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29 April 2016

Book Beginnings & Friday56 - Jane Linfoot's Cupcakes & Confetti

It's funny how things work sometimes, you know? A couple of days ago Jane Linfoot was awesome enough to gift me a preview copy of her newest book, Cupcakes & Confetti. I was so ecstatic that I went and got all gif-y for it:
By either a total coincidence or cosmic awesomeness, imagine my shock and delight when I went to pick out my Book Beginnings & Friday 56 blurbs:


Seriously? My Little Pony at the 56% mark?!? I likely couldn't have planned it as well if I had tried.

So this is my weekend plan: to curl up with a cozy blanket and quite possibly a cupcake (or two) and find out what's going on at Brides By The Sea - the little wedding shop by the sea where the tale takes place.


You can even join in by getting your own copy at Amazon (or wherever you may get your ebooks)!


As always, Friday 56 (share a blurb from the 56th page or 56% mark) is hosted at Freda's Voice & Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader.

28 April 2016

Rambling About.. Kate Sparkes' Bound

Title: Bound
Author: Kate Sparkes
Publication: 11 June 2014 - Sparrowcat Press

First Lines: The barmaid didn't offer her name to me as she would have to any other unfamiliar man who entered the tavern, but it was there at the front of her mind. Florence, though she preferred to be called Peggy. I could have dug deeper into her thoughts and memories to find out why, but it didn't matter. She didn't matter. She was just another loose end I was going to have to tie up at the end of the night, another irritation in a long chain of them.

Favorites on 4s:
4%: Hundreds of years ago, our ancestors overthrew rulers who wielded magic, who used it to enslave their countrymen. Our people rose up and killed the Sorcerers, then fled to this land at the Western edge of the mountains. Our magic hunters had been ridding the land of every trace of magic ever since -- and every memory of it, including my beloved fairy tales.
34%: "I told you I've waited my whole life to meet a dragon. I can't think of a better prize than one of your scales." Ruby's jaw opened, and she cocked her head slightly to one side. She turned to me. "She's not even lying, is she?"
44%: I tried to ignore the warming effect her words had on me. I wasn't supposed to need kindness or praise, but it felt good.
64%: I wanted to run after him and ask what he meant. He didn't want to hurt me? Or did he have feelings for me that were as confusing as mine for him?
74%: Though the merfolk were kind and generous to their friends, they dealt with enemies as coldly and efficiently as my own family did.

Ramble: Dragons, mermaids (and men), shapeshifters, magic, humor, danger, forbidden romance ... what's not to love?!? 
I was a little hesitant about starting another fairytale-ish book so soon after completing the first in the Land of Stories series, but Kate and I have been following each other and chatting on Instagram for a while now and I just couldn't hold off any longer. Just so you know, the fact that I was already under the impression that Kate's pretty  awesome has absolutely nothing to do with my love of this book. Believe me, I chat regularly with quite a few authors that have a tendency to write utter crap.
Anyway, Bound is the first in a trilogy about Rowan and Aren (at least, I hope all three books feature them!). Rowan is nineteen years old and from Darmid, a kingdom where magic is feared and outlawed. She, of course, sneaks around with a book of fairytales and longs for magic and adventure in her life instead of the expected life of popping out babies for the magic hunter who has proposed to her already. Aren is a twenty-three year old prince from Tyrea, a kingdom where magic is common and revered. It is also weakening and Aren's brother Severn believes that it has something to do with the magic being killed off in Darmid. Aren is sent there to locate a magic user to bring back for "research" and that is how he meets Rowan. 
Oh, did I mention that she's magical and doesn't know it? That he can alter people's memories and turn into an eagle?
She's emotional and impetuous. He's serious and dangerous.
They're perfect for each other, right? 
Of course, it takes them a bit to realize it and admit it and there are a million and fifty (give or take) obstacles thrown in their way and there's no "happily ever after" ..... yet. After all, this is the first of a trilogy.

26 April 2016

Teaser Tuesday -- Bound by Kate Sparkes




Amazon Description
Welcome to Darmid, where magic is a sin, fairy tales are contraband, and the people live in fear of the Sorcerers on the other side of the mountains.

Rowan Greenwood has everything she's supposed to want from life—a good family, a bright future, and a proposal from a handsome and wealthy magic hunter. She knows she should be content with what she has. If only she could banish the idea that there's more to life than marriage and children, or let go of the fascination with magic she's been forced to suppress since childhood.

When Rowan unknowingly saves the life of one of her people’s most feared enemies, that simple act of compassion rips her from her sheltered life and throws her into a world of magic that’s more beautiful, more seductive, and more dangerous than she ever could have imagined.
Rowan might get everything she ever dreamed of—that is, if the one thing she's always wanted doesn't kill her first.

25 April 2016

Rambling About.. Death by Didgeridoo by Barbara Venkataraman

About a week and a half ago I received an email from an author I had never heard of asking if I would be interested in reviewing her cozy mystery box set, Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection. To be honest, I typically don't because they typically don't look like anything that would interest me at all. I did some poking around at Goodreads and Amazon, though, and thought that they actually sounded quite good .... and so far I'm pleased to say that I'm right! Of course, if you've been around here for a while you know that I have a hard time reading a series back-to-back so I'll be reviewing the three books included individually, starting with the first:
Amazon Description
Reluctant lawyer, Jamie Quinn, still reeling from the death of her mother, is pulled into a game of deception, jealousy, and vengeance when her cousin, Adam, is wrongfully accused of murder. It's up to Jamie to find the real murderer before it's too late. It doesn't help that the victim is a former rock star with more enemies than friends, or that Adam confessed to a murder he didn't commit. 
At first I was worried. Jamie's cousin, Adam, is 22 and has Asperger's. I have a lot of first-hand experience with the autism spectrum and quite often find myself cringing at how those on it are portrayed. I know that with it being a spectrum and all that all of the various portrayals may still be completely accurate for some, but seeing Adam and his support team (his family and therapist, mainly) react and respond to what's going on was the first time that I can recall nodding along going "Yeah ... I totally see that." Best of all? It didn't totally overshadow the rest of the story just like being on the spectrum doesn't always totally overshadow life.

SO, speaking of the rest of the story, I really adore Jamie. When the story opens she's taking a break from life in order to grieve after the death of her mother. Yep. I've been there and done that. My re-entry back into the normal world wasn't nearly exciting as hers, though. She's thrust back in to help her cousin since she's a lawyer. Unfortunately, she practices family law.
"Ten years as a lawyer and what did I know about criminal law? Only what I'd learned from watching a Law and Order marathon one Sunday -- and I'd slept through most of it. In other words, nothing."
Luckily, she her best friend from law school, Grace, used to be a public defender and helps her through until she gets her cousin set up with his own public defender. Jamie still helps, though, investigating what really happened with help from Grace and a very flirtatious (and hilarious ... and oftentimes inebriated) PI named Duke. [I have to add here that thanks to the awesomeness that was the TV show Haven I constantly picture this Duke being played by Eric Balfour, too. Yum!] Even after she thinks that it's okay for her to step out of it, she keeps investigating to see it through to the end.
"I couldn't go back to my old life because I had no life. I'd been living in the shadows, doing nothing, seeing no one, just existing. All I did was rattle around an empty house all day, keeping company with a cat that hissed at me. And, if you didn't count the stress, panic, fear and aggravation I'd been through in the past few weeks, this was the most fun I'd had in years."
This was a short read (clocked in at 107 pages on my phone), but definitely an enjoyable one. Watching the pieces fall into place with the investigation and Jamie's life never felt rushed in spite of the length.

I may not be reading the next story immediately but I definitely won't be waiting long.

22 April 2016

Book Beginnings & Friday 56 : Chris Colfer's The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell

Omigosh, you guys. I am absofreakinglutely LOVING this book! I highly regret that I neglected to put the actual book in my bag thinking that I'd just read the e-version on my phone tonight... only to have my battery run down and our charger that we normally keep at the desk missing in action. I'm at the 33% mark in the book right now and spazzing out. I may just have to scour the hotel lost & found in hopes that someone at some point forgot to take home a compatible charger.
You may recognize Chris Colfer's name from the tv show Glee. If you weren't a fan of that, no need to worry. He may not have gotten this published until after the show made him a name but he's not some actor who decided to try and write. He's a writer who decided to act. The fifth book in the series is available for pre-order and I already know that I'll be getting it (and the fourth ... and the novellas -- I already have the first three sitting on my shelf). 
I am so glad that I stopped waiting around to see if John wanted to read them with me. Middle grade, schmiddle grade. If I've said it once (and I have), I've said it a thousand times (and I likely will): a good book is a good book regardless of who it's written for. 
The Land of Stories : The Wishing Spell is a good wonderful awesome fanfreakingtastic book.
Amazon Description
Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales.
The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about. 
But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought.

Friday 56 (share a blurb from the 56th page or 56% mark) is hosted at Freda's Voice & Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader.

21 April 2016

The Reading Thing 2016

I burned myself out on the monthly theme attempt in April (I blame NetGalley) .... so it's back to alphabetical we go AND with no pre-set "this is what I'll read" nonsense (although I will still attempt to do my Alphabet Soup and A to Z author challenges!)
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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