Monday, February 25, 2013

Textual Encounters by Morgan Parker


Textual Encounters (The Christine + Jake Affair, #1)Rating: 4 out 5 stars
Katie discovers an unlocked iPhone in the back seat of a taxi. But instead of turning it in to the driver as lost, she decides to keep it for herself.

Outside of the usual clutter you would expect to find on a smartphone, what captures Katie's interest is the single conversation she finds on the phone's secure text messaging service, a three-month dialogue between a woman with an uncertain past named Christine and a single, eligible man named Jake.

From Strangers to Soulmates in 90 Days

What starts out as a message intended for someone else ends up being the beginning of a relationship more powerful than anything Christine or Jake have ever experienced.

But nothing ever turns out to be as good as it initially seems and their histories slowly reveal details and past lovers that threaten to derail their humble quest for love.

Forgotten In The Back Seat of a New York City Taxi

Can Christine and Jake overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles, doubts and secrets that endanger their love?

If so, why would such a relationship get forgotten in the back seat of a New York City taxi?

Presented in a Format Unlike Any Other You Will Find


This book was so much fun and different. Who thinks of writing a book in text messaging format?! I was I little hesitant at first because I've never read a book like that. Due to the fact that the main story is told only through dialogue, I was worried that I was going to miss out on something. How am I going to know what the characters are feeling or thinking?  I didn't have to worry! 

I don’t know how the author did it but I knew what was going on. Their texts let me know what they were thinking. Christine and Jake’s relationship was so intriguing and the little twists here and there added excitement to the story. I think their chemistry is what made this book so much fun to read. And oh, that ending! Cliffhanger alert you guys. I can’t wait for the sequel!

Although I did love the book there were sometimes were I had to go back in the book to figure out who was saying what. I wish the author had identified the texts with the characters’ names. But at the end I pretty much knew who was talking or texting, whatever. Overall Textual Encounters was worth the 2.99.

Forged in Grace Book Blitz


Forged in Grace by Jordan E. Rosenfeld
Publication date: February, 2013
Genre: Psychological Suspense (Adult w/ YA and NA crossover appeal)





Grace Jensen survived a horrific fire at age 15. The flames changed her: badly scarred in body and mind, Grace developed an ability to feel other people’s pain. Unable to bear human touch, she has made a small life for herself in Northern California, living with her hoarder mother, tending wounded animals, and falling a little in love with her former doctor. Her safe world explodes when the magnetic Marly Kennet reappears in town; Grace falls right back into the dynamic of their complicated friendship. Marly is the holder of many secrets, including one that has haunted Grace for over a decade: what really happened the night of the fire? 

When Marly exhorts Grace to join her in Las Vegas, to make up for the years they have been lost to each other, Grace takes a leap of faith and goes. Although Marly is not entirely honest about her intentions, neither woman anticipates that enlarging Grace’s world will magnify her ability to sense the suffering of others—or that she will begin to heal wounds by swallowing her own pain and laying her hands on the afflicted. 

This gift soon turns darker when the truth of Marly’s life—and the real reason she ended her friendship with Grace—pushes the boundaries of loyalty and exposes both women to danger.

AUTHOR BIO:



Jordan E. Rosenfeld learned early on that people prefer a storyteller to a know-it-all. She channeled any Hermione-esque tendencies into a career as a writing coach, editor and freelance journalist and saves the Tall Tales for her novels. She earned her MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars and is the author of the books, Make A Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time (Writer’s Digest Books) and Write Free! Attracting the Creative Life with Rebecca Lawton (BeijaFlor Books). Jordan’s essays and articles have appeared in such publications asAlterNet.org, Publisher’s Weekly, The San Francisco Chronicle, The St. Petersburg Times, The Writer and Writer’s Digest magazine. Her book commentaries have appeared on The California Report, a news-magazine produced by NPR-affiliate KQED radio. She lives in Northern California with her Batman-obsessed son and Psychologist husband. www.jordanrosenfeld.net
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Friday, February 15, 2013

A Need So Insatiable by Cecilia Robert Cover Reveal and Giveaway!!

A Need So Insatiable
Release Date: Winter 2013!
Genre: Contemporary romance
Cover Designed by: Najla Qambar

Summary from Goodreads:

“I’ve never bowed or kneeled for anyone,” Rafael said. “Never thought I would.” Then he was on his knees. He slid his arms around my waist, tugging me closer and bowed his head.
“You own me, Sophie.” He looked up, his dark eyes hitting me with enough force to snatch the breath from my lungs. “You’ve owned me from the moment I walked into your life in that music room. Then I saw you slipping out the window like the wolves were after you and I knew I wanted you in my life. You’ve wrapped yourself in my heart and mind. I can’t get you out. I don’t want to.”

