March 2014 Wrap-Up

Hola! So I've decided to only do monthly wrap-ups instead of wrap-ups/future plans. My plans are constantly changing that I cannot set myself to something solid anymore. Woe is me with such a super busy schedule, lol.

Talking about busy...March was CRAZY!!!

I didn't get much reading done due to a big gala show that I was a part of. I was doing 18+ hours of rehearsals every week along with my two jobs. The week before the show, we had 14 hours of intensive immersion training with the talented Ahmed Hussien, plus I had my private dance lessons with him. But I have to say, it was awesome! Here are some photos from the workshops and the show (courtesy of Carlo Tayag):

Children's Book Review of Water Play: The Water Cycle, book 1 by Mayra Calvani

The Water Cycle: Water Play Series, Book 1 by Mayra Calvani

Follow the water droplets in their journey from the clouds to the earth and back to the clouds again. Written in a lyrical style, the book takes a new angle on the water cycle by showing the feelings it evokes in people.

Suggested age range for readers: 4-8

AMAZON

Audiobook: Please Don't Tell by Elizabeth Adler

Read by Bernadette Dunne

Synopsis: Fen Dexter’s quiet life on the idyllic California coast is interrupted one stormy night when a blood-covered man shows up on her doorstep, claiming to have had a car accident. He tells her that he is on his way to San Francisco to help the police solve the murder of his fiancé. Unable to make it to the hospital because of the storm, he stays the night at Fen’s, and the attraction between them is obvious. The next morning he heads to the hospital where Fen’s niece, Vivi, is an ER doctor. Vivi is treating the most recent target of a serial killer whose signature move is to leave a note saying “Please Don’t Tell” taped across his victims’ mouths. When Fen’s mysterious stranger comes to Vivi to have his wounds stitched she agrees to set him up to talk with the police about his fiancé. Who is this man, really? What does he want with Fen and her family? And will they live long enough to uncover the truth? Told with Elizabeth Adler’s knack for terrific female characters and breathtaking twists, Please Don't Tell will keep you guessing, right up to the end.

Friday Posts, 3/28/14

This hop is hosted by Billy over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Every week bloggers answer a question and then visit other blogs that are participating.  This week's question is from Silver's Reviews:

What are some of your favorite book blogs?   

A: Here are just a few: Wall-to-Wall Books (inspired me to start my own blog), A Night's Dream of Books (the partner when it comes to special book events), Reading is Fun Again (newest blog that I encountered and love visiting), and The Book Rat (awesome blogger and vlogger).

Spotlight with Excerpt: John Dreamer by Elise Celine

John Dreamer is a compelling and inspirational young adult novel by Elise Celine that was published on February 1, 2014.

“There are eight characters in the story, and many of them play a very important role, but it all comes down to Andy and John,” says Elise Celine. “Andy is a troubled soul. She is very compassionate, but she’s so afraid of getting hurt that she guards her feelings and shuts people away. John is an enigma, a good-looking natural leader, who observes and learns, who waits quietly before speaking his mind.”

Andy wasn’t usually sure about much, but she was absolutely certain this was the weirdest day of her life as she stood stranded in the middle of a great white room with six strangers. Well, they were mostly strangers. She could have sworn she’d seen the guy with the green eyes before, and maybe that was why he kept staring at her. When a man calling himself the Guardian appeared and said they had come to make their deepest dreams come true, they embark on an adventure none of them ever imagined—where anything is possible—and the consequences of their actions would change them forever.

Blog Tour Special: Desire by B.L. Wilde

Tour Schedule

♥ TITLE ~ Desire
♥ SERIES ~ The Seductors Series #1
♥ AUTHOR ~ B.L. Wilde
♥ GENRE ~ Erotica Romance
♥ RELEASE DATE ~ June 12, 2013
♥ PUBLISHER ~ Author
♥ COVER ARTIST ~ Jo Matthews

♥ BOOK DESCRIPTION ♥

Jade has worked as a Seductor in a secret organization for five years now. Her main job? To earn the trust of her targets and secure the object or information her company was hired to steal—by any means necessary. She’s damn good at it, too.

With five years left on her contract, she is handed an assignment that turns her world upside down.

Teaser Tuesday #79

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading.

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

Blog Tour Review: Imperfect Love by Rebecca Talley

Tour Schedule

 Imperfect Love by Rebecca Talley

Lauren Wilson is well on her way to her happily-ever-after. She has a career she loves, a husband she adores and a baby on the way, but a devastating diagnosis changes everything. The life she's built suddenly crumbles around her when her husband insists she choose—the baby or him.

Returning to her small hometown to rebuild her shattered life, Lauren crosses paths with Ethan Campbell, the man who stole her teenage heart. The old attraction is still there, but Lauren won't admit it to anyone—least of all herself. Her only priority is providing a life for her child, and she can't afford to get it wrong. Ethan is confusing everything, including stirring up feelings she’s not prepared to face. Will she spend her life raising her baby alone or is the family she's always wanted finally within her reach?  

Goodreads * Amazon

School Nightz Blitz

Night School Vampire Hunter (Novella#1)
Fifteen year old Dasheen Bellamy’s world is turned upside down, when she is accused of killing her father and godmother. Dasheen cannot remember the events of the night her world is destroyed, but she feels inside that she is innocent; due to lack of evidence against her and with no other family; Dasheen and her younger brother Jordan, are sent to the elusive and mysterious Ame’ Academy ; a residential school where all is not what it appears. There all goes well, until

Taking a Small Break

It's that time again when I am preparing for another big show but this time I am taking a break from blogging. It's a small break though.

These past three months have been super busy as my dance sisters and I rehearsed 16+ hours a week, got costumes made and ready, and got ourselves into shape by getting healthier. 

My reading and online time has been dwindling down as the show crept coming closer. I have fallen behind on many of my reviews, which I promise to catch up as soon as the show is over. 

The show is Sunday, March 23rd. Yup! That's around the corner! Eek!!!

In the meantime, I will be gone until March 24th (except for the 18th for a book spotlight post). Be prepared to be bombarded with posts!

Take care, wish us luck, and happy reading!!!

Vonnie

Listen to one of the songs that I'll be dancing to- Moon Over Ala Nar


Are you in Southern California and looking for a nice evening of food and dance? Then visit AnoushBellyDance.com for show tickets.

Blog Tour Review: A Thousand Perfect Things by Kay Kenyon

Tour Schedule

 

A Thousand Perfect Things by Kay Kenyon

 In this epic new work, the award-winning Kenyon, whose work has be compared to Larry Nivens and Stephen R. Donaldson, creates an alternate Earth in the 19th century. This Earth is ruled by two warring factions—scientific Anglica (England) and magical Bharata (India).

Tori Harding, a Victorian woman, whose heart aches to claim the legendary powers of the golden lotus, must leave her reasoned world behind and journey to Bharata. In pursuit of the golden lotus, Tori will be forced to brave its magics, intrigues, deadly secrets and haunted places, to claim her destiny and choose between two lovers in two irreconcilable realms.

Of Beast and Beauty: Read-Along Signups!!

Announcing a new event!!

A Night's Dream of Books  and
Vonnie's Reading Corner

are once again

teaming up to bring you the

Of Beast and Beauty Read-Along,

which will run from 

April 1st to April 30th, 2014!

Come join the fun!!

Friday Posts, 3/7/14

This hop is hosted by Billy over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Every week bloggers answer a question and then visit other blogs that are participating.  This week's question is from Silver's Reviews:

Do you have a schedule set for blogging and reading time? Or do you not have a set time and just let it happen?   

A: No, I don't have a set schedule. I blog and read whenever I get the chance with my busy schedule. Besides, I rather that these things happen spontaneously to make it feel like a reward after a hectic day.

Blog Blitz: You Will Pay For Leaving Me by Eve Rabi

Title – You Will Pay for Leaving me  

Author – Eve Rabi  

Genre – Woman’s Fiction  

Publisher – Eve Rabi  

Cover Artist – Eve Rabi

 

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: The Orphan and the Thief by M.L. Legette

Tour Schedule

 

The Orphan and the Thief by M.L. Legetter

An adventure that will keep you and your kids spellbound.

Toad thought it’d be easy to steal from Mr. Edward P. Owl. Unfortunately for Toad, he isn’t the best of thieves. Caught in the act, he’s in more trouble than ever before. Now to save his hide, Toad must track down five rare potion ingredients for Mr. Owl. Or else.All Melena Snead wants is her family back, but after the Miggens Street Fire, that isn’t very likely. Orphaned and miserable, forced to work in an apothecary, she’s determined to find Milo, her missing brother. No matter what.

Blog Tour: The Paris Connection by Cerella Sechrist (Author Interview)

Blog Tour Schedule

Sparks are flying in the city of light…

Emma Brooks, single mom and managing director at the leading recruiting firm in Paris, was against their merger with an American company from the start. Not only was her firm losing its autonomy, she was losing her well-deserved promotion to Cole Dorset – a handsome, arrogant interloper from New York!
How did Cole’s ex-girlfriend’s dream of moving to Paris become his nightmare? Now he’s got to find his way in a new country, and the woman showing him the ropes wants to string him up by one. But as he gets to know Emma and her daughter, he realizes Paris may have more to offer than he thought…

Released March 1, 2014 from Harlequin Heartwarming

E-book available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Virtual Book Tour Review: Summer Rain by Cherlisa Starks Richardson

Genre: Christian Inspirational Fiction, Y/A

 Author Tour Schedule

Sixteen-year-old Summer McClain seemingly has it all—a doting mother and father, two best friends who stick closer than glue, and a grandmother who can cook the pants off any chef who dares to go up against her. Her world is perfect in every way—until tragedy strikes the core of her family.

When Summer thinks the worst thing in her life has happened, she’s dealt more blows that make her question her young faith. Her two best friends, who should be there to love her through her devastation, have personal issues of their own, and on top of that, a girl at school starts bullying her for no reason. Will Summer be able to withstand the heartache, pain, and pressure she has to endure?

Review and Giveaway: Eve of Awakening by Alisa Hope Wagner

Eve Pallue's facade of purpose falters when a near death experience exposes the frailty of her existence, and she must come to grips with a reality that death ultimately wins. A hidden memory of a forgotten mother surfaces, and Eve's bodyguard, Randall, takes advantage of her weakened state, trying to capture her devotion and lace her into his ambitious agenda. A dying therapist and her unlikely caretaker lead Eve on a journey of Truth; and a catastrophic fire catapults Eve into a life she has always feared, destroying the only one she has ever known. Eve awakens to severe burns and a pair of doting, elderly sisters who nurture Eve's newfound faith and guide her on the path to eternal purpose.

AMAZON