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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Did Not Finish June Edition


The Forgotten Room:  Ordinarily Lincoln Child is one of my favorite writers, I
read everything he writes pretty much.  However, this book just wasn't holding my interest.  Every time I started reading it, I'd lose track of the story and get confused as to what was going on.  I'll try whatever book he comes out with next.

All the Birds Singing:  Kari told me she didn't like this book so maybe that tainted me...Kari it's your fault!  I listened to the audiobook for this one and the reader's voice kind of annoyed me right off the bat.  Dead sheep, sexual bribery, it just wasn't my way to start off a book.



Uninvited: The whole concept of this was initially intriguing, but then I just got annoyed.  Davy is a sweet girl, smart and a musical prodigy.  Suddenly, because she supposedly has a gene that predisposes her to kill, she loses everything and is shunned.  I could get on board with that until it is mentioned that people are attacking and beating up people with this gene.  Really?  Also her brother is kill gene free but is a bad seed, yet he gets a pass.  I found myself not interested in the nature versus nurture debate, so I gave up.

Pariah:  I was ready to be creeped out by the take off on Jack the Ripper. But instead, I was bored and not sure what really was going on. Sadly, not even Simon Vance, one of my favorite narrators, could make the book interesting to me.

Maybe Someday:  This book had two things I detest in it that made me DNF: A love triangle and infidelity.  I don't care how much the main characters are supposed to be likable, you can't get emotionally involved with another person until you leave the one you are with. Cheating is cheating. I knew I was going to get pissed off reading this, so I gave up.

The Witch of Painted Sorrows:  I was disappointed with this one.  It's too bad because I like this author. I thought the book was dull and into the third disc, I still didn't know what was really going on. The characters were uninteresting and I just didn't care enough to make it to the end. Plus I kept getting weirded out every time the 60something grandmother was mentioned as still working as a courtesan.  Blech.

Monday, June 29, 2015

5th BLOGAVERSARY GIVEAWAY!!!


We can not believe we have been doing this for 5 years!!  That is so crazy to even think about.  I can't even imagine the hundreds of books we've read in that time.  I did some quick math and it's probably in the neighborhood of 2,000 books between the two of us!  We appreciate all the authors and publishers that get all the books out there for us to read and write about.

Of course, we love our readers!  In order to show our thanks we're going to have a giveaway of a surprise box of books for 2 Winners.  To win this awesome box of book just fill out the rafflecopter below.  (winners must have a United States address)

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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Spotlight Tour: Excerpt and Giveaway Not So New in Town by Michele Summer

Title: Not So New In Town
Author: Michele Summers
Series: Harmony Homecomings
Pubdate: July 7th, 2015
ISBN: 9781402293580

You can’t go back, and you can’t stand still…
Lucy Doolan is a marketing genius. She can sell rain to a frog and snow to a polar bear. Newly single and unemployed, she’s lured back to her hometown of Harmony, North Carolina to help out her pregnant evil stepsister…only to find former crush heartthrob Brogan Reese has returned too, to open a new business in town. To add insult to injury, he’s still hot.

If the thunder don’t get you, then the lightning will…
Brogan never noticed Lucy much when they were young, but seventeen people have recommended her to help him. She’s got his attention now. With her sweet personality, brilliant imagination, and penchant for doing the completely unpredictable, Brogan is finding a whole lot of excuses to spend his days—and nights—with Lucy.

***

Today we are pleased to sit down with Lucy Doolan and Brogan Reese, the hero and heroine in Michele Summer’s latest, Not So New In Town (July 2015). Lucy and Brogan are going to answer a question about their relationship and tell us a bit more about themselves!

If you had $100 you could spend on anything you wanted, what would you buy?

Lucy: A mani and pedi at a European spa where they serve wine and play soft music. Heaven.

Brogan: A romantic dinner with only Lucy, away from work, away from home and away from the baby.


