So little time...: March 2013

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

W... W... W... Wednesdays

This is my first W..W..W.. Wednesdays hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Hopefully, I will to do this weekly. It sounds like fun! To play along, just answer the following three questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you'll read next?

What am I currently reading? I'm going to start reading At Fault by J. W. Becton. This is the third book of the series, and I've been looking forward to reading it!!

Operating on an insider’s tip, Julia and Vincent must go undercover to infiltrate an organized fraud ring led by a cruel, manipulative boss. But the closer they come to identifying the size and scope of the organization, the more they realize that their source has withheld vital information, causing them to make errors in their investigation—errors that may have grave consequences for an innocent victim.

Meanwhile, Vincent and Julia must both confront mistakes from the past that could rise up to destroy their hopes for the future. Vincent’s tenuous relationship with his son is tested once again. And now that Julia’s search for her sister’s rapist has finally paid off, how will Tricia and the rest of the family react to the news that she has been hiding her investigation from them all?

Will Julia and Vincent unravel the fraud ring before someone innocent gets hurt? Will they be able to keep their families together? Will they cling to the belief that they have done right, or will they begin to see themselves as people At Fault?

What did I recently finish reading? I just finished reading All the Appearance of Goodness by Maria Grace. This is the third in the Given Good Principles trilogy.

What is a young woman to do? One handsome young man has all the goodness, while the other the appearance of it. How is she to separate the gentleman from the cad?

When Darcy joins his friend, Bingley on a trip to Meryton, the last thing on his mind is finding a wife. Meeting Elizabeth Bennet changes all that, but a rival for his affections appears from a most unlikely quarter. He must overcome his naturally reticent disposition if he is to have a chance of winning her favor.

Elizabeth’s thoughts turn to love and marriage after her sister, Mary’s, engagement. In a few short weeks she goes from knowing no eligible young men, to being courted by two. Both are handsome gentleman, but one conceals secrets and the other conceals his regard. Will she determine which is which before she commits to the wrong one?

What do I think I'll be reading next? My plan is to read The Karmic Connection by Libby Mercer. This will be release in April.

What is the universe up to?

Guilty of nothing more than working too much - or so they say - Adam Stowe is dumped at a "wellness center" in the middle of nowhere by a couple of concerned colleagues. When he meets Lorraine, the beautiful and bewitching yoga instructor, his spirits start to lift, but once he discovers what a flighty fruitcake she is, they drop back down to subterranean levels.

For Lorraine Jameson, Luna Wellness Center was a beacon of solace when her life was falling apart, and she can't stand the way Adam's toxic energy is poisoning the peace. He embodies everything negative about the life she discarded eighteen months ago. Despite being fiercely attracted to the arrogant man, she's determined not to let Adam Stowe anywhere near her heart.

Adam and Lorraine couldn't be more unsuitable as a potential couple... so why is the universe so dead set on uniting these two?

The Karmic Connection is a different kind of love story with a cast of quirky characters and a mystical, magical New Age-y flavor.

What are you reading?

Monday, March 25, 2013

Review and GIVEAWAY: A Most Civil Proposal by C. P. Odom

Book Blurb:

"You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." When Fitzwilliam Darcy spoke these words to Elizabeth Bennet as part of his marriage proposal, they expressed his concealed feelings completely, but their meaning was at odds with the rest of his prideful and arrogant offer of marriage. It was therefore rather easy for Elizabeth to reject his offer in much the same manner. But what if Darcy, never one at ease when trying to speak of inner sentiments, had realized beforehand how his intended proposal would sound to the young woman he hoped to make his bride? What if he had attempted a much more civil and thoughtful proposal of marriage? Could Elizabeth Bennet have coldly and angrily rejected an offer made in such a manner? A Most Civil Proposal, a variation on Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," examines and explores how the lives of the two main characters and their families and friends might have turned out differently had Darcy realized his error beforehand and thus avoided being so forcefully instructed and corrected by the love of his life.

Paperback, 302 pages
Published: February 28th 2013
Meryton Press

My Review:

Loved this story!! As you probably know by now, Pride and Prejudice variations/what-ifs are my favorite stories to read. A Most Civil Proposal is a variation that I am going to have to put into my top 10 favorites!! It’s that good!

What if, Darcy was more thoughtful during his proposal to Elizabeth? What if he took the time to think out his proposal, and write it down on paper before going to the parsonage to make an offer to Elizabeth? Would Elizabeth be more willing to accept him, despite her anger at him for separating Jane and Bingley? And what about her resentment for the way Darcy treated Wickham - could she overcome those prejudices with "a most civil proposal"?

I loved this proposal! Realizing that he becomes so taken with Elizabeth when he is around her that he can’t remember what to say, Darcy prepares himself the night before. He carefully writes down his thoughts. Thankfully, he has his notes with him and can pull them from his pocket to refer to them. (I found it pretty funny that he actually pulls out a “cheat sheet” to propose!) I loved seeing the stoic Darcy become so rattled!

I also loved this Bingley!! When learning that Jane has been in London (something I’ve always wanted to happen! Thank you, Odom!), he immediately goes to her. After being cautions and unsure of himself in the past, he realizes now he needs to be quick and get right to the point. It’s a lovely scene. Oh, and he is not too happy with Caroline for not telling him Jane was in London. Bingley finally grows a backbone, without losing his sweetness.

I did feel that Darcy and Elizabeth rush a little too quickly to the altar, and Elizabeth was a little too agreeable on that matter. In my humble opinion, I felt that waiting a few weeks would have been better.

