Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Nov 13

6

Review & Giveaway: With Friends Like These by L. Hunter Cassells

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on November 6, 2013
Posted in Book Tours • Books Read in 2013 • My Past Giveaways  | 2 Comments

Today I am kicking off the With Friends Like These Tour.

 Book Description:

Publisher: Amazon (November 24, 2012)
Category: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Tour Date: November, 2013
Available in: ebook,  107 Pages
Callie Walking is a freelance mage who solves supernatural problems. When a troubled client hires her to protect him from a “vampire”, she casts the appropriate spells and positions the usual amulets. Now, something has gone terribly wrong. Her client has turned up dead and drained of all his blood. The cops say it’s suicide, but Callie knows better.
Now she is on a mission to find out what went wrong. In her search she uncovers an ancient, long-hidden power. It challenges Callie’s deepest beliefs about right and wrong, good and evil. She knows her life will be forever changed… if she survives.
My Thoughts:
Stories about vampires are new to me but something about With Friends Like These intrigued me enough to want to read it.  
Calle was hired to cast spells, etc to protect a client from a vampire.  Little did she know, the vampire she was trying to protect him from is many centuries old and cannot be stopped with mere spells and amulets.  Even though the police have deemed her client’s death suicide, Calle knows better.
This book has not convinced me to stock up on vampire related books but it has not detracted me to read more, if another sounds intriguing to me.  The characters were quirky, the way I like them and I loved the dynamics between Callie and the vampire.  This book blew away any preconceived notions I have about vampires.  It was surprising, fun, laugh out loud funny, and a inventive.  I recommend With Friends Like These to anyone looking for a short fun read.
4/5
I received this ebook for an honest review.
About L. Hunter Cassells:

L. Hunter Cassells grew up near the Germantown of which she writes, and now lives not far away, in a curious household involving a happy man, two ambiguous cats, two loud grandsons, their studious moms, and what might be a dozen chickens (chickens come, chickens go; best not to ask too many questions).  She has seen more than twenty thousand days and nights, holds a degree in geology, occasionally goes contra dancing, has belonged to the Society for Creative Anachronism longer than most of its members have been alive, and herds nuclear physicists for a living (no, really, she does).
This giveaway is open internationally and is for an ebook only.  It ends on November 27, 2013.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour:
So Many Precious books Nov 6 Review & Giveaway
Immortality & Beyond Nov 7 Interview
Books, Books & More Books Nov 8 Review
I’m a Voracious Reader Nov 11 Review
Rose & Beps Blog  Nov 11 Guest Post
Ordinary Girlz Nov 12 Review
Saving for 6 Nov 13 Review
Moonlight Lace & Mayhem Nov 15 Spotlight
Giveaways & Glitter Nov 18 Review
Mom With a Kindle Nov 19 Interview
The News In Books Nov 21 Review
The News In Books Nov 22 Interview
Joy Story Nov 25 Review
Paperback Writer Nov 26 Guest Post & Giveaway
Serendipity Nov 27 Review
Buy With Friends Like These:

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Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Nov 13

5

Review & Giveaway: Head Games by Erika Rummel

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on November 5, 2013
Posted in Book Tours • Books Read in 2013 • My Past Giveaways  | 6 Comments

Today I am kicking off the Head Games by Erika Rummel Tour.

 Book Description:

