September 2014 - A Life Through Books

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Contemporary Romance Giveaway

PROMO Blitz: Hometown Heroes Anthology #giveaway

PROMO Blitz: Hometown Heroes Anthology #giveaway
7:20 AM0 Comments


Hometown Heroes - Hotter Ever After
Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 9/30/14

photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

Available for a limited time at a discount of $1.99. All proceeds from this bundle benefit the Pets for Vets charity. The Pets for Vets program is dedicated to providing a second chance for shelter pets by rescuing, training and pairing them with America’s veterans who can benefit from a companion animal.

They’re all hometown heroes, guys from small towns who’ve made a name for themselves, big or small, who’ve withstood the odds and risen to the challenge, who are heroes in their own right.

Presenting a contemporary romance bundle of 16 novels with happily ever after endings, including previously published readers' favorites and brand-new material by USA Today Bestselling Authors: Melissa Schroeder, Lucy Monroe, and Nancy Warren
NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Sabrina York. Along with bestselling and award-winning authors Allie K. Adams, Destiny Blaine, Cathryn Cade, Jami Davenport, Kate Davies, Taryn Elliott &Cari Quinn, Rachel Grant, Sandy James, Adrianne Lee, Hildie McQueen, Katy Regnery, Sandy Sullivan.

Hometown Heroes Charity Bundle Facebook
Pets for Vets Facebook
Pets for Vets Website


photo JamiDavenport_HoetownHeroes_Bundle200_zpse22b58eb.jpg


A LITTLE HARMLESS SEX (Harmless, Book 1) by USA Today bestselling author Melissa Schroeder--When Anna falls for her best friend Max, it might be true love, or the biggest mistake of her life.

CHANGE THE GAME by USA Today bestselling author Lucy Monroe--Alex is looking for revenge.  Isabel is looking for a relationship without those pesky things called emotions.  Neither will get what they're looking for, but a whole lot more!

WILD RIDE (Changing Gears, Book 1) by USA Today bestselling author Nancy Warren--Trouble is piling up in the small town of Swiftcurrent, Oregon with hints of a treasure missing since WWII, a motorcycle riding bad boy history prof, a sexy librarian and a murder. It all adds up to a very Wild Ride.

HEARTBREAK ON A STICK by USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Sabrina York--When the man who broke her heart ten years ago suddenly returns to town—a hot shot movie star—Gina Fox is determined to avoid him. But for some reason, Jason Sherwood is pursuing her again. It is all she can do to resist his seductive wiles. But she must. Sexy Jason always has been heartbreak on a stick.

MADRONA SUNSET (Madrona Island) by bestselling author Jami Davenport--Meet a wounded warrior suffering from paralyzing guilt and a woman pining for her dead husband--both damaged souls craving comfort for a moment or a lifetime.

BRACE FOR IMPACT by bestselling author Allie K. Adams--Bush pilot Reid Cavanaugh’s life is turned upside down when he takes a fare that ends up driving his plane into the ground and him into the danger surrounding her. When he discovers that she’s a doctor—the only profession he hates more than lawyers—he knows better than to trust anything that falls from her sexy lips.

HONORABLE SACRIFICE by bestselling author Destiny Blaine--Hired to protect an affluent family with embarrassing secrets, Audra McAllister doesn’t believe in love until she reconnects with a small-town hero willing to risk everything to win Audra’s heart.

SHE'S WORTH IT ALL (Club 3, Book 4) by bestselling author Cathryn Cade--Mase Barnett is a hometown hero with a secret. Natalie Cusco has a broken heart only a strong man can heal. Will this wounded hero risk everything to show her she's worth it all?

DECEIVING DANTE by award-winning author Kate Davies--A stolen car on her front lawn. A sexy cop - looking to arrest her favorite student. A principal ready to fire her. Could Ellie's Monday get any worse?

ROCK, RATTLE AND ROLL (Lost in Oblivion, Book 1.5) by USA Today bestselling author Cari Quinn and bestselling author Taryn Elliott--A beachfront cottage, hours of alone time, and plenty of skin-on-skin action is just what the rock star and his new wife ordered. Until the future comes much quicker than they expected, threatening to crumble not only their perfect honeymoon but also their brand new marriage.

GRAVE DANGER by Golden Heart finalist Rachel Grant--An archaeologist digs up a murder victim in a Northwest archaeological site and must help the hunky local police chief solve the crime before she becomes the next victim.

TURNING THIRTY-TWELVE by award-winning author Sandy James--Jackie Delgado didn't want a new man in her life until a dreaded blind date with police detective Mark Brennan turns out to be more exciting than she'd ever imagined.

HIS ONLY DESIRE by Adrianne Lee-- Nick Rossetti married the wrong twin sister. Will the right one ever forgive him?  Not if her stalker has his way.

EVEN HEROES CRY by Hildie McQueen--War widow Tesha Washington slowly draws Adam Ford out of the shell that used to be a man, and learns there really is such a thing as starting over.

THE VIXEN & THE VET by bestselling author Katy Regnery--In a Beauty & the Beast reboot, an ambitious reporter tracks down a wounded war vet for a scoop and ends up falling in love with him instead.

TROUBLE WITH A COWBOY by Sandy Sullivan--Can some slashed tires and an ornery bull bring two hard-headed people together for some fun in the sun...and a little more?



photo PetsforVetsLogo_zps687233d1.jpg



Buy Links

Amazon

Smashwords

iBooks

Barnes and Noble


GIVEAWAY

$20 Amazon gift card, and one of Jami Davenport’s ebooks of choice



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Read more »
Reading Time:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Blog Tour Contemporary

Blog Tour: Backstrokes by @4DylanMadrid #excerpt #giveaway

Blog Tour: Backstrokes by @4DylanMadrid #excerpt #giveaway
6:58 AM0 Comments


Gay / Contemporary Romance
Date Published: June 15, 2014

After almost being expelled from a prestigious Chicago music conservatory for a prank gone wrong, twenty-two-year-old pianist Crawford Paul returns home to Northern California for what he predicts will be another boring summer. Concerned his scholarship is now at risk, Crawford accepts the only job he can find: accompanying a glamorous seven-year-old named Isabella to a community swimming pool for lessons. There, Crawford is befriended by a nanny named Nina, an aspiring fashion designer who finds it difficult to hide her disdain for children.
When Crawford meets Armando Leon, a lifeguard and Isabella's swimming instructor, he accepts Armando's offer to help him overcome his fear of water by way of private swimming lessons. As friendship turns into a summer affair, their lust for one another turns to love. When Crawford receives a chance of a lifetime audition, he is torn between returning to Chicago or staying in California to start a new life with Armando. As the end of the summer inches closer, Crawford and Armando fear they will be separated forever.


Excerpt
Crawford arrived five minutes past midnight. The temperature had dropped, a slight chill in the night air.
Armando was standing in the center of a circle of light, a white moonlike glow cast from a streetlamp outside of the pool building. He smiled when he saw Crawford and was still
smiling as they met in the ring of light.
“I didn’t think you’d come,” Armando said.
“Then you don’t know me very well,” Crawford told him.
“I’d like the chance to change that.”
“What do you have planned?”
“How daring are you?” Armando asked.
“Be careful,” Crawford said. “The last time I was dared to do something I was almost expelled from school.”
Armando smiled. “Have you always been this rebellious?”
Crawford laughed a little. “I’m actually not,” he said. “Until I spray painted a wall and got caught, I’d never done anything wrong or rebellious in my life.”
“I don’t want to be a bad influence on you.”
Crawford stepped forward. He kissed Armando’s neck and said, “Too late.”
Minutes later, they crawled through a hole in the fence near the pine trees. Except for moonlight and spill-off from streetlamps, the pool area was dark.
This place looks completely different at night. Creepy.
“You look scared,” Armando said.
“You know how I’m afraid of water?” he said. “I have a similar fear of dark places.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
They stood together on the edge of the pool, staring down at the deep end at their feet. To Crawford’s surprise, Armando started to undress. Within seconds, he’d stripped down to nothing but a pair of boxers.
Crawford kicked off his shoes and peeled off his socks. He wiggled his toes against the cool concrete. He slipped off his jean jacket and then his T-shirt. All that remained were his favorite pair of khaki shorts.
“What are we going to do?” Armando asked.
Crawford was confused by the question. “About what?”he asked.
“Us. The end of summer,” said Armando. “It will be here before we know it. Everything worked out for you. I know you’ll be going back to school soon.”
Crawford nodded. “In five weeks.”
He could hear the hurt in Armando’s words. “That’s all we have left together?”
I’m not sure what he’s asking me. I wish I knew how to answer his question.
“I don’t know,” he said, because it was the truth.
The hope returned to Armando’s voice. “You mean you’ve thought about staying?”
“Yes,” said Crawford, thinking back for a brief moment to the conversation he’d had with his mother days before. “I just don’t know how.”
Armando reached for his hand again and squeezed it tight. “Crawford, I would never ask you to give up your dream for me,” he said. “I know how much you love music.”
Crawford took a breath before he said the words he’d been dying to say for weeks. “But I also know how much…I love you.”
The world stopped for a second. Everything was still. The branches of the trees. The chain link fence. The smooth surface of the dark pool. The air between them.
He saw tears forming in Armando’s eyes. “You just said…wow…,” he stammered. “I love you, too.”
Crawford grinned and let out a loose laugh. “Say it again,” he said.
Armando smiled and asked, “You want me to?”
“Yes, but even louder this time,” he said. “Maybe Shelley’s still in her office and she’ll hear you.”
“I don’t care if the whole world does.”
“You sure about that?”
“More certain than anything in my entire life.” Armando reached for Crawford, pulling him into his arms. Their bodies touched and the sensation of skin on skin felt electric.




Dylan Madrid is the bestselling author of the gay romance and suspense novels Mind Fields, Love in the Shadows, Backstrokes, and Star Dust Lullaby. A California native, Dylan grew up in the Bay Area. He opted to backpack through seven countries before heading to college and spent a year living in Europe, primarily on the Greek island of Ios. When he's not dreaming about living on the Italian Riviera or running away to Belgium, Dylan teaches college courses in writing and the arts.

Twitter: @4DylanMadrid
Instagram: @AuthorDylanMadrid
Read more »
Reading Time:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Blog Tour Book Review

Blog Tour: Eternal Mixture by @shevaundelucia1 #review

Blog Tour: Eternal Mixture by @shevaundelucia1 #review
5:53 AM0 Comments


Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Date Published: 11/1/2013

If you had the chance to start your life over, would you take it? If you were told you would live for eternity, would you embrace it? If a stranger told you he was your soul mate, would you believe it?

Raina Richmond has played it safe her entire life. She has never broken the rules. That is, until Brent Alexander walked straight into her life, causing havoc. Turning her world upside down.

Brent is the new kid in town. He is every girl’s fantasy: adorable, charming, chiseled, and the typical boy Raina usually steers clear of. But there is just something about him she can’t seem to resist. Safe is no longer an option for her. For him, she breaks all the rules.
What she doesn’t realize is that he holds the key to her past, present, and future. Once he reveals the reasons behind their irrevocable connection, she will unlock the answers to all of her questions, and her life as she knows it will never be the same again.



Review
This is a definite must reads for fans of Young Adult Paranormal novels like Evermore. There is the whole Soul-Mate aspect which yes, some people tend to get frustrated by, but I honestly think it is such an amazingly romantic thought. 

 The one thing that I found lacking in this novel was any real dilemma or climax. The story really seems to focus on Raina and Brent and their romance, which hey, I'm not complaining, I love that in my stories, but I just wanted a little more from the plot. 




Shevaun DeLucia

 Shevaun DeLucia lives in upstate New York with her husband, four children, and two dogs. As a stay-at-home mom while her children were young, she fell in love with reading. She indulged in the small moments that took her away from the reality of her loud, overly rambunctious household, bringing her into a world of fantasy. When reading wasn’t enough to satisfy her, she turned to writing, determined to create the perfect ending of her own.

Twitter: @shevaundelucia1
Read more »
Reading Time:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,

Monday, September 22, 2014

Blog Tour Book Review

Blog Tour: The Sanctum: The Boy by @madhuriblaylock #review #giveaway

Blog Tour: The Sanctum: The Boy by @madhuriblaylock #review #giveaway
6:41 AM1 Comments


(The Sanctum Trilogy, Book II)


Paranormal
Date Published: May 15, 2014
   
In THE GIRL, Madhuri Blaylock introduced readers to the world of The Sanctum, one corrupted by greed and savagery and hellbent on achieving a single goal: destroying the prophesied hybrid. When one of its most celebrated warriors questioned his allegiances, age-old secrets were unveiled and violence erupted. The journey becomes more perilous and intense as the trilogy surges forward with THE BOY.

 Can you cross the plains of death, collect every piece of your soul and make it back to the land of the living?

 And if you complete the journey, will your loved ones welcome your return?

 The Ramyan have been answering such questions since the creation of The Sanctum. A mysterious sect of Magicals, haunting the blank spaces of time and memory, they serve no one but themselves and their higher purpose. They exist on a plane removed from earthly matters, shifting easily between the living and the dead, moving in time to the beat of their own drummer.

 At least they did.

 Dev and Wyatt change all of that when the prophesied hybrid lands on the steps of Rinshun Palace, seeking help for the wounded Class A Warrior. That decision alters lives and sets old agendas back on course. But at what cost to Dev and Wyatt? And does that really even matter?



