Life’s a Witch by Elizabeth A. Reeves

Posted October 2, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Life’s A Witch
Series: Karma’s Witches #1
Author: Elizabeth A. Reeves
Genre: Halloween Romance
Published: November 7, 2013
Publisher:
My Rating: 4 spooky stars
Source: Borrowed, Kindle Unlimited
Cover Description:

When life gives you lemons, some would say make lemonade.

Amber knows all about making lemonade. More than she wants to. But what do you do when you discover–out of the clear blue–that you’ve got a destiny you could have only imagined.

As a writer, Amber’s got quite an imagination–but even she didn’t imagine what was to come!

What do you do when a sexy cop seems to be flirting with you? When strange things begin to happen? Strange objects show up?

What do you do when you discover you’re not the only child you’d always believed you were?

Things are about to change drastically for Amber. Sometimes, Life’s a Witch!

Karma’s Witches Are Here!

Read on for my thoughts on Life’s A Witch. No true spoilers, promise.

Think About A Blogging Plan For 2016 Now

Posted October 1, 2015 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 0 Comments

notebook morguefile We’re coming up on the busiest months of the year, for most families. Fall activities with the kids, maybe going on a weekender to see the beauty of the colorful fall leaves. Halloween parties and decorating. Thanksgiving with the entire family… and the mad dash for the Friday Shopping after the meal (or sooner). Then comes Christmas with all the wonderful parts of the holiday season. Yeah, I’m already tired just thinking about it.

Come January 2016 this blog will have been active almost every single day, for a year.. I missed a couple here and there. I had absolutely no plan. Totally by the seat of my jeans. And it’s been fun and a little successful. But I could do more, maybe differently, perhaps more efficiently.

So I believe now, months in advance is a good time to start thinking about what I want to accomplish in the coming year. Not floating around in my head but down on paper, decisions made and plans in place to get off to a roaring start in January. Now might be a good time for you too – before the holiday madness sets in, and time is one of the least things we have available for a clear thought.

Simply a thought. One that I’m starting on and I thought maybe you might want to at least think about it for your 2016 blogging plan.

Josette by Kathleen Bittner Roth

Posted October 1, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Josette
Series: When Hearts Dare #3
Author: Kathleen Bittner Roth
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Kensington Books, Zebra
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

“Monsieur Andrews, welcome to my home.”

At the smoky, velvet sound, Cameron swung around. Every function in his body—heart, breath, blood ceased to function.

She was lovely. More than lovely.

Tendrils of raven hair framed a face so exquisite, it disarmed him. Her mouth, a soft, dewy pink, parted. And those eyes, as dark as Creole coffee, intelligent and assessing, roamed over him and then back to take hold of his. He needed to step closer, to stroke her skin. To possess her. But would his wealth and worldly experience be a match for the free-spirited Cajun-born widow?

Across the oceans, between worlds old and new—two lost souls find themselves at a crossroads.

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

Fated by Sarah Fine

Posted October 1, 2015 by Marsha in Series / 0 Comments

Title: Fated
Series: Servants of Fate #3
Author: Sarah Fine
Genre: Paranormal
Published: September 29, 2015
Publisher: 47North
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Aislin Ferry and Jason Moros have only days until they will be called to account before the Keepers of the Afterlife. Yet as they race to restore order and make their case, their worlds fall into total disarray.

Mutiny within the fractured Ferry family threatens Aislin’s hold on power and role as Charon. Meanwhile, the fearsome Lord of the Kere has family trouble of his own. Someone is unraveling the fabric of fate, and Moros suspects one of his supernatural siblings is behind the terrible bid to unleash Chaos.

Now unlikely allies, Aislin and Moros each need the other to escape the wrath of the Keepers. As the stakes rise, it becomes clear that protecting their respective empires is not the endgame. With the fate of all humanity dangling by a thread, Aislin and Moros must surrender completely to one another if they are to fight their common enemy. And as time runs out, someone must make the ultimate sacrifice.

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

Covington Cove – Kelly Moran

Posted October 1, 2015 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 2 Comments

The amazing author, Kelly Moran just shared this beautiful video on Twitter. And I’m going to share it here – ‘cos it’s lovely and the books are great. Enjoy.

Snowflake Bay by Donna Kauffman

Posted October 1, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Snowflake Bay
Series: The Brides of Blueberry Cove #2
Author: Donna Kauffman
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Kensington Books, Zebra
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

There’s no place like seaside Blueberry Cove, Maine, at Christmas—and there’s nothing like a wedding, the warmth of the holidays, and an old crush, to create the perfect new start…

Interior designer Fiona McCrae has left fast-paced Manhattan to move back home to peaceful Blueberry Cove. But she’s barely arrived before she’s hooked into planning her big sister Hannah’s Christmas wedding—in less than seven weeks. The last thing she needs is for her first love, Ben Campbell, to return to neighboring Snowflake Bay…

As kids, Fiona was the bratty little sister Ben mercilessly teased—while pining after Hannah. But Fi never once thought of Ben like a brother. And that hasn’t changed. Except Fi is all grown up. Will Ben notice her now? More importantly, with her life in a jumble, should he? Or might the romance of the occasion, the spirit of the season, and the gifts of time ignite a long-held flame for many Christmases to come…

Something old might just become something new…

Read on for my thoughts on Snowflake Bay. No true spoilers, promise.

Spiral of Need by Suzanne Wright

Posted October 1, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Spiral of Need
Series: The Mercury Pack #1
Author: Suzanne Wright
Genre: Paranormal Shifter Romance
Published: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Montlake Romance
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Ally Marshall isn’t just a wolf shifter — she’s a Seer.

But a girl doesn’t exactly need special powers to know that Derren Hudson despises her entire kind. Disdain practically rolls off the Beta of the Mercury Pack . . . disdain mixed with a healthy dose of desire. And no matter how much the ruggedly handsome male appeals to her, this is one call of the wild she’s determined to ignore.

After one betrayal too many, Derren doesn’t have much use for Seers — except for Ally.

Forced into acting as her protector, he finds himself intensely and passionately drawn to the woman who incites his primal instinct to claim.

And when enemies target the pack, Ally’s gift may be just what the Mercury Pack needs.

Can he put his distrust aside, or will he force himself to turn his back on the one woman who makes his inner beast howl?

Read on for my thoughts on Spiral of Need. No true spoilers, promise.

Witch Weigh by Caroline Mickelson

Posted October 1, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Witch Weigh
Series:
Author: Caroline Mickelson
Genre: Halloween Romance, Paranormal
Published: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Bon Accord Press
My Rating: 4 spooky stars
Source: Borrowed, Kindle Unlimited
Cover Description:

Tessa Von Hellengaard is a real witch. Magical spells aside, she’s snarky and selfish, and the other witches in her silent spell coven are fed up with her. Their plan to reform Tessa involves taking away her magic, saddling her with one hundred extra pounds and sending her to a weight loss spa. For good measure they call in Liam Kennedy, a charming and sexy fairy godfather, to teach her some manners.

Desperate to regain her magic and determined to shed the weight, Tessa soon realizes that protecting her heart from Liam will prove to be her greatest challenge.

Read on for my thoughts on Witch Weigh. No true spoilers, promise.

Halloween Romance Month

Posted October 1, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

cat n pumpkins It’s almost time for witches and goblins and things that go bump in the night to show up at our front doors with pillowcases, fancy bags and containers held high for Halloween goodies.

I don’t “celebrate” Halloween – but I certainly do enjoy the fun, silly and spooky parts of this whole month leading up to Trick or Treat night.

This year I’m giving myself – and hopefully, you – a month long Halloween reading treat. Since I love Paranormal Romance novels it’s not unusual to find those types of book reviews here. So, I went looking for fun, quirky, silly at times but alway entertaining Halloween stories. I found a lot that I will be using my Kindle Unlimited plan on (the author still gets paid for my completing the story to the 100% mark) – as well as some that are on my own keeper bookshelves from years gone by.

So look for a daily dose of Halloween Romance from today until Halloween. If you have any favorites that you always enjoy this time of the year, please let me know in the comments so I can check them out. I always love finding new things to read.

For now, Happy Fall and here’s to a Spooky, Safe Halloween… and reading tons of fun stories.

October’s Blog Ahead Starts – Now

Posted October 1, 2015 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 2 Comments

It’s time again for the Blog Ahead Challenge from herding cats & burning soup and Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Yep, and it starts today. I have a particular plan for this October Blog Ahead event. I am a huge Christmas story junkie. Yes, I will read the side of a Christmas Card box, so I think I qualify as officially addicted. 🙂

Because I have so many favorites that I re-read during the days from Thanksgiving onward I decided to use the Blog Ahead challenge to get some of those posts and reviews ready now. That leaves more time to find new to me stories or new releases. Wicked mind here, folks. 😉

I also do a Halloween Romance category during October with a Halloween-ish story review daily. Since I love paranormal and read it all year long, for this one I try to simply find some fun and quirky Halloween styled stories to give myself and hopefully you a chuckle. So, I’m hoping to get at least a week of those done to give me some space without feeling rushed.

So, with my October Blog Ahead 2015 plan in place — I wish you fun and success. And if you have no clue what I’m talking about then visit the linked sites in the first line of this post to join in.

Okay, off to get some work done. Have Fun with it.

Long, Tall Christmas by Janet Dailey

Posted September 26, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Long, Tall Christmas
Series:
Author: Janet Dailey
Genre: Christmas Romance
Published: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Kensington Books
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Facing foreclosure on her California home, widowed Kylie Wayne is grateful to accept her aging aunt Muriel’s offer to come back to small-town Branding Iron, Texas, and help out on the ranch. But when an early storm rolls in, Kylie’s dream of a perfect Christmas for her kids is blown away with the unexpected snow. Comfort and joy seem unlikely, unless a certain long, tall Texan with a bad boy’s charm can rope some holiday cheer…

No one imagined restless, independent Shane Taggart would work his parents’ ranch all these years. But with his father gone, Shane is ready to sell his land and see the world—until sweet, sexy Kylie shows up. The dutiful good girl he remembers has turned into a spirited woman, and Shane wants to give her the warm family future she longs for, puppy and all. One kiss under the mistletoe may not convince her, but Shane knows that love is a gift that will last forever.

Read on for my thoughts on Long, Tall Christmas. No true spoilers, promise.

Christmas Chocolat by Kate Defrise

Posted September 26, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Title: Christmas Chocolat
Series:
Author: Kate Defrise
Genre: Christmas, Women’s Fiction
Published: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Kensington Books
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

In this warm, engaging debut novel, four siblings make their way home, where their father, the memory of their mother, and long-held family secrets all collide just in time for Christmas.

For Maggie Arnaud and her siblings, childhood Christmases meant lavish feasts and beloved rituals. The day began with hot chocolate and cougnolle de Noel —the sweet, rich bread traditional in their parents’ native Belgium. Those special holidays ended with their mother’s death, and their father has grown more distant each year. But now, he has summoned his grown children once again. And none of them is eager to expose their imperfect lives to his scrutiny…

Jacqueline is an opera singer living in Brussels—outwardly successful but yearning for a deeper fulfillment. Near Philadelphia, cookbook writer Maggie’s career and marriage are in turmoil. Colette, an aspiring clothing designer in California, lost her boyfriend and her savings in one blow. And roving younger brother Art is still searching for something—or someone. Armed with their insecurities, rivalries—and their mother’s most delicious recipes—the Arnauds gather in Pennsylvania. But a good meal does more than feed the body—it awakens memories, nurtures bonds, and might even bring a family back together.

Includes classic Belgian recipes.

Read on for my thoughts on Christmas Chocolat. No true spoilers, promise.

The Last Chance Christmas Ball

Posted September 26, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance / 0 Comments

Title: The Last Chance Christmas Ball
Series: Anthology
Author: Mary Jo Putney, Jo Beverley, Joanna Bourne, Patricia Rice, Nicola Cornick, Cara Elliott, Anne Gracie, Susan King
Genre: Regency Romance, Historical Romance
Published: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Kensington Books
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Christmas 1815. Upstairs and downstairs, Holbourne Hall is abuzz with preparations for a grand ball to celebrate the year’s most festive—and romantic—holiday. For at the top of each guest’s wish list is a last chance to find true love before the New Year…

A chance meeting beneath the mistletoe, a stolen glance across the dance floor—amid the sumptuous delicacies, glittering decorations, and swell of the orchestra, every duchess and debutante, lord and lackey has a hopeful heart. There’s the headstrong heiress who must win back her beloved by midnight—or be wed to another….the spinster whose fateful choice to relinquish love may hold one more surprise for her…a widow yearning to glimpse her long-lost love for even one sweet, fleeting interlude …a charming rake who finds far more than he bargained for. And many other dazzling, romantic tales in this star-studded collection that will fill your heart and spice up your holidays.

Read on for my thoughts on The Last Chance Christmas Ball. No true spoilers, promise.

Love Somebody Like You by Susan Fox

Posted September 26, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series, Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Title: Love Somebody Like You
Series: Caribou Crossing #5
Author: Susan Fox
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Kensington Books, Zebra
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Since the death of her husband three years ago, young widow Sally Ryland has kept to herself and focused on her struggling business, Ryland Riding. Folks assume she’s still grieving, because Sally has never shared the truth about her abusive marriage, or the trust issues that remain. But when a sexy rodeo rider from her past turns up for a visit, he’s a reminder of the feisty woman she once was—and maybe still could be…

Ben Traynor was always attracted to Sally, but he didn’t move fast enough. Now what Sally needs is patience and gentleness. With an injury keeping him from his next rodeo, Ben has the perfect excuse to stick around and help with her chores—and her healing. And as Sally finds the courage to face her demons and open her heart again, she’ll have to decide if what she has with Ben is more than safety, gratitude, and short-term passion, but a forever love.

Read on for my thoughts on Love Somebody Like You. No true spoilers, promise.

Hold Me, Cowboy by Alissa Callen

Posted September 25, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Hold Me, Cowboy
Series: Montana Born Rodeo 2015 #2 & Wildflower Ranch #5
Author: Alissa Callen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: September 25, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Marietta home town girl Kendall Dixon knows who she is and what she wants, even if the stubborn and slow-smiling cowboy who owns her heart is long gone from Montana.

Rancher Brent Ashton returns to Marietta to care for his sick mother. Haunted by the death of his father, he must save his derelict home and resist rekindling the romance with the only girl he’s ever loved. He can’t let her sacrifice her dreams for him.

But the shy and sweet Kendall he left behind has become a strong and determined woman. A woman who won’t let her cowboy walk away for a second time.

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