tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83691907404647600422024-03-13T10:55:04.467-04:00Book Cover JusticeTiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.comBlogger968125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-71038893308075863872013-12-18T16:16:00.000-05:002013-12-18T16:16:15.757-05:00Review: The Boy From The Woods by Jen Minkman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18665617-the-boy-from-the-woods?from_search=true"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1381658325l/18665617.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18665617-the-boy-from-the-woods?from_search=true"><b>Title: The Boy From The Woods</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18665617-the-boy-from-the-woods?from_search=true"><b>Author: Jen Minkman</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18665617-the-boy-from-the-woods?from_search=true"><b>Publication Date: December 1, 2013</b></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Julia fell down on her knees next to his lifeless body, her heart filling with dread as she noticed the left side of his face was covered in blood. He had fallen off the motorbike, hitting his temple on a sharp-edged rock. His head injury looked really, really bad.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">“Michael?” she whispered softly, putting a trembling hand on his forehead. “Can you hear me?”</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Julia has been in love with Michael for years. He’s the hottest guy in school, and she can’t believe her luck when they finally hit it off during Senior Prom. Her dream doesn’t last, though: after a few dates, he callously dumps her out of the blue. Summer vacation starts with Julia feeling heart-broken and miserable.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">But then she rescues Michael in the woods when he has a motorcycle accident in a heavy thunderstorm. From that point onward, her life is turned upside down. Michael has changed completely after the blow to the head that nearly killed him... and he wants her back. But why is he so different? And will she be able to trust him this time around?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Can the boy who broke your heart ever win it back again..?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div>
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At some point in life, everyone develops a crush. For two years, Julia has been in love with Michael. At the end of her final year in high school, it seems that Michael has finally noticed her. Julia is beyond thrilled, that is until he stops answering her calls and ignores her. Heartbroken, Julia swears she will never let her guard down around him again. But that changes when she finds him badly hurt in the woods and saves his life. Now Michael seems like a completely different person. He wants to be with her and is willing to do what it takes to make the past right. But can this new Michael earn back her trust without breaking her heart all over again?</div>
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The Boy From The Woods is a remarkable tale about first loves, family, and friendship that everyone can relate to. (Except, or course, for the paranormal aspects involved.) Julia is a special character, she has a strong personality and a huge heart. At an age where most people would be off partying or hanging out with friends, Julia still finds time to read to her little sister and to visit her grandmother often. She loves the woods and has claimed a special oak tree as her own. I loved this about her and I know that if she were a real person, I'd want to be friends with her. Even though she is going through a horrible event, she works through it and doesn't lash out at family and friends.</div>
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Michael, our leading male, starts out as a complete jerk. I can't say I was on his side after what he did to Julia at first, but after a while I really started to like him. Of course, by then he was completely different. The relationship between Michael and Julia was captivating. How do you go about righting such a huge wrong? Michael certainly tries his hardest to make things right and I enjoyed watching him win back Julia's heart.</div>
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The only minor issue I had with this story was the relationship between Julia and her new neighbor, Thorsten. After only hanging out with each other a few times, Thorsten declares that he is in love with Julia. I didn't see enough communication between them to really buy his feelings as genuine, so I would have liked some more time dedicated to this relationship before Thorsten let his feelings be known.</div>
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Even though I figured out the twist to the story long before it was revealed, I still thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the story. And even though I wasn't expecting it to end the way it did, it couldn't have ended a better way. The author does an amazing job of creating believable characters and a quick paced plot that you won't be able to turn away from.</div>
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Overall, The Boy From The Woods is a story that I would recommend time and time again, especially if you like a little paranormal thrown into a realistic setting. </div>
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For more about Jen Minkman and The Boy From The Woods, visit her website <a href="http://www.jenminkman.nl/">here</a>.</div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>Purchase: </b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1492977233?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1492977233&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2"><b>Amazon</b></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-boy-from-the-woods-jen-minkman/1117525190?ean=9781492977230&itm=1&usri=9781492977230&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10:1&r=1,%201">B&N</a></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Boy-from-Woods-Jen-Minkman/9781492977230"><b>The Book Depository</b></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>*I received this book for free in exchange of an honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.</b></span></div>
Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-6375912763814156722013-12-17T02:00:00.000-05:002013-12-17T02:00:11.613-05:00The Offering by Kimberly Derting - Book Blast: Win $50 Amazon or Paypal!<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/offering.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="offering" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-938" height="475" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/offering.jpg" width="314" /></a><strong>The Offering by Kimberly Derting</strong><br />
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True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy.<br />
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Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks.<br />
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When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom.<br />
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But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.
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<strong>Praise for The Offering</strong><br />
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"This was a truly epic ending to the series." --Crystal Perkins, Goodreads Review<br />
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"The final book in Kimberly Derting’s Pledge trilogy is a thrilling conclusion. I was immediately swept up into it and powered right through. It was pretty much what I wanted with a few surprises along the way." --Krys at Bibliopunkk Reads
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<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/kimberly-derting.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kimberly derting" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-936" height="300" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/kimberly-derting.jpg" width="200" /></a><strong>Author Kimberly Derting</strong><br />
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Kimberly Derting is the author of the BODY FINDER series, THE PLEDGE trilogy, and THE TAKING (coming April 2014 from HarperTeen). She lives in the Seattle area, with her husband and three children, who often find the outrageous things they say either in the pages of her books or posted on Twitter or Facebook for the entire world to see.
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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 <a href="http://iamareader.com/" target="_blank">I Am A Reader, Not A Writer</a> and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-7703777627492890822013-12-16T18:00:00.000-05:002013-12-16T18:00:02.927-05:00Review: The Sandpiper by Susan Lovell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18158524-the-sandpiper"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1384785541l/18814429.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18158524-the-sandpiper"><b>Title: The Sandpiper</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18158524-the-sandpiper"><b>Author: Susan Lovell</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18158524-the-sandpiper"><b>Publication Date: May 3, 2013</b></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">One family's story of pain, secrets, and love. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">The Sandpiper is about three Cameron women. Kate the perfect older sister. Jamie the screw-up. Their widowed mother Ellie. It's about Nina Judd, their guardian angel, the novel's heartbeat. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Kate had the chance to know their father Dr. James. Jamie was born too late. Sisters by birth. Sisters in loyalty sanctified by a blood oath. Two bright, pretty women full of promise. Then something happens the summer Jamie turns 18 that ruins everything. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">And maybe Kate is not so perfect after all. Jamie not so hopeless. Embraced by The Sandpiper, Nina's white-shingled cottage above the endless blue of Lake Michigan, the sisters struggle toward forgiveness, toward healing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div>
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Even though The Sandpiper clocks in as a rather short book, less than 300 pages, it sure does pack one hell of a punch. At the heart of this story is Nina Judd, an English teacher who becomes the glue that holds the Cameron family together. Without a husband and children of her own, Nina has become a best friend and guardian angel to Ellie Cameron, helping her raise her two girls after the death of her husband, an event she refuses to speak of. </div>
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Only three years old when her father died, Kate Cameron has long felt like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. Determined to spare her mother as much pain and sadness as possible, she finds herself constantly picking up the pieces of Jamie's life every time she relapses. Having to keep all of Jamie's secrets has taken a toll on Kate, especially now that Jamie is back from rehab once again and asking her to help her in a way that Kate cannot. It took me a long time to connect with Kate because she is so high strung and judgmental. She is always thinking the worst of her sister when she makes no attempt to hear Jamie's side of the story. I did understand her position, but I still had a hard time liking her.</div>
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Jamie, on the other hand, I liked immediately. It's clear that she is keeping a very dark secret and uses drugs and alcohol as a way of keeping that secret buried, but she also has a lot of goodness in her too. She loves her sister more than anyone or anything and has always looked out for her, even if Kate doesn't realize it. </div>
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It's no secret that I love books focused on family drama and The Sandpiper had me captivated until the very end. The hurt and sadness around each woman in this story kept me glued to the pages. The relationships between the sisters, Nina, and Ellie were all drastically different but emotional all the same. In order for them to heal these relationships, they will have to do something that they have never done before: tell the truth. </div>
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Overall, I absolutely loved this book. I highly recommend The Sandpiper to everyone, especially those who love meatier reads, Chick Lit, or just a great story. You won't be disappointed.</div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>Purchase:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sandpiper-Susan-Brace-Lovell/dp/0989287408/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387234221&sr=1-1&keywords=9780989287401"><b>Amazon</b></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sandpiper-susan-brace-lovell/1115536255?ean=9780989287425"><b>B&N</b></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>*I received this book for free in exchange of an honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.</b></span></div>
Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-63830850657106014532013-12-10T17:56:00.001-05:002013-12-10T17:56:30.079-05:00Best of 2013 Giveaway Hop!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welcome to the Best of 2013 Giveaway Hop, hosted by <a href="http://maryinhb.blogspot.com/">Bookhounds</a> and <a href="http://www.iamareader.com/">I Am A Reader, Not A Writer</a>. This hop runs from December 11th to the 18th.</div>
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For this hop, one winner will win one of my favorite reads from this year. This giveaway is open <span style="color: #cc0000;">INT</span> as long as The Book Depository ships free to your country. (You may also choose the ebook from Amazon)</div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">My favorite reads of 2013 are:</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17299264-leap-of-faith"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1372221752l/17299264.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15826648-where-the-stars-still-shine" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1361985398l/15826648.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17299264-leap-of-faith">Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair </a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15826648-where-the-stars-still-shine">Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15927598-a-matter-of-days">A Matter of Days by Amber Kizer</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16101128-the-5th-wave">The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13581990-the-eternity-cure"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1362772965l/13581990.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12157407-in-the-after" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1351415769l/12157407.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13581990-the-eternity-cure">The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12157407-in-the-after">In The After by Demitria Lunetta</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13543138-blackberry-winter"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1382760152l/13543138.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16158525-the-never-list" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1356092401l/16158525.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13543138-blackberry-winter">Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16158525-the-never-list">The Never List by Koethi Zan</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15790873-this-is-what-happy-looks-like"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344444283l/15790873.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9593913-requiem" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1340992438l/9593913.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15790873-this-is-what-happy-looks-like">This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9593913-requiem">Requiem by Lauren Oliver</a></div>
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There you go, my favorite reads of the year! I hope you see something in that list that strikes your fancy, good luck!</div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cbdb4a103/" id="rc-cbdb4a103" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-67290932891265590662013-12-05T08:00:00.000-05:002013-12-05T08:00:09.108-05:00Excerpt and Giveaway: Sail Away With Me by Kate Deveaux<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18721156-sail-away-with-me?ac=1"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mOJ2NPa7PlE/Up-gZqVi46I/AAAAAAAAAt8/uVf9ILK7N-k/s400/SailAwayWithMe-Cover.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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I'm very excited to share with you today an excerpt of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18721156-sail-away-with-me?ac=1">Sail Away With Me by Kate Deveaux</a>!</div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>About Sail Away With Me:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>THESE TWO REALLY KNOW HOW TO ROCK THE BOAT...</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>“Sizzling shipboard romance —Jody throws caution to the wind as she lets go of her inhibitions and indulges in one magnificent week of pleasure. Passions surge, lovers tangle and two lives will never be the same again.”</b></span></span></div>
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Before Jody Carter and her three best friends ever set foot aboard the luxury cruise ship, Jody falls into the arms of uber hunky celebrity guest Taggart Keith, when he saves her shoe from falling to the depths of the sea. Their attraction is undeniable, but the recently divorced single mom knows the last thing she needs is to complicate her life in just seven short days. But that’s exactly what happens when Jody throws caution to the wind for once in her life and gives into a week of sensational pleasures. Taggart helps her discover her more sensual side — one tantalizing night at a time. </div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span></div>
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“Hey there, Jody,” he called out. </div>
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“Oh, hi….Taggart,” she said with surprise, pretending she hadn’t seen him. </div>
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“We really have to stop meeting like this.” He smiled and walked towards her down the narrow hall dotted with luggage. </div>
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She laughed nervously at the cliché that was proving all too true if she was to </div>
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keep her sanity. </div>
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“I guess so. Well, this is my room.” She fidgeted with her keycard as he came up beside her. </div>
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“Mine’s just down the hall.” Taggart pointed behind him, but he just stood there, his tall frame close to her. She looked up at him, overly aware of the scent of sandalwood, one of her favorites. Very masculine. </div>
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“Mmm...coincidence,” she said, the hallway becoming smaller by the minute when he flashed that boyish smile, with one corner of his mouth raised. Cocky, but undeniably sexy at the same time. </div>
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Unable to break the gaze, she tried to insert the keycard into the lock, not paying attention to what she was doing. The card grazed the slot and she forced her eyes away from his.</div>
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“I guess you didn’t find your friends after all?” he inquired, leaning casually against the wall, as she slid the keycard all the way in the lock. </div>
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Caught red handed at her own lie, she smiled down at her shoes. “No, I didn’t.” </div>
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“So you can have that drink with me after all,” he stated flatly, placing his hand over hers as she held the key in the lock. </div>
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Her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn’t move a muscle. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said. </div>
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He frowned but left his hand on hers. “Because?” </div>
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Because? Her mind raced. She couldn’t tell him it was because she was afraid. Afraid how her body trembled when he was near, how her cheeks burned and her sex thrummed. </div>
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“I’ll wait,” he said with a devilish grin eyeing the keycard still in the lock. </div>
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“I really don’t think it’s a good idea, is all.” </div>
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“You already said that,” he said straight faced, but she could see the playful look in his eyes. As he removed his hand, he continued to lean easily on the doorframe, his face close to hers as if he had all the time in the world to wait for her to be ready. He was close enough she could see the barely visible laugh lines when he smiled and the slight five o clock shadow on his chiseled jaw.</div>
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"Look Taggart,” she said, just saying his name made her heart beat faster. “I’m not ready for…” her heart beat rapidly thinking about just what she wasn’t ready for… to be intimate with a man. </div>
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“Ready for what?” he teased. A flush of desire rushed through her. He was playing with her, flirting with her.</div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>About Kate Deveaux:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YRNEU6nk78w/Up-i0ac2NRI/AAAAAAAAAuI/0GhKNMUNY6U/s1600/kate-deveaux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YRNEU6nk78w/Up-i0ac2NRI/AAAAAAAAAuI/0GhKNMUNY6U/s200/kate-deveaux.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Kate Deveaux is a contemporary erotic romance writer and die-hard romantic. A former wedding planner, she has always been “in love” with love! Kate is currently working on several fictional stories – each filled with sexy romance, heroines who are no shrinking violets and heroes who make your heart skip a beat. She is a member of Savvy Author, Romance Writers of America (RWA) and their erotic romance chapter, Passionate Ink. Kate currently resides with her husband in Arizona.</div>
