4 SOME KIND OF MAGIC Release Day Blitz

I'm thrilled to be taking part in Mary Ann Marlowe's Release Blitz for her debut, SOME KIND OF MAGIC! Check out the teaser excerpt, and be sure to enter the giveaway below.


 SOME KIND OF MAGIC

by Mary Ann Marlowe Publisher: Kensington Publication Date: January 31, 2017

"An amazing first novel." —Sydney Landon, New York Times bestselling author In this sparkling debut novel, Mary Ann Marlowe introduces a hapless scientist who's swept off her feet by a rock star—but is it love or just a chemical reaction?... Biochemist Eden Sinclair has no idea that the scent she spritzed on herself before leaving the lab is designed to enhance pheromones. Or that the cute, grungy-looking guy she meets at a gig that evening is Adam Copeland. As in the Adam Copelandinternational rock god and object of lust for a million women. Make that a million and one. By the time she learns the truth, she s already spent the (amazing, incredible) night in his bed. Suddenly Eden, who's more accustomed to being set up on disastrous dates by her mom, is going out with a gorgeous celebrity who loves how down-to-earth and honest she is. But for once, Eden isn't being honest. She can't bear to reveal that this overpowering attraction could be nothing more than seduction by science. And theonly way to know how Adam truly feels is to ditch the perfume—and risk being ditched in turn. Smart, witty, and sexy, Some Kind of Magic is an irresistibly engaging look at modern relationships why we fall, how we connect, and the courage it takes to trust in something as mysterious and unpredictable as love.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Excerpt from SOME KIND OF MAGIC

I scanned the rest of the room. I wasnǯt surprised to see he had a turntable. Micah had been buying vinyl for years. An entertainment unit held a wide-screen TV and a stack of DVDs. I walked over to check out his movie collection. ANetflix envelope sat on top, and I read the address. The name rang a bell. DzAdam Copeland?dzThen I remembered. Stacy and Kelly had crushed on a rock singer with the same name for a few weeks last summer, another impossibly hot guy with red hair. No, wait, that was a different band. I could never keep their celebrity crushes straight. My eyes went wide. What if this was that same guy? They would die. He was a musician, after all. A wave of nausea crested as I took in my surroundings. The guy certainly had money. Adam glanced up from a stack of records and caught me staring at him. DzWhat?dzDzYour name is Adam Copeland?dz My mind raced. The apartment was his parentsǯ, so the money was probably his parentsǯ, too. If he was a rock star, wouldnǯt he have some lavish penthouse overlooking Central Park? He went back to flipping through albums, nonplussed. DzOh, yeah.dzI narrowed my eyes. If I asked him straight up, heǯd think I was crazy, so I casually sauntered over to the side of his bed and leaned back, facing him. I picked at the hem of my shirt, and then, as though I was teasing, I tested the waters. DzSo, does everyone ask you if youǯre any relation to that guy from that band?dzDzHuh?dz He pulled out a Van Morrison album and then dropped it back down, still on the search for whatever he was looking for. Then it hit me. DzOh, God. Iǯm sorry. It must be an incredibly common name.dzHe froze in place like a deer caught in the headlights, like he had no idea what I was talking about. This was embarrassing. Awkwardly, I fumbled for an explanation, rambling. DzYou know that band? They have a song that gets played about a million times an hour.dzOn the spot, I couldnǯt even remember the bandǯs name. I scraped my brain, tapping my fingers on the bed post. It came to me out of nowhere. DzWalking Disaster!dz
Adam rolled his eyes. DzRiiiight.dz He settled on an album and slid the vinyl record from the sleeve. I hoped I hadnǯt offended him somehow. Maybe it was an irritating comparison. If someone famous had my name, Iǯd find it annoying. What was I thinking? As if some famous musician would just hang out at a club and buy me beers. And flirt. Heǯd definitely been flirting with me. Guys within my limited reach rarely bought me beers and flirted. How much chance would I have with a freaking rock star? I laughed at myself for losing my head temporarily. Unfazed, Adam dropped an album onto the turntable. I smiled as a dead sexy Arctic Monkeys song started. DzI love this song!dzHe sidled up next to me and bumped me with his shoulder. DzSo you like that band, Walking Disaster?dzWas this a litmus-test question? Like asking someone if they like Nickelback? What if he had a checklist, too? What if he only liked girls who listened to the Dzrightdz music and immediately disdained girls who listened to whatever he found uncool? And why did I suddenly care what kind of girls he might like? I shrugged, reaching for a safe nonchalant answer. DzI donǯt normally listen to them unless they come on the radio. I donǯt intentionally listen to much current rock music, except for Micahǯs. But my coworkers gush about that band. They tried to drag me out to see them just recently.dzDzBut you didnǯt want to go?dzDzNo, I wouldǯve gone. But it was at the Meadowlands, and it was a weeknight. I had to get up early the next day.dzDzTo make perfume, right?dz He leaned closer and breathed in. DzWhatǯs the name of this one?dzDzOh, I donǯt know.dzDzMmm. You should call it ǮIrresistible.ǯ It smells nice.dz He lifted my hand and laid a kiss against my wrist. My brain told me I should leave. I barely knew him. But I didnǯt want to leave. Adamǯs lips felt so good against my skin. His dark eyes sought mine, looking for permission, maybe. The naked desire etched on his face sent a tingle through me. I wanted to feel his lips on mine, but he held back, so I bent toward him. He kissed me soft, and I tasted the hint of Jamaican spiced rum.
He broke away and drew back, so close but too far away. His eyes pierced mine, and his breathing hitched, but he hesitated. I felt tethered there, unable to move back, wanting to move forward. I reached up to touch the stubble on his cheek, then that cord on his neck Iǯd wanted to touch earlier. Without another thought, I twisted my fingers in his hair and pulled him back to me.

