February 2013 - A Life Through Books

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Blog Tour: Just For Fun by Rosalind James
8:21 AM0 Comments


Contemporary Romance
 (Escape to New Zealand #4)
Date Published: 12/8/12
    
What if the person who broke your heart turned out to be the only one who could mend it?
 Nic Wilkinson is a responsible, organized, disciplined rugby player at the top of his game. Emma Martens is a sometimes scattered, often-emotional, and always-broke would-be designer with a big chip on her shoulder where Nic’s concerned.
 They have no history together, except one perfect week. Nothing in common anymore, except the most important thing of all.
 Getting together again would be messy. Complicated. Scary. And, just maybe, worth every risk.


EXCERPT

“Mum!” Zack burst in through the front door. “It was brilliant!” He kicked his shoes off impatiently, dropped his rugby boots next to them before struggling out of his jacket. Nic followed him in, grabbed the jacket and hung it on the brightly painted rack next to the door when Zack would have dropped it on the floor. 
Emma reached out for a hug that, Nic saw, the boy was still willing to give his mother, at least here at home. Her eyes met Nic’s as she looked over her son’s head. How did she always look so soft? So . . . pettable? She was wearing another sweater, that was all, he told his troublesome libido. Another light, lacy one, prettily trimmed once again. A pale pink cardigan with pearly shell buttons, edged in cream, over a long stretchy top and leggings. She looked like an invitation to cuddle. Like the best blankie ever.
“Can Nic stay for dinner, Mum?” Zack asked excitedly, offering a welcome distraction from his wayward train of thought. “He could help me tell you all the things we did. We’re having spaghetti!” he told Nic. “It’s really good.”
“Can’t, mate. Sorry,” Nic put in hastily at Emma’s instinctive shake of the head. “But I’ll have a glass of water, if one’s on offer.”
“Sit down,” Emma told him. “Please.” 
Nic slipped off his own shoes before heading to the couch with Zack. “Cheers,” he said as she came back from the kitchen to hand each of them a glass, then took her own seat in a small armchair next to the couch, the only other option the little room offered.
“You look tired,” she said abruptly. “And bruised. Are you OK?”
“Just a bit confused on the sleep schedule, still,” Nic admitted. “I took a wee pill on the flight home, but it never works that well.”
“It’s a long way, Mum,” Zack put in. “South Africa’s really far.”
Nic took a long drink of the cold water, looked around for something to set the glass on. “Coaster?”
“Just put it down,” Emma told him. 
“Don’t want to spoil this,” he said, looking more closely at the coffee table. The simple rectangle had been transformed into a forest of ferns, with native birds peeping out from underneath fronds, perched in trees. The parson-throated tui making a meal of red fruit, the colorful, stumpy takahe on the forest floor, tiny fantails darting overhead. 
“You can’t,” Emma assured him. “It’s all enamels. Everything in this house is pretty indestructible.”
“Did you find the ruru yet?” Zack asked him, leaning forward.
“Don’t tell me,” Nic said. “Let me look.” Zack watched him eagerly as he searched and finally pointed triumphantly to a notch in a tree where the owl blended into the bark. “There.”
“You did this too, eh,” he asked Emma. “Nice.”
“I did everything. That’s my decorating theme. Things I made.”
“I like it,” he assured her. The warm colors of the lounge seemed to cocoon them. Two walls were a rich caramel, the others a warm yellow. She didn’t even paint every wall in a room the same color, he realized. Well, at least in the kitchen it was all the same. Purple. He wondered what color her bedroom was. How it looked. And found himself wishing, against every better impulse, that he could see it.


Rosalind James is the author of the Kindle bestseller Just This Once and the three subsequent books in the Escape to New Zealand series. She is a former marketing executive who has lived all over the United States and in a number of other countries, traveling with her civil engineer husband. Most recently, she spent several years in Australia and New Zealand, where she fell in love with the people, the landscape, and the culture of both countries.
Visit www.rosalindjames.com to listen to the songs from the books, follow the characters on their travels, watch funny and fascinating New Zealand and rugby videos, and learn about what's new!

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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Blog Tour: An Italian Obsession by Kfir Luzzatto
12:00 AM0 Comments

 Young Adult/Historical/General Fiction
Date Published: 9/3/12


 In the lax atmosphere of middle-class post-war Italy, sex and drugs are easy to come by. Roberto tries to find his own balance, but a crush he had for Alessandra in elementary school is reignited and the course of his life is changed forever.

It's the 1970’s, a time of political upheaval driven by disillusioned young people. Roberto is caught up in the times. He makes a new start, but his past catches up with him. Finding himself accused of a crime, he must defend himself even when he isn’t sure he committed it. A vivid snapshot of European post-war society, this novel is viewed through the eyes of a young adult coming of age.




My Review:
To start with, I absolutely loved the writing style of the author and the way the story seemed to flow effortlessly. 

This story follows a young man through many aspects of life, the good and the bad and most of which are centered around a girl he met at such a young age. His character is so well developed and multi-dimensional. He is perfectly flawed. 

The setting and time of this story added a deeper element to the story. This book is perfect for those who like their novels a little bit grittier. This book is the real deal and such a treat! 

Buy Links


Kfir was born and raised in Italy, and moved to Israel as a teenager. He acquired the love for the English language from his father, a former U.S. soldier and WWII veteran, a voracious reader and a prolific writer. Kfir has a PhD in chemical engineering and works as a patent attorney. He lives in Omer, Israel, with his full-time partner, Esther, their four children, Michal, Lilach, Tamar and Yonatan, and the dog Elvis.
Novels: Crossing the Meadow (2003); The Odyssey Gene (2006); The Evelyn Project (2012); Have Book – Will Travel (2012 – with Yonatan Luzzatto); An Italian Obsession (2012).
Short Story Collections: His Darker Side (2002-2011); His Lighter Side (2002-2011).
Non-Fiction: The World of Patents (2002)
www.kfirluzzatto.com. Blog: on the web site. Twitter: @KfirLuzzatto. Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/kfir.luzzatto. LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kfir-luzzatto/23/659/981


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Monday, February 25, 2013

Blog Tour: Desert Flower by Angela Scott
7:36 AM0 Comments


Upper YA - Women's Fiction
Date Published: 1/21/2013

Bodies have a canny way of finding Samantha Jean Haggert—the first, the dead body of her mama; the second, a naked man in the middle of the Arizona desert. For Sam, dealing with one dead body in her lifetime is more than unfair. Two is downright cruel.

Seven years after running from West Virginia, Sam's now a young woman of nineteen, trying to put the pieces of her life together with the help of her family—Jacob, Boone, and Laura. But the naked man in the desert spirals her world out of control, resurrecting past hurts and revealing old secrets. It also pits against one another the two men who vie for her heart: Carson, her friend, her first kiss, and the one man who knows everything about her past and loves her despite it; and Turner, the stranger who knows nothing, but who excites and frustrates her all at once.

When bad choices made as a child lead to more bad choices as a young adult, Sam finds herself at a crossroads, forced to face her demons head-on if she plans to have any future at all—with Carson, with Turner, or with anyone. But fixing the wrongs of the past takes time, and learning to forgive one's self is damn near impossible.

Visit old friends in this harrowing sequel to Desert Rice, in which award-winning author Angela Scott brings back the characters so many readers have loved. 



MY REVIEW
Desert Rice gave us a Young Adult story and left you wondering what happened next. Angela Scott has created a wonderful continuation of the story in the more New Adult/Women's Fiction novel Desert Flower. 

I love the way that we now see how everything that happened to Sam when she was younger has made her into the woman she has become. You can see why she makes some of the decisions she does, even though you may not agree with them.

This book has Drama, Romance, and Secrets. It flows nicely and will keep you engaged throughout. I'm am so thrilled I got to read both parts of Sam's life. Desert Rice was a great story of an adolescent and Desert Flower shows how the character you felt for grew up/


Buy Links 
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

I hear voices. Tiny fictional people sit on my shoulders and whisper their stories in my ear. Instead of medicating myself, I decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. I’m not crazy. I’m an author. For the most part, I write contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, I found myself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West—and loving it. My zombies don’t sparkle, and they definitely don’t cuddle. At least, I wouldn’t suggest it.
I live on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. I graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of my love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn’t require math. I can’t spell, and grammar is my arch nemesis. But they gave me the degree, and there are no take backs.
As a child, I never sucked on a pacifier; I chewed on a pencil. I’ve been writing that long. It has only been the past few years that I’ve pursued it professionally, forged relationships with other like-minded individuals, and determined to make a career out of it.
You can subscribe and follow me on my website, where I blog obsessively about my writing process and post updates on my current works. I’m also on Twitter and Facebook, but be forewarned, I tweet and post more than a normal person.
Twitter: @whimsywriting


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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Blog Tour: Hannah's Voice by Robb Grindstaff
6:17 AM0 Comments

Contemporary/Literary
Date Published: 1/15/13

When six-year-old Hannah's brutal honesty is mistaken for lying, she stops speaking. Her family, her community, and eventually, the entire nation struggle to find meaning in her silence.

School officials suspect abuse. Church members are divided—either she has a message from God or is possessed by a demon. Social workers interrupt an exorcism to wrest Hannah away from her momma, who has a tenuous grip on sanity. Hidden in protective foster care for twelve years, she loses all contact with her mother and remains mute by choice.

When Hannah leaves foster care at age eighteen to search for Momma, a national debate rages over her silence. A religious movement awaits her prophecy and celebrates her return. An anarchist group, Voices for the Voiceless, cites Hannah as its inspiration. The nation comes unhinged and the conflict spills into the streets when presidential candidates chime in with their opinions on Hannah—patriotic visionary or dangerous radical. A remnant still believes she is evil and seeks to dispatch her from this world. 

Hannah stands at the intersection of anarchists and fundamentalists, between power politics and an FBI investigation. All she wants is to find her momma, a little peace and quiet, and maybe some pancakes. 

One word would put an end to the chaos if Hannah can only find her voice.


My Review
This story is one of a kind and not at all what I was expecting. The authors use of description only heightens the experience for the reader.

At times it was difficult to read because of the emotional connection I had with Hannah. The trials in her life are like nothing I could ever imagine. A superb novel in which the main characters voice lives on long after the story is over. 


Buy Links 

In addition to a career as a newspaper editor, publisher, and manager, I’ve written fiction most of my life. The newspaper biz has taken my family and me from Phoenix, Arizona, to small towns in North Carolina and Texas, and from seven years in Washington, D.C., to five years in Asia. Born and raised a small-town kid, I’m as comfortable in Tokyo or Tuna, Texas. I now reside in a small community in Wisconsin where I manage the business operations of a daily newspaper. The variety of places I’ve lived and visited serve as settings for the characters who invade my head.
I’ve had a dozen short stories published in several print anthologies and e-zines, and several articles on the craft of writing fiction. My first novel, Hannah’s Voicedebuted January 15, 2013, and two more novels are in the works for 2013-14.
I also edit fiction and non-fiction books for authors from around the world. It helps that I’m fluent in five languages: U.S. English, U.K. English, Canadian English, and Australian English, plus my native language, Texan.


AUTHOR CONTACT INFO:
Twitter: @RobbWriter

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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

PROMO Blitz: Enslaved in Shadows by Tigris Eden
3:15 PM0 Comments

Paranormal Romance
Date Published: January 29, 2013

A man's Past leads to his Future......

Agent Stone of the Shadow Unit's job is simple, most days. Work in the Shadows, police his own Kind.

When an unwanted assignment turns out to be his darkest fantasy from the past, Draven can't help but be conflicted by the memories of the past and his responsibilities in the future. But his decision has been made.

The Heart of a woman is Tested........

