The Page Unbound

Sprint Writing

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Hi there! Becca and I have joined together to do a writing adventure. It’s called Sprint Writing!

What is sprint writing?

It’s a timed writing exercise to write as quickly as you can for a set amount of time. You can take on a suggested prompt or dare, too!

Why take part in a word sprint? To rev up your writing momentum, and get you sprinting past your inner editor. —NaNoWriMo

For some writing tips, visit here!

Enjoy!

How’d you like it? We challenge you to join in on this adventure! Comment or tweet with your writing time and word count. We’d love to hear about your experience and suggestions on what you’d like next. Questions, concerns, fun tidbits and challenges that you want to see. We look forward to hearing from you!

Badlands: Review and Giveaway

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BADLANDS

Sawbones, Book 3

MELISSA LENHARDT

!!NEW RELEASE!!

Genre: Historical / Western / Action-Adventure / Romance

Publisher: Redhook

Date of Publication: June 27, 2017

Number of Pages: 416

Rating 5/5

Outlander meets post-Civil War unrest in the conclusion to Melissa Lenhardt’s fast-paced historical series.

Laura’s worst fears have been realized: Kindle has been taken into custody and she is once again on the run. The noose awaits her in New York, but Laura is realizing that there are some things worse than death. Finally running out of places to hide, it may be time for Dr. Catherine Bennett to face her past.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Indiebound | Kobo | Google Play | iBooks | B&N

Badlands was a real page turner! I read it in 24 hours because I couldn’t put the book down. I think what I truly loved about it was how it magically seemed to transport me back in time to the old west. Badlands is a gripping tale about a woman, a former doctor on the run, whom is kidnapped by a prostitute that longs for a new life. News of the doctor’s husband and his impending trial keeps her close to the woman she once despised. Together the doctor and prostitute learn so much of each other, their strengths, their weaknesses, with a lingering doubt in their fragile trust always on their mind. But through it all, they develop an amazing friendship that’s raw and deep, the kind that keeps you alive.

I simply love the characters in this story. They were real and complex, the kind that drew breath from the very first page. I love both Laura and Rosemond and I love their relationship, how their friendship unfolds, and all the mystery that surrounds Rosemond. Of course I enjoyed Kindle as well and after meeting him I am craving more of his and Laura’s story. I’m ready to dive into Sawbones and Blood Oath just so I can get more of them. Badlands was driven and intense, giving me little snippets about the other novels that has pulled me into wanting to read more. I NEED those stories! And I cannot wait to read the other two.

I love how Lenhardt shines a light on the true, brutality of the west. But also the good as well. I love how Lenhardt shows us the hardship of prostitutes during this time, how men were treated superior to women, and how the main character does what she can for women in general when it comes to their health. I also loved the moments when Laura would come to a salon and somehow would get inside regardless of the rules. Laura certain was a rule breaker and is a great icon for women empowerment.

Badlands is unlike any western tale I have read before and I like it all the more for that factor. It’s a must read for anyone that enjoys mystery, suspense, love, cowboys, old west, and the intensity of a character being on the run from the law. Badlands is everything I ever wanted in a western and so much more. I am ready to take the 3:10 back to the eighteen hundreds to read about a heroine that is noble, humble, feels guilt and remorse when she does something wrong, tries to do the right thing no matter the costs, and is a total kick ass doctor.

What about you? Ready to board the train with me?

Melissa Lenhardt is the author the Jack McBride mystery series, as well as the Laura Elliston historical fiction series. Her debut mystery, STILLWATER, was a finalist for the 2014 Whidbey Writers’ MFA Alumni Emerging Writers Contest, and SAWBONES, her historical fiction debut, was hailed as a “thoroughly original, smart and satisfying hybrid, perhaps a new subgenre: the feminist Western” by Lone Star Literary Life. A lifelong Texan, she lives in the Dallas area with her husband and two sons.

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Three Winners

1^st – Badlands paperback; 2^nd – Badlands eBook;

3^rd – Badlands audio download via Downpour

June 27-July 6, 2017

(U.S. Only)

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CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

6/27	Notable Quotable 1	Momma On The Rocks
6/27	Notable Quotable 2	Forgotten Winds
6/28	Review: Blood Oath	CGB Blog Tours
6/28	Review: Badlands	StoreyBook Reviews
6/29	Review: Blood Oath	Reading By Moonlight
6/29	Review: Badlands	Margie’s Must Reads
6/30	Review: Blood Oath	The Librarian Talks
6/30	Review: Badlands	The Page Unbound
7/1	Review: Blood Oath	My Book Fix Blog
7/1	Review: Badlands	Books and Broomsticks
7/2	Badlands Excerpt 1	Books in the Garden
7/3	Bonus Review	Blogging for the Love of Authors & Their Books
7/4	Bonus Review	Hall Ways Blog
7/5	Badlands Excerpt 2	Texas Book Lover
7/6	Badlands Excerpt 3	Missus Gonzo

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Freak: Promo

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Freak
By Erin Lee
Genre: LBGT/ Contemporary
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 29 June, 2017

Blurb

Regret Comes in Every Color of the Rainbow

Based on Erin Lee’s novella, Her Name Was Sam, Freak is the story of Kelly and Morgan, the mother and sister of Sam Harris, in the aftermath of her suicide. Bullied for being brave enough to show her true colors to the world, Sam has been gone exactly one year and Kelly and Morgan are left to tackle the grief that comes with regret in her absence.

But Sam’s story is far from over…

Through the love of Willow, a teenager intent on standing up for her “Freak” best friend at all costs, Ryan is able to finally come out to family and friends. His transformation from ashamed to proud with Willow’s help gives new meaning to Sam’s story and how things could have been.

Because love comes in all shades too.

Buy Links

Amazon

Excerpt

Kelly

I stand in a sea of color. It’s so bright, so real, that I feel like I could almost reach out and taste it. I imagine it tastes like summer’s fat watermelon slices or the Fourth of July. But my mouth is dry. Even if I could, I wouldn’t take a bite. I have too much guilt. The only reason I’m standing here is because I helped kill my daughter. If I’m totally honest with you, and with myself, I would never be standing here if Sam hadn’t done what she did.

She asked me to come with her to this very parade so many times. I told her there was no way I’d be caught dead marching down the streets like this. I tried to convince her it was just a phase. I told her to keep an open mind; the very thing she was asking of me. I said she was just curious and experimenting. I even tried to tell her it was all a normal part of growing up. But deep down, I knew. I knew exactly what was going on with her. I also knew how important it was to her that I support her. I just wasn’t ready. I couldn’t see myself as “that” mom. The last thing I wanted to have was pride.

I couldn’t understand why she couldn’t be normal. I felt like she was only doing it to punish me. I’d watch her, getting dressed in wild patterns and heels so high I was sure she’d twist an ankle. She’d put on so much make-up it reminded me of a circus clown. I told her so. I told her to take off the mask. She glared at me, telling me I didn’t understand.

It’s ironic that I’m here now. Being at the rainbow parade is a horrible consolation prize. I only want my daughter back. I’d go to a parade like this one every year for the rest of my life if I could change things. I’d even have pride: In her. In me. In a million things I wouldn’t have done so awfully wrong. Pride in the things I’d do over right.

I wonder what she thinks of me today and almost hope there’s no afterlife. I admit it, I’m a hypocrite. I should have been here years ago. I should have done whatever it took to support her. But there are no do overs. At least, I don’t think.

Sam believed in reincarnation. She’s probably too busy living another, better life, to be paying attention. If she is, I know she’s rolling her eyes. She’d say, “Finally, Mom’s here.”

The ironic thing is, I couldn’t not be here. I am, after all, a conspirator. Maybe I can help some other mother from suffering the same fate. Sam always used to say, “Everything happens for a reason.”

I can’t imagine a good enough reason for her suicide. But there were many. I might have been able to stop her, had I listened. I didn’t listen when she told me how bad the bullying had become. I didn’t take her seriously or buy her the new dresses and make-up she asked for. I told her she needed to see a therapist and to stop trying to change who she was. I said that she needed to focus on school and ignore everyone around her. I told her she was too young to date and that the only thing that would solve her problems was prayer. I told her that maybe she was just bisexual or gay. I told her it was no big deal and that she had plenty of time to figure it out. And, then, I told myself I was being open minded. The truth was, my mind was entirely closed and we both knew it. I even asked her what the neighbors might think.

Sure, there were warning signs. I should have paid closer attention when her grades dropped and she stopped attending band practice. I should have known something was wrong when she burnt her journals in the backyard. I let her give her trumpet and flute away. Instead, I wrote it off to teen angst and told myself she was only going through a phase. I painted over her pink walls and made them blue. I figured it might help her rethink things.

It’s probably a good thing that I can’t hear myself think over the noise. A man wearing white leggings and rainbow leg warmers has a gold horn on his head. His Mohawk is dyed every color of the rainbow. I think he’s supposed to be a unicorn. I try not to wince as he spins and twirls and prances by. I tell myself at least his mother has him alive.

Someday, I hope to be able to smile with him. I hope to be able to look past the glitter and overt cries of ‘pride.’ For now, I need to just be here, part of it, and try. Three young girls, with their arms locked together, march beside me. Their faces are painted red and I wonder what it symbolizes. They laugh and smile and I have to make myself look away. It’s too late…

About the Author

Erin Lee is a freelance writer and therapist chasing a crazy dream one reality at a time. She is the author of Crazy Like Me, a novel published in 2015 by Savant Books and Publications, LLC, Wave to Papa, 2015, by Limitless Publishing, LLC and Nine Lives (2016). She’s also author of Alters, Host, and Merge of the “Lola, Party of Eight Series,” When I’m Dead, Take Me As I Am, Greener, Something Blue, Once Upon a Vow and 99 Bottles. She also penned Her Name Was Sam, an LGBTQ awareness novella. She is author of Losing Faith, and co-author of The Morning After with Black Rose Writing. These days, she spends her free time working on the sequels to this novel, Jimmie’s Ice Cream and Thing Fifteen.

Lee is a co-founder of the Escape From Reality Series. She, along with authors Sara Schoen and Taylor Henderson, are working with twenty other authors to bring the hopes, dreams, fears and terrors of a tiny fictional town alive. The town and its setting is exactly the type of place a man like Jimmie might escape to as the bodies thawed.

Lee holds a master’s degree in psychology and works with at-risk families and as a court appointed special advocate. She cannot write horror with the lights off. However, these days, she’s getting braver and dimming them. She’ll get there . . .

Author Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway
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Heart on the Line: Excerpt and Giveaway

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HEART ON THE LINE

Ladies of Harper’s Station #2

Karen Witemeyer

Genre: Christian / Historical / Frontier Romance

Publisher: Bethany House

Date of Publication: June 6, 2017

Number of Pages: 336

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Grace Mallory is tired of hiding. She hungers for a normal life, perhaps even a suitor like two of her friends in Harper’s Station have found. But when the man she believes responsible for her father’s death discovers her whereabouts, survival takes priority.

Amos Bledsoe prefers bicycles to horses and private conversations over the telegraph wire to social gatherings with young ladies
who see him as nothing more than an oddity. His fellow telegrapher, the mysterious Miss G, has been the ideal companion. For months, their friendship—dare he believe, courtship?—over the wire has fed his hope that he has finally found the woman God intends for him. However, when he intercepts an ominous message and discovers her life is in peril, Amos must shed the cocoon of his quiet nature to become the hero Grace requires.

PRAISE FOR HEART ON THE LINE:

“Witemeyer blends history, suspense, and romance with touches of humor. Women will enjoy this story that proves heroes come in unexpected shapes and sizes and not always on a white charger.”—Christian Market

“Online dating meets 1890s Texas in this charming, spiritually deep, laugh-out-loud funny romance!”—reader review on Goodreads

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON CHRISTIANBOOK.COM

LIFEWAY BARNES & NOBLE

Excerpt from Heart on the Line
by Karen Witemeyer

It was him. Mr. A. She’d recognize his quick touch at the key anywhere. So crisp and precise. A metronome couldn’t create spaces any more rhythmic. She’d long admired his deft hand at the key. Setting her tea on the table, Grace slid into her office chair, a giddy tickle in her stomach despite her best efforts to maintain a sense of detachment.

Yes, Station Dn. I’m here.

Excellent! I worried I had waited too long to call. Dinner at my sister’s took longer than expected.

I hope you didn’t rush away on my account, Grace tapped.

I was eager to escape. Believe me.

What dastardly plague did they set upon you? Grace grinned to herself as she tapped out the words. Mr. A always seemed to have a humorous story to tell about his family, his life so wonderfully normal that whenever she listened to him, she managed to forget all about danger and unseen foes. For a few blessed minutes, she was simply a girl talking to a young man, no worries in sight.

I dare not tell you, for fear of spreading the contagion. It seems to strike the women around me with alarming regularity.

Intrigued, Grace leaned forward. Surely the distance between us will serve as adequate protection.

My mother and sister have both been afflicted for some time, I’m sorry to say, but tonight their symptoms worsened.

That sounds dire, indeed. Did you call a physician?

No point. There is only one cure to their ailment. And apparently I am the one who must distribute the healing dose.

Then you should do so at once, Grace replied, grinning as she reached for her tea. Mr. A never failed to entertain.

I would, of course, he said, but I find the key ingredient in the required elixir to be frustratingly elusive.

Can you not simply visit a druggist?

I’m afraid not. You see, the item I must find in order to cure this plague of interference is . . . a wife.

The tea Grace had just sipped spewed from her mouth to splatter over the table in front of her. Coughs spasmed in her throat.

A wife?

A strange fluttery sensation danced through her belly. So, he wasn’t married. Why did that particular piece of knowledge please her so well? Her hand trembled as she reached for the key. She had to make some kind of response to that. But what exactly should she say?

I’m sure they only have your best interests at heart.

They do. But a twenty-eight year-old man doesn’t really want his personal life dictated by his female relations.

Twenty-eight. A man in his prime. A man who was suddenly sharing more personal details with her than he ever had before.

Grace dabbed at the spilled tea with a handkerchief fetched from her skirt pocket, her mind spinning. Was he fishing for details in return? She wanted to reciprocate. It was what a friend would do. Yet she couldn’t afford to say too much.

I can’t claim as many years of experience dealing with meddling relations as you can, but a couple friends of mine have recently decided that marriage is not without its advantages. Thankfully, they have as yet avoided seeing me as a matchmaking prospect.

Grace yanked her hand from the telegraph key and made a fist, her heart pumping in a wild rhythm. Details cloaked in vagueness. Would he understand what she’d just revealed? The wire remained silent for an eternally long moment.

Count your blessings, he finally sent, his usually metronome-like precision stuttering slightly. Perhaps we could meet sometime to commiserate. I would—

Clear the line, a brash staccato tapping interrupted. I need to break in. This is an emergency.

Grace nearly jumped from her chair at the pounding intrusion. It exploded across the wire like cannon fire in a still forest.

Proceed, came the answer from Mr. A. Immediate. Meticulous. All hint of personal vulnerability gone.

Grace replied in kind, though she feared her touch on the key had yet to reassert its professional tone.

Hs. Dv station has a message to relay. Are you on the wire?

A message from the Denver station? Grace shivered even as she lurched forward to answer. Yes. This is Hs station. G on the wire. Go ahead.

Message relayed from R as follows: He knows where you are. Coming for you. Sorry.

Everything in Grace stilled. Numbness spread from her mind to her limbs and finally to her heart. Her day of reckoning had arrived. Chaucer Haversham had found her.

Winner of the HOLT Medallion and the Carol Award and a finalist for the RITA and Christy Award, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance to give the world more happily-ever-afters. Karen makes her home in Texas, with her husband and three children.

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Giveaway:

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CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

6/23	Excerpt 1	CGB Blog Tours
6/24	Promo	Reading by Moonlight
6/25	Review	Missus Gonzo
6/26	Guest Post 1	StoreyBook Reviews
6/27	Review	My Book Fix Blog
6/28	Excerpt 2	The Page Unbound
6/29	Guest Post 2	The Librarian Talks
6/30	Review	Books in the Garden
7/01	Promo	Books and Broomsticks
7/02	Review	Forgotten Winds

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Under A Summer Sky: Excerpt

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UNDER A SUMMER SKY

Follow Your Heart, Book 3

By Melody Carlson

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Christian / Inspirational

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: June 6, 2017

Number of Pages: 320

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High school art teacher Nicole Anderson is looking forward to a relaxing summer in Savannah, house-sitting and managing an art gallery for a family friend. The house is luxurious in a way that only old money could make it, and the gallery promises interesting days in a gorgeous setting. Yet it isn’t long before her ideal summer turns into more than she bargained for: a snooty gallery employee who’s determined to force her out, a displaced adolescent roosting in the attic, and two of her childhood friends—who also happen to be brothers—vying for her attention.

With the backdrop of a gorgeous historical city, incredible architecture, and even an alleged ghost or two, combined with the opportunity for romance . . . anything can happen!

Bestselling and award-winning author Melody Carlson invites you to spend the summer surrounded by splendor . . . and tantalizing possibilities.

PRAISE FOR THE FOLLOW YOUR HEART SERIES:

“Heartwarming and uplifting.”—Library Journal on Once Upon a Summertime

“Sweet, romantic, and endlessly entertaining.”—Radiant Lit on Once Upon a Summertime

“This winsome romance [is] a perfect summer read.”—Publishers Weekly on All Summer Long

PURCHASE LINKS

BAKER BOOK HOUSE AMAZON CHRISTIANBOOK.COM

iBOOKS KOBO LIFEWAY BARNES & NOBLE

Excerpt: Chapter 1, Part 3

continued from the 6/22/17 Lone Star Book Blog Tours stop

“Well, Vivian called me up this morning. Straight out of the blue. I don’t think we’ve had an actual conversation since her grandbaby was born.”

“Vivian has a grandbaby?”

“Oh, I’m sure I told you about it before. You remember that Alex got married—that was years ago. Poor Vivian was so disappointed they didn’t have a wedding. The selfish kids ran off to Vegas.”

“Oh yeah.” Nicole nodded, remembering how vexed her mom was that there hadn’t been a wedding. Nicole herself hadn’t been too pleased to hear that Alex had gotten married. “So back to Vivian, Mom. She called you this morning?”

“Yes. I couldn’t have been more surprised. Oh, we still exchange Christmas and birthday cards, but we haven’t actually spoken in years. Viv has encouraged me to join one of those online social clubs, but you know me, Nikki, I hate computers.” She snagged a parking place near the neighborhood Starbucks. “All that electronic stuff just gives me the heebie-jeebies. Don’t know how your father can waste so much time on his computer. It’s just plain silly.”

Nicole laughed as she pointed to her mom’s smartphone sticking out of her purse. “Well, at least you know how to use that now. That’s better than nothing.”

Caroline turned off the engine and reached for her phone. “That reminds me, I have to show you the pictures I took at JJ’s ball game yesterday—”

“How about you send them to me?” Nicole said as they got out of the car.

“Anyway, Viv and I had a very interesting conversation.” Caroline’s brows arched.

“That is somehow related to me?” Nicole held the Starbucks door open for her mom.

“Well, as it turns out, it just might be. You see,” Caroline continued as they stepped into the short line, “Vivian and Robert are celebrating their fortieth anniversary this summer by taking a world cruise. Can you imagine three months of being pampered on a luxurious ship that goes all around the world?” She sighed. “But then they’re rich.”

“What does this have to do with me?”

“I’m sure that Vivian called me to brag a little. Really, I can’t blame her. I’d tell everyone I know if your dad was taking me on a trip like that.” She paused to order an iced mocha, and Nicole followed suit, trying to make sense of her mother’s monologue about Vivian’s charmed life.

“But Robert comes from money. Old money. According to Viv, they inherited quite a sum after his dad passed away.” She shook her head. “I can only imagine.”

“You’re not exactly impoverished,” Nicole said.

“I know that. But we’re not the Grahams.”

Nicole smiled. “And I’m glad you’re not.”

As they picked up their iced mochas, Caroline continued to rattle on about how “fortunate” Vivian and Robert were. After they were seated, Nicole held up her hand. “Okay, Mom, can you please get to the part about why this involves me? I’ve had a long day and an even longer school year, and my brain is starting to get a little fuzzy.”

Caroline gave her a sly-looking smile. “Well . . . do you recall that Vivian owns a gallery in Savannah?”

Nicole tipped her head to one side. “That kind of rings a bell. Didn’t we look at a vacant building when we were in Savannah that last time? Vivian was talking about getting it for an investment?”

“Yes, that’s right. Vivian bought that building. A few years later she opened an art gallery—I guess it was about a dozen years ago. The Graham Gallery, she said it’s called. It took a while for it to catch hold, and then there was the recession. But apparently it’s fairly well established now. I guess it’s been kind of like her baby—even more so after her boys were grown and all. It actually sounds rather nice.”

“Uh-huh.” Nicole tried to imagine it as she sipped her iced mocha.

“Viv was telling me all about her gallery and these art exhibits she has lined up for the upcoming summer, complaining about how hard it would be to leave it all behind—to go off on her fabulous world cruise.” Caroline rolled her eyes, then laughed. “In the meantime, I got this brilliant idea.”

“Oh?” Despite her weariness, Nicole’s curiosity was piquing.

“It was slightly miraculous how this idea occurred to me—almost like a divine inspiration.”

“Seriously?” Nicole frowned.

Caroline nodded firmly. “Don’t be such a skeptic, Nikki. It’s entirely possible that God gave me this idea. Anyway, I suddenly realized that you, my dear, are exactly what Vivian needs.”

“What she needs?”

“To manage her gallery.”

“To manage her gallery?”

“Good grief, is there an echo in this room?” Caroline glanced dramatically around, then narrowed her eyes at Nicole. “Please, dear, stop repeating everything I say.”

Nicole just stared at her mom. Did she honestly think Nicole could simply drop everything, uproot her life for an entire summer, and relocate to Savannah? Furthermore, did she really think Nicole knew the first thing about running an art gallery?

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books with sales of more than 6.5 million, including many bestselling Christmas novellas, young adult titles, and the contemporary romances Once Upon a Summertime and All Summer Long. She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including Finding Alice. She and her husband live in central Oregon.

WEBSITE FACEBOOK MYSPACE

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Grand Prize:

Print copies of the three books in the Follow Your Heart series, Thanks You’re A Peach Tea Gift Tin,12×18 Savannah travel poster, & Georgia Peach Cookies Tin

1^st Runner-Up: Full series + $15 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

2^nd Runner-Up: Full Series + $10 Starbucks Gift Card

June 17-26, 2017

(U.S. Only)

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CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR

6/17	Excerpt 1	Chapter Break Book Blog
6/18	REVIEW	Momma On The Rocks
6/19	Guest Post	CGB Blog Tours
6/20	Author Interview	Books and Broomsticks
6/21	REVIEW	My Book Fix Blog
6/22	Excerpt 2	StoreyBook Reviews
6/23	Scrapbook	Books in the Garden
6/24	REVIEW	Margie’s Must Reads
6/25	Excerpt 3	The Page Unbound
6/26	REVIEW	Reading By Moonlight

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Rise of the Sea Witch: Review and Giveaway

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Rise of the Sea Witch
Stacey Rourke
Publication date: June 19th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Rating: 3/5

Details of the sea witch’s banishment have been exaggerated. The body count that preempted it was not. Once an illustrious princess, her hands and tentacles were stained with the blood of thousands. No one could comprehend how the hooks of madness dragged her down from her life of privilege.

Born Princess Vanessa of Atlantica, the ambitious young royal was one of two children born to the great King Poseidon. She and her brother, Triton, were groomed from birth to rule. Yet only one would ascend that coveted throne. While carefree Triton flits through his training with a cavalier demeanor and beguiling charm, Vanessa’s hunger for her father’s acceptance drives her to push herself to the limits of magic, and combat to become a leader worthy of her people.

When war against the humans ravages their once regal kingdom, political sides are chosen. Factions from the seven seas challenge the existing leadership, pitting Vanessa against her brother in a vicious battle for the crown. Traitors are exposed, dark family secrets revealed, and a once strong sibling bond is strained to its breaking point.

Only when the ink black waters from the ultimate betrayal rescind, will the truth be known of how the villainous sea witch rose with one name on her vengeful lips–Triton.