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<a href="http://www.katedeveaux.com/">Website</a> * <a href="http://www.blogger.com/:%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kate-Deveaux/349294291841235">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/KateDeveaux">Twitter</a> * <a href="http://pinterest.com/katedeveaux">Pinterest</a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>Bonus Goodies:</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">SAIL AWAY WITH ME and these recipes bring a whole new meaning to “I’ll have what she’s having!”</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">COCKTAIL RECIPES:</span> </b></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">Orgasm recipe:</span></div>
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1/2 oz white creme de cacao</div>
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1/2 oz amaretto almond liqueur</div>
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1/2 oz triple sec</div>
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1/2 oz vodka</div>
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1 oz light cream</div>
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Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and serve.</div>
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Read more: <a href="http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink4305.html#ixzz2hRo3jiKv">Orgasm recipe</a> </div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">Screaming Orgasm recipe:</span></div>
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1 oz vodka</div>
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1 1/2 oz Bailey's® Irish cream</div>
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1/2 oz Kahlua® coffee liqueur</div>
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Pour first vodka, then Bailey's, then Kahlua into a cocktail glass over crushed ice. Stir. </div>
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Caution: use only high quality vodka. Cheap vodka can cause the Bailey's to curdle. Test your brand of vodka by mixing 1 Tsp each of vodka and Bailey's first</div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>Giveaway:</b></span></div>
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One winner will receive an ebook copy of Sail Away With Me from the publisher. Open INT, ends 12/19.</div>
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-82399132058594909052013-11-19T09:00:00.000-05:002013-11-19T09:00:06.061-05:00The Necromancer's House by Christopher Buehlman - EXCLUSIVE Excerpt and Giveaway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17674968-the-necromancer-s-house?ac=1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1364849218l/17674968.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17674968-the-necromancer-s-house?ac=1"><b>Title: The Necromancer's House</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17674968-the-necromancer-s-house?ac=1"><b>Author: Christopher Buehlman</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17674968-the-necromancer-s-house?ac=1"><b>Publication Date: October 1, 2013</b></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>About The Necromancer's House:</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Those Across the River, a “beautifully written…exceedingly clever” (Boston Herald) masterpiece of “genuine terror” (New York Times bestselling author F. Paul Wilson), was hailed by #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris as “one of the best first novels I’ve ever read.” Now comes Christopher Buehlman’s new novel—one of uncommon horrors hiding behind the walls of the house next door…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">“You think you got away with something, don’t you? But your time has run out. We know where you are. And we are coming.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">The man on the screen says this in Russian.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">“Who are you?”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">The man smiles, but it’s not a pleasant smile.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">The image freezes.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">The celluloid burns exactly where his mouth is, burns in the nearly flat U of his smile. His eyes burn, too.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">The man fades, leaving the burning smiley face smoldering on the screen.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">“Oh Christ,” Andrew says.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">The television catches fire.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Andrew Ranulf Blankenship is a handsome, stylish nonconformist with wry wit, a classic Mustang, and a massive library. He is also a recovering alcoholic and a practicing warlock, able to speak with the dead through film. His house is a maze of sorcerous booby traps and escape tunnels, as yours might be if you were sitting on a treasury of Russian magic stolen from the Soviet Union thirty years ago. Andrew has long known that magic was a brutal game requiring blood sacrifice and a willingness to confront death, but his many years of peace and comfort have left him soft, more concerned with maintaining false youth than with seeing to his own defense. Now a monster straight from the pages of Russian folklore is coming for him, and frost and death are coming with her.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span></div>
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The dream is the same dream.</div>
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Always the same dream.</div>
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The Soviet dream.</div>
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He is twenty-three again, arrogant, strong, as pretty as a girl, irresistible to girls and women of every stripe. He travels easily through Soviet Russia, using magic to outdance its bureaucracy, its lethal but ponderous bureaucracy, clever in places but cold. Secular. Unable to allow for the impossible. He is playing chess with adversaries who cannot see all the pieces, who might beat him if they allowed for the possibility that they could not see all the pieces.</div>
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His papers say he is a Soviet citizen.</div>
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Magic gives him flawless Russian.</div>
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Magic summons perfect answers to his lips.</div>
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He is too light for the police.</div>
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He is too clever for the KGB.</div>
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He is looking for treasuries of magic tomes lost since the days of the tsars.</div>
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<i>“Of all of the spell books and relics known to exist, whether seen by reliable witnesses or referenced in other works, only a quarter or so are in known hands,” his mentor had told him; on mention of secret magic books, Andrew had sat like a cat before a can opener. “Of the remainder, it is believed that a disproportionate amount have accumulated in what is now the Soviet Union. Some hiding in plain sight, no doubt, waiting in bookstores for the first luminous person to buy them for less than an American dollar. Most will have been hoarded and stored.”</i></div>
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<i>“Hoarded and stored by whom?”</i></div>
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<i>“We don’t know. Various users, even more deeply hidden than Western ones, perhaps more powerful. I know a man, a Walloon Belgian, who went to Leningrad in 1973 and came back with a book on traveling underwater, a bit redundant in the age of scuba, but still. I also know a man and wife who went together to the Volga and never came back. The Volga’s probably where most of it is.”</i></div>
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<i>“When did they go?”</i></div>
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<i>“1975? Jesus, three years ago. I saw them get married the year before.”</i></div>
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Now, in the 1983 dream, Andrew has left the city of Gorky, in the Volga region, and makes his way by train and bus into the countryside, hitchhiking rides from farm trucks, beat-up Zaporozhets with their goldfish-eye headlights, even a horse-drawn cart full of barreled milk.</div>
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And then.</div>
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And then.</div>
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Andrew has been hitching all day, with mixed success.</div>
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He just realizes how hungry he is, how long it’s been since he ate, when he finds himself looking at a scene from the nineteenth century.</div>
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Two men in baggy shirts, short woolen vests and brown pants swing scythes into the high grass, looking for all the world like they had stepped out of Fiddler on the Roof (without the Jewish trappings). They work their way down the side of a hill, the sky chalky blue above them, one of them humming to keep his time, the younger one swinging less rhythmically, fighting the scythe, tired. Maybe sixteen years old.</div>
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“I see you have made an enemy of the grass, Lyosha,” the older man says from beneath a tsarist mustache. “This will not do. Make friends with it. Let it know that you only want to let it lie down and rest.”</div>
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He goes back to humming his song, but still the boy chops and sweats, stopping for a moment to wipe his brow with his cap.</div>
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“Call your idiot brother and see if he can show you how.”</div>
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“He will not come, Uncle. He is lying on the stove.”</div>
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“Call him anyway.”</div>
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“Ivan!” the boy calls.</div>
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Andrew keeps walking down the path, keeping an eye out for another potential ride, but this.</div>
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This is something else.</div>
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He slows down a bit because he wants to see how this idyll will play out. Do they still make idiot brothers who like to lie on the stove in Cold War Russia?</div>
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Clearly they do; the large man who crests the hill and lopes down at the other two has the characteristic eye tilt of Down syndrome, and he breathes through his mouth as he says, “What do you want? I was catching flies.”</div>
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“You caught no flies unless they landed in your mouth,” the mustachioed man says. “Now show your weakling brother how a man mows hay.”</div>
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The boy hands the scythe to his brother, and Ivan whacks at the grass like a mad thing, shearing great armloads of it down with each stroke, giggling. Soon the little brother takes up a fistful of grass and throws it at Ivan, ducking back out of range before the scythe’s blade swishes down again. It becomes a game. The older man sets down his scythe and joins in, baiting the laughing peasant with flung grass and dancing away from the flashing blade. Andrew now has to turn his head back to watch, so he stops walking altogether and slides his arms free of his backpack. He lights a shitty Soviet cigarette so he will not appear to be nosy, just a man having a rest and a smoke, and he sits on the big canvas sack he has been lugging.</div>
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A flight of sparrows wheels about, lands briefly on the road near him and then takes off again.</div>
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And then.</div>
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It happens.</div>
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The younger boy takes greater and greater risks with the scythe, forgetting the grass-throwing, just leaping in and out Cossack-style while his uncle claps and shouts in time. Andrew knows what is going to happen an instant before it does; at last the idiot brother swings faster than the boy had anticipated and lops into the acrobatic youth’s leg.</div>
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It comes off just below the knee.</div>
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He collapses into the grass with a look of astonishment on his face.</div>
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How pale his face is!</div>
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How dark the O of his mouth!</div>
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Andrew’s own mouth hangs open, the cigarette stuck on his lower lip.</div>
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The injured boy howls in pain; the older man goes to him.</div>
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The idiot stares openmouthed, a long strand of spit reaching down to the grass.</div>
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Andrew’s paralysis breaks, and he says, “Jesus.”</div>
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The boy goes silent.</div>
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The uncle had been removing his rope belt to tie off the boy’s leg, but he stops and turns his head toward Andrew. The idiot brother looks at him too. Now the boy sits up, holding his bloody stump, less concerned with the blood fountaining through his interlaced fingers than with Andrew.</div>
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“Can I help?” Andrew says in decent but accented Russian, his own Russian, Russian that stinks of Ohio, walking toward them now, his hands open in a timeless gesture of harmlessness.</div>
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He doesn’t even notice that his fluency charm has failed.</div>
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All three of them look at Andrew with flinty, suspicious eyes. Their gazes are so malevolent, in fact, that Andrew stops coming toward them. He isn’t sure this is what it appears to be.</div>
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Then it hits him.</div>
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Magic.</div>
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It has been so long since he felt the flutter of magic that he has now been blindsided.</div>
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He didn’t see the pieces.</div>
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Fear wakes up in him.</div>
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<i>This could be bad.</i></div>
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<i>This could be very bad.</i></div>
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“Can I help?” the uncle says, mocking Andrew’s American accent. “Who could help this?”</div>
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He gestures at the boy’s gushing leg.</div>
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“Or this?” he continues, nodding at the idiot brother, who draws back his scythe.</div>
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Strikes off the uncle’s head.</div>
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<i>O mother of fuck fuck fuck</i></div>
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Andrew’s legs buckle in fear.</div>
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He begins to back up at something more than a leisurely pace, unable, however, to turn his head from the scene in the field.</div>
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Now the big idiot bends over, legs splayed, the crack of his ass winking below his too-short shirt, and delicately picks the cap from the uncle’s head so he can get a handful of his hair. He lifts the head, the white and rolled-back eyes of which now slot into place.</div>
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Fix on Andrew.</div>
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A few yards away, the uncle’s body sits up.</div>
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Then it stands up, arterial blood jetting.</div>
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It takes the rope belt between two fists and pulls it slack.</div>
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“Now do you want to help? Does Jesus Christ want to help?” the head asks from the idiot’s huge fist, now hawking and spitting out a bright clot of blood. The idiot takes his scythe up in the other hand and begins to stumble toward Andrew.</div>
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“I think he wants to hear American, Uncle,” the bleeding boy says, using a scythe as a crutch and standing on his remaining leg. “Two kopecks says he does.”</div>
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The head hanging from Ivan’s hand now opens its mouth and a sound like television static comes out of it.</div>
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The <i>chunk chunk chunk</i> of a television dial being turned, and then . . .</div>
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News.</div>
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A newswoman speaks through the uncle’s open mouth, in perfect midwestern American English.</div>
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“The remains of an American backpacker missing in the Soviet Union since June were returned to his family today. . . .”</div>
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Andrew backs up faster.</div>
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He spits his cigarette out.</div>
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“The young man’s mother and elder brother flew to Dover Air Force Base to claim the body, which had suffered great violence at the hands of unknown assailants . . .”</div>
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The idiot holding the severed head, the bleeding boy hobbling along with his scythe, and the headless peasant with the rope belt between his fists advance on Andrew.</div>
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Andrew feels backward with his feet, terrified to fall.</div>
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“. . . His hands, feet, and genitals were cut from his body by what appeared to be a farm instrument, although the cause of death has been established as strangulation . . .”</div>
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Andrew keeps backing up, not wanting to take his gaze from them. As long as he looks at them, they aren’t closing distance.</div>
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“General Secretary Andropov has promised a full investigation into the killing, which he will see to personally as soon as his nagging cough goes away.”</div>
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“Help,” Andrew shouts. “I need help!”</div>
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“HELP!” the head screams, much louder than Andrew had, making wide eyes at him.</div>
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Oh, to turn and run.</div>
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He dares a glance behind him and sees that the road keeps straight, intermittent trees punctuating pastures in which sheep and the odd cow walk, heads bent to the grass, chewing.</div>
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When he turns his gaze back to them, the three peasants are yards closer, though he can see no difference in their gaits. He notices now their grass-stained boots.</div>
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“You owe me two kopecks, Lyosha. The man did not want to hear American.”</div>
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The head hawks and spits again.</div>
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<i>I’m dreaming</i></div>
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<i>This is 1983 and I’m dreaming.</i></div>
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<i>Look up!</i></div>
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A series of very tight jet contrails etch themselves in the clear summer sky.</div>
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<i>Bomber</i></div>
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“BOMBER!” the head screams, never looking away from Andrew. “HELP ME, BOMBER!”</div>
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The idiot likes this, says it also, as if to himself.</div>
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“Help me, bomber.”</div>
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They continue down the road for some time, Andrew sweating more than the cool day should call for.</div>
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He hopes to hear a truck behind him, all but prays to hear one blow its horn. No sooner has he thought this than the uncle’s head blares the AH-ooo-GAH! of a farm truck.</div>
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<i>Mustn’t look away again</i></div>
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“Hey, Lyosha,” the head says to the hobbling boy, “I don’t think he means to look away again.”</div>
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“I think you’re right, Uncle.”</div>
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“It’s no good if he sees us; he can just keep the same distance all day long.”</div>
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“Right again, Uncle.”</div>
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“He is young with long legs. Not like you since your accident, stupid boy.”</div>
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“You had an accident, too, Uncle.”</div>
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“But mine did not slow me down, as you see.”</div>
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So saying, the body walking with the strangling rope executes something between a spasm and a <i>tour jeté</i>.</div>
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The simple man laughs, then bites the head’s ear to hold it so he can clap his pancake hands together.</div>
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The body leaps again.</div>
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“Vanka,” the head says, rolling its eyes dramatically back to look at the simple man carrying it, “how many flies did you catch?”</div>
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The head goes back to the fist so Vanka can reply.</div>
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“Many.”</div>
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“Enough to bring on night?”</div>
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“Night! Night! Night!” the big man chants, and it is clear he would clap his hands except for the head he carries.</div>
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“Do it, then, big boy!”</div>
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Now the idiot opens his mouth and what looks like a big, black pudding begins to emerge from it. He vomits this into the road, where it writhes and undulates, weak light from the sun playing on its slick surface.</div>
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Now the boy hops up on his remaining leg and uses his scythe to take a huge swing at the pudding, which bursts into a swarm of blackflies that cover the sun.</div>
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And it is night.</div>
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Night without stars.</div>
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Andrew runs.</div>
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The dream changes so he finds himself in a nest.</div>
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Or perhaps a bed of dry hay?</div>
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Something woolly nuzzles his arm aside, chewing.</div>
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He pushes at its head to get it away from him, but it baas explosively, showing him its black tongue.</div>
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A sheep.</div>
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<i>Where the fuck am I?</i></div>
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A crude wooden roof stands above him.</div>
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No walls.</div>
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A stable?</div>
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The sun is setting, or perhaps rising, casting a dim violet light. A pitchfork stands up from the ground, backlit, tines up, two of those tines spearing an oblong, head-shaped something, also backlit.</div>
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Oh, it is a head</div>
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It hawks and spits, then speaks.</div>
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“Our little baby is awake now, yes?”</div>
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Husky laughter comes from near the water trough, against which the idiot brother sits, Andrew’s backpack spilled out near him. He unrolls a pair of faded blue jeans and marvels at them, a lit cigarette in his mouth.</div>
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<i>Wait until he finds the Playboys</i></div>
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<i>He shouldn’t smoke</i></div>
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<i>Why, because he’s retarded?</i></div>
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<i>Special, we say special now because it’s nicer</i></div>
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“Don’t burn a hole in those, Vanka—we can sell them to a party member for a lot of money,” the head says from its perch. “So, little baby, you like Jesus, yes?”</div>
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Andrew says nothing.</div>
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“You like him so much we put you in a manger.”</div>
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The sheep baas again, as if prompted.</div>
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He looks into the field, where the headless body jerkily brushes down a plow horse, who stands placidly, swishing its tail against flies. Clearly headless bodies groom horses all the time in this hellish fairy-tale Russia.</div>
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<i>Maybe I am in hell?</i></div>
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<i>I ran into something hard in the dark.</i></div>
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<i>A fence?</i></div>
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<i>A plow?</i></div>
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<i>Maybe I died?</i></div>
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“What, you have nothing to say?”</div>
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Andrew just blinks.</div>
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The head hawks and spits again, excusing itself.</div>
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<i>A dream that’s all just a dream</i></div>
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<i>But I thought that when it happened</i></div>
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<i>And it was real</i></div>
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“Even in a dream, one must be polite. But no. You are badly raised in America. Even if you did speak, all I would hear would be the sound of America coming from your mouth. Do you know this sound?”</div>
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Andrew says nothing.</div>
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“Would you like to hear this sound? The sound of America?”</div>
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Andrew shakes his head weakly, causing his head and neck to hurt.</div>
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“At last! The baby has an opinion! Well, here is the devil, baby, you will hear anyway.”</div>
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The head growls then, showing the crooked teeth below that thick mustache. The growl grows into the sound of an engine starting up. A helicopter engine. It opens its mouth as the rotors of the unseen helicopter spin more rapidly, then, as the rotors chop and roar at flight velocity, it opens its mouth impossibly wide and blows a jet of wind, hot and stinking of gasoline, blowing the straw in the stables about furiously, frightening the sheep away and scattering a trio of hens. The idiot brother shields his cigarette with his cupped hands, but it blows away anyway, and he cries.</div>
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The head shuts its mouth now, cutting off the roaring wind.</div>
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“It’s all right, Ivan. America is gone now, and it is time for hot towels.”</div>
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“Hot towels? I like hot towels.”</div>
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“I know. Hot towels feel nice.”</div>
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Now the boy comes from behind Andrew</div>
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<i>Neck hurts too much to turn and see where he came from</i></div>
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somehow carrying a bucket, towels, a lit oil lamp, and a shaving box. The boy has his leg back on</div>
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<i>?</i></div>
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but limps slightly as he sloshes the steaming bucket along.</div>
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His big brother fetches himself a stool and sits, chin poked forward, loosening his collar. The boy packs a steaming towel around the simple man’s neck and he coos.</div>
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The headless body now comes, washes the horse sweat from its hands in the soapy water, unwraps the towel, and then soaps and shaves Ivan’s face, gently slapping a cheek when it wants him to pucker and tighten.</div>
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It wields the straight razor expertly.</div>
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Andrew shudders.</div>
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<i>If they were going to hurt me, they would have done it already</i></div>
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<i>Says who?</i></div>
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“Hurt you?” The head says from its tines, squinting with concentration at the remote-control shaving job its body undertakes. “More light!” it barks, and the boy winds the tiny knob that adjusts the length of the wick, leaning the lamp closer.</div>
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“Now you’re in my way.”</div>
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The boy steps to one side.</div>
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“Good. Stay there.”</div>
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It hawks and spits a black clot and then addresses Andrew again.</div>
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“Hurt you? Why would we hurt you when you do such a good job hurting yourself? You should see the goose egg on your head. No, we want you well. We have many accidents here. Farm work is perilous—but what would you know about it with your supermarkets and whores and ghettos? We want you safe and sound so you can heal us, little Jesus. See how you helped Lyosha?”</div>
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<i>I want to wake up</i></div>
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“Wake up, then!”</div>
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<i>I want to go home</i></div>
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“Who is stopping you? Go!” the head says, looking at Andrew now. The body has turned his way as well, and gestures with the razor as if to indicate the road Andrew is welcome to walk.</div>
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With some effort, Andrew swivels his hips over the lip of the manger, but something is wrong, something more than his throbbing head and ground-glass-packed neck.</div>
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He tries to stand but collapses to the ground, knocking his chin and biting his tongue. A startled rooster flaps its wings halfheartedly and continues to strut.</div>
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Of course he has fallen.</div>
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He has only one leg.</div>
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Andrew wakes up.</div>
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Adjusts the sweat-dampened pillow beneath him.</div>
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In the distance, a train.</div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Giveaway:</b></span></div>
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One winner will receive a print copy of The Necromancer's House courtesy of the publisher. <b>US only</b>, ends 11/29. </div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cbdb4a101/" id="rc-cbdb4a101" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>
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<img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ONOcgDcDNzI/UWtRbFjdaVI/AAAAAAAAKh4/t_4wIKBiFkw/s1600/Tiffany.png" /></div>
Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-34197459331009168162013-11-18T11:17:00.000-05:002013-11-18T11:17:36.201-05:00Review: Shadows of the Past by Carmen Stefanescu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16249401-shadows-of-the-past?ac=1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1354745695l/16249401.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16249401-shadows-of-the-past?ac=1"><b>Title: Shadows of the Past</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16249401-shadows-of-the-past?ac=1"><b>Author: Carmen Stefanescu</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16249401-shadows-of-the-past?ac=1"><b>Publication Date: December 4, 2012</b></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">When Anne and Neil leave on a one-week holiday hoping to reconcile after a two-year separation, little do they know that destiny has other plans for them. Their discovery of human bones and a bejeweled cross in the hollow of a tree open the door to the supernatural realm and the anguished life of Genevieve, a nun from medieval England.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve her eternal rest?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div>
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After two years apart, Anne is finally ready to give Neil one more chance to win her heart forever. They have gone on vacation to England and soon find themselves lost in the mountains. As if this isn't upsetting enough, they discover human remains along with a mysterious necklace that quickly brings danger along with it. Anne is seeing visions and finds herself torn between the present and the past. Who is the ghost-like woman that Anne sees crying and how are they connected?</div>
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Shadows of the Past is a gripping story of two women who have never met, but are deeply connected. The story alternates between the past and the present, slowly bringing to light the true evil haunting both unassuming women. We first meet Genevieve, a nun living in a monastery in the late 1400's. After a very hard life, she has been living here for only a short time when a new Mother Superior has taken over and strange things start happening. Genevieve seems to be a target of this mean woman and is desperate to get help. </div>
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Next we meet Anne. After a long breakup, Anne and Neil are trying to work beyond their harsh history and are attempting to mend their broken relationship. If you want to know if a relationship is built to last, the easiest way is to test it in a stressful situation. This is exactly what happens to the couple when they come across bones and a strange cross in the mountains. Anne immediately starts seeing strange visions of a woman and bad things start happening to them while they are stranded in the mountain overnight. Something evil is after them but they don't know why or what.</div>
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This was such a fascinating tale that I can't even decide whose story I enjoyed more, Genevieve's or Anne's. I needed to know why Genevieve was in so much danger, and I also wanted to know what happened between Anne and Neil to break them apart years ago. But of course, I was most desperate to find out how the two women were connected and why they were being targeted by evil. The author does such an amazing job building the suspense and pacing the two stories out perfectly that I found it very hard to put this book down even for a few minutes. </div>
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Overall, Shadows of the Past was an intriguing mystery that held my attention throughout. Whether you are a fan of historical fiction, contemporary fiction, mysteries, or even romance, this book a book for you. </div>
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For more about Carmen Stefanescu and Shadows of the Past, visit her website<b> <a href="http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/">here</a></b>.</div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Purchase:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Past-Carmen-Stefanescu-ebook/dp/B00AK2D9I8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384790949&sr=8-1&keywords=shadows+of+the+past+carmen+stefanescu"><b>Amazon</b></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>*I received this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.</b></span></div>
Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-64420029097657422012013-11-14T08:14:00.001-05:002013-11-14T08:14:39.771-05:00Gratitude Giveaway Hop!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welcome to the Gratitude Giveaway Hop hosted by<a href="http://www.iamareader.com/"> I Am A Reader, Not A Writer</a>. This hop runs from November 15th to the 30th.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">For this giveaway, one winner will be able to choose a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">book of their choice from The Book Depository, up to $15(US). Open </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">INT</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">, you are eligible to win as long as The Book Depository ships free to your country (check </span><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/help/topic/HelpId/3/Which-countries-do-you-deliver-to#helpContent" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">HERE</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">). </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">So what are you waiting for? Just fill out the handy dandy Rafflecopter and make your way down the linky!</span></div>
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-89413053689597605572013-11-11T03:00:00.000-05:002013-11-11T03:00:15.245-05:00Book Blast: Illuminating Gracie by Lisa C. Temple - Win $100 Amazon or Paypal!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Illuminating-Gracie.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="PP Cover.4043372.indd" class=" wp-image-897 alignleft" height="491" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Illuminating-Gracie-662x1024.jpg" width="318" /></a><strong>Illuminating Gracie by Lisa C. Temple</strong><br />
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As an old woman's lifeless body lies on a cold stone floor, her soul stands before an angel who offers her a miraculous opportunity: the chance to do it all again. But that is easier said than done. In order to change the path her life has taken, she must put aside years of self-loathing and pain, so she can help the young girl she once was become the woman she should have been.<br />
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At 17 years old, Grace Bennett is a bitter young woman. Though blessed with a loving family, looks and brains to spare, she hides her light under a bushel, spending most of her time in the darkness of her mind with little more than sarcasm and self-pity to keep her company.<br />
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But things are about to change for Grace. While delivering food for her family's bed and breakfast, she turns onto a desolate dirt road and drives straight into her destiny.<br />
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It's on this isolated country lane that the damaged girl meets a strangely familiar old couple and two mysterious young men. Together the group fights the demons that surround Grace, and they teach her what it means to let her light shine.<br />
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"Illuminating Gracie" is, at once, a metaphorical tale of the fight between good and evil and a spiritual saga of one girl's journey from darkness into the light. If you liked "Twilight" and "The Hunger Games," you will love the story of Gracie.
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<strong>Excerpt:</strong><br />
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Because he was an angel, Lochedus carried the power of life and death in his touch. With the wave of his hand, he could calm an angry sea or rain down terrible destruction on the heads of the guilty. He could grant peace to the troubled and visit devastating disease on the deserving. But no matter how hard he tried he could not, that night, pull himself from the depression that threatened to tear him apart. It had taken the touch of a small boy to do what a mighty angel could not and the far- reaching fallout from the child’s selfless act would echo throughout eternity.<br />
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Through the years, Lochedus had checked in on the boy, quietly keeping vigil – never speaking, only watching. Not one time did the boy acknowledge his existence or seem to see him again. Not even in his darkest hours did he call out for help. That is, until tonight. The boy, now an old man, didn’t beg for his own soul, but for the soul of another – the one he loved most in the world. And now, the angel would move Heaven and Earth – and Hell if he had to – to help the one to whom he owed so much.
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<strong>Praise for Illuminating Gracie:</strong><br />
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"A well-paced fantasy story of redemption and self-improvement." ~Kirkus Review (Sept. 1, 2013 Magazine)<br />
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"Just the right amount of love story to the action packed plot line left this book a perfectly balanced read." ~Maryann (Amazon “Top 1000” Reviewers)<br />
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"The story also contains little mysteries that keep you turning the pages, as gems of insight turn up along the way. It is a story of hope and redemption, and a beautiful request of each of us to let our light shine brightly." ~Kimberly Raadt Higgins (Amazon Review)<br />
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"On a personal level, I can relate to Grace in so many ways. As I read, a lot of memories and feelings from my teenage and young adult years have come flooding back, some a little painful, others fun and exciting, even hopeful. Yet it also has me contemplating where I am today as a middle-aged adult; am I who I thought I would be, who I want to be?" ~N.J. Collar (Amazon Review)<br />
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"The plot is masterfully drawn and keeps the reader guessing until the end. This book tells the story of the fight between good and evil in a young woman's life. It is brilliant in its use of humor and emotion to draw the reader into the characters." J. Pitts (Amazon and Goodreads)<br />
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<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/lisa-temple.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lisa temple" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-898" height="300" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/lisa-temple-220x300.jpg" width="220" /></a><strong>Author Lisa C. Temple</strong><br />
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On thirty-nine Senior scrolls, the Headmaster of author, Lisa C. Temple's, small, private school wrote "Good Luck and best wishes for a prosperous future!" On the fortieth and final scroll, which was Temple's, the Headmaster penned the words, "Lisa, I can't wait to see to what use you put your unusual talents!" Temple spent the next 30 years trying to assuage her former leader's curiosity - and her own.<br />
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She sold BMWs in her hometown of Montgomery, Alabama, and hillbillies (as a booking agent) in Nashville, Tennessee. In an effort to escape the enforced servitude of the Junior League, she even attended and was graduated from law school and passed the Alabama State Bar exam in 2002. Through it all, she battled problems and illnesses, many of her own making. But, it wasn't until her father - her hero - was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), that Temple found her true calling - the "talent" that she finds joy in putting to use.<br />
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"Illuminating Gracie," is loosely autobiographical and born from a desire to, if only, metaphorically right the wrongs of Temple's own past. It tells the story of a miserable old woman who is given the opportunity - by an angel - to go back in time and help the young girl she once was become the woman she should have been. "Illuminating Gracie," is the first book in a four-book series. The second book, "Instigating Gracie," is due for release in December 2013.<br />
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Temple laughs when saying she has a loving and complicated husband she deserves, and a wonderful son and two loving stepchildren that she does not. She also shares her life with her beloved pets: Pomeranian, Phebe; Bordernese, Flash; and Tabby cat, MInx.
