R.H. Ali's Blog, page 12
June 23, 2013
My Review: Let Love In by Melissa Collins
Let Love In is without a doubt a-m-a-z-i-n-g! This debut novel in the Love Series is an excellent first installment. I instantly fell in love with Reid and Maddy. Collins creates them in a believable and relate-able way which had me feeling for them — I was happy when they were happy, sad when they were sad, and yes, even angry when they were.
As we go through their experiences, we grow with them, learning how to let love in. How to break down those walls that so many of us build up as a testament to our self preservation. Collins shows us that it is worth it to let love in and that opening up to the right person can help us heal and become whole again.
Collins touches on issues which pervade our society today from broken family ties, death, regret, guilt, love — all things that we can all relate to.
The cliffhanger at the end has me reeling to get my hands on Book Two!!
I was given a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review and I was not disappointed!
I definitely recommend this book! Five stars for an awesome book! I cannot wait to read book two – Let Love Stay!
My Unexpected Forever by Heidi McLaughlin
My Unexpected Forever is the highly anticipated continuation of USA Today Best Selling novel, Forever My Girl and will follow the lives of Katelyn and Harrison.
The first 100 purchases receive exclusive Las Vegas swag!
Pre-buy link: http://bit.ly/11JRWEP
Please join us on Friday when we reveal the cover!
Other titles by Heidi McLaughlin:
June 19, 2013
Summer of Frost Cover Reveal
I’m so excited to be hosting the Cover Reveal for Summer of Frost by L. P. Dover!!
Enjoy!
R.H.Ali
Summer of Frost Cover Reveal
Blurb:
The Land of the Fae is strong with all four courts banded as one, but yet, uncertainty still remains as they all work together to end the dark sorcerer’s evil reign. Sorcha, the one and only Winter Court princess, has a secret, a secret that she has enjoyed keeping for the past six months, but when a much awaited announcement brings her to the Spring Court, and face to face with the man in her dreams, will she be strong enough to keep up the façade of her icy exterior, or will she melt into his arms like she does in her dreams?
After formally meeting Sorcha at the Winter Ball, Drake, Summer Court prince and army leader, knew there was a fiery passion underneath her winter skin, a passion he wanted desperately to ignite with his own, but with her frigid responses towards him he’s decided to keep his distance, except how can he when his dreams feel real. Seeing her again only ignites his interest, and this time he’s not going to let his arrogance or her frosty heart stand in his way.
Through unexpected tragedy, Sorcha discovers the one thing the dark sorcerer has spent his whole existence trying to protect, but what makes it more difficult is that only one of the Four is strong enough to retrieve it. The tides have now changed, and with Drake’s help, will Sorcha find what she’s searching for, or will the dark sorcerer beat them to it, shattering all hope of finding out the one thing that could save the Land of the Fae … how to destroy him.
Goodreads Link:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17188648-summer-of-frost
Forever Fae (Forever Fae Series)
Amazon Link:
http://www.amazon.com/L.P.-Dover/e/B00AFVV8TG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1371652203&sr=8-2-ent
About The Author:
L.P. Dover lives in the beautiful state of North Carolina with her husband and two wonderful daughters. She’s an avid reader that loves her collection of books. Writing has always been her passion and she’s delighted to share it with the world. L.P. Dover spent several years in college starting out with a major in Psychology and then switching to dental. She worked in the dental field for eight years and then decided to stay home with her two beautiful girls. She spent the beginning of her reading years indulging in suspense thrillers, but now she can’t get away from the paranormal/fantasy books. Now that she has started on her passion and began writing, you will not see her go anywhere without a notebook, pen, and her secret energy builder….chocolate.
The Crazy Giveaway from Crystal!
Crystal’s Many Reviews
Enter by clicking this link to the rafflecopter!! :—
http://crystalsmanyreviews.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_18.html?zx=aa293f8c16fa74a5
She says:
When I started this blog, oh so long ago…
Ok fine you caught me it’s only been a few months!
I really didn’t expect it to take off.
So you can imagine my surprise when I realize that I’m at my 1200 likes mark. I went between being in shock, and being completely confused.
(Trust me I’m not that exciting that that many people would be following me!)
