Little Broken Things by Nicole Baart {Book Review & Giveaway}

Congrats to Nicole Baart! So much buzz about this book and I was lucky enough to get a copy from Netgalley to read early! "Little Broken Things" is now available. Get your copy today. 

Little Broken Things by Nicole Baart
Published by Atria Books on November 21st, 2017
Genre: Suspense

I have something for you. When Quinn Cruz receives that cryptic text message from her older sister Nora, she doesn�t think much of it. They haven�t seen each other in nearly a year and thanks to Nora�s fierce aloofness, their relationship consists mostly of infrequent phone calls and an occasional email or text. But when a haunted Nora shows up at the lake near Quinn's house just hours later, a chain reaction is set into motion that will change both of their lives forever.

Nora�s �something� is more shocking than Quinn could have ever imagined: a little girl, cowering, wide-eyed, and tight-lipped. Nora hands her over to Quinn with instructions to keep her safe, and not to utter a word about the child to anyone, especially not their buttoned-up mother who seems determined to pretend everything is perfect. But before Quinn can ask even one of the million questions swirling around her head, Nora disappears, and Quinn finds herself the unlikely caretaker of a girl introduced simply as Lucy.

While Quinn struggles to honor her sister�s desperate request and care for the lost, scared Lucy, she fears that Nora may have gotten involved in something way over her head�something that will threaten them all. But Quinn�s worries are nothing compared to the firestorm that Nora is facing. It�s a matter of life and death, of family and freedom, and ultimately, about the lengths a woman will go to protect the ones she loves.

Anger and affection made awkward dance partners, and Quinn couldn�t decide whether she loved her sister in that moment or hated her just a little

The list of my weaknesses is long and varied, but none so great as my tendency to inertia. At the moments I most need to go, I find myself crippled and terrified.

I am still in aww of how this novel wrapped around my heart and tour at my chest with so much power, I could hardly take a break from reading this authors beautiful words. This novel was written with such passion and fire, I still can't believe this is my first read by Nicole Baart. I have fallen in love with her writing and find myself adding all her books to my Goodreads shelf. This novel is told by three women Quinn, who lives near her mother with her artist-husband Walker, Nora, the oldest d I am still in complete aw of how this novel wrapped around my heart and tour at my chest, with so much power, I could hardly take a break from reading the authors beautiful words. This novel was written with such passion and fire, I still can't believe this is my first read by Nicole Baart. I have fallen in love with her writing and find myself adding all her books to my Goodreads shelf. I am still shocked that with all the books I read, this is the first time I have picked up one of her books. I will be rectifying that mistake very soon!   This novel is told by three women Quinn, who lives near her mother with her artist-husband Walker, Nora, the oldest daughter and the wild child who ran away right after high school and the mom Liz, who has spent her entire life trying to be the perfect wife and perfect mother and made herself into a person that her daughters are unable to trust or connect with. Add to these three women, a small girl, Lucy, who Nora leaves with Quinn for protection but protection from what or who? Quinn doesn't know and her mother isn't supposed to find out about any of this. Quinn has made a promise to Quinn. Little does she know, how hard this promise will be to keep.  Soon we are drawn into a story of family, friendship, lies and incredible suspense. The story slowly unravels while the reader is salivating at the possibility of more. The author gives you just enough in each chapter to make the reader urn for more. I could not put this book down. I found myself reading at stop lights, on my lunch hour and late into the night.  This book is going to be on so many lists of must reads, I predict we will see this book everywhere. I'd highly recommend readers to pick up their copy asap. I gave it an enthusiastic 5 stars.

Nicole Baart was kind enough to offer a giveaway with my post. This giveaway is open to anyone in the US. Enter to win a paperback copy of "Little Broken Things" by Nicole Baart. 

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Nicole Baart is the mother of five children from four different countries. The co-founder of a non-profit organization, One Body One Hope, she lives in a small town in Iowa. She is the author of eight novels, including the upcoming LITTLE BROKEN THINGS. Nicole is a proud Tall Poppy Writer and a firm believer that we are, and always will be, better together. Find out more at NicoleBaart.com or connect with Nicole on social media.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicoleBaart/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolebaart/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NicoleLynnBaart

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The Sullivan Family Book 1-3 by Bella Andre {Book Reviews, Quotes, & Synopsis}

The Sullivan's Boxed Set Books 1-3

by Bella Andre

on Tour September 1 � October 31, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published by: Oak Press, LLC
Publication Date: December 2015
Number of Pages: 662 (for the 3-book set)
ID: 2940157256548 (BN) B018ZY7USM (ASIN)
Purchase Links:  Amazon Goodreads

More than 6 million readers have already fallen in love with the Sullivans! Now get ready to meet your new favorite family in Bella Andre�s New York Times and USA Today bestselling contemporary romances with the first three books in the #1 hit series.

�Not since Nora Roberts has anyone been able to write a big family romance series with every book as good as the last! Bella Andre never disappoints!� Revolving Bookcase Reviews

THE LOOK OF LOVE
Chloe Peterson is having a bad night. A really bad night. The large bruise on her cheek can attest to that. And when her car skids off the side of a wet country road straight into a ditch, she�s convinced even the gorgeous guy who rescues her in the middle of the rain storm must be too good to be true. Or is he?

As a successful photographer who frequently travels around the world, Chase Sullivan has his pick of beautiful women, and whenever he�s home in San Francisco, one of his seven siblings is usually up for causing a little fun trouble. Chase thinks his life is great just as it is�until the night he finds Chloe and her totaled car on the side of the road in Napa Valley. Not only has he never met anyone so lovely, both inside and out, but he quickly realizes she has much bigger problems than her damaged car. Soon, he is willing to move mountains to love�and protect�her, but will she let him?

FROM THIS MOMENT ON
For thirty-six years, Marcus Sullivan has been the responsible older brother, stepping in to take care of his seven siblings after their father died when they were children. But when the perfectly ordered future he�s planned for himself turns out to be nothing but a lie, Marcus needs one reckless night to shake free from it all.

Nicola Harding is known throughout the world by only one name � Nico � for her catchy, sensual pop songs. Only, what no one knows about the twenty-five-year-old singer is that her sex-kitten image is totally false. After a terrible betrayal by a man who loved fame far more than he ever loved her, she vows not to let anyone else get close enough to find out who she really is�or hurt her again. Especially not the gorgeous stranger she meets at a nightclub, even though the hunger � and the sinful promises � in his dark eyes make her want to spill all her secrets.

CAN�T HELP FALLING IN LOVE
Gabe Sullivan risks his life every day as a firefighter in San Francisco. But after learning a brutal lesson about professional boundaries, he knows better than to risk his heart to his fire victims ever again. Especially the brave mother and daughter he saved from a deadly apartment fire�and can�t stop thinking about.

Megan Harris knows she owes the heroic firefighter everything for running into a burning building to save her and her seven-year-old daughter. Everything except her heart. Because after losing her navy pilot husband five years ago, she has vowed to never suffer through loving � and losing � a man with a dangerous job again.

I've hoped for this for so many years, waited for someone to come along whom you could finally love more than your family, someone who would turn you inside-out and toss you off your path,' His mother looked positively gleeful in the face of his misery. 'Someone just like Nicola for you to blow it with.

Looking for the good in people is never stupid.  

You never told me how the story ends, Gabe."
She held her breath, waiting for his response.
His expression held all the love and desire she knew he felt for her.
"It doesn't.�

Meet the Sullivan Family. 

Six men and two women with a single mom who couldn't love them more. 

