The Phantom Paragrapher

Review: Lit! - Tony Reinke

2012-02-10T17:00:00.000+13:00

Wanting a non-fiction Christian read ? Something to help get your brain back into reading non-fiction for all those out there studying ?

Review: Lit ! - Tony Reinke and CJ Mahaney - September 2011

Do you love reading ? Well, I guess if you don't then you wouldn't be reading this review for starters :). Are you a Christian ? Now that's the big question - Do you follow God or are you of the worldly ways ? As a big reader and I do mean BIG , I tend to read alot of everything, I have a very eclectic taste in books. The other thing though about me is that I am a Christian, I go to church most sundays , I read my bible every now and again, I listen to worship music on my Ipod, I read Christian fiction and non-fiction books. This brings up my main question - Am I still considered Christian-like because I read books that are wordly like e.g Dystopian Novels, Erotica Fiction, Supernatural and Paranormal Fantasies and because on my Ipod amidst the Christian music is Pop, Rock, Alt.Rock, Punk etc . I believe that in a way as long as you have given your heart to the lord and follow in ways that are Christian-like then it really shouldn't matter what you read or listen too as we do have to put into the perspective , that we are living in the WORLD and are surrounded by worldly things every single moment of the day.

Lit ! by Tony Reinke is the Christian's Guide to Reading Books , it was an interesting guide to flick through and one that will be sitting on my shelf as a vade mecum - which I found out yesterday was the latin word for ready reference. In Lit ! Tony talks to us about different genres of books and the theological discussion about them . This book will challenge what you read, how you read, and how much time you set aside to read. It will also inspire you to read books you might not normally read; for me that is more classic fiction, more poetry, and more of the Christian classics. If you are an avid reader like me, this book will deepen your passion for good books. And, if you are not a big fan of reading, this book may inspire you to crack open a few more books.

Once again, Lit ! by Tony Reinke is a book that I recommend all avid readers - Christian or not to read through and have on hand.

Diviner - Bryan Davis

2012-02-10T16:25:00.000+13:00

Looking for a Christian fantasy novel for your teens ?

Synopsis: Diviner - Book #3 Dragons of Starlight Series - Bryan Davis - September 2011

Diviner, by Bryan Davis, is the third book in the Dragons of Starlight series. In the first two books, a few brave heroes leave their planet to travel to a world where they seek to free people who have been cruelly enslaved by dragons. They meet up with other humans and a few dragons who are working toward the same goal, and find that some from both worlds have special powers. While learning how and when to use these powers, various wrong choices are made, leading to more and more trouble along the way and separation of the team. We find our team of heroes coming back together in Diviner, but still not sure of each other or of their powers. They must rely on each other, but complications over romantic feelings, competition, and mistrust could threaten their mission.
For all those that Love Fantasy novels and enjoyed Chuck Black's Kingdom Series and Donita K.Paul's Dragon series will enjoy Bryan Davis's books.

Guest Post : Valentine's Day - A Shocking Revelation

2012-02-10T14:51:00.000+13:00

With Valentine's Day approaching ? What's your take on it ? Will you be celebrating or not ?

Here is a fun guest post sent to me from Diana at www.frugaldad.com

Source: frugaldad.com

Blog Meme - The Hunger Games Read-A-Long

2012-02-10T14:32:00.001+13:00

Are you a fan of The Hunger Games Trilogy ? Can't wait for the Movie to be released ? Are you a Team Peeta or Team Gale ?

I have decided to participate and show my love for The Hunger Games , in the Hunger Games Read-Along hosted by my friend Larissa at http://howlingturtle-pdx.blogspot.co.nz/

Today Readers we are up to Chapter #7 : The Hunger Games.

So Readers I bring to you a summary of What happened in Chapter Seven , along with an introduction to the character Rue who forms a connection with Katniss and the music video from Taylor Swift ( I have it on my Ipod)

Chapter Seven Summary:

Katniss and Peeta are given the chance to train for the games. Haymitch asks whether they would like to train separately, and they agree to train together. When Haymitch asks Katniss and Peeta about their skills, both are overly modest, and they soon find themselves arguing over how impressive the other is. Kat explains that Peeta is strong and is a very talented wrestler. Meanwhile, Peeta points out that Kat is capable of shooting arrows through the eyes of squirrels. He concludes by saying, “She has no idea. The effect she can have,” which Kat at first takes as an insult but later...

The Minor Character of Rue :

Once The actual Hunger Games begins , readers will notice the connection of the character Katniss to the little girl Rue. The bond between the two of them is forged in Chapter #7 , so I thought that readers I would share with you - a bit about who Rue is and the role she plays.

Rue, the girl tribute from District 11, is small and reminds Katniss of Prim. Rue is able to hop from tree to tree like a squirrel, a skill that helps her outrun and evade her competition. She tips Katniss off to the tracker jacker nest that saves Katniss' life. She and Katniss ally and Katniss discovers that Rue has six younger siblings that she's had to care for. Rue knew that she could trust Katniss by the mockingjay pin that she wore, explaining that she loves mockingjays, particularly because of their music. In District 11, Rue worked in the orchards and would climb high in the trees and, when it was quitting time, she would sing a special song to let the others know that it was time to go home. The mockingjays would carry her song through the orchards. Rue is killed by the boy from District 1, and Katniss is there to sing Rue a final song and decorate her body with flowers. Rue, like Prim, makes Katniss promise that she will win, and there are moments when it is her promise to Rue, more so than her promise to Prim, that gives Katniss the strength she needs to fight on. She wants to make sure that Rue's death will not go unremembered. In many ways, Katniss' alliance with Rue is also an alliance with District 11. To thank her for her kindness to Rue, District 11 sends Katniss a loaf of bread, and Thresh, the boy tribute from District 11, lets Katniss go unharmed when he could have easily killed her. Rue, in life and in death, saves Katniss multiple times.

The Music of The Hunger Games Movie

As we all know every movie comes with it's own theme song and The Hunger Games is no different. Written by Taylor Swift , here is the Hunger Games Music Video - Safe and Sound.

Readers :

Don't forget to stop by http://howlingturtle-pdx.blogspot.co.nz/ and check out the prior chapter posts and next up is http://everydayadventure11.blogspot.co.nz/ with their post on Chapter eight - February 12th 2012.

Book News : Austenland by Shannon Hale to Become a Movie :)

2012-02-10T12:45:00.000+13:00

Are you fans of Jane Austen Fiction inspired stories ? I live for them , they are one of my favourite type of sub-genre and one of my alltime favourites is Austenland by Shannon Hale.

I just found out some amazing news so read on...................

An adaptation of Shannon Hale's 2007 Austenland is in post-production. The story centres around an American woman, Jane Hayes (Keri Russell), who visits a Regency-era theme park called Pembrook Park in Britain where Jane Austen fans get to act out their fantasies with actors playing characters from her books. Jane is obsessed with the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and finds no real man can compare to Colin Firth's Mr Darcy. Hale's friend, Stephenie Meyer, of Twilight fame, is producing. The cast includes J.J. Feild, Jennifer Coolidge and Jane Seymour as the woman who runs the resort. Austenland, directed by first-time feature director Jerusha Hess, is expected to be released in 2012.

Review: Fracture - Megan Miranda

2012-02-09T18:25:00.000+13:00

A lot can happen in Eleven Minutes , Death is possible at five minutes. Probable at seven minutes and Definite at ten minutes.

Review: Fracture - Megan Miranda - January 2012

Don't you hate it when you read books , that you hold high expectations for and in a way when they don't measure up it can be a tad disappointing. For me Fracture , was half/half. After seeing it quite alot on the blogosphere , I thought OMG I have to add that to my TBR List and when it arrived at the library, I got it immediately. This book as I was reading it though in parts , I really enjoyed it as we watched the main character Delaney fall through the ice and was under for eleven minutes in which she should have been pronounced dead but by a miracle she lived. We read in books, newspapers, see on TV people who almost die come back with abilities and in Fracture , Delaney can sense when people are going to die. She get's an uncontrollable itch. The nove goes along with Delaney meeting a few people and getting the urge to itch occassionally . In the novel she meets Troy who it seems is like her, he knows when people are going to die but unlike Delaney wanting to save them, Troy wants to put them out of their pain and kill them - euthanasia much. Only one will survive till the last few pages , will it be Troy or Delaney - which one must fall through the ice again to complete their life cycle and restore life's natural cycle ?

A personal awesome thing was that Decker and I share the same surname and it's spelt the same way , go the double L's :)

Fracture by Megan Miranda reminded me of a cross between the book series Stork by Wendy DeSol and the TV series Medium and Tru Calling.

VBT# Four Letter Words - Bill Giovannetti + WIN SOME GOODIES

2012-02-09T16:43:00.001+13:00

Today's VBT# is Four Letter Words by Bill Giovannetti - this is part of the Litfuse Book Tours.

Review: Four Letter Words - Bill Giovannetti - November 2010

In life and the worldy POV when people say Four Letter Words , it doesn't mean something positive at all, however in the Christian world there are many amazing Four Letter Words like Amen , Lord , Word etc.

Four Letter Words is prepared to be a tool for Christians to get to the heart of the issues and equip us with the tools to turn our challenges, our tribulations into triumphs and our faith into opportunities to share with others his greatness.

Four Letter Words challenges us with questions like :
*Are you ready to explain the truth of God to people who deny it , your faith to those who see it as a weakness ?

*When someone asks you how God can let something so evil and horrible happen , how will you respond ?

*Are you prepared to go out into the world and share God's word with others ?

Four Letter Words includes Chapters on how to share God's word with others and includes links to videos and websites including the American Idol video when they sang the Worship song "Shout to the Lord". As you can see , God's way is there in the background and it's our job as Christians to help push it forth and to show others that God's way isn't regimented and that it really isn't as bad as people and outsiders portray it.

Are you wondering more what Four Letter Words are shared ?

*True , *Know , *Pain , *Ouch , *Evil , *Word , *Damn , *Wait and *Hope.

Four Letter Words also includes for readers - talking points , discussion guides and notes about each chapter.

Highly recommended for sharing at Youth Groups or in Bible Studies.

About Four Letter Words:

Thou shalt tolerate every opinion... except the Christian's. Today's postmodern "prime directive" leaves many followers of Jesus tongue-tied. In the global village, isn't it unreasonable, and even dangerous, to suggest that the Bible has a monopoly on truth?

The church needs a new breed of Christ-follower. We need Christ-followers who are alert to today's touchy ideas, the truths that fire up more heat than light. We need Christ-followers who can make a clear case for the Bible's worldview; who are ready to help our friends think through their beliefs; who can recognize inconsistencies and challenge them; and who can do all of this with humility, confidence, humor, and love. For more information visit http://fourletterwords.org.

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/8FbUq

About Bill Giovannetti:

Dr. Bill Giovannetti is a professor at A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary and the senior pastor of Neighborhood Church of Redding. An experienced speaker and author, Bill informs the mind in ways that touch the heart. He enjoys life with his wife and two kids in northern California. For more information about Bill and his other books, visit http://maxgrace.wordpress.com and http://fourletterwords.org.

About the Giveaway:

Bill is celebrating the new Kindle edition of Four Letter Words (for only $4.99)! He’ll be traveling coast to coast over the next few weeks on this virtual book tour and he's celebrating by hosting a great giveaway!

Click here (http://fourletterwords.org/2012/01/contest-giveaway) to find out how you can win two gift certificates to Amazon (in the amount of $50 and $25) and free downloads of his yet-to-be-released title, Recession-Proof: Living a God-Blessed Life in a Messed Up World.

The whole scoop here: http://fourletterwords.org/2012/01/contest-giveaway/

Guest Post : Top 5 Free Online Photo Editors

2012-02-09T16:00:00.000+13:00

With more photo sharing applications arriving in our web-o-sphere e.g Tumblr and the new Pintrest.
We have a guest post from Mary Edwards from http://www.bestdatingsites.org/.

She has written a Guest Post on the Top 5 Free Online Photo Editors which will come in handy with Picnik closing down.

Top 5 Free Online Photo Editors

Photo editing tools have come a long way since Adobe Photoshop first hit the scene. There are endless possibilities when it comes to manipulating pictures, and now it’s easier than ever to transform them thanks to free online editing websites. However not every website is equal, and these five outshine the rest:

1. Pixlr

Pixlr is unique in the free online editors because it isn’t solely available online. In addition to the online version, you can also download an app to your cellphone or download offline software to your desktop, making it an easy one-stop-shop. Pixlr is comprised of three different editing techniques: Pixlr Editor, Pixlr Express, and Pixlr-o-matic. Each editor has distinct features that allow you to edit your pictures.

2. FotoFlexer

FotoFlexer is a very upfront, easy to understand website that is geared towards newbie editors. Instead of being overwhelming, like some editors are, this one gives basic edits in an easy to comprehend manner so that anyone can spruce up their photographs.

3. Splashup

Whether you’re in a hurry or ready to settle in and do some serious editing, Splashup has what you need. The editor is broken into two different sections: Splashup Light, which is perfect for quick and easy editing, and the full version of Splashup, which allows for more intense photo manipulations.

4. FlauntR

FlauntR has more in-depth sections than websites like Splashup or Pixlr, and has five unique options (PicasR, StylR, TextR, ProfilR, and EditR) that each focus on a certain type of editing. This website is perfect for people who want to play around with a lot of different techniques.

5. LunaPic

LunaPichas an endless amount of different photo edits and makes it easy to learn the ins and outs of the website by offering tutorials for users. The website has everything you could ever need in terms of easy editing and fun additions.

Free online photo editing has made fun and unique photos just a click away for anyone and everyone. It’s the perfect solution for giving pictures a breath of life that they were otherwise lacking. So the next time your pictures are looking a little lackluster, give one of these websites a try, you won’t be disappointed!

Author Bio

Mary Edwards is one of the contributors and editors for best dating sites. She is passionate about thought leadership writing, regularly contributes to various career, social media, public relations, branding, and parenting and online dating community. She can be reached at edwardsmary936@gmail.com.

VBT# Gods and Fathers - James LePore

2012-02-09T15:32:00.000+13:00

What would you do if your child was suspected of a crime ?

Review : Gods and Fathers - James LePore - February 2012

Have you ever loved someone so much that you were willing to do all that you can in your power and more to protect them ?
Reading Gods and Fathers reminded me of the books by James Scott Bell and the episode of Veronica Mars and more currently The Lying Game . What would you do if your child was accused and suspected of murder ? Would you do everything in your power to prove their innocence ? The issue of this has shown up in a few books and quite a few TV episodes. It's a tough question.

In Gods and Fathers we meet Matt DeMarco , he is a well-known and respected lawyer , he has built up a reputation . The only downside is that he is divorced and his wife took their son with her. Estranged from his family , he gets on with burying himself in his job. We are presented with a case of a brother killung his sister in what was called "an Honor Killing". The case seemed pretty straight-forward until events change and Matt discovers that is son Michael has now been suspected of Murder , Did he do it or has he been framed ?

A thrilling and fast-paced story which sees Matt dig deeper into the case and as witnesses etc start turning up dead , does somebody want Michael to admit to the murder ? Are they covering up something bigger?

Gods and Fathers is a thrilling and raw ride as we read the lengths that a parent will go to save their child , a father's unconditional love.

Book News : Tempest by Julie Cross Now On Audiobook

2012-02-09T14:37:00.000+13:00

Have you read Tempest by Julie Cross ? Do you prefer Audiobooks over Print or Ebook ?

Brought to you from Macmillan Audio http://us.macmillan.com/Audio.aspx is a sneak preview of the Audiobook of Tempest by Julie Cross.

VBT# Legacy of Eden - Nelle Davy Part 1/3

2012-02-09T13:06:00.001+13:00

What do all these three have in common - Unfettered Ambitions , familial schisms and dark secrets ?

The answer lies within Nelle Davy's new book "The Legacy of Eden" .

In this three part VBT# we have An excerpt today , on February 17th - a Guest Post and on the 22nd of February to conclude - a review.

The Legacy of Eden - Nelle Davy - February 2012

“So you knew then?” I somehow managed. For a moment I thought she had gone, as there was only silence and then, “Yes.”

I digested this. “I see,” I said and I did, with painful clarity. This was a mistake.

“I told them I didn’t want anything to do with it,” she volunteered. “They could do what they wanted.” She gave a small laugh. “They even asked me about funeral arrangements. I told them the only way I would help would be if I could make sure he was really dead.”

I winced. I hate this side to her, especially because I am part of the reason why it is there.

“It’s all gone you know? The farm…” she began. “In the end it was riddled with debt. They’re going to sell it, did you know that?” She stopped and when she began again, her voice broke. “It was all for nothing and she’ll never know it.”

There was a pause.

“What will you tell them?” she asked eventually.

“Huh?”

Head to http://www.amusedbybooks.com/ for the next excerpt.

Review: His Secret Past - Katie Reus

2012-02-08T19:03:00.000+13:00

Looking for something spicy with a bit more action ? Wanting a good crime novel ?

Review: His Secret Past - Katie Reus - January 2012

Good Crime Novel - Check , Hunky Guy with shirt half-open on front cover - Check :). As I'm on holiday leave, I thought I would take this time to catch up with my Netgalley books .

His Secret Past takes us into the life of Hunter Cassidy and Alexis Baptiste. Six years ago, Hunter worked for the DEA , hunting down bad guys and drug dealers. He was put on a job , it was supposed to be like any other job - an in and out and then return to his normal life. However, things didn't turn to plan and Hunter found himself stabbed in the back and betrayed. He has spent the last six years in Panama , working with the CIA. Six years ago, Alexis was the girlfriend of Hunter's and was pregnant with his child , to her one day Hunter was here the next he was gone. Six years have passed and Alexis has a six year old boy named Jonathan and is engaged to Michael. Her heart though was crushed by Hunter whom she still loves , Hunter has returned to civilisation and the first thing on his agenda is to find Alexis and make sure she is safe and sound as we discover people are after Hunter and will do anything to get to him -including hurting the ones he loves. Hunter returns just in time and discovers that he has a son , now in order to keep the pair of them safe , he must do all he can to protect them. As the novel goes along will Alexis marry Michael or does she carry a torch still bright enough for Hunter ?

Find out in His Secret Past by Katie Reus.

Review: In Session - MJ Rose

2012-02-08T17:59:00.000+13:00

Have you read the following authors work : Steve Berry , Barry Eisler , Lee Child and MJ Rose ? Are you familiar with the characters Cotton Malone , John Rain , Jack Reacher and Morgan Snow ?

If you answered YES , then you will definitely feel right at home with MJ Rose's new book "In Session"

Review: In Session - MJ Rose - October 2011

As a huge mystery and adventure fan , when I saw this book "In Session" written by MJ Rose , I thought I just had to read it and it was so awesome . Have you ever imagined what it would be like to analyse your favourite fictional adventure heroes ? What their conversations would be like if they ever found themselves wound up on the chair or in the office of a Sex Therapist ?

Have you ever thought about what it would be like if you put Jack Reacher in a room with John Rain and told them to battle till the end , who would win ? If you can recall , I posted an John Rain vs Jack Reacher a few months back and Jack Reacher won . But what if for the mix we chucked in Steve Berry's Cotton Malone?

In Session, is a quick read where we first have an introduction to MJ Rose's character Dr. Morgan Snow , Sex Therapist and a bit about her background . Then we meet in the first short story Cotton Malone and learn about the referral to the Sex Therapist's office and all about the collection of Erotica fiction and the lovely Catholic Priest Father Matthews.

The second story takes place when another referral brings Sarah whose husband Michael is having an affair and Sarah has proof , Michael angry with Sarah that she has given the files to Dr. Morgan Snow threatens her with the harm of her daughter Dulcie. Enter John Rain , Barry Eisler's character - an assassin who is sent to protect Dr. Snow and her daughter Dulcie. As I was reading this for some reason , I imagined Dr. Snow and Dulcie as Megan Hunt and Lacey from Body of Proof. The third and final short story , is that whilst walking past Dr. Snow's office -an explosion goes off and who should run to her rescue -none other than Lee Child's very own Jack Reacher whom saves the day but does not get away scot-free as he recieves an analysis from Dr.Morgan Snow.

A fun and enjoyable story, a quick read that would sit very nicely with everyone who has ever loved and crushed on Cotton Malone, John Rain , Jack Reacher and Dr. Morgan Snow.

Review: Private Games - James Patterson and Mark Sullivan

2012-02-08T17:07:00.000+13:00

Are you a fan of James Patterson's novels ? Did you know he has been labelled as America's Literary version of KFC ?

Get ready for Book #3 in the Private Series .

Review: Private Games - Book #3 Private Series -James Patterson and Mark Sullivan -January 2012

When It comes to James Patterson's books , no matter what the genre he has written in - I will read them without a doubt as he does wonders , the writing style never gets old or boring as we see with some authors when they have written 10+ books . One of the things that I think keeps James Patterson's books alive is the fact that he offers unknown authors the chance to place their writing in his story. A new series by James Patterson is the series "Private" which feature Jack Private's Investigation company. At the end of Book #2 Private London, the London office was introduced and in tragedy the plane in which they were flying in crashed somewhere over the North American oceans with no survivors, the London office lost some of their best agents including Dan Carter whom was introduced as the main character in Private London. In Private Games, it's the year 2012 and the month is July - it's that time again for the Olympic Games and is being held in London, UK. However, somebody is against the modern version of Olympic Games and wants to harm those who have so-called infected it with their impurities. He goes by the name of Cronus - taken after the ancient Greek hero and his three assistants are called "The Furies". He aims to return the idea of the Olympics back to what it was in the beginning in Athens. As the athletes and the presenters/organisers start dropping like flies , Can Peter and Jack with the help of Hooligan and Pope - a reporter from The Sun figure who Cronus and his furies are before anyone else dies.
As always , James Patterson along with Mark Sullivan has written and presented another fast paced , action-packed thriller that will have you not wanting to put it down until the very last page.

Stay tuned for my review of Book #4 in the Private Series - Private No#1 Suspect.

Review: Smitten - Colleen Coble, Kristen Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, and Diann Hunt

2012-02-07T19:23:00.000+13:00

As we enter the month of February , Valentine's day sneaks upon us . For all those who have partner's its a day of getting something romantic but for all those singleton's out there for any reason , we can read and stock ourselves up on the romances of the fictional world.

Brought to you by a collection of Christian authors is Smitten.

Review: Smitten - Colleen Coble, Kristen Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, and Diann Hunt -December 2011

Have you ever been through or lived in a small town ? One, that survives on the operation of a particular business and if that business was to go under - the whole town's financial situation would collapse ? It got me thinking ,this book with the recession that for the past years has been on/off and with many smalltown businesses closing around NZ and hearing about others around the world.

Smitten tells the story of four women Natalie , Julia , Shelby and Reese - the four women have settled and made Smitten their hometown and each have big plans for their futures. When news of the Smitten Mill closing down , the town flurries into a panic as this is their main source of income - how will the town survive without the mill operating ?

Natalie , wanting to make Smitten her home along with niece Mia decides to use the town's name Smitten and play on the words as a tourist attraction , as it has worked for other towns - in the novel they use the example of a town called Santa Claus which was made into a Christmas township all year round. If Santa Claus can do Christmas , then Smitten can do Love and Romance.

The four women take their idea to the local Council forums and most of the town are onboard , but before things can get started and the women find themselves happy , they must find love themselves. Can the four women trust love ? Is their a Mr.Right for them all or is he an illusion ? Will the foursome be able to save Smitten ?

A lovely novel that will have you enjoying and if you don't have the sense of a close-knit community where you live, envying the close-knit family.

Look out for Book #2 Secretly Smitten and check out the website that accompanies the book www.smittenvermont.com and as you will recall in Julia's tale - the hunky country western singer Sawyer - a song called Smitten by Love is on the website.

Review: The Soul Reader - Gerard Webster

2012-02-07T16:31:00.000+13:00

Are you a fan of Christian Fiction ? Wanting to find a way to recieve ARC copies by reviewing them on your blog ? Head to www.booksneeze.com , great if you are an International blogger like myself.

Review: The Soul Reader -Book #2 In-Sight Series - Gerard D. Webster - July 2011

Are you on the search for a Christian thriller to read ? Have you read In-Sight by Gerard Webster ? I recieved The Soul Reader through Booksneeze as it looked like and sounded like an exciting reader . I was a tad disappointed as I struggled to read through it , I did however wonder that if I had read the first book In-Sight I may have enjoyed it more. The Soul reader takes off one year later where the first book finished and we discover that the main character Ward's father was involved in some dirty financial business including money laundering. It seems that Ward has dropped off the map from the women he once spent time with . In The Soul Reader , Ward recieves a blast from the past - Carrie as I gathered from the book , Carrie and Ward were an item as their is some signs of tension and unrequited love. Carrie is a writer who wants to write a book on Ward's father's activities. By doing this the case is re-opened and investigations begin all over again. As the novel goes along we discover that Ward and Carrie are over their heads in trouble and that danger is waiting for them just around the corner. As the novel comes to this part, the pace does pick up and it becomes more the thrilling read I was expecting. Can Ward and Carrie get out alive and Carrie publish her book ?

Find out in the Soul Reader by Gerard Webster , a book that I do advise reading the first one first - InSight.

Review : Ruby Redfort - Look into my Eyes - Lauren Child

2012-02-07T15:53:00.000+13:00

Looking for a Children's fiction book to read ? Something suitable for your daughters agde 9-13yrs ? Are they fans of Nancy Drew or Harriet the Spy ?

Check out Lauren Child's latest development :

Review : Ruby Redfort - Look into my Eyes - Book #1 Ruby Redfort Series - Lauren Child - March 2012

Are you a fan of Lauren Child's books ? Have you read the Clarice Bean books to your children ? If so, then you may recall the name Ruby Redfort who is a detective that Clarice loves to read about . If you are like me and answered no, then I am about to introduce to you the Nancy Drew and Harriet the Spy like character of the year 2012. Growing up I was always a Harriet of the Spy girl , with my little notebook in hand writing away. The generation before that was Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys and before that the Famous Five. 2012 brings us 13yr old Ruby Redfort , she is a genius when it comes to cracking codes. When her parents return home from their trip aboard with the Jade Buddha exhibition, things take a turn for Crazy as her housekeeper Mrs. Digby is kidnapped and their furniture is stolen and ontop of that a new butler arrives who Ruby suspects something is a little off with him. It turns out though, that he is in fact a Secret Agent for an Spy agency called Spectrum and they want to recruit Ruby as they have a code-cracking assignment that is top priority . Can Ruby crack the code and find out what is happening ? Will Ruby though be able to keep it all a secret from her best friend Clancy without losing him ? Is Ruby cut out to be a Secret Agent juggling School, Friends and her Family life ? .

What I really loved about Ruby is her collection of Tshirts , as I am a big Tshirt Statement girl and as we went through the book and read some of her tshirt designs , I was like "I want that".

A great read by Lauren Child aimed at Girls aged 9-13yrs.

Review: Breathe by Abbi Glines

2012-02-07T14:43:00.000+13:00

Looking for a new teen author to read ? Have a soft spot for Indie authors ?

Check out Abbi Gline's book "Breathe".

Review: Breathe - Abbi Glines - May 2011

One of my favourite things about book blogging and belonging to book groups online and in the world of social networking is that you get to discover new authors , ones that you may never have ventured onto on your own. One of the books recommended to me on a FB group I belong to was Breathe by Abbi Glines and OMG It was an awesome book and I loved it.

If you love the tale of Cinderella or have ever seen those films like Another Cinderella Story or A Cinderella Story : Once Upon a Song , Popstar crossed with Maid in Manhattan but imagining Jennifer Lopez as a teenage girl , then you have Breathe . Breathe follows the tale of Sadie whose mum Jessica is about to have another baby , Jessica though wouldn't be your average mum as she relies on Sadie to help provide for the household ( something that I was semi-familiar with). Sadie, needing a job to help keep the house afloat takes over her mum's job for the summer working as a housemaid for the Stones. The Stones as we are about to discover is the family of teen popstar Jax Stone , at first Sadie is unimpressed by him as Celebrities aren't her style but as the two get to know each other they become an item . However, with celebrities comes paparazzi , pressure and music tours - eventually Jax and Sadie break and this almost kills her. Jax re-appears , but is he home for good ? Can Jax and Sadie rekindle their romance or was it just another Summer fling ?

Breathe by Abbie Glines is definitely a must-read for all those fans like myself whose favourite fairy-tale happens to be Cinderella.

Question Time for the Readers :

Who would you have playing your "Jax Stone" ?
I thought hard about it and though Jax Stone is depicted as a dark-haired in the novel or thats the impression I got, I couldn't help but imagine my Jax Stone as Paul Reid - who used to play Marshall Heywood on Shortland Street and now lives in LA playing in the band Rubicon. Either him or Benji/Joel from Good Charlotte.

Review: Love Bites - Ellen Schreiber

2012-02-07T14:06:00.000+13:00

One of the first ever Vampire series that I ever read besides Twilight and the Sookie Stackhouse and I think that actually it may have been even before the first Twilight book all those many moons ago in 2005 as that was when the first Twilight and Vampire Kisses were released.

Get ready for the review of Book#7

Review: Love Bites - Book #7 Vampire Kisses Series - Ellen Schrieber - May 2010

One of my all-time and original Vampire/Mortal love stories and series happens to be the Vampire Kisses series by Ellen Schrieber. Before Twilight, the re-ignition of Vampire Diaries , True Blood became a TV Show and Vampire Academy, there once lived a series called Vampire Kisses , it was all about this Vampire named Alexander Stirling who had moved into a mansion in Dullsville and fell in love with a Gothic like mortal girl named Raven. Raven has had to keep the secret of Vampire's existence from her friends and family , she has met other Vampires and found herself in the middle of Vampire business and feuding vampire boys.

In Book#7 Love Bites , Raven and Alexander finally have the mansion to themselves minus the company of Jameson the butler. However, things in Dullsville never quite go to plan as Alexander's childhood friend Sebastian arrives and falls hopelessly in love with Raven's friend Becca who has no idea Vampires exist and also she has a boyfriend Matt. When Sebastian starts to leave goodies in Becca's locker, they come up with the story that they were for Raven but of course this gets back to Alexander quicker than usual via the annoying and irritating Trevor who wants nothing but to have Raven all to himself, he lives by the philosophy that if he can't have her no-one can . So when Raven decides to hold a party for Sebastian and her Coffin Club Vampire friends Onyx and Scarlet, she hopes to get his mind off Becca but things get a bit out of hand when Vampires Jagger and his twin Luna appear. Though of course, the sexy Luna may be Sebastian's type.

Find out in Love Bites Book #7 Vampire Kisses Series and stay tuned for Book#8 Cryptic Cravings to hear more adventures of Alexander and Raven.

Review: Ruthless - Sara Shepard

2012-02-07T13:16:00.000+13:00

Gosh , looking at the picture above - doesn't the cast of Pretty Little Liars look all grown up dressed and with their hair like this , I almost didn't recognise them .

You either will love and adore this series or you won't but for me OMG I love it to bits and not just the tv series but also the books which follow a similar but different thread to them.

Get ready for my review of Book# 10 Ruthless by Sara Shepard.

Review: Ruthless - Book #10 Pretty Little Liars Series - Sara Shepard - Decemeber 2011

I'm pretty surprised that they are still using the doll-like covers for Sara Shepard's latest Pretty Little Liar books as I know that once the series was released on TV they changed the covers of the first 8 books but books 9-11 have reverted back to the doll characters which we discover the relevance of the dolls at the end of the PLL show before it went on it's small hiatus. Back to book world though of Pretty Little Liars , we remember in Book#9 Twisted how the girls killed Tabitha Clark thinking that she was Ali and now in Book #10 the secret of that is at large.
In Book #10 Ruthless , Hanna's dad Tom is nearing his way into the Senator's seat for his campaign and the election - when Hanna makes a suggestion to hit the local colleges , it all goes well and she even meets a hunky boy - Liam but it turns out that Liam is hiding a secret , he is the son of her dad's biggest rival Tucker Wilkinson. Is this to be a Romeo and Juliet like relationship ? Will "A" or Kate be the one to spill the beans to her dad before Hanna can put a stop to things ?

At the end of Book#9 , we read about Aria breaking up with Noel Kahn over Noel's seductive and lying foreign exchange student Klaudia. All Aria wants is her life back and to be happy again , the last time she was happy was with teacher Ezra Fitz. We read the arrival of Ezra , but will Aria get her happy ever after with Mr.Fitz or will Klaudia stick her claws into him too. Will Klaudia succeed in taking over Aria's life and having exactly what Aria wants ? Who will Aria end up with by the end of the novel - Mr. Fitz or Noel Kahn ?

Spencer , has just returned home after a stint at the Penn State Summer Programme just before starting college. However, over the summer Spencer and her roommate Kelsey got caught up in something bad - drugs called "Easy A". When they are busted , will Spencer and Kelsey both go down or does Spencer have a plan up her sleeve with the help of the Pretty Little Liars to save her own skin ?

Last, but not least is Emily , ready to start anew -her older sister Beth is home and decides to take Emily on the town. Emily meets a girl named Kay , who she begins to get close too but Kay is not what she seems as she knows more about Emily and her friends than she is letting on - she knows about Jamacia and Spencer. Who is Kay and what will happen when she has Emily wrapped around her little finger ?
Will it be bye, bye to Emily Fields and the foursome become a threesome ?

Find out in Book #10 Ruthless and stay tuned as I review Book #11 of the Pretty Little Liars series.

Review: Three to get Deadly - Janet Evanovich

2012-02-07T12:15:00.000+13:00

Are you a Stephanie Plum fan ? Looking forward to the movie coming up with Katherine Heigl ?

I am so excited , I had always for some reason put off reading the series and then a friend recommended them to me and once I read and devoured the first one -One for Money I was hooked.

So , for readers - here's Three to Get Deadly .

Review: Three to get Deadly - Book #3 Stephanie Plum Series - Janet Evanovich - July 1998

Stephanie Plum seems to be one of the most notorious and infamous Bounty hunters around with a knack for getting herself into trouble and sticky situations. She doesn't mean too , it's just that trouble tends to follow her very closely and as we read about her adventures we start to wonder whether her mum is right and that Stephanie should give up her job as a Bounty Hunter and get a job working in the Button factory. When Stephanie recieves her next Bounty Hunter job she cringes , as the FTA is Uncle Mo , the local candy store owner in Trenton - the suburb where she grew up and her parents live . This is going to be harder than it looks though as Mo's candy store is shut , which is odd as in the thirty years Stephanie has been around - Mo's is always open. When a crime wave of dead Drug Dealers start appearing , is this connected to Mo's FTA and the fact that he has disappeared and if this wasn't enough , Stephanie is recieving threatning messages on her answerphone to leave Mo alone. Why is it that no-one will let Stephanie get on with her life and do her job in peace ? As the Dead bodies start piling and we see Stephanie and her sidekick Lula getting into mischief, will the pair of them find themselves on the top of the suspect list ? Meanwhile , the second FTA that we read about is a teen boy Stuart who seems to be evading them and when they finally catch up to them its war of the condiments. Also on the theme of love , we read as Lula has a crush on Ranger and Morelli has bought a house and seems very less-like his usual self around Steph , has he gone and got himself a girlfriend and expect a visit from Stephanie's ex-husband Dickie as he features in Three to get Deadly. Three to get Deadly was a great read like the previous two but the only downside that this one held, was that it contained alot of deaths , different plots and I found it a bit too busy for my liking.

I am so loving this series and I look forward to reading Book #4 and following more adventures of Stephanie Plum.

Review: By the Time you Read this - Lola Jaye

2012-02-07T11:14:00.000+13:00

Looking for a nice chick lit novel to settle with ?

Review: By the time you read this - Lola Jaye - January 2008

Growing up , as you read magazines I don't know if you are like me but I come across all these amazing ideas that when I have children , I eventually want to do and create. One of them is a manual of sorts , written about different things that your child may experience growing up etc , things about yourself at that age . For main character Lois , our novel starts when she is twelve years old and her mother has just remarried the Bingo Guy. Lois can't believe her mum is remarrying since it was only not that long ago when her father died making their threesome into a twosome until her mum meet the Bingo Guy and wham bam instant family. On the night of her mother's wedding , her Aunt Lo appears with a book titled "The Manual". It was something that Lois's father Kevin put together for her just before he died. The Manual contained a letter that she was to open every year from her 12th birthday right up to her 30th -the age he was when he died and along the way little footnotes and appendixes about her life's journeys and things that she may be experiencing.
. Though as the novel gets on , we discover really if "The Manual" is causing Lois to hold back in finding the perfect guy or will any guy measure up to her image of "the perfect dad and husband".

Will Lois discover that Mr. Right has been there with her all along and her nose has just been stuck in the "Manual" to notice him ?

By the Time you read this follows Lois through a lifetime of events such as firsts , boyfriends, fiancees , jobs , dating , flatmates and the ups and downs of friendship and families , an enjoyable novel that you will want to continue reading for the sole purpose of finding out what's in the next letter her dad wrote.

Review: Tempest - Julie Cross

2012-02-03T21:51:00.000+13:00

Looking for a new debut author to read ? A book that many have already proclaimed as the besy book for 2012 ? One that contains alot of surprising twists ?

Review: Tempest - Julie Cross - January 2012

When I first saw this book , I thought OK, another supernatural novel and that it must be about angels as that's what it looked like from the cover to me and then I thought it might be about water sirens etc as Tempest is a water creature e.g like the book "Tempest Rising". But, I was in for a shock as it turned about to be about a jumper - a guy named Jackson , who holds the rare gene of being able to jump back in time and then back to the present time. It has to be careful though, as what happens could alter the future. The longest he has ever jumped back in time was forty-eight hours. We also discover that he keeps a journal , inspired by his best friend Adam. One night in 2009 , Jackson stops by his girlfriend Holly's house and tragedy occurs and soon Jackson finds himself transported back to the year 2007 and from there everytime he tries to jump back to the present time , he finds himself going further and further back in time. What will Jackson discover as each time he jumps , he discovers classified information about himself and his family , who they really are ? Will Jackson find himself stuck in 2007 or will something happen to him and he finds himself back in 2009?

Reading Tempest , I found it a mixture of the film starring Hayden Christensen "Jumper" and a teen/YA version of Audrey Niffenger's The Time Traveller's Wife.

