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Monday 26 December 2022

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Her Best Friend's Brother by Yahrah St. John

Her Best Friend’s Brother
(Six Gems, #1)
Author: Yahrah St. John
Published by: Harlequin Desire
Publication Date: December 27th, 2022
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
Childhood friends become forbidden lovers in this sexy start to the Six Gems series from Yahrah St. John.

Their fiery affair fulfills her fantasies…

And puts everything at risk.

When travel blogger Wynter Barrington’s wealthy, disapproving family cuts her off, she finds comfort in a passionate chance encounter with Riley Davis, her best friend’s brother. He’s hot as hell…and totally off-limits.

And when they meet again months later, they begin a sizzling affair. Wynter knows Riley doesn’t do love and marriage, but her youthful crush is feeling more and more like a real relationship. If she’s not careful, Wynter may put more than her relationship with her best friend on the line. Can she survive falling in love with the one man she was never supposed to touch?

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Sunday 25 December 2022

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2023



Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2023
from CBY Book Club


Here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I wish you all have a joyful and stress-free holiday and hope you have great times awaiting you in the upcoming new year.

Have a blessed celebration and stay safe!

CBY

Friday 23 December 2022

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Winter Dragon by Olena Nikitin

Winter Dragon
(Season’s War, #2)
Author: Olena Nikitin
Publication Date: December 18th, 2022
Genre: Adult Fantasy / Romance

Book Description:
“When a Chaos mage fights, only blood and scorched earth remain.”

Mage War Chronicles

Some victories are more costly than others, and Ina was the one that paid the price.

Determined to rescue her dragon, the newly appointed royal witch embarks on a gruelling journey through the wintery Grey Mountains. The weather is not her only obstacle, as the enemy forces gathered in the kobold mines have only one goal.

To capture the Chaos mage and deliver her to the heart of the mountain.

With the help of Sa’Ren, Ina arrives at Castle Liath almost unscathed, but her joy is short-lived, as its granite walls hide a shocking revelation.

With blossoming love shattered by a possessive dragon’s claim and an impossible mission to fulfil, will the mysterious Blessing of the Mountain help or hinder her efforts to protect Cornovii?

Immerse yourself in the second book of Season’s War, where passion mix with cruelty and the world-changing power is buried deep in the ancient tomb guarded by the stern Mountain God.   

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Monday 19 December 2022

Book Blitz & Giveaway - For the Love of Brigid by Nanette Littlestone

For the Love of Brigid
Author: Nanette Littlestone
Publication Date: December 15th, 2022
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
Discover an ancient legend, powerful magic, and heartwarming romance in the gentle hills of western Ireland.

Tongue-tied around men, the only place shy librarian Brigid Cleary finds love is in the books she reads. Certainly not in the novel she’s writing—as appealing as a dusty desert. Then a famous mystery writer enters her life to research an Irish legend related to her family. As their easy conversation grows, Brigid develops feelings. There’s just one large problem—he’s engaged.

With two failed books behind him, Andrew Connally is desperate for success. The Irish legend has to pull him through. When Brigid invites him to Ireland for a family celebration, in exchange for his help with writing, he jumps at the chance. But surprises emerge in this enchanted land. The flames of attraction climb, and the legend pulls them both on a powerful journey.

As the secrets of the legend come to light, Brigid and Andrew discover an unexpected path to love and the dreams they both desire.

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Sunday 18 December 2022

BOOK REVIEW - Screamcatcher: The Shimmering Eye by Christy J. Breedlove

Screamcatcher: The Shimmering Eye
Series: Screamcatcher, Book 3
Author: Christy J. Breedlove
Genre: YA Fantasy / Sci-Fi / Supernatural
Publication Date: 18th August 2020

Book Description:
Eighteen-year-old Jory Pike, a half-blood Chippewa, is depending upon her Native ancestry to help her investigate one of the strangest hauntings she’s ever encountered. A 500-plus acre ranch in rural Montana is under psychic and physical attack. The ranch’s owner, the elderly Ambrose Tucker, is determined to hold steadfast and courageously to his beloved property. Answering an ad in Jory’s outfit, The Badlands Paranormal Society, Ambrose hopes to rid his property of evil spirits once and for all.

Jory and her crew of three other teenagers, each of whom bring to the table their own line of skills and expertise, have brought every known piece of hardware and technical equipment to Granite Springs Ranch. Although the assignment seems ordinary at first, and the answer to the haunting seems eminent, everything spirals out of control and leaves the team terrified. The problem is, they have no idea that they’re being outclassed and sabotaged by a malevolent spirit, who seems to know their every move.

If Jory and the Badlands Paranormal Society don’t solve the problem in quick fashion, they stand to lose the $50,000 extermination fee, but worst of all, they will allow a dangerous and unmerciful entity to unleash a hoard of vicious mythological creatures that will run rampant over the ranch and surrounding properties. Jory has no idea how she and her teammate’s mettle will be tested, bringing them near the edge of insanity, physical endurance and death.

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BOOK SUMMARY

It's a UFO ... It's a ghost ... It's a demon ... It's ... No one knows. And therein lies the problem. How do you defeat an enemy if you don't know what you're up against? 

The Scooby gang are back with another whirlwind adventure, battling an enemy that has terrorised Granite Springs Ranch in rural Montana for what could be centuries. Jory and the gang have faced challenging opponents before, but this enemy may just be the death of them. Always seeming to be one step ahead of the gang, The Badass (sorry, I mean "Badlands") Paranormal Society have to solve the mystery surrounding the identity of their enemy if they wish to stand a chance at defeating it before it destroys them one by one.

WHAT I LIKED

The fact that the story was set in one location really worked well in building suspense and a tense atmosphere, which at times allowed elements of horror to slowly seep into the narrative. This would be great as a movie. I got vibes of Jordan Peele's movie "Nope". With the focus being in one location, you really got the chance to see the characters' personalities more than we did in previous books. It was a little hard to connect with the characters other than Jory in previous books, but in this one, their character traits stood out more and we get to learn a bit more about their background and upbringing. You get to see that they are distinct characters and got a better insight into what each of them bring to the team individually, their strengths and weaknesses, so to speak.

I don't fully recall the previous books in detail, but I'm sure I didn't think of (or don't recall) the characters as being humorous, however, in this book, there were some good banter between the gang, particularly Darcy and Lander. I found myself laughing a lot more in this book than the previous ones, which was enjoyable as the burden of battle was very weighty and prolonged, so it was nice to see some light moments and fun between the characters despite trying times.

There were some good action scenes where the characters were getting their asses handed to them by their enemy. They also put up a good fight.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

I would have liked the enemy to feel more of a threat to the characters. There was a lot of suspense built up around unveiling its identity, but given there was no evidence of it killing humans, it didn't always seem as though they were truly at risk of dying or being badly hurt. I had also expected a bigger final fight. It wasn't as gripping as I had hoped it would be given the intelligence of the creature throughout the story.

There was oftentimes more telling than showing, which also killed some of the suspense and character development.

VERDICT:

A thoroughly entertaining read for anyone seeking a thrilling adventure coupled with fantasy and sci-fi elements.

RATING:


Source: Author

BOOK REVIEW: Love Forever by Maharaja Jadeja

Love Forever
Author: Mahiraj Jadeja
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Poetry
Publication Date: 6th May 2016

Book Description:
“Lover Forever” is Poet Mahiraj Jadeja’s second collection of romance contemporary poems after beautiful reception of his first collection “A Lover’s Will”. The work covers all aspects of Love and Emotions, their highs and lows and pain and pleasure. This collection leaves its readers with a relatively intense emotional yet naive foray into love, and does it in a manner which is both pure and intense. The poems aren’t merely romantic words put together but have a deeper meaning to it. Poems are literally painting pictures of different scenarios depicting Love will always remain Forever.

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SUMMARY

A collection of short poems about love expressed through a range of emotions, both subtle and intense.

MY REVIEW

This was an interesting collection of poems with relatable scenarios. I liked the references to nature and the way the author incorporated nature in his expression of love and romance, pain and suffering. It made it easier to visualise the scenarios depicted. A few poems did stay with me and left an impression, particularly Innocent Lover, Shower of Tears and Love Forever.

The grammatical errors were distracting and intrusive, which caused me to disconnect from time to time, which I found disappointing as I enjoyed the creativity and imagination of the author in his raw and genuine portrayal of love. Nonetheless, this was still an enjoyable read.

RATING


Source: Author

Friday 16 December 2022

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Guiding the Grouch by Shanna Hatfield

Guiding the Grouch
(Summer Creek, #5)
Author: Shanna Hatfield
Publication Date: December 15th, 2022
Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance

Book Description:
He’s a billionaire set on escaping the holidays and his demanding family.

She’s a single mom with a sunny smile who keeps her heart safely hidden.

When she makes him her personal Christmas project, what could possibly go wrong?

Gabe Gatlin would do anything to evade the obligatory family holiday hobnobbing that is nothing more than one horrible business event after another, all wrapped up with a gaudy Christmas ribbon. Then the opportunity arises to explore a property in the small town of Summer Creek, Oregon, and gives him the idea to run away for the holidays. This year, he’s skipping Christmas. All he has to do is hide out until January in the quirky little town where the residents have dubbed him Grinchy Gabe. But when a delightful woman starts making his sleigh bells jingle, he might find it impossible to avoid losing his three-sizes-too-small heart.

Single mom and waitress, Dani Latham, has two priorities: give her son the stable life she never had, and spread joy to her friends and neighbors in Summer Creek. When a stranger with a grinchy attitude sits at her table, she makes it her personal mission to make him smile. As she guides him into a flurry of Christmas festivities, she starts to wonder if this grounch’s heart will ever return to normal size. And even worse. . . if it does, who is going to save hers from breaking when he leaves?

Will a little Christmas magic and wonder bring these two lonesome people together?

Discover the joys of the season mixed with humor, holiday fun, and moments that tug at your heartstrings in this sweet contemporary Christmas romance.

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Monday 12 December 2022

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Billionaire’s Arrangement by Amélie S. Duncan

The Billionaire’s Arrangement
Author: Amélie S. Duncan
Publication Date: December 11th, 2022
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
Paul Crane is rich, brilliant, and powerful. And I belong to him, body and soul…

I came to New York City to study design and build a life for myself. I was young, naive, and the last thing I was looking for was love.

I needed money for my family and the medical bills that threatened us into poverty. I didn’t have time to worry about my loneliness, to fill that cold empty spot in my heart…

At first, it seemed like Paul was the answer to all my problems. But after he rescued me from a desperate situation,

I soon discovered Paul had demons of his own.

Paul wasn’t looking for a lover… He wanted a companion, a kept woman. And I was captivated by his charm, lavish gifts, and trips to Paris.

And his touch awakened my desires, passions I had never dreamed of.

But the closer we get, the more I begin to wonder. What happens when our arrangement comes to an end…

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Monday 5 December 2022

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Copper Waters by Marlene M. Bell

Copper Waters
(Annalisse, #4)
Author: Marlene M. Bell
Publication Date: December 5th, 2022
Genre: Adult Crime / Mystery

Book Description:
A rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.

Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.

Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.

But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on the family sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.

Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.

The local police want to close both cases as quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.

As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.

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Friday 2 December 2022

Book Blitz & Giveaway - A Valentine for Christmas by Reese Ryan

A Valentine for Christmas
(Valentine Vineyards, #1)
Author: Reese Ryan
Published by: Harlequin Desire
Publication Date: November 29th, 2022
Genre: Adult Contemporary / Holiday Romance

Book Description:
Opposites do more than attract when an older woman falls for a younger man in Reese Ryan’s brand-new Harlequin Desire series, Valentine Vineyards!

A red-hot romance between a career-focused woman and a determined younger man?

Doctor’s orders!

Dr. Julian Brandon is too charming, too sexy and too young for Chandra Valentine. But after the successful bachelor rescues her—twice—she owes him. Still reeling from life-changing family revelations, Chandra somehow agrees to pose as Julian’s girlfriend. And now the irresistible Julian has plans that start with seduction under the mistletoe and end with their fake relationship erupting into a scorching affair. Now Chandra’s questioning everything she believed about love…

From Harlequin Desire: A luxurious world of bold encounters and sizzling chemistry.

You’ll be swept away by this bold, sizzling romance, part of the Valentine Vineyards series:

Book 1: A Valentine for Christmas

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