The Secret of a Spicy Jalapeno Review

The Secret of a Spicy Jalapeño

by

Charlie Courtland

Synopsis

Beyond the urban sprawl of a Pacific Northwest city lurks the peculiar little town of Providence and in it, an organic farmer named Joe Parker. Joe’s lurid story, or rather this particular piece of it, begins when Sheriff Caine fashions the big idea to grow jalapenos, albeit with questionable methods. The gritty scheme is plucked from the undercurrent of the sheriff’s self-righteous mind and carried out with the help of Joe’s skill, two local agents, and a coroner. Everything is progressing as planned. That is, until Vera Cruz, a prostitute and girlfriend of a drug dealer, is delivered late one night on Joe’s doorstep. The new houseguest suddenly complicates his routine. The woman bunking on the rear porch not only threatens to upset the jalapeno operation, but also Joe’s conviction about what is rightly just and intrinsically wrong. Will Vera save Joe or lure him further into depravity?

The creation of The Secret of A Spicy Jalapeno derives from the unequivocal influence of acclaimed Southern gothic writer, Flannery O’Connor.

“Sometimes it takes a violent and grotesque act for a character to experience a moment of grace. Perhaps, this is the truest path toward fictional redemption.” ~ Charlie Courtland(

Review

I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I was a little taken back when first started reading it, but I must say that it turned out to be surprisingly entertaining. Charlie Courtland is amazing. Once I got over the immediate shock of what I was reading about, I found myself falling in love with Joe and Vera. I couldn't help but pull for them to get together throughout the entire book. Joe's quirkiness kept me smiling and the gruesome truth of his occupation kept me with my nose buried in this book. I couldn't wait to see how everything was going to turn out. One thing is for sure, I'll think twice about using any Jalapeño Chutney in the future.

I give it 5 stars.

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I'm giving away a copy of Stay...

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Stay

by C.C. Jackson

Giveaway ends June 20, 2011.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Review of Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Synopsis

It’s all she’s ever wanted to be, but it couldn’t be further from her grasp… 

Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble.  When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides she’s had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.  

 Soon, Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her newfound friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she’ll never have a chance with… until she does.  Caught between two worlds, Dana isn’t sure where she’ll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again…

Review

I thought Glimmerglass was awesome. I am awe struck by the creativity of the author. I really enjoyed that Avalon was a blend of the world of the Fae and the world of the humans. The descriptions put me right into the story. The book was full of just the right amount action, romance and suspense. It kept me with my nose buried in my Nook and I couldn't wait to start reading Shadowspell.

I give it 5 Stars

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Versatile Blogger Award

A huge thanks goes out to Tania aka T.F. Walsh for awarding my blog with The Versatile Blogger Award.

Tania is an amazing fantasy writer who is also an amazing baker. I truly love her blog, which a lot of the time is about my two favorite things... books and sweets. :)

 Check her out here... http://tfwalsh.wordpress.com/

Now for the rules:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.

2. Share 7 random facts about yourself.

3. Pass the award on to 5 new-found blogging buddies.

4.Contact the winners to congratulate them.

a

7 random facts about me:

1. I was born in Baltimore, Maryland.

2. I am a nurse and work part-time in a local nursing home.

3. I am addicted to Coca-Cola.

4. I have three amazing sons.

5. I have a very smart yellow lab named Buff.

6. I love the beach and can't wait for the day that I can move close to one.

7. My favorite color is blue because it reminds me of the ocean.

a

And now for my 5 nominations for the Versatile Blogger Award:

Author Thomas Amo

Author Dean Pace-Frech

Author SM Reine

Author Cherie De Sues

Shannon's eBook Reviews

Congratulations!!

Review of Follow The Money by Fingers Murphy

Follow The Money

by

Fingers Murphy

Synopsis

"ALWAYS ASSUME PEOPLE ARE LYING, BUT NEVER ASSUME YOU KNOW WHY."

Oliver Olson went to law school to help people.

But when one of the world's most prominent law firms offers him a high paying summer job, he thinks he'd be crazy not to take it. He soon finds himself enthralled by a world of wealth, privilege, and power.

Blinded by his gilded new world, Ollie is slow to see that something is not right with the case he is assigned to work on - a case with no chance of winning, given to a "summer associate" merely to keep him busy.

Are people following him? Is he imagining things? Are they listening to his conversations? Why are people coming out of the woodwork with a sudden interest in a twelve year old murder case? And is it really possible that the wrong man went to prison?

Ollie wants to succeed, but when he sacrifices his own moral standards for a shot at the big time, he winds up staring down the barrel of a gun.

When you've sold out and can no longer follow your heart, you can only FOLLOW THE MONEY.

This novel is 75,000 fast-paced words.

Review

Follow the Money is an exciting tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Ollie Olsen is a second year law student who has landed a golden opportunity. He has been invited by a high profile law office to work for them as a summer associate. His first assignment has him knee deep in a twelve year old murder case. Ollie's job is to find a way to get the convicted murderer, who just happens to be a former politician, off the hook.

As Ollie begins to uncover clues about the case, he finds himself in the middle of something that he soon wishes he had never been a part of.

The suspense will keep you turning pages, and the dramatic twists in the story will keep your heart racing as the story unfolds.

Fingers Murphy did an excellent job of keeping this chick-lit reader engrossed in a story outside of her norm. I found a whole new genre of books to love.

I give it 5 stars.

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Review of Immortal by Lauren Burd

Immortal

by

Lauren Burd

Synopsis

   The wound inflicted only a few minutes before was nearly healed. A small cut was the only sign that anything had occurred. I watched in disbelief as it finished closing and eventually disappeared.

   “What are you?” 

* * *

   Gods, demons, fiends, eighteen year old Alina Taylor doesn’t believe in any of them, until she meets Samuel Grant and Duncan Michaels, and discovers a world that could destroy everything she loves.

   Review

   This book was most definitely a Twilight copycat mixed with a hint of The Vampire Diaries. With that being said... I still thought it was great. I will admit that I loved Twilight and The Vampire Diaries, so the similarities did not offend me at all.
   I found myself very engrossed in the story and falling in love right along with Alina, the main character. There were some places in the book that seemed to jump from one thing to something completely different without warning and leaving me a bit confused. Other than that, I truly enjoyed it and look forward to the sequel.

I give it 4 stars.

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Review of The Spell by Heather Killough-Walden

The Spell

The Big Bad Wolf Series

Book 3

by

Heather Killough-Walden

Synopsis

Dannai, who is also known as the Healer, has begun dreaming of werewolves. She'd always been able to hide the fact that she was a dormant, using her magic to shield the sweet, promising scent from the alphas she's been forced to work around. But now that they've invaded her dreams, her world has really been turned upside down. For, though every dormant dreams of her intended mate - Dannai is dreaming of two wolves, not one. And neither one of them is good news. One is a notorious killer. The other is Lucas Caige.

Lucas Caige is a man with a haunting past. A warlock took his brother from him fifty years ago and he's spent his life outrunning that dark magic. But fate has a way of throwing sand in your gears - and just when Caige thought he could forever leave behind the magic that brought pain to his life, his path crosses that of the Healer. Dannai unwittingly casts her spell over him the moment he lays eyes on her. She's stunning, she's kind, and everything about her wreaks havoc on his senses. 

She's also magic incarnate. 

But if Dannai thinks that's going to stop him from doing everything in his power to make her his mate, the little witch has another thing coming.

Review

   I had a little trouble getting into this book at first. I'm not sure if it was because I hadn't read the first two books in the series or if it just started off a little slow. Either way, it didn't take long before the story picked up and I couldn't put it down. The characters were intriguing, not to mention sexy. The action was great, and the twists towards the end kept it exciting.

I give it 4 stars.

* * * *

Anathema Review

                                         Anathema 

                                                  (Cloud Prophet Trilogy #1)

                                                  by Megg Jensen

Synopsis

   Reychel is a slave girl surrounded by magic, lies and manipulation. Her best friend disappears in the middle of the night leaving Reychel to face her fifteenth birthday, the day her master burns his brand into the back of her bald head, alone. She’s sheltered from the outside world and doesn’t have any hope for escape, but when people desperate for freedom ask for her help can Reychel learn to believe in herself?

Review

   I was completely drawn into this story from the very beginning.  It was a fun read that left me wanting more. I can't wait for the next books in the series.

I give it 5 stars.

* * * * * 

G.P. Ching is giving away a copy of Stay!

G.P. Ching is giving away a copy of Stay along with a few others on her blog!

So, Write Write The Story In Your Heart- G.P. Ching

Here is what you need to do to enter.....

Go to her blog using the link above.

1,000 Twitter Follower Reader's Choice Giveaway

I've reached 1,000 Twitter followers and I'm celebrating in a HUGE way!  Of course I'm giving awayThe Soulkeepers, but if you follow me chances are you've already bought it. So, in order to reward my loyal followers and the people who don't wait to buy my book, I'm giving away something else, something you don't already have. I'm giving away OTHER PEOPLE' S BOOKS!   That's right.  I've searched Twitter for the best in young adult fiction and I have it right here. 

I'll be choosing seventeen (17) winners, one winner for each title listed.  The first winner will choose one ebook from the entire list of books.  The second winner will choose one ebook from the remaining selections until all of these fantastic ebooks are gone. Here are the ebooks winners can choose from:

Meant To Be   Stay   An Apple For Zoe   The Childe

Released  Dirty Blood  Amaretto Flame  The Book of Lost Souls   Six Moon Summer

Being  Rising Shadow  Glimpse  Glimmer

Imago  The Dream Merchant  Violet Midnight  Sleight

Here's the best part.  All seventeen winners will be offered an ecopy of The Soulkeepers, too! If you already own it, no worries...

you can pick another DarkSide Publishing title of your choice as well!  That's right, Anathema, Bloody Little Secrets, Dream Smashers or Into the Shadows.

Bloody Little Secrets  Anathema  Dream Smashers  Into The Shadows

All you need to do to enter is to tweet this:

I want to win The Soulkeepers plus my choice of YA ebook from @gpching http://bit.ly/iMn5xR #teenlit #kindle #nook #ebook #giveaway 

And make sure you follow me on Twitter so that I can DM you if you win!  Also, please note retweets do not always show up in my feed. The BEST way to enter is to copy and paste the message and then tweet it.  Don't have a twitter account?  Share this on Facebook and follow me there, and I will enter you.  Make sure you tag me in the post or I won't see it.

The giveaway will end Sunday, May 15 at midnight. I'll randomly choose seventeen winners, and contact them over the following week!

GOOD LUCK!

Fine print: You may enter as many times as you like. You must be 18 to enter or have your parent's permission. Only entries that show up in my Twitter feed or that I am tagged in on Facebook will be counted. Entrants will be assigned a number and winners will be randomly chosen through Random.com. 

The Book Bee: Stay

The Book Bee: Stay:

Stay

Author: C.C. Jackson

Source: Received for review

Callie is shocked when she is ripped from her 

home in the middle of the night. She is taken to

a city that she never knew existed only to find

that she has a strange connection to her sexy 

captor. To top it all off, he tries to convince her

that she is not even human. She learns that she 

is actually a fairy. Not just any fairy, but a fairy who has been destined 

to become queen of the fairies.

The only problem is that the current queen is a cruel tyrant and Callie 

will have to fight for the title that she was meant for. She is not completely 

convinced that this is a life that she wants to live. She would love nothing 

more than to go back to being the normal human girl that she always thought 

that she was.

When tragedy strikes, Callie finds that she no longer knows who she 

can trust. She must learn to survive on her own in a harsh underground 

world.

She finds herself dealing with the struggles of life and love for the first 

time. Two gorgeous guys, a bunch of new friends, and a whole new 

world. Will it be more than she can bear?

 (Taken from Goodreads)

My Thoughts

Stay is a brilliant fantasy novel. C.C. Jackson does a brilliant job of 

setting and maintaining the scene throughout the novel. I was 

instantly transported to this world and was able to stay there 

for the whole novel.

All the characters have a purpose within the novel and each is 

described so vividly that they become alive within your imagination.

I did feel that parts of the novel where rushed and more time should 

of been spent on these areas. For example Callie's training and 

confrontation with the Queen, the build up was nice and flowed but 

then it seemed rushed and I feel more time could of been spent on 

this section within the novel.

Overall I did enjoy this novel and look forward to reading the 

next installment of Callie's adventures.

A copy of this novel was received for free and all opinions expressed

are my own through reading it.

~ Bookingly Yours ~: Book Review: Stay by CC Jackson

~ Bookingly Yours ~: Book Review: Stay by CC Jackson: 

"Title: Stay Author: C.C. Jackson 

 Paperback: 320 pages Published by CC Jackson on 25 March 2011

 Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ..."

A Day (or so) In My Life

Me and My Son, Chase

   The last few weeks have been so busy. I haven't had a chance to sit down and actually write a true blog post. Today is my day to catch up.

   I hope that everyone is enjoying their spring. I sure am. I love warm weather. I grew up close to Baltimore, so you would think that I would be acclimated to the cold but I can't take it. At some point in the 15 or so years that I have lived in Louisiana I have learned that it's much nicer not to have to deal with it. Don't get me wrong, I do miss the snow sometimes. Especially around the holidays. Christmas just doesn't seem like Christmas when it's 75 degrees, but I can live without it.

   Easter has come and gone. I was so thankful that I got to spend some time with my oldest baby. (He'll be 19 in June.) He's been living in Maryland with his grandparents and going to school. It seems like just yesterday that he was toddling around. He probably enjoyed Louisiana a little too much. Let's just say that he got a good taste of what Bourbon Street in New Orleans is all about. 

   I have had to work a lot of extra shifts at work lately, which has thrown off my daily routine. Well, I didn't have to work, but it's the time of year for folks to be taking vacations and such. Not to mention having babies. I guess you could say that I was paying it forward. I am hoping to take lots of time off this summer, and I hope that someone will cover for me when I do. 

   Only 12 more mornings to have to get the kids up and dressed for school. I am so excited to be able to sleep in. I know that my days will not be as quiet and peaceful as they have been, but I am so ready for a break from teachers and homework. I know the boys are too.

   Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow and my BFF insists that I go to a party at a restaurant not far from here. It will be my first experience, but I know that it will be fun. Of course, I am no longer a 21 year old heading out to have a good time. I am a 30 something mom who is bringing her kids, but I am sure that I will still have a lot of fun.

   Oh, I almost forgot! I  have been trying my hand at writing some book reviews. I am not very good at it, but I'm working on it. I read a ton of books and I felt like I needed to do what I could to help support my fellow writers. I hope that they help you to discover some great reads.

   Enough rambling! Back to writing!

The Soulkeepers Review

The Soulkeepers

by

G.P. Ching

Synopsis

   When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother's car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can't find his mother's body. Made a ward of his uncle and thousands of miles from home, a beautiful and mysterious neighbor, Dr. Abigail Silva, offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom. In exchange, she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a biologically gifted warrior charged with protecting human souls. He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother's disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions Dr. Silva's motives for helping him.

Review

The Soulkeepers was amazing! I loved the characters and the way they grow into their own throughout the book. The settings were depicted in such a way that I felt like I was actually in the story. The battle between good and evil was captivating and I could hardly put it down.

Rating

I give it 5 stars.

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