Bon Appétit and a Book - Giveaway, Recipes, and Romance with Authors Andrea Laurence & Abby Green

It's winter where I am and cold. Cocoa and comfort food are my staples (I have a mug of cocoa as I'm typing this). When the opportunity arose to have a couple of Harlequin's authors provide some yummy recipes I happily said yes. Now, I'm not much for cooking. I like it simple; the microwave and toaster oven are two of my favorite kitchen appliances. But I enjoy looking at recipes, these look delicious, and I think I'll share the chili recipe with my sisters; they like chili and they actually LIKE to cook. Weirdos. :P

Originally, I thought I'd do a separate post but these two recipes seem like a good combo so I decided to put them into one post. After the recipes, you'll find info on the books and authors, and a giveaway.

Bea Reviews Wolves' Bane by Angela Addams

Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Series: Order of the Wolf #3
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: January 6, 2015
Buying Links: Amazon* | Kobo | ARe* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository* | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Her destiny is etched in his skin…and carved in her heart.

Order of the Wolf, Book 3

Morgan Stills is a woman without a future. At least, that’s what the carnival psychic tells her. Love is foretold as well, but too bad. She’s already been marked for death.

She no sooner flees the psychic’s tent when she’s confronted by the biggest wolf she’s ever seen. A wolf that talks to her—right before she’s enveloped in a black cloak and dragged away.

Caleb was born for one purpose: follow the burning of his tattoo to find and protect his destined mate, the Huntress. When he rescues her from Lazarus, the king of beasts, what thanks does he get? A swift kick in his tender parts that leaves him writhing in a ball of pain.

Morgan quickly realizes her destiny lies with the Order of the Wolf. The only catch—she must choose between two sworn enemies who vie for her body, heart, and soul. Marked as a Huntress, thrust into an ancient feud between werewolf and Hunter, she must pick up a sword or die. And somehow learn to live without the man she is destined to kill.

Warning: Be prepared for fiery hot, melt-your-panties men, all muscle and sinew, searching for their one true mate. Committed, hot, and horny. What could be better?

Blog Tour Review & Excerpt: Silhouette of Virtue: A Novel by Jay Richards

Publisher: Face Rock Press
Format Read: Paperback
Source: From PR firm for an honest review
Release Date: June 2, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A gripping psychological thriller from one of America's leading psychopathy experts that explores race, the criminal mind, and the changing cultural landscape of Vietnam Era America.

It's 1973. America is in the throes of Watergate, Vietnam, and increasingly heated racial tensions. A small college town in Southern Illinois is terrorized by a spree of sadistic sexual assaults against young Asian women, purportedly by a black man seeking payback for America's betrayal in Vietnam.

Acting more on suspicion than evidence, the all-white police force arrests a black theater instructor and Vietnam vet. His only African American colleague, philosophy professor Nathan "Ribs" Rivers, finds himself in the unlikely position of leading a coalition of student and faculty groups advocating for a fair trial, despite his own doubts about the suspect's innocence.

As the case intensifies, Professor Rivers uncovers a shocking web of conspiracy, underground activity, and psychopathy. He embarks on a vision quest for the truth about the crimes and his own character that threatens to topple his family and career, ignites in him a spiritual crisis, and plunges him headlong toward lethal unknowns.

Silhouette of Virtue is more than just a gripping psychological thriller. Through the complex story, which is based on true events from the author's own life, Jay Richards provides a penetrating look at some of the most complex and challenging issues facing American society, then and now. As a forensic psychologist with more than three decades of experience diagnosing and studying psychopaths and sex offenders, Richards offers an authentic portrayal of the complex characters and weaves together the culture and politics of the era with racial tension, mystery, and suspense.

Quote-Tastic: No Flowers Required by Cari Quinn

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.

I read this a while ago. It's a sweet romance with some dirty loving, a huge secret between the hero and heroine, and a heroine with a sense of humor. You can find my review here.

She swept her gaze from his stubbled jaw to the dusty toes of his boots. As usual, her attention caught first on his gleaming eyebrow ring, then the bright blaze of his eyes. His brawny shoulders stretched his thin, yellow T-shirt until the fabric wept, and his muscular torso led to lean hips encased in low-slung jeans.

No doubt about it, the guy was sexy. Though she still wouldn't have called him classically handsome, his looks were growing on her. 

Like ivy. Or fungus.

Sunday Book Share #124

 

 I'm participating in The Sunday Post, hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer; Showcase Sunday hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea; Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews; and Bought Borrowed and Bagged, hosted by TalkSupe. All of these memes are about sharing the print and digital books received and/or posts and events on the blog.

The weather was warmer last week and we were able to go outside at school. The slide was super slippery with a large patch of ice right at the bottom where the kids would land so I stood there and played catcher as they came flying down, laughing and giggling. Mostly, it was a quiet week. The most exciting moment came on Friday when my brother and one sister, the oldest of us three girls, flew to Argentina where they will visit his former in-laws and then head to Antarctica. They'll take a ship and then camp out; they'll be gone all total for almost a month. A trip to Antarctica has been on our sister's bucket list for years and our brother is a world traveler so she had no trouble convincing him to go when her husband flat-out refused. :D

Oh, I am hosting my first reading challenge! It's all month long next month, Reading to Win, and you can read all about it here. I hope you'll join me.

Steph Reviews Little Jimmy Says, "Same Is Lame" By Jimmy Vee

Publisher: Atlas Press
Format Read: Hardcover
Source: From the publisher for an honest review
Release Date: August 4, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

"It is your uniqueness that's really the seed. Embrace it! Exploit it! And you will Succeed."

Little Jimmy is a small guy with a BIG mission... help people realize how special they really are.

Why is everyone trying so hard to fit in when there is so much uniqueness to celebrate?

Jump in and follow the miniature ringmaster through his circus-inspired world of weird, where normal is ordinary, and ordinary is boring.

In these fun-filled pages you'll discover what makes you unique and why being different is actually cool.

So hurry, hurry! Come one, come all! Step right up. Kids of all ages, shapes and sizes are welcome and special in Little Jimmy's wondrous and wacky world.

Read this book and prepare to be amazed at what you see in the mirror the next time you take a look!

Winning at Reading Challenge!

Did you receive any books for the holidays? Or have some sitting from the holidays several years ago?

Have you won any books? Have you read them yet?

Are they sitting on a shelf or e-reader, collecting dust?