Read-a-Long: How (Not) to Kiss a Toad (Cindy Eller Cupcakes #1) by Elizabeth A Reeves

Welcome to today's stop on the read-a-long for How (Not) to Kiss a Toad by Elizabeth A Reeves. Legend has it that Elizabeth A Reeves was born with a book in her hands and immediately requested a pony. Though this story is questionable, it is true that books and horses have been consistent themes in her life. Born in Massachusetts, she was quickly transplanted to Arizona by a professor father and creativity-driven mother, who is the one responsible for saying, "If you can't find a book that you want to read, write a book you want to read." In her spare time, she likes to knit, weave, hatch chickens, and chase after her husband and four sons.

Excerpt from Wounded Angel by Stacy Gail

This is another busy week for excerpts and read-a-longs and today's is the first one. "Wounded Angel" is a new paranormal romance by Stacy Gail. A competitive figure skater from the age of eight, Stacy Gail began writing stories in between events to pass the time. By the age of fourteen, she told her parents she was either going to be a figure skating coach who was also a published romance writer, or a romance writer who was also a skating pro. Now with a day job of playing on the ice with her students, and writing everything from steampunk to cyberpunk, contemporary to paranormal at night, both dreams have come true.

Review of The Diabolist by Layton Green

Publisher:Thomas and Mercer
Series: Dominic Grey #3
Format Read: Kindle ARC
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Buying Links:  The Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble | Amazon*
*affiliate links; clicking and making a purchase will result in a small commission for me.

Blurb from goodreads:

In this gripping thriller, the bizarre murder of a Satanic priest in San Francisco draws Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek, private investigators of cults, to the scene. Witnesses claim a robed figure, seemingly able to appear and disappear at will, set fire to the priest. When the leader of another Satanic cult in Paris dies under similar circumstances, the case only grows stranger… and more dangerous. 

Convinced that a charismatic New Age prophet is behind the murders, the investigators undergo a perilous journey into the world of the occult as they try to penetrate the prophet’s inner circle. From the catacombs of Paris to London’s nefarious East End, from the haunted walls of York to a monastic fortress in the Sicilian wilderness, the case plunges Viktor and Grey into a vortex of black magic, ancient heresies, and the dark corners of their own pasts. 

The Diabolist is a chilling novel that not only pulsates with action and suspense, but also mines a trove of fascinating historical, philosophical, and paranormal research to probe some of our closest held beliefs. From the opening pages to the astonishing conclusion, this latest installment in one of today’s most original new thriller series is not to be missed. 

Quote-Tastic #6 What is Evil?

Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup has created a new weekly meme. Want to join along?

  Click on the link above. Anna is posting hers on Mondays, as am I, but you can choose any day of the week that works for you. Leave me a link in your comment and I will check out your quotes!

Layton Green has become one of my favorite mystery authors. But his mysteries are not typical. His characters investigate crimes involving religious phenomena, typically cults, and Green ruminates on all manner of religious and philosophical questions. He also has a knack for taking a location and making it part of the story, almost another character. The quote below is composed of several related quotes that I edited and strung together.

My review of this book will be live at 8AM EST today.

Summer Lovin' Read-A-Thon

The Summer Lovin’ Readathon is a week-long readathon event hosted by seven independent bloggers! (Oh, Chrys!, Tumbling Books, Effortlessly Reading, Love Life Read, Shelf Addiction, Read Sleep Repeat, and Reviewing Wonderland)

Spend the week reading at your own pace, when and how you want too. There will be daily challenges for awesome prizes and opportunities to get points toward the Grand Prize Packs.

As if that weren’t enough – the week will end with a 24-hr marathon readathon! Twitter parties, mini-challenges, games, prizes given EVERY HOUR, and more chances to get points toward the Grand Prize Packs.

Sign-ups will be open through July 6th. I need all the help I can get to keep up with my TBR pile so I’m in, are you?!

Apple Crisp Recipe - Guest Post by Author Peg Cochran

"Steamed to Death" is a cozy mystery that just came out on the fourth of this month and as part of her blog tour, Peg has shared a recipe for apple crisp. If I baked, I'd bake this in a heartbeat though I'd have to leave out the cinnamon as I'm severely, call 911 and take me to the ER, allergic. Before we get to the recipe, let's talk a little about the author, Peg Cochran.

Sunday Book Share #40

 

 

I'm participating in The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer; Showcase Sunday hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea; and Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews. These  memes allow book bloggers the chance to share print and digital books they've received, and different posts and events at their blogs. 

Help Rebuild Moore, Oklahoma's School Libraries

I get a ton of promo emails every week and most never make it onto the blog. But this one is for school libraries, which hits two of my buttons (kids and libraries) and will benefit Oklahoma which has been badly hit by Mother Nature this spring. I'm not familiar with Capstone Young but I've seen ads for their books in PW so I'm hoping their legit.

From their press release:

Help Rebuild Oklahoma's School Libraries

Buy a Book, Give a Book

In light of the horrible tornadoes that devastated the city of Moore, Oklahoma, Capstone Young Readers is lending its support to help the town recover and rebuild. For every book purchased on www.CapstoneYoungReaders.com, Capstone Young Readers will donate a book of equal value to help rebuild the school libraries in Moore, Oklahoma.

Simply enter the code MooreRelief in the promotion field when you checkout at www.CapstoneYoungReaders.com.

When the schools in Moore are ready to receive new books, Capstone Young Readers will send a shipment of books to fill the school libraries.