on in the book. She’s not a player, doesn’t want anyone to get hurt. She just cautious after her last relationship ended badly.

The fact she has this giant wolfhound, Angus, really drew me to this story. If you don’t know the breed, they are one of the largest dogs, over six feet standing on their hind legs. Marcy, or Inch-High Private Eye, as her beau fondly calls her, is a tiny thing and her dog dwarfs her.

Angus is the first to know when Marcy chooses her man.

I giggle. “I’ve got a boyfriend, Angus!”

From the back seat, he woofed his approval before slurping my ear with his tongue.

I totally approve of her choice. He’s sexy, funny, and his more serious nature is a perfect match for the impetuous Marcy.

“Is this where I say something horribly corny like Yeah, but you’re a thief – you stole my heart?” he asked.

From murder, to a new beau, to a reality show, Marcy is right in the thick of things. Now she just needs to put the threads together, to solve the mystery before anyone else ends up dead.

As I got a little ways into the book, I realized this was a series and Thread on Arrival wasn’t the first book.  Imagine my surprise and delight to discover this was book #5 in the Embroidery Series. Four more cozy mysteries to read.

I had no trouble reading this book before the others. The author placed small bits of history from the other books throughout the story, kind of filling in the blanks. You could read this without having read the others and feel completely comfortable and satisfied.

Of course, I’ll be reading the other four books. Right at 300 pages, I read this in about three hours, and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Almost forgot! When I was checking out other books by the author, I found out Amanda Lee is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. She has also written The Daphne Martin Series and the Myrtle Crumb Series.

Four Stars for this sparkling read.

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About the author

Gayle Trent

Amanda Lee is a pseudonym of Gayle Trent.

Series:
* Embroidery Mystery

(from Gayle Trent’s webpage)

“Thank you so much for stopping by my site!

I live in Southwest Virginia with my husband and two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. I’m a full-time writer/editor/mom/wife and chief cook and bottle washer, and I love every minute of it. Okay, not the bottle washing so much, but the rest of it is great.

I’m happy to introduce you to my latest characters, cake decorator Daphne Martin and embroidery shop owner Marcy Singer.

Read more about Daphne and Marcy at my blog.

Who’s Amanda Lee?

Amanda Lee is a pseudonym Gayle is using for the new cozy mystery series featuring a heroine who owns an embroidery shop. The series is set on the Oregon Coast and features Marcy Singer, a spunky, thirty-something, entrepreneur who is handy with a needle.

Goodreads

Website

Twitter

The Embroidery Series

The Quick and the Thread (An Embroidery Mystery, #1) Stitch Me Deadly (An Embroidery Mystery, #2)  Thread Reckoning (An Embroidery Mystery, #3)  The Long Stitch Good Night (An Embroidery Mystery, #4)  Thread on Arrival (An Embroidery Mystery, #5)

Go here for more of Amanda Lee’s books.

And go here for Gayle Trent’s books.

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Giveaway ~ H.D. Gordon’s Shooting Stars ~ A Surah Stormsong Novel

Posted: March 29, 2013 in Blog Tour, Creatures, Fantasy, Magic, Mystery, New Release, otherworldly, reviews, Romance, Series, Witches, wizards
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Shooting stars Book tour Banner

This is so exciting. I was so thrilled to be a part of the cover reveal for H.D. Gordon’s newest release, Shooting Stars. Not really knowing what the story was about, I was happy dancing when I saw the cover!

Now I’ve read the book and I’m here to tell ya, you get excellent writing, characterization and world building in Shooting Stars.  I wouldn’t expect anything less from H.D.

Make sure you enter the awesome giveaway following my review!

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Title: Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel #1)

Author: H.D. Gordon

Publisher: ShareAread

Release Date: March 15th, 2013

Formats:  E-book

Cover Artist: Regina Wamba

 Shooting Stars Synopsis

Once upon a time, a common boy fell in love with a princess. It was a hopeless, forbidden love, grown in a world where sorcery and magic rule over all. Now, dark times are brewing, and destiny will bring them together, while fate works to keep them apart. Extraordinary battles will be fought, and extraordinary choices made. Join the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga for the beginning of a tale of star-crossed lovers and magic, of hope and love and loss, of desperate wishes made on stars.

Enjoy this excerpt

He spoke first, and Surah found herself listening carefully to the way a slight twang rode his words, she had never heard such an accent before. “You plannin on skewerin sumthin with those?” he asked, eyeing the silver sais still clutched in her hands.

Surah watched him closely, wishing she had mastered teleportation for what seemed like the billionth time, so that she could just take herself out of here. She didn’t think that the boy meant her any harm, he was obviously just a common Sorcerer, not a spy for the Vampires or Fairies or any of the other races currently feuding over the Territories, but in the past two days the young princess had learned a very important lesson, one that she would carry with her for hundreds and hundreds of years.

You couldn’t really trust anyone.

She gave a slight shrug, held his gaze, which was somehow very penetrating. “I was thinking about it,” she said, hastily brushing the tears from her face that she just remembered were there.

The boy approached the lake slowly, giving Surah a wide berth, his dirty hands raised at his sides, dark hair falling into his face. Then he plopped down on the shore of the lake and stared out over it. He settled his arms on his knees and put a hand over his chest were his heart was. “Alright,” he said, “right here, then. Put er right here.” He looked at her now, his eyes burning with the same amount of grief Surah felt burning in her own soul. A piece of her broken heart went out to him then, even though she tried with all her might to call it back. She felt broken, but he looked broken.

“And don’t miss,” he added.

My Review

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’ve never read a book By H.D. that I didn’t love.

I first met Surah Stormsong in Redemption, an Alexa Montgomery Saga novel. She was much more impetuous and looking for a fight. Now she has matured and has been forced to take on a heavy mantle in being the Keeper for her kingdom.

Surah acts like a princess, looks like a princess, and fulfills her duties to her people. But she’s tired of the pomp. Tired of people never saying what they mean, only what they think she wants to hear. Tired of the rigid behavior expected of her. She has a desire. A desire to be free from it all, from the cold walls of the castle, to breathe the fresh air, to be ordinary. Just be…

“Someday I will shed the mask, she thought. Someday.’

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Until then, she will do whatever she must to serve and protect her people in a world torn asunder.

I didn’t know what to expect when I received this ARC. I was surprised to learn it was about sorcerers, witches, and supernatural creatures. How exciting. And there is romance, a gentle romance that starts as a flicker and becomes a beautiful flame.

I really like Surah. She’s stuck, but she doesn’t whine. And her partially shaved purple haircut and the combat boots she wears makes her normal, gives her attitude. I like my protagonists to have some quirks.

Charles. Now there’s someone I could fall in love with. He’s quite, introspective, slow to rile, and still carries a torch for the young girl he met for only a brief moment a thousand years ago. That’s what I call a love that endures, that lasts a lifetime! You’re gonna love him.

Samson is Surah’s best friend. She saved him when he was but a cub. That’s right, he’s a tiger. I like when an animal gets a major role in a story. I feel a bond. I imagine that’s how man felt when a wolf came in to share his fire.  Samson won me over instantly and made me wish we could all have a friend like him. Who wouldn’t love a giant tiger of their very own.

There are some bad guys too. There’s no way H.D. wouldn’t give us some characters to loathe and where would we be without some action. One character was a mystery to me right from the beginning and I’m sure he was intended to be. All through the book, I wondered what his story was and whether he would turn out to be the villain or the good guy. Definitely kept my curiosity ramped up.

Shooting Stars is something different from H.D. Gordon. It’s romance, adventure, and magic with a lighter touch. Not quite as kick-ass as The Alexa Montgomery Series. They were more violent, darker, and while that’s the stuff that gets my endorphins pumping, I really loved Surah’s story.

Five Stars for the beginning of a new, addictive series!

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Giveaway

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Prizes include:

$50.00 Adopt a Tiger package from WWF

Baby Samson Plush

5 e-copies of Shooting Stars.

Ends April 15th.

Click on rafflecopter link below to enter.

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

About the Author

H.D author pic shooting stars

H. D. Gordon is the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga. Blood Warrior, the first book of the Alexa series was her debut novel and has held a spot in the top 100 fantasy bestsellers for over a month. Half Black Soul is the second book in this series and H. D. plans to complete Alexa’s tales by the end of 2012. In June of 2012, Joe, a fantasy novel about a young clairvoyant, was released as well. H. D. is a lifelong reader and writer, a true lover of words. When she is not reading or writing she is raising her two daughters, playing a little guitar, and spending time with her family. She is twenty three years old and lives in the northeastern United States.

You can follow H.D. Gordon at:

Blog

Author Facebook Page

Twitter

Goodreads Author Page

H.D.Gordon Facebook page

Webpage

Goodreads Fan Club

 H.D. Gordon’s Books

The Surah Stormsong Series

The Alexa Montgomery Saga

       

JOE

 

                       

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Fire and Ash ~ A Fiery Blast and Giveaway!

