Sticker Giveaway by PrintRunner

 

PrintRunner.com was established with little more than a small press and a dream. Ten years later our company became one of the foremost quality printers in Southern California. Our commitment to provide the best value and high quality full color printing at affordable price made our company grow.  PrintRunner is a full service high quality printing company located in Chatsworth, California.  You can print online with PrintRunner give their sticker printing service a try.

To enter just fill out the rafflecopter below.

 

Details of the giveaway prize:      Stickers

Sticker Shape : Standard Stickers

Flat Width : 2″

Flat Height : 3.5″

Quantity : 250

Paper : Premium Sticker Stock

Colors : Full Color ( 4 Color Process), Black and White

Proof : NONE

Ready to Ship In : 3 Business Days

*Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above.

 

**Disclaimer - Thank you to PrintRunner for providing us this giveaway, I will receive a set of stickers for hosting this.**

 


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Barb

Skater Boy Blog Tour

Title: Skater Boy
Author: Mari Mancusi
Publisher: NLA Digital Liaison Platform LLC
Length: 50,000 words
Sub-Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult (YA)

BLURB:
Dawn Miller is sick of being good. Her parents have scheduled her to within an inch of her life and her popular friends can only think of hooking up and shopping. She’s ready for a serious boyfriend, and it’s definitely not the obnoxious rich boy everyone wants her to date.

Then she meets Starr, the headmaster’s punk rock daughter who refuses to play by the rules. The differences between them are night and day but Dawn is fascinated. Starr introduces her to a world she didn’t even know existed: hip indy record stores, all night raves, and cute skateboarders who hang out underneath a parking deck downtown.

Skateboarders like the gorgeous Sean, who’s sweet, smart, and curiously serious –everything Dawn’s always wanted in a boyfriend. Soon she finds herself head over heels and doing the unthinkable, lying to her parents and friends. Deep down she knows her parents will never approve of this boy from the wrong side of town…and her secret life is finally catching up to her. Will Dawn be forced to choose between the girl she was and the girl she is meant to be? And if she chooses, will she lose her skater boy forever?

“Mancusi has scored a hit. Dawn is likeable, and any teen girl–wealthy or not–should identify with her typical problems. From boys to friends to parents, the author covers it all. She even manages to include one or two deeper messages in the form of “straight edge” teens and a “perfect” wealthy boy who turns out to be a real jerk.”– Alexandra Kay, RT Book Reviews

EXCERPT #1:
“Hey, Dawn, whatcha writing?”

I slam my notebook shut and force a wide smile as my friend Ashley approaches the lunch table. I can’t believe it. She’s five minutes early. Five minutes! After I’ve already gone and used up one of my three-bathroom-breaks a-semester chemistry class privileges for a few precious moments of writing time. And now Ashley has shown up and ruined it all.

The early bird gets the chance to tick Dawn off. . . . “Nothing,” I say, forcing a casual shrug. “Just a birthday wish list. You know how The Evil Ones are. Left to their own devices I’d probably end up with some itchy Harvard letter sweater for my sweet sixteen.”

I’d actually been working on a poem, not a birthday list. One I plan to enter in a contest sponsored by Faces, a local Massachusetts literary magazine. But I am certain ly not about to inform our head cheerleader of that little technicality. I mean, writing poetry? How geeky can you get? And The Evil Ones (aka Mom and Dad) are terrible in the presents department, so it’s not like I’m telling a total lie. . . .

“Oh cool.” Ashley flounces onto the chair beside me, her wool plaid skirt puffing up and then settling back down over her perfectly sculpted thighs. We all wear the same skirts here as sophomores at Sacred Mary’s, but Ashley’s skirt usually falls at least two inches shorter than regulation and it constantly gets her in trouble with the Sisters. “You should ask for those Seven Jeans we saw at Nordstrom the other day.”

“The ones with the crystals on the back pocket?” I look up and see that Ashley #2 has arrived at our lunch table. Like Ashley #1, she’s blond and lanky and wears her skirts too short. Her claim to fame is being picked as homecoming queen last fall, even though she’s only a sophomore. “Those are completely lame. When shopping for jeans, I say go James every time. They’re scientifically designed to make your butt look smaller, not draw attention to it with crystals.”

I stifle a groan. I love my friends, don’t get me wrong. But there are times I’m not quite sure I fit in with them. I mean yeah, I’d rather be here than at the loser table discussing games like Magic: The Gathering, but is it really necessary for us to debate the pros and cons of designer denim every single lunch? Doesn’t anyone talk politics anymore? Not that I know anything about politics, but maybe I could start learning if someone brought them up once in a while. It’d probably prove more useful in life than the Fashionista 101 sessions we seem to hold every lunch period.

“You guys are crazy!” Oh, there’s Ashley #3, making our lunch group complete. She swings her Kate Spade messenger bag off her shoulder and plops it on the floor. We consider Ashley #3 the brainy one. She’s president of the student council and wants to be a TV anchorwoman when she grows up. I think she has a good shot at the job. She’s already got the brilliant white capped teeth and perfect hair. “Obviously Levi’s makes the best jeans known to mankind.”

The other two Ashleys groan in sync. “No way would I be caught dead in Levi’s,” says Ashley #1.

“That’s ’cause you’re a lemming,” Ashley #3 explains, using the big word with a smug pride. She knows for a fact Ashley #1 won’t know what it means and she’s right.

“Hey! What did you just call me?”

“Girls, girls! Let us not fight over fashion,” Ashley #2, the peacemaker, coos. She took a yoga class once and has been all Buddha-on-the-mountain ever since. “Our differ ent tastes in denim make the world go round.” She holds her palms out and smiles demurely. For a minute I think she’s going to actually break out into an “Ohmmm.”

Instead she says, “What were we talking about again?” “Dawn’s birthday wish list.”

“Ah. How about a side of Brent Baker, served on a silver platter?” Her demure smile morphs into a lecherous smirk as she watches the senior from across the room. We all turn and look. The Ashleys sigh, again in sync. They’re good at that.

“No way. He’s on my birthday list,” declares Ashley #1. This obviously strikes them as funny, and all three break out into giggles.

You know, I’m pretty convinced I’m the only girl in school not lusting after Brent Baker. Brent Baker the Third, that is. Born with a silver spoon wedged up his butt. His parents and my parents go to the same country club, so I’ve known him since my playpen days and he’s been after me almost as long. But I’m so not interested in him. I mean, sure he’s got the blond, blue-eyed jock thing going on, but his huge ego negates any points he’s chocked up in the looks department.

The Ashleys can’t understand why I think he’s repulsive, but they don’t rock the boat. After all, that means he’s fair game for any one of them.

EXCERPT #2:
You know how normal kids go through their teen years? Wake up at seven, go to school, take some easy classes like basket-weaving or drama and then go hang with their friends and listen to music? Well, imagine my day. You’re up at five to go to crew practice, rowing down a river in the freezing Massachusetts air. Change quickly to make it to school in time for the first bell. Then have a school day cram-packed with AP and honors classes. Last bell rings and you’re off to gymnastics practice or yearbook or school paper or ballet or whatever and then straight to your language tutor where you’re learning Japanese in case you want to be a foreign business leader someday (which you don’t). You get home at seven o’clock and go up to your room to do all your excruciatingly hard AP and honors homework. Go to bed after homework is finished, then wake up the next morning to do it all again.

Basically, every second of my life is booked solid ’til I retire. (The Evil Ones have probably already pre-registered me for a nursing home, too.) Doesn’t sound like fun? Too bad, ’cause I’d love to trade places with anyone who envies me.

I open my Algebra II textbook and my half-finished poem flutters onto my bed. I glance over at my closed bedroom door. Will Dad really come up and check on me? The poetry contest deadline is tomorrow, and I have no idea when I’ll be able to finish writing it if I don’t do it tonight. And I really want to enter, too. The prize is a hundred dollars and publication in the magazine. Of course, I’d have to use a pen name, but that’s okay. I’d know it was mine.

But just as I’m about to put pen to paper and become one with my writing muse, a knock sounds on my door. I groan and stuff the poem back into my Algebra book. So much for sanctuary.

“Come in.”

My mother enters the room, all pearl necklaces and Chanel No. 5, as usual. Before she became an English teacher and mother to me, she was a fashion-magazine model, which is more than likely how she nabbed my rich, older father back in the day. Once when I was spy ing in her bedroom, I found her old modeling scrapbook stuffed in her underwear drawer. She was beautiful back then, I’ll give her that. A smooth-skinned, dark-eyed Italian beauty. Very Sophia Loren. I bet she was super disappointed when I came out of her womb all Irish and freckled, like my dad.

She frowns disapprovingly at my sprawled-out position on the bed.

“You know, you have a very nice desk,” she says, gesturing to the mahogany nightmare on the far left of my bedroom. Like I said, she was a model, so she’s big on the whole posture thing.

“I sit at a desk all day, Mom.” I tug on a blond braid in frustration. Why can’t she just leave me alone? I mean, what does it really matter whether I study on my bed or at a desk?

Her frown deepens, but she doesn’t pursue the subject. “Well, I just came up to tell you that Magda should have dinner ready in about five minutes.”

Magda, our housekeeper/cook, is from Mexico and makes the best meals known to mankind. Spicy Spanish dishes that deliciously burn my lips when I take a bite. The Evil Ones are constantly nagging her that she’s going to give me heartburn and to make my meals milder, but I can usually convince her to add extra spice when they’re not looking. Magda’s cool like that. In fact, she’s the only person in this household I can respect.

But right now, though my stomach is growling, I really want to finish this poem.

“Can I eat up here?”

Yet another frown from Mom. I wonder if I should mention the wrinkle potential of all this scowling on her delicately aging complexion.

“That is up to you,” she says stiffly. “However, I think it would be nice if you decided to socialize with your family.”

Socialize. Right. Is that what they’re calling being lectured to these days? ’Cause I know from experience that’s all that’s going to happen during dinner if I attend.

Don’t chew with your mouth open, Dawn. Use your napkin. Do you really need so much butter on that roll? After all, you don’t want to start gaining weight.

But again, this is a battle I won’t win. So I close my

Algebra book and nod my head. “Fine. I’ll be there in a minute,” I say, purposely using my most exasperated tone.

My mother droops her shoulders, as if I’m some awful burden she has to bear on a daily basis, and exits the room. When the door closes, I pull out my half-finished poem and read it through one last time. It’s really good. One of the best things I’ve ever written.

Somehow I have to find a chance to finish it before the deadline.

EXCERPT #3:
“Hey, that’s pretty good!”

I look up with a start. I’ve been so wrapped up in my world that I hadn’t realized the new girl, the supposed Satan-worshipper who drinks snake blood, has sat down at the desk beside me and is eyeing my paper.

Up close, I realize she has several piercings to go along with her already punk-rock look—a diamond stud in her nose and a silver hoop embedded in her eyebrow. Her face is pale white, almost as if she’s powdered it, and her eyes, a striking blue, are rimmed with a ton of black.

“You read my poem?” I ask, feeling my cheeks flush. I mean, sure, I realize that if I win the poetry contest lots of people will end up reading it, but still, her peeking over my shoulder without permission seems a grave invasion of privacy. And what if she goes and tells everyone that I, Dawn Miller, friend of the Ashleys, was seen writing poetry in detention? I might as well put in my application for the loserville lunch table right now.

Then again, she said it was good. Since I’ve never shown my scribblings to anyone before, I’ve never gotten an unbiased opinion on them. I mean, sure, I like them, but obviously I’m a bit prejudiced.

“Are you just saying that?” I ask. “ ’Cause you so don’t have to.”

She shakes her head, causing her straight black hair to flip from side to side. “No way,” she says. “I never say things I don’t mean. Life’s too short.” She pauses, then adds, “I was assuming it’d be bad, actually. But I guess you can’t judge a Barbie by its cover.”

I frown. “I’m not a Barbie.” I just hang out with them. She shrugs. “Maybe you are, maybe you aren’t. Honestly, I don’t care either way. But you are a good writer.”

A good writer. She thinks I’m a good writer. No one’s ever told me that before. I feel a warm pride settle over me and I decide to ignore the Barbie comment. Or at least prove her wrong.

“Thanks,” I say. “There’s this poetry contest I want to enter it in and—”

“Oh, the one in Faces?”

I stare at her in shock. “How do you—?”

“I read Faces all the time. It’s a great mag.”

Wow. She actually reads literary magazines. My friends wouldn’t be caught dead reading literary magazines. In fact, we have a saying: If it’s not Cosmo, it’s crap.

