Cat Thursday #46

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s) and then link up at the host's site: The True Book Addict. It's all for the love of cats!

 

 

Waiting on Wednesday #111

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine and is where we can talk about books we are looking forward to being released.

 

 

Summary:

 

When the body of Isla’s brother, an ex-Marine and private investigator, is pulled from the River Clyde, she is convinced he was murdered. When the coroner declares Dougie’s died of accidental drowning and rules out foul play, the police are happy to close the case. But Isla has other ideas.

Determined to find out what really happened the night Dougie died, and why he was even in Glasgow, she starts looking into his unsolved cases. What she finds will put her in grave danger and force her to question everything she thought she knew about those closest to her . . .

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 352 pages (Kindle)

Expected Publication Date: June 5th 2014 by Hodder & Stoughton

 

Why I'm Waiting:

 

I love mysteries, and I especially love mysteries set in Scotland. This one sounds like it will be a great read and I can't wait for it to be published :)

 

 

Summary:

 

The critically acclaimed author of The King's Mistress brings another fascinating woman from history to life in an enthralling story of political intrigue, personal tragedy, and illicit love.
Joan of Kent, the renowned beauty and niece of King Edward III, seems blessed with a life of royal privilege until her father is executed for treason and she becomes a ward of the king, living amongst those who deem her the daughter of a traitor. Joan begins to understand the brutal constraints and dangers inherent in being of royal blood. There is one at court who loves her, but his love proves the greatest threat of all.

As an impetuous teenager, she escapes into a clandestine marriage in a bid for freedom, then must hide it for nearly a decade, as her guardians marry her off to another man. After her first husband's death, Joan—now a mother of four—enters into another scandalous relationship, this time with the heir to the British throne, Prince Edward, hero of Crécy and Poitiers, who has loved her all along. But his devotion comes at a terrible price. Haunted by nightmares of her father's execution and the ruthlessness of her royal kin, Joan must reconcile her passion for the crown prince with the potentially tragic costs of a royal life.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 400 pages (Paperback)

Expected Publication Date: July 8th 2014 by Broadway Books

 

Why I'm Waiting:

 

I adore historical fiction set in and around this period though I am ashamed to say that I have very little knowledge of Joan of Kent outside of my high school world history class. It certainly sounds like an intriguing read indeed.

 

What are you waiting on?

 

 

 

 

Library Loot #18

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Linda from Silly Little Mischief that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

 

The Haul:

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday #64

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

 

Top Ten Book Covers I'd Frame As Pieces of Art:

 

What's your Top 10 this Tuesday?

 

Teaser Tuesday #45

 

 Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

   

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

 

Summary:

 

In his first-ever collaboration, New York Times bestselling author James Rollins combines his skill for cutting-edge science and historical mystery with award-winning novelist Rebecca Cantrell's talent for haunting suspense and sensual atmosphere in a gothic tale about an ancient order and the hunt for a miraculous book known only as . . . The Blood Gospel

An earthquake in Masada, Israel, kills hundreds and reveals a tomb buried in the heart of the mountain. A trio of investigators--Sergeant Jordan Stone, a military forensic expert; Father Rhun Korza, a Vatican priest; and Dr. Erin Granger, a brilliant but disillusioned archaeologist--are sent to explore the macabre discovery, a subterranean temple holding the crucified body of a mummified girl.

But a brutal attack at the site sets the three on the run, thrusting them into a race to recover what was once preserved in the tomb's sarcophagus: a book rumored to have been written by Christ's own hand, a tome that is said to hold the secrets to His divinity. The enemy who hounds them is like no other, a force of ancient evil directed by a leader of impossible ambitions and incalculable cunning.

From crumbling tombs to splendorous churches, Erin and her two companions must confront a past that traces back thousands of years, to a time when ungodly beasts hunted the dark spaces of the world, to a moment in history when Christ made a miraculous offer, a pact of salvation for those who were damned for eternity.

Here is a novel that is explosive in its revelation of a secret history. Why do Catholic priests wear pectoral crosses? Why are they sworn to celibacy? Why do the monks hide their countenances under hoods? And why does Catholicism insist that the consecration of wine during Mass results in its transformation to Christ's own blood? The answers to all go back to a secret sect within the Vatican, one whispered as rumor but whose very existence was painted for all to see by Rembrandt himself, a shadowy order known simply as the Sanguines.

In the end, be warned: some books should never be found, never opened--until now.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 717 pages (Mass Market Paperback)

Publication Date: August 27th 2013 by Harper Collins

 

 

"It is from the church," Rhun explained. "Those who come will not harm you."

As she watched the helicopter's swift approach Erin felt a nagging worry.

Over the centuries, how many men have died hearing similar promises?

What's Your Teaser this Tuesday?

 

Tuesday Jams #10

 

Tuesday Jams is a meme where you share your favourite songs. bands and the current song you're feeling and is hosted by Sharonda from Salacious Reads

 

 

 

So I know y'all must be getting tired of me posting about South African bands but I can't help myself I plan on moving there some day and I love the music that comes from there. This features an American (Peter Hollens) A Kenyan (Alisha Popat) and a South African singer (Zolani) and I love this song to bits!

 

What are your Tuesday Jams this week?

 

*[Blog Tour Review & Giveaway] Love on Loch Ness by Aubrie Dionne

 

 

Summary:

Dr. Gail Phillips steps onto the shores of Loch Ness to disprove the Loch Ness monster theory for good so everyone can stop wasting their time. As a marine biologist with a background in archeology, she’s convinced all of the world’s myths such as Big Foot, the Tasmanian devil, and even Nessie are lies. Her father disappeared while following Yettie tracks in the Alps, and she doesn’t want to lose another mislead soul.

Flynn Maloney comes from a family of fanatic cryptozoologists. As a native of Scotland, he believes in Nessie as strong as Gail believes in science. Despite his initial attraction for her, he’s joined her research team to prove her wrong. He wants to find Nessie for a special girl in his life, to show her dreams really can come true.

As they conduct sonar studies and sweeps of the lake, their differing opinions are at odds with their budding attraction. Gail doesn’t believe in anything unscientific, such as romance, thinking the charming Flynn Maloney is full of baloney. Flynn can’t believe he’s falling for someone with no imagination or faith. To make matters worse, their videographer is covering his true identity. Together they must unravel his plan before he destroys everything they are working for. Will Gail force Flynn to question his faith, or will she discover more than she bargained for in the Scottish highlands?
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 208 pages (E-book)
Source: Review Copy
Available Formats: Paperback/E-book
Publication Date: February 2nd 2014 by Astraea Press

I was so excited when I got the tour invite for Love on Loch Ness because I've read another one of Aubrie Dionne's books before and thought it was fantastic plus I absolutely love the legend of Nessie and thought a romance set in Loch Ness was too good to pass up.

I thought that Love on Loch Ness was a nice lighthearted romance that had me laughing often. Gail had her issues, being a scientist and the daughter of a "quack" a.k.a. a cryptozoologist she had to reconcile her past and present and her feelings about the father she loved and the father she lost in pursuit to his dream. She was occaisionally snarky, but still very likable and I like how she often was the one pushing to go on with trying to solve the myth of Nessie even though she had mixed feelings about the project.

I also really liked Flynn. I thought he was a sweetheart and I could almost hear that Scottish brogue through my Kindle when his dialogue was in play. He was just so warm and sweet I loved him and his passion for Loch Ness and how much he loved his ailing younger sister who's dream it was for him to find Nessie.

I really enjoyed how the relationship between Flynn and Gail grew. There was no insta-love in this one and I thought that was really refreshing and I really enjoyed that this was a clean read which is not something I say often. I just think that if the book wasn't a clean romance (don't worry it's not religious) it would have taken away from the whole loch ness adventure which I though was handled very well. Obviously, with this being a romance albeit a clean one, this one did have a nice backstory for Nessie.

Overall, I absolutely loved Love on Loch Ness. It was a fun quick read that I polished off in a couple of hours. I liked how the author wrote the scenes with Nessie a lot and really liked the pairing of Flynn and Gail. I would recommend this one to any fans of sweet clean reads with a geeky twist. It's one that I loved and hope that Aubrie writes more novels like this.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

Loved It!
★★★★★

 

To "Like" Aubrie  on Twitter CLICK HERE

To become a "Fan" of Aubrie on Goodreads CLICK HERE

To visit Aubrie's Blog CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Barnes & Noble CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Astrea Press CLICK HERE

Join the Love on Loch Ness event page on Facebook! Click Here to RSVP

 

 

Author Bio:

 

Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her books have received the highest

ratings from Romance Times Magazine, as well as Night Owl Reviews and Two Lips

Reviews. She has guest blogged on the USA Today Happily Ever After Blog and the Dear

Teen Me blog and signed books at the Boston Book Festival, Barnes and Noble, and the

Romance Writers of America conference. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing,

Harper Impulse, Astraea Press, Spencer Hill Press, Inkspell Publishing, and Lyrical Press.

When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.

 

 

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading #97

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey and is a great way for others to find out what you are planning to read this week and, best of all, see what others are reading

 

Read Last Week:

 

 

Currently Reading:

 

 

Up Next:

 

 

What are your reading plans for this week?

Quote-Tastic Monday #45

 

This one is simple and just about sharing your favorite quotes and the books they come from! Hosted by the FABULOUS Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup

 

 

Summary:

 

The summer holidays are dragging on and Harry Potter can't wait for the start of the school year. It is his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and there are spells to be learnt and (unluckily) Potions and Divination lessons to be attended. But Harry can't know that the atmosphere is darkening around him, and his worst enemy is preparing a fate that it seems will be inescapable ...With characteristic wit, fast-paced humour and marvellous emotional depth, J.K. Rowling has proved herself yet again to be a master story-teller.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 636 pages (Hardcover)

Publication Date: July 8th 2000 by Bloomsbury

 

Quote:

 

“Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory.”  

 

I'm a HP nerd, and a proud one at that so be prepared for some Potter quotes for the next couple weeks :)