Paperback, 384 Pages

Adult-Contemporary 

Review Copy/TLC Booktours

Warnings: Langauge, alcholsim, mild sexuality

4/5 Stars

From the author of Things Remembered and The Year Everything Changed comes a moving novel about love that lasts forever. What’s in the past is over and done with . . . or is it?

Sixteen years ago Carly Hargrove made a decision that would irrevocably alter her life. With little comprehension of the life-long consequences of her actions, she trades her own future happiness to protect the man she’s loved since kindergarten, David Montgomery.
With an ocean separating them, Carly builds a life for herself without David. She’s the mother of three, lives in a beautiful house, and is married to a man who comes home every night—even if most of those nights he drinks too much. What more could she want? Her answer arrives on a cold fall day when David shows up at her door. In town for his father’s funeral, he has come to see Carly one last time, hoping to rid himself of the anger that still consumes him. Instead, he is drawn into a web of secrets that rekindles the fierce need he once felt to protect Carly. He becomes caught up in her life in a way he never could have imagined—a way that will bind him to her forever.

Thoughts

I knew going into Carly's Gift I was going to get chick-lit, what I didn't expect was a very well done dramatic piece. I found Bockoven's character development bring great originality to her story. I loved the use of suspense and how the story kept the reader guessing till almost the end and I really liked the strong family drama that was interwoven through each page. With each twist and turn I found myself being sucked in deeper and deeper into Carly's story, even when I thought I had figured out who and what happened before Carly's reveal, I was thrown for a couple loops along the way and while I figured things right it still surprised and wowed me in the end. The time I spent devouring this novel and getting to the reveal was so worth it.

I really enjoyed the characters and found the story engaging and shine through some its predictable scenarios. I think this book would make an amazing movie, and I would highly recommend it to readers who enjoy family sagas, dramatic love story's and contemporary romance pieces.

Georgia Bockoven is an award-winning author who began writing fiction after a successful career as a freelance journalist and photographer. Her books have sold more than three million copies worldwide. The mother of two, she resides in Northern California with her husband, John.

Find out more about Georgia at her website and connect with her on Facebook.

Today Im excited to welcome author S.K Anthony to the blog, along with her blog tour for Kinetic, shes stopping by on the spotlight today to answer a few questions.

Hi and welcome to the blog! To start please tell us about yourself.

I am a book-a-holic who runs away from baby spiders!

What inspired you to write Kinetic?

Other books ;) I’ve always loved and admired the creativity and imagination that transports me into other worlds and have always wanted to try my hand at writing my own stories. So I did. And that took nerves! But specifically, I had this word “Luminary” come to me and dreamed up a whole novel just for it.

If you could pick a song that encapsulated your book, what would it be and why?

Just one? This is tough!!!

I guess I’ll go with Titanium by David Guetta & Sia because it covers the fact that Annie, the MC, is physically strong but an empty shell emotionally.

Thank you so much, Tina, for having me and Elixir Bound on your blog today…and for letting me gush about the cover! There’s a bonus giveaway, too, for this post. One commenter will win the ebook version of Elixir Bound.

One of the most exciting things about becoming an author is seeing your first book cover. Though I’ve seen the cover of Elixir Bound plenty of times in digital form, I still can’t wait to be able to hold the physical book in my hands and gaze lovingly at the cover. I’ve had so many readers compliment the cover and it even took second place in the You Gotta Read Reviews June cover contest.

But really I can’t really take credit for how the cover came out. All that credit goes to my cover artist C.K. Volnek. It is true that as a MuseItUp author, I had a little input (mostly in the form of an author questionnaire) when it came to the cover of Elixir Bound. But I only provided some of the details of the story; C.K. took all those little details and made it a cohesive whole.

She was able to take my thoughts on what types of covers I like (I mentioned the American cover for Melina Marchetta’s Froi of the Exiles as one that had caught my eye of late) and a few key elements of the story and integrate them into an engrossing and detailed cover that in no way looks crowded or busy. If I knew how she was specifically able to do this, I would probably quit writing and become a cover artist myself (not really, I would never quit writing).

