Book Feature - Marcie - Carly M. Duncan

Title: Marcie

Author: Carly M. Duncan

Synopsis: When Kate's mother, Marcie, dies mysteriously she is forever tormented by the many questions surrounding her mother's death. In Marcie's absence Kate clings to her mother's husbands, searching for solace.

As family secrets are revealed Kate works to build her own life and family, but the mystery of her mother's death sidetracks her until she finally gets the answer she's always hoped for.

Published:  Published May 10th 2013 by Create Space

ISBN: 9781480118324

Copyright: 2013

Pages: 136

 

About this author:  Carly Duncan is a television producer by day and a writer whenever there is time. She lives with her husband, two daughters and beloved Westie in Brooklyn, New York.

Visit on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carly-M-Duncan/647533005273895

Reviews:   

Kerry Carlock rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love this book! The prose is so intimate and raw that I found myself wondering, am I reading someone's diary?!! But no, it springs from the heart and mind of writer, Carly M. Duncan. And the theme is so important for us all to ponder- in the face of heartbreak and unyielding challenge, how do we create a beautiful life for ourselves? Kate, the fearless protagonist, overcomes such ties that bind and in so doing, teaches a valuable lesson... keep moving forward.

May 22, 2013 Nikki Peterson rated it 5 of 5 stars

A great page turner. This book is a fast read because the reader, just like the protagonist Kate, is yearning for answers. It keeps you engaged and desperately wanting to know what happens next. Kate is a wonderful, thought-out character. She is real and insecure, but strong and confident all at the same time. If you want to get lost in a great summer novel, this is your book!

Review the book and see more reviews: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17834745-marcie

Buy the book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Marcie-Carly-M-Duncan/dp/148011832X/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370275923&sr=1-1&keywords=marcie+by+carly+m+duncan

Or purchase on BN.com:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/marcie-carly-m-duncan/1115288313?ean=9781480118324

Book Tour - DiSemblance - Shanae Branham - Win $50 GC-

   

  DiSemblance Jason Tanner’s life has always been different from the ordinary citizen’s. It started when he was an infant and his parents were only teenagers. A computer science prodigy, Lloyd attended MIT but left a pariah in the eyes of the school’s dean—but a computer physics genius in the eyes of his primary investor. Then his theories and ideas created a holographic machine and their world shrunk as contact with the outside world became less and less frequent. A computer prodigy now himself, Jason is about to learn that the world never waits for you if you have the ability to change it: it will come for you. Detective Bruce Durante has been handed the case of the Comfort Killer, a serial killer so named because he appears to abduct terminally ill patients before returning their corpses to their families in refrigerated coffins. When he picks up the trail, it leads straight to the home of Lloyd Tanner. Jason has been living life through the world of Lloyd’s invention and wishing he could carry on a relationship with Boston, the beautiful girl next door. When his father is murdered and framed as the Comfort Killer, he is brought back to reality in a hurry. He is forced to destroy all of the planted evidence—and finds he is being targeted as the killer’s new fall guy. But the secrets of his father’s invention run deep and Jason, his brother Isaac,Boston, the Comfort Killer, and Detective Durante hurtle towards one another on a deadly collision course that leaves everyone’s life hanging in the balance.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

 

  Author Shanae Branham I am a professional writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and a minor in grammar. I have also attended several years of classes and workshops in screenplay writing at the Los Angeles Screenplay writer’s Expo. I love suspense thrillers and am a master at plot and character development. I enjoy stories with happy endings. I promise all my readers that when they put one of my books down or walk away from one of my movies, they will be enthused with excitement and joy. This does not mean there will not be some sad parts, because you have to feel the bitter in order to understand the sweet. In fact, I have struggled with Dyslexia my whole life, so you can imagine how overjoyed I was when DiSemblance won a Silver metal in the fantasy/science fiction category at the eLit awards in 2012.  

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

Tour Schedule

   

  BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/13/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway -- ~Inspired Kathy~

Book Review - Wind Chime Point - Sheryl Woods

Title:  Wind Chime Point - #2 Ocean Breeze Series

Author: Sherryl Woods

Review:  This is the next book in this series with another sister in crisis and yet finding the man that may be the one she has been waiting for…but can he handle it with his past and with her most recent issues.  Gabi is in crisis and so she goes home for support and love.

I think this is a nice, sweet, not much happens, romance that is good for anyone any age.  Nothing that will turn anyone off is part of this book.  I found it a bit slow for my taste, but if you like sweet slow romances then this is for you.

You also get to check back in with the characters from the first book in the series and see how things are progressing with them.  Also I think you get a big hint to what is going to be the plot of the third book in the series.  This is slow for me…but it may be just what you like.

Published: Published April 30th 2013 by Harlequin MIRA (first published April 23rd 2013)

ISBN: 9780778314424

Copyright: 2013

Pages: 400

Quick Review: 3 stars (out of 5)

Where I Obtained the Book:  Sent by the publisher for review.

Synopsis:  When life gets complicated, New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods proves family—and love—can make all the difference Facing a personal crisis, ambitious and driven Gabriella Castle retreats to the welcoming arms of her family. Everything she's worked for has been yanked out from under her, and she seeks the serenity of her grandmother's home on the North Carolina coast. With difficult decisions to make about her future, the last thing she wants is an unexpected love.

Wade Johnson fell for Gabi the first time he saw her. It's not the only time he's found himself in the role of knight in shining armor, but Gabi isn't looking for a rescuer. To get her to stay, Wade will need a whole lot of patience and gentle persuasion…and maybe the soothing sound of wind chimes on a summer breeze

 

Authors Information:  With two other careers to her credit before becoming a novelist and four states in which she's lived for extended periods of time, Sherryl Woods has collected friends and memories, along with way too much unnecessary junk.

"The friends are the only things I've brought with me through the years that really matter," she says. "I could probably live without one more chintz teacup, another tin-litho sandpail or another snowglobe, but I need those friends."

The theme of enduring friendships and families is always central to Sherryl's books, including her latest Chesapeake Shores series — THE INN AT EAGLE POINT, FLOWERS ON MAIN and HARBOR LIGHTS.

Author of more than 100 romance and mystery novels, Sherryl Woods grew up in Virginia. Over the years she had lived in Ohio and Florida, as well as California. Currently she divides her time between Key Biscayne, Florida and Colonial Beach, Virginia, the small, river-front town where she spent her childhood summers.

A graduate of Ohio State University School of Journalism, Sherryl spent more than ten years as a journalist, most of them as a television critic for newspapers in Ohio and Florida. For several years she also coordinated a motivational program for the more than 8,000 employees at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Medical Center.

Her first book, RESTORING LOVE, was published in 1982 by Dell Candlelight Ecstasy under the pseudonym of Suzanne Sherrill. Her second book, SAND CASTLES, under the pseudonym of Alexandra Kirk, was published later that same year by Bantam. She began using her own name when she moved to the Second Chance at Love line at Berkley Publishing. In 1986, she began writing full-time and also began her long career at Silhouette Books with the Desire title NOT AT EIGHT, DARLING, set in the world of television which she covered for so many years.

In addition to her more than 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition, she has written thirteen mysteries — nine in the Amanda Roberts series and four in the Molly DeWitt series.

When she's not writing or reading, Sherryl loves to garden, though she's not at her best on a riding lawn mower. She also loves tennis, theater, and ballet, even though her top spin has long since vanished, she's never set foot on a stage, and she's way too uncoordinated to dance. She also loves baseball and claims anyone who's ever seen Kevin Costner in "Bull Durham" can understand why.

Other Reviews:

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Book Feature - Deja Vu - D J Starling

Title: Deja Vu

Author: D. J. Starling

Synopsis: "They each sense a powerful connection at their first meeting, but no one could have ever imagined the incredible scenario about to unfold, forever altering the lives of all involved. . . ." "DEANNA"

A new business venture takes priority over romance, yet she longs to meet her Mr. Right. At the same time, she's being haunted by a recurring nightmare, relentless in its tormenting attacks until desperation leads her to a dark and dangerous world. "JOSH"

At the pinnacle of a demanding career, with everything he worked for finally coming together, he begins to yearn for the serious relationship his cherished grandmother, ANNA, insists he needs. Neither could have ever suspected that a vintage keepsake would clear the path to true love. "FAITH"

Deanna's closest friend, her greatest ally through the best and worst of times, she believes she could supply an antidote for the horrifying dreams that are threatening her friend's well-being. If only Deanna would let her. "RIVKA and DAVID"

Fortified by young love, emboldened by circumstances, they stand strong against a ruthless enemy in a grueling fight for their lives.

