Mel's Shelves: May 2015

Friday, May 29, 2015

Book Blast: Trouble in Loveland by Jennifer Peel

Trouble in Loveland by Jennifer Peel

What teenage girl hasn’t gone to great lengths to get noticed by her crush?

Charlee Jensen is no exception. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately in the end, Ryan her much older neighbor and unrequited love has no idea she exists during her teenage years, at least not the way she wants him to.

That all changes, though, when Charlee returns home, after eight years, to work for her estranged father and Ryan … her teen crush. This time, Ryan has no problem noticing her. His only problem is that he isn’t quite sure what to do with this woman who is suddenly all grown up, beautiful and annoyingly charming.

Throw in a cute three year old, and an ex-wife that’s not quite ready to let go, and you have a whole lot of trouble in Loveland.

Trouble in Loveland is a clean, heartfelt romance filled with humor and tenderness.

Grab your copy now!

AMAZON.COM

Praise for the Book

“Jennifer Peel’s writing captures you from the start and pulls you in. Trouble in Loveland is a fantastic book and was the perfect escape that I look for when I read. It has it all! Drama, humor, and romance. Highly recommend!”

“I have a new favorite author! I am so glad that Jennifer Peel started writing because she writes exactly the kinds of books that I love and Trouble in Loveland is no exception–it’s good, clean, romantic fun!”

“Funny and heartfelt! Jennifer Peel creates characters that are so relatable! This story made me both laugh and cry. A must read!”

Excerpt
Ryan’s eyes seared into mine. “I was hoping I would get to dance with you tonight.”
“You were?”
“Yes, but you’ve been quite popular.” He pulled back a tad and looked down at my dress. “You look very …”
“Please don’t say grown up.”
He smiled and shook his head. “I wasn’t going to say that, I was going to say …” he tried to think of something.
“You were going to say it, weren’t you?”
He sighed. “Charlee, you really know how to make a guy feel inadequate don’t you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I find I like it.”
“You do?”
He nodded his head. “I also find you to be very …” he hesitated.
“Very what?”
“Beautiful and annoyingly charming.”
“How can somebody be annoying and charming at the same time?”
“See what I mean?” He winked.
In my heels, we were practically eye level, and our faces were mere inches apart. I could smell the sweet smell of honey on his breath; I wanted more than anything to taste it, and the way he was looking at me at that moment, I thought maybe he felt the same way. His eyes quickly turned to confusion though before he pulled me a little closer. I rested my head against his and swayed against him. It was even better than I imagined. I wanted the dance to last forever.
“By the way,” I whispered in his ear. “I find you very beautiful too.”

Author Jennifer Peel

I’m a Colorado native who currently calls Alabama home. I’m the mother of three amazing children who have grown up way too fast. I enjoy the mountains, vacations at the beach, date night with my husband, late night talks with my kiddos, touring model homes, and pink bubblegum ice cream.

I grew up on the Western Slope in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. I learned to love the beauty of the outdoors, but not camping–unless staying overnight at the Marriott counts. I met my husband while living in Denver and then several years later we traded the beauty and majesty of the Colorado Rocky Mountains for the art and culture of Chicago, Illinois. My family and I enjoyed living near this world class city, despite the crazy cold winters, but new adventures awaited in Northern Alabama–just six hours away from Orange Beach, Alabama. These three magical places (the Colorado Rocky Mountains, Chicago, and Orange Beach) are the inspired locations used in several of my books.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Also by Jennifer Peel

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/21/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Thursday, May 28, 2015

Book Blast: Girl of Mine by Taylor Dean

Taylor Dean’s newest book is now available!

GIRLOFMINE

GOODREADS * AMAZON * AMAZON UK

The book trailer:

The song that inspired me while writing GIRL OF MINE:

(Watch until the end. There’s a surprise!)

A interesting tidbit about GIRL OF MINE:

My dad always worried about the cost of the electricity bill. If he walked past my bedroom and noticed that my light had been left on, he would turn it off and holler,

“That’s okay, Taylor, I got your light.”

It became a bit of a joke in our household. My siblings and I loved to try and catch my dad leaving on a light, just so we could say,

“That’s okay, Dad, I got your light.”

Now that I’m an adult with my own family, the term takes on new meaning.

The message behind it has worked its way into my new novel, Girl of Mine.

My father brought me into this world, he cared for me, and he taught me well. He gave me my “light,” my life.

He nourished my “light” and helped me become the person I am today.

So, Dad, thanks for getting my light.

I’ll always be grateful.

WEBSITE NEWSLETTER FACEBOOK TWITTER

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense–you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.

$100 Blast Giveaway

Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/15/2015

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Blog Tour/Excerpt: Flintlock by Ashley Nixon

We are thrilled to be bringing back this amazing author! Her first book in the Cutlass Trilogy was absolutely loved by our followers and we know that this book will be to! So first lets get to know a bit more about this Author:

Ashley was born and raised in Oklahoma, where the wind really does sweep down the plains, and horses and carriages aren't used as much as she'd like. She has a Bachelor's in English Writing and a Master's in Library Science and Information Technology. When she's not writing she's either working out or pretending she's Sherlock Holmes. Her obsession with writing began after reading the Lord of the Rings in the eighth grade. Since then, she's loved everything Fantasy--resulting in an unhealthy obsession with the 'geek' tab on Pinterest, where all things awesome go.

Links to social media:

Website

http://ashley-nixon.com

GoodReads

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5199530.Ashley_Nixon
Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/ashleynixonauthor

Twitter

https://twitter.com/AshleymNixon

Blog

http://ashley-nixon.blogspot.com

Flintlock is the second book in the Cutlass Trilogy. It continues Barren and his crew's story.

Barren Reed hopes to protect the Orient from his tyrant uncle, but his plans to make the King’s life a living hell aren’t supported by the Elders of the pirate community. As it stands, Barren has earned the Elders’ disdain for his carelessness, and they threaten him into exile if he makes one more mistake.

Barren’s not the only one feeling the Elders’ wrath—they don’t trust Larkin either. Worse, Barren can’t comprehend Larkin’s wish to have a relationship with her father, and the secrets she’s forced to keep create a tension that may pull them apart forever.

When the Pirates of Silver Crest begin to die, bullets laced with dark magic are to blame. With more and more of these weapons infiltrating the Underground, discovering who’s behind the dissemination is no easy feat. As fear and tension mount among the people of the Orient, Barren and his crew find themselves in a race against time to stop the spread of dark magic before the world of Mariana spirals into collapse.

Links to where book is sold:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cutlass-Ashley-Nixon-ebook/dp/B00JUI2QJ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408409804&sr=8-1&keywords=cutlass+by+Ashley+Nixon

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cutlass-ashley-nixon/1119322567?ean=9780991132300

Excerpt:

A knock interrupted Cove’s thoughts and he uncurled the fingers he hadn’t realized he’d been clenching. He waited, expecting Camille to answer or enter the study any minute to tell him someone was here to see him. Though he didn’t have any appointments that he was aware of, it wasn’t unlikely for someone to drop by for a few moments.

The knock sounded again. Camille and Nob must be busy, he thought. He strode into the foyer and opened the door.

“Cove!”

“Sara,” Cove took a step back, trying to stifle the surprise in his voice as he took in the woman at his door. She was Sara Rosamund—a friend, and the daughter of Frank Rosamund. Her sapphire blue eyes were painfully innocent and so kind, and set within the prettiest face, heart-shaped and fair-skinned. Her blond hair was pinned up in a bun, but she could never quite catch all the strands, as loose curls always managed to make their way free. Her lithe frame was draped in blue, a coat with black clasps kept her gown hidden, and white gloves covered her fragile hands. They’d grown up together, both having fathers in politics, and had spent many nights walking the gardens behind his house during balls and their fathers’ social calls.

“What a surprise,” he gestured to his foyer. “Come in.”

He closed the door behind her and as he turned to face her, Camille appeared from the hallway. “Apologies, Master Rowell,” she said, and then her eyes moved to Sara. “Ah! Miss Rosamund, it is good to see you!”

She swept forward and took her hand. A warm smile spread across Sara’s face as she folded her hand over Camille’s. “You look as lovely as a flower!”

“Camille,” Cove interrupted. They both turned to look at him, and he felt bad for halting their reunion. “Will you bring Miss Rosamund tea?”

“Why yes, of course!” she said and patted Sara’s hand before running off toward the kitchen. An awkwardness fell between them in Camille’s absence.

“Shall we sit?” Cove asked, indicating the open doors of his study. He permitted Sara to walk before him, feeling a little self-conscious at the clutter he’d allowed to overtake the space. She didn’t seem to mind and went straight for the chair she’d always claimed as hers, the one closest to the windows. His heart felt heavy as he recalled the many nights she’d sat there, staring out the unblocked windows, admiring the starry sky.

“Does the daylight bother your work?” she asked, looking at the heavy curtains that now covered the windows. He hadn’t bothered to open them since returning from his adventure with Barren. Perhaps this space offered too many memories.

“No, not usually,” he said. When she did not seem to like his response he added, “Though it does get warm in here with the windows unblocked.”

She seemed to comprehend, mouthing ‘Oh’ in understanding, but silence fell between them again, and tension built. Why was this difficult? Things with Sara had never been difficult before.

Camille brought tea. Any other time, her excited chatter would not bother Cove, but today he was feeling impatient. He had a long list of things to do to prepare for the ball, and there were pirates in his house. Not to mention Camille’s love for Sara was just a reminder of what once was.

Camille left when the doorbell rang, and Cove was glad for it until silence filled the room again. For a while the clank of Sara’s cup and saucer sounded as she sipped tea. After a moment, she set the china aside.

“I’m sorry if you are busy,” Sara said. She played with the hem of her sleeve, pulling it down over her hand. Cove watched the motion closely. It was a strange thing to think, but he’d never noticed that habit before. Was she nervous? “I know the ball is tonight, and I could have waited to speak with you then, but I wasn't certain I could catch you alone. I tried to call earlier in the week, but Camille said you were away,” she paused and finally met his gaze. Her sapphire eyes were so sincere. “You're gone so often now.”

“It is the nature of my job,” he said. “As you well know.”

“Yes,” she said with a hesitant smile. “I suppose, yet it was not so in the beginning.”

“Times are changing. The sea is...unpredictable.”

“Are you speaking of piracy?”

He stared back at her, taking a sip of tea. “Yes, among other things,” he replied.

“Oh, it is awful,” she said. “There were three men hanged in Maris just yesterday. I don’t understand why we must make a spectacle of a human’s life, no matter their transgressions.”

“Many would argue pirates are not human.”

“You don’t believe that, do you?” She stared at him, almost demanding.

“I suppose it’s never mattered what I believed,” he said. He cleared his throat and stood. “But the news at sea won’t affect your plans, will it?”

“Mine?” she was confused.

“The wedding,” said Cove. “Ben’s campaign centers on piracy. I can’t imagine how he will balance the two—a new wife and his obsession.”

She seemed surprised. “It’s not like you to be so cynical.”

They stared at one another, and then Cove laughed. “You’ll forgive me, I did not intend to insult your beloved.”

“Don’t,” she shuddered and took a breath. “Don’t apologize.”

Cove had a feeling that’s not what the shudder was for.

“We digress,” he took the moment to turn the conversation in a different direction and smiled politely at her. “What had you hoped to discuss in secrecy?”

She cleared her throat and stood, smoothing out the folds of her dress and pulling down on the sleeves of her coat again.

“I…,” she began, taking a breath, but she hesitated, twisting her fingers together. It was strange to see her like this, so changed. Had her engagement made her a different person? Or had Ben?

“Sara,” Cove watched her as she spoke, and her eyes seemed to grow wider. “You can tell me anything.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but looked away. “I just...I just wanted to say that I’m glad you’re back.”

Cove raised a brow and stared. “Oh,” and there was silence.

She curtsied. “I must go,” she said, and turned quickly to leave the study. Cove followed closely behind her.

She reached the door when he called out, “Sara!” She turned around to face him, and suddenly he wasn’t sure what he had wanted to say. There was nothing he could say that would bring her back to him and nothing that could undo the decision she’d already made.

“You will invite me to the wedding?”

“Cove,” her voice was a whisper, and her eyes glazed with fresh tears. It might have disarmed him, but he had worked for a very long time to maintain the composure he had now. He reached behind her and opened the front door.

“Have a good day, Sara.” His words were just above a whisper, and they urged her out the door. She turned and hurried to her waiting carriage. Cove watched it rattle off until he could see it no longer. When he closed the door and turned, he found Barren watching him from atop the stairs.

Official Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1521484241467322/

May 25

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May 26

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May 27

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May 28

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May 29

Lani

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May 30

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May 31

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Book Blitz: Silently Still by Julieanne Lynch

Julieanne Lynch is an author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Julieanne lives in Northern Ireland, with her husband and five children, where she works on novels full-time. Before becoming a writer, she considered a few different career paths, a rock star being one of them. She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at The Open University, and considered journalism as a career path. However, she decided writing was the way for her and is thankful for each day she lives her dream.

http://www.julieannelynch.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJulieanneLynch

http://www.twitter.com/JulieanneLynch

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4721654.Julieanne_Lynch

Everyone is entitled to making their own choices in life, but a decision can make or break you. For Jacinta Kelly, hers came in the form of running away from everything that reminded her of her roots.

Living in rural Ireland was hard enough, but living with her mother’s mental illness and her obsession with her garden took its toll. One winter, the world as she knows it changes. Jacinta becomes aware of her own mortality, and how fragile her existence truly is.

Alone and frightened; to live or die, the choice is hers.

The book deals with depression, grief and self-harm.

Pick up your copy of the book here:

Amazon US

http://www.amazon.com/Silently-Still-Julieanne-Lynch-ebook/dp/B00STY3NQ2/ref=la_B00IVJJIJQ_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432144238&sr=1-3

Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00STY3NQ2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1432144497&sr=1-1&keywords=Silently+Still

Snippet Time!

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Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Blog Tour/Review: The Tulip Resistance by Lynne Allen

Tour Schedule

The Tulip Resistance, by Lynne Allen
2015, 256p, Clean Historical Fiction
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review

Pulled into a war she doesn’t understand, Marieka Cordoven is just a Dutch girl who wouldn’t dare resist the Germans. But helping a wounded German soldier—a defector—changes her mind about everything. This tense historical drama delves into the intricacies of the Dutch resistance, its grit to defy orders, and its plan to do what’s right.

Holland, 1940. Marieka Cordoven, age 14, delivers milk to some neighbors, and butter and eggs to Mr. Buskirk, the baker. Baastian Cordoven's best friend, Abram, is Jewish. There were stories that Germany was invading Poland but the Dutch government declared their neutrality so surely they were safe, right?

A few months later, German soldiers arrive in town. At first, they seem harmless, but Lieutenant Schmidt starts causing trouble for many people. When the Jews start disappearing, the Cordoven's decide to hide Abram until the resistance can help him get out of the country.

The resistance is led by Anton, a man in his early twenties. We first meet him when he's saving his brother Dedriek from German headquarters. They learn that there is a traitor among them and need to figure out who it is. There are quite a few of them and sometimes I got them a little mixed up, but it all made sense in the end.

Marieka starts helping the resistance in small ways and then becomes heavily involved. There were times that I held my breath because I knew she'd be caught and in big trouble with the Germans. The troublemaker, Lieutenant Schmidt, was taken with her and watched her carefully, which was creepy at times.

There were lots of characters, stories and connections. I enjoyed reading about them and seeing them come together in the end. I liked most of the characters. The Cordoven's hid quite a few people and as they got to know each other, they realized that they weren't enemies after all. This book also showed that not all of the Germans were bad. There were some that didn't agree with what was happening while others were looking for opportunities to get higher promotions and privileges. They also wanted to exert their authority over the Dutch people and take whatever they felt entitled to.

Once the characters were introduced, the action picked up and it was hard to put down. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger but I read on the author's Facebook page that she is working on a sequel, which I am definitely interested in reading! I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys historical WWII fiction.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books & Things

Lynne Allen grew up in Othello, Washington. She met her husband at Ricks College and they were married in the Idaho Falls Temple. She now lives in Cache Valley, Utah, and has six children. After 25 years of designing cakes professionally, she is now retired and works in the temple. Lynne loves art, drawing, tole painting, oil painting, pastels, sewing quilts, clothes, gardening, and learning anything and everything she can.

Website * Facebook

Monday, May 25, 2015

Blog Tour/Review: Love and Miss Communication by Elyssa Friedland

Love and Miss Communication, by Elyssa Friedland
2015, 400p, Contemporary Fiction
My Rating=3.5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review

This unforgettable debut novel asks us to look up from our screens and out at the world . . . and to imagine what life would be like with no searches, no status updates, no texts, no Tweets, no pins, and no posts.

Evie Rosen has had enough. She's tired of the partners at her law firm e-mailing her at all hours of the night. The thought of another online date makes her break out in a cold sweat. She's over the clever hashtags and the endless selfies. So when her career hits a surprising roadblock and her heart is crushed by Facebook, Evie decides it's time to put down her smartphone for good. (Beats stowing it in her underwear—she's done that too!)

And that's when she discovers a fresh start for real conversations, fewer distractions, and living in the moment, even if the moments are heartbreakingly difficult. Babies are born; marriages teeter; friendships are tested. Evie may find love and a new direction when she least expects it, but she also learns that just because you unplug your phone doesn't mean you can also unplug from life.

Evie Rosen is addicted to the internet. Her Blackberry is practically attached to her hand. We get a good feel for what her life is like at the beginning. She's an attorney working hard to become a partner in the law firm of Baker Smith. Social media is her life. One day she's called in by one of the partners and is surprised and devastated by what happens. She gets on Facebook later and learns the startling truth about her ex-boyfriend, Jack. She determines right then and there to go offline for a while.

I didn't like Evie in the beginning. She was very self involved. As she unplugged, the changes in her personality became noticeable. I loved her grandmother, Bette, and enjoyed their relationship. Bette had cancer and that also made Evie stop for a while to spend time with her. Bette was constantly on the lookout for a man that Evie could settle down with and being sick didn't get in her way. Once Evie's eventual love interest entered the story, she became more likable to me since she was being sincere and felt free to be herself.

Evie had lots of friends that didn't understand why she would unplug and seemed to forget about it as they would still invite her to events through social media (then get upset with her when she missed it because she didn't get the invite). She had difficulties with them along the way and was able to find ways to reconnect with them on a personal level.

I like the premise of the story and thought Evie made positive changes throughout the book. I think it's awfully hard in this day and age to unplug for as long as Evie did. I love technology and am definitely plugged in yet I find it refreshing to take a day off every so often and just enjoy the simpler things. It took me a little while to get into this story, but once it got going, I had a hard time putting it down (although I thought the Epilogue was strange).

While I did enjoy this book, there is some content to mention. There's swearing, including a handful of "f" words. There's also sex talk and a few brief sex scenes without details.

Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Elyssa Friedland attended Yale University, where she served as managing editor of the Yale Daily News. She is a graduate of Columbia Law School and subsequently worked as an associate at a major firm. Prior to law school, Elyssa wrote for several publications, including Modern Bride, New York magazine, Columbia Journalism Review, CBS MarketWatch.com, Yale Alumni Magazine, and Your Prom. She grew up in New Jersey and currently lives in New York City with her husband and three young children.

Find out more about Elyssa at her website, and connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.