martedì 28 febbraio 2017

Review & Giveaway: The Second Time Around by Ella Quinn


The Second Time Around
by Ella Quinn

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GENRE: Historical Romance

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BLURB:

Can a beautiful Worthington widow find love again? Depends on who’s asking . . .

Before he died, Patience was the Earl of Worthington’s second wife. So why shouldn’t Patience be allowed a second chance at marriage, too? Of course, finding a new husband was not something the mother of four had ever planned on. But a surprise encounter with her first love has suddenly made the impossible seem possible all over again . . .

It seems like a lifetime ago that Richard, Viscount Wolverton, was halfway around the world, looking for adventure . . . while Patience, at her coming-out, was left with no choice but to take old Worthington’s hand. Richard never forgot the woman whose heart he yearned for—and now that he’s back, he’s not going to let her slip away again . . .

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My Review:

I love historical novels and Ella Quinn in particular, her stories are original and very engaging. I really loved this story of love between two people no longer young.
Richard and Patience were in love but he felt the need to travel and know the world. When he returned she was going to marry the Earl of Worthington and her parents didn't allow him to approach her. Now she is a widow and free to fall in love again, even though she lives with her stepson because  her daughters are under his protection. If she marry again will have to leave them to live with him. Who can marry a widow with four daughters if not her first love? But worth the risk of losing her daughters forever?
The protagonists are well characterized, adorable, believable, and their attraction to each other sizzled. I loved them from the first page. 
It can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading the series in order to better appreciate the plot.
An engaging, delightful and brilliant Regency Romance of a second chance in love.



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EXCERPT:

Patience gasped. Not loudly, she was much too self-contained to draw attention to herself. But Richard could feel her pulse jump, and he was pleased that he still had the ability to shake her calm, to make her react to him. He wondered if her old husband had been able to command her attention in the same way. The corners of his lips twitched. Probably not. Whether she knew it or not, she was his and always had been.

If only he hadn’t been such an idiot. Who forgets the year of his beloved’s come out? A young man who had traveled halfway across the world looking for adventure, that was who. By the time he had returned home, it was just days before her marriage to Lord Worthington. He had argued with her father to be able to see her, but it was as if her parents had locked her in the house. When they’d traveled to Town for the wedding, he had followed. However, his pains had been to no avail. Neither her mother nor father was going to let him ruin their plans for Pae. After all, an earl outranked the heir to a viscount. There was also the scandal that would ensue if she broke the betrothal just days before the nuptials. He would not have cared, but he was the only one. Even his parents would have been appalled if Pae jilted Worthington for Richard.

Too late. That is what everyone had told him. But he wasn’t too late now.


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them. She has just finished her first series, The Marriage Game, and her new series, The Worthingtons, began in April 2016.

 She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, and a dog. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat cruising the Caribbean and North America. Europe is next!

    

Buy Link:

 


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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE


Ella will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

2017 Steampunk Reading Challenge


Challenge Guidlines:

  1. This challenge will run from January 1st, 2017 to December 31st, 2017. Signups will be open until December 1st, 2017.
  2. Anyone can enter, as long as you are posting your reviews/book talks somewhere that you can link to them. Whether that is on your blog, Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon, etc.
  3. Rereads are allowed as long as you have a review/book talk to go along with that for the 2017 year.
  4. The link ups for each quarter will go live on the first day of each quarter. And they will be open until the next link up is live.
  5. Use #2017SRC on social media to show off your updates for the challenge and of course to make more friends!

Levels:

1-5 – Shipmate
6-10 – Navigator
11-15 – Mortician
15-20 – Electrologist
21-25 – Aetherist
26+ – Aeronaut
I'm going for Shipmate Level 


lunedì 27 febbraio 2017

2017 SPOOKS, HOWLS, AND FANGS Reading Challenge

Hosted by Renee at Addicted to Romance.


This is a reading challenge for those fun and sexy PNR reads. This is a way for us to challenge ourselves to read more books with those creatures of the night that we can’t get enough of. This can include many variety of options for you. Whether it be vampires, shape shifters, ghosts, demons, fae, gargoyles and more!! You get to choose what you read, the only stipulation is that it has to be romance.

