Mini 5 STAR #Review: Once In A Lifetime (Lucky Harbour #9) by Jill Shalvis (@JillShalvis‎)

Well, the next Lucky Harbour novel.. about another hot couple - Ben and Aubrey.

Original Title: Once In A Lifetime

Series:  Lucky Harbour #9

Author:  Jill Shalvis

Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing

Release Date:  February 18th, 2014

Source:  Review copy from the publisher

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

SOMETIMES WRONG IS OH-SO-RIGHT

After a wrenching loss, Ben McDaniel tried to escape his grief by working in dangerous, war-torn places like Africa and the Middle East. Now he's back in his hometown and face-to-face with Aubrey Wellington, the hot-as-hell woman who is trouble with a capital T. Family and friends insist she's not the one to ease his pain, but Aubrey sparks an intense desire that gives Ben hope for the future.

Determined to right the wrongs of her past, Aubrey is working hard to make amends. But by far, the toughest challenge to her plan is sexy, brooding Ben - even though he has absolutely no idea what she's done . . .

Can this unlikely couple defy the odds and win over the little town of Lucky Harbor?

REVIEW

I am doing a short review of this because I don't have anything new to tell about it.  This is, as always, the successful Jill Shalvis formula.  Hot guy, independent cute girl, instant attraction leads to wild things, comes a problem where their love is tested and the ending is the couple deciding what is most important.  Every Lucky Harbour novel has this success formula and believe me, you will love it.

As always, the romance and attraction are great, yes.  But, even so great is Shalvis' writing.  If you want a HEA read, go to Jill Shalvis - she has not disappointed me yet.  Yes, I know this review sounds like a big Jill Shalvis ad, but it's not. :)  I am just a huge fan of her and I can't help complimenting her work.

I know what I will get from this book, even before I start reading.  You get used to it, after reading a lot of her novel.  Maybe one day, I will get tired of this no-suspense element.  But, as of now, I am a satisfied reader.

If you still have not started with this series, trust me, you are missing a big thing in contemporary romance section.

Promised Land: A Galatia Novel (The Galatia Series) by C. D. Verhoff

Short Description:  The last survivors of the human race are riding out nuclear winter in an underground bunker when disaster strikes. Forced to the surface centuries ahead of schedule, what they find blows their minds. Who can explain it? Two social misfits work together to unravel the mystery.

Extended Description:  After living in a posh underground shelter his entire life, Lars Steelsun is plunged headfirst into a mind-blowing adventure on the surface of the Earth. As Lars and his displaced bunker mates are led across the grasslands by Mayor Wakeland, a man of questionable sanity who claims to talk with God, they discover a primitive world where human beings are no longer welcome. Even more mystifying is the emergence of new senses and abilities from within. Learning to use them has become a priority, but his biggest challenge comes from the vivacious Josie Albright. Her lust for glory is going to get them both into trouble. Sparks fly when her gung ho ways clash with his cautious personality. Can they overcome their differences to find love and a homeland for their people?

May not be suitable for younger readers. Contains mild profanity, sexual situations (infrequent), and violence. Main Category: epic fantasy. Subcategories: dystopian, science fiction, religion, sword and sorcery.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Epic Fantasy

Rating – R

More details about the author

Connect with C. D. Verhoff on Facebook & Twitter

Blog http://cdverhoff.blogspot.com/

Guest Post: What influenced you to write a book about a whole family that is crazy for words?

Have you read Carol Weston's "Ava and Pip"?  You seriously should!  And if you have a kid at home, who likes to read, this is the perfect gift for him/her.

Read my 5 STAR review here!

So, then I asked the most pressing question to Carol.  This question will occur to almost everyone who reads this book.

What influenced you to write a book about a whole family that is crazy for words?

This is what she said..

My mom was born in Texas and came to New York to be a guest editor at Mademoiselle Magazine. Later she was the garden editor of House & Garden. My dad was born in Odessa (then part of Russia) and came to New York to write for radio and newspapers. Later he wrote for early network television. My parents talked about words all the time. At the dinner table, if I said, "Like, you know, he goes, 'Bla, bla, bla'..." Dad would say, "I don't know and where did he go?" My parents gently urged us to be as eloquent as possible. Le môt juste. The right word. Mom and Dad never talked about palindromes, but they did talk about words and books.

My husband, Rob Ackerman, writes plays. So he and I talk about words and stories a lot too. We've taken writing courses (Story by Robert McKee) and taught writing courses (at Middlebury College) and we play with words to amuse each other. Both our daughters are good writers too. And all of us speak Spanish. (I also speak French and our youngest also speaks Japanese.) In short, we are word people! And did I tell you that our youngest has a name that is a palindrome? Emme, E-M-M-E.

I'm so glad you liked my book, Vidya, and that you liked Ava and Pip and Bob and Anna, the family with the palindromic names. I do think it's fun that Ava learns about the power of words in AVA AND PIP. And that by helping her sister find her voice, she ends up finding her own...

Thank you for asking me these questions!

You should totally get this book for your kid.

Here is where you can buy: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

5 STAR Review: The Magic Mistake (Oh My Godmother #2) by Barbara Brauner, James Iver Mattson, Abigail Halpin

Sometimes, I crave for just a light read.  If you are like me, reading 3-4 books at a time, you will understand me.  This book has been a perfect fit for my light read time.

Original Title: The Magic Mistake

Series: Oh My Godmother #2

Author: Barbara Brauner, James Iver Mattson, Abigail Halpin

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Release Date: February 4th, 2014

Source: Review copy from the publisher

Genre: Middle Grade

After becoming the most awkward fairy godmother ever, twelve year old Lacey Unger-Ware thought that her magical duties were done for good. In fact, she's just getting started. When Lacey is invited to attend the Godmother Academy it should be a dream come true. But to Lacey it means the total opposite: she'll have to be separated from her friends and family for a hundred years. Um, no thank you! But this is an offer Lacey can't refuse. The fairy godmother Katarina knows that Lacey will be cursed forever if she doesn't complete the magical test. Now Lacey must find the true love for one special lady and arrange the perfect wedding before time runs out. With her best friends Sunny and Paige along to help, there's a glimmer of hope. But where's a fairy godmother to save the day when you need one? Oh, wait... The second book in Barbara Brauner and James Iver Mattson's middle grade series is full of heart and charm, and Abigail Halpin's black-and-white illustrations are irresistible.

REVIEW

Lacey is given a test from Godmother Academy to be a fairy godmother for Gina.  If Lacey doesn't find Gina's true love and get her married by Friday, Gina will be miserable for the rest of her life and Lacey will be hated by everyone forever.  Lacey has no choice, but to agree.  She knows Gina is her best friend, Sunny's mom, who is not ready to come out of her house, still dejected over her recently cancelled wedding.  Even with her friends, Sunny and Paige, ready to help, Lacey is not sure this is not going to work.  But, then things start interesting, when an unexpected proposal comes up to Gina..

Lacey and her friends are one awesome team.  And then there is Katarina, who is checking on Lacey on her godmother performance.  There is Scott, Gina, Lacey's parents - I can keep naming all the characters in this novel and keep telling them I loved them.  There is not even one character that I don't like and that itself is great and awesome.

The authors had built up a perfect regular children's mix with the right amount of fun, action and humour.  It works well for this light read.  The mistakes that Lacey makes every time, like making herself and her friends wear a bridal dress for a whole day, made me love her more.  Lacey is kind, friendly, loyal and true to herself.  Overall, she is a perfect protagonist for this novel.

Did I mention that the occasional illustrations are cute as well?  It is.  When you need a little break, the illustrations fills in your imaginations.

Although this seems like a series, I loved it perfectly as a stand-alone.

This is a great time-out from your busy day.  Fast, humorous, romantic and fun-filled middle grade novel, perfect both for kids and adults.

Infernal Gates by Michael J. Webb

Ethan Freeman, ex-Special Forces Ranger, wakes up to discover he is the sole survivor of a fiery commercial airline crash that killed his entire family. His nightmare is only beginning when he becomes the FBI’s prime suspect. Only Ethan knows he’s not a cold-hearted murderer, but he has no idea what happened to him–and why he alone survived.

He finds an unlikely ally in Sam Weaver, the NTSB Chief Investigator. An ex-military pilot, Sam senses Ethan is innocent. She tries to remain dispassionate in her investigation of the crash even as she finds herself attracted to the man who may be America=s worst homegrown mass-murderer.

Neither Ethan nor Sam realize that shadowy spiritual forces are at work which will alter their lives forever.

A monstrous evil, imprisoned since the time of the Pharaohs, has been released by The Nine, a sinister group of powerful men and women who believe they are the direct descendants of the Anunnaki, ancient Sumerian gods. The demon they have unleashed intends to free The Destroyer from The Abyss, the angelic prison referred to in the Book of Revelation, and unleash a worldwide reign of terror and annihilation.

Facing impossible odds, time is running out for Ethan and all of humanity as he is drawn into an ever-deeper conspiracy–millennia in the making–and learns that he is the key to stopping The Nine. Will he overcome his deepest fears and find reserves of strength he never knew he had as he confronts pure evil in order to save himself and an unsuspecting world?

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Christian Thriller, Fantasy, Adventure

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author and the book

Connect with Michael J. Webb  on Facebook & G+ & Twitter

Website http://www.michaeljwebbfiction.com/

Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters

Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility.

For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world.

But lusty paradise is shattered.

Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror.

Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can’t save her from the horror of being sold.

Can Brax find Tess before she’s broken and ruined, or will Tess’s new owner change her life forever?

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Dark New Adult Contemporary Romance

Rating – PG-18

More details about the author

Connect with Pepper Winters  on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.pepperwinters.wordpress.com/

Review & Giveaway: Scintillate (The Light Key Trilogy #1) by Tracy Clark

Here is a beautiful book about another supernatural ability, narrated with so much emotions and suspense that I can't stop it and I finished this at 1.30 AM and writing this review.

Original Title: Scintillate

Series: The Light Key Trilogy #1

Author: Tracy Clark

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Release Date: February 4th, 2014

Source: Review copy via Netgalley

Genre: Young adult, Paranormal

A mighty flame follows a tiny spark.

Cora Sandoval’s mother disappeared when she was five and they were living in Ireland. Since then, her dad has been more than overprotective, and Cora is beginning to chafe under his confines. But even more troubling is the colorful light she suddenly sees around people. Everyone, that is, except herself—instead, she glows a brilliant, sparkling silver.

As she realizes the danger associated with these strange auras, Cora is inexplicably drawn to Finn, a gorgeous Irish exchange student who makes her feel safe. Their attraction is instant, magnetic, and primal—but her father disapproves, and Finn’s mother orders him home to Ireland upon hearing he’s fallen in love. After a fight with her father, Cora flees to Ireland, both to follow Finn and to look for her missing mother.

There she meets another silver-haloed person and discovers the meaning of her newfound powers and their role in a conspiracy spanning centuries—one that could change mankind forever…and end her life.

Scintillate is the first book in this lush and exciting new trilogy, full of romance, adventure and metaphysical mystery.

REVIEW

Cora is admitted to a hospital with a heavy fever and miraculously she survives.   But, after that fever, she is able to see auras of other people and her aura is always silver - never changing into any other colors.  When she tries to find the reason behind this 'abnormality', it seems like there is a dead end with her dad.  So, she seeks herself answers and all answers point out to her missing mom.  To know the details of her mother, Cora travels Ireland and unravels many mysteries one by one.

I can't help thinking if she would have just been at her home within the safety of her dad and friends (okay, she is not so safe, but this is better), she could have avoided many tragedies and heart breaks in her life.  But, then again, this book would never have to be written if things were that uneventful.

This book was heck of a fast ride.  Tracy Clark keeps throwing new things in every chapter and keeps you interested until the very end.  And still there are a lot of things to be known when I completed this book, but, sigh, guess I have to read the next book to know about them.

Cora is a strong character; adrenaline-driven stupid teen, but she is strong in her motives.  She is not brave, but she never gives up.  Cora is a perfect character for this story.  Cora's relationship with her dad is bad, and I felt annoyed at some points.  Can't someone finally trust each other and be open for some time?  I loved how Cora had put in the right words about the trust they had.

"No, Dad."  I shook my head.  "Not real trust.  It's easy to say you trust a bird in a cage."

And Finn - that guy speaks the right things at the right time.  Yes, they are too cheesy, but I can't help smiling.

"How is it possible that every kiss is the most satisfying in the world, and still it's never enough?"

This guy is swoon worthy for most parts of the novel.  I hated how things ended up between them.  And then there are Mari and Dun.  The friendship and the budding romance between the two is so adorable.  And there are so many other characters towards the end of the book.  All have been portrayed well and if I start mentioning them, I am afraid the review may contain spoilers, so I stop.

Fast paced read and an entertainer.  This was a page turner and the suspense was handled well keeping the readers hooked.  Recommeded to paranormal lovers!

Scintillating!

GIVEAWAY

1 Prize pack of a key necklace and a signed copy of Scintillate. US ONLY

3 paperbacks of Scintillate US Only.
3 eBooks of Scintillate International.

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Review & Giveaway: Undying by Valerie Grojean

Original Title: Undying

Series: Undying #1

Author: Valerie Grojean

Publisher: Createspace

Release Date: September 29th 2013

Source: From Xpresso Blog Tours

Genre: Paranormal, Young adult, Horror

Buy @ Amazon | Barnes&Noble

This is a story of love . . . and zombies. 

When eighteen-year-old college freshman Christian discovers his dormitory is crawling with the living dead, he knows he has a problem. But once he learns the whole country is overrun by the flesh-eating horde, he must race to protect what matters to him most. 

Sixteen-year-old Iris, the girl he loves, is stranded eighty miles away, alone and completely unaware of the gruesome threat surrounding her.

Christian’s plan is to evade the zombies, drive the distance to rescue Iris, and get them both to his family farm—where there are guns, fuel, and everything else they’ll need to survive. His mission seems simple: Get the girl, get to the farm, and stay alive.

Things get complicated when Christian is forced to make an unthinkable choice between Iris and his family. Someone he loves must die, and he must decide.

REVIEW

Tomorrow is the day Christian is going to finally propose his love to Iris.  He goes to bed thinking of all the possibilities of Iris' reaction, just to be woken up by the loud shriek of the neighbour.  Before Christian comes to conclusion about what's going on, his roommate comes in.  He says that his blonde neighbour bit him and although Christian thinks it weird at first, soon everything is clear that people are infected through water, dies and gets up a zombie.  His first thought was to save Iris and his family.  And that's what he does.

The writing and world building are great.  The characters are relatable.  Even the zombie apocalypse is convincing.  There is very little romance thread going on.  But, this is a horror book and you can't expect any other thing much.

The horror and gore in this book is great.  It didn't scare me to my bones, but it sure made me fear the zombie apocalypse society and made me want to throw up at times.

If there is one thing I don't like about a novel, it's the repetitive storyline (exception to Jill Shalvis).  That's the major letdown of this novel.  I have read other zombie novels and there are very few that convinced me that the story is unique.   Then there is other thing - the ending.  Let's see I don't agree with this type of endings..

Other than these things, I liked this book and if you are into trying zombie novels, you can add this to your list.

GIVEAWAY

There are two giveaways for this tour.

1st Giveaway: ebook of UNDYING - open to INTERNATIONAL readers!

Rules are simple: Follow me through "blogloving" or RSS or email subscription.  Comment below with why you would like to win this book.

The giveaway ends on March 4th, 2014!  Winners will be announced by March 6th!

2nd Giveaway

Prizes - open to US and Canada:

-1 signed paperback

- One bookmark

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What Lies Inside by J.L. Myers

Amelia Lamont never asked to unleash her inner vampire

Amelia’s normal teen world is shattered when a terrifying nightmare awakens the monster inside her. A newfound, insatiable thirst for blood that leads her to drain the school quarterback is only the beginning; she’s horrified to discover that her family and best friend Kendrick have been harboring the secret all along. And is the strangely alluring boy who seems hell-bent on curbing her murderous, blood-filled desires a friend, or foe?

To escape detection Amelia and her twin brother Dorian are forced to move to a new town, and the challenge of a new, exclusive high school where nearly every classmate smells like prey. Including the irresistible Ty, who seems hauntingly familiar, yet darkly menacing …

Amelia’s disturbing dreams and entanglement in a web of forbidden romance render her increasingly powerless against the chilling lies and secrets of vampire power struggles. And, as she soon discovers, vampire politics mixed with outlawed love can be a lethal cocktail.

Falling in love may just cost Amelia everything: her friends, her family…even her life

Move over Twilight, True Blood and Underworld! J.L. Myers’ first book in the Blood Bound series will have you swooning for more!

Warning – This book contains some language and sexual situations.

YA/ Vampire/ Paranormal Fiction

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – YA Paranormal Romance

Rating – PG-13+

More details about the author

Connect with  Jessica Myers on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://bloodboundnovels.com

Dead & Godless by Donald J. Amodeo

When outspoken atheist Corwin Holiday dies an untimely but heroic death, he’s assigned a chain-smoking, alcoholic angel as his defense attorney in the trial to decide the fate of his soul.

Today many cast Christianity aside, not in favor of another faith, but in favor of no faith. We go off to school or out into the world, and we learn that reality is godless and that free thinking means secular thinking. But must faith entail an end to asking questions? Should not the Author of Reason be able to answer the challenge of reason?

Dead & Godless is a smart and suspenseful afterlife adventure that explores the roots of truth, justice and courage. In these pages awaits a quest that spans universes, where the stakes are higher than life and death, and where Christianity’s sharp edges aren’t shied away from, because we’re not called to be nice. We’re called to be heroes.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Christian Fiction

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with Donald J. Amodeo on Twitter

Book Feature: Constantinopolis by James Shipman

In 1453 Constantinople is the impregnable jewel of the East. It has stood as the greatest Christian city for a millennium as hordes have crashed fruitlessly against its walls.

But Mehmet II, the youthful Sultan of the Ottoman Turks, has besieged the city. His opponent is Constantine XI, the wise and capable ruler of the crumbling Eastern Roman Empire. Mehmet, distrusted by his people and hated by his Grand Vizer, must accomplish what all those before him have failed to do: capture Constantinople. To prove that he deserves the throne that his father once took from him, Mehmet, against all advice, storms the city. If he fails, he will not only have failed himself and his people, but he will surely lose his life.

On the other side of the city walls, the emperor Constantine must find a way to stop the greatest army in the medieval world. To finance his defenses, he becomes a beggar to the Pope, the Italian city-states, and the Hungarians. But the price for aid is high: The Pope demands the Greeks reunite the Eastern and Western churches and accept the Latin faith. If Constantine wants aid for his people he must choose between their lives and their souls.

Two leaders, two peoples, two faiths battle for their future before the mighty walls of Constantinople.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Historical Fiction

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with  James Shipman on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://james-shipman.com

Ron and Hermione needs counselling to sustain a relationship - J.K. Rowling

Most of them would have heard about the interview with J.K. Rowling to Emma Watson (yes, the same Hermione!).

In that interview, she said that marrying Ron to Hermione is a mistake..actually admitted that although Ron and Hermione ended up together at the end, they are not a credible couple... (WHAT???)

"I think there are fans out there who know that too and who wonder whether Ron would have really been able to make her happy," Watson responds in excerpts from the interview printed in the Sunday Times.

Rowling said she could "hear the rage and fury it might cause some fans" of her work and that she hoped she would not be "breaking people's hearts" with her revelations.

Which she truly did! (I was really shocked to hear this statement at first)

At last, she said Ron and Hermione would have needed counselling to sustain their relationship.

Is it just me or this information breaks your heart too???


Source: BBC, Sunday Times

Top 8 Books That Made Me Cry

As always, Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by  the girls at "The Broke and the Bookish".

These books are the ones that made me cry at least once during my read and I love them more for bringing such emotions in me..

PS: As I am unable to come with 10 of them, I made it Top 8! :)

So, here is the list!

• If I Stay series
• The Last Song
• Wonder
• The Hunger Games

• Everneath
• Daughter of Smoke and Bone
• Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix + Deathly Hallows

Any books in the above list made you cry?  Or is there something else? 

Book Feature: Order of Earth (Elements of Ink) by Jennifer Cornet

For Onyx Bay, what started as a cathartic ink session takes an unexpected turn when a specialized blood test at the tattoo parlor reveals her true identity, which threatens to turn her entire world upside down.

When Onyx learns that she is the descendant of a fantastical race of creatures who control the global elements, she discovers that her own blood makes her a valuable prize for competing forces, known as the Orders. As the truth about her bloodline spreads, she finds herself at the center of a supernatural bounty hunt pursued by both human and creature members of the Orders willing to do anything to claim her as their own. The hunt intensifies when a prophet foresees she will tip the balance of power and upset the peace among the Orders. As she attempts to evade capture and survive, Onyx is forced to choose between her humanistic past and a supernatural destiny in order to take control of her own future.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Urban Fantasy

Rating – PG – 13

More details about the author

Connect with Jennifer Cornet on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.jennifercornet.com/