Review : A Year on Ladybug Farm - Donna Ball

2012-02-03T20:56:00.000+13:00

Looking for a new chicklit book to read as we enter into the 2nd month of 2012 ? Prefer something that features the older woman rather than the younger crowd ? More The Sister Circle than Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants ?

Review: A Year on Ladybug Farm - Donna Ball - March 2009

Ever wondered what life would be like if you one day packed up everything you ever knew and took a risk , something unknown and strange to you ?

For three best friends , all in their late fifties that's exactly what they did. Cici, Bridget and Lindsey have all had their fair share of troubles and triumphs but when Bridget's husband Jeff dies she is left wondering , is this is it ? What has she done with her life ?

Soon , the three friends are travelling and looking at houses in the middle of nowhere and come across a mansion for sale . On the spurge of the moment , the three women pile their life savings into purchasing the house. The catch though is this house is in need of a dire fix-me-upper and the three women are about to discover that making a house livable isn't an easy task. Especially when we discover that their families don't think that they are up to it and this pushes the three to prove themselves further. A Year on Ladybug farm features an amazing line-up of characters from Cici, Bridget and Lindsey to $10 Farley , a busy-body housekeeper and Noah - a delinquent wannabe artist . A fun and inspirational chick lit novel about three retired women , taking the risk of their lifetime as the words of Bridget - We aren't getting younger only older .

Fans of Nancy Moser and Vonette Bright's The Sister Circle Series , will thoroughly enjoy The Year on Ladybug Farm.

Attention Readers :)

2012-02-01T19:05:00.000+13:00

Attention The Phantom Paragrapher Readers :

Have you ever felt like you are having the worst of luck ? I was going to make this my year of savings and it's definitely not working for me.

Over the course of the week , my blog will be out of circulation as my laptop screen has been damaged and I can't use my laptop until I buy a new screen/monitor for it. Today I am lucky enough to borrow my dad's laptop but it is soooo slow LOL. I'm sorry for any inconvenience this causes.

Review: Gold, Frankincense and Murder - Barbara Early

2012-01-30T19:22:00.000+13:00

Looking for a light-hearted murder mystery ? Fond of the White Rose Publishing books ?

Review: Gold, Frankincense and Murder - Barbara Early - November 2011

Looking for a nice light-hearted murder mystery ? Nothing too heavy but still wanting the action of a murder and the suspense as the characters solve who dunnit ? .

Gold, Frankincense and Murder is set in a small town , the main setting is a Foodbank , when I get old , Im one day hoping to maybe do volunteer work at Foodbank as I know how much they help and think that it is such a good cause. Working the shifts at the Foodbank is Donna , Sandy and Neal. One day just before Christmas , Neal doesn't come in for his shift - Sandy (the manager) has been ringing etc . Donna knows that this is not like Neal and stops by his apartment only to discover nobody has been there for days and checking the messages on his machine - Donna discovers Sandy has lied. What happened to Neal , where is he ?

With the help of Neal's next door neighbour Donna , will go on a search to discover the truth of what happened to Neal especially when he turns up dead ? Who Killed Neal and Why would anyone want to kill "The Peach Man" ?
Gold , Frankincense and Murder is filled with twists , that will keep you guessing till the last couple of chapters to who in fact was the murderer , sometimes it's the people you least expect.

Review : Borrowing Abby Grace Books #1 and #2 - Kelly Green

2012-01-30T18:21:00.000+13:00

Looking for a new trilogy to read , one that's a nice quick read ? One that combines supernatural abilities with edgy content and real-life issues ?

Review: The Shadow - Book #1 Borrowing Abby Grace Series - Kelly Green - October 2011

When I was approached by Kelly Green to read and review her new series, I wasn't too sure what to expect and when I started reading with "The Shadow" , I was hooked - I love these type of stories , in a way it reminded me of a softer and more realistic version of Breanna Yovanoff's "The Replacement" or Carol Snow's novel "Switch".

In "The Shadow" , we discover as Abby Grace wakes up in the back of a van - it seems that she has been abducted and is suffering amnesia - how did she get here ? , what has happened? and more the fact who is she actually? Escaping from the side of the van , Abby Grace finds herself at the house of the girl - Brooke. Abby discovers that she is what is called a Shadow. They are the ones who inhabit your body, when you have a problem to be solved and you need help fixing it , they are the fixers . Here to restore the world back to the way it should be.
Now Abby must pretend to be Brooke and discover along with the help of her guardian Will , what problem Brooke needs solving and she better hurry up as it seems the whole shadow thing comes with a timelimit and an ultimatum either solve the problem or be stuck in Brooke's life forever.

Can Abby discover Brooke's problem or will her new identity be Brooke forever ?

At 50+ pages, The Shadow is a quick read and one that won't leave you disappointed.

Review: Girl Steals Guy - Book #2 Borrowing Abby Grace - Kelly Green - October 2011

We discovered in Book#1 that Abby Grace is a Shadow - these are the type of the people who have the ability to inhabit someone else's body when they have a problem that needs fixing, one that is too difficult for them to solve on their own and they need that little push. In Book#2 Abby Grace is transported into the body of Michelle . It seems that Michelle's friend Heather is down in the dumps and has love problems . Heather's ex-boyfriend Sam is dating another girl Cecila and Heather is depressed and upset. Abby decides that in order to help Heather , she must win the guy back for her though we later discover that that's not the case as Heather has been hiding a darker secret - one that if people found out they might not look at Heather the same way. Heather is gay and in love with Cecila not Sam , who is Sam supposed to be with ? Is Girl Steal Guy more about solving a problem for Michelle or Heather ? I enjoyed Book#2 a tad more than the first novel and am looking forward to reading Book#3.

Review: Tessa's Teacakes - Mary Manners

2012-01-30T16:21:00.000+13:00

Wanting a sweet treat to devour this Anniversary Weekend ? Have you read "Grace's Gold" by Mary Manners -book #1 in the Sweet Treats Series ?

Check out Book #3.

Review: Tessa's Teacakes - Book #3 Sweet Treats Series - Mary Manners - November 2011

I have to say that I love the White Rose Publishing books as they all in their own way are amazing reads. This is the second book I have read in the Sweet Treats Series , reading and reviewing Grace's Gold. The Sweet Treats series follows the story of four sisters , their trials and triumphs, the obstacles that they have to overcome in order to settle down and find happiness. Tessa's Teacakes follows Tessa, the baby of the four sisters. The novel starts with Tessa working at their family bakery "Sweet Treats" when she hears sirens heading towards the Crisis Center in which her brother-in-law Brent - Grace's Husband ( from Grace's Gold) is caught in a hostage situation with an angry husband whose wife had been recieving counselling from the Crisis Center. Tessa , not one to stay in the crowd - rushes into help finding herself in the arms of Colin Phillips - the new police officer . Is it love at first sight ? Over the next few days, we read as Tessa and Colin start to have dinner together and become closer but Tessa is harbouring a secret - she is planning very shortly to move and escape to New York. Can Colin persuade her to stay and be with him or will she miss her chance at love in pursuit of her dreams ?

Find out in this Sweet Treats of a novel by Mary Manners and to make it extra special, whilst reading it go and make yourself a cup of tea and a teacake to go side by side with the story.

Review: Kaptain Vamp - Joanne Lecuyer & Illus. Amy Rottinger

2012-01-30T14:51:00.000+13:00

Today's book is a Children's Supernatural novel featuring our favourite creatures - Vampires.

Review: Kaptain Vamp -- Joanne Lecuyer and Illustrated by Amy Rottinger- October 2011

In a world of humans and where Vampires rule the literature world, it seems nowadays more common for Vampires to live among the human world. Learn to adapt to their ways, have other ways of gaining their food sources etc. For Teens we have had Morganville Vampires , Blue Bloods etc and for the younger audience girls we have Sienna Mercer's Vampire Twin series and now for the boys we have Joanne Lecuyer's Kaptain Vamp.

Kaptain Vamp follows the life of Allistaire Varning , him and his family are Vampires though of course unlike his parents , him and his brother and sister are half-human/ half-vampires. Allistaire wishes to use his vampire powers for good and after reading and devouring comic books , he decides that in order to be a hero - he needs a costume and a superhero name - hence Kaptain Vamp is born. With the help of his human sidekick Rich , Allistaire will put his vampire powers to good work, though little will he realise that the medallion around his neck is connected to his superhero ideas. A fun light-hearted , easy to read with wonderful bright illustrations - for all those younger siblings who feel they are missing out as their older sister reads Twilight.

Review: Love Finds You in Martha's Vineyard - Melody Carlson

2012-01-29T19:14:00.001+13:00

I've always been a fan of Christian Fiction novels and I have just discovered this awesome series called "Love Finds You" , there is alot of them and since I am supposed to be on a non-buying book binge this year , I will buy maybe one a fortnight since I get paid fortnightly LOL:).

First one up is :

Review: Love Finds You in Martha's Vineyard - Massachusetts - Melody Carlson - April 2011

One of my favourite authors of all time and will be for eternity is Melody Carlson, there is something about her writing that will never bore me as I rapidly turn the pages in the book, reading page by page. A friend of mine had been talking about this series called "Love Finds You" and how wonderful it was , so I decided to purchase a few and this is the first one I have read in the series and it was actually really good and I am looking forward to reading and making my way through the complete list of titles. The other thing which was amazing about the book , was that the cover is really well done - it has a soft look to it , almost like it reminded me of the paintings by Thomas Kinkade.

In Love Finds You in Martha's Vineyard , we travel to first Chicago -the windy city where we meet one of our main characters Waverly named after the biscuit Waverly Wafers as we later discover. She has been a widow for the last four years and has felt that her life is in a rut , when her mum Vivian rings and offers her an escape - to come to Martha's Vineyard and help run the business her mother and Aunt Louise have just purchased - a builiding called "The Gallery". Waverly on impulse , sees this as an opportunity and moves hastily to Martha's Vineyard and believing she will be running an Art Gallery is shocked to discover it is in fact an Arcade Games shop. Has Waverly bitten off more than she can chew ?

New to Martha's Vineyard is Sicily - a nine year old visiting her dad Blake Erickson , she has been living in California and her dad wonders where his little girl has gone and who is this sullen girl in her place ? On a visit to the local Arcade , Sicily meets Waverly and the two hit it off as we read Waverly becoming like a "Big Sister" role model. Waverly soon discovers that this world is too small and that Blake is dating -well sort of Waverly's cousin Janice.

Though as Blake and Waverly get to know each other and Waverly spends more time with Sicily , has Blake chosen the wrong cousin ?

When fireworks erupt between Blake and Janice , will this be his chance to go for Waverly or will the family connection scare her off as well as the fact that her dead husband will always be on her mind ?

Review: The Pledge - Kimberly Derting

2012-01-28T20:23:00.000+13:00

After reading Kimberly Derting's series "The Body Finder" and enjoying it, I decided to give her new book a go , which covered a different theme and genre all together .

Review: The Pledge - The Pledge Book #1 - Kimberly Derting - November 2011

" My breath is my pledge to worship my queen above all others
My breath is my pledge to obey the laws of my country

My breath is my pledge to respect my superiors

My breath is my pledge to contribute to the progress of my class

My breath is my pledge to report all who would do harm to my queen and country

As I breath, I pledge".

After reading Kimberly Derting's series "The Body Finder" , hence it being a supernatural and all - I didn't know exactly what to expect with the Pledge. Was it to be another supernatural novel ? No , it turned out to be of the dystopian genre. The Pledge takes us into a world with a wicked Queen , who I'm sorry to say didn't care about anyone but herself . When she discovers a way to live for extended life, she snatches it up but the time has arrived and she is once again on her deathbed and needs to find a new royal and a female at that whose essence she can swallow. Enter Charlie and her sister Angelica , they are both of the Vendor class - they should only be able to understand two languages - Englaise and Parshon. They should not have any other abilities but they do and have to keep them hidden from the world , otherwise they may find themselves next on the gallows list. Charlie can understand any language spoken and Angelica we learn later in the novel can heal people and has the gift of intuition and seeing into a person's soul. Out clubbing one night, Charlie and her friend Brooklyn run into a group of guys - two in particular are attentive to Charlie. Max and Xander - they know what Charlie is and wants to protect her in the only way they can , but Max and Xander are both hiding dark secrets about themselves. Once revealed will Charlie be able to trust them or will it put Charlie and her family in danger ? Who is Charlie and what does her family have to do with the Queen, what secrets have her parents been hiding ? Are they really of the "Vendor" Class or was that a front to stay safe ?

Find out in Book #1 of Kimberly Derting's new series "The Pledge" - who will you be pledging allegiance to ?

Busting the Newbie Blues

2012-01-27T21:03:00.000+13:00

When did you start your blog?

I started my blogging in December of 2009 but moved to The Phantom Paragrapher and changed it and became more regular on July 17th 2010

Do you ever still feel like a newbie?

Sometimes but it's getting better :)

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? Did you make any mistakes new bloggers can learn from?

Overwhelming myself with book requests from authors wanting their books reviewed , I learnt from this by placing a Review Policy on my site and a review letter that I send back to authors who request my service as a book reviewer.

What did you find most discouraging about being a new blogger? How did you deal with this?

What do you find most encouraging?

What can be discouraging, is that you see all these other awesome blogs with millions of people, really amazing layouts and you think your's looks plain compared to theres. You just try your hardest as you eventually will reach those numbers too :)

If you could go back in time and speak with your newbie self, what five bits of wisdom would you tell yourself?

1) Don't take too much on , 2) Limit yourself to how much you post a week - remember that you don't have to update it every day , 3) Relax and have fun , 4) Don't lose focus that reading is something you do for pleasure and you started because you loved reading and writing.

What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to repl

icate this in your blog?

Each blog has their own touch , their own special identity from Rating Systems to Review Policies to adding quotes, songs, recipes per review. I'm a quotes girl, so I sometimes add my favourite quotes from books :)

What do you dislike about blogs you’ve seen? Do you try to avoid this?

N/A

How did you bring your blog to the attention of so many people?

Promote it every way possible :) Go Hard out.

When and how did you get your first ARC (or first few ARCs)?

I can't really remember but just by putting my name out there , googling ARC sites like Netgalley, Simon and Schuster Galley Grab , Booksneeze.

Review: Babe in Boyland - Jody Gehrman

2012-01-27T20:44:00.000+13:00

Looking for a fun light-hearted YA to read ? One that discovers the true meaning of What Guys Want ?

Review: Babe in Boyland - Jody Gehrman-February 2011

Have you ever watched the film "She's the Man" starring Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum ? The film where Amanda Bynes wanted so much to play soccer that she went undercover as her twin brother Sebastian and then ended up roommates with Channing Tatum and fell head over in heels with him , but of course had to keep up the act of being a dude. If so then you will love Babe in Boyland as we read Natalie , the main character has been writing as Dr. Aphrodite - the local school newspaper's advice queen. When she is backlashed severley by angry guys and boyfriends , she feels disillusioned but gets an idea - Why not write a story on What guys want and think ? The Guy's perspective of relationships and dating. So along with her two best friends Darcy and Chloe - the three of them hatch a plan for Natalie to go undercover as Nat - attending Underwood Academy for Boys. The thing is that Underwood is a boarding school so now Nat must undergo a complete transformation in order to fit in . All goes well and has it's hilarious parts like "How to make it look like you have a bulge", until Nat starts to develop feelings for her roommate Emilio who obviously has no idea that Nat is in fact Natalie. Can Nat find her story , and get out of their in time , before anyone discovers her true identity ?

Find out in this fun , gender swapping novel "Babe In Boyland" - An insight to not "What Women Want" but What guys think :)

Guest Post : 10 Love Lessons Learned from the Movie Love Guru

2012-01-26T20:23:00.000+13:00

Have you seen the movie "The Love Guru" starring Mike Myers ? Ever thought you could learn love lessons from that movie. Well , with Mary Edwards at http://www.bestdatingsites.org/blog/2012/10-love-lessons-learned-from-the-movie-love-guru/ she shares with us the 10 Love Lessons to be learnt.

10 Love Lessons Learned from the Movie Love Guru

Who says Hollywood doesn’t make socially redeeming movies anymore? Just take a look at Love Guru, the Mike Myers film. It’s loaded with romantic advice. In fact, we’ll list 10 love lessons you can learn from the movie Love Guru.

Acts of kindness should never be motivated by expectations of reciprocal gestures. For instance, it’s OK if your Uncle Jack helps you off an elephant, but you really shouldn’t return the favor. Just saying.
Until a man learns to love himself, he may only date three girls named Ann: Ann Visible, Ann Flatable, and Ann Job.
Wisdom of Guru Pitka Part 1: “Intimacy is like putting your wiener on a table and having someone say ‘That looks like a penis… only smaller’.” Speaking of intimacy …
Wisdom of Guru Pitka, Part 2 enlightens us as to the true definition of intimacy : “I speak of Intimacy, or ‘Into me, I see’.” The guru is telling us that we need to know ourselves before we can become intimate with another. Or at least that’s what we think he’s trying to say.
If you love someone, you will make for them a Quebec pizza. It may not seem like much on the surface, but there’s love in there. And some ketchup.
If your boyfriend looks as though he’s smuggling a schnauzer, don’t be alarmed. That’s a good thing; though you may want to keep him on a short leash, away from your girlfriends.
Wisdom of Pitka, Part 3: Love means having a lot of Clarity, Organization, Charm, and Knowledge. In fact, the more you have, the more love you are likely to get.
Wisdom, Part 4: When your partner is being disrespectful of your feelings, it is important that you tell them, “Be Loving and Openhearted With My Emotions”.
Another important love lesson learned from the movie Love Guru is that you must truly love Mike Myers to be willing to watch this film. But a more important lesson is this …
If you have any hopes of having a second date with her, don’t take her to see this film on your first date.

Review: Here's to Friends - Melody Carlson

2012-01-26T19:43:00.000+13:00

Are you a fan of Melody Carlson's novels ? If you are like me , then you would have made your way through her entire reading list, though I've made it my mission to find Looking for Cassandra Jane as everywhere I've looked so far is out of print :(.

Today's review is the 4th book in the series "The Four Lindas".

Review: Here's to Friends - The Four Lindas Book #4 - Melody Carlson - September 2011

Once upon a time , in the smalltown of Clifden , Oregon there lived four little girls all named Linda. The four girls ended up in the same class. The four girls decided to form a club named "The Four Lindas' and go by their middle names. Now Forty-Seven years later, the four Lindas are the best of friends and are known as Amy, Janie, Marley and Caroline. In this final book of the Lindas we discover that no matter what happens, good girlfriends can get you through anything from little things like joining the gym and completing the Circuit-training classes to big things like helping each other through tough circumstances. As we read "Here's to Friends" we discover that the Four Lindas wouldn't be where they are today if it wasn't for each other. We have Amy whose started up a B&B with Janie's help , though when things don't go as plan and Amy finds herself over her head , will she come back on top ? , Janie's daughter Lisa - a drug addict is back home - will this be a fleeting visit or is she ready to really change ? , Marley has found the second love of her life Art Gallery owner Jack but when a new and younger employee arrives with Jack in her sight , has she lost her chance to tell him how she feels and last but not least Caroline , her mother has finally passed and left her half-burnt house to Caroline. Can Caroline restore it to it's original glory or will the unhappy memories of the past hinder her decision ?

Have fun with "The Four Lindas" and discover the true meaning of girlfriends and friendships with Melody Carlson's latest novel "Here's to Friends".

Guest Post : 10 Fights Every Young Couple Has

2012-01-26T19:03:00.000+13:00

It seems that my blog has now become a site of not only book reviews etc but also for relationship articles and guest posts :)

This one is written by Mary Edwards from http://www.bestdatingsites.org/blog/2012/10-fights-every-young-couple-has/

10 Fights Every Young Couple Has

If you are married you will totally get a kick out of remembering all the silly little fights you had as a newlywed and if you are a newlywed maybe these will be food for thought. If you are not married these will just be funny or they may come up if you live with someone. Check out 10 fights every young couple has.

Toilet seat: Do you leave the toilet seat up or down? Does it matter? Speaking as a woman it most certainly does matter if you walk into the bathroom at night in the dark and go to sit down and fall in because the seat was left up. However, coming at it from the guy’s side why should he have to lift the seat and put it down every time he uses the bathroom and the girl doesn’t? So to make it fair I feel that you should put both the seat and the lid down on the toilet. That way the guy can raise both at the same time and put them both down and the woman still has to lift and put down the lid only.
Toilet paper: Now this is a funny argument, but one that people feel very strongly about even into their 60’s. Do you put the roll on so that the toilet paper comes over the top of the roll or from under the roll? If you ask the makers of toilet paper they will tell you that toilet paper was designed to go on the roll with the paper coming over the top of the roll, but frankly you can do whatever you feel comfortable doing. Just know that this is a little battle so someone should be the bigger person and bend to the other’s wishes.
Which side of the bed: If you grew up sleeping in a twin bed it probably won’t make any difference to you which side of the bed you sleep on, but it may if only one side has a lamp for reading or a nightstand to put a book or a glass of water on. If both sides are equal in terms of furniture and lighting then it’s just a matter of taste. Your body will have gotten used to sleeping on one side of the bed and it can actually cause insomnia in some people to sleep on the other side of the bed. Good luck with this one.
Dishes: Who’s going to do the dishes? You would think in this day and age of dishwashers that this would be a moot point, but it isn’t. You still have to have someone do up the dishes that don’t go in the dishwasher. Also, someone needs to unload the dishwasher and put the dishes away. Ideally you would both do the dishes together, one person washes and the other dries. Good luck with that. It would be nice if both of you put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and that the person who notices that the dishwasher is full runs it. Then it would be equally nice if the first person that gets up in the morning would empty the dishwasher. In an ideal world.
Paying the bills: Who is going to pay the bills? Some couples will think that they will pay them together. For some this may actually work, but for others paying the bills will be a point of stress and cause an argument between the couple. It may work to have one person organize the bills onto a spreadsheet or list and have the other person actually pay them.
Toothpaste: This is a funny one on the surface, but after a while it really gets irritating. You know how lovey dovey young couples are at the beginning? They want to be together all the time and want to share everything, even toothpaste. Do you squeeze the toothpaste tube from the middle or from the end? What about the cap? Do you put it back on when you are done or just leave it on the counter? This is such an issue that toothpaste makers have made toothpaste in bottles and toothpaste tubes with caps that stay attached after you open them, like flip tops.
Buying something without discussing it: When a couple is newly married it’s hard to break the habit of buying whatever you want when you want it. Just make sure that you work together and set a limit above which the item has to be discussed before purchasing it. The national average is $249.
Wet towels: Leaving wet towels on the floor is a huge area of contention. Why is it one person’s job to pick them up and hang them somewhere to dry? A question for those people who leave the wet towel on the floor or bed. Who do you think is going to pick them up, the maid? Why is it anyone else’s job to pick up after you?
Hair in the sink: Now this goes both ways, women hate when men leave hair in the sink after they have shaved and men hate it when women leave hair in the drain from washing their hair. Bottom line is that you both need to make sure the sink is pretty clean and presentable when you get ready to leave the bathroom.
Remote control: Who controls the remote in your family? How do you decide who gets to hold the remote? Do you have one of those partners that like to keep flipping through the stations without even waiting long enough to see what’s on?

Review: Shift - Em Bailey

2012-01-25T19:40:00.000+13:00

Wanting to discover a new Teen Book to read whilst you wait for the two biggest hits of 2012 to arrive according to TIME Magazine Insurgent and Pandemonium.

Get ready to discover new teen author Em Bailey and her book "Shift".

Review: Shift - Em Bailey - September 2011

When I picked up Shift , I had no idea what it was about - just the cover seemed to attract me and I thought Hmmmm , that looks like it could be good and OMG it definitely was as I found myself hooked from the very first page , I could not put it down - once I got started , I wanted to read to find out what happened next. In Shift, we meet Olive Corbett , she used to be one of the popular chicks , the one who had it all until tragedy struck and she found herself in an institution. Returning back to school, all Olive has is her friend Ami and things are going her usual pace until two new students start at her school - a cute new boy named Lachlan who is hiding a secret and has the hots for Olive and new girl Miranda. Some say Miranda killed her parents , it could be just a nasty rumour but when strange things start occuring and people are acting weird and looking drained , has Miranda got something to do with it ? Now it's up to Olive to stop Miranda before more people are hurt and the ones she loves even killed . A fun pyschological supernatural thriller that has a part for everyone.

Get ready to "Shift" into a comfy position and start reading Em Bailey's latest hit "Shift".

Book News : Strange Chemistry Announces New Authors

2012-01-23T13:35:00.000+13:00

Press Release

20^th January 2012 ~ For Immediate Release

Angry Robot Announces Strange Chemistry Launch Titles

Strange Chemistry - the YA imprint of award-winning indie genre fiction publisher Angry Robot - has announced two deals that will help launch the list into publishing super-stardom.

In a post on Strange Chemistry’s website – http://strangechemistrybooks.com – imprint editor Amanda Rutter has revealed that Strange Chemistry’s first two titles will be…

Shift by Kim Curran

About The Book: When your average, 16-year old loser, Scott Tyler, meets the beautiful and mysterious Aubrey Jones, e learns he’s not quite so average after all. He’s a ‘Shifter’. And that means he has the power to undo any decision he’s ever made. At first, he thinks the power to shift is pretty cool. But as his world quickly starts to unravel around him he realises that each time he uses his power, it has consequences; terrible unforeseen consequences. Shifting is going to get him killed. In a world where everything can change with a thought, Scott has to decide where he stands.

