Rochelle Campbell's Blog: The NoteBook Blogairy, page 7

Book Review: Moonlight Dancer by Deb Atwood

“Unni’s chin trembled in her last moments.  I’ll never forget her chin, that dimple.  How could I when I see it now reflected in her son, his face pointed to the sea eagle?  But his eyes — a soldier’s eyes, dark and alert.” – Deb Atwood, Moonlight Dancer

This is an exquisite description of the crux of this complex tale that takes us into the heart of 16th-century Korea during the war with Japan.  Author Deb Atwood has created a moving ghost story with believable time shifts and strong characters that can deliver the story beautifully.

Kendra MacGregor is a normal young college student.  Well, not so normal, her father recently passed away and her family left the family home to assist their adopted daughter to learn and know her culture.  As a result, Kendra was left in the family homestead alone.  Figuring out what to do with her time was among her biggest concerns until she happened upon an old Korean doll.  The doll in ancient formal outfit called a hanbok called to Kendra.  She left the store after hearing the price without it.  Yet, she couldn’t forget its haunting beauty, or the handsome sales clerk who Kendra desperately tried to ignore.

Kendra went back to the store and purchased the doll and unwittingly left her scarf creating an opening for the young clerk, Hiro, to reach back out to her.  This charming story opening hardly prepares one of the twists and turns that follow.

In quick succession, Kendra’s life changes.  She must get a job to replace the money she used to purchase the doll.  And, she begins losing track of time and is unsure of the placement of the doll and its articles.  As events escalate, so do the time lapses and spooky occurrences.  Kendra takes on Hunter, as a housemate, to help with expenses.  And even he has questions as time goes on as to Kendra’s sanity!

Nightmares, phobias and new skills surface as Kendra is entwined in NanJu’s life, the ghost that has inhabited the doll that Kendra purchased.  The tragic events that occurred over 400 years ago in NanJu’s life are causing pain still for the ghost and it wants Kendra to help it change the past!

Hiro watches all with growing concern.  He wants to know what the cost will be to help NanJu.  More importantly, he wonders if either Kendra, or himself will survive…

Read this fabulously wrought love/ghost story to see how it unfolds and learn about ancient Korean culture and the shamanistic spiritual practices as you go along.

5 Blogairy Notebooks

 

Participate in an Urban Fiction Blog Tour?

The book is B. Swangin Webster’s Just Let Me Say This.

We meet Cheryl Goldman as a high school student.  She is in a relationship with Shaun, her first love.  After two years in relationship that excluded intercourse – Cheryl wanted to save herself for her wedding night – one night, she decided that it was the night.  However, she changed her mind when the reality of what she was about to engage in hit her.  Shaun was decent enough to have no hard feelings.  However, the next day he was with another girl who ends up pregnant.  This is the initial shaping factor that lays the groundwork for how Cheryl chooses her men.

Not your typical drama — urban, or otherwise.  Just Let Me Say This will make you laugh, get misty, and make you think whether you are male, or female.  What makes us all tick inside?  What motivates us?  These are some of the the questions raised as we see pieces falling into (and out of) place for Cheryl as this story unfolds.

I was so intrigued by the book I wanted to help this author by hosting a blog tour.  It will run from Monday, February 1 – Wednesday, February 10, 2016.  After a successful and on-time upload on the date and time scheduled, each blog participant will receive a $5 Thank You! via PayPal.  Please note: Funds will be deposited at the end of the tour.

In addition, there will be a $20 Amazon gift card giveaway for the blog tour participants!

If you are interested in participating in the Just Let Me Say This blog tour, please follow the link and use the form to sign up!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1QNEziClfXmOKyA09l7APHLA1hqz5IaMMTm8l1XV4dhQ/viewform?usp=send_form

Lyn Horner’s Capturing Gabriel: Book & $25 Gift Card Giveaway!

Like two magnets, they are drawn to each other…

Like two mules, they stubbornly fight their hearts

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lyn Horner has a $25 Amazon Gift Card PLUS 3 eBooks 

to Celebrate the release of Book 3 of  her

Romancing the Guardians Series

Capturing Gabriel
by Lyn Horner
 
My rating: 5 stars
 
Publisher: Lyn Horner
Publication Date: December 29, 2015
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Print Length: 141 pages
Available from: Amazon

Add to Goodreads
 
What’s a handsome Colombian psychic with super-hero-power to do with a spirited Navajo

beauty who invades his territory? Why…kidnap her, of course. Chopper

pilot, Josie Tseda, served in Afghanistan extracting soldiers from

deadly situations. She knows how to take care of herself. However, when she

vows to find Gabriel Valdez, a Guardian of Danu, and deliver him to a

gathering of the Council of Guardians, she may have bitten off more than

she can chew. Locating Gabriel in the mountains of Colombia is

hard enough. Josie didn’t count on ending up his prisoner.  Or, on falling for him.Gabriel is battling Colombian drug traffickers

and seeking revenge against the man who murdered his mother. He’s not

looking for romance and doesn’t trust the feisty American female who

wants to fly him off to the U.S. The message she conveys directing him

to return with her, supposedly coming from the High Guardian, may be a

lie to ensnare him and steal the precious scroll he guards.

Yet, he can’t help wanting her. Will he allow her to capture his heart? Or,

will the secret power he wields ultimately drive her away?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Decoding Michaela

By Lyn HornerMy Rating: 5 StarsSeries: Romancing the Guardians – Book 2

Publication Date: June 8, 2015

Publisher: Lyn Horner

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Print Length: 144 pages

Available from:  Amazon

Add to Goodreads

 
Michaela Peterson can read minds but can she tell good from evil? A Guardian of Danu sworn to protect one of seven sacred scrolls, her identity is known only to the High Guardian. Or so she thinks until a stranger brings word that her revered leader has been murdered by vicious “Hellhounds” who want the scrolls. She’s attracted to the handsome messenger, but is he who he claims to be? Or does he mean to gain her trust and steal the scroll she guards?



Dev Medina often dreams of a woman he calls his golden goddess. He

believes she is real and meant for him. Expecting to deliver a warning

to Dr. “Michael” Peterson from the new High Guardian, he is stunned to

find the doctor is his dream girl. Fearing the Hellhounds may be coming

after her, he wants to whisk her to safety, but she stubbornly resists

leaving her Galveston, Texas, home. Can he convince her to trust him

before tragedy strikes?

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rescuing Lara
by Lyn Horner
 
My Rating: 5 Stars
 
Series: Romancing the Guardians – Book 1
Publication Date:

December 21, 2014
Publisher: Lyn Horner
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Print Length: 180 pages
Available from:  Amazon |  Barnes & Noble
Add to Goodreads 
 
 
Lara Spenser is running for her life. She guards a treasured relic from

ages past that no one outside a select group is supposed to know about.

Yet, an evil one has learned of its existence and his minions are hot on

Lara’s trail. Although she has escaped to Ireland and is living under

an alias, her special sixth sense tells her the “Hellhounds” are growing

near. Injured in a car wreck that killed her beloved uncle, she is

desperate for someone to act as her bodyguard.


 
Enter Connor O’Shea, ex-Special Forces soldier. Now the foreman for a

crew of oil and gas well firefighters, Conn is on an extended vacation

after a devastating explosion on his last job. Out of curiosity, he

answers Lara’s ad for a “strong chauffeur” and takes on the job of

guarding her temporarily.


 
Conn has his hands full, not only keeping Lara safe but also trying

to help her recover from deep physical and emotional wounds. As days and

weeks pass the two grow closer and romance blooms, but their tenuous

peace is shattered one terrifying night by Lara’s pursuers. Conn may

prove his ability to protect her, but can he help her fulfill her

destiny as High Guardian of apocalyptic secrets? Can he rescue her from

the soul-deep pain that holds her prisoner?


 
Find the answers in Rescuing Lara, book one in this tantalizing series, Romancing the Guardians.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Research for Writing

By Lyn Horner 





  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Capture Some Great Reading

Lyn Horner is offering 3 eCopies of 

Capturing Gabriel 

PLUS 

A Grand Prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card

International where allowed

Ends  January 27, 2016

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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My Secret New Year

Not that kind of secret! :-)

I’m speaking of Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret.  I began reading it again in preparation for the new year.  I’ve read it in the past and implemented the positive viewpoint/worldview and affirmation to great effect.  I actually won $1K from a scratch-off game about 4 weeks after doing a visualization I created based upon reading this book.  Did I continue the visualizations?  Of course not!  Why?  Who knows.  Fear.  Confusion.  Avoidance.  Probably all of the above.

Back to the present.  I kept feeling like I needed to read The Secret again.  So, I did and am.  I am feeling strong and happy — no matter what is going on.  Yes, I acknowledge a lot of activity and busy-ness occurred this past week.  However, I refused to see it as negative.  It is just the nature of a new thing — this year.  And, a direct result of people having been out of the loop for several weeks.  Everyone was pretty much back and wanted to jump right back in and wanted answers.  Totally normal.  Totally human.  The way I interpret things is very important for my own well-being.

 

By using the ideas from the various teachers in The Secret, I was able to navigate my own inner emotional landscape.  This allowed me to get my work done without the extreme emotional responses that I usually experience when Life throws a dozen balls at me all at once.

 

Even the folks around me all week noticed my grounded energy and my happiness.  Proof positive that this stuff works!  Another small confirmation: On Monday morning, my first day back in the office I had a package on my desk.  It was a book I requested back in October 2015.  What was the book?  Joyce Meyer’s Power Words: What You Say Can Change Your Life.  [You can’t make this stuff up!]

(Psst…I wrote a teeny bit about Power Words here.)

What have you learned/seen/understood when you used The Secret?

Chronicles of the Interred: Alternate Book & GC Giveaway!

There are lies in the fabric of Time only she can unravel…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enter to win a THREE eBook Set of 
The Chronicles of the Interred 
PLUS
A $10 Amazon Gift Card

Alternate
by Marilyn Almodóvar
 
My rating: 5 stars
 
Series: Chronicles of the Interred – Book 3
Publication Date: December 23, 2015

Publisher: Iambe Books, LLC

Genre: YA Coming of Age | Time Travel

Print Length: 277 pages

Available from:  Barnes & Noble | Amazon US |  Amazon UK

Add to Goodreads 

When a portal leaves

Baxter trapped and powerless in an alternate world, she finds herself on

the run and fighting for her life. The world’s Council wants to hand

her over to Declan, and her only source of support is a broken Alternate

Jack who blames her for all he’s lost. Baxter soon realizes that if

she’s going to defeat Declan and get back to her world, she’ll have to

reclaim her abilities and be stronger than she ever imagined.Declan

and the Absorbers’ Initiative wage war on everyone who opposes them in

their hunt for Baxter. Their actions reveal what her future will be like

if she doesn’t make some drastic decisions. She knows that one misstep

on her part will lead to the destruction of not just this world, but her

own.

In a race against Time and bitter enemies, Baxter will

discover how much is at stake and just what she’ll have to sacrifice to

save those she loves. Can she learn from the fate of an alternate world

how to become the Time Bender she’s meant to be?

Tome Tender’s Review of…

 Alternate by Marilyn Almodovar

 (Chronicles of the Interred, #3)

She is Baxter Number 7 in the alternate world she has found herself in. Powerless, Baxter must deal with seeing old friends who are not her friends, and, of course, Jack. But Alternate Jack is not like her Jack, he is older, sadder and bitter, blaming our Baxter for his loss of a special power, his loss of his Baxter. Would he rather see our Baxter dead than help her return home or defeat DeClan? So many things are different, yet so much feels like it should be the same, friends, not friends, some alive here while dead in Baxter’s dimension, but always DeClan is hot on her tale, chasing her through dimensions, killing off as many of the other Baxters as possible.





The time has come for our Baxter to take a stand, no matter the cost, fi she is meant to defeat DeClan, it is now or never, but how will she do it with no powers and without being sure of who stands with her? Why this dimension, why not with her Jack, the one who loves her?





Okay, I know, talk of dimensions, multiple Baxters, multiple Jacks, followers of Marilyn Almodovar and her brilliant series know what I am talking about, brilliant storytelling, weaving of fantasy and adversity, love and war and one girl, expected to save the world from the twisted grip of a deranged monster. Alternate is another edgy addition that is gripping, while alternating between being driven by the characters and the action, as well as the impending doom should all fail. Ms. Almodovar’s concept of different dimensions or planes of existence is just another fabulous weapon of words and imagination in her arsenal of creativity. Every dimension is separate and the outcomes may vary, but only in one will the final battle come. Will these dimensions clash or become the unlikely allies in the war against evil?





High tension, overflowing with emotional turmoil, precarious situations and one girl at the vortex. A highly recommended series to exercise one’s wildest imaginations, all while asking, “what if?”

 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Interred

by Marilyn Almodóvar

Tome Tender rating: 5 of 5 stars





Series: Chronicles of the Interred, Book 1

Publication Date: January 21, 2013

Publisher: Iambe Books

ISBN: 193945302X

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy

Page Count: 267

Available from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble





Synopsis:

Time has never been an issue for Baxter Jacobs, but then she never knew she had the ability to Bend it.

As

her sixteenth birthday approaches, Baxter inherits a pendant that will

change her life. Connected to the pendant is a dark and mysterious young

man named Declan Ashdown. Trapped in a Time loop for the past 122

years, Declan needs Baxter’s help to escape. The only problem is, she

has no idea how to do it.

To acquire the power she needs to free

him, she’ll become one of the Interred, those whose Magical abilities

emerge as they come of age. When she does, she’ll discover that Declan

isn’t the only one interested in the fact that she’s a Time Bender.

As

the Interment arrives, Baxter knows this will be no Sweet Sixteen. A

vengeful relative and ruthless Council are determined to control her.

Declan’s powerful and charming descendant, Jack Ashdown, claims he can

save her. She’ll soon have to decide who she can trust, and how to

master her new abilities before Time runs out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fissure

by Marilyn Almodóvar





Tome Tender rating: 5 of 5 stars





Series: Chronicles of the Interred – Book 2

Publication Date: May 18, 2014

Publisher: Iambe Books, LLC

Genre: YA Fantasy

Print Length: 286 pages

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Baxter Jacobs just

survived the worst Sweet Sixteen in history: buried in a coffin, hunted

down by assassins, and losing almost everything that mattered to her.

She’s ready for some normalcy, but “normal” won’t play any part of this

Time Bender’s future.

Now that the immediate threat is over, Baxter

learns just how much the English Council expects of the newest Interred.

The pressure has her seriously considering her uncle’s offer to take

her to New York, especially since she thinks it will keep her Healer,

Jack, from overusing his abilities. Knowing the New York Council’s ranks

are filled with beings using dark powers, however, makes her hesitate.

Before

she can choose, the decision is wrenched from her. Fissures in Time

result in a new battle with an old enemy. Someone she thought she’d lost

reenters her life, and she’ll discover a web of lies woven into the

fabric of Time…lies only she can unravel. Baxter will have to use her

growing abilities to try and reveal the truth, even if it forever

changes the reality she knows.

There are lies in the fabric of Time only she can unravel…

 




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

Marilyn

Almodóvar is the author of a series of YA paranormal novels. Born in Ft.

Huachuca, Arizona, Lyn is a lover of words whose reading tastes range from

Victorian novels to the books of Stephen King. Her favorite past-times have

always been reading and writing, two activities that let her escape to other

worlds.



Lyn

could happily exist breathing the clean air of Narnia, trapped in a cupboard

under the stairs with Harry, fighting alongside Captain Jack Sparrow, doing an

internship in Torchwood, or traveling around time and space with the

Doctor…as long as she can have Mr. Spock, Captain Kirk and Captain Mal as

companions.



She

currently lives in Central Florida with her French husband, English-born eldest

son, and French-born youngest son.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
To celebrate the release of ALTERNATE,  
Marilyn Almodovar is offering 
A $10 Amazon Gift Card 
The three eBook set of The Chronicles of the Interred
That’s TWO winners!
International where allowed
Ends January 11, 2016

 

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The Best of The NoteBook Blogairy for 2015!

Image from Radio Valencia San Francisco

Everyone’s doing a ‘Best of’ list.  I’ll join the bandwagon!  Here are the top 10 posts that many of you came to my blog to read (and re-read).  I’ve removed the two absolute tops – my Home page and my About page.  Adding them into the mix did not seem appropriate.

Without further ado, here are my top viewed posts in the year 2015.

NYC Gluten-Free Party — Lots of Fun!
The E-Squared Way
The Aftermath of Publishing My Third Book
Jewel Me Crazy: My Love Affair with Alexandrites
#IndieRoar 10-Day Challenge: Are You Ready?! (June 1 – June 10)
The #IndieRoar Challenge Winners
#IndieRoar Challenge Time! Are you Ready for June 1st?!
My Journaling: The Greatest Benefit
Cindy Irish’s: The Song That Seduced Paris Book Giveaway + $100 GC
#WriterWednesday Tip: A Strategic Partner — Your Book Editor

By far, the first five were the far and away most read posts for this blog this year.  The second half did well, but not by the same margins as the first five.  It is interesting that number one has nothing to do with writing at all.  Neither does number 2.  Even though, I mention writing in it.

However, overall my top posts are predominately about the writing life, books, some aspect of reading, or readership!  It is only the top 2 that have nothing to do with writing, or reading.  Even more curious?  Several of these posts were not written this year.  In fact, the top 2 were written in 2014.  And, the Q&A with literary agent Jennifer Chen Tran was written last year, as well.

