Showing posts with label heather topham wood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heather topham wood. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

New Release - The Ex Trials - Plus, a Gift Card Giveaway!

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today, I have some awesome news about a new release for you all. Plus, there's a giveaway for either a B&N or Amazon gift card going on at the bottom of the post. Ready? Get your clicking fingers ready and let's get going!

Information about the book:

Title: The Ex Trials (Falling for Autumn Book 3)
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Length (print): 184 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:
One dream vacation in paradise.
One co-ed bachelor and bachelorette party.
One week marooned with my ex.

Six months ago, Casey Silvers ended her scorching romance with sexy rocker Cole Caldwell. None of her friends know the true reason behind her sudden change of heart. Despite her claim of their chemistry fizzling out, her feelings for Cole had never gone away.

After receiving the invitation to her best friend’s co-ed bachelor and bachelorette getaway, Casey knows she must once again face Cole. For one week, she’ll be forced to party alongside the man who has come to despise her. The tropical cruise is meant to be a trip to paradise, but Casey is certain it will turn out to be a vacation from hell.

But as the ship leaves port, past secrets are revealed—secrets that could change the fate of Casey’s romance with Cole. With forces keeping them together, Cole and Casey soon discover that the passion between them has yet to extinguish.

***Standalone New Adult Romance-Ages 17+ Due to Strong Language and Sexual Situations***

If you all remember, I wrote a review for Finding Autumn on the blog here. Such an excellent book (as everything I've read by Heather has been)!

Now that you know about it, enter to win some cash to help you buy it!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Good luck!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, February 13, 2015

Cover Reveal - The Dark Dreamer

Happy Friday for the first time, everyone! You'll be getting a utopYA Blogger post, too, but this is something I didn't want to pass up. I get to share a cover reveal with you all! Eep! It's by Heather Topham Wood, an author I love to read. She's pretty darn amazing, and if you haven't checked out her work, you should. Grab some coffee and let's start with a teaser.


Here's some information about the book:

Summary:
For as long as she can remember, Rebekah Clayton’s life has been dictated by her dreams. As a dream interpreter, she has become privy to her clients’ deepest and darkest secrets. Affairs, financial ruin, even murder—nothing shocks her anymore. But Grant Raskin’s dreams are unlike any she has heard before.

If Rebekah’s interpretation is right, Grant has foreseen the end of the world. A plague is coming and everyone Rebekah cares about will succumb to the illness. And Grant can trace the origin of the disease back to two men: Dr. Mark Holman and his son Drew.

Grant enlists Rebekah to track down the Holmans and determine their connection to the viral outbreak. But uncovering Drew Holman’s secrets will lead her down a dangerous path—unearthing a deadly conspiracy she never could have predicted.

The first book in a two-part series from bestselling romance author Heather Topham Wood.

Publication Date: March 24, 2015
Cover Design by Cover Me, Darling

I bet you're ready to see that cover, huh? Okay, okay! Here it is!

Love it? Yeah. So do I!

Here's the full wrap:

So pretty. Want to know more about the author?

Heather Topham Wood’s obsession with novels began in childhood while growing up in a shore town in New Jersey. Writing since her teens, she recently returned to penning novels after a successful career as a freelance writer. She loves creating imaginary worlds where people behave exactly how she wants them to.

Heather graduated from the College of New Jersey in 2005 and holds a bachelor's degree in English. Her freelance work has appeared in publications such as USA Today, Livestrong.com, Outlook by the Bay and Step in Style magazine. She resides in Trenton, New Jersey with her husband and two sons. Besides writing, Heather is a pop culture fanatic and has an obsession with supernatural novels and TV shows.

Follow Heather on Facebook, Twitter and her blog to keep posted on her upcoming works:
https://twitter.com/woodtop255
http://authorheather.com
https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTophamWood

She's doing a rafflecopter giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card! Good luck to all.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

There you have it. How awesome is that? *grin*

What do you think?

Well, that's all for this post, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Last Chance to Enter!

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm bringing you the Rafflecopter entry form for Finding Autumn, a Falling for Autumn companion novel. We began this giveaway over on the IBGW blog almost two weeks ago, and I'm sure you're chomping at the bit to win a copy of this great book!

Information and entry form:

Title: Finding Autumn - A Falling for Autumn companion novel
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Length: About 153 pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $0.99

Synopsis:
***Not a standalone. Falling for Autumn from Blake's point of view. Includes bonus chapters set after the events of Falling for Autumn.***

Two years earlier, Blake Preston received a phone call that would change everything. His stepfather—a man he trusted and admired—had been accused of sexually assaulting one of his students. His stepfather declared his innocence and Blake chose to stay loyal to the man who had raised him as his own.

Cook University is the one place Blake can keep his anonymity. No one knows about the scandals surrounding his stepfather’s arrest and subsequent conviction. To his friends, he is merely the star running back for the college team and an NFL hopeful. But the life he has built at Cook is threatened when Autumn Dorey locks eyes with him at a campus party.

Getting entangled with Autumn is a mistake. Yet Autumn is the only person who can answer the one question that haunts him: is his stepfather a monster?

Blake conceals his identity and starts a friendship with Autumn under false pretenses. What begins as a way to uncover the truth about his stepfather changes as he grows close to Autumn. His relationship with her calls into question everything he thought he knew about his family. Against all odds, he falls in love with the one girl he’s forbidden to have feelings for. But can their love last once Autumn finds out who Blake Preston really is?

60,000 Words

Ages 17+ Due to Strong Language and Sexual Situations

Now for the entry form!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you think? Did you enter?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON! 

Jo

Monday, July 28, 2014

Last Chance to Enter!

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you all had a super awesome weekend. Just leaving you a quick note to remind you about the giveaways going on. I'll be back tomorrow with a book review of Unhinged by A. G. Howard. How exciting is that? Without further ado, here are the deets on those giveaways:

Giveaway #1:





Check out the reviews for these books here on the blog:
Sanctuary
Falling for Autumn
Sir Edric's Temple
The Bestiarum Vocabulum
Chasing Shadows

Giveaway #2:
Review here.

This is a companion novel for Falling for Autumn.



Now, for the Rafflecopter entry forms. Good luck to you all!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Book Review - Finding Autumn

Happy Hump-day, everyone! Today, I bring you another fab book review. This is yet another title from the ever awesome Heather Topham Wood. If you haven't read her books, you can start for free by picking up the first of her Second Sight series: First Visions. Those are new adult contemporary paranormal novels about a girl named Kate who falls ill and wakes up from a coma with a psychic ability. I reviewed the whole series of four! See those reviews (in order by book #) here (Amazon Review), here (Goodreads Review), here (on this blog), and here (also on this blog). Anywho, grab a cup of coffee, get comfy, and let's get going!

As I do, here's a little about the book up for review today:

Title: Finding Autumn - a Falling for Autumn companion novel
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Length (print): About 153 pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $0.99

Synopsis:
***Not a standalone. Falling for Autumn from Blake's point of view. Includes bonus chapters set after the events of Falling for Autumn.***

Two years earlier, Blake Preston received a phone call that would change everything. His stepfather—a man he trusted and admired—had been accused of sexually assaulting one of his students. His stepfather declared his innocence and Blake chose to stay loyal to the man who had raised him as his own.

Cook University is the one place Blake can keep his anonymity. No one knows about the scandals surrounding his stepfather’s arrest and subsequent conviction. To his friends, he is merely the star running back for the college team and an NFL hopeful. But the life he has built at Cook is threatened when Autumn Dorey locks eyes with him at a campus party.

Getting entangled with Autumn is a mistake. Yet Autumn is the only person who can answer the one question that haunts him: is his stepfather a monster?

Blake conceals his identity and starts a friendship with Autumn under false pretenses. What begins as a way to uncover the truth about his stepfather changes as he grows close to Autumn. His relationship with her calls into question everything he thought he knew about his family. Against all odds, he falls in love with the one girl he’s forbidden to have feelings for. But can their love last once Autumn finds out who Blake Preston really is?

60,000 Words

Ages 17+ Due to Strong Language and Sexual Situations

***Will not appear in review elsewhere. I've been a long time fan of Heather's. We met during the first Author Blog Challenge, and we've kept in touch ever since. I found her and her books, enjoyed her unique flavor, and never looked back. I've proofread nearly all of her titles since then. Love her work! Finding Autumn is a companion novel to Falling for Autumn. You can read my review of that title here.***

Let me move on to the review.

