Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Fall for XIII Hour Post 1

Welcome to Fall for XIII Hour Month!
You all KNOW how I love the paranormal books!
XIII Hour Series is coming soon!
I’m very excited about From Hel, With Love coming out on October 4, 2012
I asked Blue Remy if she would do a month focused on her book!  So this week I’ll introduce my wonderful and amazingly sweet friend Blue to you and the weeks to come I’ll be doing interviews with her and her characters.
Let me just say, SWOON!  I can’t wait to meet TINO! <3
Debut Author
Blue Remy's Bio

Native of Santa Maria, CA, S. Blue Remy is the author of The XIII Hour Series, and its sister series, The Garden of Eden.  When she’s not writing, she is the House Manager of a movie theatre, which tends to help her plot her next book.  She was first inspired to write when she discovered a D&D game, taking on the role of Dungeon Master, but it didn’t stop there. Blue is a total fan girl when it comes to anything Wonder Woman. She collects Living Dead Dolls, rubber duckies, stuffed animals and tarot cards which she is an adept reader of. Blue currently resides in the paranormal hub of the South with her husband, who feeds her gourmet coffee and cupcake addiction, and two dogs who think they are her children, making her daughter wish she was an only child.

Now that you’ve gotten to know Blue, get to know a little about her book!  


 Hel hath no fury like her Raven scorned…

All hell is breaking loose. High Daemon, Raven Aquilus, and her motley crew find out that the guardians of the Nine Gates of Hell are being murdered one by one, landing them in the middle of an ancient war between the Daemons and the Fae.

FBI Paranormal Agent Duncan O’Brien is brought in to investigate the brutal murders, but he is completely blind to the fact that he has landed in a High Daemon’s domain. Time is running out and Raven must enlist Duncan and his team to help discover the killer before she loses another one of her precious Guardians. 

Duncan is the epitome of control, but even he is not immune to Raven’s beauty and magnetism. Raven is an enigma wrapped up in the body of lust, and attracted to a human. Both must fight their emotions to work together.

Raven faces losing everything from her life to a new found love in order to save the Underworld from being ruled by a jealous half breed. 

Welcome the XIII Hour series. Betrayal, Lust, Love, Murder, Jealousy and Revenge. The faery-tales that your mother never told you about just came true.


Use the Rafflecopter to enter to win 1 of 2 eBook copies of From Hel, With Love by Blue Remy, Debut Author!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Sugar's Song Cover Reveal!!!!!

Sugar's Song Cover Reveal!
How exciting I get to host my friend, Katie Mettner's Cover Reveal of Sugar's Song!  I have yet to read Sugar's Dance but that will be on top of my pile soon.  I wanted to share in this day with my friend and asked if I could debut her cover!  Without further Ado......

Sugar's Song Blurb
Everybody needs a little Sugar!

When I am afraid, I will trust in you.  Psalm 56

Love is a many splendored thing and no one who knows this better than Tula “Sugar” DuBois.

As the New Year breaks over her lodge on the frozen shores of Lake Superior, Sugar is wrapped in the arms of the man she loves, dancing in the New Year with her brother and his new wife.

Enter the mysterious Lillie who comes to the lodge for Christmas break seeking safe haven. No one knows her secrets and she’s determined to keep it that way.

Having had secrets to keep Sugar is compelled to love and protect Lillie, determined to give her the strength to reveal what she’s hiding before it’s too late.

When Lillie comes face-to-face with her past will she let revenge steal her future?
Sugar calls upon all who love Lillie to dance a dangerous samba to save the young girl before she is delivered to the Father by evil...

As the tulips sprout through the snow covered ground there is new love, new hope and new life, and together they will share Sugar’s Night...



I grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and moved to the Northwoods as a young adult where I now reside with my husband and three children. My love affair with Lake Superior began when I met my husband, Dwayne, and he drove me across the bridge one snowy November day with my nose pressed up against the glass. It was in that moment the scene was set for my breakout novel!

As a young adult I enjoyed ballroom dancing and spent many hours on the dance floor, and like Sugar I didn’t let my physical limitations hold me back very long. I’m happy to report that I’m back on the dance floor again! My stories are a reflection of my love for family intricately woven with life experience. When the gales of November blow early you can find me at the computer with a cup of joe, listening to Michael BublĂ© and working on Sugar's next adventure....


Sugar's Song is coming Late Fall/Early Winter

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Romancing the Hop!

Welcome to Romance the Hop
What is your favorite thing about Romance? Well, we authors are ready to share our romantic tips and favorite romance reads! Starting on Friday and ending on August 31st, over 100 Authors and Bloggers will share their favorite things about romance, reading romance, and dating.

And while we do that, we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 100 giveaways on each blog hosted by that Author or Blogger.

But that's not all....

We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 100 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!




Yep. ALL of that! Whoot! Be sure to come back here on Friday and over the weekend to enjoy some stories and facts about our favorite Romance events and reads and enter to win!

Now for Forget the Housework, I'm Reading.......'s prize
US B&N or US Amazon formats please
An eBook of Dancing Naked in Dixie by Lauren Clark
An eBook of Racing to Love ~ Carter's Treasure by Amy Gregory

These are 2 of my fave book from this year's reviewing.  Dancing Naked in Dixie is a fun Chick Lit and Racing to Love is a wonderful love story.
Here's a little about the books



Travel writer Julia Sullivan lives life in fast-forward. She jet sets to Europe and the Caribbean with barely a moment to blink or sleep. But too many mishaps and missed deadlines have Julia on the verge of being fired.With a stern warning, and unemployment looming, she's offered one last chance to rescue her career. Julia embarks on an unlikely journey to the ‘Heart of Dixie’—Eufaula, Alabama—home to magnificent mansions, sweet tea, and the annual Pilgrimage.

Julia arrives, soon charmed by the lovely city and her handsome host, but her stay is marred by a shocking discovery. Can Julia's story save her career, Eufaula, and the annual Pilgrimage? 

--------------

Lauren Clark is the author of Stay Tuned and Dancing Naked in Dixie. She writes contemporary novels set in the Deep South; stories sprinkled with sunshine, suspense, and secrets.

A former TV news anchor, Lauren adores flavored coffee, local book stores, and anywhere she can stick her toes in the sand. Her big loves are her family, paying it forward, and true-blue friends. Check out her website at www.laurenclarkbooks.com.


To get a copy of Dixie or Stay Tuned:


Find more about Lauren here:



Excerpt

For a guy who could see the end of his twenties, love had always been elusive, and he sure wouldn’t have believed in love at first sight.  It wasn’t so much that he was a skeptic, but Carter Sterling had a career that kept him moving—literally.  He was racing before he entered grade school, and had made a winning career of it.  But it left him with little chance to connect with anyone, especially a woman who could understand.  When he saw her for the first time, it was as if the air had been knocked out of him.  A connection so strong, so magnetic, that he knew instantly Molly West was the woman for him.  Perfect in every way, a love so strong and pure, it was almost too good to be true.  Carter had an innate need to protect her without even realizing if there was a need to.  The mark on Molly’s back proved his gut instinct was absolutely spot on






a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out these other amazing stops for the hop


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Showing my fun mail!

I thought I’d share some pics. These are some of the prizes I’ve won from giveaways!!! 
How awesome right? 
This isn’t all of them just a taste.
I started blog hopping in April and have been addicted to “hopping” and giveaways since! 
That is why I love hosting giveaways! A big thank you to the blogs who host giveaways!  <3


Monday, August 27, 2012

Promo: The Restaurant @ the Mill by Linn B. Halton



 

Contemporary Romance/Women's Fiction

Title: The Restaurant 

Author: Linn B. Halton


Date to be Published: 8/2/12

Publisher: Sapphire Publishing


Synopsis: 

Age, relationships, and careers – we are all unique. Yet beneath the exterior facade we choose

to show to the world at large, what do we have in common? The things we bury deep inside; the

worries and fears we are unable to verbalise, and the hand fate takes in our lives is a common

thread. Sometimes we fail to recognise in each other that innermost struggle on the path to true

love.

 

Six very different stories, six couples linked by The Restaurant @ The Mill, owned by Hilary

Marks and Ben Adams. As the restaurant thrives the atmosphere is alive with conversation,

snapshots of lives unfolding; each one a personal journey.

Excerpt

When your family is affected by a tragedy, you find yourself in the midst of emotions that are so strong it’s almost impossible to keep a grasp on normal life. The tragedy happened to my sister, Mya, who was driving home one dark night in the pouring rain. The car that hit hers swerved to avoid a cyclist whose wheel had struck a pothole, and the effects of that night spread out like ripples on a pond to catch us all.

Sam was my sister’s boyfriend, and during the long months following the accident we were all distraught. My parents had each other for support, but I couldn’t add to their burden, could I? So I shared my feelings with Sam and he, in return, shared his feelings with me. I was nineteen at the time and Sam was twenty-seven. He always talked to me as if I was his equal; he made me feel that my fears and worries mattered, that I mattered.

The day I knew beyond a doubt that I had fallen in love with him was, ironically, the day he made the decision to gently disengage himself from our family. One moment he was a part of everything that was going on and within a few weeks he was no longer there when I looked for him. Mum and Dad accepted it was time for him to move on, grateful for the way he had taken care of me. I knew from that very first day when he appeared late and left early, that it was the start of the end; I also knew that I couldn’t change how I felt about him. I had no idea whether he noticed the difference in me, because either way it could never work. If he felt something for me, how could we pretend that he hadn’t once loved my sister? If he thought of me simply as Mya’s younger sister, that would break my heart.
 


 
Author Bio
Linn B Halton lives in the UK, in the small Gloucestershire village of Arlingham, on
the banks of the River Severn with her adorable husband and cat with attitude – Mr
Tiggs! She writes romantic fiction with a psychic or astrological theme and many of the
paranormal events that feature in her books are real life experiences.
 
Linn is also a featured new Author on http://loveahappyending.com/ and Editor of the
feature ‘Author & Associate Catch-Ups’ including ‘Reader/Author Team Reports’ on the
website’s magazine-style blog.
 
 
Visit Linn’s author page: 
Twitter: @LinnBHalton


Friday, August 24, 2012

Weekend Hiatus!!

Happy Birthday to me!!!

I'll be taking a short hiatus to focus on my family and reading this weekend but I'll be back on Monday for my birthday and a Book Blog Tour!


So as I read hopefully I'll be writing reviews and scheduling for the future!!! 

Thanks for all your support my amazing friends and followers!

<3 Tobi
P.s. don't forget the follower giveaway!!!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Review: Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Goodreads Synopsis
Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys - all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming.
First thoughts after……
Amazingly addictive book, however Storm ended too soon for me.  The book had an abrupt ending.  I want more of Chris and Becca! <3
How Distracted Did I Get?
Becca is a normal teenage girl who is teased relentlessly labeled as easy her junior year isn’t going that great.  After a self-defense class she witnesses a boy being beat up by 2 other boys.  What to do?  She scares them off and there is Chris lying on the pavement unconscious.  She takes him home.  Before she knows it she is mixed up in a mess she has no clue about.
Will Chris and Becca form a bond that will get them through the craziness or will a new kid in town steal her away?
How Many Baskets?
Storm is an amazing story that I didn’t want to put down.  It starts off action packed and doesn’t disappoint anywhere in the book.  With the perfect teen angst and romance Storm is a great book for an escape from reality!

I gave Storm……





5 Baskets!!!!!!

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Poll #2 Hunger Games

Yes I know pitiful!  I have yet to read any of the Hunger Games books!  
I want to buy them but how?  Please vote in the poll!
I'll Close it Monday, August 27th!



survey services

Review: Renovated Heart by Jean Joachim

Synopsis

Can a broken heart be renovated like an old house? Kit’s life came to a halt when her husband slapped her with a divorce. Finding herself without a job or a place to live, she’s forced to take Tunney Nichols up on his offer of cheap rent for his parent’s house.The catch: she must allow him to renovate while she’s living there. Out of fear, Kit tells a lie she soon regrets as she is drawn to the sexy man plastering and painting his way into her heart.
Can Sarah forget the abuse from her late husband? Can she fix her heart and the hearts of her children?  With her two children in tow, Sarah relocates to be near her sister, she meets Jim, a neighbor and English professor. A mutual interest in writing, paves the way for a friendship that blossoms into romance. But is Jim the right man for Sarah or does another man from her past still light her fire?



First thoughts after……
Wonderful book!  I want to know more about the 2 main couples and where their life leads them next……
How Distracted did I get?
Kit’s husband Johnny has taken her to dinner to tell her they are getting a divorce after 12 years together.  She’s not going on tour with him and not going to be able to write her book based on the tour.  Kit moves to Willow falls to be close to their daughter Zoe in her private boarding school!  Exploring the town and having dinner led her to meeting Tunney.  Will he be the love of her life or will Johnny come back wanting the life they had together before?
Sarah’s abusive husband died in a car crash.  She moved to Willow Falls to be close to her sister and her family.  Her handsome neighbor has his eye on Sarah!  He hits it off with her kids and things progress from there.  Will they be able to live happily ever after or will someone from the past tear things to shreds?
How Many Baskets?
Renovated Heart is a wonderfully written lovely story.  The characters grip your heart and don’t let go.  I would love to read more about the 2 couples as they progress with their relationships.

I give Renovated Heart……..
5 Baskets!!!!!

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Upcoming Events!


Hello everyone!  Happy Saturday!!!!!
I just wanted to let y’all know about some stuff going on!
Thank you to all my new followers!  I hope you are enjoying my reviews! 
So, my birthday is in a week and next weekend I will be reading for fun (not that I don’t normally but no books up for review by request).  Reading books that are sequels etc…… Mainly Onyx by JL Armentrout! <3  So, there will be quite a few paranormal reviews coming up so woohoo!  I have been heavy on the romance and chick lit lately so this should even it out! <3
Starting Aug 31st I’m participating in the Romance blog hop so make sure you come back for that!  Giving away 2 eBooks of my romantic choice!!! <3
The month of September is going to be flippin’ amazing!  It will be called Fall for XIII Hour Month this is a series created by Blue Remy the Dark Princess of Fairy Tales!  Every Wednesday we will have a new post introducing you to Blue her book and her characters!  This is going to be an amazing series!  Make sure you follow!  There will be a giveaway of 2 eBooks donated by Blue’s Publisher Sapphire Star Publisher that the rafflecopter will run through the month!
On September 14th I’ll be participating in another blog hop so keep your eyes open for details to come!
Thanks y’all!
<3 Tobi

Friday, August 17, 2012

ARC Review: Not the Marrying Kind by Nicola Marsh

Goodreads Synopsis
LA party planner Poppy Collins has kept her secret side business – planning divorce parties as the Divorce Diva – a close secret, but keeping her business afloat is proving tougher by the day. When her sister’s divorce party gives Poppy the opportunity to save the day and boost her business, Poppy approaches Vegas golden boy Beck Blackwood for help. But this time, she’s about to get way more than she bargained for…

Beck knows Poppy’s secret, and he’s not afraid to use it to get exactly what he wants – a wife. With his reputation and business expansion plans on the line, the only way he can repair the damage is by getting hitched, and fast. And if blackmail is the only way to get Poppy to the altar, then so be it…

But they’re in the city of high stakes, and Poppy has a few aces up her sleeve. Now it’s time to find out if they’re playing to win… or if they’re playing for keeps.
First Thoughts after……
Good book but ended too soon for me.  
How Distracted Did I Get?
Poppy is running her sister’s business while she is in a rehab for depression after her sister, Sara’s, husband left her.  Bills are piling up and she needs to get this divorce party idea going.
Beck needs to sign the deal of his career to go nationwide with his company.  The investors don’t want to sign because of a mistake one of his employees made.  What would make them trust him?  He needs to appear stable that means a wife and pronto!  Beck is also planning a divorce party for his bff and “requests” Poppy’s presence for her pitch.
Will Beck and Poppy get what they both need from their crazy business deal or will love lead them in a completely different direction?
How Many Baskets?
Not the Marrying Kind is a sweet book that was really easy read and an escape from the real world.  If you want a sweet romance that will help you live in another world for a day or two this is the book for you!
I give Not the Marrying Kind………
4 Baskets!!!!!

Nicola Marsh's Bio

As a girl, Nicola dreamed of being a journalist and travelling the world in search of the next big story.  Instead, she chose a career in the health industry while honing her writing skills with a daily entry in a "not-so-secret" journal! 

Luckily, she had the opportunity to travel but her dream to write was never far from her mind.  She worked as a physiotherapist for thirteen years before she tired of saying "I'm going to write a book one day" and actually did it.  She started writing late 2001 and found once she started she couldn't stop!

The inspiration for her first novel, THE TYCOON'S DATING DEAL, came from a magazine article on speed-dating and she sold this book in May 2003.  It won the CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Harlequin Romance 2004.

Nicola currently writes for Harlequin Mills and Boon Romance and Riva/Presents series, has published 32 books and sold over 3 million copies worldwide.

She's a Bookscan, USA Today and Waldenbooks bestseller, has finalled in several awards including the prestigious HOLT (Honoring Outstanding Literary Talent), Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, Booksellers' Best, Golden Quill, Laurel Wreath, More than Magic and won several CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Awards.

Nicola loves the hip, vibrant, cosmopolitan vibe of her home city, Melbourne, where she's set the bulk of her novels, highlighting  fabulous cultural and food havens like Acland Street (St. Kilda), Brunswick Street (Fitzroy) and Lygon Street (Carlton).

When she's not writing she's busy raising her two little heroes, sharing fine food with family and friends, cheering on her beloved North Melbourne Kangaroos footy team and her favourite, curling up with a good book!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Review: In Need Of Therapy by Tracie Bannister


Goodreads Synopsis
Lending a sympathetic ear and dispensing sage words of advice is all part of the job for psychologist Pilar Alvarez, and she’s everything a good therapist should be: warm, compassionate, supportive. She listens, she cares, and she has all the answers, but how’s the woman everyone turns to in their hour of need supposed to cope when her own life starts to fall apart? 

While working hard to make a success of her recently-opened practice in trendy South Beach, Pilar must also find time to cater to the demands of her boisterous Cuban family, which includes younger sister Izzy, an unemployed, navel-pierced wild child who can't stay out of trouble, and their mother, a beauty queen turned drama queen who’s equally obsessed with her fading looks and getting Pilar married before it’s “too late.” Although she’d like to oblige her mother and make a permanent love connection, Pilar’s romantic prospects look grim. Her cheating ex, who swears that he’s reformed, is stalking her. A hunky, but strictly off-limits, patient with bad-boy appeal and intimacy issues is making passes. And the sexy shrink in the suite across the hall has a gold band on his left ring finger. 

When a series of personal and professional disasters lead Pilar into the arms of one of her unsuitable suitors, she's left shaken, confused, and full of self-doubt. With time running out, she must make sense of her feelings and learn to trust herself again so that she can save her business, her family, and most importantly, her heart

First thoughts after
Laugh out loud feel good chick lit!
How Distracted Did I get?
Pilar Alvarez is a psychologist who started her own practice.  She is the family peace maker and martyr for her patients.  With 3 men in her life Pilar has a crazy life.  Pair that with her crazy family and you’ve got one stressed out Pilar!
Her across the hall neighbor Psychiatrist, Ford, is totally off limits but there is a spark between them.  Then  Victor the annoying cheating ex that will not leave her alone and the sexy patient who starts hitting on her.
Yes, Her life is crazy!  Will Pilar choose the right man? How will she keep things straight in her family?
How Many Baskets?
Tracie wrote an amazingly funny book.  I was laughing out loud literally!!! My 5 year old thought I was laughing at him!  LOL  In Need of Therapy is Big Fat Greek Wedding type comedy only Cuban style!!!

I give In Need of Therapy………
5 Baskets!!!!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Review: Murder In Silence by Gary Kassay

Goodreads Synopsis
When two police officers are found with their throats ripped open with surgical precision, there are no witnesses to the crime and no connections between the dead officers. Left with two clues that make no sense, Inspector Duke Becker is about to face a diabolical killer whose rampage has just begun.

The tenacious Becker, head of the NYPD's Special Investigations Unit's Homicide Division, is proud of his impeccable record for solving unusual or high profile murders. But the bulldog detective may be facing the most challenging case of his career as he desperately searches to either find some connection between the two murdered cops or deal with the less than desirable alternative-that someone is randomly killing cops for no reason whatsoever.

With only bizarre clues to follow, Becker and his squad immerse themselves in a deadly race to stop a killer before another police officer's throat is brutally slashed and the city of New York is thrown into turmoil.


First thoughts after…..
Great book, wonderful cliffhanger
How Distracted Did I Get?
For Duke Becker being a cop is in his blood.  His father and brother were cops also.  Inspector for the head of Homicide Special Investigations Unit, Duke gets the hardest case of his life.  Cops are being killed mysteriously and it’s a tough case to crack.  Through the investigation he meets Dr. Elizabeth Cunningham who helps with some leads. 
Will Duke and Liz get their calendars together and does Duke’s Unit have any chance of catching this ghost of a killer?
How Many Baskets?
Murder in Silence is a great book.  It’s a thriller mystery with a good mix of comedy and romance to offset the thrill and chill.  I would definitely read the next Duke Becker novel.

I give Murder In Silence……….
4 Baskets!!!!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Review: Knowing Me Knowing You by Mandy Baggot

Goodreads Synopsis
Recently single mother Kate is struggling. Clinging on to a career and bringing up her 2 year old daughter leads to nights alone drowning her sorrows in the cheapest white wine she can find. Forced to employ Joel, a male escort, to accompany her to a professionals' dinner, Kate somehow ends up in the middle of a relationship contest, competing for a 100,000 prize alongside someone she barely knows.With her boss, the Lady Dragon Miranda, desperate for Kate to flounder, her tarot card reading child-minder trying to match-make and her ex-husband making her life a misery, can Kate keep her life on an even keel? And more importantly can she put her trust in a serial dater who used to be an underwear model?


First Thoughts After
I know you hear me say this a lot but I want more about this couple.  To give you an idea I want to know if the couple gets married did they have kids etc...... So yes I want more of Kate and Joel!
How Distracted Did I Get?
Kate is a single mom(mum depending where you're from) who is still wrapped up in her ex-husband.  She gets forced into finding a date for a work function and employs an escort, Joel.  Kate's "Lady Dragon" boss set her up to be in a couples game show.  Will Kate and Joel make it to the end in one piece and live happily ever after or will circumstances ruin everything???

Kate is a self proclaimed doormat but she is sweet and tough for all she's been through.  She does have self esteem problems but I don't think it's nothing that Joel can't help her along with.  
Joel is Mr. Hottie McTottie though he has issues from his past too.  Which makes him even more handsome and lovable!  I'd love to know who Mandy has in her head when she thinks about Joel?
How Many Baskets
Knowing Me Knowing You had me wrapped up so tight in the story I honestly didn't want to put the "book" down til I was finished with the story.  It was funny and dramatic.  Just watch out for a giant dove!  I gave Knowing Me Knowing You...........(to the left is Mandy dressed in the Dove costume!!!!  Isn't it awesome?????)
5 Baskets!!!!!!!