The Bornean Bookworm

Booking Through Thursday (Feb 23, 2012)

2012-02-23T02:22:00.001-05:00

What do you look for when reading a book blog? Does the blogger has to read the same genre? Do you like reviews? Personal posts? Memes? Giveaways? What attracts you to a book blog? And what are your favorite book blogs?

I hate to admit this (and I have to be honest too) but what attracts me to a book blog is mainly giveaways. Everyone likes giveaway and contest. The opportunity to win some books, especially the ones you've been dying to read, is exhilarating. I will also look for memes that I can join to spice up my blog, as well as book reviews because even though I've been blogging for almost a year now, I still need some improvements on writing a good review. English isn't my mother tongue, so reading reviews from English-speaking book bloggers has helped me improved a lot.

I don't have favorite book blogs, I like all book blogs to be honest because there's always something we can learn from each blog no what the blog looks like. And oh, whenever I visit a blog, I will always visit their 'About Me' page. Getting to know other bloggers (what books they like, where they come from, blog history, etc.) is a great way to maintain good connection, especially if you are a follower of a particular blog.

Indie Spotlight: The Iron Butterfly by Chanda Hahn

2012-02-22T07:37:00.000-05:00

This week's Indie Spotlight will feature a YA fantasy novel, The Iron Butterfly by Chanda Hahn. Read on to discover what the book is all about.

Summary

Imprisoned, starved and left with no memories, Thalia awakens to find herself the test subject for and evil cult, known only as the Septori. Escaping,she finds a home at the Citadel as a servant, where Thalia’s worst nightmare comes to life and she begins to show signs of power. But the Septori want their latest test subject back and will stop at nothing to retrieve her, dead or alive.

Purchase Your Copy at: Smashwords - Amazon

Visit the Author's website/blog: Chanda Hahn - Twitter

Teaser Tuesday (Feb 21, 2012)

2012-02-21T01:00:00.004-05:00

This week my TT comes from Hollowland (The Hollow #1) by Amanda Hocking.

Blurb:

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

Teaser lines:

"I glanced up and saw Lazlo staring back at me. Feeling self-conscious, I grabbed my pants up off the floor, and his cheeks reddened when he quickly turned back to the closet." (page 129 on nook)

Feel free to share your teaser with me!

Blog Tour: Interview and Giveaway with Darcy Flynn, author of Keeper of My Heart

2012-02-17T23:45:00.000-05:00

Click on the button to view all tour stops

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

What or who inspires you to write?

First, I want to thank you, Vanessa for having me on the Bornean Bookworm today!

Out of all the people, places and things, that inspire my writing, music has been the most powerful influence. When I listen to music, moving pictures start flowing through my head, and from there, a story begins to form.

Tell us about your debut, Keeper of My Heart. Where do all the inspirations for characters, setting, story, etc. come from?

My heroine, Katie McCullough, must face the death of a dream of owning the town’s lighthouse compound when, my hero, Max Sawyer, a new hotel developer in town outbids her for the property. The fun starts when she wrongly assumes he is turning the property into one of his ‘Serenity Spa Resorts’.

Here’s the blurb:

Katie McCullough doesn’t know it, but Max Sawyer, the over confident, insufferable thief who outbid her for the lighthouse property, is none other, than her mystery lighthouse sailor. The one man who captured her heart five years earlier, the one man who has since been the plum line for every other unsuspecting male who has crossed her path. Unfortunately for Max, he doesn’t measure up either.

Still reeling from losing the property she’d planned to call home, sparks fly when Katie assumes Max is turning her beloved lighthouse compound into one of his ‘Serenity Spa Resorts.” Outraged, Katie sets out on a mission to dismantle the property…and his plans.

Except Max’s plans have absolutely nothing to do with hotels and everything to do with winning Katie’s heart.

I came up with the story simply through my own love of lighthouses and from my girlhood dreams of someday owning a lighthouse compound and living in the keeper’s house. I visited three coastal towns when researching the setting. As soon as I saw St. Michaels, Maryland, I knew that's where Max and Katie's story would take place.

How about your next project? Would you mind giving us a sneak peek of how the book would be like?

I'd love, too. I’m working on a story about a young woman who is struggling to keep her Bed and Breakfast afloat in the face of fierce competition from her neighbor who is the owner of a successful hunting lodge and the man she believes responsible for her father’s demise. It takes place in west Texas and it’s my first cowboy romance. I’m having so much fun writing it!

If you get to choose one of the greatest classic authors to be your mentor, who would it be and why?

Jane Austen is of course a favorite for her independent and intelligent heroines. But my favorite romance author and the one who has influenced me the most, is Georgette Heyer. I don't believe she's considered a "classic' yet but her books are so much fun and such joy to read. She, herself, considered her books pure entertainment. That's what I hope to give to my readers.

Your guilty pleasure.

Definitely chocolate! Milk, dark, with or without nuts…doesn't matter!

Your latest obsession (that has got nothing to do with books or writing).

Musical theatre! I go as often as I can.

Complete this sentence: 'I swear by…'

...nothing.

THE BOOK

Katie McCullough doesn’t know it, but Max Sawyer, the over confident, irritatingly handsome hotel developer who outbid her for the lighthouse property, is none other, than her mystery lighthouse sailor. The one man who captured her heart five years earlier, the one man who has since been the plum line for every other unsuspecting male who has crossed her path. Unfortunately for Max, he doesn’t measure up either.

Except Max’s plans have absolutely nothing to do with hotels and everything to do with winning Katie’s heart.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darcy was born into the rich culture of New Orleans, La. As a city filled with colorful historical intrigue and broad creative energy, her natural bent to the arts coupled with her love for one of the most romantic cities in the world has been the inspiration and anchor of her artistic multi-dimension endeavors. Darcy was always compelled by the need to express herself and like her mother’s famous gumbo, her previous expressions included a little bit of everything - art, music, acting and dance.

Although, published in music, art and the Christian non-fiction market under another identity, it was the empty nest that turned Darcy to writing romantic fiction. A lover of lighthouses, Darcy’s first novel, Keeper Of My Heart, unfolds in a small Maryland fishing village on the Chesapeake Bay.

Darcy, a former Mrs. Tennessee, continues to be surrounded by all things creative in Music City and when not in writing in her London flat, lives on a beautiful horse farm in historic- Franklin, Tennessee with her husband, son, two English Setters and a calico cat. Darcy enjoys stargazing, raising rare breed chickens and gardening.

Visit Darcy at www.darcyflynnromances.com

GIVEAWAY

Author Darcy Flynn is generous enough to offer 5 ebook copies in a giveaway. To enter, simply fill out the form below. Contest opens from Feb 18 till Feb 25.

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John Carter Trailer and Taylor Kitsch

2012-02-17T01:25:00.000-05:00

I saw the trailer yesterday and was so excited to see Taylor Kitsch in it. He's so hot and although the movie seems a bit too sci-fi for me (I even doubt I will like it), who cares about other things when there's a hottie in it! That's probably the number one reason why I watch some of the unimpressive movies ever made. As long as there's a handsome actor in it, I don't care about the plot, the story line, setting, other characters and prolonged boring drama. Take Tron: Legacy for example. I don't watch it for the story (whatever Tron is all about), I watched it because there's Garret Hedlund in it. So, am I excited about John Carter? No and I have never found Star Trek or Star Wars that awesome but still, I'm excited about TK in a leading role. Besides, he's to dress in a warrior-like outfit that emphasize his abs. I'm not going to miss that 'beautiful scene' and handsome face.

Friday Finds (Feb 17, 2012)

2012-02-17T01:01:00.000-05:00

This is my very first FF but I'm so excited to feature some of the books that I find interesting with you guys!

Here's my FF (click on the cover image to see where you can purchase the book):

On the eve of graduating from her posh New England academy, seventeen-year-old Halsey Rookmaaker receives a disturbing package in the mail, from Rome, Italy. She drops everything—her school, her friends, her future—and sets off, to find the only one who can help her get to the bottom of her past, and to the secrets of what happened to her parents.

Kinsey and Maximilian Rookmaaker were two powerful magical beings . . . until somebody killed them. Now Halsey wants to know why.

With her is Ballard, an attractive teenage boy with problems of his own. Together, they must decipher an ancient magic text, and prevent an evil necromancer from taking over the world.

Life is never easy when you’re an unfledged teenage witch. In Volume One of The Diaries, Halsey Rookmaaker must come face to face with her past, and with a dark stranger, who may be out for her blood.

When Renee discovers that her neighbor, Dr. Dawson, has bags of his dead daughter’s frozen blood stored in his basement, she decides it’s up to her to uncover the doctor’s mysterious past. What she learns, however, is not what she expects. Now she and her friend Sam Miller are on the run, hiding from scientists who want to use what the two teenagers know to change human life forever.

Orphaned at the age of five, Angelia (Lia) Lafosse was left with questions about whom and what she truly was. One thing was clear. Lia was different…some might even say cursed.

With the help of her best friend, Ryan Woodruff, she begins to unlock the secrets of her families past and discover answers that prove more startling than she ever imagined. Not only was she a werewolf, but a reincarnation of the immortal werewolf, a werewolf with immense powers beyond any of her kind. A werewolf that if discovered by the Lobison’s to have returned, can jeopardize both Lia and those she love.

Torn between Lyle Ulric, the charming werewolf whose bloodline is as ancient and powerful as her own. And Adam Ambrose, the mysterious and alluring vampire who’s determined not to allow fate or anyone tear their love apart again.

Lia has to make a choice… Destiny or Love…Run or Fight…Live or Die

Abandoned by her mother at birth, social worker Katie Delynski believes love and relationships are learned—and she hasn’t learned anything good about either. She avoids both love and relationships by focusing on her career and by getting prostitutes off the street. But when a man she’s never met commits suicide and names her as his daughter, leaving her millions of dollars and a family full of new relatives, things change. Her new family invites her into their lives, stirring a sense of belonging she is afraid to believe in.

Determined to put her windfall to good use, Katie buys an old building for a women’s shelter. Her newfound family puts her in touch with Conner Patterson, a family friend, to help rehab the building. As work progresses, Katie finds herself falling in love with Conner, but fear keeps her from acting on her feelings. It soon becomes apparent, though, that Conner may be her only hope for survival, when someone hurt by her father’s past indiscretions is determined to make Katie pay for her father’s sins.

Casey Barnes gets a second chance with the mysterious ex-boyfriend whose name she has not even been able to say. In hopes of saving studentkind from the hell that is high school, Casey has been slipping song playlists to fellow students while working in the library. When she gets another chance with her ex, she schemes to win him back by giving him one of the lists. Her plan works, but not quite in the way she hopes, and she realizes that truly winning him back will be a lot harder than choosing some killer songs. Namely, she will need to get the attention of the whole school in a way no one has ever done before.

Casey Barnes Eponymous is given to me by the author for review but I thought it would be awesome if I could share it with you. The author and I are also working on an interview session and a giveaway.

What books have you found this Friday?

Booking Through Thursday: Fan Fiction

2012-02-16T02:07:00.000-05:00

Have you every written any fan-fiction? If yes, why and for which book(s)? If no, would you like to and for which books(s)?

For that matter, do you ever READ fan-fiction??

I'm not a novelist so no, I've never written any fan-fiction. Even if I were a novelist, I would never want to write a fan-fiction. I think it is too unoriginal and disrespectful toward the original creators especially if the stories came out rather silly and lousy. I've never read any fan-fiction either and am not planning to. However, if you know any fabulous fan-fiction out there that deserve some attentions, feel free to share it me. I'm open to any suggestion.

Teaser Tuesday (Feb 14, 2012)

2012-02-14T09:20:00.002-05:00

My TT this week comes from two books (because I'm currently reading two books at a time). Both books are retelling of classic stories. My Boyfriend Merlin (Priya Ardis) is a retelling of the Sword and the Stone, while The Wealding Word (Adam Gogolski) is a retelling of Rapunzel (not quite of a retell actually but pretty much of a continuation of Rapunzel). Click on the image to learn more about the books.

Teaser:

"Before I even realized it, my hand was slipping into his. He didn’t have gloves on. Big warm hands wrapped around mine. The warmth seemed to spread through his hands all the way into my bones. I climbed on the bike behind him and sank against his back."

Teaser:

"There amid the leaves at her feet lay an acorn made of gold. Nell gasped when she saw it and then slowly bent to pick it up, as though it might change back into an ordinary acorn at any moment..."

*Feel free to share your teaser with me!

Guest Post, Review and Giveaway: Pride's Run by Cat Kalen

2012-02-14T01:37:00.000-05:00

Click on the button above to see all tour stops

Click here to my review of Pride's Run

Author's Guest Post

Best Friends by Cat Kalen

Do you still have your best friend from childhood? High school?

Do you believe people come and go from your life at certain times on purpose?

I was once told that the friends you have for life are the ones you make in college and for me that seems to be true. I met a girl my first year of college and we went through the four year program together. After that we both moved away from our small Nova Scotia town for work. A few years later we both ended back in Nova Scotia, and while we were an hour from each other (I lived in farm country and she lived near the shore) we always made time to see each other. Our husbands got along well and we both had small kids who loved to play together, and in fact our youngest two are only ten days apart. Here’s the funny thing, my daughter came early and was born on my friend’s due date, and her son came late and was born on my daughter’s due date.

Then my friend had to move away and we lost touch for about 10 years! Two years ago I moved back to the town I grew up in and shortly after I was in my new house I began to think about my friend. I decided to find her on face book and here is the funny thing, she was looking for me too! She was looking me up that exact day, because she JUST moved back to our childhood town too. How strange is that?

So now we’re hanging out again, and it feels like no time has passed at all. Don’t you just love when you catch up with old friends and there are no awkward moments, and you just fall into easy conversation like no time had ever passed?

In my book Pride’s Run, Pride is a seventeen year old werewolf shifter who is kept leashed by a cruel master. All Pride wants is to break free and live a normal life. She wants to go to school and hang out with friends, but before she can do any of those things she must break free from the compound that imprisons her. But if she gets caught, disobedience comes with a price. Can Pride escape her cruel master and find the life she longs for, or will he keep her trapped forever?

So tell me, do you still have your best friend from high school? College?

About the Author

Cat Kalen is a multi published author in the romance genre under two pen names, Cat is a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend. She loves dogs, sunny weather, anything chocolate (she never says no to a brownie) pizza and watermelon. She has two teenagers who keep her busy with their never ending activities, and a husband who is convinced he can turn her into a mixed martial arts fan. Cat can never find balance in her life, is always trying to find time to go to the gym, can never keep up with emails, Facebook or Twitter and tries to write page-turning books that her readers will love.

A maritime native and former financial officer, Cat has lived all over Canada but has finally settled down in her childhood hometown with her family.

Links

www.catkalen.com

www.yabeyond.com

Twitter: @catkalen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100002600082432

Giveaway!

Cat is kind enough to offer an ebook copy of Pride's Run to one lucky winner. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And wait! We are also doing a tour wide giveaway of 2 print copies of Pride's Run. Two winners will be selected randomly. To enter, fill in the form below. Both contest opens from Feb 14 till Feb 21.

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Review: Pride's Run by Cat Kalen

2012-02-14T01:22:00.000-05:00

Title: Pride's Run

Author: Cat Kalen

Category: Teen

Genre: Paranormal

Summary

Seventeen year old Pride is a tracker—a werewolf with a hunger for blood. Taught to trick and to lure, she is the perfect killing machine.

Kept leashed in the cellar by a master who is as ruthless as he is powerful, Pride dreams of freedom, of living a normal life, but escape from the compound is near impossible and disobedience comes with a price.

When she learns her master intends to breed her she knows she has to run.

But Pride soon learns that if she is to survive in the wild, she must trust in the boy who promises her freedom, the same boy she was sent to hunt.

With life and death hanging in the balance the two find themselves on the run from the Paranormal Task Force—officers who shoot first and ask questions later—as well as her master’s handlers.

Can Pride flee the man who has held her captive since birth and find sanctuary in the arms of a boy who has captured her heart? Or will her master find her first?

Cover

I loved the cover. Pride looks definitely stunning with those piercing steel gray eyes staring back at the readers. The cover has mysterious aura about it that captured every reader's imagination.

My Favorite Quote from the story

“It’s a small diamond,” Jack says almost apologetically.
“Don’t be silly. It’s not small.” Andrea wiggles her slim fingers. “It’s perfect for myhand.”
Jack shrugs it off and says, “But when I become rich and famous she’s going to need a wheelbarrow to carry her engagement ring around.”
- very well said and funny too!

My Thoughts

Stories of werewolves aren’t exactly my cup of tea, especially if it is written with typical cliché and often over-the-top characters, but what really made me so enticed by Pride’s Run at the first place was its freshness aside from the vibe I got just by reading its blurb. I could tell that the story is going to be anything but. The blurb itself gave me some sort of the initial idea of something quite sleazy is going to happen somewhere in the story – a female werewolf locked up by her master, somehow it teased my wildest imagination even though it was never intended to sound that way.

Pride is a werewolf, trained to become a tracker by her master. She longs for freedom after being told by her mother about a pack that roams free in Canada. But she also learns that escaping from her ruthless master comes with a price that will threaten the lives of her loved ones. However, when her master plans to breed her with an alpha werewolf in an effort to tame her, she is forced to plan an escape; a plan that comes with unexpected twists and surprises.

Pride to me is an interesting female character, an utter contrast with other female characters I’ve known. And it wasn’t because she is a werewolf, but rather because the author had built her personality in a much different way. She wasn’t physically attractive and was truly aware of her flaws most of the time in the story, yet she was strong, stubborn and resilient. Challenged by the fact that she is a runt, Pride at the beginning of the story seemed to doubt her ability and small size. And thankfully there’s Logan who saves her from the PTF and then taught her to fight, hunt and believe in herself. Despite being an alpha himself, Logan never uses his authority on Pride. Logan is indeed a handsome character and I have to admit that there’s this mischievous swagger about him that sent tingles down my spine whenever there’s a scene he’s stripping naked. I couldn’t ask for more sexiness but wouldn’t mind extra details either. As an unlikely couple, I liked how Pride and Logan complemented each other because I thought that’s how love should be. I liked Stone too, an alpha who is supposed to mate with Pride, even though at the beginning I thought he’s somewhat rambunctious and arrogant. At the end of the story, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

Cat Kalen wrote Pride’s Run with as minimal flaw as possible and there’s almost nothing I don’t like about the story. However, I’d only wish for more thrill and intensity because in this first installment, the story mostly centered on the relationship between Pride and Logan as Pride explores more about herself and her love for Logan, the one feeling which is very foreign to her. Nonetheless, I adored the mystic element, captivating romance as well as non-cliché intrigue Cat injected into Pride’s Run. On the other hand, I sensed a message of modern slavery fused to the story (Pride and other werewolves are locked up and chained even in human form) and it was very disturbing to know that such cruel act still exist in our society nowadays. Somehow, that hidden message takes werewolf story to a whole new level, with much deeper meaning instead of merely being a fascinating story. So, hats off to the author! The story ended in a cliffhanger, but I look forward to another wild ride of Pride’s quest.

My Thoughts in Brief

Pride’s Run is definitely a one of a kind; a werewolf story in the league of its own with extraordinary characters and engrossing plot. I don’t see the reason why a reader will dislike the story. An absolute must-read and reread!

Bornean Bookworm rates:

5 stars out of 5!

Purchase your copy at:

Amazon

Visit Cat Kalen here:

Official website

*Review ecopy was provided by the author via Bewitching Book Tour. I am not compensated for providing my honest review of this book although payments are made to the Bewitching Book Tour by the author for hosting the book tour.

Musing Mondays (February 13, 2012)

2012-02-13T01:19:00.000-05:00

What is your favorite romantic book - or book that include a love story? (an adult romance, young adult, kids' story, etc.)

My favorites are many. But if I have to choose some, it would be What Scotland Taught Me (Molly Ringle), For The Roses (Julie Garwood) and Breath of Life (Christine Pope).

Molly Ringle's What Scotland Taught Me is a young adult contemporary romance about a group of friends who goes to Scotland right after high school to seek for life experience. I loved, loved, loved this book because of all the craziness it had apart from the twisted romance between the characters. The characters are very realistic and one could easily fall in love with one or probably all of them. Read this book and you'll understand what I meant. Here's my review (link).

Breath of Life is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but with a much sci-fi setting. In fact, it was set in a futuristic world where human no longer inhabit the Earth and also become acquainted with other planets' inhabitant. At first, I wasn't sure if a retold could win me over, but Breath of Life just did. The hero is an alien while the heroine is human. So, you could imagine how their romance is like. Here's my review (link).

For the Roses was the first novel I bought when I was in college after a long hiatus from reading. What I love about the book was not only the romance between Mary Rose and Harrison, but also because of the brotherly love her 'brothers' have for her and for each other despite their differences. At the end of my reading, I thought I wanted brothers like Mary Rose's.

*Feel free to share your favorite romantic books with me at the comment section below!

And the winner is....

2012-02-12T01:14:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Julie for winning the recent Entanglements and Fated Hearts giveaway on my blog! She has won herself one copy of each book by author P.R. Mason, which makes her total prizes of two books.

Julie's prizes!

For those who had entered but didn't win, don't despair because we have other upcoming giveaways (Pride's Run and Keeper of My Heart giveaways) this month on this blog. Just be sure to check back at my blog on Feb 14 and Feb 18 respectively to enter the giveaway.

Blog Tour: Guest Post by Alyssa Linn Palmer, author of Prohibited Passion

2012-02-10T02:12:00.000-05:00

As a writer, I read. Incessantly.

This isn’t news to any other writers, but to some readers, it might be. I’ve never stuck to any one genre or subject, or even just to fiction. As I have the chance, I’d like to share some of my favourite reads.

There isn’t as much poetry in my collection as there are works of fiction, but I have a fondness for the Romantic poets. Lord Byron wrote sweeping epics (Childe Harold, Don Juan), but he also wrote witty little pieces, such as his “Epitaph on John Adams of Southwell, A carrier, Who Died of Drunkenness”. As it is so short, I’ll share it here. I love Byron for his use of language, and in this particular piece, his amusing turn of phrase.

JOHN ADAMS lies here, of the parish of Southwell,

A Carrier who carried his can to his mouth well;

He carried so much and he carried so fast,

He could carry no more--so was carried at last;

For the liquor he drank being too much for one,

He could not carry off;--so he's now carri-on.

September, 1807.

My fiction tastes range all over the map, from existentialist tales by Simone de Beauvoir, to erotica by Anne Rice. Beauvoir’s philosophical underpinnings have helped me learn how to bring depth to my writing, and to consider deeper motivations. Rice’s work (and not just her erotica) demonstrated incredible descriptive passages, how an image can stay burned in your memory for all time. When I think of Anne Rice, I remember a bit from her novel “The Witching Hour”, where Rowan thinks about how little things about a man can be violently erotic:

It was excruciating for her to look at the dark fleece on the back of Michael’s wrist, to see his gold watch-band cutting into it, to imagine his arm later, with the white cuff rolled up, which for some reason made it even more sexy than when the arm was naked, and the flash of his fingers as he lighted his cigarettes.

One sentence, and the image is so strong, I’ve never been able to forget it from the first reading... 19 years ago.

And finally, I read non-fiction. Lots and lots of it. When I’m researching a story, there’s nothing I like better than to curl up with a primary source (a book, not a person, though that’s cool too) and read about how someone has lived. Memoirs can help turn a good story into a great one, when you have the feel of an era as told by someone who lived during that time. For my novella, Prohibited Passion, one of my favourite reads was a book that contained a lengthy (over 100 pages) interview with a man named Jack Woodford. Jack knew Al Capone. He played piano for him, listened to his stories, and knew him during his 1920s heyday in Chicago. The stories provided me with inspiration, but the most memorable story didn’t inspire so much as shocked me at Jack’s blase attitude. He joked about how Capone tended to kill his psychologists, and it struck me that if you worked for a man like Capone, your ideas of right and wrong could become distorted. However, that unaffected view of murder gave me an insight into how a person might accept something so wrong.

The blurb:

Ruth wants to escape the boredom of Bandit Creek and the strict expectations of her father, the local pastor. Her life changes the day she meets CeeCee, a world-wise flapper, and an irresistible attraction develops between them. She’ll be disowned and shunned if anyone discovers their prohibited passion, but can they keep their growing affection a secret?

CeeCee is drawn to Ruth, but things become complicated when her gangster companion disapproves of their liaison. He’s in town to broker a deal with the owner of the local speakeasy, and he’s not above using them to further his own plans. Can CeeCee protect Ruth and their budding relationship?

As Ruth gets drawn further into their world, she must decide between her familiar life and a new, dangerous path with the woman she loves.

About the Author:

Alyssa has many passions. Fortunately, none of them are prohibited. When she isn’t working, she’s writing dark tales inspired by mid-20th-century noir books and films, cooking up a storm in her kitchen, and reading. You can find her at www.alyssalinnpalmer.com, and on Twitter.

EXCERPT

Bandit Creek, Montana August 1929

Chapter One

Ruth thought her father looked ridiculous with his eyes closed and his hands raised to the heavens. His thinning hair had already gone grey and it fell untidily over his ears. A growing paunch strained the fabric of his clericals. She knew she would have to make him new ones. Just another task she couldn’t escape from.

Escape. She thought of little else. She wanted to leave Bandit Creek behind but, today, she’d satisfy herself by leaving the service. While the congregation followed her father’s lead, she rose silently from the end of the pew and crept from the church.

She had an excuse or two all ready if he asked her over dinner why she’d left the service.

I needed some air. I felt ill.

Not that he’d ask. As long as she had dinner on the table when he wanted it, kept the house in order and washed his clothes, her presence went unnoticed. If she had been a boy, he would have taken her under his wing and taught her to follow in his footsteps. His sycophants hoped she might choose one of them to marry, and thus receive his blessing and the church’s leadership after he was gone. She disappointed them all. The thought of any of those young men - or any man - left her cold. She never understood why the other girls fawned over the attention from boys. She couldn’t feel an ounce of attraction to any of them.

Ruth turned at the corner and strolled down to the small rail station, slowing her steps in the hopes of seeing strangers on the platform, hoping for a glimpse of the world outside. The platform was barren and the ticket office shuttered. She continued on to Main Street, where most businesses were closed for the Lord’s Day. She scuffed her toes in the dust as she crossed over in front of the hotel, the single building showing any signs of life.

If only she could go inside, just for a while. If she had money, she could order lemonade and sit at one of the tables in the tiny restaurant, pretending to be a lady on an exciting trip, waiting for her maid to finish packing. She never pictured herself with a husband or a chaperone; she wanted to experience the world on her own.

The lace curtains fluttered in the open window and Ruth lingered outside, carefully peering into the restaurant without seeming to peep. A woman sat alone at a table, a glass and a dirty plate in front of her. A napkin lay crumpled by her elbow and she rotated her tea cup in its saucer. She seemed lost in thought.

Ruth stared. The woman had her dark hair cut into a stylish bob, with Marcelled finger waves. She wore a dress that left her arms bare to the shoulder and gave little shape to her form. Ruth fingered the end of her long, ginger braid and looked down at her homely and serviceable dress. The women of town would shun her if she dared wear a flapper’s dress or cut her hair, but she couldn’t help her attraction for the delicate and gorgeous woman. Ruth’s mouth had gone dry. A tremor went through her. From where she stood, the woman’s skin looked pale and soft and Ruth wanted to touch her hand or run a finger down her bare arm.

Ruth remembered the grocer’s wife gossiping about the easy women she had seen in Missoula last fall, wearing shorter skirts, showing their arms and legs, and acting without a care in the world.

“Thank the Lord none of that sort would ever come here,” Mrs. Williams had said. But yet, here was one of those women, in this very hotel. Ruth smiled to herself. She so wanted to meet this woman.

She heard footsteps on the boardwalk, the loud thumping of a man in a rush. A tall, dark-haired man in a dark suit strode by her on the boardwalk, almost brushing her arm. He went into the hotel.

“CeeCee!” His voice carried through the open window.

She saw the woman lift her head and push back her chair. Before CeeCee could move any further, the man had come into the restaurant and taken her by the arm, lifting her to her feet. He said something else, but it was muffled.

For a moment, CeeCee’s gaze met hers, eyes wide in surprise. Ruth gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. The last thing she wanted was to be caught staring. Ruth backed away from the window and down the boardwalk, hovering by the side of the building.

The man reappeared, CeeCee in tow. A long shawl, draped over her shoulders hid her bare arms, but her dress rose to just above the knee and Ruth gaped.

“I told you to be ready earlier,” the man growled at CeeCee. “You’re going to make me late. I expected you to meet me.”

To Ruth’s relief, they headed away from her, crossing the street, walking swiftly towards the warehouses at the edge of town. Ruth burned with curiosity and she wanted to follow them, but the bells of the Catholic church pealed and she knew she had to get home.

* *

“Sher, slow down. Please?” Cecilia scurried to keep up with Sheridan, her patent leather shoes sliding on the gravel road. He slackened his pace and she smiled at him.

“They won’t leave the warehouse before we get there,” she said, hooking her arm through his. If she hadn’t complained of her boredom the evening before, she could have stayed at the hotel. After seeing the girl at the window, she wished she had stayed.

“I need this partnership, Cecilia,” Sheridan said seriously. He rarely called her by her full name, preferring her nickname which rolled off his tongue more easily as it had done since he first met her. “This town could easily be a link to the trade out of Whiskey Gap - I can’t overlook it.”

“I know.” She patted his arm. He’d told her his ideas as they rode the train across several states, each stop taking them further from home. “But this town doesn’t seem like the type to support the trade. Everyone I’ve seen so far looks like they should be part of the temperance movement.”

“According to Erickson, my contact in Missoula, there’s enough interest here. And when the rail line opens across the border to Canada, we’ll be rolling in dough.”

They certainly weren’t rolling in dough now. Sheridan had money from his boss in Chicago, but traveling across the country added up quickly. Sheridan had sold the remainder of her Chanel perfume - her favourite - when they’d arrived in Bandit Creek. She’d tucked the cash away and if she could, she would buy it back from the shopkeeper before she left. It had been a gift, but not from him.

She tried not to think of Nell, but seeing that woman peering in the window, her red hair so much like Nell’s, was a painful reminder. Nell presented her with the bottle one night as they lay in bed, a mischievous smile on her face. CeeCee had been startled and then surprised. Then Nell had kissed her again and the bottle was forgotten. She’d never kiss Nell again. She could only visit her grave.

Sheridan came to a stop and Cecilia almost stumbled. The warehouse door opened and a middle-aged man with sandy hair and spectacles gave them a genial smile. He looked more like a teetotaler than a rum-runner to her.

“Mr. Henderson?” Sheridan inquired.

The man nodded and waved them inside. Cecilia let go of Sheridan’s arm. He’d expect her to spend time with the other men and charm them into agreement. It had worked in other towns. Men always wanted to be confident and decisive if it meant impressing a woman.

Henderson led them through to the small speakeasy he’d set up in a section of his warehouse. It was crude by Chicago standards, but Cecilia supposed it would do for a small town. Two other men were present: a broad shouldered younger man, whom Henderson introduced as Mr. Dyer, his assistant, and a raggedy old wino that sat crumpled at a far table.

“Don’t mind Jack,” Henderson said, waving away Sheridan’s concerns. “He’s harmless. I doubt he even remembers what he was up to yesterday.”

Cecilia noticed Mr. Dyer smile at that, but his gaze took her in before looking coolly at Sheridan. She hoped he wouldn’t make a play for her. Sheridan protected her against all others, and she loved him for it, but she didn’t want this complication. The sole complication she wanted was back in town, with a long red braid and grey eyes, her plain dress belying the girl’s beauty.

“Get Miss Mills a drink,” Henderson told Dyer. “Now, Mr. Sheridan, let’s talk.”

Indie Spotlight: The Wealding World by Adam Gogolski

2012-02-08T01:42:00.001-05:00

On this week's Indie Spotlight, I'm featuring The Wealding World by Adam Gogolski. It's a children's book based on the classic tale of Rapunzel, so I think it would be quite of a fascinating read with quirks and twists.

Blurb

A hundred years after Rapunzel escapes the witch's tower, one girl unearths the wicked truth behind the fairy tale... Plagued by demonic forces, child-stealing witches, and evil kings -- not to mention a bully of a big sister -- 13 year old Nell Shoemaker's only hope for survival is to master the secrets of the Wealding Word.

Where to purchase: Smashwords - Amazon

Visit the author here: Website

Musing Mondays (Feb 6, 2012)

2012-02-06T01:55:00.002-05:00

Did you do any reading in lieu of watching the football game, yesterday, or were you foregoing reading to watch the game? If you read a book (or books) what did you choose?

Well, I live outside of the US and American football isn't as popular here as soccer. But, during the weekends' night, if there's a live European soccer match on TV, I would literally 'abandon' the book I'm reading for a while just to catch a glimpse of those hot players. I'm not a soccer fan, my dad is but I wouldn't mind joining him watching the game. I just love watching the players and their soccer skills. I guess the only thing that can probably distract me away from books are hot guys.

And last night, instead of watching Manchester Utd, I watched 'I Am Number Four' on HBO Asia. Rio Ferdinand is hot, but Alex Pettyfer is simply irresistible. *wink* I don't read any book last night.

Promo stop: Abstrus by T.K. Rayford

2012-02-03T00:05:00.001-05:00

Click here to see all tour stops at Bewitching Book Tours

Blurb

When 17 year old Lexi Lee's mother disappeared six months ago, her world was turned upside down. Just when she is coming to terms with her new, motherless life, she meets Farah, Ferdinand, and Liza, a strange group of teenagers. She quickly finds out that they are not at all what they seem.

Lexi finds that although she is human, that is only one part of what she is and people are after her for it. She has to figure out who she can trust... and fast. She learns that her mother has known the truth all along, but disappeared before she could explain things to her. She believes that she has no hope of survival if she doesn't find her mother, and trusting the wrong person to help her could prove fatal.

Book Trailer

Purchase your copy at

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Smashwords

Excerpt

I could barely make out their shapes in the dark and without the weak glint of a light hanging on the side of one of the buildings; I probably would have walked right by them without ever noticing that they had stopped. I could make out two of them kneeling in front of something, their heads hung low in concentration, while the other, which I could tell was Ferdinand because of his big frame, stood behind them as if he was protecting them. But what would he be protecting them from—me? I felt a shiver slither its way from the nape of my neck and rest in the bottom of my spine. I was convinced that the hairs on the back of my neck would have been standing on end were they not slicked to my skin by the rain. Nervously, I shifted my weight from one foot to the other while I tried to gather my wits. I stood and watched Farah and Liza kneeling and Ferdinand standing over them like a mother hawk protecting her young for what seemed like forever. There was no real reason for me to be frightened except for maybe the lack of light in the alley way between the buildings, but I couldn’t shake the quiet terror that was building in my throat and threatened to explode in a scream. It would have been an irrational scream. Wouldn’t it?

I fought back the panic and the urge to turn and get out of the alley as fast as I could. I squeezed the fabric of my jacket between my fists and worked up the courage to find my voice. It wasn’t enough courage to take a step forward though.

“Guys,” I almost whispered.

Liza lifted her head, which was the only indication they gave that they had even heard me speak. It seemed as if they had completely forgotten that I was following them from the theater. They were frozen in place like statues and I felt the unease creeping back. I began to pick my foot up to step back—but then Ferdinand was there. I had not seen him move but there he was, standing directly in front of me. And in the same way, his hand materialized on my shoulder, preventing me from moving backward at all.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Farah and Liza to even look at Ferdinand. He probably would think that I hadn’t noticed his ability to materialize at my side without taking a step. Liza glanced over at Farah, who gave a short nod of her head that I would have missed had I not been completely engrossed by the pair. She rose to her feet, as if Farah had just given her permission to do so, and much in the same way that Ferdinand did, appeared at my side. She didn’t do it as effortlessly as he had and that was only apparent in the fact that a tendril of her strawberry blonde hair fluttered in the breeze that her movement had created. Unlike Ferdinand she didn’t touch me, didn’t attempt to make eye contact or even assist him in restraining me… not that he wasn’t doing a good job of it himself. His grasp on my shoulder wasn’t hard or tight. He didn’t seem to be holding me in place with any sort of super-human strength at all. It was more as if his hand was a huge magnet and not just to my shoulder. But the very fiber of my being had all of a sudden become the magnet with the opposite pole. He held me in place not by forcing me to stand there but by making my will bend to his. I stood there because I all of a sudden wanted to. Taking that step backward had become the furthest thing from my mind.

But there was something else there too. It seemed that somewhere in me there was a strange curiosity quickly arising and that hadn’t come from Ferdinand. That was mine alone. I wanted to know what was happening around me more than I wanted to be able to break free of Ferdinand’s hold and flee the way I had come. Even more so, I wanted to know what would happen next, and I couldn’t even logically explain why.

Liza stood in front of me, eyes closed. Strange sounds began to emanate from her. It sounded like humming from a bird, but as if the bird was speaking in a foreign language. Her mouth never moved at all. It became clear that I was hearing a conversation in a strange language when the same humming, but a deeper baritone version, began to bubble up from Ferdinand. It lasted only a few seconds before silence once again fell in the little alley way. We stood in this way, Ferdinand with his hand on my shoulder and Liza eyes closed in front of me, for what seemed to be hours rather than minutes. Ferdinand’s hold on me didn’t lessen with the passing time. I was stuck in that spot as if my feet had been cemented to the wet pavement. The rain had all but stopped by now but I was beginning to experience a feeling that chilled me and not just because my jacket and jeans had finally soaked completely through. Ferdinand’s control over my want to flee and my budding curiosity had no effect on the fear that was simmering in my throat and chest and threatening to strangle me. I could feel my body struggle between my instinct to flee and the complete mesmerizing effect that he and the situation had over me.

About the Author

TK Rayford was born in Chicago, IL with her four siblings. She later moved to Memphis, TN. She fell in love with writing in the second grade and has been writing ever since. Her teachers would always say that she would become a great writer, but she would insist that she would be a neurosurgeon. She proved herself wrong and her teachers right when she decided to pursue her passion, which has always been writing.

Blog: http://www.tkrayford.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tkrayford

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tkrayford

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5222212.TK_Rayford

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/TK-Rayford/e/B005M5QZNY/

Review, Guest Post and Giveaway: Entanglements by P.R. Mason

2012-02-03T00:05:00.000-05:00

Teen KIZZY TAYLOR is just hoping for an evening of fun when she joins her friends in a spelunking expedition through an under-city tunnel. But fun turns bizarre when Kizzy accidentally opens a vortex and her stepsister is swept through to an evil alternate dimension. The only way to rescue her stepsister is to reopen the vortex and go in after her. But is her new boyfriend, ROM CALIXO, going to help Kizzy or try to stop her? And if she can get past Rom, will she be able to get back home?

Click here to read my review
(and there's a giveaway too! Just scroll down until you find the Rafflecopter form)

EXCERPT (FROM CHAPTER 1)

June 21st

No one had ever lived after jumping from the Talmadge Bridge. Until now, in my entire fifteen years, I had never been particularly special or unique. So the chances I, Kizzy Taylor, would be the first to survive were probably slimmer than the cheerleading captain at my high school. The nighttime Savannah skyline, with its gold domed city hall, loomed in the distance, serene and beautiful. Leaning over the railing, I peered down to the water far, far below me. The whipping wind slammed my ponytail against my forehead.

In the darkness, the black sheen of the water’s surface had the appearance of asphalt after a rain. It would probably feel like asphalt on impact. At the thought, my knees buckled. Even if I wasn’t particularly afraid of falling, I was suddenly very afraid of heights…Weird.

Straightening my shaking legs with defiance, I dragged my gaze away from the river and deliberately stared at my feet. They weren’t as scary as the height. From the purple polish on my toes to the blister on my right heel, they were the same feet I’d slipped into clear plastic flip-flops this morning. The garishly happy sunflower appliqué of my shoes mocked me.

“Kizzy.” Adam’s tiny four-year-old fingers tugged at the denim of my pants. He held his favorite plastic pterodactyl toy in his other hand.

Glancing back at him, I pried his fingers away. “Get back,” I ordered, giving a little push behind me. Okay. Maybe my life was over but I was going to save my little brother.

“I want to go home and see Mommy.” Adam's blue eyes were wide and glistening with fear.

“I know, baby. We will. But get back now.” I tried to keep my tone firm but loving.

A car’s horn blared. Rising as it approached, the tone of the honking then fell as the car left us behind. The lights of the enormous suspension bridge must be illuminating us as if we were on a theater stage. Why didn’t any of these passing cars stop to help?

Adam’s sobs tore at me as I balanced my belly against the icy metal of the railing and climbed over. With barely enough room for my feet, their tips hung over the concrete edge.

“Shhh.” I glanced back over my right shoulder at Adam to try to meet his eyes but they were scrunched tightly shut. “We’re just playing a game. We’ll go home soon. I promise.”

“This isn’t a game.” The baritone voice, so agonizingly familiar, drowned out my brother’s cries. “You have to do it,” the man shouted prodding me in the back with his revolver.

The muzzle jabbed into my skin through the thin fabric of my t-shirt and pushed me forward. I would totally have a bruise tomorrow...if I survived until tomorrow.

“Jump,” the man screamed.

Gripping the rail behind me, I clung. A jagged piece of metal on the rail bit into my flesh and I winced as liquid pooled in my palm. I couldn’t help jerking that hand away to hold it in front of me. Blood dripped off my palm before disappearing into the darkness and becoming part of the Savannah River water.

“Kizzzzzy!” My brother screeched.

“Shut up.” The man started with a jerk. “Do you want to make me shoot?”

The pitch of Adam’s wailing heightened.

Clutching at my necklace as if it were a religious medal, I turned to try to talk to him.

“Can’t you just leave Adam alone? I’ll do what you want.” My pleading had the same effect on the man as it did on the steel of the suspension cable a few feet away.

“This is because of you,” he said. He. My dad. He didn’t even look like the hero I’d always known. My once handsome father was now ugly with his face set in angry angles and with unrecognizable wild eyes. "This is all because of you."

Tell me something new. I’d always suspected I was to blame for my parents’ divorce. But could the breakdown of a marriage actually send my father into this kind of craziness?

“What about Adam,” I said. “Will you take him home…after this?”

“That’s not important.” He—I refused to think of him as Dad again—waved the gun around as if he weren’t even aware of it anymore.

His monotone statement sent an uncontrolled shiver rushing through me. Suddenly, my heart raced so fast and hard it wouldn’t have surprised me if it burst through to the outside of my chest like that creature in the movie Alien. I was terrified for myself and for Adam.

If I tried to get past him, my father could easily block me and throw me over. Mind racing, I remembered the door in the concrete tower—one of the two supporting the deck of the bridge—we’d passed walking up here from our car. I hoped that door led to a stairway down or possibly an elevator. The tower and its door to freedom tantalized me at only about fifty feet away. I could walk the edge of the bridge like a balance beam and make it there pretty quickly.

But what about the gun? It occurred to me that, for some reason, shooting me wasn’t what he wanted or he would have done it by now.

Carefully turning my feet and preparing to get away as fast as I could, I gripped the rail with my right hand and held out the other toward my brother.

“Come to me,” I said.

With complete trust Adam ran and hopped so I could lift him into a “seat” on my left elbow. His arms wrapped tightly around my neck. The smell of chocolate in his hair bolstered my resolve.

“What?” The man blinked as if coming out of some kind of trance. “What are you doing?”

Not bothering to answer, I inched my way along. A wall of wind I hadn’t counted on thwarted my progress. Worse, a sudden gust threatened to sweep us over the side.

“Stop,” the man ordered.

A popping from behind me was almost immediately accompanied by a burning in my right bicep. The arm I’d been using to anchor us to the rail went numb and I lost my hold. Apparently, he was willing to shoot me after all.

Only a few more feet to the door. We could still make it, but I needed to go back over the rail to get there.

Twisting, I prepared to set Adam down on the safe side. Another popping noise sounded from behind me and a thud reverberated in my body as if I'd been slammed in the side with a twenty-pound barbell. The numbness in my arm expanded into the rest of my body and fog seeped into my brain. I know I dropped backward and lost the precarious balance I’d had with my feet.

Falling seemed to take forever as the water slowly rose to meet me. The dome of city hall continued to gleam in the distance, with its golden reflection extending to the river water. Strange that I hadn’t seen that before.

No, I thought. The glow wasn’t on the water it was above the water. A luminous oval pulsed between the river and me. The oval transformed into a circle tinged not only with gold but also with violet.

This must be some dying hallucination the brain generates, I thought as I passed into the shimmering ring. The teacher hadn’t covered this in Biology I. Maybe death tripping was in next semester’s material. The stuff I wouldn’t be learning.

Hitting the water felt like a giant wet mouth sucking me in before swallowing me down.

AUTHOR'S GUEST POST

Of Strange Inspiration and Furry Gifts by P.R. Mason

A few years ago, while writing my first novel, I heard of a location that might serve as a setting for one of its scenes: Old Sheldon Church and Cemetery in South Carolina. So my sister and I decided to take a detour on our way from Savannah, Georgia to Charleston and see it for ourselves. Little did I know how much this place had to give.

As you can see from the photo, the ruins of Old Sheldon Church lie amongst beautiful live oaks dripping with Spanish moss and the graves stones of the old cemetery. This historic site is located near Beaufort and was originally built in the Greek Revival style in about 1753. The British burned the church building during the Revolutionary War in 1779. It was rebuilt about 1826 only to be burned again during the Civil War and Sherman's march to the sea in 1865. Colonel William Bull, who was involved in establishing Savannah as a colony, is buried at the center of the church building remnants. The site also has the reputation for being amongst the most haunted in the Southeast. There are numerous reports of the gossamer apparition of a woman dressed in old-fashioned garb as she stands over an infant's grave. The ruins remain a scenic location for visitors and are regularly used for wedding ceremonies.

While envisioning how I could use one of its above ground tombs as inspiration for a scene involving an attempted human sacrifice, I wandered the site. After appreciating its beauty and basking in its mysterious atmosphere, my sister and I gathered our things to depart. When we approached the gated enclosure to leave, a small black kitten emerged from a nearby tree knoll and blocked our path. We soon spotted a second black kitten lurking near the knoll. These kittens couldn't have been more than six weeks old but were old enough to be quick and evasive. With the help of a "cat whisperer" friend, however, we managed to capture these little furry treasures during a return late-night visit. Now my sister has the female kitten (now cat) and I have her brother. This huge Maine Coon (dubbed Confucius Cat) is one of the great loves of my life.

Not only did Old Sheldon Church and Cemetery inspire me as a writer with a great setting, but it also provided me with a fabulous furry gift of a lifetime.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

P.R. Mason writes steamy contemporary and paranormal romance under the name Patricia Mason and young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy as P.R. Mason. She escaped from the snowy Midwest winters of her youth by moving in 2001 to the strange and wonderful city of Savannah, Georgia to pursue her dream of being a novelist. Pat's background is eclectic. She was an Assistant District Attorney and for a number of years was the owner of an antique shop which was home to a number of ghosts. Her home is ruled by two black cats, one of whom was rescued from the most haunted cemetery in the southeast.

GIVEAWAY

The author is offering one ebook copy of Entanglements and Fated Hearts to one lucky winner. Contest opens internationally and runs from Feb 3 till 12. Fill in the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Terms and conditions apply.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Entanglements by P.R. Mason

2012-02-02T01:56:00.000-05:00

Title: Entanglements

Series: Stand-alone

Author: P.R. Mason

Genre: Sci-Fi, Paranormal Fantasy

Category: Teen

*Review copy provided by the author via Bewitching Book Tours

BLURB

COVER

The model featured on the cover had me wondering for a while, whether there’s a witch in this story or not. But no, that’s not a witch. In fact, that’s the main character, Kizzy and I’m guessing she will be just as interesting as she is depicted.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“Kizzy.” He wiggled. “You’re squeezing me.”

“I’m sorry.” I set him down on his feet. My fingers sifted through his silky hair. “I thought you were a tube of toothpaste.”

“You only have one shoe,” Adam noted, pointing at my foot.

“I gave it to a one-legged man,” I said.

- - Loved this dialogue between Kizzy and her little brother. I thought it was cute.

MY THOUGHTS

When I first got this book, I had never expected it to be quite of sci-fi with the entire time-travel thing and such. Admittedly, I didn’t pay much attention to the summary until I read reviews by other readers. They had written some good reviews of this book, which intrigued me even more to read the book, and also given me a sneak peek of what the story would be like. But when I stumbled upon words like ‘vortex’ and ‘alternative universe’ in some of the reviews, I began to doubt whether I will like the book or not; will I be able to write a fair review, since sci-fi (especially the one that features time-travelling and alternate dimension, let alone alien invasion and space travels) isn’t the genre I’m most comfortable with? I took my chances nonetheless as I had signed up to review this book, with the utmost honesty.

The story begins with a horrific drama in which Kizzy is forced to jump off the bridge with her little brother when her insane father threatens to kill her. Her brother doesn’t survive unfortunately and Kizzy is left with mounting guilt within her. A spelunking expedition with her friends at an abandon hospital, which she reluctantly agrees to join, becomes a turning point in her already miserable life when she accidentally opens up a vortex and her step-sister, Juliette; her friend, Franky and Billy, Juliette’s boyfriend are sucked into an evil alternate dimension ruled by a vampire monarch. I couldn’t really express how surprised I was at how engaging and gripping the story was from the very beginning. For a non-sci-fi fan like me, this story had pushed me out of my comfort zone in the most mystifying way possible and I was kept glued to it until the end. Although I occasionally found myself baffled by the whole concept of alternate universe, still I wanted to read more because the author had flawlessly written her story and even the plot was very comprehensible. It seemed to me that the author had done a great job in researching about the other dimension theory and then pulled it off. The book wasn’t an overall disappointment especially when I had high hopes that it would blow me away. Indeed, it blew me away and had me at the edge of my seat.

On top of that, the author’s style of writing was very impressive and neat as a new pin. She made Kizzy’s character stands out in a way that is both powerful and delicate at the same time. She was strong yet, she doesn’t afraid to show her most vulnerable side. For Kizzy, the author had chosen suitable words and built relevant dialogues that best portrayed her personality. I enjoyed reading her muse that I found rather humorous most of the time. Other characters that caught my attention were her best friends, Petra and Senji, and of course, Rom the hottie. He was undeniably adorable and his every word never ceased to amuse me. He’s like carved out of the Shakespearean period. I thought it was such a clever idea of writing Rom’s dialogue in a dramatic way because it added classic twist to the romance.

In addition, the story’s whimsicality was another thing I found worthy to mention. The settings, especially the Victorian era England in which the vampires rule, as well as the lineup of paranormal beings in the characters ensemble were described and put together so brilliantly. They became an excellent premise for the story that is based on traveling to another dimension. It even tells us that we will never know what we’re about to encounter if we are able to travel to an alternate world, and how any change of events in that world alters our own world. For a few moments, those eerie ideas made me to wonder as well. And last but not least, I liked how the author was able to include a piece of seemingly unfamiliar history of hemophilia in the British monarchy in her story without making everything sounded ridiculous and fictitious. Instead, she made a bizarre scandal and tragedy out of it.

MY THOUGHTS IN BRIEF

All I can conclude about Entanglements is; it is truly intriguing at its best. The thrill, suspense and mystery just kept pouring in and there were never a dull moment in the story. This book will delightfully knock you off your seat with its constant wicked encounters and then swept you off your feet with the romance.

BORNEAN BOOKWORM RATES:

5 stars out of 5!

PURCHASE YOUR COPY AT:

Amazon (Paperback) - Amazon (Kindle) - Smashwords - Barnes & Noble

It's February! Editorial Post

2012-02-01T02:29:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that the first 31 days of the year 2012 has over. We are now entering the month of February and this year happens to be a leap year too. That means we an extra day in February. Leap year reminds me of the movie 'Leap Year' starring Amy Adams and that Irish hunk, I-don't-remember-his-real-name. It is one of my favorite movies, mainly because it is set up in Ireland and I have always loved movies that are set in foreign countries other than the US. And the romantic myth regarding leap year is amusing as well. During that one particular day, a lady supposedly holds a privilege to propose to a man she loves instead of the other way around. If the man refuses her proposal, he is to present her with a silk gown and a kiss provided she wear a petticoat while proposing (I couldn't verify the legitimacy of this info, taken from UrbanLegends, but it sounds intriguing though). But February is often associated with romance, thanks to Valentine's Day coming up this Feb 14. And another interesting info, people who are born on February 29 are called 'Leapers' or Leaplings. I wonder if they could be made a fascinating subject for YA novels.

Speaking of which, there are several wonderful releases this February which we, avid readers, just can't wait to get our hands on. Below are some of the selected releases (picked randomly) I'm featuring on this post with their release dates:

*Dead to You by Lisa McMann (Feb 7, 2012)

*Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley (Feb 14, 2012)

*The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney (Feb 8, 2012)

*Shooting Stars by Alison Rushby (Feb 28, 2012)

*Pure by Julianna Baggot (Feb 8, 2012)

*The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee (Feb 28, 2012)

*Above World by Jenn Reese (Feb 14, 2012)

*Once: Before Midnight by Cameron Dokey (Feb 8, 2012)

There are also lots of activities going on in this blog this month. Among them are Abstrus, My Boyfriend Merlin and Prohibited Passion blog tours. Altogether, I'll be hosting six book tours that include guest post, interviews, reviews and promo stops. Looking at all the tour dates schedule note on my laptop screen, I know I will be very busy this month. Busy but more than happy to help promote the authors and their books. And oh, anticipate giveaways of Entanglements (coming up this Friday) and Pride's Run (this Valentine's Day) where you will have the chance at winning ebooks of those two books. We at The Bewitching Book Tours will also be doing a tour wide giveaway of not one, but two signed print copies of Pride's Run for lucky readers in the US and Canada. So, don't miss the chance and be sure to check back at my blog on Valentine's Day for the giveaway. Don't forget to check out other blog tours on other blogs as well by clicking on the buttons at the sidebar. Who knows what you will stumble into?

In the meantime, Happy Reading and to all 'Leaplings' who will be celebrating their birthdays on Feb 29, Happy Birthday in advance and above all, Happy Valentine's Day too! Let us spread love through our unquenchable thirst for great books!

*Feel free to share your insights with me about Valentine's Day, Leaplings and the myth mentioned above by leaving a comment below. I'd be so excited to know.

Guest Post by Josh Martin, Creator of Plot Hinge

2012-01-31T22:09:00.000-05:00

Today, I'm so delighted to feature a guest post by Josh Martin, creator of Plot Hinge, which is a rather unusual writing project shaped by the real world. From my understanding, the key word of this project is 'IF', the one word that we are more than familiar with. However, when he contacted me and told me about his project, I couldn't grasp the whole concept of it (and that's why we have a guest post at the first place) and I'm guessing you couldn't either, could you? Therefore, I think it's better to leave the explaining job to the author himself. So, read on as Josh explains about Plot Hinge and how the story is made. Sincerely, I thought it was an intriguing concept and deserves some attentions (hopefully it will be published as full novel too). And oh, please don't forget to show your support for Josh by visiting him at the Plot Hinge website (the links are inserted in his post).

PLOT HINGE: WHERE FACT SHAPES FICTION by JOSH MARTIN

If. For such a little word it certainly packs a lot of significance. If we never met at that coffee shop all those years ago, we wouldn’t be married. If I hadn’t missed my flight I’d have gotten that job. If it keeps raining our basement is going to flood. It’s remarkable how much this tiny word shapes who we are and where we end up in life.

My latest writing project, Plot Hinge, is built around that two-letter word and lets chance decide the outcome of online serial novels.

Here’s how it works.

Each week a new chapter will be posted on the Plot Hinge website. At the end of each chapter the story will be left at a cliff hanger with the story able to progress in a couple different directions. We then connect the story to an upcoming, real-world event. The outcome of that event will decide which direction the plot will proceed and the following chapter is written accordingly.

For example, at the end of the current story’s Prologue (click here to go there now), the readers are left with the plot able to go in a couple directions. Whether or not Wiarton Willie sees his shadow on Groundhog Day (Feb 2) will decide which of those directions the story takes.

It’s a new approach to storytelling that leaves the fate of the plot to chance. The result is an unpredictable but hopefully very rewarding experience for both the reader and me as the author.

So how will these Plot Hinge serial novels end? Well, that’s a bit iffy.

We live in an exciting time where technology and social media are pushing the boundaries of traditional writing and publishing. The internet opens up opportunities to innovate and experiment with new forms of storytelling. Thanks to platforms like blogs, Facebook and Twitter, the walls between readers and writers are starting to crumble, allowing the two sides to interact and collaborate.

I think there will always be a place in the world for traditional, printed books. The tactile experience alone gives them value. But I’m excited about the future of publishing and finding new ways to create and share stories. My hope is that Plot Hinge, and interactive and dynamic stories like it, can contribute in some small way to this evolution of storytelling.

Plot Hinge’s debut serial novel, Run, is now live. You can learn more, read the latest installments and subscribe for free at www.plothinge.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

My name is Josh Martin and I’m the creator and author of Plot Hinge serial novels. I was born and raised in rural southwestern Ontario, Canada with seven siblings. I’ve been a writer ever since my story “Super Something” won first prize at the Dungannon Fall Fair when I was in grade 1.

I now live in the Guelph, Ontario area where I work as a freelance writer, blogger and serial novelist. I’m a cancer survivor, card-carrying member of the Sour Toe Cocktail Club and an avid hiker.

You can read more of my work by visiting www.joshmartinink.com.

Feel free to shoot me an email if you’d like to get in touch: joshmartinink@gmail.com.

Teaser Tuesday (Jan 31, 2012)

2012-01-31T01:23:00.000-05:00

This week's TT comes from my upcoming read. I haven't started with the book yet, I plan to start tomorrow but I guess it's best for me to share some teaser lines with you. The book is entitled Pride's Run by Cat Kalen. The blurb is as follows:

Seventeen year old Pride is a tracker—a werewolf with a hunger for blood. Taught to trick and to lure, she is the perfect killing machine.

When she learns her master intends to breed her she knows she has to run.

But Pride soon learns that if she is to survive in the wild, she must trust in the boy who promises her freedom, the same boy she was sent to hunt.

With life and death hanging in the balance the two find themselves on the run from the Paranormal Task Force—officers who shoot first and ask questions later—as well as her master’s handlers.

Can Pride flee the man who has held her captive since birth and find sanctuary in the arms of a boy who has captured her heart? Or will her master find her first?

The teaser:

When the house stops vibrating, Lawrence resumes his approach, each menacing step meant to threaten my wolf and send it into hiding.

He exposes those rotten teeth of his and says, “Hey, kitten. The master wants to see you.” (page 31 in PDF format)

*Feel free to share your teaser with me in the comment section below!

And The Winner Is Drum roll....

2012-01-30T22:43:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Kirsten! She is the lucky winner of the Unfurl Blog Tour giveaway which was posted here on this blog on Jan 21. Her winning prizes are all three ebooks in The Ripple Series (Rippler, Chameleon and Unfurl) by Cidney Swanson. Isn't she lucky?

This was a Rafflecopter giveaway and the winner was chosen randomly using Random.org. To all those who had entered but didn't have the luck to win, don't despair. There are more giveaways (giveaways on Feb 3 and 14) to come at my blog, so be sure to check my blog out as often as you can.

Again, congrats to Kirsten!

Musing Mondays (Jan 30, 2012)

2012-01-30T01:35:00.001-05:00

This week's musing is:

How far along are you in your current read before you start thinking about what you'll read next?

I rarely think about what I will read next while in my current read. I always have the list of books I will read ensemble because I like to be organized, unless there is urgent read such as a book I received for Book Tour events that I put on my priority list.

*Feel free to share your muse with me. Leave a link to your blog so I can pay you a visit.

Angel Evolution eBook Giveaway Winners!

2012-01-29T21:53:00.001-05:00

This morning I'm so pleased to announce that I have picked the five lucky winners of the Angel Evolution eBook Giveaway. Those winners will receive their prizes from the author, David Estes. I have contacted the winners and all they have to do is to confirm their email addresses with me. Three of them have already confirmed their emails, while the other two have yet to do so. Nonetheless, I'm hoping that I will get the response from the other two winners or I'll have to pick another winners. Keep in mind that all winners are picked randomly using Random.org.

Here are the winners, congrats!

Booking Through Thursday: Writing or Riveting?

2012-01-27T10:05:00.000-05:00

What's more important: Good writing? Or a good story?

I couldn't decide on which is more important, so I'm gonna have to say both. I believe a great book must have the combination of both elements; good story to keep the readers glued to be book and a flawless writing to support the story. I've read some books that have ridiculously over-the-top vocab and stunning prose, yet I felt disconnected from the story. And I've read a good story with the potential of becoming a best-seller but the writing was poorly executed that I ended up not finishing the poor book. It was such a waste of a beautiful idea or prose, so an author has to incorporate both elements in his/her books. Otherwise, don't write at all.

*BTT is hosted by Should Be Reading.

The Bornean Bookworm

Booking Through Thursday (Feb 23, 2012)

Indie Spotlight: The Iron Butterfly by Chanda Hahn

Teaser Tuesday (Feb 21, 2012)

Blog Tour: Interview and Giveaway with Darcy Flynn, author of Keeper of My Heart

John Carter Trailer and Taylor Kitsch

Friday Finds (Feb 17, 2012)

Booking Through Thursday: Fan Fiction

Teaser Tuesday (Feb 14, 2012)

Guest Post, Review and Giveaway: Pride's Run by Cat Kalen

Review: Pride's Run by Cat Kalen

Musing Mondays (February 13, 2012)

And the winner is....

Blog Tour: Guest Post by Alyssa Linn Palmer, author of Prohibited Passion

Indie Spotlight: The Wealding World by Adam Gogolski

Musing Mondays (Feb 6, 2012)

Promo stop: Abstrus by T.K. Rayford

Review, Guest Post and Giveaway: Entanglements by P.R. Mason

Review: Entanglements by P.R. Mason

It's February! Editorial Post

Guest Post by Josh Martin, Creator of Plot Hinge

Teaser Tuesday (Jan 31, 2012)

And The Winner Is *Drum roll*....

Musing Mondays (Jan 30, 2012)

Angel Evolution eBook Giveaway Winners!

Booking Through Thursday: Writing or Riveting?

And The Winner Is Drum roll....