May 2018 Movie List

Here is a list of some of the movies coming out in May 2018

May 10th (UK)

Stars: Melissa McCarthy, Gillian Jacobs, Debby Ryan

Movie Description:
After her husband abruptly asks for a divorce, a middle-aged mother returns to college in order to complete her degree.

May 11th (UK / USA)

Stars: Gabrielle Union, Billy Burke, Richard Cabral

Movie Description:
A woman fights to protect her family during a home invasion.

May 15th (UK)

Stars: Josh Brolin, Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin

Movie Description:

Foul-mouthed mutant mercenary Wade Wilson (AKA. Deadpool), brings together a team of fellow mutant rogues to protect a young boy of supernatural abilities from the brutal, time-traveling mutant, Cable.

May 24th (UK)

Stars: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke

Movie Description:

During an adventure into a dark criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his future copilot Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian years before joining the Rebellion.

FREE eBook & Giveaway - The Husband Maker by Karey White

The Husband Maker

Author: Karey White

Book Description:
Charlotte’s a girl with nicknames. She may not love being called Charles or Chuck, but the hardest nickname to take is the one she was given in college, the one that’s followed her now for too many years. They call her “the husband maker” and sadly, it fits. Every guy she's dated since high school has gone on to marry the next girl they date. Not two or three girls down the road. The very next one.

Is she doing something wrong or is she just cursed?

When Kyle Aldsworth enters the picture and sweeps her off her feet, Charlotte begins to hope that maybe she's not destined to be single forever. A senator’s son with political aspirations of his own, Kyle's wealthy, handsome, and in need of a wife. Will Charlotte be disappointed yet again, or will she finally be able to make a husband for herself?

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Cover Reveal & Giveaway - Highland Honor by Madelyn Hill

Highland Honor

Author: Madelyn Hill

Genre: Historical Romance (Scottish)

Date Published: May 16th, 2018

Book Description:

Lady Honor can heal everything but a broken heart . . .

Lady Honor does not believe in marriage. Her father’s death broke her mother’s spirit and took her from her daughters emotionally well before her own death. When Honor is attacked in the forest, she keeps the event to herself, lest her lairds search for the man and strike him down. As a healer, she’ll do anything it takes not to cause harm. Rumors of attacks in the Highlands forces the lairds to increase guards and security measures. When Bryce Calder is assigned to protect Lady Honor, she fights the burgeoning attraction for the man, knowing she’ll never risk her heart to love.

Warrior Bryce Calder trusts no woman. Women only strive to better themselves through cunning, as his father warned throughout his childhood. When he is asked to escort Lady Honor while she gathers healing herbs, he is vexed. Training the men and protecting the clan are his duties, not following the sharped-tongued lass about the wood. With each passing day, Bryce becomes enchanted by Lady Honor, despite his father’s words, but his unworthiness halts any proclamation of his desire.

An unlikely partnership develops during the frequent trips to the forest and work in the apothecary. The walls each has erected to protect their hearts and their future crumbles. Until a stranger arrives at the keep. Lady Honor’s secret is threatened to be revealed putting in jeopardy the growing romance between the ardent healer and the reluctant warrior-suitor.

Pre-Order Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

About the Author
Madelyn Hill has always loved the written word. From the time she could read and all through her school years, she'd sneak books into her textbooks during school. And she devoured books daily. At the age of 10 she proclaimed she wanted to be a writer. After being a "closet" writer for several years, she sent her manuscripts out there and is now published with Soul Mate Publishing. And she couldn't be happier!

A resident of Western New York, she moved from one Rochester to another Rochester to be with the love of her life. They are busy with their 3 children and a puppy named Cannoli! They love to cook, go to the movies, and hang out with friends.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter ¦ Pinterest ¦ Goodreads ¦ Amazon Page ¦ Instagram

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$250 Bring On The May Flowers Cash Giveaway

Win big during our $250 Bring On the MAY Flowers Cash giveaway event!

You have the option of choosing between $250 PayPal Cash OR a Gift Card of choice!

This event was organized by The Kids Did It & The Mommy Island and sponsored by awesome bloggers, authors, and Etsy shop owners!

Kick off your shoes and relax while you enter to win our May Cash event!

 

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ONE entrant will be selected from the entry form to win $250 PayPal cash OR a $250 gift card of choice.

Open for entry WW, 18 years and older from 05/10/18 at 12:01 a.m. ET thru 05/31/18 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.

