Savvy Reader Readathon TODAY

Posted on by Cindy

This is my second year I have signed up for the 50 Book Pledge. The nice thing about this is that you don’t just have to read 50 books you can read more and I always set my goal for 50 but I always read more then that almost double that.

Now I am not sure if this is something new but I believe twice a year they host a one day read-a-thon to help you reach your goals and I believe that last one was in May and I some how missed that one and I probably could have used it at the time as I am struggling to reach my goal on 100 books for the year and I have roughly 70 days to go.

Be sure to click on the banner that will take you directly to the page for all the details you need and I don’t think its to late to sign up we all can use a day of reading right?

I am going to try and squeeze in as much reading as I can until hockey this afternoon.

Review/ Seven Days of Us

Review/ Seven Days of Us

Posted on by Cindy
Review/ Seven Days of UsSeven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak
Published by Berkley Books on October 17th 2017
Pages: 368
Goodreads

A warm, wry, sharply observed debut novel about what happens when a family is forced to spend a week together in quarantine over the holidays...
It's Christmas, and for the first time in years the entire Birch family will be under one roof. Even Emma and Andrew's elder daughter--who is usually off saving the world--will be joining them at Weyfield Hall, their aging country estate. But Olivia, a doctor, is only coming home because she has to. Having just returned from treating an epidemic abroad, she's been told she must stay in quarantine for a week...and so too should her family.
For the next seven days, the Birches are locked down, cut off from the rest of humanity--and even decent Wi-Fi--and forced into each other's orbits. Younger, unabashedly frivolous daughter Phoebe is fixated on her upcoming wedding, while Olivia deals with the culture shock of being immersed in first-world problems.
As Andrew sequesters himself in his study writing scathing restaurant reviews and remembering his glory days as a war correspondent, Emma hides a secret that will turn the whole family upside down.
In close proximity, not much can stay hidden for long, and as revelations and long-held tensions come to light, nothing is more shocking than the unexpected guest who's about to arrive...

Before beginning my review I have to quickly thank Berkley/Penguin Random House for providing me a eARC of the book so that I could review it.

This is a debut novel and one that I really enjoyed reading. It was a pretty quick fun read.

The first thing that sucked me into the book was the synopsis. We can all imagine what it would be like to be stuck with your family during the holidays but image if you were quarantined and you literally had no place to go because you had to stay inside? No one could come in.

I think I would be somewhat okay but I am sure I would crack at the seams eventually. So I have my fingers crossed I am never in that situation but at least I would have my books to read right?

The main character is Olivia and she is a doctor who will be coming home for Christmas after several years of being away. Now Olivia was in a highly infected area that is dealing with the haag virus. Its a deadly virus that has taken many lives. They have many strict rules while they were there and needless to say you know that Olivia managed to break those  rules by having a relationship with another dr there.

Olivia’s sister Phoebe still lives at home and you can tell they don’t have the best relationship so having Olivia there puts a kink in her plans. She is newly engaged and in the midst of planning her wedding so being quarantined puts a major kink in her plans.

Another twist is Olivia’s mother. She hasn’t been feeling well and the news isn’t good but she is determined not to say anything to the family because she wants to enjoy this Christmas with the girls because she doesn’t know when it will happen again.

This was such a great read and like I said earlier I really enjoyed it. There is so much more to the book and I think this was a fantastic debut novel. It just goes to show not everyone is perfect and that everyone has secrets no matter how big or small they are. Things like that can only bring a family together or tear them a part.

 

 

 

Book Blitz/ Forsake

Posted on by Cindy

Forsake banner
This is my stop during the book blitz for Forsake by Andrea Pearson. This book blitz is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The book blitz takes place on 19 October. See the tour schedule here.

ForsakeForsake
By Andrea Pearson
Genre: Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult, New Adult, Adult
Release Date: 18 October, 2017

Blurb:
Vicious shifters are on the hunt and will devour anything that stands in the way. And getting in the way is exactly what Nicole must do.

