Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 242

#WeeklyMenu Week 184

Happy day before Valentines day! Its alos my mother and youngest sisters birthday. To celebrate this wonderful holiday, I picked up a blind date from the library #Blinddatewithabook. The read that I got was A scanner darkly. Never throught about reading it, but I'm going to give it a go.
Happy Valentines day and enjoy this weeks menu!
Monday- Mongolian Beef
Tuesday- Taco Bake
Wednesday- Oriental Salad
Thursday- Ranch Pork Chops
Friday- Oven Fried Chicken
Saturday- Chicken Caesar Salad
Sunday
- Tuna Sandwiches

#Review - The Space Between the Stars by Ann Corlett

Title: The Space Between the Stars
By: Anne CorlettGenre: Scifi / Dystopian Release Date: June 1st, 2017Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Summary from Goodreads: In a breathtakingly vivid and emotionally gripping debut novel, one woman must confront the emptiness in the universe—and in her own heart—when a devastating virus reduces most of humanity to dust and memories.
All Jamie Allenby ever wanted was space. Even though she wasn’t forced to emigrate from Earth, she willingly left the overpopulated, claustrophobic planet. And when a long relationship devolved into silence and suffocating sadness, she found work on a frontier world on the edges of civilization. Then the virus hit...

Now Jamie finds herself dreadfully alone, with all that’s left of the dead. Until a garbled message from Earth gives her hope that someone from her past might still be alive. 

Soon Jamie finds other survivors, and their ragtag group will travel through the vast reaches of space, drawn to the promise of a new beginning on Earth. But their dream will pit them against those desperately clinging to the old ways. And Jamie’s own journey home will help her close the distance between who she has become and who she is meant to be...
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Review: Ann Corlett has brought to life a colorful universe. It has a real Firefly kind of vibe, and I love that. The story progresses quickly, but the middle was a little slow for my taste. It picked back up in the last quarter of the book where exciting things happen and that's when I was on the edge of my seat, hoping that Jamie can save the day and humanity. Four stars for Corlett. This was a great read. 

Dominion by J. Kowallis #BlogTour @J_Kowallis @XpressoReads

Dominion
J. Kowallis
(The Enertia Trials #4)
Publication date: May 19th 2017
Genres: Dystopian, New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic

WE ARE THE FIRST
WE ARE THE END
“I didn’t want to wake up. Sometimes I almost wished I hadn’t.”
With Reggie’s death, Nate and the others are forced to continue on in their attempt to defeat Roman with the help of The Rising—a rebellion movement thriving in the bowels of Public Two.
New faces and mysterious secrets—hidden technology, lies, and darkness—from within The Rising shake the balance of their trust.
When an unimaginable encounter infiltrates the rebellion, true identities are revealed and loyalties torn apart. In the end, there’s only one target that matters: Roman—and they’ll do anything to stop him from claiming dominion.

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Author Bio:
J. Kowallis, the only girl of four children, grew up in northern Utah with a head full of wild stories (most often unreal). At the age of 9, she wrote her first poem, a dedication to E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web. It was so intriguing, her third grade teacher requested to keep the original. Between living in various fictional worlds, and spending time on her studies, she managed to graduate from Weber State University’s creative writing program. She now lives in Utah with her Mini Schnauzer, Etta, and spends most of her time still bouncing between this world and the fantastical while enjoying delectable über-dark chocolate and lavender baths. She enjoys dreaming about, flying to, and writing about distant lands (real or unreal).
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

#Review - Frost by Kaitlyn Davis @DavisKaitlyn

Title: FrostBy: Kaitlyn DavisGenre: YA Paranormal RomanceRelease Date: January 26th, 2017Publisher: 
Summary from Goodreads:Even the hottest love can turn a girl cold-blooded…
Life's tough for a vampire thief on the run—just ask Pandora Scott, she knows. Four years ago she ran away from home after everyone she loved betrayed her. But now her annoyingly grown up (and handsome) ex boyfriend is stalking her, begging her to return. A mysterious vamp with a particularly dangerous (and sexy) stare keeps popping unexpectedly into her life. The extremely powerful head vampire of New York is hunting her down because she may or may not have broken into his highly-secure, highly-secretive personal vault. And the fate she's been trying to outrun? Well, it's about to catch up. Because even a super-speedy vamp with the ability to disappear can't escape her own destiny.

A brand new spinoff to Midnight Fire, a bestselling series with over 200,000 copies sold and over 5000 5-star reviews on Goodreads! Fans will enjoy special appearances from Kira, Luke and Tristan while falling in love with the new characters and new adventure of Midnight Ice.

*Please note, you do not need to read the books of Midnight Fire to enjoy Frost (Midnight Ice Book 1). They are two standalone series with character crossover.

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Review: I'm always skeptical of vampire stories, especially after twilight and the sparkle theory, but this book was a great read. Although, these vampires can go out in the sun...

Kaitlyn Davis has brought to life a wonderful mix of vampire lore and Greek mythology. Who would have thought a Titan would become a vampire? We follow Pandora as she takes a job to steal a sword from the leader of the New York Vampire clan. Of course, all hell breaks loos and the job is not what she thinks it is. An old boyfriend gets involved and as you can imagine, she falls for him again. There is also the ploy of a cure to vampirism.

The read was short. Took me one day to read. The only thing that I didn't like was that Pandora had super speed and super strength and invisibility and super senses. It was like she had every super power you could think of. It made me think that there was nothing that she couldn't do, so in turn, nothing that made me apprehensive.

I gave this read four stars out of five. It was entertaining, refreshing and full of action. I think vampire lovers will really like reading Frost by Kaitlyn Davis. 

About the Author
Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie.

Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she's not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found indulging in some puppy videos, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her--about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general--you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com

To stay up-to-date with all of Kaitlyn's new releases, sign up for her new release newsletter here: TinyLetter.com/KaitlynDavisBooks
Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Instagram│Youtube│Tumblr│Wattpad│Pinterest│Amazon

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Something like Voodoo by Rebecca Hamilton #BlogTour @InkMuse @Xpressoreads

Something Like Voodoo
Rebecca Hamilton
Publication date: February 7th 2017
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

From New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Hamilton
High School can be a witch.
A teen girl with the ability to predict deaths through her drawings shouldn’t need to lie constantly to make her life sound interesting. But that doesn’t stop Emily from spinning stories faster than she can keep up.
After transferring to a new school, Emily’s ‘dull’ life is shaken by the appearance of a boy who seems unfazed by her far-fetched stories. A too-handsome-for-his-own-good senior, Noah has some secrets of his own. He needs Emily’s special gift to save him from Sarah, queen bee of the school’s It Girls, whose own supernatural abilities have forced him into a life of silence and solitude.
But when Emily tries to free him from Sarah’s voodoo curse, things go belly up, landing Emily on Sarah’s hit list. Soon, Emily and Noah are on a collision course with the It Girls, leading to a shocking revelation that ties them together in unimaginable ways. If their powers remain unchecked, this teenage popularity contest could spell the death of them all …
Romantically charged and eerily chilling, Something Like Voodoo weighs the choice of saving your life versus fighting for a life worth saving. This paranormal romance will put a spell on you.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks—EXCERPT:Boots crunching the snow, I slung my backpack over my shoulder. When I shut my car door with a little too much force, I cringed, but a slow breath resettled my nerves. Kind of. Then I focused only on the school’s main entrance. Get from here to there. That was all I had to do. Tell some lady or some man at some desk who I was and pick up my class schedule.Halfway there now.
Someone shouted, “Hey,” as I walked into a solid mass.
“Ow.” I grabbed my shoulder and checked for what caused the damage.
Apparently that mass was a person.
“Watch where you’re going,” the person said.
I looked up. Goosebumps prickled up my arms and neck. Staring back at me was a boy with the most intense cerulean eyes, framed by the darkest lashes. So much for avoiding eye contact.
“I’m, uh, wow. Sorry.” I scurried past him but he gripped my arm, spinning me back again. “Whoa!” I cried out. “Listen, I said—”
“No.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. You’re new here?”
Being new was the worst thing to be in high school. “Um, no,” I lied. “I just skip classes a lot.”
He laughed, the anger lines that creased his forehead dissipating. “You’re that Bishop girl,” he said with a little too much fascination. Guess my reputation preceded me. “Come on, brat. I’ll show you to the office.”
Brat? I shook it off. I heard him wrong. I mean, that would be pretty rude, right? He seemed like he wanted to help me, even though I’d totally crashed into him.
As we walked, I made an extra effort not to look at him. Not in the eyes, anyway. It was impossible not to see some of him from the corner of my vision. He wore a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, but I bit back the urge to ask if he was cold. If he were, he would’ve worn something warmer. So I kept my mouth shut and stared at his calf muscles as he led me through the front doors into the large open hall.
With such an athletic build, I bet he had some cheerleader girlfriend who would flip out if she saw him talking to me. I’d been here all of ten minutes and already I was making enemies.
This school year was going to be awesome.

