Monday, December 31, 2012

New Year 2013 Giveaway Hop



Happy New Year 2013
Giveaway Hop


Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Babs Book Bistro


January 1st - 7th 2013



I hope everyone is has a very happy and safe New Year! Up for grabs in this hop is a 2013 desk calendar with a page a day crossword puzzle. This giveaway is open internationally and as always its not a requirement that you follow my blog but its always appreciated. 






a Rafflecopter giveaway



Sunday, December 30, 2012

Veetu Industries Giveaway

Looking back on 2012, I saw that my reviews for this series had more views than any other. And after conferring with the author, she has agreed to give away one set of ebooks in your choice of formats. I really enjoyed reading both of these books and am looking forward to next one in this series. This is an international giveaway but due to explicit content this giveaway is restricted to those over 18.
 
 




This is the first book in this series and you can find my review here



This is the second book and is every bit as good as the first one. And my review for it can be found here. You can also check out my interview with author Rae Gee and find out further information about this series.

Both of these wonderful books will be given away to one lucky reader!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

The Year-God's Daughter

The Year-God's Daughter (The Child of the Erinyes, #1)The Year-God's Daughter by Rebecca Lochlann

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was an awesome read that I actually wanted to stretch to more than 4 stars but not quite 5. Set in ancient Greece, taking place mostly on the isle of Crete, we are drawn into this world as if we were there. Here, they worship the goddess Athene and is a matriarchal society. Every year a bull king is chosen and at the end of that year his blood sacrifice causes their prosperity to continue.

Athine Versus: The Begining




Athine Verses: The Beginning (Daughters of Ares Chronicles) by Shannon McRoberts
genre: Fantasy
100 pages
Athine has always been told that she is to be the protector of Olympus, Ximira, and Draosia. She has trained for years to be this protector and future ruler. But Athine has no desire to be ruler of a conquered land. She wants only to have her own adventures. She gets her wish when she is tested in the A’samrad and finds out that she has the power to kill other immortals…








Best of 2012 Giveaway Hop


Thanks to I am a Reader, Not a Writer for this giveaway of our favorite reads of 2012. Up for grabs is my ARC of No Crying For Elena I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a great read. You can find my review here. This is an international giveaway and as always its not a requirement that you follow my blog but its always appreciated.





a Rafflecopter giveaway




Monday, December 24, 2012

Top 10 Books of 2012


This is a great time of year to look back and contemplate the best reads and its always so hard to choose. There were several more that I would have loved to have added to this list, but I've managed to be touch and narrow it down. I've been priviledged to read many great books by indie authors over the past year. Here is the list of my favorites this year.


This is the only non-fiction account on my list and one of my very favorites. Its also going to be up for grabs in the upcoming blog hop. You can find my review here.


This is the first of the Veetu Industries series and my first steampunk novel. It definitely got my attention from the begining and I fell in love with this series. You can find my review here.


This is the first in the Ginecean Chronicles and this one along with its sequel Pax in the Land of Women are at the top of my top ten list. They are just that good. This series tells of an alternate universe where women rule and men are slaves and heterosexual couples are taboo. This is an awesome series I would recommend to anyone. You can find my review here for Preist and here for Pax.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Bud's Christmas Wish



Thanks to author Ashley Nemer for sending us this great guest blog post just in time for Christmas!




If a dream is a wish your heart makes, can it hear those things we want even if we don’t know what they are? When sorrow brings young Lucy home to a land full of mystery, steeped in tradition and colored with unspoken magic, she finds herself reevaluating her life and her own place in it. Things are never what they seem, and people are seldom what you THINK them to be if all you base it on is what your eyes see and not what your soul speaks. There’s a fine line between destiny and duty, but when both are blended with love, who knows what miracles can occur at Christmas?


