ℝℂ Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge 2015

The 2015 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge is hosted by The Book Vixen.

The aim of this challenge is to push you to read more than you did last year.

Any work over 17500 words counts; this means that novellas and novels are in but short fiction under 7500 words and novelettes between 7500 to 17500 words are not.

Any book format and genre counts.

ℝℂ Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge 2015

Our second sign up for the day is the Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge, hosted by The Book Vixen.

This is one of the simplest challenges we have seen.  All you have to do is read as many Contemporary Romance books as you like.  That's it.

Any book format and genre count.

Young adult, new adult and adult fiction titles qualify (non-fiction does not!).

As this is a Contemporary Romance challenge, romances with the following elements do NOT qualify: paranormal, historical, time travel, fantasy, science fiction, or mystery/suspense/thriller.

ℝℂ Authors A-Z Reading Challenge 2015

A new day and oh so many more challenges to join... today is the turn of the Authors A-Z Reading Challenge, hosted by Samantha Lin.

The challenge: read books written by different authors, collect 26 authors whose last names begin with a different letter, from A to Z.
Couldn't be simpler.  Right?

Any book format and genre count.
Visit the organisers' blog to find out the full details of this challenge and sign up - you have until the end of November 2015.

ℬℋ Post A to Z Road Trip 2015

Every April bloggers everywhere take part in the A to Z Challenge, i.e. they have to post every day, except on Sundays, thematically from A to Z.

Each post can be about any topic as long as its theme matches the letter for that given day!  For example the first post could be about Apples (A), followed by a post about Bubbles (B).  No restrictions.

ℝℂ Around the World 2015

Today, here at BooksChatter we are joining the Around The World challenge for 2015, organised by It's All About The Books blog .

The idea behind this challenge is to try and read books that are set in more unusual and varied locations - we certainly noticed, as did the organisers, that most of our reads take place in the USA - and also to compare our final maps.

To take part in the challenge, as you read a book, you just need to pin onto a map all of the locations that you visit during its narration.
If a book is set in multiple geographical areas, they all count.

ℝℂ Netgalley Reading Challenge 2015

We once again continue to catch up with this year's reading challenges; this time it's the turn of the Netgalley Reading Challenge, organised by Fictively.com
According to Netgalley, the ideal feedback ratio should be around 80%... ours is currently around 13% ... there are simply too many interesting books and too little time!

The Netgalley Reading Challenge is the perfect opportunity to try and push that ratio a bit higher!

ℝℂ European Reading Challenge 2015

Our third Reading Challenge this year, is the European Reading Challenge 2015 organised by Rose City Reader, and anyone can still sign up until the end of the year.

The challenge is to read (audio books do not count!) and review books by European authors or books set in European countries (Note: England, Scotland, Wales and Northen Ireland are all ONE country, the United Kindom, hence any one book relating to any of these countries counts as one entry for the UK).
Each book must be by a different author and set in a different country.  Any length or genre counts.

The following countries count towards this challenge: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vatican City. 

ℝℂ The Mad Reviewer Reading Challenge 2015

This year I have taken up The Mad Reviewer Reading Challenge, and have pledged to read and review 104 books in 2015,  which will run nicely alongside my current Goodreads Reading Challenge which has the same target.

This challenge is organised by The Mad Reviewer blog, and anyone can still sign up until 31 July 2015.

Don't worry, you will not have to also read and review 104 titles!  There are more reasonable categories to suit everyone:
1.Mad Reviewer: 104 books (2 books a week).
2. Crazy Reviewer: 52 books (1 book a week)
3. Slightly Sane Reviewer: 26 books (1 book every fortnight )
4. Sane Reviewer: 12 books (1 book every month all year.)

The rules are simple: you can read any written title (no audio books), and post a review on any available platform (your blog, Goodreads, someone else’s blog, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.) - a full set of rules is available from the organisers.

