Great Summer Reads Day 18 – THE KINGDOM OF NERETH

Posted on by Cindy

 

TJ Amberson hails from the Pacific
Northwest. With a love of writing in several genres, TJ strives to provide
well-written, age-appropriate, & original novels for tweens, teens, and new
adults.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

  
~ Facebook ~ Website ~
  
Dark times are upon the land of
Nereth. Centuries have passed since the rightful heir to the throne was
banished. The people are losing hope in ancient legend, which foretells of one
who will rise up, overthrow the evil king and queen, and restore peace. Like
all others in Nereth, Edlyn has suffered greatly. Orphaned as a child, Edlyn
grew up as the serf of a drunken lord. Now a spirited seventeen-year-old, Edlyn
works to buy her freedom while fighting off the unwanted advances of Sheriff
Hurst. One morning, Edlyn discovers a young man hiding in the stable. He is
fleeing from Sheriff Hurst and inflicted with a sword wound that will surely be
fatal without her help. In a split-second decision, Edlyn conceals the young
man from Sheriff Hurst and begins nursing him back to health. As the young
man’s strength returns, Edlyn learns that his name is Maddock, and she is
stunned to find that he has come from the mysterious land to the north. Maddock
soon comes to Edlyn’s aid, rescuing her from Sheriff Hurst. Suddenly declared
outlaws, both Edlyn and Maddock must escape for their lives to enchanted
Ravenshire Forest and then the desolate mountains beyond. As their adventure
unfolds, Edlyn and Maddock discover that their meeting may have been more than
chance, for their lives prove bound by a fate that neither of them could
possibly have imagined.

 


  
~ Universal Amazon Link ~ 
  
Snippet:
“So it is true that Sheriff Hurst
really wanted to make you his bride?” Peyton eventually inquired.
            “Sheriff
Hurst is a horrible, selfish man.”
            “He
is rich, and he has good connections.”
            “Are
you suggesting that nothing else should matter?” Edlyn challenged.
“Why should money and importance be all that a woman aspires to in a
marriage? Can a woman not want love and happiness? Or respect?”
            Peyton
shot her a sideways glance. “You think that pining after a wanderer who is
on a secret journey—and nearly being brought upon your deathbed because of
him—is happiness?”

 

            Edlyn
turned away. “I am pining after no one.”
 

 

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Great Summer Reads Day 17 – The Three Crowns Series (Seven Books and Free Novella)/Kindle Edition

Posted on by Cindy

 

 

I grew up in Southeast Missouri; home
of the Throwed Rolls, high cotton, and the St. Louis Cardinals. I have a little
family consisting of son, daughter, son-in-law and a little Pi. Other than my
children (and grandchild), my passion is writing. My current project is The
Three Crowns Series. Sweet Tea is the first book in this seven-novel series
which published October 15, 2013.Besides reading and writing, I enjoy singing. I love music period. Music is in
our family. Whether it be the bluegrass from the Ozarks that my Grandpa Sutton
use to play on his banjo or fiddle, or the smooth, family harmony in which I am
fortunate enough to sing with my Dad and Brother. But you can give me some
kickin’ AC/DC too! I like it all!

I work full-time as an Administrative Assistant. Every free moment is dedicated
to my family and my current project, The Three Crowns, a seven-novel paranormal
romance series.

 

It all starts with a Queen and a Plan.

 

The Three Crowns is a New
Adult/Paranormal Romance series. There are seven books to complete the series,
with a novella. This series has your modern day vampires dealing with the Old
World Laws creating a struggle for ultimate power in the Night World.THE THREE CROWNS SERIES SYNOPSIS

The Three Crowns series is about a normal girl whose life is more than what she
will allow herself to imagine. It is the journey of her accepting that
everything is not black and white, and our logic of what we understand does not
mean something does exist. Throughout the story she is protected, loved,
groomed and pushed to her limits to prepare her for what lies ahead of her. She
is tested in all areas of her humanity which will someday bring her to know the
person she is destined to be. The human nature of love is a tangled web of
emotions for she feels the love of two men who are continually being taken away
from her for the sake of their positions in the future as well.

 

Snippet:
I
looked back in the large room. Two major battles were taking place. I knew they
both would be to the death. The warriors were like beautiful gods fighting
demons from hell! Yet, they were all, the same. Their bodies were all
well-defined, and their powers were like nothing I could imagine. They each
fought with the force of what seemed like a hundred men. They weren’t human.
The inhuman strength was not the only sign. Their eyes burned red and silver
through the smoke, like laser beams in the fog of smoke. Their eyes were all I
could see of their faces. And that was enough. That is what defined them. That
is how I knew the good from the bad. And in those few moments that I stood
watching the mêlée, a realization washed over me.
This
battle was over humanity.
This
battle was over light vs. darkness.

 

This
battle was over…me.

 

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Great Summer Reads Day 16 – Sons of the Sphinx

Posted on by Cindy

 

I’m a retired high school English teacher. A devourer of books
growing up, my profession introduced me to writings and authors from times long
past. 
 
Through my studies and teaching, I fell in love with the Ancient and
Medieval Worlds. 
 
Now, I hope to inspire young readers and those Young-at-Heart
to read more through my Tales and Legends for Reluctant Readers set in these
worlds.
 If they fail…

 

She could die over 3300 years from home!

 

 

 

Tackle the elements & evil of Ancient Egypt…
A history-changing battle & Time Travel Thriller…Fifteen-year-old Rosa doesn’t see dead people…
She hears them & talks to them.

When she agrees to help King Tut’s ghost find his lost queen & clear his
family’s name, she doesn’t count on falling for him.

She & Tut must also outwit an evil pharaoh determined to stop them…
Even if it means one of them must die.

Get it today and see who triumphs.

2015 IAN Book of the Year Finalist YA
2015 CAL Book Award Finalist YA Fiction
2014 Literary Classics Seal of Approval

2015 Readers’ Favorite Finalist YA
2014 Literary Classics Silver Medal for PreTeen/Tween
Snippet:
A shout from behind makes me turn. Tut is running
after me, but it is not his voice that ignites the terror in my heart. It is mine screaming
to hold on to life.
“No. No. NO!”
The force of the explosion flings me through the air like a rag doll. By the time I pick my head up a dense cloud of dust engulfs
me. Too late I cover my face.
I’m choking,
can’t breathe, can’t see! I’m dying!
Arms encircle
my chest pulling
me backwards. My legs scrape
painfully across the debris- covered granite floor.
Another pair of arms lifts my legs.
Floating. That’s what it’s like. Dying is like floating
on air.
My body touches solid
ground. Voices, whispers
really, penetrate my clogged brain.
I hope this is heaven.

 

Without warning,
I start coughing and gagging. My brain screams
at me. “Fight! Breathe!”
 

 

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Sunday's In Bed With

Sunday’s In Bed With

Posted on by Cindy

This is being hosted by two of the sweetest people I have the privilege of knowing in real life, Kate and Kim. Sadly we don’t talk like we use to because you know real life happens but there is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of them both.

What a week it has been for me this week. It actually started last week (June 10th) I had horrible hip pain/upper thigh pain that wouldn’t go away so I ended doing the heat/cold, etc and finally went to physical therapy which seemed to help but then this past Monday I was in excruciating pain that I decided to go to the emergency. For me to go to emergency indicates the pain level it was. The ER dr thinks this could be MS related but can’t say for sure so I have an emergency appointment with the neurologist on Tuesday until then I am taking medication but its not really helping so this is going to be a long weekend.

Anyways on to the books which sadly isn’t much since I can’t get comfortable enough to read. I did finish up:

Prince Charming (Royals, #1)

Currently reading:

Her Royal Highness (Royals, #2)

What are you reading?

Great Summer Reads Day 15 – Pajama Party:The Story

Posted on by Cindy
E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play Pajama Party. For three and a half years she published the Confidence in Life newsletter for Alpha Production Ministries, in addition to writing tracts and devotionals. 
 
Teaching a women’s Bible study at her church for eleven years naturally led to her current endeavor of writing inspirational romance novels and teen and young adult fiction. Her mission: spiritual maturity in the body of Christ through fiction.

~ Facebook ~ Amazon ~
  
Most sleepovers are simple. Food, fun, and
pillow fights. But sixteen-year-old Karen Duncan has bigger plans for her
slumber party. Family troubles have changed her over the past year, and she’s
no longer the petty, selfish girl she used to be. Now she’s ready to shake
things up with her friends. The guest list comes as a surprise to some and a
slap in the face to others. This popular girl has invited some not-so-popular
guests. Even more shocking, she’s left out some of the girls she’s hung out
with since middle school.Diane and Evette are outsiders, nervous about being stuck in a house with the
same girls who tease them at school. Kathy, Lisa, and Joann come to the party
with the confidence of the in-crowd, but they’re masking inner-turmoil that is
bound to surface. Sandy and Angela are usually the voices of reason…usually.
And then there’s Linda, the friend that got away. She may not ever forgive the
girls who abandoned her years ago. Karen hopes to change her mind.

Her agenda is ambitious, and it could spell disaster. But Karen is convinced
God will use this party to spark a new beginning for everyone involved. This
companion book to A Living Hope gives us the inspired story Sadie Cummings
wrote for the girls of Shiatown.

 

 

Snippet:
Joann
wiped a wet cotton ball over Karen’s cheeks. “Stop frowning. Keep still.” She
tossed the cotton ball into the wastebasket and picked up a makeup sponge.
“Parents need to give their teens more freedom. My folks are never in sync with
me. Of course, I’m always right.”
“Unless
you’re wrong,” said Kathy. “My parents understand me perfectly, so they limit
my activities. My mom said, ‘We’re saving you from yourself.’ I like that.”
“It
sounds like a conspiracy to me,” said Linda. “My dad said the same thing last
weekend. He keeps trying to ruin my social life. Three of my friends wanted me
to spend the night with them in Tulsa after the game Saturday.”
“Your
parents are different from my folks. They would laugh if I asked to spend a
night out of town with friends without a chaperone. I’m not allowed to ask them
pointless questions,” said Diane. “Did you expect them to say yes? Did the
other girls stay overnight?”
“Two
of them did, and they convinced three other girls to join them.”

 

Someone
had to get the room for them. Five parents allowed their teenage daughters to
spend the night unsupervised in Tulsa. Doing what?” asked Angela.

 

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Great Summer Reads Day 14 – King’s Envoy, Book1 First Artesans Trilogy

Posted on by Cindy
Cas lives in the lovely county of Hampshire, southern UK, where she was born. On leaving school she trained for two years before qualifying as horse-riding instructor. During this time she also learned to carriage-drive. She spent thirteen years in the British Civil Service before moving to Rome, Italy, where she and her husband, Dave, lived for three years. They enjoy returning whenever they can. Cas supports many animal charities and owns two rescue dogs. She has a large collection of cacti and loves gardening. She is also a folk singer/songwriter and is currently writing and recording nine folk-style songs to accompany each of her fantasy books. You can listen to and download all the songs from her website: www.caspeace.com 
See the video of her performing live at the King’s Envoy book launch here: http://www.caspeace.com/cas-peace/the-wheel-will-turn

~ Author Facebook ~

 ~ Facebook ~ Website ~
  ~ Blog ~ Amazon ~ Reverbnation ~
Taran Elijah’s quest for knowledge
uncovers a plot that threatens the world…
In Albia, the fourth realm, the precious Artesan gift is dying. Although born to the craft, Taran is struggling to achieve his potential. Against his friends’ advice, he embarks on a foolhardy plan to acquire the teaching he craves. Alone, he crosses into Andaryon, the fifth realm, but instead of finding a mentor, he stumbles upon a treacherous plot.
In the wake of Taran’s actions, Albia suffers a series of vicious raids. Major Sullyan of the High King’s forces is sent to oppose them. But a dark and treacherous force is moving through the realms and both Taran and Sullyan will feel its power.
 
 
 
 

 


  
~ Universal Amazon Link ~ 

 
Snippet:
Taran’s metasenses pricked him
and he instantly woke, leaping to his feet and snatching his sword. He stopped
short, biting back a curse, as he registered the confident stance of the young
man standing before him. And he had every reason to be confident, Taran
realized, with armed hunters at his back. His failure to sense them sooner made
Taran scowl. Apprehensively, he waited for the man to speak.
“You’re trespassing, Albian.”
The man’s arrogant manner and
rich clothing confirmed Taran’s immediate suspicions—he was an Andaryan noble.
Taran’s sleep-muddled mind struggled to frame a reply but he wasn’t given the
leisure.
“The penalty for trespass is
death.”
Taran stared, knowing he was
trapped. The huntsmen stood with bows unnocked but he knew how swiftly they
could draw and shoot should he make a threatening move. And though the ugly
giant birds they had were hooded and leashed, they could be loosed in an
instant if he tried to run. His only chance lay in the bargain he hoped to
make. He opened his mouth to answer
but was again interrupted.
“However, I came out this day
for sport. What do you say to a duel, Albian, to determine your fate? If you
win, you’re free to leave. If you lose, you submit to my will.”
The noble’s pale, slit-pupiled
eyes were avid and he fingered the hilt of his sword as he spoke. The motion
drew Taran’s gaze. Events were moving a little fast for him despite this
seemingly favorable turn. He had not expected things to work out like
this—according to his father’s notes, he should be the one making the
challenge—but in the end, did it matter? And what choice did he have? The noble
had him at a severe disadvantage and would be within his rights should he
decide to kill Taran out of hand. Even if he wasn’t, there was nothing Taran
could do about it. No one would protect him if he could not protect himself.
He gathered his courage and
faced the noble. He looked a little younger than Taran’s twenty-eight years but
Taran had faith in his own skills. He was taller than the noble and he was
agile and fit, there was no reason to believe he would not win. And the noble
was an Artesan, Taran could sense it. He didn’t know what rank but that wasn’t
immediately important. His father’s notes indicated that Taran only had to
force a draw to win the right to the noble’s aid. If he turned out to be
incapable of teaching Taran himself, his duty would require him to find someone
who could.

 

“I accept,” he said, trying to
keep the nervousness from his voice. The younger man grinned and Taran frowned.
Those slit-pupiled eyes, unique to the Andaryan race, made his facial
expressions unfamiliar. Taran would have to be very careful when reading his
moves in the duel.

 

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Great Summer Reads Day 13 – Death at the Dakota

Posted on by Cindy

 

Marni Graff writes two award-winning mystery series: The Nora Tierney English Mysteries and The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries. She teaches writing workshops and mentors the Writers Read program, and is Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press. 
 
 
 
Graff also writes the crime review blog Auntie M Writes, www.auntiemwrites.com.

 

 
Nurse Trudy Genova is making plans to
take her relationship to NYPD detective Ned O’Malley to the next level, when
she lands a gig as medical consultant on a film shoot at the famed Dakota
apartment building in Manhattan, which John Lennon once called home. Then star
Monica Kiley goes missing, a cast member turns up dead, and it appears Trudy
might be next. Meanwhile Ned tackles a mysterious murder case in which the
victim is burned beyond recognition. When his investigations lead him back to
the Dakota, Trudy finds herself wondering: how can she fall in love if she
can’t even survive?
Readers of Death Unscripted, the first
book in the Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery series, will find the same pleasures
in this sequel: fast pacing, engaging characters, twists and turns on the way
to a satisfying close. From the award-winning author of The Nora Tierney
English Mysteries, this second series is a winner. Once again M.K. Graff
reveals her talents in crafting this delightful mix of amateur sleuth and
police procedural.
Part procedural, part cozy, Death at
the Dakota is a well-crafted and highly entertaining mystery.- Bruce Robert
Coffin, #1 bestselling author of the Detective Byron mysteries.  
I fell in love — not only with
co-protagonists, Trudy and Ned, the richly detailed and historic setting of The
Dakota, and the unique cast of characters, but with the unusual plot of Death
at the Dakota. Sherry Harris, Agatha Award nominated author of the Sarah
Winston Garage Sale Mysteries

 


  
~ Universal Amazon Link ~ 
  
Snippet:
Rashid was right about one thing: the
trumpet gown with horizontal stripes did make Monica look like a Slinky. That
one went right back on the hanger, without debate from anyone.
          Next up, the Monique Lhullier, heavy
lace fitted down past Monica’s derriere that flowed into a wide circular train.
Expensive it might be, but it reminded me of the curtains from my Nana Genova’s
house.
          “Too heavy, Rashid,” Monica
complained. “I’m too short to carry all this around.” She didn’t mention the
way it strained over her small belly.
          The Jenny Packham was so sheer it
couldn’t be worn with any kind of undergarment. Made of silk charmeuse, it
shimmered as Monica dropped it over her head. “Packham’s done Sex and the City,
The Devil Wears Prada, and of course, Casino Royale,” Rashid gushed, adjusting
a large bow under the deep-V neckline. He stepped back. “There. What do you
think?”
          I thought Monica’s slightly rounded
belly showed in a too obvious way. “Does it remind you of a nightgown, Alice?”
I asked, raising my eyebrows and opening my green eyes wide to convey the
message “help me out here.”
          “Nix this one, Rashid,” Alice said
authoritatively. “She can’t wear a bra with it and you’ll never get those
nipples past the censor for the TV-G rating.”

 

 

 

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