BeckyBookstore

Book Blitz: Hush of Storm and Sorrow by L. Penelope

Hush of Storm & Sorrow
L. Penelope
(Earthsinger Chronicles, #2.5)
Publication date: March 16th 2020
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

While battling a vicious winter storm, Roshon ol-Sarifor, along with his father and twin brother are kidnapped and thrust on a journey that takes them far from home—leaving his sister Jasminda believing them dead. Their captors claim that the Queen Who Sleeps is behind their abduction—She wants them to reclaim a magical object hidden in a deadly part of the ocean. But a violent encounter with a gang of pirates forces the ol-Sarifors to seek refuge on a smuggler’s ship, where Roshon meets a girl unlike any he’s encountered before.

Ani Summerhawk never met a risk she didn’t take. But with a price on her head, she and her older brother need to make a quick getaway from a deal gone bad. Every ship in the sea is seeking the reward for returning her to a ruthless captain who believes she’s his property. But when her brother agrees to transport three passengers to a dangerous destination, Ani’s heart is put on the line for the first time.

The two families battle a treacherous sea, greedy sailors, and a powerful mage as they struggle to retrieve and secure the ancient artifact. And the attraction between a high-spirited girl and a cautious boy comes to a head when they discover that their biggest fight just might be with each other.

Set two years before the events of Song of Blood & Stone, this action-packed novella answers the question of what happened to Jasminda’s family and sets the stage for the events in Cry of Metal & Bone (Earthsinger Chronicles, book 3).

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

Ani Summerhawk bounced on her toes. The anticipation of negotiations always made her giddy. Her brother, Tai, shot her a dark look, and she struggled to wrangle her excitement. Still, she couldn’t stop the tapping of her foot as the shadowy figures of four men approached.

The warehouse serving as their meeting place was lit with overhead bulbs that cast pools of light every twenty paces or so. The rest of the space was in shadow with the bulk of the crates and boxes forming an obstacle course of sorts. If things went wrong, there were plenty of places to hide, and she’d already scoped out the quickest paths to the two exits. Her exhilaration ratcheted up a notch, and she felt as if she were vibrating out of her skin.

“If you can’t behave . . .” Tai began, speaking out the side of his mouth.

“Don’t try to police me,” Ani said through clenched teeth. “I’m not a child.”

Tai snorted, and Ani replied with an elbow to his arm. Now fifteen, she had been a part of their father’s smuggling operation since before she could walk. Father had taken her out with him on his runs and had never once expected her to stand quietly at his side during a negotiation. Then again, Tai did things a bit differently than Father had, and it was probably for the best. Maybe if Father had been more like Tai he’d still be alive.

She gritted her teeth and stilled the constant movement of her limbs, determined to try things her brother’s way. The interior of the warehouse smelled of mildew and mothballs. Mik, Tai’s first mate and best friend, had found it for them in a seedier section of the already-seedy docks of Portside. He’d stayed behind on the ship to ready it for a speedy departure. The men who stepped into the nearest cone of light were fellow Raunians, so Mik’s preparedness would likely come in handy.

“Bor,” Tai said, addressing the largest of the men. “You’re looking well.”

Ani held back a snicker. This Bor fellow resembled the creature his name sounded like. Squat and meaty, with a piggish nose and deep-set eyes, he was just about the ugliest Raunian she’d ever seen. His hair was dyed the same blue as Tai’s and Ani’s, but Bor had done his in vertical stripes, alternating with its natural black, which lent him a deranged appearance.

Unsurprisingly, he had no marriage markings tattooed on his face. Aside from his siokka, or family crest, along with his captain’s and taxpayer’s tattoos, he bore five horizontal lines on his left cheekbone. He’d served five years of hard labor. Not a man to be trifled with.

“What’s this exclusive haul you’ve brought me here to see, Summerhawk?” Bor crossed his heavy arms.

Tai leaned against a crate, which towered several handspans above his head. His pose was casual and carefree, but only to those who didn’t know him. Ani could see that beneath his cool exterior he was on alert. Bor’s reputation as a hard bargainer had been well-earned. The presence of the three large men behind him hinted at exactly how he liked to negotiate. If they were going to make any money on this deal, and leave with their lives and limbs intact, they had to be vigilant.