Be sure to add SOME KIND OF MAGIC to your Goodreads to-read list, and grab your copy today!

About Mary Ann Marlowe

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Some Kind of Magic is Mary Ann Marloweǯs first novel. When not writing, she works by day as a computer programmer/DBA. She spent ten years as a university-level French professor, and her resume includes stints as an au pair in Calais, a hotel intern in Paris, a German tutor, a college radio disc jockey, and a webmaster for several online musician fandoms, plus she has a second-degree black belt. She has lived in twelve states and three countries and loves to travel. She now lives in central Virginia where she is hard at work on her second novel. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.maryannmarlowe.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

Giveaway

One winner will receive a $50 Amazon OR Book Depository Gift Card (International). Three winners will win a signed copy of SOME KIND OF MAGIC (US only). a Rafflecopter giveaway

0 Last Week In Review (36)

Currently Reading

The Book Thieves: The Nazi Looting of Europe's Libraries and the Race to Return A Literary Inheritance

Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham

What I Finished

Wintersong by S. Jae Jones

Southern Gothic by Dale Wiley

The Art of the Affair by Catherine Lacey and Forsyth Harmon

What I Watched

My TBR Pile

The Gentleman (audiobook) by Forrest Leo

In This Life by Christine Brae

In the Shadow of Lakecrest by Elizabeth Blackwell

Not Pictured: Around the World in 80 Tales

New Books

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Sanders
The Arrangement by Ashley Warlick
Dream Magic by Joshua Kahn
The Good Widow by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
A Death by Any Other Name by Tessa Arlen
The Book Thieves by Anders Rydell

What are you watching?

0 SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE NINE-DRAGON SIGIL Excerpt and #Giveaway

A new adventure awaits Holmes and Watson

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE
NINE-DRAGON SIGIL
Tim Symonds

Genre: Mystery and Thriller
Publisher: MX Publishing
Add to Goodreads

It's the year 1907.

Rumours abound that a deadly plot is hatching - not in the fog-ridden back-alleys of London's Limehouse district or the sinister Devon moors of the Hound of the Baskervilles but in faraway Peking. Holmes's task - discover whether such a plot exists and if so, foil it. But are the assassins targeting the young and progressive Ch'ing Emperor or his imperious aunt, the fearsome Empress Dowager Cixi? The murder of either could spark a civil war. The fate of China and the interests of Britain's vast Empire in the Orient could be at stake.

