Review The Madness of Mercury by Connie di Marco + Giveaway

The Madness of Mercury

by Connie di Marco

on Tour May 7 - June 3

Synopsis:

Astrologer Julia Bonatti never thought her chosen profession would bring danger into her life, but her outspoken advice in her newspaper column, AskZodia, makes her the target of San Francisco’s recently-arrived cult leader, Reverend Roy of the Prophet’s Tabernacle. The followers of the power hungry preacher will stop at nothing to quell the voices of those who would stand in his way and Julia’s at the top of his list. She’s willing to bet the charismatic Reverend is a Mercury-ruled individual, and she knows all too well that Mercury wasn’t just the messenger of the gods, he was a trickster and a liar as well.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery Published by: Midnight Ink Publication Date: June 8, 2016 Number of Pages: 312 ISBN: 978-0738749129 Purchase Links:

I really enjoyed The Madness of Mercury and I do not know if it is a coincidence that I read it during the Mercury retrograde, but that did not spoil the fun reading it. As a Cozy Mysterie should be The Madness of Mercury is a fun, easy, enjoyable and fast read. I also liked it that it combined the mysterie with astrology.

Excerpt The Moonshadow's Daughter by Kaylie Newell + Giveaway

Aimee did look wild and raw though, like she’d been living on her own longer than Jim had let on. But there was also a vulnerability about her that wouldn’t allow him to leave. She was his patient, regardless of whatever her troubles were now.

“Mmm.” She frowned in her sleep and turned toward him. Her eyes remained closed, her lashes dark smudges above her cheekbones. She mumbled something else and he scooted his chair closer. “His paw.” Her hair was still damp from the bath, and he brushed the long bangs away from her forehead.

“Aimee?” “His paw.” Her brows came together and she turned away. “See? There.” Jake checked the IV drip and felt her forehead again. Her dreams would be strange because of the fever. But it

Cover reveal Illusion by Lea Nolan + Giveaway

It’s cover reveal day for Illusion by Lea Nolan. This is the third book in The Hoodoo Apprentice Trilogy, and I am so excited because all three books are getting gorgeous new covers! Check it out!

Title: Illusion Amazon
Author Name: Lea Nolan
Release Day: October 5^th
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
About Illusion: New school. Cross-country move. Broken heart. If only these were Emma Guthrie’s worst problems as the first day of her sophomore year dawns. Instead, she must battle a trio of enemies—human and spectral—who may or may not have joined forces against her. All while pretending to be over Cooper Beaumont, her ex-boyfriend and true love, to shield him from her arch-nemesis’s revenge. Worse, when the fight escalates, Emma is tempted to use the black magic she’s always fought against, endangering her own soul. As her enemies close in, join forces, and fight with new and dark magic she’s never seen before, Emma must finally harness the power within her to fulfill an ancient prophecy, defeat a centuries-old evil, save her family, and reclaim the only boy she’s ever loved.

Apocalypse! Giveaway Blog Hop

Welcome to the Apocalypse! blog hop, hosted by Maya @ The Nocturnal Library, Heidi @ Rainy Day Ramblings and Christy @ Love of Books.

So what can you win? The winner can choose between a copy of Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson or Without Warning by John Birmingham.
Be sure to check back later this week to read my reviews of these books.

Slingshot by Matthew Dunn & giveaway

Genre: Thriller/Espionage

Series: Spycather #3

Publisher: William Morrow

Buy the book: Book Depository 

Source: I received an e-arc from the publisher

Master spy Will Cochrane must catch a missing Russian defector as well as one of Europe’s deadliest assassins in this action-packed follow-up to Sentinel, written by real life former field officer Matthew Dunn.

Will Cochrane monitors the nighttime streets of Gdansk, Poland—waiting for the appearance of a Russian defector, a man bearing a top secret document, who Will believes is about to step out of the cold and into the hands of Polish authorities. But suddenly everything goes sideways. The target shows up, but so does a team from Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) hell-bent on keeping the man from walking. Then, in a hail of crossfire, a van speeds into the melee and snatches the defector out from under them all. Everyone wants the man and the codes he carries—but now he’s gone and it’s up to Will and his CIA/MI6 team to find him before the Russians.

Will tracks both the missing Russian and his kidnappers, believing the defector has his own warped agenda. But soon it’s apparent that the real perpetrator could be someone much more powerful: a former East German Stasi officer who instigated a super-secret pact between Russian and US generals almost twenty years ago. An agreement, which if broken for any reason, was designed to unleash the world’s deadliest assassin.