BUY LINK
Review

What a wonderful job by Madhuri Blaylock on building from one book to the other. I really felt like this novel was a step up in so many ways. 

 I loved the evolution of the characters! The relationships all progress as well. 

 This is honestly just a very well thought out Paranormal series in every way and I can't wait to read the last one! 



Madhuri is a Jersey City Heights girl via Snellville, Georgia, who writes paranormal fiction and is slightly infatuated with tattoos, four-inch heels, ice cream, Matt Damon, scotch, Doc Martens, Laini Taylor, photo booths and dancing like a fool.
She's currently working on The Sanctum trilogy and hopes one day soon, everyone is walking around with copies of The Girl and The Boy in their pocket or on their Kindle.
She wants to get a goat and a burro, but since she lives in the city, will settle for some chickens.
To learn more about her, you can follow her blog at madhuriblaylock.wordpress.com, follow her on Twitter at @madhuriblaylock or like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesanctumtrilogy.

She's totally chatty so drop her a line any time.



Twitter: @madhuriblaylock




a Rafflecopter giveaway
Read more »
Reading Time:
Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , ,

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Blog Tour Book Review

Blog Tour: The Burden of Souls #review

Blog Tour: The Burden of Souls #review
1:30 PM0 Comments


Sci-Fi / Dark Fantasy
Date Published:September 2014

  Small Town, Dark Heart…
A long way from anywhere, on a road going nowhere, lays a small, unremarkable town. It seems a peaceable, prosperous little place, on the surface at least.
Away from prying eyes however, in the shadows and the forgotten corners, there is a web being weaved through the lives of its inhabitants by the town’s urbane and mysterious Mayor. A man prepared to make a deal for your heart's desire and, maybe, for your very soul…
Welcome to Hawker’s Drift, a town where nothing is quite as it seems…
BUY LINK

Review

Believeable and Relatable characters really help to captivate the reader and get them invested in the happenings of this story. 

There are some grittier topics and this story is not for the faint of heart. 

A great Fantasy Novel that delves deeper than most.


Andy Monk lives in London with his partner and their goldfish.
After a high-flying academic career and glittering success in professional sport, followed by a jet-set lifestyle of wild parties, exotic holidays and beautiful women, he settled down to write internationally acclaimed best-selling novels.
Andy Monk has a tendency to exaggerate and has an occasionally tenuous grip on reality.
He does, however, have a goldfish.
Read more »
Reading Time:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Blog Tour Book Review

Blog Tour: Black Hole Bounty by @Sienna_Bronwyn #giveaway #review

Blog Tour: Black Hole Bounty by @Sienna_Bronwyn #giveaway #review
6:49 AM0 Comments


Sci-Fi Romance
Date Published: August 19, 2014
   
Destiny is written in the stars? Maybe, but when you’re in a black hole you make your own damn destiny.

 It’s not every day you get abducted by an alien general, but then, Jerusa Whichab isn’t having an average day. Earth is fading from view and she’s got a decision to make—cooperate with her despotic, yet unnervingly attractive captor or receive an injection of goo. General Toyeb can’t be trusted, and his body-healing, mind-blowing Theta waves leave her panting for more. But what choice does she have if she’s to stay alive?   
None, if enemy bounty hunter Berwyck dal Korth has his way. Intent on capturing Jerusa, he performs a binding ritual to ensure she cannot escape him—a ritual with unforeseen side effects for both of them. Forced into hostile proximity, Berwyck and Jerusa battle to subdue their rising attraction, but will they conquer their desire—or succumb?


BUY LINK
Review

 I think this was an imaginative Sci-Fi. It was different than other novels I have read recently and really showed the authors uniqueness. 

 The characters were well developed, even though they were flawed in a good way. I would have liked for Jerusa to show a little more backbone in places, but I understood her reluctance.

 There are some very steamy scenes and this is most definitely an adult romance.

 Fans be warned there is a cliffhanger and you will be ready for book #2 ASAP! 



I grew up in tropical Panama, where the confluence of sea, sand, and too much coconut water converged to inspire me with wander lust. I’ve lived on three different continents and done a few things I hope my children never find out about—or my mother for that matter! I am now settled in the congealed climes of northern Britain, where cold nights, dark skies and a perfect view of the stars have inspired my imagination to wander farther than ever before. Space fascinates me, and I love thinking up different planets and creating characters who don’t meet the traditional view of heroes or heroines, people who have to overcome their prejudices or battle the odds to find their happy every after—with a few sexy surprises thrown in!    

