Review: Ember Island by Kimberley Freeman

Goodreads Summary:

A riveting story of secrets and scandal

1890: Orphaned as a small child, Tilly Kirkland found a loving, safe home with her grandfather in Dorset. But nineteenth-century England is an unforgiving place for a young woman with limited means and as her grandfather's health fails, it seems perfect timing that she meets Jasper Dellafore. Yet her new husband is not all he seems. Alone in the Channel Islands, Tilly finds her dream of a loving marriage is turning into a nightmare.

2012: Bestselling novelist Nina Jones is struggling with writer's block and her disappointing personal life. Nothing is quite working. After a storm damages Starwater, her house on Ember Island, she decides to stay for a while and oversee the repairs: it s a perfect excuse to leave her problems behind her on the mainland. Then Nina discovers diary pages hidden in the walls of the old home. And a mystery unravels that she is determined to solve.

Though the two women are separated by years, Starwater House will alter the course of both their lives. Nina will find that secrets never stay buried and Tilly learns that what matters most is trusting your heart.

Publication Date: April 15, 2014

I was a little nervous when I found out the novel was told in two points of view from women from two different time periods. But I ended up loving Ember Island. I loved the author’s writing style and I found myself captivated over the mysteries surrounding Tilly and Nina.

Tilly and Nina’s stories were both interesting, but I was a little more intrigued by Tilly’s story and her nightmarish relationship with Jasper. Tilly was naïve at times, but I was able to see how desperate she was to be loved and cared for. Nina has her own personal demons and tries to escape them by taking over the repairs of a dilapidated house traced back to her ancestors.

I liked the way the author tied the two stories together by having Nina find the diary left behind by her grandmother Nell. Nell was also Tilly’s charge when she took on the role of governess as a way to escape her bad marriage. Nina is intrigued by Nell’s diary and searches the walls of the house to find the missing pages.

I liked the touch of romance involving handyman single dad Joe and Nina. It was sweet and I found him an endearing love interest. There are also strong female relationships featured in the book—a plot point I always like to see.

The Australian author is new to me, but I’m eager to check out her other books. I’d highly recommend the novel to fans of historical fiction.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!

Release Event and Giveaway: Chasing Shadows by Tia Silverthorne Bach

It’s here! And it’s only 99 cents through Sunday, 5/11/14.

About Chasing Shadows (Tala Prophecy, Book 2)

Reagan thought one night changed her life forever, but her fate was written long ago.

Merging creature and white blood,

One of flame, one of night,

At eighteen years it will commence,

Spiritual warrior and power,

Will bring an end to the lawless ones.

A war looms: One that pits brother against brother for werewolf supremacy. Angels and demons will each have a say before a victor is chosen.

With her eighteenth birthday only six months away, time is running out. Reagan must find a way to harness the two powerful, ancient bloodlines coursing through her: Werewolf and Wiccan. Then, she has to figure out her role in the century-old prophecy foretold by her great-grandmother.

However, if Reagan can’t save her family from her most vicious rival, Rafe, the forces of Hell will be unleashed and the war will be over before it starts.

Add Chasing Shadows on GoodReads 

Cover Design by Jo Michaels


Amazon Link

And don’t forget Chasing Memories (Tala
Prophecy, Book 1)

Until
Sunday, 5/11/14, it’s FREE!

Synopsis

There isn’t another way; not now. The others are coming. I can’t let them have you…


Seventeen-year-old Reagan has a problem: She can’t remember
what happened the night her brother was taken. Now, the dreams haunting her from the incident are becoming more intense by the day. All the while, the lines between what’s real and what’s a product of her paranormal-obsessed mind are becoming blurred.

Is she losing her mind or has she just stepped into a world she thought only existed in books?

Caught in a web of worried parents, competing boys, Wiccan relatives, protective amulets, and psychiatrist babble, Reagan must determine the truth before it’s too late.


Amazon Link


Giveaways


Two great giveaway opportunities...


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Chasing Shadows

by Tia Silverthorne Bach

Giveaway ends May 28, 2014.


See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

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About
the Author

Tia Silverthorne Bach is an avid reader, sometimes runner,
involved wife and mother, and rabid grammar hound in addition to being a multi-genre writer. Her three daughters were born in Chicago, San Diego, and Baltimore; and she feels fortunate to have called many places home. She's the award-winning co-author of Depression Cookies, a coming of age story written with her mother. Tia's office is wherever her laptop takes her and any place that's conducive to allowing a wild imagination like hers to flourish.

Connect with Tia

Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and GoodReads

Review: The Recruit by Fiona Palmer

Goodreads Summary:

Jasmine Thomas may not be completely normal, but she’s a pretty typical seventeen-year-old girl. She hates the rich mean kids, loves her best friends, and can’t wait to get out of school each day. Her spare time is spent at The Ring — a boxing gym where she practically grew up — learning karate, boxing and street fighting. So, yeah, Jaz can kick some major butt.

