Restore My Heart

(Daddy’s Girls #1) By: Chelsea Camaron. Format: Paperback. Read: December 2013.

Dina Fowlers lost her parents in a horrific accident and was a victim of domestic violence that left her self-confidence shattered. Two and a half years later, she is a shell of her former self and despite the fact that she appreciates Ryder Davenport saving her life, she still can’t speak to him. There is a strong connection between her and Ryder, but she has to decide whether or not she can trust him.

Restore My Heart is a cute, easy to read novella. Camaron delivers her story in a unique fashion, by using points-of-view from both Ryder and Dina. Each chapter covers the same events, but gives readers a different perspective and allows them to connect to the characters. Unfortunately, there are a few times when this causes redundant details, which interrupt the flow of the plot. There are several serious topics and events that could have been covered more thoroughly, but overall this was a fast and fun read.

Enjoy!
~Ariesgrl

Notes:
The author provided a copy of this book for me to review. To learn more about this author and her work, please visit her website.

My Sister’s Books Review #27

The Bullet Catch
By: Lynn Hodges

Detective Logan Hawthorne Michaels runs a special company that excels in discovering the truth by using unique talents of each of their employees. For Logan Michaels, he enjoys using the power of deception that he learned through magic to weave his way to the truth. Hence the phone call that he received, asking for his expertise to help solve the mystery behind the Amazing Gregor’s death. Amazing Gregor is a talented magician who aims to please the crowds by catching a bullet in his teeth. Unfortunately for him, the trick fails and brings about instant death. When part of his crew disappears out of thin air, detective Logan and the local police are taken on a wild ride.

The Bullet Catch is the first book in the magical detective series by Lynn Hodges. It starts with a bang and will keep readers guessing right up until the very end. The story is told through several different points of view, which can be confusing at times, especially when there is a plethora of characters introduced in the beginning. However readers will enjoy playing the guessing game, as they figure out the truth behind this disastrous magic act. The writer uses his experience in magic to bring the trickery alive in this book, which is a promising start to a hopefully intriguing series.

Similar Authors:
Scott Jenkins, John Bohannon, Lesley Cookman

Notes:
This review was written for My Sister’s Books. To learn more about this bookstore, please visit their website.

Welcome… Author Julia McDermott!

Good Morning Everyone,

Please help me give a warm welcome to author, Julia McDermott. She is here today to answer a few questions about her latest book, Underwater. Plus she has a few questions for everyone here.

Enjoy!
~Ariesgrl

*********
1. Hi Julia. Could you please tell my followers a little bit about yourself and your book Underwater?

Hi, Nicole! Thanks for having me! I was born in Dallas, grew up in Atlanta, and went to UNC-Chapel Hill, spending my junior year abroad in the South of France. I’m married with four almost-grown children, and my family has lived in Dallas, Detroit, Wichita, and Atlanta, where we’ve been since 2000. I write full-time, belong to the Atlanta Writers Club and a wonderful writers’ group, and am always looking for people with whom to practice my French. I love writing, reading, the beach, autumn, football, the holidays, most kinds of art, and all things French.

Underwater is my second novel and was released in August 2013. It’s the story of a super-wealthy Atlanta businesswoman, Candace Morgan, whose ne’er-do-well brother, Monty Carawan, guilts her into funding a luxury home for him to renovate and flip just before the real estate market takes a dive. Candace believes that by “helping” Monty, she’s fulfilled a decades-old promise and righted a wrong turn in her past. But when the housing market plunges even further, the tension between her and Monty rises to a boiling point, and she finds herself roped into a desperate, downward spiral of deceit. Monty’s wife Helen strives to keep their marriage afloat as rough seas threaten their young family, and her own demons rise to the surface.

Underwater looks at the powers of jealousy, greed, and shame, and tests the limits of generosity, in a long-held family pattern of enabling, as stakes rise to a crescendo.

2. What inspired you to dive into writing?

My dream to become a writer was born in the 7th grade, when my class was assigned to write a novel, and my classmates liked my story the best. However, I put that dream on the back burner, and after college, I worked in the banking and software industries before staying home to raise my children. As they grew, I read everything from classics to commercial fiction, often wondering how my favorite authors came up with their characters and plots, and what it was about their stories that made me sad to arrive at the last page.

When my youngest child was twelve, I considered my dream to become a writer, and at the start of the school year, I sat down to a blank computer screen and began. I finished the draft in the spring and began revisions, joined a writers’ group, attended workshops and revised some more. I kept reading a variety of fiction and began writing Underwater about a year before my first novel, Make that deux was released.

3. Underwater focuses on sibling dynamics. Do you have siblings and if so, are there any characters/characteristics based on your family?

I have a sister who is five years older, and a brother six years younger, but the siblings in Underwater are not based on them. I’ve known siblings close in age who are very competitive, and whose relationships are sometimes tense. I drew on these observations to create the relationships between Candace and Monty, and to a lesser extent, Helen and Dawn. Sibling rivalries have been written about since the story of Cain and Abel and the plays of Shakespeare, and I find the dynamics of siblings fascinating.

4. (Question from a follower) How important are your characters’ names and how do you name them?

My characters’ names are very important. I chose an unusual, strong but feminine name for the main character, Candace. I wanted many other characters’ names to suggest something about them: Helen, Dawn, Frank, Rob, Jack, Deirdre, Beau, Rich, Chip and Sonny. I chose Monty for two reasons: I wanted a name that ends in a long “e” sound, and if you change one letter, “Monty” becomes “money.” I decided on several other names only because I like them: Adele, Lucy, Darlene, Ginger, Wendy, Elena, and Julia.

5. Do you have any other books available or plans for future books?

My “New Adult” Romance/French Travel novel, Make that deux was published in October 2012. I am writing a work of creative nonfiction, which I plan to release next summer or fall, and I’m in the planning stages of my next project, another Suspense novel.

6. Where can readers find you and your books?

Find me on my:

Website: http://makethatjulie.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaC.mcdermott

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakeThatJulie

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/julia-mcdermott/18/95a/b45

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6557107.Julia_McDermott

Find my books on Amazon, Kindle and other e-readers, and order them at any bookstore! Here are the links for Amazon:

Underwater
Make That Deux

7. Is there anything you would like to ask the followers or me?

How do you find your next book to read? If you read a book you enjoy, do you tell friends and acquaintances about it, what you liked about it, and where to buy it? When you delve into a book, are you curious about the author, and how the story came to be written? Or do you prefer just to escape into the world created by a story?

******

To answer Julia’s questions, I read any and everything. I am grateful to have several sources for finding my next read, but I like to follow authors’ websites, in order to stay up to date on new releases. There is nothing better than discussing a great book with friends. I like “finding” new to me authors and learning more about them and their work. What about all of you?

Welcome… Author Jamie Baywood!

About:
Craving change and lacking logic, at 26, Jamie, a cute and quirky Californian, impulsively moves to New Zealand to avoid dating after reading that the country’s population has 100,000 fewer men. In her journal, she captures a hysterically honest look at herself, her past and her new wonderfully weird world filled with curious characters and slapstick situations in unbelievably bizarre jobs. It takes a zany jaunt to the end of the Earth and a serendipitous meeting with a fellow traveler before Jamie learns what it really means to get rooted.

Excerpt:

“Just like “biscuits,” the word “rooting” has a completely different meaning in New Zealand than it does in California. In California, one would say they need to get rooted when they settle in somewhere, as in, to put down roots, to ground themselves. After living oblivious to the New Zealand definition for five months and while brushing my teeth with Liam the other night, I told him, “I’m really excited to live in this house because I really need to get rooted. I traveled all around Samoa for a month before I came here, and the first place I lived in New Zealand didn’t work out, so I had to move. I’m excited to stay in one place long enough to get rooted.”

Liam’s eyes almost popped out of his head, and he just about choked on his toothbrush. He spat out his toothpaste, staring at me out of the corner of his eye. Finally he spoke, “Jamie, are you hitting on me? Do you know what rooting means here?”” page 55.

About the Author:

Jamie Baywood grew up in Petaluma, California. In 2010, she made the most impulsive decision of her life by moving to New Zealand. Getting Rooted in New Zealand is her first book about her experiences living there. Jamie is now married and living happily ever after in the United Kingdom. She is working on her second book.

