Branded by Keary Taylor
Everything by Mary DeMuth (reading)
Crossroads by Chandler McGrew (TBR)
Proximity by M.A. George (Debut Novel!!) (TBR)
And I've also signed up for a couple blog tours, the first starts in December so be on the lookout!! I'm pretty excited!
SUMMARY (Amazon)Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms -- a struggle that could very well mean her death.
Tithe seemed really interesting from the summary. I haven't read too many fey novels so I was excited to get my hands on this one and sink into the world of a modern day faerie tale.
Holly makes us fall in love with Kaye, a girl who has had to grow up way before her time. But the way Kaye is given to us, makes us not want to PITY her but instead to ROOT for her. She is just a super cool chick who turns out to be a faerie.
Sometimes I got confused reading this. Things seemed to happen really fast and there were some scenes that just seemed rushed. However, this was still a great book to read and while the subject matter was a little dark and dreary, I really enjoyed it.
This is an older book, it came out a decade ago, but with the renewed interest that so many have into paranormal, I hope y'all pick up Tithe and give it a go.
RATING:
REALLY AWESOME BOOK!!!
You can find Holly Black here: WEBSITE
You can buy Tithe here: AMAZON
**I received this book in a giveaway from Tammy Ann Books Blog**
SUMMARY (Website)Trace Wentworth has a connection with rats. They attempted to devour him in his youth. Then beneath the streets of New York the vermin save him when he flees from the same Mormon Fundamentalists he believes murdered his fiancée, Ashley. When he learns that she is alive and her fellow Brethren are under siege Trace joins them, only to be drawn deeper into the world of intrigue and danger that may yet cost all of their lives. One secret connects both sides in the battle, and it will almost certainly destroy the Mormon faith.
First off, very interesting storyline. Chandler drew me in with the action packed first chapter and didn't let go until I got to the end. A suspenseful read about evil Mormons definitely delivered what it set out to do. I like unique stories, and Chandler came up with a doozy!
Trace and Ashley were both really well developed characters and the back story with Trace and his rat attack was simply horrifying!
If you are up to being on the edge of your seat during the whole book I would definitely recommend The Remnant. It shows the dark side of a religion gone cult and gives us a harrowing account of a crazy man (Fredt) who is a complete loony bin all for the name of Jesus.
I am looking forward to reading Chandler's other works because his talent shines in The Remnant!
RATING:
REALLY AWESOME BOOK!!!
You can find Chandler McGrew here: WEBSITE
You can buy The Remnant here:AMAZON
**I was given this by the author in exchange for an honest and fair review.**
SUMMARY (Website)Love is a powerful thing; but, sometimes, love isn't enough. At least, that's what Rebekah Thomas believes. In her younger,more naive days, Rebekah thought love could conquer all; that was before the death of her husband, and high school sweetheart. Now she believes life is easier without it.
Ever the romantic at heart, a failed marriage and cinema glitter is not enough to stop famous actor Jason Taylor from believing the right woman for him is out there somewhere. Tired of his undeserved playboy reputation, he unexpectedly finds the forever kind of love miles away, with a small town teacher.
Rebekah and Jason could bridge their different worlds together, but this sweet and compassionate teacher has trouble letting him in. Just as she is convinced they could have a chance, one moment threatens to destroy everything they have built. Can Rebekah finally see the truth - that sometimes, love is all you need?
This is Marisa Adam's debut novel and I have to say I am very impressed with Is Love Enough. I have always enjoyed thoughtful romance novels and Marisa did not disappoint with this tale of happily ever after.
Marisa makes her characters very relatable. Your heart will grieve right along with Bekah with the death of her husband and then you'll swoon for the devastatingly handsome Jason who falls head over heels for sweet Rebekah. You'll also love the other characters like Danny and Nikki. I can't promise you'll like Carrie, because I couldn't stand her!!
This is a very tasteful and clean story. I could loan this to my mom and not be embarrassed at her reading some of the scenes.
You can tell that Marisa poured her heart and soul into this fabulous love story. It's one of the most romantic and sweet stories I've read. I am anxious to read Marisa's other works and in the indie world I think she's going to stick around for a long time!
RATING:
Loved it! Go read it right now!
You can find Marisa here: WEBSITE
You can buy Is Love Enough here: AMAZON
**The author sent me this book free in exchange for an honest review.**
Marisa Adams is an avid reader with an immense passion for great love stories. She is an educator, wife, and mother but always finds the time to squeeze in a little time to get lost in the worlds of her characters. She hates doing laundry, loves to cook meals for her family, and would rather be curled up with a great book (or typing away on her laptop) than almost anything else. She has been writing for years and has finally decided to branch into the world of novels.