Graduate opera singer, Sophie Fisher’s life is on fire and it’s not her breathtaking voice lighting it, but the trail of debts her father left behind after he passed away a few months ago. If she’s not ducking around corners or slipping out of windows to escape the debt collectors and a slew of characters sent from hell, she’s dealing with her rebellious fifteen-year-old sister, Lilli, who is still coming to terms with their father’s death. And as if that’s not enough, Rafael Van Rees bursts into her life—literally—bringing with him a set of emotions she isn’t prepared to deal with and a life the public had no idea of.

Rafael Van Rees, Maestro extraordinaire, just wants to be left in peace to date whichever woman he feels like, have dinner with whomever he feels like, and just enjoy his life. Until he meets Sophie and his past returns to haunt him. And just when he thought he didn’t care about her, his history proves him wrong. He knows when it comes to her, it’s all or nothing. Besides, she makes him feel fuzzy all over.
Is Sophie’s fire hot enough to melt the ice coursing through his veins?


About the Author
Cecilia Robert lives in Vienna with her two children, has an incurable obsession with books, anything romantic, TV and medieval architecture. When not working in her full time job, catching up with her two children, writing or reading, she can be found, knitting or crocheting, taking photos of old buildings.


***GIVEAWAY***
1 Amazon Gift Card worth US $15 + Book of choice from book depository US $15

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Thursday, February 14, 2013

Forty Days by Stephanie Parent Book Blitz





Forty Days by Stephanie Parent 
Series: Neima's Ark #1
Publication date: February 12th 2013

The entire village knows Neima’s grandfather is a madman. For years the old man has prophesied that a great flood is coming, a flood disastrous enough to blot out the entire earth. He’s even built an enormous ark that he claims will allow his family to survive the deluge. But no one believes the ravings of a lunatic…

…until the rain starts. And doesn’t stop. Soon sixteen-year-old Neima finds her entire world transformed, her life and those of the people she loves in peril. Trapped on the ark with her grandfather Noah, the rest of her family, and a noisy, filthy, and hungry assortment of wild animals, will Neima find a way to survive?

With lions, tigers, and bears oh my, elephants and flamingos too, along with rivalries and betrayals, a mysterious stowaway, and perhaps even an unexpected romance, FORTY DAYS is not your grandfather’s Noah’s Ark story.

FORTY DAYS is approximately 45000 words, the length of a shorter novel, and is the first installment in a two-part epic story. It does contain a cliffhanger ending.

Readers looking for a traditional, religiously oriented version of the Noah’s Ark story should be warned that FORTY DAYS may not appeal to them. The novel will, however, appeal to lovers of apocalyptic fiction, historical fiction, and romance, as well as anyone who’s ever dreamed of having a baby elephant as a pet.





AUTHOR BIO
Stephanie Parent
Stephanie Parent is a graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at USC and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts as a piano major. She moved to Los Angeles because of Francesca Lia Block's WEETZIE BAT books, which might give you some idea of how much books mean to her. She also loves dogs, books about dogs, and sugary coffee drinks both hot and cold.

Author Links:



Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Pic2Book Wednesday Challenge #74



Guess the Book Title





This is a weekly challenge where you guess the book title just by looking at the pictures. This game is inspired by the game Scene it? and it's one of my favorite challenges in it! If you want to participate and don't want any spoilers don't read the comments. I'll post the answer of this challenge in tomorrow's post.

What's this book's title?



Hints:

  • This book was released on January 2013.
  • This is the 3rd book in a series.
  • B.R. are the authors initials. 



The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3) by Richelle Mead


The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines, #3)




Thanks to:  



For participating in last week's challenge!!! 

Meet Atticus The Owl

So, today I got a late Christmas gift from my husband. See pictures below. I can't even tell you guys how much I love this little guy. He's perfect. Thanks to my husband because he knows me so well. Love you cariño. And thanks to Kimberly aka Kookie aka my new idol for making this beautiful, gorgeous little owl!  

Visit her website, etsy store and Facebook. Guys, you really have to check her gallery out. She's extremely talented!

Kimberly even gives every owl a background story and name. Here's my Atticus info:



This is MechOwlie No.48, named Atticus. I thought it sounded like a rather smart name. You see, Atticus really likes to read, and he may not have any babies... but his nest holds his most treasured items - his books.

His nest has been built with many many many scraps of wire, and there is a large central gear and many little gears weaved into the wire. The books are old and worn - well loved, it seems!

Even his name is perfect!!











Let me know what you think!!


All pictures in this post belong to Kimberly.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Shooting Scars by Karina Halle Cover Reveal


Shooting Scars by Karina Halle (The Artists Trilogy #2)--Publication date: May, 2013 by Metal Blonde Books

A second chance at first love. 

There are a few things worth risking everything for - even your life. For Camden McQueen, this is one of them.

Shooting Scars is the second book in The Artists Trilogy and is told from the dual POV of Camden and Ellie.



AUTHOR BIO
Karina Halle
The daughter of a Norwegian Viking and a Finnish Moomin, Karina Halle grew up in Vancouver, Canada with trolls and eternal darkness on the brain. This soon turned into a love of all things that go bump in the night and a rather sadistic appreciation for freaking people out. Like many of the flawed characters she writes, Karina never knew where to find herself and has dabbled in   acting, make-up artistry, film production, screenwriting, photography, travel writing and music journalism. She eventually found herself in the pages of the very novels she wrote (if only she had looked there to begin with).

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she's preparing for the zombie apocalypse.


Author Links



Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Pic2Book Wednesday Challenge #73

Guess the Book Title





This is a weekly challenge where you guess the book title just by looking at the pictures. This game is inspired by the game Scene it? and it's one of my favorite challenges in it! If you want to participate and don't want any spoilers don't read the comments. I'll post the answer of this challenge in tomorrow's post.

What's this book's title?



Hints:
  • This book will be released in February 2013
  • What is Luna doing in this picture?


Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires #1) by Rachel Caine


Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires, #1)



Thanks to:  



For participating in last week's challenge!!! 

Trust in Me by Bethany Lopez Cover Reveal

Trust in Me (Friends & Lovers #3)
Release Date: 02/28/13
Cover designed by: B Design

Summary from Goodreads:
This is a New Adult Title - Meant for Readers 18 & Older.


Roni’s dreams of becoming a contemporary dancer were smashed under the brutal rage of her ex-husband's fists. Getting divorced and starting over at the age of twenty-two was never her plan, but maybe in Texas, she'll find her path. When the town's local player, Rich, opens a Rec Center, she sees a way to rekindle her dancing dreams...and maybe have a little fun with her sexy new boss.


Rich never expected to fulfill his dreams in the town he planned to leave behind, but that's just what he's doing. His reputation as a noncommittal ladies' man might make it challenging to earn respect in the business world, but he's willing to prove that he's serious. In fact, when it comes to pursuing Roni, he's more than willing. But she's taking a page out of his book, not wanting to risk another relationship. Can he convince her that his playboy days are over and that she can trust him with her heart?
***


About the Author
Bethany Lopez was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Michigan and San Antonio, Texas. She went to High School at Dearborn High, in Dearborn, Michigan, which is where she has set her Young Adult series. She is married and has a blended family with five children. She is currently serving in the United States Air Force as a Recruiter in Los Angeles, California. She has always loved to read and write and has seen her dream realized by independently publishing her novels through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

In My Mailbox #7




In My Mailbox (weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren)



For Review:







The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington 
Amazon/Goodreads


Spellbinding 
by Maya Gold

A Shimmer of Angels (Angel Sight #1) by Lisa M. Basso


Neferet's Curse (House of Night Novellas #3) by P.C. Cast

Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters by Suzanne Weyn





Bought





Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu 

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

Sins & Needles (The Artists Trilogy #1) by Karina Halle

Charade (Games #1) by Nyrae Dawn

Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires #1) by Rachel Caine



Friday, February 1, 2013

Twilight and Me: A Love Story

Please don’t laugh at me after you finish reading this.



Stacey, one of my bestest friends in the whole wide world told me I HAD to read Twilight. I knew a little bit about Twilight before reading it but I didn’t know how big the whole thing was. So I started reading it and I couldn’t stop. It was like a drug (not that I’ve tried drugs before but you get the point) I read around 5ish chapters and I was in love. I couldn’t wait to come to work to talk to Stacey about what I had read the night before. You know what’s better than being obsessed with a book? Your friends being obsessed with the same book. Nothing can top that.

My love for Twilight was so big I even considered getting “Edward” tattooed on an undisclosed part of my body! A tattoo you guys! I lost weight because I didn’t want to eat. Twilight consumed most of my life for a few months. I re-read Twilight a bazillion times.


This is my Edward tattoo.
P.S. bookittybutt.com does not exist 

Right now while writing this I realized that the feelings I was feeling for Twilight are similar to something I have felt before. Love. But not the healthy kind. I felt like I didn’t want to do anything else but to read Twilight. I talked and breathed Twilight. I even got mad when people didn’t like the book. Well, that’s putting it mildly. I saw red when people told me they didn’t like Twilight.


This is an actual conversation between a co-worker and I...
No co-worker was harmed during this conversation.














I like to believe that Twilight felt the same way about me. But I know my relationship with it wasn’t healthy. It was too much, too fast. I decided we had to break up. At least for a couple of months.

I started seeing other books. And I realized they were better put together than Twilight. I haven’t felt that way for another book since Twilight. I believe that’s a good thing. You shouldn’t feel that all consuming love for a thing that doesn’t even breathe. Now I have my favorite books and I don’t think Twilight makes the top ten but, I have to thank it for making me want to read more.

How was your experience with Twilight?? Let me know in the comments.  

February Kindle Fire GIVEAWAY!

30 bloggers have come together for another awesome Kindle Fire giveaway! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win it!



Giveaway Sponsored by these Book Blogs

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3 Prizes - 3 Winners
7" Kindle Fire HD + $50 Amazon Gift Card ($250 value)
$50 Amazon Gift Card
$25 Amazon Gift Card

Last day to enter - 2/28/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Prize will be delivered in the form of the winners choice of either an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I AmA Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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