Midwinter's Eve #Giveaway Hop (INT)

Midwinter’s Eve Giveaway Hop

December 21st to 31st

Hosted by Bookhounds

The Prize!

ONE winner will win a copy of Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon.

Here's how you can enter this giveaway:

• Just fill in your contact details in the form below.
• This is an International giveaway as long as BookDepository.com ship them to your country.
• One entry per person.
• Winner will be notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. 
• I'm not responsible for any lost package.
• Have fun and good luck! Be sure to check out the other giveaway stops on this blog hop:

Congratulation to JC Loh!

Thank you to everyone who participates. Be sure to check out this site for more giveaway soon.

Gratitude #Giveaway Hop!

Gratitude Giveaway Hop!

November 15-30

Hosted by BookHounds

The Prize

TWO winners will win a copy of Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard. 

ONE copy is open to any international participant, as long as BookDepository.com ship to your country. 

And ONE copy is up for grab for one Malaysian's participant (because I have two copy of the same book and shipping internationally would be too much).

Okay. Here's how you can enter this giveaway:

• To enter this giveaway, enter your contact details in the form below.
• You are not required to follow me, but, it would be nice if you follow me via GFC/Goodreads/twitter/Instagram/Bloglovin' too :)
• This is an International giveaway as long as BookDepository.com ship them to your country.
• One entry per person.
• Winners will be notified via email.  Winners will have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. 
• I'm not responsible for any lost package.
• Have fun and good luck! Be sure to check out the other giveaway stops on this blog hop:

Congratulation to Elizabeth Hyatt and Nikki Ooi!

#BookReview Single by Christmas by Rosa Temple

Single by Christmas
by Rosa Temple

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance, Friendship, Christmas
Publication: October 3rd, 2016
Format: ebooks, ARC
Source: Author, Publisher
Connect: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

You’ve heard the saying, ‘opposites attract’ haven’t you? Well meet 27 year old Alex Marshall, a party girl with a penchant for free flowing Prosecco, and her devilishly handsome scientist boyfriend, Charlie, who loves jazz and dinner for two.

Alex and Charlie are together for 11 blissful months until Alex goes out of town and does something she will later regret. Was she drunk? You bet. Does she want Charlie to know? Well what do you think?

With the couple about to spend their first Christmas together will Charlie be the forgiving kind or will Alex be Single by Christmas?

This is a feel good, Christmas novel with very few mince pies, not much snow and absolutely no mistletoe – just a couple of best friends, a sociopathic nemesis and a lot of drinking.

Alex had a good life. She had her friends and a wonderful boyfriend. Alex and her boyfriend, Charlie may have different personalities and they have been together for a while. They were happy, but, their relationship is slowly slipping with Alex's priorities sets on something else.

I love this book. I admit that I wasn't a big fan of Alex. She loves partying and was a bit of an airhead. She may not be a good girlfriend, but she is definitely a good friend. Alex would always try to be there with her friends whenever they had issues. I love Charlie. He's really nice and patient to Alex. There have been a few times when I thought that he may be too good for Alex. But I'm really happy with how the story wrapped up too.

I love Rosa Temple's writing style. It was really easy to get into. The plot is straightforward but enjoyable. I love Alex's interaction with the people around her. And I definitely enjoy watching how Alex grew up in this book.  

The book didn't have a lot of Christmassy feeling to it, but still, if you're looking for a light romance, I would definitely recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for my review.

#Spotlight Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts by Laura Barnard + #Giveaway

Laura Barnard is now in the Spotlight with her new book, Heath, Cliffs and Wandering Hearts. Check out my review to this book here. Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win tons of exciting prizes!

Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts
by Laura Barnard

Genre: Young Adult, Friendship, Mature
Connect: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy: Amazon | Nook | Kobo | iBooks

Life for sixteen-year-old Savannah Franks has just been turned upside down. Her Mum’s business has failed and they’re forced to move into a maisonette in the rough end of town.

She doesn’t want anyone to know her dire situation, not even her besties. So when the rest of the money for the school ski trip is due she can’t be seen not to attend. Everyone is going! She just needs to find a job. Add that to the list of getting a boyfriend and losing her pathetic virginity.

But working every spare hour in a job she hates on top of school work and mounting secrets doesn’t prove easy. Soon she’s keeping so many she’s not even sure herself what’s true and what’s not.

The only person she can lean on, to tell the truth, is her best friend Heath.

Only…did he gets hot recently? That won’t make things awkward between them…right?

About Laura Barnard

Laura Barnard lives in Hertfordshire, UK and writes romantic comedy or 'chick lit' as its so often described. In her spare time she enjoys drinking her body weight in tea, indulging in cupcakes the size of her face and drooling over hunks like Jamie Dornan, Ryan Gosling and Leo Dicaprio.

She enjoys wearing yoga pants and reading fitness magazines while sitting on the sofa eating chocolate. She's a real fan of the power nap and of course READING!

She writes not to get rich or famous, but because she LOVES writing. Even if one person tells her they enjoyed her book it makes the midnight typing worth it!

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#OnTour Single by Christmas by Rosa Temple #Excerpt + #Giveaway

Rosa Temple is now on tour with her book, Single by Christmas from 17th October to 28th October. I'm posting the excerpt and hopefully, the review in a few more days. Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win ebook copy of the book!

Single by Christmas
by Rosa Temple

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance, Friendship, Christmas
Publication:  October 3rd, 2016
Connect: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

You’ve heard the saying, ‘opposites attract’ haven’t you? Well meet 27 year old Alex Marshall, a party girl with a penchant for free flowing Prosecco, and her devilishly handsome scientist boyfriend, Charlie, who loves jazz and dinner for two.

Alex and Charlie are together for 11 blissful months until Alex goes out of town and does something she will later regret. Was she drunk? You bet. Does she want Charlie to know? Well what do you think?

With the couple about to spend their first Christmas together will Charlie be the forgiving kind or will Alex be Single by Christmas?

This is a feel good, Christmas novel with very few mince pies, not much snow and absolutely no mistletoe – just a couple of best friends, a sociopathic nemesis and a lot of drinking.

Single by Christmas by Rosa Temple

Excerpt

You might be wondering what I was doing, sitting in a graveyard at five minutes to midnight on Christmas Eve. And if you guessed gravedigger or graverobber, you’d be wrong. But ask yourself, who sits in a graveyard when it’s cold and out and out spooky unless it’s absolutely critical? The church, where I attend Midnight Mass with my family every year, is just across the way. But sitting on that particular bench just inside the graveyard was absolutely critical.

You see, in the lead up to Christmas I managed to lose something. Well, not something, someone. Charlie; my reason for living, my heart, my soulmate … you get the idea. And before you start crying, don’t worry, he wasn’t buried there. At the time, I wasn’t exactly sure where Charlie was, but he knew I was there. Waiting.

By the stroke of midnight I would have known for sure if I’d truly lost him. I’d asked him to join me and my family for the service. They’d arrived earlier. I smiled and greeted them all – Mum, Dad, big sister, Elise, and her husband and my younger sister, Jo-Jo. They asked where Charlie was and I managed to hide my worst fears and say he’d be along soon, that he was held up. So they just kissed me and piled inside with the rest of the congregation.

My family had been looking forward to seeing Charlie, even more so than they were me. You see, like everyone who meets Charlie, they’d fallen in love with him. Who could blame them? He’s charming, he’s intelligent, he’s sweet, kind, generous. The list could go on. I admit those things weren’t what first attracted me to Charlie. No, the attraction was pure lust and desire. He walked into that New Year’s Eve party the year before and I was stunned into silence. And I’m never silent. Tall, well dressed, mesmerising looks and those dimples that appear every time he smiles, which he does a lot by the way.

And I love Charlie’s family, too. His mum, Leeza, his dad, Don, who Charlie gets his looks and sense of humour from, and his brother. I wasn’t sure Leeza approved of Charlie having a white girlfriend, at first, but I realised that was just paranoia on my part. His family are not like that. His mum, who I grew to admire and love, was just being protective, the way some mothers are.

But, I digress. My family had no idea that I’d seen Charlie twenty-four hours prior to the service and that we’d had a heated argument and that Charlie had practically slammed a door in my face. Minutes before that I’d made a complete and utter fool of myself in front of his wonderful family and he’d walked away with such disgust and disappointment in his face my heart broke in two. He’d closed the door on me but I hadn’t stopped sending begging texts and hysterical voicemails just so he would show up on Christmas Eve – like he’d promised me. I wasn’t expecting a miracle, just praying for one. Because it would have taken a miracle for Charlie to walk towards the church, bypass the tall wooden doors, see me on the bench, push open the graveyard gates and tell me he’d forgiven me.

With everyone nice and warm inside the church, I continued to sit watching puffs of vapour appearing in front of my face from every exhale, brimming with an apology that may never be heard.

You might be saying, “If Charlie’s that wonderful, why couldn’t he just come to the church, it’s Christmas after all?” You have to know, he’d never be that unforgiving without very good reason.

Honestly? It took a whole year of knowing Charlie to finally understand what it is to love someone completely and to be loved the very same way in return and just one month to lose it all.

And this is how …

About the Author

Rosa Temple is a writer of romantic comedies, chick-lit and contemporary romance. To date she has published one novella, Sleeping with Your Best Friend, and her first full length novel, Natalie’s Getting Married, was published on 14th March 2016.

She has tried her hand at various occupations, from tea lady (albeit for one morning only after being returned to the agency because half an office block suffered caffeine deprivation) to supervising the office running the London Bar Exams.

Rosa is a Londoner born and bred and still resides in West London with ambitions to escape to the country when a suitable country pile becomes available.

In 2014 she was awarded a Distinction in her Creative Writing MA from Brunel University.

Rosa admits to being a reluctant keep fit addict. She owns a yoga mat, a pair of trainers and a spin cycle that gathers dust in the corner of her writing room. She vows that she will run the London Marathon again but has been saying this since her first and only marathon, run in 2010. Hence the trainers.

Having been a ghostwriter for several years, Rosa has written several magazine articles and has penned a multitude of one off novellas and novella length series in the romance genre and in its various sub-genres to include: contemporary romance, historical, adult only, romantic comedies and sweet romances.

Rosa is a member of a writing critique group who meet monthly. This lively and hard working group keep her on her toes as she hones her writing, listening and editing skills.

Rosa’s husband and eldest son are both musicians, her second son swims at a National level for his London team.

Before devoting the majority of her time to her writing of romantic comedies and chick-lit, Rosa was a singer (that’s how she met her husband) and still continues to perform and write songs.

Early reviews show that Natalie’s Getting Married is a favourite of many readers and book bloggers and she follows it with Christmas romantic comedy novel, Single by Christmas, with plans to publish a book series in the very near future.

Rosa loves to chat (about anything really) so follow her on Twitter @RosaT_Author or visit her blog, Rosa Temple Writes, on rosatemplewrites.blogspot.co.uk

Read an excerpt of Natalie’s Getting Married on Goodreads or Facebook

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#BookReview Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts by Laura Barnard + Giveaway

Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts
by Laura Barnard

Genre: Young Adult, Friendship, Mature
Format: ebooks, ARC
Source: Author, Publisher
Connect: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy: Amazon | Nook | Kobo | iBooks

Life for sixteen-year-old Savannah Franks has just been turned upside down. Her Mum’s business has failed and they’re forced to move into a maisonette in the rough end of town.

She doesn’t want anyone to know her dire situation, not even her besties. So when the rest of the money for the school ski trip is due she can’t be seen not to attend. Everyone is going! She just needs to find a job. Add that to the list of getting a boyfriend and losing her pathetic virginity.

But working every spare hour in a job she hates on top of school work and mounting secrets doesn’t prove easy. Soon she’s keeping so many she’s not even sure herself what’s true and what’s not.

The only person she can lean on to tell the truth is her best friend Heath.

Only…did he gets hot recently? That won’t make things awkward between them…right?

I've previously read Laura Barnard's Porn Money and Wannabe Mummy. I was intrigued when I heard that the author is writing for Young Adult. 

Savannah's life was changing. Her family was forced to move into a smaller place her mother's business failed. And now, her brother, Dylan has gone traveling to Australia with his girlfriend. Savannah was afraid that she was going to stay as a virgin, but now, she got a boyfriend, Zach. However, she can't stop thinking about her best friend, Heath.

Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts is full of drama and friendship. But, I have to warn that there was a few scene are not suitable for children. Savannah and her girlfriends were constantly worried about boys, and how their peers see them. Sometimes, they made some reckless decisions. I have to say that I was worried about all partying scenes. There seem a bit too many parties going on. But it was interesting to see how they overcome their teenage life as friends.

My favorite character from this book is definitely Savannah's Nan. She didn't act like how a normal grandma always does, despite her age. Heath would come  in second. I love how he always take care of Savannah.

Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts is definitely an interesting read. I enjoyed the author's voice. But, there are some scenes that I don't think was necessary and the ending was a bit too rushed in my opinion.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my review.

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#BookReview Sula's Voyage by Catherine Torres

Sula's Voyage
by Catherine Torres

Genre: Adventure, Contemporary, Fantasy, Young Adult
Publication:  May 2016 by Scholastic
Format: Paperback, 226 pages
Source: Author, Publisher
Connect: Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Fifteen-year-old Sula has always known she is different. Even though her parents have shown her nothing but love and acceptance, she sees her dark skin as a reminder of how she doesn’t fit in with the rest of her family.

What’s worse is she also feels that her parents are hiding something from her. After getting expelled from school, Sula reluctantly goes to stay with her mother’s friends. There she unexpectedly finds herself on a journey of self-discovery — a journey that keeps drawing her to the sea. Sula must not only figure our her parents’ secret, but also just how different, and possibly magical, she really is.

Sula has always been different than her parents. She often wondered why her skins are darker than her family. Because of her difference, it was hard for her to fit in with her schoolmates and the rest of her family. When Sula's father went away to further his career, Sula and her mother headed to Puerto Galera and stayed with her mother's friend. There, Sula began to learn about herself. What makes her different and special.

I enjoyed the book. The story flowed really well. I love the elements of fantasy and mystery in the book. I love Sula. She's one of the girls who always got bullied at school, and that made her stronger. I love the way Sula and her parent's dealt with the school. The side characters were really great and memorable. I especially love Pablo and Mira.

Sula's Voyage is definitely a page turner. I enjoyed reading about Philipines and its culture. The truth about Sula and her family was what I have expected, but still, I truly enjoyed Sula's adventure to self-discovery. 

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for my review.

#BookReview The Goodbyes by Leslie Welch

The Goodbyes
by Leslie Welch

Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Publication:  Published July 12th, 2016 by Blue Moon Publishers
Format: ebooks. 226 pages
Source: ARC, Netgalley
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Since he was thirteen years old, rockstar Webb Turner pined for Bree, the enigmatic girl across the street. He captured her in his songs, but never in his orbit. His lyrics about her propelled Webb's band to superstardom, but his fame came with the price of finding real love.

