Welcome to Daring You To Read,
hosted by my awesome friend Tynga at Tynga's Reviews!
This is a great new meme which I really love,
and suggest you all take part in it ASAP!
For those of you who are not familiar with Daring You To Read,
here is a little description on what it's about and how you can participate:
Choose a book that you’ve read, really enjoyed, and would dare your blog readers to read...
The book you choose must have been released at least 6 months ago.
Write a blog post daring your readers to read your chosen book and include the meme button linking back to Tynga’s Reviews, then go to Tynga’s Reviews and put your link in the linking tool!
When you're done, browse other bloggers' Dares and let them know if you’ve read their featured book, or plan on reading it.
This is a great way to discover awesome books,
so what are you waiting for!?!
Here is what I Dare You To Read...
I chose Steel by Carrie Vaughn!
If you like pirates and time travel, you will love this!
Here is a little about the book:
Steel by Carrie Vaughn:
When Jill finds a rusty sword tip on a Caribbean beach, she is instantly intrigued—and little expects it will transport her through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Will a dark enchantment, salty kisses, and a duel with an evil pirate captain leave her stranded in the eighteenth century forever?
Drawing on piratical lore and historical fact, Carrie Vaughn creates a vivid world of swaying masts and swelling seas, where blood magic overrules the laws of nature, romance is in the air, and death can come at the single slip of a sword.
I am so thrilled to share my excitement for Dani Harper's newest release
in her Changeling Series:
CHANGELING DAWN!
Changeling Dawn by Dani Harper
RUN
Shadow and moonlight merge beneath her bare feet,
the forest floor blurring as she flees the dogs and torches. Werewolf, monster -- those are the names given her kind by the humans who hate them.
HUNT
Kenzie Macleod has spent her whole life hiding what she is, and she’s not about to open up to any man, even one as powerfully attractive as wildlife expert Josh Talarkoteen. But legend says that a Changeling cannot escape the call of her true mate, even in the wilderness of backcountry Alaska.
MATE
An isolated archeological site, a terrified Changeling cub, a secretive research center -- as Kenzie and Josh face the ultimate betrayal, his obsidian eyes promise untold pleasure and hint at dark secrets of his own . . .
This is one of my top favorite series EVER!
Changeling Dawn is the best in the series yet and I will be posting a review very soon!
I hope that you all consider reading this ASAP! :)
For those who have read one or more of the books in the Changeling series, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!
Hello everyone!Welcome to In My Mailbox, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren inspired by Alea. For those of you who are not familiar with In My Mailbox, it is a showcase of the books you have received for review, have purchased, or have picked up at the library during the week.
When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might've been telling the truth. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of.
Nuayma Jeggels haskindly agreed to guest post here about her work, and share her inspiration for becoming a writer in honor of her debut, Raven.
About The Author:
Nuayma Jeggels lives in South Africa with her imaginary cat named Pookie. When she isn’t writing or reading, she is battling mathematics and gravity. Her favourite colour is violet. Her favourite meal is lasagne.
It all started when I was watching my brothers play Resident Evil. Thoughts about moral decay, fear, and the sight of those monsters tearing into flesh over and over again whirled in my head, slightly overpowered by ‘what would this person do in such a situation?’ If I would write a story about the zombie apocalypse, what will my characters have to face, have to endure?
I didn’t think about that question for a long time, especially when my focus zeroed in on the release of TheFellowship of the Ring movie. In the cinema, staring up wide-eyed at the screen, I knew: I wanted to write a story and I wanted to share it. I only knew that my protagonist would be a violet-eyed girl, but that nearly blank slate didn’t discourage me. I wrote.
The world I created slowly formed and slowly changed throughout the years. It became a story about a young girl waking up from a coma that had lasted for nearly nine years, discovering that she couldn’t understand what she felt and that her medieval(ish) world was being populated by the walking dead. And believe me, the zombies truly walked into the novel. That buried thought had finally revealed itself.
Zombies! In Epic Fantasy. But it’s my story, and I wanted to share it with you; introduce you to Shardaie, to her world, to her (numerous) companions, and discover what is really wrong with her …
Raven:
Title: Raven (The Violet Jewel #1)
Author: Nuayma Jeggels
Publication Date: , 2011
A girl, a coma, a Plague, and an empty grave.
When Shardaie wakes up, she doesn’t know who she is, why she can’t understand emotions, why she has been unconscious for nearly nine of her thirteen years, or why the dead just won’t stay dead. The only clue to her past is a locket, but the Plague, which finally stretches its unnatural hand to her village, forces her to leave and to learn to protect herself. But everything has a cost: the protection against the undead reveals a secret that Shardaie and her classmates just don’t want to accept, and at the end, Shardaie realises that some secrets shouldn’t be revealed. Secrets have the power to destroy, and the power to change her view on humanity for ever.
