Saturday, August 30, 2014

Quest for Honor by David Tindell {Blog Tour: Review}


*Received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Blurb~
"I love the name of honor, more than I fear death." Julius Caesar

Jim Hayes lives a quiet life in Wisconsin, training in martial arts and studying the warrior ethos. Unable to prevent the murder of his wife six years earlier, Jim is determined that the next time he is called upon to act, things will be different, and he can restore the sense of honor he believes he has lost.

His estranged brother Mark, an Army colonel commanding a firebase in the mountains of Afghanistan, sees his career winding down and wonders what lies in store when he comes home. After years of dedicated service to his country, he fears nothing else will measure up when he removes the uniform for the last time.

In lawless Somalia, al Qaeda chieftain Yusuf Shalita, tired of endless jihad, has decided to defect, in one last attempt at redemption. But Shalita has only met one American he has ever trusted, so he tells the CIA he will surrender himself to Jim Hayes, his old friend from their college days in Wisconsin. That demand will bring the Hayes brothers back together in a way they never imagined, as they fight to prevent a new and devastating terror attack on the very heart of America.

Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My Review~

The world is at war. A rather silent war that many people don't understand. A war that many people are against. But wars are always fought. Right now that war is happening in Afghanistan and the surrounding area, where Mark Hayes is helping to protect the US from a threat many don't even realize is there. Meanwhile, Jim Hayes wishes he could fight that war. He yearns for the chance to do the honorable thing. 

But in like in a lot of things in life, you should be careful what you wish for. Jim has always believed in honor and has always tried to live his life that way. He treats people with respect and stands up for the little guys. And it is that act that brings Jim to the forefront of a war that he so longed to fight. 

When he get's the call to do his duty and play his part Jim jumps at the chance to do the honorable thing and finally take a part in the war. Jim is a trained martial artist, skilled in many forms of martial arts, he is very good at what he does and uses his training to bring a sense of duty to his life. In Quest for Honor it will be that training that he will call upon in the darkness.

When I read Quest for Honor I often found myself thinking of those old Jean Claude Van Damme movies like "Nowhere to Run, "Hard Target," and "Bloodsport," where the underdog uses his mean martial art skills to kick some serious butt. Like Jean Claude Van Damme in many of his movies, Jim Hayes is a man like any other. He seeks to do the right and stands up for it whenever given the chance. There is especially one scene in Quest for Honor that brought me back to my days of watching marathons of martial art movies. 

Quest for Honor is a book that gives us a very in depth look at a life at war. We see the life of the soldier as he fights for what they believe is right. Author David Tindell gives us a look at both the view of the good and bad. And he also gives us a look inside the mind of a man full of regret. Quest for Honor is a story that is full of detail and great action sequences. And though I did enjoy the story I feel that it took a little longer than I liked to get to the nitty girtty of the story. There were aspects of the story that I felt dragged on and I sometimes found myself wishing for a little less information. There were times where it felt like I was reading a history report. But they were spaced far enough between that I was able to enjoy what the story was all about. 

Quest for Honor is definitely a story for those looking for a different take on the fight against war. It will put you in the mind of the enemy, the soldiers on the front line, and the family they leave behind and is a story for anyone who is seeking a thrill.


About the Author~
David Tindell was born in Germany and grew up in southern Wisconsin. Today he lives up in the northwestern corner of the state, in a log home on a lake with his wife Sue, their Yorkie and two cats. After a career in radio broadcasting, Tindell went to work for the US Government and resumed the writing career he'd started in college.
His first novel, "Revived", was published in 2000, but after that he put the pen aside for a time to train in the martial arts, earning a black belt in the Korean art of Taekwondo and instructor status in the Russian art of Systema. He currently trains in ryukudo kobujutsu, an art that combines karate with Okinawan weaponry. Like his protagonist in "The White Vixen", Tindell is a linguist, although not as accomplished as Jo Ann Geary; he's conversational in German and has also studied Italian and Russian.
Find Him: Website Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Out of Ruins by Michele G Miller {Review}

*Received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Blurb~
“Guilt. A painful, lonely feeling. It seeps into your pores slowly as you go through life day by day. Like a disease, it blackens your heart with thoughts and memories of what you did, or in my case, what you didn’t do.”
 
Surviving the storm was only the beginning for Jules. Surviving the guilt? That is something only love can help her overcome.

Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble


My Review~

The first book in this series From the Wreckage absolutely killed me. It left me awe inspired and slightly broken. Okay, it left me a lot broken. But I had hope, yes Michele G Miller gave me hope. There was going to be a book 2, EEP! I was giddy and nervous. I found out there was also going to be a book 3.  I bit my nails. My mind was going a hundred miles an hour thinking of all the things that could happen in the next two books. Michele G Miller already ripped my heart out with From the Wreckage and with two more books it opened me up to a lot more. Crap! Yup, crap is right. And heart break happened. Heart break is starting to become my expectation from Michele G Miller. I know when I pick up one her books that I'm going to cry. I know it, yet I read it anyways. I think I sort of enjoy it. Maybe a small part of me is a masochist. Really I think it's that the other part of me that makes me read them. The part of me that sees hope, roots for love, and desires happy ever after.

Either way I was prepared for this one. I knew I was going to get my heart ripped out. What I didn't expect was how it happened. Michele G Miller completely blindsided me. I wanted to punch a hole in the wall the minute I read those hurtful pages. I cried so much I had to re-read pages because I couldn't see. So of course I cried more. It was brutal. But it was beautiful.

Out of Ruins was beautiful in that it was laced with promises of the future and forgotten lives. It gave me hope for that happy ever after. Though there was hope there was still despair, sorrow, and guilt. Jules and West survived that fateful night in Out of Ruins we get to see everything that goes with that. Unfortunately life moves on, and you have to learn to deal with all that happened. Out of Ruins is that story. It is a personal tale of survival and everything that goes with it. Moving on, moving up, getting better, finding hope, and being happy.

Michele G Miller does a phenomenal job of making you not only see this story come to life, but feel it. Every moment of it felt real. I felt every ounce of Jules pain as her story unfolded. I root for her like I would a friend and I wanted to crawl into the book and be a shoulder for her to cry on. And I wanted to crawl into West's head and know his every thought.

The tale of Jules and West is so full of struggle, emotion, and pain there is no way Michele G Miller could have put all this into one book. With her telling of the story it has the chance to unfold naturally. Giving the reader the chance to fully immerse themselves in the story. Allowing them to feel every emotion. See and feel the pain and struggle.

Out of Ruins was a beautiful tale that left me emotionally distraught, torn, angry, and thirsty for more. Michele G Miller filled my heart with happiness and hope and ripped it away from me just when I had stopped looking back. It is a story that despite knowing how it ends, I would read again. I would allow Michele G Miller to rip my heart out, just to live in that book one more time.

For all you happy ever after readers out there. Readers who thrive on the struggle and fight for happiness and love, this book is for you. Seriously, just pick up this series already.


There are so many beautiful moments in Out of Ruins that I had a hard time deciding, so I'm going to give you two.
"God put me there so YOU could save ME." (kindle, loc.2147).
'You can always build something beautiful out of ruins.' This -- you and I -- we are that something beautiful." (kindle, loc. 2214).

The Write Stuff by Tiffany King {Release Blitz}

Happy release day to Tiffany King for her release of The Write Stuff. I have been salivating ever since Tiffany King first uttered the words secret project and when I found out the details behind this secret project I all out drooled. This is definitely going to be another great one. Check out all the deets below and show her some release day love.


Blurb~
Twenty-two-year-old historical romance writer Nicole Blake, or N.S. Blake to her readers, hasn't taken an official poll, mind you, but she is convinced she may be the only romance author on the planet who is still a card-carrying member of the virgin club.
Not that she hasn't tried to end her membership. Life just keeps finding pesky ways to interfere. With no prospects on the horizon, Nicole begins to feel like the closest she will ever get to experiencing a man is within her own stories.
Opportunity presents itself in the form of hot-as-sin-on-a-lollipop-stick bartender/premed student Alec Petropoulos, who agrees to be the cover model for her upcoming book. Sparks fly instantly between them, and Nicole begins to entertain the possibility that she's finally found the right guy to hand over her tattered V-card. Alec has all the makings for a perfect one-night-stand candidate except, much to Nicole's surprise, he seems to be the only man in existence not interested in bagging a virgin.
Stuck between a rock and a stubborn male, what's a virgin to do? Seduce him, of course. How hard could it be? If it works for the characters in her stories, why wouldn't it work for her?

After all, what happens under the cover…stays under the cover.

Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to start this one!!! 

About the Author~
USA Today Bestselling author Tiffany King is a lifelong reading fanatic who is now living her dream as a writer, weaving Young Adult and New Adult romance tales for others to enjoy. She has a loving husband and two wonderful kids. (Five, if you count her three spoiled cats). Her addictions include: Her iPhone and iPad, chocolate, Diet Coke, chocolate, Harry Potter, chocolate, zombies and her favorite TV shows. Want to know what they are? Just ask.


For information on any of Author Tiffany's titles, visit her blog at www.authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com"Dreams do come true...Dream big."
Find Her: Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Website | Goodreads | email: authortiffany@yahoo.com


Thursday, August 21, 2014

Fated Release Blitz


*Eek! 5 Paranormal books in one great package! Woohoo! Grab it now folks.

The Fated 5 have come together to bring you a collection of five steamy new adult urban fantasies about sacrifice, second chances, destiny and love against all odds.
With fan favorites from new adult and urban fantasy bestsellers Rachael Wade, Nikki Jefford, Stacey Marie Brown, Alyssa Rose Ivy and Heather Hildenbrand.

***Available for a LIMITED TIME only!***
Five full-length novels only 99 cents.

Amaranth by Rachael Wade – Camille moves to Southern Louisiana to escape her abusive past, not expecting to fall in love and plummet into the world of Amaranth, a place of exile for reformed vampires.

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter by Nikki Jefford– Thanks to her rare blood type, Aurora’s forced to hunt vampires in Alaska. Now Aurora’s only friends are groupies of the undead and the only boy she can think about may very well be a vampire.

Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown – Ember has never fit in. After she lands herself in a facility for troubled teens, she meets the darkly mysterious and hot as hell, Eli Dragen who is keeping secrets that can’t stay hidden much longer.

Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy – A summer in New Orleans leads to a chance encounter with the infuriating yet alluring Levi. Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand – Five months after Whisper is released from the Skye View Wellness Center she stumbles upon an unconscious boy at a bonfire party who holds the key to breaking her curse.
Enter to win a custom Fated charm bracelet.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sign-up for a free Fated Bonus Bundle and chance to win a $50 Gift Card and Live Chat with the Fated 5.


Tuesday, August 19, 2014

The Man Test by Amanda Aksel {Review Blitz}


*Received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Blurb~
Marin Johns is San Francisco’s Pollyanna couples therapist. She’s months away from wedded bliss when she discovers her fiancé is having an affair. After nursing her broken heart with Kleenex and break-up songs, she adopts a new brand of thinking when she uncovers a tell-all book that proves all men are liars and cheaters who will do and say anything so they’re not found out. No exceptions.

In an attempt to convince her friends of her newfound truth, she begins a fictitious relationship with James, a do-gooder from Montana. Marin seeks any means necessary to catch him cheating from hiring a PI to enlisting the help of a fidelity tester. Will her new "boyfriend" beat the statistic or will Marin regret the satisfaction of being right?


Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | iBooks

My Review~

Have you ever read one of those books that made you feel like you were living inside one of your favorite romantic comedies? No? Well then you have to read The Man Test. Hang on for a minute and allow me to explain. One of my favorite movies of all times is How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days, you know the one where the girl sabotages her own relationship to make a point? This book was like watching that movie for the first time. I know what you are thinking, if I've seen the movie why read the book? Well let me tell you.

First, The Man Test is refreshing. Yes, it was a bit predictable at times, but it is the way that Amanda Aksel presents the story that makes it a must read. You know something is going to happen just by reading the synopsis and will greedily read the pages as it does. It's a train wreck, you see it coming, she does too, but like a train wreck you can't stop it. And it's fabulous.

Second, this book makes you think. Although sometimes it may make you think things you don't want to think or evaluate things you don't want to evaluate. Life is hard, love is hard, and being single can really suck. But just because you think you've found mister right doesn't mean everything will end happily ever after. That's what The Man Test reminds us of. Life is hard and sometimes you have to put on your big girl panties and just get over it.

Third, the characters are great. I loved Marin, her friends and her determined and stubborn mentality. Life wasn't fair to her and she was determined to prove that life just sucked for everyone. I fell for Marin, Telly and Holly. They had an easy going friendship that anyone who has had a best friend can imagine. It was real and it was fun to be a visitor in their lives for a day.

I rooted for Marin. I rooted for her to be wrong. I'm a happily ever after kind of girl. I wanted her to be wrong so much that I wanted to cry. But that doesn't mean that I didn't have some laughs along the way.

I'm not going to lie, The Man Test is predictable, but it is a fun story that will allow you to escape the pains and stresses of the day. It will help you escape to your favorite romantic comedy just when life needs that run away moment. It is a great fun read that will have you laughing, cringing, ahhing, and shaking your head no, but overall it will have you thoroughly enjoying it! If you are a fan of romantic comedies then you have to give The Man Test a try.



About the Author~
AMANDA (ah-MAHN-dah)- Latin- Meaning lovable or worthy of love. Fitting. I've always had an affinity for love. ​ Being born in sunny San Diego in the mid 80’s to a young military couple gave me plenty of insight into the dynamics of a romantic relationship. Somewhere between moving coasts every three years, I found myself engrossed in fairytale romances and dressing up like a bride. ​ My first real love was writing. By my sophomore year in a new high school in Virginia, I had a slew of short stories, songs, poems, and articles to my name. Writing was fun. It was a way to get the emotions, dialogue, and pictures out of my head, and create a destiny for my characters. ​I had no intention of making a career in writing, because it wasn’t what I did, it was who I was. In reality, I wanted to be an actress. Ah, to be the face of someone else’s authored story. The plan was to move in with my aunt in L.A. after graduation, but had a change of heart. Instead, I stayed with my high school sweetheart (now husband) and attended a film school in Norfolk, VA. It was at this school that I discovered my love for writing screenplays and felt compelled to follow that path. But…as the practical girl I was brought up to be, I decided to go to a real university. While working full time, I completed my BA in Psychology in four and a half years. Becoming a couple’s therapist had always been my “backup” career and there I was on my way to solving love's most complicated quandaries one couple at a time. ​ With all my new free time after graduation, I decided to turn my full-length screenplay into a novel in hopes it would help my screenplay sell. I think I was in the middle of writing chapter two when I realized that everything I had ever written was to prepare me for that moment when I knew I was a novelist. Talk about the affirmation of my life. Now my plan is to solve love's most complicated quandaries one novel at a time.




Sunday, August 17, 2014

Blog Roll- My Writing Process

Hello peeps and happy Monday! Today I am going to do something a little different and tell you a little about my writing process. I was tagged by the awesome Nikki Jefford to participate in this awesome blog roll. I have never answered questions about my writing process so this should be fun. Make sure you check out Nikki's answers to the questions at her site Nikki Jefford.

1) What am I working on right now?

In June I published my very first book, Guided. I left it with a cliffhanger so I have been hard at work on book 2 Deceived. I'm not too far in, but am having a lot of fun with the direction the story is going. I can't wait to get it out there.

2) How does my work differ from others in the genre?

Guided is a young adult paranormal story about a young witch trying to save her family line. She is new to magic and has to navigate the world of magic while fighting for her life. I know it doesn't sound different from any other witch story out there, but I do give you a lot of elements that you wouldn't typically find in a witch story. Guided gives you Angel's, shifters, and magic of every kind. I like to think it's different. I hope you do too.

3) Why do I write what I do?

Simple. Because it's what I like to read. I have always enjoyed escaping into the world of witches and magic. And when I sat down to write it's the story that flowed. The place where I felt comfortable. Think of it as my escape from reality. I live in reality, I want something different, something magical. You know cow gone take me away and all that!

4) How does my writing process work?

Ha! That is a very good question. As of right now I really don't know. It changes a lot. One thing that remains constant is music. I have to have music to write. And it has to be music that moves me at the time, so it is always different.

But I am currently addicted to the music from Ed Sheeran, lately I just put his music on repeat and listen away!


What worked yesterday may not work today. I also can't write without a notebook close by. When I get stuck I like to put paper to pen to get the words flowing. So is that a process???



Well there you have it folks... my process or what process there is! Thanks for stopping by. I hope you stop by Steven Montano's site next Monday, the 25th because he is the author I tagged!

Friday, August 8, 2014

Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck by Stan Swanson {Blog Tour: Review}

*Received a free copy in exchange for an honest review


The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck: Magic and Mayhem, by Stan Swanson
 
Genre: middle-grade, action-adventure fantasy
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Date of Publication: August 7th, 2014 
Cover Artist: RickyGunawan


Description:
Things are not as they should be in Pennywhistle. Enchanted toasters are not toasting, enchanted sprinklers are not sprinkling and Hobart Hucklebuck’s origami messenger birds are suddenly attacking him.
 Someone seems to be draining the power from all of the enchanted items in the village. But who could it be and why have they implicated Hobart’s grandfather?
 “The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck” follows Hobart and his friends, Specks Spacklethack and Rosie Rumpleskirt, as they try to solve this mystery and free Hobart’s grandfather from the Tower of Tribulation on Mumblemonk Mountain.
 The trio’s investigation into the mysterious happenings on Druid Lane gets them into hot water more than once and ultimately brings them dangerously close to disaster not only for themselves, but the entire village of Pennywhistle.


Helpful Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

My Review~

Hobart Hucklebuck lives in a world where objects do what they are told, creatures live and work down the street, and magic is practiced in the open. Magic is appreciated and an everyday part of life. But when bread stops listening, clocks stop telling time, and other enchanted items stop doing as they are told the world that Hobart lives in is thrown into disarray. No one knows what's happening and now everyone is a suspect, even Hobart's very own grandfather. 

Hobart and his friends don't believe Hobarts grandfather, Wicksford is guilty and set out to find out the true guilty party. 

Hobart is the grandson of a very powerful and talented mage, but seems rather untalented in the realm of magic himself. Throughout the tale Hobart's attempts at magic are embarrassing and at times close to disastrous. Him and his friends are misfits and make the perfect team to solve the mystery of the unenchanting items. 

As they search for the culprit they know is in their midst, the band of friends find themselves in some very sticky situations with not a clue how to move forward. Everyone is a suspect and yet no one seems guilty. With one mistaken step Hobart stumbles upon the truth behind the magic draining items and the truth is shocking. It is a blow for Hobart and the entire community of Druid Lane. 

Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck is a fun tale full of silly words and enchanting every day items, that enchant the reader as much as they enrich the story. The idea of items doing what they are told was marvelous. Talk about a lazy society. No longer did people have to use magic themselves, every item purchased came pre-enchanted to do what it was made to do. And when things go wrong, people find themselves doing things the old fashioned way, manually. 

The tale of Hobart Hucklebuck was a cute tale that is perfect for a young reader looking for a magical adventure. Many of the character names, shop names and other town items resembled tongue twisters. Every character's first and last name starting with the same letter. I can only imagine how long it took Stan Swanson to come up with these names. I found them fun and entertaining.


Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck is the perfect summer read for the kid in love with magic and adventure. It is adorable, funny, and is a great tale of friendship and loyalty. 



About the Author~

Stan Swanson is a Bram Stoker award finalist and author of eight books including Forever Zombie (a collection of short stories), Write of the Living Dead (a highly-praised writing guide written with Araminta Star Matthews and Rachel Lee) and Return of the Scream Queen (co-authored with Michael McCarty and Linnea Quigley). He is also editor/publisher for Dark Moon Books and Dark Moon Digest. Upcoming titles include Horror High School: Return of the Loving Dead (the first book in a young adult horror series co-written with Araminta Star Matthews), Dead Sparrows (a collection of apocalyptic poetry) and The Methlands (a horror novel co-written with award-winning author Joe McKinney).

Find Him: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon