It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (40)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme from Book Journey where we spotlight what we finished reading, are currently reading and plan to read next.

{Finished Reading}

{Currently Reading}

   {What I'm Going to Read Next} 

What about you? What have you read lately? What's next on your list?

{Book Blitz + Giveaway} The Fallen Body by Stone Patrick

Release date: November 5th 2013

Publisher: Xlibris

Purchase: Amazon 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19868365-the-fallen-body

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Taylour Dixxon, a modern day small-town lawyer in the beautiful hilly country of Central Texas, befriends Sarah Cockrell Baines, a New Jersey socialite and millionairess. 

As their friendship begins, Sarah is arrested for the murder of her husband and is put into jail. When Taylour volunteers to defend Sarah, she has no idea that her struggling solo practice in the sleepy, fictional, small town of Marlinsville, Texas, will be turned upside down. 

From a lovable, adolescent nephew who moves in with her, to a hired assassin who is determined to hide the truth, and a handsome Texas Ranger who becomes the object of affection in a love triangle between the two friends, Taylour’s life will never be the same.

{Excerpt}

Just as Taylour was about to pick up her fork and dive in, Sarah asked if she could say grace.

"Lord, we thank thee for this meal that thou hast provided, and the hands that have helped prepare it. We thank thee, Father, for all that thou hast given us this day. For old friendships, and new." She squeezed Taylour’s hand, and continued.

"Lord, we now ask thee to watch over us, to protect us from evil, and to keep us always on the path of righteousness." Taylour cleared her throat and swallowed. Sarah continued.

"Finally, Lord, we ask thee to--"

The front door slammed open. It rocked the foundation with such force that it nearly broke off the hinges. Men in black streamed in, guns pointing and sweeping the corners. Yells of "Texas Rangers, don't move!" reverberated off the walls. Taylour dived under the table, but Sarah remained seated, unmoving. The lead shooter aimed his weapon squarely at Taylour’s head, and then shouted, "Get up! Get up off the floor! Now!"

Taylour hastened to comply, her hands behind her head. "What is going on?"

Sounds of "Clear!" throughout the house, but no one answered Taylour’s question, which seemed to hang in the air.

"I demand to know what is going on here!"

"All clear!" yelled the lead shooter, and then a tall man with thick gray hair emerged. He was wearing a non-descript suit and tie, with a slight bump under his right arm. He had a small but distinctive scar on his right temple. He replaced his Glock 17 into his chest holster with his left hand and marched towards Taylour with his badge in his right hand, which he promptly put back in his pocket. Taylour’s blood boiled, and just as she was about to let out another protest, he stopped her with his index finger. "Are you Sarah Baines?" he asked.

"What? There's no Sarah Baines--"

"How did you find me?"

They both turned to see Sarah, still seated. Her hands were flat on the table, and she sat unmoving, not from fear, but from acceptance of her fate. She finally pushed herself away and asked again, "How did you find me so quickly?"

The tall man pulled a photo from his suit pocket. He squinted at the photo, then back at Sarah.

"You changed your hair. It used to be platinum blond, if this picture is accurate." Sarah's hair was black, jet black, and she had it cut to the length of her shoulders. A feeling of dread came over Taylour. Who is this person?

The tall man motioned for Taylour to sit down. "Philip Davidson, Texas Rangers. We have been looking for a fugitive, someone by the name of Sarah Baines, a.k.a. Sarah Cockrell. She is sitting at this table, and I am here to arrest her."

"On what charges, Mr. Davidson?" Taylour said.

"Are you her lawyer?" he smirked.

"As a matter of fact, I am."

Sarah looked at Taylour with pleading in her eyes. Taylour gave her a curt nod, set her jaw, and leaned towards Philip Davidson, staring him straight in the eye.

He squinted right back at Taylour and gave her a hard smile. Without looking in Sarah’s direction, he said crisply, "Sarah Cockrell Baines, you are under arrest for the murder of Neal Baines, your husband."

 

About the Author

Stone Patrick is a pseudonym for Taylor Stonely, who has a day job working for a financial services company. He received a BS degree from Brigham Young in 1991 and an MBA degree from the University of Phoenix in 2002. He currently resides in north Texas with his wife and four children. While he is a frequent blogger on his website,www.taylorsbookpub.com, "The Fallen Body" is his debut suspense novel.

{Book Blitz + Giveaway} Crushed by R.S. Novelle

 

Crushed by R.S. Novelle
Publication date: June 7th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

Brooklyn has decided to stick around campus to pursue her Master’s Degree while her boyfriend chases a job opportunity in Chicago. After discovering that long distance relations rarely work out, her best friend helps her to decide that she needs to put down the daily pints of therapeutic ice cream and join their local gym.

