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Showing posts from 2012

After the Rain is a good read with nice characters.

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Suzanne Paris is running away. Someone terrible is trying to find her. Suzanne is heading to Atlanta, when the bus stops at Walton, Georgia. Suzanne feels a strong pull towards this small town. Well it also does not hurt that the necklace that Suzanne’s mother gave her has the name R. Michael Jewelers, Walton inscribed on the back. Suzanne does not make the best first impression, especially on the mayor, Joe. After the Rain is the follow up to Falling Home. You do not have to read that book prior to reading this one. In fact, it has been a while since I read Falling Home that I did not realize in the beginning that this book was the follow up to Falling Home. One thing that I enjoy about Karen White’s books are her characters. Good or bad the characters do draw me into their world. When I say bad what I really mean is that the character may be a bad person but I still feel something towards them. Luckily for this book, there was not really any “bad” persons, other then the pers...

Judging a Book by Its Lover

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I picked up this book because the premise of it and the book cover got my attention. Also, I am always in the mood for a good laugh or two. Well I have to say that there were a few moments when I did laugh but not at much as I had hoped. I was looking for the kinds of laughs that would have me wanting to read the lines over again and almost have tears of laughter. This did not happen for me. This was a bummer. Just like with some of the readers, I bounced around in this book. However, I did pick up a few interesting tips from this book like for example for any non readers who are trying to sound smart and impress a true reader…Don’t mention that you are planning to pick up a copy of any of the latest top ten best sellers or a book that has recently been turned into a movie. Of course, if you were really smart of happened to pick up a copy of this book, then you could always flash forward to the chapter “How to Fake It”. It teaches you how to “fake” reading some of the classic aut...

To Evil Comes a Daughter

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Review by Nancy You don’t get the title until the ending but the getting TO the title – well, it’s one heck of a ride! Sam Munro is a British journalist for a high tech car magazine. He travels to Montana to get a look at one cherry 1970 Mustang Mach 1 belonging to Doug Bamber. Doug and Sam hit it off and Sam is invited to Doug’s BBQ the next evening. He checks into the Inn he’s staying at and immediately things start happening Mirrors with HELP ME written on them being one. At Doug’s Sam meets many locals including a couple named Alison and Dave. It doesn’t hit him until much later, because he’d not met them before;but they are the parents of the girl he was in love with in high school. He loved and lost her because he wasn’t strong enough/brave enough to stand up to the boy who hassled them. When he asks Doug how Jane is, he is devastated to hear she has been missing for over 6 years and presumed dead. Suddenly the Mustang article is on the backburner and miscues, in...

Vanity Fare is a good beach or book club read with the ladies.

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Molly Hagan must get her feet wet and enter the working class world again. Her husband has left her and their son, Aidan for a younger woman. This means that Molly must find a way to support her and Aidan and pay for insurance. Molly’s friend, John offers Molly a job opportunity being a copy writing for a new bakery. The chef is Simon, who is one of the most in demand and hottest chefs around. Besides working with Simon, Molly will be working with Nick. This would not be a problem if Nick was not such a bore. I enjoyed this book a lot more then I thought I would. Molly and her son, Aidan were good. I am glad that Molly ended up with the right guy. I was rooting for Nick way before Molly realized that he was the one for her. I knew exactly why he was acting aloof when it came to Molly and Simon. There were some funny moments. Like the ones between Molly and her psychologist. It was the lists that Molly would write up to give to Dr. Lowell during their sessions together. Lists lik...

A Gift from Tiffany's

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Ethan and his daughter, Daisy are in New York. They are on a very special mission. To pick up the perfect engagement ring for Vanessa. Ethan and Vanessa have been dating for a while. Ethan is happy that Daisy agrees, especially after Daisy’s mother passed away. Ethan and Daisy are leaving Tiffany’s when they spot a man who has been run over by a taxi. Gary and his girlfriend, Rachel are also in New York. Rachel expects soon for Gary to propose to her. Only she has no clue that Gary has no plans to settle down. Also, Gary is a real tight-wad about money. In fact he goes to Tiffany and picks up a charm bracelet for Rachel for Christmas. One a charm bracelet shows that he is not serious and two it is one of the cheapest items in Tiffany’s. Gary is the one that is run over. It is during this time that Ethan and Gary’s bags get mixed up. As you can imagine craziness ensures. A Gift from  However, I could not really get into the two main couples that were featured. This is becaus...