An Excerpt

“Let’s dance”—Brogan shoved his chair back, grabbing Lucy’s hand—“and give these two some alone time.”
“I don’t want to dance.”
“Sure you do. They’re playing Trace Adkins.”
Wanda helped by pushing Lucy’s chair from the table with her foot. Brogan tugged Lucy around more dining tables to the middle of the sawdust-covered dance floor, where couples swayed to the band’s rendition of “Every Light in the House.” Slipping his right hand around the small of her back, he pressed her plush curves into his chest. Her smooth hair tickled his chin, and the smell of citrus filled his head. Lucy stood stiff as a telephone pole as he tried maneuvering to the slow beat of the music.
“You gonna dance like a robot all night, or just with me?” He cocked his head and peered into her face, where doubt disappeared and desire took over as her gaze softened. Brogan liked that look as he slightly bent his knees, pulling her closer. “I won’t bite unless you want me to,” he whispered next to her ear.
“Good to know.” She heaved a shaky sigh. “Well, I guess you’re better than Clancy Perry over there looking like he wants to cut in.” Looping her left arm around his neck, she rocked her hips to the beat. Brogan swallowed a groan. Right now nothing else mattered. All he cared about was luscious Lucy filling his arms.
“Let’s look like we mean it so Clancy or his brother, Clinton, won’t get any ideas.” He bent as if to kiss her.
“You don’t mind if I start singing, do you?” she said, smiling as she moved away from his lips.
Brogan’s head jerked back. “Oh, hell no. My ears haven’t recovered from this morning.”
“I know all the words.” Tossing him a saucy look, she started to hum…loudly.
“Shut up and dance.” Brogan tucked her back under his chin and shook with laughter.

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Buy Links:

About the author: 

Michele Summers writes about small-town life with a Southern flair and has her own interior design business in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Miami, Florida. Both professions feed her creative appetite and provide a daily dose of humor.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Book Spotlight: That Chesapeake Summer by Mariah Stewart

We are excited to promote the 9th book in the Chesapeake Diaries series!  Make sure to come back on July 12 for my thoughts on the book!!

Author: Mariah Stewart
Publisher: Pocket Books
Date of publication: June 2015

Jamie Valentine is the wildly successful author of self-help books that advocate transparency in every relationship.  But when her widowed mother passes away unexpectedly, Jamie discovers her own life has been based on a lie.  Angry and deeply betrayed, she sets out to find the truth—which may be in a small town on the Chesapeake Bay.  Cutting her most recent book tour short, Jamie books a room at the Inn at Sinclair’s Point, just outside St. Dennis.


The death of Daniel Sinclair’s father forced him to take over the family inn, and his wife’s death left him a single parent of two children, so there’s little room for anything else in his life.  His lovely new guest is intriguing, though, and he’s curious about the secret she’s clearly hiding.  But in the end, Jamie and Dan could discover the greatest truth of all: that the search for one thing just might lead to the find of a lifetime—if you keep your heart open.


“[THAT CHESAPEAKE SUMMER] deftly uses the tools of the genre to explore issues of identity, truth, and small town kinship… Stewart offers a strong statement on the power of love and trust, a fitting theme for this big-hearted small town romance.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A touching story of self-discovery and homecoming that is sure to warm readers’ hearts…fans are sure to feel right at home in Stewart’s idyllic seaside setting and follow this emotional journey with avid interest.”
RT Reviews

New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart returns to her Chesapeake Diaries series and to St. Dennis on the idyllic Eastern Shore of Maryland in the “big-hearted small town romance” (Publishers Weekly) THAT CHESAPEAKE SUMMER.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

MARIAH STEWART is the award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of numerous novels and several novellas and short stories.  A native of Hightstown, New Jersey, she lives with her husband and two rambunctious rescue dogs amid the rolling hills of Chester County, Pennsylvania, where she savors country life and tends her gardens.  

Visit her website at www.mariahstewart.com, and like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorMariahStewart.

