Inkslinger PR Presents: Stay With Me


Stay with Me (Wait for You, #3) 
STAY WITH ME

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You and Be with Me comes a daring tale that pushes boundaries . . .

At 21, Calla hasn’t done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should.   She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona—secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.

But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought she’d left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.

Sexy and intense, Jaxis in Calla’s business from the moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past—and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn’t give them her mom.




EXCERPT:

As I lay there, trying to swallow a loud, obnoxious yawn, I remembered something he’d said when we first met, about life being too short. I imagined he had firsthand experience with shortened lives while he was serving. That mentality came from experience. I got that now. Could even understand it, but there was something I didn’t understand.

“Why?” I asked.

There was a beat. “Why what?”

Jax sounded tired, and I should shut up or point out that I was now tired and could sleep, so he could leave. But I didn’t. “Why are you here? You don’t know me and . . .” I trailed off, because there really wasn’t anything left to say.

A minute went by, and he hadn’t answered my question, and then I think another minute ticked on, and I was okay with him not answering because maybe he didn’t even know. Or maybe he was just bored and that was why he was here.

But then he moved.

Jax pressed against my back, and the next breath I took got stuck in my throat. My eyes shot open. The sheet and blanket were between us, but they felt like nothing.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Getting comfortable.” He dropped an arm over my waist, and my entire body jerked against his. “It’s time to sleep I think.”

“But—”

“You can’t sleep when you talk,” he remarked.

“You don’t need to be all up on me,” I pointed out.

His answering chuckle stirred the hair along the back of my neck. “Honey, I’m not all up on you.”

I freaking begged to differ on that point. I started to wiggle away, but the arm around my waist tightened, holding me in place.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he announced casually, as if he wasn’t holding me prisoner in the bed.

Okay. The whole prisoner thing might be melodramatic, but he wasn’t letting me up. Not when he was getting all kinds of comfy behind me.

Oh my God, this was spooning. Total spooning. I was spooning with an honorary member of the Hot Guy Brigade. Did I wake up in a parallel universe?

“Sleep,” he demanded, as if the one word carried that much power. “Go to sleep, Calla.” This time his voice was softer, quieter.

“Yeah, it doesn’t work that way, Jax. You have a nice voice, but it doesn’t hold the power to make me sleep on your command.”

He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes, but the most ridiculous thing ever was the fact that after a couple of minutes, my eyes stayed shut. I . . . I actually settled in against him. With his front pressed to my back, his long legs cradling mine, and his arm snug around my waist, I actually did feel safe. More than that, I felt something else—something I hadn’t felt in years.

I felt cared for . . . cherished.

Which was the epitome of dumb, because I barely knew him, but feeling that, recognizing what the warm, buzzing feeling was, I fell right asleep.
Stay With Me is the perfect love story for all of us imperfect girls.  Calla is sweet, shy, and damaged due to a childhood injury and life with her drug addicted mother.  She is also determined to make a better life for herself now that she has headed off to college.

Until...her mother's problems follow her.

Everything about this story is wonderful EXCEPT...

CALLA

She plays the victim waaaaaaaaay too much in this read.  You would think that after everything that she has been through and survived, that her self esteem would be just a little bit higher than the ground-level low at which we find her.
So much of who she becomes depends on the love of the beautiful man that she finds herself involved in, that I sometimes fear for her.

Aside from that one detraction; the story presented in stay with me is top notch.  There was just the right amount of drama, romance, heart ache, and triumph.  Jackson is the perfect "white knight" and Calla, his strong but innocent counterpart.

This is a great NA novel.  At 400+ pages, the plot is never rushed and the characters are allowed the time they need to grow, progress, and interact naturally.
To make matters better for the reader, things are all tied up with the perfect "happily ever after bow".

Though this is the third book in a series, it can be read as a stand alone.

  

Jennifer L. Armentrout/J.Lynn Bio:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.



Buy Links:

Links:

HFVBT Presents: Ravensdale

Please join Lucinda Elliott on her Blog Tour for Ravensdale, from September 22-October 3.
Publication Date: April 18, 2014
Formats: eBook, Paperback; 260p
Genre: Historical Regency/Comedy-Spoof


When the group of highwaymen headed by the disgraced Earl of Little Dean, Reynaud Ravensdale hold up the hoydenish Isabella Murray’s coach, she knocks one of them down and lectures them all on following Robin Hood’s example.
The rascally Reynaud Ravensdale – otherwise known as the dashing highwayman Mr Fox – is fascinated by her spirit.
He escaped abroad three years back following his supposedly shooting a friend dead after a quarrel. Rumour has it that his far more respectable cousin was involved. Now, having come back during his father’s last illness, the young Earl is seeking to clear his name.
Isabella’s ambitious parents are eager to marry her off to Reynaud Ravensdale’s cousin, the next in line to his title. The totally unromantic Isabella is even ready to elope with her outlaw admirer to escape this fate – on condition that he teaches her how to be a highwaywoman herself.
This hilarious spoof uses vivid characters and lively comedy to bring new life to a theme traditionally favoured by historical novelists – that of the wild young Earl, who, falsely accused of murder by the machinations of a conniving cousin and prejudged by his reputation, lives as an outlaw whilst seeking to clear his name.
‘Ravensdale’ is a fast paced, funny and romantic read from the writer of ‘That Scoundrel Émile Dubois’, following the adventures of his equally roguish cousin and set in 1792, just prior to the French Revolution, two years before ‘That Scoundrel Émile Dubois’.

