"Sleighed at Castle Rock: An Amelia Grace Mystery" by Anne Marie Stoddard

                                                               

                                                                      On sale December 3, 2015

 "We were hosting a Christmas-themed Battle of the Bands competition, and I was stuck catering to the needs of all the musicians, as well as our three celebrity judges. I use the term "celebrity" loosely. We'd booked a local radio personality, a popular local music blogger and critic, and the owner of one of the city's other rock venues....."

Bronwyn Sinclair is filling in while her boss, Amelia Grace, is out of town. She's trying to get a music festival up and running for a "Christmas in July" at their Castle Rock venue in Atlanta. They're having a Battle of The Bands competition when someone tries to take out a judge.

Bronwyn is strong willed and on top of things and is not about to let someone get away with messing things up. A couple surprises and some cute humor throughout.  Can she find out who, what and where in time to save the music festival and possibly the future of Castle Rock's business? You'll have to pick this one up and find out!

This is a holiday short story to go with the "Amelia Grace Rock n' Roll Mysteries"  that feature the Castle Rock venue. This is a standalone but would be fun to read the rest in the series. I really liked the tattooed, purple and pink haired, pierced characters featured here. They were fun and interesting.  Kick off your festivities with this entertaining Christmas story this holiday season!

Thank you to Gemma Halliday Publishing for the A.R.C. 

"Dale's Descent: A Journey Into Darkness" (The Master of Whitehall Book 3) By Rick H. Veal

                                                   

                 Buy "Dale's Descent: A Journey Into Darkness" by Rick H. Veal on Amazon: click here

" I have killed thousands of times since that first awful night. Just like my maker ended my life so abruptly, killing my hopes and dreams, I too have killed a lot of hopes and dreams. In the beginning I tried to keep count because I wanted to remember the face of every individual whose life I had taken. I wanted it to stay with me and remind me of what I had become and what I had done. I gave up that endeavor years ago...."

So we journey into Dale's story. The 16 year old boy stolen from his life, his future, his family, by a wandering vampire. Dragged around, unsure and untrained to his new life, Dale finally ends up in Charleston S.C. alone and wishing for death. There he meets Charlotte Ann, Katelyn and James. Feeling his pain, they take him in and educate him and give him a new life.

Used to burying himself underground during the day light hours, and committing murders everywhere, can Dale's dark side be retrained? Can he adjust to love and friendship and find new meaning to the word family? Will Dale learn to live the life of an immortal among human life?

At times such a sad story of a teenager with so many plans stolen from his life by a lost and selfish vampire. Then the sweet part of the story came for him to find happiness among a group who welcome him with open arms. 

This is a standalone but well explained, an excellent addition to the "Masters of Whitehall" series. It's the story of growth as Dale's life stopped mentally at the age of sixteen,  but then picked up many years later. So now he must catch up to where he should be now.  Will he finally find the love and happiness he was seeking all along? Dale's story of his journey into darkness is also into one of a journey into the light.

Charlotte Ann brings him into her fold and shows him the kindness and love he's been missing since the day he was turned.  He learns what it means to be an immortal rather than just the human term of vampire. Whitehall, the home of James and Katelyn, but is open always to the others in the group. Its where they learn to be who they are and how to survive. 

This is called a "paranormal young adult vampire series."  I always hesitate to put labels on books like this. Sometimes that will cause someone to say, " I don't read that genre"..  This story is written current with the times and with over tones of history. You are taken on a journey through the lives of these vampires and is to be enjoyed by any one. With elegant writing and both male and female characters so well developed. It catches your attention and your heart and makes you want to know more. Set in a beautiful area, with writing so descriptive it makes you feel like you have been there, or will remind you of it if you have. 

This left me still wishing vampires were real, as did the first two books in the series. I think I need to talk to the author Rick H. Veal a little more about this.  I think he might know more than he's telling us. I love this series! Up next is the story of "Charlotte Ann's Coven" and how she came to be part of the " Master of Whitehall " story.

Thank you to Rick H. Veal for the A.R.C. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 I'm thankful for all books.. ones I've read and ones I'm going to read. These are just a small grain of sand in a sea of the thousands of books and authors I've read over my life time. I can't imagine a life without books. If someone tells me they don't read or "its boring" - I can't even begin to understand them. I want to shake them and tell them "do you even know what you're missing?" Assault with good intentions is still frowned upon I suppose. I'm also thankful for you my readers for encouraging my blog, for reading it and for your friendship and support.

                                                 Happy Thanksgiving from my house to yours! 

   

       

                                                                         and I'm thankful for Snoopy.. I love Snoopy...

"Man Made Murder: Book One of the Blood Road Trilogy" by Z. Rider

                                                            

                                       Buy "Man Made Murder" by Z. Rider on Amazon: click here!

"Dean swept his gaze toward the ceiling. Exposed wires dangled from a fixture. An uneasy sensation prickled, but what was the worst that was going to happen-the biker robs and steals his guitar? That'd be a sight, the bike racing away with the beat up Sears special strapped to his back...."