What I can tell you are some of the details I gave her about character, plot, and setting and how they showed up in the cover. (I’ll be honest, this post is really just an excuse to let me point out all the cool things on the cover!) Elixir Bound is essentially about Katora’s quest to retrieve the main ingredient to her family’s secret healing Elixir so she can take over as guardian.

Let’s start with character. Katora is definitely the central element on the cover. I expected to be asked about how she looks, but what I didn’t expect was to be asked about her personality. The three words I chose to describe her: stubborn, confident, independent. I think the model depicting Katora was a great fit. Her expression and body language were just right. So character: check!

Let’s move onto plot. The subject of the quest is the Elixir, which is prominently represented in the left-hand corner near the title. The objective of the quest is to find the Elixir’s main ingredient, which just happens to come from the tiny white flowers vining their way along the edges. So plot: check!

Now on to setting. Most of the journey takes places in a forest. The background gives you a sense of the rustic setting with the tree to the right and the mysterious doorway-type thing behind Katora (is it a cave, the entrance to a tomb?). I like how it sets a mood, but doesn’t get too specific because when I read, I like to let my own imagination fill in those details. Have you noticed the mountain range at the bottom of the cover? Did you notice its shape? The mountain range is aptly called The Sleeping Giant and I was so thrilled to see it included on the cover. So setting: double check!

And finally, my favorite aspect of the cover…my name, of course! It’s been my dream for so many years to see my name on the cover of a book and I couldn’t be more pleased with the result.

GIVEAWAY

Today Katie is giving away one eBook copy of Elixir Bound! Everyone is welcome to enter. Please just fill in the copter for your chance to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Katora Kase is next in line to take over as guardian to a secret and powerful healing Elixir. Now she must journey into the wilds of Faway Forest to find the ingredient that gives the Elixir its potency. Even though she has her sister and brother, an old family friend, and the handsome son of a mapmaker as companions, she feels alone. 

It is her decision alone whether or not to bind herself to the Elixir to serve and protect it until it chooses a new guardian. The forest hosts many dangers, including wicked beings that will stop at nothing to gain power, but the biggest danger Katora may face is whether or not to open up her heart to love.

Thanks Katie for being on the spotlight today to learn more about this author check out:

Goodreads~Web

My former job as a police officer has had the MOST influence over the traits of my hero, The Shadow. In law enforcement training, officers are taught not to trust anyone, to see everyone as a potential threat to safety, to always be on their guard, to be ready for an attack so they can act promptly to protect themselves and save the lives of others. I know why this view is important and necessary, but at the same time, I didn’t like the kind person I was forced to become as a police officer. After I left the force, I eased up on those cynical views, but only a little. To this day, I still retain strong feelings of distrust as I view situations with a leery eye. Some may say that’s what keeps me and my family from being victims of crimes, while others argue that I hold an unhealthy regard for society in general. Be that as it may, I feel I’m somewhere in the middle.

Also, drawn to the poems in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings written by J.R.R. Tolkien, I wrote ballads into my story because music, and the messages they conveyed, played a HUGE role in history. Songs and poems were not only entertaining, but shared real events. It was a way for people to learn and remember their history. So composing the written music for my ballads as well, I was elated when my publisher said they’d put the sheet music into the book. My publisher also gave me the unique opportunity to compile two of my songs into a 2-minute score for my visual book trailer too. I was flattered to take part in it.

I hope contemporary booklovers will appreciate reading about the same struggles we face today, but enjoy it in a medieval setting. The issues, of course, are timeless, in which people in the past dealt with as well. I loved writing SHADOWS OF VALOR and hope readers love it as much as I do.

From a wild land firefighter to a security guard, police officer, and student of botany and zoology, ELSIE PARK has done it all. It was only a matter of time before she wrote her first novel.

While on a hiatus to Italy, Park was inspired by the thick presence of ancient and medieval history. She felt it in its walls, and slowly, yet surely, a story was born.

by Alina -2013

Did you think of doing some research before writing your first draft? 

~Most of you will say yes, and probably it can be considered a must do. How much research? Until you really believe that you gathered enough information to make your possibly-bestseller-book credible, and with no noticeable story holes.

