Reaping Me Softly by Kate Evangelista - Cover Reveal

 

Description on Goodreads:

Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.
At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

I want to thank AToMR Tours for allowing me to join in on this cover reveal.

Crushed (The Witch-Game #1) by K.C. Blake Review

Description on Goodreads:

The Noah sisters rule Titan High with their beauty, brains, and magical powers.

Each year they play a secret game: Crushed. The girls pick their targets carefully and blow enchanted dust into the boy’s faces, charming them, but this year Kristen makes a grave mistake. She chooses the wrong boy and almost dies that same day. Coincidence? Maybe.

But something isn’t quite right about Zach Bevian. He doesn’t behave like a boy who’s been Crushed. He goes from hot to cold, from looking at her with contempt to asking her out on a date. She doesn’t know what to think. Does he hate her or is he truly falling for her? Is he trying to kill her, or is he trying to save her?
 

My review:

Let me start off by saying this book is definitely worth your time. It is refreshing and thrilling. KC Blake is a very talented writer.

Kristen is a triplet, but not identical to her other two sisters. Brittany and Cyndi dress alike and look alike. This turns out to be a good thing for Kristen that she is nothing like them at least in the looks and personality department. However, all three are witches, each with a specialty power.

Kristen and her siblings decide to play their annual Witch spell game. It’s where they find a potential and make them have a crush on each of the witches. A game they have played for many years not caring about the outcome or who they humiliate in the process.

Could this year be different? Possibly. I don’t want to give away any spoilers but it is definitely worth your time in reading. I wasn’t sure if I cared for Kristen in some parts of the book. For someone who had a head on her shoulders she acted pretty immature but then again she is a teenager.

Oh did I forget to mention there is a hot guy too? Oops, my bad. His name is Zach. Umm yeah. You don’t want to miss out on this kind of hottness - a little bit of bad goes along way and he isn’t thrilled to be Kristen’s Crushed buddy either. Awesomeness doesn’t even begin to describe the “Lady in Red” scene.

This is a great book with surprises that keep you engulfed.

Feature: The Book Reviewer is IN

 

 

I was mentioned by My Books and My Coffee. Whoohoo!  Ara won Going Under by Georgia Cates from my blog recently and mentioned it in her showcase. Thank you so much! 

 

This Feature was  created by the wonderful Ara at My Book and My Coffee. This is where you can showcase books that you will soon be reviewing. Click here for more info about the feature.

 

The following are three books I have signed up to review:

 

 

 

Description from Goodreads:

Told as a paranormal fairytale, with science-fiction and dark-mystery/thriller overtones, the main character, Ellie, has discovered an ancient world that exists within, and alongside, our own. To survive the mysterious and dangerous, she has to learn what she has become since her death, where her strength really resides, and how to love and be loved. Unbeknownst to her, destiny's stop watch is counting down, secret organizations are watching her every move, and her family's past may destroy her future.

 

Description from Goodreads:

As a result of finding her soul mate (Christopher), Ellie has broken her curse, and awakened from her death to find that she has become something mystical, an ethereal Other. A being, whose story has yet to end, where who one is before their death, leads to what they become after … kindness or violence follows in their wake. The Others are ancient creatures, who can help humanity, or cause our destruction … and Ellie has found that monsters are waiting in the mist.

 

Description from Goodreads:

Mysterious murders, strange secret societies, and betrayal surrounds Christopher. Ellie finds out, if she can survive the treachery of giving your heart to another. Together, they must discover how to experience strength, forgiveness, and true love -- only by letting go of each other. Cruel and unfair, they may believe that their world is ruthless; but only by leaving behind their troubles will they ultimately overcome the horrors that await them.

 

Please click the link below and join the fun!

 

http://www.mybookandmycoffee.com/2012/09/the-book-reviewer-is-in-5.html

Taste by Kate Evangelista - Review

Taste by Kate Evangelista

I have wanted to read this book for so long now. The cover alone is absolutely beautiful. Thank goodness I finally had the chance.  This book is unique and incredibly intriguing that I couldn’t believe it when I was done with it.  I think this would make a great TV series.  I know it would be one that would totally have me on the edge of my seat every week! Hey - hot guys and beautiful girls - all with attitude - definitely a TV series.

This book is about Zharmy - A.K.A flesh eaters.  My first thought Zombies but these Zharmy are so handsome and beautiful that you might get them confused with Vampires because of their youth and beauty. 