Marisa believes in love at first sight and happy endings. Each of her books will remind you that romance and true love still exist even in today's fast paced world.
Hi Marisa and welcome to Book Worm Brandy!
Q&A
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself
There’s really not too much to tell because in many ways, I’ve lived a fairly ordinary life.
I have lived in a sum total of three different places. I grew up in Katy, TX a suburban small town
West of Houston with a fabulous school district that I returned to work in after earning a
Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University. My four years in
College Station, TX left me with a great respect for tradition and the love of my best friend. We
married while still in college and moved to Katy after graduation. In 2011, my husband’s
company transferred him to the Fort Worth, Texas area, so we moved which has been an
extremely interesting transition for me. Not only did I leave my family and hometown behind,
but my career as well; my husband and I made the decision to live off one income so I could be a
full time Mom to our daughter.
I started freelance article writing as a way to keep my mind going and earn a little extra
income. Overtime, I realized I should break out my manuscript from a few years ago, rework
some of it, and publish the story.
2. Do you have other stories in the works?
I am working to complete a holiday novella featuring some of the secondary cast from Is Love Enough. I’ve had several requests to know more about Danny and Nikki so I will explore them in this shorter format. I also have several new novels in the works that I will continue developing for release in 2013.
3. What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
I absolutely love the hours! I can take care of my family, be there for my daughter when she needs something, and still have the time to write. I also love the fact that I get to spend time with the characters that dance in my imagination! They have some fantastic stories and I can’t wait to explore them.
4. What is your least favorite?
The hours!! While I absolutely love the fact that I get to set my own schedule, I have a bad habit of getting lost in my characters and their stories. I can write for hours and often my husband will roll over and say, “okay – go to bed now!”
5. If you weren't writing, what would be your other dream career?
I am one of those individuals who have already had a dream career. Although it is extremely stressful, I had the privilege of working in the public school system for 11 years, first as a teacher and then later as an administrator. Not only did I teach some of the neatest kids, but I worked with some of the most fantastic people! I miss most of them every day, particularly since we moved and I no longer have the ability to see them regularly.
6. What do you like to do during your free time?
I spend my free time with my family; it is my favorite thing to do. Most evenings will find my husband, daughter, and I at the dinner table sharing about our days. Our favorite thing is to share the best, saddest, and silliest moment of the day (an excellent technique to get your kids to talk about their day that I learned from a friend). We love taking small day trips together and just sending time together. When it is not just the three of us, we are usually with extended family. I am very close to my parents and we see them often.
7. Who was the first person you told that you wanted to publish Is Love Enough?
My husband is the first one I told that I wanted to pursue this. He, of course, encouraged me to explore the possibility. But, it is my mother who is my consummate cheerleader. I did not tell her first because I wanted to surprise her, but she is the one who pushed and encouraged me for years. She is the one who has read every draft I’ve ever created and has offered suggestions and advice every step of the way.
Thank you so much for the interview Marisa! I wish you nothing but success with your future career! You are very talented and I look forward to your other works!!
You can find Marisa here: WEBSITE
SUMMARY (Goodreads)When Stewart and Layla recruit a demon to spy on the Devil, their decision takes them on whirlwind ride through the afterlife. Journey alongside this young couple in H. A. Goodman’s new novel, Breaking the Devil’s Heart, and join forces with a teenage Angel outcast to bankrupt Satan's underground Company and save Heaven from civil war.
H. A. Goodman's Breaking the Devil’s Heart is a rollercoaster afterlife experience that tests a young couple's love, their grasp on reality, and the essence of human nature.
What happens when Stewart and Layla tour Hell’s Marketing Department and Stock Exchange? What happens when their relationship is tested by Satan? This book is unlike anything you’ve ever read, or ever thought the afterlife might be like.
Breaking the Devil’s Heart is an enlightening look into an alternate world, a new afterlife, and a profound journey inside the human conscience....
Well the summary is right on the money when it says the book is unlike anything you've ever read! I couldn't agree more! At first I thought this would be more of a religious book, but it wasn't. HA Goodman takes the concept of Heaven and Hell and puts a spin on it different from anything I've ever read. It is definitely a unique and one of a kind story.
This story was very fast paced and sometimes I did get lost and had to re-read a passage or two. But it didn't bother me because I was not bored one bit throughout my reading. Stewart and Layla quickly became favorable to me because of their strong and determined personalities.
No spoilers in this post, but this story is FULL of twists, turns and surprises and it is not one of those stories you are able to call. You will have no earthly idea how it's going to turn out. Goodman is super talented and has a great imagination!
