Sheila's Books Read

Sheila's bookshelf: read

The Best Intentions
Scotland's Melody
The Secret Society of Salzburg
Secret of the Sonnets
20-40-60-Minute Dinners: Meals to Match the Time You Have
Through the Wilderness: My Journey of Redemption and Healing in the American Wild
Secret Santa Claus Club: A Tool to Help Parents Unwrap the Secret of Santa
Mr. Pudgins
Revenge Never Rests
The Best Mistake
Meriden Park
More Inspirational Stories for Young Women
The Great Tree: A Christmas Fable
To Capture His Heart
The Call of the Sea
Esperance
Livvy and the Enchanted Woodland
Come, Gentle Night
The Bad Boy Theory
Guide To Smart Wedding Planning: What You want to know and everything you haven't thought of yet.


Sheila's favorite books »

2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Sheila has read 4 books toward her goal of 100 books.
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Monday, August 26, 2013

Books to Movies Giveaway Hop

 

Announcing the Books to Movies Giveaway Hop


August 27th to September 3rd



Hosted by Mary from Bookhounds 


This hop features books that have been made 
into movies or TV shows.  

I'm so excited about this giveaway hop!
I have so many books that I love that have 
been made into some great movies.

Today I'm offering one of these books or movies
that the winner can choose from...

Paperback Copy of City Of Bones

 This is the book I'm most excited about to
see as a movie.

Then I have my favorite movies that my
kids and I love to watch over and over again.

Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Part One DVD
OR

Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Part 2 DVD

After you sign up here for one of these prizes
then go check out the other blogs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, August 23, 2013

Midnight Masquerade by Marcia Lynn McClure-Blog Tour




Product Details

  • Title: Midnight Masquerade
  • Author: Marcia Lynn McClure
  • Paperback: 276 pages
  • Publisher: Distractions Ink (July 30, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0988958236
  • FTC, FYI:  I received a review pdf in exchange for an honest review.







Book Description: Midnight Masquerade 
Stavos Voronin was not as blind-eyed as many nobles and royals. Evony’s physical gestures—even the simplest movement of her hands—revealed that she had not always been destitute. The same was true of the children—of their polished manners and the boy’s knowledge of horses and tendency to be bold and fearless of strangers. Ah yes, Stavos enjoyed a good mystery. After all, interest in the inexplicable circumstances surrounding the royals of Abawyth was the very thing that had lured him to the kingdom—the enigma of Abawyth’s twelve sleepy princesses. And yet now—now his mind was all the more intrigued. Not only was the obscurity of what had caused the profound and baffling torpidity of Abawyth’s princesses laid out before him, but also he found his curiosity intensely piqued over the riddle surrounding the very lovely Evony and her siblings. As Stavos strode through the village resting on the outskirts of Abawyth Castle, his mind reeled with possibilities. His musings were drawn back to why he had come to Abawyth at all—to solve the conundrum surrounding the twelve beautiful princesses of Abawyth kingdom—to solve the seemingly impenetrable crux and thereby win the hand of one of Abawyth’s princesses, as his father, King Letholdus of Ethiarien, had commanded. 

My Review:

 I absolutely loved this re-telling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I have read many different versions of this fairy tale and this one was just enchanting as the rest. I loved Prince Stavos and Princess Evony. Stavos is the best kind of hero! If you've read anything of Marcia's before, you know her clean romances are every bit as exciting and full of passionate kisses as more erotic stories without the smut. 

I loved the different mysteries and twists that were found in this version. This is a book that you will read in one sitting. I also have a feeling that this is the kind of book that you will read again and again. So if you love fairytale re-tellings you will love this beautifully written tale.



  marciaAuthor Marcia Lynn McClure 

Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.” Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.
    Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/17/13   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Book Blast for Midnight Masquerade by Marcia Lynn McClure and $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

midnight mas
Midnight Masquerade
Stavos Voronin was not as blind-eyed as many nobles and royals. Evony’s physical gestures—even the simplest movement of her hands—revealed that she had not always been destitute. The same was true of the children—of their polished manners and the boy’s knowledge of horses and tendency to be bold and fearless of strangers. Ah yes, Stavos enjoyed a good mystery. After all, interest in the inexplicable circumstances surrounding the royals of Abawyth was the very thing that had lured him to the kingdom—the enigma of Abawyth’s twelve sleepy princesses. And yet now—now his mind was all the more intrigued. Not only was the obscurity of what had caused the profound and baffling torpidity of Abawyth’s princesses laid out before him, but also he found his curiosity intensely piqued over the riddle surrounding the very lovely Evony and her siblings. As Stavos strode through the village resting on the outskirts of Abawyth Castle, his mind reeled with possibilities. His musings were drawn back to why he had come to Abawyth at all—to solve the conundrum surrounding the twelve beautiful princesses of Abawyth kingdom—to solve the seemingly impenetrable crux and thereby win the hand of one of Abawyth’s princesses, as his father, King Letholdus of Ethiarien, had commanded.


    marciaAuthor Marcia Lynn McClure

Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.” Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.
 
 Book Blast Giveaway

 $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/13/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, August 19, 2013

Working It Out by Rachael Anderson: Blog Tour and $25 Amazon Gift Card

working it out tour



 

Product Details

  • Paperback: 262 pages
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 21, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1490986375
  • FTC, FYI:  I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

















 Book Description:
Working It Out A chance encounter . . . Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.

A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.  


EXCERPT: 
Her eyes continued to search his face—well, more like probe—as though she could see into his mind and thoughts. She held up the brochure she carried, showing Seth the face of the bachelor he’d just bid twenty grand for. He took it from her to get a closer look. “What do you plan to do about the incredibly expensive date you won?” she asked. Seth scanned through Cameron’s bio, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He returned the brochure back to her and tapped the page. “Experience an unforgettable day of high adventure, apparently. Sorry if I, uh, took that away from you.” She looked completely unfazed, as though this strange situation happened all the time. “You know he’s not gay, right?” “I made that assumption, yes,” Seth said, wondering what was going through that pretty head of hers. “Why? Are you hoping I’ll hand the date off to you since I’m clearly not gay either?” “Aren’t you?” The way she said it made Seth’s jaw work back and forth. She looked so confident, so unshakable, reminding him of someone who got under his skin on a regular basis—Lanna. Except the two women looked nothing alike. Lanna was petite and fair, whereas this woman was taller, with darker hair and a darker complexion. But that expression—that impassivity—exactly the same. Maybe Lanna had given her lessons. Yet for whatever reason, it bothered Seth that this woman might think he preferred men to women. “No, I’m not.” “Then you won’t mind if I do borrow that date from you. I’m sure Cameron would prefer me over you anyway.” If she didn’t look so sure of herself, Seth would have said, “Have it, it’s yours.” But something in the way she said it made Seth bristle. “Yes, I would mind, actually. I happen to like ziplining, parasailing, and . . . romantic horseback rides.” “And Cameron, apparently.” Seth took a step forward, leaning close so his eyes were only inches from hers. “Like I told you, I’m not gay.” “Oh yeah? Prove it. Give me the da—” Seth immediately dipped his head slightly and covered her mouth with his. Her lips were warm and soft, and she smelled faintly of citrus. For a second, it seemed like she responded, but then she planted her palms against his chest and shoved him away. 


 My Review: 

I read Working it Out in less than a day, not because it was a short book, but I just couldn't put it down. The characters are so realistic, and you are drawn into their lives quickly. I love main characters Seth and Grace. But the other characters in this book, Lanna and Alec are also very appealing. The situations in this book are very different from other romantic comedies I have read. Like I said, they seemed more real to me. Some of the situations in this story are harsh such as death mentioned and one character is a paraplegic. But all of the themes add to the story and the growth that takes place with all of the characters. 

I have read other books by Rachael and really liked them. Working it Out has become my favorite novel that Rachael has written. The story has a little bit of everything I loved: humor, drama, heart-tugging scenes that made you cry. Any fan of a good love story, with characters that will stay with you for a long time, must read Working it Out.

Purchase Working it Out HERE:
Amazon * Amazon Kindle


Meet: Author Rachael Renee Anderson 
                                                 Rachael Anderson is the author of five novels (Working It Out, The Reluctant Bachelorette, Minor Adjustments, Luck of the Draw, and Divinely Designed) and two novellas (Twist of Fate, from the All I Want anthology and The Meltdown Match from The Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer Wedding Collection). She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.




Blog Tour Special Price Drop!
Grab a copy of Working it Out for just $2.99!
price drop working
Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 9/10/13
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Book Blast for Working It Out by Rachael Anderson

Working It Out A chance encounter . . . Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.
A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.  
 
Author Rachael Renee Anderson 
  Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.
 
Book Blast Special Price Drop!
Grab a copy of Working it Out for just $2.99!
price drop working      

BookBlast Giveaway 
 $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/6/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway   Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

The Reluctant Blogger by Ryan Rapier-Blog Tour Review



Product Details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (August 13, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1462112544
  • FTC, FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.









Book Description
August 13, 2013
 

"Dr. Schenk, I don’t know if what I’ve written amounts to a breakthrough or not, but I hope you know how difficult this was for me. I also hope this proves how serious I am."

Todd knows he is in a bad place. That’s why he went to a therapist in the first place, and that alone took a lot of doing. So when Dr. Schenk threatens to stop their sessions unless Todd puts in more effort, he grasps at the last available straw: a personal blog that will force Todd to confront his demons.
Ever since he lost his wife, Todd has not been the same. He’s been forced to Single Adult activities at church, and everyone seems to expect him to just forget Marci and get married again—especially when he meets Emily, who makes him smile and starts to bring him out of his depression. But dating again is hard when Todd has three kids of his own, not to mention an overbearing father and friends with their own problems.

This beautifully woven and emotional tale is both heartbreaking and humorous. Championing friendship, love, and family, Ryan Rapier deals adeptly with the everyday struggles we face as well as the strongest ties that keep us together. You’re sure to fall in love with this magnificent tale of redemption, forgiveness, and new beginnings.
 
My Review
Every once in awhile a book comes along that you only need to say, "I loved this book!" and the review would be done. The Reluctant Blogger is one of those books. It pulls you in quickly as main character Todd is in a therapy session and his therapist tells him to either talk or he's finished with Todd. His assignment is to blog about his thoughts and feelings. No one but the therapist and Todd will read this blog. 
 
Todd's wife died nine months ago and he is struggling. To Todd, the whole universe wants him to start dating again. Todd is struggling to maintain balance as a single father with three kids. 
 
You would think with such a sad premise that this story would not be a good read...just the opposite. The author combines the sadness and the grief with huge amounts of humor as Todd enters the dating world again. You love Todd and want him to find happiness again. This LDS novel talks about the religion, but it explains things in a way that people who are not LDS can understand. Also, there is no preaching about religion either. It just shows a devoted father who is trying to move ahead in his life. 
 
I love how this story is told fully from a male point of view. I also like how it shows that men do have feelings and can be vulnerable. I love the witty writing and the incredible growth that Todd makes in a years time. I think you will like the ending as much as I did. This is a must(clean)read for all adults, male and female.

 Author Links
Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Publisher

Purchase Links
Amazon / Barnes and Noble
 

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Longing for Home: A Proper Romance by Sarah M. Eden-Blog Tour Review








Product Details

  • Paperback: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Shadow Mountain (August 5, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1609074610
  • FTC, FYI: I was given a review copy in exchange for an honest review.













Book Description

August 5, 2013
 
Though she was only a child during the darkest days of Ireland s Great Famine, Katie Macauley feels responsible for the loss of her family s land and the death of her sister. Now a woman grown, Katie has left Ireland for America and the promise of earning money enough to return home again and plead for her family s forgiveness. She arrives in Hope Springs, Wyoming Territory, a town sharply divided between the Americans who have settled there, with their deep hatred of the Irish, and the Irish immigrants who have come searching for a place to call home. Her arrival tips the precarious balance, and the feud erupts anew. Even in the midst of hatred and violence, however, Katie finds reason to hope. Two men, as different as they are intriguing, vie for her heart, turning her thoughts for the first time toward a future away from Ireland. Katie must now make the hardest decision of her life: stay and give her heart a chance at love, or return home and give her soul the possibility of peace.

My Review
Sarah M. Eden has become known as one of the Queens of Historical Romance writers. This new offering from her solidifies her reputation as knowing how to write, as the title says, "A Proper Romance". This is another book from Shadow Mountain in the category of clean romances.There is a lot of love shown in the writing of this novel. Sarah is Irish and has a great love for the Irish people. In fact, I found this on her blog proclaiming her love for the Irish this past St. Patricks Day.

"For those of you who are new around here, St. Patrick's Day is kind of a big deal. Kind of a really big deal. On this blog, it is The Holiday of Coolness. At the Eden home, it is my birthday! It is also the day we ramp up our ordinarily enormous Irish pride to levels approaching lunacy. Everything we eat is green. Everything we wear is green. The house is filled with green, green, green. And this blog gets the same Irish makeover.

This year, St. Patrick's Day is even more fun. We had the amazing opportunity to spend Christmas in Ireland and came home even more in love with the culture, the history, the people. We're dying to go back."

 
So this is why I said there was so much love shown in the writing of this novel and the Irish people. We follow the story of Katie Macauley who left Ireland to come to America. Her heart is broken after the death of her sister and her parents blaming her for this loss. She meets two different men who start shifting her world around. There are many surprises for Katie as well as the readers. The transformation of Katie's spirit and will is a worth-while journey to take with this main character. 

There is a lot of hatred shown to the Irish in the town of Hope Springs, Wyoming. Katie has to decide whether to stay or to return home to Ireland. Katie struggles for the gifts of hope and forgiveness. I love main character Katie and had such empathy for all of her struggles and what had happened in the past. 

The romance is as good as ever, but I have a warning, everything is not resolved in this first book. I truly hope that the next installment is being written so we don't have to wait very long to continue reading about Katie.  

Meet the Author:  Sarah M. Eden is the author of multiple historical romances, including Whitney Award finalists Seeking Persephone (2008, Covenant Communications) and Courting Miss Lancaster(2010, Covenant Communications). Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances. She holds a Bachelor's degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah has twice served as the Master of Ceremonies for the LDStorymakers Writers Conference, acted as the Writer in Residence at the Northwest Writers Retreat and is one-third of the team at the AppendixPodcast.com. Sarah is represented by Pam van Hylckama Vlieg at Foreword Literary Agency.

Find Sarah on Goodreads/ Facebook/ Twitter/ Website

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Penumbras by Braden Bell-Blog Tour Review






Product Details

  • Title: Penumbras(Middle School Magic) A Novel
  • Author; Braden Bell
  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (July 9, 2013)
  • Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
  • ISBN-10: 146211220X
  • FTC FYI:I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.







 
 
 

Book Description

July 9, 2013 Middle School Magic: Book 2
 
Conner Dell didn't meant to blow up the school bus.
Or the bathrooms.
In fact, he only wanted to go to sleep and possibly dream about Melanie Stephens.
But explosions had a funny way of happening when Conner and his friends were around.
***
Conner Dell wants to be good--he really does. But he is terrified that he might be turning into a Darkhand, especially when new powers start to surface. What's worse, the Stalker is following Conner, but no one else seems to be able to see him. The Magi think he might be hallucinating, the guilt of what happened in the Shadowbox keeps weighing on him, and his relationship with Melanie Stephens is complicating things. Even for a Magi, Conner knows his life is anything but normal. 
 
Conner, Lexa, and Melanie are back! Just when they think life is normal again, a dangerous shadow creature begins to hunt them. The trio must develop their powers in order to conquer this new peril and protect their school. Filled with action and even more magic, this book continues the exciting adventure in the Middle School Magic series.
 
 
 My Review:
 This series is all about light vs. dark. It is about the light and dark growing in us from the time we are born. Penumbras picks up where The Kindling left off. But we also see how light and dark can become grey at times, thus the name of the title: Penumbras. We get to see the trio learning how to develop their powers in becoming a full Magi.In this second book we also see each of them grow and change a lot, even with many bumps along the way. Lexa seems to have the most bumps in this story. She's very jealous of her twin Conner and his growing relationship with her best friend Melanie. At times you could say she acts like a brat. I read at Braden Bell's blog where he said that book 3 in the series is going to be a redemption for Lexa because of how she acts in book 2. 

I love how there is more in-depth magic in Penumbras. The middle school kids experience more of this new world they've become a part of. The action is kicked up a notch also. The characters seem so true to kids this age. I credit that to the fact that the author is a teacher. Braden knows kids this age and how they think and feel. It brings realism to this story that sometimes is missing in other books. 

If you and your middle grade reader(s) are looking for a book/series full of magic, action, strong characters and teens reflecting on who they really are, you will love The Kindling and Penumbras. I do want to warn you that the ending is exciting and will keep you on the edge, make you cry and of course, leave you with a HUGE cliffhanger. I think authors really love to string us along and keep us waiting with great anticipation for the next book...Braden Bell has done exactly that! 
 
 Meet Author Braden Bell:

Braden Bell grew up in Farmington, Utah and graduated from Davis High School. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theatre from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. in educational theatre from New York University. He and his wife, Meredith live  with their five children on a quiet, wooded lot outside of Nashville, Tennessee, where he teaches theatre and music at a private school. An experienced performer, Braden enjoys singing, acting, reading, gardening, and long walks with the dog. 
LINKS:

Penumbras Website (trailers, photos, sample chapters):http://www.bradenbell.com/penumbras.html
Author Twitter: @bradenbellcom

Purchase links:
Note from the author: "I will be selling both Penumbras and The Kindling through my website for a steep discount--$9.99 (plus s/h)"
 
Excerpt from Penumbras...Chapter One
CHAPTER ONE
SHADOW PUPPETS
Conner Dell didn’t mean to blow up the school bus.
Or the bathrooms.
In fact, he only wanted to go to sleep and possibly dream about Melanie Stephens.
But explosions had a funny way of happening when Conner and his friends were around.
It all started on the annual seventh grade science trip to the Sea Lab at Dauphin Island, Alabama. Fifty-four thirteen-year-olds on a five-day field trip. What could go wrong?
Especially when three of them happened to be Magi.
#
For a fraction of a second, Conner thought he saw shadows slithering along the base of the cinderblock walls. Tensing, he blinked and looked again.
Nothing. He was alone in the darkness of his dorm room.
Well, except for his friend and fieldtrip roommate, Pilaf.
                  Across the room, Pilaf disturbed the darkness by turning his flashlight on and digging through a giant floral print suitcase. Fishing a book out, Pilaf hunched over, tucked the flashlight under his chin, and read.
                  “What are you reading?” Conner asked.
                   “Sorry. Did I wake you up?” Pilaf squeaked. “I couldn’t sleep. I guess I slept too much on the bus.”
                  “No worries.” Conner burrowed into his sleeping bag. He didn’t like messing with sheets on these trips. The springs of the ancient bed creaked beneath him. “I’m not sleepy either.” Lexa? Can you hear me? Conner reached out in his thoughts, wondering if his twin sister was awake in her room on the girls’s floor. Head-talking was a cool benefit of being one of the Magi—a secret group of warriors who used the power of Light to battle evil.
No answer from Lexa. Her allergy medicine must have knocked her out.
Melanie? He tried Lexa’s best friend, Melanie Stephens—also one of the Magi-in-training. Conner listened for her response, trying to ignore the backflip in his chest that came when he thought of her. No answer. Melanie had taken something for motion sickness on the bus. She must be knocked out too.
                  Conner jerked up as something skittered across the ceiling right above him. No doubt this time. He grabbed his own flashlight, raking the beam across the ceiling tiles as someone whispered his name.
Coooonnerrrrrr.
                  “What?” Conner pointed his flashlight at Pilaf, who looked up from his book, blinking behind his thick glasses. Pilaf’s blinks always reminded Conner of the way a light on a computer blinked when it processed data.
                  “What?” Pilaf squinted back at him.
                  “Why did you call me?” Conner asked.
                  “I didn’t.” Pilaf looked down at his book.
                  On edge now, Conner lay back down, scanning the room for more shadowy movement, his fingers ready to snap his flashlight back on at any second.
Co-n-n-e-r-r-r-r-r-r D-e-l-l-l-l-l.
                  A whispered, hissing sort of growl sounded in his head as a flicker of movement caught his eye. He whipped his head around in time to see a shadowy tail vanish under Pilaf’s bed. Flipping his flashlight on, he investigated the space under the metal frame.
Nothing there.
                  “What are you doing, Conner?” Pilaf managed to blink and stare at the same time.
Trying to protect you from slithery shadow monsters that could slurp your soul like a slushie, Conner thought. How could he keep the flashlight on without alarming Pilaf? Out loud, he said, “Uh, it’s a game. Flashlight tag. You’re it.” He shined the flashlight at Pilaf.
                  “How do you play?”
                  “Well . . . one person’s it and he shines a flashlight all over the room.”
                  “That’s all?” Pilaf blinked until Conner wondered if he was broadcasting the telephone book in Morse code. “It seems kind of pointless.”
                  “Uh, yeah.” Conner said. “You’re right. Lame. How about shadow puppets?” He slipped his hand in front of the flashlight, wiggling his fingers until the shadow resembled a horse.
                  “Cool!” Pilaf shouted.
                  A knock at the door interrupted them and a tired-looking science teacher poked his head in, glaring beneath tousled red hair. “What’s going on in here?”
                  “Sorry, Mr. Keller,” Pilaf said. “We slept on the bus ride, so we’re not tired. Conner’s making shadows with his hands. Look, a horse!”
“Neeeiiiiggghhh.” Conner threw in sound effects as a special feature.
                  Apparently unimpressed with great art, Mr. Keller frowned. “Get some sleep. We have a full day tomorrow.”
                  “Yes, sir.” Conner swallowed his depression at the thought of a five-day science class. Five days of plankton, ocean salinity, salt marshes, and beach ecology. Five days of science, 24/7. At least they were close to the beach. That might be fun.
                  “Do another one,” Pilaf whispered as the sound of Mr. Keller’s footsteps retreated down the hall.
                  “Okay, but be quiet this time.” Conner opened his fingers, making a snake’s mouth, complete with a flickering tongue.
It seemed so real that Conner thought he heard a hiss. Unsettled, he dropped his hands, but the hissing noise continued, twisting into words.
Co-n-n-e-r-r-r-r-r-r D-e-l-l-l-l-l—
Trying to squash the sound, Conner raised his voice. “Here’s another one.” He cupped his hands on top of each other, stuck his thumb up, and opened his fingers slightly.
“Wow!” Pilaf yelled. “A wolf!” He giggled as Conner opened the mouth and growled. “Little pig, little pig let me come in.” Conner prayed that none of the other seventh-grade boys heard he’d been doing Three Little Pigs shadow plays. That would not be cool.
Co-n-n-e-r-r-r-r-r-r D-e-l-l-l-l-l—
The weird voice came louder. Conner dropped his hands away from the flashlight.
The wolf head stayed there.
Fighting panic, Conner switched the flashlight off, but the wolf head remained, darker than the darkest shadows on the wall.
It stretched and grew bigger, becoming life-sized within seconds. It turned and stared at Conner, a three-dimensional head sticking out of the wall like some kind of freaky hunting souvenir.
The wolf growled, then jumped off the wall, and sailed across the room toward Conner.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Awakening Cover Reveal: (new novel out soon) by Christy Dorrity

I'm so excited to be part of this cover reveal for my friend Christy! She's been pursuing this dream for awhile and it's finally coming true. So I jumped at the chance to help with this cover reveal. So here it is...

 Pretty fantastic right? It truly catches your eye. Now here is what this novel is about.

Synopsis:
. . .because some Celtic stories won’t be contained in myth.

A little magic has always run in sixteen-year-old McKayla McCleery’s family—at least that’s what she’s been told. McKayla’s eccentric Aunt Avril travels the world as a clairvoyant for the FBI, and her mother can make amazing delicacies out of the most basic of ingredients. But McKayla doesn’t think for a second that the magic is real—it’s just good storytelling. Besides, McKayla doesn’t need magic. She just moved to beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming, and already she has an amazing best friend, a solo in her upcoming ballet recital, and the gorgeous guy in her physics class keeps looking her way.
 
When an unexpected fascination with Irish dance leads McKayla to seek instruction from the mute, crippled, janitor at her high school, she learns that her family is not the only one with unexplained abilities.

After Aunt Avril comes to the valley in pursuit of the supernatural killer that she has been chasing her entire career, people in the valley begin disappearing, and the lives of those McKayla holds most dear are threatened. When an ancient curse, known as a geis, awakens powers that defy explanation, McKayla is forced to come to terms with what is real and what is fantasy.
 A thrilling first novel, Awakening is a gripping contemporary fantasy rife with magic, romance, and mystery.

Head on over to goodreads to put this on your to-read list.

 

BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:
Awakening: Book One of The Geis by Christy Dorrity
Publication date: September 24th 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy


AUTHOR BIO:

Christy Dorrity lives in the mountains with her husband, five children, and a cocker spaniel. She grew up on a trout ranch in Star Valley, Wyoming, and is the author of The Book Blogger’s Cookbooks. Christy is a champion Irish dancer and when she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.

Author links:
Website / Goodreads / Twitter