Excerpt & Giveaway: Evernight by Candace Knoebel

 

Evernight by Candace Knoebel 
(Night Watchmen #2)
Publication date: October 31st 2014
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

 

The stunning sequel to the thrilling paranormal romance novel Everlasting!

One lie will change everything.

Faye Middleton has secured the Dagger of Retribution for the High Priesthood, but in doing so, she’s opened the door to more demands set by them. She now has to break the Holy Seal, and soon. Trapped in the alluring Ethryeal City, Faye is pushed to the breaking point trying to discover just what she is truly capable of, even if it means destroying herself in the process.

With the clock ticking down to the war between both Covens, and the truth about her parent’s mysterious disappearance within her reach, Faye is faced with tough choices that will forever change her. Will Faye be able to handle the demands from the Priesthood, and still be able to continue her search for her parents?

But more importantly, can she survive the truth she finds?

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Purchase:

Amazon

Excerpt:

 

 


PEOPLE LIE. EVERY SINGLE DAY.

In fact, most of our world was built on the foundation of lies, some with the intent to serve the greater good, and others with the intent to serve one person’s giant ambitions. But the root of every lie is exactly the same. They’re all equally deceitful, treacherous propositions spewed from the mouths of men and woman alike.

Lies have the power to sound right, yet feel wrong. They have the ability to confuse your heart and twist your mind. The problem is, sometimes these lies become easier to believe than the truth. They become a sort of safety net from reality, a way to avoid what lingers in the back of your mind. And some say that over time, if you believe them long enough, they become real.

At least, that’s what my mother had hoped would happen in my case. But just like every lie ever told, all it takes is one small crack in that foundation for the whole thing to come crashing down.

And it did.

Because everything I thought I knew about myself was a lie. A beautiful and heartrending lie. I wasn’t the Defect my parents would regretfully see off to college before turning their backs on me. I wasn’t the weak friend who didn’t have enough backbone to stand up for what’s right, nor was I the loner without a purpose or a chance at real love. And I sure as hell wasn’t the weapon Bael and the members of the Darkyn Coven intended me to be.

But I am the weapon the Primeval Coven needs me be. Or so they keep saying.

In my Coven, there are two kinds of people: The Hunters and the Witches. They used to hate each other, even though they were on the same team, back in the old days when cars didn’t exist and time was tracked on a sundial. They hated each other so much that eventually a war was brought on by one of the original Witches—a Divine named Mourdyn.

The war was known as the Great Battle of the Covens. It was meant to wipe out the existence of every Hunter, and it devastated the population of my people, the Primevals. It annihilated the population of the Darkyns—the Witches who abandoned our Coven to follow the whims of Mourdyn and his persuasive lies.

But even though a lie can be struck down—imprisoned even—it can’t ever be fully erased. The scars it leaves behind on this earth and in our hearts are eternal, and somewhere along the way, someone will pick that lie back up and breathe life into it once more. Give it the wings it needs to rise again. Only, this time, that lie will be stronger, with an even greater purpose.

And that’s the part that scares me the most.

I glance down at my leg. The burn marks left behind from Bael’s wrath still tingle with echoes of the scorching fire he sent after me after I escaped with Weldon, reminding me that I’m nowhere near ready for the fight that’s sure to come.

And that has to change.

That’s part of why I agreed to come here to Ethryeal City—to the heart of our Coven. It’s where Hunters and Witches in an affinity bond enter as Night Watchmen and leave as Elites. Where those who have broken our Coven laws go to face the High Priesthood. Where those who need refuge… those like me… come to hide.

The only thing is, I never agreed to being separated from everyone I know. They call it debriefing, but with every day that passes, I’m beginning to wonder… to question how long it actually takes.

It’s been seven days and fourteen hours since my unfortunate and unplanned encounter with Bael—the Demon King of the Underground. In these last seven days, I’ve made more promises than I can count on two hands. And in those promises, I think I’ve told more lies than I ever have in my life.

