Okay so today I have something a little special! A brand new Cover Reveal! This book sounds AMAZING! And I can't wait to get my hands on it to read the story!
So without further ado....
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Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Softly Say Goodbye Tour and Review
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To
make matters worse for her, the stress of school and extra curricular work
mounts and suddenly, shockingly, booze-fuelled tragedy strikes. Erin is now
under greater pressure as she spends all hours to produce a mural and other
work to commemorate the death of a teen friend. Bill, Jake and Shari support
her in all this...
But
more tragedy lurks nearby… until it’s time to softly say goodbye.
This book is amazing! As the mother of teenagers, I can attest to having the "drinking" discussion. You have no idea how many times I've told them about drinking and driving. Well perhaps you know since many of you are mothers as well. This book is a perfect example to give to your teenager. It is done in such a tasteful manner, but the message is loud and clear. For every action there is a counter action and in the case of drinking and driving those actions can be disastrous!
The characters in this book are strongly written. The kewl krew I can remember from my own days in high school. Luckily I wasn't a part of them nor did I ever want to be, and even luckier for me as a parent my children have no desire to be with those kids either. *thank god*
The main characters in this story are such strong characters. They stand by their beliefs even knowing that there could be consequences to their actions they still do what feels right to them. Erin Sellers is a wonderful young woman, and artist and has such a large heart. Her boyfriend Bill, Shari and Jake all take a large role in this storyline. The friendship and comradery of these teens is fabulous. Their loyalty to each other even when one of them Tiana turns away shows just how mature they are from the circumstances in their lives. Bill is a wonderful young man regardless of the absolute piece of trash father he has, in this case the Apple fell miles away from the tree.
I can't say how very much I think this book is of value on so many different levels. First of all it deals with some major topics, abuse both mental and physical, alcoholism, underage drinking, and death. This book you will not want to put down and you will most definitely need a box of tissues nearby. I highly recommend this book to mothers and fathers of teens and recommend one very big thing... GIVE IT TO YOUR TEENS TO READ!
5 Breathtaking stars for K.C. Sprayberry. I have to say I loved your take on teens and didn't show them to be these perfect little things but people with real issues and peer pressure. Thank you for a wonderful novel.
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
How
I wish for the old days, when nothing got her down. She went into a total slide
after her mom went to jail for the DUI. My crew and I want to help, but her
home life is such a bummer. Her dad smokes pot from the time he gets off work
until he passes out around ten or eleven every night. And she has to deal with
her mom's stupid remarks whenever the woman calls, and her dad's drug
addiction, but she is so cool about staying off the stuff herself.
“Does
everyone understand I won't tolerate any reason for avoiding this project?” he
asks.
His
voice warms up a little. Almost like going from minus one to zero on the
thermometer. Like me, the rest of the class sits quietly with pencils or pens
poised above notebooks. No one wants to piss him off any more than he already
is.
“Fine.”
He searches the top of his desk as a question occurs to me.
“Uh, Mr. Janks?
“Yes,
Erin.” No patience in his voice, just a lot of suppressed anger, like he thinks
I'm about to make trouble.
No
one, but no one, can accuse me of causing problems on purpose. If anything, I
go out of my way to avoid notice and trouble, except telling off any teen
drinking booze. The urge to say “it doesn’t matter” almost makes me change my
mind, but I really have to know something.
“Will
we have to get permission from the city to do this project? I mean, you used
the Rec Center as an example. We can't just go in and do what we want unless
someone approves it. Right?”
I am happily married to a man I met while in the Air Force. We recently celebrated our 18 years of marriage. Our teen, the youngest of 8, keeps us on our toes with his band activities. Writing is something I've done since I was very young. At first, it was in a diary and then I poured all my energies into English compositions, earning praise from my Advanced Composition teacher in high school for an extremely visual project. While in the Air Force, I placed second in the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge's annual contest and from then on, was hooked. However, the reality of a military career and raising children forced me to put off attempting publication until my husband and I moved to Georgia. It was after the birth of our now teen that I began taking courses through The Institute of Children's Literature, Long Ridge Writer's Group, and Writers Digest in an effort to make my life's dream come true.
We
live in Northwest Georgia, in a small town, where I write Romance, Westerns,
Young Adult, and Middle Grade stories, both short and book length. More than a
dozen of my short stories have appeared in magazines such as Listen Magazine,
Brio, and The Pink Chameleon website. I also have short stories in anthologies,
Passionate Hearts Anthology, Mystery Times Ten, The Best of Frontier Tales,
Vol. I, and Mystery Times Nine. My western stories have garnered interest by
avid readers and appear on The Western Online and Frontier Tales.
My
work appears under the pen names of KC Sprayberry and Kathi Sprayberry. Softly
Say Goodbye, a young adult novel, was my NaNoWriMo winning project for 2010.
This story was inspired by a quote from a song and hearing of an auto wreck
involving teens and drinking.
Alexander Drake Blast
Alexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit
Meet Alexander Drake, a curious young man living in a drab, oversized mansion with his secretive father. He spent his days playing alone. In the back of his mind he wondered what happened to his mother, and why his father was tight-lipped about the past; but secrets have a way of getting out.
It all started with a stay at his grandmother’s cottage. Alexander found strange clues tucked away in his father’s old bedroom. With a mysterious key and several maps in his pack he set off on an innocent search for answers about his family.
When he discovered a secret passageway the search took a dramatic turn. He suddenly worried about what was searching for him. Alexander was being hunted by a sorcerer from his father’s past. Answers lead to more questions and the journey of his life.
Join Alexander for a thrilling adventure in Azra’s Pith, a place of beauty and magic… but beware—something evil lurks in the shadows.
Amazon
The Return of General Drake
When Alexander arrived in Verhonia, something went terribly wrong. A dark spell delivered from the mountains of Acadia sent him on a dangerous journey in the middle of the night. As he marched into the mountains, the great city of Verhonia was ambushed and burned to the ground by Roman's army of vicious giant murks. With the safety of the realm in jeopardy, General John William Drake was asked to come back to Azra's Pith. He swore he would never return. But after discovering his son was under a spell and in the grips of a dark sorcerer, he had no choice. Things take a wild turn in the mountains, with runaways, a hungry wolf and a mysterious, young empyrean wizard thrown into the adventure. A tight race against time and evil is in full swing. With faith and a little magic, they just might come out on top. 
Publisher
Tour Schedule
Author Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows
Being the frizzy-haired tomboy with buck teeth gave me a slight case of shyness as a kid. A colorful imagination meant escape and adventure at the drop of a hat.
Over the years I learned that the insecurities I carried around were a waste of time. I still prefer a football game to a manicure any day of the week. That indispensable imagination has found its way into my writing providing a sense of joy and a true purpose.
Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/15/13
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Found in Prague Tour and Review
After receiving an odd email during her first semester of college, Katica Coleman traverses fearlessly across the Atlantic Ocean to Prague in the heart of Europe looking for answers to her family's past but ends up finding so much more. Katica quickly learns that it's easy to fall in love while meandering through the winding cobblestone streets, snow-covered castles and aromatic crepe cafés of the magical country that is her family's homeland. But is the charming Czech boy with the intoxicating accent and cool, charismatic gait someone she should let herself get lost in? He always seems to come to her assistance at just the right moment, but can he really be trusted? Katica cannot help but wonder whether she should listen to her wary gut or give in to the giddy waves of excitement coursing through her body....
Okay now if you want something sweet and romantic then this book is for YOU! We have a young girl named Katica who was born in America and has gone to Prague to meet her relatives for Christmas.
She meets a young man Michal who helps translate that her toilet is broken in her hotel room. From there the romance takes such a sweet turn. They are both shy about the relationship and I think that made the book so much more enjoyable than if they had gone out and jumped right into love.
This is a book that I believe everyone can enjoy. All ages young and old alike.
The story is sweet but not sappy. And the details the author uses in describing the world makes you feel as if you are actually there with katica.
I highly recommend this book to everyone! Go on, get yourself on that plane to Prague, you don't know what your missing!
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review
Dana Newman, like Katica Coleman, the main character in Found in Prague, is a second generation Czech-American. Her childhood was filled with dinner table stories about dynamic adventures of life in another land during another time. After graduating from the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida in 2008, she set off on her own adventure with Prague as the destination. To write this book, she has woven the vivid stories from her childhood into her own travel experiences and then sprinkled a little fairy dust on top.
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Canon EOS REBEL T4i 18.0 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 3-inch Touchscreen and Full HD Movie Mode (Body) - Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II SLR Zoom Lens - Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens - Telephoto & Wide Angle Lens Set - 3 pc Filter Kit: UV/ Polarizing filter/Fluorescent correction & Case - 32 Gigabyte SDHC Secure Digital Memory Card - Secure Digital USB Card Reader - Universal Memory Card Wallet - Pack of LCD Screen Protectors - Additional LP-E8 Rechargeable Lithium-ion Replacement Battery Pack - Well Protective SLR Camera Gadget Bag w/Pockets & Strap - Full Size 59" Tripod W/Case - Focus DVD Guide to Digital SLR Cameras - Focus Digital Grey Card Set for color correction - Focus 5pc Deluxe Lens Care & Cleaning Kit - HDMI cable
Special thank you to our lovely co-hosts {make sure to stop by and say hello}: Thinking Outside The Sandbox, Tiny Tidbits of an NC Diva, What's Up Reviews and Giveaways, 3 Boys and a Dog, Panlasang Pinoy Filipino Recipes, Mom to Bed by 8, Baby Costcutters and Powered By Mom.
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Giveaway ends May 14th at 11:59pm, open worldwide residents, ages 18+. Residents outside of the US will receive a $750 Amazon GC instead. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below.
Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Recent Reads is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Aphrodite's Secret Tour and Review
Title: Aphrodite’s Secret
Author: Samantha Ketteman
Series: The Forgotten (Book 1)
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Feb 28 2013
Edition/Formats Available In: E~book and Print
Kaira feels the eyes of a striking man watching her every move on stage. Zane is a scarred man with many secrets, one of which is the knowledge of who and what Kaira really is and the danger she will face.
While Zane fights a subconscious battle about what to tell her and whether he cares enough to get involved, another has noticed her as well. An Ithacan, sent to destroy her for what she is and take her powers to the God that has commanded all Forgotten be exterminated. The God intends to absorb her powers and rule absolutely.
Before Kaira realizes what is coming for her, she finds herself tumbling into a world where a scarred man that she is inexplicably attracted to will become her only hope. A hideous creature, one such as she’s never seen, is hunting her and trying his best to destroy everything and everyone she knows to get what he wants for his Master, and only Zane knows why.
While Kaira thinks it coincidence that Zane shows up at the club the girls like to frequent after work, Zane uses the planned interception to explore the pull that he feels towards Kaira, when he has cared for no one but himself for so many years. After finally meeting, Zane notices that the Ithacan has also followed and as their eyes meet, they both know that the battle for her soul will come; who will win is less important as the insistence Zane feels to tell Kaira who and what she is before she ends up like her sister.
Aphrodite's Secret grabbed me immediately. Samantha Ketteman kept me turning the pages. It starts out with the birth of our MC to the lovely goddess Aphrodite. The poor innocent babe is taken immediately and then we fast forward in time 24 years.
We now have Kaira (the baby) all grown up and working as an exotic dancer. It all seems so mundane and ordinary until we have the fact that she... nevermind I can't tell you, if I do then I will spoil the book for you, so what I will say is that enter screen right HOT MALES!!!
I loved Kaira, I loved Zane and I love the friendship between them. I love the paranormal aspect to this story, and the powers and the enemy in this story is... well can't tell you that either but he is one heck of a bad guy!
I give this book 4 stars and I recommend it to anyone who loves paranormal romances or basically anyone who enjoys a fun story. By the way this author has definitely created a world which will suck you in. The world is so highly detailed that I could easily see the strip club and the people. Much love for this author for this work!
*Note to Author* I recommend a run through by an editor again, there are quite a few grammatical mistakes and double words or phrases. All in all, it did not detract from the overall story however. I just thought you would like to know my opinion on that issue.
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review
Samantha Ketteman has resided in southern Illinois for 7 years, (though still claims to be an Alabama girl), with her husband and three crazy demon children. She started reading novels at a very young age and decided two years ago to write for herself. She is working on The Forgotten series, as well as two others. She is a caffiene addict, insomniac, and general basketcase most of the time. When she's not writing, she's thinking of writing, much to the chagrin of her husband who has to listen to her paranormal ramblings.
Kaira smiled, gave Ronnie a little hug, and hurried in the back door of the club, down the hall, and into the dancers’ dressing room. Great, I get to follow Honey, she thought. Honey had never liked Kaira, was downright mean and hateful to her. Not a great way to start off the night. When she had to follow Honey, she worked hard not to get too many tips, even going as far as pretending not to see the money waving at her from the end of the stage. If she made too much in tips, it would further enrage Honey and she would have to hear the woman’s tirade about how she was offering special services after hours in order to gain more tips during her show. Everyone knew that Jonathon, the owner of Diamond Darlins, would never allow such activities, but it never stopped Honey from insinuating it before. Kaira sighed, placing her knock-off designer bag on the top of her assigned vanity and sank into the overstuffed but still comfortable zebra patterned seat. Just another night, you can do this, she thought. This was one of the best clubs she had ever worked in, and she had always had to deal with women like Honey in every club. The difference was, in those clubs, the rules weren’t nearly as strict and the customers weren’t nearly as monitored either. What kind of name is Honey anyway, she thought. There was always some version of the name Honey, or something similar that women seemed to automatically associate with exotic dancing. Couldn’t they come up with something original, she mused?
