Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Book Review: Doctor Who: The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Time Traveller

Author: Joanne Harris
Title: Doctor Who: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Time Traveller
Publisher: Random House UK
Publish Date: August 29, 2014
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: 
Struggling to get back to UNIT HQ, his body being destroyed by radiation, the Third Doctor arrives in the most perfect English village, where everyone is happy. But is he really on Earth, or somewhere far more strange? As his body weakens, the Doctor and the Queen of the village begin to unravel the truth.


Review: OMG OMG OMG! I've never been more moved by a Doctor Who short story than this Time Trip offering by Joanne Harris.

The story takes place just before The Third Doctor Regenerates. I'm a huge fan of Jon Pertwee's Doctor, and I have to say Joanne got him, spot on. I could see him in this strange English village, with the Queen, and the Wellness Parade.  Kudos to Joanne for going along with Who canon better than the showrunner.

The story isn't so much scary as it is sweet and very sad as the Doctor has to find out why it is always April 8th, while his body is dying of radiation poison. Not to mention that he wants to get back to Sarah Jane. (sniffle sniffle).

I loved how Joanne really brought The Third Doctor back to life here. His personality was really shining through and I particularly loved his interactions with Princess. Once you know what is going on, break out the tissues, because this story is a tear jerker.

This is actually one of the longer Time Trip installments, and it is also one of the best. If you are a Whovian, you simply must read this story.

Rating: 5 flowers


Book Review: Here In My Heart

Author: Anna DeStefano
Title: Here In My Heart
Publisher: Montlake
Publish Date: Sept 30, 2014
Buy:  Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: The author
Book Blurb: Live and work together, or lose everything that matters…

The ultimatum tilts Dru Hampton’s contented life in Chandlerville, Georgia, on its ear. The man that Vivian, her cantankerous boss and benefactor, wants Dru to partner with—live with—is Brad Douglas, who’s let Dru down every way a man can.

Sheriff’s deputy Brad Douglas has come a long way since his rebellious youth. He’s back home to care for Vivian, his ill grandmother. He’s stayed out of Dru’s way all these years to make up for the hurt he once caused her. Now, the delightfully mischievous Vivian’s dying wish is for them to rebuild at least a working relationship together…and she’s betting on them rediscovering much more.

The family business and the Douglas home that Dru and Brad both cherish will be sold if they don’t resolve their differences. Can these childhood sweethearts make up and reclaim each other’s hearts before it’s too late?

Review: This is a sweet romance that will tug at your heartstrings at every turn. I'm not usually a real fan of second chance stories, when someone has pined after someone for years, in this case seven. All these teenage angsty crushes show up a bit much, but with Anna DeStefano's novella, you have two characters you really can't help but root for.

Brad is really a perfect guy, and as the story progresses, it is hard to imagine anyone hating him for any reason. He's a bad boy turned good, and he's precious and smart and what most gals want in a hero. Dru is feisty and doesn't want to trust Brad after something he did 7 years ago.

This two are at each other's throats but are forced together by the real star of the book, Brad's grandmother, Vivian, who is now on hospice, and has one last wish she wants them to fulfill. I loved Vivian. So feisty and so wonderful. You know she's going to die, but that doesn't stop you from crying when it happens, especially as there was someone that loved her but didn't let her know until it was too later.

The other star of the book is Lisa, one of the Dixon's foster children. She has ADHD and is always ending up in some form of trouble. I loved her. I just wanted to hear someone tell her that they loved her to make her feel like she wasn't going to be cast aside from yet another foster family.

There were so may wonderful characters in this short book, and all of them well developed. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Rating: 4 flowers


Monday, September 29, 2014

Historical Fiction Virtual Tours Book Review: Dark Aemilia

02_Dark AemiliaPublication Date: May 27, 2014
Picador/Macmillan
Formats: eBook, Hardcover

Add to GR Button

READ AN EXCERPT.


A TALE OF SORCERY AND PASSION IN SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY LONDON—WHERE WITCHES HAUNT WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AND HIS DARK LADY, THE PLAYWRIGHT'S MUSE AND ONE TRUE LOVE.

The daughter of a Venetian musician, Aemilia Bassano came of age in Queen Elizabeth’s royal court. The Queen’s favorite, she develops a love of poetry and learning, maturing into a young woman known not only for her beauty but also her sharp mind and quick tongue. Aemilia becomes the mistress of Lord Hunsdon, but her position is precarious. Then she crosses paths with an impetuous playwright named William Shakespeare and begins an impassioned but ill-fated affair.

A decade later, the Queen is dead, and Aemilia Bassano is now Aemilia Lanyer, fallen from favor and married to a fool. Like the rest of London, she fears the plague. And when her young son Henry takes ill, Aemilia resolves to do anything to save him, even if it means seeking help from her estranged lover, Will—or worse, making a pact with the Devil himself.

In rich, vivid detail, Sally O’Reilly breathes life into England’s first female poet, a mysterious woman nearly forgotten by history. Full of passion and devilish schemes, Dark Aemilia is a tale worthy of the Bard.

Selected by O, The Oprah Magazine as one of 17 Books You Won't Be Able To Put Down!


Buy the Book


Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository

Review: I was attracted to this book from the moment I saw the cover, but more so than just the stunning cover art is the subject matter. I've been reading a lot of books about talented figures and the women that figure into their lives this year.

Amelia is a woman that had an affair with William Shakespeare and that was enough to draw me in, sadly it didn't live up to my expectations quite as much as I wanted it to. I don't know why, but I was craving a bit more romance.

But before you dismiss the book, don't. Aemilia is a character pulled out of the pages of history. So really, I didn't have to like her, and it was good that the author didn't pretty her up to make a romance or a fantasy novel revolving around her life.  She's a feminist in a time when women were chattel. In a way, she was a little like Queen Bess. Once I was able to accept that, I really enjoyed the book.

Ms. O'Reilly crafts a story that is deep in history. I love the Elizabethan period and she brings it to life here, as well as the time after Elizabeth's passing.

Rating: 4 flowers


03_Sally O'Reilly About the Author


Sally O'Reilly has received numerous citations for her fiction, which has been shortlisted for the Ian St James Short Story Prize and the Cosmopolitan Short Story Award. A former Cosmopolitan New Journalist of the Year, her work has appeared in The Guardian, The Sunday Times, the Evening Standard, and the New Scientist. She teaches creative writing at the Open University and the University of Portsmouth in England. Dark Aemilia is her U.S. debut.

For information and news please visit Sally O'Reilly's website and the Dark Aemilia Facebook Page.


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Sunday, September 28, 2014

ARC Book Review: Finding Sky

Author: Susan O'Brien
Title: Finding Sky
Publisher: Henery Press
Publish Date: Oct 7, 2014
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: 
She’s a parent. She’s (almost) a P.I. No one gets on your case like mom.

Suburban widow and P.I. in training Nicki Valentine can barely keep track of her two kids, never mind anyone else. But when her best friend’s adoption plan is jeopardized by the young birth mother’s disappearance, Nicki is persuaded to help. Nearly everyone else believes the teenager ran away, but Nicki trusts her BFF’s judgment, and the feeling is mutual.

The case leads where few moms go (teen parties, gang shootings) and places they can’t avoid (preschool parties, OB-GYNs’ offices). Nicki has everything to lose and much to gain — including the attention of her unnervingly hot P.I. instructor. Thankfully, Nicki is armed with her pesky conscience, occasional babysitters, a fully stocked minivan, and nature’s best defense system: women’s intuition.


Review: It took me awhile to decide how I felt about Nicki Valentine. She's the kind of overprotective crazy mom, that usually drives me nuts, but as I continued through Finding Sky, I really started to like her. She's intensely loyal to her friends, Kenna and Andy. They are the reason, she's taking on the hunt for the missing teenager, whose baby, Kenna and Andy were going to adopt.

The hunt for the missing Beth, leads Nicki into some pretty nasty situations, involving drugs and gangs, and she gets put on the hit list of one of those gangs. Not something fun, when you have kids to raise.

The story starts off a little slowly, as you get to know the characters, but once Nicki starts her investigation things really get moving. This definitely wasn't the typical cozy, since there were no dead bodies. That made things more interesting. Then there's the question of will Dean be a love interest for Nicki or will he just be someone that helps her along. That's going to be fun to find out in the upcoming books. There's definitely a little bit of chemistry there, but will they act on it?

I really liked how passionate Nicki was about finding Beth and how good of a PI she's eventually going to be. She doesn't come across as an amateur sleuth at all.

I was pretty surprised at the way everything worked out in the end.

This was a great start to a new mystery series!

Rating: 4 flowers




Saturday, September 27, 2014

Howls & Bites Book Blitz


Fall into the Ever After Series, a paranormal romance box set, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author A.C. James. It’s only available for 99 cents during preorders—Get your copy before the price goes up to $4.99!

Preorder Now:
Amazon ~ B&N ~ GooglePlay ~ iBooks ~ Kobo ~ ARe





Cry Wolf Series by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Sarah Mäkelä, will make you So preorder your copy today!
howl for more. Get four incredible books for 99 cents. It won’t stay that way for long.

Preorder Now:
Amazon ~ B&N ~ GooglePlay ~ iBooks ~ Kobo ~ ARe




Giveaway
Grand Prize — One $50 Giftcard
5 e-book copies of Breathe by A.C. James (Contemporary Dark Erotica Story)
5 e-book copies of Jungle Heat by Sarah Mäkelä
2 audiobook copies of Eternal Ever After by A.C. James
2 audiobook copies of Cold Moon Rising by Sarah Mäkelä




Eternal Ever After – Book 1:

His past holds a secret that becomes her nightmare.

Arie Cush has a secret that he thought he'd left behind. When his past follows him to Chicago he must protect someone that reminds him of all the painful memories he's tried so hard to forget. But when every touch from her sets his heart and body on fire--he finds it hard to maintain his aloof façade.

Holly Ellis has secrets of her own. An encounter with the handsome stranger who frequents her coffee shop reveals a vampire with baggage. Even though it might be more than she bargained for, she can't resist the one person who understands her. But her life is in danger and a supernatural threat could reveal the underground world of vampires to humankind in this Gothic Cinderella re-telling.

Fallen Ever After – Book 2:

He can’t lose her when danger strikes again.

Arie Cush wanted Holly from the very first moment he met her. A night at the Hellfire Club (HFC) is filled with old friends and new danger. The long-standing feud between the faeries that run the Chicago Crew and a lethal toxin puts Holly and other fledgling vampires in danger. Can they stop a vampire-fae war that’s been brewing for nearly a century?

Beyond Ever After – Book 3:

The half-demon unleashed a force that can tear them apart.

On the night, Daeveena, a half-fey, half-demon walked out of the Hellfire Club, she left a tide of destruction, but everyone figured that was the end of it. No one imagined that she would steal something so valuable. Can Arie discover who is harboring her before he loses everything?

As a special BONUS readers get Winter Promises: An Ever After Christmas Story that takes place between book one and book two!
The Witch Who Cried Wolf – Book 1
New Adult Paranormal Romance

Be careful what you wish for…

A potion gone wrong: Mia Brooks is a reluctant witch, with powers that she tries to hold in check. But when her magic gets mixed up, supernatural forces are unleashed and suddenly she’s being pursued by werewolves—that she didn’t even realize existed…

Hidden emotions: Ethan Parker, Mia’s brother’s best friend, is home from deployment for the holidays. Mia’s not only hiding from werewolves, she’s trying to keep her feelings for Ethan secret; it would be a disaster if he knew she’s been nursing a long-time crush…

The power of love: things take a terrifying turn when Mia and Ethan are attacked by a werewolf. Ethan is amazed when Mia reveals her paranormal prowess as she tries to shield them from danger. But can she really protect them from the darkness that lurks? And how can he tell her that, for ages, he’s been denying what he really wants? Mia...

Cold Moon Rising – Book 2
New Adult Paranormal Romance

Passions flare when the cold moon rises…

Kelly: a normal college girl, who knows what she wants—to survive her final exams, and find someone to share her life with. Studying with Jacob is becoming too hot to handle; she’s falling for him, but he’s going too fast…

Jacob: a not-so-typical frat guy, who hides a secret—he’s a werewolf. Whenever the moon is high, he’s driven to shed his human form and satisfy his powerful desires. He craves Kelly, but she’s pushing him away…

Fallout: Jacob can smell Kelly’s arousal, but she insists she doesn’t want sex. A wolf can only take so much before his natural instincts win out. When the tension between them explodes, Jacob has no choice but to walk…

Kidnapped! Kelly is abducted by evil scientists who’ve mistaken her for a female werecat and, despite their differences, Jacob has to try and find her. But it’s a race against time and the lunar tides. The scientists have taken Kelly to their lab and turned her into a shapeshifter for real. The full moon is rising, and soon neither Kelly nor Jacob will be able to control their inner beasts. Who knows what the consequences will be when they are consumed by unquenchable animal lust…

The Wolf Who Played With Fire – Book 3

Some magic can’t be unspun…

Meddling in magic…
If Mia Brooks could turn back time, it would be to when she used her fledgling magic to craft a potion for an injured werewolf. It nearly killed the Pack Alpha, and now the lives of her witch mentor, Jessa, and her soldier boyfriend, Ethan Parker, have been changed forever. Jessa is in hospital after a vicious werewolf attack. And, Ethan, having being bitten, is becoming a werewolf himself.

A wolf at the door…
Mia can’t turn back time, but she can try to make things right with the two people she cares about most. She’s keeping Jessa’s shop, Eternally Magick, open, and she’s there for Ethan as his inner wolf grows. But, by the next full moon, his transformation will be complete. Can she really be the mate of a half-man-half-wolf, living within the law of the Pack?

Under his spell…
Struggling to contain his new lupine senses, Ethan goes missing on active duty. When Mia realizes her werewolf lover has been abducted, she knows must harness every magic power she possesses to get him safely back…

About the Authors

A.C. James

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author A.C. James writes paranormal romance and erotica, includingEternal Ever After which was featured in the bestselling Spice Box anthology. She pounds out sexy scenes at her keyboard where romance is laced with horror in hot stories of vampires and bad boy werewolves. Her stories feature strong heroines and alpha heroes, with plenty of action, twists, and turns that will keep you turning pages.

A.C. resides in northeast Pennsylvania where she entertains her husband with her imaginative yarns and quirky sense of humor. She spends her time drinking large vats of coffee while taming two toddlers by day and writing by night. Recovering video game beta tester and tech geek who grew-up going to cons and watching SmackDown. There’s probably some cosplay pictures around somewhere of her dressed up as Bloodberry from Saber Marionette J. Just don’t tell anyone.

Connect With A.C.


Sarah Mäkelä

Sarah Mäkelä loves her fiction dark, magical, and passionate. She is a paranormal romance author, but she's written all over the romance spectrum with cyberpunk, sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy...even a sweet contemporary romance!

A life-long paranormal fan, she still sleeps with a night light. In her spare time, she reads sexy books, watches scary movies (and Ghost Adventures), and plays computer games with her husband. When she gets the chance, she loves traveling the world too.

Connect With Sarah


Ever After Series: Amazon ~ B&N ~ GooglePlay ~ iBooks ~ Kobo ~ ARe

Cry Wolf SeriesAmazon ~ B&N ~ GooglePlay ~ iBooks ~ Kobo ~ ARe

Friday, September 26, 2014

Historical Fiction Virtual Tours Spotlight: Dark Aemilia

02_Dark AemiliaPublication Date: May 27, 2014
Picador/Macmillan
Formats: eBook, Hardcover

Add to GR Button

READ AN EXCERPT.


A TALE OF SORCERY AND PASSION IN SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY LONDON—WHERE WITCHES HAUNT WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AND HIS DARK LADY, THE PLAYWRIGHT'S MUSE AND ONE TRUE LOVE.

The daughter of a Venetian musician, Aemilia Bassano came of age in Queen Elizabeth’s royal court. The Queen’s favorite, she develops a love of poetry and learning, maturing into a young woman known not only for her beauty but also her sharp mind and quick tongue. Aemilia becomes the mistress of Lord Hunsdon, but her position is precarious. Then she crosses paths with an impetuous playwright named William Shakespeare and begins an impassioned but ill-fated affair.

A decade later, the Queen is dead, and Aemilia Bassano is now Aemilia Lanyer, fallen from favor and married to a fool. Like the rest of London, she fears the plague. And when her young son Henry takes ill, Aemilia resolves to do anything to save him, even if it means seeking help from her estranged lover, Will—or worse, making a pact with the Devil himself.

In rich, vivid detail, Sally O’Reilly breathes life into England’s first female poet, a mysterious woman nearly forgotten by history. Full of passion and devilish schemes, Dark Aemilia is a tale worthy of the Bard.

Selected by O, The Oprah Magazine as one of 17 Books You Won't Be Able To Put Down!

Praise for Dark Aemilia: A Novel of Shakespeare's Dark Lady


"A gripping novel that gives feisty feminist voice to the unknown woman who inspired Shakespeare’s sonnets… O’Reilly brings her star-crossed lovers together and drives them apart through plot twists that are, for once, credible outgrowths of the characters’ personalities and beliefs, finally giving them a tender, heartbreaking parting. First-rate historical fiction: marvelously atmospheric and emotionally engaging."—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

"[Dark Aemilia] mesmerizes with its descriptions of the Bard’s London…O’Reilly casts her story with witches, doomed royals, evil courtiers, and star-crossed lovers, as if it were a Jacobean play. But her finest accomplishment is not the tribute she pays to these historical figures, but the bold imagination she displays in bringing them together."—Publishers Weekly

"With elegant style, masterly wordplay, and an eye for historical detail, O’Reilly beautifully relates a passionate and tragic love story, worthy of two such well-known figures. With Shakespeare’s 450th birthday approaching this April, fans of historical fiction writers such as Philippa Gregory, Anne Easter Smith, and Tracy Chevalier won’t want to miss this one." —Library Journal

"O’Reilly’s American debut is an imaginative take on the life of poet Aemilia Layner, a contemporary of William Shakespeare…. This is a lively, vividly rendered novel about the dramatic life of an extraordinary woman."—Booklist

"Seductive, sharp-witted lady-in-waiting Aemilia Bassano, who later becomes known as England’s first published female poet, falls into a love affair with the Bard himself, loses favor with the court, and resorts to black magic and sorcery to save her child in this textured work of historical fiction."—O, The Oprah Magazine

"I just finished this, and I’m jumping at this opportunity to recommend it to book lovers far and wide… Dark Aemilia is a must-read for all lovers of Shakespeare and old England, and while it is written from the perspective of a woman, I am confident men will enjoy it, too. I am usually careful with my books, but this one quickly became a victim of dog ears and pencil-marks, because O’Reilly touches on so many crucial historical moments and writes with such intelligent elegance." —Anne Fortier, BookPage

"We all know Shakespeare wrote love sonnets. Now, O’Reilly’s new novel brings us the Bard’s sonnet-writing lover and sonnet-inspiring muse."—The New York Post

"Draped in the lure of magic and fantasy that weaved its way through many of Shakespeare’s plays, Dark Aemilia lives and breathes the late 16th century ….O’Reilly’s debut novel is a sweeping success, a tale full of action and intrigue and as deep as any ocean. Live vicariously through the eyes of one of the first proto-feminists to have lived. See as the author steps into her head and creates a world that is more realistic than the one outside your window. Let this book redefine the way you see love."—Bookreporter

Buy the Book


Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository

03_Sally O'Reilly About the Author


Sally O'Reilly has received numerous citations for her fiction, which has been shortlisted for the Ian St James Short Story Prize and the Cosmopolitan Short Story Award. A former Cosmopolitan New Journalist of the Year, her work has appeared in The Guardian, The Sunday Times, the Evening Standard, and the New Scientist. She teaches creative writing at the Open University and the University of Portsmouth in England. Dark Aemilia is her U.S. debut.

For information and news please visit Sally O'Reilly's website and the Dark Aemilia Facebook Page.

Dark Aemilia Blog Tour Schedule


Monday, August 18
Review at The Bookworm

Tuesday, August 19
Review & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

Wednesday, August 20
Guest Post at Bibliophilia, Please

Thursday, August 21
Spotlight at Princess of Eboli

Monday, August 25
Review at The Mad Reviewer
Review & Giveaway at Curling Up By the Fire

Tuesday, August 26
Review & Giveaway at Poof Books

Thursday, August 28
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews

Sunday, August 31
Review at Carole's Ramblings

Monday, September 1
Review at Book Drunkard
Giveaway at Carole's Ramblings

Tuesday, September 2
Guest Post & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, September 3
Review & Giveaway at Bibliophilia, Please

Friday, September 5
Review at Awesome Book Assessment

Tuesday, September 9
Review at Just One More Chapter

Wednesday, September 10
Guest Post at Just One More Chapter

Thursday, September 11
Review at CelticLady's Reviews

Tuesday, September 16
Review & Giveaway at Bookish

Wednesday, September 17
Review & Giveaway at Casual Readers

Friday, September 19
Review & Giveaway at Book Nerd

Monday, September 22
Review at A Book Geek

Tuesday, September 23
Review & Giveaway at Beth's Book Reviews

Wednesday, September 24
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Friday, September 26
Spotlight at A Chick Who Reads

Sunday, September 28
Review at WTF Are You Reading?

Monday, September 29
Review at 100 Pages a Day - Stephanie's Book Reviews
Review & Giveaway at Book Dilettante
Review at at A Chick Who Reads
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Great Escapes Book Tour: Interview Daryl Wood Gerber - Stirring The Plot w/Recipe




What are you reading right now?
Leslie Budewitz’s new Assault and Pepper, a Spiced to Death mystery. It’s a first in a series and not out yet, but will be soon. Very enjoyable, set in Seattle. Also, I’ve got Lee Child’s latest on my bedside table, as well as Lisa Gardner’s Fear Nothing.

Who is your favorite author?
I really enjoy reading Lisa Gardner and Harlan Coben. I also enjoy a bunch of cozy authors including Krista Davis, Kate Carlisle, Cleo Coyle, and Hannah Dennison. The list goes on!!!!

What is your go to cookbook?
Gourmet I. The first edition. It is really worn, but it’s where I learned out how to make so many things, pastry dough, apple pie, boeuf bourguinon, biscuits!

Do you have a favorite celebrity chef?
I love Anthony Bordain (love his historical perspectives), Ina Garten (though she’s so mellow sometimes it drives me crazy LOL), and Bobby Flay (for flair and cockiness). I love watching Iron Chef. That’s downright fun. And I love watching up-and-coming chefs on the challenge shows.

If you could have a meal with anyone past or present/ who would it be, and what would you be eating?
Well, it would have to include a number of people. I’d love to get Will Shakespeare, Mark Twain, and Agatha Christie in a room together. I’d probably throw in Audrey Hepburn for style and the wonderful humanity conversations we could have. Hillary Clinton because she’s just so well versed on everything and she’s funny. Billy Crystal or Mel Brooks or both--so witty! And Ina Garten, because then I don’t have to do any cooking! What a fun, interesting, colorful mix, right? I’d ask Jesus to attend, too, because he has the best bread!! Feeds hordes of people. And talk about witty?!!  I’m thinking fresh crab and shrimp, maybe a side of pesto pasta with lots of basil and Parmesan cheese, organic tomatoes with homemade buffalo mozzarella, basil, and pesto oil. My homemade ice cream. I make some killer flavors. And something chocolate. I have a wonderful recipe for homemade chocolate spritzed with a sassy spice in the upcoming STIRRING THE PLOT. Check it out.

Savor the mystery!



LEMON MERINGUE & MYSTERY

I write mysteries. Culinary mysteries that include recipes. That means I have to cook. A lot. Luckily, I have over the course of my life. As a girl, I sold chocolate cream pies to my neighborhood, I catered during college, and I ran a restaurant in my twenties. I love to cook!

In the Cookbook Nook mysteries, the lead character, Jenna Hart, is not a cook. She is a foodie. She dined out often while working at an advertising firm in San Francisco. When she left her job to return home to Crystal Cove to help her aunt open a culinary bookshop and café, Jenna decided she had to learn to cook. Baby steps. Five-ingredient recipes. This recipe I’m sharing would give her heart palpitations…and she’s not thirty yet.

But don’t despair if you, too, are a novice. It’s really not a difficult recipe. It simply has a lot of ingredients and a few extra steps. Follow them, and you won’t go wrong.

By the way, I often find recipes in cookbooks, but I found this recipe in a Food Network Magazine, the April 2014 issue. However, I tweaked it because I have to eat gluten-free. It turned out fabulously! ***If you wish to make these with regular flour, simply swap out the glutlen-free flour with regular flour and OMIT the xanthan gum! All the rest of the steps are the same.

These are perfect for a book club!




LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKES
GLUTEN-FREE VERSION

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:
2 large eggs
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
1 cup whole milk (I used 2%)
¾ cup vegetable oil
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons (2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups GF flour (I used Sweet Rice/Tapioca)
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon baking poder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

For the meringue:
2 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze: (optional)
2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 tablespoon lemon-flavored liqueur (optional)
6-7 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Directions:

Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. (My batch made 12 plus 6 mini muffins) Whisk the eggs, sugar, milk, vegetable oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla in a large bowl until combined. Whisk the GF flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix on medium high. Don’t overmix.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them to just below the rim. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20-22 minutes (depending on your oven). Let cool 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Don’t start making the meringue until the cupcakes are out of the oven. Beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl, using a mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to high and add in 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Beat until shiny peeks form, about 3 minutes.

Combine the rest of the sugar (6 tablespoons), the corn syrup and ¼ cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until the mixture registers 245 degrees on a candy thermometer. Do NOT over cook!! About 6 minutes. Remove from heat. With the mixer on medium, slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites; increase the speed to high and beat until the meringue is fluffy and cool, about 6 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. [I didn’t have one; I used a spoon.] Pipe the mixture onto the cooled cupcakes; set aside at room temperature to firm up, about 15 minutes.

Note: I did not do the rest of the recipe, as laid out in the magazine. Why not? See my fear below… Here are the remaining instructions. Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, limoncello and food coloring in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth. Microwave the mixture 1 minute, then whisk again until the sugar dissolves; let cool about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dip the meringue-covered tops of the cupcakes into the glaze [MY FEAR WAS THE MERINGUE WOULD SLIDE RIGHT OFF; I WAS CHICKEN.] Let any excess drip off [sort of like you would dipping an ice cream into chocolate]. If the glaze gets too thick, microwave 20 seconds.

* * *

Below is a tidbit about STIRRING THE PLOT, the next in my Cookbook Nook mysteries. It comes out September 30! FYI, though I write a series, each book is a stand-alone and can be read first, even if you haven’t read the others in the series.

STIRRING THE PLOT
(3rd in Cookbook Nook Mysteries)

Halloween in Crystal Cove, California, is a big deal, involving a spooky soiree where the Winsome Witches, a fund-raising group, gather to open up their purse strings and trade superstitions. But party magicians, fortune-tellers, and herbalists are only the beginning of this recipe for disaster. Jenna Hart has packed The Cookbook Nook chock-full of everything from ghostly texts to witchy potions in anticipation of the annual fund-raiser luncheon. But there’s one unexpected addition to the menu: murder. When the Head Priestess of the Winsome Witches is found dead, there’s plenty of blame to go around, and Jenna will have to use more than just sleight of hand to conjure up the truth…

[This is NOT a paranormal story. It is a traditional cozy mystery.]

Author:  Daryl Wood Gerber
Title: Stirring The Plot
Publisher: Berkley 
Publish Date: Sept 30, 2014
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Great Escapes Book Tours & the author
Book Blurb: 
Jenna Hart has packed The Cookbook Nook chock-full of everything from ghostly texts to witchy potions in anticipation of the annual fund-raiser luncheon. But there's one unexpected addition to the menu: murder.

When the Head Priestess of the Winsome Witches is found dead under mysterious circumstances, there's no logical answer and plenty of blame to go around. With her aunt, Vera, unable to call on her ability to foresee the future, Jenna will have to use more than just sleight of hand and a few magic tricks to conjure up the truth...


Review: This is book 3 in the Cookbook Nook series, and probably one of the few series that I've read from the start. I love this one!

I also love that it is a holiday book, especially as it is Halloween. I love books that revolve around holidays and Halloween in Crystal Cove seems like a great place to be, until Pearl winds up dead. Pearl is the Head Priestess of the Winsome Witches (Not real witches though). She's also a counselor, who a lot of people have told their secrets to. See, look at all that motive.

There are a lot of people with motives though, and Daryl makes it hard to figure out which one it might be, and some of the suspects come across as really suspicious. There was one character, in particular that I wanted to be the killer, but wasn't.

Jenna and Vera are at their very best here, as they work to find out whodunit. Oh and Jenna and handsome Rhett  are progressing in their relationship, though not nearly fast enough for me.

Like the other two books in the series, this one is full of great cookbook titles from the shop and some fabulous recipes that will make you want to munch while turning the pages.

I absolutely loved this book, and can't wait for the next installment!

Rating: 5 flowers


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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

TLC Book Tour Book Review: The Betrayed

Author: Heather Graham
Title: The Betrayed
Publisher: Mira
Publish Date: Sept 30, 2014
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours & Net Galley
Book Blurb: One night, New York FBI agent Aiden Mahoney receives a visitor in a dream—an old friend named Richard Highsmith. The very next day he’s sent to Sleepy Hollow because Richard’s gone missing there.

Maureen—Mo—Deauville now lives in the historic town and works with her dog, Rollo, to search for missing people. She’s actually the one to find Richard…or more precisely his head, stuck on a statue of the legendary Headless Horseman.

Mo and Aiden, a new member of the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI’s unit of paranormal investigators, explore both past and present events to figure out who betrayed Richard, who killed him and now wants to kill them, too. As they work together, they discover that they share an unusual trait—the ability to communicate with the dead. They also share an attraction that’s as intense as it is unexpected…if they live long enough to enjoy it!


Review: The Betrayed is another book from the Krewe of Hunters series. All of the books are stand alone novels, so it doesn't matter what order you read them in, or if you read all of them. (Although, Graham is a stellar author when it comes to paranormal mysteries, so you might want to read them all).

This book takes place in Sleepy Hollow and involves the grisly murder of a NYC politician. The location of the murder should give you a clue as to what happened to the guy.

I wish I would have read this book before I had read The Hexed, because that one was so fantastic that this one feels a bit like a come down. It is still a great book, but the other was superb. I found myself comparing the two books too frequently.

Mo and Aiden didn't quite measure up to Devin and Rocky. The chemistry just wasn't there for me. They were a sweet couple, but I wanted more out of their relationship. Actually, I wanted them to be a couple faster than they were. They really didn't get together until the book was nearly over.

On a high note, I just loved Mo's dog Rollo. I'm a sucker for pets in books! There was a part towards the end that had me biting my nails because I really loved that dog.

Another great character was J.J., the son of one of the murder victims. He was precious, though I did have a gripe about the way he talked. He sounded more grown up than a kid his age, that suffered the kind of trauma that he did, would sound.

The mystery was great and Ms Graham really knows how to bring places like Sleepy Hollow to life on the page. The Krewe of Hunters series makes me long for Halloween and haunted houses and creepy movies.

I still recommend this book highly to lover of spooky novels and mysteries. Graham doesn't really disappoint here, but after the perfection that was The Hexed, its hard to put a rating on this one. She did do a great job of mixing history and mystery here and this book is definitely a must read.

Rating: 4 flowers




Sunday, September 21, 2014

Book Review: The Girls Of August

Author: Anne Rivers Siddons
Title: The Girls Of August
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publish Date: July 8, 2014
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: 
Every August, four women would gather together to spend a week at the beach, renting a new house each year. The ritual began when they were in their twenties and their husbands were in medical school, and became a mainstay of every summer thereafter. Their only criteria was oceanfront and isolation, their only desire to strengthen their far-flung friendships. They called themselves the Girls of August. But when one of the Girls dies tragically, the group slowly drifts apart and their vacations together are brought to a halt. Years later, a new marriage reunites them and they decide to come together once again on a remote barrier island off the South Carolina coast. There, far from civilization, the women make startling discoveries that will change them in ways they never expected.


Review: Have you ever read a book that you know you've not read before, but when you finish it, it felt like you had, because the plot was so similar to about a dozen other books that you've read?

That sums up The Girls Of August in a nutshell.

If you've read one book about women who rent houses on the beach each summer, you might have read them all.

Considering how great a writer Anne Rivers Siddons is, this book is quite a let down.

You have 3 original wives of doctors (ho hum, I'm supposed to feel sorry for wealthy doctor's wives..nope, no can do). The fourth wife, is a twentysomething bombshell.

Can you see where this story is going?

Yes, the other wives resent her, hate her, whatever. Yes, their lives are changing/ending, but somehow, this young thing helps alter there summer.

I wanted to feel sad for Rachel and Barbara, but other than their nasty behavior, I didn't feel like I got to know them well enough to have any emotional attachment. Maddie is the likable peacemaker of the bunch. She's the only one willing to give "Baby" a chance.

The story is short and fast paced, with a few flashbacks of Maddie's life. It definitely fits into the beach read category. Its light and fluffy, but unfortunately not very satisfying.

Rating: 2 flowers


Friday, September 19, 2014

TLC Book Tours Book Review: The Angel Of Losses

Author: Stephanie Feldman
Title: The Angel Of Losses
Publisher: Ecco
Publish Date: July 29, 2014
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours
Book Blurb: 
When Eli Burke dies, he leaves behind a mysterious notebook full of stories about a magical figure named The White Rebbe, a miracle worker in league with the enigmatic Angel of Losses, protector of things gone astray, and guardian of the lost letter of the alphabet, which completes the secret name of God.

When his granddaughter, Marjorie, discovers Eli’s notebook, everything she thought she knew about her grandfather—and her family—comes undone. To find the truth about Eli’s origins and unlock the secrets he kept, she embarks on an odyssey that takes her deep into the past, from 18th century Europe to Nazi-occupied Lithuania, and back to the present, to New York City and her estranged sister Holly, whom she must save from the consequences of Eli’s past.

Interweaving history, theology, and both real and imagined Jewish folktales, The Angel of Losses is a family story of what lasts, and of what we can—and cannot—escape.


Review: I have to admit, the cover of this book is what drew me in at first. It has a very otherworldly feel to it, and that intrigued me.

When I started reading, I wasn't sure how I felt about the story. Marjorie and Holly aren't characters you can easily come to love, or even like.

I loved the Jewish folklore. I've always found myself drawn to stories of a religious nature, even though I'm not a devout practitioner of any faith.

I did feel that at times the story was disjointed, shifting between the folklore and reality, but overall, it was a good read that's part magical realism and part family saga.

Rating: 4 flowers


Thursday, September 18, 2014

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours Book Review: Prisoner Of The Queen

02_Prisoner of the Queen 
Publication Date: July 2014 | Knight Media, LLC | Formats: eBook, Paperback
Series: Tales From the Tudor Court
Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Blurb: 

I have served three queens in my life. One was my sister, one was my savior, and one my bitterest enemy. Knowing she was seen as a threat to the Queen she served, Lady Katherine Grey, legitimate heir to the throne, longs only for the comfort of a loving marriage and a quiet life far from the intrigue of the Tudor court. After seeing her sister become the pawn of their parents and others seeking royal power and then lose their lives for it, she is determined to avoid the vicious struggles over power and religion that dominate Queen Elizabeth’s court. Until she finds love—then Kat is willing to risk it all, even life in prison.

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Tales From the Tudor Court Series

Book One: My Lady Viper
Book Two: Prisoner of the Queen

Review:  I love the Tudor period. It is hard to believe that anyone could write another book dealing with this royal dynasty that would still leave me feeling like I haven't read a half a million books on the subject, (ok, maybe not so many, but it feels that way sometimes) but E. Knight does.

So yes, the Tudor period is very overdone, in both historical fiction and romantic fiction, but, there's always something more, or someone more to learn about. In this case, Katherine Grey, who was the sister to Lady Jane Grey, the nine days queen.

I've read books that feature the Grey sisters but they focused mostly on Jane and Mary. This was the first one that I've read that put Katherine in the spotlight.

This is a tragic romance but one that really pulls you in. This is a woman of royal blood, whose life is really in the hands of the Queens, both Mary and Elizabeth, who see her as a threat. I felt terribly sorry for her. She seemed to want love rather than power, and she definitely didn't have the love of many people in her life. Her mother wasn't exactly the nicest woman, and the Queens that she served wouldn't trust or like or much, with good reason really, not that Katherine did anything to usurp the throne, but other members of her family did. That put her in constant suspicion.

E. Knight makes Katherine a very real person to her readers as well as Ned. There are things that happen in her life that will make you cry along with her. The loss of her pup, was one moment that really got to me. I always hate reading about the death of animals or when someone's pet wasn't allowed to make a journey with them to a new life.

I love the writing style and the obvious research that went into bringing this story to life. This book was a joy to read, even as the story breaks your heart.

Highly recommended

Rating:  5 flowers


About the Author

Eliza KnightE. Knight is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Romance Writers of America and several RWA affiliate writing chapters: Hearts Through History, Celtic Hearts, Maryland Romance Writers and Washington Romance Writers. Growing up playing in castle ruins and traipsing the halls of Versailles when visiting her grandparents during the summer, instilled in a love of history and royals at an early age. Feeding her love of history, she created the popular historical blog, History Undressed (www.historyundressed.com). Under the pseudonym Eliza Knight, she is a bestselling, award-winning, multi-published author of historical and erotic romance. For more information please visit E. Knight's website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.



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Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours Book Review: Lost Legacy


Author: Annette Dashofy
Title: Lost Legacy
Publisher: Henery Press
Publish Date: Sept 16, 2014
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Great Escapes Book Tours & the author
Book Blurb: On a sultry summer afternoon, Paramedic Zoe Chambers responds to a call and finds a farmer’s body hanging from the rafters of his hay barn. What first appears to be a suicide quickly becomes something sinister when Zoe links the victim to a pair of deaths forty-five years earlier. Her attempts to wheedle information from her mother and stepfather hit a brick wall of deception, one that brings into question everything Zoe knows about her late father, who died in a car crash when she was eight. Or did he? Police Chief Pete Adams fears Zoe’s inquiries are setting her up for deeper heartbreak and putting her in danger. As Zoe and Pete inch closer to the truth, they discover that a missing gun links the crimes which span more than four decades. But the killer isn’t done. Two more Vance Township residents fall victim to the same gun, and when tragedy strikes too close to home, Zoe realizes her family is in the crosshairs



Review:  I spent the day reading this book. It is one that you won't want to put down until it's finished. I had a lot of reasons to do that.

First, the story is set in a fictional county in PA, which sounds a lot like Washington County, PA, where I live. There are a lot of references to Pittsburgh in the book, and that makes me squee with delight. I love having a feeling of connection with places in the books I read, and I definitely got that with Lost Legacy.

But wait there's more. The story starts out with what looks like a suicide, but spirals into several murders, all stemming back from another incident in the same barn over 40 years ago. There are so may suspects, som are even hitting a little close to home for Zoe. In fact, for awhile, I was kinda worried that the killer might be someone really close to Zoe.

I loved all the characters in the book, but none so much as Pete's dad, Harry, who has Alzheimer's. I wanted to hug him, he was just so sweet. I also enjoyed how Pete and Zoe really worked together to solve the crime and even when it came to finding out answers about her father's death 20 +  years ago.

Annette keeps you guessing on the killer to the very end, making this a really great read. The ending is very emotional and I have to say, this is the first time I found myself with a few tears at the end of a mystery!

Lost Legacy is the 2nd book in the Zoe Chambers series, and when you finish it you will be eagerly waiting for the next book!

Rating: 5 flowers


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