Publisher: Guernica Editions; 1st edition (April 30, 2013)
Category: Literary Fiction, Adventure, Suspense
Tour Date: September, 2013
ISBN: 978-1550716870
Available in: Print & pdf,  200Pages
Argentina, 1979.  Life has gone stale on Jim, an expat working in Catamarca. Everything is predictable until he meets Lisa. She has the starry eyes, the sensuous lips, and the tango steps that make all rational assumptions go away.  Jim gives her top marks for animation but there is a flashing beacon at the end of his tip sheet: Danger. Lisa is a little too intense, a little too crazy, a woman with too many scenes playing in her head.
That doesn’t faze Santos, a curandero looking for a medium to channel the spirits of the dead and attract his lost sister. He lures Lisa to his compound in northern Argentina, where she becomes a pawn in a deadly family feud. Jim goes in search of Lisa. Tracking her down turns into a double mission — delivering Lisa from her captors and himself from the confining routine of his life.
It takes a fantastic journey through rugged back country for Jim to realize how much he loves Lisa.  The story unfolds against the background of a country in the grip of a military junta. It is a place where kidnapping, violence, and death no longer make headlines, a place where you learn survival skills.
My Thoughts:
Lisa has some problems.  She is seeing a psychologist and doesn’t know who her real father is.  She frequents a bar where she meet Don, many years her senior.  She confides in him all of her problems and he insinuates himself into her life.  She looks at him like a kind of father figure but he has other views on their relationship.
When Lisa meets Jim, sparks fly but are they meant to be?  Then, there is Santos who claims to be a medium who can channel spirits.  Is he a fraud or can he help Lisa figure out who her real father is and if he is alive?
This is a well written book with the back drop of the seedier parts of Toronto, Ontario, in Canada and Argentina.  The characters are very inventive and quirky. Everyone knows how much I love quirky characters!  There was a small part that I found dragged on a bit however, the suspense is unique, a breath of fresh air.  I certainly want to pick up Erika Rummel’s first book, Playing Naomi.  I recommend Head Games to literary thriller lovers who like some suspense.  
4/5
I accepted an ebook copy for my honest review.
About Erika Rummel:

Erika Rummel was awarded a Random House Creative Writing Award in 2011. She is the author of more than a dozen non-fiction  books (social history, biography, translation) and two novels, Playing Naomi (2009) and Head Games (2013).
Erika came to Canada from Vienna and obtained a doctorate from the University of Toronto. She divides her time between Toronto and Los Angeles, but has also lived in small villages in Argentina, Romania, and Bulgaria.
Playing Naomi has been praised as a wry comedy “reminiscent of the corrosive but jovial cynicism of media satires like The Larry Saunders Show and The Newsroom” (Cynthia Sugars in University of Toronto Quarterly).
Erika Rummel’s Website: www.erikarummel.com 
Erika Rummel’s Blog: www.rummelsincrediblestories.blogspot.com
Thanks to the author, Erika Rummel, we will be giving away one print copy of Head Games. There will be an additional opportunity to win on another website during the tour and as always, lots of opportunity for extra entries.  This giveaway is is open internationally.  A U.S. or Canadian winner will have the choice of print or ebook.  International, ebook only.  This giveaway ends on November 26, 2013.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.

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Follow the Tour:
So Many Precious books Nov 5 Review & Giveaway
Bookalicious Travel Addict Nov 12 Review
Sweeps 4 Bloggers Nov 13 Review & Giveaway|
Compulsive Reader Nov 14 Guest Post
Carole Ramblings  Nov 15 Review
Ordinary Girlz  Nov 18 Review
Joy Story Nov 19 Review
Books, Books & More Books Nov 20 Review
Paperback Writer Nov 20 Guest Post
Buried Under Books Nov 21 Promo
From L.A. to LA Nov 22 Review
Deal Sharing Aunt Nov 25 Spotlight & Giveaway
Buy Head Games:

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Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Oct 13

31

Review & Giveaway: Mission One of Auggie the Alien by Leah Spiegel & Megan Summers

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on October 31, 2013
Posted in Book Tours • Books Read in 2013 • My Past Giveaways  | 4 Comments

Today I am kicking off the Mission One of Auggie the Alien Tour.  See why this delightful book has garnered all 5 star reviews on Amazon!

 Book Description:

Publisher: CreateSpace (June 4, 2013)
Category/Genre: Light Sci-fi Humorous Middle Grade
ISBN: 978-1490377100
Tour Date: November, 2013
Available in: Print & ebook, 145 Pages
This is the humorous story of a 4th grader, seen through the eyes of a human hybrid alien child, sent to Earth to study our culture – to see if they could coexist with the humans.
Auggie has to try and understand 4th graders slang, body language, and the unwritten protocols of the classroom; all in an attempt to blend in. He upsets his teacher, Mrs. Malumrector, who constantly thinks Auggie’s trying to get smart with her when getting stupid with her would be counterproductive. Not only does Mrs. Malumrector not get Auggie’s literal logic, nor do any of the other students in his class. That is except for Left Hand Chuck who thinks Auggie’s hysterical and helps him by teaching him how to use human slang.
But if Auggie truly wants to complete his mission of blending in with the other children he needs to cheer for both teams, except if they’re losing. He needs to learn not to wear the ‘P and the J’ with the feet conveniently attached to school because they’re for sleeping in only. That ironically enough, Grandpa isn’t going to faint from low blood pressure even though his eyes often tend to roll upwards whenever Auggie is speaking. ‘Pop-a-Squat’ isn’t a good name for a dog, even though he’s great at it. And under no circumstance is he to bring his pet to school even if his teacher has her own pet there, Emily, another student in his class who is neither a gerbil nor a fish.
My Thoughts:

Auggie lives in an alien world with his alien father and mother, from Earth.  That makes him a human hybrid.  Their alien world will soon be uninhabitable so it is time to study other planets to see where they might be able to move to.  Earth seems like the most viable option.  

Because Auggie is part human, he is chosen for the first mission to earth.  He is told to blend in and not let anyone know of his mission.  The hardest part seems to be learning slang.  He also finds out that a meal on earth is not electricity but food.  He is caught putting finger in an electrical socket.  His teacher finds him practically unbearable.
This is such a warm and humorous story about one boy who has to learn to fit in against all odds.  It really is a universal story about fitting in with other children that brought back some memories for me.  I was always the last person picked on teams for sports, for instance.  I found myself feeling sorry for some of the other children, not just Auggie, as they struggled to fit in and make friends.  At the same time I laughed out loud at some of the things Auggie said and did.  His struggle to pick up on slang was side splitting!  Highly recommended!
5/5
I was offered an ebook copy for my honest review.
About Leah Spiegel & Megan Summers:

Although we moved down to North Carolina several years ago, we’re originally from the Pittsburgh area. (That’s why a lot of our characters either live in the Burgh or reference our hometown football team, The Pittsburgh Steelers.) And yes, we even have the Southern accents to show for it now. Although Megan’s is considerable thicker, Leah still can’t understand the locals.
We are known as ‘the sisters’ among our neighborhood; when actually we’re probably reallyknown as ‘the sisters with the Yorkies’. Our pups, Skippy Jon Jones and Captain Jack Sparrow, were given long names to compensate for their small size but not their large personalities.
If Leah’s not glued to her electronic devices, AKA her Kindle Fire and various laptops, you can find her training ‘the attack dogs’, running on the treadmill while conceiving the next great book idea with the Dave Matthews Band, Muse, Florence and the Machine, Lorde, The Lumineers, and Pink (just to name a few) blaring out of her earphones.
If Megan’s not glued to her electronic devices AKA her iPad and Nook Color, you can find her teaching fourth graders, swimming marathon style at the pool, or cuddling with ‘the attack dogs’ as she watches Duck Dynasty, Gold Rush, Scandal, Person of Interest, Morning Joe, etc.
Leah graduated from Edinboro University with a BA in Art Education. Megan received her teaching degree from Edinboro University and Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Technology from Grand Canyon University.
Watch Leah  Read Auggie on YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/user/LeahSpiegelVideos/videos
This giveaway is for one print copy or ebook. Print copy is restricted to the U.S. and Canada only.  U.S. and Canadian winners can choose either print or ebook.  ebook is available for international winners. This giveaway ends on November 28, 2013, 12:00 am pst.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

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