Echoes At Dawn by Kathleen Ann Gallagher

Echoes At Dawn

by Kathleen Ann Gallagher

Source: Paperback provided by Author

Publisher: Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

Publish Date: August 23, 2011

Synopsis: The strangely intertwined lives of a widowed woman, and a charismatic bachelor come together in order to show that in life, there are no coincidences…only destiny.

Waterfront restaurant chef Madeline Young adores her job. If only her love and family's lives were as successful as her career. With a teenage son, who spends time in the emergency room for alcohol poisoning and a dementia-plagued mother, Madeline doesn't know how much more she could handle. Then her mother enlists the help of her deceased twin sister, Mary, to guide Madeline to find happiness. An early dawn visit from the spirit directs Madeline to volunteer at the local hospitals center for addiction recovery, where she comes alive for the first time in many years under the attention of Nat Griffin.

Nathaniel Griffin, a part-time counselor and contractor, fascinates his clients with his lectures. In keeping with his philosophy of professionalism, Nat prefers to keep his personal life private. When attraction tests his beliefs, Nat must confront his marred past. Is he willing to face his demons or take the easier path and remain isolated?

Can unworldly ghosts save this couple from their own self-destructive behavior? Will they be able to accept change and move forward, or allow secrets to stand in the way.

Review: I should have known this would be an amazing book just by looking at the publisher! Everything I have read published by Decadent has been nothing short of wonderful. This book does not dissappoint! The characters in the book are strong and the books is very well written. I didn't find any thing wrong with any of the wording and the editor even did a spectacular job.The novel is simply compelling and absolutely irresistable. Kathleen did an excellent job with this debut novel and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next.

 

Ghellow Road by T. H. Waters



Ghellow Road

by T. H. Waters

Source: Paperback provided by author

Publisher: Verefor Publishing Company LLC

Publish Date: October 14, 2010

Synopsis: Ghellow Road is a literary diary of a young girl's journey through the tangled labyrinth that is her life. Theresa's story begins in a large midwestern city where she is born to loving parents in 1965. For a brief moment in time, her life is full, as is her heart, and the world is hers to receive without consequence. As time passes and Theresa grows, supernatural forces begin to shape her existence, no matter how carefully her father colors the empty spaces of her world. After a series of tragic events, Theresa and her family seek refuge in a small Minnesota town nestled near the shores of Rainy Lake. She creates a new life for herself there, sharing adventures with friends and riding the ups and downs of adolescence. Yet through it all, her mother remains forever lost in the prison of her own mind and forever lost to Theresa. The young girl feels as though she is leading a double life, one that no one else could possibly understand. She begins to peer at the world as if looking through a thick, black veil, never certain which pieces are illusion and which are not. Through the kindness and support of the townspeople, She eventually summons the strength to survive. This is a story of tragedy and triumph. This is the story of my life.

Review: T.H. Waters has a way with words that just grabs you and won't let you go. The story she tells in Ghellow Road is wonderful and it makes you want to know what happens next in Theresa's life. The story seems too real to be fiction even though it is marked as a novel. I wonder how much of it is real. Ghellow Road is very heart wrenching and it pulled tears to my eyes more than once. It was hard to watch the main character of the story go through so much heartache. It literally made my heart ache for her.

Reconstructing Charlie by Charmaine Gordon

 

Reconstructing Charlie

by Charmaine Gordon

Source: Paperback provided by author

Publisher: Vanilla Heart Publishing

Publish Date: Feb. 24, 2011

Synopsis: Charlie Costigan has a secret. Home life gone from bad to the worst when she protects her mother from another vicious attack by her drunken father. Midnight. Clothes thrown into an old suitcase, she races for the bus with a letter to an unknown aunt and uncle. This is my daughter. Embrace her as if she were your own. Determined, Charlie begins again. Alone with her secret.

Review: From what I have heard about Charmaine Gordon she is a "thrive to survive" author. That moto holds true with Reconstructing Charlie. Charmaine does a wonderful job with her characters in this book and I love that the main character is a 15 year old girl who survives tragedy, then goes on to recreate her life. This book could be inspiring to adolescents who have experienced tragedy and believe that they will never get past it. The story is very well written and the characters are strong. Charmaine makes it very hard to put this book down. Every pages leaves you aching for more.

 

Warriors of the Edge by Katie Bridges

Warriors of the Edge

By Katie Bridges

Source: Paperback provided by author

Publisher: iUniverse.com

Publish Date: April 20, 2011

Synopsis: Tarek Ortzen wants what any twelve-year-old kid wants, a day to himself so he can play games in his gaming booth. He gets his chance when he signs up for the role of Stone in the latest war game, Warriors of the Edge. He figures the game will help him escape the real world and its troubles. But after one day of nonstop play, Tarek wishes he'd never heard of Warriors of the Edge. The game has brought nothing but trouble into his life.

When the game begins to blur the line between reality and fantasy, Tarek finds himself caught between those who believe in the game and those who oppose it. Is the game trying to warn him of danger or lead him into it? Tarek doesn't know who to believe.
As Tarek's home world faces the threat of destruction, he must determine whether the character he plays can make a difference in their real lives.

Review: Katie Bridges' futuristic approach to science fiction is truly mesmerizing. With this book Katie introduces us to an alternate universe. She provides unbelievable graphic detail that makes you feel like you are playing the games with the characters. The story kept me on the edge of my seat wanting more after every page. I found myself starting a new chapter when I really needed to put it down and cook dinner or do laundry, but what fun is cooking or laundry? The book was SO much better. I just wanted to stay lost in Katie's alternate universe. This book is a wonderful juvenile read and I'm sure I'm not the only adult who enjoyed or would enjoy it too!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games

By Suzanne Collins

Source: Walmart :)

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publish Date: September 14, 2008

Synopsis: Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

Review: I have owned this book for over a year now and I just never got enthused to read it. Since the movie just came out in theatres and there has been crazy hype about it I just had to see what it was all about. I am NOT sorry that I did either! I was completely taken by this book. I don't know where Suzanne Collins got the inspiration for a story like this but I can say she has an incredible imagination. This book had me from the very first page. I could never imagine anyone anywhere doing this to children. Since I have a daughter that would be almost old enough for the "reaping" in this story it just makes me want to grab my children, hold them, and never let go! When I finished this book I grabbed my oldest daughter and held her in a tight hug until she said "Momma are you gonna let me go sometime today?) haha!

The books was truly magnificent and it is super hard to put down! I will be reading book two VERY soon!

Wander Dust by Michelle Warren

Wander Dust

By Michelle Warren

Source: PDF provided by Author

Publisher: Kristine Michelle Preast

Publish Date: September 30,2011 

Synopsis: Ever since her sixteenth birthday, strange things keep happening to Seraphina Parrish. The Lady in Black… burns Sera’s memories. Unexplainable Premonitions… catapult her to other cities. The Grungy Gang… wants to kill her. And a beautiful, mysterious boy… stalks her. But when Sera moves to Chicago, and her aunt reveals their family connection to a centuries old, secret society, she is immediately thrust into an unbelievable fantasy world, leading her on a quest to unravel the mysteries that plague her. In the end, their meanings crash into an epic struggle of loyalty and betrayal, and she’ll be forced to choose between the boy who has stolen her heart and the thing she desires most. Wander Dust is the breathtaking fantasy that will catapult you through a story of time and love.

Review: I loved every minute of this book. Michelle Warren opened my eyes to the Seers, Protectors, and Wanderers. The pace of the book is absolutely perfect and the world that Michelle Warren has created for Seraphina Parrish is mind blowingly magical. I was pulled into the story from the very first chapter and it was very hard to put down. I can't wait to read the Second book in Seraphina's Trilogy.

 

Reviews

I am a little behind on reviews due to surgery :( I will be catching them up over the next hour or two. I hope you all understand. I am doing well and I am about 80% back to normal. YAY!! I feel much better without the gall bladder and all the pain it caused. (why couldn't I be born without it?) haha. 

Everything should be getting back to normal around Intoxicated by Books now that I am feeling better. Thank you all for your understanding and support! 

Make sure you check in for giveaways soon! I think we will start having a weekly IBB (Intoxicated by Books) bookmark givaway starting April 1st.

Dangerous Love by E.B. Walters + Giveaway

Dangerous Love by: E.B. Walters

Published Date: February 1, 2012

Publisher: Firetrail Publishing

Source: Kindle Review Copy provided by Auhor

Series: The Fitzgerald Family #4

Synopsis: She has her emotions on a tight leash…

Born to a Las Vegas showgirl, fashion designer Faith Fitzgerald’s childhood was not easy, until her father found her and whisked her off to L.A. to join his wealthy family.

The rejection by some of her family members hurt, but Faith has moved on. Or so she thinks. She works hard and never lets her guard down, until the day she discovers that someone stole and sold her designs to her competitor and former mentor. To catch the thief and salvage her collection for Fall Fashion Week, Faith turns to her ex-lover, a man who works under the radar and gets results fast. The problem is she has not seen him since she dumped him so unceremoniously.

He’s laid-back and spontaneous…

When former-FBI-agent-turned-security-consultant Kenneth ‘Ken’ Lambert receives a call from Faith asking for his services, he sees a chance to payback the gorgeous designer for the way she used him then walked out on him. But then he learns that she is being victimized by a man whose idea of love is both dangerous and toxic, Ken pushes aside his personal agenda and agrees to help her.

As their investigation progresses, Ken discovers that Faith’s calm exterior hides a woman of character and strength, a woman on the verge of falling apart. Can he help her find the answers she seeks or will she accept his offer instead—acceptance, unconditional love and support?


Review:  Ednah Walters is a romance novel master mind! The Fitzgerald Family Series has been nothing short of incredible from the very beginning and she most definitely didn't disappoint with the Fourth installment. In my opinion the books get better as the story progresses! I love that Ednah keeps us connected to the previous characters even after new characters are brought into the story. I love every book in it's own way but I must admit that Faith is by far my favorite Fitzgerald as of yet!

Please use the following rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. You have a chance to win 1 of 10 eBook copies of Dangerous Love and a beautiful Fitzgerald Family Bracelet!

Assassin's Honor by: Monica Burns

Assassin's Honor by: Monica Burns

Source: I found these on the 3/$10

rack at Books-A-Million!

Synopsis: Archeologist Emma Zale sees the past when she touches relics. It's how she uncovered evidence of an ancient order of assassins-the Sicari. When a sinfully dark stranger shows up on her Chicago doorstep demanding an artifact she doesn't have, he drags her into a world where telekinesis and empaths-someone who can sense the emotions of others- are the norm. Now someone wants her dead, and her only hope of survival is an assassin who's every bit as dangerous to her body as he is to her heart.

Review: This novel is sizzling hot! Monica Burns does an excellent job with her characters. I feel like I am standing in the mansion with them! The detail is exquisite and the story line is incredible. I love that there are no shifters or vampires in these novels because quite frankly I need a break from those sometimes. Monica Burns made this the best break I could have asked for. I got all the heat and emotion without the bloodlust or the shifting.

Tessa Adams Dragon's Heat Novels

Tessa Adams' Dragon's Heat Novels

Source: Books-A-Million

Review: This series reminds me A LOT of J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood Series. Each book ties into the next book but each one focuses on a different main character much like the brotherhood. Tessa introduced a whole new world. One with shifters but not the usual werewolves and such. She gave us DRAGON shifters, which is a brand new concept for me. These books are intriguing and sexy. The characters are hot and most definitely swoon worthy! The story line is intense and at times heart breaking but all in all Tessa is an amazing author and the books are written brilliantly. 

Sorry

I know I haven't been very active lately and I apoligize.

I have been really sick and will be having surgery soon so I may be in and out for the next few weeks.

 I promise to make it up to you all when I am healed and well!

 I will have a HUGE recovery GIVEAWAY!