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<strong>BookBlast Giveaway</strong><br />
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$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash<br />
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Ends 12/13/13<br />
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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 <a href="http://iamareader.com/" target="_blank">http://iamareader.com</a> and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-23009680114889563592013-11-09T03:00:00.000-05:002013-11-09T03:00:02.676-05:00Book Blast: Fighting for the Edge by Jennifer Comeaux - Win $50 Amazon or Paypal!<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Fighting-for-the-Edge-Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fighting for the Edge Cover" class="alignleft wp-image-996" height="525" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Fighting-for-the-Edge-Cover.jpg" width="350" /></a><strong>Fighting for the Edge</strong><br />
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Two friends. Two dreams. One night that changes everything…<br />
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Ice dancer Aubrey London scoffs at romance. She’s focused on winning a medal at the upcoming Olympics and uses that as her excuse to avoid serious relationships. But when she and longtime friend Chris Grayden are thrown together by unforeseen circumstances, Aubrey finds herself questioning everything she's ever known about love, complicating her life both on and off the ice.<br />
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Pairs skater Emily Petrov embraces romance. She and her husband Sergei still act like honeymooners two years after their wedding. As Emily’s coach, Sergei provides constant support while she prepares to challenge for gold at the Olympics. But Sergei’s support might not be enough to help Emily overcome the one challenge she never saw coming.<br />
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With the Games only weeks away, Emily and Aubrey are on the verge of realizing their dreams. But one snowy, stormy night sets in motion a series of events that will test them in ways they never imagined, giving them more to fight for than Olympic medals.
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Edge-Jennifer-Comeaux-ebook/dp/B00GGA5D5U?tag=blasttours-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fighting-for-the-edge-jennifer-comeaux/1117325330?ean=2940148884309">Barnes & Noble</a></div>
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<strong>Praise for Fighting for the Edge</strong><br />
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"Emily and Aubrey's final challenge is Jennifer Comeaux's greatest victory. Both touching and suspenseful, Fighting for the Edge is a game changer that will have fans of the series giving both the characters and the author a standing ovation once they've turned the last page. If I could pass out medals, Jennifer would earn gold for writing my favorite romance of all time." - Jenna at Jenna Does Books<br />
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"Jennifer Comeaux puts you in the action, makes you smell the ice and hear the roar of the crowd during the nail-biting competitions, and she's a master at creating first love jitters in your stomach from the steamy scenes that are so hot without being explicit." - Christina Jean Michaels, author of Epiphany
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<b>Life on the Edge (Book 1)</b><br />
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Nineteen-year-old Emily is new to pairs skating, but she and her partner Chris have a big dream–to be the first American team to win Olympic gold. Their young coach Sergei, who left Russia after a mysterious end to his skating career, believes they can break through and make history.<br />
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Emily and Chris are on track to be top contenders at the 2002 Winter Games. But when forbidden feelings spark between Emily and Sergei, broken trust and an unexpected enemy threaten to derail Emily’s dreams of gold.
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Edge-Jennifer-Comeaux-ebook/dp/B006T89A4Y?tag=blasttours-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/life-on-the-edge-jennifer-comeaux/1108128017?ean=2940013689534" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></div>
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<b>Edge of the Past (Book 2) Summary:</b><br />
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Emily's skating career and personal life have never been more golden. She and her partner Chris have won every competition they've entered this season, and she's found the man of her dreams in her coach Sergei. But when one of the biggest competitions of the year takes Emily and Sergei to Russia, Sergei's past explodes into the present and makes Emily doubt everything in their future.
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Past-Jennifer-Comeaux-ebook/dp/B00AEFAWD6?tag=blasttours-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/edge-of-the-past-jennifer-comeaux/1113854249?ean=2940015789331" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></div>
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<b>Author Jennifer Comeaux</b>
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Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren't any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she's a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is travelling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing.<br />
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When not working or writing, she is an avid follower of the sport of figure skating, travelling to competitions around the country. Those experiences allow her to see another side of the sport and serve as an inspiration for her writing. Jennifer is blessed with a wonderful family and many friends who have encouraged her to pursue her dream of being a published author.<br />
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<a href="http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="http://www.twitter.com/LadyWave4">Twitter</a> * <a href="http://www.facebook.com/jennifercomeauxauthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5368434.Jennifer_Comeaux" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/jennifercomeaux/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><br />
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-4244563812364212682013-11-07T08:00:00.000-05:002013-11-07T08:00:08.485-05:00Cover Reveal: Meant for Me (Take Me Now #2) by Faith Sullivan - with a Giveaway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Meant for Me (Take Me Now #2)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6878936.Faith_Sullivan" target="_blank">Faith Sullivan</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Release Date: December 10, 2013</span><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Genre: Contemporary Romance</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Age Group: New Adult</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Summary from Goodreads:</span></b><br />
<i><br /></i><i>Eric thought he had forever...before.<br /><br />Divided between reliving the past and embracing his new life with Ivy, Eric fears that love will once again be ripped from his grasp. Having faith in the future is hard. So many things can go wrong.<br /><br />Ivy is convinced that what they have is meant to be...but no one can escape the wheel of fate.<br /><br />Her love for Eric and the life they're creating make every sacrifice seem worthwhile. Until she's forced to reveal the truth surrounding her delicate condition. Even if it shatters his hope.<br /><br />Can they hold onto their newfound happiness or are events already in motion to keep them apart?</i></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18132830-meant-for-me" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vEQMsB-vWss/Ue38CRA3x3I/AAAAAAAAQWk/jIJtonUcfEA/s1600/add+to+goodreads+black.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Books in this trilogy:</b></div>
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<b>(linked to Goodreads)</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18132823-take-me-now" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OUr9fk-sRYw/UdsUdH0IgEI/AAAAAAAAQJE/NJD1PL8xii4/s640/cover_final.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18683376-hold-me-tight" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OhxKg781_WA/Ul8Gfgw8pyI/AAAAAAAABik/qAC7ZvicVKE/s1600/SafariScreenSnapz001.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>About the Author:</b></div>
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Faith Sullivan is an author of New Adult contemporary romances including the HEARTBEAT trilogy, the TAKE ME NOW series and the 9/11 novel, UNEXPECTED.</div>
<b><br /></b><b>Where to find Faith Sullivan:</b><br />
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<a href="http://faithsullivanwrites.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img align="none" border="0" height="32" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gtlbTNO8zy8/Ul75g6yT1jI/AAAAAAAABiU/2sdufM0zYGg/s1600/blogger_icon.png" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6878936.Faith_Sullivan" target="_blank"><img align="none" data-cke-saved-src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_goodreads_32.png" height="32" src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_goodreads_32.png" style="height: 32px; width: 32px;" width="32" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/_FaithSullivan_" target="_blank"><img align="none" data-cke-saved-src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_twitter_32x32.png" height="32" src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_twitter_32x32.png" style="height: 32px; width: 32px;" width="32" /></a><br />
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-56522735022281253282013-11-06T09:00:00.002-05:002013-11-06T09:00:56.515-05:00Review: Elly in Bloom by Colleen Oakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18393011-elly-in-bloom?ac=1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1377665612l/18393011.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18393011-elly-in-bloom?ac=1"><b>Title: Elly In Bloom</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18393011-elly-in-bloom?ac=1"><b>Author: Colleen Oakes</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18393011-elly-in-bloom?ac=1"><b>Publication Date: September 5, 2012</b></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">What would you do if you had to design your lover's wedding?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Surrounded by lush flowers and neurotic brides, chubby 32-year old Elly Jordan has carved out a sweet little life for herself as the owner of Posies, a boutique wedding florist in St. Louis. It’s not bad for a woman who drove away from her entire life just two years ago when she found her husband entwined with a red-headed artist. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Sure, Elly has an embarrassingly beautiful best friend, a terribly behaved sheepdog and a sarcastic assistant who she simply calls “Snarky Teenager”, but overall her days are pleasantly uneventful. As a bonus, her new next door neighbor just happens to be an unnervingly handsome musician who has an eye for curvy Elly. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Just when she feels that she is finally moving on from her past, she discovers that an extravagant wedding contract, one that could change her financial future, is more than she bargained for. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">With the help of her friends, staff and the occasional well-made sandwich, Elly bravely agrees to take on the event that threatens to merge her painful history with her bright new life, and finds herself blooming in a direction she never imagined. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div>
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After walking in on her husband in bed with another woman, Elly has packed up and moved away only to find herself in a place called Clayton, Missouri . It's here that she stops for something to eat and meets Kim, the most beautiful woman Elly has ever seen, who talks her into staying and quickly becomes her best friend. Two years later, Elly has opened a successful flower shop with Kim by her side when she lands her biggest account yet. There's only one problem, she and the groom have a history. Can Elly keep her cool long enough to get through the wedding, or will her past come back to haunt her? </div>
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Have you ever read a book and the main character is so much life yourself that you just knew that if they were to become a real person that they would totally be your new best friend? That is how I feel about Elly. Like myself, Elly is a bigger girl dealing with low self esteem. Her snarky, self-deprecating sense of humor is one that I couldn't get enough of. She has a big heart and tends to let people get away with more than they should. She is still dealing with the pain of her husband's affair and also the loss of her mother. I just wanted to jump into this story and give Elly a giant hug.</div>
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There is a running joke between my best friend and I that if something embarrassing is going to happen, it's going to happen to one of us. This also rings true for poor Elly. I knew this story was for me immediately after a very unfortunate situation with a fondue fountain that left me laughing for a very long time. Elly's story is one that is heartbreaking, but also so funny. Nothing can go smoothly for this girl and her life is a roller coaster. I have to admit that I felt bad laughing at her situations, but I just couldn't help it. I've been there and that made it all the more engaging. </div>
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Overall, Elly in Bloom was a fantastic and hilarious story of love, friendship and do-overs. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book in this series, Elly in Love. If you are a fan of Chick Lit, romantic comedy, or just enjoy a good story with fun characters, this book is for you. You can't help but fall in love with Elly!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: center;">For more about Colleen Oakes and Elly in Bloom, visit her website</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #525252; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: center;"> </span><a href="http://www.colleenoakes.net/" style="background-color: white; color: #ea992c; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">here</b></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #525252; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: center;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: center;">or her blog<span style="color: #525252;"> </span></span><a href="http://ranunculusadventure.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #ea992c; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">here</b></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #525252; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: center;">.</span></div>
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<b><a href="http://bookcoverjustice.blogspot.com/2013/10/exclusive-cover-reveal-elly-in-bloom-by.html">*Be sure to stop by a visit the guest post by Colleen Oakes!* </a></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">*I received this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100& my own.</span></b></div>
Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-55036170884409164352013-11-06T03:00:00.000-05:002013-11-06T03:00:08.410-05:00Tied by Laney McMann – $50 Book Blast<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Tied-cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tied cover" class="alignleft wp-image-891" height="534" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Tied-cover.jpg" width="350" /></a><strong>Tied by Laney McMann</strong><br />
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Normal people don't believe their nightmares stalk them. They don’t fall in love with boys who don’t exist, either.
Seventeen-year-old Layla Labelle, though, is far from normal.<br />
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Her delusions walk the earth. Her hallucinations hunt her, and her skin heats to a burn every time her anger flares.<br />
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Or is that all in her head?<br />
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Layla doesn't know what to believe any more because if none of that’s true, Max MacLarnon must be an illusion, and her heart must still be broken.<br />
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No matter how much she wants to believe Max is real, doing so would mean everything else is, too. How, then, is that possible?<br />
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The answers lie in an age-old legend the supernatural aren’t prepared to reveal, and with a curse that could tear Layla and Max apart forever—if it doesn’t kill them both first.<br />
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In TIED, book one in the Fire Born trilogy, learning the truth will mean fighting an arsenal of demons, and being with Max will put Layla on a path toward her own destruction.<br />
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Just how far will Layla go to protect the one she loves?<br />
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The answer may never be far enough ... away. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/TIED-Fire-Born-Novel-ebook/dp/B00EXSQZZ4?tag=blasttours-20"><img alt="amazon blog" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-876" height="50" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/amazon-blog.png" width="50" /></a> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tied-laney-mcmann/1116783158?ean=9781937744304"><img alt="Barnes and Noble" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-877" height="50" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Barnes-and-Noble.png" width="50" /></a> <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/tied"><img alt="Kobo" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-894" height="50" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Kobo.png" width="50" /></a></center>
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<strong>Excerpt:</strong><br />
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My window opened easily. The same way it had so many times before. Climbing out on the ledge, I found the ground empty and dropped from the second floor—a jump I'd made a hundred times. In another life.<br />
My feet sunk into the sand, and I followed the well-worn pathway through the dunes. Even the strong evening winds hadn’t misshaped the deep gully. The ocean's breeze lashed at my hair as the moonlight glinted off the water’s surface. Seagulls flew up from their nesting grounds. They should have recognized me, since I’d been wandering at night for so long. Wrapping my arms around my knees to block the slight chill, I settled in the sand, and the birds quieted in a tight huddle, the wind blowing their feathers in awkward angles.<br />
My gaze fell on a figure standing beyond the dunes edge, a shadow hidden within the darkness. My pulse quickened, but I didn't move. Another trick—an illusion. Weary of the games my mind continued to play, I bit back tears and the catch in my throat. I should have been immune to them—the hallucinations—the way they haunted me and followed me, but I wasn’t.<br />
Forcing myself to blink, I turned my head away. The visions had grown worse as I’d become older. I’d tried to convince myself they were nightmares—or weird dreams. Hoped for years they were, but only people who sleep dream.<br />
Unable, or unwilling to stop myself, I glanced back over my shoulder, thoughts flooding my brain. Memories I knew couldn’t be memories but I cherished all the same. For years I’d tried to shake them away. To make myself forget.
I couldn’t.#**#**#<br />
A stone raps against my bedroom window. I creep over and peer through the blinds.<br />
"You’re late." I lean out over the sill, grinning at the boy staring up at me.<br />
"Come on, let’s go before she comes," he says.<br />
I climb onto the window ledge. "Be nice. She’s my friend."<br />
"Okay. Jump." He waves at me to go faster.<br />
"Move, and I will."<br />
He takes one casual step to the side.The jump isn’t too high; I make it all the time.
He grabs my hand when I land beside him in the soft sand.<br />
"Ready?"<br />
I nod.<br />
"One, two …"<br />
"I’m going to tell!" Benny runs across my yard toward me, her blonde pigtails flapping in the wind. "You’re not allowed to talk to that boy, Layla! Your mom said!"<br />
Max tightens his grip on my hand.<br />
"Shut up, Benny! I'm old enough."<br />
"You’re only nine. Don't go! "<br />
"Three!" Max and I leave the ground.<br />
“You're going to get in so much trouble.” Benny’s yell rings in the distance.<br />
Our feet touch down in the wet grass of the Otherworld, icy sea air whipping at my face.<br />
"Hopefully, she won’t follow us again." Max lets go of my hand.<br />
"She won’t. I told her not to." I lead the way down the cliff face to the ocean.<br />
"She never listens to you."
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<strong>Book Trailer</strong>
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<strong>Praise for Tied:</strong><br />
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“The author has taken a unique concept and created a brilliantly written story. One of my new favorite fantasy books.” — The Reading Diaries<br />
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“I was so engrossed in this story that real life went on without me being aware of it.” — Crazy Four Books
“In the midst of games between parallel worlds, past and present, interrupted by visions and ancient prophecies, you are caught up in the story’s threads.” — Mythical Books<br />
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“There's so much amazing creativity that has gone into the Fire Born world; McMann combines and twist legends and the paranormal to come up with the perfect urban fantasy setting. ” — Known to Read
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<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Laney-McMann.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Laney McMann" class="alignleft wp-image-892" height="274" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Laney-McMann.jpg" width="287" /></a><strong>Author Laney McMann</strong><br />
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With a passion for the supernatural and all things magical, Laney developed a voracious appetite for reading fantasy at a young age. A vivid imagination helped set the stage for creating her own worlds and placed her onto the writing path.
By the time she reached her teens, she'd accumulated notebooks full of poems, which led to short stories and finally novels. Young adult dark fantasy, paranormal romance, and mythology are among her favorite genres.<br />
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A former classical dancer and chef, she grew up in sultry Florida where she still resides with her family. <br />
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<a href="http://laneymcmann.com/"><img alt="Social Media Website" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-21438" height="40" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Social-Media-Website.png" width="40" /></a> <a href="http://laneymcmann.com/blog-posts/"><img alt="Social Media Blog" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-21432" height="40" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Social-Media-Blog.png" width="40" /></a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laney-McMann-YA-Author/239468532762355"><img alt="Social Media Facebook" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-21433" height="40" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Social-Media-Facebook.png" width="40" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/laneymcmann"><img alt="Social Media Twitter" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-21437" height="40" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Social-Media-Twitter.png" width="40" /></a> <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/laneymcmann/"><img alt="Social Media Pinterest" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-21436" height="40" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Social-Media-Pinterest.png" width="40" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6563682.Laney_McMann"><img alt="Social Media Goodreads" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-21434" height="40" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Social-Media-Goodreads.png" width="40" /></a></center>
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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 <a href="http://iamareader.com/" target="_blank">http://iamareader.com</a> and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-8065888534368929832013-11-05T13:08:00.000-05:002013-11-05T14:59:00.908-05:00We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming... (and winners announced!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You may have noticed that over the past week or two, things have been slow here on the blog. My original plan this winter was to keep blogging until January, at which point I would take that month off to catch up on books and things of my own that had been put aside to concentrate on review books. But over the last two weeks, things have gone a little crazy. I don't want to get into details, but I need to take a step back from blogging for a bit to get some things under control.</div>
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That being said, I still have a ton of books scheduled for review over the next two months. I will still be reading and reviewing all of the books I have already committed to, but I won't be accepting any more (my review policy already says this, but I am STILL receiving a lot of requests). I will not be taking part in any memes from here on out, I'm just going to focus on the reviews I have due and the other guest posts I have scheduled. Then, when January rolls around, I will be taking that month off completely. </div>
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But don't worry, I promise that I WILL be back On February 1st with a new Shop My Shelves Giveaway and plenty more fun things! You'll still find me lurking around on Twitter and maybe even Facebook too :)</div>
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In other news, a couple of giveaways ended last month and winners have been chosen. All winners were chosen randomly via Rafflecopter.com and all entries verified:</div>
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Spooktacular Giveaway Hop:</div>
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October Shop My Shelves Giveaway:</div>
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Blogoversary Bash Bonanza Giveaway #2: INT Only:</div>
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Blogoversary Bash Bonanza Giveaway #10: $25 Amazon Gift Card:</div>
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Congrats to all the winners! I want to thank you all for being such awesome readers and for your support. Please keep on stopping by to check out all the great books coming up for review over the next two months!<br />
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-45345474713528418902013-11-05T03:00:00.000-05:002013-11-05T03:00:05.711-05:00Book Blast: Jawbreaker Unlock the (U)niverse by Jolene Stockman - Win $100 Amazon or Paypal!<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jawbreaker.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jawbreaker" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-755" height="300" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jawbreaker-187x300.jpg" width="187" /></a><strong>Jawbreaker</strong><br />
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You have created yourself every second since the day you were born. Bit by bit, layer by layer. You are a million moments. You are your gift to the world. You are a jawbreaker.<br />
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This exciting new non-fiction book for young adults is a guide to exploring who you are, and deciding who you want to be.<br />
Get ready to:<br />
- Find and fuel your fizzing center spark.<br />
- Tune in to personal guidance techniques.<br />
- Unleash your absolute uniqueness.<br />
- Develop a cutting edge brand from scratch.<br />
- And so much more!<br />
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Packed with tools and jewels to navigate the new world, Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse (17,000 words) will let you build on your strengths, and show you your story in a whole new way.<br />
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It’s time to uncover the world’s best kept secret: You.
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<strong><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/nz/artist/jolene-stockman/id562349771" target="_blank">iTunes</a> * <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/jolene-stockman?keyword=jolene+stockman&store=nookstore" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> * <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-nz/Search/Query?query=jolene%20stockman&fcmedia=Book" target="_blank">Kobo</a> * <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/365316" target="_blank">Smashwords</a> * <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jawbreaker-Unlock-U-niverse-ebook/dp/B00EAHNV78?tag=blasttours-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a></strong></div>
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<b>***Book Blast Special 1 </b>Get your Kindle copy of <i>Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse</i> for 99c!<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jawbreaker-Unlock-U-niverse-ebook/dp/B00EAHNV78">
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<b>***Book Blast Special 2 </b>Jolene’s YA non-fiction, <i>Total Blueprint for World Domination</i> shows you how to design your dream world and make it happen! And it’s free for a limited time:
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<strong><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/nz/artist/jolene-stockman/id562349771" target="_blank">iTunes</a> * <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/jolene-stockman?keyword=jolene+stockman&store=nookstore" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> * <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-nz/Search/Query?query=jolene%20stockman&fcmedia=Book" target="_blank">Kobo</a> * <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/351536" target="_blank">Smashwords</a></strong></div>
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<b>***Blogger Special </b>Fill in the <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dHprZXE4ZVFsOUhhM3VQUnN6XzlnQXc6MQ" target="_blank">form to get free e-copies</a> of Jolene’s books to review!<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dHprZXE4ZVFsOUhhM3VQUnN6XzlnQXc6MQ">
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Parents, educators, and teen readers have called Jolene’s books inspiring, empowering, powerful, and life-changing. If you’re looking to get motivated, love your life, and explore who you are, <i>Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse </i>is for you!<br />
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<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jolene-stockman.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="jolene stockman" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-964" height="193" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jolene-stockman.jpg" width="190" /></a><b>Author Jolene Stockman</b><br />
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Jolene Stockman is an award winning writer, speaker, and an expert for Girlfriend Magazine Australia. She is a Master of Neuro Linguistic Programming, and one of the youngest in the world to achieve the Distinguished Toastmaster Award. Jolene lives in New Zealand, and is the author of motivational non-fiction <i>Total Blueprint for World Domination</i>, and contemporary fiction <i>The Jelly Bean Crisis</i>. <i>Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse </i>is her latest book.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.totalblueprint.com/">Website</a> * <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5129801.Jolene_Stockman">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/jolenestockman">Twitter</a> </b></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JoleneStockmanAuthor">Facebook</a> * <a href="http://jolenestockman.blogspot.com/">Blog</a></b><br />
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$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash<br />
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Ends 11/24/13<br />
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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 <a href="http://iamareader.com/" target="_blank">I Am A Reader, Not A Writer</a> and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-91231452394344390032013-11-02T03:00:00.000-04:002013-11-02T03:00:01.286-04:00Book Blast: Sierra by Taylor Dean - Win $50 Amazon or Paypal!
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sierra-ebook/dp/B008FD5JP0?tag=blasttours-20"><img alt="Sierra 99 cents" class="wp-image-884 aligncenter" height="186" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Sierra-99-cents.png" width="560" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sierra-ebook/dp/B008FD5JP0?tag=blasttours-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sierra cover" class=" wp-image-885 alignleft" height="480" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/sierra-cover.png" width="320" /></a> <strong>Sierra by Taylor Dean</strong><br />
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<em>Have you ever been lost in the woods?</em><br />
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Alyssa Fontaine’s life, loved ones—everything familiar and dear—are brutally taken from her.
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Taken captive by two men, she endures a horrific nightmare. A new life is forced upon her and even a new name.<br />
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Just when it appears that no hope is in sight, she is saved by an unlikely twist of fate. Trapped in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains, life will open its arms to her again and she will embrace it. She will find love such as she never knew existed.<br />
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Sierra is a heart-wrenching story of the power of the human spirit to survive amidst impossible circumstances and severe losses. It is a story of survival . . . and hope. <br />
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<strong>Excerpt from Sierra:</strong><br />
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This is one of my favorite scenes in Sierra. It's a pivotal moment, wherein Alyssa's life can change for the better--or for the worse. After facing extreme cruelty, she is faced with utter kindness. I love the marked difference between her experiences.<br />
~Taylor Dean<br />
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“Please sit,” he whispered. Her eyes were drawing him in. She didn’t seem to be scared of him, she seemed to know he wanted to help her. First, he filled a glass with water and held it to her lips. She drank thirstily, but then shook her head negatively when he wanted her to finish all of it. At the sink, he filled a small plastic tub with warm water, grabbed shampoo, and went back to Alyssa. The kitchen sink doubled as his bathroom sink. He had all he needed to clean her up, including a small first aid kit. He knelt in front of her. Once again, he gently touched her chin and lifted her face to his. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. She had the biggest brown eyes he’d ever seen.<br />
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“Just relax and let me take care of you, Alyssa,” he whispered softly.<br />
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She responded with a slight nod. Sitting in the kitchen chair, he had her slowly lean her head back till it was resting just above the tub. He gently began to wash her hair, first getting it wet and then massaging the shampoo into her scalp. She winced when he touched the spot where dried blood matted her hair, so he was extra gentle there. Her long hair was tangled and filled with dirt and bits of dried leaves. It took some time to get it clean and several refills of warm water in the tub as he rinsed. Alyssa closed her eyes and relaxed for probably the first time in days. He worked conditioner into the long locks and then had her sit up as he gently combed through it, removing all of the snarls. He then parted the hair where the wound on the scalp was located and took a look at the gash. It was angry and red, and it needed stitches, but would have to wait till he could retrieve his medical supplies from the supply room. He disinfected it with alcohol and moved on.<br />
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He again knelt in front of Alyssa. Her eyes opened and stared deeply into his, desperately trying to communicate without words. A lone tear fell, drizzling down her cheek. He brushed it away with his fingertips. This was harder than he thought. He knew this was the first gentle touch she’d felt in days. The abuse she had suffered was obvious to him as he noticed her many bruises. He grabbed his kitchen stool and sat before her. Using a washcloth, he began to wipe her face clean. As he worked, their eyes met and held. Ever so gently he wiped the dirt and grime away from days spent outdoors. And with it he wiped away tears and pain.<br />
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“Please help me,” Alyssa whispered.<br />
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Alex stole a glance at Pa and Adam. Pa’s eyes were closed and a soft snore emanated from him. Adam was wide awake, his shotgun pointed at Alex, but he stared into the fire sullenly. Alex leaned forward to grab the tube of anti-biotic ointment on the table. With his lips to her ear as he brushed past, he whispered, “Everything’s going to be all right, Alyssa. I won’t let them take you, I promise.”<br />
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Alex then applied the salve to the small cuts on her face and lips. Each and every one of his ministrations clearly brought relief to her. Every time Alex looked her in the eyes, she met him with eyes that spoke volumes. He refilled the tub and washed her arms and hands and then took his time cleaning her fingernails, occasionally massaging her hand as he looked into her eyes. He also applied cortisone cream to her numerous mosquito bites. Next, he decided to tend to her neck and wrists. He cringed inside at the raw, bloody skin underneath the ropes. The first thing he’d wanted to do was cut the ropes, but he didn’t want to push his luck. However, now it was time. He went to the kitchen counter and unsheathed a kitchen knife. The sound of the knife being unsheathed brought Adam to his feet immediately.<br />
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Shotgun aimed at Alex, he yelled, “Put it down, Doc.”<br />
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Alex faced him without flinching. “I’m cutting the ropes. They’ve rubbed her skin raw and it’s going to get infected,” he said with steel in his voice. “You can have the knife when I’m done.”<br />
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Pa awoke from his snooze in the commotion. “Sit down, Adam. Doc’s right. Let ‘em fix her up,” he growled.<br />
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Adam continued to stand, anxiously waiting while Alex cut the rope on her neck and freed Alyssa from her leash. He then cut the other ropes and freed her wrists. She closed her eyes and Alex could see the relief on her face. He wondered just how long she had been bound. He handed the knife to Adam roughly and stared him in the face. “Satisfied?”<br />
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“Won’t do any good, I’ll just be puttin’ the ropes back on ya know,” Adam taunted.<br />
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Not if I have anything to say about it, thought Alex.
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<strong>Book Trailer</strong><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cfodo9vCZRU" width="480"></iframe>
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<strong>Praise for Sierra:</strong><br />
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Every now and then you come across a novel that profoundly takes your breath away, and Sierra is that novel.
-Kathleen of Jersey Girl Book Reviews
Riveting from beginning to end. Be prepared to read straight through.<br />
-Sherry of Fundinmental Book Reviews<br />
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I thought I had read romances before, and books like "Jane Eyre" and "A Tale of Two Cities," I had always considered the peaks of romantic literature. Let me say this. This is the most romantic book I have ever read in my 38 years on this planet!<br />
-Ruth of My Devotional Thoughts<br />
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What I like most about Sierra was how Taylor lulls you in the beginning, then she shreds the peaceful scene to pieces. It happens so fast you barely have time to comprehend what is going to happen. Just like in real life.<br />
-Laura of FUONLYKNEW Book Reviews<br />
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<a href="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Taylor.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Taylor" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-886" height="300" src="http://www.bookblasttours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Taylor-199x300.png" width="199" /></a><strong>Author Taylor Dean</strong><br />
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Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding that she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of romance in her line-up. <br />
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<strong>BookBlast Giveaway</strong><br />
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$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash<br />
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Ends 11/22/13<br />
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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 <a href="http://iamareader.com/" target="_blank">http://iamareader.com</a> and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-25671028278753335292013-10-31T18:25:00.000-04:002013-10-31T18:25:06.215-04:00Book Blitz: Fun Facts about Changes Vol.1, (Family Portrait) by Gillian Felix - and a Giveaway too!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RBalekZ5L4g/UnGlOjU8ZPI/AAAAAAAAAtU/pDXsLR2HC-s/s1600/Tour-banner-Vol-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RBalekZ5L4g/UnGlOjU8ZPI/AAAAAAAAAtU/pDXsLR2HC-s/s400/Tour-banner-Vol-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Welcome to my stop on the Changes Vol. 1, (Family Portrait) by Gillian Felix blog tour! Check out the book below and then read on for some fun facts!</div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>About the book:</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18298149-changes?from_search=true"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0q9iY7-sEZM/UnGlvSnQY-I/AAAAAAAAAtc/T4b__075Lto/s320/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18298149-changes?from_search=true"><b>Title: Changes Vol. 1,(Family Portrait)</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18298149-changes?from_search=true"><b>Author: Gillian Felix</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18298149-changes?from_search=true"><b>Publication Date: July 25, 2013</b></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Synopsis:</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Adriana Banovic’s 15th birthday sucked! She got fired after eight years of playing Shayanne Montgomery on the #1 soap in the country, found out that her family was on the verge of bankruptcy and worst of all, forced to return to Westwood Academy. Her only saving grace was a chance glance at dreamy mystery boy Haze Lyndon. Armed with only his picture and a determination to find him—even if it means turning Los Angeles over on its ass.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">In this young adult novel, you’ll meet Robin Banovic, Adriana’s father; financially challenged, dealing with the death of a family member and his brother’s disappearance. You’ll meet Savannah DaCosta aka Savi, mother/manager; Savi enjoys the life her rock star daughter Leighann has provided. When Leighann makes a choice to end her career, Savi sees it as a personal attack. You’ll meet college boy Haze Lyndon; New to Los Angeles, Haze soon realizes how quickly money changes hands in the City of Angels. Will he return to questionable ways to survive or go back to the safety of his family in Wisconsin?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This novel is NOT for children, it contains strong language, reference to drug use
and sexual situations, this novel is meant for mature teens and adults.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun facts about </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Changes Vol. 1, (Family Portrait):</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Writing Adriana’s character was fun and challenging because she is such a minx. It’s tricky because she shares the leading role with Leighann, who is sweet, and kind—they are polar opposites of each other. They both grew up in the entertainment industry but that’s about all they have in common. Adriana makes no apologies for who she is, she is reckless and wild and I’m sure some readers will hate her. It is only later on in the series you get to really see why she is the way she is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though Leighann was a bigger star than Adriana, she was more protected by her mother. Savi may have her ways, but she shielded Leighann from a lot of the outside world. So when Leighann defies her and ventures out into the ‘real world’, she begins to see how scary things can get.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leighann’s fascination with the ‘real world’ is based on the fact that she has never had a ‘normal’ life. She sits in the tour bus and looks at the fans through the one way glass and thinks that their life is so easy, and she longs for that. She wants to meet a boy, go to the movies, and do things normal teenagers do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Westwood Academy of Higher Learning is a super school on steroids as one reviewer described it: </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“we
mustn't forget the whole larger-than-life high school scene on steroids in a world where appearances often mean more than substance”</span><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The school is high tech and ridiculously over the top with chef catered lunches, marble floors, digital lockers, Jacuzzi. Seriously, I’d want to go to that school. How does any body get any studying done? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Astrid Wilson is the Kim Kardashian of Westwood Academy. She decks out in Prada and all the latest designs by the hottest designers. No body can throw a hissy fit like Astrid. When Adriana returns to Westwood Academy, Astrid’s status is threatened especially where her boyfriend Warren is concerned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Family Portrait</span><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is based on a television series I had written. The script got lots of interest in Hollywood but nothing came of it, so I decided to turn it into a book series. I have two seasons, 24 episodes of the television series already written.
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book two combines a couple episodes from the script. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Changes Vol. 1</span><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is equivalent to the pilot episode—it introduces the audience to the characters. The script for television was meant for prime time so I had to tone it down—a lot. The book is the raw version—drug use, foul language, sexual situations. The characters can get away with a lot more in the book than they could on screen, which is good for Adriana and her brother, Kevin’s character, because later in the series they really get naughty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Right now I am working on Vol. 2 called </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Banovic Siblings. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this book the siblings mostly Adriana and Kevin’s past catches up with them and their secrets are getting too close to home. Love triangles and tangles start to form with some of the supporting characters. Leighann’s character starts evolving, her sister L’Wren has a very powerful and emotional storyline which took a lot out of me to write. It really made me ‘go there’ which stretches me as a writer. Book two is a bit darker than </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Changes.</span><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think Vol. 2 may be available in November or December, 2013. It still has the whole process to go through with the story editor, the proofreader and the cover still has to be designed. I usually write like a fiend at night—Sunday through Thursday sometimes Friday nights.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook fan page </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPortraitNovels" style="text-decoration: none;" title="https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPortraitNovels"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPortraitNovels</span></a><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> fans can rummage through the character’s closets. Right now there is an app on there called Adriana’s closet and coming soon: Leighann’s wardrobe, Astrid’s locker, the sound track to go with some of the scenes, Westwood Academy emblem reveal, Westwood Academy gear, fun trivia’s, first read of the novels before they are published. So sign up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thanks for having me. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purchase a copy of </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Changes Vol. 1 (Family Portrait)</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> here</span><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EADYMCA" style="text-decoration: none;" title="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EADYMCA"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EADYMCA</span></a><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Reviews for Changes Vol. 1, (Family Portrait):</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Each character has a story to tell, and I see their stories being entwined together, for better or worse as author Gillian Felix builds a strong and intriguing foundation for a new series with her novella, Changes, book 1 in the Family Portrait series.</span><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Part soap opera, part teen struggle in a world where they are expected to “follow the crowd” and feed the frenzied tabloids fodder for the prying eyes of the masses, all while dealing with personal and family crises, I see a huge following for this new series! I know I’m going to watch for more!”</span><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So many drugs, schemes, and much more. One girl just wants to be normal. One girl just wants the limelight. Selfish motives abound and changes are coming for everyone. It's Hollywood....”</span><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“This book has many interesting characters and I am looking forward to the next volume. I was sorry to see it end.”</span><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>About Gillian Felix:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gillian </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">Felix has been writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. She enjoys </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">creating characters that could be your next-door neighbor, but would you want </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">them as your neighbor is another story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">Originally </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">from the island of Trinidad and Tobago, Miss Felix moved to the United States in </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">1998. Since then she has been involved in the entertainment industry for over fifteen years.Her experience ranges from script </span><span style="line-height: 1;">supervisor to production manager on many</span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;"> independent features. She is trained in the Meisner and </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stanislavski technique of acting, which she credits as an asset to her character </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">development and writing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miss </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">Felix is an entrepreneur and advocate for children’s and women’s rights. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">View book trailer: <a href="http://youtu.be/EiBdwhT74NA" title="http://youtu.be/EiBdwhT74NA">http://youtu.be/EiBdwhT74NA</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook fan page: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPortraitNovels" style="text-decoration: none;" title="https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPortraitNovels"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPortraitNovels</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website: </span><a href="http://www.plaintalkbm.com/family-portrait-novel/" style="text-decoration: none;" title="http://www.plaintalkbm.com/family-portrait-novel/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.plaintalkbm.com/family-portrait-novel/</span></a><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Read the first chapter for free)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/gillianfx" title="http://www.twitter.com/gillianfx">http://www.twitter.com/gillianfx</a></span></div>
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-47139694702044750322013-10-28T07:00:00.000-04:002013-10-28T07:00:03.628-04:00Review- Free Spirit: Growing Up on the Road and Off the Grid by Joshua Safran<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15818576-free-spirit?ac=1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1370839783l/15818576.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15818576-free-spirit?ac=1"><b>Title: Free Spirit: growing up on the road and off the grid</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15818576-free-spirit?ac=1"><b>Author: Joshua Safran</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15818576-free-spirit?ac=1"><b>Publication Date: September 10, 2013</b></a></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">When Joshua Safran was four years old, his mother--determined to protect him from the threats of nuclear war and Ronald Reagan--took to the open road with her young son, leaving the San Francisco countercultural scene behind. Together they embarked on a journey to find a utopia they could call home. In </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Free Spirit</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">, Safran tells the harrowing, yet wryly funny, story of his childhood chasing this perfect life off the grid--and how they survived the imperfect one they found instead.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Encountering a cast of strange and humorous characters along the way, Joshua spends his early years living in a series of makeshift homes, including shacks, teepees, buses, and a lean-to on a stump. His colorful youth darkens, however, when his mother marries an abusive and alcoholic guerrilla/poet.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Throughout it all, Joshua yearns for a "normal" life, but when he finally reenters society through school, he finds "America" a difficult and confusing place. Years spent living in the wilderness have not prepared him for the Darwinian world of teenagers, and he finds himself bullied and beaten by classmates who don’t share his mother’s belief about reveling in one’s differences. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Eventually, Joshua finds the strength to fight back against his tormentors, both in school and at home, and helps his mother find peace. But </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Free Spirit</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> is more than just a coming-of-age story. It is also a journey of the spirit, as Joshua reconnects with his Jewish roots; a tale of overcoming adversity; and a captivating read about a childhood unlike any other.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></div>
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Sometimes when I look back at my own crazy childhood, I have to wonder how I made it out a somewhat normal, functional adult. But then I read stories like this and all I can think is how I guess it could have been worse. </div>
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Joshua's life story begins when he is born to Claudia, a single woman who has dropped out of college to help bring on the revolution. She is a feminist and believes strongly that New America is just around the corner. After a one night stand, Claudia finds herself pregnant with Joshua. For the first few years of his life, they spend their time traveling between communes where they live with other feminists or activists, some of which take on a helping role in taking care of Joshua. His father, Claude, is unreliable and rarely shows up when he says he will. </div>
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I felt a connection with Joshua right away. His mother was clearly mentally unstable and this left him without a real home or family. He was constantly moved around to different homes and left with strangers. At even the young age of four, where most kids are only worrying about getting a swing during playtime at the park, Joshua is losing sleep at night worrying about nuclear bombs and war. I can't imagine how terrifying it must be to be that young and worrying about things so completely insane and having your own parent put those fears in your head.</div>
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I don't think it will come as a big shock to say that I absolutely despised Claudia. Even though it is clear that she has her own deep set of issues, I had a hard time finding and sympathy for her. She left her son with strangers, or even alone during the night because she just <i>had</i> to get out, and put her son in far too many inappropriate and violent situations that no person, especially a child, should ever have to live through. It was frustrating reading all the things that took place during Joshua's young life and not being able to reach through the pages and smack his mother around a bit.</div>
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Still, by the end of this story I couldn't help but find myself feeling uplifted and empowered. Even though his childhood was not ideal, Joshua still turns out to be a remarkable person to be proud of. Did he lay down and let life beat him? No way. Instead, he has used his experiences as a live a better life and he is thankful for the experiences he did have, even though they weren't always good ones.</div>
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Overall, Free Spirit is a truly amazing, although quite upsetting at times, story of a young boy coming of age in a far different world than the rest of us can even imagine. Joshua's feelings are honest, even at the hurt it may cause his mother at times, and his life story is one that will stay with me for a very long time. I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially those who prefer deeper emotional reads and memoirs.</div>
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For more about Joshua Safran and Free Spirit, visit his website <a href="http://www.jsafran.com/"><b>here</b></a>.</div>
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<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Free-Spirit-Joshua-Safran/9781401324605"><b>The Book Depository</b></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">*I received this book for free in exchange of an honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all vies and opinions expressed are 100% my own.</span></b></div>
Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-74547062072710710462013-10-24T08:12:00.000-04:002013-10-24T08:15:17.092-04:00Speak Out Against Domestic Violence with BookSparksPR!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong>Speak out against domestic violence </strong><strong>-
</strong><strong><em>FREE SPIRIT: Growing Up On the Road and Off the Grid
</em>by Joshua Safran</strong></div>
<br />
<strong><img align="left" height="265" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff/images/FreeSpirit.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; height: 265px; line-height: 100%; margin: 5px; outline: invert none medium; width: 175px;" width="175" />Note from Joshua:</strong> “The award-winning documentary
<em>Crime After Crime</em> told the story of my seven-year struggle to free
Deborah Peagler, a battered woman who was wrongfully imprisoned for more than 20
years. I was inspired to help her because of the years of abuse my mother and I
endured at the hands of my stepfather when I was a boy. My representation of
Deborah grew into a deep friendship, and she gave me the courage to finally
write about those experiences in my memoir, <em>FREE SPIRIT: Growing Up On the
Road and Off the Grid</em>. My biggest hope is that by telling my story, others
will be inspired to speak up, and we can work together to end the wall of
silence and finally break the cycle of violence.”<br />
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In recognition of
October being National Domestic Violence Awareness month, we are proud to speak
out with BookSparks, book lovers and author Joshua Safran against domestic
violence.<br />
<br />
<strong>Here's how you can speak out, too!</strong><br />
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<ul>
<li><strong>Post it</strong>: Post the Speak Out badge on your blog on October
24th along with the book cover and info below on Joshua Safran's book <em>FREE
SPIRIT: </em><em>Growing Up On the Road and Off the Grid</em><em>. </em>We
understand<em> </em>you have other obligations/plans for your blog that day,
however, whatever you can do on October 24th to stand up for victims of domestic
violence everywhere would be much appreciated.
</li>
<li><strong>Tweet it:</strong> Speak out with <a href="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=1b18c11428&e=4870d87091" style="color: #669900;" title="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=1b18c11428&e=4870d87091">@BookSparksPR</a>,
book lovers and <a href="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=859593bcde&e=4870d87091" style="color: #669900;" title="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=859593bcde&e=4870d87091">@JoshuaSafran</a>
today against domestic violence! #SpeakOut #DV <a href="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=2462e5f4ec&e=4870d87091" style="color: #669900;" title="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=2462e5f4ec&e=4870d87091">http://bit.ly/1fEdISr</a>
</li>
<li><strong>Facebook it:</strong> Share the badge, this campaign (<a href="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=d883229b14&e=4870d87091" style="color: #669900;" title="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=d883229b14&e=4870d87091">http://bit.ly/1fEdISr</a>),
#SpeakOut #DV, and your words against domestic violence via Facebook and tag us
(<a href="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=9a92fbc631&e=4870d87091" style="color: #669900;" title="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=9a92fbc631&e=4870d87091">BookSparksPR</a>) so
we can share, too!
</li>
<li><strong>Rate it:</strong> Head over to Goodreads and rate Joshua Safran’s
<em>FREE SPIRIT: </em><em>Growing Up On the Road and Off the Grid</em><em>
</em>(<a href="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=24953aa9e5&e=4870d87091" style="color: #669900;" title="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=24953aa9e5&e=4870d87091">http://bit.ly/16IioTC</a>).
It’s a book about Joshua’s journey of the spirit; a tale of overcoming
adversity; and a captivating read about a childhood unlike any other.
</li>
<li><strong>Buy it: </strong> If you buy Joshua Safran’s book, <em>FREE SPIRIT:
</em><em>Growing Up On the Road and Off the Grid</em>, let us know and we will
match with a donation to a domestic violence awareness organization. On
<strong>October 24th</strong> only, if you buy the book for you, a friend, a
holiday gift or all of the above, send us your receipt(s) and we'll be donating
up to 20% of book sales that day (based on emailed receipts) to<a href="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=5b5bb7f1ca&e=4870d87091" style="color: #669900;" title="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=5b5bb7f1ca&e=4870d87091">
Free From Abuse</a> in support of BookSparks Speaks Out: Domestic Violence
Awareness and victims everywhere. Buy on <a href="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=730038b67a&e=4870d87091" style="color: #669900;" title="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=730038b67a&e=4870d87091">Indie
Bound</a>; Buy on <a href="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=485da54a3a&e=4870d87091" style="color: #669900;" title="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=485da54a3a&e=4870d87091">Amazon</a>;
or Buy on <a href="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=649250b136&e=4870d87091" style="color: #669900;" title="http://booksparkspr.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7859aea02ad168c569d4aff&id=649250b136&e=4870d87091">Barnes
& Noble</a>. Send receipts to <a href="mailto:erin@SparkPointStudio.com" style="color: #669900;" title="mailto:erin@SparkPointStudio.com">erin@sparkpointstudio.com</a>. </li>
</ul>
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-34512460107701431122013-10-23T14:48:00.002-04:002013-10-23T14:48:30.840-04:00Waiting On Wednesday (107)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YhMcGBjPpXU/TniQibeJkzI/AAAAAAAAB9k/4zLULsXO-wg/s1600/New+WoW.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YhMcGBjPpXU/TniQibeJkzI/AAAAAAAAB9k/4zLULsXO-wg/s1600/New+WoW.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 197px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 210px;" /></a><i>Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking The Spine</a>, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17345285-save-the-enemy?ac=1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1360646246l/17345285.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17345285-save-the-enemy?ac=1"><b>Title: Save the Enemy</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17345285-save-the-enemy?ac=1"><b>Author: Arin Greenwood</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17345285-save-the-enemy?ac=1"><b>Expected Publication Date: November 12, 2013</b></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Everything has been downhill since Zoey Trask’s mother was murdered in a random mugging. Her younger brother, Ben, is on the autistic spectrum and needs constant supervision. It’s senior year, and she’s the new girl at a weird private school in Old Town Alexandria, VA, full of kids who seem too nice to be true—including a very cute boy named Pete. Aside from half-forgotten martial arts and survivalist skills that her widowed father </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">insisted</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> on teaching her (because that is excellent for her social life), Zoey has nothing to offer Pete or anyone else. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Then Dad is kidnapped. Zoey suddenly finds herself sole caretaker of a younger brother she barely understands. Worse, Ben seems to hold the key to their father’s disappearance in his Dream Diary, a bizarre journal of names and places Ben claims that their mother shares from beyond the grave. And as if Zoey doesn’t have enough on her plate, there’s Pete, who stubbornly refuses to leave her side.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Relying on the skills she never wanted to learn—Dad might have had his reasons after all—Zoey is plunged into a lethal battle to rescue her father, protect her brother, and determine the identity of her family’s true enemy.</span></span></div>
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I don't think this one needs much f an explanation as to why I want to read it. No. I <i>need</i> to read it. It looks pretty freaking awesome. Only a few more weeks!</div>
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-53770796127625384572013-10-22T12:37:00.002-04:002013-10-22T12:37:13.914-04:00Teaser Tuesday (107)<a href="http://shouldbereading.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/teasertuesdays2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://shouldbereading.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/teasertuesdays2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 141px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 229px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333300; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Teaser Tuesdays</span></strong></em><span style="color: #333300; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a>.</em> Anyone can play along! Just do the following:</span></span><br />
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<ul style="font-style: italic; list-style-position: outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Grab your current read</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Open to a random page</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!</strong> (<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!</em>)</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Share the <strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">title & author</strong>, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>This Week's Teaser Is From:</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15818576-free-spirit?ac=1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1370839783l/15818576.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15818576-free-spirit?ac=1"><b>Title: Free Spirit: Growing up on the Road and Off the Grid</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15818576-free-spirit?ac=1"><b>Author: Joshua Safran</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15818576-free-spirit?ac=1"><b>Publication Date: September 10, 2013</b></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><strong style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">An Unforgettable Journey Through an Unconventional Childhood<br /></strong><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">When Joshua Safran was four years old, his mother--determined to protect him from the threats of nuclear war and Ronald Reagan--took to the open road with her young son, leaving the San Francisco countercultural scene behind. Together they embarked on a journey to find a utopia they could call home. In </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Free Spirit</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">, Safran tells the harrowing, yet wryly funny, story of his childhood chasing this perfect life off the grid--and how they survived the imperfect one they found instead.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Encountering a cast of strange and humorous characters along the way, Joshua spends his early years living in a series of makeshift homes, including shacks, teepees, buses, and a lean-to on a stump. His colorful youth darkens, however, when his mother marries an abusive and alcoholic guerrilla/poet.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Throughout it all, Joshua yearns for a "normal" life, but when he finally reenters society through school, he finds "America" a difficult and confusing place. Years spent living in the wilderness have not prepared him for the Darwinian world of teenagers, and he finds himself bullied and beaten by classmates who don’t share his mother’s belief about reveling in one’s differences. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Eventually, Joshua finds the strength to fight back against his tormentors, both in school and at home, and helps his mother find peace. But </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Free Spirit</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> is more than just a coming-of-age story. It is also a journey of the spirit, as Joshua reconnects with his Jewish roots; a tale of overcoming adversity; and a captivating read about a childhood unlike any other.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><i>"I experienced what few have: freedom to the fullest. There can be, perhaps, no purer freedom than that of a boy loosely supervised by a free-spirited mother in the midst of the wilderness."</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;">-page 108</span></div>
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-92063493428293791772013-10-21T08:00:00.000-04:002013-10-21T08:00:02.435-04:00Review: Once Upon a Road Trip by Angela N. Blount<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16076395-once-upon-a-road-trip?ac=1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1376954621l/16076395.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16076395-once-upon-a-road-trip?ac=1"><b>Title: Once Upon a Road Trip</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16076395-once-upon-a-road-trip?ac=1"><b>Author: Angela N. Blount</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16076395-once-upon-a-road-trip?ac=1"><b>Publication Date: July 30, 2013</b></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Eighteen-year-old Angeli doesn’t "fit in." She’s never been on a single date, and she lives vicariously through an online world of storytelling. With the pressures of choosing a practical future path bearing down, she needs a drastic change. Too old to run away from home, she opts instead to embark on a solo 2-month road trip. But her freedom is tempered by loneliness — and anxiety tests her resolve as she comes face-to-face with her quirky internet friends. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Aside from contracting mono and repeatedly getting herself lost, Angeli's adventure is mired by more unforeseen glitches — like being detained by Canadian authorities, and a near-death experience at the hands of an overzealous amateur wrestler. Her odyssey is complicated further when she unwittingly earns the affections of two young men. One a privileged martial artist; the other a talented techie with a colorful past.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Bewildered by the emotions they stir, Angeli spurns the idea of a doomed long-distance relationship. But she is unprepared for the determination of her hopeful suitors. In the wake of her refusal, one man will betray her, and the other will prove himself worthy of a place in her future.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Angeli sets off in search of a better understanding of herself, the world, and her place in it. What she finds is an impractical love, with the potential to restore her faith in happy endings.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">A true story with an unapologetically honest outlook on life, love, faith, and adventure -- Once Upon A Road Trip is a coming-of-age memoir.</span></div>
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When I was contacted by Angela N. Blount with the opportunity to read and review her memoir, Once Upon a Road Trip, I knew immediately that this was going to be a book for me. A memoir? Sign me up. Oh, there's a road trip involved? Heck yes. I love road trips (even though I get extremely car sick on them) and I love memoirs (I'm super nosy, I want to know everyone's business) so there was little doubt that I wouldn't enjoy this book. Guess what? I was right!</div>
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Even though Once Upon a Road Trip is a memoir, the author has written her story in a way I have yet to come across in others: she tells the story in third person. I wasn't sure at first how this would work but I found myself loving it. You get a real story from a fiction point of view. At times I had to step back and remind myself that yes, this actually happened (which wasn't always a good thing when some rather unfortunate events take place) and it added a special element to the story.</div>
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Angela, or Angeli as referred to in the book, got on my good side right away. She's funny, smart, and a little snarky. Unlike most teens who have just graduated college, Angela isn't just wondering aimlessly trying to figure out what to do with her life. She has been taking college courses on top of her high school work and is debating on several different careers. She also takes her personal life quite seriously, she isn't going to start a relationship with someone who she can't see herself having a serious future with and stays true to her word even when she shouldn't.</div>
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Angela's road trip consists of many different stops around the country, even stopping in Canada, to visit online friends. Each stop brings a new adventure, sometimes for good and sometimes for bad, and we meet a very vast collection of characters along the way. I loved being able to meet these people through Angela, especially those that she was meeting for the first time in person. I also loved the inclusion of journal entries from Angela's travels. What better way to know exactly what a person is thinking in a situation than to read their exact thoughts from that moment? </div>
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The only issue I encountered along Angela's travels was that there is a lot of talk about religion and God. <i>A lot</i>. I wasn't sure how far it was going to go and if this was something that would cause me to put down the book since I am not one for religion and reading about it. Thankfully though, none of the conversations turned into a "You should believe this!" type conversation and Angela was very respectful to others about their views and feelings while still maintaining her own. This only made me like her more. </div>
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Overall, I truly enjoyed Angela's story. Everything you love about fiction you will find between these pages. There's drama, a little action, and even a little romance (so happy about this part :) ). I highly recommend Once Upon a Road Trip to everyone, especially those who love memoirs and road trip stories!</div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">About Angela N. Blount:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Angela N. Blount is a Minnesota native, transplanted to the deep South--where she currently resides with her understanding husband, their two children, and a set of identity-confused cats. A Registered Nurse by trade, she is also a freelance content editor, former book reviewer for RT Book Reviews, a memoirist (though, not much a fan of referring to herself in first-person *cough*), craft blogger, sporadic poet, and webcomic artist. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Angela is a PRO member of the Romance Writers of America, and was named a finalist in the 2012 Sheila, Laurie, and Orange Rose contests. Her recent YA romance, The Agreement, took first place in the 2012 OKRWA Finally A Bride contest. It was also a finalist in the 2013 Southern Heat contest and double finalist in the Linda Howard Award of Excellence.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">In her spare time, Angela enjoys reading, coffee shop loitering, and all things geeky. Her latest project is a YA sci-fi series.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.angelanblount.com/" style="color: #ea992c; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Website</b></a> - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6551820.Angela_N_Blount" style="color: #ea992c; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Goodreads</b></a> - <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Perilous1" style="color: #ea992c; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Twitter</b></a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AngelaNBlount" style="color: #ea992c; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Facebook</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Purchase Once Upon a Road Trip:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Road-Trip-ebook/dp/B00E91R8NS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1382238393&sr=1-1&keywords=9780989580977" style="color: #ea992c; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Amazon</b></a></div>
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<b>*<span style="color: #660000;">Be sure to stop by yesterday's</span> <a href="http://bookcoverjustice.blogspot.com/2013/10/an-interview-with-angela-n-blount.html">interview with Angela N. Blount</a> <span style="color: #660000;">to hear more about her story!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>*I received this book for free in exchange of an honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.</b></span></div>
Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-88810942288914390172013-10-20T09:00:00.000-04:002013-10-20T09:00:06.391-04:00An Interview with Angela N. Blount, author of Once Upon a Road Trip!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I am pleased to welcome Angela N. Blount, author of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16076395-once-upon-a-road-trip?ac=1">Once Upon a Road Trip</a>. Angela has stopped by to tell us a little more about herself and her memoir!</div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>About Once Upon a Road Trip:</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Eighteen-year-old Angeli doesn’t "fit in." She’s never been on a single date, and she lives vicariously through an online world of storytelling. With the pressures of choosing a practical future path bearing down, she needs a drastic change. Too old to run away from home, she opts instead to embark on a solo 2-month road trip. But her freedom is tempered by loneliness — and anxiety tests her resolve as she comes face-to-face with her quirky internet friends. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Aside from contracting mono and repeatedly getting herself lost, Angeli's adventure is mired by more unforeseen glitches — like being detained by Canadian authorities, and a near-death experience at the hands of an overzealous amateur wrestler. Her odyssey is complicated further when she unwittingly earns the affections of two young men. One a privileged martial artist; the other a talented techie with a colorful past.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Bewildered by the emotions they stir, Angeli spurns the idea of a doomed long-distance relationship. But she is unprepared for the determination of her hopeful suitors. In the wake of her refusal, one man will betray her, and the other will prove himself worthy of a place in her future.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Angeli sets off in search of a better understanding of herself, the world, and her place in it. What she finds is an impractical love, with the potential to restore her faith in happy endings.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">A true story with an unapologetically honest outlook on life, love, faith, and adventure -- Once Upon A Road Trip is a coming-of-age memoir.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Welcome, Angela!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">Q. Can you please tell us a little about yourself and about Once Upon a Road
Trip?</span><br />
<br />
Well, as you've probably already figured out from my bio, I'm Minnesota born
and reared--now fully adjusted to life in the deep South. The somewhat odd and
unlikely way in which I ended up down here is really what Once Upon A Road Trip
is about. Sometimes what you think is just a temporary adventure can turn your
whole life down a path you'd never anticipated. :)<br />
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Once Upon A Road Trip is an account of the 8-week solo road trip I decided to
venture on just a few days after my high school graduation. Adding to my poor
mother's collection of ulcers, I'd also decided I would use this trip to meet a
number of online friends in person for the first time... <br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">Q. When you started out on your road trip, did you have and plans or ideas to
one day turn it into a book?</span><br />
<br />
None whatsoever. Oh, I wanted to write stories, certainly. But I'd more
envisioned post nuclear-holocaust dystopians or maybe a paranormal/fantasy epic. At the time, I wasn't entirely convinced that real life was
interesting enough to merit anything more than the occasional essay. (Outside of
the lives of heroes, celebrities, and other public figures, of course.) <br />
<br />
I did have the impression that a little more life experience would better
prepare me to become a writer--which was part of my justification for going on
the trip in the first place. And while I did assume I'd share my journal entries
with my family one day, it took several years after the fact before I realized I
might be willing to put down and share the whole story.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">Q. Part One : In part of your story, you talk about on of your friends being
overweight and your concern for their health and future. Have they read the
book? If so, how did they feel about your concerns and what you wrote about
them?</span><br />
<br />
To my knowledge, he hasn't read the book. We actually fell out of touch very
shortly after my trip ended. At one point, I lost a lot of my contact
information. (This was all before the advent of Facebook and affordable cell
phone services, please understand. I actually had a physical address book at the
time. :) ) I was able to reconnect with a lot of people years later, but he
wasn't one of those I was able to locate. I hope that, wherever he is, he's
healthy and happy.<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">Q. Part Two: I think one of the hardest parts about writing a memoir is
having to be more honest about your feelings towards friends and loved ones
where you might not be in person in fear of hurting them. Have you had any
negative responses from people that you wrote about or did they accept your
writing about them?</span><br />
<br />
How very right you are! I agonized over this aspect more than any other
while writing the book. I knew it had to be completely honest, but I didn't want
to hurt anyone. (I'm generally of a blunt and tactless nature--I hurt feelings
enough as it is without ever intending to. >.<) I didn't actually start
writing it until 5 years post-road trip. And in a way, I'm glad it took over a
decade after the fact before the book was released. A lot changes in 10
years--people themselves can do a lot of changing in 10 years. <br />
<br />
While about half of the people featured in the book have now read it, I've
been pleasantly surprised--and relieved--by how it's been received. (It may help
that I've always prefaced it as being the perspective and perception of my off
kilter 18-year-old self, with all of the nativity and insecurity one might
expect.) It's been an open door for a lot of "You really thought that?" and
"What do you think now?" sorts of questions.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">Q. A few of the friends you visited seemed to have strong feelings for you.
Did this change anything between you and them once you were back home or were
you able to move past it?</span><br />
<br />
I suppose it would depend on which ones you're referring to. A lot of things
changed quite rapidly after I got back home. I had a serious boyfriend, and
after not too long, a fiance'. Most of my friends, both online and those I'd
grown up with, became busy with college, jobs, and other relational pursuits.
Once I was more officially "off the market," it seemed as though the majority of
my guy-friends found it awkward to maintain the friendship. Most just quietly
faded away.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">Q. A very disturbing incident took place with one of the people you visited
who also happens to be close with your best friend Elsie. When you finally told
Elsie what happened, how did this affect your relationship? Are you and Elsie
still friends to this day?</span><br />
<br />
When I finally worked up the courage to tell her, Elsie took it better than
I'd anticipated. That is...she didn't question my memory or reliability on the
matter--didn't disbelieve me. She was obviously uncomfortable and regretful, but
not defensive or even surprised. But I also don't know if she ever did anything
with the knowledge. It was one of the only meaningful conversations I think I
ever recall us having--as odd as that probably sounds. It was around that time I
started to realize it takes more than a little history and a few semi-obsessive
common interests to maintain a friendship--especially across long distances.
<br />
<br />
Elsie and I grew apart some years ago, though I'd say it was on amicable
terms. Our lives and priorities simply went in very different directions. No
hard feelings.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">Q. You met most of the friends you visited on your trip in an online writing
community. Are you still a part of this community?</span><br />
<br />
No. The community shut down less than a year after my road trip took place.
Most of it's members and administrators were moving on into another stage of
life--me included. I do miss it sometimes, but I'm grateful for the time I had
with it. ^_^ <br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">Q. You did a lot of sightseeing on your trip. Of all the places you visited,
which was your favorite? Why?</span><br />
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Ottawa. (Yes, Canada. I know, I was surprised, too. ;) ) I loved that city.
The landscape, the variety, the sights and architecture, the pace of life... As
nebulous as this might sound, I loved the 'feel' of the place. It was as if it
had a distinct personality, and for whatever reason, we got along. :)<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">Q. If your children come to you after high school and tell you they want to
do a road trip like yours, what will you tell them? What advice would you give
them, or any teenager making a trip like this?</span><br />
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Hoo boy...I deserve this question. As a parent now, I have all the
more appreciation for my mother's sense of horror when she realized I meant to
go through with it. <br />
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If one of my kids were to tell me they wanted to do an homage to my road
trip, I would ask them not to. If they were still insistent, I would
make sure they'd read the memoir cover-to-cover, and then begin some intensive
preparations. Self-defense classes, background checks, intermediate car
maintenance classes, budgeting, course plotting... I would then thank God for
recent technological advances--like Google Maps and GPS tracking. (All
I had was a road atlas, and a cell phone that only worked for calling
911!)<br />
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As far as advice for any teenagers considering a trip like this:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Don't.</li>
<li>If you absolutely MUST, start prepping months ahead of time. Figure out
where you're going to stop, for how long, and how much money you'll need to have
saved up. (Treat it like urban camping, and you can cut a lot of cost by
bringing/preparing your own food.) </li>
<li>Research every city you'll be visiting--figure out what parts you most
want to see, and what you'd hate to miss. (Wiki it!)</li>
<li>Know how to defend yourself, and stay vigilant. ( A little paranoia is
healthy when you're out of your element. >.> Just because not everyone is
an ax-murderer doesn't mean you'll never meet one.)</li>
<li>Avoid gas station hotdogs at all costs.</li>
<li>Bring Wet Wipes.</li>
</ol>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>About Angela N. Blount:</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Angela N. Blount is a Minnesota native, transplanted to the deep South--where she currently resides with her understanding husband, their two children, and a set of identity-confused cats. A Registered Nurse by trade, she is also a freelance content editor, former book reviewer for RT Book Reviews, a memoirist (though, not much a fan of referring to herself in first-person *cough*), craft blogger, sporadic poet, and webcomic artist. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Angela is a PRO member of the Romance Writers of America, and was named a finalist in the 2012 Sheila, Laurie, and Orange Rose contests. Her recent YA romance, The Agreement, took first place in the 2012 OKRWA Finally A Bride contest. It was also a finalist in the 2013 Southern Heat contest and double finalist in the Linda Howard Award of Excellence.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">In her spare time, Angela enjoys reading, coffee shop loitering, and all things geeky. Her latest project is a YA sci-fi series.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.angelanblount.com/"><b>Website</b></a> - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6551820.Angela_N_Blount"><b>Goodreads</b></a> - <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Perilous1"><b>Twitter</b></a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AngelaNBlount"><b>Facebook</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Purchase Once Upon a Road Trip:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Road-Trip-ebook/dp/B00E91R8NS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1382238393&sr=1-1&keywords=9780989580977"><b>Amazon</b></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">*I want to say a huge thank you to Angela for stopping by the blog today! Be sure to come back tomorrow for my review of Once Upon a Road Trip!</span></b></div>
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-79607158528815627052013-10-18T06:00:00.000-04:002013-10-18T06:00:07.064-04:00Starchild: The City of Souls Book Blast - Win $100 Amazon or Paypal!
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<b>Starchild: The City of Souls</b><br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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<strong>Praise for Starchild:</strong><br />
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"Strong and riveting start to what is sure to be an engrossing series for young readers keen on fantasy, mythology and sci fi.”<br />
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“Following in the footsteps of shamanic storytellers, the wizardess Vacen Taylor has delivered a winner! Mystical and magical, it’s a thoroughly engaging adventure that will delight both children and adults.”
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<a href="http://www.starchildseries.com/">Website</a> * <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Starchild-City-Souls-ebook/dp/B00FVSIOKE?tag=blasttours-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18359908-starchild">Goodreads</a><br />
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*** Starchild: The Age of Akra (Book One) is only <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Starchild-Age-Akra-ebook/dp/B00BQE5T96?tag=blasttours-20" target="_blank">$0.99 in the Kindle Store</a> for October ***<br />
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<strong>Excerpt:</strong><br />
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The children were unaware of the dark forces that had gathered in the south. A force far greater than any seen before had grown into a power of unconquerable strength. From the very first night of Mai and Long’s journey, the eyes from which this force had grown had been searching for them. The search would not stop until the prophecy, its foreknowledge and the children were extinguished.<br />
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The four children had travelled a long way. The mountain had disappeared behind them and so had the crumbled Castle of Stone. Akra had been attentive throughout the whole journey, listening to Sahib talk about the City of Beams. Behind them Long listened in, but Mai sensed a twinge of jealousy was beginning to twist his thoughts. Sahib and Akra were friends now. Long’s ‘buddy for life’ had been yanked away from him—by a sealer of all things. Mai noticed the frown on Long’s face, pushing his eyebrows closer together as he watched Sahib and Akra talk. Every so often he stopped to rub his ankles. Mai knew the burns around them would not heal quickly. The wound left from the searing grasp of the invisible hands of the underworld, which had almost pulled him to his death, would soon blister. What she didn’t know was that two nasty red streaks were beginning to snake their way up Long’s legs, and with them came an unusual meddling in his thoughts.<br />
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When it was clear to Mai they had walked as far as possible for that day they found a place to rest. Long collected some dead wood, and with Akra’s fireruling skills a crackling fire soon spread its warmth as the darkness of the night settled over them. It was a clear night. A starlit blanket twinkled above them. Each of the children, too tired to eat, curled up around the fire and soon they were all asleep. Mai was happy to be back on her journey to the Valley of a Thousand Thoughts. But as she slept her flickering eyelids told a different story. Her mind replayed memories of the last few days that had passed. It was a skill only thoughtbankers possessed: the ability to replay a memory as if it were a dream.
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<b>Author Vacen Taylor</b><br />
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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.
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vacen-Taylor-Author/233611656699562">Facebook</a> * <a href="http://twitter.com/VacenTaylor">Twitter</a> * <a href="http://www.vacentaylor.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></center>
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369190740464760042.post-58539710771655035982013-10-17T10:00:00.000-04:002013-10-17T10:00:03.162-04:00Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Treasure Your Love by J.C. Reed!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17369574-treasure-your-love?ac=1"><b>Title: Treasure Your Love (Surrender Your Love #3)</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17369574-treasure-your-love?ac=1"><b>Author: J.C. Reed</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17369574-treasure-your-love?ac=1"><b>Publication Date: October 15, 2013</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17369574-treasure-your-love?ac=1"><b>Mature New Adult/Adult Contemporary Romance - Recommended for ages 18 and up.</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17369574-treasure-your-love?ac=1"><b>352 pp</b></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Meeting Jett was like a drug. Dangerous. Addictive. And better forbidden. In his game, there’s a high price to be paid. But how much is too much? </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, was never in love until she met the green eyed, sexy as sin, six foot two sex god, Jett. The man to whom she surrendered. The man who hurt her once only to conquer her heart again. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Sexy, handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield knows he has found his match. Brooke is like no other woman he’s ever met and he has every intention of keeping her in his bed.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Their future seems full of promise...until the past is catching up with them and dark secrets threaten to destroy their lives. Soon they realize that to love means to lose, and some choices are harder than others.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">When everything comes crashing down, can mistakes be amended…or will he lose her forever?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">A woman who surrendered to love. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">A man who would do anything to protect her. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Two lives that are about to be tested…and the last secrets laid bare. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>About J.C. Reed:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hh7M3mmjiHs/USSDuXwVL6I/AAAAAAAAABg/WmRNYXD81RQ/s200/author1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hh7M3mmjiHs/USSDuXwVL6I/AAAAAAAAABg/WmRNYXD81RQ/s200/author1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23px; text-align: start;">J.C. Reed is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of SURRENDER YOUR LOVE and CONQUER YOUR LOVE. She writes steamy contemporary fiction with a touch of mystery. When she's not typing away on her keyboard, forgetting the world around her, she dreams of returning to the beautiful mountains of Wyoming. You can also find her chatting on Facebook with her readers or spending time with her two children.</span></div>
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<b><i><a href="http://www.jcreedauthor.blogspot.com/" style="color: #c5262f; text-decoration: none;">Website</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Reed/295864860535849?ref=stream&hc_location=stream" style="color: #c5262f; text-decoration: none;">Facebook</a> ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/JCReedAuthor" style="color: #c5262f; text-decoration: none;">Twitter</a></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Giveaway:</b></span></div>
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Tiffany Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00299961211173649300noreply@blogger.com1