15 October 2014

This Spells Trouble by Olivia Hardin Cover Reveal!

This Spells Trouble (2)

It took some work, but Lynlee Lincoln has finally found balance between her life as a witch and her relationship with Beck Hale. A human boyfriend with two kids wasn’t something she ever planned, but their new arrangement lets her have her cake and eat it, too. Just when she’s getting comfortable, puzzling visions of impending danger at home begin to haunt her dreams. And if personal issues aren’t troubling enough, Lynlee and the entire organization of Neutralizers go on alert when a phantom creature begins staging magical episodes on live television. If they can’t put a stop to the sensational events, all hell will break loose in the human world. Can Lynlee keep both her new family and the world safe without getting swallowed up in the process?

PREORDER NOW!

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-dj6Nn4TH0]
And be sure you're caught up on all the other stories before this one drops!
Trolling for Trouble- Olivia Hardin (2)

FREE! Magical and undead creatures can get into plenty of sticky situations. Lynlee Lincoln loves her job as a neutralizer, but she needs a break from the supernatural chaos after an ultra-busy Halloween night. Coming home, she's ready to collapse into her bed and forget the day... until she discovers two children scavenging through her refrigerator. One look at the pair and she feels a tug on her heartstrings, then she learns their father is the man she spent years trying to forget. When Beck pleads with her to help save his daughter, Lynlee gets thrust into a heap of trouble.
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Lynlee Lincoln isn’t just a witch, she’s also a Neutralizer. Her job is a juggling act to keep magical and undead clients out of trouble. But getting back together with her old flame throws one more ball into the mix and romance with a guy who has two kids can get complicated. When her old mentor asks her to investigate the goings-on of a dark witch, things turn messy. The witch is stalking supernatural creatures to collect ingredients for a potion that Lynlee can’t seem to figure out. To keep those closest to her from becoming the next victims, she may have to confront the demons within herself.
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| Smashwords

Trouble with Holidays (3)And get the prequel to the series in A Christmas Yet to Come Anthlogy: Falling for a human who doesn’t believe in magic was the last thing Lynlee Lincoln needed. Beck Hale was a young architect and she was a Neutralizer-in-training—they were drawn together, but worlds apart. When Beck’s apartment gets flooded, she invites him to her home for Christmas. Lynlee tries to ignore the pull of the mistletoe, but after all, ‘tis the season. Amazon | iBooks | Barnes 
& Noble | Smashwords 

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About the Author: When Olivia Hardin started having movie-like dreams in her teens, she had no choice but to begin putting them to paper. Before long, the writing bug had bitten her, and she knew she wanted to be a published author. Several rejections plus a little bit of life later, she was temporarily “cured” of the urge to write. That is, until she met a group of talented and fabulous writers who gave her the direction and encouragement she needed to get lost in the words again. Olivia has attended three different universities over the years and toyed with majors in Computer Technology, English, History and Geology. Then one day she heard the term “road scholar,”' and she knew that was what she wanted to be. Now she “studies” anything and everything just for the joy of learning. She's also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and she’s sometimes accused of being artistic. A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband, Danny and their puppy, Bonnie.

Connect with Olivia and Get information about releases, contests, news and more here:

Website | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook

Summer of the Long Knives by LS Bassen Review!


Book Details

  • Paperback: 194 pages
  • Publisher: Signal 8 Press (September 23, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9881219698
  • ISBN-13: 978-9881219695

After an attack by a band of roving Nazi Brownshirts, Lisel Ganz, an artist's model in Berlin, suffers an injury that gives her the ability to catch glimpses of the future. It is already too late for many, but Lisel now can see that an even greater evil lies ahead. Taking refuge in the home of artist Albert Entrater, Lisel meets Konrad, a Catholic priest involved in a plot to assassinate Hitler. Amid great betrayal, loss, and danger, Lisel must act while there is still time. A novel of what literary critic George Steiner has called alternity, Summer of the Long Knives explores the hopes and horrors that emerge from history's darkest moments.

My Thoughts!

Summer of the Long Knives is a speculative story about the assassination of Adolf Hitler, one of the most hated men in history. Summer of the Long Knives is the name of a purge that took place in Nazi Germany from June 30 to July 2, 1934, when the Nazi regime carried out a series of political murders. Just that sentence is enough to give me chills. Lisel Ganz is brutally attacked by Nazi Brownshirts, She befriends Konrad who brings her into his home after the attack, where Lisel soon becomes involved in the plot to assassinate Hitler. Why does she get involved? This is a what if type of story that makes a person wonder, if this had happened, look at all the lives it would have saved in the next decade. Maybe there would have been no WWII. 

I don't usually read speculative fiction but I did enjoy this short little book. The story was richly imagined and the characters very believable. Give this one a try if you are interested in this era of history.

I received a copy of this book for review and was not monetarily compensated for said review.


Devour by Jill Cooper Book Blast!

devour blast 2

Fiction With Bite - pick up something spooky just in time for Halloween! Life in Gloucester Massachusetts will never be the same. Raging storms, fierce winds, shadows shifting in the breeze. Storms are nothing new for the fishing hamlet. But darkness has come to claim the hearts and minds of those that stand in it too long. When that happens, love will be ripped from man leaving only violence, despair, and gnashing teeth. Except for two. Roberta is a single mom, a waitress struggling to get through life after a rocky start tainted by murder and loss. Her heart yearns for Gabriel; a deputy living in the shadow of the chief. He's a battle weary soldier ready to settle down. When the storm comes, when the murders start, it will be up to them to stop it before darkness isn't just an empty void. Before it takes the shape of man and pulls them all into the sea.

On SALE on Amazon Kindle for a limited time - $1.99!


Buy on Amazon Kindle | Amz Paperback | B&N Paperback

 

jillcooper

About the Author:

I could write this in the third person. I could tell you what I like, where I was born, and what my favorite things are. But instead, I'll say I don't want to write like everyone else. I don't want to craft stories you've read a thousand times before. I want my novels to be a cinematic experience, blending themes, genres, and situations unlike any you've ever read. I want to break the rules. I want you to break out in a cold sweat as you read my books out of fear, love, and excitement. I want my books to be an experience. When you finish, I want you to feel something. Good or bad. If you do, then I'll have succeeded. If not, I'll keep trying. She can be contacted at http://www.jillacooper.com. Please like her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to keep up to date on new releases and appearances.

Jill is giving away a copy of Devour, and awesome tote bag and some Halloween candy!! 

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14 October 2014

Ruth's Journey by Donald McCaig Spotlight!

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This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the release of the film Gone with the Wind, based on Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The film received ten Academy Awards, including a Best Supporting Actress award to Hattie McDaniel for her portrayal of Mammy, thus making McDaniel the first African-American to win an Oscar. And yet, on the night of the ceremony, McDaniel and her escort were required to sit at a segregated table for two, apart from the rest of the Gone With the Wind cast and the film industry.
Today, Atria Books is proud to publish Ruth’s Journey by Donald McCaig, the authorized prequel to Margaret Mitchell’s beloved novel, and this time Mammy is front and center. Ruth is the name McCaig chose to give the character of Mammy, and it’s a very fitting one. Though now we only use its opposite (ruthless) in English, the word ruth means having sympathy for the troubles of others, taking care of those in need. What better name to represent the character of Mammy? This remarkable novel follows Ruth from her days as a slave girl to the outbreak of the Civil War, ending just as Gone With the Wind begins.
Writer Geraldine Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel March, which reimagined the story of Louise May Alcott’s Little Women, another beloved novel set around the American Civil War. Ms. Brooks says: “Exquisitely imagined, deeply researched, Donald McCaig’s Ruth’s Journey brings to the foreground the most enigmatic and fascinating figure in Gone with the Wind. This is a brave work of literary empathy by a writer at the height of his powers, who demonstrates a magisterial understanding of the period, its clashing cultures and its heartbreaking crises.”
If you love Gone With the Wind and want more of the story, or are looking for an epic, satisfying read set against a fascinating period of American history, Ruth’s Journey is a book to treasure.
Order your copy here:
Amazon
BAM
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IndieBound
iBooks
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______________________________________________
DONALD MCCAIG
Donald McCaig is the award-winning author of Canaan as well as Jacob’s Ladder, designated “the best Civil War novel ever written” by the Virginia Quarterly. It won the Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Library of Virginia Award for Fiction. He was chosen by the Margaret Mitchell estate to write Rhett Butler’s People, an authorized sequel to Gone with the Wind. He lives on a sheep farm in the mountains near Williamsville, Virginia, where he writes fiction, essays, and poetry, and trains and trials sheep dogs.
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Ruth’s Journey by Donald McCaig is on sale now

Night of a Thousand Stars by Deanna Raybourn Spotlight!



Publication Date: October 1, 2014
Harlequin MIRA
Formats: eBook, Paperback

Genre: Historical Fiction

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New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn returns with a Jazz Age tale of grand adventure…
On the verge of a stilted life as an aristocrat’s wife, Poppy Hammond does the only sensible thing—she flees the chapel in her wedding gown. Assisted by the handsome curate who calls himself Sebastian Cantrip, she spirits away to her estranged father’s quiet country village, pursued by the family she left in uproar. But when the dust of her broken engagement settles and Sebastian disappears under mysterious circumstances, Poppy discovers there is more to her hero than it seems.
With only her feisty lady’s maid for company, Poppy secures employment and travels incognita—east across the seas, chasing a hunch and the whisper of clues. Danger abounds beneath the canopies of the silken city, and Poppy finds herself in the perilous sights of those who will stop at nothing to recover a fabled ancient treasure. Torn between allegiance to her kindly employer and a dashing, shadowy figure, Poppy will risk it all as she attempts to unravel a much larger plan—one that stretches to the very heart of the British government,

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About the Author

A sixth-generation native Texan, Deanna Raybourn grew up in San Antonio, where she met her college sweetheart. She married him on her graduation day and went on to teach high school English and history. During summer vacation at the age of twenty-three, she wrote her first novel. After three years as a teacher, Deanna left education to have a baby and pursue writing full-time.
Deanna Raybourn is the author of the bestselling and award-winning Lady Julia series, as well as, The Dead Travel Fast, A Spear of Summer Grass, and City of Jasmine.
For more information please visit Deanna Raybourn’s website and blog. You can also find her on FacebookTwitter, and Goodreads.

Night of a Thousand Stars Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 29
Review & Giveaway at Bookish
Tuesday, September 30
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Wednesday, October 1
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Spotlight at Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Thursday, October 2
Review at Ramblings From This Chick
Friday, October 3
Review at Book Babe
Monday, October 6
Review at Unabridged Chick
Spotlight & Giveaway at Reading Lark
Tuesday, October 7
Review at Candace’s Book Blog
Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick
Wednesday, October 8
Review at Good Books and Good Wine
Thursday, October 9
Excerpt at A Book Geek
Guest Post & Giveaway at Good Books and Good Wine
Friday, October 10
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective
Monday, October 13
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Tuesday, October 14
Review at Reading the Past
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews
Wednesday, October 15
Review at The Lit Bitch
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Thursday, October 16
Review at A Bookish Affair
Friday, October 17
Interview & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Monday, October 20
Review at The Life & Times of a Book Addict
Excerpt at Historical Fiction Connection
Tuesday, October 21
Review & Giveaway at Bookshelf Fantasies
Spotlight & Giveaway at Susan Heim on Writing
Wednesday, October 22
Review, Excerpt & Giveaway at Just One More Chapter
Thursday, October 23
Review at Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Friday, October 24
Review at Curling Up By the Fire
Monday, October 27
Review & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Tuesday, October 28
Review at To Read or Not to Read
Wednesday, October 29
Review & Giveaway at Bibliophilia, Please
Thursday, October 30
Review & Giveaway at Historical Tapestry

Hashtags: #NightofaThousandStarsBlogTour #HistFic
Twitter Tags: @hfvbt @DeannaRaybourn



Misdirection by Austin Williams Blog Tour!



Publication Date: June 22, 2014
Diversion Books
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction
Series: The Rusty Diamond Trilogy (Book One)

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A street magician needs more than sleight-of-hand to survive getting embroiled in a murder case in this blistering novel of suspense, perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and George Pelecanos.
After years of chasing fame and hedonistic excess in the bright lights of Las Vegas, Rusty “The Raven” Diamond has returned home to Ocean City to piece his life back together. When he finds himself an innocent suspect in his landlord’s brutal murder, Rusty abandons all hope of maintaining a tranquil existence. Acting on impulse, he digs into the investigation just enough to anger both the police and a local drug cartel.
As the unsolved case grows more complex, claiming new victims and inciting widespread panic, Rusty feels galvanized by the adrenaline he’s been missing for too long. But his newfound excitement threatens to become an addiction, leading him headfirst into an underworld he’s been desperately trying to escape.
Austin Williams creates an unforgettable protagonist in Rusty, a flawed but relatable master of illusion in very real danger. As the suspense builds to an explosively orchestrated climax, Williams paints a riveting portrait of both a city—and a man—on the edge.


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About the Author

The new thriller by Austin Williams, Misdirection, is now available from Diversion Books. It is the first novel of The Rusty Diamond Trilogy. Williams is the author of the acclaimed suspense novels Crimson Orgy and The Platinum Loop. He is the co-author (with Erik Quisling) of Straight Whisky: A Living History of Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll on the Sunset Strip. He lives in Los Angeles.
Follow Austin Williams on Twitter and Goodreads.

Misdirection Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 22
Review at The Bookworm
Tuesday, September 23
Review at Sitting in the Stacks
Wednesday, September 24
Spotlight at Tales of a Book Addict
Thursday, September 25
Review at Reading Room Book Reviews
Monday, September 29
Spotlight & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Tuesday, September 30
Review at The Librarian Fatale
Wednesday, October 1
Review at Any Good Book
Review & Giveaway at The Crime Scene
Tuesday, October 2
Review at The Discerning Reader
Friday, October 3
Interview at Any Good Book
Monday, October 6
Review at Me and My Books
Review & Interview at Back Porchervations
Tuesday, October 7
Spotlight at Layered Pages
Wednesday, October 8
Spotlight at Flashlight Commentary
Thursday, October 9
Review at Boom Baby Reviews
Review & Interview at A Cup Of Tea & A Big Book
Monday, October 13
Review & Giveaway at Book Reviews & More by Kathy
Tuesday, October 14
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews
Wednesday, October 15
Review at Book Nerd
Friday, October 17
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Review at Beth’s Book Reviews

Hashtags: #MisdirectionBlogTour #Mystery #CrimeFiction
Twitter Tags: @bkjunkiepromos 

13 October 2014

The Paradise Tree by Elena Maria Vidal Review!




Publication Date: September 19, 2014
CreateSpace
Paperback; 252p

Genre: Historical Fiction
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The year is 1887 in Leeds County, Ontario. The O’Connor clan is gathering to mourn the loss of its patriarch Daniel O’Connor, an Irish immigrant. The story of Daniel and his wife Brigit is one of great hardships, including illness, ill-starred romances, war and political upheavals, as well as undying love and persevering faith. As Daniel is laid to rest, his grandson Fergus receives a piercing insight into what his own calling in life will be.

Praise for The Paradise Tree

“With this marvelous immigrant saga, Elena Maria Vidal reminds us why our forebears left the Old World for the New: for Faith, family, and freedom! Through three generations of an Irish clan in Canada, she invites us into their home for struggle and triumph, celebrations of joy and sorrow, music, feasting, and dancing. The Paradise Tree makes ‘the past and present mingle and become one’ for the reader’s great delight.” –Stephanie A. Mann, author of Supremacy and Survival: How Catholics Endured the English Reformation
“Elena Maria Vidal’s latest book, The Paradise Tree, is the fictionalized true story of the author’s devoutly Catholic ancestors who immigrated to Canada from Ireland. It is filled with rich detailed history recounting the hardships and joys of the 19th century O’Connor Family. Beautifully written with great attention to historical, geographical and religious accuracy, this fascinating and moving family saga is a treasure that I highly recommend!” ~Ellen Gable Hrkach, award-winning author of In Name Only and four other novels.


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About the Author

Elena Maria Vidal grew up in the countryside outside of Frederick, Maryland, “fair as the garden of the Lord” as the poet Whittier said of it. As a child she read so many books that her mother had to put restrictions on her hours of reading. During her teenage years, she spent a great deal of her free time writing stories and short novels.
Elena graduated in 1984 from Hood College in Frederick with a BA in Psychology, and in 1985 from the State University of New York at Albany with an MA in Modern European History. In 1986, she joined the Secular Order of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Elena taught at the Frederick Visitation Academy and worked as a private tutor as well as teaching children’s etiquette classes. During a trip to Austria in 1995 she visited the tomb of Empress Maria Theresa in the Capuchin crypt in Vienna. Afterwords she decided to finish a novel about Marie-Antoinette she had started writing ten years before but had put aside. In 1997 her first historical novel TRIANON was published by St. Michaels Press. In 2000, the sequel MADAME ROYALE was published, as well as the second edition of TRIANON, by The Neumann Press. Both books quickly found an international following which continues to this day. In 2010, the third edition of TRIANON and the second edition of MADAME ROYALE were released.
In November 2009, THE NIGHT’S DARK SHADE: A NOVEL OF THE CATHARS was published by Mayapple Books. The new historical novel deals with the controversial Albigensian Crusade in thirteenth century France. Elena has been a contributor to Canticle Magazine, Touchstone Magazine, The National Observer, and The American Conservative. In April 2009 she was a speaker at the Eucharistic Convention in Auckland, New Zealand. In August 2010 Elena spoke at The Catholc Writers Conference in Valley Forge, PA. She is a member of the Catholic Writers Guild and the Eastern Shore Writers Association. She currently lives in Maryland with her family.
For more information please visit Elena’s website and blog.  You can also connect with her on FacebookTwitter, and Goodreads.

Other Titles by Elena Maria Vidal

Trianon: A Novel of Royal France
Madame Royale: A Novel
The Night’s Dark Shade: A Novel of the Cathars

My Thoughts

The Paradise Tree by Elena Maria Vidal is a story inspired by the author's great-great-great grandfather Daniel O'Connor. He is a young man who immigrated from Ireland in 1821. A very sad time I think for those left behind, even though I am sure most of the families wished the people good luck with the hopes that the person who immigrated sends for them. Doesn't always happen that way though. Daniel does not know if he will ever see his siblings and mother again. Daniel immigrated to Ontario, Canada and worked hard and saved what he earned so he could purchase land to start a homestead. After a few years, when he felt that he is established enough to marry, he meets a 16 year old Irish girl, Brigit Trainor. Of Catholic faith, there is no escaping the persecution of Catholics by Protestants, Daniel sticks to what he believes in and raises his family of 11 children to also stay true to their faith. The enforcement of the Penal Code to the Irish, in Ireland and in Canada was a terrible thing but the Irish persevered and learned to love and respect the land they had and lived their lives as such according to their faith.


This is a story full of love, laughter and sadness. This is a  telling of a great Irish stories of a virtuous man who became the patriarch of the O'Connors. I love to read any stories of Irish immigrants, I often wish I knew more about mine, and this story was no exception. This is not only the story of the O'Connor family but of every person, man, woman or child that immigrated in these tough times.

Did you know that 
  • Under the Penal Laws the Irish Catholic was forbidden the exercise of their religion.  It.....
  •   was forbidden to receive education.
  •   was forbidden to enter a profession.
  •   was forbidden to hold public office.
  •   was forbidden to engage in trade or commerce.
  •   was forbidden to live in a corporate town or within five miles thereof.
  •   was forbidden to own a horse of greater value than five pounds.
  •   was forbidden to own land.
  •   was forbidden to lease land.
  •   was forbidden to accept a mortgage on land in security for a loan.
  •   was forbidden to vote.
  •   was forbidden to keep any arms for his protection.
  •   was forbidden to hold a life annuity.
  •   was forbidden to buy land from a Protestant.
  •   was forbidden to receive a gift of land from a Protestant.
  •   was forbidden to inherit land from a Protestant.
  •   was forbidden to inherit anything from a Protestant.
  •   was forbidden to rent any land that was worth more than 30 shillings a year.
  •   was forbidden to reap from his land any profit exceeding a third of the rent.
  •   could not be guardian to a child.
  •   could not, when dying, leave his infant children under Catholic guardianship.
  •   could not attend Catholic worship.
  •   was compelled by law to attend Protestant worship.
  •   could not himself educate his child.
  •   could not send his child to a Catholic teacher.
  •   could not employ a Catholic teacher to come to his child.
  •   could not send his child abroad to receive education. ..source.. Irish Memorial Stones
Wow, what a terrible way to have to live because of your faith. I think that Elena Maria Vidal in doing the amount of research that she did into her families background, and end up telling the story with the grace and respect that she did is truly the mark of a great storyteller. Give this awesome book a read!

I received the book for review and was not monetarily compensated for this review.
 

The Paradise Tree Blog Tour Schedule

Saturday, October 4
Review at Peeking Between the Pages
Sunday, October 5
Guest Post at Susan Heim on Writing
Monday, October 6
Review at Savvy Verse & Wit
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, October 7
Review at Just One More Chapter
Wednesday, October 8
Review at West Metro Mommy
Thursday, October 9
Review & Interview at Back Porchervations
Friday, October 10
Review at Beth’s Book Reviews
Spotlight at Let Them Read Books
Saturday, October 11
Interview at Supremacy & Survival
Sunday, October 12
Spotlight at Queen of All She Reads
Monday, October 13
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews
Tuesday, October 14
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Wednesday, October 15
Review at A Book Geek
Interview at Caroline Wilson Writes
Thursday, October 16
Review at Book Nerd
Spotlight at She is Too Fond of Books
Friday, October 17
Review at Dianne Ascroft Blog
Saturday, October 18
Spotlight at Passages to the Past
Monday, October 20
Review at Book Drunkard


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