BotW: Locked Inside

Welcome to Sunday loves!  You know what that means, it's book of the week time!!! This past week has been rough for me.  Especially due to the shooting that happened in Orlando a week ago today.  I will forever be haunted by the loss of friends and members of the LGBTQ+ community.  I weighed my options when choosing a book for this week, because there are so very many that I can feature - some that I've read, some that I've not. 

However, my decision comes with the knowledge that this woman is a fantastic writer and someone I have greatly enjoyed getting to know through a group on Facebook.  I won a copy of this book in a give away last Christmas, and only recently (in the last few months) got around to reading it and I was not disappointed.  It was also one of the first pieces of lesbian fiction I'd read, period.  I highly encourage you to track down this book and other works by this author, you won't be disappointed.  I'm also including a link to my review of this book, check it out.  

Locked Inside

Annette Mori

If you've read The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, are a psychology or medical student you are somewhat familiar with locked-in syndrome.  I'd been familiar with it in vague terms from watching shows on television (as I'm a fan of Grey's Anatomy and House), so I wasn't completely unfamiliar with what Belinda was experiencing at this particular moment in her life.  

I like the characters in this book, their struggles are unique to them and yet bring them together to hopefully give them each that glimmer of hope that love might actually be a possibility between the two women despite various obstacles and fears.  

RELEASE DAY EVENT! Eighth Note (Fire Ballad #1) by Kimberly Stedronsky

Book: Eighth Note (Fire Ballad One)
Author: Kimberly Stedronsky
Genre: Paranormal Horror Romance
Release Date: October 31, 2013
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

Eva Reed saved the world.

Actually, she saved two worlds, but who’s counting?

Finding herself in the middle of present day suburbia, married and a mom at only twenty years old, she’s beyond bored. Even with her popular music blog and her handsome husband Will catering to her every impulse, she longs to use the incredible powers that she possesses.

But Earth is no place for magic.

When Cole Mathison arrives, asking for Eva’s help in solving the death of a famous pop star, she cannot resist the overwhelming pull to use her abilities again.
Eva finds that there is more to the sinister murder than what the evidence shows.

People who listencontinue to die, and she must rely on her immortality to protect her from a frequency that is shattering minds and stopping hearts.

There are forces at work that she could never have imagined...

And evil will be heard.



Kimberly Stedronsky is an Ohio author who prefers an epic love story. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education, which she uses as an excuse to be as immature as possible on a daily basis.

She is married to a stand-up comedian Marine veteran, and their three children are appropriately sarcastic.



“I’ve spent the last thirty years proving to myself that I wasn’t crazy. I’ve… helped… people with paranormal activity.”

“You’re a ghost hunter?” I snorted, listening to the monitor crackle and Perry cry out softly. Will gave a deep, amused sigh, gesturing to the house.

“I am going to bed. Ten minutes, Eva.”

I automatically scowled at his order. “I’ll be up in a little while,” I countered, using all of my self control not to tell him off for treating me like a kid.

“Yes, love.” He bent to me, practically lifting me off the ground to catch me off guard with a possessive kiss. I could only hold on to his shoulders as his mouth moved over mine, and it took me five witless seconds to realize that the display was completely for Cole.

Men, marking their territory. Please.

“I won’t keep her long,” Cole promised, and Will responded with a quick nod before heading for the house. “All happily ever after here, I take it?”

I turned to him, tucking my hands under the sleeves of my hoodie. “Obviously. Now tell me what’s going on.”

He scratched his chin. “No, I’m not a ghost hunter. I just… lend a hand. When crazy, unexplainable shit happens.”

“I hate to tell you this, but people die. Every day. I’m sure the toxicology reports will come back with some fun party results.”

He stared at me, contemplating. I returned his look, waiting impatiently. Finally, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, handing it over to me.

“The security cameras caught her death. There’s no sound. Eva honey, are you sure you can handle this?”

I accepted his iPhone, shrugging. “Um, I set my father-in-law on fire from the inside out. I think I can handle watching someone die.”

His palm covered my hand, and his fingertip swept the screen open. His nails weren’t nearly as manicured as Will’s, and his calloused skin felt rough on mine. “No sound,” he repeated, and I nodded, trying not to appear as confused as I felt.

The street lamp flickered over our heads, and I waved my hand to turn the bulb completely off, leaving us in darkness.

The video began with an aerial view of Nina, black and white, in the studio. I could hear that the sound had been wiped from the video, and the continuous, looping whisper kept time with my heartbeat as my pulse began to pound in my ears.