When he discovers that Bree is dying, Webb leaves a stadium full of adoring fans to be at her side. As a blizzard batters the east coast, will Webb succeed in his fight against the storm and the mistakes of his past for a chance to say one last goodbye?

If I was judging this book by its cover, I'd say that this is a thriller read. But it's not. The Goodbyes is a story of love, self-discovery and growing up. The story is told in Webb Turner's point of view. Webb received word that Bree, the girl across the street that he love is dying. He abandoned everything and rushes home to be with her. Along the journey home, Webb is having a flashback on his relationship with Bree. 

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book. Mainly because of most of the rockstar in books I read always acted like an ass. I'm just glad that Webb isn't like that. He's more down to earth kind of a rockstar.

Webb and Bree's relationship is a rollercoaster of emotion. I get frustrated at their relationship sometimes. A part of me wanted them to be together, and another part of me don't. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about their relationship and what made them who they are at the present. What I really love about the book is the unexpected ending. I'm just glad that the book end with a happy ending.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my review.

#BookReview : The Summer that Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel

The Summer that Melted Everything
by Tiffany McDaniel

Genre: Contemporary, Adult, Fiction
Publication:  July 26th, 2016 by St. Martin's Press
Format: ebooks
Source: ARC
Connect: Website | Goodreads

Fielding Bliss has never forgotten the summer of 1984: the year a heat wave scorched Breathed, Ohio. The year he became friends with the devil.

Sal seems to appear out of nowhere - a bruised and tattered thirteen-year-old boy claiming to be the devil himself answering an invitation. Fielding Bliss, the son of a local prosecutor, brings him home where he's welcomed into the Bliss family, assuming he's a runaway from a nearby farm town.

When word spreads that the devil has come to Breathed, not everyone is happy to welcome this self-proclaimed fallen angel. Murmurs follow him and tensions rise, along with the temperatures as an unbearable heat wave rolls into town right along with him.

As strange accidents start to occur, riled by the feverish heat, some in the town start to believe that Sal is exactly who he claims to be.

While the Bliss family wrestles with their own personal demons, a fanatic drives the town to the brink of a catastrophe that will change this sleepy Ohio backwater forever.

I have to admit that I wasn't so sure about reading this one. I mean, the synopsis sounds great, but, The Summer that Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel is not the kind of book I usually pick to read. But I do think that reading this is definitely a good change of pace. 

Fielding Bliss remembered the summer of 1984 in Breathed, Ohio. The weather is scorched and that's when a boy , Sal appeared from nowhere, claiming that he's a devil. The book was written in Feilding's perspective. Because this isn't the type of book I usually pick up, I was a bit worried about how the story going to turn. The story grabbed me with the first few chapters. After that, I was a bit lost with the story at first with how some of the chapters went away from the year of 1984. But, after a while, I got used to how the story was written.

I enjoyed reading about the Bliss family and the rest of Breathed residences. There's no denying that Tiffany McDaniel is good with words. I thought the pace of the story was a bit slow, but the way the book was written beautifully keep me engage towards the end. I thought that I was going to read a book about the Devil. But, The Summer that Melted Everything isn't really about the Devil. It was more than that. I can't really say anything much without giving the story away, so, you will have to read the book to know what the book is all about.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my review.

BookReview: The Goat Children by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek

The Goat Children
by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Fantasy
Publication:  March 23rd, 2016 by CHBB Publishing
Format: ebooks
Source: ARC
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

When Keziah’s grandmother, Oma, is diagnosed with dementia, Keziah faces two choices: leave her family and move to New Winchester to care for Oma, or stay in New York City and allow her grandmother to live in a nursing home miles away.

The dementia causes Oma to be rude and paranoid, nothing like the woman Keziah remembers. Each day becomes a greater weight and love a harsher burden. Keziah must keep Oma from wandering off or falling, and try to convince her grandmother to see a doctor as her eyesight and hearing fail, but Oma refuses to believe anything is wrong. Resentful of her hardships in New Winchester, Keziah finds herself drawn to Oma’s ramblings about the Goat Children, a mythical warrior class. These fighters ride winged horses, locating people in need while attempting to destroy evil in the world. Oma sees the Goat Children everywhere, and as Keziah reads the stories Oma wrote about them, she begins to question if they really exist.

I have previously read a few fantasy works from the author and I absolutely love them. I was a bit worried when I pick up this book because the story is a bit different than the author's other work, but I have to say that I'm glad this book didn't disappoint me. 

Keziah volunteered to look after her Oma who was diagnosed with dementia. It was hard for Keziah to look after Oma, especially since dementia caused Oma to be paranoid about things around her. When her Oma was in a better mood, she would tell Keziah about Goat Children, the mystical creatures.

Keziah loved her Oma and choose to stay with her Oma even though Oma treated her badly because of dementia. Keziah is a growing up teenager who should be experiencing a normal life with school, friends, and romance. But instead, she had to look after her Oma. I've never had to deal with anyone with dementia before, so I didn't know how it would be. But I sympathized with what Keziah had to go through. But still, it was nice to see how Keziah love her Oma. I love reading the memories Keziah had with her Oma back from when she was little.

