Sunday, January 14, 2018

Sunday Post #186

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share new about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

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And... a month later. I post on December 10th and say I'm back then don't post another Sunday Post until now. Ugh. It's been a ride to get here. lol. I ended up sick with the head cold going around. Then Christmas. Christmas is a crazy, busy time for us with all the visiting we do. Then New Years Eve happened. Which, Happy New Year!
Sheba says Happy New Year. Photo by Melissa (Me) at Spellbound in a Flash.

Then I got sick again along with a sinus infection. I'm hoping by today, I'm over being sick (I really don't want it again) and the holiday chaos has passed. Time to relax back into the normal rhythm of life.

I've been scheduling posts though. I've posted reviews and been taking pictures. I've been keeping busy with all sorts of stuff. Now I'm ready to relax and get back to book things. I've not been able to complete a print book in what feels like ages because of all going on with the holidays. I'm hoping to turn that around.

So, how have you all been? Hope your holidays were lovely and filled with friends, family, and books.

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The Fit Booker:

Goal:  Workout in any form of exercise (or on Wii Fit) 2x's a week. (to feel better and hope to drop a few pants sizes)

How did I do last week... Hahahaha. I'm rolling on the floor laughing. I don't think I've truly worked out since... August? I did start on the treadmill again, then got sick with the cold/sinus infection. So that didn't go far. I do need to get back at it now that I'm feeling better.


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What's Happening in Books:

Current Read:
Winter of Ice and Iron by Rachel Neumeier
Assassin's Mark by A.F. Grappin

Current Audiobook:
Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw

Current Podcast Book Listen:
Alone by Scott Sigler (You can listen for free too! Go to Scott's website.)


Finished Last Week: 
No print books.


Audiobooks from Audible:
Teeth of the Gods by Sarah K.L. Wilson
Spirited Christmas by Gary Jonas
Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva
H.A.L.F. Origins by Natalie Wright
Fairytale Christmas by Merrie Destefano
Glass Town by Steven Savile


Finished Podcast Book Listen:
None.


DNFed:
Stonebriar Casefiles: Bad Alchemy by Laura Nicole Spencer (You can listen for free too!) - Author's stopped posting it.
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Last Two Weeks on the Blog:


Cover Reveals: (click titles to go to post & learn more)




Guest Posts:


Posts:


Around the Internet...



Reviews:
Ashford's Ghost by Skyla Dawn Cameron

"This book had a small creepy feel to the book for me from time to time but it was a fun haunted house story with a bit of adventure, which you always get from Livi and West."


H.A.L.F.: Origins by Natalie Wright

"Our friends learn much about themselves as they age in feelings and mind through this book. They live through terrible tragedies and have to do things to survive they don't want to do, like kill. But through this they see things are changing, and so are they."


Teeth of the Gods by Sarah K.L. Wilson

"Coming to the end of the book, it took a turn I hadn't expected. As much as I enjoyed the story, world, and character interaction, I found I was really sparked by this surprise. I thought back, thinking on what we learned through the book and where we ended up. There were hints given as we came here, not as much in the beginning but more so the closer we got. Very cool!"


Fairytale Christmas by Merrie Destefano

"I very much enjoyed the Celtic and faery feel to the story along with events that take place. It feels as the old stories were used to create this story and the world we find them in."


Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva

"Samantha has taken an old tale and sprinkled it into the life of the original creator, creating a new story of her own with links to the original story. There is also history drizzled in for our enjoyment. Samantha touched on emotions in me. There were a few places that I smiled, but she did have me tear up as well."


Spirited Christmas by Gary Jonas

"In true Gary Jonas fashion, there is much more to the story than one would expect. Jonathan has a soft heart and it shows in this book. He's determined to do what's right but also what is wanted. The two do go hand in hand from time to time."


Hell's Rejects by M.R. Forbes

"I enjoyed this story. The crew too. A bunch of misfits, or rejects as the title says, that are brought together. But they make an awesome crew with some conflicts mixed in."


Strain of Resistance by Michelle Bryan

"...the author did a wonderful job of creating her own characters in the world. They are their own individuals and felt to stick out in this world for me. That's what makes the story for me."


Steamforge by Eric Asher

"This feels a story that is catching for it's atmosphere. The world that the characters live in is different and interesting with the bugs and land and mechanics."


Hunter, Healer by Lilith Saintcrow

"The book feels to have a balance of romance and action. There is more story with Rowan and Sigma and Delgado and Sigma, as we get POV's from Rowan and Delgado. The story comes to an end, but there is an opening to possibly continue with these characters. I'd be up for it if it happens, but I'm happy with the way this ended as well."


Podcast Review:




Mama Bitchstress Reviews:



GIVEAWAYS:


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This Week to Come on the Blog:


I have two reviews to finish and schedule for you.



