Author Archives: Kristin

Sneak Peek Wednesday: Music of the Night by Angela J. Ford (Giveaway)

24 February, 2021 4:44 am , Leave a Comment ,

Music of the Night
(Tower Knights #1)
by Angela J. Ford
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: Feb. 15 2021
Genre: Fantasy Romance

A haunted tower, a mysterious instructor and the lure of the music of the night. . .

After the death of her father, Aria is left penniless and destitute. To avoid working the streets she becomes the ward of a Count and moves to a remote town called High Tower.

High Tower is a gloomy place with one vivid attraction: the theater. Lords and ladies come from afar to be seduced by a night of unforgettable entertainment.

Many are warned to stay away from High Tower’s dangerous enchantments, but it’s a warning Aria is forced to ignore. Determined to take her life back into her hands, she and the Count make a deal. She can avoid an arranged marriage if she learns to sing for him.

When Aria stumbles across a mysterious man in a dark tower, she begs to learn the power of song from him. Although reluctant, the man agrees to teach her the music of the night. Between midnight meetings and emotional singing lessons, Aria falls in love with her alluring instructor despite his shadowy past.

But something deadly stirs, awoken by the desire of its master.

Evenings reveries become haunted with terror, blood and murder. Rumors claim the man in the tower in behind the madness that haunts High Tower, a truth Aria is loathe believe. For she just gained the desire of her heart.

What she doesn’t know is that her haunted instructor intends to use her for his own purposes. . .

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Posted in: Excerpt

Review: Her Kind of Cowboy by Dylann Crush

22 February, 2021 1:15 pm , 1 Comment ,

Her Kind of Cowboy
(Tying the Knot in Texas #2)
by Dylann Crush
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: Jan. 12, 2021
Genre: Romance
Rating:

No wedding is too much for the little town of Ido, Texas to handle…or is it?

Having successfully established themselves as a destination for weddings, the town of Ido is ready to kick it up another notch. Zina Baxter has stood on the sidelines during most of the matrimonial mayhem. But when a disaster at the pit bull rescue has her relocating the pups to share space with a winter wonderland scene, she finds herself smack dab in the middle of planning the craziest wedding yet.

Alex Sanders ran as far and fast as he could from his hometown–all the way to Antarctica. But a job opportunity as the penguin handler for an over-the-top wedding jerks entices him back. Being home means he can finally help his overwhelmed sister wrangle their unruly grandpa–at least until the next opportunity comes around and he can hit the road running again. The last thing he expects to find in Texas is a shot at love…

Once Alex crashes into Zina’s life–literally–there’s no denying their chemistry. But are their feelings for each other enough to keep Alex in Texas for good, or will he follow the march of the penguins back to the South Pole?

 

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Posted in: Romance , Tagged: ,

Sneak Peek Wednesday: Battle of the Bullies by Fenyx Blue (Giveaway)

17 February, 2021 11:47 am , 3 Comments ,

Battle of the Bullies
by Fenyx Blue
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: Oct. 27, 2020
Genre: Young Adult

Ebony, Eris, and Emani Robertson have been through so much more than most high school freshmen. When they were younger, they survived a school shooting that killed their friend and left their oldest sister unable to speak. After giving homeschooling a try, they enroll in a promising new academy, hoping for the best.The Robertsons soon discover, however, that their new classmates are anything but kind. A mysterious group of bullies known as the Dimes rules the hallways and spreads fear everywhere they go. All three sisters end up being targets of the gang and have to find a way to defend themselves.The triplets couldn’t be more different, but their loyalty to each other and to their school never fails. Along with diverse group of friends, the Robertsons do everything they can to uncover the identity of the Dimes and restore order to the school.As if their lives weren’t complicated enough, they also get sucked in to a much bigger game—discovering who was responsible for the attack on their old school. Can they bring down the Dimes and bring the murderer to justice, all while trying to make it through ninth grade?

 

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Posted in: Excerpt , Tagged:

Review: Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

15 February, 2021 9:24 am , Leave a Comment ,

Aurora Rising
(The Aurora Cycle #1)
by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: May 7, 2019
Genre: Young Adult SciFi
Rating:

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

 

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Posted in: YA Sci-fi , Tagged: ,

Review: Wild by Cheryl Strayed

8 February, 2021 9:15 am , 2 Comments ,

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
by Cheryl Strayed
Publisher: Knopf
Publication date: March 20, 2012
Genre: nonfiction
Rating:

At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State — and she would do it alone.
Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

 

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Posted in: Non Fiction , Tagged:

Sneak Peek Wednesday: Song for a Cowboy by Sasha Summers

3 February, 2021 4:15 pm , 1 Comment ,

Song for a Cowboy
(Kings of Country #2)
by Sasha Summers
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication date: Jan. 26, 2021
Genre: Romance

Country star Emmy Lou King is singing the blues…

Emmy Lou King’s whole family is legendary in country music. When she lands the opportunity to sing the American Football League anthem and serve on one of the AFL’s anti-drug charities, she’s sure she can handle working with Brock Watson even though she’s barely recovered from their breakup—and she’s never loved anyone else.

Brock Watson is feeling the pressure. From dealing with his father’s declining health, keeping their ranch running, staying in game-ready shape, and his dedication to the charity that changed his life, there’s no time for anything else. Emmy Lou included. After six years, he’d like to think she couldn’t mess with his head anymore. But one look, one smile—and he knows she’s as dangerous as ever. He can’t resist her—he never could.

The more time Emmy Lou spends with Brock, the harder it is for them to keep their distance.

 

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Posted in: Excerpt, Romance , Tagged: ,

Review: A Touch of Stone and Snow by Milla Vane

1 February, 2021 4:31 am , 1 Comment ,

A Touch of Stone and Snow
(A Gathering of Dragons #2)
by Milla Vane
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: July 21, 2020
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Rating:

Danger lurks in the western realms. The Destroyer’s imminent return has sent the realms into turmoil as desperate citizens seek refuge—but there’s no safety to be found when demons and wraiths crawl out from the shadows. Even Koth, a northern island kingdom left untouched by the Destroyer a generation past, is besieged by terrors spawned from corrupt magics.

When Lizzan leads the Kothan army against these terrors, only to see her soldiers massacred and to emerge as the only survivor, she is called a coward and a deserter. Shunned from her home, Lizzan now wanders in solitude as a mercenary for hire, until she encounters a group of warriors seeking new alliances with the northern kingdoms—a group that includes Aerax, the bastard prince of Koth, and the man who sent her into exile.

Though they were childhood friends, Aerax cannot allow himself to be close to the only woman who might thwart his treacherous plan to save their island realm. But when a goddess’s demand binds them together, Lizzan and Aerax must find a way to overcome their painful pasts. Or there will be no future for the western realms…

 

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Posted in: Fantasy, Romance , Tagged: ,

This Year Will be Interesting

31 January, 2021 7:31 pm , 5 Comments ,


I’m linking this post to Sunday Post, and It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

This month has been much better for me, personally. I am finding that my mental health is improving and I think that that is due to no longer having the stress of going to work in the middle of a pandemic. A lot of people thought that I would be bored with not going to work, but I’ve gotten a lot done around the house, and have also kept up on my reading and blogging. There was one shocker that came this month, though. My husband’s job told him that they need him in Japan. So this summer we will be moving across the world. So, yeah… there’s that. I don’t think that the move has fully sunk in for me. I’ve been doing little preparations by getting the fur-babies medically ready to go overseas. My family has also agreed to take on my tortoise, hermit crabs, and fish for me while I’m gone. I also have a couple of friends that have volunteered to hold onto some of my beloved plants while I’m away. So, thankfully I have an amazing tribe of people in my life who are stepping up to help out any way that they can. I’m sure that as the time gets closer I will probably start to freak out a bit more. For now, I’m just trying to take one step at a time and I’m trying to not become overwhelmed by it all.

 

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Posted in: meme

Review: The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

29 January, 2021 1:22 am , 3 Comments ,

The Ex Talk
by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: Jan. 26, 2021
Genre: Romance
Rating:

Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can’t imagine working anywhere else. But lately it’s been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who’s fresh off a journalism master’s program and convinced he knows everything about public radio.

When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it’s this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it’s not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts.

As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers.

 

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Posted in: Romance , Tagged: ,

Review: Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

25 January, 2021 2:39 am , 2 Comments ,

Midnight Sun
(The Twilight Saga #5)
by Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: Aug. 4, 2020
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Rating:

When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella’s side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward’s version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.

This unforgettable tale as told through Edward’s eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting Bella is both the most unnerving and intriguing event he has experienced in all his years as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward’s past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he justify following his heart if it means leading Bella into danger?

 

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Posted in: YA Fantasy, YA Romance , Tagged: