book

#Cover #Reveal! Marie F Crow debuts the cover of her #YA #Siren Series! You need to check this out! #mustread @MarieFCrow

Cover Reveal: Crown of Betrayal by Marie F Crow

I’m been a dedicated follower in the cult of Crow for about 6 months now, maybe more. I lose track, but after the day I begged the author to review The Risen Dawning, I was hooked. I have been there for each cover, each blurb, the sales, and the new ideas, and this new book series is a new venture for Marie F Crow, and I’m so excited to show it off and support it! 🙂

If you ask the author when she decided to write a YA series, she’d probably tell you it had to do with the small children in her household, and I promise, they are geniuses, because I am beyond excited to see what Marie F Crow can offer to the Young Adult genre. She’s known for her strong women, and that is something we don’t have enough of in the young adult lit these days, and as long as she can tame her wild language, I can assure you, this book will be a splash.. get it… siren.. splash? Ok, never mind!

The Blurb:

Verona has lived in the safety and bliss of palace and the luxury of what being a siren means. Content to live her life in the shadows of her beautiful mother, Ostila, and the enchanting dark beauty of her aunt, Morlena, Verona never thought about what life would be like should they be taken from her. At her mother’s coronation, these once impossible thoughts become shockingly real.

Corander has lived his life in the shadows of his father, Kurt. As the head of the Empradar bloodline, Kurt holds no mercy for those who fail him and even less for those he distrusts. When the palace falls to madness. It will be Corander who is tested by his father’s desires and torn by his own.

Together Corander and Verona must discover who they really are, and who they are truly meant to become, before all is lost to hidden plots and crowns of betrayal.

The Cover:

The Back:

Aren’t you just in love with these?! I think this cover has to be one of my favorite covers their artist has done yet! You can see the others in the header at the top of the page. He’s incredibly talents. Marie F Crow Publishing is building an impressive team, and with this new YA release looming, I am excited to see where they go!

Keep your eyes peeled for the release day announcement in May!

About The Author:

Marie F Crow is the author of the post-apocalyptic series, The Risen. She weaves her stories around the human element of the horror verses the “monsters” themselves. She believes that the real horror of life does not come from the expected, but from the unexpected responses of human nature and what depths of trauma a person has to survive in certain situations. She began writing The Risen series when feeling that the popular genre was slipping too deep into the realm of pure “slasher” and forgetting what the horror of zombies can mean for a story.

Now with her children’s series launched, Marie hopes to use her favorite “monster” as a teaching tool to inspire children to understand that not everything that looks scary, is scary. With Abigail and Her Pet Zombie series, Marie hopes to further spread her love for all things “that go bump in the night” with small children showing them that it’s okay to be different and to embrace those same differences in those around them.

Many projects in the works this year. Marie F Crow Publishing will debut two new series: The Sirens & Blood Cravings.

Marie F. Crow

Stalk Her!

Website | Facebook | Goodreads Page | Amazon Page |Twitter

#Book #blast – Improving #social and #communication skills in #children with #autism – Hosted by Promotional Book Tours

To your dismay, your child has received a diagnosis of autism. Along with this alarming news comes the barrage of emotions that suffocates you like an avalanche— denial—confusion—depression—guilt. You want to fix your child; you have a million questions; and you want answers immediately. Autism is a journey in which the child and her family navigate challenges and experience achievements along the way. To guide you in this rewarding journey, Dr. Karina Poirier offers her expertise in this book that parents will find incredibly useful.

In this book, you will find the answers you’ve desperately been seeking. Dr. Poirier has provided in simple, easy to comprehend language, an overview of child development, a descriptive explanation of how autism affects each developmental area, and guidelines for advancing your child’s functioning in all developmental domains. You will appreciate the multitude of hands-on, full-color sample lessons for teaching social and emotional skills, language, problem-solving and decision making, and play skills to children with autism.

