Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

JAGGED by Kristen Ashley - Launch Day Blitz with Giveaway!

I will post a review in a day or two for this emotionally charged romance. Meanwhile you can learn more about the book and the author and have a chance to read an excerpt below and enter to win a digital copy of Jagged and another prize package.

Jagged
by Kristen Ashley
November 5, 2013; Forever/E-Book; $3.99; 978-1-4555-9914-1

Zara Cinders always knew Ham Reece was the one, but he wasn't interested in settling down. When she found someone who was, Ham walked out of her life. Three years later, Zara's lost her business, her marriage, and she's barely getting by in a tiny apartment on the wrong side of the tracks. As soon as Ham hears about Zara's plight, he's on her doorstep offering her a lifeline. Now, it will take every ounce of will power she possesses to resist all that he offers.

Ham was always a traveling man, never one to settle down in one town, with one woman, for more time than absolutely necessary. But Ham's faced his own demons, and he's learned a lot. About himself, and about the life he knows he's meant to live. So when he hears that Zara's having a rough time, he wants to be the one to help. In fact, he wants to do more than that for Zara. A lot more. But first, he must prove to Zara that he's a changed man.

Buy links:

Amazon

B&N

Bookish

iTunes

Author Bio:

Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake.

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Author Social Media links:

Blog: http://www.kristenashley.net/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KristenAshley68

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kristen-Ashley/83283039199

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2958084.Kristen_Ashley?from_search=true

Excerpt (Explicit Words 'bleeped'/censored):

When I saw who was outside, my mouth dropped open.
Luckily, the doorbell buzzing stopped.
Unluckily, the last person on earth I wanted to see was standing outside my door.
“Jesus, you don’t have a peephole?” Ham growled, looking incensed and Graham Reece looking, or worse, being incensed was a very bad thing. I’d learned that five months ago.
I didn’t have it in me to concern myself with Ham being incensed. I was more concerned with him being there at all.
To express this, I asked, “What the hell?”
“Open the *&#@$*' door.
I stared a beat, then pulled myself together.
This was not happening.
We were done.
I pushed the door closed.
The problem with this was it didn’t work, seeing as the toe of Ham’s boot was wedged between it and the jamb.
“Open the door, Zara,” he repeated.
“We’re done,” I told him through the gap in the door. “Move your foot.”
“Open the door.”
“We’re done, Ham,” I snapped.
“Right, then move back.”
“What?”
He didn’t repeat his order. He moved his foot but only so he could rear back and plant his shoulder in the door.
The chain popped right open, as did the door, and I went flying.
I righted myself as Ham, now in my apartment, slammed the door.
“You’re payin’ for that!” I yelled.
His eyes were beyond me, examining my new space as his mouth moved.
“Not a problem. I’ll reimburse what they take out of your security deposit when we move you out of this dump.”
I didn’t know what he meant and I also didn’t care.
I switched subjects.
“How did you get here so fast?” I asked, and his eyes finally came to me.
“I hope to Christ you didn’t miss local gossip because you’re spendin’ your days at Deluxe Home Store and your nights at some titty bar.”
“I’m not working at a titty bar, Ham, so you can stop concerning yourself with me and move on”—I paused—“again.” I bit off the last word then what he said penetrated and I asked, “What gossip?”
“Managing The Dog, Zara, have been for a week. I live in Gnaw Bone.”
I felt my eyes get huge as my stomach clenched.
“You’re managing The Dog?” I whispered, aghast.
“Yeah. And you just got a new job. You start after you work out your notice at Deluxe,” he returned.
“What?” This also came out quiet and horrified.
“You’re waitressin’ for me. Sh** hours but, if I remember correctly and since the view hasn’t changed except to get better, with your face, tits, and ass, great tips. In the meantime, we’re movin’ you out of this sh**hole and, you don’t got a girl who can take you on, you’re bunkin’ with me.”
Bunking with him?
Was he high?
“I am not moving in with you,” I declared.

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, November 4, 2013

November Kindle Fire HDX Giveaway

This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT!

Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7".

All New Kindle Fire HDX 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)

Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)

NOVEMBER SPONSORS

Sign up to Sponsor the December Giveaway (starting around December 2nd)

http://www.iamareader.com/2013/10/december-kindle-fire.html

Giveaway Details

1 winner will receive their choice of an all new Kindle Fire 7" HDX (US Only - $229 value), $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash (International).

There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire HDX 7".

Ends 11/30/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Sunday, November 3, 2013

Mailbox Monday November 4, 2013

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.
Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) but is now hosted at Mailbox Monday and through various blog hosts.
For NOVEMBER: the Mailbox Monday Tour host is Crystal @ I totally paused!
[Starting September, Bob of Beauty in Ruins will be the new back-up host for Mailbox Monday.]

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I received one print book for review early in the week.
Updated 11/4 - Duh - I received two Forever Romances that I have almost finished reading for Blitz day launches 11/5 and almost forgot to list them!
[Any received later since I have been home will be included next week. :-)]

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

Print:

White Rogue

by Dr. David R. Fett, Stephen Langford, Connie Malcolm
Received from Pump up Your Book for review and Character Guest Post January 14, 2014.

Hachette Forever titles through NetGalley for November 5 Launch Day Blitz:

I'll Be Home For Christmas
by Jessica Scott

Review to post 11/5

and

Jagged
by Kristen Ashley

I hope to post a review maybe 11/6

Won

NONE

Purchased

None that I can think of right now.

Free

I also downloaded another 35 or so free Kindle Titles linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Free Par-tay, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.
You would think I would stop wouldn't you? *Sigh*

It's Monday What are You Reading? November 4, 2013

This meme starts at Book Journey!

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Last week I was pushing to get work complete before my surgery. It wasn't overtly stressful but anytime you have surgery there is some stress. The surgeon was confident they removed the cancerous lump and the lymph node appeared clear so I was pleased with that news.
Reading was good - with a little bit of extra recovery hours. I finished for books and managed to post four reviews as I had hoped. There were two Tour Features with Giveaways.
I also posted the regular weekly memes and posts: Mailbox Monday, Friday Pick Giveaway, Saturday Snapshot, Sharing Beyond Books Comment Giveaway and Sunday Words.

I only did a little visiting last week and have to find time to do more.
Thanks as always to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts plus win post:

It's Monday What are You Reading? October 28, 2013.

Mailbox Monday 10/28/13.

Book Review: No Escape by Mary Burton, Romantic Suspense; my rating 4.5.

Author Interview and Giveaway: No Escape by Mary Burton. US or Canada. Ends 11/8.

Book Review: Accidentally In Love With...A God? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff, Paranormal Romance; my rating 4.25.

Author Letter and Giveaway: Accidentally In Love With...A God? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff. Open worldwide: Print US; Digital for international; Ends 11/15.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway November 1, 2013. Open Worldwide. Ends 11/7.

Audio Book Review: Battle for L.A. by CJ Henderson, Mark Sparacio, Pulp Fiction; my rating 4.0.

Saturday Snapshot November 2, 2013 Flowers for Recovery.

Audible Book Review: Third Grave Dead Ahead, Book 3, by Darynda Jones, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense ; my rating 4.25.

Sharing Beyond Books #124 Comment Giveaway 11/2/13. Open Worldwide. Ends 11/8.

Sunday Words of Encouragement November 3, 2013.

Finished Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle

Accidentally In Love With...A God?
(Accidentally Yours)
by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
This was fun; Review and Giveaway post is linked above.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kindle

Lace & Lead, a novella
by M.A. Grant
I enjoyed this action-packed, fast read.
I'll post a review later this week.
Click on book title for full description.

3. Audio/MP3

Prime Suspects: A Clone Detective Mystery | [Jim Bernheimer]

Prime Suspects: A Clone Detective Mystery
by Jim Bernheimer
Narrated by Jeffrey Kafer
This was different and I liked it. I'll post the review this coming week.
Click on book title for full description.

4. eBook/Kindle

I'll Be Home For Christmas
by Jessica Scott
I am participating in a Hachette Release Blitz
for this book on 11/5.
I decided to squeeze it in for review and I'm glad I did.
Check for review and Giveaways on Tuesday.
Book Description
Publication Date: November 5, 2013
There's nothing in the world Army Sergeant Vic Carponti loves more than his wife and his country. Smart-mouthed and easy tempered, he takes everything as a joke . . . except his promise to come home to his wife, Nicole, for Christmas. As he prepares to leave for his latest deployment into Iraq, Vic will do everything he can to shield his beautiful, supportive wife from the realities of war . . . and from his own darkest fears.

As a career army wife, Nicole Carponti knows just what to expect from her husband's tour of duty: loneliness, relentless worry, and a seemingly endless countdown until the moment Vic walks through the door again. But when the unthinkable happens, Nicole and Vic's bond is tested like never before and changes everything they believe to be true about the power of love and the simple beauty of being home for the holidays.

Line Edits/Releases:
Two ebooks released this past week:
New poetry collection: Shades of Darkness and Light.
Fantasy Thriller: A Ghost Hunt by Jack Horne.

Enter the bi-monthly drawings at eTreasures Publishing Facebook page.
This week's giveaway link: Coming Home by Joy Brooks; part of Anthology set: Spring Historicals - Sweethearts in Bloom. New Book to go up mid week.

Currently reading:
1. Print

The Last Christian: A Novel
by David Gregory
I am not quite halfway in this interesting book.
This is our Ladies' Book Club selection for November 9.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kindle

Jagged
by Kristen Ashley
This is another Hachette Release Blitz
for Tuesday, November 5, 2013.
I didn't think I'd have time to finish for review but after I finished the Christmas title
I thought I could at least start this.
Whew - not sure I was prepared for two emotional books in a row
but I was quickly drawn into this story too.
Look for the Blitz with info and Rafflecopter Giveaway on Tuesday and the review later this week or early next week.
Book Description
Publication Date: November 5, 2013
The next novel in Kristen Ashley's sizzling Colorado Mountain series introduces a new electrifying relationship that turns Carnal, Colorado into a hotbed of action, romance, and suspense.

An old flame rekindled . . .
Zara Cinders always knew Ham Reece was the one, but he wasn't interested in settling down. When she found someone who was, Ham walked out of her life. Three years later, Zara's lost her business, her marriage, and she's barely getting by in a tiny apartment on the wrong side of the tracks. As soon as Ham hears about Zara's plight, he's on her doorstep offering her a lifeline. Now, it will take every ounce of will power she possesses to resist all that he offers.

Ham was always a traveling man, never one to settle down in one town, with one woman, for more time than absolutely necessary. But Ham's faced his own demons, and he's learned a lot. About himself, and about the life he knows he's meant to live. So when he hears that Zara's having a rough time, he wants to be the one to help. In fact, he wants to do more than that for Zara. A lot more. But first, he must prove to Zara that he's a changed man.

3. Audible/MP3

Iron Gray Sea: Destroyermen, Book 7
    by Taylor Anderson
    Narrated by William Dufris
        Series: Destroyermen, Book 7
My next review audio is only an hour or so long. Since I have enough reviews to fill this coming week I decided to listen to one of my series TBRs before the next audio.
Publisher's Summary
In Taylor Anderson's acclaimed Destroyermen series, a parallel universe adds an extraordinary layer to the drama of World War II. Now, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Reddy, the crew of the USS Walker, and their allies battle an ever-growing host of enemies across the globe in a desperate battle for freedom.

War has engulfed the other earth. With every hard-won victory and painful defeat, Matt Reddy and the Allies encounter more friends-and even more diabolical enemies. Even, at last, in the arms of the woman he loves, there is little peace for Reddy. The vast sea, and the scope of the conflict, have trapped him too far away to help on either front, but that doesn't mean he and Walker can rest. Cutting short his "honeymoon," Reddy sails off in pursuit of Hidoiame, a rogue Japanese destroyer that is wreaking havoc in Allied seas. Now that Walker is armed with the latest "new" technology, he hopes his battle-tested four-stacker has an even chance in a straight-up fight against the bigger ship - and he means to take her on.

