Friday, May 30, 2014

MIDWIFE TO DESTINY BOOK TOUR & TOP 10!

Midwife to Destiny
by
Nana Prah
Destiny Series, Book 1
Contemporary Romance, Multicultural


BLURB:
Ghanaian nurse Aurora ‘Ora’ Aikins never expected to find the love of her life while on vacation in South Africa. Engaged to another and believing that love has no place in her life, she returns to Ghana, and puts duty and honor first.

Three years later, Dr. Jason Lartey still can’t get Ora out of his mind or his heart. After learning she never married, he takes a risk and moves to Ghana hoping to rekindle what they started. His sudden appearance in Ora’s Emergency Department sends sparks flying all over again.

They’re in the same country, working in the same hospital, and together but distance creeps between them. Can they make their destined love one for the ages? 


Buy Links


Top 10 facts about Midwife to Destiny by Nana Prah

Keep in mind that although I love making lists I’m not big on prioritization. I get enough of that working as a nurse. So be warned, this list is in no particular order, ascending or descending.

1. The heroine, Ora, is not a midwife, she’s  a nurse. Surprise! Her cousin Esi who helps set Ora and Jason up the second time around is the midwife in the story.

2. I actually went on the tour bus that Ora and Jason take in Cape Town. Unlike Ora, I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting the man of my dreams there.

3. Jason is a beta hero. A man who’d move from one country to another to capture the heart of the love of his life kind of man.

4. Ora doesn’t own a car.  She doesn’t mind taking public transportation, but won’t refuse a ride.

5. Ora never loved the man she was engaged to at the beginning of the book. She never loved any of the men she’d been pseudo-committed to, until Jason came along.

6. Jason likes to share his desert while Ora never even offers him a bite of hers. That’s how seriously she takes her sweets.

7. Ora will make you want to shake her- twice.  If you want to do it more times than that, I suggest you get some help for your anger management issues.

8.  Strong, stubborn Ora learns how to deal with what she considers one of the dirtiest words in the English language.  Emotions.

9. Midwife to Destiny is a fast paced, entertaining romance which is set in South Africa and Ghana so you get a little bit of world exposure.


10. Esi, Ora’s cousin, and Adam, Jason’s best friend are the comic relief in the story. Ora and Jason are  cool people while Esi and Adam are the attention seekers (Stay tuned for Book 2, Destiny Mine).


She crossed her arms over her chest, bringing the crest of her breasts into view. Nice. He made a mental note to make Ora cross her arms throughout the night.

“You feel me vibrating with anger and then you smile when I tell you why? Not a wise move, buddy.”

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t wipe his grin off. “I’m not smiling because you’re angry. It’s because I’ve never seen you jealous before.”

“I’m not jealous.”

He lifted both of his eyebrows.

She paced the small area of the hut. “Well, maybe just a little. But I overheard her last week when I went to pick up a suction machine from the theatre saying she’d be stealing you away.”

Jason broke out into laughter that lasted for a full minute. When he got control of himself, he wiped the tears from his eyes.

She stood glaring. “You’re walking in quicksand, Jason. What’s so funny?”

“You are. Do you know how many women try to ‘get me’ as you put it?” He made air quotes with his index fingers. “I have no interest in any other woman than you. I asked you to be my girlfriend. I am a one-woman man and you are my one woman.”

Ora narrowed her eyes.

“Don’t you believe me?” 



Nana Prah was born in Ghana, West Africa, raised in the US and currently resides in Ghana where she loves her job as a writer and nurse educator. She has been writing since she can remember (in her journal) and has been an avid reader of romance novels since the eighth grade. She has finally been able to utilize the years and years of inadvertent research into writing her own romance novels where love always conquers all.



Twitter: @NanaPrah
Facebook: Nana Prah, Author




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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

REVIEW AND BOOK TOUR: DIRTY BLOOD #YA

Review:
If you're a fan of the Twilight series and really into werewolves, Dirty Blood if for you. This isn't a vampire/werewolf sort of love story. Instead, we have the werewolves and the Hunters.

