The Undays of Aralias Lyons (Blog Tour)

There's something about escaping into a fantasy book during the cold winter months that is too perfect for words. I picked up The Undays of Aralias Lyons on a whim when it was available on NetGalley, and it ended up being a great read for this dreary time of year! The world that Horvath created is one you won't soon forget, and I'd highly recommend this to any and all fans of creative fiction. There's a lot too love!

Simeon Bliss, the big bad of this story, was one part of really made this novel come alive for me. I never really knew what the next big move was going to be, which is always a lot of fun. I also really enjoyed the use of mythical creatures. You really can't top having a character ride a pegasus into battle.

The characters at times were a little hit and miss. I didn't dislike any of them individually, but I would have liked to see some of the focus put elsewhere... more Simeon! Or if nothing else, more of the relationship between Aralias and Jack. Maybe it was because of Clara on Doctor Who, but there was something about this Clara that didn't always work for me.

The concept and scope of this story were really well done though, and I overall this book was really nicely put together. I was genuinely impressed!

About the Book

Don’t miss K.L. Horvath’s compelling time travel fantasy with talking beasts, iron monsters, otherworldly creatures and a desperate father!

For centuries the great Houses of Time have watched over the mythical creatures, those who manipulate the past for their own ends and humankind. But now the houses have dwindled and few are left who remember the mandates. One, in fact, is determined to put the world in its proper place—beneath his rule.

To do that, he’s kidnapped Jack Lyons, the youngest of the Time Travelers. And to get him back and defeat Bliss, Lord Aralias Lyons, Jack’s father, will do anything he has to. He’ll fight wicked spiders, an army of clockwork men, let his son suffer and manipulate time itself in order to right what Bliss has put wrong. He’ll even allow the innocent Miss Clara Heartwell to discover more about the Travelers than most mortals know.
Through secret and deadly deals with dragons, battles back in time and with Jack himself, Aralias has to think smarter, act faster, and be more decisive. Because in the end, saving Jack is all that matters …

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Blog Tour: The Worlds Traveler

Life on the run from madman Martin Reimer gets in the way of everything.

For fourteen-year-old Phillip, it has meant having to stay hidden, unable to use his gift of moving through maps to search for his missing father. But the arrival of a stranger named Delroy brings unexpected opportunity, for Delroy is a man with the ability to travel worlds hidden within our own and he was sent by Phillip’s father. Now Phillip will do everything he can to find his dad, even if it means tricking Delroy into helping him or a quest through those hidden worlds.

Even if leaving home means Martin can now find him…

Follow in the adventures of Phillip Stone and Natalie Bristol from the award-winning book The Magician’s Doll!

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Hi everyone! So we've got something exciting for you today. A blog tour stop, featuring M.L. Roble and her book The Worlds Traveler. I'll be reviewing this one either late this month or early next month, but I recently had the chance to read book one as well, so decided to push back my review in order to get the full sense of the story. For now, check out this excerpt from The Worlds Traveler!

Phillip sighed and leaned back. He gave a shrug and looked out the window. Like the soda shop, the whole town with its small shops and landscaped streets had an old-time feel. He didn’t think it was a coincidence that their mothers and Mrs. Blaine chose places that were set back from the rest of the world. “It’s nice enough here, I guess. It’s just that every time we’ve gone somewhere through the map, every time we’ve seen all these different places…I don’t know, I just wanna tell my dad about it.”

“Aren’t you worried how dangerous it is with the Reimers out there?” Natalie asked.

“It’s going to keep getting dangerous, Natalie. We’ve been through this.” Phillip’s hands balled into fists and then flexed as he tried to calm the frustration starting to burn in his chest. “It’s going to get worse. It doesn’t matter what we do to avoid trouble, it’s going to come to us some time, somehow. If my dad’s alive, I’d rather face it with him.”

“What about your mom?” Natalie asked.

“Why do you think I’m still here?” Phillip shot back. “Why are you giving me such a hard time about this? You said when the time came you’d help me, you know,” he reminded her.

“I meant what I said! If you ask me to go, I’ll go. I’m just hoping that when we do, it’s because you’ve given this some good thought and planning.”

“All I do is think and plan!” Once again Phillip’s voice rose.

Only a few heads turned this time. The rest of the customers seemed content to let them be. Their waitress looked over and winked at Phillip. Work it out, she mouthed.

“Then why haven’t we gone yet?” Natalie asked.

“Because it’s complicated.” A slight bitterness salted Phillip’s answer. “Look, the point is, I’m here, it doesn’t look like I’m going anywhere, and I think you should cut me some slack for wanting a little adventure once in a while.”

He scowled and took another gulp of his float, watching the mini whirlpool form in the cream as he sipped through the straw. He was doing the best he could, he thought. Why wasn’t anyone giving him any credit for that? Times like these he felt like everyone was trying to scrunch him into shapes he couldn’t make.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Natalie’s fingers slacken. Her straw dropped and rolled across the table. He looked up in surprise.

Natalie sat as if invisible hands had pulled her shoulders back, straightening her spine. Her eyes were on his face, but their focus went through and far beyond him.

“Nat,” Phillip said softly. He reached for her wrist and grasped it, feeling the warmth of her skin and the steady beat of her pulse. Natalie’s posture was so rigid, so unmoving, he swept a surreptitious glance around the soda shop to make sure no one had noticed. The other patrons were engrossed with their own business, but their waitress caught his eye, and seeing his hand clasping Natalie’s wrist, she gave him a nod and a smile of approval. Phillip smiled back weakly and turned back to Natalie.

He had forgotten how unnerving Natalie’s gift was. It had been a long time since it had overtaken her. It had crept up on her several times when she had first come into it, but since then she had learned how to keep it at bay. Now it had her in its hold, and it felt like she had slipped away, leaving him holding an empty vessel.

“Nat,” he said again, giving her wrist a little shake. He waited, a helpless ball of uncertainty, until the emptiness in her eyes slowly filled with a reassuring solidity. A few seconds later, she was back, and when he looked into her face and saw a response in hers, relief flooded him. “What happened? Your gift?”

Natalie nodded, her eyebrows forming a confused squiggle. “Different this time, though. I don’t think it went as deep.” A part of her seemed to linger in whatever place her gift had taken her because her focus was scattered, and when her eyes met his, he felt the vastness of a galaxy behind them. “Someone has come, Phillip, come to our town. Whoever he is, he’s looking for you.”

Review: Romantic Road by Blair McDowell

When Lacy Telchev buries her husband she finds herself in treacherous waters. Igor, much older than Lacy, had secrets. Suddenly Lacy is being chased across Europe by men who believe she can lead them to those secrets. Evading her pursuers with the aid of a chance acquaintance, the handsome and mysterious Max Petersen, Lacy travels across Germany, Austria and Hungary, to a shattering discovery in Budapest.
Along the way, she meets three women from Igor's past. As Igor's story unfolds through them, Lacy is less and less certain who her husband really was. Who can Lacy trust? Will she survive to find out?

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Review: Blair McDowell is a new author for me, but one I'm really glad I picked up. I do think I've sen a few of her books around before, but when I read the blurb for Romantic Road there was no question that I'd finally be taking the plunge and reading one of her books. And it absolutely did not disappoint. This was one of the best romantic thrillers I've read all year, maybe ever. It did a great job of following some of the best tropes of the genre while still managing to surprise the reader, which is always impressive.

Romantic Road follows Lacy, who recently lost her husband... which unfortunately, is only the beginning of her problems. She has more than her share of secrets, and it looks like her husband may have had a few of his own, which doesn't make it easy for her to move forward. Thankfully, the wonderfil Max Petersen is there to help, and boy am I glad he is. Lacy is tackling some big stuff here as she tries to follow the clues Igor left behind, and it will take her directly into the path of government officials that she may be better off not getting in the way of. But that wouldn't make for a very good story, now would it? So Lacy and Max team up, and everything explodes from there.

The story is fantastically paced, and it's easy to root for every one of these characters. A must read for anyone who likes a little steamy romance mixed in with their intense mysteries!

Blog Tour: The Sand Prince (Promo + Excerpt)

About the Book “When the storm came, it was made of magic, not rain, and when it had passed, the life and the city Hellne knew were changed forever.” In Kim Alexander’s debut novel she weaves a witty, epic fantasy brimming with diverse characters and plenty of intrigue.

Two worlds 

On the war-ravaged demon world of Eriis, Hellne, the fierce young queen, fights to keep her people alive, and to keep her son’s parentage a secret. On the green and gentle human world of Mistra, the demons have faded into myth. Only a handful of old men and children still guard The Door between the worlds. Bound by magic Rhuun, the Prince of Eriis, uncovers a sultry book written by a human, sparking an obsession with the other world. When he is forced to flee Eriis, he must travel through The Door or pay the price in blood.

Divided by a door 

The humans of Mistra are not what Rhuun was expecting—and one insufferable young woman in particular is about to find out that the demons of Eriis are not mythological after all . . .

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An exclusive excerpt from the book!
Rhuun learns a couple of important lessons:

"Where are your little friends, Beast?" called Niico. "No girls to protect you today? No one to hold your hand?" His friends were holding each other up laughing, and sending short, sharp blasts at his legs. Niico took a great leap into the air, instantly sprung his wings and hovered directly above Rhuun. His hands were cupped, no doubt preparing a bolt. "Hey, look up here! I'm talking to you!"

Niico, rather than using his flame, dumped a double handful of ash on Rhuun's head. For a long moment he could neither see nor breathe. But he could hear them laughing.

"Freak! Beast!" they shouted.

Do it now, said Ilaan's voice in his head. Or do it never.

He stood. He reached up. He reached all the way up and caught the tip of Niico's wing as he swung past. Instead of a graceful arc carrying him up and away, Niico's momentum carried him face first into the dirt. Momentum was just as interesting as Rhuun hoped.

Rhuun realized he was still holding the first flange of Niico's wing, now dislocated and twisted completely behind his back. He stretched it out and brought his foot down on it, crushing the fragile bones and delicate membrane under his heel. A leathery shred came off in his hand. Niico screamed like a new fledged girl and lay still. His friends had vanished.

It was the most intensely pleasurable moment of Rhuun's life.

Aelle and Ilaan joined him in the blowing smoke of the play field.

Ilaan said, "You've made an enemy for life. About time." Then he helped a sobbing Niico to his feet, saying, "Oh, I know, it looks bad now, but I'll have you back in the air in no time…."

Aelle merely looked at him. Finally she said, "I'll see you later," and left without another word.

Kim Alexander grew up in the wilds of Long Island, NY and slowly drifted south until she reached Key West. After spending ten undocumented years in the Keys, she moved to Washington DC, where she lives with two cats, an angry fish, and her extremely patient husband. THE SAND PRINCE is Kim’s debut novel and begins the fantasy series THE DEMON DOOR. Find her Online

Blog Tour: Antidote by Taylor Hondos

Life sucks, and then you rot. No one knows how Dermadecatis is contracted, but its existence has changed everything for 18-year-old Lena, in this riveting debut from Taylor Hondos.

No contact with other people.

Masks must be worn in public at all times.

Four months ago men, women and children alike began to rot from the inside out, and the world as we know it changed forever. Life goes on, but now everything revolves around the need to survive and find a cure for Dermadecatis, the disease that Lena Alona's father discovered. Unfortunately for Lena and everyone else who is desperate to survive, her father's secrets died when he did.

Review: This is the most amazingly awesome cover I have seen in a long time, so there's something super fitting about posting my blog tour entry to celebrate the launch of this book on Halloween. Everything about the world of Antidote is super creepy, especially because it doesn't seem that far fetched as a possible future for our society.

Dermadecatis rots you from the inside out which is obviously not something to look forward to so the whole world has reshaped itself around this disease. Antidote focuses on two things, the reprecussions of Dermadecatis and... finding an Antidote. Shocking, I know. The main character, Lena is in an interesting position through all of this as her father had played a pivotal role in the history of the disease... at least until he was murdered.

This book will hook you right away with a really intense opening that perfectly brings the world to life, but from there things slow down a bit, really building the tension over the course of the narrative. Have I mentioned that this book creeped me out? (In a good way!) Anyways, I won't give anything away but this book was great and there is so much potential here for a really amazing series that blows away conventional ideas about dystopian/apocalyptic stories.

I had a look on Goodreads, and the title for book two has already been released so hopefully that's coming soon!

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Get the Book Amazon - Barnes & Noble - The Book Depository

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About the Author... Taylor Hondos Professional life-contemplator, book enthusiast and coffee drinker. Taylor Hondos lives in North Carolina with her family and dog, Blackie. When she am not writing, you can find her reading in the corner, searching endlessly for new books to read or binge watching Sex and the City. “Antidote” is her first novel. Learn more at - http://www.taylorhondos.com/ 

Review - Fallen Angel, Part 1

About the Book

On the first day of her holiday to Washington, DC, Brooke Stiles meets Robert Stone.

Dark eyed, damaged and dangerous - Stone has never had a normal relationship for fear of his past being exposed. Not knowing how to respect nor love, he struggles with his feelings for a woman who makes him question everything that he is.

Brooke falls in love with him and as their relationship grows she learns who he really is. Her future is set. She is to heal her man and mend his broken soul. But can she do the one thing that he asks?

This is a story of an ordinary woman who falls in love with an extraordinary man and has to discover whether she is strong enough to forgive him his past.

Contemporary romance for readers over the age of 18.

Review
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review Part 1 of the Fallen Angel series by Tracie Podger. I absolutely loved this story and will be continuing with the series!

Where I didn't agree with the story is saying that Brooke is an ordinary woman falling in love with an extraordinary man. I really enjoyed Brooke's character, and feel like calling her ordinary is underselling her quite a bit. Both of these main characters were dynamic and easy to root for. I loved them both together and apart. I also really enjoyed Sam and thought she was a great support system for Brooke.

There are some steamy bits, but they aren't a central element to the story. This is romance through and through, and a must read for anyone feeling the need to swoon.

Cover Reveal: The Worlds Traveller

From award-winning author, M.L. Roble, comes a story about a boy, his map, and an adventure. Life on the run from a madman named Martin gets in the way of everything. For fourteen-year-old Phillip, it means having to stay hidden, unable to use his gift of moving through maps to search for his missing father. But the arrival of a stranger named Delroy brings unexpected opportunity, for Delroy is a man with the ability to travel worlds hidden within our own, and he was sent by Phillip's father. Now Phillip will do everything he can to find his dad, even if it means tricking Delroy into helping him, or a quest through those hidden worlds. Even if leaving home means Martin can now find him.

Available for pre-order at a special pre-order price of $2.99! Take advantage of it now at Itunes, Barnes and Noble, & Kobo. Follow in the adventures of Phillip Stone and Natalie Bristol from the award-winning book, The Magician's Doll!

MURDER AND OTHER UNNATURAL DISASTERS

Watch out Southern California! There's a new entertainment attorney in town and she's got game. Only problem is, it’s not the one she should be playing. Corrie Locke belongs behind a desk, not behind a Glock. She should be taking VIP calls, not nosing around a questionable suicide. Instead, she's hot on the trail of a murderer. Luckily, she's the daughter of a late, great private eye and she's inherited his love of sleuthing…and illegal weaponry. It doesn't help matters that her gene for caution is a recessive one. Corrie finds herself in the center of a murder case, unearthing suspects in shocking places. With a cold-blooded killer on the loose, Corrie will have to up her game, or die trying.

Review

Guys... I really love books. I want to spend all my time reading, and stories like Murder and Other Unnatural Disasters is exactly the type of book that reminds me why. I wasn't sure quite what I was getting into when I requested this book on NetGalley, but I'm so glad I decided to read this. MaOUS is mostly a mystery, but also a really great character driven story.

Corrie Locke is an entertainment attorney, but she quickly gets in way over her head. It's impossible not too root for this girl as she tries to balance everything she has going on while also trying to, you know, not get killed.

The writing is really engaging and smart, so I was suprised to see that Lida Sideris doesn't have any other books out yet. I'll be keeping an eye out for what she comes up with next. 

Blog Tour: Goddess of Suburbia by Stephanie Kepke

Suburbia meets scandal in this hopeful and honest portrayal of that moment in every woman’s life when it's time to make a change, even if that means risking losing it all. Goddess of Suburbia by Stephanie Kepke is a must-read for women looking to reconnect with their passions, and live authentically.

When pillar of the community and PTA mom, Max, allowed her husband, Nick, to record a sex video of them on his cell phone, she thought of it as simply a way to keep Nick interested and entertained during his frequent business trips. But suddenly, Max is trending everywhere—her video lighting up the blogosphere and Twitter, thanks to the fact that she’s a genuine, imperfect woman. Now the paparazzi are chronicling her every move; her daughter wants to disown her; and her marriage has completely fallen apart. Just as things can't get any more chaotic, Max's college boyfriend, shows up two decades after he broke her heart. Now Max must learn to stop going through the motions of her life on auto-pilot and start living authentically, or risk forever being a suburban lemming running towards the cliff of old age.

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Review: Fall Line by Tudor Robins

Fall Line

Everything’s forward.

Those are fifteen-year-old Chris Myers’ words for the year.

The next gate, the next race, his spot on the district ski team; they’re all his for the taking.

Except training is such hard work. And then there’s Jenna – the very opposite of hard work – gorgeous, curvy, and into partying. Into Chris.

Instead of moving forward, Chris is sliding back. Slower times, worse results, and his best friend, Tilly, drifting away.

“The thing you want is right in front of you,” Tilly said. Now Chris just has to figure out what that thing is – and how to get it – before it’s too late.

Fast-paced, fun, and intense, Fall Line is a refreshing read from start gate to finish line.

Review

What initially grabbed my attention when I saw this book on NetGalley was the cover, specifically the awesome colors. Then once I saw it was skiing related, I really couldn't resist picking it up. As someone who isn't especially atheletic, I sort of have a thing for sports books (and it turns out, Tudor Robins is a great author for that in particular) and Fall Line didn't disappoint.

This book follows Chris Meyers who is all about skiing, until distractions start to get in the way that is. Most of those distractions come in the form of Jenna, and romance, and all that good stuff. I really enjoyed watching Chris try to find that balance between drive/passion/ambition and building a life, enjoying being a teenager. He definitely doesn't always make the right choices, but I still always wanted to see him succeed.

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Blog Tour + Guest Post: Overexposed by Adrianne James

The bright screen shines at you in mockery. The blinking cursor that seems to scream HA-HA...HA-HA...HA-HA with every stupid flash. We have all been there. I promise. It’s not something that people say to make it you feel better. It is the truth and nothing but the truth so help me….yeah yeah yeah. You know the rest.

So, what can you do to stop the imaginary mocking of the computer screen? That’s easy. All you have to do is write. Yes. I just said to write even though you are thinking, "But I’m blocked! Stupid woman!"

I didn’t say to write what you are trying to force out. For one, it will be crap. Yup. I said it. Forcing the words out will almost guarantee that they will suck. For two, if it were that easy, you wouldn’t need me telling you anything.

What I mean is just write anything at all. Write out your stream of consciousness. Write out your thoughts on the TV show you watched or the last book you read (which you should do anyway! Review for your fellow author!). Write out that fantasy that runs through your head every time you see Joe Manganiello grace your screen (that can’t be just me). Seriously, write out anything other than your current work in progress. Just keep writing.

Then take a break and reread your story. Fall in love with the characters again. Picture their future as if they were your children. Then, write. I bet the words will flow. And if not, write something else until they do.

   Get the book Amazon - Barnes & Noble - iTunes - The Book Depository 

In the tiny town of Willowspring, just about nothing ever happens except for layoffs, hockey games, and your average melodramatic teenage angst.

But that was before.

Vi, Ashley, and Macy are just trying to make it through the school year without one more humiliation when they team up for a simple photography assignment: create a story through a series of photographs. Can't be too much trouble, right?

Wrong.

The shutterbugs happen upon Willowspring High School's darkest secret. When everything around them starts to crumble after trying to do the right thing, their only hope is to stick together.

Blog Tour: Praying for Time by Cassandre Dayne

What if a single secret shared between friends could destroy everything?

Russell Willis adores Jake Timmons and while their relationship has its ups and downs, they are happy, healthy and living life the way they’ve always dreamed. A well-respected architect, Russell has plans for the future, which include marriage, but in a single moment, his visions are shattered—Jake is gravely ill. 

While Jake has always kept his emotions and details about his past locked away, the diagnosis shuts him down into a world of denial, a refusal to face reality. Unsure of what to do, Russell allows him space until he’s certain his lover is having an affair. Angry and confused, he flees, seeking solace, answers and possibly retribution. 

Kyle Bass knows about tragedy. His long-time lover was taken in a drunken driving accident, he’s barely on the healing track, and guilt has changed him forever. When he finds out about Jake’s condition, he offers to help, no matter what he’s asked to do. The request rattles his world. Determined to keep the secret, Kyle is led down an emotional trail until he’s unable to cope. As the scheme turns ugly and he’s accused of betrayal, he struggles with his personal demons. 

Unfortunately Jake’s health takes a serious turn for the worse. In his quest to bring Russell home, Kyle is forced to face the truth about undying love. Secrets endured from their respective pasts take a damning toll and yet one hidden treasure remains—an unexpected light in a bleak time, but would the two haunted men grasp onto the only thing able to save them? Sadly, as their respective worlds unravel, they are all praying for time.

READ PRAYING FOR TIME NOW

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MY REVIEW
I've been seeing a lot of Cassandre Dayne books on NetGalley lately, and absolutely love it! Not sure why, but I've definitely been on a bit of a m/m romance kick this summer, and Praying For Time was absolutely the most heartbreaking story I've read in a good long while in any sort of romance. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of this cover, but the blurb really hooked me.

Russell and Jake are happy. Life isn't perfect, but they've got each other. at least until Jake gets sick and is faced with a very possibly terminal diagnosis. He handles it out by shutting Russell out, and everything spirals from there. Enter Kyle.

Praying for Time is packed with twists and drama, while keeping the relationship between Russell and Jake at it's core. I almost wish we could have spent more time (no pun intended) with just these two without bringing Kyle into the mis, but ultimately the story worked well and had me hooked.

Blog Tour - Daimones by Massimo Marino

About the book: Nothing could have prepared them for the last day. Explore the future of humanity in Massimo Marino’s sci-fi debut, Daimones, an apocalyptic tale that feels like it could happen tomorrow. You may never sleep through a windstorm again.
Death swept away the lives of billions, but spared Dan Amenta and his family, leading them to an uncertain future. When merely surviving isn’t enough and the hunt for answers begins, memories from the past and troubling encounters lead Dan to the truth about the extermination of the human race. Distressing revelations will give new meaning to their very existence.
Early humans shaped the future and seeded a plan millions of years in the making. Now survivors must choose: Endure a future with no past or fade away into a past with no future

Purchase Daimones

- Amazon.com 

- Amazon.co.uk

- Barnes & Noble

My Review
I know now that what my life has been missing (only lately) is some really imaginative science fiction. I used to love the stuff, couldn't get enough. But schi-fi tends to make for a more time consuming read than some of the lighter stuff I've been picking up lately, and in my quest to read more books I'd been avoiding it. Big mistake.  Daimones is the first science fiction book I've read in a while, and it was spectacular. Big concept, larger than life plotting, and great writing. It was everything I could have hoped for... and I've already been approved for book two on NetGalley!

Daimones is the story of the end of the world... sort of. Dan Amenta and his family are among the few survivors left on the planet, but the end of our civilization was only the beginning. I would have liked to see a bit more of the adjustment/reaction after literally billions of people die without warning, but there was a lot of other stuff going on, so I guess I can't fault anyone for not sitting around and navel gazing for too long. There's the bigger picture to worry about!

Marino writes like someone who has already published dozens of books, and will have you hooked right from the first chapter as you try to wrap your head around this incredible plot. An absolute must read for any fans of sci-fi (even the lapsed ones!).

Review: Destiny's Plan

About the book

When Raquelita Muro and Matthew Buchanan meet by chance on a Greyhound bus between Texas and Tallahassee, neither suspects Fate is about to take over.
Raquelita, a gentle girl under the heel of her abusive mother, finds this kind young man a miracle. Matthew, an idealistic young soldier, discovers this sweet-natured girl is an angel in need of a guardian. However, the next stop on Matthew’s journey is Fort Benning to report for deployment to Vietnam, while Raquelita’s destination is set at her mother’s whim. Regardless of the forces tearing them apart, they discover a way to secretly span the distance, to end up closer than ever. But Fate is rarely kind. The vagaries of war—and the unstable tempers of Raquelita’s mother—intervene, leaving both ill-fated lovers feeling there is no hope for their love.
Set in the turbulent era of the Vietnam War, Raquelita’s and Matthew’s story is one of love, loss, lost faith, shattered memoires, deferred dreams and broken promises. Will Fate tear apart these two damaged souls, leaving them desperately alone forever, or will they finally overcome Fate, their bond stronger than they ever thought possible?

Review

Can you say swoon? Because having just finished reading Destiny's Plan,  I'm definitely swooning. Much swoon. Very heart-flutter. I absolutely adored this book! Historical novels aren't usually my thing, but Raquelita (never going to be able to spell that right on one try!) and Matthew's story sucked me in right away. I was rooting for them from beginning to end, which is really the mark of a great love story.

The chemistry between these two characters is what drives the entire story, and the writing brings it to life perfectly, right from when they first meet (on a train! cute!). The odds are stacked against them, but they're drawn to each other despite everything that's going on in both of their lives.

I can't wait to see more from the wonderful author. I'm not sure what Saccenti has planned next, or if there will be more in this series, but whatever it is, I'll read it.

Blog Tour: Corporal Domination

Hey guys! I've got a tour stop today to show you guys, and I think you're going to like it! This one gets very, VERY steamy! That cover alone should give you a pretty good clue about what you're getting into!

Dominating a powerful man isn’t easy…
 Sometimes corporal punishment is needed
 Kade Thompson is sick and tired of working sixty-plus hours a week. After all, he’s only an accountant, not a surgeon. For many he’s considered powerful and a sought-after catch, yet he hasn’t obtained all he hungers for. However, earning a six-figure income has allowed him to indulge in his every desire, including toys and rather kinky bouts of sin. He also enjoys an on-again, off-again push-and-shove relationship with his boss, Trevor Willis. While the sex is passionate, he craves being dominated by the six foot six god, but Trevor doesn’t seem interested. Tired of playing games, he’s ready to break off their relationship until an invitation to meet for a drink at The Peeping Hole—a mysterious and very exclusive club—has him more than curious.
 When he finds out the club offers every aspect of kink, he’s breathless with excitement. As Kade waits for Trevor’s arrival, he’s given an offer he can’t refuse and one that might sate his every craving—if he will submit to the man behind the mask. Unfortunately what goes on behind the hallowed doors is required to stay a sensuous mystery. But can they keep up their end of the bargain and one forged in a touch of black magic? Only Alexander knows. Ssshhh… No peeping.
 I am Alexander—a teacher, a scoundrel, a voyeur and a true entrepreneur. In my world there’s little left to the imagination. That is if you dare to taste what only I can offer. Welcome to The Peeping Hole, where every fantasy you’ve ever desired will come true. Leave your inhibitions at the door and join us. But you must remember, whatever happens here stays here, and trust me, I will know…

As for my thoughts... wait a second, I need to fan myself first. While I didn't connect with the main characters as much as I was hoping for, the BDSM scenes were more than enough to make up for it! HOT AS HELL! Cassandre Dayne can write sex, guys. If you're at all into gay erotica then you need to look her up. I feel like I've been seeing her books all over the place lately, and I want to explore more!

BDSM isn't even usually my kind of thing, but I got so into this story it's not even funny. Once Trevor gets into exploring more adventurous sex with Kade, things get going pretty quickly. This book won't take oyu long to read, but you'll be so glad you did!

Purchase Links
Amazon:  http://amzn.com/B0106VPARA

B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/corporal-domination-cassandre-dayne/1119637080?ean=2940151108584

iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/corporal-domination/id1010788788?mt=11

Tour Stop - The Silent Treamtnet by Melanie Surani

Blurb: Twenty-eight year old Katrina Jaitley is rebuilding her life after escaping an abusive boyfriend. The last thing she needs is the mystery she stumbles on during a bout of retail therapy. But she can't ignore the coil of film -- a piece of movie history -- she finds hidden inside her purchase. Unfortunately, Peter, the handsome host of the estate sale, disappears before Kat has a chance to return it to him. Curious, Kat watches the strip and is shocked to witness the brutal murder of a famous 1920's silent film star by a fellow actor. When a news article cites Kat as the film's owner, her already complicated life goes from bad to worse. Someone is stalking her. Are they trying to silence her or what she has discovered?

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An excerpt from The Silent Treatment

THE WORST PART about working the vampire shift was that apart from Bridget, Kat experienced little human interaction since moving back to Memphis. Bridget still had college buddies who she went drinking and sleeping with, two activities Kat thought better about participating in for the time being. That left Kat stuck either in front of the computer or TV, or in extreme cases, at the twenty‐four hour Walmart.

Solitude in those first two weeks after two years of limited privacy was a welcome relief in most respects. Kat left her belongings, however few, in the living room and returned to find them where she left them, not thrown in the trash. Her computer no longer had a keylogger, thanks to a few hours spent with Bridgetʹs IT savvy brother, and she was free to search whatever she wanted without fear of lecture afterward (Why were you looking at ticket prices? Are you thinking of leaving me?), Kat couldnʹt shake the feeling that someone was going to burst through the door. The baseball bat she kept under her bed wouldnʹt help if someone startled her in the living room.

After placing the Missed Connections ad online and praying Peter would respond, Kat surfed the Internet until her eyes burned. Since her mind was on the coiled piece of film sheʹd found and she desperately wanted to watch it, she focused instead on silent movies, her favorite escape subject.

Her interest began with a poor copy of Metropolis, recommended by a pen pal as being the best thing heʹd ever watched. The release date put her off since so many ʺclassicʺ movies her mom subjected her to involved fast‐talking pictures from the thirties. Three years before the decade change, the constant talkers were quiet, gestures theatrical, and Kat put her own inflection on the written dialogue.

She found a used copy of the novel on which Metropolis was based— written by the directorʹs wife—to fill in the gaps left by massive editing and plot restructuring that rendered the film nearly incomprehensible. Though historians and buffs wanted to experience what the film looked like on opening night, one‐fourth had either been lost or destroyed like so many of its silent brethren.

That was what made the news article on the computer screen stand out.

The complete three‐hour version of Metropolis was found in an unlabeled canister in the Museo del Cine, a film museum in Argentina.

Kat blinked at the screen. ʺAll that time.ʺ The butchered, washed out copy that lay buried somewhere in the box of movies sheʹd dragged to the middle of the living room wasnʹt the end of the story but the beginning. 

Promo: The Damnable Legacy

Lynn Van Swol still regrets the decision she made thirty years ago to place her daughter for adoption so she could climb the highest mountains of the world. Frankie Rizzoni is the troubled biological granddaughter Lynn has never known. And Beth Mahoney is a minister’s wife with terminal cancer and the only one who knows the relationship between the two. She designs a plan upon her deathbed to bring Lynn and Frankie together, but now, narrating from the afterlife, she must helplessly watch as her legacy threatens to unravel. The Damnable Legacy is a story about both love and survival, exploring the importance of attachment, place, and faith, and asking how far we should go to achieve our goals and at what cost.

ADD TO GOODREADS

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Blog Tour: Come Sit By Me

Hi guys! We've got an exciting tour stop today, last minute, but still awesome! Today we're featuring Come Sit By Me by Thomas Hoobler! Read about the book below, and then we can check out an excerpt from the book!

The boy who shot seven people in the school library is dead. But did his secrets die with him?

Something terrible happened at Hamilton High last year, and those who survived don't want to relive the past. But Paul has just arrived, and gets the same locker that the shooter used. He wants to know what really happened...and you know what curiosity did to the cat.

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We sat down on the ground. Leaves on the trees had already started to change color, and some had fallen, exposing the branches. “This is a good time to shoot birds,” North said. “They’re active, and they aren’t able to hide in the trees so easily.”
Apparently waiting was a big part of hunting. North had brought a couple of calls that were supposed to sound like turkeys. Sitting there doing nothing but blowing on one of them started to get boring. I felt like taking out my Blackberry and checking my email, but I didn’t think North would approve.
Suddenly, he squeezed my arm and then pointed toward one of the trees. Then I heard what sounded like scratching. North had noticed it before me. He raised his shotgun and aimed it in that direction. I still couldn’t see anything. Neither could he, evidently, because he didn’t fire.
Then a flash of red appeared from behind a tree. I saw it moving. North, who was aiming just over my left shoulder, fired. The noise practically deafened me, and I ducked instinctively.
“Got ‘im!” I heard him say. It sounded as if he was talking through cotton. My left ear was still ringing. North stood up and went over to the tree. The turkey was lying there. Picking it up by the neck, North brought it back to show me. It was bleeding from several wounds, but didn’t look as bad as I thought it might.
“How come it isn’t all torn up?” I asked.
“With a shotgun, the shot inside the shell gets dispersed the farther it goes,” he told me. “With a target as close as this bird, I couldn’t hardly miss. But only two or three of the shot actually hit him. Which is good, because if you want to use the meat, you have to dig out the shot. This is a tom, so it won’t be as good for eating anyway. You’ll see. Next one is yours.”
North picked up the dead turkey and put it in a cloth bag. He said that the noise we made would keep other birds in hiding for some time, so we walked farther into the woods till we found a new spot to sit. This time I paid more attention, because I was nervous. I told myself that I really didn’t give a shit if I killed a turkey or not. The damn turkeys never did anything to me. But I had this feeling gnawing away at my insides that I wanted to impress North.
Sitting there waiting, all sorts of thoughts went through my head. Was this what meditation was like? I had always heard that meditation was supposed to help empty your mind, calm you. But waiting to kill something--that was the opposite. You were focused. And actually holding a gun in my arms made me wonder just exactly what went through Cale’s mind when he killed those people.
Or was anything? Of course he had to be crazy, so what kinds of thoughts does a crazy person have? Did he just decide to do it, and it didn’t really matter who he killed as long as he killed somebody? Was he just going on auto-pilot by then? Or did he really have reasons?
What sort of reason could you have for killing seven people? I knew that Cale’s USB drive must have some kind of answer to that question, but--
North nudged me. “Down there,” he whispered, pointing.
I saw it. It was smaller and less colorful than the one North had shot. More gray than anything. Creeping along the ground about twenty yards away. I raised my shotgun, and it saw me. Looked right into my eyes. And then spread its wings and took flight. Without thinking about it, I raised the gun and fired. It had a lot harder kick than the rifle I’d used earlier. Maybe the kick made me shoot higher than where I’d originally been aiming. But the turkey’s wings stopped flapping and it fell to the ground.
“You got ‘im,” North said. “Beginner’s luck.”
I practically ran over to where it had fallen, and there it was, lying on the ground. I stooped over to get a better look. I had taken off both of its legs, and you could see its bloody insides. But the eyes were still open, shiny and black.
The next thing I knew North was slapping me on the back. “Not bad. I thought you’d flinch when you pulled the trigger,” he said.
I didn’t tell him I actually had flinched. I was looking at those black eyes. A feeling of power started to rise up in me from someplace. It surprised me.
A second ago, the turkey had been alive. Now it was dead. I did that.
I felt blood rushing through my head, behind my eyes. This was what it was like to kill. Cale had felt this way.
Only…a turkey wasn’t a person. If I had killed a real person, everything I was feeling now would be way more intense. You would feel so powerful that you would be like the king of the world. No matter how much people made fun of you.