The author did a great job in writing The Goat Children. The story is a bit slow at certain parts, but I love the pace. What I like about The Goat Children by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek is that there are bits of fantasy. The world of the Goat Children fascinates me. It sounds magical what with the wing horses and the fight to destroy evil. I think I wouldn't mind reading a book about the Goal Children if the author decided to write about them.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my review.

#Spotlight: The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel - #Q&A

The Summer That Melted Everything
by Tiffany McDaniel

Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Adult, Literary Fiction
Publication:  July 26th, 2016 by St. Martin's Press
Connect: Website | Goodreads
Buy: Amazon

Fielding Bliss has never forgotten the summer of 1984: the year a heat wave scorched Breathed, Ohio. The year he became friends with the devil.

Sal seems to appear out of nowhere - a bruised and tattered thirteen-year-old boy claiming to be the devil himself answering an invitation. Fielding Bliss, the son of a local prosecutor, brings him home where he's welcomed into the Bliss family, assuming he's a runaway from a nearby farm town.

When word spreads that the devil has come to Breathed, not everyone is happy to welcome this self-proclaimed fallen angel. Murmurs follow him and tensions rise, along with the temperatures as an unbearable heat wave rolls into town right along with him. As strange accidents start to occur, riled by the feverish heat, some in the town start to believe that Sal is exactly who he claims to be. While the Bliss family wrestles with their own personal demons, a fanatic drives the town to the brink of a catastrophe that will change this sleepy Ohio backwater forever.

Q&A with Tiffany McDaniel

1. Please introduce yourself and your book.
   I’m an Ohio poet and novelist who wants to live on the greenest summer leaf on the highest tree.
   
   
2. How do you come up with the idea of the book? What is your inspiration?I always say the ideas come from the elements that make me. All those tiny little connections, all those big bangs, rippling my soul, crafting its edges and turning its center. Somewhere in that chaos and that impact, there’s an origin of the story. Whether it be a deep well or high mountain peak, the ideas exist there only to drift toward me like smoke I can’t grasp but can decipher. I know this answer is very dream-like, but to me, the craft of story itself is a dream.
   
   
3. How long on average does it take you to write a book?
   I wrote The Summer that Melted Everything in a month. I have eight completed novels and on average they took me about a month. One novel, Because of the Indians, I wrote in eight days. I’m still not sure how that happened. And another novel, When Lions Stood as Me, took about four months. It’s a novel that takes place during WW2 so there was more research involved and I had to be a bit more concrete with dating.
   
   
4. How do you set up your book? Do you outline them first, or did you just spin the story?
   I never outline or pre-plan. I like the natural flow of allowing the characters and scenes to come out on their own. It’s like setting up a lantern on a dark porch and waiting for the moths to chatter around the light. I listen to that chatter, capture it, all the while the moths freely fly in their own good time.
   
   
5. What did you like most about writing this book? 
   What I like about writing all my books is being introduced to the characters for the first time, falling in love with them, and feeling like I can never let them go, hoping I’ll never have to.
   
   
6. What's the best thing that happened to you since becoming an author?
   It hasn’t happened yet. And that is when I’ll get to see my novel on the bookstore shelf for the first time. I wrote my first novel when I was eighteen and didn’t get a publishing contract until I was twenty-nine, so it was eleven years of rejection and fear I’d never get published. I honestly never believed I would. I know I’m very fortunate to be in the position I am, about to see my book on the shelf for the first time. I feel for those authors still on the journey to publication. To them, I say it will happen. Have faith that the best thing as an author is yet to happen to you too.
   
   
7. Grade your book. How many stars out of a perfect score of 5 stars? Please give the reason too.
   This is a dangerous question. If an author answers they’d give their own book five stars, they may appear over-confident or egotistical. But if an author rates their own novel too low, then why should a reader even bother reading it? So I’ll tiptoe around the danger and say I’ll leave the rating up to the readers who, in their fair and honest judgment, can best rate the novel.
   
   
8. What are you working on right now?
   The novel I hope to follow The Summer that Melted Everything up with is When Lions Stood as Men. It’s a story of a Jewish brother and sister who escape Nazi Germany, cross the Atlantic Ocean, and end up in Ohio of all places. Struggling with the guilt of surviving the Holocaust, they create their own sort of camp where they punish themselves, realizing in the end, it was each other they truly had to survive.
   
   
9. Please say something to your readers.
   You readers have all the power. It’s not the agents or the editors or the publishing houses as a whole that determine a writer’s career. It’s the readers. Without readers buying books, there are no novelists to be had. Readers give meaning to an author’s words. So if you like a book, tell everyone you know. Be that book’s champion because if you do, you’re being a champion for the author herself. My only hope is that readers like what I’ve written. That they can count on me to deliver a story that is worth both their time and their hard-earned money. Nothing would make me happier than to know a reader has finished one of my books with the pleasure of having read it. That’s what I strive for as an author. To be someone’s favorite author as so many authors have been mine.

#BookReview Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale by David Kudler

Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale 
(Seasons of the Sword #1)
by David Kudler

Genre: Historical, Young Adult, Fantasy
Publication:  June 15th, 2016 by Stillpoint
Format: ebooks
Source: NetGalley, Stillpoint Digital Press
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Can One Girl Win A War?

Though Japan has been devastated by a century of civil war, Risuko just wants to climb trees. Growing up far from the battlefields and court intrigues, the fatherless girl finds herself pulled into a plot that may reunite Japan -- or may destroy it. She is torn from her home and what is left of her family, but finds new friends at a school that may not be what it seems.

Magical but historical, Risuko follows her along the first dangerous steps to discovering who she truly is.

Kano Murasaki, called Risuko (Squirrel) is a young, fatherless girl, more comfortable climbing trees than down on the ground. Yet she finds herself enmeshed in a game where the board is the whole nation of Japan, where the pieces are armies, moved by scheming lords, and a single girl couldn't possibly have the power to change the outcome. Or could she?

I wasn't expecting much when I first read the book. I was afraid that it was going to be a letdown. But after reading Risuko, I have to say that I'm impressed with this book. I think the author did a very good job in writing the book with a strong heroine and magical world of the Kunoichi. 

Kano Murasaki or Risuko was a child who grew up without her father. She was taken away from her family and was brought to a school. She was a likable character. She's strong and curious. She sounded a bit like a child now, but I have no doubt that she was going to grow up fine. The secondary characters made the story much more interesting. I love her friends and will be happy to see more of them. I'm excited to see Risuko and her friend grew as Kunoichi.

I was intrigued with the book after the first few chapters, although it slowed down a bit in the middle. It wasn't draggy, but slow. Soon, the story picked up its pace with a whole lot of action, mystery, secrets, and twists. The book was lacking in romance, but I'm fine with that because I truly enjoyed Risuko's growth within the story. I'm glad that there was going to be a continuation from this book. Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale is definitely a one of the best historical fantasy book I've read.

I received a copy of this book from the Netgalley & the publisher in exchange for my review.

#BookReview All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

All the Missing Girls
by Megan Miranda

Genre: Thriller, Crime, Mystery, Adult
Publication: 28 Jun 2016 by Simon & Schuster
Format: ebooks
Source: NetGalley, Simon & Schuster
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

It’s been ten years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared from Cooley Ridge without a trace. Back again to tie up loose ends and care for her ailing father, Nic is soon plunged into a shocking drama that reawakens Corinne’s case and breaks open old wounds long since stitched.

The decade-old investigation focused on Nic, her brother Daniel, boyfriend Tyler, and Corinne’s boyfriend Jackson. Since then, only Nic has left Cooley Ridge. Daniel and his wife, Laura, are expecting a baby; Jackson works at the town bar; and Tyler is dating Annaleise Carter, Nic’s younger neighbor and the group’s alibi the night Corinne disappeared. Then, within days of Nic’s return, Annaleise goes missing.

Told backwards—Day 15 to Day 1—from the time Annaleise goes missing, Nic works to unravel the truth about her younger neighbor’s disappearance, revealing shocking truths about her friends, her family, and what really happened to Corinne that night ten years ago.

I was intrigued after reading the description. It was interesting to see how the story was going to be told backward, from the time Nicolette (Nic) Farrell returned home. All the Missing Girls tells the story of the disappearance of two missing girls, Corinne, Nic's best friend who disappeared years ago, and Annaleise, who went missing shortly after Nic's return to Cooley Ridge.

Cooley Ridge holds a few secrets with Corinne disappeared. When Annaleise too, went missing, shocking truths about Nic's family and friends resurfaced.

I was a bit worried about the story at first with how the story was told. I was afraid that it wouldn't make sense, but surprisingly, the story worked better with how it was told. I admit that the story was a bit confusing at the beginning. But after reading the book, I think the author did a great job with the storytelling. It was clever to write the story backward with each secret unraveled slowly as the story goes. In the end, I feel like I wanted to reread the story again - from the way it was written and from the correct chronology.

All the Missing Girls is definitely a great crime thriller read. The writing was brilliant. There's a lot of twists that I didn't see or expect. I just didn't know who to trust in the book. It was shocking to find out the truth about the missing girls. I will definitely look forward to the author's other books.

I received a copy of this book from the Netgalley & Simon & Schuster in exchange for my review.

#BookBlitz: All Access by Liberty Kontranowski - #Excerpt + #Giveaway

Welcome to Liberty Kontranowski's Book Blitz with her book, All Access. Visit CLP Blog Tours for more info and Book Blitz stops.

All Access (Fangirl #1)

by Liberty Kontranowski

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance, Humor

Publication: June 22nd, 2016 by Marching Ink LLC

Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Every fangirl has a fantasy . . . what happens when that “if only” dream comes true?

Though she’s a single mom wedged firmly into thirty-something territory, author Kallie Reagan’s devotion to rock star Niles Russell knows no bounds. To pay homage to her muse, Kallie writes a smokin’ hot novel featuring a hero who looks and acts an awful lot like Niles — and a heroine who may or may not have a smattering of herself thrown in for fun.

When Niles learns about the book and surprise-texts Kallie, the two deliciously complicated creatives become fast friends . . . and so much more. But trying to define a relationship that’s laced with closeted skeletons, half-truths, and constant question marks proves harder than making it big. If they’re going to progress from Fangirl Infatuation to The Real Deal, these two need to give each other All Access to the most important place of all: their hearts.

Excerpt from All Access

CHAPTER FIVE

Backstage Pass

Backstage is not at all as glamorous as it should be. It’s a bit musty and surprisingly chilly, given the steamy summer night outside. Eight-foot tables are pushed together in a C-shape with food, beer, energy drinks, and disposable tableware covering every inch. I lean against a wall, not knowing what to do with myself. There are a few others trickling backstage, but Zeke, the bouncer, took only me to the part of the room with the food.

There’s some commotion and laughter, but it still sounds far away. My pulse picks up and there is no question that anyone within a ten-mile radius could hear my heart thump if they listened hard enough. This is getting too real. This isn’t words on the pages of a book anymore, or even some texts and a quick phone call. Niles is a real human being who just walked through the door backstage and is heading straight toward me. There is seriously nowhere—and no time—to hide!

He immediately catches my eye, and I lose my breath. I am one hundred percent sure my face rivals the color of red velvet cake. I break into a cold sweat so bad it feels like my skin is melting.

He slips past everyone else and, in an instant, is less than a foot away from me. “I got you on the first try,” he announces, clearly proud of himself. “I knew it was you. I knew you’d be blonde. Knew it!”

His lips part to reveal those teeth! I read once that he had veneers applied after busting a tooth at a show a few years back, and now I truly believe it. They are Colgate-commercial straight, pure white, and all lined up like little soldiers in his wide mouth. I’m dying.

From the first row, I could see every one of his fillings (there are four) and I quickly became fascinated with how he could sing and smile at the same time. When his eyes fell on mine, not five minutes into the show, I knew he knew. He didn’t reach for my hand until over halfway through, but we made eye contact several times. When his fingers finally clasped mine, it was electric. I was touching Niles Russell. He held on longer than he should have, making the fans around me—guys and girls alike — that much more determined to get their own piece of him. He surprised us all by grabbing a few more hands, but only mine did he grab a second time.

Now, he’s so close to me I can smell him. His hair is wet and messy, but his face is no longer sweaty, as though he stuck his head under a faucet on the way back. He has a towel wrapped around his neck and his concert T-shirt has been replaced with a clean, dry one. He smells of deodorant and hot skin. It’s intoxicating.

“Have fun?” He hands me a half-empty water bottle. “Shit! That one’s mine. Here’s a full one.” He shakes his head in embarrassment and switches the bottles, which is disappointing since I would have gladly taken his.

It occurs to me that I have not yet uttered one word—only smiled stupidly—so I take a breath and give it a try.

“You positively killed it tonight,” I say, my voice shaking as it finds its legs. “As always.” He beams.

I can tell I touched a hot spot, so I keep going. “Every performance gets better, I swear. And I’ve seen many.”

“Thank you.” He reaches out like he’s going to touch my arm, but his hand just kind of airballs and falls back to his side. “Much more fun than real life.” He winks.

Author Bio

Liberty Kontranowski is a romantic women’s fiction author who adores all things lovey-dovey with a pinch (or more) of hubba-hubba. When she’s not at the keyboard, she’s taxiing around her three boys, knocking back craft beers with the hubs, blogging, fangirling, and dreaming up more fake people. She also spends an inordinate amount of time drinking coffee and dreaming of the day she can bid adieu to far-too-wintry Michigan and move to a place where she can write with her toes in the sand.

Liberty loves to hear from her readers (and otherwise cool people) so give her a yell. You can find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/libertykontranowskiauthor; on Twitter at @liberty_k; and through her blog at www.PurdyandWordy.com.

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#OnTour A Wolf On The Loose By Daniel Straka - #Interview + #Giveaway

 A Wolf On The Loose  By Daniel Straka is now on a Virtual Book Tour from June 19 to July 22, 2016.

A Wolf On The Loose: Episode 1 (A Wolf On The Loose)
by Dan Straka

Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Publication: February 21st, 2015
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

A Wolf On The Loose is a weekly e-serial, containing 36 parts spread over 5 episodes. One part is released weekly, free, on Amazon for 5 days (Monday-Friday). Completed episodes are available for purchase. 

Amid struggling with his addictions, former Marine Andrew St George goes AWOL from his rich family and lavish lifestyle. He appears months later in Miami with one intent; convince his friend, Emilio Cortez, to start a Private Military Company with him. Having left the Corps after his brother was killed in a drive-by, Emilio’s been stuck working three jobs to support his extended family, all of whom he lives with in a small apartment. 

While Andrew and Emilio enter into the security business looking for an escape from their civilian lives, both struggle with their demons. From the slums of Miami, the glitzy South Beach nightlife, to Cartel controlled Mexico, the boys will learn that despite their best intentions, no one job is the same and that there are battles to be fought outside of war zones.

Interview with Dan Straka

1. Tell me about yourself & your book.

A WOLF ON THE LOOSE is a weekly adventure/thriller about two former Marines trying to find their place in the civilian world by starting a private security company in Miami, Florida. What they get, is more than they bargained for.

The genre, timeframe, and format allowed me to have the character’s living in our world, reacting to major events. The week-to- week format also gave the characters room to breathe; slice-of- life scenes that wouldn’t fit within a novel were able to be included.

The nature of the security company, and finding new clients with varying backgrounds, allows for social commentary on subjects ranging from police shootings to veteran’s affairs, gang wars, drug lords, and even nerd culture.

2. How do you come up with the idea of the book? What is your inspiration?

Originally I started a novel, based on a private military company (PMC), and the protagonist was a female journalist embedded with the PMC operating in Kurdistan. This plot had some legs, and may appear in future seasons, but at the time I didn't have enough "good stuff" to flesh out an entire engaging story.

Around that time I watched Showtime's "Strike Back", which was focused on two Special Forces soldiers engaging in alternative conflict theaters and in small scale battles. I thought, that's how I should do my story.

The plots of AWOTL are not about stopping a speeding train filled with bombs, on its way to DC. AWOTL is about the characters dealing with conflicts based on events that can, and do, happen in the real world, and their own struggles. That's why Andrew and Emilio are not action heroes straight out of Call of Duty. They are simply two former Marines, with their own hang-ups and issues.

3. How long did it take you to write this book?

I started preliminary work in the fall of 2013, and weekly releases began in January 2015. Thirty-six weeks later, Season 1 concluded in September 2015 with a nasty cliffhanger.

4. Do your characters ever surprise you? 

Yes, not just the characters but the flow of the narrative. I'll start planning and typing out a scene, and as the characters are talking, things happen. I sit back and think, oh, I didn’t anticipate that twist. That's in the initial draft, and then I re-write. The best way for me to edit and keep that plot twist or excitement I uncovered is: read a scene, remember what I like about it, then crtl+x and delete. And rewrite it from memory.

5. Grade your book. How many stars out of a perfect score of 5 stars? Please give the reason.

I think the story overall is fun and engaging, and the writing is clean thanks to my editor. Even my wife likes AWOTL! She is a diehard Jane Austen and classics fan, and not a fan of thrillers. So I count that as high praise!

Like most writers, I'm happy with some scenes and wish I could tweak others. Really, I'm more interested in what readers think. How they feel. And I hope they get as excited to read AWOTL each week, as I was to write it.

6. What are you working on right now?

I'm actively working on Season 2 of AWOTL. This one requires a bit more research. And, I'm going a traditional publishing route with a sword and sorcery fantasy.

7. Anything you would like to say to your readers?

As part of the blog tour, I will be releasing one episode a week for free on Amazon, beginning on July 4 th . I hope you enjoy reading any, or all, of A Wolf On the Loose. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments section, or as a review on Amazon.

Thanks for reading!

Author Bio

Dan achieved a BFA in photography and metal working and since graduating, has done neither. By day he works in manufacturing. By night, often very late into the night, he writes and stalks America's sub-cultures on the vast internets.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

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#BookReview Fixin' To Die by Tonya Kappes

Fixin' To Die
(A Kenni Lowry Mystery)
by Tonya Kappes

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Chick Lit, Crime, Mystery
Publication: June 14th, 2016 by Henery Press
Format: ebooks
Source: NetGalley, Henery Press
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Kenni Lowry likes to think the zero crime rate in Cottonwood, Kentucky is due to her being sheriff, but she quickly discovers the ghost of her grandfather, the town’s previous sheriff, has been scaring off any would-be criminals since she was elected. When the town’s most beloved doctor is found murdered on the very same day as a jewelry store robbery, and a mysterious symbol ties the crime scenes together, Kenni must satisfy her hankerin’ for justice by nabbing the culprits.

With the help of her Poppa, a lone deputy, and an annoyingly cute, too-big-for-his-britches State Reserve officer, Kenni must solve both cases and prove to the whole town, and herself, that she’s worth her salt before time runs out.

Fixin' To Die by Tonya Kappes is definitely a good, cozy mystery  read around. It was fascinating to see a bit of mystery and supernatural combined in a book. Kenni Lowry, a sheriff, faced a murder case and a jewelry store robbery on the same day.  And somehow, a mystery symbol ties the two case together. It was up to Kenni to solve the mystery.

I love Kenni as the main character. It was exciting to know that she's a sheriff. This is the first murder case she had as a sheriff and Kenni must solve the two cases with the help of her Poppa's ghost (my favorite character in the book) and the State Reserve officer, Finn.

This is definitely a cozy mystery read that I really enjoyed. The plot was nice, fun, exciting and believable. There are a little bit of twist here and there keeps me guessing until the end. I enjoy the bits of romance between Kenni and the Finn. Oh well. It wasn't really a romance. But, Kenni does have a crush on Finn. I'm excited to see them again in the next book.

I received a copy of this book from the Netgalley & Henery Press in exchange for my review.