Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Audio Book Review: Crucible and Flame

Crucible and Flame

By:  John Mierau

Publish Date:  January 6, 2016, Audiobook Release January 2, 2017

Format:  Audiobook - 1 hrs 57 mins
Narrated By:  John Mierau

Genre:  Science Fiction

Series:  Stand alone

Impression:  Living and experiencing can change you.

Synopsis:
A Ferryman Walks the Fire to an isolated generation ship, only a few decades away from its destination planet. There, in a moment of tragedy, he will learn that despite hundreds of years of life and the promise of endless more, even a Ferryman's life can change.

First Sentence:
The fire licked hungrily, and The Ferryman walked.

Purchase At:
Amazon    

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review at my request.

The Ferryman escorts his passenger through the flames to ship 227, that's been around for hundreds of years and now a few short decades to reaching it's destination, finds himself alone while the Legal negotiated his trade. The Ferryman didn't expect to learn there was more to life than what he does for work, surprised at coming to feel relaxed around the people that fear and worship him.

John voices his own story here. And in doing that, he knows what his characters are to feel. The beginning it felt like there was space between the words but quickly came to a routine cadence to the reading. In the end, I felt Ferryman's resignation and appreciation.

This story feels of what The Ferryman has to deal with, the physical aches and pains along with the torment he feels when the people reach for him asking to be taken away. We see much of this in the beginning. Though it felt as I was trying hard to understand the world and ways of things, but then things started to click. It feels as though the Ferryman needs to learn a bit of humility, and does so on ship 227. By the end I understood what John had created here with the ship and flame and the ferryman.

John is one that writes fascinating short stories that people face themselves and their feelings, growing to become more. This story is no different. The Ferryman starts to see things differently, then lives through a drastic life changing moment.



****If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Mythical Monday #63

Art work by: @Burntlaughter on Twitteb

It seems there are many books influenced by or based on Myths and Mythological Beings.

There are many different Mythology's and Mythological Beings recorded. Some are very popular and well known, others not so much. There are many similar beings, yet different depending on the culture it’s based in.  The definition of Myth covers about anything in the Urban Fantasy/Fantasy realm to me.

I’ve invited authors to share briefly the Mythological being or Myth that influenced their character(s) or story, or what their character(s) are based on influencing their books.  Hosting here, one author and being or myth per week.


Why Bad-Ass Faeries?

From the very beginning of recorded history the mystical and magical has touched our world, existed beside us. Perhaps it was just our way of explaining the unexplainable, or perhaps with more open eyes we were able to see beyond the confines of our own understanding. Whatever the reason, we have always told tales of the Other. The Fae. The gods. Beings with abilities different than our own. Powers beyond those we could command.

Powers we respected.

Well. Respected until this century. With the explosion of literature and entertainment media and cotton-wrapping children, the fae and their kin have in many regards become a faint shadow of what mankind had known before. They have been relegated to merchandising opportunities, softened as to not upset young children…or anyone else.

But there are those of us that know that faeries are not all goodness and light. Heck, faeries are RARELY goodness and light at all. There are those that remember that faerie tales were warnings, not entertainment. It is with this in mind that we created The Bad-Ass Faeries anthologies. To dedisnefy the fae. To reeducate the masses. To respect the fae and give them their proper due.

We have taken the root of the legend and brought it into the modern day, pairing the fae nature with some bad-ass human archetype. A reminder that the fae are among us, that they adapt and they blend, and they most definitely should be respected.

Why? Because the fae have been mischievous, they have been malevolent, they have been warriors. Seldom, if ever, have they been playthings for children. While there are accounts of the fae doing good, there are many more that warn of their treachery, or the swift nature of their retribution if not shown the proper respect.

Consider the redcaps. They are nothing but murderous thugs. They live by killing lone travelers and soaking their caps in their victim’s blood.

Consider the pooka. Seemingly nothing more than a horse, but climb onto it’s back and you will find yourself on a wild ride that more likely than not will find you drowned in a loch at the end of it.