Author Bio:
Rebecca Hamilton writes Paranormal Fantasy, Horror, and Literary Fiction. She lives in Florida with her husband and four kids, along with multiple writing personalities that range from morbid to literary. Having a child diagnosed with autism has inspired her to illuminate the world through the eyes of characters who see things differently.
Rebecca Hamilton is represented by the ever-more-amazing Rossano Trentin of TZLA.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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Memortality by Stephen H. Provost #BlogTour @sproauthor @Xpressoreads

Memortality
Stephen H. Provost
Publication date: February 1st 2017
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal

Minerva Rus can raise the dead. And it might get her killed.
Minerva’s life has never been the same since the childhood car accident that paralyzed her and killed her best friend, Raven. But when the long-dead Raven reappears in her life, now as a very attractive grown man, she discovers that her photographic memory has the power to bring the dead back to life … heal her paralysis … and shape reality itself.
Pursued by a rogue government agent who wants to eliminate her and her talents, Minerva must learn to control her powers to save herself and Raven. Because if she dies, he dies as well―again.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo—EXCERPT:Minerva (2016)“The accident is a lie.”“What do you mean? You keep saying that.”
The face staring back at her was the same one she remembered from all those years ago. Kind, caring, patient. But older now. The playful smile the boy had once worn had vanished behind a mask she couldn’t seem to penetrate now that he was a man. She hadn’t seen him for years, but this was how she’d always imagined he’d look all grown up: the soft brown eyes, the pale complexion just brushed by a touch of sunshine, the auburn hair unkempt and uncut, cascading down across his left eye. She’d always stared at that; it distracted her. And he’d always noticed, brushing it back the moment she became aware of it.
His brow lowered slightly, as if to say, “You’re staring.” But he said nothing. Even the words he did speak seemed silent to her somehow, as if she were in a dream …
She moaned in her sleep and tried to turn her body, but the vice grip held her, the paralysis that had been with her since the accident.
In her dream, concern flitted across his face, apparent even in the dim glow of the candle that burned beside her bed. Its light had always comforted her, and at times, she’d stared into the flame as it flickered for moments on end, imagining she was a part of it. The thought of that soothed her, one of the few things in this world that did.
“Stay with me,” he said, his tone resolute.
“I can’t move,” she protested.
“Yes, you can. All you have to do is remember how you felt before all this. Before the accident and the lies it’s telling you.”
“You’re the liar,” she whispered, her voice whispered venom.
He looked hurt now, and pulled away from her, that resolve appearing to evaporate at the sound of her voice. In the same moment, he seemed farther away, the reflected candlelight that had danced in his eyes a few moments earlier now a fading glow that illumined little more than his forehead and the tip of his nose.
“I’m telling you the truth,” he said, but she could barely hear him. A part of her wanted to believe what he was saying. Not a part – all of her. But in the instant she acknowledged that desire, she was aware it could not be.
She tried to turn her body again.
Nothing.
Her jaw clenched tight, and she began to tremble with the effort.
“Not that way,” he said.
“Then … how!” Her voice was louder than she intended, and he pulled away further into the shadows.
“Wait,” she said, softening her tone. “Don’t go. You have to tell me … about the accident.”
“It’s not important now,” he said, moving forward slightly again, into the candlelight.
“Not important? Then how do you explain this?” She nearly spat the words at him, and he averted his eyes.
“See?” she said. “You can’t even bear to look at me. If the accident didn’t happen, how did I get like this?
He sat up straighter and held her gaze again, his eyes locking on hers so that, this time, it was she who wished to glance away. But he held her there by force of will. “Min, you’re beautiful.”
No one ever called her that but him.

Author Bio:
Stephen H. Provost is an author of paranormal adventures and historical non-fiction. "Memortality," his debut title on Linden Publishing's new fiction imprint, Pace Press, is due out in February 2017 and is available for pre-order on Amazon.
An editor and columnist with more than 30 years of experience as a journalist, he has written on subjects as diverse as history, religion, politics and language and has served as an editor for fiction and non-fiction projects. His book "Fresno Growing Up," a history of Fresno, California, during the postwar years, is available on Craven Street Books, and his next non-fiction work, scheduled for release in June of 2017, will examine the history of U.S. Highway 99 in California.
In addition, the author has published several books as Stifyn Emrys, beginning in 2012 with "The Gospel of the Phoenix" and also including the nonfiction works "The Way of the Phoenix" and "Undefeated." He also has published three works of fiction: "Feathercap" (children's); "Identity Break," (young adult science fiction/adventure) and an accompanying novella, "Artifice."
The author served as editor of four young adult novels: the "Mad World" series by Samaire Provost - "EPIDEMIC," "SANCTUARY" and "DESPERATION" - and the award-winning "Lorehnin: A Novel of the Otherworld," Volume 6 in the Otherworld series by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson. He has worked in journalism as a news editor, sports editor and reporter for four daily newspapers in California, and is currently managing editor for an award-winning weekly, The Cambrian. He has worked as an educator and has been featured at occasional speaking engagements.
He lives on the California coast with his wife, stepson, cats (Tyrion Fluffybutt and Allie Twinkletail) and dogs.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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#WeeklyMenu Week 183

The threat of snow has passed. Looks like it dumped to the north in Long View Washington. All we got down here in Oregon City was lots of rain. Our creek has risen, threatening to overflow its banks, but nothing too terrible.

In book news, I finished the final draft of SEEKER, the sequel to my last novel Hunter. Sent it off to my publisher, so now its just a waiting game. I've already started a new series while I work on the plot for the third book in my Talon series. I think I'm going to name it Betrayer!

Hope you have a good Monday. Enjoy this weeks menu and the adorable picture of my husband and youngest son!

Monday- Breakfast Sandwiches
Tuesday- Bratwurst 
Wednesday- Italian Sliders
Thursday- Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla
Friday- Bacon and Egg Ramen
Saturday- Country Chicken Skillet
Sunday- Tuna Sandwiches

Few are Angels by Inger Iverson #Giveaway @kris10inger @Xpressoreads

Few Are Angels
Inger Iversen
(Volume I-IV)
Publication date: December 26th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

