Of Brine & Blood by B. Longino Smith book blitz with giveaway
Of Brine & Blood
B. Longino Smith
(Brine Series, #1)
Publication date: May 1st 2016
Genres: Adventure, Romance, Young Adult
In 1700 century England, a women’s purpose is only served in a home. But Kitrina Harvey has no home and the only place she feels will keep the memory of her father alive, is at sea. However, when she inexplicably finds herself on the ship of the infamous female pirate captain, Charlotte de Berry, she may have counted her good fortune too soon.
While Kit may have found a family among the motley crew of outlaws, and perhaps even a special interest in a particular pirate named Gage, is she ready to be a pirate herself?
Kit must ask herself what she is willing to do to please the pirate captain, made even more complicated when she finds out that her life is much more entangled in Charlotte’s than she originally believed.
Can she kill even when she discovers that she and Charlotte share a common enemy?
Set atop the planks of the great Athena, Of Brine & Blood is a fictionalized retailing of one of history’s infamous female pirates, through the eyes of a girl coming of age among the contrasting themes of love, revenge and power. Liberally sensationalized, Of Blood and Brine, follows the twisting trail of Kitrina Harvey’s life, as she recounts Captain Charlotte de Berry’s own story of love, loss and murder.
EXCERPT:
Thomas adjusted his spectacles again and lowered the parchment to look at me. I nodded letting him know that I had understood and agreed to the articles. With that, he produced a quill from his breast pocket and handed it to me. He then laid the parchment on the railing of the deck and held it open so the wind would not catch it. I quickly scripted my signature and then held out my hand to return the pen. Thomas received it
with his right hand but then made to grab my still extended arm with his left. He continued to hold my wrist as he replaced the quill in his pocket.
Holding my palm close to his face, he reached to his belt with his unoccupied hand, unsheathing a small blade. I automatically took a step back, tugging my hand as I went. But Thomas pulled me abruptly back to him, and in one fluid swipe, he pricked the flesh on my thumb.
As he let go of my wrist and went to replace his dagger, I stared in astonishment at the small drop of blood beginning to pool on the pad of my finger. Now, Thomas held the parchment out for me again, but this time I was confused. Reading my misunderstanding, he again took my hand and directed my thumb to the scroll pressing it next to my name. When he let go, I retracted my hand, but left behind was the red, wet smudge of my thumbprint in blood.
I looked up at Thomas with wide eyes. He seemed amused by my expression and continued to look smugly at me for a moment more before he turned to the captain. She had been watching us and her dimpled smile had returned.
“Do you have any questions, Kitrina?” she asked. I shook my head more in habit than in directly answering her question, feeling the accelerated beat of my heart in the flat of my thumb. “Alright then, Mr. Hamilton, please show Kitrina to a bucket and brush to swab the main deck,” she directed.
Thomas made for the stairs, and I followed, but soon spun back towards her. “Aye, yes, I do have a question, Captain,” I stammered trying to get out my question, as it formed in my mind.
She looked down at me, her dark eyes appearing to peer intrudingly deep into mine, waiting for me to go on.
Sheepishly I asked her, “What is our trade, Captain? Where is this ship destined?” I was suddenly, and embarrassingly, aware that I did not know the nature of our voyage.
At this, she threw her head back laughing. She lifted her grip on the helm, and it began to spin, slowly at first, but gradually it picked up speed sending the boat in a wide turn. Her laugh, growing from a small chuckle in correlation with the speed of the helm, echoed into a maniacal cackle.
Sails shifted, and men upon the deck rushed to account for the change of direction, pulling lines and adjusting the riggings. Smaller objects tumbled from portside to starboard and crashed into the rails. Thomas and I both made a grab for the deck railing to steady ourselves.
When she finally angled her chin back down at me to speak, her eyes were dancing. “Why, where ever the wind may take us!” she howled. She grabbed the helm again, at last pulling the ship out of its turn, but threw her head back and continued to snicker. The sound was ominous.
As Thomas pulled me towards the steps, I could feel that shock had frozen my face into a mixture of bewilderment and terror. I hurried to rearrange my features but leaned into Thomas as we walked to retrieve a pail and brush.
“Is she mad?” I whispered, unable to hold in my inquiry, seeing the wild look in her eyes again, though my back was now to her. He turned his head sharply, and I immediately regretted asking it, for I was sure to be punished for speaking ill of the
captain. When he spoke, his expression settled into something less severe but still stern.
