Sunday Post #40

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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A full week past us. Let me tell ya, I was begging for Friday on Wednesday. lol. It felt like one loooong week to me. I felt like I didn't get anywhere with anything this week. Just a week where I did lots of mundane things for family. You will have those. :)

I did submit a short story that is live. The voting continues through January 24th. I've listed below, with links, on how to vote. :) Thank you! I hope you check them all out. Mine is titled The Departed.

What's Happening in Books:

Current Read:
I am going through a read for a friend. (Not sure if I can mention at this time)
AND
Soulless by Skyla Dawn Cameron (2 chapters a week for free on her site!)

Current Podcast Book Listen:
The Secret World Chronicle: The Hunt by Mercedes Lackey & Steve Libbey (in audiobook while at work)


Finished Last Weeks:
Nothing.

Finished Podcast Book Listen:
Nothing

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Last Week on the Blog:

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

Conning for Keeps by Seleste deLaney

Posts:
I do have a favor to ask. I entered a short story at Start Publishing - The Departed. I need YOUR help in winning. Or, if you don't want to vote for me, vote for any of the five stories that are up. Easy to do.
   On Facebook - Start Publishing has set up a voting page. Make sure you hit submit at the bottom!
   On Twitter - Tweet to @StartPublishing stating Title and Author Names. ( @startpublishing I'm voting for The Departed by Melissa Hayden )

At Challenged Writers blog: 2014 Plans...Er, Resolution? Goals!

Interview with YA author Michelle Flick on new book WALKER.

Waiting on Wednesday! Sexy Superheroes! Oh my goooodness! You need to meet the characters. Amazing images and quotes/teasers.

Reviews:

Walker by Michelle Flick

Mama Bitchstress Reviews:

Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig

GIVEAWAYS:



Weekly Posts:

***NEW*** Mythical Monday - with Sherry Soule talking of Mythological Fun Facts
Teaser Tuesday
Who? What? Where? Wend.
Throwback Thursday
Looking Forward To...
Freebies and Deals, on Nook too -- LOADS of Sci Fi Romance reads for free, and much more too!

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This Week to Come on the Blog:

Mythical Monday is back! This week will be of Road Gremlins!
A review of Highsong by Laura Jennings on Wen.

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Received Last Weeks:

Review:

Conning for Keeps by Seleste deLaney
Goodreads Synopsis:
Lovers undercover…Secret Agent Marissa Jones has a gift. A con artist to the core, after deep hypnosis she can turn into someone else entirely. Marisa’s gift has gotten her into hot water over the years, but now more so than ever. With her smoking hot partner by her side, she needs to convince him that not only is she her true self, but also that she can be trusted—even in spite of her past.

…or traitors to the cause?Trevor Harris has his own issues with the mission, he’s got revenge to seek, a cursed painting to secure, and Marissa’s sugary-sweet alter-ego to ignore. But when he releases Marisa from her mental cage and things get a little too hot, he ends up finding out what falling for a con artist really means—bigger trouble than ever before.

Black Dog by Rachel Neumeier
Goodreads Synopsis:
Natividad is Pure, one of the rare girls born able to wield magic. Pure magic can protect humans against the supernatural evils they only half-acknowledge – the blood kin or the black dogs. In rare cases – like for Natividad’s father and older brother – Pure magic can help black dogs find the strength to control their dark powers.

But before Natividad’s mother can finish teaching her magic their enemies find them. Their entire village in the remote hills of Mexico is slaughtered by black dogs. Their parents die protecting them. Natividad and her brothers must flee across a strange country to the only possible shelter: the infamous black dogs of Dimilioc, who have sworn to protect the Pure.

In the snowy forests of Vermont they are discovered by Ezekiel Korte, despite his youth the strongest black dog at Dimilioc and the appointed pack executioner. Intrigued by Natividad he takes them to Dimilioc instead of killing them.

Now they must pass the tests of the Dimilioc Master. Alejandro must prove he can learn loyalty and control even without his sister’s Pure magic. Natividad’s twin Miguel must prove that an ordinary human can be more than a burden to be protected. And even at Dimilioc a Pure girl like Natividad cannot remain unclaimed to cause fighting and distraction. If she is to stay she must choose a black dog mate.

But, first, they must all survive the looming battle.


Purchased/Winnings/Gifts:

Dead Things by Stephen Blackmoore
Goodreads Synopsis:
Necromancer is such an ugly word, but it's a title Eric Carter is stuck with.

He sees ghosts, talks to the dead. He’s turned it into a lucrative career putting troublesome spirits to rest, sometimes taking on even more dangerous things. For a fee, of course.

When he left L.A. fifteen years ago he thought he’d never go back. Too many bad memories. Too many people trying to kill him.

But now his sister’s been brutally murdered and Carter wants to find out why.

Was it the gangster looking to settle a score? The ghost of a mage he killed the night he left town? Maybe it’s the patron saint of violent death herself, Santa Muerte, who’s taken an unusually keen interest in him.