Each race is born with certain traits and a deep loathing for the other. They've been at war with each other for centuries, coming close to wiping each other out on occasion. However, the Hunters created special schools and started training from an early age to kill the werewolves. The wolves, in turn, make it a point to track down Hunters and kill them before they have a chance to develop. Once a upon a time, a select group of Hunters and werewolves gave peace a try and called their effort The Cause. No effort is without opposition, and the leaders were killed. Enter Wes and Tara.

Wes is a Dirty Blood, the child of a Hunter and a werewolf. He has one goal, to protect Tara. She has become the target of a dangerous werewolf who opposes The Cause by killing the messenger. But why target a teenage human girl? Thrown into a supernatural world she never knew about, Tara must protect herself and find out the reason she is hunted. Try as they might, Wes and Tara can't help but feel a magnetic attraction to each other. How can love and affection grow when danger is always around the next corner?

I loved Dirty Blood. There's action, internal and external conflicts on both sides, and a nice amount of tension in this sweet romance. This makes a great read for young adults on down to middle grade readers. The language isn't harsh. The violence isn't graphic, but the tension between our hero and heroine is palpable. I have no problem recommending this book as a good work read, something to slip into while waiting for the kids poolside, at practice, or in the carpool lane. Dirty Blood is anexciting read sure to get the kids to pick up a series of books over the coming summer! I give Dirty Blood 5 stars!


Sunday, May 25, 2014

REVIEW: DUMAHS DEMONS

Blurb:

Dumah’s Demons is the accompaniment novella to the AngelFire Chronicles series: She Speaks to Angels, Falling Angels, and Angel Codes.  Dumah ran away from an orphanage with Kian, but on the streets they went their separate ways. Find out what happened to Dumah and Kiana nd dive deeper into the motivations that drive Dameon in She Speaks to Angels.
Learn what happens to Dumah and Dameon in Falling Angels and Angel Codes.

http://amiblackwelder.blogspot.com

Bio:

Ami Blackwelder is a Paranormal and SciFi author. Her stories range from Tween & YA to Adult. Growing up in Florida, she graduated UCF and in 1997 received her BA in English and additional teaching credentials. Then she packed her bags and travelled overseas to teach in Thailand, Nepal,
Tibet, China and Korea. Thailand is considered her second home now. She has always loved writing and wrote poems and short stores since childhood; however, her novels began when she was in Thailand.
 Having won the Best Fiction Award from the University of Central Florida (Yes, The Blair Witch Project University), her short fiction From Joy We Come, Unto Joy We Return was published in the on campus literary magazine: Cypress Dome and remains to this day in University libraries around the USA. Later, she achieved the semi-finals in a Laurel Hemingway contest and published a few  poems in the Thailand’s Expat magazine, and an article in the Thailand’s People newspaper.  Additionally, she has published poetry in the Korea’s AIM magazine, the American Poetic Monthly magazine and Twisted Dreams Magazine.

Review:

This is a short outtake from the series. It did it's job in piquing my curiosity about the series, but it doesn't stand alone. I felt like I was missing a world of information vital to the story. In a way, it was a middle with no beginning and no real ending. If you're going to read this story, be sure to start with the AngelFire Chronicles book 1.

The story focuses on Dumah and her realization she possesses dark magic. In the opening scene, we see Dumah as the victim of a brutal rape, which is not graphically described but is very present. Her brother doesn't prevent the rape, and this divides the siblings. Dumah is immediately approached by Daemon and leaves with him to uncover her powers.

I had a bit of trouble believing a teenage girl would leave with a strange man/boy after being raped the previous night. Daemon is helpful and does offer her something she's never had, a family. However she showed no real reluctance or even shock over the violation. I can say the story is well written and made me wonder what brought the siblings to where this short novella begins. It is only my reaction to Dumah's rape that made me cringe. This isn't a story I would recommend to middle grade readers, but older YA readers familiar with the series would enjoy it. I give Dumah's Demons three stars.

Friday, May 23, 2014

INTRIGUED AND ENCHANTED BLOG TOUR




Life can change in the blink of an eye.  No one knows that better than Lily Pritchard…

Witnessing your father’s murder is every 15 year old girl’s worst nightmare; for Lily Pritchard it was her reality.  Tormented by nightmares, twisted with guilt, Lily can’t let anyone close enough to care for her…until her world is rocked on its axis by a tall dark stranger.

Brandon Redgrave is intelligent, gorgeous, and wealthy; but he learned the hard way not to expect loyalty or love from those around you.  Haunted by his demons, Brandon is determined not to make the same mistake again.

A chance encounter; two broken souls; explosive consequences.


Will Brandon and Lily be able to heal each other’s wounds, or will their pasts spill into the present, extinguishing any chance of a future together…







As usual, I am so caught up in my own head that I’m not really paying attention to my surroundings.  I am so oblivious, I don’t even know what hits me. I find myself falling to the ground, my books and bag in the air, my coffee colliding with and slowly sinking into the grass.  My only thought is that I am about to smack my head of the ground and do myself some major damage, which I am not looking forward to.  I only realize when the pain doesn’t come, that I am being held just shy of the ground by a very strong, warm, and hard, pair of arms.





Eva Simone is a stay at home mother of two, wife to a wonderful hubby, and certified book addict!  She studied English at university, gaining an honours degree in literature and linguistics. 

After straying so far from her education Eva was sucked back in to the world of reading by the illustrious FSOG.  Two years later, and at least 200 books later, with a story on the back burner she decided it was time to put her education to good use and write her first novel.

Eva is hoping that everyone will enjoy reading Brandon and Lily’s journey as much as she has enjoyed writing it.  There are currently plans for two further books in this series.



Wednesday, May 21, 2014

HEART OF ETERNITY BY N. JAY

Heart of Eternity
When you are invited to dance with the muse of love, when you are driven to the edge by the pain of the past, when you hold the remedy for what ails you in your arms you will find yourself in the heart of eternity. Set in the Blue Mountain's town of Blackheath in New South Wales, Australia, the novel Heart of Eternity introduces two very different characters, Jay and Naida, who encounter each other at a challenging time in each of their lives. Their individual expressions of the feelings they provoke in each other give rise to a turmoil that could ultimately claim their lives. When two people understand so deeply the pain each other has faced will it force them into the abyss of darkness or will their combined need for healing allow love to enter both their hearts?

Excerpt

Soft lines of emotion crossed his forehead as he turned and looked into her eyes one last time, confused as to why she seemed so familiar and all the more frustrated at his own dark side for not breaking out in front of her. Jay forced himself not to look back, to pretend as if Naidah had never existed, and to be cold and alone again just the way he liked it. He disappeared eventually, basking in the heat of his own hell.
But Naidah stood there as if she’d been waiting her whole life for him. Her soulful eyes locked on his every move, craning her neck as far as she could to lock his towering frame in her eyes forever, feeling her breath stop as distance grew between them, wanting to reach over but not being able to move an inch, the distant recesses of space pulling Jay infinitely away from her till he vanished from her sight. A sharp and tangible pain ridged between her heart and ripped away her soul. She caressed the folds of his jacket. The feeling flooded her with his scent. It was engulfing. Crouching down where Jay was standing a minute ago, Naida cupped the sand up in her palm and held it there as if trying to confirm the veracity of his existence, to tell the difference between her vision and reality.
All that happened afterwards was a mere blur for Naida; Eva’s shout, the lifeguard’s queries, the crowd eyeing her drenched body with curiosity, murmuring conjectures. Everything gyrated around her in full swing but she stood there, unmoving… unnerved.
The sand in her palm slowly slipped away in the wind and took her with it and the only part that ever remained there was the one that did not belong to her anymore…it belonged to him…

About the Author

N. Jay, found the inspiration of her romance novel Heart of Eternity in her own life history and folklore---- By drawing on the power of her personal experiences, she has created characters whose desires are circumscribed by the landscapes and pasts they can no longer escape. Coming from a culturally diverse background, N. Jay received an M.A. in Literature in 2009 and teaches in the areas of comparative literature, composition, and language pedagogy. Currently, she resides in Dubai, UAE, with her husband and two year old daughter. N. Jay finds the internal world of human beings to be a constant source of fascination and loves the more emotionally laden side of life.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

