The Walk-In Closet by Abdi Nazemian

About the book:

Kara Walker has never found much glamour in her own life, especially not when compared to the life of her best friend Bobby Ebadi. Bobby, along with his sophisticated parents Leila and Hossein, is everything Kara always wanted to be. The trio provides the perfect antidote to what Kara views as the more mundane problems of her girlfriends and her divorced parents.

And so when the Ebadis assume that Kara is Bobby’s girlfriend, she willingly steps into the role. She enjoys the perks of life in this closet, not only Leila’s designer hand-me-downs and free rent, but also the excitement of living life as an Ebadi.

As Kara’s 30^th birthday approaches, Leila and Hossein up the pressure. They are ready for Kara to assume the mantle of the next Mrs. Ebadi, and Bobby seems prepared to give them what they want: the illusion of a traditional home and grandchildren. How far will Kara be willing to go? And will she be willing to pull the Persian rug out from under them when she discovers that her own secret is just one of many lurking inside the Ebadi closet?

Praise for the book:

“Absorbing entertainment. I walked into Nazemian’s walk-in closet and didn’t want to walk out.” -Kelly Oxford, author of Everything is Perfect When You’re a Liar

 ”Absolutely engrossing read from page one- Abdi Nazemian has painted a world so vivid and real that even if you know nothing of ‘Tehrangeles’, by the end you feel as if you are a part it. I simply COULD NOT put this book down! ” -Busy Philipps

 “At once wickedly funny and devastatingly moving, The Walk-In Closet is a thrilling ride from start to finish. Nazemian surprises with every turn he takes, telling a story that vividly illustrates the price of living in a closet.” -Chaz Bono, author of Family Outing, The End of Innocence and Transition

 ”I relished every moment of this warm, funny, brutally engaging novel. Abdi Nazemian’s Los Angeles is both uncannily familiar and entirely foreign. Put this in the canon of LA literature: Nazemian has written a side of Los Angeles prevalent in real life but rarely seen in fiction.” -Katherine Taylor, author of Rules for Saying Goodbye

 ”Ladies: If you like Shahs of Sunset you’ll love The Walk-In Closet. Abdi Nazemian shines a white hot, entertaining spotlight on the ins and outs of Tehrangeles. Abdi will get your inner Persian princess purring.  Curl up and enjoy this fabulous debut!” - Jessica Bendinger, author of The Seven Rays, screenwriter of Bring it On and Sex and the City

 “The Walk-In Closet is a contemporary fable of love, loss and redemption, set between cultures and between the sexes. Written at a spanking pace, with humor, suspense and a heart, it captures the voice of a generation and paves the way to a new genre of literary fiction.” -Lila Azam Zanganeh, author of The Enchanter: Nabokov and Happiness

“Do you know about Tehrangeles? I didn’t. But thanks to Abdi Nazemian’s The Walk-In Closet. I now feel right at home among its brave, foolish, proud, unsinkable expatriates. If one of the tasks of fiction is to bring to light a world that for whatever reasons we haven’t bothered to see for ourselves — and to make us see that it is our world, too — then Nazemian’s book is a success. That he then adds his unique way of seeing — in which he marries his sharp satirist’s eye to a profound empathy — makes this hilarious, heartbreaking first novel a triumph.” -Richard Kramer, author of These Things Happen, screenwriter of Tales of the City, thirtysomething, and My So-Called Life

About the author:

Abdi Nazemian is the screenwriter of The Quiet, Celeste in the City, Beautiful Girl, and the short film Revolution, which he also directed.  He is an alumnus of the Sundance Writer’s Lab, a mentor at the Outfest Screenwriter’s Lab, and has taught screenwriting at UCLA Extension.  He lives in Los Angeles with his two children, and his dog Hedy Lamarr. The Walk-In Closet is his first novel.

Connect with the author:

·         Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1jkYO07

·         Twitter: @abdaddy

·         Website: http://abdaddy.com

·         Goodreads: http://bit.ly/QC54K1

The Witch of Belladonna Bay by Suzanne Palmieri

Publish Date May 13, 2014 by St. Martin’s Griffin

Bronwyn "BitsyWyn" Whalen hasn’t set eyes on the red dirt of Magnolia Creek, Alabama, for fourteen years—not since her mama died. But with her brother, Patrick, imprisoned for the murder of her childhood best friend, and her eccentric father, Jackson, at his wits’ end while her eleven-year-old niece, Byrd, runs wild, Bronwyn finds herself once again surrounded by ancient magnolia trees and the troubled family she left behind. She becomes immersed in a whirlwind of mystery and magic as she tries to figure out what really happened that fateful night her friend died. And as her bond with Byrd deepens, Bronwyn must face the demons of her past in order to unravel her family’s uncertain future.

My Thoughts:

This is not a romance book, there is romance in the book but I would not call this romance.  This is a story of magic and mystery.   The mystery of who killed Charlotte is the main plot.   There were a lot of twists and until almost the very end I did not have any idea who the killer was.   I had many ideas, went through most of the characters, but never came up with who really did it until the very end.  

I loved the characters and the special magic they all seemed to have.   Byrd was of course my favorite.  Such a precocious child, who was so much older than her years.   She seemed to know everyone and what everyone was doing or, many times, going to do.  I found myself wanting to pull her close and keep her safe.    She needed a mother, since her died, to keep her out of the danger that seemed to be calling for her at every turn of the page.     When Bronwyn returned to her home and to Byrd I was sure that this was the roll that Bronwyn would step into.  

There was a lot happening in this novel, both with the characters and the plot.   This is a story that I will recommend.   Suzanne Palmieri is an author that I will be on the lookout for more from.

Praise for the Book:

"Suzanne Palmieri has crafted a riveting tale that will keep you up late at night guessing what will happen next. It is a story that will intrigue both male and female readers. Guys, don't let this one slip past you."—Jason Mott, New York Times bestselling author of The Returned

"Ms. Palmieri's authentic dialogue, and ability to paint a family in crisis, is both charming and layered. If you're a lover of Southern fiction, magic in its many forms, and the kind of storytelling that keeps you turning the pages, you've come to the right place, y'all."—Lesley Kagen, New York Times bestselling author of Whistling in the Dark

"Murder, mystery and magic meld in a novel of absolute enchantment. About the lies we tell, the love we struggle for, and the way we find our way back to our rightful place in the world, Palmieri's book is a stunner."—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You and Is This Tomorrow

"Magic weaves its way through this beguiling southern gothic, swirling from the moss-laden trees around the Big House through the misty and menacing Belladonna Bay, and settling into the hearts of Bronwyn and her niece, Byrd, whose Strange Ways most people just don’t understand. Reminiscent of Sarah Addison Allen’s Garden Spells, this bewitching tale of ghostly mystery, love and family ties will enchant you from the very first page and linger in the air around you long after the last."— Wendy Webb, bestselling author of The Fate of Mercy Alban

Buy the book

Amazon for Kindle: http://amzn.to/1iVYq8C

Amazon for paperback: http://amzn.to/OOzlF9

About the author:

Suzanne Palmieri Hayes is the author of The Witch of Little Italy and the forthcoming The Witch of Belladonna Bay (May, 2014). She is also the co-author of I’ll Be Seeing You under the name Suzanne Hayes. She lives by the ocean with her husband and three darling witches. She is currently hard at work on her next novel.

Connect with the author:

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1jISJhs

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Thelostwitch

Website: http://suzannepalmieri.com/

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1hSWLQd

The Art of Arranging Flowers by Lynne Branard

Publish Date June 3, 2014 by Berkley Trade

Ruby Jewell knows flowers. In her twenty years as a florist she has stood behind the counter at the Flower Shoppe with her faithful dog, Clementine, resting at her feet. A customer can walk in, and with just a glance or a few words, Ruby can throw together the perfect arrangement for any occasion.

Whether intended to rekindle a romance, mark a celebration, offer sympathy, or heal a broken heart, her expressive floral designs mark the moments and milestones in the lives of her neighbors. It’s as though she knows just what they want to say, just what they need.

Yet Ruby’s own heart’s desires have gone ignored since the death of her beloved sister. It will take an invitation from a man who’s flown to the moon, the arrival of a unique little boy, and concern from a charming veterinarian to reawaken her wounded spirit. Any life can be derailed, but the healing power of community can put it right again.

My Thoughts:

I am clueless about flowers, yet the synopsis of The Art of Arranging Flowers pulled at me.   I picked up the book hoping that I would not be lost and all it would talk about it different flowers and how to arrange them.    While there is some, okay a lot, of flower talk in the book, there is so much more to Ruby Jewell’s life.    There is friendship, broken hearts, love, and loss.  The small town atmosphere is absolutely perfect.    The other characters in the book are just as important as Ruby and leave their marks on the reader as we get to know them.   

Ruby is the main character of the story and I loved her.   She knew the town better than anyone else.   Knew the birthdates, anniversaries, likes and dislikes before the person ordering the flowers could tell her.   She had bouquets ready before the orders were placed and went above on and beyond to make the town the best she possibly could.   She knew of healing powers of flowers and knew who needed healing or prayers for whatever ails them, broken hearts, cancer, tiredness, or love.   

The other characters in the book were just as great.  Dan is my favorite.   A retired astronaut who manages to connect with everyone he comes in contact with, and does it in a way that makes each person feel special.   He also could read people, he knew who was sick and how to help or comfort them, he knew who needed a little extra push to open their heart, and who just needed him to give them some special attention to make them feel special.   When it was told that he was dying and that he had control of how he was going to die I had tears in my eyes.   I knw that it would be a send off in the most private and highest regards, the way Dan had lived his life. 

