Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Release Day Review: The Grendel Affair (SPI Files #1) by Lisa Shearin

 
Mac went to New York to follow her dream. She wanted to make a difference, just like the rest of her family, but in a different way. Everyone in her family is in law enforcement in one way or another. Mac wanted to go after the bad guys, but not with guns drawn and fire blazing around her ears. She wanted to deliver them on the front pages, battle with the big guys in New York Times. Just one problem…. No big newspaper will hire a newbie with a new degree in journalism. So Mac ended in the Informer, a seedy tabloid that doesn’t care if it truly prints the truth or not – as long as it sells. But Mac IS telling the truth, and soon she comes into SPI’s radar.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Cover Reveal: Cogs In Time - anthology

 
 
 
Go on an adventure through unheard of places in time and existence. Here in these remote areas, thriving cities, and secret worlds, a strange technological revolution reigns. Inside these pages inventors, dreamers, and revolutionist rule in worlds of steam driven machines, cog powered humanoids, clockwork miracles, and paranormal magic. Dressed in corsets, top hats, and cog lined finery the heroes and heroines face down immense obstacles as they take to the skies in airships, use incredible technology that is a mix between ancient and futuristic, and discover love.
Fifteen talented authors, artists and poets have come together in the must read anthology of 2014. The product of this collaboration is an incredible journey through a blend of sci-fi, fantasy, action, adventure, history, paranormal, and romance that embraces the roots of Steampunk while pushing the genre to new, bolder limits.
 

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Short Adventures


Hidden Holidays by R.L. Naquin
Set between book two, Pooka in My Pantry, and book three, Fairies in My Fireplace, "Hidden Holidays" tells of Zoey's first Christmas with her new family of monsters, myths, and urban legends. While everyone's favorite closet monster, Maurice, makes plans to decorate the house in the spirit of the season, an overwhelmed Zoey escapes to the beach where she discovers a young boy who needs her help.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Author Take Over: C. Warner-Thompson, Interview


 
Hi and welcome to my new place, Clemy! Hope you enjoy the new surroundings. Sit down, I have coffee, tea and hot chocolate, and some homemade Christmas cookies.
 
 
You recently released you second book in your latest fantasy series; The Mirage. Was it different to write compared to The Star?
 
It was. It was much, much harder to keep my thoughts and ideas in a straight line. I kept veering off with different ideas and sometimes I lost the pull of the story slightly, but the ending does the book justice… I think… 
 

Monday, December 16, 2013

Review: Chasing the Star Garden by Melanie Karsak & Giveaway

 

I started reading Chasing the Star Garden with a hope of getting my hands on something good. I wasn’t disappointed.

I am an old fan of Sherlock Holmes. I LOVE how he pieces things together, how he follows the clues and catches the bad guy in the end. Now, I am not comparing Chasing the Star Garden to Sherlock Holmes, but there is a great deal of adventure, action, love, clues and chase in this amazing book. And I loved pretty much every page.

Our main character, Lily is a young air Jockey, with a past that would turn even your hair a shade whiter. Her past has her running from everything, hiding in the mist of the opium, or the dense fog of the laudanum, but it also makes her blind to things right in front of her.

Adventures in a Bustle? Guest Post by Melanie Karsak


Steampunk Clothing in Chasing the Star Garden
Hi Guys!! Welcome to my blog here on this beautiful Monday!  Hope everyone survived the weekend!:-D
Today, I have none other than the amazing Melanie Karsak coming by to talk about her choice of clothes for Lily in her new book Chasing the Star Garden. I have read the book, and my review will come up a little later today, but I loved every second of it! So, without anymore delay, I'll leave my blog in the capable hands of Melanie. Hope you all enjoy! And make sure to stop by a little later to read my thoughts of Chasing the Star Garden!

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Help out a friend of mine; Rue Volley!!

Hello my friends. I have a small message (a plea) from a friend of mine; Rue Volley. Please help her to be Author of the Year!!
Hugs,
Sabina

Please nominate Rue Volley for Author of the Year. If you want to vote it is open until December 15th to nominate and then the real voting begins to pick a winner who will be announced on New Years Day:) If you would like to vote for me it is pretty simple, you just go to this link, scroll down to "tell us your nominee", click on it and enter my name in the box:) It also enters you into a drawing for a $75 Gift Card. I am now sitting at #7, which is amazing! I am just honored to be on the list with the other incredible authors, makes me smile. You can also enter more (it gives you options to tweet it and so on)
 

Friday, December 13, 2013

Book Tour & Review: Skin Deep by Megan D.Martin


Keira’s been through hell and back, and got the freaking t-shirt to prove she survived. Now she is scarred for life, in more ways than one, and hides herself away from everyone by wearing thick layers of clothes and staying in her apartment – unless she is working.

One night her friends (the only two she has); Maryline and Darla help Keira getting her biggest wish; a perfect, slim, and beautiful body. By using the magic of a gypsy, there’s only one, tiny hang-up. Keira can’t have sex – ever. If she does, she will get her old body back faster than Bambi loses his footing on the ice.

But what happens when two very lonely souls met each other under circumstances far from ideal, both need each other, but have a hard time forgiving their own pasts to see what’s right in front of them?

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Author Take Over: Dina Keratsis - Guest Post



Writing Obsessions

 

There is no past that we can bring back by longing for it. Only a present that builds and creates itself as the past withdraws.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach

 

The Titanic was my latest. I binged, reading and watching everything I could about that fateful night. Survivor accounts intrigued me the most, especially the story of the passenger who watched a baby slip through its mothers fingers into the deep dark sea then witness that mother’s sanity unravel as she yanked out her own hair.

 

After relating this tale at dinner, my mother, concerned, asked, “Why are you always so obsessed with tragedy?” The answer slipped easily from my throat: “I’m half Greek with a splash of Irish. What do you expect?”

 

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Book Review: Brilliant Devices by Shelley Adina


I love Shelley Adina’s Magnificent Devices. To anyone who knows me, this is no news.

And frankly, what’s not to love? A feisty young lady, a band of young misfit boys and girls, science, steam, adventure and just a hint of romance. I love it, hands down. Shelley has a way of captivating me with her descriptions, her easy storytelling, her fascination for machines and all the action and adventure she puts into her books. When I start reading one of Shelley’s books, I can’t stop until I’ve turned the last page in the book.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Book Blitz & Review: Little Drummer Boy by Deliza Rafferty (Giveaway)

Heat up your holiday for only 99 Cents!





Little Drummer Boy - Vol. 3 of the Savannah Rossi Chronicles
Published Dec. 16, 2012
5,837 words
Erotic Romance

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Book Tour/Review: Daughter Cell by Jay Hartlove


Randolph is waking up from a four month sleepwalk. He’s been trying to cope with his wife’s death, but turned to alcohol, which didn’t make it better. Somehow, Randolph lost four months, and waking up he discovers he can’t even remember his only daughter, Desiree, was bitten by a snake and is in a coma. Now he’s trying to pick up the pieces, finding his lost memories and trying to bring Desiree back. He might have lost his wife, but he won’t lose his daughter too.

Randolph has been working close with an old friend of his; Young Nae. They have a company that makes beauty products. They dabble in genetics, pushes the envelope for what is possible. But how far would you be willing to go when you have lost the love of your life?

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Book Blitz: Order Restored (The Impaler Legacy #3) by Ioana Visan & Giveaway

 

Despite their five centuries at war, the pandurs and the vampires work well together when they ally against a common enemy. Led by Little Council member Liana Cantacuzino and a thousand-year-old vampire Maximilien Hess, they descend on South Island, New Zealand, to search for the new breeds’ base.

With Dr. Jesse Carver kidnapped by the new breeds and Liana’s feelings for him muted thanks to Hess’ compulsion, Liana is forced to act like Jesse means nothing to her while she is dying inside. Asked by the new breeds’ leaders to betray her cause and losing the support of her people one by one, she needs to destroy the new breed-making facility before her entire world falls apart and everyone has to run for their lives.

The third novella in The Impaler Legacy series, a vampire saga like no other.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Author Take Over: Interview with Lisa Shearin, author of Raine Benares Series & The SPI Files

Hi Guys!!
Today I have the great pleasure of introducing the awesome and amazing Lisa Shearin, author of one of my all time favorite series; Raine Benares. Lisa was actually the reason I stumbled into blogging, and the very first author I EVER interviewed (I was SOOOO nervous!!). Today Lisa is here on my weekly Author Take Over, and we're talking about her new book and series. 

