Spotlight - Fairly Certain by Deborah Ann Davis + GIVEAWAY

In the spotlight today we have "Fairly Certain" by Deborah Ann Davis  A Love of Fairs Tale

TITLE:    Fairly Certain (Love of Fairs)

AUTHOR:    Deborah Ann Davis

INFO:    Fiction,  196 pages

PUBLISHED:   D&D Universe, 2014

GENRE:    YA Fiction

ABOUT:  Fairly Certain is the unlikely adventure of nineteen year old Petir Capota, a computer geek who finds himself back in the days of Robin Hood after falling out of a tree in Connecticut. He awakens surrounded by a band of young British scavengers, clothed as if in Old England. His instinct to freak out is tempered by the arrival of a fair maiden wearing a bow…and arrow. Normally, fair maiden types don’t go for computer geek types, but for some reason, Petir is fairly certain he can do whatever he wants in this realm. 

With the conflict of the Royals escalating, Maid Rianne has joined the outlaws hiding in the forest, outwardly defying the handsome and accomplished knight to whom she is promised. She is fairly certain she merely feels flattered by Lord Petir’s uncensored admiration of her skills with the staff and bow, the same unmaidenly pursuits disdained by her own knight. However, that does not explain the quickening of her pulse produced by Lord Petir’s unguarded gaze.

The outlaws bring Petir to their camp to tend his injuries. To Petir’s delight, and to Maid Rianne’s dismay, they invite him to join their merry band. It’s all fun and games until she is captured by the enemy. Now, a geek with no ability to defend himself must find a way to rescue the fair maiden.

EXCERPT:  Maid Rianne lifted off Petir in alarm, her arms bracing her from both sides of his body as she hovered just inches away. Although they did not touch, their gazes locked them together as their ragged breathing blended with the night noises. Still she did not retreat.

That was enough of a signal for Petir. He propped himself up high enough to reach her mouth and waited. Her face tilted toward him, and he brushed her lips with his.

Now, that was a tingle.

Magically, she deepened their kiss. She was so warm, and—

“Be sure to check on our guest before you bed down,” directed a male voice from outside the tent.

Maid Rianne’s head shot up. Panic washed across her face as she scrambled to her feet, frantically tugging her clothing and smoothing her hair. The flap of the tent quietly opened, and a head popped in.

“All’s well, Maid Rianne?”

“Yes, yes,” she snapped. “Of course all is well, sir.”

The intruder offered a puzzled look at her waspish tone as she self-consciously straightened her sleeves. He politely tipped his head at Petir, a suspicious glint in his eye. “Very well. Good evening, sir.”

“One moment, sir,” she said, scooping up her belongings. “I shall accompany you,” And just like that, she was gone.

Dazed and elated, Petir flopped back on the pallet, all pain forgotten.

Maid Hottie had actually jumped his bones. Too bad you couldn’t wrap it up in a box and put a bow on it. Now that would make a great birthday present. 

Best dream ever!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  DEBORAH ANN DAVIS writes Quirky New/Young Adult Fiction with a Twist. She began writing when searching for inspiration for her 5th grade English Journal. Lo and behold, she found her world was full of funny tales just waiting to be told. As she grew older, it never occurred to her to pursue writing, not even when she discovered her flare for telling stories at college parties.

After a string of undergrad majors, she realized she could reach a captive audience EVERY DAY in the public school system. As you probably know, teenagers love to laugh, and what could be more entertaining than Biology, Earth Science, and Environmental Science? Then there's an added bonus: Once teens know you like to laugh, they want to make you laugh. Go figure.

After a particularly nasty bout of Lyme disease, she turned to Fitness to boost her health, and to Writing to boost her happiness. Currently, she is a healthy and happy Educational Speaker and a Certified Personal Trainer.

Twelve years after their first kiss, Deborah reunited with, and married her childhood sweetheart. Together they coached their daughter's AAU Basketball Team, which swept States two years in a row. (Yay!) Then, for several years, their daughter and their money went to college.

They presently reside on a lovely lake in Connecticut. When she isn't writing novels for her Love of Fairs series, she enjoys dabbling with living a sustainable life, dancing, playing outside, and laughing really hard every day. She also promotes increasing your movement throughout your day as Wiggle Writer in her Merry Meddling blog. You can track Deborah’s meddling on Twitter HERE or HERE.  LinkedIn, Facebook, and Goodreads.

