Cephalopod Coffeehouse November 2013–The Grave Danger of Loving Darynda Jones’s Fiction

Hi there and welcome to my review for this month’s Cephalopod Coffeehouse–a book review forum hosted by the Armchair Squid. I had a surprisingly hard time choosing a book for this month’s feature.

As usual I read a killer ton–thirty books, I think. Most I reviewed for my blog, a few for NetGalley, the others for my own guilty pleasure…

I had considered His Name is Sir by Deena Ward. This is absolutely what Pride and Prejudice would have been if Jane Austen wrote BDSM romance. I adored it–and all four books in her Power to Please Collection.

I also considered Backstage Pass by Olivia Cunning–the first of her uber-steamy Sinners on Tour series–which delivers EXACTLY what the tagline of the book promises: Love, Sex and Rock-n-Roll.

Fifth Grave Past the Light (Charley Davidson #5) But I think I’ll go with Darynda Jones’s FIFTH GRAVE PAST THE LIGHT. This is the newest installment of the Charley Davidson series. I reviewed First Grave on the Right last month in my Halloween Spooktacular of paranormal romance features, and the fifth book in the series is not a let down.

If anything, I’m trying to locate the lovely Ms. Jones’s net server so I can hack in for her e-galley of the next book in the series.

Why?

Because she–somehow–made a gal raised in a christian home fall in love with the son of Satan.

That’s right. I love her super-Alpha love interest Reyes Alexander Farrow. I may have some competition from Charley, but hey…

Here’s what happens. Charley is a reaper–actually the only living one in existence. Her humor is Outer Limits–I crack up reading her deadpan observations–which takes a bit of the “grimness” out of her reaper duties: being a portal through which the dead cross into the afterlife. When they pass through her, she absorbs some of their memories. Communicating with the dead is handy for Charley’s private investigator work. Especially when she helps her uncle solve crimes in his job as a Detective for the Albuquerque PD.

In this book, Charley’s longstanding attraction to Reyes Farrow is tested to the limit. See, Reyes has moved into her building–right next door. And he keeps leaving her these sexy Post-its telling her to come over. Charley would like to–but she’s nervous. First, as the son of Satan Reyes may be able to lead Lucifer’s army straight into Heaven by breaching Charley’s portal. Also, Charley suspects Reyes is behind a string of arsons that inexplicably have destroyed every dwelling Reyes ever shared with his sexually abusive step-father. Places where photographic evidence of Reyes’ molestation had been hidden in the walls…

At her core, Charley is an honest soul. She won’t hesitate to turn Reyes in if he’s a criminal. As she isn’t sure, she continues to search for evidence. In the meantime she and Reyes share some heated (read: smoking hot) encounters. Because–did I mention he makes me swoon?–he’s delicious. Intelligent, strong, virile, compassionate and head-over-heels for Charley without losing his magnetic charisma.

In the midst of her Reyes-confusion, Charley works on solving a newly-discovered serial killer case. She follows a few dead leads, and aids nearly thirty lost souls to find their eternal rest. Her discovery of the arsonist seemed more obvious (to me) but handily removes the tension betwixt herself and Reyes. It seems Charley’s life will move to the next level with Reyes into Happily Ever Land–until she’s kidnapped by a maniac.

The book ends with an arrangement I hope Charley will not refuse–even if it means the end of civilization as we know it.

These books are housed under Mystery at my library–only because they don’t have a “Smoking-Hot-Dead-Funny-Paranormal-Romance-Mystery” section in the stacks. If you’re interested, schedule some vacation time and read this series from the start. I think you’ll lose sleep. I know I have.

You can find these books at Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, booksellers worldwide, or any library system worth its bricks.

If you check these out–let me know what you think in the comments.

And, as always, keep reading my friends!

Now, follow these links to check out the reviews of my fellow coffeehousers…
1. The Armchair Squid 7. Trisha @ WORD STUFF

2. Scouring Monk 8. Kate O’Sullivan Read, Write, Repeat

3. mainewords 9. Bird’s Nest

4. Huntress 10. Hungry Enough to Eat Six

5. Denise C Covey 11. The Random Book Review

6. A Creative Exercise 12. Words Incorporated

13. Defending the Pen

Make an EXCEPTION–Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the EXCEPTION blog tour organized by AToMR Book Tours. For other stops on the tour click here. Today’s Adult Contemporary romance is a new work by Patty Maximini.

Book Description:

When all hope for moving on from a life filled with pain was gone, Emily Watson closed herself off to the world, packed her bags, and moved across the country in search of a new life. What she found was a career she adored and friends whom she loved. It wasn’t a full and complete life, but it was definitely better than what she knew before.

When all hope for being loved and accepted for who he was instead of what he had was gone, Taylor Carter decided that trusting people outside of his family wasn’t really smart and would only lead to disappointment. With his world turned upside down, his life became about his work, and every new relationship was meaningless and superficial. He was safe, and definitely content, but never truly happy.

When all hope for staying awake during a long day was gone, Emily and Taylor found themselves at the same coffee cart. Little did they know then that the worst coffee they’d ever drank would forever change their lives.

