Month: March 2019

Book Reviews

#BookReview The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer

Teresa Beasley

Title: The Things We Cannot Say

Author: Kelly Rimmer

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publication Date: March 19, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars=Non-Stop Page Turner

Purchase at Amazon.com

A well-written story that captures your heart and brings tears to your eyes.

I love this book for its history, struggles, love and loyalty to family. This is a strong statement because I am not a big historical fiction reader. I just can’t help being drawn to Kelly Rimmer’s books. The Things We Cannot Say tells the story of Alina Dziak, a young woman engaged to be married. Her fiancé is off learning about becoming a physician when everything in their hometown of Poland is taken over by Nazi’s. The story takes you on a journey of how Alina’s family works hard to stay alive in the middle of a war. Alina’s fiancé, Thomasz promises to always come back and even though he keeps his promise, it comes with conditions. These conditions happened to be a very important part of the book for me.

Rimmer’s tells the story in two points of view Alina’s and a woman named Alice. Alice’s grandmother lived in Poland as well and now wants her granddaughter to return to her hometown on her behalf. Alice is confused about what her grandmother is wanting her to do, which made me more intrigued with the story. My heart started to race because I was thinking is there a connection between Alice and Alina. You’ll have to read the book to find out.

This book was so well-written from the descriptions of Poland, the Nazi’s, how Jewish people were treated and even the war. The characters were so well-developed, I couldn’t help fall in love with them. I especially enjoyed the bond of Alina’s family, which warmed my heart and the struggle of Alice’s family made me cheer for them to overcome. The love and commitment that Thomasz and Alina have for each other is one that everyone should experience.

This was an emotional read for me. It made me smile at times, made me frustrated when characters play it to close for comfort, but also made me angry reading what the Nazi’s did to people (yes, tears did flow). This is by far my favorite book by this author and I can’t wait to read her next one.

*This book was provided by the author for review purposes only.

Book Features, Giveaways

#BookTour #SneakPeek Devour Me by Ayden K. Morgen

Teresa Beasley
Devour Me
Her Best Friend’s Father #1
by Ayden K. Morgen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Don’t get caught.
Never fall in love.
And steer clear of his daughter’s friends.
The rules were easy enough for Roman Gregory…until Mila Lawson set
out to break every single one of them.
When the twenty-two
year old lands on the ATF agent’s doorstep after a nasty breakup, he
knows all too well that she’s off-limits. At thirty-eight,
he’s almost twice her age, she’s hurting, and the blonde
bombshell is his daughter’s best friend.
Mila knows all
about wanting what she can’t have. For four years, she’s lusted
after Talia McPherson’s scary hot, terminally single father from
afar. After walking away from her cheating ex and what she thought
was her happily-ever-after, the last thing on her mind is
jumping into a new relationship.
Until she find herself living with Roman in Santa Cruz…
Now all she can think about is making all those dirty fantasies come to
life. With nothing left to lose, she makes him an offer he
can’t refuse: Two weeks of no-holds-barred sex. No strings. No
commitments. No messy emotions.
Roman has no business agreeing
to her insane proposition. He can’t have her. He shouldn’t even want
her. But he’s going to take her anyway… and he has no intentions of
stopping until she’s his completely.
If there’s one thing Roman knows for a fact, it’s that he doesn’t lose.
Ever.
Devour Me is the first of three steamy novellas featuring Mila and Roman.

“So I’m sorry about last night,” I say, holding his gaze, refusing to fidget under the weight of it. My hand trembles, so I quickly set my coffee cup on the counter and cross my arms. “I never drink that much. I, um, I’m sorry I passed out and you had to take care of me.”

He frowns at me, something shifting through his gaze so quickly, I can’t make it out. He looks…I’m not sure. Like I’ve thrown him off-balance again, like he suddenly isn’t sure what to expect from me. That little flash of uncertainty gives me the courage I need to finish what I have to say.

“I should probably also apologize for going into your room yesterday. It wasn’t fair of me to invade your privacy like that. You had your door closed for a reason, and I should have respected that.”

He stares at me, but doesn’t say anything. He does that a lot, just watches me. Ever since I first met him, he’s watched me like he can’t look away. He looks at me like he knows me inside and out, and still hasn’t decided what to do about me. It’s unnerving and hot at the same damn time, and I have no clue what it means.

“You said you should apologize,” he finally says.

“Hmm?”

“You said you should apologize.” He tips his coffee cup up to his lips and takes a sip, watching me over the rim. Those blue eyes rove across my face, not missing anything. “You didn’t say you are sorry.”

“Oh.” I wander toward the fridge, grimacing when my foot throbs.

“Is your foot still bothering you?”

“It’s okay,” I say, giving him a partial truth. It’s not too bad, but it honestly feels worse this morning than it did yesterday. I think it may be getting infected. That’s probably my fault for walking around barefoot all the time, but I like the feel of the floor beneath my feet. I love buying shoes, but I’m not big on actually wearing them.

I squeak when I’m suddenly lifted off my feet. My hands go to Roman’s shoulders, clutching as he swings me up into his arms like I don’t weigh anything. He doesn’t seem to notice my weight at all, actually. It’s honestly kind of hot. Damien was tall and lanky and he never picked me up. I’m only a size thirteen, but I always felt a little out of place next to him. Or maybe he made me feel out of place beside him. I’m not sure, but Roman doesn’t make me feel that way.

He turns and plops me down on the island. The marble is cold beneath me, my thin shorts not offering much protection. The chill fades quickly when he runs his hand down my bare leg, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. A different kind of shiver rolls through me, and then he’s propping my foot up to examine it, a furrow between his brows. I fight the urge to reach out and smooth that little wrinkle with my fingers.

“You need to keep this bandaged. It’s infected.” His fingertip runs across my instep and then he turns away.

He’s back in seconds, the first aid kit in his hands. He pops it open and rummages through, setting aside various items before he finds what he’s after. I open my mouth to tell him that I’m fine, but he glares at me before I can form the first syllable, so I shut up and sit patiently.

He cleans the cut with gentle hands, swabs ointment onto it, and then wraps a bandage around my foot.

“Thanks,” I whisper when he’s finished.

I expect him to let me go, but he doesn’t. He looks up at me, his big hand still wrapped around my ankle. He’s so close I can see little flecks of gold in his eyes, smell the coffee and minty toothpaste on his breath. I swallow hard at the heat in his gaze.

“You said you should apologize,” he repeats his earlier comment now that he’s done doctoring me up. “Are you sorry?”

“No,” I whisper, unable to lie to him. Maybe I should be sorry for invading his privacy or throwing myself at him, but honestly, I think I’d do the same thing all over again. I want him, and I know he wants me too. Taking big risks and putting myself out there has never really been my thing, but I want to take one this time.

He slides his hand up my calf.

“Are you sorry?” I ask, my gaze locked on the play of emotions across his face. They swirl through his eyes so quickly I’m not sure where his head is at…what he’s thinking…what he wants.

“No.” His hand lands against my inner thigh, making me jump. “Easy, baby,” he murmurs, placing himself between my spread legs.

“You apologized yesterday,” I remind him, trying to ignore the way my stomach flips at the word baby. I love it when he calls me that.

“I lied.” His mouth lands against my ear, his breath hot and heavy. “I’m not sorry for a fucking thing, Mila.” His teeth clamp down around my earlobe. The sting sends a bolt straight to my clit. “You offered me two weeks,” he says against my skin. “Did you mean it?”

“Y-yes.”

He nips at my earlobe again like he’s rewarding me for answering him. His hands skim across my thighs and then around to my hips. He grips me hard, holding me in place.

“I hope you’re ready for me, sweetheart,” he whispers. “It’s too late to back out now.”

Ayden is the Amazon Bestselling author of the Ragnarök Prophesies series.
She lives in the heart of Arkansas with her childhood
sweetheart/husband of fifteen years, and their furry minions. When
not writing, she spends her time hiking, reading, volunteering,
causing mischief, and building a Spork army.
Ayden graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Science degree
in Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology in 2009 before going on
to complete her graduate degree in CJ and Law. She currently puts her
education to use in the CJ and Social Services field.
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
Book Features, Giveaways

#BookTour #SneakPeek Demon Vankil by Jaime Buckley

Teresa Beasley
Demoni Vankil
Hobin Luckyfelller’s Fieldguide Book 1
by Jaime Buckley
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance

An ancient puzzle box.