Holmes and Watson take up the mission with their customary confidence – until they find they are no longer in the familiar landscapes of Edwardian England. Instead, they tumble into the Alice In Wonderland world of the Forbidden City.

Purchase Links:

Amazon (Print) | Amazon (Kindle) | MX Publishing

Excerpt

At last the plot commences…

Peking. The following morning my medical services were called upon in a most unexpected way. I dropped in on Holmes to tell him about it. Although it was by now mid-day my comrade was still in his purple dressing-gown, seated cross-legged on a hard, flat cushion covering a kang, a long rectangular fireproof brick structure the height of a bed. Ancient Egypt was engaging his interest. Not content with learning the six fiendishly difficult types of Chinese logographs, the book he held indicated he was now deep into the Coptic script. 

A hand appeared from one side of the book waving me to a sofa. ‘I trust your morning has been of interest?’ I ventured.  He continued to attend to matters Coptic.  With a soupçon of self-importance I said, ‘Certainly mine has been of great interest. I have just returned from treating a patient.’ ‘Indeed?’ came the muffled reply. ‘How unusual for a medical doctor. Did you know that Coptic and Demotic Egyptian are grammatically closely related to Late Egyptian?’ ‘A rather important patient,’ I retaliated.  I waited a moment or two.  ‘My patient,’ I added, ‘was the ninth Ch’ing emperor to rule over China.’ My comrade managed another ‘Indeed?’ without a sideways or downward movement of the book. ‘Yes, the Kuang-hsü Emperor himself,’ I continued.

The book moved sideways a fraction.  ‘I deduce,’ Holmes responded, ‘you intend to throw aside all concern for your Royal patient’s confidentiality. Given the undeniable truth of the Watson family byword, that ‘brevity is the soul of wit’, I shall ask for what ailment?’ ‘A broken eardrum,’ I replied. ‘Suffered only this morning. Aboard his steam launch. Luckily my otoscope survived the long journey here. I’ve patched up the ear with cotton-wool and a bandage and told him to rest for a few days.’ 

I related how a young eunuch wearing the crystal button and feather of the fourth rank had arrived at the end of my morning surgery. The Emperor needed me at once. A covered litter waited in a nearby alley to take me incognito to his Palace. Secrecy was enhanced by a long, heavy, white silk Chinese gown to cover my European clothes and a hat with an attached false pigtail.  ‘I felt like a Jesuit,’ I joked. I described how I had worried that if the Son of Heaven’s sudden affliction meant he was beyond remedy, western medicine would be held to blame if he passed on to the Nine Springs on my watch. Instead, I had found the slight and elegant, if dishevelled figure lying on a splendid couch inlaid with cloisonné, both hands cupped around an ear. The young eunuch was winding the royal pig-tail around the Emperor’s head to keep his hair out of the way for my inspection. When his master turned his head completely around I saw the whole of one side of the face was scorched. Small pieces of black feathers had attached themselves to skin and hair. 

‘Holmes,’ I continued, ‘you’d never guess in a thousand years how his ear came to be ruptured.’  My old comrade had a clutch of ways to pull down the house curtain when he wished to be left alone. He murmured, ‘Good of you to warn me, Watson. I doubt if I shall live that long. You have saved me that much time trying to think up the answer.’  The book on Coptic script moved back into place.

I eased myself forward from the comfortable sofa and stood up. With Holmes in such a non-communicative mood there was nothing else for it but to return to my own quarters and continue writing up my Nature notes for Sir Edward Grey. I wouldn’t need to see the Emperor for a day or two. The bandage should help keep the eardrum dry and ward off infection. At most he would suffer hearing loss in the damaged ear until the membrane re-sealed. At the door I mused aloud, ‘The Emperor suffering a broken eardrum is quite a coincidence. He’s the second such patient in as many days. I’ve never attended two patients for this affliction so close together, other than in battle.’

The book fell forward.  ‘A second person?’ Holmes asked. ‘Tut, tut, Watson! Why didn’t you tell me this immediately?’ ‘No more than an odd coincidence,’ I protested. ‘Odd coincidences should be noted with special attention,’ came the instant reply. ‘Tell me more.’ The sudden interest took me aback. Was this Holmes at his sardonic worst?  Warily I repeated, ‘Two in as many days. Yesterday I treated one of the small eunuchs for exactly the same trauma.’ ‘How did it come about?’ Holmes asked, with a keen look. ‘The eunuch’s injury.’ ‘A sharp cuff for misbehaving. People don’t realize how easy it is to…’

‘And the Emperor?’ Holmes interrupted. ‘How was his eardrum broken?’ ‘He was attacked by a crow.’ Holmes brow furrowed. ‘How exactly would a crow… I presume the fellow didn’t let a crow sit on his shoulder and peck through an eardrum?’ ‘An exploding crow. No doubt launched by misguided youths. For amusement the young eunuchs trap crows and attach exploding bamboos to the birds’ legs,’ I explained. ‘‘Exploding bamboos’ is their name for firecrackers. The fuse is lit and the crow released. The wretched animal thinks it’s free and flies straight up into the air. When it gets to about sixty yards into the sky the firecracker detonates, blowing it to pieces. It crashes to the ground, followed by a shower of black feathers. I saw one dispatched this way the other day.’  ‘If the crow flies straight up…’ Holmes began, ‘…how did the one which attacked…?’   ‘In the Emperor’s case it didn’t fly upwards. It flew straight to him and landed on his shoulder at the very moment the firecracker went off.’ As I spoke the words ‘the firecracker went off’ Holmes’s lips tightened. His nostrils quivered. 

‘And you say the eunuch’s eardrum was broken by a hard cuffing. Do you know who administered it?’ ‘The E-D’s Chief Eunuch Li Lien-ying.’ Like a spring uncoiling Holmes leapt off the kang. He snatched his outdoor cape from the hat-stand.  ‘Watson,’ he shouted, ‘take me to the Emperor - at once!’

I snorted. ‘My dear fellow, ‘I told him, ‘I realize you’ve been hanging around a lot, waiting for something to happen, but for heaven’s sake don’t start clutching at straws. If the crow was meant to kill the Son of Heaven, I can tell you in two words why it would have to be a plot devized by the most incompetent assassins in all history!’ ‘And those two words?’ ‘Black powder. The firework was filled with black powder. That alone militates against an assassination plot. Most of China’s assassins have been trained by Russian anarchists in Białystok bomb laboratories. Anyone with the slightest knowledge of explosives knows black powder creates a powerful blast of air – enough to break an eardrum – but it would never have sufficient explosive force to kill.’ 

‘Watson,’ came the sharp reply, ‘by now you should know there is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact. If I can question the Emperor we may hit upon other ‘obvious facts’ which may by no means have been evident to you.’  At this he swept out of the door.

I called out, ‘Aren’t you a little quick in forming your conclusions? And shouldn’t you change your clothing? That dressing-gown is sticking out from under your cape.’ The words came back, ‘I repeat, Watson, take me to the Emperor - into your coat and come!’ followed by ‘I need to hear the man’s own account of the matter.’ With excitement in his voice, those familiar ever-wonderful words came floating back: ‘Methinks at last the game’s afoot!’

Giveaway

Enter here for a chance to win $10 Amazon Gift Card.

About Tim Symonds

Tim Symonds was born in London, England, and grew up in Somerset, Dorset and the Channel Island of Guernsey, off the coast of Normandy. After spending his late teens farming in the Kenya Highlands and driving bulldozers along the Zambezi River, he moved to California and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA with an honours degree in Politics.

He lives in the ancient woodland known as the High Weald of Sussex, where the events recounted in Sherlock Holmes and The Dead Boer at Scotney Castle took place. His second novel, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Bulgarian Codex (MX Publishing 2012), took Holmes and Watson into the very depths of the Balkans in 1900. Holmes and Watson were back in the region – Serbia - in Sherlock Holmes And The Mystery of Einstein’s Daughter (MX Publishing 2014), and not long afterwards in ‘Stamboul’ investigating a plot against the despotic Sultan, in Sherlock Holmes And The Sword of Osman (MX Publishing 2015).

Official Tim Symonds website: http://tim-symonds.co.uk/

Book Tour Schedule

Follow the book tour. Ongoing till February 4, 2017.

Get tidbits, excerpts and other interesting, never before published articles about the book. Click here for the latest tour schedule.

---

In partnership with

0 Review: Batgirl at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee

Title: Batgirl at Super Hero High (DC Super Hero Girls #3)

Author: Lisa Yee

Publisher: Random House Kids

Published: January 3, 2017

Hardcover, 240 pages

ISBN: 9781101960655

Genre: Children's Middle Grade

Source: Published

Summary:

Get your cape on with the DC Super Hero Girls the unprecedented new Super Hero universe especially for girls! Readers of all ages can fly high with the all-new adventures of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, and some of the world s most iconic female super heroes as high schoolers!
Batgirl has always hidden in the shadows but does she have what it takes to stand in the spotlight at Super Hero High?
Barbara Gordon has always been an off-the-charts, just-forget-about-the-test super-genius and tech whiz, and then she gets the offer of a lifetime when Supergirl recognizes that Barbara s talents make her an ideal candidate for Super Hero High. Donning the cape and cowl, Barbara Gordon becomes Batgirl, ready to train at the most elite school on the planet, next to some of the most powerful teenagers in the galaxy. She s always had the heart of a hero . . . but now she ll have to prove that she can be one. Good thing she loves a challenge!
Award-winning author Lisa Yee brings mystery, thrills, and laughs to this groundbreaking series that follows DC Comics most iconic female Super Heroes and Super-Villains. Move over Batman and Superman the DC Super Hero Girls are ready to save the day and have fun doing it!

My Thoughts:

Holy girl power, Batman! Lisa Yee has done it again. The multi-talented Lisa Yee has authored another book in the DC Super Hero series. This is a great series for middle grade students who love super heroes! The first novel landed in 2016 featuring Wonder Woman's story, the second book came in the summer of 2016 featuring Supergirl. Batgirl at Super Hero High continues the series and the story line for the kids at Super Hero High.

Before the supers was separated into villains and heroes, they first went to high school. And like everyone, they were trying to find their place in the world. Batgirl and Supergirl are besties. They want nothing more than to attend the same school. Barbara aka Batgirl does not have super powers, though she's pretty quick on her feet, and feels like she doesn't belong at Super Hero High. Not to mention her dad, Commissioner Gordon, doesn't want her to attend the school. But Batgirl is determined to keep up with the rest of the students. Things seem to be going in her favor until a computer virus threatens to undo all of Batgirl's hard work.

This is a great series for young girls. It's girl power at its finest. Batgirl exhibits perseverance, intelligence, a can-do attitude, and the power of friendship that will make you wish you were a student at SHH. Lisa Yee has tapped into something that the literary world has needed for girls. My daughter and I both love this series. I can't wait to read Katana's story next.

4 Christine Brae is thrilled about 2017. Find out why. Plus a #giveaway

In This Life follows the story of Anna Dillon, who wants to escape her busy life in New York City before she starts medical school in the spring. She ends up volunteering on a medical mission in Thailand with her best friend, Dante. There she meets the passionate and enigmatic Jude Grayson. They’re immediately drawn to him and they share a brief, but fervent affair.

Then Anna has to rush home for a medical emergency, and Jude promises that he’ll stay in touch. But he doesn’t, and Anna tries desperately to move on.

Five years later, and she’s married Dante, after giving up hope that Jude will ever return. And then one day, in a chance meeting, they come face to face again. Anna then she learns the life-altering secret of why Jude never called, and why they can’t be together. But passion that ignited on that Thai beach never died, and it becomes impossible for them to stay apart.