Welcome to Daring You To Read,
hosted by my awesome friend Tynga at Tynga's Reviews!
This is a great new meme which I really love,
and suggest you all take part in it ASAP!
For those of you who are not familiar with Daring You To Read,
here is a little description on what it's about and how you can participate:
Choose a book that you’ve read, really enjoyed, and would dare your blog readers to read...
The book you choose must have been released at least 6 months ago.
Write a blog post daring your readers to read your chosen book and include the meme button linking back to Tynga’s Reviews, then go to Tynga’s Reviews and put your link in the linking tool!
When you're done, browse other bloggers' Dares and let them know if you’ve read their featured book, or plan on reading it.
This is a great way to discover awesome books,
so what are you waiting for!?!
Here is what I Dare You To Read...
I chose Clarity by Kim Harrington!
I really enjoyed Clarity and cannot wait to read the next installment of this series!!
Highly recommended!
Here is a little about the book:
Clarity by Kim Harrington:
When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?
This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.
Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.
And a curse.
When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case - but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother - who has supernatural gifts of his own - becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?
Welcome to the Songs of the Season music hop! You're invited to join
us every day from December 10-25, to enjoy a virtual round of caroling.
You can visit a different blog each day to find another wonderful
music selection, handpicked by a great host: Schedule
Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and what's better than listening to Christmas carols????.... Listening to them and watching Christmas lights being synchronized with them!!!! I thought you would all enjoy one of my favorite videos that brings Christmas lights and carols together into one incredible show!
Commentary: Wasn't that amazing? I was definitely blown away when I first saw this! Not only does the family work very hard each year to put on a Christmas lights show, they do it for a good cause! Find out more on their main website (link above).
You might also like... GOODIES!!!
Through Dec. 31, 2011: Win a pretty box of stationery, featuring
quotes by writer Charlotte Brontė and her sisters, who were also
novelists. Browse details.
Through Dec. 31, 2011: Win a book-and-DVD set of a romantic drama set
in New York during the Gilded Age. Browse details.
Available starting Dec. 25, 2011: Win a book-and-DVD set of great
classic film, Little Women (image shown above).
A chance to win this delightful gift will be available at the Dec. 25
session of Bookie Brunch, hosted at Jennie's Corner
(Host: @JoanieFontana).
If you've enjoyed your visit, please feel welcome to click on any of
the badges below, to find another great tune, selected especially by
the host to share with you for the Songs of the Season music hop.
If you have a favorite holiday song or videos, feel free to share in the comments.
Thanks for stopping by, and hope you have a chance to enjoy a cup of
cocoa on the way to your next stop on the hop!
SONGS OF THE SEASON!
Join us for a virtual round of caroling, with Songs of the Season, a fun and quirky music hop. Discover new and wonderful songs each day of the hop, handpicked by great bloggers and vloggers - plus lots of other cool things to browse. Dec. 10-25, 2011
Visit (http://tinyurl.com/7vzow8o)
Hello everyone!Welcome to In My Mailbox, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren inspired by Alea. For those of you who are not familiar with In My Mailbox, it is a showcase of the books you have received for review, have purchased, or have picked up at the library during the week.
T-Allen
for giving me the amazing opportunity of reading and reviewing their books!
I would also like to thank Tynga at Tynga's reviewsfor the honor of winning one of her amazing giveaways, and another personal thank you to the Tina at One More Page!
Linda Poitevin haskindly agreed to guest post here about her work, and share her inspiration for becoming a writer in honor the Grigori Legacy Series!
About The Author:
Linda Poitevin lives just outside Canada’s capital, Ottawa, with her husband, three daughters, one very large husky/shepherd/Great Dane-cross dog, two cats, three rabbits, and a bearded dragon lizard. Turned down in her pursuit of a police career after a faulty height measurement, Linda vicariously lives out her dream of being a cop through her characters. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found in her garden in the summer, hugging the fireplace in the winter, or walking her dog along the river in any season.
I think I was born a storyteller. Long before I ever put pen to paper, I was spinning fantastic stories and coercing my siblings into role-playing them with me. (I was the eldest, so I could do that. J ) I was about 12 when I started actually writing…right around the time my hormones began stirring and our neighbor loaned my mother a stack of Harlequin Romances. All through high school, my best friend and I wrote romance stories and shared them with one another—stories that involved secret crushes on guys who didn’t know we were alive, male teachers who would have been mortified to know what we were really thinking about in class, and even a particularly good looking bus driver. There’s nothing quite like forbidden love to get a teen girl’s imagination flowing, lol!
