Dewey's Is a Go! #readathon

I've got my coffee, my low carb snacks, and a MOUNTAIN of bookish choices (some of that mountain lives on my kindle) and I am ready to go!

Here's my physical TBR stack o' possibilities:

Hour 0 Intro Survey:



1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?-

Jacksonville, AL. More importantly than that, my couch. :)

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? 

Truthwitch, Ella Enchanted (Kindle) and The White Princess (kindle)

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? 

I got a big fat delicious brisket in the slow cooker.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself! 

I'm 36, I work from home as an author assistant, I love TWD, Game of Thrones, iZombie, and The 100. I read a good deal of YA, but I'm trying to branch out into other genres. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else is reading, so my massive TBR can grow even more massive-er.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? 

Pace myself, take "eye breaks" and remember to stay hydrated with WATER instead of downing large doses of caffeine. If a book isn't "doing it for me" don't try to force it. 'Tis why the big ole stack of books.

Hour 1

Book: Ella Enchanted (Kindle)
Snack: Coffee and Water
Challenge: Intro Survey (up ^ there)

Hour 2

Book: Ella Enchanted (kindle) 15%
Snack: none
Challenge: Pay It Forward 

Hour 3

Book: Ella Enchanted (kindle) 36%
Food: cheesy eggs!
Challenge: none

Hour 4

Book: Ella Enchanted (kindle) 56%
Snack: water with strawberry kiwi mio
Challenge: none

Hour 5

Book: Ella Enchanted (kindle) 75%
Snack:
Challenge: Six Word Story



Hour 6

Book: Ella Enchanted *Finished*
           Pride and Prejudice pg. 20
Snack: Salt & Vinegar chicharrones
Challenge: none

Hour 7

Book: Ella Enchanted *Finished*
           Pride and Prejudice pg. 45
Snack:
Challenge: none


Hour 8

Book: Ella Enchanted *Finished*
           Pride and Prejudice pg. 55
Note: Got distracted by a livestream, but now I'm going to take a weee bitty nap so I don't feel the fade later on. Back in an hour (or less)

Hour 9
Book: Ella Enchanted *Finished*
           Pride and Prejudice pg.71
Snack: Green Olives, Water, and Mozzarella slices
Challenge: A Book and A Snack

Hour 10
Book: Ella Enchanted *Finished*
           Pride and Prejudice pg. 89
Challenge: none
Note: My son is playing Zelda and was asking me to help him figure something out, which baffles me cuz I've never played that game in my life!

Hour 11
Book: Ella Enchanted *Finished*
           Pride and Prejudice pg. 110

Hour 12
Book: Ella Enchanted *Finished*
           Pride and Prejudice pg.139

Mid-Event Survey!
1. What are you reading right now? Pride and Prejudice
2. How many books have you read so far? 1 so far!
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Truthwitch
4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? I took a nap, chilled with the kid while he played Zelda, and sorted out din-din. I just go with the flow.
5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? My ability to really get a lot of reading when I can set aside everything else for a bit.

Hour 13
Book: Ella Enchanted *Finished*
           Pride and Prejudice pg. 169

Hour 14
Book: Ella Enchanted *Finished*
           Pride and Prejudice pg. 169
*Took a trip to the store for a break and to pick up more household supplies*
Hour 15
Book: Ella Enchanted *Finished*
           Pride and Prejudice *Finished*
           The Wrath & The Dawn pg 35
Hour 16
Book: Ella Enchanted *Finished*
           Pride and Prejudice *Finished*
           The Wrath & The Dawn:
Challenge: Game On! 

RITA Nominated TELL ME HOW THIS ENDS Sale Alert! *Review*

In TELL ME HOW THIS ENDS Ryan is in love, Jude is in denial, and Lizzie wants both brothers, but by the time the truth comes out everyone is in too deep. No one wants to get hurt, but love and desire have a way of testing even the strongest bonds. Fans of Tamarra Webber and Erin McCarthy will adore this emotional and heartfelt RITA nominated family drama.

Snag it while you can for just $1.99!

 

Dear Readers,

Years ago a restless, troubled man sprang to life in my head, and he wouldn't leave me alone. He had a younger brother that he loved more than anything in the world, so I sat down and tried to write their story. And it wasn't very good. But these brothers--Jude and Ryan--never left me. A decade later, I realized that, like Frankenstein's monster, they were waiting for me to create their loves. And a few months later, Tell Me How This Ends was born. 

The book is the first in the Tell Me trilogy, which is heartfelt, fun, and sometimes emotional. It was my pleasure to follow Jude, Ryan, and their friends through three books. I'm not going to lie; there were tears when I wrote the final scene.