Then Will learns that the Russians have tasked their own ‘spycatcher’—an agent just as ruthless and relentless as Will—to retrieve the document. Now Will knows that he faces two very clever and deadly adversaries, who will stop at nothing to achieve their aims.

I always van enjoy a good spy novel. For one reason it is ok to read them out of order in series. This is the third book in the series but it is not a problem in this case, but after reading Slingshot I will check out the other books in this series because I really liked this one.

Guestpost Bill Blume + Giveaway

Taking Comfort in Ragnarök

Readers will embrace a sad ending. You need only look to how our favorite myths conclude to see it, and when it comes to the end of the world, you'll be hard-pressed to find a religion or mythology that can outdo the Norse.

The tale of Ragnarök delivers a climactic battle of heroes and villains. We're treated to sacrifice and conflict so great that victory isn't defined by who lives and dies, but by who lives a few heartbeats longer. In the struggle between the thunder god Thor and the massive sea serpent Jörmungandr, the former wins but lives only long enough to walk a mere nine steps more.

Ragnarök is a glorious, bloody end that brings definition to every other tale in the Norse Mythology. How many times are we offered stories of Loki's mischief and the monsters he spawned and left to think, "What if the other gods had put an end to him here? Would it prevent all that horror?" How much greater do those adventures become because of where it all concludes?

As a writer, one of the earliest lessons I took to heart was to know my story's end. When I start my stories armed with the knowledge of how they will finish, they are much easier to write. I recognize those important moments even as I write them. Sometimes I also see when an element to the story won't carry its weight and slash it within minutes of putting it on the page.

Guest Post William Dickerson + Excerpt No Alternative + Giveaway

A Thrilling Example of My Day as a Writer

7:15 am: I have what’s called a Zen Alarm Clock, which consists of a series of solitary chimes at pre-planned intervals.  It chimes once, softly, then again 3 ½ minutes later, then again about 2 minutes after that.  Again and again and again…each increment gets smaller until the body recognizes the sound and awakens naturally; or, at least in a more natural way than rousing suddenly to a shrieking alarm.  The one hiccup in my zen-awakening is that my dog, Duet, without fail, hears that first chime and proceeds to stomp on my head, rendering the remaining succession of chimes pointless.  I assume the creators of the Zen Alarm Clock had not accounted for canine bedfellows.

8:30 am: I consume breakfast – usually granola with almonds and sliced bananas.  Blueberries are sometimes substituted for the bananas, but not often.  Very large cup of coffee.

8:30 am - 11:30 am: I write as much as possible.  If I’m writing a novel, I don’t limit myself; I just keep going until I can’t go anymore.  If I’m writing a screenplay, I often limit myself to 5 pages a day.  That way, I know I’ll have a draft in 3 weeks.

11:30 am - 11:45 am: I pace around my apartment and eat some kind of snack, while pacing; it’s usually goldfish crackers or whatever salty, crunchy treat my wife has provided for my pacing-time.

Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop Giveaway

It's that time of year again....I somehow always feel better this time of year which is good because it has been one lousy year for me with me having a depression. Luckily I'm feeling a bit better everyday! So that is a good reason for a celebration I think.

But on to the good stuff. Thanks to I am a Reader not a Writer and Oasis For YA for hosting this amazing and fun blog hop during the most fun time of the year.

So what will I be giving away this year???

A book of your choice up to €20,- from the Book Depository (as long as it ships for free to your country)

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!!

So how can you win??? Leave a comment and let me know which book you want to win and leave a way for me to contact you (email or twitter)

The giveaway will end on thursdaythe 27th of December.

Please don't forget to check out my giveaway policy.

Guest Post Aida Brassington + Giveaway!

So today I am very happy to welcome Aida Brassington back to the blog. And today she will share with us the role food plays in her stories.
Also at the botom of the post Aida will tell you how you can win a digital copy of her latest novel 'Chasing Fools'.
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I seem to always be writing about food. Don’t believe me? The last time Kim was good enough to host me, I talked about therole of food in my debut novel, BETWEENSEASONS. So maybe it’s no surprise that my new novel, CHASING FOOLS, is so food-focused: it tells the story of Varda Dorfman, a woman who makes her living as an illegal foods smuggler.

Interview Kari Lee Townsend + Giveaway

Today I welcome Kari Lee Townsend back on the blog. Her second book in the Fortune Teller Mystery series - Corpse in the Crystal Ball came out this month and I am currently reading it and I can tell it is as much fun to read as the first in the series Tempest in the Tea Leaves.
Don't forget to check out the giveaway at the end of the post.
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Please tell us a bit about yourself.
Well, what can I say? I am a mom of four (3 boys and 1 diva) and I’ve been married for 23 years. I love to do adventurous activities, go wine tasting, travel and any related to photography. When I’m not running the roads to some sports activity J My background is in English education, but I have to say I’m most happy working from home writing books.

Could you tell us in short what this series is about?
This series is about a psychic who moves from the big apple to the small town of Divinity in upstate New York to make a fresh start. She opens her own fortune-telling business in an ancient Victorian house she bought that the entire town thinks is haunted. But Sunny suspects the mysterious happenings are coming from the big white cat named Morty that came with the house. Each book will focus on a different fortune-telling tool as Sunny helps the police in Divinity solve crimes as a consultant; much to the dismay of the cynical Detective she nicknames Grumpy Pants. So if you like a good mystery, a bit of romance and a lot of humor, then this series is for you.

Guest post Dakota Banks + Giveaway!

Today I welcome Dakota Banks to the blog and today she will be talking about Friday the 13th, because you know it's Friday the 13th so read the post, don't forget to enter the great giveaway at the end and go and hide under covers again. Or if your just like me an owner of a black cat leave the house!

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First, I’d like to thank Kim for letting me visit. It’s a pleasure to be here!

You’re reading this on Friday the 13th, a day when superstition causes people to put off travel plans, skip attending events, and not start any new projects. If you’re one of them, you have a lot of company. Approximately 20 million Americans take this unlucky day seriously to some degree, from mild (not getting on an airplane with flight #1313) to staying home in bed under the covers all day. I’d like to stay in bed under the covers, but it won’t be because I’m worried about the day of the month. 

Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop

And it is time for the Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop hosted by I'm a reader not a writer and Oasis for YA

So somebody will be getting an after-Christmas present from me.

I was trying to think of a book to giveaway and I couldn't figure out which one I should offer. So I decided to just give you a book of choice for €10,- from the Book Depository. Just so you know €10,- is around $13,- but if you go to The Book Depository you can choose Euro's in the right top corner.

So how do you enter????

* Fill out this FORM
* This giveaway is International (to where ever The Book Depository ships)
* Please don't forget to check out my giveaway policy HERE
* This giveaway ends December 27th and I will announce a winner on the 28th.

This giveaway is now closed!

FILL OUT THE FORM

Don't forget to stop by all the other blogs to see all the other giveaways that are going on right now.

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop

*CLOSED*

The Literary Giveaway Blog Hop is hosted by Judith at Leeswammes' Blog.
Between now and Wednesday, October 19th, you can hop to over 50 different book blogs, all offering one or more giveaways of books or bookish items. All books are literary, (non)fiction or something close to that.

You know this is October and I think something scary is in order. So I took a look at my bookshelves in search of something that still fits the literary part of this blog hop (well at least a little). So what are my shelves full of that don't include the supernatural?
Yeah Serial Killers! So I picked my favorite serial killers I read lately.

Taboo by Casey Hill (Reilly Steel #1)
The Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter (Robert Hunter Series #1)
The Executioner by Chris Carter (Robert Hunter Series #2)
Die For Me by Karen Rose (Daniel Vartanian #1)

So I will be giving away one of the books mentioned above. Winner's choice.

The book will be shipped through The Book Depository so this giveaway is open to wherever The Book Depository delivers.

So what do you have to do?
* Leave a comment with your email address, so I can contact you if you won.
* Tell me which book you would like to win
   (Just because I'm curious, you can change your mind)
* You do not have to be a follower but it is much appreciated.
* This giveaway ends on October 19th 2011
* Winner will be picked by Random.org
* I will notify the winner by email. The winner has to answer my email within 72 hours.
   No answer means I will pick another winner.
* Do not forget to read my giveaway policy.

*CLOSED*

winner announced soon

Now if you're done then hop on over to Leeswammes' Blog where you can find Judith's giveaway and a list of all the other blogs that are participating in this Blog Hop.

And don't forget to enter my giveaway for the On the Soul Series by Krisi Keley. Three books, two winners!
These books are my favorites I've read in a really long time.

Guest post Kari Lee Townsend and giveaway

Today I have Kari Lee Townsend visiting on the blog. Her new book Tempest in the Tea Leaves: a Fortune Teller Mystery came out earlier this month and you can find my review here. I absolutely enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the next in the series.
Don’t forget to look for the giveaway at the end of the post.

