Saving Rain by Karen-Anne Stewart

Saving Rain by Karen-Anne Stewart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Saving Rain is such a great story. Raina was abused as a child and now as a young adult, despite careful choices and the determination not to be a victim ever again, has fallen into the same pattern with the same type of guy as her father. Through one of her college classes, Raina has the opportunity to work with the FBI, where she meets Kas, the first guy in her life who does not try to hurt her. Kas will do anything to help Raina, but he quickly realizes he is way out of his league. He does his best, but it is not always enough.

I think one of the things I loved most about this book was Raina and Kas' relationship. They felt an instant attraction to one another, but there was no insta-love (I actually hate that term, but I see it used a lot). Their relationship was given time to simmer and develop slowly. Raina does not fall immediately in love with Kas and trust him with everything she has. If it had happened that way, the story would have been ruined. Raina was abused and, as such, she has a hard time trusting anyone, including herself. She is not weak or a victim, though she has been made to see herself in that way, and it is going to take more than one man, no matter how patient and caring he is, to change that.

While there are dark issues in the story, it is well written and the violent scenes/topics are handled carefully. The issues of abuse, rape, and human trafficking are very real, and the author does not pretty them up, nor does she give explicit descriptions that would be a turn off to many people. I have read many books where the characters were abused, and I believe (in my humble opinion) that this is one of my favorites, just because of the way the characters dealt with their issues. Rather than turning to drugs, alcohol, or aimless sex, Raina tried to make herself a better person, someone worthy of love.

My only issue with this book was that there were many times in Saving Rain where the thoughts would switch from one person to another without any transition or warning, and it was very confusing. I found myself re-reading sentences or paragraphs after realizing the POV had changed suddenly. Overall, though, I really enjoyed the story and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of her book.


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Q & A with Amy Rachiele

Silencing Joy
by Amy Rachiele

Book Description:  I scream. I couldn’t help it. I jump up and whack my head on the bottom of a bleacher. My hand flies immediately to the lump forming. I start running while bent in half. I try to get out.  I don’t.
Suddenly, my hair is yanked back. I shriek as my hands automatically go to the back of my head. My heart races in terror. I bend backwards from the yank and then fall to my knees.
~Joy, Silencing Joy

Joy is the type of person that goes about her business, stays out of people’s way, and keeps to herself. Everything changes one night at a football game.
Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Follow Joy as she discovers what wrong place and wrong time actually mean.

Kara shifted in her seat and her foot slipped. Something pulled on it.
A hand came around her mouth and she was falling. Kara found herself flat on the ground in the dirt and trash under the bleachers.
A cloth was slipped over her mouth and tied behind her head. Someone flipped her over like a hog, tying and dressing it for a roast over a spit. Kara’s hands were yanked and bound behind her back with thick rope.

~Kara, Silencing Joy

Silencing Joy on Amazon

See my review on Goodreads!  5/5 stars!

Q & A with Amy Rachiele

Q: Tell us a little bit about Joy.
A: Joy struggles with self-confidence issues from how she was treated in H.S. mix that with being shy, she has created a little world for herself complete with one friend and pictures. Joy can live vicariously through her art. 

Q: Do you have a favorite scene from Silencing Joy?
A: My absolute favorite scene isn’t a pleasant one. It is the beginning when she finds Will beaten. The cold fear and surreal atmosphere are palpable.

Q: In your opinion, what makes a good, strong female character?
A: A good female character has to be willing to change. They need to be able to empower themselves and find inner strength. They need to be resilient.

Q: What do you see as influences on your writing style?
A: I am influenced by what I like to read. I am an avid reader. I enjoy romance, paranormal, sci-fi, historical romance, new adult themed works.

Q: What is the best advice you have been given?
A: Write for yourself. If others like it, that is great. You have to enjoy it and what you are writing because it is a long, time-consuming process to write.

Q: Hard/paperbacks or eBooks?
A: I love a shiny hardcopy book, my first one I received ever was SUPERFUDGE when I was about 12 years old.

Ebooks are great though because it is instant gratification. I can download a sequel at 1 am if I need to. (Yes, this has happened to me!) My most tragic reading episode was TWILIGHT. I finished New Moon and needed Eclipse. I raced to the bookstore to get it before they closed, I didn’t make it! I was crushed. I was up early the next morning to grab it. Ebooks alleviate that turmoil.

Q: If you could be on one reality TV show, what would it be?
A: Reality shows are not really my thing. I don’t watch any, but if I was recruited to be on one, I would like to be on craft wars on TLC.

Q: What book are you reading now?
A: I just finished Little Conversations by Sibylla Matilde. This is a great new novel just published. I was lucky enough to beta. I am starting Real by Katy Evans next.

About the Author:  Amy Rachiele is a military spouse who has spent many years in the family program sector of the National Guard and currently works for the Department of Veteran Affairs. She has worked previously with families facing deployment and separation issues as well as families of the Fallen. She holds a Master's degree from Rhode Island College in English and Secondary Education. Amy devoted 10 years to teaching at-risk students in the Providence School System. Besides writing, she enjoys scrapbooking, sewing and is learning to knit. Amy lives in Massachusetts with her son and husband.


 


Contact Links:  
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6150565.Amy_Rachiele

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mobster-Series/245610882223918

https://www.facebook.com/amyrachielebooks

https://squareup.com/market/tj-publishing

Daughter of NothingDaughter of Nothing by Eric Edstrom

Daughter of Nothing by Eric Edstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to start by saying this book was not at all what I was expecting, in a most delightful way. First off, I always worry a little bit when there is a male author writing a female character, a main character no less, because they many times end up falling short. It's happened quite often in books I've read…but, Jacey is done so well. Mr. Edstrom got inside Jacey's head and created a great character out of her. She was super easy to like, naive but not stupid, and had strong morals. She was trusting to a fault and, always seeing the good in people, never believed there was true evil in the world.

Secondly, the whole concept of this story was so unique, I actually did not see the twists and turns coming. More than once I found myself gasping out loud or saying 'oh my God, that did not just happen!'. Seriously though, the story is very well written and engrossing. You will want to keep reading to find out what happens next. I promise.

And last, the world Mr. Edstrom created for this story was beautiful and fascinating but at the same time a little bit chilling. He created this magnificent sanctuary peacefully tucked away safe from the rest of the world. He made us, and his characters, trust and believe in the power of kindness, honesty, and virtue, and then he slowly stripped it all away, leaving us with no one to believe in or trust. No one is as they seemed to be, or are they?

Though this book is just released, I am already looking for more from these characters. Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of his book.


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Tattoos: A Novel by Denise Mathew

Tattoos: A Novel  
by Denise Mathew
Published June 4th 2013
300 pages 

Book Description:  Seventeen-year-old Marilee Mackie has everything going for her, beauty, money and a bright future. But when she’s diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkins Lymphoma her world falls apart, and instead of finishing her senior year she begins the fight of her life.

Nineteen-year-old Jax, an enigmatic hospital orderly, lives on the Strip, the proverbial other side of the tracks. With his edgy attitude, sleeves of tattoos and rocker look, he’s the kind of bad boy that Marilee has always steered clear of.

But when Marilee’s cancer strips away every bit of her identity, leaving her a shadow of the person she once was, all the things that mattered to her before no longer hold any meaning. Determined to make a difference in the world before she dies, Marilee enlists Jax to help her with something she calls the Peace Project, a way to use her college fund money to help the people who need it the most on the Strip.
With Marilee’s money and Jax’s knowledge of the Strip, the teenagers embark on an unforgettable journey. Where two people from completely different worlds find that miracles do exist, and that the darkest cloud of your life may be lined with the brightest rainbow.

Tattoos is a story about love, hope and the preconceived notions and barriers that we put between us for no reason other than the way someone looks or where they live. It’s about letting go of all the things that we thought were important in the quest for our true purpose. And that sometimes the people you never thought you could love, may be exactly who you needed all along. 

Tattoos: A Novel by Denise Mathew
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Marilee had a perfect life. Everything was going her way until the day she was diagnosed with cancer. After losing not only her health but the emotional support from her family and friends, she turns to Jax, a hospital volunteer. Jax was everything Marilee would have stayed away from Before Cancer – he had the bad boy looks and the bad boy attitude. Together they work to try to make a difference in their small corner of the world.

So this book was pretty much awesome. I liked Marilee, though I suspect if I would have met her Before Cancer I might not have. She had the kind of perfect life everyone dreams of. She never gave a thought to anyone else. Not to say she was a bad person – I really can't say since we really didn't get to see her before – but she seemed like your typical teenage girl, worrying about clothes, parties, boys, etc. Along with her diagnosis Marilee's life was changed in the way that only cancer can. Her future became murky, her priorities shifted, and she began to wonder what she would be leaving behind should she not make it through the treatments.

Jax was a nobody in Marilee's world – a hospital orderly sent in to clean up the mess left behind. However, when she took a good look at him he became so much more. I loved that they met when Marilee was at her worst. It is in this that we realize how wonderful he truly is. I do wish we would have gotten more of them together in the hospital. All of Marilee's treatment/sickness and their reactions to such were glossed over. It felt to me as part of their relationship was missing that I would have loved to see.

While I loved the romance in this story, there is so much to it than that. We see both Marilee and Jax grow as individuals as they try to use the resources at their disposal to help others. The emotions the author was able to put into these pages was amazing – I laughed, I cried (consider this a warning if you are reading in public or just applied mascara), and at one memorable moment I wanted to stop reading altogether because I knew what was coming and I wanted to stop it. I couldn't stop it and I didn't stop reading, and the ending made it all worth it.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Q & A with Denise Mathew

Q:  Tell us a little bit about Marilee and Jax.

A:  Having grown up in a bubble of affluence, Marilee is quite naïve to the reality of human suffering and real life issues. For most of her life she has tried to be perfect in every way, but when her cancer brings her to her physical worst, she no longer lets life happen to her and instead actively seeks to find true connections. In the process she finds strength that she didn’t know she had. The best part of Marilee is how she’s more of a spitfire than even she knows.
 
Jax is a streetwise guy with a past that hasn’t been easy. Instead of being bitter about his plight in life he dedicates himself to trying to make a difference in the world, and to helping people who are ignored by society. Through his relationship with Marilee he comes to terms with his long held belief that people with money are inherently bad. After he falls in love with Marilee he realizes that at the core of every person is a human being just trying to be understood. I love how he’s nothing like everyone presumes. 

Q:  Do you have a favorite scene from Tattoos?
A:  There were quite a few scenes that I loved writing, but if I had to choose one I would have to say it was when Jax took Marilee out on their first real date. For me the scene showed that no matter what is going on in our life, good things can still happen.

Q:  What do you see as the biggest challenge for new authors and what have you been doing to overcome that?
A:  I feel the biggest challenge for new authors is standing out, and making their book visible in a sea of literature from both established and emerging writers. Reviews are your best friend and help to overcome the obstacles of obscurity, so you should get as many as you can. The ARR program has been immensely helpful for me because many potential readers rely on reviews to decide whether they want to read your work. Once people have read and reviewed your work, word of mouth can help to create a buzz. But the work doesn’t stop there, it’s extremely important to have a cover that visually pops from others in your genre followed by a fabulous hook (think book flap blurbs) to seal the deal.

Q:  Who do you see playing Marilee and Jax in a movie?
A:  I know readers will have their own ideas about who they visualize playing the characters, so I don’t like to sway their opinions, but if pressed I would say that Emma Roberts would be a great Marilee. I picture Marilee as very wholesome, cute and petite, and I think that Emma Roberts could deliver on those qualities. Jax would definitely be Avan Jogia, Avan isn’t a household name but he embodies everything I imagined about Jax, an edgy look and a heart of gold, not to mention that he’s gorgeous. A quick Google search will show you what I mean. 

Q:  What is the best advice you have been given?
A:  Don’t write to trends, it usually doesn’t work. Write a story that makes your heart sing and begs to be released. If something isn’t working change it up. No matter what obstacles you face never give up on your dream to be a writer. You’ll never know what the future might bring if you throw in the towel before you finish the race. As Dorie said in “Finding Nemo”, just keep swimming, just keep swimming…

Q:  Hard/paperbacks or eBooks?
A:  Tattoos: A Novel is already published in ebook form and is available on all Amazon websites and Kobo.com. It will be coming out in paperback by the middle of October 2013.
 
Q:  If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
A:  Just like Gran I would love to be able to tell the future, know when good things were going to happen, though there might be the downside of knowing the bad stuff too. But sometimes what we may consider “bad” may teach us our biggest life lessons.

Q:  What book are you reading now?
A:  Right now I’m reading Inferno by Dan Brown, but last week I read Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins and Bared to You by Sylvia Day. My reading tastes are extremely varied just like my writing.

About the Author:  
Denise Mathew loves good chocolate, lots of coffee, her kids and husband, when they behave, and of course writing stories. She believes that housework should be banned and wishes that potato chips were the most healthy and nutritious food on the planet.

She worked as a pediatric nurse for eleven years, once owned an online jewelry business and even taught English in Thailand.

She plans on writing until the stories run out, something she hopes never happens.

Links:
http://www.amazon.com/Denise-Mathew/e/B00ARLSV76/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/tattoos-a-novel
https://twitter.com/DeniseMathew
https://www.facebook.com/denisemathewfans
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6869412.Denise_Mathew
http://denisemathew.com/Denisemathew.com/About_Me.html

Crimson Dawn by Amos Cassidy - Cover Reveal!

Crimson Dawn

Book 3 in the Crimson Series by Amos Cassidy

Coming October 25

All I can say is...wow!

Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove + Giveaway

Tragically Flawed
by A.M. Hargrove

Book Description:  
Riviera Benson has a talent...one she discovered by accident. She’s a painter, but canvas isn’t her medium. She creates her lovely masterpieces on walls and ceilings of million dollar homes as murals and faux finishes. Her art is in high demand now, but life wasn’t always that way. Riviera has secrets from her past she intends to keep tightly locked away...terrifying secrets that keep her awake at night...that prevent her from getting close to anyone...anyone that is, until she meets Shan.

Benjamin Shandon, owner of Shandon Homes, works like a thousand demons are chasing him...because perhaps they are. His business has boomed, ever since the forest fire swept through the canyon and destroyed hundreds of million dollar homes. He demands excellence in everything...from his employees to his women. He slows down for nothing, keeping a schedule that no sane person would want. But Riviera interrupts everything, twisting his guts inside out, and wedging her way into his heart, destroying a promise he made to himself.

Will they let their pasts control their future, or will they decide to let go and allow their hearts to discover each other’s?
 
This book contains mature content and is not intended for younger readers.

Buy Links:  
Amazon: http://amzn.to/14wIgQ0
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/19qMpVb
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/18MPgf1



Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove 
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tragically Flawed is another great novel from one of my favorite authors. Full of action, romance, tragedy, and incredibly steamy scenes, this book will toy with your emotions and make you fall in love with the characters.

Riviera's story is heartbreaking and tragic. After leaving an abusive relationship, Riviera (love that name!) moves away to start a new life for herself. Landing her dream job, things are beginning to look up. Through the story Riviera is vulnerable and scared, but definitely not weak or naive. She knows first-hand there is evil in the world, but she never once stops to feel sorry for herself for what she has gone through. She just picks up and moves on, doing what she has to in order to survive another day. I loved watching her transformation from a scared, anxious young woman into someone who is able to stand up for herself and for what she believes.

After Riviera comes to realize that first impressions aren't always what they seem, Shan, the incredibly sexy, incredibly single, incredibly intimidating owner of Shandon Homes, becomes someone she thinks she can learn to trust, but taking into consideration the men in her past she finds trusting might be too difficult. At the same time all of these exhilarating but terrifying changes are going on in her life, Riviera realizes that her new boss might actually be the devil incarnate.

Fast paced and fabulously sexy, this story has a dark side but also has its laugh out loud moments as well. The characters are great, and I hope the author decides to turn this book into a series. I would love, love, love to know more about Drexel (hint, hint), and I sense a story in Amie and Gray as well. Thank you to A.M. Hargrove for providing me with an ARC of your book!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:
One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what laptop out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss and quit her job. Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).
 
So began A. M. Hargrove's career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer. Her books include the following: Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge and Kissing Fire (The Edge Series); The Guardians of Vesturon series (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, reEmergent and Beginnings); Dark Waltz and Tragically Flawed.
 
Other than being in love with writing about being in love, she loves chocolate, ice cream and coffee and is positive they should be added as part of the USDA food groups.

Author Links:
Blog: http://amhargrove.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Amhargrove1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMHargroveAuthor
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5338829.A_M_Hargrove
Tragically Flawed on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18271624-tragically-flawed
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/amhargrove1/

Wake Up Call by Victoria Ashley

Wake Up Call by Victoria Ashley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Avery is a barely 19-year-old on her own and struggling day by day just to get by. Unable to find a job due to lack of experience, she has resorted to stripping to keep herself off the street. When she finds herself in a situation she cannot figure out how to get out of on her own, she relies on enigmatic and sexy Jace – though only because she really has no other choice. Avery does not trust easily, or at all, but Jace is determined to help her and will push until she cannot take it anymore.