Blog Tour:
6/22:                 Harlequin Junkies
6/23:                 USA Today’s Happy Ever After
6/24:                 Reviews from the Heart
6/25:                 Booked on a Feeling
6/26:                 From L.A. to LA
6/27:                 From the TBR Pile
6/28:                 Abigail Books Addiction
6/29:                 Romancing the Book
6/30:                 Bibliotica
7/1:                   Four Chicks Flipping Pages
7/2:                   The Lovely Books
7/3:                   Sara’s Organized Chaos
7/6:                   Reviews by Crystal
7/8:                   Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
7/9:                   Bookfan
►7/10:            Emily-Jane's Book Corner
7/13:                 Literary Gossip
7/19:                 Ramblings from this Chick
7/26:                 Svetlana’s Reads

Upcoming:
If Only In My Dreams
November 30, 2015
Pocket Star EBook Holiday Novella (.99)

The Chesapeake Diaries #10
July 2016
Pocket Books
$7.99

Friday, June 26, 2015

Blog Tour: Disintegration by Richard Thomas

Author: Richard Thomas
Publisher: Alibi
Date of publication: June 2015


Once a suburban husband and father, now the man has lost all sense of time. He retains only a few keepsakes of his former life: a handmade dining room table, an armoire and dresser from the bedroom, and a tape of the last message his wife ever left on their answering machine. These are memories of a man who no longer exists. Booze and an affair with a beautiful woman provide little relief, with the only meaning left in his life comes from his assignments. An envelope slipped under the door of his apartment with the name and address of an unpunished evildoer. The unspoken directive to kill. And every time he does, he marks the occasion with a memento: a tattoo. He has a lot of tattoos.



But into this unchanging existence seep unsettling questions. How much of what he feels and sees can he trust? How much is a lie designed to control him? He will risk his own life—and the lives of everyone around him—to find out.

Disintegration is a good word for this book.  The story quickly breaks down into a very confusing mess.  I thought the synopsis looked intriguing so I went for it.  I'm not so sure I can say I am glad that I did.  The narrator of the book is unnamed.  He lost his family at some point and is now a drunk hit-man hired by some unknown guy.  His sense of time is gone and he can only mark it by his kill tattoos.

I'm not totally sure what the purpose of this story was.  I had a hard time following it.  While I do like my stories abstract at times, I don't like to constantly be in a state of confusion.  The book just made for an uncomfortable read because I never really knew what was going on half the time.  The story basically is told to us through his alcohol clouded mind so there is really no sense of time or reality.  The ending is also depressing and made me wonder at all of the 5 star reviews.

This definitely wasn't a book for me.  Maybe you'll have better luck with it.


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About Richard Thomas

Richard Thomas is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in more than a hundred publications. Nominated for five Pushcart Prizes, he is the author of the novel Transubstantiate and two short-story collections, Herniated Roots and Staring into the Abyss. Thomas lives with his family in the Chicago area.

Purchase Links

Richard Thomas’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS

Tuesday, May 26th: SJ2B House of Books
Wednesday, May 27th: Crime Fiction Lover
Thursday, May 28th: It’s a Mad Mad World
Friday, May 29th: Mallory Heart Reviews
Wednesday, June 3rd: Bell, Book & Candle
Thursday, June 4th: The Qwillery
Monday, June 8th: Priscilla and her Books
Thursday, June 11th: FictionZeal
Monday, June 15th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Wednesday, June 17th: My Bookish Ways
Wednesday, June 24th: A Reader’s Oasis
Friday, June 26th: From the TBR Pile
Monday, August 3rd: The Scary Reviews

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Blog Tour: Review and Excerpt of Beneath These Chains by Meghan March



Author: Meghan March
Publisher: Self
Date of publication: June 2015

I was raised on the streets, so I know things are rarely as simple as they appear—especially this rich girl showing up at my pawnshop demanding a job.

She’s the most tempting thing I’ve ever seen, and I’ll be damned if I can make her leave.
Shit just got complicated … but when it comes to her—I want complicated.

We’re both fighting our own demons, and our only chance at a future is to let go of the past.

But will we be strong enough to break free from beneath these chains?

