Monday, January 30, 2017

Blog Tour: Fairly Certain by @WiggleWriter and @DeborahAnnDavis with my #review



 Young Adult Romantic Suspense
Date Published: September 2015
Publisher: D&D Universe, llc

What happens when a Computer Geek challenges a Medieval Outlaw?
   PETIR TAKES A ROUGH TUMBLE IN THE CONNECTICUT WOODS, and awakens in the middle of old England. His instinct to freak out is tempered by the arrival of a fair maiden wearing a bow… and arrow. In his college world, fair maiden types don’t ordinarily go for computer geek types, but for some reason he is no longer in his world. Petir is fairly certain he can try whatever he wants without consequence.
   WITH THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE ROYALS ESCALATING, MAID RIANNE has joined the outlaws hiding in the woods, outwardly defying the handsome and accomplished knight to whom she is promised. She is fairly certain she is simply flattered by Lord Petir’s uncensored admiration of her skills with the staff and bow, the same unmaidenly pursuits disdained by her knight. But, that does not explain her reaction to Lord Petir’s unguarded gaze.
   TO PETIR’S DELIGHT, AND MAID RIANNE’S DISMAY, the outlaws invite him to join their merry band. What better way to get close to her? Throwing caution to the wind, Petir decides he has nothing to lose by pursuing Maid Rianne, until she is captured by the enemy. Now, a geek with no ability to defend himself must find a way to rescue the fair maiden.


Review

This novel really starts off with a bang and doesnt let up. Petir is a very strong lead and while I didn't always agree with his decisions, I did like him overall as a character.  
He has a lot to deal with over the course of this novel. 
I loved the way Deborah Ann Davis told the story. It was very well thought out and this really showed through the characters and setting.
 A very wonderful Mysterious and Suspenseful Young Adult Romance.




I currently reside in lovely Connecticut where I enjoy dabbling with living a sustainable life, developing my Girl’s Guide To Good Guys: The Power of Being Patient & Picky program to promote an empowering way for teenage girls to see themselves, writing novels for my Love of Fairs series (Fairly Obvious will be out in 2017), dancing, playing outside, and laughing really hard every day. I promote increasing the amount of movement throughout your day via Wiggle Writer posts on my blog, Merry Meddling, and on Twitter @WiggleWriter and @DeborahAnnDavis.

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Twitter: @WiggleWriter and @DeborahAnnDavis.


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New Releases: New Year - New Novels BLAST from @RABTBookTours with a #giveaway

WELCOME TO THE NEW YEAR - NEW NOVELS BLAST! 

Click on any of the below book covers to be taken to the page that has more information on the novel as well as the Buy Links!


Novels Available for Pre-Order!

RABT Book Tours - As You Lay Sleeping  RABT Book Tours - Crashing Into Me  RABT Book Tours - No Second Chances  RABT Book Tours - Sheik's Rule



Novels Currently Available!


RABT Book Tours - Jigsaw Hearts   RABT Book Tours - And Then Mine Enemy  RABT Book Tours - Grey Cloudy Lies
RABT Book Tours - The Grizzly's Tale  RABT Book Tours - Making Bad Choices  RABT Book Tours - Unbreakable Heart  RABT Book Tours - The Knight


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Friday, January 27, 2017

Blog Tour: The Three Kitties That Saved My Life by Mike Meyer Read My #Review



Memoir
Date Published: January 10, 2014
Publisher: Pacific Books


"This is like drinking tea and honey on a cold day."

FINALIST for the 2014 RONE AWARD
A True Romance Memoir

Love was then.
Love is now.
Love is forever.

When tragedy struck, I thought for sure that my own life was at an end. I was wrong. This is the true story of how love once again brought romance and laughter back into my life.

If you love reading feel-good memoirs, then don't miss THE THREE KITTIES THAT SAVED MY LIFE, where "Mike Meyer pens a tender tale of love, loss, and renewal. The depth of emotion is palpable...The Three Kitties will tug at readers' heartstrings, as they ride through the emotional highs and lows of Mike Meyer's remarkable story." - InD'tale Magazine


 Review

The title says it all. You know what to expect going in. This is an emotional read. I liked the themes that Mike Meyer used. There is love and loss. There is growth and redemption. There are a lot of moving parts and a lot of drama that goes on, but ultimately it is a story about finding your way, and how sometimes you need a little extra help to make it through. While it was emotional and drama filled, I liked how overall it was a great ending and makes you feel great about yourself and what you read. 



As a recent retiree from a forty-year career as a professor of writing, Michael Meyer now lives in Southern California wine country with his wife, Kitty, and their two adorable rescue cats.

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Thursday, January 26, 2017

Blog Tour: Fairly Certain from @DeborahAnnDavis read my #review



Young Adult Romantic Suspense 
Date Published: August 2016
Publisher: D&D Universe, llc

When Mistaken Identity collides with Secret Identity, who wins?
   JACOB HAS COME A LONG WAY FOR AN ORPHANED KID. He has a mentor, a great job, and has finally fallen in love. Granted, she mistook him for a stalker when they met, but every relationship has its little problems. Unfortunately, for the past few years, as the object of his affection pops in and out of his life, she has refused to share any personal info, like where she’s from…or her real name. Regardless, Jacob is ready to take their relationship to the next level. Now, if only he can locate her so he can tell her.
    CASEY’S FAMILY IS IN THE WITNESS PROTECTION program. Safety has to be their only priority. Their cover has been blown before, so Casey knows at any given time they could be forced to disappear again. Obviously, a shy young man with hopeful eyes cannot possibly be added to the mix. Now, if only she can stop thinking about him.
    JACOB’S AND CASEY’S WORLDS UNEXPECTEDLY COLLIDE when Jacob inadvertently helps hide her family. Exposed to their 24/7 vigilance, Jacob realizes he must come up with a plan to keep them out of harm’s way, because this time if Casey disappears, she will be taking with her Jacob’s heart, and his hopes of finally having a family of his own.

 Review

This is the perfect read for fans of Romance mixed with Suspense and Action. 

This story had a lot of heart and a lot of action. Jacob is a wonderful lead. She was easy to understand and be captivated by. 


Multi-dimensional characters really carry the story. They are great to get to know and I had a great time understanding their motives and going along for the ride with them. 



I currently reside in lovely Connecticut where I enjoy dabbling with living a sustainable life, developing my Girl’s Guide To Good Guys: The Power of Being Patient & Picky program to promote an empowering way for teenage girls to see themselves, writing novels for my Love of Fairs series (Fairly Obvious will be out in 2017), dancing, playing outside, and laughing really hard every day. I promote increasing the amount of movement throughout your day via Wiggle Writer posts on my blog, Merry Meddling, and on Twitter @WiggleWriter and @DeborahAnnDavis.

Contact Information
Twitter: @WiggleWriter and @DeborahAnnDavis.

Purchase Links

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Blog Tour : Wizardry Goes Wild with my #review



Middle Grade Fantasy
Date Published: February 20th, 2016
Publisher: Trafford

After months of living a normal life, thirteen-year-old Alyssa McCarthy faces magic again. Only this time, though, she is cursed with it, thanks to an old depressed skeleton named Errol. Alyssa’s time with her godfather, Alex, will never be the same again, as she can perform sorcery, but never control it.
                From letting out enchantments at school to creating outdoor disasters, Alyssa is bound to face consequences. She can only get rid of her powers if she can boost her confidence levels and improve her bravery. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. She must measure those abilities with a special device called a skillometer. Will she be able to get rid of her unwanted wizardry?

Review

A good continuation to this Fantasy series . 
There are some valuable lessons and themes that will make you think on a deeper level. 

The characters were well-done, Alyssa herself is perfectly flawed. She shows the part of humanity where we are can choose paths that are not ideal and what affect they have on others. At times the plot seemed a little slow, but it all came together in the end.




Sunayna Prasad is a college student studying art. In her free time, she likes to write fiction. She is also the author of From Frights to Flaws, which is the first installment of the series, Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions. Sunayna lives in New York with her family.

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Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Blog Tour: Triangle of Hope by Michael Meyer #review



Contemporary Fiction
Date Published: December 1, 2014
 Publisher: Pacific Books


Life grinds you down, but there's always hope--and sometimes it can come in the strangest of ways....

After being battered by life's cruelness, three unlikely friends find themselves drawn to a small Irish town seeking something--anything. Finding solace in one another, their quest throws them together and they make a courageous stand.

Clint Westerly was a success until a choice he makes blows his world all apart. Tanya Wilshire is broke and hell-bent on committing to her mother's final deathbed request. 84-year-old Seamus Harrington needs to right an ancient wrong before time runs out.

Together, this unlikely trio of unexpected allies forms a Triangle of Hope against all odds, their disparate stories uniting for a thrilling conclusion that will leave the reader breathless.