Twitter: @Sienna_Bronwyn
Read more »
Reading Time:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Monday, September 15, 2014

Giveaway PROMO

PROMO: Thrills and Suspense #LFFF #giveaway

PROMO: Thrills and Suspense #LFFF #giveaway
1:00 AM 2 Comments


Suspense/Thriller
Captured Lies by Maggie Thom (October 2012)
Darkness Follows by Emerald O'Brien (May 2014)
The Feeder by Mandy White (December 2013)
First to Fall by Carys Jones (August 2014)

Website

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LIE

She was kidnapped not once but twice and now someone wants her dead because of it... #LFFF @MaggieThom2

Purchase Captured Lies by Maggie Thom for only 99 cents by clicking HERE!



She was kidnapped not once but twice and now someone wants her dead because of it....

Her life was a lie!

Bailey knew her upbringing wasn’t normal but she’s worked hard to stabilize her life. At 29, she finally has a good business, a stable home; her life is miles from that of her childhood. Then suddenly her mother dies, leaving a gaping hole and a discovery that they may not even be related. If Guy, the private investigator is to be believed, her life is a lie. Using the skills she learned on the streets, Bailey travels back through a sketchy and dangerous past, to find answers. Dodging bullets, staying ahead of those who want her dead and convincing Guy she can do it alone, are making it difficult to discover not only the secrets of her mother’s past but that of a family claiming she is theirs.

Everyone seems to have a story... but who’s telling the truth? And who wants her dead? Is Guy part of the solution? Or part of the problem? To discover the facts, she’ll have to untangle a web of deceit, lies, and secrets, dating back over thirty years.

But can she do it in time...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FEED

Grief transforms a law-abiding citizen into a serial killer on a quest for vengeance. #LFFF @Mandywrite

Purchase The Feeder by Mandy White for only 99 cents by clicking HERE!



Grief transforms a law-abiding citizen into a serial killer on a quest for vengeance. Is it possible to return to a ‘normal’ life after committing acts most unspeakable?

A killer stalks the streets of Los Angeles. Victims of the butcher known as ‘The Feeder’ are mutilated while still alive, with parts severed and inserted in their mouths.

When Camille places a drunken birthday phone call to her twin, Sammie becomes worried about her safety and flies to Los Angeles to bring her home. After finding the aspiring actress-turned-prostitute slaughtered in a hotel room, grief-stricken Sammie steps into the role of copycat killer. Suspecting that the killer is Camille’s abusive boyfriend, Sammie embarks on a bloody quest for revenge, copying the modus operandi of a brutal serial killer known as The Feeder. Walking the streets disguised as Camille, Sammie resolves to lure the real Feeder out of hiding. Sammie seeks out drug dealers, pimps, rapists – all men who caused harm to Camille. The men are found disemboweled, force-fed their own genitalia and carved up like human Picassos. The bloodbath will not end until Camille’s murder has been avenged.

The Feeder gives brutality a new meaning…

Warning:
If you are offended by obscene language, graphic violence and scenes of mutilation, then this is NOT the book for you! Read at your own discretion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FOLLOW

What if the hiding spot you escape to becomes more dangerous than the place you ran from? #LFFF @EmeraldOBrien_

Purchase Darkness Follows by Emerald O'Brien for only 99 cents by clicking HERE!



What if the hiding spot you escape to becomes more dangerous than the place you ran from? Aurina Patrick is an ambitious young woman, whose only mistake was letting someone get too close. The day she is brought into the police department for questioning, her life changes forever. When Aurina discovers that someone she trusts has involved her in a series of murder investigations, her sister Ryanne joins her in a search for the truth. As the situation unravels, the Patrick sisters realize their lives could be in jeopardy. When the sisters are taken to a remote location, the struggle for safety truly begins.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FALL

Aiden Connelly’s first case will be one he’ll never forget. #LFFF @tiny_dancer85

Purchase First to Fall by Carys Jones for only 99 cents by clicking HERE!



Aiden Connelly’s first case…

Lawyer Aiden Connelly has traded the frenzy of Chicago for a slower pace in sleepy Avalon – and his first case appears to be as open-and-shut as he could hope for. Hired to defend a local ex-beauty queen accused of murdering her husband, he’s confident that he’ll have the case closed in record time. But below the surface lurks a darker truth…

Will be one he’ll never forget.

Suddenly, a quiet backwater has transformed into a dangerous pressure cooker. In a town where everyone knows everyone, gathering evidence should be easy… but the harder Aiden searches, the more he appreciates how tangled this net of loyalties is. And as he digs deeper, Aiden begins to realise that his very first case in Avalon could be the beginning of his undoing…





photo readingaddictionbutton_zps58fd99d6.png
Read more »
Reading Time:
Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels: , , ,