As for the characters, Avery was really hard to like at first. Sure she had had a hard life, but when reading a book you want the character to have overcome the odds, to be different, to be kind and caring despite her past, but Avery was not like that. After the first couple of chapters I really did not like her much at all, and I was worried that her personality would bring the whole story down for me. However, she did grow on me. She was still hard and determined not to let anyone close, but she had her reasons, and she did try.

Jace was pretty awesome, though pushy at times, but I guess that's an admirable quality in an alpha male, which he definitely is. He's just really an overall nice guy, the kind of guy who when he sees someone in need he reaches out to them. This obsession with helping people has gotten him hurt in the past, but it does not stop him from helping Avery.

Overall the story was good and the writing was good, but there were many grammatical errors throughout the book, which I would not even mention if they were few and far between, but they were frequent, and having my eye catch on them and cause me to stop reading really took away from the story. There were also a couple of eye rolling moments for me in the story where I just thought, like that would really happen, and loose ends tied up too quickly or too neatly, but overall I enjoyed the story. Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of her book.


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The Last Strand by Van Krishna

The Last Strand by Van Krishna
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a really good story. The plot was different and fully of mystery and suspense, and I think it definitely has the potential to be great.

Overall, the characters were good. Nick was well developed and overall a likeable guy, not to mention downright sexy. We were able to get to know him well throughout the story, and I enjoyed the chapters told from his point of view the most. Liz's character was good, and I mostly liked what we saw of her. The one thing that I really did not like about her was her indecisiveness. She would tell Nick one thing, but then do another. Bipolar much? Though, there was some definite chemistry between Liz and Nick, and we love chemistry. Additionally their banter was quite fun. The only character I really did not like was Stacy. She was a horrible friend to Liz, though Liz just laughed it off like it was funny.

While I enjoyed the story, there were a couple of things that I have to mention that brought the rating down from a 4 to a 3 for me. First of all, there were too many grammatical errors not to mention them. One or two errors throughout the book I could overlook, but there were many consistently throughout. They were little things, 'I'm' instead of 'I am' (those two words cannot exclusively be used in place of one another), comma misuse or lack of commas, and semicolon misuse, but as I said it was enough to be noticeable, and that distracted my reading and ultimately detracted from the story. Additionally, the thought processes seemed very disjointed to me, especially in the beginning, to the point where I stopped at one point to check and see if the author was a native English speaker. It wasn't necessarily bad, per se, just…flighty, and I had the constant feeling that I was missing parts of the story. Plus, I kept wondering why everything was in italics? That was a bit distracting. Every page had some random thoughts thrown into italics without any rhyme or reason to it that I could discern.

The second thing that brought the rating down I had mentioned above – Liz's indecisiveness. This inconsistency in her personality was a major character flaw for her. For example, one second she was ignoring Nick and telling him she was 'not that kind of girl,' and the next second (literally) she was half naked with him in the front seat of his car. There was no in-between and no transition from one Liz to the next. In another scene she had not been speaking to him for a few days and the next thing you knew they were having sex like nothing had been wrong. Again like mentioned above, I just felt like something was missing from those scenes, possibly some inner dialogue that explained why she went from one extreme to the next.

Overall, the story was entertaining and could be really great with an editor with an eye for detail.

View all my reviews

Q & A with Author Michelle Scott

Stage Fright
by Michelle Scott 

Published: July 24th 2013

Genre: Urban fantasy/paranormal

Book Description: Cassandra Jaber’s dream of acting becomes a nightmare when she blacks out on stage during a private audition. She awakes, sore and disoriented, with a three-hour hole in her memory and a crippling fear of the spotlight. Although she tries to piece her shattered life back together, she remains at the mercy of the dark secret locked away in her mind.

But when a mysterious man, who calls himself a guardian of the night, rescues her from a terrifying attacker, Cassandra’s eyes are opened to a fantastic world she never guessed existed. She soon realizes that her midnight rescuer holds the key to her salvation. And her heart.

Buy Stage Fright now on Amazon! 

Stage Fright is currently available in exchange for an honest review through the 
Making Connections group. 
Follow this link to sign up for your copy to read and review! 

Q & A with Michelle Scott

Q: Tell us a little bit about Cassandra.
A: Well, really there's two Cassandras. The Cassie before the tragic audition was a carefree, funny, social person who was everyone's friend. She's genuine which makes people like her, and also *very* hardworking when it comes to theater. When she's working on a play, she's totally absorbed by the project no matter how small the part or ridiculous the script. After the terrifying event, Cassie's good humor and friendly nature get buried under layers of self-doubt, fear, and depression. There's still light burning in her heart, but a lot of times that light grows dim. However, she's struggling to overcome her tragedy and become the strong, independent woman she used to be.

Q: I love the cover of Stage Fright. Who designed the cover and what was that process like for you as the author?
A: I actually made the cover myself. I started with a general concept and focused it by looking through hundreds of clip art photos. It took hours to find just the right 'leading lady' for the cover. I like her because she resembles Cassie physically and because she has the look of an ingenue (a young, sweet actress). She's also obviously afraid. The figure lurking behind her is a sinister fiend who's made her life a living hell. Although, it's possible that you won't know who that man is until the last chapters of the book.

Q: In your opinion, what makes a good, strong female lead?
A: Confidence. Which is different from arrogance. Confidence says, "I accept myself and all my strengths and weaknesses. I know I need to improve on things, but at the same time, I'm capable." Arrogance says, "I'm better than you. You just haven't realized it yet." Also, a leading lady needs charisma, kindness, bravery, and loyalty. (Notice, I said nothing about looks...)

Q: I know Stage Fright is still newly released, but when can we expect book two in the Bit Parts series? Can you give us any clues as to what it is going to be about?
A: I've been thinking of the sequel from the moment I started the first book, lol. I'm already hard at work on it. Let's just say that there are more than one type of supernatural beings wandering the streets of Motown. And, no, I do not mean werewolves. Also, someone (or someones) will be unlucky in love. There's also a cadre of sweet, blue-haired older ladies from Florida who think Andrew's the bomb.

Q: What is the best advice you have been given?
A: Never let your aspirations for your writing career take over your life. Family and friends are too precious to neglect.

Q: If you could be on one reality TV show, what would it be?
A: Lol! I love reality TV. It's my secret indulgence. I guess that my adventurous side would make me pick The Amazing Race because I think my husband and I would do pretty well together, and we'd get to travel the world. But my rational side thinks I'd do better on something more sedate, like Four Houses (providing I ever had a house that would look good enough to be on a show like that.)

Q: What do you do to keep busy when you are not writing?
A: I read nonstop and belong to a terrific book club with my friends here in town. I volunteer quite a bit with my daughters' high school marching band because once a band geek always a band geek. I also garden, knit, and spend too much time on Pinterest looking up home design ideas.

Q: What book are you reading now?
A: Currently, I'm reading a couple of books. One is for my book club, and it's called "And the Mountains Echoed" by Khaled Hosseini.

About the Author: 
A native Michigander, Michelle has been a fiction junkie all of her life, but she didn't start writing until junior high. Over the next decade, she wrote many (really awful) poems, short stories, and limericks.

While earning her BA in psychology she met and married the guy of her dreams.

Currently, she teaches English at a community college in southeastern Michigan and lives with her husband and three terrific children, all of whom are addicted to fiction as much as she. 

You can contact her at mscott@mscottfiction.com or follow her on Twitter at urban_fae.

This Week's Featured Books!

ARR: Science Fiction 
1012. PLEASE DON'T TALK ABOUT ME WHEN I'M GONE by David Perlmutte
Genre: Science Fiction

Book Description:
Cicero Clayton and his gal pal, Suzy Mack, have had plenty of adventures in their fictional version of Halifax. After all, life as a cartoon character should be nothing but fun and excitement, right?

All things may be possible in the world of Cicero and Suzy, but the real adventure won't begin until their show is cancelled - and that's exactly what's about to happen.

ARR: Paranormal 
1015. END OF THE LINE by Emma Meade 
Genre: Paranormal short story

Book Description:
Cassie wants to die. When midnight rolls around, she stands on the tracks waiting for the train to come. She loses her nerve the first couple of times but returns to try once more.
After all, third time's the charm.

ARR: Fantasy 
1018. THE CERBERUS REBELLION by Joshua Johnson 
Genre: Fantasy/Gunpowder Fantasy

Book Description:
One hundred years of peace and prosperity. War changes everything.

On the world of Zaria, Elves, magic and mythical beasts coexist beside rifles and railroads. The futures of two nations hang in the balance as rebels and revolutionaries trade gunfire with loyalists and tyrants.

Eadric Garrard was raised to believe that as the rightful King of Ansgar, his loyal nobles and fearful subjects answered to his every whim, no matter the cost or consequence. His decision to send his troops thousands of miles away will test that fear, and loyalty.

Raedan Clyve was ordinary until an Elven ritual involving a griffin’s heart turned him into something more. Twenty years later, he still struggles with the magics that rage through his body. His mentor holds him back from his full potential and he faces pressure to find a suitable wife and father an heir.

Hadrian Clyve has picked up where his father left off and works to expand his family’s influence amongst the Ansgari nobility. His aggressive negotiation of alliances and shrewd choice of marriage agreements has earned him respect, and resentment. When his King calls his troops to arms, Hadrian has other things in mind.

After a century of scheming and decades of preparation, Magnus Jarmann is ready to bring his family’s plans to fruition by launching a war of independence that will free his people and return his country to its rightful place among the nations of Zaria. The King’s call to arms creates an opportunity that Magnus cannot afford to miss.

In a war, little is held back; in a revolution, nothing is safe.


 

ARR: Fantasy 
1020. THE THRONE OF AO by Robby "Zero Angel" Richardson
Genre: Action Fantasy

Book Description:
What would you be willing to give up to save the life of a family member? The life of your best friend? A stranger's?

The Culling of Humeity has been killing humes of the world of Ao for ages. Feeding on magick, it affects the strongest of the hume race the most.

Val's mother succumbed to the Culling.

Val's elder is dying now.

Together with his best friend, Uri, he needs to find a cure to save his elder. A cure to save everyone. This is his Lifequest. This is how he will come of age or in failing, be lost forever.

The Throne of Ao stands towering over realms torn apart by war--it is a great mesa that houses mysteries of its own that were old when the world was new. Mysteries that may lead Val to the legendary Panacea. Here will be the site of Val's greatest trial.

Uri will be there beside Val and their friendship will be tested.

Will Val, Uri and the companions they meet on their journey be able to make the sacrifices necessary to save each other? To save Val's elder and those afflicted by the Culling? To save everyone?

The War of the Ages has begun anew...

This Week's Featured Books! - YA Edition

ARR: Science Fiction
ARR # 244 - THE DARK SHIP by L.M. Sherwin
Genre:  Sci-Fi/Paranormal


Book Description:  
Lyra has always felt too plain and uninteresting to be a part of her parents' social sphere, the upper class of Juneau One. Now, they expect her to act like a proper lady at one of the moon's most prestigious girls' schools: St. Xavier's. On the voyage to the dreaded school, Lyra discovers an enchanted mirror in the lower decks of the ship. Whenever she looks at it, her reflection appears beautiful, mysterious, and otherworldly. Something about the glass draws her in; time, thought, and emotion fly past when she gazes into its depths. Could there be something dangerous about this simple golden mirror? Does some sinister force lurk within, drawing her into its clutches? Find out in this thrilling novella by L.M. Sherwin!

