Sneak Preview: Children of the Fifth Sun by Gareth Worthington

Children of the Fifth Sun: Sneak Preview

by Gareth Worthington

This sneak preview includes the first 9 chapters of Children of the Fifth Sun and some extra "behind the scenes" material which inspired one of the characters you'll meet between the covers.

Kelly Graham is a narcissistic self-assured freelance photographer specializing in underwater assignments. While on a project in the Amazon with his best friend, Chris D'Souza, a mysterious and beautiful government official, Freya Nilsson, enters Kelly’s life and turns it upside down. Her simple request to retrieve a strange object from deep underwater puts him in the middle of an international conspiracy. A conspiracy that threatens to change the course of human history.

Download Sneak Preview

Book Review: Poet of the Wrong Generation by Lonnie Ostrow

Poet of the Wrong Generation 

by Lonnie Ostrow

Paperback: 470 pages
Publisher: Harmony River Press (November 10, 2016)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 2709 KB
Print Length: 455 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Harmony River Press (November 10, 2016)
Publication Date: November 10, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC


Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Lonnie Ostrow. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★


My thoughts:

When this was first offered to me for review, I turned it down. The pitch email didn't really impress me mainly because I was enjoying reading my recently bought books. You know that feeling of a book blogger having new books bought in bulk lol so anyway the author sent me some marketing materials and saw the music video. Wow! It was really good, made me admit to the author I was wrong about saying no to him. The book also turned out sooo good, loved it so much!

I have so many good things to say about the book but I'll make this brief to avoid giving out spoilers. Poet of the Wrong Generation is an inspirational read about love, friendship and the ups and downs of life. I fell in love with the characters especially the main one, Johnny. He was just a simple guy who is into music and poems, happy and contented with his life. He never thought a nasty break-up would lead to his success in the music industry. The story is pretty well written and I liked that the dialogue felt authentic.

As for Megan, I can relate to her. Doing things she doesn't like/does not approve of, just to make other people happy. My heart ache for her, so heartbroken thinking about the choices she made that led to her unhappiness. 

I highly recommend this book, without a doubt, you'll enjoy reading this too!

About the book:

One of those rare novels that grabs you by the heartstrings and doesn't let go until the very last page.

Johnny Elias is a fictional rock star for the ages. His story of how he came to be inspired to write his songs is both heartbreaking and inspirational. Megan Price is the girl whose betrayal caused Johnny to pen the music that quickly becomes the soundtrack of a generation of music fans hungry for songwriting substance during the early 1990s.

Katherine Price is Megan's talented and cunning mother. She will stop at nothing to get her way, no matter who might be standing in her path. This is at the quintessential New York 1990s nostalgia trip. It's also an open love letter to the singer-songwriter greats of yesteryear. But best of all, it's a timeless love story of two tortured souls seeking redemption and lasting harmony.

Touching and original, this story will break your heart, uplift your soul and leave you shouting for an encore. The ultimate rock & roll love story.

Free Kindle Download: Snapped by C.M. Sutter

Snapped

An Agent Jade Monroe FBI Thriller Book 1

by C.M. Sutter

Murder happens in Houston, but when the most recent murders take on disturbing similarities, local law enforcement officers fear a serial killer is roaming their streets.

Former sheriff’s department sergeant Jade Monroe has just graduated from the FBI’s serial crimes unit in homicide and is called to Houston with her partner, J.T. Harper, to take on her first assignment—apprehending the person responsible for these gruesome crimes.

With victims piling up and the clock ticking, Jade and J.T. need to intensify their search because there’s no sign the killer is slowing down.

After a late-night epiphany while she’s alone, Jade suddenly comes face to face with the killer, and now Jade is missing. The clock continues to tick—but this time it’s for her.

Download Free Kindle

Wednesday Rewind: Book Spotlight│When You Give an Imp a Penny by Henry Herz

When You Give an Imp a Penny

by Henry Herz  (Author), Harrison Herz (Author), 

Josh Herz (Author), Abigail Larson (Illustrator)

Hardcover: 32 pages

Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company, Inc. (February 1, 2016)

About the book:

Before you lend an imp a penny, there’s something you should know—such a simple act of generosity could set off a side-splitting chain of events! A colorful picture book full of mythology, mischief, and magic, WHEN YOU GIVE AN IMP A PENNY shows us just what happens when an accident-prone—but well-intentioned—imp comes along asking for favors! The same writer/illustrator duo that brought you MONSTER GOOSE NURSERY RHYMES brings to life a comedy of fabled proportions.

Sneak Peak 

Read more about Imps HERE

Purchase your copy

** Wednesday Rewind features previously published Guest Posts and Book Spotlights in this site.

**post originally published in 2016.

Wednesday Rewind: Book Spotlight│Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection by Barbara Venkataraman

Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection

by Barbara Venkataraman

About the book:

Books 1-3 of the Jamie Quinn Mystery Series! Including:

"Death by Didgeridoo"-Winner of the Indie Book of the Day award. Reluctant lawyer, Jamie Quinn, still reeling from the death of her mother, is pulled into a game of deception, jealousy, and vengeance when her cousin, Adam, is wrongfully accused of murder. It's up to Jamie to find the real murderer before it's too late. It doesn't help that the victim is a former rock star with more enemies than friends, or that Adam confessed to a murder he didn't commit.

"The Case of the Killer Divorce"-Reluctant lawyer, Jamie Quinn, has returned to her family law practice after a hiatus due to the death of her mother. It's business as usual until a bitter divorce case turns into a murder investigation, and Jamie's client becomes the prime suspect. When she can't untangle truth from lies, Jamie enlists the help of Duke Broussard, her favorite private investigator, to try to clear her client's name. And she’s hoping that, in his spare time, he can help her find her long-lost father.

"Peril in the Park"-There's big trouble in the park system. Someone is making life difficult for Jamie Quinn's boyfriend, Kip Simons, the new director of Broward County parks. Was it the angry supervisor passed over for promotion? The disgruntled employee Kip recently fired? Or someone with a bigger ax to grind? If Jamie can't figure it out soon, she may be looking for a new boyfriend because there’s a dead guy in the park and Kip has gone missing! With the help of her favorite P.I., Duke Broussard, Jamie must race the clock to find Kip before it’s too late.

Excerpt

Purchase your copy

** Wednesday Rewind features previously published Guest Posts and Book Spotlights in this site.

**post originally published in 2016.

Free Kindle Download: Love Beyond the Wall by Amelia Wilson

Love Beyond the Wall

A Rizer Pack Shifter Series Book 1

by Amelia Wilson

Cara Warden has been chosen by Aldrich to be his bride. Saying no to Aldrich isn’t an option. He owns the food source, the water, and the weapons that protect the town from the creatures outside the wall that surrounds the town.

When Cara can’t say no and refuses to say yes, she’s left with only one option. She’ll have to escape Aldrich. She’ll take her chances against the creatures who’ve killed every hunter who’s dared leave the town since the shifter pack arrived.

Outside the wall, she’s being stalked by one of the shifters. He calls himself Darian. He’s dangerous and mysterious. Cara can’t figure out if he’s trying to help her or if he’s just toying with her, playing with his food.

Will Cara be able to escape Aldrich? Will Darian be the creature who spares her or will he be the devil that leaves her to the wolves?

Download Free Kindle

Wednesday Rewind: Guest Author│Mike Phillips' Hazard of Shadows

Hello everyone, and thank you for reading my guest post. My name is Mike Phillips and my new book is Hazard of Shadows. I have been asked to talk about some of the more interesting characters in the book, the goblins. 

In folklore and literature, goblins have always been evil creatures. To this day, goblins are hiding in our closets and under our beds. They are wicked monsters that are no happier than when they are burning fields or robbing cradles. Living on the fringes of society as they must to avoid camera phones and governmental laboratories, goblins lead harsh lives. Once they have been won over, goblins are the best sort of friends. They may have terrible manners, they may say awful things, they may smell bad, but we can all be that way sometimes. In the end, my use of goblins helps us see the best in humanity.

Writing about goblins was a riot! Goblins live on the fringes of human society. They make their homes in junk yards, abandoned buildings, sewer systems, and anywhere else people try to avoid. Once they find a likely spot, the get to work. Goblins are clever with tools and machinery. They will use and repurpose anything they can get their hands on, so many of their dwellings look like they were designed by frat-boys. Not always the best of neighbors, goblins have to take security seriously. They construct elaborate pitfalls to keep themselves safe from enemies like collapsing tunnels, pongee pits, and mechanical traps. 

Goblins, like their human counterparts, each have a unique personality. They live in what they call crews, a sort of family, a lot like college dorm-mates. Each goblin has a special skill. One might be a bully (a most desirable skill in the goblin world). Another might be crafty at making traps. Some use sorcery or poison. Others are good at machinery. Some just eat a lot (another desirable skill). Goblins, in general, have a loose sense of morality. If it doesn’t hurt another member of the crew, with the obvious exception of fighting, then it’s usually okay. Fighting is always acceptable behavior, though if an enemy is around, a goblin is expected to stop fighting the other crew member and start fighting the enemy. Common sense rules like that are the cornerstone of goblin society. 

That brings us to the topic of goblin social structure. Goblin society is feudal. They organize in crews, bound by familial ties or friendship. These associations are loosely formed, and if a goblin wants to go it alone, no one holds a grudge. A crew may have two or three leaders at a time. It is not unusual for goblins to disagree, so sometimes they have no real leader at all. Though they fight with each other like crazy, but they are deeply loyal in times of trouble and would do anything for the other members of their crew. No female goblins appear in Hazard of Shadows, but that is a topic for another time.  

People have been asking how to make friends with goblins, so I thought I’d wrap things up by talking about that. Goblins are monsters, after all. To begin with, don’t look like a victim. They are predators. If you run they will chase you down. The secret to making friends with goblins is not to treat them like animals. They won’t be trained and can’t be suckered. Think of them as that particularly feisty aunt that always speaks her mind. So if you want to make a goblin your friend, it’s best to start with an act of kindness. Goblins have hard lives and even a small act of kindness means a lot to them. In the book, Mitch does a favor for a goblin without even knowing it. In turn, the goblin rescues Mitch from a pan dimensional, man-eating dumpster. Friends like that are hard to find!

Thank you so much for joining me. I hope you enjoy Hazard of Shadows and The World Below. Please visit me at mikephillipsfantasy.com.

Purchase your copy

** Wednesday Rewind features previously published Guest Posts and Book Spotlights in this site.

**post originally published in 2015.

Book Review: Vampire Academy 10th Anniversary Edition by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy 

10th Anniversary Edition

by Richelle Mead

Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: Razorbill; 10 Anv edition (November 29, 2016)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 2184 KB
Print Length: 504 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0448494299
Publisher: Razorbill; 10 Anv edition (November 29, 2016)
Publication Date: November 29, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

Yay, finally! Took forever to be available in the Philippines. Soo, how long was it when this series ended? Not counting the spin-off, been waiting for this for six long years!! Wow. The stories are sooo good, so amazing that I was in heaven for weeks ;) I am actually re-reading the books (#2/12), oh I am still in love with VA. There's nothing like it. And the cover, so beautiful! 

I thank Richelle Mead for writing VA, wish she'll revisit and write some more. If you loved VA, I'm pretty sure you'll fall in love with the series again!

Purchase your copy

About the book:

Richelle Mead celebrates 10 years of Vampire Academy with an exclusive, never-before-seen collection of stories that sheds new light on the world and its players:

The Turn and the Flame takes a deeper look into the dark stain on the Ozera dynasty...

From the Journal of Vasilisa Dragomir unearths the princess’s private thoughts from a transformative period of her life…

The Meeting gives us a glimpse of Rose Hathaway through Dimitri’s eyes...

Hello My Name Is Rose Hathaway tracks the shenanigans that ensue when Rose and Dimitri become unlikely teammates in a high-stakes scavenger hunt...

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires--the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir’s Academy, where vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be prepare for a life fraught with danger. Rose and Lissa must navigate their treacherous world and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever. But soon Rose finds herself gripped by temptation of forbidden love, leaving Lissa exposed to Strigoi attack. Now she must choose between the best friend she lives for, and the man she can't live without….

Book Blogger Hop

This week's hop: 

Q - How do you handle negative comments left on your blog? 
(Maria @ A Night's Dream of Books)

A -  I used to engage and debate with all my commenters, bad comments mostly were in  Goodreads but now, I learned to just laugh them off and move on.  

Free Kindle Download: Again, Alabama by Susan Sands

Again, Alabama

Alabama Series

by Susan Sands

Cammie Laroux is back in Alabama—again.

Dragged back to her small town to help her mother recover from surgery while rescuing the family event planning business should be a cinch. Even for a disgraced television chef, right? Wrong.

Among the many secrets Cammie’s family’s been hiding is the fact that their historic home is falling down. Oh, and the man hired to restore the house, Grey Harrison, is the same high school and college love of her life who thrashed her heart and dreams ten years ago. Yeah, that guy.

Grey, a widower with a young daughter, has never stopped loving Cammie, and when they are face to face once again, the chemistry is off the charts. Cammie may be in full-blown denial, but letting go is no longer in Grey’s vocabulary, even when winning Cammie’s forgiveness and renovating their love may seem like an impossible build even for a master architect and carpenter.

As Cammie finds herself forgetting all the reasons she can’t trust Grey or love again, he finds himself remembering all the reasons he wants her to stay with him in Alabama… forever.

Download Free Kindle

Free Kindle Download: Cold Stone & Ivy by H. Leighton Dickson

Cold Stone & Ivy: The Ghost Club

by H. Leighton Dickson

Jack the Ripper gave her his heart. Now he wants it back.

The year is 1888, the clockwork British Empire is crumbling and young writer Ivy Savage has literally received a heart in the post. Terrified, her father sends her north to a strange sanitarium in Lancashire where the brilliant but unpredictable “Mad Lord of Lasingstoke” makes his home.

Here, Ivy finds the dead are as dangerous as the living and she is immediately swept into a world of manners, mystery, and supernatural intrigue, uncovering a secret that will lead both her and the Mad Lord back to London and the dark streets of Whitechapel.

Download Free Kindle

Book Review: Runaway by Lorhainne Eckhart

Runaway

Finding Love ~ The Outsider Series Book 5

by Lorhainne Eckhart

Kindle Edition
File Size: 5761 KB
Print Length: 257 pages
Publication Date: January 10, 2014
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

Ratings: ★ ★ 

My thoughts:

I don't read a book series out of sequence (Runaway is already book #5) but still I downloaded this since it's free and I am so into second-chance-romance.   

Runaway is okay, at least during the first half of the story. I started to dislike Andy after knowing he is in love with another woman (Diana).  As for Laura, Andy's wife, I can't believe she had sex with him right after seeing him the first time in six months. It is as if they never had any problem at all! *sigh* This just didn't work for me.

About the book:

Andy Friessen has been looking for Laura for six months. After she walked out with her son, no goodbye, with no money and leaving everything he bought her, behind.

But he knew she’d come crawling back, she needed him. After all he married her to protect her. And any woman would give their right arm to be his wife.

And then for six months his conscience poked at what an ass he’d been:

​Until he’s served…for divorce.

​Even though Andy is the first man she’s every truly loved, and the first to break her heart, Laura plans to never see him again. After all to him she was nothing but a nuisance, someone he could order around, just another woman to warm his bed at night.

​But Laura is hurt and she’s thought nothing through including the fact she’s keeping the biggest surprise from him yet.

​She’s pregnant.

And when Andy finds out … all hell will break loose.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

"It's Monday! What are you reading?" is a fun meme hosted by Kathryn @ The Book Date. This is where we share the books we have read the last week and our reading plans for this week.

Books For Review

Hadley Beckett comes closer to triumphing over a reluctant Finn Wilder... What would you do if the love of your life gave you the keys to the kingdom, but won't let you in? At the end of her rope, Hadley grabs her intrepid boyfriend Finn Wilder's world by the...bridge. Finally ready to end the never-ending merry-go-round that is their unknotted life together, she enlists the help of her friends to help boost her own courage. Since Finn is all about walking on the wild side but not down an aisle, Hadley challenges him to the ultimate test that will prove her more daring than the daredevil himself, hoping Finn will take notice and change his mind about making her forever his. Throwing down the irrevocable gauntlet, will Hadley celebrate supreme victory over his heart or will she accept the cruelest defeat at the very hand she holds?

"Where’s my wife..."

Andy Friessen has been looking for Laura for six months. After she walked out with her son, no goodbye, with no money and leaving everything he bought her, behind.

But he knew she’d come crawling back, she needed him. After all he married her to protect her. And any woman would give their right arm to be his wife.

And then for six months his conscience poked at what an ass he’d been:

​Until he’s served…for divorce.

​Even though Andy is the first man she’s every truly loved, and the first to break her heart, Laura plans to never see him again. After all to him she was nothing but a nuisance, someone he could order around, just another woman to warm his bed at night.

​But Laura is hurt and she’s thought nothing through including the fact she’s keeping the biggest surprise from him yet.

​She’s pregnant.

And when Andy finds out … all hell will break loose.

Currently Reading

Richelle Mead celebrates 10 years of Vampire Academy with an exclusive, never-before-seen collection of stories that sheds new light on the world and its players: 

The Turn and the Flame takes a deeper look into the dark stain on the Ozera dynasty...

Hello My Name is Rose Hathaway tracks the shenanigans that ensue when Rose and Dimitri become unlikely teammates in a high-stakes scavenger hunt...

The Meeting gives us a glimpse of Rose Hathaway through Dimitri’s eyes...

From the Journal of Vasilisa Dragomir unearths the princess’s private thoughts from a transformative period of her life…

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires--the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir’s Academy, where vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be prepare for a life fraught with danger. Rose and Lissa must navigate their treacherous world and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever. But soon Rose finds herself gripped by temptation of forbidden love, leaving Lissa exposed to Strigoi attack. Now she must choose between the best friend she lives for, and the man she can't live without….

Next to Read

“It’s not that I don’t love you, and my tears are yet to dry. But you can’t go back and forth forever and we’ve already said goodbye.”

Through these words, a young poet unearths his musical soul while severing ties with the woman he loves after her stunning betrayal. Unknowingly, in writing this ballad of liberation, he will soon evolve as one of the fastest rising stars on the pop music landscape.

The year is 1991; the place, New York City. Here we meet Johnny Elias, a college student from Brooklyn with boundless adoration for two things in life: timeless popular music, and the heart of a sweet, complicated young woman who is clearly out of his league.

Megan Price not only is the object of Johnny’s affection, but also the only daughter of New York’s most powerful PR woman: the indomitable Katherine Price.

Projecting that her daughter’s boyfriend will never live up to the family standard, Katherine cleverly perpetrates a series of duplicitous schemes to rid Johnny from her high-class world. But in her callous disregard, she inadvertently sets him on a determined course to his improbable musical destiny - while sending her own daughter spiraling down a path of devastation.

Poet of the Wrong Generation tells the symmetrical story of a lovable underdog and his meteoric rise to stardom, his humiliating downfall and his unprecedented attempt to reclaim his place as the unlikely musical spokesman for his generation. At the heart of Poet is a tale of star-crossed lovers and their struggle with unforeseen success and disillusionment, in an attempt to rediscover lasting harmony.

How about you? What are your reading plans this week? 

Happy Monday!

Free Kindle Download: Bound Souls by N.D. Jones

Bound Souls

Forever Yours Book 1

by N.D. Jones

A supernatural love triangle that tests the bounds of science, truth, and faith.

Regent Lela of Asiya is the most powerful person on her planet but she is powerless to save the life of her beloved soulmate—Zion Grace. For thirty years they lived as husband and wife, but Zion’s time is at an end. Lela must go on without him.

“There will never be anyone else for me.”

Despite having died, nothing can keep Zion from his soulmate. He’s back but not as the man he once was. Zion must help Lela move on with her life, lest he lose her forever. But how can Zion convince Lela to accept the love and affections of another man when he still wants her for himself?

“I love you, Lela. My heart is forever yours.”

Lela and Zion are bound souls, destined to live eternity together. For these lovers, death is not an end, but a fateful beginning.

Download Free Kindle

Free Kindle Download: One Perfect Night by Bella Andre

One Perfect Night 

The Sullivans

by Bella Andre

One touch...One kiss... 
The first time Noah Bryant meets Colbie Michaels, they collide at the top of a snowy mountain in California and sparks fly. Swamped by sudden emotion--and a desire she can't control--Colbie panics. Before he can get her phone number or last name, she's gone. When they end up serendipitously meeting in Seattle one week later, Noah is certain Colbie is his destiny, and he can't make the mistake of losing her again. 

One night...One forever love... 
Colbie wants to believe in a happily-ever-after, but experience tells her falling for Noah is more likely to lead to a broken heart. Only, how can she resist him as he sets out to prove that they're destined to be together? Especially when he's intent on fulfilling every last one of her secret desires and he's willing to keep proving it to her every day...and every sweet and sinful night. 

Download Free Kindle

Book Blogger Hop

This week's hop: 

Q - Can you read and watch TV or listen to the radio at the same time? (Silver's Review)

A -  Read and watch tv, yes. I do that a lot though if the book is that good, no watching. As for reading and listening to the radio - nope. Music makes me sleepy.