Monday, December 10, 2012

Review: Bluff

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My Review: 4 Stars
This book is complex, compelling, and very intriguing!  Although this book is not all flowers and bunnies.  It was a very good book!  It will be one that will stay on my shelves for me to read again in the future.  It was deep, dark, and very well written!  Like a lot of books today this again touches on many hard and serious issues.  This book will make you take a step away from life and think about about different things. It may not be a must read for 2012 but it will be something that will make you think and will make you want to find out what happens.  
"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

About the book:
To the medical world, I was a host body, surviving only to bring a new life into the world. And while I wanted to die more than anything in the world, I never wanted this. No, I never wanted to cease to exist. This was the worst death of all.”
Jude Black lives in that in-between, twilight place teetering on death but clinging to life in order to bring her baby into this world. Only she knows the circumstances surrounding her mysterious fall off the bluff that landed her in the hospital being kept alive by medical intervention. Only she knows who the father of her baby is. In this poignantly crafted literary novel, the mystery unfolds and the suspense builds as the consequences of Jude’s decisions threaten to reveal everyone’s deceptions, even her own.
BLUFF offers a sensitive look at essential questions such as the value of human life, the consciousness of those in a coma and the morality of terminating life support. At the core is the story of a tragically misunderstood woman who finds peace, acceptance, understanding and even love on her deathbed.
Buy the book
About the Author:

Lenore Skomal wants you to eat her books. Her passionate desire is to touch your heart, inspire you, and luxuriate in the world of the written word. She is an award-winning author with the single goal of resonating with others. Winner of multiple awards for blogging, literature, biography and humor, her catalogue spans many genres. With 30 years of writing experience, 18 books published, a daily blog and weekly newspaper column, the consistent themes in her work are the big issues of the human experience and adding depth and voice to the intricacies involved in living a multi-dimensional existence. She has won many Society of Professional Journalist awards, the Whidbey Island Writer’s Conference honorable mention for best fiction, Writer’s Digest 73rd Annual Fiction Contest, New York Public Library’s Best Books for Teens 2003, and most recently, the 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Award for humor for “Burnt Toast.,” her first anthology of her award winning humor columns. From journalism, to literary fiction, to humor and biography, her writing is consistent, if not in genre, then in message.
Connect with Lenore on her website,  Facebook, GoodReads, or Twitter.


Excerpt: All rights reserved! 
“We do not technically characterize your sister’s condition as a coma. We believe that she is in a persistent vegetative state, which we sometimes call a wakeful coma, and PVS for short, like I just told you. Physiologically, her brain has been severely damaged. The function of the cerebrum or the upper part of the brain has been impaired, as has the cortex or the outer layer of the cerebrum. This outer part is believed to be responsible for our conscious activity. Damage to both most likely was caused by the trauma to her head caused by the fall,” he explained, trying not to sound patronizing.
It worked. April’s face loosened.
“However, your sister’s brain stem, the lower part connected to her spine, is still functioning. Coma patients often have brain stem damage, which renders them unconscious and without the same physical functions that your sister has because the brain stem controls involuntary functions like breathing, digestion and reaction to pain. Even blinking and sleep-wake cycles. You know, that type of thing,” he continued. “As a result, PVS patients like your sister have periods of sleep and wakefulness. They flinch from pain and may react to noise or follow movement with their eyes. But their responses are of limited duration and seem to lack purpose.”
“So, she’s not brain dead,” April asked flatly, as if somehow disappointed.
“No, she is far from brain dead. She has partial brain function. Right now, she is in a wake cycle. Notice how her eyes are open and her mouth is moving,” he said pointing to me, as if on display—the poster child for PVS. I didn’t realize my mouth was moving. Learn something new every time this guy talks.
“Watch this. She can respond to certain stimulus. She will grasp my hand when touched and it will appear that this is a voluntary response.”
With that, he walked over to my bed and said, “Hi there, Jude” and then placed his thick hand in mine.
A sensation shot through my arm. Nothing replaced the human touch. Oh, did it feel wonderful. The feel of flesh upon flesh was one of the things I missed the most. Even though I was not a touchy person by nature, Frances was. She was forever hugging me and grabbing my arm when we walked together. I guess not having that skin-on-skin feeling underscored its importance. Elated, I felt I could jump up and run around the room.
Personal touch had become so unfamiliar to me in the short time I was there. When I was touched, it was  merely the function of cleaning my body and adjusting my limbs for physical therapy. Seems as time has gone by, people rarely just touch me, stroke my head or hold my hand. I wanted them to want to feel close to me. Frances had been the only one to consistently hold my hand since I’d been admitted. While Jeffries and some of the nurses were good about talking to me as if I were mute, and once in a while, patting my hand or rubbing my arm, there was no prolonged touching.
But this was a demonstration. I had forgotten. As he slid his hand into mine, I watched as my hand reflexively folded around his, without any effort on my part. I seemed to have vacated my own body right after the fall. Now it belonged to this automaton that responded mindlessly to stimuli and reacted instinctively. I was reminded I was no longer in control.
I longed for him to keep it there, but he abruptly pulled away.
Demonstration over.
The tears welled up inside me, but of course nothing emerged. It had been a long time since I felt like crying, and now, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. April stood absorbed in the moment, consciously taking it all in.
There you have it, April. Now you know. I could have explained it much better myself if I could have actually talked. To my way of thinking, it was a simple matter of being fully cognitive and aware but simply not being able to move. It’s like I’m paralyzed all over, including on the inside, I wanted to tell her. It’s like being frozen, yet hearing everything, seeing everything, and at the same time being completely ignored. Sometimes I am here, connected to this cumbersome flesh; other times, I drift in an unknown place, my sense of self slowly vanishing—no, no, merging into nothingness. Hard to describe, but so very natural to accept.


