Between the Pages: March 2014

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Daisy Update (54)

I feel like I start with this every time lately, but it's been A WHILE. Seriously, it's been two months. I feel like I haven't sat down to blog in ages, and it's mostly due to this happening:

We got the key to our new home!!! I'm SO happy!! I can't take time off from work because of some silly rule, but the boyfriend has been painting and we had friends and family helping yesterday, so we've already painted all the walls and started on the floor downstairs and I'm SO EXCITED! We're planning on moving all our stuff there next weekend and the boyfriend and I spent today looking at couches and tables and all lovely new things and just YAYYYY! :D We'll have so much more space than we do now, even though I'll probably miss the apartment once we move out, because you know, I've lived here for 8 years and it'll be emotional saying goodbye.

So I've been busy planning and working and more planning and also fun things like a weekend away with friends last week and bookclub and many good things. But I've also been a bit exhausted and haven't really had much energy to spare to go into blogging.

I've also become addicted to Hart of Dixie, which you probably know, but for those of you who don't, it's about a GP in a small town and I just love it. And while I'm a GP in training, TV also sensationalizes everything. And also: it's not really deemed appropriate to wear short shorts or skirts while you're working as a doctor around here. But I do love it! It allows me to zone out and not stress over all the things I need to be doing for work/study/things around the house, other people's drama and all that :) It has drastically lessened the time I have to read though...

It'll probably be a while before everything calms down and I apologize in advance for lack of posts and lack of commenting on other people's posts, because I haven't checked my Bloglovin reader in weeks... Sorry! I'll get back to being a good blogging friend once we're settled in, promise!

Hope you're all having a great week!

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Book spotlight: My Lady, My Lord by Katharine Ashe

Title/Author: My Lady, My Lord by Katharine Ashe
Publisher/Date published: Billet-Doux Books, March 10 2014

Goodreads summary: Book #1 in a new series of historical romances... with a twist.

The Bluestocking
Lady Corinna Mowbray has three passions: excellent books, intelligent conversation, and disdaining the libertine Earl of Chance.

The Rake
Lord Ian Chance has three pleasures: beautiful women, fast horses, and tormenting high-and-mighty Corinna Mowbray.

Neighbors for years, they've been at each other's throats since they can remember. But when a twist of fate forces them to trade lives, how long will it be before they discover they cannot live without each other?

So I've talked about how much I love Katharine Ashe's historical romance before and today I'm happy to tell you she's releasing a new book: My Lady, My Lord. It sounds really good and I can't wait to read it!
Until March 31st it's only $2,99 for Kindle, Kobo and Nook.

And if I haven't convinced you to give it a try yet, you can read the excerpt below:

“Pelley is in there.”
Corinna halted her flight and looked over her shoulder. Ian stood in partial shadow, his long legs and handsome face slanted with torchlight.
“He is?” she said.
He folded his arms over his chest. “I thought that might stop you.”
“Are you telling the truth?”
“I never lie.”
She bit her lower lip. “I didn’t consider the possibility of his presence here.”
He frowned, his gaze slipping along her bodice to her hips. “Apparently.”
“Don’t look at me with such disapproval,” she snapped. “Your doxies wear much less than this.” How on earth had she gotten herself into this? What had she been thinking? He was right: this was not she. She was trying to be something she wasn’t and making a fool of herself. And now Lord Pelley would see her in this scandalous gown, and any last hope she might still have of convincing him she was the serious woman to whom he should sell his publishing company would be lost.
“I don’t disapprove,” Ian said. “Quite the contrary. I’m merely curious as to your motive.”
The words that were so easy to practice alone in her dressing chamber now clogged her throat. His eyes sharpened. For a moment that seemed like forever, neither of them spoke. He strode forward and grasped her arm. Raindrops pattered on the shoulders of his dark coat and her lashes.
“I’m taking you home.”
She resisted. “What if I don’t want you to?”
“Oh,” he said in a low rumble. “You want me to.”

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway of Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Title/Author: Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
Publisher/Date published: Balzer + Bray, March 18th 2014
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads | Amazon Paperback | Amazon Kindle | B&N | iTunes

Goodreads summary: What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying — only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs — however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?

Side Effects May Vary was one of my most anticipated debuts of 2014. To me, the concept of a girl going through her bucket list and living like she is going to die soon and then NOT dying and having to deal with the consequences is fascinating. As a doctor, I have seen that sometimes it's just as hard for people to live as it is to die, especially when you've been expecting the opposite.

So obviously I wasn't expecting Side Effects May Vary to be rainbows and butterflies, and it wasn't. Julie Murphy's debut novel is brutal and honest and raw. And I liked it. There's nothing shiny about being diagnosed with leukemia and having to go through chemotherapy and it wasn't sugarcoated in this book and I appreciate that. The reality is harsh and awful and I felt that while reading Side Effects May Vary.

Alice wasn't necessarily a likeable character, but I didn't mind so much. She felt like a real girl with real fears and feelings and just a big mess. She's vindictive and then she has this moment in which she does something truly selfless for the little girl living next door. She has issues and she knows it.
Harvey is a good guy. He truly is. He's just also a bit spineless when it comes to Alice and her crap. And while it didn't make me awwww, I did believe their lovestory. There were moments when I believed in them and it made me understand why Harvey kept going back when she called him.

Julie Murphy takes us back and forth between Then and Now, switching from the moment Alice was diagnosed to the present after she's gone into remission. And slowly the whole story unravelled. I liked that both the Then and the Now were linear, and I wasn't thrown around all over the timeline, cause that makes me loose my bearings easily. I'm not sure it was really necessary to tell the story this way, I think it could have been linear all the way, but this worked as well.

Side Effects May Vary will have me thinking about it for a while I think, but from the subject matter, I think it could have packed a greater punch. I wasn't emotionally involved and I think that's what made me like it, but not love it. Julie Murphy told me a believable story about a girl with leukemia and the impact it has on someone and their loved ones without sugarcoating it and I really appreciate that.

My rating: 3,5 stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her, her dog who adores her, and her cat who tolerates her. When she's not writing or trying to catch stray cats, she works at an academic library. Side Effects May Vary is Julie's debut novel.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Youtube | Tumblr

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Details:

Win (1) finished copy of Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy (US Only)

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Saturday, March 8, 2014

The Frost of Springtime by Rachel L. Demeter Book Blast + Giveaway!

The recent release of The Frost of Springtime, by debut author Rachel L. Demeter, transports readers to the war torn streets of nineteenth century Paris. Driven by paradoxical characters, steamy encounters, and a compelling storyline, it's a bittersweet tale of revolution, redemption, and the healing power of love. Described as "poignant," emotionally devastating,” and “beautiful," The Frost of Springtime is sure to please historical and romance readers alike. Available now in both eBook and paperback. Currently Amazon Prime members can read the Kindle edition for free!

Publication Date: February 14, 2014

Black Lyon Publishing

Formats: Paperback, Kindle eBook

Genre: Historical Romance/Historical Fiction

To rescue her was to rescue his own soul.

On a cold Parisian night, Vicomte Aleksender de Lefèvre forges an everlasting bond with a broken girl during her darkest hour, rescuing her from a life of abuse and misery. Tormented by his own demons, he finds his first bit of solace in sheltering little Sofia Rose.

But when Aleksender is drawn away by the Franco-Prussian war, the seasons pass. And in that long year, Sofia matures into a stunning young woman—a dancer with an understanding of devotion and redemption far surpassing her age.

Alongside his closest friend, Aleksender returns home to find that “home” is gone, replaced by revolution, bloodshed, betrayal—and a love always out of reach. Scarred inside and out, he’s thrust into a world of sensuality and violence—a world in which all his hours have now grown dark, and where only Sofia might bring an end to the winter in his heart.

Inspired by the 1871 Paris Commune, The Frost of Springtime is a poignant tale of revolution, redemption, and the healing power of love.

Read an Excerpt

The heat of their bodies mingled as one. With each breath, Aleksender drank in the sweet essence of his beloved ward. His mind swam with unorthodox visions and desires. He inclined his head, lost to the power of her nearness, entranced by everything that was Sofia.

“Alek, my Alek …”

Each word infused Aleksender with a delicious and undeniable warmth. Intoxicated by roses and wintertime, he found it difficult to speak, difficult to think. Breathless, he swallowed and met the haunting depths of her eyes.

“Please,” she dreamily murmured, “I want you to kiss me again…”

READ SAMPLE PROLOGUE & FIRST TWO CHAPTERS ON GOODREADS.

Watch the Book Trailer

Praise for The Frost of Springtime

“I am astonished at this being Rachel L. Demeter’s debut work, for in form and style, it is very much a tour de force. A riveting story of love and courage in the aftermath of a brutal war, the author brilliantly juxtaposes the hazing splendor of French nobility and the impassioned elegance of two people in love, despite all the world’s oppositions. The title is, in a sense, a representation of change: the beginning of a new spring with La Belle Époque and the transition into a new era, for the world and our protagonists. The wistful loveliness of the setting paints a picture of a crying France, blending in with the dynamic romance perfectly. Or rather, it does not merely blend in the background as much as glitters like the brightest jewel, shining with a vibrancy that makes one want to relieve the halcyon days of grand old Paris.

I was captivated by the setting, the lush writing of Rachel L. Demeter, and the subtle expressiveness of the characters, which all compelled me to research more of the historical background, of the 1871 Paris Commune, through which this story is made more infinitely dearer.” – Buried Under Romance

“We are in awe. The Frost of Springtime is a MUST HAVE! Despite that we loved the true facts, we fell instantly in love with the story. It was dark, emotionally devastating, and sensual. The innocence between the two main characters was beautiful and their love grew so strong throughout the story with such grace. One of us even cried while reading The Frost of Springtime. We loved the cover, we loved the writing style, and we adored the characters. We fell in love, really hard." – Divas Book Blog

“This novel is intricately detailed and wonderfully written! Opening with a heartbreaking scene, I was immediately drawn to the story of Aleksender and his Sofia. Of course, as the story moved on, other enchanting characters helped to make this poignant book complete. The author has blended historical facts with fiction skillfully, and presented several narratives flawlessly. It’s beautiful! I loved it!” – Romancebookworm’s Reviews

“I absolutely love this book. The Frost of Springtime shows how love and tragedy go hand in hand and that love can actually be more powerful than anything. I have found that most books do not hit this point right on the nail like this one does. It’s a Historical Romance and let me just tell you this is one book I couldn’t put down.” – Magic Within The Pages

“WOW!! The Frost of Springtime is a powerful, epic love story unlike anything I’ve ever read before. The emotional and visual/sensory depth is astounding. I felt Aleksender and Sofia’s connection from beginning to end. Aleksender’s path to healing was at times breathtaking and heartbreaking. This is a hero who loves his woman with every last breath, every fiber of his being… and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for her. AMAZING cast of secondary characters as well… a 'villain' who actually leaves you morally torn! Beautifully written (loved the vivid imagery and descriptions!), dark, unusual, rich with history, epic scope, and a soul deep love that only comes once in a lifetime… Brava!!!” – Sivonna, an advanced reader

Buy the Book

Amazon (Kindle eBook) *Amazon Prime members can read the kindle edition for free!

Amazon (Paperback)

Barnes & Noble

Black Lyon Publishing

About the Author

Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and high school sweetheart of ten years. She enjoys writing dark, edgy romances that challenge the reader’s emotions and examine the redeeming power of love. Imagining stories and characters has been Rachel’s passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mom would jot them down for her. She has a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances.

Whether sculpting the protagonist or antagonist, she always ensures that every character is given a soul. Rachel strives to intricately blend elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some common themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness.

Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.