Posted: March 28, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, crime thriller, giveaways, Romance
Tags: , , ,
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I’ve always loved reading stories about firefighters and investigators. It’s fascinating and terrifying.

Fire and Ash sounds like it will keep me on my toes, staying one step ahead of the flames!

Fire and Ash by Anne Patrick



Fire and Ash is the story of female fire investigator Sadie McGregor.  When she was a child, Sadie lost her family in a horrific fire that still haunts her.  She’s now been called in to investigate a fatality fire in her hometown of Emerald Point, Missouri. What Sadie and the handsome new police chief discover will not only affect those close to them, but will rock the entire community.
 
 
Reviews and Awards
“This is a beautiful, yet hard-hitting story, fluently written, presenting characters you fall in love with.” ~ Reviewed by Fennel at LASR
“A Top Pick! Another Fantastic Novel!!!! Anne Patrick’s novel, “Fire and Ash” is a well-written novel that flows wonderfully. A fantastic read!” ~ Night Owl Reviews
“A wonderful read, this book had me laughing and crying. True to life characters and vivid descriptions, along with comedy and heart stopping moments, make this a page turner you’ll want to read again.” ~ Happily Ever After Reviews
“As a forensics show enthusiast, I found that Anne Patrick, in her book, Fire and Ash, goes into great, minute detail of the fire investigation, that puts you on the scent of a perpetrator.  Her unique ability to incorporate multiple plots to throw you off course makes the pages fly by to connect the dots.”  ~ Onedesertrose’s Christian Book Reviews Blog
“As a retired fire investigator I have to say kudos to Ms Patrick on her research. I normally don’t read romantic suspense, but this book sounded intriguing so I couldn’t resist. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED” ~Review from ‘Fireboy’ at Christianbook.com


Received Four Stars from Romantic Times Book Reviews!
LASR BEST BOOK of 2010 Nominee!
‘Best Inspirational’ 2010 at The Romance Reviews!
#1 Bestselling Suspense eBook, and #1 Bestselling Romance eBook at Christianbook.com!
Amazon Top 100 Bestseller in Christian Fiction!
 

Author Anne Patrick

 
Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award winning and bestselling WOUNDED HEROES SERIES, FIRE AND ASH, and TIES THAT BIND. When she isn’t working on her next novel she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling to foreign countries to experience new cultures and adventures. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas. 



She loves to hear from her readers!

Book Blast Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/10/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Thank you for visiting fuonlyknew.

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Teaser Tuesday’s #17 ~ H.D. Gordon’s Shooting Stars

Posted: March 26, 2013 in Meme, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance, Series, Teaser Tuesdays, Uncategorized
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

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 for today is from Shooting Stars by HD Gordon

The Surah Stormsong Series, Book #1

Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel, #1)

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Someday I will shed the mask, she thought. Someday.

This book is so freakin good! Another great new series by H.D.

I kept this mysterious because I am doing my review on Friday, March 29th.

I don’t want to say much more until then!

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Spotlight on Hurt like Hell

Posted: March 23, 2013 in Book Promos, Debut Novel, New Adult, New Release, Romance
Tags:
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Hurt Like Hell banner

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hlhcover hurts like hell

Title: Hurt Like HELL

Author:London Casey

Genre: New Adult Romance

Publisher: Hundred to Home

Format: Ebook

Length: 56000 words

Release Date: March 21st 2013

Buy Links:

Book Description:

The debut novel from London Casey

Available now on AMAZON / Barnes & Noble

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HURT LIKE HELL

Tessa Belle barely escaped her father’s abusive hands ten years ago, when she was just thirteen.

On her own now, in her own apartment, she tells herself it’s time to start living.  Her dating life has been lackluster as no boy or man could ever love her or protect her the way Jack Smithen had.  After all these years, she can still picture his face that fateful night.

When her deadly past comes crashing into the present, she feels too alone to do anything.  That’s when her long lost love, Jack, appears – literally – and takes hold of her life, and her heart.  It’s been ten years since their first kiss, ten years since their lives were changed forever.  But now they’re together again, adults now, able to help each other, able to love each other openly.  Jack’s the only person who understands what Tessa endured, because Jack endured the same from his own abusive mother.

Just when it feels they can share the life they always dreamed, Tessa’s father is released early from prison.  His sole mission is to finish what he started that night in their basement ten years ago…

Hand in hand, Tessa and Jack prepare to face Tessa’s father one last time… but this time, can they both make it out alive?

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