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Books and Music

Music can be so inspiring to authors. The lyrics of a song are like words in a book…they tell a story. Often times that story feeds our imaginations, creating vivid images and reminding us of an event that’s happened in our lives, or making us dream of things we wish would happen to us. Many authors get their inspiration for ideas for books from the lyrics of songs. That’s sometimes the case for me.

I know several writers who can’t write a word unless they are listening to music. I can’t write unless it’s completely silent. However, I do a lot of prewriting in my head while listening to music. I like to use music to get in the mood for certain scenes I’m about to write. So I’ll listen to upbeat, fast songs that make me want to move before I’m about to write an action adventure scene. Or I’ll listen to sad songs that make me want to cry before I’m about to write a deeply emotional scene. And when I’m about to write a romantic scene, I’ll listen to songs that melt my heart and keep a smile on my face all day.

Some of my favorite artists are Daughtry, Nickelback, John Meyer, Michale Buble, Faith Hill and Taylor Swift. Music and books really are personal choices. There is no right or wrong choice. What you choose is a reflection of who you are as a person, so go forth and choose something that fills a need and feeds your soul. Then tell me all about it. I love to hear from my readers.

You can find out more about me and my books at http://www.karileetownsend.com/ and my group mystery blog at http://www.mysteriesandmargaritasblogspot.com/ Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/karileetownsend Like my Facebook Author Page at www.facebook.com/karileetownsendAUTHOR
 

Kari Lee Townsend lives in Central New York with her very understanding husband, her three busy boys, and her oh-so-dramatic daughter, who keep her grounded and make everything she does worthwhile…not to mention provide her with loads of material for her books. Kari is a longtime lover of reading and writing, with a masters in English education, who spends her days trying to figure out whodunit. Funny how no one at home will confess any more than the characters in her mysteries!
Kari writes fun and exciting stories for any age, set in small towns, with mystical elements and quirky characters. You can find out more about her on her website http://www.karileetownsend.com/ and also on the group mystery blog she cohosts, called Mysteries and Margaritas, at http://www.mysteriesandmargaritasblogspot.com/

Thanks so much Kari for stopping by today.

I mostly listen to music when I'm reading. Most of the time I'm listening to Sarah Brightman while reading but sometimes I will put something else on.  And sometimes I just get that song that just fits perfectly with a scene I'm reading. So everytime I hear that song I think about that book.

What about you guys, do you listen to music while reading or writing? And what music do you listen to?

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Ok it’s time for a giveaway!

The publisher Berkley is offering one book for giveaway US only (publishers request)
But since I enjoyed this book so much I’m going to giveaway a copy of the book International.
So there will be 2 winners.

So for the rules.

• You don't have to be a follower but it's much appreciated and will give you an extra entry.
• Leave a comment. Don't forget to leave an emailadress, if your from the US or somewhere else and if your a follower (either GFC or NetworkedBlogs)
• The US only giveaway will be shipped by the publisher
• The international giveaway will be shipped by me via the Book Depository so make sure the Book Depository ships to your country.
• This giveaway ends september 10th 2011

 Don't forget to check my giveaway policy

Giveaway Wolf Signs by Vivian Arend

Win a copy of A Wolf Signs by Vivian Arend!

Robyn Maxwell doesn’t care that her brother has to cancel out on their backcountry ski trip. She can do it alone. The fact she’s deaf doesn’t make her survival skills any weaker. The chance to get away from it all and relax in the Yukon wilderness is just what she’s been craving.
Meeting wilderness guide Keil at the cabin starts cravings of another kind. Keil’s one hot hunk of ripped, tasty male. Now she has to deal with raging hormones as well as strange questions about wolves and mates and challenges to the death.
Keil was trying for a nice reflective retreat before challenging for the Alpha position of his Alaskan pack. He wasn’t planning on meeting the woman destined to be his mate, or finding out she’s not aware she has the genes of a wolf.
Between dealing with his accident-prone younger brother, a deaf mate with an attitude and an impending duel to the death, his week—and his bed—is suddenly full.
Far from the relaxing getaway any of them had in mind...

Leave a comment and emailadress for a chance to win a digital copy of Wolf Signs!
Contest is open till 29th of october 2010.
This contest is a part of Moira Rogers' & Vivian Arend's Fall Frenzy Event. For your chance to win books, gift certificates, ereaders and more, visit http://www.moirarogers.com/contests/