CHALLENGE DETAILS
  • 5 books minimum to read
  • Must have paranormal aspects, and the focus must be a romance.
  • No limits on the type of book: whether it be audio, printed or e book. ARC’s are also included
  • Re reads can be part of the challenge.
  • Any reader can change their level, if needed.
  • Keep track of your progress through Goodreads and/or your personal blog or website.
LEVELS
  • 5-15 Books- A Shifter Cub Taking Risks In The Forests
  • 20-40- A 200 year old vampire Seeking Blood In The Dark Of Night
  • 50-70 A Shifter Wolf Finding His Mate
  • 80+ An Alpha Leader Bulletproof When It Comes To His Pack

I'm choosing 5-15 Books- A Shifter Club Taking Risks In The Forests

domenica 26 febbraio 2017

OLDIE BUT A GOODIE READING CHALLENGE 2017

This is a challenge hosted by Renee at Addicted to Romance




This challenge is to try out those books that were published before 2008. This challenge is to be centered around historical romance.  There are many wonderful romance that have become forgotten or not top priority. This is a way for those to discover those hidden gems. Any of these books can be from your aging TBR pile or they can be recently added to your wishlists. Any historical romance published before 2008 counts.

CHALLENGE DETAILS
  • Choose at least 5 books…Minimum.
  • Only romance books, and must have been published before 2008.
  • Must be a historical romance, but no limits to any time period or sub genre.
  • Click HERE to sign up!!!

LEVELS
  • 5-10 Books-The Newbie Looking For Swoon Worthy Adventure.
  • 11-20-Seeking Passion on the High Seas.
  • 30-45- The Pirate, Scot, and Duchess of Love
  • 50-100+ Full Era Traveler of Romance and Passion.

I have chosen Seeking Passion on the High Seas

Author Love Challenge 2017


The Rules

  • Pick an author that you love and wish you’d read more of their books
  • Set a goal to read x number of books by that author by the end of the year. You can make your goal to read all their books, but all we ask is that your goal be at least 5.
  • Announce your participation, author, and goal in a blog post, goodreads post, FB post, etc. and link up below.
  • Have fun finally catching up with a favorite author!
I have chosen Philippa Gregory

I would like to read
The Constant Princess
The Queen's Fool 
The Virgin's Lover
The White Queen
The Lady Of The River
The Kingmaker's Daughter
The White Princess



2017 Bookish Resolutions Challenge


2017 Resolutions Challenge hosted by Laura @ trips down imagination road and Michelle @Because Reading.

You can sign up HERE anytime between December 1st to March 1st, the challenge starts January 1st and ends December 31st. The 2017 Bookish Resolutions Challenge is about setting New Years Resolutions for reading, blogging, and writing.

Reading Goals:
  • Read up to 15 books per month.
  • Finish at least 6 series.
  • Complete at least 15 reading chiallenge this year.
  • Join in at least 3 read-a-thons
  • Get my NetGalley percentage up to 80%.
  • Read 2 Classic book per month
  • Read 1 book by Agatha Christie per month.
  • Read 3 books a month that were on my Kindle at the beginning of the year 
Blogging Goals
  • Write up at least 3 reviews a week.
  • Join a book meme every day.
  • Join a book tag per week
  • Review at least 15 arc review copies that I received prior to this year
  • Create a Blog/Review Schedule
  • Participate in the Blog Ahead Challenge to get 30 posts ahead.
  • Update Review and Challenge pages once a month.
  • Cross post all reviews to Amazon and Goodreads
Personal:
  • Open a channel on youtube and upload at least one video per month
  • Try out some resin creations
  • Try to do some scrapbooking projects
  • Decorate every week at least one planner
I'll start from March 1, 2017

sabato 25 febbraio 2017

Read Scotland Reading Challenge 2017

Host: Peggy Ann @ Peggy Ann's Post
Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2017
Sign Up: here 


Read and review Scottish books, written by a Scottish author (by birth or immigration), or about or set in Scotland. Any genre or format. Books read may overlap with other challenges, and you don't need a blog to participate. 

