Rainy Days and Pajamas: November 2015

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving!

The graphics in this post have been Designed by Freepik but edited by me to fit my content.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Excerpt & $50 Giveaway: Perfectly Imperfect by Harper Sloan

Meet Willow and Kane in the newest stand alone by Harper Sloan!

NOW AVAILABLE on the following retailers:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Nook | iBooks

Blurb

Mirror, mirror ... who's the fairest of them all?

I still cringe when I hear that line. A fairy tale that had girls pretending they were the fairest, the most beautiful, and the most entitled. A fairy tale most couldn't grow out of turned my haunted childhood memories into a living nightmare. Girls who grew up believing that pile of garbage became the meanest of all 'mean girls.'

And those mean girls were right - it was a line meant for all the beautiful people in the world - and I knew the answer would never be me.

The women with long legs, flat stomachs, and perfect chests.

The type of women Kane Masters gravitated toward.

Well, that's definitely not Willow Tate.

No. That will never be me.

Because I'm completely imperfect.

And ... I hate myself.

I have no idea what Kane could possibly see in someone like me when he could have them.

Excerpt

“Are you nervous right now?”

I nod.

“Tell me why.” His demand, steady and calm, gives me the courage I need to tell him. To open a vein and bleed my insecurities.

“I’m not perfect,” I whisper.

“And neither am I, Willow. I don’t want perfect. What so many see as perfect, to me, is fake. Perfect isn’t achievable naturally. No one, and I mean no one, is perfect.”

I’m shaking my head before he’s even done speaking, but one long finger comes up and presses against my lips before I can speak.

“No, let me finish. There isn’t beauty in perfection. It’s as fake as the image the word projects. Beauty is found in imperfection, Willow, because to admit you’re not perfect means you’re admitting you’re not whole and absolute. When I think of myself, I see someone willing to admit he’s as far from complete as it gets because, in order to get to that perfection, I need to find the other part of me who will make my life better. To take all the faults I have and fill them, and only then will I be there. You see, the way I see it, the only way to become perfect is to find that perfectly imperfect person who brings it out of you.”

When he stops, I swear I might have stopped breathing. How am I supposed to respond to that?

“Do you trust me?” he asks, his voice strong and sure.

“Yes, Kane. Nerves or not, I do.”

“Then let me show you what I see when I look at you.”

He brings his hands up, framing my face once again in a way I’m quickly becoming addicted to the feeling of. His warm eyes implore, begging me without words to let him continue. I do not intend to stop him, regardless of the butterflies currently taking over my system. I’m all in.

About the Author:

Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed 'Estrogen Ocean', much to her husband’s chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero--the super alpha kind!

Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn't take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

GIVEAWAY

$50 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

THANK YOU!

Friday, November 20, 2015

Promo: Rarity From The Hollow by Robert Eggleton

Title: Rarity From The Hollow
Author: Robert Eggleton
Available In: eBook & Print.
Released: March 16th, 2012

Summary:

Rarity from the Hollow is adult literary science fiction with content that addresses social issues. Written in the colloquial voice of an eleven year old going on two million, this novel is not for the prudish, fainthearted or easily offended. It is a Children’s Story for Adults. Lacy Dawn is not a typical little girl, and if you think of her as such, you may be shocked. Lacy Dawn lives in a hollow with her worn-out mom, her Iraq War disabled dad, and her mutt Brownie, a dog who’s becoming very skilled at laying fiber optic cable. Lacy Dawn’s android boyfriend, for when she’s old enough to have one, has come to the hollow with a mission. He was sent by the Manager of the Mall on planet Shptiludrp (Shop ’till You Drop) to recruit Lacy Dawn. If she saves the Universe, Earth would be designated as a planet which is eligible for continued existence. Will Lacy Dawn’s magic enable her to save the universe, Earth, and, most importantly, her own family?

Amazon | Amazon UK | Dog Horn Publishing | GoodReads | Facebook Page

Excerpt

Rarity from the Hollow Excerpt, Chapter 2,

Recess

……Designated to be consolidated, the school received little maintenance except to reduce liability. The playground had a chain link fence with vines growing through the diagonals, squeaky swings so loud that everyone on recess had to holler, and two teeter-totters with splinters that targeted fresh butt. Only one improvement had been added during the last three years of consolidation controversy. Pieces of shredded car tires were put under the monkey bars to cushion falls.
During recess, the teachers smoked cigarettes behind the corner of the brick school building. It was a designated smoking spot so that students wouldn't be exposed to bad influence. Consequently, the playground was without adult supervision.
"Why do you want to feel angry so often?" Lacy Dawn (the eleven year old protagonist) asked Faith (Lacy Dawn’s best friend and classmate).
"Why not?"
"It messes up your digestion and gives you the farts."
"I like to fart – silent and deadly," Faith said.
"I've noticed." Lacy Dawn moved toward the gang hanging out under the monkey bars. They were older kids who lived on the hard road and who had parents who had been employed before the coal mine shut down. They still thought they had money.
"My dad got a call about a job in Cleveland. What do you think, Lacy Dawn? Your mommy was born there. Is it cool? Will I meet Eminem?" the tallest kid asked.
"Does your daddy still hit your mommy when he gets drunk?” Lacy Dawn asked.
"Sometimes, but what's that got to do with Cleveland?"
"Everything."
The tall kid grabbed the monkey bars and went to its end. His tip-toes touched the shredded tires. It was easier because the ground was several inches higher than before the shreds had been laid. Nobody acknowledged the achievement and all awaited his response. “When we get to Cleveland, I'll stand up to him. I promise,"
"You'd better or she'll know," Faith pointed at Lacy Dawn.
"I know." The tall kid sat on the rung that had broken off his front tooth two grades before.
"Why'd you tell him that?" Lacy Dawn whispered in Faith's ear. "I ain't got that kind of magic yet and you know it. I can only see inside people when they’re right in front of me. Cleveland’s a long way off and, besides, Eminem’s from Detroit."
Faith shrugged.
"My mom and dad don't ever hit me. Sometimes, I wish they would. I do stuff so they will, but it don't ever work," the next tallest kid in line for therapy disclosed.
"Parents use different styles of redirection. Yours use guilt." Lacy Dawn said.
"Yeah, I cut myself once. See. It helped a little, but I would really appreciate a switch every now and then."
"Don't fetish,” Lacy Dawn said. “Relax. You're a good kid and your parents want switched, too. It's not your daddy's fault that the mine shut down. He feels guilty about not being a good provider and gets rid of it by giving it to you." Lacy Dawn kissed the scar on the kid's arm above the bottom of his shirt sleeve.
The crowd went "Ooohhhh…" when the scar seemed to fade.
"You're a good doctor, Lacy Dawn," echoed the crowd.
"Next!" a kid who lay on top of the monkey bars above the gang yelled.
"Give me your shit, Ronny,” Lacy Dawn instructed. “But, don't you ever say anything bad about Faith ever again. I'll vex you into eternity. You've been giving her a hard time since the first grade. It ain't fair."
"Sorry,” Ronny said. “I'm just so sad all the time. I take it out on anybody that will react and she's an easy target – fat and ugly."
"Next year, she'll be hot. She'll give you a hard-on that won't go down for days. You'll regret every mean thing you ever said to her."
Faith moved into position to punch his exposed belly.
"I already regret everything," Ronny said, “everything.”
"Your parents thought if they taught you how to predict consequences of your behavior you would exercise self-control. You learned it too good and now you go over and over every little detail. Before you do something mean, just take a few slow, deep breaths and you won't hit anybody anymore. Then, you will have less regret. When you stop being mean, I'll help you fix your depression. But, if you ever say one mean thing about Faith again, I'll let her kick your ass like it's never been before," Lacy Dawn said.
"My mommy don't do nothing but watch soaps," a girl in the second said.
"Mine too," three smaller children gathered for wisdom.
Cigarette smoke formed a cloud that floated from around the corner of the building. Only one female teacher still had a husband and he had been jailed for manufacturing meth after their house caught on fire. It was another tidbit of conversation during an extra-long recess disallowed by the State Board of Education. Recess was the most productive part of the school day because of Lacy Dawn's magic way of helping
others.
"I wish I had a husband," the only male teacher employed by the school yelled loud enough for the kids to hear above the squeaky swings.
“There goes Mr. I’m Gay again,” a boy said.
“He’s so boring,” another said. The crowd nodded.
"I wish I could fix my own family," Lacy Dawn whispered to Faith.
"It's a kid's job to help her parents and any kid who don't ain't much of a kid and maybe don't even deserve to live!" Faith yelled louder than Mr. I’m Gay. It was her daily speech to classmates.
The school bell rang to return to the classrooms. Another fifteen minutes was left before compliance was expected. Several kids gathered tighter around the monkey bars to try to get attention from Lacy Dawn. The healthier ones played more or less organized dodge and kick ball games in opposite corners of the playground.
Like the center on a football team’s front line, Faith tried to look mean by grimacing and folding her arms. It was a body-guard-like role so the others used her as an avenue to Lacy Dawn by lining up. A first grader pulled down her shorts to show a blue bruise on her butt. Faith rolled her eyes and turned away. A fourth grader opened his mouth and pointed inside but Faith didn't look. A girl in the fifth who sat beside her in class pointed to her crotch. Tears streamed. Faith winced for a moment but screened her out by turning her head. Not today, Britney. Lacy Dawn only has so much magic at any given time. She needs to recharge. Everybody has issues and tissues. You can be first tomorrow.
A fight broke out in the far corner of the playground. The games stopped and the
kids rushed for the better entertainment. Lacy Dawn and Faith followed to get a good place to watch. The teachers saw the action and either returned to the building or gathered behind the crowd to bet on the winner.
"She called my mommy a HO," a second grader with a bloody nose accused a sixth grader and swung air.
"But she is. My daddy told me. I didn't mean to make you mad," the sixth grader tried to maintain a distance by stepping back. "I'm sorry. I don't even know what it means."
"A Ho is a person who has a lot of indiscriminant sex," the smartest girl in school except for Lacy Dawn said to show off. She put on her headphones and walked toward the school to prepare for the next spelling bee, which would include the word “indiscriminate.”
Faith picked up the dodge ball and beamed her in the back of the head.

About The Author

Robert Eggleton has served as a children's advocate in an impoverished state for over forty years. He is best known for his investigative reports about children’s programs, most of which were published by the West Virginia Supreme Court where he worked from 1982 through 1997, and which also included publication of models of serving disadvantaged and homeless children in the community instead of in large institutions, research into foster care drift involving children bouncing from one home to the next -- never finding a permanent loving family, and statistical reports on the occurrence and correlates of child abuse and delinquency. Today, he is a recently retired children's psychotherapist from the mental health center in Charleston, West Virginia, where he specialized in helping victims cope with and overcome physical and sexual abuse, and other mental health concerns. Rarity from the Hollow is his debut novel and its release followed publication of three short Lacy Dawn Adventures in magazines: Wingspan Quarterly, Beyond Centauri, and Atomjack Science Fiction. Author proceeds have been donated to a child abuse prevention program operated by Children’s Home Society of West Virginia. http://www.childhswv.org/ Robert continues to write fiction with new adventures based on a protagonist that is a composite character of children that he met when delivering group therapy services. The overall theme of his stories remains victimization to empowerment.

Website | Facebook

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Review: Eighteen (18) by JA Huss

Cover Source: GoodReads.com

Title: Eighteen (18)

Author: JA Huss

Version Reviewed: Finished, eBook

Website: www.jahuss.com

*I purchased this book myself.*

GoodReads Summary:

Eighteen is hard.
And so is Mateo Alesci.
He’s hard to read, hard to predict, hard in every way that counts. He wants things from me.
Dirty things, nasty things, forbidden things.
And I have to give in.
His attention is completely inappropriate, but I can’t say no. The way he looks at me… the way he watches me through my bedroom window… the way he drags me deeper and deeper into his completely forbidden fantasy world just… turns me on.
He knows it turns me on.
He holds all the power. He holds all the cards.
He holds my entire future in his hands.
And I have to give in.
Because Mr. Alesci is my teacher.

