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Sunday, July 31, 2016

What Matters Most by Kellie Coates Gilbert Book Tour and Book Review

 
 
 

Where to Purchase



About

Just when she can't take it anymore, Leta finally catches a break. But when things seem too good to be true, they often are.
Finding her dream job went right out the window when Leta Breckenridge had to quit school to help care for her mother suffering from dementia. When a delinquent account may force her mother into a less desirable facility, Leta is thrilled to land a high-paying job at an Austin public relations firm. But her seemingly ideal job turns into a nightmare when she learns the firm is a front for a political opposition organization--and that the research she's been collecting will be used against Nathan Emerson, the handsome senator she's swiftly falling in love with.

Nathan is a rising political star being pressured to run a bid to unseat the current governor of Texas. He's already in a relationship with a woman much better suited to be a politician's wife, but he's never met anyone like Leta. Could this feisty woman hold the key to his heart--and his future?

With emotional depth and keen insight into what drives us, Kellie Coates Gilbert offers a salient story that calls us to consider what we value most in this life.
Kellie Coates Gilbert is a former legal investigator and trial paralegal and the author of A Woman of Fortune, Where Rivers Part, and A Reason to Stay. Gilbert crafts her emotionally charged stories about women in life-changing circumstances in Dallas, Texas, where she lives with her husband. Learn more at www.kelliecoatesgilbert.com.

Endorsements

"Kellie Coates Gilbert offers up another blockbuster in What Matters Most. Strong characters, political intrigue, and romance keep you on the edge of your seat until the end."
Ane Mulligan, author of Home to Chapel Springs

The Author

  1. Kellie Coates Gilbert

    Kellie Coates Gilbert

    Kellie Coates Gilbert is a former legal investigator and trial paralegal, and the author of A Woman of Fortune and Where Rivers Part. Gilbert crafts her emotionally charged stories about women in life-changing circumstances in Dallas, Texas,...

Reviews

Praise for the Texas Gold Collection"This tale of family and faith brings to light what truly matters in life."--RT Book Reviews, 4 stars

"Kellie Coates Gilbert delivers emotionally gripping plots and authentic characters."--LifeIsStory.com

"Well-drawn, sympathetic characters and graceful language make this an engaging choice for readers."--Library Journal

"Once again Gilbert's seasoned pen paints a heart-tugging, emotional landscape as unpredictable and stunning as a Texas spring. Kellie gathers the broken shards of a woman's life and with masterful precision pieces together a poignant and victorious story of committed love."--Lynne Gentry, author of The Carthage Chronicles

"When I want a powerful read full of emotion and angst, my go-to author is Kellie Coates Gilbert. A Reason to Stay delivers on all counts. I cheered, I cried, I fell in love. An excellent read."--Deeanne Gist, bestselling author of Tiffany Girl
"A fast-paced, emotionally poignant read. With a strong premise, clever characterization, and a heroine you'll root for until the very last page, Gilbert is sure to win the hearts of her readers with A Reason to Stay."--Nicole Deese, bestselling author of the Letting Go series and A Cliché Christmas"A deeply honest portrayal of one woman's battle for her life and marriage. A Reason to Stay is an absolute must-read for anyone who has ever doubted the power of love. Kellie Coates Gilbert has given readers another unforgettable story."--Tina Ann Forkner, author of Waking Up Joy


My review;

When Leta Breckenridge was forced to leave school to take care of her mother she thought everything was over. She lost not only a way to a great job but her whole future. When she finally gets a good job she is horrified to find out that all of her work might be the end of any new kind of life she may have had a chance at. Nathan Emerson is a senator and she thinks she has feelings for him. Nathan already has a girlfriend, one who will help his career, but he also is attracted to Leta. Will they ever have any kind of future. Will Leta ever get ahead in life. I was given this book for a review by Revell Publishing Company and all opinions are mine, I give this book a 4/5.

Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy by Paula Berinstein Blog Tour and Giveaway


Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy free Banner

This is my stop during the blog tour for Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy by Paula Berinstein. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 18 till 31 July, you can view the complete tour schedule here.

Facebook group event
On 28 July, Paula Berinstein will do an event in the Blind Date With a Book Facebook Group. There will be giveaways, discussions and more!

Start this series for free!
You can get Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy for free at Amazon, B&N, Kobo or Smashwords!

Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar ConspiracyAmanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy (Amanda Lester, Detective #1)
by Paula Berinstein
Genre: Mystery/ Detective/ Fantasy
Age category: Middle Grade

Blurb:
Amanda Lester wouldn’t be caught dead going into the family business. Her ancestor, Sherlock Holmes’s colleague Inspector G. Lestrade, is a twit. Nevertheless her parents refuse to see his flaws, and she’s going to a secret English school for the descendants of famous detectives whether she likes it or not.

When Amanda arrives at the dreaded school, she considers running away—until she and her new friends discover blood and weird pink substances in odd places. At first they’re not sure whether these oddities mean anything, but when Amanda’s father disappears and the cook is found dead with her head in a bag of sugar, they’re certain that crimes are taking place.

Now Amanda must embrace her destiny and uncover the truth. The only snag is that arch-villain Blixus Moriarty, a descendant of Holmes’s nemesis Professor James Moriarty, might be involved, and he doesn’t like nosy little girls interfering in his business.


You can find Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy on Goodreads

Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy is free now on all vendor sites! Grab your free copy here:
- Amazon
- Amazon Paperback
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Smashwords

Get the box set with the first four books in this series!
Amanda-Lester-box-setAmanda Lester box set (Amanda Lester, Detective #1-4)
by Paula Berinstein
Genre: Mystery/ Detective/ Fantasy
Age category: Middle Grade/ Young Adult
Release Date: July 4, 2016

Blurb:
"Sherlock Holmes meets Nancy Drew meets Harry Potter."

This set includes all four Amanda Lester, Detective books from the first year at the Legatum Continuatum Enduring School for Detectives.

Book 1, Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy
Book 2, Amanda Lester and the Orange Crystal Crisis
Book 3, Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle
Book 4, Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacocks' Secret

Amanda Lester wouldn’t be caught dead going into the family business. Her ancestor, Sherlock Holmes’s colleague Inspector G. Lestrade, is a twit. Nevertheless her parents refuse to see his flaws, and she’s going to a secret English school for the descendants of famous detectives whether she likes it or not.

When Amanda arrives at the dreaded school, she considers running away—until she and her new friends discover blood and weird pink substances in odd places. At first they’re not sure whether these oddities mean anything, but when Amanda’s father disappears and the cook is found dead with her head in a bag of sugar, they’re certain that crimes are taking place.

Now Amanda must embrace her destiny and uncover the truth. The only snag is that arch-villain Blixus Moriarty, a descendant of Holmes’s nemesis Professor James Moriarty, might be involved, and he doesn’t like nosy little girls interfering in his business.

Follow the exciting adventures of the girl who learned that sometimes you need to be part of something larger than yourself.


You can find Amanda Lester box set on Goodreads

You can buy the Amanda Lester box set here:
- Amazon
- Amazon UK

Paula BerinsteinAbout the Author:
Paula Berinstein is nothing like Amanda. For one thing, she’s crazy about Sherlock Holmes. For another, she’s never wanted to be a filmmaker. In addition, compared to Amanda she’s a big chicken! And she wouldn’t mind going to a secret school at all. In fact, she’s hoping that some day she’ll get to build one.

You can find and contact Paula here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Paula's blog on Goodreads
- The Writing Show podcasts
- Newsletter

Giveaway!
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy. Open International. These are the prizes you can win:
- One $40 Amazon gift card
- Two copies Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy (hardback edition)
- One copy Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: The Illustrated Edition (hardback)
- One Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Book 1 Audible – Unabridged, narrator Jim Dale
- One Nancy Drew videogame from Her Interactive (winner's choice).
- One surprise book, you pick the genre. Paperback only.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Sacrifice by Carolyn Arnold Book Blitz

Sacrifice banner

This is my stop during the book blitz for Sacrifice by Carolyn Arnold. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 31 July till 6 August, you can view the blitz schedule here.

31 July is the fourth anniversary of Sacrifice!

SacrificeSacrifice (Detective Madison Knight #3)
By Carolyn Arnold
Genre: Mystery
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 31 July 2012
Publisher: Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc.

Blurb:
Finding justice comes at a high price…

When the son of business tycoon Marcus Randall, washes up on the shore of the Bradshaw River, Detective Madison Knight must sacrifice everything including her career to find justice for the "perfect murder."

With Marcus Randall already on the radar of the Secret Service for fraud and counterfeiting, the investigation sheds new light and they require the full co-operation of the Stiles PD. But with power and money to back him, Marcus has a reach that extends right inside the police department.

If Madison's going to find out the truth, she'll have to sort through the lies and balance diplomacy with politics.


You can find Sacrifice on Goodreads

You can buy Sacrifice here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- iBooks

Sacrifice Detective Madison Knight


Carolyn ArnoldAbout the Author:
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international best-selling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENTâ„¢.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada.

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

You can find and contact Carolyn here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Newsletter

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Honor Redeemed by Christine Johnson Book Tour and Book Review



About

Her future--and her heart--hang in the balance.
Two years ago, Prosperity Jones waved farewell to her beloved David as the army sent him to faraway Key West. Now with her parents gone, she has but one prospect for the future: make the dangerous journey from Nantucket to Key West to reunite with David and secure a happier life.

But when Prosperity arrives penniless in the South, she is dismayed to find David has not been eagerly awaiting their reunion. In fact, he is married to someone else. Scrambling to survive and nursing a broken heart, Prosperity gains the friendship--and the affection--of a kind doctor. Could he be the answer to her loneliness? Or will her life be upended by circumstance yet again?

With a deft hand, Christine Johnson fills the senses with the sights, sounds, and smells of Key West in this heartwarming story of honor lost, honor redeemed, and a love forged in adversity.


Praise for Love's Rescue
"A fast-moving story of forbidden love and shipwreck rescues. . . . This action-packed tale is one to keep readers engaged . . . from the first page to the last."--RT Book Reviews

"Johnson initiates another swoon-worthy historical series with this emotionally charged romance in which passions run high and things are not always what they seem."--Library Journal

"The first in Johnson's Keys of Promise series sails off to a strong start with a sweet love story that skillfully incorporates fascinating facts about the nineteenth-century salvage and wrecking trade into a quietly moving plot about the importance of family, faith, and forgiveness."--Booklist

Christine Johnson is the author of Love's Rescue, as well as several books for Steeple Hill and Love Inspired. She was twice named a finalist for Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award. When not writing, she loves to hike and explore God's majestic creation. These days, she and her husband, a Great Lakes ship pilot, split their time between northern Michigan and the Florida Keys.

The Author

  1. Christine Johnson
    © E.A. Creative Photography 2013

    Christine Johnson

    Christine Johnson is the author of several books for Steeple Hill and Love Inspired and has been twice named a finalist for Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart® award. When not writing, she loves to hike and explore God's majestic creation. These...
    Continue reading about Christine Johnson

Reviews

Praise for Love's Rescue
"Johnson initiates another swoon-worthy historical series with this emotionally charged romance in which passions run high and things are not always what they seem. Perfect for fans of Melody Carlson and Rachel Hauck."--Library Journal
"Love's Rescue is a fast-moving story of forbidden love and shipwreck rescues. Elizabeth Benjamin's independence is refreshing, as she is a headstrong woman who is not afraid to pursue what she desires. This action-packed tale is one to keep readers engaged and rooting for her from the first page to the last."--RT Book Reviews
"The first in Johnson's inspirational romance Keys of Promise series sails off to a strong start with a sweet love story that skillfully incorporates fascinating facts about the nineteenth-century salvage and wrecking trade into a quietly moving plot about the importance of family, faith, and forgiveness."--Booklist

"Johnson has penned a tale worthy of anyone who has ever dreamed of high seas adventure with this first book in her Keys of Promise series. Filled with romance, adventure, and drama, Love's Rescue takes readers to the far South, where mannerisms and rules often stifled dreams and desires."--CBA Retailers+Resources


My review;
Author Christine Johnson has written a story of love, forgiveness, hope and family. "Honor Redeemed" is all of these things and tells a love story through all of these. Was it just two years ago when David left Prosperity Jones to go where he was told to by the army? In two years on her end a lot has happened. Her mother has passed and she is now alone. She has no future without her fiancée David. Now she must go and find him. But, her arrival is not a happy one. David has already married someone else. Why?? She finds herself once again, on her own. Should she stay in Key West? I really liked this story. I give this book a 4/5. I was given this book for a review by Revell Publishing Company and these are my opinions.

Missing by Lisa Harris Book Review and Book Tour



About

"A thrill ride from start to finish."RT Book Reviews, 4½ stars, Top Pick on Vendetta
Nikki Boyd isn't usually called in on homicides; her forte is missing persons. But when a case with two murdered and two missing pops up on a quiet suburban street, she's ready to start the investigation and find missing homeowners Mac and Lucy Hudson. When the first clues lead her to the boat of her friend Tyler Grant--and another dead body--Nikki must untangle what ties Tyler to the Hudsons. The clues pull her into a deadly maze of counterfeit drugs and a killer who will stop at nothing to silence anyone who threatens his business--including Nikki.

Christy Award-winning and bestselling author Lisa Harris puts you right into the action in this fast-paced thriller.


Praise for
Vendetta
"With this explosive first book in the Nikki Boyd Files, Lisa Harris takes readers on a fast-paced pursuit of justice that will have them holding their breath until the heart-stopping finish."--Christian Retailing

"Harris will take [readers] on a fast-paced search for answers that will last up until the very fearful finish."--Suspense Magazine

"A tight story with unpredictable twists at every turn, Vendetta will leave you looking over your shoulder till the very end."--LifeIsStory.com


Lisa Harris is a bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times. She is the author of nearly thirty books, including the Southern Crimes series and Vendetta, winner of the Romantic Times Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2015. Harris and her family have spent twelve years living as missionaries in southern Africa. Learn more at www.lisaharriswrites.com.

The Author

  1. Lisa Harris

    Lisa Harris

    Lisa Harris is a bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times. She has sold over thirty novels and novella collections. Along with her husband, she and her three...
    Continue reading about Lisa Harris

Reviews

Praise for Vendetta
"A thrill ride from start to finish, the first book in Harris's Nikki Boyd Files series is filled with twists and surprises. This is exactly the kind of suspense novel that readers are looking for--one to keep them involved and intrigued throughout. Nikki is a relatable character, and her career as a missing persons investigator makes for a captivating story."--RT Book Reviews, 4½ stars, Top Pick

"With this explosive first book in the Nikki Boyd Files, Lisa Harris takes readers on a fast-paced pursuit of justice that will have them holding their breath until the heart-stopping finish."--Christian Retailing
"Harris will take [readers] on a fast-paced search for answers that will last up until the very fearful finish. The story is fueled with misleading dangers, and the character is so fascinating that fans will be waiting impatiently to see what adventure Nikki Boyd will have next."--Suspense Magazine
"A tight story with unpredictable twists at every turn, Vendetta will leave you looking over your shoulder till the very end."--LifeIsStory.com

"Filled with red herrings and heart-pounding danger, Vendetta will leave readers anxiously awaiting Nikki Boyd's next adventure."--Irene Hannon, bestselling author of the Private Justice series.

My review:
"Missing" is another great mystery by Lisa Harris who also wrote "Vendetta" These are about part of her The Nikki Boyd Files series. Nikki Boyd might be in  over her head. She has found herself trying to help solve two murders and to also help find others that lived nearby that are now missing. She starts out by following the trail and when it ends up at her friends boat she has to stop and decide what to do next. Is her friend Tyler Grant mixed up in this mystery? Will she be able to find the murderer before they find her? Hopefully no one else will be murdered. I give this book a 5/5. I was given this book for a review . These are all my opinions. I got this book by Revell Publishing Company.

The Governor's Daughter by Jerri Hines Sale Blitz and Giveaway


The Governor's Daughter
by Jerri Hines
Series: Winds of Change, #1
Genre: Historical Romance
Cover Designer:  Erin Dameron-Hill at edhGraphics
Release Date: June 14, 2016



Cathryn Blankenship has no desire for a season in London! Why on earth would her father want her to leave her home in Charles Town? Upon Cathryn’s steadfast refusal, Governor Blankenship is forced to assign a young lieutenant to watch over Cathryn on the journey and ensure his daughter’s appearance in London. Cathryn finds Lieutenant Jake Pennington the most aggravating, maddening man she has ever met...a man Cathryn soon admits she is in no hurry to see leave.

But fate has other plans for her in a world she is ill prepared to enter. She descends into a place where love and betrayal go hand and hand, where greed and treachery are second nature, but moreover the threat her father believes he has sent her is awaiting her arrival. When fate tears her apart from her Lieutenant, Cathryn finds herself desolate and alone. Soon, Cathryn makes fateful decisions that will send her back to her home.

A home far different than the one she left. A war rages. Soon, she discovers her life is in danger and the only one that can save her is the one who left her heartbroken.

Author's Note: This book was previously published with Whiskey Creek Press as The Judas Kiss and The Promise under the Tides of Charleston Series.



A chill was in the air. Pulling her shawl tighter around her, she stood in the night’s breeze and inhaled deeply.

Tacy hadn’t said a word. There was no need. Cathryn realized Tacy feared she was asking for trouble. She was. She had to see him.

Above her, a quarter moon sat in the cloudless sky and reflected off the still ocean water. Cathryn stared upward hoping…praying Jake would appear. Then he was there.

“I’m glad to have found you here,” he said, walking up beside her.

“I’ve been warned, Lieutenant, not to linger long in your company. Mrs. Montgomery is afraid people will begin to talk. I don’t think she wants to be held responsible for my tarnished reputation.”

“I see nothing wrong,” he said. “Your maid is within reaching distance and I imagine can hear every word we say.”

She turned abruptly right into him. His hand went around her waist. Instinctively, she looked up into his eyes.

Mesmerized, she couldn’t breathe as he reached over and caressed her face. She melted with his touch…his look. In an endless moment in time, she couldn’t take her eyes off of his. She thought he was going to kiss her, but the moment passed.

He released his grip. Her heart sank. Feeling dejected, she turned from him.

“Don’t, Cathryn. Mrs. Montgomery isn’t wrong to be concerned,” he said. “The ship is tight quarters when two feel as we do. I see you every day. You are within my reach. The ship will dock tomorrow and everything will change.”

She whipped back around. Her eyes blazing, she challenged him, “That is why you came tonight? You have come to say goodbye to me. Do not lie. I can see it in your eyes.

“Tell me…tell me, Jake. Are you are leaving me? Is that what you have come to do? To say it was nothing, only the close quarters upon a ship! How dare you! Make me want you and now back away. Don’t you tell me what I’m supposed to feel!”

“Tomorrow is a different day,” he said. “You will see how it is. I have my own responsibilities as you have yours. Remember when you first came aboard, you said you were only biding your time for a year? Now you believe you want something else. How do you know what you will feel on the morrow?”

She wanted to scream at him that she had never felt what she did when she was around him. Why did this have to change? He had told her he was only a simple lieutenant.

She didn’t care. Oh, Heavens! She had fallen hopelessly in love with him.

“So you don’t care for me,” she cried. “Don’t tell me such! I could not take those words.”

“I don’t know what I want you to take with you,” he whispered. “It is for your best if we take this no further. You will see.”

Her temper exploded. She hit his chest with her fist, over and over again. “For my best! How dare you try to tell me leaving me is for the best! How can you say such—”

She didn’t have a chance for another word. He cupped her face in his hands and his lips came down upon hers, softly at first, then harder. Trembling in his arms, her lips pulsed against his with her own desire.

Somewhere in the madness, the reason for meeting this night escaped her mind. Only being with him…in his arms with his lips upon hers mattered. He kissed her again and again, ravishing her mouth.

Gasps of pleasure escaped her. Her body was shocked at the depth of emotion he provoked within her. She was lost in his essence.

Slowly, his lips broke from hers. “See what you made me do. This is why I can’t—”

She wouldn’t let him say the word. Instead, she pleaded, “No, please, Jake, don’t leave me. Don’t tell me I won’t see you again.”

“It’s not to be, Cathryn. By God, I wish it was.”

“Don’t tell me that, Jake. Tell me what to do so we can be together.”

“I can’t ask that of you.”

She took his hand and kissed it, terrified of losing him…losing what they had before it had a chance to begin.

“Why? Tell me, Jake. Why? Can you not give me hope? This can’t be goodbye. It can’t. I would die.”

He stood in silence for a moment. His gaze fixed upon hers reflecting a longing that both suffered. He took her one last time in his arms and kissed her. Breaking from her, he caressed her face one last time, turned and walked away.





Jerri Hines is an Amazon bestselling author of the Winds of the Betrayal series and Southern Legacy serial that were inspired by her fascination with history. She is a Southern gal who has lived the last thirty years near Boston with her Yankee husband. She believes in love and the power it holds. It is the reason she writes romances. Her next release under Jerri Hines will be the much anticipated conclusion to Winds of Betrayal, Set Fire To the Rain, coming in 2016.

She is also an Amazon Bestselling author under her penname, Colleen Connally. Her historical romance series, Secret Lives, is riddled with romantic suspense and a touch of paranormal. Fragmented, Book One Boston's Crimes of Passion, marks her first contemporary suspense thriller. Framed, Book Two, will be released in 2016.

She is a supporter of The Home For Little Wanderers in Boston and the Alzheimer's Association.







Friday, July 29, 2016

Silk Nutchello Review



I was able to receive a sample of Silk Nutchello from @Crowdtap for a review and I am glad that I did. I really wasn't sure if I would like this but, I was surprised. It really tasted great and had no aftertaste like others of this kind. I would really like to recommend this to others. It tasted great on ice. I was given this free for a honest review and these are all my opinions.

A Tragic Consequence by JC Morrows Cover Reveal and Giveaway

Today is the cover reveal for A Tragic Consequence by JC Morrows. This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours.

A Tragic ConsequenceA Tragic Consequence (Order of the MoonStone #4)
by JC Morrows
Genre: Dystopian
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 25 October 2016

Blurb:
FORCED TO FLEE . . . WOUNDED . . . AND ON THE RUN . . .

Not exactly a safe place for a former assassin and a prince with a price on his head.

In the dark streets of Auralius, Kayden and her prince struggle to find a way to set the country right again. But the Order of the MoonStone has a long reach and a strong grip.

Will the two of them be able to find a way to bring down Kayden's former employers?

Or will Kayden's unusual charm help them to find an ally where there was none?


You can find A Tragic Consequence on Goodreads

Order of the MoonStone series samplerCheck out the free series sampler!
The Order of the MoonStone sampler
by J.C. Morrows


Blurb:
A Country… A King… A Choice…

When she falls in love with her target, Kayden realizes she cannot fulfill her mission. Now she will have to reveal her deepest, darkest secrets to the Prince… or it could mean both their lives.

This FREE digital sampler includes excerpts from the first four books in JC Morrows' romantic, edge-of-your-seat suspense-filled, bestselling young adult series”as well as a teaser to the highly anticipated fifth book, A Broken Kingdom!


You can get this sampler for free at the following places:
- Amazon
- B&N
- Kobo
- Scribd
- Inketera


About the Author:
JC Morrows - Bestselling author of YA Christian speculative fiction, drinker of coffee and avid reader - is a storyteller in the truest sense of the word. JC has been telling stories in one form or another her entire life and once her mother convinced her to write them down, she couldn't stop.

You can find and contact JC Morrows here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Newsletter
- Instagram
- Pinterest
- Tumblr

Giveaway
There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of A Tragic Consequence. These are the prizes you can win:
- paperback copy of one book in the Order of the Moonstone series by JC Morrows, winners choice (US only)
- e-copy of one book in the Order of the Moonstone series by JC Morrows, winners choice (International)

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Girl in the Air by Tyler Pike Blog Tour





About the Book


Title: Girl in the Air
Author: Tyler Pike
Publisher: Tyler Pike Books
Pages: 352
Genre:  Magical Realism Action Thriller / YA Paranormal Thriller

6'3" 200LBS, AIRBORNE AND ANGRY. ARE THEY SMART ENOUGH TO LEAVE HER ALONE?

A teenaged loner who sees more than she should, Alice Brickstone’s mission in life is to find out who or what killed her twin brother a decade earlier. All her parents will divulge is that he died on a family trip to an ashram in India, a place impossibly far from her remote ski town in Colorado. When she begins to see faces from her childhood nightmares, Alice buries her fear and pounces on the opportunity to hunt for information…and revenge. She works alone and observes no caution. Her simple mission is complicated when a strange Himalayan hermit shows up in the woods near her house telling her that she has paranormal abilities. Skeptical but determined to use any advantage to end the threat against her, she is shocked to suddenly become the hunted. There is only one way out—Alice must master her newfound skills and fly before tragedy takes over again.

GIRL IN THE AIR is the first book in a series of page-turning, fast-paced magical realism thrillers set in the Rocky Mountains. Be transported into Alice’s low-tech world of ancient yogic supernatural abilities, modern teenaged angst and post-modern world problems. Readers interested in Asian mythology will love discovering subtle allusions to the Mahabharata, and yoga practitioners will twist and writhe in their seats. If you like your heroes big like Jack Reacher, weird like Carrie, or scarred like Harry Potter, you’ll love Tyler Pike’s character, Alice Brickstone.

Buy GIRL IN THE AIR today and join Alice on her harrowing ride.

“It’s good, and wackily funny, and mostly ridiculously believable…An unstoppable magic realism action thriller.” – Tom Flood, Award-winning Author

For More Information


Book Excerpt:
Chapter 1


It was five in the morning and completely dark outside. In late spring the sun wouldn’t rise over the ski mountain for another two hours. For a few little creatures out there, the day had already begun. There was a rustle in the leaves below her window, probably a deer mouse making her way to a nest somewhere. She heard a tiny peep that could have been a downy woodpecker chick.
     She rolled over, lingering in the space between her nightmares and her morning zombie routine, and remembered it was Saturday. Her swim team only trained once today but it was usually a strong session. She would eventually have to stumble out of bed, gather her bag, eat something and cycle to the pool.
     Laying there a moment longer, she listened for any sounds in her parents’ huge, empty house, but heard none. Her mom would also be hearing the morning noises from her meditation cushion in her yoga room.
What drove Mom to wake up so early, she wondered. Did she hear things when she meditated? Dad, for his part, would be dead to the world. It would take an act of God to wake him from the stupor of his hangover.
     After finally motivating herself to roll out of bed, Alice stumbled downstairs with her swimming bag, grabbed four ice cream sandwiches and an energy bar for breakfast on the ride. She took down her bike off its hooks in the garage, clipped on her helmet and cycled down the driveway.
     Her bike tires hit the gravel road. There would be no other cars up here this early and no other man-made sound of any kind. Above the crunching of her fat tires, Alice heard a tentative whistle from a hawk. It could have come from the edge of the Knifespur Wilderness where the old growth forest began. Then she heard vast expanses of pine trees rustled by a tiny breeze as it meandered, pushed by the warming dawn.
     Some different sound reached her ear, like the wind had twisted itself into words.
     “Fat girl,” she heard. “Regular routines. Easy target.”
     She knew it had been her imagination but still the road corridor through the trees looked suddenly ominous, dark and claustrophobic. She pedaled a bit harder.
     After a few hundred yards, she let her attention drift again and she heard a very distant whisper say, “I’m going to get you today, fat girl.”
     She forced herself to focus on her breathing in order to shut her mind up. It was a survival technique she had learned through years of battles against her fears and memories. She had a bad habit of imagining worst-case scenarios. It’s like that mad impulse to jump when you’re standing on a ledge. She always imagined her brother dying by thousands of spiders, slow-moving steamrollers, or being dropped out of a plane, and she often thought that the same kinds of things would be waiting for her around the next corner.
     She took both hands off her handlebars, finished her last ice cream and the energy bar, then sped up to ensure she got to the pool on time. The road passed only a few other houses before emerging onto the two-lane Colorado Highway 320. From there she had a straight shot downhill to town.
     She was feeling more awake by the time she arrived at the pool where her swim team trained every morning and every afternoon. It was an Olympic-length, fifty-meter pool in a new aquatic center on the university campus. She should feel grateful her dad’s company had helped to pay for her swim team’s pool time. Her coach had some idea this scrappy little squad may someday rival the quality of the elite Denver swim teams. Fat chance, Alice thought. Kids up here were too focused on drugs, mountain biking and skiing, leaving few girls who even bothered learning how to swim. Only Alice and one other girl on her team were starting to post some times that rivaled some of the better swimmers based in Denver.
     She locked up her bike and walked purposefully toward the entrance. The automatic doors slid open and the welcome smell of chlorine billowed out, triggering her anticipation of the pain of her morning workout. Alice put up with the monotony of long hours in the pool because swimming enabled her to temporarily escape from herself, or at least from her endless droning anxieties. She felt like the exhaustion released her from those, as well as some from invisible burden. Sometimes, in certain rare moments, the feeling of the water was more than therapy and recalled the ecstasy of a flying dream.
     Hesitant voices of other teenage girls in her junior squad were already echoing in the huge expanse of the domed building. The pool was like a solid slab of blue glass lit from within by circular lights. She heard a splash and saw the first person dive in to break the perfect stillness of the water. The water lights cast circular shapes that danced and changed on the roof.
     Alice made her way to the change room, put on her swimsuit and grabbed her cap and goggles.
     On the way to the toilet, she caught a glance of herself in the mirror and paused. She was, undeniably, getting stronger. People started gawking at her when she sprouted to six feet tall as a fifteen-year-old and she drew even more stares when she pushed up another three inches this year and ate her way to two hundred pounds. She saw some of the fat had transformed into long, bulging strands of functional muscle. She was taller, broader and stronger than most men. Still flat-chested but, for a swimmer, that was not bad news.
     She tried out a pose like she had seen bodybuilders do and was pleased to see a very large muscular “V” shape form in the back of her arms, but one of her arms had a painful zit on it. She tried to flex the muscles of her huge thighs but there wasn’t much definition and some fat pushed out from under the seam of her Speedos.
     She went into one of the stalls, sat down to pee and recalled something her coach had said to her on the previous day. He had told her that if she posted a few good times in the swim meet in Denver next weekend, she could qualify for the western zone championships in California. There were four zones in the US and each one held championships attracting the best age-group and senior swimmers in its quadrant of the country. Since turning fifteen, a year ago, Alice became a senior swimmer and often had to compete against girls up to nineteen years old. She hadn’t bothered racing any long course meets and hadn’t yet posted a qualifying time for this year's western zone championships.
When he told her about next weekend’s meet, one of the last opportunities for her to qualify, a couple of her teammates whispered to one another and giggled.
     As she sat on the toilet, she stared at the closed door, taking shallow breaths and feeling stressed. She replayed that scene over and over: Coach talking, girls laughing at her. Why were they laughing?
     The quiet in the change rooms shook her out of her trance and she realized she must be late. She jumped up and accidentally dropped her goggles in the yellow water in the toilet bowl.
     Coach ignored her as she rushed out to the pool.
     She swished her goggles around in the water at the edge to wash the toilet water off before putting them on and dove into her lane to start the warmup. The cold water gave her a jolt and she launched into a slow freestyle, her arms arcing lazily, one at a time, hands soft. Already a couple of laps behind the other girls, she pushed into a few faster laps and was surprised to feel her body sitting much higher in the water than usual. She felt strong. She also felt angry. The presence of such a huge wellspring of anger made her suspect it would be a good morning in the water.
     After she finished her warmup laps she bobbed in the water and looked carefully at the whiteboard. In anticipation of next weekend’s meet in Denver, Coach had designed the program today around some time trial sets at race pace. She loved that. She relished pushing her body way past the comfort zone. Her body was like a sledgehammer she could use to brutalize the water and deposit this anger she was feeling.
     She noticed Madison had also been swimming very well today and had been on her heels the whole time.
     When it was finally time to start the race-pace sets, Alice was feeling pumped.      Coach had organized the starting platforms and touch pad timers to be in place today to simulate a race environment. He kept large databases with all their split times at practices and races.
     Alice didn’t really care about that stuff. She just liked effort, strength and the raw feeling of speed in the water, the rest of the world blocked out.
     When Coach called the 200 meter freestyle—her favorite event—Alice climbed her block and Madison took the next lane over. A few other girls were also training for the 200 and they filled the next two lanes.
     Alice thought for a moment as Coach set up the timing system. Four laps in the pool. Coach wants me to swim each lap faster than the last. That means I am only allowed to put in a hundred percent effort in the last lap, or maybe the last two laps. What a bunch of crap. I’m just going to go all out the whole time. I don’t care what he thinks.
     “Take your mark,” Coach said into a megaphone.
     Alice placed one foot back, reached down and took hold of the front edge of the block. She leaned back slightly and tensed her body for a fast start.
    When she heard the electronic start tone, a fresh wave of anger passed over her, forcing her to pause for a millisecond, enough time to see Madison already launching herself off the platform ahead of her.
     Bang. She launched into the air with a ferocious explosion of her core muscles and legs. Alice hit the water and one of her goggle eyes filled with water. It would be just an annoyance but she would not be able to see Madison very well underwater in the next lane. She held her arms above her head, hands together in a streamline position, biceps against her ears, and gave five very powerful dolphin kicks underwater.
     She surfaced and began her stroke. Her body lifted to the top of the water again and she felt even more powerful than she had earlier. She felt like she was swimming downhill. She felt anger and strength in equal parts.
     She made her first turn and decided to see if she really could swim the second lap faster than the first. She refused to grant her coach the satisfaction that he was right she was going to ‘bonk’ after going out too hard and she would have to swim the last lap with nothing left in the tank. Her body responded and she practically flew through the water toward her second turn.
     She turned and hammered the wall again with her powerful legs. In the stillness of her underwater glide, something changed and she felt herself entering into another realm. It was as though she had broken some kind of mental barrier and found quiet. Time slowed; she was separate from her body and there was a kind of spotlight on her. She had split into swimmer and the swimmer’s witness.
     Okay, Alice, she said calmly to the swimmer, let’s lift a little more. Two laps to go, each lap faster than the last. Keep your stroke long and your legs pumping.
     The swimmer responded, moving even faster through the water. The swimmer’s whole body was burning with the fire of lactic acid and her heart was pounding, but these details didn’t matter to the witness. The witness told the swimmer to go faster and accelerate into the last lap.
     She turned tightly and began swimming longer and harder. Suddenly the split between swimmer and witness was destroyed and the silence obliterated. Anger returned. She was hurting and her technique fell apart. Vaguely aware of all that, Alice refused to slow down and increased her stroke rate, throwing her arms over madly. Tasting lactic acid, she hammered her way to the wall and hit the timing pad hard enough to break a few fingernails.
     She stood and gasped for air. She lifted her goggles and couldn’t see anything but black dots. She gasped again furiously and felt sick. She retched but managed to avoid throwing up.
     She was completely alone on the wall. It seemed a long time before she could breathe without making gasping noises like a dying person. She turned and saw Madison swimming hard into the wall, but she was so far behind. Wondering what was going on, she had a strange feeling she had swum too few laps.
     She looked up at the pool deck expecting Coach to be laughing. She couldn’t even count out four laps of the swimming pool. He wasn’t laughing and didn’t appear to be preparing to come over and yell at her. He was just standing there staring at the scoreboard.
     Phew, she thought. He didn’t notice.
     Madison finally touched the wall, came up for air and looked straight to the scoreboard.
     “Oh...my...God!” was all she could say, in between gasps.
     A bunch of the other girls were starting to crowd around the scoreboard. Probably laughing at her, Alice expected. If she had any energy she would have slunk off into the deep water and disappeared, humiliated.
     A couple of the other girls came over to Alice’s lane. “Alice, you just broke two minutes. You just swam a 1:58!”
     Eyes wide as eggs, Madison turned back to Alice. “Oh my God, Alice, what the hell was that?”
     Alice didn’t really know what to say. Her previous personal best in training was a 2:06: fast enough for a top three finish at the western zone championships. A 1:58? That was only three seconds off the state record. It was only five seconds off the world record.
     Coach ignored her and stopped above Madison.
     “Mad Dog, that was 2:12, a personal best. Nice swim. That would have earned you a second place in the zones last year. Lap one, thirty-five seconds, then thirty-four seconds, thirty and thirty-five on your last lap. That third lap was a screamer. Your kick came in well but your stroke rate was a bit too high. That’s why you bonked on the last lap. I’m confident that you could take three seconds off that time by lowering your stroke rate on lap three — long and strong. You’re right on pace for qualifying for the zone champs.”
     Alice listened to Coach talking in this way to the other two girls but she knew nobody was paying much attention. They were all looking at her.
     “You okay?” Madison asked over the lane rope. “I got a good start, way ahead of you, and then you caught me and were already about three body lengths ahead by the second wall. I’ve never seen you swim like that.”
     “I don’t know...” That was all Alice could manage. Her body was starting to feel like it was made of cotton. She felt sick to her stomach again.
     Coach moved all four girls into another lane to warm down and started another time trial with four more girls.
     As she continued to warm down and loosen up, Alice tried to remember how she felt during the swim: the anger, the strange moment when she felt like she was two different people, the anger again. She was familiar with anger. It was like her best friend, but the other thing was new. The quietude she felt when she split into witness and swimmer did more than help her swim faster; it created a clean split between herself and her pain. All of her pain, not just her physical pain. She tried to recreate the split again but it didn’t seem possible anymore. She didn’t know how to get there. There was only the rhythmic sound of the splashing and the rush of water against her swimming cap.
     Although she couldn’t split herself again, she noticed she felt different. Exactly how, she couldn’t place, but definitely different. She decided maybe she just needed to puke or something.
     Her next race pace set was the four hundred meter free, but she swam slower than she usually did in that discipline. She was hardly winded at the end and coach gave her a look of complete exasperation when he read her split times out. She had a few more trials but loafed through all of them.
     Alice warmed down, got out and showered. She wanted to be alone now. Her stomach was feeling better and she had her mind on breakfast and coffee. As usual, she definitely wanted to avoid conversation with any of the other girls, but as soon as she emerged from the locker room, she knew that was going to be difficult. They were all standing there waiting for her.
     Madison was there and her little fan, Bess, and several others were there with her.
     Alice, congrats on that swim.” Madison was wearing her usual post-swimming gear: jeans and a sloppy t-shirt. She looked sincere and Alice could sense nothing to indicate she wasn’t.
     “Yeah.” Bess pushed her hip to the side. “Your dad works at a pharmaceutical company, doesn’t he? You must be getting some fantastic ‘supplements.’ Where can I get some?”
            She walked by the girls in silence, looking at the ground. The swim had left Alice feeling blank and empty, as though she left part of herself in the pool. It was like the girls and the pool were part of a dream and she was not even the dreamer. It was like she and the girls were all together in someone else’s dream.

About the Author


Tyler Pike is an up-and-coming voice in the thriller genre, earning many accolades for his newly launched thriller series. Before turning to novels, he was a sinologist, lived in China for many years, and eventually earned a PhD in Chinese poetry and lectured at the University of Sydney in Chinese. He and his wife also spent many years studying Hindu philosophy, traveling in India and running a yoga studio in Sydney, before it all came down on their heads.
        
When he is not writing, you’ll either find him down at the beach with his young family or out on the open road. He is an avid ocean swimmer and long distance runner.

Tyler Pike lives with his family in Australia and the US.

Tyler is different from most popular writers in that he endeavors to respond personally to every email and loves sharing his journey with his readers.

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