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Received For the Last Month:
(Note: Links to Amazon are buy links where I could earn commission, in case you are interested.)


For Review Consideration:



Audio Books Requested for Review:
Behind Enemy Lines by Terry Mixon
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Cut off from home, Princess Kelsey Bandar needs a place to hide from the vengeful Rebel Empire. 

The secrets she stole give her people a fighting chance in the war that brought down the original Terran Empire. If she gets them home. If her prisoners cooperate. 

Should that prove impossible, she must then convince a long-hidden people to help her. After she finds them, of course. 

If you love military science fiction and grand adventure on a galaxy-spanning scale, grab “Behind Enemy Lines” and the rest of The Empire of Bones Saga today!

Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Meet Greta Helsing, fast-talking doctor to the undead. Keeping the supernatural community not-alive and well in London has been her family's specialty for generations.

Greta Helsing inherited the family's highly specialized, and highly peculiar, medical practice. In her consulting rooms, Dr. Helsing treats the undead for a host of ills - vocal strain in banshees, arthritis in barrow-wights, and entropy in mummies. Although barely making ends meet, this is just the quiet, supernatural-adjacent life Greta's been groomed for since childhood.

Until a sect of murderous monks emerges, killing human and undead Londoners alike. As terror takes hold of the city, Greta must use her unusual skills to stop the cult if she hopes to save her practice, and her life.
 

Court of Broken Knives by Anna Smith Spark
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Goodreads Synopsis:
They’ve finally looked at the graveyard of our Empire with open eyes. They’re fools and madmen and like the art of war. And their children go hungry while we piss gold and jewels into the dust.

In the richest empire the world has ever known, the city of Sorlost has always stood, eternal and unconquered. But in a city of dreams governed by an imposturous Emperor, decadence has become the true ruler, and has blinded its inhabitants to their vulnerability. The empire is on the verge of invasion – and only one man can see it.

Haunted by dreams of the empire’s demise, Orhan Emmereth has decided to act. On his orders, a company of soldiers cross the desert to reach the city. Once they enter the Palace, they have one mission: kill the Emperor, then all those who remain. Only from ashes can a new empire be built.

The company is a group of good, ordinary soldiers, for whom this is a mission like any other. But the strange boy Marith who walks among them is no ordinary soldier. Marching on Sorlost, Marith thinks he is running away from the past which haunts him. But in the Golden City, his destiny awaits him – beautiful, bloody, and more terrible than anyone could have foreseen.



Purchased/Winnings/Gifts:
Book:
The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter by Michael J. Sullivan
Purchasing Info on Goodreads Update by Author
Goodreads Synopsis:
A daughter vanishes. Two rogues are paid a fortune to find her. It isn't enough.

When Gabriel Winter's daughter mysteriously disappears and is presumed dead, the wealthy whiskey baron seeks revenge. Having lived in Colnora during the infamous Year of Fear, he hires the one man he knows can deliver a bloody retribution - the notorious Duster.

Ride with Royce and Hadrian as the cynical ex-assassin and idealistic ex-mercenary travel to a mysterious old-world city filled with nobles claiming descent from imperial aristocracy. Riyria's job appears easy: discover what happened to the missing duchess and, if she lives, bring her home . . . if not, punish those responsible. But nothing is simple in the crowded, narrow, mist-filled streets of Rochelle, where more than one ancient legend lurks.

Heroines and Hellions (a collection of stories)
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Goodreads Synopsis:
NO DAMSELS ALLOWED!

22 Kickass Heroines.
22 Exclusive, Full-length Urban Fantasy and Fantasy Novels.
0 Damsels in Distress.


Do you like your leading ladies to save the day...or raze it?

No matter which you prefer, this set is brimming with 20 magical stories (many BRAND NEW) told by some of the leading voices of urban fantasy and fantasy in the industry, including several New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors!

If you want strong female leads who strike back against the captivating worlds of vampires, elementals, fiends, and paranormal monsters, then you're ready to charge into the adventures of HEROINES & HELLIONS, a pure Urban Fantasy/Fantasy collection!

Grab your stake, silver bullets, and your limited edition copy of HEROINES & HELLIONS today!



Audio:
Fairytale Christmas by Merrie Destefano
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Goodreads Synopsis:
"Three thousand years ago, a war began between the immortals and the mortals. It's a war that continues to this day...

Before history began, a legendary queen battled a foreign army, braved the death of her husband, and faced betrayal at the hand of someone she trusted. This is the story of Eire, Queen of the Faeries, the Immortal One, and the leader of the Tuatha de Danann. 

To this day, her homeland, Ireland, bears her name, and this is the story of the war that drove the Immortal Ones into exile. It's also the tale of how she found help from an unexpected place, leading her to a love like she had never known before.

