Monday, January 20, 2014

Pie and Other Brilliant Ideas by Karen Pokras Toz - Review

From the Award Winning Author of Millicent Marie is Not My Name

Ballet and baking pies – these are two of twelve year old Georgie Harris’ favorite things. When her parents decide to move closer to her grandmother’s nursing home, Georgie quickly learns the bad news: dance lessons are too expensive in this new town. Instead, Georgie spends most of her time baking pies to bring to her grandmother at the Willow Lakes Nursing Home. There she meets Eve, who inspires Georgie with stories of having danced with a world famous Russian ballerina many years ago. As Georgie and Eve’s friendship evolves, their tales intertwine in this feel good story showing dreams really can come true.

My Thoughts: I love reading books for children because I know I can share them with my own kids. Pie and Other Brilliant Ideas is a book that I can't wait to share with them as they grow. My oldest is excited to get a chance to read it already. I expect that she will love it. The story is well written and fun.

I love Georgie. My daughter is only seven but I can already see that tween attitude starting to shine through. I thought Georgie was perfectly believable. She had fun responses to everything. I smiled constantly as I was reading. She was a screaming, jumping up and down, (inward) eye-rolling, and dramatic girl.

By far my favorite part was Eve's story. Eve gave a view of how children in a different time and place acted. It was an interesting contrast. I loved the story of Eve's life as a ballerina. Her story was emotional to me. I cried a little bit. I don't know if even Georgie was old enough to understand all that had happened, but it was a beautiful story.

This book was amazing. I was pulled along through each part of the story easily. I laughed at Georgie's descriptions of her mom. They were so perfect. Georgie and her friend's ideas for raising money were fun and inventive. I can't wait to let my oldest read this book. I think it is a perfect for children who enjoy chapter books.

Rating: 

Buy on Amazon

About the author:

Karen Pokras Toz writes middle grade and adult contemporary fiction. Her books have won several awards including two Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, First Place in the Children’s Chapter Books category and the Grand Prize overall in the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, as well as winning first for two Global E-Book Awards for Pre-Teen Literature, and placing Finalist in the USA Best Book Awards. Her books for children include the Nate Rocks series, Millicent Marie Is Not My Name, and Pie and Other Brilliant Ideas. For adults, she recently published Chasing Invisible. A native of Connecticut, Karen now lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and three children. For more information, please visit www.karentoz.com.

Follow Karen:

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Literary Addicts / Goodreads
Follow the Book Tour The author is giving away the audiobook of Millicent Marie is Not My Name and a gorgeous ballet charm bracelet to one lucky reader.
Open to US residents. Fill out the form below to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Meant for Me by L.P. Dover - Review


Book Tour

After a night of raw passion with the man Claire O’Briene had been secretly admiring for years, she thought their time together had come once and for all. Fate had finally brought them back to each other, but unfortunately nothing had changed. He was still the same man who ran away from relationships. Against his better judgment, Mason Bradley gave in to the temptation and allowed himself one night with the one woman he’d been too afraid to want … too afraid to need.
Four months after leaving Claire and regretting every minute of it, Mason gets called in for an undercover mission that’s not only dangerous, but brings back a past he spent years trying to forget. A past of fighting … of getting in the ring and using his fists to get what he wanted: money, women, and drugs. Now there are fighters turning up dead, and it’s Mason’s job to find out the truth.Knowing he might not come out of the mission alive, Mason seeks out Claire to tell her how he truly feels, only to find another man competing for her love as well. Fighting is what he’s good at, and for once he will be fighting not only for justice … but for love.

My Thoughts: Meant for Me is the third Second Chances book, but it reads great as a stand alone. The book offered a lot more than just a second chance at love. There was an unsolved serial killer case that needed to be unraveled. I loved all the intrigue that added to the plot of the story. It was exciting, sexy, and romantic.

A large portion of this story takes place in Las Vegas, and I loved the descriptions that went along with it. Books set in Vegas tend to offer a lot of glitz and bright lights. Meant for Me did the same thing, but it also looked into some of the grungier places.

I loved Mason and Claire. They both have a wonderful sense of honor that I liked. Mason is strong and a protector through and through. Claire feels that same need to protect and care for people. I enjoyed watching them both grow in the story, and I loved the dynamics between their stubborn attitudes.

This book has a lot of great things going for it. There are murders to solve, fighting, love, and some incredibly hot love scenes. Meant for Me was a good read, and now I want to go back and read the first two Second Chances books.

Rating:

Put Meant For Me on your TBR list

Buy on Amazon

 

Meet the author

L.P. Dover is the author of the Forever Fae series, as well as the Adult contemporary standalone series called Second Chances, and her NA romantic suspense standalone called Love, Lies, and Deception. She lives in the beautiful state of North Carolina with her husband, her two wild girls, and her rambunctious kitten called Katrina. Before she began her career in the literary world, L.P. Dover spent her years going to college and then graduated to cleaning teeth, which she loved doing. At least until the characters in her head called her away. She has never been the same since.

Follow LP

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Literary Addicts | Goodreads | Pinterest | Newsletter Follow the Book Tour LP is giving one reader a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a MEGA signed swag pack. The swag pack includes bookmarks, magnets, and bracelets. a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Arcadia's Gift by Jesi Lea Ryan - Review

By Jesi Lea Ryan

Most people who experience death don't live to tell about it. When sixteen year old Arcadia "Cady" Day wakes in a hospital after experiencing what can only be called a psychic episode, she finds her family in tatters. With her twin sister gone, her dad moved out, her mom's spiraling depression and her sister's boyfriend, Cane, barely able to look at her, the only bright spot in her life is Bryan Sullivan, the new guy in school. When Bryan's around, Cady can almost pretend she's a regular girl, living a regular life; when he's not, she's wracked with wild, inexplicable mood swings. As her home life crumbles and her emotional control slips away, Cady begins to suspect that her first psychic episode was just the beginning...  

My Thoughts: It's so great to get back into YA reading with such an amazing book. Arcadia's Gift is both emotional and exciting. I thought the explanations of the development of psychic power were really great. I have twins, so the part with the twins was incredibly sad to me. I thought the emotional response, and the dynamics between the family were very believable.

Cady is a typical teen. She has her dramatic moments where she compares herself to others, but she seems to have things figured out. When her world turns to chaos she works very hard to keep herself together. I loved her moments of selflessness in the book. I also really loved any moment her new gift could be used to help someone else.

The other characters were great, too. I loved the differences between Cady and her twin. I chuckled a bit as I realized I have done something similar with my babies to help people tell them apart. I liked Shawn because he seemed to always try to fix troubles. I thought Bryan was a sweet guy. He steps in to help Cady find her way and he is understanding through it all. The nerdy glasses intrigued me, too. I expect to see much more of Cane. He adds in some serious drama to the story. I was pretty sure I knew his feelings from the start, and now it will be interesting to see where it goes. I love Aaron. I hope his role expands in the next book. He is a normal big brother having fun with his friends, but he had moments of amazing emotion that made me want to read more about him.

I think Arcadia's Gift is a great start to a new series. The plot pulled me along and made me wonder what would happen next for Cady. The characters are appealing and I like the small town feel of the setting. I ended the book ready to find out more, and I started Arcadia's Curse immediately. I am partially done with it, and I am loving it just as much. I think readers of YA paranormal will love this book.

Reading:



Think high school sucks? Try being an empath who has to experience everyone else’s suckage on top of your own. (Literally.) In the months since her family life imploded and her psychic gifts began to arise, Cady has struggled to figure out how she can fit into her normal life without going crazy from the constant presence of emotional energy. Her grades have tanked. Her best friend is afraid of her. And she begins to have doubts about why her boyfriend, Bryan, is really keeping her around. But a chance meeting with another gifted girl online opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Unfortunately, this new world comes at an awful price.   Find The Arcadia Novels here: Amazon (Arcadia's Gift)/Amazon (Arcadia's Curse) AUDIBLE Audio Book of Arcadia's Gift

Author Bio:

Jesi Lea Ryan grew up in the Mississippi River town of Dubuque, IA. She holds bachelor degrees in creative writing and literature and a masters degree in business. She considers herself a well-rounded nerd who can spend hours on the internet researching things like British history, anthropology of ancient people, geography of random parts of the world, bad tattoos and the paranormal. She currently lives in Madison, WI with her husband and two exceptionally naughty kitties. Stalk Jesi Lea here: Facebook/Twitter/Website/Blog


I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. 