All of us who have finished our challenge, will be entered in a prize draw which will take place in the first few days of January 2016.  You can still enter as long as you have read at least 12 books - basically if you do not achieve your target, you will be included in a lower level of the challenge.  All you have to do is notify The Mad Reviewer that you have taken part and how many books you did review.

ℬℋ Blog Blitz 2.0

Welcome to the Blog Blitz 2.0 Blog Hop, organised by D.L. Hammons  and based on an idea inspired by the game Tag... where someone would be tagged as IT and everyone would try to get to them...

And this is kind of the purpose of the Blog Blitz... from time to time a particular blog is selected and the entire comunity focuses on them and posts supportive comments on their latest post.

Sounds like fun?

You can find out more on  D.L. Hammons' site, alternative you can just join in by checking out all of the blogs that are taking part!   You never know what you might discover!

☀ Perfectly Twisted : C.O.R.E. Above the Law [1] - Kristine Mason

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for Perfectly Twisted (20 April 2015, Amazon Publishing) by Kristine Mason, a Romantic Suspense available now. 

Kristine Mason will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour, which will run from May 25 to June 19 2015.  Please do take part: comment on our post and follow the tour - the more comments you leave the higher your chances of being a winner.

Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Book Review | Giveaway & Tour Stops | Perfectly Toxic: C.O.R.E. ATL [2]

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Synopsis

What do you get when you mix a snake-handling reverend, a necrophiliac, a cop and an ex-con? Something perfectly twisted…

Sounds like the start of a bad joke? Not to Shane Monahan. The ex-con and newest recruit to the underground criminal investigation group, A.T.L. or Above the Law, has it bad for Collier County Deputy Beth Price. But ex-cons and cops don’t mix, especially when this particular ex-con is looking at going back to prison for his involvement with A.T.L.

✍ Perfectly Twisted: C.O.R.E. Above the Law [1] - Kristine Mason

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published 20 April 2015 by Amazon Publishing
Number of pages: 422

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ I liked it a lot 

Book Review | About the author | Synopsis | Teaser | Giveaway & Tour Stops | Perfectly Toxic: C.O.R.E. ATL [2] |

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"What do you get when you mix a snake-handling reverend, a necrophiliac, a cop and an ex-con? Something perfectly twisted…

Sounds like the start of a bad joke? Not to Shane Monahan. The ex-con and newest recruit to the underground criminal investigation group, A.T.L. or Above the Law, has it bad for Collier County Deputy Beth Price. But ex-cons and cops don’t mix, especially when this particular ex-con is looking at going back to prison for his involvement with A.T.L.

All Beth wants is a fun distraction from the stress of her job and law school. She thinks she's found that when she meets Shane during an airboat tour through the Florida Everglades. But Shane’s a felon, a man who could destroy her career as a deputy, and jeopardize her future as an attorney. She doesn’t know what to do—until dead bodies start showing up around the county.

☀ Death Takes A Trip: Julia Blake Murder Mystery [5]

Today we have a spotlight on British author Gillian Larkin and her latest offering, Death Takes A Trip (1 May 2015), which is the fifth instalment in her Julia Blake Cosy Murder Mystery series and is currently offered for FREE on all platforms!

So have a look and give it a try!

Synopsis | Excerpt | The Series | About the Author

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Synopsis

When one of Julia’s elderly clients, Douglas Pedley, is found dead at the bottom of his stairs, it is soon obvious that he was murdered.  Julia first suspects the building contractors who have been hounding Douglas to sell his land and property.  It’s not long before another suspect appears.  Julia is determined to find out who murdered the old man.

Excerpt

     Julia was the first to discover Douglas’ dead body.  With hindsight she should have acted quicker and warned Cain to divert Nina.  As it was, Julia was too shocked to move.  From the second she had entered the house, Julia had sensed that something was wrong.  Some instinct had told her to go to the stairs.

ℚ Devil Eye: Penny Larkin Paranormal Thriller [2] - Rebecca Jean Downey

Today we have the pleasure of talking to Rebecca Jean Downey, author of the Penny Larkin series, with a particular focus on her second novel, Devil Eye (4 March, 2014, Tate Publishing & Enterprises). 

In Devil Eye, Penny Larkin is hired by the US Marshals Service to track down low level gun trafficker Juan Rico and finds herself part of the weapons cargo on its way to Mexico.  This second instalment has been described as:

"A haunting thriller about the U.S.-Mexico Border!" 

"Devil Eye is a very well-written novel, and it kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last.
I enjoyed the adventure, and look forward to enjoying many more from this exciting author. She has kept it rated general audience so it can be enjoyed by all ages. The book is entertaining, descriptive, exciting, and suspenseful, along with being well edited and a joy to read. I gave it a very well deserved “A” on my tight grading scale and recommend it to one and all. Pick it up and try it, you will not put it down."     William Phenn for Blog Critics"

Q&A | Synopsis | Trailer | Teaser | About the Author |

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☀☄ Devil Eye: A Penny Larkin Paranormal Thriller [2] - Rebecca Jean Downey

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for Devil Eye (4 March 2014, Tate Publishing & Enterprises), a paranormal thriller by Rebecca Jean Downey.

The Devil Eye is the second instalment in the Penny Larkin series, which introduces the reader to a psychic technique called controlled remote viewing, developed in the 1970s by the CIA when the agency suspected that the Soviet Union was conducting psychic spying on the United States. The US Army and the CIA utilized Stargate until the end of the Cold War when the US Government declassified it. Today, remote viewers help law enforcement agencies and individuals locate missing persons and solve cold cases.

The author, Rebecca Jean Downey, is preparing to launch "Unbridled Eye: Penny Larkin [3]" later this year, in the meantime she is offering The Middle Eye, the first in the series of Penny Larkin thrillers FREE for a limited time. In The Middle Eye, Penny Larkin, a 35 year old writer turned control remote viewer, is hired to find 11 year old Rosa Garcia who has been kidnapped in El Paso, Texas.

Synopsis | Trailer | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops | Q&A with Author Rebecca Jean Downey

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☀ Mermen : The Mermen Trilogy [1] - Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for Mermen (10 May 2015), the first instalment in the Mermen Trilogy, a new paranormal romance series by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff, who wants to make something very clear:

"These Mermen Don’t Have Tails, They’re Deadly as Hell, and They’ve Got Something He Wants…

Anyone who has read the Accidental Series or King knows I love to flip things on their heads. Mermen is no exception. THIS IS NOT A FLUFFY STORY ABOUT men with fins and tails who sweep ladies off their feet and make them long to be mermaids. Uh-uh. This is NOT that kind of story. Nobody in their right mind would want to hang out with these very beautiful yet dangerous men (who don't actually have tails, fins, or gills, by the way) NOR would anyone want to be their mates. Well, at least, not me! Run. Away!!"

MerMadman, the second part is also available now, with the final part MerCiles coming in November 2015.

During this tour Mimi Jean Pamfiloff is giving away the following 10 prizes:

☀ If You're Not The One - Jemma Forte

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for If You're Not The One (1 June 2015, Sourcebooks Landmark) by Jemma Forte.

“The most imaginative romcom we’ve read in a while.” –Now (UK)

“An engrossing and magical read with romance at its core.” –OK! (UK)

“A witty account of rollercoaster events that will get you thinking about the “what ifs” in your own life.”-Heat (UK)

Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway

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Synopsis

What if you could do it all over again?

Jennifer Wright is pretty sure her husband doesn’t love her anymore. She and Max used to be the perfect couple, but the pressures of work and kids have pulled them in opposite directions. Now, Jen is full of “what if” questions about whether her bland, suburban existence is all she was ever destined for.

✍ Permanent Spring Showers - Scott D. Southard

Genre: Literary Fiction
Published 4 February 2015 by 5 Prince Publishing
Number of pages: 472

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★   It was exceptional (minus)

About the author | VBT Spotlight | from the Author

"Professor Rebecca Stanley-Wilson is having a very bad season. Her husband has just admitted to having an affair. And it was with one of her students.

Blame it on a desire for revenge (or way too much alcohol), she then has had one of her own. Unfortunately for her, her affair was with one of the great upcoming painters of his generation. The ramifications of that one torrid evening will not only be felt across her life but over the entire art world.

Sexy, funny, and very surprising, Permanent Spring Showers is the tale of one very memorable springtime and how it impacts a group of unique artists and dreamers. From the writer who is creating a new literary movement (through outright manipulation), to the hopeful Olympian with the failing marriage, to the romantic wondering what he did wrong to drive his love from him, each tale walks the line between reality and fantasy. And waiting at the end of the line is a very important painting… and possibly the revolver used in the Lincoln Assassination. "

☀ The Chapels on the Hill - Virginia McCullough

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for The Chapels on the Hill (22 February 2014) a women's fiction novel by Virginia McCullough.

 “A lyrical story of the healing power of love—it will capture your heart.” —Stacey Joy Netzel, NY Times bestselling author of the Romancing Wisconsin series

The author will be awarding the choice of a digital download of her fiction titles to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during this tour. Please do take part and comment on our post and follow the tour - the more comments you leave the higher your chances of being a winner.

Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

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Synopsis

When tragedy struck, Sonia and Aaron’s reason to be together seemed to slip away, along with the love they once shared. Both believe they’ll find closure at an event dedicating a music pavilion to their son, allowing them to say a final goodbye and freeing them to commit to new relationships. But instead of finding peace, memories of the life they shared with their son, Matt, stir up unexpected feelings, prompting them to relive both sweet and painful times of their shared memories of the life they shared…

And they can’t forget Matt’s special gift…

☀ Permanent Spring Showers - Scott D. Southard

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for Permanent Spring Showers (5 February 2015, 5 Prince Publishing) an outstanding, funny and extremely well written literary fiction novel by Scott D. Southard.  - Watch out for our full review which will be published here tomorrow.

The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during this tour.  Please do take part and comment on our post and follow the tour - the more comments you leave the higher your chances of being a winner.

Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops | Review

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Synopsis

Professor Rebecca Stanley-Wilson is having a very bad season. Her husband has just admitted to having an affair. And it was with one of her students.

☀ The Far End of Happy - Kathryn Craft

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for The Far End of Happy (5 May 2015, Sourcebooks Landmark) is a powerful new novel based on author Kathryn Craft’s personal experience with a stand-off involving her husband.

Here Craft delivers “real, raw emotion” (Library Journal) exploring a marriage unraveled by mental illness; and one man’s spiral towards a violent conclusion that tests the courage, love, and hope of the three women he leaves behind.

“Framing the novel within a 12-hour period keeps the pages turning (Library Journal).” Narrating from the alternating perspectives of three women, whose lives will be forever altered by Jeff Farnham, gives an intimate look at the steps a woman will take to get the help her husband so urgently needs while desperately trying to keep her children safe.

When the emotionally troubled Jeff engages police in a deadly stand-off, his wife, mother-in-law, and mother struggle to understand why the man they love has turned his back on the life they have given him, the one they all believe is still worth living.

Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Praise | Trailer |

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☀☄ The Soul Retrieval - Ann W. Jarvie

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for The Soul Retrieval (23 March 2015, JazzComm Publishing) a historical suspense by Ann W. Jarvie, which will be available to download for free all day today from Amazon!

"Riveting ... The Soul Retrieval takes readers on a journey filled with mystery, suspense, love and hope. It tells of two stories, one of the past and one of the present ... When the two stories collide, the reader is placed on a roller coaster of emotions." -- Pacific Book Review

"The author has a gift for crafting striking images [...] Jarvie also strikes an impressive balance with the dialogue, refusing to pander to readers by oversimplifying, but also never getting too technical or hard to follow—a good thing in a dialogue-heavy novel." -– Kirkus Reviews

Author Ann W. Jarvie will also be awarding a $75 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter.  Please do take part and comment on our post and follow the tour - the more comments you leave the higher your chances of being a winner.

Synopsis | Trailer | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

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☀ Summer's Family Affair: Music City Hearts [3] - Cynthia Gail

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for Summer's Family Affair, the third instalment in the Music City Hearts series, a contemporary romance which will be available from 6 May 2015 from Soul Mate Publishing.

The author, Cynthia Gail, will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barns & Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during this tour.  Please do take part and comment on our post and follow the tour - the more comments you leave the higher your chances of being a winner.

Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

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Synopsis

Jenny Cohen defines successful independence: she put herself through college, couldn’t ask for better friends, owns a consulting firm, wears designer clothes, and just moved into her dream home... But she’s alone, except for her ailing mother whom she supports in a nursing home. As the marketing consultant for Chester, Dorsey & Tanner, she’s surrounded by male attention. Too bad it’s the overly-protective big-brother type.

☀ Vegas Miracle - Liz Crowe

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for Vegas Miracle (5 May 2015, Tri Destiny Publishing), a MMF Ménage Romance by Liz Crowe is re-releasing on May 5 with a fresh new look.   Below you can read a PG, short but telling excerpt from this steamy book.

The author, Liz Crowe will award a six-month Kindle Unlimited subscription , a $25  Amazon gift card and any book from her back catalogue to three randomly drawn winners via Rafflecopter during this tour.  Please do take part and comment on our post and follow the tour - the more comments you leave the higher your chances of being a winner.

Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops | Review 

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Synopsis

Ryan and Grace Sullivan have all the outward indications of a happy life: money, success, an undeniable physical attraction that quickly evolved from whirlwind relationship to marriage. But lately, Ryan's become moody and distant. As their relationship starts to crumble, Ryan discovers something about himself he can't admit just as Grace realizes the young man she encounters at an invitation only party, Henri Christophe, a celebrity chef with the most successful restaurant in Las Vegas, is her husband's lover. But Henri holds a secret himself. He wants to be more to both of them.

✍ Vegas Miracle - Liz Crowe

Genre: Erotic Romance
First Published 1 October 2011
Published 5 May 2015 by Tri Destiny Publishing
Number of pages: 144

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ I really liked it 

Synopsis | Review | About the author | Excerpt | Giveaway

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"Ryan and Grace Sullivan have all the outward indications of a happy life: money, success, an undeniable physical attraction that quickly evolved from whirlwind relationship to marriage. But lately, Ryan's become moody and distant. As their relationship starts to crumble, Ryan discovers something about himself he can't admit just as Grace realizes the young man she encounters at an invitation only party, Henri Christophe, a celebrity chef with the most successful restaurant in Las Vegas, is her husband's lover. But Henri holds a secret himself. He wants to be more to both of them.

Trying to make their unconventional arrangement work, Ryan's deep-seated fear of relationship failure continues to thwart everyone's happiness. When he finally walks away instead of confronting the emotional connection the trio share, he returns to find their lives flipped inside out. A sought after hotel and resort consultant, Ryan has yet to meet a problem he couldn't solve. But when it comes to his own heart, Ryan may be too late."

☀ Way to Go: Way to Go [1] - Mandy Colton

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for Way to Go (30 April 2015, Thurston Howl Publications) a contemporary romance by author Mandy Colton, which is also the first installment in a series by the same name.

Mandy Colton will award a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during this tour. Please do take part and comment on our post and follow the tour - the more comments you leave the higher your chances of being a winner.

Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

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Synopsis

Veronica Lane works in the travel industry in her dream job when she experiences a hellish travel day ending in the loss of her job and stranded far from home. To make the situation even worse, she drowns her sorrows in the hotel bar, and wakes the next morning to a big surprise.