Nina was tall and blonde, with adorable dimples that kept her looking years younger than her actual age. She had two fingers over her earpiece as she sang, and I watched her drag the back of her other hand over her brow in mid-verse.

She stopped singing, and the rushing sound intensified.

She was coughing; I watched her reach for something, and then tip her head back and take a long drink from a bottle of water.

Cole’s hand slid around my waist, and I almost screamed. I’d been so involved in the video, waiting, holding my breath, I’d almost forgotten he was next to me.

“Eva.” He warned. I ignored him, narrowing my eyes and focusing on the iPhone screen.

Nina stilled suddenly, and the water bottle slipped from her hand.

Long seconds passed as she stood there, frozen, still, and I started to lift my finger to touch the screen, checking to see if the video paused.

Her head jerked down violently, chin to chest. All of her hair surrounded her face.

When her head snapped upward to meet the camera face-on, my hand clamped over Cole’s arm.

Her mouth was a wide, dark O, no teeth, no sound… no pupils. Blackness seeped from the corners of her eyes, and she began to bend backward, further, further still, until her entire body was folded- backwards- at the waist.

Text copyright © 2013 Kimberly Stedronsky

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS AUTHOR | WEBSITE

AMAZON | SMASHWORDS

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

What's On My Kindle? - Episode 3

Welcome to the third installment of What's On My Kindle?

What exactly is What's On My Kindle? This is my own little thing that I am going to be getting out every Saturday or Sunday (depending on what the evil thing known as RL does to me).  Within this post I'll list a few of the books that are currently on my TBR list on my Kindle.  Some are freebies (or were when I bought them), and others I paid for with gift cards, or had a few spare bucks to spend on a book.

All of them, I fully intend on getting to, at some point (and taking a massive chisel to my to-read list and hopefully hack it down to under 1000, again).

All of today's books are box sets that I'd purchased for nothing or at most .99 when they were on sale earlier this year on Amazon.

Royal Princes of Ruthenia Box Set - This has two books in it, and it is one of my indulgences of reading Romance, not that I venture out of my YA Box often, but I do, and the box set was .99 cents...so yeah. It has two books in it, Royal Seduction and Royal Passion.  I have to be in a mood for romance, but I will get to it.

The Witches of Santa Anna- This was another .99 cent box set find that I couldn't turn down.  Really, I couldn't.  Seven books for .99? Really now? Yes please.  Considering that the next box set is priced at 9.99 and each of the subsequent books are priced @ 2.99, I will jump on this one for now.  The first seven books of this series are: Claimed, Tricked, Rumored, Hushed, Pursued, Enticed and Ruined.

The Grimm Diaries Prequels Vol 1-6 - Again, six books for .99.  I will eventually be buying the next two volumes of prequels which are both currently listing on Amazon for $2.99.  What if everything you knew about fairy tales was wrong? The book included in this are Snow White Blood Red narrated by The Snow White Queen, Ashes to Ashes and Cinder to Cinder narrated by Alice Grimm, Beauty Never Dies narrated by Peter Pan, Ladle Rotten Rat Hut narrated by Little Red Riding Hood, Mary Mary Quite Contrary narrated by the Devil, and Blood Apples narrated by Prince Charming.

Historical Romance Boxed Set - Two books in this one, and I paid .99 for it, and it's now listing for $5.99 on Amazon.  One of the books in here I read as an ARC and loved it.  The books included in this box set are: Of Noble Birth and Honor Bound (which is the one I read as an ARC copy).

The Betrayed Series: Ultimate Omnibus - This Carolyn McCray series is a highly praised and highly controversial technothriller, and I am looking forward to reading it and exploring what she's created.  This set not only includes all three full length novels in the Betrayed Series, but the prequel to the series, two bridge short stories (which are HIGHLY controversial) and a short story that takes place after the third book.  The books/stories in this series are: Ambush, 30 Pieces of Silver, Targeted, Havoc, Covert, Shiva, Mayhem.

Apocalypse Babes: The Complete Series - I managed to have .99 cents when this book series went on sale, and I grabbed it.  I'd read the first one, and wanted to read more in the series, right now it is listed at $4.99 on Amazon.  I love the tag line for these novels: No mad skillz, no sacred destiny, just a pink tracksuit that will take her places she never wanted to go... The books in this series are: The Z Word, The X Factor, iRobotronic, Kumbaya Much, Bite Me, and Apocalypse For Realz.

Mimi's Mix - A Book From Each Series! - This box set will probably mess with my book OCD because they jump around in different series and it isn't always the first book in the series.  But, oh well. The books in this one are; Partners, His Devious Angel, and He's Her.

Galley Galore 3.0

Welcome to the third installment of Galley Galore here at Confessions of a Bibliophile.  Today's issue includes the reviews of four books that I absolutely adored.  All of which are available for purchase from Amazon.com and other fine retailers.  I received these books from Netgalley from the publishers for an honest and unbiased review.  I truly enjoyed all the books I am about to feature for you and highly recommend them to anyone who loves books with a touch of mystery, romance, and learning just how important one moment in our lives can be.

Now, enough idle chatter, on with the books! 

Book Blurb: Kendra, fifteen, hasn't felt safe since she began to recall devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, especially because she still can't remember the most important detail-- her abuser's identity. Frightened, Kendra believes someone is always watching and following her, leaving menacing messages only she understands. If she lets her guard down even for a minute, it could cost Kendra her life. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it's her only way of coping. Since her own mother is too self-absorbed to hear her cries for help, Kendra finds support in others instead: from her therapist and her art teacher, from Sandy, the close family friend who encourages her artwork, and from Meghan, the classmate who's becoming a friend and maybe more. But the truth about Kendra's abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl's frightening path to the truth.

This book made me cry, this book also gave me a more indepth understanding as to what drives people to cut, and how abusers use subtle manipulations to further harm their victims after the abuse has stopped.  This book made me sick at some points and yet I would greatly recommend this to anyone who cuts, anyone who has been a victim of abuse, or anyone who doesn't understand the mentality of a cutter or someone who has been sexually abused as a child.  I highly recommend not reading this without some tissues close at hand and forewarned you will get pissed off by the end of this book, but it will also touch your heart and it is one of those stories that will stick with you long after you've finished reading it.  Review: Scars by Cheryl Rainfield

Book Blurb: This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?
As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?
The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

This is another one of those books that will linger with you long after you've stopped reading.  It impresses upon you how important every single moment is, and how in the blink of an eye everything around you can change.  One moment things are going wonderful, everyone is happy and simply enjoying life and the next moment things have gone horribly, horribly wrong and the shroud of death hangs over a once happy gathering.  Friendships are tested, relationships are strained as Maggie tries to piece together those final moments up on the cliff, those final moments before Joey dies and her world is thrown into a spiral that she isn't sure she can get out of. Review: One Moment by Kristina McBride

Book Blurb: Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.
As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy? 
Harrowing and beautifully written, Elizabeth Wein creates a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other. Code Name Verity is an outstanding novel that will stick with you long after the last page.

I love reading about different things concerning WWII and this book, though there is fictional elements to it, and the writer confesses to creating different jobs for the female roles in this story there is some level of truth to it.  I adored Elizabeth Wein's writing style and watching Verity struggle for survival in Nazi-occupied France while Maddie did her best to save her and further work for the resistance.  This book shows the development of a friendship through the struggles of War and how that friendship further blossoms as one friend tries to save another.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a fast paced, emotional read that will linger with you long after you've turned the last page. Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

The galley for this was originally titled The Bastard

Book Blurb: To some men honor is just a word... 

Jeannette Boucher, a young French beauty from a family left penniless by the revolution, must marry against her will to save them all from ruin. But almost immediately after the vows are spoken, she learns that her old English husband is impotent—and in his desire for an heir, he plans to compromise her in the worst way. Determined to escape such a fate, she stows away on one of His Majesty’s frigates. But a woman alone is in constant danger. 

To Lieutenant Treynor, honor means everything...
Born a bastard to a wayward marquise, Lieutenant Crawford Treynor was given to a poor farmer to raise and was maltreated until he ran away to join the Royal Navy. Treynor is determined to prove he’s as good as any other man and rise to captain his own frigate. But once he finds Jeannette aboard The Tempest he must decide whether to return her to the man he knows would abuse her—or risk everything, even his life, to keep her safe.

So, this is my romance novel of the selections, and I have to say, I did completely enjoy it and it was quite a fun read and I loved the development of the characters.  Jeannette did get on my nerves at times and Treynor was at times annoyingly too masculine (yeah, I went there), but beyond that they are quite a unique couple and the struggles that they face are quite fun, especially when Jeannette stows away on a frigate, pretending to be a sailor...how does a woman hide so well among a ship full of men? Read this stunning story and find out! Review: Honor Bound by Brenda Novak