Starchild: The City of Souls by Vacen Taylor -- Cover Reveal

Starchild: The City of Souls

In The Age of Akra, a pilgrimage to the Valley of a Thousand Thoughts brings together four children as an ancient prophecy is set in motion. Having triumphed against dangerous adversaries, Mai, Long, Akra and Sahib are now pursued by the melkarie and must escape to the City of Souls. In the land of Naroan, in a city hidden under a blanket of living green, they are confronted with the challenge to find the Singing Soul.
But the underworld has other plans, and a beast so fierce is conjured to stop the children from finding anything that will add to the power to the prophecy of the seven nations.

Website * Pre-order * Goodreads

Author Vacen Taylor

Vacen Taylor is an author, writer, storyteller, occasional artist and amateur photographer. She describes her writing as a basic prose style with the occasional splash of creative penning. She collects comics and loves superheroes, anime and science.

Facebook * Twitter

Giveaway Details
$10 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Open Internationally
Ends 9/8/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

*An additional $10 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash is available to anyone who shares this giveaway on their blog by 9/8/13 See link in the rafflecopter form.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

DiSemblance by Shanae Branham -- Book Blast

DiSemblance Jason Tanner’s life has always been different from the ordinary citizen’s. It started when he was an infant and his parents were only teenagers. A computer science prodigy, Lloyd attended MIT but left a pariah in the eyes of the school’s dean—but a computer physics genius in the eyes of his primary investor. Then his theories and ideas created a holographic machine and their world shrunk as contact with the outside world became less and less frequent. A computer prodigy now himself, Jason is about to learn that the world never waits for you if you have the ability to change it: it will come for you. Detective Bruce Durante has been handed the case of the Comfort Killer, a serial killer so named because he appears to abduct terminally ill patients before returning their corpses to their families in refrigerated coffins. When he picks up the trail, it leads straight to the home of Lloyd Tanner. Jason has been living life through the world of Lloyd’s invention and wishing he could carry on a relationship with Boston, the beautiful girl next door. When his father is murdered and framed as the Comfort Killer, he is brought back to reality in a hurry. He is forced to destroy all of the planted evidence—and finds he is being targeted as the killer’s new fall guy. But the secrets of his father’s invention run deep and Jason, his brother Isaac,Boston, the Comfort Killer, and Detective Durante hurtle towards one another on a deadly collision course that leaves everyone’s life hanging in the balance.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Shanae Branham I am a professional writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and a minor in grammar. I have also attended several years of classes and workshops in screenplay writing at the Los Angeles Screenplay writer’s Expo. I love suspense thrillers and am a master at plot and character development. I enjoy stories with happy endings. I promise all my readers that when they put one of my books down or walk away from one of my movies, they will be enthused with excitement and joy. This does not mean there will not be some sad parts, because you have to feel the bitter in order to understand the sweet. In fact, I have struggled with Dyslexia my whole life, so you can imagine how overjoyed I was when DiSemblance won a Silver metal in the fantasy/science fiction category at the eLit awards in 2012.  

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

Tour Schedule

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/13/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Finding Sheba by H.B. Moore -- Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

 

Finding Sheba by H.B. Moore An ancient legend is reborn . . . One that might prove the Bible false. For centuries, historians have theorized the Queen of Sheba as only a seductive legend, and scholars have debated over the legitimacy of King David or King Solomon. When undercover Israeli agent, Omar Zagouri, stumbles onto a tomb in Northern Jerusalem he unknowingly finds the final clue that threatens to overthrow government claim to the Holy Land, pits wealthy collectors against one another, and sends ruthless archaeologists scrambling to find the queen’s secret burial place. An assassination attempt on the Coptic Pope, His Holiness, Patriarch Stephanus II, is only the first in the chain of lethal crimes. Omar must find a way to prevent the greatest discovery of the century from becoming the most deadly.

Add to Goodreads

Purchase on Amazon

Author Heather B. Moore Heather B. Moore is the award-winning author of ten novels, two inspirational non-fiction books, and two anthologies, including The Newport Ladies Book Club Series, A Timeless Romance Anthology, and Christ’s Gifts to Women (co-authored by Angela Eschler). Her historical fiction is published under the pen name H.B. Moore. She is the two-time recipient of Best of State in Literary Fiction, two-time Whitney Award Winner, and two-time Golden Quill Winner for Best Novel. Her most recent historical novel under H.B. Moore is Daughters of Jared (2012 LUW Gold Award of Excellence & 2012 LUW Best Book Trailer).

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter

Finding Sheba

Author: H. B. Moore

Publisher: Stonehouse Ink

Published: August 15, 2013

Paperback: 375 pages

FTC FYI: I received a PDF copy in exchange for a honest review.

My Review

I may sound like a broken record when it comes to Heather's books.  Every book from her is solid and engrossing.  I thought Finding Sheba is one of her very best (and that says a lot, because I have loved every I have read of hers).  This story is so well-crafted.  I could tell that this book took some time for the author.  The characters and plots are amazing.  I loved all the jumping around from character to character that this book does, too.  It really kept me on my toes.  I love it when a book challenges me and keeps me guessing and I never know what is going to happen next.

5 out of 5 stars.  This book has everything for every reader.  Action, suspense, romance, and mystery.  You will not be disappointed.

Pretty Darn Funny -- Season 2/Episode 2/Giveaway

Season 2 is well underway!  Episode 2 "Pinterest Plot" premieres today!

Here is the link to start laughing.  I have to admit, I feel exactly the same way about Pinterest as Gracie does.  I have a Pinterest account, but don't ever use it.  I am definitely a Pinterest failure.  Because I feel like I'm a failure as a mother because I'm not creative. :)  

This week's giveaway is a copy of Six Sisters Stuff.  I have this book, and believe me, you won't need Pinterest after you get this book.  It is full of awesome.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oh, and last week's winner of Longing for Home by Sarah M. Eden is ....

Erin Swapp Thain.  She has been contacted.  Thank you to all who entered.  

Finding Sheba -- Book Blast

Finding Sheba by H.B. Moore An ancient legend is reborn . . . One that might prove the Bible false. For centuries, historians have theorized the Queen of Sheba as only a seductive legend, and scholars have debated over the legitimacy of King David or King Solomon. When undercover Israeli agent, Omar Zagouri, stumbles onto a tomb in Northern Jerusalem he unknowingly finds the final clue that threatens to overthrow government claim to the Holy Land, pits wealthy collectors against one another, and sends ruthless archaeologists scrambling to find the queen’s secret burial place. An assassination attempt on the Coptic Pope, His Holiness, Patriarch Stephanus II, is only the first in the chain of lethal crimes. Omar must find a way to prevent the greatest discovery of the century from becoming the most deadly.

Add to Goodreads

Purchase on Amazon

 

Tour Schedule

Author Heather B. Moore Heather B. Moore is the award-winning author of ten novels, two inspirational non-fiction books, and two anthologies, including The Newport Ladies Book Club Series, A Timeless Romance Anthology, and Christ’s Gifts to Women (co-authored by Angela Eschler). Her historical fiction is published under the pen name H.B. Moore. She is the two-time recipient of Best of State in Literary Fiction, two-time Whitney Award Winner, and two-time Golden Quill Winner for Best Novel. Her most recent historical novel under H.B. Moore is Daughters of Jared (2012 LUW Gold Award of Excellence & 2012 LUW Best Book Trailer).

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter

 
Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/3/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Pretty Darn Funny -- Season 2 Premiere

It's here! Season Two of Pretty Darn Funny

I am a big fan of this series.  The sketches are relatable and always leave me smiling.  Catch up on episodes here. 

You can get started by watching a hilarious Footloose parody to celebrate kids returning to school. 
Season 2: Movie Cheating.  Ever movie cheated on someone?  You may think twice after watching this.

To celebrate, Deseret Book is having product giveaways with each new episode.  For Episode 1-Movie Cheating, the giveaway is Sarah M. Eden's newest release Longing for Home.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pretty Darn Funny Links

Website / Twitter / Facebook

Longing for Home by Sarah M. Eden -- Blog Tour/Event Info

Longing for Home

Author: Sarah M. Eden

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Published: August 6th, 2013

ISBN13: 9781609074616

Paperback: 400 pages

FTC FYI: Received a paperback ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Goodreads Summary

Twenty-six-year-old Katie Macauley has placed all her hope in Hope Springs, a small town in the 1870 Wyoming Territory. But if she wants to return home to Ireland to make amends with her estranged family, she'll need to convince the influential Joseph Archer to hold true to his word and keep her on his payroll as his housekeeper despite her Irish roots. The town is caught in an ongoing feud between the Irish and the "Reds" the frontiersmen who would rather see all the Irish run out of town and the Irish immigrants who are fighting to make a home for themselves in the New World. 

When Joseph agrees to keep Katie on as his housekeeper, the feud erupts anew, and Katie becomes the reluctant figurehead for the Irish townsfolk. As the violence escalates throughout the town, Katie must choose between the two men who have been vying for her love, though only one might be able to restore hope to her heart.

My Review

I was thrilled to take part in this blog tour for Longing for Home.  I have long been a fan of Sarah's books and I knew I was in for a treat.  This book had everything.  Romance, love, humor, tears, disputes, and a heartbreaking past.  I loved how Sarah told the story through not only Katie's eyes, but with Tavish and Joseph too.  It was the perfect way to see each character properly, how they saw each other.  At first, I wasn't sure what I thought of Katie.  She was so hard on everyone, mostly herself.  But I enjoyed watching her demeanor soften, and for her to feel she belonged somewhere.  I thought Sarah told her story brilliantly and by the end, well I didn't want the story to end.  I also loved how Sarah brought Ireland to us.  The language was especially enjoyable and I could hear the accent as I read.  Another favorite was Tavish.  He is an instantly, likable character who tries to charm Katie, also while driving her crazy.

5 out of 5 stars.  Longing for Home is at the top of my list for my favorite reads of the year.

Sarah is having a launch party for this amazing book.  Here are the details:

Event Information

Date:   Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Time:   7:00 PM

Place:   The King’s English Bookshop 1511 South 1500 East Salt Lake City, UT 84105

Event Details:

To celebrate the release of LONGING FOR HOME, we're throwing a party--Irish Style. Authentic food. A wonderful book. An Irish-themed door prize. And perhaps a touch of blarney. Come celebrate with us!

Places in the signing line are reserved for those who purchase a copy of Longing For Home from The King's English.

GET YOUR COPY NOW! Pre-order your signed copy of Longing For Home today, by either calling the store at 801-484-9100 or ordering online. Please specify if you will be attending the event and if you want your book personalized.

Facebook Link

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon / Deseret Book / Barnes and Noble / Seagull Book

ONE MORE THING

The digital books are on sale – yes, the e-books! We have Amazon.com specials running for August and September with titles under the “A Proper Romance” brand.

August Promo Pricing:

Longing for Home     $7.99

September Pricing:

Edenbrooke: $1.99
Blackmoore: $7.99

Working it Out by Rachael Anderson -- Book Blast

Working It Out A chance encounter . . .

Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.
A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.  

Amazon * Amazon Kindle

 

Author Rachael Renee Anderson Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Blog * Facebook * Twitter

 

Book Blast Special Price Drop!

Grab a copy of Working it Out for just $2.99!

    BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/6/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway   Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

First Kiss (Confessions of a 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips #1) by Cindy Hogan

First Kiss (Confessions of 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips #1)

Author: Cindy M. Hogan

Publisher: O'Neal Publishing

Published: July 3rd, 2013

ebook: 57 pages

ASIN: B00DRYOYT4

FTC FYI: Received an ePub copy in exchange for a honest review

Goodreads Summary

VL. Virgin Lips. You may not have heard of it, but where I live, it’s a thing with a card, even if it is a figurative card. I was Brooklyn Hill, certified virgin lips, and I planned on clinging to that figurative card with all I had—while dating as many of the hottest guys at school as I could.
Maybe that’s a bit strange. I mean, what teenage girl isn’t interested in kissing? Locking lips definitely interested me, but the drama that came with it didn’t. No kissing, no drama. Simple.
But on my sixteenth birthday, on my first real date even, the drama found me. His name was Luke Graham—cute, funny, and bad news for the whole female race.

My Review

As soon as I started reading First Kiss, I knew I would enjoy this book.  Brooklyn is perfectly written by Cindy with lots of heart and humor.  Her bubbly personality is catching.  We meet her a few days before her 16th birthday and her parents are throwing her a surprise party.  You can tell how liked and respected Brooklyn is.  The story is fun and has very likable characters.  I did think there was a couple things that needed to be mentioned earlier in the story, but all in all a great read!  I'm looking forward to reading Episode 2, which was released July 16th.  

4 out of 5 stars.  Quick, enjoyable, clean read that you can pass onto your teenage daughter.  

Author Links

Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Website / Watched Series

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble (Watched)

Emma: A Latter-day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison -- Blog Tour

Emma: A Latter-day Tale 

Author: Rebecca H. Jamison

Publisher: Bonneville/Cedar Fort

Publish Date: August 13th (have seen it on shelves)

ISBN: 978-1-4621-1260-9

Paperback: 256 pages

FTC FYI: Received a PDF copy in exchange for an honest review

Cover Blurb

NOT Looking for Love: Single woman (23) seeks best friend to chat on the phone, shop the clearance racks, watch chick flicks, try out messy cooking projects, and eat Dove dark chocolates.

Emma isn’t so good at the whole life-coaching thing. Her first client ended up with a broken heart and is threatening to relapse in her bad habits. Now Emma has problems of her own to deal with, and all those problems start with one name: Justin.

Justin is her best friend, so it’s hard for Emma not to feel betrayed when she suspects he is falling for her childhood rival. And she knows she’s losing him despite her best efforts. No matter how much she tries, she keeps running up against obstacles. How is she supposed to help other people when she’s drowning in her own failures?

Fans of Jane Austen’s Emma will love this modern retelling of the classic romance novel. Fall in love with Emma’s latter-day tale of redemption, forgiveness, and the quest for true love.

My Review

I really enjoyed reading Persuasion: A Latter-day Tale from Rebecca Jamison last year and I love the classic story of Emma by Jane Austin.  I knew I was in for a great read.  Emma has her flaws, but I think that is what I liked most about her.  As much as I liked Emma though, Justin was my favorite.  Although I knew the story, I was taken in by the author's take on characters and plot twists.  One of my favorite characters, especially in the movie Emma starting Gwyneth Paltrow, was Emma's dad.  He did not disappoint in this version either.  Very funny, and endearing.

4 out of 5 stars.  Darling book with a sweet message.

Author Links

Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Trailer

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Excerpt

It was amazing how much more snow Phil could pick up with his shovel than I could with mine. He cleared three feet of the driveway before I was done with one.

“When we’re done, if you have time, you should come in and meet Harri. I think you two will get along.”

Phil stopped and looked at his watch. “I’m planning to do a couple more driveways before it gets dark.”

“I’ll go get Harri now if you’re in a hurry. She wants to meet you.”

Phil leaned on his shovel. “Harry is a she?”

“Her real name is Harriet. She moved here a couple months ago and she’s hardly met anybody. I think you’ll like her.”

Phil threw his head back, laughed, and started shoveling again. “I thought you were trying to introduce me to your new boyfriend.”

“You think I would be out here shoveling snow while my new boyfriend stays inside?” I grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at him. I didn’t mean to hit him in the face, but that’s where it landed.

Phil wiped the snow off his face and grinned. “I wondered why you were dating such a loser.” I expected him to throw a snowball at me, but he just stood there. “So you don’t have a boyfriend?”

I giggled a little at his awkwardness. “Nope. Harri doesn’t either.”

Phil threw another shovelful of snow away from the driveway. “So you . . . I mean, you and your friend are . . . available?” Phil didn’t open his mouth enough when he talked. That was the one thing about him that always distracted me. I couldn’t help staring at his mouth.

I had to force myself to look into his eyes. “Why is that a shock, Phil? Every woman in that house right now is available. You can take your pick—Harri, me, or Barbara. You’re surrounded by single women.” It was safe to assume Phil wouldn’t pick me. I was at least three inches taller than he was, and it was a rare man who dated a taller woman.