Review: Hearts In Harmony by Raine Gillespie

Title:		Hearts In Harmony
Author:		Raine Gillespie
Publisher:		Trifecta Books
Pub. Date:		08/23/2014
Pages:		105

Elahna Nezario gave up her musical dreams to help run the Queen of Hearts, her mother’s chocolate shop, after her sister’s sudden death. After an unfortunate run-in with Elahna’s childhood crush, owner of the Dolce Theater, not only do her dreams surge back to life, but so does her heart.

(Summary and cover via Goodreads)

              **************************************************

Elahna has two big dreams in life: being on stage and being with her life-long crush. Life hasn't quite worked out that way though. Instead Elahna is working for her mom in a chocolate shop and merely admiring her crush from afar as he lives out her dream on stage. After a series of unfortunate events though, Elahna is stuck working for her crush Timothy. As a mystery begins to unfold, Elahna's life may never be the same.

This story started out a little rough for me. I thought Elahna was fun, but I didn't really get Timothy. It seemed like was attractive sometimes but just plain mean at others. He was so hot and cold. Once the story got it's footing it got better though. There is a couple big mysteries in the story, and those were very interesting to read about. Overall this was a fun story with a sweet ending.

Book provided for review.

The Fairy Tale Bride Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for The Fairy Tale Bride by Kelly McClymer!

Miranda Fenster gave up on a happily-ever-after following a disastrous London season, but she is determined to help her brother regain his star-crossed love by convincing the impeccably proper Duke of Kerstone he was wrong to thwart their love match. Instead, she finds herself compromised, married, and with a second chance for a fairy tale ending — if only she can show the duke fairy tales do come true.

Review:

Miranda Fenster has always believed in fairy tales, even when her life has seemed far removed from them. Unable to secure a husband during the London season, Miranda returned home and ended up staying there. When her parents passed away, she and her twin brother Valentine had to take care of the numerous younger sisters and the entire estate. Valentine sinks into despair when his elopement goes awry, so Miranda takes it upon herself to make things right. Miranda's plans go awry though, and she finds herself in a compromising situation. Soon Miranda's faith in fairy tale endings will be severely tested, and she will find out if her dreams can all come true.

This was an interesting book on a couple levels. I found the writing to be a bit uneven. The prologue read really smooth and immediately drew me in, but then the first few chapters felt a bit stilted. They were hard to get in to. Things definitely smoothed out though, and I was once again drawn into the story to the point where I didn't want to put it down. I think the author did a great job with the character of Miranda and her love of fairy tales. This could have been a bit annoying after a bit, but the author kept it all balanced so that you understood Miranda's love and connection with the tales while never allowing it to become to saccharine. I found a lot of the supporting characters intriguing, and I wanted to learn a lot more about many of them.

This book manages to straddle the line between a typical romance novel and a fairy tale. Personally I could have used a little less of the pining for one another, but this aspect was very unique from your typical romance story as they couple in question actually got together fairly early in the story. Their troubles were a bit unique for their situation though. There was also some unique mysteries and twists. I though those were particularly well done, and they kept me on the edge of my seat eager to find out what would happen next. People who love sweet romance books will enjoy this book, as will those who love fairy tale type stories. 

Galley provided for review.

The Dragon's Harp Virtual Book Tour

Welcome to the virtual book tour for The Dragon's Harp by Rachael Pruitt!

ENTER THE WORLD OF THE DRAGON’S HARP ARTHURIAN HISTORICAL FANTASY FOR THE 21st CENTURY Before Gwenhwyfar became Queen - before Arthur met Merlin - a tribal Welsh princess met a young Heatherlands Mage. Together, they will create a legend. Inside a mist of beauty and brutality waits the Arthurian legend as you’ve never heard it before. Enter the world of THE DRAGON'S HARP, a realm of blood lust and vengeance, of spellbinding magic from the beginning of time. The realm of Princess Gwenhwyfar: a young girl torn between magic and desire, born with magical powers she can either wield to save her people from destruction - or deny to save her soul. IN AN ERA OF DRAGONS A YOUNG GIRL COMES OF AGE First in a five book series of historical fantasy, Rachael Pruitt’s unique take on a beloved legend reintroduces the mythic characters of Gwenhwyfar, Merlin, and Vortigern against the gritty backdrop of sixth century Wales, where scenes of shape-shifting and heartbreaking romance vie with torture, murder, and battle in a dragon-haunted land. ERA OF DRAGONS: THE LOST TALES OF GWENHWYFAR: BOOK ONE JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF THE DRAGON'S HARP YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN!

ABOUT RACHEL PRUITT

My name is Rachael Pruitt and I’m a writer, storyteller, and teacher with a lifelong fascination for Celtic mythology and the Arthurian legend.

My new novel, The Dragon’s Harp, tells the story of the coming of age of the famous Queen Gwenhwyfar (the Welsh spelling for Guinevere) in a dark and frightening time. Merlin is her Uncle and, although she is a tribal Celtic princess who possesses both power and magic, she is in great danger from both the human and supernatural realms.

Dragon’s Harp is just the beginning! I have plans for four more books about Gwenhwyfar and Merlin’s lives. The books are called Era of Dragons: The Lost Tales of Gwenhwyfar.


Visit Rachael at her website, Facebook, or Twitter!

Review:


The story of Gwenhwyfar (or Guinevere) is fairly familiar to most people. This particular story may be different though. This is the tale of Gwenhwyfar's early years. She is surrounded by old magic and legends, and she is growing up in a harsh world. There is constant fighting between different groups. As Gwen grows, she discovers danger is truly around every corner. With help from her Uncle Merlin, Gwen will continue to grow into a strong young woman with a grand destiny ahead of her.

What a fantastic book! It combined two of my favorite things, history and fantasy. This was definitely a new take on an old legend for me. There was a lot of detail about the old Druidic beliefs. It was a wonderful combination of magic and nature. Of course, there is also great danger in her world. At times I feared for her life even knowing she would live to do other things. I loved the idea of Merlin being her kind and wise uncle. Gwen really needed this grounding force in this story, and Merlin was able to help her in ways no one else could. Naturally, I wonder what role Merlin's relationship with a young Arthur will play in Gwen's future.

I found there to be a beautiful lyrical quality to the writing. Written entirely from Gwen's point of view, you really feel for her as she goes through so many things in her young life. You get to gradually see her lose her innocence, especially as it relates to her relationship with her parents. I really didn't want the book to end as I wanted to see what would happen next. Fans of fantasy and history will really enjoy this book. Although the subject may be familiar, this story is all new and sure to hold your attention. The author also does a fabulous job of noting where she got her information and why she made some of the story choices she did. All this research made for a fabulous story, and I really look forward to reading more.

Book provided for review.

Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour!

Virtual Book Tour: Heroes & Hounds by Bill Miller

Welcome to the virtual book tour for Heroes & Hounds by Bill Miller! I have a review and guest post, so let's get to it.

Heroes and Hounds is a wonderfully charming story about a young girl’s adventures with her pony and her friend as she seeks to fulfill her dream of riding “to the hounds” with the hunt. Although the story is written for young audiences, it has multi-generational appeal as it touches on such issues as the plight of families with parents in military service and the welfare of veterans. Anyone who loves horses, dogs and other animals will enjoy this book. The illustrations are beautiful and create a nostalgia of their own in their old-style look reminiscent of children’s books decades ago.

Carly is 11 years old and lives with her grandfather on a 200-acre Virginia farm while both parents serve in the military overseas.  She loves the farm, and befriends all of the animals including a sneaky red fox that stalks her grandfather’s prize chickens. Her best friend is her pony, Monroe, who shares her enthusiasm for adventure.  Carly’s constant dream is to ride with the Riverdale Hunt Club that passes through her grandfather’s property.

On one particularly rainy Saturday, Carly watches from her front porch as the finely dressed ladies and gentlemen ride to the hounds.  Later in the day, Carly finds out that a young hound named Hampton has become lost and Carly is determined to find him and by so doing endear herself to the hunt’s Master; perhaps to be asked to ride Monroe in an upcoming meet.  Carly enlists the help of her friend, Freddie, but the adventure is just beginning.  Carly, Monroe, Hampton and the red fox have no idea what’s dangers await them.

Author Bill Miller kindly wrote a guest post for us on his inspiration for writing this book.

I have been an avid equestrian all of my adult life and have been actively involved in Foxhunting for most of that time. We are a drag hunt which means we don’t actually chase live animals and there is never a kill. A number of years ago, the Master of the Hunt, an elderly lady, told me the brief story about a hound that went missing for three months and was found safe and sound several states away. This was the inspiration for Heroes and Hounds and as an 80th birthday present for my dear friend, I wrote the story.  It was delivered as a manuscript in a three-ring binder.  I shopped the story around for a little while but I was disappointed at the results so I filed it away. (Rejection letters) A few years later, I met another author who was writing novels about foxhunting in Mississippi. We talked and she told me about self-publishing which by now had reached respectable levels. I sent her the manuscript, she read it and loved it, and encouraged me to publish. Next I looked for an illustrator which I felt would great enhance the project. I met a retired couple from upstate New York: She an illustrator, he a book designer.  I had gotten all kinds of ridiculous quotes from others around the country but Mary and Al read the story, loved it, and wanted to be part of the project. And they didn’t want any upfront money.  It took another year to bring the illustrations to life, to really rewrite and edit the manuscript and publish the book. But it was a labor of love from everyone involved and the results have been more than we ever imagined. The story itself, while based on a true incident, really took on a life of its own and is basically fiction.
 
I am currently working on a movie for the web called Cowboy Spirit which will be an original script.  We plan on shooting it next summer.  You can learn more about it at www.cowboyspirit.tv.

Bill Miller has been riding to the hounds for the over 40 years. For nearly 20 years he has been an honorary whipper-in for the Norfolk Hunt Club. Bill is also actively involved in Team Penning during the summer months. He lives on a small farm in Sherborn, Massachusetts with his wife, three horses and dog.. When not working with horses, Bill is an independent film director and cinematographer. His TV shows and commercials have been viewed by millions worldwide and he has won three Emmys and numerous other industry awards. He has also been widely published in trade magazines. Bill is also creative director for Spirit of the American Cowboy Foundation, a non-profit organization which raises money for pediatric cancer research.

Awards:

• Television Emmys, Clios and other television awards

Find and follow Bill Miller on:

Author Website
Other Website
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook Page

Buy the book at:

Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
Amazon.co.uk
Barnes & Noble
ChaptersIndigo
Smashwords

Review:

Carly loves to watch the hunt as it comes past. She dreams of getting to be a part of it one day, feeling the wind on her face as she and her faithful horse ride with the hounds. Young Hampton is one of those hounds, but he loses his way on a hunt. Hampton soon meet "Crazy" Willie, a man haunted by his wartime past. Carly, Hampton, and Willie will be undertaking an adventure none of them ever imagine, but it's something that will hold vast importance in their lives and others'. 

This was a really great book! It managed to be modern but with an old-fashioned feel. It really drew me back to my childhood, reminding me of some of the classic books for young people. You get a great feel for the hunt, and you can feel the wind whipping past as Carly rides. This book has a wonderful sense of atmosphere, and the descriptions make everything so real. Carly and Hampton are both fun characters. They are both young and curious, and they are watched over by some very special protectors.

There were some great messages too in this book, the main one involving judging people. Willie was so haunted by his past that he was no longer able to function easily in regular society. People were so scared of him, but he wasn't a bad person. Luckily Carly was able to see past the appearance and see someone worth helping. The illustrations in this book were also fantastic. Each one really helped to contribute to the realness of the story. I thought this was a fantastic book, and I think boys and girls will enjoy it equally. This is a book that will entertain and delight.

Book provided for review.

Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour (a full list can be 

found here). Thanks so much for stopping by!

The Bloodstone Saga Tour

Welcome to the tour for The Bloodstone Saga!!

This is a series of books by Courtney Cole. I have a guest post an some info on the final book of the series, The Bloodstone Saga: My Tattered Bonds.

It is always darkest before the dawn. Harmonia has certainly found this to be true. She has faced more than any one person, goddess or mortal, should ever have to.

She has lost her soul mate time after time, lies and deceit have surrounded her and in fact, she has even been misled about her very identity. Yet she has always emerged with strength and grace. But now she will face the unthinkable. Her daughter has been taken and Harmonia will risk everything to get her back.

In this epic series finale, all will be revealed. The only question remaining is…Who will be left standing?

Find the book on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

About Courtney Cole:

Courtney Cole is a YA novelist who loves thunderstorms, cake batter and insane amounts of coffee. She wrote her first story at the age of 9, although thankfully it has remained hidden away in an old cedar chest beneath musty blankets. Her more recent efforts are much better.

Find her on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Courtney has written a guest post about knowing when you're soul mates. 

You Know You're Soul mates When...

You know, this is an interesting question. But, it brings to mind one of the most romantic things I’ve ever heard someone say.


Several years back, I was reading an interview given by singer Rob Thomas (Rob—if you ever read this, please, pleeeease do a Matchbox 20 reunion album!) and he was talking about when he first got together with his wife, Marisol. He said after he kissed her for the first time, he knew right then that he would never kiss another woman. How romantic is that?? It makes my heart swoon. But I think it’s an accurate analogy of a soul mate. When you are meant to be with someone, you just know it. Your heart knows it. I’ve listened to my various friends throughout the years waffling back and forth over how they felt about their boyfriends— and my thought is… if you aren’t sure how you feel about someone, then they definitely are not “the one”. When you find the perfect person for you, you will know it. There will be no question.


When I first started dating my husband, there was an immediate connection. I couldn’t get enough of him- of being near him, laughing with him, talking with him, etc. And to this day, a decade later, I feel the same way. I think that’s how it should be. He feels like home to me. And that’s how you know when you’re with your soul mate.


Thanks! I know I certainly agree with those sentiments. 


Ok, I also have two giveaways for you today! One is a daily giveaway for the tour, and one is a grand prize giveaway. So first, the daily giveaway!


Today, Courtney is offering a signed bookmark and an authentic Greek drachma, necessary for paying the ferryman to the Underworld. 

All you have to do in leave a comment on this post! I will pick a random winner from the comments on Sunday, January 8th, and you will have 48 hours to get me all your info or a new winner will be chosen. This contest is open to people in the US/Canada. 


Now the grand prize is an awesome Kindle Touch skinned with the cover art from The Bloodstone Saga: My Tattered Bonds.

Pretty awesome yeah? All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter widget. This giveaway is also for US/Canada residents and all rules can be found here.

Book Tour: Air by Shauna Granger

Welcome to the book tour for Air, Book 2 of the Elemental Series by Shauna Granger!

It was a rough start to the school year for Shayna and her friends, Jodi and Steven, but thankfully summer break is near. Trying to sort out her feelings for the new guy in town, Shayna agrees to let Jensen join her on a group date with her friends. While out they end up at a local coffee house where their classmate, social outcast Jeremy McCormick, is humiliated by his baseball star brother. When Jeremy runs away from the jeering crowd, Shayna and Jodi hear the unmistakable sound of a thousand wings chasing after him, but no one else seems to hear them. These are not like any air elementals that Shayna or Jodi have ever encountered before and they fear Jeremy has gotten himself tangled up in something too dangerous for him to handle. But when Shayna tries to help Jeremy control his magical abilities she realizes it might be the biggest mistake of her life.

Review:


After a run-in with a demon last year, Shayna and her two best friends are excited to get ready for a relaxing rest of the year. Shayna's main goal is to learn to control her powers over the element of earth. Of course, things are never that easy. Shayna, Jodi, and Steven see someone they know get humiliated by him own brother in front of an open mic crowd. Things get very strange after that though as they discover that this boy has a group of fairy-like creatures working for him. These "fairies" are unlike any Shayna has ever seen though. Soon Shayna herself is in trouble, and the boy will stop at nothing to get back not only at those he has been hurt by but Shayna's loved ones as well. Shayna, Jodi, and Steven will have to pull out some impressive magic to get out of this.

I was excited to read this book after having read the first book of the series, and I was not disappointed. Air continued the adventures of Shayna and her friends in a fun way. I loved that the plot was so different though from the first book. Instead of dark demons we have evil fairies. No really, it was awesome. There is a lot of fairy-lore in the book, which I really enjoyed. Jodi and Steven continued to be some of the best sidekicks and friends a girl could ask for. If there was anything that bothered me, it was Shayna (especially as she dealt with Jensen). I just felt like she was really focused on herself and didn't give Jensen a chance to adjust to what was going on. That was really just a tiny thing though.

While this book is the second in the series, it certainly stands on its own very well. I found the plot to be very interesting. There were even a few surprises. All the characters were give a chance to grow in both personality and in their powers. Once again, the combination of supernatural with the natural elements helped to give this book a sense of reality to the magic. It's a different approach that works very well. If you read the first book, this book will be just as fun for you. If you haven't read the first book, then don't worry. With a great combination of magic and elements, this book will be sure to entertain.

Book provided for review.




At the end of this book tour there is a grand prize. Just what is in this grand prize?

Grand Prize: Signed copy of Air with a matching bookmark, a holiday candle, a Christmas ornament, Solstice sun sugar cookies and snowflake peppermint bark candy. US ONLY for Grand Prize.


That looks awesome. To be eligible to win the grand prize, you must comment on every post in the tour.  Check out the link below to see a list of all the stops.




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Click here for the AIR Tour Schedule

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

Virtual Book Tour- Texting Through Time by Christy Monson

When 12-year-old Micah “borrows” his father's experimental time-travel phone, his hopes for seeing the future are dashed as he and his sister, Alicia, end up trapped in the past at Brigham Young’s boyhood home. This book is a fun way to discover Church history and learn that no matter what time period you are in, God is still aware of you.

Micah and Alicia have a very special phone. Actually the phone is their father's, and it will allow them to travel through time. They use the phone to travel into the past where they meet Brigham Young. They soon realize they are in over their heads as they don't know how the phone actually works. Jumping forward throughout Brigham Young's life, Micah and Alicia see some important parts in LDS church history. However, they are stuck in the past until they can figure out how to get back to their lives. 


This was a very cute book. It is pretty simplistic in style, so it could easily be read by fairly young readers. It manages to tell an interesting story while teaching some very good lessons. I appreciate the fact that it can really help bring church history to life. There were even some moments that I didn't know about. It's the type of story that can keep kids' attention while still managing to help them learn. They may not even know they learned anything. Older readers may be surprised at how easily Brigham Young accepts the children's explanation of where they came from and how they got there, but I don't think that is a major issue. Overall I feel that this book is a fun way to learn about church history and a very unique concept. 


Book provided for review.

Virtual Book Tour: Carving Angels by Diane Stringam Tolley

Papa Adam, the North Pole's oldest elf and Santa's former chief carver, has given up. Blind, frail, and feeling useless, he counts the minutes in every day as he waits to die -- until his youngest granddaughter challenges him to carve again. Together they prove that the most beautiful creations can come from the most unlikely sources and with the right love and encouragement, anything is possible.

Carving Angels

Review:

Papa Adam was the best carver in the North Pole. All the other elves envied his skills, but as he got older he lost his eyesight. Now Papa Adam spends his days waiting for them to be over. Nothing seems to have meaning anymore...that is, until one day his young granddaughter comes with a piece of wood. She challenges Papa Adam to carve for her. This one bit of support spurs Papa Adam on to rediscover his love of carving and redefine what he can and cannot do. Soon Papa Adam and his granddaughter are working on a super secret project that may just be the most important thing they've ever carved. 

This book was delightful! It is a very simple book and can be enjoyed by younger and older readers alike. You can feel Papa Adam's despair in the beginning, and it is a joy to see his young granddaughter help him learn exactly what he can and cannot do. It also gives a wonderful message. I think many times people who are older or having hard times may see themselves as useless just like Papa Adam. However, this book helps show that everyone has something they can do. It may not always be something as awesome as Papa Adam's carving. Even though his granddaughter learned to carve, I think the biggest ability she had was to be loving and inspiring. She was able to see past Papa Adam's disability, which is a beautiful example we could all follow.

This would be a great book to read with your family as it nears Christmas time. It has just the right amount of story that people will enjoy mixed with a wonderful message fitting for the season. I love books that are able to entertain and bring a great spirit with them, and this one fits the bill perfectly. It will be a great addition to anyone's holiday reading lists!

Galley provided for review.

Virtual Book Tour- Choose the Right by Kimiko Hammari

Crazy days mean no time to plan family nights. With the Choose the Right family night book all your family home evening lessons are done for a whole year, complete with activities, games, scriptures, songs, challenges, and a CD-Rom with printable handouts! Not only are the lessons fantastic but they correlate with the 2012 Primary topics and lessons. Spend quality time with your children as you make family night the best night!

Choose the Right

We've all been there. Struggling for another Family Home Evening idea. Trying to balance lessons and activities for younger and older children. Well get ready to have all that stress relieved. This book provides a year of FHE lessons that tie in with the Primary theme for 2012. It has everything you need done for you! There are lessons, activities, songs, and even challenges to carry over to the next week all planned out. With this book you can spend less time worrying about your next FHE lesson and more time on the actual lesson with your family.

I love this book! I think picking a topic to teach each week is one of the things my husband and I dread doing. This book takes a huge burden off us as it provides topics. Now, it says there are lessons for a year, but some lessons are made to "cover" 2 weeks, mostly to provide for Mondays off when you need it. So you're not going to be tied to this book every week. There are activities with ideas on how to cater them to younger and older children. The actual lesson if very short which I love. I have a very young child, so we like to keep things short and sweet for him. For me, I would probably skip some of the activities because it's just not necessary for us at this time. As you can see, it's easy to adapt things to your family situation. While the lessons themselves are short, it would be easy to expand on them for more in-depth and/or longer lessons.

The book comes with a CD that has printable handouts, so I'm not kidding when I say the work has been done for you. I also love the idea of challenges that carry over. This really helps with goal setting, and it can help keep the lesson in your family's minds throughout the week. Tying the lessons in with the Primary lessons for the year is also an amazing thing. I think the lessons are so well planned out in this book that you could easily allow for older children to help or teach the lessons themselves. How great it that? There is even a list of treats at the end. This book is a great resource for families. It will help take the stress out of your FHE planning and help you concentrate on actual family time. 

Book provided for review.

Be sure to check out the other books on the tour!

Virtual Blog Tour: Miracle of the Christmas Star by Susan Dean Elzey

Hannah died the night she was born. The new star's light brought her back to life, but left her stricken with palsy. Sariah, Hannah's mother, believes Hannah can be healed, if only she can find the Savior. Miracle of the Christmas Star is a tender story of love, faith and endurance that will touch your heart and remind you why miracles happen.

Miracle of the Christmas Star

Review:

Sariah is giving birth on a very special night. When her child is born, the child is not breathing. A very special star seemed to bring Hannah back to life, but it's a life full of pain. Hannah has palsy, and cannot take care of herself. Sariah and her husband do everything for Hannah, much to the dismay of some in the village. Several times throughout her life Hannah has seemed to be very lucky indeed, escaping death when other children could not. Sariah has heard that a savior was born under the same special star as Hannah, and she is determined to find him to heal her daughter. Through all the trials of life, Sariah and Hannah carry on hoping for one final miracle that can heal Hannah.

This was a very touching book. You really feel for Sariah. In fact, I think the thing the author did best was really capture the ups and downs of having a special needs child. There are so many unique struggles. Sariah wonders what will happen to Hannah when Sariah has gotten older; she also struggles with the dependence on her Hannah has for her every need. However, Sariah also realized the special love and joy she gets from having Hannah as a daughter. I think Sariah's desire to have Hannah be healed represents something that many parents want for their child, if only to make their child's life easier. 

This book has very beautiful examples of faith, patience, and endurance. It is also a great reminders of all the miracles that occur in our lives, big and small. While it is a wonderful read during the Christmas season, I think it would also be good at any time of the year. This book can remind us of all the things we need to help us get through life and the one sure source of comfort we have. 

Galley provided for review.

Make sure you check out all the stops on the tour!

Virtual Book Tour- Marian's Christmas Wish

Welcome to the virtual book tour for Marian's Christmas Wish by Carla Kelly!

Miss Marian Wynswich is a rather unconventional young lady. She plays chess, reads Greek, and is as educated as any young man. And she s certain falling in love is a ridiculous endeavor and vows never to do such a thing. But everything changes when she receives a Christmas visit from someone unexpected--- a young and handsome English lord.

For more information about the book, see the webpage or Goodreads page.

For more information about the author, check out her blog and Facebook page.

Also, don't forget to support Cedar Fort at their blog, Facebook page, Twitter, and Goodreads. 

Review:

Marian Wynswich and her family are in a bad way. Their father recently died, leaving them with debts they cannot pay. When Marian's older brother comes with a potential suitor for her older sister, Marian takes it upon herself to keep her sister out of a marriage just for money. What Marian doesn't realize is her life is about to take a new turn in the form of a friend her older brother brought home. He's able to see past Marian's eccentricities, and Marian might be falling for him. If only she could fall for him and solve her family's many issues all at once.

I was so charmed by this book. I found myself staying up late just to see what happened next. Marian was one of those sweet, sincere characters that you just can't help but love. Marian's family was unconventional for the times, but very entertaining for me. Of course I also loved the romantic side of this story too. One thing in particular I thought was awesome was Marian's ability to be a strong young woman and just happen to fall in love at the same time. Marian was so smart, and she knew how to use her brain. She took care of things when she needed to. For Marian to find someone who could appreciate all the different aspects of her personality was great. This is the kind of romance I would want my daughters reading- a young woman who is capable, smart, and able to take care of herself while still falling for a handsome, sweet, and fun young man who completely respects her. 

This book was a period book written with modern sensibility, so that we as readers can still relate to the story. It's also full of Christmas cheer, and it made me want to snuggle up under a warm blanket and just enjoy this book. There were some twists and turns I did not see coming at all, and those just added to the love I had for this book. By the end of the book I was ready to read it again. This is one of those books I can see myself reading every year around the holiday season to just bask in the joy of it all. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes period novels, light romance, fun heroines, and a lot of holiday cheer!

Galley provided for review.

Virtual Book Tour- Legacy: The Niteclif Evolutions Guest Post, Review, and Giveaway

Welcome to the book tour for Legacy: The Niteclif Evolutions by Denise Tompkins!

I have a guest post, review, and giveaway today. First, a little about the book!

When Fate makes you her bitch, accept it and adapt. Or die.

 Looking back on the wish she made on Midsummer’s Eve, Maddy Niteclif should have been more specific. She only wanted to escape the shadowy nightmares that plagued her nights, not to be thrust into a completely altered reality. 


If a strangely familiar, sexy dragon-shifter named Bahlin, who causes a never-to-be-mentioned-again fainting spell, isn’t enough to make her question her sanity, his insistence she’s the Niteclif ought to do the job. Prophesied super-sleuth of the supernatural world—a world that desperately needs her help—isn’t a job she’s remotely qualified for no matter what her family tree says. 


 Catapulted into a very different London ruled by dark mythology, mystery and murder, Maddy makes a few startling discoveries. Paranormal creatures exist. Getting shot really sucks. And her body responds remarkably well to dragon magic—in more ways than simple wound healing. 


 But in this kill-or-be-killed world, reality bites. And Maddy must choose to go back to what she knows…or stay and fight for the man she knows she can’t live without.


Warning:  This book contains a shape-shifting dragon with a Scottish accent, modern and archaic weapons, global inter-species politics that make democracy seem mild, some very steamy sex underground, a severed head, murder, and…oh yeah…a woman caught in the middle of it all. 


 Time becomes irrelevant to the immortal. 


 But to one human woman, every second counts.




Legacy: The Niteclif Evolutions, Book 1
Author: Denise Tompkins
Genre: Fiction – Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Published by: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (October 18, 2011)
Age Recommendation: 18+ For Mature Content & Explicit Sexuality
Format: eBook
ASIN: B005IZUXZE
Number of pages: N/A


Today we have a guest post about how the author speaks to her characters.


During the middle of any given project, this might be me. I walk around almost dazed, often talking to myself under my breath to the consternation of those to whom I should be talking. Admittedly, I’ll get a lot of stares and concerned comments about how I work too hard and take my writing too seriously, but no one’s brave enough to tell me to quit. Why? It’s not so much that I can’t, though that’s surely part of the problem, but more realistically? It’s that I won’t.

When I get caught up in a story, I lose myself to the characters and the world and the nuances of personality. I spend oodles of time getting to know my characters—their likes and dislikes, habits and nervous tics. How? I talk to them.

This may seem odd to someone who doesn’t write, or to someone who writes but doesn’t write character-driven fiction. But to those of us who run a borderline obsession with our stories and characters, this isn’t that farfetched or exceptionally odd. To do otherwise would be the stranger habit.

Sometimes a conversation is simply about something that’s just happened on the page, and a character’s given reaction to that. I discuss with myself the way Bahlin might feel of Maddy’s most recent choice, or I consider how Maddy might feel over her most recent disagreement with her lover. I talk out options and preferences, actions and avoidances as if the characters were like interactive people on a living storyboard. Then there are the times the, uh, stranger conversations occur.

A perfect example happened the other day. I was down at the market looking for a nice brisket to bring home. I’m wandering the meat department when Bahlin pops into my head.
“Ever wonder what it would take to feed a dragon, love?” he asks, congenial since he got his way on the page yesterday.
My eyes dart around and I whisper, “No. I’m not talking to you here.”
“But this is the perfect place to think over the quid it would take to keep a growing drago in meat! Don’t tell me you’d expect me to exist on vegetables and free range cattle.” He snorts and lets a small tendril of smoke curl out his nose. “I’d be right fashed with you, Denise.”
I pick up the largest roast I can find and look at the price, choking. This opens the entire question of how does a dragon family keep meat on their table in modern times if they aren’t ranchers or butcher shop owners. And this is where my pastor finds me, standing slack-jawed with a hunk of raw meat in my hands, staring into space. When he greets me and I respond with a Scottish accent, he adds me to the church’s prayer list but never utters another word. After all, he knows I’m a writer.

Denise Tompkins lives in the heart of the South where the neighbors still know your name, all food forms are considered fry-able and bugs die only to be reincarnated in aggressive, blood-craving triplicate. Thrilled to finally live somewhere that can boast 3 ½ seasons (winter’s only noticeable because the trees are naked), her favorite season is definitely fall. It’s the time of year when the gardens are just about to pass into winter’s brief silence, and the leaves are out to prove that nature is the most brilliant artist of all. 


Denise is married to the love of her life. Both she and her husband are owned by two dogs and three opinionated parrots who keep her in stitches — literally and figuratively. One bird hates broccoli, one scared the pizza man to death upon delivery, and one bird loves to call out and invite stranger to “Come on in!” The birds thoroughly enjoy scolding the dogs. One dog, the mutt, has turned a deaf ear. The Bullmastiff, however, probably needs emotionally reconstructive therapy. 


A life-long voracious reader, Denise has three favorite authors. Why three? Because favorite authors are like chips: a person can’t have just one. Her little house was so overrun with books last year that her darling husband bought her an e-reader out of self-preservation. He was (legitimately) afraid she might begin throwing out pots and pans to make room for more books, and he didn’t want to starve. 


Along with reading, Denise loves travel, is obsessed with the British Isles, practices photography, enjoys cooking and looks forward to Christmas as an excuse to bake. 


Her debut novel, Legacy, is the first book in The Niteclif Evolutions and will be available in both e-book and later, in print, from Samhain Publishing.


Check out the tour page for more information on how to find Denise and her book!


Review and giveaway are after the break!

Geek Girl Virtual Book Tour

Welcome to the virtual book tour for Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett!

Jen's life of partying and sneaking out has grown stale. So on a whim, Jen makes a bet to turn Trevor, a goody-two-shoes geek, into a "bad boy." As she hangs out with Trevor, however, she finds it's actually kinda fun being a geek. But when Trevor finds out about the bet, Jen must fight for the things she's discovered matter most: friendship, family, and, above all, love.

Learn more about the book on Facebook.

Learn all about the author on at the author's website, blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

Learn about the publisher, Cedar Fort, on Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

Review:

Jen has had a rough life. Now in foster care, she's learned that she can't trust anyone. She has a new foster family, but she knows it won't last long. Jen bets her friends that she can turn a good-boy bad. Picking the geek Trevor, Jen makes her moves and everything is going according to plan. Well, almost. Jen discovers that hanging out with Trevor can actually be fun. More than that, she's learning that there really are some good people in this world. Jen's perspective on life is changing, but is that changing who she really is? Jen must discover what she wants out of life and decide if that life is a little more geek than she thought it would be.

This book immediately jumps into the story and draws you in. I think the author showed particular skill with the character of Jen. Jen could have easily seemed either sad and whiny or just like a try-hard rebel, both of which would have made her seem fairly unsympathetic. Instead, she was very easy to like. While she had self-doubt, she never wallowed in it. Now, maybe I'm a little biased because I married my own geek, but Trevor was definitely a dreamboat. He was smart and super sweet, but he also avoided being too much of a pushover. He was just confident in who he was. 

This book was adorable, but it also conveyed some great messages. I loved that Jen was able to discover who she truly was and get a sense of what she wanted from life separate from her boy issues. Even though I longed for a happy ending, I knew that Jen would be okay regardless. She was able to build a support system and gain those feeling of love and family that she had been lacking. She also was able to have that sense of hope; that no matter how hard her life had been up to that point, she could overcome and make a good life for herself. She even learned to dream a bit. 

I absolutely loved this book. It was a very fast and fun read. I didn't want to put it down. It's smart, witty, charming, and very enjoyable. I highly recommend this book. If you are looking for a sweet romance that fills you with joy, this is definitely the book for you.

Book provided for review.