Book Review: SCENT OF TRIUMPH by JAN MORAN

Title: SCENT OF TRIUMPH

Author: JAN MORAN

Category: Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: 05/01/2012

Publisher: Briarcliffe Press

Format: Kindle/E-Book

Pages: 428

ISBN#: B0081VRCOSS

Synopsis:     
Scent of Triumph is the story of Danielle Bretancourt, a talented young French perfumer with a flair for fashion and a natural olfactory gift. In the language of perfumery, she is a Nose, with the rare ability to recognize thousands of essences by memory. The story opens on the day England declares war on Germany, and Danielle and her family are caught in the midst of a raging disaster sweeping across Europe.

Her life takes a tragic turn when her husband and son are lost behind enemy lines. She spies for the French resistance, determined to find them, but is forced to flee Europe with fragments of her family. Destitute, she mines her talents to create a magnificent perfume that captures the hearts of Hollywood's top stars, then gambles again to win wealth and success as a couturier. Her intelligence and flair attracts the adoration of Jonathan Newell-Grey, of England's top shipping conglomerate, and Cameron Murphy, Hollywood's most charismatic star.

Danielle charts her course through devastating wartime losses and revenge; lustful lovers and loveless marriages; and valiant struggles to reunite her family. Set between privileged lifestyles and gritty realities, here is one woman's story of courage, spirit, and resilience. 

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Book Review: FAME by Karen Kingsbury

Title: FAME
Author: Karen Kingsbury
Category: Christian Fiction
Pub. Date: 06/01/2005
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Format: Audio CD
ISBN#: 159600195x
Series: Firstborn #1

Synopsis:     
Karen Kingsbury brings listeners a new series that picks up where the Redemption series left off. The Firstborn series focuses on the surprise new member of the Baxter family: Dayne Matthews. As Dayne Matthews returns to Hollywood after his shocking discovery in Karen Kingsbury's bestselling novel Reunion, he faces the dangerous world of fame and paparazzi. Meanwhile, Katy Hart receives the offer of a lifetime ? starring opposite Dayne in a Hollywood film. Dayne and Katy's choices will change their hearts and lives forever.  

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TEASER TUESDAY

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 teas.                                                                                                                      

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Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Mountain Charm by Sydney Logan

Cover Reveal: Mountain Charm by Sydney Logan

I'm so excited about this cover reveal, its for Mountain Charm by Sydney Logan! 

“True love and sweet whispers, till death do us part;

Send someone to love my Appalachian heart.”

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Blog Tour: Guest Post with Author Jennings Wright

So today I have a great guest post for you by the author of IXEOS, Jennings Wright.  I hope you enjoy. 

The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Novel

Since November 2011, I have participated in – and won – five NaNoWriMo events. The sixth will be in April, when I do the year’s first Camp NaNo. Our area has a lot of people who participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and a couple of the writing groups I’m in have tried to do it as a group. They are always wanting to pick my brain as to how to “win” the event. I think the advice I give holds true even if you aren’t doing a contest and are just trying to figure out how to write a complete novel.

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Book Review: DETERMINANT by A.M. HARGROVE

Title: DETERMINANT
Author: A.M. HARGROVE
Category: Y.A./Fantasy/Paranormal/Romance
Pub. Date: 06/30/2012
Publisher: Self Pub.
Format: E-Book
Pages: 377
ISBN#: B008FPQAME
Series: The Guardians of Vesturon #3

Synopsis:   
January St. Davis, on her own since the age of sixteen and struggling to stay in college, thinks she’s scored in a major way when she lands a paid summer internship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. One evening, after working an especially long shift, a chance encounter with a group of mysterious men alters the course of her life.

Rykerian Yarrister, a Guardian of Vesturon with unearthly powers and impossibly gorgeous looks, finds himself at odds over the human female he recently saved from certain death. When it seems he is on the verge of winning her over, she is ripped from his hands by a strange and powerful being, threatening to destroy her if his demands are not met.

Do Rykerian and the Guardians have the ability to meet this fierce barbarian’s ultimatums, or will January suffer a horrid demise?    

My Review:   
Okay, will start this review with saying that once again I was thrown head and heart into this third book in author A.M. Hargroves series of The Guardians of Vesturon. The covers of each of her books so far has really set the tone, but as for this one for some reason I wanted to reach onto the cover and hold January and say it will be alright. 

As in the other two reviews, SURVIVAL and RESURRECTION, author A.M. Hargrove sweep me up and the fast pace, fanasty, young adult story line and keep me there until the end. 

In DETERMINANT we meet some new and some fascinating beings and our main character January St. Davis is young and being given a chance during the summer that would prove valuable. But will it help in the way she thinks? 

Down to earth but so far out in the fantasy world as well. I love how they can mix it all together. 

Another must have, and must read. 

So due to the above, and like the first two, honest if I could it would be higher, I am giving this book a Breath of Life ratings of: 

Five Clock Rating!!!  

Disclosure: I did receive the above book in exchange for my honest opinion and review. This is my own book and the opinions are my own and yours may differ.

_______________________________

About the Author:

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodgeball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone and hit #4 on her speed dial.

"Hello."
"Boss, is that you?"
"Why yes, A. M., who else would be answering my phone?"
"Er... right. Well, I'm calling to let you know you can pick up my luxury Ford Focus at Starbucks near the interstate."
"Why ever would I want to do that?"
"Because I quit you idiot!"

A.M. hit the end button and speed dialed her husband.

"Hi yummy hubby, can you pick me up at Starbucks?"
"Sure... Having some car trouble?"
"Not at all. I don't have a car to have trouble with because I just quit my job."
"WHAT?!"
"It's time for a new career and I am going to be a very famous novelist."

So began A. M. Hargrove's career as a young adult paranormal romance author of self-published ebooks. Her series, The Guardians of Vesturon, centers around a family of six siblings and is a mix of humor, mystery, suspense and of course, love. Survival is her first book in the series and her second, Resurrection will be released in January.
If you're wondering, it didn't happen EXACTLY that way, but.. you get the idea...
    

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Book Review: RESURRECTION by A.M. HARGROVE

Title: RESURRECTION
Author: A.M. HARGROVE
Category: Y.A./Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Pub. Date: 01/18/2012
Paublisher: Self Pub.
Format: E-Book
Pages: 365
ISBN#: B006z8wf9a
Series: The Guardians of Vesturon #2

Synopsis:   
"Maddie knew she was dying. Her life started to flash before her. She had visions of running down the soccer field, scoring a goal, eating her mother’s yummy, homemade, sticky cinnamon rolls, standing in her foyer listening to the police tell her father that her mother had been killed in a car accident. Each vision was disturbingly clear—as if it was happening again."

Rayn Yarrister, the first-born son and Leader of The Guardians, has been imprisoned on Vesturon for breaking their most sacred of covenants. He is suddenly jolted by Maddie's telepathic pleas for help, as her life hangs in the balance. Can he alert The Guardians in time to save his soulmate? Or will he face his trial alone and broken without his one true love?
In Resurrection (Book 2), The Guardians of Vesturon are facing their biggest challenges as Earth is threatened by an invading species from a distant planet intent on destroying it for its resources. The Guardians, as protectors of the universe, have been assembled to defend not only Earth, but other vulnerable worlds as well. The Yarrister family is threatened by an unknown entity intent on discrediting them. Will they uncover this plot in time to save themselves from ruin? Will The Guardians succeed in stopping the Xanthians, or will Earth be invaded and ravaged by this marauding species?   

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