ARR: Science Fiction 
ARR # 247 - CENTALPHA 6 (Part 1) by James Todd Cochrane
Genre: YA science fiction

Book Description:
Breyden Pry lived in what he thought was the perfect society ruled by an Intergalactic Government for the people. Trained since birth by his father to be an elite commando and enrolled in the best military academy, his destiny seemed certain. He would hunt and destroy those trying to bring down their perfect utopia of equality.

But, a teenage indiscretion makes him the target of an underground group claiming Breyden has evidence that proves the all knowing, all controlling government is the real enemy. In his efforts to find the truth, Breyden discovers how difficult it is to hide things from the watchful eyes of the government and his father. As everyone who aids him in his efforts disappears to the remote prison plant Centalpha 6.

As Breyden’s world crashes down around him, he must decide between the life he knows or the truth and the unknown.

ARR: Contemporary Fiction  
ARR # 248 - LEGACY OF A DREAMER by Allie Jean
Genre: Young Adult/New Adult

Book Description:
Chantal Breelan is a ward of the state, living under the care of a woman who is cold and heartless. Her past is a mystery, and her future is even more uncertain. She can’t recall why she had been taken from her parents and so she’s left with nothing but an empty hole where her childhood should have been. When she awakens from her nightmares, she’s left with terrible, violent images, as well as a boy whose face is oddly familiar, yet can’t be placed.

Scared and alone, Chantal begins to confide in an imaginary friend – a shadow in the shape of a man who stands in the corner of her room. She is comforted when she believes he listens to her.

On her eighteenth birthday, Chantal is forced to leave her foster home. She moves to New York City, but the start of her new life doesn’t begin as smoothly as she’d hoped. In this environment, she faces a whole new set of challenges.

One night at a subway station, Chantal meets a young boy who runs away from her, and she’s compelled to follow him down into the tunnels. But this Rabbit Hole reveals a world where reality is a nightmare. Her dreams are clues to her future, and her life becomes twisted and dangerous when she learns that things that go bump in the night are not just in fairy tales and childhood stories.


 

ARR: Paranormal Romance 
ARR # 249 - CHARMEINE (The Light-Bearer #1) by Emily Guido
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Book Description:
Can romance develop between a Heavenly Light-Bearer and a Hellish Vampire Blood-Hunter?

Tabbruis is an extremely attractive Blood-Hunter who has reconciled himself to be alone forever. Over millennia Tabbruis has wandered the Earth alone, aimlessly living through many historical events.

Charleen (aka Charmeine) was found in 1997 as a teenager, unable to remember where she was from or where her family was. She was sent to an orphanage where she met her best friend, Shane. With determination, she works hard and becomes a school teacher.

Tabbruis comes to her aid when she is attacked by a Blood-Hunter. Charmeine’s power as a Light-Bearer, one who throws lightning, is triggered when she meets Tabbruis, and it grows exponentially.

When they meet, the attraction is immediate, romantic and passionate. They are polar opposites and clash together in a dramatic way.

Will Charmeine and Tabbruis fulfill their destinies? Will they realize their importance in both the Blood-Hunter and Light-Bearer world?

“Charmeine” is an action-packed emotional roller-coaster of passion and fury!

this weeks featured books for review 9-12-13

     alright everyone this week here are books that are up for review. these authors are looking for honest reviews and we know that you are the ones to do it so here we go! 

1.   1679. SET IN STONE by Newton http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1488084-1679-set-in-stone-by-newton
book details:  
  Genre: Horror
Page Count: 69
His parents deceased, young Michael O'Donahue inherits the sole responsibility of maintaining the local cemetery known by most as The Yard. Torn between a lustful affair with the town harlot and a blossoming romance with the youngest daughter of one the most prominent families in town, his life is suddenly ripped apart by evil unseen forces.
*'Set in Stone' is a gothic tale of magic, mystery and shattered romance.

2.   1678. HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT: The Other People in Norman Rockwell's America by Jane Allen Petrick  http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1488079-1678-hidden-in-plain-sight-the-other-people-in-norman-rockwell-s-ameri
book details: 
 Nonfiction, History, Social History
Page Count: 143

Norman Rockwell’s America was not all white. As early as 1936, Rockwell was portraying people of color with empathy and a dignity often denied them at the time. And he created these portraits from live models.

Hidden in Plain Sight: The Other People in Norman Rockwell’s America unfolds, for the first time, the stories of the Asian, African, and Native Americans who modeled for Norman Rockwell. These people of color, though often hidden in plain sight, are present throughout Rockwell’s more than 4000 illustrations. People like the John Lane family, Navajos poignantly depicted in the virtually unknown Norman Rockwell painting, “Glen Canyon Dam.” People like Isaac Crawford, a ten year old African-American Boy Scout who helped Norman Rockwell finally integrate the Boy Scout calendar.

In this engrossing and often humorous narrative, Jane Allen Petrick explores what motivated Norman Rockwell to slip people of color “into the picture” in the first place. And in so doing, she persuasively documents the famous illustrator’s deep commitment to and pointed portrayals of ethnic tolerance, portrayals that up to now have been, as Norman Rockwell biographer Laura Claridge so clearly put it, “bizarrely neglected”.

Hidden in Plain Sight: The Other People in Norman Rockwell’s America is an eye opener for everyone who loves Norman Rockwell, everyone who hates Norman Rockwell and for all those people in between who never thought much about Norman Rockwell because they believed Norman Rockwell never thought much about them. This book will expand the way you think about Norman Rockwell. And it will deepen the way you think about Norman Rockwell's America.

3.    1677. - JILTED by Kara Leigh Miller http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1487923-1677---jilted-by-kara-leigh-miller

book details:
Erotic contemporary romance

 Amy and Brett have been friends since they were kids; and their friendship has withstood the test of time. But can it withstand Brett's fiancée, Vanessa?

Brett Hudson has often wondered what it would be like to be more than Amy's friend, but when he's chosen as the newest professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars, he meets Vanessa, one of the shows costume designers and it's a whirlwind romance that ends in a wedding proposal. As the big day draws closer, Brett begins to think that marrying Vanessa might be a bad idea. She wants him to give up Amy. Completely. Will he give up his best friend for the woman he's supposed to marry?

Amy King is heartbroken to learn that Brett is marrying another woman. But, when Brett is jilted at the altar, he begs Amy to go on his honeymoon with him. A week on a tropical island with her best friend, the man she's fantasized about for years is a dream come true for Amy. But when Brett suggest crossing the line from friends to lovers, Amy is reluctant. Will she risk years of friendship for one night of passion?

4. 1676. - COLORADO WILD by Sara York http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1487917-1676---colorado-wild-by-sara-york
  BOOK DETAILS:
M/M Romance/Romance Western
 When love sneaks up on you, shoot for the heart.

Billy Bradford has a secret, and it's bigger than the fact that he's an assassin. When Tucker Hayes, Billy's "straight" best friend, is injured on a mission, Billy acts in haste, kissing Tucker. Shocked by the act, Tucker runs. But desire is stronger than convictions, leading Tucker to hunt down Billy.

The other guys on the ranch are oblivious to Tucker and Billy's actions as they investigate a new target. Grant Stovall is hung up on his ex, but Roger Burk, their new operative, catches his attention and one small touch isn't enough.

Meet the cowboys of Wild Bluff Ranch in the first book of the Colorado Heart Series, Colorado Wild.

5. 1675. - ERIC IS AWAKE by Dom Shaw http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1487905-1675---eric-is-awake-by-dom-shaw
Book Details:
Literary Fiction
 Shortly after midnight on the 21st January 1950, the man known to his readers as George Orwell and to his new bride Sonia, as Eric Arthur Blair, breathes his last in a small side ward of the University College Hospital. Beside his bed, his bags are packed for a trip to Switzerland. He is alone and afraid. Shortly after midnight on the 21st January 20--, in a country with 4.2 million CCTV devices - one for every 14 people in the country, a security camera captures a homeless tramp with a high forehead and thin moustache, dying of hypothermia in an alley beside an Islington pub on a snowy winter night. As his dying breath vaporizes in the freezing air, he grows cold. The warm vapour of his final exhalation travels upwards to dissipate in the atmosphere, but instead, coalesces and descends again to the cold blue lips of the man lying in the alley. He takes a breath and the tramp’s body warms as a new occupant moves in. Eric is awake.

6.   1674. - MAYBE FATE by Cynthia Brint http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1487116-1674---maybe-fate-by-cynthia-brint
Book Details: 
New Adult/Paranormal Romance
 No matter how you fight, fate still comes knocking.
But what happens when you rebel against it?

When I felt someone watching me, I knew something was wrong. I'm not the
kind of girl who gets a lot of attention. I don't want you to think I'm paranoid, or crazy. Definitely not crazy. That night, I got my first glimpse of something that should never have existed. I met someone who would change my life, change my everything. Someone with wicked smiles and a voice like sugar mixed with cinnamon.

Someone not entirely human.

Maybe Fate is a full-length 350 page New Adult Paranormal Romance. It focuses on the wonder of destiny, the beauty of love, and the way it sweeps us up with unstoppable, hungry claws.

MatureContent, recommended for ages 17+

7. 1673. - DARK LULLABY by Mayra Calvani http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1487067-1673---dark-lullaby-by-mayra-calvani
Book Details:
 supernatural/psychological thriller
 At a trendy Turkish tavern one Friday night, astrophysicist Gabriel Diaz meets a mysterious young woman. Captivated by her beauty as well as her views on good and evil, he spends the next several days with her. Soon, however, he begins to notice a strangeness in her—her skin’s abnormally high temperature, her obsession with milk products, her child-like and bizarre behaviour as she seems to take pleasure in toying with his conscience.

The young woman, Kamilah, invites him to Rize, Turkey, where she claims her family owns a cottage in the woods. In spite of his heavy workload and the disturbing visions and nightmares about his sister’s baby that is due to be born soon, Gabriel agrees to go with her.

But nothing, not even the stunning splendor of the Black Sea, can disguise the horror of her nature. In a place where death dwells and illusion and reality seem as one, Gabriel must now come to terms with his own demons in order to save his sister’s unborn child, and ultimately, his own soul…

8.   1672. SILENCING JOY by Amy Rachiele 1672. SILENCING JOY by Amy Rachiele
Book Details:
 Romance, Action/Adventure
Page Count: 127
 I scream. I couldn’t help it. I jump up and whack my head on the bottom of a bleacher. My hand flies immediately to the lump forming. I start running while bent in half. I try to get out.
I don’t.
Suddenly, my hair is yanked back. I shriek as my hands automatically go to the back of my head. My heart races in terror. I bend backwards from the yank and then fall to my knees.
~Joy, Silencing Joy

Joy is the type of person that goes about her business, stays out of people’s way, and keeps to herself. Everything changes one night at a football game.
Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Follow Joy as she discovers what wrong place and wrong time actually mean.

Kara shifted in her seat and her foot slipped. Something pulled on it.
A hand came around her mouth and she was falling. Kara found herself flat on the ground in the dirt and trash under the bleachers.
A cloth was slipped over her mouth and tied behind her head. Someone flipped her over like a hog, tying and dressing it for a roast over a spit. Kara’s hands were yanked and bound behind her back with thick rope.

9.   1671. DEMONS OF THE GUILDED (The Demon Cleaner, #1) by Nadiyah Abdul-Khaliq http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1486178-1671-demons-of-the-guilded-the-demon-cleaner-1-by-nadiyah-abdul-kha
Book details:
Urban paranormal fantasy
Page Count: 297
 In present day Guild City, Louisiana humans and vampires are slowly integrating. Vampires even hold jobs in human society. They're police officers, teachers, doctors, etc. Of course, not everyone wants this. Forces on both sides work to see that humans and vampires remain separate with one dominating the other.

A string of gruesome murders threatens to destroy what little peace there is between the two species. Neither side knows who's committing the murders or why. Yet they blame each other.

Eventually, a set of twin vampires are arrested for the crimes.

Demon hunters are rare among humans. They are born. Not made. Among them is Lillas Mehkinnan. Special even by demon hunter standards, she is the only human who can use the powers of the elements.

From the beginning, Lillas has suspected that serial killers, dubbed the Inheritors, are demons. But finding proof has been impossible. However, everything changes when her friends are arrested. Now she must do more than prove their innocence. She must find the real killer.

But the killer finds her. And things do not go as planned. For the first time, the demon hunter meets the demon lord.

The series also introduces a few new species that humans don't know about. Among them are the ankhil and himmels. The ankhil are a collective of were-kind and other creatures. They are very close knit despite the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of them spread around the world. Their main enemy are the vampires. The himmels are a very rare species of shape-shifting time-travelers. They are incredibly powerful and consider themselves to be the only true immortals as very few things can kill them. Not even decapitation. They have no natural enemy and are often peacekeepers between the vampires and ankhil.

10.  1670. GETTING HER MONEY'S WORTH by Annette Mardis http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1486173-1670-getting-her-money-s-worth-by-annette-mardis
Book Details:
 Woman's Fiction
Page Count: 184
 Life often has been unkind, and sometimes cruel, to Allie Charles, and she’s determined not to be shortchanged and to live in the moment whenever possible. She and close pal Shelby Martin want many of the same things: romance, fun, good friends and satisfying work. After meeting on a softball field on a frigid fall evening, they enjoy many adventures together: watching the piranha feeding at the National Aquarium; overturning their canoe in the deepest, blackest part of a river; getting stuck thigh high in mud on a golf course water hazard; winning tacky prizes at skee ball machines in Ocean City, Md. Only one of the women will see her heart’s desires fulfilled. The other will face her biggest challenge yet. This touching, poignant story will make you laugh, cry and go for the gusto in your own life.

11.   1669. THE CLEANSING by Danielle Tara Evans http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1486170-1669-the-cleansing-by-danielle-tara-evans
Book details:
Dystopian
Page Count: 233
 After the earth suffered from a series of severe natural disasters that claimed many lives, people are still fearful years later. America allows in foreigners from other devastated areas to assist with rebuilding. As a result, a new wave of immigration occurs, and now Americans are in the minority. They are discriminated against and blamed for global warming.

When a foreigner becomes president of the United States, he devises a plan that will prevent Americans from standing in the way of his tyranny. He forces them to attend the Earth Education Program, where they are supposed to learn how to take better care of the environment.

The story follows John and Annie Weber, an American couple, who discover that the program is more malignant than it appears. As a massive genocide takes place, John and Annie struggle to survive in this new world.

Love, Lies, and Deception by L.P. Dover

Love, Lies, and Deception by L.P. Dover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love it when a story draws you in and makes you think of nothing else. You fall in love with the characters, the story well written and well thought out, and you just want to keep reading to see how it is going to play out. The only problem is...just when you think you have it all figured out – BAM – the author throws in a twist you could not possibly have seen coming. This could work in two ways for the author: 1) The twist is too unbelievable to even really consider and you just to roll your eyes and take solace in the fact that the first part of the story was good; or 2) The twist turns what was a great story into an exceptional story. The latter is what happened with Love, Lies, and Deception. I was just reading away, thinking I had it all figured out, completely oblivious to the fact that my whole was about to change. Okay, maybe I am being a bit dramatic – my whole world didn't change, it just seems like it should have.

What do you do when the one person you thought you knew turns out to be the one you knew the least?

Love, Lies, and Deception is the story of Marissa, a college student looking forward to graduation and the next stage of her life. Marissa is pretty much your typical 23-year-old woman – she studies hard, she likes to party, she has great friends and a good life. There is really nothing to make her stand out from the next girl, so when she is the victim of an attempted attack not once, but twice, in a relatively short time period, questions are raised. When the truth comes out, no one is more surprised than Marissa (except maybe me!).

I really can't go into any of the plot without giving things away, but I can tell you that that this story is definitely worth reading. Let me just say that the characters were all great and well written. The author gave us enough to get a feel for them and their individual personalities. The plot was extremely complicated but organized, and I didn't feel at the end that there were any major questions left uncovered.

Thank you to L.P. Dover for providing me a copy of your book.


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Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove

Tragically Flawed by A.M. Hargrove
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tragically Flawed is another great novel from one of my favorite authors. Full of action, romance, tragedy, and incredibly steamy scenes, this book will toy with your emotions and make you fall in love with the characters.

Riviera's story is heartbreaking and tragic. After leaving an abusive relationship, Riviera (love that name!) moves away to start a new life for herself. Landing her dream job, things are beginning to look up. Through the story Riviera is vulnerable and scared, but definitely not weak or naive. She knows first-hand there is evil in the world, but she never once stops to feel sorry for herself for what she has gone through. She just picks up and moves on, doing what she has to in order to survive another day. I loved watching her transformation from a scared, anxious young woman into someone who is able to stand up for herself and for what she believes.

After Riviera comes to realize that first impressions aren't always what they seem, Shan, the incredibly sexy, incredibly single, incredibly intimidating owner of Shandon Homes, becomes someone she thinks she can learn to trust, but taking into consideration the men in her past she finds trusting might be too difficult. At the same time all of these exhilarating but terrifying changes are going on in her life, Riviera realizes that her new boss might actually be the devil incarnate.

Fast paced and fabulously sexy, this story has a dark side but also has its laugh out loud moments as well. The characters are great, and I hope the author decides to turn this book into a series. I would love, love, love to know more about Drexel (hint, hint), and I sense a story in Amie and Gray as well. Thank you to A.M. Hargrove for providing me with an ARC of your book!


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