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Saturday 28 December 2019

BOOK REVIEW: Beyond the Hill by Sheldon Peart

Beyond the Hill
Author: Sheldon Peart
Genre: Crime / Thriller
Publication Date: 26th September 2019

Book Description:
Detective Inspector James Chisolm embarks on an extensive search to find fifteen-year-old Kathy Shackleton, who disappears after leaving school one afternoon. The trail ends with Lloyd Robins, her biology teacher, and the inspector’s best friend. But he denies knowledge of Kathy’s whereabouts.

When police intelligence leads to an abandoned house, perched on top of a heavily wooded hill, chilling evidence is discovered which suggests that Kathy could be the latest victim in a spate of child abduction and murders. One piece of the evidence stuns Inspector Chisolm. But no one besides him knows of the intimate connection to Lloyd Robins. Will loyalty to his friend supersedes the inspector’s commitment to honesty and justice?

The detectives draw on their vast experience but find themselves enmeshed in a helix of possible perpetrators. With time running out, they unravel vital pieces of the mystery and in the nick of time, Inspector Chisolm announces the discovery of the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

But the drama is far from over. The police are caught in a vicious tailspin. And Inspector Chisolm faces decisions he has never had to make in his twenty-five-year career.

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MY REVIEW

When 15-year-old Kathy Shackleton vanishes without a trace, Detector Inspector Chisolm vows to find out the truth behind her disappearance, but when news surfaces that his friend of twenty years could be involved in Kathy's disappearance, will Detective Chisolm be able to abide by the code of ethics and do the right thing, even if it means investigating his best friend?

Beyond the Hill was full of intrigue and adrenaline and just the right amount of mystery that allowed readers to partake in piecing the puzzle together to solve the crime. The hints the author threw in here and there did the job of inciting inquisition, albeit some of the clues gave too much away, which made it too easy at times to predict what was coming. Nonetheless, it was certainly a thrilling read that incited my passion for solving crimes. It would have been an even more enjoyable read if the characters had been as compelling as the mystery surrounding Kathy disappearance. I wouldn't say they were completely unfavourable, as the author portrayed these characters to an extent where you were able to evaluate their motives, making you feel more invested in their story. However, I didn't feel any emotional connection towards any of the characters, negative or positive, which I believe to be the primary reason for why I couldn't get into the story as much as I wanted to. Having said that, one thing I found rather thought-provoking when it came to certain characters that weren't necessarily deemed villains or portrayed to have ill intent, such as Kathy's doctor and Detective Chisolm (particularly the latter character), were the inappropriate and monotonous remarks about Kathy's appearance to the point where it appeared they were merely objectifying a child, particularly considering that the readers have been with the main character the entire as he attempted to solve Kathy's disappearance.

This was an enjoyable read. Albeit I did have some reservations about certain elements, the story captured my attention and held it to the very end.

VERDICT


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

Wednesday 25 December 2019

Christmas Giveaway - Win a $10 Amazon Gift Card!


Christmas Giveaway
December 25th to January 25th


Here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Open to entrants 13+ worldwide

Tuesday 24 December 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Stealing The Throne by Quirah Casey

Stealing The Throne
Author: Quirah Casey
Publication Date: December 20th, 2019
Genre: Reverse Harem / Urban Fantasy

Book Description:
The people who burned down my old life will regret walking through the ashes.

As far as the citizens of Caelumine are concerned, Princess Amelia Deightyn died with the rest of her family in the burning of the Deightyn Kingdom. Roxanna Delamontee couldn’t agree more. The day her family was betrayed by the people they trusted most, her innocence went up in flames, and her identity as Amelia burned with it. She rose from the ashes as Roxanna, and she’s going to show the people who killed her family how it feels to burn. She’s spent years plotting her revenge, and no one can stop her. Or so she believes until she meets four of her enemies, men who are determined to steal her heart while she’s stealing the throne.

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Monday 23 December 2019

BOOK REVIEW: Lazy Hugo by Sajjad Sattari

Lazy Hugo
Author: Sajjad Sattari
Genre: Picture Book
Publication Date: 8th August 2019

Book Description:
Hugo is a boy who loves eating and sleeping and hates exercise. Because he is lazy, his room is always messy, and he does not even care about his hygiene. He takes a bath only when he is forced to, and he never brushes his teeth. One day, two tooth worms named George and Arthur find a way to his teeth and choose one to live in. Soon, a few homeless tooth worms show up, asking George and Arthur to let them live there. Arthur and George happily agree and ...

This book makes children familiar with the negative effects of laziness and emphasizes the importance of dental hygiene.

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MY REVIEW

When it comes to demonstrating poor personal hygiene and bad habits, no one fulfills this role better than Hugo. He's your all-round messy, lazy hippo who requires quite the incentive to improve his lifestyle. That incentive comes in the form of George and Arthur, two worms that have taken up residence inside his teeth.

I didn't quite like the opening few pages as I felt detached from the story and the characters, partly because it was pure exposition and lacking interaction between the characters. However, as the story went on and the author introduced dialogue and scenes where the characters were engaging in conversation, the story became enjoyable and purposeful.

It was a good read with a thoughtful message for young minds. Great illustrations.

VERDICT


Award: Silver
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Source: Own copy

Saturday 21 December 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Can’t Buy Me Love by Janet Elizabeth Henderson

Can’t Buy Me Love
(Sinclair Sisters Trilogy, #3)
Author: Janet Elizabeth Henderson
Publication Date: December 25th, 2019
Genre: Adult Comedy / Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
Three awesome series meet in one explosive book!

It turned out hell was a small town in the Scottish Highlands. Oh, sure, the locals called it Invertary, but Agnes Sinclair knew better—the town even had an old woman everyone called Satan. If that wasn’t a sign she was in hell, she didn’t know what was. All Agnes had ever wanted was to get out of Scotland, and now she was stuck there with no escape. And all because of one teeny, tiny incident (he totally deserved it!) that got her blacklisted in the hotel industry. Now, her only career option is managing a hotel owned by a guy who looks like Disco Santa, in a town where everyone marched to their own damn beat. And, as if being trapped in hell wasn’t bad enough, a spate of thefts at the hotel makes the owner call in a member of Benson Security to help her get to the bottom of them. Agnes doesn’t need help. She especially doesn’t need it from a sexy single father whose every breath tempts her to reevaluate what she wants out of life. A man who makes her wonder if Invertary is where she truly belongs.

***This is a full length, standalone romance with an HEA***
**It includes characters from the Invertary (Scottish Highlands) series and the Benson Security Series**
*You don’t need to have read any other books in any series to enjoy this one!*

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Thursday 19 December 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - A Mad Reed Security Christmas by Giulia Lagomarsino

A Mad Reed Security Christmas
(Reed Security, #20)
Author: Giulia Lagomarsino
Publication Date: December 18th, 2019
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse
Because Daddy set out traps to catch those f^@kers
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that grenades would soon be in there
The children were nestled, all snug in their beds
While visions of weapons danced in their heads
And Mama in her nightie and I in my boxers
Had just settled down for a fun night together
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my bed to grab my Sig Sauer
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Covered my junk and threw Mama her pants…

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Monday 16 December 2019

Cover Reveal & Giveaway - Alpha Erased by Aileen Erin


Alpha Erased
(Alpha Girls #9)
Author: Aileen Erin
Published by: Ink Monster LLC
Publication Date: May 12th, 2020
Genre: YA Paranormal

Book Description:
Tessa—part witch, part werewolf, raised human and now the unofficial leader of a newly minted supernatural alliance—thinks nothing of her brother, Axel, texting her and Dastien to meet up. The location pin is in a weird spot, but maybe he found a magical anomaly? But when Tessa steps into the darkened warehouse, she doesn’t expect to see her brother laying in a pool of his own blood, smell the sulfuric scent of black magic, or feel the pain of her mate being shot full of silver.

Tessa has seconds to make a choice, but there’s only one thing she can do to save the two most important men in her life—sacrifice herself.

The last thing Dastien hears from Tessa is her plea—help Axel. Then their bond goes silent. He can’t hear her. He can’t feel her. And there’s no sign of the attackers who took her.

Dastien does everything he can to save Axel before calling his friends in a panic. It takes all of them to find Tessa, but when Dastien’s finally reunited with her, there’s no sign of recognition in her eyes.

No magic in her touch.

No wolf beneath the surface.

Everything that made Tessa who she was…has been erased.

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Barnes & Noble ¦ iBooks ¦ Kobo ¦ Bookbub




About the Author
Aileen Erin is half-Irish, half-Mexican, and 100% nerd–from Star Wars (prequels don’t count) to Star Trek (TNG FTW), she reads Quenya and some Sindarin, and has a severe fascination with the supernatural. Aileen has a BS in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She lives with her husband in Los Angeles, and spends her days doing her favorite things: reading books, creating worlds, and kicking ass.

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***GIVEAWAY***

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Saturday 14 December 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Instacrush by Kate Meader

Instacrush
(Rookie Rebels #2)
Author: Kate Meader
Publication Date: December 10th, 2019
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance / Sports

Book Description:
Theo Kershaw is the luckiest guy alive.

Roaring back from a life-threatening injury, he has the world at his skates as defenseman for his new team, the Chicago Rebels. Everyone adores his big personality, his on-ice talent, and his killer smile. Everyone but his prickly neighbor – or so he thinks. One chilly Christmas Eve, Theo will learn that maybe the girl next door isn’t such a hater after all …

Elle Butler is the most embarrassing person on the planet. 

How else can the ex-military-now-bartender explain her crush on the hot jock who lives across the hall? True, he has gorgeous green eyes and perfect cheekbones, but the filter between his brain and too-sexy mouth is permanently malfunctioning. Yet she can’t stop checking out his Instagram antics or sneaking looks at him when he’s in her bar. So. Mortifying. Running from a past filled with damning secrets, Elle’s determined that this guilty pleasure remains buried in her deepest fantasies.

Because she couldn’t possibly indulge with the Theo Kershaw or make a mistake that draws attention to her under-the-radar life. And she especially couldn’t be a mom to a pro-athlete’s baby … could she?

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Thursday 12 December 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Last Virgin in Texas by Jennifer Woodhull

The Last Virgin in Texas
Author: Jennifer Woodhull
Publication Date: December 9th, 2019
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
Her first time. Their second chance.

When Hollywood heartthrob Tucker returns to their hometown, can Gretchen resist her first love

GRETCHEN

I did the right thing. I waited. I wanted it to be special.

He was my first love. Our first time was going to be everything I had dreamed it would be.

And it was…until we were interrupted.

When our magical night turned into an awkward nightmare, little did I know it would be the last time I saw him. He bailed. Walked away. Leaving me alone with the shattered pieces of my broken heart.

But that was then. This is now.

He’s back. A megasuperstar. A Hollywood heartthrob with a desperate fan base of sexy women that won’t leave him alone.

But he wants me. Still. After all these years.

I can’t possibly cave to my feelings, desires, and my hopeful heart.

He broke it once. He’ll do it again.

TUCKER

We waited. It felt like forever, but I didn’t care. I would’ve done anything for her.

But I screwed up. When it all went south, I fled, leaving her, alone. Broken hearted.

And she wasn’t the only one.

But that was then. This is now.

I may be an actor, but none of this is for show. I want her, and only her.

I’ll do whatever it takes.

She may be the last virgin in Texas, but to me, she’s so much more.

I want her in my arms, and in my heart. Forever.

This time, I’m not giving up.

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Monday 9 December 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Last Atlantian by Mikki Noble

The Last Atlantian
Author: Mikki Noble
Publication Date: December 13th, 2019
Genre: YA Mythology / Urban Fantasy

Book Description:
Spencer did not plan to work on her birthday. She didn’t plan a lot of things, but they happened anyway. Like, when she touched a guy and he turned into a gold statue, or when some stranger appeared to tell her she was in danger. She didn’t plan to see her life forever changed by one simple act, and it still happened anyway.

What Spencer doesn’t know is why. Why is all this happening to her? Why does she have the power to turn people into gold all of a sudden. Who is she really?

And why is this cute guy calling her the last Atlantian?

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Saturday 7 December 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Volatile Love by Dani René

Volatile Love
(The Gilded Sovereign #2)
Author: Dani René
Publication Date: December 5th, 2019
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance


Book Description:
From USA Today Bestselling Author Dani RenĂ© comes the second book in the bestselling Gilded Sovereign Series. A new adult romance filled with violence, blood, and a lot of steam!

I want to be Rukaiya’s hero, but she’s made it clear she can take care of herself. Her fire burns me. Her fierce nature lures me in. She’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and I want her to devour me. She enjoys defying me and I love to taunt her.

I always get the girl.

Every. Single. Time.

And this time is no different.

He’s trying to be my knight in shining armor, but I don’t need him to be. That’s what I tell myself, anyway. Etienne doesn’t give up easily. He’s adamant to change my mind. Only, he doesn’t realize that being with me could get him killed.

As I push, he pulls, and one of us is about to get wounded.

Secrets. Desire. Violence.

Our love is volatile.

When secrets are spilled, nobody is safe.

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Thursday 5 December 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Twisted Lies by Kai Juniper

Twisted Lies
(Twisted Pine Academy, #1)
Author: Kai Juniper
Publication Date: November 26th 2019
Genre: Adult Romance

Book Description:
You don’t belong here.

That’s what they said when I showed up at Twisted Pine Academy.

As if I wanted to be there. I’d do anything to go back to my life in New York instead of living in California with my eogmaniac uncle and his spoiled-rotten sons.

The only good thing about being here is Jackson. Hot-as-hell and filthy rich, he ditched Twisted Pine to play football for Legion, the rival public school. Now everyone at Twisted Pine hates him, especially my cousin, Braden, which makes me want Jackson even more.

Braden rules Twisted Pine and everyone in it. If Braden finds out I’m with Jackson, he’ll use his power to ruin me.

Let him try.

My loyalty is with Jackson, and I won’t let anyone tear us apart. Together we’re going to take down Braden and his kingdom at Twisted Pine.

They think I don’t belong there? I don’t. But now that I’m here….watch out.

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Wednesday 4 December 2019

Cover Reveal - A Very Wicked Game by Geneva Lee


A Very Wicked Man
Author: Geneva Lee
Publication Date: January 21st, 2020
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
I fell in love with her the moment we met. Emerald-green eyes and a quick smile, Adair MacLaine had everything. Money. Looks. A powerful family. She wanted something reckless. She wanted me—until daddy made her choose between her trust fund and true love.

She chose poorly.

Because empires crumble and now her older brother is offering her to the highest bidder in exchange for an alliance. The winner claims the MacLaine legacy—and her.

Adair has no idea she’s the prize in this twisted game. She has no idea why I’ve come back. Maybe she thinks I still love her. Maybe she’s forgotten me, but what she doesn’t know will hurt her, because I didn’t come back to win her.

I came back to break her.

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Barnes & Noble ¦ iBooks ¦ Kobo



About the Author
Geneva Lee is the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of The Royals Saga. She prefers fantasy to reality, especially fantasies involving powerful, dangerous, and sexy men. You can find her devouring a good romance while avoiding the laundry and the children. She lives just outside of Seattle with her family.

