King's Ex by E.J. Russell (Release day spotlight, excerpt, and review)

 

King's Ex

by

E.J. Russell

 

 

To escape an arranged marriage, the king needs a fake fiancé. Stat.

King Bastien’s father locked him into an ironclad betrothal contract with Lady Helena Rey when the two of them were only seven years old. Bas and Helena have never been friends—and not only because she marked their first meeting by dropping a frog down his shirt. He’s been unsuccessfully petitioning Parliament to annul the damn contract ever since he took the throne nine years ago. But with the deadline for officially confirming the engagement rapidly approaching, Bas is getting desperate.

Enter commoner Nico Pereira, manager of the Royal Crest Vineyards, who nurses a secret crush on the king. He’s at the New Palace to unveil a  wine that’s the first joint venture between North and South Abarra. No problem, right? Except Nico has a secret: He has a superpower. Not a very strong superpower, but because powers are a privilege reserved for Royals, it still puts him at risk for arrest and prosecution. Nico can usually mask his limited foresight gift under the guise of being an incredibly efficient administrator. But when King Bastien asks him to be his fake fiancé?

Well. Nico never saw that coming.

Nothing if not loyal, Nico accepts the faux-posal, although close proximity to Bastien makes him more than a little… uncomfortable, and the increased scrutiny of government officials threatens to expose his illegal ability. Good thing this engagement is temporary, because being the king’s ex will be a lot less onerous than prison or exile.

Or, if the attacks from a shadowy conspiracy continue, with being dead.

King’s Ex is a 52,000-word M/M superhero rom-com featuring a fake engagement, class differences, improbably pristine clothing, dueling secrets, a guaranteed HEA, and a kitten.

 

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Excerpt:

“I— I beg your pardon, Your Grace, Your Majesty.” Nico couldn’t tear his eyes away from the king. Who wasn’t wearing a shirt. “Baroness Savatier told me I could find you here, but—”

The king. Isn’t wearing a shirt.

His Grace of Arles—whom Nico usually managed to think of as Tarik, as the duke had requested, except when distracted because ohmygod, the king wasn’t wearing a shirt—motioned for Nico to enter the sitting room. “No trouble, Nico. What’s up?”

Other than the king being half-naked? “Um, I’ve got the commemorative corkscrew for you to use at the ceremony this afternoon.”

“Ceremony?” King Bastien turned around, and Nico tried not to swallow his tongue at the sight of the royal pecs—but it was a struggle. “What ceremony?”

Tarik grinned up at the king, apparently unaffected by the sight of all that smooth, golden skin and defined muscle. Of course he’s unaffected. The king is his cousin. He’s probably seen this sight hundreds of times. And besides, he’s married to one of the buffest men in both Abarras. “You’ve forgotten, haven’t you?”

King Bastien looked down his nose at Tarik. “I don’t forget things, mon cousin. I merely offload everything but the most pressing details to external memory.”

“External memory?” Tarik raised an obviously skeptical brow. “I didn’t realize you’d achieved true cyborg status, Bas.”

Nico cleared his throat. “I, uh, think His Majesty is referring to his private secretary. Mr. Vidal keeps His Majesty’s calendar and handles his correspondence.”

“Ah, right.” Tarik crossed his feet at the ankles. “Since the estimable Vidal hasn’t downloaded your schedule for today, I’ll remind you.” Although he didn’t take his gaze off the king—and who could blame him—Tarik held out his hand, and Nico placed the engraved platinum corkscrew in his palm. “Today is the official tasting ceremony for Royal Roses Red Blend, the collaboration between the Royal Crest vineyards and Roses Estate.”

Was that a blush staining the king’s cheeks? If so, it vanished immediately—not that Nico was looking. Uh huh. Right. “Of course. Sander’s and your birthday gift to me.”

“Exactly.”

“A formal ceremony?”

Tarik snorted. “What do you think? It’s a joint venture between North and South Abarra. Another chink in the wall between our countries.”

“Definitely formal then.”

“Formal doesn’t have to be painful, Bas, you twit. You’ll let me open a bottle and pour you a glass. All you have to do is drink the damn wine.”

A smile tugged at the king’s lips, a fond expression that Nico had only been privileged to see a handful of times, and usually in company with Tarik. He glanced down at himself. “Then I expect my current attire will be unsuitable. I’d best take a shower before I’m reminded of some other obligation.”

“Shower? Why bother? It’s not as if you need it.”

Nico’s brain whited out for a moment and an image arose, obscuring his view of the room. The king. Naked. And wet. He lost his grip on his tablet and despite fumbling to catch it, it headed straight for the sharp edge of the marble table in front of the fire. “Crap!”

At the last possible moment, King Bastien lunged forward and must have somehow batted the tablet aside, because it plopped onto the overstuffed cushion of a heavily brocaded chair. The king picked it up and held it out to Nico. “Crisis averted, eh?”

A crisis I didn’t see coming. Nico accepted the tablet, and although his fingers brushed the king’s, he couldn’t really enjoy it. Because he’d just experienced yet another example of why his stupid, secret, illegal power was worthless.

What good was foresight unless you could actually foresee something useful? Other than the king. Naked.

Amazon US

AmazonUniversal

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Bio:

 

E.J. Russell (she/her) ), author of the award-winning Mythmatched LGBTQ+ paranormal romance series, holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she spent three decades as a financial manager, database designer, and business intelligence consultant (as one does). She’s now abandoned data wrangling, however, and spends her days wrestling words across a rainbow of genres. Count on high snark, low angst, and happy endings.

 

Reality? Eh, not so much.

 

She’s married to Curmudgeonly Husband, a man who cares even less about sports than she does. Luckily, CH loves to cook, or all three of their children (Lovely Daughter and Darling Sons A and B) would have survived on nothing but Cheerios, beef jerky, and satsuma mandarins (the extent of E.J.’s culinary skill set).

 

E.J. lives in rural Oregon, enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.

 

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Facebook group (Reality Optional)

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 My review:

4.25 out of 5 stars

 

King’s Ex by E.J. Russell is the first book in the ‘Royal Powers II’ series, and it centers around King Bastien, who is caught up in the annual celebration of Bonfire Fortnight and nearing a dreaded deadline that will result in him marrying the woman his father chose for him so many years ago. Nico, the efficient Royal Vineyards manager, discovers a loophole that will save Bastien, but who will save Nico, who has closely guarded secrets of his own that may prove deadly?

 

This gay fantasy romance novella is part of a multi-author series and is the direct sequel to Duking It Out and Duke the Hall. Bastien’s perfect storm is nearing, and his desperation causes him to jump at the alternative Nico presents, but their respective secrets make this an interesting study of the superhero powers that are part of this universe.

 

I’d love to have Bastien’s superpowers with regards to my clothing, lol, and it was fascinating to see the synergy that he has with Nico. There are delightful cameos by several characters from the previous stories in this author’s universe, and the fun repartee between several of the characters add to the feeling of comfort and familiarity that makes these stories so compelling. The dark twist that is resolved is a great addition, as is little Polita, and I hope there are more tales to come that exemplify even more of the powers available to the folks in this world. I’m always happy when I see a new story by this author and I anxiously await even more tales from that fertile and innovative imagination!

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

 

          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Murder with Strings Attached by Mark Reutlinger (VBB, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Murder with Strings Attached

by

Mark Reutlinger

 

Sometimes even the most carefully conceived burglary can take an unexpected turn. Florence Palmer has her eye on concert violinist Aaron Levy's priceless violin. Unfortunately, she finds it's already been stolen. Her surprise doubles when the virtuoso she'd planned to burgle offers to hire her to help him steal it back. But they're not the only ones looking for the missing violin. When Flo inadvertently becomes the prime suspect in a case of murder, she and Aaron need to clear her name. Will they find the real killer and get the violin back to its rightful owner without anyone else, especially themselves, being killed?

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

I was going to use my “one phone call” (assuming a person really gets one and that’s not just something they say in the movies) to call Aaron, but I didn’t have to bother. Almost as soon as I arrived at the police station, Aaron, who obviously had been watching developments and following the police car I was in, walked in and inquired how I might be released. Given the relatively minor nature of the charge, despite what they might actually suspect, and my clean record, despite all the burglaries they were thankfully unaware of, bail was set according to a standard schedule rather than my having to wait to see a judge the next day.

I don’t know how much it cost Aaron to bail me out, but of course whatever it was, he could well afford it; and besides, he owed it to me. After all, I was really just his employee, and surely posting bail is a standard employee benefit.