Fairly Certain is available through:

IndieBound / Amazon / Smashwords / Kobo / Barnes & Noble  / Inktera / bLio

Deborah is giving one lucky reader a $20 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. You can easily enter below and then be sure to check out the other tour stops for more excerpts and more ways to enter. Good luck!

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Blog Tour Stops

1: Long and Short Reviews
2: Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
3: T's Stuff 
4: Edgar's Books
5: BooksChatter
6: Independent Authors
7: Musings of a Writer
8: One Book Shy of a Full Shelf
9: Christine Young
10: Unabridged Andra
11: Room With Books
12: Books Direct
13: Hope .Dreams. Life... Love
14: Romorror Fan Girl REVIEW
15: 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!
16: Queen of the Night Reviews
17: Linda Nightingale...Wordsmith
18: Aly's Miscellany
19: Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
20: Deal Sharing Aunt
21: Reviews By Crystal
22: Two Ends of the Pen
23: Sapphyria's Book Reviews
24: Wendi Zwaduk ~ Romance to Make Your Heart Race
25: Straight from the Library

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Spotlight - Near the Wild by Maureen Willett

Today we're welcoming author Maureen Willett to One Book Shy as she begins her tour with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, showcasing her new book: Near the Wild.

TITLE:    Near the Wild

AUTHOR:    Maureen Willett

INFO:    Fiction, 229 pages

PUBLISHED:   Amazon, 2015

GENRE:    Historical Fiction

ABOUT:  COWBOYS AND LEPRECHAUNS. Both occupy Maeve MacKeighry’s world in 1870, and she must decide which will win her heart. Leprechauns are feared, even in Ireland, but that doesn’t prevent Maeve from striking up a friendship with one who lives near her village. But once Maeve becomes a young woman, the local villagers start to gossip, especially since the MacKeighrys are known to practice magic in their home. It’s just for entertainment, but the town folk don’t see it that way. Rather than be outcasts, the MacKeighrys set off to America to homestead in Kansas, vowing to leave their magical ways and friends behind. Little do they know that Maeve’s friend follows and protects them on their journey. 

The MacKeighrys encounter many adventures along the way to Kansas, only to find a simple sod house on their new farm at the end of the journey. The untamed land offers a fresh start for the family, as well as two very interesting men who both compete for Maeve’s attention. Pretty young women in a wild western town are a rarity. But can she forget her magical friend, and turn her attention to two of the most interesting men she has ever met? Perhaps cowboys and outlaws have a certain charm that a leprechaun doesn’t, after all.

Most of the novel takes place in Kansas in 1870 and is based on my family’s history. The idea of the MacKeighry’s sod house came from the home of my great grandfather. I was lucky enough to visit it as a teenager before the house was destroyed. One of the characters, Nikki Fuerst, is based on an ancestor, a prince from Austria who was disinherited for marrying a commoner and sent off to America. Stories I’ve been told my entire life about my family’s history and traditions, such as levitating tables, are included in Near The Wild.

NEAR THE WILD contains mild sexual references and some violence.

Available now at:  Amazon 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Maureen Willett is a writer of fiction that pushes the boundaries of established genres. Her stories mostly come from her own family legends that have been passed down through generations, but then she tops them off with a twist of faery dust and angel wings. But at the core of each story are great characters in very human conflicts that anyone will find compelling. Each novel is crafted as an experience that will take readers beyond their day-to-day lives, incorporating themes of time travel, reincarnation, and magic. She is a former journalist, public relations professional, and media marketing specialist. Maureen lives in Hawaii with her family and walks the white-sand beaches of Oahu each day to get her inspiration for writing.

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Spotlight - Dead in a Park by B. L. Blair + GIVEAWAY

B.L. Blair is on deck today with the newest installment in the '

Leah Norwood Mystery series:        

Dead in a Park

TITLE:  Dead in a Park

AUTHOR:    B. L. Blair

INFO:    Fiction, 177 pages 

PUBLISHED:   Amazon, 2015

GENRE:    Romantic Suspense

ABOUT:  When Leah Norwood finds the body of Donald Collins in the city park, she doesn’t know he is a distant relative. Young Donnie was a jewel thief and a career criminal. Hidden in the lining of his suit jacket was an exact replica of a ring that has been in Leah’s family for over a hundred years. After her home is burglarized, the sexy chief of police is convinced the ruby ring has something to do with the murder.

Leah wants to find out what happened to Donnie, but why would someone kill for a hundred year old ring? She discovers a connection between Donnie and the drug-dealing Cantono family, between the Cantono family and a jewelry appraiser, and between the jewelry appraiser and one of her own employees. Chief Griggs might be onto something. All clues lead back to the family ring.

EXCERPT:  “Was he murdered?” I asked softly.

“Oh, yes. It was murder,” Griggs replied.

The last time I found a body it had never occurred to me that the police would consider me a suspect. As a law-abiding citizen, I had just assumed that people knew I was innocent. My experience with the police showed me I was wrong. I looked at both Griggs and Reddish.

“Please tell me you don’t think I killed him.”

Griggs snorted. “No, we don’t think you killed him. He was taller than you, and his neck was broken. No way could you have done that.”

“It was fast and neat,” Reddish added and then turned to Griggs. “Probably someone with military or combat training.”

“Someone who knows how to kill with their hands,” Griggs said softly.

I swallowed. Candace had shot and killed two people in December and tried to kill me twice. She had been crazy, her behavior unexpected and unpredictable, which had made the situation scary. This sounded worse. A person who was calm and rational murdering someone with their bare hands was chilling. And I couldn’t forget about the weird shoe thing.

“Did you find his shoes?”

“No,” Griggs replied, turning toward me.

“Why would someone want his shoes?”

“Who knows? There wasn’t much of a struggle, although there were multiple sets of footprints. But all appeared to be made by people wearing shoes.” He turned away from me and back toward Reddish. “Between Leah and her dog stomping around, I doubt we’ll get any viable footprints.”

“Hey,” I said indignantly. Both men ignored me.

“Let’s keep the area secure anyway,” Griggs continued. “Send a team out to see if they can find anything. Maybe the shoes will show up somewhere else in the park.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  B. L. Blair writes simple and sweet romance and mystery/romance stories. Like most authors, she has been writing most of her life and has dozens of books started. She just needs the time to finish them.

She is the author of the Holton Romance Series and the Leah Norwood Mysteries. She enjoys reading books, writing books, and traveling wherever and as often as time and money allows. She is currently working on her latest book set in Texas, where she lives with her family.

http://www.blblair.com/

https://twitter.com/blblair100

https://www.facebook.com/blblair100

http://blblair100.blogspot.com/

http://leahnorwoodmysteries.blogspot.com/

Buy Links for Dead in a Park

Amazon / iBooks / B&N / Kobo / Smashwords

~~~~~

B.L. Blair is giving one lucky reader a $20 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Enter below and then be sure to check out the other stops for more info on the books as well as more ways to enter. Good luck!

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Tour Stops

November 16: Romance Novel Giveaways

November 17: BooksChatter
November 18: Journey of a Bookseller - review
November 19: Jane Reads - review
November 19: T's Stuff
November 20: Fiction Zeal
November 20: Queen of the Night Reviews
November 23: The Reading Addict
November 24: Harps Romance Book Review
November 25: Wendi Zwaduk ~ Romance to Make Your Heart Race
November 25: fuonlyknew
November 27: It's Raining Books
November 30: One Book Shy of a Full Shelf
December 1: Unabridged Andra's
December 2: Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews
December 3: Archaeolibrarian- I dig good books!
December 4: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Spotlight - Obsidian Worlds by Jason Werbeloff + GIVEAWAY

Today we spotlight Obsidian Worlds by Jason Werbeloff. Starting today, you can download this book Today for only 99 CENTS!

TITLE:   Obsidian Worlds

AUTHOR:    Jason Werbeloff

INFO:    Fiction, 246 pages

PUBLISHED:   2015

GENRE:    Science Fiction/Horror

ABOUT:  Jason Werbeloff’s short stories have been downloaded over 20,000 times. Obsidian Worlds brings together his 11 best-selling sci-fi shorts into a mind-bending philosophical anthology.

In Your Averaged Joe, a man’s headache is large enough to hold the multiverse. Q46F is an obsessive-compulsive android who finds love in a zombie-embroiled apocalypse. The end of the world isn’t all that bad – The Experience Machine will fulfil your every desire (and some you hadn’t considered). A sex bot dares to dream of freedom in Dinner with Flexi. But mind what you eat, because The Photons in the Cheese Are Lost. Don’t fret though: The Cryo Killer guarantees that your death will be painless, or your money back when you’re thawed. Unless, that is, you’re The Man with Two Legs.

Plug into Obsidian Worlds for these and other immersive stories, including the hilarious Time-Traveling Chicken Sexer. Your brain will never be the same again.

EXCERPT:  (from The Cryo Killer):

“Inesa and Paul, good to meet you. Who referred you?”

“Mr. Camfrey’s wife.”

Paul’s hands are working. Picking at each other. At the cuticles.

“Ah yes, I was sorry to hear about his passing.”

“I think,” she lowers her voice, “that it was professionally done. Heart attack, I hear.”

I lean forward. “You’d like a similar package, ma’am?”

Paul speaks up for the first time. “Is it quick?”

If I had a penny for every time a client asked me that question. “Painless,” I say, “or your money back.”

Paul harrumphs.

“Excellent,” says Inesa, beaming. “You’ve been doing this a while?”

“Best in the business,” says Janet, striding over to us. She places a hand on my shoulder. “You’re safe with Barker.”

“So, you’re wanting the double package?”

Inesa squeezes her husband’s arm. Every carat on her ring finger catches the sunlight. His nod is miniscule.

“Yes,” she replies after a moment.

“Those are difficult.” I lean back in my chair, weighing the ring out of the corner of my eye. “Coroner looks closely at doubles. Need a plausible cause of death. Right now all I have in stock are gas leaks and home invasions. Invasions can get messy – brings down the property value. I suggest the gas leak. Although …” I glance at Paul. “Home invasions are on the rise.”

Paul scratches the skin over his knuckles. His lips have taken on a bluish tinge. I’ve seen all manner of manners displayed in the chairs on the other side of my desk. Clients respond to their impending deaths in all sorts of ways. Paul’s reaction isn’t unique.

“Gas leak,” says Inesa definitively.

Paul nods, a quick jerk up and down. “When’ll it happen?” He can’t meet my gaze.

“I could probably fit you in next week. Any preferences?”

“I’m writing an exam on Tuesday,” says Inesa. She looks to Paul, “And I’m sure you’d like to finalize that merger?”

He groans.

“Late next week?” she asks.

“Let’s see … Janet, check my availability, please.”

“Could do Friday next.”

“Excellent,” says Inesa.

“But …” Paul is fading to a paler blue by the minute. Droplets dot his forehead. “I just can’t live with the thought of this hanging over me for the next ten days. I just …” He swallows. “I just can’t.”

I reach out a hand and touch the man’s shoulder. His golf shirt is saturated. “Not to worry, sir. A memory wipe is included. You’ll never know you were here.” I offer him my warmest smile. Janet calls it the Big Daddy. “In fact, you may’ve been here before, and you wouldn’t know.”

Paul eyeballs me. “Have we been here before?”

“I couldn’t tell you.” I wink.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Jason Werbeloff is a novelist and philosopher. He loves chocolate and his Labrador, Sunny.He's interested in the nature of social groups, personal identity, freedom, and the nature of the mind. His passion is translating philosophical debate around these topics into works of science fiction, while gorging himself on chocolate.

AmazonAuthor Page – download all of Werbeloff's fiction from Amazon.

Newsletter – subscribe to get 'The Solace Pill' free, as well as VIP access to Werbeloff's latest fiction.

Goodreads – read reviews of Werbeloff’s fiction.

Facebook and Twitter – follow Werbeloff for release date information on upcoming shorts and novels.

Website- read about the author, and the philosophy behind his fiction.

Buy the book for only $0.99

Jason is awarding one lucky reader a $15 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Enter below for your chance and then visit the other stops on the tour for more opportunities to win and learn more about the book. Good luck!

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Tour Stops

1: Long and Short Reviews
2: Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
3: T's Stuff 
4: Room With Books
5: Black Heart Magazine
6: Full Moon Dreaming
7: The Snarkology
8: Independent Authors
9: The Multiverses of Liza O'Connor REVIEW
10: Beyond Romance
11: Two Ends of the Pen
12: Mixed Book Bag
13: Cerebral Writer
14: A to Z Reviews
15: Tina Donahue
16: CRMoss
17: Blog of author Jacey Holbrand
18: Hope.Dreams. Life... Love
19: Where the Story Comes First
20: Blood Moons and Nightscapes
21: Deal Sharing Aunt
22: The Voluptuous Book Diva 
23: Mythical Books
24: SolaFide Book Club
25: Around the World in books
26: Readeropolis
27: One Book Shy of a Full Shelf
28: Queen of All She Reads
29: LPC Book Reviews
30: MAD Hoydenish
31: GothicMoms
32: Welcome to My World of Dreams

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

GIVEAWAY Ends Tonight! Castles, Customs and Kings: True Tales by Historical Fiction Authors

Ends tonight at midnight PST. Be sure to comment on the original post HERE to get your entry in.

Castles, Customs, and Kings: True Tales by Historical Fiction Authors

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Hidden by Amy McKinley + GIVEAWAY

TITLE:    Hidden

AUTHOR:    Amy McKinley

INFO:    Paranormal Fiction, 243 pages

PUBLISHED:   Champagne Books, 2015

SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review 

ABOUT:   Cursed since birth, hunted by gods, and desperate for love—Jade never stood a chance.

Half-demon, half-goddess, Jade’s fate makes her a pawn in an epic battle among the gods. Hidden on Earth with her sisters, she successfully avoids the Oneiroi—the dream gods—bent on her destruction until the prophecy, long dormant, awakens a dark shadow within her.

Roen, a reclusive Worr demon known for his battles against the Oneiroi, is called to protect Jade. Together they must unlock their mysterious connection and find a way to beat back destiny. Can she outsmart the prophecy, change her fate, and find love—even when she learns who is connected to her destruction?

~~~~~

EXCERPT:  Hades kissed his wife, Persephone, one last time before reluctantly relinquishing her above ground, where her mother impatiently waited.

“Behave while I’m gone, Hades.” Persephone traced a pink-kissed nail along her husband’s dark jawline.

He was loathe to shave too often as the rough stubble against her skin excited her. “Six months is ridiculously long,” he murmured against her lush lips. “Find a way to meet me at the meadow.”

Mischief danced in her eyes as she stepped onto the boat which would ferry her along the River Styx, leading her out of the Underworld. “It’s a date,” she purred, blowing her husband a sultry kiss.

That woman slays me. He watched until she was out of sight. Once his bride was gone, his attention returned to his beloved Underworld and the current state it was in.

Hades leapt onto his chariot. A resounding crack split the air as he commanded his four black horses to lead him past boiling lava pits and stalagmites to the deepest, fiery pits of the abyss—Tartarus.

Creatures scampered out of his way. Fallen angels and demons went about their business—lest they draw his anger—as he thundered past. Tormented screams echoed off cavernous walls and pools of fiery despair. His pulse roared in his veins. He reveled at what he was about to see…

The Fates’ curse had begun.

Reining his steeds to a halt, he dismounted, his black boots crunching on a mixture of bones and jagged pieces of rock. Amidst the prisons, the things of nightmares tortured imprisoned souls.

A laugh rumbled up from his gut and rolled out. He threw back his head then ran his hands through his black hair, freeing it from its tie. Pers wasn’t here right now, due to his brother, Zeus’s, acquiescence to Demeter.

Hades ignored the slow burn in his chest at the thought of his wife being gone for six long months and focused on the game of persecuting his brother instead, for he knew a thing or two about Aiesa’s offspring that Zeus did not.

An ear-splitting scream rent the air, snapping Hades out of his thoughts. New souls.

He knew who sent them. Although he benefited from so many entering his domain, his brother would not be happy.

What a perfect time to pay Zeus a visit.

MY TAKE:   I must say I really enjoyed this book. From all signs it is the first in a new series and I am very much looking forward to the next installment. 

Mythology has always been something I've liked to read. New twists and additions to the old stories many times just don't cut it. Amy McKinley has created a tale (or series of tales) that seem like they sprang up at the same time with the originals. She blends her "new" characters and threads seamlessly with the "old" and known gods and underlings.

I liked Jade and was fascinated with the back story and the history that the author created for her and the other characters. It was interesting to watch the different factions fight for dominance and control while she was learning to fight for her own control of herself and her own inner "demon/goddess". Roen was definitely our questionable "hero" type without going overboard with it. Their chemistry was well written without being too much or too "vivid".  

As many first stories in a series will do, there is a lot of world building going on. This by no means takes away from Jade and her tale, it actually makes it even more of a great story by leaving the reader wanting much, much more. 

  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Available now at AMAZON

Amy McKinley is a freelance writer and author. She lives in Illinois with her husband, their four talented teenagers, and three mischievous cats. Her debut novel, Hidden is the first in the Five Fates Series.  Connect with Amy:

WEBSITE / TWITTER / FACEBOOK / PINTEREST / WORDPRESS

Amy is generously giving away a $20 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble to one lucky reader. After you enter below, be sure to check in at the other tour stops to learn more about this lovely story and to gain more entries into the drawing. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.