Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway - Avenging Kiss by Karen Tjebben

Avenging Kiss
Author: Karen Tjebben
Genre: Psychological Romance / Suspense
Date Published: December 2016
 
Book Description:
Some sins cannot be forgiven. Those must be avenged.

When Aditya Chopra stumbled upon the decimated camp, she vowed to hunt down the men who killed her sister. The stench of burnt flesh and the taste of death in the air haunt her dreams and power her lust for vengeance. She will show no mercy.

The men of Savage Security served their country. They’d done their time in the sandbox and now enjoy their peaceful lives in the States, far from the death and mayhem of war. Will living in peace blind them to the dangerous threat that’s poised to strike?

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Createspace

Blog Tour Excerpt - The Book Knights by J.G. McKenney

The Book Knights
Author: J.G. McKenney
Genre: YA Fantasy
Date Published: July 5, 2017

Book Description:
When her parents are condemned to death by Morgan Fay for the crime of reading, Arti Penderhagen becomes a fugitive. Hunted by Mordred, the sadistic police captain who recites poetry to enhance his physical strength, Arti escapes to the Isle of Avalon, a sanctuary for outlaws. There she meets an old librarian named Merl who tells her about the Grail Tome, an ancient book in Morgan Fay's possession that can alter the course of history. Can Arti steal the book in time to save her family?

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK

BOOK REVIEW: Evan Wood by Sara Dalton

Evan Wood

Author: Sara Dalton

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Book Description:

Romance was not part of Amelia's plan, until she came face to face with Evan Wood.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

It's been a few years since I first read Evan Wood, and I'd forgotten how most of the story went, but I definitely remember liking this one, and thankfully, that hasn't changed. This book has many ingredients: love and romance, fun and laughter and undoubtedly sadness and pain. While I did see places where the grammar could be tightened or the plot could be developed further so we can understand why characters reacted a certain way or understand the choices they made, I did find the story compelling, particularly Amelia's and Evan's personal struggles.

College student Amelia Graham has been longing after the handsome chap who rides the bus with her every morning, so when she goes on a blind date and discovers she's been set up with her dream guy, she is delighted. Unfortunately, Mr. Handsome (Evan Wood) isn't quite as charming as she'd imagined him to be. Quite the contrary, he's an arrogant, egotistical jerk. Still, Amelia finds herself being drawn into his world and it's not long before she unearths the true reason behind his behaviour, and it's quite a heartbreaking tale, one Amelia isn't sure she can handle. Having some skeletons in her own closet, she doesn't quite know how to deal with Evan's revelation, especially since her problems could have a detrimental effect on his health. As Amelia and Evan try to make their relationship work, they face many trials and tribulations that ultimately results in a shocking ending.

Evan Wood unravels a story of blossoming romance amid certain tragedy. The story deals with some serious issues (health concerns, domestic violence etc) that gave it more substance than the blossoming love story between Amelia and Evan, and I appreciated the way the subject matter were dealt with. The secondary characters weren't as developed as I would have liked them to be, but they did leave an impression on me, which was good enough. The story did start to feel a little rushed after Amelia discovered Evan's secret and the grammatical errors were very noticeable, which I had a problem with from time to time. I enjoyed the chemistry between Amelia and Evan, but, at times, their personalities suited that of younger characters, definitely younger than they are portrayed to be. Prior to re-reading the book, I had totally forgotten the ages of these characters, and based on the earlier chapters, I thought they were secondary school (high school) students. This wasn't an issue for me. I just thought I was reading a young adult novel as opposed to a new adult novel for the first half of the book.

Overall, it was a good and enjoyable read.

VERDICT

Award: Silver

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Source: Own copy

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Wicked Fallout by Kelly Charron

Wicked Fallout

(Pretty Wicked #2)
Author: Kelly Charron

Publication Date: July 17th, 2017

Genre: Adult Thriller 

Book Description:

“Wicked Fallout is a twisty cat and mouse psychological thriller that will keep you turning pages right up to the unexpected end. A creepy mix of horror and psychological insight, Charron takes you into the mind of a killer and doesn’t let go.”
~Eileen Cook, Author of WITH MALICE 

Convicted of six murders when she was just fifteen, the notorious Ryann Wilkanson hasn’t been able to act on her darkest, deadliest urges for twelve years. She’s exhausted her appeals and has little hope of ever getting out of prison and back to hunting.

Until a media-hungry legal team mounts a campaign to do the impossible—get her immediately released with a commuted sentence.

Forensic psychiatrist Nancy Clafin has mere weeks to evaluate Ryann’s current mental state against her grisly past to determine if she’s changed. But under the shadow of her own questionable history, it’s not easy to separate her personal life from her professional duty.

At least that’s what Ryann is counting on.

Behind the cold steel doors of a Colorado maximum-security prison, will Nancy find a cold-blooded killer or a newly redeemed woman determined to right her past wrongs?

**This novel can be enjoyed as a standalone or as part of the Pretty Wicked series.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Kobo

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Canary Club by Sherry D. Ficklin

The Canary Club

Author: Sherry D. Ficklin

Published by: Clean Teen Publishing

Publication Date: October 16th, 2017

Genre: YA Historical Romance

Book Description:

“Bad Luck” Benny is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Recently released from jail, he has vowed to keep his head down and stay out of trouble. But he also needs to care for his ailing sister and the rest of his struggling family, and he’ll do anything to make that happen—even if it means taking a position with a notorious crime boss. He soon finds himself in over his head—and worse still—falling for the one dame on earth he should be staying away from.

Masie is the daughter of a wealthy gangster with the voice of an angel and gun smoke in her veins. Strong-willed but trapped in a life she never wanted, she dreams of flying free from the politics and manipulation of her father. A pawn in her family’s fight for control of the city, and with a killer hot on her heels, she turns to the one person who just might be able to spring her from her gilded cage. But Masie is no angel, and her own dark secrets may come back to burn them both.

Two worlds collide in this compelling story of star-crossed lovers in gritty prohibition-era New York.

Perfect for fans of Beatriz Williams’ A CERTAIN AGE or Libba Bray’s THE DIVINERS, THE CANARY CLUB by Sherry D. Ficklin will entice Historical Romance fans of all ages. This Gatsby-era tale filled with dazzling speakeasies, vicious shoot-outs, gritty gangsters, and iridescent ingenues has also been compared to the television series Z: THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING and BOARDWALK EMPIRE.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ iBooks ¦ Kobo

Blog Tour Promo & Giveaway - Hunter's Moon by Tess Grant

Hunter's Moon

Author: Tess Grant

Genre: YA Paranormal

Release Date: January 17th, 2017

Books We Love Ltd.

Book Description:

Kitty Irish has heard all the rumors swirling around Daniel Phinney. Most of them involve a gun, a flask, and a temper. One chance encounter with the WWII veteran over a grisly find in the woods pulls the cover off the dark secrets of their small town, and Kitty is drawn into an unlikely partnership.

Armed with an antique rifle and a handful of homemade silver bullets, the two form an efficient team. Unfortunately, their game is werewolf hunting, and disaster is only a bite away.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Books 2 Read

Blog Tour Excerpt - Web of Lies by JG Sumner

Web of Lies
Author: JG Sumner

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Date Published: August 8, 2017

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Book Description:

My​ ​perfect​ ​life​ ​is​ ​falling​ ​apart.  My​ ​wife​ ​is​ ​leaving​ ​me,​ ​and​ ​I’m​ ​fighting​ ​for​ ​our​ ​marriage,​ ​our​ ​kids—for​ ​her.​ ​Then​ ​she​ ​walks​ ​through the​ ​door,​ ​and​ ​everything​ ​changes. Beautiful,​ ​sweet​ ​Beth.​ ​She’s​ ​much​ ​too​ ​young,​ ​but​ ​I​ ​can’t​ ​stay​ ​away.  Despite​ ​our​ ​secrecy,​ ​someone​ ​knows.​ ​They’re​ ​using​ ​the​ ​information​ ​to​ ​destroy​ ​me.​ ​It’s​ ​not​ ​a​ ​matter of​ ​if​ ​my​ ​marriage​ ​will​ ​survive,​ ​or​ ​if​ ​I’ll​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​find​ ​happiness​ ​with​ ​my​ ​new​ ​love…it’s​ ​a​ ​matter surviving​ ​at​ ​all. I​ ​have​ ​to​ ​unravel​ ​this​ ​web​ ​of​ ​lies​ ​before​ ​it’s​ ​too​ ​late.

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK

Book Blitz - The Funeral Flower by Michelle Jester

The Funeral Flower
Author: Michelle Jester
Genre: NA Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: June 20th 2017

Book Description:
Devastated by the death of her grandfather, six-year-old Kelly Rodgers barely manages to cope with the profound loss. Already facing issues at school, she finds herself spiraling deeper into despair, when a fateful interaction through the fence in her backyard gives her hope. In the years following, Kelly realizes that life’s tragedies can be dealt with through acceptance; until another series of agonizing events leaves her heart in pieces.

Finding herself thrown into new surroundings, Kelly embraces her life and resolves to never fall in love. That decision is easy to keep until her junior year when she is drawn by an unavoidable attraction to the new guy, tormented James Delaney. The moment he looks up at her and smiles, her body betrays her. And he notices. She is determined to avoid him, but soon Kelly is forced to face the inevitable truth: She doesn’t want to avoid James... and he won’t let her.