Jes can't let the tall dark agent back into her life.
How can she trust any man after what she's endured? Years of abuse have broken her down and she doesn't have room for more. The man she turns to for help hasn't abused her physically but he's tormented her emotionally. A past betrayal left her scarred, but also brought her life.

Can she accept him into her heart and trust him again?

One will survive and adapt, the other will realize hearts can be mended even if it’s a bit too late.

The road to forgiveness sometimes only brings more pain. Unexpected events set their lives on two separate tracks leading to one outcome. Lives will be changed and an emotional battle to save their souls will leave them both trapped and enslaved in their need for one another.

EXCERPT

“Stop trying to bait me.” She stepped away from him to the other side of the elevator. Gabe had a wide smile on his face as well and stood with his hands behind his back teetering on the soles of his boots. The elevator dinged and the three of them stepped inside facing the front. As the doors began to close a very angry Draven was peering at them through the glass of the conference room he didn’t look happy at all.
“You know if you tell him,” Jesminda said under her breath. “I will see to it personally you and your man parts meet with a very dear friend of mine.” Let him read that from her mind and see if he still wanted to open his mouth. She looked him straight in the eyes, amber darkened to deep orange.
“Careful, you might find I quite enjoy a dose of pain with my pleasure. You, dear handling my junk bring nothing but salacious intentions to my brain and its receptive pleasure neurons.”
What was with these guys and their subtle and not so subtle come-ons? You would think they’d never been in the presence of a female before. She knew that wasn’t it. Royce tilted the corners of his mouth. The bastard was way too full of himself for his own good.
“I had a very up close and personal relationship with my father so the term bastard does not apply.”
Jesminda grinned.


Photobucket
My name is Katina Jewel Hernandez pen name Tigris Eden. I am eternally 29 years old. I love to write, read, and listen to music, watch movies, and travel. My biggest goal right now is to be waited on hand and foot. Possibly a group of hot cabana boys, maybe two or three door men, a butler and personal chef and driver, for now. I adore oatmeal crème cookies and long walks to my pillow. I’m pretty laid back and I love to laugh.
 I’m an ex-military brat, and have been to a number of wonderful places. I’ve been writing for as long as I was able to put pen to paper. I use to write music and play flute. So if it wasn’t music notes jumping at me to be put on paper it was words. True story: When I was growing up in Germany my father and I watched a lot of musicals. Sound of Music, Annie…. You name it I’ve watched and probably know the words by heart. Anyway, I thought life was a musical and my first day of school I sang the entire day. Whether it was hello, my name is Katina or can I go to the restroom. Two years later I was asked to write about my very first day of school. When I wrote my story the teacher didn’t believe me, told me I was a big story teller. So I’ve been telling stories ever since, whether it was with music or words.
 I live in Cypress, Texas with my Husband LL and my boys Darryl Joseph and Andrew and a newly acquired puppy name Kastor. When I’m not writing, I’m balancing payroll taxes, moving state wages, or answering that age old question. “Why don’t my wages in box 1 equal what’s on my pay stub. 
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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Blog Tour: Flying Solo by Jeanette Vaughan
8:24 AM0 Comments


Historical Fiction
Date Published: May 2012

Sometimes the choices we make in life have devastating consequences.
  
French Cajun Nora Broussard Greenwood was born with the wanderlust.   On a whim, she takes flying lessons.    For the first time in her life, she feels emancipated and free.  When she falls in love with her flying instructor, she asks for a divorce. This doesn’t jive with her ruthless and controlling, Catholic husband who kicks her to the curb without her children.  Desperate to get them back, she steals his plane. 

What’s it really like in New Orleans during Mardi Gras?  Find out in “sexy, sassy” FLYING SOLO as two divas tear up the town in this riveting romp of beignets, bourbon and bedlam.      “A book to inspire women,”  FLYING SOLO elicits admiration for a character who defies convention to overcomes domestic violence and gain independence.    


My Review:
A time warp back to the 60's in which Jeanette Vaughan gives us a fiction novel based on fact. The story itself about a woman who is taking her life into her own hands and going against the grain is a great one. Add to that the emotional turmoil she deals with upon falling for her Flying Instructor and deciding to leave her husband and we have a the makings of a ride you never saw coming. Great read!

EXCERPT
  The convertible, blue Cadillac pulled into the parking lot outside the terminal. “You know, the Greenwoods have their plane out here,” said Nora sipping on her Coca-cola. 
“Well that outta make it real convenient for you to have something to fly when know how, honey.” Charlene was trying to be supportive. “Does Frank fly?” 
“No. Not that I know of. I don’t think he was ever interested in taking lessons. They mostly use it for company trips and usually hire a pilot.”
“Oh, well that makes sense. They can sure afford it.” 
Now that they were here, Nora was getting butterflies in her stomach. Maybe she wasn’t cut out to be Amelia Earhart after all. But then, as they were getting out of the car, she saw him. 
Tall, arresting. Nora couldn’t believe it. She was sure it was the pilot she had seen in New York. She never forgot a face. And no one could ever forget those deep, azure blue eyes. Nora stopped short in her tracks. 
Suddenly, Charlene looked up. “Who in the hell is that? Kiss my grits that is a fine specimen.” 
“Sssshh,” Nora grabbed her arm. “He might hear you.”
“Well, I’m sure he’s heard many a cat call before. Lord have mercy, he is bee-uw-tee-ful. Stop my beatin’ heart.”
“Charlene,” Nora gasped as he approached. 
“How’d do ladies. Coming out for a flight?” His baritone, smokey voice nearly made them both faint. 
Charlene stuck out the flier. “No. We, uh . . . well she is here to check on some flying lessons.” She shoved Nora forward. It was only then that Nora took off her sunglasses and looked the pilot in the face. 
“What the heck?” the pilot looked bemused. “I can’t believe it. The girl with the chocolate, brown eyes.” 
Charlene looked confused. “Did I miss something? Do you two know each other?” 
For once, Nora was lost for words. Lost in his look. His smile. His ever-so-sexy voice. Normally, she wasn’t the blushing type, but she sure was today.
“Not really,” the pilot explained. “You could say that we shared a cup of coffee. Almost. A very long time ago.”
“Yes. A very long time ago. In New York.” How well Nora remembered.
Charlene couldn’t wait to hear that story. New York. How many times had Nora been to New York? Her honeymoon? On Nora’s honeymoon she meets this dream boat? Why in the heck was she still married to Frank? This was just too good. 
“Why don’t you ladies allow me to introduce myself? I’m Steve Novak. It’s my flying service that’s offering the lessons. I’m also one of the instructors.”
Nora thought she felt her heart skip a beat. She knew it was racing. She felt her face grow hot. Oh my God. The pilot from New York. The Adonis now standing before her was going to be her instructor? 
Charlene dug her fingernails into Nora’s arm. Steadying her friend, she propelled her towards the lobby. “Well sugar, let’s just hear all about it.” 


Buy Links 
Amazon:    http://amzn.to/V6cxmf
Barnes and Noble:   http://bit.ly/UJ1Pga


Jeanette Vaughan is an award winning writer and story teller. Not only is she published in the periodicals and professional journals of nursing, but also in the genre of fiction. Out on her sheep farm, she has written several novels and scripts. Her screenplay "Angel of Mercy" won the outstanding nursing research award from Texas Tech University Health Science Center. In addition, she was named Distinguished Alumni for the school of nursing in 2001 for her written work and volunteerism for the Sydney Olympic Games. Jeanette has practiced nursing in the fields of critical care and trauma. A native of Fort Worth, she is the mother of four children, including two Navy pilots. Jeanette lives in a Victorian farmhouse out in the pastures of northeast Texas with her sheep, chickens, donkeys and sheep dogs.

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Monday, February 18, 2013

Blog Tour: Sophie's Run by Nicky Wells
8:49 AM 8 Comments

Contemporary Romance
2nd Book in the Rockstar Romance Trilogy

Synopsis: 

Her famous star remains her rock while life takes her on a little detour…
Who says that the road towards true love is straight and even?  Sophie is certainly discovering that it is anything but.
 So she has finally found the man of her dreams!  Well… she knows who he is, even though she hasn’t actually quite met him yet.  But she misses her opportunity, and then her life goes crazy.  Rock star and ex-fiancé, Dan, keeps getting in the way of her new romance—even if he is just trying to be helpful.  A fire, an impromptu mini-trip with Dan, and a dreaded wedding later, Sophie is still struggling to meet the love of her life.  Then, just as she is getting it together with her perfect man, best friend Rachel commits an act of unspeakable betrayal.
 Sophie has had enough.  Confused and distraught, she decides that it is time for radical change.  Surprising herself and shocking her friends, she embarks on a secret journey eventually gets her life back on track.



Review:

I think Nicky Wells has done an amazing job of keeping things fresh and exciting in this 2nd installement of her Rockstar Romance Series. I was definitely thrown for a loop a couple of times while reading this. 

Expect to run through a bevy of emotions while reading this story. There is definite heartbreak and betrayal and you will find yourself just as upset as Sophie. That in itself is a huge testament to the Authors writing ability. 

I am excited to see how this trilogy will conclude with the last in the series. 



Links to Buy 




Rock On! Nicky Wells writes fun and glamorous contemporary romance featuring a rock star and the girl
next door. She recently signed her work with U.S. publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing. Nicky loves rock
music, dancing, and eating lobsters. When she’s not writing, Nicky is a wife, mother, and occasional
teaching assistant.

Originally born in Germany, Nicky moved to the United Kingdom in 1993, and currently lives in Lincoln
with her husband and their two boys. In a previous professional life, Nicky worked as a researcher and
project manager for an international Human Resources research firm based in London and Washington,
D.C.

Visit Nicky on her blog where you can find articles, interviews, radio interviews and, of course, an
ongoing update on her work in progress, the second and third parts of the Rock Star Romance Trilogy.
You can also follow Nicky on Twitter and find her on Facebook. Nicky is a featured author on the
innovative reader/author project, loveahappyending.com and has joined the Romantic Novelists’
Association. Nicky also has author pages at Sapphire Star Publishing and, of course, Goodreads.

Website
Twitter Handle: @WellsNicky
Facebook 

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Sunday, February 10, 2013

Blog Tour: O! Jackie by Mercedes King
7:04 AM1 Comments


Mainstreem/Commercial/Literary
Date to be Published: 12/29/2012



 Despite her poise and graceful smile, Jackie Kennedy’s life was far from perfect. Behind closed doors, Jackie struggled with bouts of depression, endured a heartbreaking road to motherhood, and had difficult relationships with those closest to her. Ravaged by insecurities and humiliation, she even wrestled her own temptations for both other men and divorce. But Jackie clung to the belief that she could make JFK abandon his wandering ways. Through the years, though, Jack Kennedy’s lustful escapades grew in carelessness and frequency, and most needling for Jackie were his trysts with Marilyn Monroe. When Marilyn becomes erratic and unstable, Jackie must decide how far she will go to protect the presidency and to save her marriage. 



My Review:
What a great idea for a book! Who doesn't wonder what life was really like for Jackie O? She is such an iconic First Lady and the world knows the amount of drama that went on during her life. 

Mercedes King has done a wonderful job of combining the media headlines the world has read about into a tale of fiction about her life. While you know you are reading fiction, there are journal entries and enough fact to make you feel like you are reading her actual story. 

As a reader you are left at the end wondering how much was fiction and what could have actually happened. A Wonderful read! 

Purchase Link


A founding member of Sisters in Crime Columbus, Ohio, Mercedes King is an active member and past president. She graduated from Capital University with a degree in Criminology, and since then has been crafting stories with a scandalous flair. A born and bred Buckeye, she writes in a variety of genres and is hard at work on her next novel. 

Contact Links:

Web site: OJackiebook.com
Twitter: @OJackiebook




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