Sun Storm Review Tour

Blurb:

In Montana to prove her portable solar panel can solve the world’s energy problems, naïve scientist, Dr. Marie Wilson must first fight to survive, and then expose the powerful businessman intent on destroying her life’s work.

Ex-special forces soldier, David Quinn is haunted by the horrors of combat, and yearns to be left alone with his beehives, but agrees to do one last job for his old mentor.

When the scariest man she’s ever met becomes her savior, Marie discovers a heart of gold beats beneath his surly demeanor.

Excerpt:

“I want him dead. Do you hear me?” There was no mistaking Marshall’s distinctive upper-class New England accent or the urgency in his voice. A rush of adrenaline surged through David as he dashed to the door of Portman’s office.

“You were supposed to shoot him as soon as you got to the cabin. Before he suspected—”

David stopped. The old fashioned oak door wasn’t open, but it wasn’t completely closed either. The latch hadn’t caught, leaving the door ajar.

There was something about Marshall’s tone. David could picture him clenching his teeth while he talked. The president of Public Domain Energy wasn’t in danger—he was angry.

David held his breath as he listened.

“You said he was burned out—he had no fight left in him.” The effect of Pretty Boy Brad’s combative tone was lessened by his nasal wheeze.

“He’s a hot-shot Special Forces screw-up. Do you really think he would stand there and let you—?”

“You said he was broken after that incident where he shot his own man. According to your intel, putting a bullet in him should have been easy.”

They were talking about him. David dug his fingers into his palms to establish he was awake and this wasn’t some awful nightmare. A cold vice tightened around his chest, making it difficult to breathe.

“There were three of you and one of him. How did he get the better of you? You were supposed to kill him, the woman, and make it look like a murder-suicide,” Portman spat.

My Review:

4 stars

This was a fun, straightforward, and action-packed adventure. We knew who the bad guys were and why they were doing this. While I’ll admit this did get a tad boring at times, the romance and unexpected details helped spice it up and keep me reading. For example, the scientific background of the story was thought out and plausible, rather than just being used as a plot device, which was a nice bonus.

In addition, I liked Marie and David and their unusual initial meeting. I won’t spoil why, but let’s just say it’s not what I was expecting. Plus, the witty banter between the two was a nice counterpart to the suspense and action.

Overall, while the suspense sometimes hit some ups and downs, the overall story and characters provided a fun, light-hearted romantic suspense journey.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

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Author Bio and Links:

After being thrown out of England for refusing to drink tea, Marlow Kelly made her way to Canada where she found love, a home and a pug named Max. She also discovered her love of storytelling. Encouraged by her husband, children and let’s not forget Max, she started putting her ideas to paper. She enjoys writing suspenseful, fast-paced romance stories that always feature strong women. 

Marlow is an award-winning author and a member of the Romance Writers of America.

For more information about Marlow’s books check out her website.

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A Magic Redemption Review Tour

Blurb:

Synn, a demon, carries extraordinary magic and power, but there is more within her than she dreams. Kidnapped as a child, her captors murdered her family and forced her into training as a warrior assassin. When an assignment goes horribly wrong, she finds herself at the mercy of the friends and family of her intended target.  Offering valuable information in exchange for protection, she gains her freedom, but it is not without its challenges.

Gavin Shaughnessy is the publican at his family’s Irish pub.  He is certain Synn is meant to be his and isn’t bothered by her past.  He must find a way to convince her, their future together is stronger than the dark memories that haunt her dreams.

When her past comes calling for revenge, will their love survive the raging inferno she brings down upon them? Or will the searing path of destruction destroy all they hold dear?

Excerpt:

The road to her cottage took them by the pub. He didn’t want to spoil a great day by stopping by Shaughnessy’s. But he had a nagging feeling that was exactly what he was supposed to do. Prior experience taught him nothing but trouble would come if he ignored his gut. “Mind if we stop by the pub on the way home. Storm can stay in the truck for a few minutes. I want to make sure—”

“Everything is all right?”

“Of course it’s all right. I’ve taken time off before.” Gavin bristled. “I had a life before—” He stopped mid-sentence. No way was he going to spoil this day.

She shifted in her seat to face him. “Before what? Me? Before your sister married an assassin? Or Brandy became engaged to a vampire? Before your world came crashing down amid demons, vampires, witches, and world ending shit?” She paused, closed her eyes, and leaned her head against the seat again. “I didn’t mean that. I’ve been on edge since the dream—nightmare—premonition. Call it what you want. Today was a nice reprieve. But when we hit the edge of town—what’d you call ’em—” she tapped her temple. “My spidey senses went off.” She shivered.

My Review:
4 stars

To start, this is book 5 in a series, but works as a stand-alone. There were references to the earlier books, but enough background information was provided, so it still made sense.

I enjoyed the characters, particularly Synn, as her growth throughout the book was one of the best parts. Though the puppy was a show stealer as well. I was a bit more mixed on Gavin, though a part of that was because his and Synn’s chemistry was awkward.

I also enjoyed the story. Twists, action-packed scenes, and plenty of descriptions (especially with the mythology), this story had it all. However, the pacing was off. The plot would go from ambling along to racing ahead to something in between.

Overall, this was a fun read, and I can’t wait to read the other books in the series and learn more about this world.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

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Author Bio and Links:

Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance. She has an over-active imagination, which led to writing her first vampire romance as a tween to the chagrin of her mother and delight of her friends. After many years as a paralegal, then an IT Manager, she decided to live out her dream of pursuing a publishing career.

With the Rocky Mountains outside her window, she sits at her computer surrounded by a wide array of witches, shapeshifters, demons, faeries, and gryphons, with a Navy SEAL or two mixed in telling their tales. Her books tell stories of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.

Colorado is home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-five-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking  or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors. During the winter you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn.

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A Fool's Circle VBT

Blurb:

Kate Sanders has suffered many years of physical and mental abuse at the hands of her abusive husband Alan, and convinces herself that she is only holding the family together for the sake of her eight-year-old daughter. If it wasn’t for her best friend Jill Reynolds, she would have taken the suicide option a long time ago.

As she desperately seeks a way to escape, she is contacted by a solicitor. Kate’s old aunt has died and she has been left a small fortune.

For the first time, she sees the light at the end of the tunnel. She dreams of a fresh start, a new home, a new life. What Kate doesn’t know is that Jill and Alan have their own secrets, and are both desperate to get their hands on her money.

Kate soon finds herself falling for the charms of Jonathon Jacobs in what she believes to be fate finally intervening and offering her a second chance, unaware that each move he makes has been directed, orchestrated and well-rehearsed as he begs her to leave her husband Alan.

But is it all too late, as she finds herself in the frame for murder?

Excerpt:

Kate followed her into her room, reached out her arm and pulled the covers back as Sophie bounced into her cosy, warm bed. Kate covered her up tight and kissed her on both cheeks.

As she cuddled her, she heard Sophie’s voice. ‘Wow, Mummy, that was a big hug.’

She loved her daughter. Out of all the misery and pain there had never been something so pure and innocent in her life. How she wished Alan still worked away and had never come back home for good. She yearned for it to be just her and Sophie again.

‘I love you, Mummy. I wish you were happy and Daddy was nicer to you. It’s not fair.’

Kate’s heart ached as the words left Sophie’s lips. She tried to hide her emotions.

‘I love you too, my angel.’ She felt the Catholic guilt that had been pushed upon her as a child, not from her own mother, a legal secretary she never saw, who sent out subpoenas or summonses to poor unsuspecting bastards, but from her dear Aunt Beth.

‘Don’t you worry about me Sophie, or Daddy, okay?’

She could hear Aunt Beth’s voice as clear as day in her head. She had warned Kate to be careful and not to inflict any long term damage on to her child but she had chosen to ignore her advice. Her words had come back to haunt her.

Suzanne, thanks so much for stopping by. So how did you get started writing?

I started writing when I first attended a drama school in Islington, London. They told me I needed to write a twenty-minute play and perform it, about 7-8 years ago.

What was the inspiration for your book?

The domestic violence and mental abuse that I had witnessed first-hand as a child. But having a love of psychological thrillers gave me the idea to combine both.

What’s a genre you haven’t written in yet that you’d like to?

If I had to write something else it would be an autobiography. But I’m not ready for that just yet. Any other genre doesn’t appeal to me. I know what I like to write.

Are there any genres you won’t read or write in? Why?

I don’t like romance novels. I find them really boring, to be honest. I can’t even watch a chick flick movie. I need something to motivate me, as I have a really short attention span.

What are you up to now? Do you have any releases planned, or are you still writing?

Well my debut novel is being released on March 17th this year by Wallace Publishing. So I’m really excited about that.

Alright, now for some random, fun questions. Favorite color?

Orange. Happy, fresh and cheerful.

Favorite movie?    

That’s a difficult one! I have so many. But I often like the directors. Anything by Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott, Martin Scorsese. But Francis Ford Coppola is also up there with the Godfather.

Book that inspired you to become an author?

Fulfilling my Mother’s dream to write a book. I enjoyed writing scripts and had never attempted writing a book. But when she passed away unexpectedly, I changed course and wrote A Fool’s Circle as a book.

You have one superpower. What is it?

Mind reader!

 

You can have dinner with any 3 people, dead, alive, fictitious, etc. Who are they?

1. Nikola Tesla

2. David Bowie

3. JFK

Last question: Which of your characters are you most like and how/why?

I’m not like any of my characters. But I can identify with Kate and Sophie.

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Author Bio and Links:

Suzanne Seddon was born in 1968 in Islington, London. After leaving school she had many interesting jobs, from swimming teacher to air hostess, and was able to travel the globe. Now a single mum to her teenage daughter Poppy-willow, Suzanne spends her days writing and has written several articles for magazines and newspapers.

Growing up, Suzanne witnessed mental and physical abuse within her own family which strongly influenced her when she wrote her first play, A Fool’s Circle, when she attended the famous Anna Scher Theatre. Suzanne, however, was not content to leave it there and decided to go ahead and transform her play into a novel. 

Not one to shy away from exciting challenges, she also wrote, acted, directed, cast and produced a trailer for the book around her hometown in Islington with the support of local businesses, who recognised the drive and importance of Suzanne and her work.

Suzanne is a passionate writer and she is determined to be heard so that the issue of domestic abuse is raised amongst the public's consciousness, empowering others to speak out. She wants those who suffer at the hands of another to have their voices heard, loud and clear.

Publisher’s Author Page

https://www.wallacepublishing.co.uk/suzanne-seddon.html

Amazon Link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fools-Circle-Suzanne-Seddon/dp/1999613635/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548460249&sr=8-1&keywords=Suzanne+Seddon

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/afoolscircle

Instagram: https://insta-stalker.com/profile/suzseddon/

Twitter (Personal) https://twitter.com/suzseddon?lang=en

Discussion of a Decent Dream VBT

Blurb:

In the fall of 1789, on the western edge of the Yorkshire Dales, a dense, persistent fog enshrouds the village of Ingleton. Shadowed spirits hide in the mist and bedevil the townsfolk, heralding a tragedy that has befallen one of their own.

Edmond continues to search for Alexandra, his fiancée, who disappeared the same night that the mist set upon their town. Presumed dead by all others, he visits Alexandra's empty grave, desperate for any hint of what has become of her. Weary from the sleepless nights on his quest, no longer able to stay awake, Edmond falls into a dream before her headstone and there obtains clues from Alexandra as to her whereabouts.

Haunted all the while by a malevolent spirit, Edmond follows the trail that Alexandra left for him and enters the underworld, only to learn that he has been there before, and in fact, quite often. But more, he discovers how he is to blame for Alexandra's disappearance.

A dark literary novel rich in imagery, Discussion of a Decent Dream unearths the consequences of a child's decision to surrender his heart in exchange for unholy power and transcendent knowledge.

Discussion of a Decent Dream is a Finalist in Britain's Wishing Self Book Awards in the Adult category.

Excerpt:

I had seen in dream that which appeared before me, a gloriously lined whirlwind of black. It exhibited itself as odd, twitchy, yet with cohesion, both beautiful and horrible at once, as if the core of this being eclipsed an otherwise unseen dawn. The vapor then solidified and took the form of a man, though its feet made no impression in the sand.

It warmed to me, expressing in that charred face such familiarity and delight. Even for my instinctive recoil, I made no real retreat, for I again wanted to hear it speak.

Do you have any tattoos?

No, I am unable to commit to something so permanent.

Is your life anything like it was two years ago?

Oddly enough, it is. I still do what I am compelled to do. Writing is only a part of that. A big part, but there are other endeavors as well. I continue to study martial arts, which I have now for twenty-five years. I began training to remain creative but wanted a form of exercise that was continually engaging. After researching, I found a style that suited me, and it stuck. I have now been teaching it for the last eighteen years.

How long have you been writing?

Although I enjoyed reading novels, I never had thoughts of writing one. Too much work. But one afternoon during my senior year at boarding school, I was sent to detention by my mentor and piano teacher. Having never gone to detention in my four years there, he thought that it would be funny to send me just once, so he came up with an assignment so huge that no one finished it in time, and he threatened detention to all who turned in the assignment incomplete. So, he got his wish, and I went.

Being later in my senior year, I had nothing much to do, so I took a pencil and a blank notebook to detention with me. I sat at a desk in the hall and happened to be under a fluorescent light, which was going out and blinking rapidly, which put me into a kind of trance. Words started to pour from my brain onto the page. And, thus, it began. I have been writing ever since.

I do think that writing is a way of sharing my life experience that is quite unique. No one understands when I make verbal attempts to explain. My subconscious creates stories that relate the worlds that I see and know. I write because I am compelled to, not because I want to.

What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

If you must write within a genre, a critique group may be helpful. If, however, you seek to innovate, steer clear of critique groups. Everyone will tell you that you cannot do what you are trying to do or that you are doing it wrong. Do it your way and see what happens. Also, seek the counsel of an editor who only wants to make your writing better, not change you into something else or fit your work into a mold.

Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.

Discussion is a story of an existential awakening, a multi-layered allegory, that shares what I have come to know of a world that borders our own.

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Author Bio and Links:

E. Curtis draws on personal experiences of the otherworldly for his writing. Through dreams, visions, and waking encounters, his exposure to darkness has motivated him to detail what he has come to know of the preternatural. While a few short pieces have been published on an online literary magazine, Discussion of a Decent Dream is his first novel.

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The Soul Mate Tree Series VBT

THE LEGEND OF THE SOUL MATE TREE

I am old, I am ancient, my purpose is clear

To give those who are needy a treasure so dear.

They who come to my roots, touch my bark, stroke my leaves

Find the soul of their lives if they but believe.

When I call and you listen, your prize will be great

If your heart remains open and you don’t hesitate.

Do you yearn? Be you lonely? Is your time yet at hand?

Reach for me and I’ll give to you. I’m yours to command.

For your trust, for your faith, keep my secrets untold

And I’ll gift you forever, to have and to hold.

Realm of the Dragon Blurb:

An ancient legend spanning eras, continents, and worlds. To some, it’s nothing more than a dream. To others, a pretty fairy tale handed down through the generations.

For those in critical need of their own happy ending, a gift.

For sheltered Lily Kiers, it’s all too real. Her escape from danger, straight into the arms of her destiny.

Thrust into a realm made of fantasy and unbridled passion, Lily faces violent resentment and jealousy from extremely powerful enemies. Amidst fierce creatures whose very existence defy all common sense, Lily pieces together a past she could never have imagined.

Claimed by Kord, Prince of Battle Draconian, their love will not be denied, even as malevolent forces plot to rip them apart.

Excerpt:

Free to ponder, as his mother had urged, Kord shook off the troublesome feeling of being torn in several directions. He knew his parents worried, and he couldn’t avoid the inevitability of choice much longer.

Royals had strict duty to family and kingdom. Kord’s mate had been near her time of majority when he’d traveled to Anglican to meet her. The kingdom in an uproar, her tearful parents had met him with the devastating news of her death. Instead of a joyous announcement of impending joining, he’d returned to Draconian alone.

His dragon had been uncharacteristically silent since that fateful day, and Kord missed his beast’s conversation.

Enough, he thought bitterly, saddened and angered by the loss of a mate he never knew.

Refusing to dwell on things he couldn’t control, he cleared his mind of the memories and dove lower, seeking what enjoyment he could muster from the day.

Suddenly, something dropped onto his back, between his wingspan.

Something cold and soft.

Something that had limbs . . . and smelled unfamiliar. Not of this realm.

“What the demon?” He banked quickly as he felt the lightweight, chilled lump slide precariously to the left. Worried it might fall—whatever it was—Kord maneuvered gingerly, until he could descend safely into an open pasture.

He touched down lightly over the bumpy ground-scrub, careful to avoid jostling his unknown burden, turned his head to glance behind him . . .

And stared disbelieving at a vision from a dream.

- Char Chaffin and Cheryl Yeko write together as CiCi Cordelia. They have responded to interview questions as themselves, and also as CiCi Cordelia –

How long have you been writing?

Cheryl: I’ve been writing for eight years. I wrote my first book in 2011, and sent it out to three publishing houses, and I received two contract offers. I signed with Soul Mate Publishing and my debut novel, Protecting Rose, went on to win the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Wow! I was super thrilled. It wasn’t long after that that I quit my job as a legal assistant and began writing full time.

What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

Cheryl: Once of the biggest mistakes I made was pushing boundaries that made me uncomfortable. I thought this was something an author had to do to succeed. I was wrong. My publisher was kind enough to let me go in and fix some of that, which I’m very grateful for. The other was a self-published novella where I used some language I regretted. Thankfully, I was able to go in and fix that too.

What comes first, the plot or characters?

Char: For me, plot and characters come at the same time. Yes, that does sound rather naughty. ::grin:: I have never thought up a plot first, then started thinking up and/or discarding possible characters to fill that plot. I might not know their names up front, but these two elements do show up in my head as a matched set. Neither would I select a character from the miasma of my brain and then say, “Hmm, what can I do with them that’ll sound intriguing?”

What is a particular writing quirk of yours?

Char: I’m a very anal writer. It’s odd because I don’t necessarily have OCD/anal tendencies in general, anywhere else in my life. Sometimes the anal-writer thing works in my favor, other times it doesn’t. My strongest quirk is my urge to read back over everything I have written up to the point where I stopped writing because I would need to “pick it up” the next day. I finally had to break up my writing into chapters and force myself to only open whatever current chapter I am working on, otherwise every time I pull up the draft, I would have to return to the very beginning and read it all again—oh, and edit as I felt the necessity—before getting to the spot where I can create anew. Usually by the time I got to that spot, I would have to set it aside for whatever cropped up that needed my attention, and consequently nothing got done. My advice: if you can avoid being an anal writer, absolutely do so.

Tell us something about your newest release.

CiCi: We started thinking about our next venture right after we finalized Realm of the Dragon. A genre hadn’t yet been chosen and pinned down, when Cheryl’s family, specifically her mother and her aunt, told her about how Cheryl’s great-grandparents met. Their unusual circumstances sparked our idea for The Substitute Wife which is Book 1 of a Western Historical series trilogy entitled Brides of Little Creede. We set the series during the height of the silver mining craze in Colorado, right after the territory attained statehood in the latter part of the 19^th century. And because much of our first book in the series was steeped in fact, we have had an absolute blast writing in a genre that is very different for both sides of CiCi. Book 2, The Dance Hall Wife, has been released, and CiCi is now in the midst of writing Book 3, The Innocent Wife.

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Author Bios:

Our editor bios can be found here: http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/editors/

CiCi Cordelia can be found here:

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Facebook    |    Goodreads

Individually we can be found here:

Cheryl Yeko:

Website ‘Where Love Always Wins’

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Char Chaffin:

Website ‘Falling In Love is Only the Beginning’

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