BOOKS AND BLOGGING PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is defined as a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought. Well, my theory is if I can add at least 10 new books to my Wishlist and move at least 5 older Wishlist selections to my TBR list every month, then life is a ice cream sundae. And if I can find those 10 books from at least 5 new blogs each month then that's the cherry on top.

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!
Well, I've made it almost 5 years now, so for better or worse, I continue on. I tend to blog in spurts as the urge to be creative erupts. As I don't have an artistic bone in my body, you will see very few changes in the layouts. Hey, I'm a reader not an artist like so many of the awesome bloggers I follow. I know you don't always have the time but if you stopped and looked, take a half a minute and say your piece. Recommend a book that you have enjoyed or hated for that matter. Thank you to all who visit.
Oh, and I moved my Google Friend Connect info and share this buttons to the top, as without our friends, who are we?


Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Author Susannah Scott Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest at Bitten By Books

“How To Claim Your Dragon…
As the head of security of Vegas’s Crown Jewel casino―and its hidden dragonshifter sanctuary―ice dragon Darius Dachien commands respect. Unfortunately, that respect isn’t always reciprocated. In fact, when it comes to the stunning Mei Chen, hostility might be a better word. Which makes things even harder for Darius, since Mei is his dragon mate. Without her, his dragon form is fading fast…and once lost, will be gone forever.
Mei can’t deny the fierce chemistry that simmers between them. If Darius were ever to discover who―or rather, what―she really is, she wouldn’t just lose him, but her place with the dragonshifters. The moment Mei’s past comes crashing into her present, she realizes her time for secrets has ended. Now she must reveal her true self…and risk both her life and her heart with the one man who could destroy her.”
Buy a print copy of Dragon Her Back from Amazon by clicking here.

Buy a Kindle copy of Dragon Her Back from Amazon by clicking here. – ONLY .99 Cents!

Books in the as Vegas Dragon series in the order they should be read:


CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide.

Prize: A $25.00 Amazon Gift Card 

Thursday, December 25, 2014

She's BAAAACK- BLACK WIDOW by Jennifer Estep (Read first Chapter) & Giveaway

BLACK WIDOW
By: Jennifer Estep
Publisher: Pocket Books
Publication Date: November 25, 2014
Mass Market / Price: $7.99 / ISBN: 9781476774541
There’s nothing worse than a cruel, cunning enemy with time to kill—and my murder to plan. With wicked Fire elemental Mab Monroe long gone, you’d think I could finally catch a break. But someone’s always trying to take me down, either as Gin Blanco or my assassin alter-ago. Now along comes the Spider’s new arch-nemesis, the mysteriously named M. M. Monroe, who is gleefully working overtime to trap me in a sticky web of deceit. 

The thing is, I’m not the only target. I can see through the tangled threads enough to know that every bit of bad luck my friends have been having lately is no accident—and that each unfortunate “coincidence” is just one more arrow drawing ever closer to hitting the real bull’s-eye. Though new to Ashland, this M. M. Monroe is no stranger to irony, trying to get me, an assassin, framed for murder. Yet, as my enemy’s master plan is slowly revealed, I have a sinking feeling that it will take more than my powerful Ice and Stone magic to stop my whole life from going up in flames.
The first chapter of Black Widow can be found here.

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.Spider’s BiteWeb of LiesVenomTangled ThreadsSpider’s RevengeBy a ThreadWidow’s WebDeadly StingHeart of VenomThe SpiderPoison Promise, and Black Widow, along with the e-shorts Thread of DeathParlor Tricks, and Kiss of Venom, are the other titles in her red-hot Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series. Jennifer is also the author of the Black Blade and Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series and the Bigtime paranormal romance series. For more on Jennifer and her books, visit JenniferEstep.com and @Jennifer_Estep.


There aren't many series that I read as quick as the new book comes out. I'm a binge reader so I tend to buy the new book and put it back to read when I have 3 or 4 in the series to indulge in. Gin however, refuses to lay on the shelf unread. I defy you to attempt this (if you do try, you better be prepared to defend yourself in the middle of the night ). I've yet to start one of these books without reading into the wee hours of the night to finish it. You would think that after 11 books this series would be getting predictable but I still enjoy it as much as ever. I love that the romance and mystery has been doled out in bits and pieces. With each new book you get answers to questions and problems not resolved in the earlier book with yet new problems to tackle. Estep does an excellent job with the world building and never fails to entertain. Her secondary characters are as important as Gin and definitely as entertaining.  I love that she introduces new villains while still building on the history of the older ones. Estep could have so easily closed the series with this book but thankfully Gin will continue to entertain with all her wise cracking and outrageous shenanigans.  

