My Ode to The Look of Love

Title: The Look of Love
Series: The Sullivans
Author: Bella Andre
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis from GoodReads:
With THE LOOK OF LOVE, bestselling author Bella Andre introduces you the Sullivan family. In this fun and emotional contemporary romance series, when a Sullivan bad boy falls...he falls hard. And it's forever. 

Chloe Peterson is having a bad night. A really bad night. The large bruise on her cheek can attest to that. And when her car skids off the side of a wet country road straight into a ditch, she’s convinced even the gorgeous guy who rescues her in the middle of the rain storm must be too good to be true. Or is he? 

As a successful photographer who frequently travels around the world, Chase Sullivan has his pick of beautiful women, and whenever he’s home in San Francisco, one of his seven siblings is usually up for causing a little fun trouble. Chase thinks his life is great just as it is—until the night he finds Chloe and her totaled car on the side of the road in Napa Valley. Not only has he never met anyone so lovely, both inside and out, but he quickly realizes she has much bigger problems than her damaged car. Soon, he is willing to move mountains to love—and protect—her, but will she let him? 

Chloe vows never to make the mistake of trusting a man again. Only, with every loving look Chase gives her—and every sinfully sweet caress—as the attraction between them sparks and sizzles, she can’t help but wonder if she’s met the only exception. And although Chase didn’t realize his life was going to change forever in an instant, amazingly, he isn’t the least bit interested in fighting that change. Instead, he’s gearing up for a different fight altogether…for Chloe’s heart.

**************
My Ode to The Look of Love

For Chase, Love Chloe

We met on a deserted road
Rain and darkness all around
I was running, I was scared
Didn't want to be found

You picked me up
You took me in
When I was feeling low

You thought maybe 
I was the one
You'd show me love
You'd take it slow

I thought that I could
get away, oh I tried
But you refused
to let me go

I needed to prove that
I could be strong
And stand on my 
own two feet

While you were solely
intent on proving
We were meant
to meet

You used your talent
You used your lens
Taught me to see
beauty in the world

You used your body
You shared your soul
Made me believe I could
have - no, deserved the love
I dreamed of as a little girl

Slowly you peeled
away all my armor
And allowed the
real me to shine

It only took your
look of love
for me to believe
that you were mine

Bella Andre will make you believe the old adage that dreams really can come true. I thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to the Sullivan family with the courtship between Chase and Chloe. When it's the real thing - you have The Look of Love. :)

2013 Debut Author Challenge

So I decided to participate in the 2013 Debut Author Challenge (hosted by Hobbitsies) this year for a couple of reasons. One, I read quite a few debut authors last year and they all ROCKED! And two, since I'm probably going to be reading them anyway, I might as well challenge myself while I'm at it! :)  You can click on the badge above to hop over to Hobbitsies and check out the challenge and/or sign up yourself. One item of note here is that all titles read for this challenge must be young adult or middle school aged books. I'm only listing 12 here but I may overachieve...we'll have to wait and see. :) Here is my list:

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly #5

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly is a meme brought to you by the fabulous Lectus. It allows you to showcase 3 books you plan to read and discuss this week. Here's how it works:

The Good: it could be a book that you just started reading and it is sooo damn good! Or, a book you've been waiting for and finally got.

The Bad: it could be a book that you are going to read because of its hype, it was recommended to you or any other reason BUT you are not sure you are going to like it because it's not your usual type of book/story/genre/thing.

The Ugly: it could be any book and for any reason. It's up to you! 
So, spread the word and invite friends!!

My Good, Bad & Ugly for this week are shown below. You can click on the cover to jump to GoodReads for a synopsis. I chose Grave Intentions because I love reapers. I chose Groupie because I've read several books about musicians and their fans so I'd like to see if this one lives up to its hype. I chose Dangerous Embrace for something a little different. :)

Persistence of Vision

Title: Persistence of Vision
Series: #1 in Interchron series
Author: Liesel K. Hill
Genre: Dystopian Fantasy
Release Date: January 29, 2013

**I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis from GoodReads:
In a world where collective hives are enslaving the population and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper, and independent 21st Century woman, must find the strength to preserve the freedom of the future, but without the aid of her memories.

After experiencing a traumatic time loss, Maggie is plagued by a barrage of images she can't explain. When she's attacked by a creep with a spider's web tattoo, she is saved by Marcus, a man she's never met, but somehow remembers. He tells her that both he and her creepy attacker are from a future in which individuals are being murdered by collectives, and Marcus is part of the rebellion. The collectives have acquired time travel and they plan to enslave the human race throughout all of history. The flashes Maggie has been seeing are echoes of lost memories, and the information buried deep within them is instrumental in defeating the collective hives.

In order to preserve the individuality of mankind, Maggie must try to re-discover stolen memories, re-kindle friendships she has no recollection of, and wade through her feelings for the mysterious Marcus, all while dodging the tattooed assassins the collectives keep sending her way.

If Maggie can't fill the holes in her memory and find the answers to stop the collectives, the world both in her time and in all ages past and future will be doomed to enslavement in the grey, mediocre collectives. As the danger swirls around her and the collectives close in, Maggie realizes she must make a choice: stand out or fade away...

***************
I'm so glad I stepped a bit out of my box to read this exhilarating, suspenseful debut! Persistence of Vision is well-paced, well written and contains time travel, super-neurochemical powers, mystery, space ships, political ideology...it's filled with so much goody-goodness and keeps you on the edge of your seat needing to know what happens next. It's a pretty impressive feat to weave all these elements together to create a compelling story, and Ms. Hill accomplishes just that!

The characters are solidly written and although the novel is told mainly from 2 POVs, I really felt as though there weren't main characters...more that the team is the main character. The team is the (operative) arm of BCO or Brain Chemistry Optimists. They are the group of individualists fighting against the collectivists to maintain humanity.

The team consists of Maggie, Marcus, Karl, Doc, Joan, and Clay. There is a prophecy regarding maintaining world order and each of the members plays a specific role. 

Maggie is a tough little cookie. She is attacked in her home, saved by someone that seems vaguely familiar, thrust into a future that needs her in order to maintain a certain way of life, and is told she has actually been there before but she has no memory of it. That she is the key to the prophecy is astounding to her. Her role on the team is Executioner.

Marcus, whom Maggie was acquainted with in her earlier visit to the future, is a talented Healer. Karl is a Traveler, meaning he can time travel which is handy when moving Maggie around in time. Doc is a Witness and studies the prophecy rigorously as well as maintaining detailed records of BCO's history. Joan and Clay serve the team as Protector and Concealer which are important in protecting the team members during missions.

I felt the beginning of the book started of a little slowly but that was mainly due to the world-building going on. Once that was established, the story took off and I had a hard time putting it down. I really enjoyed the science that was incorporated into the story. It was fascinating to read about brain functioning and although some of it is fiction for the story, a lot of it is actual science. I love getting to learn something while reading for fun! :) All the revelations at the end of the book...holy cats! However, I think I ended up with just as many questions as I got answers in those last few chapters! I'm not sure how many books are slated for this series, but I am definitely looking forward to the next installment! 

Eire's Captive Moon Blog Tour - Guest Post

Hey y'all. I am thrilled to be today's stop on the blog tour for  Éire’s Captive Moon by Sandi Layne. You can read my review of this outstanding novel here. Sandi graciously agreed to do a guest post for me...about Vikings! Read on and enjoy! :)

Vikings

Research and the Coolest Things

by Sandi Layne

I approached my research with the understanding that pop culture has done the Ostman a

disservice. Often, the initial image that springs to mind when one hears the word, “Viking” is

either a Minnesota professional football player or a guy with a horned helmed guzzling some

frothy alcoholic beverage or beating on a round shield. The early raiders that I got to know (in

my own, long-distance way) from the late eighth and early ninth centuries were not, by and

large, the stereotypical viking.

One thing that I learned was that the men from Scandinavia were men of faith. Not Christian,

not at the juncture in which I am writing, but they did have faith in powers beyond themselves.

To learn about the practices and misconceptions, I went to a community called Northvegr,

online, about ten years ago or so. This was a group of men and women who still hold to the

Northern Way - the belief in the Norse gods and goddesses, as they wait for Ragnarok—the

chaotic final battle signifying the end of the world as we know it. The people of Northvegr

were more than willing to answer my questions and clear up some ideas I had garnered from

Hollywood.

Other things I learned that fascinated me about the Norse that I studied involved their

laws and social customs before the Althing came into play. How revenge was considered

honorable—but only if carried out in the right way and after a proper amount of time. How the

local laws were read by the Law Reader (lovsigeman) and interpreted on a smaller scale. How

courtships were conducted and the notion of paying a virgin bride the morning after the wedding

as a gift/compensation for her virginity, almost, as well as a token of gratitude for having taken

the groom to her bed. All of it was, to me, a vivid portrayal of people who lived in a time with

impenetrable winters and brief, vibrant summers.

Another area I particularly enjoyed was reading about the weaponry and the attitudes a

warrior held in battle. A Norseman fought with the idea that if he fought well, death would see

him in Valhalla—the golden hall of heaven, where feasting and battles renewed themselves daily

among others just like them. It was glorious for them to contemplate. They fought these battles

largely with axes and spears, as swords were extremely expensive and cherished. I, too, learned

how to fight with a battle axe and with a sword and shield. I blocked out fights (blocking out in

the theatre term meaning giving a rough design for) with my husband and asked my brother, a

medieval weapons fan, for help, too. The strength of a Norse warrior came from a fearlessness

not often found, and it was their faith in their afterlife that helped them fight with such will.

I started doing purposeful research for what became Éire’s Captive Moon in 2002. I began

writing the book in 2003 and continued (as I still do) to research the time and people and learn

more words in Old Norse. For me, this will be a long-term project and I am enjoying every

minute.

Éire's Captive Moon is NOW available  in paperback and ebook on Amazon, iTunes, B&N.com and TWCS.

Link to purchase book: http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/80

Author Webpage: http://sandyquill.com/

Author Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sandi-Layne-Author/115692828503745

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2264252.Sandi_Layne

Author Bio:

Having been a voracious reader all her life, Sandi never expected to want to write until the idea was presented in a backhanded manner. Once the notion occurred to her, though, she had to dive in the deep end (as is her wont) and began by writing historical fiction. She has since written more than twenty novels—most of which will never see the light of day.

Sandi has degrees in English and Ministry, has studied theology, spent years as an educator, has worked in escrow and sundry other careers, but research is her passion. She won an award for Celtic Fiction in 2003, but as well as history, she is also fascinated with contemporary research and has self-published several novels in the Inspirational Romance genre.

She has been married for twenty years to a man tolerant enough to let her go giddy when she discovers new words in Old Norse. Her two sons find her amusing and have enjoyed listening to her read aloud—especially when she uses funny voices. A woman of deep faith, she still finds a great deal to laugh at in the small moments of the everyday and hopes that she can help others find these moments, too.

I Am Captive-ated

Title: Eire's Captive Moon
Series: Eire's Viking Trilogy
Author: Sandi Layne
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Date: January 10, 2013

*I received this book from The Writer's Coffee Shop via NetGalley

Synopsis from GoodReads:
Éire’s Captive Moon, the first book of Sandi Layne’s Éire’s Viking Trilogy, brings you to the unsettled era of the early Viking raids along the coast of Éire – today’s Ireland.

A wounded refugee from the violent Viking raids on Éire’s coast is healed so well by Charis of Ragor that Agnarr captures the moon-pale woman for his own and takes her home to Nordweg to be his slave.

Also captured is Cowan, a warrior gifted with languages. He is drawn to the healer of Ragor and finds himself helpless before her. In more ways than one!

Through the winter, Charis plans a fitting vengenance upon her captor for the men he killed. She also prepares to return to Éire and the children she left behind.

But will her changing feelings interfere with these plans? When two men vie for her heart, will she give way before either – or both?

***************

Wow! There is so much to say about this book, I don't know where to begin. First, I think I'd like to thank Ms. Layne for not leaving me with a cliffhanger - at least not in the true sense of a cliffhanger. I know Charis' story isn't over, but I wasn't left hanging on the edge and I'm grateful for that. Also, I love Norse mythology (and Celtic mythology for that matter), so I was so pleased to have that woven into this story.

This story is richly told, the prose very affecting. I was transported back to a time when Vikings were a threat and very much maligned. The characters are strong. The author's use of language made it possible to lose myself in this story. I love great detail in storytelling and Ms. Layne's prose dropped me into the life of a Gaelic healer living in the 9th century...I was able to feel the cold of a winter in Nordweg, smell dried fish and Charis' dried herbs, feel as though I was witness to the carnage and gore of a battle between warriors and the invaders trying to pillage and plunder their village. That's some impressive writing.

Charis is a feisty heroine. She is of interesting heritage and I look forward to seeing if this has some bearing in her future. She bravely endures her struggles after being captured and taken from her homeland, while suffering through her grief at the loss of not only her husbands, and her home too. That she survives her time in Norweg and comes to mean something to her captor, develops feelings of her own towards him, yet still carries out her vengeance is incredible.

