Sage Nestler's Blog, page 33
August 30, 2017
Kiss Me by Live Glam Review – August 2017
Hello, Everyone!
I want to share with you another month of Kiss Me by Live Glam! This subscription brings you lippies that are long wear and come in the cutest colors. I love how bright this month’s colors are because they totally math my artistic nature! If you love playing with crazy makeup colors, then this subscription is the best.
Much love,
Ashley
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Be Ready to Kiss
Your Other Lippies Goodbye
Plans:
$19.99/month + shipping*
Get your pout hooked on these long-lasting liquid lipsticks! Every month you’ll get 3 new lipstick shades for less than the price of 1. You’ll never get the same color twice.
*NOTE: Ships Worldwide – US Shipping is FREE
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Hello, loves! I am so excited to share with you another month of Kiss Me by Live Glam! This subscription is my new favorite beauty subscription for lip products. The array of colors that you receive, as well as how long lasting the lippies are, can’t be beat. So let’s dive in!
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Kiss Me comes in a small black envelope with the logo on the front! I love how sexy the logo is.
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This month’s theme is Sweeter Days! The colors this month are so bright, and I love how they are based on different ice cream or candies. How cute is that?
The colors this month are Sherbert, Pink Cherry, and Berry! Berry is my personal favorite because I love bright purple lippies.
The lippies themselves are compact and come in a satin pouch. I love the look of the lippies and the fact that they go on so smoothly! One application of these lippies lasts all day for me, even with eating and drinking.
Final Thought: Kiss Me by Live Glam is my new favorite lip brand! I have never found lippies like theirs that last all day, especially with how much water I drink. You only need to put a fine layer on your bottom lip and rub it on the top for the best application. The small amount used makes these lippies last forever! Another perk is that you will never get the same color twice, and these lippies come three for the price of one with free shipping in the US. You can’t beat that! I can’t suggest Kiss Me enough.
August 29, 2017
Box Review: The Witch’in Way – August 2017
I’m sorry I haven’t been active lately! I just started my senior year of college, so I have been quite busy. However, I have so many good things planned for you! To start off, here is my review of a subscription box called “The Witch’in Way”. This is a great box for Wiccan and Pagans, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you are spiritual like I am, then this box is perfect!
Much love,
Ashley
ENJOY A MONTHLY THEMED BOX FOR WITCHES
Join now and receive regular monthly items as well as 3-4 themed items each month directly to your door!
Subscription Options:
The Witch’in Way Monthly Box
Smudge Stick
2 Charcoal Discs
1 Specially Selected Stone
2 Bags of Specially Selected Herbs
Specially Dressed Candle or 4 Chime Candles (depending on the monthly theme)
AND 3-4 Surprise Items Relating to The Theme of the Month
$38/Month + Shipping
$114/3-Months + Shipping
Witch’in Surprise Box
Receive a monthly box of 5-6 plus surprise items tailored for the new and seasoned practitioner! Items include but are not limited to: incense, jewelry, ritual kits, smudge supplies, bags, spell components and much more!! It’s a great gift to give yourself each month!! Orders are taken from the first day of the month until the last day of the same month and ship on the first day of the next month
$45/month + Shipping
$125/3-months + Shipping
$230/6-months + Shipping
I was so excited to receive The Witch’in Way because I love all of the effort that the creators put into making the box! This box is perfect for Wiccans and Pagans, and I love being able to have a box to cater to my spiritual needs.
The Witch’in Way comes in a simple kraft box that is sturdy enough to handle shipping!
The contents of the box are wrapped beautifully in tissue paper! I like the care that goes into the packaging.
The instructions and item list for this month are wrapped up in a scroll! The mystical look of this is adorable. This box’s theme is “Moon Magic”, which is perfect because I received it before the eclipse occurred!
The first item is a pendulum! This mystical pendulum is designed to be an oracle to answer any questions that you might have. It is made out of quartz crystal and comes with instructions. I love using pendulums, so I am so happy that this was included! It is a necessity for spiritual practitioners, and it aligns perfectly with the eclipse.
