Eye candy Monday featuring Frey and Liese from Truly, Madly Deeply You

Today, Inkspell publishing is featuring the couple from my Novella, Truly, Madly, Deeply, You - Freytag Meier and Liese Hansfield.

Book Summary:

Just when she thought she had lost love, she found her heart and soul.

Four days before Valentine’s Day, Liese Hansfeld is determined to shut the door to her house, as well as her heart, for her annual four days of mourning her one true love. Little does she know her best friend Freytag Meier is just as determined to keep her from her ritual. He’s ready to pick the lock to her apartment door and camp in her living room if that’s what it takes.

What Freytag isn’t prepared for is the surge of deep-rooted emotions he feels for Liese, but two things stand in his way: the grief and guilt she still clutches close to her heart, and a man who threatens to snatch Liese from under Frey’s watchful eye. Frey is determined to distract her into forgetting her pain. But is that enough to ease her grief, or help her see he can be more than her best friend?

To see who Liese and Frey most resemble, head over @ Inkspell page below.

http://www.inkspellpublishing.com/1/post/2012/06/eyecandy-monday-meet-liese-and-freytag-from-truly-madly-deeply-you-by-cecilia-robert.html

Sometimes Mondays can feel like

But don't let that nail you down. 4 more days to the weekend. That's great right?

 Yay!

Hope your Monday is going great, though.  

My weekend was quite busy. On Friday my youngest, Alyssa, and my oldest, Donell had summer parties in both their schools, so we had to attend Alyssa's first  then Donell's. Later on,  the kids took a ride on the canoe down the Donau river channel. I opted to keep my distance from that vast amount of  water. Even though they had swimming vests and everything, plus the water level was just above my knees, I was very distrustful of those rocking canoes, in case, they spilled me into those waters.

(that's Aly and Don in the middle)

Annnddd my son turned fourteen on Saturday. He had over ten friends from school come over, and so you can imagine how busy it was trying to satiate 10 hungry adolescent boys. Thank goodness the weather was super-fine and they took care of entertaining themselves outside in the garden.

By the time I was leaving for work for my afternoon shift everyone was fully watered and fed, save for Mellie, our dog,who was frustrated and excited and thirsty all rolled into one. Lots of activities and new faces popping in and out of the flat. Plus the heat was just too much for her.

I managed to write at least 1500 words from my WIP in the midst of all that was happening, and I'm really proud of myself for that. yay! :) 

How was your weekend? Did anything special?

Easy by Tammara Weber Book Review

Book Summary: from Goodreads

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex’s frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Her econ professor gives her an email address for Landon, the class tutor, who shows her that she’s still the same intelligent girl she’s always been. As Jacqueline becomes interested in more from her tutor than a better grade, his teasing responses make the feeling seem mutual. There’s just one problem—their only interactions are through email.

Meanwhile, a guy in her econ class proves his worth the first night she meets him. Nothing like her popular ex or her brainy tutor, Lucas sits on the back row, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. At a downtown club, he disappears after several dances that leave her on fire. When he asks if he can sketch her, alone in her room, she agrees—hoping for more.

Then Jacqueline discovers a withheld connection between her supportive tutor and her seductive classmate, her ex comes back into the picture, and her stalker escalates his attention by spreading rumors that they’ve hooked up. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

Author Recommendation: Mature Young Adults (language, drinking, sexual situations

My Review:


Easy, Easy, Easy...*sigh* that was my reaction after reading the last sentence of this emotional and wonderfully written book. One of my favourite books of the year, I'd say.

The story begins with Jacqueline, still nursing a heartbreak, leaving a Halloween party. She's sexually assaulted in the parking lot by none other than a fellow college student, who she knows and never thought he'd ever harm her in any way. Just when things are about to get worse, someone comes to her rescue. That someone is Lucas, a guy in her economics class, who she'd never even seen before. Thing is, Lucas has always seen her, always adored her from a distance.

Oh, Lucas. Where do I begin to describe this guy... He loves to draw, protective, sexy and smart... Behind all that, is a guy who is tortured by his own past and has built a wall, keeping everyone at arms length. That is until Jacqueline comes along. It takes a while for him to open up to her about his past.

Hats off to Ms Webber for writing steamy kissing scenes that left me breathless. :) Lucas and Jacqueline's happy ever after had me smiling and sighing dreamily.

The book deals with rape, breakups, moving on, finding love.. I highly recommend this book.

Review of Improper Relations

Title: Improper Relations
Publisher:  Carina Press
Pub Date: April 23, 2012
Book source: Netgalley
Rating: 4/5 stars

Author website: http://julianaross.com/


Book Summary

Dorset, 1858

When Hannah's caught watching her late husband's cousin debauch the maid in the library, she's mortified -- but also intrigued. An unpaid companion to his aunt, she's used to being ignored.

The black sheep of the family, Leo has nothing but his good looks and noble birth to recommend him. Hannah ought to be appalled at what she's witnessed, but there's something about Leo that draws her to him.

When Leo claims he can prove that women can feel desire as passionately as men, Hannah is incredulous. Her own experiences have been uninspiring. Yet she can't bring herself to refuse his audacious proposal when he offers to tutor her in the art of lovemaking. As the tantalizing, wicked lessons continue, she begins to fear she's losing not just her inhibitions, but her heart as well. The poorest of relations, she has nothing to offer Leo but herself. Will it be enough when their erotic education ends?

Review: 

In this short story, Hannah, a widow, is portrayed as naive when it comes to the art of lovemaking. Leo on the other hand is experienced, and readily offers to demonstrate - yes demonstrate - to Hannah that whatever she has been told all along about women not supposed to enjoy themselves during sex is all wrong. 

What begin as lessons driven by curiosity, soon develop deeper meaning, and create conflict for both, given that, Leo is meant to marry someone else.

The story was well written, the scenes steamy in a leave-me-breathless kind of way (a good way).  All in all, this was a fantastic read. I'll be sure to check out Ms Ross books in the future.. 

My Friday Fantastic Feature

Happy Friday, Friends! Hope you all had a great week. Today, I'm delighted to have Julia Crane, the author of the Young Adult paranormal book series Keegan Chronicles. hanging out with me. 

 About the author:

Julia Crane is the author of the YA paranormal fiction novels: Keegan's Chronicles, Mesmerized and Eternal Youth. Julia was greatly encouraged by her mother to read and use her imagination, and she's believed in magical creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale. Julia has traveled far and wide to all the places her grandmother told her about, gaining inspiration from her journeys to places like Nepal, Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Italy, France and many more. And who knows? Maybe the magical creatures she writes about are people she met along the way.

Julia Crane has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Although she's spent most of her life on the US east coast, she currently lives in Dubai with her husband and three children. 

CeCe: Welcome, Julia. It's great to have you here. Please tell us a little about yourself.

Julia: Thanks for having me. Every time I hear/read “Tell us a little about yourself,” it reminds me of being in school when you had to stand up and tell the class your name and something about you. I was beyond shy growing up, so that was always dreaded! Let’s see. I’m a young adult author, married with three children—two teens and a toddler. We currently live in Dubai, and I am so pleased to have made my dream of writing a reality.

CeCe: Which project are you currently promoting? 

Coexist: Keegan’s Chronicles
 

Book Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Keegan is struggling to keep her huge secret from her friends--she's an elf, descended from a long line of elves that live in secrecy alongside humans.

In elfin society, mates are predetermined but not allowed to meet until they are eighteen. Against tradition, Keegan's brother Thaddeus told her Rourk's name because his visions warned him she'd need Rourk's protection, especially since Keegan will play a key role in the coming war between the dark and light elves.

Rourk finds himself drawn to Keegan's side every time she thinks his name. He wants to talk to her but remains in the shadows, silently guarding her every time she mentally beckons him. A twist of fate thrusts the two of them together when Rourk is forced to step up his protection and make his presence known.
 An ancient prophecy deeply entwines Keegan's family and the future of their society. Somehow they must find a way to thwart fate and win the battle...without losing Keegan. With war brewing, and dark forces aligning, will Keegan and Rourk ever have the life together that they both desire?


 CeCe: How did you come up with the book titles Conflicted, Consumed and Co-exist?

Julia: Usually, when I’m trying to come up with a title, I find the word that I think is the main theme of the book, and then I open a thesaurus and make a list of synonyms. From there, I narrow it down. I never intended the books to all start with C, but once I thought of Conflicted, I decided to keep the same first letter.

