Siding With Plato $100 Book Blast

 

  Siding with Plato: A Romantic Comedy Chick Lit About College Life, Love, and Chaos Siding With Plato is a romantic laugh-out-loud chick lit novel about Being Young, Beautiful, and a Seriously Hot Mess! Brooke Aarons can't get to college fast enough. Leaving behind her small town life, she intends to transform herself into a brilliant psychologist at the University of Texas, with no distractions to slow her down. But when a twist in her plans lands her on double date with the school's star jock - and worse, enjoying it - Brooke has to wonder if she's the one who needs her head examined. James Cartwright's easy life, endless bucks, and long line of willing girls should make him a non-starter for Brooke, but as she learns, the psychology behind a bad crush is a whole lot messier of a subject.  

  Praise for the Book "This book hit home! Very funny and fast and fun read! I hope she makes this a series! LOVED IT!!!"

 "I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an escape back into the best years of your life! A MUST READ." 

 "Buy 2 copies of this relatable book - one for yourself and one for your best friend."

 "Siding With Plato is a must read for every girl who has gone away to college! It reminded me of my college years and the relationships between different boys, but most importantly the amazing friendships that were created. I could relate to all of the characters at one time or another. Siding With Plato is well written, funny, witty, and full of emotion. I definitely recommend reading this book!!"  

   

Michelle Manning is a Southern California native who ventured over to Arizona State University in 2005, where she majored in journalism and met the friends who would later inspire her book series. After receiving her degree, she worked in the entertainment industry as an editor and red carpet reporter for a news outlet in Los Angeles until she moved to New York - shortly after releasing her debut novel, Siding With Plato!   

$100 BookBlast Giveaway $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/26/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spy for a Spy by Jordan McCollum + a giveaway!

We're celebrating the launch of Spy for a Spy, sequel to I, Spy! Read on to get a cool spy tip for your daily life, free & discounted reads, and enter to win some great prizes! You can also find Spy for a Spy at the special $3.99 launch discount on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble and JordanMcCollum.com!

About the Book

Canada is probably the last place you’d expect to find an American spy. And it was the last place CIA operative Talia Reynolds expected to run into fellow operative Brand Copley. AKA her new boss. AKA her ex-boyfriend.

Just the guy every woman wants to face in the middle of planning her wedding. Once again, Talia’s lying to the man she loves, but this time, to protect his heart. After Brand takes over Talia’s latest case and steals her newest agent, he assigns her to spy on her old boss—who’s suddenly giving her every reason not to trust him. With only weeks until the big day, planning falls by the wayside as she goes into damage control mode. But when Talia discovers Brand’s real motives, fighting him is the only option, no matter what the personal and professional cost.

I am a Jordan McCollum fan. I just can't help it. There might have been a little squee that escaped me when I was invited to sign on for this blog tour. Yeah, a little squee. I reviewed "I, Spy" awhile ago and a couple weeks ago I read the novella, "Mr. Nice Spy". There is just something about these spy books that have me hooked.

Talia is so flawed, so tortured.  You want to simultaneously shake her and love her.  Really her motivations are honorable- lying to protect the innocent (aka Danny).  But keeping people in the dark in the name of love and protection isn't always the best and smartest idea.  You would think Talia would have learned that by now, but no.  She just keeps on making the same mistakes.  Danny has the patience of a saint.  Honestly.  If we could only bottle that up and sell it. . .  :)

"Spy for a Spy" had me so absorbed, flying through the book.  I had to keep telling myself to slow it down, take it easy.  I just couldn't help it.  I felt like I was going crazy for half the book.  Like Talia.  The first person narrative really works for this book.  It's so easy to get caught up in her head.

This book is clean (like squeeky)(no swearing, no sex) which I completely love.  There are mentions of the main characters being LDS and some traits particular to the LDS faith (no drinking, no premarital sex) but there is nothing preachy at all.  No religious discussions or anything of that nature.

Well, I'll end as I began.  Coming full circle to this:  I am a Jordan McCollum fan and I love this book series.  I can't wait for the next book.  I wonder if we'll ever get Talia and Danny against the world together?  That would be completely awesome.  

Excerpt

From chapter 12: CIA operative Talia Reynolds's ex-boyfriend/new boss, Brand, has assigned her to spy on her old boss, Will, who's allegedly betraying their country. Though Talia doesn't trust Brand, she has to take the assignment—especially once she realizes Will is trying to recruit her fiancé Danny to the CIA.
Parked outside Will’s house three days later, I readjust my binoculars and slump a little lower in my car seat. It’s dark, I’m in a car he won’t recognize, and he should have no reason to worry, but I’m nothing if not careful.
Will’s not nearly as cautious as I am. (Seriously, no one is.) No surveillance detection run on the way home, no meetings, no signals, no nothing. In fact, this has to be one of the most boring surveillance assignments I’ve ever done. Brand. Is. Wrong.
The garage door to Will’s unremarkable stucco rambler rolls open and there’s everyone’s favorite CIA chief of station in a Mr. Rogers cardigan. Leaving for a meeting with an agent?
Will heads past his perfectly nondescript car: Canada’s most common make, model, and even color — Honda, Civic, white. He’s got a bag. I train my focus on that black garbage bag, less than half full. To anyone else, that’s just trash. To me, it’s something he doesn’t want people to see. My pulse picks up a tick. This could be important.
Will reaches the passenger side of his car. Opens the door. Leans in. He’ll stick the bag in there and drive off and betray everything he was ever supposed to stand for.
Or not. He straightens, pulls out a Tim Hortons sack and stuffs it in the trash bag. He deposits the garbage in the black plastic bin beside his house and goes back in.
No relief allowed yet. Could still be a drop off. A risky one, sure, but we’re in Canada. How secretive would a double agent from a friendly foreign country have to be?
It’s a long, long night until the lights go out at Will’s. I wait until he has to be asleep, each minute ratcheting the muscles in my shoulders, my back, my legs tighter. Finally, I open the car door and prowl along the hedgerow to check the back. Lights off.
I move to the garbage can and ease the lid open. Of course the bag is way at the bottom. Grateful it’s well after dark, I lower the can to the ground and crawl inside.
Yes, the real life of a spy puts James Bond movies to shame. Nonstop glamour. I drag the bag out and replace the trash can, hunkering down beside it to hide from the street. Normally, I’d take this and run (yes, I do this enough to have a “normally”), but I can’t risk Will noticing. I hardly need my flashlight to see that this is an unremarkable, sadly lonely load of kitchen trash: microwave dinners, desserts for one, budget meals. I almost feel bad for our $150 tab this week, like he’s been doing penance for his accounting gluttony.
Nothing incriminating here whatsoever. Okay, so Will’s trying to recruit Danny to the CIA. Doesn’t mean he’s gone to the dark side.
Could I have fallen for Brand’s strategy all along: put me on Will’s trail to keep me off his? Everything he’s been doing — all that talk about how I can’t be impartial, the “apologies,” those “genuine” gestures, siccing me on Will, if only for a few days — it’s not just Brand being obnoxious. It’s Brand being covert.
Yep, I’m an idiot. I reload the garbage bag, slip it back into the bin and head out.
I know what I have to do. I have to watch Brand, and I have to be extra careful to make sure he thinks everything’s fine.
More about Spy for a Spy | Add Spy for a Spy to your Goodreads to-read list!

Hone your spy skills

Spy skills can come in handy in the most unusual situations, like this one . . . Further hone your spy skills by reading Spy for a Spy!

About the author

An award-winning author, Jordan McCollum can’t resist a story where good defeats evil and true love conquers all. In her day job, she coerces people to do things they don’t want to, elicits information and generally manipulates the people she loves most—she’s a mom. Jordan holds a degree in American Studies and Linguistics from Brigham Young University. When she catches a spare minute, her hobbies include reading, knitting and music. She lives with her husband and four children in Utah.

Join the party & enter to win!

As part of the debut of Spy for a Spy, Jordan is co-hosting a launch party with Julie Coulter Bellon, author of Pocket Full of Posies. Join us November 12 on Facebook (Jordan's and Julie's pages) and Twitter (follow Julie and Jordan) for drawings throughout the day, and enter to win more fabulous prizes here!! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Special deals!

Spy for a Spy is a sequel to the novel I, Spy, available for 99¢ at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Jordan's site this week only! To save her country and her secrets, CIA operative Talia Reynolds will have to sacrifice the man she loves. More about I, Spy. Also, as a free gift this week, Jordan is giving out free e-copies of a prequel novella, Mr. Nice Spy, on Amazon and her site!

Fighting For the Edge $50 Book Blast

Two friends. Two dreams. One night that changes everything… Ice dancer Aubrey London scoffs at romance. She’s focused on winning a medal at the upcoming Olympics and uses that as her excuse to avoid serious relationships. But when she and longtime friend Chris Grayden are thrown together by unforeseen circumstances, Aubrey finds herself questioning everything she's ever known about love, complicating her life both on and off the ice. Pairs skater Emily Petrov embraces romance. She and her husband Sergei still act like honeymooners two years after their wedding. As Emily’s coach, Sergei provides constant support while she prepares to challenge for gold at the Olympics. But Sergei’s support might not be enough to help Emily overcome the one challenge she never saw coming. With the Games only weeks away, Emily and Aubrey are on the verge of realizing their dreams. But one snowy, stormy night sets in motion a series of events that will test them in ways they never imagined, giving them more to fight for than Olympic medals.  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Praise for Fighting for the Edge "Emily and Aubrey's final challenge is Jennifer Comeaux's greatest victory. Both touching and suspenseful, Fighting for the Edge is a game changer that will have fans of the series giving both the characters and the author a standing ovation once they've turned the last page. If I could pass out medals, Jennifer would earn gold for writing my favorite romance of all time." - Jenna at Jenna Does Books "Jennifer Comeaux puts you in the action, makes you smell the ice and hear the roar of the crowd during the nail-biting competitions, and she's a master at creating first love jitters in your stomach from the steamy scenes that are so hot without being explicit." - Christina Jean Michaels, author of Epiphany  

Life on the Edge (Book 1) Nineteen-year-old Emily is new to pairs skating, but she and her partner Chris have a big dream–to be the first American team to win Olympic gold. Their young coach Sergei, who left Russia after a mysterious end to his skating career, believes they can break through and make history. Emily and Chris are on track to be top contenders at the 2002 Winter Games. But when forbidden feelings spark between Emily and Sergei, broken trust and an unexpected enemy threaten to derail Emily’s dreams of gold.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

 

Edge of the Past (Book 2) Summary: Emily's skating career and personal life have never been more golden. She and her partner Chris have won every competition they've entered this season, and she's found the man of her dreams in her coach Sergei. But when one of the biggest competitions of the year takes Emily and Sergei to Russia, Sergei's past explodes into the present and makes Emily doubt everything in their future.  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

 

Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren't any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she's a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is travelling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing.

When not working or writing, she is an avid follower of the sport of figure skating, travelling to competitions around the country. Those experiences allow her to see another side of the sport and serve as an inspiration for her writing. Jennifer is blessed with a wonderful family and many friends who have encouraged her to pursue her dream of being a published author.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Pinterest

   

Tour Schedule

 

 

  Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/28/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

arbitrate by Megan Thomason: Review and $25 Giveaway

 

It's one year later. And everything has changed.

Remember The Second Chance Institute (SCI). Earth’s benevolent non-profit by day, Thera’s totalitarian regime by night. They’ve stepped up their game on Earth and on Thera—infiltrating political parties, preying on the downtrodden, and planning offensive maneuvers. The SCI’s abuse of their charter leads to Arbiter oversight and bitter consequences.

Remember Kira Donovan. Broken, burdened, and evading those who wish her harm, Kira enlists the Arbiters’ help when forced to return to the clutches of the SCI and her angry, estranged love.

Remember Blake Sundry. Exiled, determined, and packing an agenda, Blake seeks assistance on Earth and Thera to use his newfound knowledge to bring down the SCI.

Remember Ethan Darcton. Overworked, emotional, and holding a grudge, Ethan hunts down his stolen property, but finds himself in awkward territory, stuck between the Arbiters and the SCI.

Full of action, competing agendas, romantic entanglements, humor, twists and turns, arbitrate is Megan Thomason’s third installment in the award-winning daynight series after daynight and clean slate complex (a daynight story).
Amazon

I was excited to sign on for this blog tour.  I read daynight when it came out and I enjoyed the story.  It left off in a place that had me anxious to read the next book.

I actually liked arbitrate better than daynight.  It was less sexually oriented which I really appreciated.  

I have sort of a love/not-so-love thing going for the layout of this book.  I love the different perspectives from the different characters.  I have loved the characters from the beginning and this book just solidified that.  The author does an awesome job of creating characters and a world that I can believe.  Getting separate points of view was awesome.

The book goes back and forth in time though.  It will be months earlier and then present and then days earlier and then present.  It took me awhile to find the rhythm to that.  At first I was confused at the jumping around but then I expected it and it was easier to wrap my brain around.  I'm still not convinced it was my favorite way to read the book but oh well.  It was still an awesome book with so many twists and turns.  It kept me completely engaged from beginning to end.  The pacing was fast and never really let up.  I could feel the emotion from the characters which is always a huge deliver factor.  :)

Kira's journey is a good one.  Her growth and maturing is evident.  I loved how the Arbiters became a bigger part of the plot in this book.  Good stuff, that.

I'm so happy with where the story went romantically.  SO, so happy.  There were moments that just broke my heart too.  Such a roller coaster of great stuff.  I cannot wait to see where the next book takes me.

Content:  Some sexual references, mention of rape and attempted rape, mild swearing

   

Meet The Second Chance Institute (SCI): Earth's benevolent non-profit by day, Thera's totalitarian regime by night. Their motto: Because Everyone Deserves a Second Chance at Life(TM). Reality: the SCI subjects Second Chancers to strict controls and politically motivated science experiments like Cleaving--forced lifetime union between two people who have sex. Punishment for disobeying SCI edicts? Immediate Exile or death. 

Meet Kira Donovan. Fiercely loyal, overly optimistic, and ensnared by the promise of a full-ride college scholarship, Kira signs the SCI Recruit contract to escape memories of a tragedy that left her boyfriend and friends dead. 

Meet Blake Sundry. Bitter about being raised in Exile and his mother's death, Blake's been trained to infiltrate and destroy the SCI. Current barrier to success? His Recruit partner--Miss Goody Two Shoes Kira Donovan. 

Meet Ethan Darcton. Born with a defective heart and resulting inferiority complex, Ethan's forced to do his SCI elite family's bidding. Cleave-worthy Kira Donovan catches his eye, but the presiding powers give defect-free Blake Sundry first dibs. Full of competing agendas, romantic entanglements, humor, twists and turns, daynight is an award-winning, bestselling novel and first in the daynight series.   

Author Megan Thomason Bestselling, award-winning author Megan Thomason lives in paradise aka San Diego, CA with her husband and five children. A former software manager, Megan vastly prefers writing twisted tales to business, product, and marketing plans. When she isn't typing away on her laptop, she's reading books on her phone--over 600 in the last year--or attending to the needs of her family. Megan's fluent in sarcasm, could potentially benefit from a 12-step program for road rage, struggles with a Hot Tamales addiction, loves world travel & fast cars and hates paperwork & being an insomniac.  

Website * Facebook * Goodreads * Twitter

  Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/24/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

A Music Review of Hudson Lights! And a $25 Giveaway

Hudson Lights Composed of 4 vocal artists from the Rocky Mountains, Hudson Lights creates a fresh fusion of contemporary pop and jazz like you've never heard before! World-class harmonies and consummate showmanship make this an unforgettable music experience. Equal parts thrilling, inspiring, and effortlessly charming, Hudson Lights brings a classy edge back to mainstream pop.

I'm pretty sure this is a first ever on my blog because this blog is all about books!  It's my primary passion.  :)  I do so love music though.  I grew up hearing music all around me.  My parents both love music and that love has been passed down.  I just couldn't pass up the chance to review this music CD.  I was so excited to listen to it.
"Good to Me" is Hudson Lights' debut album.  These four men have a great sound.  I haven't had the chance to hear them sing live yet but hopefully I will someday soon.
The CD was very enjoyable.  It covers a few well known songs that I found myself singing along to.  I liked that there was some familiarity to the CD as well as some songs I wasn't familiar with.  It had just the right amount to keep me humming along and listening. There were all kinds of music genres grooving and I really enjoyed that.  
Mostly I would say that "Good To Me" is just an album that makes you feel good.  It's easy listening.  Happy.  It's an album that I will be listening to over and over.  The "Call Me Maybe" song below will give you a good taste of what the album is like.  I hope you enjoy it!
  HUDSON LIGHTS will release their self-titled debut album November 12, 2013. They released a single, “Good to Me”, on iTunes in September. The group is composed of four male vocal artists from around the country: McKay Crockett, Keith Evans, Joseph Moore and Ross Welch. Together they create a fresh fusion of contemporary pop and jazz music. The upbeat album features classic covers of legends like Frank Sinatra and The Beatles. They also have several original songs. Bob Ahlander, director of music at Shadow Mountain Records, says “Hudson Lights fills a void in the music scene.” They have already had some notable performances. They debuted at the Marriot Center during the BYU Women’s Conference Concert in May, and placed 2nd in a contest to open for Kelly Clarkson at the STADIUM OF FIRE in June. On November 22nd they’ll perform for a crowd of 10,000 as part of Deseret Book’s “Time Out for Women” event at the Maverik Center. Tickets are available here.  

  "Call Me Maybe"

  Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/24/13
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

Lyric by Rozsa Gaston

Lyric is the story of a young, professional woman’s leap of faith from lonely but familiar singledom to a whole new world of committed love.

Lyric Chandler is a 31-year old woman living in a small town in the New York suburbs. While walking her dog, she meets landscape architect Dawes Van Dusen, who’s renovating the local park. For the first time in her life, Lyric finds herself attracted to a man who actually comes from a similar background to herself. But he’s just about to finish up his short-term landscaping project in her town, after which he’ll move on to another assignment far away.

Recently laid off from her job at a hedge fund, Lyric’s now a teaching assistant at the elementary school where she’s up in arms over the children playing in the parking lot at recess time. Little does she know that Dawes is planning to build a sculpture garden on the same plot of land for which she’s petitioned town hall for a school playground. Unaware of her plans for the same property, he’s determined to win the bid so he can prolong his stay in her town to be near her. For the first time in his life Dawes feels as if he’s met the woman of his dreams.

But when Lyric discovers Dawes’ project is going to take away the last bit of land available for the school’s playground, she breaks it off with him. Only after he’s suddenly called out of town does an unlikely source open Lyric’s eyes to why he was so intent on winning the bid. She now has to confront the real reasons why she drove him off – her own fear of letting a man who’s really right for her into her heart.

When Dawes returns, he offers Lyric and the town a new design for an interactive children’s sculpture garden and playground. In return, Lyric is finally ready to give him her heart.

Lyric is a story that will appeal to contemporary women searching for balance between professional and personal satisfaction. In particular it will resonate with young professional women in urban areas who’ve gained so much expertise in extricating themselves from relationships with Mr. Wrong that when Mr. Right comes along, they have no idea how to proceed. The story of Lyric was written for them.

That has got to be the longest blurb ever.  If you read all the way though it, you are probably not going to want to read a very long review!  So I'll try to keep it short and simple.  :)

Good book.  I enjoyed it.  Sweet, easy reading that provided a break from the monotony of the day.  I liked Dawes better than Lyric but I love the name Lyric.  :)

I like that Dawes is straight forward without being pushy or arrogant.  He doesn't play games.  Lyric kind of does play games- she is flighty and back and forth- but has other very redeeming qualities.  Communication is NOT one of them.   As I am not, and never have been, a young professional woman working in an urban area, I guess this book wasn't written for me but I did enjoy it anyway.

You can pick this Astraea Press book up at Amazon.

Once Enchanted (Rockland Ranch #3) by Jaclyn Hawkes + a Giveaway!

What happened to her fairytale life? She's young, she's sharp, she's the hardest working attorney in the whole LA office. Still, when Alexis O'Brien finally gets brutally honest with herself, she has to admit she's nothing more than a glorified workhorse for her boss and his slippery partners. Her dissatisfaction only deepens when she gets sent on a wild goose chase to rural Wyoming to find some elusive gifted architect for a project she thinks is corrupt. Then she meets Sean Rockland. The antithesis of the effeminate manicured types she's used to at work, with his muscles fairly rippling under his button down, Sean ticks her off from the very first moment she lays eyes on him as he's rescuing her from car trouble-which only makes him laugh. Of course that doesn't help. Sean has this way of calmly logically encouraging her to face her issues that makes her even madder. Why does he always have to be right? Why is she drawn to him anyway? What's up with all these crazy fairies appearing? And why can't she find the darned missing architect? When her spitfire meets his steel sparks begin to fly!

I just loved the opening of this book when Alexis and Sean meet for the first time.  Sparks are flying from the very beginning and you just cannot help but like both Alexis and Sean.

Sean is definitely a manly man.  But I also like that he is known and respected in his community.  He works hard and dreams big.

If you've read any of the other books in this Rockland Ranch series, you know that the Rockland clan is big, loud and so, so generous.  Everyone who meets them falls in love with the lifestyle and family loyalty they offer.  Poor Alexis never had a chance and she didn't even know it!

I have really enjoyed this series so far.  It was nice to get a glimpse of the rest of the characters I enjoyed in past books.  This book was probably my favorite of the bunch.  Most of the book I wanted to smack my forehead for the awful lack of communication between Sean and Alexis.  They sure didn't do very well at expressing their feelings and communicating.  Well, except when they were kissing.  I think there was a lot of expression there.  hee hee

This is an LDS fiction book.  There is religious doctrine and talk in it.  It is also squeeky clean reading.

My thanks to the author for allowing me to read and review books for her.  It's a great pleasure for me.  She has also generously provided for this giveaway.  Awesome!

You can purchase this book on Amazon.

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