Thursday 22 December 2016

The Soulstealer's Child Review




Can a human heart overcome a demon soul?




When soul-eating demons overrun his world, Kaelis, a young seraph warrior, uses the Queen’s ring to open a portal in space and flee with the infant heir to the throne, landing on earth. Unbeknownst to him, the demon leader, Nsark, follows through the portal, determined to devour the soul of every last seraph, especially the Queen’s heir. After Kaelis hides the baby, Nsark creates the ultimate weapon by fathering a half-human, half-demon: a soul-stealer’s child. 



Sixteen years later, an awkward teen named James struggles to fit in with his peers. In a last-ditch effort, he joins the school play, where he meets Lucy. Something deep draws them together, and their friendship reveals their hidden pasts: one is an angel, one is half-demon. Lucy and James find themselves pulled into an age-old war between their peoples. Hunted by relentless enemies, and grappling with deep-seated instincts and strange new powers, they must fight for their lives, their souls, and each other.






Brandon Gray is the pen name of Braden Bell (Brandon writes YA fiction; Braden writes for middle grades). Braden holds a Ph.D. from New York University. He and his family live on a quiet, wooded lot in Tennessee, where he teaches middle school theatre and music. An experienced performer, Braden enjoys reading, gardening, and long summer afternoons writing in his hammock. His most notable skill is being able to eat a full rack of BBQ ribs with one hand on long drives.



Connect with the Author here: 
Facebook ~ Website ~ 
 ~ Amazon ~ Twitter ~ 
 ~ Goodreads ~




5 out of 5 stars

This book starts out with complete destruction of the seraph society by demons. One warrior makes an extremely difficult choice and manages to save the queens child by going through a portal to earth, unknowingly followed by two demon.

What follows is a fantastic tale of passion, light and darkness and of course the choices to either embrace who you really are or not.  

I started this book while working on a project and didn't manage to finish my project until the book was finished. Usually I can have my kindle read a book to me and I continue working on, tidying the house or working on the computer, and have no problems. But with this book I found myself staring at the screen and reading ahead because the auto reader couldn't read it fast enough for my liking (despite my speeding up the reading rate). I also didn't  get anything done in a productive manner. I even had to go back through my work because I was so distracted I managed to mess it all up.

I really enjoyed the flow of the book, it managed to hit a good mix between all the different elements included in the plot. The characters were also complex and interesting, with believable motives and though patterns. This book is clean and I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to anyone who likes, YA, Clean Romance, or fantasy.

I loved this book and can't wait for the next book in the series! 



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Tuesday 13 December 2016

Day 7 of the Christmas Countdown Book Blitz





Railyn Stone, author of The Christmas Tree Guy, A Secret to Keep, Restored Hearts and Lest We Aren't Forgiven, lives in North Carolina with her husband. When she's not behind the screen of her laptop, she's usually enjoying time with her family. The only child of two educators, she learned early on just how magical words can be.

Q & A With The Author:
1.  Describe yourself in 50 words or less.
            This is one of the hardest things for me to do, but I would say that I’m a kid at heart, a child of God and a lover of all things romance.

2. What do you love most in the world?
            My family is what I love most in this world. I’d be truly lost without them. They mean everything to me.

3. What do you fear most?

            I fear most that I will never find my true purpose in life.


Connect with the Author here: 


EnVee McAlister just bought a house. It’s an old Victorian home that needs a lot of work, especially if she wants to get into it by Christmas.

Logan Edwards is the contractor she’s hired to help her. Unfortunately, he’s not like any man she’s ever encountered and his arrogance and crass demeanor is making it hard to deal with him. Both she and Logan hold no punches and their terribly blunt personalities clash like oil and water.

But when she finds out about Logan’s tragic past, it forces her to deal with her own insecurities and emotions she’s desperately tried to forget. And instead of a house for Christmas, EnVee receives something she never expected.




Snippet:

Logan scanned the living room. It was eerily silent in the humongous house. He’d been pleasantly surprised at how well it had stood the test of time. Granted, there were a lot of things that were going to have to be replaced, but all in all, the structure was very sturdy. He liked old houses. It was impressive to him the amount of time and care that was put into each one and he liked the fact they were reliable homes. Nothing like the thrown together fabrications a lot of homes were made out of nowadays. There was nothing wrong with the homes of the present, but he had an affinity for any home that was more than seventy years old. It meant some time had gone into its construction and more than likely there was a story behind it. He was about to turn to head up the creaky stairs when he heard a car pull up outside and he walked to the front of the house. He was there to meet Ms. N.V. McAlister to do a walk through and get her specifications on the changes she wanted made in order to get started on the blueprints. He hoped she didn’t want to make too many changes to the home. It was beautiful the way it was and he could only imagine the big shot she must be would want to modernize every single thing about the house. By the time she was done, it would probably resemble the house from Beetlejuice. He grimaced at the thought of it, clutching his iPad in his hands and opened the door. He waited patiently as the black Audi rolled to a stop and a well-heeled and very shapely leg exited the open driver door followed by another. He headed down the steps of the front porch and his eyes widened when the driver emerged from the car. You have got to be kidding me. That can’t be…
Hello, I’m En…” Both seemed to come to the same realization at the same time. He watched her remove her sunglasses and could see the memory of their first encounter flash through her eyes. “You. What are you doing here?”
Logan swallowed hard and tried his best to control the level of his voice. He could only think about how rude she’d been to him and Gracie a little more than a week ago and it looked like the favor he’d done her hadn’t changed her disposition. “I’m Logan Edwards. You contracted me to do this job.” He almost got a strange satisfaction from seeing her face fall knowing she had hired him to work on her house project.
I spoke with another gentleman.” She pursed her lips and he noticed for the first time, the small beauty mark she had right above the left side of her deep plum stained lips. The night they’d first met, he’d been too preoccupied with her haughty attitude to notice she was a beautiful woman. Her auburn hair was pulled back from her perfectly made up face. And her almond shaped eyes had a russet tint just a tad darker than her hair. Her shapely body was covered in a tailored black pinstripe suit. She had ample curves kept toned by workouts no doubt, but still had the kind of womanly body that could keep a man up all night. He blinked and tried to think of anything else because he was a little thrown by his own admiration of her.
My brother, Alex. He and I run the business together.”
Well, this isn’t going to work.”
Logan breathed deep remembering the words of his brother. Behave yourself. Lots of money riding on this. Big opportunities. Aw, hell. “Look lady, I’m here to do a job. We’re the best you’re going to find when it comes to a task like this. You’ve already signed a contract and I do have other projects I need to tend to today. So if we could just get started, the quicker this is over, the faster you can go back to your ivory tower.” Alex was going to kill him.
Her eyes narrowed and he could see her frustration and anger building. “I would think you would be a little more professional when you first meet someone to do business with them.”
I would, but this isn’t our first meeting and I’m just giving what I get. I would think you would want to be nicer to the person that’s going to restore your new home, but that isn’t the case is it?” He tilted his head and gave her the most insolent smile he could muster. Who does this woman think she is? 
I will not stand here being talked to this way. You are working for me and you could learn a thing or two about customer service.” She started up the steps to the house, pausing for a moment before she reached the top and turned. “Are you coming or will I need to do this alone?”
Logan’s jaw twitched watching her very curvy bottom twist from side to side as she continued to ascend the stairs. His dentist would chastise him during his next scheduled appointment from gritting his teeth down to nubs. He was going to be nuts by the time this job was over. Dear God, give me strength.


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Saturday 3 December 2016

Saving Lord Whitton's Daughter Review





Lady Bethany would rather die a spinster than submit to marriage—and thus reveal the horrible secret she has harbored for more than a year
Lord Locke is far too immersed in his service to the Crown for romance, but Lady Bethany is in dire circumstances.
Indebted to Bethany’s late father and his close friend, the earl offers a perfect solution for both of them: a marriage in name only.
Perfect, if only they weren’t so irresistibly drawn to each other—and if Bethany hadn’t found herself falling in love with a man even more mysterious than his reputation. Perfect, until she unwittingly learns he’s protecting her from a threat to her life.
To Mark, Bethany is just another assignment, a woman he’s convinced is hiding something. His offer of marriage was meant only to make it easier to safeguard her.
But when the simple threat turns to attempted murder and treason, Mark realizes that Bethany has stolen his heart and he can do nothing less than throw himself into a race against time to save her, whatever the price.





Susan was born and raised a California girl but is grateful to have lived on the Oregon coast and in the Rocky Mountains of northern Utah. She’s now enjoying living with her husband in the incomparable beauty of the Redwood forest, nestled against the rugged coast of Northern California.
Susan raised a tribe of children, making ends meet as a registered nurse and lactation consultant, and now her tribe members have tribes of their own and she just doesn’t get to see enough of them. She loves to travel and is thrilled with a good movie or a great book, but writing is her passion. She writes almost anything, especially epic fantasy and romance. Saving Lord Whitton’s Daughter is her first Regency Romance.
Susan would love to hear your comments. Please review her book at your favorite retailer, and at Goodreads, and/ or drop her a note at: stietjen.author@gmail.com.



Connect with the Author here: 




4 out of 5 Stars

This was a nice story with intrigue, deception, mystery and or course romance. The Characters were complex and likeable. Certain parts of the story line did get me thinking and I found myself aching for women in that time period; when, if a situation was forced upon a women it was concerted she alone was to blame.  Also considering the time and way of thinking it is admirable that the close family stands by her. I enjoy that familial aspect of this story. As well, the two main character have great chemistry together and the author does a great job showing that without getting to wordy or making it sound forced.

The main problem I really ran up against was the constant use of formal titles (Lord and Lady) When a first given name was thrown in I honestly didn't know whom they were talking to. It was a little distracting but not detrimental. 

Over all I enjoyed this story. Notwithstanding some of the subject manner it still managed to be completely clean and sensitive. Bravo for managing this feat, as this can be a extremely difficult balance to achieve. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys their romance full of mystery and a lot of clean sexual tension.


Snippet:

“Oh no! My skirt. It’s caught between the stirrup leather and the saddle and it’s tearing.”
“I’ll hold you up,” Locke said, raising her enough to tug it free.
She weighed almost nothing, but he was more than overwhelmed by the sweet lemony smell of her. When he at last lowered her to the ground, he found himself unable to let go, at least until she turned to face him.
Emerald eyes opened wide, Lady Bethany’s cheeks flushed prettily. Was that wonderment on her features? He didn’t see the slightest hint of fear in her. He felt her gaze admire him, drifting from his brows to his nose and arriving at last at his mouth. Her hands, so small and delicate against the firm muscles of his chest, gave no hint of the resistance she’d shown last night.
She stood perfectly still, obviously aware that his breath had faltered. Did she realize what she did to him? Had she any idea how much he wanted to kiss her? And then he saw it, the glimmer of desire in her eyes that battered at his resolve. He raised a hand to brush a stray hair from her cheek and her eyelids fluttered shut, a tremble sweeping over her. His resistance melted and he traced her jaw to her chin and lifted it, leaning towards the soft pillow of her lips, wanting more than anything to taste their sweetness.




To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 



Wednesday 30 November 2016

The Soulstealer's Child




Brandon Gray is the pen name of Braden Bell (Brandon writes YA fiction; Braden writes for middle grades). Braden holds a Ph.D. from New York University. He and his family live on a quiet, wooded lot in Tennessee, where he teaches middle school theatre and music. An experienced performer, Braden enjoys reading, gardening, and long summer afternoons writing in his hammock. His most notable skill is being able to eat a full rack of BBQ ribs with one hand on long drives.



Connect with the Author here: 
~ Facebook ~ Website
 ~ Amazon ~ Twitter
 ~ Goodreads ~




Can a human heart overcome a demon soul?



When soul-eating demons overrun his world, Kaelis, a young seraph warrior, uses the Queen’s ring to open a portal in space and flee with the infant heir to the throne, landing on earth. Unbeknownst to him, the demon leader, Nsark, follows through the portal, determined to devour the soul of every last seraph, especially the Queen’s heir. After Kaelis hides the baby, Nsark creates the ultimate weapon by fathering a half-human, half-demon: a soul-stealer’s child. 



Sixteen years later, an awkward teen named James struggles to fit in with his peers. In a last-ditch effort, he joins the school play, where he meets Lucy. Something deep draws them together, and their friendship reveals their hidden pasts: one is an angel, one is half-demon. Lucy and James find themselves pulled into an age-old war between their peoples. Hunted by relentless enemies, and grappling with deep-seated instincts and strange new powers, they must fight for their lives, their souls, and each other.






Top Ten List:

1. My wife
2. My kids
3. My students
4. Dr. Pepper
5. BBQ ribs
6. Amazon gift cards
7. Old Christmas movies
8. Turner Classic Movies
9. My new Amazon Firestick (love this!!!)
10. My job--teaching choir and theatre at a middle school.



To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 



Thursday 17 November 2016

The Wrong Side of Magic Review





Hudson Brown stopped believing in magic long ago. That is, until the day he is whisked away to the magical land of Logos by a curious compass given to him by his off-beat neighbor, Charlotte.

Hudson discovers that Logos is a land ruled by words, thoughts, and memories. A fairy might ferry you across the river for the price of one memory. But be sure to look out for snarky unicorns, as they will see through those who are not pure of heart.

Not understanding the many rules of Logos, Hudson is quickly saddled with a troll curse. Charlotte, who, along with her father, was banished from Logos, can help get rid of the curse--but only if he agrees to find the lost Princess of Logos in return.











Janette Rallison/ CJ Hill writes books because writing is much more fun than cleaning bathrooms.  Her avoidance of housework has led her to writing 26 novels that have sold over 1,000,000 print copies and have been on many reading and state lists. Her books are fantasy, sci-fi, and romantic comedy because hey, there is enough angst in real life, but there’s a drastic shortage of humor, romance and hot guys who fight dragons. She lives in Arizona with her husband, kids, and enough cats to classify her as eccentric. 

Connect with the Author here: 
~ Goodreads ~ Website ~
 ~ Amazon ~

5 out of 5 stars 
(+ an extra star for making me laugh so much)

This book was brilliant from the get go! I laughed quite hard at the opening paragraph (see below in the extra's section) and didn't stop laughing for the whole book! The word play was quite clever and even though I know I am no literacy expert (I can't even spell to save my life) I really enjoyed it. The comedy reminded me a bit of the styling of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams; completely bizarre and an immense amount of fun!

I loved this book. I loved the strange world Janette Rallison has created. I also love that even though it is completely off kilter there are things that tie into real life so well it makes it believable, such as why you can't remember early childhood memories. Basically I now have to search out every book this brilliant author has written.

While this book was written technically for Middle Grade I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to anyone who has even a remote sense of humour. This book is clean, fun and a great adventure! Thank you Janette Rallison for brightening my day!


Snippet:

SOMETIMES MAGIC SNEAKS up on a person like a sudden rainstorm, or bad news, or a mugger wearing really quiet shoes. That’s what happened to Hudson Brown. He was an average eighth grader, with average brown hair that usually needed to be cut and average brown eyes that didn’t always pay attention to his teachers. He lived in an average bedroom that needed to be cleaned and had average friends— many of whom also needed to be cleaned.
In short, Hudson was the type who hadn’t believed in magic for years. Truth be told, magic hadn’t believed in Hudson for even longer, but boys are often getting tangled in trouble, and Hudson was no exception. Except his trouble involved trolls, wizards, and several other things that wanted to kill him.
It started with a cat. Many problems do, which is why dogs, mice, and grumpy old men don’t like them. 


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