Cover Reveal & Giveaway - Meet Your Baker by Ellie Alexander

Today we're excited to announce the cover reveal of Meet Your Baker by Ellie Alexander. This is a cozy mystery that releases December 30th by St. Martin's Press. This is the first in the Bakeshop Mystery series!

About the Book:

Welcome to Torte—a friendly, small-town family bake shop where the treats are so good that, sometimes, it’s criminal…After graduating from culinary school, Juliet Capshaw returns to her quaint hometown of Ashland, Oregon, to heal a broken heart and help her mom at the family bakery. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is bringing in lots of tourists looking for some crumpets to go with their heroic couplets. But when one of Torte’s customers turns up dead, there’s much ado about murder…

"Sure to satisfy both dedicated foodies and ardent mystery lovers alike."―Jessie Crockett, author of Drizzled with Death

The victim is Nancy Hudson, the festival’s newest board member. A modern-day Lady Macbeth, Nancy has given more than a few actors and artists enough reasons to kill her…but still. The silver lining? Jules’s high school sweetheart, Thomas, is the investigator on the case. His flirtations are as delicious as ever, and Jules can’t help but want to have her cake and eat it too. But will she have her just desserts? Murder might be bad for business, but love is the sweetest treat of all…

"Alexander weaves a tasty tale of deceit, family ties, delicious pastries, and murder.” ―Edith Maxwell, author of A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Take Me On by Katie McGarry

Take Me On (Pushing the Limits #4)

by Katie McGarry

Release Date: 05/27/14

Harlequin Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means.

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

Bonus novella included: Crossing the Line.

Available from:
    

Cover Reveal & Giveaway - Tainted Blood by Karen Greco

Tainted Blood

Hell's Belle Series

Book 2

by Karen Greco

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Date of Publication: Oct. 20, 2014

Number of pages: 582

Word Count: 95,704

Cover Artist: Robin Ludwig Design Inc

Book Description:

After surviving a vampire assassin (not to mention an awkward affair with a hot FBI agent that ended worse than she could have imagined), witch/vampire hybrid Nina Martinez is reunited with the full Blood Ops team in Providence, Rhode Island. Her Aunt Babe is tutoring her in all things witchcraft, and her vampire partner Frankie is enjoying the benefits of daywalking, courtesy of a demon spell.

When a segment of the Rhode Island vampire population is marked for death by a tainted blood supply, Nina and her team race to find Patient Zero before the local vampire population is wiped out. But when a demon infestation threatens to take control of the city, Nina must join forces with newly elected mayor—and closet demon— Ami Bertrand before the city falls into ruin.

Filled with fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat action, Nina and her group of supernatural misfits battle a surprising new enemy that threatens their very existence.

No wonder she still can’t get a date.

From Amazon.com best-selling author Karen Greco, Tainted Blood is the second book in the critically acclaimed Hell’s Belle urban fantasy series.

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Finding Mr. Darcy:High School Edition by Erin Butler

Finding Mr. Darcy: High School Edition

by Erin Butler

Release Date: 09/16/14

Summary from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Liza Johnson takes fangirl to a whole new level of crazy when she decides to take dating advice from her literary hero: Jane Austen.

With the help of her best friends, Liza sheds her ancient-speak and complete Austen wardrobe for something a bit more modern in an attempt at finding her very own Mr. Darcy.

Enter Will, the new kid and Liza's Darcy incarnate. Add her BFF's ex to mix and the sexy Brit who kisses with an accent, and Liza is in trouble.

So, what's a girl to do? Without her mom to go to relationship advice, Liza turns to the only person she can truly trust with matters of the heart via her mother's copy of COMPLETED WORKS OF JANE AUSTEN.

It's too bad Austen's heroines have never played Spin the Bottle or Seven Minutes in Heaven. Liza's determined to find her true Austen-esque happy ending, but if she can't trust herself instead of books, she just might end up in her own tragic love story.

Buy Links:

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Louder Than Words by Iris St. Clair

Louder Than Words

by Iris St. Clair

Release Date: 09/16/14

Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:

Disappointment has been on speed dial in Ellen Grayson's life lately. Her dad died, her mom numbs the grief with drugs and alcohol, and her so-called friends have slowly abandoned her.

Trusting a popular teacher with her troubles should have been safe and should NOT have led to an unwelcome seduction attempt that made her desperate to escape the final moments of Junior year. Lesson learned. Best to keep all the sordid details to herself and trust no one.

Enter Rex Jacobi, a cocky boy, recently transplanted from New York City and fellow summer camp employee. Though his quick wit and confidence draws her in, she can't let him get too close. And summer is just long enough and hot enough to keep a boy like that at arm's length.

But by the time Rex's charm wears down her resistance, it's too late. He's put Ellen on the "just friends" shelf and has shifted his romantic attentions to the impossibly annoying and perky anti-Ellen. Even worse, the teacher who tried to get her to sleep with him is still at it, preying on other girls while Ellen struggles to come to terms with what happened.

With her ability to trust as shaky as a chastity vow on prom night, Ellen must decide if she has enough remaining courage to speak up about the well-liked teacher and risk retribution, tell Rex how she really feels about him and risk heartbreak, or hold all her secrets inside. After all, it's the only safe place she knows when the only thing louder than words is the fear of being rejected.

Buy Links:

Cover Reveal - The Expatriates by Corinne O'Flynn

The Expatriates #1 (Song of the Sending)

by Corinne O’Flynn

Publication Date: October 15th, 2014

Genre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Jim Wales can communicate with animals, but his animal mind-tap ability isn’t why he lives with a traveling carnival. Turns out his family’s been hiding him there since he was little, when they learned someone was hunting all the Scholars. Jim’s a Scholar, and he has no idea.

When a falcon arrives with a message from Jim’s not-dead father from their not-destroyed homeland, Jim’s whereabouts are discovered and Jim’s brother is murdered in his place.

On the run with a strange glass map and a single coin, Jim finds himself racing to reclaim the father he thought he’d lost, plotting to avenge his brother, and finally discovering the truth about who he is.

But going home isn’t the same as being safe, and trust is everything.

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Life Lived Twice by Sherrie Wouters

IFB is hosting the promo event for Sherrie Wouters' debut fantasy novel. Continue below for an excerpt & giveaway.

Life Lived Twice

by Sherrie Wouters

Release Date: June 6th, 2014

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Some promises are made to last forever ... What if you fell in love with a stranger ... but that stranger had come from your past, a past you never knew existed until the moment your eyes met? 

When Tess Winters locks eyes with a stranger at an airport bookstore, it ignites a feeling of passion somewhere deep inside her that she can't explain. Although the encounter is innocent and brief, the intensity of it lingers, leaving her overwhelmed by a yearning for the mystery man now consuming her every thought. 

Struggling to break the powerful hold he has over her heart, Tess starts to experience strange but familiar dreams...dreams from the turn of the twentieth century of the charming Mr Addison Taylor. 

As her dreams start to materialize into reality, and past and present begin to blur, Tess is forced to put the pieces of a forgotten time together, and soon discovers that love isn't the only thing that can find you after an eternity. Captivating, mysterious, and romantic, Life Lived Twice will leave you wondering whether love is so powerful it could last more than a lifetime.

Buy Links:

Amazon

BOOK REVIEW: Joe by H.D. Gordon

Joe

Author: H.D. Gordon

Genre: Paranormal Mystery

Release Date: January 1, 2012

Book Summary:

From the author of the Alexa Montgomery Saga, comes a book that will take you into the mind of a genuine psychopath, the lives of six ordinary people, and the world of a very special girl named Joe. 

Joe is seemingly an ordinary college student. She works, studies and reads. But in between these activities Joe has a gift that promises to add a dose of color to her life at any given moment. Joe sees things before they happen. Bad things, and the worst thing she has ever faced is just around the corner. Someone is planning a massacre at the college university that Joe attends, and the only person with a hope of stopping the psychopath is her. 

Oh, the beauty of foresight. More like a curse. Joe has four days to figure out the mystery, make plans to take down the psycho, and save the lives of people. People like you and me. Ordinary people.

Buy Links:

Amazon

MY REVIEW

This was an interesting book that left me feeling both satisfied and unsatisfied on an equal level. Given the title of the book and Joe being the main character of the story, I thought there would be more focus on her, but I found it a little hard to connect with her because I didn't know enough about her. I knew more about some of the other characters than I did about Joe, and that was disappointing as I found Joe to be an intriguing character and wish there had been more development with her character.

I thought the story lagged in some parts, particularly in the first quarter of the book. I did like the chemistry between Joe and Michael even though it did feel one-sided on Michael's part, but Joe did have a lot on her mind, so it was understandable. The pace picked greatly in the last quarter of the book. The adrenaline was high, which was needed considering the event taking place. I liked the way the author transitioned from character to character during the shootout in the Quad, giving the readers a little insight into what was going through each character's mind while The Decider was marking them off.

While I'm not a huge fan of multiple POVs and it was hard at times to recall who the characters were and the story surrounding them, I found it to be a pleasant addition to the story. Without the multiple POVs, I couldn't see Joe leading the story in a way that would make the journey both enjoyable and satisfactory. I like John's character the most. I connected with him right from the get-go. I liked how approachable he was with Joe. He didn't make her stutter seem as though it was an obstacle, and I got the sense that Joe appreciated that about him.

The need to repeatable reiterate certain aspects of the story - Joe not considering herself to be a hero, for one, or that what each character were doing on a particular day was the way to spend that day - did grate on my nerves somewhat. The constant foreshadow was a buzzkill. The only thing I didn't know would happen was the fate of the characters - who was going to live and who was going to die.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Joe. I think certain aspects could have been better executed, but it was a quick and fun read. Right now, I'm undecided as to whether I'll continue the series or not, but I certainly won't rule it out.

VERDICT:

SILVER

  

Award: Silver

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Source: Review copy via Xpresso Book Tours

Book Of The Week {Wattpad}

And the Book Of The Week Nominations are:

Click on the book covers to sample the works.

Infected (YA Science Fiction)

Perfection (YA Science Fiction)

The City Beyond The Portal (Children's Fantasy)

Azure Stars (Romance / Science Fiction / Short Story)

Blog Tour Interview & Giveaway - Garden of Ashes by Kate Cowan

Tour Page

Garden of Ashes

Author: Kate Cowan

Series: The Legend of Eden #2

Release Date: September 1st, 2014

Publisher: Anchor Group

Synopsis via Goodreads:

After four years as a prisoner in her parents' attic, hidden away from the Catchers, Eden never dreamt the very people she was hiding from would be the beginning of such impossible things. She's found freedom on the island like she never imagined.

Eden is a sorcerer, with the power of the world in her fingertips. She is determined to never be helpless like she once was, and spends every minute of her spare time training to fight back. As she discovers more of her own power, she and her friends continue to uncover the secrets of the Council. Deadly secrets, hinting at something far larger than the island and the Catchers. Before they can find out exactly what the Council is hiding, Eden's magic begins to spiral out of control, and she loses it for just a second. Just half of a second, and it's enough to change everything.

Suddenly, lives are put at stake, and Eden and her friends must do something no one else has ever dared. They have to escape the island, or they have to die trying.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Cover Reveal - To Make a Witch by Heather Hamilton-Senter

To Make a Witch

(Sword of Elements #1.5)

by Heather Hamilton-Senter

Publication Date: October 1st 2014

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Synopsis:

At her old school, Lacey found herself on the wrong side of a conflict between Celtic gods. Making a new start in an exclusive boarding school in New Orleans, she hopes to forget that she was once on the verge of becoming a powerful witch—and everything she has lost since then.

When a gruesome murder occurs in the very heart of Westover Academy, Lacey senses a connection between it and the desecration of the tomb of Marie Laveau, the Voodoo queen. Haunted by a trauma in her past and the resulting OCD, Lacey must solve the mystery before she becomes the killer’s next target.

Circumstances beyond her control may once again make Lacey McInnis—cheerleader, scholar, and all-around good girl—a witch.

About the Author

Heather grew up in a family where books of myth and legend were used to teach the ABCs and Irish uncles still believed in fairies. Raised with tall tales, she has always told stories too- first as an actor and singer, then as a photographer, and now as a writer.

Heather lives in rural Ontario, Canada happily raising three children ranging in age from 6 to 18 with her biggest fan, her husband Steve.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter

Cover Reveal Organised by:

Bookvie: Guardians of the Galaxy - out August 1, 2014 (USA)

Who's in it:

Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper

What's it all about (book blurb from Goodreads):

Launching out of Annihilation: Conquest, Marvel's sci-fi heroes unite to protect the cosmos Back-to-back Annihilation wars have weakened the boundaries of our universe. Dark gods and monsters are seeping through the cracks, reigning horror upon those still reeling from the recent calamities. In the face of terror, who stands to defend a desperate universe? Star-Lord and his squad of butt-kickers - the modern day Guardians of the Galaxy You've heard that Annihilation: Conquest rocks - the guy at the comic shop keeps telling you to try Nova - well, now's your chance to experience the glory that writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, and artist Paul Pelletier can unleash All this...plus a wise-cracking raccoon and a telepathic dog C'mon, people, time to lock and load Collecting Guardians of the Galaxy #1-6.

World Premiere of First Guardians of the Galaxy Trailer

Movie Stills:

Blog Tour Spotlight - Bespoken by Marie Michelle Coleman

Bespoken

A Nightangel and Daydreamer Novel

Book One

by Marie Michelle Coleman

Genre: Paranormal romance//urban fantasy

Publisher:  Suburban Island Publishing

Pages: 395 (Kindle) and 368 (paperback)

Word Count: 92,000

Cover Artist:  Doug Pecht

Book Description:

Nobody ever told Casey how dangerous a little daydreaming could be.

Casey Sloane appreciates the power of a good daydream. It’s the perfect antidote to the pressures of her hectic life as an associate attorney at a high-powered Washington, D.C. law firm. When the nightangel Gabriel takes up residence in those dreams, Casey is more delighted than surprised. Gabriel is the perfect mixture of danger, otherworldly beauty, and out-and-out temptation required to throw her daydreams into a state of perpetual overdrive.

But when the nightangel sheds his wings and arrives in the real world for a real-time relationship with Casey, she gets a quick education on the unforeseen consequences of secret daydreams.

Buy Links:

Amazon ¦ BN ¦ Smashwords ¦ ARe ¦ Txtr

Blog Tour Interview - Behind You by Carly M. Duncan

Behind You

Author: Carly M. Duncan

Publisher: 

Pages: 208

Genre: Mystery

Format: Paperback/Audible

Book Summary:

When a mysterious attack lands Heather in the hospital on the brink of death, her family rushes to her side. Through an inconvenient maze of shadowed memory and family secrets, Heather can trust only herself to discover if her husband, parents, sister or aunt tried to kill her. During the course of their own narratives, each character confesses to their various crimes of passion, envy and ignorance, weaving Heather's mystery into an untraditional tale about seizing the opportunity to start over.

Buy Links:

Amazon ¦ B&N