2014 ARC's

A Little Wicked by Janet Macreery & Giveaway (Int’l)

November 10, 2014 by Darlene

A Little Wicked by Janet Macreery is a middle grade adventure that is sure to please young ones and adults. I really enjoyed this book especially the last half and think it’s a great book for young teens since it not only treats us to a really good story but a a bit of a history lesson as well.

Twelve year old Dory loves her life with her Scottish clan and as the granddaughter of the chief she is treated quite well. However when her clan is attacked Dory’s life crumbles around her. Soon enough she learns that she must leave her clan as she must be kept safe to travel to the New World (America) where she will meet her aunt and uncle and hopefully be taken in by them. Dory is devastated and frightened. She has already lost so much in this attack on her village and now has to leave the only home she’s ever known and loved.

Dory’s journey to the New World is not an easy one. She has to travel by ship and barely makes it out of the woods alive to get passage on one. She must disguise herself to keep safe on a ship of men and she takes an lot of bullying from fellow mates. Dory just tries to keep her head down and do her chores and hope she can make it to her aunt and uncles.

Finally she arrives in Salem and thankfully her aunt doesn’t turn her away but Dory has arrived at the worst time possible. The frenzy over witches has started and women are being accused and held in jails with horrid conditions. The witch trials have started and so have the hangings. Dory is horrified and even more so when she learns how careful she must be so that she doesn’t end up being one of the accused herself. How long can she keep safe though when she begins getting strange looks and taunts from the group of girls who are accusing people of being witches?

A Little Wicked is a fantastic little book! It’s an interesting story that is quite fast paced which is perfect for the younger crowd. I loved Dory because she was a little spit fire who takes her responsibilities in life very seriously which is another great life lesson for young people. Recommended for those adults who enjoy juvenile historical fiction and an even better choice to share with your kids!

Other tour stops with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
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Author Links: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
Buy: Amazon, Amazon Canada

GIVEAWAY – OPEN INTERNATIONALLY

1 paperback copy up for grabs!

*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter

Draw Date November 26/14

Good luck!

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review. No compensation was received and all opinions are that of the blog owner. Giveaway copy provided by the blog owner.

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The Tiger Queens by Stephanie Thornton & Giveaway (US only)

November 6, 2014 by Darlene

Stephanie Thornton is one of my favorite authors for historical fiction because when I sit down with one of her novels I am immersed in another time and place that is so brilliantly brought alive in my mind. I adore her writing and her newest The Tiger Queens is nothing short of amazing. Rich in historical detail and with the intricate weaving of the stories of the women of Genghis Khan this novel is fascinating. I simply couldn’t put it down and I’d be remiss in not mentioning the cover. It is absolutely gorgeous!

I knew nothing about Mongol history before reading this novel. To learn about it through the women who stood behind Genghis Khan is genius. The novel shifts between four women – Borte, his first wife, Alaqai, his daughter, Fatima, a captured woman, and Sorkhokhtami, his mother. Each woman has a story to tell, each woman is strong, and all have a great instinct for survival despite the harshness of their environment. These women were honored by their husbands but god forbid they fall into the wrong hands as the men of this era didn’t hesitate to rape, murder or make slaves out of the women of rival clans. Thornton doesn’t hesitate to write their situations as bluntly and harshly as they would have happened. Many times as I was reading I couldn’t imagine ever living through what these women did and not only in the face of men who could be cruel but the environment itself. The hard work they faced each and every day, the many children they bore, the wars they faced – it just all seems so unreal to us now in modern times. Yet their spirits seemed to soar above it all and they were able to find happiness.

Of all the women I think Borte was my favorite. The story begins with her and she captured my heart right away. She becomes Genghis Khan’s first wife and they shared a special bond throughout. Borte is such a strong woman and more courageous than I could ever imagine being. Her daughter Alaqai was a favorite as well though. She was her father’s wild girl and had women been allowed to be leaders she would have made a far better one than any of her brothers. She too had the strength and resilience of spirit that her mother had. Fatima before being captured had been a noblewoman and she had a strong desire for vengeance against those who had destroyed her clan. And then there is Sorkhokhtani who seemed to be in the background of things and yet she never really was as she had the strength to hold all together in the harshest of times. I have the utmost respect for the women of this time. I loved reading about them but I would never want to have lived their lives.

For fans of historical fiction The Tiger Queens is not to be missed. It’s always great to read stories that are new and fresh in historical fiction and it’s a treat to learn of women and a time in history that isn’t widely known. I loved this book, so much so that it’ll be on my list of favorites for this year! Highly recommended!

Other tour stops with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Add to your Goodreads List
Author Links: Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
Buy: Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N

GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY

1 paperback copy up for grabs!

*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter

Draw Date November 22/14

Good luck!

Source: Digital review copy was received from the publisher for an honest review. No compensation was received and all thoughts and opinions are that of the blog owner.

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A Day of Fire by Stephanie Dray, Ben Kane, E. Knight, Sophie Perinot, Kate Quinn, and Vicky Alvear Shecter & Tour Wide Rafflecopter Giveaway

November 5, 2014 by Darlene

A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii is an amazing novel by six historical fiction authors – Stephanie Dray, Ben Kane, E. Knight, Sophie Perinot, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, and an introduction by Michelle Moran. Can you hear me say Wow! This book is a compilation of separate stories that are linked together by place and people and from the opening words of this novel I was hooked! Despite being separate stories they flow together seamlessly to form a cohesive tale and it’s one I won’t soon forget.

This book centers around the deadly eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the time of the Roman Empire. Each story features one character and one part of the story although a few of the characters appear throughout. As you follow each story and each person you can feel the tension starting to build as at first there are only tremors and as they begin to get more severe people are becoming terrified and many begin to try and leave the city. Once the rock and ash begins to fall though many realize that it may be too late for them to leave at all and you feel like you are living in the pages of the book with them as you feel your own lungs constricting as you imagine the smoke and ash filling them.

Normally when I read a collection of short stories I have distinct favorites and ones I just didn’t like but that isn’t so with this book. The way these stories flow you couldn’t even tell you were reading different authors. You can definitely see the work that the authors put into this book to make it so. I can’t say I had a favorite because with the way the stories related to one another I kept getting one more piece of the story and that made all of the stories good. So many of the stories touched my heart though especially ‘The Mother’ by E. Knight and ‘The Whore’ by Stephanie Dray. Both of these stories are taking place during and in the aftermath of the eruption and are written with such passion and sadness that I find them hard to forget even though I put the book down a few days ago.

A brief word on the authors. I have read all of these authors except for Ben Kane and I will be taking a closer look now at his work. The ladies though are some of my favorite authors and I am so impressed with what they did with this novel and I certainly hope they will all get together and grace us with another book in the future. The only thing I missed having had an advance copy is that I didn’t get the introduction by Michelle Moran and I would have given anything to read that which only means I’ll be picking up a copy for myself to get it!

While this is a tale that is pure sadness at its core it is also a story of courage and hope in the face of disaster. It shows the resilience and goodness of people from all walks of life coming together to survive what is surely the worst that could happen to them. The authors did an amazing job of adding a story that brought alive this devastating time in history. A Day of Fire is a book that will touch you as it did me. It is most certainly not one to missed for the historical fiction fan. Highly, highly recommended!

Other tour stops with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
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Buy: Amazon US, Amazon Canada, Amazon UK

GIVEAWAY

To enter to win this beautiful one-of-a-kind Roman style Necklace (18″) and Earring set, hand-crafted with real carnelion, and inspired by jewelry of the ancient world, please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Giveaway is open internationally.

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on December 5th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on December 6th and notified via email.
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Source: Digital review copy was received from the publisher for an honest review. No compensation was received and all thoughts and opinions are that of the blog owner.

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Memory Card Full by Liz Weber

November 3, 2014 by Darlene

Losing a pet is never easy and when Liz Weber’s dog Rufus begins showing signs of old age and ill health she knows that sooner or later she will have to face the fact that she may lose him. Memory Card Full is a memoir of Liz’s life before, during, and after losing her Rufus. As any pet owner knows our pets are a constant in our lives and they love us no matter what and with Liz going through some issues in her own life Rufus was the one thing she could always depend on. Needless to say the loss of a pet makes for an emotional story.

Liz had a pretty busy life with working in a bar, as a part time model, and at a lawyers office. Her dream is to become a writer but in the meantime she has to do whatever she can to pay the bills although she has very supportive parents who help her out if she really needs it. Still Liz feels stuck in her life. She can’t seem to move forward though and it’s driving her crazy. So when Rufus starts to show signs of something being wrong Liz is concerned about being able to pay the bills but will do what it takes to get Rufus help. As Rufus gets worse Liz has to make one of the hardest decisions of her life and put her boy down. Afterwards even though she continues to work her emotional state seems to spiral downwards. As time goes on though Liz decides to take a writing class, attend a conference, and even start dating. Liz began to feel as though having Rufus had kept her from really living her own life and she knows that finally she needs to let go of her grief and move on.

I have mixed feelings on this memoir but I think really the reason is that all of us have different ways of dealing with loss and our feelings on things. There were many decisions and thoughts that Liz had that I disagreed with but again each person does things or feels things their own way and can’t be judged on that. I lost Buddy four years ago and the pain is still there for me and I’m not always positive I’ve moved on from it despite having the wonderful Sammy to love. The raw emotion of having to put her dog down really hit me hard as the anniversary of losing Buddy passed just a few weeks ago so that made some parts of this memoir really difficult for me. All in all I enjoyed reading Liz’s memoir. It was a fun read in a lot of parts because to me she lives a fairly exciting life that I never will but other than the shared experience of losing our pets I couldn’t really connect as I would have liked to which I’m positive is due to the differences in our lifestyles and our thoughts on some things. Despite that Liz seems like a really great and caring person and hopefully the writing of this memoir was one more way for her to heal in her own life.

Recommended for those who enjoy memoirs!

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Liz’s Webiste
Buy at Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N

Source: Digital review copy received from the author for an honest review. No compensation was received and all thoughts and opinions are that of the blog owner.

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Highland Hunger by Eliza Knight & Giveaway (International)

October 31, 2014 by Darlene

I was first introduced to Eliza Knight’s writing when I began reading her Highlander novels and really enjoyed them. These novels are a little escape from the day to day reality of life and I always look forward to snuggling up with the dog and indulging in one. Highland Hunger is no exception and from the first word to the last I thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent reading this book. This book reminded me of the Hunger Games but with one sexy Highlander hunk of man to drool over and one independent and spunky woman both set on winning the war games so they can rule their Scottish land. Very exciting!

Ceana never intended to compete in the war games but when her brother is killed she is named laird and has no choice but to go in order to protect her clan. Macrath has been sent to the play in the war games by his stepmother who despises him as he is the bastard son of his father who is a powerful earl. Macrath would like nothing better than to win and set his stepmother and half brother in their place once and for all. When Ceana and Macrath set eyes on each other it is an instant attraction but Ceana knows that she has to concentrate on the games not a man. Yet she can’t help herself especially since Macrath is set on trying to protect her. As the games wear on the passion between the two grows and their only goal is to win the games and rule together. Will they get through the increasingly difficult challenges and manage to not get themselves killed? Will Macrath finally exact his revenge? And just who is Beatrice who lords over the war games?

This was a great story with non-stop action and very steamy and sexy trysts between Ceana and Macrath. These two make a great couple and since this is the first book in a series I can’t wait to see what will happen next when they begin to rule over their lands. It should be very interesting! If you love your steamy Highlander stories then Highland Hunger is a must read! Highly recommended!

Other tour stops with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Add to your Goodreads List
Author Links: Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
Buy at: Amazon, Amazon UK

GIVEAWAY – OPEN INTERNATIONALLY

1 paperback or eBook – winner’s choice!

*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter

Draw Date November 15/14

Good luck!

(comments are welcome but do not count as an entry)

Source: Digital review copy was received from the publisher for an honest review. No compensation was received and all thoughts and opinions are that of the blog owner.

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Nightmares! by Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller (Audiobook)

October 30, 2014 by Darlene

Just in time for Halloween we are treated to Nightmares! by Jason Segel, actor, writer, and musician, and best selling author Kirsten Miller and it is fabulous! I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Jason Segel and he does such a great job. It is a great audio production and I’ll tell you I couldn’t stand putting this one aside for nothing. Thank goodness with audiobooks you can do all your work while still listening! This is a middle grade book rated for ages 8-12 but I’m a whole lot older than that and I thoroughly enjoyed it although I have to say that I think it would be such a great book to sit and listen to with your children. It would be great fun!

Charlie hasn’t had an easy go of things so far in his life. He lost his mother and now has an evil stepmother Charlotte who he is sure is a witch and he’s having a hard time dealing with it all. To top it off he keeps having these horrible nightmares; nightmares so bad that Charlie has resorted to drinking lots of coffee just to stay awake. His nightmares are so real… could it be that they actually are real? Between living in Charlotte’s scary purple mansion and the new principle that has just arrived at Charlie’s school his nightmares become worse – so much so that they begin to invade his daylight hours as well and it’s not only Charlie having issues but many of his schoolmates as well. Charlie and his friends are thrust into a world of nightmares complete with all kinds of monsters and things become even scarier when their nightmares begin to become a reality.

Even though this book is called Nightmares! it’s not all about being so scary that it will be disturbing for your kids. Not at all actually. It’s laced with a lot of humor and many good life lessons that will be great for the kids. Nightmares! is about facing your fears and overcoming them. It’s also about loyalty to your friends and family. These are invaluable lessons for kids and especially for kids who may be having issues facing their own fears. Nightmares! is the first in a planned trilogy and I can’t wait to see what the next book will hold for all of us fans of this one!

As for the audiobook of Nightmares! I have to say that Jason Segel really brought this story alive for me. He is such a terrific narrator and all of the different voices and emotions that he puts into his reading make it all the better. This truly is a great audio to enjoy with your kids and really the whole family at any time but Halloween is really the perfect time to put a little creepiness into your reading!

Highly, highly recommended!

Listen to an excerpt
Visit the Nightmares website
Buy at: Random House, Audible

Source: Audiobook received from the publisher for an honest review. No compensation was received and all thoughts and opinions are that of the blog owner.

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