About the Author:Kim Curran was born in Dublin and moved to London when she was seven. After studying Philosophy and Literature at Sussex University her plan of being paid big bucks to think deep thoughts never quite paid off. She became an advertising copywriter instead, specialising in writing for video games. She lives in SW London with her husband, if they’re not both off travelling. When she’s not writing she fences and plays guitar, both very badly.

Visit Kim online at http://www.kimcurran.co.uk/

Kim Curran says: “When I saw Angry Robot was launching a YA imprint I literally said I would kill to be published by those guys. So to have signed with Strange Chemistry is everything I could have wished for and then some. To say I’m excited is a massive understatement. I just hope I won’t be expected to actually kill anyone!”

Amanda Rutter says: “We’ve signed debut novelist Kim Curran for two books in a new YA SF thriller series. The first title – Shift – will be published in September of this year, with the second to follow in 2013. The deal, concluded with Sam Copeland, of Rogers, Coleridge and White Ltd, includes world English rights in physical and electronic formats.

“As soon as I read the first page of Shift, I absolutely knew I wanted Kim on board. The novel is fast-paced, exciting and a real page turner. I simply cannot wait to introduce the world of Scott and Aubrey to YA readers!”

Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings

About the Book: Julie is an apprentice witch – or so she believes. When a dark power comes stalking out of the past to haunt her and her mother, Julie learns that she is far more than just a witch. With the help of her best friend Marcus and a rather unusual Great Dane, Julie has to race against time to ensure she can defeat the bad guy, save her mother and avoid being grounded – again

About the Author:Sean Cummings lives in Saskatoon, Canada. He’s a comic book geek, superhero junkie, zombie fan and a total nerd. His interests include science fiction, the borg, cats with extra toes, east Indian cuisine and quality sci-fi movies/television. Sean has been writing since 1978 (as a means of liberating his “inner nerd”) and his published works for adults include Shade Fright, Funeral Pallor and Unseen World, all published by Snowbooks. Poltergeeks is his first book for Young Adults.

Visit Sean online at www.sean-cummings.ca and www.darkcentralstation.com.

Amanda Rutter says: “We have signed Sean for two novels in the Poltergeeks universe, the first to be published in October of this year with the second to follow in the summer of 2013. The deal, concluded with Jenny Savill and Ella Kahn of Andrew Nurnberg Associates International Ltd, includes world English rights in physical and electronic formats.

“Sean has written a wonderful book with a title that made the whole AR office sit up and take notice – who wouldn’t want to read a novel called Poltergeeks?! As you read further, you just become gripped by this sassy and sarcastic apprentice witch who has to face down the darkest of powers. It’s just a tremendous story, and I’m thrilled that Strange Chemistry is bringing it to you.”

Sean Cummings says: "I'm a huge fan of Angry Robot Books and when I heard they were starting a Young Adult imprint I just knew they'd be publishing some of the best in YA fiction. I'm thrilled that Poltergeeks has found a home with Strange Chemistry and I look forward to working with Amanda. (Did I mention that Angry Robot has fantastic cover art, too?)"

:::

More information can be found at strangechemistrybooks.com and angryrobotbooks.com.

Angry Robot is a genre publisher that brings readers the best in new SF, F and WTF?! Strange Chemistry is Angry Robot’s YA imprint. All titles are released as paperbacks and in all major eBook formats. Distribution is through Random House (North America) and GBS (UK). Angry Robot is part of the Osprey Group.

For more information, review copies, interview and feature requests contact our Marketing Manager, Darren Turpin at darren.turpin@angryrobotbooks.com or by phone on +44 (0) 7584 355911 [UK Office Hours]

Review: Fifty Shades of Grey - E.L James (R18 Read)

2012-01-23T13:15:00.000+13:00

Have you heard all the buzz going on lately about this book called "Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L James, if you follow facebook then you might have . I belong to a bookaholics anonymous group on Facebook and OMG this is one of the most talked about books on the site , so feeling a tad left out I decided to read it and it was a WOOAH book.

Review: Fifty Shades of Grey - Fifty Shades Trilogy Book #1- E.L James - May 2011

As I said above , I had heard so much about this book and decided Alright, I'll give it a go as it's not really the type of novel unless I was sent it to review that I would have read and as I was reading it , some parts I'm sure I blushed at and others made me giggle. My favourite part of the book was the email correspondence between main characters Anastasia aka Ana Steele and Christian Grey, for those who have yet to read it Fifty Shades of Grey begins when Ana's roommate Editor of their College newspaper Kate is due to give an interview with benefactor Christian Grey, however on the day of the interview Kate gets sick and sends bumbling Ana in her place. Arriving at Grey Enterprises, Ana feels a tad out of place as all the staff are blonde and beautiful - a bit like her roommate. When Ana meets Christian though, their is a connection of sorts - some would say love at first sight but as you read Fifty Shades of Grey , you will understand that that's not the right terminology as the word Love does not belong in Christian's vocabulary. It seems Christian has a Dominant side and he's not into as we learn "Vanilla Sex" but in fact the whole role-playing of Dom/Sub. We discover that Christian wants Ana as his Sub but as the novel develops - is there more to their relationship , something Christian has never experienced ? Christian ,being rich and wealthy showers Ana with presents which being independent -she can't stand. One of the presents are a series of First Edition Classics namely being Tess of D'Ubervilles which we read as a theme throughout the novel - I loved this as the book Tess of the D'Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy is one of my all-time favourite classics. The other presents are a MacBook Laptop and a Blackberry - in which begins my all-time favourite part of the book - the emailing banter between the pair :). As we devour Fifty Shades of Grey , we see slight changes in both characters especially in Ana as it seems Christian shifts her entire personality . Are the pair determined to work things out to each of their advantages or when Ana sees Christian's contract- will that be the end ?

Find out in Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L James , a book that will surprise you as I went and purchased the 2nd and 3rd to find out what happened .

VBT# Relic - Deena Remiel

2012-01-23T12:45:00.000+13:00

Families can be so hard and so it is my apology that this blog is a couple days later :)

Guest Post -Deena Remiel

How An Angel Lost His Mojo (and how he plans on getting it back)

Raphael, immortal Brethren Warrior, has seen his fair share of death and destruction since manifesting on earth a couple of millennia ago. Nothing had ever fazed him in the least, nor was there anyone he couldn’t save… until last year.

Last year was a year of drastic change. During an apocalyptic war between the Brethren and Evil his teammate, Brethren Warrior Seraphiel, fell at the hands of Agremon, second in command to Namirha, and once a Brethren as well. He tried to save him, but once an angel’s wing is severed from the body, there is nothing that can be done. Unless you are part of the Trinity. Raphael is not. And the Trinity had not yet been initiated. This dealt him a heavy blow, to say the least.

A short while after Seraphiel’s death, Namirha captured the Great Savior Mother and tortured her to near death. Again, Raphael came up impotent to bring her back. With the Trinity formed, they were able to do so. Raphael walked away from the Brethren’s victory over Evil with none of the happiness one would expect. His foundation had been completely torn asunder and his faith in himself ripped to shreds.

He is currently suffering from a case of healer’s block, unable to do more than provide a band-aid of sorts to those in need. Succumbing to a bad case of guilt, he’s been doing his best to get his mojo back. Visiting specific spiritual sites in Sedona, Arizona, he’s hoping to heal himself and become relevant to the Brethren and the mortal world again. If he can’t, he will have no choice but to return to the Beyond, a broken angel.

Relic, Book 2 in the Brethren Series, releases on January 27^th from Decadent Publishing. It will be available through Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, along with many other eBook online book sellers.

How DOES one get their mojo back after it’s been shattered? If you have some advice for Raphael regarding this guilt he’s been harboring, please leave it in the message area and I’ll be sure to give it to him!

Hugs,

Deena Remiel
www.deenaremiel.com
www.facebook.com/deena.remiel
www.twitter.com/deenaremiel

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins

2012-01-23T12:26:00.000+13:00

Did you enjoy Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins ? Wanting a nice light-hearted read ?

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins - September 2011

In commeration of Lola's purple wig, I've decided to write this post in purple . Though if I had all the time in the world then this review would be a jumble of colours as that's how I viewed Lola , a bundle of different colours. I loved the character of Lola as she was so free-spirited and dressed the way she wanted :). After reading Anna and the French Kiss and loving that too bits , I just had to get my hands on Lola and the Boy next Door and OMG it was just as amazing :). This novel focuses on Lola , a high school student who loves to dress up, express her individuality and lives with her two gay dads, though as we read the novel we learn that none of them in fact are her "real" dad and that her "dad" Nathan is in fact her "uncle". Over the past few months, Lola meet a hot rocker named Max and she believes he's the one for her but when old neighbours "The Bells" return , it screams trouble for Lola as her first love and broken heart was from Cricket Bell. Does Lola still have feelings for Cricket or has she moved on ? We read as Lola flits between both guys , one as a boyfriend the other as a friend and tries to realise where her heart belongs. The other part that I loved in Lola and the Boy Next Door was the return of Anna and St Clair from Anna and the French Kiss as Lola worked at the same picture theatre and Cricket went to Berkley with St Clair and Anna.

I look forward to reading more of Stephanie Perkins and can't wait to see what else she releases.

Review: Ashlyn's Radio - Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty

2012-01-20T22:14:00.000+13:00

Wanting a new supernatural novel to devour ? One that includes strange noises and Paranormal objects ?

Review: Ashlyn's Radio - Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty - June 2011

Wanting a good scary novel ? One that in it's own way brings back the world of ghost stories , a world before Vampires, Werewolves and any other supernatural creature took over our literary hemisphere ?

The one thing that stood out more than anything reading Ashlyn's radio was the fact that it was in fact a good scary story , it reminded me of the stories I used to read when I was younger, books in the tradition of Christopher Pike's Remember Me .

We discover that Ashlyn's mother Leslie is in a mental hospital after hearing the evil and not being able to get it out of her system , she fears for her daughter's life as she knows that the evil is after her. Ashlyn goes to live with her grandmother Maudette in a small town called Prescott Junction. Ashlyn on her first night , hears the noises of trains and music - though everyone she talks to is keeping their mouths shut. As it turns out there is a train that comes through , but it isn't a good train , it's a train that collects souls and for Ashlyn she catches a glimpse of her father Patrick on that train. The radio part comes in as a curse past down through the Caverhill women, a radio that can predict the future and bad things that are going to happen. When it latches itself onto Ashlyn , is she to accept the fate of the Caverhill women before her or will she break the curse ?
Tune In to Find out in Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty's book "Ashlyn's Radio".

Review: Heart's Key - Marianne Evans

2012-01-20T16:43:00.000+13:00

Do you enjoy Christian author Marianne Evan's books ? Have you OR Did you check out my review of Heart's Communion by Marianne Evans ?

Get ready for Book #4 in the Woodlands Series :)

Review: Heart's Key - Book #4 Woodlands Series - Marianne Evans - November 2011

Wanting more Woodlands action ? In Book #3 Heart's Communion we read about the coming together of Jeremy and preschool teacher Monica and now with Heart's Key , we meet newcomer Amy and her daughter Pyper (I love the way that is spelt and the name) , Amy was according to other reviews one of the main characters in Book #2 Heart's Surrender . Now five years later Amy has been married and divorced and has a beautiful daughter. Her marriage though didn't finish on great terms with her fleeing away from her home with her daughter to the one place on earth she has always felt safe and sound - Woodlands. Now one year later, Amy has made a life for herself and Pyper in Woodlands and working two jobs , when former Woodlands resident now turned big famous Singer Tyler heads home for a stop on his tour -Tyler was also the other lead character in Heart's surrender. Tyler always had a soft spot for Amy and notices that she's a shell of her former self , his heart aches for her and longs to get to know her. Amy, feeling inadequate wants to get know Tyler but when she sees him with Rebecca- she assumes he's already in a relationship and who would want to be in a relationship with a single mother and a five year old daughter . Heart's Key to sum it up is about the reunion of former lovers Tyler and Amy and their chance of second love . Can they prove to each other that they want this ? Is Tyler ready for the commitment of an automatic family and will Amy be able to overcome the hurt of her past love and self-rejection to let Tyler in ?
A great finale to an amazing series , which I am hoping to go back and read Books #1 and #2 in the series and I look forward to reading in the future more books by Marianne Evans.

Review: Stella Makes Good - Lisa Heidke

2012-01-20T15:31:00.000+13:00

Looking for a great Chick-Lit read ? One to help Celebrate the upcoming Australia Day on the 26th January ? Have you read Lisa Heidke's previous releases and enjoyed them ?

Get ready for her latest novel "Stella Makes Good".

Review: Stella Makes Good - Lisa Heidke - January 2012

As a huge fan of Australia author's Lisa Heidke's books , when I recieved Stella Makes Good, I couldn't wait to start reading as I wonder what new storylines and characters Lisa would come up and I have to say I loved the fact that Stella - the main character and Jesse worked in a library and Stella organised the toddler time :) and the fact that she didn't fit into the stereotypical librarian cast , made the story even better. As I so could relate , being a Children's and Teen's librarian myself and I definitely don't fit into the stereotype with my phases of bright colours and my continual supply of Statement/TV/Film/Music Tshirts . I have everything from Superheros to Holly Hobbie to True Blood/Vampire Diaries to a Tshirt proclaiming "You Rock My World"- got it for National Compliment Month.

In Stella Makes Good , we discover that it is the start of 2012 and the four main characters - though we only see 3 till about halfway through the book are busy deciding on their mantra's for the year. Each character has been through a tough year from relationship chaos , to failed marriages , divorce, losing the passion spark. Stella is on her way to becoming divorced with her ex-husband Terry already moving in with his new girlfriend, can Stella move on from her past especially when Dr. McDreamy aka Mike - another single parent has the hots for Stella .
Carly wants that passion spark to be re-ignited in her life as now her son Nicholas has left the nest and gone to school in Wales. When Carly cleans out Nicholas's room and discovers a pile of love notes and then emails start to arrive - Is Carly's son Gay and her husband Brett has been pulling away - is he having an affair with the blonde co-worker Jane ?

Jesse is stuck in a loveless marriage, she feels that her husband and her can't connect and want both different things , he's working late and worse he's pretty controlling. When her friends discover Steve in an awkward position, will this give Jesse the courage to leave her husband or will it make matters worst ?

Louise, Jesse's older sister left Australia six years ago and has not looked back since. What was so bad that she had to up and leave and never return ? When tragedy strikes Jesse , Louise decides the past needs to be revealed and high-tails it back to Australia to confront it. Will the opening of her past allow Louise to move forth in her future with boyfriend Philippe?

A novel about starting new and leaving all the past behind. A novel about girlfriends, secrets and that sometimes the truth can hurt but it's better to have it revealed than hidden.

As usual I loved Stella Makes Good and cannot wait to see what Lisa Heike brings out next :)

Guest Post : 10 Tips for Being Patient with a New Relationship

2012-01-19T18:47:00.000+13:00

Here on The Phantom Paragrapher , we have Mary Edwards from http://www.bestdatingsites.org/blog/2012/10-tips-for-being-patient-with-a-new-relationship/

and she has kindly sent us her article to share with all The Phantom Paragrapher readers.

10 Tips for Being Patient with a New Relationship

For some of us, new relationships come with a sense of urgency. We’re eager to reach the next big milestone, especially as we get older. This same feeling of immediacy can cause us to push too hard or come on too strong, putting a strain on the fragile bonds formed in the early days. If you’ve ever been accused of being too intense, here are some tips to ensure that your next relationship isn’t smothered in its infancy.

Step Away From the Cell Phone – In our constantly-connected society, it’s easy to flood a new partner with Facebook wall posts, texts and emails from a cell phone. While keeping a line of communication open is vital, it’s equally important to allow a new relationship some breathing room.
Spend Time With Friends – Don’t be a cliché by ignoring your friends in favor of a new honey. If you have a long-standing tradition of poker with the boys or girl’s night margaritas, keep it. Your friends will be more likely to accept a mate that doesn’t take up all of your time, and these outings will give the two of you something to talk about the next time you get together.
Focus On Your Hobbies and Favorite Pastimes – Losing yourself completely in a new relationship can easily be the kiss of death; your interests and pastimes are likely a big part of what attracted your new mate. Letting them fall to the wayside to spend every moment together leaves very little material for conversation and can cause your lover to feel stifled.
Avoid “The Talk” – It’s natural to wonder where a new relationship is headed, but it’s a good idea to hold off on having “The Talk” for a while. Letting things develop naturally can be a bit nerve-wracking, but it’s necessary.
Keep It Light – In the early days of a relationship, it’s best to avoid the heavy plans for your future and talk of marriage and children. Don’t introduce your long-term plans when a coupling is new, or it may not last very long.
Be Careful With the Booze – There’s a reason why alcohol is also called “Truth Serum.” One phone call after a night of drinking can undo all of your cautious work when you’ve just started dating someone.
Don’t Change Your Plans – Before you met your new love interest, you probably had some long-term goals and plans for your future. Avoid the temptation to change those plans to suit a brand-new relationship; despite how you feel in the honeymoon phase, there is always a chance that things won’t work out.
Keep Your Priorities Straight – Though it’s difficult in the first blush, try to keep your priorities in line. Don’t let your new relationship take a toll on your work or other obligations, as it can very easily cause resentment when things inevitably begin to cool down and you’re forced to play catch-up.
Don’t Play Mind Games – When things aren’t moving as quickly as you’d like, don’t resort to passive-aggressive mind games. Slyly referencing others that are interested in you or the ex that still has feelings will almost always blow up in your face.
Hold Off On Introducing the Family – Even if you have the most welcoming and interesting family on the planet, your new love interest shouldn’t be meeting them for a while. Family members will ask questions that you may not be ready to answer, which will put undue pressure on you both.

No matter how desperately you want to find The One, it’s always best to go with the flow and let things develop naturally. If your new lover feels stifled, they’re more likely to lose interest altogether.

Review: The Heroine's Bookshelf - Erin Blakemore

2012-01-18T20:07:00.000+13:00

Do you love Literature and Lifeguides ? Ever wondered how one can relate their favourite literature heroines to today's time ?

Review: The Heroine's Bookshelf - Erin Blakemore - October 2010

When I saw this book advertised , I knew I just had to read it as what type of female reader could pass a book titled 'The Heroine's Bookshelf" whose tagline acclaimed "Life Lessons from Jane Austen to Laura Ingalls Wilder". As I turned the pages I discovered that in a way it was more the author's personal journey through life with a series of all our favourite books and characters like Lizzy Bennett from Pride and Prejudice , Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird , Anne from Anne of Green Gables. All your favourite , strong female characters in one book. Erin Blakemore has picked up on one theme per book and what they teach us in our lives today . From all about ourselves with Lizzy Bennett to Pure Happiness with Anne Shirley to Gumption with Scarlett O'Hara , Have compassion with Scout and Ambition with Jo March. Each chapter talks about the book , the theme , the author and her life compared to what was written in the novel and then a To Read List - Similiar Heroines etc. This is one book that I will be purchasing for my own collection as it is just a book that would be great to have on resource when you are feeling in need of a little bit of Literary inspiration or a pick-me-up when you feel the need to channel your inner heroine .

Review: Last Breath - Rachel Caine

2012-01-18T18:56:00.000+13:00

Are you a fan of the Morganville Vampires series ? Like me, religiously followed the series in order all the way from Glass Houses to Book #11 Last Breath ?

Review : Last Breath - Book #11 Morganville Vampires - Rachel Caine - November 1st 2011

Are you a fan of Rachel Caine's Vampire series Morganville ? The town where once you enter , the only way to leave is in a body bag or under the rarest of moments with allowance from the founder Amelie. Wow , I so did not expect the twists and turns in Last Breath , but one thing I can say for sure is readers that Rachel Caine does not disappoint with Last Breath. As those can recall , in Book #10 Bite Club - Rachel tried something new with the story alternating from Shane's POV and other characters , in Last Breath she has decided to continue this as we see the story from all sides. Last Breath starts out like any other novel with everything being as fine and dandy as they can be in Morganville. Except for one tiny thing - Eve and Michael want to get married , this would have been otherwise fine except Michael is a Vampire and Eve a mere human. Vampires and Humans are not supposed to love each other and live happily ever after. What starts off as a mere Vampire/Human argument will turn out to be something greater that will end up threatning the lives of EVERYONE who lives in Morganville as Magnus has appeared and this can only mean one thing - DEATH. We hold our breaths as we see one of our favourite and long-standing characters breath their last breaths , will it be Michael , Shane , Claire or Eve ?

Remember back in Book #1 Glass Houses , we learnt that the Glass House has magic powers - we discover the origins of those and why as one of the Glass House members perish.

Last Breath was one of the few Morganville Vampire novels which actually had me in anticipation and sadness when I discovered that someone dies :(.

Readers stay tuned as do not despair , Last Breath is not the Last that we have heard of The Morganville Vampires.

Review : The Future of Us - Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

2012-01-16T18:24:00.000+13:00

Ever wondered what life was like prior the Internet age ? What kids did before Cellphones, Internet and Facebook ?

Review: The Future of Us - Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler - 1 January 2012

Teen Authors Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler have paired together to bring you a time-travelling novel of sorts , a novel that reminds youth what life was like before Cellphones , Social networking sites , Xbox, Playstations and of course anything "I".

It is the year 1996 , teenagers hang out and play frisbee in the park , go for runs with their discmans. Computer's are just starting to become popular in households as statistics show that in 1996 -less than half of the high school population have ever used the internet and it would be another 8yrs before Mark Zuckenberg would invent Facebook.

The Future of Us surrounds two high school students Emma and Josh. When Emma's dad announces the pregnancy of his new wife , he feels guilty and purchases Emma a new computer. The story gets interesting though when next door neighbour Josh's family recieve a disc in the mail introducing AOL online - the first development of emails and online messaging. The pair of them install the disc on Emma's computer and this is where things start getting interesting as it signs her on a programme called "Facebook" and get this it's her and her friends fifteen years in the future. Soon the pair of them start discovering about their futures and discover that the choices they make in their current lives can affect the outcomes. Can the Pair of them control their own destiny or will the ideas of their future become overwhelming and start affecting their everyday lives ?

The Future of Us was an amazing book that I think everyone should read , it's well-written and makes you wonder what would you do if you discovered a page about yourself set fifteen years in the future . Would you be curious ? Would you like yourself or try and change the outcome ?

Review: The Alhambra Decree- Lilian Gafni

2012-01-16T14:01:00.000+13:00

Are you a fan of Spanish fiction ? Love the history of Spain ? . This is also one of the first books for 2012 in the Go Indie RC . The Go Indie RC celebrates those small-published company authors and self-published authors.

Review: The Alhambra Decree - Book #1 Flower from Castile Trilogy - Lilian Gafni - October 2011

Are you looking for a historical adventure read ? One that sets itself apart from all the historical romances that we are bombarded with. Are you a fan of Spain and it's history and culture ?

If you answered YES , then this is the book for you as The Alhambra decree takes us back to July 1453 , then jumps to the main story in April 1491. As learnt from reading The Ahlambra Decree , in the 1400's Spain was under the influence of Catholicism which was interesting as I had no knowledge prior to Spain's history, so reading The Ahlambra Decree was an eye-opener.

The novel surrounds Isabella Obrigon, a rich and beautiful young girl. Born into a world of money, wealth and privilege - she enjoys life and everything handed to her . Unfortunately though, as Isabella gets older she will soon discover that she shouldn't have taken her life for granted when it's discovered that a dark secret surrounds her birth and the truth about her parental line . Soon she finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of adventure and danger between two powerful nations, trapped between two faiths and two kinds of people.

In order to survive , Isabella must make a choice - one that will change the course of her life forever- to follow her heart and join the lesser wealthy of the two peoples or to live her life of luxury and wealth and live with the knowledge of lies. The other part of the novel that I enjoyed was the talk of discoverer Christopher Columbus as he was the discoverer of New Zealand we're I live and The Ahlambra Decree featured the builf-up of his dreams and how he achieved the means to discover the world and all the little countries inside it.

The Ahlambra Decree is a nice read that fans of Historical Fiction will enjoy.

Review - The Darker Side - Cody McFayden

2012-01-15T15:07:00.000+13:00

Wanting a good read ? One with Serial Killers and a great storyline ? Did you notice the new symbol at the beginning of the review - the one with the little Library Building as last year I did the Support your library challenge , that was the pic for library books and this year I decided to bring in a little library building to symbolise books that I have reviewed from the library.

Review: The Darker Side - Book #3 Smoky Barrett Series - Cody McFayden - September 2008

Are you a fan of Serial Killer novels ? Love and Read Cody McFayden's other books ? When I saw this book come through, I wasn't sure if I had read it but when I started bits and pieces started to gel and seem familiar but it was prior to the joining the ranks of Book Bloggers United and our fabulous community of sharing books, and since I am such a huge fan of Cody's books , I figured why not just read it again and I'm glad I did as of course surprise, surprise I enjoyed it.

In The Darker side, we are reunited with our favourite team of FBI Agents who remind me of the team on Criminal Minds. We have lead agent Smoky Barrett , Callie , Alan and James - a nice team of four. When the first victim is killed , the senator's daughter it seems that it could be a political killing but when they observe the body and her home it seems that this is the work of a serial killer . Soon deaths start piling up and it seems that they all have things in common , they are all Catholics and have sinned in one way or another and it seems the Serial Killer soon named "The Preacher" has been killing for a very very long time. Unlike , past criminals though, this killer is experienced and clean as we watch more and more die before the FBI can catch them. However, when one of their friends gets caught up in the web , will they die or wil the FBI be able to stop them ? How many more must die in order for the killer to be caught?

The Darker Side features a strong religious fanatic killer and if you are Catholic - it does look at that in the extreme , so if that offends you -do not read. You have been warned.