If you love feel-good reads with happy endings, then TRIANGLE OF HOPE is for you. It is "a book that will stay with you forever." - Wanda Hartzenberg, Wanda's Amazing Amazon Reviewers

It is a "fantastic read that will pull at your heart." - Lauren Alumbaugh, Goodreads librarian

SEMIFINALIST FOR THE 2015 KINDLE BOOK AWARD IN LITERARY FICTION

 Review 

This novel is really in a league of its own. I can't really compare it to anything I have read before. It is powerful with a great message. The writing style was easy to follow and really seemed to flow naturally. 

There is a bit of back and forth as it centers around multiple main characters and multiple stories and issues, but I think Micahel Meyer has done a great job of separating the three for the reader. 

This is a quick read, but there is a lot of Drama laced throughout. It is overall a very nice concise easy and not too emotional read.




As a recent retiree from a forty-year career as a professor of writing, he now lives in Southern California wine country with his wife, Kitty, and their two adorable rescue cats.

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Monday, January 23, 2017

Blog Tour: Stepping Stone by @DakotaWillink #review



Contemporary Romance
Date Published: December 18, 2016


Krystina Cole is flawed and damaged from a traumatic experience. A relationship with Alexander Stone will never work. She knows that her capacity for love is limited, and that only she alone can repair the pieces of her shattered heart. But Alexander is everywhere she turns. In her mind. In her heart. And in her soul. She cannot deny him. He is her addiction and she is unable to stay away.

Alexander Stone has accepted the inevitable. If he wants to hold on to Krystina, he must bare all and release the secrets in his past. There were risks, but she is worth it. No woman has ever affected him the way that she did. She is the sunshine in his darkness. The lightning to his thunder. She is his angel.

Bound by their passion to be together, Alexander and Krystina fight to let go of their pasts. Together, they embark on journey of self-exploration, relying on trust to be their ultimate bond. Falling completely into one another, there finally seems to be a beacon of hope for their future. But as they test their boundaries of desire, fate takes an unexpected turn, threatening their only chance at survival…

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Review 

This is a book 2 and really picks up where the last one left off. There is a bit of a overview of what happened in the first, but you definitely need to read the first to understand what is going on in this one. 

I enjoyed the characters immensely. I felt like the Romance was well balanced because of their respective personalities. Super Alpha vs. Sweet and damaged. 

I liked that Dakota Wilink does not shy away from real topics. She takes the issues head on and brings them  to life for the reader. 


This is an emotional novel. There are ups and downs for these characters individually and as a couple. You will find yourself right in the rollercoaster of emotions with them.


Dakota Willink is a contemporary romance writer and editor, and the author of The Stone Series.   She is an associate member of Romance Writers of America.
Dakota has always had a passion for reading and writing. From the time she was an adolescent, she enjoyed curling up with a good paperback, reading genres that ranged from thriller and fantasy, to mystery and romance.  She always dreamed of one day writing her own book, but had put her aspirations on hold to focus on her family and a career that would pay the bills. 
Although she earned a degree in business and had built a solid reputation in retail sales, her heart continued to be with fictional characters – whether they belonged to a favorite author or if they were just stories that she made up in her own head.  
In 2013, Dakota gathered enough courage to turn her dreams into a reality. In between playing chauffeur to two very busy children and working her job during the day, Dakota began to put words on paper.  Eventually, she began to describe her life as a book.  Everything she saw or heard throughout the day, intertwined with her imagination for the creation of future writings.  By 2014, with the support of her husband and two children, she gave up the security of a steady paycheck and began working on her first novel full time.
Dakota Willink is a lover of music, and appreciates the power and stimulating effect it can have on the brain.  She often uses lyrics and melodies to help her through bouts of writers block.  At the end of her novel, you can find an authors note that recognizes and thanks the artists that gave her inspiration.
Dakota resides in the Western New York area, where she enjoys spending time with family, her two Labrador Retrievers, and her spoiled rotten cat.  During the summer months, she can often be found soaking up the sun on the Great Lakes with her family. 



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Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Blog Tour: Change of Heart by @daniel_side with an #interview



Suspense
Date Published: Release date: February 6, 2017


 Patrick Corman, loner, ex muscle for a call girl service, struggles to stay alive and care for his institutionalized daughter. But now the danger isn’t coming from the streets. He needs a heart transplant. Shocked when, with only months to live, a mysterious benefactor offers him ‘the deal of a lifetime’, he sees it as a solution, even after reading the fine print.
When his former crime boss suspects that he is revealing information about her, and a young newspaper reporter sees him as her chance to get her own by-line, Patrick’s life and death struggle escalates. For her part, reporter Katherine Alderson keeps secret what she knows about his transplant, unaware that Patrick has his own secret, hidden in the fine print of the deal he agreed to.
Patrick’s new heart draws them together and into a conflict neither could have imagined when they discover someone has delved into their lives, using them as pawns in his own political game.  Fighting to stay alive, one shocking revelation follows another, exposing the best and worst in both of them.

Interview



Where do you get your inspiration for your stories?
I will try to be specific.
The inspiration for my first story, written at the tender age of eighteen with my cousin, was money. An English mystery novel, he wrote one chapter, I wrote the next. It was a sure fire scheme (one of many) to make us a lot of money. Surprisingly, the offers didn’t roll in and to this day you won’t find it on a shelf. But I guess it was the first feeble start of my writing career. 
The motivation for book two was a long time in development. As a youngster, I was a fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Andre Norton, Tolkien and later Terry Brooks. Twenty years later, unable to find a science fantasy adventure I liked, to the encouragement of my wife, I wrote my own. I had tired of gnomes and dwarfs and was never a big ‘magic’ fan. By now I had family, and the theme of family, caring and protecting it, became central for The Reedsmith of Zendar, an adventure fantasy quest. It turned out, as many first books do, to be very much a personal novel.
The inspiration for the next novel, A Lesson in Revenge, was about wanting to write something more mainstream. Everyone was familiar with schooling and I was a teacher. I had taught in two old schools that had excellent architecture and they were large enough to develop a cat and mouse scenario – much like the original Die Hard
Change of Heart was inspired to a great extent by my family’s health history. Six of my mother’s brothers and sisters died of heart attacks or heart related illnesses, my mother as well. It was a starting point into which I mixed my passion for suspense that culminates in a thriller ending. A romantic relation always seems to wend its way into the fray of things.

How did you do research for your books?
Even before the research, when I get that germ idea, I usually spend a year or two (while I am working on the present book) developing the idea in a notebook. The story and characters constantly change (Change of Heart was much darker when I first envisioned it) but, when I am ready to tackle it, the research starts with the computer. So much easier than scouring the library (which I did for my earliest books). Obviously, depending on the nature of the book, some require more research than others. In the case of Change of Heart much research was needed because of the central issue of heart transplants. Again most information was culled from the internet but a retired doctor friend was instrumental in finding those final details from a heart surgeon that was difficult to find by myself.

Do you have another profession besides writing?
At present I do not, nor am I looking for one. Between looking after my darling wife Lynda, my three sons and four grandchildren, I sometimes have a difficult time getting the time to write. Hence it takes a while to produce that next book. Just for interest sake, besides teaching at the elementary level, as a youngster I worked in a department and liquor store. After building our log house I formed a Log House building company with another fellow whose house I helped build. I taught a course on log house construction at a local college and also ran the office of a manufacturing company.

If you could go back in time, where would you go?
Interesting question. When I was younger I would have answered much differently, but age and experience has a habit of tempering our decisions. The first time I went canoe tripping in northern Ontario with a friend, I think it was 1974, we took what we could carry on our back and portaged from lake to lake. I have been camping in Algonquin most summers since then. Went through taking the guys up one at a time as they grew until all five of us were going. Then as they dropped off, just Lynda and I continued. The point? I’m getting to it. Now Lynda and I take pads – for the sleeping cots, fold up chairs, a two burner little stove – well you get the point.  The medieval era, the wild west, to name two, can be very romantic – on film and in books, but just like the reality of the hard ground on a rainy day up north can be brutal – so can the past. I quite happy right here right now, thank you very much.

What is your next project?
I currently have three project ideas that are in the development stage. (ie. The notebook stage) One has to do with using the north as a setting for a suspense novel involving some historical events. Another is a dual story, present and past, involving the old west (the past) and present day. The third is a modern day, brutal thriller –which I think I probably won’t write because it would have to be just too dark. But I could change my mind, you never know.






Daniel is a retired school teacher who has written and produced many school plays, built his log home, restored a classic car, and spent many summers canoeing with his family in northern Ontario. Daniel’s other novels are A Lesson in Revenge and The Reedsmith of Zendar.  All three novels are available on Amazon.


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For February, heart month, the money raised through the sale of CHANGE OF HEART will go to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

  “We are delighted that Daniel has chosen the Heart and Stroke Foundation as the charity ofchoice,” says Avril Goffredo, VP, Community Engagement, Heart and Stroke Foundation. The funds raised from this event will help us invest in research and continue our programs in prevention and survivor support, allowing us to save lives and create more survivors.”

Visit Daniel’s personal fundraising page.