Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop!

I love this time of year. With all the holidays coming, it gets super busy, but that also means super fun!

In celebration of spooks and scary things, I am offering up my usual:

a $10 Amazon.com gift code or $10 in books from Book Depository!

Please check to ensure that Book Depository delivers to your country.

How do you enter?

Choose one or any or all of the following:

1. Follow on GFC or Linkyfollowers

2.  Follow on Twitter

3. Like on Facebook

4. Friend on Goodreads 

That's all!

Also, if you are in the US, be sure to enter my giveaway for Married at Fourteen.

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Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour! Thanks for stopping by!

Married at Fourteen Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Married at Fourteen by Lucille Lang Day!

Looking back at her adolescence, Lucille Lang Day describes herself as a juvenile delinquent and teen mother. She ran away at thirteen, got suspended from school and married at age 14, gave birth to her first child at 15, divorced her husband at 16, married him again at 17, and left him at 18 to go back to school. 

Her autobiographical quest, Married at Fourteen, presents her unrelenting and ultimately triumphant journey across the badlands of familial trouble, emotional chaos, and the social and cultural upheaval in the '60s, to find fulfillment in romance, marriage, motherhood, and high accomplishments in both the arts and sciences. Lucille holds an M.A. in English and M.F.A. in creative writing from San Francisco State University, an M.A. in zoology and a Ph.D. in science and mathematics education from the University of California at Berkeley.

One of the great American contemporary memoirs, Married at Fourteen is a testament to the human spirit and a book for all of us who have sought independence, emancipation, true love, and personal fulfillment against all odds. 

About the Author:

Lucille Lang Day has published creative nonfiction in The Hudson Review, Istanbul Literary Review, Passages North, River Oak Review, Willow Review, and many other journals. She is the author of the children's book, Chain Letter, and eight poetry collections, one of which received the Joseph Henry Jackson Award. Married at Fourteen has been excerpted in many literary magazines. The founder and director of a small press, Scarlet Tanager Books, she also served for 17 years as the director of the Hall of Health, an interactive museum in Berkeley. For more info, visit http://www.lucillelangday.com

Review:

Married at Fourteen is the autobiographical story of Lucille Lang Day. The first half is a fairly chronological telling of her life including marriage at 14 and a child at 15. The second half of the book is a series of intermingled tales from throughout her life. Through it all, Lucille has to navigate some very hefty stuff much earlier than most girls must learn these difficult last lessons. Some of the lessons take much longer to learn, but ultimately this is a story of triumph and self-discovery.

This book was so interesting. Lucille decided very early on that she had an unhappy home-life, and that the best way out of it was to get pregnant and get married. I think life for her was probably very rough growing up. It seems like her mom needed more help than she was getting. I found it both a bit fascinating and sad that Lucille became so convinced that marriage and a child were her ticket to freedom and happiness. Clearly in hindsight she can see how warped this thinking was, but she was certainly single-minded as a teenager. Her tenaciousness was very apparent through her life. Whenever Lucille decided to do something, Lucille did it. Whether it was getting multiple degrees or finding true love, she rarely wavered from her course. There is something to admire in that.

While at times things were a train wreck, this ultimately became a story of success despite the odds. With all the less than desirable decisions Lucille made at different times, I really feel like she ultimately was able to find her own happiness. There's a lot to learn from that. Everyone has messy lives to some extent, so we have to decide what we are going to make of it. Lucille decided that she would be successful. There are a lot of wonderful things to learn from this book. It will make you think and perhaps even find renewed vision to do all the things you always wanted to do. In the end, Lucille did that. She didn't let anything get in the way of her dreams.

Book provided for review.

I have a copy of this book to giveaway! Unfortunately this giveaway is for US residents only due to mailing costs. There is one easy entry and an entry for following this blog. Thanks for stopping by!

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The Reluctant Bachelorette Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson!

Unknowingly cast as the bachelorette for her town’s charity event, Taycee Emerson wants out. Especially when she discovers her old teenage crush, Luke Carney, is one of the bachelors and it's up to the viewers--not her--to decide which bachelors stay or go.

Coerced into participating, Taycee does what any self-preserving girl would do. She launches a subtle attack on Luke’s good name with the hope of getting him voted off the show. Unfortunately, Luke's an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy, and when he discovers what she's up to, it means revenge.

But when their pranks go south, will they screw up any chance they have at a future together, or will they be able to forgive and forget and prove that love really does conquer all?

About the Author:
Rachael Anderson is the author of four contemporary romances: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She's the mother of four, can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Review:

Taycee is having a hard time with men. Mostly because she can't forget one guy in particular. Taycee and her brother were best friends, and they usually had a third member to be a part of all their antics. This third person, Luke, was the apple of Taycee's eye until he left town for college and never contacted her again. A decade later Taycee still can't get over the hurt she feels. These feelings come to a forefront when Luke suddenly shows up back in town, ready to start his own veterinary practice. On top of this, Taycee's friend has signed Taycee up for a charity version of The Bachelorette. Taycee would love to tell her no way, but her entire town is at stake. Will Taycee be able to work her way through tangled romances on and off the show and still manage to save her town?

This was such a cute book! It was a fun mix of reality shows and real life. I felt so bad for poor Taycee. I liked that she had some flaws and was able to acknowledge them. Taycee really had a good heart, and I wanted her to be very happy. Being on a Bachelorette-type show was very out of Taycee's comfort zone, but she did it for love of her town. I liked that Taycee always wanted to do what was right by other people, but she seemed to be thwarted by various things going on. Luke was someone you could get attached to easily too. He was smart and fun, and you could see that he and Taycee had something going from the start.

I breezed through this book very quickly. It was fun to read, and it kept me interested throughout. There weren't any huge surprises in this book, but that's not what this book was about. It was a fun way to escape for a bit. Another thing I loved (and this may seem random), but the chapters were mostly on the shorter side. This made it easy to sneak in some reading in between feeding kids and vacuuming and everything else I do in the day without having to stop in the middle of important things. Of course, I didn't want to stop at all, but that's another issue altogether. Overall this was a very cute book that will have you cheering for Taycee and hoping for an awesome romance for her.

Book provided for review.

Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour. Thanks for stopping by!

Silent Song Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Silent Song by Ron C. Nieto!

The princess of the school, Alice, is keeping a secret that could strip her of her high school fame. She is obsessed with the school’s outcast, Keith, but not just him – his music.


Since the inspiration for the song hit, Keith can’t get it out of his mind. The song must be played; it demands to be played. He knows the music is changing him, but he is unable to stop it.


Music has the ability to move you, enlighten you, and take you to places you have never dreamed of. And this particular piece? It has a life of its own and makes you forget who you really are.


As Keith and Alice learn of one another to the notes of that one perfect tune, they can overlook their roles and discover who they could be together. But they also discover someone else is listening and intends on keeping Keith to herself, possibly for an eternity.

Amazon



Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Ron C. Nieto is a fantasy and romance author who has been writing in her secluded fortress for the longest time. Recently, she had a talk with her cat and decided that she should share her creations, because it was selfish to hoard them all for herself.
If you would like to know more about her, please visit her website.

Links

Twitter ~ GoodReads ~ Author Website

During October, Ron will be running a small giveaway to thank people who purchased the book. More info can be found here: http://www.roncnieto.com/?p=131

Giveaway Details:
Author Ron Nieto is providing 1 lucky winner with a $50 Amazon Gift Card
Ends 10/18/12


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

American Tapestries Blog Tour Part 2

Welcome back for part 2 of the American Tapestries blog tour! This time I have a review of Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson.

When pampered Jacqueline Abington secretly elopes with the family gardener, she asks another woman to take her place on the much anticipated maiden voyage of the Titanic. Tessa Bowen hails from a poor corner of London but has been granted the opportunity of a lifetime—a ticket to sail to America aboard a famed vessel. But there’s a catch: she must assume Jacqueline’s identity. For the first time in her life, Tessa stays in luxurious quarters, dresses in elegant gowns, and dines with prestigious people. Then a wealthy American man takes an interest in her, and Tessa struggles to keep up the ruse as she begins falling for him. When tragedy strikes, the game is up, and two women’s lives are forever changed.

About the Author:

Award-winning author Janice Thompson, who also writes under the name Janice Hanna, has published nearly eighty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children’s books and more.

She formerly served as vice president of the Christian Authors Network and was named the 2008 Mentor of the Year by the American Christian Fiction Writers.
Thompson lives in Spring, Texas, near her four grown daughters and young grandchildren. She leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends and two mischievous dachshunds.

Readers can keep up with Janice Thompson by visiting janiceathompson.com, becoming a fan on Facebook or following her Twitter.

Find out more about Janice at http://janicethompson.com.

Buy the book here.

Review:

Jacquie Abingdon is in an uncomfortable position. Her father wants her to marry his potential business partner. Jacquie on the other had wants to marry the gardner Peter. When Jacquie's mother offers her a ticket to America to escape what amounts to an arranged marriage, Jacquei formulates her own plan. She and Peter decide to help Peter's sister escape a harsh home life. So Peter's sister Tessa will take Jacquie's place on the ship while Peter and Jacquie make plans for a new life. Tessa is both excited and nervous by this prospect, but overall considers herself very lucky to be in the amazing accommodations of an amazing ship like the Titanic. However, both Tessa and Jacquie will have to deal with unexpected complications stemming from their decisions to try and start new lives. 

I felt drawn into this book from the start. It took almost no time to get into the meat of the story, although it did take a bit to actually get to the Titanic voyage. I liked the aspect of Tessa taking over Jacquie's life. Jacquie seemed like a pretty sincere (if a bit naive) person, so you wanted her to do well. I really felt for poor Tessa. What an awful life she had, and yet she still seemed to love parts of it. I also found it interesting that in a Christian book, there was a plot point that showed how bad religion could be when taken to extremes, such as Tessa's father did to her. The abuse Tessa had to withstand due to her father's (drunk) delusions was awful. I did find it endearing that she found so much comfort in the pet pig. I guess we all look for comfort wherever we can get it sometimes. I also managed to feel bad for Jacquie. She clearly wanted a life of her own choosing, and not one she was being forced into. 

I appreciate the historical aspects of the book. You certainly got a good feeling for what it was like on the Titanic, although I wish there had been more explanation of which characters were real people on board the Titanic. I recognized a few of the bigger names, but I wondered if some of the people were based on real people. That might have helped me get into the story even more. When reading a book like this, you know where things are headed for the most part. Clearly the Titanic is going to sink. The joy in books like these tend to be the smaller details and human faces given to the victims. I really sped through this book, and I would recommend it to people who love history in general and the Titanic specifically.

Book provided for review.

Celebrate with Janice by entering to win a Kindle Fire!

 

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Where the Trail Ends by Melanie Dobson
• Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 17th. Winner will be announced at the American Tapestries Author Chat Facebook Party on 10/18. Connect with authors Janice Thompson and Melanie Dobson for an evening of book chat, trivia and fun! There will also be gift certificates, books, and a Book Club Prize Pack to be won (10 copies for your book club or small group)!

So grab your copy of Queen of the Waves and Where the Trail Ends and join Janice Thompson and Melanie Dobson on the evening of the October 18th for a chance to connect with the authors and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the books – don’t let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 18th!

Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour. Thanks for stopping by!

American Tapestries Blog Tour Part 1

Welcome to the blog tour for Summerside's American Tapestries series! There are two posts today, and this first one is all about Where the Trail Ends by Melanie Dobson!

A young woman traveling the Oregon Trail in 1842 must rely on a stranger to bring her to safety. But whom can she trust with her heart?

For two thousand miles along the trail to Oregon Country, Samantha Waldron and her family must overcome tremendous challenges to reach the Willamette Valley before winter. Together they weather autumn storms, hunger and thirst, and the dangers of a wild and unfamiliar country. But when their canoe capsizes on the Columbia River, they must rely on handsome British exporter Alexander Clarke to rescue them from the icy water.

Alex escorts Samantha and her young brother, Micah, to Fort Vancouver. There Samantha is overwhelmed with men vying for her affections, but the only one who intrigues her-Alex-is the one she cannot have. When his betrothed arrives unexpectedly from England to escort him home, Samantha becomes determined to create a home for herself and Micah in the fertile valley far away from the fort. But how will an unmarried woman support herself and her brother in the wilderness alone? 

Then Micah disappears into the wilderness one rainy night, and Samantha must rely on the man she loves-the man she’s trying desperately to forget-to rescue her brother before it’s too late.

About the Author:

Melanie Dobson has written ten contemporary and historical novels including five releases in Summerside’s Love Finds You series. In 2011, two of her releases won Carol Awards: Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa (for historical romance) and The Silent Order (for romantic suspense).

Prior to her writing career, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family and a publicist for The Family Channel. She later launched her own public relations company and worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for more than fifteen years.

Melanie and her family enjoy their home in the Pacific Northwest. The entire Dobson family loves to travel and hike in both the mountains and along the cliffs above the Pacific.

When Melanie isn’t writing or playing with her family, she enjoys exploring ghost towns and dusty back roads, line dancing, and reading inspirational fiction.

Find out more about Melanie at http://www.melaniedobson.com.

Review:

Samantha Waldron is entering the final stages of her trip across the country. Joining others looking for the fertile Willamette Valley, Samantha, her father, and her brother have been traveling the Oregon Trail. They have given up everything in hope for a new life, but it appears they may have to give up even more before they can get to Oregon. Meanwhile, Alex Clarke is an important person in the fur business. Being a proper British man, he's tired of helping all these Americans arriving with nothing but dreams and immense hunger. When Alex ends up helping Samantha though, they both begin to rethink what it takes to live out west.

I love historical novels, and this book had a lot of interesting details in it. The harsh conditions of traveling across the Oregon Trail were very apparent. It really made me appreciate what strength and spirit it took to be able to complete the journey. I don't think I would have blamed anyone for wanting to turn back. There was also an element of luck involved, as evidenced by some of the bad things that happened to Samantha and her company. I really knew next to nothing about the fur and trapping business, so the book allowed me to learn some about that as well. I appreciate how much the governor really went out of his way to help all the struggling Americans. They were under no obligation to help, and yet they did. I could appreciate Alex's reticence to help, but he had a good heart no matter what and did what must be done. 


More than anything I really admired Samantha. Her tenacity was amazing. She knew what her end goal was, and she was going to accomplish this no matter what. I also loved her open-mindedness about all the peoples she came across. I really enjoyed this book. It made me feel very lucky to be sitting in my air conditioned house on the couch just reading about it though. I think that to survive the trip west people really had to have a sense of purpose, and Samantha definitely had that. The further I got in the book, the less I wanted to put it down. There was a lot of action and adventure, so that also helped to keep my interest. I loved this book, and I think fans of history will also appreciate the human touch brought in this book.

Book provided for review.

Celebrate with Melanie by entering to win a Kindle Fire!

 

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Where the Trail Ends by Melanie Dobson
• Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 17th. Winner will be announced at the American Tapestries Author Chat Facebook Party on 10/18. Connect with authors Melanie Dobson and Janice Thompson for an evening of book chat, trivia and fun! There will also be gift certificates, books, and a Book Club Prize Pack to be won (10 copies for your book club or small group)!

So grab your copy of Where the Trail Ends and  Queen of the Waves and join Melanie Dobson and Janice Thompson on the evening of the October 18th for a chance to connect with the authors and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the books - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 18th!

Be sure to check out all the blogs on this tour. And check out part 2 of this blog hop!

Gallagher's Hope Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Gallagher's Hope by MK McClintock!

She sought a new beginning.

He sought what he didn’t know was missing.

Together they would discover hope in unlikely places.

Isabelle Rousseu must escape New Orleans and the memory of her family’s tragic loss. With her younger brother in tow, she accepts a position as the new schoolteacher in Briarwood, Montana. Desperate to keep what’s left of her family together, Isabelle joins her life with a stranger only to discover that trust and hope go hand in hand.

Gabriel Gallagher lived each day as it came believing he had everything he could possibly want...until a determined woman and her brother arrive with a little luggage and a lot of secrets.

It will take a drastic choice to protect her and give them both, hope for the future.

Teaser:

Nothing existed of the life she had known.

      Her slender arm wrapped around the little boy’s shoulder and pulled him closer to his side. She could feel his slight trembling and wished more than anything that she could take away his sadness. They were alone in the world. They had each other, and she prayed that would be enough for them both.

      They stood and listened as the priest gave the final blessing, and two men lowered the caskets into the ground. The few other mourners who had been kind enough to attend the funeral asked her to leave with them, but she needed the closure. She needed her eyes to see what her heart refused to accept. ”An unfortunate affair,” everyone called the incident for it wasn’t every day that a man murdered his wife and then shot himself. Isabelle wished not to think on the possible reasons why, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. She never imagined her family to be anything but happy. Their father’s death, however, revealed the truth. No one spoke of it with them of course, but the lawyer had made the situation quite clear.

      They were penniless.

   

The Author

McClintock is an entrepreneur, baker, photographer, tour host, reviewer and multi-genre author.

Over the years McClintock has traveled the country and abroad, experiencing the beauty of other lands and cultures. She dreams of a time when life was simpler, the land rougher, and the journey more rewarding. With her heart deeply rooted in the past and her mind always on adventure, McClintock will always call Montana home.

McClintock is a member of Romance Writers of America, Montana Romance Writers, and Women Writing the West.

www.mkmcclintock.com

Connect with the author!
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads



Gallagher's Hop Book Blast Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card
1 Autographed copy of Gallagher’s Hope (US only)
2 Gallagher’s Hope-Kindle Edition
2 Gallagher’s Pride (Book One)-Kindle Edition


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.