Getting Rooted in New Zealand is available in paperback and ebook on Amazon.

Jamie Baywood can be followed on the following sites:

http://www.facebook.com/jamiebaywood

Tweets by JamieBaywood

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7069448.Jamie_Baywood
http://www.amazon.com/author/jamiebaywood

Children’s and YA Books

Hi Everyone,

As you know, I like to show my support of Indie Authors by featuring them on here through guest posts and/or interviews. All genres are supported here on this website at anytime. With the holiday season officially underway, I would like to set aside some of these days for Children’s and YA authors. (After all, the gift of reading is one that lasts a lifetime.) I will still feature other authors and other genres during this time, but I hope to be able to schedule weekly Children’s/YA Authors, if there is enough interest.

What do you all think?

Have a great day!

Enjoy!
~Ariesgrl

The Devil You Know

By: Sexcee Jackson. Format: eBook. Read: October 2013.

Tran is the ultimate hot shot baseball player with more money than he can count, while his fiancée, Angie, is studying law and preparing to take her BAR exam. In the process of filling out paperwork for the wedding and her honeymoon, she discovers that her birth certificate is false. Having grown up in an abusive Compton orphanage, violent memories start crashing back to surface. Afraid that Tran will no longer love her if she confesses about her abusive past, she turns to her best friend and confidant, Satanya. As Satanya starts to rebel and protest the marriage, Angie tries to push her away. Through many pains and heartaches, Angie must choose between her best friend and her fiancé.

This book starts out with one heck of an explosive beginning and ends in a similar fashion. Sexcee Jackson delivers more dramatic twists and turns than in most Shakespearian plays. This story takes an intriguing dive into the ramifications of childhood abuse, along with the morals and justifications for every decision. Unfortunately, due to graphic nature and crude language this book will not be to everyone’s liking. There are several grammatical errors in the narration and the narration seems to deviate between a neutral point of view and a more character-based point of view. The dialect of the characters is very specific to their Compton background, yet doesn’t seem to match with their chosen careers. Overall, The Devil You Know is a thought-provoking psychological tale.

I have to admit this was a difficult book for me to read. I was hooked with the shocking beginning and surprised by the ending. I enjoyed the plotline, but had difficulty keeping up with the narration. However, it definitely kept me guessing and I was shocked by the final twist at the end.

Enjoy!
~Ariesgrl

Notes:
The author provided a copy of this book for me to review. To learn more about this author and her work, please visit her website.

Welcome… Author Anne Strauss!!!

Hi Everyone,

Today we have a guest post written by author Anne Strauss. She is here to tell us how she was inspired to write her book, A Medical Affair.

I hope you all enjoy!
~Ariesgrl

A MEDICAL AFFAIR

by Anne McCarthy Strauss

Nobody Talks About It, But Doctor/Patient Affairs Happen All the Time

What if your medical doctor wanted to have sex with you? What if he greeted you with a full frontal hug instead of a handshake when he walked into the exam room? What if his hand lingered over your breast a little longer than necessary when he listened to your heartbeat? What if he wrote his cell phone number on his prescription pad and handed it to you saying, “Call any time?”

Nobody talks about it, but it happens all the time. Over 12 percent of doctors admit to having had an affair with at least one of their patients. And most of those patients feel flattered at the attention of the highly regarded doctor. This is because the average person has absolutely no idea that a doctor having an affair with a patient violates the Medical Code of Ethics and is illegal in most states. The doctor can be prosecuted. He can – and should – lose his license to practice medicine.

One of my favorite endorsements of my book, A MEDICAL AFFAIR, was written by a nurse with over two decades of experience. Lorraine Austin, RN wrote:

As a medical professional for over 25 years, I have seen the problem of inappropriate doctor/patient relationships many times. It happens so frequently and yet it’s seldom talked about beyond office gossip. A MEDICAL AFFAIR is the first novel to explain to the reader that when he or she is approached by their personal physician as a lover, they are not being flattered, they are being victimized. Medical professionals know this, and Anne McCarthy Strauss is the first novelist to reveal the truth to those who have no inclination that they are being abused.

“They are not being flattered, they are being victimized.” My goal in writing A MEDICAL AFFAIR was to make every person – and every potential victim – in this situation aware of the truth behind the flattery. I intend to write more books in the future in novel format that portray various human issues and let the reader know how to resolve them. I feel the “story” element of a novel may be more easily absorbed by many readers than is the traditional self help book.

I was inspired to write A MEDICAL AFFAIR after hearing too many stories from women who had had the experience of having had an affair with their doctor… and ended up devastated. My goal was to write a sort of self-help book in the format of a novel…and I am pleased to see it is being reviewed as just that.

A MEDICAL AFFAIR is the fictitious tale of a woman who falls for her doctor and has an affair with him. It tells the story of a woman who falls deeply for a man she relies upon…even though the situation tells her she should run from him as fast as she can.

While telling the story of protagonist Heather Morrison’s affair with her doctor, Jeffrey Davis, MD, A MEDICAL AFFAIR at the same time shows a woman exactly how to traverse the slippery slope of disengaging herself from such an affair, and seeing that the doctor gets what he deserves for preying upon his patient. Few people realize that the doctor-patient dynamic puts the patient in the same situation as a child abused by a teacher, even though the patient is an adult.

Here’s an excerpt from A MEDICAL AFFAIR. It’s about 1/3 into the book after the protagonist, Heather Morrison, learns that Dr. Jeff Davis has had affairs with a number of his patients. She has just met with one of his previous lovers.

After Melissa left, Heather stayed behind in the restaurant. She went through the motions of taking care of the bill. Smile. Pay. Tip. She lifted the two crisp tens Melissa had left on the tray. Adding two of her own, she returned them to the gold-trimmed jade tray that held the bill. Her legs were weak and shaking, her knees grazing the bottom of the table.

She stood and left the restaurant. Instead of heading for the subway, she walked a few blocks until she saw a Rite Aid drugstore. She went inside and bought two gigantic bags of M&M’s—one plain, one peanut.

“Sweet tooth got ya, sister?” the checkout clerk asked.

“I just need chocolate,” Heather said.

“Got to be a man, then,” the clerk said, two gold front teeth centering a friendly smile.

Heather felt a bond with the woman, a bond with every woman who had ever been wronged by a man. “Isn’t it always?” she asked, not needing a reply.

One block turned into another. Barely noticing how different this part of the city was from her own, Heather trudged forward, shoveling the candy into her mouth. Shoveling, chewing, and swallowing. She felt like she was walking beside herself, an unsettling feeling at best, calmed only slightly by the chocolate.

Melissa had said her affair with Jeff had lasted over six months; Suzanne’s had lasted only three. Heather counted back the months since July. Clearly I’ve met my expiration date, too.

Surrounded by the brilliant sights and sounds of Harlem, she saw nothing and heard less. It was just her and her two gigantic bags of M&M’s shoved inside a plastic Rite Aid shopping bag. Red, yellow, green, and blue. When had they started adding blue to the mix?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Medical-Affair/351712871626125

Twitter: https://twitter.com/annestr

Website: http://www.annestrauss.com

A Medical Affair on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1bDAsx2

Amazon: http://amzn.to/15WXStu

The Astral Ordinance Book 2 Blog Tour

Book Description:

With special permission from the Ascended Masters, Jayna and Ethan have a spectacular wedding in the Astral plane. Jayna’s family and close friends are also transported to the wedding and they experience the Astral plane for the first time. Life goes on in a happy monotone for the next few years. Jayna and Ethan are together every night, but they are still forbidden to see each other on the Earth plane. One morning, Jayna and Liam do not wake up from their state of suspended animation. Their family is frightened out of their wits and hold vigil by their beds. With a lot of help from Hope and guidance from the other side, the siblings finally awake. Something major has happened on the Astral plane and Jayna is not telling them the whole story, but there is no denying the sense of danger. Their almost perfect lives are about to unravel.

About the Author:

A university graduate in Economics, this mother of three and foster mother of 25 has been drawn to the world of paranormal since childhood. A devoted reader herself, Meltem Y.K has always had the aspiration to create her own brand of fantasy.

While working full-time and raising a family, into the late hours of the night, Meltem Y.K dreamed the fantasies that only she could and created a story that’s grown into the Astral Ordinance Series

Excerpt:

Cassie screamed with pain.
“How does it feel to be on the receiving end of pain, Dr. Jewel?”
“How do you know my name,” the Shadow woman asked squirming on the floor.
“I know a lot of things about you, and none of it is good. Did you feel real powerful when you had helpless people kidnapped?”
There was shock on Cassie’s grey face.
“Yeah, I know all about it. You had three innocent people killed to get your dirty hands on that gold. You are scum Cassandra Jewel.” Jayna grabbed Cassie from the floor and threw her against the wall.
Cassie cowered.
“Were you planning to go to their funeral,” Jayna asked, “and pretend you were their friend? Maybe shed a few tears?” Jayna threw a powerful punch into Cassie’s solar plexus. Cassie doubled over with pain, coughing.
“Stop it,” Cassie whispered hoarsely.
“Why should I? Tell me one good reason I should not kill you?”
Cassie coughed, still trying to catch her breath.
Jayna, that’s enough. Ethan warned her. We are not here to kill anyone.
That’s what the bitch deserves.
Jayna turned around and saw a new stack of gold plates on the dining room table. “I see, you brought more gold from the Underworld,” she said to Cassie.
She walked up to the table and scooped up the plates in her arms. They were about ten pounds. Awesome! We’ll make a few more miracles with these.
Cassie screamed with rage again. “Put those back. You can’t have them. They are mine.”
“Not on your life,” Jayna said and walked through the wall. Ethan and Colin followed her; they didn’t want to lose sight of Jayna for a second, in case the demon came back.

Social Media Links:

Author Website: http://www.meltemyk.com/about-the-author.php

Twitter: @MeltemY_K

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meltem-Y-K/165499443586418

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6862855.Meltem_Y_K_

Buy Links:

Amazon:

Astral Ordinance Book 1: http://www.amazon.com/The-Astral-Ordinance-Book-ebook/dp/B00AS1EUCU/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377029059&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=astral+ordinanca

Astral Ordinance Book 2: http://www.amazon.com/The-Astral-Ordinance-Book-ebook/dp/B00CCWELBI/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1377029059&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=astral+ordinanca

Astral Ordinance, Ayshen’s Story: http://www.amazon.com/Ayshens-Story-Astral-Ordinance-ebook/dp/B00ETNC8ZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379418995&sr=8-1&keywords=ayshen%27s+story

Smashwords:

Astral Ordinance Book I: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/267847

Astral Ordinance Book 2: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/306411

Astral Ordinance, Ayshen’s Story: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/351814

Welcome… Sage Ardman, Author!

Good Morning, Sage. Thank you for being here today. Can you please tell everyone here a little bit about yourself?

I’m 60 years old, married, and have two sons in their twenties, both of whom have left the nest. I live in California, but spend every summer in Ontario, canoeing and enjoying the beautiful waters.
I have always been a huge reader of fiction, but I never knew about romance novels until last year when I wrote “Executive Sweet”. At first, I started reading romance novels because it helped me write my book. But I soon fell in love with romances (well, most of them, anyway) and so far I’ve gobbled up 70 of them. I prefer contemporary adult, but I’ve read a few historical, paranormal, young adult, urban fantasy, etc.
So what was I doing with myself for the 59 years before romance grabbed me by the throat? I’ve been a computer programmer! These days, computers seem less and less interesting, and I spend all my time reading and writing romance.

Executive Sweet is a romance novel. What inspired you to take the leap into writing in the romance genre?

“Executive Sweet” was the result of a huge “what if” question. What if (I asked myself) a CEO intentionally tried to distract his adversaries by bringing a beautiful woman with him whose job was to tilt the negotiation in their favor? Besides being sexy, the woman would have to be business savvy, and also quite adept at playing such a “con game.” At first, I wrote some vignettes about these sorts of business deals. But then, I realized that the love interest would be compelling, and so the vignettes got woven into a romance novel. Although this seems to have a pretty standard “CEO and beautiful woman” formula, it is nothing like the other romances in that category (I know, I’ve searched in vain). In my case, the two of them start off as friendly colleagues, and the hero is much more modest (the usual attitude such men have is that they’re more powerful than everything else that walks the earth).

Your main character, Kay Samson, has found herself in an interesting business situation. Would you have the same confidence as her, if faced in a similar scenario?

One of the things that I did to prepare myself to write “Executive Sweet” was to learn about con games. I’ve read books, watched TV shows, and seen a number of movies. It takes some serious nerve to be able to pull that stuff off, and as much as I wish I could do it, I doubt I’d be able to.

What is your perfect reading/writing day?

I prefer writing to reading, so my perfect day is when I get to work on new material. The characters seem to live in my head, and I can sit for hours, typing dialog that I hear them saying. Later on, I go back over the dialog and add inner thoughts, emotions, and physical actions.

When I’m not writing, I read and read. I can sit for hours reading. And ever since EBook readers came on the market, I’m in love with them. In fact, when I’m forced to read a paper book, I hate it, and can’t wait to finish it.

Besides Executive Sweet, are there other books that you have written or books that you plan on writing soon?

It turns out that “Executive Sweet” is the first of a 3-book series that I’m now calling the “Westerley” series. Book two is nearly done and I expect it in a few months. Book three is already taking shape in my head. All three books share the same characters, but stand on their own as romances. The nice part is that they fill-in for each other, providing further character development, and sometimes even replaying a scene from a different point of view.

One thing that I’m doing (that I hope doesn’t alienate my readers) is that I’m switching genres with each book in the series. “Executive Sweet” is mostly a suspense story. Book two (tentatively titled “A Good Little Girl Like You”, a line from The Wizard of Oz) is a comedy. Book three (no working title yet) will be a paranormal romance.

Now if you want to go backwards in time, before “Executive Sweet,” you will find that I’ve written two other books. But they’re computer books, and believe me, you don’t want to read them. I know I don’t.

Bonus Questions for Giveaway:
1. What is the first romance book you ever read?
a. Sonia Singh – “Goddess for Hire”
b. Susan Elizabeth Phillips – “What I Did For Love.”
c. Joelle Charbonneau – “Skating Around the Law”

2. Out of the books list above, is there one that you wish you could “live in”?
a. Sonia Singh – “Goddess for Hire”
b. Susan Elizabeth Phillips – “What I Did For Love.”
c. Joelle Charbonneau – “Skating Around the Law”
d. None of the above, because your life has the best romance of all.

I would like to thank Sage Ardman for stopping by here today. She is offering one lucky commenter a paperback copy of her book, Executive Sweet. For your chance to win, just leave a comment below between now and Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 11:00pm EDT. Each comment will count as one entry, however, if you choose to answer either (or both) of the bonus questions and each correct answer will count as another entry. Winner will be selected using Random.org, and will be announced Wednesday, October 2, 2013. You can find my review of Executive Sweet here. Good Luck to you all!

Enjoy!
~Ariesgrl

Moon Song Cover Reveal

Synopsis:
Salem Keats has a plan. Finish her studies at Loyola as quickly as possible, prove to the Louisiana Child Custody Division that she has what it takes to care for her twin siblings Jasper and Margaret, and envelope herself in the strains of music that she creates with her violin. Then her lawyer delivers a 1, 2 punch by telling her that it would be best if she could show the judge that she is in a stable relationship.

Wyatt Crane has watched the girl who lives across the street for two years. When Salem gave him the cold-shoulder her first day in the neighborhood, he thought that would be enough to put him off her. Instead, when Salem shows up asking for his help it’s all he can do to remain aloof. One look into her tired eyes though, and he knows that this is the beginning of his end.

Brantley Howard spent a full year living under the same roof with Salem when they were teenagers. He knows her better than anyone else, and while Salem has placed him firmly within the friend zone, he longs to be all she will ever need. He’ll do whatever it takes.

When she’s forced to choose, what choice will Salem make?

Adriane Boyd on the internet:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdrianeB0622

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdrianeB09

Blog: http://adrianeboyd.blogspot.com

Moon Song On Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18107017-moon-song

Book Cover Design by Desiree DeOrto