"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"


Novel Publicity Blog Tour Notes

Wanna win a $50 gift card or an autographed copy of Bluff?
  1. Leave a comment on my blog. One random commenter during this tour will win a $50 gift card. For the full list of participating blogs, visit the officialBluff tour page.
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Saturday, December 08, 2012

Review: Reckoning





My Review: 3 stars
This one is a 3 for me. Which means that it could go either way. Pick it up and you decide.  I found that it was far to descriptive for my tastes. The story it self was good. I loved the characters! And I will prob. read the second book!   The good thing about it is I have this book in print!  So follow me wherever and then comment with what you did.  Dont forget your email so I can contact you!  
"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Book Description

October 2, 2012
"They say the truth can set you free. I found out it can kill you." Seventeen-year-old Kat Matheson has never revealed the dark secret that sets her apart from everyone else: She can see and hear the dead. Until now, she has been able to ignore the strange apparitions and whispering voices. But it may not be that simple anymore. Haunted by eerie visions and increasingly frightening nightmares, Kat begins to fear she may be the target of a dark and ominous force from beyond the grave. Complicating matters is the arrival of her new neighbor, a young man she instinctively distrusts but is inexplicably drawn to. Gorgeous and mysterious, he seems to hold a disturbing knowledge of her long-held secrets. As she desperately tries to maintain control, events take an unexpected and violent turn. Discovering that nothing is what it seems and that her psychic abilities may involve far more than just communing with the dead, Kat may be forced to confront her worst fears and the powerful curse that controls her destiny.

Find Reckoning

Molly M Hall is the author of Reckoning, the first novel in the Dark Prophecy series. She has spent most of her life in Colorado and currently lives just outside of Denver. She pursued a degree in English Literature, and worked in the corporate world for several years before turning to writing full time. When not reading or writing, she can be found shopping for awesome boots, listening to music, practicing yoga, working on her very inadequate French, playing piano, or looking for inspiring landscapes to photograph. 
Find Molly M. Hall
Thanks to the author and Virtual Book Tours!
Reading Addiction Blog Tours

Virtual Book Tour November 10 - December 8


November 10- Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet
November 11- My Reading Addiction - Review
November 13- Books Live Forever - Review
November 15- Mademoiselle Le Sphinx - Review
November 16- Book Nerd - Review
November 17- The Bookshelf - Guest Post/PROMO
November 20- Lizzy's Dark Fiction - Review/Guest Post
November 21- Pink Fluffy Hearts - Review/Guest Post
November 23- Head Stuck in a Book - Review/Guest Post
November 24- A Dream Within a Dream - Review
November 26- Bookish Things and More - Guest Post/PROMO
November 27- My Daily Obsession - Review
November 29- Pretty in Fiction - Interview/PROMO
December 1 - Reading Between the Lines - Review
December 2 - My Cozie Corner - Review
December 3 -Paranormal Goddess - Interview/PROMO
December 3 - The Solitary Bookworm - Review
December 4 - The Hollow Cupboards - Review/Guest Post
December 4 - Bilbliophilia, Please - Review/Guest Post
December 5 -Paulettes Papers - Guest Post/PROMO
December 5 - The Cozy Dragon - Review
December 6 - Gothic Angel Book Reviews - Review/Guest Post
December 6 - Lovely Reads - Review/Interview
December 7 - Sarah Elizabeth's Bookshelf  - Review/Interview
December 7 - Compelled By Words - Review/Guest Post
December 8 -Crossroads Reviews -Review
December 8 - Firestar Books - Review/Interview

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Review: Immortal Essence Series


This was such a good book! Kidnapping and mystery is what you will find here!  
"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."


I was a little disappointed on how this one went!  It just wasn't as good as book 1.
Venus has become immortal, just as she always wanted. In the process she hurt Zaren, lost Michael, and destroyed her family.
At least that’s what she believed.
Turns out Ramien, the god of her planets’ underworld, has her parents, and Michael.
To save them, Venus makes a deal. She must complete three trials. They seem impossible. They certainly won’t be easy. Worst of all, someone she loves won’t make it out alive.
More praise for the Immortal Essence series:
  • “I… felt like I was literally out of this world for a while.” Melissa Lemon, author of Cinder and Ella
  • “I love a book where the details fit together like pieces in a puzzle…” Rachel Morgan
  • “It’s superb!!! I loved the multiple points of view. I loved Venus. Michael was tough to like at first, but by the end – man, oh man, did I fall hard for him. Zaren is yummy! I want a guardian like him. Heck, I want a man like him! AND THOSE BOOTS. PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE CAN I HAVE A PAIR?” Jenna Heartsong
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre – YA / SciFi / Romance
Rating – PG13
More details about the author
Connect with RaShelle Workman on Facebook & Twitter

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

RaShelle Workman


Image of RaShelle Workman
Lover of books, baking, and toffee-making. Bestselling author of Sleeping Roses, the Immortal Essence series, and the Blood and Snow series. Honorary nerd with attitude.







Connect with RaShelle Workman on Facebook & Twitter
Check out where this author will be talking about her latest release!
8th November – Book Feature at Peace from Pieces
9th November – Twitter Blast with Pandora Poikilos
10th November – Twitter View with Pandora Poikilos
11th November – Author Interview & Book Review at Mommy Adventures
12th November – Book Feature at We Fancy Books
13th November –  Book Review at Promiscuous Diva
14th November – Author Interview at Live to Read
15th November – Book Review at Reviewing Shelf
16th November – Book Review at Lovely Reads
17th November – Author Interview at Jacqueline Gardner’s blog
18th November – Twitter Blast with Pandora Poikilos
19th November – Author Interview at 1001 First Lines
20th November – Twitter Blast with Pandora Poikilos
21st November – Book Review at Captivated Reading
22nd November – Book Review at Book Lovers Paradise
23rd November – Book Review at Vanna Smythe’s site
24th November – Author Interview at The Cover
25th November – Book Review at Books Are Magic
26th November – Book Review at Paranormal Reads
27th November – Twitter View with Pandora Poikilos
28th November – Twitter Blast with Pandora Poikilos
29th November – Twitter View with Pandora Poikilos
30th November – Book Review at Delphina Reads Too Much
1st December – Book Review at Blog of Erised
2nd December – Book Review at I Know That Book
3rd December – Book Review at Live to Read
4th December – Book Review at Crossroad Reviews
5th December – Book Review at The Bunny’s Review
6th December – Book Review at Hail Gil
7th December – Twitter Blast with Pandora Poikilos










Saturday, December 01, 2012

Mia's Heart Blizz


Thanks for stopping by on Mia's Heart Blizz day!  Below you will find some great info about the book!

About Courtney Cole

website | twitter |  facebook | facebook fan page

Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could.
She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds.
Every Last Kiss is her debut novel and she followed it with the rest of The Bloodstone Saga (Every Last Kiss, Fated, With My Last Breath and My Tattered Bonds).
Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.
Learn more about Courtney and her books at www.courtneycolewrites.com

Book Description

 November 13, 2012
My name is Mia Giannis.
I am seventeen years old.
I live in Valese, Caberra.

This has become my mantra and my lifeline, having recently lost my memory due to a scary natural disaster.

Yeah. I have amnesia. Messed up, right?

You don't know the half of it.

Not remembering anything has turned my world upside down. My parents try their hardest to “remind” me of who I was, but it doesn't feel right. Or, if what they're saying is true and that really was me, I'm not sure I like that person very much.

And then there’s my love life. Apparently, Gavin Ariastasis is my oldest and best friend in the world. Also, apparently, we’ve never dated. But now, noticing him for what feels like the first time, he’s making my heart do somersaults. He knows me inside and out—the real me. Plus, he’s sexy and charming as hell. Sounds perfect, right?

But then... there’s the new guy. Quinn McKeyen – tall, gorgeous and deliciously American. His mischievous grin and slow Midwestern drawl turn my insides to mush in two seconds flat making me question who I really am and what I really want.

Seriously. What am I supposed to do with all that?! I feel torn between them, but I barely even know who I am, let alone what I want.

I just hope my indecisive heart will clue me in. And sooner rather than later…before I lose what little of my mind that I have left.

Mia's Heart is Book Two in the Paradise Diaries. It is preceded by Dante's Girl.


Check out Dante's Girl - the first book in the Paradise Diaries Series  



Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. 


When we’re finished eating, Quinn walks me out.  We pass through the dining room and I see that my mother is gone.  She left her dirty dishes, though.  Obviously carrying them to the kitchen would be unseemly.  I’m really starting to hate that word. I should make a list of the words I’m starting to hate.
Seemly.
Soon.
Apparently.
I can add more later.  Right now, I’m preoccupied with Quinn.  And his bulging biceps, long fingers and mischievous grin.  I stare up at him and smile.
“Do you and Reece get along okay now?” I ask him as we turn onto the staircase leading to the bedrooms.  He looks surprised.
“Of course.  Why do you ask?”
“Gavin told me about you and Reece’s history.  So I just wondered,” I shrug.  I’m trying to act nonchalant.  I hope it’s coming across that way.  In an effort to enhance the act, I make a point of examining the portraits of Giliberti ancestors as we walk past them.  Their eyes seem to stare into my back.  It’s sort of creepy.
“Why are you so interested?” Quinn raises an eyebrow.
So, I fail. 
Epically. 
Apparently I wasn’t so nonchalant.
“I don’t know,” I shrug again. “Just curious.  I guess I find everything interesting nowadays.  Everything seems new.”
Quinn smiles, a real and sincere smile. It’s salt of the earth.  Whatever that means. 
“I guess that’s one benefit to amnesia,” he tells me, as he lightly guides my elbow around the landing.  “You get to start over.  If you want,” he adds.
I look at him.  “Should I?  Start over, I mean.  Was the old me something I should re-do?”
He stops. 
And cocks his head.
And he is oh-so-sexy.
“No,” he says firmly. “Old Mia was someone who hated the pressure of worrying about what everyone thought.  So you hid who you really were.  Maybe the new you won’t be so concerned with it.”
I stare at him.
“I thought you didn’t know me that well,” I point out uncertainly.  He shrugs.
“It wasn’t difficult to see,” he answers as we resume the climb on the stairs.  “Just worry about being who you really are.  If you never remember who you were, that’s fine.  You’re still you regardless.”
“That’s very profound,” I murmur. 
And it is.  I’ve been so preoccupied with trying to remember who I was, that I forgot that I’m still me either way.  I’m just a me without memories.  Interesting. It’s so simple that it’s genius.
We stop in front of my bedroom.
There is an awkward pause.  But maybe it’s only awkward to me.  Quinn always seems casual.  Always relaxed. 
He smiles at me now. 
“I’m glad you’re here,” he tells me.  “I was getting lonely here all by myself.”
“Well, Dante and Reece will be here tomorrow. So, you’ll have even more people to keep you company,” I remind him.
“True,” he acknowledges.  “But I’m most happy about you.”
I startle and stare into his chocolate brown eyes.  “Really?” I whisper. 
He nods.  “Really.”
“You don’t hide what you’re feeling much, do you?” I observe.  Quinn’s eyes sparkle in response. 
“I don’t see the point in it,” he admits.  “I don’t like games.  I don’t like playing them because I hate to lose.”
“So you’re a sore loser , then?” I ask with a laugh. 
But he’s shaking his head.  “Nope.  I’m not a sore loser.  Because I never lose in the first place.”
He dips his head like an old-fashioned cowboy, like something that belongs in a razor commercial or a cologne ad.  And then he continues down the hall to his bedroom and I fight the urge to chase after him.
But I don’t and so I’m left standing in shock in the hallway alone. 
He doesn’t lose.
What is he trying to win?
I have a feeling that I am going to be the one who loses—hours of sleep tonight—trying to ponder that question. 
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