 CeCe: Your book covers are an absolute treat. May I ask who designed them for you?

Julia: Thanks! I am so lucky. I have found so many great artists to work with. Kadri Umbleja did the image manipulation, and Christine from Flip City Covers did the fonts, back and spine.

CeCe: Let’s talk about the main character in Keegan’s Chronicles? Tell us a little about Keegan. How old is she? Her astrological sign? Her hobbies...

Julia: Keegan starts the series out at the age of 16 and turns 18 in the last book, and she’s a Libra. On her birthday, a big event takes place. I don’t want to give away a spoiler, but it’s a matter of life and death. 

CeCe: How difficult was it creating this character?

Julia: It wasn’t very difficult. I have a teenage daughter, and I took a lot of characteristics for the character from her and her friends.
 

CeCe: How difficult was it doing the research for this project? 

Julia: I know this sounds odd, but I really didn’t research. I don’t think I’ve ever read an elf book before. I did google light/dark elves, but there wasn’t a ton of information. I had the story in my head and just sat down and wrote it.

CeCe: Are you working on any other project at the moment?

Julia: Too many projects it seems. I just finished Anna, which is a spin off from Keegan’s Chronicles. I’m in the revision stage of a co-written project with Talia Jager called Dark Promise. I’ve been taking notes on two upcoming novels, and I plan to start one this month. One will be about Lauren, a character from Keegan’s Chronicles, and the other is a new series about water sprites.

CeCe: Please share with us the book you are reading currently.

Julia: Forbidden by Syrie James and Ryan M. James. It’s great, I’m totally sucked in already.

CeCe: What do you do when you are not writing? 

Julia: Hang out with my husband and kids, walk, bike rides, read and try not to eat too many carbs.
 
CeCe: I try to minimise my carbs intake as well. Can't say I'm very successful though.. haha. Where can readers and fans find you online?

www.juliacraneauthor.com

Amazon

Nook

iBooks

Want to know more about Julia, her current projects or what she is generally up to? Please hope over to her website. 

Have a great weekend!

Jolene Perry's Knee Deep blog tour

Author:  Jolene Perry
Source: Tribute Blog Tours 
eBook
ISBN: 9780983741886
ISBN: 9781476060316
Pages: 240
Release: May 1, 2012

Rating: 5/5 stars

Knee Deep Summary

Shawn is the guy Ronnie Bird promised her life to at the age of fourteen. He's her soul mate. He's more uptight every day, but it's not his fault. His family life is stressful, and she's adding to it. She just needs to be more understanding, and he'll start to be the boy she fell in love with. She won’t give up on someone she’s loved for so long.

Luke is her best friend, and the guy she hangs with to watch girlie movies in her large blanketopias. He's the guy she can confide in before she even goes to her girlfriends, and the guy who she's playing opposite in Romeo and Juliet. Now her chest flutters every time he gets too close. This is new. Is Ronnie falling for him? Or is Juliet? The lines are getting blurry, but leaving one guy for another is not something that a girl like Ronnie does.

Shawn’s outbursts are starting to give her bruises, and Luke’s heart breaks as Ronnie remains torn. While her thoughts and feelings swirl around the lines between friendship and forever, she’s about to lose them both. 

Jolene Perry's Bio:

Jolene grew up in Wasilla, Alaska. She graduated from Southern Utah University with a degree in political science and French, which she used to teach math to middle schoolers.

After living in Washington, Utah and Las Vegas, she now resides in Alaska with her husband, and two children. Aside from writing, Jolene sews, plays the guitar, sings when forced, and spends as much time outside as possible.

She is also the author of Night Sky and The Next Door Boys.

My Review:

What a fantastic story! So heartbreaking and real. Loving someone is easy, especially if you've known them like forever. Letting go is hard,and finally when you take a deep breath and exhale, there's that big, bright light at the end of the tunnel.

Like the previous books I've read written by Jolene Perry, this one had me turning the pages, experiencing the MCs conflicts, emotions and her life.

Ronnie and Shawn have been in love since their childhood years, and to Ronnie, their love is meant to last forever. Lately it seems Shawn has changed, and become more aggressive and possessive of Ronnie. On the other hand, Shawn's life isn't perfect. He works for his bad-tempered father after school. His life at home is not a peaceful one with his parents fighting like every night.

Then there is Luke, Ronnie's bestfriend who loves her, but never showed her his true feelings, that is until both take part in Romeo and Juliet. He is like a knight with some sort radar, always sensing when Ronnie needs to be rescued from very tight spots, and always from Shawn. Luke is also the kind of easy going guy who stops by your house to have a chat your parents, help with stuff. And the parents adore him. I wish I had one of like him. instead of the ones who had a habit of sneaking around in the backyard.

Being Ronnie isn't easy, and the kind of situation she finds herself in is quite a strain, and I guess emotionally confusing. It was great to see Ronnie finally stop defending Shawn after realising her love for him will never surpass his need to be possessive and his aggressiveness. I highly recommend this book, and in the process, checkout other books by Ms Perry.

Buy Links:

 

Kindle buy link - $2.99  Kindle Link

Nook buy link - $4.95 Nook Link
 

 iBookstore buy link - $4.99 Coming soon

Google buy link - $3.79 Google Link

Smashwords buy link - $4.99  Smashwords

PDF buy link - $4.95 https://www.payloadz.com/go/sip?id=1587563

 Knee Deep web site:
 
http://knee-deep-book.blogspot.com/
 
Knee Deep Twitter hashtag:
#KneeDeep

Knee Deep GoodReads page:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12987551-knee-deep

Jolene Perry's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002038196677

Jolene Perry's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/JoleneBPerry

Jolene Perry's Website:
http://www.jolenebperry.com/

Jolene Perry's Blog:
http://www.jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com/

Jolene Perry's GoodReads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4944599.Jolene_B_Perry

Tribute Books website:
http://www.tribute-books.com

Tribute Books Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Archbald-PA/Tribute-Books/171628704176

Tribute Books Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/TributeBooks

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186
 

Deep Shadows Blog tour

Title: Shadows Deep (Shadows, Part II)

Author: Cege Smith

Publisher: Self

Length: 70,000 words

Genres: Horror, Paranormal (Non-Romance)

Available at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Blurb:

Ellie Coulter made a deal with the devil, and now it’s time to pay the price. Little did she know, the shadows that have swirled around her life since her parents’ death were not a coincidence. As Ellie's destiny is revealed, it comes with the knowledge that her fate is the lynchpin in a far larger, and more dangerous game. And the one who found her has no intention of ever letting her go.

Ellie walks a fine line between keeping up the appearance of acceptance while gathering the information she needs to escape. Along the way, she has to decide who to trust and that includes the man she loves.  As facts give way to lies, Ellie begins to question everything.

With her true intentions on the verge of being discovered, Ellie must find a way to defeat her captor before she becomes a shadow herself.

Excerpt:

Letting go was one of the hardest things a person could ever do. Ellie knew that. What happened when she let go of the idea that reality as she knew it was merely a cover on a rabbit hole? She had willingly taken the cover off and fallen down into the unknown darkness. She’d surrendered. Somehow it felt easier that way. But the Voice kept picking at her even though she was deep in her hidey hole. It wouldn’t leave her alone.

“What was it like for you when your parents died?”

Ellie had answered some variation of that question what seemed like a million times over the years, but her response always paled in comparison to the effect of that one event on the rest of her life. How could she explain the depth of pain she felt when the two people who she loved most were ripped out of her life? Or the excruciating, almost debilitating sense of loneliness that followed when she finally comprehended that she was completely alone in the world?

“I was eight,” Ellie replied. “I had no other family. One minute I was surrounded by love. In the blink of an eye I was an orphan. What do you think it was like?” No one could understand what she had been through, and eventually she gave up trying to explain. Her parents’ death was just something that happened to her a long time ago. Ellie preferred to leave that buried there.

“I am sure it was difficult. But you obviously learned to cope, even thrive.”

“Thrive isn’t the word I’d choose,” Ellie said. “I learned how to survive. Eventually I learned ways to be happy again, but I did that on my own. I never felt like I belonged anywhere again.”

The Voice was silent for a while and Ellie was relieved. When it wasn’t poking at her, the darkness was peaceful. Ellie was used to being alone.

“Tell me about your ability. You’ve linked that to your parents’ death.”

Ellie was tired of the questions. They had covered the same ground over and over again. But it was like the Voice was missing some nuance, and so it all started again. Combing through her life. Looking for clues. “I noticed it the first time at the funeral. I was standing there in the cemetery, looking at their caskets, with the social worker beside me. I kept looking around for more people, but it was just the three of us: me, the social worker, and the minister. And then I noticed that the longer the minister spoke, the more these colors seemed to grow out of him. It didn’t make any sense at the time. The colors were deep purple and blue and they got more vivid every time he made eye contact with me. It scared the hell out of me. I didn’t know what to do.”

A familiar cloud of sadness fell over her thoughts as she remembered that lost little girl. “When the service was over, I wanted to kick and scream and lash out. I wanted to push over those caskets because I convinced myself they were empty and it was some elaborate hoax. Any minute they would appear to take me home. But it wasn’t a hoax. My parents raised me to think that showing emotion in public wasn’t ladylike, so as desperately as I wanted to throw a tantrum, I knew they wouldn’t approve. I looked at the social worker and she had a glow of white tinged with yellow around her. Even though I didn’t know what it meant, the colors were soothing. I had to accept that I was left with nothing but this woman to take care of me. I was naive and automatically assumed that she was kind and that she’d be good to me.”

“She wasn’t?”

Ellie sighed. “After twenty-five years of reading auras, I know now that she was indifferent. She probably saw a dozen kids just like me every week. Her aura meant that she was at peace and even slightly happy, but it had nothing to do with me. I was part of her job, and while I was watching my parents be buried, she was probably thinking about getting a manicure or going home and having a glass of wine. Me, I had no home left.”

“You went into foster care.”

“Yes, and in foster care I stayed until I applied for emancipation when I was sixteen.” She remembered the day that the court approved her request. It had been bittersweet.

“Your ability must have been advantageous in that kind of hostile environment.”

“If you mean it helped keep me out of trouble, then probably it did. But I was always a good kid. I studied hard, got decent grades, and generally stayed out of everyone’s way.  I never gave my foster families any reason to really concern themselves with me. I wanted to be invisible. I was pretty good at it,” Ellie said. She had closed herself off from anyone who tried to reach her. It was a defense mechanism that worked well. Perhaps too well.

“Until you met Veronica.”

A face flashed in Ellie’s mind. A pretty blond with infectious laughter. Whereas her parents’ faces had faded over time, Roni’s was vivid and seemed so real that Ellie almost thought her friend was there with her in the darkness.

“Roni just wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Ellie said. “She saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. And for some reason she wanted to be my friend. I owe her a lot.” It was strange talking about Veronica. Those memories were under strict lock and key for a reason.

Guest post by Cege Smith

Books: Mental Video Games

As I write this, I'm sitting in the middle of Dave and Busters, a video game entertainment mecca for all ages. Of course, my family is here to entertain not only the little kids, but the big kid (my husband) as part of his Father's Day extravaganza.

The flashing lights, loud mechanical noises, and huge game screens are nothing like the video games that I remember when I was little. This reminds me more of the Las Vegas strip. The Ms. Pac-Man arcade game I’d used to play in back of the local bowling alley’s got nothing on today’s games. 

But not even all of those high-tech advancements can tear me away from my favorite entertainment. No, today, as was the case when I was a kid, the gaming adventures that I love the most are found within the pages of books.  That’s because no matter how cool the graphics are or how clear the pixels make the screen that bring the video game to life, nothing can compare to the wonderland that I can create in my head when I'm into a good book.

Descriptions of far away, exotic locations reel me in and it doesn’t take long to become completely immersed in those worlds. Wily and humorous characters feel like extensions of me, although they don’t often behave the same way that I do. When I go deep into those characters, I can love them or loathe them as much as I do my own family. I look forward to the next opportunity to spend time with them, and I will guard that time jealously.

That's the part that I don't understand about this gamer visual immersion that we find ourselves conforming to today (because it’s everywhere, not just in video games). When you play a video game, you are confined by the imagination of the game's creator. The creator as the gamemaker is the one who interprets the game and defines the rules. By buying into their interpretation, you are giving up your rights to imagine something different.

That's what I have always loved and appreciated about books. The playgrounds you find within their pages become uniquely yours. You love, laugh, cry and experience every high and low point with the characters. You are allowed to try on different personalities without ever becoming them. You are only bound by the limits of your own imagination, which in theory should be limitless. Best of all, my interpretation can be different than your interpretation, but in the end they are both right.

I watch my kids today, and more often than not they'll ask for time to play a video game instead of a few extra bucks to buy a new book for their Kindles. I wonder how much they are missing out on because they aren't enriching their minds as much as they are watching the action play out in front of their eyes. It makes me appreciate my quiet, rural upbringing that forced reading as an extracurricular activity to span the long hours of summer solitude.

The characters in those books were not only my entertainment, but they were my friends. That is a life lesson that I believe I will benefit from forever.

About the Author:

Cege Smith is a Minnesota based writer who is addicted to lattes and B-rated horror films. She had been crafting spooky stories since she was twelve years old. She lives with her husband, two adorable stepsons, and mini long-hair dachshund, Juliet in the suburbs of Minneapolis.

Blog: http://www.cegesmith.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cegesmith

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/cegesmith

Myra McEntire's Timepiece Book Review

Book Title: Timepiece(Hourglass#2)

Author: Myra McEntire

Publisher: Egmont USA

Pub. date: June 12, 2012

Genre: YA Time travel

Source: Netgalley

Rating: 5/5 stars






Book Summary:

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.

Review

Timepiece picks up where Hourglass  left off. Only this time, the story is told in a different character's point of view, one of my favourites. Kaleb.  In Hourglass, he seems like this extremely goodlooking bad /tortured boy. In timepiece we see his side of the story, the reason he acts the way he does.He is burdened with guilt for not being able to take the pain from his mother when his father died. And now that his father was saved and pulled through time to the present, Kaleb feels he doesn't measure up to as Michael does to his father. Feels his father prefers Michael to him.

We finally get to meet  the people behind the organisation Chronos when one of them appears and gives them an ultimatum to make sure they find the elusive Jack. Jack on the other side, is desperately searching for the Infinityglass which would help him go back to the past. In the meantime, since time is messed by the back and forth of time travelling, the frequency of the rips has increased. 

Kaleb's voice is portrayed so well, his struggles, him falling inlove with Lily, Emerson's bestfriend - which was just awesome,  and the kind of character he is: the kind of person who takes care of others first before even thinking about himself.

The pacing was perfect, the action non-stop. It was good to see Emerson and Michael around.  Kaleb and Lily's romance was believable and really sweet.


Jack is still on the prowl. Look forward to reading Infinity Glass.

Books I'm looking forward to reading

Yesterday I visited my local bookshop here in Vienna. It's been a while since I visisted any bookshop, so this was a real treat. Usually I order books through amazon. It was fun, took me about two hours to decide what I wanted - to say the truth, it was hard for me to leave the confines of that comforting atmosphere, shelves filled with thousands of books. Besides, they have these comfy sofas where you can sit from morning till evening to just read uninterrupted.

I didn't leave empty handed. :D here are some books I've been dying to read, and when I saw them, couldn't stop myself.

I've never had the pleasure of reading any of John Green's book so I picked:

Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.

Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A stunning debut, it marks John Green's arrival as an important new voice in contemporary fiction.

source: goodreads 

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan’s life. She’s stuck at JFK, late to her father’s second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley’s never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport’s cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he’s British, and he’s in seat 18C. Hadley’s in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver’s story will make you believe that true love finds you when you’re least expecting it

 Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.




And the ones below came in from Amazon - I didn't remember ordering them - that's until the postman rang the bell, smiling joyfully for me to sign that electronic device they use while delivering. someone please take my credit card and hide it.

 















One thing is for sure. I'm looking forward to reading these. Books taunt me, begging me to pick them, buy them. *sigh* Any book hoarders out there?

Lucky 7 Meme

Last week, Julie Flanders of http://julieflanders.blogspot.com tagged me for The Lucky 7 Meme. Thank you, Julie. :)

Here are the rules:

Lucky 7 Meme Rules:

1. Go to page 77 of your current manuscript.
2. Go to line 7.
3. Copy the next 7 lines (sentences or paragraphs) and post them as they're written. No cheating!
4. Tag 7 other writers to pass this meme on to.

I went to my current WIP, Young Adult and selected my current page 77 page.

I did a little bit more than 7 sentences, 'cause I think it wouldnt have made much sense cuttting of in the middle. (ugh...cheated a bit there.*guilty face* ) So here we go. Happy reading :)

Excerpt:

Seven hundred and thirty days. 

That is how long it has been since I joined Grim’s ranks. Seven hundred and thirty days. 

 I haven’t come any closer to finding out what Grim’s intentions are. Why he chose me. Sigfried keeps telling me to take it easy. He says that maybe the introduction of the final test and graduation is Grim’s new Novicehood policy.  Maybe it’s something. Maybe it’s nothing. I choose to go with “It’s nothing” just to keep myself from keeling over with worry.  

Tomorrow is my final test. My stomach churns painfully as the force of that fact slams into my chest. But then it has been twisting every time my mind wandered about it. I doubt whatever it is could be worse than hopping in and out of Soul Snatchers dungeons.

Writers I'm tagging:


1. Emaginette @ http://emaginette.wordpress.com/
2. Mina Burrows @ http://minaburrows.blogspot.com
3. Liz Grace Davis @ http://novel-moments.blogspot.com
4. Savannah Chase @ http://savannahchase.com/blog
5. C.A. Szarek @ http://caszarekwriter.blogspot.com
6. Debbie Peterson @http://debbie-peterson.blogspot.com
7. Kristy Centeno @ http://booksbycenteno.com/

Thanks again, Julie!

Happy Monday!

Saving Mary Virtual Book Tour

Publisher Etcetera Press

Release Date April 1, 2012

Format kindle

Purchase Links:


Amazon.com  Amazon UK

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/133482Genre Spiritual Memoir

Book Description

If you’re a fan of supernatural fiction then you will be captivated by this true story about a spiritually sensitive girl and the path that led to her possession. Part one of a two-part series, Saving Mary is the story of a modern-day Mary Magdalene—the woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons.

Deidre Daily is drawn to anything seemingly spiritual, desperately seeking a spiritual existence. But inside this vibrant girl hides a terrified child who sincerely believes she has married the devil. Through a series of spiritual encounters her fear turns into reality, and she ends up possessed.

Deidre’s fascinating spiritual memoir relays her story from childhood to adolescence: invisible eyes leering at her from the corner of her bedroom, horrible nightmares tormenting her, and her desperate attempt to find God—only to end up possessed. It is a candid account of possession from a first-person perspective. This dark memoir brings to light an intricate world of deceitful spirits hell-bent on manipulating and damaging an innocent girl’s life, not only through her dreams, but also through seemingly every-day encounters.


My thoughts:

In Saving Mary, Deidre, who is half-Irish half Indian has gone through alot and seen alot growing up. Not only did spirits follow her around, have disturbing dreams, she also dealt with her dad who was alcoholic, and later on her parents divorce.

The memoir takes you on a journey from her younger years to adulthood, the strength it took going through everything happening in her life.

Deidre vivid description, writing style draws the reader into the story. The fact that she experienced all that, and got enough courage to write about her experience is very commendeble. This memoir is not a light read, and I'd recommended it to the strong at heart.   

 

Deidre Havrelock:

Deidre D Havrelock grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where she eventually met her husband to be, DJ. It was DJ who initially noticed Deidre’s dark state and worked to seek out someone willing to perform her exorcism. Eventually, the newlyweds found their way to the southern hot spot of Brooks, AB where Deidre began writing. From there the family trekked across eastern Canada to Moncton, NB where they learned to love French fries with cheese curds and gravy. Currently nestled in the hills of Kennewick, Washington, Deidre has two horses, one dog, three cats and too many rabbits…and let’s not forget her wonderful husband and three energetic daughters. Her memoir, Saving Mary: The Possession chronicles her dark childhood and the path that led to her demonic possession. She is currently working to finish book two of her spiritual memoir, Saving Mary: The Deliverance. You can find her at - http://deidrehavrelock.wordpress.com/


Amazon Author Page


Website Link - www.deidrehavrelock.com


BOOK TRAILER LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZiA4VhQMPc

Email – havrelock@charter.net


Facebook –LIKE SAVING MARY  http://www.facebook.com/SavingMary.ThePossession


Follow Deidre at…Author blog - http://deidrehavrelock.wordpress.com/