Monday, January 13, 2014

Wanderlust Series by Bella Ross - Promo

 

Wanderlust Series

From glamorous capitals to exotic playgrounds...couples are swept up in desire passion & lust. Genre: Erotic Romance

by Bella Ross

Buy on
Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | ARe | Kobo
 
***********************

About the author:

Bella Ross is a writer with many passions, two of which are writing and travelling. She wrote her first book (a novel) at eighteen a la Jackie Collins. But back then, unbeknownst to her, life was about to take her on a detour. As she set off on her new course, her dream of writing took a backseat and her entrepreneurial spirit flourished instead. But after many years of worldly pursuits, the urge to write returned and the time was right to follow her bliss. She believes its never too late to follow your dreams/bliss. Her books/stories are her first attempt at erotic romance. She loves the genre and its endless creative possibilities. She likes pairing bold and dynamic (Alpha) men with sexy and strong women - which in her opinion - make for a hot and sizzling combination. With her love of travel, it is no surprise that her 'Wanderlust Series' take place in glamorous capitals or exotic locales around the world. Its the perfect backdrop/setting for her characters to explore and indulge their lusts and passions, loves and desires. When she's not writing, she's reading, or gallivanting all over seeking new inspiration, or people watching while enjoying a latte at Starbucks and jotting down ideas. She loves to hear from readers, and looks forward to interacting through her social media channels. You can also sign up for her mailing list to be notified about new releases and promotional offers.

Follow Bella:

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In the Place Where There is No Darkness by K.M. Douglas - Review

The year is 2019. The Watchers maintain a state of constant surveillance: guns are outlawed, media is censored, and unmanned drones patrol the skies.
Derrion Parsing is a high school senior and the son of an ex-Army Ranger. Unlike his classmates, he has access to information from the time before the Invisible War, when the government shut down the Internet, reformatting into a propaganda tool. When Derrion attempts to use this information as part of a school project, he awakens to his worst nightmare.

My Thoughts: I read this book with no preconceptions, which was a good thing. I honestly didn't even read the synopsis closely enough to pick up on hints about where this book may go. I just love the title, and the cover is beautiful in it's simplicity. I'm a sucker for a good cover.

Derrion is the main voice readers meet. I loved him. Not for any of my typical reasons for liking a male lead. I loved him because he questioned the world. He wasn't satisfied with the stories he was being fed, and he asked for the truth. It was incredibly brave. He showed a bravery that I myself would be terrified of. It was admirable. His line of thought was disjointed at times, but it added so much to the character.

This book made me think. It wasn't a light-hearted story, but something that pushes readers to really consider things. Maybe it even pushes readers to be braver. I was completely surprised by the ending. By midway through the book I thought I had some idea of where things could be heading, then at the end everything changed. I would suggest this book to everyone. It may not be something they would typically read, but the moral to this story is amazing.
Rating:

Buy on Amazon | B&N



K. M. Douglas grew up in Northeast Ohio and studied creative writing at The Ohio State University. He lives in Rainier, Washington with his wife, cat and two dogs. In the Place Where There is No Darkness is his first novel.

Follow K.M. Douglas:

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I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Pie and Other Brilliant Ideas by Karen Pokras Toz - Promo

From the Award Winning Author of Millicent Marie is Not My Name

Ballet and baking pies – these are two of twelve year old Georgie Harris’ favorite things. When her parents decide to move closer to her grandmother’s nursing home, Georgie quickly learns the bad news: dance lessons are too expensive in this new town. Instead, Georgie spends most of her time baking pies to bring to her grandmother at the Willow Lakes Nursing Home. There she meets Eve, who inspires Georgie with stories of having danced with a world famous Russian ballerina many years ago. As Georgie and Eve’s friendship evolves, their tales intertwine in this feel good story showing dreams really can come true.

Buy on Amazon

About the author:

Karen Pokras Toz writes middle grade and adult contemporary fiction. Her books have won several awards including two Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, First Place in the Children’s Chapter Books category and the Grand Prize overall in the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, as well as winning first for two Global E-Book Awards for Pre-Teen Literature, and placing Finalist in the USA Best Book Awards. Her books for children include the Nate Rocks series, Millicent Marie Is Not My Name, and Pie and Other Brilliant Ideas. For adults, she recently published Chasing Invisible. A native of Connecticut, Karen now lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and three children. For more information, please visit www.karentoz.com.

Follow Karen:

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Literary Addicts / Goodreads
Follow the Book Tour The author is giving away the audiobook of Millicent Marie is Not My Name and a gorgeous ballet charm bracelet to one lucky reader.
Open to US residents. Fill out the form below to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, January 10, 2014

Bond of Love by Amy Suzanne - Review


As a picturesque mother and wife, forty-one year old Avery Richards seems to have it all. Married to a successful veterinarian named Noah and mother to a spunky daughter named Kara, her life is far from awful but she is stuck. With the recent move of their daughter, who has just flown the coop for college, this story examines the deep and often-tumultuous bond between mother and child and the lengths we are willing to go to, as mothers, to sacrifice our own happiness for the ones we love. As we watch Avery walk through her ‘new’ way of daily life, without her ambitious and stubborn child around to mother any longer, we are given a very unique opportunity to tip toe in the front row of their lives, from three very separate views. We will see life as it plays out through her mature and motherly eyes, through Kara’s young and sheltered heart, and then through ‘someone else’s eyes’ that has a vested interest in them both. As Avery’s well-hidden web of lies come crashing down in an unexpected way, her secrets that she’s safeguarded for years will threaten to rip her peaceful world apart, as well as the world of the ones she loves most. As readers, we will watch how ONE single choice can alter everything. Each character will then be forced to examine what the true meaning of love and forgiveness means to them. Every gamut of emotion will be explored: humor, sadness, love, joy, betrayal, hate, and forgiveness. Bond of Love will leave you pondering the age-old question: How well do YOU actually know the ones you love most?

My Thoughts: Bond of Love has an interesting, albeit a bit creepy, story line. I wasn't sure what I expected this book to be about, but it was different for me. The writing is very descriptive. I found it easy to visualize the story, but many times I felt like it was a little too much. I think the part that was most distracting for me were the multiple similes. I think that if some of that was reduced this book could be a thriller with all the love and forgiveness the author was hoping to portray.

The characters were good. At times I became frustrated with how flighty Kara was. A girl can change her mind, but within such a short span of time and over and over, I got annoyed. Her character never wavered though, she was flighty through out the book. I liked how the story switched between the characters to give several views.

I think this book could be great. I wanted to know what would happen. I wanted to solve the mystery. I just struggled with the over telling. I usually like really long books, but I felt like this book would have been better shorter. If some of the extra parts and the descriptions were shorter, this would make a great thriller. That is the part of the book that kept me going.

Rating:


Buy on Paperback | Kindle | B&N | Kobo | Apple | Sony

Meet the Author:

This is Amy’s second published work, the first being a memoir written exclusively for her children. As a former second grade teacher, and long time professional photographer, she has been writing and filling journals since she was young enough to hold a pencil and form words. Although writing brings her to a place of solace and joy, her most ambitious and fulfilling job in life thus far has been being a mother. Married for nearly two decades now, she and her husband share four daughters, who fill their lives with amusement, love, and drama daily. It is her lifelong goal to preserve her family’s history through the written word, pictures, and the human touch of love.