Consider the faeries themselves, said to steal babes from their cribs and leave changlings in their place.

See, the thing about the Other is even if they appear similar to us, their goals, their understanding, their ways are distinctly different.

We forget the old ways at our own peril.

But we never truly forget, do we? Just take a close look at our traditional superstitions…horseshoes hung over the door as protection against evil (to prevent fae from entering a dwelling); throwing spilt salt over your left shoulder—the sinister side—to ward off bad luck (or the mischief of the fae, many of whom feel a compulsion to count each of those grains of salt, diverting their attention away from the person throwing it.), bells hung off of motorcycles (the sound of the bell said to ward off faeries…or in this case, road gremlins.), and four-leaf clovers for good luck (and to allow the bearer to see through tricks played by faeries.)

Needless to say, remembered or not, the fae have left a lasting mark on our society.

For over a decade we and our authors have been exploring this concept and the Otherness of the fae. The Bad-Ass Faeries anthologies are now out of print, but we are currently funding a commemorative collection, The Best of Bad-Ass Faeries featuring the highlights of all four books. If the campaign does well enough, we are even considering a brand-new collection featuring Tuckerizations of our backers.

So clap your hands…NOW! Because you better believe in Bad-Ass Faeries!


Back the campaign:  Make 100: The Best of Bad-Ass Faeries

About the Author:
Award-winning author and editor Danielle Ackley-McPhail has worked both sides of the publishing industry for longer than she cares to admit. In 2014 she joined forces with husband Mike McPhail and friend Greg Schauer to form her own publishing house, eSpec Books (www.especbooks.com).

Her published works include six novels, Yesterday's Dreams, Tomorrow's Memories, Today’s Promise, The Halfling’s Court, The Redcaps’ Queen, and Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn, written with Day Al-Mohamed. She is also the author of the solo collections A Legacy of Stars, Consigned to the Sea, Flash in the Can, and Transcendence, the non-fiction writers’ guide, The Literary Handyman, and is the senior editor of the Bad-Ass Faeries anthology series, Gaslight & Grimm, Dragon’s Lure, and In an Iron Cage. Her short stories are included in numerous other anthologies and collections.

She is a member of Broad Universe, a writer’s organization focusing on promoting the works of women authors in the speculative genres.

In addition to her literary acclaim, she crafts and sells original costume horns under the moniker The Hornie Lady, at literary conventions, on commission, and wholesale.

Danielle lives in New Jersey with husband and fellow writer, Mike McPhail and three extremely spoiled cats. She can be found on Facebook (Danielle Ackley-McPhail) and Twitter (DMcPhail, BadAssFaeries, eSpecBooks, and TheHornieLady).

To learn more about her work, visit www.sidhenadaire.com, www.especbooks.com or www.badassfaeries.com.


Find the Author:


Sunday, January 29, 2017

Sunday Post #156

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week was slightly calmer on the home front. Kiddo went for a college overnight visit and came home yesterday ready to sign up. lol. I feel for him. He's been in love with three colleges so far, and bounces back and forth between them. It's so hard to make this choice.

We finally have some cold weather again. There are snowflakes falling and a constant dusting on the ground. It's January here. We should have this. But... oh well. It also means I have to find money for tires. That's always an expense I am never ready for.

I have a few posts I need to get to and return comments, so I'm hoping this week will go a bit better on that front. It's hard to keep up with everything! How do you all do it?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Fit Booker:

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

How did I do last week... This week I got 4 days in. Treadmill on Monday and Wednesday, gym weights and elliptical on Tuesday and Thursday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What's Happening in Books:

Current Read:
Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells

Content editing work.


Current Audiobook:
The Beast of the North by Alaric Longward

Current Podcast Book Listen:
Stonebriar Casefiles: Bad Alchemy by Laura Nicole Spencer (You can listen for free too!)


Finished Last Week: 
Blue Blooded by Amanda Carlson

Audiobooks from Audible:
Hunting Down Dragons by Tricia Owens


Finished Podcast Book Listen:
Nothing yet.


DNFed:

~~~~~~~~~~

Last Week on the Blog:


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



Guest Posts:



Posts:


Around the Internet...


Reviews:
Wytchfire by Michael Meyerhofer

"I enjoyed the story told here. There are neat ties between the people that we see in the end. This is a fantasy series I wouldn't mind following along to the end."


Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano

"Merrie grabs my attention from the first sentence and never lets it go. I loved the format that Merrie used to tell this story. We don't start at the beginning of when all started to change with Rachel. We start when things have already changed, and turned ugly."



Podcast Review:




Mama Bitchstress Reviews:



GIVEAWAYS:


~~~~~~~~~~

This Week to Come on the Blog:


Two reviews. And a Mythical Monday!


~~~~~~~~~~

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


For Review Consideration:
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
GLORY NEVER GETS OLD.

Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best -- the meanest, dirtiest, most feared crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld. 

Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk - or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay's door with a plea for help. His daughter Rose is trapped in a city besieged by an enemy one hundred thousand strong and hungry for blood. Rescuing Rose is the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for. 

It's time to get the band back together for one last tour across the Wyld.


Audio Books Requested for Review:
Primal Dawn by Ryan Kirk
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Tev is a hunter, one of the best in his clan. Trained since birth in the art of tracking and killing, Tev has never met a challenge he couldn’t overcome. But when a mysterious fireball falls from the sky, Tev will question everything he has ever known. For the first time in his life, he isn’t the one doing the hunting. 

He is the prey 

Primal Dawn is the first short novel of the Primal Series, spanning centuries of conflict following first contact. Each novel tells a complete story in the ongoing saga of two cultures learning to explore the vastness of space together.



Purchased/Winnings/Gifts:
Book:


Audio:




Free Ebooks:
(On my Kindle and Nook App) Links to books under title. They may or may not be free at this time.
The Fervor by Xandrie Kovak
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
EVERYONE KNOWS MONSTERS EXIST.
BUT SHE NEVER EXPECTED TO BE ONE OF THEM…

Thanks to her great- great-grandmother, loner Claire Sommers’ DNA results are succubus positive. To make matters worse, her college is forcing her into the Supernatural program. The last place she wants to be is in a room filled with ferals, vampires, and other monsters from her nightmares. The absolute worst thing she can imagine? Getting hit with her first fervor in the middle of said classroom. Especially in front of the new alpha of the Red Crescent pack, Lucas Masters.

With every Supe in scenting distance caught up in the pheromone frenzy, Claire realizes she’s probably not going to survive the night with her dignity intact. She may not even survive at all…

Thanks Grandma.

Fantastic Creatures - anthology
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Here be dragons ... and selkies and griffins and maybe even a mermaid or two. 

Twenty fantasy authors band together to bring you a collection of thrilling tales and magical monsters. Do you like to slay dragons? Or befriend them? Do you prefer to meet cephalopods as gigantic kraken or adorable tree octopuses? 

Each story focuses around a fantastic creature from folklore or mythology, and they range from light and playful tales for the whole family to darker stories that may make you wish to leave the lights on. These stories carry the Fellowship of Fantasy seal of approval. While our monsters may be horrifying, you won't stumble into graphic sex and constant swearing. 

Perfect for the fantasy lover who can't get enough of mythical beasts.

Sleeping Dragon by Rinelle Grey
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Sleeping Beauty never looked this hot! 

It’s finally Lisa’s turn to wake her very own dragon prince with a kiss (and more). She’s been waiting for her chance to sleep with one of the hot shifters since she first saw them. What she didn’t need was the added pressure of a battle raging outside at the time. 

Prince Verrian wakes to the shocking news that he’s been asleep for three hundred years. In that time everything he’s ever known has changed. Some of the changes, like the gorgeous human woman who woke him, are good. Others, not so much. 

When they step outside his chamber, they find that friend and enemy alike have disappeared, leaving them alone in the middle of the Australian outback, with no vehicle and no phone reception. 

And no idea who won the battle. 

Sleeping Dragon is part 1 in the six part, Dragon Echoes serial. It follows on from the Dragon Ruins serial.

Not Just Voodoo - anthology
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
