The Page Unbound

Arthur Zarr’s Amazing Art Car Review

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ARTHUR ZARR’S AMAZING ART CAR

by Cathey Graham Nickell

Illustrated by Bill Megenhardt

Genre: Children’s Picture Book/Outsider Art

Publisher: Twenty-Eight Creative

Date of Publication: November, 2015

# of pages: 40

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Arthur Zarr is a quiet man with few friends. His life is rather plain, and his car is plain, too. But not for long! When Arthur gets a creative idea to add everyday objects to his car’s plain exterior, he’s noticed for the first time. Neighbors and other bystanders add their own artistic flair to the car, too.

What happens when he enters his bedazzled vehicle in the town’s art car parade? Mr. Zarr finds happiness and makes friends by building an amazing art car. In this whimsical story, children learn about recycling, community, friendship building, and the power of imagination. The book includes a “History of Art Cars” page for readers who’ve never heard of this creative form of artistic expression. It also has a subtle ABC theme, as Arthur Zarr adds objects to his art car in alphabetical order! This is the first—and so far, the only—children’s book published about an art car. Suitable for all ages but especially ages 4-8. Illustrated by Houston graphic artist, Bill Megenhardt.

Praise for Arthur Zarr’s Amazing Art Car:

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“Nickell’s book is a treat for sight, sound, and sense, for readers and artcarfans (no, you won’t find the word in your dictionary just yet, anyway) of all levels.” —Lone Star Literary Life.

“A wonderful story of art, opening up to the joys of life, and celebrating the artist in everyone.”—Lynette Wallace, Executive Director, Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, Houston, Texas.

“Cathey Nickell’s book will help fuel the desire to make positive changes in our world through artistic endeavor.”—Alicia Duplan, Assistant Director, Art Car Museum, Houston, Texas.

“Cathey’s story. . . is both engaging and warm. By the end, I found myself rooting for Mr. Zarr. I even felt a small twinge of disappointment when he didn’t win the trophy. Artcar Nation highly recommends this book. Give it to all the children you know.”— Paul McRae, Artcar Nation.

My Review

Children’s books do not just entertain but they inspire. Every wild imagination I had as a kid was sparked by the brilliant and wondrous world in books. That’s why I feel this book is so important. It not only is a great book to inspire children but teaches them that creativity never stops. Arthur Zarr is lonely in the beginning with no friends, but it’s his spark of humor and appreciation for creativity that begins his wonderful tale of transforming his car. With just a little tweaking to his car, the people of his community gather is a generous and enriching way of their own. Suddenly Arthur Zarr is given the opportunity to bring his community together, and after entering the art car show, can have pride in how many he’s reached.

Nickell gives us lessons that the greatest reward is the one of friendship. That being lonely can be temporary and only needs a little creative motivation to change the way we spend our life. That the smallest act of kindness can turn someones day and even life around. There are so many great lessons in this book and accompanied by the amazing illustrations, I can see it being one that children will want to enjoy over and over.

I’ve been to plenty of car shows with my dad but never an art car show. I was pleasantly surprised to read in the history section of this book that there is a show in Houston I can attend! It goes to show that this book not only displays how a community can come together but also can be bring me closer to my own.

I really don’t think there’s a single person to leave out in my recommendation for reading this. Great for children, inspirational to adult, and especially fun to enjoy for the kid in all of us. Arthur Zarr’s Amazing Art Car is a beautifully illustrated journey that I believe anyone can appreciate.

Buy Links

AMAZON AUTOGRAPHED COPIES

ALSO AVAILABLE AT THESE BRICKS & MORTAR STORES:

BEER CAN HOUSE, 222 Malone St., Houston, Texas (weekends only).

BERINGS Baby and Kids Dept., 3900 Bissonnet St. and 6102 Westheimer Rd., Houston, Texas.

BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOKSTORE, 224 W. Colorado Ave., Telluride, Colorado.

BLUE WILLOW BOOKSHOP, 14532 Memorial Dr., Houston, Texas.

BRAZOS BOOKSTORE, 2421 Bissonnet St., Houston, Texas.

CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM, 5216 Montrose Blvd., Houston, Texas.

THE JUNG CENTER BOOKSTORE, 5200 Montrose Blvd., Houston, Texas.

TOY FAIR at Pierremont Mall, 4801 Line Ave., Shreveport, Louisiana.

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Cathey Graham Nickell is an author, mother, and wife living in Houston, Texas. She is best known as the seeing-eye-person for her little blind dog named Cricket. Cathey launched her first children’s picture book, Arthur Zarr’s Amazing Art Car, in November 2015. She doesn’t drive an art car herself, but she has a habit of covering the back of her SUV with bumper stickers! Cathey also snaps pictures of art cars—which are plentiful in Houston—when she sees them. Her all-time favorite car was the bright- yellow Volkswagen Beetle that her grandmother drove in the 1970s. Cathey draws from her experience as a former newspaper reporter and public relations professional. After taking a few years off to raise four children, Cathey started freelance writing again in 2012 when a non-profit organization called the Institute for Spirituality and Health hired her to research and write its six-decade history. Uniting Faith, Medicine and Healthcare: A 60-Year History of the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center was published in 2015. The book is used as a marketing and communications tool, and all financial proceeds benefit the

Institute (not Cathey). Cathey graduated from Baylor University with a BA in Journalism in 1985. She earned a Master of Arts from Louisiana State University-Shreveport in 2013.

Find her online where she blogs about her writing and publishing adventures.

WEBSITE FACEBOOK TWITTER

INSTAGRAM GOODREADS PINTEREST

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

GIVEAWAY!! Three winners will each win

$20 CASH & an Author and Illustrator

Signed Copy of the Book!

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3/7 Hall Ways Blog – Review

3/8 Because This is My Life Y’all – Author Interview

3/9 Blogging for the Love of Authors and Their Books – Promo

3/10 Books and Broomsticks — Review

3/11 The Librarian Talks – Promo

3/12 The Page Unbound – Review

3/13 Texas Book Lover – Guest Post

3/14 The Crazy Booksellers – Promo

3/15 Missus Gonzo — Review

3/16 A Novel Reality — Author Interview

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The Changelings Book Blitz

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The Changelings
Elle Casey
(War of the Fae #1)
Publication date: February 5th 2012
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers Book 1 in the YA Urban Fantasy WAR OF THE FAE Series.

Jayne Sparks, a potty-mouthed, rebellious seventeen-year-old and her best friend, shy and bookish Tony Green, have a pretty typical high school existence, until several seemingly unrelated incidents converge, causing a cascade of events that change their lives forever. Jayne and Tony, together with a group of runaway teens, are hijacked and sent into a forest, where nothing and no one are as they seem. Who will emerge triumphant? And what will they be when they do?

Content Warning: Mild violence and significant foul language within. Meant for older Young Adult readers (age 15+).

Goodreads / Amazon / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

Grab your copy today for FREE!

—

EXCERPT:

I couldn’t take much more of the high school nonsense. I felt like I wasn’t supposed to be there. Where would I be if I weren’t there? … I don’t know. All I did know was I was in the middle of all that crap, going to class, taking tests – but I was on autopilot, going through the motions, waiting for life to start happening.

Sitting in World History and bored out of my mind, I was looking at a girl one row over who was the polar opposite of me. She was staring attentively at the teacher, her pen poised above an already nearly full page of notes, eager to write down every nugget of educational wisdom he was throwing our way. She loved high school, and she had big plans for moving on to college next year. She had cheer practice after school and a boyfriend named Mike who played wide receiver on the football team. Ugh.

I owned a pen. I probably had some paper somewhere in my backpack too. That day, however, I was using my pen to draw symbols all over my right hand – temporary tattoos. I write and eat with my left hand but do just about everything else with my right. My own body was confused with what it was supposed to do.

I was in the minority in that school. It seemed like just about everyone else knew exactly what they were doing now and what they were going to be doing until the day they died. Me? I didn’t have a clue. All I knew was this wasn’t it.

Author Bio:

Elle Casey, a former attorney and teacher, is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American author who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and a number of furry friends. She has written books in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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Facsimile Review and Giveaway

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Facsimile by Vicki L. Weavil
Publication Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: Month9Books
Rating: 3.5/5

Book Summary:

For a ticket to Earth, seventeen-year-old Anna-Maria “Ann” Solano is willing to jettison her birth planet, best friend, and the boy who loves her. Especially since all she’s required to do is escort Dace Keeling, a young naturalist, through the wilderness of the partially terraformed planet Eco. Ann‘s determination to escape the limitations of her small, frontier colony never falters, until Dace’s expeditions uncover three secrets. One offers riches, one shatters Ann’s perceptions of herself, and one reveals that the humans stranded on Eco are not its only inhabitants.

Ann’s willing to sacrifice friendship and love for a new life on Earth. But when an entire species is placed in jeopardy by her actions, she must make a choice – fulfill the dream that’s always sustained her, or save the planet she’s never considered home.

Facsimile Cover

My Review:

Facsimile follows Ann whom is desperate to get off of Eco. Her descendants came to Eco to terraform the plant to resemble Earth. Ann helps her grandma in the green house, and she has a boy her age name Raiden that fancies her, but there’s nothing keeping her on Eco. Eco is not her home. Earth is. The community on Eco barters with shippers that come to dock. The captain on the ship has a nephew that is a naturalist and has been conducting research on other planets. Ann volunteers to show Dace around Eco so he can collect samples. And on their ventures they make a miraculous discovery, one that tells them they aren’t completely alone in the universe. Their discovery though is soon in peril and Dace and Ann must do what they can to keep their discovery from being destroyed.

Facsimile is a fast past adventure filled with all sorts of exciting scientific concepts. Ann grows a lot through this story. She starts off as being somewhat selfish and a little insensitive to others, but over time she grows as an individual and starts care about more than just herself. Dace is a scientific nerd, and I just loved him. He’s very into his findings and is an easy character to like. Raiden is probably my favorite character. He’s a bit moody, but underneath it all a really good person. There is a love triangle in this book, and I’m not particularly a fan of love triangles, but I enjoyed the message at the end of the book concerning boyfriends. Part of the reason why Ann doesn’t really want to be with Raiden is that there really is no one else in their small community for her to match up with. It was practically a given when they were young that they would be together. But I think Raiden’s feelings are true and genuine and even though he’s moody and grumpy at times he’s very considerate of Ann’s feelings and doesn’t push her concerning the issue with Dace even though he obviously get’s jealous. And the two boys even were fond of each other, which is rare in love triangles and I have to admit I rather enjoyed it.

The plot was very enjoyable. It centers around their discovery and how to save it. If you enjoy adventures filled with science and great characters than be sure to check this book out! I highly recommended reading it! I give this book a rating of 3.5 out of 5!

About the Author:

Vicki Weavil 11

Vicki L. Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Virginia, a Masters in Library Science from Indiana University, and a Masters in Liberal Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After working as a librarian at the NY Public Library at Lincoln Center, and the Museum of Television & Radio (now the Paley Center for Media) in NYC, she is currently the Director for Library Services at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband and some very spoiled cats. A member of SCBWI, Vicki is represented by Fran Black at Literary Counsel, NY, NY.

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Blackheath Review and Giveaway

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Blackheath by Gabriella Lepore
Publication date: December 21st 2015
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Maggie Ellmes is dogged by a case of chronic bad luck. She figures that’s just her lot in life—that is, until the psychic at Blackheath’s annual carnival reveals that Maggie’s problems are caused by more than just ordinary misfortune; she’s actually been cursed.

Desperate to shake the hex, Maggie has no choice but to seek out the help of Joel Tomlins, a rebellious classmate who’s descended from Blackheath’s most powerful line of witches. After breaking all of his coven’s conventions to help her, Joel discovers that the curse isn’t as bad as Maggie fears. In fact, it’s much, much worse.

Purchase:

Amazon

My Review:

Maggie and her friend, Isla, try to get their fortunes told at Blackheath’s annual carnival. The fortune teller refuses to even let Maggie enter the tent. It seems that she has already been cursed by someone. All of Maggie’s friends just brush off the incident, but Maggie isn’t so sure. She has had a lot of bad luck lately. Maybe she really has been cursed. The only one she can turn to is Joel, a fellow classmate who just happens to be a witch. In fact, his whole family are witches. Joel agrees to help her break the curse, but it turns out to be harder than he thought it would be. Helping Maggie might even be dangerous to his health.

I really liked this book. Maggie and Joel are wonderful characters, but I also enjoyed the supporting characters like Joel’s brothers and Maggie’s best friend Isla. The writing was good and the story line kept me interested all the way through the book. I never got bored for a minute. There were some interesting twists in the story that I didn’t see coming and I thoroughly enjoyed the little love story between Maggie and Joel. I will definitely be reading the sequel when it comes out this fall.

If you are looking for a light, clean read full of high school drama with some witchcraft thrown in, then this book is for you. I give this book 4 stars.

AUTHOR BIO:

Gabriella Lepore lives on the coast of Wales in the United Kingdom. She began writing at an early age and grew up with a passion for all things supernatural—especially witches! She currently has six Young Adult books in print: Evanescent, The Blackheath Witches, How I Found You, Secrets In Phoenix, and The Witches of the Glass Castle books 1 & 2.

Author Links:

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Facsimile Release Day Blitz and Giveaway!

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Happy Release Day to

Facsimile by Vicki L. Weavil!!

Join us in celebrating this release from Month9Books!

Enter the giveaway found at the end of the post.

Happy Book Birthday, Vicki!

Facsimile Cover

For a ticket to Earth, seventeen-year-old Anna-Maria “Ann” Solano is willing to jettison her birth planet, best friend, and the boy who loves her. Especially since all she’s required to do is escort Dace Keeling, a young naturalist, through the wilderness of the partially terraformed planet Eco. Ann‘s determination to escape the limitations of her small, frontier colony never falters, until Dace’s expeditions uncover three secrets. One offers riches, one shatters Ann’s perceptions of herself, and one reveals that the humans stranded on Eco are not its only inhabitants.

Ann’s willing to sacrifice friendship and love for a new life on Earth. But when an entire species is placed in jeopardy by her actions, she must make a choice – fulfill the dream that’s always sustained her, or save the planet she’s never considered home.

Facsimile by Vicki L. Weavil
Publication Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: Month9Books

About-the-Author2

Vicki Weavil 11

Vicki L. Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Virginia, a Masters in Library Science from Indiana University, and a Masters in Liberal Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After working as a librarian at the NY Public Library at Lincoln Center, and the Museum of Television & Radio (now the Paley Center for Media) in NYC, she is currently the Director for Library Services at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband and some very spoiled cats. A member of SCBWI, Vicki is represented by Fran Black at Literary Counsel, NY, NY.

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Avenging Heart Book Blitz

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Avenging Heart (Ignited #4)
by Desni Dantone
Release Date: March 8th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

Kris Young wants nothing more than to be a normal girl. Thrust into a life she didn’t ask for, and faced with a future that she does not want, she sets off an adventure that she hopes will lead to her freedom. With her best friend’s life, the future of the Kala-Skotadi war, and her own soul at stake, failure is not an option.

Old and new allies unite on a quest against the demigods and Kris’s half-sister, Circe, the mastermind behind it all. Together, they fight to sever Kris and Alec from their evil ties once and for all, and rescue Callie from her own doomed fate. But Circe has other plans for them.

When an unexpected loss strikes the group, will Kris lose the will to go on? Or will a need for vengeance drive her to finally succeed?

Find out how the story of Kris, Nathan, Alec, and Callie will end in the epic conclusion to The Ignited Series, where, in the race against time and evil, all bets are off . . . and no one is safe.

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes
and Noble│Kobo│iBooks│Smashwords│Amazon UK│Amazon CA │Amazon AU

Previous books in the series (click on images for Goodreads links):

Book Excerpt:
“Good!” He flexed his fingers as he held his hands out to me. “Again.”I swung, and connected my fist with his open palm with a crack. God, it felt good.

“Combo,” he instructed, and I jabbed both of his palms.

“Left is weak,” he critiqued. “Again.”

I struck him as he instructed, and winced from the sting to my knuckles.

“You can do better than that.” I tried again, and he shook his head. “You call that a punch?”

“You know what?” I dropped my arms to my sides with a groan. “My arms feel like Jell-O. How do you expect me to punch with Jell-O arms?”

Nathan stared at me over his hands, which were still raised expectantly. “You done?”

“Yes, I’m done.” I turned away with a sigh of relief. I was eager for a much needed break, and a shower. We had started over an hour ago with a run before the sun rose. After an ungodly number of sit-ups, push-ups, and fighting drills, I was so done.

“I meant . . . are you done complaining?” Nathan said, stopping me.

I glared at him over my shoulder, and he raised his eyebrows in challenge. I blew out a puff of air, and shook some life back into my arms as I turned to face him with narrowed eyes.

He was going to pay for that.

My right fist cracked his palm hard. As I rotated, I pulled my left arm back with the intention of giving him everything I had. Before I made contact, Nathan’s hand shot out and clamped down on my wrist, stopping my follow through. My eyes lifted to his in time to see the smirk on his face before he twisted my arm behind my back and spun me around.

“Now what?” he murmured in my ear.

I ignored the shivers caused by his breath on my neck, and wrapped my right arm around his head as I twisted out of his hold. At the same time, I kicked my leg out. He grabbed it with his free hand before I could connect, and I lost my balance.

I’m going down . . .

And he’s coming with me.

I attempted a twist that would land him beneath me, so that I could claim bragging rights, but it didn’t happen. I ended up with my back on the sand, and Nathan kneeling over me in total control.

“Ugh!” I threw my head back with a groan. “How do you always manage to take me down first?”

Nathan brushed a speck of sand off my forehead with a grin. “You think too much. Just do it.”

“Me? Think too much?” Had he forgotten who he was talking to? The girl who notoriously acted first, and thought second.

“You’ve got the potential. You’re definitely a lot stronger than you were,” he praised.

“Then why can’t I take you down?” I whined. “I’m a demigod! I should be able to take you.”

“I’m still more practiced than you,” he returned with a small chuckle. “I don’t think about my moves. I just do them. You’re concentrating too much on getting everything perfect. That distracts you.”

“Hmm.” I bit my lip as I peered into his eyes, a silver-ringed blue that rivaled the most pristine of oceans. “You know what’s distracting me right now?”

About the Author

I live in the quiet, middle-of-nowhere Everett, Pennsylvania with my husband and three sons.

I’ve been writing since I was eleven, after I swiped one of my mom’s Dean Koontz books. I still remember the first one I read; it was called Darkfall, and kept me awake most of the night. Anyway, I was totally inspired when I learned that he came from the small rural town I called home (true story, I swear!), and started writing freaky little horror stories because I wanted to be just like him. I gave the stories to my mom to read. I don’t think she was as impressed as I was, but she put on an encouraging face…and that was how my writing obsession started.

After years of writing for a hobby and taking creative writing courses, I’ve published my first novel, Ignited. My dream is for Dean Koontz to no longer be the only bestselling author from my little middle-of-nowhere hometown.

You can check out more about me, The Ignited Series, and my upcoming books as they become available at:
http://www.desnidantone.com
http://www.facebook.com/ignitedbooks

Author Links:

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Can’t Stay Away Review and Giveaway

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Cant-Stay-Away-Lilly-Avalon

Rating: 3/5

Book Summary:

Piper Winchester is fresh out of college. With only three weeks until her father remarries and five weeks until her first business venture launches, she’s got her hands full. She certainly doesn’tneed any distractions to get in the way of building the future her father’s always wanted for her. But when a familiar boy with bright green eyes walks back into her life, she’s thrown for a loop.

Four years ago, Chase MacKenzie left for college without looking back. He didn’t mean to disturb the peace then, and he definitely doesn’t want to do that now. Once he lays his eyes on Piper again, there’s no way he can leave without fixing what went wrong in the past. Although she’s more determined than ever to push him away, he still manages to get under her skin. Regardless of what happens between them, there’s one thing that will always be standing in their way…

He’s about to become her stepbrother.

Cant-Stay-Away-Lilly-Avalon-Happy

Purchase Links:
Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | Smashwords

My Review:

Can’t Stay Away was a super cute love story about a girl named Piper (slightly spoiled) and a boy named Chase. Piper is on her path to becoming a Wedding Planner and is about to get a new mother-in-law. The only problem is that she’s had a thing for her soon to be step-brother since high school. Chase hasn’t been around for four years and had left Piper on somewhat bad terms, the two of them hadn’t spoken since. But the second they see each other, it’s obvious that there’s some sort of magic between. And though Chase tries hard to set ground rules and keep their relationship as platonic, they just can’t seem to stay away from each other. Plus there’s something Chase has been keeping from her. A reason for why he pushed her away all those years ago.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. Their love story was super cute. I enjoyed reading from both their point’s of views. Piper is a bright, people pleaser that has a hard time sticking up for herself, and Chase is courteous, kind, and a dreamy young man. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was that there was a little too much adult content. It seemed to be more adult content than story itself, which I would have preferred more story since the story itself was adorable. The author really excels at setting a scene and having her characters interact with each other. I really enjoyed the dialogue between Chase and Piper. And I’m hoping there will be more books to come since it did leave off at a bit of a cliffhanger.