Publisher: Social Cognition Publications | Irvine, CA
Color: Full-color illustrations
Pages: 300
ISBN (Print): 9780988798205
ISBN (Digital): 9780988798212
Available: March 2014

Available at: http://www.socialcognitionpublications.com/

Improving social and communication skills in children with autism

Dr. Karina Poirier, author of Unlocking the Social Potential in Autism, says that understanding a child’s unique needs is the key step to dealing with concerns and developing their strengths.

“Bring everything into the light. The worst thing you can do,” she said, “is to ignore the issue. Parents can help their children learn how to communicate better and develop social skills that will help them thrive later in life.

Get help early, identify the specific issues you are facing, ask questions, learn everything you can, and devise a concrete and detailed strategy for engaging your child so key skills are developed and strengthened”.

Here are her answers to some key concerns that parents of a child with autism are faced with.

Q: My child can sit through a learning task on the iPad or television; however, he becomes restless and fidgety when working with a teacher. Why?

A: Your child’s attention system is reactive. Consider how much children learn from viewing television. Teachers struggle to get children’s attention when an activity does not include the sensory kaleidoscope children are used to receiving when sitting in front of the television.

Key Action: Children must be taught at an early age how to develop the mental tools (attend, remember, think) to engage in deliberate and self-directed learning experiences with an adult’s guidance.

Q: My child does not respond appropriately to mood changes in others (e.g., when a peer’s mood changes from happiness to distress). Why?

A: Your child may be lacking the ability to read nonverbal cues. Children with autism often have impaired ability to read, interpret, and process social and emotional messages. Children who are unaware of others’ thoughts and feelings risk not developing the sense of self.

Key Action: Treatment to teach the child the emotional codes that are part of the social experience. The child needs to develop the ability to understand other peoples’ emotions from their facial expression, tone of voice, and body posture. The child should be taught to recognize and interpret how people around him think and feel.

Q: My child has difficulty with describing his/her day at school, recounting an experience, or relaying a message. Why?

A: Delayed recall skills utilize episodic memory. Episodic memory allows us to remember past events and share these events with others. In other words, it is how we engage in reciprocal conversations with others. Episodic memory produces a conscious awareness of events that have occurred at any one time; it enables people to remember what happened to them in the past or to conceive the future.

Key Action: Effective treatment is required for the child to learn about memory strategies and to practice remembering. Through repetition, the child develops not only better recall of past events, but also the skills to communicate the memory of the event to peers or adults during a conversation.

Q: My child is verbal and has good command of language; however, he has trouble initiating conversation with others and taking turns during a conversation. Why?

A: Children with autism have difficulties in social initiation and social-emotional understanding. Engaging in a reciprocal conversation with others requires the development and interaction of memory, information processing, and expressive communication skills—all of which are pervasive deficits of children with autism. It is not that these children do not desire involvement with their peers. On the contrary, they do have the desire to be socially engaged with others; however, the dilemma lies in the fact that these children lack knowledge of social norms.

Key Action: Effective treatment that emphasizes social norms and rules, and teaches children how to process social information by distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information in a social situation. Initiating and maintaining a conversation requires a person to have social knowledge, which is knowledge of event schemas.

Q: How much play time is appropriate to include in my child’s learning routine?

A: For a young child, teaching through play is extremely important. Play gives children something to do with their ample free time; it also serves the important purpose of honing children’s physical, social and emotional development. Play does not occur spontaneously in children with autism the way it does for typical children.

Key Action: Investing significant time teaching through play focuses the child on developing fine and gross motor skills, interpreting the social cues of other children and adults, and responding to those social cues appropriately. Play can be used to develop the ability to interact with, explore, and, ultimately master their surroundings. Play is an essential part of the learning process, and its ability to mimic real-life scenarios makes it an ideal way to stimulate overall development.

About the author:

Karina Poirier, Psy.D., BCBA-D

Dr. Karina Poirier is the Director of the Center for Social Cognition , a board certified behavior analyst at the doc-toral level (BCBA-D), and a certified cognitive educational therapist. Her clinical practice is devoted to providing outstanding individuals and group therapy that improves social and cognitive outcomes for individuals with autism, ADHD, Traumatic Brain Injury, and related disorders.

Learn more at www.drkarinapoirier.com.

ONLINE RESOURCES

http://www.drkarinapoirier.com

http://www.facebook.com/CenterforSocialCognition

http://www.twitter.com/SocialCognition

https://plus.google.com/+Centerforsocialcognition/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2hZCpP_TDdGzWxrREAbJ4w

Win a $75 Amazon gift card Fill out the form below to Enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#Review – Fiat by Jeffery D Schlaman – #Financial #postapocalyptic #thriller.. Definitely something new!

Fiat by Jeffery Schlaman

Synopsis:

By the fall of 2016, the country is already on the verge of financial collapse, despite the most aggressive actions conceivable by the Federal Reserve. When foreign debt-holders suddenly dump their debt in an act of aggression against the United States, hyper-inflation ensues, bringing the government to its knees.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fiat-Jeffrey-D-Schlaman/dp/149356093X

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20296598-fiat

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fiat-jeffrey-d-schlaman/1117760935

Review:

** Review done in conjunction with SayWhatSavannahMae, check out her site for more info**

** I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own**

5 stars

Something I completely love? Books with post-apocalyptic/dystopian themes and undertones. I adore being terrified of what the future may hold for me, what technology will bring us, when the government will cause. This genre is one that allows so many authors the chance to predict the future in a way, so I hold it to pretty strict standards, because if you’re going for that genre, you need it to be a believable course of action that leads us there. Which brings me to this book… Fiat..

This book addresses a terrifying future that hits home, a little too hard considering the current economic issues our country faces. I don’t think a book with financial implications has every scared me before this novel, but this one did give me a bit of fear. Things you don’t take a lot of time to think about sometimes have a way of creeping up, and I feel that way about this book. I don’t really think too much about our economics and financial issues as country, but as I was reading this book, things started feeling more and more realistic. Look what a ruined economy did during the great depression.. Materialism is a running theme in this novel. Humankind and our need for things, newest and best.

Overall, I thought the author has a very strong skill for the technical part of the novel. Written well, flows good, and interests you pretty quickly. As for the plot, it’s good. It is set in the near future, which makes it a bit improbable, I admit, but none the less, it’s a frightening concept to think of food going up to $100 for some things. We don’t deal with one main character in this novel, rather a variety of people at all different stages in their lives. We get some high powered (or used to be) people like Chairman of Federal Reserve or a Bishop, but we also meet a stripper, police officer and some others. All these people trying to survive, and some trying to fix things, and not always honestly. I have to say, I normally don’t like books with multiple characters, because things get muddled, but in this one, I have to say it worked, and really tells the story how it needs to be told.

So, would I recommend this book? Yes, fans of thrillers, political novels, and even some dystopian would probably enjoy this book, or at least be a little shaken up by it, and that does seem to be the author’s point, and a point well achieved.

What do you think? Are you interested in picking this book up?

#Review – Miracle Man by William R Leibowitz – Fascinating, thrilling and realistic!

Review of Miracle Man – William R Leibowitz

Synopsis:

REVERED REVILED REMARKABLE The victim of an unspeakable crime, an infant rises to become a new type of superhero. Unlike any that have come before him, he is not a fanciful creation of animators. He is real. So begins the saga of Robert James Austin, the greatest genius in human history. But where did his extraordinary intelligence come from? As agents of corporate greed vie with rabid anti-Western radicals to destroy him, an obsessive government leader launches a bizarre covert mission to exploit his intellect. Yet Austin’s greatest fear is not of this world. Aided by two exceptional women, one of whom will become his unlikely lover, Austin struggles against abandonment and betrayal. But the forces that oppose him are more powerful than even he can understand.

Amazon | Smashwords| Goodreads

Review:

** Review done in conjunction with SayWhatSavannahMae, check out her site for more info**

** I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own**

This book sure has an opening, I’ll definitely say that. The prologue is mysterious, interesting, and really makes you want more right away. The author has the hook down pat. I don’t want to spoil it, I see a bunch of reviews telling you what the beginning is, but its better that you just read and find out, because I didn’t expect what it was from the opening! It kept me reading, and I think it’ll keep you reading as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s got a great storyline, a bit of an Ender’s Game feeling to it, with the special program and the hidden agendas, but overall, very good and unique enough to stand on its own. I thought the author really took the time to flesh Bobby out, and really give us a driving force for him. He’s a great character, and with great people, there’s always someone trying to manipulate them. That’s exactly the story here. It’s perfect. The writing is solid, the story is pretty refreshing and it’s got strong main character. Technically speaking, the author has written a great novel, it flows, it draws you in, and it finishes strong.

As for plot, you’ve got a genius character, who we follow through his life, and the great thing is that this book isn’t over anyone’s head. It’s a read for the everyperson who likes thrillers and science. We’ve got Bobby who has lived his extraordinary life, and only wants to do well, after the bad life has handed him, but we’ve also got outside influences trying to push Bobby in a different direction, using his life and doubt to push him where he doesn’t want to go. It’s a thriller, not just in the hidden agendas and motives but also on a personal level, because you really start to care about Bobby, and want to see Bobby happy and succeeding in what he chooses. There’s a lot of undertones in morals and what’s rights and even slightly ethical in this novel. It really pulls you in, you just start to feel it.

I would suggest this book. It read easily, and quite quickly, it’s got a good storyline, strong character to lead us, and some interesting questions it raises. If you enjoy thrillers, or even a bit of sci-fi, then I think you wouldn’t regret picking up this book, and giving it a read. I think you’ll enjoy it.

About The Author:

William R. Leibowitz practices law in New York City and lives in the village of Quogue with his wife, Alexandria, and his dog, Georgy.

#Review – Stan by Richard Wold – A deep journey into good & evil!

Stan by Richard Wold

Ever since he survived a suicide attempt, New York artist Stan Foster has not been himself. Plagued by amnesia and a head full of visions of death and destruction that fuel his ever-more disturbing work, he claws his way through a life he doesn’t recognize in search of his true identity. What he finds leads him to believe he is Satan, spit out from the bowels of hell to live among the mortal inhabitants of earth. Is he delusional, or is there truth behind this troubling revelation? One woman can help him find out. Enter Abigail: lapsed Catholic, lonely city dweller, and psychiatrist with a heart of gold. Meeting Stan makes her question everything she’s believed about faith and humanity for so long, but she must overcome her own troubled background to offer him the redemption he needs—and ultimately wants.

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads | Smashwords

Review:

4 Stars – B+

This was an interesting concept novel. I’ve always said I look for books which strive to break from the normal, and this book definitely did that. We meet Stan, when he decides to end it all, and throw himself off the Washington Bridge. I mean talk about grabbing a reader. This book makes you commit right from the beginning and keep reading. I like how the author approached the topic of Satan, he doesn’t automatically assume you believe in him, because like the character most people are unlikely to jump to that answer first, but assume mental illness or shock. I do like how human nature plays a role in this book, really character driven, and we get some insight into what drives them. Wold really makes the reader question things throughout this whole book. You may come into this book knowing what good and evil are but by the end, I bet you’ll be questioning a little bit. You get influences in Stan life, both what we’d consider good and evil, but there’s something laying under the surface of both of them, so who can he really trust? I do wish they would’ve let us get to him being Satan on our own, leaving hints and clues instead of basically spelling it out for the reader, I didn’t enjoy that. I like a little more mystery and a little more work on the readers part. There’s a little bit of romance in this book as well, but it doesn’t play a primary theme at all, mostly this book has elements of a mystery and a thriller, with a long inner running conflict on what really is good and evil. I enjoyed it, I thought it was refreshing, though some choices the author made didn’t resound with me, but overall a good read and something new.

*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author:

Richard Wold is a business owner and consultant. He currently lives in Gurnee, Illinois. Stan is his first novel.

Website | Facebook | goodreads

#Review – Pack Up The Moon by Rachel Herron @penguinusa @RachaelHerron A #touching story of #life and #rebuilding and second chances! A #MustRead

PACK UP THE MOON

NAL Trade Paperback Original / March 2014

A poignant novel about loss, lies, and the unbreakable bonds of family.

Three years after a horrible tragedy took her son and tore her family apart, artist Kate Monroe is beginning to pick up the pieces of her life and move on. At a gala showcasing her triumphant return to the art world, Kate’s world is rocked again when the daughter she gave up for adoption twenty-two years ago introduces herself.

Pree is the child Kate never knew and never forgot. But Pree has questions that Kate isn’t sure she’s ready to answer. For one thing, she never told Pree’s father, her high school sweetheart and ex-husband, Nolan, that they had a daughter. For another, Kate hasn’t spoken to Nolan for three years, not since the accident which took their nine-year-old son from them. But to keep Pree from leaving forever, Kate will have to confront the secrets that have haunted her since her son died and discover if the love of her family is strong enough to survive even the most heartbreaking of betrayals…

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

Review:

Grade: A (5 stars)

This was a lovely gift. I was excited to receive this book from Penguin to review, just reading the synopsis, but when I started the actual book is when I felt really lucky. This is such a touching, emotional story based around really realistic characters who people can completely relate to. It’s all about life’s changes, and if it’s too late. When is too late? Herron does an outstanding job in this novel really showing us true characters with real struggles. This is the first book by this author I’ve read but I love her voice. She’s the perfect storyteller for this story, and she really find the perfect balance in some really tough topics. You’re faced with a lot of broken people and dark topics in this book, but Herron manages to show us the beauty in the brokenness, and the hope in the hopeless. You start to really see beyond what’s expected into a deeper, more beautiful story. You see how one choice can affect so many people, and you see just how people choose to handle that . You’ve got a mother struggling with the death of her son, and the loss of the daughter she never knew. The daughter trying to figure out her life without a mom, and a Father who never knew about his daughter, and has been crushed, not only by the loss of his son, but the loss of his marriage as well. Nolen is one of those characters that you see beauty shining from brokeness, he’s a convicted felon, gave up everything that was his life before, and has fallen all the way to the bottom, but his struggle and courage is something so beyond touching. I’d gladly read another book by Herron in the future because her way with characters is exactly what we need more of. Complex, confused, broken but beautiful. The author allows us to see beyond what’s in front of our faces in this novel to what’s really there. There’s such a wonderful theme of forgiveness and healing in this book, and it really brings tears to your eyes LITERALLY, I cried. I suggest this novel to people I meet in bookstores now, my book club, and friends and family. It’s beautiful and haunting and it’s perfect. Thank you Rachel Herron!

*I was given a copy of this book by Penguin to read and review. All opinions are 100% my own.

About The Author:

Rachael Herron is the internationally bestselling author of the Cypress Hollow series (HarperCollins/Random House Australia) and of the memoir, A Life in Stitches (Chronicle). Her newest novel, Pack Up The Moon, will be available in March 2014 from Penguin (USA) and Random House Australia (NZ/AUST). Rachael received her MFA in writing from Mills College and is a 911 fire/medical dispatcher when she’s not scribbling. She lives with her wife, Lala, in Oakland, California, where they have more animals and instruments than are probably advisable. Rachael is struggling to learn the accordion and can probably play along with you on the ukulele. She’s a New Zealander as well as an American. She’s been known to knit.

Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Website

Undeniable – Tawdra Kandle – #review and much more! :) Hosted by Promotional Book Tours!

At last. . .the sizzling spin-off from The King Series

UNDENIABLE: The Serendipity Duet Book One

For Rafe Brooks, running from a broken heart means losing himself in alcohol and women. Lots of women, none of whom will remember him, since he has the ability to manipulate their minds and make them forget.

Numbing the pain works until he meets an irresistible redhead with secrets of her own. She offers him the opportunity to join forces with an organization that will use his powers for good rather than his own amusement.

Jocelyn rocks his world with her unapologetic passion and makes him believe for the first time he just might survive heartbreak.

When a mission takes the two of them undercover to infiltrate a commune with suspicious activity, they discover it’s just the tip of a plot to cause world-wide anarchy. Hiding their extraordinary powers and real identities is crucial to staying alive.

For Rafe and Jocelyn, when life is uncertain, love is undeniable.

Buy on:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

Review:

Grade B (4 Stars)

After Rafe graduates from high school, he leaves town and goes on a drinking binge trying to get over his broken heart. He winds up in New Orleans where he meets the headstrong Jocelyn. She is there to recruit him for a job working at the consulting firm she is employed by. This job allows them to help people with special powers to use them for good and not evil. Together they get in more trouble they you can imagine.

They have been working together for a while when they finally get a mission that may not end well for them. They accept and give it their all. You are taken for a wonderful action packed ride. During all of this they realize they may have a love that is deep and will last more than a. Lifetime together.

This book has mystery, action and heartwarming affections. It has funny moments, emotional draining moments and takes you on an action packed thrill ride.

*I was given this book in return for an honest review.

About the Author

Tawdra Thompson Kandle lives in central Florida with her husband, children, cats and dog. She loves homeschooling, cooking, traveling and reading, not necessarily in that order. And yes, she has purple hair.

You can follow Tawdra here…
Facebook
Twitter
Website

Join the party here!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

#TheWeightofBlood – Blog Tour & #giveaway – @LauraSMcHugh @atrandom @20SB

Today I’m so excited to share with you this amazing new book I got from Random House and 20SomethingBlogger! The Weight of Blood by Laura S McHugh! It’s going to be released on March 11th! I got an ARc copy of this book to read and review, and share with you!! Plus, I get to host a giveaway!!

So about the book!

Synopsis:

For fans of Gillian Flynn, Scott Smith, and Daniel Woodrell comes a gripping, suspenseful novel about two mysterious disappearances a generation apart.

The town of Henbane sits deep in the Ozark Mountains. Folks there still whisper about Lucy Dane’s mother, a bewitching stranger who appeared long enough to marry Carl Dane and then vanished when Lucy was just a child. Now on the brink of adulthood, Lucy experiences another loss when her friend Cheri disappears and is then found murdered, her body placed on display for all to see. Lucy’s family has deep roots in the Ozarks, part of a community that is fiercely protective of its own. Yet despite her close ties to the land, and despite her family’s influence, Lucy—darkly beautiful as her mother was—is always thought of by those around her as her mother’s daughter. When Cheri disappears, Lucy is haunted by the two lost girls—the mother she never knew and the friend she couldn’t save—and sets out with the help of a local boy, Daniel, to uncover the mystery behind Cheri’s death.

What Lucy discovers is a secret that pervades the secluded Missouri hills, and beyond that horrific revelation is a more personal one concerning what happened to her mother more than a decade earlier.

The Weight of Blood is an urgent look at the dark side of a bucolic landscape beyond the arm of the law, where a person can easily disappear without a trace. Laura McHugh proves herself a masterly storyteller who has created a harsh and tangled terrain as alive and unforgettable as the characters who inhabit it. Her mesmerizing debut is a compelling exploration of the meaning of family: the sacrifices we make, the secrets we keep, and the lengths to which we will go to protect the ones we love.

Praise for The Weight of Blood

“A fantastic novel, rich in character and atmosphere . . . This is one you won’t want to miss.”—Karin Slaughter, author of Unseen

“Laura McHugh’s vivid and enthralling The Weight of Blood centers on a mother and daughter in a seemingly benign yet deeply horrifying small town. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last.”—Vanessa Diffenbaugh, author of The Language of Flowers

“The Weight of Blood pulled me in and wouldn’t let go. What starts as Lucy’s coming-of-age story becomes a chilling tale about the price of secrets. As the menace deepens, so does the tension. Laura McHugh has written a terrific novel.”—Meg Gardiner, Edgar Award–winning author of The Shadow Tracer

“McHugh’s debut is as lush and evocative as its Ozark setting, with luminous prose and characters you can’t help rooting for, even as the mystery surrounding them intensifies and the odds against them grow more and more harrowing. I couldn’t put it down.”—Carla Buckley, author of The Deepest Secret

“In this clever, multilayered debut, McHugh deftly explores the past of an Ozark Mountain family . . . with plenty to hide and the ruthlessness to keep their secrets hidden. . . . This is an outstanding first novel, replete with suspense, crisp dialogue, and vivid Ozarks color and atmosphere.”—Publishers Weekly

“Debut novelist McHugh comes out swinging with this gripping tale set in the Ozarks of Missouri. . . . Her prose will not only keep readers turning the pages but also paints a real and believable portrait of the connections, alliances, and sacrifices that underpin rural, small-town life in Henbane.”—Library Journal (starred review)

How amazing does that sound?? I know I killed Gone Girl in two days, and I read this one just as quickly! It’s addictive and entertaining, and will consume you! You need to check it out!

Preorder it on Amazon!!

Review:

Grade: A (5 Stars)

This book is outstanding! Such detail, plot and development, I was just drawn in and I couldn’t put it down! This book really makes you think, and question things. The mystery is really surrounded by a community, and it’s not exactly like gone girl, but it is in depth, and though the mystery element is exposed a lot sooner then expected, you don’t lose interest as a reader, because it’s the way the other has developed her novel. She really pulls you into this small community, and asks you to start looking around. Start noticing what’s different in small communities, what’s accepted, and what really makes up a family. There’s some violence in the book, and murder, but it’s not over the top, and it really deepens the plot for the story. Overall, I thought the author did an outstanding job creating such a good character in Lily, she’s strong, and I loved that unlike some mystery books, the character didn’t do stupid, dangerous things while trying to solve the mystery. She was smart, clever, and did what she could, and it works out. It really gives you a better picture of a realistic murder mystery. There’s also a lot of other emotional moments in this book, that work in the vein of female experiences, and situations that we see and face in daily life, from mental illness to teen pregnancy and we really look into it a little deeper in this book. Yes, there’s mystery but there’s so much more to this book, I’d hate to see someone pass on this book because they don’t like mystery. You need to read this book because it sticks with you, it makes you think, and as a female it really brings something else to this novel I can’t really explain. I enjoyed reading it, I read it quickly and I was completely involved! I look forward to more books from this author. A very strong debut novel, and one I’m considering a re-read of! 🙂

*I was given a copy by Random House & 20SomethingBlogger for a review! All opinions are my own!

About The Author:

Laura McHugh’s debut novel, THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD, will be published March 11th, 2014.

McHugh lives in Missouri with her husband, children, and large furry dog. She is currently at work on her second novel.

You can find her on:

Twitter | Her Facebook Page | Website | Goodreads Page

All New #SelfieContest! Hosted by @PenguinUSA and @marieforce! Plus, Everyone is a winner! Read to hear more!

ATTENTION READERS!

I’ve got a super cool contest to share with you, courtesy of the amazing ladies at Penguin, and it involves this book! 🙂 This one sounds like such a blast, I can’t wait to get out to a bookstore and get my Selfies on! 🙂

Marie Force’s new book “All You Need Is Love” is out, and we want to see some readers posing with this amazing book! Think you can do that? Selfies take 2 seconds, so while you’re at your bookstore, target, or anywhere you spot the book, pick it up, and snap a quick photo! Don’t forget to follow all the rules though, and check out Marie’s website for any other info you might need! 🙂

***All New Selfie Contest!***

The publisher of ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE soooo loved the selfie contest, they asked us to do it again! Fun fun FUN! We have all new FABULOUS prizes up for grabs! Here’s how it’s going to work and please make sure you read ALL the way to the end so you can see the many ways to WIN!

Starting TODAY, get back out there and find ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE in your local bookstore (Barnes & Noble, Target, WalMart, Books-A-Million, grocery stores, drug stores, etc,) or order your copy from an online retailer such as Amazon and take a picture of yourself holding the book. We want to see you WITH the print copy of ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE (sorry, no ebook copies for this contest). When you’re out and about, consider getting a copy of the book for a friend who loves to read and hasn’t yet discovered Marie’s books. And remember, books make great gifts for birthdays and other important events! Better yet, once your friends have the book in hand, they can enter the selfie contest too! While you’re out taking selfies, consider getting a copy of ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE to donate to your local library, nursing home, hospital or other organization where people might enjoy Will and Cameron’s story! AND, if you’d like to have your book SIGNED, we can do that too with a signed book plate right from Marie! Send your request for an ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE bookplate and postal address to author@marieforce.com.