There are several levels to choose from:
  1. Just A Keek (a "little look"): 1-5 books
  2. The Highlander: 6-10 books
  3. The Hebridean: 11-15 books
  4. Ben Nevis: 16-20 books
  5. Back O' Beyond: 21+ books
I love Scotland. I'm signing up at the "The Highlander" level (6-10 books).


giovedì 23 febbraio 2017

Review & Giveaway: Lizzie's Earl by Fiona Miers


Lizzie's Earl
by Fiona Miers

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GENRE:   Regency Romance

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BLURB:

She's a widow seeking a gentleman to give her the family she wants and enjoy life on her country estate. He's a London rakehell seeking a wife he can wed, bed and forget. Who will prevail?

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My Review:

It was a really enjoyable read, romantic and passionate, very intriguing, the author was very good at capturing the reader's attention right from the prologue.
Rupert has just turned twenty-one years and is looking forward to starting his life as a bachelor. But his elder brother's wife has just given birth to their fifth daughter and he decides that Rupert will be his heir. He absolutely must get married. They manage to reach an agreement: he can marry at thirty, has nine years of freedom. When the deadline has come, he meets a very charming woman. Elizabeth is just come out of mourning and want to marry a simple and sweet man who is able to give her the family she so desires. Will she manages to turn Rupert in a perfect husband?
Rupert is a charming man with two beautiful blue eyes but is very stubborn and hates engage. Elizabeth is a smart and sweet woman, who loves tranquility and simplicity
Although it is the third book in the series "The heir and a spare" can be read as a standalone. I'm very curious to read the previous books to find out how the other couples  known in this book were formed.
It 's a short and fast but very intense reading, to read in one breath.


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EXCERPT:


Rupert straightened his coat with a quick tug and straightened to his full six feet four inches tall. Feeling confident, he walked over to the two ladies.

“May I beg you for an introduction to your friend, my dear Charlotte?”

Charlotte smiled tightly, knowing his habits well. She turned to include him in their circle, which surprised him a little, but his friend’s sister did have the perfect manners.

“Of course, Rupert. Mrs Elizabeth Symmons, may I introduce a friend of ours, the Hon. Rupert Willoughby, the younger brother of the Earl of Sweeting”

Rupert heard the warning in the introduction and smirked inwardly. Charlotte was fiercely protectively of those she loved. It was one of the things he liked most about her.

The beautiful blonde curtseyed prettily and gave him a sunny, open smile. Rupert bowed in return, surprised despite himself by the artlessness of her expression.

“May I have the pleasure of the next dance my lady?” he asked, giving her his most charming smile.

Elizabeth smiled back, glancing quickly at Charlotte for permission to leave her alone, which Rupert respected.  When Charlotte smiled back in return, the beautiful woman turned to him.

“Of course. Thank you, sir,” she replied confidently, placing her small hand in his.

She was very petite, tiny even, yet Rupert felt the firmness of her grip and observed the way she held herself. This would not be a woman over whom one could easily walk, he told himself.

“You are looking very beautiful this evening, Mrs Symmons.” Rupert told her, as they swept into the dance floor.

Elizabeth laughed, her bright eyes sparkling with gaiety.

“Why, thank you, sir. And indeed, you are looking very handsome.”

Rupert grinned, surprised by her words. He didn’t believe he had ever had a compliment returned before. Most women simply fluttered their fans and gave him the eyes. The eyes told him how flattered they were that he had given them his attention. The eyes also indicated to him just how quickly they would fall into his bed. Mrs Elizabeth Symmons wasn’t giving him the eyes, nor was she flirting with him. How strange.


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Fiona Miers has a super busy life, like most modern women, but always finds time for reading and writing romance. Her love affair with the romance genre started when she was only 11 years old, when her mother, and nana, handed her, her first mills and boon.
Since then she's built her own business, become a mother to two beautiful little girls, and fallen in love with the most spectacular man on the planet. (JMHO)
Fiona writes MF contemporary and historical romance, writing more erotic stories under the pen name Tamsin Baker.
Thank you for reading this, and hopefully you'll love reading about her characters as much as she loved creating them.

Lizzie's Earl will be $0.99 during the tour.

Amazon buy link:

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Fiona Miers will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

domenica 19 febbraio 2017

2017 Outlander Series Reading Challenge

It's a long time that I want to read this so fascinating series, I love time travel stories. Some time ago I started the first book but left it although I was enjoying a lot. I hope this time to succeed.


hosted by Simply Angela

Here’s what you need to know. 

Timeframe: January 9th, 2017—December 31st, 2017
 
Goal—To read through the Outlander Series and the shorts.
 
What Counts
Books must be read in 2017
Re-reads count
All formats (print, digital, or audio) count
 
Who can join? Anyone.
Bloggers, set up a challenge post and link it below.
Not a blogger? It’s okay, just set up an Outlander Series Reading Challenge shelf on GoodReads.
Make sure you join the Facebook group, because fun mini-challenges and giveaways will be posted there. You’ll also have the chance to meet and interact with other Outlander fans who are participating in the challenge.  
 
Check In Posts: Will be the last Friday of each month with the exception of November.
January 27 | February 24 | March 31 | April 28 | May 26 | June 30 | July 28 | August 25 | September 29 | October 27 | November  30 (Thursday)| December  29 (Final Check In Post)

Check In Giveaways will be random, so please check the blog every month. 

Book 0.5

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Book 4

Book 5

Book 6

Book 7

Book 7.5

Book 8

Book 8.5

Back to the Classics 2017



There are 12 categories, but you don't have to do them all. You can select which ones appeal to you and still qualify for the draw.

Complete six categories, and you get one entry in the drawing
Complete nine categories, and you get two entries in the drawing
Complete all twelve categories, and you get three entries in the drawing

Here are the books I will read for each category.

1. A 19th century classic - any book published between 1800 and 1899 - Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

2.  A 20th century classic - any book published between 1900 and 1967. Just like last year, all books MUST have been published at least 50 years ago to qualify. The only exception is books written at least 50 years ago, but published later, such as posthumous publications - The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 

3.  A classic by a woman author - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

4.  A classic in translation.  Any book originally written published in a language other than your native language. Feel free to read the book in your language or the original language. (You can also read books in translation for any of the other categories) - Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

5.  A classic published before 1800. Plays and epic poems are acceptable in this category - Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare 

6.  A romance classic. I'm pretty flexible here about the definition of romance. It can have a happy ending or a sad ending, as long as there is a strong romantic element to the plot - Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

7.  A Gothic or horror classic. For a good definition of what makes a book Gothic, and an excellent list of possible reads, please see this list on Goodreads - The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

8.  A classic with a number in the title. Examples include A Tale of Two Cities, Three Men in a Boat, The Nine Tailors, Henry V, Fahrenheit 451, etc. An actual number is required -- for example, Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None would not qualify, but The Seven Dials Mystery would - Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

9.  A classic about an animal or which includes the name of an animal in the title.  It can be an actual animal or a metaphor, or just the name in the title. Examples include To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, The Metamorphosis, White Fang, etc. If the animal is not obvious, please clarify it in your post - The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

10. A classic set in a place you'd like to visit. It can be real or imaginary: The Wizard of Oz, Down and Out in Paris and London, Death on the Nile, etc - The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (I'd love to visit Paris and England)

11. An award-winning classic. It could be the Newbery award, the Prix Goncourt, the Pulitzer Prize, the James Tait Award, etc. Any award, just mention in your blog post what award your choice received - Rebecca by Daphne du Maurie (1938 National Book Award for Fiction)

12. A Russian classic. 2017 will be the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, so read a classic by any Russian author - The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

giovedì 16 febbraio 2017

2017 Key Word Challenge


For this challenge, I have chosen six keywords associated with each month in 2017. Your task is to read one book each month whose title includes one or more of the keywords for that month. Simple right?

Challenge Guidelines

  • This challenge will run from January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2017
  • You can join anytime before December 31, 2017
  • Books must be read and reviewed in 2017
  • The book title you choose can be a variation on one of the keywords. Meaning, you can tweak the keywords. For example, your title could include the word ‘snowing’ or ‘snowflake’ even though the key word is ‘snow.’ Further, if the key word is ‘family‘ then your title could include the word ‘sister’ or ‘mother.’ It’s similar to the word game Word Association.

Monthly Keywords & Picks
JAN– Court, Fall, Of, Way, Deep, Thousand
The Secret of the Abbey by Kathleen C. Perrin

FEB– And, Rose, Promise, Every, Deception, Blazing
MAR– Shall, Go, By, Silence, Her, Saga
APR– From, Trigger, Tale, His, Crown, Mist
MAY– Four, Wind, All, Fury, Days, Shade
JUN– Without, Know, Good, Watch, One, Have
JUL– Before, Final, All, Freedom, Life, Dream
AUG– Sun, Infinite, Big, My, Wherever, Most
SEP– Sand, From, Between, Ever, Reasons, Clash
OCT– Darker, You, Ashes, Out, House, Sea
NOV– Place, War, Heart, Why, Give, Meet
DEC– Forget, Twilight, Only, Crystal, On, Will


martedì 14 febbraio 2017

Book Blast & Giveaway: Just Friends With Benefits by Meredith Schorr


Meredith Schorr Tour
by Meredith Schorr

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GENRE: Romantic Comedy

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BLURB: Just Friends With Benefits


When a friend urges Stephanie Cohen not to put all her eggs in one bastard, the advice falls on deaf ears. Stephanie’s college crush on Craig Hille has been awakened thirteen years later as if soaked in a can of Red Bull, and she is determined not to let the guy who got away once, get away twice.

Stephanie, a thirty-two-year-old paralegal from Washington, D.C., is a seventies and eighties television trivia buff who can recite the starting lineup of the New York Yankees and go beer for beer with the guys. And despite her failure to get married and pro-create prior to entering her thirties, she has so far managed to keep her overbearing mother from sticking her head in the oven. Just Friends with Benefits is the humorous story of Stephanie’s pursuit of love, her adventures in friendship, and her journey to discover what really matters.


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EXCERPT:


”Maybe I was hoping to hear something a little bit more interesting.”

“Like what?” I mumbled, “Details about our hot sex last night?” before I could stop myself. It wasn’t an ideal way to open a dialogue about what was happening between us, but it was something.

“Found it,” Craig said before patting his GPS lovingly. “I don’t know what I’d do without this baby.”

I gazed at him in confusion until a look out the window confirmed we’d arrived at the train station. While Craig parked his car, I muttered, “That was quick.” He probably hadn’t heard what I said and now my opportunity to discuss “us” had disappeared in his rear view mirror and I had no idea when I’d have another chance. Maybe it was the universe urging me not to push. I stepped out of the passenger seat and followed Craig to the back of his car. While he opened the trunk to remove my bag, I watched a young couple exchange a tearful goodbye. Craig handed me my duffle bag. “Here you go. Are you okay waiting here by yourself?”

I glanced at my watch. My train wouldn’t arrive for another twelve minutes. We didn’t have tons of time, but it might be enough to discuss getting together again.

“I’d stay with you, but it’s going to get dark soon, and I have a long ride ahead of me.”

Or not.


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

A born-and-bred New Yorker, Meredith Schorr discovered her passion for writing when she began to enjoy drafting work-related emails way more than she was probably supposed to. After trying her hand penning children’s stories and blogging her personal experiences, Meredith found her calling writing chick lit and humorous women’s fiction. She secures much inspiration from her day job as a hardworking trademark paralegal and her still-single (but looking) status. Meredith is a loyal New York Yankees fan, an avid runner, and an unashamed television addict. To learn more, visit her at www.meredithschorr.com.


Social media:


Buy Links:

Just Friends With Benefits








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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE


Meredth will be awarding a $20 Sephora Giftcard to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
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