As I was lucky enough to get to read this early thanks to the awesome people at Net Galley, I'm going to give my brand new copy to a lucky reader. I always pre-order the newest Gin book as soon as it is available so enjoy this newest offering from Estep.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Author Jenn Lyons Character Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest

Everything is permitted… and everyone has their price.
Zander Sin is the bad boy of rock-n-roll, known for his wealth, his temper tantrums, and his love of hedonism, but to K&R expert and newly born maran vampire Jackson Pastor, Zander Sin is something else: murderer, monster, and kidnapper. After Zander's Whore of Babylon tour comes to Los Angeles, Jackson also learns that Zander Sin has a grudge with Jackson's family that goes way beyond money or power, and stretches all the way back to ancient Rome.
Zander may be on everyone's hit list, human and supernatural alike, but when Jackson learns that Zander's keeping his younger sister Monika prisoner, he finds himself face-to-face with the most objectionable of outcomes: being forced to help Zander Sin get what he wants.
Even if it means Jackson may have to betray everyone he loves to do it.
Read a 4 star review of Blood Sin by clicking here.
Buy a print copy of Blood Sin from Amazon by clicking here.

Buy a Kindle copy of Blood Sin from Amazon by clicking here.

Books in the Blood Chimera series in the order they should be read:


CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide.

Prize: A $25.00 Amazon Gift Card 

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Authors Rosemary & Larry Mild Interview and $50.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest

Rosemary and Larry Mild, have created another exciting new mystery in the series featuring reluctant amateur sleuths, Daniel and Rivka Sherman. The Shermans have given up successful professional careers as engineer and editor to become booksellers in The Olde Victorian book store in Annapolis, Maryland.
After twenty-three years, the daughter of a mistress seeks revenge from the murderous lover who killed her mother and deserted her at age three months. Ivy, the daughter, follows the cold case clues from London, England to Annapolis, Maryland where she discovers that her father and killer belong to one of four families. But which one?
Ivy seeks employment as a clerk at The Olde Victorian Bookstore where she finds friendship, advice, love, and caution from Dan and Rivka Sherman, the booksellers. The Shermans use their old connections at Scotland Yard to obtain Ivy's mother's diary, but it is soon stolen. Will they get it back? Does it contain the clues they need? Will Ivy cause fear and havoc in the four families--enough to put her own life in jeopardy?

Read a 4 star review of Death Takes A Mistress by clicking here.
Buy a print copy of Death Takes A Mistress from Amazon by clicking here.

Buy a Kindle copy of Death Takes A Mistress from Amazon by clicking here.

Books in the Dan and Rivka Sherman mystery series in the order they should be read:


CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide.

Prize: A $50.00 Amazon Gift Card 

Monday, December 15, 2014

Andromeda's Fall Book Blast! #AFBlast



Andromeda Reynolds is being hunted...

Publication Date: December 10, 2014
Genre: Paranormal Romance (18+)

Series: Shadowcat Nation, #1
Andromeda Reynolds is being hunted. After witnessing her mother's violent death at the hands of a pack of wolf shifters, Andie has devoted her life to protecting her community of cougar shifters from a similar fate. But now, a greater threat lies within her own pack, and she must run. If she stays, Kyle Carstairs will force their mating, seeking the added political power their union would provide.
Andie would rather chew off her own foot than end up with Kyle. Though, knowing him, she won't live long either way. Andie's only hope of survival is to mate Jaxon Keller, the Alpha of the Keller Dare with which she is seeking asylum. But before she can get to him, Andie must first go through A.J., one of the Alpha's Protectors. What Andie doesn't realize is that A.J. has secrets of his own. All Andie knows is that the incredibly frustrating shifter insists on challenging her story, her skills, her trust…and her heart.



Award-winning author, Abigail Owen was born in Greeley, Colorado and raised in Austin, Texas. She now resides in Northern California with her husband and two adorable children who are the center of her universe. 

Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. A fourth generation graduate of Texas A&M University, she attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by obtaining a degree in English Rhetoric/Technical Writing. However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.



Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Pinterest

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Author Shannon Page Interview and $40.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest

“Sian Katte is a successful middle-aged businesswoman in the tropical island nation of Alizar. Her life seems comfortable and well-arranged…until a violent encounter one evening leaves her with an unwanted magical power.
Arian des Chances is the wife of Alizar’s ruler, with vast wealth and political influence. Yet for all her resources, she can only watch helplessly as her son draws nearer to death.
When crisis thrusts these two women together, they learn some surprising truths: about themselves, their loved ones, and Alizar itself. Because beneath a seemingly calm facade, Alizar’s people – and a dead god – are stirring…”
Buy a print copy of Our Lady of the Islands from Amazon by clicking here.

Buy a Kindle copy of Our Lady of the Islands from Amazon by clicking here.

CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide.

Prize: A $40.00 Amazon Gift Card 

Blog Tour Giveaway- Hotwire by Cindy M. Hogan


Hotwire by Cindy M. Hogan
Division spy Christy Hadden can’t wait for her latest assignment posing as a student at a prestigious New York City academy and car thief extraordinaire. The best part of the mission is her attractive handler, Jeremy, and her new team. The worst part? The sociopath masquerading as the academy’s most popular guy. But soon she realizes the car thieves are much more than they seem. Her simple spying mission becomes more dangerous than anyone imagined. If the organization discovers her true identity, they won’t hesitate to kill her, and if she fails, others will suffer the same fate.
Excerpt
Shhh!” he whispered, pulling me close to him. I could feel his heart pound against my chest and his shallow breath on my neck. Heat permeated through me. Once I gained my senses, I said, “Sorry, this spot is already taken.” I had to get into the mansion, alone.
He pulled back and looked at me. “I thought you were vacating it.”
My face reddened. “I had already chosen this spot, but realized I needed to use the bathroom, so I was going to try to make it inside and back in time for a sneak win. Seriously, the guy is so far from the can, anyone could beat him there.”
“You think you can beat Austin until you find out how fast he is. He’s the wide receiver for a rec football team. They nicknamed him Wind.”
I totally wanted to take him up on the implied challenge, the competitive part of me burning to win, but I knew it would make it more difficult for me to complete my mission tonight. I had to stick with the bathroom excuse.
I looked him straight in the eye and said, “Maybe I’ll give him a run for his money when I get back.”
His firm grip on me relaxed. I crouched down, and he followed suit.
“Cross your fingers for me.”
“Maybe I should go with you,” he said.
“How embarrassing would that be? No, just wait here. When you see me next, I’ll be kicking the can in victory.”
He let go. I turned, and after checking the area again, I slunk up next to the house, slid along the exterior stones and through the door. I kept it slightly ajar and moved quickly to the west wing and up the stairs, not running into a soul. I could hear clanging of dishes and muted voices coming from the dining hall as I passed, but I thought it interesting that no one stood guard anywhere like earlier. A place like this called for security guards, didn’t it? That’s when I realized I must be on camera.


Cindy M. Hogan graduated with a BA in education and is inspired by the unpredictable teenagers she teaches. More than anything she loves the time she has with her own teenage daughters and wishes she could freeze them at this fun age. If she’s not reading or writing, you’ll find her snuggled up with the love of her life watching a great movie or planning their next party. Most of all, she loves to laugh.
She is the bestselling and award winning author of the Watched trilogy, a YA suspense series with a dash of romance. She has since branched off to write a mystery, Gravediggers, that won Best YA novel of 2013, a contemporary romance, Confessions of a 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips,  and two in a spy series, Adrenaline Rush and  Hotwire.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Author Alys Arden Interview and Kindle and Amazon Gift Card Contest

“After the Storm of the Century rips apart New Orleans, Adele Le Moyne and her father are among the first to return to the city following the mandatory evacuation. Adele wants nothing more than for life to return to normal, but with the silent city resembling a mold-infested war zone, a parish-wide curfew, and mysterious new faces lurking in the abandoned French Quarter, normal will have to be redefined.
Events too unnatural – even for New Orleans – lead Adele to an attic that has been sealed for three hundred years, and the chaos she unleashes threatens not only her life but everyone she knows. Mother Nature couldn’t drain the joie de vivre from the Big Easy, but someone or something is draining life from its residents.
Caught suddenly in a hurricane of eighteenth-century myths and monsters, Adele must quickly untangle a web of magic that links the climbing murder rate back to her own ancestors. But who can you trust in a city where everyone has a secret, and where keeping them can be a matter of life and death – unless, that is, you’re immortal.”
Buy a print copy of The Casquette Girls from Amazon by clicking here.

Buy a Kindle copy of The Casquette Girls from Amazon by clicking here.

CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide except where noted.

Prize 1: A Kindle – (USA Only the author will be shipping this directly to the winner)

Prize 2: A $30.00 Amazon Gift Card 

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Author Joyce and Jim Lavene Release Party and $40.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest

“Once upon a time in Wilmington, North Carolina, three witches ran a curio shop named Smuggler’s Arcane. But as the years passed, their magical powers started to fade—leaving them no choice but to conjure up a retirement package…
Before they could blink their eyes or twitch their noses, Molly, Elsie, and Olivia somehow became eligible for AARP. But they can’t fly off to Boca Raton just yet. First they must give up their magic, recruit and train three new witches, and pass on their cherished spellbook.
They’ve barely begun to consider potential practitioners when Olivia winds up dead and their spellbook is stolen. To honor their friend and reclaim their spells, Molly and Elsie are about to go wand-to-wand with a dangerous young witch more powerful than the trio was in their prime. And this time they’re going to need more than magic up their sleeves…”
Buy a print copy of Spell Booked from Amazon by clicking here.

Buy a Kindle copy of Spell Booked from Amazon by clicking here.

CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide. 

Prize: A $40.00 Amazon Gift Card

COVER REVEAL for STORM WARNED



STORM WARNED, Book 3 in the Grim Series  
NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER on Amazon


Passionate musicians Caris and Liam grew up centuries apart. When their fates collide, they must learn to trust each other and join forces to stop a dark force from seizing both Fae and human worlds. 


Add STORM WARNED to GOODREADS now! 
Kindle books on sale!
Great news, both STORM WARRIOR and STORM BOUND are the Kindle Love Stories Deal in the US next week. (Sorry, Amazon.com only this time)
From Sunday 11/30 until Saturday 12/6 at 11:59PST these Kindle books will be available for just $1.99!

Click here for STORM WARRIOR (Book 1 of the Grim Series)
Click here for STORM BOUND (Book 2 of the Grim Series)

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Author Deborah Blake Release Party and $50.00 Gift Card Contest

“Known as the wicked witch of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not one woman, but rather a title carried by a chosen few. They keep the balance of nature and guard the borders of our world, but don’t make the mistake of crossing one of them…Though she looks like a typical California surfer girl, Beka Yancy is in fact a powerful yet inexperienced witch who’s struggling with her duties as a Baba Yaga. Luckily she has her faithful dragon-turned-dog for moral support, especially when faced with her biggest job yet…A mysterious toxin is driving the Selkie and Mer from their homes deep in the trenches of Monterey Bay. To investigate, Beka buys her way onto the boat of Marcus Dermott, a battle-scarred former U.S. Marine, and his ailing fisherman father.While diving for clues, Beka drives Marcus crazy with her flaky New Age ideas and dazzling blue eyes. She thinks he’s rigid and cranky (and way too attractive). Meanwhile, a charming Selkie prince has plans that include Beka. Only by trusting her powers can Beka save the underwater races, pick the right man, and choose the path she’ll follow for the rest of her life…”
Read a 4.5 star review of Wickedly Wonderful by clicking here.
Buy a print copy of Wickedly Wonderful from Amazon by clicking here.

Buy a Kindle copy of Wickedly Wonderful from Amazon by clicking here.

Books in the Baba Yaga series in the order they should be read:


CONTEST INFO: Open to readers in the USA. 

Prize 1: A $25.00 Amazon Gift Card (mailed to the winner not electronic)
Prize 2: A $25.00 Barnes & Noble  Gift Card (mailed to the winner not electronic)