Showing posts with label blogtour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogtour. Show all posts

Monday, July 11, 2016

The Ringmaster's Wife {Review}

The Ringmaster's Wife
The Ringmaster's Wife by Kristy Cambron
Visit the Author's Website HERE
Publisher: 
Publishing Date: June 7, 2016
What is revealed when you draw back the curtain of the Greatest Show on Earth?

Rosamund Easling is no stranger to opulence. As the daughter of an earl, she’s grown up with every comfort money can buy. But when hard times befall the family’s Yorkshire estate in the aftermath of the Great War, Rosamund’s father sells her beloved horse, setting the stage for a series of events that would extend beyond even her wildest dreams.

Though expected to marry for a title instead of love, Rosamund feels called to a different life – one of adventure outside the confines of a ladies’ parlor. She abandons all she’s known and follows in pursuit as her horse is shipped to the new owner – an American entertainer by the name of John Ringling. Once introduced to the Ringling Brothers’ circus and knowing she has much to learn, Rosamund agrees to a bareback riding apprenticeship in the shadow of the Ringlings’ winter home—Ca’D’Zan. It is at that mansion, in what would become the last days of the enigmatic Mable Ringling’s life, that Rosamund finds a deeper sense of purpose in the life she’s been given, and the awakening of faith in her heart.

With a supporting cast of characters as mysterious and dazzling as the Ringlings’ big-top world, Rosamund’s journey takes her from the tradition of the English countryside to the last days of America’s Roaring ‘20s—a journey that forever changes what one life might have been.
 

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Dawn at Emberwilde {Review}

Dawn at Emberwilde (Treasures of Surrey, #2)
Dawn at Emberwilde by Sarah E. Ladd
Treasures of Surrey #2
Visit the Author's website HERE 
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publishing Date: May 10, 2016
Isabel Creston never dared to dream that love could be hers. Now, at the edge of a forest filled with dark secrets, she faces a fateful choice between love and duty.

For as long as she can remember, beautiful and free-spirited Isabel has strained against the rules and rigidity of the Fellsworth School in the rolling English countryside. No longer a student, Isabel set her sights on a steady yet unexciting role as a teacher at the school, a safe yet stifling establishment that would provide her a steady environment to care for her younger sister Lizzie, who was left in her care after her father’s death.

The unexpected arrival of a striking stranger with news of unknown relatives turns Isabel’s small, predictable world upside down, sweeping her and her young charge into a labyrinth of intrigue and hidden motives.

At her new family’s invitation, Isabel and Lizzie relocate to Emberwilde, a sprawling estate adjacent to a vast, mysterious wood rife with mysterious rumors and ominous folklore—along with whispers of something far more sinister. And perhaps even more startling, two handsome men begin pursuing Isabel, forcing her to learn the delicate dance between attraction, the intricate rules of courtship, and the hopes of her heart.

At Emberwilde, Isabel will discover that the key to unlocking the mystery of her past may also open the door to her future and security. But first she must find it—in the depths of Emberwilde Forest.
 

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Withering Rose {Review + Giveaway}


Withering Rose (Once Upon a Curse, #2)
Withering Rose by Kaitlyn Davis
Once Upon a Curse #2
Visit the Author's Website HERE
Published: May 17, 2016
"As the heat finally disappeared, I felt the bloom blossom in the very core of my soul, a rose just like my name--a ticking clock hidden behind a façade of beauty. From that moment on, my life would become a countdown, and all I could do was wait and watch as the petals of time slowly started to fall."

Omorose Bouchene has a secret--magic. There's only one problem. At the age of seven, an earthquake struck, catapulting her into a new world. A land made of skyscrapers and cell phones. Fast cars and fluorescent lights. A land where magic isn't supposed to exist and anyone who wields it is the enemy.

But after ten years of hiding, she's desperate to find a place where she can be free. Because all magic comes with a curse, and her curse is time--every ounce of power she uses strips days off of her life. The clock is winding down, and the only option left is to escape to the realm of the Beast. But the king of monsters isn't what he seems. And the more Omorose opens her heart, the more she comes to realize that the only person she may need to fear is herself.