This horror trilogy begins in Oct of 1978 with "Man Made Murder,"  a rock band where Dean Thibodeaux is their lead guitarist. Along with his fellow musicians Shawn, Jessie and Nick -the band is hoping to get away from their label. Dean figures they'll be dead before they ever see any royalties from their music. With the music scene floundering for them, Dean decides, after another annoying night doing a radio show, to find somewhere to score some weed. Coming upon some bikers, one leads Dean, now alone. to a place where things will never be the same again. I felt the anxiety in the pit of my stomach the minute I got to this scene early on in the book. It will hold you from the very first page without a doubt. I love a good scary story don't you?

Carl Delacroix has traveled across the country to New Hampshire, where Dean and the boys are currently on the road traveling to shows. He comes to the place he's looking for, the bar where the bikers known as the "Black Sun Riders" are at. This is where Carl plans to avenge his sister Sophie's death, as he believes one of these bikers is responsible.

Dean struggling to go on with his life after his bad night, gets on the tour bus with his buddies. Carl finds himself following the tour bus in search of a lead. While one is hunting a killer another is becoming something that everyone is going to be afraid of.

While Carl is in pursuit of the biker that killed his sister, the biker leads him straight to Dean. Not sure of the connection between the biker and Dean, he tries to observe Dean and locate the now unseen biker. Meanwhile Dean realizes that he can hear blood flowing through a person's body. He has no idea what that biker did to him that night, but he knows he is not well. Carl thinks maybe Dean has the answers to his questions,  but has no clue what the biker wants with Dean.

This story was scary from the beginning. A contemporary vampire adventure that is frightening from beginning until the end. The guys in this story are so frightened that you actually believe this story could be real. But, this is just the first part of the story.  There are some surprises and a few creepy heart stopping turns you won't expect. Carl needs to make plans. Take his life in a new direction. Maybe investigative journalism. Maybe investigate if vampires are real or not.  Will Dean and Carl finally meet and find out the truth or maybe the one night they do intersect it will change both their lives.

I like the way it ended and the way it set up for the next book. I've been reading a lot of vampire stories lately and have been pleasantly surprised that the concept has been developed into quite entertaining stories, including this one! I will definitely want to read the next two books in this series. Next up is "Dead to the World: Book Two of the Blood Road Trilogy"

"Maybe this was the last of them. Maybe they'd gotten Dean. He stared across the swaying reeds, all the way to the dark tangle of trees a hundred yards off. If Dean had gotten to those trees, he could be anywhere..."

                               Thank you to Netgalley and Dark Ride Publishing for the A.R.C.

"Lexi's Legacy" The Epic Saga Continues (The Master of Whitehall, Book Two) by Rick H. Veal

                                                       

                                      Buy "Lexi's Legacy" by Rick H. Veal on Amazon: click here!

"I became aware of Katelyn, standing close to me and holding my hand as I turned and looked into the yawning depths of the abyss of death. I felt her slight pull on me as she held me, not allowing me to go any closer to the ragged edge of darkness. I smiled knowing that Katelyn was protecting me and that together we had beaten and destroyed the thing that had tried to kill me......"

Book two in the "Master of Whitehall" vampire series. This book is about Lexi, Katelyn's best friend. After Katelyn begins a new life with James, Lexi learns that she is very sick and has a small amount of time to live. Heartbroken, but with secrets of her own, Katelyn is able to help Lexi. Even though this is book two it is also a stand alone. The story is well written and clear. You will not be left wondering who is who or what happened. There are two other vampires that also are part of this story line. Charlotte Ann the woman who made James who he is. Then there is Dale, a young man who was taken into the life against his wishes. He is saved by the vampires of Charleston when he meets them and becomes part of their clan. It helps Lexi to have her new family of immortals in her life.

Lexi makes her choice and so beings her journey as a vampire. Thankful to be alive, but having to give up people she loves. It is still a story of love and friendship and family and a new way of life. As like the first book in the series the characters are well written and easy to fall in love with. Set in Charleston South Carolina and Savannah Georgia. The setting in the story will make you feel as if you've been there. If you haven't, these are places not to miss in life.

One bittersweet part of this story is when Lexi chooses to return to Savannah. Her parents have been notified of her death, and under the cover of her friends, she is able to go to her own memorial service. Will Lexi really be able to break all ties with her mortal life? Can she watch the ones she love mourn her death?

Lexi's new life isn't all sad. There is much to learn about being a vampire and she's taken quite well with her new role. Perhaps a first love is also around the corner? Can Lexi ever see the ones she loves again? This is a time for changes and new friends that Lexi will need. You'll have to read this one and find out the answers to the questions though! Now onto book three in the series, the story of "Dale's Descent."

"I tried to walk as nonchalantly as I could over to where he was standing, "Hi there!" I began, "what are you reading?" He looked up at me and flashed a perfect smile..with dimples. " A book," he said with a soft laugh. "It's that new paranormal romance novel, "The Master of Whitehall", it's set right here in Charleston," he commented as he flipped the book up so I could see the cover, "it's about some girl who moves here and meets and falls in love with a man who turns out to be a vampire. Everyone is talking about it and says it's a really great love story....."

I absolutely love this series. Well written, as well as elegant and classy with a historical overlay. The bridges between the past and the present are so smoothly intertwined that you can't help but love this story. 

Thank you to Rick H. Veal for the A.R.C.

"Meditations Through Coloring" by River Grove Books

                                                

                              Buy "Meditations Through Coloring" on Amazon: click here!

So some of you who know me personally know that I recently took up adult coloring. Seen the pictures all over my Facebook account right? HA. I noticed a friend on Facebook belonged to an adult coloring group. It did intrigue me. Who didn't like to color as a child?  

Does it work? Yes, it does. I can tell you first hand that when you sit quietly you body is at rest it allows your mind to be at peace. I use this time to talk to my husband, as he is also coloring with me some nights. We chat or we stay quiet. I use the time to think about book review notes I am planning or sometimes nothing at all.

The book starts out with a small chapter about where the images come from and the practice of meditation.  I found the images in this book to be very enticing. The images they selected are inspired by the ancient art form of henna tattoos, known as mehndi. This book offers intricate patterns that show mandalas and flowers, (my personal favorite) along with symbols of nature, such as lotus blossoms. elephants and peacocks.

I colored a few to share with you,  so I can give you a first look at what the book has to offer.  I did not receive an actual copy but only a Kindle version.  I printed these pages off.

Details: Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.2 x 8.5 inches

I would buy  this adult coloring book based on what I do know.

Thank you to Netgalley and Greenleaf Book Group and River Grove Books for the A.R.C.

"Crashing: The Wedding" Book Blitz! by Kristen Hope Mazzola

Title: Crashing: The Wedding (Crashing #0.5)

Author: Kristen Hope Mazzola

Release Date: Nov 2, 2015

Find on Goodreads

**This Book is a Standalone** It is a companion novella to The Crashing Series and takes place before Crashing Back Down (book 1 in the series).

Well this is freaking great…

Right when my best friend’s wedding was in full swing, the flowers were paid for, the dresses were being tailored and the bachelorette party was planned and nonrefundable, the bomb gets dropped right on my doorstep at four in the morning.

“The Wedding is OFF!” Mags yelled right as I opened the door to my apartment.

Oh hell no! We’re not canceling these plans. I will make this work. I will get her and Randy on track to walking down that freaking isle. I am getting to go on a bachelorette weekend vacation to party with my best friend! This is happening whether Mags and Randy like it or not.

That’s what a best friend is for, right?!

***18+ for sexual situations, cursing, and adult content.***

Amazon | Amazon UK

“May I have this dance?” Mitch extended his hand to me after throwing his napkin on his plate, and of course it was a twostep that came on.

I shoved out of my chair. “Why the heck not?”

The drinks had already started to go to my head as Mitch led me out onto the dance floor. The tent that had been set up in the yard was magnificent. There were twinkling lights strung up everywhere with a few chandeliers hanging about. The DJ had put beautiful lighting around the space to give it a nice purple hue.

“Try not to step on the shoes, they’re rented,” Mitch teased as he started to push me around.

I didn’t know if it was the alcohol or the wedding bliss that was swimming around, but as I looked up at Mitch as he twirled me around, I saw him in a completely different light. His dark hair, smoldering stare, chiseled jawline, beautiful tattoos, and smile that could last for days—it was all stunning to me.

Before my mind could overanalyze what my heart was doing, I was grabbing Mitch’s shirt and pulling his lips down to mine. Slowly, our lips connected. Smooth and soft at first, the sweet kiss then turned into hunger and lust. My tongue explored his mouth and his hand slid down my back to grip my ass.

Trying to catch his breath, Mitch pulled away from me. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Once his words registered, I took a step back. “Probably not.”

Mitch hugged me to his side. “If we are ever going to hook up, I don’t want either of us to be drunk when it happens.” He kissed my forehead and handed me off to Mags as she swished over to me. “Want a drink?” Mitch looked at both of us as we nodded.

Crashing Back Down (#1)

Mags McManus has just become a war widow in her mid-twenties. Her late husband, Randy, left for the Army right after their wedding. Instead of celebrating his homecoming and living in marital bliss with her soulmate, Mags finds herself living in constant agony. Dealing with the guilt of still living without Randy, are Randy's best friends and parents.

Rising from the ashes of this tragedy, Mags starts to learn how to love and trust again, finally being able to find happiness. But sometimes things really are too good to be true and again Mags learns how cruel the world can be as she crashes back down.

Amazon | Amazon UK

Falling Back Together (#2)

“I don't know if it’s fate, coincidence, or my curse, but I'm still breathing, and my breaths are for you.”

Mags McManus is far from a normal woman in her mid twenties. Being a war widow, a business professional, and a brokenhearted train wreck only skims the surface of the layers of who Margret McManus truly is. Waking up in a hospital bed, alone and confused, Mags once again has to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart. With her best friends by her side, Mags slowly starts to learn the answers she so desperately longs for. But is everything going to continue to spiral out of control? Or is there a light at the end of this dark, twisting tunnel where all the broken pieces can finally fall back together?

Amazon | Amazon UK

You want to know more about me? Well, let's see...

I am just an average twenty-something following my dreams.  I have a full time "day job" and by night I am an author.  I guess you could say that writing is like my super power (I always wanted one of those).  I am the lover of wine, sushi, football and the ocean; that is when I am not wrapped up in the literary world.

Please feel free to contact me to chat about my writing, books you think I'd like or just to shoot the, well you know.

A portion of all my profits are donated to The Marcie Mazzola Foundation.

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Read.Write.Win. is OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!

How to enter:

Read Crashing: The Wedding

Review it on Amazon

Fill out the form found here
What's up for grabs:

3 winners will win $20 Amazon gift cards!

All reviews must be posted and have their links submitted by 12/20/2015. Winners will be contacted through email and will have 24 hours to claim their prize.

MY REVIEW:

"Mitch was the glue that kept our group together and sane. Walker and Randy were both in the Army and Mitch usually kept Mags and I company while they were gone for training or other military crap I knew nothing about. Their first deployment while inevitable, we just had no idea when it was actually going to happen. It was one of the reasons Mags and Randy had decided to get married right after she graduated from college......"

We open with Cali and a hysterical one night stand with a blind date. Her best friend Mags is getting married to Randy -if the wedding doesn't get called off that is. An exciting new job for Cali and a night out of celebrating before trying on the dresses. Good times with their small group of friends.

Things are worked out between Randy and Mags and preps are being made for the wedding,

including a fun bachelorette weekend.

Military life intervenes for Randy. They're determined to make the best of things before the deployment. This part of the book had me in tears. In a public place I might add. If you've ever known anyone in the military you'll understand. Its so well written though you'll be affected even if you haven't experienced military life.

Wedding day arrives and it finds Cali escorting Mags down the aisle. A sweet moment in the book. Randy and his best buddy Walker will both be deploying. Cali meets someone special at the wedding....

I'm not going to give anymore away. I totally enjoyed this read. Short and sweet and tearful. It made me want to read everything the author, Kristen Mazzola, has written. This promises to be an awesome series with a great peak at the characters to come. I can't wait to find out what happens to them.

This Book is a standalone, but  is a companion novella to "The Crashing Series" and takes place before Crashing Back Down (book 1 in the series).

Thank you Kristen Hope Mazzola for the A.R.C.

"The Vig" by John Lescroart

                                           
                                      Buy "The Vig" by John Lescroart on Amazon: click here!

"Hardy wasn't tired. None of this seemed very real, but he did lie down on his bed and take the Special out of the drawer next to him. He flipped off the light and pulled a comforter over him, his clothes still on, the gun in his hand. He looked at the clock by his bed. It was 11:01. No call....."



An old book but a great book. I started reading this Dismas Hardy series, unfortunately in the middle of it, before I realized it was a series.. So I backtracked and started at the beginning. Great characters. Well written. My kind of cop/detective story. This was book 2- and I believe there are 16 books in this series. Its like the Robert Parker, Jesse Stone series. I often compare cop books to his writing. I find the Parker books very comfortable. Nothing that will stop your heart or make you fall over with your mouth open..but the kind of books that draw you in, make you feel at home and want to keep reading to see where the character goes. 

Dismas Hardy is one of those well written guys. You love him. You wonder about him. You'll worry about him. You'll want to know who is he going to choose? Even his career is in question, but his integrity to the helping of others is not. His love for his friends is evident- even if he is mostly a loaner. Lawyer, ex cop, bartender, veteran of Vietnam, friend, ex wife, new girlfriend pregnant by a dead friend. There is much to choose from here. 

Dismas is approached by an ex colleague. One of the bad guys they put away years ago is getting out of prison. Lewis's last words before they hauled him away was that he intended to rid the world of both Hardy and Rusty, the lawyers, district attorney at the time. Suddenly Rusty is missing and Rusty's girlfriend is found dead on Rusty's boat. Lewis looks good for this murder right? Someone is keeping secrets. What if you had a gambling debt so high that you couldn't meet "The Vig" anymore? Loan sharks and the mob will loan you the money.. as long as you pay the interest of course- or what's known as " The Vig." So the story goes from there. Is Rusty dead? Dismas is not about to just let the cops do their job. He's retired from the force and retired from being a lawyer or has he really? Its hard not be who you really are. 

This book was first published in 1991 but does not feel like its out of the time element. It feels current and relevant and comfortable. My favorite kind of books. I've read others by John Lescroart and feel this way about all of his work. This is one author I will read everything he's written at some point. I will definitely finish this series. I already have bought nearly all of the books to do just that. This was not my usual review. I usually am doing a read/review for Netgalley or privately for an author. This is an older book as I mentioned as one of my own reads. Every so often I take a break from the review job and just hit my own TBR list. I really recommend John Lescroart, and any of his books- including this series.

"Mama Cried" by Talia Haven

                                                       

                                   Buy " Mama Cried" by Talia Haven on Amazon: click here!

" We stop in front of a heavy steel door. Set inside grey-painted cinder block, on either side of the cinder block is a black of nothingness. Glancing behind, I hope that Christa and Jamal have realized that I have gone and followed to say goodbye, however, the playground and ball field are no longer in sight. "Do you remember why "Mama Cried?......"

Jenny and her puppies are on the playground when a "guardian" comes to take her away. They need to go through a door to the other side. Jenny is going to make a choice. It's so sad that the last thing Jenny remembers is that her " Mama Cried."

An emotional short story. I was quickly drawn in and then surprised and shocked at the premise. There are times in life for judgment and decisions. This story left a child to righteously do so. If you have a minute head over to Amazon and check this one out. It's just a few pages, but well written.

Thank you to Talia Haven for the A.R.C. 

"The Master of Whitehall: Katelyn's Chronicle's Volume 1" By Rick H. Veal

                                                   

              Buy " The Master of Whitehall: Katelyn's Chronicle's Volume 1" on Amazon: click here!

"My name is Katelyn Corbin, I'm twenty-one years old, and a senior in college-or I will be in a few hours when I get to school. The nightmare I was having was about the murder of my parents last April...."

This story opens with Katelyn wrapped in nightmares of her parents death. Murdered in their store in Atlanta, she is left trying to cope with this tragedy. Katelyn leaves to go stay with her aunt and uncle in Charleston South Carolina. Its there she goes back to college. While meeting with her new friend Lexi, she meets a mysterious man... James Thomas Dubois, Master of Whitehall Manor.

She is interested in him, but overwhelmed by him and her current life. She's still grieving, still adjusting to this new life. After James invites Katelyn and Lexi to visit his splendid home their connection grows and still continues to confuse her. Uneasy feelings including a voice in her head that she can't figure out.

James and Katelyn come to an understanding. He can turn her into what he is..but it's now her choice. Will she become like James? He is a vampire after all. He offers her a new life. Can she make this change? Is she willing to die to become reborn as an immortal?

Such elegant and descriptive writing. The story makes you feel like you can see Whitehall Manor and the large oaks that line the drive. You can feel the words come to life. The author did a wonderful job capturing the female essence of Katelyn. Well written characters. A twist or two with a lovely backdrop.

Will Katelyn allow James to change her? Will the decisions divide them or bring them together? A modern day vampire story with touches of historical overtones. Set in a time and place that still feels like you're going back in time even to this day.

An opportunity arises for revenge. Will James let Katelyn take the reins or will he help her avenge her parents death? Bittersweet circumstances that Katelyn must face and more choices to be made. Now that a decision has been reached they must learn to live with these choices.

This is the kind of story that makes you wish vampires were real. Then again,  how do we know they don't exist? Maybe the author is sharing his secrets with us. I really enjoyed this book. I love how it ended. I look forward to reading more in this series. It was a fun and entertaining book. I live in Louisiana, not far from New Orleans-surely if they exist I may be able to find one there?

"Then he stood, and reaching for my hand, I follow him off the veranda and into the darkness. The first thing I noticed was that the darkness...wasn't that dark anymore. I could clearly see the flowers in the garden, the backdrop of trees, and eve hear the soft movement of the individual leaves as the breeze softly tickled them. I looked up saw literally millions of stars filling the clear night sky like I had never seen before.

Thank you to the author Rick H. Veal for providing me with this A.R.C. 

"Apostle" by Lacey Crowe

                                                 

"A strange depression came over me when I realized something inside of me was surely unbalanced-shifted off the moral scale. The journey toward complete self awareness isn't taken by many, perhaps because they fear their own souls. It's a sick acknowledgment of oneself, and in acknowledging this I also acknowledged the monster who shared the space within the walls of my bodily vessel...."

Benji is sharing his memoirs with us. From the time he was just a little boy he was born on a path of evil. How does one become a serial killer exactly? Let Benji hold your hand and take you on the scariest look inside the mind of someone who can tell you. Let Benji explain his monster to you.

Set in the 1970's we meet Beth. Benji is captivated by her. Fearful she'll somehow expose his real self after a eventful evening. Benji feels the need to mentor Beth. He feels a kinship that only he can cultivate. Set in a time when were so much more trusting. Beth has no idea where this friendship will lead.

Then we hear from Beth and her entries describing their relationship. Maybe Benji will help Beth find a way to be at peace with who she really is. Benji seems to accept himself. She can hope can't she? Some how they find a kinship that few ever have. I dare say that Benji actually blossoms with his talk of murder and misery around Beth. She in turn is fascinated by him. Together they're the scariest couple you'd ever run into -and hope you never do.

"As I mentally checked off this list of emotions, I realized I was lacking the one Benji was looking for-fear."

As they travel together have a first account witness to their activities. The victims they meet. What draws them together and what causes them to act apart. That part was so disturbing to me. This young girl off on her own killing people and enjoying it.  Then this book turns in another direction. Can Beth and Benji stay alive? Do they drift apart or does something tear them apart?

I enjoyed this book immensely. Extremely realistic and horrifying. You won't be able to put this book down.  There is a continued anticipation as you make your way through their words and through their twisted world.

"In personal reflection, I had found Monster. And I had welcomed him. And this is where I will begin his introduction....."

" Apostle: An apostle, from Classical Greek ἀπόστολος (apóstolos), meaning "one who is sent away", is a messenger and ambassador. The purpose of such "sending away" is to convey messages, and thus "messenger" is a common alternative translation.  source: Wikipedia

Dark. Haunting and unable to forget even after its ended. Is it real? It feels real. Not for the faint of heart.

Thank you to Lacey Crow for asking me to read this and providing this A.R.C.

"Crashing: The Wedding" By Kristen Hope Mazzola

                                                  

             Buy "Crashing: The Wedding" by Kristen Hope Mazzola on Amazon: click here!



"Mitch was the glue that kept our group together and sane. Walker and Randy were both in the Army and Mitch usually kept Mags and I company while they were gone for training or other military crap I knew nothing about. Their first deployment while inevitable, we just had no idea when it was actually going to happen. It was one of the reasons Mags and Randy had decided to get married right after she graduated from college......"

We open with Cali and a hysterical one night stand with a blind date. Her best friend Mags is getting married to Randy -if the wedding doesn't get called off that is. An exciting new job for Cali and a night out of celebrating before trying on the dresses. Good times with their small group of friends.
Things are worked out between Randy and Mags and preps are being made for the wedding,
including a fun bachelorette weekend.

Military life intervenes for Randy. They're determined to make the best of things before the deployment. This part of the book had me in tears. In a public place I might add. If you've ever known anyone in the military you'll understand. Its so well written though you'll be affected even if you haven't experienced military life.

Wedding day arrives and it finds Cali escorting Mags down the aisle. A sweet moment in the book. Randy and his best buddy Walker will both be deploying. Cali meets someone special at the wedding....

I'm not going to give anymore away. I totally enjoyed this read. Short and sweet and tearful. It made me want to read everything the author, Kristen Mazzola, has written. This promises to be an awesome series with a great peak at the characters to come. I can't wait to find out what happens to them.

This Book is a standalone, but  is a companion novella to "The Crashing Series" and takes place before Crashing Back Down (book 1 in the series).

Thank you Kristen Hope Mazzola for the A.R.C.

"Liar" by Lia Fairchild

LIAR - New Romance Release
The second and final book in the Liar series is live.

When all you’ve known are lies, how do you face the truth?

My past was a bitch.

Now it’s come back to haunt me. After months apart, Daniel and I are finally trying to make our relationship work. But my lies run deeper than either of us imagined. Lies so terrible I imprisoned them in the darkest recesses of my mind. Just when my heart begins to come alive, the lies seep out of the shadows…revealing secrets with the power to crush me.

~ ~ ~

Despite both of our troubled pasts, I want her…more than I’ve ever wanted anyone or anything. I’m determined to fight for her—to fight for us—even if it means facing my own demons. I have to reach Gray before it’s too late…before the truth completely destroys her.

Order on Amazon http://amzn.to/1OLaGfG
Add Liar to Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26872934-liar


EXCERPT FROM LIAR:
Her head turned in my direction and her eyebrows rose before she bent to pull bread out of the oven. This woman would be the end of me if she didn’t stay away from trouble.
“Gray? You know I have to ask. I need to know you’re not in danger.”
She set the bread pan on top of the stove, removed the potholder and walked toward me, eyes narrowed on mine. “I like it when you want to protect me, Daniel,” she said in a silky voice that made my skin blaze. She stopped when we were toe-to-toe. “Come to think of it, that’s when you seem to want to be the closest to me.” Her hand trailed up my arm to my neck. “Maybe I need a little danger in my life to keep you close.”
I reached up and took hold of her wrist and pulled her into me. “Tell me,” I said, commanding her attention. “If this is serious, I need to know.”
“You need to know? Tell me, Daniel. Why do you need to know? What exactly do you want?”
What I wanted to do was put my lips on that little smart mouth of hers and show her just what I wanted. Every part of my body ached to touch every part of hers, but I needed to be patient. I had her number, and I wouldn’t be goaded into sex…no matter how pleasant the thought. I refused to start something I wasn’t yet prepared to finish. First, I needed to make things right.
I grabbed her chin, tugging her face close to mine. “What I want is for you to be safe and happy.”
Her eyes fell to my lips. It took everything in me not to take them right then.
“And what I want…” Her chest rose profoundly, pressing against mine. “…is for you not to burn my damn dinner.”

Get Liar on Amazon here! FREE with Kindle Unlimited.
~ ~ ~
ALERT: If you haven't read the first book, Compulsive, now's your chance. It's on sale for just $0.99 until 11/5!

About the Author

Bestselling author, Lia Fairchild writes women's fiction and romance. Fans of her books praise her endearing, real characters who come to life in stories that will touch your heart.

Fairchild is addicted to the warmth of Southern California and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and a multiple-subject teaching credential. She is a wife and mother of two teenagers.

Look for updates on her and her books at www.liafairchild.com

and from the first book in the series

My Review of Compulsive

Buy "Compulsive" (Liar Book 1) on Amazon: click here!