I am so honored that Tell Me How This Ends has been nominated for a RITA award, but I'm even more humbled by the readers who have taken the time to tell me they love the book. I hope you love it, too.

Synopsis:

2017 RITA® Finalist

Brothers Jude and Ryan McAllister are inseparable. When Jude stepped in to raise Ryan after the death of their mother, it became the two of them against the world. But the scars it left were bone-deep. Then Lizzie Price comes along.

Lizzie hopes Ryan's kindness can help heal her wounds from a toxic relationship. But when she meets Jude, their powerful attraction makes him difficult to resist. The problem is, Lizzie doesn't realize Jude and Ryan are brothers, and they don't know they're falling for the same girl.

By the time the truth comes out, everyone is in too deep. Ryan is in love, Jude is in denial, and Lizzie wants both brothers. All of them agree that no one deserves to get hurt. But love and desire have a way of testing even the strongest bonds.

Download at:

Amazon → http://amzn.to/2nMF5QZ

Nook → http://bit.ly/2ohKuDo

iBook → http://apple.co/2nnJhLr

Google → http://bit.ly/2oNW9dT

Kobo → http://bit.ly/2nnMdrK

Overdrive → http://bit.ly/2oNMiVi

The Tell Me Series
Tell Me How This Ends
Tell Me Not to Go

Tell Me That You're Mine (coming summer 2017)

My Review:

Alrighty you guys, let's get into this one because there is a LOT to say. I usually am pretty iffy about love triangles in books. I'm not a fan of cheating at all, but if done properly it can be pretty damn hot. This book was off the charts good! I kid you not. I loved that each character had their own thoughts and feelings about what was going on here. The shifting perspectives, while in some cases can be annoying, totally worked to make this story such an emotional roller coaster. One minute I'm rooting for Jude and the next I'm all about Ryan and Lizzie ending up together. Vice versa, rinse repeat. 
So many flip flopping on who I wanted her to end up with! I won't spoil, but I will say that the ending was definitely satisfying! *lips sealed on who she ends up with* 

Okay, so obviously I enjoyed the book. The writing was great, the story flowed quickly and neatly. The characters all make mistakes and act like normal people. They make logical decisions and their actions never made me say "WTF is this?" Not once. 

Now as per the series list there are a couple more books to come, and my only request is that one of them has more about Megan. For some reason I really wanted to know more about her character's story. Am I the only one here? 

All in all, this was a great read. I really want to check out the other books in the series! The romance is hot, there are some great scenes in here. This could easily be translated to a movie or a T.V. show and I'd sit my happy ass down and watch it! 

Excerpt from TELL ME HOW THIS ENDS

Copyright © 2016 Victoria De La O

I can’t sleep, so I head to the kitchen. I don’t bother to turn on the lights, because the dark doesn’t scare me. Most of the terrifying things in life happen in the daylight.

Ryan must be up, too, because I see light coming from the kitchen. Sometimes we meet like this in the middle of the night and eat a snack. I make the PB&J, and he pours the milk.

There is someone standing at the faucet but it’s not Ryan, and my brain takes an extra couple seconds to compute what I’m seeing. Elizabeth is there, her back turned to me, her face in profile. Her hair is messy and long, and she’s wearing a shirt that comes to midthigh. She turns around and sees me. Her mouth and eyes go wide, but she doesn’t scream, like a silent movie actress.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, which doesn’t make sense to me at first. Then I see she’s wearing Ryan’s Panic! at the Disco T-shirt. My brain has apparently been dormant for the past two minutes, because suddenly, it chugs to life. My synapses fire, and I make connections, and I know that this is the girl my brother has just fucked, and even worse, has fallen for.

I can’t help it: I start to laugh. I laugh so hard that my eyes water, and I slide against the cabinets to the floor. She walks around the counter and stands in front of me. I stare at her legs, which are long and smooth. She crouches down, pulling her—Ryan’s—T-shirt down so I don’t see anything essential on the way.

“Stop it,” she says, looking at me like I’m crazy.

“Guess it’s going well with college boy,” I say, taking in her bedhead. “You definitely picked the better brother.”

“Oh, my God,” She covers her mouth, and I feel like a bully, but I can’t care.

Praise for TELL ME HOW THIS ENDS:

"...readers will be so invested in these protagonists that they'll keep flipping through the pages to see how everything turns out."—Library Journal

“If you have not discovered Victoria De La O, stop what you are reading and go read Tell Me How This Ends! If you are an Abbi Glines fan, you will love Victoria De La O’s writing.”—My Girlfriend’s Couch Blog

“Tell Me How This Ends is one of my favorite books ever—I was totally engrossed in the love triangle between brothers Ryan and Jude and sweet Lizzie.”—Siobhan Davis, Amazon Bestselling Author

About Victoria De La O:

Victoria De La O is the award-winning and RITA®-nominated author of the Tell Me romance trilogy, including Tell Me How This Ends. A native of California’s Silicon Valley, she spends time hanging out with her family, arguing about films, and partaking in chicanery.