The next item is a Dark Moon Candle! It smells like sandalwood and has a Wiccan charm on it. Black candles are always a nice touch on altars, and I love the simple smell of this candle.
The next item is a Dark Moon Bath Bomb made exclusively by The Witch’in Way! I am a sucker for bath bombs, so this is a nice touch. The oils and scents used in this bath bomb are designed to encourage spiritual growth, mastery of self, relaxation, energy, happiness, and peace. It is such a relaxing combination!
The next item is a bottle of Lunar Libation Oil! This is also exclusive from The Witch’in Way, which I love. It contains sandalwood, camphor, vanilla and geranium for a mix of positivity. I like using these oils on myself to attract positive energy.
The next item is a bath bomb based on the Full Moon! This bath bomb is blended with jasmine, sandalwood, and lemon to help connect you connect to your purest intentions. Jasmine is one of my favorite scents, so I love how crisp and clean this bomb smells!
In each box, The Witch’in Way sends out a different crystal or stone. This box came with a Labradorite stone, which happens to be one of my favorites! I am a crystal healer, so I love adding new stones to my collection and I use Labradorite frequently. Labradorite can be used spiritually to protect your aura, raise consciousness, and ground spiritual energies. It also helps with psychic abilities and strengthening your intuition!
The herbs included this month are Angelica Seeds and Jasmine Flowers! These bags are fairly big and provide enough herbs to work in many magical settings. I personally love using these herbs for herbal tea because of their properties, so I will be making my own teas with them!
Jasmine is considered to be the sacred flower of Kama, the god of Love, so it is often used for love or relationships. This is a great herb to use in baths!
Angelics Seeds are used to treat insomnia, headaches, and stomach problems. I constantly have headaches and digestive problems, so this is a perfect herb to use for that!
The last items in this box are staples, and they come every month! Included is a sage stick as well as two charcoal tablets. These are great to use in rituals.
Final Thought: The Witch’in Way is an excellent box for new practitioners or seasoned practitioners! I loved everything included, and the fact that most of the items were created/packaged by The Witch’in Way team was such a personal touch. I loved the moon theme of this box, and I will be putting everything to great use. It also has to be said that this box is well worth the cost because of how expensive these supplies can be at spiritual stores. I highly recommend The Witch’in Way!
August 10, 2017
Hello, Everyone!
If you are a huge fan of science-fiction...
Hello, Everyone!
If you are a huge fan of science-fiction and fantasy like I am, then you are going to love this new subscription that I found! It is called Afrofuture Books, and it features sci-fi and fantasy books by African American authors! I am amazed by this box, and I think that you will be too.
Much love,
Ashley
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Discover new SFF by black authors every month.
Every month we curate the best science fiction, fantasy, and speculative works by black authors. Our goal is to spread the voices of black authors in the SFF genre and encourage diversity in SFF publishing.
1-2 SFF books by black authors
Handpicked items related to the books
Access to our online book club
Support black voices in the SFF community
Plans:
$36.99/month + shipping*
*SHIPS WORLDWIDE – Calculated
I could not wait to receive Afrofuture Box because I absolutely love science fiction and the emphasis on African American authors is much needed! There is not another box on the market that features a genre this unique, and I love the creativity that goes into it.
Afrofuture comes in a simple kraft box with a logo sticker on the top! The simple design is safe and classic.
Upon opening the box, I was happy to see how carefully everything was wrapped! Nothing shifted during shipping, and each item was packed beautifully.
The box comes with an insert card to let you know what everything is and where each item comes from! I love having a list of what is included in the box, so I was happy to see this included.
The first item included is a card based on The Spirit from artist Olga Lolo! I love this artwork, and I love that it is presented on a card because it is useful.
The next item is a set of South African Rooibos Tea by Tega! I am a huge tea drinker, and I love how this tea brings a taste of Africa to the subscriber. This makes the box immersive, and that is a huge win for me.
The next item is a bag of South African Flag Colored Jelly Beans from Jelly Belly! These jelly beans are always a favorite, and I appreciate how they present the South African Flag. Adding this sense of African culture in the box is brilliant, while also giving the subscriber a treat to eat as they read!
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The next item is an exclusive Afrofuture mug! I love this mug because it can be used with the tea, and it has one of my favorite genres written across it. The mug was also nicely packaged and it didn’t break during shipping!
The next item is a book called Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture by Ytasha L. Womack. I love informational books like this, and it is nice to receive a book on black sci-fi and fantasy since it is so in depth! This is a great book to add to my book collection.
The last item is a book called The Prey of Gods
by Nicky Drayden! This book also came with an author letter, and I love that touch. I think that this is an excellent book choice for this month’s box!
Synopsis:
*A Wall Stree Journal “Summer Reading: One expert. One book” pick for 2017!
*The RT Book Reviews “June 2017: Seal of Excellence” pick!
*A B&N Sci Fi and Fantasy Blog “ Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2017 So Far ” pick!
From a new voice in the tradition of Lauren Beukes, Ian McDonald, and Nnedi Okorafor comes The Prey of Gods, a fantastic, boundary-challenging tale, set in a South African locale both familiar and yet utterly new, which braids elements of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and dark humor.
In South Africa, the future looks promising. Personal robots are making life easier for the working class. The government is harnessing renewable energy to provide infrastructure for the poor. And in the bustling coastal town of Port Elizabeth, the economy is booming thanks to the genetic engineering industry which has found a welcome home there. Yes—the days to come are looking very good for South Africans. That is, if they can survive the present challenges:
A new hallucinogenic drug sweeping the country . . .
An emerging AI uprising . . .
And an ancient demigoddess hellbent on regaining her former status by preying on the blood and sweat (but mostly blood) of every human she encounters.
It’s up to a young Zulu girl powerful enough to destroy her entire township, a queer teen plagued with the ability to control minds, a pop diva with serious daddy issues, and a politician with even more serious mommy issues to band together to ensure there’s a future left to worry about.
Fun and fantastic, Nicky Drayden takes her brilliance as a short story writer and weaves together an elaborate tale that will capture your heart . . . even as one particular demigoddess threatens to rip it out.
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Final Thought: Afrofuture Box is an excellent book subscription to introduce you to, or expand your knowledge of, Afrofuturism! Each item was carefully curated, and I could tell how passionate the owners were about the box. I thoroughly enjoyed each item, and there is nothing that I would do to improve this box. If you are a fan of sci-fi and fantasy, then this box is a must!
August 7, 2017
Author Interview: Allysa Hart
Today I would like to share with you an interview with author Allysa Hart! Allysa is the author of A Well Placed Wish. Allysa is a romance author, and I love how emotional her writing is. I hope you enjoy!
Much love,
Ashley
[image error]When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I have always loved writing. I used to pen stories in elementary school, but I was hopeless at illustrations so I stopped. After college, I rediscovered my love for reading and started devouring romance books like crazy. The stories started coming to me and I just followed suit and began writing. Best decision I have ever made.
What is the first book that ever made you cry?
I remember this very vividly, it was in 6th grade. Every day after lunch our teacher read to us from a chapter book. Where the Red Fern Grows was one of the books he read and I remember him tearing up as he read and I could feel the emotion like I was living it and before I knew it I was sobbing. It was intense.
How long does it take you to write a book?
I wrote this book in under two months. The other two took a bit longer, but as I get more serious about my writing career I dedicate more time to writing and get stories out faster.
Do you have any bizarre writing quirks?
I don’t think so. I am not a linear writer by any means. I write my stories in scenes and I move things all over the place before I end up with a finished product. When the stories come to me they are all there, from beginning to end, usually. I just have to get them on paper looking good for my readers.
Where do you get your book ideas?
Everywhere. I am always thinking about story ideas, but not all of them come to fruition. Usually, because I forget to write them down.
What do you do when you are not writing?
Read, graphic design, and hang out with my toddler.
What does your family think of your writing?
They are proud of me. When I told my mom her response was, “Its about time. You have always been great with words.” They buy my stuff, but they are not allowed to read it. lol
Do you hear much from your readers? What kinds of things do they say?
I love to hear from readers and I maintain the best relationships that I can with them. I have had tearful confessions of inner struggles and angry words because the emotions in my stories are strong and broke them down. Whether its good or critical feedback, I welcome it. I want to learn and grow and if no one tells me what I can improve on then there is no room for progress.
What do you think makes a good story?
Emotions. I want to love or hate or fear or agonize WITH the characters. I want to feel the story as if it is my own.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Both. On days where the words are flowing I feel amazing like I could take on the world. The days that I am struggling to get 500 words, let alone meet my daily goal, I wonder why I am even doing this. Luckily that feeling never lasts long.
What are common traps that new authors fall into?
I am still a new author and still falling into traps. lol
Have you ever got READERS Block?
Sometimes nothing will keep my attention, I like to see books through to the end, but lately, I have been bad about it.
If you could tell your younger writer self-anything, what would it be?
Never stop. Start and never stop. The story is not stupid, it is your story and it deserves to be told.
What was the best money you ever spent as an author?
My new banner for a book signing. I think it is going to make a huge splash.
What does literary success look like for you?
I have achieved it. I wrote a book and at least one person bought it, read it, and loved it. I continue to write because I love it and it brings a little extra money to my family.
Tell us about your latest book.
Fiona Burelli is a 22 year old socialite living a fast paced privileged lifestyle where she believes she is untouchable. Her father, Vincent Burelli, is a wealthy politician with questionable ethics. Even though she can’t stand the man, she loves the money and the power that came with being a Burelli.
When Vincent is arrested, all of her possessions are seized and assets are frozen and Fiona has no choice but to seek out her family for help or end up on the streets.
She quickly learns the only person willing to take her in is an estranged aunt she has only met once in her entire life.
Fi is forced to trade in her credit cards and designer shoes for a broom and dust pan as she learns how the lower classes live, but she constantly reminds herself, the change is only temporary.
Stumbling into a hidden room of the antique shop, she lets her curiosity gets the best of her and ends up in the company of a sexy, nonsense genie with a penchant for discipline.
Being in the small town with the unique older woman and a sexy genie, she learns more than just how to do laundry and dishes.
Do you sometimes find yourself Googling yourself?
I actually never have. lol
Describe how you felt when you published your first book.
Like I had poured out my soul and people were going to actually read it. I was scared to death, but I am so so glad I did.
What’s coming next?
Sequels! I have a sequel written for Adopting Katie and the next book in the Fantastical Daddy Doms story is already in the works. I am also going to be revisiting Rawhide Ranch a whole lot more, stay tuned.
Do you have a favourite book?
No, it changes all the time and depends on my mood.
August 4, 2017
FREE BOOK: Behind Broken Glass Walls by N.M. Aaroones
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Abuse. A Gun. And Her Daughter.
You never know how strong you are until you are forced into a situation that tests every ounce of your strength. This is what one mother learns when she finds out that the person who committed a shooting at her daughter’s high school was indeed her daughter. Her feelings are a mix of every emotion, but what bothers her the most is that even though she knows that her daughter took the lives of many others, she can’t help but love her the same that she always did – maybe even more. It is this love for her daughter that curses her existence, and makes her question her loyalties. Learn what it means to love a child when everyone else sees her as a murderer, and experience what it feels like to love someone who you no longer understand.
What are the limits on your love?
*.*.*.*.*
In celebration of my book, Behind Broken Glass Walls, being Book of the Day at onlinebookclub.org on September 3, I am giving the book away FOR FREE on Amazon from August 5 – 6. I am hoping to get more Amazon reviews for my book up before then, so if you are able to download the book and leave an Amazon review, I would truly appreciate it! Also, who doesn’t love free books?
Thank you so much for all of your love and support!
August 3, 2017
Feature: Behind Broken Glass Walls on Online Book Club
I am SO excited to announce that my novel, Behind Broken Glass Walls, will be Book of the Day at onlinebookclub.org on September 3! This is my proudest novel yet, and I am so excited to be given this honor.
That being said, I would love it if you could help me out by leaving a review for my novel on Amazon before then! I am hoping to have as many reviews as I can on Amazon before my featured day, and I am running a sale to on the print version of my book through my website, Literary Vacation Club.
This edition is only $10 with FREE SHIPPING and $3 of will be donated to RAINN (an organization that helps rape victims) for every copy sold.
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Abuse. A Gun. And Her Daughter.
You never know how strong you are until you are forced into a situation that tests every ounce of your strength. This is what one mother learns when she finds out that the person who committed a shooting at her daughter’s high school was indeed her daughter. Her feelings are a mix of every emotion, but what bothers her the most is that even though she knows that her daughter took the lives of many others, she can’t help but love her the same that she always did – maybe even more. It is this love for her daughter that curses her existence, and makes her question her loyalties. Learn what it means to love a child when everyone else sees her as a murderer, and experience what it feels like to love someone who you no longer understand.
What are the limits on your love?
New Release: A Beautiful Kind of Hope by Cathy Johns
Today I am happy to introduce you to a new release by author Cathy Johns called A Beautiful Kind of Hope! This is an excellent new romance, and I highly suggest it. Get ready to snuggle up with a hot mug of tea with this one!
Much love,
Ashley
(´*•.¸(*•.¸NEW RELEASE¸.•*´)¸.•*´)
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PURCHASE LINKS:
Amazon
August 1, 2017
Box Review: Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss – July 2017
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When you sign up for Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss, every month you will receive a box full of new print books, eBooks, and a Fresh Fiction keepsake. Fresh Fiction focuses on genre fiction, romance in particular. There will be the occasional mystery, erotica, and paranormal as well.
Plan Options:
Month to Month ($25.95/month+FREE shipping in the US – Discount worldwide shipping is available)
3 Month Pre-Pay ($74.85/3 Months+FREE shipping the US – Discount worldwide shipping is available)
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I am a huge fan of Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss, so I couldn’t wait to receive my July box!
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Each month, Fresh Fiction features a novel to highlight a specific author or publisher. This month’s feature is Run to Ground by Katie Ruggle!
The book also came with a letter from the author, which I always enjoy! I think that the author extras are a huge plus to this box. This book is also set in the Rocky Mountains, where I live, and I love reading books that are set in my home!
Synopsis:
He lost his mentor.
He lost his K9 partner.
He almost lost his will to live.
But when a ruthless killer targets a woman on the run, Theo and his new K9 companion will do whatever it takes to survive—and save the woman neither can live without.
Grieving the death of his partner, Theo Bosco has no room in his life for distractions. Though his instincts scream that he should avoid Juliet ‘Jules’ Jackson, he can’t seem to stay away. It doesn’t help that Theo’s new K9 companion has fallen head over paws with Jules’s rambunctious family.
Or that when he’s with her, Theo finally knows peace.
When Jules rescued her siblings, whisking them away to the safety of the beautifully rugged Colorado Rockies, she never expected to catch the eye—or the heart—of a cop. Yet as Jules struggles to fight her growing attraction to the brooding K9 officer, another threat lurks much closer to home…
And this time, there’s no escape.
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This month came with three free ebooks as well! I love having extra books on my Kindle for trips, so I can’t wait to dig into these.
Books Included:
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Each month, Fresh Fiction sends out an extra treat with the books! This month we received a tea sachet of acai berry herbal tea. There is also a note to go with the tea describing why it was picked! I love how it is connected to this month’s featured book.
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The next book choice is One Week to the Wedding by Olivia Miles. This book is different from the other books included so far, and I always love the variety that Fresh Fiction brings!
Synopsis:
Kate Daniels couldn’t be more excited to be planning her best friend’s wedding…in theory.
Lately, just thinking about gowns and centerpieces makes her want to hide under the covers with her dog and a good book –one that doesn’t include a romantic plot, thank you very much. Maybe it’s because her fiancé cheated. Or maybe it’s because he cheated with her younger sister, Charlotte. Or maybe it’s because her newfound reputation as jilted wedding planner isn’t exactly doing wonders for her career.
Charlotte knows she messed up. Big time. But she also knows something Kate doesn’t-something that might bring them close again, if her sister will ever take her calls. But as time passes and silence grows, Charlotte begins to realize she can’t hide from her problems forever, and that sometimes the only place to run is home.
With the wedding only a week away, Kate expects a few surprises. But what she doesn’t expect is to find herself believing…in the strength of family, and the possibility of finding love again.
In the vein of New York Times bestselling authors Susan Mallery, Robyn Carr, and Kristan Higgins, comes the first in a new women’s fiction novel from Olivia Miles.
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The next novel is my favorite in the box because it is a Southern historical and these are my absolute favorite books! The title of this book is called Freedom’s Price by Christine Johnson.
Synopsis:
When Englishwoman Catherine Haynes loses both her parents and her home in 1856, she decides to cross the Atlantic to find her American mother’s family in Louisiana. She enlists the help of Tom Worthington, a dashing Key West man who makes his living salvaging wrecked ships, but whose real goal in life is to bring to justice the man who stole his father’s ship and caused his untimely death.
When Catherine finally arrives at her family’s plantation, she finds it in disarray and her family absent landowners. Torn between returning to Key West with Tom or beginning the hard work of restoring the plantation, Catherine soon finds herself snared in a plot to steal her inheritance. When an incredible secret comes to light, both she and Tom will face a choice. Can they relinquish the dreams that have been holding them captive in order to step forward in faith–even if it costs them everything?
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The next book is Dating You Hating You by Christina Lauren! This looks like a great contemporary novel, and I absolutely love the cover.
Synopsis:
Everyone knows that all’s fair in love and war. But these two will learn that sabotage is a dish best served naked.
The first standalone romance by New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Beautiful Bastard) is a sexy, compulsively readable romantic comedy that dives headlong into the thrill and doubt of modern love.
Despite the odds against them from an embarrassing meet-awkward at a mutual friend’s Halloween party, Carter and Evie immediately hit it off. Even the realization that they’re both high-powered agents at competing firms in Hollywood isn’t enough to squash the fire.
But when their two agencies merge—causing the pair to vie for the same position—all bets are off. What could have been a beautiful, blossoming romance turns into an all-out war of sabotage. Carter and Evie are both thirtysomething professionals—so why can’t they act like it?
Can Carter stop trying to please everyone and see how their mutual boss is really playing the game? Can Evie put aside her competitive nature long enough to figure out what she really wants in life? Can their actor clients just be something close to human? Whether these two Hollywood love/hatebirds get the storybook Hollywood ending, or just a dramedy of epic proportions, you get to enjoy Christina Lauren’s heartfelt, hilarious story of romance in the modern world.
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The last book is Blue Hollow Falls by Donna Kauffman! I love small town romance novels, and this book looks so cozy.
Synopsis:
From her free-spirited mother, Sunny Goodwin learned the value of peace, love, and Jerry Garcia. The inheritance from the father she never knew? That’s a little more complicated…
Sunny never expected to find herself owning a centuries old silk mill in the shadow of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains . . . or becoming a half-sister to a ten-year-old named Bailey. Once the shock subsides, she plans to cash in and head back home. But the overgrown greenhouse she finds on the property calls out to the gardener in her, and she senses Bailey’s need for nurturing too…
And someone else is making it hard for Sunny to leave: Sawyer Hartwell, an Iraq War hero who wants to make the old mill a creative hub for the artisans of Blue Hollow Falls . . . and wants Sunny to share his vision, and his life. But sexy as this ex-soldier may be, she’s not sure she’s ready to give love a chance…
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Final Thought: Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss blew me away again this month! I love the variety of novels that they sent, and the author letter for their featured novel is great. Not only is this box well worth the price since the books cost more than the box itself, but it brings you a variety of different genres to try out and see what you like. I can’t recommend Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss enough! This box gives you enough books to last you the month (and many more!) You won’t be disappointed!
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*Affiliate links are used to in this post to help monetize this website.
July 30, 2017
Book Review: Here and Gone by Haylen Beck
Title: Here and Gone
Author: Haylen Beck
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
Here and Gone is a gripping, wonderfully tense suspense thriller about a mother’s desperate fight to recover her stolen children from corrupt authorities.
It begins with a woman fleeing through Arizona with her kids in tow, trying to escape an abusive marriage. When she’s pulled over by an unsettling local sheriff, things soon go awry and she is taken into custody. Only when she gets to the station, her kids are gone. And then the cops start saying they never saw any kids with her, that if they’re gone than she must have done something with them…
Meanwhile, halfway across the country a man hears the frenzied news reports about the missing kids, which are eerily similar to events in his own past. As the clock ticks down on the search for the lost children, he too is drawn into the desperate fight for their return.
Review:
Here and Gone by Haylen Beck is a gripping thriller about a woman who becomes wrapped up in the terrors of the Dark Web. After being pulled over in a small town, Audra has her children stolen and is blamed for their absence. Throughout the novel, Audra fights to prove that her children were captured when no one else will believe her.
I love thrillers that grip your throat and won’t let go, but I found Here and Gone to be too intense at times. Audra’s circumstances were unfair, and the different twists and turns that came her way infuriated me; however, creating such emotions in myself as a reader is the true mark of an excellent author.
Beck writes with a knowledgeable hand. He clearly did his research on his novel in terms of the Dark Web and police procedurals in small towns before writing this book. As an author who is not from America, or Arizona – the setting of Here and Gone – I was amazed by his descriptions and story development. Having lived in the same location where this book takes place – close to Flagstaff, Arizona – I enjoyed visiting that setting again. It was impossible for me to put this book down with the quick chapters and story development, and I enjoyed rooting for Audra as she pushed back her oppressive past and fought for her children. Despite the frustrating circumstances of having her children kidnapped to be sold on the Dark Web, Audra fought back against the officer who took advantage of her and she did get her justice in the end.
Beck did well with creating a vast array of characters in such a short novel, and I felt that he evolved them well enough so that they didn’t get muddied in the heated storyline. Here and Gone is a fast paced novel that pushes past filler and delivers a killer storyline. If you love thrillers that will hold you enough to be consumed in one sitting, then Here and Gone is a perfect match!
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*I received this book from Blogging for Books to review. – Amazon affiliate links are used in this post to help monetize this website.
July 27, 2017
Sneak Peek: Game of Thrones Dream Pillow
I am so excited to share with you a sneak peek of one of the items that we are including in our August Literary Vacation Club box! August’s theme is Destination: Westeros, so each item included is inspired from Game of Thrones and will appeal to one of your five senses. Every item is also handmade and one of a kind!
With that being said, I am happy to say that one of the items included will be a dragon egg dream pillow inspired by Daenerys Targaryen! This pillow will be filled with a lovely surprise, and it is the best way to keep that magic of dragons in your dreams.
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Due to the personalized nature of our box, we have a very limited amount of boxes available! We are almost out, so make sure to grab your box while you can.
Use code “INSTA10” for 10% off of your first box!
(Subscriptions Only)
Or, order this box as a one time box in our shop without subscribing!
Much love,
Ashley