" God, had i totally blown this chance by getting too comfortable with Daniel? Maybe I should have selected a different doctor, a stranger who wouldn't look at me with understanding, pity and dreamy midnight blue eyes. But, a different doctor, I was sure, would only cause me to close up further. if I was ever going to take a leap of faith, it was now or never. What I want is to be happy. What I want is to feel somewhat normal........"

Gray Sky Donovan. Damaged by childhood trauma and too confused to unravel the mess its made of her life. Her friend Nathan from AA is trying to be her friend. Maybe there is more. Maybe Gray can't handle a real relationship. 

Forced into therapy that she fights she finds herself in front of Dr. Daniel Harrison. Attracted to the handsome doctor, but he's trying to remain professional. Not if Gray has her way. Dr. Daniel has his own issues and by chance his family is brought into  Gray's life. Gray mothers a young neighbor girl, Alyssa. Alyssa befriends Daniel's sick niece. 

Forced together outside of the doctor's office and then willingly in his office can they fight what they feel?  There are morals and ethics at work here as well. Who will cross the line? Who will change where the line falls? Can tragedy bring them together or will it force them further apart? Where does Nathan fall into this situation?

Gray does want help deep down. Maybe Daniel can be her friend and help her unravel the tragedies of the past. A bittersweet story. I read this one from beginning to end with hardly a stopping point. I loved the characters. I look forward to more of this series. There are secrets and they're not all Gray's. You won't be able to get to the next book in this series fast enough. Trust me. 

"I'm talking about bold-faced lies that spill from my lips as easy as the breath from my lungs. Lies that ruin people, lies that protect people, lies for the hell of it. I eat, sleep, and drink lies. I bathe in deceit. At one point in my life, I might not have recognized the truth if it bent me over and slapped me on the ass....."

Thank you to Lia Fairchild for the opportunity to read an A.R.C. 

"Show Time" by Phil Harvey

" Do you think they'll do it?" Janice McNeeley said. She was staring a the #12 monitor. Jimmy Asaki looked up. "Yes," he said. They're starving......."

Picture where our world is headed. We, the viewing audience, spend an enormous amount of time watching reality television. Welcome to the future. Where money and high ratings are driving these television executives to come out with some ultimate adventure for the viewer. 

Seven people are going to be left on Peshekee Island in the middle of Lake Superior, which is wired for sound and cameras for the public's viewing pleasure. Everything they say and do will be watched on television for the next seven months. A $400,000.00 prize is at stake. That is if they can refrain from asking for help and survive each other. Reality t.v. and human survival. How far is too far? 

Meet the contestants: purposely picked for their problems and personalities with the hopes they'll be true to their nature and provide a good show. 

Ambrose- the 25 year old, married gambler. If he doesn't win his daughters life is at stake. 

Maureen- red head with a bad reputation for being easy with the men. 

Ashai - 40's the athletic photographer with the hard edges

Rudy- athletic, but hiding behind his ethnicity so people won't see the real him. 

Cecily -  who came to the game overweight, married with a daughter she doesn't deserve. 

Valentin - loaner, 19 years old, actor, easy target with secrets that could be their undoing. 

Ivan- former navy seal, crazy but reliable. 

The story even starts off with a shocking scene from day 198. Monitored by the world. People questioning will they or won't they. Well they do and they will. Then we jump back to day 1 and where it all began. Riveting from the first chapter you almost don't want to believe it. But then again, if you were on an island starving to death how far would you go?

We're not talking just a summer on an island. We're talking a winter where the temps are going to fall fifteen to twenty degrees below zero. Skills in camping, hiking, hunting and outdoor life is going to predict who survives or who doesn't. Or will it? Maybe someone is so intent on winning the money that anything goes. Of course they've been sent in with two guns and such different personalities. Bent on conflict so that the audience will enjoy the fight to survive among them. 

We follow each of them as they team up and separate. As they build their nests and look for food. As they eye each other and question everything about one another. Will they go so far to steal food from each other? Will they purposely start conflicts to keep the eyes on others and off of them and their behavior?

We learn about where each of them come from. What they're up against. What kind of people they are. How and why they came to be on this island. Everyone has a unique story to tell. 

Maybe the contestants have something secret up their sleeves. Something to cure their boredom and ignite their audience. After all if the audience loves them it could lead to all kinds of offers when they get home. They found an area and removed the spyware making it their very own secret place.

But while they're making their own plans about how things should go the producers back home are worried about their ratings and what is happening on the island. Unethical behavior can be found anywhere when it comes to money and the shows success. Some truly shocking moments here.

I was unable to stop reading this book from the minute I started the first chapter. Well written with continued twists throughout the story. I was so surprised by the first chapter alone that I just had to see where this was going. I enjoyed the characters. They felt real and with similar shows on television these days any one of these characters could have been a real person.  Horrifying and creepy. Welcome to paradise. Who wins? Who lives? Who dies? Are there no limits? What would you do for $400,000.00? 

Thank you to Netgalley and Lost Coast Press for the A.R.C. 

                                           Buy "Show Time" by Phil Harvey on Amazon: click here!

Happy November: coming up this month on Michelle's Book Ends!

I have 6 books lined up to be read and reviewed.. just a sneak peak so you can see what I'm working on for the month of November....I can't wait.. I'm already into 2 of the books here and look forward to everything on this months list. I hope you will be too. I hope you find something well worth reading! Feel free to send me suggestions as well!

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1.  Crashing: The Wedding by Kristen Hope Mazzola

 COVER REVEAL AND REVIEW ON NOVEMBER 15TH

 This book is going to release on the authors wedding day. Can we say sweet!

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2. Show Time by Phil Harvey

       

Buy "Show Time" by Phil Harvey on Amazon: click here!

from Amazon: 

Future viewing audiences have become totally desensitized to violence and entirely dependent on sensation to escape their boring workaday lives—an addiction nurtured by the media with graphic portrayals of war and crime and with so-called reality programming. Now, TV execs in pursuit of the only things they care about—higher ratings and bigger paychecks—have created the ultimate reality show: Seven people, each bearing the scars of his or her past, are deposited on an island in the middle of Lake Superior. Given some bare necessities and the promise of $400,000 each if they can endure, the three women and four men risk death by starvation or freezing as the Great Lakes winter approaches. The island is wired for sound, and flying drones provide the video feed, so everything the contestants do and say is broadcast worldwide. Their seven-month ordeal is entirely unscripted, they can’t ask for help or they forfeit the prize, and as far as the network is concerned—the fewer survivors the better.

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3.Compulsive (Liar Book 1) by Lia Fairchild 

                 

From Amazon:

I'm a liar.

I know what you're thinking. We're all liars. 

But, I'm not talking about the lie you tell your Aunt Helen when she gives you that crappy sweater for your birthday. Or, even the lie you tell yourself when you're sleeping with someone for all the wrong reasons. I'm talking about bold-faced lies that spill from my lips as easy as the breath from my lungs. Lies that ruin people, lies that protect people, lies for the hell of it. I eat, sleep, and drink lies. I bathe in deceit. At one point in my life, I might not have recognized the truth if it bent me over and slapped me on the ass. 

And sometimes, the chaos that is my life gets me in a whole hell of a lot of trouble. 

I was a master at keeping it all locked up inside me...until I met Dr. Daniel Harrison. 

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4. The Master of Whitehall: Katelyn's Chronicles (The Master of Whiehall, Book 1) by Rick H. Veal

Buy "The Master of Whitehall" Katelyn's Chronicles Book 1 on Amazon: click here!

From Amazon:

After the brutal murder of her parents, Katelyn Corbin, a thoroughly modern twenty-one year old college senior, faces the prospect of restarting her life. After arriving in Charleston, Katelyn meets James Dubois and soon falls madly in love with him. He is a handsome young widower and wealthy patron of her school with an old world aristocratic bearing. She is deeply intrigued by this mysterious man who lives alone in the beautifully restored colonial plantation of Whitehall Manor. 
But James is not the man she thinks he is. Dark secrets begin to come to the surface. Katelyn soon begins to develop a series of unsettling questions about her new love. She begins searching her own soul for answers, forcing her to question whether or not to continue their relationship. 
Katelyn confronts James with her questions and His confirmation validates her fears that he is indeed the man she fears him to be. His revelations shock her, forcing her to acknowledge things about herself and her world that she never thought possible. She discovers that old folklore and fairy-tales are real in a world where vampires live and love side by side with humans. 
Katelyn realizes she must make a choice. Does she continue her relationship with James, becoming a vampire herself and living with him forever, or does she walk away, remain human and live without him … is she really strong enough to make either choice? 

The Epic Saga of The Master of Whitehall is a timeless love story set in historic Charleston, South Carolina.

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5. Meditation Through Coloring

              
                         By River Grove Books

Buy "Meditations Through Coloring" on Amazon! click here

Yes, a coloring book. You'll just have to see some finished pages before you judge! There are lots of cool reasons to take up adult coloring.. more when I get to this review! Its my new hobby. I love it! You should take a look. You'd be surprised at how fast this is catching on. Grown ups new hobby world wide!
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6. Apostle by Lacey Crowe



From Goodreads:

Benji is plagued with an insatiable need to kill. By artistically displaying the corpses of his victims, he relishes in the belief he is immortalizing them while he feeds his inner monster. But the life of a serial killer is a lonely one, and sixteen-year-old drifter Beth has sparked in him a desire to fulfill the role of pernicious mentor. Benji teaches Beth to harness the thrill of human fear, to dominate, and to kill. As their partnership grows into a profound friendship, spanning three years, Beth begins to desire a deeper connection with the inept sociopath. The fantasy of romance seemingly one-sided, heartbroken Beth goes rogue. Set in Ontario in the early 1970s, when feminists, hippies and environmentalists swarmed; when peace was at the forefront and trust in a fellow stranger was normal, Beth has no idea how much danger she is in. 

Forced into a karmic situation, the story becomes one of consequence, repentance and self-realization.
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