My thoughts:

This is the first  book I have read by this author.  I didn't know going in that it is part of a series, so I thought it stood well on its own as a stand alone .  After devouring this  book, I am on the hunt for the first two books, Beneath This Mask and Beneath This Ink because I love bad boy stories.  Who doesn't?  In Beneath These Chains, Lord owns a pawn shop and knows he is in trouble when Elle walks in demanding to be hired.  He can't resist her and tried to do what he can to make her his.

I loved these two together.  I swear, Lord just took up a spot on my book boyfriend list.  He's an alpha male at its finest, but he was also very good to Elle in helping her feel in control when she needed to be.  I loved these two together and their bed room scenes just sizzled off the page!  One of the best parts is the story of how Lord got his name.  I couldn't stop giggling at that one!

There is a little mystery in the book.  Someone is killing off people who have wronged these two in some way.  I didn't see the resolution coming, which was a bonus, But, I was a bit sad at the solution.  Read it and you'll understand.  Below is a teaser of the book.  Make sure to give this one a try!  

  

Excerpt:
Chapter 1
Lord
I fucking hated people who stole from me. Which was ironic, considering the only thing that had kept me from starving as a kid had been picking pockets and snatching purses. I dropped my elbows to the desk and rubbed a hand over my buzzed head.
“Goddamn, karma’s a bitch.”
“She the bitch you fucked last night, bro?” The leather of my office couch creaked as Mathieu sank his tall, lanky frame into it.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to call women ‘bitches,’ boy?”
My words were met with a long sigh from Mathieu. Ever since he’d walked into Chains and tried to grab a guitar and run back out the door—only to be tackled to the ground by yours truly—he’d been a fixture in my life. To be fair, his choices had been to work off the price of what he’d attempted to steal, or go directly to the nearest cop shop. The entire situation had been such a blast from the past, I’d caught myself smiling when I should’ve been glaring and scaring the piss out of the kid. But apparently I’d done an okay job of it because he’d decided starting a rap sheet at seventeen wasn’t a good plan. Thank fuck. Almost two years later, the kid was my right hand.
And now that Chains was mine, someone was stealing from me—but not just someone. An employee. Someone I should’ve been able to trust. The cameras I had installed on her day off had already paid for themselves.
I rolled my head from side to side, cracking my neck. I hated firing people. It never got easier. And this time? This time it was going to be even worse … because there would be tears. And quite possibly claws.
Pushing up from the chair, I strode to the door without looking at Mathieu. Over my shoulder, I tossed, “You might want to stay here; Brianna’s ass is about to get canned.”
“For real?” His words followed me out, but I didn’t bother to reply.
Every time I stepped foot onto the shop floor, a feeling of pride surged through me—pride that I’d helped build this business into one that was not only honest, but profitable. At least, it was profitable when one of my employees wasn’t skimming off the till and messing with my bank deposits.
Finger twirling in her long, dark extensions and gum snapping between her teeth, Brianna flipped the pages of a magazine with a giant black Sharpie in one hand, circling shit. Probably shit she wanted to buy with the money she’d been stealing from me. The store was empty, which made what I was about to do a little easier.
“Bree, need a few minutes.”
Her head popped up, lips pursing as she took me in. “You can have all the time you need, boss.” Her gaudy fake eyelashes batted at me in what I assumed was supposed to be a sexy move. I stowed the urge to tell her to save it for someone whose dick got hard at the sight of her … but since I was about to fire her, why add insult to injury? The woman had been unsuccessfully trying to add her notch to my bedpost since I’d hired her. Bringing her on had been a mistake, and I’d known it from the minute she’d walked in the door, but a friend had called in a favor.
“Boss? You had something to say?” she prompted.
I watched her, not speaking.
She stopped the hair twirling and capped the Sharpie, resituating herself on the stool and folding her hands in her lap.
“Lord?”
“You’re done.”
Bree’s dark eyes flew wide. “Done? You mean done for the day?”
“Done. For good. Get your shit and get out.” 
Bree lost the innocent pose as she crossed her arms and stared me down. “Not until you tell me why.”
In two long strides, I closed the distance between the register and me and pressed my hands to the counter.
“I gave you a job. Gave you a paycheck you didn’t have to suck a dick to get. But that wasn’t enough for you. You had to have more, and instead of coming to me and asking for a raise, you decided to make it happen yourself.”
The color faded from her face, leaving her mocha-colored skin sallow. “Wh-what?”
“Get your shit.”
“I swear, I didn’t—”
“Don’t fucking lie to me. I can show you the tape if you want to see what I saw.”
Her lower lip started to wobble. It wasn’t going to work. I’d given her the benefit of the doubt, hoped I was wrong or it was just a one-time thing. But she’d gotten too bold.
“But I need this—”
 I cut her off. She wasn’t even going to deny it. Not that she could. We both knew she’d done it, and I wasn’t in the mood to listen to her beg or justify her actions. Even though she didn’t know it, I’d already given her a second chance. And all that had done was cost me even more than I could afford to lose. “I needed someone to work the shop—someone who wasn’t going to fuck me over and steal from me. You weren’t capable of that, so you’re out. Now get your shit.”
“But—”
“Save your breath, Bree. I ain’t listening unless you’re here to tell me you’ve got all the money you’ve taken, and you’re putting it right back where it belongs.”
Her face twisted into an angry glare even as the tears started falling. “You … you don’t understand.”
“No, I really don’t understand.” I crossed my arms and waited her out. When she realized the water works weren’t changing my decision, she spun off the stool, grabbed her giant purple purse from behind the counter, and stalked toward the door.
“You get all self-righteous with me about a little cash while you basically steal from people? Giving ‘em twenty dollars for their shit? Like you’re one to judge.”
A little cash? She’d skimmed enough to buy a nice used car, and I’d been too trusting to even realize it until the numbers hadn’t added up in a big way.
She slowed near the guitars at the front of the store and malicious glee lit her eyes.
She wouldn’t.
Oh, but she did.
Bree grabbed a guitar and swung it toward the rack as the chimes above the front door jangled. Wood crashed against wood, and two female screeches erupted.
Shit … if she injured a customer…
I charged Bree and ripped the guitar from her hands before she could swing again. A swirl of red hair caught my attention as the other woman dodged out of the strike zone.
Bree struggled against my hold, and I wondered if I was going to end up with a face full of the acrylic claws tearing at my arms. “Let go of me, you asshole!”
 “Whoa, boss. Getting the door for ya.” Mathieu bolted across the shop and yanked the door open again. I hustled Bree out and set her free on the sidewalk.
She spun to face Mathieu and me. “You’re gonna regret this,” she hissed. “I swear, you will.”
A soft laugh came from the open door. “From what I’ve seen, I highly doubt it.”
Bree opened her mouth to spew something else, but I shut her down. “Get gone. I don’t ever wanna see you near my shop again.”
Bree’s flinty eyes narrowed as she shouldered her purse. “Fuck you, Lord. You think you’re better than me? Not a chance. You’re just thievin’ street scum. Fuck you.”
“And now she’s getting repetitious,” the husky female voice commented from behind me.
Lip curling in disgust, Bree turned and marched toward the corner, never looking back.
“Her exit could totally use some work, but all-in-all, that was one hell of a welcome.”
I turned to survey the woman standing in the doorway of Chains. Even without a photographic memory, I didn’t think I’d ever forget this particular pose: one arm braced on the doorframe and the other propped on her hip, a green dress hugging curves that had my entire body sitting up and taking notice. Matched with her long, curling red hair, she was a goddamn knockout. What the hell is she doing here?
“You lost, sweet thing?”
She stepped onto the sidewalk and tore the HELP WANTED sign off the bottom corner of the front window. Holding it between two fingers, she smiled. “Nope. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. I’m your newest employee.”

About Meghan March:

Meghan March is the author of contemporary and erotic romance novels.
Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.



Order Now at:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beneath-these-chains-meghan-march/1122103246?ean=2940151507950



Catch Up on the Beneath Series:
Beneath This Mask (Beneath #1)


Beneath This Ink (Beneath #2)

Buy links:


Throwback Thursday: Stars in the SKy by Barbara Cartland

Author:  Barbara Cartland
First published in 2000 by BarbaraCartland.com

Sylvia, daughter of the Duke of Belham, is bored with the various young men she meets at Lady Lamborne's masked ball. At last she escapes their attentions and makes her way into the cool, moonlit garden, where she encounters a masked stranger.

The following morning, Sylvia's father reveals that he has amassed such debts from his gambling that the family can no longer maintain their high profile London life. They must return to Castle Belham and Sylvia realises that she will never see her mystery stranger again.

At Castle Belham, Count Von Brauer enters their lives. In time, the Duke loses a vast sum of money to him at a gathering. The Count offers to overlook the debt in return for Sylvia's hand in marriage. At first, Sylvia refuses, but when the Duke suffers a nervous collapse, her resistence crumbles.

Only a stranger from the past can rescue her from her nightmare... only the stars in the sky can point the way.
 


Stars in the Sky was another random audiobook pick from my library.  I had never heard of this author, so I gave it a go.  The story was very sweet and clean.  Sylvia longs to be swept off her feet, but her stepmother and father have other plans.  They want  her to marry the evil Count Von Brauer in order to have a gambling debt forgiven.  This is a classic story of a truly despicable, evil villain trying to get the young innocent maiden all for the sake of wealth.  There is a dashing young neighbor who Sylvia becomes friends with, but can he save the day?  I'm not going to spoil it.  I'll just say the ending has a twist and a sweet HEA. It made for a quick read and a great escape for a while. 

I did a little research into this author and found out that she passed away in 2000. Her son has since been publishing the over 160 unpublished manuscripts that she left behind.  I found a few more at my library, so stay tuned.  I'm sure they will show up in a Throwback Thursday post soon!  You can find out more about her and her writing career at www.BarbaraCartland.com.


Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Blog Tour: Second Life by S. J. Watson

Author: S. J. Watson
Publisher: Harper
Date of publication: June 2015


From the New York Times bestselling author of Before I Go to Sleep, a sensational new psychological thriller about a woman with a secret identity that threatens to destroy her.
How well can you really know another person? How far would you go to find the truth about someone you love?

When Julia learns that her sister has been violently murdered, she must uncover why. But Julia’s quest quickly evolves into an alluring exploration of own darkest sensual desires. Becoming involved with a dangerous stranger online, she’s losing herself . . . losing control . . . perhaps losing everything. Her search for answers will jeopardize her marriage, her family, and her life.


A tense and unrelenting novel that explores the secret lives people lead; and the dark places in which they can find themselves Second Life is a masterwork of suspense from the acclaimed S. J. Watson.

Lately, I have not had great luck with thrillers. Second Life seems to have gotten mixed reviews and I am definitely in the DNF/ did not like group.  I really found nothing thrilling about this book.  I was bored and found myself constantly skimming.  I have read that the book picks up in the second half.  But honestly, I really shouldn't have to wait for the second half of a book for it to get better.  Especially one that is supposed to be a thriller.

I didn't like the main character, Julia.  I definitely kept feeling like I had walked into the middle of a movie with no frame of reference.  As I said, I did skim some, but ended up skipping to the end to see who killed Kate.  The whole book can be pretty much summed up in the last few pages.  I am just glad I didn't read the entire book only to get the ending I read.  I'm not a fan of open-ended endings.  

I have not had the pleasure of reading Before I Go to Sleep, so I can't compare this one to his debut.  I hear a it's a great book.  Maybe this is just a second book glitch?


About the author:
S. J. Watson was born in the Midlands and lives in London. His first novel was the award-winning Before I Go to Sleep, which has sold over four million copies in more than forty languages around the world. It was recently adapted into a major motion picture starring Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, and Mark Strong.

Find out more about S.J. at his website, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Purchase Links

S. J. Watson’s Tour Stops

To celebrate the release of Second Life, some bloggers will be reviewing S. J. Watson’s first book, Before I Go to Sleep.

Tuesday, June 9th: Fuelled by Fiction – Second Life
Wednesday, June 10th: Always With a Book – Second Life
Thursday, June 11th: Peeking Between the Pages – Second Life
Monday, June 15th: Snowdrop Dreams of Books – Before I Go To Sleep
Monday, June 15th: A Bookworm’s World  – Second Life
Tuesday, June 16th: Kissin Blue Karen – Second Life
Thursday, June 18th: Kritters Ramblings – Second Life
Monday, June 22nd: Ace and Hoser Blook – Second Life
Tuesday, June 23rd: No More Grumpy Bookseller – Second Life
Wednesday, June 24th: From the TBR Pile – Second Life
Wednesday, June 24th: Why Girls Are Weird – Before I Go To Sleep
Thursday, June 25th: Kahakai Kitchen – Second Life
Friday, June 26th: Staircase Wit – Second Life
Monday, June 29th: Sara’s Organized Chaos – Second Life
Tuesday, June 30th: Snowdrop Dreams of Books – Second Life
Wednesday, July 1st: Bookshelf Fantasies – Second Life
Wednesday, July 1st: Booked on a Feeling – Second Life
Thursday, July 2nd: FictionZeal – Second Life
Thursday, July 2nd: Mrs. Mommy Booknerd’s Book Reviews – Second Life
Friday, July 3rd: Kissin Blue Karen – Before I Go To Sleep
Friday, July 10th: A Literary Vacation – Before I Go To Sleep
TBD: My Bookshelf – Second Life
TBD: Why Girls Are Weird – Second Life

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

The Liar by Nora Roberts

Author: Nora Roberts
Publisher: G. P. Putnam Sons
Date of publication: April 2015

Shelby Foxworth lost her husband. Then she lost her illusions …

The man who took her from Tennessee to an exclusive Philadelphia suburb left her in crippling debt. He was an adulterer and a liar, and when Shelby tracks down his safe-deposit box, she finds multiple IDs. The man she loved wasn’t just dead. He never really existed.

Shelby takes her three-year-old daughter and heads south to seek comfort in her hometown, where she meets someone new: Griff Lott, a successful contractor. But her husband had secrets she has yet to discover. Even in this small town, surrounded by loved ones, danger is closer than she knows—and threatens Griff, as well. And an attempted murder is only the beginning …
 


The Liar is definitely Nora Roberts at her finest.  I really enjoyed reading the book. To me it was more of a romance than a suspense, but that is OK.  I thought the romance was super sweet.  After reading it, I definitely have a new book boyfriend!  The story revolves around Shelby, who finds out after her husband dies, that everything she thought she knew to be true was a lie,  Determined to set things right, she moves back home with her daughter.

As I said, I loved the romance in this book.  Griff was just too cute and definitely the safe haven that Shelby and her daughter needed.  I was really hoping Shelby could open her heart to trust him.  I loved the scenes with Griff and Callie.  Any man who can make a 3 year old smile is good enough for me.  Along with the romance, the characters in the book really added a lot of flavor.  The town is a place that I would love to visit, especially that spa!  It sounds heavenly.

I did kind of call the twist in the end, but that is OK.  I still enjoyed unraveling the mystery along with Shelby and Griff.  I think fans off Nora will agree, she has a hit on her hands with this one!

Monday, June 22, 2015

Blog Tour: Mirielle by Molly Cochran

Author: Molly Cochran
Publisher: Lake Publishing
Date of publication: June 2015

Near the end of World War II, seventeen-year-old Mireille de Jouarre flees the home of her stepfather, a Nazi collaborator and abusive drunk. She finds shelter with her childhood friend Stefan, and the two fall deeply in love. But as the fighting escalates, Mireille must escape alone to Paris, where she discovers she’s pregnant and lacking a way to provide for her child.


So begins her new life as l’Ange—the Angel. After an unlikely meeting with a wealthy aristocrat in a Parisian hotel—and her acceptance of his solicitation—Mireille becomes the most celebrated poule in all of France, eliciting huge fees and invitations to exclusive parties. At one of these events, Mireille meets Oliver Jordan, an American womanizer and film producer, and is soon launching a promising film career. As her star rises, Mireille is determined to bury her past. But her success isn’t as carefree and glittery as it seems, and when her daughter’s future is threatened, Mireille must make a deadly decision in a desperate attempt to finally choose her own path.

I was a little hesitant to try this book out.  The length alone made it seem like a daunting read. But I'm always willing to give something a try. Unfortunately, it ended up being a DNF for me.  I found myself constantly getting distracted and that is never a good sign.  It just didn't suck me in.  I got about 25% of the way thorough and I gave up.  For me, I just found the book kind of depressing.  Mireille doesn't have a happy life and honestly never seems to learn from her mistakes.  As I read, I found myself turned off by her choice in life style all in the name of taking care of her daughter. I just couldn't get behind it. I think for the right audience, this book will shine.  It just wasn't my cup of tea. 



About Molly Cochran


Molly Cochran is the author of more than twenty novels and nonfiction books, including the New York Times bestseller GrandmasterThe Forever KingThe Broken Sword, and The Temple Dogs, all cowritten with Warren Murphy. She is also the author of The Third Magic, and she cowrote the nonfiction bestseller Dressing Thin with Dale Goday. Cochran has received numerous awards, including the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award, the Romance Writers of America’s “Best Thriller” award, and an “Outstanding” classification by the New York Public Library. Recently she published a series of young adult novels, LegacyPoison, and Seduction, and two novellas, Wishes and RevelsLegacy won a 2013 Westchester Fiction Award.

Visit Molly at her website, mollycochran.com.

Molly Cochran’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, June 8th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Tuesday, June 9th: Built By Story
Thursday, June 11th: Kahakai Kitchen
Tuesday, June 16th: Life is Story
Wednesday, June 17th: 100 Pages a Day
Thursday, June 18th: Book Lovin’ Hippo
Friday, June 19th: Ageless Pages Reviews
Monday, June 22nd: From the TBR Pile
Monday, June 22nd: The World As I See It
Tuesday, June 23rd: A Literary Vacation
Wednesday, June 24th: Bell, Book & Candle
Thursday, June 25th: Savvy Verse & Wit
Friday, June 26th: Thoughts on This ‘n That
Monday, June 29th: The Avid Reader
Tuesday, June 30th: Life By Kristen

Blog Tour: Cruise Control by Kerry Adrienne


Author: Kerry Adrienne
Publisher: Earthshine Publishing
Date of publication: March 2015

Retired soldier Blake Best drives hard—his car, his life, and his choices. Former Airman Parker Monteith is fighting to keep his life on cruise control so he doesn’t lose it all. 

One Maserati brings them together. Can Blake slow down enough to discover the important things aren't in the fast lane?


Cruise Control was a very quick listen.  I was sent the audiobook for review and being a fan of audiobooks, I started it right away.  I thought the audio narration was done very well.  I enjoyed listening to the narrator.  I don't believe I have heard him in any other books before, but I would listen to him again.

As for the story, I did enjoy it.  It's more like a novella length, so my disappointment in the story was the length and speed in which Blake and Parker fall for each other.  I would have liked it to be longer and give them more time to get to know each other.  I would have also loved to see some resolution in the conflict with Blake's sister.  




Available at: Amazon | Audible | Goodreads

About the author:


Kerry loves history and spends large amounts of time wondering about people who lived and walked on Earth in the past. She’s a mom to three daughters, six cats, and various small animals, including a panther chameleon. Her shoe horde will attest to her fine shopping skills.

In addition to writing, she’s a college instructor, artist, costumer, and editor. Her new love is her Mini Cooper Convertible, Sheldon, and they have already gone on many adventures.

Kerry is represented by Marisa Corvisiero.

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