To celebrate the release of Something Like Voodoo by New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Hamilton, we've put together this paranormal fantasy collection of short stories that include works from some of her favorite authors! 

Most of the stories in this specially curated collection are brand new, exclusive content - never before distributed anywhere else and yours for the taking! 

If you're in the mood for unique magic and familiar creatures, this anthology is sure to add spark to your day! 

WHAT'S INSIDE: 
Margo Bond Collins - Major Arcana 
When a teenage fortune teller in a traveling carnival meets up with an attractive townie, she finds new magic in her tarot cards. 

Erin Hayes - I Wish I Weren’t A Djinni 
A djinni who is summoned by a young man has the power to grant any of his wishes; he simply has to believe her enough to ask. 

Aileen Harkwood - Splintered Magic 
Though Saige McMullins may feel like nothing more than a half-witch freak, when evil with a nasty appetite threatens the beach town of Lost Cliff, she knows she’s the only one who can stop it. 

L.C. Hibbett - Wicked Witch 
Destiny isn’t a good witch. She lies, she cheats, and she dances on the dead. But Destiny has a secret that might just change everything… 

Megan J. Parker & Nathan Squiers - Journal of Abigail DiAngelo 
As a hunter in training and high school student, Abigail DiAngelo would much rather live a normal life than fight monsters with her father, but when an unexpected chance for change arises, it’s up to her to take charge... 

Katerina Martinez - The Witch and the Thief 
When Nicole Harriman receives an urgent prophetic vision, it’s up to her to protect what is hers. 

K.N. Lee - Awakened 
A young witch betrays her darkest secret and risks her crown, life, and soul for the love of a human. 

Nicole Zoltack - Gavin’s Gamble 
Gavin thinks nothing can be worse than having a witch hunter for a father until he experiences possibly magical phenomena... 

Debbie Cassidy - Deadtown 
A pocket of crazy, a town hostage to magic, and a mysterious warlock boss equal a recipe for disaster. 

Alicia Rades - Visions Among Frost 
Crystal Frost can see ghosts and predict the future, but when her friends pull out a Ouija board at their sleepover, it’s up to her to clean up their mess. 

Monica Corwin - The Dying of the Light 
When Charity dies on the first day of her new job she rallies with the help of her new reaper partner, and her eight remaining souls, to take down the criminals responsible. 

Jasmine Walt - Tested by Magic 
Shifter and bounty hunter Sunaya Baine would much rather chase after hardened criminals, but when a child goes missing in her magical city, she’ll stop at nothing to find her before she falls prey to the real things that go bump in the night. 

Thea Atkinson - Reaper’s Redemption 
A grim reaper’s next fare might be her last. 

Rebecca Hamilton - Leaves Like Magic 
A young witch joins forces with a shapeshifting ally in a race against the clock to save her best friend from vampires.

The Devil's Fool by Rachel McClellan
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Eve's power-hungry witch parents will kill at the slightest insult, and Eve's unwillingness to use her own supernatural abilities is enough to incite them. Boaz, a powerful vampire, may be the only one able to save her, to give her the one thing she's never had--love. But in Eve's world, no one is who they seem and everyone has an agenda. And the more she stays with him, the more difficult it becomes to spot the true devils, especially when she becomes one herself.



Free Audio Books/Stories:


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Reviews to Come:

Soulless by Skyla Dawn Cameron
The Sentinel by Chris Lester
The Muse by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Making the Cut by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Whispers in the Wood by Chris Lester
Lex Talionis by Starla Huchton
Spark by Starla Huchton
Heir to Kale by K.L. Bone
Tales from the Archives Vol 4 #5 - Old Sinner's Bones
The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan
Crucible and Flame by John Mierau
Dead Lucky by M.R. Forbes
The Bee Charmer by Poppy Lawless
Hunting Down Dragons by Tricia Owens
Blue Blooded by Amanda Carlson

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Book Review: Lost Girls

Lost Girls

By:  Merrie Destefano

Publish Date:  September 27, 2016

Format:  eARC

Genre:  YA Suspense Thriller

Series:  Stand Alone

First Impression:  Powerful story that's to the heart with growing up and what young adults face.

Synopsis:
Yesterday, Rachel went to sleep listening to Taylor Swift, curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about geometry. Today, she woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life.

She doesn’t recognize the person she’s become: she’s popular. She wears nothing but black.

Black to cover the blood.

And she can fight.

Tell no one.

She’s not the only girl to go missing within the last year…but she’s the only girl to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls.

But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And as much as her new life scares her, it calls to her. Seductively. The good girl gone bad, sex, drugs, and raves, and something darker…something she still craves—the rush of the fight, the thrill of the win—something she can’t resist, that might still get her killed…

The only rule is: There are no rules.

First Sentence:
I remember last night perfectly.

Purchase At:
Amazon /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository
*Link may contain an affiliate link for me.

My Thoughts and Summary:
*I was offered a copy of this book from the author or publisher for review.

Merrie grabs my attention from the first sentence and never lets it go. I loved the format that Merrie used to tell this story. We don't start at the beginning of when all started to change with Rachel. We start when things have already changed, and turned ugly. She finds herself in a ditch, beat up and bruised, with memory loss for the last year. Everyone around her knows how things are/were but are afraid to tell her or sworn to secrecy by her previously. But it all starts to surface slowly in her mind and as she learns what she does with her friends. In this fashion we learn what each of the girls faced to get to where they are. The fears they each face. There is more going on than Rachel knows, and she keeps pushing, until she remembers it all and faces the chance of losing herself again.

I found I was constantly guessing, in my mind, what had happened to Rachel and the other lost girls. And always trying to piece together what I was learning each time I came across a large piece of the puzzle. Wow. This book was so well done to keep you going, learning, and wanting more.

This is a book that can and should be read by adults and children. There are strong feels present in the story. These children have fears they fight daily. They may react differently than an adult would, but in their emotional state they find a way to deal with what they feel. And, unfortunately, it leads down a road that's hard to break from. The fears may seem simple to you, but to these kids they aren't. They will learn to stand on their own from them.

There are drugs and drinking that's present in the story. This is related to the feelings and actions of the kids though. How these kids come out in the end is amazing. Yes, this is fiction, but the feelings kids feel are true, and can lead to good paths or terrible paths.

I felt the heartache and emotions of the characters. I felt completely invested with Rachel and others. There was one person that Rachel talked to, twice actually, and each time she saw this person I started to cry. It was very emotional for Rachel and the person and the scenes touched my heart.

Rachel has a draw to the Black Swan and dance, it shows in how she sees things in her life. I loved this as it took something Rachel related to and related it to the life she was living.

This book simply wowed me.



****If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon. Thank you!

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Audio Book Review: Wytchfire

Wytchfire

By:  Michael Meyerhofer

Publish Date:  March 2014, Audiobook Release August 8, 2015

Format:  Audiobook - 11 hrs 34 mins
Narrated By:  Craig Beck

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  1st in The Dragonkin Triogy series

Impression:  Being a kind soul in a world of dark souls could make a difference for the world.

Synopsis:
In a land haunted by the legacy of dead dragons, Rowen Locke has been many things: orphan, gravedigger, mercenary. All he ever wanted was to become a Knight of Crane and wield a kingsteel sword against the kind of grown horrors his childhood knows all too well.

But that dream crumbled—replaced by a new nightmare.
War is overrunning the realms, an unprecedented duel of desire and revenge, steel and sorcery. And for one disgraced man who would be a knight, in a world where no one is blameless, the time has come to decide which side he’s on.

First Sentence:
Fadarah turned his tattooed face toward the granite walls of Syros, greatest of the Free Cities of the Simurgh Plains.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository
*links may be to an affiliate account for me.
Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review at my request.

Craig Beck is a new narrator for me. But, I must say, from the first word I enjoyed his mild accent. Yum. I'm taken by his voices for different characters. When he voiced the robber, I could see and hear the different person and personality. Oh I really enjoyed listening to Craig voice the story. He reads with feeling in the moment along with personality with each character. There was only one little oops I picked up on. In Chapter 3, there is a repeat of about 11 words. But seriously, if that's the only bad out of the eleven plus hours, I'll take it!

Michael's writing caught my attention in the prologue. I could see what was happening by the descriptions and cadence of the words. To see Fadarah call forth his secret weapon, The Nightmare. Then to see how the Shel'ai form around it, even the soldiers drawing away from him, it all sets the stage of the war and battles to follow with this powerful force and Fadarah's magic.

