Giveaways

May Kindle Fire HD Giveaway

May 6, 2013

This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER SPONSORED GIVEAWAY!

Kindle Fire HD 7″ Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7″ Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)

Sponsoring Bloggers & Authors

Giveaway Details

1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7″ HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).

Ends 5/31/13

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 participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Review & GIVEAWAY: Evidence of Life

May 4, 2013

Title: Evidence of Life
Author: Barbara Taylor Sissel
Series: n/a

Summary: On the last ordinary day of her life, Abby Bennett feels like the luckiest woman alive. But everyone knows that luck doesn’t last forever. As her husband, Nick, and daughter, Lindsey, embark on a weekend camping trip to the Texas Hill Country, Abby looks forward to having some quiet time to herself. She braids Lindsey’s hair, reminds Nick to drive safely and kisses them both goodbye. For a brief moment, Abby thinks she has it all—a perfect marriage, a perfect life—until a devastating storm rips through the region, and her family vanishes without a trace.

When Nick and Lindsey are presumed dead, lost in the raging waters, Abby refuses to give up hope. Consumed by grief and clinging to her belief that her family is still alive, she sets out to find them. But as disturbing clues begin to surface, Abby realizes that the truth may be far more sinister than she imagined. Soon she finds herself caught in a current of lies that threaten to unhinge her and challenge everything she once believed about her marriage and family.

My Thoughts: I’ve had this book finished for several hours now, and am just not sure what to say about it. It’s not that it was bad; it wasn’t. It’s not that it wasn’t compelling; it was. It’s not that it wasn’t thought-provoking; it was. It’s not that I didn’t like it; I did. So, why can’t I write about it?

So, let’s try something new. Stream-of-consciousness reviewing. I’ll write everything I’m thinking, no matter what. (Don’t worry; I’ll go back, read it over, and make sure to hide any spoilers.)

The book is a bit long in that it meanders and has a slower pace. No, it’s not hard to read. It held my interest from the very beginning. It’s just got lots of narrative and description, and less dialogue. It’s amazing how much longer 300 pages is when there’s less dialogue! But, it works. For this book, it’s the perfect way to tell the story. And the long, meandering narrative has moments that gave me the chills and/or were heart-stoppingly surprising. There is not a lot of that in here; just enough to keep you from getting bored.

The ending, without saying too much, was quite unexpected. Well, yes and no. The main events at the end almost felt out of place with the pacing and style of the rest of the book. Almost. It still works, and definitely packs a powerfully shocking punch. I honestly can say I hadn’t seen it coming. Hopefully you’ll be able to say the same, too. After that big surprise, the last couple of chapters were mostly perfect. The very, very end? Completely perfect. I loved it!

I really liked Abby – and, no, not because her name is the same as my daughter’s name! Because she’s flawed in a very realistic way – and, like most of us, she’s aware of her flaws. She also is stubborn and a whole lot stronger than she realizes. And stronger than her friends and family seem to think she is. Let me just say that I wanted to clobber each and every one of them, especially her oldest friend, Kate. Most especially her. I kinda wanted to smack Jake, but not so much given the circumstances. The position he’s in is one no child should have to navigate through.

So, overall, Evidence of Life is a compelling, interesting, often creepy read. The lies mentioned in the summary weren’t as outrageous as I’d been expecting, but that’s OK. The story is well-written, engaging, and sure to entertain mystery lovers everywhere.

Source: Thank you to Liz Lauer from BookTrib, for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Read It: Get your own copy HERE. (This is a Book Depository link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is appreciated!)

GIVEAWAY

I am able to offer one lucky reader in the U.S. or Canada a paperback copy of Evidence of Life by Barbara Taylor Sissel.

To Enter: Leave a comment with your name.

The Fine Print: Giveaway runs until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2013. Giveaway is open to those in the U.S. and Canada. One entry per person. You must be 13 or older to enter. Winners will be chosen with the help of the WordPress plugin And the Winner Is … and notified via e-mail. If I do not receive a response within 48 hours of sending the e-mail, a new winner will be chosen. I am not responsible for prizes that are lost, stolen, or damaged en route to you.
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2 Comments Filed Under: blog tour, Giveaways, Reviews Tagged With: 4 stars, Barbara Taylor Sissel, BookTrib, contemporary, giveaway, mystery, review

Review with Giveaway: Stress Test

April 19, 2013

Title: Stress Test
Author: Richard L. Mabry, M.D.
Series: n/a

Summary: They may not have enough evidence to convict him, but they have enough to ruin his life.

Dr. Matt Newman thought he was leaving his life in private practice for a better one in academic medicine. But the kidnappers who attacked him as he left his last shift in the ER have no such plans–they just want him dead. Bound and in the trunk of his car, Matt’s only thought is escape. He does so, but at a price: a head injury that lands him in the ICU . . . where he awakens to discover he’s being charged with murder.

Sandra Murray is a fiery, redheaded lawyer who swore she was done with doctors. But when Matt calls, she knows she can’t walk away from defending someone who is truly innocent.

Matt’s career is going down the drain. His freedom and perhaps his life may be next. But with the police convinced he’s a murderer and the kidnappers still trying to finish what they started, finding the truth–the faith to keep going–will be the toughest stress test Matt has ever endured.

My Thoughts: Fast-paced and original, Stress Test by Richard L. Mabry, M.D., grabbed me right away and wouldn’t let go. It was one of those books that I wanted to keep reading. See what happens next. See how things were going to play out.

Matt is a great main character. He’s down-to-earth and generally a decent person. The reader shares his disbelief that someone would want to kidnap him – and kill him. While reading, my mind went through all sorts of scenarios that could explain it, but I just couldn’t figure it out. Even as things started to be revealed and more details were shared, I still didn’t quite get the big why. When it’s revealed, I had put together some of the pieces – or at least figured out many of the people involved – but had not figured out the whole thing. It is so nice and refreshing to have that happen!

So, Sandra Murray. She’s another likable character, but we don’t see things centered on her quite as much as we see Matt’s experiences. But this really is his story, although we do see things with several different characters as the focal point. Even with that, I wasn’t able to fully figure out what was going on. Don’t get me wrong. I could follow the action. I just couldn’t guess how everything would play out.

There are some faith aspects as part of this book, but it’s not preachy at all. We have characters who are curious about God, characters who don’t believe in God, and characters who are strong (or becoming strong) Christians. No one is preachy. It’s all very real, very much like the faith – or lack thereof – that I see from day to day. If you’re not a reader of the Christian persuasion, I don’t think you should let the Christian parts scare you off. The action, the mystery, the suspense – it’s all a much greater focus. The story itself is right up there with mainstream mystery/suspense thrillers. I highly recommend Stress Test by Richard L. Mabry, M.D.

Source: Received as part of a blog tour promotion on Litfuse Publicity Group. Find more tour stops on the page HERE.

Read It: Get your own copy HERE. (This is a Book Depository link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is appreciated!)

About the Author: A retired physician, Dr. Richard Mabry is the author of four critically acclaimed novels of medical suspense. His previous works have been finalists for the Carol Award and Romantic Times Reader’s Choice Award, and have won the Selah Award. He is a past Vice-President of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of the International Thriller Writers. He and his wife live in North Texas.

Learn more about Richard on his Website: http://www.rmabry.com/.

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* WIN A NOOK HD *

Richard Mabry is celebrating the release of Stress Test with a Nook HD Giveaway! Enter today.

One winner will receive:

A brand new Nook HD
A $15 gift certificate to BarnesandNoble.com

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 27th. Winner will be announced on 4/29/13 at Richard’s blog.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

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Leave a Comment Filed Under: blog tour, Giveaways, Reviews Tagged With: 4.5 stars, blog tour, Christian fiction, giveaway, Litfuse, medical thriller, review, Richard L. Mabry MD, suspense, thriller

Book Blast Giveaway: Hades and the Helm of Darkness

April 15, 2013

Hades and the Helm of Darkness (Heroes in Training Book 3)

The Heroes in Training are entering the Underworld—if Hades can conquer his canine fears, that is.

The Underworld usually isn’t really meant to be a fun place—but tell that to Hades! He loves the dark and the stinky smell of sulfur. However, there is one thing that Hades is not a fan of: dogs. And when Zeus and his fellow Olympians encounter Cerberus—a snarling, three-headed dog—Hades must conquer his fears and tame the hound so everyone can continue into the Underworld and deposit their Titan prisoner, Oceanus, back where he belongs!

But with magical water that causes forgetfulness, hot beds of lava, and another epic battle with two more Titans standing in their way, will Zeus and his heroes make it out of the Underworld with everyone intact?

Amazon * Amazon Kindle * Barnes & Noble

Heroes in Training by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams
Authors Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams deliver fun, adventures, and a few surprises as ten-year-old Olympians go on a journey of a lifetime to discover their true identities and defeat their Titan enemies.

Praise for Heroes in Training
“Readers will gobble this down and look for more, make no mythtake.”
~ Kirkus

“This is a fun read, casting Zeus in the role of relatable kid, and there is a nice balance between his primary goal of survival and his sense of destiny and adventure. . . Share this title, and likely more to come, with those still too young for Percy Jackson’s adventures.”
~ School Library Journal

The Series

#1 Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom
#2 Poseidon and the Sea of Fury
#3 Hades and the Helm of Darkness
#4 Hyperion and the Great Balls of Fire

Aladdin Paperbacks (ages 6-9)
http://series.simonandschuster.com/Heroes-in-training

Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom (Book 1)
After pulling a magical thunderbolt from a stone, ten-year-old Zeus goes on the adventure of a lifetime in this thrilling start to a brand-new series! The terrible Titans–merciless giants who enjoy snacking on humans–have dominated the earth and put the world into chaos. But their rule is about to be put to the test as a group of young Olympians discover their powers and prepare to righteously rule the universe….

Ten-year-old Zeus is mystified (and super-annoyed) by the fact that he keeps getting hit by lightening. Every. Single. Year. He also longs for adventure, as he has never been far from the cave where he grew up.

Zeus gets his wish–and a lot more than he bargained for–when he is kidnapped by dangerous, giant Titans! In self-defense, he grabs the first thing he sees–an actual thunderbolt he pulls from a stone that is covered in mysterious markings. Zeus is the only one who can decipher the markings, and sets off on a quest to rescue his youthful fellow Olympians from the evil Cronus. Armed with his trusty thunderbolt (named Bolt, of course), Zeus is on an adventure of a lifetime–and a journey to fulfill his destiny as King of the Gods.

Amazon *Amazon Kindle * Barnes & Noble

Poseidon and the Sea of Fury (Book 2)

A young Poseidon must triumph over aquatic terrors in this Heroes in Training adventure. The merciless Cronus and his Titan buddies are in hot pursuit of Zeus, Hera, and Poseidon, who plan to travel across the treacherous boiling sea in order to save a fellow Olympian. They have a boat, but they also have a problem: Poseidon can’t swim and is terrified of the water (well, really of the creatures that lurk in its depths). The group faces danger after danger as they battle singing sirens, a fishy and ferocious Titan named Oceanus, and people-eating monsters sent by Cronus himself. Can Poseidon overcome his fears and help his fellow heroes escape Cronus and his cronies?

Amazon * Amazon Kindle * Barnes & Noble

Author Suzanne Williams

Suzanne Williams is the award-winning author of nearly 40 books for children, from picture books and easy readers to chapter books and middle grade fiction series. A former elementary school librarian, she lives near Seattle. Her picture book Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg) won the New Mexico children’s choice award in 2000 and was on several other state award lists. She is co-author (with Joan Holub) of the popular Goddess Girls series(for ages 8 – 12) and Heroes in Training (ages 6 – 11). Other series include Fairy Blossoms and Princess Power.

Website * Blog

Author Joan Holub

I graduated from college in Texas with a fine arts degree, and then freelanced as an art director at a graphic design firm for eight years. I dreamed of working in children’s books, so I moved to New York City and became associate art director in Scholastic trade books, where I designed books for children and worked with editors and illustrators. It was a great job.

I illustrated my first published children’s book in 1992 and soon began illustrating full time. I began completing manuscripts and mailing them out to publishers in the early 1990s. In 1996, I sold my first two manuscripts — Boo Who? A Spooky Lift-the-Flap Book (Scholastic) and Pen Pals (Grosset & Dunlap). Yippee!

Now I write full time and have written and/or illustrated over 130 children’s books. Creating books that entertain, inform, and interest children (and me) is a fabulous job that I truly love.

Twitter * Website * Blog

Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/25/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Blast Giveaway: January Black

April 10, 2013

January Black

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He’s been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost…or call the king’s bluff.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Amazon Kindle

Praise
Refreshingly intelligent and loads of fun!
I lost a few hours as I read this book. It’s a Young Adult novel that is refreshingly and astonishingly intelligent, and the love story is perfectly played out.
~Christine Ashworth, Amazon Review

The mystery was intriguing – I loved how Wendy Russo weaved in all her secrets throughout the book, how she incorporated just enough to keep you reading, while never actually divulging much of anything. I was guessing for most of it and that’s pretty hard to make me do.
~Julie, Clean Teen Reads

Wendy Russo has created a masterpiece.
~Ivan Amberlake, Author

Book Trailer

Author Wendy S. Russo

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

FACEBOOK * WEBSITE * TWITTER

GOODREADS * AUTHORGRAPH

Tour Schedule

BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/5/13
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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Feed Your Reader Site Launches with Kindle Fire or $100 Amazon/Paypal Giveaway!

April 9, 2013

Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer has launched a new site aimed at bringing you the best Kindle Ebook Deals and Steals.

Each day on feedyourreader.com you’ll find a new list of available ebook deals (most for under $3).

And of course there will be lots of Featured Freebies too!

To celebrate the launch of the new site she is giving away a Kindle Fire, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash.

Win a 7″ Kindle Fire (US only)

Or $100 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

Or $100 in Paypal Cash (International)

Giveaway Details
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7″ (US Only), $100 Amazon Gift Card or $100 in Paypal Cash (International).
Ends 5/5/13

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. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $100-$159 US.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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