Illegally Iced is worth the read.

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Suzanne Hart is the owner of Donut Hearts. Suzanne is minding her own business when she hears a woman scream. She quickly discovers the cause of the scream. It is because James Settle has been murdered. The prime suspect is none other than Suzanne. Earlier Suzanne and James had a dispute. James was going to put on a demonstration in the park and the smoke from his stove was blowing into Suzanne’s donut shop. Suzanne knows that the only person who can clear her name is herself. Well with some help from her friend and fellow crime solving partner, Grace. This is my first introduction to Suzanne and any of the Donut Shop Mystery books. I have to say that this was a good first date with Jessica Beck. I like Suzanne and Grace. They make a great team together. Grace is more of the outgoing one but Suzanne brings entertainment to the pair. The town of April Springs is a place that I would like to be at if it was a real place. Most of the people are nice. In addition, it is nice to b...

The Scholar of Moab

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Review by Nancy If you’re looking for a book full of conundrums, you’ll find in The Scholar of Moab by Steven L Peck. Through “letters” and “diaries” and conversations with the characters, Peck creates the world of Hyrum Thayne and his circle of friends. The setting is Moab, Utah, a beautiful part of the world if you haven’t been there and a bit of a town of revolution if you have. Hyrum isn’t a scholar buy any means but sure would like to be. If we read his diaries that is the one thing that shines thorugh – Hyrum is working hard at scholarly things. He “borrows” books form the local library. Oh, he does bring them back – eventually. But since they leave under his coat most of the time they aren’t really missed. Then there is Dora Daphne Tanner, possibly Hyrum’s lover (which would make him the father of her baby – which she lost in the brush {maybe}). His friends the conjoined Babcock twins witnessed the birth and rode looking for the mother and child when Dora took...

The Girl in the Wall

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It is Ariel’s birthday party or I should say birthday bash. The bash is going to be huge with guest singer, Hudson Winter. Ariel used to be Sera’s best friend until she turned the whole school against Sera. Sera’s father convinces Sera to attend Ariel’s bash. All of the partygoers get a big surprise when a group of mercenaries take over the house and hold Sera and her classmates’ hostiles. Ariel goes into hiding in the hidden stairwell. The mercenaries demand Ariel or they will shoot everyone until she appears. The only person that knows where Ariel is hiding is Sera. Will Sera give up Ariel? Daphne Benedis-Grab is a new to me author. So I did not know what she brought to the table in regards to young adult books. Well after reading The Girl in the Wall , I would say that Daphne brings action, relatable characters, and an author that I want to read again. While there was no mystery as to who was behind the crime, there was plenty of action. To keep my interest and the hype high...

Tempestuous

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Miranda has been exiled to get a job. As if things could not be bad enough, the only jobs left at the mall was working in the food court. Miranda has a uniform that includes a hat with a spinning hot dog. Luckily, Miranda’s co-worker, Ariel is cool. However Miranda blames her ex-boyfriend, Brian and his new girlfriend, Rachel for her predicament. Fortunately for Miranda she only has a few hours until her shift is over. As Miranda’s bad luck would have it a storm blows in and traps her and her enemies in the mall. Now it is a battle of epic proportions between Miranda on one side and Rachel on the other side. Oh and did I forget to mention that Miranda will have to battle while being handcuffed to Caleb, a possible love interest of Miranda’s. To be honest, I was not familiar with the story of The Tempest. I had to read up on the story. Having once done that, I thought this book was a nice modern day twist on William’s story. I think that the teen audience will enjoy this book. ...

City of Screams

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Review by Nancy If you’re a James Rollins fan like I am, I jumped at the change to review an exclusive short story called City of Screams. Things are happening right and left in the 60 pages that comprise this introduction to the full-length novel, Blood Gospel which you’ve got to find! Jordan Stone hears the screams coming from a small town in Afghanistan. He sees the girl lying terrified on the bed in the hut. He also sees her taken away by creatures that speak a language so old that virtually no one can translate it. What happens to Jordan and his crew and to the people in the succeeding chapters is what makes Rollins one of my favorite authors – you just never know what will happen. Just when you’ve got it all figured out nice and cozy he throws in something that really rocks you. Do yourself a huge favor – go get Blood Gospel, keep the lights on and cuddle up with an afghan to protect you and read this one!

Rage Against the Dying Light

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Review by Nancy There are many songs and tales of Boudicca – the warrior queen who led thousands against the Roman troups set on claiming her homeland. Many depict her as a tattooed Pict, running naked, blood flying carrying a sword. She conquered Londimium (London) and sent the Romans living there into the sea. There was no mercy. This book shows us another Boudicca. A young princess waiting to dance the Maiden’s Dance, a girl possibly loving another but submitting to her father’s choice to strenghten her tribe. A mother bravely protecting her daughters until the day she couldn’t. For a first novel the research done is astounding. Ms. Surasky has done a creditable job of showing us life in 1st Century Briton, the tribal divisions, the food, the cultures and also those in Rome. Why Claudius felt it necessary to travel to Briton is unknown but, as we all know, he wasn’t the calmest person in history. A great gift for your favorite historian or romance lover this i...

The Lost Prince

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Ethan Chase is the brother of Megan, the Iron Queen. Ethan has the ability to see fey. However, he would rather not have this ability. He hates the hate, especially since they just remind him of his sister, Megan who is gone now. Try as much as Ethan might, he just can not avoid them. Not when his new best friend ends up being part fey. After Todd is kidnapped, Ethan and Kenzie turn to the last person Ethan wanted to see for help, Megan. I had an enjoyable time reading this book. I fell in love with the Iron Fey series and Ethan’s sister, Megan. So it was great to reconnect with all of the past characters and see Ethan all grown up in this book. I kind of wondered what had happened to him after he was rescued. I could instantly relate to Ethan and his feelings toward everything fey. The fey are what took Ethan and his sister, Megan away from him. Wow, Megan has also really matured. She is taking the role of Queen seriously. While still on the fence about the starting romantic ...

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories Volume 2 is a fun collection of short stories.

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The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories Volume 2  is a fun collection of short stories. Some of the stories are quirky, which I liked. The illustrations that went with the stories were great. I almost could tell what some of the story were about by just by looking at the pictures. I did not need the words to go with them. In addition, I like the idea of how this collection of stories came about. I checked out Joseph’s website, HitRecord and it is a very cool site. Everyone should check the site out. There are stories in this book for everyone. Some of my favorites are: One day she looked Up and discovered an Opening in her planet, She wondered if she Wasn’t alone after all. ----------------------------- I just need some time away To remember why I stay. ------------------------- After you died I realized that I never really liked hunting. I just liked hanging out with you. After reading this collection of stories, I am inspired enough that I just migh...

Tempest

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Jackson Meyer may seem like your ordinary nineteen year old going to school, hanging out with his friends, and his girlfriend, Holly but Jackson is not ordinary. Jackson has a special ability. He can jump back in time. This is a good thing because one night Jackson and Holly while hanging out in her dorm room are interrupted by several men. The men want Jackson. There is a struggle and Holly is shot. Jackson in a rush of panic jumps back in time two years. Jackson has a second chance to save Holly but he better watch his back he is being hunted. Tempest is the first book from new author, Julie Cross. It is also the first book in the Tempest series. When I read the concept for this book, I got excited. Instantly, I thought of the movie, Jumper. I knew I needed to check this book out right away. Well sadly, the book was just alright. The romance between Jackson and Holly was so, so. It felt like Jackson had to really work at making Holly like him in the beginning. Then with all of...

Political Suicide

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Dr. Lou Welcome receives a phone call from a friend, Dr. Gary McHugh. Dr. McHugh tells Dr. Lou that he urgently needs his help. He needs to come to his house before the police arrive. Lou arrives to learn that Gary is the prime suspect in the murder of Congressman Elias Colston. To make matters worse, Gary can not remember a thing. He was found unconscious in his car. Thus the reason for Lou’s help. Gary knows that Lou will get to the truth. I must admit that it has been a long time since I have picked up another one of Mr. Palmer’s books to read. My first introduction to this author was The Fifth Vial. From this book, I knew Mr. Palmer was an author to watch out for. Thus my reason for wanting to read another one of his books. Political Suicide features the return of Dr. Lou Welcome from Oath of Office. This book can be read as a stand alone novel. I liked this book. It had a good steady pace to it. The flow of the story kept moving which is always a great thing. Dr. Lou is a s...

For the Love of a Goblin Warrior

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Review by Nancy You see some very strange things when you work in an Emergency Room, but Nadine was NOT planning on a hunk with grey all over him who spoke Latin for Heaven’s sake! There was a good reason for the grey as it turns out, is because the hunk just arrived back in the ”Fixed Realm” from the Shadowlands where he had been for the last several Milleniums. When he was last on Earth, the Romans were running around with swords. And his whole family was butchered. Meryn was afraid. He, the General of the Goblin King’s armies was terrified. No one could speak to him and he really couldn’t understand them either. His cousin, Dai had brought him over to live in the Now, but he didn’t trust Dai as he had been a slave so Meryn took off. He also took off from the hospital. Nadine and Meryn meet again and try to communicate. Meryn is a quick learner of languages but is having a hard time transitioning to cars, phones, beds with sheets and all the stuff we take for granted. F...

The Fart That Saved Christmas

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Review by Nancy I had to request this title. I mean, wouldn’t you have? Unfortunately the title is possibly the best part of this story. The illustrations were amusing but the text was not. Although I must say that is only my opinion. You should probably check it out yourself. The Fart That Saved Christmas Book Summary: The behind the scenes story of what really happened "The Night Before Christmas." It's Christmas Eve. The reindeer go on strike with a list of demands for Santa, the elves and Mrs. Claus. Santa gets "loaded" and threatens to cancel Christmas, fire the deer and divorce Mrs. Claus. But, just when all seems lost, Christmas is saved by a timely fart. Jacob Morningside's Bio: Born into a body inhabited by multiple muse personalities, I create stories by stretching the "normal" beyond the boundaries of the absurd. The result is a worm-hole ride to the Far Side. I love a good story — so, I wrote one. Enjoy it with ...

Targets of Deception

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Review by Nancy Jordan Sandor is an ex-spy basically. Worked for the CIA and made a lot of enemies while doing so. One of his few friends was Dan Peters who knew all about Jordan’s past but liked him any. Theirs was a mutual respect and it led to Jordan agreeing to see a man Dan had come across who had a story to tell to someone who would know what the information was worth. But before they could meet up with the guy, they met up with some folks they could have done without. Especially Dan who is fatally injured when they stop assist a downed officer. The guy had a sister who can’t keep herself out of trouble and who doesn’t want out of whatever happened to him. She attaches herself to Jordan with the intent of “helping”. She travels with him to Paris, Italy and points oceanward until Jordan gets a call from another old friend who tells him something he really didn’t need to hear: the guy didn’t have a sister. A fast-moving great read which is the beginning of the Jordan...

FOREVER ROMANCE E-BOOK SPECIAL PRICING FOR DECEMBER

EBOOK SPECIALS FROM FOREVER ROMANCE IN DECEMBER! Beginning December 3rd IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, Lisa Dale ($2.99/Dec 3-Dec 17)--Lana Biel plans to leave Vermont to see the world until a lighthearted spring fling leads to pregnancy and changes her life forever. She turns to the one man whose shoulders can lighten any burden: her best friend, Eli Ward. Eli has always been there for Lana. But Eli is keeping secrets of his own that threaten their relationship. As summer turns to fall, new desires awaken between them, even as old fears tear them apart. DARK AWAKENING, Dark Dynasties, Book 1, Kendra Leigh Castle ($2.99/Dec 3-Jan 17)--This tale of the ancient vampire dynasties that rule the night, tells the story of Tynan MacGillivrary, who gets more than he bargained for when his new target, a human woman whose rare abilities make her the only hope for saving the greatest of the dynasties, turns out to be far more than she seems. HOW SWEET IT IS, Sophie Gunn ($2.99/Dec 3-Dec 31)--Liz...

E-books and Print Books Can Coexist

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Article courtesy of Teaching Degree If you can remember the day you first learned to read, you probably recall that profound sense of accomplishment that came from sounding out the words in your favorite storybooks. But whether you’re 15 or 50, you know that books as we know them have changed a lot since you first cracked open your beloved pieces of childhood literature. Ever since the first spurt of popularity in the now widespread e-readers, experts and speculators from all sides have been pondering the question, "will e-readers destroy books as we know them?" Despite the entertaining back and forth on this question, the state of the topic right now seems to suggest that, to the surprise of some, books and e-readers won’t edge one another out of the literary arena: They’ll merely coexist. There’s plenty to love about the weight and feel of a physical book in your hands, just as there is something delightful about the convenience and portability of an e-reader. But for boo...

THE LINCOLN CONSPIRACY

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  Review by Nancy Did John Wilkes Booth act alone? Who was really behind Lincoln’s assassination? What about Mary Lincoln’s supposed “madness”? These questions and more are what set Temple McFadden and friends on what may well be a life-ending quest for some of them. The Lincoln Conspiracy is a very well-researched book that throws up a few theories to make us think in a year when there seems to be a much-renewed interest in Abraham Lincoln and his life. In this novel he doesn’t really appear as this is after the assassination. Temple, a police detective, acquires two small books: One is Mary Lincoln’s diary and one is mostly in code. Mrs. Lincoln’s diary is interesting and reveals more about her husband than was previously known. The other book? Well, that’s the one that is causing Temple all his problems. Temple’s friends and his wife decide to act. Fiona is to return the personal diary to Mrs. Lincoln. Temple, his friend Augustus (a freed slave) and more work to dec...

This book should be called Scorching Heat and not Slow Heat! It is that hot and good.

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Micah Jones works for KFA, a bounty hunting service. Micah’s latest target is Maggie O’Malley. Maggie just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is a book keeper for her Uncle. Unfortunately for Maggie her Uncle is conducting some shady business. Maggie decides to hire Micah to clear her name. Slow Heat is the latest book in the Bounty Hunters series. I am enjoying this series. Besides, what is not to love about this series…romance, strong male and female leads, and a good storyline. Of course, I must admit that for me it is all about the guys. The guys can track me down anytime. I really liked Micah. He was the bad boy that did reform and turn into the good guy in the end. While, it was easy to see the chemistry between Micah and Maggie, it still took me a little while to see them together as a couple. However, it did not take but the first love making scene for me to quickly see that Micah and Maggie were good together. This book should be called Scorching He...

The Bubble Gum Thief

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A kid is maintaining his parents shop when a man comes in. The kid goes into the back store room for more supplies and when he comes out the man is gone. All that is left is a call with a piece of gum stuck on the back. The card reads “This is my first crime. My next will be bigger”. All the guy stole was a pack of gum. Only as time pass the crimes do get bigger and with each crime, the same card is left counting down the crime number. “This is my XXX crime. My next will be bigger”. Special Agent Dagny Gray is on the case. However when things take a turn for the worse, things get personal for Dagny. So when I first read the premise of the premise of this book, I was very intrigued to read this book. Unfortunately for me this book did not hit the spot. Not to say that I did not like it. I just wanted the story line to move faster. In addition, I expected as the crimes got bigger that more focus would be on the killer and the crimes but the crimes were described as more of a pas...

Wanting Sex Again

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This book is not something that I would typically pick up to read as one of my first choices but I thought I would give it a look. I am intrigued on learning on how to help improve myself and my relationship all the time. Not to say that I have a bad relationship with my husband but there is always room for improvement. Besides, I think of these types of books as not only self help books but as my own private sessions with psychologist without the huge doctor bill and appointment waiting time. I found this book well written. It was insightful and had helpful tips. It was written in a way that the “regular” person could understand without feeling stupid trying to figure out the meanings. What I liked about this book as the examples or the couples featured in this book and the different situations were very relatable. At the end of the chapters is a “Help Yourself” section. It lists a few questions for discussion or just to thin about for yourself. Another thing nice about this b...

A Seal at Heart

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Review by Nancy Somehow, it was all his fault. His best friend, his swim buddy Don, dead. He got them out. Alive or not because you never leave anyone behind. He has a heck of a scar on the back of his head to prove he was injured. So why can’t he remember what happened? His life as a SEAL depends on his remembering. Hell, his LIFE depends on it! After playing psycho babble for a few days, Jack decides to try something different. He’d met a lovely lady at a party – a physical therapist – maybe she can help him remember. Or somethin’. …Laurie on the other hand is dedicated to her profession and one rule she has held to her whole life. Do NOT date a Navy Seal. Her dad was one and she saw how he ended up. So, nope. As it turns out, Laurie is able to help with massage, acupressure, etc. Which is good because they are so drawn to each other it’s ridiculous. Jack’s memory is returning bit by bit but there is a real question to be answered – does everyone involved in the Op want i...

Shadow Eyes

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Review by Nancy Something happened when Iris was fourteen. Something bad, apparently, because since her fourteenth birthday, Iris has been able to see shadows. Not the sun’s going down and you’re casting a shadow type – the scary, mind-numbing type that cause depression, hatred and life changing events. She’s never told her best friends about it but they know she doesn’t do crowds any more and absolutely hates to go places like the Mall. Lexi and Nicole are always supportive, as Iris is to them but things begin to change when Iris gets her first boyfriend and the schematics of her life evolve. Also evolving is her English teacher who is new to the school this year and is a handsome man who seems to understand everything. Could he possibly? This first-person YA novel was a quick one to read but had a lot of thought-provoking ideas as well. Could people’s actions be caused by shadows from places below us? Could they be trying to take control? How do we stop them? What can one 17...

Sourcebooks 25 Days of Christmas

Sourcebooks is feeling the spirit of the holiday season and we want to share it with you! We’re running our biggest promotion yet: daily discounts on our most popular ebooks, starting December 1 and lasting through December 25! When you sign up, you’ll be notified every morning of which book is going on sale that day. And, when you sign up to receive our daily email notifications, you’ll automatically be entered to win two ereaders: one for you, and one for a friend or family member. In addition, we’ll also be giving away more fun prizes every single week, from candy, to gift baskets, to books. Sign up today! You’ll be able to see the featured books once you’ve signed up. Double your chances: Each time one of your friends sign up, it doubles your chances of winning, so make sure to forward your emails to all of your nearest and dearest, encouraging them to sign up, too! Sign up today for the Sourcebooks Christmas eBook Spectacular on our ebook promo page ( http://books.sourceboo...

Kiss of Surrender

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Review by Nancy When Trond woke up on his skins in 850, he had no clue that he would still be with us now. He had no clue. Period. He was lazy, uncaring and expected all to work out nicely without much input from him. Then he met Mike (aka St Michael, the Archangel) who informed him things had changed – a lot. Oh, he was still a Viking but now he was a Viking Vampire angel working for the Lord. He and his brothers who were all guilty of various sins. Thus begins the second book in a whole new series from Avon called The Deadly Angels and if the first installment is what the rest are like, I’m hooked! Trond in our time is a Navy Seal. After the baddest of the bad, some of whom are inspired to bad deads by Lucifer and his crew. His main nemesis (aside from the Lucifer dudes) is named Nicole Tasso – a woman WEAL (girl SEAL) who distrusted him on sight and has filed many complaints with her commanding officer about him. She knows there’s something “off” but try as she might she ...

Ask Her at Christmas is an ideal stocking stocker for the holidays. It will keep you warm.

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Caitlin McIntyre can not believe her eyes or her ears. Her best friend, Kyle Lockhart has just proposed to her. Too bad, it is not for real. Kyle is practicing on Caitlin for when he proposes to his girlfriend, Monica. Caitlin will have to try really hard to put on a happy face. Especially since she has been asked to help Kyle plan the perfect proposal. Will Caitlin speak up before it is too late? Ask Her at Christmas by Christi Barth is part of an anthology titled, Romancing the Holiday. Although this story can be read separately. I am not usually a fan of holiday stories but I thought this book was a good one. It had the feel of a good Christmas story. Also, I felt the chemistry between Caitlin and Kyle. However, I do have to say that Kyle was just like a typical guy and dense in the head. It took him a long time to figure out that Caitlin was the right woman for him. Luckily he did discover it just in the nick of time. How Kyle was able to last with Monica for as long as he did...

