Joseph Spencer - Grim

Monday, May 20, 2013

16. Grim by Joseph Spencer (2012)
The Sons of Darkness Series Book 1
Length: 232 pages
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Started: 17 May 2013
Finished: 20 May 2013
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Dorothy at Pump up Your Book for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 17 April 2013
Why do I have it? I like paranormal mysteries and Joseph Spencer is a new author for me.

Heath Grim is a man of mystery, always careful to hide his disfigured face behind a black mask which he has worn since his return home from Iraq two years before. As the son of Armand Reapentier - the Enforcer for the Marino Family, known only as 'The Reaper' - Heath has sought vengeance against his father's killers for the past two years with no sign of success.

Detective Adam White is a man known to follow his own strict moral code, incorruptible and a seeker of justice. Known by the press as the 'White Knight', Adam can always be counted on to make sure that the  criminals are punished and that the innocent are protected at all cost. What the public doesn't realize is that Adam White has spent the past decade trapped within his own private hell, trying to track down his wife's killers to no avail.

When a series of ritualistic murders targeting the rival Black Family and credited to 'The Reaper' - a serial killer who has been dead for two years strike the populace, all signs point to the reclusive, mysterious Heath Grim. However, when everything he values is suddenly taken from him, Detective Adam White will face a choice - does he maintain the heroic ideals which have made him the famed paragon of justice and take down a murderous madman, or will he give into his vigilante impulses, avenge his wife's murder, and become the type of killer he has hunted for so many years?

I enjoyed this book very much, because I like stories which deal with paranormal themes. I will say that Grim by Joseph Spencer is perhaps not to everyone's taste - I must admit that I wasn't always sure whether certain characters deserved the punishment that they received. The plot was realistic in that it shows that the desire for righteous justice can often be tainted by the very human desire for vengeance. I give this book an A! and will certainly be on the lookout for more books by Joseph Spencer in the future.

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often

Blog Tour For Blackmoore: A Proper Romance by Julianne Donaldson From September 8, 2013 to September 30, 2013 - Come Join Us!

Monday, May 13, 2013

Hello Everyone! I am extremely happy to announce that Julianne Donaldson will be touring the blogosphere to promote her proper Regency Romance Blackmoore, the latest title in the A Proper Romance product line from Shadow Mountain Publishing. This is Julianne's second virtual book tour with Shadow Mountain. She will be coming to a blog near you from September 8, to September 30, 2013! Come join us for all the fun!

Blackmoore: A Proper Romance Blog Tour Information:

Meet Julianne Donaldson

Julianne Donaldson grew up as the daughter of a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. She learned how to ski in the Italian Alps, visited East Berlin before the wall came down, and spent three years living next to a 500-year-old castle. After earning a degree in English, she turned her attention to writing about distant times and places. She lives in Utah with her husband and four children.

Connect and Socialize with Julianne!


About Blackmoore: A Proper Romance:

Kate Worthington knows she can never have her heart’s desire and so believes she will never marry. But Kate’s meddlesome mother has other plans. Kate journeys to the stately manor of Blackmoore on the cliffs above the seashore, where she must face the truth and the man that has kept her heart captive.

Set in northern England, Blackmoore is a Regency romance that tells the story of a young woman struggling to learn to follow her heart. With hints of Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, Blackmoore is a page-turning tale of romance, intrigue and devotion.

Purchase Your Copy From Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

Blackmoore: A Proper Romance Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule


Pre-Release Reviews

Wednesday, June 26th - Review at Snogging on Sunday
Wednesday, June 26th - Review at Bookworm Nation
Sunday, June 30 - Review at One Reader a Thousand Lives
Tuesday, July 2 - Review at Spader Family
Wednesday, July 3 - Review at Amy’s Reviews
Friday, July 5 - Review at Katie’s Clean Book Collection
Thursday, July 11 - Review at Works of Fiction
Saturday, July 13 - Review at A Garden Carried in the Pocket
Wednesday, July 17 - Review at Kindle And Me
Sunday, July 28 - Review at The Ramblings of Two Readers
Sunday, August 4 - Review at Good Reads, Heather
Monday, August 5 - Review at The Bluestocking Society
Saturday, August 10 - Review at Wedin2001

Blackmoore: A Proper Romance Blog Tour Week 1

Sunday, September 8 - Review at Minding Spot
Monday, September 9
- Review at Our Busy Homeschool
Monday, September 9
- Review at LDS Women’s Book Review
Monday, September 9
- Interview at I Am A Reader Not A Writer
Monday, September 9
- Review at LDS Writer Mom
Monday, September 9
- Review at Cami Checketts
Monday, September 9
- Review at Sunlit Pages
Monday, September 9
- Review at Cracking the Cover
Tuesday, September 10
- Review at Key Lime
Tuesday, September 10
- Review at Fire and Ice Photo
Tuesday, September 10
- Review at Acting Balanced
Tuesday, September 10
- Review at Booking and Cooking
Tuesday, September 10
- Review at The Things I Love Most
Tuesday, September 10
- Review at I Read to Relax
Tuesday, September 10
- Review at Booking and Cooking Around
Wednesday, September 11
- Review at Literary Timeout
Wednesday, September 11
- Review at My Pile of Books
Wednesday, September 11
- Review at Min Reads and Reviews
Wednesday, September 11
- Review at Rachelle’s Writing Spot
Wednesday, September 11
- Review at A Book A Day
Wednesday, September 11
- Review at Classic Children’s Books
Thursday, September 12
- Review at Raising Memories
Thursday, September 12
- Review at Bonnie Gets A Say
Thursday, September 12
- Review at I Love to Read and Review Books
Thursday, September 12
- Review at Real Treble Maker
Friday, September 13
- Review at Diapers and Divinity
Friday, September 13
- Review/Giveaway at All Things Purple
Friday, September 13
- Review at Thoughts From the Heart
Friday, September 13
- Review at Mundie Moms
Friday, September 13
- Review at Blog Critics
Friday, September 13
- Review at Dreaming Under the Same Moon
Friday, September 13
- Review at Jelly Bean Moments
Saturday, September 14
- Review at Austenprose

Blackmoore: A Proper Romance Blog Tour Week 2

Sunday, September 15 - Review at Everyday Notes
Sunday, September 15
- Review at Fantasy World
Monday. September 16
- Review at Ordinary Happily Ever After
Monday. September 16
- Review at Why Not? Because I Said So!
Monday. September 16
- Review at Swinging On Small Hinges
Monday. September 16
- Review at Book Tours and More
Monday. September 16
- Review at Gamila’s Book Review
Monday. September 16
- Review at Simply Stacie
Tuesday, September 17
- Guest Post/Giveaway at Acting Balanced
Tuesday, September 17 - Review at Compass Book Ratings
Tuesday, September 17 - Review at LDS And Lovin It
Tuesday, September 17 - Review at One Literature Nut
Tuesday, September 17 - Review at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark
Wednesday, September 18 - Review at Raising Memories
Wednesday, September 18 - Review at Writing, the Universe and Everything Books
Wednesday, September 18 - Review at Reading Girls
Wednesday, September 18 - Review at Becky’s Book Reviews
Wednesday, September 18 - Feature/Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Wednesday, September 18 - Review at Tressa’s Wishful Endings
Wednesday, September 18 - Review at About To Read
Thursday, September 19 - Review at Pages I Turn
Thursday, September 19 - Review at LuAnn’s Book Reviews
Thursday, September 19 - Review at Good Clean Reads
Friday, September 20 - Review at My Devotional Thoughts
Friday, September 20 - Review at Bookworm Lisa
Friday, September 20 - Review at My Mommy Style
Friday, September 20 - Review at The Romance Reviews
Friday, September 20 - Review at News Wahl
Sunday, September 22 - Review at Thoughts in Progress


Blackmoore: A Proper Romance Blog Tour Week 3

Monday, September 23 - Review at Books Are Sanity
Monday, September 23 - Review at Someone in Mind
Monday, September 23 - Review at Bloggin Bout Books
Monday, September 23 - Feature/Giveaway at Beth’s Book Reviews
Tuesday, September 24 - Review at Sweetly Made (Just for You)
Tuesday, September 24 - Review at Getting Your Read On
Tuesday, September 24 - Guest Post at Indie Book Blog
Tuesday, September 24 - Review at Brooke Blogs
Tuesday, September 24 - Review at Brooklyn Berry Designs
Tuesday, September 24 - Review at Terry’s Treasures
Wednesday, September 25 - Review at WWW Book Babe
Wednesday, September 25 - Review at Novel Reviews
Wednesday, September 25 - Review at Writer Off The Leash
Thursday, September 26 - Review at Camp Costinak
Thursday, September 26 - Review at Attack of the Books
Thursday, September 26 - Review at Brazen Bookworm
Thursday, September 26 - Review at A Word’s Worth
Friday, September 27 - Guest Post/Giveaway at Acting Balanced
Friday, September 27 - Review at 2 Kids and Tired Books
Friday, September 27 - Review at Christy Dorrity
Friday, September 27 - Review at Emily’s Reading Room
Monday, September 30 - Review at The Compulsive Reader
Monday, September 30 - Review at Bookfan
Monday, September 30 - Review at Kimberly’s Book Life
Monday, September 30 - Review/Giveaway at Kelly’s Lucky You
Monday, September 30 - Review at Romance With A Book
Monday, September 30 - Review/Giveaway at Library of Clean Reads

May you read well and often

Kathryn Elizabeth Jones - Conquering Your Goliaths: A Parable of the Five Stones

Saturday, May 11, 2013

15. Conquering Your Goliaths: A Parable of the Five Stones by Kathryn Elizabeth Jones (2012)
The Parables of Virginia Bean Series Book 1
Length: 95 pages
Genre: Christian Fiction
Started: 12 April 2013
Finished: 11 May 2013
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Kathryn for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 3 June 2012
Why do I have it? I like Christian fiction and Kathryn Elizabeth Jones is a new author for me.

David gathered five smooth stones to meet and defeat the giant Goliath. What did each of these stones represent and how can you use them to conquer Goliaths on your own personal quests through life? Ms. Virginia Bean will show you how.

Join her as she travels on her own personal journey. See what she does. Learn how she grows. Discover what she becomes.

Conquering Your Goliaths: A Parable of the Five Stones by Kathryn Elizabeth Jones is for anyone desiring to travel beyond mediocrity, pain and fear. Learn of the great power within you, a power given to you by God, a power that must be unleashed in order for you to conquer the Goliaths in your own life. Come to an even deeper understanding of God and what He wants for you.

I enjoyed reading this book very much. I actually started reading this book on April 12 and probably would have finished this book much sooner, but my Kindle's battery overloaded on April 15 and until I can get it fixed or buy a new Kindle for myself, any reading of ebooks will have to be done on my computer. Reading ebooks on my computer slows down the pace of my reading for some reason, and I don't really understand why.

Anyway, in my opinion, Conquering Your Goliaths: A Parable of the Five Stones by Kathryn Elizabeth Jones deserves an A! This book does have a strongly Christian theme running through it. It is very well-written and understandable, and primarily is about how you can live an inspired and inspiring life.

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often

Introducing Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun!

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Meet Terah Edun

Terah Edun is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of epic and urban fantasy. Her favorite writers include Mercedes Lackey, Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore, Robin Hobb and Maria Snyder.

Connect and Socialize with Terah!


Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun (2013)
Length: 275 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon

Sworn to Raise Blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the empire. But beneath her empire's seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder - intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations.

Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for the Companions Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal journey to become a Court Companion. A position she'd never thought possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the skills to attract a Patron.

But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court sworn to bring him down.

This sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. Sworn to Raise is ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore, Michelle Sagara, and Maria Snyder.

May you read well and often

Eleanor Druse - The Journals of Eleanor Druse: My Investigation of the Kingdom Hospital Incident

Monday, May 6, 2013

14. The Journals of Eleanor Druse: My Investigation of the Kingdom Hospital Incident by Eleanor Druse (2004)
Length: 244 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 8 April 2013
Finished: 6 May 2013
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 March 2012
Why do I have it? I like horror and can remember watching 'Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital' - the television miniseries that was broadcast in 2004.

The newly built Kingdom Hospital in Lewiston, Maine, is one of the most technologically advanced hospitals in the country - a truly remarkable edifice known for its esteemed doctors and ground-breaking medical advancements. Eleanor Druse is called to Kingdom Hospital on a snowy night in December, at the behest of her childhood friend, Madeline Krueger. Madeline had attempted suicide and Eleanor's name was mentioned in the note that she had written that had been found near her.

The night that Eleanor arrives at the Kingdom - Friday, December 13th - is the night Madeline dies and Eleanor herself has a near death experience. Now a patient at the Kingdom, Eleanor is determined to discover the dark secrets of the Kingdom - secrets which may in fact have their roots in the request Madeline Krueger printed at the bottom of her note: 'Sally, the little girl who saved us has survived the fire but she is still lost in the lair of the living.' Madeline signed the note November 2, 1939.

Eleanor's memories of that specific date are somewhat cloudy. She and Madeline had been patients in the children's ward on November 2, 1939, both suffering from whooping cough at the time. November 2, 1939 was also the date the hospital known as the 'Old Kingdom' was razed by a mysterious fire which killed a doctor and a 15-year-old boy who was undergoing treatment.

Eleanor's further investigations uncover an even darker history surrounding Kingdom Hospital: it had been erected on the site of a terrible tragedy - a textile mill burned to the ground on November 2, 1869 - killing dozens of workers, mostly children. And it appears that beneath the sheen of the new construction and scientific innovations of the Kingdom, an indecipherable and primal evil lurks - and the soul of a trapped and helpless child cries out for solace.

I remember reading this book sometime in 2005, I believe. 'Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital' was broadcast between March 3 and July 15, 2004 and I watched every episode except one. That ignited my interest in reading the book the miniseries was based on, so I went to the library when I could and checked out this book as soon as it was available. I give this book an A! 

I had wanted to review this book much earlier than now, but I could never find another copy until I looked the title up on Paperback Swap and was able to get a copy for myself. I have noticed that 'Eleanor Druse' has been attributed as being a pen name for Stephen King, but I believe that the author behind 'Eleanor Druse' is actually Richard Dooling - who co-wrote and produced the 2004 miniseries - and is himself the author of four books.

A! - (90-95%)
     
May you read well and often

Blog Tour For Rift Healer by Diane M. Haynes From June 20, 2013 to July 3, 2013 - Come Join Us!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Hello Everyone! I am extremely happy to announce that Diane M. Haynes will be touring the blogosphere to promote her young adult fantasy/romance book Rift Healer, the first installment of her Forest Magic series.  This is Diane's first virtual book tour with I'm a Reader, Not a Writer. Diane will be coming to a blog near you from June 20, to July 3, 2013! Come join us for all the fun!

Rift Healer Blog Tour Information:

Meet Diane M. Haynes

Diane has lived in Massachusetts all her life where early on, her artistic talents were fostered, though her skills as an “excellent report writer” were often noted in previous employment.

On her brother Rick’s birthday, November 16, 2004, seven months after his death, she woke from an amazing dream which would not fade. She outlined the dream, made a few quick notes and days later produced a 12 page short story. After deciding her story was interesting but incomplete, she began writing her first novel, using her dream as its climax. She now believes the dream to be a ‘Spirit Gift,’ sent by her brother.

Diane continues to reside in Central MA with her husband and a very naughty Basset Hound named Basil and his new adopted sister-Basset, Ruby, both of whom cleverly wreak havoc on the Haynes’ formerly well-ordered lives. She spends her time writing, reading books about writing, talking about writing, painting with watercolors, antiquing and attempting to train a very reluctant Basil and a willing, but highly comedic Ruby.

Connect and Socialize With Diane!


About Rift Healer:

Rift Healer is the first installment of the ‘Forest Magic’ series, a Young Adult Fantasy/Romance set in Central and Western Massachusetts.
After a minor earthquake, the enchanted forest in Bidwell, MA, is infested with monster-spewing rifts. Gisele Westerfield’s great nephew, the gifted Micah, and his distant cousin, Selena, arrive to assist. Together with Gisele’s summer students, twins Haley and Lacey, they will try to heal the magical forest.

Much to the consternation of the beautiful Selena, Micah identifies Haley as The One with whom he’ll share his future. But after witnessing a terrifying display of Micah’s Gift, Haley cools to his advances and unexpectedly discovers her own Gift– she can heal the earth.

Monsters, mayhem, and teenage angst follow the small group as they confront evil in the forest and a dangerous prediction that ‘one will fall’. Will they heal the rifts in time? Can they save the unicorns? And is Haley really destined to be with Micah?

Coming to Amazon soon!

Book Blast Giveaway of  $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends July 4, 2013.


Rift Healer Blog Tour Schedule:


June 20th
Interview at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
Character Interview at Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
Review at readalot
Review at Sarah Aisling

June 21st
Interview at Cuzinlogic
Review at Penny For Them
Tens List or Guest Post at Pretty Opinionated

June 24th
Interview at Curling Up with a Good Book
Review at GeoLibriarian
Spotlight at Mythical Books
Excerpt at Wintry Words

June 25th
Interview at Promiscuous Diva
Review at Rogue Mission
Tens List or Guest Post at Reading Away the Days
Spotlight at Literary Sweet

June 26th
Review at Books, Bones and Buffy
Spotlight at Cu’s Ebook Giveaways
Excerpt at Suzy Turner, YA Author

June 27th
Spotlight at Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Reviews
Review at Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Excerpt at Books, Books, the Magical Fruit

June 28th
Spotlight at Bunny’s Review
Review at Ohana Day Academy
Excerpt at Auggie Talk

June 29th
Spotlight at Bookmarks, Spoilers and Happily Ever After
Review at Jessie’s Book Place
Spotlight at Sweeping Me

July 1st
Review at Bookworm Lisa
Review at Sher A Hart: Written Art
Spotlight at From the Bootheel Cotton Patch

July 2nd
Tens List or Guest Post at Spellbindings
Review at Proud Book Nerd
Interview at Blkosiner’s Book Blog
Spotlight at A Blog Hop Place for Books

July 3rd
Spotlight at Bookflame
Spotlight at Moonshine Art Spot
Review at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark

May you read well and often

Reading Wrap-up For April at Emeraldfire's Bookmark

Wednesday, May 1, 2013


Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Emeraldfire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog.
Anyway, I started out April with about two hundred unread books lying around the house and ended the month with...umm...uncountable amounts of books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from AmazonNetgalley a Library Book Sale that Mom and I went to on the 20th and authors.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile 

Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- Don't Look Back, Agnes and In This House by Kathryn Meyer Griffith 
- Dead Money by Steve O'Brien

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Clean and Floss by Scott Rhine
- Letters From Skye by Jessica Brockmole
- Collapse by Richard Stephenson
- Spider: A Short Story by Richard Stephenson
- Visions by Norma-Jean Marie Connors
- Cobweb Bride by Vera Nazarian
- Credara: Rise of the Kraylen by J. E. Henderson
- Ghost Time by Courtney Eldridge
- In the Company of Wolves by James Michael Larranaga
- Through the Door by Jodi MacIssac
- A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa Basso
- Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun
- The Spellcaster's Grimoire by Mark All 
- All Things Slip Away by Kathryn Meyer Griffith
- The Goddess Chronicle by Natsuo Kirino
- The Tale of Raw Head and Bloody Bones by Jack Wolf
- Complete Titanic Chronicles by Walter Lord
- Gift by Andrea J. Buchanan
- The Twisted Window by Lois Duncan
Grim by Joseph Spencer
- Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder
- Hawk Quest by Robert Lyndon
- 1984 by George Orwell
- The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory
- Dark Side of the Moon by Sherrilyn Kenyon
- The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a Story by Richard Bach
- Lady Robyn by Rodrigo Garcia y Robertson
- The Master by Jean Johnson
- Sherlock Holmes: A Case of Identity by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- Sherlock Holmes: The Red-Headed League by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Song by Jean Johnson
- Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B. Cooney
- When he Was Wicked by Julia Quinn
- The Wolf by Jean Johnson
- Spellbinding by Maya Gold
- The Hero's Lot by Patrick W. Carr
- Dragonwitch by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
- Her Boyfriend's Bones by Jeanne Matthews
- The Eighth Court by Mike Shevdon
- Frylocke: Jack Boomershine and the Prophecy Untold by R. Christopher Kobb
- King by R. J. Larson

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- Don't Look Back, Agnes and In This House by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me, considering. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 2
Pages Read: 361
Grade Range: A+! to A!

So, there you go! The reading month that was April. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)

May you read well and often