Life seems pretty normal until the day Ryan Fletcher enters her gym…mysterious and hot with heaps of bad boy charm. Sure, she checks him out. Who wouldn’t? But what doesn’t show on his gorgeous abs are secrets and lies that dominate his very grown-up world. Now Jaz has to figure out just how far she is willing to go to know more. Could Ryan really be offering the life-fulfilling life path she’s always dreamed of?

Publication Date: May 2014

This book was so much fun! I loved Jaz, she was such a tough girl heroine. Because of her boxing and martial arts background, she made a believable recruit. I also enjoyed her relationship with Ryan and the ending was a nice setup for future books in the series.

The action started early and kept going until the final pages. From the beginning, readers find out how strong and skilled Jaz is in and out of the boxing ring. When she meets Ryan, the plot really takes off and I was glad he became the major love interest in lieu of Taylor. I also loved the strong friendships Jaz had and I admired her loyalty.

The pacing was good and I never felt bored. Some of the plot points I guessed, but I still felt invested in what would happen in the story. The only thing that slowed down the plot for me was trying to translate a few of the Australian slang words I wasn’t familiar with.

Fans of YA suspense will likely enjoy The Recruit. I felt it was a solid series starter and I’m curious to see what direction the author decides to go in for the next book.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!

Review: I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends by Courtney Robertson

Goodreads Summary:

Courtney Robertson joined season 16 of The Bachelor looking for love. A working model and newly single, Courtney fit the casting call: She was young, beautiful, and a natural in front of the cameras. Although she may have been there for all the right reasons, as the season unfolded and sparks began to fly something else was clear: She was not there to make friends.

Courtney quickly became one of the biggest villains in Bachelor franchise history. She unapologetically pursued her man, steamrolled her competition, and broke the rules—including partaking in an illicit skinny-dip that sealed her proposal. Now, after a very public breakup with her Bachelor, Ben Flajnik, Courtney opens up and tells her own story—from her first loves to her first moments in the limo. She dishes on life before, during, and after the Bachelor, including Ben’s romantic proposal to her on a Swiss mountaintop and the tabloid frenzy that continued after the cameras stopped rolling.

For the first time ever, a former Bachelor contestant takes us along on her journey to find love and reveals that “happily ever after” isn't always what it seems. Complete with stories, tips, tricks, and advice from your favoriteBachelor alumni, and filled with all the juicy details Courtney fans and foes alike want to know, I Didn’t Come Here to Make Friends is a must-read for every member of Bachelor nation.

Publication Date: June 24, 2014

As soon as I saw this book available for review, I knew I had to check it out. I’m a fan of The Bachelor and although Ben’s season wasn’t my favorite, I did find it compulsively watchable because of all the Courtney drama. I thought the novel was an attempt at an image overhaul, but that wasn’t the case.

The beginning and end of the book were boring. I didn’t have much interest in how many celebrities Courtney banged before The Bachelor or the end of the book chronicling the demise of her relationship with Ben. The middle was great with all of the insider gossip about The Bachelor production and her tense relationships with the women of the mansion.

This is definitely a guilty pleasure book. It had the feel of a tabloid magazine because of the way she spoke about celeb’s “bushes” and who was good in bed. A few big reveals were made about Ben’s season, but since that season aired a while ago, I didn’t really remember a lot of the women on it. I was definitely relying on Google while reading to figure out who the heck she was talking about.

I thought maybe this book would improve her likability, but I suspect most people will still find her polarizing. She makes it seem at times as though she was treated unfairly meanwhile she still makes fun of the other women. To sum it up, all women seem to hate Courtney while all men want to do her.

This book is really ideal for serious fans of The Bachelor who want to know more about Ben and Courtney’s relationship and the fallout from the bad press both of them received because of the show.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!

Review: The Taking by Kimberly Derting

Goodreads Summary:

A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.

Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?

Publication Date: April 29, 2014

This was an interesting book and I liked the premise. I also enjoyed how the novel read a lot like a contemporary YA romance with a touch of sci-fi. My favorite part of the book was reading about how Kyra had to deal with family and friends that had flashed forward five years while she remained the same sixteen-year-old girl. This was a great series starter and I’m looking forward to the rest of the books.

Kyra was the type of character that needed to grow on me. At first, I thought she had acted very irresponsible after going missing for five years. She takes off without letting her parents know, figuring she didn’t need to leave a note. I also thought it was strange how she has no memory of the past five years and she’s not under psychiatric care. Also, her mother and the local authorities don’t seem concerned at all with trying to figure out what had happened to her over the past five years.

But after I just kind of went with the plot, I got really into the book. Kyra acted out, but I sympathized with what a shock it was for her to come back and have so many things changed. I loved her relationship with Tyler since he was such a sweetie. The romance had a good amount of angst and I was curious to see how Kyra and Tyler’s relationship developed.

The second half was stronger than the first and the suspense definitely kicked in. I liked that I was unable to predict what would happen in the book and how the author threw in a few surprises. It ended on a strong note and built up a lot of anticipation for the second book.

I’d highly recommend this book to fans of YA supernatural novels with heavy romantic elements.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!

Falling for Autumn Announcement and Kindle Giveaway for May

Falling for Autumn has been doing amazing and I can’t thank you all enough for the support! Many of you have been with me on my journey since the beginning and have become friends since that time. If you ever need anything, for real let me know (I do draw the line at kidney donation though). Anyway, onto the announcement and giveaway.

Since Falling for Autumn’s release, one of the most frequently asked questions has been: What was going on in Blake’s head? (or sometimes: What the f*ck was Blake thinking?) I anticipated this reaction and had already started on Blake’s novella: Finding Autumn!

Although most of Finding Autumn will take place during the same timeframe of Falling for Autumn, the final third occurs after the conclusion of the novel. Without giving anything away, I think it would be understandable to expect some drama headed Autumn and Blake’s way.

Another announcement is Delia’s book (Blake’s sister). Again, I can’t say much without spoilers, but if you read Falling for Autumn, you could easily guess how difficult things would be for her. Her novel will take place during her freshman year at Cook University. Autumn and Blake will also play a part in her book.

May will be Kindle giveaway month! If you already own a Kindle, no worries. You’ll just win a gift card of equal value. Enter below =) There will be another giveaway mid-month as part of my blog tour through The Book Enthusiast. I’ll be sharing the schedule closer to the start date.


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Review: Getting By by Claudia Y. Burgoa

Getting By ~ A Knight’s Tale I by Claudia Y. Burgoa is a new-adult contemporary romance novel, published February 18, 2014.

Synopsis:

When Emma Anderson arrived at San Francisco International Airport, she regretted accepting the distinction of being the maid of honor to Gaby’s—her childhood friend—wedding. It had been years since the last time she set foot in Menlo Park, where her parents had been killed. The rug where she had been shoving her feelings since that day looked bumpier than a camel’s hump. Who could blame her; if she hadn’t been selfish they’d still be around. Ever since that fateful day, Emma has been perfecting the knack of Getting By.

Cade’s wedding in Menlo Park—a city close to San Francisco—might be the perfect place for Jake Knight to shake the memories of his ex, Emma Anderson for good. Single, available women galore for an entire week was the perfect medication, one he intended to take three times a day for an entire week to return to his player days. It was a plan the former spy thought flawless until he came face to face with the maid of honor. Jake’s perfect retreat turns into a flight, fight or hide week of celebrations.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19305020-getting-by

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Knights-Tale-Claudia-Burgoa-ebook/dp/B00II6IKLO

Excerpt from Getting By:

Nights meant sleep and dreams—my archenemies. The Crowley to my Dean Winchester, the Green Goblin to my Spider-man, the list of superheroes and their opposites was long, and so became the analogies I used on a daily basis. My lack of sleep began with Dad and his conditions for me to continue my art. Then came my parents’ deaths. Those took a toll on me because I mixed dreams with realities and hopes. Not once did I have a nightmare, all of them were sweet and real. Seeing Mom and Dad on those nights filled my gut with nails, and my head pounded with the reminder that they were gone the next morning. Those had been merely fantasies that would never become a reality.

For the past three months I had been evading sleep and working overtime, over the overtime. The dreams of elevators, trips to sophisticated-secluded spots after a week of work and delicious nights with a man who I was required to forget in order to move on, came daily—nightly. They not only hit me with vengeance, but they came tangled with what humans liked to call hope. The urge to crawl inside myself to avoid the need of his touch, kisses and whatever it was that we had not long ago, consumed me. If I had the powers to morph into an animal, it’d be a sea turtle and I’d stay inside my shell for the next hundred years. Past the stage of melancholy and into the real world, I pushed my body outside of the bed and into the shower, where I got ready to face the Clements and the house next door.

About the Author:

Claudia lives in Colorado with her family and three dogs. Two beagles who believe they are human, and a bichon who thinks she’s a beagle. While managing life, she works as a CFO at a small IT Company. She’s a dreamer who enjoys music, laughter and a good story. Claudia is currently working on Standing By, the second book in the Knight series.

Website: http://www.claudiayburgoa.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7202946.Claudia_Y_Burgoa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaudiaYBurgoa

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yuribeans

  

My Review:

Getting By was a unique contemporary romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. It had several elements that made it stand out and I know it’s not a book I’ll forget anytime soon. I found the characters likable and I really hoped that Jake and Emma would be able to make their relationship work.

Emma was a good female lead and I felt for her. She was truly a survivor and had experienced so much heartbreak in her life. It was nice to see she didn’t let her past define her and she had carved out a successful career.

I wasn’t sure I’d like Jake at first. But since part of the story is also told from his POV, it was good to see his side of things and realize he had more depth than I first thought. I actually liked him and his brothers a lot, so it was a good way to set things up for future books.

The book moved at a good pace and the dual POV didn’t slow it down at all. It was a lot of will they and won’t they back and forth which had me anxious to see how things would work out. My only complaint would be the writing was a little confusing at times. It didn’t always flow and it made me confused over what the characters were talking about. The characters had quirky senses of humor and I didn’t always get their jokes.

All in all, an enjoyable read with realistic characters and a romance filled with plenty of angst.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of Getting By for review purposes.