Release Day Blitz: Chasing the Star Garden by Melanie Karsak


Hi Guys!
Thank you for stopping by on my stop in this Release Day Blitz for Chasing the Star Garden. I'm also a part of the tour, and I have a review coming on December 16.
Remember to enter the giveaway, and make sure to scroll past the rafflecopter to get to the excerpt; the entire first chapter of Chasing the Star Garden.
Hope you all enjoy!
Psst... Did you see my December Giveaway in the previous post? Closes December 15! Open international.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

December Giveaway

CONTEST CLOSED!!
Happy December!!!
Oh yes, it's already December 1. Time truly flies by when you're having fun. I started this blog August, and have been busy non stop since; Author Take Overs, reviews, spotlights, tours and loads of fun. To celebrate both the make over of my blog (thank you to Ren from R&R design for making this looking so gorgeous!) and December, I have been harassing some of my favorite author (and friends), and put together a giveaway.

Awesome prizes, all international, 14 winners. Enter, share and have fun! ENJOY!


Soo... Let's take a look at all the prizes, shall we? (random order)

Release Day: Absolute Power by Candice Terry


Happy first December all my friends!! I hope you enjoy this first day in the month of Christmas. I know my kids are looking forward to this month all year, and to tell you the truth, so do I. I've already started the baking, and I'm not done yet. But that's me in a nutshell. ;-)

I have a few treats for you today - I'm starting off with this Release Day Blitz, and keep your eyes open for a December Giveaway later today. (AWESOME prizes!!)

But let's start with the Release Day Blitz for Candice Terry's new book; Absolute Power.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Review: Only Half Alive by Konstanz Silverbow








The World's darkest creature will be their brightest hope!

While darkness haunts her, she craves the light. Christina is a demon, but she doesn't want to be. She is willing to sacrifice everything to change it. Only one person stands in her way, and he will stop at nothing to keep her the way she is.

The greatest battle of light vs dark threatens every living creature, a battle that could destroy all. And the demon in love will only have one chance to save everyone.



Friday, November 29, 2013

Release Day Review: Death of the Mad Hatter by Sarah J. Pepper


I love fairytales, especially the old ones. I loved reading them as a child, watching them turning into Disney movies, or just regular movies with real people. I love introducing these worlds to my children because there’s so much magic in them.
So when Sarah contacted me to see if I would be interested in reading and reviewing her new story; Death of the Mad Hatter, I grabbed it and ran.
To tell you the truth, I don’t think I stopped again.
In Death of the Mad Hatter, we jump a bit back and forth, but it is never confusing – Sarah is very good at remembering to tell us as a Reader where we are and who is doing the narration.
Alice Mae is Alice from Wonderland. The little girl who chased a white rabbit down a rabbit hole in her aunt’s garden.
Alice befriends M.H (a.k.a Mad Hatter) in Wonderland and becomes his apprentice. For a while, everything is alright… But this is Wonderland. It is a land where up is down, and down is up, where the wrong word can make you lose your head, where logic has no function, loyalty is two-faced and where you better start embracing your inner craziness, because sanity is of no use.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Review: DearHart Clan Series by Eri Nelson

 
Hi guys!
Welcome to my stop today in the DearHart Clan Series Tour. I have a review for each book, so just scroll down, and see what my opinion of these book are.
 
 
Book 1: The Call from Within

 
The Call From Within is Eri Nelson’s first look into this series.  It is here that we meet Owen our Pack’s clan leader.  He has been driven by what is expected of an alpha.  Facts that were told through the decades all but look like fiction to him now.  So he never dared to believe in fate and only let duty push him forth.  Although now his resolves make no sense and it took little to no time at all in showing him through the lust he feels for another.
Kristen Still bares the imprinted mark to our handsome alpha.  However he wasn’t the first to notice what she was and it’s that bedding of prior passions that control her new weakness.  Yes, Owen is pushed by jealousy to possess what his four footed insight tells him is his.
A former distraction wanted more than heated moments with Kristen.  In her he saw a stronger life force for his young and if Brinston Drake must he would take what he needs from her.  He just did not foresee another finding her as well.
 While the rest of Eri Nelson’s cast of characters find their selves caught up in furthering personal existences. Another by the name of Wash seeks to use their distractions as his gain.  A rogue sent to track and update, Wash is tested by his hatred and desire for revenge.  He’ll have it but not as quickly as he would like.  But soon enough Owen will slip farther into his madness over a bitch in heat.  Then Wash perhaps can use the heated vixen to distract both her and the alpha into their future demise.
 
The Call from Within is a fast read on only 84 pages, and is probably my favorite of the three books so far. There are minor flaws (mainly grammatically), but they’re easy to overlook.
We get to know the main characters in the Dearhart Clan Series, and I’m happy we get to meet them before being thrown into the entire pack. The love story between them feels a bit rushed, but at the same time, right – for them.
I wish that Eri would’ve explored their personalities a bit more, digged a little deeper into who they are.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Author Take Over: Alyssa Cooper - interview



Hi everyone! My name is Alyssa Cooper, and I'm today's guest blogger here on Sabina's Adventures in reading. I'm just a weird Canadian girl with a life-long passion for the written word and a fretful lack of time. I'm the author of Salvation, a piece of literary fiction wrapped in a vampire story, and Benjamin, a story of love, loss, and psychedelic drugs due to be released next month.

These days, you can find my poetry and prose all over the place. Check out my website for a full list of published works!

I figured the best way to talk about myself too much without feeling like I was talking about myself too much was to let you guys ask the questions. This author interview was compiled by my friends, fans, and wordweaving colleagues - thanks so much to all of them!



"What inspires you the most when writing?" Kirstie Herrington



I think the one thing that has always inspired me the most is humanity; the human experience, the human condition, the polarities between our deepest emotions. There is something so compelling about pure humanity - it is what gives a story meaning. Romances, tragedies, and even horror, they're all about humanity. Even in a story like Watership Down, where rabbits are the key players and humans appear only as shadows in the background, it is still the rabbits' humanity that draws us into their tale. We wouldn't empathize with those rabbits if they were simply rabbits. We love them because they act like humans. Because they're people, with families and feelings and lives. And that's what inspires me the most.




It's human feelings that inspire me to write, human experiences, but not just my own. It's almost as if my own pain is too close to be seen quite clearly. It's so much more beautiful to observe someone else's pain from across the room, some pain that I can see but can't quite understand, and to appropriate it. To distill some other life in the labyrinthian corridors of my own mind, and find a new world waiting on the other side.


Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Happy Release Day: ARV-3 by Cameo Renae

 


Hi Guys!!
Today it's a special day - Cameo Renae is releasing her new book (and series); ARV-3!! WOHO!!! Congrats girl! :-) So... let me tell you a little about the book:
 

June 6, 2014: The beginning of the end. The Apocalypse.

A nuclear fallout wiped out every living thing on the planet, except for a few thousand of us who took shelter in underground bunkers across the globe. Now, after thirteen long years, we were finally able to return to the topside to begin to rebuild.

We thought we were alone. We were never more wrong.

Before the fallout, scientists had worked on creating an anti-radiation vaccine (ARV). The first two attempts failed, but despite the incomplete tests and results, the government approved and distributed the third serum to the masses in an effort to aid those who had no shelter.

It worked, keeping those who remained on the topside alive, but it also altered and mutated them. This new and infectious threat had completely outnumbered us. Now, we not only had to rebuild our planet. We would have to fight for it.

My name is Abigail Park. I’m seventeen, and this is my story.



My family is what keeps my heart beating, and my world a happy place to be.

I love reading great books that whisk me away from reality, even if for a little while. :) Writing is my passion. I love creating new worlds and new characters, and taking wondrous adventures with them.

In My Dreams & Hidden Wings were both recently published through Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing. Descent (A Hidden Wings novella) will be released May 15, 2013, and Broken Wings (Book 2 in the Hidden Wings Series) will be released June 1, 2013.

One day I will find my magic wardrobe, and ride away on my magical unicorn... ♥ Until then... I'll keep writing! ;)





 

Monday, November 25, 2013

Tour/Book Review: The Mirage by C. Warner-Thompson


Hello Lovelies, and welcome to my stop in The Mirage Tour. First day in the tour, make sure to stop by the other bloggers along the way in this tour, to see what they have to offer. You can see each stop and where to go here.

About the book:
 
Abbii has found the answers that she seeks but not everything is clear to her. She is confused and feels more alone than ever. Everywhere she goes, Shadows are hunting her down. Her friends are constantly in danger.

Not only are the Shadows chasing her, but now also The Forgotten- those pulled into Darkness willingly- and Abbii doesn't know who to turn to. Having lost her best friend Jake, she wants nothing more than to find him, but he is not the only one she cares for.

Nate, the hazel-eyed boy, is the only thing that seems simple and clear to her, but even he has secrets. Still filled with grief, she must decide whether to stay by Nate's side or fight to find the one that she lost.
 
 


 
The Mirage is the sequel to The Star (you can read my review of The Star here).
I enjoyed reading The Star, and was looking forward to The Mirage. In some ways, it was a very good read, a good continuation of this series, and in some ways it did disappoint.
The good things about the book are that there are some elements of surprise in it, the development of the different characters are surprising and entertaining.
The fight scenes are intense, I like the plot (mostly), I like the bad guys and the “grey areas”.
The not so good things…. There are a lot of repetition going on, sentences wise. Certain phrases are repeated throughout the book, and it gets to a point where I’m close to clawing my eyes out.
Abii herself is frustrating to me too. She just never learns, never opens her eyes, to realize what is going around her, but instead she is whiny, self-absorbed … in reality, Abii is turned into a person I really don’t like (or can relate to), in this book. 
Something else that seems to be consistent throughout Clemy’s books is the first quarter of the book. Every time she starts a book, the first quarter of the book feels forced, like she is struggling to find her voice, her path in the story… Once she gets past the first quarter (give and take), the story flows a bit better.
I’m not saying The Mirage wasn’t good. Because it was, but in my opinion, it needed some more work.  There were some good elements in this book, I just wish Clemy would’ve taken a bit more time to work it out a bit more, go exploring more in her own world. Based on that, I'm giving The Mirage 3 Potions.



 



 


Clemy was born in the UK in 1991 where she still lives, growing up alongside one younger and three older brothers.

Books and writing was an interest that she began to develop from the first years of secondary school, and on her thirteenth birthday, she began to plan and design the idea to write a fantasy novel. She finished secondary school with high GCSE's and then went on into further education to study English and all aspects of art and design. After six years of writing, planning and overall editing of the book, it was successfully completed, containing over 82,000 words, and self published in the first week of 2011.

With high expectations in herself, she immediately began to write a second novel in the series, while keeping her art and design a part of the process. The achievement of completing the first novel 'Purest Light,' allowed the ideas of the second to flow much easier and it was completed by early 2012. As she was writing the third and final book, New Beginnings, at the same time, the series was finished by its publication in 2013.

Writing is now a part of her everyday and she has now started her newest project, The Mirage, which is book two of three. 



 



 

 
 
 
 
 

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Chameleon by Kenya Wright


Title: Chameleon
Genre: New Adult Urban Fantasy
Author: Kenya Wright
 
 
Blurb:
 
Cameo lives in a caged supernatural city where all species are tagged at birth with silver brands embedded in their foreheads. Her X brand identifies her as a Mixbreed, but she’s so much more. Like a chameleon, she can shift from one person’s image to another.
 
It’s a great way to make money for a habitat street kid, or Cage Punk as most people call them. Wiz, her street partner-in-crime, finds her jobs to use her abilities. Some jobs entail changing into people to take academic tests. Others require more skill and involve higher risk.
 
When Wiz asks Cameo to stand in for a Were-wolf teenager who doesn't want to go to her debutante ball, it seems like just another job, until a corpse is discovered and an old friend of Wiz appears.

 
 
Kenya Wright always knew she would be famous since the ripe old age of six when she sang the Michael Jackson thriller song in her bathroom mirror. She has tried her hand at many things from enlisting in the Navy for six years as a Persian-Farsi linguist to being a nude model at an art university.
 
However, writing has been the only constant love in her life. Will she succeed? Of course.
For she has been coined The Urban Fantasy Queen, the Super Iconic Writer of this Age, The Lyrical Genius of Our Generation. Granted, these are all terms coined by her, within the private walls of her bathroom as she still sings the Michael Jackson thriller song.
 
Kenya Wright currently resides in Miami with her three amazing, overactive children, a supportive, gorgeous husband, and three cool black cats that refuse to stop sleeping on Kenya’s head at night.


Giveaway:
 
$25 Amazon Gift Card and Kenya Wright's Paranormal Romance ebook Bundle Giveaway (Eight Books: The first three Santeria Habitat Books, Vampire King Series, Incubus Hunter, and Chameleon)