Honesty seems to have slipped out of her bedroom from inside my integrity and, in her place, deceit has crept in with the offer of survival. If I just nod along with the many blending faces all interviewing me, then maybe somehow, I’ll make it out of this phase in my life alive. I’ll make it back into Jaxen’s arms and back into the graces of the friends I’ve come to trust.

But what deceit doesn’t offer is solace, because you can’t fool deceit. It knows every trick in the book.

Every day, twice a day, for the past four days, I’ve recounted in specific order how my friends and I nearly lost our lives in hopes that we’d gain an advantage on the Darkyn Coven and intercept them from taking the Dagger of Retribution. The one that has the power to initiate the removal of the Veil that separates the Underground and all its evil from the humans. The very Dagger that only I have the power to touch.

I’ve been singularly interviewed by every member on the Priesthood, and then by every general and Elder within the hierarchy of our Coven.

And I’m so very tired.

For the past four days, since I left the safe house beneath the church owned by the Night Watchmen, when I haven’t been in a laboratory undergoing strenuous testing, I’ve spent the remaining hours kept in a holding cell stripped of all personality. Chained down by claustrophobia. Shackled to the fears given free rein to destroy my hope.

I don’t have a home anymore. I have four white walls, one white jumpsuit, a white bed, white sheets… the color was bleached from my life the moment I crossed into the legendary Ethryeal City. I keep trying to remember the last time I saw Jaxen’s face, but my soul has fed so often on the happiness of that memory, I fear it’s disappearing. And I don’t know when I’m going to see him again.

They took everything away from me just to keep me repressed. Controlled. But what they don’t know is they cannot control what they do not own, and they do not own me. I can’t trust anyone. No one but myself, because all I know is I am more of a threat to them than I thought.

And the High Priesthood doesn’t know what to do with me.

 

 

AUTHOR BIO:

 

Candace Knoebel is the award-winning author of Born in Flames-book one in a young adult fantasy trilogy. She discovered in 2009 through lunch breaks and late nights after putting her kids to bed, a world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five Purgatory. And an outlet for all the voices residing in her head.

Published by 48fourteen in 2012, Born in Flames went on to win Turning the Pages Book of the Year award in February of 2013. In January of 2014, the last book in the trilogy, From the Embers, was released, thusly completing the trilogy. She now works on the Night Watchmen Series, while guzzling Red Bulls and pretending to be a ninja on Heelys.


Author Links:
Website: https://www.candaceknoebel.com
Blog: http://candaceknoebel.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CandaceKnoebel
Twitter: www.twitter.com/candaceknoebel
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6458922.Candace_Knoebel

 

Blitz-wide Giveaway 

• Paperback copy of Evernight signed by the characters (US only)
• e-Copy of the entire Night Watchmen Series (INTL)
• e-Copy of the entire Born in Flames trilogy (IINTL)
• Night Watchmen button swag pack (US only)
• 5 bookmark swag packs (US only)
• Bracelet with charms (US only)
• 5$ Amazon gift card (INTL)

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New Release & Giveaway: Among Monsters by Jamie McGuire

Travel back to Red Hill on Halloween!

AMONG MONSTERS available on October 31st!

Title: Among Monsters (A Red Hill Novella)

Author: Jamie McGuire

Goodreads

Amazon

Among Monsters will be available in ebook and paperback on Amazon!

*Amazon Exclusive

Blurb:

Being thirteen has pitfalls of its own, but growing up has never been this hard.
Jenna had promised her mother that if the worst happened during her dad’s weekend, they would meet at Red Hill Ranch. When she finds seven words spray-painted on her dad’s wall the morning after a deadly outbreak, she makes a promise to herself: to get to the ranch with her seven-year-old sister, Halle, and to get them both there alive.

Among Monsters is the companion novella to Red Hill, both exploring from different perspectives what many broken families experience every other weekend: What if your children aren't with you when the world ends? What would you do to get to them? What would they go through to get to you?

For Jenna, seeing her mother again is worth everything. Determined to keep her promise, she is faced with experiences and decisions that force her to leave her childhood behind.

Excerpt

“You’re scared. You’re too scared to keep going.”

“Honey,” Dad began.

“You had to walk one day, and you’re scared? You killed a dozen infected and walked away without a scratch. We hit a parked truck at fifty miles an hour and barely noticed. Why are you suddenly opposed to Red Hill?” I was trying to remain calm, but with every point, my tone got higher.

Tavia clasped her hands together. “We’re all scared—”

“Then, stay!” I said, my voice transitioning to a weird chuckle even though I found none of what they were saying funny. “You don’t have to come with us. But our mom is waiting for us at Red Hill, and that is where Halle and I are going.”

“Not today,” Dad said.

“Then, when?” I asked again, emphasizing each word.

“When I say,” he said, sounding final.

I laughed once without humor. “I’m not asking to go to the mall. We’re talking about Mom being alone without us! She’s waiting for us! Do you honestly think I care that you’re”—I used my fingers to make quotation marks in the air—“the dad right now?”

He stomped over to me and leaned into my face, taking me back to a time when my parents had still been married. “You’d better start caring. Just because it’s the end of the world doesn’t mean I won’t whip your ass!”

Tavia pulled him back, and he flipped around, picking up a pillow and throwing it against the wall.

She eyed Dad warily. She was now seeing the side of him that Halle and I were used to, a side that I had been waiting for since this began.

“Andrew, maybe you should take a walk and see if you can do anything more to secure the house.”

Dad turned to her, his face severe. The skin between his brows had formed a crevice, as deep and as dark as his anger in that moment. His hazel-green eyes burned bright against his olive skin. Just when I thought he would start yelling again, he left the room.

Tavia took a deep breath and held her hand to her heart. “That was—”

“Typical,” I grumbled.

“You fight like that with him a lot?”

“We used to but not lately.”

“He gets pretty mad, huh?” she asked, glancing at the closed door.

“He has a temper. He’s working on it—allegedly.”

“Is that why you want to get to your mom so bad?”

My eyebrows pulled in. “What would you do if you were separated from Tobin?”

She blinked.

“She’s my mom. If I scrape my knee, I call for her. If I’m sick, I ask for her. If I’m scared, I cry for her. If there’s an apocalypse, I’m going to the ends of the earth for her.” My eyes and nose burned. The sudden emotion surprised me. I wiped my cheek and sniffed, staring at the floor. “It’s forty miles. We can make it.”

“We…we don’t know if Tobin can make forty miles. Who knows how long that would take on foot?”

“It doesn’t matter if we waste time here. What were you two talking about? How to convince me to stay? For a few days? For a week? Forever?”

“No.” She shook her head. “We’re just worried about the little ones being able to make it that far. We need a car—or at the very least, a way to carry the supplies. I can’t hold Tobin all day long. I can’t run with him. It’s too dangerous to try.”

“I like you, Tavia. I’m not trying to be mean, but no one’s asking you to come with us. If you want to stay here, stay here.”

She was taken aback. “I know, but we can’t do this alone. We need one another.”

“Brad will leave eventually for Shallot. You need my dad to stay.”

“It’s not so different. You need him to leave.”

“But he’s my dad. I’m not going to give up on seeing my mom again because you can’t travel with Tobin.”

Tavia’s sweet smile fell away. She wasn’t being confrontational, but she did have the look of a mother bear protecting her cub. “Halle can’t make the trip either. You would be risking her life if you go, especially if you try something as ridiculous as leaving without your dad. We’re the adults, Jenna. He’ll listen to me.”

I took a deep breath and lowered my chin. Tavia was pretty intimidating. I thought about what Mom would say when I told her about this conversation later. She would want me to fight. She would want me to do anything I could to get Halle and me to Red Hill.

“My dad and I have had our ups and downs,” I said, keeping my voice low and steady. “But if you try to make him pick between you or me, you’ll lose.”