*This is the second book in Once Upon A Curse, a series of interconnected stand-alone novels all set in the same fantasy universe.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

The Beautiful Pretender {Review}

The Beautiful Pretender (Medieval Fairy Tale Romance, #2)
The Beautiful Pretender by Melanie Dickerson
Thornbeck #2
Visit the Author's Website HERE
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publishing Date: May 17, 2016
What happens when a margrave realizes he’s fallen in love with a servant?

The Margrave of Thornbeck has to find a bride, fast. He invites ten noble-born ladies from around the country to be his guests at Thornbeck Castle for two weeks, a time to test these ladies and reveal their true character.

Avelina is only responsible for two things: making sure her deception goes undetected and avoiding being selected as the margrave’s bride. Since the latter seems unlikely, she concentrates on not getting caught. No one must know she is merely a maidservant, sent by the Earl of Plimmwald to stand in for his daughter, Dorothea.

Despite Avelina’s best attempts at diverting attention from herself, the margrave has taken notice. And try as she might, she can’t deny her own growing feelings. But something else is afoot in the castle. Something sinister that could have far worse—far deadlier—consequences. Will Avelina be able to stop the evil plot? And at what cost?

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Her One and Only {Review}

Her One and Only (Porter Family, #4)
Her One and Only by Becky Wade
Porter Family #4
Visit the Author's website HERE
Publisher: Bethany House
Publishing Date: May 3, 2016
Romance Fans Eagerly Anticipate Every New Release from Becky Wade 
Gray Fowler, star NFL tight end, is being pursued by a stalker, so his team hires a protection agency to keep Gray under the watch of a bodyguard at all times. When Gray meets Dru Porter, an agent assigned to him, he's indignant. How can an attractive young female half his size possibly protect him? 
But Dru's a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt. She's also ferociously determined to uncover the identity of Gray's stalker. And she's just as determined to avoid any kind of romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past. But the closer they get to finding the stalker, the closer they grow to each other. As the danger rises, can Dru and Gray entrust their hearts--and their lives--to one another?

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Melancholy and Limerence Tour {Review}


Limerence_Banner1
Welcome to my tour stop for the new adult science fiction romance Limerence by Charlotte McConaghy. Limerence is the third book in The Cure Series. The first two books, Fury and Melancholy, are also featured in the tour. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

About the Books:

Fury CoverFury

When emotions are erased from the world, creating a civilization of mindless drones, only those with fury can survive.

On the same day each year Josephine Luquet wakes naked, shivering and covered in blood that is not her own. Under the cold gaze of the blood moon she is someone else entirely, but when dawn breaks her memories vanish and she is left with only an icy horror, a burning fury. Amid a sea of 'drones', she alone hasn’t been cured. 

Then she meets Luke. He isn’t like the other drones. With secrets behind his eyes, he is the only one determined to help Josephine discover the truth before the next blood moon rises.

But time is running out. Is Luke willing to risk his life to be near her? Does he truly understand what violence she is capable of?

Raw and full of passion, Fury is a story of love in a dystopian world, and how much we are willing to forgive in the struggle to remember our humanity.

***
Melancholy
mel_om
Here in the west they know a lot about hope. They know how to ration it just as they do with food and water.

Josephine is at last free of the blood moon. But in a desperate rush to find help for a comatose Luke, she discovers the strange and dangerous world of the resistance, and it is unlike any world Josi has known.

In the west they believe in fury – they cultivate and encourage it. The unruly people of the resistance know that to survive means to fight. But can they fight the inevitable cure for sadness that rushes steadily closer?

In the action-packed sequel to Fury, everything Josi believes about herself will be challenged. Haunted by atrocities and betrayals, she must find the strength to trust again, and decide how far she is willing to go to fight the inevitable. 

At times both brutal and sweet, Melancholy is the story of second chances and finding love in a ruined world.

***


Limerence-Omnibus_DEV03Limerence
No injection can cure love. Only life can do that.

Deep in the darkest tunnels hide the last of the resistance fighters. Hunted by the savage Furies and the ruthless Bloods, they live in constant peril. The only means of survival is to seek strength in family and find courage in love. So what happens when love is cured, scoured away, leaving death in its place?

In the final battle for freedom, there are no lines that won't be crossed. And for Josi this means becoming the creature she fears most of all: the girl with a blood moon heart.

The gripping conclusion to the dystopian trilogy The Cure, Limerence is a love story for the monsters within.

Perfect for fans of Pierce Brown, Laini Taylor and Maggie Stiefvater.

***

About the Author:

copyrighted
Charlotte has been writing from a young age, and has published several novels including the science-fiction series The Cure and the romantic fantasy series The Chronicles of Kaya. She studied a Masters of Screenwriting at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, and is the author of the Australian Writer's Guild award-winning screenplay Fury – adapted from her novel of the same name. She lives in Sydney, writing novels and working on both film and television projects, as well as an upcoming graphic novel Skin

Connect with the author:

 Website | Facebook | Twitter

***

My Thoughts:
I read Fury about two years ago now. I really enjoyed it and always meant to finish the trilogy. This tour gave me that opportunity. 

Book two, Melancholy, picks up right where book one left off. Luke is in a coma from being injected with the anger cure and both he and Jose are being taken to the resistance group. I struggled to connect with the characters again after such a long break. Jose, or Dual as she comes to be called, is way more moody, and even self centered, than previously. She is stuck in her own head surrounded by her own problems. The members of the Inferno (the resistance group) don't exactly welcome her with warm, friendly arms either. 

It took me awhile to accept her bipolar attitude, but about 100 pages in the book really picks up. As Jose gets out of her own head, we get to connect to a new cast of characters and explore the intrigue and mysteries of the Inferno. There are a ton of secrets and action right at the end that had me flipping through the pages fast as I could.

"Limerence" was a bit trickier. The reader really has to pay attention to the dates and the character as they read along. Even though I picked this up immediately after 'Melancholy', jumping around the timelines really threw me for a loop. Several major things are revealed right at the beginning of the story, and then we are taken back to discover how it all happened. 

This series has plenty of action, evil government, and character development. The way both Luke and Dual change from book one to the end of book three was pretty remarkable. If you like any of those things, or a complicated love story, this series is right up your alley. McConaghy writes like a movie which makes it easy to picture everything as you read along. I think this fits perfectly as she did study screenwriting! 

I do have to note for my sensitive readers: this book contains violence (nothing I found overly graphic), language, and sexual content that I found to grow in it's graphic nature. 

GIVEAWAY:
One winner will receive digital copies of Fury, Melancholy and Limerence 
Open Worldwide
Ends March 30
Giveaway is provided by the publisher and hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Keeper of the Stars {Review + Giveaway}

Keeper of the Stars (Kings Meadow Romance, #3)
Keeper of the Stars by Robin Lee Hatcher
Kings Meadow Romance #3
Visit the Author's website HERE
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publishing Date: January 26, 2016
She blames him for her brother's death. Can she let go of resentment and open her heart to love?

Penny Cartwright found it difficult to understand why her younger brother would choose to join a country singer’s band rather than return to Kings Meadow after college . . . and the separation strained their relationship. Then a car accident made certain her brother could never return.

Trevor Reynolds has chased stardom in Nashville for more than a dozen years, but it remains out of his reach. After an accident kills his young drummer, Trevor goes to Kings Meadow to keep a promise—and perhaps to discover what truly matters in this life.

Thrown together by circumstances, Penny and Trevor must learn to give and receive forgiveness. And if they do, perhaps something beautiful can rise from the ashes of heartbreak.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

If I Run {Review}

If I Run
If I run by Terri Blackstock
Visit the Author's website HERE
Publisher: Zondervan
Publishing Date: February 16, 2016
Casey knows the truth.

But it won’t set her free.

Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they have failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore.

But what is the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up. Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?

Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.
 

Saturday, January 2, 2016

When Love Matters Most {Sneak Peek #12}

Welcome to Sneak Peek Saturday!

Sneak Peek Saturday on Reading List  a glimpse into what I am reading currently

Current book:
When Love Matters Most
Kate James

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

The Wedding Chapel {Review + Giveaway}

The Wedding Chapel
The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck
Visit the Author's website HERE
Publisher: Zondervan
Publishing Date: November 17, 2015
An old, forgotten chapel holds the key to love and forgiveness.

Retired hall-of-fame football coach Jimmy Westbrook never imagined anything would come of his labor of love—building a wedding chapel for Collette Greer, the woman he fell in love with in 1949. But now a realtor wants the land the chapel sits on, and he sees no reason to hang onto the past.

Photographer Taylor Branson is trying to make a life for herself in New York. Leaving her hometown of Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, she put a lot of things behind her, including her family’s string of failed marriages. When she falls head-over-heels for Jack Gillingham, a top ad man, their whirlwind romance and elopement leave her with doubts. Jack, while genuine in his love for Taylor, can never seem to find the right way to show her he really cares.

When a post-mortem letter from Taylor’s Granny Peg shows up, along with an old photo, she is driven to uncover family secrets and the secret to her own happiness, starting with an assignment to photograph an unknown, obscure wedding chapel back in Heart’s Bend.

Taylor begins a mission to convince Jimmy that the chapel is worth saving—and that forgiveness and healing might happen within the chapel’s walls . . . for both of them.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Whispers in the Reading Room {Review}

Whispers in the Reading Room (The Chicago World's Fair Mystery #3)
Whispers in the Reading Room by Shelley Gray
Visit the Author's website HERE
Publisher: Zondervan
Publishing Date: November 10, 2015

Lydia’s job at the library is her world—until a mysterious patron catches her eye . . . and perhaps her heart.

Just months after the closure of the Chicago World’s Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron. He has never given her his name; he actually never speaks to a single person. All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does.

Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks. She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him.

Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship, but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn’t merely a very wealthy gentleman, but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked.


Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night and suddenly is a suspect to a murder. She must determine who she can trust, who is innocent, and if Sebastian Marks—the man so many people fear—is actually everything her heart believes him to be. 

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

The Five Times I Met Myself {Review}

The Five Times I Met Myself
The Five Time I Met Myself by James L. Rubart
Visit the Author's website HERE
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publishing Date: November 10, 2015
What if you met your twenty-three year old self in a dream? What would you say?

Brock Matthews’ once promising life is unraveling. His coffee company. His marriage.

So when he discovers his vivid dreams—where he encounters his younger self—might let him change his past mistakes, he jumps at the chance. The results are astonishing, but also disturbing.

Because getting what Brock wants most in the world will force him to give up the one thing he doesn’t know how to let go of . . . and his greatest fear is it’s already too late.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Valley of Decision {Review}

Valley of Decision (The Carthage Chronicles, #3)
Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry
The Carthage Chronicles #3
Visit the Author's Website HERE
Publisher: Howard Books
Publishing Date: September 22, 2015
Every choice has a consequence in the explosive conclusion to the Carthage Chronicles as Lisbeth returns to third-century Carthage for a thrilling final adventure.

Thirteen years ago, Lisbeth made an impossible decision—leave third-century Carthage and her husband Cyprian behind for good. She knew it was to protect her daughter Maggie, so Lisbeth gathered the strength to move on with her life.

All these years, Lisbeth has thrown herself into her work and raising her headstrong daughter, all to live up to the promise she made to Cyprian. But Maggie is sick of being protected. In an act of teenage rebellion Maggie decides to do what her mother can’t—secretly returning to the third century on a quest to bring her father back, leaving Lisbeth no choice but to follow.

With Maggie’s surprise arrival in Carthage, chaos ensues. She finds her grandmother on trial for murder and attempts to save her, but instead the diversion sparks a riot that nearly destroys the plagued city. Only one thing will appease the wrath of the new proconsul of Carthage: the death of the instigator. 