I hope you enjoyed this quick look back.  I can’t wait to chat it up, read it up and live it up with each and every one of you in the next year.

Merry Christmas!

I am with my family.  They are doing what they do best: whine (2-year-old), wander aimlessly while claiming to be getting dressed (19-year-old), playing with his *friends* online in the latest version of whatever gun-game it is (16-year-old).

We’re to pick up the final three gifts we need.  You see it’s a little after 3:00 pm on Christmas Eve.  And stores close when??  In about, 2 hours!

Well, it’s mainly their gifts.  With them being so grown I think it’s best they choose their own gifts.  Therefore, when we get there — we get there.

That’s what this season is all about; relaxing and going with the flow and ebb of everyone’s more relaxed schedules.  Allowing each member of the family to be themselves.  Lying when necessary (to prevent a gift from being detected…).  Like the video below imparts…Family is forever.

Ah!  The sun has come out!  Perfection.  It’s warm.  Our shopping is almost done and we don’t need to wear coats.  This is a blessing on December 24th on the East Coast.  Merry Christmas El Nino!

And, Merry Christmas to you all!

 

 

Recipient of the “One Lovely Blog Award!”

The NoteBook Blogairy is a recipient of the One Lovely Blog Award!  We were nominated by the blogaliciously wonderful reader trio — Tangled ‘N’ Books!  Thank you Wendy, Tina and Shon for the nomination and mention on your blog!  (After reading your article, I’m waiting for Kill the Boy Band, too!)

ONE LOVELY BLOG AWARD Rules:

Thank the blogger who nominated you.
List the rules and display the award banner.
Give seven (7) facts about yourself.
Nominate fifteen (15) other bloggers for the award. [Make sure you notify them of your nomination!]
Display the award banner on your blog and follow the blogger that nominated you (on your favorite social media platforms).

7 NB Facts:

Wrote my first short story in 5th Grade.
Prefer to read genre fiction: paranormal, supernatural, angels, demons, witches, time travel, etc.
Enjoy reading: all kinds of literature.  I explore different genres whenever a great cover, book excerpt, or recommendation passes my way.
Walking in Nature inspires me and helps chase away writing cobwebs in my brain.
My 2-year old daughter keeps me insanely busy! (Sleep?! What’s that!?*@**!?)
I’ve noticed I have some kind of issue with #gluten and am striving to believe it. :-)
I LOVE to bake.  To feed my habit, I have a brand-spanking new Empire Red Kitchen Aid on my counter!

The Nominees are…

Margie In Italy
Black.Bunched.Mass.Mom.
Tome Tender
Kayti Nika Raet
Celiac Chef: Melissa Bess Reed
Lilo Abernathy
M. Lemont
Rochelle’s Reviews
Rosanna Leo
The Writing Reader
Pen Paper Pad
Lady Marielle
Madhuri Blaylock
I Am Shelfless
Exile on Peachtree Street

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to visit my blogger friends for some great new ideas, articles, fun and general friendly entertainment!

Ta-ta for now,

NB

What’s Happening with The Fury?

This is a quick update to let readers of the From Hell series know what’s going on with their favorite 700+ year old demon.  Fury From Hell is not available, at the moment, as I am doing some additional edits to the book and some expansions.  Based upon reader feedback, I wanted to be as attentive as possible and bring even more to the table.  This way, when Demon From Hell (book 2), hits you — you will be ready for it!

Inspiration for Book 2: Demon From Hell

To find out when, in early 2016, Book 1 will be re-released, and when Book 2 will be released, please subscribe to the “From Hell” series notification list by clicking HERE. (It will take you to my author page rochelleauthor.com).  There will be special discounts and giveaways for subscribers only (and, not just of my own books!).

Please feel free to share any, and all, comments about Fury From Hell and your thoughts!  If you’d like to share your review in the comments below, that would be awesome!  Rock out! :-)

All the best to each and every one of you & thank you for stopping by!

Warm regards,

Rochelle

#FridayReads #Free this weekend! ~ Leaping Out on Faith…

 

Free this weekend! Friday, December 18 – Sunday, December 20, 2015. 

What decisions have you made that you: wonder, regret, wish to go back and try again?  These four women have choices to make.  Do you think they made the right ones?  What would you have done?

Great book club easy read for the winter months.  Perfect for classroom discussions.