Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  1. Grab your current read
  1. Open to a random page
  1. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  1. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  1. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

---

My Teaser

"Just when I'd finally gotten used to driving through the enroaching darkness, while the woods seemed to be trying to come out and grab my truck, a faint hint of mist appeared in front of me, silvery in the headlights. The temperature in the cab felt like it dropped 10 degrees.

from

Here They Lie by D'Ann Burrow (ARC)

Here They Lie (The Bloodstone Legacy, #1)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
One town.
Three families.
A secret that refuses to stay buried.
Now the deadly legacy passes to a new generation.
After her aunt's untimely death, Reese Everett is summoned to Devil's Vale, Georgia. Colton Waters is returning home for an entirely different reason. Their lives soon become entangled as a generations-old secret comes to light.

Promo: Absolution Road by Rachel Blaufeld



Book Summary


For Jake Wrigley, the future is bleak. Some people are survivors, but he’s getting by on his bad-boy looks and charming smile. He owns a gym, gets into bar fights, and wrestles his demons with rough workouts—both in and out of the bedroom.


For Alyson Road, the future is bright. Life can only improve from where she grew up. She graduated at the top of her law class, cares for her ailing mom, and in her job, she defends those who can’t afford anyone else. Her work is thankless but honest.


Jake’s twin brother has been covering his ass for as long as they’ve been alive, but that all changes when Jake finds himself in front of the fiery public defender, his future in her hands. For the first time ever, he doesn’t want to involve his brother, finally realizing he needs to stand alone, be his own man.


Even if Jake’s never absolved of his past wrongdoings or his heart is never scrubbed of the blackness that resides there, he can do one good deed—protect the beautiful lawyer who touched his soul—until helping her nearly becomes his own undoing.




Monday, September 28, 2015

And The Winner Is...


Cindy you have won an eBook copy of one book in the Hashtag series by Cambria Hebert!

You have 48 hours to claim your prize by responding to the email that has been sent to you. If a response is not received within the given time frame, a new winner will be chosen.

To everyone else, thanks for entering and don't forget to check out all the other giveaways currently going on!

Congratulations again, Cindy!

Friday, September 25, 2015

Review: Home & Us Liquid Chalk Markers


Hey everyone! So today I am super happy to bring you guys a review on a really awesome product! I received a request to accept this product for free in exchange for an honest review and I knew I couldn't pass it up!  I have to give these Liquid Chalk Markers a try!

THE PRODUCT
Photo Source: Amazon.com

As Described On Amazon:
  • Bring your labels and drawing to LIFE using these beautiful bright colored liquid chalk labels - 10 favourite colors, great for kids & your own use.
  • Easily Reusable - simply wipe with a damp cloth and rewrite.... it's completely dust free which makes every just Fun & Clean !
  • Reversible Tip - Makes it easy to do both - fine and bold work ! Pull the tip, switch it, and write....
  • Versatile for Many Uses - Creating christmas decorations? 4th of July? Halloween? Birthdays? Jam Jars? Bar / Restaurant chalkboard? - Endless, Colorful Fun now in Premium Quality !
Amazon Price: $17.36 (Prime Eligible)
Avg. Customer Rating: 5 Stars




REVIEW

Packaging: Not only did I receive the markers for review, but I also received a set of reusable chalkboard labels as well. They arrived together and were well packaged. As they were fulfilled through Amazon, they had the traditional Amazon packaging. Brown cardboard, well protected, easy to open.

I Received: Aside from the chalkboard labels, I received ten liquid chalk markers.  There are ten in this photo but the one outside the package came with the labels.  The tenth marker that came with the actual set didn't make it into the photo for some reason. So I received ten markers in ten different colors: green, black, purple, blue, orange, pink, white, brown, red, and yellow.

How To Use Them: So, you don't just bust these bad boys out and start writing with like a normal marker.  You do have to do a little bit of prep beforehand, but only the first time you use them. Here are the steps as listed on the markers: 
  1. First time use place marker tip up vertically
    Press tip slightly to release pressure.
  2. Shake well with cap on and up-right remove cap
  3. Press tip for a few seconds until tip fills with ink.
    Recap tightly after use and store in horizontal position.

Here's a little video I made showing how to prepare them.


