#390 ~ Stolen Vows

Stolen Vows

Stephanie Sterling

Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Historical > Romance

Description:

For as long as anyone can remember, the Camerons and the MacRaes have been involved in a bitter feud. That feud seems likely to continue when, while delivering an ill-timed olive branch, Laird-to-be Roan MacRae encounters Isla Cameron stranded on the side of the road. He stops to help, and is quickly trapped in Isla’s dangerous web of secrets.

Falsely accused of offending Isla's honor, Roan is given no choice but to marry the girl. He vows that he will never forgive his wife for her treachery, but that is a promise that his body and his heart may be unable to keep.

Can Isla and Roan learn to trust and love in spite of their beginning, or will Isla's past destroy them both?

Product Details:

A free download for me back in March 2013 (and I believe I also featured it as a Daily Selection).

It's currently listed at £2.73 or free to Prime Members.  Download it HERE.

NOTE: Readers who have downloaded “A Beautiful Lie” by Stephanie Sterling should read the author’s note, below, before purchasing this book.

.ooooo.

Summary/thoughts:

Sad to say, but I found this one a little bit on the boring side ... sorry.  What was essentially a simple A to B story with no twists, seemed to dragged out for the long haul.  It's a shame, I don't like having to write that I found it boring, it would be much easier if it was good - then I don't feel mean. Still, horses for courses, not every literary offering can be 5 star.

There were also quite a few mistakes, notwithstanding the usual North American -v- English spelling.  As usual I've detailed them in the Errors/Bug Bears Section.

At best it would be described as a 3 star read.  I don't think I would actively seek out this Author, but would read further free downloads.

Errors/Bug Bears:

12%: He'd always known he would take a wife, but it had been the in the same sort of way that he knew he'd one day have children ...

Correct to:  He'd always know he would take a wife, but it had been in the same sort of way that he knew h'd one day have children ...

13%:  the appearance of "gotten" again.

She couldn't imagine where she'd gotten such a wicked idea

Correct to:  She couldn't image where she'd acquired such a wicked idea

19%: She was beautiful of course, but she was also incredible brave, smart - and perhaps just a little bit reckless.

Two options here:

(1)  She was beautiful of course, but she was also incredibly brave, smart - and perhaps just a little bit reckless ; 

or

(2)  She was beautiful of course, but she was also incredible, brave, smart, and perhaps just a little bit reckless

27%: She had no point of reference to use as a comparison of course, but she knew instinctively that her husband was as close to physically perfection as a man could hope to be.

Two options:

(1)  She had no point of reference to use as a comparison of course, but she knew instinctively that her husband was as close to physical perfection as a man could hope to be ; 

or 

(2)  She had no point of reference to use as a comparison of course, but she knew instinctively that her husband was as close to physically perfect as a man could hope to be

29%:  ... but once Roan had gotten over his initial irritation ...

Two options that it could be corrected to: 

(1)  ... but once Roan had recovered from his initial irritation ... ;

or

(2)  ... but once Roan had put aside his initial irritation ...

31%:  I hope nae to, Roan ...

I probably should have quoted the whole sentence, but "to" was used incorrectly.  Correct to:

I hope nae too, Roan ...

40%:  ... locked up the library and then made his way back his chambers.

Correct to:  ..... locked up the library and then made his way back to his chambers

45%:  He jumped to his feet and walk over to the bed ...

Correct to:  He jumped to his feet and walked over to the bed ...

54%:   ... had been harping on at him to go work for hours.

Correct to:

... had been harping on at him to go to work for hours

62%:  He hurt he, dinna he?

Correct to:  He hurt ye, dinna he?

63%:  But - ye were so gallant"! She managed giggle.

Correct to:  But - ye were so gallant"! She managed to giggle

66%:  He said he - he'd come to advantage of his rights as a husband.

Correct to:  He said he - he'd come to take advantage of his rights as a husband

80%:  ...staring at the man by the window with barely conceal loathing

Correct to:  ...staring at the man by the window with barely concealed loathing

86%:  Ye thought we would nae believe be?

Correct to:  Ye thought we would nae believe ye?

96%:  The air was col and the tips of the leave had just begun to turn colors ...

Correct to:  The air was cold, and the tips of the leaves had just begun to turn colours ...

Obviously, the "colours" is just because I hate the N. American spellings leaving out Us'.

I am fairly sure that I forgot to write down a couple more, but believe me when I say that I really don't take pleasure in pointing out errors ... it makes me much happier to read something that is not choc full of sloppy writing ... and yes, we all make typo/grammatical errors (even me, but I am more than happy to correct them if noticed/pointed out).

Hugs

My Daily Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon

Poisoned

Katherine Pine

Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Fairy Tale > Fantasy

Indie Writer (Self-published)

*Introducing a New Author to the Blog*

Short but sweet, for this post and the choice.  I've been MIA with the worst case of flu .... and my selection is a short story, just to see what the writing is like, so I can judge whether to invest in the series:

Poisonous mists settled in the lowlands 17 years ago, rendering ninety percent of the land uninhabitable and killing over half the population. Most blame their misfortune on industrialization or the fey, but some curse Snow White, the princess who was born poisoned.

As the only person who can survive entering the poisoned woods without a gas mask, Snow White has dedicated her life to studying the poison and finding a cure. This obsession draws her deeper into the woods and its secrets, where nothing is as it seems. When Snow White saves a man who should never have been saved, she unleashes an evil more horrifying and destructive than the poison.

Download it HERE if you are interested - I'm off to attempt a quick review for a book that's taken me 3 days to read, when it should have taken 1 .... I didn't even pick up Baby yesterday!

Hugs

Kay

#389 ~ Rescue Me Please

Rescue Me Please

Nicole Matthews

Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Historical > Romance

Indie Writer (Self-published)

*Introducing a New Author to the Blog*

Description:

After his father’s death, Parker Peregrine gave up his profligate ways to care for his siblings and take his rightful place as the Marquis of Ashford. For the past five years he has done everything in his power to cultivate a reputation of respectful dignity and to make up for a sin he didn't commit.

Now with his twin sisters’ married he is able to relax his diligent care for society’s niceties and begin to discover what he truly wants out of life. That is until the unexpected occurs— he finds himself the protector and savior of two delicate bundles of femininity who turn his life upside down.

Persephone Smith is running. Running until she feels she has enough distance from the darkness of her past. She is running not only to save her life, but that of her daughter. Since the death of her parents’ three years prior, she has been used and abused in the most appalling manner by men with daunting power and insatiable appetites for the forbidden leaving her a shadow of her former self. 

When she finally escapes, she finds herself an unexpected guest at Rosebriar and the recipient of Parker Peregrine's immense kindness and formidable capacity to safeguard those which are his.

Parker is fiercely determined to uncover the truth of Persephone’s past, while Persephone is unwavering in her determination to keep her past hidden. What Parker doesn't realize, is that by helping Persephone to overcome her fears he will be exercising his own demons. 

Thrown together by chance, will their growing respect and affection for one another be enough to leave the ruins of their pasts behind and to move forward to a future full of happily ever after?

The Prodigious Peregrines

Once you meet them you'll do anything to please them.

Product Details:

I got this as a free Kindle download in early March 2013, and it was featured as as one of my Daily Selections.

At the time of writing this post it's available for download at £1.97, or free to Prime Members HERE.

280 pages in length (500 KB)

Part of the Prodigious Peregrines Series - please see the Review by Series section for details the list of the books in this series.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Summary/thoughts:

This was actually an okay read, which is disappointing in a way, as I was expecting something a little better based on the description .... even a I would hasten to add a soupçon darker, than the actual tale that enfolded.

There were also a fair few errors throughout.  The Author seriously needs to acquaint her self with the difference between "ensured" and "insured", and pay a little more attention to the end product by way of grammar and typographical annoyances.  Some of the errors were quite inventive, and gave me a bit of a giggle.

I do appreciate that Persephone had a terrible time, but she did seem to go down the pity-fest route, and only appear to make a very half hearted attempt for a bit of backbone towards the end.

Parker didn't necessarily come across as the strongest of Alpha Heroes either, he was portrayed as a little on the weak side.

Talking of the end, or nearly the end, it would have been nice to have seen a really nice bit of retribution dished out to Granville, but instead nothing - the Author missed a trick here.

There was a nice little touch in the Epilogue with the puppy's breed, which I found touching and adorable.

As an aside, I loved the cover.

Don't mistake any of the above as truly negative comments about this book. I liked it, it was an okay read.  I will certainly add the first two books in the series on to my Want to Read list, and I would love to find out more about Peyton in the future.

With all the above in mind, I think that 3 *** Stars would be an appropriate for this offering.


Errors/Bug Bears:

18%: Some kind of formatting error, as my downloaded copy seemed to have some bizarre lines of dotes, that didn't pertain to much.  If they were in there on purpose, why?

19%: "How had he gotten lost in her large, sad green eyes?"

A real bug bear of mine, the use of gotten.  It's really not appropriate to use it in an historical novel.

Correct to:  How had he become lost in her large, sad green eyes?

22%:  "His persuasive".

Correct to:  He's persuasive.

22%:  Rhyme at the top of Chapter 8, should have been thee and thy surely?

25%:  "... that regrettably he hadn't participated in quite a long time ..."

Correct to:  ....that regrettably he hadn't participated in for quite a long time.

25%:  "....from the wall scones ...."

Correct to:  sconce.  Scones is the plural of scone, which is a type of cake.

25%: ".... and he saw her telltale bush".

Correct to: ....and he saw her tell tale blush.

I'd certainly blush if that was supposed to be bush!


27%:  "Insuring she was relaxed ..."

Correct to:  Ensuring she was relaxed. Please take the time to look up the difference between the two words.

27%:  ".... then she returned her gaze to where Persephone was situating herself on the settee".

Correct to either:

(1)  where Persephone was seated on the settee;

or

(2) where Persephone was settling herself on the settee.

Personally, I prefer (1).

27%:  "I advised my aunt not a week past that I intended to redecorate the parlor".

Correct to:  I advised my Aunt, not a week past, that I intended to redecorate the parlour.

27%:  "It was a portrait of who their mother had been and still was".

Correct to:  It was a portrait of who their Mother had been, and still was.

28%:  "Are you boasting on yourself?"

What the F&*k?  

Correct to:  Are you boasting?

36%:  "... she nearly gasp when the heated air hit her face".

Correct to:  she nearly gasped when the heated air hit her face.

"Gasped" was also used in the next sentence, and for pure flow of text it's better to use a similar word rather than repeat.

37%:  ".... Manton spread is hands out before him ...."

Correct to:  Manton spread his hands out before him

38%:  "At least Piper leaned down and bussed her aunt's cheek with a soft kiss before starting in with questions".

Unattractive sentence, with a common needed and an initial capital letter for Aunt.  

It would be better to correct to:  At least Piper leaned down and bussed her Aunt's cheek with a soft kiss, before starting on her questions.

42%:  "Parker camped out in the hall near the door".

Uck, this again is a very unattractive use of language, and not particularly historically appropriate.

Correct along the lines of:  Parker waited (or stood) in the hall near the door, it would also have suited lurked.

42%:  "Piper humorously related the incident where dressed as a young man about town, she enter the hallowed halls of one club".

Punctuation light, and an error.

Correct to:  Piper humorously related the incident, where dressed as a young man about town, she entered the hallowed halls of one club.

43%:  "I carried a secret tendre for Rockwell for several seasons".

Correct to: I had carried or I'd carried

47%: "Parker didn't want to dwell on what all had been done to her".

Correct to one of the following:

(1)  on what had been done to her; or

(2) on all that had been done to her

69%:  "... this one left when she had dared to protect herself".

Correct to:  this one was left when she had dared to protect herself

76%:  " .... when activities insured Miss Manton's death".

Correct to: when activities ensured Miss Manton's death

84%: "He insured that she was seated with a glass of Mediera".

Correct to:  He ensured that she was seated with a glass of Madeira

84% "And the thought of not seeing him again ...".

A sentence should not really be started with "and".

87%:  "How far do you believe you would have gotten?"

I can't tell you just how offensive. distasteful and down right annoying I find the word "gotten"!

Hugs

Kay

My Daily Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon

24 Bones

Michael F Stewart

Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Fantasy > Epic

*Introducing a New Author to the Blog

I need to hurry with the post as the new TV adaptation of The Mill is about to start of Channel 4, and I don't want to miss a thing from it.

So, here is today's selection, which looks interesting, and has some good reviews.

Every five hundred years the phoenix dies.

Samiya, born-into-shadow, is soon to battle her born-into-light brother. Abandoned by their parents, neither wishes to play the preordained role of beast and hero. When their loved ones are taken hostage, they are forced to follow the path laid out in myth, culminating in a battle first fought six thousand years ago in ancient Cairo. A mythic clash where one defeats the other and both become gods.

To break free from their fates, Samiya and her brother must unravel a mystery twisted by cults, greed, and magic. But myth is a powerful force and failure to live up to it may not only destroy their lives but the lives of the ones they love most.

When the phoenix dies, the only certainty is flames.

Click HERE to download a copy of this début novel, which is currently listed for free.

I would love to get to the top 1,000 Reviewers' some day (my Status is show at the top of the Side Bar on the Blog) ....... so if you find the Daily Kindle Downloads info useful please go over to my Reviews on Amazon and leave me some positive feedback  on some of my reviews (which helps my rating, and will earn you my grateful thanks).

Hugs

Kay

#388 - His Shadowed Heart

His Shadowed Heart

Hazel Statham

Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Historical > Romance

Description:

Can a shadowed heart be healed? Can love grow where least expected? The Earl of Waverly believes not. How wrong can he be!

After the death of his wife, the Earl of Waverly, believing his heart irreparably damaged, enters into a marriage of convenience. However, he is not prepared for the healing influence his new young bride has on his life.

Despite the couple’s new-found happiness, nefarious deeds abound and strange happenings are attributed to the ghost of his former wife. Will their love stand the test or will the perpetrator emerge the victor?

...... and now an excuse to add in the video:





Product Details:

Hazel Statham, the Author, very kindly provided me with a ebook copy of this book,  ....  I'd been wanting to read it for a very long time.  Thank you so much Hazel, it was very kind of you.

It is available as a Kindle Download HERE, with a listing price of £2.72.

235 pages in length.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Summary/thoughts:

I find that there is something truly beguiling and timeless about Hazel's writing, and "His Shadowed Heart" lived up to my usual expectations.

Probably, I have said this before about her, but I find she's very close to Georgette Heyer in her style and pace.  With her characters' always believable, layered and worth investing in.  You are not simply going to get from A to B, there are nice twists along the way.

It always makes me happy to get my hands on a true Regency Romance crafted with the loving care that Hazel takes.  She one of the best novelists around for that period, with the books being readable over again, and still coming up fresh.


Rating:

A big fat 5 ***** Stars from me for this delightful love story, who wouldn't fall in love with the Earl of Waverley.

Get this book, read it and then keep it for those snuggle down by the fire winter nights, with a bottle of wine and fall in love with the Earl all over again.


Errors/Bug Bears:

A couple of tiny errors, but easily overlooked within the whole work.

18%:  "....it would be easier to say what I have come to say if you did not appeared prepared for instant flight".

Correct to:  appear prepared for instant flight.

21%: "....being not at all surprise at her disinterest in the subject ..."

Correct to:  ... being not at all surprised at her disinterest in the subject.

Hugs

Kay

#387 - Tanaquill

Tanaquill

Akalle

Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Historical > Romance > Fantasy > Fairy Tales

*Introducing New Author to the Blog*

Description:

On a visit to London in 1802 Princess Tanaquill meets a stranger who brings her a glimpse of the love she'll never have in her arranged marriage.

Product Details:

I got hold of this one as a free Kindle download back in March of this year, and at the time of writing this post it is still available free HERE.

260 pages approximately in length.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Summary/thoughts:

You will definitely have to suspend normal thought process with this book.

It's billed as an historical romance, but other than the fact that it's set in years gone by, it's more fairy story than anything else.

I have to admit that I remain still a little bit confused by it in places.  At times it was muddled, and a little on the slow side.  Then the pace quickened, and it had quite an energy about it.  Some pieces of plot needed further clarification, but other bits were too vague.

Anyway, it's free at the moment, so why not try it and see what you think.  I'd love to know if I am the only one that felt that way about it.

Rating:

It was okay, but not mind-blowing, on the whole fairly well written, but there were a couple of errors, so

4 Star

****

would the the way to go with this one.

Errors/Bug Bears:

There were a few throughout the book, in the main "princess" really should have had an capital letter at the beginning.

1%: "formalwear"

Correct to: formal wear.

86%: "Thousands of fairies, what had looked to him like fireflies ...".

Correct to:  Thousands of fairies, that had looked to him like fireflies ...".

I did notice a couple more, but didn't have the notebook to hand.

Hugs

Kay

My Daily Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon

The Rogue and the Hellion

Connie Mason

Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Historical > Romance

*Introducing a New Author to the Blog*

Download this one, and you will be in for the long haul, 524 pages, of Historical Romance:

Stand …

When an audacious highwayman held up his coach and pointed a pistol at him, the Marquis of Bathhurst had a critical choice to make – give up his dead brother’s ring or lose the family jewels. Gabriel decided to part with the memento, but only temporarily. He would track down the thief with the unforgettable green eyes if it was the last thing he did.

And deliver …

Everyone knew of the scandalous reputation of the Rogues of London. So when their most infamous member took her in his arms at a society ball, Olivia Fairfax realized his intentions were far from honorable. Gabriel’s hot pursuit made her emerald eyes widen and her pulse race, but was he after a lover or the hellion who’d dared to rob him at gunpoint? Either way, Olivia knew it was now her turn to hand over the good, and she was more than willing to give him her body and her heart.

It's a lottery, as thee are no Reviews yet, and I have never seen this author before ..... I felt lucky this morning (and it's sitting at #92 on the Best Seller List), so though I would feature it. Click HERE to get your free download.

I've noticed that the free download don't seem to hang around too long, so get in quick if you fancy giving this one a go.

I would love to get to the top 1,000 Reviewers' some day (my Status is show at the top of the Side Bar on the Blog) ....... so if you find the Daily Kindle Downloads info useful please go over to my Reviews on Amazon and leave me some positive feedback  on some of my reviews (which helps my rating, and will earn you my grateful thanks).

Hugs

Kay

Stacking the Shelves Saturday (In My Mailbox)

Paperback or Hardback Books received from Author/Publisher via First Reads Scheme (Good Reads) or direct from Author/Publisher:

White Hart Red Lion

Nick Asbury

Received direct from Oberon Books

The Watermen

Patrick Easter

I met Patrick Easter on Thursday, and Diane from WI Book Club in Hailsham kindle lent me a copy to read and review.

WI Book Club Hailsham Book of the Month:

The Help

Kathryn Stockett

Ebooks: from the Author/Publisher for Review via Good Reads

Crash 

How I lost a hundred billion and found true love

Julian Gough

Strength of a Giant

Tony Passarelli

This was featured as an additional Daily Selection on the Blog during the week that this one was available free for a short period.  However, it is now only available free to Prime Members.

Ebooks: My Daily Selection of Free Kindle Downloads from Amazon

The Cuckoo's Nest

Gordon Reid

Sadly, this is not now available for free unless you are a Prime Member.

99 Prompts for Romance Writers

Beth Jones

Sadly, this is not now available for free unless you are a Prime Member.

A Wonderful World

ST Rogers

Sadly, this is not now available for free unless you are a Prime Member.

The Bride of Devil's Acre

Jennifer Koholt

Sadly, this is not now available for free unless you are a Prime Member.

Into the Mist

Sandra Martin

As at 26th July 2013, this was still available as a free download.

The Garden

Gillian Linscott

As at 26th July 2013, this was still available as a free download.

There you have it, that was my week in books, now I'm off to post this on Tynga's Reviews Stacking the Shelves Saturday linkythingymabob.

Happy Reading.

Hugs

Kay

#386 ~ CATALYST: Book 1 in Ronos Trilogy

CATALYST

Book 1 of Ronos Trilogy

Tyler Rudd Hall

Amazon > Store > Paperback > Kindle > Books > Science Fiction 

*Introducing a New Author to this Blog*

Description:

The city of Northgate has just been attacked by aliens, and Mac Narrad's family is right in the middle of it. Searching through the rubble to find them, Mac discovers an awful truth.

The alien attack was fake. Orchestrated by the earth military that Mac is a part of. Now he must search the galaxy for answers. His quest leads him to the mysterious planet of Ronos. A secret planet hidden by Earth's military. A planet full of life, beauty, and a potential that could alter everything. There Mac finds answers that will change himself and the rest of humanity forever.

Product Details:

I was very kindly provided with a paperback copy of this book via the First Reads Scheme on Good Reads in return for an honest Review.

It is available on Amazon HERE as either a Kindle Download or a Paperback book.

316 pages in length.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Summary/thoughts:

A paperback copy of this book was provided to me via the First Reads Scheme on Good Reads (part of the Amazon Family) in return for an honest review.

I have to say that not once was I bored reading this .... actually, it was a shame when it came to an end.  I now need to find out what happens next - does Mac manage to get to Lynn in time, does the heinous Raymond get his comeuppance, and will Janelle ever be freed from the Alien threat, oh and just who is the only man in Passage with an Imp?

All the above, along with a nicely paced plot, just confirms, that this was a really well crafted piece of literature.

I'm not sure how long it will be before the next instalment, but I need it!

Rating:

There were a few typographical errors (which will be listed in the Errors/Bug Bear section below), which is why I've downgraded it by 1 star, but even so it still earns a worthy:

4 Stars

* * * * 

for this great Science Fiction read.  if I'd still been working in half stars, it would have been worth a 4.5 in anybody's language.

Well done to Tyler Rudd Hall for providing such a well-crafted tale, and here's hoping the next instalment will be ready soon.


Errors/Bug Bears:

Page 19:  "...he is still getting use to being referred to as ..." 

Correct to: ...... he is still getting used to being referred to as.

Page 22:  "The thing to do at the dinner became giving random toast to ridiculous things".

Correct to:  The thing to do at the dinner became giving random toasts to ridiculous things.

Page 28:  "The ship looked like the top half an oval".

Correct to:  The ship looked like the top half of an oval.

Page 32: ".... at a time when no one even no one even knew what it meant".

Correct to:  when no one even knew what it meant.

Page 33:  "People like Mac's grandparents who were already old and didn't want the Imp surgery consider themselves lucky".

Correct to:  People like Mac's Grandparents, who were already old and didn't want the Imp surgery, considered themselves lucky.

Page 68: "I won't be able to that again".

Correct to:  I won't be able to do that again.

Page 245:  "... that is given to the people who from there".

Correct to:  who are from there.

Page 263:  "If this was an alien ship, and the war was real, he would be under attack him by now".

Correct to:  he would be under attack by now.

Hugs

Kay