When hopeless people are blinded by an endless pain. When contentment and safety feels like the best option, and love seems impossible, they may just find an EXCEPTION.

My Review:
I can appreciate the emotional baggage these two characters bring to the table. Emily has PTSD following years of physical and emotional abuse. She’s reluctant to let people close, but knows she needs to find support where she can. In her case, it’s platonic friendships with her gay neighbor Zack and his best friend, a marriage-averse engaged gal named Jody. Together they are a great trio. All that Emily requires, but somehow a chance encounter brings Taylor into her sphere–and the gravity is too much to bear.

Taylor’s been burned by a gold digger–and doesn’t want to let anyone close as a result. But Emily’s kind nature and unassuming charm captivate him. His need to protect her from all harm surpasses his own resolution to keep women away. It’s easier as Emily only desires his friendship.

Through months of closeness and connection, it’s clear that a romance is brewing. Zack and Jody are overjoyed to see the love grow, but hesitate to point it out–afraid Emily will pull away from the one man who seems to fill all her empty spaces. More fits than starts keeps the relationship from progression…though the bond between Emily and Taylor tightens deliciously.

The dramatic curveball at the end only solidifies the connection between Taylor and Emily. That each of them would sacrifice life for the other’s safety is the true measure of their bond.

The romance builds slowly, and at times the pacing of the novel seemed too slow. I am always a little impatient for the HEA, so a slow-burning romance is murder on me. (It’s the prefect book for my sis, who loves to get into a character’s head and stay there forever…) Also, I tend to struggle with novels where the point of view shifts from character to character rapidly–head-hopping, as it is called, which is how this story is told. Nonetheless, it’s a heartwarming story of two brokenhearted souls finding the one person they needed, but were too afraid to hope they’d find. Smexy factor: Warm and satisfied, not slippery and graphic.

Interested? You can find EXCEPTION at Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo.

What Patty Says for Herself:

I’m Patty, and words have always been a passion of mine. I’ve always loved to read them, write them and learn them in other languages. Last year, I’ve decided to take that passion and turn it into a book, the result was Exception, my very first novel.

Whenever I’m not sitting behind my computer, I’m either enjoying the company of my dear hubby, Alex, and our four four-legged babies or reading. I’m a firm believer in long hand written letters, love of any kind and good stories.You can find me on my blog, Facebook or twitter.

****GIVEAWAY****
Giveaway: 1 – $15 Amazon Gift Card, 5-Exception ebooks
Click the Rafflecopter link to enter.
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Good luck and, as always, keep reading my friends!

SIA is Unforgettable–Review and Giveaway!

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the SIA Blog Tour sponsored by YA Bound Book Tours. For other stops on the tour click here. Today’s book on review is a YA romance by debut author Josh Greyson and it’s a good one!

Summary from Goodreads:
When seventeen-year-old Sia wakes up on a park bench, she has no idea who or where she is. Yet after a week of being homeless, she’s reunited with her family. At school, she’s powerful and popular. At home, she’s wealthy beyond her dreams. But she quickly realizes her perfect life is a lie. Her family is falling apart and her friends are snobby, cruel and plastic. Worse yet, she discovers she was the cruelest one. Mortified by her past, she embarks on a journey of redemption and falls for Kyle, the “geek” she once tormented. Yet all the time she wonders if, when her memories return, she’ll become the bully she was before…and if she’ll lose Kyle.

My Review:
This YA adventure is fast-paced and captivating. Sia comes to awareness in a park wearing nothing but a hot-pink bra top and running shorts and her gym shoes. She has an iPod, no ID, no money, and no idea who (or where) she is. For the next eight days her life is all about survival. After being propositioned by many and nearly kidnapped by a pimp, Sia is cared for by Carol, a homeless woman who helps as best she can.

Through her friendship with Carol, Sia learns the skills she needs to survive on the streets. They sleep under bridges and make the rounds of soup kitchens, aiming to find day work to make a little cash. One morning, a boy from her high school sees Sia in line at the soup kitchen and accuses her of pranking everyone. Scared, Sia flees the shelter and is hit by a car. When she wakes in the hospital, the doctors recognize Sia’s condition–dissociative fugue–a rare type of temporary amnesia that has wiped out all of Sia’s memories.

Her parents come to claim her and she’s unsettled and mystified, but she’s apparently very wealthy. Resuming her old life, Sia learns she was the high school mean girl: beautiful and nasty wrapped in a designer label. The new Sia can’t reconcile the way she now feels with the person she used to be. Her friends and boyfriend are stunned by her new sensitivity, and really don’t want to accept this tidal wave of social change, so Sia helps them out. By moving on. She tries to strike up new friendships, with mixed success, and is certain that there’s something about Kyle that she really likes. He’s the boy from the shelter. The one who smells like his parents’ bakery. The one who volunteers his time helping the homeless and recent earthquake victims.