While I continued to write for myself into adulthood, I didn’t consider pursuing publication until my mid-30s, when I joined a local romance writers’ group (Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association). Actually, that’s not entirely accurate. I joined the group intending to pursue publication, only to discover that telling stories isn’t enough. You have to tell them well…and to do that meant a whole lot of learning. Or re-learning, because it turned out that all that stuff I’d learned in high school English? Stuff like POV, pacing, conflict, theme, and even split infinitives? Yeah, there was actually a point to it. Who knew?
Anyway, long story short (or not…it actually took me 15 years in between raising family and dealing with life in general), I joined a critique group of phenomenal women who took me under their collective wing and patiently explained all that I was doing wrong. I discovered the elements of storytelling, practiced them (repeatedly!), attended workshops and lectures, and little by little, began to hone my craft.
Even now that I’ve “made it” to the ranks of the published, I continue to tweak my skill-set. In writing, as in most pursuits, I think, there is always room to grow and improve. I’m always intrigued by how other authors approach certain aspects of storytelling, and I’m always, always willing to learn from them. Fresh perspectives challenge me and inspire me to stretch further, try harder, polish to a brighter shine. Readers—and my stories—deserve nothing less.
Sins of the Angels:
Title: Sins of the Angels (Grigory Legacy #1)
Author: Linda Poitevin
Publisher: Ace Books
Release Date: September 27, 2011
A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel…
Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case—a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell.
Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul.
Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.
A detective with a secret…
When homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis sees a photo of Seth Benjamin on a police bulletin, she knows that Heaven’s plan to halt Armageddon has gone terribly wrong. As the only mortal who knows of Seth’s true nature, she’s also the only one who can save him.
An exiled angel turned assassin…
Aramael was a hunter of Fallen Angels until a traitor forced him into earthly exile. Now, with no powers and only a faint memory of Alex, his mortal soulmate, he will stop at nothing to redeem himself—even if it means destroying Seth in the name of the Creator.
A world with little chance of redemption…
As Alex’s need to protect Seth sets her on a collision course with the determined Aramael, the conflict between them may push the world over the edge—and into the very chaos they’re trying to prevent.
"Poitevin's debut novel launches an urban fantasy series that focuses on the world of angels, fallen and otherwise...Strong storytelling and a pair of intriguing characters make this title a strong draw for urban fantasy readers and heralds a new voice in the genre."
-- Library Journal
"A graphic debut...Poitevin's addition to the recent fallen angel urban fantasy trend will appeal to readers who enjoy horror and crime stories." -- Publishers Weekly
"Sins of the Angels is a dark urban fantasy novel like you haven't read before. It is electric, thrilling and extremely intelligent. Linda Poitevin's worldbuilding is rich and layered and her writing is excellent. A fantastic new series which will appeal to urban fantasy, paranormal romance and thriller fans!" -- Ex Libris
"A wonderful debut novel. Sins of the Angels is an Urban Fantasy deeply infused with a richly developed mythology, excellent world building, characters you'll love, and villains you'll love to hate." -- The Qwillery
Book Trailer:
Giveaway! (CLOSED):
The wonderful Linda Poitevin will be offering
one Signed copy of Sins of the Angels!
***Canadian/US residents only!***
(Linda will be sending out the prize!!)
Giveaway policies:
To Enter: Please leave a comment indicating why you want to read this novel and leave your e-mail address.
This giveaway ends on December 25th, 2011
This giveaway is open to those 13 years of age or older.
All giveaway winners will be announced on the blog.
I can disqualify any entry as I see fit.
I will use Random.org to select the winners.
Once the winners have been notified, they will have 24 hours to confirm their interest otherwise new winners will be selected.
I'm sure some of you remember my IMM vlogs, and remember me mentioning a few extra book swag that I received and would be giving away... Well now is the time that I will be doing just that!!!
I am so thankful for all of you giving me such tremendous support and would definitely like to send each of my followers (to those who would like) a personalized Christmas Card and some random Book Swag that I have acquired over the last year of book blogging.
Here is a picture of some of the things that I will be sending out:
Should I run out of book swag,
I will still be sending out Christmas Cards with other little goodies.
If you would like me to send you a Christmas Card and Book Swag,
please fill out the following form:
FORM CLOSED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In addition, my dear friend and talented self-published author, Lori Pescatore,
would like to extend the same offer to all her readers here on the blog!
