*[Blog Tour Review & Tour Wide Giveaway] Armored Hearts by Melissa Lee Turner & Pauline Creeden

 

 

Summary:

 

When a crippled young lord rescues a girl falling from a tree, it reveals a secret about himself and his mother's side of the family that could put him at the center of a war with beings he thought only existed in fairy tales. Tristan Gareth Smyth lived his entire life stuck at home at Waverly Park, left behind while his Grandfather makes trips to London, all because of his blasted wheelchair. Then an American heiress falls in his lap, literally, and he must find a way to keep her at a distance to protect not only his secret, but everyone around him from an assassin sent to kill him.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 159 pages (E-book)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: April 29th 2013

 

Armored Hearts was my first experience reading Melissa Turner Lee and Pauline Creeden and I'm glad this was the first book by them that I've read and the fact that I haven't read that many steampunk novels had me intrigued with how this book would play out.

 

For 159 pages both authors did a fantastic job weaving both the steampunk genre together with a  wonderful fantasy and mystery element including faeries (which I loved) altogether in such a small package that it was hard to believe this was such a short read.

 

Usually I'm not a fan of shorter reads but this one worked out really well. Sometimes I find that in the case of novels shorter than 200 or 250 pages that both the plot as well as the character development can suffer a lot but Armored Hearts had a unique and interesting plot that had me reading this book in spurts so I could spread it out more and make the story last.

 

I really enjoyed Jessamine, she was a breath of fresh air because Tristan could be kind of a downer in a lot of parts but hey, he's in a wheelchair so I wasn't expecting him to be all smiles and sunshine but the boy needed some light in his life and I'm glad Jessamina was there for him. Even if she was pushy about it and I enjoyed the light romantic edge to the story.

 

Overall, I thought that Armored Hearts had a refreshing plot, that was fast paced that drew on a variety of elements and themes coming together to create a novel that has a lot to offer in a small package. The characters were great and my only problem with the book is that while I found it to be well developed that I just wish it had been longer since I didn't want it to end.

 

I would recommend Armored Hearts to fans of steampunk novels with a mystery and fantasy twist with a light romance element to it. It's a short read but one that packs a punch and has a lot to offer both new and old readers of the genre.

 

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

 

Really Liked It!
★ ★ ★★

 

To "Like" Melissa on Facebook CLICK HERE

To "Like" Pauline on Facebook CLICK HERE

To "Follow" Melissa  on Twitter CLICK HERE

To "Follow" Pauline  on Twitter CLICK HERE 

To become a "Fan" of Melissa  on Goodreads  CLICK HERE

To become a "Fan" of Pauline  on Goodreads  CLICK HERE

To visit Melissa's Website CLICK HERE

To visit Pauline's Website CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Kobo CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Barnes & Noble CLICK HERE

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

*[Blog Tour Review] The Roots of Betrayal (Clarenceux Trilogy #2) by James Forrester

 

Summary:

 

 1564: Catholic herald William Harley, Clarenceaux King of Arms, is the custodian of a highly dangerous document. When it is stolen, Clarenceaux immediately suspects a group of Catholic sympathisers, the self-styled Knights of the Round Table.
Francis Walsingham, the ruthless protégé of the queen's Principal Secretary, Sir William Cecil, intercepts a coded message from the Knights to a Countess known to have Catholic leanings. He is convinced that Clarenceaux is trying to use the document to advance the cause of the Catholic Queen.
And soon Clarenceaux enters a nightmare of suspicion, deception and conspiracy. Conflict and fear, compounded by the religious doubts of the time, conceal a persistent mystery. Where has the document gone? Who has it and who really took it? And why? The roots of betrayal are deep and shocking: and Clarenceaux's journey towards the truth entails not just the discovery of clues and signs, but also the discovery of himself.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 438 pages (Paperback)

Source: Print Copy for review from Sourcebooks

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: May 7th 2013 by Sourcebooks Landmark

 

I loved the first novel in the Clarenceux Trilogy by James Forrester so I when I got the review request for the second novel I just had to say yes. It was my intention to refresh my memory by re-reading the first book in the series again before beginning this one but I never got around to it so my memory of where that book left off is a little fuzzy. Since the book is still so new and I don't want to give any spoilers away I won't go into detail about the plot or characters. Instead I will talk about my general feelings for those aspects of the book.

 

However, just because my memory of book one isn't fresh it didn't enjoy this second installment in the trilogy was just as good as the first. Once again we are swept up into author James Forrester's world of mystery and intrigue against a fabulous historical backdrop.

 

I loved the author's eye for detail. Since the author is in fact a historian his education clearly lends itself to his writing style. You can tell that there was an immense amount of effort to be historically accurate when he needed to be not only with dates, and names of important historical figures but of how life was when The Roots of Betrayal took place. Nothing annoys me more than finding an author that is talking about something like a device or something else that appears in their book but wasn't invented or brought to the time in question until 2 or 3 centuries ahead of the time they're discussing. Luckily, this author isn't one of those.

 

As for the characters, I really liked them all. While I loved how the characters were in the first book of the trilogy, I feel like the author did an even better job with them in The Roots of Betrayal. To me they just seemed as though they were a little more life like and I enjoyed learning about them in this installment.

 

Overall, James Forrester put forth a fantastic sequel and I really enjoyed the fast paced adventure and mystery that was between the covers of Roots of Betrayal. The writing was engaging, the plot was exciting and intricate set against a wonderful historical back drop and the characters were very well developed. I'm so happy that I was able to review this book and I cannot wait to see how this trilogy wraps up.

 

I would recommend this novel to fans that have read the first novel in the series Sacred Treason and I would recommend those who haven't begun this fantastic series yet to do so immediately. If you love historical fiction, historical mysteries and books set in the 1300's this might just be your next read.

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

2013 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

2013 Around the World Challenge

2013 Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge

 

 

Loved It!
★ ★ ★★★

 

To "Follow" James Forrester on Twitter CLICK HERE

To become a "Fan" of James Forrester on Goodreads CLICK HERE

To visit James's Website CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Chapters Indigo CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Kobo CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via The Book Depository CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Barnes & Noble CLICK HERE

 

*[Cover Reveal] Pinned Up by C. Michelle

PINNED UP by C. Michelle

NA Contemporary Romance

Coming soon!

Readers in search of something fresh in the adult contemporary romance department will celebrate the arrival of C. Michelle’s vibrant debut novel, Pinned Up. Full of snappy dialogue, edgy humor, and a lot of heart, this fun look into the world of a modern-day pin-up model is one interesting journey. Are you ready to embark on a wild ride?
Twenty-five-year-old Nina Moretti lives a double life of sorts. She’s a victim advocate during the day and as a side gig, lives out her 1940s fetish as a pin-up model. This arrangement suits her well, as does never having a steady boyfriend. Trust is an issue that was ruined for Nina at a young age and has yet to be recovered. While she may not “do” serious relationships, she has found fulfillment in her work and hanging out with her best friend, Kade—the greatest sidekick any woman could possibly want. All is well in Nina’s hectic, but satisfying life…
That is, until she meets Josh, a stunningly handsome man who has a notorious reputation as a ladies’ man. Living in San Francisco, California, Nina has met her fair share of eligible bachelors. But there is something different about Josh, something that compels her to try and get to know him better. For his part, Josh has always been reluctant to commit to any woman, largely as a way to spite his well-meaning, but rather overbearing mother. Nina, however, sparks his interest in a way that no other woman has before. What are two people, both scared of commitment, supposed to do?
Readers will feel an array of emotions as Nina and Josh do the unthinkable—embark on a relationship together. As they navigate the pitfalls of romantic entanglement, both come to realize that their pasts are intertwined in ways that they could never imagine. Perhaps they have more in common than just their fear of relationships.

 

Reveal Hosted by:

 

 



Teaser Tuesday #3

 

 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

 

 

 

 

Summary:

 

When Lawrence Anthony learned that the northern white rhino, living in the war-ravaged Congo, was on the very brink of extinction, he knew he had to act. If the world lost the sub-species, it would be the largest land mammal since the woolly mammoth to go extinct. In The Last Rhinos, Anthony recounts his attempts to save these remarkable animals.
The demand for rhino horns in the Far East has turned poaching into a dangerous black market that threatens the lives of not just these rare beasts, but also the rangers who protect them.
The northern white rhino’s last refuge was in an area controlled by the infamous Lord’s Resistance Army, one of the most vicious rebel groups in the world. In the face of unmoving government bureaucracy, Anthony made a perilous journey deep into the jungle to try to find and convince them to help save the rhino.
An inspiring story of conservation in the face of brutal war and bureaucratic quagmires, The Last Rhinos will move animal lovers everywhere.
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 336 Pages (Hardcover)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Available Formats: Print/E-book

       Publication Date: July 3rd 2012 by Thomas Dunne Books

 

My Teaser:

 

 

From page 178 of The Last Rhinos

 

"Joseph Kony and Vincent Otti wanted to meet me! That meant going into their secret camps in the Congo Jungle"

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday #28

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

 

Top Ten Favorite Book Covers Of Books I've Read:

 

(In No Particular Order)

 

 

 

Those are my favourite covers of the books I've read in the past couple years and I can honestly say that I wish I had each of these covers in poster form because I think they're all gorgeous!

 

What are YOUR Top 10 Favourite Book Covers of Books YOU'VE Read?

 

*[Blog Tour Review] Chronicle of the Mound Builders by Elle Marie

 

Summary:

 

Archaeologist Dr. Angela Hunter discovers an ancient codex at a Mississippian Indian dig site in the St. Louis area. Knowing the Mississippians, or Mound Builders, had no written language, she is determined to solve the mystery of the 700-year-old, perfectly preserved codex.

In the early 1300’s, an Aztec family is torn apart. A judge rebelling against the Aztec tradition of human sacrifice is cursed and escapes his enemies with his 12-year-old son. They travel from the Gulf of Mexico up the Mississippi River to settle in the thriving community of Migaduha, modern-day Cahokia Mounds, Illinois.

Angela recognizes the symbols as Aztec pictograms and begins to translate the story. However, other forces also want the codex and will do anything to get it. Can she learn the secrets of the chronicle before the tragic events of the past are repeated today?

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 408 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Format: Print/E-book

Publication Date: October 29th 2012 by Createspace

 

I've always been interested in history but I have to admit that while I do know some things about ancient Native American civilizations that I haven't really come across too many historical fiction novels that center on the topic so when the tour invite for Chronicle of the Mound Builders came to me I knew I just had to take part of the tour.

 

Chronicle of the Mound Builders is a unique mixture of historical fiction and modern mystery. I enjoyed the author's way of going from present times to the past and back again in the course of the book. Sometimes when author's do this the story can become a little disjointed but Elle Marie surprised me in melding the past and the present together so well.

 

The characters in Chronicle of the Mound Builders were wonderful. I really liked Angela Hunter there was just something about her that I really liked and maybe it's her tenacity and her spirit that made me enjoy her so much although I am a little envious of her since she does have my dream job. I also liked her father Peter and Tototl the young boy who wrote the codex as all the other characters in the novel both the good guys and the bad which to me as a sign of a good author.

 

The plot was fantastic and I really loved the mystery behind the codex and where it lead Angela and her Father to as well as what they learned. The mixture of bringing the history behind the codex alive though was definitely my favourite part and it kept me on my toes. I liked the fact that I didn't know where the author was going in terms of the story line and every chapter while bringing me closer to the end of the book also brought the story to life more and more

 

Overall, I really enjoyed Elle Marie's debut and I wouldn't change a thing about it. The writing was strong, the character and plot were well developed and I liked the pace of the novel. There was plenty of detail in the story to bring it to life and lots of little plot twists to keep me on my toes while I read and had me guessing as to what would happen next.

 

I would highly recommend this to fans of historical fiction that is intertwined with a modern day mystery. The mixture of the two genres was flawless and the author's skill was surprisingly good and the story line was addictive and I loved how the author was able to bring the past alive.

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

2013 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

2013 Around the World Challenge

 

Loved It!
★★★★★

 

To become a "Fan" of Elle on Goodreads  CLICK HERE

To visit Elle's Website CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via iTunes CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Kobo CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via The Book Depository CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Barnes & Noble CLICK HERE

 

 

 

 

 

Quote-Tastic Monday #2

This one is simple and just about sharing your favorite quotes and the books they come from! Hosted by the FABULOUS Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup

I absolutely love the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr so I just had to share one of my favourite quotes from her book Shelter Mountain with my favourite couple Mel & Jack who appeared in the first novel of the series.

 

“You know, you own a bar and you don't keep alcohol at home," she said, breathless. "I could have had a shot--it sometimes slows labor."

"We'll have some on hand for the next one."

"You keep talking like that's gonna happen," she said. "How ridiculous."

"I think my record speaks for itself. But Mel. I just want to make them, not deliver them."

"I hear ya, buddy".....

(Jack & Mel)

I love how Robyn Carr adds such sweet and funny conversations to even out the drama going on in the book . Plus Mel & Jack are awesome!

What is YOUR favourite bookish quotes this week?

 

 

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #54!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey and is a great way for others to find out what you are planning to read this week and, best of all, see what others are reading.

 

Read Last Week:

 

 

 

Currently Reading:




Up Next:




And probably a bunch of others!

 

What are YOUR reading plans this week?