tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23254906169704791142024-03-19T01:00:26.124-04:00for the love of booksIf I read it, I review it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-15873472187695206452014-09-30T21:56:00.000-04:002014-09-30T21:56:10.990-04:00BOOK TO LOVE: Someone Like You by Karen Rock<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="C:\Users\Majanka\SkyDrive\Book Tours\Upcoming Tours\Someone Like You\someonelikeyoubanner.jpg" height="214px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/IKTAkAKrd1eetWeRIfbiUKjDnKdQU6oGMt138MP2PfCflm9DdKeTXHwdTzXV5LmzUaA6CtTFyfxt0rs6fUMjKvf9jxGvhpAJyJWUJ_3YjJAyQ_WPyNhv9Nah-3UUh5MmiU3ZRjcvk2o" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="334px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ANOTHER Book to Love!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Title</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Someone Like You</span><img alt="C:\Users\Majanka\SkyDrive\Book Tours\Upcoming Tours\Someone Like You\Someone Like You.png" height="196px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/eGf6TdzEcPvSJM1VbF6lQ29ZUGBlGmw0vKexPv9--ifIYdFMRztySo67YBBDEYPgjvr561ZYvTipFewPR28LhmwsDwlJpYHx7VeJ61m_dE3BKdBcWZgFcjacR2AYGX_xHt8bdtzZ6Co" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="124px;" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Karen Rock</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Contemporary, Sweet Romance</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can't program love…or can you? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kayleigh Renshaw has come up with the idea for a brilliant "compatibility app," a new kind of matchmaking software. All she needs is a programmer to help her bring the idea to market…and she knows exactly who she wants. But Niall Walsh—a code whiz and her former best friend—has been avoiding her since he returned from Afghanistan. In spite of their history, and some sparks that go beyond friendship, he's proving reluctant…. Is it her, or is something darker holding him back?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author Bio</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Karen Rock is an award-winning YA and adult contemporary author. She holds a master’s degree in English and worked as an ELA instructor before becoming a full-time author. With her co-author, Joanne Rock, she’s penned the CAMP BOYFRIEND series with Spencer Hill Press under the pseudonym J.K. Rock. She also writes contemporary romance for Harlequin Enterprises. Her wholesome romance, Heartwarming novels have won the 2014 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and the 2014 Golden Quill Contest. When she's not writing, Karen loves scouring estate sales for vintage books, cooking her grandmother's family recipes and hiking. She lives in the Adirondack Mountain region with her husband, daughter, and two Cavalier King cocker spaniels who have yet to understand the concept of "fetch" though they know a lot about love. To find out about her upcoming releases, appearance and latest news, visit </span><a href="http://www.karenrock.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.karenrock.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or follow her on Facebook at </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/karenrockwrites" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.facebook.com/karenrockwrites</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or Twitter at </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/karenrock5" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.twitter.com/karenrock5</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> She’d love to connect with you!</span><img alt="C:\Users\Majanka\SkyDrive\Book Tours\Upcoming Tours\Someone Like You\Karen Rock Head Shot.jpg" height="194px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/kHyOck5Rfc_IGq4MgWUxJyf9fj0u_jWeBhwyVsIA8a-bIdLiH3JPHAg0haAH6xxIMWHKKxyA_6vE7ttTgVFLuxKKqahyG2E11JaKv-ng2Uqky1EgkD5pPpoOEUbAry1oMA7IPS4LpAU" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="182px;" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Links</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Social Media Sites:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/karenrock5" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/karenrock5" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.twitter.com/karenrock5</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/karenrockwrites" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/karenrockwrites" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.facebook.com/karenrockwrites</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/karenrockauthor" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/karenrockauthor" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.goodreads.com/karenrockauthor</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.karenrock.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : </span><a href="http://www.karenrock.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.karenrock.com</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/1rcOVJK" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quarterly Newsletter</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : </span><a href="http://bit.ly/1rcOVJK" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://bit.ly/1rcOVJK</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purchase Links:</span></div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/1oN6puy" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Print Book</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : </span><a href="http://bit.ly/1oN6puy" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://bit.ly/1oN6puy</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1o9Bz0S" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon Kindle</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : </span><a href="http://amzn.to/1o9Bz0S" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://amzn.to/1o9Bz0S</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/1gmWXxg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">B&N Nook</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : </span><a href="http://bit.ly/1gmWXxg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://bit.ly/1gmWXxg</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/1qRegXE" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kobo</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : </span><a href="http://bit.ly/1qRegXE" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://bit.ly/1qRegXE</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Giveaway </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Giveaway: Autographed copies of WISH ME TOMORROW, HIS HOMETOWN GIRL, and SOMEONE LIKE YOU as well as a $100 Amazon Gift Card.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a id="rc-9ef3535b172" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9ef3535b172/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book Excerpts</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Someone Like You Excerpt #1: Dating Debate</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A strange expression came over Niall’s face, and he seemed to look deep into her, not into her eyes, but through her eyes. As if he could see the thoughts clamoring to betray her. She glanced down then up again, finding it hard to look away.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And you’re certain your app will do this,” he said, his face serious. “Help people find true love?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her hand stilled on Chairman Meow’s white belly, earning her a prickly swat. She gave an emphatic nod. “Of course. Don’t you agree?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Niall frowned a bit. “No. I see it as a fun conversation starter, more or less.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She scowled. “So you’re saying our product is some kind of joke? That users won’t take it seriously? What’s on your list? The one you made at camp. You believed in it then.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question seemed to catch Niall unprepared. He sat still and awkward for a moment, his eyes scanning the room as if searching for a way out. Finally, he shook his head.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I was a kid.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But you’ll make one now, of course.” She added it to her to-do list so that she wouldn’t forget to look for it.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“No.” Niall waved Chairman Meow’s tail as the cat batted at it. “I compromised about the windows and the cat. But I’m not making a list.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Disappointment filled her. How closed off could he be? Sheesh. She was right to be firm with herself about not falling for him. They were great as friends, but couldn’t be less compatible romantically—with or without a list, it was obvious.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a long moment, Niall drew a deep, slow breath. “We’re better off using traits from your list or ones we get from market samples.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her eyes narrowed. “And why is that?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He tilted his face, one corner of his mouth lifting in a wry half smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I don’t exactly fall into your target audience.” His stiff shoulders shrugged. “I’m not looking to meet someone.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh.” A heavy weight settled in her chest. Although her heart still broke when she thought of Brett, she knew that someday she’d be ready for romance. Something in Niall’s tone, however, sounded bleak and definite, as if he didn’t think he’d ever love anyone. Or worse, that anyone would ever love him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a breathless second, she almost asked him why he’d never consider love. She felt the question rising in her chest, drew in air then, hesitated. What could she say that wouldn’t sound too personal? Take things to an intimate level that might endanger their fragile partnership?</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Someone Like You Excerpt #2: FIRST KISS</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I don’t need to be around other people,” he said drily, his gaze never leaving hers. “Except you.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heated blood rushed through her. That was treacherous thinking—for both of them.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But if you used the app, you’d find the right girlfriend. Want to be with her. You can’t waste your time on someone like me. I’ll never be more than a friend.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He closed the distance between them in one stride and eyed her. “Sure about that?”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And suddenly, he pulled her into his arms, his strong body enfolding her. His lips lowered then paused, his heated eyes questioning. Was he waiting for her to refuse him?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her bones melted against him, and her resolve to keep things professional crumbled.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She wanted this kiss as badly as she’d ever wanted anything. She stretched up on her tiptoes and heard him groan as his lips swept down and captured hers, the caress as feather soft as the dragonfly’s wings.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He pulled the band around her bun loose, and her hair tumbled down her back, his hands burying themselves in it. When he deepened their kiss, his mouth slanting firmly against hers, her skin heated. Their hearts pounded together, and she breathed in his minty breath, tasting the strawberries they’d eaten earlier. Wanting him closer, she traced his bunching back muscles, loving their hardness and strength.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When his lips left hers and traveled along her jaw, she fitted herself against him closer still, needing to feel all of him. As his lips slid along her earlobe then down her neck, the world tilted and spun madly in the wrong direction.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She cupped his face and brought it back to hers, wanting his mouth again, the caress deepening into a demanding kiss that left her breathless and clutching on to his shoulders when her knees weakened.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At last he stopped, and they stared at each other, chests heaving, breath coming in fits and starts.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Still sure?” he murmured, his eyes searching hers. Struck dumb, she nodded automatically, her gesture making him scowl, disappointment in his eyes. When he strode out of the pavilion, her fingers traced her swollen lips</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How had she let that happen?</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Someone Like You Excerpt FRIEND TO LOVE</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Strong hands slid into hers, and Kayleigh shivered with pleasure. “I wondered where you went.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She forced herself to meet his kind eyes. “I’m sorry about that, Niall. Sorry for what I said. Sorry for lots of things. You’ve always been such a good friend to me, and I treated you badly.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“A friend?” His eyes searched hers, and she felt her heart open up to him like a flower touched by dawn. He wanted more than friendship. She couldn’t predict how this would go, but after years of knowing each other, they had a good start.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“No. Not just as a friend,” she admitted, and felt herself melt at the passionate flare in his eyes. She angled her head and leaned closer, aching for his kiss.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We have to get out of here,” he said suddenly and stood, pulling her with him.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Huh? Why?” His words broke through her romantic fog, and she flushed, embarrassed. Had she misread the situation? Either way, she wouldn’t regret it. But another look into his soulful eyes reassured her. She was right about him. She knew it down deep.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Because I can’t kiss you here.” His eyes slid to Gianna’s open door then back to her, and heat raced up her neck and flooded her cheeks.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He lifted her fingers to his lips, then pulled her out the door.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Excerpt: Someone Like You: Kayleigh and Niall Meet Again</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kayleigh’s eyes followed the hostess’s down to the run in her nylon, and she tucked one leg behind the other. “I’m here to meet a man.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The woman’s eyes widened, and her nose piercing twitched. “Anyone in particular? There are quite a few at the bar.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kayleigh felt her forehead bead and started again. “His name’s Niall Walsh. He’s got dark hair…” Her voice trailed off. Did he look the same after his time in the army? She imagined his tall, wiry form and boyish handsomeness.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“She’s with me,” a husky voice interrupted her. She whirled, shocked into silence at the powerfully built man looming beside her. He’d definitely filled out from his military days. Her eyes flicked to his left leg, but not so fast that he didn’t catch her glance, his lips firming in a straight line. Warmth crept into her cheeks. She hadn’t wanted to make him feel self-conscious, but she’d gone and done it anyway. Not the best start to their reunion.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It’s good to see you, Niall.” She searched his eyes, a jolt of familiarity zipping through her veins. The deep brown depths held the gold flecks she could count by heart, his lashes so thick they’d look girlish if not for his angular, masculine features. He’d always had high cheekbones, but now there was sharpness in his face, as if someone had chiseled out his firm, square jaw and the prominent brow that gave proportion to his strong nose and full lips.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His chestnut-colored hair was no longer clipped short, but layered lightly across his forehead and ears. He’d transformed from the young, earnest man she’d known to a hand- some stranger. She flushed despite the steady stream of cool air blowing from an overhead vent. MaryAnne should have warned her about this change. It was doing something funny to her stomach.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Shall we?” He held out his arm, and she took it, feeling awkward. Once she would have flown into his arms, and he would have swung her, laughing. But those days seemed distant, out of reach. Hopefully, they’d loosen up over lunch. She’d lost so much since she’d last seen Niall—Chris, her job, Brett. She wondered about Niall’s losses and knew the past few years must have been very difficult for him.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They ambled through the nautically decorated restaurant, navigating a maze of dark wood tables. Kayleigh forced her racing thoughts from the man beside her and surveyed the scene. The room resembled the inside of a ship with a wood-slatted ceiling, a brass railing along the oak bar and fishing nets and lures dangling from the walls.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She peeked at Niall’s stern profile. He looked as uncomfortable as she felt. But this was Niall. The boy she’d beaten in a bubble-blowing contest when they were eleven, the teen who’d taught her how to parallel park, the high school senior who’d celebrated with her when they’d been admitted to the same college, the young man who’d promised to write her every day from Afghanistan and then had stopped communicating with her altogether.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In crisp khakis and a white polo shirt that showed off his coloring and broad shoulders, Niall looked great. He was pale, probably from staying indoors as MaryAnne mentioned, but handsome. It felt as though she looked at him through the shifting lenses at an eye doctor’s office. One minute she saw him as her old pal, and the next she glimpsed an unfamiliar man with experiences and secrets she no longer knew. How strange to feel as if she was meeting him for the first time.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Someone Like You Excerpt Pool Scene</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The cool air on her wet shoulders made her shiver, and Niall wrapped his towel around her.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Here. I don’t need it.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She handed it back. “No, Niall. You don’t get it. I don’t want you to come to my rescue. I’m not looking for a knight in shining armor. If I were a princess, I’d save myself.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Niall’s leg circled in the water, making a mini whirlpool. “So tell me what a non-princess needs,” he said at last.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Someone who brings out the best in me, supports me, values my opinion and, most of all, is honest with me.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’ll do that, Kay.” He looked sincere, and his insistent tone undid the wall she’d placed between them. “As much as I can. Let’s set up our base of operations in my apartment, and we’ll meet there tomorrow. I’ve got some things for us to go over, and nothing’s final until we both approve.” He pulled off her swim goggles, then trailed the backs of his fingers down the side of her face until they fell away.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her breath hitched. That didn’t feel like a “friendly” touch. And it definitely crossed pro- fessional boundaries. So why did she want him to do it again? To let his hand linger so she could press her cheek into his palm.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We’ll disagree at times. But I won’t let anyone, like Major Carlton, act like you don’t exist again.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She shook her head, trying to get her thoughts back on track. “I didn’t think you’d noticed.” He studied his wrinkled fingertips, then lifted his eyes to hers, their tortured depths doing</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">something funny to her heart.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I notice you, Kayleigh,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “More than I should.”</span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-70988985286938206192014-08-12T00:00:00.000-04:002014-08-12T00:00:04.278-04:00Great Book, Great Giveaway!: Reluctantly Undead by Rayne Rachels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/07/06/paranormal-romance-book-tour-giveaway-reluctantly-undead-by-rayne-rachels-71614-81314/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/07/06/paranormal-romance-book-tour-giveaway-reluctantly-undead-by-rayne-rachels-71614-81314/" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I8C4jhvLYN4/U7ndJ3A8wvI/AAAAAAAAA6M/HwjacMemhto/s1600/reluctantly+undead+tour+banner.gif" height="250" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Virtual Book Tour Dates:</b> 7/16/14 – 8/13/14</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Genres:</b> Paranormal Romance<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y49INjP-0L4/U7ndsIH_57I/AAAAAAAAA6U/uB31dhv-M9g/s1600/cover+web+version.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y49INjP-0L4/U7ndsIH_57I/AAAAAAAAA6U/uB31dhv-M9g/s1600/cover+web+version.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Blurb:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ember Winterstone is not having a good night. She wakes up in a dumpster. Her neck hurts where her date used her as a meal. Vampire hunters chase her, and the other vampires think she is the real queen, especially since she is a day walker, eats food, drinks almost no blood, and stands up to Zophia, the psycho vampire queen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ember’s problems have just begun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Her mother has kept a couple of major secrets from her, the two men who make Ember drool refuse to claim her, and the psycho vampire queen decides Ember must die.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The night I died, I woke up into a world I thought only existed in the warped minds of screenwriters in Hollywood and romance authors who wrote about the dark, tortured soul looking for his or her soul mate. I mean, get real. Vampires and werewolves are stuff of myth and legends. Right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Wrong. Wrong!<br /> WRONG!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Vampires are REAL.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How do I know this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The night I died, I woke up as a vampire. But of course, leave it to me to screw up the whole process.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Okay, I am rambling.<br />