We get a feel for the world as Rowen travels. The world has it's prejudice and strong feelings between the people. We get a description of the fantasy world that darkens as Rowen travels through it, seeing more and more of what's happening in the world that he doesn't see on the surface. But Michael's details feel bright when Craig voices it, giving the world a visual we could see and hope that there is light in the world worth saving.

The story has a few point of views as it's told. The repeating ones are: Rowen, Shade, Fadarah, Lethe, and Hrathbam. There are a few others through the story with the eyes in the moment we need to learn about. But it's easy to follow who's who because you know where they are in the world and what's happening. My only small struggle with this was I was listening to audio and not reading words, so when the narrative switched in a chapter it took me a few moments to realize we were on to another character. (It would be nice to have a small sound or something to let you know there is a change happening.)

This book brings together the people that need to be together for the terrible battle that's about to happen, setting the stage for all characters and circumstances. Some of the connections are magical. Like Rowen given the dinged up, rusty sword. But we learn there's more to what he sees. Interesting.

Silwren seems like a character who cares, wants to do what's right, she just needs to see that there are those in the world worth saving. Silwren sees this in Rowen in their time together. Do I feel this is as strong of a sense for Silwren? Mmm. Yes and no. I felt like there could be more of a connection between the two characters. They talk, yes. She answers Rowen's questions, yes. Rowen has stood for her life a few times, yes. The actions are all there, but it felt like the emotional connection needed was not as strong. This is a fantasy story and emotions aren't always as strong for me when I read/listen to fantasy.

I found my attention didn't stray from the story. I was listening to the story as it went, not letting it fade into the background until something caught my attention and drew me back in. This is a plus!

I enjoyed the story told here. There are neat ties between the people that we see in the end. This is a fantasy series I wouldn't mind following along to the end. There is going to be more battles to be fought as people fight for what they feel is right because of treatment. But, it seems that in the end the views of the people that are feared are being changed because of their actions to help, in one city at least.



****If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Sunday Post #155

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It has been a week! Wow. Where does the time go? I know, this seems to be my weekly statement. But it seems to go so fast!

Kiddo had a doctor appointment, Sheba had a vet appointment Tuesday (which she's doing much better), my car went in to be looked at (and apparently there's nothing wrong heaven only knows what I felt in brakes), and Athena went to vet Friday. Kiddo had a local college visit Friday morning then we drove to another college Saturday. Ugh! I'm exhausted from all these running around! I didn't get my exercises in like I have been wanting, but I keep reminding myself that it's okay. Live happens and I'll work around it.

Of course Kiddo fell in love with the college Saturday. It was gorgeous! And the football team wants him. They really wooed him. Now, I still have academic questions, we had seen the football team and toured with them, which I'll have to email about or not get the answers. Also, they are RATHER expensive. So unless they offer him a boat load of scholarship money for his greats and what not... well, he'll probably not be very happy. He could easily go to the college he visited Friday morning. They are not as gorgeous and current in their setup and the football team doesn't seem to have an interest in him. But the track coach was very nice and could, depending on his times this season. But he'd have to stay at home to afford it. So many factors into this life changing decision!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Fit Booker:

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

How did I do last week... This week I got 3 days in. Hard to believe! Treadmill on Sunday and Wednesday, gym weights and elliptical on Thursday. My Fitbit even recognized the 37 minute walk around campus yesterday as an exercise. Cool! So if you include that, I had 4 days exercising. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What's Happening in Books:

Current Read:
Blue Blooded by Amanda Carlson

Content editing work.


Current Audiobook:
Hunting Down Dragons by Tricia Owens

Current Podcast Book Listen:
Stonebriar Casefiles: Bad Alchemy by Laura Nicole Spencer (You can listen for free too!)


Finished Last Week: 
Hope to finish Blue Blooded this week.

Audiobooks from Audible:
Crucible and Flame by John Mierau
Dead Lucky by M.R. Forbes
The Bee Charmer by Poppy Lawless


Finished Podcast Book Listen:
Nothing yet.


DNFed:

~~~~~~~~~~

Last Week on the Blog:


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



Guest Posts:



Posts:


Around the Internet...


Reviews:
Humanity 2.0: Emergence edited by J.M. Martin

"These novella length stories are longer than short stories so you can get the feel of the full story, characters, and world. Each story is different but set as a braided story in the same world."


Torn World by Melanie Karsak

"The writing flow Melanie has created here is magnificent. The missions to get needed supplies do not feel as they are created to give more story, the missions fit the places the characters are. The story feels as it fits in it's world and where the people are without creating situations to get to where the characters are. I love this complete feel for the characters and world."



Podcast Review:




Mama Bitchstress Reviews:



GIVEAWAYS:


~~~~~~~~~~

This Week to Come on the Blog:


Two reviews.


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


For Review Consideration:


Audio Books Requested for Review:
Wizard's Nocturne by Gary Jonas
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Goodreads Synopsis:
A MURDER IN LAYERED TIME
In the conclusion of the three-volume time travel sequence, Jonathan Shade is sent back to 1926 to kill an upstart wizard named Henry Winslow.  Henry wants to die because in order to achieve his goal of immortality, he must first achieve resurrection.
PAWNS IN A LARGER GAME
Jonathan Shade and Kelly Chan are part of a larger plan playing out across time, and while Henry Winslow is a major player, there's someone else acting as the mastermind, and his name is Jonathan Shade.

Shade's plan relies on changing the way things happened in the twenties...but if things change too much, there won't be a future to which any of them can return.



Purchased/Winnings/Gifts:
Book:


Audio:




Free Ebooks:
(On my Kindle and Nook App) Links to books under title. They may or may not be free at this time.
The Jade Queen by Jack Conner
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Jason Bourne meets Indiana Jones. In the tradition of James Rollins and Clive Cussler comes the newest adventure hero, Lynchmort James.

In the darkest hours of World War Two, a string of grisly murders has the European city of Gaston in a panic, and the cops are being paid to look the other way. Lynchmort James, ex-soldier and now boozer, opium addict and womanizer, in mourning for the death of his beloved Eliza, wants only to be left alone, but that isn't going to happen. Something bad's going on, and if he wants to know peace again he's got to figure out who's behind it -- and stop them.

The bodies are mutilated strangely, almost as if some sinister procedure has been performed on them, but no one seems to know its purpose. Soon the clues lead Lynch to a strange, unwholesome group of people known only as the Society, and with their discovery Lynch is plunged into a nightmare of action, mystery, romance and exoticism.

What the Society's agenda is remains an enigma, but it involves a bizarre excavation deep under the earth, and some equally bizarre ruins. Can the Society be allied with the Nazis? Can their agenda have anything to do with the myth of ancient Atlantis? To stop them before their sinister plans are realized, Lynch must find out, but it won't be easy, and anything can happen with the arrival of . . . the Jade Queen

The Midnight Sea by Kat Ross
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Goodreads Synopsis:
They are the light against the darkness.

The steel against the necromancy of the Druj.

And they use demons to hunt demons….

Nazafareen lives for revenge. A girl of the isolated Four-Legs Clan, all she knows about the King's elite Water Dogs is that they leash wicked creatures called daevas to protect the empire from the Undead. But when scouts arrive to recruit young people with the gift, she leaps at the chance to join their ranks. To hunt the monsters that killed her sister.

Scarred by grief, she's willing to pay any price, even if it requires linking with a daeva named Darius. Human in body, he's possessed of a terrifying power, one that Nazafareen controls. But the golden cuffs that join them have an unwanted side effect. Each experiences the other's emotions, and human and daeva start to grow dangerously close.