If you like NA, steamy scenes, and a great love story, than be sure to check out Can’t Stay Away!

About the Author:

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Lilly Avalon is the author of the RESIST series as well as other romances. She’s somewhere in the midst of her twenties and lives mostly in the stories in her head. When she’s not enveloped in the worlds she creates, she’s out in the real world making stories happen. That or reading other romances. It’s a toss-up.

Author Links:

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The Trouble With Family Book Blitz and Giveaway

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The Trouble with Family
by Heather Hobbs
Release Date: March 3rd 2016
Loomis Park Press

Summary from Goodreads:

Molly Anderson just found out her dad is getting married to a woman she’s only met once.

Fourteen-year-old Molly had planned to spend the summer before high school reading books, eating junk food, and napping. Instead, she’s forced to spend her days juggling four new family members, a grumpy older brother, a crazy grandmother, and Max, the new boy next door. Having lost her mother in a car accident a year before, she’s not sure how many more changes she can take before she hits her breaking point.

Based on an award-winning short story, The Trouble with Family tells the tale of a girl trying to make the most of her summer, not just survive it.

This is the first book in the Molly Anderson series.

Excerpt:

The courtroom smelled like burnt popcorn. Holding my breath, I shifted in my seat, making the hard wooden bench creak.
“This is taking forever,” Ben hissed into my ear.
I ignored him and glanced across the aisle at my soon-to-be stepsiblings. Clara cut her icy blue eyes at me without actually turning her head. She sat beside her brother Sam, stiff and plastic-looking with perfectly highlighted blond hair, only reinforcing my initial suspicion that she was, in fact, a living Barbie doll. Sam, on the other hand, actually looked over at me and offered a slight nod.
“Children of the Corn,” Ben whispered.
I rolled my eyes and faced forward. “Just because they’re blond-”
“Blond and creepy,” he interjected.
The doors at the back of the room opened and Judge Newton walked in, followed closely by Dad and Susan.
Dad wore a charcoal grey suit; the only one he owned. He looked nervous but happy as he smoothed the back of his dark brown hair, making sure it was in place. Susan wore a short, lacy, white dress that accentuated her long legs and blue wedge sandals that matched her eyes. Her poorly-dyed orange hair was pulled back into a chignon. They held hands tightly and walked slowly down the aisle until they were standing directly in front of the judge.
“The scandal of Oak Lake,” I muttered.
Ben looked at me quizzically and I shook my head. Never mind. That’s what I’d overheard Ida Miller call the wedding yesterday. In a town of five thousand people, a recently widowed man marrying a relative stranger was something worth talking about.
Judge Newton was an older gray-haired woman with small glasses and an air of indifference. She gave a tight smile and looked around at all of us. “We are gathered together in the presence of these witnesses to join this man and this woman in matrimony.”
Oh Lord.
Reality hit me like a ton of bricks. The smell of popcorn mixed with the fact that my father was marrying a woman I’d only met once made my stomach churn uneasily.
Beside me, Ben’s head fell into his hands. “I can’t believe he’s doing this, Molly,” he mumbled.
My heart pumped faster; suddenly this was too real.
Ben lifted his head and unbuttoned his two-sizes-too-small suit jacket. He looked ridiculous but had refused to get a new suit for the wedding. He also refused to comb his hair, which made him look like a fifteen-year-old Albert Einstein.
Catching movement out of corner of my eye, I looked across the aisle again. Clara was shifting in her seat, taking deep breaths. It was hard to imagine the two of us sharing a bedroom. Sam’s foot shook uncontrollably under the bench, but otherwise he appeared totally unaffected.
Glancing back one row, I eyed Joseph, the oldest of the three. He sat with his knees slightly askew so they wouldn’t hit the back of the bench in front of him. He ran a hand through his sandy blond hair, letting out an agitated sigh. While the rest of us were in dresses and suits, he was wearing dark blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and dirty sneakers.
“If anyone can show just cause why this man and this woman may not lawfully be joined together, let them speak now or hereafter remain silent.” Judge Newton glanced around the courtroom.
Ben sat up straighter and I stared at him wide-eyed, silently pleading for him to not do anything stupid. Dad would never forgive us if we caused a scene.
The bench behind Ben squeaked and we all turned our heads.
“Oops, sorry,” Big Mike, who was Dad’s boss, laughed nervously.
If Gram had come to the wedding, she would have objected. Instead, she refused to attend and moved out of the house. I was going to miss her but understood the decision. Her daughter died a year ago and her son-in-law was already getting remarried.
Judge Newton nodded, satisfied, and looked back at Dad. “Do you have rings?”
Susan turned and motioned to Joseph. He stood slowly and walked up the aisle, his dark brown eyes blinking rapidly, and gave her two boxes. As he reached out his hand to pass her the rings, I noticed tiny white scars that ran all the way up his left arm, like little flecks of light trying to escape through his skin.
“Thanks, sweetie,” Susan said, squeezing Joseph’s shoulder.
Judge Newton cleared her throat. “Susan Katherine Wright, will you take this man…”
Joseph returned to his seat behind Clara and Sam, all three of their faces expressionless.
“I do.”
“Ugh,” Ben moaned.
“Charles Ronald Anderson, will you take this woman…”
I closed my eyes and swallowed hard as my stomach rolled again. “This is actually happening,” I whispered, more to myself than anyone.
Everything was about to change. “Oh man.” I put my hands over my stomach and turned my attention back to the ceremony. I wanted it to be over so I could leave.
“I do,” Dad said.
Judge Newton finally smiled. “By the authority vested in me by the State of Michigan, I pronounce you husband and wife.”
Dad and Susan turned and grinned at us as Big Mike stood up, clapping his large hands together.
No one else clapped.

Buy Links:

Amazon

About the Author

Heather was born and raised in Michigan and currently lives in Colorado with her husband and two sweet but poorly-trained dogs. She has a BA in English Literature and a MA in Library Science. She is hard at work on her second book.

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Evanescent Review

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Evanescent by Gabriella Lepore
Published by: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing
Publication date: March 15th 2013
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

3.5/4 Stars

Book Summary

“Then it is settled,” Felix declared. “Come hell or high water, when this is all over, at least one of us here will not make it out alive.”

When Bronwen Snow is pulled from her cottage in the middle of the night, she finds herself seeking the help of three mysterious boys who reside in an abandoned castle deep in the hillside. With only a hasty handwritten note and a vague sense of dread to guide her, Bronwen is forced to put her trust in the eccentric and willful Felix Cavara and his eternal curse – immortality.

Purchase Links

Amazon | B&N

My Review

Evanescent is like a wonderful mixture of supernatural, comedy, and romance. It was incredibly easy to get lost in and I read it in less than a day and throughly enjoyed it. Lepore has a way of effortlessly moving the plot forward with a sense of humor and continued mystery throughout the book.

The basis of this story begins when Bronwen is told by her Ada to leave their cottage immediately and go to the mysterious castle in the woods for protection. Holding a note from her Ada, she runs for her life from a monster that she didn’t know existed until moments ago. There she meets three boys that seem larger than life and learns they are immortal from drinking the blood of a dragon. I really took to Bronwen’s character by the midpoint of chapter one and instantly enjoyed her interactions with the three immortal boys she was stuck with. Felix, Alistair, and Loki reminded me of the lost boys from Peter Pan. They had their own mix of being fearless monster hunters and fearful boys of the outside world. They quite literally have shut themselves away in a castle and when Bronwen suddenly invades their lives, it both hilarious and revealing as to how the boys have been so isolated since they changed.

I do have to say that the romance between Bronwen and Felix comes on very quick and strong. I actually did not mind it since it was quite obvious that they shared a spark from the moment they met. Plus their interactions between each other were hysterical and quite unique from what I’ve usually read. Another drawback was that this book is actually quite short and could have had a lot more detailed involved. I really wanted to know more about the hellhound that was hunting her and more basics into how the supernatural world seemed to fit in this modern one.

Overall I enjoyed the book. I won’t say much about the ending other than I understood the author’s choices on how to complete it. It really is a fun, enjoyable, and quick read and I’d actually recommend it for people with some time to kill and need a good distraction.

About the Author

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Curse of the Sphinx Review

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Curse of the Sphinx

By Raye Wagner

Release Date: August 11th 2015

Summary from Goodreads

How long can a monster stay hidden in plain sight? Seventeen year-old Hope Nicholas has spent her entire life on the run. But no one is chasing her.

In fact, no one even knows she exists. With her mom, she’s traveled from town to town and school to school, barely staying long enough to meet anyone, let alone make friends. And she’ll have to keep it that way.

It’s safer.

When her mother is brutally ripped away from her, Hope’s life shatters.

Is this the fulfillment of Apollo’s curse, murder from the shadow monsters of the Underworld, or have the demigods finally found her? Orphaned and alone, Hope flees again, but this time there’s no one to teach her who to trust — or how to love.

Set in a universe where mythology is alive and well in the modern world, Curse of the Sphinx irresistibly blends action, suspense and romance.

Buy Link

Amazon

My Review

Curse of the Sphinx is exactly one of those books that I enjoy. It’s fast paced story telling with a whirlwind of curses, demigods, monsters, etc. I really love reading about greek mythology and it was interesting having the modern spin of greek characters we all know and its integration in this world’s society.

This storyline has a prequel called Origin of the Sphinx which I would probably recommend reading first as this book could be a bit confusing at times in the beginning. However, once I really got into it, I couldn’t put it down.

The story centers on Hope and her family who have unfortunately been dealing with a rather nasty curse (as Greek Gods tend to do that kind of thing). After losing her mother, Hope ends up running alone and fighting for her life and the sadness of losing all she knows. This book did a really good job of making you sympathetic towards Hope. I really rooted for her and wanted her to find happiness in her life throughout this book. She’s one of those characters that could be frustrating and likable at the same time and was really great to read.

Things get even more complicated, of course, once she meets Athan who is the son of Hermes. Athan has his own agenda to find Hope and bring her back to his father but his interest in her starts to put that in jeopardy. Believing her to be a demigod, they grow closer and spark a young love. Of course, secrets are meant to be discovered and once they find out who they each are, things really start moving. Athan’s actions surprised me and I enjoyed the further development of them both, flaws and all. I really couldn’t get enough of this spin on greek mythology and after a ending on a cliffhanger, I look forward to the next journey Hope must go on.

This book has a great sense of flow in character development, world building, and the strong additional characters that are the best. I’d really be interested in reading the next book to this series and will be adding it to my long list.

Excerpt

“How was your weekend?” Athan asked.

He stood at her locker staring at her. It was the oddest sensation. A mixture of pride and anxiety coursed through her, and she wanted to giggle and run away. “Fine. I hung out with—”

“Hey Hope.” Haley bounced up. “How are you?” She smiled at Athan as if just noticing him.

As if. She turned back to Hope. “Oh, I was going to ask you, have you had any more phone calls?”

And so much for secrets.

“Phone calls?” Athan frowned.

Hope rolled her eyes. “No.” She turned to Athan. “It was nothing. Just a wrong number, but they kept calling back. Kinda freaked me out.” She snapped her locker shut.

“You two hung out?” Athan asked, looking back and forth between the two of them.

“Well, yeah,” Haley said. “That’s what friends do, you know.”

“Yes, so I’ve heard.” He gave Hope a hard look.

“What?” She asked him. “We hung out on Friday.” Why was he acting all weird?

“I bet she didn’t have to coerce you to hang out,” he grumbled.

The three of them walked down the hall drawing several stares.

“Of course not,” Haley responded. “My motives aren’t questionable.”

Hope laughed and walked into mythology, but she still heard him . . .

“There is nothing questionable about my motives, either.”

About the Author

Raye Wagner grew up in Seattle, the second of eight children, and learned to escape chaos through the pages of fiction.

As a youth, she read the likes of David Eddings, Leon Uris, and Jane Austen. Inspired by a fictional character, Raye pursued a career in nursing, thinking to help the world one patient at a time.

One summer afternoon, when her then young children were playing in the pool, a plot dropped into her head, and she started writing.

She enjoys baking, puzzles, Tae Kwon Do, and the sound of waves lapping at the sand. She lives with her husband and three children in Middle Tennessee.

Origin of the Sphinx, a novella detailing the story leading up to the creation of the mythological creature, is her first publication. It is the beginning of the Sphinx series. Curse of the Sphinx, the first book in the series, is completed, and set to be released in August 2015.

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