The main character is Phoenix McKay, a young girl attending Barinkoff Academy- a school with only one rule; No one on Campus after 6 p.m. Unfortunately for Phoenix, she discovers why such a silly rule exists after she finds herself waking up at the library when the clock is striking 6. She, herself, is considered a Day Student, but here at Barinkoff there are also Night Students. She discovers why each is separated when Demitri has to step in and save Phoenix from other Night Students.

Lucky for her, Demitri is the hot and quiet type.  Not only does Phoenix finds herself in a world that she shouldn’t exist in but she also finds herself connected to Demitri.

I loved this book!! It was very well written and had me sucked in the entire time.

Well done Kate Evangelista!

 

Romancing the Hop -Blog Hop & Giveaway

Who loves romance? I do! I do!

There will be over 100 blogs having a giveaway hosted by that Author or Blogger.

But that's not all....

We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 100 times!

 

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Large Swag Pack

 

 

In order to win one of the above prizes, you MUST leave your name and email address in the comments below.

 

And now for my giveaway here at Kimber's Life- drum roll please....

 

I'm giving away a ebook trilogy to one lucky winner - TheTri-Realms Trilogy by an amazing Author K.C. King.

Anomaly (The Tri-Realms Saga #1)

 

 

Description from Smashwords:

22-year-old Bree Spencer hates prejudice of all kinds – especially the blatant elitism she is subjected to as a resident staffer at her aunt’s exclusive estate, Blackall Manor. So when Bree nearly winds up as road-kill on account of the wealthy Sebastian Templeton, she struggles to reconcile her inexplicable attraction to him. On the surface Sebastian epitomises all that Bree usually despises, yet her draw to him is irrefutable.

Events become decidedly more unusual upon Sebastian’s arrival as a guest at Blackall Manor. Despite her reservations, Bree finds Sebastian intriguing; but his insistence to get to know her triggers a raft of niggling suspicions – heightened by a series of strange dreams and phenomena – until eventually, she learns the truth.

Sebastian is a guardian, a powerful descendant of a sacred ethereal line; and Bree’s uncanny gift has prompted him to find her. But while an anomaly inspired their connection, an ancient prophecy and ethereal lore forbid it. And with Sebastian’s purist brother determined to honour both at any cost, an epic battle with unthinkable stakes could be Bree’s only chance at survival.

 

Fledgling (The Tri-Realms Saga #1) 

 

Description from Smashwords:

When Bree Spencer fell in love with Sebastian Templeton, her life changed forever – and now she’s beginning to realise just how much. Caught between the demands of two, often contrary, worlds and the guidance of a most reluctant mentor, life as a fledgling is far more complicated than she ever could have imagined.

And it’s about to get a whole lot worse.          

 Fledgling (The Tri-Realms Saga #1)

 

Description from Smashwords:

“Had I not been so entranced by her, things might have turned out differently. My senses might have triggered more appropriate feelings of trepidation, and perhaps I could have prevented the treacherous act she would commit in the name of the mantle she craved. But I did not. And it was a grievous error for a mentor to make.”

As a double ascended guardian of anomalous origins, Bree Spencer has been forced to traverse a perilous road on account of ethereal prejudice. And now, as Hannah’s mentor, she is determined to prevent her from suffering the same fate.

But when Hannah evidences powers that only the ascended should have, it triggers dire consequences that will force Bree, and the Scions who love her, to face a chilling new reality. A reality marred with loss and betrayal.

And where someone will be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice.      
       

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K.C. King is an amazing author who has a wonderful knack for words. I absolutely loved each one!

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Talk about Romance!

To win the The Tri-Realm Trilogy ebooks - please enter the Rafflecopter below and don't forget to leave your name and email address in the comments below to win one of the three grand prizes!  Thank you for stopping by today.  Don't forget to continue on through the rest of the hop for some awesome prizes. You will find the links below the Rafflecopter

 

*PSST - if you love giveaways - click on the link top left next to my Destiny Unhinged debut novel to enter a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card & swag pack on my Destiny Unhinged Promotional Book Blog Tour!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blood Doll by Georgia Cates - Cover Reveal

 

 

 

BLURB:
    Solomon Alexander has faced huge obstacles during his existence, but    they’re nothing in comparison to the one he’s about to hit head on.    As leader of The Savannah Compound, part of Sol’s new position in    the Coven of Landra is to guide the transition of fledgelings, newly    turned vampires. It’s his job to save the unsavable. Being a Landra    is what he’s done for over a century and he’s damn good at it, but    everything he knows, practices and teaches is threatened when he is    forced to drink from Avery Ferrand, a Blood Jewel.
    The Blood Jewel is enshrouded with mystery, but one fact is known.    There’s never been blood more desirable or addicting than Avery’s    and there are consequences for any vampire that drinks    it...including Solomon Alexander. Although he adamantly denies his    need to feed from her, Avery suspects he’s lying but she has secrets    of her own about the night he drank from her. She wanted him to and    now she finds herself being drawn to Solomon in a way she shouldn't.    As Avery’s desire to be closer to Solomon grows, she finds herself    considering something more dangerous than being found by the    dangerous covens hunting her...asking Solomon if she can become his    Blood Doll.

Author Bio:

    Georgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband,    Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent thirteen years as    a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of    becoming an author.
    Blood of Anteros, Book One in The Vampire Agápe Series, was her    first novel and it was released in September 2011. She decided to    briefly step away from the paranormal genre to try her hand at a    young adult contemporary romance when she wrote Going Under, but    returned to the paranormal romance platform to complete the second    book in The Vampire Agápe Series, Blood Jewel.
    Her current works in progress are Shallow (A Going Under Novel)    which will release on September 27th and Blood Doll (The Vampire    Agápe Series #3), to be released in January 2013.

Georgia Cates Links:
    Georgia Cates Blog
    Georgia Cates on Facebook
    Georgia Cates on Twitter
    Shallow on Goodreads

Feed Your Reader Giveaway Hop- Win an ebook!

Announcing the "Feed Your Reader" (Ebooks Only) Hop!

August 23rd to 29th

Co-hosted by Books: A True Story

 

I hope you are enjoying your trip along the hop. If you are a current follower of my blog, then you already know how much I love my Kindle and if you are not yet, then let me warn you:

I love my Kindle!

I'm giving away one ebook to five lucky winners. I will let each winner choose which book they would like to receive from the five books below. I'm in love with each one.  I will send you a Smashwords link/code to download your own ereader format.

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Going Under by Georgia Cates

The description - provided on Smashwords is as follows:

Claire is the perfect girlfriend and has everyone fooled, except Jessie Boone. She fears this tattooed bad boy will see her secret desire to explore his crude threats and promises to rock her perfect world. If she decides to give in to one uninhibited moment with Jessie, will she learn too late that it was all an act of vengeance or will Jessie learn the taste of first love is sweeter than revenge.

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The Fairy Tale Trap by Emily Casey
 

The description provided on Smashwords is as follows:

Ivy has always been afraid of mirrors, but she never knew why. Then one of them sucks her into the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast.

So what if she’s been pulled from her home and talks to pixies now? That’s no big deal for a military brat. Ivy’s used to adapting. All she wants is to find her way home.
But when she tries to escape, Ivy breaks the wrong spell. Now Beast is not so gentle-on-the-inside, Beauty is falling for the wrong prince, and Ivy is no closer to figuring out how to get through the enchanted forest that traps her.

With magic mirrors, dancing fairies, a sadistic pixie, and other random fairy tale twists, Ivy doesn’t know what’s safe or who to trust. Can she escape the fairy tale trap?     
          



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 Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft by Jody Gehrman

 

The description provided on Smashwords is as follows:

Falling in love, baking a magical cake, fighting an evil necromancer—it’s all in a day’s work for Audrey Oliver, seventeen-year-old witch-in-training. When her mother goes missing and her mysterious "cousin" shows up out of the blue, Audrey must get her own magical powers up to speed or risk losing the people she loves most.
 

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Savor (The Warm Delicacy Series #1)  by Megan Duncan

The description provided on Smashwords is as follows:

When Claire Miller turned eighteen all she wanted to do was celebrate her birthday, but after a night on the town with her best friend she awakes to a visitor she never expected. The rulers of her region, a vampire royal family, have chosen her to be turned as their new heir and vampire princess. In a world fueled by the power of blood, Claire quickly discovers the vampire royal family is not what they seem and that she has secrets in her past, she never knew existed.               

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Destiny Unhinged by Kimber Shook
(Yup, this is my debut novel!)

 

The description provided on Smashwords is as follows:

VANESSA anxiously waits for her birthday, a boyfriend and some much needed excitement in her dull and boring life.

She soon finds herself torn between two guys. Well, I guess that is what she would call them, even though one is a dead Alien King.

MAX, a dead alien who is trapped in limbo between two worlds and longs for Vanessa, his destiny, to help him home and become his Queen. He offers her his world, his heart and his future.

TOBY, a good looking guy who shows an interest and a desire to be with Vanessa, has confessed that he too has a destiny that he's meant to be with another. However, it’s a destiny he doesn’t want.

The connection that Vanessa has with Max is strong but the desire she has for Toby may be even stronger.

Will she accept what Destiny has in store for her or find a way to escape to find one all on her own?              

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dragon's Teeth by Suzanne Van Rooyen Blog Tour - Review & Giveaway

Welcome to the Dragon's Teeth-Enchanting Book Tour.  This is my first time hosting for Enchanting Book Tours and I hope I don't let anyone down today.  My part in this tour is a Review of Dragon's Teeth and a giveaway.

Here is the Book Description from Goodreads: 

You can never outrun your past...After years of war ravage the globe and decimate humanity, civilization is revitalized in the city of New Arcadia, a cybernetic playground where longevity treatments promise near immortality.Detective Cyrus, fond of fedoras and narcotics, is hired by Benji MacDowell, heir-apparent to an eugenics empire, to find MacDowell's long-lost biological father. Employing his network of shady contacts within the underbelly of the city, Cyrus uncovers a murderous web of corporate corruption and political conspiracy with ties to the old Order, a tyrannical organization whose sole intent was perfecting the next generation of genetically engineered soldiers.Now Cyrus knows too much and finds himself caught in the cross-hairs of super-soldier assassins while the dark secrets of his past snap at his heels, forcing him to confront the truth he's been running from... and discover his own terrifying purpose.

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About the Author (Suzanne van Rooyen):

Suzanne grew up in the urban sprawl of Johannesburg, South Africa where she studied music and penned a few angsty poems. After a brief stint in Australia, Suzanne settled in Finland where she completed a Master's degree in music and started writing in earnest.

Suzanne now works as a freelance writer, author and part-time dance teacher. Her short stories have appeared in Golden Visions Magazine, Cast of Wonders, and Earthbound Fiction among others. When not writing she strums away at her guitar and entertains her shiba inu, Lego. You can find her online in the following places:

Website: http://suzannevanrooyen.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Suzanne_Writer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzanne-van-Rooyen/304965232847874
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5306442.Suzanne_van_Rooyen

My Review:

This book is set up in three parts with several POV's.  The beginning was a slow start.  I wasn't really connecting with the beginning characters. When I hit the back story, I was absolutely hooked. I found myself so engrossed that I had trouble putting my kindle down for the night. My heart literally was pumping so hard that I really couldn't wait until the next morning to start up again.

Cyrus is a detective that was hired by Benji wanting to know more about his parents. He was adopted and knew there was something different about him. Cyrus also decided it was best to follow Benji to find out more than what he divulged at the their meeting. Smart move on his part.

In the back story, we learn there were soldiers bred to have the perfect body able to accept and carry out orders without hesitation.  Two in particular, Kia and Nur, they were twins.  They were allowed to both live ,even though twins were very rare in soldiers.  These two proved to have a special bond and connection.

Nur, a female soldier, began developing and thinking on her own and acted out against the Order by disobeying a direct order as well as beating the crap out of her brother to prevent him from killing innocent women and children.

Nur was killed by the hands of her brother, Kia, a male soldier, At least this is the story the Enforcers pounded and tortured into his subconscious by very excessive and painful means of persuasion. Yes, I cringed.

Eventually the story reverts back to the present and agian, the Author still held my interest and then some. I never seen it coming.  My heart was in overload.

I am not one for giving spoilers out.  I do not like reading them in a review so I refuse to write too much that will totally give away the really awesome plot that is laid out in this story. I will admit that the ending had me trying to see if I had pages missing from my Kindle.  The ending is definitely not what I expected at all and I loved it.  However, there were several unanswered questions that left me without closure and I need closure... I beg for more Dragon's Teeth, please.......

This was a great Sci-fi/Dystopian read.

My rating is as follows:

Make sure you follow Suzanne Van Rooyen thorough the remaining of her tour. The schedule is as follows, so if you miss anything be sure to click on the links below to catch up:

http://incandescentenchantments.blogspot.com/ - August 14 - Blurb
http://whoopeeyoo.com - August 17 - Review
www.kimbershook.blogspot.com - August 18 - Review
http://www.librarygeekgirl.com - August 19 - Interview

I'd love to give a free ebook to one lucky winner.  Just leave a comment below along with your email and version of the ebook that you would prefer. (.mobi, epub or pdf) A winner will be picked on August 20th. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

Last Days of Freedom Giveaway Hop

Last Days of Freedom Giveaway Hop

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & The Elliott Review

August 17th to 22nd

I don't know about you but I'm really sad to see the fleeting summer go by so quickly. Although, I spend my Monday thru Friday in a metal building, surrounded by cubicle walls and no windows, I still hate to see summer fade into Fall so quickly.

I've spent my spare time reading on raining days, writing in early mornings and late evenings, Kayaking on gorgeous, not so humid days, bicylcing when time allowed and lazing it up outside on my deck on the really hot and Ohmygod, it's so humid, kind of days.

For this hop, I'm giving away a grand prize that will consist of a $10 Amazon Gift Card along with a Destiny Unhinged Swag pack that will include a code from Smashwords for the free ebook of Destiny Unhinged. You will find the entry below. Also, please follow the links below the Rafflecopter to keep on  hopping.

Here is the description for Destiny Unhinged:  VANESSA anxiously waits for her birthday, a boyfriend and some much needed excitement in her dull and boring life.

She soon finds herself torn between two guys. Well, I guess that is what she would call them, even though one is a dead Alien King.

MAX, a dead alien who is trapped in limbo between two worlds and longs for Vanessa, his destiny, to help him home and become his Queen. He offers her his world, his heart and his future.

TOBY, a good looking guy who shows an interest and a desire to be with Vanessa, has confessed that he too has a destiny that he's meant to be with another. However, it’s a destiny he doesn’t want.

The connection that Vanessa has with Max is strong but the desire she has for Toby may be even stronger.

Shall she accept what Destiny has in store for her or find a way to escape to find one all on her own?              

I hope you enjoy your remaining summer sun and warmth and be prepared for the beautiful Fall colors that nature has to offer us soon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft by Jody Gehrman

A short while ago, I had entered a giveaway and I had the opportunity to add Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft to my Goodreads "to read" list. I am so glad I did.

I was contacted by Jody Gehrman who noticed I had added it to my list. She offered me a code to get this book for free from Smashwords. I jumped on it. You know how I like "FREE".

The book was fantastic!

A short synopsis:

Falling in Love, baking a magical cake, fighting an evil necromancer—it’s all in a day’s work for Audrey Oliver, seventeen-year-old witch-in-training. When her mother goes missing and her twenty-one-year-old witchy cousin shows up out of the blue, Audrey knows something’s gone horribly, dangerously wrong. Now it’s up to her to get her own magical powers up to speed before everyone she loves is destroyed by the sorcerer intricately connected to her mother’s secret past.
I read Jody's Bio and was so impressed. She is a very talented author.

Here is her bio clip:

Jody Gehrman is the author of seven novels and numerous plays. Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft is her most recent Young Adult novel. Her other Young Adult novels include Babe in Boyland, Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, and Triple Shot Bettys in Love, (Penguin's Dial Books). Babe in Boyland has recently been optioned by the Disney Channel. Her adult novels areNotes from the Backseat, Tart, and Summer in the Land of Skin (Red Dress Ink). Her plays have been produced in Ashland, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and L.A. She and her partner David Wolf won the New Generation Playwrights Award for their one-act, Jake Savage, Jungle P.I. She is a professor of English at Mendocino College.

My Review: 

This was an amazing read.  It has great characters that you can’t help but get involved with.

Audrey is a girl with a bad feeling all day - it’s her mom.  She finds out after coming home from school that her mom has gone missing, and a cousin from nowhere shows up to watch over her and her sister Meg.

Meg is Audrey’s cool little sister who sings for a garage band called Cherry. Her sister has all the talent.

Julian is an amazing good looking guy that Audrey would love to be considered girlfriend material by his eyes.  Too bad he is interested in becoming Cherry’s Band Manager which will only lead Julian the opportunity to go out with Meg instead of Audrey.

Audrey soon discovers that maybe she has a talent herself. She has magic in her blood and she learns to do some really cool stuff.  Her cousin isn’t really a blood relative but she does help Audrey discover some more of her hidden talents.

Her mom, well, her mom is still M.I.A for most of the story until the end. Her mom is part of a Clan of witches that need her talents to bring order back to the Clan by “dealing” with a member no longer playing by their “rules”.

I hate giving spoilers away, so trust me when I say you really need to read this. I can’t wait for the next installment.

Destiny Unhinged free - limited time

I have Destiny Unhinged free on Smashwords today. It will only be free for a limited time.

Why not grab it now? I would love to see more reviews posted on Amazon, Smashwords, Goodreads and Barnes and Noble.

FYI- I received another five star review on Barnes and Noble. Whoohoo.

Here's the link to Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/170940

Adventure in Blog Hopping & Updates

I recently signed up for a few blog hops. I wasn't quite sure of the ropes when I signed up a few weeks back. This past week, I had participated in two. It was incredible.

One being Lazy Days of Summer, the other a Hero's Hop. I couldn't have wished for anything more exciting to be involved in.

The page views, the blog followers, and the twitter followers are just amazing. I even have a few that added my debut novel, Destiny Unhinged, to Goodreads. FANTASTIC! I think I have found another obsession. Not only do I like signing up and trying to win such awesome prizes from these Blog Hops but being a part of it as a participating blog is incredible.

In the blogs that I have hopped along to in the past, I have won an ebook and two paperback books with swag. It is so exciting to win something. Mind you, I still aim to win a Kindle Fire or a Nook Tablet, but I am quite pleased with my books.

Speaking of winning,  I do have a promotional blog tour coming up, starting August 27th. I will be giving away my own swag and a $50 Amazon Gift Card. Please stay tune for details. I am really excited.

Now for my debut updates:

I've contacted a few blogs to help promote by book, some have accepted, some are too busy and some I have received a response. I'm so pleased with all that can help.

I'm up to three reviews.  Two are on Smashwords - 5 stars- Whoohoo.  I have two on Goodreads - a 5 star & a 4 star - Whoohoo again. I have a 4 star on Amazon - Whoohoo.

I know it may not be much, but I'm still a Guppy in an ocean of Indie-Authors. I'm working on it. For the month of July, I have had 61 downloads (75 total since I published) from Smashwords and 1 from Amazon.  (I know I'm no Quinn Loftis, Megg Jensen or Megan Duncan - yet. lol)

It almost feels like a second job trying to get my name out there and promote myself, but I'm totally into it since it's a way for me to keep on doing what I love most - write.

I know I still have things to learn along the way in this wide universe of writing, but trust me, I'm taking notes and learning as I go.

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I want to thank all of my new blog followers.  I have a few more blog hops I have joined so I hope you will visit again soon for some more cool prizes.

A Hero's Blog Hop Giveaway

A Hero's Blog Hop - Destiny Unhinged

 Are you ready to hear what your favorite romance heroes have to say? Well, we authors are ready to share our hunky heroes! Starting on Friday and ending on July 31st, over 100 Authors and Bloggers will share their favorite things about romance heroes, a character post from them, and what we love about romance and men in general.

And while we do that, we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 100 giveaways on each blog hosted by that Author or Blogger.

But that's not all....

We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 100 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!

Now on to the Hero...(or should I say Heroes)

Destiny Unhinged is my debut Novel. It is written in Vanessa Wilkinson Randolph's POV. 

VANESSA, a soon to be 17 year-old, who anxiously awaits for her birthday, a boyfriend and some much needed excitement in her dull, boring, meager life.

She soon finds herself torn between her destiny that she is expected to have with MAX – a deceased alien from another planet who wants nothing more than to cherish her, offer her his world and make her his Queen - and the one she desires to have with TOBY - the down-to-earth (or so she thinks) good looking guy who will stop at nothing to protect her but also has his own destiny to fulfill, one that unfortunately doesn’t involve her but one he doesn’t want either.

Will she escape fate and what’s meant to be only to decide her own destiny or will life find a way of taking her down a different path only to end up where she was meant to be all along?

 

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Well that will be determined, but wouldn't you like to get in the head of Max and Toby?

 

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Meet Maxzinyea a.k.a Max Harper: A nineteen year old, gorgeous, tall and muscular. The image of Thor radiant from every description Vanessa could possibly describe him as. He appears to be genuinely interested into her and has a strong desire to please her. 

The catch? He is a ghost, oh yeah, he is also an alien, King of Najinial, thrown upon this Earth to find his queen so he may return home and rule as his father wished.

His powers are massive, even in death, on this world.  By making a physical connection to Vanessa by injecting her with part of his essence, he now has a bond with her, both physically and mentally.

Here are some of Max's thoughts on the morning of Vanessa's arrival to his cemetery:  I have been so lonely living as a non-existence piece of this world. I want so much to go home and rule Najinial as my father had planned.  How much of a disappointment I must be to my family?  If they were alive as well, they would surely hold contentment for my actions.  I tried not to get killed on this world.  I didn't know Ravagers were closing in so quickly.

I've found my queen. She is beautiful.  More than I ever could have imagined.  I see life pouring from her veins. I know she belongs with me. I feel her approach. This is it.  This is my chance to finally connect.  I'm tired of waiting, tired of being alone and so tired of not existing.  I must get her to come home with me to Najinial, not only for me but for our people and my parents.  With her return, I can bring my parents back into existence on our world.  She will be the savour for all of Najinial.  My love, my heart, my forever Mirellium.

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Meet Toby Clarkston: A friend to Harold, Vanessa's BFF Jules' boyfriend.  Vanessa is instantly drawn to him. His good looks, Will Smith dimples, dark hair that likes to sweep across his forehead to the side, who constantly pulls her heart strings. Not to mention the overwhelming determination to find herself a boyfriend.  She really thinks this down-to-earth kind of guy is just her type.

The catch? Well Toby apparently has another girl lined up to be his.  Unwanted and undesired by Toby, but also unknown to Vanessa.  Toby is part of a Destiny that requires him to be with another. His family moved here in hopes for Toby to fall in love with this girl on his own, rather than forced into an arrangement of some sorts that is required by all of his family.

Here are some of Toby's thoughts on Vanessa when finally getting some one-on-one time with her in the Cemetery: This is wrong, I know it in my heart. Her being so close to me is sending my heart into overdrive.  I shouldn't have feelings for her.  My father would not approve. I can't turn my back on my family or our family requirements. Tradition is tradition but it is so not fair.  If I had not been born into my family then I know I would have found her. Destiny or not, she would be the one I would choose to spend the rest of my life with.

Her long light auburn hair and blue eyes is too much for any man to deny. She deserves so much more than I can promise to offer her but I can't bear to see her with anyone else.  I know I have no right to claim what isn't mine but why can't I have what so many others wait an entire lifetime to find...love...

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I hope  you enjoyed a little bit of Max and Toby and if you would like to check the book out yourself, Destiny Unhinged. 

 I am giving away a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to the winner of my post.  Make sure you sign up by also leaving your name and email address in the comments below, you will have an opportunity to win one of the THREE grand prizes for the entire giveaway hop.  It's an amazing hop to be a part of. 

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Thanks for stopping by.  You can continue on with the hop by clicking on any of the list below. Oh & check out the hop below this one for another opportunity to win! WhooHoo!!

Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway Blog Hop

Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway Hop

July 27th to August 1st

Hosted by Colorimety & I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

Welcome to my blog. It is a work in progress as you can see. I've only been blogging since the beginning of the year but I honestly can say I love every minute of it!

I hope you are enjoying the remaining days left of your summer. I know mine has gone by way too fast. I have been spending alot of my time kayaking, biking, reading some really great books and writing. 

I have recently published my debut novel, Destiny Unhinged, so please check it out sometime.  It would be a great read on your kindle or nook, if you ever find a lazy afternoon of wanting something to read.

I hope you keep in touch since I will be doing many more blog hops, book reviews, possibly even author interviews and I will begin my own Promotional Book Tour for my debut novel,  starting August 27th, so please come back to check it out for great prizes!

Right now, please sign up below to win either a $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble. It's a great prize to use to purchase some really great books, then follow the link below to continue on with the hop!

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Free Ebooks!

Wow! I must admit that I cannot stay away from downloading free books unto my kindle.  First the cover will catch my eye, then the blurb and when I see it as free, whoohoo!

However, I have so many now on my kindle, that I don't see how I will ever read them all unless I never buy a book again for the rest of the year, plus I would need to read at least four a week. Maybe if I didn't have a full time job, maybe if I wasn't into writing more myself, and maybe if I gave up blogging all together.  Wouldn't that be the life, though? 

Blogging, reading, writing. . . all a part of a full time career. Awe. . . one can dream can't she?

Anyway I wanted to share a few with you. I don't know how long they will last, so you better grab them while you can.  As soon as I read them, if I haven't already, I will write a review to share with other readers as well as to help the author out.

 

 This is just a few I have discovered.  I will have more to come...

ENJOY!!!

Summer Lovin Giveaway Hop

Summer Lovin Giveaway Hop
July 11th to 17th

Co-hosted by Tifferz Book Review

Young Adult Romance
& Clean Adult Romance

I hope you are enjoying your Giveaway hop.  I am offering my debut novel, Destiny Unhinged to five lucky winners.  If you like Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Paranormal, and Fantasy, then this is a book for you.

On a yearly trip to the cemetery to plant flowers for Memorial Day, Vanessa finds herself questioning her sanity when an invisible and unexplained occurrence prevents her from moving her leg as a sharp, piercing pain enters her calf.

With the admission of such a frightful event to her friends, Jules, Harold and Toby quickly take it upon themselves to investigate the cemetery for any possible explanations.

Vanessa soon finds herself torn between two guys. Well, I guess that is what she would call them, even though one is a dead Alien King from Najinial.

Max, the dead alien is trapped in limbo between two worlds and longs for Vanessa, his destiny, to help him home and become his Queen. He offers her his world, his heart and his future.

Toby, a good looking guy who has a soft spot for Vanessa, has confessed that he has a destiny that is meant to be with another girl. After Facebook stalking, Vanessa comes to the realization that Michele, must be the one Toby is destined to be with due to the over abundance of uploads he has posted on his page.

The connection that Vanessa has with Max is strong but the desire she has for Toby may be even stronger.



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Please continue on with the hop for even more great prizes.  Thanks for stopping by! If you want to leave me your blog link in the comments below, I would love to join. I hope you enjoy the rest of your Summer! Keep on reading!

Question - What's the best way to review and where should it be posted?

So a while back, I realized how important it was to give a review for a book. Not only for the author to help get the book noticed but also to the reader to help entice them on whether or not the book is worth their time.

Granted everybody has their own opinion and even though someone doesn't like the book, it doesn't mean it's a bad book.  It just wasn't right for that one person. I, myself, look at the cover first, look at the number of ratings, read the synopsis, look at the author's bio and then possible take a moment to read a review or two.  Unfortunately, the cover makes a first impression with me but doesn't hinder my purchase.

Price is another factor. I rarely have purchased an ebook for more than $8 unless it is by a well known published author. It's not that it may not be good, it's just that I can get so many for under $5 that are just as interesting. I also have taken every "FREE" option that I have discovered by authors I'm interested in, which is a reason I have about 70 books to read on my Kindle. (YIKES!)

Since I have made it my personal mission to make sure I write a review and tag a book whenever possible, I'm still unsure what is the best way to review.

I, personally, do not like to see spoilers given. I love being surprised when I read a book. I do like reading whether a person enjoyed the book but again I don't let their opinion hinder my choice of actually taking the time myself to find out if I have that same opinion.

That being said, is it better to write a full review with spoilers and all or a review just stating some good points without giving so much away. 

I have recently discovered in my own journey of finding people to review my debut novel, Destiny Unhinged, that there are so many review sites out there.

Amazon: Of course, is a big one for me since I have a Kindle and do most of my purchases through them.

Goodreads: This is a great one. I have been a member with them for several months and although I only have 25 friends at the moment, I really like to see what my friends are adding to their "to read" lists and what they have already "read".  This actually helps my personal read list to grow.

Shelfari: I've only recently discovered this one.  I have joined and added several of my "read" books as well as "to read". I figure I need to get my personal reviews out there to help as much as possible. I joined since I have run across some review blogs that mentioned that they post their reviews on this site. It is a branch off of Amazon and it is similar to Goodreads.

Smashwords: It is difficult to post a review on this site without having purchased from it.  I do not purchase many through this site so I'm unable to help out with adding a review.  However, I've noticed that authors do offer more coupon codes to this site which does may it a nice incentive to purchase from here.

Librarything:  This is another one I'm still learning the ropes on.  Again, you can add books that you've read or want to read. You can add friends and see what others have posted for reviews. I've discovered that some of the books I have read are even missing images. So I working on completing the books that I have at least read to help these authors out. 

Diesel-ebooks Store: This is an actual store that you can purchase books from.  You can add a review even though you didn't purchase from this site.  They even offer you a small amount of "reward money" if you do rate and write a review.  There reviews are limited to 40 words which doesn't let you write all that you would love to write.  I have discovered that not all the books that I have personally read are available on this site.

If I am missing any sites, please comment below along with what a reader would like to see in means of a review.  Like I mentioned earlier, it's my own mission to help an author out.