Thoughts sent to the government in a Dystopian society... The Shadowsurfers by Hubert Wiest (Excerpt & Giveaway)

The Shadowsurfers

by Hubert Wiest

YA Dystopian, SciFi

Paperback & ebook, 426 Pages

March 15th 2016

Summary

CHA belongs to all humans. All humans are CHA. Set in a dystopian future where technology and humanity have united to create society’s collective consciousness, Computerized Human Accomplishment, CHA is mankind’s most meaningful invention. Through CHA all of humanity’s thoughts and secrets are recorded and saved for the betterment of society.

Fourteen year old Sansibar is preparing for her final exam to become a part of society – a part of CHA. The only thing standing between her and her the Crystal Exam is a whisper of a memory almost forgotten… and a boy with blue-ink eyes named Luan.

Luan is a gifted programmer living as an orphan until a petty theft drives him from his only home. Without a place in society, Luan escapes to the forbidden city of shadows to live as a fugitive… with the help of a girl with purple hair named Sansibar. Together they find they’re not the only ones with secrets.

  

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Can these two find love after all this time? Courting Cassandry by Joyce DiPastena (Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Welcome to my stop for Joyce DiPastena's newest historical romance! Joyce wrote one of my all-time favorite reads, Loyalty's Web, and I've read each of her subsequent releases. Check out the excerpt below and make note of the token of courtship for the giveaway...

Courting Cassandry

(Hearts in Autumn Romance #2)
by Joyce DiPastena

Adult Historical Romance

ebook, 348 Pages

February 17th 2016

Summary

Is it too late for second chances when the girl you loved in your youth comes back into your life?

Gerolt de Warenne became guardian to a child-heiress named Cassandry when he was only nineteen-years old. As he watched her grow into a lovely young woman, he found himself falling in love with her, but Cassandry viewed him as an older brother. So, burying his feelings, he gave permission for her to marry another.

Twenty-four years later Gerolt and Cassandry meet again. With the loss of their respective spouses, Gerolt hopes to finally court Cassandry, but she desires to remain a widow. Instead, they agree to a betrothal of their children.

Matters become complicated as their friendship begins to evolve into the romance Gerolt has always wanted. But by the law of the medieval Church, Cassandry and Gerolt can’t marry if their children do. Can they find a way to be together? Or must they sacrifice their future for the love of their children?

"Courting Cassandry" is a “Hearts in Autumn” romance, medieval romances revolving around heroes and heroines “in the autumn of their years.” Because love isn’t only for the young!

 

  

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Another exciting and busy week coming up... Weekly Update #155

Welcome to my Weekly Update where I post my blog's schedule for the week! I'm linking up to The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, as well as to Tynga's Reviews for Stacking the Shelves and Talk Supe for Bought, Borrowed, and Bagged showcasing the books I added to my shelves or Kindle this week.

We've been having higher than average temps and I'm not quite ready for the heat. It's not even officially March and we've already had to turn the air conditioning on sporadically. Normally we can make it into the middle of March before we have to do that. Besides that, everything is good and nothing too exciting going on. :)

I have another fun and busy week coming up! Here's what to expect...

It's time to get... Unstuck by Robert Reynolds (Review)

Unstuck:

How the Savior Frees Us from Our Favorite Sins
by Robert Reynolds

LDS Nonfiction

Paperback & ebook, 131 Pages

December 28th 2015 by Deseret Book Company

Summary

''This book was not written by a General Authority. In fact, it was written by a run-of-the-mill sinner. Are you going to keep reading?'' Robert Reynolds, an entertainment attorney and manager of Grammy-nominated band The Killers, refreshingly tackles the why-did-I-do-it-again? cycle that entraps many of us. Reynolds explains that whether we find ourselves reluctant to let go of our ''favorite sin'' or exclaiming in frustration, ''Dang it! I did it again,'' the Savior and His Atonement can change our desires and set us free to become better and stronger. With a fresh, relatable voice, Reynolds provides insights into the why behind the things that tempt us. He also shares the hope we can have in overcoming even the most alluring of sins through reliance on the Lord s grace. Learn how to find and maintain a mighty change of heart and discover a rich increase of spiritual power, joy, and peace in your life.

   

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Courting Cassandry by Joyce DiPastena (Blog Tour Launch w/ Giveaway)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Book Tour Launch for

Courting Cassandry

By Joyce DiPastena

Come along with us as we go back to Medieval times and find tokens of courtship from Gerolt to Cassandry as he wishes for a rare second chance at love...

Tour Schedule

February 29th: The Written Adventure, Lampshade Reader, & Wishful Endings

March 1st: Bookworm Lisa, deal sharing aunt, & I Am A Reader

March 2nd: Letters from Annie Douglass Lima & EskieMama Reads

March 3rd: Getting Your Read On, underneath the covers, & Boundless Minds

March 4th: Singing Librarian Books & Zerina Blossom's Books

March 6th: Grand Finale

Q&A with the Author

What is your motivation behind Courting Cassandry? Why did you want to write it?

Courting Cassandry is the second book in my Hearts in Autumn Romance series. The couples in this series are older than couples in most romances, in their 40s and 50s. Now that I’m, oh, somewhere around those ages myself, I thought it would be interesting to explore how romances might develop between more mature couples, all based on the premise: “You’re never too old to fall in love!” Because really, don’t we all want to be loved regardless of our age?

My first book in the series, Loving Lucianna, was about two people in their “autumn years” who had never been married before. (Please keep in mind when I type “autumn years” that age expectancy was much shorter in the Middle Ages than it is today.) For Courting Cassandry, I wanted to explore what a relationship might be like between a widow and a widower framed by the medieval expectations of those times, and just for fun, I threw in a teenaged child for each of them. The dynamics between not only the hero and heroine, but between the parents and their children, proved tremendously fun to write.

What do you hope readers take with them after they’ve read it?

That sometimes second chances come around again. And that most people have more than one side to them, even the so-called “villains” of the story. The latter wasn’t my goal when I wrote the story, it’s just something that emerged from the characters and surprised me a bit when it did. But I felt they taught me something that I wasn’t actively looking for. Maybe they will do the same for some of my readers.

Do you have a favorite scene?

Well, I can’t give too much away because I don’t want share any spoilers. But there are two chapters involving the teenaged children that always make me grin when I reread them. I hope others who read the book will enjoy the scenes these young people appear in, too.

Share something about you that is unique.

Something unique about me? Hmm. I named my cats for two of the great loves in my life. Clio for the Greek Muse of History, although she’s more interested in sleeping most of the time than inspiring me. And Glinka Rismky-Korsakov for a Russian composer, because I love classical music. Sometimes he even sits on the piano bench with me when I play the piano. J

— Joyce

What will Finley find when she meets up with Ranger McCrary... Cold Shot by Dani Pettrey (Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway)

Dani Pettrey has a new inspirational romantic suspense out that I'm looking forward to reading. Check out the excerpt (it grabbed my attention) and enter the giveaway below...

Cold Shot

(Chesapeake Valor #1)
by Dani Pettrey

Christian Romantic Suspense

Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages

February 2nd 2016 by Bethany House Publishers

Summary

In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI, and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world–and friendships–crumbled.

Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet–until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern–a young social justice lawyer missing since spring–and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper.

When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he’ll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he–and those he cares about–are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.

  

   

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Will Telaine's mission risk more than just her life? . . . Agent of the Crown by Melissa McShane (Review & Giveaway)

This is the third book in this series I have read. Here are my reviews of the first two books: Servant of the Crown and Rider of the Crown. Check out my review and enter the giveaway for Agent of the Crown below...

Agent of the Crown

(The Crown of Tremontane #3)
by Melissa McShane

Adult Fantasy

Paperback & ebook, 410 Pages

February 25th 2016 by Night Harbor Publishing

Summary

Telaine North Hunter, Princess of Tremontane, is beautiful, spoiled, flirtatious, and the center of fashionable society throughout Tremontane.

She’s also a spy.

As an agent of the Crown, Telaine uses her high society connections to gather information for her uncle, King Jeffrey. But when an overheard conversation reveals a sinister plot centered on the Baron of Steepridge, Telaine must pose as a common Deviser in the distant frontier town of Longbourne to uncover the truth.

Fresh from her glittering world of the palace, Telaine is completely unprepared for rural life. She must conceal her identity not only from the townspeople, but from the suspicious, corrupt Baron as well. Her only assistance comes from Mistress Weaver, a local woman with an agenda of her own, and Ben, the handsome young blacksmith who reaches out a hand of friendship when others turn away.

As the days pass with no success in sight, Telaine’s pretense becomes real, and her growing attachment to Longbourne and its people comes into conflict with her mission. She can’t keep up the lie forever, but when the truth comes out, will she face it as the Princess—or as an agent of the Crown?

 

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Check out the newest #HarelquinHeartwarming release from Karen Rock, His Kind of Cowgirl (Book Blitz & Giveaway)

I've really enjoyed Karen Rock's Heartwarming books! You can see reviews of Wish Me Tomorrow, His Hometown Girl, and A League of Her Own on my blog. I'll be reading this one soon...

