Blog Hop: Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

6th Annual Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

October 15th to 31st

For those who know me Halloween is absolutely one of my favorite holidays! The dressing up, the Jack-O-Lanterns, the candy and of course the scary movies and books!

That being said your prize for this hop is 2 books from the list of books below!

Blog Tour: Amnesty

Amnesty by Jo Noelle
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romance
Release Date: September 4, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Cassie is going to heaven—if she can get amnesty from hell in the next twenty days. Her assignment is to change the eternal destination of a girl in Albuquerque to earn admittance into heaven.

No sweat.

But when Cassie returns to earth during her three-week, mostly-mortal assignment, her old habits get in the way, (apparently habits don’t die when you do), the partners assigned to help her are anything but helpful, and it turns out the girl she is supposed to help is the only enemy she made on her first day of school.

Oh, I’m so going to hell.

Things aren’t all bad—it helps to have a hot angel on your side. Mmm-Marc. Even though he’s all about heavenly business, Cassie would like to make it personal.

Assignment with benefits.

This young adult novel is a coming of age story with a clean romance, packed with action and suspense.

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

Moments blink like snapshots flashing on a screen. Bright lights strain against the passenger windows that crumble away as my vision blurs—like a 3-D movie without glasses. A hazy glow radiates around my hands, fingers strangling the steering wheel. Before my head snaps back against the headrest, I look up at the mirror and catch a glimpse of Korbin in the back seat, a pale light glows around him—an aura? His soul releases and whispers away.

“No,” screams through my mind, but the word dies behind my lips.

Momentum—the car down rolling down the riverbank, crushing the roof, blasting glass shards against my cheek, neck, shoulder, and chest—lays the VW to rest in the stream. That’s when Reece’s soul leaves, easing out as she hangs limply toward me from her seat belt. Someone stop this. She can’t die. My heart races. Someone save her. With my mind thick and syrupy, struggling to reopen my eyes, I blink slowly.

Reece’s blood swirls through the water, puddling in the roof. Let her live. Take me. The keys in the ignition rock back and forth, tapping against the steering column and each other. Click, click. Then nothing. The smell of hot tires and gasoline rides along my shallow breath, leaving an oily taste in the back of my throat. I try to swallow, but can’t.

Book Blast: The Calm After the Storm

The Calm After the Storm by Mya O'Malley
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 23, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Can true love shine through the darkest storm?

The storm of the century raged through the northeast, causing destruction and despair, millions were left without power and hope. Weeks later, countless people were still devastated by the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, Emma Riley among them.

Determined she didn’t need the help of a man, Emma was convinced that she could brave the aftermath of the storm on her own. That is, until Jake came into her life.

After having suffered heartbreak and embarrassment, Jake Mack, a utility foreman, volunteered to travel north from small town, Georgia to assist with the aftermath of the storm. Jake was decidedly done with women. But he didn’t count on meeting Emma or falling in love so quickly. Can he trust this woman or will his past get in the way and ruin the relationship with the one woman he truly loves?


♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

Jake and his crew had now been in the suburbs of New York for a few days. His first thought upon entering this area was his surprise at the devastation. Sure, he had heard about the destruction on the news and had seen footage of the aftermath of Sandy, but it still hadn’t prepared him for the actual sight of Sandy’s rage.

Telephone poles were down, trees were snapped in two, and houses were completed destroyed by the storm. Seeing all the destruction only strengthened Jake’s resolve that it had been the right thing to come. He felt proud to be able to help out and be a part of the solution to the horrible aftermath of this disaster.

As the day was wrapping up. Jake and Chris met up with some of their crew in the next town to finish one more area before calling it quits. The chill in the air was something that Jake had prepared for, but was not accustomed to. Clutching the new flannel he had purchased right before his trip, he put it on over his thermal shirt. Thankful for his thermos filled with hot coffee, Jake grabbed it but quickly tossed it aside.

“Come on, Chris! I asked you to stop drinking my coffee. Now there’s none left,” he said as he shook his head, irritated at his friend.

Chris looked up at his boss sheepishly. “Sorry, man. I didn’t sleep well last night. I needed some caffeine.”

Blog Tour: Shadow Fire (The Light Chronicles #1)

Shadow Fire (The Light Chronicles #1) by Kimber Leigh Wheaton
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: February 24, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power. All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire - adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:
When we reach the deck, everyone stops to stare at me. Trying to ignore the blatant curiosity, I follow Hanna down the aft stairs to the brig. Zane and Taranis occupy cells across from each other. They’re both sitting on the floor glaring daggers at each other. Hanna hands the key to me and slips away. Inching closer, I’m careful to remain out of reach of the two prisoners. As soon as they see me, both men jump up and start talking over each other.

“Ashlyn! How are you feeling, Love?” Zane asks.

“Ashlyn, my fiery angel, you are a ray of sunshine in this dank prison!” Taranis says.

“I’m gonna let you both out, if, and only if, you promise to behave,” I threaten. Both men nod their agreement. “That means no fighting. It also means we never, and I mean never, speak of what happened last night.” When I get no argument, I free Zane first and then Taranis.

Blog Tour: The Fortune Cafe (A Tangerine Street Romance)

The Fortune Cafe (A Tangerine Street Romance) by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, Heather B. Moore
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Clean Romance
Release Date: March 17, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Welcome to Tangerine Street

Tangerine Street is a must-see tourist stop with a colorful mix of one-of-a-kind boutiques, unique restaurants, eclectic museums, quaint bookstores, and exclusive bed-and-breakfasts. The Fortune Café, situated in the middle of this charming collection of shops and cafés on Tangerine Street, is a Chinese restaurant unlike any other because, well, to be honest, the fortunes found in the cookies all come true…

MIS-FORTUNE: Emma, a waitress at The Fortune Café will do anything to avoid opening a fortune cookie. Each fortune is rumored to somehow magically come true. Being a girl grounded in reality, she doesn’t have time for that kind of nonsense. But when trying to prevent a food fight at the café, Emma accidentally cracks open a fortune cookie: “Look around, love is trying to catch you.” If there is one thing that Harrison, her former best friend in high school is good at, it’s catching her unaware.

LOVE, NOT LUCK: Lucy has always been lucky . . . until her parents meet her fiancé’s parents at a disastrous lunch at The Fortune Café, and she breaks her lucky jade necklace. Even worse, her fortune cookie reveals that “True love is for the brave, not the lucky.” How is she supposed to read that? She’s always considered how she met her fiancé lucky. But after breaking her necklace, Lucy’s luck takes a dive. And when her fiancé dumps her, the only person she can turn to is Carter, the unluckiest guy she knows.

TAKEOUT: Stella is content in her new life of taking over her mom’s jewelry shop. No more boyfriend to worry about, and as long as she stays busy, she doesn’t have to dwell on her non-existent love life. When Evan comes into the shop with his young daughter, Stella is charmed. But she is reluctant to complicate her straightforward life, so when she reads her fortune after ordering takeout from The Fortune Café, she completely ignores it. After all, how can a fortune as vague as “Do the thing you fear and love is certain,” apply to her?

♥ ♥ ♥
Giveaway:

Blog Tour: Imperfect Love

Imperfect Love by Rebecca Talley
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romance
Release Date: March 1, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Lauren Wilson is well on her way to her happily-ever-after. She’s passionate about her career as a middle school English teacher, she adores her handsome, hard-working husband, and with a baby finally on the way, her perfect life is within her grasp.

But then a devastating test result changes everything.

Forced to choose between her baby and her husband, Lauren makes the only decision she can live with, and she returns to her small hometown in hopes of rebuilding her shattered life.

Ethan Campbell is a gifted photographer who travels the world and has no desire to settle down. When his mother dies, he must go home to settle her estate. Then it’s back to exciting adventures across the globe.

When Lauren crosses paths with Ethan, her teenage crush, old feelings resurface—feelings she’s not prepared to face. Will Lauren have the courage to trust again or will she spend her life alone?

Imperfect Love is a story about sacrifice, healing, second chances, and discovering that although love isn’t always perfect, sometimes it’s the imperfect love that’s the sweetest of all

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

The door out to the garage opened into the dining area. “Mom, I can’t find the—”

“Ethan, come in here,” Mrs. Campbell said with a strained voice.

Ethan stepped into the house. His black hair was a bit longer and his shoulders were broader since the last time Lauren saw him. He still easily earned the nickname of Adonis. Ethan smiled and said, “Hello,” as he strode across the room.

“You remember Emily and—”

Blog Tour: The Orphan and the Thief

The Orphan and the Thief by M.L. LeGette
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Release Date: January 3, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Toad thought it’d be easy to steal from Mr. Edward P. Owl. Unfortunately for Toad, he isn’t the best of thieves. Caught in the act, he’s in more trouble than ever before. Now to save his hide, Toad must track down five rare potion ingredients for Mr. Owl. Or else.

All Melena Snead wants is her family back, but after the Miggens Street Fire, that isn’t very likely. Orphaned and miserable, forced to work in an apothecary, she’s determined to find Milo, her missing brother. No matter what.

When Melena finds Toad ransacking her apothecary, Toad gets a nasty shock: apothecaries don’t carry Mr. Owl’s ingredients. Luckily, Melena’s willing to help, for a price.

With Melena’s pet Spit-Fire dragon and Toad’s enchanted talking beer mug, they embark on a fantastical journey, traveling the country in search of the potion ingredients. But can they gather all of them in time, what with monsters, pirates, and axe-wielding thieves? And if they do, is there an even greater danger waiting for them at the end?

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

Panicking, Toad rushed, “Come on, Gent. There’s gotta be somethin’ that ya want! My prices are reasonable!”

“The price is your life,” Mr. Owl stated, gently placing the dragon statue upon the desk.

Mr. Ogg stopped again, his ham-sized hands falling back to his sides. Toad fell silent, too stunned to dare hope that he wasn’t about to be killed.

“Let me explain how this will work, Mr. Toad. If tonight was like any other night I would happily see your neck snapped and toss you out like the bit of filth that you are.” He gave a heavy sigh. “However, the Hickory Guard have become annoyingly tedious ever since that upstart became Captain.”

Book Blast: Warrior's Moon

Warrior's Moon by Jaclyn Hawkes
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: November 15, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

They loved each other desperately.

Never in all the kingdom has there been a more brave and protective champion. Nor such a loyal and capable maiden. He rescued her the first time when she was three years old in a killing storm. Years later, he was still occasionally rescuing her.

'Twas in him to be a hero, and she had a pure intrepid way of getting into the kinds of scrapes that took rescuing. With such a brawny, masculine guardian around, 'twould have been a fair pity to waste the gallantry anyway.

Their childhood friendship between two young peasants had grown into a devotion few are ever blessed to experience. It was strong enough to withstand all their dark age held—danger, feudalism, disease, and unfair oppression.

Or is it strong enough? They truly loved each other desperately. They loved their kingdom more.

♥ ♥ ♥
Giveaway:

Blog Tour: Create A Powerful Life Plan!

Create A Powerful Life Plan! by Connie E. Sokol
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Inspirational
Release Date: January 7, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Years ago I was fat, unfulfilled, and unfocused. Then I got serious about making changes, writing an achievable life vision and goals. Starting with weight, I lost twenty-five pounds and gained great energy. This motivated me to organize my home and time, rediscover the joy in parenting, and speak professionally part-time to share with others what I had learned.

That was my ideal life change, what’s yours?

Create a Powerful Life Plan: 3 Simple Steps to Your Ideal Life! will help you achieve life changes in three stress-free steps. You’ll learn how to create a clear vision of your ideal life. Then, how to set and achieve simple, enjoyable goals to make that vision a reality. And finally, what to do when you become stuck, fearful, or frustrated.

You’ll also read the real-life experiences of five women who put their Life Plan into action. And receive online support through podcasts, video segments, blog posts and more.

Now is the best time to become the person you want to be, and live the life you yearn to live. No gimmicks, no hoopla, just solid, time-tested principles and practices that will help you achieve your dreams and goals, and enjoy the process.

