What the Holidays Mean to Me

I am doing a super fun “12 Days of Christmas” event that Catarina’s Reading and Things is putting on!

I canNOT believe Christmas is just two days away! I’m not sure who is more excited, me or my  daughter!

Okay…maybe my husband?

ANY-WHO today’s question is “What does the holiday season mean to you?”

I actually have two answers, and both are near and dear to my heart.

First, I am a Christian, and ultimately Christmas is for celebrating the birth of Christ. Each year my husband and I go through the story of Advent with my daughter…

well, actually this year we have gone through it several times, as she has been wanting to read the whole story over and over every night.

It’s been fun.

Also, just a side-note: Jesus did not, in fact get gold, frankincense, and myrhh.

Oh no.

According to my (at the time) three year old, he got ice cream, milk, and a cool car which she still insists on to this day.

I’m not going to argue.

(Have you tried arguing with a 3-4 year old? Pointless. Utterly pointless)

*ahem* Moving on

So that’s it…that’s my primary answer: Jesus’ birth, and many years later I am still utterly in awe of the whole thing.

The second answer I would give is that this season is all about generosity, which ties in closely with my first anyway.

The older my daughter gets the more I realize how easy it is to forget to give, how hard it can be to give (especially for a child so young), and yet how IMPORTANT it is for our children to learn how to give.

Not just giving presents, but giving of ourselves joyfully.

Putting others ahead of our own wants.

This is a super hard concept for a four year old, and I don’t expect her to fully grasp that right now, but it is important to us, as blessed as we are, to give in whatever ways we can.

But we want her to learn how amazing it is to give rather than always getting.

So, it all  boils down to one word:

Generosity.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway!!!!

The Redeemable Prince

 

This is it y’all…the last…one
*sob*
The last book in the series that was my fall into the rabbit hole that is Indie.
The last book in the series that transformed my life (in the reading sense) in the most amazingly delicious way ever.
The last book in one of the best (in my humble opinion) love stories I’ve ever read.
Like, right up there with Pride and Prejudice good.
Or at least I think so.

And this book WILL NOT disappoint! We have read the love  story of Kiran and Eden (TEAM KIRAN ALL THE WAY THE WHOLE TIME!!!), Avalon and Amelia, Jericho and Olivia, and we finally get to read Sebastian and Seraphina’s story!

IT IS SO GOOD!!!!
Here it is y’all:

 

Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1wBL3UQ

Seraphina Van Curen and Sebastian Cartier thought they were soul mates once upon a time. But for over a year, they have been well aware of just how quickly love can turn to hate and how cruel fate can be.

They might not be able to stand the sight of each other, but that’s okay since they avoid each other like the plague.

When danger strikes too close to home, and ancient Magic surfaces, they find themselves in the center of a deadly war. Seraphina and Sebastian strike an uneasy truce in order to end Dmitri Terletov, once and for all. They must work together to save what’s left of the Kingdom and protect the people they love most.

Along the way, they discover fate isn’t finished with them yet.

Fate is just getting started.

 

Haven’t started the Star- Crossed Series yet?  Reckless Magic is FREE!

Free on Amazon: http://amzn.to/137ush0

Free on Nook: http://bit.ly/1wBKfPR

Free on iBooks: http://bit.ly/1swKKwd

16 year old Eden Matthews has been in and out of private schools for the last two years. She can’t seem to stop herself from closing them down. Kingsley is her last chance to finish high school and the last private school willing to accept her.

She is focused on just getting through graduation until she realizes Kingsley is not like the other private schools she’s been to. The students may be different, but so is she. And after meeting Kiran Kendrick, the boy who won’t leave her alone and seems to be the source of all her problems, she is suddenly in a world that feels more make-believe than reality.

To top it off, she is being hunted by men who want to kill Kiran and her best friend Lilly is taken away to a foreign prison. Eden finds herself right in the middle of an ancient war, threatening everything she loves. She alone has to find a way to save her best friend and the boy who has captivated her heart.

Reckless Magic is an intricate story about mystery, adventure, magic and forbidden love. Eden Matthews is an unlikely heroine determined to save the world and be with her one, true love before it’s too late.

 

About Rachel Higginson 

Website     Facebook    Twitter

Rachel Higginson is the creator of The Star-Crossed Series, Love & Decay Novella Series, The Starbright Series, The Siren Series, Bet on Us and the soon to be released, The Five Stages of Falling in Love! She is also the co-creator of the podcast “Zach & Rachel Take Over the World.”

She was born and raised in Nebraska, and spent her college years traveling the world. She fell in love with Eastern Europe, Paris, Indian Food and the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka, but came back home to marry her high school sweetheart. Now she spends her days raising four amazing kids. In the few spare moments she has to herself, she is either reading for hours on end or writing her own stories.

Season 3 of Love & Decay!!!!!!

It’s here!!! AND the cover is GORGEOUS (as usual!)!!! This is the ONLY novella series I read, and I am surprised I read it…

there are zombies involved

and blood

and gore

and so much angsty survivor stuff it’s insane!
Regan and CO. are amazing, and the start of this season comes out with a BANG!!! (Pun intended)

Seriously.

I could NOT put it down!

Go get it (and if you haven’t read any of it before the very first 6 episodes are free!!! Links to follow!

 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1x928Iw

B&N: http://bit.ly/1yH6Rla

Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/501120

iBooks is not available yet…but as soon as it is we will send it out!

 

Season Three, Episode One Blurb:

Zombies- as if that wasn’t enough to ruin any girl’s dream of a happily ever after.

It’s been six months since Reagan Willow fled the Colony and Matthias Allen’s tyrannical clutches. Six months since she broke Hendrix Parker’s heart. Six months since she watched Kane Allen sacrifice his life to save hers.
Whatever was left of her already-tattered life during the Zombie Apocalypse fell apart six months ago. Now, on the cusp of crossing the Mexican border, there is hope that she might lead her friends to a better existence.

Except Zombies are only the beginning of their problems. Reagan and her friends must battle the elements, armies of Feeders and bounty hunters desperate to drag them back to the Colony to face their greatest threat.

The Colony’s power stretches wide and far. Their only hope is to outrun Matthias and get to Mexico.

Love and Decay, Episode One is the first episode in Season Three of a novella series in a Dystopian Romance about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with.

This story takes place over multiple episodes, with a release date every two weeks. Approximately 20,000 words.

 

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Haven’t started the Love & Decay Series Yet?  Season One Episodes 1-6 is Free!

Free on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1sgIZTH

Free on B&N: http://bit.ly/1AlLItP

Free on iBooks: http://bit.ly/1sgJjBT

Free on Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1yEoEo4

 

Zombies- as if that wasn’t enough to ruin any girl’s dream of a happily ever after.

A vaccination gone oh so wrong and a huge portion of the world’s population was turned into Zombies. Reagan Willow is forced out of her home when her parents become casualties of the horrid Zombie Apocalypse. With the help of her best friend Haley, they’ve become somewhat of experts on surviving the dangers of a world thrust into chaos and decay.

Reagan and Haley are on a vague mission to find somewhere safe to live out the remainders of their terrifying life when they stumble upon the Parkers, a pack of brothers that seem to have the survival thing down in a much more efficient and successful way than Reagan could ever have imagined. They are also protecting their eight year old sister, Page, and will do anything to keep her safe.

The brothers decide that Reagan and Haley need help with being kept safe as well, and as a group they set off to find the Zombie-free utopia Reagan is dreaming of.

Zombies are a daily problem, constantly threatening the lives of their group, but they’re not the only peril on the journey ahead. Militia groups of power hungry men are also a constant concern. And settlements of paranoid, suspicious people turn out to be just as hazardous.

Danger looms over every inch of the way, but Reagan, Haley and the Parkers are determined to get to their goal and remain together. Soon the Parkers become more to Reagan than just traveling companions and more than friendship starts to develop between her and Hendrix, the second oldest brother.

But at the end of the world, nothing can be as simple as life and death. Now, Reagan is going to have to schedule falling in love between hunting and surviving. Hopefully she can last long enough to find out if true love can still exist when everything else has started to fall apart.

Love and Decay, Volume One, is a compilation of the first six episodes in a twelve episode season. It is a Dystopian Romance Novella Series about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with.

This story takes place over multiple episodes, with a release date every two weeks. Each episode is approximately 20,000 words.

About Rachel Higginson 

Website     Facebook    Twitter

Rachel Higginson is the creator of The Star-Crossed Series, Love & Decay Novella Series, The Starbright Series, The Siren Series, Bet on Us and the soon to be released, The Five Stages of Falling in Love! She is also the co-creator of the podcast “Zach & Rachel Take Over the World.”

She was born and raised in Nebraska, and spent her college years traveling the world. She fell in love with Eastern Europe, Paris, Indian Food and the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka, but came back home to marry her high school sweetheart. Now she spends her days raising four amazing kids. In the few spare moments she has to herself, she is either reading for hours on end or writing her own stories.

Cover Reveal & Giveaway!!!!

Check out the cover reveal for Kat Nichols’ Family Secretshosted by Itching for Books. This is the first in her YA Paranormal series. Continue below for the intriguing cover, teasers and giveaway.

 

 

 

Series: Secret Societies Collection

Release date: January 2015

 

SYNOPSIS VIA GOODREADS:

An orphan by the age of sixteen, Sophia Morganthal now lives with her best friend and struggles in a world with no relatives. Midway through her Senior year, Sophia finds herself flying across the country to live with a family she never knew existed. She ends up with more questions than answers when she discovers that not only does she come from a long line of witches but that she must be initiated within the year to prevent a battle for coven leadership. 

 

Feeling more alone than ever, Sophia finds her solace in books. The journals of past initiates provide her with more than she ever wanted to know and make her question the path she’s on. Amidst all of the upheaval in her life, Sophia also finds one source of happiness – Connor. The last thing she needs is more complications, but Connor is the only person who makes her feel wanted for herself and not for what she stands for. 

 

As Sophia learns more about herself, and what being initiated into Blackthorne coven really means, she must answer the ultimate question – would she give up everything for her family?

 

EXCERPT

 

   After watching Alexa blow up a precious stone, I was a little hesitant to try. She watched me, her foot tapping the floor repeatedly, until I picked out a pretty blue gemstone that matched my shirt. I held it in my right hand, placing my left hand over it just as Alexa had done. Here is where I thought my previous failed attempts would come in handy since I already knew what didn’t work. But it didn’t matter much after all. My magic, perhaps knowing it was about to be used for the first time, was waiting as impatient as a child kept inside on a rainy day. Unlike those previous attempts, I was finally able to find it, grasp a tendril and tug lightly. It, whatever it was, unspooled and began to move towards my hands. I looked up at Alexa, panic building in my chest, heart beating erratically as this energy moved through my body. It began to pool in my hands, where I should have been able to send it into the stone, but somehow it was blocked. My heart continued to race, getting faster and faster as the energy filled my hands. The pressure built until I was sure my hands would burst, when Alexa placed a hand on my wrist. 

 

   “Relax,” she said. “Let it flow.” 

 

  Something snapped in my brain, a mental block I had thrown up against magic being real, and finally, my power began to pour into the sapphire. It wasn’t long before I felt some resistance from the stone, as the energy flow slowed. I pulled back, somehow instinctively knowing how and my connection to the stone broke. In my hands, I held my very own power stone. Opening my hand, the gem sat on my palm, pulsing along with my heartbeat. I barked out a laugh, staring at the stone, then raised my head to look at Alexa. 

   It was real. It was all real. Everything they told me. I shook my head, still staring at the stone in my hand. The magic energy had retreated back into my body, but I could feel it pulsing inside my chest, refusing to be hidden again, at one time both foreign and completely natural.

 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kat Nichols was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. The youngest of four children, she’d been known to play for hours with only a cardboard box for entertainment. Her imaginary friends had friends… and family… and even little cities to play in. As she grew older, she began to put some of these stories down on paper, rather than keeping them in her head. Writing a novel had always been a dream for her, perhaps an item on her bucket list, but it wasn’t until she joined a writing group with other aspiring writers that she finally got to work.When not writing, Kat is reading or driving her son to and from practices and wishing she was reading.It depends on the day. 

Kat still lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her wonderful husband, their hilarious son and their sometimes adorable and sometimes annoying cat, Ozzie.

www.katnichols.com | twitter.com/Author_KatN | facebook.com/katnicholsauthor

 

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Blurring the Lines

Occasionally I venture outside of the paranormal world and read something…normal?

That doesn’t feel right, but you know what I mean. No magic, or elves, or paranormal anything.

I find it brain cleansing to take a break.

Blurring the Lines was one of those breaks, and it was one I did NOT regret!

The two main characters are Christian, a post rehabbed rock star going solo and Corinne, who writes amazing songs, and has been totally burned by a an artist in the past.

She allows herself one night with Christian, when they hit it off.

One night (also, there is no graphic sex in this book)…only, it may not turn into just one night because this amazingly handsome singer canNOT get her out of his head and ends up on her doorstep in the middle of nowhere.

Apparently she is his muse.

Only she has heard that line before, and it ended up destroying her.

Well, destroy is a strong word, but it was pretty painful and she is determined to protect herself, and the little boy who lives with her.

Christian is determined to make her a permanent part of his life.

Ahh, love…

complicated

angsty…

beautiful love.

You should totally go get this book, it is PHENOMENOL!

Here’s where you can get it:

Amazon:

http://amzn.com/B00MGCAXKC

 

 

Henge

Henge by Realm Lovejoy is a YA Fantasy that is a modern spin-off of the Arthurian legends featuring Morgan Le Fay as the protagonist. This tour will consist of reviews, interviews & guest posts. Check out the full schedule for more information.

My Review

I am SUCH a sucker for a good paranormal series. Seriously, ever since Harry Potter I cannot get enough of magic in almost all forms and Henge is promising to be a series I will most definitely follow! This reviewer described it perfectly:

“Camelot meets Hogwarts meets Panem in this intriguing, well-written

beginning to a planned YA series.”–Kirkus Reviews

Morgan’s Dream is to became the Maven, right hand to the King. Not only is it her dream, she has actually had visions of this happening…albeit, not so clear visions. So she takes it upon herself to enter into a competition for magic users to start her journey to her dream job. Only, she is not the best there. Oh, she’s the best fire user, but a certain water user is phenomenal at what he can do!

He’s not bad to look at either.

Unfortunately, he may be trying to get rid of Morgan, and if it isn’t him, it’s someone else.

Dum dum dum….

I love that this book has mystery, suspense, magic, and yep…

You guessed it…

a strong and STUBBORN heroin.

Her adventures and her will to win make this book so exciting and I just canNOT wait for the next one! Go get it! You won’t regret it! AND! AND! Enter the giveaway below!

About the book:

Modern-day Camelot. Where knights no longer carry swords. Magic is dangerous. And those who seek control are not to be trusted.

Sixteen-year-old Morgan le Fay is a fire user. An ordinary girl with an extraordinary skill, she has the ability to create and command fire at will. Her dream is to become the Maven—the right hand of the future King Arthur. In the chance of a lifetime, Morgan is selected to join Arthur’s Round, an elite group of young magic users from which the new Maven will be chosen.

Along with the other fire, water, and wind users in Arthur’s Round, Morgan is rigorously trained and tested. The handsome Merlin, a brilliant water user, takes a particular interest in her. Is his friendship to be trusted, or is Merlin simply trying to win the position of Maven for himself? Among the many rivals Morgan faces is the current Maven, Mordred, who seems determined to see her fail.

But Morgan has a secret—years ago, her mother was executed for using fire magic, and Morgan’s desire for justice makes her more than ready to take on the challenge before her. Can she prevail in Camelot’s tests of survival and magic? Only time—and Morgan’s powerful fire—will tell.

Realm Lovejoy’s modern Arthurian series features one of literature’s most complicated and powerful female figures. Henge is the first book in the LE FAY series, and—like Morgan le Fay’s magic—it is sure to dazzle and amaze.

Goodreads

About the Author:

Realm Lovejoy is an American writer and an artist. She grew up in both Washington State and the Japanese Alps of Nagano, Japan. Currently, she lives in Seattle and works as an artist in the video game industry. CLAN is her first book. You can find out more about her and her book at www.realmlovejoy.com

Find the Author:
Webpage | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Giveaway:

signed paperback of Henge + swag (US)

4 paperbacks of Henge (US)

6 ebooks (INT)

1 ebook + $20 Gift Card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

A Reaper Made

Kindle I Nook I iBooks

Reapers, afterlife…death…afterlife…reapers
Truthfully, I avoid books that have to do with this stuff. I tried to watch “Dead Like Me” once, and I just couldn’t get too into it.
However, I have read Liz Long’s books (and reviewed them here) in the past, and have enjoyed her writing, so I thought, “Why not?”
I am SO glad I did!
Grace is snarky and irreverent, and I love it!
She was killed by a drunk driver and given the chance to become a reaper, and since she loved helping people while she was alive, she wanted to help them when they were ready to pass on as well.
So, she is now a “Made”, mentored by Tully, another “Made”
Made, as in they are not one of the original reapers created from fallen angels.
Poor Grace can’t catch a break from Tully, she is just too human. She is snarky and emotional, rather than the neutral Reaper she is supposed to be.
She is hanging out with her friend Tessa, who is a 300 year old witch, and they are talking about how boring life has become…
Well, Tessa is anyway, poor girls been a live for-EVER, warts and all, though she glamours herself up to be the beautiful person on the outside that she is on the inside.
So Tessa is bored, and when people are bored things happen…at least in books they happen.
Right?
If you are ever in a movie or book ,DO NOT COMPLAIN, because all hell WILL break loose!
And it does…all I will say now is that the rest of the book involves:
Grace’s living family
A hunky shifter that has a thing for feisty Tessa, and a bad angel gone worse, an Oracle with a Jersey accent, a temporary love interest for Grace, a confused halfling, a giant demon, and…
oh yeah…Grace’s living family.
Dun dun dun…..
Read it and review it!

Chosen Release!

Chosen (Daughters of
the Sea #3) by Kristen Day

RELEASE DAY BLITZ

Purchase on
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ubmzh4

Purchase on
Smashwords:
http://www.smashwo
rds.com/books/view/460369

The essence of who we are lies not in what we have,but in what we are willing to give up. Because in the end, Time and Tide wait for no one.

After sacrificing all that she had, the evil princess of the Underworld is still successful in her bid to tear Finn from Stasia’s life. In the midst of her search to reclaim him, Stasia is summoned to the island nation of Cyprus to take part in an age-old ritual; unveiling the missing pieces of her ancestry and re-igniting an ancient war. As she struggles to both save Finn’s soul and free
Carmen’s mind, Stasia’s bravery and determination will be pushed to its breaking point. A dark storm is forming on the horizon, and the forces who are vying to destroy her may be much closer than she thinks. Destiny weaves a sticky web of evil, betrayal, and revenge that can only be undone by the purity of love and the soul’s unyielding will to survive. In the last installment of the Daughters of the Sea trilogy,the past will collide with the present as Stasia’s future hangs in the balance. The prophecy that paved the way for her new life may indeed be the very thing that strips her of the ones she loves the most.

Haven’t started the Daughters of the Sea series yet? Start it off with Forsaken!

Once you’ve
been touched by darkness, it never leaves you…

Abandoned by
her parents as an infant; seventeen year old Hannah spent her childhood wading through countless foster families until being adopted by the Whitmans three years ago. Unfortunately, Atlanta’s high society wasn’t quite ready for Hannah…or the strange events that plague her

Chilling visions of murder, unexplained hallucinations, and a dark, mysterious guy who haunts her nightmares all culminate to set in motion a journey of self-discovery that will challenge everything she’s ever believed; not to mention her sanity.

Sent to live
at The House of Lorelei on Bald Head Island, NC for ‘kids like her’, Hannah quickly realizes things are not what they seem. Her fellow ‘disturbed’ teens are actually the descendants of mythical Sea Gods and Goddesses. And so is she.

But when Finn, the ghost from her dreams, appears in the flesh; her nightmares become reality and her dark visions begin coming true. Inexplicably drawn to him, she can’t deny the dangerous hold he has on her heart. The deadly secrets he harbors will ultimately test her courage and push the boundaries of her love.

She must decide if she is ready to embrace the ancient legend she is prophesized to be a part of. The fate of all the descendants will forever depend upon it.

Purchase on Amazon: http://bit.ly/ForsakenRDB< /p>

Purchase on Smashwords: http://bit.ly/XziTwd

About Kristen Day

Website / Facebook
/ Twitter

I am a southern belle at heart with a crazy streak that desperately tries
to escape at every opportunity. I love all things nostalgic, rustic, and quirky. I’ve
been told I see the world through rose-colored glasses, but I prefer to think of them
as kaleidoscope glasses – swirling and morphing reality into something I can digest
(who hasn’t pretended those pasty lima beans were really kiwi strawberry jelly
beans?).

When I’m not writing I’m making jewelry,
painting, drinking sweet tea,
watching the discovery channel, or going on random
adventures in the mountains of
North Carolina with my amazing husband.

Fallen

“Life is but a flash…and so many men waste it”

 

A while ago I reviewed a book called Moonlight, by Ann Hunter. The villain in the book, Sylas Mortas has a sad sad tale that is told in this book,  Fallen.

One of the things I like about Ann Hunter’s books is her ability to bring a world to life. Her use of descriptive imagery is just about perfect.
Many times I’ll read a book and it has WAY too much description and I find myself skipping whole paragraphs, or is has very little description and comes across as bland.
Ann Hunter’s words do not come across that way, I feel like her writing is very balanced in that sense.
So, Sylas is a prince and the main character of this story.
While his family see’s him as foolish, I find him brave.
At the beginning he runs away to escape being controlled, only to be kidnapped and then he CHOSE to stay there and go on an adventure.
Then a ban sidhe (banshee) visits his grandfather, and he takes his grandfather’s place instead.
There is something about these things that make me believe he is not only brave, but loyal as well.
At least to his family anyway.
Laittie..not so much.
Or so it seems…
Another character, Ros, is in this book as well. She is an interesting, and out of the box kind of character.
She is a hen.
Yep..
like the laying eggs kind of hen.
Apparently she see’s aura’s, and her Farmer has taken her to the castle as a gift.

These two story lines weave in and out to create a complex and intriguing story that reminds me of the classic fairytale books I have read.  This fractured fairytale is based on the story of the Frog Prince, but oh so grown up and much darker than the story I heard as a kid

Then again, the original stories are much darker than I heard as a kid!

Have you ever read the originals?

Not so great.

The Reluctant Prince ~ Cover Reveal!!!!

Are you ready for it!?!!??! The FINAL book in the Star-Crossed series is ALMOST here! Take a look at the new cover:

Isn’t it GORGEOUS! So Seraphina! Here’s a quick blurb of what this one is about, can’t wait to see how Seraphina and Sebastian’s story unfolds:

Release date: November, 2014

Synopsis:

The Redeemable Prince is Book #7 in The Star-Crossed Series.

Seraphina Van Curen and Sebastian Cartier thought they were soul mates once upon a time. But for over a year, they have been well aware of just how quickly love can turn to hate and how cruel fate can be.

They might not be able to stand the sight of each other, but that’s okay since they avoid each other like the plague.

When danger strikes too close to home, and ancient Magic surfaces, they find themselves in the center of a deadly war. Seraphina and Sebastian strike an uneasy truce in order to end Dmitri Terletov, once and for all. They must work together to save what’s left of the Kingdom and protect the people they love most.

Along the way, they discover fate isn’t finished with them yet.

Fate is just getting started.