I still have my mixed feelings about my blog, but I do have to say there is nothing better than getting the messages from my followers thanking me for recommending books to them. That brings a HUGE smile to my face
So in light of hitting this huge landmark of mine, I have another great giveaway going on for you guys! Some AMAZING authors have donated some of their books, some even have donated gift cards.
They are not required to do that, they do it because they appreciate you and they want to help make you happy!
Please share this giveaway with your friends and family, even if (for some reason) the books don’t seem like something you would like, there are gift cards up for grabs!!
Thank you again for supporting me, and the authors, on this crazy journey!
**On a side note sorta, in the raffle there are the pages to like. Make sure you check them all out because you might already have some points just from following the authors!**
June 18, 2013
Cu’s E-Book Give Aways
Do you want more great giveaways?
Then you should like this page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CusEBookGiveAways
They have trivia contests and Author Spotlights that I’m sure you would love to join in on!
Prizes for the trivia contest include ebooks of the winner’s choice not exceeding $5.00 and for the Author Spotlight giveaways prizes are determined by the Author as they sponsor them!!
Don’t miss out and give them a like today! 
Tell them I sent you!
~R.H.Ali
June 17, 2013
HEIDI MCLAUGHLIN EVENTS
August, 2013
16th – 20th – Las Vegas – The Naughty Mafia Rocks Vegas
Books available to pre-buy: Forever My Girl / My Everything / My Unexpected Forever / Lost in You
Pre-pay & reserve your copy here
Use WePay - Pre-Pay - My Unexpected Forever
WePay –
$33.00
– The Beaumont Series
WePay –
$15.00
– Lost in You
Books available on hand (limited quantity): Forever My Girl / Lost in You
Cash and Credit Card accepted on site
September, 2013
14th – Phoenix Arizona
Books available to pre-buy: Forever My Girl / My Everything / My Unexpected Forever / Lost in You
Pre-Buy: Coming soon
Books available on hand (limited quantity): Forever My Girl / My Unexpected Forever / Lost in You
Cash and Credit Card accepted on site
October, 2013
5th – Toronto
The Westin Harbour Castle
9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Purchase tickets here
Books available to pre-buy: Forever My Girl / My Everything / My Unexpected Forever / Lost in You
Books available on hand (limited quantity): Forever My Girl / My Unexpected Forever / Lost in You
Cash ONLY on site
~~~
19th – Lovely Ladies & Naughty Books ~ Author Event
Doubletree by Hilton
Monroeville, Pennyslvania
5 to 9 pm
Tickets are sold out
Books available to pre-buy: Forever My Girl / My Everything / My Unexpected Forever / Lost in You
Books available on hand (limited quantity): Forever My Girl / My Unexpected Forever / Lost in You
Cash and Credit Card accepted on-site
November, 2013
2nd – Houston Book Rave
ZOTZ EDUCATION CENTER
13801 Holly Park Drive Houston, Texas 77015
This event is FREE to all readers
Books available to pre-buy: Forever My Girl / My Everything / My Unexpected Forever / Lost in You
Pre-Buy: Coming soon
Books available on hand (limited quantity): Forever My Girl / My Unexpected Forever / Lost in You
Cash and Credit Card accepted on site
Young Writers Writing Contest!
JULY’S CONTEST HAS ARRIVED EARLY!
From: Gabryelle & Calliope
For this contest you will need to write two pieces from two opposing characters (e.g. like Harry Potter’s story and then Voldemort’s story). Your aim should be that you get to know your character’s better than you normally would by the usual character sheet and just writing for your focalizing characters.
So what do you have to do?
Write two stories that are each between 500 and 1500 words. The characters MUST be opposing in your story. There has to be some form of conflict between them. It can be any genre.
The story must be written in FIRST PERSON. It can be in either present or past tense.
Your characters can either be from an existing project of yours or can be created solely for this contest.
Due: by July 31st
Please title each story with the name of the character whose POV is being told.
Send your entry to youngwriters@hotmail.ca (YES CA NOT COM)
WRITE THE SUBJECT OF YOUR EMAIL AS ‘JULY WRITING CONTEST’ and in your email let us know if you would like your piece posted on the page if it wins.
PRIZE(S): DETAILED critique on your choice of either both your entries or an abstract of your novel/short story/poem that the characters are sourced from (if you use already existing characters of yours) with the word amount up to what your entry is.
There may be possible runners up who will have the same choice except only for the word count equal to one of their short stories entered (or their choice of one of the pieces they entered).
Everyone who enters will get general feedback.
AN EXAMPLE IS HERE:
CHARACTER 1 (TRACEY)
I’m walking down an alleyway when something hits me hard in the back of the head. I cry out in pain, cutting off the song I was humming. I spin around and on the ground is a rock the size of a golf ball. That could have done some serious damage if it was any bigger! I search my surroundings, trying to find the source of the rock. And then I see.
Kaila is peering out from the edge of a huge commercial rubbish bin, smiling. For a moment I feel smug, she deserves to be put beside rubbish. Then she steps out and comes toward me, a knife in her hand. My thoughts change to consist of me being dumped inside the dumpster, dead.
“I told you you’d pay one day, Trace. That day has come.”
I cry out in frustration, and then almost shout when I demand, “Pay for what?!”
“If you think back about five years’ time, maybe you’ll remember. But hurry, I don’t have long.”
The knife flashes in the sliver of light that Kaila steps under, and I gulp. I busy myself thinking back five years, calculating how old we were and what we had been doing.
“Too slow,” Kaila interrupts. And then she comes at me with the knife.
CHARACTER 2 (KAILA)
I throw the rock and it hits Tracey in the dead centre of the back of her head. Good.
She turns around and looks for whoever threw the rock at her. She sees me and I smile. I clutch the knife tightly in my hand and step out from behind the dumpster. I see her eyes flash with fear. Good, good.
I say to her, “I told you you’d pay one day, Trace. That day has come.”
Tracey shrieks, “Pay for what?!”
Frustrated that she still has not figured it out after all this time of me insulting her, I say, “If you think back about five years’ time, maybe you’ll remember. But hurry, I don’t have long.”
I take a step closer to her and see her flinch a little. Good, good, good! I’m glad she’s scared. She should be scared. She deserves fear in her life. Or, what’s left of it anyway.
She stands there looking like she’s really concentrating, but I’m stuffed if I can wait. I just can’t stand to see her face anymore. Not since she kissed my boyfriend, causing him to break up with me, saying he needs to experience other girls. The memory flashes in my mind. Her curly blonde hair outlining the back of his head. Him clutching her, rubbing his hands down her sides…
I can’t stand the memory. She took the most important person away from me. She cannot live any longer. “Too slow.” I launch at her, and the scream hasn’t even left her throat when I thrust the knife into her chest, right where her heart had better be.
Criteria
USES FIRST PERSON
Both stories follow the same conflict or issue
The second story gives readers further insight into the events of the story
BETWEEN 1000 & 3000 WORDS
Grammar
Punctuation
Formatting
Double spaced and first line indented
Overall consistency
Originality of piece
Writing style
Descriptions portray clear image
Flow of Paragraphs
Clarity of the piece
Consistent use of past/present tense
Follow these links for more information on Facebook:
Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1789744054498050/
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/632589753435204/
My Review: Wind Warrior by Jon Messenger
Let me begin by saying that Jon Messenger did a really great job with this book. It was not your typical good versus evil type, though this theme was definitely a large one. Instead, the reader finds themselves in a world in which the elements serve a much greater purpose than we suppose.
Xander believes himself to be an ordinary college student, and when he meets what could be the love of his life, he is forced to realize things about himself which propels him to become an independent young man. He is now in charge of his future. Relationships are tested and Xander will have to make some difficult choices along the way.
His journey is truly one you would enjoy and definitely should be a part of. Jon Messenger brings the world of elemental warriors to life in a complex and amazing way! Add to your TBR pile today!!
Connect with Jon and buy his book!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JonMessengerAuthor?fref=ts
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18040515-wind-warrior
My Review: Double Star by Cindy Saunders
Cindy Saunders creates a world parallel to ours in which the oddities of our existence is highlighted.
Ally’s world is turned upside down when she finds out she is a long long way from home where the people have never even heard of a phone! How will she get back to her mother on earth, the only family she has left when there are no such things as buses, far less for planes where she is? On her journey she has met a quaint little family and what she experiences far surpasses her expectations.
Saunders takes the reader on a thrilling emotional journey, leaving us in awe and anticipation at the last words in this first installment of her Double Star Series.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in feeling like there is still hope for good in this world.
Connect with Cindy and purchase her book!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoubleStarBook?fref=ts
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16649837-double-star