Smith - The Hollywood Actor

Marcus � The Winery owner
Chase � Photographer
Ryan � The Pro baseball player
Zach � An Owner, auto shop chain
Gabe � Firefighter
Lori � The Dancer
Sophie - The Book Nerd/ Librarian

The first book in this incredible series "The Look of Love" starts off telling us the story of Chase and Chloe. Chase doesn't think much about women in general. He's always been able to get a warm body whenever he's needed it. Then he sees Chloe stranded on the side of the road and he can't help but rescue her. This starts their intense friendship that Chase isn't sure he can let go of even if Chloe isn't ready for more.
This was my very first book by the famous Bella Andre even though I've been hearing her praised for years. I just never got around to reading any of her books. When I heard about these books, I decided to give it a try. I'm a sucker for the family romance series. I'm so happy I did. I'm completely hooked on the Sullivan's and couldn't wait to read more.

The second book in this series "From This Moment On" tells the story of Marcus and Nicola or Nico as her many fans know her as. Marcus just got out of a relationship with the woman he actually had planned to marry but soon realizes what a mistake that would have been. Marcus decides to go back to what he knows best, one night stands. He goes to a nightclub to find the girl he will love just for one night, no families, no personal information, no drama. He is determined. Then he meets Nicola and all bets are off. He doesn't even know who she is which she thinks is perfect. She can't believe how lucky she got that the one guy she wants to take home doesn't know what a celebrity she is. She hides from the paparazzi and quickly ducks the cameras. They soon make it into the limo. That's when she starts to freak out. I mean who is this Marcus person and how does she know who he really is, after all she has learned the hard way no one can be trusted?
I again fell in love with these characters so well imagined by Bella Andre. Marcus was strong but vulnerable. Nicola was famous but not at all what you'd expect a pop star to act like. I was really surprised how much I connected with this story since I loved the first so much. I didn't think it was possible to like this one more but it happened.

The third book in this series "Can't Help Falling in Love" was about Gabe Sullivan and Megan Harris. OMG!! Seriously, I think these books get steamier and better as I go. I don't know how the author did it but she surprised me yet again. Gabe is a firefighter. Now anyone who is not thinking of a shirtless hotty has a much better control of their imagination than I do. Firefighters are my thing. Gabe gets called away from a family event to go to a burning building and help out. He quickly assesses the dangers and goes in with his fellow firefighter to save as many people as possible. He learns from a neighbor that a woman and her child are stuck inside upstairs. Gabe struggles to get to them in time. Their story quickly gets underway when we learn that neither can be with the other as Gabe doesn't date survivors he's saved and Megan lost her husband to a scary job and won't put her daughter through that loss again. But do their hearts agree with their heads?

Bella Andre is the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of �The Sullivans�, �The Maverick Billionaires�, �The Morrisons�, and the NYT bestselling �Four Weddings and a Fiasco� sweet romance series written as Lucy Kevin.
Sign up for Bella�s newsletter at www.BellaAndre.com/Newsletter Visit Bella�s website at www.BellaAndre.com Follow Bella on twitter at www.twitter.com/bellaandre Join Bella on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bellaandrefans

Having sold more than 6 million books, Bella Andre�s novels have been #1 bestsellers around the world and have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists 32 times. She has been the #1 Ranked Author at Amazon (on a top 10 list that included Nora Roberts, JK Rowling, James Patterson and Steven King), and Publishers Weekly named Oak Press (the publishing company she created to publish her own books) the Fastest-Growing Independent Publisher in the US. After signing a groundbreaking 7-figure print-only deal with Harlequin MIRA, Bella�s �The Sullivan's� series is being released in paperback in the US, Canada, and Australia.

Known for �sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance� (Publishers Weekly), her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine �Red Hot Reads� twice and have been translated into ten languages. Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post called her �One of the top writers in America� and she has been featured by Entertainment Weekly, NPR, USA Today, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and TIME Magazine. A graduate of Stanford University, she has given keynote speeches at publishing conferences from Copenhagen to Berlin to San Francisco, including a standing-room-only keynote at Book Expo America in New York City.

If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100-year-old log cabin in the Adirondacks.

BT: Three Last First Dates by Kate O'Keeffe {Book Review & Quotes}

Congrats to Kate O�Keeffe! The third book in her Cozy Cottage Cafe series, THREE LAST FIRST DATES, is available now!

Three Last First Dates by Kate O'Keeffe Series: Cozy Cottage Cafe #3 Published by Wild Lime Books on October 31, 2017 Genres: Romantic Comedy

When it comes to men, Marissa Jones is totally committed to not being committed. One major heartbreak is enough for her.

Against her better judgment, Marissa agrees to a pact with her friends to marry the next guy she dates. But she isn't going to take any chances. For her, it's a numbers game, and one last first date just isn't enough. So, she ups the ante--three first dates with three very different guys, all in one day.

But can any of these men live up to her high standards?

Despite a few bumps in the road, from the three, she chooses The One. That is until the motorcycle-riding ex she never got over turns up, changing everything.

In the end, do you choose love or does love choose you?

Escape to New Zealand in this fun, feel-good chick lit story.

I always liked to work out which Hollywood star the guys I dated resembled. If I couldn't find one, or much worse, the guy resembled someone like Danny Devito, I didn't take things any further. Call me shallow, but I liked a guy to be easy on the eyes

I took a series of deep breaths, calming my nerves. It was one thing for me to begin to feel like Nash was the guy for me, it was quite another for him to say it out loud

"Another freak-out?" Nash asked gently. I nodded, not trusting my voice to speak. 

A commitment phobe, in a bet to meet "her one" with her three best friend, Marissa Jones decides to give it everything she has. She decides to commit to three dates with three different men and one of these men would be her last first date. After all, the pact had worked for her two best friends, Paige and Cassie. She was convinced the only thing she needed to do was get over her silly excuses and go in with both feet first and she would find the man of her dreams. 

I have adored every book in this series so far and this one might actually be my favorite. Although I must admit I might have said that about the other two as well. :) What's not to love? The Cozy Cottage Caf� serves any kind of pie the girls desire, the funny situations these friends get into are a hoot and the men sound swoon worthy by an author that I have quickly fallen in love with.

I speed through her books because I can't seem to put them down. Her protagonist this time is independent, career oriented and a great friend but she has a bit of commitment issues. She is really good at finding things wrong with EVERY guy she meets. That is until she promises her friends that these three dates she's setting up are guaranteed to be her last. I highly recommend you picking up this series today for the friendship, mayhem and love stories.  

About Kate O�Keeffe

Kate O'Keeffe is a bestselling author of fun, feel-good romantic comedies. She lives and loves in beautiful New Zealand with her family, two scruffy dogs, and a cat who thinks he's a scruffy dog too. He's not: he's a cat.

She is a wife, a mother, and a chocolate expert. Seriously. She loves to read, to hang out with friends, and to hike up the big hill behind her house each day.

To date, she�s written the Amazon bestselling chick lit series, the Cozy Cottage Caf�, the Wellywood Romantic Comedy Series, a fun holiday novella, and co-authored One Way Ticket with fellow author, Melissa Baldwin.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram

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Blog Tour Organized By:

Blog Tour: A Novel of Clara Bow by Laini Giles {Book Review & Giveaway}

The It Girl and Me: A Novel of Clara Bow by Laini Giles

Publication Date: March 25, 2017

Sepia Stories Publishing

eBook & Paperback; 341 Pages

Series: Forgotten Actresses, Book #2

Gere: Historical Fiction/Biographical

Daisy DeVoe has left her abusive husband, her father has been pinched for bootlegging, and she�s embarrassed by her rural Kentucky roots. But on the plus side, she�s climbing the ladder in the salon of Paramount Pictures, styling hair for actress Clara Bow. Clara is a handful. The �It� Girl of the Jazz Age personifies the new woman of the 1920s onscreen, smoking, drinking bootleg hooch, and bursting with sex appeal. But her conduct off the set is even more scandalous. Hoping to impose a little order on Clara�s chaotic life, Paramount persuades Daisy to sign on as Clara�s personal secretary. Thanks to Daisy, Clara's bank account is soon flush with cash. And thanks to Clara, Daisy can finally shake off her embarrassing past and achieve respectability for herself and her family. The trouble begins when Clara�s newest fianc�, cowboy star Rex Bell, wants to take over, and he and Daisy battle for control. Torn between her loyalty to Clara and her love for her family, Daisy has to make a difficult choice when she ends up in the county jail. Here, Daisy sets the record straight, from her poverty-stricken childhood to her failed marriage; from a father in San Quentin to her rollercoaster time with Clara, leaving out none of the juicy details.

Daisy DeBoe grew up in Kentucky dirt poor with a jailbird father and then ends up leaving her abusive husband Ray after getting punched in the face. She's had far from an easy life, but she's determined to make something of herself. She starts to work at a beauty salon in Hollywood and learn the ropes from her friend Vi.

Daisy hears about a job from a customer at Paramount Studios doing hair for the stars and can't pass up the opportunity to try. She ends up really hitting it off with their biggest star Clara Bow.
The two quickly form a friendship and the head of Paramount asks Daisy to be Clara Bow's personal secretary. The studio head believes Miss DeBoe will really keep Clara in line as everyone knows she needs looking after. She's a bit rough around the edges.

Thanks to Daisy ,Clara's accounts are soon high in cash and she can finally shake the bad members of her family who only use her for money. Daisy and Clara become inseparable and go everywhere together. Clara let's Daisy write checks and buy nice things for Clara's many boyfriends and even gifts for herself at times. They had complete trust in each other until the inevitable happens. Clara meets a new man. That's when the two women reach an impasse bigger than either of them could have ever imagined.

If I could give this story more than five stars I would. It deserves all the stars! I was completely enthralled with the storyline and the characters from beginning to end. The author does an amazing job of having the language depict the era, The vivid detail she uses to describe all the places Clara and Daisy travel to how frightening it must have been for actors to jump from silent filming to having to speak to the camera is completely mesmerizing. There were so many different characters that came in and out of Clara's life, from her many boyfriends, to reporters and fans she meets along the way, the story did such a great job presenting them and explaining how they ended up in Clara's life.

Although I've always been a lover of historical fiction, I don't recall ever hearing about books on the silent actors and actresses that worked during that time. I can't wait to read more from this author and more regarding the subject. This book deserves all the praise. I would highly suggest picking it up as soon as you can.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Chapters

About the Author

Originally from the counterculture mecca of Austin, Texas, Laini discovered a love of reading early on, and when she was eight, decided to be Nancy Drew. This dream was dashed when she realized she was actually a big chicken, and that there were no guarantees of rescue from tarantulas, bad guys with guns, and other fiendish plot twists. She finished her first "mystery novel" (with custom illustrations) when she was nine. She set the writing aside for a while when life got in the way, but was led back to it through her interest in genealogy and 18 months of enforced unemployment due to moving north for maple-flavored goodies and real beer. Reading old microfilm stirred new life into her interest in writing, and watching early silent films struck the match. Like most other writers, most of her monthly budget is spent on coffee and books. She lives with her husband and their two gray cats in Edmonton, Alberta. For more information, please visit Laini Giles' website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Wednesday, November 1Kick Off at Passages to the Past Thursday, November 2Feature at What Is That Book About Friday, November 3Feature at So Many Books, So Little Time Monday, November 6Review at Bookish Tuesday, November 7Feauture at WS Momma Readers Nook Thursday, November 9Review at Beth's Book Nook Blog Friday, November 10Review at A Bookaholic Swede Monday, November 13Review at Creating HerstoryExcerpt at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots Wednesday, November 15Review at A Chick Who Reads Friday, November 17Excerpt at A Literary Vacation Monday, November 20Feature at Let Them Read Books Wednesday, November 22Feature at The Lit Bitch Thursday, November 23Review at Locks, Hooks and Books Friday, November 24Feature at CelticLady's Reviews Saturday, November 25Excerpt at T's Stuff Tuesday, November 28Review at View from the Birdhouse Wednesday, November 29Review at A Book Drunkard

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 5 paperback copies of The It Girl and Me! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below. Giveaway Rules � Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 29th. You must be 18 or older to enter. � Giveaway is open to US & Canada only. � Only one entry per household. � All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. � Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. The It Girl and Me

Blog Tour: Renegades by Marissa Meyer (My Favourite Villains)

I am so excited to be participating in the blog tour for Marissa Meyer's Renegades today! Check out my TOP 8 Fave villains list and don't forget to pre-order Renegades - it's releasing November 7!!! 

Series:	Renegades
Genre:	Young Adult, Fantasy
Publication Date:	November 7, 2017
Pages:	576 (Hardcover)
Published By:	Feiwel & Friends
Website:	Marissa Meyer
	Renegades on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received from the publisher for blog tour

Where to get:

Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies�humans with extraordinary abilities�who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice�and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

(Goodreads)

In the midst of her cries, he squeezed her tight, aimed the gun at the sleeping man, and fired.

Bold. Valianr. Just. Do you have what it takes to be a hero?

My Top Eight Villains in Literature/Comics/Movies

I've always been attracted to the dark side, I'm not even going to pretend otherwise. Villains, anti-heroes, bad boys and bad girls.. send them all my way! Ever since I was a little kid watching Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball on TV, I would root for those misunderstood and seemingly completely evil (provided that they had some redeeming qualities, of course).

Without further ado, I present you with the list of my favorite literary and cinematic villains:

1) Moriarty from Sherlock

I mean, this quote really says it all. Moriarty is the ultimate villain - charming, charismatic, with a fabulous sense of humor, and OH, SO HANDSOME!

2)  Murdoc from McGyver (yes, I am a fossilized dinosaur, deal with it).

I believe Murdoc is a super villain. He never dies (not even McGyver can kill him), he plays piano like a pro, has the most wicked villain faces (especially after the burn), takes photos of his victims at the exact moment of their deaths, his disguises are masterful, you never know when and where he's going to show up.. I mean, come on. Murdoc was the ultimate super villain of my pre-teen years.

3) Sibyl Vane - but not the original Dorian Gray Sibyl, I'm talking about the Graham Masterton novel Sibyl from Picture of Evil.

Picture of Evil is, of course, a darker (bloodier) horror retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray. When I was a teenager (many springs ago), I used to obsessively read Graham Masterton, James Herbert, Stephen King and the like. Horror was (and still is) my THANG. And so, villains were also (and still are, duh) my THANG. Sibyl Vane from this particular retelling was as cold as ice, as dangerous as the most venomous snake and as beautiful and Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. I absolutely love how evil she was, because her flavor of evil was.. complex, sophisticated and completely delightful.

4) Aaron Warner from Shatter Me series 

While Warner was a short-term antagonist, he was always a (gorgeous, beautiful, charming, sweeping, breath-taking) bad boy. I loved him from page one, I will always and forever love him. He is, hands down, my favorite literary character of all times. And I need that TV show to be out soon. Like, yesterday!

5) Jadis the White Witch from The Chronicles of Narnia

Jadis is so fabulously evil, it makes my toes curl. I love her badass looks, the whole ice cold thing she's got going on, and how unforgiving and cruel she can get. She was the most powerful sorceress who once ruled the Narnia, and who forced Narnia into a 100-year old Winter, covering everything with snow and ice.

6) Spike from Buffy

Ahhh, Spike. *instert heart-eyes*
I was a huge Buffy fan back in the days, and I must admit, I originally fell for Angel. But then Angel majorly screwed it up and I was so over him! And then there was Spike. At first, I was appalled by his cockiness, he was just a little bit over the top, a bit too self-absorbed hahaha. But then - and I'm not sure when that happened exactly - I began to see him differently. As we got to know him and his backstory better, I began to really enjoy his appearances more and more. And then BAM, I was hooked on Spike!

7) Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones

Now, don't get me wrong, I am so not attracted to Joffrey. He is simply the villain I love to hate. He was so horrible, so incredibly twisted and dark, I hated him with burning passion. I despised him. That being said, I must say, as far as villains are concerned, he is a great one. And I enjoyed his death (well, that's a creepy thing to say, but yeah) thoroughly. It was a beautiful crescendo ending to an incredibly, blood-pressure raising build-up.

8) Norman Bates from The Bates Motel / Psycho

I loved both the book and TV Show (I gotta say Norma is still my favorite character of the show, but Norman was absolutely brilliant too). I think Norman Bates is a fascinating, multi-layered antagonist, that isn't bad at the core, but rather failed by the system and society. I find his story completely mind-blowing.

Carbon Monoxide: The Silent Killer

My family almost died over the weekend.

That looks really dramatic in writing. But I'm not being dramatic and I'm not exaggerating.

Saturday morning at 3:00am our carbon monoxide detector went off. Joe and I thought it was because the battery was dying and it hadn't been plugged in for a few hours. I had unplugged it at our old house and stuck it in my nightstand drawer. In the chaos of moving, I hadn't remembered to take it out of the drawer and plug it in. So we took out the battery and went back to bed.

The next morning, he went to the gym and reminded me to put a new battery in the detector. I put in a new battery and went about my morning. As I'm playing with Teacup Human, I hear it go off again. "Maybe a bad battery?" I thought to myself. I just pulled a random one from the drawer so I tried another one.

Switched out the batteries and everything was fine. Until it went off again.

I called Joe and told him he needed to come home immediately and we're calling the fire department. He got home and went to wait outside for the department while I sat in the three season room with Teacup and Bentley.

The firemen came inside and basically do an about-face, telling Joe that we needed to get out of the house immediately. Teacup and I sat in Joe's car while he stood outside with Bentley and some of the firemen, waiting for any sort of information. 

They found carbon monoxide and they found a lot of it. Watching the firemen walk in and out of our house with their masks on was enough to tell me that any news they had wasn't going to be good.

While I was sitting in the car with Teacup, keeping warm, one of the firemen came over and said he' was going to test my CO level. He put a clamp on my finger and the test read 17. For reference, I was three points away from being labeled with severe carbon monoxide poisoning. Joe, who had been out of the house for a while, was at a 6 and Teacup was too small for them to get an accurate reading.

She'd been home with me all morning though, so common sense told us all that if I was that high, there was a good chance she was high as well. Teacup and I were instructed to wait in the ambulance so we could get oxygen while Joe waited in the garage with the firemen, who have already called the gas company, for his parents to arrive and take Bentley. We'd been informed we were all going to the hospital with CO poisoning. 

While waiting in the ambulance and giving one of the firemen information for both their paperwork and for him to give the doctors at the ER, he looked me directly in the eye and told me it's a good thing we had a CO detector. That with as much CO was in the house, if we had spent one more night there we might not have woken up the next morning.

Let that sink in.

I shared this story on my Facebook page and had numerous people tell me they either went out and bought a detector or bought more. I share this with you because I want you to be safe. I want your family to be safe.

Carbon monoxide is referred to as the silent killer because it is colorless and odorless. There is no way to tell it is in your house unless you have a carbon monoxide detector. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common symptoms are a "headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as 'flu-like.' " Sounds like something your typically over-the-counter medication or some rest could take care of, doesn't it?

This was by far the scariest day of my life. I never thought I'd have to see my 11-month-old hooked up to machines, with a blood pressure cuff around her arm, placing an oxygen mask in front of her face, and holding her to me while the doctor's had to draw blood. (She luckily had the lowest level of CO.) But we are alive and healthy. As a wife, mother, and human being I am begging all of you to ensure you have a CO detector, if not one of each floor, in your homes. It saved all our lives.

Book Review & Giveaway: Becoming Mrs. Smith A Novella by Tanya E. Williams

Publication Date: October 10, 2017 Rippling Effects Writing & Photography
eBook, Paperback & Audio; 100 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Novella



Not all of war�s destruction takes place on the battlefield. Violet�s heart flutters from the scarlet fever she survived as a child, and it beats faster at the sight of John Smith, the man she plans to marry. America is entrenched in WWII, and when John enlists, Violet is certain she won�t ever forgive him for dashing their dreams. As the realities of war slowly overtake her life, Violet's days are filled with uncertainty and grief. She struggles to maintain her faith in John, as the world as she knows it, crumbles. Becoming Mrs. Smith is the inspiring, and at times, heartbreaking story of a woman�s struggle to reclaim what she lost. War stole the man she loves, and childhood illness weakened her heart�perhaps beyond repair. While guns rage in Europe, the war Violet faces at home may be even more devastating.

"Wonderfully emotional and beautifully written, Becoming Mrs. Smith will take hold of your heartstrings and leave you longing for more." -Kelsey Gietl, author of Across Oceans

Available on Amazon in Paperback and eBook

Violet suffers from the scarlet fever when she's young and her mother tells her that her heart will always flutter. She is scared by this but as she gets older her heart flutters more for John Smith. Violet is positive from a young age that John will be her future. Then John decides to do his duty and join in the Army as war starts. Violet can't imagine ever forgiving him, so she hardens her heart for him and decides to move forward with her life back at home. She doesn't open any letters he sends and ignores any communication or talk of him from her family or friends. Will Violet regret her decision as the war rages on? 

Anyone who knows my reading tastes know that I can't pass up an opportunity to read historical fiction. It is one of my favorite genres. I thoroughly enjoyed this read. The writing hooked me from the first chapter as Violet's illness raged on. I didn't find any slow points in this novella and I was excited to find out how it ends. This was one I didn't put down until I was completely finished. As I was reading, I vividly imagined Violet's story and the author only added detail to my imagination. Such a beautiful story, told perfectly. I can't wait for the next one! 

About the Author

A writer from a young age, Tanya E Williams loves to help a reader get lost in another time, another place through the magic of books. History continues to inspire her stories and her insightfulness into the human condition deepens her character's experiences and propels them on their journey. Ms. Williams' favourite tales, speak to the reader's heart, making them smile, laugh, cry, and think. For more information, please visit Tanya Williams' website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 30 Feature at View from the Birdhouse Excerpt at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots
Tuesday, October 31 Review at Hopewell's Public Library of Life
Wednesday, November 1 Feature at The Lit Bitch
Thursday, November 2 Review at Bookish
Friday, November 3 Feature at Passages to the Past
Monday, November 6 Review at Once Upon A Book
Tuesday, November 7 Feature at The Reading Queen
Wednesday, November 8 Guest Post at Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen
Thursday, November 9 Excerpt at Just One More Chapter
Friday, November 10 Feature at Jenn's Book Vibes
Monday, November 13 Excerpt at What Cathy Read Next
Tuesday, November 14 Interview & Excerpt at Jorie Loves a Story
Wednesday, November 15 Feature at A Literary Vacation Review at Singing Librarian Books
Friday, November 17 Review at Bookramblings Review at Locks, Hooks and Books Feature at Broken Teepee

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away an eBook of Becoming Mrs. Smith! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 17th.

You must be 18 or older to enter. 

Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. 

Only one entry per household. 

All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. 

Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Becoming Mrs. Smith