A winner will be chosen after/around June 01, 2018. The winner will have 24 hours to respond to notification email to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. See Rafflecopter for official rules. The Kids Did It & The Mommy Island are responsible for sending the winner their prize via PayPal or e-gift card. The winner has the option of choosing between PayPal and an e-gift card of choice. Prize may be less than $250 if you choose a gift card with fees. Twitter 'Egg' profiles and dummy accounts are ineligible for entry and will be blocked. Authentic accounts only are eligible to win. Follow The Kids Did It on Facebook and Twitter then enter for a chance to win! 

 
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Book Blitz & Giveaway - Discovering April by Sheena Hutchinson

Discovering April
(Discovering Trilogy #1)
Author: Sheena Hutchinson
Publication Date: April 27th, 2015
Genre: New Adult Romance

Book Description:

April Landau thinks she has everything she’s ever wanted. Her high school sweetheart, a house she can’t afford, her bipolar tabby cat, and she’s all set to begin her Junior year of college. Just when she least expects it, her life gets thrown for a loop. When things between her and her long time boyfriend unravel, she becomes stuck in a downward spiral of emotion. Finally, opening her eyes to the fact that she may have given up more than she ever could have imagined in this relationship. She finds herself struggling to keep her head above water.

Enter April’s next door neighbor— Jared Hoffman. He’s her complete opposite. A high school drop out who was forced to take over his parent’s business after their untimely death. It’s no surprise this tragedy affected him greatly, causing him to recede almost completely from society.

But he has one secret. A secret he’s been carrying around for years.

What happens when their worlds collide? Can an old friendship be the one thing that brings these two back to life?

A New Adult love story filled with drama, sex, death, and the complications of all the above.

* This is the first book in the Discovering Trilogy (chronologically). Each can be read as their own novels with individual stories. But, the cast of characters will overlap throughout each book. *

On sale for 99¢ for a limited time only!

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Promo & Giveaway - Inspired by Susan Schaefer Bernardo

Inspired

Author: Susan Schaefer Bernardo

Genre: MG/YA Fantasy/Mythology

Release Date: May 2018

Publisher: Inner Flower Child Books

Book Description:

Rocket Malone is not thrilled with the direction her life is taking. Her mom has just remarried, and they are moving from their hip cottage in Venice Beach to her stepfather’s home in Hollywood. Her best friend, Gillian, has a new friend and a new boyfriend, and Rocket feels left behind. When she finds out that her mother is pregnant with twins, she is furious. 

All of these problems are quickly overshadowed when Rocket discovers that she is descended from the Greek muses, and is therefore obligated to serve as an apprentice to the nine mythological sisters. Rocket sees herself as smart but not creative, and apprenticing to the muses does not come naturally to her. She tries to help several people, but just cannot find the right person to aid. 

Along with the fun, intelligent story about Greek gods, muses, and other mythological figures, Inspired captures the trials and tribulations of discovering oneself while dealing with the challenges of middle school. Rocket does not want her life to change, but she must adapt, learning to share her mom and her best friend while finding new ways to create her own joy. 

Rocket and her friends have some very serious problems. Rocket’s father committed suicide; her mother is in the midst of a high-risk pregnancy. Her friend Ryan lost his sister in a car accident and then was abandoned by his father; the home he shares with his mother is destroyed in a fire. These issues are thoughtfully addressed in the story as the adolescents learn not to blame themselves, to accept what is, and to help one another through the hardest parts. 

Inspired is delightful, insightful, and charming as it encourages kids to face their obstacles and chase their own passions.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Publisher

BOOK REVIEW: Forbidden Tides by Kyla Stan

Forbidden Tides

Author: Kyla Stan

Book Description:
Some would say I look like a mermaid, the essence of nautical beauty. I looked in the mirror and saw a monster....

Astrid Murphy, born with strange webbed hands and a thirst for saltwater, feels like a freak. She desires to look and feel normal, just like her family. But Astrid doesn’t realize that she’s meant to be the next ruler of the Deep Clan, a race of merfolk who are dying from pollution and overhunting. She is the only one who can save them.

Zander’s mission was to find Astrid and bring her home. Not fall in love with his target. Surrounded in a web of danger, a forbidden love between clan daughter and warrior blossoms. Zander knows they can’t focus on each other, and the Deep Clan must come first.

But it’s the one enemy Astrid never expected who will tear it all down. Her father. The one person who was supposed to love and protect her, will do anything to keep her from fulfilling her destiny with Zander. Even kill.

As Astrid and Zander fight for their world, they learn the true depth of what it means to love, the power of hope, and what it means to be free.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Forbidden Tides is my first mermaid themed book, and a jolly good read it was. Having been born with webbed hands, what Astrid Murphy considers a deformity, she has always longed to be normal. Not only is she ostracised at school, but she also has to endure suffering and rejection from her own father, Finnegan Murphy, who is disgusted by her abnormality as she is a constant reminder of the Sirenia, a race of merfolk, who he deems to be vicious creatures and an abomination to life, thus, he has made it his life's mission to annihilate the Sirenia race. Unbeknown to Astrid, her deformity is not a deformity at all but rather an inherent feature of her heritage. Astrid is half human and half mermaid. Having learned the truth about her origin, Astrid has to decide whether or not to rise to the occasion and guide her kind to safety.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I had no expectations going in, and while I do have some reservations about the book, particularly the mid section, overall, I thought the story was engaging. Astrid and Zander were likable characters. I think many people will be able to relate to Astrid in the sense of feeling like an outcast because of your difference and attempting to alter your image in a bid to fit in and be accepted. There were a lot of important messages and themes addressed in the book that I appreciated. There was one thing about the story I found disturbing and very unexpected. It's one thing to capture and sell the merfolk, but it's another thing entirely to have the population consume these beings. Given that these creatures are described as human-like from the waist up, it was a provoking thought to have running through my mind. Thankfully, this topic wasn't explored in depth.

From the moment this book began it reminded me of a TV show I started watching recently called Siren. There were a lot of similarities in the depiction of the merfolk. These aren't the sweet and friendly creatures we are told about as children or that we often see depicted on screen. These vicious and feral creatures are all about survival of the fittest. Being the first to have captured a Sirenia, Finnegan knows all too well about the danger these creatures pose. The fishing industry are hunting these creatures and are attacking their food supplies just to draw them out of the deep, and it's up to Astrid and Zander to bring them back to safety. Finnegan, however, has different plans and will go to any lengths to get what he wants, even risking his daughter's life. Zander's mission and the objective of the story was well established at the start of the book, but we lose sight of this somewhere in the middle with the focus shitting to Astrid and Zander and their blossoming romance. Don't get me wrong, I love a good romance between characters - it's a definite plus - but it shouldn't be at the extent where it overshadows or sabotage the plot, which I felt it did. I wasn't too fond of the mid section of the book. Honestly, I did lose interest and my focus did shift in and out as I was reading. Fortunately, the book did take a turn in the right direction and got back on track.

For the most part, I did enjoy the story, and I'm glad I got the chance to read it.

VERDICT

Award: Silver

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Source: Author

Book Spotlight & Giveaway - The Forbidden Groom by Sarah Gay

The Forbidden Groom
Author: Sarah Gay

Book Description:

Cole isn't looking for love. In fact, it's forbidden by his PR firm and agent until a new contract can be negotiated with the Texas Titans. His resolve is tested when he lays eyes on Maggie, the spunky caterer. Ever since she caught him from falling, he can't seem to stop himself from falling for her.

Maggie, a Park City Firefighter, needs a change of scenery. When an offer comes in to possibly take over a successful event planning business in sunny Dallas, Texas, she jumps at it. After a group of NFL players crash her first event, Maggie's amazing opportunity fizzles. Cole, the handsome football player has ruined her employment prospects and wounded her pride. She may find the true love she has always dreamed of if she can forgive him.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Release Day Giveaway - The Redeemed Groom by Taylor Hart

The Redeemed Groom

Author: Taylor Hart

Book Description:

Sloane Kent, famous Country music star, is only in Jackson, Wyoming for one reason: lay down the music for his next album. Since his mother’s passed away and his girlfriend’s left him, there’s been no music, no feeling…nothing. While on a run, he witnesses what a appears to be a young woman who needs help and finds himself hopping on a Greyhound Bus headed for Las Vegas.

Hope Jones does not need a celebrity super star’s help and when he gets on the bus and tries to make friends with her…she turns him down flat. But when she discovers he’s fleeing from a stalker….she decides to listen to his story. Too bad … he lied about it to get her talk to him. Good thing she tells him to go away! But after reluctantly sharing dinner with him at a bus stop, breaking down in Rawlin’s Wyoming, and hypothesizing about having thirteen children together and living in a broken down fire station, she finds herself more and more intrigued with the famous Country Music Star.

When her ex-fiance tracks her down and puts both of their lives in jeopardy, Hope has to make a choice—trust in Sloane or lose everything.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway - Magnetic by Carissa Miller

Magnetic
Author: Carissa Miller
Publication Date: September 10th, 2017
Genre: YA Contemporary

Book Description:

When Elle Christiansen’s rebellion leads to her father’s expulsion from a parsonage in small-town Ohio, the forlorn pair is forced to move to Oklahoma to live with an aunt neither of them has ever met. Here she encounters her aunt’s neighbor—Maverick Mason, the quietly confident son of a wealthy oil tycoon who infuriates her as much as he inexplicably draws her in…

Maverick slowly gains Elle’s trust and coaxes her out from the seemingly impenetrable walls of self-protection she erected around her heart when her mother was murdered. He convinces Elle to confide the secrets of her tortured past: that she saw her mother’s murder before it took place, and she was the one who found her, bleeding to death at the end of a lonely dirt road. Together the unlikely pair begins to unlock the secrets of not only Elle’s sordid past, but her mother’s and grandmother’s as well, to uncover decades of greed, corporate corruption, lies, and murder. Quickly, the sobering realization hits: if they do not solve her mother’s murder, Elle will undoubtedly suffer the same fate. As she continues her journey toward truth alongside the boy she is magnetically drawn to in a way both frightening and uncontrollable, Elle finds the road she is most afraid of going down—that one lane dirt road where her mother was murdered—just might be the only place she can truly find redemption.

Magnetic tells of the enduring pain of living with unsolved violent crime. Inspired by debut author Carissa Miller’s true-life events, it’s a haunting account of a young girl’s struggle in the aftermath of shattering loss. With an unraveling love story, puzzling mystery, unexpected twists and turns, and a gripping pace that will keep you turning pages, our heroine takes you on her journey as she learns one of life’s great lessons: facing your fears instead of running from them, is the only way to truly find freedom.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

eBook Sale Promo – $2.99 or less

FREE eBooks

Taken by Fae

Book Description:

Penelope Rose wants freedom to make her own choices, and freedom from her arranged marriage. She finds escapism through storybooks about faeries. But when she finally meets one, will she discover they're as benevolent as she's read? Or is there a much darker twist to her fairy tales?

Amazon Link

Alphas Unleashed: Part One

Book Description:

Sara Cole has been running her whole life, from the vampires that hunt werewolves like her, and from the feral and dangerous male werewolves that have experienced nothing but violence, and know nothing but inflictingviolence on others.

Connor and Marcus are two strong alpha wolves joined by past pain at the hands of vampires. They tried to move on, searching for years for mates without finding a single female werewolf left alive. So now, day and night, they hunt vampires. But when they stumble across a curvy female werewolf, alone and afraid, their desire engulfs them, and they’ll do anything to make her theirs, even if it means sharing.

Download Link












    

99 Cent eBooks

Jax Starlight

Book Description:

When the Exodus ships left earth, we all thought we had a chance at starting over, finding a new world to build a colony. Only that didn’t happen. We crashed on an inhabited planet and woke up to a nightmare we can’t escape. There’s something different about this world. It’s changing me. I’m stronger, faster, and…

I know what some would say, but they’ve got it all wrong. No one in their right mind would want this power and the responsibility that comes with it. Definitely not me. I’m not a superhero. I’m just Jax, freak extraordinaire, and this is my story.

Amazon Link      

$2.99 eBooks

The Coven Princess

Book Description:

Your blood does not define you.

Harley Torrance's parents were killed in a home invasion when she was three. Adopted by a nice couple, Harley begins to develop strange powers. At fourteen she brews a potion so strong it gains the attention of the Coven King, and changes her world forever.

She's not human, she's a witch.

Now a part of the magical community, Harley must learn to control her powers lest the Darkness already in her blood overcomes her. Can she dampen her lust for power in order to stop the Dark from taking over the Coven and killing everyone in their way?

Amazon Link

Book-A-Day Giveaway - Win a $15 Amazon Gift Card

Book-A-Day Giveaway

April 30th - May 30th

Thanks to the wonderful sponsors of CBY's group giveaway.

Sponsors Showcase

Click the names to learn more about the sponsors

Lucinda E. Clarke

***GIVEAWAY***

One winner gets a $15 Amazon Gift Card.

Ends May 30th, 2018 (11.59 p.m. GMT)

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April Favourites

Welcome to my April Favourites.

