Nancy Drew: Labyrinth of Lies Review + Giveaway.

Game Description: A museum curator hires you to assist with the most anticipated event of the year, but artifacts from the exhibit are mysteriously disappearing. Are these mishaps connected to the amphitheater’s upcoming performance? Or is an unseen villain pulling strings behind the scenes? Uncover the truth and recover the missing artifacts from the Labyrinth of Lies!

My Thoughts: I was very excited to get to try this computer game out because I had saw some of them around but always been to afraid to purchase for fear of not liking them or it being to difficult for me and the kids to play. Boy was I wrong! First off you can set what skill level you want to play on whether it be Amateur or Master Sleuth. I am also a sucker for good graphics and it has some awesome ones let me tell you and throw in to boot all the interesting Greek Mythology. Even if you're not into that sort of thing it's interesting here. I love how sometimes you run across a game or something that can actually "teach" you things without you really noticing it or taking away from the game any.

I have always enjoyed reading and watching the sleuthing of Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys so I can now add these Her Interactive computer games to the mix. It was lots of fun and I see myself playing it time and again as well as trying some of the past editions.



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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Blitz - Life of a Fool by CM Hutton

Title: Life of a Fool

Author: CM Hutton

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: Honest Love Spin-off

Jason


I was a fool…

- for letting Lori Ann convince me that we were wrong for each other.



- for watching her walk away from me fifteen years ago and not stopping her.



- for not realizing she was in trouble.



- for thinking her nightmare, our nightmare was over.

I was a fool for letting my guard down.



And now, I’d do just about anything to keep her safe, including the most reckless, foolish thing a man — a cop, in fact — could do.

___________________________________



Lori Ann



Jason saved me, only to nearly lose me forever.



We’d been fools to think Antonio wouldn't come after me. I was still his wife, after all. He’d hurt me, broken my arm and left me in pieces, but he wasn’t finished. He’d fooled me for years, made me believe he was a great man. Now that I knew the truth, I was going to fight like hell to save myself and Jason, to save the love we’d finally confessed.



I prayed that what I was about to do would be enough.



I was done being someone’s fool.

Purchase:

Amazon

_________________________________________________________

Excerpt

Prologue

My life had
been a nightmare.

My younger
brother, the former NFL player turned firefighter, had been severely injured
and on death’s door, as a matter of fact.  We’d been held
hostage at the hospital for weeks.  His bride-to-be,
Claire,was one of the strongest women I’d ever known…aside from my mom and Lori Ann. 
Actually, they were probably all about equal in their feminine strength.

Damn…Lori Ann.  I needed to return
her call.

Thankfully,
Derek pulled through, married the love of his life, and they were expecting a
baby.  I was really happy for him.  My little brother had seen more hard times
than I cared to mention, and he’d finally found
happiness with a woman that was pretty incredible.  Claire had been through her own share of shit
and had risen above it.  I was in awe of
the woman and loved her as fiercely as I did one of my blood family
members. 

Truthfully,
seeing Derek find his soul mate, at the age of thirty-five, made me
jealous.  I was his older brother.  And although thirty-seven wasn’t that old, I felt ancient. 
Perhaps, it was due to the stress of holding us all together these last
few weeks while we watched Derek struggle for his life.  Maybe it was the ache I felt seeing him so
happy. 

I’d dated plenty of girls.  They
were nice, kind…some a little kinky, but not one of
them held my heart…held my soul in their hands. 

Only one
had that privilege, and she was already taken.  

_________________________________________________________

About Honest Love

Starting over was never easy for anyone.

I’d heard the stories over and over.

But after the hell my ex-husband had put me through over the last year, over the last twenty years…well, I was ready to move on, repair what was left of my shattered heart and find someone to share my life with—someone who would put me first.

I deserved it. I’d done my time being in her shadow, being a cheap understudy, always second. For. All. Those. Years.

Never again.

Our move to San Diego provided a fresh start, a new place away from all the hurt and memories. Life as a single mom to three teenagers had its' challenges, but we were adjusting and my kids were doing well.

It was time to focus on my happiness, for once. I had a huge capacity to love and I wanted to share my love with a man that respected it, accepted it and gave it in return.

It was just a matter of time before he found me and showed me what true, honest love was all about.

Purchase

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Excerpts

Claire

Every now and then,
during his session, I’d notice an odd glance or two from
him, but ignored it. I didn’t want his negative shit adding to my
own. This was my job. I was his physical therapist, not his friend or
counselor, and this job was what would keep me going while I learned to wrap my
head around my new life. 

Derek didn’t
say much. He grunted a few times when I pushed him harder, but other than that,
nothing.

It wasn’t
until we were just about done and I was giving him our customary mini
relaxation massage, that I took the opportunity to really take a good look at
him. Derek removed his shirt as he laid face down on the massage table in my
therapy room and an involuntary gasp escaped from me. 

Wasn’t expecting that.  

Most patients didn’t
remove their clothing as these massages were only meant to relieve the tension
built up in the body as a result of the stress from working an injury.  He’d apparently heard me because a small,
stupid grin turned up on one corner of his mouth. I ignored him.

He was tall and
lean, not too bulky, and his skin was tan and smooth…defined.
I noticed a few tattoos on his ribs. I’d never been much on body ink, but it
was sexy on Derek and I couldn’t stop staring at it as I slowly
rubbed the tension from his neck and shoulders. 

Yeah, you could say
I was attracted to him. 

___________________________________________

Derek

Claire seemed nice.
Actually she seemed like she probably wouldn’t
take any crap from me. And I didn’t think she knew who I was…always
a good thing. 

She was good at her
job. I had a feeling I’d be back on the truck soon. My life
as a firefighter was about all I had to keep my mind occupied. Football used to
do that for me. 

Nothing but tainted
memories now.

I shook my head,
brushed off my thoughts and focused more on my new therapist. I’d
asked her a few questions, which she answered willingly. I was curious about
Claire, but my pissy mood made my questions come out way too harsh and nasty.

I just hoped I
could stop staring at her. She was shorter than me. Maybe 5’5” with
beautiful blonde hair and amazing brown eyes. Not who I would typically pay
attention to, but what the hell did I know? The only girl I’d
ever loved was Claire’s complete opposite with dark brown
hair, blue eyes and really tall.  She’d
also ripped my heart out and practically ate the damn thing right in front of
me. 

Maybe Claire was
just what I needed. 

But first, I had to
find out more about her past and what lead her to San Diego.

_________________________________________________________

About the Author

I’m a wife, a mom of three, a friend,
an aunt, a sister, a daughter and a teacher.  Now, I can add writer to my list!  I’ve always wanted to write and finally
found inspiration and support to do it.  

I live near Austin, Texas with my
family and love to read and travel.  Put me on a beach with a good book and the world just
disappears around me.

Paradise Taken
was my first novel and is a highly emotional book based on
true events.  Its sequel (Saving Us)
was released February 2014. 

I love that you are willing to take a chance
on a new writer and promise to keep striving to put out great books!  Be sure to check out
my newest releases, including Honest Love, which was released in
June 2014 and Life of a Fool, the second London
Brothers novel, will be available November 6, 2014.

I'd love to chat with you, so look me up on any of my
social pages.  

Happy Reading.  :)

CM Hutton

cm.hutton@yahoo.com

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_________________________________________________________

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Highlight - Stalking the Demon by Ciara Ballintyne

Title: Stalking the Demon

Author: Ciara Ballintyne

Series: The Seven Circles of Hell #2

Six months ago, the disgraced wizard, Alloran, sacrificed his hand to rescue the woman he loves from his traitorous friend, Ladanyon. Despite saving the city from a demon, his reputation remains tarnished, and the council of wizards has penalised him severely for the practise of banned magic.



Now he learns his desperate efforts to stop Ladanyon led more to damnation than salvation. Finding a solution compels him to breach his sanctions and venture into forbidden places at risk of his life and freedom.



Alloran must choose between saving himself and everything he holds dear.

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Book #1

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Chapter 1

Collapse

Alloran rushed through
the citadel halls heedless of the rich carpets crushed beneath his heavy boots.
Gisayne hung limply in his arms, and her black hair trailed over his elbow. A
few people watched him pass, but none offered assistance. Over the past six
months, Gisayne collapsed often enough to blunt the urgency and the panic. The
faces turning in his direction bore only mild curiosity, oblivious to the fact
that this time was different.

Her chest barely rose and
fell beneath the thin cream silk of her night gown and robe, and blue tinged
the edges of her bee-stung lips. Seven hells, was she dying? As he raced
onwards, he clutched her against him and her cold skin pressed against his.
With no left hand, he had no way to check for a pulse. A choked-back scream of
desperate frustration tightened his chest until it squeezed the breath out of
his lungs.

While juggling Gisayne,
he fumbled with the latch on the door to the citadel’s hospice. Damn his
missing hand to the first hell. When the door finally gave, he shouldered it
open and backed into a long room lined with starkly made beds. The few occupied
by sick or injured had curtains drawn for privacy. Breidmar, dressed in the
red-trimmed white robes of a citadel doctor, bustled over at their entrance.

Orange brows pinched with
concern over her violet eyes. ‘Again?’

‘She’s…’ The lump in his
throat choked him. He swallowed hard. ‘She’s hardly breathing.’

‘This way.’ Pointing to
an empty bed, Breidmar called out and strode to a door at the far end. Before
she crossed halfway back, an unfamiliar girl in acolyte’s white appeared in the
doorway.

Alloran placed Gisayne on
the bed with gentle care. Her slack body slid from his arms, her skin pale.
When he let her go, her eyelids fluttered but did not open. Nausea knotted his
gut. The last time she’d fainted, the recovery was quick. Now, she looked as if
death hovered over her, waiting for the moment to snip the thread of her life.

As Breidmar began
checking Gisayne’s vitals, she waved Alloran off. He hesitated. What would he
do except wait, patient, and idle while Breidmar tried again to determine what
illness affected her? She would try and fail, most likely.

‘Are you sure this is not
the falling sickness? It’s supposed to get worse with each successive bout.’

‘She’s not got the right
symptoms. No seizures,’ Breidmar responded in precise, clipped tones.

Alloran frowned. He
wasn’t an idiot. ‘Then what? These collapses are getting more frequent and more
severe! Seven hells take you, tell me. Whatever the illness, it can’t be
too complicated for me to understand.’

With her severe lips
curving down, she sniffed. ‘No amount of genius can assist you to comprehend a
malady I cannot explain. While you’ve made any number of miraculous discoveries,
you have no particular expertise in medical matters. Leave this to me.’

‘The title of doctor is
reserved only for those who have studied in the citadel, and yet you say
you don’t know? After all this time, you must have some notion.’ Wisps
of his black hair hung about his face, torn free of their bindings in his
haste. He pushed them back with a rough motion. When they slid back into
disarray, he tore the leather thong free and began tying his hair back with
short, sharp motions.

The doctor scowled at him.
At her nod, the acolyte whipped the curtain around the bed in a rattle of
rings. The cloth brushed Alloran’s nose; he jerked his head away.

A heartfelt sigh escaped
his lips before he retreated to a waiting area that comprised a group of
chairs. No, sitting still would be intolerable. He changed direction and paced
the length of the room, passing the rows of identical empty beds. His boots
echoed in the open space. Sterile and odourless air filled his nostrils.

Apparently, Breidmar
shared the sentiments of many people in the citadel. Some blamed him solely for
the demons that plagued the city of Ehsan six months earlier, and others
accused him of working with the renegade wizard, Ladanyon. Although Alloran
wasn’t subjected to a disciplinary hearing, the council’s public announcement
that they were banning him from all forms of magic involving the hells only
reinforced the blame.

Seven hells, the
councillors banned him because some
of them felt the same as the other citizens. Those residents who lost loved ones
in the battle against Ladanyon’s first-circle demon were the most damning.
Councillor Valgon’s wife died, and he made no bones about believing Alloran to
be a public menace. I just can’t prove it, was what he said.

Ciara Ballintyne was born in 1981 in Sydney, Australia, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, one masochistic cat, and one cat with a god complex. She holds degrees in law and accounting, and has been a practising financial services lawyer since 2004. She is both an idealist and a cynic.



She started reading epic fantasy at the age of nine, when she kidnapped Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings from her father. Another two years passed before she began her first attempts at the craft of writing. Confronting the Demon is her debut book.



She enjoys horse-riding, and speculation about taking over the world. If she could choose to be anything it would be a dragon, but instead she shares more in common with Dr. Gregory House of House. M.D.

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Fade to Black by Sue Duff

In Fade to Black, Ian Black is guarded by the Weir, a race of magical beings who struggle to prevent the planet from self-destructing during a time that natural disasters are on the rise in frequency and intensity. In a desperate move, the Weir elders torture Ian to force his powers to arrive, prompting Ian to abandon his people to hide among humans. He soon uncovers, along with curious college student Rayne Bevan, a mysterious enemy behind the Weir’s raging civil war and Ian races to stop the lethal saboteur before launching Armageddon.

About Sue Duff:

Sue Duff has been writing since high school but never became serious about it until a skiing accident laid her up for an entire summer and she turned on the word processor to combat the boredom. A couple years later, her first urban fantasy novel, Fade to Black, was a finalist in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Writing Contest.

By day, she’s a dedicated speech-language therapist in an inner city school district. But her life as a writer is her true passion and the creative outlet keeps her sane.

Born in Chicago, she moved to Phoenix as a young child. She received her bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and her master’s from the University of Denver.

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Treat Yourself Giveaway

We’re just a couple of weeks away from Halloween and there’s one thing that’s on everyone’s mind… treats!

Welcome to the Treat Yourself Giveaway Hop, hosted by the Blogging Mamas Network! In this Hop, you’ll find lots of special treats to keep you entering giveaways until it’s time to go out and gather your own - so be sure to hop around to all the giveaways in the Hop Linky below and don’t miss the AMAZING Grand Prize Giveaway - from Step2!

My Giveaway consists of:
.A size Medium Dolphin Tale 2 T-shirt
.Professional Lemon and Lime Press
.10 foot Speed Cable Jump Rope
.Red Maxboost Phone Case
.16 Count Playtex Sport Regular
.One Year Subscription to Redbook Magazine (Not Pictured)


This giveaway will end on October 31th. It is open to US residents, 18+ only.

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DISCLOSURE

So Easy Being Green, Viva Veltoro, the Blogging Mamas Network, and the Treat Yourself participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.