Fourteen letters.

A Council of Whispers.

…and a clerk.

Discover the 700 year old secret millions died to protect.

Goodreads members call this book, “Surprising,” “Emotional,” “Fantastic,” and, “…one of the best love stories I have ever read.” With an average rating of 5 Stars, “…you’ve got me hooked in a way that I can’t shake.”

“I must dedicate part of this review to the author, Jaime Buckley. This guy is a genius. The effort and heart he has obviously put into his work, the characters and this world is mind-blowing.” – Jennifer, UK

“The pacing of this book was perfect! As I said, it’s only a short story, and sometimes it’s difficult to get the pacing right in short stories, however Mr. Buckley gets the pacing spot on! I found myself wanting to know more before I had even finished the chapter I was on!” – Heather, AU

“I’ve read plenty of books that have gnomes IN them, but having one for the main character was not only new, but this was one of the most enjoyable books I’ve ever read.” – Leilani, USA

“This book has all of the qualities of a great mystery and a great fantasy molded together into a wonderful story. As a mystery and fantasy junkie, I couldn’t be more thrilled that those genres were combined!” – Kaitlyn, USA

“I would have thought it well worth reading just for the finale.” – Shadowlantern, USA

“I was able to connect with the characters so well, Jaime’s writings have a way to bring out emotions ( good and bad) that make you feel that you know and care for the people yourreading about in the book.” – Jeremiah, USA

Experience the wonders of this fictional world at https://wantedhero.com

Shaking it lightly, I could still hear the loose piece inside. Never did figure out how to open it. Adjusting the cybernetic implant in my left eye, I examined the box more thoroughly. The craftsmanship was extraordinary. Evolu make, would be my guess. It almost looked like the box was grown from a single plant, the mark of a true master’s hand. There were small symbols, almost invisible, hidden in the very knots of the wood, but not ones I could identify. These were new to me.
If I slide the carved shapes in the right combination, it should open. Well, nearly a week and more than a hundred attempts later…the lid slid open. The puzzle was solved.
…or so I thought.
Contained inside was a set of letters. Fourteen in all, neatly folded and stacked together tied with a simple blue ribbon. Setting the box aside, I untied the bow and lightly examined the letters with the end of a pencil, careful not to let the oils of my skin mar their surface. The two top letters were deeply creased, worn and lightly stained, while the other twelve were crisp, showing minimal wear. Actually, they looked as if they could have been written yesterday. Fascinating.
I would soon discover that the answers to the greatest mystery of my career had been in my possession for decades…
Jaime Buckley is an Author of YA Fantasy, a Professional illustrator &
father of 12.
He’s earned the titles of Author, Illustrator, Cartoonist, Game Designer, Dragon
Lord, King Maker, Monster Hunter, Sliver Slayer, Trainer of Heroes,
Breaker of Bridges, Smoker of Meats, Sucker of Slurpees, World
Builder and Elf Friend(ish). He’s also been known as Dad, Daddy,
Poppa, Papa Bear, Grandpa, ‘sweetie’ and ‘Heya Gorgeous’
(though that last title is used solely by his wife).
Jaime currently holds Bob’s Book of World Records for sucking 42
raspberry Jell-O cubes through a straw in 90 seconds…and continues
to defend his Clockworks record for back to back arm wrestling wins
(97.8 gnomes). He’s always wanted to be a member of the Green Lantern
Corps, but they rejected his application.
Apparently, they don’t have spandex suits in 5XL (their loss).
Aside from marrying his darling wife and being a father to 12 very cool
(and properly raised) children, Wanted Hero and Worldbuilding Inc are
his favorite projects to date.
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!
Book Features, Giveaways