Author Bio:

L. Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of fantasy and paranormal romance. Equally left and right-brained, she studied filmmaking and computer science in college and sometimes dreams in HTML. After living on both coasts, she settled in Maryland with her husband and their furry dependents. Sign up for new release information and giveaways on her website: http://www.lpenelope.com

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Reading Round Up March 1-10

Hello Book Friends! How is everybody’s reading going so far this month? So far mine has pretty good, I read 7 books so far. With school starting to shut down next I am hoping to get in lots of reading but we shall see if thats what happens or if my kids demand all the attention! If you would like to know what I read then keep reading!

That Night In Paris by Sandy Barker – 4 Stars That Night in Paris is a fun romance that follows our main character Catherine as she decides last minute to take a bus tour around Europe after sleeping with her flat mate. On the tour she meets 3 other woman who also booked last minute; Louise who is getting a divorce, Jaelee who realized she was in love with her best friend who just got married and Danielle whose best friend did not invite her to her wedding. While at their first stop on Paris, Catherine gets reunited with her best friend from childhood Jean-Luc. What follows is Catherine building friendships with these 3 other women and reconnecting with Jean-Luc all while traveling around Europe.

What I love about this story is that it’s not just your typical romance, it is also a story about the relationships you make in life. Catherine’s friendship with these other women is great to see, none of them tried to put the other’s down, they were all there for each other when needed. This story also felt like a love letter Europe. While the author was describing the places they visit I could visualize myself there and remember my own experiences, to visiting Sainte-Chapelle and getting baguette sandwiches to eat while in Paris. I also enjoyed seeing the growth of the character as she comes to terms with how she is living her life and being resistant to romantic relationships.

I only had a few problems with this books and it was mainly I think formatting issues with my ebook. There was no real break in dialogue and sometimes it was hard to figure out who was speaking. I also am not a huge fan of second chance romances but I enjoyed this one in that it didn’t focus on them in the past just small glimpses.

If you are looking for a great romance with more to it then I highly recommend this one. This book comes out on April 15th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The June Boys by Court Stevens – 3.5 Stars In the June Boys we follow the main character Thea as she tries to find clues as to what happened to her cousin Aulus who she believes has been kidnapped by The Gemini Thief. Every year or two on June 1st a group of 3-4 boys are kidnapped and then released the following June 30th. These boys are known as The June Boys. At the same time we are following Thea we are also getting letters that are written by Aulus talking about his captivity.

Thea is helped by her boyfriend Nick along with her and Aulus’s two best friends Tank and Gladys. I absolutely loved the friendships in this book and how they all supported each other and we’re there for each other. I also enjoyed the mystery of trying to find out who the Gemini Thief was. Courtney gave just enough clues to figure it out which I had by about 2/3rds of the way thru but not the why, which was saved till the end. Thea’s dad, who seems to be a little off, also plays a large role in this book. He has been building a castle for the past 10 years, which Thea has just found out about. At times it felt like the castle was another character in the story and I loved that.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I had a somewhat hard time getting into it because I was a little confused, we were following two timelines and it took awhile till this was addressed. We were also introduced to characters without knowing who they were but then gradually the people fell into place. Once both of those things were cleared up it became easier to follow. By the second half of the book I was hooked and I needed to know what was going to happen. I felt the story wrapped up nicely but would have liked just a little more in the epilogue. If you are looking for a fun and unique YA Thriller then I would definitely check out The June Boys. This book was my first by Courtney Stevens and it will not be my last. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center – 4 Stars This is the story of Cassie who is an awarded firefighter in Texas and due to many different events moves to outside Boston to join a fire department there. At her new job Cassie must deal with the negative attitudes of a woman firefighter. While dealing with this she is also dealing with her mother who she has not seen in many years and who is sick and needs help with day to day activities. This was my second time reading this book and this time I listened to it on audio. I still feel the same about it as I did the first time. I love the writing style and the overall story but at times had a problem with the main character. Also the Rookie is so sweet and I just love him. I really enjoyed her book before this one, How To Walk Away and will continue to pick up her books.

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary – 5 Stars The Flatshare is the story of Tiffy who needs a place to stay and decides to take up Leon’s ad to share a bed. Leon works nights and sleeps during the day so the idea is that neither will be home at the same time. During the months they live together they leave notes for each other and this is how they communicate with one another. This book at first glance looks like a cute fun romcom but it is so much more. The things that the main character Tiffy has to work through is at times heart breaking. Leon also is struggling with family issues as well as trying to help out a patient of his. This was a reread for me and I still loved it. I love both Leon and Tiffy and their friendship that develops over time. I highly recommend this one!!

