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Friday, July 4, 2014

Book Review of The Miller’s Daughter

Book Review of The Miller’s Daughter
Sponsored by Enchanted Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.


Blurb:


Title: The Miller’s Daughter
Author: Jessica Jordan
Genre: Fairytale / Historical, Erotic Romance
Kind and beautiful Elena, the miller’s daughter, lies to the king to save her father’s life. She has ‘til morning to prove to him that she can indeed spin straw into gold. In the cold dark dungeons, she begs anyone who can hear her prayers to save her. Someone does hear her: a djinn. Though his appearance at first terrifies her, she grows to love him, despite his continual refusal to acknowledge his own feelings for her. He saves her life three times, each bargain they strike bringing them closer together. But, when the time comes for him to collect his final payment, her firstborn child, Elena cannot go through with it. Relenting against the onslaught of her tears, he gives her three nights to guess his true name saying that if she can he will nullify their contract. If she guess correctly, her baby will stay with her, but the djinn, the being that she’s fallen in love with, will be her slave. Over the course of those three nights, Elena finds out that the djinn is more than she had previously thought. Has she been a pawn the entire time in his twisted games of lust and greed, or did he sacrifice everything for her?

Author Bio
Jessica Jordan lives in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and is currently studying to become a post-secondary English teacher. She loves reading comic books, eating sushi, and binge-watching her favorite shows on Netflix.

Links
Twitter: @Jessica_J21

Book Excerpts
Renford raised an eyebrow. “You can spin straw into gold, Elena. Surely there is some way you can think of to get yourself out of this situation forever.”
She stopped and stared at him. “What does that mean?” How would she be able to do that?
He leaned close, so close that she could smell the soap he used to bathe with earlier. “Think about it. You seem to have a modicum of intelligence. Use it.” Before he pulled away from her, he whispered something else. “Enjoy your evening.”
There was a strange, almost knowing look in his eyes as he backed away and left her alone, just like the night before—except this time, she was in a finer dress.
She stared after him, wondering at the oddness of his little speech. It was almost as if he knew how she had been providing the king with piles of gold, but that was impossible. If anyone had seen or heard the djinn, the king would have been alerted at once.
Speaking of piles of gold, how was she going to do this? Without the djinn, she was nothing. Maybe. . .
“If you can hear me, please,” she begged, dropping to her knees. “Please help me. I can’t do this without you. I’ll give you whatever you want,” she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks and hands clasped as if in prayer.
There was no answer, but she wouldn’t give up pleading to someone she wasn’t even sure was listening. “There has to be something that I have or that I can get that you want,” she cried, burying her face in her hands.
“As a matter of fact,” a low voice said, directly in front of her, “there is.”
Elena’s face jerked up in shock and happiness. “Djinn? You came.” She quickly stood. “I didn’t think—”
The djinn silenced her with one smooth finger pressed against her lips. Even this simple action managed to cause a pool of desire to swim in her belly. “The price, I’m afraid, is higher this time.”
Elena’s heart skipped a beat. What could he want from her now? “Yes?”
The djinn’s finger moved slowly down from her mouth, trailing across her wet cheeks and the high swell of her corseted breasts. She thought he would stop there to touch her, but he continued downwards, over her silken bodice to entangle his hand in her skirts. He cupped between her legs firmly, bringing her closer towards him. His black eyes looked her up and down as if he would devour her.
“Your virginity.”

Review: 

 Sexy take on the  Rumpelstiltskin story. I enjoyed this fun take on the classic tale.

I give this story 4 out of 5 clouds.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.


Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Book Review of Panic

Book Review of Panic
     Sponsored by Booksniffers Book Tour


Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

Title: PANIC
Series: FLAW #2
Author: Ryan Ringbloom
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Publisher: Ryan Ringbloom
Release Date: May 7, 2014
Links: Goodreads + Amazon

There are always two stories.

Robin fell in love with Kent, the boy next door, a long time ago. Once their romance is rekindled, getting married and starting a family seems like the obvious next step. But fate throws a wrench in that plan. Now Robin is tempted to walk away from their relationship rather than settle for anything less than perfect with the man she loves.

Bailey is certainly not the boy next door, yet Shayna fell for his well-played act. But real love only exists in the movies. When a chance encounter binds them together, Shayna finds herself relying on Bailey more than she could ever have expected. And while their resources are slim and their circumstances are far from perfect, she and Bailey slowly discover that they do have something special to give….

When things don’t go exactly as planned, it’s hard not to PANIC.



Ryan Ringbloom lives for anything Romance. The passion, love, angst, awkwardness… she loves all of it. When Ryan needs a break from reality she sneaks off to read a romantic story or write one of her own. Drinking coffee, reading Tweets and hugs from her five year old are the best part of her day.

Links: Website + Goodreads + Twitter + Facebook


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.


Book Review of Elvis Presley, CIA Assassin

Book Review of Elvis Presley, CIA Assassin
Sponsored by Booksniffer Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.



Title: Elvis Presley, CIA Assassin
Author: Andy Rausch
Genre: Comedy, Satire
Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Burning Bulb Publishing
Release Date: May 4, 2014
Links: Goodreads + Amazon + Barnes and Noble

In 1970, singer Elvis Presley secretly met with President Richard Nixon. This new comedic novel imagines that Presley became a Central Intelligence Agency operative, eventually moving up through the ranks to become a skilled assassin.

Presented in an oral history fashion, the book tells us about Presley's secret transformation by the people who knew him best.

Did he fake his death in 1977? Was Presley involved with the Watergate scandal? The Iran hostage crisis? Communicating with aliens?

Read this book to find out the answers to these and many more questions.






Andy Rausch has written more than a dozen books on the subject of popular culture under the name Andrew J. Rausch. In addition, he is the author of the novel The Suicide Game and the novella Riding Shotgun, both from Taylor Street Publishing. His third novel, Elvis Presley, CIA Assassin, was released in 2014 by Burning Bulb Publishing.

Links: Website + Goodreads + Amazon + Twitter






This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Book Review of Where the Carnies Are

Book Review of Where the Carnies Are
Sponsored by Booksniffer Book Tours


Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.




Title: Where the Carnies Are
Author: Kayla Curry
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy
Age Group: New Adult
Publisher: Kayla Curry
Release Date: April 22, 2014

Olive is having a very bad day. She caught her boyfriend cheating on her, she lost her job, and she stumbled into a portal leading to a secret carnival kingdom which she can’t escape. The good news is she meets an eccentric, but stunningly handsome knife thrower. The bad news is she can’t go home for another two months.

The world she lands in is full of sideshow characters, terrifying amusement rides and her biological parents’ past. She was born a carny, but raised as a normal human. Magic lives in her blood, but it hasn’t reached her heart. To find out who she really is, and why carnies are disappearing, Olive must deceive the king with the help of Alex the knife thrower.

Olive and Alex play a dangerous game with their emotions when they decide to have a fling during Olive’s stay. They both lead very different lives and being together would mean one of them giving up the life they've always known.

Tricks and traps are around every corner in this kingdom. Few can be trusted and Olive will need all the help she can get to make it through unscathed.



Kayla Curry lives in North Platte, Nebraska with her husband and two sons. She is always getting ideas for stories from random thoughts and places.

Writing has been part of her life since the beginning of high school. She was on the school paper for three years until her graduation in 2006. Journalism was an important part of learning who she was as a writer, but ultimately, Kayla’s creativity won over and she decided to write fiction short stories in her free time.

Eventually, a dream came to her and Obsidian was born. A short story grew into a novel in about six months, and is now begging to become a five book series.

There are many important people in her life that have helped shape Kayla into the author she is now. One of them being her mother, who always supported her. Her husband and his family are also an amazing support system along with her friends who got a sneak peek at Obsidian and her siblings who brag about their older sister to their friends.

In her free time, Kayla likes to do arts and crafts and also dabbles in knife throwing. As of late, her son and her writing take up most of her time, as well as preparing for a new addition to her family. She plans to continue writing even with a new baby in the family.

Links: Website + Goodreads + Twitter + Facebook + Pinterest + AmazonGoogle+

Review: 

 Every adopted or orphaned child dreams of their birth parents, just look at the movies out there about the lost child finding happily ever after with a family..."Anne", "The Secret Garden", the one where the girl is from India and goes to school in London and then becomes the maid then the princess again...can't remember the name.  In this story, there is a twist on that classic tale.  Olive falls through a portal that only those with Carney blood can enter and finds herself at the Carnival Winter Homeland.  She was adopted as a baby and never knew her parents, but they were powerful carnies and she is destined to overthrow the king and bring peace to the land.  If she survives the introductions...

This is a delightful story filled with strange twists and turns that bring colorful word pictures to life.  You can almost smell the popcorn and melted sugar and hear the calliope play.  Kayla has brought a fun, warped world to life in a bright and fresh way...no scary clowns here.

I give this book 5 out of 5 clouds.



This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Giveaway and Book Review of I'll Be Damned and Saved by the Spell

Book Review of I'll Be Damned and Saved by the Spell: 
Books 1 and 2 of the Anna Wolfe Series
Sponsored by Paranormal Cravings Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

I'll Be Damned, Book 1 of the Anna Wolfe Series

Genre: Paranormal Romance
ASIN: B00FM0NRKI
Book Length: 437 pages
Publisher: Nevermore Press

DESCRIPTION


A sister kidnapped. 

An impending war between Heaven and Hell looming around the corner. 

A Grand Witch who has no idea what she is. 

The Prince of Darkness’s obsession in claiming her. 

Two sinfully gorgeous men pulling her in two different directions. 

As the owner of the coffee shop Deja Brew in Savannah, Georgia, Anna thought her life was ordinary. That is until her sister is kidnapped by a demon, prompting two handsome men to march into her life unexpectedly. Valen, the sinfully gorgeous, overprotective werewolf who is Anna’s sworn guardian and Roman, the most handsome and powerful Warlock in the entire Netherworld. 

Suddenly, her world is stripped of everything she knows and replaced with frightening news about who she really is - a powerful Grand Witch. Now, it’s up to her to draw out her dormant magic, rescue her sister and stop an impending heavenly war threatening to eradicate the human race all while staying alive.

EXERPT

...Searing, damp stones press into my cheek, squishing my other eye closed. I sit up, wiping the nasty grime off my face. The slickness of it makes me wince. God knows what it is. I try to take a deep breath, but fail. Breathing is a chore in the dense, blistering air. It feels like I'm inhaling globs of boiling water. I stand, allowing my limbs time to regain their balance. Suddenly, I'm running down a passageway without any light to guide me... Thousands of butterflies take flight in my stomach as a current of air swiftly engulfs me. I'm falling at a high rate of speed, like the dip in a roller coaster, minus the excitement and safety harnesses. I try to scream, but panic hijacks my voice. I hit the bottom hard, miraculously unscathed.
I stand, wiping a sticky substance off my jeans. I try not to dwell on it. Lifting my arms, I extend them in front of me, searching for a doorway. My hands grope over the hundreds of clammy bricks surrounding me like the bottom of a well. In the loud silence, I hear my name, but Janie isn’t calling me. This voice is lower than a whisper, almost inaudible. Am I losing my mind? Confinement in closed quarters and pitch-black darkness have been known to do that. Again, I hear my name... Anna... It echoes off the tightly enclosed walls, and smacks my ears. It grows louder before abruptly stopping. A velvet voice soothes my sore ears, but makes me jump backwards. The back of my head rams the wall, forcing me to slink onto the ground. My muscles tense and my entire body begins to throb. I prop myself against the bricks, hoping it will cease. I attempt to fold my legs into my chest, but they rebel in pain. I focus my thoughts on survival, rather than the insects I know must be blanketing the ground...



Saved by the Spell, Book 2 of the Anna Wolfe Series

Genre: Paranormal Romance
ASIN: B00FS1RPLS
Book Length: 174 pages

DESCRIPTION

Two worlds in danger. 

A Grand Witch behind bars. 

A stunning Werewolf and a devilishly handsome Warlock’s pursuit for her affections. 

You think you have it bad? Grand Witch Anna Wolfe awakens to find herself imprisoned by Micah, the Prince of Darkness. Micah’s on a quest for world domination—and it’s not just the Netherworld that’s in danger. The human world is threatened as well. Now, it’s up to Anna to escape from Micah's clutches so she can locate The Scholars and an ancient book before both fall into the wrong hands. 

With a fiercely loyal Werewolf and immensely powerful Warlock by her side, what can go wrong? 

A lot apparently. 

If fighting off the Prince of Darkness wasn’t enough, Anna’s emotions are a whirlwind, as she battles between what fate demands and what she actually wants.

EXERPT                                        

...His magic continues its course through me, draining all of mine. I need to resist... to fight him. I have to do something before he has the chance to completely snuff me out or find The Scholars. My jaw clenches and my hands roll into tight balls. My shoulders tense, preparing myself for the upcoming battle. I focus all of my energy into stopping him. Bit by bit, my magic shoves its way past his like a bully on a schoolyard. His grip stiffens. A trickle of blood glides down the side of my forearm from his piercing fingernails.
“Go ahead, Anna, fight me. I guarantee it will only hurt you more.”
I throw every memory and emotion Micah has created or tarnished, tossing them into the raging furnace of hate burning inside of me. I slam my eyelids shut and Valen’s face pops inside my head. I need to get back to him. I squeeze my eyes tightly, channeling all the vigor I have, hoping to push Micah out. A fissure breaks right down the middle of his magic, allowing mine to explode to the surface. I feel his power retreat as mine conquers his. I flip my eyes open, stealing a glimpse of his face...



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I was born in Philadelphia, PA and grew up in the suburban outskirts of this amazing city. I love anything paranormal and/or supernatural - seriously I live in Philadelphia! For those of you who don’t know, this city is an awesomely haunted place! This healthy paranormal addiction has provided me the motivation to write my first book, “I’ll Be Damned.”

I graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and I'm currently working on the Anna Wolfe Series.


Buy Links

I'll Be Damned:
Saved by the Spell:

Contact Links


Giveaway:



Review: 

Book One:  I’ll be Damned:
So some families aren’t close, but even in those that are sometimes there can be secrets.  Anna’s family has a secret and it’s her.  They never told her that she was a witch and now it’s a problem.  She’s being stalked by the Prince of Darkness, one sister is missing, and one is involved... and she just has one month to learn everything she needs to know to survive.  That shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Book Two:  Saved by the Spell:

Anna and her friends: which now include her werewolf lover, a warlock, a shadow-shifter, her sister, a psycic that can see ghosts and a flamboyantly gay man; are on the run from the Prince of Darkness.  Anna is in love with the werewolf and drawn to the warlock, could things get any messier?  Well how about the fact that the wolf-man is an angel?  Now can they survive to save the human race or will they all die trying?

This series is fabulous.  I cannot wait for book three, especially since book 2 ends on a tearjerker...I hate that.  Well written and compelling these books pull you into Anna’s life where you are alternately charmed and worried.  Anna is a herione that has normal doubts about herself.  When she does fight, there are consequences...like fatigue and unconciousness.  She doesn’t think she is good enough.  In other words, she is someone just like you and me.  This is someone I could be friends with, and that is what makes her such a great heroine.  She is totally relatable.

I give these books 5 out of 5 clouds and anxiously await book 3.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.


Monday, June 9, 2014

Book Review of Tranaformed

Book Review of Tranaformed
Sponsored by Booksniffers Book Tours




Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

Title: Transformed
Author: E.V. Fairfall 
Genre: Paranormal, Romance 
Age Group: Young Adult
Publisher: R Mind 
Release Date: February 1, 2014
Blurb: 

 
Since the beginning, two entities have had complete, unquestioned control over Thea: the Earth and God.

But when Thea suddenly figures out that the Earth has trapped her within a forest, she discovers that the only way to set herself free is to break God's one rule; she must forsake her animal form and become human.

The result is nothing she could ever have expected. Lost within the torrent of human emotions, Thea starts to lose who she is and even begins to fall in love with the one thing she always hated: a hunter.

As her act against God proves more problematic than anticipated, it is only a matter of time before her punishment may prove to be worse than Earth's entrapment.




Author Information: 

I love to write just as much as I love to read. I try to read a book per week, which doesn't always work out, but it's the thought that counts. Aside from all that I am a huge animal person.

Transformed is my first novel, but it isn't my first publication; I've had several short stories published over the last two years. My main goal as a writer is to explore humanity and to give people something fun to read.

Contacts:


Links: 




Review: 

Such an emotionally wrenching book.  I laughed and cried and laughed and cried and…well you get the idea.  What if god or the higher power, creator, etc. was energy that came to earth and accidentally destroyed all life.  Then used his light to create a being to share the earth with and to help him create new life.  Her purpose was to lead the new creations to live in harmony with the animals, but things got messed up and he never could let her go.  Then one day the Earth forced his hand.  This is the story of that woman, created in the beginning, as she achieves or finds her purpose.

It is a story of love, loss, joy, regret, and hope.  I give this story 5 out of 5 clouds.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.


Book Review of The Book of Bart

Book Review of The Book of Bart
Sponsored by BookSniffers Book Tours


Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.



Title: The Book of Bart
Author: Ryan Hill
Genre: Paranormal
Age Group: Young Adult
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Release Date: May 22, 2014
Links: Goodreads

Only one thing is so powerful, so dangerous that Heaven and Hell must work together to find it: the Shard of Gabriel.

With a mysterious Black Cloud of Death hot on the shard’s trail, a desperate Heaven enlists the help of Bart, a demon who knows more about the shard than almost anyone. Six years ago, he had it in his hands. If only he’d used it before his coup to overthrow the devil failed. Now, he’s been sprung from his eternal punishment to help Samantha, an angel in training, recover the shard before the Black Cloud of Death finds it.

If Bartholomew wants to succeed, he’ll have to fight the temptation to betray Samantha and the allure of the shard. After an existence full of evil, the only way Bart can get right with Hell is to be good.



Growing up, Ryan Hill used to spend his time reading and writing instead of doing homework. This resulted in an obsession with becoming a writer, but also a gross incompetence in the fields of science and mathematics. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Ryan has been a film critic for over five years. He lives in Raleigh, NC, with his dog/shadow Maggie. Ryan also feels strange about referring to himself in the third person.

Links:

Website + Goodreads + Twitter



Excerpt/Other: 

Samantha burst out of The House of the Rising Sun, trying to catch up to me. “Wait. Where are you going?”
I waved her off. “You’re on your own, kiddo.”
“Where are you going?”
“Wherever the day takes me. Disney World. The moon. I don’t know and I don’t care.” I lit a cigarette and took a drag. “I’m not messing with a female demon, or whatever it is,” I said, exhaling through my nose. “You think I’m bad? I at least have fun when I’m working. Those harpies just…they take things way too seriously.”
Female demons are the worst. So insecure. One look at another woman and next thing you know, the Titanic is sinking. Believe me, I know from experience.
“How can I stop one of them from getting the Shard?”
I stopped and turned around, moving within inches of her face. “They probably already have it. Why else would Pierce have attacked me? Why do you think we got jumped at the museum?”
Samantha shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
“Right,” I snapped. Lies. Or as angels call it, distortion of the truth. Anger boiled in my veins. I considered letting my horns out to play. It would be nothing to ram them through her chest, ruining her perfect C-cups. “So tell me, little miss angel face, why should I help you when you won’t tell me what you know?”
Samantha bit her lower lip, like she carefully considered what to say next. A wise move. I wanted to impale her like a matador.
“Well?” I pressed the button on my keyless entry to unlock my car. “I don’t have all day. I’d like to deflower a virgin or two before sundown.”
Her expression became stolid. “I can’t believe you’re scared,” she said derisively. “You. A demon. Afraid of a girl.”
She laughed and laid a hand on the roof of my Benz, adding to her offense.
I’d have removed her hand from her body, but she’d called out my demonhood, and addressing that took precedence. Nobody accused me of being afraid.
“Scared?” I spit out my cigarette. “I’m not scared. I’m just smart enough to know when to close up shop. You don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”
“Maybe you’re right.” Samantha’s lips curled upward. “Maybe they did send me the wrong demon. Next time I’ll make sure they send me someone who knows how to finish the job.”
Oh, that burned. This girl was good. And I bought into it, because to be fair, why should I stand idly by and let somebody else succeed in my stead? I wanted to pat her on the back for such a fine manipulation, but thought better of it.

Review: 

The Book of Bart is funny, poignant and striking.  The idea of heaven and hell working together is a great one.  The best part is that both sides bring each a little closer to the middle.  Bart, the demon who hates being called Bart preferring Bartholomew, teams up with archangel to be Sam to save the Shard from someone….they just don’t know who.  Along the way they end up going up against more than they originally anticipated.  And the real threats are not at all what they expected.
Well written and charming, I give this book 4 out of 5 clouds.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.