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Wednesday 31 May 2017

Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway - When Planets Fall by Abby J. Reed

http://xpressobooktours.com/2017/03/22/tour-sign-up-when-planets-fall-by-abby-j-reed/



When Planets Fall
(Stars Fall Circle #1)
Author:  Abby J. Reed
Published by: Soul Mate Publishing
Publication Date: April 12th, 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Book Description:
“In this richly imagined start to a new sci-fi series, Reed brings optimism to the goal of solving entrenched violence in a galaxy far, far away . . . A propulsive, sharply crafted tale about a planetary war.” -Kirkus Reviews

Breaker’s home is cleaved by blood. The three tribes on the planet Scarlatti, whose only difference is their blood color, each want to exploit Breaker’s valley for themselves. The feudal tension has already claimed red-blood Breaker’s leg and his older brother. Now all this 18-year old wants is to maintain the tenuous peace in order to keep his little ‘stroid of a brother alive. Malani, a red-blood raised blue, is a kidnapped POW and only wants to return to her adoptive home with her dangerous blue secrets. Luka, a red-blood stewing for trouble, wants to right wrongs done to his family and bath his home in justice.

All three intersect when Breaker discovers a wrecked starship and is given seven days by the green-bloods to fix and hand it over as a weapon. Breaker must decide if aiding his enemies is worth the home he knows and his family’s life. War is coming. And war respects no boundaries. And war leaves no survivors.

Buy Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30801623-when-planets-fall?ac=1&from_search=true

Release Blitz - Under the Cherry Tree by Lilac Mills



Under the Cherry Tree
Author:
Lilac Mills
Genre: Chick Lit
Date Published:
  05/31/2017

Book Description:
“A feel-good, heart-warming, tear-jerking love story.”

The best sort of holiday read, recommended for fans of Jane Costello, Erica James, and Lucy James

“My dog didn't like men. Actually that was a lie – she didn't like the men I chose. The only ones who rocked her world had been my father (who was no longer with us), Ross (who was gay), and the butcher on the high street (for obvious reasons).

When Jenni Meadows has the opportunity to expand her dog-grooming business she takes it, and when a nice man appears on her horizon but fails to make any sparks fly, she decides she has enough on her plate with her business without adding a boyfriend into the mix.

Besides, Millie doesn’t like him and when her dog doesn’t like a man, Jenni knows all about it. So why does Millie take a very strange liking to the new vet, especially since he has a taciturn expression, wears a wedding ring, and wields a needle?

Under the Cherry Tree is a tale of love and hope, waggy tails, and cold noses.

Only $0.99!

Buy Links:

May Favourites

Welcome to my May Favourites.
Here, you will find a list of the movies and books I watched and read in May and my favourite among them.

Books Read:


Favourite:



Buy Links:


Movies Watched:




Favourite:

Tuesday 30 May 2017

Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - Positively Pippa by Sarah Hegger




Positively Pippa
Author:
Sarah Hegger

Book description:
For Pippa Turner there’s only one place to go when her life self-destructs on national TV—home to Ghost Falls, and her heavily perfumed, overly dramatic, but supremely loving grandmother, Philomene. If anyone will understand how Pippa’s hit makeover show was sabotaged by her vengeful ex, it’s Phi. But she’s not the only one who’s happy to see her—and Pippa can’t help but wonder if Matt Evans, her gorgeous high-school crush turned Phi’s contractor, is game for a steamy close-up...

Matt owes his whole career to Phi and her constant demands to embellish the gothically ridiculous house he built for her. Getting to see red-headed, red-hot Pippa is a bonus, especially now that she’s no longer the troublesome teenager he remembers. He’s willing to stay behind the scenes while she gives her own life a much-needed makeover, but not forever. As far as he’s concerned, their connection is too electric to ignore. And the chance to build something lasting between them—before she can high-tail it back to Hollywood—is going to the top of his to-do list.

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ iBooks ¦ Nook ¦ Kobo

http://bit.ly/2pMFSDL

Book Blast & Giveaway - Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth by Frank Cottrell Boyce

http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2017/04/nerd-blast-sputniks-guide-to-life-on.html



Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth
Author: by Frank Cottrell Boyce
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Walden Pond Press
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062643622
ISBN-13: 978-0062643629

Book Description:
Award-winning author Frank Cottrell Boyce returns with another one-of-a-kind story of heart, humor, and finding one’s place in the universe.

Prez knows that the best way to keep track of things is to make a list. That's important when you have a grandfather who is constantly forgetting. And it's even more important when your grandfather can't care for you anymore and you have to go live with a foster family out in the country.

Prez is still learning to fit in at his new home when he answers the door to meet Sputnik—a kid who is more than a little strange. First, he can hear what Prez is thinking. Second, he looks like a dog to everyone except Prez. Third, he can manipulate the laws of space and time. Sputnik, it turns out is an alien, and he's got a mission that requires Prez's help: the Earth has been marked for destruction, and the only way they can stop it is to come up with ten reasons why the planet should be saved.

Thus begins one of the most fun and eventful summers of Prez's life, as he and Sputnik set out on a journey to compile the most important list Prez has ever made—and discover just what makes our world so remarkable.

Buy Links:

Bookvie: The Circle - out April 28th, 2017 (USA)


Who's in it:
Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega

Monday 29 May 2017

Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway - Cherished by Christina Bauer

 (http://xpressobooktours.com/2017/03/02/tour-sign-up-cherished-by-christina-bauer/)


Cherished
(Beholder #3)
Author: Christina Bauer
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Book Description:
For Elea, there’s never been a better time to turn away from witch life. The Tsar is in exile. The Vicomte is dead. And Rowan? Falling for him only broke her heart. Instead of casting spells, Elea spends her days running Braddock Farm and enjoying the flirtations of the very handsome and non-magical Philippe. Everything is going perfectly, except for one problem.

Someone’s trying to kill her.

Shujaa is a Changed One, a Creation Caster mage whose mutated form makes him invincible in battle. Now that the Tsar and Vicomte are gone, Shujaa wants to rise and rule. To do so, he must eliminate all those powerful enough to oppose him, and Elea is top on his list. Anyone who offers her aid quickly ends up dead.

In the end, there’s only one person who can keep Elea safe while helping her defeat Shujaa: Rowan. Like it or not, Elea must team up with her old love. With Philippe along for the ride, Elea plans to team with Rowan without losing her heart this time. But that’s when all her plans fall apart…

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Kobo ¦ iBooks

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30977883-cherished?ac=1&from_search=true

Release Blitz - Starshine by Melody Winter



Starshine
Author:
Melody Winter
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 29th May 2017

Book Description:
Film student Ella Summers can’t believe her luck when she is selected to work on the set of the most anticipated film release of the year—STARSHINE. For the next four weeks, she’ll be in the studio with heart-throb and leading man Alex Denton, and his co-star—and recent ex—the stunning Amy Strickland.

But her first day on set has her questioning the true character of the enigmatic and sexy Alex. The charming celebrity she’s adored on screen disappears before her very eyes—if indeed he ever really existed.

Off-camera arguments between Alex and Amy become difficult to ignore, and when Ella uncovers layers of deceit and closely guarded secrets between them, she becomes involved in a battle that has far-reaching implications.

With the paparazzi hounding her every move for the most sensational story they can get, Ella becomes deeply embroiled in Alex’s life. Can she break down his seemingly impenetrable walls, or will he remain the arrogant ass she first met?

STARSHINE is set in London, England. Beware though—Alex Denton has a crude mouth, and an equally wicked smile.

Starshine is exclusive to Amazon and part of KU

Buy Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34537379-starshine?ac=1&from_search=true

Sunday 28 May 2017

BOOK REVIEW - Sand Runner (Sand Runner, #1) by Vera Brook

Sand Runner
(Sand Runner, #1)
Author: Vera Brook
Genre: YA Sci-Fi / Fantasy

Book Description:
For fans of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner comes a gripping new novel of action and suspense set in the world of extreme sports... SAND RUNNER.

Welcome to the No Limits Race.

In the near future, 16-year-old Kaiden Reed makes a bold and dangerous decision to enter the most brutal sports competition on the planet. One in which he will undergo a radical upgrade and become a new kind of athlete and a new kind of hero.

Part human. Part machine.

All Kai wants is a shot at a better life and to impress the girl of his dreams. But the stakes in the Race are higher, and the choices tougher, than Kai ever imagined. The physical challenges are just the beginning.

Ten days. Ten contenders. One winner.

Does Kai have what it takes to compete? How far will he go to win? And should he trust the person who recruited him in the first place - or is she using him to carry out a bold and dangerous agenda of her own?

Don't miss this action-packed new series - read SAND RUNNER now.

Buy Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34680403-sand-runner


MY REVIEW

Vera Brook's portrayal of a world where everything and anything is manufactured via 3D printing is equally as terrifying as it is plausible. I found the depiction of this dystopian reality to be a nearly accurate demonstration of the consciousness of our current reality, particularly when it comes to technological advancements (cybernetics, specifically), as we experience with the experiments undertaken by the atheletes competing in the No Limits Race, 16-year old Kaiden Reed being one of ten contenders. There are some very serious themes portayed througout Sand Runner that can, at times, be very thought-provoking, but there's also the adventurous, fun element of the race that lightens the load of these topics that I appreciated as the book is directed at teens, so an adventure of  a lifetime is a must, which this book does provide.

Kaiden (Kai) wants nothing more than to impress the girl of his dreams, Sara, who has promised to bestow a kiss on the winner of the local race. Naturally, he does his best to impress and comes up victorious, winning himself that long-awaited kiss. Kai not only manages to impress the girl, however, he also catches the attention of the Optimex Agency, the highest profile athletics management firm in the world, and they want him to run for them. This is no ordinary challenge, Kai realises, but his willingness to impress Sara and his lack of a promising future takes precedence over any potential dangers, and he quickly agrees to sign up with the agency. It's not long before Kai realises just what he signed himself up for, forcing him to challenge himself in ways he never imagined. Although he often jumps into things without much thought, Kai's left pondering just how much he is willing to sacrifice to win the race.

There was a lot about this book I liked and found promising. I found Kai to be an engaging character, Emily too. They definitely carried the story well and had complexities that allowed us to see different sides of their characters. The story is full action and features some serious threatening situations that propels the characters to take action. I did find the story to be very fast paced, moving a little too qucikly at times. There were certain things I would have liked to have been explored in more depth, as to better establish the reality and Kai's place in it. I didn't get what Kai found so special about Sara that he fell madly in love with her as we didn't get to know much about Sara. I wasn't particularly fond of his obsession with his dream girl, but it didn't annoy me. I just didn't care much for their potential romance, although it was the reason behind most of Kai's decisions.

This book has a lot going for it, and as much as I thought it was a fun read, I didn't engage with the story as much as I hoped I would. It didn't maintain my focus all the way through, and I found myself wanting to put it down a few times. Don't get me wrong, it's well-written and has a great premise, and I think many readers will enjoy the book; it just didn't connect with me. I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have. I still recommend it as I feel it's worth the read.

VERDICT


Award: Silver
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Source: Author

Saturday 27 May 2017

Guest Post & Giveaway - The Pirate's Children by Michael Lloyd

The Pirate's Children
Author: Michael Lloyd
Genre: YA Adventure / Romance
Publisher: Austin Macauley
Pages: 333
Language: English
Format: Paperback and ebook

Book Description:
Eleanor Westerley is seventeen and lives with her aunt in seventeenth century England. Upon her aunt’s death she learns some startling information from the will. She decides to embark on a dangerous journey to the pirate-infested Caribbean in the ship which she has discovered belonged to her father, presumed dead. Leaving her estate in the capable hands of her trusted retainers, she takes her younger brothers and sister, who are all that remain of her family.  Headstrong and impetuous, Eleanor engages Jack Crawford, the young captain she finds in a debtors’ prison, to command her ship. Together with the children, whose courage is tested to the limit, they face many life-threatening situations at a time when England is at war with Spain and France and on the high seas it is every man for himself.

This is an exciting adventure story written by a master maritime storyteller blending fact and fiction of the age of piracy for children and the young at heart of all ages.


Buy Links:

CBY'S Saturday Current Reads - Dalysian Hope by Jamie Summer


 MY SATURDAY CURRENT READS IS:


Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: March 20th, 2016

Book Description:
 
One night can change everything.

For seventeen-year-old Sophie Evans life is completely average. And she likes it that way.

Until one night, her apartment is attacked. Out of nowhere, creatures climb through her windows with only one goal in mind: to kill her. Only with the help of two handsome strangers and her next-door-neighbor does she make it out alive.

While the immediate danger is gone, Sophie finds herself thrown into a world she didn’t even knew existed — dealing with powers she knows nothing about and a race counting on her to save them.

How can she be the only hope of a race she never even knew existed? When pressure threatens to suffocate her, can Sophie fight the odds stacked against her, or will she lose herself in the process?


Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Friday 26 May 2017

Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - It Had To Be You by Melissa Kate



It had To Be You
Crystal Valley, Book Two
Author:
Melissa Kate
Genre: Contemporary Romance / RomCom
Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing
Date of Publication: 25 April 2017
ISBN: 978-0-9984714-1-9
ASIN: B06ZZ2TPJ9
Number of pages: 200 pages
Word Count: 50
Cover Artist: Amy from Q Design

Book Description:
Emma Wyatt has had enough of her ex best friend and his lady killer ways. Gone was the sweet boy of her youth and in rides the womaniser. But this time he has ready gone and done it!

Oliver didn’t expect to be coupled with Emma. She was in an awkward situation and he couldn’t help the words that came out. She should be grateful, he saved her.

Now the whole town knows. And Emma is pissed! She’s going to kill him.

But a heated argument leads to a fiery moment of passion and suddenly the two are fighting an unlikely attraction that neither saw coming. But Oliver has a secret that could tear them apart…

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Kobo

Promo Blitz & Giveaway - Blood Phoenix by Alisha Costanzo



Blood Phoenix
Author: Alisha Costanzo
Genre: Urban Fantasy with satirical, horror, and romantic elements
Date Published: May 9, 2017
Publisher: Transmundane Press, LLC

Book Description:
With an old war raging between vampires and shifters, Ria must learn to refocus her life if she's going to survive.

Her renegade fight was just the beginning. The queen is recruiting new soldiers. Ria's going on vicious missions with her battle buddy. And her explosive abilities are malfunctioning at inopportune moments.

So now, Ria must forgo her selfish desires to compartmentalize her life, but what's she to do when she can't save everyone she wants to? One girl may not be capable of taking down an empire. Good thing Ria's got help.

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Kobo ¦ Transmundane Press

Thursday 25 May 2017

Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - Ahe’ey by Jamie Le Fay

 

Ahe’ey
Ange’el Series, Book One
Author: Jamie Le Fay
Genre: Epic Fantasy Romance
Date of Publication: 8th March 2017
ISBN-10: 0646969188
ISBN-13: 978-0646969183
ASIN: B06XF7T8P1
Number of pages: 625 paperback
Word Count: 155190
Cover Artist: Milan Jovanovic

Tagline: Morgan’s feminist books didn’t prepare her to deal with the dashing Gabriel and the land of Ahe’ey

Book Description:
"A thoughtful look at empowerment for women."