“I’m Dawn,” I say, extending a hand.

“Starr.” She shakes my hand. I notice she has on black fingernail polish that’s half flaked off.

Starr. What a cool name.

“You’re the headmaster’s daughter, right?” I ask, assuming at least that part of the Satan-worshipping, snake-eating rumor is true.

“Yeah. Got kicked out of my European boarding school and so I’m stuck in this hellhole now.”

Wow. I wonder what she did to get kicked out. It had to be something pretty bad, I’d think. What would it be like to be a bad girl? Not to care what people think of you? To break the rules and buck authority? I bet her parents don’t dare schedule her life. And if they try, she probably laughs in their faces and then goes out and gets a new tattoo, just to spite them.

“. . . and first day here, Sister Wart Nose catches me smoking in the bathroom and sentences me to detention,” Starr is explaining. “I mean, for smoking! In Europe, everyone our age smokes. Massachusetts is so puritanical. It drives me absolutely insane.”

I nod sympathetically, not sure how to respond. Of course I’m not a smoker, so I can’t relate. But suddenly, I have the undying urge to impress her somehow. Make her see I’m more than just an airhead who happens to be able to write. Which is odd, since most people at Sacred Mary’s do everything in their power to try to impress me and my crowd, not the other way around. But Starr doesn’t seem to care that I’m one of the Populars. On the contrary, that status seems a negative in her book. Which makes her seem even cooler, somehow.

“That ring rocks,” I say at last, noting the silver spider on her index finger. One thing I’ve learned from the Ashleys—when stuck for something to say, compliment their wardrobe. Works every time.

She smiles and waves her hand in the air, allowing the ring to catch the light and sparkle. Evidently even punk rock chicks aren’t immune to flattery. “Thanks. I got it at this really cool thrift store in Boston.” She pauses for a moment, as if deciding something. Then she says, “You know, I’m planning on heading there after detention, if you want to come.”

I raise my eyebrows. “You’re going to Boston? How are you going to get there? Do you have a car?”

“Nah.” She shakes her head. “I’m only fifteen. No license. But there’s a train about a block away.”

She planned to hop a train? I try to imagine what The Evil Ones would do to me if they found out I’d hopped a train to the big city. Would they kill me quickly or devise a slow, torturous death to make sure I’m really, really sorry I disobeyed?

“Come with me!” Starr says eagerly. “I know some killer used record stores.”

I shake my head. “I’m already missing gymnastics ’cause of detention. My parents will totally kick my butt if I miss my Japanese tutoring as well.”

Starr raises a pierced eyebrow. “Oh,” she says, her tone a bit colder than before. “I understand.” But she doesn’t sound like she understands. In fact, she sounds more like she thinks I’m the lamest girl on the planet.

Boring Barbie, that’s me.

It’s so not fair. I never get to do anything fun. Run off to the big city on a whim. I suddenly envy Starr and her laissez-faire attitude on life.

Envy her and want to be her.

Maybe I could call my tutor and tell him I’m sick. And then call The Evil Ones and tell them I’m going over to one of the Ashleys’ houses to work on a class project after my lesson. That should buy me at least ’til nine o’clock. Plenty of time to hit Boston and get back before they realize I’m gone.

I feel a strange thrill well up deep inside. You know what? I’m going to do it.

For once, I’m going to be a bad girl.

“Maybe I will go to Boston with you,” I say, trying to keep my voice casual as my excitement takes hold. “Sounds like fun.”

BUY LINKS:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Skater-First-Kiss-Club-ebook/dp/B006MX866Y/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&qid=1324139328&sr=8-27
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/skater-boy-mari-mancusi/1107997451?ean=2940013849259&itm=8&usri=mari+mancusi
Google Books: http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=uVkOLtuKOGAC&dq=skater+boy&as_brr=5
Also available on iBooks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Two time Emmy award winner Mari Mancusi used to wish she could be a vampire back in high school. But she ended up in another bloodsucking profession–journalism–instead. Today she works as a freelance TV producer and author of books for teens, including the award winning Blood Coven Vampire series published by Penguin Books. When not writing about creatures of the night, Mari enjoys traveling, cooking, goth clubbing, watching cheesy horror movie and her favorite guilty pleasure–videogames. A graduate of Boston University, she lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Jacob, daughter Avalon and dog Mesquite. You can find her online at www.marimancusi.com.