Carter’s going to find out who did it and he’s going to make them pay.

As long as they don’t kill him first.


I purchased all of these from a Kickstarter. For $10! Yet there's more to come! (and several more I already have)

Yesterday's Dreams by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Goodreads Synopsis:
History...Legacy...Destiny... Triggered by an act of self-sacrifice, all three converge upon Kara O'Keefe, transforming her simple life into one both magical and menacing. Overwhelmed by the expenses of her father's cancer treatments, Kara finds herself forced to give up Quicksilver, her cherished violin and the only physical link with her long-gone Grandda. Her selflessness becomes the key to her future. At Yesterday's Dreams, a pawnshop tucked away on a quiet New York back street, she discovers her true legacy, and destiny and danger both begin to stalk her. Confused by the sudden radical turn her life has taken...pursued by malevolent forces she does not understand...Kara O'Keefe must place her trust in a dead man she loved but never truly knew and the living myth that would teach her who she really was. Has she inherited the tenacious strength of her Celtic ancestors, or would she fall beneath the onslaught of uncompromising fate?

Flash in the Can by Danielle Ackley-McPhail (audio)
Synopsis:
Speculative fiction anthology.

Halflings Court by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Goodreads Synopsis:
Get Your Bad-Ass On! The rumble of a Harley... the gleam of black leather... The shine of polished chrome... the freedom of the open road.... Motorcycles meet magic and mayhem as Lance Cosain, the halfling leader of The Wild Hunt MC, protects his turf and his people from attacks ordered by Dair na Scath, the high king of the fae. Holding his own against rogue fae, redcaps, and the gremlins of the road, all Lance wants to do is settle down with his lady. Instead he goes toe-to-toe with the high king's champion over an ancient dagger and the claim to a throne. Who will triumph? The king of the road or the king of the realm? Either way, the Hunt is on! Based on the stories "At the Crossroads" and "Within the Guardian Bell" from the award-winning Bad-Ass Faeries Anthology Series.

Caves of the Dead by Gail Z. Martin
Goodreads Synopsis:
To make ends meet, Jonmarc Vahanian sold a few odd items from ancient graves. When a stranger offers him gold for a particular relic, it could be a lucky break…or the beginning of a nightmare.

Soldier. Fight slave. Smuggler. Warrior. Brigand lord. If you’ve met Jonmarc Vahanian in the Chronicles of the Necromancer and Fallen Kings Cycle books, you don’t really know him until you take his journey.

Raider's Curse by Gail Z. Martin
Goodreads Synopsis:
Raiders’ Curse—The legend begins. When sea raiders threaten the villages along the Margolan coast, young Jonmarc Vahanian risks everything to save his family. 

The Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures
Soldier. Fight slave. Smuggler. Warrior. Brigand lord. If you’ve met Jonmarc Vahanian in the Chronicles of the Necromancer and Fallen Kings Cycle books, you don’t really know him until you take his journey.

Storm Surge by Gail Z. Martin
Goodreads Synopsis:
When the caravan is beset by danger and a black beast stalks the shadows, Jonmarc Vahanian fears he is being stalked by a blood mage with a dangerous vendetta.

Soldier. Fight slave. Smuggler. Warrior. Brigand lord. If you’ve met Jonmarc Vahanian in the Chronicles of the Necromancer and Fallen Kings Cycle books, you don’t really know him until you take his journey.

Vanities by Gail Z. Martin
Goodreads Synopsis:
Vanities

Jewel thief and newly-turned vampire Sorren sets out to steal a priceless brooch possessed by an ancient evil before it sets the Black Dragon loose in medieval Antwerp.

The Deadly Curiosities Adventures

This series of adventures spans over 500 years, from the 1500s to modern day as a small cabal of vampires and their human helpers battle supernatural enemies to find and destroy dangerous magical items and keep the world safe from dark forces.

Steer a Pale Course by Gail Z. Martin
Goodreads Synopsis:
Steer a Pale Course

Two young fishermen in post-Revolutionary America are forced to retrieve a deadly object from an ancient burial mound or face the vengeance of raiders who have taken their village hostage.

The Deadly Curiosities Adventures

This series of adventures spans over 500 years, from the 1500s to modern day as a small cabal of vampires and their human helpers battle supernatural enemies to find and destroy dangerous magical items and keep the world safe from dark forces.

Buttons by Gail Z. Martin
Goodreads Synopsis:
Cassidy Kincaide runs Trifles & Folly in modern-day Charleston, an antiques and curios shop with a dangerous secret and an immortal silent partner. A hungry ghost haunts a dead man’s journals, and Cassidy and Sorren must destroy the spirit before it exacts its price in blood. 

This series of adventures spans over 500 years, from the 1500s to modern day as a small cabal of vampires and their human helpers battle supernatural enemies to find and destroy dangerous magical items and keep the world safe from dark forces.