I do promise that City of Dark Magic is a book that will stick in your mind for a while after you have finished reading it.

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Sarah Weston is studying neuromusicology at Thoreau College. She receives a job offer to work at Lobkowicz Palace in Prague located in the Czach Republic. Sarah would be involved in the music of Beethoven. This is a chance that Sarah can not pass up. Once Sarah arrives, she learns that there is more to the Lobkowicz Palace then meets the eye. There is mystery and a murder to be discovered. I have to admit that this book was not boring. In fact, I am still pondering my thoughts on this book. Just because this book to be is part fantasy/part mystery. I liked the mystery part but the fantasy is not to be taken seriously but more a tongue in cheek type of humor. There are many eccentric characters. However the main person, Sarah, I found to be the least most interesting. I found myself leaning more towards the eccentric characters better. Not to say that at times, their antics get to be way over the top and I would grow tried of this as well. Another thing about this book is the pa...

Slow Heat

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Review by Nancy Micah Jones was the perfect new hire for King Fugitive Apprehension. Almost. There was the one small fact that he was a highly paid assassin on the fun from the FBI. There was the other small fact that he could make shots nobody else would even try, much less succeed at. Micah Jones was Micah Mulligan of “Mulligan’s Stew” assassin squad. When KFA is hired to find the missing ledger from Club Paradise it all gets much more chaotic. They know the place is laundering money but they don’t know how. What about the bookkeeper? Maybe she knows something. Maggie O’Malley is a true Irish maid. Stubborn as she is beautiful and loudly proclaiming her innocence to anyone who’ll listen. She must be innocent. People are now trying to kill her! Maggie’s crazy family and Micah’s crazy dad and uncle versus the world. But there may be enemies in the ranks. It makes for a humorous tale of guns, kisses and romance. You’ll love it for the holidays!

Lullaby is a splashing, good time of a read!

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After being cursed by Penn, Lexi, and Thea, Gemma runs off with the three girls. As if Gemma really has a choice. If she didn’t leave then her sister, Harper and her boyfriend Alex would be harmed. Harper will not give up her sister that easy. She, Alex and Daniel are not afraid. They will fight to the bitter end. Harper better hurry as time is time is running out. I have not had the pleasure of reading Wake the prior book to Lullaby. However, I was able to quickly piece together what happened in the prior book to Gemma. I could feel Gemma’s struggle as she tried to learn how to cope to her new life as a mermaid/siren. I liked seeing the change from the two different forms that Gemma and the rest of the girls took. Usually in books, the characters are either one or the other. Harper really cared for Gemma and was willing to do anything to get her back. For this fact, I was cheering her on to succeed. However I thought that Daniel was a bit pushy. So for this fact, I was no...

The Nutcracker is a book to treasure with the whole family.

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The Nutcracker is a book to treasure with the whole family. If you are wanting to start a new tradition or continue an old one then you should make sure that The Nutcracker is one of those traditions. This is a classic book. With a great story and breathtaking illustrations. I definitely was cheering for the nutcracker. He was the silent hero and good guy that won. In this book the mouse king and his army were scary. This was with help from the illustrations. I have not had the pleasure of seeing a live performance of the nutcracker by the ballet but from what I have heard it is wonderful. I can see how the ballet could put a production of this story into a live performance. As again it was due to both the author and the illustrator. What I also enjoyed about this book was reading about the story of how the nutcracker became who he was and the battle that he and Marie fought against the mouse king.

Chilled is way better

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Alex Kinton is a formal marshal. He has joined a search and rescue (SAR) team under the pretense of helping them check for any possible survivals in an airplane crash. Alex has other plans of his own. The airplane was a federal plane and it was transporting a dangerous serial killer. A man that Alex has obsessed about and lost his job over. Brynn Nealey is a medical examiner and a team member of SAR. In the beginning, Brynn can not stand Alex but the more time that she spends with him, the more he grows on her. Chilled is the second of the Bone Secrets novels. The first is Hidden. I did read Hidden but I have to say that by far Chilled is way better. I connected with the character more and the story line was more interesting. However, just like the first book, the romance does leave a lot to be desired. It is like the author wants the books to be romantic suspense books but she does not go all the way with the romance. She just teases some with the romantic build up with little ...

Let's Give Thanks

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1. Fact or Fiction: Thanksgiving is held on the final Thursday of November each year. Fiction. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving. However, in 1939, after a request from the National Retail Dry Goods Association, President Franklin Roosevelt decreed that the holiday should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month (and never the occasional fifth, as occurred in 1939) in order to extend the holiday shopping season by a week. The decision sparked great controversy, and was still unresolved two years later, when the House of Representatives passed a resolution making the last Thursday in November a legal national holiday. The Senate amended the resolution, setting the date as the fourth Thursday, and the House eventually agreed. 2. Fact or Fiction: One of America's Founding Fathers thought the turkey should be the national bird of the United States. Fact. In a letter to his daughter sen...

Whip Smart

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Eliza Gilbert finds herself in a loveless marriage. To make matters worse, her husband has filed for divorce. The divorce will be the ruin of Eliza. She wants to be an upstanding lady and a famous actress. Thus she enrolls in Miss Fanny Kelly’s school. It is here that Eliza meets Mr. Hernandez. Hernandez is Eliza’s dance teacher. He offers Eliza a chance to escape her life and her upcoming divorce trial. She is to meet with someone in France and then travel to Spain. Hernandez’s acquaintance is named Juan de Grimaldi. Eliza decides to take Hernandez up on his offer for a chance to get away and then come back and take London be storm with her new found independence and skills. Eliza leaves London as just a girl but she returns as a new woman with a new name of Lola Montez. I had never heard of Lola Montez until I read this book. I had to look her up and get familiar with her story. Of course, I thought that author; Kit did a good job of portraying Lola’s story. This book was...

Mystic City is a magical, fun read.

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Aria Rose should be happy. She is engaged to Thomas Foster. With Aria’s engagement to Thomas, this means that the two feuding families will become one. Just like Romeo and Juliet. It seems that Aria is the only one that is unhappy. Everyone else around her tells her how much Aria and Thomas are good together but Aria has no memories or her and Thomas. This is because Aria’s memories are gone. nter has a secret. He is a mystic. He also helps the key to helping Aria piece her memories back together. But can she trust him? Mystic City is book one in the Mystic City series. I am not usually drawn to book covers but I have to admit that the cover for this book was eye catching. This is the point. This book is way better then I expected it to be. For me this book was not so much about the magical powers that Hunter had as a mystic but it was more about the great storytelling abilities that Mr. Lawrence has. The world that he built for this series is a good one. It was like I was th...

The Girl on the Cliff

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Review by Nancy Girl running from disaster meets girl standing on the edge of a cliff. A match made in heaven! Their families have been linked one way or the other for centuries and all it take is one look at Aurora Lisle for Grania Ryan to decide she’s met the child she was meant to have. The coast of Ireland has many tales and this is one of the better ones. Families intertwined. Centuries of history to discover and a young man back in New York whose soul mate has left him to return home to Ireland. The characters in this book are so well written that you could be sitting in the drawing room watching it all happen. Aurora’s father could well be a vampire or a ghost and her dead mother calls to her at night. The fact that Aurora watched her mother jump from the cliff may have something to do with that! The plot evolves in ways I could not have imagined and this novel from the author of The Orchid House does nothing wrong. As a suspense novel it’s great and, as a love st...

The Patriot Paradox

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Review by Nancy The last thing Kurt Vetter expected to hear was that Mike was dead. Since he was on a vacation trying to recover from the death of his wife and daughter this was not good news. His older brother, the one who “played by the rules”, worked in Washington and the one Kurt had always looked up to – gone. Stranger than that was the manner of death, run down? In the ‘burbs? Not likely. The more Kurt pokes the worse things get until, with very secret documents that had been mailed to him minutes before Mike’s death in his possession; he travels to England to the one person Mike thought could help. Paranoid secret agents, a plot to end it all for one messed up country. What had Mike been killed for and why are people trying to kill Kurt for Heaven’s sake. The one person who might be able to help, Amanda Carter is polite but more secretive than Mike had ever been. Can Kurt trust her or is she in on the whole thing? I reviewed William Esmont’s first book, Fire: Elements ...