For the new Sia, this world where a thin veneer of “perfection” overlays her father’s dismal financial state and her mother’s alcoholism, is something she can strive to overcome. A world she can make better. This is Sia’s “Do Over” and she makes the most of it. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and read it in one sitting. It’s YA, but will appeal to upper MG grade readers and adults who love a good YA redemption tale.

Interested? You can find SIA at Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.

What others think about SIA…
“A compelling read full of intrigue, romance, and lots of surprises. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next!” – Jennifer Read Hawthorne, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“There have been very few books that made me think they made to someday become a movie (i.e. Warm Bodies, The Host). And I guess Sia can join the club, because this book, I say, is perfect for it. I felt like I was reading a script for a movie, the plot is fantastic and the characters are great, there’s a little of humor as well as tragic situations.” -Bookish Randomness—I agree! The book read like a screenplay–V

“Well I finished this book amazingly fast. This whole book will leave you amused, intrigued, in awe, and most importantly in love with the whole story line until the very last word. I’ll have to go with 5 stars for this book.” – Lovely Reads

“Beautifully written…this one will have you reflecting on your current and past actions. Although a fiction, Sia inspires.” –A Starry-eyed Heart Review

About the Author
Josh Grayson was born in Mexico, raised in Massachusetts, and now lives in Martinsville, Virginia. It was his move to the South that stirred his imagination and gave him the courage to start writing. During his free time, Josh enjoys reading, jogging, swimming, and watching YouTube videos.

Josh currently works as a medical driver, shuttling people all over Virginia and North Carolina. He has also worked as a machinist, film sales rep, administrative assistant, and telemarketer (he apologizes if he called you). You can catch up with Josh on his website, Goodreads, Facebook, and twitter.

Sia is his debut YA novel.

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win:

5 print copies of SIA (US only)

5 ebooks copies of SIA (INT)

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Best of luck and, as always, keep reading my friends!

Saving THE CHEESECAKE QUEEN–Review and Giveaway!

Hi there and welcome to my stop on THE CHEESECAKE QUEEN blog tour, sponsored by YA Bound Book Tours. For other stops on the tour click here. This contemporary romance is newly released from Miranda Koerner.

Sugar Rule 1: Christmas is the perfect time for cheesecake.

Sugar Rule 2: Men are as useful as burnt cookies.

Book Summary:
After losing her reporting job to layoffs at the local paper, Caeleah Turner’s pity party at the airport is interrupted by a woman claiming to know the location of the world’s best cheesecake. Intrigued, Caeleah trades plane tickets with the woman and finds herself in Chestnut, Colorado, a tiny town hiding a woman known as the Cheesecake Queen. The Cheesecake Queen not only bakes the best cheesecakes in the country, but her cheesecake is known to cure everything from infertility to baldness—one woman even loses 100 pounds on it! There is a thick batter of secrets behind The Cheesecake Queen and her two sisters, who operate all the bakeries in town.

But as the mayor’s efforts to shut down the Sugar sisters before Christmas gear up, Caeleah finds herself wanting to sample his own treats.

There’s a bigger secret than love to Cinnamon’s cheesecakes. And Caeleah is determined to find out what it is.

My review:
This romp with the mystical Sugar family is a hoot! Caeleah is an unemployed food writer on her way back to Chicago following a failed interview when a strange woman convinces her to switch planes in the hunt for America’s best cheesecake.

In tiny Chestnut, Colorado, the Sugar sisters, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger, have been baking up prize desserts under the tutelage of Sugar Mama for years. Unfortunately, Mayor Nathan Watson (a Mayor Bloomberg parody, no doubt) is preparing to shut down their bakeries as a health menace. All that sugar and white flour and fat will surely cause diabetes or heart disease in the population if left unregulated, right?

In the quest for her story Caeleah learns the unsavory secrets between Ginger Sugar and Mayor Watson. They once had a blazing passion, but it soured after the High School prom. Caeleah, a lover all culinary delights, attempts to sway the mayor into being reasonable–a few sweets can’t possibly be that bad, right? Nonetheless, the mayor pursues his health initiative and Caeleah with equal vigor–even shutting down Cinnamon’s cheesecake bakery on Christmas Eve.

Caeleah is pretty sure she can end the small-town bitterness by reversing the effects of a botched love spell Ginger cooked up on prom night seventeen years ago–a disastrous recipe that turned Nathan against the Sugar sisters and all that they bake. The secret lay in the closely-guarded Black Book. Caeleah puts her job and new friendships on the line to discover the secret behind the Sugar family and their cursed love affairs. Of course, getting the mayor to stand down his calorie crusade will be difficult…and yummy!

For an adult romance it’s a surprisingly innocent tale with plenty of misdirection and lots and lots of cheesecake. Make sure to brush your teeth after reading or you’ll end up with a toothache.

Interested? You can find THE CHEESECAKE QUEEN at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

About the Author
Miranda Koerner is a writer living in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and two Chihuahuas. A former children’s magazine editor and reporter for Prime Time Newspapers and the Express-News, Miranda has written for The Current, Taste, Chicken Soup for the Soul and many other publications. Her YA novel The Butterfly Dress was published by Girl E books and is available through Amazon.com and Smashwords. She is anticipating her next novel, Blue Mermaid, with Turquoise Morning Press in April 2013.

You can find more about Miranda on Facebook and twitter.

***GIVEAWAY***

3 ebook copies of The Cheesecake Queen (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

He can ANIMATE ME!–A Review

Animate Me Hi there! Wanted to share something fun I picked up as an Amazon Freebie a couple weeks ago. This fun New Adult romance by Ruth Clampett is everything I look for in a book–solid love story, some realistic complications, and a resolution that leaves me swoony.

ANIMATE ME does it animal-style. (more on that below!)

Here’s what happens:

Twenty-four year old animator Nathan Evans has the biggest crush on Brooke, an executive at his studio. Not only does he admire her from afar, he names is comic book character B-Girl after her.

One day their paths cross in the elevator and there’s some banter about Brooke wanting a coffee. As Nathan was on his way out for coffee anyway he buys one for Brooke, too. Being the shy-romantic he is, he draws her a tiny cartoon on the paper cup. Something to make her flash that megawatt smile he adores.

They chat a bit and he’s so into it he decides to repeat this encounter the next day. And the next. Soon it becomes an afternoon ritual they both enjoy. It’s a giant leap for Nathan–he’s a bit (deliciously) socially awkward–to reach out to a woman. See Nathan’s only had two “relationships” in his life and neither was actually consummated…that’s right. Nathan’s a 24 y/o virgin.

I love how Clampett turns the innocence tables here–having Nathan be the fumbling novice and Brooke the savvy instructor! Genius!

In fact, Brooke thinks their flirtation is designed to attract another co-worker Nathan desires. Too shy to correct her–and wanting more than anything to spend more time with Brooke–he proceeds with Brooke’s Love Lessons all the while getting more action than he’d ever dreamed. Not that it’s all roses. Cause it ain’t.

Brooke’s pseudo-boyfriend, Arnauld, is the president of their animation studio. And when he learns that Brooke is falling hard for Nathan, Arnauld’s not willing to let her go. His attempt to destroy Nathan’s career is vicious and yet perfectly believable.

Through the flame war that erupts, Nathan and Brooke get separated. The longing, anguish and anger that Nathan experiences are so poignant–I wanted to jump into the book and hug him. Tell him, “Hold on baby, it’ll all work out!”

And it does, so HEA’s for everyone.

ANIMATE ME is a home run for me. I loved the male viewpoint! I loved Nathan’s innocence and excitement and steadfastness. He’s the kind of guy I hope my sons grow into–the kind that look for a special girl to cherish and then pour their whole soul into loving her. And, bonus, we get cute little cartoons that build on the love story!

Here’s where you can find ANIMATE ME: Goodreads AMAZON

New books are coming out from Ruth Clampett and they sound just as fun. I’ll keep you posted when I get my eyes on them…

Let me know if you pick up ANIMATE ME and drop me a comment on how you liked it.

And, as always, keep reading my friends!

Can one boy KEEP ME STILL?–Tour Review and Giveaway!

Hi there and Welcome to my stop on the KEEP ME STILL blog tour sponsored by InkSlinger Promotions. Today I’m reviewing a YA Romance from best-selling author Caisey Quinn, whose GIRL WITH GUITAR I absolutely loved…

BOOK SUMMARY:
Layla Flaherty had the perfect life, or close to it. Until a stranger gunned her parents down right in front of her, leaving her with seizure inducing PTSD. After years of trying to pass as normal and failing miserably, she resigns herself to being invisible. But new to town Landen O’Brien sees her, and he likes what he sees. Much to Layla’s surprise, he doesn’t freak out when she has a seizure in front of him. He does the exact opposite, calming her until the tremors subside. But Landen has secrets of his own. Secrets that both bind them together and tear them apart.

Scarred by loss, Layla leaves her hometown of Hope Springs, Georgia, hoping to put her painful past behind her and start over in college in California. When she runs into Landen at freshmen orientation, she has a choice to make. Reinforce those steel walls she’s built up around herself or give the only boy who can keep her still a second chance.

Landen’s more than ready to tear down those walls but this time when they come crashing down, they might bury her.

My Review:
This YA/New Adult Romance is an emotional rollercoaster. Layla is used to being the invisible girl–until Landen comes along. His unabashed affection brings her out of her isolation and causes her to hope that love is possible. That perhaps everybody doesn’t leave.

Until he does. His mother is separating from his abusive father and he’s moving to Colorado. Heartbroken, Layla can’t move on, but a new diagnosis helps her see that she can give up on life, or actually live it.

She moves to LA to go to USC only to reunite with Landon. Can she trust him again, is one huge question. But, more importantly, should she give in to her desire knowing that her medical issues will guarantee her time with him is finite?

It’s a difficult decision, for sure. Especially when Layla learns that she doesn’t have any secrets. Landon’s the one keeping everything from her.

I enjoyed this one. I’ve been a Quinn fan since GIRL WITH GUITAR and was not disappointed here. The emotions run high, but not to the melodramatic. Given the additional novellas–LET YOU LEAVE and KEEP US CLOSE that come along for the ride, the story is well-rounded and touching. Watching these broken souls find peace is a satisfying journey. I think the book(s) are fine for any upper YA reader. The smexytimes aren’t terribly graphic and make sense within the book’s plot lines.

Interested? You can find KEEP ME STILL at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo.

About the fan-tab author:
Caisey Quinn lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals. She is the bestselling author of the Kylie Ryans series as well as several New Adult Romance novels featuring country girls finding love in unexpected places. You can find her online at her website, Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

***GIVEAWAY****
Want a chance to win a $50 Gift Card (1), a KEEP ME STILL Kindle Case (1), and a swag pack (1). Plus signed copies of WISH I MAY by Lexi Ryan (1) , BREAK IT UP by E.M. Tippetts (1), and a winner’s choice title from Elizabeth Lee (1)? Click the link below to enter!

5 winners get one or more of these prizes! US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget to let me know if you pick up KEEP ME STILL and if you liked it!

And, as always, keep reading my friends!

Flooded with emotion FORTY DAYS/FORTY NIGHTS–Reviews and Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m blitzing Stephanie Parent’s two-part YA epic historical romance. Why? Because they rock…As you will see below.

Forty Days (Neima’s Ark #1)

by Stephanie Parent

Summary from Goodreads:

The entire village knows Neima’s grandfather is a madman. For years the old man has prophesied that a great flood is coming, a flood disastrous enough to blot out the entire earth. He’s even built an enormous ark that he claims will allow his family to survive the deluge. But no one believes the ravings of a lunatic…
…until the rain starts. And doesn’t stop. Soon sixteen-year-old Neima finds her
entire world transformed, her life and those of the people she loves in peril. Trapped on the ark with her grandfather Noah, the rest of her family, and a noisy, filthy, and hungry assortment of wild animals, will Neima find a way to survive?
With lions, tigers, and bears oh my, elephants and flamingos too, along with rivalries and betrayals, a mysterious stowaway, and perhaps even an unexpected romance, FORTY DAYS is not your grandfather’s Noah’s Ark story.
My Review:
Holy Moly! So to be clear, while the center of this story is Noah and the flood, the heart of the story is Neima–the awkward, ungainly grand-daughter of Noah. She’s sixteen and an independent thinker, even if she doesn’t say what she thinks often.

Still, she’s dutiful, and follows orders even when it means loading the Ark. The Ark that she’s hated her entire life. Because that Ark has poisoned her entire village. It looms over everyone, and the villagers find her whole family tainted by Noah’s perceived madness.

Her two best friends, Debya and Jorin, stand by her side until the unthinkable happens.
Neima’s cousin Kenaan–a highly attractive young man–sure that they will be betrothed actually takes the matter into his own hands. He attempts to coerce Neima into relations, which breaks Debya’s heart and sets Jorin back. See, Jorin’s always loved Neima. And Debya wanted Kenaan for herself.

And then the flood happens. And Neima’s trapped on the Ark with Kenaan, his parents and sister, her parents, grandparents, and another uncle and aunt–and about a million stinking animals. All her friends are washed away. Gone. Destroyed in this One God’s watery wrath.
Neima can’t make sense of this new world. This world where Noah isn’t crazy and Kenaan stalks her in the shadows.

Until she finds the stowaway. One she’s willing to cast her life overboard to save.

FORTY DAYS is heady and amazing and nothing I imagined it would be. It does contain a cliffhanger ending.

Readers looking for a traditional, religiously oriented version of the Noah’s Ark story should be warned that FORTY DAYS may not appeal to them. The novel will, however, appeal to lovers of apocalyptic fiction, historical fiction, and romance, as well as anyone who’s ever dreamed of having a baby elephant as a pet.

Get your FREE copy:

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Forty Nights (Neima’s Ark #2)

by Stephanie Parent

Release Date: September 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

Neima, her family, and her grandfather Noah have found themselves trapped aboard an ark as a great flood destroys all life in the world. As their time aboard the ark lengthens, food begins to run out, wild animals grow restless, and family tensions become as much of a threat as the flood outside. In the second and final installment of Neima’s Ark, the stakes are higher, the conflicts are greater, and Neima finds herself facing a choice as impossible as the destruction all around her.

Forty Nights is a continuation of the story begun in Forty Days, and it’s recommended that you read Forty Days first for the best experience. Forty Nights does, however, contain a character guide to refresh readers’ memories. The Neima’s Ark series is a historical, feminist reimagining of the story of Noah’s Ark rather than a religiously oriented one, and the novels are best suited for readers who are comfortable with new interpretations of biblical stories.

My Review:
When I survived my mini-heart attack from the ending of FORTY DAYS I popped open FORTY NIGHTS.

The story picks up at the exact right moment, a moment where Neima raises her voice to be heard. When the horrors of the past are opened to the light of day. The stowaway has been found and his life is forfeit. Noah is certain only family is to survive–and Neima’s uncle vows to toss himself over, too–sure that his lineage is tainted.

It is Nezmar, Noah’s wife, who acts as the voice of reason. And still, the danger isn’t over. A freak fire and an unnecessary slaughter are blamed upon the stowaway…meanwhile the rain pounds down.

For Neima, it is a time of strife and constant vigilance to keep herself safe from Kenaan and the other predators lurking in the Ark’s holds. But time and again Neima demonstrates that strength is not always physical. Her burgeoning love for the young man whose life she had spared reminds her there are bigger things to hope for, a future to look forward to, perhaps. And love is a force in it’s own right.

With an unlikely ally and her mother’s blessing, Neima finds the strength to overcome her past, and build the future she couldn’t have dreamed.

So powerful. I just really loved this ending. But, then again I loved the beginning and the middle, too. It is a fully realized story of hope and faith and love, that while not religious, calls us to find that inner peace and resilience that most people have cast aside. I picked up on Stephanie Parent back in the summer when I downloaded PRECIOUS THINGS and, after FORTY DAYS and FORTY NIGHTS, I know I’ll be looking for more of her work soon.

Available from:

PRAISE FOR THE NEIMA’S ARK SERIES:

“Stephanie Parent takes a story I would have immediately shrugged off and turned it into a story with a surprising amount of reality and despite being religious based is not at all religious. Stephanie somehow created a paradox… When I think of a word to describe this story I think, layers.
The tension is extremely layered. We get internal tension among the characters, tension relating to the animals, and tension from the storming raging outside. It’s not even supernatural elements, it’s all practical points like food and animal needs. The characters are also well defined and fleshed out.”

–Michelle, In Libris Veritas

The romance is slow and imperfect, but it’s realistic and believable. I can honestly say that this love story is one of if not the best one I’ve read so far…a very thrilling read full of some great twists…[the ending] was everything I could have asked for and more, it was a perfect ending to an imperfectly perfect story.

–Zachary Flye, Zach’s YA Reviews

About the Author

Stephanie Parent is a graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at USC and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts as a piano major. She moved to Los Angeles because of Francesca Lia Block’s WEETZIE BAT books, which might give you some idea of how much books mean to her. She also loves dogs, books about dogs, and sugary coffee drinks both hot and cold.

***Author Links***

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*GIVEAWAY*

1- ebook of Forty Nights & $10 Amazon Gift Card
(INT)

2- ebook copies of Forty Nights (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz
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THE STAR CATCHER Shines–Review and Giveaway!

Hi there, and welcome to my stop on The Star Catcher blog tour organized by YA Bound Book Tours. This YA Paranormal Romance is the finale of The Star Child trilogy by Stephanie Keyes.

Magick and destiny intertwine as Kellen St. James fights to save his kingdom and the goddess he loves. Her kiss…the feel of her skin…the beat of her heart…For seventeen-year-old Kellen St. James, each memory is marred by a single sentence on a lone strip of paper.

Cali has been taken…

Armed with an amulet that channels the ultimate power of Faerie, Kellen searches for his love. However, control of the amulet’s energy comes with a price, and Kellen soon learns that Cali’s captor has plans for the stone. With the threat of the Star Catcher’s evil looming above Kellen and his kingdom, he’ll have to free the Heart of Faerie and break the curse the binds the Children of Danu to the darkness. But before that, he has to find his real father, the king. No pressure, right?

Kellen and Cali will battle bewitched armies and unknown foes as they fight to stay together. Will Kellen embrace his immortal destiny? Or will his world, and the man he is fated to become, be destroyed by The Star Catcher?

“One of the best endings in a trilogy I have seen in a while. Fans will not be disappointed!”-Jackie Jackson, The Book Maven

My Review:
Allow me to sum up…
Kellen is a half-Fae prince. An ancient prophesy has foretold that Kellen will:
1. Save Faerie from a power-hungry being
2. Marry Calienta, an immortal female who lights the stars–literally.
3. Rescue his father, the King of Faerie, and unite Faerie’s fractured realms.
And, the ride is spectacular.
This multi-viewpoint adventure tracks Calienta as she endeavors to escape the Big Bad–Ainmore–a Star Catcher, or usurper of fae magic. He’s also the unwitting father of Cali’s niece.
Kellen can’t believe Cali has been kidnapped on the eve of their wedding–but he won’t rest until he has her safe and by his side. He strikes out to find the keeper of all Fae magic-Sid-and gives up his mortality so that he can safely wield Danu’s amulet.
Now immortal, Kellen can fight the castaway demons of humanity’s fears to rescue his father and fulfill the prophesy. Oh, and get married. Because there is a wedding.

We have the good luck to tag along with Gabe–Kellen’s best friend and a Protector or shapeshifter. He’s bound by honor to protect Kellen at all cost–and he risks much, his life and his love.

Ainmore is willing to destroy all of humanity in his quest for Danu’s amulet and the ultimate universal power. So, he’s a serious adversary. Kellen struggles to undo the dark magic that has bound his father and their subjects in misery.
I loved the many viewpoints–each had its own voice so it didn’t overwhelm. And it was fun to track different sides of a scene through different eyes. This trilogy has a solid footing fantasy. The worlds are well-realized and this book drops you into the action and it doesn’t stop until you turn the final pages. Despite the solid romance the work is innocent. I’d recommend it to my 11 y/o son…so, ya know, it’s middle-grade safe.

The Trailer

Interested to learn more about The Star Catcher? Check out the cool trailer from the award-winning, Kristen Kress of BrainFry Productions!

Star Catcher Book Trailer from Brain Fry Productions on Vimeo.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Goodreads

Read the books that started it all… Click on each of the covers below to learn more…

The Giveaway

So for this giveaway, we’re releasing several cool items. Let me tell you about them!

1 The Star Child series E-book Pack (includes all three novels, plus the novelette, After Faerie)
2 The Star Catcher e-book
1 The Fallen Stars custom faerie bookmark
1 The Star Child series swag pack (contains bookmarks, and more!)

Part of The Star Child series swag pack…

The Fallen Stars custom bookmark -The Book Swag Shop

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Book Tour

The Star Catcher tour is running through November 29th, so check out some of the great sites that’ll be participating!

About the Author

I think my face is frozen. Yup, definitely frozen.

Stephanie Keyes, author of The Star Child series

Stephanie Keyes has been addicted to Fantasy since she discovered T.H. White as a child and started drumming up incredible journeys in her head. Today, she’s still doing the same thing, except now she gets to share those ideas with readers!

When she’s not writing, Stephanie is also a graphic designer, international speaker, teacher, musician, avid reader, and Mom to two little boys who constantly keep her on her toes. In addition, she’s best friend to her incredible husband of eleven years.

Mrs. Keyes holds an undergraduate degree in Business and Management Information Systems from Robert Morris University and a M.Ed. from Duquesne University. She is a member of the Society For Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), as well as a featured author in the global group of writers, Love a Happy Ending.com.

Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child, After Faerie, The Fallen Stars, and the soon to-be-released finale, The Star Catcher (November 2013), all from by Inkspell Publishing. Mrs. Keyes is hard at work on a new YA Paranormal Romance.

Good luck and, as always, keep reading my friends!

To be FOREVER YOUNG–Review and Giveaway

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the FOREVER YOUNG blog tour sponsored by AToMR Book Tours. Check out other stops on the tour by clicking here. FOREVER YOUNG is a the first in a YA series from bestselling author Sawyer Bennett.

Book Description:
She’s a loner, she likes to fight and, oh yeah…she has the ability to see the demons that lay beneath the faces of ordinary humans. It’s a gift Charlie Wright inherited the night her parents were brutally murdered when she was fourteen years old.

Now in her last year of high school, Charlie just can’t seem to keep herself out of trouble. Rather than taking a one-way trip to juvenile detention, Charlie chooses to join a mysterious group called The ForeverLand Alliance.

And then her life really gets weird.

Charlie finds herself magically transported to an alternate universe. In Semper Terra, no one ages, people fly, and one stunningly gorgeous, immortal man manages to capture Charlie’s heart and awaken the adult woman she is becoming.

But it’s not all fun and games. For Charlie is training to become an Annihilator, a select group of Semper Terrans who protect mankind from all of those things that go “bump in the night”.

It’s only when Charlie finds herself stuck in the middle of a prophecy that could bring about the end of the world that she truly begins to understand the deep sacrifices she will have to make.

My review:
I liked it. Charlie is a little sensitive, a little snarky, and a lot heroic. She’ll brawl to help anyone weak defeat their attackers. She doesn’t tolerate mean girls and can’t understand why the new males in her life find her attractive…particularly Caiden Gallagher, the perpetually youthful 400+ year old Annihilator serving as Charlie’s mentor.

Of course, Charlie’s mean girls aren’t only students–her headmistress Sarah is part of the I-Hate-Charlie club also, mainly because Sarah has a history with Caiden, one she’d like to repeat. The story reminds me a bit of Veronica Roth’s DIVERGENT without the dystopia and recruit maiming. Charlie must master hand-to-hand combat so she can survive battle. With demons. But only the bad demons, because, for an interesting twist, not all demons are bad. Who knew?

I love Charlie’s gay BFF Justas. He’s a beefy character, not stereotypically done–think Tiny Cooper–and he’s a nice foil to Charlie’s occasional pessimism. Plucky Emerson Potts, the tiny black waif recruit, will remind you of Rue (Hunger Games) but we get to know her quite a lot better.

Charlie’s doing well in her training, and Caiden is keeping her fantasies filled, but it’s Charlie’s heart that takes over the story. It’s easy to root for a hero, and Charlie defines the archetype. I wasn’t surprised by the ambush ending, but I was unsettled by the sudden appearance of Charlie’s real father. In all it feels like a good start to a quality series.

Interested? You can find FOREVER YOUNG at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

About Sawyer Bennett:
USA Today Best-Selling author, Sawyer Bennett, is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. She is married to a mobster (well, a market researcher) and they have two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Catch up with her at Facebook or on Twitter.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the link below for your chance at winning a $50 Amazon gift card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

And, as always: keep reading my friends!

Can one girl BREAK IT UP? Review and Giveaway

Hi there, and welcome to my stop on the BREAK IT UP blog tour sponsored by AToMR Book Tours. If you’d like to stop by the other tour sites, click here. Today’s book, BREAK IT UP, is a YA Romance by E. M. Tippetts and it’s a solid read.

What’s it all about?
Kyra Armijo is making a few changes in her life. One of them being, she’s no longer going to give it up to every guy who looks at her twice. And she’s putting her hopes and dreams for her future first. When the aspiring photojournalist gets the opportunity of a lifetime to tag along with international boy band sensation, Triple Cross, she can’t pass up the chance.

The only problem is that she’s in love with one band member, dodging the unwanted attention of another, and desperate to keep her turbulent past under wraps. Triple Cross have “nice guy” appeal, approved of by parents the world over, but have just let go their longtime manager, who controlled their clean image and media exposure with an iron fist. When Zach Wechsler, the object of Kyra’s affection, begins to show interest, she has to be careful.

Surely one girl can’t destroy a band that’s been together for ten years… only what if she can? Kyra knows she’s one bad decision away from ruining everything she’s worked for, and taking the hottest act of her generation down with her.

My Review:
I liked this one from the start. Kyra is a witty, savvy narrator who takes us on her redemption tale–only to have her whole life go up in tabloid. The low-down: Kyra’s mother abandoned her at birth and her father raised her. Despite his best intentions Kyra was a wild child. She carries the baggage of her promiscuous ways, and, at 18, is only just seeing the value in valuing herself.

She has a tremendously supportive family, including her step-mother Jen and her step-uncle, Jason Vanderholt–Jen’s twin and (also) a movie star. In fact her oblique celebrity through Jason is what gets Kyra and a couple friends invited for dinner with Triple Cross when they layover in Albuquerque. It’s problematic, in that Kyra’s a fangirl. She’s so nervous she’s unaccountably shy, which appeals to Zach, soulful center of the band. They sleep together–operative word SLEEP–and not long after Zach begins to text her up.

See, he’s kinda lonely. Now that his mother’s isolating influence is gone, Zach realizes he doesn’t know the first thing about managing his band–or his band mates, his brother Logan and cousin Ben. Kyra had been such a good listener over their night together, he continues to lean on her. It’s sweet and not at all sassy. In fact he’d really like Kyra to go on their new European tour to hang out and help out with the tour movie–if she’s interested.

Actually Kyra isn’t interested. She feels unable to control her attraction for Zach, and senses that he’d never consider her romantically if her knew her sordid sexual history–something Ben makes crystal-clear. Because Ben is all about the bad girls and want Kyra to get on board/on bed (?). It’s a twisted love triangle. In the face of Zach’s pleading, and against her better wishes, Kyra caves.

Each step along the way Kyra gets deeper into the murk. Zach clearly has an attraction, and Ben isn’t even subtle about his desire. Triple Cross struggles as Ben goes AWOL and shows up late for concerts–only Kyra can rein him in. And the videographers are taking unlimited footage of the wheels coming off this wagon. Meanwhile Kyra’s desperate to stay out of the limelight and tabloids. Unsuccessfully.

In truth, I loved the strength that Kyra exhibited in her trial-by-media. For someone so young she behaved in an admirable way. Throughout her redemption she made her boundaries clear, and kept her relationships professional–something few girls in her position might have even contemplated. It’s a story of self-love, and finding the strength to succeed when the whole world (quite literally–you should have seen the flame wars!) is against you. While the book is marketed for New Adult, I’d recommend it to older teens and above. It really felt YA to me.

Interested? You can find BREAK IT UP on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble—TOMORROW! (I will come back and update with the Live links…when they ARE live!)

About the Author
Emily Mah Tippetts writes romance as E.M. Tippetts and science fiction and fantasy as Emily Mah. She is a former attorney with degrees in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University and business law from UCLA, and currently lives in her lifelong home state of New Mexico with her family. For more information or to sign up for updates on future book releases, visit her website, follow her on twitter or Facebook.

***GIVEAWAY***
(5) Print copies of Break It Up – International
(1) Swag pack including a temporary tattoo of Kyra’s tattoo from the book – International
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! and as always, keep reading, my friends!

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V's Reads…

Reviews, Rants and Rambles from a mom and pre-published author

Reviews

Cephalopod Coffeehouse November 2013–The Grave Danger of Loving Darynda Jones’s Fiction

Make an EXCEPTION–Blog Tour and Giveaway!

SIA is Unforgettable–Review and Giveaway!

Saving THE CHEESECAKE QUEEN–Review and Giveaway!

He can ANIMATE ME!–A Review

Can one boy KEEP ME STILL?–Tour Review and Giveaway!

Flooded with emotion FORTY DAYS/FORTY NIGHTS–Reviews and Giveaway!

THE STAR CATCHER Shines–Review and Giveaway!

The Trailer

The Giveaway

The Book Tour

About the Author

To be FOREVER YOUNG–Review and Giveaway

Can one girl BREAK IT UP? Review and Giveaway