It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #65

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:

 

 

(I plan on reading a lot since I'm going on a one week vacation starting Saturday August 24th so I plan on reading more than what I listed here.)

 

What are YOUR reading plans this week? 

Quote-Tastic Monday #12

 

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

 

Back in 2010 I got this as a Secret Santa gift from a friend in my favourite Goodreads book group Fiction Fair and that's when my BDB obsession started so here's a little quote from one of my favourite books in the series because I loved John Matthew's book since we saw quite a bit of Blay & Qhuinn in it.

 

 Cover taken from Goodreads.com

 

“As Qhuinn looked at his best friend's handsome face, he felt as if he'd never not known that red hair, those blue eyes, those lips, that jaw. And it was because of their long history that he searched for something to say, something that would get them back to where they had been. All that came to him was . . . I miss you. I miss you so fucking bad it hurts, but I don't know how to find you even though you're right in front of me.”  

 

What is YOUR favourite bookish quote this week?

 

 

 

 

 

 

*[Cover Reveal] Strangers by A. L. Parks

Strangers by A.L. Parks

Bereaved bride Abby Clark is tortured by visions of the fatal crash that took her fiancée on their wedding day.  She succumbs to a dark existence where loneliness, sadness and nightmares dwell; until handsome, brooding Bryce Holden walks through the door of her favorite coffee shop, wearing the same cloak of despair and grief.  Abby discovers in Bryce someone who understands love and loss, and soon their close friendship grows into a deep love.  But ghosts make strange bedfellows, and Abby is forced to battle the tormenting images that continue to haunt her, and confront the ethereal presence of a beloved wife to protect her future with Bryce.  

Good Choice Reading is currently organizing a blog tour for Strangers, and could use some more bloggers willing to review for the tour! The tour will run from September 6th - 19th. Time is running out, so if you're interested in participating, please sign up HERE, as soon as possible.

Hosted by GCRPromotions

 

*[Book Blast & Giveaway] Midnight Masquerade by Marcia Lynn McClure

Midnight Masquerade

 

Stavos Voronin was not as blind-eyed as many nobles and royals. Evony’s physical gestures—even the simplest movement of her hands—revealed that she had not always been destitute. The same was true of the children—of their polished manners and the boy’s knowledge of horses and tendency to be bold and fearless of strangers. Ah yes, Stavos enjoyed a good mystery. After all, interest in the inexplicable circumstances surrounding the royals of Abawyth was the very thing that had lured him to the kingdom—the enigma of Abawyth’s twelve sleepy princesses. And yet now—now his mind was all the more intrigued. Not only was the obscurity of what had caused the profound and baffling torpidity of Abawyth’s princesses laid out before him, but also he found his curiosity intensely piqued over the riddle surrounding the very lovely Evony and her siblings. As Stavos strode through the village resting on the outskirts of Abawyth Castle, his mind reeled with possibilities. His musings were drawn back to why he had come to Abawyth at all—to solve the conundrum surrounding the twelve beautiful princesses of Abawyth kingdom—to solve the seemingly impenetrable crux and thereby win the hand of one of Abawyth’s princesses, as his father, King Letholdus of Ethiarien, had commanded.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kindle

 

Author Bio:

   

 

Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.” Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.

Website * Twitter

 

 

   

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 9/13/13

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Cat Thursday #12

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!

 

Here are my favourite cat pictures of the week:

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting on Wednesday #76

 

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!

 

Here are my picks for the week: 

 

 

Summary:

 

A SECRET TREATY AND A SECRET LIFE

LONDON, 1812: Giselle Barrington is living a double life, juggling the duties of chef with those of spy catcher. She must identify her father’s savage killer before the shadowy man finds her and uncovers the explosive political document her father entrusted to her safekeeping.

Posing as a French cook in the home of Lord Aldridge, Giselle is surrounded by unlikely allies and vicious enemies. In the streets where she once walked freely among polite society, she now hides in plain sight, learning the hard lessons of class distinction and negotiating the delicate balance between servant and master.

Lord Aldridge’s insatiable curiosity about his mysterious new chef blurs the line between civic duty and outright desire. Carefully watching Giselle’s every move, he undertakes a mission to figure out who she really is—and, in the process, plunges her straight into the heart of danger when her only hope for survival is to remain invisible.

Summary & Cover taken from NetGalley.com

Length: 352 pages (Paperback)

Expected Publication Date: October 22nd 2013 by Gallery Books

 

Why I'm Waiting:

 

I loved the last book I read by Michelle Diener and am a huge historical fiction lover so when I saw that she had a new book coming out I knew I had to feature it on my Waiting on Wednesday list. She's an amazing writer and October can't get here soon enough for me to read this one.

 

    

  Summary:

 

Judy Nunn has sold over one million books worldwide. Elianne, her new bestseller, is a sweeping story of wealth, power, privilege and betrayal, set on a grand sugar cane plantation in Queensland.In the tough world of Queensland sugar mills, it's not only cane that is crushed ...In 1881 ‘Big Jim’ Durham, an English soldier of fortune and profiteer, ruthlessly creates for Elianne Desmarais, his young French wife, the finest of the great sugar mills of the Southern Queensland cane fields, and names it in her honour.The massive estate becomes a self-sufficient fortress, a cane-consuming monster and home to hundreds of workers, but ‘Elianne’ and its masters, the Durham Family, have dark and distant secrets; secrets that surface in the wildest and most inflammatory of times, the 1960s.For Kate Durham and her brothers Neil and Alan, freedom is the catchword of the decade.Young Australians leap to the barricades of the social revolution. Rock ‘n’ roll, the Pill, the Vietnam War, the rise of Feminism, Asian immigration and the Freedom Ride join forces to rattle the chains of traditional values.The workers leave the great sugar estates as mechanisation lessens the need for labour. And the Durham family, its secrets exposed, begins its fall from grace...

Summary & Cover taken from NetGalley.com

Length: N/A

Expected Publication Date: November 1st 2013 by Random House Australia

 

Why I'm Waiting:

 

First the publication date is for Australia so I have no idea when it will be available to international readers like myself but I am so excited to read this book. I've always loved tales from Australia and historical fiction being one of my favourite genres I can't wait to read this one.

 

What are YOU waiting for this Wednesday?

 

 

 

 

 

 

*[Cover Reveal] The Devil’s Tattoo by Nicole R. Taylor

The Devil’s Tattoo

Contemporary Romance

(18+ due to adult themes, sex scenes and coarse language)

Release date: 1st September 2013

Zoe Granger picked up her first guitar the day her heart was smashed into a billion pieces. It was a way to keep her mind off her inevitable downward spiral, but music soon became her escape. She's been burned too many times to tell and is just happy to coast through life, never putting herself out there. That's until her best friend Dee suggests they start a band and suddenly she finds herself not just a part of it, but fronting the whole outfit.

They call themselves The Devil's Tattoo and when they release their debut EP, it rockets to the top of the charts and it's like an overnight fairytale. Contracts, photo shoots, royalties and interviews are heaped onto the shy Zoe and it's like she's finally found her place. Then comes the phone call that changes everything. They've been asked to co-headline a tour with one of the hottest bands of the moment, The Stabs and Zoe will never be the same again.

Will Strickland is one fourth of the hottest indie rock band to ever grace the airwaves. He's the bass player in The Stabs, hot as hell and could have his pick of any girl that flings herself at him. But he's only got eyes for Zoe and she has no idea why he'd bother. She's got one hell of a trust issue and an attitude to boot and Will seems to be the one who wants to tame her, but is he game enough?

The Devil's Tattoo and The Stabs go on the road and it's either going to be a highway to hell or a stairway to heaven. Only time will tell who will come out on top and Zoe's determined to do it without getting her heart broken… again.

___________________________________________________

Excerpt

Dee pulled out another notebook from his bag and tossed it to me. "Write the lyrics."

I look at the empty notebook and Dee's tattered one that's full of ideas and marks and don't know where to start. I try not to think about it too much as I grab a pen and write out the music best I can. It's already there, I just have to translate it into something coherent. But, when it comes to the words, I see what Dee's written and it could be a song for me. No wonder he wants me to change it. He wants the song to be from me, instead. My side of the story.

The couch dipped next to me and Dee stuck his head over my shoulder to see what I'm writing. I pressed the notebook into my chest and he tried to snatch it away.

"Hey," I cried. "I like you and all Dee, but stop trying to feel me up."

His lips curved into a sly smile and he knew that I was onto him and for once I don't argue.

"What are we gunna call ourselves?" Frank asked. Before Chris could open his mouth he added, "No ideas accepted form Chris."

"Why not?” he grumbled.

"We're not into Morrissey," Dee laughed.

"I think Empty Hands is a good name for an indie band," I said kindly.

"Thanks, Zoe," Chris smiled and tapped his bottle against mine.

"We're not a pansy mopey indie band," Frank said and beat on his chest. "I want to beat the shit outta those skins, for one. I'm too manly to get in touch with my feminine side."

Dee's watching me with a frown and I realize I've been running a finger along the scar on my arm.

"Tattoo," he said, his eyes meeting mine.

"What?" I jumped and tucked my hands under my legs.

"Tattoo," he said again and I could almost see the light bulb over his head. "The Devil's Tattoo."

As soon as he says it, I knew he wanted to name the band after me. I can't help but wonder who the devil is meant to be. The devil scarred my arm and I covered it with a tattoo.

"Dee," I began to scold him.

"Bloody LOVE IT," Frank shouted, on his feet.

"It's not like that, Zoe," Dee whispered in my ear. "You're my phoenix from the ashes. You're my version of the devil, babe."

It sounded like he was declaring his love for me and in a way he was, but not like that. Dee's my brother. Dee's my family.

I smiled at him. "The Devil's Tattoo."

"All in favor?" Dee asked, but it's already been decided.

"Hell yeah!" everyone shouted, and it's done.

___________________________________________________

Teasers 

___________________________________________________

About the Author

Nicole R. Taylor is a paranormal, urban fantasy and contemporary fiction author from Ballarat, in Victoria, Australia.

 

Nicole is a graduate of the University of Ballarat Professional Writing and Editing program and is a former music memorabilia sales person and grocery merchandiser. Previously, she has written for Fasterlouder.com.au and various small street press music and entertainment publications as a gig and album reviewer before publishing her first Urban Fantasy novel in early 2013.

 

When she isn't writing, Nicole likes to spend time curled up with a good book and her 3-year-old rescue cat, Burger. She gets itchy feet more often than not and has lived in three countries and travelled to three times as many.

 

Her new paranormal fantasy series, The Witch Hunter Saga is available in print and eBook (from March 2013). 

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads | Amazon

 

 

 

 

Teaser Tuesday #11

 

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:

 

A DARING HEIST.
A PRICELESS ARTIFACT.
A SECRET LOCKED SAFELY AWAY—UNTIL NOW.

When Michelangelo’s David is stolen from its museum in Florence, it’s only the latest in a series of audacious raids on the world’s greatest treasures. But American archaeologist Nina Wilde and her husband, ex-mercenary Eddie Chase, discover the raiders’ ultimate target when the Talonor Codex—a cryptic travel journal that Nina found in Atlantis—is snatched from a well-guarded exhibition right in front of their eyes.

The codex holds clues to the location of the Vault of Shiva and its mythical contents: the chronicles of the ancient Hindu god of destruction himself. From a deadly shootout in San Francisco to a hidden valley in the snowbound Himalayas, Nina and Eddie must run a labyrinthine gauntlet of ruthless killers, corrupted faiths, and twisted ambitions to reach the sacred vault ahead of a cunning billionaire with a plot to remake the world—after he brings this one crashing down.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 500 pages (Mass Market Paperback)

       Publication Date:  March 22nd 2011 by Bantam

Series: (Nina Wilde & Eddie Chase #6)

 

My Teaser:

Pg. 152

 

"Why do you have to do it, Eddie?" Karima asked. She stood, displaying her body.

 

 

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday #36

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 Favourite Books Set In Africa:

(Some are non-fiction)

 

 

What's YOUR Top 10 Tuesday Topic for this week?