As you can see, it's super easy to use these markers.  I absolutely love them.  They can be used on LED writing boards, glass or windows (mirrors too, apparently), blackboards and whiteboards. I love that they're so versatile because, not only can I use them for the chalkboard labels on my jars and stuff in the kitchen, but I could actually write directly on my glass jars with them or draw on the patio door with daughter during holidays.  I could even leave flirty little messages on the mirror for my husband when he gets up for work in the morning. ;) 
I have written on glass with them and they erase super easy.  I tested out a bit with my finger and it rubbed right off. The longer I let it sit and dry, the harder it was to removed but it was still pretty easy.  You could use a paper towel or a piece of fabric such as a washcloth.  To get your windows completely clean, you may want to follow up with  a little Windex or something but it really depends on how long you leave it on your windows. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this product and I give it two thumbs up.  It's something that I can definitely see myself and my family using in the future. I think I might actually go and start decorating my door with drawings of pumpkins and leaves! I mean, it is officially fall now. :)



Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Fall Into Books $250 Giveaway!

Fall into Books Giveaway 

Fall Into Books $250 Giveaway 
September 23rd to October 15th
$250 Amazon.com Gift Code or $250 in Paypal Cash sound. 

 Thanks to this Awesome Group of Authors & Bloggers who have joined with me to bring you this fabulous giveaway!! 

Sponsor List 


  Giveaway Details 
$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card 
 Ends 10/15/15 
 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal. 
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 enter for you. 
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. 
Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. 
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

I'm Participating... In Swapoween!


Are you ready to have some Swapoween fun?
Get ready, readers!

YOUR SWAP OBJECTIVE:

Get to know your partner and send them a fantastic Halloween-themed package with goodies that meet their style/preferences/favorite things about the holiday.

YOUR PACKAGE MUST:

  • Include at least 5 Halloween-related items
  • Cost $20-$30, before shipping (to ensure relative value)

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

  • Sign-ups Open: Monday, September 21st.
  • Sign-ups Close: Monday, September 28th.
  • Partners Assigned by: Wednesday, September 30th.
  • Packages Ship: on or by Saturday, October 17th.
  • Show-Off Linky Opens: Wednesday, October 21st.
~~~
I am so insanely excited to participate in this years Swapoween! As a blogger that loved participating in Random Acts of Kindness when it was still a thing, I've been looking for another blogger "swap" type of event. I was directed towards Chaotic Goddess Swaps and I've been patiently waiting for signups to open for their latest swap.  And the timing couldn't have been more perfect!  I LOVE Halloween.  Not only is it my birthday, but it's also my favorite holiday and my favorite time of year.  So I'm excited to put my box together and send it out!  If you'd like to participate (sign ups close on the 28th!) click the graphic at the top of this post and it will take you where you need to go.

I'll see you in October for the reveal of what I receive from my partner!

The Write Space with Lan Chan

Hi guys!  I'm so excited to introduce to you today Lan Chan!  She is the author of the amazing Dystopian book, Poison, book one in the Wind Dancer series!  So lets see what she has going on in her writing space!  It seems like we have a lot in common... :)


The Write Space with author Lan Chan
I have always been prone to distraction and procrastination. Even as a child I could spend hours riding in a car with my walkman (how old am I?!?) and just staring out the window. That's why when choosing a spot to do my writing I had to make sure that it was as visually unstimulating as I could possibly find. If I have a view it makes me think about gardening and what I could be doing outside rather than what is happening with my characters. This is why I chose what should have been our master bedroom to become my writing room because the window has shutters that stay permanently closed so that the outside world doesn't entice me.

My desk, as with most desks, ends up being a place to dump bits and pieces that I don't want to or can't be bothered to deal with until a later time. This essentially means papers and invitations and bills pile up until the absolute crucial moment when I rifle through everything in a frantic hurry. It's a pretty hectic system but one that seems to have gotten me by so far. 

I write on the same unpolished pine desk that I've had since high school. I bought it with my own money from my part time job in a gift store and because it's unpolished the draws stick when I try to open and close them. Inside the draws are yet more pieces of correspondence that I've now completely forgotten about as well as a myriad of stationary that at the time I just had to have but of course wasn't practical for a desk so small. 

I always have a bottle of water on my desk because during those times when the writing bug bites, I can't allow myself to walk away to get a drink of water because that will instantly snap me out of the world in my head. I try to keep a small jar or vase of flowers on the desk because I find that nice smells make me happier and when I'm happy I tend to write my best stuff. For the most part the flowers come from the backyard that so often calls me away from my writing so I feel like it's a fair exchange that the backyard also furnishes me with something nice when I do get a chance to write.
I've always tried to surround my desk with pictures and trinkets which will inspire me to write. Behind my desk are pictures of a country property that I would one day like to move to. On the wall above the left side of my desk is a "Young Adult" sign that I bought for $10 from Borders when it was closing down. It is a reminder that though my dream is no longer to publish the traditional way, I am still proud of the stories I produce in this genre.

Though this desk and this room are the habitat that I physical occupy, what's there or isn't there often doesn't really matter. When I get writing my surroundings change and I am wherever my characters are, experiencing their trials and tribulations. That's the beauty of being a writer and I am so lucky to be able to do what I love.





---
Books by Lan Chan
Poison (Wind Dancer Series #1)
Poison (Wind Dancer, #1)
Since the night her mother was murdered, sixteen-year-old Rory Gray has known one truth: There are no good Seeders.

In post-apocalyptic Australia, the scientists known as Seeders have built a Citadel surrounded by food-producing regions and populated with refugees from the wars and famine. To maintain their control, the Seeders poisoned the land and outlawed the saving of seeds.
It’s been six years since Rory graced the Seeders’ circus stage as the Wind Dancer and still the scars on her body haven’t healed. Even worse are the scars on her heart, left by a Seeder boy who promised to protect her.
Now the Seeders are withholding supplies from Rory’s region for perceived disobedience. Utilising the Wanderer knowledge she received from her mother, Rory must journey to the Citadel through uninhabitable terrain to plead for mercy.
However, the Citadel isn’t as Rory remembered. The chief plant geneticist is dying and rumours fly that the store of viable seed is dwindling. The Seeders are desperate to find a seed bank they believe Rory can locate, and they will stop at nothing to get it.

To defy the Seeders means death. But Rory has been close to death before--this time she’s learned the value of poison.
Recommended for fans of The Hunger Games, strong protagonists, circuses and nature!

---


Lan Chan is a writer, gardener and professional procrastinator based in Melbourne, Australia. She is still waiting for her super powers to manifest but until then she writes young adult novels featuring strong female protagonists, minority characters and has a particular interest in dystopias and urban fantasy. Lan’s debut novel POISON, the first in her WIND DANCER series is due for release in September 2015.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Cover Reveal: His To Take by Katee Robert




Title: His To Take
Author: Katee Robert
Release Date: 12-07-15

Synopsis:
Erin Robinson is having an epically bad year. Her blossoming career on Broadway tanked, forcing her to crawl back to home to Wellington. The icing on her failure cake? Her former on-again, off-again fling is in town, and the sexy Marine is taking up way too much space.

Warren Davis always knew Erin was special, which is exactly why he can’t have her. A girl like her deserves something permanent—something neither of them wants. But now that they’re both back in town and she’s right there in front of him, a challenge in her eyes he’s never been able to resist, he’s questioning everything.

That challenge quickly escalates into an epic game of Truth or Dare. Erin’s sure she’s got him on lock, but as the night progresses, Warren’s dares intensify, drowning her in lust. But with the past still breathing down their necks, there’s no way either of them can win...






ABOUT KATEE ROBERT

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa's knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and it changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and speculative fiction romance novels, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her wee ones, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

Connect with Katee at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | GoodReads | Instagram | Tumblr | Youtube

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Stuck In A Good Book Giveaway Hop (INT)


Hi guys! I'm super excited to participate in the Stuck In A Good Book Giveaway Hop hosted by Stuck In Books and I Am A Reader.

I am a super huge fan of author Cambria Hebert and literally have not come across one book that she's written that I haven't enjoyed.  Every single story sucks me in and I cannot get enough!

I'm actually reading #Poser, book five in her Hashtag series. If you haven't read this series yet, I HIGHLY recommend it. Since I'm reading one of Cambria's books right now, I figure why not give away one of her books!?

Here's what's up for grabs:

Prize
One winner will get to choose one book in the Hashtag series by Cambria Hebert. This is not a series of standalones, so if you haven't read any of the books in the series, I highly recommend you begin with book one, #Nerd. Listed below are the books and their GoodReads links. If you have read every book in this series so far, then I will order/pre-order the next book for you when it becomes available.


#Nerd | My Review | GoodReads
#Hater | My Review | GoodReads
#Player | My Review | GoodReads
#Selfie | My Review | GoodReads
#Poser | GoodReads


Rules
No cheating.
One winner.
I validate entries.
If you can receive eBooks from Amazon.com then you are eligible to enter this giveaway.

Good luck and Happy Reading!




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Friday, September 18, 2015

Blitz & Giveaway: Finding Bliss by Cassie Strickland



Title: Finding Bliss 
Author: Cassie Strickland
Series: The Bliss Series, #1
Publication Date: September 18th 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:
ClaraOne phone call was all it took. A voice on the answering machine, a man oblivious to what calling me would do, uprooted my entire existence. He revived old hurts, dug up past nightmares. He destroyed everything I’d built for myself.
But I found bliss through Grey, in Grey.
GreyI had no idea that making a simple phone call, one that devastated me because of the reasons behind it, would make me question my truths, my friendships, everything I held dear in my little town. Calling her was the best and worst decision I’d ever made, but it brought her to me, to Bliss.
And I could never take that back.
Finding Bliss is a story about redemption, of love, of finding true, irrevocable bliss. It’s about new beginnings and the heights you can attain during them.
Not intended for readers under the age of eighteen due to language and sexual situations.


AUTHOR BIO:
Cassie Strickland lives in East Texas with her husband, her daughter, and her Jack Russell terrier. With the support of her family and friends, she recently changed her career path to something new and exciting, something she loves to do - writing.







GIVEAWAY

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Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Review: When Love Comes To Town by Tom Lennon

When Love Comes to Town
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: When Love Comes To Town
Author: Tom Lennon
Version Reviewed: ARC, eBook.
Website: www.tomlennon.com
*This book was provided for free by the author for review.*

GoodReads Summary:
Meet Neil Byrne - try-scorer on the rugby field, prizewinning student, one of the in-crowd at the disco, regular guy, gay. Presenting one face to the world and burying his true feelings in fantasy, Neil tries to keep his secret.

 Review:
(This review was originally written in 2013 but was not posted).

This book took me quite a while to finish. I did move and stuff while reading it but, honestly, it wasn't one that held my attention enough to where I didn't want to put it down. It was one of those that was just kind of "I could be reading, I could not be reading. No big deal."

Most of the time it was just kind of "meh" for me. I'm sure different people will see it differently but for me it was just kind of a boring read and I often found myself having to go back and reread parts of simply because I had lost interest.

I feel like it went way too slow in some parts and then all of a sudden it was zooming through parts that should been drawn out more and elaborated on more.  The end did throw me for a loop a little but overall I wouldn't read it again or recommend it to friends.

Rating: 2 Stars.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Review & Giveaway: Steam by Stacey Rourke


Title: Steam
Author: Stacey Rourke
Series: The Legends Saga #3
Version Reviewed: ARC, eBook.
*I received this book for free for review*


Synopsis:
Time passes, sins forgotten.
The bodies of the victims long since rotten.
Trapped within the essence of the Headless Horseman by the guilt of slaughtering her best friend, Ireland Crane follows the father of science fiction, HG Wells, in search of freedom from the curse that binds her. Instead, she discovers even he has a hidden agenda. A dark, relentless passion to be reunited with the woman he loves has driven him to manipulate time and a murderous Horseman.
Yet heed my warning, as the Raven flies,
The Hessian will come … and you will die.
All that prevents Ireland from abandoning Wells’ twisted pursuit, or introducing him to her sword, are the undead witches haunting her. Begging for freedom from a vile succubus, the ghoulish coven leads Ireland and her crew on a journey through Salem’s sordid past. There, they learn there is more to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s history than a scarlet letter, and the secret they’ve uncovered seeks to destroy them all.

Review:
This series is simply amazing. I honestly cannot get enough of it. Stacey Rourke has created a world unlike anything I have ever read before. I knew before I even began reading Crane that the Legends Saga was going to be something special. I knew that I would never see the original stories the same way again.

Everything that happens in the first two books has lead to the events that take place in Steam. Somehow Rourke has a way of writing these books and incorporating some of my most favorite stories and passions. In Crane, it was Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman. In Raven, it was Edgar Allan Poe and The Raven. In Steam, everything came to a head with the Salem Village Witch Trials and The Scarlet Letter.

In high school, when my fellow classmates and peers were growing bored with these books and stories, I was completely enthralled with each of their tales and lore.

Steam definitely was not a disappointment for me. The characters have all been perfectly crafted and intricated into each setting with amazing skill. It's mystifying how well Stacey Rourke twists and turns all of these people and places, legends, if you will, and makes them work for her.

Aside from Salem, witches, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter and the characters we already know and love, we finally get to learn more about H.G. Wells, who was introduced in the previous book in the series, and find out more about the role his character plays in the grand scheme of things.  We get to learn more about his past and his motivation for setting all these events into motion. I think it's amazing how this entire story and the characters are tied to the lost village of Roanoke and how Ireland and her gang have to travel there (by using some nifty new gadgets!) to take care of the newest Big Baddie.

It was heartbreaking to see how quickly and deeply someone could be scarred and affected by their idea of betrayal and ow one moment can change the world so much. Pain and betrayal played a big part in this book and, though surrounded by action, it was really sad and tugged at your heartstrings. 

The Legends Saga is definitely one that I will return to in the future and I can't wait to see what Rourke has up her sleeve for us in the next installment!

Oh, and I freakin' LOVE the very last line in this book.  It was legendary.

Rating: 5 Stars.
Favorite Character: Honestly? I love every single freakin' character in this book. Although... I do find myself drawn more to Ridley. I'd love to see more of his character. ;)



About The Author:
RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel
Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012
Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013

Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Adapted for Film. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head.




Giveaway












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Monday, September 14, 2015

September New Release Giveaway Hop (INT)!


Hi guys!  I am so excited for today because there are TWO awesome things happening on the blog today! The first being the review tour for Steam by Stacey Rourke, book #3 in the Legends Saga.  It is absolutey AH-MAZING. If you haven't read the series, I definitely recommend that you do.  Click the link below to check out my tour post for the book!

[[Review & Giveaway: Steam by Stacey Rourke]]

Awesome thing #2 is this giveaway! Since today is also my stop on the Steam tour and I loved the book so much, I figured why not give away a copy of Steam?  It's a September release and is a great read to get you ready for Halloween and the spooky Season. ;)  

So here's what's up for grabs:


The Prizes
Steam (Legends Saga, #3)
There are two prizes for this giveaway. One is open internationally, anyone can enter. One is open for US residents only.  

Winner #1 will receive an eBook copy of Steam by Stacey Rourke, gifted through Amazon.com. (INT)

Winner #2 will receive a bubble mailer full of random book swag. :) (US Only)



The Rules
You must complete the mandatory task.
No cheating.
I check entries for validity.
Please be sure you're submitting the correct links, URLs, usernames and emails.  I will not search you out if you enter them incorrectly.
I am not responsible for items lost or damaged in the mail.


GOOD LUCK!




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Review: Raven by Stacey Rourke

Raven (The Legends Saga, #2)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: Rave
Author: Stacey Rourke
Series: The Legends Saga #2
Version Reviewed: Finished, eBook
*I purchased this book myself.*

GoodReads Summary:
An infamous love, destined nevermore,
For death could not claim, the enchanting Lenore.
Cursed by the malevolent spirit of the Headless Horseman, Ireland Crane ventures to Manhattan in search of a way to break her soul crushing bond. Instead, she discovers the lines between fact and fiction are blurring once more. Croaking ravens. Telltale hearts. Could the works of Poe be coming to pass with handsome Wall Street Midas Ridley Peolte as their unwilling target?
She walks the Earth, a plague on mankind,
searching for he, her rotted heart doth pine.
Together, the two unknowingly release a dark force death itself could not tame. Surrounded by the unrelenting violence and mayhem they’ve unleashed, Ireland feels her control over the Horseman slipping. Before the beast within consumes her, she and her crew must follow the clues of the dead to right a centuries’ old wrong. Will it be enough to sate the Horseman’s appetite?
Hell hath no fury like a ghoul scorned.
Review:
Oh, this series.  Stacey Rourke is twiddling my heartstrings and quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me even though I've only read two of her books.

The Legends Saga is absolutely AMAZING.  There's really no other way I could put it. The way she weaves the past and the present and brings old fiction to modern day with a twist of truth and makes each one of these characters and stories her own. It's simply wonderful.

The first book, Crane, had it's creepy moments.  I mean, it's inspired by Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and you can't do the Headless Horseman without a little spook.  But Raven brought the creep-level to entirely new heights. The curse that poor Edgar (and later Ridley) had to endure is an absolutely terrible affliction and would easily drive anyone to madness.  The spirits in this book were malicious and eery  and determined to drive the cursed into oblivion. More than once I found myself a little creeped out and loving every minute of it.  I might just have to see if I can give away a set of these books during Haunted Halloween.

If the story itself draws you in, then the characters are just the icing on the cake.  They're so insanely believable and loveable that you don't want to let them go.  Rourke weaves the tales so well that, at times, you honestly have to wonder if maybe some of it wasn't true. If some of these "legends" weren't true. In that way, making you believe in fiction, these books kind of remind me of those of Seth Grahame-Smith. Abraham Licoln: Vampire Hunter, for example.

It was really neat to see how she twisted Edgar Allan Poe (although I was bothered that she spelled his name, Allen, with an E instead of an A), his lost love Lenore and all the horrors he crafted so long ago.  Poe has always been a favorite of mine and I loved every second of this book.

I'm eager to get to Steam, the next book in the series, because it also deals with two things that I love very very much and have always been fascinated in.  The Salem Village Witch Trials and The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne have always been very close to my heart.  I've been obsessed with Salem since I was old enough to know what it was about and I was, like, one of the only kids in school that actually enjoyed  reading The Scarlet Letter. When most of my classmates were complaining because they thought it was boring, I was eating the story up.  I've always loved it and I absolutely cannot wait to see what Rourke does with this next work of fiction!

Rating: 5 Stars.
Character: Poe & Rip.
Favorite Quote: "In my eyes you... will always be... a hero."

The Write Space with Misty Provencher

Click here to check out all the other entries in The Write Space!

Hey guys!  Welcome to The Write Space with Misty Provencher, our very first author in the series!  I'm so excited to have her here with us and I'm extremely curious to peek into her office space! Welcome to Rainy Days and Pajamas, Misty!

P.S. I heard that she's giving away some free books... So if you're interested, you might wanna click HERE! :)


The Write Space with author Misty Provencher
Hi Darcus! Thank you for having me over to hang out on your blog! As requested, I'm dragging my desk along with me (which is pretty normal, since I drag my computer wherever I go). I figured you might like to see where the chaos happens.


It's pretty embarrassing to show off my writing space. It is kind of like looking at the results of feeding a toddler a gallon of skittles, shaking up the little fella, and letting nature take its course. But it makes me feel cheerful.

You might notice the ancient desk. It is indeed as squeaky and decrepit as it looks. My dad had it and when I said I was putting together a writing space, he insisted. And who am I to turn down Dad, you know? I have nicknamed it The Tank because it appears to be something from WWI and I do believe I could hide in a drawer in the event of emergency (along with a box of Twinkies) and survive just about anything.

You might also note the disturbed beagle and the little white menace. That's just two of my four fuzzy babies, but I can assure you: all four gather round and do their best to sleep while I work. Or stick their tongues in my coffee cup.

I've got a huge cork board hanging over my desk for plotting and an index plot pocket panel beside that. The plot board gets used most right now. Under the glass on my desk, I keep notes from fans who have written me beautiful things to me, quotes I love, and my kid's art. Oh, and there's bound to be some old grocery lists that had good intentions of not being misplaced (but failed miserably).

The top of my desk...oh, Good Gods of Writing Desks...it's full of necessary writing accessories. Like my beloved coffee warmer, a bucket full of gum, every pen that has ever been available at Staples, a scent diffuser, lip gloss, multiple index card holders, etc. And inside the drawers there are delightful sticky things, pokey things, sharp things, paper things, rubber things, and bottles of liquid scents like Hawaiian Breeze and Warm Cinnamon Bun (btw, if you don't want to eat your entire fridge during a writing session, use Warm Cinnamon Bun with caution).


So that's not all of it by a long shot, but this guest post could go on for years if I tried to inventory the entire contents my writing space. But, if you have any questions as to what you are looking at, don't hesitate to ask! (It's prob just my fruit sticker collection or my jar of teen angst).







 Books by Misty Provencher
Available in paperback and ebook at:


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Misty Provencher is a prolific author, long-term wife and mama. The second two are a bit more recent, but Provencher’s writing roots date back to the hieroglyphics she left in her mother’s womb.

While Provencher can ride a motorcycle, knows how to Karate chop, and has learned enough French, Spanish, and Sign Language to get herself slapped, Misty’s life is dedicated to connecting with, and understanding, the people who cross her path. She is totally enchanted with them and spends her days trying to translate the soul bouquets of her everyday muses into words.

Misty Provencher writes for teens and young adults and full-fledged adults. Her genres include: fantasy, paranormal, Sci-Fi, contemporary romance, and erotica. There is a little something for everyone to enjoy with intricate plots and fascinating characters, and always, always, exciting twists that will surprise and delight readers.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Amazon


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If you would like to participate in The Write Space, please email me at darcusmurray@hotmail.com or comment below with your email address and I'll contact you soon!  I wanna see your spaces!

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Review: Crane by Stacey Rourke

Crane (The Legends Saga, #1)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: Crane
Author: Stacey Rourke
Series: The Legends Saga #1
Version Reviewed: Finished, eBook.
*I purchased this book myself.*

GoodReads Summary:
The Horseman is unending,
his presence shan’t lessen.
If you break the curse,
you become the legend.
Washington Irving and Rip Van Winkle had no choice but to cover up the deadly truth behind Ichabod Crane’s disappearance. Centuries later, a Crane returns to Sleepy Hollow awakening macabre secrets once believed to be buried deep.
What if the monster that spawned the legend lived within you?
Now, Ireland Crane, reeling from a break-up and seeking a fresh start, must rely on the newly awakened Rip Van Winkle to discover the key to channeling the darkness swirling within her. Bodies are piling high and Ireland is the only one that can save Sleepy Hollow by embracing her own damning curse.
But is anyone truly safe when the Horseman rides?
 Review:
I am in LOVE with this book. I absolutely cannot wait to continue the series.

Before I get ahead of myself, let's start at the beginning. The cover.  Good lord, that cover. Stacey Rourke better kiss her cover designer because that thing is freakin' beautiful. It's fits the story so well and is so eye catching and gorgeous that I just can't stop looking at it. As almost always, it was the very first thing that attracted me to the book. How could I not be interested in a book with a cover like that?

And then the name. As soon as I saw the name, I knew it had to have something to do with the headless horseman and Sleepy Hollow. Please tell me that I'm not the only person in the world that automatically thinks of Ichabod, Sleepy Hollow and it's bloodthirsty hessian when they hear or see the word Crane.

Although I (hate to admit it) wasn't a huge fan of the original The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, I've always found the story fascinating and loved anything related to it.  Crane definitely lived up to my expectations and did way more for me than Irving (the writer, not the character) ever did.

It was so fascinating to see how Rourke twisted and weaved each character into the legend and how they each had their very own role to play in the story, how each one of them brought some different element to the events that were occurring.

This is definitely one of those books that I would read again and again. It's creepy and beautiful and pulls you in and doesn't let go.  I loved the way we were able to go back and forth, to experience Ireland in the modern day but also witness the legend of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman as it originally played out years before Ireland arrived in Sleepy Hollow.

The book just had such a neat twist on the original story and I loved it just as much as I thought I would.  I read the eBook version of it, but I definitely plan on buying a physical copy of it just to have on my shelf.

The next book, Raven, has to do with my favorite writer ever, Edgar Allan Poe, so I'm super, super excited to see how Rourke is going to twist this new tale.  So excited!

Rating: 5 Stars.
Character: Ireland, Rip & Noah.