Christmas…so much pressure. Do you have any idea what it’s like to grow up being told that you are promised to someone already for marriage? Someone you haven’t even met?
Welcome to me life. Me name is Bud Doran and my granddad made a deal with Alastar to marry me off to his granddaughter Lucy. I was told she was pretty…But ya know what the odds are of that bein’ true. Every granddad thinks his grandkids are cute. Alas, this is what was laid out for me. I am a Doran and this is what we do, live by our word. Giving ya word doesn’t just stop with the giver, it passes through the lines. So my granddad gave it, me father gave it and now I have.
The courtship started when I picked her up from the airport. Me hands were shakin a bit. I tried to hide it, I think it worked. Lucy was coming back home to Ireland to care for her grandparents, they were ill. Especially Alastar. Was a sad moment yet when she walked up to me my heart spun. She was a knock out. Her blonde hair flowed down her back. –sigh- I wanted to touch it.
I took her to her family home and that’s when Alastar told me there will be no getting out of the promise. I had ta win her over.
She got a job at the pub; lucky for me I loved the pub. Was a right frequenter I was. I didn’t glutton myself but I had a good time. I watched her carefully; she moved with grace and skill, she was an Irish woman by birth but an American by appearance. She baffled me. The way she spoke, her words, that accent.
Man o man I was a gonner. They thought it would never work, they told me I was crazy for trying.
“Ya can’t woo her, she’s Americanized. She won’t care about tradition and promises.” That’s what they told me. But I knew in me bones she was gonna be mine. The magic and miracles that happen in Ireland will surprise you.
So this is me giving you insight and backstory into Bud’s Christmas Wish (I’m Bud if ya missed that.) I hope ya pick it up, everyone needs a bit ta Irish love in them at Christmas time. Start a fire and grab a blanket, find out if she did indeed become me mate.



About the author:
Ashley is married and lives in Houston with her husband Tony. They have two dogs named Toto and Doogie. They have been together for almost 8 years and he brings her more joy than she could ever imagine as a child. She loves to read and has been hooked on the romance genre ever since her lifelong best friend Laura gave her "Ashes to Ashes' by Tami Hoag to read when they were younger.


Ashley finds her strength through her family, especially her parents. They always support her in life and they push her to strive for greatness. There once was a motto that Ashley heard in her youth through her Taekwondo life 'Reach for the Stars' and that is what Ashley has always done. It was through her upbringing that the values Ashley has and display's came from. With her Parents always cheering her on in life she was able to grow up having faith in herself and her ability to conquer the world.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

A Hard Act To Follow





A Hard Act to Follow by Henry Bushkin.

"A Hard Act to Follow," is a non-fiction literary account of Henry Bushkin's tenure as Johnny Carson's lawyer, business partner, and friend. The book gives genuine insight into the 'Carson behind Johnny' with candid personal vignettes about the two, during the rollicking years when Johnny was the undisputed king of television. This is an engaging, eye-opening, anecdote-packed story about a young lawyer and his client, one of the biggest celebrities in the country. This funny, unfiltered account gives readers a look at the Johnny Carson that none but a select few really knew.


Excerpt


The question that people most frequently ask me is what Johnny was really like.They are usually happy to hear the first part of the answer: he was endlessly witty and enormously fun to be around. Their interest flags when I get to the second part, when I add that he could also be the nastiest son of a bitch on earth. The truth is that he was an incredibly complex man: one moment gracious, funny, and generous; and curt, aloof, and hard-hearted in the next. Never have I met a man possessed of a greater abundance of social gifts—intelligence, looks, manners, style, humor—and never have I met a man with less aptitude for and an even lesser interest in maintaining real relationships.
But to understand Johnny in his complexity is to first understand his artistry and the esteem in which he was held. It is not an easy thing to do. If we were to talk about a great movie actor, it would be simpler: his transformation into his character would be evident; the range of behavior he depicts would be obvious; the subtlety and nuance of the human experience that he illustrates would grab you by the throat. But what Johnny seemed to do was more commonplace. He came out and told a few jokes. He then kidded with Ed (McMahon) and Doc (Severinsen), played a game with the audience or per- formed in a ridiculous skit, and then made chitchat with celebrities. And it was the same thing, every night. What was so damn special about that?





Thursday, December 20, 2012

Shades of Summer



rubyru

Title: Shades Of Summer (The Haunting of Ruby Series)

Author: Joy Elbel

Pages: 465

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Blurb:

Love…the only thing more powerful than death. Seventeen year old Ruby Matthews spent the last year of her life crippled by guilt and grief over the death of longtime friend and boyfriend Seeley “Lee” Lucas. Feeling that a change of scenery might snap her back to reality, Ruby’s father moves the family out of their home in the Philadelphia suburb of Trinity and into small town life in Charlotte’s Grove, Pennsylvania. Life is better here for Ruby—she quickly makes friends with handsome Zach Mason and his twin sister Rachel. Every moment spent with Zach makes life and love seem possible again. But passion comes with a high price. Things are not what they seem at Rosewood, the Matthews’ historic plantation-style home. Paranormal activity at the mansion intensifies as she draws closer to Zach. Is it Lee—coming back to claim her heart and maybe even her soul? Or is something more sinister hiding in the shadows? Ruby must delve into her own past and the history of Rosewood before it is too late.

Midwinter's Eve Hop


Thanks to I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Oasis for YA for hosting this giveaway! I have given away a lot of books this year and I wanted to do something a bit different this time. The winter season is my favorite time to spend in the kitchen baking deserts and making candies and cookies. Therefore, up for grabs is a copy of Hershey's Syrup Recipes. This is a hardback book and its full of simple delicious looking recipes that will be great for any chocolate lover. Along with this comes some swag in the form of a book bag and some cards. As always its not a requirement that you follow my blog but its always appreciated and this giveaway is open internationally.





a Rafflecopter giveaway




Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Burning Bridges



Thanks to author Nadège Richards for stopping by the Cotton Patch on her tour and offering such a great giveaway.

This is a tour wide giveaway – open World Wide! Prizes include the following:
• 5 Signed Print Copies of Burning Bridges
• 2 eBook Copies of Burning Bridges
• 1 Signed ARC of Deceiving Destiny
• 1 Burning Bridges T-Shirt
• 2 Burning Bridges Book Charms


Title: Burning Bridges
Series: The Bleeding Heart Trilogy # 1
Author: Nadège Richards
Published: Self-Published – July 14th, 2012
Word Count: 93,000
Genre: YA Dystopia
Recommended Age: 16+

Synopsis:
Do or Die...

In a world that has been divided amongst the Hunter race and the Warrior, prisoners who have fallen prey to King Cyrus' decrees are forced into the arena to fight until death. Winner is granted mercy and privilege to see another sunrise. Death unto the weak. In an attempt to get back at everyone who has ever shut her out, seventeen year-old Princess Echo becomes another victim, dragging Ayden, her forbidden love, along in a race to freedom, to find out who she really is, and to put a world that has been swallowed by lies back together again.

In the first installment of The Bleeding Heart Trilogy, life becomes a dangerous game of kill or be killed, love or let go. When death threatens the forbidden love of an unlikely couple and they are forced to do the unthinkable, to what extent will they go to be together?


Monday, December 17, 2012

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter




3 out of 5 stars

Alice in Zombieland is about a girl named Alice "Ali" Bell, whose life changes in the blink of an eye on the night her family died.  Not only does Ali loose her family but she also discovers that her fathers worst nightmares are real.  Ali is forced to rely on, the violet eyed bad boy, Cole and his gang of misfits, if she wants to survive the zombie attacks.

When most people think about zombies, they think about the rotting flesh, the "zombie limp", the virus that has whipped out most of the human race, and then there is also the fact that the zombies are humans who have died and then been reanimated by a virus.  Most people don't think about zombies being a spiritual creature that feeds on the souls of the living. How about how zombies are to be killed?  Personally, my first thought is a shotgun blast to the head.  After all, everyone knows you have to destroy the brain to kill the virus.  In Alice in Zombieland, the zombies can only be killed by "faith".  (That's all I can say about that without giving away any spoilers)

Also, the majority of the book was set in the local high school. (Go Tigers!) I read a lot of teenage and young adult novels, and realize that most books are at least partially set in a high school setting, to make the reads relate to the characters in the book.  However, I really feel that having the book set most in the high school is a bit much.  It takes away from the action and has a lot of unnecessary chatter that is unrelated to anything in the story.

Ali's interactions with Cole, were interesting to me.  I felt like it was a fresh twist on romance in teen books.  I haven't read many books that used psychic visions to build a connection between the characters when they had never even met.  I'm interested to know what happens between Cole and Ali.  

As most of you guys know there is nothing that makes me literarily happy, then to sit down with a zombie book and put in my ear buds, crank up the heavy metal and smash some literary zombie brains. That's what I expected when I requested Alice in Zombieland for my birthday.  Sadly, I was slightly let down.  I'd recommend Alice in Zombieland to anyone who likes mild supernatural books, with a romantic twist.

On a side note, I would like to note that I looked this book up on barnsandnoble.com before I requested it for my birthday.  The summary online said that it was a dark twist on the original Alice in Wonderland but with zombies.  That was not anything close to what happened in Alice in Zombieland.  So if you are planning on reading this book, I'd recommend that you do more research before just downloading this book from Barnes & Noble.  

Condolences to Sandy Hook




We here at the Cotton Patch would like to take a moment to remember the victems of this senseless tragedy in Sandy Hook Elementary. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families affected by this tragedy. The loss of life of so many tiny lives that had so much ahead of them is beyond heartbreaking.




Sunday, December 16, 2012

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A Chistmas Carol is my favorite Christmas book of all time and I try to read it every year. We are all familiar with this story. Mr. Dickens really started something with his story. Its been made into many t.v. and movie versions from the classic with George C. Scott, I love the version with the Muppets, and alternate stories such as The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.