When all the necessary papers had been signed and funds transferred, Aaron and I walked out into the sunshine that I’d been afraid I wouldn’t be seeing for quite a while.

On the way to Aaron’s car, I gave him a hug and a little kiss on the cheek and thanked him for extricating me from the pokey and doing it so quickly. He looked a bit embarrassed by that, but he cleared his throat and said in his best businesslike manner:

“Okay, so why’d you shoot him, and where’d you put the violin?”

Buy Links:

Amazon (print)

Amazon (e-book) 
Barnes and Noble 

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About the Author:

 

MARK REUTLINGER is an attorney and former law professor. He now writes novels in which the law is frequently broken, including his “Mrs. Kaplan” cozy mystery series (Mrs. Kaplan and the Matzoh Ball of Death and A Pain in the Tuchis) and the political thrillers Made in China and Sister-in-Law: Violation, Seduction, and the President of the United States (under the pen name M. R. Morgan). Murder with Strings Attached is his latest novel. He is also a reviewer for the New York Journal of Books.

Mark and his wife Analee live in University Place, Washington, where in addition to reading and writing he plays clarinet with the Tacoma Concert Band and enjoys tennis, biking, exotic cars, model railroading, and various arts and crafts. He has no idea where he finds the time for it all.

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The Case of the Boy in Blue by Amanda Meuwissen (Spotlight and review) ADULT title

 

The Case of the Boy in Blue

by

Amanda Meuweissen

 

 

 

Leonard Quill, private investigator, never expected a case to walk through his door quite like this one, complete with murder, a frame job, blackmail, and powerful players, especially coming from a man with bright blue eyes behind his glasses, a crooked bow tie, and an impossible smile.

 

 

$0.99 (please check price before purchase) on Amazon or  available in KU

 

 

Goodreads

BookBub

 

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AUTHOR BIO

Amanda Meuwissen is a bisexual author with a primary focus on M/M romance. She has a Bachelor of Arts in a personally designed Creative Writing major from St. Olaf College and is an avid consumer of fiction through film, prose, and video games. As the author of LGBT Fantasy #1 Best Seller, Coming Up for Air, paranormal romance trilogy, The Incubus Saga, and several other titles through various publishers, Amanda regularly attends local comic conventions for fun and to meet with fans, where she will often be seen in costume as one of her favorite fictional characters. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband, John, and their cat, Helga, and can be found at www.amandameuwissen.com.

 

WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA

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Newsletter

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My review:

 

4.25 stars

 

 

“The Case of the Boy in Blue” by Amanda Meuwissen follows private investigator Leonard Quill as he takes on one of the most dangerous criminals in the city, partly due to an attractive blue-eyed man who has unexpected depths. Too bad they might not survive long enough to explore the attraction that threatens to derail the case before they finish it.

 

This gay mystery romance novella provides a deliciously noir atmosphere with several delightful twists on the stereotypical elements of this genre. The author skillfully evokes the gritty atmosphere of detective stories that feature a PI and his trusty assistant/sidekick, and the story has great twists that keep the reader invested in the action. This is a short tale, so things are necessarily compressed, but hopefully this is only the start of a fun series.

 

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

Sin City Wolf: Howl by January Bain (VBB, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT ADULT title

Sin City Wolf

ADULT title

by

January Bain

 

Never get between a wolf and his mate…

Billionaire. Casino owner. Tall, dark and deadly. Cristaldo Luceres is a potent force and a dangerous wolf to cross. Head of the House of Luceres, he’s used to fighting—literally—off any threat from rival houses. Wealth and women are his, but the one thing missing from his life is his mate.

Cristaldo’s on full alert when trouble comes to town in the beautiful shape of one Miss Everly Affini. The talented musician won a shot to play at the coveted Nero’s in Cristaldo’s Glittering Palace… and she could be the one, Cristaldo’s Forever Mate.

One problem is that she doesn’t think so—and isn’t shy about telling him—and another is that Rocco, an enforcer for the House of Ribelle, the Luceres’ sworn enemies, thinks she’s destined for him. Oh, and it’s the most powerful Super Blood Wolf Moon of the century, meaning chaos is unleashed.

Too bad. Once Cristaldo has a scent of his Forever Mate, he’ll fight for her…to the death if necessary. Everly doesn’t stand a chance.

 

Excerpt

Cristaldo

I stared out at the night, the pull of the waxing moon yanking hard. Taking a gulp of my Dalmore 62, the finest single malt whisky ever produced, I raked a hand through my hair. The need to run free was building, growing stronger by the hour. I needed to let the clean, dry desert wind blow everything else away.

Blame it on the blood moon, an ominous potent to all my wild forbearers, scheduled to rise over Las Vegas’s towering skyline in a matter of days. All my billions couldn’t stop that trickster from wreaking havoc on my kind. Not that I would trade places with any otherworldly creature. Nothing beats being a werewolf. Nothing. Especially being a billionaire werewolf, with more money and possessions than any other wolf or human on the planet.

I savored the final gulp of the fragrant whisky with its drumroll and smooth finish. It would prove amusing to see what my rivals at the House of Ribelle had planned during the event, necessitating me showing those mongrels their low rank in the pecking order. My wolf bristled at the very idea, prepared to strike.

I dropped my glass onto the proofs of the recent interview I’d done for Business Leader Quarterly. The founding of the Royal Bank of Luceres and the recent expansion of our casino enterprises into several new countries was the stuff of legend and warranted a huge center spread in the magazine. Amusing really, humans being unable to see more than what was right in front of their noses. My photo stared from the piece, all GQ to the public, but the slick surface hid a beast, ready to burst forth at a moment’s notice.

And that beast, bored and weary at the sameness of the days, needed a change. Where was the excitement? The new challenge? Having gathered all the riches the world had to offer didn’t fill the deep void of longing, growing stronger by the day, of wanting something more. Only to myself would I admit that my life was lacking, that surrounded by so many, I was lonely.

Maybe it was time to choose a mate? Even if she wasn’t the famed Forever Mate so valued by the pack, at least I would have company at night. Someone to share my victories with. No. I wanted the real thing. A true mate at my side, anointed as being the chosen one of destiny. I raised my head and closed my eyes, catching a sense of change on the wind. Something…was coming.

Thud.

My office door slammed wide open, causing a low growl of warning to escape my throat before I caught sight of the intruder who’d broken my concentration. Ah, Lucius. My identical twin. He’d come bearing dubious gifts, by the look of it.

Two frightened young women preceded my brother inside the penthouse offices of the Glitter Palace casino. They should be scared. Lucius might have been named for the light, but his heart was filled with darkness. 

 

Amazon link

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About the Author:

 

January Bain has wished on every falling star, every blown-out birthday candle, and every coin thrown in a fountain to be a storyteller. To share the tales of high adventure, mysteries, and full-blown thrillers she has dreamed of all her life. The story you now have in your hands is the compilation of a lot of things manifesting itself for this special series. Hundreds of hours spent researching the unusual and the mundane have come together to create books that features strong women who live life to the fullest, wild adventures full of twists and unforeseen turns, and hot complicated men who aren’t afraid to take risks. She can only hope her stories will capture your imagination.

If you are looking for January Bain, you can find her hard at work every morning without fail in her office with her furry baby, Ling Ling. And, of course, she’s married to the most romantic man! Who once famously remarked to her inquiry about buying fresh flowers for their home every week, “Give me one good reason why not?” Leaving her speechless and knocking her head against the proverbial wall for being so darn foolish. She loves flowers.
 

If you wish to connect in the virtual world she is easily found on Facebook. Oh, and she loves to talk books…

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GIVEAWAY

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. January Bain will be awarding a $30 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

 

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Secretly Mine by Colette Davison (Spotlight and excerpt) GBP ADULT title

Secretly Mine 

 Offbeat Shifters Book 1

ADULT title

by

Colette Davison

 

 

Publisher: Independently Published

Cover Artist: Colette Davison

Release Date: February 9, 2021

 Genre/s: Supernatural romance

Trope/s: shifters, mpreg setting but there isn’t pregnancy or childbirth in the books, age-gap, pop-stars, forbidden romance (bodyguard and client), hidden relationship

Themes: The price of fame, treatment of omegas in the pop industry 

Heat Rating:  3 flames

Length:  92 000 words

Book 1 could be read as standalone. 

Add on Goodreads 

 

 

 

I’m being paid to spend a month on tour with Jesse Steele, to keep him safe and protect his image. Simple.

Blurb

The first rule of being a bodyguard is never get involved with your client. It should have been easy to follow, but Jesse Steele is a beautiful, kind omega, who’s far more down to earth than a pop star has any right to be.

Someone discovering our tryst becomes the least of our worries when it becomes clear Jesse has a stalker.

Can I love Jesse and protect him, or will my emotions cloud my judgement and put him in danger?

Secretly Mine is an m/m paranormal romance with a protective tiger shifter, a sweet monkey shifter, lots of cuddles, secret kisses, and piggy back rides. Whilst it is set in an alternate universe where omegas give birth, there are no pregnancy or birth scenes in this book.

Trigger warning for mentions of infertility.



Excerpt

There was always a moment when I willed my body to shift that I regretted it. It was excruciating. For the few seconds it took for the transformation to take place, I saw nothing but white-hot fire. Felt nothing but searing heat as every molecule in my body rearranged itself. I heard nothing but my own pitiful sobs. Smelt nothing.

Then it was over, and I was considerably smaller and buried in a pile of my own clothes. The advantage of shifting to a smaller form was that I didn’t need to undress first. Unlike Isaac. He was still in his human form, staring down at me. I danced from foot to foot, impatiently chittering at him. I was desperate to climb up into the trees and swing from branch to branch.

“Turn around,” he said.

Rather than turning around, I put my tiny hands over my large eyes. I was good and didn’t peek as Isaac undressed, even though it was tempting. While he shifted, he didn’t sob, as I had done, but he did let out a wretched moan which morphed into a growl. Only then did I lower my hands. His tiger form was huge. He padded over and stared down at me. His incisors were easily as big as my head, and I realised that if he gave in completely to his animal side, he’d eat me up for breakfast. He turned his head to the side in a swift gesture, which I took as permission to go.

I scrambled up into the trees, my hands and feet deftly gripping the trunk. I paused and studied Isaac’s tiger form. Now that his teeth and claws were well away from me, it was easier to appreciate how stunning he was. He was long and sleek, with thick black stripes breaking up his rusty orange fur. He looked up at me, his pale green eyes searching mine. He had to be wondering why I’d stopped to stare at him. Did he know how beautiful he was?

I let out an excited screech and tore off through the foliage. My long tail provided balance as I scampered along branches and then leapt from one tree to the next. Isaac ran along beneath me—beautiful, powerful, and graceful. He easily kept pace with my aerial antics.

My tiny heart beat wildly, and I felt completely and utterly free. It was so much better than being stuck on the bus. But it had to come to an end.

We reached the edge of the wood. I clung on to a fine branch at the top of the final tree, staring at the farmhouse opposite. Far beneath me, Isaac let out a short, sharp chuff, drawing my attention to him. He gestured with his head again, telling me it was time to go back. I nodded to show that I’d understood and then leapt through the treetops, back the way we’d come, until I spied our clothes exactly where we’d left them.

I scurried down to mine. I shifted back and got dressed just before Isaac caught up with me. Given how easily he’d kept up before, I decided he’d let me get ahead this time so I could get into my clothes without having him as an audience. He sat on his haunches and gave me a look that might have meant he wanted to eat me for dinner. I gulped and backed away a little. I was nowhere near as fearless in my human form as when I was a monkey.

 

 

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link  |  Amazon US  |   Amazon UK 

 

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About the Author  

Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.  

Social Media Links

Blog/Website  |   Facebook Page   |  Facebook Group: Colette’s Cosy Corner

BookBub   |   Twitter    |   Goodreads  |  Instagram: @colettedavison

  Mailing List  |   Newsletter Sign-Up

 

 

 

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Giveaway 

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The Time Gatherer by Rachel Dacus (VBB, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

The Time Gatherer

by

Rachel Dacus

 

Coming of age as a time traveler isn’t easy. Young George St. James gets help from a magical medieval monk and a 23rd century geneticist. But they can’t keep him safe from a secret society dedicated to eliminating time travel. When love unexpectedly arrives in a distant century, George must use all his skill to thwart his foes while trying to save his beloved from their malice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

Her hand was limp in his, and her eyes had ceased to move under closed lids.