"A rollicking trip into a fantasy world complete with dragons, love and strength, and ideas that really get you thinking."

"Highly recommended for all ages."

Morgan is a dreamer, change maker and art lover. She is a feisty, slightly preachy, romantic feminist full of contradictions and insecurities. Morgan uncovers a world where women have the power, and where magic is no longer just a figment of her wild imagination. Sounds like a dream, but it may, in fact, turn into a nightmare.

The world of the Ahe'ey challenges and subverts her views about gender, genes, and nature versus nurture.

The strong and uninvited chemistry between her and the dashing Gabriel makes matters even more complicated. His stunning looks keep short-circuiting her rational mind.

Buy Links:

Book Blast & Giveaway - Seeker by Veronica Rossi

http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2017/04/nerd-blast-seeker-by-veronica-rossi.html


Seeker
Author: Veronica Rossi
Series: Riders (Book 2)
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Tor Teen (May 16, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0765382563
ISBN-13: 978-0765382566

Book Description:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Veronica Rossi's new fantasy adventure in the Rider series—Seeker .

When Daryn claimed she was seeing visions during her sophomore year of high school, no one believed the truth. She wasn't losing her mind, she was gaining the Sight the ability to see the future. If she just paid attention to the visions, they'd provide her with clues and show her how she could help people. Really help them. Daryn embraced her role as a Seeker. The work she did was important. She saved lives.

Until Sebastian.

Sebastian was her first and worst mistake.

Since the moment she inadvertently sealed him in a dark dimension with Samrael the last surviving demon in the Kindred guilt has plagued her. Daryn knows Sebastian is alive and waiting for help. It's up to her to rescue him. But now that she needs the Sight more than ever to guide her, the visions have stopped.

Daryn must rely on her instincts, her intelligence, and on blind faith to lead the riders who are counting on her in search of Sebastian. As they delve into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems and where Samrael is steadily amassing power, Daryn faces the ultimate test. Will she have to become evil to destroy evil? The very fate of humankind rests in the answer.

Buy Links:

Wednesday 24 May 2017

Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - Lord of Shadows by Shania Tyler



Lord of Shadows
Author: Shania Tyler
Publisher: ColleenNorman Publishing House
Pages: 330
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Book Description:
The Power of Love and Darkness
How strong you need to be to face your sealed fate?

Kelly Green had plans for her senior year of college.
Graduate. Get a job. And hopefully find love.

What she didn’t include was:
1. Getting kidnapped by an arrogant vampire 
2. Getting swept into his world of eternal darkness
3. And she certainly didn’t plan on falling for him...

Mason is the leader of the Rebels, an army fighting in a secret war that is about to get real. Vampires have enslaved elves for centuries, and Mason’s men fight for their freedom.

He’s willing do anything to see his people as the victors… whatever it takes.

This includes kidnapping a woman who isn’t what she seems and doing whatever he must in order to keep her close…

including pretending to fall in love…

But all the magic in the world of Asea can’t protect the heart and sooner or later, they’ll both have to make a choice that could change the future of an entire nation.

In the world of Asea, destiny’s course is set like a dance.
Nothing in life has been left up to chance.

“Destiny must be fulfilled.”

*Are they ready?*

*Are you?*

Buy Links:

EXCERPT

“Hey!” she called as he headed toward her. “What’s with the robe?”

A strong gust pushed her dress backward. She looked over her shoulder at the administration building and then back at the stranger, who stood only a few yards away.

He’d been so far away a moment ago.

Kelly did a double take, noticing for the first time that he wasn’t wearing a robe. The black was like a shadow that floated around him. The image of Pig-Pen from the Peanuts comic strip—the little boy with the cloud of dirt always circling him—stopped her from totally freaking out.

Then the image of Pig-Pen vanished and she freaked out.

“Kelly!”

She turned and saw the stranger from inside and frowned. How did he know her name?

He held out his hand, his green eyes wide and his dark hair windblown. “Come to me.”

She rushed to him, too afraid of the thing behind her to think about the consequences.

A peacefulness fell over her at his touch and then she was flush against him, chest to chest and thigh to thigh. “I—” Her body jerked and a fast wind stung her eyes. Her hair whipped in her face, and it was only then that she realized they were moving.

Her stranger, with his arm around her waist, held her with her feet off the ground and was running faster than humanly possible. “Hold onto me.”

Kelly’s jaw dropped, but her arms went around his neck to hold onto him for fear of being dropped; she could feel the strength in his body and knew he wouldn’t let her go.

What was happening to her?

Maybe she’d been drugged.

She tried to remember everything that had happened. Had she even attended the event? What if she was dreaming? It was the only explanation for the fact that she was being carried by a man who was speeding past buildings and trees like some sort of superhero. The street lamps’ rays splashed onto the sidewalk in quick patterns and everything about the dream felt real.

The man holding her certainly felt real. His thick muscles and the coolness of his leather jacket under her hands all felt real.

But then she looked up and saw they were being chased by the shadow. She thought it a dream again, especially as the shadow seemed to spread into the darkness around them, turning the already dark night into a blackness she’d never seen.

She closed her eyes and, like she did with any nightmare she’d found herself stuck in, told herself to wake up.

Her body jerked when they turned, and she heard the opening of a door before her body jolted again when they came to a complete stop.

The stranger set her down on her feet and then turned to close the door.

Kelly looked around and recognized the president’s house. She’d attended a few dinners at the house last year with her friend Amity, who’d been part of every major organization on campus.

“Come on,” the stranger said, holding out his hand.

She didn’t move. “What is going on?”

Something flickered in his green eyes, anger she thought, before he smoothed it away and said, “We have to go.”

“No.” Kelly shook her head. “I want to know what’s going on.”

The front door began to rattle, and she jumped.

“Come on!” the stranger shouted.

Kelly pressed her fingers to her temples. “Wake up, wake up, wake up.”

He grabbed her arms.

She looked up into the stranger’s eyes and the intricate shades of green began to dance.

Ote-oun’a.

Kelly blinked as a heaviness settled in her head and over her eyes. She grew tired instantly and the stranger wrapped his arms around her.

Ote-oun’a,” he whispered again. His eyes held a touch of tenderness and then darkness claimed her. “Sleep,” she heard him whisper, before there was nothing.


About the Author
As a young girl, Shania Tyler has always been fascinated with the world of vampires, dragons, fairies, elves and angles. So strong was her fascination that she always felt there is indeed such a world out there. A world where creatures of supernatural powers can transcend beyond time and space, not confined to the rules of the human world, and being able to live for eternity.

In Shania’s writings, you will find an infusion of passionate romance, action and mystery, and sometimes with a touch of suspense. She enjoys creating a dark complex world containing entities of a supernatural or otherworldly nature and being able to bring a romantic flavour to the plot and amongst the characters. It brings her great joy to see her childhood fantasies becoming a reality through the pages that she wrote. Some of her inspirations of writings include Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, J.R. Ward’s The Black Dagger Brotherhood series and Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton .

Shania’s latest book is the paranormal romance, Lord of Shadows.

You can connect with Shania on Facebook.



***GIVEAWAY***

Shania Tyler is giving away 7 paranormal romance paperbacks by Bella Forrest, JR Ward, I.T. Lucas, Dannika Dark, Karen Marie Moning, Patricia Briggs and Christine Feehan. BONUS: All entries will receive a free copy of FALLING INTO DARKNESS by Shania Tyler.

Terms & Conditions:
•    By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
•    One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive  a 7-pack paperback collection of paranormal romance novels by bestselling authors. All entries will receive a free copy of Shania Tyler's FALLING INTO DARKNESS.
•    This giveaway ends midnight May 31.
•    Winner will be contacted via email on June 1.
•    Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!



Blog Tour Organised by:
http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/