#BookTour #BookSpotlight Henrietta the Dragon Slayer Series by Beth Barany

Teresa Beasley
Henrietta the Dragon Slayer
Henrietta the Dragon Slayer Book 1
by Beth Barany
Genre: YA Fantasy Adventure
She’s a legend at 17, but only Henrietta knows the price she paid for her
fame … and it was much too high.
From the Winner of the California Fiction Writer’s Book Contest comes this
thrilling adventure of a young warrior on one final quest … against
an opponent she swore never to face again.
Henrietta, the legendary Dragon Slayer of Bleuve, can’t face the thought of
another kill. She’s lost family, friends and home on her rocky road
to fame. But when the young warrior is summoned by a King to retrieve
the Dragon Stone from the last dragon in existence, she can’t re
fuse–her mentor lies dying, and the healing stone is all that can
save him. This quest will be her most harrowing of all, for it means
facing mysterious assassins, the dreaded choppy sea, and all with a
misfit band–a young witch, a jester and a surly knight. And at
journey’s end, someone must die … the dragon, or Henrietta.
Perfect for fans of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Collins’ The Hunger Games,
McKinley’s Hero & the Crown, and Paolini’s Eragon. Get your copy
of Henrietta the Dragon Slayer today!
Henrietta and the Dragon Stone
Henrietta the Dragon Slayer Book 2
What if all those you loved were threatened by a force you couldn’t see or fight?
Henrietta the legendary ass kicking dragon slayer wants to return to her
village for a heroes’ welcome. But an unknown sorcerer rides after
her and her Dragon Stone, and aims to destroy everyone she cares
about. Can she claim her newfound powers sparked by the Dragon Stone
and keep her loved ones safe, especially her more-than-friend, and
her stalwart bodyguard, before the sorcerer destroys her and
everything in his path?
A medieval-set world with magic and magical creatures.
A 86,000-word novel.
Beth Barany empowers young women to be the heroes of their own lives.
Henrietta and the Battle of the Horse Mesa
Henrietta the Dragon Slayer Book 3
Finally, the sweeping conclusion to the Henrietta The Dragon Slayer trilogy!
Parted by destiny, the four friends struggle to rejoin forces and face for a
final time, the ruthless sorcerer intent on destroying them all.
In the biggest challenge of her life, Henrietta the legendary Dragon
Slayer of Bleuve must lead her people into a battle that may end life
as they know it. For they face no ordinary army, but the dark forces
of a powerful sorcerer bent on overtaking all five kingdoms. And
unless she can rescue her dauntless knight Franc, she must do it
without his support.
Franc will follow Henrietta anywhere. But on a mission to find allies among
the Horse People, he is kidnapped and taken by minions of the evil
sorcerer Eyvindir. Will he find the strength and courage to survive,
and fight again at Henrietta’s side?
Paulette, the young fire witch, must stand trial for a murder committed out of
desperation. In despair at her imprisonment by forces acting against
her dearest friend, Jaxter, she escapes and flees to the frigid,
forbidden land of Varangia to find a witch powerful enough to help
her finally master fire. But what must she give up to gain the power
to aid her friends?
Jaxter, now a king, must come to terms with the heavy responsibilities of
ruling the Oro Islands, newly emerged from over 75 years of evil
rule. This means doing right, even when it means going against
ancient customs and protocols. Worse, the marauding Varangians press
at his borders. He must find a way to defend his home, or none of
them will survive.
Will Henrietta and her friends be able to stop the ruthless sorcerer from
obliterating her, claiming the Dragon Stone, and ruling over the Five
Kingdoms?
Award winning author, Beth Barany writes in several genres including young
adult adventure fantasy and paranormal romance.
Inspired by living abroad in France and Quebec, she loves creating magical
tales of romance, mystery, and adventure that empower women and girls
to be the heroes of their own lives.
For fun, Beth walks, gardens, and watched movies and travels with her
husband, author Ezra Barany. They live in Oakland, California with a
piano, their cats, and over 1,000 books.
When not writing or playing, Beth runs an online school, BARANY SCHOOL OF
FICTION. helping novelists to write, market, and publish their books
to the delight of their readers.
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!