Nicole Williams hopes for nothing more than to Restart like any normal Arete and gain access to the magic she’ll possess. But when she does Restart, she’s accused of gruesome murder, and she learns she must travel halfway around the world to save her best friend’s life.

Knowing that the evil Hounds of Tindalos are hot on her tail and that they’ll stop at nothing to kill her before she hides her best friend from them forever, she invites her boyfriend, Conor, to come along as backup. But Conor’s plans may not line up with hers.

Danger, intrigue, and harrowing fights with evil await you in Forsake, a Mosaic Chronicles novel. Start reading now to immerse yourself in the adventure!

You can find Forsake on Goodreads

You can buy Forsake here on Amazon!

Andrea PearsonAbout the Author:
Andrea Pearson is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast who plays several instruments, not including the banjo, and loves putting together musical arrangements. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them.

Andrea graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of science degree in Communications Disorders. She is the author of many full-length novels (the Kilenya Series and Mosaic Chronicles) and several novellas. Writing is the chocolate of her life – it is, in fact, the only thing she ever craves. Being with her family and close friends is where she’s happiest, and she loves thunderstorms, the ocean, hiking, public speaking, painting, and traveling.

You can find and contact Andrea here:
– Website
– Blog
– Facebook page
– Facebook profile
– Twitter
– Goodreads
– Amazon
– Pinterest
– Newsletter

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Forsake. One winner will win a $50 Amazon Gift Card! US Only.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
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Review/ Beyond Believing

Posted on by Cindy

Book Details:

Book Title: Beyond Believing (Book #1)
Author: D.D. Marx
Category: Adult Fiction, 200 pages
Genre: Chick-Lit
Publisher: Beyond Dreams Publishing
Release date: October 2017
Tour dates: Oct 16 to Dec 22, 2017
Content Rating: PG 13 Non-explicit sex, swear words (light…couple f-bombs)

Book Description:

When Olivia gets news of her best friend Dan’s fatal car accident, her entire life is upended. Shattered with grief and struggling to find any meaning or purpose to life, she trudges along with a gaping void in her heart. Finally, when her frustration reaches its peak, Olivia decides to trust Dan’s eternal friendship. That trust allows him to break through to her from the beyond, and Dan guides Olivia through the twists and turns of her life into something new and entirely unexpected.

When Olivia exposes a gigantic internal scandal at work, her career implodes. With no job and no one to turn to, she escapes to Palm Springs for the sympathy and care of her beloved cousin, Garrett. He isn’t quite the comfort Olivia hoped for, but on that journey, meets someone who fills the void in her heart. She’s never experienced such a deep love. It heals her soul and rekindles her spirit – and just may have been the design of her dearly departed friend all along.

Beyond Believing is a sweet, funny and romantic story that touches the heart, serves up delicious twists and turns, and shows the reader that there’s no such thing as “coincidence.” Author D.D Marx regards this book as her love letter to friendship.

Thank you Laura from iReads Book Tour for allowing me to be a part of this book tour and for sending me a copy of the book to read for my review.

This is the first in the trilogy and I am lucky enough that I will be able to review the whole series. Check back in early November for my thoughts on Beyond Love and in early December for Beyond Forever.

The only thing I need to criticize about the book is that it needs to come with a warning to have tissue handy. The first chapter was a complete tear jerker. I never expected to cry right away.

The book is told in two points of view that of Olivia and then Finn. I was curious to see how they would intertwine and I loved how it was slowly built up to that.

As you can tell Olivia and Finn are pretty much the main characters of the book. We begin with Olivia and her best friend, Dan. At first I thought they were a couple but as the story progresses you realize they are best friends. After a evening of hanging out with friends. Olivia gets a call informing her Dan has been in a serious car accident. Sadly he dies and you can see that Olivia is struggling with his death.

Throughout the course of the book she talks to Dan and asks him to give her signs that things will be okay and he does with a certain song and licence plates. Dan is never far from Olivia and is always there giving her just what she needs even when she feels like she made the biggest mistakes in her life.

Which I have to say that I loved because I am a big believer in our loved ones that passed being able to give us signs. I can actually attest to this because whenever I am in doubt and need a little reassurance my aunt will help me with that. I will always say to my aunt if you are here or if I am making the right decision please let me know and then I will get a whiff of her perfume. Its always reassuring when that happens. I miss her dearly.

Its funny as you are reading you suddenly realize just how small the world is and how people can be connected without even realizing it. Both are shocked when they realize just how much they are involved in the whole three degrees of separations.

This was a super fun and quick read. The perfect chick lit book in my opinion and I can’t wait to continue this story.

Blog Tour/ Beyond Believing

Blog Tour/ Beyond Believing

Posted on by Cindy
 

Book Details:

Book Title: Beyond Believing (Book #1)
Author: D.D. Marx
Category: Adult Fiction, 200 pages
Genre: Chick-Lit
Publisher: Beyond Dreams Publishing
Release date: October 2017
Tour dates: Oct 16 to Dec 22, 2017
Content Rating: PG 13 Non-explicit sex, swear words (light…couple f-bombs)

Book Description:

When Olivia gets news of her best friend Dan’s fatal car accident, her entire life is upended. Shattered with grief and struggling to find any meaning or purpose to life, she trudges along with a gaping void in her heart. Finally, when her frustration reaches its peak, Olivia decides to trust Dan’s eternal friendship. That trust allows him to break through to her from the beyond, and Dan guides Olivia through the twists and turns of her life into something new and entirely unexpected.

When Olivia exposes a gigantic internal scandal at work, her career implodes. With no job and no one to turn to, she escapes to Palm Springs for the sympathy and care of her beloved cousin, Garrett. He isn’t quite the comfort Olivia hoped for, but on that journey, meets someone who fills the void in her heart. She’s never experienced such a deep love. It heals her soul and rekindles her spirit – and just may have been the design of her dearly departed friend all along.

Beyond Believing is a sweet, funny and romantic story that touches the heart, serves up delicious twists and turns, and shows the reader that there’s no such thing as “coincidence.” Author D.D Marx regards this book as her love letter to friendship.

To read more reviews, please visit D.D. Marx’s page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy Beyond Believing:

 

 

 

Watch the trailer:

 

 
Meet the Author:
D.D. Marx is a contemporary romantic fiction writer and blogger, as well as a lover of all things social. She is a graduate of the University of Dayton, as well as the Second City program in Chicago, where she currently resides. A proud aunt and self-described hopeless romantic, Marx has always had a knack for humorous and engaging storytelling. Her pen name is a dedication to her beloved friend Dan, who continues to guide and inspire her in her daily life.Connect with the Author: Website  ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

 

 

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Review/ Awoke

Review/ Awoke

Posted on by Cindy

Book Details:

Book Title: Awoke (The Want Series) by K.T. Conte
Category: YA Fiction; 324 pages
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: SugarCane Publishing
Release date: October 2017
Format available for review: print & ebook (mobi, ePub, PDF)
Will ship print books to: Internationally
Tour dates: Sept 25 to Oct 27, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 (mainly bad language)

Book Description:

Katya leads a normal life any teenager would be envious of – popular, pretty and dating the high school elite. Not she enjoys the spotlight, mind you. She wants everyone to believe she is normal.

But when Katya sees the real reason behind the earthquakes plaguing everyone in Boston, the truth rattles and shatters the perfect normal illusion Katya created for herself. An ability to see unearthly creatures and manipulate waves of life energy labels her as anything but normal. And it’s an ability that attracts unwanted and dangerous attention.

She reluctantly finds herself in the company of Gregor, a handsome member of an international spirit military team called the Kyrios. Her simple decision to help thrusts Katya in a world of the undead spirits, betrayal and a perpetual battle between undead monsters and the wardens that keep them in their place.

Katya must decide whether she values the simple and easy life she created for herself over the complex and difficult world now asking her to stand and fight.

 

Thanks to iRead Book Tours for allowing me to be a part of the blog tour for the book and for sending me a copy of the book to read.

I love being able to discover new and exciting books outside of genres I normally don’t read and this was another great one  that is completely outside my comfort zone. Which I think is always a good thing. I loved the cover, its bright and stands out. I should say that I pretty much devoured this book fairly quickly.

Our main character Katya is a kick ass character and one I loved reading and hopefully there will be another book to discover more about her. By day is she is a normal teenage girl who is pretty. popular and dating the mot popular guy at her school but what no one really knows is that she is struggling on the inside trying to figure things out. It all begins when she crosses the path of one of the Guardians of Death that her powers being to almost explode. She quickly realizes she needs to get this under control before risking the lives of those around her.

We are introduced to quite a few characters and a lot is happening  but its not all in your face at one time which I was getting ready for. I liked that it was gradually and it all blended in to make sense. Everything was moving at just the right pace. Enough that it kept you reading and not wanting to put the book down. Which I really enjoy. A few things I could see coming and others I was like what the heck just happened and made me go back to read to see if I missed something.

These are the kinds of books I really enjoy. I think everyone would enjoy reading this and I highly recommend it.

Will Katya go and try to have a normal life or will she stand and fight?

I am looking forward to continuing this series.

 

Review/ Marked Beauty

Review/ Marked Beauty

Posted on by Cindy

Title: Marked Beauty

Author: S.A. Larsen

Publisher: Ellysian Press

Release Date: October 2017

Uncovering hidden secrets can sometimes kill you . . . or worse, steal your soul.

 Anastasia Tate has a secret. She can feel the emotions of others through their life energy auras. Not a welcome gift for a teenager. Especially when a sinister presence begins stalking her.

Viktor Castle also has a secret. He’s tasked with protecting humanity yet cursed by an ancient evil to destroy it.

After Viktor saves Ana’s life, her abilities grow stronger. Drawn together, she senses Viktor has answers to lifelong questions. Only he shuns her at every turn, knowing he has saved her only to put her in more danger.

As Ana struggles with her attraction to Viktor, he tries everything to bury his unexpected feelings for her. But they must find a middle ground. For only together can they combat the dark forces threatening both their lives . . . and their souls.

A quick thank you to Chapter by Chapter Book Tour for allowing me to be a part of this tour and for sending me arc of the book to read and review.

Surprise guys I read another fantasy book and another one I really enjoyed reading. I am really looking forward to reading more from S.A Larsen if this is any indication of how good the books are.

I really really enjoyed this book so I need to be careful not to tell to much because I want you to go and pick it up and read for yourself.

Do you ever read a book that starts off amazing and you try and force yourself to slow down and savor the book? That was me this time around. I really wanted to sit back and take it all it but found it hard to do because I was sucked in right away and I just had to take it all in. I need to read it and practically read this in one sitting.

Ana is not your typical teenager. She may look it but deep inside she has the ability to feel people’s emotions through their auras. Something that I think she would rather not have and no one knows what she can see except Meme who is like a grandmother to her. Then a menacing dark force arrives leaving Ana confused and not sure what is going on.

Ana has two friends, Katee (who is everything Ana wishes she could be) and Josh, who really likes Ana and they both share a love of hockey. But things are soon going to change because Ana will be moving into her new school.

What Ana doesn’t know is that she is being stalked and we find out its Viktor who has come to the rescue of the car crash Ana and Katee is in. He is quick to rescue the girls but Ana has no memory of this. Ana is confused as to why she is okay and Katee is not.

Marked Beauty is told in two points of view. That of Ana and that of Viktor. Which I really like because as the story progresses we get to know Viktor a little bit better.

Ana knows there is more to Viktor then what he is telling her. What will Ana do when she realizes they are more connected then they realize?

For the first time Ana is attracted to someone who she feels doesn’t feel the same way but little does she knows he does feel the same thing and he is trying his hardest to protect her because he needs her to help fight the dark forces that are threatening their lives.