Posts Tagged With: reading

Awesome Indies

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Kate Policani

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You’re invited to the Awesome Indies Grand Opening Party—a sale of 26 top reads at just 99 cents each, plus 5 days of fun. See the new website, meet the authors, join them for games, giveaways and giggles and be in the draw to win the latest generation Kindle.

 

The Awesome Indies have found a way to take the risk out of buying indie. If it’s Awesome Indies Approved (AIA), a qualified publishing industry professional has determined that it’s as good as anything produced by the mainstream. Readers need no longer wonder if that book is really worth downloading. If a book is listed on the Awesome Indies, then it’s worth your time.

 

Click on the banner, or this link, to visit the Awesome Indies to browse the huge 99c sale and learn what you have to do to be in the draw for a Kindle Paperwhite.

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New Review: Incubus

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Kate Policani

Incubus

by

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/incubus-by-jennifer-quintenz/

Synopsis:

Braedyn Murphy used to think nothing important ever happened in her sleepy town of Puerto Escondido. But that was before she learned she was a descendent of Lilith, the mother of all demons. Now Braedyn fights to protect humanity from the Lilitu – the beautiful, souls-stealing daughters of Lilith.

As she fights the Lilitu, Braedyn must also fight her growing love for her boyfriend Lucas – because even a simple kiss could end his life. Their only ray of hope is an angel’s offer to make Braedyn human, but it’s an offer she can’t accept until the world is safe from the Lilitu.

Braedyn knows she’s a key player in this ancient war… but she’s not ready to believe she just might be humanity’s best hope of surviving the final battle for Earth

Buy on Amazon

About the author:

Jennifer Quintenz is a film and television writer, author, and graphic novelist. She has written for Twentieth Television, Intrepid Pictures, and Archaia Studios Press. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son.

Jennifer’s website: http://jenniferquintenz.com/

Jennifer on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferQuintenz

Jennifer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennq

Jennifer on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5926932

Jennifer on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0084929JO

 

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New Review and Blog Tour: Demons Grip by Tahlia Newland

Posted on August 12, 2013 by Kate Policani

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Demon’s Grip

by Tahlia Newland

Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary, Fantasy, New Adult, Metaphysical

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2013/08/13/demons-grip-by-tahlia-newland/

Synopsis:

Demon slayer, Ariel Malony, thought she knew her friend and travelling companion, Nick, but she discovers that at the University of Sheldra he is a respected translator with little time to spare. Now that he isn’t at her side all the time, she wishes he was, and when she finally admits her love, powerful
emotions sweep her away like flotsam in a raging torrent.

An army of demons force them to cut short their stay and from the gothic architecture of Sheldra, they travel between enormous standing stones, and across a vast dry plain to the ancient granite walls of the Hermitage where Ariel meets her greatest challenge yet.

There, the demon lord, Emot takes advantage of her inexperience in matters of the heart and preys on her desire for pleasure, setting off a struggle with addiction that threatens to break Nick’s heart and turn Ariel into the demon’s mindless slave. She must reach deep into her soul and find the mystical power she needs to kill the one who promises pleasure but delivers only pain. Fail,
and she will lose the one she loves and spend an eternity in the demon’s grip.

Although this can be read as a stand-alone novel, aspects of the story will be clearer if you have read the previous books in this series; Lethal Inheritance & Stalking Shadows.

Buy on Amazon (US)

Buy on Amazon (UK)

View on Goodreads

About the Author:

Award winning author, Tahlia Newland writes contemporary fantasy and magical realism with a metaphysical twist.

When not reading or writing you may find her being an extremely casual high school teacher or making decorative masks.

Tahlia is a bone-fide expatriate of the performing arts, with over 20 years experience in scripting and performing in Visual Theatre and Theater in Education
She had studied philosophy & meditation for many years, lives in an Australian rainforest and loves cats, but she doesn’t have one because they eat native birds.

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Discovery 4: Don’t Judge a Book By Its Magic

Posted on August 9, 2013 by Kate Policani

Don’t Judge a Book By Its Magic

(Book 1 of The Convergence series)

By Kate Policani

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal

Win one of three copies of Don’t Judge a Book By Its Magic! Click here => a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy on Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/3910971

Buy for Kindle and in Paperback on Amazon

Buy on Smashwords

Buy at Barnes & Noble

Buy on Kobo

Buy at iTunes

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Links to all the wonderful reviews of my book can be found here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/10/27/dont-judge-a-book-by-its-magic/

Read an excerpt at the book page.

Synopsis:

I’m a normal girl. I am. I love shoes, fragranced body care, and hair products. I love all the chick flicks that have come out in the theaters in the last 2 years (and a lot of the old ones) and I obsess about my wardrobe.  I respond positively to most of the marketing directed at females in my age group.

My name is Colleen Underhill, and the only abnormal thing about me is that I just discovered I am, or I transformed into, a magician; not the disappearing bunny kind, but the power-shooting-out-of-your-hands kind of magician.

My problem now is that I do NOT believe in magic. Well, I believe in it. I have seen it shoot out of my own hands, but I oppose it in a moral sense; no hexes, no spells, no incantations, no potions, no amulets, no tomes, no casting circles, no eye of newt, none of that. I have to be very clear because people pressure me about it. Whatever they say about “how it’s done,” this is a morality issue for me and I will not cave in to their pressure.

But what do I do now?

Don’t Judge a Book By Its Magic on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16045564-don-t-judge-a-book-by-its-magic

Book 2, Sorcery Loves Company is started!
Categories: Discover Authors, My Books | Tags: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

New Review: Deep Blood by Phillip Thompson

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Kate Policani

Deep Blood

by Phillip Thompson

Genre: Mystery, Contemporary Fiction

Read my review here.

Deep Blood is the story of Mississippi sheriff Colt Harper, whose moral compass is slightly askew. He doesn’t care for the mundane parts of his job, he drinks too much, is separated from his wife, and has a former stripper girlfriend who regularly violates the drug laws of the county. Even when the son of a close friend is murdered, he has a hard time concentrating on the subsequent investigation. But when his incorrigible father is arrested again for DUI, he learns a secret of his father’s past — one that threatens his own future.

Buy on Amazon

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FREE! The Disenchanted Pet is FREE on Kindle today!

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Kate Policani

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The Disenchanted Pet is FREE on Kindle today, tomorrow and Friday! Happy Independence Day!

Get it Here!

Categories: My Books | Tags: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

New Review: The Rag, Vol 5

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Kate Policani

 

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The Rag, Vol 5

Genre: Literary Fiction, Magazine, Anthology, Poetry

 

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2013/07/02/the-rag-vol-5/

About the Magazine:

The Rag was founded in September 2011 by Seth Porter and Dan Reilly, who serve as the primary readers and editors. Krissy Marheine designs the magazine and this website. The name The Rag came about both because it speaks to our underlying ethic-we’re independent, and we like our writing on the gritty and grimy side-and because it looks back to the heyday of writing and publishing, when you could read good stories or poetry in just about any old rag, and writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald were able to make a living from writing short stories alone. But the rags that used to publish cutting-edge writing either died off or grew up and turned stale. At The Rag, we hope to be on the front line of a new vanguard of electronic literary magazines with the means and the will to seek out and then support fresh voices.

We think literature is and always will be important to our culture, and a vibrant literary community requires writers who can afford to write. Bylines don’t pay the bills. So, we always pay our writers. This helps draw in the talent, and that’s the ultimate goal, discovering and publishing talented new writers, and creating a magazine worth reading.

About this volume:

What defines an action as good or evil? What drives a person to act immorally? These are some of the questions underlying the selections in our 5th issue.

Contents:

“Memento Mori” by Stefanie Demas
“No Sleep Since 1903” by Nick Mecikalski (poetry)
“Monolith” by Petros Karagianis (poetry)
“Yes, Officer” by John Woods
“Not Giving to the Alumni Fund” by David Blanton
“Putting in the Work” by Steve Russo
“Karl’s Last Night” by Laura Andrews
“The Observer Effect” by Matthew Meade
“The Man Who Wouldn’t Jump” by Isaac Savage
“The Queue” by Ashley Ahn (poetry)
“Citizen of Megabus” by Reina Hardy (poetry)
“Passing Through” by Jack Varvill
“Zeke Stargazing” by Rachel Kimbrough
“Vibrancy” by Marcus Emanuel
“Cats as the Meaning of Life” by Misty Lynn Ellingburg (poetry)
“Digital Desert Camouflage” by Isaac Pritzker (poetry)
“The Girl with Pretension in Her Hair” by Bill Lytton
“Olivia” by Philip Zigman

Cover and internal art by Meredith Robinson

goodreads page: http://goo.gl/QCG2S
amazon page: http://goo.gl/bo92K

 

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New Release and Review: March by Sunni Overend

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Kate Policani

March

by Sunni Overend

Genre: Contemporary, Women

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2013/07/01/march-by-sunni-overend/

Synopsis:

A creative wunderkind who once topped the country’s most prestigious fashion school, Apple March is now languishing behind a retail counter. When fate shifts and her imaginative passion is reawakened, so too is the threat of a past secret.
From the cool heart of Melbourne to Paris and New York, in a vibrant world of Pimms and croquet, crocodile boots and cocoon coats, Apple seeks the thrill of creative freedom and the one man worth sharing it with.
A page-turning debut novel written with fun, stylish wit, March is too satisfying to miss.

Buy on Amazon

Book extract: http://www.sunnioverend.com/files/extract.pdf

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17973433-march

Trailer:

 

March by Sunni Overend – Book Trailer from Sunni Overend on Vimeo.

About the Author:

Sunni Overend grew up in Victorian wine country, studied design at RMIT University and opened her own designer clothing store. While running her store, Sunni gave in to her love for stories and her first novel, March, came to life. She currently lives in Melbourne with her architect husband, where she writes, grows flowers on her balcony and pretends she’s too busy and important to browse recipes, dog breeds, cashmere and country houses online.

Meet the Author – Sunni Overend from Sunni Overend on Vimeo.

www.sunnioverend.com

http://www.amazon.com/March-Sunni-Overend/dp/0987566709/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370319742&sr=1-2

www.facebook.com/sunnioverend

www.twitter.com/sunnioverend

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New Review Summer Shakeup: War of Odds by Linell Jeppsen

Posted on June 23, 2013 by Kate Policani

 

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War of Odds

by Linell Jeppsen

Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Mythology

Book 6 of my Summer Shakeup looked like a lot of fun. Fairies and wayward teens make for lots of unexpected action.

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2013/06/23/war-of-odds-by-linell-jeppsen/

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Sara Giddings is a lost and lonely girl after the death of her mother, and like many young people forced to deal with life’s tragedies, Sara begins to dabble in drugs and alcohol.

All of that changes when her father takes her to the tiny community of Ashbrook, which overlaps the land of the fae. Here, a young sprite named Pollo discovers that Sara is not a typical teenager, but a witch with immense, untapped power- the power to heal.

Pollo, a cat named Hissaphat, and the wood nymph, Muriel convince Sara that her powers may be the only key to healing what ails the fae, and Timaron, king of the Unseelie court.
Soon, Sara and her two friends, Nate and Chloe, are thrust into a dark and deadly world as they endeavor to free Timaron, whose mind has been possessed by demons and who, in his madness, has declared war on humankind.

With only her two friends and a band of magical misfits, Sara must travel across a dying world. Hunted and haunted by forces even the faeries fear, Sara must reach Unseelie and face the prince of darkness himself, wielding a power she barely understands, to save the faerie king and the fate of two worlds.

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About the Author:

Linell Jeppsen is a writer of science fiction and fantasy. Her vampire novel, Detour to Dusk, has received over 24- four and five star reviews. Her novel Story Time,  with over 56- 4 and 5 star reviews, is a science fiction, post-apocalyptic novel, and has been touted by the Paranormal Romance Guild, Sandy’s Blog Spot, Coffeetime Romance , Bitten by Books and 54 top reviewers as a five star read, filled with terror, love, loss, and the indomitable beauty and strength of the human spirit. Story Time was also nominated as the best new read of 2011 by the PRG! Her dark fantasy novel, Onio (a story about a half-human Sasquatch who falls in love with a human girl), was released in December 2012 and won 3rd place as the best fantasy romance of 2012 by the PRG reviewers guild!

For more information about Linell Jeppsen and her novels, visit http://neljeppsen.weebly.com, or http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com/home.html

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New release and review: The Rockin’ Chair by Stephen Manchester

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Kate Policani

 

The Rockin’ Chair

By Steven Manchester

Genre: General Fiction

New release today!

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/the-rockin-chair-by-stephen-manchester/

Synopsis:

Memories are the ultimate contradiction. They can warm us on our coldest days – or they can freeze a loved one out of our lives forever. The McCarthy family has a trove of warm memories. Of innocent first kisses. Of sumptuous family meals. Of wondrous lessons learned at the foot of a rocking chair. But they also have had their share of icy ones. Of words that can never be unsaid. Of choices that can never be unmade. Of actions that can never be undone.

Following the death of his beloved wife, John McCarthy – Grandpa John – calls his family back home. It is time for them to face the memories they have made, both warm and cold. Only then can they move beyond them and into the future.

A rich portrait of a family at a crossroad, THE ROCKIN’ CHAIR is Steven Manchester’s most heartfelt and emotionally engaging novel to date. If family matters to you, it is a story you must read.

Buy on Amazon

By on Nook

About the author:

Steven Manchester is the author of The Rockin’ Chair (to be released June 18th), as well as the #1 best seller, Twelve Months (2013 San Francisco Book Festival award winner). He is also the author of A Christmas Wish (Kindle exclusive) and Goodnight, Brian. His work has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show, CNN’s American Morning and BET’s Nightly News. Recently, three of Steven’s short stories were selected “101 Best” for Chicken Soup for the Soul series. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or his four children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing.

http://www.StevenManchester.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/AuthorStevenManchester

 

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Discovery 3: The Disenchanted Pet

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Kate Policani

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The Disenchanted Pet

By Kate Policani

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian

Short synopsis: Far into the future, the Earth is ruled by the ShaZha, a hyper-intelligent race of alien beings who are plagued by the violence and volatility of the human race. Supposedly intending to repair the broken societies and polluted planet, they have found the Human problem to be much more complex than they ever imagined. Zarah is a Prodigy, an obedient human, with a caring ShaZha master. Zarah wants to prove all her master’s hopes that humans can be civilized and responsible. When she is lost by her master and exposed to the other side of humanity, she must confront the possibility she might be not a valued citizen, but a pet.

I am currently writing my next book called The Stray, a second book set in the ShaZha Earth. It isn’t a sequel, but the story connects with The Disenchanted Pet

Buy The Disenchanted Pet on Amazon (Kindle and Paperback)

To buy the paperback, click here: https://www.createspace.com/3657962

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For great reviews:

http://tahlianewland.com/2011/12/23/review-the-disenchanted-pet-by-kate-policani/ http://mainemuse.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/the-disenchanted-pet-by-kate-policani/ http://nadiariell.com/2012/01/18/a-book-review-for-the-disenchanted-pet-by-kate-policani/ http://www.speculativefaith.com/authors/kate-policani/

Long Synopsis: The Disenchanted Pet is ashort Science Fiction novel that takes place in the popular “post-apocalyptic Earth” setting,  exploreing the unique problems with the Human Race and how to “fix” it. Zarah is a young, optimistic girl, entering into the exciting world of adulthood with an idealistic perspective. But Zarah lives in the a future where Humanity is ruled by an alien race occupying Earth in order to rehabilitate and repair the planet and its people. Reality intrudes on Zarah’s unspoiled outlook when she is attacked and separated from her SaSa, an alien guardian who is like a parent to her. Trapped within the Feral Facility, pregnant and separated from her home and new husband, she learns all the mistakes about the reality she believed in. She sees that the “Ferals”, who who aren’t serviceable within  the ShaZha’s plans, are not necessarily the monsters her Prodigy society has portrayed them to be. Suffering through the harsh truth about her world and the errors in her ideals, she must face a future without the assurances upon which she always relied. The Disenchanted Pet appeals to Science Fiction lovers as well as readers who have never explored the genre before. It explores the disillusionment of growing up and the harsh realities of adulthood, but with aliens.

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Summer Shakeup Title 6: War of Odds by Linell Jeppsen

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Kate Policani

As part of a summer shake-up, I have decided to snag some of the most interesting-looking reads on my “to-read” list and bump them up! I chose War of Odds by Linell Jeppsen for the sixth book in my Summer Shakeup. The title didn’t grab me as much as the synopsis. It sounds like a read full of twists and excitement.

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Sara Giddings is a lost and lonely girl after the death of her mother, and like many young people forced to deal with life’s tragedies, Sara begins to dabble in drugs and alcohol.

All of that changes when her father takes her to the tiny community of Ashbrook, which overlaps the land of the fae. Here, a young sprite named Pollo discovers that Sara is not a typical teenager, but a witch with immense, untapped power- the power to heal.

Pollo, a cat named Hissaphat, and the wood nymph, Muriel convince Sara that her powers may be the only key to healing what ails the fae, and Timaron, king of the Unseelie court.
Soon, Sara and her two friends, Nate and Chloe, are thrust into a dark and deadly world as they endeavor to free Timaron, whose mind has been possessed by demons and who, in his madness, has declared war on humankind.

With only her two friends and a band of magical misfits, Sara must travel across a dying world. Hunted and haunted by forces even the faeries fear, Sara must reach Unseelie and face the prince of darkness himself, wielding a power she barely understands, to save the faerie king and the fate of two worlds.

Buy on Amazon

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Next Discovery starts Friday!

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Kate Policani

Please join me in Friday for the next Discovery! Starting in three days, Jun 14-25, Discover Authors will share great books. Readers, come learn about books straight from the author. Authors, come share your books and your audience for our free author-driven blog tour.

http://discoverauthors.wordpress.com

For more information on how it works: http://discoverauthors.wordpress.com/about/how-it-works/

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New Review Summer Shakeup: The Bone Road by Mary Holland

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Kate Policani

Bone Road

The Bone Road

By Mary Holland

Genre: Fantasy

Four Stars

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/the-bone-road-by-mary-holland/

Synopsis: 

A divvy, a dying woman, and a promise

Rhona has the divvy gift; with only a touch she knows if a baby will be fertile or will be a sterile Shun, destined to be killed or outcast. The people of the Deom depend on the divvys for survival, but it is a hard and brutal gift. As long as Rhona’s mother was alive, Rhona had followed the old ways, but now her mother is dead and Rhona is free to live her own life. She has one last obligation to fulfill: honor her mother’s dying wish to find a woman named Selina and offer her help.

Rhona has no idea who Selina is, but the best way to find anyone on Deo is to travel the Bone Road, the trade highway paved with the remains of their ancestors. And follow it Rhona does, accompanied by her young son Jak, straight into a twisted conspiracy of vengeance, death, rebirth, and the mystery of the Riders, men who never die and are bent on closing the Bone Road forever.

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About the Author:

Mary Holland writes fantasy and science fiction. She’s more interested how people would live in alien worlds than in the rocket ships they arrived on. She doesn’t do vampires or dragons although that could change at any moment. She lives in the Santa Cruz mountains with several cats and a husband.

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Next Discovery: 1 week

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Kate Policani

Please join me in one week for the next Discovery! Jun 14-25, Discover Authors will share great books. Readers, come learn about books straight from the author. Authors, come share your books and your audience for our free author-driven blog tour.

http://discoverauthors.wordpress.com

For more information on how it works: http://discoverauthors.wordpress.com/about/how-it-works/

Categories: Discover Authors | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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