Goodreads / Amazon

Review:

Rise of the Sea With is a very imaginative and captivating retelling of The Little Mermaid. The Sea Witch hadn’t always been…. well… a witch. And Rourke spins a beautiful and charming tale of how the Sea Witch grew those tentacles. Right from the beginning, Rourke pulls you in by giving us a glimpse of the villain to be. Then she pulls you back in time as she unravels the tale of how the Sea Witch goes from a mermaid that no one pays attention to, to the villain we all know and love.

One thing I felt that was truly wonderful in this tale is how much as a reader I could connect with Princess Nessa. You really feel for her, her father Poseidon ignores her. Her brother, who obviously doesn’t want the crown, is heir to the throne. No one listens to her. And simmering underneath the wave’s surface is a powerful dark magic inside Nessa.

Nessa is no innocent, and she often times makes questionable decisions concerning her morale, but isn’t that part of the point of the Sea Witch? She’s not exactly the most kosher of people. I’ve read several tales of a persons transformation into a villain, and I’ll be honest, they aren’t necessarily for me. But perhaps because I already love all there is to The Little Mermaid, and I couldn’t help but think of the Sea Witch that I love, it made me love this tale even more. Not everyone can craft a good villain story, because villains needs to have redeeming qualities. I think Rourke gives us just enough in Nessa that we truly do see and feel and understand what brings her to her ultimate demise.

If you’re a mermaid fan and enjoy dark tales from the villains point of view than be sure to check this book out! I look forward ot future reads by Stacey Rourke!

Author Bio:

RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a

Gryphon Series Novel
Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012
Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013
Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner for Crane 2015

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

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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Swimming Hole’s of Texas: Review and Giveway

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THE SWIMMING HOLES

OF TEXAS

Julie Wernersbach & Carolyn Tracy

Genre: Travel / Outdoors / Swimming

Publisher: The University of Texas Press

Date of Publication: May 16, 2017

Number of Pages: 240, 100 color photos

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Nothing beats a natural swimming hole for cooling off on a scorching summer day in Texas. Cold, clear spring water, big old shade trees, and a quiet stretch of beach or lawn offer the perfect excuse to pack a cooler and head out with family and friends to the nearest natural oasis. Whether you’re looking for a quick getaway or an unforgettable summer vacation, let The Swimming Holes of Texas be your guide.

Julie Wernersbach and Carolyn Tracy highlight one hundred natural swimming spots across the entire state. The book is organized by geographic regions, so you can quickly find local places to swim—or plan a trip to a more distant spot you’d like to explore. Each swimming hole is illustrated with an inviting color photo and a description of what it’s like to swim there, as well as the site’s history, ecology, and conservation. The authors include all the pertinent info about admission fees and hours, parking, and on-site amenities such as showers and restrooms. They also offer tips for planning your trips and lists of the swimming holes that are most welcoming to families and pets.

So when the temperature tops 100 and there’s nothing but traffic in sight, take a detour down the backroads and swim, sunbathe, revel, and relax in the swimming holes of Texas.

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I am not a native to Texas, so imagine my surprise when I went through this book and saw some real, beautiful gems in Texas. When I first moved to Texas, I figured all of Texas was brown unless it was Spring, then it’s this bright green color. I never really saw anything eye catching. But looking through this book, reading about these beautiful places, I’m ready to go for a trip and see these beauties first hand.

First thing I want to point out, is that I love how this book is organized. It’s organized by North, South, East, and West Texas. There’s also a segment early on that states Planning Your Trip, followed by other helpful information such as swimming etiquette, rules for the parks, and the history behind everything. And if that wasn’t enough to convince you that you need this book, just look at all the amazing pictures taken in the different ares of Texas along with all the answers to the questions you may ask about that particular swimming hole.

Another thing I loved is the maps of each of the regions that shows you where the swimming holes are located. Then it lists the swimming holes and goes into details about them along with pictures of each of the swimming holes. It lists helpful information such as amenities, park rules, camping, the hours it’s opened, what the fees are. After reading through this book, I really want to visit Dinosaur Valley State Park. BEAUTIFUL. It’s made me realize how diverse Texas is and how much Texas has to offer concerning nature.

At the end of the book it lists Top 5, of which include Top 5 Kid Friendly places, Top 5 Dog Friendly places. Those are just a few examples, there’s quite a few more. This would be extremely helpful if you are planning a trip with a furry friend, or want to go some place that’s fun for the kids!

This book is a must guide for anyone planning to visit a Texas swimming hole. I cannot recommend it enough!

Julie Wernersbach, Austin, is the literary director of the Texas Book Festival and a former marketing director at BookPeople, Austin’s largest independent bookstore. Carolyn Tracy, Austin, is a freelance photographer who works for an animal welfare nonprofit. They are the authors of Vegan Survival Guide to Austin.

SWIMMING HOLES OF TEXAS ON INSTAGRAM

JULIE WERNERSBACH ON TWITTER

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June 8-June 22, 2017

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CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

6/8	Book Trailer	Syd Savvy
6/9	Review	My Book Fix Blog
6/10	Sneak Peek 1	CGB Blog Tours
6/11	Promo	Texas Book Lover
6/12	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
6/13

Ahe’ey: Excerpt and Giveway

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Ahe’ey
by Jamie Le Fay
Genre: Epic Fantasy Romance
Release Date: March 8th 2017

Summary:

Morgan’s feminist books didn’t prepare her to deal with the dashing Gabriel and the land of Ahe’ey.

Morgan is a dreamer, change maker and art lover. She is a feisty, slightly preachy, romantic feminist full of contradictions and insecurities. Morgan uncovers a world where women have the power, and where magic is no longer just a figment of her wild imagination. Sounds like a dream, but it may, in fact, turn into a nightmare.

The world of the Ahe’ey challenges and subverts her views about gender, genes, and nature versus nurture.

The strong and uninvited chemistry between her and the dashing Gabriel makes matters even more complicated. His stunning looks keep short-circuiting her rational mind.

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EDITORIAL REVIEWS:

“A bracing mix of emotionally and intellectually honest fantasy.” – Kirkus Reviews

“This book is a thoughtful look at empowerment for women. At the same time, it’s a rollicking trip into a fantasy world complete with dragons, love and strength, and ideas that really get you thinking. This book is highly recommended for all ages.” – HUGEOrange

“They’re flawed, real, and honest characters that can be easily related to. Ahe’ey is the kind of novel society needs to read, to create inspiration and to make people think. Ahe’ey is daring, complex, and honest. A must-read novel that tackles heavy and real topics with a mix of serious and humorous, charm and tragedy.” – Reader’s Favorite – 5 Star Review

“Ahe’ey contains a richly imagined world that raises complicated and timely questions about our own.

Jamie Le Fay’s Ahe’ey is an action-packed love story that puts forth a nuanced vision of gender stereotypes, body politics, and the dark side of seeking perfection.” – Foreword Clarion – 4 Star Review

Excerpt:

It took less than two minutes for Gabriel to knock on her door. “Surely you’re not considering going ahead with the outdoor event?” He spoke faster, and his pitch was higher than usual. “It’s much too dangerous. We have no way to control the crowd or prevent an attack. I can’t allow—”

“You can’t what, sir?” she said, raising her voice. She was furious. Her eyes were spears ready to be fired without mercy. “Who do you think you are, to give me orders?”

There was nothing he could say or do. This confrontation wasn’t about the event. She needed to show him that she was the agent of her own destiny and that he had no power over her.

“Morgan, don’t risk your life for anger and pride.” He lowered his voice and attempted to reason with her.

“Great advice from the person who placed my life at risk in the first place. Why don’t you go and do your job instead? Aren’t you supposed to be leading my security team? Do your job! Neither you nor the MRD will stop me from doing mine. I won’t allow manipulation or bullying.” Morgan’s tone was cutting, almost feral.

“I can’t let you risk your life,” his mouth twisted; his voice held a cocktail of frustration and desperation.

About the Author

Jamie is an accomplished writer and speaker that focuses mainly on topics related to girlhood, feminism, gender equality, and the misrepresentation of minorities in media and marketing.

Author Links:

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Unhooked Giveaway

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Hey guys, on my author blog I’m hosting a giveaway for a signed copy of Unhooked. This book is perfect for a good ol’ summer read. Head over to my author blog and enter the rafflecopter giveaway before it’s too late!

http://beccacahill.blogspot.com/2017/06/unhooked-giveaway.html

Happy Reading!