Praise for Ravensdale
“This was a good book. Well written and funny. As far as historical romances go, this one is quite a page turner. She turned a historical romance into something fun and different with comedy added in.” – Brenny’s Book Obsession (Amazon.com)

“I liked how Elliot poked fun at the clichés of historical romances. The chapter titles made me laugh. They were these little parody’s which gave just enough lightness to the story without turning it into a joke.” – Lauryn April (Amazon.com)

“And despite all the satire there is still an enjoyable story taking place in this book. Elliot does a fine job of allowing the reader to not only laugh at some of the absurdities in this tale but also root for the players to find their happy ending. There is plenty of emotion and heart in this book as both Isabella and Reynaud are characters of admirable quality and depth. ..I applaud Elliot for making the poetic regency romances we hold dear to our heart into something fun and different. She never insults or tarnishes what we love about the genre but allows it to blossom with comedy making it something I particularly loved even more.” – JC @ All is Read (Amazon.com)

“This was a cleverly written story, similar to a tongue in cheek Jane Austen classic.” – Gidgeemamma (Amazon.com)

“Ravensdale achieves everything it sets out to do, playing with formulas and stereotypes of older romance novels with abandon.The writer manages to pay tribute to the genre while having fun at the same time. In one paragraph, the sturdy no-nonsense heroine muses on the cliches of the plot she finds herself in, capitalizing all the character types such as the Wild Young Buck, the Villain of the Piece, and the Sweet Young Maiden. You can see her eyes rolling as she teases. But then the novel transforms, as the stereotypes become real people under the clever typing fingers of Lucinda Elliot.” – Jo (Amazon.com)

“If you enjoy Georgette Heyer-style period romances, you’ll probably enjoy “Ravensdale”. However – and this is what is so clever about this novel – if you don’t, then there’s a good chance that you’ll enjoy “Ravensdale” anyway. It provides you with both characters that you can genuinely like and care about, an interesting story, and a parody that is at times hilarious.” – Mari Biella (Amazon.com)
“I didn’t want it to end. Ravensdale is a thoroughly enjoyable read.” – Anne Carlisle PhD (Amazon.com)

“I was so engrossed that I couldn’t stop reading and ended up with a terrible headache, but it was worth it. What an amazing bunch of characters! First of all, there’s Lord Reynaud Ravensdale, the Disgraced Outlaw and Earl: this is a character to really fall in love with. He’s intelligent, quick, wild, impetuous, an amazing shot, and absolutely bursting with honor. ..Isabella is an amazing kick ass woman, and a true, perfect match for the larger than life Ravensdale.” – Ral in the West (Amazon.com)



Buy the Book

My Thoughts
At a time when most Regency romances are full of staid, self-important lords, and chaste, fortune hunting ladies; Ravensdale and the tongue in cheek humor that it provides, is a joy to read.
The story reads a lot like a play, with the chapters serving as act markers.
The characters are simple enough in action and deed to allow for the comedic happenstance of circumstance to shine through, but written with an intelligence that does not condescend to its intended audience.
Everything about this book is "laugh out loud" funny.  This is a book for those who love to laugh, and find literary treasures in unexpected places.
About the Author
Lucinda Elliot loves writing Gothic style stories, which isn’t surprising because she was brought up in a series of big old isolated houses which her parents were refurbishing (it wasn’t so fashionable back then). After that, she lived, studied and worked in London for many years and now lives in Mid Wales with her family.
She loves writing about strong women to complement gung ho males.
Her interests do include weight training and body shaping,and she was once a champion Sports fighter, but apart from that her interests are quite geeky. Reading classic novels, conservation, gardening, and even names and their meanings (bring on the carrot juice). She loves a laugh above anything.


For more information please visit Lucinda’s website. You can also connect with her on Goodreads.
Ravensdale Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, September 22
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, September 23
Interview at Layered Pages
Wednesday, September 24
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Saturday, September 27
Spotlight at Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers
Sunday, September 28
Review at Carole’s Ramblings
Monday, September 29
Interview & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Tuesday, September 30
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Review at Devilishly Delicious Book Blog
Thursday, October 2
Review at Book Nerd
Spotlight at Just One More Chapter
Friday, October 3
Spotlight at SOS Aloha

HFVBT Presents: Aemilia: A Novel of Shakespeare’s Dark Lady

HF Virtual Book Tours invites you to join Sally O’Reilly as she tours the blogosphere for Dark Aemilia: A Novel of Shakespeare’s Dark Lady from August 18-September 29.
02_Dark Aemilia
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Picador/Macmillan
Formats: eBook, Hardcover
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READ AN EXCERPT.

A TALE OF SORCERY AND PASSION IN SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY LONDON—WHERE WITCHES HAUNT WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AND HIS DARK LADY, THE PLAYWRIGHT’S MUSE AND ONE TRUE LOVE.
The daughter of a Venetian musician, Aemilia Bassano came of age in Queen Elizabeth’s royal court. The Queen’s favorite, she develops a love of poetry and learning, maturing into a young woman known not only for her beauty but also her sharp mind and quick tongue. Aemilia becomes the mistress of Lord Hunsdon, but her position is precarious. Then she crosses paths with an impetuous playwright named William Shakespeare and begins an impassioned but ill-fated affair.
A decade later, the Queen is dead, and Aemilia Bassano is now Aemilia Lanyer, fallen from favor and married to a fool. Like the rest of London, she fears the plague. And when her young son Henry takes ill, Aemilia resolves to do anything to save him, even if it means seeking help from her estranged lover, Will—or worse, making a pact with the Devil himself.
In rich, vivid detail, Sally O’Reilly breathes life into England’s first female poet, a mysterious woman nearly forgotten by history. Full of passion and devilish schemes, Dark Aemilia is a tale worthy of the Bard.
Selected by O, The Oprah Magazine as one of 17 Books You Won’t Be Able To Put Down!

Praise for Dark Aemilia: A Novel of Shakespeare’s Dark Lady

“A gripping novel that gives feisty feminist voice to the unknown woman who inspired Shakespeare’s sonnets… O’Reilly brings her star-crossed lovers together and drives them apart through plot twists that are, for once, credible outgrowths of the characters’ personalities and beliefs, finally giving them a tender, heartbreaking parting. First-rate historical fiction: marvelously atmospheric and emotionally engaging.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“[Dark Aemilia] mesmerizes with its descriptions of the Bard’s London…O’Reilly casts her story with witches, doomed royals, evil courtiers, and star-crossed lovers, as if it were a Jacobean play. But her finest accomplishment is not the tribute she pays to these historical figures, but the bold imagination she displays in bringing them together.”—Publishers Weekly

“With elegant style, masterly wordplay, and an eye for historical detail, O’Reilly beautifully relates a passionate and tragic love story, worthy of two such well-known figures. With Shakespeare’s 450th birthday approaching this April, fans of historical fiction writers such as Philippa Gregory, Anne Easter Smith, and Tracy Chevalier won’t want to miss this one.” —Library Journal

“O’Reilly’s American debut is an imaginative take on the life of poet Aemilia Layner, a contemporary of William Shakespeare…. This is a lively, vividly rendered novel about the dramatic life of an extraordinary woman.”—Booklist

“Seductive, sharp-witted lady-in-waiting Aemilia Bassano, who later becomes known as England’s first published female poet, falls into a love affair with the Bard himself, loses favor with the court, and resorts to black magic and sorcery to save her child in this textured work of historical fiction.”—O, The Oprah Magazine

“I just finished this, and I’m jumping at this opportunity to recommend it to book lovers far and wide… Dark Aemilia is a must-read for all lovers of Shakespeare and old England, and while it is written from the perspective of a woman, I am confident men will enjoy it, too. I am usually careful with my books, but this one quickly became a victim of dog ears and pencil-marks, because O’Reilly touches on so many crucial historical moments and writes with such intelligent elegance.” —Anne Fortier, BookPage

“We all know Shakespeare wrote love sonnets. Now, O’Reilly’s new novel brings us the Bard’s sonnet-writing lover and sonnet-inspiring muse.”—The New York Post

“Draped in the lure of magic and fantasy that weaved its way through many of Shakespeare’s plays, Dark Aemilia lives and breathes the late 16th century ….O’Reilly’s debut novel is a sweeping success, a tale full of action and intrigue and as deep as any ocean. Live vicariously through the eyes of one of the first proto-feminists to have lived. See as the author steps into her head and creates a world that is more realistic than the one outside your window. Let this book redefine the way you see love.”—Bookreporter

 

Buy the Book

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository

 

About the Author

03_Sally O'ReillySally O’Reilly has received numerous citations for her fiction, which has been shortlisted for the Ian St James Short Story Prize and the Cosmopolitan Short Story Award. A former Cosmopolitan New Journalist of the Year, her work has appeared in The Guardian, The Sunday Times, the Evening Standard, and the New Scientist. She teaches creative writing at the Open University and the University of Portsmouth in England. Dark Aemilia is her U.S. debut.
For information and news please visit Sally O’Reilly’s website and the Dark Aemilia Facebook Page.



 

 

 My Thoughts

The story told in Sally O"Reilly's Dark Aemilia is one that will strongly appeal to readers who crave well crafted drama brought to life by colorful and flawed characters, and set against vibrant and ever changing backdrops.
The great appeal of protagonist Aemilia lies in her strong feminist leanings.  She presents as an ambitious and learned pupil of Queen Elizabeth's school of "girl power".

This is not to say that her life is not without mishap.  It is in fact, the greatest of her life's faux pas which gives rise to her notoriety.
Raised as a child of court, young Aemilia soon finds herself mistress to a powerful, but much older peer of the realm.
When an ill-fated tryst with the up and coming William Shakespeare, leads to an unexpected pregnancy; Aemilia finds herself forced to marry a ne're-do-well musician named Alfonso Lanyer.
Forced to make the best of her marriage to a womanizing gambler and still holding her love for Shakespeare deep within her heart; Aemilia shows herself to be a brave and resourceful wife and mother, willing to do all that she can to give voice to the poet inside her and care for the son that she holds so dear.

This is a book that presents readers with a story that is so well presented, that it becomes tangible to the reader.
The triumphs, passions, losses, and gains of this great lady become the reader's triumphs, passions, losses, and gains.  All the while readers are also allowed a front row seat to such historic events as:  the death of Elizabeth I, the plague, and the burning of the famed Globe Theater.
This book is the perfect blend of history and fiction, alchemy and reason, dark and light.



 

Dark Aemilia Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, August 18
Review at The Bookworm
Tuesday, August 19
Review & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Wednesday, August 20
Guest Post at Bibliophilia, Please
Thursday, August 21
Spotlight at Princess of Eboli
Monday, August 25
Review at The Mad Reviewer
Review & Giveaway at Curling Up By the Fire
Tuesday, August 26
Review & Giveaway at Poof Books
Thursday, August 28
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Sunday, August 31
Review at Carole’s Ramblings
Monday, September 1
Review at Book Drunkard
Giveaway at Carole’s Ramblings
Tuesday, September 2
Guest Post & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Wednesday, September 3
Review & Giveaway at Bibliophilia, Please
Tuesday, September 9
Review at Just One More Chapter
Review at Awesome Book Assessment
Wednesday, September 10
Guest Post at Just One More Chapter
Thursday, September 11
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Tuesday, September 16
Review & Giveaway at Bookish
Wednesday, September 17
Review & Giveaway at Casual Readers
Friday, September 19
Review & Giveaway at Book Nerd
Monday, September 22
Review at A Book Geek
Tuesday, September 23
Review & Giveaway at Beth’s Book Reviews
Wednesday, September 24
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Friday, September 26
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Sunday, September 28
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Monday, September 29
Review at 100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book Reviews
Review & Giveaway at Book Dilettante
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HFVBT Presents: Madame Picasso

9780778316350.inddPlease join author Anne Girard as she tours with HF Virtual Book Tours for Madame Picasso from August 25-September 26.

Publication Date: August 26, 2014
Harlequin MIRA
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction
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READ AN EXCERPT.
The mesmerizing and untold story of Eva Gouel, the unforgettable woman who stole the heart of the greatest artist of our time
When Eva Gouel moves to Paris from the countryside, she is full of ambition and dreams of stardom. Though young and inexperienced, she manages to find work as a costumer at the famous Moulin Rouge, and it is here that she first catches the attention of Pablo Picasso, a rising star in the art world.
A brilliant but eccentric artist, Picasso sets his sights on Eva, and Eva can’t help but be drawn into his web. But what starts as a torrid affair soon evolves into what will become the first great love of Picasso’s life.
With sparkling insight and passion, Madame Picasso introduces us to a dazzling heroine, taking us from the salon of Gertrude Stein to the glamorous Moulin Rouge and inside the studio and heart of one of the most enigmatic and iconic artists of the twentieth century.

Praise for Madame Picasso

“Early twentieth century Paris and Picasso’s lost love come to enchanted, vivid life in Madame Picasso. With a deft eye for detail and deep understanding for her protagonists, Anne Girard captures the earnest young woman who enthralled the famous artist and became his unsung muse.” – C.W. Gortner, bestselling author of THE QUEEN’S VOW

Buy the Book

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
iTunes
IndieBound

My Thoughts

Madame Picasso is one of those rare stories that you don't read, but have a love affair with.  With so much having been written about Picasso as an artist, it is a refreshing change to finally read an accounting of him as a lover, a friend, and a man.

Eva may be from humble beginnings, but she quickly shows herself to be smart, resourceful, and a very effective balm to the soul of the passionate Picasso.

The story told here is one that seamlessly blends fact and creative license; thereby in its own way, painting a canvas etched by history in a new and never before seen brilliance.
Anne Girard takes great pains to tell a story rich in characters and situations that while fascinating, never seem over done or forced.
It is also very fun to follow the course of Picasso and Eva's love affair through the creation of some of his most famous works, as eluded to throughout the story's course.
 
Due to the it's authoress's flair for penning drama rich tales; there is no shortage of illicit surprises.
As such, this is a book that has a great deal of appeal for readers who may not be great fans of historical fiction.
 
Madame Picasso is more of an experience, than a book.  More of a journey, than a trip.  More of a life, than a history.
   
 

About the Author

03_Anne GirardAnne Girard was born with writing in her blood. The daughter of a hard-driving Chicago newsman, she has always had the same passion for storytelling that fueled his lifelong career. She hand-wrote her first novel (admittedly, not a very good one) at the age of fourteen, and never stopped imagining characters and their stories. Writing only ever took a backseat to her love of reading.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in English literature from UCLA and a Master’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University, a chance meeting with the acclaimed author, Irving Stone, sharply focused her ambition onto telling great stories from history with detailed research. “Live where your characters lived, see the things they saw,” he said, “only then can you truly bring them to life for your readers.” Anne took that advice to heart. After Stone’s encouragement twenty years ago, she sold her first novel. When she is not traveling the world researching her stories, Anne and her family make their home in Southern California. When she is not traveling or writing, she is reading fiction.

Anne also writes historical fiction under the name Diane Haeger. For more information, visit www.dianehaeger.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Madame Picasso Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, August 25
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, August 26
Interview & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, August 27
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Thursday, August 28
Review & Giveaway at Words and Peace
Review & Giveaway at Kinx’s Book Nook
Friday, August 29
Review at Scandalous Women
Review at Curling Up by the Fire
Monday, September 1
Review at A Bookish Affair
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, September 2
Review & Giveaway at Luxury Reading
Interview & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Wednesday, September 3
Spotlight at Gobs and Gobs of Books
Spotlight & Giveaway at Susan Heim on Writing
Thursday, September 4
Review & Giveaway at The Maiden’s Court
Friday, September 5
Review at To Read or Not to Read
Monday, September 8
Review at Book of Secrets
Review & Giveaway at Mina’s Bookshelf
Tuesday, September 9
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Thursday, September 11
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Friday, September 12
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes
Review at The Book Binder’s Daughter
Monday, September 15
Review at Layered Pages
Review at Carole’s Ramblings
Tuesday, September 16
Review at She is Too Fond of Books
Wednesday, September 17
Interview & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Thursday, September 18
Review at One Book of a Time
Friday, September 19
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Monday, September 22
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Tuesday, September 23
Review at Books in the Burbs
Review at The Librarian Fatale
Wednesday, September 24
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Thursday, September 25
Review at Kincavel Korner
Friday, September 26
Interview at Kincavel Korner
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Ohh...Cover Love: Freaks of Nature Cover Reveal and Givaway


Freaks of Nature
Paperback, Spencer Hill Press
Expected publication: May 5, 2015
Links
The global Ebola-X pandemic of 2022 lasted five months, two weeks and six days before a cure could be found. In its wake, it left a generation of psionic freaks who can turn a single thought into a weapon… or worse.
Fifteen-year-old Devon McWilliams is one of those freaks, but instead of some awesome ability like telepathy or telekinesis, he talks to plants. Yes, plants. In other words, Devon rates a big fat zero on the scale of kick-ass psychic abilities. But when Devon escapes from his psionic detainment facility, the United States Military intercepts him before he can rendezvous with the Psionic Underground Network. Regaining consciousness, Devon finds himself securely fastened to his seat aboard a military airship headed to Washington DC, where he will either be incarcerated for life or killed.
However, there are six other psions aboard this one-way flight to doom… and one of them, a telepath named Bai Lee, claims to have the means to escape, but they have to convince her, one by one, that they’re worthy of freedom.This is not good news for Plant Boy. The last thing he wants is to relive his nightmare escape from the psi-facility that left his best friend dead, especially since he’s made the acquaintance of the lovely, blonde healer, Alya du Roumanie, sitting beside him. Worse than that, he wouldn’t be able to bear the look in her eyes if she ever found out how truly pathetic a psion he really is.
They say there are no keeping secrets from a hell-bent telepath, but Devon McWilliams is determined to do just that, risking everything not to be left behind.


 Wendy Brotherlin is a screenwriter, music enthusiast and all around geek-goddess. She earned a Masters in Screenwriting at the University of Southern California and went on to write for children’s television including Nickelodeon’s Are You Afraid of the Dark?. Today, she lives in Manchester, Maine with her husband and two little super-heroes-in-training.
Freaks of Nature is her first novel.

Learn more about her at http://wendybrotherlin.com







Author Links:


Giveaway:
Wendy is giving away a $25 gift card to celebrate the cover reveal! Open to US entrants only this time but we will have international in the future!

HFVBT Presents: The Unexpected Earl




HF Virtual Book Tours invites you to join Philippa Jane Keyworth as she tours the blogosphere for her novel, The Unexpected Earl, from September 20-30.
Publication Date: September 20, 2014
Madison Street Publishing
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction/Regency/Romance


From the author of the widely acclaimed The Widow’s Redeemer, comes a new Regency romance from Philippa Jane Keyworth.
Six years after being jilted without a word of explanation, Julia Rotherham finds Lucius Wolversley standing before her once again–unexpected, unannounced, unwelcome. With her heart still hurting and, more importantly, her pride, Julia must chaperone her younger sister, fend off fortune hunters, orchestrate a fake engagement, and halt an elopement–all whilst keeping the man who jilted her at arm’s length. But what Julia doesn’t know is that this time, the Earl has no intention of disappearing, and this time, he has more than an explanation to offer…

My Thoughts
The Unexpected Earl is a hard, but not so fast lesson in the disasters of assumption.
Young Julia Rotherham is so beside herself when she finds the young man that 'left her hanging' as it were, some six years before, has just had the nerve to show his face at her sister's 'coming out' ball, that she finds it necessary to get drunk.

You would think that after six years on the marriage market that is the London social scene of this era, that our young Miss Rotherham would have developed the good sense NOT to leave her charms to wither on the vine.
Its not like she hasn't has offers.

Alas, you would be wrong.
It seems that this shrew has seen fit to accept her self imposed spinsterhood none to graciously.
Moan, moan, lament...yada...yada.

So what does she do when her wayward suitor returns bent on pursuing her?
Run, lie, and accuse him of being after her money without hearing his side, of course.

This is a look at the true Regency romance.  There are no heaving bossoms...
Well, if they are heaving, its with rightous indignation, more so than any unbridled passion.
But I digress.
Let's not forget the spirited games of social musical chairs and hints of scandal.

The Unexpected Earl, has all of this in spades and is a welcome sojourn to a slower paced and seemingly more genteel time.
The characters were written very much to period.  Although there were times when a little more sense and far less manners would have been a welcomed change.
The pacing of the story is rather slow in the beginning, but well worth the wait for things to pick up plot wise heading into mid book.

This book is one of those hidden treasures that you simply have to curl up with, shut out the world, and enjoy.

In young Lucius'defense, I must say that if he was given any advance warning as to where, and with whom, that evening would find him; he would have probably made himself no stranger to the liquor cabinet.

About the Author
Philippa Jane Keyworth, known to her friends as Pip, has been writing since she was twelve in every notebookshe could find. Originally trained as a horse-riding instructor, Philippa went on to become a copywriter before beginning a degree in History. A born again Christian, Philippa lives in the south of England with her handsome husband.
Philippa has always written stories and believes that, since it is one of her loves and passions, she always will. In her early writing career, she dabbled in a variety of genres, but it was the encouragement of a friend to watch a film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that began her love affair with the British Regency. Since then, she has watched every Regency film and TV series she could get her hands on and become well acquainted with Georgette Heyer’s novels which gave her the inspiration to write her own.
Both as a reader and a writer, Philippa believes it is important to escape into a world you yourself would want to live in. This is why she writes stories that will draw you into the characters’ joys and heartaches in a world apart from our own. Her debut novel, The Widow’s Redeemer (Madison Street Publishing, 2012), is a traditional Regency romance bringing to life the romance between a young widow with an indomitable spirit and a wealthy viscount with an unsavory reputation. The novel has been received well by readers and reviewers who have praised the heartfelt story and admirable characters. Her second novel, The Unexpected Earl (Madison Street Publishing, 2014), explores another romance in the Regency era when an impetuous young woman has her life turned upside down by the reappearance of the earl who jilted her six years ago.
So, what are you waiting for? Get swept away into another time with characters you will learn to love, and experience the British Regency like never before.
For more information please visit Philippa Jane Keyworth’s website and blog. You can also connect with her on FacebookTwitter, and Goodreads.
Also by Philippa Jane Keyworth
The Widow’s Redeemer
The Unexpected Earl Blog Tour Schedule
Saturday, September 20
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Monday, September 22
Review at Austenprose
Review at To Read or Not to Read
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Tuesday, September 23
Review at Bibliophilia, Please
Spotlight & Excerpt at Romantic Historical Reviews
Wednesday, September 24
Review & Interview at Bookish
Friday, September 26
Review & Interview at Back Porchervations
Spotlight at Princess of Eboli
Sunday, September 28
Review at Book Nerd
Monday, September 29
Review at Mel’s Shelves
Review at Based on a True Story
Review at Queen of All She Reads
Tuesday, September 30
Review at A Library of My Own

HFVBT Presents: Inglorious Royal Marriages...A Demi-millennium Of Unholy Mismatrimony

Please join Leslie Carroll on her Blog Tour for Inglorious Royal Marriages: A Demi-Millennium of Unholy Mismatrimony, from September 1-26.
02_Inglorious Royal Marriages
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
NAL Trade
Formats: eBook, Paperback; 400p
Genre: History/Non-Fiction/Royalty
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READ AN EXCERPT.
Why does it seem that the marriages of so many monarchs are often made in hell? And yet we can’t stop reading about them! To satisfy your schadenfreude, INGLORIOUS ROYAL MARRIAGES offers a panoply of the most spectacular mismatches in five hundred years of royal history….some of which are mentioned below.

When her monkish husband, England’s Lancastrian Henry VI, became completely catatonic, the unpopular French-born Margaret of Anjou led his army against the troops of their enemy, the Duke of York
.
Margaret Tudor, her niece Mary I, and Catherine of Braganza were desperately in love with chronically unfaithful husbands—but at least they weren’t murdered by them, as were two of the Medici princesses.

King Charles II’s beautiful, high-spirited sister “Minette” wed Louis XIV’s younger brother, who wore more makeup and perfume than she did.

Compelled by her mother to wed her boring, jug-eared cousin Ferdinand, Marie of Roumania—a granddaughter of Queen Victoria—emerged as a heroine of World War I by using her prodigious personal charm to regain massive amounts of land during the peace talks at Versailles. Marie’s younger sister Victoria Melita wed two of her first-cousins: both marriages ultimately scandalized the courts of Europe.

Brimming with outrageous real-life stories of royal marriages gone wrong, this is an entertaining, unforgettable book of dubious matches doomed from the start.

My Thoughts

Today's royalty and celebrities often have to resort to rather far fetched tactics to keep the 'whys and wherefores'  of their nuptials out of the non-blinking sight and ever-listening ear of social media.
Inglorious Royal Marriages provides readers a candid and no holds barred look at what life and marriage was like for those 'rowdy royals' of old.  At a time when "Twitter" was strictly for the birds, and "Facebooking" involved actual books.

Whether it be marriage to a monkish monarch, or dealings with a dallying dauphin, every story is well worth its weight in sordid situations.
Right down to the story of Isabella Romola de Medici and Paolo d'Orsini, and Eleonora di Garzia di Toledo and Pietro de Medici.
This tale of marriage, money, and mayhem is one so full of vendetta and bloody corpses, that it would make the most seasoned mobster proud.

This well researched and expertly recounted history stands as proof that truth is indeed often stranger than fiction.
Readers will fly through the 300+ pages of jaw dropping accounts of the ins and outs of some of history's most well known unions.
Inglorious Royal Marriages is to this reviewer one of the best works of historical nonfiction of 2014.



Praise for Leslie Carroll’s Royal Books

“An irresistible combination of People magazine and the History Channel.”—Chicago Tribune (5 Stars)

“Thoroughly enjoyable.”—Booklist

“For those who tackled Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, and can’t get enough of the scandal surrounding Henry VIII’s wives, [Notorious Royal Marriages is] the perfect companion book.”—NewYorker.com

Buy the Book

Amazon US
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
IndieBound

About the Author

03_Leslie CarrollLeslie Carroll is the author of several works of historical nonfiction, women’s fiction, and, under the pen names Juliet Grey and Amanda Elyot, is a multipublished author of historical fiction. Her nonfiction titles include Royal Romances, Royal Pains, Royal Affairs, and Notorious Royal Marriages. She is also a classically trained professional actress with numerous portrayals of virgins, vixens, and villainesses to her credit, and is an award-winning audio book narrator.

A frequent commentator on royal romances and relationships, Leslie has been interviewed by numerous publications, including MSNBC.com, USA Today, the Australian Broadcasting Company, and NPR, and she was a featured royalty historian on CBS nightly news in London during the royal wedding coverage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

 She also appears as an expert on the love lives of Queen Victoria, Marie Antoinette, Catherine the Great, and Napoleon on the television series “The Secret Life of [fill in the name of famous figure]” for Canada’s History Channel. Leslie and her husband, Scott, divide their time between New York City and Washington, D.C.

For more information please visit Leslie’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Inglorious Royal Marriages Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 1
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, September 2
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Interview at Scandalous Women
Wednesday, September 3
Guest Post & Giveaway at Historical Tapestry
Thursday, September 4
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Friday, September 5
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Monday, September 8
Review & Giveaway at Bibliophilia, Please
Tuesday, September 9
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Spotlight at Princess of Eboli
Thursday, September 11
Review at The Lit Bitch
Spotlight & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Connection
Friday, September 12
Interview at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Monday, September 15
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Tuesday, September 16
Spotlight & Giveaway at Reading Lark
Wednesday, September 17
Review & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Saturday, September 20
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Tuesday, September 23
Review & Giveaway at The Maiden’s Court
Wednesday, September 24
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Review & Giveaway at To Read or Not to Read
Thursday, September 25
Review at Bookish
Review at Historical Fiction Obsession
Friday, September 26
Review at The Musings of ALMYBNENR
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict
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Will You Be Won Over By "SWAY"?

Sway Title:  Sway
Author:  Kat Spears
Format:  ERC
Length:  320 pages
Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin
Rating:  3 Stars

In Kat Spears’s hilarious and often poignant debut,g high school senior Jesse Alderman, or "Sway," as he’s known, could sell hell to a bishop. He also specializes in getting things people want---term papers, a date with the prom queen, fake IDs. He has few close friends and he never EVER lets emotions get in the way. For Jesse, life is simply a series of business transactions.

But when Ken Foster, captain of the football team, leading candidate for homecoming king, and all-around jerk, hires Jesse to help himt win the heart of the angelihc Bridget Smalley, Jesse finds himself feeling all sorts of things. While following Bridget and learning the intimate details of her life, he falls helplessly in love for the very first time. He also finds himself in an accidental friendship with Bridget’s belligerent and self-pitying younger brother who has cerebral palsy. Suddenly, Jesse is visiting old folks at a nursing home in order to run into Bridget, and offering his time to help the less fortunate, all the while developing a bond with this young man who idolizes him. Could the tin man really have a heart after all?

A Cyrano de Bergerac story with a modern twist, Sway is told from Jesse’s point of view with unapologetic truth and biting humor, his observations about the world around him untempered by empathy or compassion---until Bridget’s presence in his life forces him to confront his quiet devastation over a life-changing event a year earlier and maybe, just maybe, feel something again.

-Goodreads


My Thoughts
See Ferris Bulluer...
Jesse Alderman seems to have it all, and if not...he knows who to ask, where to buy, or who to bribe to get whatever it is that one of the myriad of people on his ever expanding client list needs to make his or her life complete.

The problem?
The magic, or SWAY, that he seems to have over the people, places, and things in his daily existence, simply does NOT carry over into the personal.

With an absentee, musician, father prone to drinking binges, and still reeling from the his mother's suicide, Jesse has taken every precaution against letting anyone get close.

Until her...

The thing is, she was never supposed to be on his radar in the first place. Getting to know Bridget Smalley was a simple Intel mission. $200 to get in, get close, and find out what made her tick.
He had no idea that she would breeze past all of his defenses with nothing more lethal than her smile.
She would be it for him. She would change his game forever. If only he could manage to get over...himself.

This is a book that is built, not so much on the strength of its main character, but in the color, quirk, and vibrancy imparted to him through interactions with his supporting cast.
Bridget, Pete, Joey, Mr. D, and others allow the reader to write the role of hero, villain, coward, or victor, onto the blank slate that is Jesse.

The only part of the story that can truly be attributed to him is the tragedy concerning his mother.

This book is Ferris Bulluer with feels.
The plot falls flat in places, but is saved by expressive writing and supporting players.


Sometimes Love Is An Uphill Climb...Enjoy The Journey With "Priya In Heels"

Priya in HeelsTitle:  Priya In Heels
Author:  Ayesha Patel
Format:  ERC
Length:  436 pages
Publisher:  Entangled/Embrace
Rating:  5 Stars
A new adult title from Entangled’s Embrace imprint…

Love doesn’t conquer all…does it?

 
Priyanka Patel is the epitome of an obedient daughter. She’s finishing up her medical residency at one of Houston’s busiest emergency departments, and has agreed—albeit reluctantly—to marry the man her family has chosen for her. The only thing that can derail the “perfect” life laid out before her is the sexy musician down the hall who wants into her life…and into her bed.

Tyler O’Connor has been infatuated with Priya since she treated his sprained ankle in the ER, and after saving her from a brutal attack, he can't get her out of his head. When Priya puts her family's wishes before their relationship, agreeing to an arranged marriage with another man, Tyler is devastated.

But love is fierce and unreasonable and clashes with the carefully sculpted life her parents want for her. Is going after her heart such a big deal, or will it truly unravel Priya’s world?

"Priya in Heels is an exquisite mix of culture, romance, and humor all brought together by two characters you can't help but love from the get-go. It's a must read!" ~NYT Bestselling Author Anna Banks

"Sweet and sexy with a dash of spice." USA Today Bestselling Author Nicola Marsh

"Chemistry jumps off the pages in this sexy-fun tale of family, “firsts," and doing anything for true love. I swooned over Ty right along with Pree!" USA Today Bestselling Author Ophelia London

"A moving story about a girl at a crossroads between her Indian culture and what's expected of her, and the American boy who's stolen her heart." USA Today Bestselling Author Cindi Madsen

"A thoroughly entertaining romance that deftly captures the enduring conflict between conservative Indian traditions and contemporary American culture." Shobhan Bantwal, Award-Winning Author of the Dowry Bride  -Goodreads
 

My Thoughts
Good girl, Priya Patel, knew from the moment that Tyler O'Connor, of the twinkling green eyes and easy smile, ambled into her ER complaining of a possibly broken ankle; he was trouble for someone.
She just had no idea that someone would be her.

Priya In Heels is a beautifully written story which manages to bring the trials and tribulations of love and marriage for Indian-American traditionalists.  Though the beautiful Priya should have the world by the tail, blessed as she is with beauty, friends, and a residency at a top Houston hospital.  Her parents long to see her married off to a "nice Indian boy", and tucked away with two kids in a suburb not too far away.

Since meeting and getting to know Tyler however, it seems that both Priya's mind and treacherous heart have their own versions of "happily ever after"
This is a book that fills the reader's heart and mind through honest and highly relatable characters, and true-to-life scenarios.  Priya and Ty are a couple that readers want to fight for, as they fight the cultural and societal barriers to their love.
The 400+ pages comprising this novel fly by, and can easily be breezed through in one sitting.
Ty is the perfect blend of nerdy heat, compassion, and knightlyness.
Priya is beauty, brains, loyalty, and honesty.
Seeing them struggle against old conventions and mores, in a quest for the new and now, will warm the heart and feed the soul.