Even though tragedy always follows love.

--
Due to critical subject matter recommended for Ages 17+

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ iTunes ¦ Kobo

Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - Deep in the Hollow by Brandy Nacole

Deep in the Hollow
Chindi Series
Brandy Nacole
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Brandy Nacole
Date of Publication: September 15, 2016
ASIN: B014U7BMU0
Number of pages: 232
Word Count: 80,000
Cover Artist: The Book Cover Machine

Tagline: Greed has a price, and the dead do not always rest.

Book Description:
Let me share some wisdom with you. There is evil in this world we cannot see, not because it is hidden from us, but because our minds refuse to accept its existence. But once we are able to get past what everyone says should not be, it becomes our responsibility to stop the evil we now see.

This insight wasn’t given to me until a year after I lost the most important person in my life: Bryce Rowan. Now, after another death at the same spot where he died—the overlook, where the mysterious lights dance amongst the trees—I begin to wonder if they were accidents after all.

Lucky for me, I’m not the only curious one in town. Cooper, a ghost hunter (aka chaser), and his sister Jada have moved to town and are starting to ask questions.

But the more we find out about this town and the people who live here, people who I have known my whole life, the more I begin to think there are those who would rather keep the evil secret, even if it means we will never be safe, and that more will die.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Kobo

Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - Monsterland by Michael Okon

MONSTERLAND
Author: Michael Okon

Publisher: Wordfire Press

Pages: 232

Genre: Monsters

Book Description:

Welcome to Monsterland—the scariest place on Earth.

The last couple years of high school have not been fun for Wyatt Baldwin. His parents divorce, then his dad mysteriously dies. He’s not exactly comfortable with his new stepfather, Carter White, either. An on-going debate with his best friends Howard Drucker and Melvin over which monster is superior has gotten stale. He’d much rather spend his days with beautiful and popular Jade. However, she’s dating the brash high-school quarterback Nolan, and Wyatt thinks he doesn’t stand a chance.

But everything changes when Wyatt and his friends are invited to attend the grand opening of Monsterland, a groundbreaking theme park where guests can rock out with vampires at Vampire Village, be chased by actual werewolves on the Werewolf River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville.

With real werewolves, vampires and zombies as the main attractions, what could possibly go wrong?

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway - The Midnight Dance by Nikki Katz

The Midnight Dance

Author: Nikki Katz

Published by: Swoon Reads

Publication Date: October 17th, 2017

Genre: YA Contemporary

Book Description:

When the music stops, the dance begins. Seventeen-year-old Penny is a lead dancer at the Grande Teatro, a finishing school where she and eleven other young women are training to become the finest ballerinas in Italy. Tucked deep into the woods, the school is overseen by the mysterious and handsome young Master who keeps the girls ensconced in the estate – and in the only life Penny has never known.

But when flashes of memories, memories of a life very different from the one she thinks she’s been leading, start to appear, Penny begins to question the Grand Teatro and the motivations of the Master. With a kind and attractive kitchen boy, Cricket, at her side, Penny vows to escape the confines of her school and the strict rules that dictate every step she takes. But at every turn, the Master finds a way to stop her, and Penny must find a way to escape the school and uncover the secrets of her past before it’s too late.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ iBooks ¦ Kobo

Blog Tour Spotlight - Stairway to Paradise by Nadia Natali

Stairway to Paradise: Growing up Gershwin
Author: Nadia Natali
Publisher: RareBird Books
Pages: 304
Genre: Memoir

Book Description:
Growing up as Frankie Gershwin's daughter, the sister of George and Ira Gershwin, was quite a challenge. I didn't have the perspective to realize that so much unhappiness in a family was out of the ordinary. But I knew something was off. My mother was often depressed and my father was tyrannical and scary, one never knew when he would blow up. I learned early on that I had to be the cheery one, the one to fix the problems. Both sides of my family were famous; the Gershwin side and my father who invented color film. But even though there was more than enough recognition, money and parties I understood that wasn't what made people happy.

As a young adult adrift and depressed I broke from that unsatisfactory life by marrying Enrico Natali, a photographer, deeply immersed in his own questions about life. We moved into the wilderness away from what we considered as the dysfunction of society. That’s when we discovered that life had other kinds of challenges: flood, fire, rattlesnakes, mountain lions and bears. We lived in a teepee for more than four years while building a house. Curiously my mother never commented on my life choice. She must have realized on some level that her own life was less than satisfactory.

Enrico had developed a serious meditation practice that had become a kind of ground for him. As for me I danced. Understanding the somatic, the inner body experience, became my way to shift the inner story.

We raised and homeschooled our three children. I taught them to read, Enrico taught them math. The kids ran free, happy, always engaged, making things, and discovering. We were so sure we were doing the right thing. However, we didn't have a clue how they would make the transition to the so-called ‘real world’. The children thrived until they became teenagers. They then wanted out. Everything fell apart for them and for Enrico and me. Our lives were turned upside down, our paradise lost. There was tragedy: our son lost his life while attempting to cross our river during a fierce storm. Later I was further challenged by advanced breast cancer.

It was during these times that I delved deeply into the somatic recesses of myself. I began to find my own voice, a long learning process. I emerged with a profound trust in my own authority. It became clear that everyone has to find his or her way through layers of inauthenticity, where a deep knowing can develop. And I came to see that is the best anyone can offer to the world.

Enrico and I still live in the wilds of the Lost Padres National Forest, a paradise with many steps going up and down, a life I would not change.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Audible

Book Blast & Giveaway - Black Moon Rising (The Library #2) by D.J. MacHale

Black Moon Rising
(The Library #2)
Author: D.J. MacHale
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (October 3, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1101932570
ISBN-13: 978-1101932575

Book Description:

The next fast-paced, thrilling adventure from bestselling author D. J. MacHale! Check out a book and fall under its spell . . . literally.

Marcus is an agent of the Library--a place filled with tales that don't have an ending. Mysteries that won't be solved until Marcus and his friends Theo and Lu step in to finish them. Before it's too late.

Because mysterious accidents are disturbing a middle school in Massachusetts. Windows shatter for no reason. Bleachers collapse at a pep rally. Most of the students think they're just having a string of bad luck, but Marcus suspects something a lot more dangerous. Something like witchcraft. When the black moon rises, this story must come to an end . . . one way or another.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Book Depository

Blog Tour Spotlight - Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 Anthology

Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 Anthology

#PetsInSpace

Genre: Science Fiction Romance,

Paranormal Romance, Fantasy Romance

Publisher: Cats, Dogs and Other Worldly Creatures

Date of Publication: October 10, 2017

ASIN: B073W5WQBH

ISBN Ebook: 978-1-942583-56-1

ISBN-10: 1-942583-57-5

ISBN-13: 978-1-942583-57-8

Number of pages: 826 (paperback)

Word Count: 220,000

Cover Design: Fiona Jade

Release Date: October 10, 2017

Book Description:

The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors, brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!

10% of all preorders and the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.

Buy Liinks:

Amazon US ¦ CA ¦ UK ¦ AU ¦ FR ¦ DE ¦ JP ¦ iBooks ¦ B&N ¦ Kobo ¦ Google Play

Book Blast & Giveaway - Red Right Hand by Levi Black

Red Right Hand
Author: Levi Black
Series: The Mythos War (Book 1)
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Tor Books; Reprint edition (July 25, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0765382490
ISBN-13: 978-0765382498

Book Description:

Charlie Tristan Moore isn't a hero. She's a survivor. On a night when her demons from the past are triggered, she arrives home to something even more harrowing-an attack by three monstrous skinhounds, creatures straight out of nightmares. She fights but is outmatched. Just as hope seems lost, in sweeps The Man In Black, a rescuer even more monstrous and unlikely, dressed in a long, dark coat that seems to have a life of its own and with a black-bladed sword held in his terrible, red right hand.

Her rescue comes at a cost. She must become his new Acolyte and embrace a dark magick she never knew she had inside her. To ensure she gives it her all, he takes her friend and possible love, Daniel, in thrall as a hostage to her obedience. The Man in Black, a Lovecraftian chaos god, claims to be battling his brethren gods, other horrors who are staging an incipient apocalypse. But is he truly the lesser of all evils or merely killing off the competition? Either way, will Charlie be strong enough to save herself, Daniel, and possibly the entire world?

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Book Depository

Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway - The Girl Who Saved Ghosts by K.C. Tansley

 

The Girl Who Saved Ghosts
Author: K.C. Tansley
Publication Date: October 17th, 2017
Genre: YA Mystery / Time-Travel

Book Description:

She tried to ignore them. Now she might risk everything to save them. 

After a summer spent in a haunted castle—a summer in which she traveled through time to solve a murder mystery—Kat is looking forward to a totally normal senior year at McTernan Academy. Then the ghost of a little girl appears and begs Kat for help, and more unquiet apparitions follow. All of them are terrified by the Dark One, and it soon becomes clear that that this evil force wants Kat dead.

Searching for help, Kat leaves school for the ancestral home she’s only just discovered. Her friend Evan, whose family is joined to her own by an arcane history, accompanies her. With the assistance of her eccentric great aunts and a loyal family ghost, Kat soon learns that she and Evan can only fix the present by traveling into the past.

As Kat and Evan make their way through nineteenth-century Vienna, the Dark One stalks them, and Kat must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to save a ghost.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Barnes & Noble ¦ iBooks ¦ Kobo