If you would like Lori Pecatore to send you a personalized Christmas Card
and Bookmarks, please fill out the following form:
Linda Cunningham haskindly agreed to guest post here about her work, and share her inspiration for becoming a writer in honor of her newest release, Small Town Girl.
About The Author:
Linda has written steadily throughout the years, but usually other people’s papers, speeches, or articles for agricultural trade magazines. Her only published work of fiction was a children’s book, “The Copper Angel of Piper’s Mill”, written in 1988 when her children were still small. Now that the kids are out of the house, Linda is writing fiction again, and this time it’s personal! She writes full time and it’s Romance! Her first romance novel, “Small Town Girl” is being published by Omnific Publishing and should be available late summer/early fall of this year.
Linda lives in a romantic stone house in the green mountains of Vermont surrounded by her gardens and her animals who include horses, sheep, cats, dogs, chickens, a parakeet and various wildlife visitors who wander in and out at will. When time permits, she also enjoys sketching and painting.
Does anybody really decide consciously to become a writer, or do they finally start to thread the writing they've been doing for years, together into something publishable? I think it's mostly the second point. I can't remember when I started to make up stories and write them down. Probably as soon as I could hold a pencil to paper. And probably my mother is the person most responsible for my love of reading and writing. She was quite young when I was born. She was a voracious reader (and still is today) and she would hold me on her lap as she read the newspaper, pointing out words and teaching me the letters and the way they sounded. Since I can't remember a time when I couldn't read, it's safe to say I grew up reading and writing.
The other major inspiration for my writing is the town I grew up in. To this day, I could go from house to house, most of them still housing members of the same families that lived there when I was growing up, and tell you a story about each home. The saying is, write what you know, and I know small towns and the people who live there. Very often you will find exceptional people, living full lives and contributing to society in the best ways, on a small scale in a small town. Even though the actual radius of their lives may be small, their stories are real and fascinating. The interconnections, traditions, work and play of these people weave together to form the fabric that is small town, larger county, commonwealth, and finally country. Each of their stories is a thread in this fabric and needs to be told. Why? Because it is a reflection of all of us. These stories are repeated in every community and there is a lesson to be learned with each one.
My stories are very often inspired by the personalities and events that surround me on a daily basis. In writing them down, I hope to bring to light the fact that the core values reflected in these stories are still with us and still important. They are what makes us who we are. The micro-cosm of a small community of interconnected people is where we most easily see ourselves, our foibles, and our strengths. When you take a grain of sand and examine it under a microscope, you can see in it the mountain range that it has helped to build
SmallTown Girl:
Title: Small Town Girl
Author: Linda Cunningham
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Publication Date: November, 2011
When Lauren Smith begrudgingly returns to the small Vermont town where she grew up to arrange for the sale of her late grandmother's old farmhouse, she has everything she's always worked for. Lauren drives a Mercedes. She's engaged to one of the most powerful businessmen in the country and wears a three carat diamond ring to prove it. She lives in a penthouse on Central Park West. Yes, Lauren has everything she considers important. She is smugly prepared for any eventuality in dealing with these country people so Lauren isn't surprised when the hot water isn't working at the old house. No problem. She simply looks in the phone book and calls the local plumber.
The moment Caleb Cochran steps through the old screen door to fix the hot water, the glittery facade that masquerades as Lauren's life begins to crumble around her. Though she tries hard to deny their mutual, magnetic attraction, Lauren is finally forced to reevaluate her focus and come face to face with her true self. “Small Town Girl” is a story of emotional maturation and the recognition and triumph of true love even in the face of repeated denial and awkward timing.
Powered by Linky Tools Click here to view the Small Town Girl Tour Schedule... An * means an eBook giveaway at that blog. A ** means Grand Prize giveaway stop.
Welcome to Daring You To Read,
hosted by my awesome friend Tynga at Tynga's Reviews!
This is a great new meme which I really love,
and suggest you all take part in it ASAP!
For those of you who are not familiar with Daring You To Read,
here is a little description on what it's about and how you can participate:
Choose a book that you’ve read, really enjoyed, and would dare your blog readers to read...
The book you choose must have been released at least 6 months ago.
Write a blog post daring your readers to read your chosen book and include the meme button linking back to Tynga’s Reviews, then go to Tynga’s Reviews and put your link in the linking tool!
When you're done, browse other bloggers' Dares and let them know if you’ve read their featured book, or plan on reading it.
This is a great way to discover awesome books,
so what are you waiting for!?!
Here is what I Dare You To Read...
I chose Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves!
This is a gruesome tale about two young murderous sisters!!
Definitely worth a read!
Here is a little about the book:
Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves:
Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that’s just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around.
It’s no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren’t killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities….
