Book Review - The Girl Who Wasn't There by Nick Clausen

The Girl Who Wasn't There by Nick Clausen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Synopsis: Monsters are real. And they steal children.

A young girl disappears without a trace.

The police have no clue as to what might have happened.
The severed family is thrown into despair as weeks go by, and still no sign of her.
The girl's older brother begins looking for her on his own.
Soon he becomes convinced that a supernatural being has taken her.
Unfortunately, it turns out he's right ...

The Girl Who Wasn't There is a gripping supernatural thriller.

My Thoughts: I am a huge fan of Nick's Dead Meat Series and found that I also love The Girl Who Wasn't There. Nick is just one of those few writers that it seems everything he writes clicks with me somehow.

Here we have a young boy, Andy, whose been placed in charge of his obnoxious younger sister. He wants to explore the library on the way home and she wants to be a brat and not let him so they agree she will stand outside and he will hurry back out only when he gets inside he searches thru the racks and finds this book that intrigues him and when he gets back out his sister has vanished. He feels like at first she is playing a prank on him but later realizes something else entirely has went down only nobody will pay him any attention!

This story clicks with me because I had one of those obnoxious little sisters and I can totally understand how Andy felt and then later how he let nothing stand in his way til he found her because I know no matter how much of a holy terror my baby sis was I'd fight til my last breathe for her no matter what!

Everything really starts rocking from there and I couldn't put it down! The Girl Who Wasn't There has a bit of everything to satisfy an array of different readers. Whether you're into scary or supernatural stories or not I don't think you'll be disappointed picking this up!

I was given a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

You can purchase a copy of The Girl Who Wasn't There on Amazon HERE  
Read for Free at present time on Kindle Unlimited!!!

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Book Review - The Protective One by Shelley Shepard Gray

The Protective One by Shelley Shepard Gray

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Synopsis: The tragic and untimely death of an old friend has made Elizabeth Anne rethink not only her priorities but her courtship with David, her longtime neighbor and suitor. Though he’s Mennonite like herself and has her parents’ approval, she feels that a spark is missing. Desperate for a change, she breaks things off—wondering if, perhaps, she’s the one who’s missing a spark.

When her family becomes upset with her decision, E.A. turns to her friends for support. One of them is Will, a man with a good heart who has always been there for her. As the two bond over their shared struggle to navigate a future that everyone else seems to have figured out, they are surprised to realize that they have feelings for each other.

But E.A.’s world takes a sudden turn when she realizes that she’s not the only one struggling—Marta, one of her sewing students, is in desperate need of protection. With the aid of Will and several other friends, Elizabeth Anne begins a journey that is more difficult and rewarding than she could have ever imagined...one that ultimately enables her to find everything she’s been searching for.

My Thoughts: I have never read anything from Shelley Shepard Gray that I know of but after reading The Protective One she has become a voice that I want to read again. She tackled some strong subject matter (abuse) in this story and did so with such beautiful and skilled writing.

The Protective One is a story that will stay with you long after you finish it as it keeps clouding my thoughts from time to time even now and it's been a while since I completed it.

The characters are well drawn out and actually appear as if they could be your neighbors or folks you could actually run into on the street in town.

My favorite character a main one was EA. She was so likable and head strong. I loved her ability to stand up for herself no matter if it was what was expected of her or not.

I would recommend this story to anybody. It has a bit of everything for everybody and I don't think anybody would walk away disappointed!

I was given a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.



You can purchase a copy on Amazon HERE and right now it is only $1.99 for the kindle copy.


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Book Blast/Giveaway - Paragon by Shauna Alderson

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Shauna Alderson will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stopson the tour.

Now that high school is over, Randi just wants to live her quiet life in her little town, but it doesn’t feel right without her friends there. Ever the daredevils, they’ve gone to seek adventure in the capital city of Grandin, and Randi can’t help but feel left behind. Not to mention she definitely can’t stop thinking about that kiss she and Eddy shared before he left.

When Randi discovers a mysterious mark on her skin that matches an illustration in “A Handbook on Paragonhood”, she’s thrown into a world of powerful gods and ancient magic that she thought only existed in the myths. She’ll have to step out of her comfort zone—and into the dangerous streets of Grandin—to find a way to protect herself and the people she loves.

Randi’s not the only one with a secret, though, and she finds herself questioning who she can trust. Randi will have to wrestle with what it means to be a Paragon and how far she’s willing to go to do what’s right.

With the fate of the world on the line, can she live up to being one of the chosen?

Read an Excerpt

A rumble downstairs tells me my folks are pulling into the garage. I gently set Barnaby back on the pillow and pick up the lotion I bought earlier. In the bathroom across the hall, I strip off my dress, cringing at the sight of the spider bite, now haloed in red. It looks infected and feels hot when I touch it. What if the spider that bit me was venomous?

I peer closer, stretching the skin on my left ribs. The center’s a bit swollen, although it’s not white, which is a good sign. But there’s something strange about the red ring surrounding it. Wait ... no. Not a ring. The red is scratched into my skin in a bunch of tiny lines.

Not a spider bite.

I crane my neck even more, heart hammering as I count seven lines. Seven lines making seven sides.

“Heptagram-shaped ... approximately half the size of one’s pinky fingernail, red-brown in color, hot to the touch.”

My knees give and I barely catch myself on the counter. It can’t be. Those are myths. The marks aren’t real. But what if—

Stop. Calm down. Giselle and Howard both mentioned hunters—that’s why I’m jumping to conclusions. And I wouldn’t even be considering it if it weren’t for that book.

I hurry across the hall to my room. I pull a dozen or so hairstyling magazines off my bookshelf, revealing the worn, leather-bound book tucked behind them. A Handbook on Paragonhood. Eddy lent it to me because I’ve always loved the myths. But that’s all they are. No one takes the stories seriously except hunters.  

**************About the Author*****************

Shauna Alderson began writing teen fantasy even before she was a teen. After she “grew up", she completed creative writing courses (and a BA in Development Studies) at the University of Calgary. When not reading or writing, she can usually be found teaching ESL, composing on the piano, creating art, or volunteering abroad. She also enjoys dessert, Studio Ghibli films, and being the silliest person she knows.


Website: https://shaunaalderson.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AldersonShauna


Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Paragon-Shauna-Alderson-ebook/dp/B0851YGGTW/

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paragon-shauna-alderson/1136514085?ean=9781643901275

Chapters: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/paragon/9990058018816-item.html

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/paragon-8




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour/Giveaway - Capture My Heart by Bobbi Smith

CAPTURE MY HEART
by Bobbi Smith

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GENRE: Historical Romance

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BLURB:

Serad is the powerful, handsome pirate whose relentless plundering is the stuff of legend—but only a few know that his true identity is Lord Alexander Wakefield. His kidnapping as a child by Barbary pirates changed the course of his life. Now Serad is the master of the seas, accustomed to possessing whatever—or whoever—he wants.

He Stole Her Freedom…
When Serad boards the vessel La Mouette to loot for treasure, he discovers a cargo more precious than any trinket: the heiress Victoria Lawrence. A raven-haired, emerald-eyed beauty, Victoria captivates Serad as no woman ever has before. But the fiery young lady doesn’t seem to understand that she is now a captive, expected to honor her new master’s wishes and desires without question…

But He Must Win Her Heart
When Victoria set sail from India, she expected the voyage to deliver her into the arms of her betrothed—not a heartless gang of pirates. Now captured, she refuses to bow to any man, even one as commanding as Serad. Sharing his cabin, Victoria can barely resist her attraction to her captor. But if she gives in to her desires, Victoria knows Serad will accept nothing less than her total surrender...


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Excerpt:

The captain and crew of the La Mouette were growing suspicious as they noted the other ship angling toward them.

“I don’t like this,” Captain Duval growled as he lifted his telescope to scan the other vessel once more. The safety of his ship, crew and passengers was paramount. He couldn’t put them at risk. The odds were with him that this was just another merchant ship, but there was always the chance that it wasn’t, and he wanted to be prepared. “Steer hard aport. Let’s see what happens…”

The crew watched and waited, and when the other ship altered its course to intercept theirs, they knew they were in trouble.

“Full sail! It’s the Scimitar! We’re going to have to make a run for it!”

The crew was jarred into action. The pirate ship’s reputation was well known.

On board the Scimitar, Serad stood with Tariq, his second-in-command, watching the other ship make an effort to escape him.

“They must be carrying something of great value,” Tariq observed.

“The captain is a fool. I wanted our fearsome reputation to make them surrender without a fight, not run and force a battle. Fire now, single shot across the port bow. Maybe a warning shot will stop them,” Serad ordered.

Ignored in the midst of the chaos, Victoria and Miss Jones stood on deck, watching all that was happening. Only when the other ship fired its gun did they realize they were in danger.

“They must be pirates!” Victoria exclaimed.

“We have to go below now!” her elderly companion insisted.

Captain Duval looked up just then to see them on deck. “Ladies! Get to your cabins and don’t come out until I come for you!”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Bobbi Smith
Queen of the Western Romance

After working as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at a bookstore, Bobbi Smith gave up on career security and began writing. She sold her first book to Zebra in 1982. Since then, Bobbi has written over 40 books and 6 novellas. To date, there are more than five million of her novels in print. She has been awarded the prestigious Romantic Times Storyteller of the Year Award and two Career Achievement Awards. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including the NY Times.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VX4LYZV/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i25

http://www.bobbismithauthor.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/45814589415/about/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13375.Bobbi_Smith

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

PLEASE MENTION THE PRIZE THAT THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY:

$10 Amazon/BN GC

Please use the following Rafflecopter code:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


HTML: Enter to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway

Most Looking Forward To April 2020 New Releases

Well it's April 1st. March was a heck of a month and I hope April is a bit better. I was kind of hoping I'd wake up and all this Corona Virus mess would have just been a sick April Fools Joke. But anyhow we have to push forward day by day and hope and pray for the best.

A few of my most looked forward to books this month are listed below. I have these linked to their Goodreads page in case you'd like to see what they're about.  What are your Most Looked Forward to books for April?

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier
The Switch by Beth O'Leary
You Deserve Each Other by Sara Hogle
The Best Laid Plans by Cameron Lund
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix