Author Interview and Giveaway: Amy Sandas

Today I am interviewing Amy Sandas about her new book, and you can win one of her books at the end of it.

 1.Tell us about yourself. 

I write Historical Romance while living in Northcentral Wisconsin with my husband, three children, an aging black lab, and (at present) seven hamsters. I do my writing in the early morning hours before heading out to my day job. The rest of my time is spent trying to keep my family happy and thriving, while doing my best to keep up with endless housework. Thankfully, my husband does a lot to lighten the load.

 2. And your new book? 

My latest release is the second book in my Fallen Ladies series, The Untouchable Earl. This one is about Lily Chadwick who is abducted and sold in auction at a brothel. Though the gentleman who places the highest bid does so with the most honorable intentions despite his desire for her, Lily has other plans. 

 3. What makes this era so fun to write about?

I love writing stories set in Regency England. It is such a decadent and elegant time for the upper classes where all of the rules of propriety were strictly enforced. So many opportunities to break the rules for love!

 4. Tell us more about the hero.

Avenell Slade is a complex and very private person. He suffers from a physical affliction left over from a childhood illness that damaged the peripheral nerves of his upper body, making him extremely sensitive to touch. His illness is based on Guillain-Barré syndrome, which was not described in medical literature until decades after my story takes place and was not named until 1916. I took the creative license of assuming people suffered from the mysterious ailment long before there was a name for it. 

Avenell’s condition makes intimacy very difficult for him, but with Lily, he decides the rewards are worth the challenge of learning new ways to manage his physical limitations. 

 5. And the heroine?

Lily Chadwick is the middle of three sisters. She is the one who prefers to keep the peace in her family by not creating any conflict if she can help it. In so doing, she has long repressed her natural inclinations, which includes a secret obsession with erotic novels. Meeting Avenell, who is the first man to inspire in her the kind of desire she’d only read about, releases her from much of what has been holding her back and she starts to see the necessity of going after what she wants despite possible repercussions.

Thank you!

Giveaway
Book 1 in her Fallen ladies series, Luck is no Lady

1. US only
2. Ends Nov 5
3. Enter by commenting

Title: The Untouchable Earl

Author: Amy Sandas

Series: Fallen Ladies, #2

ISBN: 9781492618751

Pubdate: November 1, 2016

Genre: Historical Romance

“Are you afraid?”

“Yes,” she replied in a soft voice. “But I love the way you frighten me.”

Lily Chadwick has spent her life playing by society’s rules. But when an unscrupulous moneylender snatches her off the street and puts her up for auction at a pleasure house, she finds herself in the possession of a man who makes her breathless with terror and impossible yearning…

Though the reclusive Earl of Harte claimed Lily with the highest bid, he hides a painful secret—one that has kept him from knowing the pleasure of a lover’s touch. Even the barest brush of skin brings him physical pain, and he’s spent his life keeping the world at arms’ length. But there’s something about Lily that maddens him, bewitches him, compels him…and drives him toward the one woman brave and kind enough to seek to heal his troubled heart.

Amy Sandas' love of romance began one summer when she stumbled across one of her mother's Barbara Cartland books. Her affinity for writing began with sappy pre-teen poems and led to a Bachelor's degree with an emphasis on Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She lives with her husband and children in Wisconsin.

Social Networking Links

Website: https://amysandas.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6217869.Amy_Sandas

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

Twitter: @AmySandas

Buy/Preorder Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2dPfGBM

B&N: http://bit.ly/2e2j3Hz

iBooks: http://apple.co/2dPh2gc

Discussion: After you - Jojo Moyes

Happy end of October everyone! This week Carole and I are discussing, "After You" by Jojo Moyes. 

Author: Jojo Moyes

Title: After You (Me Before You #2)

Genre: Fiction and Romance

Pages: 353

First Published: September 2015

Where I Got It: My Shelf (Bought from Grocery store - totally on sale)

How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future...

For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings.

**FOREWARNING - THERE MAYBE A COUPLE WEE SPOILERS ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST ONE**

B: I need to rant first. See, someone was holding on to the English version and I had to borrow the Swedish translation. God! Blergh. Translation rant!

When you translate a book you can’t just directly translate things, well at least not in literature, and this book was badly done. Of course I could be wrong and the book itself could be really bad, but the thing here was language. First it sounded like a 80 year old tried to be cool, when everyone spoke! One word I yelled out to bf and he laughed, it sure was not a word anyone has used in ages. So many sentences and words made me cringe, and conversations that are totally normal should not make you cringe. One word I even had to check the definition of! I have never ever heard anyone use it in rl, tv, books, never! There were other normal definitions of that word that people would use 100% of the time. I mean honestly!

But that was not all. All conversations sounded like the same person spoke. The language was stilted, the nuances lost. I am not saying I am a translator (sure I did take classes in uni, but not in literary translation). But I know literature, I have read amazing English books translated from other languages, books whose language sang. Here it was grey and lifeless. The whole book lost its meaning cos all I thought of was the language. And that is why as soon as I knew enough English I started to read in English. Because I have read too many books like this. Especially fantasy books, those all sounded like they were made for 10 year olds. I could write pages about this, but let’s talk about the story and see what Carole thought. It might just be that the book sucked ass.

C: Holy rant! I’m sorry the translation sucked!!! But the story wasn’t too bad. It was a little rough at the beginning...it felt like the author hadn’t written in a while and was getting back on her feet. But after a while she found her baring and I was hooked.

B: Oh, I was never hooked :/ I just could not get over the language and nitpicked everything. I would def have dnfed this stupid translation, but read it to the end.

C: Oh no! I thought the story was decent. Nothing compared to the first one, but it was interesting. I’m really upset about the road Lou took. Sure...nothing is ever perfect, but she really fell off the wagon of what Will wanted for her. :(

B: The feel of the movie was gone for me, here I just wondered how she could have been in love that fast. Also she really went, not crazy, but honestly girl! You effed up your life. Bohoo, you are sad, but think of Will! She was a mess.

C: Yes and that pissed me off. AT the end of the last book she was happy and ready to take the world by storm in honor of Will. But no - this was annoying. I wanted to punch her. I felt like everything was stripped away and she was nothing. The character was destroyed….she didn’t wear her funky outfits until near the end. Ugh...and I hated Lily. Like - the character was okay - but I freakin’ hated her role in the story and who she was to Will. Like...why? Ugh.

B: It felt like the author wanted some easy cash and wrote a book and just made her sad again so she would have a book. And yes Lily felt unnecessary. Also if her mother had told her, why not check them out sooner, why on earth go for Lou? Also Lou, you are not a social worker, that kid needed help.

C: Completely agree. I think it would have been more entertaining if the author kept Lou happy and then Lily came out of nowhere. However, I did like the story with Sam. Sam was a sweetie.

B: Sam was ok, I did not feel any sparks, but hey that could have been the translation and everyone having the same voice

C: Maybe, but I didn’t feel any sparks for the vast majority of the book, because Lou was sooooooooooooo miserable all of the time. Why would Sam stay? She treated him like dirt! I felt so bad. He was legit so nice to her and did all that for her. But Lou is still obsessed with Will (which whatever) and how could Sam want to stay? I just don’t get and I don’t think it’s realistic at all. The vast majority of this book was not realistic and it frustrated me. However, I was hooked, because it was like a car accident….you can’t help but move forward and watch in curiosity!

B: Lol, well those wrecks are fun to watch, and maybe I could have felt like that too. Sigh. But yes, honestly Sam, you should have run way. Also I so did not get the end….oh and the whole Lily thing, you know, the thing, helllo! Call real people, if you get what I mean

C: Oh! Don’t forget the slutty red-head secretary that Will’s dad left the mom for. Big check there. This was SUCH a soap opera. I feel it really went off track from the first one. This...was a wreck.

B: LOL yeah. No...the whole Lily thing should have been dealt with differently. Her mom and stepdad should have child services called on them, because they are TERRIBLE parents. The mom was a total beeeee-word. With that parenting style and the way they treated her, DUH she was going to grow up to be a mess and want nothing to do with them.

B: What else could we talk about, hmmm, miserable Lou, strange Lily, not coping and moving on. Check. Bad parents, check. Nice guy being all nice, check…

B: I hope they do not make a movie. What a depressing mess that would be.

C: 100% agree. If they do make it, I’ll probably watch it because I am one for self-torture. I think we should put a “possible spoiler” at the beginning ;) I’m so bummed that this not nearly as good as the first one. That one was awesome, this? Wreck.

B: I do not even know how to rate it, dang, I wish I had read it in English :/

C: I think the story would’ve been better in English and the characters’ convos better, but the whole plot and layout would not have changed I think.

B: Thanks, but no thanks, I do not want to take the risk.

B: True, but at least I could have enjoyed the story, and thought if it as a train wreck then ;) C: Hahaha, maybe track down an English version or I can send you mine because I will not be re-reading it. xD C: Alriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight whatever you say ;). Anything you want to add??

C: May the Book Gods be with you!

B: I am good, translations suck! ;) Whose turn next? C: Yours? IDK honestly. LOL XD B: Omg, I will TRY AND PICK SOMETHING GOOD!

Saturday Movie Night: Swiss army man

Come one, come all to the second Saturday Movie Night! Blodeuedd and Carole will be leading the charge! This month's movie is "Swiss Army Man" which is Blodeuedd's choice. Sit down, eat some popcorn, and enjoy the discussion. 

Title: Swiss Army Man

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama 

Running Time: 1 hour and 37 minutes

Rating: R

Released: July 2016

A hopeless man stranded on a deserted island befriends a dead body and together they go on a surreal journey to get home.

TRAILER: 

DISCUSSION: 

C: Welcome one and all. Just an fyi...B picked this one. LOL

B: Whaaat, it was the perfect movie to review ;)

C: Hehehehe. It was for sure a good one to check out. But I’m just saying ;)

B: It was amusing to watch, but would I recommend it...eh, LOL

C: I would recommend it for one and one reason only….because I want to know what they think.

B: hat is a good reason. BF was all, wtf are we watching, and then he laughed.

C: I was rude and watched this without BF and now he’s mad. So I am going to have to rewatch it! LOL

B: Bad Carole, it was totally a movie you need to watch with someone else!

C: I know, I know. But I actually don’t mind watching it again especially with knowing what I know with the ending. It will be interesting to see.

B: It sure was one of the weirdest movies I have watched.

C: Same. I wasn’t sure what was going on and if it was true. But that was a good ending for sure. What do you think?

B: The ending was effed up! Honestly. I am so confused.

C: And that is why I liked it. LOLLLLL!!  The whole movie was effed up. I can never look at Harry P---I mean Daniel Radcliffe the same! Especially with the lake scene…..eww harry---I mean hairy butt. D:

B: He did not do a lot of acting now did he, lol. Gods, this movie. You really have to see it to understand how weird it is.

C: Yes, he did little acting. I do wish we knew more about the character before he became a dead body. :/ BTW - poor Hank! I don’t think I would have survived.

B: At first I was all poor Hank, but then at the end when I realised things...well, Hank was just weird. Saying no more

C: I mean - its not his fault...but ya - he was weird and it was his fault he got into that situation. Rule 1...never get on a boat ALONE, because shit will happen.

B: On the other hand, was he ever on an island? And how far away? We really know nothing.

C: True, true. The whole story about him on a boat could have been a lie.

B: We only saw the beach, maybe it was like 1 min swimming from another beach ;) OR in the middle of nowhere cos he was an idiot who went out in a boat

C: LOL it could have been either or. You know what really confused me? The “powers” of the dead body. Like….how and why would you drink that water coming from his mouth???? I wanted to puke.

B: Hank is obviously gonna die soon….but how long was he really in the woods? Then again he did a lot there. But then again, oh those powers were weird. The pointy thing, ahem, that I understood when they got back to the beach.

C: I don’t think he was gone for too long. But that is just me. And where did he get a perfectly working shaver to do such a clean shave on his face??

B: True! Maybe he snuck out and drank water and shaved when we were not watching ;) But then the movie is not meant to be understood. I mean, the ending, come on!

C: Agreed. I think the movie is left up to the watcher to decide. I think it is all how we view it. I did like the message the film was trying to give out. It was nice.

B: It gave a message?

C: Yea! You didn’t catch it? It is okay to be oneself and to love.

B: I did watch it two weeks ago ;) And mostly thought it was weird.

C: Hahaha. True and I just watched it last night. The message was subtle.

B: I do see it. I just wonder what happened to him in the end.

C: Maybe he went back to the island and spread his message of love and being accepted to others who have been stranded! LMAO Hank is in an asylum for sure.

B: Poor Hank, but yes he is not running around the woods anymore for sure. Maybe he is happy now. As for Harry Potter, still out there spreading love around

C: LOL! Yup. That is what I am going with.

B: Strangest movie ever then. Do watch it folks, it is weird.

C: Yes...but a must see! I’ll be watching it again tonight. Sighs. XD Did you want to add anything else?

B: No, I hope more watch it and will be grossed out, laugh and wonder.

C: Awwwe. Fun. Good pick. I’m still grossed out...but I’m glad I gave it a shot! Onto the next movie!

B: Onward!

C: The end?

B: The end

#FitReaders Check-In: October 28, 2016

FitReaders is hosted by Geeky Bloggers Book Blog  and That’s What I’m Talking About.

Join in

Sat 1hwalk

Sun 1h walk

Mon 8 km bike. 45 min foamrolling

Tue  1 h yoga, 4 km bike. 

Wed  4 km bike. 1 h zumba

Thu  4km bike, 30 min walk

Fri 30 min walk, 4 km bike

Extinction game - Gary Gibson

When your life is based on lies, how do you hunt down the truth? Jerry Beche should be dead. Instead, he's rescued from a desolate Earth where he was the last man alive. He's then trained for the toughest conditions imaginable and placed with a crack team of specialists on an isolated island. Every one of them is a survivor, as each withstood the violent ending of their own alternate Earth. And their new specialism? To retrieve weapons and data in missions to other apocalyptic versions of our world. But what is "the Authority," the shadowy organization that rescued Beche and his fellow survivors? How does it access timelines to find other Earths? And why does it need these instruments of death? As Jerry struggles to obey his new masters, he begins to distrust his new companions. A strange bunch, their motivations are less than clear, and accidents start plaguing their missions. Jerry suspects the Authority is feeding them lies, and team members are spying on him. As a dangerous situation spirals into catastrophe, is there anybody he can trust? 

My thoughts:

We humans to seem to suck. This sci.fi with a very apocalyptic theme is filled with it.

The world ended and Jerry is the only human left (well I guess there could be someone hiding somewhere, but he sure found none.) Then these people show up and take him to another world. He gets sent on missions to other parallel worlds, all which have ended too. Well not all, but those they find are not good ones.

But why are they being sent to parallel worlds? Why are they not told anything? 

It was an interesting book. It felt sort of light too. And wow, so many parallel worlds. 

There is an ending, even if there are open threads. But I did see that there is another book, about another person, and I can't really say more.

Conclusion:

Interesting concept and good story

Paperback, 400 pages
Published October 1st 2015 by Pan Macmillan (first published January 1st 2014)
The Apocalypse Duology #1
Sci.fi apocalyptic
Library

Wake of vultures - Lila Bowen

Nettie Lonesome lives in a land of hard people and hard ground dusted with sand. She's a half-breed who dresses like a boy, raised by folks who don't call her a slave but use her like one. She knows of nothing else. That is, until the day a stranger attacks her. When nothing, not even a sickle to the eye can stop him, Nettie stabs him through the heart with a chunk of wood, and he turns into black sand.

And just like that, Nettie can see.

But her newfound sight is a blessing and a curse. Even if she doesn't understand what's under her own skin, she can sense what everyone else is hiding -- at least physically. The world is full of evil, and now she knows the source of all the sand in the desert. Haunted by the spirits, Nettie has no choice but to set out on a quest that might lead to her true kin... if the monsters along the way don't kill her first.

My thoughts:

At first I wondered whether this was fantasy or not, but nope, it is a western with lots of paranormal in it.

Nettie is half black, half Indian. She lives with mom and pap, but let's be honest, she is their slave. She longs to be somewhere else. Like tame broncos on the nearby farm. To be a man and not confined by society's view on women.

And as this a paranormal western then something will happen and her worldview will be changed. There are many things out in the desert, in towns, everywhere. Good and bad, and dangright evil.

I enjoyed the setting, it was different, even so different that is did not really feel like a western. More as a fantasy with a western setting. All those beings...

I guess it's YA, or not. Honestly even if YA, it could go either way. It never feels like it is one thing, and she is no normal teen either. She has been worked hard all her life. She just wants to live.

Conclusion:

An interesting story.

Cover

meh

Kindle Edition, 320 pages
Published October 27th 2015 by Orbit
The Shadow #1
Western paranormal
NG

Playing with fire - Kate Meader

As the only female firefighter at Engine Co. 6, Alexandra Dempsey gets it from all sides: the male Mr. Mayor has other ideas... coworkers who think she can't do the job, the wives and girlfriends who see her as a threat to their firefighter men, and her overprotective foster brothers who want to shelter their baby sister at all costs. So when she single-handedly saves the life of Eli Cooper, Chicago's devastatingly handsome mayor, she assumes the respect she's longed for will finally come her way. But it seems

Eli Cooper's mayoral ratings are plummeting, his chances at reelection dead in the water. When a sexy, curvaceous firefighter gives him the kiss of life, she does more than bring him back to the land of the living--she also breathes vitality into his campaign. Riding the wave of their feel-good story might prop up Eli's flagging political fortunes, but the sizzling attraction between them can go nowhere; he's her boss, and there are rules that must be obeyed. But you know what they say about rules: they're made to be broken... 

My thoughts:

Oh this was a hot one! And I really felt the chemistry between these two, it sizzled off the pages.

Alexandra is a firefighter, she has lots of foster brothers, and she is a serial dater. She does want to find the one, but men suck. She also has a mouth on her and says what she thinks. When she meets Eli, sparks fly. She mouths off and riles him up.

Eli is the mayor if Chicago, and he does have a thing for her. But mostly he likes to argue with her and their arguing is the best. It really shows the chemistry. I was all just get down and dirty at once!

There will be some drama, that is obvious from, well you will see. But hey I also know it will blow over soon and they will live happily ever after. Until then it was fun to see them fall in love, when they both believed this would blow over.

I read it in one sitting.

Kindle Edition, 384 pages
Published September 29th 2015 by Pocket Books
Hot in Chicago #2
Contemporary romance
NG

Review and Giveaway: Of flame and light - Cecy Robson

Taran Wird holds the unique ability to conjure fire and lightning. She is mated to Gemini, Second in Command to the Squaw Valley Pack of the Lake Tahoe Region, and the sole werewolf to possess the ability to split into two wolves. And although they are mates, Taran's insecurities have driven them apart.  

Devastated by an injury that left her with a zombie-like limb, Taran struggles to regain command over her magic. But when her arm and her power turn against her, lashing out on those she most loves, she knows she can no longer carry this burden alone. Not that she likes the alternative. 

The only way to regain control of her magic is to align and learn from the local coven of witches―the very ones who sought to banish her when she and her three unique sisters first moved to the mystical region. But although Taran is trying, the teachings don't come easy, and the tasks leave her weak and emotionally shattered. 

Yet Taran must learn and learn fast. Time is running out. The fire she once mastered so easily has become her greatest adversary and is now slowly burning her alive . . . 

My thoughts:

Oh Taran, she is such a mess. First, she has a new arm, an arm that wants to do magic of its own, and not always good magic. And in the last book she and Gemini split. She is still missing him, and honestly I forgot why they split, them being mates and all. Oh silly idiots!

The rest of the family is doing their thing while Taran tries to control her killer arm and gets sent to the witches. I do not like the witches, they are bitches. But she really is a danger to everyone.

This book was more ground level evil than many of the other ones. Not really, but Taran does spend a lot of time with the witches, there are battles to fight there too. And missing Gemini, and yes, there is something big and bad out there. But for once it felt more manageable.

We finally got a glimpse of that thing I have been waiting for..not saying what ;)

There is danger, more danger, action, and school. And bitchy witches of course. I guess the next one is about Taran too, and it will be fun to see what she has learned. And if it is not about her then I hope it's Emmie's booK

Kindle Edition, 350 pages
Published October 18th 2016 by Cecy Robson, LLC
Weird Girls #7
UF romance
In exchange for an honest review

Enter to Win the Ultimate Weird Girls Prize Pack, including a Coach® purse stuffed with an autographed copy of Sealed with a Curse, an audiobook of A CURSED EMBRACE, t-shirts, a water bottle, magnets, signed postcards, pins, and bookmarks. a Rafflecopter giveaway Link, http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81141/?

On Tour Now!

Of Flame and Light: A Weird Girls Novel by Cecy Robson, a Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy Series is on tour now.

-- Purchase: Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (Cecy Robson)

Cecy Robson is an award-winning author of magical realms, to-die-for Alpha heroes, and young adult adventure. A double RITA® 2016 finalist for Once Pure and Once Kissed, and published author of more than fifteen titles, you can typically find her on her laptop or stumbling blindly in search of caffeine.

Author Links (Contact Links)

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Carole's Sunday review: The lost diaries of Elizabeth Cady Stanton - Sarah Bates

Author: Sarah Bates

Title: The Lost Diaries of Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Genre: Historical Fiction & YA

Pages: ebook

First Published: February 22nd 2016

Where I Got It: My Shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

Johnstown, New York, 1823: It is a time when a wife’s dowry, even children, automatically becomes her husband’s property. Slavery is an economic advantage entrenched in America but rumblings of abolition abound. 

For Elizabeth Cady to confront this culture is unheard of, yet that is exactly what she does. Before she can become a leader of the women's rights movement and prominent abolitionist, she faces challenges fraught with disappointment. Her father admires her intellect but says a woman cannot aspire to the goals of men. Her sister’s husband becomes her champion–but secretly wants more. Religious fervor threatens to consume her. As she faces depression and despair, she records these struggles and other dark confidences in diaries. When she learns the journals might fall into the wrong hands and discredit her, she panics and rips out pages of entries that might destroy her hard-fought reputation. Relieved, she believes they are lost to history forever.

I've always been a fan of Elizabeth Cady. Yes, yes, she helped women get the right to vote and helped slaves be free. Those things make her a force to be reckoned with. However, I really find her an interesting and intriguing. I've read and seen many videos/movies about Elizabeth as a suffragette, but there is pretty much nothing about her early life. 

This book covers the early life of this great woman. It was wonderful to read. Very entertaining. The beginning was a little slow, but it did get really interesting and even though I knew what was going to happen next, I was curious to see what was going to be happening next. 

Her husband annoyed me. Meh. He was okaaaaaaaaaaaay - but I always thought she could've done a hair better. The pickings back then were slim....so I guess that was the best in her area. 

There were some chronological oopsies and "stretches" from the historical facts that had killed my history-nerd soul a bit, but like any historical fiction has creative license. However, the author did an excellent job bringing the time period alive and didn't make it sound like a history book. So this is good for those who are not crazy about historical-type books. 

I do wish that it would've followed more of her later life, because I find that even more interesting. I can't imagine living a life like that! Fighting for a simple right like to vote? SMH. 

Anywaysssss....

This was a fun story about an interesting story about an influential person. I want to read some more about her. Some historical inaccuracies and slow parts, but overall this was pretty good. I do recommend this for those that want to learn more about the brave women who helped change the history of the US and the world. In the end, I shall stamp this with 4 stars. 

DNF time

Ugh. I tried! I then skimmed to page 200 and was so boooored. No one had a personality. People I had started to know where gone since 44 years had gone by. And nothing happened in those 200 pages.

I had to dnf, it was just too simple. The language not at all historical, they felt modern and the main character was not nice, the hero an ass. Just no. It felt ..self published ( I am so sorry selfpubbed books!) But, I guess like no one gave it a second look over.

This was so dull. One of the early chapters was about a woman getting up, bathing, getting her hair done, getting dressed, and I was all come on!

They were all dull

DNF

Meh meh meh

#FitReaders Check-In: October 21, 2016

#FitReaders is hosted by Geeky Bloggers Book Blog  and That’s What I’m Talking About.

Join in

Sat nada

Sun 30 min walk

Mon 4 km bike. 15 min walk

Tue  1 h yoga, 4 km bike. 20 min  walk

Wed  4 km bike. 30 min walk

Thu  5km bike, 30 min walk

Fri 30 min walk, 10 km bike

Bad week :/ Oh and no classes for the second half of the week

Mr Darcy's Journey - Abigail Reynolds

Mr. Darcy is at his wits’ end. Elizabeth Bennet, the woman he can’t live without, overhears him insulting her family. Now she won’t even listen to his apologies. Then his old friend Sir Anthony Duxbury tells him two of their friends are in terrible danger. If Darcy wants to help them, they have to leave for Yorkshire immediately.

But something doesn’t add up. Elizabeth claims to know Sir Anthony, too – but by a different name. What game is his old friend playing? And is it dangerous?

Even Sir Anthony says the trip is dangerous. The Luddite rebels are on the verge of armed revolt – and he should know, because he’s one of them. Darcy’s cousin Lady Frederica decides she’s going with them anyway, and insists on bringing Elizabeth. Could this be Darcy’s chance to earn Elizabeth’s forgiveness and her love?

Elizabeth would rather face a squad of Napoleon’s soldiers than spend three days trapped in a carriage with Darcy and his headstrong cousin, but she has her own reason for agreeing to come. If she can just manage to keep her temper, she may be able to rescue her uncle from financial ruin.

But when a Luddite riot erupts around them, it’s Darcy and Elizabeth who need rescuing – from each other. 

My thoughts:

I listened to an audio version narrated by Elizabeth Klett. I felt she did an amazing job. It kept me entertained, I liked her voice and she kept a good pace. One thing though was Darcy's voice at times. He had a drawl and sounded so proud. Which he is of course, and it did seem to go away as the book progressed and he learned his ways.

In this one Lizzy is swept away by events. Straight into the boisterous Fitzwilliam family, and it was great seeing them. The colonel of course, a sister with opinions, and one brother is is a bit, oh he is fun too. And Lady Matlock sure has her way. A great family.

Lizzy's journey brings her straight into the luddite rebellion. Straight into contact with Darcy. They annoy each other, they liked each other. And they live happily ever after.

This was even more fun than reading! :D

Conclusion;
A good story with many twists and turns.

Audiobook, 11 hours
Published Sep 21st 2016 by Abigail Reynolds
Pride and prejudice variation
In exchange for an honest review

Legacy of the demon - Diana Rowland

Sidelined demon summoner Kara Gillian has her hands full when dimensional rifts allow demons to cause widespread panic and destruction on Earth. These aren't the human-tolerant summonables she's known before, but demons from the far reaches of the demon realm. 

Add three demonic lords with conflicting ambitions to the mix, and Kara has the perfect recipe for global disaster. 

My thoughts:

Arghh, how to even review this? I am torn. It feels like the only reason I will give this a 3 is cos I like this world and these characters, but my brain realises it is only a 2. If this had been any other series it had been a 2 and I would not have read more. SIGH.

From what I remember I had the same issues with the previous books. She just talked and talked and talked, they went from place to place, but nothing happened. If I had been the editor I would have cut half the book cos 500 pages of this was yawn worthy.

It had its moments, like when 8 books of secrets got told...I mean brace yourself. We do not need everything at once.

I had forgotten who she had hooked up with...I do not feel it.

I did not remember Pellini.

The whole book felt like I had missed one in between.

Gods, listen to your brain! But I do not want to!

Fine, I will rate it 2 because it was only ok.

*Sad face*

Mass Market Paperback, 453 pages
Published October 4th 2016 by DAW
Kara Gillian #8
Urban fantasy
Own

Mr.Darcy's present - Regina Jeffers

The Greatest Present He Would Ever Receive is the Gift of Her Love… 

What if Mr. Darcy purchased a gift for Elizabeth Bennet to acknowledge the festive days even though he knows he will never present it to her? What if the gift is posted to the lady by his servants and without his knowledge? What if the enclosed card was meant for another and is more suggestive than a gentleman should share with an unmarried lady? Join Darcy and Elizabeth, for a holiday romp, loaded with delightful twists and turns no one expects, but one in which our favorite couple take a very different path in thwarting George Wickham and Lydia Bennet’s elopement. Can a simple book of poetry be Darcy’s means to win Elizabeth’s love? When we care more for another than ourselves, the seeds of love have an opportunity to blossom. 

My thoughts:

I needed something short, and fun! So what to choose, well duh, a variation of course.

In this one, well he has already proposed at Netherfield, Bingley has left and the Bennets are moving on. Lizzy still thinks Darcy is an ass, and Wickham is cool.

I liked the road this one took, especially with Lydia. I did like the Gardiners, but Mrs G was a bit too much at one point. She made a comeback, but for a moment I lost faith in her. As for the Bingleys, it was only Charles around and at one point he showed this sterner side, and I liked that. Not laughs all the time there.

Wickham was of course evil as always. Darcy longed for Lizzy and that's where the whole present comes in. He wants to give her something, but he can't give a single woman a present. The scandal!

Conclusion:
It was fun. I do like them for a reason.

Cover
A big nope, cos it's not true to its era

Kindle Edition, 204 pages
Published September 11th 2016 by Regency Solutions
Pride and Prejudice variation
Own

Make me Burn - Tiffany Roberts

Groomed to slaughter, Morthanion spent millennia battling the forces of light, claiming countless Mesmerized by her voice and beauty, he is powerless. Captured and banished to a remote island by the Mage Council, his fury knows no bounds - until he meets her.

Aria knows survival means avoiding the other islanders at all costs. Yet when she encounters the dangerous, persistent Morthanion, it’s clear all the rules have changed. But can she forgive him the wrongs he’d done and grant him her trust…and love?

Stripped of magic, Morthanion understands that savagery is necessary to survive. When Aria’s true nature is revealed, the other inmates will stop at nothing to have her – and the demon would fight the entire world to keep her safe.

My thoughts:

I need to get this review written, I need a new concept...something fast.

Story.

A demon is sent to an island with other people that mages do not like. The island is hell, wtf is mages thinking, women do not stand a chance there. I get that mages are all, let's get rid of the baddies, but this was such a bad idea. But it makes for an interesting story since people are bad. Though we learn something late on that really makes me hate the mages, they were assholes too.

Characters:

Ok so at first I was really worried about Mort, he is such an alpha hole. He sees a woman and is all, I will have her. Omg man, ahole much, and then he makes his I have never raped anyone speech. Which I find hard believing since he is very alpha hole. But like always he does get into his big stupid brain that she is his mate. And he does care for her.

Aria, oh this girl was naive beyond words. I get that someone took care of her for 20 years ago, but I have a hard time believing she did not die one day after that person went away. She does have some sort of self-perseverance...at times. And she does go all My demon so very fast. 

They are perfect for each other. 

Judgement.

It was cheesy in a good way. A fantasy romance with darker moments, passion, and two people who I do not understand are still alive falling in love. So read it for the cheesy escapism.

Oh look, it comes with a warning, I know someone if you will like that ;)

-------------------------------------------------

Standalone in a three book series.

Warning: This book contains explicit sexual content and violence and is intended for mature readers only.

Paperback, 306 pages
Published March 5th 2016 by Createspace
Isle of the Forgotten #1
Fantasy romance
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