Agnarr, oh what to say about him. I know I shouldn't have tender feelings for him (much like Charis) but I have a thing for bad boys who have redeeming qualities. Agnarr believes that Thor and Odin have had a hand in making Charis his destiny. He felt drawn to Charis' village and knew he must have her. He treats her with kindness and respect even though she's his slave. Once Charis carried out her act of vengeance, Agnarr still couldn't bring himself to harm her.

Then there's Cowan...such a brave Irish warrior. He, too, believes God placed him in Charis' life. He goes on his own mission to save Charis and somewhere along the way, fell in love with her.

Throughout Eire's Captive Moon, adventure and suspense accentuate the details of daily life, both in Ireland and Norway. This is a love story, but not a typical one. It's more a love story between a woman, her home, and her people.

I'm completely invested in Charis' story. I look forward to returning to Eire and learning what becomes of her, Cowan, and, of course, Agnarr. 

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly #4

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly is a meme brought to you by the fabulous Lectus. It allows you to showcase 3 books you plan to read and discuss this week. Here's how it works:

The Good: it could be a book that you just started reading and it is sooo damn good! Or, a book you've been waiting for and finally got.

The Bad: it could be a book that you are going to read because of its hype, it was recommended to you or any other reason BUT you are not sure you are going to like it because it's not your usual type of book/story/genre/thing.

The Ugly: it could be any book and for any reason. It's up to you! 
So, spread the word and invite friends!!

My Good, Bad & Ugly for this week are listed below. Click on the cover for the synopsis. I chose Angelfall because it sounded interesting and a friend highly recommended it. I chose Persistence of Vision because it's not my usual thing. And I chose Taste just because. :)

The Tragedy Paper

Title: The Tragedy Paper
Author: Elizabeth Laban
Genre: YA Fiction
Publication Date: January 8, 2013

**I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for free

Synopsis from GoodReads:
Tim Macbeth is a 17-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is, “Enter here to be and find a friend.” Tim does not expect to find a friend; all he really wants to do is escape his senior year unnoticed. Despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “it” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim’s surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, and she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone finds out. Tim and Vanessa enter into a clandestine relationship, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

The story unfolds from two alternating viewpoints: Tim, the tragic, love-struck figure, and Duncan, a current senior, who uncovers the truth behind Tim and Vanessa’s story and will consequently produce the greatest Tragedy Paper in Irving’s history.

*************
This book...wow, I hardly know where to begin. First of all, I rarely read books where the narrator is a young man. This isn't by choice - it just seems to happen that way. Being able to get into the minds of two young men, who both suffer the tragedy of a common event, was enlightening.

Tim, one of the narrators of this story, is an albino who has recently undergone drastic change in his life. Meeting Vanessa and seemingly being included at his new school provides Tim with a feeling he has always longed for...belonging. And isn't this a feeling we all long for in our lives? I believe it's an element of human nature. And I believe that teenagers in particular suffer from this desire to belong, to be included, to fit in. For some, the desire is so strong they will do just about anything. Tim, who's need to fit in was probably much stronger seeing as he'd always been the outsider, did push his limits in order to achieve that goal...he indulged his tragic flaw as it were, to his own detriment.

Duncan, the second of the two narrators of our story, was witness to Tim's downfall and felt a certain degree of culpability. In fact, he seemed to be unable to move past his guilt. He spent the bulk of his senior year trying to come to terms with his perceived role in Tim's tragedy, trying not to make the same mistakes Tim has related to him, and to correlate Tim's story in a tangible way using his own Tragedy Paper.

I liked the use of the Tragedy Paper as the backdrop for this novel. Tragedy, both in the literal sense and in the literary sense, are combined to create a profound story. I also appreciated the use of Shakespearean names - Duncan and Tim Macbeth - both from Macbeth, one of Shakespeare's tragedies is telling. Duncan, just like King Duncan, is sensitive and insightful. Tim Macbeth is similar to Macbeth in his inability to truly trust along with his anxiety, both of which he suffers because he can't believe he'd ever be accepted because of being an albino. 

I did feel a tiny bit of a letdown once all was revealed. It seemed a bit melodramatic that Duncan would have had such a visceral reaction to the incident in light of his actions. However, the story is also very insightful, with Duncan learning much from Tim's revelations. Overall, this was a very engaging read.