“Elisabetta?”

He couldn’t take a breath until she took one, but her breathing was shallow and slow. George finally inhaled, a lump in his throat. But he couldn’t allow the tears. Not yet. Not while she lived.

A single window above her bed let in a feeble shaft of light, but not much air. The stone walls oppressed him. This backward place. If only he could have transported his beloved to the airy apartment he lived in, four hundred years in the future. She could have recovered there. No one could get well in this backward century.

He had offered to take Elisabetta with him, knowing that she would die of this unknown disease. In his time, they might have been able to cure her, but she’d refused. He wouldn’t force this brilliant young painter to leave everything she’d ever known when that might ruin her and disturb history.

This was all his fault. If George hadn’t allowed his teenage passion for rock and roll to lead him to an even deeper passion for delving into history, he might not be sitting in this stone-walled room in the seventeenth century, keeping vigil at the bedside of the only woman he would ever love.

He could jump right now to the future and ask Dr. Zheng for another remedy, but since this one had gone so wrong, the next cure could be worse. And he couldn’t leave Elisabetta alone now.

Amazon link

 

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About the Author:

 

 

Rachel Dacus is the author of three novels touched with the supernatural, The Time Gatherer, The Renaissance Club and The Invisibles. Magical realism also runs through her four poetry collections: Arabesque, Gods of Water and Air, Femme au Chapeau, and Earth Lessons. Her writing has appeared in many journals, including Atlanta Review, Boulevard, Gargoyle, and Prairie Schooner, as well as the anthology Fire and Rain: Ecopoetry of California. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and a tiny but feisty Silky Terrier. She loves exploring the outdoors and raising funds for good causes. 

 

WEBSITE

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TWITTER

GOODREADS

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GIVEAWAY

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rachel Dacus will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

The tour dates can be found here

 

 

How to Improve Study Habits by Christine Reidhead (VNBtM, guest post, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

I'm delighted to share a guest post from VERY busy author Christine Reidhead, who provides great suggestions for...

Top Seven (7) Tips to Having A Successful Life

 

by

Christine Reidhead

 

Imagine yourself in the next five years. You probably don't wind up as a bum in your imagination. It most likely goes like this- you're living the most comfortable life you can think of, with people and things you love around you. Now, close your eyes again and imagine the steps you need to take to get there. Not as warm and cozy as the first imagination, right?

 

Nothing on earth is rocket science - including success. Grit and determination still work, and although it's not a walk in the park, it might not be as difficult as you think. These seven steps would show you why I believe so:

 

1. Be clear and precise on what you want to do

Different roads lead to success - that's for sure, but you can't take all the roads. Be clear and definitive with your passions and careers. What do you want to achieve? Having a goal in mind makes it possible and more comfortable to start taking actionable steps.

 

Bonus tip: Do something you love. The rest of your life is a long time to do something you find uninteresting, or even annoying.

 

2. Have a daily routine

Repetition is the art of mastery, and successful people have things they do to keep thriving. In a world of equal resources, equal chances and opportunities, someone who is consistent would most definitely outrun an unstable person.

 

3. Avoid time sponges

It's exactly how it sounds - things that literally suck your time. It's also quite noticeable spending time on things that won't contribute to your success is not advisable. What then is advisable? Identify the things that eat up your time and don't contribute to your career and either eradicate them or keep them in check.

 

4. See failures as stepping stones.

Undoubtedly, you must have seen experts in different fields before. Let's use an expert chef as an example. Ask him for a recipe, what to use and how to use them, and he would comfortably tell you what to do and what not to do because he has most likely made those mistakes in the past. Don't be tempted into feeling depressed because of failures - on the contrary, they make you smarter and savvier!

 

5. Find a mentor

You'd do yourself a solid by finding a mentor, that is, someone who is on the same path as you but has gone way ahead of you. A mentor would be of great help to you in terms of guidance, relevant information about your career and can even help you build your network. Remember the chef analogy? He also probably sounds so food-smart not because he made the mistakes himself, but because his mentor or teacher told him to avoid such mistakes. Don't start your journey without guidance.

 

6. Improve your character and relationship-building skills

Two people come to you for help: One is the rudest, most ill-mannered soul you've encountered, the other is pleasant and great to talk to. You'd most likely be more inclined to help the second person. It's always a good idea to build positive relationships because you can never tell when you'd need help and who could recommend you to whom. Also, we need human contact every now and then, for what is life if we have all the money in the world but are without human connections and love to share?

 

7. Be an action taker

Renaissance Genius, Leonardo da Vinci once said “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” This takes us back to how we started. You could stay at the spot where you are right now, still imagining where you'd be in the next five years, or, you could get working immediately. I implore you to do the latter. Go for it, and if you fail, you can only get better.

 

 

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How to Improve Study Habits

by 

Christine Reidhead

 

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GENRE:   Young Adult

 

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BLURB:

 

For students 13 through college graduation, Christine Reidhead's guide to building study skills is an extremely important book for those who want to secure their future through good grades.Too many students' grades are falling, especially in a time when regular classrooms cannot fully open. Parents everywhere are at a loss regarding what to do with their responsibilities in the face of the increasing downturn in their children's grades. It seems as though, with the advent of social media, the attention of a lot of students has been shifted from their books to their smartphones or computers. Apart from social media, blame has also been put on a decline in the interest of students regarding education in general. Students, at the moment, do not have the motivation or zeal, as it seems, to even study.

Good study habits, or skills, are solutions to the problems experienced by students. This has been true for a long time, but the world is changing rapidly, which also means that the tools employed during study have to be changed in order to keep up.

This is especially true as a result of the covid-19 pandemic that has forced students to study and learn from home rather than in the classroom. E-Learning, or online learning, can be effective, but only if the student has the discipline and drive to succeed using the tools and materials they are provided by teachers. Without strong study skills the student will fall behind in the classroom. Online the failure to develop good study skills can be devastating, leading to an inability to achieve the success in life the student could otherwise achieve.

This excellent guide walks students through skills and habits which a student, or a person, employs while studying in order to make the most out of the experience. The kind of skills employed by a person, whether good or bad, determines how successful they will be in the process of learning, and Reidhead shows how to understand study skills, discover what kind of learner you are, develop great study skills, avoid bad study habits, identify the best places to study, and how to keep up with Online Learning during the current ovid-19 pandemic. It also helps parents and students to identify when certain students are studying excessively, harming the effectiveness of their studying.

This is a must book for students who want good grades. Both a guide and a self-help book, it can help any student of any age, middle school through graduate school, succeed in their classes whether they are held in a classroom or online.

 

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EXCERPT:

 

The preceding chapter mentioned that some people are auditory learners. There are also visual learners, kinesthetic learners, and even learners that learn best by reading. The differences stem from the fact that we all experience the world differently. Thus, the different ways we receive, retain, and use information also differs.

 

Learning about the different types of learning methods is important because it helps educators know how to cater to the needs of every student in their class. It can also eliminate some students lagging behind simply because the mode of teaching in the class is not best for them.

 

As a student, finding the type of learning style best suited for you is essential because it helps you know what works for you and what doesn't. The process of self-realization will eliminate many problems and help you focus your attention on the actual skills needed to excel academically. For instance, if you are an auditory learner, you will prioritize listening in class by taking notes. During your study time, it would be wise as an auditory learner, to listen to recordings, if the recordings are available, instead of reading. If auditory tapes are not available you will still have to read.

 

Amazon link

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Christine Reidhead is a philanthropist, former basketball player, professor, writer, podcaster, and proud mother of two from Arizona. She is currently based in New Mexico, where she works and lives with her family. She is an avid educator who loves to encourage people to make a difference in their lives. She is the author of the book series Tips to Starting College. Her expansive portfolio as a podcast host is growing wider every month, as she discusses topics as diverse as leadership, sports, social change, education, tribal college movement and so much more. Podcast episodes are currently available on her website for people to enjoy. She is the author of GET THAT JOB! Ace Your Job Interview – Every Time! and How to Improve Study Habits.

 

Christine is passionate about international charity work, as well as helping people preserve their culture and share it with the world. She is the founder of AfrikRising, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing critical resources to African children who deal with poverty and starvation, not to mention a lack of educational opportunities and health risks. She also does a lot of work with Native American organizations and in Mexico. Currently, Christine is a board member of Habitat for Humanity supporting people in need abroad and close to home.

 

 

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Website (Tips to starting college)

Website (Author website)

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