Website: www.marimancusi.com
Email: mari@marimancusi.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bloodcovenvampires
Twitter: www.twitter.com/#1/marimancusi

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Barb

Free Ebook on Amazon

Jackie Gamber’s great YA fantasy is available for free now through tomorrow on Kindle. Spread the word, and don’t forget that this title is wonderful for all ages of readers! http://www.amazon.com/Sela-Leland-Dragon-Series-ebook/dp/B007LD3L0U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1334749699&sr=8-2

www.amazon.com

Peace was fleeting. Vorham Riddess, Venur of Esra Province, covets the crystal ore buried deep in Leland’s mountains. His latest device to obtain it: land by marriage to a Leland maiden. But that’s not all. Among Dragonkind, old threats haunt Mount Gore, and shadows loom in the thought…
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Barb

Sela Blog Tour /Take 2 guest Jackie Gamber

 

 

 

Today I have the pleasure of Jackie stopping by and posting for us.

 

“N is for Nonsense” by Jackie Gamber, author of REDHEART and SELA, Books One and Two of the Leland Dragon Series

“Nonsense” is a word that tends to be grouped. “That’s a lot of nonsense.” Or, “What a bunch of stuff and nonsense.” It’s also a self-defined word; it’s pretty clear by its own lexical combination what it means. There is sense, sensibility, something sensible. There is common sense. Money sense. Math sense.

Then, there is nonsense.

Or, in my case, math sense and nonsense? Interchangeable.

Which is something of my point. There is a dictionary definition of what the word means: words or language having little to no sense or meaning. But where is the definition for what qualifies as nonsense? After all, one man’s ‘nonsense’ is another politician’s platform.

Perhaps nonsense, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

Fiction lovers understand the crux of this, as well as fiction writers. Since the first human scribbled letters in the sand as a way of expression, other humans have collected to observe the strange ritual. And to judge it fit for consumption.

I can see them, now, our early ancestors. Hobbled from lack of Vitamin D, all hairy because they’ve been too busy inventing a wheel to think of razors. Gathering around to ‘hmm’ and ‘I say’ at the latest dirt-scrabbles from the cave idiot. “What’s the message?” asks the leader, who can count to five. “Bunch of stuff and nonsense,” says someone else. “No sweeping metaphors, no uplifting prose. And for goodness’ sake, don’t let the teens read it, or we’ll have anarchy.”

Back then, it was easy to wipe a foot or a hand over the dust and make the writing go away. A pre-historic Etch-a-Sketch. But as man has gotten cleverer with words, and with the way of recording them, those who judge those words have gotten more sophisticated in destroying them. Banning books from libraries. Burning words on bonfires. Engaging in flame-wars over the internet.
But so what, as long as what we’re trying to destroy is just a bunch of nonsense, anyway? If words are to be recorded, they should be just the right ones. The best ones. In fiction, stories should be the highest form of art, the kind that exhorts us, uses language to make us stronger, better, faster.

Right?

Or maybe, when it comes to fiction, trying to qualify what’s “good for us” or “bad for us” is the trickiest undertaking. Maybe there’s something good for us in the bad stuff, and something bad for us in the good stuff. Maybe fictional books are exactly the tool for exploring these things; living a life through a character, watching their choices, experiencing their consequences.

Maybe that’s what our imagination is for; to see all of what we’re capable of, good and bad. To make choices. And to envision where those choices can take us.

Maybe that’s what fiction is for.

I don’t know about you, but to me, that makes a lot of sense.

Jackie Gamber is the award-winning author of “Redheart” and “Sela”, Books One and Two of the Leland Dragon Series, now available! For more information about Jackie and her mosaic mind, visit http://www.jackiegamber.com

 

And meet Jackie elsewhere on the world wide web at:

https://www.facebook.com/AllotropeMedia
http://www.amazon.com/author/JackieGamber
http://www.twitter.com/JackieGamber
http://www.facebook.com/jackiegamber
http://www.lelanddragons.com

 

 

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Barb

Night Sky Blog Tour

Night Sky Summary
After losing Sarah, the friend he’s loved, to some other guy, Jameson meets Sky. Her Native American roots, fluid movements, and need for brutal honesty become addictive fast. This is good. Jameson needs distraction – his dad leaves for another woman, his mom’s walking around like a zombie, and Sarah’s new boyfriend can’t keep his hands off of her.

As he spends time with Sky and learns about her village, her totems, and her friends with drums – she’s way more than distraction. Jameson’s falling for her fast.

But Sky’s need for honesty somehow doesn’t extend to her life story – and Jameson just may need more than his new girl to keep him distracted from the disaster of his senior year.

My thoughts :

I rarely read a romance told from a guys point of view. Jameson’s story was so easy to relate to.  I wanted to see him overcome his obstacles and come out on top in the end. It was nice to see all three characters have secrets. The character development was great and the banter between all three was interesting. This is a must read book. The author has an underline meaning that we can all overcome fears and secrets and we are not alone. I am glad I decided to read this book.  It looked interesting and I thought about it and said why not.  You will want to read this book!

 


Jolene Perry’s Bio:
Jolene grew up in Wasilla, Alaska. She graduated from Southern Utah University with a degree in political science and French, which she used to teach math to middle schoolers.

After living in Washington, Utah and Las Vegas, she now resides in Alaska with her husband, and two children. Aside from writing, Jolene sews, plays the guitar, sings when forced, and spends as much time outside as possible.

She is also the author of The Next Door Boys and the upcoming Knee Deep.

 

eBook
ISBN: 9780983741862
ISBN: 9781466052338
Pages: 247
Release: March 1, 2012

Kindle buy link

Nook buy link

iBookstore buy link

Smashwords buy link

PDF buy link

Jolene Perry’s Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002038196677

 

Jolene Perry’s Twitter:

https://twitter.com/#!/JoleneBPerry

 

Jolene Perry’s Website:

http://www.jolenebperry.com/

 

Jolene Perry’s Blog:

http://www.jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com/

 

Jolene Perry’s GoodReads:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4944599.Jolene_B_Perry

 

Tribute Books website:

http://www.tribute-books.com

 

Tribute Books Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Archbald-PA/Tribute-Books/171628704176

 

Tribute Books Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/TributeBooks

 

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

 

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Barb

Sela Blog Tour & Giveaway 3 winners

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Thank you for stopping by on my day of the tour. Below you will find my review/thoughts on Sela and about the giveaway.  I want to thank Seventh Star Press for the blog tour and Jackie Gamber for her wonderful book.

Product Description

Peace was fleeting. Vorham Riddess, Venur of Esra Province, covets the crystal ore buried deep in Leland’s mountains. His latest device to obtain it: land by marriage to a Leland maiden. But that’s not all.

Among Dragonkind, old threats haunt Mount Gore, and shadows loom in the thoughts of the Red who restored life to land and love. A dragon hunter, scarred from countless battles, discovers he can yet suffer more wounds.

In the midst of it all, Sela Redheart is lost, driven from her home with only her old uncle to watch over her. As the dragon-born child of Kallon, the leader of Leland’s Dragon Council, she is trapped in human form with no understanding of how she transformed, or how to turn back.

Wanderers seek a home, schemes begin to unfurl, and all is at risk as magic and murder, marriage and mystery strangle the heart of Esra. A struggle for power far older and deeper than anyone realizes will leave no human or dragon unaffected.

In a world where magic is born of feeling, where the love between a girl and a dragon was once transformative, what power dwells in the heart of young Sela?

  • File Size: 717 KB
  • Print Length: 308 pages
  • Publisher: Seventh Star Press; First edition (March 16, 2012)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English

 

My thoughts:

Sela is the 2nd book in the Leland Dragon series.  I have read the first one which was great but this has to be my favorite of the two.  Sela takes up a several years after Redheart and starts with the next generation of dragon. You do not need to read the first one to know what is going on with Sela as Redheart had no cliffhangers and Sela has enough information from the last book to get you reading.  

Sela in trapped in her human form she is desparte to go back to being a dragon. I love Sela she is headstrong which at times causes some trouble. Her parents Kallon and Riza want to protect her , but being a human among the dragons is not a good situation.  Sela embarks on a journey to find her destiny.

Jackie’s writing style draws the reader into the story and keeps the pages turning.  The characters are well written and you feel for them.  A great fantasy read for any age.  With action and love everyone will be happy to read this book.

 

Giveaway:  US Canada only 3 winners…..1 winner will receive a print copy and the other 2 will received an ebook.

To be entered to win your copy of Sela all you have to do is leave a comment.  Good luck and thank you for coming by.

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Barb

Review High Country Bride The McKettrick Cowboys by Linda Lael Miller

One ranch. Three sons. Only one will inherit…and on one condition.

Tired of waiting for his sons to settle down, Arizona-territory rancher Angus McKettrick announces a competition: the first son to marry and produce a grandchild will inherit Triple M ranch. Now, three distinctly different, equally determined cowboys are searching high and low for brides.

If Emmeline Harding knows one thing, it’s that she can’t hold her liquor. And though she’s not sure how she came to wake up next to a stack of gold coins in a brothel, she fears the worst. Fleeing town as a mail-order bride, she wonders: how will she ever confess her past to her handsome new husband?

Freedom-loving Rafe McKettrick is a man of strong beliefs and stronger passions and he’ll do anything to win the Triple M — even marry a stranger. To his surprise, Emmeline’s charms beguile him even as the secrets he senses she’s hiding ignite jealousy and suspicion. But when a visitor from the past enters the high country, the newlyweds have no choice but to give up on a marriage in name only and seek a union that satisfies them body and soul.

Mass Market Paperback: 435 pages
Publisher: Pocket Books (July 26, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0743422732
ISBN-13: 978-0743422734

My thoughts:

Emmeline leaves Kansas City behind as she wakes up to coins sitting beside the bed when she wakes up. She remember’s a man she thinks his name is Holt, carrying her up to the bedroom of the brothel her aunt runs. Desperate to get a way from the humiliation she answers a mail order bride ad and heads to Texas as the wife of Rafe McKettrick.

Rafe doesn’t meet Emmeline at the stage-coach but, his brother Jeb does. As they are standing there out flies Rafe out of the saloon which makes a wonderful impression in Emmeline who starts to wonder if she has made a mistake. After the two-hour ride from Indian Rock to the Triple M Ranch she was ready to rest.

When Rafe finally does show up at the ranch he already puts his foot in his mouth by telling Emmeline this is a partnership love does not comes into the picture. They start off pretty rocky and slowly things come together, but can Emmeline hold out the truth from her new husband or tell and risk losing him forever?

I love westerns and this book was recommended. I am glad I gave the author a chance as I loved the setting, you really do get a sense of being in Texas in the 1800′s. The characters are well-formed, I love Rafe has no clue at times what Emmeline is thinking. Other times he can read her like a book. Just as they get closer things happen and they go back a step. I like learning about each family member and the situations they find themselves in.

I will be reading the rest of this series and check out her other work. I would add this to my re-read pile. It’s fast paced yet romantic and full of suspense.

Barb

Review Jenna’s Cowboy by Sharon Gillenwater

Can you ever get a second chance at your first love?

Jenna Callahan Colby thought she was content. A partner on her father’s successful ranch, she is surrounded by family and friends. But she never expected to see Nate Langley back in town–the first guy she ever noticed, the one her father sent away all those years ago.

And she never thought the attraction they felt would be as strong as ever.

Jenna’s cowboy has some healing of his own to do, though, after two tours of duty in the armed forces. With the help of good friends, strong faith, and a loving family, he hopes to put the horrors of the past behind him–and become the man Jenna deserves.

 

  • Paperback: 330 pages
  • Publisher: Revell; Reprinted edition (January 1, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0800733533
  • ISBN-13: 978-0800733537

 

My thoughts:

Jenna and her young son live on her parents ranch.  After a bad divorce she needed to come home and regroup.  She is now a partner running her father’s ranch along with her brothers.

Nate Langley comes back home after 2 tours over in Iraq.   He wasn’t expecting to see Jenna so soon after coming home for good.  He and Jenna were old friends from high school and at one time cared for each other.  Of course Jenna would never have known how he felt then as he kept to himself.

The two meet up and the romance is still there after the years have gone by.  They go out on a date to the homecoming football game.  Nate had a flashback from a car backfiring and threw Jenna to the ground hurting her.  With the help from  Jenna, her family, Nate’s parents and the preacher he starts to heal and the dream are there but not as frequent.  If he can learn to deal with his dream and his PTSD they might have a future together unless the secret comes out from her father.

I enjoyed this read not just for the romance, but a great tribute to our armed forces.  We get to go inside Nate’s thoughts and see what he went through while in Iraq a glimpse of what was and is going on there.  How hard it is on them and the families they come home to.  Everyone pays the price, but things can work out in the end if you just have some faith.

The author did a wonderful job with the setting and the characters.  It was nice to see Nate work on his fears throughout the story and Jenna realizing they can help t is not all a lost cause.  A heart warming story.

 

 

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Barb

Review Cowboy to the Rescue by Trish Milburn

Ryan Teague was always a bit of a loner. Before his traumatic tour in Iraq, keeping to himself was a choice; now, well, it’s a necessity. Ryan feels he’s too damaged, too scarred to be around the people he loves most. And a relationship? Out of the question. What woman wants a broken man?

All that changes when Ryan meets the new ranch chef. Gorgeous, funny and a helluva cook, Brooke Vincent charms everyone at Vista Hills, especially Ryan. He recognizes something else in Brooke, too—behind that warm, easygoing demeanor, Brooke is hiding some scars of her own. Suddenly, all Ryan can think about is making sure no one hurts her again.

Brooke and Ryan help each other begin to heal. But just as their trust grows into something more, Brooke’s past threatens to ruin it all.…

 

  • File Size: 385 KB
  • Print Length: 222 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0373754000
  • Publisher: Harlequin American Romance (March 1, 2012)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services

 

Brooke has enough of running away from her ex and looking to start new life.  She happens to run across an ad in the paper looking for a cook on a ranch.  To her delight the Teaque’s hire her as she loves to cook.  The first day on the job she is in the refrigerator when Ryan walks in wanting a drink.  She looks up and their eyes meet.

They could  sense each other had a past of hurt and try to move on with their lives.  Ryan likes to keep to himself and Brooke doesn’t like talking about her past.  They each in turn start to help each other along the way.  Ryan is always there when Brooke needs help from flat tires to being scared her ex is after her.  Brooke is also there for Ryan as he cuts his hand and she is there to help with the delivers of his wood working.  Together they make a good team, but can they each forget about the past and move on?

The setting is described well enough to picture the town and the way of life.  The characters were fun to read about as each one has their own place and sense of belonging.  They are all likable.  The author has a fast paced but yet thoughtful writing style.  The story flowed along with no rushing no fillers.  A nice read all around.

Barb

Reviews of two Short Stories

Unspoken Promises by Becca Dale

 

Billie Jensen hates liars and cheats. She’s spent her entire life watching her mother forgive the unforgivable with just a few words from a smooth-talking man. So different from her father, Officer Treynor Pandoah seems like everything Bille has ever wanted—quiet, solid, and truthful—until he snuggles up to another woman on Valentine’s Day. He says her eyes lied, but how can she trust a man who won’t share what’s in his heart?

Treynor’s done waiting for Billie to forgive him for something he didn’t do. A man shouldn’t have to explain himself to the woman he loves, but if he can’t find the words to take the tears from her eyes, he could lose her to Unspoken Promises.

 

My thoughts:

I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them.  This one was just as good Billie sees Treynor with another woman on Valentine’s Day and sees what she wants to see.  With Treynor not apologizing Billie stays clear of him until Treynor had enough and wasn’t taking no for an answer.  It was a short sweet story.  Becca did a good job with the characters right from the start which worked well stepping into the situation as we did. I would have liked it longer but who of us don’t wish a short story to be longer.  A quick and relaxing read.

 

 

 

Treat by Alanna Coca

Andi Hampton and her two friends treat themselves to a getaway at a Wyoming guest ranch. It would be their last summer together before college, and Andi’s well planned life begins. When she meets ranch wrangler Jake Walker, she begins to wonder if she can pencil in a little bit of love.

 

My thoughts:

A another cute short story to read.  Andi has her life all planned out to at T and doesn’t want anyone or anything to jeopardize it.  She meets Jake who is also in college and has his plans.  They start to fall for each other  but agreed no strings attached.  When it is time to leave and go their separate ways neither one was expecting the longing they were going to feel.  This is a prequel to Retreat.

 

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Barb
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