(CC)

Let`s say that you are writing a book and you didn`t do any research before your writing. Why didn`t you? Is it because you forgot? Were you lazy? You didn`t have the time? Or you simply thought that you already know everything there is to know about the subject you are writing? Well, the chances are that your book won`t be as complete and compelling as you hope, if you can`t count yourself as people who are really specialized in what they are going to write about.

I`m the kind of person who thinks that research is essential to any sort of book. First of all, because a complete research gives you more and better ideas for your plot direction, second, because it gives you confidence in your story, and third, because a story that has a background full of research is simply better.

Before and while writing my book, The Plan, I really enjoyed researching. It is fun and interesting, because the process brings with it a lot of new fresh information, and details that you`ll find very helpful for your plot. 

So next time you plan writing about something, don`t miss your research, because if you do, you might miss some fun and some great ideas for your plot, if you are planning to write fiction.

Born and raised in Romania, Alina B studied Economics and few months after graduating she moved to Australia temporarily with her husband. After moving so far away from her country she took the bull by the horns and found enough inspiration and time to create her first book.

Paperback, 384 Pages

New Adult- Contemporary Romance

Review Copy - TLC Book Tours

Warnings: Graphic Sexuality, violence, rape topics, language

4.5/5 Stars (Recommended for 18&up)

Avery Morgansten didn't move thousands of miles from home to go a prestigious college like most rich kids or even move for a big chance at a career. She moved for a fresh start, to a small town and a small college to start over and get away from the drama that was her life. Its refreshing to be in a place where nobody knows the rumors, nobody judges and nobody bothers her.

Avery never thought in a million years a beautiful boy with bright blue eyes would change her life, would make her fall in love and feel things she never expected. Things she thought died years ago.....Cameron Hamilton is alluring, gorgeous and one the most eligible bachelors at school, meeting him is the most unexpected and thrilling thing that's ever happened to Avery, but shes scared, scared of relationships and scared of being hurt.

Only the town and the parents Avery left behind know about the "incident" that happened when Avery was fourteen, the secrets and rumors that followed her throughout highschool and the devastation that followed after. To them Avery was flawed and weak, a girl who lied and ran away, but to Cam, Avery is a breath of fresh air, he wants her and is willing to wait, go at her pace but doesn't know how long he can wait if she wont trust him. There is no moving forward when no trust is in the relationship and those are darts that keep stalling them. Avery craves Cam's friendship and the intimacy he offers but between her shame, her fear and the secrets shes still hiding not even the overwhelming desire she feels can bring her to move out of the past.

(Pinterest)

I had so much fun reading this book, I absolutely adored Avery and Cam's friends to lovers relationship and had tons of laugh out loud moments reading their banter and the development of each layer that progressed the couple closer. It was sizzling where it needed to be and authentic and real at the most crucial times. I think what I appreciated the most about the writing was the moving portrayal of Avery's character growth- she went from scared and isolated to working through her grief and fear without the use of the hot male or other characters. Cam and the sidekick of friends of course created desire and longing in Avery to have the normal and gave her a push in the right direction, but I loved that she came to terms with her sexuality on her own and experienced her evolving emotions by taking things at her own pace especially in the sex department with and without Cam. Lynn-aka Jennifer Armentrouts female characters never fail to be independent, endearing young women.

This book made me so happy I wanted to stand up and reenact the scenes, doing both Cam and Avery's parts. I was excited, shocked and loved every minute of this romantic story.

# 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you've heard about her state aren't true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes Young Adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.

She also writes Adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and Harper Collins. Find out more about Jennifer at her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Its time for Shelf Cravings!! A random dish on all things book. 

New releases, coming soon, just discovered and deals for my Kindle. This week Im excited for:

~COMING SOON~

The Sound of Letting Go by Stasia Ward Kehoe
February 6, 2014 by Viking

For sixteen years, Daisy has been good. A good daughter, helping out with her autistic younger brother uncomplainingly. A good friend, even when her best friend makes her feel like a third wheel. When her parents announce they’re sending her brother to an institution—without consulting her—Daisy’s furious, and decides the best way to be a good sister is to start being bad. She quits jazz band and orchestra, slacks in school, and falls for bad-boy Dave.

But one person won’t let Daisy forget who she used to be: Irish exchange student and brilliant musician Cal. Does she want the bad boy or the prodigy? Should she side with her parents or protect her brother? How can she know when to hold on and when—and how—to let go?

It Had to be You by Susan May Warren
February, 2014 by Tyndale House

Eden Christiansen never imagined her role as her younger brother Owen's cheerleader would keep her on the sidelines of her own life. Sure, it feels good to be needed, but looking after the reckless NHL rookie leaves little time for Eden to focus on her own career. She dreamed of making a name for herself as a reporter, but is stuck writing obits--and starting to fear she doesn't have the chops to land a major story. If only someone would step up to mentor Owen . . . but she knows better than to expect help from team veteran and bad-boy enforcer Jace Jacobsen.

Jace has built his career on the infamous reputation of his aggressive behavior--on and off the ice. Now at a crossroads about his future in hockey, that reputation has him trapped. And the guilt-trip he's getting from Eden Christiansen isn't making things any easier. But when Owen's carelessness leads to a career-threatening injury and Eden stumbles upon a story that could be her big break, she and Jace are thrown together . . . and begin to wonder if they belong on the same team after all.

Running on Empty by Colette Ballard
November 25, 2013 by Tulip Publishing

What does it feel like when you die—in those final moments? Do you feel the physical pain, or just the pain of your regrets? What does it feel like when you realize you can’t answer these questions because you’re not the victim?

You’re the killer.

River Daniels lives an ordinary life as a high school junior growing up in the confines of rural Texas until her boyfriend’s brutal attack leaves her both a murderer and a fugitive. When River’s closest girlfriends come to her aid, they make a hasty decision to not only help her, but leave their own troubled lives behind and join in her escape. The girls manage to elude police for months, but with every near-miss, River’s life spirals further out of control, until she finally hits rock bottom. Realizing she must stop endangering her friends and find evidence proving she acted in self-defense, the girls decide to make a risky move. River must face her ugly past and the one person she was protecting the night her world caved in, the guy she has loved for as long as she can remember.

Red Hill by Jamie McGuire
October 1, 2013 by Simon and Schuster

When the world ends, can love survive?

For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone makes fighting for tomorrow an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can’t remember what it’s like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda’s biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.

When reports of a widespread, deadly “outbreak” begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can’t outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy—an enemy who no longer remembers what it’s like to be human.

Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you’d die for becomes the one who could destroy you?

Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
Sept 3, 2013 by St. Martins Press

After losing her parents, fifteen-year-old Ivy Hart is left to care for her grandmother, older sister and nephew as tenants on a small tobacco farm. As she struggles with her grandmother’s aging, her sister’s mental illness and her own epilepsy, she realizes they might need more than she can give.

When Jane Forrester takes a position as Grace County’s newest social worker, she doesn’t realize just how much her help is needed. She quickly becomes emotionally invested in her clients' lives, causing tension with her boss and her new husband. But as Jane is drawn in by the Hart women, she begins to discover the secrets of the small farm—secrets much darker than she would have guessed. Soon, she must decide whether to take drastic action to help them, or risk losing the battle against everything she believes is wrong.

Little White Lies by Katie Dale
Aug 1, 2013 by Simon and Schuster

The first time Lou meets tall, dark, and handsome Christian, she knows he's hiding something. Why does he clam up every time she asks about his past? Why doesn't he have any family photos and why does he dye his blond hair black?

Then suddenly his terrible secret is unveiled to the world - and it seems everything he's ever told Lou is a lie. Can what the media are saying about him really be true? Should Lou trust him? Or is she in terrible danger? But Christian isn't the only one keeping secrets. For what if their chance meeting was no accident at all ...?

As lie follows lie, nothing is as it seems, and soon Lou finds herself ensnared in a web of deceit, her loyalties torn, her emotions in tatters as she faces a heart-wrenching dilemma: should she shatter the lives of those she holds dearest, or betray the guy who, against all odds, she's fallen in love with?

The Truth: This book was not what I was expecting, I did like the sound of the book, that's obviously why I agreed to review it, but the delivery of the book was unexpected. I found the layout a tad clunky and overall I was really disappointed in the development of the plot. I guess I wanted the story to unfold as it happened in real time, instead of a letter/journal entry that "told" me what happened in a past time. Im impressed that the older character made the right choices, however Im not all that impressed that the author wrote the story in way that made the reader want to hate him for it due to the empathy cast on the underage character.....

Let me Explain:

~If Amanda Grace was trying to show both sides of the scenario, then neither character should have been placed in certain slants of light, I felt the story failed to highlight the obvious right choice to young female readers due to the fact that it was written in a way that the audience would root for the relationship to work, where we anticipated the characters having sex and enjoyed it when they did, and then when the relationship was found out a feeling of loss when the adult made the hard choice, feeling sorry for the 16 year old girl who just lost everything. As a parent reading this, what I saw was an author who demonized the male character for making the right and legal decision and instead basically gave us a message that said age is evil, and that if two people fall in love, they should not be prohibited by laws, which I can't agree with- I have three daughters, if my 16 year old had an affair with a 26 year old man, he would be looking for his balls and that's after what my husband would do to him. Of course this was exactly Grace's driving point, my reaction to how I would feel in real life is how the parents felt immediately in this book with no regard to how the relationship developed, the point being that not all real life story's like this involve a guy who is a big creeper going after an underage girl, rare but possible, sometimes he's innocent, and sometimes the girl is not the victim we all paint her to be. That's a nifty little concept and great for dramatic fiction, still doesn't change the fact that an adult having sex with a minor is wrong, no matter how we want to romanticize it, paint it or devalue the law that protects children and young adults.

While The Truth About You and Me was ok, I think it could have been ridiculously good had it had both point of views from man and girl and the story had shown itself in real time. So much potential, but for me as a reader- a lackluster delivery with a sour end and an even more sour message.

Paperback, 272 Pages

Cookbook

Review Copy

Coconut Vanilla Snowball Cupcakes

This big-batch cupcake recipe makes enough for a winter party.
The cupcakes look especially pretty on a tiered cake stand. Makes 24

Cupcakes

2½ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1½ cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon pure coconut extract

¾ cup sour cream

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Frosting

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter,
at room temperature

2–2½ cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons sour cream

Sweetened flaked coconut, for garnish

TIP: Eggs blend into cake batter best if they’re at room temperature.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 standard 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt until combined.

3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and coconut extracts; beat until blended. Reduce mixer speed to low, and alternately add dry ingredients and sour cream, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Remove from mixer; fold in coconut.

4. Drop batter into cupcake liners, filling each just over halfway full. Bake 18–20 minutes, until golden and set. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. For frosting: In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt; beat until blended and fluffy. Add sour cream; beat just until blended. Fold in additional powdered sugar, if needed.

6. Spread the frosting on cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle a generous amount of coconut over cupcakes.


Baked Ziti with Butternut Squash and Ricotta 

Where is it written that baked pasta dishes have to be loaded with
tomato sauce and cheese? This one stars creamy ricotta and sweet squash.

Serves 6

Vegetable oil, to grease the pan

1 pound ziti, penne or small shells pasta

1 bag (16 ounces) frozen puréed butternut squash, thawed

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese

2 large eggs

Salt and black pepper

¾ cup Parmesan, grated, and divided

½ cup prepared basil pesto

TIP: Whole-milk ricotta is best for cooking. Low-fat varieties don’t stand up to high heat as well.

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish.

2. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain. Meanwhile, place squash in a metal colander; set colander over boiling pasta to warm through.

3. In a large bowl, whisk ricotta, warm squash, eggs, salt and pepper. Fold in the cooked pasta until coated. Stir in ¼ cup of the Parmesan.

4. Spoon mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish; dot with pesto and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until lightly golden and warmed through.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

With more than 25 million books sold worldwide, New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery is known for creating characters who feel as real as the folks next door, and for putting them into emotional, often funny situations readers recognize from their own lives. Susan’s books have made Booklist’s Top 10 Romances list in four out of five consecutive years. RT Book Reviews says, “When it comes to heartfelt contemporary romance, Mallery is in a class by herself.” With her popular, ongoing Fool’s Gold series, Susan has reached new heights on the bestsellers lists and has won the hearts of countless new fans.

Susan grew up in southern California, moved so many times that her friends stopped writing her address in pen, and now has settled in Seattle with her husband and the most delightfully spoiled little dog who ever lived. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.(less)