She also enjoys writing about women’s issues, practicing Wonder Woman spins, and talking to readers, so hit her up on Facebook or Twitter.

Black Dawn by Mallory McCartney *Blog Tour & Review*

 

About the Book

Title: Black Dawn

Genre: YA/NA Fantasy

Author: Mallory McCartney

The end of an Empire, the rise of a Queen

Emory Fae enjoys leading a quiet, normal life. That is until two mysterious, and handsome soldiers show up at her apartment, and the life she knew is instantly whisked away. Memphis Carter and Brokk Foster come from the magical and war ridden world of Kiero, and upon Emory's arrival she will discover she is the long-lost heir to the Royal Line and is thrown into the Black Dawn Rebellion with a dynamic role to ignite the rebels and reclaim her throne. 

With both men being darkly woven in her past Emory uncovers hidden secrets, a power held long dormant, and will soon realize there are worse things than supernatural humans, love, loss, betrayal, and a Mad King.

Some things are better left in the shadows

 

Author Bio

Mallory McCartney currently lives in London, Ontario with her husband and their two dachshunds Link and Lola. Black Dawn is her debut novel, the first in a series. When she isn’t working on her next novel or reading, she can be found dog grooming, book shopping and hiking. Other favorite pastimes involve reorganizing perpetually overflowing bookshelves and seeking out new coffee and dessert shops. 

Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormalmccartney/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MalMcCartney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormalmccartney/?hl=en

My Review:

The Good:

Black Dawn was a fun little read. It's got everything in it that makes it the perfect "popcorn" book. It's quick, the characters do all have personalities that make them seem real, the plot (while not exactly 100% new) was done very well. I enjoyed the story a lot, even when I was a little confused. I quickly and quite happily gobbled it up, no matter what the next part of this review seems like. 

The Bad:

There is a lot going on in this book. A lot, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing in the least, I did occasionally get a bit lost. There are perspective shifts that can be a little jarring at first, but not horrifically so.  There is a lot of info dump in the beginning, which makes perfect sense since it is the start to a series, but I did wonder if I had accidentally started on the 2nd book first. 

Finally:

Black Dawn isn't going to change the face of YA, BUT it is a very fun book about a long lost princess saving the day! It's a quick read, with great characters, a good deal of growth from beginning to end, which will make for a very interesting series. I wasn't bored, but I wasn't shocked. I do think I'll read the next book in the series to see what happens! 

Occult and Battery *Book Blast*

 

Inside the Book

Title: OCCULT AND BATTERY
Author: Lena Gregory
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 304
Genre: Cozy Mystery

A murder mystery weekend becomes a little too real in the latest Bay Island Psychic Mystery from the author of Death at First Sight—
 
Cass Donovan uses her skills as a former psychiatrist to get away with pretending to be psychic, but she’s not about to let anyone get away with murder…
 
The outlook is not so good for Cass’s psychic shop, Mystical Musings. With winter winds discouraging tourists from riding the ferry from Long Island to Bay Island, Cass hopes to draw in more customers by hosting a murder mystery weekend, complete with a séance, in a supposedly haunted mansion.

But Cass begins to lose her spirit when her ex-husband shows up, along with his fiancée—Cass’s ex-best friend. Then, after one of the guests is found dead, a blizzard blows in, trapping everyone inside with a murderer. Now Cass must divine who did the deed before her reputation and her livelihood fade away.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Meet the Author

Lena Gregory lives in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island with her husband and three children. When she was growing up, she spent many lazy afternoons on the beach, in the yard, anywhere she could find to curl up with a good book. She loves reading as much now as she did then, but she now enjoys the added pleasure of creating her own stories.

Her latest book is the cozy mystery, Occult and Battery.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Spring Into Horror Read-A-Thon Starting Post

Official dates are April 17 through 30, starting at 12am CDT Sunday and ending at 11:59pm CDT on Sunday the 30th. It's a 2 week 'thon, with only one rule. 1 book has to fall into the "scary" category, but can be thriller, mystery, Gothic novel.

So my #TBR is going to probably change a bit, but my stack for this looks like this:

• Truthwitch
• Let the Right One In (My scary pic)
• Gothic Tales by Elizabeth Gaskell

I do have a kindle full of books, so I may throw some of these in. I WILL be participating in Dewey's Read-a-Thon April 29th, so I'll combine my progress for both that day. I may not update daily, but I'll at least do a weekly update. 

Update 1:
this is a review book (YA Fantasy)

Finished! 

Update 2: Review Book not scary or anything that fits with this thon. 

Completion: I read 2 books, but I didn't get a chance to squeeze in a scary book :( 

The Investment Club by Doug Cooper *Blog Tour* (Review)

Title: THE INVESTMENT CLUB
Author: Doug Cooper
Publisher: Rare Bird Books
Pages: 362
Genre: Literary/Upmarket Fiction

Forty million people visit Vegas every year but most never get past the strip. What about the people who live there? What brought them there? What keeps them there?

Told from the perspective of a seasoned blackjack dealer, The Investment Club tells the stories of a self-destructive, dwarf entrepreneur, a drug-addicted musical performer-turned-stripper, a retired, widowed New Jersey policeman, a bereaved, divorced female sportscaster, and a card-counting, former Catholic priest before and after their fateful meeting at the El Cortez Casino in downtown Vegas.

As the five learn the greatest return comes from investing in one another, their lives stabilize and take on new, positive directions. But their love and support for each other can take them only so far before they must determine the meaning and value of their own lives.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Doug Cooper is the author of the award-winning novel Outside In and The Investment Club available October 2016. He has a BS in Mathematics Education from Miami University and a MA in American Studies from Saint Louis University. Always searching, he has traveled to over twenty countries on five continents, exploring the contradictions between what we believe and how we act in the pursuit of truth, beauty, and love. Originally from Port Clinton, Ohio, he has also called Cleveland, St. Louis, Detroit, New York, and Oslo, Norway home. He now lives in Cleveland working on his third novel Focus Lost.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

My Review: 

This was not my typical read, so I had to take it slowly. This doesn't mean I didn't like it, quite the opposite in fact. My taking it slowly actually made me enjoy it even more! How weird is that? Doug Cooper writes lovely characters that are realistic and well written. The story is quite interesting and does indeed pull you in. The character's voice is vivid and their personal stories are what make this book such a fun read. The skillful writing will have you fully investing yourself in each character and wanting to know much more about them. All in all, this was a surprisingly good read! 

Grimm Woods by D. Melhoff * Review & Giveaway*

Grimm Woods by D. Melhoff on Tour April 1 - May 31, 2017

Synopsis:

A remote summer camp becomes a lurid crime scene when the bodies of two teenagers are found in a bloody, real-life rendering of a classic Grimm’s fairy tale. Trapped in the wilderness, the remaining counsellors must follow a trail of dark children’s fables in order to outwit a psychopath and save the dwindling survivors before falling prey to their own gruesome endings. Drawing on the grisly, uncensored details of history’s most famous fairy tales, Grimm Woodsis a heart-pounding thriller about a deranged killer who uses traditional children’s stories as tropes in elaborate murders. Set against the backdrop of modern-day Michigan, it’s a journey through the mind of a dangerous zealot and a shocking glimpse into the bedtime stories you thought you knew.

Book Details: Genre: Thriller Published by: Bellwoods Publishing Publication Date: December 2016 Number of Pages: 384 ISBN: 0992133130 (ISBN13: 9780992133139) Purchase Links: Amazon  | Goodreads

Author Bio: D. Melhoff was born in a prairie ghost town that few people have heard of and even fewer have visited. While most of his stories are for adults, he also enjoys terrifying younger audiences from time to time, as seen in his series of twisted picture books for children. He credits King, Poe, Hitchcock, Harris, Stoker, and his second-grade school teacher, Mrs. Lake, for turning him to horror. Catch Up with Mr. Melhoff on his Website , Twitter , & Facebook .

My Review: So let's see, a group of teenage camp counselors in the woods, sex, drugs, booze, and and some spooky ass woods. Sounds like your typical 80's slasher set up, right? That's totally the vibe that this book has, and I can tell you I'm a HUGE fan of that genre of movies! I have to admit the beginning of this book was kind of a slow burn for me, but it did pick up speed and in such a gruesome way! This has got all the fun mixes of horror, campy cheese, and of course a sprinkling of the fairy tales from your childhood, except these have teeth!  This was a pretty good book, like I said the beginning was a bit slow, but once it found it's pace it didn't wanna stop moving super fast, which I could get behind fully!  There is a lot of sex (implied and otherwise), lots of drugs and booze, and of course tons of profanity. I don't have a problem with these, but if you do then this might not be your cup of tea.  Giveaway This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for D. Melhoff. There will be 2 winners of one (1) Amazon Giftcard and 5 winners of one (1) eBook copy of Grimm Woods by D. Melhoff. The giveaway begins on April 1st and runs through June 2nd, 2017. CLICK HERE FOR THE GIVEAWAY