RATING:
You can find HA Goodman here: WEBSITE
You can buy the book here:AMAZON
**Free Kindle book gifted to me by the author for an honest review.**
SUMMARY(Amazon)
A rock & roll fairy tale.
Jason plays guitar in a teenage garage band called the Assorted Zebras, but they have no fans, no gigs, and they're going nowhere. Even worse, Jason has a crush on their lead singer, but she doesn't seem interested in him at all.
Then Jason steals instruments from the fairy world. Soon the band is enchanting crowds, and Jason's a step a closer to the girl of his dreams, but the new gear is brimming with dangerous and destructive magic they can't control.
Their shortcut to success has cost a troupe of innocent fairies their livelihood and turned Jason and his band into enemies of the powerful Queen Mab of Faerie. She sends supernatural bounty hunters to the human world to track them down, including one of the most dangerous horned creatures in Faerie....
This was a very fun read and I highly enjoyed every single part of it. J.L. Bryan delivers some pretty cool characters in this first book of the Songs of Magic series. I loved Jason from the get go and how he is written to be a REAL teenager, good for the most part, but he makes some mistakes due to lack of judgment.
This has been one of the coolest paranormal books I've read because it takes a magical world in which fairies are actually scary! Loved that!! I couldn't believe how mean and frightening JL made Queen Mab, wouldn't want to get into it with that chick for sure!
I really enjoyed this book and read it rather fast. There was never a dull moment in the story and I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters from the beginning to end. Looking forward to the rest of the series!
RATING:
You can find JL Bryan here: WEBSITE
You can buy the book here: AMAZON
**Free Kindle book I found and wanted to review on my own.**
Be on the lookout for the following reviews soon!!!
Breaking the Devil's Heart (Logic of Demons #2) by H.A. Goodman (Reading)
Crossroads by Chandler McGrew (To Be Read)
The Remnant by Chandler McGrew (To Be Read)
And debut novel by Marisa Adams, Is Love Enough (To Be Read)
I know I've been slacking on the blogging and I apologize! October is always such a busy month for me and my family, and this year is no exception.
Not only do we have Halloween to get ready for, but I am participating in my first ever craft show this Saturday and we also went to the Texas State Fair this week as well! We also plan on doing a 'Trunk or Treat' at my church and to attend another Fall Festival next week.
While I haven't had much time to read, I have been making a list of upcoming books to read and it's pretty exciting! So Happy October everyone, and keep checking back!!
xoxo, B
Here's a pic of my little ones at the Fair:
SUMMARY(Amazon)
Missing any memories?
Holly Sinclair is happily married to the love of her life, Gabriel. Young and in love, Holly hopes to have their first child soon. Of course, Gabriel wants to wait till Holly’s health is restored, much to Holly’s dismay. She feels perfectly fine. So what if she just woke up from an eight-month coma? So what if some of her memories are missing? She remembers Gabe and that’s all that matters, right?
That is, until HE enters her life again . . . she forgot about HIM..
I think I'm going to start a Taylor Dean fan club and become President because she has seriously become one of my favorite authors of all time. I inhaled I Have People like there was no tomorrow! Once again, Taylor did not disappoint me at all.
I don't like to give spoilers BUT this book does deal with an extremely sensitive issue of physical abuse in a relationship. It hurt to read certain scenes, I won't sugarcoat it. Taylor delivered a very raw and painful story in I Have People. She did it with class though, and she kept the main character Holly a little naive in the beginning but matured her into an intelligent woman who does the SMART thing in the end.
I just kept thinking how I would feel if I didn't have my people in my life. How lonely and cold that must be for people who aren't lucky to have families like most of us. I felt so sympathetic towards Holly and rooted for her and Mr. Sinclair the entire time during the flashback.
This is a beautiful love story but it's also a LIFE story about what is important to an individual, what means the most to them. I was so happy that Holly finally found her 'people', because she truly deserved it!.
This is a beautiful story and deserves to be read immediately by all! You will not regret it! Bravo Taylor, great job!
RATING:
You can find Taylor Dean here:WEBSITE, GOODREADS
You can buy the book here: AMAZON and SMASHWORDS
**I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.**
Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding that she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of romance in her line-up.
Q & A
Hi Taylor and welcome to Book Worm Brandy!!
Thanks for having me on your blog today, Brandy!
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
1. I have SIX completed novels that I am slowly releasing over the next year.
2. I call myself an accidental author, mainly because I just never expected this to happen in my life!
3. I lived in Korea for almost two years. (army wife)
4. I am a native San Jose, Californian, (hence, all the stories that take place in CA!) but now I am a Texan, (a Texas novel is coming soon).