I would highly recommend A Most Civil Proposal for your reading pleasure, especially if you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice spin-offs!

**Warning: I would rate this mature for adult content**

5 out of 5 stars.

I was provided a copy the book for my honest review.

Buy your copy at Amazon. (Disclaimer: Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link I will receive a small commission.)

To learn more about the author, you can read an interview with C. P. Odom at Leatherbound Reviews! You can also read more about him at More Agreeably Engaged!

A Most Civil Proposal completes my 5th selections of the Pride and Prejudice Bicentenary Challenge 2013 hosted by Austenprose.

* * * GIVEAWAY * * *

Update! If you look at the comments below, Michele Reed from Meryton Press has graciously offered to giveaway one Free Trade Paperback copy of A Most Civil Proposal to one lucky commentor! How awesome it that!! This giveaway is open Internationally. The last day to enter is April 1, 2013.
Please, leave an email or twitter name so we can contact the winner!

Good luck everyone!!

Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you!

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Bloggiesta!

Hi everyone! This weekend I've been participating in the Bloggiesta!

This is the first time I've joined in on the fun, and I'm late posting my list. So, instead of posting what I hope to get done, I'll post what I have accomplished.

1. I found my "follow me on twitter" button wasn't working. I fixed that.

2. I made a blog button for my blog. I made two actually. I have one up.

Which one do you like?

Update! I wrote a code to grab my button with the help of Snap! Creativity at Your fingertips. VERY clear instructions!

3. I wrote a couple of blog posts.

4. I moved my google reader to bloglovin. So far I'm lovin it!! I was able to move my WP blog list over, too. Now I have all the blogs I follow in one spot! Yippee! Thanks to The Picky Girl's Mini-Challenge.

Still need to finish:

Work on an About Me page.
Possibly work on a new banner.
Thinking about making a "Blogs I Love" page.
Posting a "My Star Rating System" page.

I think that's it! I've learned a lot, and I've had fun doing it!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Cover Reveal: The Karmic Connection by Libby Mercer

Today, I am doing a cover reveal for

Libby Mercer's new book:

Isn't this a cute cover??

Here's the book blurb:

The Karmic Connection

What is the universe up to?

Adam and Lorraine couldn't be more unsuitable as a potential couple... so why is the universe so dead set on uniting these two?

The Karmic Connection is a different kind of love story with a cast of quirky characters and a mystical, magical New Age-y flavor.

The release date for The Karmic Connection is

April 25th, 2013.

You can find The Karmic Connection on goodreads .

I will have a review posted on April 23rd, so stop back by! I'm looking forward to reading this!

Connect with Libby Mercer:

You can read my review for Libby Mercer's Unmasking Maya here.

Any thoughts? I love to hear from you!

Monday, March 18, 2013

Blog tour and Review: Beyond the Valley By Rita Gerlach

Today, I’m happy to be apart of the Pump Up Your Book blog tour.

About the book:

When Sarah Carr's husband Jamie drowns, her young life is shattered and takes a turn that she never expected. Pregnant and now widowed, she reaches out to Jamie's family for help, but they are unwilling. Instead they devise a plan to have her kidnapped and taken to the Colonies to live a life of servitude. Sarah's new life in the Colonies finds her surrounded by a family's whirlwind of secrets, while she hopes the young doctor she loves with will bring her freedom.

My Review:

What would it be like to be tricked, taken against your will, loaded onto a ship sailing for the colonies, and sold as an indentured servant? That’s what we find out in Beyond The Valley. In the midst of hardship, the courage of Sarah Carr shines through!

After the death of her husband, Sarah goes to the only family she has for help. Betrayed by them, she is tricked onto a ship sailing for the colonies. Dirty and hungry, she faces the humiliation of standing on a platform, being inspected like livestock. What will become of her?

This story reminded me a lot of Job. Through out all of the trails Sarah goes through, she never loses her faith in her Savior. She never loses her spunk either! She stands her ground when asked to do something she won’t do - for example, to become her master’s mistress. No, she won’t do it.

Sarah is a fiery red head, beautiful, except for a slight impediment. One of her legs is shorter than the other, giving her a limp when she walks. Some people see it as a weakness, but Sarah is a strong, hard worker, she holds her head up high when they look down at her. I liked her a lot! She is very strong! Her suffering does not stop after she is bought. She endures many injustices; the threat of being sold to someone else, hunger, being killed or captured by Indians to name a few. She gets caught up in a web of deceit that is heartbreaking.

When she meets Dr Alex Hutton and his adorable nieces, she falls in love. Alex is also taken with Sarah, and he tries to convince Mr. Wentworth, Sarah’s master, to sell her to him. Wentworth refuses and sells Sarah to Mr. Thrasher, a trapper, who takes her into the frontier to help keep his house and cook for him. In the frontier, she faces the danger of Indian raids. Will Alex be able to find her, or is she lost to him forever.

In this historical novel, we see some of the many struggles women faced in the 1700s. They did not have many rights. It could be a very hard life, especially for a woman with no family to protect her.

I enjoyed Beyond the Valley! This is the third book in the Daughters of the Potomac Series. It does stand alone. I have not read the first two, but I might have to!

4 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of the book for my honest review.

Buy your copy: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
(Disclaimer for Amazon link: Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link I will receive a small commission.)

About the Author:

Rita Gerlach writes inspirational historical fiction with a romantic bent, with unique settings in both America and England. She lives with her husband and two sons in a historical town nestled along the Catoctin Mountains amid Civil War battlefields and Revolutionary War outposts in central Maryland.

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