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Friday, April 19, 2013

Giveaway and Book Review of Beneath Southern Skies


Giveaway and Book Review of Beneath Southern Skies  
            sponsored by Virtual Book Tours 

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



PUBLISHER: Harlequin Kimani Press

PUBLICATION DATE: April 1, 2013

GENRE: Romance

Blurb : 
 

A little Southern comfort goes a long way…

To the world she's Vanessa Valentino, the poison-penned gossip columnist and blogger, but back in Georgia, she's just Tressie Valentine. After digging up one scandalous secret too many, she's forced back home to the sleepy town she thought she'd left behind forever. And now she must face Nathaniel Woodberry, who became her sworn enemy when one of her stories hit too close to home. Yet for some reason, Tressie can't turn off her longing for the irresistible investigative journalist.

Nate can't believe Tressie's back to wreak havoc on the close-knit community they both grew up in, and he can't help holding a grudge against her past deeds. But soon the commitment-wary bachelor discovers that the Southern belle is still a compassionate, loving woman. Nate finds himself drawn to her and he can't stop thinking about seducing her with a healthy dose of down-home passion. But can he stop Tressie from making a mistake that could destroy their hometown—and their blossoming love?


About The Author: 

Terra Little is a native of Missouri, where she currently resides and works as a secondary English Literature teacher. She is a critically acclaimed contemporary, romantic, and women's fiction author, and also an avid reader. In 2009, "Where There's Smoke", Terra's sophomore literary effort, was named a Best Book by Library Journal. Prior to this honor, as well as in the aftermath of it, Terra's work has been recognized by numerous book clubs and book reviewers, including Kirkus Reviews, The San Francisco Book Review, Fresh Fiction and The Romantic Times.


 
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Excerpt #1

The shower.
It was going full blast and she was singing along with the water’s spray. No, that wasn’t quite right. Actually she was singing—horribly—over and above the water’s spray.
The sound of her voice scraped across his nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard, spiking his irritation level into orbit. Without stopping to think about what he was doing, he barged into the steamy bathroom and snatched the shower curtain back.
What the hell are you doing here?” he bellowed.
She turned just as a blast of cool air slammed into her skin, and then visions of warriors rushing in for battle flashed before her eyes—big, strapping men with bulging muscles, bloodthirsty expressions on their faces, and mighty swords slicing through the air. She saw herself being impaled to death and then buried in a shallow grave deep in the woods, where no one would ever find her. She saw, as plain as day, the likelihood that no one would even bother to look for her because the sad fact was that she wasn’t the most popular person in the world and she had no real friends to speak of. Every questionable deed that she’d ever done played before her eyes like a movie. Her killer would go unpunished and her death would be in vain. The public would probably celebrate once her true identity was revealed. They would—
Oh God. She was going to die.
Partially blinded by soap bubbles and completely on the verge of hysteria, Tressie opened her mouth and did the only thing she could think to do under the circumstances. She screamed at the top of her lungs.
It seemed like an eternity, but it really took only a few seconds to wipe the soap bubbles from her eyes and focus. When she did, the first thing she saw through the steam was a pair of gorgeous hazel eyes staring into hers. Expanding her gaze to a wide-screen view, she took in a pair of perfectly shaped lips and a dimpled chin, thick eyebrows and smooth pecan-brown skin. Something in her brain eventually clicked and she recognized Nate Woodberry, but that didn’t stop her from continuing to scream like a banshee. The only difference was that this time the sounds she made were intelligible. “What the hell,” she shrieked frantically as she snatched the shower curtain from his grasp and wrapped it around her body, “are you doing in here?”
I rang the bell. You didn’t answer.” He was the epitome of calm.
So you just walk right on in and make yourself at home?” She slung her wet hair back and out of her face and shut off the water. “Idiot! Hand me a towel from over there, would you?” She snatched the towel he handed her and only released her death grip on the shower curtain long enough to make the trade. The fact that he had undoubtedly seen more of her naked body in the past thirty seconds than her doctor had in years burned her skin to a cherry-red crisp, especially since he hadn’t so much as given it a second glance in all that time. So much for cutting back on sweets and working out like a demon.


Giveaway:

2 $10 Gift Cards To Winners Choice of Amazon or Barnes and Noble











Review

 You know that couple that doesn’t get along before they start dating?  I had a friend like this.  They harassed each other all the time, seemed to hate each other.  Next thing you know they’re dating.  It’s that fine line between love and hate that you have to watch for.


Nate hates Tessie, right?  He doesn’t like her job and therefore she is someone he hates… because of what she almost did, but didn’t.  Tessie thinks Nate is a snob and a bully.  Of course neither of them ever noticed how good looking the other was.  So as Tessie says the answer is a summer fling while they work to save their hometown.  What happens next is not what either expected…except for the bad ending!?

You’ll have to read it because it’s too juicy to spill here.  I laughed, I cried, I wanted to shake them until their teeth rattled.  Enjoyed reading the historical information on the underground railroad.  Definitely a summer reading must.

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.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

New Challenge I'm joining

“Come away, O human child: To the waters and the wild with a fairy, hand in hand, For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.”
~William Butler Yeats
The calendar in the Northern Hemisphere may officially designate March 20th as Spring, but the forecast of rain, sleet and snow beginning Thursday and carrying through the weekend makes that difficult to believe. Over the voice of wind and cold I can still here that voice telling us that it is indeed time to once more “come away”.
It is that voice that beckons us to Middle-earth and Newford, that calls out from the gap in the village of Wall and from the world of London Below. It is the voice that packs so much promise into four little words…
“Once upon a time…”
Perhaps you too have heard that voice whispering on the spring wind, or perhaps Old Man Winter continues to drown out the sound; either way that time has come: Once Upon a Time is here!
Thursday, March 21st begins the seventh annual Once Upon a Time Challenge. This is a reading and viewing event that encompasses four broad categories: Fairy Tale, Folklore, Fantasy and Mythology, including the seemingly countless sub-genres and blending of genres that fall within this spectrum. The challenge continues through Friday, June 21st and allows for very minor (1 book only) participation as well as more immersion depending on your reading/viewing whims.
Don’t like the word “challenge”? We have something special just for you.
Come away, and I’ll tell you more…

“I felt a curious thrill, as if something had stirred in me, half wakened from sleep. There was something very remote and strange and beautiful behind those words, if I could grasp it, far beyond ancient English.”
~J.R.R. Tolkien, on reading the Cynewulf lines about the star Earendel
Now, for the particulars:
The Once Upon a Time VI Challenge has a few rules:
Rule #1: Have fun.
Rule #2: HAVE FUN.
Rule #3: Don’t keep the fun to yourself, share it with us, please!
Rule #4: Do not be put off by the word “challenge”.
While this event retains the word “challenge” from its earliest days, the entire goal is to read good books, watch good television shows and movies, and most importantly, visit old friends and make new ones. There are several ways to participate, and I hope you can find at least one to your liking:

This is really as simple as the name implies. It means you are participating, but not committing yourself to any specific number of books. By signing up for The Journey you are agreeing to read at least one book within one of the four categories during March 21st to June 21st period. Just one book. If you choose to read more, fantastic! If not, then we have still had the pleasure of your company during this three month reading journey and hopefully you have read a great book, met some interesting people, and enjoyed the various activities that occur during the challenge. It has always been of utmost importance to me that the challenges that I host be all about experiencing enjoyable literature and sharing it with others. I want you to participate. Hence, The Journey.

Read at least 5 books that fit somewhere within the Once Upon a Time categories. They might all be fantasy, or folklore, or fairy tales, or mythology…or your five books might be a combination from the four genres.

Read at least one book from each of the four categories. In this quest you will be reading 4 books total: one fantasy, one folklore, one fairy tale, and one mythology. This proves to be one of the more difficult quests each year merely because of the need to classify each read and determine which books fit into which category. I am not a stickler, fear not, but I am endlessly fascinated watching how folks work to find books for each category.

Fulfill the requirements for The Journey or Quest the First or Quest the Second AND top it off with a June reading of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream OR a viewing of one of the many theatrical versions of the play. Love the story, love the films, love the idea of that magical night of the year and so this is my chance to promote the enjoyment of this farcical love story.

This quest involves the reading of one or more short stories that fit within at least one of the four genres during the course of any weekend, or weekends, during the challenge. Ideally you would post about your short story readings on Sundays or Mondays, but this is not strictly necessary.

Stories are not just limited to the printed page. Many entertaining, moving, profound or simply fun stories are told in the realm of television and film. To participate in this quest simply let us know about the films and/or television shows that you feel fit into the definitions of fantasy, fairy tales, folklore or mythology that you are enjoying during the challenge.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Book Review of Chica Bella



Book Review of Chica Bella
               Sponsored by Writer’s Marketing Service

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


Blurb : 

Landon “Blackhawk” Walker is ready to get out of the Navy SEALs. He has seen and done enough, and can’t wait to get to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico where three tasks await him: get back into civilian mode, take a boat out to the El Arco Rocks, and win back the heart of the woman he lost because of his career.

Maya Gonzalez has tired of the heartbreak that comes with Landon’s deployments year after year. When he walks back into her life again, she cannot deny her heart, despite her reservations. As they lose themselves in each other and the beauty of Cabo their passion is rekindled once again.

Maya knows that one phone call means deployment for Landon, putting an end to their reunion, and possibly their relationship.





About the Author:

I am a wife, a mother and a slave to Nicky the dog.
I love to laugh,  I think chocolate and wine should be considered their own food group, and I wish Christmas happened twice a year.
I love hearing from readers, so please send me an email at carlyfall@gmail.com, or connect with me on Facebook, Goodreads or Twitter.
Oh, one last thing.  If you loved the book you read, please go and leave a review where you bought it!

Contacts:


Other:

Chica Bella is released by Decadent Publishing on the 3rd April.

Excerpt:

Landon “Blackhawk” Walker is ready to get out of the Navy SEALs. He has seen and done enough, and can’t wait to get to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico where three tasks await him: get back into civilian mode, take a boat out to the El Arco Rocks, and win back the heart of the woman he lost because of his career.

Maya Gonzalez has tired of the heartbreak that comes with Landon’s deployments year after year. When he walks back into her life again, she cannot deny her heart, despite her reservations. As they lose themselves in each other and the beauty of Cabo their passion is rekindled once again.
Maya knows that one phone call means deployment for Landon, putting an end to their reunion, and possibly their relationship.

EXCERPT:
“Where were you?” she finally asked, her voice quiet.

“Afghanistan.”

He didn’t look at her, but he felt her body tense next to his. “Were you hurt?”

He shrugged, but then thought better of trying to blow off her questions. Maya had always said she wanted nothing but honesty from him, and he had been the one to offer this Q&A.

“I took some shrapnel in my chest, but it was all superficial.” He gazed down at her as she studied his chest as if she could see the wounds he was talking about.

“Did you kill?” she whispered, her stare never leaving his chest.

Dammit. This was the part he hated because she abhorred violence, but killing was his job. If he didn’t take out the bad guys, they would kill American soldiers, and he would be damned if that happened on his watch. “Yes.”

She closed her eyes for a moment.

“Did you think of me?”

“Oh, God, Maya.” He put his finger under her chin and turned her face to his. Her brown eyes sparkled with tears that made his heart feel as though it might quit beating. “Maya, it’s always you. It’s thinking of you that made me want to stay alive. It’s the thought of your smile, your face, your body pressed up against mine that kept me warm at night, the sound of your laughter that made me smile when I felt like I couldn’t smile again. Maya….”

He didn’t know what else to say, so he did what he had wanted to do since the day he left her almost a year ago. He brought his lips to hers.

Review

So romantic and beautiful.  I have friends in the military and I admire them greatly.  The job they do is difficult, dangerous, and often lonely.  The loneliness goes double for the family waiting at home.  It is hard to be separated for long periods of time and the horrors of war and fighting leave a mark on those exposed to it that cannot be explained to anyone who has not experienced it.

Landon knows these things firsthand.  In fact he has held Maya at arm’s length and refused to get serious because he didn’t want to put her through that.  But this last tour took its toll and he wants out.  But will Maya be willing to take him back again?  After all these times is she finally ready to put them and him behind her?

I cried, laughed, and rejoiced in this book.  I give this book 3.5 out of 5 clouds.

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