Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Tower of the Wizard King by Michelle Miles (VET, excerpt and GIVEAWAY) GFT






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GENRE: Fantasy (epic)

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BLURB:

In the Age of Wizards, Time is a commodity more valuable than gold. When Aoife (EE-fa) stumbles upon an antique trunk in the attic, it calls to her with an ancient magic. Inside she finds a stairway leading into darkness and cannot resist stepping onto that first stair. It leads her to dark truths her mother never wanted her to uncover and love so powerful she walks through time to save it.

Her magic is dormant.

When Aoife Burke rushes home after the unexpected death of her father, she discovers her mother has vanished amidst inexplicable circumstances. She returns to her childhood home to search for clues of her mother’s whereabouts but another shock awaits her. Sean O’Connell, the object of her girlhood crush, has purchased the family home. She senses Sean is hiding something from her, refuses to let her inside and does everything he can to keep her out. A determined Aoife breaks inside and stumbles upon an antique trunk in the attic. When she opens it, instead of the normal musty clothes and ancient letters, she finds a stairway leading into darkness. It calls to her and she cannot resist stepping into the trunk and onto that first stair where it leads her to magical truths her mother never wanted her to discover.

His magic is dangerous.

Sean O’Connell has been assigned by the Inter-dimensional Portal Protection Agency to keep Aoife and her mother out of Faery. But when she breaks into the house and disappears through the portal in the trunk—like her mother—he has no choice but to follow her, even though stepping into Faery will force him to face his past. Keeping her safe and out of the hands of the Wizard King also becomes a fight to save Aoife’s life from her own mother, who has discovered a time portal in Faery leading her back in time to alter her past mistakes, putting Aoife’s life in peril. Sean is willing to do anything to make sure she’s safe. Even if it means he has to tap into his dangerous magic to do it.


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Exclusive Excerpt


“’Tis your wedding day, milady!”

The high-pitched exclamation from Lady Fiona’s handmaiden echoed off the stone walls. Thank the gods for the tapestries to absorb the banshee’s shriek. Fiona pressed two fingers against her temple and rubbed at the headache forming. She hadn’t yet managed to get out of bed but she knew the servants had been coming and going since before dawn.

Aye, indeed it was her wedding day. A day she had long been prepared for since she was but a girl. At age six, she was betrothed to the young prince, Cian, heir to the throne of Anatolia. She’d first met the prince on her ninth birthday, which her parents’ thought was the perfect gift. Fiona wanted a pony or a unicorn. Even a dragon would be a better gift than a stupid boy.

Winnie shoved back the bed curtains letting the bright morning light burst inside Fiona’s cocoon. The girl had opened every window covering to allow the sunbeams to slash across the floor. Fiona had to shield her eyes and blink back the sudden tears from the brilliance.

“’Tis no time for a lie in, my lady. We have to get you dressed and ready!”

The girl pulled back the coverlet and Fiona groaned. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go to Lambridge Castle, the Anatolia royal family home. Cian was likeable in an unassuming sort of way. She liked him. He liked her.

But there had to be more to life than being someone’s wife, even if she would be queen someday. There had to be passion and fire and intensity and…and…something more. She wanted adventure, not marriage to a boring prince. Mayhap that was other girls’ dreams, but it wasn’t hers.


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:


Michelle Miles grew up in North Central Texas in a rodeo town but was far more interested in nerdy things like Star Trek and Star Wars. She started writing fan fiction in high school. When being an archeologist like Indiana Jones or a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader didn't work out, she decided writing was her gig and has wanted to write her own stories ever since.

Her love of romance started when she picked up Victoria Holt and Daphne du Maurier and was immediately smitten with the genre. But she also found another love in the fantasies of Patricia A. McKillip and Anne McCaffrey. Since she couldn’t decide which genre to pick—and because she’s a true Gemini—she decided it would be super fun to write contemporary and fantasy romance. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and has served on the board of several chapters as president and treasurer.

In her spare time, she enjoys listening to music, reading, cross-stitching and watching movies. A Native Texan, she loves castle, dragons, fairies and elves and is an avid Game of Thrones fan. She can be found online at Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads.



Social Media Links:

Website and Blog
Newsletter Sign Up
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Plotting Princesses 



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GIVEAWAY



a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
The tour dates can be found here


Tuesday, August 30, 2016

A Cunning Plan by Astrid Arditi (spotlight, excerpt, review and GIVEAWAY) GFT





by Astrid Arditi


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GENRE: Romantic suspense

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BLURB:

Determined to put her family back together, Sloane Harper stalks her ex-husband and his annoyingly stunning mistress, Kate Stappleton. But she’s not the only one.

Handsome IRS agent Ethan Cunning is surveying Kate too, but for entirely different reasons. He is attempting to nail Kate’s playboy boss.

Ethan and Sloane decide to help each other, which sends Sloane’s wobbly life spinning out of control. She’ll have to face danger, humiliation, and – scariest of all – the dating scene, to lure her daughters’ father home.

Losing control was the best thing to happen to Sloane…until it turned lethal.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~




EXCERPT

So far, I have spent more than ten hours this week parked on the exact same street, in front of the exact same building, staking out my husband’s mistress. To be exact, Tom was my ex-husband now, but I was pretty sure he was still my husband when Katherine Stappleton started screwing him.

A sideways glance confirmed Claudia’s eyelids had finally closed, and I sighed in relief. If I had to listen to one more minute of heavy metal, I would hurl myself or my housekeeper extraordinaire out of the car window.

I shot my hand toward the Mini Austin’s radio. But just as the angry voices faded in favor of a monotonous radio show, Claudia’s hand lashed out and slapped my wrist away.

“Go back. I love that song.”

“But I don’t understand Polish,” I said with a pout.

“It’s music, you don’t need to understand it,” she countered, her eyes still closed.

My teeth hurt from the loud screeching she called music. I considered looking for Magic FM again, but Claudia read my mind first. She snapped open one fierce blue eye.

“Don’t,” she warned.

Heavy metal music wasn’t nearly bad enough to risk incurring Claudia’s wrath and chancing her leaving. Listening to any kind of music with her definitely beat sitting in the car alone.

I gave a last, longing stare at the radio then turned my attention to the dashboard’s digital clock. It was 3:43 p.m. according to the flashing orange numbers. Sighing, I thought again of how much time I’d spent here.

The details of my husband’s ‘infidelity’ mattered; they changed the way one perceived things. On one side, you had my ex’s new girlfriend, and on the other, the tramp who stole my husband. Doesn’t have the same ring to it, right?

The same way if you asked Katherine Stappleton, she might have described my endeavor as ‘stalking’ rather than ‘staking out’. If she knew I was hiding in front of her work place, that is, and I was extremely careful not be noticed. Plus, I never left the car or followed her home - the definition of stalking. Legally speaking, I was in the clear. I’d checked on Yahoo Answers.


BUY LINKS

My apologies, I was misinformed about the price change during the tour! Please always check prices before you click.

Amazon US
Amazon UK
IBooks
Nook
Kobo



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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Astrid Arditi was born from a French father and Swedish mother. She lived in Paris and Rome before moving to London with her husband and daughter back in 2013. 

After dabbling in journalism, interning at Glamour magazine, and teaching kindergarten, Arditi returned to her first love: writing.

She now splits her time between raising her kids (a brand new baby boy just joined the family) and making up stories.


A Cunning Plan is Arditi's first published work.


CONTACT INFO

I blog at www.astridarditi.com
Facebook
Twitter @astrid_arditi


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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The tour dates can be found here

**********************************

My review:


3.75 out of 5 stars

A Cunning Plan by Astrid Arditi is the first story in the ‘Sloane Harper’ series and follows her as she tries to cope with her husband’s betrayal and searches for a way to get him away from his mistress. A mysterious man, Ethan Cunning, tries to convince her to assist him in an investigation, and their odd connection complicates her life even more. Can her quirky best friend pseudo-housekeeper, her less-than-demonstrative mother, or her husband give her a reason to move forward or is she will she get what she thinks she truly wants?

This contemporary story blends wry humor with suspense and adds a bit of soul searching, character growth, and romance. The wacky situations Sloane gets herself into become almost slapstick and the gradually unfolding mystery highlights her naivete, resilience, and allure for those around her. I love the entertaining situations and adored the children but I wasn’t so fond of either of the main characters because their vacillation was frustrating to me and the ending wasn’t as defined as I would like, although I presume that things will pick up again in the sequel. Those in search of an amusing lighthearted mystery will undoubtedly enjoy the madcap adventures of Sloane Harper.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

Monday, August 29, 2016

Nashville SEAL: Jameson by Sharon Hamilton (Spotlight and GIVEAWAY) ADULT title



 by
Sharon Hamilton
ADULT title

Blurb:
Jameson and Lizzie's story begins with their beautiful wine country wedding, and the journey to becoming a new family with Charlotte. Now a Navy SEAL, an elite member of Kyle Lansdowne's legendary SEAL Team 3, Jameson's final farewell to Nashville and his singing career nearly topple everything with the appearance of an old girlfriend. Lizzie has to weather the long good-bye when Jameson deploys for his first dangerous mission. But there is perhaps greater danger at home for the SEAL families while the men are away.

This story takes place in San Diego and Sonoma County Wine Country, as well as overseas.


Excerpt:

Jameson finished parking the truck. “Stay right there. Don’t move a muscle.” She smiled. “You moved. You’ll pay for that.”

“But Jameson, I can’t help it.”

“And you talked, too. Even worse. Things are going to go very bad for you.” He kissed her, licking her lips with his tongue. “I can taste your juices already, Lizzie. It will be even better if you don’t resist me.”

“You know I can’t.”

“Another strike. Oh boy, are we going to have some fun. Mrs. Daniels, you have a willful attitude, not to mention big dangerous mouth. I expect your full and complete surrender.”

Her pulse surged even higher. Surrender?

“Stay.”



She did so, watching him walking around the front of the truck, and then open the door. She began to step out of the truck, but he stopped her.

“No ma’am. I didn’t tell you to do that.”

She remained seated until his right arm snaked under her knees, while his left came around her back and hooked under her armpit. Without effort, he slung her over his left shoulder, as she squealed.

She could feel him chuckling as he carried her through the reception area, to the wide eyes of several guests and the bow-tied gentleman at the front desk, through the courtyard and up the flight of stairs to their room. She thought perhaps he’d put her down, but he merely pulled the key from his front pocket, opened the door and dumped her on the bed. He held his finger to his lips as he made sure the door behind was locked. He pointed to an opened bottle of champagne icing in a silver bucket and raised his eyebrows.

She was completely disheveled, her shirt riding high on her midriff, her pants twisted, the inseam pressing achingly against her sex. He was pacing in front of her, back and forth. She was thirsty for the champagne, thirsty for him, thirsty for a night of sex.

“We have some decisions to make, Lizzie.”

For just a moment, she wondered if he was angry with her. “I’m going to ask you questions and you’ll answer me. Quick. Got it?”

“Why quick?”

“Because—that wasn’t my question.” He frowned.

“Yes it was,” she said defiantly. “You asked if I got it. I didn’t get that part. Explain it to me, Jameson.” She followed it up with a smile, and she observed he was having trouble keeping from returning it back to her.

“Because I want to fuck you senseless right now.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Sometimes, sweetheart, you have to stick to the plan. I have another plan, but rest assured it will end in me fucking you senseless.”

“Promise?”

“You’re not allowed to ask the questions unless I tell you to do so.” He grinned again, scratching his chin as he perused her body on the bed. “But make no mistake, I promise.”

She worked to show him how much she wanted him inside her without using her voice or her hands. It was a look that she tried to make burn all the way through him. He inhaled deeply.

“Choices, before I come right here and spoil everything.”

“Okay. I’m ready, Jameson.”

“Bath or shower?”

She angled her head, considering her choice. “Shower.”

“Works for me,” he said as he ran to the bed, picked her up and carried her over the threshold of the bathroom doorway.




Add to your Goodreads shelf
Amazon buy link

Coming Soon in Audio!
Listen to a Sample Read:
Snippet 1
Snippet 2
Snippet 3
Snippet 4


Narrated by the award-winning actor/musician/voiceover artist J.D. Hart

Author info:


Sharon Hamilton is a NYT and USAToday bestselling author most known for her SEAL Brotherhood series.

Her Golden Vampires of Tuscany are not like any vamps you've read before, since they don't have to go to ground and can walk around in the full light of the sun.

Sharon's Guardian Angels struggle with the human charges they are sent to save, often escaping their vanilla world of Heaven for the brief human one. You won't find any of these beings in any Sunday school class.

All of Sharon's books are available on eBooks (most formats), print and Audible.

A lifelong organic gardener, Sharon lives with her husband in the Wine Country of Northern California, where most of her stories take place. When she's not writing, she's getting verra verra dirty in the mud or wandering Farmer's Markets looking for new Heirloom varieties of vegetables and flowers.
Join Sharon Hamilton's Newsletter



AUTHOR LINKS

Website
Amazon author page 
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google+
Goodreads
Shelfari
Soundcloud





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GIVEAWAY

Two lucky prizewinners will receive a signed copy of the 2-book series, Nashville SEAL and Nashville SEAL: Jameson along with delightful swag. (Trust me, Sharon has the neatest swag, so I am totally jealous!)

To enter, please leave a valid e-mail address along with a comment on either the type of music you like best or your favorite qualities in a SEAL.  A winner will be chosen using random.org AFTER 9/3/16. 


Saturday, August 27, 2016

Keepsake for Eagle Cove by M.L. Buchman (review)




by
M.L. Buchman


Blurb:

In the heart-warming conclusion to the Eagle Cove series:

Tiffany Mills hides a secret about the small Oregon Coast town of Eagle Cove. The line between her past and her present grows blurred. Until, with her life as a recluse threatened, she must defend her beloved homestead in the woods.

Devin Robison wants nothing to do with women, at least for now. He needs a summer as far away from his past as he can get. The opposite of Chicago? A renovation job on a remote Oregon lighthouse keeper’s cottage feels just perfect.

But when their pasts collide and their present unfolds, they both discover the Keepsake for Eagle Cove.

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Excerpt:


Tiffany lives outside the small town of Eagle Cove on the Oregon Coast. She is sitting on the verandah of a Victorian B&B, watching the crowd after a double wedding.

Tiffany was connected to the town as well, but it was a connection from long ago and one that she had kept secret for the three years since she’d moved here.

Of course she wasn’t exactly in town, which made her feel a little less guilty. She lived alone, homesteading a full mile farther out of town into the forested hills. She had found a small gap between two plat surveys of adjacent state forests and, much to the Oregon Department of Forestry’s surprise, had purchased the ten-acre anomaly from the state. She lived in “unincorporated” forest—technically, she wasn’t even in a county.


Maybe she should declare her own county, or better yet her own country! Occupancy: one human, thirty chickens (unless some more eggs had hatched this morning), a half dozen goats, and her guard dog. There was also an exceptionally lazy cat the black-over-white color of an orca whale—and roughly the same blobbish shape—who kept Tiffany’s lap warm on cold nights. Fitz only roused herself for mouse hunting, a task at which she excelled.


Oregon State law had some considerations that might make it implausible to declare independence and Federal law definitely did. Of course, if she did declare her own state, she’d have to decide whether or not to sign onto the Interstate Commerce Commission for fair trade with other states. Would that be necessary for when she sold her chicken eggs and excess garden produce to Greg at The Puffin restaurant in Eagle Cove? As a bonus she could elect a governor. Of course, with only one resident, the choice would be obvious and the balloting blessedly painless.


Tiffany raised her right hand, “And the ayes have it.”


“Good. They can keep it,” Jessica Baxter stepped up, slapped Tiffany’s raised hand like a high-five, then eased herself down on the bench as close as Tiffany had observed best friends often did.

Tiffany’s other shoulder was against a wall, so she had nowhere to go.


“If my husband ever tries to touch me again, he’s going to get a big-ass nay.”


“You’re huge!” At eight months pregnant, Jessica seemed to be expanding daily, but she sat so close beside Tiffany, that Tiffany could see Jessica’s belly almost from the owner’s perspective. Jessica had been the first of Natalya’s friends to get married. She’d gotten pregnant right away and every one of those eight months showed on her belly. She was five-ten—Tiffany wouldn’t have minded those extra four inches herself—and slender as could be, except for the pregnancy. From the back she looked perfectly normal, as she had one of those pregnancies that went straight forward.


“Tell me something I don’t know,” Jessica groaned with a happy sigh of relief at being off her feet.


“Okay, you probably don’t know why your five-times-great-grandmother stopped speaking to her daughter,” for Jessica Baxter was Gina’s niece and also a descendant of Pearl Lamont. And then Tiffany wished she could cut her tongue out. It was something Jessica wouldn’t know, but it said so much more than Tiffany wanted to reveal. Ever.


Jessica blinked at her in surprise.


Tiffany could only hope that it would be written off as “just one of those things that Tiffany Mills says.” Her own four-times-great-grandmother’s journal was what had led her to Eagle Cove in the first place. Lillian Lamont had been one of the founders of the town. But if Tiffany wished to survive, her past had to stay hidden, cut off, forever.


“Wait.” Jessica furrowed her brow as she massaged her back. “Five times…you’re talking about the founders of Eagle Cove.”


Tiffany really didn’t do well with people who lived outside of her imagination.


Amazon buy link

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Author's links:

Website
(sign up for his newsletter and receive a yummy short story in most issues)

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My review:


4.5 out of 5 stars

Keepsake for Eagle Cove by M.L. Buchman is a contemporary romance set in Eagle Cove and introduces Devin, a man running from the complications of his life, who meets a woman who evidently has her own demons she is fleeing from. She has found a way to participate in the close-knit society of the town but hasn’t dared to integrate into it until she meets a man who finally finds a way past her barriers…now she just has to find a way to get past his and discover whether they can heal each other’s scars.

The charm of small town romances is the wealth of characters who form the backdrop for the connection that forms between the main players. I am always in awe of the way this author creates such vivid stories that I want to visit these places he creates. The gradual buildup that allows us to get to know the sometimes very traumatic backgrounds of the hero and heroine is wonderfully revealed even as their characters are disclosed by the way they interact with the challenges they face. I love the contrast between Tiffany’s self-effacing mannerisms and her deadly accuracy with a compound bow even as I rolled with laughter as Devin conquered various obstacles, including the operation of very large machinery.

Learning the unexpected depths of connection between the various denizens of Eagle Cove and the history seen through a pivotal journal give great twists to the story and keep one mesmerized. I haven’t read any other stories in this series yet I think I would have no problem recognizing any of the people in Eagle Cove and I am in awe of the deft way the growth of the relationships is portrayed, but not surprised because I have been a fan since I read the first Nightstalker novel and became hooked by the word artistry this author employs.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review


Other titles in the series:

(this title was .99 at the time of this posting)





                  






Friday, August 26, 2016

You Were Mine at Merlot by Pamela Gibson (spotlight blast) Adult title, Killion Group


ADULT title
by 
Pamela Gibson


Contemporary Series
Release Date: 7/2/2016

Series: Love in Wine Country (#3 in series)

Is it love or just another Napa crush?

Tropes: second chance, fake boyfriend, protector
Heat Level: Spicy

Blurb:

Is it love or just another Napa crush?

Always impulsive, winery event planner Mariel Reynoso dreams of earning the respect of her family by proving she is as competent as her successful older sisters. When an arrogant ex-lover threatens to get in the way of her promotion, she decides to find a fake boyfriend to discourage him.

Zack Leoni is big, sexy, and intimidating. Best of all? He owes her.

Now a Deputy Sheriff, Zack is a man whose career is in danger. Falsely accused of a crime, he’s got time on his hands while an investigation concludes. When Mariel asks him to help her, he’s shocked. Five years ago he embarrassed her in public, an action he’s long regretted. A chance to make it up to her is just what he needs. The problem is he might not be able to keep his hands off her.

Old hurts quickly disappear as proximity flares into passion. But Zack and Mariel must learn to trust each other before their relationship can mature and be as intense and satisfying as a bottle of fine Merlot.


Buy Links:

Kindle
Kobo
Ibooks



Author info (from her blog):

Pamela Gibson began making up stories as a small child, using her grandmother’s perfume bottles and spools of thread to create worlds for her characters. Growing up in San Juan Capistrano, California, she found a new source of story ideas while wandering through the ruins of the old Franciscan Mission in the center of town. It motivated her to write many history books under the name Pamela Hallan-Gibson before turning to her favorite genre…romance.

Now she writes on a 32-foot Nordic Tug, a trawler called Sea Bear. Married to a man who has salt water in his veins, they live aboard almost full time, getting off to fly home to Sonoma, California for holidays and special family occasions. The Sonoma and Napa Valleys are her favorite settings, full of stories waiting to be told. But there will be others, inspired by the cruising lifestyle that will take her (this year) from Mobile, AL to the East Coast, to the Great Lakes, and down the rivers of middle America back to the Gulf.

Pamela is the mother of two, grandmother to a yellow lab, four rescue cats, a lizard and a fish. She has a bachelor’s degree in history, a master’s in public administration, and was lucky enough to win or final in twelve contests while honing her craft.

She’s addicted to chocolate, white sand beaches, and all the trappings of Christmas. She loves to hear from readers. Connect with her at pam@pamelagibsonwrites.com, Author Pamela Gibson on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter at @pamgibsonwrites.




Thursday, August 25, 2016

Scorpion's Empress by Yoshiyuki Ly (VBT, guest post, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT ADULT title



I have the pleasure of sharing a guest post from author Yoshiyuki Ly, who shares the beginning of the story of...The Scorpion’s Empress
(ADULT title)



Initial ideas for The Scorpion’s Empress
by Yoshiyuki Ly


Hey there, my name’s Yoshiyuki Ly. For my guest post, I’d like to clue you in on an old draft of ideas I wrote for my book. I made this about a week before I wrote the first chapter. I find it interesting that not much changed from my first ideas and the final product. 


Here it is:

The story is essentially about two good people stuck in the middle of a bad city.
“Is it a sin to try so very hard to survive?”

Tynan is the city in the middle of a desert, ruled by a stratocracy with temple knights, paladins and dark knights. Ser Cain Astaroth acts as the head of the city. The paladins are third in the chain-of-command, just under the Holy Knights Thirteen. The mysterious dark knights are absolved from following the law and do whatever the paladins and Holy Knights Thirteen can’t in order to protect Tynan’s citizens.

Raj is the Empress of Tynan’s Elysium, or lowtown. Similar to a Queen of Beggars. A huge city where everyone puts in their share and lives in harmony. They abuse their few rights in the city to get what they want. Basically looking and acting like they’re poor, but they’ve actually got it made. Their socialism works better than the capitalism in Eden, or hightown. Stella is the madam of Elysium’s brothel, Nirvana, where a lot of Eden’s citizens go to spend their money. She’s Elysium’s main moneymaker. Some tense backstory with Raj and Stella, with Nyte in the middle. The whole issue made Raj paranoid about seeming weak—somehow. Because of this she’s anxious about maintaining her image and staying true to her Empress title. “Look but don’t touch.”

Some rich citizens live in Elysium, in the Garden of Eden, mostly to show off their wealth and feel better about themselves. They cause a lot of issues for Raj and make Elysium’s residents resentful toward those in Eden. There’s also a long bridge in between Tynan’s two halves. It’s really hot in Elysium because of the cramped buildings. Anyone who comes from Eden to Elysium is a “scorpion digging in the sands of Elysium.”

Videl starts off as a temple knight when she’s young. Very pious. She had to pay off her father’s debts since both parents passed away. Had to take care of her younger sister Luna—ungrateful, spoiled at first. Never had to work a day in her life because of all that Videl’s done for her. She’s supposed to marry one of her childhood friends as part of an arranged marriage per parents’ will. This is when she runs away and draws Videl down to Elysium. Before this happens, Videl’s worried about her relationship with her sister. She’s also down about her personal relationships. As a paladin, she’s not allowed to casually date—whoever she’s with in public, she’s expected to marry them. So she’s had to restrain herself a lot; longs for more. Really soft-hearted and idealistic.

As for Raj and Videl coming together…there’s a power play in the title. Reflect it off of this devotion I have—the one I keep hidden.




*****************************





The Scorpion’s Empress
by Yoshiyuki Ly

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Erotic Romance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

After years of serving a corrupt government, Ser Videl, an idealistic paladin, learns that her younger sister is tangled in a dark scheme against Raj Mangala, the compassionate yet troubled Empress of the city's oppressed lowtown; the two women meet and are deeply drawn to one another, finding a shared sanctuary in their violently-divided city. The Scorpion's Empress is intimately written through the eyes of both twenty-seven year old women.

Videl's loving devotion is just what Raj craves, but Raj is wary of letting her guard down while protecting her throne. Determined to prove her worth, Videl chases after Raj and works to unravel the mystery of the plots against the Empress. Raj wants Videl to serve her emotional and sexual needs, and the two explore a meaningful relationship of dominance and submission that delves fully into their deepest wants. When the conspiracy against Raj comes to a head, Videl's loyalties are tested when she is forced to choose between her past and her Empress.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



EXCERPT

I stood up and slowly walked to one of the torches along the wall. That fire festival where we'd had our first time together… I took the torch and went back to her. Videl stared at me—expectant, anxious. I moved the fire closer to her face. She steeled her eyes and waited. She didn't protest. She didn't shirk away from me.

“Ain't you scared?” I wondered. Videl shook her head. “It's fire for fuck's sake! Any normal person would've told me to cut it out by now.”

“You wouldn't burn me with it. I know you like my face too much to do that.”

I laughed and said, “Oh, so it's all logic with you? Your imagination must be full of rocks.”

“This might have played out differently if I were in subspace,” she pointed out. “But, right now, I'm not bothered by it. I can reason myself out of most situations. It's hard to suspend my disbelief. I trust you to be logical, too. If you burned me, you wouldn't get to show me off to Nyte later on.”

“Show you off, huh?” I asked, putting the torch back. “You think that's what I wanna do?”

“I have a feeling you'll want to when the time comes.”

“We'll see about that. For now I wanna see more about suspendin' your disbelief.”

Videl was about to ask me what I meant—until I picked her up and threw her down onto the polished wood of the table. I straddled her, watching her pulse pick up along her neck. She bit down on her lip to keep from making a sound. 

 
Amazon link


~~~~~~~~~~~~~



AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Yoshiyuki Ly was born in San Diego, CA. She lived there until moving away to college. In high school, she began writing fanfiction as a serious hobby. Her pen name is representative of her multiracial heritage and a unique, diverse outlook that is reflective in her work. While pursuing an undergraduate degree in philosophy, she spent her free time reading the works of Virginia Woolf, Soren Kierkegaard and Simone de Beauvoir. She then spent the next years honing her craft to become a published author.


Links

Amazon author page
Twitter
LiveJournal
FanFiction








******************************

GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
The tour dates can be found here


Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Inheritance by Joan Cleveland and Marisa Cleveland (Excerpt, review and GIVEAWAY) GFT



 
by Joan Cleveland & Marisa Cleveland

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Middle Grade Fiction

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

His destiny is to save humankind. But first he must survive middle school... The descendants of the fallen angels never had it so good. At twelve, Grayson Lahash is thrust into an unfamiliar world where battle lines balance precariously in favor of good over evil, and his unexpected arrival and fallen heritage may be just enough to tip the scales. But as Grayson uncovers the secrets of his past, he must decide if he's willing to risk everything for the destiny that is his to inherit.

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EXCERPT

Uzza, as his dad had called the Goliath of a man, extracted a small pen from his pocket. “Say goodbye to your father, boy. It might be a century or two before you see him again.”

The pen bit into the nape of Grayson’s neck. He slapped his hand over the wound. “Ouch.”

Grayson gripped his dad’s wrist, holding on tightly, but then all of sudden he couldn’t form another thought. His brain blurred.

Why was the giant wearing heavy work boots? Why was his mother lying on the floor? Why was he being carried down concrete stairs, across the green grass, and put into a car? The smell of leather filled his nostrils as he landed in the back seat.

“This is all he should need.”

His dad’s blurred words clicked into place. All he should need.

How had his dad fit twelve years worth of Grayson’s life into a single battered old bag?

Despite the haziness of his body, Grayson’s mind raged even as his eyelids shut. He coughed, and the ashy scent of smoke shot alarm bells off to all his neurons. With a will stronger than he knew he possessed, he pried open his eyelids enough to see his home engulfed in flames.



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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Joan Cleveland was born and raised in New Hampshire, where she is a volunteer aide at a small, private school. She spent over twenty-five years assisting teachers in the classroom at the elementary level. The widow of Maurice T. Cleveland, Jr., Joan has three adult children.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Marisa Cleveland loves to laugh, hates to cry, and does both often. If she couldn't express herself through writing, music, and dance, she would die. As a former gymnast, cheerleader, and dancer, she understands the importance of balance, and she encourages everyone to stay flexible.

Instagram: @thereisnobox
Twitter: @marisacleveland


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My review:

3.5 out of 5 stars



Inheritance by Joan Cleveland and Marisa Cleveland is a middle grade paranormal story with inspirational elements that centers around twelve-year-old Grayson Kale Lahash, whose life suddenly turns upside down. His abrupt transfer to Westside Preparatory Academy in New England is accompanied by a traumatic last glimpse of his parents and their house. A mysterious shift from being the kid undergoing bullying and a determination to figure out what is going on leads Grayson on an adventure that involves several other seventh-grade kids who each has his or her own agenda. Now to figure out who is friend and who is foe…and keep his soul in the process…may be a task that will require divine intervention.

This adventure story that features mostly tweens blends elements of fantasy and religion in a mystery tale. I like the variety of characters although their unveiling is a bit haphazard at time, and there is an uneven shifting between the factions with somewhat confusing motivations underlying the actions of various beings. There is an imaginative blending of the concept of good and evil with the premise of being careful of what you think or wish for, plus a creative rendition of the ongoing angel versus demon conflicts. It would be nice to have a little more depth for most of the characters and a less murky view of some of the parents, but overall this is an entertaining tale that covers subjects like bullying, debilitating disease, temptation, and cooperation to achieve common goals.


A copy of this title was provided to me for review

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Busy Mom’s Cheat Sheet by Lilly Cadoch ( spotlight, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) MFT


Busy Mom's Cheat Sheet - Tour Banner

Busy Mom’s Cheat Sheet 
by
Lilly Cadoch

GENRE – Parenting Self-Help
PUBLICATION DATE – July 2016 
LENGTH (#Pages/# Words) – 153 pages / 31,181 words PUBLISHER – Picki Beli Publishing 
COVER ARTIST – Eli Hershko

Busy Mom’s Cheat Sheet was a finalist at the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards?

 

SYNOPSIS

Finally! A book that makes it easy to understand how to feed your kid’s body, mind, and spirit for ultimate health and success.
• Do you have the desire to feed your kids healthy food but don’t know where to begin?
• Are you a modern parent struggling to find balance for your children in a busy lifestyle?
• Do you worry that your kids may not have all the necessary tools to reach their full potential?

Then this book is for you!
In this book you will learn how to teach your children to:
• Make healthier food choices including 18 tips for foods to avoid
• Have a battle-free and enriching bedtime routine
• Integrate regular exercise into your kid’s weekly schedule
• Incorporate time management skills to allow more free time
• Reprogram their mind for success to handle life’s inevitable challenges

Includes 45 bonus recipes that are quick, easy, and delicious!

Lilly Cadoch, certified health coach, award-winning author and mother of two boys, explains in a simple and understandable way, body, mind and spiritual lessons to teach your kids. She learned these lessons the hard way over many years and vowed to change that when she had her children. After witnessing first-hand the tremendous results this has had in her family, she wrote this book to share these lessons with all caregivers and their children. This book is a quick guide aimed at simplifying a lot of information into a very accessible and easy to understand way.
For more information visit BusyMomsCheatSheet.com

BUY & TBR LINKS
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BMCS - Full Wrap
 

 

EXCERPT


INTRO

In today’s global economy, more is expected of our kids than ever before. To have a better chance for a successful future, our kids are expected to perform from a very young age. They are taking more standardized tests than we can count, expected to excel at competitive sports, participate in extracurricular activities, all while excelling academically in their coursework. Not only that but college admissions are getting more and more difficult, with no guarantee of getting into the college of choice. As a result, we expect a lot from our kids for them to succeed.

Our goal as parents is to make sure our kids are provided with the optimal conditions in which to succeed. One of our responsibilities is to ensure our kids are eating healthy. This starts with the food we provide them. But our food supply is getting worse every day, which is only working against us. Our kids are eating more processed foods and sugar than ever before, and not enough fruits and vegetables. We live in a country where they count ketchup as a vegetable in the school lunch program and where we are not always told what is in our food supply. According to Food Chemical News, the leading news service on US food law and policy, a U.S. Senate appropriations bill also stipulates that “tomato paste used to make pizzas can be counted toward the weekly total of vegetable servings." The childhood obesity rate is at an all-time high, leading to more cases of childhood diabetes than our medical system is prepared for. It is a very sad fact that this might be the first generation that our kids’ lifespan is expected to be shorter than ours, even by five years.

That is why we need to arm our kids with the physical, emotional and mental tools so that they have a better shot at figuring out their life-path and achieving their goals. A part of arming our kids with this knowledge means that we need to communicate to our children that a healthy life starts with a healthy body. A strong body leads to a strong mind. An open, calm mind helps us discover our life’s purpose. Providing these tools to our loved ones is no easy feat considering we are already very busy caregivers. We have so much going on and adding more items to our ever growing to-do list could be enough to throw us over the edge. That coupled with the fact that the food system isn’t really in our favor and most of the food options out there are not really good for us.


BODY

Drinking water is the most important of all lessons and a habit that we want to ingrain into our children’s everyday routine. Water makes up approximately 60% of your body weight. According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, “The brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water.”[1] Water is involved in every cellular activity in the body, and when you don’t drink enough water, those processes are not as efficient. Some of those processes include metabolism, removing toxins from the body, bringing nutrients to your cells, enabling kidneys to filter properly, etc. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy, make you tired, cause overeating, constipation and prevent weight loss. Another interesting fact about the importance of proper water intake is that most cravings are due to dehydration, so if your child has a craving, first see if it subsides after drinking a glass of water before giving into it.

What exactly does drinking water on a regular basis mean, you ask? While it used to be “drink eight glasses of water per day,” the one-size-fits-all rule, now we are seeing more information that suggests that the amount of water we drink should be more customized to individual needs. A metric to help you gauge the proper amount of water intake is to drink ½ ounce to 1 ounce per pound of your body weight[2]. So if you weigh 100 lbs., then you should be drinking between 50-100 ounces water per day. Be sure to remember that the level of activity, weather, etc. determines where you fit in that range. So if your kids are tired, sluggish and cranky, try giving them a glass of water.
[1] Batmanghelidj, F. Your Body's Many Cries for Water: You Are Not Sick, You Are Thirsty! Don't Treat Thirst with Medications. Falls Church, VA: Global Health Solutions, 1995. Print.
[2] Batmanghelidj, M.D., F. "Frequently Asked Questions." WaterCure. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2015.


If making sure you’re drinking enough water every day wasn't enough of a challenge, another thing to consider is the pH balance of the water you drink. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, “pH is a number between 0 and 14 that indicates if a chemical is an acid or a base.”[1] pH can either be alkaline or acidic. pH is measured on a scale of 1–14, with 1 being extremely acidic and 14 being highly alkaline. Water should be at least 7.4 pH, which is the same level as your blood or higher for optimum health and hydration. You are probably wondering what does this all mean and why does it matter?

Let me explain: Our bodies work best when our body is alkaline. If it is too acidic, it can cause inflammation, which is a breeding ground for ailments, disease and a variety of health issues. Imagine a fish tank. When a fish tank is clean, water is flowing through the filtration system, the water is clear and fish swim quickly to and fro. As the fish tank gets dirty, the water gets cloudy, algae starts to form on the surface and the fish don’t move as quickly. Eventually, if the tank isn’t cleaned, the fish will ultimately die.

I never realized that the water we drink can have different pH balance levels. This is not typically labeled on the water we drink, so how do we know? Well, you can use a simple and fun water experiment. My kids love putting their scientific hats on and testing different brands of water. I bought pH test drops for water pH. I found pH test drops for water pH with a color chart on Amazon for a pretty reasonable price (approximately $20.00). You need to get the drops, not the strips, to have an accurate reading of water pH, as the strips are used for testing the pH level of urine or saliva. My kids and I added a few drops of it into the different types of water we drank and waited to see which color the water turned. Light green, yellow and orange tinted water are progressively more acidic. Darker green, blue and purple tinted water are progressively more alkaline. I was shocked to see that the store brand water bottles I was sending my kids to school with every day had an acidity level of four!

MIND There is a direct correlation between eating a healthy balanced diet, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep, and how it affects our thought patterns, how it makes us feel about ourselves and how we view the world around us. The food we eat doesn’t just feed our cells. Food also nourishes our thoughts, which then affect our actions. Now that we know what it takes to get our children's bodies to work better by eating healthier, drinking more water, exercising and sleeping more, we can focus on how to make our children’s mindset optimal. We are all programmed genetically for negative thinking—it's a survival mechanism to make sure we take action in times of need to stay “safe and sound.” Did you ever wonder why you never forget any mistake you have made and dwell on them way too long, while you brush off or downplay your accomplishments and successes, attributing them to luck or something that is not a big deal? How we think and our mindset as to how we approach life has a direct correlation with the type of life we are going to have. So it is very important that we retrain our thoughts for success and happiness by focusing on positivity, abundance, giving, gratitude and love. Failure is just life telling you that you are heading in the wrong direction—against your goals. So in reality, failure is just life giving you a nudge to make sure you adjust your course so that you can continue on the right path to achieve your goals. Happiness does not mean you will have no setbacks. It's how you deal with those setbacks and learn from them that cultivate happiness and ultimate success. WE are usually the ones that get in our own way, telling ourselves it's too hard, we are not good enough, we can’t do it, etc. One way to teach kids the lesson about how to view failure and how to overcome fears is through examples of other people's stories. All people that have had success experienced rejection at some point. To drill this home, the kids and I google autobiographies of successful people, especially the ones my kids admire, to show that success came with hard work, failure and continued perseverance. We read these articles to understand what they did to succeed and, as a result, they feel inspired to pursue their own goals.
[1] Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2015.


AUTHOR BIO

Lilly Cadoch is a certified Integrative Nutrition health coach and award-winning author living in New York with her husband Eli, her two boys Natanel and Itai, and her dog, Angel. She has spent the last few years learning about nutrition and mindful living for both herself and her family while working full time.
Being a very busy working mom, she was determined to find a way to feed her kids healthy and teach them the tools to have a healthy body and mindset so that they could successfully face the ever growing expectations kids face today. She learned these lessons the hard way over many years and vowed to change that when she had her children. After witnessing first-hand the tremendous results this has had in her family, she wrote this book to share these lessons with all caregivers and their children. This award-winning book is a quick guide aimed at simplifying a lot of information into a very accessible and easy to understand way.
Lilly has a passion for food and cooking and loves spending time in the kitchen experimenting with different recipes with her kids. She spends her time educating herself on various different aspects of food and nutrition, creating life memories with her kids, going to spin class with her husband, and playing in her backyard garden.

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