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Hello, my name is Valorie. I have a Master's Degree in History and a license to teach-- I have been both university professor and public school teacher. Currently, I am a middle school social studies teacher. I love horror movies and spooky things. Every day is Halloween. I am also a passionate book blogger.

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Book Review: 23:27 by H.L. Roberts

Monday, July 31, 2017

Promo Blitz: Guardian Angel by William McCauley








Middle Grade / Young Adult
Date Published: 6/2013

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Markus Simmons, a 13-year-old 8th-grader, wants to hang with the cool kids. When his social studies class begins a Holocaust project, some A-listers befriend him to get him to work with them so they can have access to his Oma, who was in Auschwitz, and he discovers that there are Holocaust deniers in the world, one of whom is in his class. Then someone identifies his Oma as having played a criminal role during the Holocaust, and he has to reconcile his love for his grandmother, his desire to work with the cool kids, and his anger at the deniers and the others who attack his grandmother.



About the Author




William McCauley was born and grew up in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, in a delightful little town called Vienna. His B.A. in German and M.A. in English are from George Mason University, and at the ripe old age of 29, he "ran away from home" to do doctoral work in linguistics at the University of Colorado in Boulder. After two years, his Wanderlust attacked again, and he trekked on down to Miami, FL, where he did more doctoral work at the University of Miami. Then the powers that be at The German School Washington, where he had taught English for six years, tracked him down and asked him to come back. That brought him back to the DC area, where he taught at the German School for another eighteen years. He finished his career in education at the end of school year 14-15, retiring after ten years as a Gifted and Talented Education specialist with Howard County Public Schools in Maryland. Now all he wants to do is write – and read.

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Cover Reveal: Forget Me Not by Willow Winters


I fell in love with a boy a long time ago.

I was only a small girl. Scared and frightened, I was taken from my home and held against my will. His father hurt me, but he protected me and kept me safe as best he could.

Until I left him.

I ran the first chance I got and even though I knew he wasn’t behind me, I didn’t stop. The branches lashed out at me, punishing me for leaving him in the hands of a monster.

I’ve never felt such guilt in my life.

Although I survived, the boy was never found. I prayed for him to be safe. I dreamed he’d be alright and come back to me. Even as a young girl I knew I loved him, but I betrayed him.

Twenty years later, all my wishes came true.

But the boy came back a man. With a grip strong enough to keep me close and a look in his eyes that warned me to never dare leave him again. I was his to keep after all.

Twenty years after leaving one hell, I entered another. Our tale was only just getting started.

It’s dark and twisted.

But that doesn’t make it any less of what it is.

A love story. Our love story.




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Willow Winters is so happy to be a USA Today, Wall Street Journal and #1 Contemporary Bestselling Romance Author. She likes her action hot and her bad boys hotter. She certainly doesn’t hold back on either one in her writing!

Want a text alert when Willow has a new release? Text "Willow" to 797979!
Or if you prefer by email, Sign up for her Naughty List to get all the newest bad boy releases, sales, great giveaways and a FREE Bad Boy Billionaire Romance → http://eepurl.com/b2izzf


Willow started writing after having her little girl, Evie, December 2015. All during her pregnancy with Evie she continued to read and she only wanted to read romance. She was reading a book a day — sometimes two.

In January 2016 Willow was staying up late with Evie and just thinking of all these stories. They came to her constantly so she finally sat down and just started writing. She always wanted to do it so she figured, why not? Today Willow cannot be happier for making that decision!



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Saturday, July 29, 2017

Book Review & Giveaway: Scent of the Past by Erin Marie Bernardo




About the Book

Title: Scent of the Past
Author: Erin Marie Bernardo
Genre: Historical Fiction
Scent of the Past by Erin Marie Bernardo

A secret diary. A forgotten past. Another time.

When people think of time travel, they think of the clichéd manufactured kind. Of giant electronic machines with flashing lights and buttons calibrated to shoot you into the past with one press. But it doesn’t work that way. You need a reason, a connection, and—most important—a link. But you can’t choose when and why you go. That would be too easy, and we’d all be snapping our fingers in hopes of seeing lost treasures of yesteryear. It must choose you.

Close cousins Addison and Elissa live in present day New York City and lead somewhat ordinary lives. When uncertain circumstances surrounding a set of antique perfume bottles sends them back to eighteenth-century France, they must uncover the truth behind their travel.

Disaster strikes when Addison finds herself in a nearly identical situation to a mishap she experienced in the present—the witnessing of a murder and release of a secret. Only this time the truth could destroy the entire French monarchy. With Addison’s head on the line, the young women search for answers before Addison suffers her unlucky fate twice. It is only when they discover the haunting connections to life in the present, that they understand why they both were sent, and why a repeating past...may not always be such a bad thing.

Review of Scent of the Past
History repeats itself, right?   That’s what people say.  And as a history teacher, I have to admit that I at least like the thought that it just might.

Scent of the Past is a story of romance and mystery, about two very different young women, who find themselves transported through time.  Elissa is a simple but sharp-nosed girl who loves antiques and a quiet life.  Addison is wild and adventurous, and likes to live a bit too dangerously.  Addison sees something she is not meant to see, putting her life in peril.  A series of unhappy accidents leads to the breakage of a few priceless perfume bottles and the release of gorgeous scent (from the past, get it?).  This very scent triggers something almost supernatural, and the two women find themselves waking in pre-revolution France, in the court of Louis XV.  Elissa and Addison have to find out how they got there in order to discover how to get back—and Elissa also has to try and corral Addison’s tendency to make poor choices with the wrong men.  And in this case, the wrong man is the very king of France himself, Louis XV.  The two women not only have to find out how to get home, but are also thrust into the middle of an all too familiar royal paternity scandal that could lead to Addison’s demise.

The book has it all.  There’s time travel, and a story rich with delicious historical detail, giving the story the golden hue of French Baroque, and some of the pastel whimsy of a Rococo frolick.   I really want to praise how well this book wove history with narrative, so that the story did not read, at times, like a few paragraphs hastily rearranged from a Wikipedia page.  Author Erin Marie Bernardo did her research, and did a wonderful job creating a believable historical backdrop.  

There’s also romance.  Addison loves dangerous men, and Elissa holds her heart close and closed.  So it stands to reason that Elissa will find love, but then how will that love manage to persist even when spread out over the course of a few centuries?  And how will the concept of past lives and rebirth play to Elissa’s favor?  And will Addison’s wild side end up hurting her beyond repair?

I also have to say that, though the author might not have intended it, I found a bit of feminist hurrah in Scent of the Past.  The story eventually unfolds an impressive truth: that the Elissa and Addison of the past, the ones whose bodies the modern girls have been pushed into, were artisans and entrepreneurs.  Not too easy for women in 18th century France.  Not only that, but they were closely connected to the Queen, a woman whose only real desire is to protect her son.

I was really happy with this book as I read further in.  Scent of the Past is the sort of book that compels you to finish because there is just enough twist and turn to keep the story new and interesting.  Enough that, as a reader, you can’t predict the end of Elissa and Addison’s story.  Even better, you want to see the story through to the end to find out how everything plays out.  It was a wonderfully clever novel that balanced fiction and truth, thrill and romance, toward a delightful and graceful end.

Excerpt from Scent of the Past
Elissa opened one eye. Slowly. Someone was talking to her. Her head hurt, and the room was blurry, so she shut it. The talking didn’t stop. It was annoying, like a pesky mosquito buzzing around your ear right before you fall asleep. She pulled the covers over her head and groaned. She felt horrible.
The woman’s voice was persistent. She spoke quickly: “Bon matin, mademoiselle. Temps de se réveiller.”
Elissa rolled over, hoping to block out the noise and instantly realized she was naked. Oh, my gosh, I’m naked! she thought in fright. Instantly in tune with her surroundings she peeked out from underneath her blanket and surveyed the situation.
First observation. She was in a bed.
Second observation. Already noted, she was naked.
Third observation. This was not her room, and the woman standing at the foot of her bed was clearly not speaking English. Nor was she familiar in any way.
Elissa’s panic meter raised a few notches, and she grasped frantically at her neck. She relaxed. The ruby key was still there. Naked or not, the necklace never came off.
But where am I? she wondered. Whose bed is this? And why can’t I remember anything?
She noted the headache that was descending lower over her forehead. Her eyes made a quick sweep past the bed and around the room. Wherever she was, it certainly was magnificent. Shrouded in a curtain-lined canopy bed, she felt small among the grandness of the space. Although the walls were white, they were heavily decorated in crown molding panels, with intricate cut-out designs cresting the length of each wall. A large stone fireplace faced the bed, and an unlit crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, which was at least ten feet high or more. A mirror, larger than any table, reflected her baffled face as it sat in triumph above the mantel. Noticing an open door leading to another bedroom, she realized the place only got larger.
Elissa groaned. This must have cost me a fortune. Why didn’t I pick a Holiday Inn?—thinking she might have checked into a hotel. The thought quickly passed before she had a chance to wonder further.
  The woman, who had awakened her earlier, stood scowling at Elissa. She wore some sort of period-style dress and looked like an old-fashioned chambermaid, with a cap and oversized smock. Elissa listened again. It was French. The woman was speaking French! Quite pleased with herself, Elissa smiled at the short lady who was frowning and waving her finger with a tsk, tsk. She hurried around the room picking up this, rearranging that.
“Vous avez dormi. Levez-vous avant qu'ils ne commencent à répandre des rumeurs à votre sujet.”
Elissa listened.  Ahh, French. What a beautiful language, she thought, smiling to herself. She lay there in a sleepy lull, listening on and off while dozing—still feeling a bit drugged. But it didn’t take her too long to think a little deeper. She paused. Wait, why is this woman speaking French?
“My lady, you’ve overslept. Get up before they start spreading rumors about you.”
She gasped. And why do I understand it?


About the Author

Erin Marie Bernardo is an American writer of historical fiction. She has a degree in Communication Studies from the University of Minnesota, and is the author of the time-travel novel, Scent of the Past. A lover of historic places, Erin's novels connect the past with the present.

Erin is currently at work on her second novel, Blackbird's Bounty, set in the bayou of Louisiana – and is actively seeking a home for her children’s collection, Beautiful and Extraordinary Barnyard Stories, based on true events from on her farm. 

Erin lives in Tennessee, but has roots in both Minnesota and Washington State. She is married with two young children. 

Links




Book Review: Goddesses Can Wait by Kim Baccellia




No More Goddesses (Myths and Mayhem #1) by Kim Baccellia


Published by Zumaya Thresholds

Published May 28th, 2013

Genres: YA/Fantasy/Mythology



Jordan Lake discovers an ancient bracelet in her grandmother’s house and uncovers a family mystery that links her favorite actress, Audrey Hepburn, a romantic movie, and an aunt she never knew. Jordan hopes the bracelet will bring her love. Instead, it brings one nightmare after another, unleashing Hathor, the Egyptian love goddess, who decides it’s fun to mess with the McKnight High School social scene. Jordan holds the key to vanquish Hathor, but will she figure out what it is in time to save her school, one of her best friends, and get a date to the Valentine’s Day dance?





Goddesses Can Wait (Myths and Mayhem #2) by Kim Baccellia
Genre: YA Fantasy





Jordan Lake, a fifteen-year-old Audrey Hepburn-olic who’s a magnet for goddesses, has a chance to go to Paris with her grandmother and BFF Selena Garza. Even though she senses something is off, she decides to make the trip.

But when she kisses a cute Parisian boy a la Roman Holiday, she switches bodies with Aphrodite and is sent to the Greek netherworld. She must enlist the help of the Greek god (in more ways than one) Ares then complete seven trials set by his sister Artemis in order to return home.

Except time is running out, and if she can’t get Aphrodite back to the Eiffel Tower by midnight, she’ll be stuck in Greek mythology forever.

Review of Goddesses Can Wait


Jordan is recovering from her harrowing adventure going head to head with the Egyptian goddess Hathor, and a trip to Paris is exactly what is needed.  After all, Paris is the most Audrey Hepburn place on earth.  Jordan and her best friend accompany Jordan’s grandmother across the Atlantic so that grandmother Lake can rediscover her past away from the grip of Hathor’s magic.  Unfortunately for Jordan, that could mean more enchanted objects and more goddesses.  And more goddesses is exactly what Jordan gets.

Jordan meets the man of her dreams, but she finds that instead of a summer fling, she experiences a Freaky Friday body swap with the Greek goddesses Aphrodite.  Meeting famous Greek mythological characters like the muses and Ares.  Jordan has to get her body back, but that means trapping a escaped goddess, and that is never easy.


I definitely felt Goddesses Can Wait met and matched the quality and fun of book one, No More Goddesses.  Since I prefer Greek/Roman mythology to all others, it really made me happy that Greek mythology took center stage.  Once again, great and quality research was done into Greek mythology because the characters made sense and did not lack from fine detail.  Ares wasn’t a caricature of the god, but rather seemed to be a realistic imagining of what the god Ares would be like.  Though I do wonder a bit why Aphrodite, a Greek goddess, would be blonde.  It was a pleasant addition that more than just the “popular” gods were presented.  I liked that Charon and the fates and muses were part of the story rather than the big name gods and goddesses.  I would love to read more of this series if books of this quality are being written and published.  What’s next?  Japanese goddesses?  An Aztec goddess?  I think we’ve established a theme of love, so the world’s an open book at this point.  I sincerely hope that more myths and mayhem novels are written, and more cultures/eras are incorporated because I just love how Kim Baccellia takes myths and abstract mythological characters and inserts them into real life.  I know she would continue to do excellent and entertaining writing!

About the Author:


When writing Goddesses Can Wait, Kim Baccellia watched almost all of Audrey Hepburn’s movies and learned to love this famous icon after watching and reading all she could about her. Two of her all-time favorite movies, Roman Holiday and Funny Face, are the inspiration for Jordan’s trip to Paris. What teen girl wouldn’t love to have a romantic moment on the Eiffel Tower?

A member of RWA, Kim is currently putting the finishing touches on a YA multicultural thriller. She lives in Southern California with her husband and son.


Read below for an excerpt from Goddesses Can Wait:
My fingers brushed against the wooden box. I pulled it out. A slight tingle vibrated through my fingers. Not unpleasant, still it felt as if I’d shocked myself. I gasped, dropping the box.

I winced, fearing I’d broken it. What would my grandmother do once she found out that I not only brought it overseas but now had damaged it? For all I knew it was invaluable.

I scanned the area, freaking out big time. Then to the corner I recognized the familiar woman on the mosaic top. Relieved, I bent over to pick it up and almost dropped it again. The blond woman blinked at me.
The Giveaway:

a signed copy of both books in the Myths & Mayhem series plus a cute Paris tote and some swag; open US only


Friday, July 28, 2017

Blog Tour & Review: Goddesses Can Wait by Kim Baccellia




No More Goddesses (Myths and Mayhem #1) by Kim Baccellia


Published by Zumaya Thresholds

Published May 28th, 2013

Genres: YA/Fantasy/Mythology



Jordan Lake discovers an ancient bracelet in her grandmother’s house and uncovers a family mystery that links her favorite actress, Audrey Hepburn, a romantic movie, and an aunt she never knew. Jordan hopes the bracelet will bring her love. Instead, it brings one nightmare after another, unleashing Hathor, the Egyptian love goddess, who decides it’s fun to mess with the McKnight High School social scene. Jordan holds the key to vanquish Hathor, but will she figure out what it is in time to save her school, one of her best friends, and get a date to the Valentine’s Day dance?





Goddesses Can Wait (Myths and Mayhem #2) by Kim Baccellia
Genre: YA Fantasy





Jordan Lake, a fifteen-year-old Audrey Hepburn-olic who’s a magnet for goddesses, has a chance to go to Paris with her grandmother and BFF Selena Garza. Even though she senses something is off, she decides to make the trip.

But when she kisses a cute Parisian boy a la Roman Holiday, she switches bodies with Aphrodite and is sent to the Greek netherworld. She must enlist the help of the Greek god (in more ways than one) Ares then complete seven trials set by his sister Artemis in order to return home.

Except time is running out, and if she can’t get Aphrodite back to the Eiffel Tower by midnight, she’ll be stuck in Greek mythology forever.

Review of No More Goddesses

Jordan has a romantic heart and a deep love of everything Audrey Hepburn.  One day, Jordan discovers that her grandmother is keeper of a gorgeous bracelet and a secret: that one of Audrey’s roles, the main in Tessa’s Treasure, was based on reality, and this reality featured none other than a great aunt Jordan never knew.  What appears to be a lovely vintage bracelet, reminiscent of all the romantic happenings of Audrey’s cinematic life, soon turns out to be very un-fortuitous for Jordan.  The bracelet has the power to give love, which Jordan is at first fascinated by because she has her heart set on a certain boy she previously thought was out of her league. High school girls always love a good romantic story.  But this was before Jordan knew there was a vengeful Goddess, Hathor, eager to play around with the mortals in possession of her bracelet.  By the time Jordan realizes that the bracelet is not all fun and games, it was too late.  The bracelet was locked onto her wrist and Hathor’s games were underway… bugs, glitter, even a grand transformation of high school into Egyptian temple.  Jordan has to find a way to rescue her friends and give Hathor her bracelet back so that normalcy can once more be restored, even if that means not getting her high school romance.


I really love a good mythological story.  The old stories of Greek/Roman and Egyptian Gods never get old, and there are so many interesting characters that authors can have a lot of fun incorporating.  So, it was really nice to read a story that found a way to fuse some old tales with new, and even to weave in some classic cinema.  What I also want to praise about No More Goddesses are the unexpected turns the story took.  You think you know a bit how the story is going to end up, but the author throws a few twists in at the end to give you just a bit of delighted surprise.  I really like that it wasn’t an entirely predictable ending.  Definitely a charming read, and worth a read.  I am going to be reading book 2 next, and I look forward to seeing what clever takes the author has in store.

About the Author:


When writing Goddesses Can Wait, Kim Baccellia watched almost all of Audrey Hepburn’s movies and learned to love this famous icon after watching and reading all she could about her. Two of her all-time favorite movies, Roman Holiday and Funny Face, are the inspiration for Jordan’s trip to Paris. What teen girl wouldn’t love to have a romantic moment on the Eiffel Tower?

A member of RWA, Kim is currently putting the finishing touches on a YA multicultural thriller. She lives in Southern California with her husband and son.


Read below for an excerpt from Goddesses Can Wait:
My fingers brushed against the wooden box. I pulled it out. A slight tingle vibrated through my fingers. Not unpleasant, still it felt as if I’d shocked myself. I gasped, dropping the box.

I winced, fearing I’d broken it. What would my grandmother do once she found out that I not only brought it overseas but now had damaged it? For all I knew it was invaluable.

I scanned the area, freaking out big time. Then to the corner I recognized the familiar woman on the mosaic top. Relieved, I bent over to pick it up and almost dropped it again. The blond woman blinked at me.
The Giveaway:

a signed copy of both books in the Myths & Mayhem series plus a cute Paris tote and some swag; open US only