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Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Release Day Blitz: The Singing River by R.K. Ryals


The Singing River

Release Date – August 4, 2013
NA Contemporary
By R.K. Ryals
Cover Design By Regina Wamba of Mae I Design and Photography



Synopsis:

In Mississippi, there's a legend about a Singing River, a tragic love story that ended with an entire Indian tribe singing a death chant as they marched stoically into the Pascagoula River to die ...

At eighteen, Haven Ambrose isn't just a high school graduate. In her head, she's an aspiring writer, a traveler, a chef, a slayer of injustice, an astronomer, an archaeologist, and the love child of a famous, rich musician. But reality is harsher. Reality is overdue bills, a crumbling trailer, an absent father, an old addiction, and a hot, crushing summer that may end in disappointment.

For twenty year-old River Brayden, life seems good, but appearances can be deceiving. The oldest son of a wealthy family, he has finished his first year at Harvard to return home for the summer only to discover his younger brother headed down an unforgiving road.

They will be drawn together by a song. For during the late summer, they say the Pascagoula death chant can still be heard near the Singing River. Its call is haunting, its chant a testament of love and sacrifice. It calls to some ... beckoning.

Add The Singing River To Your TBR List on Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18132842-the-singing-river
 

My review for: The Singing River by R.K. Ryals
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars (if I could give it more I would!)
Shanna Roberson



First let me say that it is no secret that I adore this writer. I can say without a doubt that she is my all-time favorite author, out of both big press and indie. Her ability to capture your full attention with uniqueness and never let go is a rarity in such a growing genre. With that said, The Singing River is her best work yet! It’s haunting, brutally honest and beautifully heartfelt. Being her debut in NA/Contemporary Romance genre, it is nothing short of brilliant.


Haven Ambrose has been her mother’s rock for as long as she could remember. Even at eighteen years old, she works hard to keep them both a float. When her dad left, she knew that there was a difference between her wants and their responsibilities. Craving something more, but knowing that would only come if she could make sure her mom would be okay without her around. This summer was going to either make her or break her…


River Brayden knows all about responsibilities. As the eldest son of a wealthy family, there are certain expectations of him. Even more so now that his father was brutally murdered. With only a year of Harvard under his belt, twenty year old, River is called home to try and reach his troubled younger brother before it is too late.


In the heat of summer, brought together by local folklore; a girl from the other side of the tracks, a boy with everything but what he truly wants and a legend of a tragic love that ended in the death of entire tribe…this summer would change everything. Because the death chant that is said to heard across the Singing River is more than just a legend. It will be their awakening…


The amount of emotion that this book wrenched from me is staggering. Ms. Ryals has this uncanny gift for making you fall madly in love with her characters. When they cried, I did too. There were actually times where I had to stop reading because the heartbreak was so real. She got a few ugly cries out of me with this one.  It’s hauntingly beautiful and real. It is easily one of my favorite reads this year. Bravo, R. K Ryals….you did it again. There isn’t a genre out there that you couldn’t write and write well.


Excerpt:


I stepped toward her. “You have a way of making people relate to you.”
She snorted. “I doubt that.”
I was in front of her now, my face peering down into hers. “Really, you do. A few hours of knowing you feels like days.”
“Sounds tiresome,” she teased.
“It’s a gift,” I countered.
There were sudden lines in her forehead, a troubled look in her eye. “Some might call it a curse,” she murmured. “By the end of this trip, you’ll want me gone.”
It was my turn to frown, my gaze studying her face. She had green eyes so dark they could be mistaken for brown and lashes so long they almost touched her brows. True, she was more willowy than curvy, but she was beautiful in an understated, elegant kind of way. The faint freckles on the bridge of her nose drove me crazy.
“Why do you think that?” I asked.
There was something stark and open about her eyes when she answered, “Because I am better at being abandoned than I am at keeping people.”



About The Author:

R. K. Ryals is a scatterbrained mother of three whose passion is reading whatever she can get her hands on. She makes her home in Mississippi with her husband, three daughters, a Shitzsu named Tinkerbell, and a coffeepot she couldn't live without.

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Branded Blog Tour & Review




 
Title: Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
Genre: YA Dystopian Romance
Series: Book One of the Sinners Series
ARC provided by NetGalley
 
Summary:
Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadliest sins were the downfall of our society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me.   I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home.
Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.
Now, every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.
The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.
 
 
 
My review for: Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Shanna Roberson
 
Amazing. Fantastic. Heart-pumping, and brutal. These are just some of the words I would use to describe this very original dystopian novel. Heartbreaking at times and addictive from page one; Branded is one hell of a ride and it is one I will take over and over again. The depth of this story and how many twists and turns there are in it, it is a must read for any book lover. Even if this isn’t your usual genre, this book is a game changer! Trust me…you want to read this book!
 
In a world where justice lies in a single tyrant, the ‘guilty’ are marked and wrote off. These people are known as Sinners and their marks are a constant reminder that no one is safe and when you are marked you are forever convicted of that sin. There are seven deadly sins, each represented by a color and a discrimination. Instead of a prison system, they are nearly worked to death in the same matter as slaves would be. There is no justice when one man rules them all.
 
Lexi Hamilton has given up. There is nothing good left in the world now that her father was dead and she was more than ready to die along with him, but moments before she could commit suicide, they came for her. To mark her a whore even if the ruling was lie. She is sentenced to the Hole for the rest of her days.
 
Completely broken, she doesn’t fight back. What’s the point? No one can escape the Commander or his sadistic guards and what’s waiting for her in the Hole will change her whole life and possibly even her soul.
 
Cole is assigned to protect Lexi at all costs. When a beautiful girl is marked with LUST, there is nowhere that is safe for her. She is looked at as flesh and nothing more. And it doesn’t make his job any easier. To make matters worse, the more he learns about her the harder it becomes to disconnect from her. There is a pull there and it scares the hell out of them both. In a world where love is forbidden between the two castes, will they be able to deny the truth? Will there finally be a way to overthrow the Commander and save what’s left of humanity?
 
I cannot stress enough how truly incredible Branded is especially for a debut novel. Being unique in every way, I can honestly say you have never read anything quite like this before. With its vivid imagery both brutal and beautiful, Lexi’s story pulls you in and doesn’t let go until the very end and even then you are left wanting more. Bravo, Abi and Missy! This is clearly going to be a bestseller!
 

Authors Bio:
 
Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.
Links:
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Review Tour: Tempest by the Incredible R.K. Ryals

 
 
Tempest : The Scribes of Medeisia Book II
Drastona Cover Model: Jennifer Lowe
Photography: Audrey Welch Photography
Cover Art: LLPIX Photography
Stock Art: 123rf
 
 
BLURB:
 
We must overcome and prevail ...
 
King Raemon is slaughtering tattooed scribes and mages, forcing them into hiding. All marked and those associated with them are destroyed. The people are desperate. Months after challenging Raemon, the marked rebels of Medeisia must rise against their bloodthirsty king or chance being annihilated.
 
Sixteen year-old Drastona Consta-Mayria is the prophesied phoenix of peace, desperate to be a leader for her people despite her reservations. Following the lead of a scarred and forgotten prince, Drastona will embark on a journey with an unlikely band of rebels and a dragon across a cursed desert to bring down a king and save a kingdom.
 
 
My review for: Tempest by R.K. Ryals
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Shanna Roberson
 
Where to start? I am seriously at a loss for words to describe what I just read. Nothing I could come up with could adequately capture the emotion Ms. Ryals has wretched from me with these words. I have said it before, but R.K. Ryals is one of the greatest storytellers I have ever read. The world she has created in the Scribes of Medeisia universe is dark, fierce and beautiful. There is nothing else like it.
 
Stone and Kye along with the other Rebels find themselves pushed to far this time. The insanity of one King threatens all they love and believe in. If he wants a war, they are ready to give it to him.
 
But if they are going to have a fighting chance and the numbers to overtake the mad King, they need allies. Powerful allies like the Sadeemians. Knowing that the King of Medeisia is targeting them next, it is the best shot they have to overthrowing the King.
 
Facing the cruelty of the Ardus and the possibility that even if they survive the desert, the King of Sadeemia could refuse to see them. Even still, it is the best chance to set their people free from Raemon’s tyranny. So Stone, Kye, Lochlen, Oran the wolf, and three other Rebels set off to do the impossible.
 
And when all hope seems lost and the catastrophes seem too great, will they still feel the price of freedom worth the loss? Will the Phoenix of prophecy rise from the ashes? Or will it all be for naught?
 
Ms. Ryals ability to make her readers lose themselves within her pages is unlike any other I have ever encountered. It’s breathtaking, heart-pounding and devastatingly beautiful. I would have never thought anything could beat Mark of the Mage’s intensely addictive story, but Tempest is the best yet. I adored it and if you are looking for a uniquely haunting story of survival, this series is for you. Bravo, R.K.! I am speechless at your talent and I am forever a fan.
 
 
Excerpt:
 
One corner of Kye’s lips quirked upward, his hand taking mine. He turned it over, his fingers playing slowly across my palm. I should have pulled away, but I didn’t.
 
“You will never change, will you, Stone? You will never accept that some must be lost for much to be gained.”
 
I shook my head, my eyes on his fingers as they traced the lines of my hands. It was a curious sensation, and warmth unfurled in the pit of my stomach, lighting a fire that heated every corner of my body.
 
“Should I change?” I whispered hoarsely.
 
Kye’s smile grew. “No, you keep us balanced. I keep the rebels fighting for freedom, and you keep us all humble.”
 
I forced my eyes away from my palm. How was I supposed to think when he was drawing shapes like that on my skin? I tugged on my hand. Kye refused to let go.
 
“You’ve forgiven me,” he stated.
 
It wasn’t a question, and his boldness with my hand made me bold as well. I lifted my free hand, reaching tentatively for his face. He watched me, his eyes alert, his breathing stilled.
 
My finger touched the scar on his temple, and he exhaled, his eyes closing. The fingers he’d been drawing circles with on my palm froze.
 
“So many scars,” I breathed. “You had enough without my hatred.”
 
 
 
 
About the Author
 
 
Born in Jackson, Mississippi, R. K. Ryals is a scatterbrained mother of three whose passion is reading whatever she can get her hands on. She makes her home in Mississippi with her husband, three daughters, a Shitzsu named Tinkerbell, and a coffeepot she couldn't live without. Visit her at www.rkryals.com.
 
 
 
Stalker Links
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday, May 12, 2013

A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper

 

A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper
Genre: Humorous Paranormal
Series: Half Moon Hollow #3
Release Date: May 28th 2013
 
 
Blurb taken from Goodreads:
 
 
Nola Leary would have been content to stay in Kilcairy, Ireland, healing villagers at her family’s clinic with a mix of magic and modern medicine. But a series of ill-timed omens and a deathbed promise to her grandmother have sent her on a quest to Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky, to secure her family’s magical potency for the next generation. Her supernatural task? To unearth four artifacts hidden by her grandfather before a rival magical family beats her to it.

Complication One: Her grandfather was Mr. Wainwright and the artifacts are lost somewhere in what is now Jane Jameson's book shop.
 
Complication Two: her new neighbor, Jed Trudeau, who keeps turning up half naked at the strangest times, a distraction Nola doesn't need. And teaming up with a real-life Adonis is as dangerous as it sounds, especially when he’s got the face of an angel and the abs of a washboard—can Nola complete her mission before falling completely under his spell?
 
 

My review for: A Witch's Handbook of Kisses & Curses by Molly Harper
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Shanna Roberson
 

Before I begin this review, let me say that Molly Harper is my go to writer when I really need a smile and a chuckle. Her snarky sense of humor is one of a kind and it gets me every time.
 
A Witch's Handbook of Kisses & Curses is no exception. It is a heartfelt, feel good paranormal romance that had me giggling to the end. With many twists and turns, it was one I had to force myself to put down but that is no surprise to me. I devour all of Molly’s books, normally in one sitting if pesky things like dinner or sleep aren’t getting in the way.  
 
In true Half Moon Hollow fashion, not everyone is what they seem. And when you get a witch, some very snarky vampires, a centuries old supernatural feud and mix them up in the Hollow? You get a very addictive, feel good read that is impossible to put down!
 
Molly Harper never disappoints and I hope to see more of Nola and Jed in the future! I just adore Jane and the gang and this is one universe I will never get enough of. If you haven't read this author, you are missing out on one of the best Paranormal Romance writers out there.
 
Here is Molly Harper's Links:
 
 
 



 
 
 

 
 

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Patagonia: City of Ghosts by Rue Volley & Madison Daniel

 
My review for: Patagonia: City of Ghosts by Rue Volley & Madison Daniel
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Shanna Roberson
 
 Forgive me…I need a moment to gather myself. Before I start this review, let me say I am a hardcore Sci-Fi geek. From shows like Battlestar Galactica to books like Ender’s Game by  Orson Scott Card. Patagonia is right up there with the best of them.
 
Imagine living your life in an endless hellish world and fighting to survive every day just to wake up the next day and do it all again. This what Paige lives with every day since the Invaders’ took over earth. In just seven days, the world had changed and nothing would ever be the same.
 
Until a conformation with other rogues and enters Fin; a beautiful boy that was untouched by the unrelenting sun and dirt. With him, nothing will ever be the same again. With him, Paige realizes that her world is not what it seems.
 
I am in awe by the amazing chemistry between Rue Volley and Madison Daniel. Each author on their own are phenomenal artists but together, they are pure fire and nothing short of extraordinary.
 
From page one, I was pulled into this dystopia unlike any other. With a jaw-dropping ending that left me breathless, Patagonia is easily my new favorite Sci-Fi series and I can’t wait for the next installment. Just an amazing read. Be on the lookout for it on May 18th!
 
 
Stalker links for the authors:
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, May 3, 2013

Khelsey Jackson's Kallos Review Tour Presented by Nevermore PR

 
 
 
 
Kallos’ Blurb:


Kallos is a shy sixteen year old girl unready to face the world, but when she meets Ian and Sean Hunter the world will open up for her. Secrets revealed are too much to bear and her past life as a goddess, unimaginable. A visit from the goddess Aphrodite, Kallos is told her soul mate must be found or her life will be forfeit. Kallos desperate to find her one true match has discovered she may have two possibilities. Kallos has a choice to make and her decisions may have life ending consequences.


 
Author’s Bio:

Khelsey hails from the Sunshine State (California) but moved to Minnesota when she was 11 years old. Her grandmother raised her and her brother. When she was 18 she did what any sane teen would do and moved to the city of sin, Las Vegas NV. There she met her handsome husband and the rest is history. She loves to read, and will read almost anything guess when you have read just about everything, the only next logical step is to write.
 
Stalk Her Links: