Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #181

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on.....

Sun Warrior by P.C. Cast
Releases on: October 17th 2017

#1 New York Times bestselling author P.C. Cast, brings us a new epic fantasy set in a world where humans, their animal allies, and the earth itself has been drastically changed.

The battle lines have been drawn and Mari, an Earth Walker and Nik, a Companion, who were once from rival clans now find themselves fighting to save each other and their people from destruction.

Thaddeus betrayed his own people, killing Nik’s father and destroying their entire clan. But he wants more. He wants the power he believes Mari has stolen from him and his people and he will do anything he must to get them back, even if it means destroying everything in his path. There is only way to stop Thaddeus, but it means a harrowing journey for Mari and Nik into the heart of darkness. But if they hope to survive the coming fight, they have no choice but to believe in each other.


Thoughts:
SQUEE! Even though Moon Chosen started out slow initially for me, I ended up loving the story and can't wait for this second novel in the Tales of a New World series! I'm excited to see what happens to Mari and Nik next, but I also want to see more of Sora and Antreas as well and seeing as there's a lynx on the cover for Sun Warrior I'm assuming Antreas will be in the tale at some point--yay! Can't wait!

Have you read this series at all?
And what are YOU waiting on this week?

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

RELEASE: Dear Banjo by Sasha Wasley

Yesterday (May 29th) marked the release of Dear Banjo by Sasha Wasley and I am so proud and excited to be able to help her celebrate the release of her latest story published by Penguin Random House Australia.

Sasha is someone I'm honored to consider a friend and have had the pleasure of following her writing career ever since I reviewed her debut novel The Seventh three years ago. This is a fabulous milestone for her and I'm so excited that Dear Banjo is in stores Australia wide!
_________________________________

They were best friends who were never meant to fall in love – but for one of them, it was already way too late.

Willow ‘Banjo’ Paterson and Tom Forrest were raised on neighbouring cattle stations in the heart of the Kimberley. As young adults, sharing the same life dreams, something came between them that Willow cannot forget. Now ten years have passed since she’s even spoken to Tom.

When her father falls ill, Willow is called home to take over the running of the family property, Paterson Downs. Her vision for a sustainable, organic cattle station is proving hard to achieve. She needs Tom’s help, but is it too late, and all too complicated, to make amends?

Tom’s heartfelt, decade-old letters remain unopened and unmentioned between them, and Willow must find the courage to finally read them. Their tattered pages reveal a love story like no other – and one you’ll never forget.

Dear Banjo is a wildly romantic and utterly captivating story about first love and second chances from an exciting new Australian author.


Purchase:
From Dear Banjo....

Somehow she managed to pack up the entire apartment overnight. On the way to the airport the next morning, Willow got the taxi driver to drop in at Tanya’s place. Her friend was still in her pyjamas when Willow gave her the keys to her apartment and a couple of hundred dollars. Tanya tried to refuse the money but Willow pushed it into her hand.

‘No, Tan, I’ve booked professional cleaners and I need you to pay them for me. Keep whatever’s left over as a thanks. And could you possibly go in and get rid of the boxes I’ve left behind? You can have anything from them or just donate it all to charity. And then if you could just drop the keys off to the real estate agent, I’ll be grateful forever.’

Tanya nodded and her eyes went a little glassy. ‘You’re really going, aren’t you? For good, I mean.’

‘Yeah. Going home at last. I can’t believe I stayed in the city this long.’
Tears spilled down Tanya’s cheeks. ‘I’m going to miss you.’

‘Oh, Tan. You should come visit.’ Willow hugged her. ‘I’ll stay in touch.’

‘It’s not the same,’ Tanya sobbed.

‘I’ll call you in a couple of days, okay?’

Tanya nodded and gave her another tearful hug before letting Willow leave. 

Jeez, Willow thought as she ran back to the taxi. Shows of emotion had never been her thing. Okay, she was moving a couple of thousand kilometres away, and she’d miss seeing Tanya at work, but surely it wasn’t worth crying over. 

A memory of her sessions with a psychologist surfaced. Willow, you tend to hold people at arm’s length. Why don’t you try letting people in a little more? Willow snapped her attention back to the present, logging into the power company’s website on her phone to cancel her account.

She checked in for her flight and paid an exorbitant amount for her excess baggage before watching it glide away on the conveyer belt – the sum total of her adult life in two large suitcases. No, she remembered. 3700 square kilometres, 6500 head of cattle, a groundbreaking, humane, organic beef operation. That would be the sum total of her adult life.

She settled into her seat and thanked the heavens she’d been placed next to a young fly-in-fly-out type, probably contracted to the Herne River catchment project. He was already plugged into his
tablet and watching a show involving zombies, so she wouldn’t have to talk to anyone during the flight. She wanted to write a to-do list. As soon as they were in the air she reached into her bag for a notepad and her hand met something unfamiliar. Not her notepad. 

Tom’s letters.

Willow considered them, her heart rate bumping up all over again. Wouldn’t it almost be an invasion of Tom’s privacy to read them now, so long after he’d intended her to? Maybe those sleeping dogs should just be left to lie? 

Yes, she would bin them all – drop them into the roving rubbish bag the next time the steward came around. 

But she would be living next door to the Forrests again once she got home. By now, Tom would soon be taking over Quintilla, just as she was about to do with Paterson Downs. Their families were as close as ever. She’d need to resume some kind of relationship with Tom Forrest, no matter how difficult the initial patching up phase would be. 
Maybe she could use this three-hour flight from Perth to Mount Clair to read all of Tom’s letters at last. She hadn’t even given the poor guy a chance after looking at the first couple. She’d been so absorbed in her own pain; grappling with the panic she felt every time she thought about what he’d done. Perhaps there had been an apology in one of those letters – an apology she should have acknowledged by now. A retraction of that awful moment when he’d said those words . . . 

Tom’s handwriting was scrawled across the front of the topmost envelope – always familiar, no matter how long it had been. Willow took a shaky breath. Seven-thirty in the morning was a little early for a stiff drink, so she requested a coffee and pulled out the first two letters; the ones she’d opened and read ten years earlier.

Dear Banjo, 
Happy New Year. I guess you’re settled in at the student hall by now. You sure went early. The other kids who got in aren’t leaving until February. I don’t know where you’re staying so I asked Beth to send this on to you. You might have heard I’m probably not going to take up my offer of a place at uni. I’m thinking I’ll defer my course – for now, anyway. Dad’s not fazed. He won’t have to hire extra help this way, not to mention the savings on the tuition fees. Mum’s not overly happy but I keep telling her it’s only for the year. She asks a lot of questions. Not really sure what else to say to you, Banjo. It’s weird without you. Whenever I’m on the quad I turn towards Patersons before I remember you’re not there any more. I keep thinking I’ll see you at the eastern gate, sitting on Rusty, ready for a fenceline race. You knew I’d always beat you but you’d have a go anyway. So, yep. Really weird. You’ve always just been there. I guess it doesn’t quite compute yet. Take care of yourself in the big city, okay? 
Tom 
P.S. We should probably try to sort this mess out.

Sasha Wasley was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia.

She has completed a PhD in cultural theory and loves nature, Jane Austen and puns.

Sasha is a farming wannabe, with a passion for animals and the land. Although she’s in her forties now, she still wants a pony.

Her debut novel, a young adult paranormal, was published in 2014. Today, she lives and writes in the Swan Valley wine region with her partner and two daughters, surrounded by dogs, cats and chickens.
Sasha writes mystery, paranormal and young adult novels as S.D. Wasley.
 
Visit Sasha:
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Instagram

Set in the Australian outback and written by an amazing Aussie author, be sure to get your copy of Dear Banjo!

 

Monday, May 29, 2017

Release Blitz: The Way Back Home by Carmen Jenner- Excerpt

The Rest Is Still Unwritten is thrilled to help Carmen Jenner celebrate the release of her latest novel The Way Back Home thanks to Give Me Books Promotions! The Way Back Home is brilliant read and Carmen Jenner definitely satisfies with this one!
_______________________________________

August Cotton shouldn’t be here. When a tragic accident calls him home to Magnolia Springs, this returned Veteran adds his parents to the list of things he’s lost in recent years, right along with his IED detection dog and his left leg. As the sole guardian of his four-year-old sister, August must rely on his Marine training in raising a tiny hellion who’s as stubborn as he is. But the Corps could never prepare him for this. Nor could they prepare him for Olivia Anders, a woman who’ll stop at nothing to get her way.

As owner of Paws for Cause, Olivia is no stranger to the broken men and women who return home from war. She’s no stranger to broken dogs either. In fact, she’s made it her mission to pair the two and enrich both of their lives, but pairing ornery and aloof August Cotton will take some work. The last thing August wants is some pushy southern woman occupying his parents’ bed and breakfast and forcing him to open up about the hell he narrowly escaped, but that’s exactly what Olivia intends.

They complete one another, and yet they can’t stand to be in the same room.

Can Olivia make this hardened Marine feel again and finally show his heart the way back home?

*** Intended for a mature 18+ audience only. This book may contain triggers for some readers.


Add on Goodreads or check out my 5 star review!

Purchase:

From The Way Back Home.....

“Are we going to ignore it forever?” The words are sharper than I intend, and they slice through the silence as if they were a roar, bitter and bruised with frustration.
His whole body stills. “No.”
“Then why won’t you say something?”
“What am I supposed to say?” he shoots back, equally as angry, and I’m stunned for a second, because it’s he who walked away, it’s he who’s been avoiding me, and he who seems to be perfectly fine, while I’m the one feeling like I just handed him my heart and he stomped all over it.
“What do you want to say?” I snap. “Obviously, you’re angry with me. You can’t even look at me. You haven’t looked at me since—”
“I can’t stop looking at you,” he hisses. “It’s all I’ve done since you got here, seen you and nothing else.”
“Then what?” I plead. “What aren’t you saying?”
“I’m terrified, okay?” he shouts, standing up and slamming his fist down on the table. I flinch. Zora sits up and growls. “I’m absolutely fucking terrified.”
“Of what?”
“Of you, of this.”


Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA Today and international bestselling author.

Her dark romance, KICK (Savage Saints MC #1), won Best Dark Romance Read in the Reader’s Choice Awards at RWDU, 2015.

A tattoo enthusiast, hardcore makeup addict and zombie fangirl, Carmen lives on the sunny North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she spends her time indoors wrangling her two wildling children, a dog named Pikelet, and her very own man-child.

A romantic at heart, Carmen strives to give her characters the HEA they deserve, but not before ruining their lives completely first … because what’s a happily ever after without a little torture?

Visit Carmen:

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Book Shelf: The Way Back Home by Carmen Jenner

August Cotton shouldn’t be here. When a tragic accident calls him home to Magnolia Springs, this returned Veteran adds his parents to the list of things he’s lost in recent years, right along with his IED detection dog and his left leg. As the sole guardian of his four-year-old sister, August must rely on his Marine training in raising a tiny hellion who’s as stubborn as he is. But the Corps could never prepare him for this. Nor could they prepare him for Olivia Anders, a woman who’ll stop at nothing to get her way.

As owner of Paws for Cause, Olivia is no stranger to the broken men and women who return home from war. She’s no stranger to broken dogs either. In fact, she’s made it her mission to pair the two and enrich both of their lives, but pairing ornery and aloof August Cotton will take some work. The last thing August wants is some pushy southern woman occupying his parents’ bed and breakfast and forcing him to open up about the hell he narrowly escaped, but that’s exactly what Olivia intends.

They complete one another, and yet they can’t stand to be in the same room.

Can Olivia make this hardened Marine feel again and finally show his heart the way back home?

*** Intended for a mature 18+ audience only. This book may contain triggers for some readers.


More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

The Way Back Home is Carmen Jenner’s stunning latest release and is a beautiful companion novel to her tale Toward the Sound of Chaos that can be read together or as a standalone. Intense, emotional and uplifting, The Way Back Home is perfect for fans of Alice Clayton and Abbi Glines who enjoy solid romance and feisty characters.

Olivia Anders runs a successful organisation called Paws for Cause that unites rescue dogs with returned servicemen and women often suffering from the physical and mental effects of war. For Olivia, there has been no man she couldn’t help, no dog she couldn’t place….until she meets August Cotton. After losing both his leg and his IED detection dog in an explosion overseas, August came home a broken man whose life took an even more tragic turn when his parents were both killed in an accident and August was left the sole carer for his four year old sister. Struggling with his own demons and his ability to look after his sister, August doesn’t want anyone’s help, especially the stubborn, firecracker Olivia. Determined to prove to him he’s not beyond redemption, Olivia sets out to save August, but with his demons all too real and his pain all too strong, will August be the one veteran that Olivia isn’t able to help? 

Ahhh, Carmen Jenner has done it again; as she always does! Rich, romantic, funny, sassy, sweet, painful, beautiful, emotional…..The Way Back Home had it all. Unfolding through Olivia’s POV as the main character, with the occasional chapter from August POV’s thrown in for good measure, The Way Back Home was a beautifully told novel that introduces readers to two fantastic characters who had very real demons but who managed to find and make a home with the help of each other and an unexpected band of teenagers, dogs and even an adorable piglet. 

Something I’ve always loved about Carmen Jenner’s novels is how she’s able to weave real, painful emotions into her stories with fiery characters and sensual romance. The Way Back Home is a lovely example of this, depicting the struggle of those who have served their country face upon their return home and the often unacceptable way society treats them. There are a few great services and individuals out there that are able to help them, and I loved seeing this in our main character Olivia. 

Olivia and August are really powerful personalities. Strong and independent, Olivia has experienced her own horrors and traumatic experiences in the past and this allows her to relate to the veterans she strives to help, including August. I liked she was sweet and very caring, but also feisty and sharp with her words—a great balance. 

And I have to give Carmen Jenner props for the way she wrote August Cotton and the way she depicted his relationship with Olivia, authentically depicting the struggles he faced, his temper and his violent outbursts he often couldn’t control. Scarred both inside and out, August was a wounded man who struck out at those closest to him. Jenner didn’t sugar-coat things, but also made it very clear that what August was doing wasn’t okay. Olivia understood why these incidents were unavoidable, but she also acknowledged that it wasn’t okay, and I really liked that Jenner made her characters acknowledge and face this. 

Filled with fabulous characters including an adorable four year old and two teenagers who worm their way into Olivia’s heart, The Way Back Home is an emotional and occasionally heartbreaking read that will entrance you with its romance and beautiful tale. 

Rating:
Source:
Sent for review by Give Me Books Promotions and the author (Thank you ladies!)
Publisher: Independently published
Format: Kindle ARC

Release Date: May 29th 2017
Purchase:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA
Final Thoughts: A great NA tale that readers are sure to love, I highly recommend this one and will without a doubt read whatever Carmen Jenner releases next!


Saturday, May 27, 2017

Free Ebooks

Hello book lovers and welcome to another batch of FREE Amazon freebies. Enjoy!



Hope you managed to snag something new!

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Book Shelf: The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles

For the perfect love, what would you be willing to lose?

It’s been a shattering year for seventeen-year-old Zoe, who’s still reeling from her father's shockingly sudden death in a caving accident and her neighbors’ mysterious disappearance from their own home. Then on a terrifying sub-zero, blizzardy night in Montana, she and her brother are brutally attacked in a cabin in the woods—only to be rescued by a mysterious bounty hunter they call X.

X is no ordinary bounty hunter. He is from a hell called the Lowlands, sent to claim the soul of Zoe’s evil attacker and others like him. X is forbidden from revealing himself to anyone other than his prey, but he casts aside the Lowlands’ rules for Zoe. As they learn more about their colliding worlds, they begin to question the past, their fate, and their future.

More info on Goodreads....


Review:

The Edge of Everything is Jeff Giles debut novel and is a unique and intriguing start to what looks like a series perfect for those who love their YA with a supernatural edge.

Seventeen year old Zoe’s had a heartbreaking year so far with her father passing away in an unexpected caving accident and her neighbours disappearing under mysterious circumstances. During a freak snow-storm Zoe is looking after her little brother Jonah when they are attacked by a violent madman only to find themselves rescued by the mysterious and glowing X. X is a bounty hunter, tasked with delivering evil souls to a hellish place called the Lowlands. Having known nothing other than life as a prisoner and bounty hunter X isn't prepared for Zoe, the first light he's ever known in the darkness that is his life. Zoe and X are from two different worlds but as they fight for their budding love they're in for the fight of their lives and with secrets coming to light that will change everything, forcing these two star crossed lovers to make the hardest choices of their lives.

As a highly anticipated read of 2017 The Edge of Everything was a decent start to Jeff Giles new series but was a bit hit and miss for me at times too. Featuring a fabulous premise, the concept within The Edge of Everything was really intriguing and clearly well thought out. Yet I felt a bit disconnected from the novel at times. I think the idea was wonderful but the execution could have been a bit better.

While I felt Jeff Giles seemed to have all the right elements, I didn't feel like there was any depth to the story. Especially where the main characters were concerned. As individuals, I liked Zoe and X enough and even enjoyed them together but I didn't really feel their romance. It seemed to come on too fast, too soon and as such this seemingly epic, "perfect" love was unbelievable to me. It felt forced and while I was rooting for Zoe and X to work things out, I wasn't necessarily as invested in their relationship as I would have liked to have been.

Though there was something that kept me from being one hundred percent invested in The Edge of Everything, there was a lot I did like and I find myself interested enough to continue on with the series. The ending was somewhat exciting and leaves a lot of possibilities. I'm keen to see the characters find their way back to each other and will be on the lookout for the sequel in the future to see what Jeff Giles does next.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher (Thank you guys!)
Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia
Format:
Paperback
Australian RRP:
$16.99
Release Date: February 2017
Purchase:
Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: Fresh and unique, though this book didn't soar to heights I'd hoped it would, I'm interested enough to want to see what Jeff Giles does next.


Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #180

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on.....
 
Chaser by Kylie Scott
Releases on: November 2nd 2017
Add on Goodreads!

Given his well-earned bad boy reputation, Eric is having a tough time scoring.. When single Jean moves to town, she seems heaven sent by the sex gods. Only problem is, she not only wants nothing to do with him, but it turns out that she’s pregnant.

Starting over in a small town, Jean is determined to turn her wild lifestyle around and be the kind of mother she always wished she’d had. Since local bar owner and all round hottie, Eric Collins, is now determined to steer clear of her pregnant self, it should be easy. When she goes into labour during a snow storm and her car slides on some ice, it’s Eric who comes to the rescue.

There seems to be a bond between them now, but is it enough? And can Eric give up his manwhore ways to be the man Jean needs?

Thoughts:
I haven't had a chance to read book #2 yet and I'm already hankering to get my hands on this third installment! Though it's yet to beat the Stage Dive series, I thoroughly enjoy anything Kylie Scott writes and I can't wait to read Eric's tale. Sounds like it could be really heartwarming with a pregnant woman and a bad-boy involved.

Have you read any of Kylie Scott's books?
And what are YOU waiting on this week?

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Book Shelf: Ensnared by Rita Stradling

A Near-Future Retelling of Beauty and the Beast

Alainn’s father is not a bad man. He’s a genius and an inventor. When he’s hired to create the robot Rose, Alainn knows taking the money is a mistake.

Rose acts like a human. She looks exactly like Alainn. But, something in her comes out wrong.

To save her father from a five year prison sentence, Alainn takes Rose’s place. She says goodbye to the sun and goes to live in a tower no human is allowed to enter. She becomes the prisoner of a man no human is allowed to see.

Believing that a life of servitude lies ahead, Alainn finds a very different fate awaits her in the company of the strange, scarred recluse.

[This novel contains adult situations and is only suitable for readers who are 18+]


More info on Goodreads....


Review:

Ensnared by Rita Stradling is Beauty and the Beast meets I, Robot in this fairytale retelling with a sci-fi twist that will be perfect for those who love Sarah J. Maas and Marissa Meyer. 

Set in a futuristic world, a young woman named Alainn Murphy finds herself imprisoned in an artificially controlled tower when her inventor father is commissioned to create a robot named Rose to be the companion of a mysterious and reclusive millionaire. Made in Alainn’s image, Rose looks like a human and acts like a human, but Alainn knows there’s something sinister lurking behind Rose’s eyes. To save her father from a prison sentence should he not turn over Rose, Alainn take’s the robots place, but passing for an artificial machine is harder than it looks. And as Alainn begins to slowly get to know her captor, it becomes clear the scarred man who interacts with her is much more than he first seems…

I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed Ensnared, devouring it in only a couple of sittings. Capturing my attention the moment I realised it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling with a science fiction twist, Rita Stradling quickly had me enthralled with the story from the opening few chapters with her strong characters and delightful world.

Unfolding through Alainn’s POV with the occasional different character thrown in, Ensnared details a near futuristic world where robots and auto machines are every day ways of life. Refreshing and fun, I liked the world Stradling has created and wished to have seen more of it. The robotics were intriguing, especially the AI monkeys who were just beyond adorable and who I would take home in a heartbeat if they were real. 

I really liked Alainn and Lorccan as the main characters and was very much behind their relationship. Yes, I admit they weren’t perfect and there were a few small things that could have been tweaked had we had time—Lorccan’s “curse” and Alainn’s experience of abuse in the past—but given that this is a standalone novel, I think Rita Stradling worked well with the time she had.  

Alainn was strong but sweet and very capable. She stood up for her loved ones and was willing to fight for what she wanted, while Lorccan was an isolated recluse, afraid to have people see his scars who was used to darkness. They went well together as a couple and became happier people as the novel progressed and they spent more time together. 

With Lorccan having lived in complete isolation and having known nothing outside his home, I enjoyed seeing his relationship develop with Alainn. As the only two humans in Lorccan’s home, they spend a number of hours together and though these start out grudgingly on Alainn’s part, they grow to be something she deeply enjoys. For some reason I started the novel expecting it to be YA, so I wasn’t necessarily expecting the sex scenes and physical aspect of Alainn and Lorccans romance, but again, I felt this fit in well with the story and was done well. Although how Lorccan didn’t know Alainn was human and not a robot based on her body’s natural reactions, I’ll never know.

Full of wonderful romance and danger, there were only a few things that kept Ensnared from being a flat out 5 star book for me. I felt there were a few vital parts missing from the story or could have been explored a bit better. That being said, I did really love Ensnared and highly recommend it! 

Rating:
Source:
Sent for review by publisher (Thank you guys!)
Publisher: Kindle Press      
Format: Kindle ebook

Release Date: May 23rd 2017
Purchase:
The Book Depository | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Final Thoughts: I highly enjoyed this book and really loved this retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Highly recommend.


Sunday, May 21, 2017

Book Blitz: Lady of Sherwood by Molly Bilinski- Excerpt & Giveaway

Today I'm happy to be taking part in the Book Blitz for Lady of Sherwood by Molly Bilinski thanks to Xpresso Book Tours. Lady of Sherwood looks like a delightful twist with a gender change on Robinhood and I hope you enjoy the excerpt and giveaway I have for you today. 
________________________

Robin of Lockesly was neither the son her father wanted, nor the daughter her mother expected. When she refuses an arranged marriage to a harsh and cruel knight, the deadly events that follow change her destiny forever.

After a night of tragedy, Robin and the few remaining survivors flee to Nottingham. With a newfound anonymity, they start to live different lives. There, she and her band make mischief, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. But charity isn't the only thing she wants--she wants revenge.

As the sheriff draws his net closer, Robin's choices begin to haunt her. She'll have to choose between what's lawful and what her conscience believes is right--all while staying one step ahead of the hangman.

Lady of Sherwood is a unique young adult retelling of the beloved Robin Hood legend. Filled with action and romance, this new series follows a teenage heroine through her fantastic, yet dangerous adventures.


Purchase:
 

From Lady of Sherwood.....

“That still makes it murder. It doesn’t change that. Nothing changes that.”

 “You’re an outlaw, then.” Maggie shrugged. “You’re the Lady of Lockesly. You’re a warrior woman from the old tales. None of those things mean we don’t want you to stay with us.”

 “You came back to the manor,” Kitty added. “You came back for us. To find Gisborne and protect us. You could have abandoned us.”

 Robin’s expression morphed into something stricken, and her eyes widened. “Why would I have done that? You’re—you’re family. You’ve always been as much family as my mother.” True, Jemma was the sister she’d never been gifted with, but the others had a spot in her heart all the same. One that was rapidly growing by the second.

 “Then come with us.” Maggie’s tone said she wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Be an outlaw, but come with us. Even outlaws need friends.”

 “I’m an outlaw, same as you,” Jemma murmured when Robin looked meaningfully at her. “I went with you to kill him, and I attacked his men.”

 Robin locked eyes with each girl in front of her and she found nothing but tempered steel staring back at her. All of them might have been younger than her and Jemma in physical years, yet they showed a resilience and a courage born from the night’s events. 

Robin knew she’d been right earlier to call them smart. Nottingham was large enough for them to all blend into new crowds, and if they kept their wits about them, no one would ever have to know the last survivors of Lockesly Manor were harboring two outlaws.

 “All right,” she said. “We stay together and head for Nottingham tomorrow at dark. We don’t want to be seen,” she added. “Not if any of Gisborne’s men are still in the village.” And looking for revenge if he was dead.
 
Molly is a 2013 graduate of William Smith College with a bachelors in chemistry. She puts her science powers to use by day and is a novelist by night (and weekend...and any five minutes she can find). When she's not writing or working, she's scoping out coffee shops, exploring her new city (Buffalo, NY), taking day trips to Canada, and putting together puzzles.

Visit Molly:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, May 19, 2017

Blog Tour: Time Weaver: Heart of Cogs by Jacinta Maree- Excerpt & Giveaway

I'm beyond excited to be taking part in the Blog Tour for Time Weaver: Heart of Cogs by Jacinta Maree today thanks to Xpresso Book Tours!

Not only is she an incredible author, but Jacinta is someone I'm honored to consider a friend and I'm stoked to share her latest release Time Weaver: Heart of Cogs with the world. This is a wonderfully unique steampunk read I definitely recommend!
_______________________________

I have a clock for a heart…
And the man who put it there tried to take it out.

Time Collectors are modern day genies capable of exchanging wishes for time. Elizabeth Wicker lives within a steampunk world riddled with the supernatural. Among the stories of witches, Bacts and other monsters, Time Collectors remain as the greatest hushed secret among the noble families.

They are temptation's greatest tools. A contract with a Time Collector is a guaranteed death sentence, and for some the prize isn't worth the price.
But when Elizabeth is struck down by a fatal heart attack, she finds herself trapped beneath a Time Collector's blade. With no time left to offer, she makes a desperate sacrifice at a second chance of life.

If there's only one truth, it is a Time Collector will always come back to collect.
 


Add on Goodreads or check out my 4 star review!
 
Purchase:
 
From Time Weaver.....

Klaus and Elizabeth boarded the large airship to make the long trip across country to Gothsworth. The airship glided across the skies. The large balloon housed rows of seats, cafes, an indoor garden, and open balconies for people to look over the railings. Clouds settled overhead, casting a long, grey blanket across the horizon. Klaus’ eyes trailed down his arm, his fingers lightly touching the taint of Nikolas’ corruption. 

“What did you wish for?” he asked. 

Elizabeth turned away from the window at his question. She glanced down at his arm and reached across to soothe the rash. “You have it too?”

 “When it comes to magical wounds, we are connected.” Klaus pulled his sleeve down. “What did you wish for?” 

“I’m not entirely sure,” she answered honestly. Klaus gently nodded and then turned away, showing disinterest in further conversation. He proceeded to act cold toward her for the rest of the trip, pretending to be interested in the inflight newspaper to avoid her questions. And as they walked, he intentionally walked too fast, making it difficult for Elizabeth to keep up. Every time she checked to see if everything was okay, he’d feign ignorance and brush it aside. He couldn’t explain exactly why he acted this way. It wasn’t his disinterest in her company, despite his body language saying that it was. Whenever they were alone together, he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by her. As soon as they sat in the car Lady Rose sent to collect them at the port, he understood the feeling. Vulnerability.

Gothsworth consisted of large columns of houses stacked on top of each other like shelves and domed around a grand cathedral in the centre. Bridges connected the segregated community in criss-crossing channels, while automatic trolleys moved up and down each column in massive, cage elevators. The entire complex resembled a beehive, a city squashed into four quarter circles. The entire community had been jammed packed so tightly together that the only space remaining was on top of their neighbours’ roof. As earthquakes were the deathly fear of the city, they installed massive steam powered pegs that gripped the earth and stabilized the entire foundation.

Elizabeth craned her head back as the high-rise towers disappeared into the low hanging clouds. Even with the giant pegs, the buildings would wobble and shift. Lady rose lived at the top of the tower, which must have been seen as a luxury. The driver escorted Klaus and Elizabeth to one of the pulleys and it clicked and clanked its way up the structure, passing by other houses so close Elizabeth could see through their front windows. She gripped the handle bar as the open cage swayed with the wind. The trolley came to a shaky stop outside the top house, opening up to the rock garden and outwards to a massive earth coloured two-story manor. At the front door, they were greeted by an elegant woman waiting for them.
 
Born in Melbourne Australia, Jacinta Maree considers herself a chocoholic with an obsession with dragons and Japan. Published in 2012 to USA publisher Staccato Publishing, Jacinta writes a variety of genres from YA paranormal, steampunk, horror and fantasy. Winner of 2014 Horror of the year and best selling author, Jacinta writes to answer all of her absurd questions and to explore themes and characters not often seen in main media.
 
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Thursday, May 18, 2017

Book Shelf: Time Weaver: Heart of Cogs (Time Collector #1) by Jacinta Maree

I have a clock for a heart…
And the man who put it there tried to take it out.

Time Collectors are modern day genies capable of exchanging wishes for time. Elizabeth Wicker lives within a steampunk world riddled with the supernatural. Among the stories of witches, Bacts and other monsters, Time Collectors remain as the greatest hushed secret among the noble families.

They are temptation's greatest tools. A contract with a Time Collector is a guaranteed death sentence, and for some the prize isn't worth the price.
But when Elizabeth is struck down by a fatal heart attack, she finds herself trapped beneath a Time Collector's blade. With no time left to offer, she makes a desperate sacrifice at a second chance of life.

If there's only one truth, it is a Time Collector will always come back to collect.
 


More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Time Weaver: Heart of Cogs is the first novel in Australian author Jacinta Maree’s new Time Collector series and is a riveting and engaging tale that introduces readers to a deeply mysterious but alluring world of steampunk and hair-splitting danger.

Elizabeth Blackmore is a young woman living on borrowed time. Suffering a dangerous heart problem, Elizabeth’s whole world changes forever when her mother passes away. With no one else, Elizabeth faces two choices; find herself sold off to a cruel lord as a maid, or reach out to her estranged father, the eccentric and mysterious Doctor Wicker in the hopes he will take her in. Becoming a Wicker changes everything Elizabeth knows as she finds herself discovering the dangerous world of Time Collectors; immortal beings who exchange wishes for time but whose inhuman abilities come with a price. When Elizabeth suffers a heart attack and she faces death, will the ultimate sacrifice be made to keep her alive? And what will happen when the Time Collector responsible for so much death catches up with Elizabeth?  

I’ve previously had nothing by good experiences with Jacinta Maree’s books and was super stoked to read Time Weaver: Heart of Cogs. Drawing us into a vivid steampunk world, Time Weaver was highly entertaining. The tale primarily follows Elizabeth, but also often details situations concerning and featuring a few other minor characters including Klaus, who readers will quickly come to like and learn plays an intricate part in the story. 

Time Weaver was quite an interesting book. Maree details a gritty Steampunk/Victorian world where magic and monsters exist and multidimensional and complex characters bring the story to life. I’ll admit there was a few times where the multitude of minor characters confused me and I needed to focus to keep track of everything that was happening; but I have no doubt there’s a reason behind each and every character and situation and that Jacinta Maree will let us all know and understand in time.

Personally I quite liked Elizabeth as the main character and thought her easy to follow and likable, but found myself most intrigued with Klaus and the Time Collectors. Maybe it was just me, but Time Weaver made me think about human complexity and human nature; especially as the novel progressed and some of the seemingly “bad guys” became more than they first appear.  

Take Klaus for instance. The fact that he’s a love interest aside—I always seem to adore them regardless—Klaus is a very complex individual who brings about a range of emotions in me. What he is means he’s often the perpetrator of many questionable acts where lives are taken. Yet this is a fundamental part of what Klaus is. He can’t help it. There’s a coldness to him that Elizabeth is slowly starting to thaw and I actually felt sorry for him a lot of the time; especially towards the end of the novel where so much happened that was out of his control or he just didn’t mean to cause happen. 

It’s fascinating to read a book and have a character start out as villain you anticipate hating, yet instead you see them in an almost human light as time goes on. Another strong personality within the story is Nikolas, whose determination knows no bounds and who towards the end of the novel finds himself experiencing emotions he wasn’t expecting. It’s intriguing, as so many of his actions have been out of love and the binds he experiences as a Time Collector. 

As the first novel of a series, Time Weaver: Heart of Cogs offers us a glimpse and taste of this steampunk world Jacinta Maree has brought to life. There’s a lot going in within the story with various characters introduced and little snippets left to hint at more. The world of Time Collectors, Guardians and other creatures are full of possibilities and I for one am looking forward to seeing more of Elizabeth and Klaus and seeing where Jacinta Maree plans to take this promising series!

Rating:
Source:
Sent for review by Xpresso Book Tours and Jacinta Maree (Thank you ladies!)
Publisher: Ragnarok Publishing      
Format: Kindle ebook

Release Date: February 14th 2017
Purchase:
The Book Depository | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Final Thoughts:
I highly enjoyed this book and am super excited to see where Jacinta Maree takes the series next!

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #179

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on.....

Last Star Burning by Caitlin Sangster
Releases on: October 10th 2017
Add on Goodreads!

Sev has been tattooed with the White stars of a criminal since she was eight. That’s the penalty for being the daughter of the woman who betrayed their entire nation.

Now her mother’s body is displayed above Traitor’s Arch, kept in a paralyzed half-sleep by the same plague that destroyed the rest of the world. And as further punishment, Sev must do hard labor to prove that she’s more valuable alive than dead.

When the government blames Sev for a horrific bombing, she must escape the city or face the chopping block. Unimaginable dangers lurk outside the city walls, and Sev’s only hope of survival lies with the most unlikely person—Howl, the chairman’s son. Though he promises to lead her to safety, Howl has secrets, and Sev can’t help but wonder if he knows more about her past—and her mother’s crimes—than he lets on.

But in a hostile world, trust is a luxury. Even when Sev’s life and the lives of everyone she loves may hang in the balance.


Thoughts:
Ooooh, does Last Star Burning sound good or what!?! A girl whose mother is branded a traitor and who is blamed for a bombing herself and the only person who can help her is the son of some chairman? Seriously, that just spells forbidden romance, angst and excitement. Bring it on! Defintely wanting to get my hands on a copy of this one!

Does Last Star Burning sound like something YOU want to read?
What are you waiting on this week?