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Monday 2 December 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Meet Me in the Strange by Leander Watts

Meet Me in the Strange
Author: Leander Watts
Published by: Meerkat Press
Publication Date: March 27th, 2018
Genre: YA Coming of Age / Fantasy

Book Description:
2019 IPPY SILVER MEDALIST – YOUNG ADULT

Meet Me in the Strange is an intoxicating adventure set in a glittery, retro-futuristic world of glam rock, spectral aliens, and gender-bendy teens. Davi is mesmerized by a girl at a concert, who appears to lose herself in the power of the otherworldy music of Django Conn. Later, through a chance meeting, Davi becomes friends with the girl, Anna Z. She is like no one Davi has ever met: she loves to talk, talk, talk and has grandiose theories of the next evolution of humans and a strange phenomenon she calls the “Alien Drift.”But danger lurks around every corner, because Anna Z is on the run, and her cruel and controlling older brother is determined to find her, at any cost. Davi faces a daunting decision, go on living a safe existence at the magical Angelus Hotel, which has been in the family for generations, or help Anna Z escape her troubled past. When the two take off to follow the concert tour of their glam-rock idol, Django Conn, Davi and Anna Z will face the biggest threat of their young lives.

Now available in paperback!


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Book Blitz & Giveaway - In the Heart of Windy Pines by Holly Tierney-Bedord

In the Heart of Windy Pines
Author: Holly Tierney-Bedord
Publication Date: November 24th, 2019
Genre: Adult Cozy Mystery

Book Description:
From the author of Kindle Unlimited All-Star winner Sweet Hollow Women comes a new novella featuring characters from Murder at Mistletoe Manor, Carnage at the Christmas Party, and The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club!

Klarinda Snow is the innkeeper of Mistletoe Manor in beautiful, remote, Windy Pines, Idaho, where she brings her unique brand of hospitality to the tiny mountain town.

When she finds her inn unexpectedly fully booked on a snowy Tuesday night in November, it brings back memories of a tragedy years before. Before she knows what hit her, she and her trusty team of employees (Myrtle, Pierre, and her new night manager, Josephine), have found themselves back at the task of solving another mystery at Mistletoe Manor!

While this book can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novella, if you plan to read the books in the Windy Pines Mystery series or The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club, it’s highly recommended you read those first, as this book contains spoilers that could affect your ability to enjoy them.

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Sunday 1 December 2019

Book Release Promo & Giveaway - Rules are made to be Broken by Mylissa Demeyere

Rules are made to be Broken
Series: Love Under Wraps, Book 2
Author: Mylissa Demeyere
Publication Date: December 1st, 2019

Book Description:
I’ve loved Will Henderson from the first day I laid eyes on him. But I made a solemn promise that same day. I would never, ever date Will Henderson.

For almost a decade, Charlotte Dubois has loved Will Henderson from afar, squelching her heart's silent yearnings. But no way could she date her best friend Kelsey’s brother. Their whole friendship is based on one rule: No friend of Kelsey can ever date Will. Instead, Charlotte has watched him date and break more hearts than should be legal.

Will Henderson never got over that stolen kiss he shared with Charlotte years ago—though he's tried valiantly to rid his system of his sister's best friend.

When circumstances bring the two into each other’s arms again, Will wants to convince Charlotte to break the rules and take a chance on him. But to do so, they will have to hide their relationship from the ones they love most. Can true love triumph, or will they both end up losing?

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Book Blitz & Giveaway - Doctor Millionaire by Elle Rush

Doctor Millionaire: A Hopewell Millionaires Sweet Romance
Author: Elle Rush
Publication Date: December 1st, 2019
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
Twelve friends.
Ten-year reunion.
One $50,000,000 lottery ticket.

The only reason Dr. Doug Little returned to work in his dying hometown was to keep a promise. Two years and he’s gone. The only things getting him through his first couple months are his ten-year reunion and working with his old high-school crush.

Although Jackie Dunn loves her quiet world, her small-town life gets even harder when her part-time hospital job is in peril. If not for her friends’ encouragement, she’d head to the city for better opportunities for herself.

At the reunion, all the returning graduates chip in for a lottery ticket, but nobody expects to win the fifty-million-dollar jackpot. Doug’s share should be more than enough to buy his freedom, but the town doesn’t want to let their new doctor go. Jackie is the only thing that makes Hopewell bearable; the problem is the more time he spends with her, the more he forgets how much he wants to leave.

When he finally finds a way to escape, Doug realizes he’ll be doing it alone. Jackie doesn’t have much time to show him the life he accidentally created for himself in Hopewell is far better than anything his millions could buy him anywhere else.

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