Gentleman Reads

>>>Giveaway

Known as “Granía of the Gamblers,” Granía O’Malley makes a high-stakes bet to buy her freedom and the ability to continue her livelihood as pirate queen on Ireland’s west coast. She enters into a dangerous agreement with Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, and soon finds herself caught up in a web of intrigue that is plunging her country, as well as her family, into chaos.

At war with a cruel governor while serving as one of Walsingham’s many spies, Granía struggles to maintain stability within her family and fleet and provide an enduring legacy for her heir to the seas. A story full of adventure and passion, Dark Lady of Doona portrays the life of a formidable woman who defied traditions by commanding her own fleet of ships and leading her loyal followers into rebellion.

Buy at Amazon

Genre – Historical Fiction (R)

Connect with Christine Frost on Facebook & Twitter

Website - http://www.herravendomain.com/

Orangeberry Free Alert - Black Hole Sun - David Macinnis Gill

No one, except Durango.

Genre - YA

Rating - PG13

4.0 (20 reviews)

Free until 1 April 2013

Mars stinks.

IThe air reeks of burning fuel; the rivers and lakes seethe with sulfur. In the shadows, evil men plot terror and beasts hunt the innocent. Out on the barren crags of the terraformed planet, there is nowhere to hide. No one to heed a call for help.

Orangeberry Book of the Day - The Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan

Friday, March 29, 2013

Murdered artists. Masterful forgeries.
Art crime at its worst.

A straightforward murder investigation quickly turns into a quagmire of stolen Eurocorps weapons, a money-laundering charity, forged art and high-ranking EU officials abusing their power.

As an insurance investigator and world renowned expert in nonverbal communication, Dr Genevieve Lenard faces the daily challenge of living a successful, independent life. Particularly because she has to deal with her high functioning Autism. Nothing - not her studies, her high IQ or her astounding analytical skills - prepared her for the changes about to take place in her life.

It started as a favour to help her boss' acerbic friend look into the murder of a young artist, but soon it proves to be far more complex. Forced out of her predictable routines, safe environment and limited social interaction, Genevieve is thrown into exploring the meaning of friendship, expanding her social definitions, and for the first time in her life be part of a team in a race to stop more artists from being murdered.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Mystery

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Estelle Ryan on Facebook

Blog http://estelleryanblog.wordpress.com/

Website http://www.estelleryan.com/

Orangeberry Spring Fling - Playing the Genetic Lottery by Terri Morgan

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#OBSpringFling

>>>Giveaway

"Caitlin’s story touched me deep in my soul" ~ Marina

"Terri Morgan's depictions of the disorder are realistic as well as haunting." ~ Allizabeth Collins

At fifteen, Ava ran away from home and changed her name to Caitlin to escape the chaotic childhood of having two schizophrenic parents. However, she lives with the constant fear of what lies in her DNA. Will she succumb to the disease that robbed her of a normal childhood? Will her children be the next victims of the family curse?

"its a roller-coaster ride of emotions" ~ Sandra

Looking for an emotional and touching story of human strength and overcoming obstacles? Read Terri Morgan's fictional memoir PLAYING THE GENETIC LOTTERY.

Buy at Amazon

Genre – Fictional Memoir (PG13)

Connect with Terri Morgan on Facebook

Website- http://terrimorgan.net

Orangeberry Book of the Day - Only A Glow (The White Warrior) by Nichelle Rae

Thursday, March 28, 2013

What if the world was ending? What if only you had the power to save it? And what if your power wasn't in your control? Welcome to Azrel's dilemma. "Only A Glow" is the first book in an epic new fantasy series, The White Warrior. Join Azrel, her brother Rabryn, and her best friend Ortheldo as they journey across their land to try to save the world from another age of the Shadow Gods rule. Along the way they try to find out what's wrong with Azrel's magic, because her magic is the only power that will cause the Shadow Gods to stumble and fail.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Epic Fantasy

Rating – PG13

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Nichelle Rae on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://thewhitewarriorseries.com/

Orangeberry Spring Fling - Tongues of Angels by Julia Park Tracey

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#OBSpringFling

>>>Giveaway

Author Julia Park was married to a Roman Catholic priest for several years and heard many stories of wonder and woe. From those tales comes a novel, Tongues of Angels, an insider's view of the Catholic Church and the priesthood as it stands today.Tongues of Angels:Meet Rob Souza as he faces the challenges of the priesthood-gossip, innuendo, church politics, public scandals-and Jessica, a young woman with a secret past. Meet Lawrence, Rob's best friend, a gay priest who somehow becomes the third in this odd love triangle. While Jessica finds hope and healing, Rob and Lawrence discover that, despite their best intentions, a promise of celibacy is hard to keep. Tongues of Angels offers a peek behind the curtain of the priesthood, offering a funny, poignant look at Catholic angst and ambiguity. Based on a true story, Tongues of Angels is a canny, warm and surprisingly spiritual novel for our time.

Buy at Amazon

Genre – Romantic Suspense (PG13)

Connect with Julia Park Tracey on Facebook and Twitter

Blog http://modernmuse.blogspot.com/

Orangeberry Free Alert - Temptation (Under Mr.. Nolan's Bed) - Selena Kitt

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Buy @ Amazon Kindle US

Genre - Romance

Rating - MA

4.4 (29 reviews)

Free until 29 March 2013

"Lead us not into temptation..." ~Matthew 6:13
What happens when you fall in love with your best friend's father?
Leah is a good, Catholic girl, and she and Erica have been best friends since their first communion. Sure, Erica's father is handsome and charming, but Leah spends so much time at the Nolan's--just Erica and her famous, photographer father now, since Erica's mother died--that she's practically part of the family.
Both girls have led privileged, sheltered lives and are on the "good girl" track at St. Mary Magdalene's Preparatory College, Leah pursuing her love of dance and Erica sating her endless curiosity as editor of the newspaper. Neither of them could have ever imagined that one fateful discovery will not only push the boundaries of their strict, repressive upbringing, but the bonds of their friendship as well.
Leah certainly never could have imagined finding herself torn between her best friend and her best friend's father. Sure, Leah's mother had always talked about Mr. Nolan as "a catch," but Leah herself had never thought of him as anything other than just Erica's dad--until the girls discover something darkly erotic under Mr. Nolan's bed, a deep, shameful secret that will not only lead them into temptation, but will deliver them into a far greater revelation than any of them could ever have imagined.

EXCERPT:
She danced with the memories, she danced the sin and shame of her own lust, the final acquiescence to her body's need, and the sweet triumph of reaching that peak. The dance was hers now, no longer anything she had learned. It was the pure expression of her essence, every feeling and thought that had been running through her head on some endless loop.
When she finally collapsed in a heap in the middle of the floor, breathless and panting, she felt like crying, as if her body had been filled to bursting and it must now have some sort of deliverance. The dance she had hoped would exhaust and deplete her had simply served to energize her further. Leah lifted her head, opening her eyes slowly, and saw him standing there in the shadows, like a dream.
Her heart fluttered to her throat like a trapped butterfly and her hand leapt there, as if she could catch it. He was watching her, just outside of the circle of lamplight, leaning against one of the tall supports she and Erica used to dance around that ran floor to ceiling throughout the warehouse.
"Mr. Nolan?"
She heard the click of his throat as he swallowed dryly. "You're so beautiful."
The look on his face was the one straight from her imagination, like he worshipped her, and at the same time, like the big bad wolf accosting an innocent red riding hood, like he wanted to eat her all up.
"I didn't mean to wake you." Her voice was barely a whisper. "I just... couldn't sleep..."
"So fucking beautiful."
She was stunned to silence, lips parted with words she couldn't speak, staring at him as he took a step toward her, the light on his face now, a wolfish look in his eyes making her skin bristle all over. She had never heard Mr. Nolan swear before. Ever.
"Leah..." Her name on his lips was like a caress. His gaze moved over her, no tights, no leg warmers, no toe shoes. He'd seen her like this a hundred times of course, but she had never felt so naked. The look on his face changed when he met her wide eyes. She saw the emotions cross his features, from horror and shame to something like anger. "Jesus. Go to bed."

Orangeberry Book Of The Day – Playing Nice by Rebekah Crane

Martina “Marty” Hart is really nice. At least, that’s what people think.

It’s Marty’s junior year at Minster High. Minster’s a small town where making great grades, smiling pretty, helping old people, running the new-student Welcoming Committee, and putting up decorations for all the dances–including the totally awful Hot Shot fall hunting celebration–gets you … what? Marty’s not sure.

Instead of dreaming about a sororities-and-frats future at nearby University of Michigan, she’s restless, searching for a way out of the box her controlling mother and best frenemy Sarah have locked her in. When Lil–don’t call her Lily!–Hatfield transfers to Minster, Marty gets her chance. Lil’s different. She smokes, wears black, listens to angry punk records, and lives in a weird trailer with her mother. Lil has secrets–secrets that make her a target for all the gossiping and online bullying Minster can muster. But so does Marty. And Marty sees something different in Lil. Something honest. Something real.

Playing Nice is the achingly real story of a girl who’s been following the rules for so long she’s forgotten who she was when she started. It’s about falling in love with the wrong people and not seeing the right ones, about the moments in life when you step out of line, take a chance … and begin to break free.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Young Adult / Bullying

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Rebekah Crane on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://rebekahcrane.tumblr.com/

Orangeberry Spring Fling – I Have People by Taylor Dean

Holly Sinclair is happily married to the love of her life, Gabriel. Young and in love, Holly hopes to have their first child soon. Of course, Gabriel wants to wait till Holly’s health is restored, much to Holly’s dismay. She feels perfectly fine. So what if she just woke up from an eight-month coma? So what if some of her memories are missing? She remembers Gabe and that’s all that matters, right?

That is, until HE enters her life again . . . she forgot about HIM.

Buy at Amazon

Genre – Contemporary Romance (PG13)

Connect with Taylor Dean on Facebook

Website - http://www.taylordeanbooks.com/

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#OBSpringFling

>>>Giveaway

Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas

Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas

Retta Heikkinen knows the unspoken rule of society: love between androids and humans is forbidden. A simple enough edict until Hemingway Koskinen spends an evening charming her with his intense gaze, bewitching smile, and sparkling conversation that hints at so much more than the usual obsessions of high school boys. Rules were meant to be cast aside, especially when love beckons.

If only it were as simple as being in love.

Trouble is brewing, not just for Hemingway--for all androids. Secrets have been kept, lies propagated, and Retta soon discovers that a frightening future awaits thousands of androids if she doesn’t do something to stop it. Worse yet, she will lose the one love she’s ever endangered herself for: Hemingway.

Grab a FREE copy on Amazon - March 27th & 28th

Praise

"Nothing like I've read before. A true original story! Everything is so well described. Now if they could make a follow up book and movie, that would be great!" ~Mrs. Z (Amazon)

"I was addicted to this book from the beginning. Life on Mars was very real and not at all a sci fi world I didn't understand . . . I found myself rooting for Retta and Hemingway from the very beginning. Easy reading, couldn't put it down and had it read in a weekend. Waiting for a sequel!" ~TNielsen (Amazon)

"The ending of this book is exceptional. While it was different from what I imagined, the way the author brought in a shocking revelation was amazing. I probably reread the last chapter 3 times letting it sink in and the meaning behind it. It was truly beautiful . . . I would love to see more of Retta and Hemingway!" ~Kat Meyer, (Goodreads)

"I love how the author populated Mars . . . so descriptive and comprehensive . . . I could clearly picture everything as if I was seeing the movie &/or was along for the ride. . . . Retta, the main character, is strong, opinionated, and a great champion for her cause." ~Megan (Amazon)

"I had been in the worst reading slump ever and came across this on Goodreads and thought I'd give it a try. Well, I was pleasantly surprised on how funny and exciting and mysterious it was . . . Mei, Retta's bff, had me laughing out loud quite a bit as well as Retta herself. I'd definitely hang out with those two." ~Deanneluvbooks (Goodreads)

Blue Hearts of Mars has made it to the quarterfinals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

Readers are invited to download the excerpts (here) and rate and comment on the entries. So please, if you want to contribute, download and rate Blue Hearts! Your support is incredibly appreciated!

Or purchase the full version of the book here: Amazon

Author Nicole Grotepas

Nicole wrote her first fantasy novel in 7th grade on her mother's old Brother typewriter. It was never finished but it strongly resembled a Dragonlance plot and she's forever wondered what happened to the manuscript and Tonathan--the handsome elven protagonist. After living in Nashville where she worked as an editor, she returned to the Utah desert where she was raised. Nicole now lives near the Wasatch mountains with her husband. She writes and raises her son and three cats full time.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Tour Schedule

Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/14/13

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

Orangeberry Blast Off - Away From The Spotlight - Tamara Carlisle

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

In the closing weeks of law school, Shannon Sutherland meets handsome and charming Englishman Will MacKenzie. Initially swept off her feet, Shannon finds that Will has a secret that, once discovered and the consequences realized, could destroy their fledgling relationship. Will and Shannon take great pains to have a normal relationship but, ultimately, find it impossible to do so. Will the pressures of their careers and the temptations of others drive Will and Shannon apart? Can Will and Shannon live a happy life away from the spotlight?
Tamara Carlisle takes you on a romantic ride that explores the consequences of fame and a love that endures all.

Buy at Amazon

Genre – Contemporary Romance (PG13)

Connect with Tamara Carlisle on Facebook

Website - https://tamaracarlisle.com/

Check out this author’s book feature, guest post, Top 10 & interview

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#OBSpringFling

>>>Giveaway

Avery Snow Book Blast and Giveaway

Are you an Avery Snow fan?

The highly anticipated sequel to The Many of Lives of Avery Snow is here!

The Unraveling of Avery Snow

by Christy Sloat

Enter below for your chance to win the ultimate fan prize pack

Chat LIVE with Christy Sloat

Twitter Party, March 26, 10 am EST

#AverySnow

And get your own copy of The Unraveling of Avery Snow

at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

As Avery Snow settles into her life and relationships with those around her, she fights to forget her past lives. All of which she spent with Landon, who still has no recollection of who she really is. It seems better that way. Even though she still feels a draw to his soul, she chooses to ignore it.

For now everything is fine. Her boyfriend, Dallas, has opened a new restaurant. Her friends, Ianni and Kerri, are settling into their lives as well. But when news of a new Dark Guide is revealed, Avery is forced to start thinking about the life she truly leads. One that is very abnormal. One she is desperate to forget. This Dark Guide is determined to make Avery pay for the death of someone she held dear.

Now Avery’s life has gone from seemingly perfect to falling apart. What will be at stake next? Her life? Her love? And who will be there in the end to help her up off the ground?

Even the strongest love can unravel.

Will Avery be able to hold it all together, or will she just let go?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A GWR Publicity promotional event paid for by Anchor Group Publishing. Giveaway is sponsored by the author.

Author Interview – Jordan Rosenfeld

Monday, March 25, 2013

What contributes to making a writer successful? This is my recipe for success as a writer: Practice. Polish. Persist. In other words, write all the time, and keep getting better in whatever way you can, and then, believe in yourself and EDUCATE yourself and do not let discouragement keep you from doing what you love.

Do you have any advice for writers?
JR: I have advice for indie authors: Doing it yourself doesn’t mean you can take shortcuts or get off easier than those who go through mainstream channels; it means you have to work harder. MUCH harder, and be willing to put yourself through as much work as anyone else. Your reward will match your effort.

Do you have any specific last thoughts that you want to say to your readers?
JR: I hope that people in this flashy, fast digital age can remember to take the time to savor reading, because it’s so immeasurably good for the brain, the soul and the heart. It makes us smarter, more compassionate.

What do you do to unwind and relax? I actually take these wonderful dance classes that help me unwind my very tight mental coil. Otherwise, reading, baths, and a nice glass of red wine.

What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?
JR: So many! I’ve presented at conferences, met authors I admire, taught students, connected with new and interesting people and made lifelong friendships.

Do you have any upcoming appearances that you would like to share with us? Yes, I’ll be reading at the Why There Are Words Literary Reading series February 14th, 7pm, at Studio 333, in Marin County, California-an awesome venue. My book launch party will take place on Saturday March 2nd, 3-5pm, BookSmart of Morgan Hill, 80 E. 2nd ST. Morgan Hill, CA 95037. I’ll be on Word by Word, my old radio program, now hosted by Gil Mansergh sometime in early February, and hopefully at Copperfield’s Books, Petaluma, but don’t have date for that yet.

If you could leave your readers with one bit of wisdom, what would you want it to be? It may sound cheesy but: Follow your bliss. Find out what matters most to you and go after it. Seek out others who already “have” it and find out what they’ve done.

When you wish to end your career, stop writing, and look back on your life, what thoughts would you like to have? Satisfaction, completion, joy.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Psychological Suspense

Rating – R

Connect with Jordan Rosenfeld on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://indie-visible.com/

Orangeberry Book Tours – Forged in Grace by Jordan Rosenfeld

At age 15, a horrific fire left Grace Jensen scarred and highly sensitive to the pain of anyone she touches. Thirteen years later, living with her hoarder mother and half-in-love with her former doctor, her long-absent best friend, Marly Kennet, returns to town and convinces Grace to make a leap-of-faith trip to Las Vegas. There, Grace discovers she doesn’t only feel others’ pain, she can heal it. This healing gift soon turns darker when the truth of Marly’s past and the fire that scarred Grace is revealed, pushing the boundaries of loyalty and exposing both women to danger.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Psychological Suspense

Rating – R

Connect with Jordan Rosenfeld on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://indie-visible.com/

Forged in Grace by Jordan E. Rosenfeld

Forged in Grace by Jordan E. Rosenfeld
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tell in your own words the beginning of the book. Talks about how badly Grace was burnt and her hospital stay. And the fact, that she couldn't remember, how it happened.

Did this book remind you of anything that has happened to you? I have been to Vegas many times. Been lied to and betrayed by friends before.

Tell in your own words how the setting of the story made it more interesting.The diversity between a little town and a place like Vegas.

Did this book give you any new ideas about yourself? Why? No new ideas. I wouldn't treat anyone bad, because of how they looked.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Orangeberry Book Of The Day – Gallows Ascending (Stone Quest) by Leigh Podgorski

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Gallows Ascending continues the saga of tracker and pyschic visionary Luke Stone in Book Two of the Stone Quest Series.

It has been thirteen years since Luke’s confrontation in the desert with his nemesis, black magician Armand Jacobi. Luke’s wife Consuelo, whom he met at Eppie Falco’s Desert Inn and Café has died, and Luke has placed himself once again in exile. This time, his wanderings have brought him to the seaside village of New Camen, New Hampshire.

Into his self-imposed solitude drops Dr. Bethany Rutledge. Accused of the murder of her eight year old daughter, stripped of her license to practice medicine, her marriage to politician Adrian Mountzaire in tatters, Beth Rutledge is haunted nightly by the chilling vision of a young woman’s brutal death by hanging.

Adding to this mix is the disappearance of an adolescent boy that appears to be centered in the tiny hamlet of New Camen. Then, Adrian Mountzaire turns up dead with his estranged wife Beth Rutledge lying in the sand beside him.

Despite his best efforts to resist the temptation, Luke is falling in love with Beth Rutledge, and she with him. Beth has unlocked the frozen reaches of his heart–the heart that was frozen when his beloved Consuelo was taken by breast cancer several years before and he could do nothing to save her.

Now, Luke must not only find the lost boy, but find the real killer of Adrian Mountzaire in order to save his beloved from the same fate that haunts her restless dreams.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Metaphysical / Mystery

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Leigh Podgorski on Facebook & Twitter

Orangeberry Book Of The Day– The Symbolon (The Sibylline Trilogy) by Delia Colvin

The Symbolon is the passionate second novel of the addictive Sibylline Trilogy!