The Great Alone By Kristen Hannah – 5 Stars In the Great Alone we follow Leni as her family moves to Alaska in the 70’s. Her father is a Vietnam vet and is struggling with what we now know as ptsd. There are so many things I could say about this book but I feel like it would things away. I loved everything about it; Leni and her friendship with Matthew and Large Marge and Tom Walker. Her parents at times are hard to understand and Leni also has a hard time with them. If you are looking for a great historical fiction that is written beautifully and makes you feel like you are apart of the story then look no further!

Only When Its Us by Chloe Liese – 4.5 Stars This is the story of Willa and Ryder; Willa is a star soccer player and Ryder is a quiet guy who looks like a lumberjack. Due to a miscommunication these two get off to a rocky start while being paired up for a class project but what follows is a sweet and steamy journey. I really enjoyed this book and the banter that takes place between the two main characters, Im a sucker for good banter. Both Willa and Ryder have some personal issues they are trying to work through and they way they lean on each other at times was so sweet. This book really got me in the feels and at times was crying. One of the only things I had a small problem with was at one point in the story it felt like what Ryder was going through was just “fixed” and then it was done and was no longer a problem. It was addressed again later that he was still dealing with it but it just felt kind of brushed over. Over all I really liked this book and can not wait for the next in the series about Ryder’s brothers. This book comes out on April 1st 2020. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Hunting for a Highlander by Lynsay Sands – 5 Stars This is 8th book in The Highland Bride series. In this one we follow Geordie as he returns home to find that his sister-in-law had invited a bunch of unmarried girls for him and his remaining unwed brothers to choose from. I love Lynsay’s writing style, I always find her books hilarious and drawn into the story. I love this series as well as her vampire series. Her books are usually a quick read for me but they are so fun from beginning to end!

Until Next Time, Happy Reading!

Book Blitz: Rocco by Giulia Lagomarsino

Rocco
Giulia Lagomarsino
(Reed Security, #21)
Publication date: March 16th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Rocco has his world all wrapped up in a neat package. He has a job that he loves and his daughter, the best thing that’s ever happened to him. And he has his rules. These rules keep the order and balance in his life and the women where they should be. But he never counted on Brooke, and she’s about to turn his world upside down.

Brooke never had the typical love life. She tried to have it all, but there was always something that held her back from committing. Until Gary. Gary was…not really important. But being with him led her to Rocco in the most unusual way, and now she’s about to find out all about his rulebook.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Rules for Sexual Encounters:

“You were serious? You actually have a rulebook?”
“I don’t joke around about stuff like this. I think it’s best for both of us to go in with guidelines laid out about what we want out of this. This is for the occasional f*ck. If we decide to take it beyond that, I have a revised version of this.”
I looked down at the paper and read through the rules that he laid out.

1. Condoms will be used during all sexual encounters, regardless of the fact that the woman may be on birth control. No exceptions.
2. The woman does not have bed rights after sexual encounters and will leave within ten minutes of sexual encounter ending.

“You kick your women out of bed ten minutes after you finish f*cking them?”
“What’s wrong with that? We both got what we wanted. There’s no point in dragging it out. That just confuses the situation. Besides, I work early in the morning. I need my sleep.”
“Right, and a half hour would make all the difference in the world,” I said sarcastically.
“Are you telling me that you’ve never screwed someone and then wondered why the hell they were hanging around?”
“Well, no. I mean, of course there are times that you just want the other person to leave. It’s just that it’s hard to kick someone out.”
“That’s why they agree to this. If I want her to stick around, I’ll ask her to. But by doing this, I’ve eliminated the awkwardness of the goodbye.”
“No, you’ve eliminated having to ask her to leave. If anything, the goodbye is going to be even more f*cking awkward because you’re putting such tight time constraints on her leaving.”
He shrugged. “It gets the job done.”
This guy had some serious issues that I didn’t even want to get into. I looked back at the paper and continued reading.

3. The woman does not have washing rights after sexual encounters.

“What the hell are washing rights? Like, I’m not allowed to clean up afterward?”
“You are, just not with me. I will not be washing you in any way. I won’t bring you a washcloth or wipe you down like they do in those stupid romance novels.”
“And you read many of those?”
“No, but some of the women do. Believe me, I’ve been informed what men in those novels do, and they aren’t men. Bunch of pu$$ies.”
“Okay, so, no washing rights. Got it.”

4. If asked to stay longer, the woman does not automatically gain bed rights, washing rights, coffee rights, or house rights.

“Okay, this may seem like a stupid question, but what are coffee rights and house rights?”
“Well, that part needs some adjustment since we’re living together. Basically, it means that if I do ask you to stay the night, you don’t automatically get to help yourself to coffee in the morning. Nor do you get to wander around my house and look at all my stuff.”
“Wow,” I said, not wanting to touch that with a ten foot pole.
“Hey, I just like there to be boundaries.”

Author Bio:

I’m a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, “No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book.” I didn’t think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn’t already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven’t been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.

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Book Blitz: Calypso by Ebony Olson

Calypso
Ebony Olson
(Eleri Royals, #1)
Publication date: February 14th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

In my town, there are two kinds of people; those from the sophisticated Eleri, and those from the gang-run Riverside.
The natural divide is the Eleri River.

The human divide is money.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

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Author Bio:

Ebony lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband, daughter, and six cats. She loves to read fantasy, thrillers, and paranormal romance, spending most of her free time with her nose in a book or writing.
Having always possessed an over-active imagination she spent her younger years regaling friends with fantastic stories, holding her audience captive with the passion and suspense of her characters plights.
Now in adulthood, she has numerous published works and shows no signs of stopping her imagination from spreading across as many pages as it can find.

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Book Blitz: Image Adjuster by Lily Alexander

Image Adjuster
Lily Alexander
Publication date: March 11th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

In Hollywood, image is everything.

Being part of a power couple can mean the difference between your star rising or being iced out of roles. No one ever said the relationship had to be real.

Stephanie, an actress and the daughter of Hollywood royalty has made a thriving business out of posing as a girlfriend to celebrities who need a bit of a PR boost. Everything is scripted and when the contract ends everyone goes their separate way.

No feelings, no risk, just acting.

Devon is just another client – no matter how handsome he might be, how compatible they seem. The arrangement works perfectly. It’s all business. Definitely just business.

Unless it’s not.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“Sounds like I’m barely needed at all.”

“Oh, quite the contrary.” He wiggled his black eyebrows at her suggestively. “I need you. I want you. You are an integral part of this scheme.” He playfully sandwiched one of her hands with his own and cradled it gently before releasing it again.

Stephanie shook her head, trying desperately to ignore the tiny flash of heat in her chest at his words and touch.

“You sure you haven’t done this before?”

“Absolutely.” He reached across the table and took both of her hands into his. Stephanie sobered for a moment and was caught up in the serious expression of his icy eyes that were anything but cold. “Stephanie Von Feldt? Would you please help me con the press and general public into believing that we are a hardcore devoted couple? Then have a fantastic blow-out breakup fight with me in public so everyone knows it’s over?” His playfully serious expression was just too much.

“Why, Devon Greene, I would be so honored to charge you a small fortune for providing just such a service.”

As Devon planted a gentle kiss on her knuckles, the quiet sound of a camera shutter went off just on the other side of the patio.

“Whoops, spotted.” Devon’s bright smile faded a bit, then brightened again. “Guess today that guy got lucky. That’ll be worth a couple weeks’ pay with TMZ.”

“I’ll never understand why the ones with just a phone don’t turn that fake shutter sound off. Seems silly to give yourself away if you’ve managed to ninja stealth yourself an exclusive picture.”

Devon threw his head back in laughter, nodding his agreement.

Momentarily distracted, he tapped out a text to someone after his phone pinged, and glanced around, a half-grin on his face.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Someone from work is giving me a hard time. I think she’s around somewhere or drove by or something.”

After a few watchful moments, he let it go and they chatted a bit more, his attention split between Stephanie and his phone.

It was silly to feel jealous, but she couldn’t help it. Said co-worker was a she, and he was amused by her.

Giving herself a mental slap, Stephanie pushed those thoughts and feelings away and focused on their conversation and her coffee.

Not long after, they finished their drinks and went their separate ways, Stephanie torn between being nervous about spending so much time with Devon all at once with minimal script planning time and being relieved that it would be over before she could make a fool of herself or lose her professional edge.

Who was she kidding – she was already losing her edge. The worst part was that for the first time since she could remember, she actually genuinely got along with a client.

She liked him.

The very idea made her shiver and tingle with long-repressed feelings like want and need.

Stephanie was in big trouble.

Author Bio:

Lily is a Colorado native enjoying the fantastic climate of Southern California with her family and cranky cat after surviving more than a decade in hot, humid places where hurricanes get their own season and Winter is a myth.

The written word is her favorite thing – reading or writing, she doesn’t discriminate. Left to her own devices she can read about a book a day; that HEA is a powerful drug!

As an only child she grew up inventing elaborate stories for her dolls to act out. She started word processing on a computer around age 10 and never looked back. After suffering the heartbreak of catastrophic drive failure a regrettable number of times, she has finally learned to back things up appropriately and often.

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Book Blitz: Judas Kiss by K.A. Fox

Judas Kiss
K.A. Fox
(Murphy’s Law, #2)
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: March 10th 2020
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Delaney Murphy is learning what it really means to be the daughter of the Devil and that not everyone appreciates her father’s kinder, gentler side. When tragedy strikes and upsets the fragile balancing act of her life, Delaney will have to choose between the world she’s sworn to protect and the father who has changed the whole of Hell just for her.

As betrayals around her mount, she begins to question herself and those closest to her.

Cut off from her magic, Laney’s tie to humanity is fraying. She’s slipping closer and closer to giving in to the overwhelming darkness growing inside her.

Ultimately, she’ll have to confront her demons or risk losing herself entirely.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

I closed my eyes once again, envisioning the shield I held in place around us. Keeping that visual firm in my mind, I pulled up my power, letting it build layer by layer as it spilled out of a well deep within me. The screams of the demons were louder. I felt the shield shudder under their repeated blows. Still, I waited. I needed every demon as close as possible before I struck out at them.

The power continued to build in answer to my call. I felt stretched from within, my skin burning with the strain of holding the energy tight inside. The shield shook around us. Large cracks spiderwebbed across it, the apparent success of their onslaught whipping the demons up into a frenzy. A claw cut through, swiping across my ankle. Moose growled, lunging forward but I pulled him back with my hand tight in his fur. He had to stay next to me.

A hot river of pain flared along the back of my leg, a second demon sneaking a hand through and reaching for me. I held tight, forcing the magic to wait a little longer, promising it would be free soon. Another claw sunk in and I fought against the agony, my body trembling with power. I felt it when the shield finally gave. The energy I’d siphoned into it bounced back and joined with the magic I’d gathered into my core. Moose yelped next to me, his body going rigid under my hand as a scream escaped me. I dropped to my knees, wrapped my arms around him and held on tight.

Author Bio:

K.A. Fox is a proud military brat who has lived all over the world but now calls the Midwest home. She uses her psychological training to facilitate successful negotiations at work and to convince her husband and three sons that she’s always right. When not writing, she can usually be found hiding somewhere with a book and a bit of chocolate, or chasing after her own adorable Hell Hound.

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Book Blitz: The Plan by Whitney Dineen

The Plan
Whitney Dineen
(The Creek Water Series #3)
Publication date: March 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Bead shop owner Amelia Frothingham has been keeping a secret from everyone she knows.

She pretends to be the ultimate care-free bohemian chick, but the truth is, she’s the world’s biggest control freak. Much to the delight of her Southern family, Amelia’s life appears to be smooth sailing. That is, until bad boy rockstar Huck Wiley mysteriously blows into town like a spring tornado.

Like every other woman under eighty with a pulse, Amelia’s intrigued. So when Huck starts showing up in her shop with flirtation in mind, she finds herself getting sucked into the rock god vortex. But her previous attempts at long-distance love have always ended on a sour note, so Amelia has vowed never to repeat the experience.

What Amelia doesn’t know is that Huck has a secret of his own, and he has no intention of returning to Los Angeles before he’s good and ready.

Will Huck stay in town, scattering the beads Amelia has finally gotten sorted? Or will he head back to his glamorous life and take her last chance at spontaneity and love along with him?

Find out in this deliciously funny romcom about love and life in Creek Water, Missouri!

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

By the time three thirty rolls around, I haven’t had a customer in over an hour, so I decide to run upstairs and make a cup of tea. Just as I’m about to turn on the television while I wait for the water to boil, the bell over the shop door rings. Note to business owners, the ticket to more foot traffic is leaving the store in pursuit of tea. I might need to write a book. I could call it “If You Make Tea, They Will Come.”

I turn off the pot and run downstairs to see who my customer is. When I hit the bottom step, I have a clear view of a person standing next to my brightly painted apothecary drawer full of carnelian beads. I’m either in the throes of a major hallucination or dreams really do come true. Huck Wiley, or someone who looks enough like him to be his identical twin, is standing under one of the three beaded chandeliers hanging from the ceiling above my workstation. He’s looking at the necklace I was just working on.

He’s wearing jeans so faded and torn they look like they’re ready for the rag bin, yet I’m willing to bet he spent more on them than most people spend on ten pairs. The rock god is sporting a vintage U2 t-shirt and a black leather jacket. I can’t see what his shoes look like because there’s a display case blocking my view, but I’d put money on biker boots.

The floorboards creak as I step forward. My disbelieving eyes focus like a thirsty wanderer lost in the desert having just spotted a distant source of water. Whoever he is, he turns and looks right at me. His smile is so bright I may have gasped out loud in response. Seven more steps land me directly in front of him.

“Can I help you?” My tone is prim, reminiscent of a school librarian daring a student to try to check out a book before paying his overdue fine.

“Hey there,” he croons in that voice, the one I know so well from having spent hours listening to his music. My mouth hangs open like I’m a drooling idiot, but I can’t seem to close it. “I heard you gave beading classes and I was wondering if you have a special session for kids.”

I temporarily forget that he and I speak the same language. Did he just ask me about beading classes? I must be experiencing a particularly vivid fantasy. Rock star Huck Wiley can’t possibly be a closet beader, can he? Wait, he said “for kids” … Maybe I fell asleep when I went upstairs to make tea and this dream is making up for last night’s ball and chain fiasco. If so, it’s a good one.

The vision in front of me releases an easy laugh, a real laugh. Huck Wiley is probably used to odd reactions from strange women, and let me say, I’m doing my darndest to behave strangely. “Would you tell me when those classes are?” he persists.

Forcing myself to behave as normally as possible, I robotically tell him, “I have one on Wednesday and Thursday right after school, so four o’clock. They last for an hour and the price of the class includes the materials for one bracelet. It usually takes four classes to complete a project.” I don’t mean to brag, but my acting skills have gone untapped until now and I managed to get that whole sentence out without tripping over my tongue.

He nods. “Would you be available for a private lesson during the morning sometime?”

I shrug awkwardly like I’m having some kind of seizure. “For now, or during the summer?” What kid isn’t at school during school hours now?

“My daughter will be doing online school and I’d like for her to have a break during the day. You know, other kids get recess and lunch, I’d like for Maggie to get out and about.”

My jaw drops wide open. My earlier attempts at appearing normal have failed me. I’m back to feeling like I’m in a science fiction television show and I’ve just leaped out of my body. It’s like I’m watching me have this conversation with the biggest rock star of our time from the ceiling. The part of me that’s escaped its confines wants to shout down to the rest of me, “Close your mouth, girl!” But I can’t, so I don’t.

Instead, I say, “I’m sorry, but are you Huck Wiley?”

“I am.”

“Why are you here?” I demand. “Don’t you live in Los Angeles or something?”

“Or something,” he answers evasively. Before he can say anything else, I reach across the counter and touch the man’s face. His slightly stubbly beard scratches at my fingertips and then I swear I don’t know what comes over me, but I pinch him.

He jumps back and releases a short bark of surprise, assuring me he’s not some figment I’ve conjured. “I’m so sorry,” I say, quickly regaining my senses. “I thought maybe I was dreaming you up or something.”

“I think you’re supposed to pinch yourself when you think you’re dreaming,” he says, looking at me like I might be an escaped mental patient.

Author Bio:

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries — not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

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Book Blitz: The Omega Within by Carolyn Faulkner

The Omega Within
Carolyn Faulkner
(Alpha and Omega, #5)
Publication date: March 5th 2020
Genres: Adult, Omegaverse, Romance

Olly, dressed as a young boy to keep her identity as an unclaimed omega a secret, is searching for food when she is grabbed and taken to Garron, the great commander, to work for him as a bought and paid for servant. But when he discovers who and what she really is, he wastes no time in claiming her for his own.

Now, they must learn to exist as Alpha and omega while fighting the biggest fight of Garron’s life as a great warrior.

Enjoy how this fifth and final book in the Alpha’s Woman series brings together all the characters of the previous books for a spectacular ending.

Publisher’s Note: This action filled Alpha/omega romance contains graphic scenes and a theme of power exchange.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“Commander,” Seen acknowledged as he entered.

There was plentiful food on the table, and his host was already seated, with a pretty little woman on his knee whom he didn’t bother to introduce.

She blushed furiously at him, though, because she was totally naked, trying to hide her face against him, but he wouldn’t allow it.

“Do I need to spank you in front of the doctor, little girl?” he asked—quite deliberately, he thought—which made her blush that much brighter.

“No, please, Sir,” she whispered.

“Show him your bottom.”

“Please, Sir!” Ollyah begged.

But he simply gave her that look she already hated that meant she could either obey him or she would be getting a spanking in front of him.

She hopped down off his thigh with severe reluctance and turned around.

“No, not there. Go stand next to him and bend over.”

Tears began to trail down her cheeks, but she did as she was told.

The backside that she revealed to him had been well and thoroughly tended to, from the first curves of her behind to just above the backs of her knees. He could see that the mottled bruises and angry red weals were from more than one punishment; they were in layers.

It looked like a very sore bottom indeed, and he could hear her sniffling and softly sobbing, but she remained in position.

Author Bio:

Carolyn was one of you as a kid, with the intriguing seeds planted in her head of the shivering thrill-thoughts that came with words like spanking, or discipline. As with you, those kinds of words and thoughts connected the heated blush of her cheeks with feelings elsewhere, which got more and more interesting the older she got.

I bet you know just what I’m talking about.

Like some, she started writing down these thoughts, escaping into short stories of reluctant heroes willing to take someone they love in hand when it’s for her own good… and more shadowy thoughts as her imagination matured.

And like some, she started sharing her writings in newsgroups once she gained some confidence.

There’s nothing like the perfectly-turned phrase, the handful of words that can make a feeling wash over you. And if you’re reading this, then you have within you some intense feelings that most of the world doesn’t understand — but Carolyn does, and she writes those passions with wondrous abandon. Her specialties are Spanking Romance and Adult Ageplay, so we’ve grouped the many examples of her work that way.

Spanking Romance Classics are sweeping love stories which dare (in a very un-PC way) to allow their heroine to feel the special love of a strong man who will take her in hand when it’s best for her. Carolyn writes very real, rich characters and stories that aren’t just excuses to jump from spanking scene to spanking scene. If the timeless tango of pursuing ardor touches you, and the head-rush of Adoring Discipline intrigues you, then you’ll love Carolyn’s stories!

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The June Boys by Court Stevens (Blog Tour)

by Courtney C. Stevens
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: March 3, 2020 Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

The June Boys

Synopsis:
The Gemini Thief could be anyone. Your father, your mother, your best friend’s crazy uncle. Some country music star’s deranged sister. Anyone.

The Gemini Thief is a serial kidnapper, who takes three boys and holds them captive from June 1st to June 30th of the following year. The June Boys endure thirteen months of being stolen, hidden, observed, and fed before they are released, unharmed, by their masked captor. The Thief is a pro, having eluded authorities for nearly a decade and taken at least twelve boys.

Now Thea Delacroix has reason to believe the Gemini Thief took a thirteenth victim: her cousin, Aulus McClaghen.

But the game changes when one of the kidnapped boys turns up dead. Together with her boyfriend Nick and her best friends, Thea is determined to find the Gemini Thief and the remaining boys before it’s too late. Only she’s beginning to wonder something sinister, something repulsive, something unbelievable, and yet, not impossible:

What if her father is the Gemini Thief?

My Thoughts – 4Stars

In the June Boys we follow the main character Thea as she tries to find clues as to what happened to her cousin Aulus who she believes has been kidnapped by The Gemini Thief. Every year or two on June 1st a group of 3-4 boys are kidnapped and then released the following June 30th. These boys are known as The June Boys. At the same time we are following Thea we are also getting letters that are written by Aulus talking about his captivity.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I had a somewhat hard time getting into it because I was a little confused, we were following two timelines and it took awhile till this was addressed. We were also introduced to characters without knowing who they were but then gradually the people fell into place. Once both of those things were cleared up it became easier to follow. By the second half of the book I was hooked and I needed to know what was going to happen. I felt the story wrapped up nicely but would have liked just a little more in the epilogue. If you are looking for a fun and unique YA Thriller then I would definitely check out The June Boys. This book was my first by Courtney Stevens and it will not be my last. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Netgalley and The Fantastic Flying Book Club for my copy.

BOOK LINKS

Courtney “Court” Stevens grew up among rivers, cornfields, churches, and gossip in the small town south. She is a former adjunct professor, youth minister, Olympic torchbearer and bookseller at Parnassus Books. These days she writes coming-of-truth fiction and is the Community Outreach Manager for Warren County Public Library. She has a pet whale named Herman, a bandsaw named Rex, and several novels with her name on the spine.

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March 3rd

Evelynreads– Review
NovelKnight– Guest Post

Book Blitz: Fae Hunter by Sarah K. L. Wilson

Fae Hunter
Sarah K.L. Wilson
(Tangled Fae #1)
Publication date: December 11th 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Think you know fae? Think again.

Our lives are nursery rhymes and faerie stories now, Allie.

When Allie Hunter’s twin sister steps through a magic circle into the Faerie realm, she opens the door to deadly fae, bent on causing havoc and harm to Allie’s village.

Rendered blind to all but the spirit world, Allie is frustrated and angry but determined to bring the fae down. No matter what that might cost her.

But in a world where lies are truth, power is sustenance, and every action ripples into violence, how can one mortal stop all of Faerieland?

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

I opened the door of the cottage, frustrated to find the fire down to nothing but embers and not a single candle lit. I’d finished my work in town, returned the goats to their pens, and I was head-to-toe in mud and soaked to the skin – not to mention that my arms hurt like anything and my fever was getting worse.

I built up the fire, lit a candle, and set to stripping off my wet clothing. It wasn’t easy to do with my broken arm splinted and bandaged. It couldn’t bend, and the fingers on that hand were swollen and thick. It needed rest, but I didn’t have time to rest it.

I was down to my underthings when my blindfold slipped off as I was tugging my shirt over my head. I bent to recover it and then gasped.

The cage I’d set beside the sewing kit was the only thing I could really see without the blindfold. It still glowed a bright but eerie greenish-blue.

Dripping from the cage out onto the worn wooden floor of our cottage was black tar-like blood. And in the center of the cage, the Fae leader stood with black blood smeared across his clothing, a sewing needle streaked in black in one hand and a growl bubbling up from his throat. Under his feet, lay his fallen comrades, pins and needles scattered in their blood and sticking up from their backs.

“I see I have a pair of new pincushions. What have you been doing while I was gone?” I asked, aghast.

“Slaying my enemies,” he said with a fearsome curl to his lip. “What did you expect?”

I leaned down so my face was level with the cage, and I could feel my eyes widening as his glamour showed the full effect of perfect immortal features as he sneered at me.

“Not this,” I said, swallowing. My heart was sinking. I’d counted on having three of them. Three Fae to put back into the Star Stone circle. One to bring back each of the humans within. I hadn’t counted on them killing each other. Fuel, Allie! Use that disappointment as fuel!

My eyes were stinging with frustrated tears despite my reminder as I reached into the cage.

He jabbed my hand with the needle.

“Ouch!”

Again, and again. His movements were too quick for me to guess in that strange almost stilted and yet fluid way the Fae had. It was as if they were just jumping over little bits of time and space.

I pulled my hand out as fast as I could, cursing.

“Fine. They can rot in there with you. Enjoy the smell of putrefaction!” I sucked the wounds on my fingers.

“Let me out of the cage,” he said grimly. “Let me out and I will not slay you, too.”

I snorted. “You’re holding a sewing needle. You’re going to slay me with that?”

He waggled his eyebrows. “It’s not the size that counts.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” I muttered.

Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author, Sarah K. L. Wilson loves spinning a yarn and if it paints a magical new world, twists something old into something reborn, or makes your heart pound with excitement … all the better! Sarah hails from the rocky Canadian Shield in Northern Ontario –
learning patience and tenacity from the long months of icy cold – where she lives with her husband and two small boys. You might find her building fires in her woodstove and wishing she had a dragon handy to light them for her.

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The June Boys

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