As they pursue a deadly foe across the arid waste of the Great Salt Plain to the glittering capital of Persepolae, unearthing the secrets of Darius's past along the way, Nazafareen is forced to question his slavery—and her own loyalty to the empire. But with an ancient evil stirring in the north, and a young conqueror sweeping in from the west, the fate of an entire civilization may be at stake…

The Underground Series (Books 1 -3) By Erin Bedford
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Goodreads Synopsis:
The first three books of a dark and sexy fantasy series by International Bestselling Author, Erin Bedford. 

Book One: Chasing Rabbits 

Alice was wrong – Wonderland wasn’t so wonderful after all. 

Kat never expected to be back in her hometown, but when house sitting turns into a mad rabbit chase, Kat finds herself with a whole new set of problems. 

A two-headed bird with a Game of Thrones obsession, a party full of tea addicts, and a Cheshire Cat who could seduce the pants off her grandma? And if the citizens weren’t bad enough their prince was off his rocker. 

This wasn’t your run of the mill Wonderland. This was the Fae world, where rules are rules, and some things are exactly as they seem. 

Book Two: Chasing Cats 

Sometimes the smallest debt comes with the highest price. 

Kat went down the rabbit hole and came out changed. Now everyone wants something from her and she is hard pressed to give in to any of them. 

Only the irresistibly mysterious Cheshire Cat seems to be on her side. But even he has secrets of his own. Secrets that cause him to show up beaten and bloody on her doorstep. 

Dancing around lost friends and determined ex-lovers will be a feat on its own. Doing it and staying sane? Impossible. 

Book Three: Chasing Princes 

Who would you save? 

The Fae and human worlds are merging at a rapid pace, leaving Kat two options; crash with the rest of them or ride it out and claim her place. 

With both of Kat's knights out of the picture, it's up to her to face new dangers and defeat old enemies. But with Kat’s new powers still on the fritz and her most trusted companion no longer at her side, this librarian has to decide what’s worth saving and what will be sacrificed. 

Only one question remains: Can Kat save the Underground if she can’t even save herself? 

Not included in the box set: 
Chasing Shadows 
Chasing Hearts

Moorigad: Dragon Collection (Age of the Hybrid 1 - 3) by Debra Kristi
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Amazon Synopsis:
When Kyra, the Moorigad dragon-shifter, unwittingly finds herself at Mystic's Carnival, a supernatural world between realms, she believes her runaway days are finished.

Amidst the carnies and never-ending magic, she begins falling for her all-too-secretive best friend, Sebastian. And as she delves deeper into his mysteries, her goodwill sabotages their future and her very existence.

In this action-packed, paranormal fantasy romance about two coming-of-age would-be lovers, Kyra and Sebastian's union and strength of character will be put to the ultimate test. The stakes? Everything and everyone that ever mattered to them.

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The Complete Age of the Hybrid Series:
∙ The Moorigad Dragon
∙ Reap Not the Dragon
∙ Plight of the Dragon
∙ Plus five additional bonus chapters



Free Audio Books/Stories:


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Reviews to Come:

Soulless by Skyla Dawn Cameron
The Sentinel by Chris Lester
The Muse by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Making the Cut by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Whispers in the Wood by Chris Lester
Lex Talionis by Starla Huchton
Spark by Starla Huchton
Heir to Kale by K.L. Bone
Tales from the Archives Vol 4 #5 - Old Sinner's Bones
The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan
Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano
Wytchfire by Michael Meyerhofer
Crucible and Flame by John Mierau
Dead Lucky by M.R. Forbes
The Bee Charmer by Poppy Lawless