His Kind of Cowgirl

by Karen Rock

Adult Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages

March 1st 2016 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Summary

Would he still love her…if he knew?

Tanner Hayes smashed Claire's life to pieces when he chose the rodeo over her ten years ago. And now he'd wrecked her truck! Fantastic. She'd lost her husband, the family ranch was mired in debt, her father was recuperating from a stroke and her son was being bullied. Why not throw a reckless bull rider into the mix?

All she'd wanted was a safe, stable life. But with Tanner back in town—and staying on her ranch—nothing was safe, or under control. Not the feelings she'd fought so hard to forget. Not the son she was determined to protect. And certainly not her long-held secret…

  

  

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A summer camp isn't all there is to restore in... Write Me Home by Crystal Walton (Review & Giveaway)

Write Me Home

by Crystal Walton

Adult Contemporary Romance

ebook, 312 Pages

February 24th 2016

Summary

He lives by his heart. She lives by her plans. Until they lose control of both.

Returning to his hometown in the Catskills is the last thing firefighter Ethan DeLuca’s ready for. He’d rather leave memories where they belong—buried under ashes. But if he doesn’t step up to take care of Nonna, who will? Working at the camp down the road seems like the perfect solution. Until his feisty redheaded boss ends up being one fire he has no idea how to put out.

Cassidy McAdams is on a mission. Get the camp Grandpa left her ready to sell, turn enough profit to bail Mom’s business out of foreclosure, and hightail it back to her life in New York City. With unexpected complications mounting, she can’t afford any distractions. Especially a ridiculously charming one who’s eager to rescue her at every turn.

It’d be easier on them both to hide behind professional boundaries. But when unexplained attacks on the camp ignite a connection between them they can’t ignore, running away is no longer an option.

 

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This author is stopping by to answer a few questions... Bryce by Natalie Decker (Blog Tour Interview & Giveaway) @chapterxchapter @AuthorNatDecker @SwoonRomance

Welcome to my stop for Bryce, Natalie Decker's new series! Natalie answers a few questions below, so check that out as well as the giveaway...

Bryce

(Scandelous Boys #1)
by Natalie Decker

YA/NA Crossover Romance

ebook, 235 Pages

February 23, 2016 by Swoon Romance

Summary

Bryce Matthews doesn’t do the whole nice boyfriend thing. Chocolates and flowers—girls can forget all that. And he certainly doesn’t care about the gossip and rumors that follow him at school and around town. If anything, the talk amuses him. Bryce isn't lacking in confidence. He knows himself and he knows his limits.

One of those hard limits is Madison Issac. Bryce can never have her, and he's perfectly fine with that. Sometimes the fantasy is better than the reality anyway.

Madison Issac thought she was a pretty good judge of character. But she's surprised at how gentle and comforting resident bad-boy and next-door neighbor Bryce Matthews is when we finds her crying in the park.

Maybe there's more to Bryce than people think? So Madison begins to wonder.

Can a guy like Bryce ever change his ways?

Can a girl like Madison really be into a guy like Bryce?

With hearts and reputations on the line, this kind of love can be scandalous.

 

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What do you give up to become... Chosen Soldiers by R.H. Scott (Blog Tour Review)

Welcome to my stop for Chosen Soldiers by R.H. Scott, a debut author! This is the first book I've read from this line of books, but I really like YA SciFi. Check out what I thought below...

Chosen Soldiers

by R.H. Scott

YA SciFi, Dystopian

Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages

February 9th 2016 by Harper Voyager Impulse

Summary

After the missiles tore up the Earth, societies crumbled, leaving scattered patches of humanity struggling to survive. Slowly, a group came together, helping each other regrow a world worth living in.

And then the Others attacked.

Realizing the need to truly protect themselves, they formed the Academy: a place where young people could be built into an elite military force. The training is intense…and so are the consequences for failure. Sloan Radcliffe is not a failure.

In fact, she’s the best of the best—the girls’ Senior Champion—and the only one who can match her is matched to her: her betrothed, Jared Dawson. They are the perfect couple: exemplary fighters, pure leaders, and exceptional role models. But as their time at the Academy draws to a close, Sloan is starting to see signs that maybe their life is built upon secrets…and that secrets are never a strong foundation.

With the battlefront looming and whispers growing louder, Sloan is caught up not only between her loyalties to her people, but also to the man she loves.

 A combination of military sci-fi and dystopian thriller, R. H. Scott’s Chosen Soldiers is an intense look at a young woman’s world shattering under the weight of its own illusions.

 

  

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