Scarlet Sails by T.S. Rhodes
Goodreads Synopsis:
The year is 1717, and pirate Captain Scarlet MacGrath wants nothing more than a decent meal, a glass of rum and a good man waiting for her in the next port, but life rarely works out that neatly. 
When the rum runs out, Scarlet sets sail for the mainland to look up an old friend. But friends turn into enemies pretty quick in this part of the world, and before long Scarlet, her crew, and the good ship Donnybrook are caught between the lawless Donnelly boys and the bloody-handed Red Ned Doyle himself. Can Scarlet use her Irish charms to free herself and her crew, or will it be cutlass and cannon?

Ice and Fire by Cynthia Ward
Synopsis:
Two Vampire short stories.

Gabriella by Cynthia Ward
Synopsis:
Short story by Cynthia.

Four For More by Jean Marie Ward
Synopsis:
Short story

Fires within the Blank Page by Tera Fulbright
Synopsis:
Short story

Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith
Goodreads Synopsis:
A deathbed promise to their father sends a daring girl and her brother off to war. Filled with intrigue, romance, and magic, this spellbinding novel is a dramatic coming-of-age story about a girl who rises from impoverished beginnings to take command of her own fate.





Free Ebooks:

The Gatekeepers Sons by Eva Pohler
Goodreads Synopsis:
Fifteen-year-old Therese watches her parents die. While in a coma, she meets the twin sons of Hades—Hypnos, the god of sleep, and Thanatos, the god of death. She thinks she's manipulating a dream, not kissing the god of death and totally rocking his world. 

Than makes a deal with Hades and goes as a mortal to the Upperworld to try and win Therese's heart, but not all the gods are happy. Some give her gifts. Others try to kill her. 

The deal requires Therese to avenge the death of her parents. With the help of Than’s fierce and exotic sisters, the Furies, she finds herself in an arena face to face with the murderer, and only one will survive.

The Grimm Diaries by Cameron Jace (Vol 1-6)
Goodreads Synopsis:
What if all you knew about fairy tales was wrong?

Warning: these Grimm Prequels are like snap shots of a magical land you're about to visit soon. I like to think of them as poisoned apples. Once you taste them, you will never see fairy tales in the same light again.

This Grimm Diaries Prequels are a number of short books in the form of epistolary diary entries. The diaries are more of teasers for the upcoming series: The Grimm Diaries, allowing you to get a glimpse of what to expect of the series. The 6 diaries are told by The Evil Queen, Peter Pan, Little Red Riding Hood, the Devil, Prince Charming, and Alice Grimm 
The first book in the Series will be out in February 2013, called SNOW WHITE SORROW.

Series Description:
The Grimm Diaries are pages written in a Book of Sand, where each fairy tale character confessed the true stories once altered by the Brothers Grimm two centuries ago. To keep the truth about fairy tales hidden, the Brothers Grimm buried the characters in their dreams to never wake up again. But the curse is broken now, and the characters are allowed to wake up every one hundred years. They intend to tell the truth about really happened, and about an untold cosmic conflict between fairy tale characters.


Free Audio Books/Stories:

The Secret World Chronicles: The Hunt by Mercedes Lackey and Steve Libby
Goodreads Synopsis:
The Hunt portrays the frenzied aftermath of the devastating Thule Society attacks. Famed fantasy and sci-fi author Mercedes Lackey and newcomer Steve Libbey have joined forces to create a superhero-themed braided novel podcast series called The Secret World Chronicle. The series depicts an ensemble cast of metahuman characters coping with worldwide attacks by a mysterious, technologically advanced Nazi secret society, and the ensuing chaos. The Secret World is a meeting ground for pulpy adventure and thoughtful science fiction speculation, where ordinary people are elevated above their fellow humans and must grapple with the consequences of their newfound abilities.

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Reviews to Come:

Quarter Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Half Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Full Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book
Double Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Captain's Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Owners Share by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

Ravenwood by Nathan Lowell - a podcast reading of the book

The Coffee Legacy by Katharine Bordet - a podcast reading of the book

Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow
Shadow Sight by E.J. Stevens (in audiobook while at work)

Marco and The Red Granny by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)

Seducing Her Rival by Seleste deLaney

Heaven by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)
Hell by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)
Earth by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)
Wasteland by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)

War by Mur Lafferty (in audiobook while at work)

Hapax by K.T. Bryski (in audiobook while at work)

Murder At Avedon Hill by P.G. Holyfield (in audiobook while at work)

Earth Girls Are Difficult by Frances Pauli (in audiobook while at work)

Tales of the Children by P.G. Holyfield (in audiobook while at work) An Anthology collection in the setting of Land of Caern.

Tales from the Archives, Vol 2 #12 - The Taniwha of Ana Cove by Lewis Hoban (audio while at work)

Digital Magic by Philippa Ballantine

The Princess and the Coffee Bean by Katherina Bordet (a short story in her Coffee Legacy world)

Highsong by Laura Jennings
The Secret World Chronicle: Invasion by Mercedes Lackey & Steve Libbey (in audiobook while at work)
All of Us Were Sophie by Resa Nelson