Giveaway

Go to Jamie's Facebook Page for a chance to win a signed hardback of Red Hill AND a signed paperback of the new novella, Among Monsters! 

Amazon | BN | iTunes

About the Author:

Jamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, OK. She attended the Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she graduated with a degree in Radiography.

Jamie paved the way for the New Adult genre with international bestseller, Beautiful Disaster. Her follow-up novel Walking Disaster debuted at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. She has also written apocalyptic thriller Red Hill, a novella titled A Beautiful Wedding, and the Providence series, a young adult paranormal romance trilogy.

Jamie lives on a ranch just outside Enid, OK with husband Jeff and their three children. They share their 30 acres with cattle, six horses, three dogs, and Rooster the cat.

Find Jamie at www.jamiemcguire.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Website: http://www.jamiemcguire.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jamie.McGuire.Author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamieMcGuire

Cover Reveal: Obsession by S.M. Phillips

   

OBSESSION Cover Reveal: S.M Phillips

SYNOPSIS:

Anna Jameson can't wait to escape the hell hole that her cousin has left her in. Desperate to escape her past, the idea of moving to stay with Holly whilst she got her head together sounded like the perfect plan... Until Holly upped and left, leaving Anna to pick up the mess that she left behind.

Jensen Blake knows what he wants and will not be told otherwise. Obedience and control are what he knows best. With demons of his own, he has spent most of his adult life traveling from place to place the moment things started to become predictable. When Jensen and Anna are pushed together, an instant dislike simmers between them. Anna hates bad boys. She has witnessed enough of them to last her a lifetime. The sexual attraction between them is evident but will that only make things harder for them both to handle?

Add Obsession to your Goodreads

   

About the Author:

Welcome to the crazy and hectic life that is me... A fun, loving mum of one special little boy, girlfriend (I'm sure it should be wife by now!!) and an overall crazy, happy go lucky girl from England.

I have always had a passion for reading and writing. Wherever I am, my book reader is never far behind along with a mug of coffee. I found myself wanting to write from a young age, I have quite a few hidden stories on my computer somewhere, maybe I will have to dig them out and play around with them at some point.

S.M Phillip’s debut Novel Escape Down under was released in July 2014 with the second installment Fallen down under due for release on November 2^nd 2014.

Social Links:

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Reflection Series by Gia Riley

Series Title: The Reflection series
Including: Between the Pain, After the Pain
Author: Gia Riley
Released: June 2014 & Sept 2014
Find on Goodreads

Graduating from nursing school and finding herself thrown into the real world, twenty-two year old Hallie Dawson is determined to prove herself on the job. A chance encounter on the first day has charming Ryan Andrews showing up everywhere she goes. With only a string of random hook-ups and one failed relationship in her past, Hallie isn’t used to being pursued. For the first time, two men desire her. Will she choose the right one – or does fate hold all the cards? 

Between the Pain is a Contemporary Romance novella about finding love - and being brave enough to follow your heart. Will Hallie end up in the arms of her true love or are the moments in between her pain forming the real story.

Timing is everything. 

A fraction of a second, one altered course, one note -- change her life forever.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

The song ends and we’re left in the middle of the dance floor staring at each other. Neither of us makes a move to say anything else. Why can’t I just say yes like any other normal girl would? 

One of the bartenders is on the small stage announcing a drink special and something about a band starting in fifteen minutes. I’m too busy looking into Ryan’s eyes to really care about either of those two things right now. Before I have a chance to get my words of acceptance out, Ryan decides to end the moment. 

“Think about it, about what I said. It’s just a date and I don’t care if we do it like everyone else or not. Well I care how we do it but that isn’t important right now.” The heat in his gaze makes me take a step back, not because I’m not feeling it, but because I am feeling it. I’ve never had a reaction quite like this one before. I’m quickly figuring out Ryan isn’t like most guys and I think he’s just the adventure I need to help break out of my shell.

 

Does everything really happen for a reason? 

Hallie Dawson is battling with a broken heart yet determined to give love a second chance. Once again, time isn’t in her favor. Her moments After the Pain are filled with promises of a better future and personal secrets. With mysterious notes continuously haunting her and a secret friendship with a fellow musician, Hallie is struggling to stay true to her heart. 

Tall, dark and handsome, Sean Thomas, is tired of being second best. This time, the good guy refuses to finish last. If he wants to get the girl, he’s going to have to confront the one person who broke his heart. His past is on a collision course with his future – will he be able to hang onto his connection with Hallie? 

After the Pain is a Contemporary Romance novel about restoring faith in the beauty of love. Can Sean put the pieces of Hallie’s heart back together? Will love conquer all, or will jealousy and secrets tear them apart?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

“Wow, babe,” Sean says when he gets out of the shower. I should thank him for the compliment but I’m enjoying my own view right now. His towel is slung around his hips, taunting me. I want nothing more than to yank on the small corner holding it in place. I keep my eyes locked on his and can physically see the second he realizes my intentions. 

“Hallie, what are you doing?”

“Exploring.” When I reach him, my hands untuck the corner of the towel, sending it falling to the floor. My hands start at his broad shoulders making sure to touch every single velvety inch of skin in front of me. I place my lips on his chest, sucking up the water droplets left behind. “Shit, baby. Your mouth feels incredible.”

 

If you enjoy meeting other readers, developing friendships and celebrating books, Gia's Gang is the place for you! You'll have access to exclusive release information, teasers, contests, and future projects. Join today!

- I have a degree in Behavioral Science.
- I’m a huge college football fan.
- I don’t write in order. 
- Secretly, I’d love to be country singer and live in Nashville. I guess it’s not a secret anymore. 
- I’ve been to eleven countries but never ventured out of North America.
- I’d rather pick truth than dare.
- My first concert was Boyz II Men. 
- I’m a germaphone.
- I’d like to spend the day with Jimmy Fallon, Melissa McCarthy, and Kristen Wiig.
- I’ve never owned an iphone. I’m a Samsung Galaxy girl.

I'm a lover of all things romance and a firm believer that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Currently residing in the small but mighty state of Delaware, I take pride in creating characters who are real, personable, and entertaining. 

When I'm not busy working on my next book, I can be found roaming the isles of Kirkland's or up to my elbows in Play-doh.

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." ~Maya Angelou

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

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Review, Guest Post, Giveaway: Laying Low in Paradise by Kristy K. James

Laying Low in Paradise
The Casteloria Series
Book One
Kristy K. James


Genre: Romance



ASIN: B00CNK49JS



Number of pages: 191
Word Count: 56,661



Cover Artist: Vila Design




Book Description:



He's hiding out because someone wants him dead...



Cameron Rafferty is keeping secrets. Dangerous secrets that could endanger the lives of everyone around him. His plan was simple...keep a low profile until the would-be-killer was found. And it was working - until an accident changed everything. Before he knows it, he finds himself becoming more involved with the family next door, and wishing for things he shouldn't. Things that will put their lives in jeopardy, too.



Her summer plans didn't include secrets and danger...



Spending summers on Bois Blanc Island was a tradition for author Laura Keane and her young son. Filled with special memories of the husband she'd lost to war, she looked forward to days of reminiscing, playing, and working on her newest novel. She didn't expect this year to be any different - but that was before their sexy neighbor came to her rescue like a knight in shining armor. Will that armor be tarnished when she finds out what he is and why he's living next door?




Available at Amazon and Smashwords




Excerpt:



“Sometimes I wish I could just wiggle my nose or nod my head,” Laura Keane sighed, pulling into the parking spot that would be home to her seven-year-old Jeep Cherokee for most of the summer. “The traffic was brutal – and it’s not even a holiday.”

“Well, I know you know how to nod your head, but I don’t know how that, or wiggling your nose, could have helped,” twelve-year-old Sam said vaguely.

A quick glance his way, and Laura couldn’t hold back a grin. Even before the words left his mouth, he was throwing the passenger door open and scanning the marina for the boat, her references to Jeannie and Samantha already a memory.

Since heading out from Lansing at six that morning, Sam had been anxious for the long drive to be over. Not many boys on the brink of becoming a teenager would look forward to a summer of relative solitude on Bois Blanc Island. But every year he couldn’t wait to arrive, and then he dragged his heels when it was time to head back home for the school year.

Of course, some of his best and happiest moments with Jake had taken place on that little stretch of beach, so that probably explained his enthusiasm. Even though she’d had several videos of their family burned to a DVD, sometimes she was afraid that he would forget the father who had loved him so very much. Maybe Sam was afraid he would, too.

“There it is!” he exclaimed, yanking the back door open. “Mr. Benton has it ready for us.”

Rather than pointing out the fact that she paid Mr. Benton well to not only store the boat, but to have it ready for them when they needed it, Laura opened her door, taking a moment to savor the familiar sights, sounds and smells before she got out.

Gulls soared overhead, screeching as they circled above the beach, on the lookout for the tourists who kept them supplied with pieces of sandwiches and other treats. Waves lapping up on shore, the brisk breeze blowing in across Lake Huron. She couldn’t imagine a more beautiful place on earth to spend a long, relaxing vacation.

“Hey, Mom! C’mon. Help out a little here, huh?” Sam asked impatiently.

Laura quickly exited the jeep and pulled a couple of suitcases from the back, while her son loaded himself down with plastic grocery bags.

“We don’t have to get it all in one trip,” she reminded him.

“No, but the quicker we load the boat, the quicker we can get home,” he said logically.

“Just don’t hurt yourself.”

They hurried down to the dock, depositing the first batch of supplies in the boat before heading back up for the rest of their gear.

“Good morning, Ms. Keane,” Henry Benton called from his lounge chair on the beach.

“Good morning, Mr. Benton. How are you today?”

“Couldn’t be better,” he assured her with a grin. “Need some help there?”

“Thanks but we’ve got it. It feels good to be moving around after that drive.” Henry Benton must be nearing seventy and, though he appeared to be in excellent health, Laura worried about him hauling anything heavier than his fishing pole.

“Couldn’t have picked a better day for it though. Clear as a bell since I got up this morning. Not a cloud in the sky.”

“Can’t argue with you there,” she said with a laugh, adding three of the seven bags of groceries to the boat. “Wish I could say the same thing about the freeway.”

“See a lot of clouds on the road, did you now?” Henry teased.

“Ha-ha.” She heard Sam snicker behind her. “I wish it had been clear, but there were about ten million cars, trucks, SUV’s, semis, and motorhomes. You name it, and they were on the road.”

“That’s true,” Sam laughed. “And they were all out there just to aggravate my mom.”

“That what she thinks?”

“Yup.” Both Henry and Sam had a good laugh over that, as the last of the groceries were removed from the Jeep. Laura locked it up, and they wandered back down to the dock.

“Do you know if anyone is occupying the other chalets yet?” she asked, stopping for a moment to chat with Henry.

“As a matter of fact, Ben Pommeroy was telling me just the other day that he rented all three of them for the whole summer. Looks like you and the boy will have neighbors.”

“I sure hope they’re quieter than that bunch from last year,” Laura muttered, shuddering at the thought of another invasion of college boys with a penchant for loud music and late night partying. It had been a solid month of hell on earth, and one she didn’t want to repeat.

“No worries there. Ben said they’re all adults and they seemed like good, respectful people.”

“Well that’s a relief.”

“He also said they’d liked to have rented your place, too. Said he was going to offer you ten thousand more than he did last year.” Laura shook her head when Sam’s gaze met hers.

“I’m afraid poor Ben is going to be disappointed again. The chalet is not, and never will be, for sale. It was nice seeing you, Henry.” She nodded toward the boat where Sam was drumming his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. Henry grinned.

“Nice seeing you, too, Ms Keane. Safe trip. You get your satellite turned on?” Laura nodded. “You’ll be wanting to keep an eye on the weather station. They’re calling for a doozy of a storm system to move in around Thursday. You might want to get over here before it hits to stock up on some supplies.”

“If it gets bad, we’ll just make do with whatever we have on hand. If it lasts too long, Harpers will do in a pinch.”

Review - 3 Stars!

I loved the idea of secrets and danger and romance.  It usually turns into a great read that keeps me coming back for more.  The blurb and cover were great at attracting me as well.

Having said that, the characters weren't as deep as I would like.  I am not sure, but I didn't connect much with anyone in the novel.  It was decently written, had a good story, but something was a bit lacking.  It took me a bit to get into the story and I did enjoy the read.  I honestly.... can't say there were anything exactly negative about it except some of the issues the characters faced - or rather, their reactions to these issues, seemed very off to me.  So I wasn't able to connect with a lot of what happened to the main players in the story.

However, the writing was decent, the plot seemed involved, although the climax of the story also felt a bit lacking to me.  I did enjoy it, and I kept reading wanting to find out where it was going and how they were going to get there.  So it was well-done.  3 stars!

Guest Post - Kristy's Chicken Stew

I heard something a long time ago, something that has stayed with me ever since. Write what you know.



Never has that piece of advice hit home more than when I wrote Reluctant Guardian and Enza. Both are set in the distant past, and to make it even more challenging, Guardian is set in South Carolina – a state I’ve never set foot in. Both stories required months of research, and since then, I’ve stuck with ‘what I know.’



And one of the things I know the best is me.



That means every major character in every story I’ve ever written has a part of me in them. Even the heroes. Whether it’s something I that scares me, things like my fear of heights, or my love of REO Speedwagon, a little bit of me winds up in each one of them.



In Laying Low in Paradise, Dr. Nolan Campbell advises Laura on the proper use of crutches, something I learned in crutch training (yes, it’s a real thing). Laura also makes one of my very favorite meals for hero, Cameron Rafferty.



I used to hate chicken stew, something my daughter loves beyond reason. But she likes it made with boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders. I’d make it a couple of times a month, but never enjoyed it – until I bought a new electric pressure cooker. One of the recipes was for something with chicken thighs and since I had some on hand, I decided to make the stew with that instead.



Good decision on my part. Now I love chicken stew – but my daughter still prefers it with the tenders, so I have to make a small batch of the yucky stew for her.



So I thought I’d share the recipe with you today. It can easily be made on the stovetop, so those are the instructions I’ll include. I’m not much for measuring, so these are approximate amounts, what I use every time.



Kristy’s Chicken Stew



8 chicken thighs (with skin)
8 potatoes, peeled (or not) and cubed
6 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large carton chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste
1 small pinch basil
Oil to barely cover bottom of large pan
Dumplings

Biscuit mix
Salt, to taste
Milk



Brown chicken thighs in oil. Add broth, bay leaf, salt, and basil. Simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, strain broth, wipe out pan, and return broth. Add potatoes and carrots and simmer until almost done. While they’re cooking, carefully remove hot chicken from bone and add back to pan.



Dumplings –use the recipe on the biscuit mix box – or whatever your favorite recipe might be.

Drop heaping spoonsful of dough into boiling stew, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about fifteen minutes, or until done (stick a fork in a dumpling and if it’s dry, it’s done).



Enjoy!











About the Author:



Kristy K. James' first goal in life was to work in law enforcement, until the night she called the police to check out a scary noise in her yard. Realizing that she might someday have to investigate scary noises in yards just as dark as hers if she continued on that path, she turned to her other favorite love...writing. Since then her days have been filled with being a mom and reluctant zookeeper (7 pets), creating stories, and looking for trouble in her kitchen.




http://kristykjames.net/



https://twitter.com/KristyKJames



https://www.facebook.com/kristykjames



https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5051855.Kristy_K_James








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