“I have been sailing with Charlie for five years and have been at sea for twelve before that. I have never seen her equal at sea. She hears the call of the ocean as if it speaks directly to her. She has an unparalleled intuition and knows what ships to run towards and which ones to run from. She is fair with her men and I hold her at the highest respect,” he said before pausing and setting me with a firm look again to convey that I should understand he meant every word.
Then he continued, “But mad you ask? Yes, in that regard too, I have never met her equal.”
Author Bio:
Brittany lives with her husband and daughter just two miles away from the beach on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. The backdrop serves as a constant reminder, and motivator, in her nautical historical fiction projects.
Her current series in progress, the Brine Series, has been a story that she has ‘picked at’ for over five years. In the beginning, Brittany only had the undeniable compulsion to bring the vivid characters in her mind, to life, by recording their story on paper. However, only more recently have her characters become increasingly disgruntled by not having their story shared with others. Brittany’s husband sided with her characters.
In the winter of 2015, after the first installment of the Brine Series, Of Brine and Blood, was complete; the second book, Of Bitter and Brine, was written and being revised; and the third installment, Brine: The Beginning, was outlined, Brittany’s husband had had enough of talking about characters that were only real in the Smith household. As a Christmas present, Steven sent Of Brine and Blood off to a (fabulous) editor, unbeknownst to Brittany until Christmas morning.
With the overwhelming encouragement from Victoria (fabulous editor extraordinare), and the unwavering support from her husband, Brittany began her publishing journey. She is indescribably excited to be sharing her characters and their adventure with others.
Brittany also feels as though this brief bio does not adequately include the recognition of her daughter, mother, father, sister and all others who have been invaluable sources of motivation, inspiration, and support.
To get updates on new releases in the Brine Series please visit: http://www.blsbooks.com
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Not Working: A Novel by Lisa Owens
Not Working: A Novel by Lisa Owens
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Twenty-something Claire decides to quit her job in order to find herself and decide what she’d rather be doing. Her family and friends are confused by her actions and eventually Claire manages to start pushing them away. In the midst of a disagreement with her mother and her relationship becoming strained with her doctor boyfriend Claire is determined to continue on her journey of self discovery.
Not Working had potential to be a really funny read but unfortunately I found that it fell way short of that mark in my opinion. It still had it moments here and there but a lot of it is so scattered that I struggled to make sense of just what was going on most of the time.
Written in somewhat of a diary type of format the book is made up of just random happenings in Claire’s daily life. This format was so frantic that I really wasn’t connecting much with Claire at all. Starting off after her leaving her job we randomly have someone tell her she needs to remove a Buddleia plant which Claire then seems to obsess with way more than you’d think would be anywhere close to entertaining. The argument with her mother was a little weird and slightly disturbing too, not sure how that even happened.
With the randomness of this read you can weed through and find some funny moments.
For instance Claire goes to the gym to cancel her membership and ends up signing up for a personal trainer instead. These little bits and pieces of funny moments though just weren’t enough to make me fall in love with the jumpiness of the story.
Overall, not my cup of tea unfortunately and not really one I’d recommend.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Redemption Road by John Hart
Redemption Road by John Hart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Fourteen year old Gideon Strange knows that the man that went to prison for killing his mother is going to be released after only thirteen years. Gideon obtains a gun and vows to be a man and do what no on else is willing to do, get revenge for his mother’s murder and kill the man responsible.
Elizabeth Black has been a police officer for the past thirteen years but she’s now under investigation for a shooting that went wrong. Eighteen bullets killed the men responsible for kidnapping and raping a young girl and now Elizabeth has to answer for the shooting.
Adrian Wall is the ex-cop that has spent the last thirteen years in prison for a murder he claims he did not commit. His time in lock up has been a tough one and he has the scars to show it. Once he’s released though the first thing that happens is running into young Gideon after revenge and then as if that were not enough for this somewhat broken man, another body shows up and Adrian is automatically the top suspect.
Redemption Road by John Hart is one of those engaging page turners that has so many layers, twists and turns that a reader is sure to be hooked right from the opening pages. Well written and complex there’s never a dull moment as the stories of multiple characters are weaved together wonderfully as the pages turn.
I would warn that this book is dark and violent read at times but if a fan of a good crime thriller this one would be for you. Never a dull moment and even if a reader could guess some outcomes there was just so much going on that I’m sure some will come as a surprise. A great read that I’d definitely recommend checking out.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Waking Amy by Julieann Dove book blitz with giveaway
Waking Amy
Julieann Dove
(Amy, #1)
Publication date: February 23rd 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Amy Whitfield is blindsided when she comes home and finds a note on the fridge from her husband, Wesley, stating that after four years of marriage, he’s leaving her. Amy was in the midst of trying to spice things up, to bring life back to their boring marriage. It seems now that she was too late.
As Amy sits with her head between her knees, trying to figure out what to do next, a call comes from Mercer General Hospital. The ER nurse is telling Amy’s answering machine that Wesley has been in a car accident.
When Amy arrives at the hospital, she finds her husband in a coma. The doctors say there is no sign of brain damage, and Wesley will eventually wake up. Relieved, Amy sees this as her second chance: the chance to get it right this time. To channel the girl Wesley won’t leave when he regains consciousness… She just needs some help to pull it off. After all, she was voted girl most likely to die a virgin in high school.
Amy would never figure on getting that help from Mark Reilly…Wesley’s doctor! He’s a non-committer, too-cute-for-his-own-good bachelor, and completely the guy Amy begins falling for. It’s a race against time to see who wakes up first—Amy or her husband.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
EXCERPT:
Mark put his hand on my leg. My very naked leg. The one the coat failed to cover any longer. “Mrs. Whitfield.”
I jumped a mile off the chair. My pocketbook crashed to the ground, my belongings falling out. My true identity evident in the contents sprawled on the ground. A few empty gum wrappers, a coupon keeper (yellow with a matching rubber band tied around it), a pack of mints, my checkbook, and a brown, worn wallet. Nope, no condoms or fuzzy handcuffs to match my outfit. Thank goodness.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. It’s just that you seemed so uncomfortable. Would you like a recliner brought in for you?” He bent down on the floor next to me, helping me with the contents of my bag. Luckily I had my personal girl items safely zippered in the inside pocket.
“Did I just hit you? When I woke? Please, tell me I didn’t just hit you. Wesley never wakes me up anymore. He says I’m one of those violent people when I’m woken up. For that reason, I have to set my alarm clock extra loud in the mornings.”
“No, you didn’t hit me. You fell asleep, and I woke you. You looked very uncomfortable.”
I sat back on the chair, unaware that my outfit was still advertising my female goods. “Let me get you a recliner and maybe a set of scrubs.”
“Scrubs?” My posture became erect again. “I’m not going into an operating room, am I? I can’t stand to see blood.
I’ll wait here.”
“No, Mrs. Whitfield. It’s just that—” He looked down at my outfit. “I thought you’d be more comfortable in a pair of scrubs.”
Author Bio:
Julieann lives in Virginia, yet longs to live everywhere else. It doesn’t come as a surprise that along with her gypsy soul, comes an active imagination. That’s why she loves to write and invent worlds and people, so that she can formulate their happily ever after. Hobbies include cooking new recipes, sewing, and spending time with her cute boyfriend/husband and five fabulous children. Vacations happen in Nantucket or the Carolina beaches—anywhere there is inspiration for her next book. One day she hopes to travel to Italy, drive one of those little cars around the countryside, and speak the language fluently!
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Clarity 5: Loving Liam by Loretta Lost book blitz with giveaway
Clarity 5: Loving Liam
Loretta Lost
Publication date: April 26th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Suspense
Happily ever after isn’t always easy…
Helen and Liam are engaged to be married and their relationship is stronger than ever. But when Helen encourages the young doctor to mend fences with his estranged family before the wedding, she unintentionally opens a dangerous can of worms.
A devastating secret from Liam’s past emerges, threatening to tear him apart. The horrors of his family skeletons make him feel that it is a huge mistake to try to start a new family with Helen. Unable to cope, he pushes everyone away, including his fiancée and even his best friend Owen.
Now Helen must do all she can to save the man who has saved her so many times. Liam has put himself on the line to help her heal in the past, and she hopes to do the same—if she can even get close enough to try…
—
READ THE PROLOGUE:
Liam Larson, 1989
I am standing on the side of the road and holding a newborn infant.
She is looking up at me with curiosity on her face, and I can already tell she’s going to be my best friend. We’re going to do everything together, especially coloring and making snow angels. She’s really tiny right now, but I’m sure that when she’s a little bigger she’ll love playing catch with me. I have a ball, but I don’t have anyone to play with.
First, I need to know her name.
“What are we going to call her, Mama?”
Turning to the side, I look at my mother who is sitting in the driver’s seat of the car and crying softly. I think she’s crying because it hurt a lot to take the baby out of her stomach. There is blood staining her dress, and she is clutching her midsection as her shoulders shake with sobs. She barely makes any sound, but she is shaking so hard that the car is trembling beneath her.
I thought she needed to go to the hospital, but she said no.
The baby in my arms is bloody and red. Maybe that’s why Mama never wanted to touch her. When she came out, I tried to wipe most of the gooey stuff off her before wrapping her up in Mama’s green sweater. Once I got it all off her face, I was able to see that she’s perfect. She has clear blue eyes and chubby little fingers. Her bellybutton was funny. I asked Mama what to do about the floppy string, but she wouldn’t help me.
“Liam,” my mother says from the car, and she is crying so much that she can hardly breathe. “Leave her there. Hurry! Before someone drives by.”
I look around in confusion. It’s early morning, and there aren’t many other cars on the road. Why would Mama want me to leave the baby here? It’s winter and there is a thin layer of snow on the ground. I shift the baby in my arms, because they are growing tired. She might be tiny, but I’m not that big and strong yet and it’s hard to hold her.
“Please, Liam,” my mother says again, placing her face in her hands as though she cannot look at me. “Put the baby down and come back into the car.”
“I don’t want to. She’ll be cold.”
My mother wipes her face on her sleeve, trying to remove some of the tears and clean her runny nose. She sits up a little straighter and grasps the steering wheel tightly. “Liam, if you don’t get your ass back here this instant I’ll tell your father that you disobeyed me. He’ll give you a good beating!”
I flinch at this prospect, and hug the baby tighter against my chest. I don’t want Papa to hit me anymore. He’s been away for a little while, but I know he’ll be back soon, and he’ll start hurting me again.
“For god’s sake, Liam,” my mother whispers desperately. “If you don’t do as I say, your father will kill me. He’s going to strangle me to death, and who knows what he’ll do to the baby. He hates little girls.”
She’s right. I have seen my father choke my mother before, and he always says mean things about girls. I begin to grow very afraid. Will he treat the baby in my arms even worse than he treats me? If putting her down means she won’t get punched or kicked by Papa, is that better? Somehow, she feels glued to my chest, and I don’t want to let her go; not for anything.
“Please,” my mother says frantically as she waves me over with her hand. “Please just leave the baby there.”
“But… but she’ll get hurt. If cars drive by, they could hit her.”
“We’ll come back for her, soon. I promise. I just need to go home. I’m in a lot of pain.”
I look down at the ground fearfully. “Are you sure, Mama?”
“Leave her, Liam!”
I quickly move to do as she says, and place the baby down in the snow on the side of the road. The little girl looks at me in confusion as I stand up, and her tiny arms move a little, reaching out for me. I can tell she already misses the warmth of being held; she misses me. My heart is breaking. This feels wrong.
“Quickly, Liam!” my mother shouts.
Ripping my own coat off my shoulders, I lay it over the baby as an extra layer of protection. She makes a cooing sound as she looks up at me, and I feel tears falling from my eyes onto her cheeks. “I love you,” I tell her, bending down to place a kiss on her forehead. “I’m sorry. We’ll come back for you, little sister. Mama promised.” I have a terrible feeling, but I’m too afraid to go against my mother, so I run back to the car. I can hear the baby start to cry, and my insides ache.
I have barely jumped into the vehicle before my mom starts driving away. I didn’t even get a chance to close my car door, but it slams shut with the force of the car’s acceleration. My mother is sobbing and the car is veering dangerously as she drives away at breakneck speeds.
“Mama?” I ask her nervously. “Are we gonna go back for her soon?”
“Who?” my mother asks brokenly.
“The baby.”
“What baby?” Tears pour down my mother’s face as she shakes her head violently. “There is no baby. There never was a baby.”
Her words confuse me, and I look behind the car to try to see where I laid the infant down on the side of the road. I can still hear her cries echoing in my ears. I can still see her sweet face looking up at me. “Mama, we have to go back,” I say as panic begins to fill my chest. “I left the baby there and it’s so cold. She doesn’t even have clothes yet. Can we go back now?”
“There is no baby,” my mother says quietly, repeating the words to herself over and over. “There is no baby.”
I am terrified. There’s something wrong with my mother and I don’t know what to do. What’s going to happen now? Is my little sister going to be okay? I am her big brother. I was supposed to protect her.
What have I done?
Author Bio:
Loretta Lost is a USA Today bestselling author who writes stories where very bad things happen to good people. Mystery, tragedy, and danger complicate her unique romances between characters who will do anything to protect each other.
In the two days of summer that she gets in Canada, she grows a garden of the hottest peppers in the world. She loves using these peppers to torture her guests and challenge their manhood. This could be why she isn’t married.
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