Sorry about that, and I am sorry for apologizing, and I—you get the<br />
idea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">By the way, I’m Ember. Ember Winterstone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I know what you’re thinking. Ember the Vampire. I guess you are waiting for me to burst into flames. Ha. Ha. The jokes are not funny. I did not pick my name. That honor is my parents’ fault; or rather, it was my mom’s fault. I do not know much about dear old dad. Mom doesn’t have any pictures and she never said much about him other than he was special and he had duties that came before their love, but he loved us very much and wanted us to be happy. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I guess it was her way of making excuses for a deadbeat dad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then, my mom married Henry Taylor when I was ten. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">She said I wasn’t happy because I didn’t have a father and it was her job to make sure I had one. I think mom was lonely. Memories don’t keep you warm at night. Anyway, I ended up with a weird stepfather and an even weirder, older stepbrother.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I don’t have a lot of time this afternoon, lots of things to do to prepare for the Halloween Ball, but I need to get my story down on paper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">First, I am a reporter. My job is to tell stories, to get the facts into print so people can read it. Second, I want to be the one telling my story so it is accurate. So many biographies have errors or they make the person sound more heroic than the person really was. Third, it gives me a way to sort out the details and make some sort of meaning from everything that has happened to me. Call it a therapeutic activity, if you want.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Where does my journey begin?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That’s easy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It began on the day I died and woke up. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Buy Links:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1i8OxdV" target="_blank">Amazon </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://bit.ly/1rebHDs" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://bit.ly/U7KRhu" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: normal;">KOBO </span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>About the Author: </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rayne Rachels lives in Texas with her husband and two very demanding cats. When she isn’t creating stories, she can be found reading and honing her photography skills. Rayne enjoys taking road trips, especially to the coast where she fishes every chance she gets. She also enjoys visiting flea markets and playing poker.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Author Links:</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://raynerachels.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://twitter.com/raynerachels" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/raynerachels/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7205354.Rayne_Rachels?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Giveaway:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Enter to win one of two $10 Amazon gift cards! Open internationally. The giveaway will run the length of the tour.<a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d202c358/" target="_blank"> Enter through Rafflecopter</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d202c358/" id="rc-d202c358" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-16768155611007789962014-08-07T00:00:00.000-04:002014-08-07T00:00:00.289-04:00Book to Love: A Portal in Time by Claire Fullerton<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="490px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/hN2qI2uNIxOMZ1g_0dRfrXwRutJ19P4h0Luwc5Ik6DZoh9AjEhULmihFHsKbgs2NegTAhZX50D0DjYiI5XoDDHvSOx2BrYG_fWUId4-zRCp4Uz9fnV2ktUhq_Dgvzs7bz6b6HaJNC-E" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: 8px solid #000000; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="327px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Portal in Time</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claire Fullerton</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-c1554b94-423b-06f5-3822-dc50b0f04103" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre: Paranormal/Historical Romance</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: Vinspire Publishing</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Date of Publication: November 30, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ISBN:0989063224</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ASIN:</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Number of pages: 192</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Word Count: 50,000</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cover Artist: Elaina Lee/For the Muse Designs</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book Description:</span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we are inexplicably drawn to love and a particular place, is it coincidence, or have we loved before? </span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enigmatic and spirited Anna Lucera is gifted with an uncanny sixth-sense and is intrigued by all things mystical. When her green, cat-eyes and long, black hair capture the attention of a young lawyer named Kevin Townsend, a romance ensues which leads them to the hauntingly beautiful region of California's Carmel-By-The-Sea where Anna is intuitively drawn to the Madiera Hotel. Everything about the hotel and Carmel-By-The-Sea heightens her senses and speaks to Anna as if she had been there before. </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Anna's memory unravels the puzzle, she is drawn into a past that's eerily familiar and a life she just may have lived before.</span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/A-Portal-Time-Claire-Fullerton/dp/0989063224/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403457977&sr=8-1&keywords=a+portal+in+time" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-portal-in-time-claire-fullerton/1117405689?ean=9780989063227" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BN</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=a+portal+in+time" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kobo</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.overdrive.com/media/1527170/a-portal-in-time" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Overdrive</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Excerpt:</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chapter Ten</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">March 18, 1999, West Hollywood, California</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“What’s this all about?” Lucia pulled out a chair across from her sister. They sat outside on the sidewalk in front of The King’s Head Café in West Hollywood amidst the hum of traffic and the flow of patrons looking for available seating on Beverly Boulevard. “You sounded funny on the phone.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I sounded funny?” </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You sounded mysterious,” Lucia clarified.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I didn’t want to get into it on the phone. I thought I’d wait to talk to you in person.” </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“All right, I’m listening,” Lucia settled back into her chair and looked at Anna expectantly.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You’re not going to believe this, but Kevin brought up the subject of marriage the other day.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Why wouldn’t I believe that? It’s perfectly understandable to me, isn’t it to you?” Lucia laughed. “What did you say when he brought up the subject?”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I skirted the issue, of course,” Anna’s tone suggested Lucia should know that.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Wait a minute, did he just bring up the subject or did he ask you to marry him?” </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well, it seemed to me he was testing the waters, but what he said was, ‘God help me, I’m married to a witch.’ I’m not sure I was supposed to hear it, but that’s exactly what he said,” Anna told her.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Wait a minute, back up, I’m getting lost. Were you doing something that made him call you a witch or was he just making a general observation because he’s had enough time to realize that you are a little touched in that way?”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“In what way?” Anna sounded defensive.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Come on, Anna, anyone who knows you knows you’re bent towards the uncanny, and I mean that with nothing but love,” Lucia tried to suppress a smile. “You’re the same way that Mom was—obviously these things run in families.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anna felt the immediate tug of her heartstrings at the mention of their mother, who had died of Leukemia two and a half years earlier. Her illness had been a harrowing experience to both her and Lucia, absolutely draining them emotionally for the two years prior to her death. Her slow decline compounded the loss of their father when they were only teenagers and now that both parents were gone, Anna and Lucia only had each other. Anna conjured the memory of their mother’s face, her tall elegance and demure ways and recalled that she, too, had an intuitive ability that everyone who knew her remarked upon.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I don’t know that I’m anywhere near the way Mom was,” Anna leaned back. “Do you remember how she always knew what we were up to when we were little? There was no point in ever trying to fool her about anything because she always knew the truth.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Of course, you’ve always been a terrible liar. Everything you’re thinking is always written on your face. You were the one who always gave us away to Mom, not me,” Lucia reminded.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“That’s not entirely true,” Anna volleyed, “I remember the time you tried to sneak out the upstairs window at night and found Mom sitting on the garden bench under the tree you used because she’d picked up on what you were thinking practically before you even decided to do it. She could just tell by looking at you!”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You’re right about that,” Lucia nodded. “Mom was something else altogether, wasn’t she? I’m convinced she was clairvoyant. I think she knew how to read us both. I really do miss her every day. I think of her every time I see a sunset, every time I feel the change of seasons in the air, every time I see the full moon. She made such an event out of the little things in life, didn’t she?”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“She definitely did. She placed great importance on ceremonies and symbolism and things like that,” Anna said. “I see so many things the same way she did because she taught us how.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I do, too. What she did to the exact spot where Dad got in his car wreck is a perfect example.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well, a lot of people do a similar thing. I see markers on the side of the road all the time. Standing crosses with bouquets of flowers under them at the scene of a fatal accident. It’s a commemoration of a particular place where something significant happened.” </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Yes, but it was so much more to Mom than that,” Lucia reminded Anna. “That’s why she buried the key where Dad got in the accident. Do you recall that night? It was only two days after Dad died, but somehow Mom managed to set aside her grief in order to take care of business. She woke us up after midnight and told us to get in the car because we were going to conduct a ceremony. “</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="391px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/nK_nS4_V0O4b45JywKE61fot_Gr9oHj9UJ7ZZbenUadEDucwxsw6_oU7k3bBiZmCC61pLqH0qeGxKaAAOfSSFRVbRj3n0NwDe9J3gTOaleUI8C892TDWG_UQuAxiebE9J0rkQayB9RM" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="483px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="211px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/niKV2KDvwDIoelU2Dx7bCoa-rb2aDOBGtFyb2Fdaj9d7AD5cwHetFf8JTbisHLJdDcOCMd5XCyuuxrkbXP39gUuqzl_fTV0ZMi4TMKmlSS10m_qKNQKsW0fAYMVjO-7u7Qd1Psjuji8" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: 8px solid #000000; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="317px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About the Author:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claire Fullerton is the author of Paranormal/Historical Romance, “A Portal in Time.” Her second novel, “Dancing to an Irish Reel,” set in Connemara, Ireland, will be published in March, 2015. Claire is a contributor to numerous magazines as well as a multiple contributor to the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series. She is a multiple award winning essayist, a former major-market radio disc jockey, and an avid ballet dancer. Claire hails from Memphis, Tennessee, and currently divides her time between Malibu and Carmel, California with her husband and two German shepherds! </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.clairefullerton.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.clairefullerton.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Portal-in-Time/652046314828696" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Portal-in-Time/652046314828696</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7388895.Claire_Fullerton" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7388895.Claire_Fullerton</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@cfullerton3</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7388895.Claire_Fullerton/blog" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7388895.Claire_Fullerton/blog</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/101078322415974380691/posts" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://plus.google.com/101078322415974380691/posts</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/b/115854375907460158477/115854375907460158477/posts" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://plus.google.com/b/115854375907460158477/115854375907460158477/posts</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tour giveaway </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 print copies of A Portal in Time open to US Shipping</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 e-book copies of A Portal in Time open internationally</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-408076075691547512014-07-23T00:00:00.000-04:002014-07-23T00:00:06.049-04:00Review and Giveaway! An Etiquette Guide to the End of Times by Maia Sepp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/06/27/dystopian-book-tour-giveaway-an-etiquette-guide-to-the-end-times-a-novella-by-maia-sepp-71014-72414/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/06/27/dystopian-book-tour-giveaway-an-etiquette-guide-to-the-end-times-a-novella-by-maia-sepp-71014-72414/" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-odjlu82xAsU/U7OCrR3F01I/AAAAAAAAA4M/A1CKDk3UC8A/s1600/an+etiquette+guide+tour+banner.gif" height="250" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Virtual Book Tour Dates: </b>7/10/14 - 7/24/14<b><br />
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Genres: </b>Sci Fi (Dystopian)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zyZGDP5EiVg/U7ODbfFMM6I/AAAAAAAAA4Q/QqeaWEsXq5M/s1600/EGET+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zyZGDP5EiVg/U7ODbfFMM6I/AAAAAAAAA4Q/QqeaWEsXq5M/s1600/EGET+cover.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b>Blurb:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><b>Good manners never go out of style…do they?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">There aren’t any zombies (yet), but the world is still at the brink of destruction: It’s 2028 and global warming has led to rising oceans, crazy weather, and resource scarcity. On top of that, someone just<br />
turned the Internet off. Seeing as how it’s humanity’s last chance to turn things around manners are, understandably, a bit frayed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Bookish etiquette buff Olive O’Malley is busy microfarming her urban property and minding her own business (and her chickens) when the government comes calling. Their goal is to push the populace towards carbon-neutrality while keeping kvetching to a minimum, and they come<br />
with a proposal: transition Olive’s popular etiquette column to a radio show for the masses, and they’ll help Olive find her grandfather, who’s gone missing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Olive doesn’t trust the hipster government officials who try to bribe her with delicious-but-probably-a-little-evil chocolate pastries, and declines their offer. (Politely, of course.) But they won't take no for an answer, and soon Olive is knee-deep in turmoil, eco-terrorism, and missing chickens. Now she has to untangle herself from their demands and figure out how to make sure her family (and her poultry) are safe before it’s too late.</span></div>
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<b>Excerpt:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Chapter<br />
One—In the Land of Victory</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">My superhero power is definitely not sleeping. When I was looking for a<br />
house, my realtor rhapsodized about this bedroom’s perfect southern<br />
exposure, about the tastefully herbaceous wall treatment and charming<br />
old-world feel. Right now my room could be more accurately described<br />
as a floral-wallpapered sauna, full of an impossible heat, like three<br />
Julys stuffed into one. It isn’t helping. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">I watch the overhead fan stop again, gyrate, and then restart before I<br />
roll over, the sheets coming with me. After a minute I shift to the<br />
other side, flinging the covers away with a sigh. The fan finally<br />
grinds to a halt, probably the victim of a wiring problem I haven’t<br />
been able to pin down, although lately I’ve been thinking it might<br />
just hate me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">I relocate to the living room and angle the pedestal fan my way. </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><i>God,<br />
it’s hot.</i></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"> I close my eyes<br />
and lean back on the couch for a minute, hoping sleep will take me.<br />
The sofa is a faux leather hand-me-down that’s supple after years<br />
of wear, smelling faintly earthy, soft against my skin. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Eventually I switch the TV on. Our cable hasn’t worked properly in months, the<br />
service so erratic it’s like the people running the company are<br />
</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><i>legless</i></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">, as my grandfather Fred would say—a charming Irish way of saying<br />
spectacularly drunk, even though my grandfather hasn’t seen Ireland<br />
since he was a child. My eyes land on Fred’s easy chair, a pale<br />
green monstrosity he could barely squeeze through the front door when<br />
I finally convinced him to move in with me. His pipe, his books, and<br />
his old-man slippers are still where he left them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">After flipping through a bunch of static, I shut the TV off and switch to<br />
the radio, which promptly announces it’s five-thirty in the<br />
morning. I ponder what to do next, discarding juggling, mind-reading,<br />
and origami, although I spend more time thinking about mind-reading<br />
than I probably should, considering I’m the only one here. Finally<br />
I pull my computer tablet onto my lap and turn it on. I write an<br />
etiquette column for a spunky arts and culture website, and my latest<br />
instalment is due on Friday; other people’s problems are always a<br />
delightful way to get my mind off my own. I start to page through the<br />
letters, which all start with </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><i>Dear Olive. Dear Olive, I’m convinced my neighbor </i></span><i style="font-family: Garamond, serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">is milking my goat. </i><i style="font-family: Garamond, serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Dear Olive, my neighbour’s windmill is keeping me up at night. Dear </i><i style="font-family: Garamond, serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Olive, my wife is hoarding solar panels. What do I do?</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Three crashing noises erupt above my head, each more ominous than the last.<br />
I wait for it to stop, but twenty minutes later I’m clinging to the<br />
side of my house, staring down a pair of raccoons who seem intent on<br />
defiling my solar array. For a long while it’s just the three of<br />
us, locked in visual combat, but it’s my roof and unless they start<br />
paying rent, they’ve got to go. Eventually they get spooked by the<br />
noise of the six a.m. domestic surveillance drone overhead, which<br />
would make this the first time I’ve ever been happy to see a drone.<br />
I watch as it starts its first pass of the morning. They’re smaller<br />
than the military version—sleek, modern, ever-watchful. Rumour is<br />
they’re even biodegradable, although that hasn’t exactly endeared<br />
them to anybody.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">After the raccoons finally lumber off I pull myself onto the roof and take<br />
a look at the solar panel they’ve sullied, the wires connecting the<br />
array to my house almost stripped. It’s not easy to carry out<br />
rooftop repairs quietly at six in the morning, and it definitely<br />
wouldn’t be polite to wake anyone up, but I don’t want to be back<br />
up here tomorrow, either. If I leave the panel like this, they’ll<br />
come back and finish the jo</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">b,<br />
I know it. They’re organized.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">I look up when a new-fangled Town Car,<br />
still boxy and authoritarian but now electric-powered, turns onto my<br />
street. I watch it as it goes; there are almost no cars on the roads<br />
these days, and the sight makes a faint sense of unease pulse through<br />
me. I hope whoever’s in that car isn’t carrying bad news for one<br />
of my neighbours.</span></div>
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<b>Buy Links:</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPPFA6Y" target="_blank">Amazon </a><br />
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/etiquette-guide-to-end-times/id885585459?mt=11" target="_blank">iTunes </a><br />
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Maia_Sepp_An_Etiquette_Guide_to_the_End_Times?id=aDa0AwAAQBAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">Google </a><br />
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<a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/an-etiquette-guide-to-the-end-times" target="_blank">Kobo</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-etiquette-guide-to-the-end-times-maia-sepp/1119684356?ean=9781498994507" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble </a><br />
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<b>My Review:</b><br />
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My recipe for creating Maia Sepp's <i>An Etiquette Guide to the End of Times: </i>mix equal parts apocalypse and science-fiction with a generous portion of conscience, and top with a dash of adventure. The story tells of a future where our ice caps have melted, our climates have changed, and necessities like cars have become nearly obsolete. It's a place where homesteading is no longer an option, and money is no longer important. It's the world of Olive O'Malley, the post-apocalyptic Emily Post.<br />
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Sepp's post-apocalyptic world is very different from the one we live in, and she does a great job of describing the world and the lifestyle changes without boring the reader. I really enjoyed reading about Olive's world, but especially about Olive's day-to-day life. I particularly enjoyed reading the questions Olive was sent and the answers she was given. It helped show how different the world was by showing how different the responses could actually be (though I do believe that a backup ham is unnecessary in any situation.)<br />
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While this story was a casserole of things that I love, I must admit that the portion left me wanting so much more. I feel like Sepp did an injustice to her creations by giving them such a small story. My one wish is that Sepp could take this novella, expand it and give her characters the longer story they deserve. With such great characters, settings, and plots, she could create a full-length masterpiece with just a bit more work. It was torture for me to end the story so quickly and wonder what happened in between the events of the novella.<br />
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While I know that my readers will also feel the pain of reading such a short story, I recommend this story to anyone who likes post-apocalyptic tales or science fiction in general. I am giving this story five stars, because Sepp did a wonderful job in creating this new version of our world.<br />
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<b>My Rating:</b><br />
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<b>About the Author:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Maia Sepp is an author of humorous contemporary and dystopian fiction. She <br />
left the tech sector to write about sock thievery, migraines, the <br />
future, and…the tech sector.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">The Sock Wars</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"> is her debut novel. The first chapter of </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">The Sock Wars</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"> was published as a short story/novel excerpt titled </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Irish Drinking Socks</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">, and became a Kobo </span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://maiasepp.blogspot.ca/2012_07_01_archive.html"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">bestselling short story</span></a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">The Sock Wars </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">has been a top-100 digital bestseller on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and <br />
the iBookstore, as well as a genre and Writing Life bestseller on Kobo. <br />
It is </span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://maiasepp.com/main#TSW"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">available</span></a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"> in print and ebook formats.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Maia’s second novel is </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">The Migraine Mafia</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">, a story about a nerdy thirtysomething’s quest to come to terms with a chronic illness. It is </span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://maiasepp.com/main#MM"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">available</span></a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"> online everywhere in print and ebook formats. It has been a genre bestseller on Kobo.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">Her latest is a humorous near-future dystopian novella, titled, </span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;">An Etiquette Guide to the End Times,</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"> available now! </span></span></div>
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<b>Author Links:</b></div>
<a href="http://www.maiasepp.com/" target="_blank">Website </a><br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/MaiaSepp" target="_blank">Twitter </a><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maia-Sepp-Author-of-The-Sock-Wars/408204399216568" target="_blank">Facebook </a><br />
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<b>Giveaway:</b></div>
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Enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card! The giveaway will run the length of the tour. Open internationally. <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d202c354/" target="_blank">Enter through Rafflecopter</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-40464302667765616472014-07-17T00:00:00.000-04:002014-07-17T00:00:07.719-04:00Cover Reveal! The Other Lamb by Katie Young<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="341px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/zQd_55KN_G0fy37p5vJrKNCXmAWeny48898zR3Eikrkgjs3wrksUh3IwD5r7CfHWMpM9cdv4xyoLlZfQOgMaZX0z9khTmehbBlQ03GXt1zA00Kq-Z_Kik42XOLRkP73NsYOZuynQBT8" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0rad); border: none;" width="255px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> fantasy, paranormal-horror</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Curiosity Quills Press</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Date of Publication:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> August 28th, 2014.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cover Artist: </span><a href="https://www.behance.net/PolinaS" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Polina Sapershteyn</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (https://www.behance.net/PolinaS)</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22709423-the-other-lamb" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22709423-the-other-lamb</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Description:</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Incarcerated on Earth as punishment for breeding with humans, the Watchers found a way to escape. Zach is living proof of that…even though someone has cut out his heart.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Zach turns eighteen he develops an insatiable thirst for blood, but he tries to bury his fears and go on enjoying his birthday. His best friend Kim has scored them tickets to the hottest gig in town. But a charged encounter with his idol, the enigmatic rock star known as Grigory, leads to a revelation that shatters everything Zach thinks he knows about himself and the world, and places everyone dear to him in grave danger.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zach is a Naphil, the forbidden offspring of a mortal woman and a Watcher. When those who seek to destroy him snatch Kim, Zach is forced to embark on a journey of discovery spanning continents and ages. With the help of a mysterious stranger named Sam, Zach must unearth the truth about his parentage, find Kim, and discover who has stolen his heart…before he triggers the apocalypse.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="202px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/SI_4j6FgCDNHFDbESbQ9a5mYWTqUJPsSwWBgBz-TIQtGcl2rhUGXWQTiOHpmLEC7aqgvilbFmZGNoJGR_SgzSKjrdeIUGQmmC5y-mNFtRzAlLu6fggAHMV1IkqQWKcMnfu1R-1Y9zKs" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="302px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About The Author:</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Katie Young is a writer and occasional zombie movie ‘supporting artiste’. She also works in kids’ TV but wishes she were a rock star. She has various shorts available for download from Ether Books, and features in anthologies from Collaboration of the Dead Press, Angelic Knight Press, Indigo Mosaic, Song Stories Press, Static Movement and Fox Spirit Books. Her story, Atelic, was shortlisted for the 2010 Writers' & Artists' Year Book short fiction prize, and she is a regular contributor to the Are You Sitting Comfortably? story-telling events run by White Rabbit. Katie also writes TV reviews for The Cult Den. The Other Lamb is her first novel. She lives in South East London with her partner and a second-hand cat. She is not a natural redhead.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find Katie Young Online:</span></h1>
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<a href="http://katieyoungauthor.wordpress.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (http://katieyoungauthor.wordpress.com/) | </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katie-Young/160179424124913?ref=hl" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katie-Young/160179424124913?ref=hl) | </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Pinkwood" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (https://twitter.com/Pinkwood) | </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4392314.Katie_Young" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4392314.Katie_Young)</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-28769793515556704422014-07-15T00:00:00.000-04:002014-07-15T00:00:04.135-04:00Review and Giveaway!: Joe by H.D. Gordon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Virtual Book Tour Dates:</b> 7/8/14 – 7/15/14</div>
<b>Genres:</b> Paranormal Thriller, Supernatural Thriller, NA, Thriller<br />
<br />
<b>Tour Promo Price:</b> $2.99<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-noGkHOnwYg8/U6GYZ-c_DmI/AAAAAAAAA0U/2Z9mmp6HwfQ/s1600/JoeCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-noGkHOnwYg8/U6GYZ-c_DmI/AAAAAAAAA0U/2Z9mmp6HwfQ/s1600/JoeCover.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Blurb:</b></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .1in;">
A psychopath planning a<br />
massacre. A stuttering young girl with disturbing visions of the <br />
future. Six ordinary people who will all be in the line of fire come the<br />
day of the disaster.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .1in;">
Joe Knowe is not a <br />
boy. She is twenty-one years old, and she sees things before they <br />
happen; bad things, and the worst thing she has ever faced is just <br />
around the corner. A madman is going to shoot up the college Joe <br />
attends. The trouble is, her gift is stingy on the details she needs to <br />
divert the impending tragedy. Now, Joe has four days to figure out the <br />
mystery and save the lives of many.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .1in;">
From the author of The<br />
Alexa Montgomery Saga comes a tense tale that glimpses the mind of a <br />
genuine psychopath, follows an unlikely hero, and explores real-life <br />
terror in a race against time that will leave the reader breathless.</div>
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<b>Excerpt:</b></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .1in;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond;">Prologue</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Garamond;">~The Decider~</span><br />
<br />
It was a Monday.<br />
<br />
The worst days are typically Mondays. But this one was alright. <br />
Different, sure, but alright. He’d made plans for today. He’d not only <br />
made plans, but acquired the artillery to back them up. Put them into <br />
action. Bang-Bang.<br />
<br />
One song had played on a continuous loop in his apartment for the past three days.<br />
<br />
<i>Come Monday</i><br />
<br />
He didn’t much care for music. Never really had, but this particular song amused him. Perhaps would have comforted him. <i>If</i> he were able to feel any emotion required to be in need of comfort.<br />
<br />
<i>It’ll be all right</i><br />
<br />
He couldn’t wait to see their faces, to watch as they fled and cowered in fear. In fear of <i>him</i>. The thought of it all made his heart leap in his chest. And, oh, what a wonderful sensation that was. Potent. They <i>should</i><br />
fear him. Hell yeah, they should. He could take his pick, and he would.<br />
They just didn’t know it yet, which was great, because they would know <br />
soon. They would know today.<br />
<br />
<i>Come Monday</i><br />
<br />
He drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel in time to the tune, but <br />
had no mind of doing so. He was excited. Such a rare, beautiful thing <br />
this was, this <i>excitement.</i> The anticipation of it all, all his plans coming to life, of all their….<i>faces</i>.<br />
He bet some would try to beg, and wouldn’t that be amusing, to watch <br />
them crawl at his feet? They would know in that wonderful moment right <br />
before he ended their worthless existences that <i>he</i> had made the decision.<br />
<br />
<i>I’ll be holding you tight.</i><br />
<br />
He reached down and brushed his fingers across the semi-automatic <br />
pistol sitting atop the passenger seat. It was the smallest of the lot, <br />
but his favorite. His <i>baby.</i> In the end, it would relieve him of <br />
his existence as well, but oh, the wonders the two of them will have <br />
seen together. He thought about what they would say in the news about <br />
him and his…decisions. Lunatic, Gunman, Madman…Massacre.<br />
<br />
The last was his favorite.<br />
<br />
If things went according to plan he may be able to take out a <br />
hundred, hundred-fifty people. If the bombs he’d built went according to<br />
plan he would take out many more. Hundred<i>s. </i>He dared to dream even <i>thousands</i><br />
as he cruised down Highway 71 toward the Wilker campus of the <br />
University of Midwest Missouri State. UMMS for short. He hated that. <br />
Stupid fucking acronym. <i>Man</i>, he hoped his bombs worked. He’d <br />
followed the instructions on the internet as precisely as he could <br />
manage, but wiring the timers on the damn things had been tricky. It <br />
didn’t really matter, though. He would watch them fall to him either <br />
way.<br />
<br />
In fact, he knew just what they would do.<br />
<br />
They would be heartbroken and crying to their mommies. They would <br />
light candles and say prayers and mutter condolences, like any of them <br />
were even intelligent enough to give a shit about another worthless <br />
human being. The police chief and reporters would call him a madman, a <br />
psychopath, a murderer. They would analyze the video journals and poetry<br />
he left scattered about his apartment. And they won’t learn a damn <br />
thing. Because that’s how fucking stupid they were.<br />
<br />
Oh, and there would be a body count. If things went according to <br />
plan, if the rockets’ red glared and bombs burst in the air, they would <br />
stamp his Decisions in the book of records.<br />
<br />
The worst massacre in the history of the U-ni-ted States of Amer-i-ca.<br />
<br />
The thought made his heart soar.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Review:</h3>
Joe is not a Joseph. In fact, Joe Knowe is not a male at all. Nor is she a Josephine, a Mary Jo, or a Joanna. What she is, is a special girl with a special talent that is both a blessing and a curse. <div>
<br />What first grabbed my attention about <i>Joe</i> is that like me, Joe has a stutter. Though hers is much more pronounced, it helped me related to her sis a character. It seems that characters with pronounced flaws are easier for me to relate to, as they seem much more real. It was nice to see an author understand the frustration of someone who stutters who has an important message, and be able to convey it to others who don't. <br /><br />I'm a big fan of using multiple character viewpoints to tell a story, but I have very mixed feelings about how it was done in this book. With so many characters, it can be hard to distinguish the characters from one another or to figure out who is telling which chapter. Gordon does a great job with listing exactly who is narrating at the beginning of each chapter. It took a lot of confusion out of reading. However there were a few characters you didn't hear much from, and it was easy to forgot about their story lines. Overall, I think Gordon did a great job creating memorable characters, and establishing the importance of characters that you didn't know much about.<br /><br />There were a few things that made <i>Joe</i> a bit tricky to read. First was trying to get through the stuttering. Like I said, I suffer from what I think of as a sometimes-stutter. And while it can be hard to speak at times, there is no stutter in my thoughts. While Gordon had to be able to depict Joe's stutter, it made her dialogue incredibly hard to read. Another thing that made it hard to read was where Gordon would interject the characters thoughts to complete a sentence, which would then be completed in another way on the next line. I found myself re-reading lines quite a few times, though every time the sentence took on a whole new meaning.<br /><br />As my TBR pile begins to dwindle, I will definitely find myself reading the sequel to this book. I really enjoyed Joe. It had great characters, really got you involved in the story, and had a clear (and engaging) climax to it. I am giving <i>Joe</i> five stars, and I encourage my readers to check it out. You will not be disappointed.<br /><br /><h3>
Rating:</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQA7GEPpZo8/U2vitFnqBEI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/MRqYPjP7ND4/s1600/5stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQA7GEPpZo8/U2vitFnqBEI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/MRqYPjP7ND4/s1600/5stars.jpg" height="69" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five big ol' stars</td></tr>
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<b>Buy Links:</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Knowe-H-D-Gordon-ebook/dp/B008GETO0O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402583127&sr=8-1&keywords=joe+hd+gordon" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .1in;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/joe-hd-gordon/1111909339?ean=2940014679893" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble </a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tgMDetR0ylM/U6GYnGFX6sI/AAAAAAAAA0c/4_DIyeqSkN4/s1600/63160_419800498091757_1411188835_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tgMDetR0ylM/U6GYnGFX6sI/AAAAAAAAA0c/4_DIyeqSkN4/s1600/63160_419800498091757_1411188835_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.1in;">
<b>About the Author:</b><br />
<br />
H. D. Gordon is the bestselling author of THE ALEXA MONTGOMERY SAGA, THE<br />
JOE KNOWE SERIES, and THE SURAH STORMSONG NOVELS. H. D. is a lifelong <br />
reader and writer, a true lover of words. When she is not reading or <br />
writing she is raising her two daughters, playing a little guitar, and <br />
spending time with her family. She is twenty five years old and lives in<br />
the northeastern United States.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.1in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.1in;">
<b>Connect With H.D. Gordon</b>:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.hdgordonbooks.com/" target="_blank">Website </a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HDGordonauthor?ref_type=bookmark" target="_blank">Facebook </a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hd_gordon" target="_blank">Twitter </a> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.1in;">
<b>Giveaway:</b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .1in;">
Win a paperback copy of Joe! <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/96947" target="_blank">Enter through Goodreads</a>.</div>
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by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5189455.H_D_Gordon" style="text-decoration: none;">H.D. Gordon</a><br />
</h4>
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Giveaway ends July 15, 2014.<br />
<br />
See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/96947" style="text-decoration: none;">giveaway details</a><br />
at Goodreads.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-34855072358268542332014-07-11T00:00:00.000-04:002014-07-11T13:30:53.792-04:00Books to Love: Return of the Loving Dead by Araminta Star Matthews and Stan Swanson<br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-6e5a0442-af8f-530e-8d6d-fbff7337f755"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="316px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KXdzkflAnxnOmz_d94gNDMG9-tDcUR8M28vtfh52FsDSRP1O1uGKjHj9-8BImy9tzflIVMm2q6qWuuNCPhC8EItH6BUQpGfdU2X6n2tVFj28l5jbuWajePNN1j0BTaJIUIInwar3qi8" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0rad); border: none;" width="211px;" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Return of the Loving Dead by Araminta Star Matthews and Stan Swanson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre:</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> young-adult, paranormal horror</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher:</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Curiosity Quills Press</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Date of Publication:</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 8th May, 2014</span></div>
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<a href="http://curiosityquills.com/return-loving-dead-rafflecopter-giveaway/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><a href="http://curiosityquills.com/return-loving-dead-rafflecopter-giveaway/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://curiosityquills.com/return-loving-dead-rafflecopter-giveaway/</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<a href="http://horrorhighschool.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Homepage</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (http://horrorhighschool.com/)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purchase Links:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Horror-High-School-Return-Loving-ebook/dp/B00K6YB590/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399553165&sr=1-1&keywords=9781620074985" target="_blank">Amazon US</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Horror-High-School-Return-Loving-ebook/dp/B00K6YB590/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1399553213&sr=8-16&keywords=Stan+Swanson" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/horror-high-school-araminta-star-matthews/1119457238?ean=9781620074992" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/horror-high-school-return-of-the-loving-dead" target="_blank">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Description:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being in love with a zombie bites, but that won’t stop true love. Horror High School: Return of the Loving Dead is like no zombie book you’ve ever read. Meet Amber Vanderkamp, senior at Stephen E. King High School. Amber is poised for class valedictorian when she graduates this year and has her sights set on the New York Center for the Performing Arts for college. Everything is wonderful in Amber’s world. She always gets the lead in her high school’s plays and is counting on the lead role in the school’s upcoming production of Romeo and Juliet to get a college scholarship for theater That is until her well-ordered world is thrown into chaos when her boyfriend, Zach Williams, dies and comes back as a zombie. But she simply can’t turn her back on the love of her life, can she? How does she deal with the pressure? And will she remain committed to the boy she once considered her soul mate and future husband? Especially when her mother (with secrets of her own) is encouraging her to wait and experience more of the world. And her flighty best friend, Jasmine, is acting even more peculiar ever since Zach has become a member of the undead club. Add in the class bullies, Caleb and Darla, who seem to be doing everything in their power to ruin Amber’s life and Zach’s existence, and all of the elements are present for a page-turning romp through a world where zombies, or “living impaired loved ones,” are a part of everyday life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About the Authors:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="237px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/uC1e_KH88ws9gqiUBcb7ojlQ6mghtuNZLsDBLZuskspuHdIAvWhbxL21BCyYKJA8bUUoEC4ZENfFxA34k7vnCNY1wS-njBGtuCtwuPAEv8jCfU36BDlxtB-mxkVLmnFMSDqcobTqWeE" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="143px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Araminta Star Matthews is an author, educator, and instructional designer in Central Maine. Born a ginger to a pair of geek parents (one, a lover of all things Stephen King, the other a tabletop gamer and Tolkein-fan), Araminta has always been a bit of an odd duck. Her books typically feature strong, young women who are brilliant, clever, funny, and weird. Her books include </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blind Hunger, Write of the Living Dead, Before Black Mask, Before Weird Tales, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Warehouse. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her notable shorter works include “Bark of the Covenant,” in </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One Night Stands, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The All-Consuming Hunger of Love” in </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dark Moon Digest, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Under My Skin” in </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zombies Need Love, Too, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and “Every Time a Bell Rings,” in </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slices of Flesh. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> She lives in Central Maine with her miraculous dogs, Devo the whippet and Crivens the Jack-Chi, and her partner, Abner Goodwin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find Araminta Star Matthews Online:</span></h1>
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<a href="http://aramintastar.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AramintaStarMatthews" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | </span><a href="https://twitter.com/AramintaStar" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4818142.Araminta_Star_Matthews" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Araminta-Star-Matthews/e/B0080SN5L0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon </span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Araminta-Star-Matthews/e/B0080SN5L0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="197px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/4CHBnbZ1rFoI-_zzUT_Z-MT2p329uyJvURaTJSvOp3gcc9-5vC8dqXh2UaVgI7NrYM0CZVlILs2rlBq0NS_AH4sRWTn_TUqMVbRslfADHQpuLcJAitbXc9BHEx7_DtIyt08Un5lbX7w" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="197px;" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stan Swanson is a Bram Stoker award finalist and author of eight books including </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forever Zombie </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(a collection of short stories), </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Write of the Living Dead</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (a highly-praised writing guide written with Araminta Star Matthews and Rachel Lee) and </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Return of the Scream</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Queen (co-authored with Michael McCarty and Linnea Quigley). He is also editor/publisher for Dark Moon Books and </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dark Moon Digest</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Upcoming titles include </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Horror High School: Return of the Loving Dead (</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the first book in a young adult horror series co-written with Araminta Star Matthews), </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dead Sparrows</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (a collection of apocalyptic poetry) and </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Methlands</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (a horror novel co-written with award-winning author Joe McKinney).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find Stan Swanson Online:</span></h1>
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<a href="http://stan-swanson.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/stan.swanson.author" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | </span><a href="https://twitter.com/StanSwanson" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/180241.Stan_Swanson" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Stan%20Swanson&search-alias=books&sort=relevancerank" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon </span></a></div>
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-49529902949350523142014-07-08T09:46:00.000-04:002014-07-08T09:58:25.774-04:00BOOKS TO LOVE: The Ruins of Tropicalia with MUSIC by The Amends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/musical-literary-thriller-tour-giveaway-the-ruins-of-tropicalia-by-tyler-taylor-featuring-the-amends-rock-band-62414-72214/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/musical-literary-thriller-tour-giveaway-the-ruins-of-tropicalia-by-tyler-taylor-featuring-the-amends-rock-band-62414-72214/" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xLQVGRrUwSo/U6jKOgNs2uI/AAAAAAAAA1M/0nRaCXUNafg/s1600/the+ruins+of+tropicalia+tour+banner.gif" height="241" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<b>Virtual Book Tour Dates:</b> 6/24/14 – 7/22/14</div>
<b>Genres:</b> General Fiction, Literary, Thriller, SciFi, Musical<br />
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<b>Tour Price:</b> Free<br />
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<b>Release Date:</b> 6/24/14<br />
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<b><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KLH9l2qQ7rc/U6jPFHmLOhI/AAAAAAAAA14/oDys_jCV81g/s1600/splashimage640x960.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KLH9l2qQ7rc/U6jPFHmLOhI/AAAAAAAAA14/oDys_jCV81g/s1600/splashimage640x960.jpeg" height="320" width="213" /></a></b></div>
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<b>Blurb:</b></div>
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<i>The Ruins of Tropicalia</i> is a serialized, pulpy adventure story, accompanied by new music by indie rock n roll band The Amends.</div>
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<b>Expanded Plot Summary:</b> In early 2014, a group of <br />
Americans gathered on a remote Central American peninsula to experience <br />
the last days of an unsullied tropical paradise before its development <br />
into a corporate retreat for the world’s biggest tech company. Many of <br />
them believed they were there accidentally, but none of them were. This <br />
is the story of how a group of restless, indecisive idiot discovered who<br />
brought them there, and what they could be. This is the story of a <br />
country and a civilization few remember ever existed. This is the story <br />
behind the most mysterious mass Disappearance of the 21st century. This <br />
is a war story. And when things get bad, you rescue what you can…<br />
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<b>Details:</b> Two new chapters/episodes of <i>TROT</i><br />
debut each week from 6/24/14 until its completion at the end of August, <br />
available for free in multiple formats (mobi/Kindle, EPUB, PDF, etc.) <br />
both <a href="http://theruinsoftropicalia.com/" target="_blank">online</a> and on a mobile app. A new single from The Amends will premiere each Wednesday throughout <i>TROT’s</i> run at the above locations as well as <a href="http://theamendsband.com/" target="_blank">http://theamendsband.com</a>. A trailer for the book can be viewed on <a href="http://youtu.be/cdrpJoaXUls" target="_blank">Youtube</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mnhd6UB06PU/U6jSA-bVQEI/AAAAAAAAA2E/9dqI3bdKW3Q/s1600/trot_chaptertitles_screenshot.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mnhd6UB06PU/U6jSA-bVQEI/AAAAAAAAA2E/9dqI3bdKW3Q/s1600/trot_chaptertitles_screenshot.PNG" height="320" width="290" /></a></div>
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<b>Excerpt:</b></div>
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Sam Merard doesn’t recognize the station <br />
names any more, but they must be deep into Queens. They’re out of the <br />
underground, elevated. He checks the time on his phone. This isn’t <br />
right. They should have been to JFK at least fifteen minutes ago. He <br />
considers crossing the car to check the subway map, but he doesn’t want <br />
to chance Liz spotting him.</div>
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“Approaching Utnapishtim station,” a female voice announces through the rattly speakers.<br />
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<i>Utna-what?</i> The announcer’s voice was different, too. The <br />
train slows and screeches loudly to a stop. The doors slide open. Liz <br />
steps outside. Sam pauses his iPod, slips the earbuds back into his <br />
pocket, waits a few seconds again, and follows. The train rolls away <br />
behind him.<br />
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The platform stretches endlessly northeast. A solitary heat-lamp <br />
illuminates the stairs down to the street. Beyond that, darkness and <br />
infinity. Without looking behind her, Liz walks into the gloom. He <br />
follows.<br />
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Sam hears nothing but her footsteps. No car horns, no breaks, no <br />
drunken shouts, no anything. He peers over the edge of the platform, but<br />
has trouble seeing anything more of the city than dark, blurred <br />
outlines of buildings. This part of the city produces no light. No <br />
illumination behind the windows, no streetlights below. Nothing but <br />
shadows beyond the train platform.<br />
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<br />
He walks gingerly on the sides of his feet for what must be a mile. <br />
The platform continues on past the point of credulity. Liz is not <br />
concerned with making noise. Whenever her faint outline disappears into <br />
the murk, he is still able to follow the sounds of her heels clicking <br />
against the wood.<br />
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<br />
A faint white light appears in the distance. Liz continues walking <br />
towards it, never altering her pace. The light splits into three <br />
distinct shapes. He makes out the profiles of three men— two wear white <br />
bio-suits and gas masks, the third dons a long white lab coat and <br />
surgical mask. A dim fluorescence emanates from their clothing.<br />
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<br />
Liz stops walking. Sam’s heart thumps, and he ducks behind a trash can. He peers over its edge.<br />
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<br />
The man in the lab coat approaches Liz. His coat is open, and an <br />
oddly-shaped, octagonal stethoscope bounces against his chest. Liz <br />
unfastens the top two buttons of her blouse. She offers him her chest. <br />
He places the diaphragm against her neck instead.<br />
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<br />
The scientist murmurs something to his colleagues, who stand side by <br />
side four feet behind him. One of them scribbles a note on a pad. Sam <br />
hears their exaggerated breathing through their masks. The lead <br />
scientist reaches into his coat pocket and withdraws a portable blood <br />
pressure monitor. He straps it around Liz’s forearm. He pumps it, checks<br />
his watch, and mutters to the others again.<br />
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“Satisfied?” Liz asks.<br />
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“Somewhat,” the scientist answers in a gruff, muffled voice.<br />
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“Then give me what you promised,” she says.<br />
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Sam can’t help but notice again the lack of noise and smell and sight. It’s as if there is no city surrounding him.<br />
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One of the other scientists steps forward. He places a small <br />
cylindrical object to his throat, beneath his gas mask. When he speaks, <br />
the words come out robotic, metallic.<br />
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“After one more test,” He She or It says.<br />
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The second scientists pulls what looks like a neatly folded piece of <br />
paper from his back pocket. He unfolds it, bends down, and places it at <br />
Liz’s feet. It too gives off a faint glow. She steps upon it. The second<br />
scientist glances at the paper, checks a watch-like device on his <br />
wrist, and places the cylinder to his throat again.<br />
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He says to the note-taker, “Thirty-seven pounds. A new record.”<br />
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“Would ya look how special I am?” Liz says flatly.<br />
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The scientist in the lab coat asks, “Have you noticed anything different? Have you taken flight yet?”<br />
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Liz shakes her head. “Just give me the powder,” she says.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Guest Post!!</h3>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><u>The Foundations of The Ruins of Tropicalia<o:p></o:p></u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Post By Tyler Taylor<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>The Ruins of
Tropicalia </i>is a bit of an experiment. It’s a serialized novel-length
adventure story that will be released (at least at first) only digitally, and
it’s accompanied by the rock n roll music of my band, The Amends. However, one
of the overarching themes of <i>TROT</i> is
the importance of building any “new” creation on solid, well-tested
foundations. For that reason, I’d like to talk about the various books which
influenced me (and my fellow collaborators) in the construction of <i>TROT. </i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9971131-the-big-book-of-adventure-stories">The
Big Book of Adventure Stories, Edited by Otto Penzler:</a> I’m starting off
with a bit of a cheat here, and using this as a catch-all for all the classic,
pulpy, adventure stories I grew up loving—from Kipling to Stevenson to
Burroughs to Robeson--and which serve as a major influence for <i>The Ruins of Tropicalia. </i>The most
obvious connection is that <i>TROT </i>is
serialized. And sometimes the characterizations, motivations<i>, </i>inner monologues, and backstories are merely
prologue to the thrilling heroics. Sometimes you have to rescue what you can… <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/66659.Stranger_Things_Happen">Stranger
Things Happen, by Kelly Link:</a> Magic realism, however elusive a true
definition of it can be, has long been the most fascinating, unattainable
literary genre. It wasn’t until I began reading Kelly Link’s odd, beautiful
stories that I realized that the genre could be broadened beyond its Latin
American roots. To me, the genre is about memory and perception, whether on a
cultural or personal level. Link manages to wrap late-20<sup>th</sup> century
pop culture and mythology around unique voices, creating miniature worlds that
appear alien at first, but eventually reveal universal truths. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46169.A_Moveable_Feast">A Moveable
Feast, by Ernest Hemingway:</a> When writing about a group of American ex-pats
in a foreign land, why not at least <i>try</i>
to take inspiration from the best that ever was? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/302666.The_Hawkline_Monster">The
Hawkline Monster, by Richard Brautigan:</a> Although Brautigan has a small cult
of devoted readers, he deserves to have a much bigger audience. Like Hunter
Thompson, his style is unique and unable to be imitated. I wouldn’t dare to
try, but once you near the end of <i>TROT</i>,
you might understand why I included here the story of strange creatures in
caves beneath the basement of a decaying mansion. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/89717.The_Haunting_of_Hill_House">The
Haunting Of Hill House</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/89724.We_Have_Always_Lived_in_the_Castle">We
Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson:</a> Shirley Jackson is one
of my absolute favorite writers, and I often return to her stories when I need
guidance on how to create atmosphere and a believable inner monologue—even if
the monologue I’m writing is my own. Plus, the first paragraphs of both novels
are two of the best in all modern literature. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31072.Under_the_Volcano"> Under The Volcano, by Malcolm Lowry:</a> <i>“You like this garden? Why is it yours?
We evict those who destroy!” </i>I
admit I didn’t begin reading this story of a depressed British diplomat
drinking himself to death in Mexico until after I was well underway writing <i>The
Ruins of Tropicalia. </i>A friend recommended it. There are many surface
similarities to <i>TROT</i>—a disillusioned Westerner wanders around a Latin
American country he is unable to understand while his relationship crumbles,
and his companions share perspectives more lucid and truthful than his own. Although
very different (and better, I’m quite sure) in tone and plot, there’s no way
that it didn’t end up influencing me in the latter part of my writing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22590.Ubik">Ubik,
by Philip K. Dick:</a> Once you finish the first chapter/episode of <i>The Ruins of Tropicalia</i>, you will see
why. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11702.The_Labyrinth_of_Solitude_and_Other_Writings">The
Labyrinth of Solitude, by Octavio Paz:</a> Although this is a collection of
essays about the history of Mexico (and not the Central American country in which
much of <i>TROT </i>takes place), the scars
of colonialism and the challenges of building new culture from fractured ruins
are issues across much of Latin America.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54827.All_My_Friends_are_Going_to_Be_Strangers">All
My Friends Are Going To Be Strangers, by Larry McMurtry:</a> This departure
from the epic Westerns that made Larry McMurtry famous has been one of my
all-time favorite books since I read it in many years ago. The memory of the
story of a writer who walks away from the edge of success called me back to the
book, and I re-read it in the months before I went to Central America. Granted,
there’s a big difference between Danny Deck’s story and mine, considering I
left my band to go into the business world, and we probably wouldn’t have been
successful anyway. But still, an incredible book. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28747.CivilWarLand_in_Bad_Decline">CivilWarLand
in Bad Decline, by George Saunders:</a> Saunders’ debut collection of stories
creates a vivid patchwork of a recognizable but surreal picture of America’s
dystopian near-future. The narrators of <i>TROT
</i>sometimes portray the country they left behind through a similarly
distorted lens. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36314.Tales_of_H_P_Lovecraft?from_search=true">Tales
of H.P. Lovecraft, Edited by Joyce Carol Oates:</a> I’m going to defer comment
on this one until the whole of <i>TROT </i>is
released, haha. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The first installment of <i>The
Ruins of Tropicalia </i>debuted on 6/24. Two new chapters/episodes will debut
each week, along with new singles from The Amends, until its conclusion at the
end of August. It’s entirely free. Go to <a href="http://theruinsoftropicalia.com/">http://theruinsoftropicalia.com</a> to
read it online in multiple formats (Kindle, PDF, plain text, EPUB), or for
links to download the mobile ios/Google app. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>The Ruins of
Tropicalia </i>is written by Tyler Taylor, Elizabeth Troy, Regina Porter, and
Anonymous. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The Amends are Drew Weikart (lead vocals/guitar), Tyler
Taylor (guitar/keys/vocals), Chris Childress (bass), and Shay Byington (drums).
Learn more at <a href="http://theamendsband.com/">http://theamendsband.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Buy Links:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<a href="http://theruinsoftropicalia.com/" target="_blank">Website</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appsbuilder610681" target="_blank">Android App at Google Play </a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tropicalia/id887363105?mt=8" target="_blank">Apple/iOS App at iTunes</a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>About the Author:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B2h1V1ij0Nw/U6jOGcbbx_I/AAAAAAAAA1Y/aQCeuOj6y8Y/s1600/amends-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B2h1V1ij0Nw/U6jOGcbbx_I/AAAAAAAAA1Y/aQCeuOj6y8Y/s1600/amends-35.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Photo of The Amends, including TROT’s “curator”, Tyler Taylor (wearing the shark shirt).</i></div>
<br />
<br />
After taking a temporary leave from his Colorado-based rock n roll band <br />
The Amends, Tyler Taylor was among the group who went to Central <br />
America, and witnessed the events described in <i>The Ruins of Tropicalia</i>. He edited and compiled the accounts of his fellow travelers into the main text of <i>TROT</i>.<br />
He and Amends lead singer/guitarist Drew Weikart worked to put some of <br />
the events to music, and the entire band (including bassist Chris <br />
Childress and drummer Shay Byington) recorded the eight new songs in <br />
April and May.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Connect With The Author:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://theruinsoftropicalia.com/" target="_blank">Main Site</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://theamendsband.com/" target="_blank">The Amends</a><br />
<br />
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<b>Giveaway:</b></div>
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The author is giving away: (5) The Amends T-Shirt (Multiple Sizes </div>
Available), What We Could Be Studio Album (3), and The Amends Studio <br />
Album (3) on The Ruins of Tropicalia Book Tour! Open internationally, <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d202c352/" target="_blank">enter through Rafflecopter</a>!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-5564683722738793742014-06-25T20:09:00.002-04:002014-06-25T20:34:49.632-04:00Review and GIVEAWAY! Wedding Belle Blues by Mia Epsilon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/06/01/contemporary-romance-spotlight-giveaway-wedding-belle-blues-by-mia-epsilon-62014-7414/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/06/01/contemporary-romance-spotlight-giveaway-wedding-belle-blues-by-mia-epsilon-62014-7414/" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BZ81R8pCD7U/U6MYH_yoh_I/AAAAAAAAA0s/r91fSXXzXrc/s1600/wedding+belle+blues+tour+banner.gif" height="241" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Virtual Book Tour Dates:</b> 6/20/14 – 7/4/14<br />
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<b>Genres:</b> Contemporary Romance<br />
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<b>Release Date:</b> 6/20/14<br />
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<b>Short Blurb:</b><br />
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What do you do when the woman you love is marrying the wrong man? Sabotage the wedding!<br />
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<b>Long Blurb:</b><br />
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Anna is planning the perfect wedding, but she doesn’t anticipate her <br />
future mother-in-law’s offer of help’ which translates into take over. <br />
Her groom-to-be avoids her and insists their growing problems are just <br />
‘bridal nerves’. Worst of all, her best friend, Robin, begins to act <br />
strange. Everyone around her has his or her own agenda. What’s a girl to<br />
do when she begins to realize the perfect life she envisioned is all a <br />
lie?<br />
<br />
Robin has two great loves in his life: his best friend Anna and his <br />
motorcycle. Not one to make a scene, he supports Anna in her plan to <br />
marry the wrong man and regrets she can’t accept his ‘dare devil’ <br />
lifestyle. But when push comes to shove, he’s more than willing to make <br />
the necessary sacrifice and prove he is the man she needs.<br />
<br />
As the wedding date grows closer and plans shift into high gear, <br />
Robin and Anna grow closer and not just as friends. Each must decide <br />
what the perfect life truly means while trying to negotiate the maze of <br />
wedding plans, secrets, and hidden motives. Will someone be left singing<br />
the blues?<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: .1in;">
<b>Excerpt:</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Chasing you would be a wasted effort.” Robin waved the half eaten slice before he set the crust back in the box.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Anna slammed the lid on his hand. “What do you mean? I’m not worth the chase?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Hey,<br />
starving teacher here.” He knocked on the inside of the box and glared <br />
at her. “And don’t be ridiculous. Of course you’re worth a chase, but <br />
even I can recognize a no win situation regardless if I can’t fully give<br />
up on it or you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“What’s </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>that </i></span><span style="font-size: small;">supposed to mean?” He was hiding something besides his hand in the box. “Robin?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The<br />
liquid blue fire in his eyes singed her as he spoke. “I didn’t give the<br />
let’s-forget-this-ever-happened-and-just-be-friends speech. I didn’t <br />
stay too afraid to see where our relationship might have gone. No win <br />
situation.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Stunned, she gaped at him. “I thought…but you never said…I mean we’d…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">He<br />
just stared at her, face unmoving, his chest rising and falling as his <br />
breaths increased. He was, she realized, getting angrier by the second.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She<br />
swallowed and tried to find words, any words, to defuse the tension. “I<br />
couldn’t bear to think of losing you as my friend. We did the best <br />
thing for us.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“We did the best thing for </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>you</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“But you…you agreed with me. You said you didn’t want to risk our friendship either.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“What<br />
the hell could I say?” He shot to his feet, knocking the pizza box to <br />
the floor. “You didn’t give me a choice. Either be your friend, only <br />
your friend, or leave your life.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“I never said we couldn’t be friends or you had to leave my life.” She whispered the words. Yet it had been close.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Even<br />
now you won’t face it.” He muttered a curse which shocked her with the <br />
anger behind it. “Will you? You won’t admit maybe we could have</span>—”</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“I<br />
faced it the morning after. I’m not an idiot, Robin. When you date a <br />
woman, it’s like your skydiving adventures. You have a thrill, anything <br />
goes, and it’s awesome and you’re on the high of it all. Then you land <br />
and it’s over. You never talk to the woman again, let alone have a <br />
friendship with her. I didn’t want our friendship to be over. I still <br />
don’t. I can’t give more than I am. I can’t.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Why,<br />
Anna?” He stopped right in front of her, hands on his hips balled into <br />
fists. “Why can’t you give more? Because of Doug Dufuss?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> “No. Because I can’t just have sex with you and then watch you leave!”</span></div>
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<b>Buy Links:</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .1in;">
<a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=15&products_id=582&zenid=1bcbc71cadb7b0b3845cfac3d630f9af" target="_blank">Breathless Press </a></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .1in;">
<a href="http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-weddingbelleblues-1546867-177.html?referrer=5148b13c78ae0" target="_blank">All Romance Ebooks</a></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .1in;">
<a href="http://www.bookstrand.com/wedding-belle-blues" target="_blank">Bookstrand </a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Belle-Blues-Mia-Epsilon-ebook/dp/B00L5K10LC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403351576&sr=1-1&keywords=mia+epsilon" target="_blank">Amazon </a><br />
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<b>About the Author:</b><br />
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Mia Epsilon lives with her enduring soul mate hubby in the gorgeous Blue<br />
Ridge Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, USA. She’s an avid <br />
reader of almost anything but particularly romance, a <br />
never-miss-an-episode viewer of Doctor Who and Sherlock, and happily <br />
suffers a coffee and chocolate addiction. She can most often be found at<br />
her computer, spinning new stories, or in a quiet padded nook with her e<br />
reader. Look for more stories in the ‘Weddings by C & C’ line.<br />
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<b>Connect With The Author:</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&products_id=582" target="_blank">Breathless Press</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MiaEwrites" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mia-Epsilon/e/B00DQ61FRM" target="_blank">Amazon Authors Page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://miaepsilon.blogsopt.com/" target="_blank">Blog Website</a><br />
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<a href="http://twitter.com/MiaEpsilon" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8013580.Mia_Epsilon?from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
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<b>My Review:</b><br />
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Anna's engaged, which is great news to everyone except her best friend Robin, who has been pining for her for years. How will his attempts to sabotage effect his and Anna's friendship?<br />
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This was a quick read for me, but it was a fun one too. It reminded me of how horrible things could go in wedding planning. Oddly enough, right now I am helping plan a small destination wedding for my sister, so this book did hit home a bit. Luckily, my sister's future mother-in-law is nowhere near as crazy and domineering as Doug's mother is.<br />
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Mia Epsilon really did a great job with this novel. It was funny, quirky, and pulled at your heartstrings. There was plenty of romance, but the characters didn't just float through the story. I thought that the backstory of Anna and Robin was particularly great. The thought of a friend so great that they not only stayed with you all through college but actually got a teaching job at the same school, in the same hall as you? I wish Epsilon were writing my life story.<br />
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While it was a great book, I did have two small issues with <i>Wedding Belle Blues</i>. The first is that while the circumstances of Anna and Robin's meeting put a smile on my face, it's a bit hard to believe. The other problem I had is that the book was entirely too short. I would have loved it more if there were more to the story, more drama leading up to a bigger climax (though Epsilon definitely nailed the climax).<br />
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This was a great book, it really was. I enjoyed reading it and simply wished there had been more to read. I recommend this to anyone who likes "chick lit" or anyone looking for a quick summer read. I am excited to see what else Mia Epsilon has to offer, because I definitely enjoyed this one. Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book in order for me to provide you, my lovely readers, with my 100% honest views and opinions.<br />
<br />
<b>My Rating:</b><br />
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<b>Giveaway:</b><br />
<br />
Enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card! The giveaway will run 6/20/14 – 7/4/14. <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d202c347/" target="_blank">Enter through Rafflecopter!</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-89852728858235821362014-06-20T00:00:00.000-04:002014-06-20T00:00:02.788-04:00REVIEW: 99 Days of Laney MacGuire by Rachel Bateman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/05/23/ya-contemporary-romance-tour-giveaway-99-days-of-laney-macguire-by-rachel-bateman-61114-7914/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://fireandicebooktours.wordpress.com/2014/05/23/ya-contemporary-romance-tour-giveaway-99-days-of-laney-macguire-by-rachel-bateman-61114-7914/" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PBRhq9ZFdUI/U4DiDetiuvI/AAAAAAAAAsE/Geaki3Vv6q0/s1600/99+days+tour+banner.gif" height="241" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Virtual Book Tour Dates:</b> 6/11/14 – 7/9/14</div>
<b>Genres: </b> YA Contemporary Romance<br />
<b>Tour Promo Pricing:</b> $.99 <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jmsl1ScbVKE/U4Dip77XcPI/AAAAAAAAAsU/ziE7cwbiEY0/s1600/dreamcast.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jmsl1ScbVKE/U4Dip77XcPI/AAAAAAAAAsU/ziE7cwbiEY0/s1600/dreamcast.png" height="223" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Blurb:</b><br />
Laney can’t wait to spend the summer at her father’s lake resort. It’s a place where time stands still and nothing ever changes—the perfect thing for Laney after the year she just had. But when she gets there, she discovers the lodge isn’t quite as unchanging as she once thought.<br />
Some of the differences are good, like Rory’s new look; some are bad, like whatever secret Karissa is keeping. And then some things are just confusing, like Weston.<br />
Weston, her mysterious new co-worker, who is the cause of so many of the changes Laney hates. She wants to despise him, but she can’t deny the attraction she feels, nor the desire she has to be around the one person who didn’t know her before the summer—the one person she doesn’t have to pretend for.</div>
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<b>Excerpt:</b><br />
Ripples pulsated against me, the tiniest change in movement, and I sensed he was behind me before I could actually feel him. Then, there he was, his hands resting gently on my hips below the water. I mentally braced myself for the involuntary tensing. It would come eventually; it did every time a man touched me. Except, I remembered, on the walk home. Not with Weston. Heat from his hands spread through my body, and a need built deep within me. So foreign, yet so familiar at the same time. The pull below my navel brought back sensations I thought I would never feel again. For the first time since that night, I felt fully like myself again.<br />
I turned in his hands to face him. His eyes were slightly unfocused, and he wore a grin that barely pulled his lips up on one side of his mouth, but his desire was clear. Alcohol still warmed my veins, encouraging me as I let myself relax into him. I could let down my guard, follow my instincts and urges again. Right?<br />
His lips had been chilled by the air, and were cold when they touched mine, ever so lightly, but they warmed up quickly when I pressed my mouth against his in return. He slipped one hand off my hip and wrapped his arm around my back, pulling my body against his. God, I fit in there so well. Urgently, but still gently, he pushed my mouth open with his own. His tongue played against mine, and desire roiled beneath the surface.<br />
I have no idea how long we stayed like that, intertwined in each other’s arms. The thrill of kissing Weston was even more intoxicating than the bottle Derek sent home with us. Each brush of his lips excited me more, setting my nerve endings on fire. The water caressed my skin, tickling my back, as we bobbed there in our own little world. I couldn’t get enough. I pressed myself tighter and tighter against his slick skin until the tingle in the pit of my stomach grew into a silent roar. Finally, there with Weston, I was alive again.<br />
He stroked his hand along my back as he kissed me even more deeply. He traced the line of my shoulder blade and down my arm. Then he reached my wrist, and his mouth froze against my own. His fingers played against my scar. And as quickly as things built up, they fell down again. His hand on my wrist brought the last four months crashing back, and the intensity swelling within me died out instantly. I pulled back and swam off to join Karissa and Rory, leaving Weston standing chest-deep in the water. I turned once to see him still watching me, but he never made a move to follow.<br />
Smart boy.<br />
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<b>My Review:</b><br />
Typically when I do a review, I give out both the good and the bad feedback. Sometimes there are characters that just make me cringe. Sometimes authors try to speed along the character development and end up with characters who are simply lacking. Sometimes they try to speed the plot along too much and just make the entire story unbelievable. This time, as I wrote out my pro and con list, I realized that as hard as I tried, I couldn't think of any cons.<br />
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Bateman has created the ultimate relatable character. Laney is a 17-year-old girl who recently graduated high school. Though she's gone through great changes in the recent year, she has always been a typical teenager. She was always carefree, enjoying her life and making her own choices (even if they weren't always the best.) Recently, she's started doubting her plans for the rest of her life and has decided to spend the summer with her father and best friends trying to figure out what comes next. I feel like I've just described my early adult life.<br />
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The refreshing thing about this book is that Bateman doesn't put Laney on a pedestal or try to hide her flaws. Laney and her friends make the same stupid choices we all did as teens, and just like us, they don't know when to ask for help. I think that this is the part that resonated most with me. It seems like every teen has a time in their life where they really should ask for help but just don't know who to ask or how. Bateman has managed to create a character that could easily be 90% of us.<br />
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I'm undecided about who to recommend this book to. I have worked with high schoolers for a few years, and though there is a lot to this story that would be appropriate for them, there are other parts that I would find questionable. As a teen reader, I think that I would have fallen in love with this book. As a parent, I would cringe if my daughter read this book. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to find a relatable character, but caution readers that there are adult themes addressed in this book.<br />
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<b>My Rating:</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQA7GEPpZo8/U2vitFnqBEI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/MRqYPjP7ND4/s1600/5stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQA7GEPpZo8/U2vitFnqBEI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/MRqYPjP7ND4/s1600/5stars.jpg" height="69" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five stars!</td></tr>
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<b>Buy Links:<br /> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Days-Laney-MacGuire-Rachel-Bateman-ebook/dp/B00GM3QVTI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400735241&sr=8-1&keywords=99+days+of+laney+macguire%20" target="_blank">Amazon </a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/99-days-of-laney-macguire-rachel-bateman/1117378051?ean=2940149002610" target="_blank">BN </a><br />
<a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/99-days-of-laney-macguire" target="_blank">Kobo </a><br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/99-days-of-laney-macguire/id878830107?mt=1" target="_blank">iTunes </a></div>
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<b>About the Author:</b></div>
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Rachel Bateman is a writer and editor who spends too much time thinking she can out bake the Cake Boss. (Spoiler: She can’t.) She is from Great Falls, Montana, but dreams of living by the ocean. Rachel is the owner of Metamorphosis Books, an author services company offering edits and formatting/interior layout for independent authors. When not writing, editing, or reading books, she can be found playing with her husband, young son, and small zoo of pets.</div>
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<b>Connect With The Author:</b><br />
<a href="http://rachelbateman.com/" target="_blank">Website </a><br />
<a href="http://facebook.com/rachelbatemanbooks" target="_blank">Facebook </a><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/rachelbateman" target="_blank">Twitter </a><br />
<a href="http://goodreads.com/rachelbateman" target="_blank">Goodreads </a></div>
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<b>Giveaway:</b><br />
Author Rachel Bateman is giving away a Nook Simple Touch, a signed paperback of 99 Days of Laney MacGuire, and a $25 B&N gift card. USA only please!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-7277425342330231862014-06-11T15:27:00.001-04:002014-06-11T15:27:56.766-04:00REVIEW: Transformed by E. V. Fairfall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> Transformed<br />
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<b>Author:</b> E.V. Fairfall <br />
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<b>Genre:</b> Paranormal, Romance <br />
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<b>Age Group:</b> Young Adult<br />
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<b>Publisher:</b> R Mind <br />
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<b>Release Date:</b> February 1, 2014 <br />
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19168420-transformed">Goodreads</a> + <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Transformed-E-V-Fairfall-ebook/dp/B00I6TVSBC/">Amazon</a> + <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/transformed-ev-fairfall/1118463443">Barnes and Noble</a> + <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/404648">Smashwords</a> <br />
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Since the beginning, two entities have had complete, unquestioned control over Thea: the Earth and God.<br />
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But when Thea suddenly figures out that the Earth has trapped her<br />
within a forest, she discovers that the only way to set herself free is<br />
to break God's one rule; she must forsake her animal form and become<br />
human.<br />
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The result is nothing she could ever have expected. Lost within the<br />
torrent of human emotions, Thea starts to lose who she is and even<br />
begins to fall in love with the one thing she always hated: a hunter.<br />
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As her act against God proves more problematic than anticipated, it<br />
is only a matter of time before her punishment may prove to be worse<br />
than Earth's entrapment.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQMoffZhHT4wfLDFBrQGgVNWU1Z5NgMoZ-oYoOQY-5HW1T_m29H-uOKGU0cQFwDav4bPy7j2lsd3iHcCfvapyQnGbtQqeKIHT04gyjc9z2uHTvBQPCZbsPPWcJfHTx5PHtTzyQHiKIgVV/s1600/About+Author.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQMoffZhHT4wfLDFBrQGgVNWU1Z5NgMoZ-oYoOQY-5HW1T_m29H-uOKGU0cQFwDav4bPy7j2lsd3iHcCfvapyQnGbtQqeKIHT04gyjc9z2uHTvBQPCZbsPPWcJfHTx5PHtTzyQHiKIgVV/s1600/About+Author.png" height="49" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpWE9R2P5jTeap2QTG3FK_SqkQZ_WfZ9OD2sBKjDlltds8tKxPwJLeMRKAC2Rcpgs_948bUYARd_bc7d_VQN8Nubnr0mvFGtkhT2mtzRJZkKFgYqViO3xUzMbdrlo-PYn5xDkIyMiiI1i/s1600/7485494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpWE9R2P5jTeap2QTG3FK_SqkQZ_WfZ9OD2sBKjDlltds8tKxPwJLeMRKAC2Rcpgs_948bUYARd_bc7d_VQN8Nubnr0mvFGtkhT2mtzRJZkKFgYqViO3xUzMbdrlo-PYn5xDkIyMiiI1i/s1600/7485494.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span id="freeTextContainerauthor7485494">I love to write just as much<br />
as I love to read. I try to read a book per week, which doesn't always<br />
work out, but it's the thought that counts. Aside from all that I am a<br />
huge animal person.<br /><br />Transformed is my first novel, but it isn't<br />
my first publication; I've had several short stories published over the<br />
last two years. My main goal as a writer is to explore humanity and to<br />
give people something fun to read.</span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainerauthor7485494"><b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7485494.E_V_Fairfall">Goodreads</a> + <a href="https://www.facebook.com/e.v.fairfall">Facebook</a></span><br />
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My Review:</h2>
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Thea has a rather abnormal life. She has a fully stocked apartment but no cell phone. A pet squirrel but no last name. A love of nature but no idea how many centuries she's been walking the Earth. I guess that's the price you pay for being the creator of all creatures on Earth. </div>
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Fairfall wastes no time jumping into the action of the story. I was confused at first, as the story started further into Thea's tale than I had hoped. In fact, I had to check a few times because it seemed like I had missed the first few chapters. It took a while to put together the info you would typically find in the first few chapters of a story, but eventually I understood who and what Thea was. </div>
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I wasn't particularly fond of some of the characters in this book. Though Fairfall did a great job with describing and developing all of her characters. one character in particular made me want to throw down my Kindle every time he opened his mouth. <span style="line-height: 16.5pt;">Brice may be one of my least favorite fictional characters of all time, though I'm fairly sure that is what the author hoped for. </span></div>
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I liked the premise of Fairfall's story, and especially liked the layout of the book. The story of Thea and her brother is told through short snippets at the beginning of each chapter. I was hoping that these snippets would give us some kind of twist or turn of the story, but there was more than enough twists in the rest of the novel. </div>
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Overall, I would give Transformed 3 stars. </div>
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My Rating:</h2>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-48830806588648390172014-06-09T20:00:00.000-04:002014-06-09T20:00:04.149-04:00GIVEAWAY! Little Tikes Slam 'n' Curve Slide<div>
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<h3>
Welcome to the Little Tikes Slam 'n' Curve Slide Sweepstakes!</h3>
<strong>Sponsored by: <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=95365&pw=142579">LittleTikes.com<img alt="" src="http://www.avantlink.com/tpv/11289/95365/119287/142579/-/ml/image.png" height="0" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="0" /></a> - Organized by: <a href="http://www.momtobedby8.com/" target="_blank">Mom to Bed by 8</a></strong><br />
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Please take a moment to read Mom to Bed by 8's <a href="http://www.momtobedby8.com/little-tikes-slam-n-curve-slide/" target="_blank">Little Tikes Slam 'n' Curve Slide review</a> and see how this single waterpark changed her #summerdreams!<br />
<br />
Special thank you to our supporting co-host bloggers: <a href="http://summerthat.com/" target="_blank">Summer That</a>, <a href="http://fingerclicksaver.com/" target="_blank">Finger Click Saver</a>, <a href="http://www.thechirpingmoms.com/" target="_blank">The Chirping Moms</a>, <a href="http://www.ourpieceofearth.com/" target="_blank">Our Piece of Earth</a>, <a href="http://memoirsofacluelesswoman.com/" target="_blank">Memoirs of a Clueless Woman</a>, <a href="http://nestfullofnew.com/" target="_blank">Nest Full of New</a> and <a href="http://www.thedealmatchmaker.com/" target="_blank">The Deal Match Maker</a>.<br />
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The Slam 'n' Curve Slide is the perfect backyard inflatable water slide! This amazing water slide by Little Tikes features a climbing wall, curved slide and large wading pool area. It is large enough for multiple children to use at once, but folds compactly for easy storage. Woot!<br />
<br />
<strong>Little Tikes Slam 'n Curve Inflatable Water Slide:</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>Inflatable backyard water slide and pool built from puncture-resistant material</li>
<li>Fun inflatable rock wall leads to a slippery slide</li>
<li>Slide with a gentle curve at the end for a ride into the refreshing pool</li>
<li>Roomy splash pool</li>
<li>Includes: Inflatable basketball hoop and ball</li>
<li>Step-down inside wall for easy entrance and exit</li>
<li>Stakes anchor the bouncer firmly in place</li>
<li>Large enough for several children</li>
<li>Deflates and folds compactly for easier storage</li>
<li>Blower required for inflation</li>
<li>Heavy-duty blower with GFCI plug included</li>
<li>Comes with stakes, repair kit and storage bag</li>
<li>Maximum weight capacity: 350 lbs</li>
<li>Accommodates up to 3 children</li>
<li>Connect to your garden hose and turn on water flow</li>
<li>Dimensions: 10'8"L x 13'1"W x 7'9"H</li>
</ul>
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<h3>
One winner will receive a Little Tikes Slam 'n' Curve Slide.</h3>
Giveaway ends June 30th at 11:59pm, open to US and Canadian residents, ages 18+. Excludes Quebec. Only one entrant per household, per address. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Enter using the giveaway form below. Good luck!<br />
<br />
<div class="pgtContainpgt" id="pgt93010536302pgt">
<a href="https://giveawaytools2.com/giveaway.php?sk=93010536302" rel="nofollow" target="_BLANK2">Entry</a><script src="//giveawaytools2.com/wid/embed.php?sk=93010536302" type="text/javascript"></script><a href="https://giveawaytools2.com/giveaway.php?sk=93010536302" rel="nofollow" target="_BLANK2">-Form</a></div>
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<em>Disclaimer: The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this sweepstakes. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com if you have any additional questions or comments.</em>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-26078707555313824012014-06-02T13:07:00.000-04:002014-06-02T13:07:27.952-04:00REVIEW: The Book of Bart by Ryan Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> The Book of Bart</div>
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<b>Author:</b> Ryan Hill</div>
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<b>Genre: </b>Paranormal<br />
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<b>Age Group:</b> Young Adult</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Curiosity Quills Press</div>
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<b>Release Date:</b> May 22, 2014</div>
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21838987-book-of-bart">Goodreads</a></div>
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Only one thing is so powerful, so dangerous that Heaven and Hell must work together to find it: the Shard of Gabriel.<br />
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With a mysterious Black Cloud of Death hot on the shard’s trail, a desperate Heaven enlists the help of Bart, a demon who knows more about the shard than almost anyone. Six years ago, he had it in his hands. If only he’d used it before his coup to overthrow the devil failed. Now, he’s been sprung from his eternal punishment to help Samantha, an angel in training, recover the shard before the Black Cloud of Death finds it.<br />
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If Bartholomew wants to succeed, he’ll have to fight the temptation to betray Samantha and the allure of the shard. After an existence full of evil, the only way Bart can get right with Hell is to be good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_v1RY1rJHPWa1hH655mCj4DYLQh1X2scu05d4wrKrcx6re60bAg-lXNWWRqFFeuHtldTyLfzh28e1NVl9gv7CXQeAaDVQkP8ulaRsbYWIy5ps2DJEVFOI5otTl06MTq006e_jBD5CQK4h/s1600/About+Author.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_v1RY1rJHPWa1hH655mCj4DYLQh1X2scu05d4wrKrcx6re60bAg-lXNWWRqFFeuHtldTyLfzh28e1NVl9gv7CXQeAaDVQkP8ulaRsbYWIy5ps2DJEVFOI5otTl06MTq006e_jBD5CQK4h/s1600/About+Author.png" height="49" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8k0hex8OGKClla8-P6DdMPV7QOFOTfz2s3M5VASKuuZncgq3Tv71DldVAtqnD7dwMFf08i9RUTiNwJHuSc3EtrNKN7JoBAQH3DGrAmZakvFzq1V9sEYy_ImnGNyvYpioy1GwZsDvh8zA-/s1600/5804086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8k0hex8OGKClla8-P6DdMPV7QOFOTfz2s3M5VASKuuZncgq3Tv71DldVAtqnD7dwMFf08i9RUTiNwJHuSc3EtrNKN7JoBAQH3DGrAmZakvFzq1V9sEYy_ImnGNyvYpioy1GwZsDvh8zA-/s1600/5804086.jpg" height="320" width="204" /></a>Growing up, Ryan Hill used to spend his time reading and writing instead of doing homework. This resulted in an obsession with becoming a writer, but also a gross incompetence in the fields of science and mathematics. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Ryan has been a film critic for over five years. He lives in Raleigh, NC, with his dog/shadow Maggie. Ryan also feels strange about referring to himself in the third person.<br />
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="http://www.ryanhillwrites.com/">Website</a> + <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5804086.Ryan_Hill">Goodreads</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/J_Ryan">Twitter</a><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<br />Book Excerpt</h2>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
Samantha burst out of The House of<br />
the Rising Sun, trying to catch up to me. “Wait. Where are you going?”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
I waved her off. “You’re on your<br />
own, kiddo.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
“Where are you going?”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
“Wherever the day takes me. Disney<br />
World. The moon. I don’t know and I don’t care.” I lit a cigarette and took a<br />
drag. “I’m not messing with a female demon, or whatever it is,” I said,<br />
exhaling through my nose. “You think I’m bad? I at least have fun when I’m<br />
working. Those harpies just…they take things way too seriously.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
Female demons are the worst. So<br />
insecure. One look at another woman and next thing you know, the Titanic is<br />
sinking. Believe me, I know from experience.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
“How can I stop one of them from<br />
getting the Shard?”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
I stopped and turned around, moving<br />
within inches of her face. “They probably already have it. Why else would<br />
Pierce have attacked me? Why do you think we got jumped at the museum?”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
Samantha shrugged. “I’m not sure.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
“Right,” I snapped. Lies. Or as<br />
angels call it, distortion of the truth. Anger boiled in my veins. I considered<br />
letting my horns out to play. It would be nothing to ram them through her<br />
chest, ruining her perfect C-cups. “So tell me, little miss angel face, why<br />
should I help you when you won’t tell me what you know?”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
Samantha bit her lower lip, like<br />
she carefully considered what to say next. A wise move. I wanted to impale her<br />
like a matador.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
“Well?” I pressed the button on my<br />
keyless entry to unlock my car. “I don’t have all day. I’d like to deflower a<br />
virgin or two before sundown.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
Her expression became stolid. “I<br />
can’t believe you’re scared,” she said derisively. “You. A demon. Afraid of a<br />
girl.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
She laughed and laid a hand on the<br />
roof of my Benz, adding to her offense.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
I’d have removed her hand from her<br />
body, but she’d called out my demonhood, and addressing that took precedence.<br />
Nobody accused me of being afraid.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
“Scared?” I spit out my cigarette.<br />
“I’m not scared. I’m just smart enough to know when to close up shop. You don’t<br />
have any idea what you’re talking about.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
“Maybe you’re right.” Samantha’s<br />
lips curled upward. “Maybe they did send me the wrong demon. Next time I’ll<br />
make sure they send me someone who knows how to finish the job.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
Oh, that burned. This girl was<br />
good. And I bought into it, because to be fair, why should I stand idly by and<br />
let somebody else succeed in my stead? I wanted to pat her on the back for such<br />
a fine manipulation, but thought better of it.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<br /><br /><br />My Review</h2>
<br /></blockquote>
<br />
A demon and an angel walk into a highschool. Sounds like the beginning <br />
if a corny joke. In fact, it's one of many strange events in The Book of<br />
Bart. The whole story revolves around a demon, Bart, who is working <br />
with an angel named Samantha and a Templar determined to kill him, but <br />
only after he helps complete the mission. Ryan Hill has written a winner<br />
with this one.<br />
<br />
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
First things first: I hate the cover<br />
of this book. The image of Bart on the cover was borderline haunting <br />
and definitely bothersome. It even shows up at the beginning of every <br />
chapter. I'm typically one of those no-good scoundrels who judges books <br />
by the cover, but I'm definitely glad I have this book a try. </div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
I<br />
like to think that the Book of Bart is written in the same style I tend<br />
to write. It's full of sarcasm with characters that tend to pick at <br />
each other. Hill manages to find the humor in every situation, which <br />
unfortunately means that poor Bart goes through an awful lot of nice <br />
suits through the story. I liked how he didn't focus in on the small <br />
details, which would make the book rather violent, but instead focused <br />
on the big picture. His style keeps the reader focused on the main plot <br />
and doesn't let them get tied up in those small details. </div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
The<br />
only downside to this novel is that the plot takes so many twists and <br />
turns it gets a little confusing. There were a few times when I would <br />
have to re-read earlier pages in order to understand what is going on in<br />
the later pages. I feel like this is a story I would need to read twice<br />
to fully comprehend everything that was going on, but luckily I was <br />
able to make it to the end with some idea of what was going on. </div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
The<br />
Book of Bart is being marketed as a young adult book, though I wouldn't<br />
suggest it be added to the high school library where I work. There is a<br />
lot talk of drinking and sex involved, as well as a chain-smoking demon<br />
main character. I highly encourage people who like stories that are out<br />
of the ordinary to read this story. If you are reading about a demon <br />
who was kicked out of heaven, you can pretty much assume that there will<br />
be some debauchery. This book was a great read, go check it out. </div>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<br />My Rating</h2>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4ExTyZIN5uk/U3DZua4iWdI/AAAAAAAAAk8/rk1QSDsdL0Q/s1600/4stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4ExTyZIN5uk/U3DZua4iWdI/AAAAAAAAAk8/rk1QSDsdL0Q/s1600/4stars.jpg" height="87" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four Big Stars!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</h2>
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-75287462466324781552014-05-28T16:44:00.001-04:002014-05-28T16:44:38.663-04:00GIVEAWAY: Hunters of Reloria Series by Kasper Beaumont<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmo0_RTtxdvcfV50mfgI5h_CGblLAkP2GwgIWVPs9xXuE4jYXh9TEnXhyphenhyphenDC6TguPXfh9Ocv13CsOElz2k3kvep7YT5fzkqkRM02ikJpYTKtAnDKqJouUN3L_m0CPwPOoSGM7o6FGjCVM-A/s1600/Hunters+of+Reloria+Review+Tour+Button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmo0_RTtxdvcfV50mfgI5h_CGblLAkP2GwgIWVPs9xXuE4jYXh9TEnXhyphenhyphenDC6TguPXfh9Ocv13CsOElz2k3kvep7YT5fzkqkRM02ikJpYTKtAnDKqJouUN3L_m0CPwPOoSGM7o6FGjCVM-A/s1600/Hunters+of+Reloria+Review+Tour+Button.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwhe4vnDrruq8PmvNsufQ0xW9wjZVXo5WVQrhQoJ7wfCLgsAbwKJGwB7ffhyJou3dsdKj1FYOjZiE8M4MhMyVGLpzWVHIbesMQOYgMTKmfm44JI1hBwyyepqh-RvNj-dkELnW1I2NjfMe/s1600/About+Book.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwhe4vnDrruq8PmvNsufQ0xW9wjZVXo5WVQrhQoJ7wfCLgsAbwKJGwB7ffhyJou3dsdKj1FYOjZiE8M4MhMyVGLpzWVHIbesMQOYgMTKmfm44JI1hBwyyepqh-RvNj-dkELnW1I2NjfMe/s1600/About+Book.png" height="57" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFelirADTw6taASGalURAurm960RTzM3CMthY3RUAby1CtwWLiJu9MK-K8ouwePe_HYF7e2XvdeuzdvcET8QgcEDTQQvwW0en-gMq_EzvwyA3M5w_mk_ZqZ6PkFsAdR_vzHmhe6-zNarq/s1600/Elven-Jewel-Cover-medium+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFelirADTw6taASGalURAurm960RTzM3CMthY3RUAby1CtwWLiJu9MK-K8ouwePe_HYF7e2XvdeuzdvcET8QgcEDTQQvwW0en-gMq_EzvwyA3M5w_mk_ZqZ6PkFsAdR_vzHmhe6-zNarq/s1600/Elven-Jewel-Cover-medium+(1).jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Title:</b> Elven Jewel</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Series:</b> Hunters of Reloria #1</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Author:</b> Kasper Beaumont</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Genre/Age Range:</b> Fantasy, Young Adult</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Publisher:</b> Kasper Beaumont</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Release Date:</b> June 29, 2013</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18306338-elven-jewel">Goodreads</a> + <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elven-Hunters-Reloria-Kasper-Beaumont-ebook/dp/B00DPQVEJC/">Amazon</a> + <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/elven-jewel-kasper-beaumont/1117236656">Barnes and Noble</a> + <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/366148">Smashwords</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
The peaceful continent of Reloria is threatened by cruel invaders from the wastelands of Vergash. Halflings Randir and Fendi leave their peaceful farm village with their bond-fairies and race against time to stop the invaders. They join forces with dwarves, elves, men and a mysterious dragon, on a quest to rescue the stolen Elven Jewel. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPfN5Ku3G6-637JQf9j66suloHJoqJIM8XFJ1bNXr_uvaTnp2uVnCRb9HZQUCHAHPmIc-B5W4aWAZ1ZuxjKAWhlh_byhp_9xHHxfKm07xDbZbGnEoM70cBd03itfdAtBhF3Pks_od55E_/s1600/Hunters-Quest-Draft-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPfN5Ku3G6-637JQf9j66suloHJoqJIM8XFJ1bNXr_uvaTnp2uVnCRb9HZQUCHAHPmIc-B5W4aWAZ1ZuxjKAWhlh_byhp_9xHHxfKm07xDbZbGnEoM70cBd03itfdAtBhF3Pks_od55E_/s1600/Hunters-Quest-Draft-2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> Hunter's Quest<br />
<br />
<b>Series: </b>Hunters of Reloria #2<br />
<br />
<b>Author: </b>Kasper Beaumont<br />
<br />
<b>Genre/Age Range: </b>Fantasy, Young Adult<br />
<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Kasper Beaumont<br />
<br />
<b>Release Date:</b> November 29, 2013<br />
<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20772465-hunters-quest">Goodreads</a> + <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hunters-Quest-Reloria-Kasper-Beaumont-ebook/dp/B00H05039Q/">Amazon</a> + <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hunters-quest-kasper-beaumont/1117587416">Barnes and Noble</a> + <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/383001">Smashwords</a><br />
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<br />
Scaly Vergai invaders have captured the Elven Jewel from Reloria.<br />
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<br />
Halfling friends, Randir and Fendi,their bond-fairies, men, dwarves, an elf and a dragon are a group of brave hunters on a quest to recover the stolen Elven Jewel. They must search for a mage who can make a portal to Vergash to rescue the princess and restore the protective forcefield.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Kasper J. Beaumont was born and raised in Australia and lives a quiet life with the family in a seaside town. Kasper has combined a love of fantasy and a penchant for travel in this trilogy. Kasper started to write on the urging of friends and family and enjoys watching readers become immersed in the magical world of Reloria.<br />
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<br />
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="http://www.huntersofreloria.weebly.com/">Website</a> + <a href="http://www.facebook.com/huntersofreloria">Facebook</a> + <a href="http://www.twitter.com/KasperBeaumont">Twitter</a> + <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7213947.Kasper_Beaumont">Goodreads</a> + <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kasper-Beaumont/e/B00DQ2JB22/">Amazon</a> + <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KasperBeaumont">Smashwords</a><br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Enter to Win</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
</h2>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/09051f6/" id="rc-09051f6" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a></div>
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-25337146361417129802014-05-28T16:43:00.001-04:002014-05-28T16:43:48.952-04:00REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY: Adorned by Georgeann Swiger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> Adorned<br />
<br />
<b>Series:</b> Trinity of Souls #1<br />
<br />
<b>Author:</b> Georgeann Swiger<br />
<br />
<b>Genre/Age Range:</b> Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult<br />
<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Georgeann Swiger <br />
<br />
<b>Release Date:</b> April 2, 2014 <br />
<br />
<b>Links:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17730551-adorned">Goodreads</a> + <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Adorned-The-Trinity-Souls-Series-ebook/dp/B00JG8QZ1U/">Amazon</a> + <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/adorned-georgeann-swiger/1119125704">Barnes and Noble</a> + <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/adorned">Kobo</a> <br />
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When seventeen-year-old Anya finds out she’s actually an angel being trained to protect humanity, she discovers that becoming an angel has nothing to do with wings and halos. For Anya, becoming an angel has to do with death—her death.<br />
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Micah, the angelic soldier ordered to protect her until she transitions from human to angel, promises her death will be a glorious experience as long as she follows his rules. But getting Anya through this life and to the next isn’t as simple as Micah expects. His job becomes even more difficult after he unwittingly performs a miracle that exposes Anya’s hidden angelic light.<br />
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With her secret out, Hell’s legions begin targeting her. Unfortunately, Hell’s minions are the least of Micah’s worries. He’s more concerned about the forbidden human emotions he’s developed toward Anya. Even more troubling, is she seems to love him too. And giving in to those feelings, could mean dire consequences for them both.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqC8jqrQmirGNPf32ZSJhsAy6WRYNneZDQ7gis9I8PliZhBjEWjCFTFKsFQIj2DUDoUt1VAwB18_2_uNpQdfre-Q-BJ7WWlXmR1WxskGk8dl6GZqOhXF0wqaEMaHDGsK8Rxdfhyk6caja/s1600/About+Author.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqC8jqrQmirGNPf32ZSJhsAy6WRYNneZDQ7gis9I8PliZhBjEWjCFTFKsFQIj2DUDoUt1VAwB18_2_uNpQdfre-Q-BJ7WWlXmR1WxskGk8dl6GZqOhXF0wqaEMaHDGsK8Rxdfhyk6caja/s1600/About+Author.png" height="49" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXAcn_Z5qDmAcMCMA0xulNv8mYgzRBUgs0_fJI1k0WEF93QXq0yCyLfAc0SU6UOGJ0i7XeMbvJESPoLhu-Gq4U9hHKQ9p2QMd-UW-BD_hj9TrLIQTn2h21mplfQ__LKbqqKX0sQsbnfz5/s1600/7033550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXAcn_Z5qDmAcMCMA0xulNv8mYgzRBUgs0_fJI1k0WEF93QXq0yCyLfAc0SU6UOGJ0i7XeMbvJESPoLhu-Gq4U9hHKQ9p2QMd-UW-BD_hj9TrLIQTn2h21mplfQ__LKbqqKX0sQsbnfz5/s1600/7033550.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a>Georgeann Swiger earned her degree in journalism from West Virginia University, and then spent five years as an anchor/reporter at WBOY-TV in Clarksburg, WV. After having children, she left television news to be a stay at home mom. During that time, she discovered creative writing was more fun than writing about real life tragedy. Imagining interesting character and having them come to life on the page is now her passion. When she’s not writing, she works as a substitute teacher. She lives in Reedsville, West Virginia with her husband, two kids, a beagle dog and a temperamental cat who tries to rule the house.<br />
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="http://www.georgeannswiger.com/">Website</a> + <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgeann-Swiger/354944307955157">Facebook</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgeannSwiger">Twitter</a> + <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/geoswager/">Pinterest</a> + <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7033550.Georgeann_Swiger">Goodreads</a><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
My Review</h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Adorned by Georgeann Swiger is an incredibly engaging book. Personally, I think it was too short. I felt like from the moment I picked it up, time flew by and it was over in a flash. It was really entertaining and a very fun read. I really liked the characters used, especially Eli (who I think any reader will enjoy.) The story was very complex and occasionally left you stumped, but all was answered through the course of the book.<br />
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While you might be thinking that any story about angels can’t be relatable at all, trust me on this one: it is. A teenage girl is protected by (someone who looks and acts like a) teenage boy, who has to protect her from the torment and bullying of another teenage boy. Though the main story is about angels, it’s also about high school life and the struggles everyone goes through.<br />
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I’ve become quite an avid horror novel reader, but the last thing I was expecting in a young adult novel about angels with a high level of gore. It’s definitely there. I was shocked at how gory the story was, but mostly I was shocked because Swiger makes the readers become attached to all of the characters before stuff hits the fan. I didn’t mind it as I’m growing accustomed to it, but I can imagine that teenage Me would have been sick to her stomach reading about it all. I don’t know that it had a place in young adult fiction, but it is there and there is no escaping it.<br />
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There is one scene which really bothered me. Anya has learned a method to take away her pain from Micah, who was simply trying to help protect her from her constant headaches. But the “spell” used leaves her in an almost drugged-out state where she is completely incoherent and definitely not herself. While she was acting drunk, another character assaults her. I’m getting tired of reading about girls being taken advantage of in stories, and feel like male characters are being allowed to do so. What exactly is forgiving your assailant or keeping your mouth shut going to teach our girls? I wish authors would consider this before they choose what actions will be taken against the assailants, because all they are doing is teaching young people (females and males as well) to be victims.<br />
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I really enjoyed this story, and after reading the summary of book two of the series, I’m really excited about it as well. I would have given the book five stars for an amazing story, but felt a bit offended by how certain events unfolded. I would recommend this to any fantasy or paranormal fan, but teens especially should be cautious if they are sensitive to gore.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
My Rating</h2>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4ExTyZIN5uk/U3DZua4iWdI/AAAAAAAAAk8/rk1QSDsdL0Q/s1600/4stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4ExTyZIN5uk/U3DZua4iWdI/AAAAAAAAAk8/rk1QSDsdL0Q/s1600/4stars.jpg" height="87" width="320" /></a></div>
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Enter to Win!</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
</h2>
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/340f193/" id="rc-340f193" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Now it's Your Turn!</h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Want a chance to read and review this great book? Click <a href="https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A49AFAF29A5F94-adorned" target="_blank">here </a>or go to:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A49AFAF29A5F94-adorned" target="_blank">https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A49AFAF29A5F94-adorned</a></div>
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<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-54152700056609359912014-05-28T10:51:00.001-04:002014-05-28T10:51:31.055-04:00Let's do a GIVEAWAY!I've been running this blog for a few years, though with raising my daughter, school, and work I've slacked off a bit. But I still have a few loyal readers, and so I want to do a giveaway to reward those loyal followers! Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. The contest is open until 11:59pm June 5th and the winner will have until 11:59pm June 8th to respond before I draw another winner. Best of luck!<br />
<br />
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/09051f7/" id="rc-09051f7" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-85780777170913636512014-05-26T17:58:00.000-04:002014-05-28T12:26:25.917-04:00REVIEW: Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch<h2>
The Book</h2>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7jkSY0WgMYc/U35KI06A6_I/AAAAAAAAAlM/TW6khH-75B4/s1600/summerHouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7jkSY0WgMYc/U35KI06A6_I/AAAAAAAAAlM/TW6khH-75B4/s1600/summerHouse.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a></div>
<h3>
Summer House with Swimming Pool<br />by <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/author/163466/herman-koch" target="_blank">Herman Koch</a></h3>
<h3>
Published by Hogarth</h3>
More information:<br />
<a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/233836/summer-house-with-swimming-pool-by-herman-koch">http://www.randomhouse.com/book/233836/summer-house-with-swimming-pool-by-herman-koch</a><br />
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<h2>
The Review</h2>
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This book is way different that most I've read. Different in a good way. Marc's story isn't told in a linear fashion, but rather through a series of flashbacks. We start and end at the end of his story, and the middle is dedicated to everything that led up to that point. It actually reminded me an awful lot of the novel We Need to Talk About Kevin (which I highly recommend if you haven't read!) which is also told in past tense as a recollection of events. Or even like Memento (a favorite movie of mine.) My point is that the format definitely kept me interested, since the book opens with the ending. I've decided that if someone was to draw a timeline of this book, it would need to be drawn by someone who builds roller coasters. </div>
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This book was translated from Dutch and for the most part takes place overseas. Unlike other translated books I've read, there wasn't a lot of foreign words that were difficult for me to read. I had worried about that when I realized it was originally in Dutch but it was not an issue at all. </div>
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One of the most interesting things was how Marc's thought process worked. It reminded me a lot of my own. While Koch would be writing about an event Marc was remembering, he would interweave other events and memories, including other experiences that he felt were similar. It made the scenes play like a movie in my head, and kept me engaged. </div>
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It seems like recently, all of the books I have read included an assault on a young woman. This book is no different. And though Koch made it a major part of the storyline, I felt like it wasn't dealt with properly by the characters. In fact, I feel like the victim was wronged twice by the lack of justice she was given. I did like how Koch dealt with the aftermath of the attack and showed how the life of the victim was effected. </div>
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Overall, I found Summer House with Swimming Pool to be a very engaging and different read. I especially enjoyed the format and felt it was a refreshing change of pace. I give this book five stars and would recommend it to anyone who might be getting burnt out on reading. </div>
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The Rating</h2>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQA7GEPpZo8/U2vitFnqBEI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/MRqYPjP7ND4/s1600/5stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQA7GEPpZo8/U2vitFnqBEI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/MRqYPjP7ND4/s1600/5stars.jpg" height="69" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five stars!</td></tr>
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<i>Disclaimer: I received this book for free from <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/">Blogging for Books</a> for this review.</i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-63189307823644442482014-05-22T14:26:00.004-04:002014-05-22T14:26:45.682-04:00Mini-Review: The Girl's Still Got It by Liz Curtis Higgs<h2 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333580630l/13152930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333580630l/13152930.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333580630l/13152930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>The Book</h2>
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The Girl's Still Got It: Take a Walk with Ruth and the God Who Rocked Her World by Liz Curtis Higgs</div>
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WaterBrook Press</div>
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Goodreads link: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13152930-the-girl-s-still-got-it?ac=1">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13152930-the-girl-s-still-got-it?ac=1</a></div>
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Amazon link: <a href="http://amzn.com/1578564484">http://amzn.com/1578564484</a></div>
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<h2 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name">
The Review</h2>
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This is a bit of a different read for me. The Girl’s Still Got It is a story about biblical figure Ruth, and boy is it a good read. It’s been a while since I read this book, but it is still worth a review. Higgs write about the story of Ruth in a way that makes it easy to read. Not only does she include the story from the Bible, but she includes history to help you really understand what was going on back in Ruth’s time.<br />
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If you are a Christian and are looking for some guidance about your life, this is definitely the book for you. When you read about Ruth, you will quickly come to realize that God has a plan for your life. No matter who you are, where you come from, or what your situation is right now, reading Ruth’s story will help reaffirm your faith in God. I give it 5 stars for not only being an uplifting story, but for being rather enjoyable.<br />
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Five stars! </h3>
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<i>Disclaimer: <span class="bodycopy"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Blogging for Books provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.</span></span></i> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-75086459291714650522014-05-21T14:12:00.004-04:002014-05-21T15:06:21.483-04:00Blogger Giveaway Opportunity!<h3 dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-961bc78d-1ffb-1d83-d3b7-d55d37b654ab" style="line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 8pt; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666699; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s Water Slide Time Event</span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #605f5f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Organized by: Mom to Bed by 8</span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #605f5f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Grand Prize: Little Tikes Slam ‘n’ Curve Slide</span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #666666;">Be sure to tell them Nikki @ For the Love of Books sent you!</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-19210458182340806962014-05-21T13:31:00.005-04:002014-05-21T13:31:56.852-04:00PRODUCT REVIEW: Coppertone ClearlySheer Sunscreen!I may be an avid reader and devoted book-lover, but I’m also something else: I’m a mom. And as a mom, I’m always on the lookout for the next best product for my little Bug. Though I usually write about books, I want to take a minute to tell you about a really cool product I got to try thanks to BzzAgent. (If you haven’t heard of BzzAgent yet, you need to head to their website right away to try out and talk about some really cool products, all at a great discount or free!) As a BzzAgent, I get to try some of the coolest things. Food, insoles, health care products, and all sorts of neat things. This time, I was sent free samples of Coppertone’s <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ClearlySheer sunscreen.<br />
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Now, Bug and I are very fair skinned and have to use sunscreen even on a cloudy day. For me, it’s always been easier to stay in the shade because I never could stand that greasy feeling on my skin. I’ve always battled acne, and sunscreen just makes it so much worse. Add to that the horrible stench that accompanies every sunscreen and you’ve just met my worst nightmare. So as you can imagine, I was rather hesitant to try ClearlySheer, but hey, who can pass up a free product?</div>
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The first thing I noticed when I applied ClearlySheer was the smell. It seems Coppertone has managed to break the mold and create an actually great smelling sunscreen! The scent is light and fresh, and I would recommend this product to anyone based on the smell alone. But it gets better. Not only does ClearlySheer smell great, it goes on smoothly without any greasy feeling. In fact, I put it on under my makeup and stayed as flawless as ever. </div>
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The biggest shock I had with ClearlySheer is that even after wearing it on my face under my makeup for two days, my skin never broke out. No greasy feeling, a great smell, and a formula that doesn’t clog pores? I can’t think of a single downside to this product. If you frequently wear sunscreen, are headed outside, or are a human being, I highly suggest you Coppertone’s ClearlySheer line a try. </div>
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<i>Disclaimer: I am a BzzAgent (<a href="http://www.bzzagent.com/">www.bzzagent.com</a>) and received free samples of Coppertone<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ClearlySheer to try for myself. These are strictly my opinions, I was not forced or asked to post a positive review.</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-40632515947370689362014-05-21T10:28:00.000-04:002014-05-21T10:28:40.368-04:00REVIEW: Destruction by Sharon Bayliss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> Destruction<br />
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<b>Series:</b> The December People #1<br />
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<b>Author:</b> Sharon Bayliss<br />
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<b>Genre/Age Range:</b> Contemporary, Fantasy, Adult<br />
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<b>Publisher: </b>Curiosity Quills Press<br />
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<b>Release Date:</b> April 14, 2014<br />
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<b>Links: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20996178-destruction">Goodreads</a></div>
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David Vandergraff wants to be a good man. He goes to church every Sunday, keeps his lawn trim and green, and loves his wife and kids more than anything. Unfortunately, being a dark wizard isn't a choice.<br />
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Eleven years ago, David's secret second family went missing. When his two lost children are finally found, he learns they suffered years of unthinkable abuse. Ready to make things right, David brings the kids home even though it could mean losing the wife he can’t imagine living without.<br />
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Keeping his life together becomes harder when the new children claim to be dark wizards. David believes they use this fantasy to cope with their trauma. Until, David's wife admits a secret of her own—she is a dark wizard too, as is David, and all of their children.<br />
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Now, David must parent two hurting children from a dark world he doesn’t understand and keep his family from falling apart. All while dealing with the realization that everyone he loves, including himself, may be evil.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYKcIjDijYpWfI05BRHC5wo_mWTIx6SL3r9QFRl9You2fx4dqGAHLaxVFDuBzA11sQ_qNpXTAOeAfVFc-f22BPN9xfTKTFdegfuJ8_FbiMMfj1enwl886KBjxpmLdYRHZUgQ8_b-1yNUc/s1600/About+Author.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYKcIjDijYpWfI05BRHC5wo_mWTIx6SL3r9QFRl9You2fx4dqGAHLaxVFDuBzA11sQ_qNpXTAOeAfVFc-f22BPN9xfTKTFdegfuJ8_FbiMMfj1enwl886KBjxpmLdYRHZUgQ8_b-1yNUc/s1600/About+Author.png" height="49" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsg2C9XAb4w2f5CQNGgPm85dkonQWiQjZ4eXJCLl7tZkEY1Rn3WBzbrHZhISh92yJ8qL6PKUnQi5F4DKW0FoNHdY4p5m3nfwfYXCwftrVXwY-5HUT7Ut8Jgf35Pf948a-QpWfvHCT1dljq/s1600/Sharon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsg2C9XAb4w2f5CQNGgPm85dkonQWiQjZ4eXJCLl7tZkEY1Rn3WBzbrHZhISh92yJ8qL6PKUnQi5F4DKW0FoNHdY4p5m3nfwfYXCwftrVXwY-5HUT7Ut8Jgf35Pf948a-QpWfvHCT1dljq/s1600/Sharon.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a><br />
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Sharon Bayliss is the author of The December People Series and The Charge. When she’s not writing, she enjoys living happily-ever-after with her husband and two young sons. She can be found eating Tex-Mex on patios, wearing flip-flops, and playing in the mud (which she calls gardening). She only practices magic in emergencies.<br />
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<b>Links:</b> <a href="http://www.sharonbayliss.com/">Website</a> + <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/SharonBayliss">Goodreads</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/SharonBayliss">Twitter</a> + <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorsharonbayliss">Facebook</a><br />
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My Review</h3>
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I have major mixed feelings about this book. For the most part, I loved it. However, there was one major, MAJOR flaw with it that nearly ruins the entire thing for me. However, let me talk about the positives first.<br />
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I’m really happy that this book wasn’t a young adult novel. Don’t get me wrong, I love young adult fiction. But seeing more adult elements to a book dealing with teenagers was a refreshing change. I also loved how in depth Bayliss explained her characters. They were all very complex characters, but not complex enough to throw you off or confuse you. Though they were complex, they were very unique and distinct characters which were developed very well.<br />
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I also really liked how in-depth Bayliss was about explaining the magic and the use of it. For her, it wasn’t enough to simply say “then this was done.” There was a full explanation of some of the bigger uses of magic, including why, how, and where it was done. I’ve read many paranormal books that leave you guessing about how or why things were done, so it was great to get all of the details. It let me truly understand the characters’ actions.<br />
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The part that really bothered me was dealing with an assault that happened. I cannot give too many details about it without ruining the story, but let me just say that it was not dealt with in a real-life manner. As a victim of a similar type of assault, I was disgusted with how it was brushed aside and the assailant was not brought to justice. However, I will say that this character had a key role in another aspect of the story. I’m hoping that in the next book of the series, this character will get what they deserve and the victim of the assault will get their justice. <br />
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Destruction was engaging from the very first page to the very last. I would recommend it to any mature paranormal reader, though some of the more adult scenes may be too heavy for younger readers who may otherwise be interested in this book. I enjoyed this book, but must say that certain things must be addressed in the second book for this reader to continue the series. </div>
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The Rating: 4 stars!</h3>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-52792941561780168132014-05-09T09:00:00.000-04:002014-05-09T09:00:08.411-04:00Second Chance Grill by Christine Nolfi<h3>
Synopsis from Goodreads</h3>
<span id="freeText15395147482771684405">An unforgettable tale of love, loss and second chances.<br /><br />Second
Chance Grill is the prequel to Treasure Me, 2012 Next Generation Indie
Awards Finalist, which The Midwest Book Review calls “A riveting read
for those who enjoy adventure fiction, highly recommended.”<br /><br />Dr.
Mary Chance needs a sabbatical from medicine to grieve the loss of her
closest friend. But when she inherits a struggling restaurant in
Liberty, Ohio she isn’t prepared for Blossom Perini. Mary can’t resist
falling for the precocious preteen—or the girl’s father. The bond they
forge will transform all their lives and set in motion an outpouring of
love that spreads across America. <br /><br />Welcome back to Liberty, where the women surrounding the town’s only restaurant are as charming as they are eccentric</span><br />
<h3>
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1363898844l/16113881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1363898844l/16113881.jpg" width="224" /></a>My review</h3>
What is a person to do when they need to take a break from their life,
when things have become too overwhelming to go on? For Mary Chance, the
answer comes in the form of a small-town diner.<br /><br />Second Chance
Grill is the second in Christine Nolfi's Liberty, Ohio, series which
began with Treasure Me. In this story, we finally get to learn how
Liberty and all of it's inhabitants came to be where they were in the
first novel.<br /><br />The first thing I liked about this book is that it
can be read alone or as a part of the series. I had read Treasure Me a
while ago, but had trouble remembering some of the finer details. I was a
bit worried about how that would effect me while reading this story,
but as I read on I realized that you don't need prior knowledge to enjoy
this book.<br /><br />Christine Nolfi is probably one of my favorite
authors. She may not be a bestselling author yet, but if she keeps up
the good work I know she will be. Christine has mastered the art of
writing a story full of adventure, suspense, and love, while being able
to leave out the overwhelmingly graphic language and violence. Now, I'm
not saying that I don't like reading stories with violence, foul
language, or gratuitous sex. I'm simply saying that this story was able
to engage me and keep me reading without the need of any of that. And in
this day, where it seems like the only way to get anyone's attention is
with something over-the-top, I feel like that is a huge accomplishment.<br /><br />My
favorite thing about this book was how it drew me in and made me feel
like Liberty was my home. Though it is in no way a utopia, Liberty is
striking similar to the small town in which I grew up which is
coincidentally right outside of Cincinnati (another key location in the
story.) From the little locally owned diner to the neighborhood gas
station/garage, Liberty could easily have been my home.<br /><br />Who would
I recommend this to? Well, the better question is who wouldn't I
recommend it to. I don't recommend you read this if you are looking for
an action-packed thriller or mystery, something erotic, or a horror
novel. But if you want a book that will sometimes make you smile,
sometimes make you tear up, and always make you wanting more? Check out
Second Chance Grill by Christine Nolfi. <br />
<br />
<h3>
My Rating: 5 stars! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQA7GEPpZo8/U2vitFnqBEI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/MRqYPjP7ND4/s1600/5stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQA7GEPpZo8/U2vitFnqBEI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/MRqYPjP7ND4/s1600/5stars.jpg" height="69" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-5734656979090357002014-05-08T16:02:00.002-04:002014-05-08T16:02:56.590-04:00Protostar by Braxton A. Cosby<h2>
</h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394311395l/11850814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394311395l/11850814.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover from Goodreads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
Synopsis (from Goodreads)</h3>
<span id="freeText6070615103488121018">On the brink of civil
war, the Torrian Alliance continues with its mission to obliterate
Star-children across the universe in order to suppress an intergalactic
evil. Following the recommendations of his council, King Gregorio Derry
reluctantly agrees to send his only son William on a mission to restore
honor to his family name. William seeks to complete his assignment, the
elimination of a Star-child named Sydney on planet Earth, but when the
assassination is delayed he begins to realize an emotional connection
with his target. With conspiracy threatening his home planet, and a
hidden menace on Earth seeking to secure a vested interest, William
finds himself torn between irrevocable duty and sacrificing everything
he stands for to defend Sydney. As William and Sydney struggle to
overcome their impossible circumstances, they start to wonder if the
connection of two Star-Crossed lovers will be enough to save them from
certain doom.</span><br />
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<h3>
<span id="freeText6070615103488121018"> My Review</span></h3>
<br /><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview914532486">There
is a disturbance in the universe, and it’s up to a bounty hunter to
stop it. During his adventure, he will travel the universe with his
favorite artificial intelligence sidekick to find and stop the villain.
Does that sound similar to the plot of everyone’s favorite science
fiction flick, who also happens to feature the world’s most beloved
wookie?<br /> </span></span><br />
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview914532486">Now I’m sure there are plenty of die hard star Wars fans who
are in outrage right now. I’ll apologize in advance, I realize that I’m
associating the two very loosely. However, I imagine that Braxton A.
Cosby will be thrilled to see that I am comparing his novel Protostar to
the (original) Star Wars trilogy. In this case, we have Prince William
as a bounty hunter who is sent from his planet to capture and destroy
the Star-child before she harnesses her full powers and begins her harsh
reign over the universe. The biggest difference comes that the
“villain”, in this case, is a teenage girl living here on Earth in the
present time. The story is very relatable. <br /> </span></span><br />
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview914532486">I think my favorite part
of the story was IMPI. Sure, it might be nothing more than an advanced
form of artificial intelligence. However, the story wouldn’t be the same
without it. I loved the humor and wit it injected into the story. And
the way it dealt with William made me often forget it wasn’t a human.
But it plays a very key role in the entire book, and likely the entire
series. It worries me that this is only the beginning of a series. Mr.
Cosby, take this as a plea from a new fan: please don’t kill it off, or
put it on the back burner!<br /> </span></span><br />
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview914532486">I can’t say there is much I didn’t like
about this story, but if there was one thing that confused me it was the
climax of the story. I felt like the “final battle” went by rather
quickly, but I can’t complain because I’ve read plenty of other novels
that do the same. In fact, this story didn’t end right where you thought
it would end. In fact, this story had a cliffhanger of the worst kind
that nearly left you with heartache knowing it was over, but not over.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview914532486">This
story involved a lot of different genres, and so I can’t give you a
specific group that I would recommend this to. I think that there are a
lot of different types of readers who would enjoy this book, and so I
recommend it to all. It gets five stars for being completely amazing,
though I’d rather give it one for leaving me wanting more!</span></span><br />
<br />
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview914532486"></span></span><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview914532486">My Rating: 5 stars! </span></span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OQA7GEPpZo8/U2vitFnqBEI/AAAAAAAAAkM/kBiKxb2OcZ0/s1600/5stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OQA7GEPpZo8/U2vitFnqBEI/AAAAAAAAAkM/kBiKxb2OcZ0/s1600/5stars.jpg" height="69" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview914532486"> </span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview914532486"><br /></span></span></h3>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-3334099994694345302013-07-02T13:00:00.000-04:002013-07-02T13:00:05.994-04:00Review: Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall<br />
Every kid wants to run away at some point in their life. Whether its because of a bad grade or because of a painful death, we all thought about getting out on our own and doing things our way. But what would happen if we really did it? There are plenty of authors and directors that have shown us what they think would happen, but Susan Crandall's version is by far my favorite.<br />
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In Whistling Past the Graveyard, we follow nine-year-old Starla on her big adventure to find her mother in Nashville in 1963. While reading stories about segregation in the United States was a huge part of our curriculum in school, I have never been interested in history and have never had the desire to read about something horrible in our past for pleasure. This book was another book I chose just for the cover, but this was an extremely pleasant surprise.<br />
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There were two main things I liked about this story. I really enjoyed how Crandall wrote it using the language Starla and the other characters would have actually used. Though the liberal use of the non-word 'ain't' might make English teachers everywhere cringe, I felt that it really helped me get into the setting of the book. It also helped me remember that it was in Starla's perspective, as she would talk about how her teachers would correct her.<br />
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This story being written from Starla's perspective was the other thing that made this book really great. Crandall didn't need to rely on huge plot twists or having too many story lines; by showing the plot from the point of view of a child, she was able to create these plot twists simply by revelations of repressed memories. The story was able to flow quite nicely and keep me drawn in.<br />
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Another benefit of seeing things from Starla's perspective was that her innocence in this time period showed me how things were able to continue. Though she didn't care about skin color or understand why it would make one person worth less than another, she knew that society had these rules and she was expected to follow them. I always wondered how hatred grew in small children, but I realize now that it wasn't hatred. It was simply children doing what they did best: copying the things they saw their parents do.<br />
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When reviewing books, I always try to give you the most honest review by sharing both the good and bad parts. Whistling Past the Graveyard was a great book, and I had a difficult time thinking about anything I would change about it. There was one character that I would have liked to know more about, but I'd rather not spoil the book for any of you.<br />
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This was pretty different than anything I've read recently, though I'm definitely not complaining. This book was a great read, even though I had no idea what to expect when I started reading. In my opinion, any book that can teach a teacher something is a book that everyone should read. I highly recommend Whistling Past the Graveyard to everyone.<br />
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<b>For more information, please visit the official website of Susan Crandall at <a href="http://www.susancrandall.net/" target="_blank">http://www.susancrandall.net/</a>.</b><br />
<br />
<b><i>Whistling Past the Graveyard </i>is available in print and ebook formats from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your favorite retailer.</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325490616970479114.post-81096960282204452422013-05-24T10:20:00.002-04:002013-05-24T10:20:34.302-04:00Review: The Naughty Girls Book Club by Sophie Hart<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Estelle Humphreys, divorced mother of teenager Joe, runs a bakery that isn’t quite doing well. In order to boost sales and get her brand out, she starts a knitting club that meets weekly at her bake shop. The five members happen upon a magical pair of jeans that fits each one perfectly, despite their varying body types (and genders), and begin a magical journey to save the bakery….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What’s that you say? You thought this book was about a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">book club?</i> My bad, let me try that again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Estelle Humphreys is the owner of a bakery that just isn’t getting the sales it should be. When she sees a fellow small business go under, she decides to start a book club to help get her sales going again. What she gets is a very diverse group: Rebecca, the teacher who wants more out of life; Sue, the retired woman who is growing tired of her boring life; Gracie, the feminist rebel with a passion for 1950s fashion; and Reggie, the awkward graduate student who swears he is just using the group for research. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Naughty Girls’ Book Club</i> follows these five folks as they go through changes they never expected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All joking aside, when I began reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Naughty Girls’ Book Club</i>, I was amazed at how it seemed like a perfect mix of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Friday Night Knitting Club </i>(with much less crying.) We have a group of people, who each had their own storylines told from their own perspectives, that meet each week at a small shop to do what they love to do: talk. I was a bit confused about why we would need yet another book that followed similar rules, but Sophie Hart’s novel definitely sets itself apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The book club, which brings all of the characters together, is not a typical book club. After a first meeting where Estelle discovers that the classics she planned to read together bored the others, she quickly decided to go a different route and read romantic/erotic novels. Through the book, each character gets to choose a novel for the club that shows a different aspect to the world of erotic fiction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover30969-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover30969-medium.png" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out Sophie Hart's <a href="https://twitter.com/Cafe_Crumb" target="_blank">Twitter</a>!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the best things about the novel is that almost all of their chosen books are in fact real. The only one that was not was the first erotic novel they read, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ten Sweet Lessons. </i>This book, which like its real-life counterpart started a craze through the nation, came across as a poorly written novel meant simply to titillate the reader. While I can’t say that I am a fan of the novel that this fake novel was inspired by, I respect that without it Hart would have never written <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dirty Girls’ Book Club.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Though this book may seem to be all about sexuality on the surface, it truly is about the characters and their relationships. Through the novel, we get to follow all five characters’ storylines and see them from the perspectives of the other members. As the novel progresses, you learn of a problem or challenge each character faces. Hart did an amazing job with tying up all of the loose ends and finding a resolution for each story line. This novel works great as a stand-alone novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There was one big problem that bothered me. I love to read because I love to laugh, and a lot of the time I choose books because I know that they will make me laugh. This story has all the potential in the world to make the reader laugh, but the most I got out of it was a smile. As an example, there is a scene between Estelle and her son’s football coach, who was creating a website for her bakery, that could have been hilarious (especially since a lot of people could relate in one way or another.) However, it didn’t stand out at all and simply got swallowed up in the novel. I think that Hart could have played this scene up a bit and given the audience a laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I read the majority of this book during one sick day. It definitely grabbed my attention, though it was pretty anti-climactic. Is this a good book for someone who likes the erotic fiction they read in the story? Not at all. But this is a good book for someone who wants to cuddle up on the couch and read something that will make them smile. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Check out Sophie Hart's <em>The Naughty Girls' Book Club</em> today <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BKQ1FF2/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00BKQ1FF2&linkCode=as2&tag=forthelove0ab-20">on Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=forthelove0ab-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00BKQ1FF2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> for Kindle or on Google Play!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11469338973707467898noreply@blogger.com0