Will Lisbeth arrive in time to save her daughter from the clutches of Rome? How can God possibly redeem such a slew of unwise decisions and deep regrets? Filled with heart-wrenching twists and riveting action, Valley of Decision brings the romantic adventure epic, The Carthage Chronicles, to an electrifying conclusion.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Oppression Review + Giveaway

Oppression (Children of the Gods Book 1)
Oppression by Jessica Therrien
Children of the Gods #1
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
Publishing Date: September 2, 2015
Goodreads Summary:
Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than average people, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Some are waiting for her to put an end to centuries of traditions that have oppressed their people under the guise of safeguarding them. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning - and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.

Monday, September 14, 2015

The Finishing School {Review}

The Finishing School
The Finishing School by Valerie Woerner 
Visit the Author's Website HERE
Publisher: NyreePress
Publishing Date: September 8th, 2015
In today’s world, our pursuit of a life well lived gets squeezed out by the silliest of things: binging on Netflix or ice cream, shopping trips for things we don’t need, bad habits we can’t seem to get a handle on and so much more. Valerie has been there despite knowing what she wanted for her life. Actually do it though? That’s the real challenge.

After gobbling up all the non-fiction and self-help books her donut-filled belly could handle, she decided it was time to put her knowledge to use and start actually living it out. The result has been a refining process that has drawn her closer to God and produced the sweetest fruit in her life. You will hear about Valerie’s journey filled with failures and victories and find practical tips to apply to your own pursuit of holiness. You will find homework at the end of each chapter that includes a worksheet to put real change in motion for your own life as well as recommended books to further study those topics that really test you.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

A Heart's Home {Quick Review + Giveaway}


A Heart’s Home
A Heart's Home by Colleen Coble
Journey of the Heart #6
Visit the Author's Website HERE
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publishing Date: August 4, 2015
This Christmas, a tragic loss at Fort Laramie ushers in hope and healing.When a young mother dies after giving birth at Fort Laramie, Emmie Croftner is shaken by the death of her dear friend--and reminded of the dangers of childbirth. She won't be able to hide her own pregnancy much longer. She's dreading the day that Isaac Liddle, the handsome soldier she adores, discovers her secret.Then the young infant's father offers a solution: Emmie should marry him so the child can have a family.With the Sioux Wars threatening soldier and civilian alike, a ready-made family could be the answer to Emmie's prayers for safety. But at what cost to her heart--and Isaac's?

Friday, August 21, 2015

Irish Meadows {Review + Giveaway}

Irish Meadows (Courage to Dream #1)
Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason
Courage to Dream #1
Visit the Author's Website HERE
Publisher: Bethany House
Publishing Date: July 7, 2015
Irish immigrant James O’Leary has spent his life building Irish Meadows into a thriving horse farm and is not about to let hard economic times threaten its success. He intends for his daughters to marry prosperous men–ones who will secure the family’s rightful place in society, and at the same time, guarantee the future of Irish Meadows. Both girls, however, have different visions for their futures.

Brianna and Colleen O’Leary know their father expects them to marry well. Yet despite his wishes, Brianna, the quieter sister, dreams of attending college. Vivacious Colleen, meanwhile, is happy to marry–as long as her father’s choice meets her exacting standards. When stable hand Gilbert Whelan returns from college and distant family member Rylan Montgomery stops in on his way to the seminary in Boston, the two men quickly complicate everyone’s plans. It will take every ounce of courage for both sisters to follow their hearts. And even if they do, will they inevitably find their dreams too distant to reach?

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Through Waters Deep {Review + Giveaway}

Through Waters Deep (Waves of Freedom, #1)
Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin
Waves of Freedom #1
Visit the Author's Website HERE
Publisher: Revell Company
Publishing Date: August 4, 2015
It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war. Outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. Back on shore, Boston Navy Yard secretary Mary Stirling does her work quietly and efficiently, happy to be out of the limelight. Yet, despite her reserved nature, she never could back down from a challenge. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges--and dangers--await them.