Yearly Archives: 2019

30 Days Without Wings by Tabatha Shipley (Book Showcase)

Faeries are real.

Elise is a faerie who has experienced terrible heartache and just needs a change before she is forced to choose the path she will walk forever. She will risk everything for one chance at happiness. But is the cost of the risk more than Elise bargained for?

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

Audible Audiobook – Unabridged Purchase Link

 

 

 

 
Here goes nothing.  My shoes make a light tapping noise on the polished floor as I make my way across it.  Normally you probably wouldn’t hear it, but the echo off the domed roof is deafening.  As my heart thuds away in my chest I have to wonder if they can hear that too.  Are they used to the children sounding nervous?  
 
The elder who walked me in takes to the air instead, crossing the chamber in half my time.  I watch her drop delicately into her seat, smiling at a few fae on either side of her.  Flying was a good idea, I wish I’d thought of it.
 
I reach the middle of the room and stop. The man before me has so much gold on his wings you can no longer see any clear.  It sends beams of light flying out in every direction around him, giving the impression that he is glowing.  He has years of impressive service to this community.  He wears a long white beard, but it doesn’t hide the youthful expression in his eyes.  I wonder what this man does for our society.
 
I tip my head downward in greeting.  “Thank you all for seeing me.”  
 
“We are here today to allow Elise an opportunity to choose the path of her future.  Today she will choose the direction of her training.  Elise, today you will tell us what future will earn color in your wings.  What say you?” the elder asks.  His voice echoes through the chamber.
 
I swallow the lump that has formed in my throat.  Here goes nothing.  “Can I request a manifest period?”  
 
There’s an audible gasp from a few of the elders assembled.  They range in age, I know.  Some are no older than me, really, but have shown themselves to be adept at their field.  Each sector of our society, each job held, has an elder who presides over it.  They are all here today to hear my choice.  Evidently, this is not what they wanted to hear.  My wings begin to flutter nervously.  They are well within their rights to tell me no, although it’s not normally done that way.  
 
“Well, yes child.  This would allow you a one-month period to travel to other colonies and decide where you would like your future to play out.”  He commands the attention of a few elders who have reverted to whispering in the back by clearing his throat.  “I believe we are surprised, Elise, because this practice is typically reserved for fae who have family in other circles.  To be blunt, my dear, we are all you have.”
 
“But I could be allowed to try?” I ask.
 
The man looks to his right.  A beautiful faerie sits along the lowest row of chairs beside him, her wings sending off silver rays instead of gold.  She is our leader.  Once she chose her path, the change was instant.  Her silver wings are rumored to have fully colored right then, in the prediction of service she would do.  It is strange that she has been our leader for as long as anyone can remember, and yet she looks so young.  Her face is thin, her eyes forgiving.  Her long white hair reaches her waist.  The hair tugs a little as she nods once to the speaker.  My eyes immediately lock back on him.  
 
“Yes, of course.  We would need to see you again in one month’s time to hear your decision.  You would be required to return for that second meeting and the decision you express at that time would be final.”
 
My heart flutters with the permission.  I’m so close now.  “That is what I wish, then.  Thank you.”
 
It has gone dangerously quiet in the chamber again.  All eyes are on me; I can feel them melting into my face.  I gulp.  They have to have the final word.  It is not official until they speak.  
 
The face of the speaking elder reveals nothing.  He remains stoic.  Finally, he nods once.  “So be it.”  

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

Audible Audiobook – Unabridged Purchase Link

 

 


Tabatha is the author of the Kingdom of Fraun series,Projection, and 30 Days Without Wings. She believes strongly in the power of helping others and is always willing to help out a fellow writer or reader. Find and connect with her on whichever social media platform you love best.

 

Amazon Author Page Link / Website Link

Twitter Link  / Instagram Link / Goodreads Link

Facebook Link / YouTube Channel Link

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Author Showcase / BOOK GIVEAWAY – Beatrice DeSoprontu (Vices/Virtues)

If you love FREE BOOKS or books signed by the author, then you came to the right place.

Beatrice DeSoprontu is gifting A COPY of  Vices/Virtues.

If you reside in the continental United States, you are eligible to WIN a  SIGNED PRINT COPY of this naughty but nice tale.  

However, due to shipping costs, if you live outside the continental United States, you’ll be gifted  a kindle copy. 

To enter, all you have to do is leave Beatrice a comment or question on her  feature from NOW until FRIDAY (November 15th) 11:59 p.m., central time

On SATURDAY (November 16th), I will randomly select a winner, and their name will be announced on a comment. 

PLEASE FOLLOW the blog posting so you will receive a notification when I make the happy announcement.

The winner will have until November 21st to claim their prize. If a prize goes unclaimed, then another contestant will be selected. 

Scroll down to get a glimpse at the prize and remember….. ENTER TODAY

 

~ PRIZE ~

A sexy, erotic novel with heart, Vices/Virtues is a testament to the beauty of life, love and family.

Cristela was bred to be the perfect liar. By day, Cristela is a good-girl poster child. By night, Mistress Clara masters the hidden erotic realm of an S&M dungeon. With her knack for duplicity things should work smoothly except for one complication – friendship. The quirky array of fellow dominatrices at the dungeon are nothing like the stereotypes she expected. Divided between her affection for the girls at the dungeon and her desire to keep her fetish activities secret, Cristela fears her two worlds are colliding. Can Cristela break her history of deceit? In a world of vices and virtues, salvation isn’t something you find, it’s a path you make.

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

 

* Excerpt from “Prudence” Chapter 2 of VICES/VIRTUES *

 

Until I became an adult, I was Cristela Maria Davila, the daughter of Alfredo and Griselda Davila, a Puerto Rican couple who lived in the neighborhood of Jackson Heights, in the borough of Queens, in the city of New York. Soon after marrying, the young couple set up house and Alfredo got a well-paid job as a construction worker. A year after their wedding, my older brother Alex was born. Two years after Alex, I came into the world. Sadly, shortly after my birth, Alfredo suffered a massive heart attack and passed away. I’ve always pictured the moment the heart attack came. Slumping over the pounding jackhammer he was holding, Alfredo lost his grip, causing both man and machine to tumble to the dusty ground.

All of it was a lie.

 

It was never my aspiration to work in a dungeon. I — real name Cristela, not Clara — already had a day job working at Winchester Court, a four-tower apartment complex on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The property boasts an indoor garage, sky deck, a fully equipped gym, sauna and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Most importantly, it has 1,477 separate apartments, which means that every month, over 100 units are either vacated or renewed. I worked as an apartment shower — a person who is kept on call to tour interested parties around the giant labyrinth. By the way, that’s “show-er” as in someone who shows off the apartment complex to prospective tenants, not “shower” the bathroom fixture. Unfortunately for my resume, both words are spelled the same…

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

 

Beatrice De Soprontu began writing at the age of four, when she scribbled on the walls with a crayon. Now an adult, she mostly scribbles on her home computer surrounded by her noisy children and their less noisy father. Born and raised in New York City, (which includes: Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, maybe even Staten Island – a.k.a. the real New York and not the tourist trap that is Manhattan), she enthusiastically travels the world on a budget whenever she gets the chance.

 

Website Link / Goodreads Link / Twitter Link 

 

 

 

Now that you’ve checked out the prize and met the author, don’t forget to 

13 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Projection by Tabatha Shipley (Book Review)

No one types anything anymore. You simply think it, and it appears on the page. Sharing a memory with friends is as easy as recalling and sending it to a screen. The ubiquitous chip implanted in everyone’s wrist has made interaction with technology seamless and natural, almost making our tech an extension of ourselves. What happens when it goes wrong?

Emma Johnson has enough problems. School, boys, and her firm-yet-aloof dad are enough to keep her on her toes. But everything falls apart when her most embarrassing thoughts and memories start to appear on any device she’s near.

Why is this happening? How can she function in a world of technology when technology seems to be out to get her? Who can she trust? Will she ever be able to find a new sense of normality?

Find out in Tabatha Shipley’s new YA Science Fiction novel, Projection!

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

 

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

Present-day, there is an RFID chip that people can get placed somewhere in their hand, under the skin, that allows a person to unlock doors. It’s an ID badge of sorts. No one has created a chip that attaches to the nervous system yet, but Elon Musk’s company NEURALINK is working on a prototype that will allow a scientist to manipulate brain synapses. It’s a highly complicated and comprehensive invention, but Elon doesn’t know the word simple.

I can understand the reasoning behind such a device mentioned above. It will help with motor function difficulties. However, I am not 100% behind a chip that allows a person to control apps with a simple mental command. I’m afraid it will malfunction or have adverse health risks if it needs to be removed. These exact two scenarios were discussed at length in Projection.

I’ll admit, there were some pros and cons to the NFC chip in this book, Projection. Projecting memories from vacations and revisiting class discussions was quite nifty. However, displaying private fantasies or misleading memories has to go on the negative pile.

Every day, there are advances in science and technology. Before long, we could all be chipped at birth. What then? When will this madness stop?

As much as I love the advances of science and technology, sometimes I worry about how far people will push the boundaries to make life ‘easier’ for humankind.

Tabatha Shipley (the author) gave us many reasons why some things should not be invented. I know Emma (character) wishes she never received the implant.

Some things are better in the land of fantasy, and this was a great fantasy read.

With that said, I must point out there were several editing errors. If you can overlook them, and I’m sure you can, you’ll discovery a book with a solid plot, likable characters, and top-notch resolution.

 

Heart Rating System:

1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 

Score: ❤❤❤❤

 

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

 


Tabatha is the author of the Kingdom of Fraun series,Projection, and 30 Days Without Wings. She believes strongly in the power of helping others and is always willing to help out a fellow writer or reader. Find and connect with her on whichever social media platform you love best.

Amazon Author Page LinkWebsite Link

Twitter Link Instagram LinkGoodreads Link

Facebook LinkYouTube Channel Link

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Vices/Virtues by Beatrice DeSoprontu (Book Review)

A sexy, erotic novel with heart, Vices/Virtues is a testament to the beauty of life, love and family.

Cristela was bred to be the perfect liar. By day, Cristela is a good-girl poster child. By night, Mistress Clara masters the hidden erotic realm of an S&M dungeon. With her knack for duplicity things should work smoothly except for one complication – friendship. The quirky array of fellow dominatrices at the dungeon are nothing like the stereotypes she expected. Divided between her affection for the girls at the dungeon and her desire to keep her fetish activities secret, Cristela fears her two worlds are colliding. Can Cristela break her history of deceit? In a world of vices and virtues, salvation isn’t something you find, it’s a path you make.

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

In Vices/Virtues, Beatrice De Soprontu didn’t just write elaborate BDSM or S &M scenes. Each chapter did feature at least one client and their kink, but Beatrice also dived into the lives of each dominatrix. We stepped into their pasts and learned who or what brought them to the dungeon.

Some backstories were more interesting than others. I didn’t particularly care for Clara’s past, but I did find her present storyline appealing. No matter which dominatrix Beatrice featured, the result was the same, each lady had a troubled past and needed this outlet/job for personal reasons.

 

Let’s get kinky…

There were some clients I won’t soon forget. Funny, gross, sad, sweet, and just plain weird… Beatrice sure did enlighten this reader on a few kinks I had no clue existed.

 

Check out three of the many clients featured in Vices/Virtues.

 

Gluttony: I know there’s a kink for everything, BUT Mr. Chen’s took the cake. (This line will be funny once you read the chapter.) I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.

Temperance: Who is the right mind wants someone to step on their penis intentionally?! I mean, come on. I accidentally tap my husband’s and he’s down for the count for a minute or two. Yeah, Randall’s kink was rather weird.

Wrath: Mr. Norman + colon cleanse = I just threw up in my mouth.

 

I wish I could share all the various clients and their requests. Clara did see a variety of men, and not all were creepy or weird. You’ll discover some were sweet and a little sad.

One thing that did surprise me was the lack of female clients. Women are sexual beings who also need an outlet for their desires. Unfortunately, this wasn’t reflected in Vices/Virtues. It was pointed out on page 225 that Clara “hadn’t seen or even heard of a female client.” This declaration bothered me. I wondered why no women have walked into the dungeon. Seemed odd. Unrealistic.

 

There were a few HAPPY surprises I’d like to share as well.

1.) The ladies sitting around discussing religion was unexpected.

2.) Their pay scale was broken down, and I was shocked at how little they brought home. It didn’t seem like nearly enough for some jobs.

3.) There was definitely no Hallmark ending, but this was no Hallmark story either.

 

Heart Rating System:

1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 

Score: ❤❤❤1/2

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

 

Beatrice De Soprontu began writing at the age of four, when she scribbled on the walls with a crayon. Now an adult, she mostly scribbles on her home computer surrounded by her noisy children and their less noisy father. Born and raised in New York City, (which includes: Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, maybe even Staten Island – a.k.a. the real New York and not the tourist trap that is Manhattan), she enthusiastically travels the world on a budget whenever she gets the chance.

Website LinkGoodreads Link / Twitter Link 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Lottie Loser by Dana L. Brown (Book Review)

It’s been twelve years since Lottie Luce ran away to Indiana, three weeks before her classes were to begin at IU, to avoid a confrontation with her best friend, and secret love, Nick Greyson. On the night she’d believed he was going to tell her he wanted her for more than a friend, Lottie caught Nick in a compromising position with her long-time nemesis, Ashley Marshall. The hurt and humiliation were more than she could bear.

Now a product of personal reinvention, Charlotte Luce is the youngest, and first female market president of Olde Florida Bank, and her life is nearly perfect. That is until Nick comes home to Anna Maria Island, hoping to save his father from financial ruin, and Charlotte’s carefully created world stands still.

Lottie Loser vacillates between the present, and the memories of the young girl who thought she had found love, lost it, and is now forced to examine the decisions she made, as well as the chemistry she and Nick still share.

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

For the most part, Lottie Loser was a story about two people forgetting their troubled past and starting anew. This book was charming, like Nick Greyson, until it wasn’t. I don’t mean that negatively. An out of the blue banking mystery unfolded and everything changed. Charlotte’s life was affected the most. Twelve years ago, Charlotte was hurt by Nick’s actions. Present-day, she’s smack dab in the middle of those same feelings.

When Lottie’s life could be more complicated, someone makes a confession that shocks the hell out of her. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, wait until you read the cliffhanging ender. The entire story was fabulous, BUT chapter 73 was off the charts good. (Being sort of vague to avoid spoilers)

I did knock a point off for the frequency in which she time jumped from Then to Now. At times, it messed up the flow of the story. Other than that, there weren’t any major storyline issues. I think romance readers will enjoy this story. I sure did.

Story continues in Call Me Charlotte (already available for purchase)!

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

Award Winning author, Dana L. Brown, went from Bank to Books with her debut novel, Lottie LoserA long-time banker and graduate of the American Bankers Association School of Bank Marketing and Management, where she earned the distinction of Certified Financial Marketing Professional. She attended Ball State University, and majored in business.

The mother of three daughters, she lives with her husband in Indiana, but loves traveling to the laid-back lifestyles on the beaches of Florida. Lottie Loser is her debut novel.

Twitter Link
Website Link
Amazon Author Page Link
Facebook Link
Instagram Link

 

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized