Hi everyone!
There is a great Christmas ebook available for free for Kindle and Nook!
Grab this sweet holiday book while it is free!
I can't wait to read this! How cute is the cover? :)
"A Royal Pain" Review
"A Royal Pain"
by Megan Mulry
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Release Date: Nov 1, 2012
Source: sent by publisher
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
My Review:
Like the lead character of the book, Bronte, I read a lot of historical romances, so when I had the chance to read about a modern day romance with a Duke, I couldn't resist. I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. It was way more 'romance-y' than I expected it to be, and for me that is a great thing! I thought it would be more of a chick lit book, but even the writing style was like a romance, because the reader is able to see both Bronte and Max's points of view.
Max is pretty much perfect. I mean, there aren't any flaws that I can think of at all. Of course, Bronte finds about 25 flaws in Max per day. She was a little irritating in how much she pushed him away and put him off even though he had proved himself to her time and time again. This was one of the only aspects that I didn't care for about the book. I also didn't really like their long absence from each other, but that's something I never care for in romances. I want the couple to be together 24/7!
Once they finally made it to England, it was really fun to read about Max's eccentric family. I loved his brother, Devon, and I just found out that the second book in the series will focus on Devon and one of Bronte's American friends!
Main Characters: 4/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Romance: 4/5
Uniqueness: 5/5
Cover: 5/5 (yay fascinators! I also like that the back cover shows Bronte from the back, cute detail)
Writing: 4/5
Bottom Line: A very fun, very romance-y modern tale of a royal romance.
by Megan Mulry
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Release Date: Nov 1, 2012
Source: sent by publisher
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Summary from goodreads.com:
Bronte Talbott follows all of the exploits of the British royals. After all, they're the world's most preeminent dysfunctional family. And who is she to judge? Bronte's own search for love isn't going all that well, especially after her smooth-talking Texan boyfriend abruptly leaves her in the dust.
Bronte keeps a lookout for a rebound to help mend her broken heart, and when she meets Max Heyworth, she's certain he's the perfect transition man. But when she discovers he's a duke, she has to decide if she wants to stay with him for the long haul and deal with the opportunities-- and challenges-- of becoming a royal.
My Review:
Like the lead character of the book, Bronte, I read a lot of historical romances, so when I had the chance to read about a modern day romance with a Duke, I couldn't resist. I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. It was way more 'romance-y' than I expected it to be, and for me that is a great thing! I thought it would be more of a chick lit book, but even the writing style was like a romance, because the reader is able to see both Bronte and Max's points of view.
Max is pretty much perfect. I mean, there aren't any flaws that I can think of at all. Of course, Bronte finds about 25 flaws in Max per day. She was a little irritating in how much she pushed him away and put him off even though he had proved himself to her time and time again. This was one of the only aspects that I didn't care for about the book. I also didn't really like their long absence from each other, but that's something I never care for in romances. I want the couple to be together 24/7!
Once they finally made it to England, it was really fun to read about Max's eccentric family. I loved his brother, Devon, and I just found out that the second book in the series will focus on Devon and one of Bronte's American friends!
Main Characters: 4/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Romance: 4/5
Uniqueness: 5/5
Cover: 5/5 (yay fascinators! I also like that the back cover shows Bronte from the back, cute detail)
Writing: 4/5
Bottom Line: A very fun, very romance-y modern tale of a royal romance.
Check out the author's guest post here!
"Christmas Roses" Review
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
"Christmas Roses"
by Amanda Cabot
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: Sep 1, 2012
Source: sent by publisher
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
My Review:
This is a sweet Christmas novella, I really enjoyed the story. The author's writing really pulls you in to the story, and you get to know the characters even in the short amount of pages. I really like these old fashioned Christmas stories, and this one really fit the niche nicely for me.
I thought Mark was very sweet, he was always so helpful without ever looking for credit. Celia was a different kind of strong. She was so strong in learning to run a boarding house after her husband passed away, and taking care of her baby all by herself. But she was never stubborn and she always asked for help when she needed it.
The secondary characters were great as well, which to me shows what a good writer Cabot is. She made me want to get to know the whole town, and find out everyone's personalities.
Main Characters: 4/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Romance: 4/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Bottom Line: A sweet Christmas novel with great characters and a lovely romance.
by Amanda Cabot
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: Sep 1, 2012
Source: sent by publisher
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Summary from goodreads.com:
Celia Anderson doesn't need anything for Christmas except a few more boarders, which are hard to come by in this small mining town. She certainly doesn't have a husband on her Christmas wish list. But when a wandering carpenter finds lodging at her boarding house, she admits that she might remarry if she found the right man--the kind of man who would bring her roses for Christmas. It would take a miracle to get roses during a harsh Wyoming winter. But Christmas, after all, is the time for miracles . . .
Amanda Cabot invites readers to cozy up with a romantic, heartwarming tale of the greatest gift of all--love.
My Review:
This is a sweet Christmas novella, I really enjoyed the story. The author's writing really pulls you in to the story, and you get to know the characters even in the short amount of pages. I really like these old fashioned Christmas stories, and this one really fit the niche nicely for me.
I thought Mark was very sweet, he was always so helpful without ever looking for credit. Celia was a different kind of strong. She was so strong in learning to run a boarding house after her husband passed away, and taking care of her baby all by herself. But she was never stubborn and she always asked for help when she needed it.
The secondary characters were great as well, which to me shows what a good writer Cabot is. She made me want to get to know the whole town, and find out everyone's personalities.
Main Characters: 4/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Romance: 4/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Bottom Line: A sweet Christmas novel with great characters and a lovely romance.
"The Lady Risks All" Review
Monday, November 19, 2012
"The Lady Risks All"
by Stephanie Laurens
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: Sep 25, 2012
Source: sent by publisher and publicist
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
My Review:
This is the first book I've read by Laurens, and I must say I enjoyed it quite a lot. I attempted to read one a few years ago, but I felt like the story was lost in all the Regency era manners and witticisms, so I only read a few chapters. While this story is still a hefty 450 pages long, I feel like it wasn't as bogged down with bows and how do you dos.
The characters were very likable. I worried that the hero would be that old fashioned 70s and 80s style of creep, since the author has been writing for so long. But Roscoe was actually quite modern, and a very stand up kind of fellow. He sacrificed so much for his family from the very beginning of the book, it was really admirable. Miranda wasn't an old fashioned heroine, either. She was very strong, but also able to admit when she had made a mistake. Both characters deal with a very real sort of dilemma, what to do when you don't feel needed anymore.
Sometimes, the wordiness was a bit unnecessary, but I'm glad that we were able to know so much about the main characters, and the side characters as well. The book moved along quickly despite the somewhat daunting length, since most historical romances are about 100 pages shorter.
Main Characters: 4/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 5/5 (I may not like 80s era romance stories, but this 80s era cover is sooooo pretty!)
Writing: 4/5
Bottom Line: I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future, and I am wondering why it took me so long to give her books a try!
by Stephanie Laurens
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: Sep 25, 2012
Source: sent by publisher and publicist
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Summary from goodreads.com:
Neville Roscoe, notorious and enigmatic, lives resolutely outside society, bound only by his own code of honor - until challenged by his desire for the one woman he cannot have.
Miranda Clifford is a lady imprisoned by rigid respectability - until tempted by a passion beyond her power to deny.
Flung together in peril, through danger and intrigue, they discover a love impossible to ignore ... or keep.
My Review:
This is the first book I've read by Laurens, and I must say I enjoyed it quite a lot. I attempted to read one a few years ago, but I felt like the story was lost in all the Regency era manners and witticisms, so I only read a few chapters. While this story is still a hefty 450 pages long, I feel like it wasn't as bogged down with bows and how do you dos.
The characters were very likable. I worried that the hero would be that old fashioned 70s and 80s style of creep, since the author has been writing for so long. But Roscoe was actually quite modern, and a very stand up kind of fellow. He sacrificed so much for his family from the very beginning of the book, it was really admirable. Miranda wasn't an old fashioned heroine, either. She was very strong, but also able to admit when she had made a mistake. Both characters deal with a very real sort of dilemma, what to do when you don't feel needed anymore.
Sometimes, the wordiness was a bit unnecessary, but I'm glad that we were able to know so much about the main characters, and the side characters as well. The book moved along quickly despite the somewhat daunting length, since most historical romances are about 100 pages shorter.
Main Characters: 4/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 5/5 (I may not like 80s era romance stories, but this 80s era cover is sooooo pretty!)
Writing: 4/5
Bottom Line: I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future, and I am wondering why it took me so long to give her books a try!
Check out the author's website: http://www.
Follow along with the rest of the tour here: http://tlcbooktours.com/2012/09/stephanie-laurens-author-of-the-lady-risks-all-on-tour-septemberoctober-2012/
Giveaway, Guest Post, and Review! "The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart"
As part of the blog tour for The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart, I am happy to have the author stop by for a guest post, and a giveaway along with my review!
Review
"The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart"
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: Nov 1, 2012
Source: sent by publisher
My Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Summary from goodreads.com:
For Natalie Stewart, a normal life has never seemed so far away. Her only solace, Lord Jonathan Denbury, is wanted for murder. To clear his name, Denbury must return to England and assume the role of his demon doppelganger. But Natalie begins to doubt his true motives, especially as a new gentleman begins whispering in her ear. Natalie and Denbury may be able to visit each other in their dreams, but they can't escape the darkening shadows. Amid spontaneous explosions, friends turned enemies and dangerous secrets revealed, there's still a demon who has Natalie's scent, and someone is trying to resurrect the ultimate evil.
My Review:
This book is a great mix of historical, mystery, romance, and good deal of creepiness. I really enjoyed how unique this story is. The interesting and new story combined with the great characters really kept me turning the pages.
I haven't read the first book in the series, but wow, I really want to now. I want to see how Natalie and Jonathon met and fell in love, and I'd really love to see how his being trapped in a painting played out.
I wasn't sure about the demon angle to the story, but it ended up not being so bad for me, and I'm scared easily. It was more of a gothic, creepy tale, instead of shocking horror. Perhaps the fact that it was a historical story made the scary parts more gothic in tone and feel. Some of the dastardly plots reminded me of Frankenstein, which was another gothic, not horrifying, story.
Main Characters: 5/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Uniqueness: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Bottom Line: A great story with something for everyone, and the vivid cast of characters makes the story complete.
Guest Post
Now, I'd like to welcome Leanna Renee Hieber to In the Hammock for a guest post!
Here's Leanna!
Here's Leanna!
Triple Talent:
by Leanna Renee Hieber
It’s no secret that bestselling author Leanna acts, writes, and even combines the two to create a play. Leanna describes what it’s like to be a working actress while also making a bestseller book.
I wear many different hats. And I don’t just mean cute little Victorian hats, though I do have quite a collection. I’ve always been a Jack of All Trades and it’s my varying interests that have kept me busy, employed in the arts and happy in always having a project or two to work on. The trick to doing anything well is time and discipline, it’s very hard to juggle theatrical pursuits and writing and promoting your books full time. I have to pick and choose and shift focus. While I was a full time professional actress on stage in various regional theatre productions around the country, my writing took a back seat. Today my writing is at the foreground and I do theatrical and/or film projects sporadically. The ability to shift focus from one priority to another depending on deadlines is a skill I’ve been trying to sharpen forever. The biggest challenge is self-discipline of one’s own time. It’s something I struggle with day in and day out. Storytelling is at the core of all my interests, and while I’m very selective now about the stories I tell and the mediums I use to tell them, I’m blessed to have several different avenues to pursue the stories that intrigue me. One of the most fascinating ways that my worlds have blended is in adapting my first novel into a musical theatre production with Broadway talent on board. My time as an actress and brief stints as a playwright made it easier for the production company behind the musical adaptation of The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker to approach me to be on the collaboration team. I’m uniquely suited as having experience in all these fields to weave a story together in an entirely new medium, a show. And it’s that process of adaptation and collaboration that then allows me to have fresh insights and new tricks to make an engaging story come to life when I return to my novels, such as THE TWISTED TRAGEDY OF MISS NATALIE STEWART.
Giveaway
GIVEAWAY RULES:
The publicist has generously provided a copy of "The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart" for a lucky follower of my blog!
All you have to do is follow my blog publicly and fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Please follow publicly or I can't tell that you are following :)
- US/CAN only
- Must be a follower to enter
- Books will be mailed out by the publisher
- Must be 18 or over
- Ends Sun Dec 2
Thanks to everyone for entering! Good luck!
Sunday Shout Out 23
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Recently, I introduced a new feature here at In the Hammock on Sundays. It's called "Sunday Shout Out" and it's a place where I can give a special shout out to those publishers and authors who have sent me books over the week, as well as those bloggers who have hosted contests that I've won! I'll also be giving shout outs to any other cool books, blogs or bookish news that I've spotted during the week.
Check out my first Sunday Shout Out post for even more info, here!
For Review
"Pandora the Curious" Goddess Girls #9 by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
Yay!! My favorite MG series :))
"Poseidon and the Sea of Fury" Heroes in Training #2 by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
Now there's Mount Olympus featuring the boys too!
"At Every Turn" by Anne Mateer
Too cute to resist!
"Lady Eve's Indiscretion" by Grace Burrowes
Yay! One of my fave historical romance authors!
"Once Again a Bride" by Jane Ashford
Gotta love historical romances!
"Warlock's Curse" by M.K. Hobson
Recommended by Candace.
Contest Wins"Easy" by Tammara Webber
won from Actin Up with Books
"Out of Oz" by Gregory Maguire
won from Reviewed by Mom
Contests
"The Christmas Pony" Review
Saturday, November 17, 2012
"The Christmas Pony"
by Melody Carlson
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: Sep 1, 2012
Source: sent by publisher
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
My Review:
I can't resist a book with a horse on the cover, so I couldn't wait to read this! The book is a really sweet Christmas story, told from an eight year old's point of view. She sees the world through such innocent eyes, you can't help but like her story.
The book is a shorter novella, so it can be read without the stress of a 400 page book during the holiday season, which is great. The story was a bit different than I thought it would be. When I read the description, I thought that it might be on the sad side, but it wasn't. Lucy and her mother's boarding house had a really nice feel about it, even as they struggled financially during the Great Depression.
I can see this book being made into a sweet holiday tv movie. I do think that the characters of George, and especially Mama, could be fleshed out a little more. George was just such a sweet heart, but I would have liked to have known more about him. Veronica was the perfect nemesis, and I really appreciated that even though Lucy admired her glamour so much at first, she was smart enough to catch on to her true nature quickly.
Main Characters: 4/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 5/5 (Love it!!)
Writing: 4/5
Bottom Line: A light, sweet holiday read.
by Melody Carlson
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: Sep 1, 2012
Source: sent by publisher
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Summary from goodreads.com:
Eight-year-old Lucy Turnbull knew better than to wish for a pony that Christmas in 1937. Her mother had assured her in no uncertain terms that asking for a pony was the same as asking for the moon. Besides, the only extra mouths they needed at their boarding house were the paying kind. But when an interesting pair of strangers comes to town, Lucy starts to believe her Christmas wishes might just come true after all.
The queen of the Christmas novel, Melody Carlson pens another magical tale of expectation and excitement as one little girl dreams big and the impossible becomes possible.
My Review:
I can't resist a book with a horse on the cover, so I couldn't wait to read this! The book is a really sweet Christmas story, told from an eight year old's point of view. She sees the world through such innocent eyes, you can't help but like her story.
The book is a shorter novella, so it can be read without the stress of a 400 page book during the holiday season, which is great. The story was a bit different than I thought it would be. When I read the description, I thought that it might be on the sad side, but it wasn't. Lucy and her mother's boarding house had a really nice feel about it, even as they struggled financially during the Great Depression.
I can see this book being made into a sweet holiday tv movie. I do think that the characters of George, and especially Mama, could be fleshed out a little more. George was just such a sweet heart, but I would have liked to have known more about him. Veronica was the perfect nemesis, and I really appreciated that even though Lucy admired her glamour so much at first, she was smart enough to catch on to her true nature quickly.
Main Characters: 4/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 5/5 (Love it!!)
Writing: 4/5
Bottom Line: A light, sweet holiday read.
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