As always, IMO Cody Mcfayden has done another fabulous job with writing another mystery novel that captures the attention of it's audience.

How to Protect Yourself from the Dangers of Online Dating - Joe Morris

2012-01-14T19:29:00.000+13:00

With Internet Dating on the rise and becoming more and more popular , I have Guest Blogger Joe Morris from http://www.100bestdatingsites.org/ informing us "How to Protect yourself from the Dangers of online dating".

How to Protect Yourself from the Dangers of Online Dating

With busy schedules consuming our lives and because of the ease and convenience provided by the internet, it’s no wonder why singles everywhere are heading straight for their computers to type in a search for friendship, casual dates and even love.

However, today’s world is not only a busy one…it’s also very dangerous. Because of the anonymity allowed by the internet you never know who you could be interacting with and what peoples’ intentions are. Safety is your number one priority when using the internet as a method for dating. So why risk yours?

Check out the following tips to ensure that you have a safe and successful experience in your online dating adventures:

Safety tip #1: Choose a reputable dating site. Before just signing up for any dating site that offers the cheapest membership packages, take the time to do plenty of research. A legitimate dating service will provide you with the latest in safety and security features. Do some investigating and select a site that not only meets your specific needs, but also gives you peace of mind.

Safety tip #2: Limit the information you disclose. When interacting with strangers on the web, it is imperative that you are careful with the details you share about yourself. Take your online relationship at a slow pace—until you feel 100 percent confident that someone with whom you are communicating is pursuing you for the right reasons, never share the following personally identifying material:

· Last name

· Home address

· Place of employment

· Phone number

· Personal email address

· Financial info

Safety tip #3: Be aware of scams. Many online daters recently have found themselves victims in the twisted webs of romance scammers. These con-artists wreak havoc on the innocent by luring online daters into a phony online relationship, seeking out their vulnerabilities and then preying upon their bank accounts. So that you don’t meet the same financial fate as other less-fortunate online daters, watch out for these tell-tale warning signs of a scammer:

· Too good to be true profile pictures

· Confusing names or conflicting information is given

· Love is confessed at warp-speeds

· Poor grammar/language that doesn’t coincide with alleged education level/career

· Money is requested to help with some dire situation

Tip #4: Stage a safe first meeting. If an online romance has reached a point where a face-to-face date is the next step, there are some important things you need to know before meeting in person:

· Never have your date pick you up from home or work. Use your own transportation to meet in a crowded, public place.

· Make sure that you let a friend or family member know where you are going and who you are going with. Keep your cell phone handy and call this friend or family member when you arrive home safely.

· Be observant and remain aware of your surroundings at all times—for the first few dates it is best to forgo the alcohol.

· Never leave a drink, wallet, purse or cell phone unattended.

· Trust your get. If your intuition is telling you that something is wrong, bow out of the date and get to a safe place.

Joe Morris is a guest post author who enjoys writing about dating and relationships. In addition to his hobby of writing, Joe also owns Best Adult Dating Siteswhere he offers safety advice to singles dating on the web.

VBT# Three For Keeps - Lila Munro

2012-01-14T19:17:00.000+13:00

Synopsis : Three For Keeps - Lila Munro

Zoey Matthews is in love. She’s been in love since the day she was dropped off by a social worker at yet another foster home on a back country road miles from nowhere, Missouri. At age ten, she met the men of her dreams. Over the course of sixteen years, Dane Cardwell, Jack Devereux and Ryan Wilkins fell in love with her, too. They’ve each told her they love her, they’ve shown her and each man has gone so far as to ask her to marry him. But what they don’t know is Zoey loves them all.
Her game of kiss and not tell all comes crashing down around her the night of her graduation from veterinary school and Zoey runs for the mountains. Of Colorado. Hoping to outrun her obsession with three men and forget them all together, she stays gone for ten years. But the wound has never healed. In fact, it's done nothing but fester. Needing to clear the air, Zoey agrees to spend a few days back home with the boys never imagining it would turn into a week filled with comparison sex as Dane, Jack and Ryan each try to get Zoey to choose between them and their varied tastes.
When she finally tells the truth, a truth only one of them has known all along, Zoey fears the foursome will never be able to make a sharing relationship work. After all, aren't there just too many personalities and desires to sort through? Add in the kink factor and things get really complicated. Zoey’s not convinced the truth has any merit, but there's one thing she knows for sure…this time she's playing for keeps.

Guest Post : Lila Munro

Menage Me This…

When I first started writing, I never conceived that I would cross any of the invisible lines I had set up for myself. You know the lines I’m talking about right? The first line was…oh, I could never type P-U-S-S-Y…nope neeeever!! Okay, three weeks later you find yourself looking out of one eye doing that very thing. Then you think, oh, I could never put her on her knees in front of him---eeekkk!! That’s just too close to that line. Before you know it a few weeks later you’ve not only got her on her knees but her hands are tied behind her back and they’re playing oxygen deprivation games. J

Gee, what’s left right?

Plenty apparently. There are whips and floggers and blindfolds. And crops and anal plugs and spreader bars…oh, yeah. Plenty. It took me all of less than a half-dozen releases to cross over into the realm of BDSM. I had arrived. What else was there? I felt like singing along with Peter Gabriel…Big Time!! Then wouldn’t you know it, my characters once again became restless…I gritted my teeth and held off. They are not winning. I kept telling myself that like it was a mantra. I would shout at this newbie muse that had arrived.

“Go away, Bronwyn!! Arwen and I were perfectly normal until YOU got here.”

Then my hands would go over my ears and I’d stomp away only to look up and the little vixen would be standing right in front of me with an e-veel grin.

“Damn it! What do you want now? I’ve beat my characters, I’ve tied them up, I’ve mindfucked them until they are probably afraid to surface around here. Now what?”

“They need more players.”

“’Scuse me?”

“They. Need. More. Players.”

Was she actually demanding I cross another freaking line? But of course she was. Constantly luring me, taunting me to leave my comfort zone. Fine! After a few more of her pokes and prods, she won. I wrote a short story ménage piece.

“Satisfied, Bronwyn?”

“For now.”

I went back to life as normal. General contemporary romance, some erotic, and of course a steamy BDSM piece. I was really beginning to like that stuff. Then wouldn’t you know it…Bronwyn started tapping her little booted foot again. Ga-reat! What now?!

“There’s this woman named Zoey, yeah, and she has it bad for her three best friends from childhood…yeah, Dane, Jack and Ryan….”

I used to think I had all these invisible lines, and I would NEVER cross them…so much for lines. After I submitted Three for Keeps to editing, I went back to Assumed Identity, an unfinished WIP, and lo and behold, Bronwyn started pushing me toward another one. You won’t get any same sex romance in that one, but don’t hold your breath for future works…she’s really pushing her luck…

Please enjoy a short excerpt:

“Why’d you get them?” he asked, sweeping bubbles from the stallions racing across her hips.

“The horses?” Zoey rubbed a few left over suds from her eyes.

“We can start there.”

“I spent a few weeks in South Dakota one year helping out on a wild horse reserve. There was an epidemic that was slowly killing the herd.” Zoey pulled her hair over her shoulder and squeezed before twisting it in a knot at the nape of her neck. “That one is my tribute to the horses we couldn’t save.”

Sounded just like her. Zoey had a heart of gold the size of Texas. She felt things deeper and more fully than anyone Ryan had ever known. When she hurt, she hurt to the bone and for a long ass time. When she was happy you could see it all over her, the way she glowed, the way her crystal blue eyes sparkled. Happiness was an almost tangible thing within her. What did she look like when she loved someone? Did that emotion also come to life? How big did her heart expand when it was full?

“What about this one?” Ryan traced the eagle’s feather on her right thigh.

“That same summer I practically lived with the Lakota. One of their elders taught me their ways and showed me things about animals you just don’t learn in veterinary school. Last summer he died,” Zoey whispered. Ryan could see the pain of his loss ripple through her like a wave. “That’s my tribute to him. My teacher. My friend.”

“You’re such a beautiful person. Do you know that?” He moved in front of her and kissed her belly, ran his hands up her sides before laying his cheek against the hummingbird. “I missed you so much, Zoey. Does the bird have a story?”

“Yes, she does.” She ran her fingers through Ryan’s hair. “I was at a rodeo in Oklahoma City. A hummingbird managed to find her way into my horse trailer but couldn’t make her way back out. She almost starved before I could get her to be still long enough to catch her. They can do that you know? Starve quickly. How many people do you think get the privilege of holding something that wild and free, Ryan? One of the bull riders helped me feed her drops of honey water off the end of a straw until she had enough sugar in her system to take flight again. He was the only one that believed me because he’d seen it with his own eyes.”

Wild and free. Ryan knew that privilege because he’d done the same thing when he took Zoey in his arms.

He took the soap again and lathered his hands to wash the front of her legs and when he ran his palm over her left thigh he stopped over the unusual tattoo just below the juncture of her hip. It was a tree. And he was certain that it was their tree and Zoey’s pink tree house was nestled in its big branches, but what the hell was that floating above the tree. He looked closer then outlined the odd bit of artistry. It finally occurred to him what it was exactly. One perfect heart was suspended in the air and three more appeared to float around it, and they were tethered to the first heart with barbed wire. Holy shit.

Ryan closed his eyes and swallowed hard. He leaned his forehead against her belly and took a deep breath before standing up. Zoey’s bottom lip was stretched so tightly between her teeth it was nearly white and a pained look was etched all over her face. This was what she looked like when she loved? Like she was in so much pain that it morphed into a physical entity? His heart lurched and twisted at the thought that she’d hurt that bad for so long. Ryan cupped her face in his hands gently and brushed the harsh lines and angles with his thumbs, wanting to erase them.

“It’s us isn’t it?” he finally rasped.

One fat tear made its way down her cheek as she nodded and her breath visibly hitched.

“It’s why you left isn’t it? You love all of us don’t you?”

Again she nodded as more tears sprang from the corners of her eyes and streamed down her face to mingle with the warm spray still falling over them.

“My God, Zoey why didn’t you tell us?” Ryan asked, his heart ripping in two. They could have had her all along had they known. Had they pulled their heads out of their asses and paid attention. “Why? Why didn’t you tell us?”

Zoey remained silent and tried to look away.

“Don’t,” Ryan told her. “Do not do that, Zoey Christine. You answer me. Why?”

To purchase please go to:

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=lila+munro&searchBy=author&qString=lila+munro

To keep up with me you can find me at Realmantic Moments: http://lilamunro.weebly.com

VBT# Sinful - Kacey Hammel

2012-01-14T19:06:00.001+13:00

Synopsis: Sinful -Book #1 Follow the Music Series - Kacey Hammel

SINFUL (Follow the Music 1)by Kacey HammellPublisher: Self (via Amazon)
Length: 22,000 Words, eBook Format
Sub-Genre: Contemporary, Erotic
Available at:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | All Romance eBooks | BookStrand.com

Blurb:Music was their only dream & passion...
Until they found one another...
For years, Mikayla Gallan has dreamed of providing a better life for her younger brother, Matthew, and herself. Coming from a family of musicians, Mikayla and Matthew have dreams of someday making it big. But Mikayla's first priority is always ensuring Matthew's future. When Houdini Records comes knocking on her door, offering her everything she's ever wanted, Mikayla's scared to grab onto their offer.

Sinclair "Sin" Devlin, part-owner of Houdini Records has loved and lost and has no intentions of ever going down that path again. He's determined to put his company back on the map and is willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen. Meeting Mikayla Gallan, hearing her sultry and passionate voice on stage, Sin believes he has found the only woman that could save the company. He's even more shocked to realize that perhaps she's also the only woman to save him from himself.

VBT# The Priest and Peaches - Larry Peterson

2012-01-14T18:40:00.000+13:00

Today's VBT# is The Priest and Peaches by Larry Peterson and is part of a new Touring Group called Tribute Books.

Synopsis : The Priest and the Peaches - Larry Peterson - 2012

Historical fiction novel set in the Bronx in the mid-1960s
Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.
They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

About Larry Peterson :

Larry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. A former Metal Lather/Reinforcing Iron-worker, he left that business after coming down with MS. He, his wife and three kids moved to Florida 30 years ago. Larry began doing freelance newspaper commentary after graduating from Tampa College in 1984.
His first children's picture book, Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes was published in 2011. In 2012, his full length novel, The Priest and the Peaches was released and he is presently working on the sequel.
He also has a blog (http://www.ThePriestandthePeaches.com ) where he posts weekly commentary. He lives in Pinellas Park, Florida and his kids and six grandchildren all live within three miles of each other.

Links To Check Out :

Larry Peterson's blog:http://www.ThePriestandthePeaches.com

Larry Peterson's Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/#!/larrytpbx

Larry Peterson's Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/slipperywillie Tribute Books website:http://www.tribute-books.com

Tribute Books Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Archbald-PA/Tribute-Books/171628704176

Tribute Books Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/TributeBooks