♥ ♥ ♥
Endorsements:

“I love your book!! I read it once last week and now I’m reading it again and marking it. I can see it making a difference in my life. I’m realizing that I don’t have to do it all at once.” Jodi Anderson

“Before I started this [book], I wanted to break down my goals into weekly accomplishments in a goal setting program. I can’t believe it, this is exactly what I have been looking for!” Brea Mefford

Review: My Sister's Reaper

My Sister's Reaper by Dorothy Dreyer
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Release Date: May 29, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Sixteen-year-old Zadie’s first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it.

When Zadie accidentally messes with the Reaper’s Rite that should have claimed her sister Mara, things go horribly wrong. 

Mara isn’t the same anymore—Zadie isn’t even sure she’s completely human, and to top it off, a Reaper is determined to collect Mara’s soul no matter what. 

Now Zadie must figure out how to defeat her sister’s Reaper, or let Mara die … this time for good.

♥ ♥ ♥

Sixteen-year-old Zadie’s first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it. My Sister’s Reaper follows Zadie as she deals with the everyday issues of being a teenager, boys, mean girls, a popular sister and as if that wasn’t enough Zadie isn’t exactly normal…

Magic seems to find its way into her life, wrapping around her and the people she cares about. Zadie’s journey to understand her past while trying to save her sister is chilling and powerful.

I loved this book. Not only is it a quick read, but the plot is original and interesting. Dorothy Dreyer has a unique style of writing that allows the reader to see inside Zadie’s head and experience things with her. I also really loved how we get right into things. There’s not a ridiculous amount of expletive (I despise when writers spell out every little thing, it makes me skim rather than read) and Dreyer describes things just enough that you can picture it, but on your own terms.

Blog Tour: Living Your Covenants Every Day

Living Your Covenants Every Day by Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Non-Fiction
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

The little things we do on a daily basis don’t just matter—they can make all the difference. Intentional daily acts focused on covenant-keeping will bind us to the Savior as we are deliber- ate and determined to follow Him in small and simple ways. 

Drawing upon the teachings and lives of ancient and modern prophets, author Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt identifies patterns of truth that encourage increased commitment to covenant relationships while diminishing the binding grip of the adversary.

Included are chapters on the need to be consistent in covenant- keeping, on recognizing Satan’s tactics and lies, on undoing self-destructive routines, on the role of the Spirit to help us both feel and follow promptings, and on the power of daily scripture study and prayer in establishing habits that reinforce and sup- port our commitment to the Savior.

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

1."One mantra I use to help me clearly state the plan of happiness and make decisions as to how I will act is this: Satan hates me and wants to isolate me. Christ loves me and wants to embrace me. Living a life centered on the plan of salvation illuminates this truth. Satan wants to destroy us.

Blog Tour: Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen (The Man Who Loved Jane Austen, #2)

Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen (The Man Who Loved Jane Austen, #2) by Sally Smith O'Rourke
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romance
Release Date: September 22nd 2012
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N ♥ Smashwords

Book Description:

Was Mr. Darcy real? Is time travel really possible? For pragmatic Manhattan artist Eliza Knight the answer to both questions is absolutely, Yes! And Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley Farms, Virginia is the reason why!

His tale of love and romance in Regency England leaves Eliza in no doubt that Fitz Darcy is the embodiment of Jane Austen’s legendary hero. 

And she’s falling in love with him. But can the man who loved the inimitable Jane Austen ever love average, ordinary Eliza Knight?

Eliza’s doubts grow, perhaps out of proportion, when things start to happen in the quiet hamlet of Chawton, England; events that could change everything. Will the beloved author become the wedge that divides Fitz and Eliza or the tie that binds them?

♥ ♥ ♥

Praise for Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen O’Rourke creates a world that defies cynicism and demands suspension of disbelief – even in this age of doubt and hyper-realism. Sheer escapism at its best. Clever, charming and affectionate.

~Jocelyn Bury

…the reader must tenaciously read on rather than put the book down to satisfy their hunger for the story to resolve, which it does in characteristically Jane Austen fashion.

Blog Tour: The Yesterday Series

Yesterday (Yesterday #1) by Amanda Tru
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: February 2012
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Her yesterday was five years ago. What will her tomorrow bring?

When Hannah Kraeger saves a family injured in a car accident, she has no idea she has changed events in the past. 

Waking the next morning, Hannah discovers her yesterday was really five years ago.

Each trip Hannah takes through time changes the timeline and her own life. With help from DR. Seth Mcallister, Hannah must unravel the mystery of why she time travels and who she actually is before the strange ability costs her future, the man she loves, and even her life.


♥ ♥ ♥

The Locket (Yesterday #2) by Amanda Tru
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: February 2012
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Hannah suddenly finds that she has time travelled once again, but this time is different. After helping save a woman's life, Hannah discovers that she has completely altered the timeline and thrown her very existence into jeopardy.

Facing life-threatening effects upon returning to her own time, Hannah is then given a death sentence: if she time travels again, she will die. Now, Hannah must solve the clues to her own identity and find a way to save her own life before she is once again sent spiraling through time.

Will her mother's locket hold the key to both her past and her future? Has she just found the love of her life only to lose him? Could God have a plan for Hannah amidst the chaos?

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:
Yesterday Chapter 2

“Come on, Abby, that isn’t funny! I was Superwoman last night and rescued a family who’d had an accident in the snowstorm. A helicopter came to the lodge and took them to the hospital. No one told you about the helicopter?”

Abby stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “Hannah, maybe you should sit down. Are you not feeling well?”

“I’m fine! But I want to know what’s going on! Where’s Seth? He’ll explain it to you.”

“Hannah, there isn’t anyone here at Silver Springs named Seth. There was no injured family or a helicopter here last night. And. . .”

Blog Tour: A Way Back To You

A Way Back To You by Emily Gray Clawson
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Romance
Release Date: 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

For two-and-a-half years, Annabelle, a young widow with three small children, has been stuck in the past. Numbed by grief and overwhelmed by the responsibility of raising her three small children alone, she agrees to let them spend the weekend with a friend while she tries to get some much-needed rest at her parents’ home.

But the next morning, Annabelle is suddenly sixteen again—and it just happens to be the worst day of her teenage years. As she relives the drama of high school life, Annabelle realizes that her future husband, Mitch, has just returned from a mission and is living on the other side of town. While getting Mitch’s attention is more complicated than she imagined, Annabelle discovers that she is stronger than she has been willing to admit, and there just might be a future for her after all.

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

I stared after her, resenting her interference even while I envied how easy it was for her to talk to people. I got into my car and turned the key. The engine started on the third try. As I glanced in the rearview mirror to back out, I caught a glimpse of myself. Ugh. My hair was sticking out all over, thanks to sleeping on it wet. No wonder Shelley had been staring at me like that.

“Lovely,” I muttered, trying to smooth it. One lock of hair continued to flip out unnaturally like a neon sign flashing the words “She really let herself go.” It must have been the sleepless night, or maybe I was getting sick like James, but I had this horrible pain in the pit of my stomach that grew and grew. I thought maybe I was going to throw up, but instead the pain just pushed itself up and out in a huge sob. Tears followed immediately, and I struggled to see as I pulled out of the parking lot.

Blog Tour: David's Song - April R Talley: Top Ten List

David's Song by A.R. Talley
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: November 23, 2010
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Taken from the book cover: Annie only ever really loved two men in her life. One broke her heart, the other married her. Four children and fifteen years later, Annie’s marriage is in jeopardy. Money is tight and her husband questions the very foundation of their relationship.

When Annie is unexpectedly given the opportunity to see the young man who broke her heart — a man who is now a megastar in the music industry — Annie is faced with choices. Choices that will determine what is of more value — a second chance at lost love and unfulfilled dreams or commitment, trust, and love built on years of experience.

A psychologically subtle, yet compelling tale about how the instinct and need for love overcomes self-doubt and personal inadequacy.

♥ ♥ ♥


1. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah - I love the interplay of relationships in the story
2. Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Luis Zafron - it has the most unexpected twist in it that I have ever read
3. Sylvia's Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell - show the tragic results of poor choices