5. I have four children and two grandchildren.
6. Sadly, we recently lost one of those grandbabies at eight months gestation to Trisomy 18.
7. I am almost 50!
8. My children seem to think my hobby is vacuuming. They might be right.
9. I have had two jaw surgeries. Yes, TWO.
10. I am the world’s slowest eater. (see # 9)
Where do you get the inspiration behind I Have People?
I constantly live in a fantasy world, forever making up stories in my head. All. The. Time. The thought occurred to me, what if I had an accident wherein I had amnesia? Would I wake up believing one of my stories was actually my life? (My hubby would be horribly hurt if I woke up thinking Alex from Sierra was actually my husband!) The concept intrigued me and sent me on way towards writing I Have People.
Also, I very much dislike angry people. I don’t like the feeling of being around someone who is clearly not in control of themselves or their emotions. Writing I Have People was my way of saying, it’s not okay to lose your temper! It’s NOT okay!
What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
I make my own hours!
I love that—if my children need me—I can drop everything and spend time with them.
I also love the escape from everyday life that writing grants me. It’s so easy to forget everything and absorb myself in my stories. Truly, it takes me away into another place and time!
What is your least favorite thing about being a writer?
I make my own hours!
Seriously, I tend to work very long hours, much longer than I should! It’s not good for me. My hubby has to pull me away from the computer. I love writing so much that it doesn’t seem like work.
I love this saying: Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.
What do you do like to do on your off time (if you have any!)?
Spend time with my hubby and children, first and foremost.
I’m also one of those weird people who loves to clean her house. Obsessively.
I’m addicted to reality TV: Survivor, American Idol, SYTYCD, Dancing with the Stars, X-Factor, Bachelor, Bachelorette, Celebrity Apprentice, etc. It’s amazing I have any time at all! Watching these shows forces me to take a break and relax!
What are your plans for the future (book wise)?
I’d like to write a military romance and a futuristic romance next. The futuristic romance has been in my head for quite some time now, and I’m dying to write it!
As for my completed novels, here is my release schedule:
Lancaster House June 2012
Sierra June 2012
I Have People Sept. 2012
The Middle Aisle Dec. 2012
Joshua’s Folly March 2013
For Nick June 2013
Thank you so much Taylor for your time and the opportunity to interview you! I am such a huge fan and cannot wait to read your other works!
Please visit Taylor's website here:TAYLOR DEAN
Even before I was a blogger, I loved blog giveaways. They are so fun and you really have no idea how much swag you can win!! Please check this giveaway out because it's really for a good cause!Hurry because it's almost over!!
CLICK HERE
SUMMARY(Amazon)
Zellie Wells has a devastating crush on Avery Adams, the son of her mom’s high school sweetheart. At her sixteenth birthday party, held in the basement of her dad’s church, she finally finds the courage to talk to him. Turns out, the devastating crush is mutual.
As Avery takes her hand and leads her out onto the makeshift dance floor, Zellie is overwhelmed by her first vision of his death; shocking because not only are they both covered in his blood, but they’re old, like thirty-five, and she is pregnant.
Afraid to tell anyone about the vision, (she’d just be labeled a freaky black magic witch, right?) Zellie keeps the knowledge of Avery’s future to herself and tries to act like any other teenager in love. When they get caught on their way to a secret rendezvous by her mom and his dad, they are forbidden to see each other.
Convinced that their parents are freaking out unnecessarily, Avery and Zellie vow to be together no matter what. They continue their relationship in secret until Zellie learns that their parents are just trying to prevent her and Avery from suffering like they did. The visions are hereditary, they’re dangerous, and if they stay together the visions will come true.
Now Zellie must choose between severing all ties with Avery, like her mom did to prevent his father’s death, and finding a way to change Avery’s future..
This was a very cute paranormal love story. It's almost like Romeo and Juliet in a way because Zellie and Avery want to be together so much, but their families are so against it. It causes you to root for Zellie and Avery and their young passionate love story. Zellie Wells has definitely been added to my list of favorite characters of all times!
This was a very quick and easy read and literally took 24 hours to read. The story never got boring, there were too many twists and turns! What I liked a lot was the Christianity that Stacey put in here. She kept it real with the teenage love story, but brought up God quite a bit (Zellie's dad is a pastor) and I enjoyed that.
I would recommend this for older YA audiences because of the death and sexual scenes in here. There's not many and they are not graphic, but it's best suited for the older crowd. Go read this ASAP, you will not be disappointed!
RATING:
You can find Stacey Wallace Benefiel here:WEBSITE
You can buy the book here: AMAZON
**Free Kindle book I found and wanted to review on my own.**