For 3000 years, Alex has dreamt of a life with his mortal beloved, Valeria. And it appears that they will at last have a chance for a life together!

But when they approach the ancient council of immortals, for approval of the marriage,
they discover that sinister forces object to their union. Soon they find themselves faced with terrifying threats including a devastating separation that neither may survive!

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Paranormal

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Delia Colvin on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.deliacolvin.com/

Erin Cawood – What is Darker Edgier Contemporary Romance?

My Biggest Weakness in life is my Biggest Strength as an Author

by Erin Cawood

You’d think my biggest weakness would be that I live in my imagination. True. But I spend enough time in the real world to maintain a long term relationship with my beau of 13 years… wow is it really that long?

I study a degree in New Media, which means basically I’m web savvy, and I have a part-time job. I am a “responsible adult”. Maybe you don’t find this term as dreary as I do? But sometimes it feels like exciting life changing events, such as giving up full time work and returning to education or pursuing a career in writing, just don’t go with this term. Heaven forbid I should do both at the same time!

So maybe my biggest weakness is that I hear the voices of my characters as clearly as anyone of my family, friends or colleagues? A sure sign I must be crazy right? Again, I refer to exhibit A and must add I haven’t started talking back… not yet … although there was that one time… ha-ha!

So what is my biggest weakness you ask?

Well, it is that I do not know who you are but if you were to tell me your story, I’d feel your pain. It would run so deep in me I might share your tears. For a long time this was a gift for others to take advantage of. A lesson I have learned well. But wearing your heart on your sleeve in fiction does not have the same curse. For me, I see it as a blessing.

Don’t think for a second a well crafted character cannot touch you. They have the same ability to draw you in as a best friend. They can take you on a whirlwind ride through days, weeks, months or even years. They will pull you through the wringer and then leave you way up high on cloud nine, or so furious you might just hurl that darn book at the wall! Or they can leave you so totally and utterly devastated you might sob for hours. The only difference is… with a well crafted novel you’ll follow Alice down the rabbit hole while screaming at her not to go! We let them do this to us, they turn us inside-out within a few short hours … and the best part of it all is … we enjoy it!

When I research into situations I have no personal experience of, I am grateful that the lessons I’ve learned have not hardened my heart, but have only provided a cautionary shield because inside my imagination I have many characters with many stories to tell. They want you to know their lives, their loves, their losses. They want to draw you in to their story and talk to you like you’re their best friend. They want the fantasy you’ve escaped to, to seem almost as real to you as the world you live in. If only just for that short time they’ve held your hand. They want you to live the friendship of a lifetime without even leaving your sitting room.

As an author, I pour everything into making this happen. I’ve summoned the wrath, I’ve feared the worse, I’ve laughed at the worst jokes imaginable and then axed them, and I’ve cried until I couldn’t see anymore. So there is nothing headier than hearing from a reader who’s felt this connection with a character I’ve created. And as reader, there’s simply nothing more exhilarating than a character that can make this happen. It’s magic!

Buy Now @ Amazon & Amazon UK

Genre – Women’s Fiction / Contemporary Romance

Rating – PG13

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Erin Cawood on Facebook & Twitter & GoodReads

Review: Tainted Love: The Faith McKenzie Story by Erin Cawood

Tainted Love: The Faith McKenzie Story by Erin Cawood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ending expected? None of us at the book club expected the ending, but I was afraid that it might happen.

Plot or character driven? Character driven. Faith and Cal were the key characters and the secondary characters moved the story along with their role in covering up or exposing the abuse.

Plot well developed, believable? Plot was well-developed with many details that seemed accurate. Pulled you right into the abuse.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Orangeberry Book Of The Day – Wildflowers by Schledia Benefield

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Have you ever feared what may be hiding deep within you?

Darkness often skulks in the blood of unsuspecting victims, but Aster McGrath is acutely aware of the violence coursing through his veins. After all, he is the son of a murderer, and everyone in the town of Bayville, Mississippi says he will end up just like his father.

When Susan Blackman moves into town, Aster has already embraced his brutal nature, but her gentle spirit draws him in and slowly melts the icy exterior of his heart. Taming his savagery, she professes her love, but will the good within him be able to overcome the evil lurking deep inside? Or will the fiend break free of its fetters and seek blood?

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – YA Contemporary Romance

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Schledia Benefield on Facebook & Twitter

Blog http://schlediabenefield.blogspot.com/

Orangeberry Book Tours – Lessons from the Lemonade Stand by James Berman

Lessons from the Lemonade Stand explains investing, stocks and bonds, risk, diversification, commodities, and other sometimes mystifying topics in the context of that most classic of all American businesses: the corner lemonade stand.

Rooted in the fundamental truth that common sense is the best investment tool, this book slices important concepts into simple sections, sweetening them with folksy, easy-to-read language.

The trials and tribulations of lemonade stand owner Lucinda highlight every concept from interest rates to retirement accounts to leverage. Readers learn investment basics as they follow Lucinda Lemonade Inc. along its sweet (and sometimes sour) journey as a start-up, from the squeeze of the first lemon to its initial private equity deal and its eventual foray into tech, all in the tidy town of Lemonville.

Lessons from the Lemonade Stand simplifies investment concepts without watering them down. A stock, for example, is not defined in financial gibberish but for what it truly is: a slice of the business that entitles the stockholder to a little drop of every dollar Lucinda Lemonade Inc. earns.

The book introduces ten simple Lemonade Laws:
1) Every topic in the investment world can be broken down to the basic concept of supply and demand.
2) If someone claims an investment is risk-free, run the other way.
3) Bigger returns mean bigger risks.
4) Hedging may help, but there’s always a cost to it.
5) As Warren Buffett says, “If you’re smart, you don’t need leverage; if you’re dumb, it’ll ruin you.”
6) You may not be able to count on your stocks, but you can always count on your taxes.
7) By the time you invest in a foreign country, it shouldn’t be foreign to you.
8) Owning a home is (still) the best investment of all.
9) Investing without work is gambling: treat the market like roulette, and you’ll land on zero.
10) Counterintuition, not intuition, is the investor’s best friend.
Entertaining and fun, Lessons from the Lemonade Stand supplies readers with the ingredients they need to become savvy investors.

“By abstracting out the ‘hard’ stuff about investing and focusing on the most simple of businesses, Berman (a finance prof at NYU and an investment advisor) is able to gradually introduce more complicated concepts without overwhelming the reader with jargon. Really, Lessons from the Lemonade Stand encompasses much of an introductory finance curriculum in book form that reads, well, more like a book of fiction than one on investing.”

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Business & Investing

Rating – PG

More details about the author & the book

Connect with James Berman on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.lessonsfromlemonade.com/

Review: Lessons from the Lemonade Stand: A Common Sense Primer on Investing by James Berman

Lessons from the Lemonade Stand: A Common Sense Primer on Investing by James Berman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What did you like about it? How the author provided an easy to understand concept on the stock market and investing.

What did you find surprising about the facts introduced in this book? That the author portrayed a book and wrote it in terms everyone can understand.

What did you think of the cover? Loved the cover, it fit with the easy to understand concept in the book. What better way for an author to describe investing than using a lemonade stand.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

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Orangeberry Book Of The Day – Books by Eleanor T Beaty

Friday, March 22, 2013

On the Caribbean island of Maurray, spoiled-rotten, fifteen-year-old Hanna wakes up to a nightmare. She is not the daughter of an aristocrat but the orphan of a Gypsy. She is the descendant to a mystical Gypsy tribe. Their magic is strong and has lasted six hundred years. Ornella, the tribe’s guardian, arrives at the island with her mutt, Count Dracula, to guide Hanna. Hanna is told she must embrace her heritage or die at the ripe age of seventeen. But Hanna does the unthinkable, she chooses death. She hates Gypsies and would rather die. What she doesn’t know is that her death will destroy the entire tribe. What she also doesn’t know is how persuasive Ornella can be. The nightmare begins.

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Genre – YA / Paranormal

Rating – PG13

For sixteen years, Lya, has lived as a normal human, until her father, Walter, gets involved with the wrong people and puts Lya’s life at risk. During a visit to Miami, Lya’s older sister is kidnapped, and Lya and her father are subsequently taken hostage by Walter’s associates and forced to board a plane to India. When the plane lands in Delhi, Lya is rescued by three monks and taken to a Monastery. There her reality is shattered, when she learns the true identity of her rescuers and, even more surprisingly, herself. Lya is now faced with the toughest decision of her life. Can she live up to her ethereal destiny and save her family?

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Genre – YA / Paranormal

Rating – PG13

Alex’s life is turned upside down after his father’s sudden death. An old pamphlet found in his father’s belongings leads Alex and his mother, Charlotte, to a remote Polynesian island. His mother longs for a place untouched by past memories, and Alex hopes the trip will help her to heal.

Their arrival on the island elicits an eerie episode of déjà vu for Alex, and he begins to wonder about the pamphlet and his father’s past. Why did he have it? Had he been there before?

Alex senses something is off with the island. Progress is unwelcome by the inhabitants. A local girl reveals the history of the island and its dark spirits. She warns him to never be caught outside after dark, but Alex finds it all hard to believe… Until inexplicable and terrifying events begin to unfold. While digging for information, Alex finds his presence on the haunted island is not by chance. Rangur, the most evil of souls, aims to use him to acquire great power. There’s only one way Alex can stop him and for that he must uncover his father’s past connection to the island.

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Genre – YA / Paranormal

Rating – PG13

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Orangeberry Book Of The Day – The Book by Jessica Bell

This book is not The Book. The Book is in this book. And The Book in this book is both the goodie and the baddie.

Bonnie is five. She wants to bury The Book because it is a demon that should go to hell. Penny, Bonnie’s mother, does bury The Book, but every day she digs it up and writes in it. John, Bonnie’s father, doesn’t live with them anymore. But he still likes to write in it from time to time. Ted, Bonnie’s stepfather, would like to write in The Book, but Penny won’t allow it.

To Bonnie, The Book is sadness.
To Penny, The Book is liberation.
To John, The Book is forgiveness.
To Ted, The Book is envy.
But The Book in this book isn’t what it seems at all.

If there was one thing in this world you wished you could hold in your hand, what would it be? The world bets it would be The Book.

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Genre – Contemporary Fiction

Rating – PG13

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Connect with Jessica Bell on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.jessicabellauthor.com/

Orangeberry Book Of The Day – Dark Mountain by Robert Michael

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

While hiking on a lonely mountain in Arkansas, Jacob Barclay finds a cabin with a terrible secret.

Sheriff Billy Joe Shoemaker discovers that his small, backwoods town may hold more danger than he ever imagined.

Molly Carothers, lost in a sea of woods, starving and scared, believes she has found a guardian angel to free her.

Brian Carothers, haunted by his family’s heritage, struggles with his sanity.

Victor Carothers influences his family through fear and blood. Along with his wife, Patsy, they find victims among transients and strangers as they seek to sate their appetite for the occult.

The lives of the town of Bexton, Arkansas depend upon Jacob, the strange Yankee seeking adventure and solace. Jacob finds he is faced with a struggling faith, and the realization that sometimes evil runs in the family.

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Genre – Horror / Suspense

Rating – PG

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Connect with Robert Michael on Twitter

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

Blog http://www.infinitewordpress.com/

Orangeberry Book Of The Day - Beyond Escape - Deborah Jensen

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

After separating from her husband of twenty years, Kim is in desperate need of an escape. Retreating to her parents’ home in Texas for a month, Kim encounters ample distractions, the best being Camilo, an alluring Latino man seventeen years her junior. However, when returning to Texas unearths memories of a long-ago lover, Kim discovers her unintentional involvement in a series of dangerous escapades, bringing her deeper into her past than she ever cared to venture. Beyond Escape follows Kim as she pursues a trail of drugs, murder, and secret love affairs that were meant to stay buried.

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Genre – Women’s Contemporary Fiction / Romance

Rating – PG13

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Connect with Deborah Jensen on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.deborahkjensen.com/