Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” —Groucho Marx

Friday, November 30, 2012

Review Copy Wipeout Challenge hosted by the Book Monsters

 Hey Peeps!


I'm just checking in with my status in this wonderful attempt to reduce (rather kill) my tbr pile by 123112.  When I signed up, I had 45 titles to get through by December 31st.    To date, I have read 25 of the 45 leaving a remainder of 20 to read in December.   Will she do it?   Can she do it?

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....it's uphill!   But I think I can, I think I can.....

Anybody recognize the quote I think I can, repeated over and over until____________said I did it?!

WISH ME LUCK!   I'M GONNA NEED IT! 



Thursday, November 29, 2012

FF Friday #17

Reminder:     500 follower thank you GIVEAWAY, link is here for $100.00 in Amazon gift cards...Just in time for Christmas!  See my November 27 post: 
http://bethartfromtheheart.blogspot.com/2012/11/lets-get-our-party-on-thank-you-peeps.html

 This is a   BLOG HOP!!  It is designed to help you meet and follow your fellow bloggers and they will follow you back!  Woo Hoo!   Circle the Wagons!






RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:
  • (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
  • (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
  • Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
  • Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
  • If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
  • Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
  • If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
  • If you’re new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!
  • If you have CAPTCHA word verification enabled on your blog, please take it off. It makes it much more difficult for readers to comment. Please look at Allison's CAPTCHA Eradication Post to learn how to get rid of it.
  •  This week's question: 

    Q: Activity! Who is your to-die-for book crush? What do you think they look like? Add an image to make us all happy.

    A:   I would have to say, Joe Morelli from the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.  I absolutely love him and his on again off again relationship with Ms  Plum.  I can not picture him as the guy from Terra Nova, although I love him as an actor, (Jason O'Meara).   I just didn't think he looked or represented a real Itallion Stallion, but then neither does Sly Stallone for me.   Whoever he would be, would look Italian and be ever so tall dark and handsome and easily drooled upon!  So I've narrowed my selection for Morelli to the following three actors.   Which one would you select?

     

    Nathan Fillion on the left, George Clooney on the right and David Boreanaz below.   Boreanaz is my it guy!

When We Collide by A L Jackson/RABT VBTour



 Guest Post with A L Jackson!

Why Covers are so Important

Hey All! I’m A. L. Jackson, author of Pulled and Take This Regret. I just wanted to thank Insomnia of Books for allowing me to share with all of you today, and on such a cool topic, Why Book Covers are so Important.

 So let’s be honest…how many of you have purchased a book based on the cover alone? I have!  Most of us are very visual creatures, our attention caught by the beautiful, the unique, and at times, the incredibly strange. We’re drawn to color and style, sharp lines, and bold words.

But what does that mean for covers?  They say you only have a few seconds to capture someone’s attention on the internet, and when 80% of books today are sold on Amazon and with the massive number of titles that are listed there, it’s now more important than ever for covers to catch a potential reader’s eye. 

There are a few key elements every book cover should have. The first and foremost is it should be pleasing to the eye—something that makes someone browsing titles stop and think, Wow, that’s an amazing cover. This is the point where your cover has done its job in making someone take a closer look at the book itself. The cover should also tell the potential reader something about the story inside, the design consistent with the genre of the book, although it should be unique enough that it stands out from the crowd. It should also give the reader a hint at the amazing story they will find inside.

Covers are so important because it’s the first thing someone sees—the main thing that will tell a potential reader to move or to take a closer look.

So what is it about a cover that draws your attention?

I like a cover that speaks to me through colors, or designs  and so many these days are what I consider to be a work of art.   They can provoke a memory, or stir a dream, but I want the cover to compel me to look closer at the book.     Thank you MS Jackson for sharing your thoughts with us today!

Romantic Thriller with Supernatural Twist
Title: When We Collide
Author: A. L. Jackson
Date to be Published: 11/2/12
Synopsis: 

From the bestselling author of Pulled and Take This Regret comes a gripping new tale of loss and love.

In a moment that will change his life forever, William comes face to face with the girl who, with one look, captured his heart. He is unable to ignore the buried desires and the hope for the future they’d once believed they’d have. 

Now William is ready to fight to take back what had been stolen from him six years before.

But he never imagined what that fight might cost him.  

A.L. Jackson gives you an intimate look into the lives of a family bound by an unseen connection in this romantic thriller with a supernatural twist.


My Review:
I love, love, love Ms Jackson's writing And I rate this book at the top of the satisfaction provided list!   I have to admit the first couple of chapters kind of put me off and I wondered if I would enjoy this as much as my earlier readings from her.   I should not have worried and it may have just been my own frame of mind that hurt my valuing of the first couple chapters.   (You know holiday stress).    Anyway beginning with chapter three, I was hooked and did not want to put the book down.   Jackson has a way of developing her characters and making them feel like real people.  I so loved Maggie and all that she had endured and suffered through; truly a brave girl-shrouded in low self esteem and strength that she seldom got a grasp of.   Her heart was so full for those she truly loved and she would instinctively accept a crap life in order to protect them.   But enough was enough.   William, so full of love for Maggie...my hero!   He would not judge her choices although at times he didn't understand what was behind the decisions she was forced to make.

The subject matter ranged from emotional, physical and sexual abuse to the scars left on the individual and how it crosses over to affecting so many people.   It can lend itself to life threatening events and no one comes away unscathed.   And the cycle of abuse leaves a path that may continue for years and years into one's life.    It was a very timely topic to expound on as it seems to be prevalent in our society today.   It can be overcome with a lot of hard work and an excellent support system however, so there is hope!

I adored the supernatural connection between William and his son, Jonathan.   I believe that these things do exist, so if you feel a tug of some sort, don't be too quick to dismiss it.   It may be the magic that makes a difference in your life.    You just have to love and appreciate the story Jackson has woven for us in When We Collide!   It will truly touch your soul; it did mine!   Thank you Ms Jackson....Your storytelling is absolutely some of the best!  




















A.L. Jackson
Author Bio

A.L. Jackson first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student.  She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three beautiful children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.

Publisher Author Site
Twitter
Facebook
Blog
Links to Buy
For additional reviews and comments about When We Collide, please follow our tour as scheduled below:
November 5 - Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet
November 6 - Wonderland Reviews - Review/Interview
November 7 - Taking it One Page at a Time - Review/Guest Post
November 8 - Books For Me - Review
November 9 - Black Lilies are Deadly - Review/Guest Post
November 10 - Lovely Reads - Review/Interview
November 10 - Reading with ABC - Review/Guest Post
November 12 - Kaisy Daisy's Blog - Review
November 12 - Deea's Book Reviews - Review
November 14 - A Date With a Book - Review/Interview
November 14 - Waiting on Sunday to Drown - Review
November 15 - Lov Liv Life Reviews - Review/Guest Post
November 16 - My Life Through a Book - Review/Interview 
November 16 - Hooked in a Book - Review/Guest Post
November 17 - Jersey Girl Book Reviews - Review/Guest Post
November 19 - World of Mine - Review/Guest Post
November 21 - For the Love of Film and Novels - Review/Interview
November 23 - My Cozie Corner - Review
November 23 - Up All Night Reviews - Review/Guest Post
November 24 - Reader Girls - Review/Guest Post
November 25 - Simple Books - Review/Interview
November 26 - Book Nerd - Review/Guest Post
November 27 - Some Like it Paranormal - Review/Interview
November 28 - Gothic Angel Book Reviews - Review/Guest Post
November 29 - Beth Art From the Heart - Review/Guest Post

November 30 - S.I.K. Book Reviews - Review/Guest Post

a Rafflecopter giveaway





Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*
 

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Cover Reveal: Just for Fun/ RABT VBTour


Contemporary Romance
Title: Just For Fun (Escape to New Zealand #4)
Author - Rosalind James
Date Published: 12/8/12
Synopsis:
    

What if the person who broke your heart turned out to be the only one who could mend it?
 Nic Wilkinson is a responsible, organized, disciplined rugby player at the top of his game. Emma Martens is a sometimes-scattered, often-emotional, and always-broke would-be designer with a big chip on her shoulder where Nic’s concerned.
 They have no history together, except one perfect week. Nothing in common anymore, except the most important thing of all.
 Getting together again would be messy. Complicated. Scary. And, just maybe, worth every risk.


Just for Fun: Escape to New Zealand #4 (Rosalind James)
Excerpt
“Mum!” Zack burst in through the front door. “It was brilliant!” He kicked his shoes off impatiently, dropped his rugby boots next to them before struggling out of his jacket. Nic followed him in, grabbed the jacket and hung it on the brightly painted rack next to the door when Zack would have dropped it on the floor.
Emma reached out for a hug that, Nic saw, the boy was still willing to give his mother, at least here at home. Her eyes met Nic’s as she looked over her son’s head. How did she always look so soft? So . . . pettable? She was wearing another sweater, that was all, he told his troublesome libido. Another light, lacy one, prettily trimmed once again. A pale pink cardigan with pearly shell buttons, edged in cream, over a long stretchy top and leggings. She looked like an invitation to cuddle. Like the best blankie ever.
“Can Nic stay for dinner, Mum?” Zack asked excitedly, offering a welcome distraction from his wayward train of thought. “He could help me tell you all the things we did. We’re having spaghetti!” he told Nic. “It’s really good.”
“Can’t, mate. Sorry,” Nic put in hastily at Emma’s instinctive shake of the head. “But I’ll have a glass of water, if one’s on offer.”
“Sit down,” Emma told him. “Please.”
Nic slipped off his own shoes before heading to the couch with Zack. “Cheers,” he said as she came back from the kitchen to hand each of them a glass, then took her own seat in a small armchair next to the couch, the only other option the little room offered.
“You look tired,” she said abruptly. “And bruised. Are you OK?”
“Just a bit confused on the sleep schedule, still,” Nic admitted. “I took a wee pill on the flight home, but it never works that well.”
“It’s a long way, Mum,” Zack put in. “South Africa’s really far.”
Nic took a long drink of the cold water, looked around for something to set the glass on. “Coaster?”
“Just put it down,” Emma told him.
“Don’t want to spoil this,” he said, looking more closely at the coffee table. The simple rectangle had been transformed into a forest of ferns, with native birds peeping out from underneath fronds, perched in trees. The parson-throated tui making a meal of red fruit, the colorful, stumpy takahe on the forest floor, tiny fantails darting overhead.
“You can’t,” Emma assured him. “It’s all enamels. Everything in this house is pretty indestructible.”
“Did you find the ruru yet?” Zack asked him, leaning forward.
“Don’t tell me,” Nic said. “Let me look.” Zack watched him eagerly as he searched and finally pointed triumphantly to a notch in a tree where the owl blended into the bark. “There.”
“You did this too, eh,” he asked Emma. “Nice.”
“I did everything. That’s my decorating theme. Things I made.”
“I like it,” he assured her. The warm colors of the lounge seemed to cocoon them. Two walls were a rich caramel, the others a warm yellow. She didn’t even paint every wall in a room the same color, he realized. Well, at least in the kitchen it was all the same. Purple. He wondered what color her bedroom was. How it looked. And found himself wishing, against every better impulse, that he could see it.

                                                                                               Rosalind James


Author Bio:

Rosalind James is the author of the Kindle bestseller Just This Once and the three subsequent books in the Escape to New Zealand series. She is a former marketing executive who has lived all over the United States and in a number of other countries, traveling with her civil engineer husband. Most recently, she spent several years in Australia and New Zealand, where she fell in love with the people, the landscape, and the culture of both countries.
Visit www.rosalindjames.com to listen to the songs from the books, follow the characters on their travels, watch funny and fascinating New Zealand and rugby videos, and learn about what's new!

Contact Links


Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Let's Get Our Party On!! Thank you Peeps Give Away

 Oh Happy Day!



Over 500 GFC Followers!!  I am so excited!   And I just have to say thank you with a Rafflecopter  GIVE AWAY!    If you have followed my blog daily, once in while, or only once, thank you.   Please join in the fun! a Rafflecopter giveaway

There are five prizes...Grand Prize is the $30.00 GC from Amazon  
                                  Second and third prizes are $20.00 Amazon GC
                                  Fourth and fifth prizes are $15.00 Amazon GC

 Here's thanking you for your support and now I am hoping you win BIG!

 You must enter to win!  I will notify the winner by email and they must claim their prize within 48 hours, or we draw again.    I can't wait to contact YOU!   

Monday, November 26, 2012

THE BURNING of ISOBEL KEY by Jen McConnel/ A RABT VBTour




Contemporary New Adult
Title: The Burning of Isobel Key
Author - Jen McConnel


Date to be Published: October 1, 2012


Synopsis:


When Lou travels to Scotland, she’s a mess.  She’s twenty-six, unemployed, and unsure of herself.  It doesn’t help that she’s traveling with Tammy, her best friend, who is everything Lou is not.
At first, the trip pushes Lou towards the brink of depression, but then she meets Brian, a handsome local tour guide.  When Brian tells the tourists about the countless witches burned in Scotland, Lou starts to listen.  And when she discovers information about Isobel Key, one of the victims of the seventeenth century, Lou finds renewed purpose.
Lou has begun exploring the Neo Pagan faith, a dramatic shift from her wealthy Catholic upbringing.  Despite her fears of being too “hocus pocusy”, Lou turns to her new faith as she struggles to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of Isobel Key.  But faith or not, Lou must face her demons if she has any hope of righting the wrongs of the past.

EXCERPT:

As the flames rose, Isobel stopped cursing and instead started to make a shrill, screaming whine, much like the sound of the sap boiling in the logs at her feet.  It was so eerie, so utterly un-human that even the executioner, a man long seasoned to the sounds of death, wanted to cover his ears and sob into the skirt of the nearest woman. 
     The sound carried from the village green, through the streets and wynds, penetrating the windows and doors shut tight against the execution.  It was as if not attending could erase the sin of allowing it to happen in the first place.  No one who heard that sound could reconcile it with the once melodious voice of the burning woman.  The evil thing at the stake was not a woman they remembered or recognized.
     Their memories were as short as the day, from the morning after her terrible deeds were revealed and the witch was brought into town bound in the back of a pony cart.  It was suddenly as if none of the villagers knew the poor creature at all.  None could recall seeking her help, and none would avow that she had always been kind and ready to bake breads for town feasts or to watch the little ones play while their parents danced together.  Kindness lingers less than murder, for it was obvious to all that the woman had murdered at least three souls, if not countless others.  Justice was being served, and her blood would not stain the god fearing hands in St. Andrews.  She was not their responsibility, and they wanted to take no claim for her evil.



   
Author Bio:


Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. Since then, her words have appeared in a variety of magazines and journals, including Sagewoman, PanGaia, and The Storyteller (where she won the people’s choice 3rd place award for her poem, “Luna”).

She is also an active reviewer for Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA), and proud member of SCBWI, NCWN, and SCWW.

A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches writing composition at a community college. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.
                

My Review:

I enjoyed this book immensely as there has always been a lure for me to the Salem witch trials.  I enjoyed the characters and could relate to Lou and Tammy's best friend relationship.  And I loved Brian the tour guide.

I liked how chapters about the modern day vacation in Scotland was interspersed with interludes reverting back to the 17th century and the life and times of Isobel Key.

And it seemed like modern day folk of St Andrews had some insight into Lou's bloodline, even if she knew nothing about it.   The writing was fluid and was character driven making this a most enjoyable read.

One conversation between Brian and Lou regarding the social times of ancient days revealed that times have not changed that much:

  “I mean, people were killed for things they believed, or didn’t believe, things that other people were afraid of, and isn’t that the same as now, when people are killed for being different?” Her words rushed out of her mouth, tumbling faster now that she had an audience. “In the States, hate crimes still happen, and even though there isn’t a trial or a stake, isn’t it the same as what happened to all those witches?” She finished in a rush and held her breath.

There was a lot of history, and a lot of suffering resulting from the fears of the day.  I though it was a very thoughtfully written story. 

                          For additional Perspectives, please follow our tour below:


November 23 - Gothic Angel Book Reviews - Review/Giveaway/Excerpt
November 24 - Disincentive Reviews - Givewaway/Excerpt/PROMO
November 25 - Hooked in a Book - Review/Excerpt
November 25 - Winged Reviews - Guest Post/Giveaway/Excerpt/PROMO
November 25 - For the Love of Film and Novels - Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt/PROMO
November 26 - Book Addict - Review/Giveaway/Excerpt
November 26 - Beth Art From the Heart - Review/Excerpt
November 27 - The Readioactive Book Blog - Review/Interview/Giveaway/Excerpt
November 28 - Rowan's Mom - Review/Giveaway
November 29 - My Seryniti - Review/Interview/Excerpt
November 30 - Lovely Reads - Interview/Giveaway/Guest Post/PROMO
November 30 - Reviewing Shelf - Review/Giveaway
December 1 - Books For Me - Review
December 2 -  Bless Their Hearts Mom - Review/Giveaway/Excerpt
December 3 -  Marie Loves Books - Review/Giveaway
December 4 -  My Escape - Review/Giveaway/Interview
December 5 -  YA Novel Reader - Review/Giveaway/Excerpt
December 6 -  Bea's Book Nook - Review/Giveaway
December 7 -  Forget the Hosework, I'm Reading - Review/Giveaway/Excerpt
December 8 -  Bookishly Devoted - Review/Giveaway
December 9 -   Wonderland Reviews - Review/Interview
December 10 -  Cozie Corner - Review/Giveaway
December 11 -  Kimmie's Bookshelf - Guest Post/Excerpt/Giveaway/PROMO
December 12 -  Genuine Jen - Review/Giveaway
December 13 -  Books Books, The Magical Fruit - Giveaway/Excerpt/Interview/PROMO
December 14 -   What's Beyond Forks - Review/Interview/Giveaway/Excerpt
December 15 -  Pink Fluffy Hearts - Review/Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt
December 16 -  Paulette's Papers-  Giveaway/Excerpt/PROMO
December 17 - My Miscellaneous Bookshelf - Giveaway/Excerpt/PROMO
December 17 -  Reader Girls - Review/Giveaway/Excerpt
December 18 -  A Soul Unsung - Review/Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt
December 19 -  A Bibliophiles Thoughts - Review/Giveawy/Excerpt
December 20 -  Celtic Lady Book Reviews - Review/Excerpt
December 21 -  Book-A-Holic - Review/Giveaway
December 22 -  Booklovin Mamas - Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt/PROMO
December 23 -  Andi's YA Books - Review/Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt


Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Sunday Post 11-25-12

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

First, the freebie haul from Amazon:  I love Amazon.




Gifted from authors:

Thank you Bette Lee Crosby and Nancy Straight!

Arcs Received for future/Past Blog Tours:

                                                                                            RABT, Done


SUPAGURL Tours                                                                   RABT Tours 

That was my haul and I'm devouring these books as we speak!

 

 

Recap of the week:


Monday:       Cupid's Christmas Promo & review (author Bette Lee Crosby)
Tuesday:       Neither by Chelsea M Cameron review
Wednesday:  Feels Like the First Time, by Shawn Inmon/RABT review& Guest Post
Thursday:     The Betrayal by Sheila Hendrix/RABT review
Friday:         Feature and Follow Friday

Hey Peeps, you did it!   My GFC followers total 500+, so it's on!  On 11-27-12 I will post the deets of a just in time for Christmas GIVEAWAY!!   Be sure and visit on the 27th for your opportunity to win an Amazon gift card!!   See you then!

Next week anticipation:

Monday:         The Burning of Isobel Key by Jen McConnel/RABT review and excerpt
Tuesday:         A Thank you to My Peeps GIVEAWAY
Wedenesday:  Just for Fun, Cover Reveal and Promo Blitz/RABT
Friday:            When We Collide by A L Jackson/RABT with review and guest post
                       FF Friday (meme)


I can not tell you what fun I have in sharing what I read with you!   I love, love, love the comments and feedback I get from you.   And I can not wait for my thankful for you Giveaway!   So until then,
enjoy a good book and be blessed!