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Showing posts from November, 2014

Before We Fall

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Sometimes, one dark moment is all it takes to turn your world black... For 24-year old Dominic Kinkaide, that moment took place on the night of his high school graduation. One dark incident changed him forever. He's a hardened actor now, famous in the eyes of the world, but tortured in his own. He doesn't care about much of anything, except for losing himself in the roles that he plays. 23-year old Jacey Vincent doesn't realize how much her father's indifference has affected her. She is proof that sometimes it isn't one specific moment that wrecks a person, but rather it's an absence of moments. She's like a bird with a broken wing-strong yet fragile, as she tries to float through life, finding acceptance in the arms of random guys, one after the other... to fill the void that her father left in her. Until she meets Dominic. After jaded Dominic and strong-willed Jacey are thrown together, his secret and her issues create a dark and damaged energy that w...

The Pocket Wife

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An amazing talent makes her debut with this stylish psychological thriller—with the compelling intrigue of The Silent Wife and Turn of Mind and the white-knuckle pacing of Before I Go to Sleep —in which a woman suffering from bipolar disorder cannot remember if she murdered her friend during a breakdown. Dana Catrell is horrified to learn she was the last person to see her neighbor Celia alive. Suffering from a devastating mania, a result of her bipolar disorder, Dana finds that there are troubling holes in her memory, including what happened on the afternoon of Celia's death. As evidence starts to point in her direction, Dana struggles to clear her name before her own demons win out. Is murder on her mind - or is it all in her head? The closer she comes to piecing together shards of her broken memory, the more Dana falls apart. Is there a murderer lurking inside her . . . or is there one out there in the shadows of reality, waiting to strike again? A story of marriage, murder a...

ACCUMULATION BOOK SPOTLIGHT + Giveaway

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div style="text-align: center;"> Title:   Accumulation Author:  G.Nykanen Genre: horror/zombie Publish Date:    November 28, 2014 Publisher: G.Nykanen ~ Book Synopsis ~ "…Frosty The Snowman was a jolly happy soul…" unless his once mortal form was infected with an unknown pathogen that’s turned him into a biting machine.Then Frosty doesn't get a corncob pipe and a button nose…he gets two in the head. Seeking a safe haven from the impending danger of the infected, Governor Steve Landis commandeers a rural peninsula at the top of his state to enact a grandiose plan outlined in the survival guide passed down to him by his great uncle. People of the Bay Peninsula latch onto the ideals of their trusted official, desperate for sanctuary. But not Terry Riley. This hardened conspiracy theorist had packed up and fled to the north woods to join his son, who, like him does not t...

A BRIDE FOR THE SEASON Spotlight+ Giveaway

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About A BRIDE FOR THE SEASON London's most scandalous bachelor has finally gone too far. Caught in a situation that was innocent but too compromising, James Simpson is forced to admit that he must do the honorable thing and marry the lady. Unfortunately, marriage alone will not be enough to appease her father. He won't agree to a dowry unless James can find a suitable husband for the lady's elder sister-the shy and awkward Lucinda Cardington. Lucinda doesn't care that she is close to being "on the shelf"; she has more serious pursuits in mind. She enjoys the friendship she and James share over their love of photography, but she leaves dreams of romance to silly young ladies like her sister. James does manage to find a match for Lucinda, and his efforts to get them together are about to succeed...until James comes to the distressing realization that he doesn't want Lucinda in anyone's arms but his own. About Jennifer Delamere The youn...

Waking Up Joy

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Behind every lost dream lies a second chance… When adored town spinster Joy Talley ends up in a coma after a peculiar accident, she is surprised and incensed to hear what is being said in her hospital room, including plans for her funeral. When she finally wakes, her well-meaning, but bossy, brothers and sisters dismiss her claims, thinking her accident has knocked her off her rocker, but Joy has never felt better, and is determined to set the past right. Now Joy must face her darkest secret and risk reopening wounds caused by an old flame who rejected her more than twenty years ago. But taking risks brings change, as well as a new, younger man into Joy’s life, making her feel like a teenager again. Suddenly Joy’s once humdrum life is anything but boring and routine and the future beckons, exhilarating and bright. My Review I had stepped away from reading romance or contemporary stories for a bit. Yet, this book sounded good so I took a chance. So glad I did. I not only had a...

The Job

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He’s a charming con man and she’s a dedicated FBI agent, and they’re about to drive each other crazy . . . again! The FBI had one demand when they secretly teamed up Special Agent Kate O’Hare with charming con man Nicolas Fox—bring down the world’s most-wanted and untouchable felons. This time it’s the brutal leader of a global drug-smuggling empire. The FBI doesn’t know what their target looks like, where he is, or how to find him, but Nick Fox has a few tricks up his sleeve to roust this particular Knipschildt chocolate–loving drug lord. From the streets of Nashville to the back alleys of Lisbon, from the rooftops of Istanbul to the middle of the Thames, Nick and Kate chase their mark. When they find themselves pitted against a psychopathic bodyguard and a Portuguese enforcer who gets advice from a pickled head, they decide it’s time to enlist some special talent—talent like a machete-wielding Somali pirate, a self-absorbed actor, an Oscar-winning special effects artist, and Ka...

The Genome

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"The Genome" is a new science fiction thriller by the author of the bestselling Night Watch series.In the far-future world of Alexander Romanov, humankind is divided into "naturals" and "speshes"--those who have been genetically modified to serve a specific purpose. Alex is a master pilot capable of maneuvering the dangerous realm of space by communicating directly with his ship. He is about to take on the most mysterious and challenging mission of his life when he happens upon Kim, a teenage girl with a desperate secret. Out of a sense of friendship, he agrees to help her, but this decision will end in conflict and tragedy for dozens of worlds. My Review I have never heard or read anything by this author. I just thought this book sounded good. After reading this book I do want to go back and check out Night and Day Watch. Also after reading this book I realized that I need to read more sci-fi books. I have been lucky thus far and every single one th...

While Beauty Slept blog tour

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The Truth is No Fairy Tale. I am not the sort of person about whom stories are told. Those of humble birth suffer their heartbreaks and celebrate their triumphs unnoticed by the bards, leaving no trace in the fables of their time.... And so begins Elise Dalriss's story When she hears her great-granddaughter recount a tale about a beautiful princess awakened by a handsome prince, it pushes open a door to the past, a door Elise has long kept locked. For Elise was the companion to the real princess who slumbered - and she is the only one left who knows the truth of what happened so many years ago. As the memories start to unfold, Elise is plunged back in to the magnificent world behind the opulent palace walls. Fleeing a hardscrabble existence and personal tragedy, she builds a new life for herself as a servant to the royal family and quickly rises within the castle hierarchy. As Elise proves herself a loyal confidante, she is drawn into the lives of an extraordinary cast...

Interview with Elizabeth Haydon +Giveaway

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  Interview with Elizabeth Haydon, documentarian, archanologist and translator of Ven’s journals, including The Tree of Water     Little is known for sure about reclusive documentarian and archanologist Elizabeth Haydon. She is an expert in dead languages and holds advanced degrees in Nain Studies from Arcana College and Lirin History from the University of Rigamarole. Her fluency in those languages [Nain and Lirin] has led some to speculate that she may be descended of one of those races herself. It should be noted that no one knows this for sure. Being an archanologist, she is also an expert in ancient magic because, well, that’s what an archanologist is. Being a documentarian means she works with old maps, books and manuscripts, and so it is believed that her house is very dusty and smells like ink, but there is no actual proof of this suspicion. On the rare occasions of sightings of Ms. Haydon, it has been reported that she...

Botticelli's Bastard + Giveaway

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Book Synopsis: Art restorer Giovanni Fabrizzi is haunted by an unsigned renaissance portrait. Obsessed to learn the truth of its origin, he becomes increasingly convinced the painting could be the work of one of history’s greatest artists, which if true, would catapult its value to the stratosphere. But in learning of the painting’s past, he is faced with a dilemma. He believes the portrait was stolen during the greatest art heist in history—the Nazi plunder of European artwork. If true and a surviving relative of the painting’s rightful owner were still alive, Giovanni, in all good conscience, would have to give up the potential masterpiece. His obsession with the portrait puts a strain on his new marriage, and his son thinks his father has lost his mind for believing an unremarkable, unsigned painting could be worth anyone’s attention. Regardless, Giovanni persists in his quest of discovery and exposes far more truth than he ever wanted to know. My Review To be hones...

Christmas at Rose Hill Farm: An Amish Love Story

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Bess Riehl is preparing Rose Hill Farm for her Christmas wedding, but her groom isn't who she thought it would be. Billy Lapp is far away from his Amish roots working as a rose rustler for Penn State and wants nothing to do with Stoney Ridge, his family, or Bess. And that suits Bess just fine. Why should she think twice about a man who left without a word, without any explanation? It's time she moved on with her life, and that meant saying yes to Amos Lapp, Billy's cousin and best friend. But as Bess and Amos's wedding day draws near, her emotions tangle into a tight knot. She loves Amos. Yet she can't forget Billy. When a "lost" rose is discovered at Rose Hill Farm, Billy is sent to track down its origins. Get in, identify the rose, and get out. That's his plan. The only catch is that he's having a hard time narrowing down the identity of the lost rose, and he can't get those tropical blue eyes of Bess Riehl out of his mind. As the history o...

Stillwater Rising

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This is a powerful story. So with a powerful story you need strong, good characters. They need to be able to evoke emotions that make you want to love/hate, cry/laugh, cheer/scream with them. I may not have done all of this while reading this book but I sure did enjoy reading it. I liked the fact that this story focused on the after affects of the terrible incident with the three women. I have read other stories where it was focused on the students/victims or the before story leading up to the situation but not usually on the mothers. In the beginning, Jenn rubbed me the wrong way. I totally understood her feelings and why she was so mad and jaded but she came off really bitchy. Whereas, Charlotte I found to have a good balance of trying to be Mayor and at the same time a friend. Then there is Julia. She is the shooter's mother. I really felt sorry for her. Yes, I have read stories of school shooting but the stories are usually focused on the survivors and not the parents of the ...

Frostfire

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Bryn Aven is an outcast among the Kanin, the most powerful of the troll tribes. Set apart by her heritage and her past, Bryn is a tracker who's determined to become a respected part of her world. She has just one goal: become a member of the elite King’s Guard to protect the royal family. She's not going to let anything stand in her way, not even a forbidden romance with her boss Ridley Dresden. But all her plans for the future are put on hold when Konstantin– a fallen hero she once loved – begins kidnapping changelings. Bryn is sent in to help stop him, but will she lose her heart in the process? My Review I have not read the other books in the Trylle Trilogy. I was introduced to this author by reading her Watersong trilogy. Which I just fell in love with. So coming into this book I knew nothing of the world or the characters that inhibited it. Luckily because this is book one in a new spin off from the Trylle series, this book was new and you did not have to read t...

Woman with a Gun is a must, must read!

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Another great book by the extremely talented, Mr. Margolin. This is my third book that I have read by this author. Every book that he comes out with is a must read for me. I can't wait to get my hands on his books. Mr. Margolin infuses his characters with such life and makes the stories that he is writing so personal that I just fall for the characters and their story. Just like Mr. Margolin I too was very intrigued by the title of this book and the book cover. I wanted to know more about the mystery woman in the photo and what secret she held. I liked the way the author went smoothly from present, past and back to the present. I kept trying to figure out the truth before the author revealed it to me. Sadly, I was not able to uncover the secret before it was time. The way the author wrote the story was very smart. He never revealed anything. He had a good poker face. I can't wait to see what inspiration the author finds next for his next book. Woman with a Gun is a must,...

The Christmas Cat

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After years abroad, Garrison Brown returns home to Vancouver to build a new life. When his beloved grandmother passes away a few weeks before Christmas, Garrison goes to her house to sort out her belongings, including six cats who need new homes. While Garrison hopes to dispense with the task quickly, his grandmother's instructions don't allow for speed. She has left Garrison with some challenging requirements for the future homes of her furry friends--plus a sizeable monetary gift for the new owners. Garrison's job is to match the cats with the right owners without disclosing the surprise gift. Along the way, he may just meet someone who can make him stay. Humorous and heartwarming, this latest Christmas story from bestselling author Melody Carlson is the perfect gift for pet lovers and anyone in whose heart Christmas holds a special place.    Review by Blanche Mancuso I have read several books by this author and enjoyed them. I guess you could say that I am a fan ...

Surprised by Love

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Shy and unattractive as a child, Megan McClare has always been teased by her classmates. But when she returns home from her senior year in Paris, the wallflower has suddenly blossomed into a beauty. With ambitions to become a lawyer or doctor, Megan accepts an internship at the district attorney's office only to discover that she will be working with Devin Caldwell, a boy who mercilessly mocked her at school--and with whom she was hopelessly enamored. She turns to her dear friend Bram Hughes for support and advice. But Bram's vision is clouded by his sudden unwelcome attraction to a girl he had always thought of as a kid sister. He advises forgiveness, but can he forgive himself for pushing the woman he loves into the arms of another man? Review by Blanche Mancuso This is the third book in this series. However you can read this book as a stand alone novel. I have read the other books in this series and really enjoyed them. The author's stories are always delightful...

Cheese Deluxe

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CHEESE DELUXE: A MEMOIR, is a collection of mostly true tales of a group of baby boomers in a time of transition. They are high school seniors, full of their own good fortune, bright prospects and parents' money, unaware of a world waiting impatiently to gobble them up. But they are beginning to get some inkling of that world as they make tentative forays into it and then come rushing back to the shelter of home. That home is the Samoa Drive In, a classic teen hangout, and purveyor of the Cheese Deluxe, one of the world's best burgers. The time is 1965, and the place is an upper middle class suburb of Seattle called Mercer Island, known for fancy houses on the lake, one of the best public school systems in America, and an almost entirely white citizenry composed of attorneys, doctors, accountants, middle management, and the ubiquitous Boeing engineers of the Northwest 1960s. Coincidentally, Mercer Island High is where President Obama's mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, gradua...

An American Duchess

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At the height of the Roaring Twenties, New York heiress Zoe Gifford longs for the freedoms promised by the Jazz Age. Headstrong and brazen, but bound by her father's will to marry before she can access his fortune, Zoe arranges for a brief marriage to Sebastian Hazelton, whose aristocratic British family sorely needs a benefactor. Once in England, her foolproof plan to wed, inherit and divorce proves more complicated than Zoe had anticipated. Nigel Hazelton, Duke of Langford and Sebastian's austere older brother, is disgraced by the arrangement and looks down upon the raucous young American who has taken up residence at crumbling Brideswell Abbey. Still reeling from the Great War, Nigel is now staging a one-man battle against a rapidly changing world—and the outspoken Zoe represents everything he's fighting against. When circumstances compel Zoe to marry Nigel rather than Sebastian, she does so for love, he for honor. But with Nigel unwilling to change with the times, Zoe...