Though resistant to the idea at first, Brooklyn relents and finds that things quickly heat up with her new personal trainer Collin. Is it just a flirtatious crush, or is there something real there? And will the blind date her best friend has also committed her to have any weight in the decision on whether or not Brooklyn will pursue her chances with Collin?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22447604-crushed?ac=1

Purchase:

-Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Crushed-R-S-Novelle-ebook/dp/B00KU61KVC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403890303&sr=8-1&keywords=crushed+novelle
-Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crushed-renee-novelle/1119711278?ean=2940045997331

Author Interview:

 

1.      Tell us a little about yourself.

Oh geez, where do I start? I love writing in all its gazillion varieties. I’m a huge supporter of anything arts related – theater, dance, music, art, fashion, you name it! I’m as addicted to lipgloss as I am to coffee. I’m a huge foodie and love trying new, fun recipes at home. I believe in romance and the perfect love and all that wonderful, sappy stuff. And I have two adorable cats that I consider to be my furry babies.

2.      Tell us about your book. What inspired this story?

CRUSHED was my experiment with a different type of story and different type of characters than I normally write. I wanted to write something that was fun, sexy, slightly realistic and with a twist at the end. It’s one of three New Adult romance stories that I wrote to try something new, and I really liked the end result. So there may be more like this in the future. The other two, for those who are interested, are LATITUDES and DANCE WITH ME.

3.      Is there a message you’re trying to get across the readers? What’s the one thing you want readers to think when they’ve finished your book?

There isn’t really a deep, underlying meaning with this book. Except to keep in mind that you can bump into the love of your life anywhere at any time, so keep your mind open to possibilities. Brooklyn certainly never expected to meet anyone at the gym. I really want readers to feel like they can connect in some way with the characters, and to just have fun with the story. It isn’t mean to be serious in any way.

4.      When did you know you wanted to write a book?

It’s always been a lifelong goal of mine to be a published author. And now I am, how cool is that!

5.      Do you have any “odd” writing habits?

Define “odd” lol. Not really, but I have to have complete silence to really get inside the heads of the characters.

6.      Where’s your favorite place to write?

I have an office that I call my writing cave. It’s a really cozy and quiet and I love it there.

7.      What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Write because you love it, and for no other reason. That’s when you produce your best work, and it will make you the most satisfied in the end.

8.      What’s one thing about the writing process that you think every writer should know?

That it’s extremely hard! And success doesn’t always come right away. Also keep in mind that everyone gets the occasional bad review and it’s a real blow to the ego. But all the wonderful comments and reviews make up for it.

9.      What’s your favorite part about the writing process?

Finally getting all the stories out of my head! And I actually love the editing part. Writing that first draft can be really tough, but going back and making it better and better is so much fun!

10.  What are you working on next?

Well, my second installment in my Boyfriend series, The Perfect Boyfriend, comes out on July 27^th, so I’ve been busy getting everything prepared for that. Next I’m working on the third installment to my psychological thriller series, Avenged. And then after that I’ll write the third installment in my Boyfriend series, The One.

Blitz-wide giveaway

25$ Amazon Gift Card - Open INTL - Ends July 8th

AUTHOR BIO

Renee' Novelle is preceded by a long line of published family members, including Pulitzer Prize nominated author and Poet Laureate of Kentucky Jesse Stuart.

As a child, Novelle was already gaining recognition for several of her works, and in her formative years, she continued this trend by earning local awards for her short stories and poems.

Inspired to cultivate her talent, Novelle pursued freelance journalism and has found placement of more than 80 of her pieces in both online and print publications since 2008. Additionally, she has written multiple screenplays, and contributed her savvy, effective writing style to many non-profit and for profit organizations. She also launched several blogs over the years, which garnered international attention.

In 2013, Novelle returned to her first love - fiction. Writing under the names Renee Novelle and R.S. Novelle, she has a publication schedule that includes psychological thrillers, suspense, paranormal fiction, contemporary women's fiction, chick lit, and new adult.

Though she received her Bachelor's of Science in Communication, Summa Cum Laude, she considers herself a constant student of the written word. She's an avid reader, an enthusiastic quote poster, and rarely takes "no" as a final answer. She has an unhealthy obsession for theater, dance, music  and art, and strongly believes that wine is simultaneously the beginning of, and resolution to, all of life's problems. She believes in following dreams, and that in the end, you always end up where you're meant to be.

For more information, to view pictures, read blog posts and see the upcoming release schedule, please visit the website at www.RSNovelle.com

Author links: 

http://www.rsnovelle.com/ReneeNovelle/Home.html

https://www.facebook.com/ReneeNovelle

https://twitter.com/rs_novelle

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7249191.R_S_Novelle

{NA Review} Ransom (Ransom Brothers #1) by Rachel Schurig

{NA Review} Ransom (Ransom Brothers #1) by Rachel Schurig

Daisy Harris has no reason to suspect that her day will be any different than usual. She’ll go to class, alone. She won’t speak or make eye contact. She’ll spend her entire day doing her best to go completely unnoticed. That’s what life is like for Daisy now—an endless cycle of loneliness and fear. A life lived hiding behind the walls she so faithfully maintains.

Then she sees it. A magazine, left behind in class. A simple picture—just his face. And it changes everything.

It’s been a year since she’s seen Daltrey Ransome. A year since he and his brothers left town to pursue their dreams of rock and roll superstardom. A year since he left Daisy behind—left her to watch as everything she knew crumbled around her. She’s been running from Daltrey ever since, desperate to keep her secret.

But she can’t run anymore. And now that Daltrey has found her—the girl he’s loved his entire life, the girl he’d give up everything for—he’s determined never to let her go again.

**The first book in a brand new series from USA Today bestselling author Rachel Schurig. This New Adult Contemporary Romance novel is a complete story with no cliffhanger.**(Blurb via Goodreads)

{Details} Ebook. Published April 28th 2014. (first published April 27th 2014). Source: Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Rachel Schurig

{Rating} 4/5 -- I really liked it!

{Review}

"What's your name?" (page 1, line 1)

Ransom is the second book I've read by Rachel Schurig, my review of Escape in You is here. She has a way with intense love stories and wonderful but damaged characters who go through a lot but come out stronger on the other side.

I was immediately engaged by the storyline and invested in the characters. I saw that something terrible had happened to Daisy but the details are slowly revealed and kept me turning the pages. I had to know about these characters, about what happened to them, and if Daisy and Daltrey would ever confess their feelings.

I loved the characters. Daisy and Daltrey are imperfect, scarred, scared, brave, they screw up big time, they make little mistakes, and they have a lot to learn and they did, they changed and grew throughout the book. The cast of secondary characters are just as fabulous, the other Ransome boys and awesome friends Paige and Karen. Next installment in the Ransom Brothers series please!

Stacking the Shelves (59)

 Stacking The Shelves, a weekly meme from Tynga's Reviews
where I list what I've read, what I've reviewed, what I've acquired
and anything else worth mentioning

• Of Neptune by Anna Banks
• Wolf Curves by Christa Wick
• Bound to the Alpha by Viola Rivard
• Knock Out by Melissa Hale
• Armored by MA Wilder
• The Sweetest Seduction by Crista McHugh
• Storm by Nina Levine
• The Bear Protector by Bonnie Burrows
• Wallflower by Catherine Gayle
• Biting Cold by Chloe Neill
• House Rules by Chloe Neill
• To Catch a Wolf by Lynn Red
• Her Wolf by Rebecca Royce
• Rocker's Melody by Katie Mars

4 Star Review

4 Star Review

5 Star Review

3 Star Review

• The Seahorse Legacy (Eyes of E'veria) by Serena Chase
• Almost Bad Boys Omnibus by A.O. Peart
• His Reverie by Monica Murphy (Netgalley)

*Book image property of Microsoft  

First Line Friday (38) His Reverie by Monica Murphy

First Line Friday is a meme hosted on Rampant Readers, where we share the first line of the novel we a currently reading in order to pique the interest of other readers like you. So basically, we just share the first sentence or two of the novel you are currently reading, and tell us whether or not it hooked you in!

The book:

His Reverie by Monica Murphy

The only girl I could ever love.

She is light.

I am darkness.

She is innocent.

I’ve done too much.

She is good.

I am bad.

She is my every dream.

I should be her every nightmare.

We come from different worlds. She’s…perfect. And I’m…

Not.

Somehow she wants me anyway. So we’ll grasp at what we can. We’re going to make this summer count. She’s my secret. And I’m hers.

The problem with secrets is they never last for long. And when others discover we’re together, they’ll do whatever it takes to keep us apart. All I know is: I won’t let them.

Because Reverie Hale? She’s mine. (Blurb via Goodreads)

 The first line(s):

"I'm not good enough for her.
And I know it."

Hooked?

Yes.

Join the fun, link up at Rampant Readers

{Cover Reveal + Giveaway} Whole in the Clouds by Kristine Kibbee

Title: Whole in the Clouds

Author: Kristine Kibbee

Cover Reveal Date: June 27th 2014

Publisher: Zharmae Publishing Press

Genre: Middle Grade

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20648135-whole-in-the-clouds

Description:

Cora Catlin is a misfit at best, and an outcast at worst. She feels out of place, as if everything is backward and something is missing from her life.

And then, on her first day of middle school, everything changes.

When Cora encounters an elfin stranger who speaks of the magical world Clouden, an entire kingdom hidden up in the sky, she can’t wait to leave her boring, humdrum life behind. As Cora travels to her new home, where children sprout from the ground and rivers flow with chocolate, she finds herself transformed—and if that weren’t enough, she has to adjust to royal parents, talking Pegasuses, a raging war, and an alluring love interest as well.

Exploring this new land, Cora unearths wonders and secrets beyond her wildest imaginings, discovering the meaning of true friendship, love, and what it means to feel whole.

Author’s Bio:

Kristine Kibbee is a Pacific Northwest native with a love of languages, nature, and animals. Kristine’s passion for writing began in her early youth and led her to Washington State University, where she earned a degree with a concentration in professional writing. From the small town of Castle Rock, WA nestled among 22 acres of towering fir trees, Kristine relishes time spent outdoors with her two french bulldogs and husband. She dreams of making the everyday world more magical with her fantasy novels.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/K_Kibbee

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