And I need everything he’s offering.

Review:
Alright, so I first heard about this book through the Shrike Bikes (Julie's fan group) and the subscriber newsletter. As soon I read the summary, I knew that it was a book that I was going to have to read. I can't help it. I'm a sucker for taboo, forbidden romances. Especially when they're hot and steamy and romantic. I like to read about difficult relationships and ones that really make you think and question things.

Eighteen was definitely one of those books. I'd be lying if I told you that I read this entire book and was perfectly fine with every single thing in it. I definitely wasn't. There were times when Mateo creeped me out. There were times when their relationship was a little too one sided for me. Time when I was really uncomfortable with the things that were happening. But I can also tell you something else.

I dropped everything else I was reading to read this book. One paragraph and I was hooked. I read over half of the book in one sitting and the only reason I stopped was because I knew that it was way too late and I needed to go to sleep or I would regret it. And then I laid there in bed, unable to sleep because I couldn't think about anything but what was going to happen next. The next day, I finished it as soon as I possibly could.

I know it may seem a little off-putting, reading a book that makes you uncomfortable at times, but I think that sometimes the best ones are supposed to do that. Sometimes really good books make us question our morals and make us wonder what we like and don't like. And sometimes, a really good book does have things that you don't like or that you're not comfortable with. And that's okay because that's how life is. Sometimes it isn't easy. But it's damn well worth it. And Eighteen was worth it for me.

I loved this book. Very rarely do I finish a book as quickly as I did this one and that really does have some measure to it. I'm not a fast reader but if you give me a book that I can't let go of... well, I don't let go of it until I'm finished.

Shannon and Mateo's story was really interesting and the things that Shannon had to deal with honestly broke my heart on occasion. I've seen some things while growing up, not necessarily the same things that she dealt with, but it was easy for me to imagine how she felt in certain situations and it didn't take much for me to empathize with her. I really enjoyed Shannon's character because she did have flaws. She made mistakes and sometimes she made the wrong decisions. But she had conviction. She meant the things that she said and she didn't do anything that she didn't want to do. I respected her character for that.

Eighteen was a great read.

Rating: 4 Stars.

Tour & Giveaway: Must Love Otters by Eliza Gordon

Must Love Otters by Eliza Gordon is an adult romantic comedy that is on sale on Amazon for only $0.99 until November 30th. Hollie Porter Builds a Raft, the second book, is now available for sale as well. It's a great time to start the series! To celebrate the sale we're also giving away a $25 Amazon gift card & audiobook CD of Must Love Otters!

Book Title: Must Love Otters

Author: Eliza Gordon

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Recommended Age: 17+

Release date: Oct. 29th, 2013

About the Book:

Hollie Porter is the chairwoman of Generation Disillusioned: at twenty-five years old, she’s saddled with a job she hates, a boyfriend who’s all wrong for her, and a vexing inability to say no. She’s already near her breaking point, so when one caller too many kicks the bucket during Hollie’s 911 shift, she cashes in the Sweethearts’ Spa & Stay gift certificate from her dad and heads to Revelation Cove, British Columbia. One caveat: she’s going solo. Any sweethearts will have to be found on site.

Hollie hopes to find her beloved otters in the wilds of the Great White North, but instead she’s providing comic relief for staff and guests alike. Even Concierge Ryan, a former NHL star with bad knees and broken dreams, can’t stop her from stumbling from one (mis)adventure to another. Just when Hollie starts to think that a change of venue doesn’t mean a change in circumstances, the island works its charm and she starts to think she might have found the rejuvenation she so desperately desires. But then an uninvited guest crashes the party, forcing her to step out of the discomfort zone where she dwells and save the day … and maybe even herself in the process.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | iBookstore

***

Hollie Porter Builds a Raft is now available for sale!

raft (noun): when two or more otters rest together,

often holding hands, so they don’t drift apart

Hollie Porter has put her old gig as a 911 operator and sad single girl in an attic-bound box, right where it belongs. She’s rebounded nicely from her run-in with Chloe the Cougar in the wilds of British Columbia, and this new life alongside concierge-in-shining-armor Ryan Fielding? Way more fun. After relocating to Ryan’s posh resort at Revelation Cove, Hollie embarks on an all-new adventure as the Cove’s wildlife experience educator, teaching guests and their kids about otters and orca and cougars, oh my.

When darling Ryan gets down on one NHL-damaged knee and pops the question of a lifetime, Hollie realizes this is where the real adventure begins. It’s all cake tasting, flower choosing, and dress fittings until a long-lost family member shows up at the Cove and threatens to hijack her shiny new life, forcing Hollie to redefine what family means to her. What is she willing to sacrifice to have one of her very own?

As Ryan’s words echo in her head—“Our raft, our rules”—Hollie has to face facts: a raft isn’t always tied together with blood and genetics. Sometimes it’s secured by love and loyalty… and occasional help from the clever creatures that call Revelation Cove home.

***

About the author

Eliza Gordon has excellent taste in books, shoes, movies, and friends, and questionable sanity in the realm of love. Best leave that one alone. In real life, she’s an editor, mom, wife, and bibliophile and proud parent of one very spoiled tuxedo cat. Eliza writes stories to help you believe in the Happily Ever After; Jennifer Sommersby, her other self, writes YA and is repped by Daniel Lazar at Writers House.

GET IN TOUCH:

Website | Facebook | Twitter @eliza_gordon | Tumblr

***

GIVEAWAY:

$25 Amazon Gift Card

Must Love Otters audiobook CD

Open Worldwide

Ends November 30th, 2015

Prizing is provided by the author. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Review: Vinyl Chalkboard Labels & Chalk Marker

I received this product for free in exchange for an honest review.

Hey guys! So today I'm sharing a review with you that kind of goes hand in hand with the Liquid Chalk Markers post that I did a little while ago. I couldn't have been happier with that product so I'm excited to bring this awesome product to the blog as well!

THE PRODUCT

Photo Source: Amazon.com

As described on Amazon:

ORGANIZE - your spices, jelly, jam or any other mason jars or boxes with stylish 8 different designs for your choice. Easily write and tag with a reversible tip (chisel / bullet) marker.
OUTSTANDING DURABILITY - dishwasher and refrigerator safe - put your jars in the dishwasher and bottles in the refrigerator without worrying about the stickers to peel off.
REUSABLE - Eco Friendly and removable glue makes it effortless to wipe off, Peel and Re-stick (if needed), then re-write and label something new.
BONUS - any chalk will do... But YOU get our premium liquid chalk pen as a bundle... no extra charge

Amazon Price: $13.42

Avg. Customer Rating: 5 Stars.

Purchase on Amazon

REVIEW

I was super excited to receive this product for review. I’ve always wanted to put my flour, sugar, and cornmeal in glass jars with cute little chalkboard labels straight out of the heart of Pinterest. I knew I had to jump at the chance because not only were these chalkboard labels but they were reusable chalkboard labels. You can basically just peel and stick them to whatever you want.

I was so happy when they came in. They were nicely packaged in a plastic pocket and there were exactly 48 labels. They peel off super easily and are not complicated at all. They stuck onto my jars super well and held on great. I haven't had any problems with any of them peeling off or coming unstuck.

These labels really are great and I'm glad that so many of them came in the package because I find myself figuring out things and places I can stick them. :)

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Release Blitz: Perfectly Imperfect by Harper Sloan

Meet Willow and Kane in the newest stand alone by Harper Sloan!

NOW AVAILABLE on the following retailers:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Nook | iBooks

Blurb

Mirror, mirror ... who's the fairest of them all?I still cringe when I hear that line. A fairy tale that had girls pretending they were the fairest, the most beautiful, and the most entitled. A fairy tale most couldn't grow out of turned my haunted childhood memories into a living nightmare. Girls who grew up believing that pile of garbage became the meanest of all 'mean girls.'And those mean girls were right - it was a line meant for all the beautiful people in the world - and I knew the answer would never be me.The women with long legs, flat stomachs, and perfect chests.The type of women Kane Masters gravitated toward.Well, that's definitely not Willow Tate.No. That will never be me.Because I'm completely imperfect.And ... I hate myself.I have no idea what Kane could possibly see in someone like me when he could have them.

About the Author

Website | Facebook | Twitter

THANK YOU!

Monday, November 16, 2015

Indulgence Release Week Blast

Stay warm as the weather turns cool with four hot new Indulgence novels from your favorite authors!

Beauty and the Boss by Diane Alberts

Researcher Maggie Donovan has no luck with men, and it doesn't help that she can't keep her eyes off of her sexy boss – the one everyone else in the office calls The Beast. Relationships in the office are forbidden. So no one is more surprised than Maggie when she pretends to be his fiancée to save him during a difficult situation. Not only has she put her job on the line, but the future of the company.

Billionaire Benjamin Gale III doesn’t believe in love or romance, but the look on his mother’s face when Maggie tells her that she’s his fiancée is worth millions. Instead of firing her for her insubordination, he goes along with the ruse. In his arms–and in his bed–she’d be everything he could ever want…which is why he can’t have her.

But if he doesn’t let her go, they’ll lose everything…

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Blurring the Lines by Marisa Cleveland

Real estate development CEO Blake Whitman is an Aquarius with a philanthropic nature, but when it comes to work, he's driven and focused, and he would never, ever mix business with pleasure. As far as he's concerned, office romance is off the table.

He also never backs down from a challenge, and Kira Layton just accused him of ruining the community. What better way to get her on his side than to hire her?

But the more he tells himself to keep his hands off his new, sexy secretary, the harder it is for him to come up with reasons why office romances never work and why it's a bad idea to cross the line…

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

The Billionaire’s Christmas Proposal by Victoria James

She’s everything he wants for Christmas…

Social worker Allison Barrington’s home went up in smoke, literally, a month before Christmas. Now the guardian of her teenage sister and a crazy pup, she shows up on the doorstep of the only man in the city she can trust. Resisting Ethan Dane had never been easy, but luckily, Allie isn’t into cutthroat playboy businessmen. And Ethan is as driven as they come.

Ethan Dane has wanted Allie since the moment he laid eyes on her at their best friends’ wedding. Having her in his home is the perfect chance to prove to her that their chemistry can’t be denied, but when he finds out that the biggest business coup of his career means destroying the youth center where Allie works, Ethan is forced to decide what kind of man he wants to be…

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

The Greek’s Stowaway Bride by Alexia Adams

Egyptian heiress Rania Ghalli is desperate to free her political prisoner uncle before it’s too late. Hoping to make it to North Africa, she stows away on the yacht of Greek millionaire Demetri Christodoulou. But when Egyptian agents board the boat, she can either jump overboard…or claim she’s Demetri’s new bride.

Tired of being no more than the bastard disgrace to the Christodoulou name, Demetri intends to build a luxury resort below his grandfather’s house so the old man has no choice but to acknowledge that Demetri has made something of himself. But first, he needs a wife to complete the land purchase.

With Rania now at his mercy, a plan comes together. He’ll play along, protecting her and helping to free her uncle, but in exchange, he demands a real marriage. But keeping the vivacious heiress out of his heart will be a lot harder than keeping her on his ship…

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Plus, you can grab this reissued novella just in time for the holidays!

Secret Santa Baby by Robin Covington

Tessa Stoneman hasn’t been able to get long-time friend and business partner Nicholas Boone out of her head since they shared a single kiss in college. Even when she dated Nicholas’s best friend. Now that she’s giving up her position at GameNerdz to strike out on her own—and now that she’s single—maybe it’s the right time to see if there’s still something between them.

Nicholas knows once Tessa leaves the company she helped found, they might drift apart. Before she starts her own company in the new year, he wants to woo the woman he fell in love with during college. So he poses as her Secret Santa, gifts her with items from the song “Santa Baby,” and plans a big reveal at the company holiday party. But when his best friend wants to rekindle his romance with Tessa, will Nicholas lose his last chance?