Fairytale Christmas is a story that spans thousands of years. It's also the beginning of all of our fairytales and legends; it's where mortals and immortals survive because they love one another, proving that love is the greatest gift of all.

This is the first installment in the Saga of the Fair Folk, a journey that lasts until the end of time."



Free Ebooks:
(On my Kindle and Nook App) Links to books under title. They may or may not be free at this time.
Embers by Abigail Hilton
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Among the querulous island kingdoms of Wefrivain, the only unifying power is religion – a wyvern cult ruled by an eccentric High Priestess. The system is under attack by a gang of pirates called the Guild of the Cowry Catchers who prey on Temple treasure ships. The Temple Police charged with eradicating this menace keep disappearing. 

Enter Gerard, a young prince, exiled from his small kingdom for rashly marrying the court minstrel. He has been chosen by the High Priestess as the new captain of Police. Gerard is smart, honorable, and a little naive. To break the pirate ring, he must cooperate with a wily, amoral colleague, who has already tried to kill him twice. As Gerard struggles to protect his talented wife, obey his seductive employer, and forge a complicated friendship with his dangerous co-worker, he becomes increasingly aware that the pirates have a legitimate quarrel with the wyverns. Dark secrets lurk in the Temple dungeons, and solving them will cost Gerard far more than his honor.

Flames by Abigail Hilton
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Captain of the Temple Police is not an easy job. Gerard wasn't expecting it to be easy…but he also didn't expect to have to fight off the Priestess's overtures at every turn. While he isn't against killing, torture seems dishonorable, and a visit to the dungeons leaves Gerard feeling more than a little sympathy for the pirates he's been ordered to capture. Nevertheless, if he's to protect his gentle, talented wife, Gerard must do his job and eliminate the anti-wyvern pirates. He's made a valuable friend and ally in the wily Admiral of the Temple Sea Watch. Together, they track down the charismatic pirate leader, Gwain, who agrees to meet with them. However, Gwain's chosen site for for their parley is a dangerous island gamepark where the stakes are high, and everyone is prey. This is the illustrated version of the second book in the Cowry Catchers series.

Blow by K.J. Waters
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Caught between a hurricane and a deadly secret, Rick Harris is running out of time when the wrong people show up at his door looking for shelter. As the storm closes in wreaking havoc on Pensacola he has to choose between saving their lives and exposing a secret that could cost him everything.

Fire and Fantasy: A Limited Edition Collection of Epic and Urban Fantasy
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Mystical Lands. Epic Adventure. Enchanting Characters. 

FIRE & FANTASY will have your imagination soaring as you charge headfirst into this enchanting collection of 20+ brand new and existing fantasy reads packed with daring quests, bewitching legends, and dark magic! 

Embark on sweeping adventures alongside fiery dragons, mystical mermaids, enchanted faeries, warring witches, demons, elves, and sword-wielding heroes as they face forces of evil and fight for the fate of their worlds! 

With over a million words of original Urban Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, and Sword and Sorcery Fantasy from more than twenty bestselling and award winning authors, prepare to lose yourself in the high-stakes fates of lovers, heroes, and villains. 
UNLEASH THE MAGIC IN FIRE & FANTASY and enter the worlds of the most creative fantasy authors today!

Snow by Howard Odentz
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Words to live by: Never steal from a drunk in the woods.

An epic and sudden blizzard is blanketing Mount Tom Regional High School . . . in October. A dangerous man is stalking the hallways, and three teens harbor a secret that may get everyone killed if they don't figure out how to stop the snow and the rampage. 

3 St3ps Forward by Chess Desalls, Les Lynam, & Tim Hemlin
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Goodreads Synopsis:
“This is a collaboration, or as we like to call it “a character mash,” between three writers, Chess Desalls, Tim Hemlin and Les Lynam.
If you’ve read our first book A Friend In Need, you’ll know, we’ve combined our characters to interact within one intersecting world to create a seamless story. We used characters from our books (and each others’ books) to populate this tale.
We had fun taking twists and turns (some in different directions than the previous author planned) and we hope you have even more fun reading it.
If you like the characters in this story, try out A Friend In Need, too. In fact, you can find all of our books, short stories and social media links at the end of this book.
Thank you to all our new as well as our old friends. We sincerely appreciate each and every one of you."

Close to the Bones: A Thriller Anthology
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Eleven talented authors. Eleven remarkable thrill rides. One incredible thriller collection. 

From the frozen waste to a tropical paradise, nowhere is safe. Nearly 350 pages of thriller short stories to capture your imagination and keep you on the edge of your seat. Start at the beginning and you may find that you can't stop until you've reached the end. 

A Bedtime Bones Story by Martha Carr. "Sometimes the darkest moments can set us free." 

Paranoid in Paradise by Craig Martelle. "Attitude can make anywhere a paradise, until the kidnappings begin." 

Green Lake Bones by A.C. Fuller. "Elite Indie Reads anticipates that A.C. Fuller will soon be a household name.” Elite Indie Reads 

Knuckle Bones by David Berens. "Someone is sending finger bones to the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan and it's up to Troy Bodean to figure out who they belong to and why they're no longer attached." 

The Spy Who Came in from the East Coast by Erika Mitchell. "What makes this series so pleasurable to read is Bai himself, his somewhat snarky attitude and self doubt make him more than the mere superhero jumping into the chaos to save the day." Jeff Ayers for Suspense Magazine 

Fatherlands by Basil Sands. "Based on a true family story, Fatherlands blends history, action, and suspense in a tale of espionage, murder and a flight to freedom, all beneath the gaze of the Midnight Sun." 

The Interrogator by John LIng. "An engaging thriller that investigates the psychology of fanaticism." San Francisco Book Review 

The Backpack by Ethan Jones. "Justin is such an awesome character Read in one sitting. Lots action." Amazon Reviewer 

Girl Will Frame by Mixi J Applebottom. "Why does a small-town woman make a decision with terrifying consequences?" 

Catching the Edge by Stephen Campbell. "You had me at elegantly sleek woman crawling across the bed, damned good story!" 

The Dark Imprint by Lee Hayton. "When Bretta actions a job for the police, her work reveals a serial killer who may prove to be unstoppable."

Immortal Winter by N.R. Larry & Margo Bond Collins
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Goodreads Synopsis:
A princess locked away in an ice tower. 
A handsome kidnapper who insists her savior-queen is a liar. 
And a chance to break the curse that's bound them all. 

Jayla Storm woke up today next to a dead body, with no memory of how it got there. Then Kip Stanton blew up her ice tower—the only home she’s ever known—and kidnapped her, insisting it was for her own good. 

Now she's stuck with a group of rebels hell-bent on usurping the queen who saved Jayla's life. As her memories resurface, she's afraid to trust anyone, even while her feelings for Kip grow stronger. 

But wherever Jayla goes, the monstrous ravagers follow. If she's going to survive, and perhaps save Kip and the others, she'll have to learn to trust someone—maybe especially herself.

Once Upon a Time edited by Demelza Carlton & Anna Hub
Goodreads Synopsis:
Fairytales, folktales and legends from all over the world, from Ancient Rome to the present day. Be warned: these are the original tales, before they were censored to be suitable for children.

Fall Scheherazade Retold by Demelza Carlton
Goodreads Synopsis:
A tale in the Romance a Medieval Fairy Tale series

When young fairy godmother Zoraida finds herself fighting a losing battle with a dragon to save her godson, she's forced to use her magic to flee.
Only to find herself in the middle of a freezing blizzard.
Rescued by a traveller, she faces a new challenge: can they survive the storm to see Christmas morning?

Hidden Blade by Pippa DaCosta
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Goodreads Synopsis:
"They call me devil, liar, thief. In whispers, they call me Soul Eater. They’re right. I’m all those things—and more." 

Kicked out of the underworld and cursed to walk this earth for all eternity, the soul eater known as "Ace Dante" finds solace in helping others avoid the wrath of the gods.

But when warrior-bitch, Queen of Cats, and Ace's ex-wife, Bastet, hires him to stop whoever is slaughtering her blessed women, Ace is caught between two of the most powerful deities to have ever existed: Isis and Osiris.

The once-revered gods aren’t dead.

They’re back.

And Ace is in their way.

Welcome to a New York where the ancient gods roam.

A Spirited Manor by Kate Danley
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Goodreads Synopsis:
When Clara O’Hare lost the love of her life, she felt her own life was over. But when she moves into a new home to escape the memories, she discovers that the veil between life and death is very thin.

Desperate to find answers, she attends a seance in a remote country home surrounded by a colorful cast of strangers. But something sinister has decided to make itself known. It will be up to her and the dashing young medium, Wesley Lowenherz, to find out what the spirits of the manor are dying to tell them.

Laced with gothic romance and paranormal mystery, A Spirited Manor is book one in the O’Hare House Mystery penny dreadful series.

Seven Against the Dark (anthology)
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Seven books! Each an introduction to a bestselling urban fantasy or paranormal romance series. All from USA Today bestselling and international bestselling authors who are consistently on the bestseller charts. 
____________ 
BLOODFIRE by Helen Harper 
Mackenzie Smith has always known she was different. 
Growing up as the only human in a pack of rural shapeshifters will do that to you, but then couple it with some mean fighting skills and a fiery temper and you end up with a woman that few will dare to cross. 
_____________ 
DARKANGEL by Christine Pope 
Finding the man of your dreams can be a real nightmare.... 
As the future prima, or head witch of her clan, Angela McAllister is expected to bond with her consort during her twenty-first year, thus ensuring that she will come into her full powers at the appointed time. The clock is ticking down, and her consort has yet to make an appearance. Instead, her dreams are haunted by a man she’s never seen, the one she believes must be her intended match. 
_____________ 
FEYLAND: The Dark Realm by Anthea Sharp 
What if a high-tech computer game was a gateway to the dangerous Realm of Faerie? 

Feyland is the most immersive computer game ever designed, and fifteen-year-old Jennet Carter is the first to play the prototype. But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries. 
_____________ 
HAUNTED ON BOURBON STREET by Deanna Chase 
Jade loves her new apartment—until a ghost joins her in the shower. 



When empath Jade Calhoun moves into an apartment above a strip bar on Bourbon Street, she expects life to get interesting. What she doesn't count on is making friends with an exotic dancer, attracting a powerful spirit, and developing feelings for Kane, her sexy landlord.

Being an empath has never been easy on Jade's relationships. It's no wonder she keeps her gift a secret. 
___________ 
JUSTICE CALLING by Annie Bellet 
Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress. 
Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she’s finally safe. 

As long as she doesn’t use her magic. 
_____________ 
MAGGIE FOR HIRE by Kate Danley 
When monsters appear in Los Angeles, Maggie MacKay is on the job. No one is better at hauling the creepy crawlies back where they belong. No one, that is, except her dad, who disappeared in the middle of an assignment. 

Now an elf named Killian has shown up with a gig. Seems Maggie’s uncle teamed up with the forces of darkness to turn Earth into a vampire convenience store, serving bottomless refills on humans. 

The only hope for survival lies in tracking down two magical objects and a secret that vanished with Maggie’s dad. 
_____________ 
THE REST FALLS AWAY by Colleen Gleason 
Beneath the glitter of dazzling nineteenth century London Society lurks a bloodthirsty evil…

Vampires have always lived among them, quietly attacking unsuspecting debutantes and dandified lords as well as hackney drivers and Bond Street milliners. If not for the vampire slayers of the Gardella family, these immortal creatures would have long ago taken control of the world.

H.A.L.F. The Makers by Natalie Wright
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Goodreads Synopsis:
We've seen grey aliens on T.V. and in movies. We may think we know all about them. But what if everything we think we know is wrong?

Erika Holt dodged death and departed Earth in an alien ship. It wasn't how she'd planned to spend her senior year. Is Erika on her way to paradise? Or to a hell worse than the underground lab she escaped? 

The greys rescued Tex from A.H.D.N.A. and promised him a life he could never have imagined. But what will he have to give up to become one with The Conexus? 

Jack Wilson is still Commander Sturgis' prisoner, but a promise of freedom comes from an unlikely source. Will his liberation cost more than he's willing to pay? 

Caught up in their personal battles and focused on our war with the grey aliens, will any of them realize the true threat that looms over us all before it's too late?

The Ripple Trilogy by Cidney Swanson
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Get all three books about a girl who can turn invisible, the boy she's crushing on, and the neo-Nazi geneticists after them both. Includes bonus content: Will's Killer Pizza Recipe and a sneak peak at Cidney Swanson's Saving Mars series.

Book One: Rippler
When Samantha Ruiz turns invisible in front of team mates while rafting, she knows something's wrong. According to her knowledgeable friend Will, she's got a rare genetic disorder. Fearing a lifetime sentence as a lab-rat, Sam wants to keep her ability secret. But she also wants to know if there's a connection between dark Nazi experiments on others like her and her own mother's death eight years earlier. At the same time that Sam is sleuthing, she's falling hard for Will. And soon, she'll have to choose between keeping her secrets hidden and keeping Will safe.

Book Two: Chameleon
Sam's troubles are growing. The crush who kissed her seems to have changed his mind. Her BFF thinks Sam is in an abusive relationship. And the evil geneticist who wanted Sam dead now wants her ALIVE. When Sam learns of Helmann's Nazi-like plan to re-establish a Thousand-Year Reign, she's determined to fight him. Along with Will and Mickie, Sam flees to France to meet Sir Walter--their best hope for stopping Helmann's brave new world. But someone invisible follows her to Paris, and now Sam must figure out how to hide from an enemy she can't even see.

Book Three: Unfurl
Against all expectations, Sam has survived attacks by two of Helmann's deadliest assassins. She's alive, but she's far from safe. Helmann is planning a second Holocaust and wants Sam to play a starring role. Will, now separated from Sam by an ocean, seeks a way to prevent Helmann's apocalypse. Along with Sir Walter and Mickie, Will plays a deadly game sneaking into Geneses' facilities, discovering unsettling clues as to Helmann's plans. The clock ticks down as Will and Sam discover just how much they must be willing to sacrifice to stop Helmann. UNFURL, the powerful conclusion to The Ripple Series, will leave fans breathless.

First Command by Alex Lidell
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Master and Commander meets Sarah J Maas in a seafaring adventure of duty, love, magic, and a princess’s quest to protect her kingdom on her own terms. 

Born to privilege, called to service, trained for command, seventeen-year-old Lieutenant Nile Greysik finally gets the chance to prove herself a leader. As she takes charge of a captured enemy ship, her orders will take her through hostile waters and stormy seas with a hold full of prisoners, a skeptical crew, and a handsome first mate whose every move undermines her confidence. 

To navigate to safe harbor, Nile must earn the crew’s trust . . . but first she must dare to trust herself. 

FIRST COMMAND is a prequel novella in Alex Lidell’s TIDES series. Recommended for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Tamora Pierce, and Naomi Novik.

Frostborn by Jonathan Moeller
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Goodreads Synopsis:
From the author of DEMONSOULED and THE GHOSTS, here is a new epic fantasy of high adventure, heroism, and daring deeds. 

A thousand years ago, the last grandson of Arthur Pendragon led the survivors of Britain through a magical gate to a new world, a world of magic and high elves, of orcs and kobolds and stranger, darker creatures. Now the descendants of the exiles rule a mighty kingdom, peaceful and prosperous under the rule of the High King. 

But a shadow threatens to devour the kingdom. 

RIDMARK ARBAN was once a Swordbearer, a knight of renown. Now he is a branded outcast, stripped of his sword, and despised as a traitor. 

But he alone sees the danger to come. 

CALLIANDE awakens in the darkness, her memories gone, and creatures of terrible power hunting her. 

For she alone holds the secret that can save the world…or destroy it utterly. 

The secret of the Frostborn.

Black Dawn by K. Gorman
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Humanity is under attack and she is the only one who can stop it.

For Karin Makos, the chance to pilot a small-time scrounging vessel to remote corners of space is the dream. After years on the run with her sister and enduring the constant paranoia of living planetside, going off-radar gives her exactly what she wants: freedom.

But, after what seems like a routine mission, that dream is shattered.

A system-wide attack decimates humanity and leaves the survivors scraping for clues. And Karin might know where to look.

Digging into her past comes with a whole new set of secrets and consequences, none of which she wants to face. Plagued by strange dreams of her sister and a sense of growing danger, Karin and the crew of the Nemina race desperately across space to find their loved ones—and answers.

Blaze by Krista D. Ball
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Goodreads Synopsis:
A half-breed and a female, Lady Bethany clawed her way to the ranks of the Elven Service's top military elite. They only knew her as their champion against Magic, and not the daughter of a Goddess. She'd expected a long, rewarding life protecting those under her care. But that was before her twin sister returned from exile, addicted to brutal Magic and human sacrifice, twisted inside, and abusing ancient prophecies to overthrow their mother and destroy everything Bethany holds sacred.

The world will burn in flames and innocents will die, unless Bethany can stop it. Unless she can take the life of her own sister.

Space Team by Barry J. Hutchison
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Cal Carver is having a bad day. Imprisoned and forced to share a cell with a cannibalistic serial killer, Cal thinks things can't possibly get any worse. 

He is wrong. 

It’s not until two-thirds of the human race is wiped out and Cal is abducted by aliens that his day really starts to go downhill. 

Whisked across the galaxy, Cal is thrown into a team of some of the sector's most notorious villains and scumbags. Their mission should be simple enough, but as one screw-up leads to another, they find themselves in a frantic battle to save an entire alien civilization - and its god - from total annihilation. 

A hilarious, fast-paced space adventure from the author the Independent calls "the new Terry Pratchett."

Beauty's Beasts by L.C. Hibbett
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Beauty is a beast...  

Izzy doesn't suffer fools and she doesn't take prisoners, so when one of the local mobs takes her father captive, she'll stop at nothing to free him. Even if that means taking on the mysterious men of Blackwood Forest herself.

But when Izzy enters the lair of the beasts, she discovers saving her father isn't as simple as it seemed, and saving herself from Alexander Blackwood and his pack is going to be even harder...

The Poison Court Saga is a collection of standalone urban fantasy fairy tale retellings with a reverse harem twist. The novels are set in L.C. Hibbett's Wicked Witch universe and each novel tells the backstory of a different secondary character from the Wicked Witch's series. Catch up with the characters from this novel again in Wicked Destiny (release date October 2017). 

Wicked Destiny by L.C. Hibbett
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Trouble.

That's how everybody described Destiny O'Neill. Trouble wrapped up in a smart-assed bow. The first black witch born to the Celtic gods in a thousand years, Destiny's tongue was as poisonous as her magic and her parties were the stuff of legend. Until two stripes on a pregnancy test changed everything.

Now all Destiny wants is a normal life. She wants to pass her exams, graduate university, and look after the only people that matter in her life--her daughter and her aunt. She doesn't want to hear about the magical police division and how much good her skills could do. She's sorry about those missing kids on the news but it's not her problem. 

All Destiny needs to do is get past her twenty-first birthday without using her powers, then she will be safe to join the ranks of the free witches and escape The Family for once and for all. 

Simple, right?

Fans of bad-assed witches, intriguing warlocks, paranormal detectives, and fast-paced action will loved this mesmerizing new paranormal fantasy series from L.C. Hibbett.

* Wicked Destiny is a full-length novel. The Wicked Witches series is an Urban Fantasy Paranormal Mystery series with a slow-burn Reverse Harem romance. *

Paradigm by Killian C. Carter
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Goodreads Synopsis:
3 SHOTS OF SCI-FI TO GET YOU THROUGH THE DAY

PARADIGM is the first in a series of sci-fi short story collections.

A ranger of the galaxy’s greatest wonder. An old-timer willing to take any measure to remain completely human. A teacher on a school field trip with a twist. Meet these, and more, in this exciting sci-fi short story collection.

EXHIBIT X: Join Mrs. Zilmore and her students on their field trip to the D.C. Natural History Museum, long after the war that changed the world. When they sneak off into a locked basement, they find a lot more than even Mrs. Zilmore bargained for.

INTO INFINITY: Asra, a ranger stationed at Lake Infinity, is ordered with the hateful task of guiding an important journalist around one of the galaxy’s greatest, yet most dangerous, wonders. What was meant to be a routine journey turns into something else entirely. The question is: Will either of them make it back alive?

HALF AND HALF: For all Johnny Taylor knows, he's the last untainted human being alive, he’ll do anything not to become one of "them". Or will he?

Emerge: Awakening by Melissa A. Craven
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Allie Carmichael has always believed life is simple.
You're born. You live. You die.
She has no cause to believe those rules don't apply to her.
All her life, Allie has suffered in silence as those around her shrink from her touch, too intimidated to take the time to get to know her. It's left her feeling like a pariah for fifteen years.
When an unexpected move to Kelleys Island brings Aidan McBrien crashing into her life, Allie is thrown by his reaction. He isn't affected by her touch. He doesn't stutter or make a quick exit. He smiles and welcomes her into his circle of friends.
For the first time ever, Allie knows what true friendship means. Finally, she has a real shot at normal--until "normal" crashes and burns when she wakes in agony on her sixteenth birthday. Aidan calls it her Awakening, a rite of passage he and their friends have all faced. Allie struggles in ignorance through the experience, uncertain of what is real and what isn't. When she emerges, she is different. She has always been different, but even among her extraordinary friends, she and Aidan are special.
As Allie struggles to maintain her tenuous grasp on the power that threatens to overwhelm her, she worries she will lose herself in this strange new world of ancient Immortal beings.
A dangerous world where she will have to fight tooth and nail to defend the power and freedom that is her birthright.

Emerge: Scholar by Melissa A. Craven
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Delve into the secrets of Emerge with this illustrated journal, straight from the hand of the Scholar. Chock full of series teasers and everything you need to know about the Immortal world, Emerge fans will not want to miss The Scholar. 

For over eight thousand years, the Scholar has wandered the earth. The oldest living Immortal, he is from a time long before the power was corrupted. He has ruled kingdoms, dined with emperors and led armies into battle, yet history does not remember him. 

The Scholar has proudly witnessed the most astonishing achievements of humankind, and sadly watched their worst moments of destruction. He has seen the world evolve to greatness and crumble to ruin, time and again as the natural cycle of life and death churns in an endless march through time. 

Many have known him for a time, but he is a ghost. A witness. Forgotten as soon as he's gone. He is the first Scholar, father to all scholarly Immortals who have come after him. His life is dedicated to recording the details of the events he has witnessed. His journals are highly guarded, containing the wealth of the world's history and knowledge. But this journal concerns the future. A future he is anxiously anticipating. The Immortals and mortals found within these pages will play an important role in shaping the uncertain future of all humankind. 

Part journal, part history, and part prophecy—complete with dossiers on those Immortals who have seen it all—this illustrated guide is the perfect complement to Melissa A. Craven's debut Urban Fantasy and Paranormal series.

Wormwood by D.H. Nevins
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Angels. Demons. Love. Deceit.
It appears as though every task Tiamat is ordered to carry out tears at his soul; but how can I know if that’s true? How can I trust him, if he’s the very one who destroyed this planet in the first place?

Tiamat and his brothers, a legion of one hundred half-angels, have orders to send all humans on to their final judgment. Yet in a moment of weakness, Tiamat risks his life to rescue a hiker named Kali from the very destruction he initiated.
Kali, thrust from the surety of her world into the boundless hell of Tiamat’s, must try to find a way to survive in the Earth’s vast, devastated landscape. Plagued by a legion of Nephilim bent on sending her on, she is forced to trust the one being who could prove to be her greatest enemy.

The Circle Gathers by Rowan Casey
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Not all legends are make-believe… 

Three years ago, Jessie “the Berserker” Noble was at the top of the MMA fight game, a world-title contender with a brilliant future ahead of her. Then the visions started and her world came crashing down. Hard. Now Jessie’s a shadow of her former self, taking no-holds barred fights in the underground circuit to earn just enough to buy the drugs she needs to keep the horrible things she sees at bay. 

When a man named Dante Grimm tells her she’s the modern incarnation of a champion of old and that she and her soon-to-be companions are desperately needed to hold back the darkness to come, Jessie thinks he’s as insane as she is. 

But Grimm’s far from crazy. There is a battle coming the likes of which the world hasn't seen in centuries, a battle against a foe straight out of their worst nightmares. 

And for them to succeed, Jessie going to have to dive deep into the heart of the very thing she's been running from all this time - her visions. 

Arthurian myth meets urban fantasy in this new series from Rowan Casey!



Free Audio Books/Stories:


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Reviews to Come:

Soulless by Skyla Dawn Cameron
The Sentinel by Chris Lester
The Muse by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Making the Cut by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Whispers in the Wood by Chris Lester
Lex Talionis by Starla Huchton
Spark by Starla Huchton
Heir to Kale by K.L. Bone
Tales from the Archives Vol 4 #5 - Old Sinner's Bones
The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan
Danger's Halo by Amanda Carlson
Glass Town by Steven Savile

22 comments:

  1. Holy cow. I see a whole bunch of books that look like good ones for me! Thanks for sharing them. It always gets weird during the holidays with so much going on. It's nice to be getting back to a normal routine, except for going back to work. LOL

    My Sunday Post

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    1. Hi Laura Thomas! So glad you see some books you like. :) Oh yea, the work thing... ugh. lol. Have a good week!

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  2. Hope you enjoy your new books. Shelba is beautiful! Happy reading.

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  3. The holidays were kinda hectic here too, I'm glad the holidays are over and things are sort of back to normal. Hope your holidays were nice.

    Winter of Ice and Iron looks good! Fairytale Christmas and steamforged look interesting also.

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    1. The holiday was nice, Greg. Lots of go, go, go though. But now it's normal life with back to work. Ugh.

      Glad you see a few books you like! Have a great week!

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  4. So many good looking books here. I had to grab the Snow story because it piqued my interest. Thanks for sharing so many good books. Oh, and most importantly - Sheba is AWESOME!

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    1. Hi Barb! Oh so glad you found a book to pick up! Awww, thank you. So glad you liked Sheba's Picture!! :D

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  5. Aww, cute dog. Enjoy your new books! Some of them look really good. Have a great week!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. Oh, thank you AJ Sterkel. So glad you like Sheba's picture. :) Have a great week!

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  6. Ugh! Everyone is getting sick. I just got over mine

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    1. Yeah, Carole Rae. We have the head cold and a stomach virus going around here. Ugh. Hope you stay healthy!

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  7. we don't do anything different over the festive period except stay in to avoid crowds of mad shoppers! I'm trying to avoid the Aussie flu at the moment...

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    1. Sounds nice to relax over holiday, Chuckles. And good luck avoiding the flu!

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  8. Same old stuff for me, hope you're feeling better!!

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  9. I very much hope you are now fully on the path to recovery, Melissa - you really have had more than your fair share of illness! What a beautiful dog...:) And many, many thanks for sharing so many fabulous books! I love the look of Strange Practice, Steamforged and a whole bunch of your science fiction offerings!

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    1. Thank you for the wishes of wellness, SJ Higbee. And thank you from Sheba. Glad you found a few books you like! :)

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  10. Oh some nice books! I do hope you are feeling better and love the pupper pic!

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  11. The holidays take it out of all of us, my friend! You'll get back where you want to be sooner than you think. Happy New Year to you and the pup (so cute!) and happy reading! ^-^

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    1. Oh thank you Gina R. The holidays really do drain you. It's crazy how they do that. lol. Happy New Year and thank you!

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