#REVIEW: FOLLIES PAST BY MELANIE KERR



About the book:

Before there was a single man in possession of a good fortune at Netherfield, there was a single man in want of a wife in London. His name was Wickham and he was bent on marrying himself into as much wealth as he might contrive, preferably to the detriment of the man who had destroyed all his prospects in life – the man known as Darcy of Pemberley.
In Pride and Prejudice, everything hinges on a letter which Mr. Darcy gives Elizabeth - a letter setting forth all his dealings with Mr. Wickham. These facts, supplied by Austen herself, are at the heart of Follies Past. The novel begins at Pemberley, at Christmas, almost a year before the opening of Pride and Prejudice. It follows young Georgiana Darcy to London, to Ramsgate and to the brink of a perilous elopement.
Upon opening the pages of Follies Past, readers will begin to feel as though it was penned by the masterful hand of Jane Austen herself. Crafted with all the skill of a trained linguist, this jaunty excursion into a flawless Regency England gives readers all the joys, the wit, and the drama of their beloved Pride and Prejudice. Existing characters are just as Austen wrote them, and the story, the manners, even the syntax, all conform to her standards and idioms. 
As well as some exciting new characters and a sweet and touching new love story, readers will discover delightful surprises from more minor characters such as Anne de Bourgh and Mrs. Younge. The prefect prequel to England’s favourite book, this is a novel for true Austen fans. 
 


Review:

 If your a fan for Pride and Prejudice or just a Jane Austen fan in general, you've stumbled upon a new treat! Follies Past is an excellent prequel to the story of Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. No, they aren't the the focus of the story, but the rest of the characters from the old classic get to have their adventures. Take a trip back to Regency England and find out more about Mr. Wickham and his bid to marry well. Fair warning. There are no white-hat heroes in this one!

I found the customs and language to be similar to the original work. The phrasings have a modern edge to them but certainly invoke the classic. There very light moments that made me laugh and quite a few that left me gasping with a, "He/she did not just do that!" We know for the original what a nasty piece of work Wickham was, but we get a good look at the social climbing Caroline Bingley. I can't  help but say Melanie Kerr did an awesome job with this story, and she did invoke a strong response from her reader, I hated Caroline Bingley from the beginning.

If your looking for the happy/sappy ending, this one isn't for you. It just can't work that way. How else would Pride and Prejudice work out if everyone got their happily-ever-after in Follies Past? I'm recommending Follies Past as a supplement to the true Austen fan who wants more detail about what Darcy didn't tell Miss Elizabeth is his letter. Follies Past gets 4 stars!



Friday, May 16, 2014

REVIEW: AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO WORKING WITH BOOK BLOGGERS #NONFICTION



Blurb:
Do you feel out of your comfort zone when dealing with book bloggers? They are the New Gatekeepers to book publishing success – but how can you tap into that source of free promotions by putting your best foot forward?
The Author’s Guide to Working with Book Bloggers combines the advice of 215 blogging professionals collected in a survey covering all aspects of communication between authors and Review Blogs. Whether you are a new author, or have many titles under your belt, let us demystify the promotion of your book on a book blog.
You’ll learn about whom and where book bloggers are, and the following:
The Query,
The Review,
The Giveaway,
The Author Interview,
The Guest Post,
The Book Blurb Excerpt and Cover Reveals and more!
“I’ve found Barb’s advice on forging a professional relationship with the blogging community indispensable. Her step-by-step approach will help you garner the reviews needed to increase book sales.”
–Christine Nolfi, bestseller author of Treasure Me
The Author’s Guide to Working with Book Bloggers is available on:

Review:

Are you looking for ways to get your new novel noticed? Want to get the word out about your fabulous new work? You need a book tour! For that, you also need to know how to interact with book bloggers. The Author's Guide to Working With Book Bloggers is just the resource you need. Page after page of helpful tips and hints make this book a must have for new authors and the well established alike. Learn what to ask and what to send without being asked. Find out what the common complaints from book bloggers are and how to avoid the etiquette faux-pas. Barb gives industry inside information to help you make your next book marketing campaign easier and more productive! I'm giving The Author's Guide to Working with Book Bloggers 5 stars!