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

Books Read:

 

Favourite:

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Movies Watched:

Favourite:

BOOK REVIEW: Lilly Camara Catches Heat by Linda Estela

Lilly Camara Catches Heat

Lilly Camara, Book 1

Author: Linda Estela
Publication Date: April 9th, 2017
Genre: MG Coming of Age

Book Description:

It's the first day of Little League practice, the exciting spring day Lilly Camara impatiently waits for every year. She and best friend, Cole, have dominated the diamond since they started playing baseball, and Lilly dreams of one day becoming the first woman in the Major Leagues. What a surprise to find out there's a new pitcher in town. He's got a rocket for an arm and has a crush on Lilly. Lilly can't stand the idea that her teammate would treat her like a girl instead of just one of the guys. Linda Estela's enchanting story Lilly Camara Catches Heat portrays the girlhood complications of this die-hard ball player as she deals with a pesky crush, the school dance, her embarrassing family, and of course, the championship game. Join Lilly Camara as she meets increasing challenges on and off the field with good humor and a fiery spirit.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

I loved this book. Being a fan of baseball, this was a real treat. Little League practice has just started, and 12-year-old Lilly Camara and her best friend, Cole, are one of the best on their team. Just when everything seems to be going great, news starts spreading about a new pitcher in town, which sets Lilly on a course of trying to prove that she belongs on the team. Not only is the new kid making her feel insecure, he's showing her attention she's never had before, and it's making her uncomfortable. To be the team player she needs to be to get to the championship game, Lilly has to learn to adapt to the changes that come with growing up.

Lilly and the gang did not disappoint. I especially loved the way the author described the game scenes - jumping between the characters' actions and reactions and what's taking place on the field. The story truly came alive. I loved every character, especially Lilly. She's a true role model for young girls. She stands up for what she believes in and never backs down from a challenge. The thing I would say I loved the most about this book is the author's authentic portrayal of children being children as opposed to children trying to be adults. The characters appeared genuine, and their behaviour is what you would expect of children.

I would recommend this book for the whole family. I look forward to continuing the journey with Lilly.

VERDICT

Award: Platinum

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Source: Own copy

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder by Cookie O'Gorman

The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder
Author: Cookie O'Gorman

Genre: YA Romance/Murder Mystery

Release Date: April 5th, 2018

Book Description:

In the south, everyone has a secret--and murder is served with sweet tea.

The word's out: Ethan Wilder’s coming back to town, and the people of Bowie, Georgia are in a southern tizzy. Everyone knows the story. He shot and killed his sister four years ago, and people say his father, Jim Wilder, the biggest holy roller this side of the Mississippi, sent him packing for just that reason. Even if her death was unofficially ruled a suicide, Ethan’s return has everybody talking.

Seventeen-year-old Delilah Doherty can’t go anywhere without hearing his name. Born and raised in Bowie, Delilah knows firsthand about the gossipmongers and how they love a good scandal. The daughter of a wild child and niece of the local psychic, she’s also the only one who doubts Ethan’s guilt.

After Ethan saves her life, the two start a slow and steady burn neither can deny. But when Bowie's spiritual leader is nearly murdered, it rocks the small southern town to its core. Delilah and Ethan are caught in the crossfire, their relationship threatened before it's even begun. Someone has it out for Ethan's family. With everyone convinced of Ethan's guilt, it's up to Delilah to unravel the mystery before someone else gets hurt or worse...dead.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Interview with Author Tosca Lee - Descendants of the House of Bathory Book Series

The Progeny: A Novel

Descendants of the House of Bathory, Book 1

Author: Tosca Lee

Publication Date: May 24th, 2016

Genre: YA Thriller

Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee brings a modern twist to an ancient mystery surrounding Elizabeth Bathory, the most notorious female serial killer of all time.

Audra Ellison has no idea why she’s had her memory wiped clean, only that she chose to erase her past to protect someone else. But soon, a handsome stranger tells her she’s special. Unique. That she has the power to influence the minds of others. And that her life is in danger.

She soon discovers that she is the descendant of a serial killer, the infamous “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory, and that she, like all her relatives for generations, is being hunted for the sins of her ancestor. She also discovers that she erased her memory to forget something important—important not only to her, but to those who want to see the line of Bathory ended for good.

Reunited with others like her—young, powerful Progeny living defiantly on the edge of extinction in Europe’s underground—she is hounded by danger at every turn and driven deeper into the inner circles of two ancient orders intent on destroying one another with a weapon only Audra can find. And as those around her start disappearing, Audra realizes the only thing that can save them all is piecing together a past she no longer remembers.

As she works to unravel the web of secrets and lies, Audra is thrust into a world of faith and doubt, of truth and deceit, of life and immortality, and she must decide who to trust—and what to believe. What she ultimately uncovers will change everything she thought she knew about who she is and what her lineage means.

A kaleidoscopic thriller that brings the underground world of the ancient cities of Eastern Europe to life like never before, The Progeny is a taut, breathless story of centuries-old intrigue and modern love and forgiveness.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK