The Cobblepotts - Bill Jacks

Patty Cobblepott makes her way to the prison to collect her husband, Otis, following a two-month incarceration—an incarceration for a string of offenses she actually committed. While waiting for her beloved (or, more accurately, hazing in and out of cognizance), she lapses into scenes of their life together and how they came to meet.

Bill Jacks has written an entertaining piece of hayseed satire with his short story, Confederate Chipmunks & Carny Cooter (The Cobblepotts Book 1). Brash, offensive, and laden with every conceivable hillbilly stereotype, Bill Jacks did not write this for those with any politically correct sensibilities. Confederate Chipmunks & Carny Cooter is clever and witty, even if it is sometimes hampered with awkward grammar and clichés. Still, Jacks breathes an intelligent sense of humor into the story, bringing Patty and Otis to life. Every one of Patty's recollections—as well as Patty and Otis themselves—are easy to visualize within a descriptive and playful story that is sure to amuse.

FOUR STARS!

Amazon Link: Confederate Chipmunks & Carny Cooter (The Cobblepotts Book 1)

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Spotlight! Lumière - Jacqueline Garlick

Lumière by Jacqueline Garlick
(The Illumination Paradox #1)
Publication date: December 12th 2013
Genres: Steampunk, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Even in a land of eternal twilight, secrets can’t stay hidden forever.

Seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth is no stranger to living in the dark. She’s hidden her secret affliction all of her life—a life that would be in danger if superstitious townspeople ever guessed the truth. After her mother is accused and executed for a crime that she didn’t commit, the now-orphaned Eyelet has no choice but to track down the machine—her last hope for a cure. But Eyelet’s late father’s most prized invention, the Illuminator, has been missing since the day of the mysterious flash—a day that saw the sun wiped out over Brethren forever.

Alone and on the run, she finds the Illuminator—only to witness a young man hauling it away. Determined to follow the thief and recover the machine, she ventures into the deepest, darkest, most dangerous part of her twisted world.



Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19448543-lumi-re?ac=1

Purchase: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lumi%C3%A8re-Illumination-Paradox-Jacqueline-Garlick/dp/1503944557/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1438959903&sr=1-1&keywords=Lumi%C3%A8re
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lumiere-jacqueline-garlick/1120998751?ean=9781503944558

AUTHOR BIO:


I'm Jacqueline Garlick, author of young adult and new adult fiction. I love strong heroines, despise whiny sidekicks, and adore a good story about a triumphant underdog. (Don't you?)

I love to read, write, paint (walls and paper). I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate, grammar, and technology and would rather hang out with a dog, than a cat. I prefer creating things to cleaning things, and believe laughter is a one-stop-shop solution to all that ails you. You will always find a purple wall (or two) in my house (currently in my writing room), and there may or may not be a hidden passageway that leads to a mystery room. (Okay, so you won't find a hidden passageway, but a girl can dream, can't she?) Oh, and tea. There will always be tea.

My writing style has been described as edgy and rule-breaking, and by some--a touch Tim Burton-esque. Because of this, I am often referred to as the Quentin Tarantino of YA among writing friends.

In my former life, I was a teacher (both grade school and college-don't ask), but more recently I've been a graduate of Ellen Hopkin's Nevada Mentor Program and a student of James Scott Bell, Christopher Vogler and Don Maass. An excerpt from Lumière earned me the 2012 Don Maass Break Out Novel Intensive Scholarship.

Lumière--A Romantic Steampunk Fantasy--my debut novel, is the recipient of an indieBRAG Medallion!!! B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree October 15, 2014) I am so proud! (LUMIERE by Jacqueline E. Garlick is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!) Book II of the ILLUMINATION PARADOX SERIES, is out January 26th, now on pre-order.

Also, check out my young adult contemporary romantic/mystery serial, IF ONLY, where reluctant telepathic sleuth Kyla Cooper must embrace her powers and risks all to solve the mystery of what happened to her boyfriend Denver Munro, becoming his voice of truth, before he has no voice at all...

I love hearing from READERS! Please contact me, either at my website: www.jacquelinegarlick.com, or catch up with me on twitter @garlick books, or on facebook: http://bit.ly/jegarlickfb

I'm open to reviews and interview, requests for skype visits, guest blogs, pod casts and book club meetings! I LOVE TO HEAR FROM READERS!

You can also find me here:
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jackiegp/lumiere-by-jacqueline-garlick/
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/jgarlickgr
Blog: http://garlickbooks.blogspot.ca

WIN A copy of LUMIERE, a copy of NOIR, + Swag (necklace with matching earrings and some collector’s cards with excerpts on them)! Enter to WIN here: 

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Sofia Khan is Not Obliged - Ayisha Malik

I'm sorry, but this book reads like a first draft—and not a very good one. There are many, many typos, misspellings, and grammatical issues, and the acerbic tone, which is cute and funny for about two pages, becomes tiresome far too quickly.

I adore books about South Asian culture, especially when they pit the volatile mismatch of tradition against the plight of progressive women. The blurb promised an intriguing tale from a perspective that we don't get nearly enough of: A thirty-something modern hijabi publicist in designer shoes, looking for love in all the wrong places. Unfortunately, it did not deliver. What could have been a fun story was let down by unpolished prose and a protagonist that is difficult to find at all endearing. I really wanted to love this book and was excited to pick it up...but, alas...I'm not obliged.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion, which this is.

TWO STARS

Amazon Link: Sofia Khan is Not Obliged

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Excerpt! TIGHT LACED - Roxy Soulé

TIGHT LACED
Roxy Soulé

Roxy Soulé’s debut Dragon Duchess series explores the spicier side of late Victorian England, and centers around a family of headstrong, sexpositive women who defy period stereotypes.

Oh, yes, there are Alpha Dukes aplenty, and a bevy of villains who continually torment and thwart, but at the end of the day, these heroines create their own Happily Ever After, sometimes with their lovers and sometimes despite them.

These rather short, hot books may be a bit bold for the tame reader, but if you like your stories with heat and heart – with a bit of sass, humor and spark – perhaps you will enjoy these.

TIGHT LACED (Book One of the Dragon Duchess series) releases August 11th!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lacy sat bolt upright, bringing the covers to her throat. “Who is there?”

“Shhhhh. Lady Lacilia, I’ve come to—”

Lacy cupped her hands around an invisible dagger. A pretense she’d practiced over the years for just this sort of occasion. “I will slit your throat if you step any closer!”

She heard him laugh. A voice pealed from the dark, “Slit my throat? How would you explain that, pray tell?”

He feigned a high-pitched woman’s voice, “’If it please the court, my groom was attempting to offer me sweets in the night, and I never eat sweets in the night.’”

“Darlington! What are you thinking scaring me half to death?”

“I surmised you might be hungry and somewhat cold.”

“I had finally fallen asleep, you scoundrel!”

“I brought a tea cake…”

“A tea cake?”

“I raided the pantry.”

They were two voices in the night. No light, nothing illuminated, and Lacy, in spite of herself, became curious. “What sort of tea cake?”

“Lady fingers, My Lady. For your fingers.”

He came closer. She smelled butter. Confection.

“I am not decent,” she remembered.

“I can’t see a thing,” he retorted.

Darlington was now bedside. Now sitting on the bed, his leg next to hers. It was most unseemly, but the cake! Her stomach growled.

“The beast has awoke!” he teased.

“That soup was awful. Is the cake any better?”

“Why you spoiled lamb, you.”

“Well, is it?”

“See for yourself, Lacy.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Roxy Soulé’s debut Dragon Duchess series explores the spicier side of late Victorian England, and centers around a family of headstrong, sexpositive women who defy period stereotypes.

Oh, yes, there are Alpha Dukes aplenty, and a bevy of villains who continually torment and thwart, but at the end of the day, these heroines create their own Happily Ever After, sometimes with their lovers and sometimes despite them.

These rather short, hot books may be a bit bold for the tame reader, but if you like your stories with heat and heart – with a bit of sass, humor and spark – perhaps you will enjoy these.

Release dates:
TIGHT LACED August 11th
TIGHT LIPPED September 15th
TIGHT FISTED October 13th
With more in the queue!

Available through Amazon (initially) – link through http://roxannesoule.com/daring-duchess-series/
FB https://www.facebook.com/roxanne.soule.79
TWITTER https://twitter.com/roxysoule

Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN gift card from Roxy Soulé!

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A Perilous Alliance - Fiona Buckley

Three times previously married and once a forced lover for the sake of alliances, recently widowed Ursula Blanchard takes a fourth husband in yet another politically arranged marriage. Spain is the enemy of Elizabethian England, and the ill-suited Count Gilbert Renard is brought forth by Sir Francis Walsingham as part of a treaty with France. Without a choice in the matter, Ursula attempts to make the best of a less than favorable situation…until a murder, ruled as accidental, occurs in her own home. From there, she sets out on a perilous journey to find answers, all while the stability of both her position and that of England hangs in the balance.

Fiona Buckley's A Perilous Alliance is a quality mystery, made even more compelling by an eloquently detailed armchair tour of Tudor England, chock-full of beautiful imagery and vivid descriptions. I received an advance review copy, and am rating this on the assumption that its issues with regard to awkward and loquacious sentences will be ironed out for the final product. A great deal of attention has been paid to the painting of her characters and they, along with the landscape, really do come to life. With that being said, this absorbing tale is occasionally let down by farfetched scenarios and inauthentic character interaction that do detract from the story's believability—but not enough to make you want to set the book aside. Buckley is an amazing storyteller, and A Perilous Alliance is a wonderful read with fantastic Tudor detailing, a riveting plot, and a strong, descriptive story line.

I'd like to thank Net Galley and the publisher Severn House for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion, which this is.

FOUR STARS

Amazon Link: A Perilous Alliance: A Tudor mystery featuring Ursula Blanchard (An Ursula Blanchard Elizabethan Mystery)

This post contains an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the Amazon link and buy the book, I may receive a commission.

Fire + Ice: Classic Nordic Cooking - Darra Goldstein

I selected Fire and Ice: Classic Nordic Cooking for a couple of reasons. The first is that I adore fresh fish and seafood recipes and am always on the hunt for new tricks in their preparation—and if anyone can teach me this, it's going to be the Scandinavians. The second reason is I have lately been dreaming of taking a cruise to the Fjords, and I hoped Fire and Ice might give me more insight on what culinary treasures I could expect. Oh man, did it ever.

The cover is quite terrible. Let's just get that out of the way right now, because I know you see that too. The cover cost it a star. If this cookbook were on a table in a bookstore and I did not already have an interest in Scandinavian cooking, I would have never even given the book a first glace, let alone a second. A shame, because Fire and Ice is gorgeous inside. Stories, details, and recipes from Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark are enveloped by crisp and stunning photographs of the rural corners of these countries. The recipes themselves are simple to prepare and represented perfectly by the photographs that accompany them. I personally made the Egg Salad with Swedish Anchovies, the Shrimp Salad with Asparagus-Dill Terrine, and the Fire Glow Salmon (with a side of Carmelized Potatoes). Everything was delicious. Although I was given a free copy of this cookbook from Ten Speed Press in exchange for my honest opinion, I will be purchasing a hard copy of Fire and Ice when it is released on October 13th.

FOUR STARS

Amazon Link: Fire and Ice: Classic Nordic Cooking

This post contains an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the Amazon link and buy the book, I may receive a commission.

Maguire's Corner Novels - Blog tour!

About the Books



Already Home (A Maguire's Corner Novel - Book 1)
by Heather M. Gardner
Published by: InkSpell Publishing
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Re-Release Date: May 30, 2015
Length: 176 Pages

Coffee shop owner Maggie Maguire doesn’t trust the new police chief her father hired to protect Maguire’s Corner. He’s a stranger, cold, bossy and annoyingly handsome. But, Maggie’s witnessed a serious crime and now someone’s trying to kill her. The man that aggravates her most might be the only one that can help her.

Police Chief Jack Munro likes his new job and his new town, and unfortunately he also likes the stubborn but beautiful town sweetheart. His self-imposed hands-off Maggie policy is about to be put to the ultimate test when he must keep her close to protect her while he tracks down a ruthless killer.

Determined to ignore Jack’s charms, Maggie attempts to help him unravel the mystery but when their lives hang in the balance she must decide how much she’s willing to risk to save the man she suddenly can’t resist.


One Good Catch (A Maguire's Corner Novel - Book 2)
by Heather M. Gardner
Published by: InkSpell Publishing
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: March 11, 2015
Length: 173 Pages

Ignoring a recent trauma that affects her everyday life, ER Doctor Kate Maguire engages in some high risk activities, but these situations aren’t enough to feed her edginess. She needs something more. When her brother’s high school best friend comes back to town, it’s her chance for a ‘no strings attached’ fling with the man who still headlines all her best dreams.

Rhys MacGrath’s days of one-night-stands are long over. The pro-football player might be side-lined at rehab for a shoulder injury, but that doesn’t mean he can’t admire and desire the all-grown-up, so-damn-hot, version of the tomboy he once knew. His sudden interest in Kate might aggravate his best friend, but it’s her indifference that drives Rhys crazy.

Everything heats up when Kate’s nosy nature puts her in the line of fire of an arsonist forcing Kate and Rhys to deal with more than just the sparks igniting between them.

Excerpt

Moving back he caged her against the wall with his arms and body. Leaning in, his lips hovering over hers, he stopped.

“What are we doing?” he asked, his voice hushed.

“I don’t know.”

“Tell me you want this.”

Kate shrugged. “You think I’m complicated.”

“You are complicated. This whole thing is complicated. It doesn’t mean I don’t want it.”

Rhys lifted one hand from the wall and placed his palm on her chest, over her heart, which tripled in speed under the warmth and weight of it.

“Mac.”

“No,” he said, “You never call me Mac.”

“Rhys.”

“Better.”

Kate licked her lips, enjoying the way Rhys’s gaze followed the movement of her tongue. “Everyone calls you Mac.”

“You never do.”

“I didn’t know you noticed.”

“I’ve noticed lots of things.” Rhys closed the gap between them, kissing the corner of her mouth.

“Like what?”

“You taste amazing.” He kissed her lips lightly, drawing the bottom one between his own before releasing it. “Your eyes glitter in the sun.” His lips glided along her jaw. “You’re vulnerable right here.” He found the spot on her neck that had her holding her breath and biting down on her own lip.

About the Author



Heather M. Gardner's love of books began on the hand-woven rugs of her small town library where her mother worked. There she had a never-ending supply of stories to read at her fingertips. As a teen, her favorite genres to curl up with were romance and mysteries. When she started to create her own stories, they were the perfect fit.

Heather resides in New York with her best friend who is also her husband, plus her talented and handsome son. She is currently owned by four stray cats. Heather's a full-time mom, works part-time from home, a chocolate enthusiast, coffee junkie, cat addict, book hoarder and fluent in sarcasm.

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