Thursday, January 31, 2013

More Dance Than You Can Shake a Stick At

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Summary: Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.

But there is a cost.

The Keeper likes to keep things.

Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.


Review: A fairy tale retelling of the twelve dancing princesses that has the girls taking center stage.

This book had a number of the elements of what I am assuming is the original fairy tale (which I have not read), but it focused a lot more on the twelve sisters. I had read another book that retold the same fairy tale and focused heavily on the man who eventually solved the riddle. In this book, the oldest sister, Azalea, is the one who goes a long way to solving the mystery. As some reviews have pointed out, she does seem to need male help too often and is often ineffectual. I still feel that she does play a large role in solving the mystery.

As other have pointed out, there is a whole lot of dancing for a long time. This book could have easily lost a hundred pages or so with all the descriptions of dancing. I know dancing plays a big role in the book and the fairy tale, but it gets tiring. The romance could be a bit odd or creepy at times. My favorite person was Lord Teddie and his romance was my favorite even though I wasn’t a big fan of Bramble. All in all, an enjoyable, but not great fairy tale retelling.

Rating:






Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy fairy tale retellings or young adult fantasy stories. 

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

A Spoiler Spin-off Series

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Summary: BLOOD DOESN'T LIE. Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worst. Jill Dragomir- the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney's sister is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector,but Sydney take sher pleace, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

Review: A spin-off series that has spoilers, Alchemists, high school drama, and plenty of magic.

I did enjoy this book although I was afraid that I wouldn’t due to the one and two star reviews I read on Goodreads. My biggest qualm with the first book (and possibly the rest of the series) is that is not technically a spin-off series. The last book in the Vampire Academy series will get spoiled for you by Bloodlines. I haven’t read the last book yet, but I had figured what would happen with Rose so I wasn’t too annoyed. Still, a little warning would have been nice.

Why a school? Why did Jill have to be in a school, especially a prestigious boarding school where there are no parents about? A plain old public school would have sufficed nicely unless that would have been too good for royalty. High school drama aside, there was enough mystery, magic, and action to keep me interested in the book. I am glad the series seems to be turning towards magic and not just vampires. I liked the VA series well enough, but I never was a big fan of the vampire mythology (aka Moroi and Strogi) so it’s nice to see this series take a different turn.

Rating:






Recommendation:
 I would recommend this book to those that enjoyed the Vampire Academy series and have read all six books. 

Monday, January 28, 2013

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey. This meme lets you show fellow readers what you have read, what you are reading, and what you will be reading.

Recently Read:




Currently Reading




To Read:


Saturday, January 26, 2013

Another Special Snowflake

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Summary: One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. 

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…


Review: Another paranormal young adult novel with a judgemental, oh so special snowflake, three, count 'em three, love interests, and a camp for "special" teens.

It's certainly not all young adult narrators, but I don't like the trend of the girls being so judgmental of other people, mostly other girls. Yes, teenagers make a lot of stupid and sometimes unsafe decisions, but you can't make judgments about another person just based on how they look. Kylie certainly does it. She thinks that people who wear revealing clothing are whores (despite liking guys who wear tight shirts) and people who wear "gothic" style clothing are showing their rebellion. She's an idiot. 

Kylie was such an unsympathetic character. I know she was going through a tough time in her life, but all she was concerned with was herself. Get over yourself! Then of course she has the "I'm not super pretty or hot but all these guys seem to like me." Give me a break!! I see no reason for any of the boys to like her. Also, you don't get to know someone very well after only a few hours. 

And of course she's super special. Of course she had to be unique and a not of run of your mill faerie, vampire, or werewolf. I found the whole idea of a camp a bit silly and just another excuse to have teenagers away from their parents. I am intrigued to find out what Kylie is and I hope that she will be something interesting and also finally get over her prejudice of vampires and other supernatural beings. The action was good and I liked the mystery that was introduced.

Rating






Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy young adult paranormal fiction with love triangles and/or settings away from home.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Big and Burly to the Rescue

Ravished by a Highlander by Paula Quinn

Summary: 

FORBIDDEN LOVE
Davina Montgomery is no ordinary English lady. For her own protection, she's been locked away from society, her true identity the Crown's most closely guarded secret. Until a shocking betrayal--and a bold rescue--land her in the arms of a fierce Highlander, a powerful warrior whose searing gaze and tantalizing touch awaken her body and soul.

UNDENIABLE DESIRE

As the firstborn son of a powerful Scottish laird, Robert MacGregor has no loyalty to the English throne, but he's not the kind of man to leave a woman in distress, even if she is English. He vows to deliver Davina to safety, unharmed and untouched. Yet one stolen kiss leaves them both smoldering with desire...and desperate for more. With Davina's secret threatening to destroy his clan, Rob must choose between everything he holds dear and the one woman he can't live without.

Review: An enjoyable romance with Highlanders that suffers from an unbelievable situation and a bit too much of falling in love with your rescuer.

I did like Davina. She was a strong woman that tied by fate. I did think that she let herself get pushed around too many times and I also quite sick of hearing how beautiful she was, although that was not her fault (I blame the author). I also wonder why Davina was in an abbey so close to the English/Scottish border considering who she was. I would have thought she would have been either further up north or even in Europe.

Robert was refreshing. Yes, he was a bit I’m a man so I must be duty bound, super stoic, and have no fun, but he did allow Davina to have her fun and while he could get jealous, knew what was a threat and what was harmless fun. I did think the relationship between Davina and Robert was a tad too much of the “you rescued me from a tough situation and now I love you!” I was glad of the ending even though I could not believe Davina would have been free to marry who she wished considering who she was.

Rating:






Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those are fans of romance with Scottish Highlanders.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Shadow of Time Blog Tour: Interview and Giveaway


What are your favorite book(s)?

I love reading paranormal romance from other authors, like Cynthia Hand, Stephenie Meyer and Margaret Mahy (my all-time favourite paranormal romance book as a teenager was 'The Tricksters'), but I also enjoy sci-fi and dystiopian books such as 'The Martian Chronicles', 'Fahrenheit 451' and 'The Hunger Games'.

Who is your favorite author?

It's hard to say as I love reading so much, but Ray Bradbury (U.S.), Stefan Zweig (Austria), Tonke Dragt (Holland) and Thea Beckman (Holland) rank very high. Especially Bradbury and Zweig are masters of the short story.

Where do you get your inspiration from? 

Sometimes I'd watch a documentary about something mysterious and I feel like I have to incorporate it into a storyline. Sometimes it's on-screen chemistry between two people in a movie that prompts me to write a love story. And sometimes, stories sort of seep into my mind when I take walks in the woods or the dunes of Holland. It is like they already exist and all I have to do is tune in to them and write them down. Sometimes it feels like the characters are writing themselves.

Where is your favorite place to do your writing?

At home with some peaceful music on and some incense burning in a corner of the room! 'At home' could also be in a cozy holiday cottage abroad, the place doesn't really matter. But I definitely need alone-time to really focus on my writing. There are days that I like to spend more or less as a recluse, so my writing process won't be interrupted.

What made you decide to write Shadow of Time? 

Reading 'New Moon' by Stephenie Meyer and realising Jacob and Bella weren't gonna end up together! I was SO frustrated! I decided there and then I would write a supernatural love story about a Native American boy and an American girl who would have a happy ending together. I also really wanted to delve into the history of the Native Americans and incorporate that into the storyline.

What is the hardest part of writing a novel? 

Scrapping. By far. I don't know who said 'kill your darlings', but it's true: you always want to tell your readers too much, and you must be strict with yourself in order to create a truly great and balanced novel.

Tell us about your new novel. 

The story is set in Arizona, which was quite a challenge for me as I have never been there myself. It's about Hannah, a young high school teacher who falls in love with Josh, one of her brother's childhood friends. Josh is a Navajo from the reservation in Arizona, and strange things start happening all around Hannah when she is trying to get to know Josh better. She has terrifying nightmares which seem to gradually turn into reality. The dreams are always about the distant past, and Josh is always a part of them.

About the author.

Jen Minkman (1978) was born in Holland, in the town of Alphen aan den Rijn. When she was 19, she moved between The Hague, Salzburg (Austria), Brussels (Belgium) and Cambridge (UK) to complete her studies in intercultural communication. She is currently a teacher of English, career counsellor and teenage coach at a secondary school in Voorburg, Holland. She tries to read at least 100 books a year (and write a few, too!).

In her spare time, she plays the piano, the guitar and the violin. For every novel she writes, she creates a soundtrack. The songs that Hannah and Josh sing in the book 'Shadow of Time' really exist and can be listened to on the author's website. One of those songs, 'In Beauty May I Walk', was even especially requested by a Navajo woman to play during her traditional wedding.

Giveaway:
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Monday, January 21, 2013

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey. This meme lets you show fellow readers what you have read, what you are reading, and what you will be reading.

Recently Read: 





Currently Reading:


To Read:


Sunday, January 20, 2013

Grim Reaper Much?

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Summary: Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

Review: A poor grim reaper, a creepy male love interest, and an too easily solved mystery. 

So Charley is supposedly the grim reaper, but knows so little about her abilities. It's a wonder she manages to convince the dead to cross over. There would have to be more than one grim reaper since there are so many dead people. I personally thought of Charley as someone who helps the dead to cross over and not the grim reaper since she doesn't actually kill anyone. I found it amazing that a few people actually seemed to believe Charley's power to see and talk to the dead. 

The love interest was downright creepy. So this mysterious man or thing saves her a number of times in her life. The first time she actually meets him, she tries to help him and he responds by threatening to rape her to get her to leave. That's downright creepy. Then he visits her in her dream and has sex with her in her dreams, which I consider rape since Charley could not give consent since she was sleeping. I don't understand the care she has for him. The mystery she is trying to solve seems to take second place to saving the creepy man. 

Rating:






Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy fiction about grim reapers and those who see the dead. 

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Detecting Ancient Aliens

Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.

Summary: New York Times bestselling author Peter F. Hamilton’s riveting new thriller combines the nail-biting suspense of a serial-killer investigation with clear-eyed scientific and social extrapolation to create a future that seems not merely plausible but inevitable.
 
A century from now, thanks to a technology allowing instantaneous travel across light-years, humanity has solved its energy shortages, cleaned up the environment, and created far-flung colony worlds. The keys to this empire belong to the powerful North family—composed of successive generations of clones. Yet these clones are not identical. For one thing, genetic errors have crept in with each generation. For another, the original three clone “brothers” have gone their separate ways, and the branches of the family are now friendly rivals more than allies.
 
Or maybe not so friendly. At least that’s what the murder of a North clone in the English city of Newcastle suggests to Detective Sidney Hurst. Sid is a solid investigator who’d like nothing better than to hand off this hot potato of a case. The way he figures it, whether he solves the crime or not, he’ll make enough enemies to ruin his career.
 
Yet Sid’s case is about to take an unexpected turn: because the circumstances of the murder bear an uncanny resemblance to a killing that took place years ago on the planet St. Libra, where a North clone and his entire household were slaughtered in cold blood. The convicted slayer, Angela Tramelo, has always claimed her innocence. And now it seems she may have been right. Because only the St. Libra killer could have committed the Newcastle crime.
 
Problem is, Angela also claims that the murderer was an alien monster.
 
Now Sid must navigate through a Byzantine minefield of competing interests within the police department and the world’s political and economic elite . . . all the while hunting down a brutal killer poised to strike again. And on St. Libra, Angela, newly released from prison, joins a mission to hunt down the elusive alien, only to learn that the line between hunter and hunted is a thin one.


Review: An enjoyable science fiction mystery story with plenty of twists and turns that slogs a bit at times.

I love Peter Hamilton and think he is a great writer. Some of his books I like more than other books. Great North Road is a book that I enjoyed, but didn't love like The Night's Dawn Trilogy. Frankly, I slogged through parts of this book. Luckily, there were a number of exciting parts to make up for it. I think what really killed my enjoyment of this book was how narrow of a focus it had. It mainly focused on two worlds. I read Peter Hamilton for his great space opera with many worlds, sweeping issues, and multitudes of characters. Everything felt so small in this book. 

Hamilton does do a good job of keeping the solution to the mystery from the reader. You get tantalizing hints and are impatient to find out what really happened. The solution to the mystery wasn't as exciting as I would have hoped it to be. A lot of it focused on Angela, whom I really didn't like. I couldn't get a good grasp on her character and found her very unpleasant through most of the novel. The ending was a bit of a let down as well (although Peter Hamilton is not known for his good endings). Despite its faults, I did enjoy this novel.

Rating:






Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy mysteries or science fiction books. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey. This meme lets you show fellow readers what you have read, what you are reading, and what you will be reading.

Recently Read: 

Currently Reading:


To Read:



Saturday, January 12, 2013

The Rise of The Fire Tamer Blog Tour: Review, Excerpts, and Giveaway



Rise of the Fire Tamer by Kailin Gow
After winning a contest for a popular game called Wordwick Games, five teens Gemma, Sparks, Rio, Kat, and Jack, are invited to stay at Wordwick Games inventor Henry Word's mysterious castle and play the newest level of Workwick Games. Little do they know, the castle is the doorway to a wondrous world call Anachronia where words can be used as weapons, power, and commodity. There is unrest in Anachronia, and if the five teens can follow the rules of Wordwick Games and prove to be the best player, one of them will be crowned Ruler of Anachronia.


Purchase




Book Trailer




EXCERPT 1:
Gem recognized the voice instantly as that of Henry Word. After his online announcements, she was hardly going to forget. He must have come into the hallway through a side door. She turned to greet him with the others, expecting to look up into the already half-familiar face, and had to adjust the direction of her gaze when it turned out that Henry Word was sitting down.

He was sitting down because he was in a wheelchair.

It was quite a high tech wheelchair, obviously custom made and designed around Henry Word, but there was no escaping the fact that it was there. From the waist up, Mr. Word was dressed conservatively, even elegantly, in a suit and silk tie. From the waist down, his legs disappeared beneath a tartan blanket. They didn’t appear again on the other side.
“A small accident from my army days,” Henry word said, and Gem found herself wondering if he’d read her mind in the second it took to decide that the others probably looked just as surprised as she did. Gem realized that, in all the pictures she had seen of Henry Word either online or in magazines, not one had shown more than his head and shoulders.
Henry Word laughed then.
“I can see I’ve caught you all rather by surprise. Still, before I turn into the main topic of conversation, can I take a moment to welcome the five of you?’ his gaze flicked to each of them in turn, and Gem guessed that he was matching names to faces in his mind. “You are all here, of course, because you have turned out to be some of the biggest fans of my little game. Congratulations on that. For the next week, you’ll be staying in what I hope you’ll find to be extremely comfortable surroundings, and you’ll get the benefit of a very special surprise.”
“What surprise?” Rio asked from behind Gem. Henry Word chuckled again.
“Ah, Riordan Roberts, I take it? Well, there is nothing to be suspicious about. In fact, I think that as fans, you will all enjoy this particular surprise. I have simply decided to allow you access to the tenth level of my game while we are here.”
Gem felt her brow furrow.
“But Mr. Word, aren’t there only nine levels?”
“That’s true at the moment,” Henry Word answered. “Anachronia is rather new. You will be among the first to play it. Still, let’s not focus on that too much now, shall we? Chef has excelled himself in the Great Hall, and I’m sure you must all be hungry after your journeys.”

EXCERPT 2:
“It’s very straightforward really. Your goal when playing it will be to win the crown of the kingdom of Anachronia, using all your wits, skills and talents. The people will only give the crown to someone who can do three things: end the threat of the three-headed dragon terrorizing the land, unite the two warring clans that live there, and help the people of Anachronia flourish. Is that clear?”

            Gem nodded. Several of the others did too.

            “It sounds simple,” Sparks said, beside her.

            “Oh, it’s not as easy as it sounds,” Henry Word continued, “which is why there are a few other things you should know. First, beware the Wickedly Woods where the dragon lives. It isn’t the only danger there. Second, remember that you can work together, even if only one of you can rule in the end. Third, and most importantly, remember that words have power in Anachronia, finding the right words, the Ruler Words, along the way will make your time far easier.”

Review: Disclaimer: I received this book from the author.

An enjoyable young adult fantasy novel with a competent main female character.

I enjoyed the clever mix of science fiction and fantasy. The fantasy aspect obviously takes a much bigger role than the science fiction part, the science fiction aspect brings up a number of intriguing questions. If Anachronia is real, how do you get there and how did they figure out how to get there? What are those pods the kids go into? I am definitely intrigued to read the second book. It looks like it will answer a number of the questions I have. The fantasy aspect was your standard fantasy fare, which I like. 

I liked Gem because she was a smart, competent, and caring person. Unfortunately, she seems too good to be true. She doesn't have any flaws that I can see and she always make the right decision so no one else gets hurts. What I really liked about the first Dragon Age video game was how the decisions were not black and white and someone always got affected by that decision. I would have liked to see some flaws in Gem. I liked the rest of the characters well enough although no one stood out too much. 

Rating:





Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy young adult fantasy.

Author Kailin Gow

Kailin Gow is the award-winning, international bestselling author of over 80 distinct books. 

Kailin Gow is also the President of a media company, a media personality, and has been writing full-time since she was first published. Holding a Masters in communications management and leadership positions in Fortune 500 corporations, she puts her leadership abilities, her experience, and desire to help others into her fiction books. As a result, she has written the forthcoming, Finding the Heroine in You book which is also a national tour. She is a mother and spends whatever spare time she has volunteering at the Red Cross, Battered Women's Shelters, and other organizations. 

Currently her Frost Series is in development for a major international MMO Game, and she has over 14,000 and growing Frosters on her facebook fan page. 

Links:

Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 1/31/12

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Tour Schedule

January 7th
Tour Kick Off - I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
A Dream Within A Dream * The Bunny's Review * The Book Diva's Reads * icefairy's Treasure Chest * Chapter By Chapter * Cuzinlogic * Nikki's Book Blog * Promiscuous Diva * Beck Valley Books * Blkosiner's Book Blog * Books, Books the Magical Fruit * Peace from Pieces * The Mod Podge Bookshelf * Julie Reece * Froze8's Blog

January 8th
Book Blast - Multiple Blogs

January 9th
Ever and Ever Sight - Review
Magical Manuscripts - Review

January 10th
Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf - Review
Of Thoughts and Words - Review

January 11th
Parsimonious Posh - Review
Read My Breath Away - Review

January 12th
A Bit of Dash - Review
Sher A Hart: My Written Art - Review

January 13th
The College Crawl - Review

January 14th
Bookworm Lisa - Review
Vonnie's Reading Corner - Review

January 15th
Always YA at Heart - Review
Getting Your Read On - Review

January 16th
StoreyBook Reviews - Review

January 17th
My Book Mark Blog - Review

January 18th
Hardcover Feedback - Review
3Ps in a Pod - Review

January 19th
Scribbler's Sojourn - Review
A.D. Duling's Diddley Doodle Dandy Writings - Review

January 20th
Pieces of Whimsy - Review

January 21st
GeoLibrarian - Review
A Casual Reader's Blog - Review

January 22nd
Mom with a Kindle - Review
Indie Author How-to - Review

January 23rd
Lovey Dovey Books - Review

January 24th
Oh the Books You'll Read - Review
Debbie's Inkspectations - Review

January 25th
Every Free Chance - Review
Fiction Prediction - Review

Friday, January 11, 2013

Two Teenagers Masquerading as Queens

The Tudor Throne by Brandy Purdy

Summary: In the wake of King Henry VIII's death, England's throne is left in a precarious state—as is the peculiar relationship between his two daughters. Mary, the elder, once treasured, had been declared a bastard in favor of her flame-haired half-sister, Elizabeth, born of the doomed Anne Boleyn. Yet the bond between the sisters was palpable from the start. Now reinstated, Mary eventually assumes her place as queen. But as Mary's religious zeal evolves into a reign of terror, young Elizabeth gains the people's favor. Gripped by a tormenting paranoia, Mary is soon convinced that her beloved Elizabeth is in fact her worst enemy. And the virginal Elizabeth, whose true love is her country, must defy her tyrannical sister to make way for a new era. . .
A brilliant portrait of the rule of "Bloody Mary" and her intricate relationship with Elizabeth I, the adored "Virgin Queen," here is a riveting tale of one family's sordid and extraordinary chapter in the pages of history.
Review: A historical fiction novel with two characters that acted as teenage girls, not queens and needless amounts of sex. 
This started off as a decent read, but quickly annoyed me. Switching between Elizabeth's and Mary's viewpoints is an interesting concept and should definitely lead to an interesting read, should being the key word. Purdy did a horrible job with the portrayal of the two queens. They acted like teenagers who could control their emotions or their lust. I could never believe Elizabeth or Mary acting the way they did. Purdy had Mary completed dependent on her husband and Elizabeth as a woman who could not keep it in her pants. 
The sex was another aspect I did not enjoy. I don't mind sex in books. Hell, I read erotica. The sex in this novel was useless and served no purpose. It was gratuitous. Also, Purdy got a number of basic historical facts wrong. The one that stuck out the most to me was that Katherine Parr had only been married once before marrying Henry VIII. She had actually been married twice before. It shows a lack of attention to detail. She also includes a number of myths and rumors in the book. 
Rating:





Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy fiction about queens or don't mind historical fiction that is very loosely based on fact. 

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Enchanted One by Sheila Applegate: Summary and Giveaway

An Excerpt from the Introduction of Enchanted One: The Portal to Love by Sheila Applegate:



"In each situation, in every minute of each day, you have a choice, and the choice is always the same: ‘Do I choose to live from a place of love or a place of fear?’ My answer is, and always has been, love, in every situation. This is how I have learned to create a beautiful world around me. And this is what I want to share with you. By no means am I asking you to live in an illusion or a bubble. You are a practical, rational being. You face life head-on. The lessons in this book are about embracing, not escaping. When you embrace the full spectrum of your emotions, increasing your awareness and moving deep into your shadows, you allow yourself to live in the power of unconditional love. This is how you will create the beautiful world your heart desires. This is the perfect moment for you to open your heart and receive the profound message of love that you have been seeking for so long. You are about to embark on a journey of unconditional love—the journey of the open heart. Whether you are beginning your journey of exploring emotions and living in unconditional love or you have journeyed deep within your soul and are on the verge of fully integrating Divine Love into every aspect of your life, this book will meet you where you are and gently guide you to the next level."
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Praise for Enchanted One
Enchanted One brings us the inspired and inspiring message of divine love embodied. What could be more encouraging news as the world falls apart and we have an opportunity to rebuild it with a vision of sacred love?"Daphne Rose Kingma, author of When You Think You’re Not Enough
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The call to open our hearts to the power of real love can be very confusing but here, in this delightful book, Sheila has created a most inspiring blend of personal, practical wisdom dovetailed with spiritual information from the highest of sources. I am sure that Enchanted One will help anyone looking for support or spiritual guidance as they navigate the complex and often stressful challenges of daily living. "Mano Mannaz: Spiritual Artist and Author Glastonbury England
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"Enchanted One, is a beautiful experience and revelation into seeing and understanding our journey here on earth. In reading I discovered many wonderful messages, in re-reading I found amazing answers. The book its self is a gem all should experience, however Sheila's gifts and insight combined, set the lighting to brilliance." - Diane Shenandoah, Faith Keeper for the Oneida Nation
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"Sheila has been my teacher of the Oneness for many years. It’s due to her teaching that my understanding and knowing of the Divine within myself grows deeper and deeper each year. In her new book , Enchanted One, Sheila sets out to enlighten each reader of the truth of divinity within everyone and everything, and she succeeds extraordinarily well. A must read for all seekers." -Melina Carnicelli, Former Mayor of Auburn New York
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"Through Enchanted One, Sheila Applegate brings forth her most amazing, loving and spiritual healing energy that enables us all to live our true spiritual and God given potential: Enabling us to bring out our greatest desires to live and be creative in life. Sheila gives us the tools to make it happen." - Dr Rob Kiltz, MD, Founder of CNY Healing Arts Center and CNY Fertility Center
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Dear Reader: Please share your thoughts and comments below. To show my appreciation and support I am making this special offer (in addition to the offer below).
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Sheila Applegate    

As a clinical therapist, motivational presenter, author & teacher, Sheila's passion is to provide a forum for people to process emotion & integrate spiritual understanding into their daily lives. Her new book, Enchanted One: The Portal to Love, provides readers with a guide to embracing love in every moment. www.sheilaapplegate.com In celebration of the release of Enchanted One, Sheila is offering this raffle contest for multiple chances to win one of two Amazon Gift Cards.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Guest Post and Excerpt by Steven Manchester

Today I will be featuring a guest post about the writing process by Steven Manchester, author of Twelve Months and Goodnight, Brian along with an excerpt of Goodnight, Brian.

My Writing Process
by Steven Manchester

I suppose I discovered the writing world by accident – or perhaps it discovered me.
I’d just returned home from Operation Desert Storm, and was working as a prison investigator in Massachusetts. Needless to say, there was great negativity in my life at that time. I decided to return to college to finish my degree in Criminal Justice. During one of the classes, the professor talked about police work but nothing else. I finally raised my hand and asked, “The criminal justice system is vast. What about the courts, probation, parole – corrections?” He smiled and told me to see him after class. I thought I’d finally done it! In his office, he explained, “There’s no written material out there on corrections or prisons, except from the slanted perspective of inmates.” He smiled again and dropped the bomb. “If you’re so smart,” he said, “why don’t you write it?”
Nine months later, I dropped the first draft of 6-5; A Different Shade of Blue on his desk. From then on, I was hooked. I was a writer.

I’d written a lot at my job (report writing), but it all started with my college professor’s challenge. Perhaps because of my age and experience, I understood right away that writing is a craft that takes time to evolve; to mature, so I spent the next several years PRACTICING my chosen craft. Under the pen name, Steven Herberts, I wrote in every venue of print I could get my name in: newspaper, magazine, etc. I also penned two collections of poetry, and wrote drafts for two more books. After five solid years of writing, I finally believed that I’d found my voice; MY STYLE – and was ready to contact an agent.

The greatest challenge for me has been time. First and foremost, I am a dad and my children come first. After that, there are other responsibilities that need my attention. Yet, my passion to write has constantly gnawed at my soul. To overcome the obstacle of time, I made writing a priority over watching TV and sometimes even sleeping. Once my family is taken care of and the world closes its eyes, I’m up for a few more hours each day – chasing my dreams on paper.

It has taken thousands of words, hundreds of pages, before I finally identified with a particular genre. I decided that my voice was a more sensitive one: a male perspective to a female audience. My novels, Twelve Months and Goodnight, Brian are evidence of that.

Goodnight, Brian synopsis:
Fate was working against little Brian Mauretti. The food that was meant to nourish him was poisoning him instead, and the doctors said the damage was devastating and absolute. Fate had written off Brian. But fate didn’t count on a woman as determined as Brian’s grandmother, Angela DiMartino – who everyone knew as Mama. Loving her grandson with everything she had, Mama endeavored to battle fate. Fate had no idea what it was in for.

An emotional tale about the strength of family bonds, unconditional love, and the perseverance to do our best with the challenging gifts we receive, Goodnight, Brian is an uplifting tribute to what happens when giving up is not an option.

Early Reviews include:
“Steven Manchester has a gift for expressing through his writing the complicated and transcendent beauty of the human experience with poignant clarity.” – Yolanda King, eldest daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King

“Steven Manchester’s Goodnight, Brian is a poignant, inspiring story about resilience and faith and one family’s enduring love that should be a model for us all.” – James S. Hirsch, bestselling author, Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend

“Steven has once again proven his deep insight into human emotions and relations and his ability to craft a well written and entertaining story that also has the power to inspire courage and hope. Goodnight, Brian is a fine read.” – Bob Price, WPZZ Radio Personality

Now that I have nearly two decades of writing and getting published under my belt, I enjoy trying to help new writers break in. My advice is always the same:
  • Be true to yourself, always.
  • Write constantly.
  • Keep the faith!!!
  • And NEVER, EVER, EVER quit. Most people in this industry would agree that more than talent or skill or even luck, perseverance is the one trait that will always get the job done.
  • Knock on every door you can, and keep knocking. I promise that eventually someone will open and the warmth you feel on your face will more than validate every hour spent alone in the darkness.

Goodnight, Brian
(brief excerpt)

Enough time had passed for the shock of Brian’s condition to wear off. Joan had stumbled beyond the grieving process and had given up negotiating with God. She was now at a place called rage. Mama sat with her daughter at the kitchen table, trying to help her make sense of it all. “Maybe Brian’s a test from God?” Mama suggested.
“Why would God test a little baby who’s never done a thing wrong? Why would He test an innocent child?” Joan snapped back.
Mama shook her head. “I didn’t say God was testing Brian,” she said evenly. There was a thoughtful pause. “Maybe He’s testing everyone around Brian?”
“I don’t want to hear that!” Joan roared. “My son will never be able to enjoy the life of other people who don’t…”
Mama slapped her hand on the Formica table, stopping Joan in mid-sentence and turning her face into that of a seven-year-old girl’s. “Not another negative word, do you hear me?” she yelled back, quickly grabbing her daughter’s hands and holding them tightly. “Positive, Joan—everything must be positive! Negative calls for negative and positive brings forth positive. Brian’s already facing some unfair challenges. We have to be positive, Joan. We just have to be!”
Joan wiped her eyes. “But what if the doctor’s right, Ma?” she muttered in a tortured voice. “What if…”
Without letting Joan’s hands go, Mama took a deep breath and started in on her own tirade. “The doctors don’t know what the hell they’re talking about! I had a grandmother who lived her whole life as a brittle diabetic, but she ate anything she wanted. She died three days before her eighty-fifth birthday. Your grandfather supposedly had cirrhosis of the liver, but lived with his bottle for forty more years until old age took him. They don’t know beans! Besides, we need to have faith in a higher source.” She pulled her crucifix away from her neck and kissed it. “You have to believe, Joan. Before any of the healing can take place, you have to believe that it will.” She nodded and lowered her tone. “Only God knows how…and that’s enough.”
Joan placed her face in her hands and began to cry. She was now completely removed from her rage and safely returned to the stage of grief. “I’m…just…so… scared,” she stuttered, sobbing.
Mama stroked her hair. “Don’t you worry, love. They say that children are raised by a village.” She nodded her gray, curly head. “I think it’s about time we had a village meeting.”

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Rise of the Fire Tamer Book Blast

Rise of the Fire Tamer by Kailin Gow
After winning a contest for a popular game called Wordwick Games, five teens Gemma, Sparks, Rio, Kat, and Jack, are invited to stay at Wordwick Games inventor Henry Word's mysterious castle and play the newest level of Workwick Games. Little do they know, the castle is the doorway to a wondrous world call Anachronia where words can be used as weapons, power, and commodity. There is unrest in Anachronia, and if the five teens can follow the rules of Wordwick Games and prove to be the best player, one of them will be crowned Ruler of Anachronia.


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Author Kailin Gow

Kailin Gow is the award-winning, international bestselling author of over 80 distinct books.

Kailin Gow is also the President of a media company, a media personality, and has been writing full-time since she was first published. Holding a Masters in communications management and leadership positions in Fortune 500 corporations, she puts her leadership abilities, her experience, and desire to help others into her fiction books. As a result, she has written the forthcoming, Finding the Heroine in You book which is also a national tour. She is a mother and spends whatever spare time she has volunteering at the Red Cross, Battered Women's Shelters, and other organizations.

Currently her Frost Series is in development for a major international MMO Game, and she has over 14,000 and growing Frosters on her facebook fan page.

Links:

Blog Tour now through January 25th
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Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 1/27/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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