Elsewhere, the long-awaited invasion of Grik "Indiaa" has begun, and the Human-Lemurian Alliance is pushing back against the twisted might of the Dominion. The diplomatic waters seethe with treachery and a final, terrible plot explodes in the Empire of New Britain Isles. Worse, the savage Grik have also mastered "new" technologies and strategies. Their fleet of monstrous ironclads - and an army two years in the making-are finally massing to strike.
©2012 Taylor Anderson (P)2012 Tantor

4. eBook/Kindle

Realm Walker
by Kathleen Collins
After several emotional contemporaries
I think I'll be ready for a Sci Fi & Fantasy romance.
Book Description
Publication Date: October 28, 2013
An estranged mate, a mangled body and a powerful demon who calls her by name…

As a Realm Walker for the Agency, Juliana Norris tracks deadly paranormal quarry using her unique ability to see magical signatures. She excels at her job, but her friends worry about her mysterious habit of dying in the line of duty without staying dead. That's only the first of her secrets.

Most people don't know Juliana became the mate of master vampire Thomas Kendrick before he abandoned her seven years ago. Most people don't know the horrors she endured at the hands of the vampire he left in command. Most people don't know her true parentage, or why a demon on a world-threatening rampage has taken a personal interest in her…

Even as Juliana pursues the demon, it goes after all she holds dear—including Thomas, who is back to claim her for his own. But if she can't reconcile her past and learn to trust herself again, she will lose him forever.

I am really lagging but still listening to The Listener's Bible NIV read by Max McLean. [Reading and listening on MP3.] I have been remiss and not keeping up with daily reading with my DH.

Line Edits: I am working on poetry formatting this week.

I want to keep enjoying adding stories from my own TBR. :-)
I'm still reading for reviews to post the following week which is working ok. I only have 10 titles set for November and have finished one and am well into two more.

November Scheduled

11/4 November Kindle Fire Giveaway
11/5 Blitz and Giveaway Jagged
11/5 Blitz, Review and Giveaway I’ll be Home for Christmas
11/9 Ladies Book Club - Review and Giveaway The Last Christian
11/19 BookBlast Tour Review: Sanctuary by Pauline Creeden
11/20 Review and Giveaway: I Accidentally Marred a Vampire

Sourcebooks:
   Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Jill Mansell (Print)
   To Have and to Hold by Leigh Greenwood (print)

NetGalley:
    Realm Walker by Kathleen Collins

Authors:
   Unfinished Business by Carolyn R. Aspenson

AudioBook Jukebox
   Five Million Dollar Cat: A Novella by Laura Lond

From TBR Collection - TBD
Won Book - TBD
Free Kindle/Nook or Smashwords: TBD

Sunday Words of Encouragement November 3, 2013

It surprises me that we only have two months, nine Sundays, left for this year. We have over nine songs we are preparing for our Christmas program and the season. I hope to be able to find many of them online to share over the next weeks. Plus this is the time of year I more closely focus on giving Thanks and remembering God who gave me life so that I can give thanks!

This morning I listened to a Sisters 2 Sisters presentation that I missed a few weeks ago. It was very emotional, strong, lovely and enough for three or four messages! This morning I tuned in to the message of God’s Omnipotent Pronouncements shared about one man but fitting any of us:

'You are God’s child. You belong to somebody, someone loves you, and someone cares about you.'

It is wonderful to know that God loves me and cares about my health. I can trust Him to be there for me no matter what happens in my live. I had calm through my surgery as I know that He holds my hand.

I found this song to share today.
Healing is In Your Hands

A Verse for Today:
Isaiah 58:8 NKJV
Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

I am thankful today that I am God's child. And I am especially thankful for his Healing Touch. I may face illness but He will see me through as He wills. I trust Him. We don’t trust someone we don’t know. We learn to trust someone by having a relationship not just beyond, but through, fellowship with Him. I am thankful too to have a God who not only allows but wants a personal relationship with me!