Lavinia Urban's Blog, page 4

Foolproof (The Darcy Walker Series) by A.J. Lape

I want to start by saying that I am a huge fan of The Darcy Walker Series. The way A.J. Lape brings Darcy and her crazy world to life is truly spectacular.Meeting the author is definitely on my bucket list. She is a talented writer with a heart of gold, whom I respect a lot.Let me give you a quick run down on Darcy and her life.Okay, Darcy is a teenage girl who lives with her dad and sister. Her mother died years early and Darcy has been left with a huge gaping hole in her heart. Darcy has a group of close friends, mainly all male and one being her (now) boyfriend Dylan *swoon*Now Darcy isn't your normal teenage girl. She likes to have her own style and live by her own rules. Rules that tend to get her in trouble... all of the time. Darcy has a knack of being at the wrong place at the wrong time or rather Darcy would see it as the right place at the right time. Trouble always seems to find her.I love Darcy. Her heart is pure and she cares deeply for her friends. Plus, she is frigging hilarious.If you have not read this series yet then you are seriously missing out. The first book is called Grade A Stupid and is free to download, so now you have no excuses :p




Anyway let's discuss Foolproof. When this cover landed in my e-mail I squealed knowing that I am getting closer to reading this. Lape has not confirmed a date, as of yet, but she has said that it will be released in March.
BLURB: Jon Bradshaw needs a girlfriend stat. When he convinces Darcy Walker to be his wingman at a speed-dating event, one debacle leads to another, and before you know it, they’re the proud new owners of a dead body. Problem is, the body has a tie to Darcy…making her a person of interest in the murder. Things quickly jump from bad to worse when someone hijacks the name of Darcy’s alter ego, framing “Jester” in a Hitchcock-like blend of crimes that leaves her head spinning. In FOOLPROOF, Darcy battles an adversary who tests her IQ while she navigates the daunting worries of a high school senior. Add on the emotional fallout of her latest caper, a cop breathing down her neck, and a hot but stubborn boyfriend, and she’s at her wit’s end.  Can she find her zen and unmask the real murderer? Or get used to a life of prison orange?


Stalker Links:
A.J. Lape's Website A.J.Lape's Facebook Page A.J. Lape's Amazon Page A.J. Lape's Goodreads Page

The Recovery of Catherine Brodie by Grace Harper

 
It's live!
The Recovery of Catherine Brodie is the second book in the Catherine Brodie Chronicles. A romantic suspense story chronicling Catherine's life after she made a fatal mistake. The four books span a decade telling the story of how she comes to terms with her new life. The friends and enemies she makes along the way. Will she ever find absolution? Book 1, The Disappearance of Catherine Brodie is at half price until 17th February, so if you want to start the series, now's a good time. It's available on all platforms.   The Introductory price for The Disappearance of Catherine Brodie is also at half price on all platforms, here are the links: Amazon: myBook.to/TROCBKobo: http://bit.ly/1VoJJ2oB&N: http://bit.ly/1OWAAubiBooks: https://itun.es/gb/MPtlab.lYou can also add it to your TBR list on Goodreads here: http://bit.ly/1LaJwKl
Synopsis:
“...’Do you love me yet?’ Alex said, hoping the answer was yes...” The Recovery of Catherine Brodie starts four years after Erin’s confrontation in the cellar of Green’s. Alexander Devlin wants his band to perform at Green’s and writes a begging email. Erin relents and says yes, even though it goes against all her rules. Erin continues to put her past behind her, but like every bad penny, they always turn up. Erin Brodie has made a success of her music venue and it’s the most sought after place in the country for non-signed artists to perform. Alexander Devlin is the guitarist from the rock band Fragile, they are at the top of their game and are just about to release their final album. Erin drops her guard and so her courtship with Alex begins, but it comes at a price. Erin has enemies and, this time, they have upped their game. This time, her life is in jeopardy and it takes all of her friends to race to find her. This time, they might just be too late...
To be in with a chance of winning a signed paperback (open internationally), sign up to my newsletter HERE to keep up to date with future releases and exclusive prizes. One winner will be picked from anyone who signed up between 1st February 2016 to 17th February 2016. Winners will be notified via the newsletter in March 2016. The host for this post is not responsible and neither is the social media platform, I am Grace Harper x
Author Bio
Grace Harper is a British author who loves to write about strong women and the friends and lovers who make them stronger. She adores writing steamy scenes of first encounters and there is always a little twist along the way.When Grace is not writing, she can be found mooching about in stationery stores, dreaming up tattoo designs or teasing her friends until everyone is in fits of giggles. Grace might have a Maltesers addiction but is not ready to stand up and own that just yet. If you want to get in touch, please do, Grace is pretty laid back and friendly.

Twitter: @authorgharper / Tsu: @graceharper / Instagram: @authorgraceharper /Email: authorgraceharper@gmail.com / Facbook: Grace Harper, author

They Say I'm Doing Well Blog Tour

My HusbandThey say I’m doing well,But no one sees the tears that fall behind closed doors.They say I’m doing well,But no one hears the pain in my vocal chords.They say I’m doing well,But no one feels the pain inside my head.They say I’m doing well,But no one knows how I wish to be dead.They say I’m doing well,And hide behind a fake smile.They say I’m doing well,I’m getting there… it’ll take a while.
Lavinia Urban © 2016Lavinia originally grew up in Cheshire and now lives in a small village just outside of Edinburgh with her husband and two daughters.Writing has always been something that Lavinia have loved since an early age but it wasn't until 2010 when the idea came to her to write Erin the Fire Goddess.Lavinia chose to name the main character and her sister after her two daughters, who inspire Lavinia to write every day. Thank you so much for taking part Lavinia! To see the full list of authors taking part in this month-long blog tour, [click here] To find out what "They Say I'm Doing Well" is all about, [click here] Lavinia is giving away a Kindle Copy of Frozen in Time. To enter, follow Lavinia on Twitter @Lavinia_Missb and tag her in a tweet saying hello!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaviniaUrbanAuthorPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/laviniaurban/TSU: https://www.tsu.co/Lavinia_UrbanWebsite: www.laviniaurban.co.ukGoogle+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+LaviniaUrban/posts/p/pubYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/laviniamissb/Fan Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LaviniasUrbanLegendsInstagram: https://instagram.com/laviniaurban/

Wings of Vegeance by Cameo Renae

Title: Wings of Vengeance (Hidden Wings Series, Book Five)Author: Cameo RenaeGenre: YA Paranormal RomancePublisher: CHBBCover Design: Regina Wamba at Mae I Design PhotographyEdited by: Victoria Schmitz - Crimson Tide EditorialHosted by: Lady Amber's PR Blurb: No one knows of Lucian’s long-held secret—a recently transformed Nephilim daughter. Unfortunately for the Gray house, Lilith believes Emma is the one responsible for killing her father, and her deep-rooted hatred has turned into an envious obsession.Powerful, with wings as dark as night, revenge consumes Lilith’s every thought, only to be fueled by Lucifer’s lies. Her newly transformed gifts have raised the danger level. Her aim is to strip Emma from everyone she loves, and has Lucifer’s Fallen warriors to aid in her task.Receiving help from Midway, Emma reconnects with friends of old and new, and hopes it will be enough to keep them all alive. My family is what keeps my heart beating, and my world a happy place to be.
I was born in San Francisco, raised in Maui, Hawaii, and recently moved with my husband and children to Alaska.I'm a daydreamer, a caffeine and peppermint addict. I love to laugh, love to read, and love to escape reality. One of my greatest joys is creating fantasy worlds filled with adventure and romance, and sharing it with others.One day I hope to find my own magic wardrobe, and ride away on a magical unicorn. Until then...I'll keep writing!

Favorite quote: "The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." Albert Einstein

HAPPY READING! Follow me on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CameoRenaeFanPage Blog: http://cameorenae.blogspot.com/ Website: http://cameorenae.com 
Twitter: @CameoRenae Buy Links: 
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1nhsSTY
Chapter 1“Emma, wake up.” I blinked several times, trying to focus in the darkness, only to find Kade’s distraught eyes hovering close by. “Another nightmare?” he asked. I nodded, wiping the beads of sweat from my brow and then cuddled close to him, resting my head on his chest. The beating of his heart had a way of calming my anxiety, soothing my every fear. “Maybe you should talk to Alaine,” he whispered, pressing his lips to the top of my head.“I’ll talk to her in the morning,” I exhaled. “You’re shaking.” His hands rubbed down my arms. “Was it about me?”I could sense a hint of concern in his voice. “No,” I breathed. “It was about Alaine this time.” I tried to erase the visions of her scorched and blistered body from my mind, but it was still there. In full color. Terrorizing me. The smell of smoke was still lingering in my nose, and the heat of the flames still felt warm on my skin. I didn’t want to worry anyone with my troubles, but it was the third time this week I’d woken Kade with these horrifying nightmares. Every night it was a different loved one, and they were getting stronger as they progressed. What was most unnerving was the shadowy figure with onyx wings present in every one. I could never make out the face but could sense its twisted pleasure as it watched me suffer.I’d had enough of watching my loved ones endure horrible and painful deaths. Although they were nightmares, the pain was real and lingered for days after. It was something I couldn’t just erase. These dreams ate at my soul, keeping me tight in its cold, indifferent arms, holding on through my waking hours.I prayed they weren’t premonitions, and I prayed Kade wouldn’t be in any future nightmares. I’d watched him suffer in real life, and it’d shattered my entire being. Now that we were bonded, watching it happen again would kill me. I glanced over at the clock. It was four in the morning, but I didn’t want to go back to sleep. “Where are you going?” Kade asked as I slipped from the warmth of his arms.“To make some coffee and read the book Lia sent me.”“You sure you don’t want to stay here with me?”“You know I do, I just don’t want to go back to sleep.”His hazel eyes swirled with desire. “I didn’t say we had to sleep.”“Are you seducing me, Mr. Anders?”A grin played on his lips as he pulled the covers down. “Maybe.”“Well then,” I exhaled, jumping in next to him. “Coffee can wait.”

#Junkie (GearShark #1) by Cambria Hebert blog tour

Title: #JunkieSeries: GearShark #1Author: Cambria HebertGenre: M/M Sports RomancePublished: January 20, 2016  Drew Forrester is a total adrenaline junkie.His high of choice?Cars.The faster, the better.He’s been making waves in Maryland’s underground racing circuit since he crossed the state line, and after speaking with him, we know he’s not hitting the brakes anytime soon.So what exactly does it take to burn rubber and make a name for yourself in a world where the only rule is there are no rules?You gotta be hungry…You gotta have balls…And you can never back down.What’ve we learned here at GearShark? Drew is all of the above. We also know he’s got some secrets buried under his hood. Secrets we think are loaded with octane and just might set the world of cars on fire.Check out the full feature article inside…

Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.You can find out more about Cambria and her titles by visiting her website: http://www.cambriahebert.com.

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Writing with a cat

Back in 2014 my family and I got a beautiful ginger and white kitten from the local cat rescue. My children named him Nugget because he reminded them of a chicken nugget. Plus, where I live we sometimes call people nuggets when they are acting a bit silly.
From the beginning Nugget's personality shone through. He knew what he wanted and when he wanted it. He also loves attention. So whilst I got to work he would find anyway to be close to me and to distract me. Nugget developed early on the habit of sleeping around my neck or using my breasts as a perch. It was cute so I let him continue.



As he grew up he became mischievous and was always trying to get into things. Mainly my work. He loved nothing more than to climb in the boxes my books were delivered in and claim them as his own. I could be writing or reading and he would try and stop me.He would continue to use me as somewhere to sleep, even as he grew bigger and bigger. I was thankful for the fact that I could type without looking at the keyboard.


Then in October 2015 we discovered him hiding in his cat carrier. He was a bit messed up and at first I couldn't get him out. He was in pain so of course he was hiss and growl at anyone who went near him. He wouldn't drink or eat - mainly because he couldn't walk to the bowls.So we took him to the vets and as, at the tie, I could not afford x-rays the emergency vets said they would bandage him up and hopefully it is just broken and that will help. At the next visit we discovered that something more needed to be done because this wasn't helping. I had to come up with the funds to get an x-ray and possibly an operation. Eventually we found a vets who was able to help us (the previous vet suggested we put him down - a-holes) but we quickly discovered that his bones were badly out of place and would either need very expensive surgery which involved putting wires in his paw, which may not work or they could amputate his arm.
It was a tough decision but my baby boy is part of the family. He was young and healthy We wanted to go with the option that saved less visits to the vets. We all know that pets aren't a fan of visiting the vets. So we chose amputation. The way we saw it is, let's say he had the other operation and it didn't work then he could develop arthritis and could possibly have to have his leg amputated anyway. Plus he is young so he has more time to get used to it. It wasn't an easy decision. There were times I just cried as we tried to think of what was best. I have to say that we are happy with our decision. You are probably wondering what happened to him to cause this? The vets think that going by his injuries he was caught by a car. Possibly he was underneath a car to get some warmth and the driver got in and drove off without checking. So since this Nugget has now become a permanent indoor cat. He still begs to go out, but it is less often. But I feel better knowing that he is at home. Of course he is still getting up to mischief. He is a cat so it is expected. As time has gone on he has made sure that he knows we are all there. And when I zone out, when I am writing, he is right there to jump on me. To attack the cursor on my laptop. I have a computer mouse attached to my keyboard that lights up and sometimes he likes to attack that too. To me he is like my son (yes crazy cat lady talk.) He is my baby boy who still love to snuggle into me and use my breasts as a perch. Of course now I struggle to see over him



 If I try to read he will either look at the pages with a 'wtf?' expression, especially if I am reading a paperback and the pages are rustling. Then he will put his paw on my page.Honestly I love my little cat. He will be two years old in April. He has become my little writing buddy who likes to tell me when I should stop writing or listens (pretends to) when I am talking about my stories. But he always likes me to know who is the boss. I know his cries. I am the one who gives him the treats, so he will purposely sit on my mouse mat and meow constantly until I obey him. Yup he has be whipped but I wouldn't have it any other way.  

Giveaway

I am close to getting 100k followers on my Facebook author page. You have no idea how excited I am about this.I decided to do a giveaway. It is my way of saying thank you to everyone who follows me, comes to my page, shares, likes and comments on my posts. You are all amazing.At first I thought I would give prizes from myself - Parcel, 3 mystery envelopes and 2 e-books. Then I thought... Oooo wouldn't it be great if my friends could get involved, which would result in more winners. 
This giveaway will run from the 23rd December 2015 and end 31st January 2016.

Here are the list of prizes that are up for grabs:

1.       Parcel from Lavinia Urban2.       Kindle e-book of Frozen in Time by Lavinia Urban3.       Kindle e-book of British Words To Have Fun With by Lavinia Urban4.       Gift envelope from Lavinia Urban5.       Gift envelope from Lavinia Urban6.       Gift envelope from Lavinia Urban7.       E-copy of The Only One by J.F. Holland8.       Multi Author Swag Pack donated by Doris Orman9.       A signed anniversary edition of #Nerd by Cambria Hebert10.   $5 Starbucks card11.   ebook of It Was Meant to Be by K.M. Lowe12.   Swag by K.M. Lowe13.   Winners choice audiobook by Alexia Purdy14.   E-book copy of Realm of the Immortals, Truth is book one by Tina Nelson & Deb Gulli15.   e-book (readers choice) from Katie Salidas backlist16.   e-book (readers choice) from Katie Salidas backlist17.   e-book (readers choice) from Katie Salidas backlist18.   e-book (readers choice) from Katie Salidas backlist19.   E-books 1 - 3 in The Darcy Walker series by A.J. Lape20.   Audiobook by A.J Lape. (Winners choice of either Grade A Stupid or No Brainer)21.   Audiobook by A.J Lape. (Winners choice of either Grade A Stupid or No Brainer)22.   Sub Rosa Trilogy boxed set (ebook) by Sarah Michelle Lynch23.   e-book of In My Dreams by Cameo Renae24.   e-book of Hidden Wings by Cameo Renae25.   e-book of ARV-3 by Cameo Renae26.   An e-book of Guardian by Gillian Joy27.   Swag by Gillian Joy28.   Ebooks 1-3 in the Cursed Trilogy by Georgina Hannan29.   E-book of Another Life by Georgina Hannan30.   E-book of Serial Dater by Georgina Hannan31.   a signed copy of  Paris Hemsworth's Road to Wonderland by Francesca Marlow32.   E-book copy of Play Safe by Amber Garza33.   E-book copy of For the Win by Amber Garza34.   E-book copy of Transcending Darkness by Airicka Phoenix35.   Audiobook of Accepting the Moon by K.S. Haigwood36.   Audiobook of Eternal Island by K.S. Haigwood37.   Audiobook of Save My Soul by K.S. Haigwood38.   E-book copy of Soulkiss by R.J. Thompson39.   Soulkiss swag by R.J. Thompson40.   Jewellery donated by Pebbles by Jenn41.   E-book copies 1 & 2 of  The Mercy Carver series by Jana Petken42.   E-book copy of The Guardian of Secrets by Jana Petken43.   E-book copy of The Errant Flock by Jana Petken




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Wings of Vengeance (Hidden Wings Series, Book Five) by Cameo Renae, Cover Reveal

Title: Wings of Vengeance (Hidden Wings Series, Book Five)Author: Cameo RenaeGenre: YA Paranormal RomancePublisher: CHBBExpected Release Date: January 8, 2016Cover Design: Regina Wamba at Mae I Design PhotographyEdited by: Victoria Schmitz - Crimson Tide EditorialHosted by: Lady Amber's PR


Blurb: No one knows of Lucian’s long-held secret—a recently transformed Nephilim daughter. Unfortunately for the Gray house, Lilith believes Emma is the one responsible for killing her father, and her deep-rooted hatred has turned into an envious obsession.Powerful, with wings as dark as night, revenge consumes Lilith’s every thought, only to be fueled by Lucifer’s lies. Her newly transformed gifts have raised the danger level. Her aim is to strip Emma from everyone she loves, and has Lucifer’s Fallen warriors to aid in her task.Receiving help from Midway, Emma reconnects with friends of old and new, and hopes it will be enough to keep them all alive. My family is what keeps my heart beating, and my world a happy place to be. I was born in San Francisco, raised in Maui, Hawaii, and recently moved with my husband and children to Alaska. I'm a daydreamer, a caffeine and peppermint addict. I love to laugh, love to read, and love to escape reality. One of my greatest joys is creating fantasy worlds filled with adventure and romance, and sharing it with others. One day I hope to find my own magic wardrobe, and ride away on a magical unicorn. Until then...I'll keep writing! Favorite quote: "The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." Albert Einstein HAPPY READING! Follow me on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CameoRenaeFanPageBlog: http://cameorenae.blogspot.com/Website: http://cameorenae.com Twitter: @CameoRenae 

Erin the Fire Goddess: Destruction

 




31st October 2015 brings the new release of the last book in the Erin the Fire Goddess series.





Blurb:
There is a war coming. 
Decisions have to be made. 
Lives will be lost. 
The end is nigh. 
Whilst Erin is taking her exams, the rest of Galladale is preparing for the army that is coming. 
A crucial discovery is the key to saving lives, but can it withstand the pending destruction? 
What does General Malcolm Roberts want? Will he be able to rescue Sophie before it’s too late? 
What will happen in this final instalment? 





Amazon buy link Barnes and Noble buy link

If you haven't started reading this series yet, you can pick up the first book free on any e-book platform.

Reading order:
The Beginning (1)  Betrayal (2) Torment (3) Jo's Story (3.5) Changes (4) Ripples (5) Destruction (6)

Man Flu

Okay maybe I am not the worst patient ever, but I do give it my best shot.

People always say that women handle sickness better than men. I have not found this to be true.
My husband is a frigging trooper when it comes to being ill. He carries on and goes to work. Me? Well I act as though I am dying. I want to cry all the time. I am one of those people you just want to slap.









I have the flu. Or rather I have Man Flu. It is no joking matter. I am a woman with man flu and I feel as though I am dying. The plight is real.

Today I have had half a cup of blackcurrant Lemsip. I would have had more but seriously.... this stuff is vile. Why can't they make them so they tasted delicious so we would take these meds and get better quicker? It's a ploy people for us to buy more because they know (they really do) that we dont finish the cups and don't get the full benefits. The lemon one of these is even worse than the blackcurrant - and that is saying something. If any of you say that you enjoy the flavours then you are weird! There are lots of flu remedies out there and I have none. I am that one person who seems to have most medical tablets etc. on the cupboard except flu remedies. What the hell is the world coming to? I really need to put on my big girl panties and go and buy some but that takes us back to the beginning... I am a really bad patient. Anyway there are these little bottles of magic. I have never tried them but gave them to my husband for a joke one year. Yeah maybe I should have stocked up for myself. I should also buy some of those man up pills too.

This morning I managed to escape from the house and go shopping. If my husband wasn't home I would not have moved anywhere but we needed food. But what did I do when I get home? I went to bed. I crawled right up in there and fell asleep. Even my cat knew that I was ill and gave me lots of sympathy.
My eldest daughter laughs at me... of course she does, I caught it off her. Bloody lergy giver.
My youngest daughter is full of sympathy and wants to hug and kiss me better - Yup she is getting it next. Well maybe. She gets the flu shot. Plus she won't act like a baby with it. My husband is being the woman and telling me to man up, whilst I sit there and weep and thrash my arms and legs as I throw my dummy (pacifier) across the room as I tell him I am dying.I do want to add that I am not just like this with the flu. I am like this with everything. I have a phobia of being sick. You will rarely catch me vomiting in a toilet (people put their arses and bits on that - plus it stinks) When I vomit it tends to be in the bathtub. Yes gross right? My husband is awesome though because he cleans up after me. I tend to have a type of panic attack when vomiting. I have OCD and I was my hands about 20 times plus a day. Okay maybe about 50, but you get the picture. So how do I catch bugs? Children. they are germ carriers. Don't they know that I have a rubbish immune system? Ugh.So why did I write this blog? Because I am a huge cry baby who is feeling sorry for herself. I want sympathy. I want someone to magic this away.