The Art of Arranging Flowers is a book that I recommend to anyone who needs a calming and loving story about a town that feels like home.  The story is sweet, sentimental, and unforgettable. 

Book Links

Amazon   |   Barnes and Noble   |   Goodreads

Author Links

Website   |    Facebook

A Long Time Gone by Karen White

"We Walker women were born screaming into this world, the beginning of a lifelong quest to find what would quiet us. But whatever drove us away was never stronger than the pull of what brought us back...." 

When Vivien Walker left her home in the Mississippi Delta, she swore never to go back, as generations of the women in her family had. But in the spring, nine years to the day since she’d left, that’s exactly what happens—Vivien returns, fleeing from a broken marriage and her lost dreams for children.

What she hopes to find is solace with "Bootsie," her dear grandmother who raised her, a Walker woman with a knack for making everything all right. But instead she finds that her grandmother has died and that her estranged mother is drifting further away from her memories. Now Vivien is forced into the unexpected role of caretaker, challenging her personal quest to find the girl she herself once was.

But for Vivien things change in ways she cannot imagine when a violent storm reveals the remains of a long-dead woman buried near the Walker home, not far from the cypress swamp that is soon to give up its ghosts. Vivien knows there is now only one way to rediscover herself—by uncovering the secrets of her family and breaking the cycle of loss that has haunted her them for generations.

My thoughts...As I began reading A Long Time Gone, I was reminded why I've become such a huge fan of Karen White. Page one doesn't just bring Vivien home, it brings the reader to the Delta. A Long Time Gone is not just Vivien's story, but the story of the women who came before her, their lives shaping her and her quest to find out why.

There is the story of Vivien in the present. After coming home, Vivien gets shock after shock. She left years before and never looked back, never called home. She comes home almost with the idea that nothing would really change. She is pushed into helping out the local library and it begins a quest to find out a mystery about her family.

There is also the point of view of her mother Carol Lynne. Carol Lynne had abandoned Viven and her brother when they were growing up. When her mother finally comes home to stay Vivien took off without looking back. Carol Lynne's story is told with diary entries.

The last point of view is Adelaide in the 1920's. This was my favorite point of view. I love the time period and I couldn't be sure what was going to happen with her story. I just couldn't reconcile what I know and how it would play out. I won't say more other than, wow.

Karen's novels are always beautifully written and atmospheric. I loved each of the three points of view and how they move Vivien forward. What a family has thought to be true, is so much more. I found myself similar to Vivien, in the more I began to learn about the family history the deeper I wanted to go. Just because we understand events to be one thing, doesn't always mean our perceptions are true. We are not the past.

A Long Time Gone was one of those books that once you begin you are going to stay up late into the evening to finish. A generational story you don't' want to miss! I am highly recommending it!


I had the pleasure of meeting Karen White at my local Indie store The Booksellers of Laurelwood.

Karen White

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Buy a copy of A Long Time Gone

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Indie Bound

Final Mend by Angela Smith

Publish date June 23, 2014 by Crimson Romance

A recovering alcoholic, Jake Inman has found a new, healthier addiction: training for his successful triathlon career. But when his manager is murdered and beloved goddaughter kidnapped, another obsession takes hold: doing whatever it takes to find Brandon’s killer and keep Amy safe. Jake turns to a private investigator for help in solving the case, and though he finds temptation in her whiskey-colored eyes, he knows he must resist his attraction, or risk losing his heart.

After a devastating case, Winona Wall has turned her back on her skills as a private investigator, preferring a quiet life as a part-time bartender. That is, until Jake storms into the bar, demanding her help in tracking his missing godchild. Unable to resist Jake’s charm, she reluctantly agrees. But even after Amy is found unharmed, Jake insists Amy’s mother was more involved with her kidnapping than the police suspect. When the situation takes a turn for the worse, Winona must trust her instincts in order to save them all—and avoid falling in love.

My Thoughts:

Angela Smith has an amazing way with words.   Once I started Final Mend I could not put it down.    I was pulled in by the characters and their reactions, good and bad, to each other.   The feelings were obvious to the reader and I could not wait to learn more about Jake and Winona.

Winona had a history that she had just put on the back burner and tried to forget about.   When Jake approaches her to help him, he pulls up those memories that she had tried to forget.   It was sometimes hard to watch her fight what she knew was right and what she was trying to forget.   As she started to investigate more and more into the disappearance of Amy and the death of Brandon, her feelings grew deeper and deeper for Jake and the sparks flew.   The chemistry between these two is fun to watch unfold.   I kept hoping for a happy ending for them.

Final Mend is a story that kept me up all night having to read and was still on my mind when I finished the story.   I will certainly recommend it to my friends, family, and anyone else who asks about books to read.

Book Links

Goodreads   |   Amazon   |   Barnes and Noble

About the Author

During her senior year in high school, Angela Smith was dubbed most likely to write a novel, and that has been her dream ever since her mother read 'Brer Rabbit' to her and her sister so often that they were able to recite it back to each other before they learned to read. Ever since then, she hasn't stopped reading or writing. A certified paralegal, work gives her perfect fodder for her romantic suspense stories. When not caring for her small farm or spending time with her husband of two decades, she enjoys creating, reading, and dreaming of the places she’ll visit one day.

Author Links

Website – http://www.loveisamystery.com                                          Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/authorangelasmith  |    Twitter – http://twitter.com/angelaswriter

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The Revealed by Jessica Hickam

Publish Date June 17, 2014 by SparkPress

Lily Atwood lives in what used to be called Washington, D.C. Her father is one of the most powerful men in the world, having been a vital part of rebuilding and reuniting humanity after the war that killed over five billion people. Now he’s running to be one of its leaders.

But in the rediscovered peace on Earth, a new enemy has risen. They call themselves the Revealed – a powerful underground organization that has been kidnapping 18 year olds across the globe without reservation. No one knows why they are kidnapping these teens, but it’s clear something is different about these people. They can set fires with a snap of their fingers and create a wind strong enough to barrel over a tree with a flick of their wrist. No one has been able to stop them, and they have targeted Lily as their next victim.

But Lily has waited too long to break free from her father’s shadow to let some rebel organization just ruin everything. Not without a fight.

My Thoughts:

This is not my normal go-to book.   The Revealed is set in a time period that I don’t usually enjoy, but yet The Revealed kept me entirely entertained.  I read the book in less than 24 hours, only putting it down when I had to sleep.

I loved the unique characters, hating some but loving them also.    Each one had quirks and their own personality that shined throughout the entire story.  Rory was one of my favorites.   I could tell from the beginning that she was someone that I had to keep my eye on, but also knew that I could trust her to keep Lily out of trouble or at least get her out of the trouble she managed to get herself into.  

The explanation of The Revealed was believable and understandable.   Jessica Hickam did a great job of bring that reader into the world of The Revealed and making it somewhere that made sense.   There was enough realism to imagine how this group would have to work in the world.  

 I am going to keep my eye out for more from this author.   The Revealed is a book I would recommend.

Book Links

Amazon   |   Goodreads

About the author:

After graduating from Arizona State University in 2011, Jessica relocated to Los Angeles where she now works in the film industry. From acting to assisting on the Paramount feature Star Trek: Into Darkness, her experiences have only reinforced her love for living in other worlds – whether they be from her own imagination or someone else’s. The Revealed is her first novel.

Connect with the author:

·         Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1hSZuJa

·         Twitter: https://twitter.com/JHickam

·         Website: http://jessicahickam.com/

·         Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1hSZBoi

THE FIVE W’S and HOW Of Jolina Petersheim + giveaway

WHO? Who are you besides a writer? 

I’m a wife, daughter, sister, friend, and a stay-at-home mom of a toddler little girl, and I’ve got her little sister on the way. So, outside the world of books, I’m busy exploring the world through the eyes of a child. We “cook” in her miniature kitchen, read her two favorite books out of her stash of two hundred, pick flowers, or take walks with our akita, Kashi. I’ve found that in the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s nice to set an hour aside and focus on what really matters.

WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time?

I love to travel, but I haven’t been overseas since my daughter’s birth two years ago. In March, my best friend, her sister, my daughter, and I went to Florida (the first time I traveled “alone” with a toddler!), and my husband and I are planning to go to Montana again this summer. I love to try new food and experiment with recipes. I enjoy thrift-store shopping, since I’m a penny-pincher (except, of course, when it comes to jewelry and shoes), and I am addicted to books. My To-Be-Read Pile has no end.

WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Because of my father’s weekly songwriting sessions (he used to jot down lyrics on 2 x 4’s with his carpenter’s pencil), I tried to make up songs before I could even read or write. Once I started to read (especially the Anne of Green Gables series!), I knew I wanted to be an author one day, like Anne. I have received some incredible support through my parents, teachers, friends, and husband, which was significant in making this dream come true. I’m so very grateful to each and every one of them!

WHERE? Where do you write? 

During the editorial process, which is what I’m doing now, I don’t go anywhere but the kitchen table—where I spread out two laptops and edit one document while looking at the suggestions on the other, which are given to me by my husband, who’s always my first reader. However, the first and second drafts are a little more romantic. In the winter, I write on a chair in the living room that has an ottoman for my feet. Sometimes, if cajoled, my husband will build a fire for me in the fireplace (I am dangerous with matches). In the spring and summer, I write on the front porch with the hummingbirds zinging over my head and the fans stirring the breeze. We have a field in front of us, woods behind us, and not a neighbor in sight. I love living in the boonies, though—because of this—our internet connection is rather lousy.

WHY? Why do you write?

I write to better understand our world and my place in it—something I’ve done since I was six years old and kept a diary with a tiny gold locket. I write because I’m always listening for stories, and I often feel compelled to write these stories down, though I change the names to protect the innocent . . . and the guilty. I write because I want to offer others hope as they search for fragments of beauty in their life’s ashes.

How? Has your writing success changed your life?

I can’t really say that it has: I still clean my own house, fold my own laundry, do my own grocery shopping, and fish items out of the trash can that my toddler has thrown while helping me “clean up.” Then again, I’m not exactly J.K. Rowling. I’ve come to the conclusion that, even if I was J.K. Rowling, there would always be something else to achieve . . . another goal to reach or award to conquer. So, I’m just trying to enjoy this writing process and the stories that are created through it instead of wondering where this process is going to take me. For now, I just know that I’m blessed to get to work from home and be with my daughter and with my unborn daughter who will be joining our family in the fall.

Jolina Petersheim is the award-winning author of The Midwife and The Outcast, which Library Journal gave a starred review and named one of the best books of 2013. The Outcast also became an ECPA, CBA, and Amazon bestseller, and was featured in Huffington Post’s Fall Picks, World Magazine's Notable Books, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and The Tennessean. Jolina and her husband’s unique Amish and Mennonite heritage originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They now live in the mountains of Tennessee with their young daughter. Whenever she's not busy chasing this adorable toddler, Jolina is hard at work on her next novel.

The Midwife 

 by Jolina Petersheim

The story about a mother who risks everything to save a child not genetically hers . . .

The Past — Graduate student Beth Winslow was sure she was ready to navigate the challenges of becoming a surrogate. But when early tests indicate possible abnormalities with the baby, Beth is unprepared for the parents’ decision to end the pregnancy — and for the fierce love she feels for this unborn child. Desperate, she flees the city and seeks refuge at Hopen Haus, a home for unwed mothers deep in a Tennessee Mennonite community.

The Present — As head midwife of Hopen Haus, Rhoda Mummau delivers babies with a confident though stoic ease. Except in rare moments, not even those who work alongside her would guess that each newborn cry, each starry-eyed glance from mother to child, nearly renders a fault through Rhoda’s heart, reminding her of a past she has carefully concealed. Past and present collide when a young woman named Amelia arrives in the sweeping countryside bearing secrets of her own. As Amelia’s due date draws near, Rhoda must face her regrets and those she left behind in order for the healing power of love and forgiveness to set them all free.

"Jolina's lyrical storytelling absolutely sings--but it's her quick-paced plot, complex characters, and insights into the Plain world that made it impossible for me to put The Midwife down." ~Leslie Gould, #1 bestselling author of The Amish Midwife

Learn more:

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Let’s be honest . . . a caffeine boost never hurts. For author Jolina Petersheim, it’s especially helpful to have her favorite drink on hand when she’s racing toward a manuscript deadline. In celebration of the release of her sophomore novel, The Midwife, Tyndale’s Crazy4Fiction team would love to enable your caffeine addiction and give you a taste of Jolina’s beautiful prose. For a chance at a $25 Starbucks gift card, an authentic Amish wall hanging, and your choice of Jolina’s novels (either The Outcast or The Midwife), enter through the Rafflecopter widget below.

To hear from Jolina on her go-to caffeine boost, stop by www.crazy4fiction.com.

What about you, readers? What drink of choice kick-starts your creativity and helps you keep moving?

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Lost In Starlight By Sherry Soule Dream Cast and Review

“Author Sherry Soule’s Dream Cast”

Today bestselling author, Sherry Soule has some exciting news to share with us! She will be publishing a brand new Upper YA / Sci-Fi romance series: the “Starlight Saga” with scorching-hot character chemistry, exciting suspense, and epic romance on June 26, 2014. To help promote this interstellar love story, “LOST IN STARLIGHT,” Sherry is doing this guest post to share the news with fellow booklovers. So without further ado here are Sherry’s top actor picks...

For my tough heroine, Sloane Masterson, I think this lovely and brilliant actress: Lucy Hale would be perfect. Tough talking, girl reporter, Sloane is not your typical heroine. She’s a feisty, disarming, and a fiercely independent seventeen-year-old. But she’s not flawlessly beautiful, or super thin, or extremely intelligent like some YA protagonists. Sloane has very real and relatable body issues and insecurities like most teen girls do. She favors the dark-side in clothes and music, loves to watch scary movies, and likes hanging out in graveyards. She uses her wits to cover her emotional scars, and if you can break through her tough exterior, you’ll have a fearless, loyal friend for life.

 For the part of the stoic and brooding, Hayden Lancaster, I think this dynamic actor would be great, Luke Mitchell. At first glance, it seems that eighteen-year-old Hayden has a detached, unemotional exterior, but what lies beneath is a kindhearted individual that will go out of their way to help another. Although he’s self-assured, he does have a tendency to emotionally distance himself from those around him, and this can make Hayden an unpredictable and confusing companion at times.





For Sloane’s best friend, Viola Saks, this remarkable actress would be fantastic: Camilla Belle. Outgoing and feisty, Viola’s a fun-loving spirit girl, who loves to read. Never lacking in optimism, Viola is frequently seen as a crusader for the rights of others and a defender of lost causes. Popularity makes no difference to her as long as she believes in the cause.

For Devin Greenspan, Editor of the school paper, I like this gifted actor best: Ed Westwick. Devin has had a crush on Sloane for years and never gave the hope of one day hooking up with her. But when Hayden becomes her best friend, he feels threatened by the newcomer.

 





Only one actor comes to mind that could portray Hayden’s younger brother, Zach Lancaster, and it is actor, Paul Wesley. Zach and his brother grew up in a close-knit family where outside friends are  discouraged. So when Hayden becomes good friends with Sloane, Zach tries to sabotage the friendship and strongly opposes the relationship.





 For Sloane’s good friends, Tanisha and Raymond, I like both of these talented actors: Erica Hubbard and Daniel Andrew Sharman: Tanisha and Raymond are loyal friends that hang in Sloan’s crew. Tanisha dresses sort of Goth, and she’s really into Wicca and alternative bands. Raymond is more punk rock, and plays the role of the tortured musician to perfection.

Please mark your calendars to buy your copy of LOST IN STARLIGHT on June 26th 2014! Read the first 3 chapters on wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/43691448-lost-in-starlight-ya-syfy-romance-lost-in 

 VOLUME ONE: Starlight Saga Is a star-crossed romance worth sacrificing your own life? High school senior Sloane Masterson lives a quiet existence. She has awesome friends, gets excellent grades, and writes a column for the Haven Gazette. But her life goes from dullsville to bizarro when she witnesses mysterious loner Hayden Lancaster performing some freaky superhuman feats. Like any good journalist, Sloane sets out to uncover the truth, and she’s not above stalking. But one look into Hayden’s remarkable eyes, and she’s crushing hard. Even at the swoonworthy hunk’s insistence that hanging out with girls like Sloane is “off limits” by his strange family, she can’t resist him or wanting to solve the mystery. Things get really complicated when a beautiful alien sets her sights on Hayden—and this devious girl’s not looking for a green card! Now Sloane’s dealing with creepy government agents, über snobby extraterrestrials, and getting a crash course on the rules of interstellar dating. As their diverse worlds collide and the romantic sparks fly, Sloane must decide if Hayden’s secrets are worth risking her life to protect.

My Thoughts:

Not a huge fan of aliens, I was unsure of this book but knew that I had loved everything else Sherry Soule had written.  I had to give it a chance and am I ever glad that I did.   This is absolutely wonderful book.    Aliens are not of the E.T. type in this story, but definitely are not human.   I enjoyed the aliens very much and would not mind being just friends with one myself.  

Lost in Starlight has everything I look for in a good book, romance, a tad of humor, and intrigue.    Sloane is unique to say the least.  She hangs out in a cemetery to unwind and relax.   Her relationship with Hayden is steamy hot.   I know they are teenagers in high school, but wow the sparks flew between these two.    Hayden knew he had to be the protector and keep Sloane safe from the people in his life that would not accept her and their relationship, but yet he knew that he had to have her in his life in order for it to be complete.   

My issue with this book??  The ending…CLIFFHANGER!  I am hoping and praying that Sherry Soule does not leave me hanging for long and comes out with the next book in this series very quickly.    I have to know what is going to happen with Sloane and Hayden. 

 Places you can cyberstalk Sherry Soule:

 Official Blog: http://www.sherrysoule.blogspot.com/ 

Twitter @SherrySoule: http://twitter.com/SherrySoule 

Add to your TBR on goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20707942-lost-to-starlight

Spotlight: Here and Again by Nicole R. Dickson and a giveaway

Deep in the Shenandoah Valley, the present and the past are as restless as the river mists. And when they collide, the heart is the only compass pointing home.

For nurse Ginger Martin, her late husband’s farm is both a treasured legacy and the harbinger of an uncertain future. Since he was recently killed in Iraq, every day is fraught with grief that won’t abate. Keeping the farm going and nourishing her children’s hopes without him seems as impossible as having dreams for the future—or going back into the past....

By a curious coincidence, a stranger appears in Ginger’s life, always showing up to help in unexpected and much-needed ways. He says he’s a soldier, lost and trying to make his way home, but Ginger understands that Samuel is a kindred spirit, longing to repair a life interrupted. The challenges of their hopes and longings will test who they really are in the most heartbreaking of ways. And only by coming to terms with their losses and the necessity of change will Ginger and Samuel be able to each make a future of their own—and discover at last where their true home lies....

Buy your copy of Here and Again by Nicole R. Dickson

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Now for a giveaway!!! I have one copy of HERE AND AGAIN up for grabs. You must have a US mailing address (sorry no PO Boxes).

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A Bridge Unbroken by Cathy Bryant

Dakota Kelly wants her painful past to disappear. A plan to start afresh is derailed when she co-inherits her late grandfather’s farm with Chance Johnson, the man responsible for the scars on her heart. But Chance isn’t the only ghost from the past. Someone else is out to get her and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Will Chance and Dakota lay aside their grudges to restore the old farmhouse and bridge, or will evil forces sabotage their attempt at forgiveness.

My Thoughts:

A Bridge Unbroken is the fifth book in the Miller Creek Series, but the first of the series I have read.   Each book is a standalone story with a special theme.     This books theme is forgiveness.    While Dakota and Chance have a history that left them both with hurt feelings, it is evident that they still care a lot of each other and that those feelings are growing as they spend time together.    Forgiving is not always easy and with Mama Beth,  Matt, Chance’s best friend, and his wife, Gracie’s, help and guidance they work to get through what is keeping them from moving on. 

There is romance in this book, but it is not mushy fake romance.   It is love, true love.  As a reader I could feel the pull between Chance and Dakota but I could also see how hurt they both were.   Forgiveness and acceptance of the past was exactly what their relationship was in need of but getting there was not easy. 

Cathy Bryant is an author I will be reading more of.  She wrote a story from the heart that is touching and inspirational.   I highly recommend that fans of Christian Romance and Christian Fiction check out this book and the entire series.

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Author Links

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The Glass Kitchen by Linda Francis Lee

Publish date June 17, 2014 by St. Martin’s Press

Portia Cuthcart never intended to leave Texas. Her dream was to run the Glass Kitchen restaurant her grandmother built decades ago. But after a string of betrayals and the loss of her legacy, Portia is determined to start a new life with her sisters in Manhattan . . . and never cook again. But when she moves into a dilapidated brownstone on the Upper West Side, she meets twelve-year-old Ariel and her widowed father Gabriel, a man with his hands full trying to raise two daughters on his own. Soon, a promise made to her sisters forces Portia back into a world of magical food and swirling emotions, where she must confront everything she has been running from. What seems so simple on the surface is anything but when long-held secrets are revealed, rivalries exposed, and the promise of new love stirs to life like chocolate mixing with cream. The Glass Kitchen is a delicious novel, a tempestuous story of a woman washed up on the shores of Manhattan who discovers that a kitchen—like an island—can be a refuge, if only she has the courage to give in to the pull of love, the power of forgiveness, and accept the complications of what it means to be family.

My Thoughts:

My first was this was going to be another book about some sisters opening a café or dinner, falling in love, and being successful.   I wasn’t entirely wrong, but there was so much more to this story.   The Glass Kitchen is a fun, sweet, and wonderful book about three sassy and unique sisters trying to make it in Manhattan.  

Portia Cuthcart is a great character.   Her magical knowing powers kept me entertaining.  As she figured out what to cook, not knowing why she had to cook that specific thing, I tried to guess before Linda Francis Lee let the reader in on the reason.  Her relationship with Ariel and Miranda was just how a “friend” of their dad’s should be.  She was the friend when they needed a friend and a mother when they needed a mother, never over stepping her boundaries.    Now, her relationship with Gabriel was so complicated.  The heat was obvious, the attraction a given, yet they managed to keep it separate from their everyday lives through most of the book.  

I loved this book.   The characters were fun and lovable, the story was entertaining and mostly believable, and I could not put it down.    This is a clever and well written book that is easy to read and enjoy. 

Book Links

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Before I Wake by C.L. Taylor

Publish Date of June 10, 2014 by Sourcebooks Landmark

To the outside world, Susan Jackson has it all-a loving family, successful husband, and beautiful home-but when Charlotte, her teenage daughter, steps in front of a bus and ends up in a coma, she is forced to question all of it.

Desperate to find out what caused Charlotte's suicide attempt, she discovers a horrifying entry in her diary: "keeping this secret is killing me." As Sue spins in desperate circles, she finds herself immersed in a dark world she didn't know existed-and the closer she comes to the truth, the more dangerous things become.

Can she wake up from the nightmares that haunt her and save her daughter, or will Charlotte's secret destroy them both?

My Thoughts:

Before I Wake is a book that I could not put down.  I started it in the afternoon, stayed up late; reading until my eyes would not stay open, then took it to work with me the next days in hopes of a few quiet moments that I could keep reading.  Now that I have finished it, it is still on my mind and I am not quite ready to let it go.

I related best with Charlotte’s mother, Susan.   She could tell that something had caused her daughter to end up in the coma other than the accident that everyone else believed.    Susan went against her own beliefs and her husband to find out the truth of what had caused Charlotte to step in front of that bus.  She knew her daughter better than anyone else and knew that she had to protect her and make her want to return to her family.  I absolutely love that she held her ground.

Many times I thought I had an idea what had happen to Charlotte, some of it I was close to, some of it I was so far off.  I felt like I was on a ride a lot of the time.  The thrills and twists and turns kept me so entertained, yet afraid to turn the page and learn the truth of the story.  I knew once the truth was shared that the story would be coming to an end and I am not ready for Charlotte’s story to close.  This would be a great book club read and I recommend it.

Buy Links

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Desperately Ever After by Laura Kenyon with GIVEAWAY

Published February 1, 2015

Years after turning her husband from beast back to man and becoming his queen, Belle finds out she’s finally going to have a child. But before she can announce the wondrous news, she catches him cheating and watches her “happily ever after” go up in flames. Turning to her friends for the strength to land with grace, she realizes she’s not the only one at a crossroads:

Cinderella, a mother of four drowning in royal duties, is facing her 30th birthday and questioning everything she’s done (or hasn’t) with her life.

Rapunzel, a sex-crazed socialite and one-woman powerhouse, is on a self-destructive quest to make up for 20 years locked away in a tower.

Penelopea, an outsider with a mother-in-law from hell, is harboring a secret that could ruin everything at any moment. 

My thoughts:

Fairy tales being retold in an adult way is something that I have really enjoyed.  Desperately Ever After starts a little slow with Belle’s story.  I found myself putting it down and walking away to do something else, but still getting pulled back having to know what happens with Belle and the rest of the characters in their “happy ever after” life.   The fact that the princesses all lived in their own realms, yet managed to keep up their friendship and support, was a huge plus for me.  I loved that this was not the story of just one of the princesses, it is a story of all the well known princesses from the stories I loved growing up. 

Desperately Ever After  gives a different view to the lives of princesses and the kingdoms they live in.  It is an easy and light read that I will certainly recommend to other fairytale lovers.

Buy Links

Amazon   |   Goodreads

Just a quick note that the author has dropped the price of Deperately Ever After to $2.99 for the entire time this blog tour runs.

EDITORIAL REVIEWS

"Kenyon's colorful imagery and often quick, lighthearted style makes it easy to keep flipping pages.”

~ The New Canaan Advertiser

"Laura Kenyon's Desperately Ever After is part Disney princess, part Sex in the City, and part TMZ Celebrity Gossip Site ... and it's fabulous!" ~ Kristy Feltenberger Gillespie, blogger at Keep Calm and Write On

"...this book is hilarious, sweet, and ingenious." ~ Whitney Reece, blogger at WordsWisdomWhitney

2014 National Indie Excellence Awards Chick-Lit Finalist!

Amazon Top 100 seller for both Women’s Fiction Fantasy and Humor!

“Laura Kenyon makes happily ever after desperately delicious!” ~ Stephanie Evanovich, New York Times bestselling author of Big Girl Panties

“At times laugh-out-loud funny, and at times very touching, Desperately Ever After is the debut of a real talent.” ~ Elizabeth Blackwell, author of While Beauty Slept and The Letter

“If you are looking for a fun and gossipy story to satisfy the holes left when Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives had their series finales (or even if you’re going through Once Upon a Time withdrawal come season finale time) look no further than Desperately Ever After.” ~ Chick Lit Central

“An explosive cocktail that will have you laughing out loud and wanting more and more!” ~ Lost in Chick Lit

“Kenyon’s colorful imagery and often quick, lighthearted style makes it easy to keep flipping pages.” ~ New Canaan Advertiser

“Desperately Ever After is a brilliant and fun read that makes fairy tale characters relatable to the modern world in a seamless fashion! Definitely worth a read!” ~ Trips Down Imagination Road

“Laura Kenyon’s Desperately Ever After is part Disney princess, part Sex in the City, and part TMZ Celebrity Gossip Site … and it’s fabulous!” ~ Kristy Feltenberger Gillespie, Keep Calm and Write On

Meet the Author

 

Laura Kenyon is an award-winning journalist and graduate of Boston College. Her stories

and articles have appeared in Kiwi Magazine, Westchester Magazine, Just Labs, Serendipity, The Improper Bostonian, InD’tale Magazine, and Westchester/Hudson Valley Weddings, as well as in myriad newspapers and at PrickoftheSpindle.com. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and their silver Labrador retriever. DESPERATELY EVER AFTER is her first novel.

She loves connecting with readers on her blog (laurakenyon.com), Twitter (twitter.com/laura_kenyon), Facebook (facebook.com/LauraKenyonWrites), and Goodreads (www.goodreads.com/laurakenyon).

Representation: Michelle Brower

Folio Literary Management

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