What made you decide to set part of the book in Thailand?

I have a wonderful job that allows me to travel to many cool places. I try to take the reader with me with every book I write, by showing them parts of the world that they may have never visited. In This Life is about a girl who goes on a mission to help the less fortunate who suffered from a natural calamity. I chose this setting simply because it was where the tsunami happened in early 2000.

Anna is very spiritual. Was there anything that you wanted readers to take away from the story in that aspect?

I certainly did not want to overdo Anna’s spirituality at all! I hope it didn’t come out as the focal point of the book. What I wanted to write about IMPOSSIBLE love and so I had to find a situation that depicted just that.

In This Life was just optioned to become a movie? How does that feel?

Oh my gosh! I still can’t believe that it happened! I mean, how funny is it that someone reads your book by mistake, gets hooked, and contacts you about optioning it for film? And then, that person becomes your friend! Sometimes, I forget how famous Adrian and Emmanuelle really are. They are just so down to earth and real, it’s like finding a long lost friend and picking up where you leave off.

 Are there any secrets or details that you’re allowed to share? Will you be involved in the screenwriting process?
I’m just so fortunate that the actors who optioned the book are keeping me so involved and updated every step of the way! As everyone knows, it takes a very long time to make a movie. Adrian feels so strongly about keeping the essence of the story intact, that they have been in discussions with screenwriters for quite a while. I am happy to report that we should have a screenplay in the next few weeks.

 Aside from the movie option, is there anything else you’ve got planned for the future?

The movie option was the highlight of my 2016 year! I am so looking forward to the next phase of this process and seeing who will be cast as Jude and Dante! But I must tell you – I have a new book, Eight Goodbyes – which I just finished and am so proud to share with you this year. It’s a simple, not angsty, not tear-jerkery book that I really think you’ll enjoy. The movie and a new book and two book tours this year – I think I can tell you that I’ve got 2017 well covered.

Giveaway

I'm so excited to have this book in my TBR pile, and thanks to the Meryl Moss Media I have a paperback copy to give away to a lucky reader! This giveaway is open to US addresses only. You must be at least 13 years old to enter. Please read our giveaway policy before entering. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

0 Last Week In Review (35)

On a Personal Note

Last week I learned that my grandma was very ill. In fact, the last two years have been difficult for her. On Saturday she passed away. To say I'm grieved would be putting it mildly, but she's finally at peace and so I must make peace with it as well. She was an amazing woman and I will spend the rest of my life missing her. 

Currently Reading

Southern Gothic by Dale Wiley

Aspiring author Meredith Harper owns the hottest bookstore in Savannah.

Michael Black is her favorite writer—long thought dead—until he mysteriously approaches Meredith with a new manuscript, and a most unusual offer. Meredith can keep the manuscript to herself, or publish it under her own name. 

Her decision results in a bestseller, but the novel contains a coded secret; one that will put her on trial for murder and in hiding from "the blood stalker," proving too late that making a deal with the devil comes at a heavy price.

What I Finished

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick 

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin

Batgirl at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee

Be My Galentine by Alicia Clancy

What I Watched

I highly recommend both!

My TBR Pile

The Book Thieves by Anders Rydell

The Gentleman (audiobook) by Forrest Leo

The Art of the Affair by Catherine Lacey and Forsyth Harmon

In This Life by Christine Brae

Not Pictured: Talking as Fast as I Can (audiobook) by Lauren Graham

New Books

Be My Galentine by Alicia Clancy

Forever is the Worst Long Time by Camille Pagan

This is Not Over by Holly Brown

In This Grave Hour by Jacqueline Winspear

Printer's Error by J.P. Romney and Rebecca Romney

That's my bookish week. Now I want to know:

What are you reading?

*I'm an affiliate of Amazon. I'll receive a tiny commission if you buy any of these books by clicking on the links. Thank you.

0 Spotlight: The Echo of Twilight

Historical Fiction fans, here's another book to add to your TBR list. You're welcome

Berkley Trade Paperback Original; January 3, 2017; $16.00)

1914. Whispers of war are rapidly spreading across Europe as a dark cloud of uncertainty settles over England. But with the promise of a glamorous new career as a lady’s maid, one young woman’s future has never been so bright in Judith Kinghorn’s new World War I period piece, THE ECHO OF TWILIGHT (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; January 3, 2017; $16.00).

Once hired by Lady Ottoline Campbell—a beautiful Northumberland aristocrat—Pearl Gibson cannot help but be swept up into Ottoline’s dazzling world of luxury and scandal. Although at first perturbed by Ottoline’s unusually brazen demeanor, Pearl soon develops a deep and complicated bond with her rather eccentric employer.

While accompanying the Campbells on an annual stay in their Scottish summer estate, Pearl unexpectedly falls for Ottoline’s gentle, artistic cousin—but it’s not long before their newly blossoming love affair is ripped apart by the escalating war. As the violence continues to heighten, Pearl and Ottoline fight to survive sorrow and despair at home while the men in their lives continue to be called to the front lines.

A must-read for fans of Kate Morton, Natasha Solomons and upstairs/downstairs dramas such as Downton Abbey, THE ECHO OF TWILIGHT offers an inspiring story of the unexpected strength and love that can be found in war’s darkest hours.

2 Audio Book Tour and #Giveaway: Halfway Bitten

Author: Terry Maggert

Narrator: Erin Spencer

Length: 7h 19m

Publisher: Terry Maggert⎮2016

Genre: Paranormal

Release date: May 23, 2016

The circus came to Halfway, and they brought the weird. When clowns, vampires, and corpses start piling up in town, Carlie has to break away from her boyfriend, Wulfric, to bring her witchy skills to the table- or grill, as the case may be. When the body of a young woman washes up in the lake, it unleashes a spiral of mystery that will bring Carlie, Gran, and Wulfric into a storm of magical warfare. Spells will fly. Curses will rain. Amidst it all, Carlie will make waffles, protect her town, and find out if a man from the distant past can join her in happy ever after. With love and honor at stake, Carlie has no peer.

Buy on Audible⎮Amazon⎮iTunes

Left-handed. Father of an apparent nudist. Husband to a half-Norwegian. Herder of cats and dogs. Lover of pie. I write books. I've had an unhealthy fascination with dragons since the age of-- well, for a while. Native Floridian. Current Tennessean. Location subject to change based on insurrection, upheaval, or availability of coffee. Nine books and counting, with no end in sight. You've been warned.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads

Erin loves audiobooks! As an actress, they have allowed her to creatively stretch by playing all kinds of characters, all kinds of ages and all kinds of accents! She voiced roles in the Audie award winning title, Illuminae and was also nominated for a Voice Arts Award in the romance category. She has narrated over 100 titles and as an audiobook director has worked on at least 100 more. She has worked for most of the major publishers and also enjoys working with indie writers who are some of the most talented writers out there! Follow her on Twitter @ErinSpencerLA or find her on Facebook, Erin Spencer Actress.

Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads

Press the pink play button to hear an excerpt.

Halfway Bitten Giveaway #1

Halfway Bitten Giveaway #2

Halfway Bitten Giveaway #3

Jan. 16: terrilovesbooks (Review & Author Interview)

Jan. 17: Just Us Book Blog (Spotlight)

Jan. 18: Jorie Loves A Story (Review)

Jan. 19: The Bookworm Lodge (Spotlight)

Jan. 20: Que Sera Sara (Review, Audio Excerpt)

To Read Or Not To Read (Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Jan. 21: The Desert Bibliophile (Review, Spotlight, Audio Excerpt)

Jan. 22: Lynn's Romance Enthusiasm (Review, Spotlight, Audio Excerpt)

Jan. 23: Dab of Darkness (Review)

The Book Junkie (Spotlight & Interview)

Jan. 24: Chapter Break (Review)

Jan. 25: Holed Up In A Book (Review)

Totally Addicted To Reading (Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Jan. 26: The Book Junkie (Review)

Jan. 27: Mama Reads (Review)

Jan. 28: Avid Book Collector (Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Jan. 29: Book Lover's Life (Review & Audio Excerpt)

➜Sign up as a host here

0 Review: Jeremy Poldark

Title: Jeremy Poldark (Poldark Saga #3)

Author: Winston Graham

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Published: August 4, 2015

Paperback, 297 pages

ISBN: 9781492622130

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher

Summary

Ross Poldark faces the darkest hour of his life in this third novel of the Poldark series. Reeling from the tragic death of a loved one, Captain Poldark vents his grief by inciting impoverished locals to salvage the contents of a ship run aground in a storm—an act for which British law proscribes death by hanging. Ross is brought to trial for his involvement, and despite their stormy marriage, Demelza tries to rally support for her husband, to save him and their family.

But there are enemies in plenty who would be happy to see Ross convicted, not the least of which is George Warleggan, the powerful banker whose personal rivalry with Ross grows ever more intense and threatens to destroy the Poldarks.

And into this setting, Jeremy Poldark, Ross and Demelza’s first son, is born...

The Poldark series is the masterwork of Winston Graham’s life work, evoking the period and people like only he can and creating a work of rich and poor, loss and love, that you will not soon forget.

My Thoughts

First published in 1945, Poldark has been a favorite among readers for a longtime. I read the first two books in the Poldark Saga after watching the PBS drama Poldark last year. This year I'm excited to read the next two books in the series: Jeremy Poldark and Warleggan. 

At the end of the last book, Demelza, Graham left his characters in a bit of a cliffhanger. Ross and Demelza's daughter, Julia, had passed away, Ross was arrested, trouble with the mines, and the discourse between the Poldark's extended family, and of course the terrible Warleggans. Jeremy Poldark begins with Ross awaiting trial and Demelza's attempting to do everything she can to help him. I was on the edge of my seat during the trial.

While the Poldark family faces more turmoil, the dynamics of the story line never ceases to entertain. After watching season 2 of Poldark, I was more than ready to dive back into Cornwall and the literary world that Winston Graham created. His characters are rich and well written. If you're a fan of the series, you'll definitely want to add these books to your wishlist because there is so much more that the series doesn't even cover. 

Jeremy Poldark is another jewel in Graham's cap. I can see why this series hasn't lost its popularity. Now to Warleggan! 

5 Happy Book Birthday To K Street And We're Celebrating With A #Giveaway

Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Hunter (Point of Impact, the Swagger series) said, “I love tough guys, even when they’re gals, and Glock-toting, fast-thinking, wisecracking ex-DEA agent Kay Hamilton is one of the toughest going.”

The latest installment in M.A. Lawson's thrilling Kay Hamilton series, K Street finds the ex-DEA agent working solo to uncover the motivations behind a gruesome shooting at a covert intelligence agency in Washington, D.C.

It’s been almost a year since Kay Hamilton was fired from the DEA for going rogue. Since then, she’s been employed by the Callahan Group, a covert intelligence agency based in Washington, D.C. Her job description is as dubious as the people she works for, and the undercover mission that nearly killed her in Viking Bay has Hamilton questioning the legitimacy of her employers.

When Hamilton arrives at the Callahan Group’s K Street office to tender her resignation, she unwittingly interrupts a deadly heist during which the robbers have stolen the company safe and left her boss gravely injured. She knows that Thomas Callahan doesn’t keep much cash in the safe—the men must have been after something other than money. But before Callahan slips into a coma, he whispers a name that will lead Kay to an organization even more secretive than the Callahan Group: the NSA.

Gripping, cinematic, and endlessly entertaining, K Street is the third installment of M.A. Lawson’s Kay Hamilton series, which follows our tough, gun-toting, and fearless heroine as she sets out to find answers and exact revenge.

To celebrate the release of the third book in the Agent K Hamilton series, Blue Rider Press is giving our readers a chance to win a copy of K Street. This giveaway is open to US addresses only. You must be at least 17 years old to enter. Please read our entire giveaway policy before entering. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway