BEA'S BOOK NOOK "I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once." C. S. Lewis “If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” ― Oscar Wilde

Showing posts with label general fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label general fiction. Show all posts

Monday, February 3, 2014

Quote-Tastic #34 Eavesdropping, it's what's for dinner.


Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed you for one reason or another. Everyone's welcome to join in - authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier! Just grab the button and put up your post :) Don't have a blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section.  Quote-tastic is hosted by Herding Cats & Burning Soup.

"First (Wrong) Impressions" is Krista D. Ball's update on Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". In this scene, Lizzy, her sister Caroline, and two men, Charles and Darcy, are at a dinner. Earlier, Lizzy and Darcy had a misunderstanding. :D


Soon, even Caroline noticed something was up. "Darcy," she said, "you're so quiet this evening.. Are you bored?"
"Not at all. Just thinking." He smiled at her, but flicked a look at Lizzy long enough to catch her eye.
"About what?" Charles asked.
"I was thinking how even the plainest woman built for manual labor can be made rather lovely by expressive eyes."
Charles choked on his beer.
Lizzy tried to contain her grin; she guessed that was his pathetic way of apologizing. Then again, maybe he was trying to goad her into admitting she'd eavesdropped, thereby forcing her to apologize for listening to a conversation never meant for her ears.


Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you overheard something you shouldn't have? How did you react?


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Monday, January 27, 2014

Bea Reviews The Last Savanna by Mike Bond & Adventurer's Kit Giveaway

Publisher: Mandevilla Press
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: January 15, 2014
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:
With Africa's last elephants dying under the poachers' guns, Kenya rancher and former SAS officer Ian MacAdam leads a commando squad against them. Pursuing the poachers through jungled mountains and searing deserts he battles thirst, solitude, terror and lethal animals, only to find that the poachers have kidnapped a young archaeologist, Rebecca Hecht, whom he once loved and bitterly lost. 

McAdam embarks upon a desperate trek to save not only Rebecca but his own soul in an Africa torn apart by wars, overpopulation, and the slaughter of its last wildlife. Based on the author's experiences pursuing elephant poachers in the wilds of East Africa.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Audio Book Review of The Sins of the Father by Jeffrey Archer

Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Series: Clifton Chronicles #2
Format Read: Kindle Audio Book
Narrators:  Alex Jennings, Emilia Fox
Source: from Audible in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Buying Links: Audible | Barnes & Noble |

Blurb from Audible:

On the heels of the international best seller Only Time Will Tell, Jeffrey Archer picks up the sweeping story of the Clifton Chronicles…. 

Only days before Britain declares war on Germany, Harry Clifton, hoping to escape the consequences of long-buried family secrets, and forced to accept that his desire to marry Emma Barrington will never be fulfilled, has joined the Merchant Navy. But his ship is sunk in the Atlantic by a German Uboat, drowning almost the entire crew. An American cruise liner, the SS Kansas Star, rescues a handful of sailors, among them Harry and the third officer, an American named Tom Bradshaw. When Bradshaw dies in the night, Harry seizes on the chance to escape his tangled past and assumes his identity. 

But on landing in America, he quickly learns the mistake he has made, when he discovers what is awaiting Bradshaw in New York. Without any way of proving his true identity, Harry Clifton is now chained to a past that could be far worse than the one he had hoped to escape.

©2012 Jeffrey Archer (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Bea Reviews Dragon's Child by M.K. Hume

Publisher: Atria Books
Series: King Arthur #1
Format Read: eGalley
Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 8, 2013 (this edition; first released 2009)
Buying Links: Amazon*  | Barnes & Noble |  Book Depsoitory*
* affiliate links; clicking & purchasing results in a small commission for the blog.

Blurb from goodreads:

From the author of The Merlin Prophecy, a trilogy that Kirkus Reviews proclaimed, will “appeal to those who thrill to Game of Thrones,” the first installment in the action-packed trilogy of battles, romance, and bravery during the Dark Ages is the tale of the boy destined to become King Arthur.

The future of Britain is at stake. In the turbulent times of the Dark Ages, the despotic Uther Pendragon, High King of Celtic Britain, is nearing death, and his kingdom is being torn apart by the squabbling of minor kings. But only one man can bring the Celts together as a nation and restore peace—King Arthur.


Artorex (Arthur) doesn’t yet seem like the great man he will grow into. We meet him as a shy, subservient twelve-year-old living in the foster home of Lord Ector, who took in Artorex as a babe to protect him from murderous kin. Life has been unremarkable for the lad within the bosom of Ector’s family. That is, until the arrival of three influential men who arrange for Arthur to be taught the martial skills of the warrior: blade and shield, horse and fire, pain and bravery. Little does Artorex know that these three men—one of whom is Merlin—secretly hope that one day he will take Uther’s crown and restore peaice to Britain.

As the years pass, Artorex becomes a war chieftain, wins many battles, and starts a family with a beautiful, strong woman. But if he is to fulfill his destiny and become the High King of the Britons, Artorex must find the dying king’s hidden crown and sword. Will Artorex be able to leave his family, find the precious weapons, lead the attack against the Saxons, and ultimately prove himself worthy of Uther’s crown?


Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Blog Tour Review of Marilyn's Red Diary by E.Z. Friedel

Publisher: Beach Hut Publishing
Format Read: print ARC
Source: Meryl L Moss PR in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 1, 2013
Buying Links: Barnes & Noble | Amazon* | The Book Depository*
* affiliate links; clicking & purchasing results in a small commission for the blog.

Blurb from goodreads:
Marilyn's Red Diary is shocking, funny, scandalous and sad but always brutally honest. Marilyn Monroe is caught between intellectual giants - her award-winning playwright husband Arthur Miller and her dashing politician boyfriend Jack. Then along comes Jack's fiery brother Bobby. The world's dream girl relates her intimate adventures with many of the era's who's who. Marilyn's Red Diary is a touching portrait of a hard-working, extremely bright woman, trapped in her own sensuality and, tragically, born far ahead of her time.

Interview with Emma Straub, Author of "Laura Lamont's Life In Pictures"

Hello and welcome! Today we have a chat with author Emma Straub about her book, "Laura Lamont's Life In Pictures", which was recently released in paperback. Emma is from New York City. Her first novel, "Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures", was published by Riverhead Books in September 2012. Her debut story collection "Other People We Married", was published in February 2012 by Riverhead Books. Her fiction and non-fiction have been published by Tin House, The Paris Review Daily, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Vogue, and New York, and many other journals. She is a staff writer for Rookie. Emma lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband. A more illustrated version of this appears at M+E.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Interview with Author Jean Fullerton & Excerpt from Call Nurse Millie




Today I have the lovely author Jean Fullerton here and she kindly answered some questions for me concerning her new book and her writing. So get comfy and let's talk. Jean was born into a large, East End family and grew up in the overcrowded streets clustered around the Tower of London. Jean still lives in East London, just five miles from where she was born. She feels that it is that her background that gives her historical East London stories their distinctive authenticity.


Friday, April 12, 2013

Spotlight & GC Giveaway: Excuse Me, My Brains Have Stepped Out by Pandora Poiklos

 
Excuse Me, My Brains Have Stepped Out

Anya Michaels is having the time of her life. She has the man of her dreams by her side. She has graduated at the top of her class. She has the job others were lining up for. Between late night drinks at her favourite bar and fancy dinners at the most expensive restaurants, she has a string of adoring friends. Everything changes when she hears the dreaded words, "You are sick." Being diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder, her world starts to fall apart, one piece at a time. Now dumped, her four year relationship is nothing but a memory filled with pictures, thoughts and a very broken heart. Her job becomes an even further challenge as she tries to hide her condition. Her friends suddenly have more important things to do, what is a party without a party girl? Perfect could not crumble any faster. Soon, caught between situations, people and pieces of life that she never dreamed of planning for herself, Anya begins to wonder if her brain condition is all that bad. As she absorbs the changes in her life and realization sets in, she begins to wonder if she is the only one saying: Excuse Me, My Brains Have Stepped Out. 

Publisher: Heart Press
Genre: General Fiction
Format: ebook, paperback
Length: 521 KB, 190 pages
Release Date: April 17, 2011
   
Author Pandora Poikilos Pandora Poikilos has been writing for more than 10 years for various media which include newspapers, radio, television and various websites. A social media enthusiast who is passionate about blogging and finding her way around the virtual world, she wills away time in the real world by reading, writing and people watching.

 

 Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 4/28/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

   a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Friday, February 15, 2013

Spotlight on The Ambassador's Daughter by Pam Jenoff



International Best Selling author and Quill Award nominee Pam Jenoff is back with the long-awaited follow-up to "The Kommandant's Girl" and "The Diplomats Wife"

Pam is the author of several novels, including "The Kommandant's Girl", which received widespread acclaim, earned her a nomination for a Quill Award and became an international bestseller. She previously served as a Foreign Service officer for the U.S. State Department in Europe, as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army at the Pentagon and as a practicing attorney. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania, her master’s degree in history from Cambridge University and her bachelor’s degree in international affairs from The George Washington University. Pam lives with her husband and three children near Philadelphia where, in addition to writing, she teaches law school.
 
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Book Blurb ~
Paris, 1919. The world's leaders have gathered to rebuild from the ashes of the Great War. But for one woman, the City of Light harbors dark secrets and dangerous liaisons, for which many could pay dearly.

Brought to the peace conference by her father, a German diplomat, Margot Rosenthal initially resents being trapped in the congested French capital, where she is still looked upon as the enemy. But as she contemplates returning to Berlin and a life with Stefan, the wounded fiancé she hardly knows anymore, she decides that being in Paris is not so bad after all.

Bored and torn between duty and the desire to be free, Margot strikes up unlikely alliances: with Krysia, an accomplished musician with radical acquaintances and a secret to protect; and with Georg, the handsome, damaged naval officer who gives Margot a job—and also a reason to question everything she thought she knew about where her true loyalties should lie.

Against the backdrop of one of the most significant events of the century, a delicate web of lies obscures the line between the casualties of war and of the heart, making trust a luxury that no one can afford.
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Genre: General Fiction
Formats: paperback, ebook
Release Date: January 29, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Book Depository
  
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How do you create a love story during times in history when love and lust were not discussed outside of marriage? Author Pam Jenoff has this to say ~ 

One thing that fascinates me as a writer of historical fiction is the commonalities in people, the way that women in differing time periods had the same feelings and doubts and desires as we do today.  So the love story feels much the same to me.  However, it is certainly true that the conversations were different.  I’m not sure they were often discussed inside marriage, much less outside.  But operating within those societal constraints creates a level of tension that can actually, if managed properly, be very useful in storytelling.

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Mini Excerpt

“A moment later, I turn onto a side street and pull the bike up against the wall, which is covered in faded posters exhorting passersby to buy war bonds. A bell tinkles as I enter the bookshop. “Bonjour.” The owner, Monsieur Bartteau, accustomed to my frequent visits, nods but does not look up from the till. I squeeze down one of the narrow aisles and scan the packed shelves hungrily. When we first arrived in Paris weeks earlier, it was books that I missed the most: the dusty stacks of the college library at Magdalen, the bounty of the stalls at the Portobello Road market. Then one day I happened upon this shop.”

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 "The Ambassador's Daughter" is out now. If you like romances and fiction set during war times, and enjoy reading about other times and places, this is the book for you.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Excerpt & Book Blitz: In Jen's Words by Jennifer Brown



In Jen's Words by Jennifer Brown ~ 


Jennifer and Justin Barnes have been raised by their older brother Jacob since they were teenagers…little did Jacob know, he was raising a third personality as well. The Barnes have been through it all. The loss of their parents in a car crash, rape, and incarceration. But nothing could prepare them for what they are about to deal with.  

When Jacob decides to run for mayor of Springwood, Ohio someone else decides to haunt him and his family, using his younger sister’s alter personality as leverage in their game. 

After Jen’s mental disorder is made public, the first of many shocking revelations are made, including who her biological father really is. She is ordered into custody in the mental health wing of Springwood Memorial as a case is built against her for the murder of Davis Cauley, a former local news anchor.

Jacob gets his sister released in time for the holidays, only for another murder to occur. The body of Brenda Sowers, Davis Cauley’s sister is found in Mercy Park, the same area where her brother was found—in a storage shed, with hedge clippers in his back, and Jen across from him with no memory of what happened.

More incriminating evidence links Jen to Brenda’s murder, as Black Friday looms. The big weekend draws Jacob to the mall, where he’s in for another surprise. A photo of his brother sent to his phone reveals another huge secret, involving all of Springwood.

As the Barnes recover from what has been a very turbulent Fall, other secrets are lurking and waiting to be revealed as a family faces a trial of issues to come.

Series: Facing the Issues #1
Genre: Mystery, General Fiction
Format: ebook
Length: 335 pages, 503 KB
Release Date: April 6, 2012

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About the Author:

Jennifer Brown lives in Springfield Ohio, and has written since third grade. She was taught to read at an early age and fell in love with books, mainly mysteries. Her love of books grew, and in the summer before she started high school she wrote her longest story, halfway filling an old school notebook. In high school she started to enter writing contests, and in her junior and senior years joined the Herald staff becoming entertainment editor over her high school newspaper.

After graduating, with a few writing contest awards under her belt she attended college a year later, and was urged by her English instructor to join the college paper. She did, writing a few reviews of restaraunts and movies, as well as writing a review of her first Alanis Morissette concert. A few years later she was asked to take the position of entertainment editor.

At 37, Jennifer has written several stories and has many more in store for readers.  When she is not writing she likes reading, working on computer graphics, editing photos, listening to music, and brainstorming for new ideas!


  
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Excerpt:


After speaking his sister’s name several times into the receiver, with no response, Jacob hung up. He tried calling back, but got a busy signal.

He hadn’t talked to Danny for more than five minutes. She couldn’t have gotten tired of waiting for him.

He sat down on an armchair nearby, trying to tell himself this was nothing. But ever since Scott had shown up at the store earlier, he felt a little on edge. Scott was the last person either of them needed to see at this time. Just seeing him brought back all the anger he felt back then.

He could still remember that night. He was at work, trying to close up for the evening. He had been running late because Dan had gone home sick and he had gotten swamped with computers needing repaired.

Justin had been the one to reach him. He had been home and got the call from the police. Their sister had been raped. They needed Jacob to come to the hospital. He had been so upset, he nearly forgot to lock up the store when he left.

The moment he laid eyes on Jen, he could have crumbled. She had a few cuts and bruises on her arms and face, but she said she had done that on some bushes trying to get away from Scott. The police had said the cuts were consistent with those of a thorn bush. But it didn’t matter to Jacob. He had been responsible for her, and he screwed up. Even though she was of age, and she was no longer his responsibility, he still felt every bit that she was.

What would ensue from that moment on, was months of tension and emotional turmoil. The case went to court, and the argument went back and forth. His sister said she told him no, she passed out and he did it anyway. She woke up to find him pulling out of her. Scott said she seemed to become a totally different person and gave in to him, was willing. He never forced anything on her, even though he did admit to being drunk. His arrest report said his blood alcohol level was .12, while his sister’s barely made it to .08. It seemed to be a sure thing he would go down for the crime, until one of the jurors posted a blog about the trial. As a consequence, Adams’ lawyer got the judge to declare a mistrial. 

Jacob willed himself to stop thinking about it. Just because Scott was in his store didn’t mean something had happened to his sister.  Shaking inside, he got up, grabbed his keys and went out the door.
 

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