Published:  Published March 9th 2013 by iUniverse.com

ISBN: 9781475978445

Copyright: 2013

Pages: ebook

About this author: 

D.J. Starling is a penname derived through a combination of a dream, an apparition, and fate. Instinct told Donna to embrace the moniker, and an author was born. Wisdom led her to recruit Marsha after they got acquainted in a writers’ workshop in Fort Lauderdale, and a prolific partnership began.

Maybe it's because the star I wished on made a certain wish come true. . . .

Our first two novels, DEJA VU and FANTASYLAND, are now available.

Contact us at D.J.Starling@hotmail.com  

Reviews:
K & T Book Reviews
Goodreads

Book Feature - The Clock of Life - Nancy Klann-Moren

Title: The Clock of Life

Author: Nancy Klann-Moren

Synopsis: In the small town of Hadlee, Mississippi, during the 1980's, Jason Lee Rainey struggles to find his way amongst the old, steadfast Southern attitudes about race, while his friendship with a black boy, Samson Johnson, deepens.

By way of stories from others, Jason Lee learns about his larger-than-life father, who was killed in Vietnam. He longs to become that sort of man, but doesn't believe he has it in him.

In The Clock Of Life he learns lessons from the past, and the realities of inequality. He flourishes with the bond of friendship; endures the pain of senseless death; finds the courage to stand up for what he believes is right; and comes to realize he is his father's son.

This story explores how two unsettling chapters in American history, the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, affect the fate of a family, a town, and two boyhood friends.

Published:  Published November 2012 by Anthonyann Books

ISBN: 9780988494411

Copyright: 2012

Pages: 364

About this author:  While traveling for her work as an advertising and marketing executive, Nancy began writing short fiction for fun. She soon started taking writing classes and attending writer’s conferences and workshops. The goal was to create unique stories told in a distinctive voice.

Her short stories are eclectic and poignant. They were her primary genre until the day she read an excerpt in a class and the instructor said, “What are you doing the next couple years, because what you wrote is a novel.” She took up the challenge and produced the novel, "The Clock of Life."

Her collection of short stories is titled "Like The Flies On The Patio."

She's now working on a new novel based on her short story titled "The m&m's.

Favorite Authors: Pat Conroy, T.C. Boyle, Ray Bradbury, Flannery O'Connor, Susan Cisneros, Barbara Kingsolver(less)


Link to Amazon: 

Reviews:   

Book Reviews 

Literary R and R

Underground Book Reviews

Book Pleasures  

Jersey Girl Book Reviews  

What Is That Book About  

Guiltless Reading   

Readers' Favorite 

Happy Birthday David

Happy Birthday David....I couldn't do any of life without you!!!!!!!

Book Review - Prairie Song - Mona Hodgson

Title:  Prairie Song (Hearts Seeking Home #1)

Author: Mona Hodgson

Review:  This is not a fast moving story, but it’s not half bad.  It starts out in Missouri as a group of families are getting ready to move West.  There is tension between the settlers and the wagon train captain and hands.  A wedding that ….well I don’t want to spoil it for you.

It moves fast enough to keep you reading and turning the pages.  This is a Christian book and has scriptures and songs read and eluded to.  No sex or really much violence that wouldn’t happen on a wagon train crossing the country.  The people are varied and interesting to get to know.  This book keeps you focused on only a few characters, but I am sure we will get to know many more and she finishes up the series.

This book is not a bad way to spend an afternoon, or two.

Published:  Expected publication: August 6th 2013 by WaterBrook Press

ISBN: 9780307731166

Copyright: 2013

Pages: 320

Quick Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Where I Obtained the Book:  Sent by the publisher for review.

Synopsis:  The first step in a challenging journey is often the one that means the most.

Though it means saying goodbye to the beloved friends and spiritual mentors of her St. Charles, Missouri quilting circle, Anna Goben is certain that she needs to enlist her family in the Boones Lick Company wagon train. The loss of her beloved brother in the Civil War has paralyzed her mother and grandfather in a malaise of grief and depression and Anna is convinced that only a fresh start in the Promised Land of California can bring her family back to her. Although the unknown perils of the trail west loom, Anna’s commitment to caring for her loved ones leaves no room for fear—or even loving someone new. 

During the five-month journey, trail hand Caleb Reger plans to keep a low profile as he watches over the band of travelers. Guarding secrets about his past and avoiding God’s calling on his life, Caleb wants to steer as far from Anna as she does him, but she proves to be just as he assessed her from the beginning— independent, beautiful trouble.

Led by a pillar of hope, the group faces rough terrain that begins to take a toll on their spirits. Will the wilderness of suffering lead them astray, or will the gentle song of love that echoes across the prairie turn their hearts toward God’s grace and the promise of a new home?

 

Authors Information:  MONA HODGSON writes historical romance fiction for WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers. She is the author of Two Brides Too Many, Too Rich for a Bride, The Bride Wore Blue, and Twice a Bride in THE SINCLAIR SISTERS OF CRIPPLE CREEK SERIES and THE QUILTED HEART eNovella Series--Dandelions on the Wind, Bending Toward the Sun, and Ripples Along te Shore, and Prairie Song, Book 1 in the HEARTS SEEKING HOME SERIES. Her writing credits also include nearly thirty children’s books, contributions to eleven books for adults, and hundreds of short stories, articles, and poems in newspapers and magazines. One of Mona’s favorite things to do (besides writing or eating dark chocolate) is to speak at women's retreats and schools, and for women’s groups, librarians, and at writers’ conferences throughout the United States and Canada. Mona lives in Arizona with her husband, Bob.

Other Reviews:

Wren's Thoughts

Hanna Lei

Book Review - The Other Half of Me - Morgan McCarthy

Title:  The Other Half of Me

Author: Morgan McCarthy

Review:   I started this book and read the first ½ in one setting, but life called and so I put it down and then lost it for a time.  When I found it I picked up right where I left off and finished it.  SPOILER ALERT ***  I cried, not just at the end, but at many parts in this book.

I enjoyed the story of this brother and sister who had little in the way of maternal or paternal love.  Being wealthy isn’t all it’s cut out to be.  I think the author did a great job of pulling the reader into the story and making you part of their lives.  Nothing big or flashy happens, just life….like with all of us.  I really felt of Theo and I also felt for Jonathan.  Having a sibling who cannot get it together is not an easy road, he made mistakes and she made mistakes along the way and mental illness is never easy to live with. 

The ending will stay with me I guess you could call his book haunting, but not in a bad way at all.  I loved the last few pages and the realization that Jonathan came to…we all need to come to this at some point in our lives.  The author did a great job making you want to know even the mundane of their lives and celebrate the victories and cry at their losses.

Published:  Published September 4th 2012 by Free Press(first published 2012)

ISBN: 9781451668230

Copyright: 2012

Pages: 336

Quick Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Where I Obtained the Book:  Sent by the publisher for review.

Synopsis:  “What good can the past do the living? What harm?” Growing up in their family’s ancestral home in Wales, Jonathan Anthony and his little sister, Theo, are inseparable. Together they explore the wild acres of Evendon, inventing magical worlds and buttressing each other against the loneliness of life with their alcoholic mother, Alicia, and a shifting cast of gossiping cooks and maids. When a family tragedy brings their glamorous grandmother, Eve, home from America, Jonathan and Theo are initially elated by the attention she lavishes on them. But soon it becomes clear that there is more to the Anthony family history than either Eve or Alicia will acknowledge, trapping Jonathan and Theo in a web of dark secrets that have haunted Evendon for generations. Written in luminous prose, with richly endearing characters and a profound appreciation for the rustic beauty of the Welsh countryside, The Other Half of Me is a darkly wise coming-of-age novel and a masterful portrait of a family and the burdens of the past.

 

Authors Information:  Morgan McCarthy was born in Berkshire, UK, where she still lives. She has worked in a supermarket, a small independent bookstore, and, most recently, as a media analyst.

Other Reviews:

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She Knows Books

Book Review - Into the Storm - Lessons in Teamwork from the Treacherous Sydney to Hobart Ocean Race -Dennis Perkins with Jullian B. Murphy

Title: Into the Storm: Lessons in Teamwork from the Treacherous Sydney to Hobart Ocean Race 

Author: Dennis Perkins & Jillian Murphy 

Review: Ostensibly this is the tail of a boat race.  A boat race that headed straight into a perfect storm of destruction.  It details the plight of Captain Ed Psaltis and his crew aboard the Midnight Rambler as they competed in the famed Sydney to Hobart race. With great peril to their own lives they not only attacked the storm but became the overall winner of the race; a feat not typically accomplished by a small boat. 

Now I am someone who gets motion sick on something as simple as a ferris wheel, the thought of ever going on a boat (even in calm waters) is nauseating.  Even so I found the tenacity of the crew fascinating, especially as they faced challenges.  You should recognize the classic business book/case study with this scenario.  A small yet determined crew against all odds, conditions that set back lesser teams, were able to overcome and achieve the ultimate success.  You begin to see where our author is coming from with this story.  He analyzed the entire race and several of the boats with their crews, and was able to distill down ten principles which allowed our heroes to conquer the field.  These same principles when applied to any aspect of your life, especially business, will also allow you to succeed too. 

I won’t go into them all but I will share one little side story that seems to be indicative of the whole project.  While preparing for the race the Captain had a crew member disassemble, clean, and reassemble the cook stove in the boat.  It was a time consuming process and not really that easy to complete, but especially when you consider on a four day race they wouldn’t be using the stove even once.  It came down to knowing your ship completely and the discipline to follow orders without delay.  When in a time of crisis everyone needs to work together as a team to get things done quickly.  Any delays in this process, especially when 80 foot waves are crashing down on you, can lead to accidents and death.  So this act let the crew know that there will be no shortcuts on this boat and we all will work together, always.  If you can’t then we will need to replace you. 

And so goes the whole book, taking the small microcosm of the Midnight Rambler as she battled the storm and race, and then teaching you the principles it takes to make it through.  An enjoyable read that almost makes me want to try sailing too (almost, but not quite; but that is still a huge compliment in my weak stomach case).  You will learn a few pointers that can help any endeavor you may wish to participate in. 

Publisher: AMACOM 
ISBN: 978-0-8144-3198-6 
Copyright: 2012 
Pages: 249 
Quick Review: 4 stars out of 5 
Why I Read It: Always enjoy a good Business book 
Where I Obtained the Book: Sent to me for review by the publisher 

Synopsis: The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is among the most demanding sailing competitions in the world. Unpredictable seas make the 628-nautical-mile course grueling under the best conditions, but the 1998 race proved to be the most perilous to date when a sudden and violent storm struck. Winds gusted over 100 mph and monstrous 80-foot waves towered over boat masts. Six sailors perished and another 55 were saved in what became the largest search and rescue operation in Australia's history. In the face of turmoil and tragedy, a crew of "amateur" sailors piloted their tiny vessel, the AFR Midnight Rambler, not only to the finish but to overall victory. While bigger, better-equipped yachts attempted to maneuver around the storm, Ed Psaltis and his crew made the daring decision to head directly into its path. Their triumph--perhaps even their survival--owes itself to an extraordinary level of teamwork: an alchemy of cooperation, trust, planning, and execution. "Into the Storm" chronicles their nearly four-day ordeal and draws parallels to the world of business, revealing 10 critical strategies for teamwork at the edge. Illustrated with examples from the story and compelling case studies, the book sheds light on what teams need to do to succeed in tough times. Finally, "Into the Storm" provides resources and tools to support teams as they navigate the chaotic seas of business today. 

Author Biography:   DENNIS PERKINS is the author of Leading at The Edge and CEO of Syncretics Group, a consulting firm dedicated to helping leaders and teams thrive under conditions of adversity, uncertainty, and change. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, he successfully completed his first Sydney Hobart Race in 2006.

Other Reviews: 
Blog Business World
Huntington News

What Workplace Teams Can Learn from Ocean Racing from FSB Associates

Monday in my mailbox

This is what had been in the mailbox lately.  We are still well overbooked with books to read and review.  Thanks
The first step in a challenging journey is often the one that means the most. 
 
Though it means saying goodbye to the beloved friends and spiritual mentors of her St. Charles, Missouri quilting circle, Anna Goben is certain that she needs to enlist her family in the Boones Lick Company wagon train. The loss of her beloved brother in the Civil War has paralyzed her mother and grandfather in a malaise of grief and depression and Anna is convinced that only a fresh start in the Promised Land of California can bring her family back to her. Although the unknown perils of the trail west loom, Anna’s commitment to caring for her loved ones leaves no room for fear—or even loving someone new.  
 
During the five-month journey, trail hand Caleb Reger plans to keep a low profile as he watches over the band of travelers. Guarding secrets about his past and avoiding God’s calling on his life, Caleb wants to steer as far from Anna as she does him, but she proves to be just as he assessed her from the beginning— independent, beautiful trouble. 
 
Led by a pillar of hope, the group faces rough terrain that begins to take a toll on their spirits. Will the wilderness of suffering lead them astray, or will the gentle song of love that echoes across the prairie turn their hearts toward God’s grace and the promise of a new home?

Professionals with decades of experience working in the field, Larry K. Brendtro, Martin L. Mitchell and Herman J. McCall set out to demonstrate how combining brain research, human values and practice expertise can lead to success with at-risk youth. Much has been written about educating and working with challenging children, but what's often missing from those theories are what youth think and how they feel. According to Dr. Brown of the William Gladden Foundation, "This book places the voice the young person at the center of evidence-based practice, building respectful alliance to surmount challenges." "Deep Brain Learning" uses the voices of youth, case studies and insights gained over decades in the field, to create powerful principles for success with youth, who often are more concerned with looking good than doing good. The roadmaps created in this book show that true, lasting transformations come from person-centered approaches where quality relationships are key. You will discover 25 principles that lead to transformational change in challenging children.

“What good can the past do the living? What harm?” Growing up in their family’s ancestral home in Wales, Jonathan Anthony and his little sister, Theo, are inseparable. Together they explore the wild acres of Evendon, inventing magical worlds and buttressing each other against the loneliness of life with their alcoholic mother, Alicia, and a shifting cast of gossiping cooks and maids. When a family tragedy brings their glamorous grandmother, Eve, home from America, Jonathan and Theo are initially elated by the attention she lavishes on them. But soon it becomes clear that there is more to the Anthony family history than either Eve or Alicia will acknowledge, trapping Jonathan and Theo in a web of dark secrets that have haunted Evendon for generations. Written in luminous prose, with richly endearing characters and a profound appreciation for the rustic beauty of the Welsh countryside, The Other Half of Me is a darkly wise coming-of-age novel and a masterful portrait of a family and the burdens of the past.

The magical world of Watersong is about to change forever. The answers Gemma and her friends have been searching for are finally revealed - but evil is closing in and time is running out....

Gemma and Harper Fisher are facing the fight of their lives. Gemma has been cursed with extraordinary powers that have a terrifying dark side, but she's finally found what she needs - a way to break the curse and become human again. However, finding the means to do it will be her greatest challenge yet. And now Penn, Lexi, and Thea - the gorgeous but deadly creatures who cursed her - are determined to kill her before she has a chance. Making matters worse, Penn has her sights set on Daniel - the guy Harper loves - and Penn always gets what she wants.

As Gemma and Harper race to break the curse before it's too late, they're thrust deeper into a mythical world of immortal secrets. They must into their enemies' past to find the answers they need, even if it means being drawn deeper into their savagely beautiful world. But one of the girls is not what she seems...and Gemma finds an unlikely ally as she struggles to save herself. Will it be enough to break an ancient curse that no one has ever escaped from alive?

There are two sides to every love story. Now hear Will’s.

Colleen Hoover’s New York Times bestselling Slammed series has brought countless readers to their knees with a whirlwind of love, passion, and heartache. 

Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from hispoint of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series.

A heartwarming novel about a shocking discovery that forever changes the lives of three generations of women.

When Briony McAllister takes a trip to visit her mother, Valerie, she uncovers a letter from her long-lost grandmother, bringing to light a nearly unforgivable act her mother has kept secret for decades. Having always believed that her grandparents didn’t want to see her, she finds that the opposite is true: her grandmother had been seeking her out all along, and it was her own mother who willfully kept them apart.

Devastated that her past has come back to haunt her, Valerie realizes that her daughter’s anger might cause their troubled family history to repeat itself in a new generation. Rich with emotion and featuring magnificent descriptions of Ireland, With All My Love deftly weaves the stories of the past and present to take us into the heart of a family at war. As the truth is revealed, so too are the complex yet enduring bonds between mothers and daughters.

Book Feature - Lock Stock, and Over a Barrel - Melody Carlson - A Dear Daphne Novel

Title: Lock Stock, and Over a Barrel - A Dear Daphne Novel

Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: Published June 1st 2013 by B&HBooks

ISBN: 9781433679308

Copyright: 2013 
Pages: 320
Synopsis:  With high hopes, Daphne Ballinger lands her dream job at The New York Times. But it's not long until writing about weddings becomes a painful reminder of her own failed romance, and her love of the city slowly sours as well. Is it time to give up the Big Apple for her small hometown of Appleton?

When her eccentric Aunt Dee passes away and leaves a sizeable estate to Daphne, going back home is an easy choice. What isn’t easy is coming to terms with the downright odd clauses written into the will.

Daphne only stands to inherit the estate if she agrees to her aunt's very specific posthumous terms -- personal and professional. And if she fails to comply, the sprawling old Victorian house shall be bequeathed to . . . Aunt Dee’s cats.

And if Daphne thinks that’s odd, wait until she finds out an array of secrets about Aunt Dee's life, and how imperfect circumstances can sometimes lead to God's perfect timing.

Author Bio:  Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Other Reviews:

Day Song Reflection

Jendi's Journal

A Simple Life Really

Book Review - Lullaby - Amanda Hocking - Watersong Series Book 2

Title: Lullaby

Author: AmandaHocking

I read book 1 , Wake and was looking forward to seeing how the story progressed.  As with book series that have an ending, like this series, the middle books are never as good as the first or the last…I hope in this case the last is GREAT! 

Back to Lullaby…I enjoyed the story continuing and a look at how Gemma was going to handle her new thirst and hunger.  How will she ever return to being truly human if she succumbs to her hunger and kills another?  Harper of course is searching for Gemma and being helped by the two men in her life.  Her relationship with Daniel grows with a small amount of romance.  You learn a bit more about the sirens and their lives before the change and after since there are thousands of years old.

I just wonder how Gemma can ever come back to being human with all the calls of the ocean and the siren blood she has ingested.  This is an interesting look at mermaids….not like the Little Mermaid at all, a much darker vision of the creatures that call men to their deaths..financially and physically.  I look forward to Tidal coming in the mail from Amazon now.

Publisher: Published November 27th 2012 by St.Martin's Griffin

ISBN: 9781250005656

Copyright: 2012 
Pages: 290 
Quick Review: 3.5 stars out of 5 
Why I Read It: I went to a book signing for the first book- so I pre-ordered this title. 
Where I Obtained the Book: Amazon Pre-order. 

Synopsis:Don't miss the next chapter of Watersong, a bold new series that will enchant you, entrance you, and hold you captive under its spell.

Now that Gemma Fisher has inherited Penn, Lexi, and Thea's curse - and all the strange new powers that come along with it - she has no choice but to run away with them. Devastated that she has to leave everyone she loves behind, she's still determined not to give in to the unspeakable hungers that plague her. Unfortunately, they're growing stronger every day, and she's not sure how much longer she can resist.

Harper won't give up on finding her sister Gemma, vowing to get her back no matter what the cost. The search draws her closer to too-gorgeous-for-his-own-good Daniel, and tests her fiercely guarded independence like never before. She's always been the strong one who everyone else depends on.... Can she let herself depend on Daniel?

As Gemma and Harper plunge deeper into a magical world they barely understand, it becomes painfully clear that Gemma's old life may be lost forever. But can she still hold on to her humanity?

Author Bio: 

I live in Minnesota, and I write young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy mostly. The My Blood Approves series is about vampires in Minneapolis, and its available now. I also wrote the Trylle Trilogy, which is a paranormal romance without vampires, shifters, mermaids, fae, angels, dragons, ghosts, or ninjas.

My latest book is Hollowland - a zombie urban fantasy set in the dystopian near future. It's a bit more violent and gritter than my other books, but there is still romance. Mostly though, Remy kicks a lot of butt.

I also enjoy Red Bull, Jim Henson, Batman, Jane Austen, Star Wars legos, and I absolutely hate long walks on the beach out of my intense fear/hatred of wet sand

My favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut, Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, Alan Moore, and J. D. Salinger, but I don't write anything like them. I have an obsession with River Phoenix, and I've seen Silence of the Lambs more than any other movie, even The Dark Knight. If I were trapped on a deserted island, the one thing I'd take with me would be a boat capable for taking me home.

I'm also the guitarist in a band called the Fraggin Aardvarks, and even though its even twice as cool as it sounds, we haven't had a practice in like two years, so I'm not sure that technically we are still a band. But we never broke up, and it's an awesome thing to tell people, so I'm sticking with it. (We even had a synethesizer!)

Here are some ways you can talk to me:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/amanda_hocking

Facebook: www.facebook.com/amandahockingfans

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/amanda_hocking 

Email: hocking_amanda@hotmail.comhocking_amanda@hotmail.com

Other Reviews: 
A Dream of Books
Icey Books
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