Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Winners

Congratulations to all my recent winners - I'll be emailing tomorrow, but if you see your name here, feel free to email me your address (crystalfulcher(at)ec.rr.com). Thanks to everyone for entering, more giveaways will be coming soon. And if you have giveaways you are expecting in the mail and haven't received, I haven't forgotten you, funds have been tight, but I expect to get everything out on Friday of this week!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I had to redraw this one as it came to my attention the winner was international and I can only ship US/Canada, so the new winner is below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Feature: Finding Kate by John J. Smith


Finding Katie by John J. Smith
Publisher: DarkRedPress
Category: Romance, Mystery
Publish Date: May 8, 2011
Available in Paperback, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, PDF, etc: 294 pages

About the Book:
The very wealthy and very sheltered Preston Meadows lives his life protected from even the hint of harm. His world is safe and secure until someone kidnaps his sister, Katie. Against his parents’ wishes, Preston sets out on his own to find her. Preston works hard to blend in with the “regular” people roaming the streets of Dallas – but the real world is zany, insane, full of danger and ruthless criminals. 

Preston soon begins to learn more about himself and finds he has a knack for foiling certain crimes. In his adventures, during his search for his sister, he makes friends with some of the strangest people he could ever imagine. Along the way, Preston falls in love, comes face-to-face with a self-described Drug Lord, and discovers a side of himself he never knew existed, especially after the Drug Lord kidnaps his girlfriend.

"Author John Smith had turned a potential "been there, done that" plot into a fun filling novel with lots of twist and turns. The book contains several elements such as family issues, love of different kind (even different species), good versus evil. I find this novel easy to read and very engrossing as it's easy to root for an underdog. Anyone who is looking for entertainment should definitely give this book a try. Highly recommended."- James Poon, Amazon Reviewer

"This guy really keeps my attention!!! Finding Katie was the best book I have read in a long time. It is so funny that I kept laughing out loud, my husband wanted to know what was so funny, so now he's reading the book and laughing. I can't wait to read this authors next book."- Kmart (Kathy), Amazon Reviewer

"I loved reading this book. I am usually not into mystery books but the humor in this one was very entertaining. I never knew what the next page would bring me. This was a light, fun, humorous read that will transport you to many precarious situations the main character finds himself in."- Diana Kay Lankford, Amazon Reviewer

"A wonderfully compelling tale of love and danger, a thriller-mystery speckled throughout with subtle and sometimes insane humor.  Well-written and wonderfully played out, I can do nothing but highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries, romance and/or paranormal adventure."-CL Stegall, Amazon Reviewer
About the Author:
John writes under two names John J. Smith and pen name Jonathan Black. Why does he do this? he has been told when a reader sees his work they have an expectation, hence the two names.
 I have won several awards under each name. 

He has been called a prolific Fiction writer. he enjoys writing romance and mainstream as John and paranormal and paranormal romance as Jonathan. 
Several of his novels have been converted or rewritten into screenplays; for which he has also have won several awards.


John's website.


Join me Thursday for a Guest Blog with author, John J. Smith.



FTC Information: I received this book from Premier Virtual Book Tours for review.

Book Review: On a Dark Wing by Jordan Dane

On a Dark Wing by Jordan Dane
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publish Date: December 27, 2011
Paperback, 384 pages 
Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal
 ISBN: 978-0373210411


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery
 
My Review:

I've read Jordan Dane's adult romantic suspense and I have to say she does a great job switching over completely to the young adult genre.  I know this is her second YA book, but this is the first one I have read by her and I really enjoyed it.  I thought the setting of Alaska was fresh and interesting and the take on the paranormal she uses is different as well.

I liked Abbey, she has her problems.  She is dealing with guilt, she has some trouble fitting in but she has an amazing best friend in Tanner who like her has been in an accident, but his has resulted in him being in a wheelchair.  But that was the cool thing to me, Abbey and Tanner don't let that bother them.  The book starts at the end of the school year, and Abbey is crushing on Nate, the swoon-worthy guy at school hard.  Abbey and Tanner plan on spending the first few weeks of summer listening in on how Nate, Josh and Nate's Dad's expedition up Denali goes on the radio frequency.  But several things from a kink into that plan.

Of course that is where the plot begins to get interesting and complex.  I will admit to getting a little confused at times, but Ms. Dane does a good job of holding your hand to make you understand the world she has constructed.  The main gist is that Abbey meets Death and that complicates things.  I won't go into it any more than that because you know I don't like to spoil things for you.  But the spin on death and the story kept me turning pages.  It's definitely an interesting plot to follow.

My favorite thing about the book though is the character development.  Watching Abbey is amazing.  You just have to read it to see, and there are many other surprises in store, ones that I did not see coming.  I have to say that On A Dark Wing made a perfect rainy day weekend book.  I felt I escaped to a place I was unfamiliar with and yet Ms. Dane made me familiar with it.  I also felt I got to know each of the characters pretty well.  One last thing I really liked, parents that were involved in the teenagers lives.   Each family had parents and parents that cared.  That was a great thing to see.

A great story, characters that felt like your own friends by the end and hauntingly beautiful scenery make for a wonderful story that is well-worth picking up for the entertainment value alone.  On a Dark Wing was a winner for me and while I was already a fan of Ms. Dane's romantic suspense books, I am now a fan of her young adult books as well.

My Rating: 4.5/5.0

Parental guidance: A fairly clean book, I can't remember much in the way of language, so if there was any it was minimal.  Kissing is the only thing that takes place.  The characters are around 15 and sex is not really mentioned except for in one part in the beginning of the book where a website is referenced, but that is brief and not graphic.  I would recommend this one for anyone 13+.

About the Book:
The choices I had made led to the moment when fate took over. I would learn a lesson I wasn't prepared for. And Death would be my willing teacher.


Five years ago, Abbey Chandler cheated Death. She survived a horrific car accident, but her "lucky" break came at the expense of her mother's life and changed everything. After she crossed paths with Death—by taking the hand of an ethereal boy made of clouds and sky—she would never be normal again.

Now she's the target of Death's ravens and an innocent boy's life is on the line. When Nate Holden—Abbey's secret crush—starts to climb Alaska's Denali, the Angel of Death stalks him because of her.


And Abbey finds out the hard way that Death never forgets.


About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
Avon/HarperCollins launched Jordan Dane's debut suspense novels in a back to back publishing event in Spring 2008 after buying the 3-book series in auction. Pursuing publication since 2003, Jordan had received awards in 33 national writing competitions and was an energy sales manager in the oil and gas industry prior to selling. Now she is following her passion and writes full time.

Ripped from the headlines, Jordan's gritty plots weave a tapestry of vivid settings, intrigue, and dark humor. She loves challenging a reader's moral barometer with the borderline ethics of her characters and their flawed personalities—dark, angst-ridden antiheroes pitted against unforgettable villains. Publishers Weekly compared her intense pacing to Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Tami Hoag—"romantic suspense that crosses over into plain thriller country with tight plotting and exceptional male characters, both bad guys and good."

Jordan and her husband share their residence with two cats of highborn lineage and the spirit of an intelligent canine who is impossible to forget.


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FTC Information: I received this book through Netgalley and Teen Book Scene for an honest review.  I do make money from purchases made at The Book Depository and B&N.com, but all money is used to fund giveaways and shipping for giveaways from the blog.