For each of the next THREE weeks, we will award a $100 gift card to one selfie photographer. You can enter as many times as you’d like to increase your chances to win. Entries carry over to the next week’s drawings, but we need ALL NEW selfies. The earlier ones will not count for this NEW contest. We will award the gift cards on Friday, February 28, March 7 and March 14. But wait, there’s MORE! On Friday, March 21, we will award YET ANOTHER grand prize trip to the Green Mountain Series Launch Party on June 28 at the Vermont Country Store in Weston, Vermont! This package includes:

•          Two nights lodging for up to two guests in Weston, Vermont.

•          $750 toward airfare for two from anywhere in the United States. We suggest flying into Manchester, NH (2.5 hours away), Burlington, VT (2.25 hours away), Hartford, CT (2.5 hours), Albany, NY (1.75 hours) or Boston, MA (3 hours).

•          Reimbursement of up to approximately $300 for car rental and fuel to be used for transportation from the airport to Weston, VT.

•          A special breakfast with Marie for you and a guest.

•          $100 gift card to the Vermont Country Store

•          $100 gift card to Bryant House Restaurant at the Vermont Country Store

•          Your very own stuffed “Fred the Moose”

•          Signed copies of All You Need Is Love and I Want to Hold Your Hand

Everyone who enters a selfie in the next three weeks will be entered into this grand-prize drawing. In order to WIN the prize, however, you must be able to answer three new questions about the short story TO KNOW HER IS TO LOVE HER, which is found ONLY in the back of the print book. (It will be released to e-readers on Marie’s website in May.) ALSO, everyone who enters this new Selfie contest will get our ALL NEW Green Mountain Romance sticker! UK, Australia, New Zealand readers: You are looking for YOUR LOVE IS ALL I NEED and your selfies count!

WAIT, there’s one more chance to win! If you SHARE this post, you will be entered into a drawing to win yet another super fun prize pack that includes signed copies of Marie’s books, Fred the Moose and other fabulous swag. Everyone who clicks the SHARE button on this post will be entered into the SHARE drawing!

So go forth and take those selfies and SHARE this post to get your friends out there taking pictures, too! We will feature as many selfies as we can on Marie’s Facebook page!

You must send your selfie to author@marieforce.com to be entered into the drawing. If you’d like the Green Mountain Romance sticker, please include your postal address (international entries permitted) and let us know if you’d like to be on the list for occasional postcards and other items by mail. NO selfies posted directly to Facebook or Twitter will count as entries. The only way to ensure that your entry is counted is to email it toauthor@marieforce.com with:

Your name:

Where you found the book (store/location):

Mailing address if you want the Green Mountain Sticker:

Do you wish to be added to the postal mailing list for occasional postcards and other swag during the year?

HAVE FUN!!!

Doesn’t this sound like a fun little side project? Easy to do while out with the kids, or your friends! Have fun with it, and get creative! 🙂 I wish you the best of luck, plus you get to enter for a free sticker and to be on the #SwagList for awesome book swag?! Who doesn’t want that? We’re all winners!

#Undeniable – #Book Tour – #Review and #Giveaway! Check it out! Hosted by Promotional Book Tours

At last. . .the sizzling spin-off from The King Series

UNDENIABLE: The Serendipity Duet Book One

Jocelyn rocks his world with her unapologetic passion and makes him believe for the first time he just might survive heartbreak.

For Rafe and Jocelyn, when life is uncertain, love is undeniable.

Buy on:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

Review:

Reviewed by Catherine for Sunshine & Mountains

Grade: B (Four Stars)

This book has mystery, action and heartwarming affections. It has funny moments, emotional draining moments and takes you on an action packed thrill ride.

**I was given this book in return for an honest review.

About the Author

You can follow Tawdra here…
Facebook
Twitter
Website