Author: Marsha

Teaser Tuesday # 12

Posted May 19, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 10 Comments

teaser tuesdayOne of the fun parts of taking part in blog hops (aside from getting to visit new to me blogs) is finding great ways to interact with other book lovers.  This is one:

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

TateTate felt as though he’d been underwater too long, and blood thundered in his ears.  He was a man poised on the precipice of something big, something life-changing, and as much as he wanted Libby Remington, he was scared.

 

While I don’t read Western Romance as my main Contemporary Romance choice, I do read more than I expected to.  If I’m not lost in Marietta, Montana (smile) – then I’m most likely to pick up one of many series novels by Linda Lael Miller – an author I’ve read for more years than I’d like to admit to.  This is the one I’m in the  middle of now.  Gotta love a good rancher series with a super hot guy.  At least I do.

Cover Blurb:

This McKettrick man is about to meet his match…

There aren’t enough hours in the day for everything divorced dad Tate McKettrick has to do: run the Silver Spur Ranch, do the suit-and-tie thing for his business and ride herd on his adorable six-year-old twin girls. But then Libby Remington returns to Blue River, Texas, and suddenly…time seems to stand still.

They were high school sweethearts, Tate and Libby, but he was never able to convince Libby that he loved her. He still loves her and wants to try again. Nothing–not even cattle rustlers, a killer stallion and a vindictive ex-wife–can keep him from the attempt.

Libby has her hands full taking care of her mother and running the Perk Up Coffee Shop. Caffeine, she needs. Tate McKettrick, not so much. Oh, heck–yes. But can they really hope for a second chance?

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Review: Forget Me Not by Erika Marks

Posted May 19, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 2 Comments

Forget Me NotTitle:  Forget Me Not
Series:  Loveless and Dunn #3, Magnolia Bay
Author:  Erika Marks
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  May 19, 2015
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  4.5 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Synopsis:

When aspiring-writer Mallory Reynolds packed up for New York City, she ditched more than her quiet hometown of Magnolia Bay—she left her high-school sweetheart, Josh Loveless, behind. But when the big city didn’t deliver big contracts on her novels, she turned to writing erotica under the pen name Farrah Ivory to spare her family any embarrassment. Soon, her scandalously-sexy series, The Lost Diaries of Scarlet, is a break-out hit. Just as Mallory begins to enjoy her sweet success, her publisher leaks her true identity and a media firestorm ensues. Exposed, she decides there’s nowhere to hide—except for home.

For Josh Loveless, getting over Mallory Reynolds hasn’t been easy, but he’s done his best to move on. For starters, he’s turned his love of the outdoors and rock-climbing into his own business. And just as things are starting to settle for him, he learns Mallory’s coming home to ride out her scandal, and suddenly his world is turned upside down again…

Can Mallory convince her friends and family that she’s still the same good-hearted girl they knew? And more importantly, can Josh trust the woman she’s become, and give her a second chance to rewrite their love story with a happy ending?

Read on for my thoughts on Forget Me Not.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Review: Shatter Me by Tori St. Claire

Posted May 19, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Shatter MeTitle:  Shatter Me
Series:
Author:  Tori St. Claire
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  May 19, 2015
Publisher:  Entangled Publishing, LLC Brazen
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Synopsis:

Bound by honor, caught by desire…

Former Marine Alex McCray is ripped up inside over the knowledge that his best friend died saving him. Now he’s returned to his hometown to honor a promise he made-to take care of his buddy’s widow. Semper fidelis. “Always loyal.” But Alex’s loyalty is about to be tested, because there’s never been a time when Reagan Sanders didn’t make him burn with desire.

All it takes is one night for Reagan and Alex to give in to the deep, carnal need they’ve denied themselves for so long. But Reagan has secrets of her own?secrets Alex can never know about her marriage, or the kind of man her husband really was. But one night with Alex isn’t enough. Not even close. Now Alex must choose between his sense of honor…and his heart.

Read on for  my thoughts on Shatter Me.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Review: Snatched by David Saperstein

Posted May 19, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

SnatchedTitle:  Snatched
Series:
Author:  David Saperstein
Genre:  Fiction
Published:  May 19, 2015
Publisher:  Atria Books
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Cocoon (which was made into an Academy Award–winning movie) comes a sci-fi adventure about family, love, and, in a universe teeming with life, deciding who and what are the aliens.

Six single, semi-retired, “older” women are inseparable friends. But their lives start to go haywire when mischievous Rosie submits her friends’ names to an ad soliciting “Mail Order Brides for Farmers & Miners—Distant Locations.” A few weeks later, as the six women are driving along a lonely beach road, their vehicle suddenly begins to shake, the sky grows dark, an eerie light envelops the van, and ZAP—it’s gone!

Exactly three years later, the van reappears on the same road. But this time, the women appear to be thirty years younger—and they’re all pregnant!

The “distant locations” advertised were, in fact, elsewhere in our galaxy. A process, required for deep space travel, has somehow reversed their aging. They are happy with their new lives. However, a universal law requires that babies of “mixed-mating” be born on the mother’s home planet, forcing their return. But as they re-adapt to life on earth, surprises and problems arise as they’re faced with a media circus, doctors, nurses, police, priests, and nuns, not to mention their new humanoid mates.

In Saperstein’s wacky, comedic-drama tradition that’s out of this world, Snatched builds to an exciting, uplifting climax that celebrates life, love, and the universal condition known as family.

Read on for my thoughts on Snatched.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Review: This Wedding is Doomed! by Draven, Lin, Madison, Berry

Posted May 19, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

This Wedding is Doomed!Title:  This Wedding is Doomed!
Series:
Author:  Stephanie Draven, Jeannie Lin, Shawntelle Madison, Amanda Berry
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  May 19, 2015
Publisher:  PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Synopsis:

In these stories of matrimonial madness from four sensational authors, unexpected couples find their happily ever after at a wedding that’s counting down to disaster…

When a perfectionist and a troublemaker have to stick together in Amanda Berry’s The Wedding Planner: Flirting with Disaster , more than sparks fly…

In Shawntelle Madison’s The Maid of Honor: Lovers in Lockdown , two best friends trapped in a wine cellar decide to sample the wine—and each other…

Covering up the groom’s many misdeeds forces the best man to choose between loyalty and the love of a wedding singer in Stephanie Draven’s The Best Man: Sex, Lies and Karmic Catastrophe .

And finally, a runaway bride, a hunky caterer and a stolen cake hit the road in a hijacked van in Jeannie Lin’s The Bride: Love on the Run

Read on for my thoughts on This Wedding is Doomed!.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Review: Witches Be Burned by Stacey Kennedy

Posted May 18, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Witches Be Burned

Title:  Witches Be Burned
Series:  Magic & Mayhem #2
Author:  Stacey Kennedy
Genre:  Paranormal
Published:  May, 19, 2015
Publisher:  Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept
My Rating:  4.5 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Synopsis:

Nexi Jones has lost her family, she’s been stripped of her guardian duties, and she’s still learning the ins and outs of white magic. At least she has Kyden, the smoldering hot elite guardian who’s been there for her every step of the way. But just as Nexi completes her training, tragedy strikes the Otherworld when a fellow guardian is murdered by a group of rogue vampires. Ready or not, she and Kyden trek into the Earthworld to hunt down a killer—and Nexi alone will be put to the ultimate test.

Although Kyden knows that Nexi must fight her own battles, his guardian instincts are raging as he struggles to keep her close. The ruthlessness of these vampires is like nothing he’s ever seen. And at their helm is the Black Witch Astoria, a demon with one burning desire: to shed Nexi’s blood in the name of vengeance. What troubles Kyden even more, though, is the warlock who covets Nexi’s heart. Let the devil do his worst . . . all Kyden can do is love and protect Nexi until his last breath.

Read on for my thoughts on Witches Be Burned.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Review: Bride by Mistake by Nicole Helm

Posted May 18, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Bride by MistakeTitle:  Bride by Mistake
Series:  Montana Born Brides #3
Author:  Nicole Helm
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  May 18, 2015
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Synopsis:

Wedding fever has hit the little town of Marietta…

And Kaitlin Shuller’s groom of her dreams is marrying someone else… her sister.

Worst day ever. Her heart is broken, and all her carefully laid plans destroyed. Enter Beckett Larson, her older brother’s best friend and a very good bad decision.

Beckett has spent his life trying to outrun his bad reputation, but everyone already thinks the worst of him, so when Kaitlin offers herself to him — virginity and all— he just can’t say no.

But one night together has permanent consequences, and this time Beckett knows he can’t outrun his bad boy reputation. He’s determined to make Kaitlin his bride…even if he has to seduce her down the aisle.

Read on for my thoughts on Bride by Mistake.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Review: Macyn’s Letter by S. L. Stacker

Posted May 18, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Mystery / 0 Comments

Macyn's LetterTitle:  Macyn’s Letter
Series:  Macyn McIntyre series #1
Author:  S. L. Stacker
Genre:  Contemporary Romance, Mystery
Published:  May 18, 2015 (original October 2013)
Publisher:  Booktrope Editions
My Rating:  3.5 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Synopsis:

A near-death experience at the hands of her husband would cause any woman to cling to her crippling trust issues and dating phobia, and Macyn McIntyre is no exception. Falling into the lap of a sexy stranger may persuade her to change her mind, but before Macyn realizes what’s happening, a second potential love interest is vying for her affections.

When a threatening letter turns up in her mailbox, Macyn realizes choosing between two guys is the least of her worries. Abduction, violence, and rescue by an elite squad change the course of her life forever. When she seeks revenge on those who hurt her, she has to decide if she can trust the ones who vow they love her.

Will Macyn be able to overcome her past and use their aid in her vendetta, or will she take matters into her own hands?

Read on for  my thoughts on Macyn’s Letter.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Musing Mondays #4

Posted May 18, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 6 Comments

open book and  pink flowerMusing Monday is hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm.

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

  • I’m currently reading…
  • Up next I think I’ll read…
  • I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
  • I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
  • I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
  • I can’t wait to get a copy of…
  • I wish I could read ___, but…
  • I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: What types of “special” books do you own? For example, do you have any really old books? Any collections based on your interests (eg. architecture, etc)?

No, not really *special*.  I collect the entire works of my favorite author – which means every book cover, book title and sometimes an international book if I can find one at a library or yard sale.  I just enjoy the various covers that change over time.  To be honest though, I do pick up many from garage or yard sales — I only have so much book money.  *grin*  The only other *special* book I have is personal.  My grandfather was a minister and I still have his preaching bible, that big ‘ol one that sat at the pulpit, went on visits with him, and that he created sermons with — along with notes in the margins and slips of papers.   It was published in the 1800’s.  So I don’t use it now, it’s too fragile.  But it does have a spot of honor on my shelf.

I decided to get more deeply involved in a hobby that I put aside a few years ago.  Reused a website that I have to be exclusively about fairies.  Myths, stories, lore, modern day novels with a Fae base and particularly Fairy Gardening.  I picked up this book to get some tips, and ideas.  It’s a complete project that I’m really looking forward to digging into.

Fairy Gardening 101Release your inner child and step into the fairy world by creating your own enchanted garden, no matter how much space you have! Fairy gardens are increasing in popularity and Fairy Gardening 101provides you with all the information necessary to design, plant, and care for your very own miniature garden oasis. Author, artist, and fairy gardener extraordinaire Fiona McDonald introduces readers to the history of fairy gardens and then provides step-by-step instructions, photographs, and illustrations for you to follow—or draw inspiration from—when starting your own project.

Learn which types of plants and containers are most successful for a fairy garden, as well as how to develop a focal point for your enchanted mini Eden. Fairy Gardening 101 also provides important information on caring for your garden, on designing gardens for both indoors and outside, on using artificial plants to make your garden last a lifetime, and much more! You’ll also find inspirational photos from fairy gardeners around the globe as well as a list of suppliers. You don’t need to be a master gardener or to have a particularly green thumb to successfully plant and maintain your tiny fairy garden. All you need is a few miniature plants, some thoughtfully placed accessories, a fairy or two, and a love of whimsy and imagination.

I think it’s going to be a fun, ongoing project.  The website is Faeries In My Garden… and faery tales on my bookshelf  – not much there really, but if you’re curious that link will let you peek.  🙂

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Monday’s Pick #5 ~ Betrothal

Posted May 18, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

BetrothalMonday’s Pick” is a feature here at Keeper Bookshelf that showcases a novel I picked up for free.  This week’s pick was found at Amazon’s Free Kindle Books offerings.

Look for a “Free” novel to be picked each Monday and the review to appear on the following Monday.   There are some really good “free” novels available (and some not so great too).  Let’s weed them out.  If this sounds like something you might like to take part in — awesome, just leave a link with your Free Monday Pick in the comment section and let us go check it out.

Blurb:

Seventeen year old Lady Guinevere holds the crown to a ancient kingdom. Without brothers to ascend the throne, marriage to her will assure any man the right to rule.

Arthur Pendragon has won his power through battle. His legions have elected him their king and protector but he seeks to legitimize his claim to High King through marrying Guinevere.

Lancelot, a valiant knight with a broken past, is driven by his desire to protect those in need. He’s joined Arthur’s forces because he believes in Arthur’s dream of peace for a war-torn country.

But Lancelot possesses something that Arthur can never win…Guinevere’s heart.

QUEEN’S HONOR is told from the point of view of a young Guinevere as she is caught between the responsibility of her crown and the desires of her heart. This fantasy romance is imbued with celtic lore and magic, as Guinevere discovers she holds an ancient power–a power of the old ones, the Druids. But without any one to guide her to develop her power, she finds herself caught in a web of the ambitions of those more powerful than her. Queen’s Honor puts a fresh spin on an age-old tale of love and honor.

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Mini-Blog Ahead Results

Posted May 16, 2015 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 4 Comments

mini blogahead 400May Mini-Blog Ahead May 1-14 at Anna’s Herding Cats & Burning Soup.

Wheeew!  Finally done.  And much more successful than I originally thought I’d be, which is a very good thing to discover.

I was able to:

1.  Get some memes done or set up for 6 months in advance.

2.  Put together 8 discussion posts that will drop once a month, so far

3.  Finished 10 non-NetGalley reviews (owned books) to hit on those days I normally don’t review

4.  Made plans to now move this mini-blog ahead idea over to Haunted Bookshelf and work it on that paranormal blog of mine  (with the idea to do that on the others, in time, as well)

So, Anna ~ thank you so much ((virtual hug)) for helping get my butt in gear and a bit more organized for the near future.  I can see myself taking a day a week to work on keeping up with this idea, and that is an amazing help to me.  I jumped into this with a little train’s attitude of “I think I can, I think I can, oh how crazy is this but I think I can” —- and it worked.  So.  Thank you.  🙂

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