We see Mr. Scrooge go from the money grubbing miser to being transformed by the Spirits of Christmas in this classic story. But the wonderment of it all never gets old. I love seeing how Christmas is celebrated in different ways even those that worked in the mines or out on ships. Those that have little and those that have alot still enjoyed the time with their families and felt good cheer.

Its a wonderful classic that easy to enjoy. And if you have never read it and only enjoyed the movies you should take the time to read this one. Its my favorite classic and my favorite Christmas story.



View all my reviews

Friday, December 14, 2012

Cinder

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1)Cinder by Marissa Meyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I would probably actually give this one 3.5 stars, but we can't give half stars on GR, so I will stretch it up to 4 because it is a fun read.

This is a re-telling of the Cinderella story with a futuristic twist. Cinder is a cyborg whose not allowed to go to the ball. There's a plague thats threatening the planet and Lunars (ppl that live on the moon) are trying to start a war. Throw in a handsome prince and you've got a great futuristic fairytale.

I love the character of Cinder. She's a strong female character that keeps her head even in the worst of situations. She thinks things through and makes tough decisions that is the right thing to do even if its not best for her. Likewise the Prince Kai is going to be crowned emperor before he is ready at the death of his father from letumosis. Like Cinder, he also has to make tough decisions for what is best for his people.

On the downside, not a lot is explained. There no history of the Lunar colony such as how long they had existed there or how they developed their magic. And the setting in Beijing didn't feel acurate. There is very little reference to Chinese culture.

Overall its a great YA read. I really enjoyed this take on the Cinderella fairytale and I will definitely continue the Lunar Chronicles.



View all my reviews

A Hard Act to Follow Book Blast


A Hard Act to Follow by Henry Bushkin



"A Hard Act to Follow," is a non-fiction literary account of Henry Bushkin's tenure as Johnny Carson's lawyer, business partner, and friend.  The book gives genuine insight into the 'Carson behind Johnny' with candid personal vignettes about the two, during the rollicking years when Johnny was the undisputed king of television.  This is an engaging, eye-opening, anecdote-packed story about a young lawyer and his client, one of the biggest celebrities in the country.  This funny, unfiltered account gives readers a look at the Johnny Carson that none but a select few really knew.







His Black Wings




Author Astrid Yrigollen has stopped by today with a teaser of her new book His Black Wings.

Prologue

I didn’t know what to say, so I sat there stupidly. He grinned at me from behind white teeth. His ice blue eyes held a coldness and judgment I had not seen before. My heart fluttered and felt like a huge fish was rolling over in my breast.

“Well?” He said as he traced the outline of my knee through my heavy skirt with his slender, white finger.

“What is your wish, Claren?”

Feeling Death

 

Feeling Death
Book one of the Death Series
by D.T. Dyllin
 
 

Samantha Bevans is having the best sex of her life—but it's not with her husband. Fortunately for her marriage, the affair is all in her mind. Isn't it? As an empath, she senses other people's emotions. But her connection to the man with the chiseled face and haunting eyes seems so real.
There's no time for fantasies with a serial killer loose in Pittsburgh. The killer is targeting dancers at a strip club where Samantha used to bartend, back when drugs were the only cure for the torment of her abilities. As a member of a special task force, Samantha uses her talents to sense the victims’ final thoughts. Just when she thought the case was complex enough, she discovers one of the victims was thinking about her fantasy man when she died.
Who can Samantha trust when she can’t trust her own mind? An empath feels the emotional environment around her…and Samantha is surrounded by death.

Details:
Expected publication: April 25, 2013
                                                        Coming to print and ebook


Excerpt From First Time




First Time: The Legend of Garison Fitch

"What if history didn't happen that way ... the first time?"

Garison Fitch was one of the most revered scientists in the Soviet Americas until he left fame behind to work on a secret project in his log cabin in the mountains of Marx.

But something went wrong. Instead of traveling interdimentionally, Garison has traveled through time ... twice.

Now, he's in something called "The United States of America" and a woman he's never met before is calling herself his wife. It it a hoax? Or, has he somehow changed history?

If so, can he return the world to what he believes is "normal", or must he live in this strange world he created?


Purchase

Thursday, December 13, 2012

End of the World Giveaway Hop

 
 

End of the World Giveaway Hop
December 14th to 21st
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
& My Life With Books



12/21/12
The Mayan Calendar Ends!
Does it mean the end of the World?
Probably not but just in case...

Up for grabs is my copy of an apocolyptic book that I really enjoyed.


This giveaway is open internationally and you can find my review here. I love apocolyptic reads and as soon as I heard about this hop I knew it would be perfect. As always its not a requirement that you follow my blog, but its always appreciated.

a Rafflecopter giveaway





Possession




Possession
Book one of the Forsaken series
Alicia Wright Brewster
 


It's been less than a week since fallen angel Six escaped from Hell and cast aside her
angelic duties. Six wants friends, a job, and a nice place to live. Maybe she'll take a few night classes and forget about her past. She'll especially forget about Luke—better known as Lucifer.
Luke has other plans. He's determined to draw Six back into his life and back into his bed. To get what he wants, he won't hesitate to call on demons or kill a few humans.
With demons running free all over the city, Six will have to set aside her personal plans. And when a demon makes an offer she can't refuse, it could land Six right back in Hell.

Details
Publication date: April 25, 2013
Publisher: Dragonfairy Press

Author Bio:
Alicia Wright Brewster is a mild-mannered lady of average height and above average paranormal obsession. By day, she works in an office. At night she's an author, an electronics junkie, and a secret superhero.
In her virtually non-existent free time, she loves to read, watch movies, and eat food. She is particularly fond of the food-eating and makes a point to perform this task at least three times per day, usually more.

Rock Idol




Ember Blaze had it all and lost it—teenaged pop star turned middle-aged loser—but all of that changed when she became a judge on America’s new hit talent show, Rock Idol. Now she has wealth, fame and respect again—everything she’s been missing for the past two decades—but a hot young contestant is turning her world topsy turvy.
He’s got blond hair, blue eyes and a smile that has half the women in America swooning—and he wants Ember even more desperately than she wants him. But after working so hard to get back on top, can she really risk everything for a few moments of stolen passion and the chance to learn to love again?
Buy Link

About the Author:
Veronica Tower was married to her high school sweetheart for five deliriously happy years and ten far less wonderful ones. Now she is taking the time to make up for lost opportunities. In addition to returning to school to pursue a degree in psychology, Veronica has committed herself to fully exploring her fantasies, both in writing and in person…

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Eve Hallows Book Tour

 

Click of Official Tour Schedule








EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS (BOOK 1)



For fourteen-year-old Eve Hallows, life can be summed up in one word—horrible.  She has the most horrible friends.  She lives in a horrible old castle.  Even her family is a bunch of horrible monsters.



However, in the monster-inhabited world of Gravesville—a world where messages are sent through Ouija boards, jack-o’-lanterns get facials to suit their moods, and the worst thing Eve has to deal with are those annoying zombie tourists who overrun her favorite graveyard during the Halloween season—horrible means wonderful.  And everything for Eve is perfectly horrible.



But her life is about to go head over heels when a mysterious group known as The Source starts terrorizing Gravesville.  Now she must move to the human world—where everything is opposite ... and for Eve, that's absolutely adorable!

Buried Truths




While shopping in a local bookstore in post-Katrina New Orleans, Heather Flanagan Kerry is startled when Sarah, a young clerk, asks her if she ever had a son and gave him up for adoption. Now a successful professional woman, Heather denies ever having a child, however, Sarah’s revelation that her husband is part-Asian tells Heather her past has caught up with her.
Wesley Chou, now a prominent oncologist hasn’t heard from his first love, Heather, since both their parents forced them apart in their teens right after they gave up their infant newborn son for adoption. He’s surprised when Heather contacts him to tell him their past has come calling. Fate draws them together again when their long lost son, Ezra, and his wife bring their infant daughter to Wesley. The child has leukemia, and Wesley contacts Heather as a possible marrow donor to save the child’s life. Together, Heather and Wesley must evaluate if they are strong enough to rekindle their love, face society’s condemnation of their past, and their own son’s anger.
Can their love survive the passage of time and the secrets that could destroy them?
Buy Link

Author Bio:
Viola Russell is a New Orleans author who is happiest at her computer, creating new worlds.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Review of Chonicles of M: Ammit

Chronicles of M: AmmitChronicles of M: Ammit by Nicholas Forristal

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


This was such a fun read! This is the second book in the Chronicles of M series and it picks up right where part one leaves off. Thomas and Samuel are trying to figure out how to exercise the demon from M. The story continues and we learn alot more history of Thomas and M and along with it comes many more questions. We lose some of the characters from part one (I hated to see Samuel leave, hope he comes back) and we meet some new ones (mortal and immortal). We also come to know a lot more about Dixie (she is so cool!)

This series melds science fiction and superheroes and thows in a bit of magic and mythology for the perfect balance of an awesome read. There are some definite twists and tangents that I didn't see coming and that just added to the action. And although this can be read without reading the first one, you will enjoy this series more if you read them both.

Overall, I loved it and recommend it for anyone that likes sci/fic and superheroes. This is a read full of cool characters and lots of action. Its one that I didn't want to put down once I started.



View all my reviews

Eve Hallows Book Blast



EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS (BOOK 1)



For fourteen-year-old Eve Hallows, life can be summed up in one word—horrible.  She has the most horrible friends.  She lives in a horrible old castle.  Even her family is a bunch of horrible monsters.



However, in the monster-inhabited world of Gravesville—a world where messages are sent through Ouija boards, jack-o’-lanterns get facials to suit their moods, and the worst thing Eve has to deal with are those annoying zombie tourists who overrun her favorite graveyard during the Halloween season—horrible means wonderful.  And everything for Eve is perfectly horrible.



But her life is about to go head over heels when a mysterious group known as The Source starts terrorizing Gravesville.  Now she must move to the human world—where everything is opposite ... and for Eve, that's absolutely adorable!




Praise for Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks:



"Move over, Neil Gaiman’s CORALINE and THE GRAVEYARD BOOK … make room, Lemony Snicket’s A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS … you’ve got company and competition for shelf space!" -- THE HORROR FICTION REVIEW



"WOW! What an absolutely horrible book (horrible meaning fantastic!) ... This book was laugh out loud funny.  I loved when Mom accidentally turned people to stone.  Dad's crazy attempts at running a pizza store were just hysterical." -- KIDS 'N' BOOKS



"This is the perfect book to be read aloud, read at night under the covers or simply devoured in one sitting. Robert Gray’s Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks simply shines with all of its fun creepiness, compelling characters and stellar writing. A MUST read for any MG fan!" -- WORD SPELUNKING



 "Eve Hallows is highly imaginative without being too complex for its target audience. Fall in love with Eve, her friends and her family of adorable monsters. Lose yourself in a light read that will remind you of those days when your English teacher just want you to read something, anything. This book is it. The one that you wish you read when you were in grade school." -- JOYOUS READS



"Overall, this book was fantastic. It presents an admirable role model as well as a strong family unit which will benefit young readers. When so many books right now have presented teens in a not-so-flattering light, it is so wonderful to find a book like this one." -- BOOK COVER JUSTICE




Purchase






EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHADOWS (BOOK 2)



Ever since encountering The Source and its minions on Halloween, Eve Hallows has found life surprisingly quiet … not to mention adorably boring!  So when Dad receives a Ouija message that she must return to Gravesville, Eve couldn't be happier—at least until she discovers the Director of URNS, also known as the Grim Reaper, has a special job for Eve … one that will lead her to New York City and to the true identity of The Source.





With The Book of Shrieks offering zero help and a new URNS agent driving the school boys—and Eve!—crazy, Eve's beginning to realize this whole saving-the-world nonsense isn't what it's cracked up to be.



All this and she still has to find The Book of Shadows....


Praise for Eve Hallows and the Book of Shadows:



"This book was perfectly horrible! Horrible meaning amazingly awesome, of course. Eve's world once again sucked me in and would not let go until this part of Eve's story was finished" -- LILI LOST IN A BOOK



"This is a perfect combination of YA, Horror, Paranormal and Fun!" -- BOOK LOVERS PARADISE







Purchase






Blog Tour: December 10th to 23rd


Tour Schedule






Author Robert Gray



Robert Gray is a writer.  If that job description doesn't impress you, how about fantasy writer? Too general? Well, he doesn't get insulted if you call him a horror writer. If horror's not your thing, then scratch out horror and replace it with suspense. And for the kiddies, you can slap on a YA or MG in front of that title.



Gray lives in Bushkill, Pennsylvania with his wife and two children.














Book Blast $50 Giveaway

Ends 12/23/12



*You need not enter your twitter name for each entry. Simply enter it when you follow Robert and leave the others blank.



Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.





a Rafflecopter giveaway


Monday, December 10, 2012

Scarlet Woods


Today is the release day of Scarlet Woods by Brooke Passmore!

Title: Scarlet Woods

Author: Brooke Passmore

Publisher: Self Published

Blub:

Past, future, and love all exist in the door through time.

Modern and independent seventeen year old Morgan Westbrook thought she had seen all there was to her home town of Scarlet, Georgia, but one day while walking in the woods behind her house she discovers a mysterious door masked behind the trees. After admiring the door’s timeless beauty she walks through its entrance to venture into more woods, but what she doesn’t know is that the door is a gateway through time that takes her back to the year 1863 during the days of the Civil War in Scarlet.

Without knowing that she had traveled back in time, she stumbles upon Danny Carson, an attractive young man who is appalled to see that Morgan is wearing skimpy modern clothes instead of a nineteenth century dress. Although they find each other completely different than anyone they’ve ever known, they cannot help but feel drawn to one another. After spending time in another century, she discovers that she's time traveled back to the year 1863 and that the door took her there. For months she and Danny journey back and forth through the door to experience the joys of traveling to both of their centuries. When dilemmas of unwanted marriage, slavery, and war are thrown at them, they must face the perils that time travel has delivered them in both the future and the past.

Teaser:


March 14, 1863, Danny Carson was riding his black horse underneath the budding trees of the woods. He heard the crackle of rushing water hit against the pebbles and sharp rocks in the creek as the orange sun descended from the face of Scarlet, Georgia.

Winter had disappeared and Danny was thrilled. He hated winter; it was always a cold and lifeless season. Dull brown trails and naked branches weren’t a welcoming atmosphere, but now since spring had finally arrived, color had returned to the trees. Spring brought out so much greenery and life in the woods with its ivy spiraling up trunks, weeds and wild flowers blooming at tree roots, and the sun tanning the leaves while birds zipped through the branches.

People in Scarlet didn’t dare enter the woods late in the evening. They feared the idea of foul killers or fictional monsters haunting the trees at night. But when it came to the woods Danny was fearless. He’d visit at any time of day to get away from things just for a little while. He found the depths of the trees, the forever running creek, and the prowling Spanish moss to be an escape from his regular routine. Plus, he being practically the only visitor at any time of day gave him the full run of the place. The woods were his.

As soon as the sun winked at the ground and was about to depart from the sky, the storm had begun. The dark night clouds began to mix with purring thunder. Noticing how gloomy the day had become, Danny tensed up in his saddle. “Oh no…” He grumbled.

His horse Nashville was a handful when it came to storms and was terrified of loud thunder.

Then the lightning started ripping through the sky. Danny tightened his grip on the reins as the first set of thunder stung his ears. Nashville came to a halt on the dirt trail and let out a few worried neighs at the feel of raindrops plopping against his coat.

Danny rolled his eyes. “Whiny baby,” He stroked Nashville’s neck to help calm him down.

As more lightning nicked the gray sky, rain showered onto the forest floor. In a matter of seconds Danny and Nashville were drenched. Rapid rain pounded onto the creek and the thunder produced a drummed even beat that taunted the black horse.

Skittish and now ill tempered from the storm, Nashville scooted his burly legs back in reverse and shuffled his hooves on the dirt path. Danny had a firm hold on the reins trying to control him. “Calm down Nash! It’s only a bit of loud noise. Toughen up!”

The thunder became more prominent in the endless dark sky. Nashville gave out a loud neigh and began to buck in the air, unbalancing Danny’s weight on the saddle. “Steady! Stop it Nashville!” He said to his horse as he began to feel his feet start to slip out of the stirrups.

One large wave of lightning slashed through the clouds with a bright bolt. Thunder roared out like a hungry lion about to attack its prey, nearly shattering Danny’s eardrums.

Nashville couldn’t take it any longer. His front legs kicked off the ground, arching his back into the air. Danny lost his balance and accidentally let go of his reins while being thrown off his saddle. “No Nash!” He yelled as he fell into the wet mud below.

The second he was out of the saddle Nashville took off running into the rain.

Danny tasted chunky bits of mud as he sat up in a small pool of brown slush. He snarled seeing his horse run off into the distance. “Nashville! Come back you dumb horse!”

Nashville didn’t show any signs of slowing down. Danny stood up cursing under his breath as he chased his horse down the trail he had taken.

“Stop Nashville!” Danny yelled through the feverish raindrops.

He darted through bushes and stepped on thorns with his wet boots. Every other step of his chase he spat out dirt that had crept in between his teeth. “Stupid horse, stupid horse!” He kept muttering to himself.

With one last echoing neigh, Nashville took a sharp turn behind a hill and was out of sight. Danny ran a bit faster, hoping that he wouldn’t lose his horse’s tracks. After he took the same turn behind the hill, he came upon three possible paths that Nashville could have taken.

He looked for hoof tracks in the mud but this area of the forest was rockier than the rest of the woods and left no footprints to be seen. There was no telling which way Nashville went.

Placing the tips of his fingers to his mouth, Danny let out a high pitched whistle that screamed through the trees. Usually when he would whistle Nashville would instantly come to his side, but this time he didn’t show. Danny whistled three more times, but all that was around him were the trees and the rain.

With his head hung low, he began to walk back the way he came, realizing that his horse wasn’t coming back to him. He was covered in mud and was expecting a plum colored bruise on his rear from being bucked off his saddle. Now that he lost Nashville in the woods, he had to walk back home soaked in the rain.

Danny hoped that Nashville would be smart and find his way back home whenever the storm settled. He didn’t want his horse to go too far from home, but little did he know how far away his horse would run off to.

Running as fast as his hooves could take him, neighs burst from Nashville’s lips at each strike of thunder. He dodged past the wooded trees with remarkable speed as the rain penetrated his sight. Feeling frightened, he wanted coverage from the rain and desired to escape the storm.

He slowed down to a steady trot, but his legs were still fidgety. He needed to find shelter. Coming upon a hill he didn’t recognize, Nashville staggered up the hill in hopes of evading the thunder that seemed to loom over him.

He came to find more green oaks and weeping willows with saggy limbs that suspended just inches off the ground at the top of the hill. His hooves left tracks in the mud as he jogged around to view his new surroundings. His hooves stomped on wild flowers that sprouted all over the ground. The rain seemed tamer up on higher ground. Even with the gloomy sky hanging overhead, this part of the woods felt like a more positive environment. The gallant trees that encircled him gave Nashville a strange comfort and made him feel safe for some reason.

Nashville quickly stopped in his tracks to admire a massive object standing before him. It was a door, but not just an ordinary door. It was a rich chocolate brown that had two doors in one just like an entrance of a grand church. It didn’t belong to any building structure, wall, or fence and stood alone.

One of its doors was partially open. Nashville inched up to it and nudged the opened door back further to create a bigger opening.

What he saw inside the entrance was the exact same forest, or was it? The ground he stood on was wet and miserable with rain attacking the earth. On Nashville’s side of the door the sky was a lifeless color with drained out clouds, but looking through the door was the setting sun shining its warm rays on the dry ground. The grass wasn’t wet and the trees didn’t drip rain off their leaves. Everything through the door was light and calm. It was as if the other side of the forest was a completely different place and was free from the vicious storm. How was that possible?

This other side of the door was definitely odd with its drastic weather differences, but since Nashville was a horse he didn’t think too much of it. He entered the peaceful atmosphere through the door’s opening. A warm wind blew a light breeze against his wet coat after his first step through to the other side. There was no harsh rain and no loud thunder ringing in his ears. He was positive that this was the better side of the woods.

Nashville turned his soaked body back to face the door he came out of. It was ajar and he could see the unbearable rain continue to pour onto the grass on the side he just exited from. One final thunder erupted but it was contained inside the door sounding distant and far away, even though he stood only a few feet away from the entrance of the storm.

Nashville shook his head from side to side, slapping his long mane against his neck trying to get every raindrop off of him. He neighed out a happy tune and trotted through the dryer parts of Scarlet Woods.
 

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Media Links:

Website

About Brooke Passmore



I live in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and am a 22 year old young woman who probably will never fully grow up. As a kid I played with Polly Pockets, swam in my swimming pool practically every day during the summer, and went on vacations to Disney World with my family (favorite days of my life). I loved telling stories as a kid by playing with my Polly’s and dressing up like princesses with my friends. Eventually everything that went on in my busy imagination I wrote down on paper in the late hours of the night.

When I was in sixth grade I moved into a new house with woods directly behind my backyard. I’d walk about the woods and loved trampling through the creek or getting lost in the trees. These trips through the woods gave me my inspiration for my book trilogy Scarlet Woods. My main character in my book is Morgan who lives in a house where the woods are right behind her backyard. My love for trees and anything woodsy definitely shows in my book and I hope I painted a pretty picture in readers’ heads about what Scarlet Woods looks like.

My favorite candies are Skittles and M&M’s. I put ketchup on practically anything with meat (even with chicken quesadillas). I’m a great fan of Florence and the Machine, The Beatles, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Birdie, and recently The Civil Wars. My favorite books are The Hunger Games, Shiver, and Wither. My favorite movies are Titanic and Gone with the Wind. The Vampire Diaries is the wonderful TV show I’m obsessed with (I’m a Delena lover!!). I hate ads on youtube that I repeatedly have to skip every single time I want to listen to the newest song from Glee. I love to smile, laugh, and purposefully sing loud and off key whenever my brother is around just to pester him. I have a cat named Phoebe who we named after Phoebe from Friends, a yorkie named Coco who we named because he likes to eat Cocoa Puffs, and a shih tzu maltese we named Indy after Indiana Jones. My favorite princess is Cinderella but I think my personality is a tie between Ariel and Belle so they’re all my ultimate faves. If I could choose a century to time travel to I’d probably choose the Victorian age, the roaring 20’s, the 1950’s, or the 1940’s. I think the Victorian age and the 1940’s were probably the most romantic eras in history and the 20’s and 50’s would probably the most fun!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...