The entire Few Are Angels series in one click for only .99c!
• Few Are Angels
• Immortal Heart
• Awakened
• Eternal Light
War is raging between the Immortals and the Dark Prince’s army of half-breed vampires — and gifted Ella finds herself at the center. Can renegade half-breed vampire Kale keep her safe as their forbidden love awakens? After a fatal hit and run accident, Ella Monroe fears that she’s lost more than her beloved parents. Horrifying visions of a past life and a disturbing voice in her head have psychiatric professionals convinced that she’s lost her sanity as well. But when Kale–a dark and handsome stranger with a mysterious past–reveals the true meaning of her visions and the tremendous power she wields through them, Ella must come to terms with the devastating truths of her own past, while eluding an ancient Dark Prince who seeks to control not only her future.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks—Check out the trailer produced by Timid Monster and WINNER of Best Book Trailer – UtopYA Con 2014:Read the final short story, After the Fall, free on Inger’s site!—FEW ARE ANGELS EXCERPT:The snow was deep, and the air so cold that he felt the wind’s sharp teeth pierce his skin. In the distance, someone was burning wood. The scent was strong and familiar. It reminded him of his home so long ago with Illiana and Agnes. He couldn’t afford to be disrupted by their memory. At one point, his actions had been for their survival. The need for bloodshed and vengeance once weighed heavy on his mind. He hadn’t intended to become the monster they’d claimed him to be, but now he prided himself on the names they called him. His personal favorite was the Dark Prince. He was not royalty, but his name would never be forgotten, nor could he forget the reason he’d become the man he was today. His men, through his connection to the Arc, had traced her to a state on the east coast. Their bond had grown stronger because of her visions, which had become longer and fiercer. It pleased and excited him to know how close they were to finding her exact location. It wouldn’t be much longer.The Council was close on his heels. He and his men had reduced their numbers, but they remained quite bothersome. He never understood why their leader would not create more Immortals, as he had done. His brand of Immortals was vastly different than himself and the Council. He’d found a great use in half-breed vampires, or Chorý, even though they were not as powerful as a pure blood. They were still physically challenging to the younger Eternals. Ancient Eternals such as himself and the leader of the Council could crush a half-breed without breaking a sweat. Because they were not accepted by their own kind and unable to inform humans of their existence, half-breeds were very easy to control, especially when rewarded with acceptance.
The Dark Prince returned to his room and closed the balcony door. Darke, the first in command in his arsenal of Chorý, waited for him in the office. The Dark Prince removed his coat and placed it gently on the chair in front of Darke. He wouldn’t invite the man to sit. He wouldn’t provide even that small comfort until his job was completed.
“News?” he demanded.
Darke bowed his head and placed his arms at his sides. “Sir, we have tracked her to a city called Virginia Beach, but she is no longer there. We searched her home, and though it’s still furnished, it looks abandoned. It’s because of her parents’ demise that we believe her connection to you had begun.”
The Dark Prince already knew the cause of the initial connection, and he would use that to his advantage once he found her, but curiosity didn’t allow him to remain silent. “What has become of the girl?”
“She was sent to a facility for the mentally insane, sir.”
“What?” the Dark Prince bellowed. Surprised at his own outburst, he calmed himself and sat.
The Dark Prince had chosen Darke to lead his men because of his fearlessness and vicious battle tactics. Darke’s discomfort didn’t go unrecognized by Laurent.
Darke shifted his stance and cleared his throat before he continued. “Sir, if I may? This could be good for you. She may feel alone at a time such as this and need only for someone to accept her.”
There were times that the half-vampire was of more use to him than he’d like to admit. The girl would be an outcast amongst her own kind. He would exploit that insecurity as he had done to so many others—it would be perfect. Illiana had once called him ‘gentle devil’ because of his ability to lead an opponent to their death while pretending to cushion the fall. Suddenly, the air around him was thick with the scent of roses and sandalwood. It was her scent. Each Arc had a unique scent. The new Arc’s essence was delectable. The aroma of roses was light and innocent while the sandalwood was as strong and fierce as her power.

Author Bio:
Inger Iversen was born in 1982 to Anne and Kaii Iversen. She lives in Virginia Beach with her overweight lap cat, Max and her tree hugging boyfriend Joshua. She spends 90 percent of her time in Barnes and Noble and the other ten pretending not to want to be in Barnes and Noble.
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#Review - Gilded Cage by Vic James

Title: Gilded CageBy: Vic JamesGenre: FantasyRelease Date: February 14th, 2017Publisher: Del Rey Books
Summary from Goodreads: Our world belongs to the Equals — aristocrats with magical gifts — and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England's grandest estate lies a power that could break the world. 
A girl thirsts for love and knowledge.

Abi is a servant to England's most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family's secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price?

A boy dreams of revolution.

Abi's brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution.

And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts.

He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy? 
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Review: Vic James has built an amazing world full of magic and color. I loved the story concept... A world where slavery still exists and its mandatory... What? Loved it. I was really intrigued bu the equals and their powers. Each one seemed different. Some were stronger than others. There was mystery to the story and depth in the characters. I was really hoping for something more to happen for the poor people in the slave town, but I guess I will have to read the next installment, wont I? 

January Reads

I have a lot of good books to share with you this month. To see my reviews, make sure you check out my Goodreads page and click on my read list, or search the side bar to find the review on my blog. You can also see what I'm currently reading and have upcoming on the TBR list.

Some of these books I received from the authors on Netgalley, some I borrowed from the library and some I purchased from Amazon. Yes, I did read all of them in the month of January. Enjoy!

Life as we knew it - 4 StarsOn the Prowl - 4 Stars
The Archived - 3 StarsA Court of Thorns and Roses - 5 Stars 
The Winter People - 4 StarsI am Malala - DNF
The Queen - 3 StarsWintersong - 3 Stars 
The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett - 3 StarsThe Rewind Files - 5 Stars 
Catalyst - 4 StarsObsidian Sky - 5 Stars
Silence Fallen - 3 StarsFrost -  4 Stars
A Stolen Crown - 3 StarsZero G Green Space - 3 Stars