Winter's Captive and Spring's Rising

Winter's Captive

Book Description:

The black X of the Aramach Rebels marks the spot Princess Charlotte’s life was destroyed.

Her fiance taken and her kingdom on the brink of war because of it, Charlie refuses to be the damsel in distress and takes matters into her own hands. She can only trust a handful of people as hints of a conspiracy are uncovered.

Leaving her castle and everything she’s ever known behind, Charlie ventures into a place she only thought she knew -- her own kingdom. In the face of traitors and thieves and ruthless rebels, Charlie won’t be stopped on her mission to set things right and find her prince.

The only question is: Will she find him before it’s too late?

Purchase on Amazon

My Review:

Winter's Captive is an exciting fantasy adventure with a touch of romance. It's a coming of age story, especially for Princess Charlotte. She is on a journey of self-discovery while trying to locate her fiancé who was kidnapped the night before their wedding. Her determination is challenged throughout the story, but she never gives up.

I was expecting more magic (there's almost none), but I think there might be more later on in the series. I could hardly put the book down and the ending has a cliffhanger that left me emotionally stressed! I read this book in KU and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Spring's Rising



Book Description:

They say ignorance is bliss.

Charlie used to believe that was a lie, but now she’s not so sure.

As the truth comes to light, everything Charlie thought she knew, everything she thought she wanted is called into question.

Though she manages a daring escape from her captors, the black mark of the Aramach is spreading like wildfire, threatening the fragile peace between Luan and H’Ria. Through it all, Charlie tries to overcome the scars she’s brought back with her to be the leader her people need.

Will she and Oliver be able to unite the kingdoms before it’s too late? Or will she lose what matters most?

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My Review:

Poor Charlie! Life only gets harder for her after her escape from her captors and her connection to Logan gets more complicated. She used to pretend that her future with Oliver would end up like a fairy tale, but grim reality and learning the truth about him only makes her outlook more tormented. She is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, her freedom and happiness, for the safety of the two kingdoms. Will marriage to Oliver be enough, though? And, why are the adults so oblivious to the machinations between a certain royal brother and sister? Even Oliver is clueless, but Charlie is beginning to ask the questions that others aren't. It seems like everything rests on Charlie's shoulders, but she's strong and she won't stop until she knows her people are safe.

This is a heart-wrenching tale and so intense and exciting that I could hardly put it down! I think I have more questions than answers after reading Book 2. I'm glad to see that Charlie is growing into a brave and clever young woman. I'm wondering if she'll discover fae blood running through her veins. I'm also wanting to learn more about the leader of the rebellion, MacKinnon. There's more to him than we know at this stage. As this is a series, the first and second books will leave you hanging.

I received an eARC and this is my honest and voluntary review.

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Winter's Captive, an exciting story by Robin D. Mahle and Elle Madison that left me anxious and in suspense for Book 2! This is a 5 star read. #socksunday #blue #socks #winter #fantasy #sword and #sorcery #princess #prince #romance #books #ebook #bookreviews #youngadultbooks #newadultbooks @robinmahleauthor @ellemadison_author

A post shared by Tina Morley (@tinarobmorley) on Jan 27, 2019 at 7:18am PST

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Vibrant Sunrise and a Linky

I took these photos of a vibrant sunrise from our balcony a while back. I'm including a full moon pic that I took at the end of January, which I originally shared on Instagram. My camera is a compact Canon PowerShot. It has a 40x optical zoom and it's a powerful little camera.

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Cape Quarter in Cape Town
A Lifestyle Shopping Experience

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My Latest Book Posts:

Saved by the Billionaire




I also have a weekly #SockSunday on Instagram...

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What I'm reading: Lycans and Legends. I'm thrilled to be reading the final book in this exciting steampunk Red Riding Hood retelling by the talented author/storyteller Melanie Karsak! I've just finished Chapter 1 and I can't wait to follow Clem into this next adventure where mysteries are revealed and she gets her HEA (happily ever after). #whatimreading #SockSunday #nofilter #bookreviews #steampunk #paranormal #adventure #romance #newadult @karsakmelanie

A post shared by Tina Morley (@tinarobmorley) on Apr 28, 2019 at 8:11am PDT

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Saved by the Billionaire

Saved by the Billionaire

(Rich and Famous Romance Book 3)

by Michelle Pennington

Book Description:

Protecting her got complicated.
“Just remember I’ll come to you. That’s a promise.”

Kara had always loved her best friend's older brother, but Warren was an unattainable dream. She tried to move on, marrying a man she thought was the next best thing. She was wrong.

Frightened by her ex-husband’s “business” dealings, she kept her pregnancy a secret and hid. But some secrets are impossible to keep. Desperate to protect her son, she remembered Warren’s promise and made the call.

Warren realized he loved Kara too late to save her from a bad marriage. He can’t change the past, but he can protect her—and her baby—by marrying her. He sails away with them on his private yacht to buy them time before confronting her ex. She’s so vulnerable and afraid, he’s determined to keep his feelings locked inside, no matter how hard it is.

But a yacht is the worst place to try to keep your distance.

This suspenseful, swoony romance will make you breathless with anticipation. Get it now!

Purchase on Amazon

My Review:

This is a wonderful story with a refreshing new twist on the marriage-of-convenience trope. There's danger with some action, wonderful romance, and real-life situations. The characters include an evil ex-husband, a devoted billionaire, a stressed-out mom, a cute baby, and two wonderful bodyguards. The baby is the catalyst and the glue to the storyline. Well done, Michelle Pennington, for writing a story that all moms can relate to while escaping reality at the same time!