Follow Amy on Facebook | Literary Addicts | Goodreads

Follow the Book Tour The Author is giving one lucky reader a $25 Amazon GC. Fill out the form below to enter and remember to pick up her book. a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Westin's Chase by Cristin Harber - Review

THE MASTER OF EVERYTHING HAS FOUND HIS MATCH Jared Westin knows his reputation and likes it. He gets the job done. No emotion. No baggage. That’s why his elite ops company, The Titan Group, is better than the best. They complete projects classified as mission impossible. And then, in walks a woman as tough as she is sexy. His counterpart in every way, should he choose to admit it. SHE’S NOT WILLING TO LET HER HEART FALL Ousted undercover ATF agent Lilly Chase only answers to “Sugar.” Jared is the only man who can see past her leather-and-lipstick demeanor, and that revelation is terrifying. She was fired for helping Titan on a questionable arrest she should’ve ignored, then partnered with Jared’s rival on an assignment in Afghanistan. Distance and danger do nothing to change her feelings. When she’s left on the side of a mountain to die, an unexpected ally comes forward, and might open her heart. THE STAKES COULDN’T BE HIGHER Saving Sugar isn’t a normal rescue operation. It pits Titan against its rival, Jared against his nemesis. Chasing Sugar’s heart isn’t a simple task, either. She fights him, fights them, always ready to run. When she becomes a pawn in a game of collateral damage, Jared must risk his life to save her—the woman whose bravado and surprising sweetness has given him the one thing he never had. Love.

My Thoughts: Cristin Harber has done it again. Westin’s Chase is full of wild adventure, gun fights, and sexy love scenes. The book starts fast and in Afghanistan. I loved the settings. They were just as amazing as the first two books, but different. The plot is fast and exciting. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what would happen next.

The men of Titan never fail to deliver a rush of strength and sexy cockiness. I keep jumping from which Titan man is my favorite, but Jared Westin might just take the cake. He is sexy, cocky and strong, a Titan man given. He can also be a total hard a** then flip the switch to sweet in an instant. I loved both sides of him. He is the perfect leader for Titan and the perfect man for a hard a** woman like Sugar.

Sugar is, once again, a strong female character. I love strong females that don’t just cry and wait for a guy to save them from all their trouble. Sugar may have known at times that Titan would come, but she surely never took things lying down. She even motivated those around her to be stronger, too. Even when she was being strong she had a beautiful soft side. I wasn’t expecting it but I loved it. She compliments Jared perfectly.

There were several more characters in the book, including the characters from past Titan books. I loved reading how they were doing, and getting that glimpse into their lives. With all of the action, both in battle and in bed, there were still funny and emotional parts in the book. I’ve said this before, but I think this is my favorite Titan book. If she writes another I may have to say it again, but for now, Jared and Sugar are my favorite Titan couple. 

Rating:

Buy on Amazon

 

Meet the author:

Cristin Harber is an award-winning romantic suspense author. She lives outside Washington, DC with her husband, toddler, and English bulldog. Coming fall 2013, she’s expecting a baby and will debut her Titan series. Couple that with the holidays, and it’ll be a busy time of year. There’s a special place in her heart for the men and women who serve and protect. Since she can’t save the world alongside them, she’s content to write their happily ever after stories.
Follow Cristin on FaceBook | Twitter | Goodreads | Literary Addicts | Website
 

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I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Arcadia's Book Tour

By Jesi Lea Ryan

Most people who experience death don't live to tell about it. When sixteen year old Arcadia "Cady" Day wakes in a hospital after experiencing what can only be called a psychic episode, she finds her family in tatters. With her twin sister gone, her dad moved out, her mom's spiraling depression and her sister's boyfriend, Cane, barely able to look at her, the only bright spot in her life is Bryan Sullivan, the new guy in school. When Bryan's around, Cady can almost pretend she's a regular girl, living a regular life; when he's not, she's wracked with wild, inexplicable mood swings. As her home life crumbles and her emotional control slips away, Cady begins to suspect that her first psychic episode was just the beginning...     Think high school sucks? Try being an empath who has to experience everyone else’s suckage on top of your own. (Literally.) In the months since her family life imploded and her psychic gifts began to arise, Cady has struggled to figure out how she can fit into her normal life without going crazy from the constant presence of emotional energy. Her grades have tanked. Her best friend is afraid of her. And she begins to have doubts about why her boyfriend, Bryan, is really keeping her around. But a chance meeting with another gifted girl online opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Unfortunately, this new world comes at an awful price.   Find The Arcadia Novels here: Amazon (Arcadia's Gift)/Amazon (Arcadia's Curse) AUDIBLE Audio Book of Arcadia's Gift

Author Bio:

Jesi Lea Ryan grew up in the Mississippi River town of Dubuque, IA. She holds bachelor degrees in creative writing and literature and a masters degree in business. She considers herself a well-rounded nerd who can spend hours on the internet researching things like British history, anthropology of ancient people, geography of random parts of the world, bad tattoos and the paranormal. She currently lives in Madison, WI with her husband and two exceptionally naughty kitties. Stalk Jesi Lea here: Facebook/Twitter/Website/Blog

Monday, January 6, 2014

Phantom Lover by Kfir Luzzatto - Review


Phantom Lover

by Kfir Luzzatto

genre: Paranormal Detective Series
It was bad enough, I can assure you, finding a half-naked ectoplasm sitting at my desk, but she had to talk nonsense too.

My Thoughts: That little sentence right there was enough to make me curious about reading Phantom Lover. Novellas are always a fast read, and I will never be able to understand how an author can put so much in to so little words. Kfir Luzzatto did a great job with Phantom Lover. I was interested from start to finish and I enjoyed the story.

Dave is a very interesting character. His career choice is awesome and he has attitude. I liked his way of dealing with situations. The secondary characters were well written and they added to the story. The descriptions in the book were great. I could picture Dave's office easily. I think if readers are looking for a fast and fun paranormal detective story, Phantom Lover would be great to read.

Rating:

Buy: Amazon / Smashwords

 

MICE

by Kfir Luzzatto

genre: Paranormal Detective Series
“Where the hell are they coming from?” When Frankie asked a question, it always sounded like he was placing the blame on someone—me, in this case. Instead of answering, I squashed the white mouse that had just climbed out of his coffee cup. The mouse had the consistency of putty and felt like it; no bloodshed was involved in the squashing.

Buy: Amazon / Smashwords

 

Meet the Author:

Kfir was born and raised in Italy, and moved to Israel as a teenager. He acquired the love for the English language from his father, a former U.S. soldier and WWII veteran, a voracious reader and a prolific writer. With a PhD in chemical engineering and a long family history that he needs to live up to, Kfir work as a patent attorney and heads the patent law firm that was established by his great-grandfather in Milan, Italy, in 1869. Kfir lives in Omer, Israel, with his full-time partner, Esther, their four children, Michal, Lilach, Tamar and Yonatan, and the dog Elvis. Writing has always been Kfir's passion and for almost four years he wrote a weekly "Patents" column in Globes (Israel’s financial newspaper), which also yielded his only (if he can help it) non-fiction book, THE WORLD OF PATENTS, (a not-so-boring tale of what patents are about, in Hebrew), which was published in 2002 by Globes Press. Kfir loves writing short stories but has too many novels waiting to be written (and possibly not enough years ahead of him to write them all), so now he mostly writes full-length fiction. His other passion is working with other authors on stories he loves and that's how he wound up serving on the editorial board of The Harrow Press as Anthology Editor. You can read about Kfir's books here. He loves them all, but never had greater fun than when working on “HAVE BOOK WILL TRAVEL”, a YA fantasy that he wrote together with his son, Yonatan. Follow on Twitter: @KfirLuzzatto Find Kfir on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kfir.luzzatto Kfir's Blog: Click HERE Kfir's Amazon.com page: HERE Kfir's Goodreads page: HERE Kfir's Smashwords page: HERE Kfir's Literary Addicts page: HERE

Phantom Lover Tour:


MICE Tour:


I received an e-copy of Phantom Lover in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.