More by Michelle Pennington:

The Trust of a Billionaire

The Lovely Deep

The Unwanted Suitor

About the Author:

Michelle Pennington

Michelle Pennington spends her days quoting movies with her husband and making messes faster than her four kids. She loves to make magic by stringing words together, but she also creates designer sugar cookies, sings loud in church, and kills too many house plants.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Disclosure: I received an eARC of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.

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Easter Weekend and a Linky

We had all four kids with us this Easter weekend. Everyone had Friday and Monday off, so we made the most of it. We went through to my in-laws at the beach and had a wonderful time. Sometimes it was cold enough to sit inside by the fireplace, but other times the sun was shining. If you've been enjoying my sunrise and sunset photos, then you'll be blown away by the stunning sunset we saw at my in-laws'! I'll be sharing those photos later and probably on 1camera1mom instead of here, but I'll definitely include a peek on this blog as I always do.

Amanda was given rhyming clues by her sister, Samantha, for her Easter egg hunt. One of the clues took her to the beach. Ziggy, my in-laws' miniature Schnauzer, enjoyed that! One of the delicious meals my mother-in-law made was lamb with basmati rice and figs.

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Bo-Kaap, Malay Quarter, Cape Town

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What to Do When You're Feeling Blue

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(with or without words) or any picture post

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This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.
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How to use the linky widget:

First make sure that you load this page as http and not https if you want to see the linky. Type in the name of your blog post under Link Title, then type in your email under Email Address (which I don't sell to anyone), then copy your permalink to your post (most link parties ask for blog posts and not blog homepages) and paste that under URL (make sure that you use http:// or https:// only once), then click Submit Link and that's it!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see the hops that I often link up to.

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What to Do When You're Feeling Blue

What to Do When You're Feeling Blue

by Andi Cann

About the Book:

Title: What to Do When You're Feeling Blue | Author: Andi Cann | Pages: 35 | Genre: Picture Book

Book Description:

Sometimes kids are happy. Sometimes they are sad. Kids learn in this book that it’s okay, either way!

Your child will learn that sadness happens. Meant to be loved and enjoyed, again and again, this book with colorful pictures and rhymes will help children learn that all feelings are okay and offer ideas about coping with sadness. Children will learn that they have the power to feel better and that happy feelings are just around the corner! Most importantly, children will learn that they are important and loved!

Today, depression is a real problem and is affecting children early in childhood. Teaching your children that changing emotions are a part of life will help create resilience and cope with life’s ups and downs.

Please note: if you suspect your child suffers from depression, please seek help! The National Alliance for Mental Illness can be reached at www.nami.org

Purchase on Amazon

Our Review:

Kids need to know that it's okay not to be happy all the time. This picture book lets children know that it's normal to have days when you are feeling blue and you don't need a reason either. It also gives a variety of ideas of what to do when you're down like read a book or think about things that you enjoy doing like. The unique illustrations inside are colorful and cheerful. It also offers a contact number at the beginning of the book for a loved one battling with depression.

Amanda (age 11) says the book is nice and the art is good for little kids. She likes that the author didn't just say a couple of things that you can do to be happy, but a lot of things. She also likes the rhyming words. Amanda and I both recommend this book for children ages 4 - 7.

Related Review:

The Magic of Friendship Snow

About the Author:

Andi Cann

Andi loves writing books for kids! With two of her own, although they're grown now, she has always been an avid reader and an enthusiastic promoter of early reading!

It all started in Andi's early life in the Midwest part of the United States. Her life was rich with books, reading, and library visits. Nancy Drew was one of her best friends! Mrs. Gladieux, the town librarian, encouraged her love of reading, and allowed her to check out many more books than were allowed! Andi's stories are about children learning to embrace their uniqueness, find friends, or stand up for themselves.

Andi's memorable characters include Mr. Hoopeyloops, Alabama Oh, Jojo, Puddles, Rex, Rory the Elf, and MerryLyn, with many more on the horizon. Click "follow" to be notified when a new book comes out! And, if you liked the books, please leave a review. It helps me and other readers.

Andi lives in Arizona with her husband, a dog named Beau, chickens, and countless free range bunnies. She loves art, animals, and reading good books!

Visit her website!

Disclosure: Amanda and I own this book from Amazon Kindle. This is our honest and voluntary review.

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Bike Riding and Guineafowl with a Linky

All of today's photos are of guineafowl on our property and Amanda and Hubby riding bikes just outside our house with our shelter dog, Koda.

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Here's a peek at
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Road Trip and Cherry Lane

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My Latest Book Posts:

Good Writing is Like Good Sex




Should I Go to College?

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*** If you want to comment or join the linky, then please make sure this page's permalink loads as http and not https! Also, my blog is hosted by Blogger, which uses cookies to improve your browsing experience. And, it's best viewed in Google Chrome. ***

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Now on to my blog hop...

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

I would love for you to follow me on

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

and

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
• Link-up any family friendly post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
• If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
• Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

<center> <a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS14XLc-z2uSUW00dIvyZc7lEfLP2tkPgO3qmU3NWi_UObDs_d7XqpYhjp0BBeROyZot-8YlEFU9rguELrZYu3arN1qHHNpB4_ezrb-TlBlfHRSOvP7pBA0VI-j1RkUkF77wJxUc7M7ye/s150/Picture%2520Perfect%2520Party%2520Linky.jpg"/></a></center>

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.
Please load page as http and not https.

How to use the linky widget:

First make sure that you load this page as http and not https if you want to see the linky. Type in the name of your blog post under Link Title, then type in your email under Email Address (which I don't sell to anyone), then copy your permalink to your post (most link parties ask for blog posts and not blog homepages) and paste that under URL (make sure that you use http:// or https:// only once), then click Submit Link and that's it!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see the hops that I often link up to.

Read More