I was so excited to read this novel. So many things happened in Falling for Autumn that I wanted to see from Blake's POV. When I heard Heather was writing this one, I was chomping at the bit for her to finish. Well, she did. And I wasn't disappointed. Time for the good stuff!

From a Reader's Perspective:
Autumn Dorey is an unreliable narrator because she never gets to see what Blake is going through when she's not around. I have to say, I loved him in the first book, and this one just made him more likable. I did find out some of the things he was doing when not by her side (things that were a little deplorable), but I loved watching him grow as a character and appreciated that he wasn't perfect. We're human; therefore we're flawed. He was so protective of her later on. It was a nice change from the A-typical bad-boy in many other books. By the end, I wanted him to succeed and win her heart. Like Falling for Autumn, I was immersed in the story and emotionally vested by the end. There's enough difference in the stories that it's worth it to pick this one up and lend it your time. A great read.

From an Editor's Perspective:
This book is clean and error free. You won't be sorry if you take a chance on it.

Rating:
1 Star for giving me an excellent variation on the first book
1 Star for making Blake so likable
1 Star for keeping me biting my nails
1 Star for giving the main character plenty of flaws
1 Star for lack of errors
Overall, 5 out of 5 stars! You certainly want to pick up this title. Great book hangover.

In case you weren't aware, there's a giveaway going on here on my blog and here on the IBGW blog. In one, you get Falling for Autumn (and six other awesome titles); in the other, you get Finding Autumn.

Go enter!

What do you think? Will you pick up a copy? Have you read the first one?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Happy Birthday Giveaway

Hello, good people of the blogosphere! Happy Tuesday, and happy early birthday to me! Well, I'm a year older as of this coming Saturday. No, I'm not telling you how old I'll be. I got an awesome birthday gift already from The Best Husband in the World (TBHITW). So, because he's awesome, I'm giving you all a gift for my birthday. Exciting, huh?

What's up for grabs?

A couple of the e-books I've reviewed this year, and an e-copy of my novels: The Bird and I, Zombie.

Which books am I including? These (that I gave five brilliant stars to):




Check out the reviews for these books here on the blog:
Sanctuary
Falling for Autumn
Sir Edric's Temple
The Bestiarum Vocabulum
Chasing Shadows

So, get on your entry wagon and let your fingers do the clicking!

Rafflecopter will run until the Tuesday after my birthday (through 7/29/14).

Good luck to you all!

If you missed them, check out the great giveaways going over on INDIE Books Gone Wild this week. I'll have another one for you over there tomorrow, too! You'll want to enter this one and tomorrow's. There's a book in the other one that goes with one of the ones shown above.

Here's what you've been waiting for!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Did you enter? Are you super excited yet?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Monday, June 16, 2014

Heather Topham Wood's 4K Likes Giveaway

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, I'm sharing an awesome giveaway with you from the always fabulous Heather Topham Wood. You may see some books on here you're familiar with. Get to entering and good luck!

I now turn the floor over to Heather!


Thank you all for helping me reach 4,000 fans on Facebook and Twitter! To celebrate, I'm hosting a huge giveaway with tons of prizes: gift cards, paperbacks, eBooks and book swag! A big thank you to all the authors who have decided to take part. Giveaway is international and ends June 30. Best of luck! Prize List:

$15 Amazon Gift Card
$10 Amazon Gift Card
$5 Amazon Gift Card
Choice of eBook (up to $5.00)
Falling for Autumn by Heather Topham Wood Signed Paperback
Speak of the Devil by Shawna Romkey Signed Paperback and Swag
Dakota Captive eBook and Paperback by Alythia Brown
Gemini Rising by Louann Carroll eBook
A Shadow of Time by Louann Carroll eBook
Life on the Edge by Jennifer Comeaux eBook
Wasteland by Lynn Rush eBook
Death Lies Between Us by Jody Kessler eBook
The Grave Winner by Lindsey Loucks eBook
The Grave Winner Signed Bookmark
Son of a Mermaid eBook by Katie O’Sullivan
Chasing Shadows eBook by Tia Silverthorne Bach
I, Zombie by Jo Michaels eBook

The Bird by Jo Michaels eBook
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo 

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Book Review - Falling for Autumn

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! I realize tomorrow is Friday, so I'm gonna keep it short and sweet in order to retain your attention. I know mine goes the way of the wind near the end of the week. *grin* Today, I bring you a book review from one of my favorite authors. This one won't be included in the Indie Fever reviews for 2014 because Heather Topham Wood isn't new to me. You don't wanna miss this review (or this book, for that matter). Grab a cup of Joe and let's get going!

First, a little about the book I'm reviewing today:

Title: Falling for Autumn
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Length (print): 221 pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99  Paperback $8.99

Synopsis:
Autumn Dorey had no problem leaving her hometown of Newpine and the friends there who’d betrayed her. Everyone thought they knew what happened the spring night Autumn’s world fell apart. Vicious rumors about the incident circulated, and she had to be homeschooled the last year of high school to escape her tormentors. All she wants now is to get away from it all and start over at Cook University. She leaves everything but the memory behind—something she swore she’d never forget—and sets off to rebuild what was broken.

Blake Preston is precisely the type of guy Autumn wants to avoid. He’s gorgeous, arrogant and the college’s beloved football star. As much as she believes he’s someone she should steer clear of, avoiding him proves to be impossible. He shows up everywhere around campus, offering her a no-strings attached friendship.

Autumn can’t deny Blake stirs up emotions she thought fled years ago. But things he’s been hiding begin to emerge and collide with her past, leaving her heart ravaged in their wake.

New Adult Romance-Ages 17+ Due to Strong Language and Sexual Situations

**Will not appear in review elsewhere. Allow me to say I adore the cute cover for this book. Colors are pleasing and the girl looks exactly as I pictured Autumn as I read. I would like to see a stronger font for the title, as this one gets lost when scaled down to thumbnail size. But pleasing to the eye and fits with the author's branding from other books.**

I was chomping at the bit when I heard Heather was releasing another book. Boy, was I in for a surprise. I'm not a romance fan, and was astonished to find she'd written something along these lines. Once I learned the genre, those niggling little doubts began to form in the back of my head: Would I like it? Should I read it? So, I bit the bullet and snagged a copy on Amazon. I'm so glad I did. Enough of my rambling, let's move on to the good stuff.

From a Reader's Perspective:
I hate bullying. Let me begin by saying that. This book re-created some of the true-to-life teens I had to deal with in high school and it really struck a chord with me. I felt for Autumn, and could see myself in her shoes. Though I made different choices about who my friends ended up being in the long run, I understood why she made the decisions she did. I read through this book in two days. Usually I'm pretty good about being able to see where the story is going, but I missed the mark big time on this one. Blake was your typical ladies man who was misunderstood, but that's what the genre calls for. I liked him. He reminded me a lot of my husband. Pacing was fast and the plot was a great one. I loved the scenes where the author showed Autumn's past and didn't shy away from getting inside her head or giving the gritty details about the incident. I do have a favorite quote (this is also very odd for me) which I'm sharing with you now: "There was no phoenix that could rise out of the ashes left behind by his betrayal." *swoon over the language*

From an Editor's Perspective:
I found a couple of little things; but nothing that threw me out of the story and the errors weren't super troublesome. Probably not things the normal reader would even pick up on.

Rating:
+1 Star for giving me a main character I could relate to in so many ways
+1 Star for pacing
+1 Star for holding my interest so tightly, I read the book in just two days
+1 Star for the rich language that made me favorite a sentence
+1 Star for lack of errors
Overall, 5 out of 5 stars. Wow. Highly recommended for anyone who's looking for a wonderful, captivating read.

I hope you all check this book out. It's very high in the Amazon rankings (#9 for college romance) for good reason.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Book Review - The Memory Witch

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today I bring you another book review from my extensive TBR list that was created to support the endeavors of Indie Fever 2014. What's Indie Fever? Well, it's a collaborative of readers who get together and read Indie books all year and write reviews. There are many different levels to sign up at! You can see them all here. I invite you to join the reviewer roster, read Indie books until your eyeballs ache, and write some reviews. It's easy; just decide how many books you're going to review, add your name to the linky list, and get busy. Not interested in reviewing but love to read reviews? Check out the reviews written by members here. Grab your comfy chair and let's get going!

First, a little about the book on the butcher block today!

Title: The Memory Witch
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: Young Adult (I think it's maybe supposed to be New Adult) Urban Fantasy
Length (Print): 230 pages
Links to Purchase: Amazon Kindle $7.99 B&N (paperback) $12.98

Synopsis: Ten years ago, Quinn Jacobs’ mother made a bargain with a local witch—steal away Quinn’s memories from the first eight years of her life and in return, Quinn would spend a year in servitude to the witch.

On Quinn’s eighteenth birthday, she’s forced to leave her home and friends behind. For the next year, she’ll live at the Chadwick House, learning everything she needs to know about being a spellcaster. As her powers grow, Quinn begins to unravel the secrets of the past and the reason her mother was so desperate to conceal the horrifying truth.

~                  ~                   ~

*Will not appear in review elsewhere*
Let me start off by saying how much I LOVE the cover for this book. I did a look inside over on Amazon and I wish the inside matched the cover awesomeness. Even the chapter lead-ins done in the same font as the cover would've given it that little something extra. Being a lover of great typography and a graphic designer, I'm a huge fan of those gems I find in interior design when checking out the preview of a print book I enjoyed on Kindle. All that being said, I don't knock off points in a review for the cover of the book; I just like talking about them. *grin*

On to the good stuff!

I grabbed this title during my 12 Days of Christmas party, that special time of year when I stock my Kindle with books I intend to review over the next twelve months. Heather is an author whose work I love reading and she showed up with a pitch for The Memory Witch I couldn't say no to (I've also been sitting on pins and needles waiting for this title to hit the shelves). So, I popped on over to Amazon and ponied up the dough. I have to say, I'm glad I did. While Amazon has this categorized as Teen and Young Adult, I don't think it's appropriate for those under the age of sixteen/seventeen because of some graphic scenes. But, enough rambling, let's get to the review.

From a Reader's Perspective:
I loved the main character, Quinn. Wood has such a unique way of painting her characters so the reader can identify with them, I really enjoy delving into the mind of a new one she comes up with. That being said, Quinn seemed a bit prudish to me. According to the book, she's eighteen and a member of the dying breed known as virgins. That doesn't bother me so much, but her actions during the story threw me for a loop a time or two. I was left scratching my head and asking, "Why?" But the premise of the story and the pacing (which was wonderful and fast) made me care less about the questionable morals of a teen and more about what secrets would be unraveled during the course of the tale. I was hooked. Magic, a father Quinn can't remember, and an unanswered mystery about the past kept my eyeballs riveted to the pages. You'll cringe a number of times when the author gets to some very graphic scenes, but she wrote them well. Details were horrifying. Either way, I adored the story and stayed up late to finish it. Can't wait for the second installment! Let's move on to talk about the writing.

From an Editor's Perspective:
I waited on this novel for so stinking long, I thought I'd get the best of the best of the best (Sir! With honors!) as far as writing goes. Well, not so much. As anyone who reads my reviews knows, I mark errors as I go (it's an editor/proofreader thing). I found over seventy errors. Not misplaced pronouns or comma drops, but errors like: "I hadn't stay up hours each night..." and "...dating back almost thousand years." or "A startled sound broke into..." Needless to say, my head landed in my hand a lot. This isn't the norm for Ms. Wood. These errors didn't fudge with the story, but they were noticeable and did make my mind stutter over the words.

Rating:
+ 1 Star for a great reveal
+ 1 Star for pacing (fast)
+ 1 Star for the well written magic and horror scenes
+ 1 Star for hooking me with a world I felt could exist
- 1 Star for editing
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars. A highly recommended read if you love fantasy, magic, and curses.

Join me next week for a review of The Bestiarum Vocabulum (a collection of beastly short stories).

I hope you all enjoyed that review. If you've read it, what did you think? If not, will you take a chance on it?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, January 24, 2014

Breaking News: Seven Young Adult Authors Go Crazy - Give Away Paperbacks

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! How about that post yesterday, huh? I know, I know. Sorry. Sometimes, I see what's going on around me and it makes me so angry on behalf of others. Yet other times, I read something in a book that sparks me digging around further. Yesterday was a case of both. What book was I reading? Well, that's coming next week. You'll have to wait and see. Trust me when I tell you, it'll change the way you look at writing and publishing forevermore. Anyway, on to the news! Grab your mouse, get your clicking fingers ready, and let's get going!

**Any and all quotes below are fictional. Photos do not depict actual authors. Authors quoted did not actually say any of this, but I thought I'd have some fun with the post today. Enjoy!**

This just in...

Several sources say a group of seven young adult authors have gone crazy and have begun to give away paperback copies of their books. These books range in sub-genre from Horror to Paranormal.

Authors included in the giveaway are as follows: Heather Topham Wood, Shawna Romkey, Jo Michaels, Lindsey R. Loucks, S. G. Daniels, Tia Silverthorne Bach, and Meghan Riley.

We were able to get in touch with a couple of the authors and asked them what possessed them to offer free copies of their novels. Shawna Romkey said, "We were like, hey, readers love books, we write books, why not connect A with B?" When asked who came up with the idea, she responded, "Heather did. She's so awesome we couldn't help but join in, you know?"

Yes, we do know.

Heather Topham Wood is the author of the popular New Adult Paranormal Second Sight series. It's a four book set telling the stories of a psychic named Kate Edwards who saves women and children that have been abducted by madmen. We attempted to contact Ms. Wood but our queries have gone unanswered.

We were able to contact author S. G. Daniels and ask what she thought the cause of the insanity was. "I think Heather may have what's know as Authoritis. It attacks writers who've just finished a new novel and causes them to act overly happy and generous. Symptoms are extreme and usually include flash giveaway fever (where the author is prone to giving away swag and other items suddenly and with no warning), social media shaking (this includes many Facebook and Twitter posts over the course of a few hours), and word wooziness (self-explanatory)." When we asked Ms. Daniels how an author stricken with Authoritis would treat symptoms, she appeared terrified and refused to answer. All we were able to get out of her was a violent shaking of the head and a short comment. "No, no, no. I can't talk about it." Ms. Daniels then fled the scene.

When asked about the affliction, Authoritis, author Jo Michaels fell into a trance and began repeating the word "insanity." We were unable to get any further comments from Ms. Michaels.

Apparently, the only thing that can cure Authoritis is time. It seems these authors just have to live in their happy heads until it works its way out. There is no way to prevent the catching of Authoritis unless you simply refrain from writing a novel. We asked Tia Silverthorne Bach why this tactic isn't used. She responded, "Wow. You really don't get it, do you?" Ms. Bach refused to elaborate.

We could find no mention of Authoritis when we did an internet search. It only returned: "Did you mean arthritis?" It shall remain a mystery. Ms. Wood is preparing to release her new novel, Falling for Autumn, expected to release April 15, 2014, therefore is a prime candidate for the illness.

If you'd like to enter to win one of these novels, the Rafflecopter entry form will be included under this article. To find out more about the books up for grabs, please visit Ms. Wood's blog at AuthorHeather.com.

Article courtesy of Tammy Thibodeaux, Channel Nine News, Lake Charles.

I hope you all enjoyed that. Tammy Thibodeaux is the fictional news anchor in I, Zombie (just in case you didn't know).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you think of the post? Did it at least get a chuckle out of you?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Book Review - The Final Omen

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you yet another Indie book review. This one is for Final Omen, book four (and the last) of the Second Sight series by Heather Topham Wood. Grab your coffee (or tea, for those of you in the UK), pull up a chair, and let's get going!

First, a little about the book I'm writing this review for:

Title: The Final Omen - Second Sight Book Four
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Length: Approx 185 printed pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $3.99 B&N Nook $3.99 Smashwords $3.99

Description:
Psychic Kate Edwards had seen her death in a premonition. She was given the opportunity to stop her murder from happening and finally reconnect with her love Detective Jared Corbett. However, fate had different ideas…

Kate finds herself trapped between life and death. Her only companion is Rose Corbett, Jared’s long dead mother. Rose offers answers to many of Kate’s long-awaited questions and alludes to what the future could hold. However, before Kate can finally be happy, she must complete a seemingly impossible task: save Jared from his own tragic fate.

The Final Omen concludes the thrilling Second Sight series.
New Adult Paranormal Romance-Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.

I just love the covers on these books. I do wish the author's name weren't vertical, but that's my designer brain kicking in. You know, that old "all type should be one way or another" thing. I do appreciate that there are only two fonts. I see too many designers mixing more than two (or two of the same family serif or sans-serif) which just looks like a mistake.

On to the good stuff!

I was the proofreader for this book so I got to see it before anyone else. Of course, I still ran out and picked up a copy when it was released so I'd never ever lose it. I read the first three books in the Second Sight series and fell in love with them. This one blew me away. Ms. Wood has really pulled out all the stops to make it both terrifying and sweet. Let's get to the review!

From a reader's perspective:
I love, love, love Kate and Jared! He's such a sweet guy. I adore the sweet guys and haven't ever really been into the "bad boy" who breaks girls' hearts and is a callous jerk. Enter Declan. He's a player to the Nth degree. I was glad when he finally accepted his lot in the last book and decided to leave Kate alone. In this installment, he's working with Jared as they try to solve Kate's murder. That was a twist in and of itself. *NOTE* This won't ruin the story because the boys teaming up happens in the first few pages of the book. I'm not about spoilers. Kate has always been a character I could root for. She's no different in this book. I was quite the strange kid growing up and didn't bask in the limelight so I can identify with her insecurities and social withdrawal. When I found out who the killer was, I choked. I totally didn't expect the twist and it left me horrified (which is GOOD). The Final Omen isn't bogged down with a ton of description and gives a lot of the meat and potatoes we all love. It was a wonderful and satisfying conclusion to the series.

From an editor's perspective:
The story had great flow, few errors, an awesome twist that wasn't foreshadowed at all, and a wonderful premise. Top marks!

My rating:
1 Star for showing me a damaged girl who learns to love herself
1 Star for a brilliant story
1 Star for pacing and a wonderful ending
1 Star for giving me an awesome twist
1 Star for quality of writing
Overall, 5 out of 5 stars. Ms. Wood's best book in this series! I would recommend to anyone who loves a sappy romance tinged with murder mystery, action, and a great story to hold it all up.

I do hope you pick up a copy of The Final Omen. You won't regret it.

Have you read the series? What do you think?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Monday, July 29, 2013

Recaps and a Winner

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you recaps of all the active rafflecopter giveaways going on and announce my Indie winner! I do hope you're all as excited about these prizes as I am. Here we go!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations to Alesha!

Good luck to you all! We'll be back with our regularly scheduled program tomorrow and talk about writing, editing, and formatting books for print.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Merry Un-Birthday! Day Four

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! You have a chance to win some great books by a couple of amazing authors today.

Why are these two books included in my week-long prize pool? I edited one and proofread the other. It's something I do for those who use INDIE Books Gone Wild for their publishing needs. How awesome is it that we promote your books after they hit the market? How many editing teams do that? Without further ado, I give you the book descriptions!

Chasing Memories (Tala Prophecy - Book One) by Tia Silverthorne Bach
Genre: YA Paranormal

Description from Amazon:
There isn’t another way; not now. The others are coming. I can’t let them have you…

Seventeen-year-old Reagan has a problem: She can’t remember what happened the night her brother was taken. Now, the dreams haunting her from the incident are becoming more intense by the day. All the while, the lines between what’s real and what’s a product of her paranormal-obsessed mind are becoming blurred.

Is she losing her mind or has she just stepped into a world she thought only existed in books?

Caught in a web of worried parents, competing boys, Wiccan relatives, protective amulets, and psychiatrist babble, Reagan must determine the truth before it’s too late.

The Disappearing Girl by Heather Topham Wood
Genre: New Adult Contemporary - Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.

Description from Amazon:
Kayla Marlowe is slowly vanishing…

Last year, Kayla’s world imploded. Her beloved father died, leaving her alone with a narcissistic mother who is quick to criticize her daughter’s appearance. During her winter break from college, Kayla’s dangerous obsession with losing weight begins.

Kayla feels like her world changes for the better overnight. Being skinny seems to be the key to the happiness she has desperately been seeking. Her mother and friends shower her with compliments, telling her how fantastic she looks. Kayla is starving, but no one knows it.

Cameron Bennett explodes into Kayla’s life. He’s sexy and kind—he has every quality she has been looking for in a guy. As Cameron grows closer to Kayla and learns of how far she’s willing to go to stay thin, he becomes desperate to save her.

Kayla’s struggles with anorexia and bulimia reach a breaking point and she is forced to confront her body image issues in order to survive. She wonders if Cameron could be the one to help heal her from the pain of her past.

Don't those look like amazing reads? They are! Get on the entry form! One printed copy of each is up for grabs!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you missed the contests from earlier in the week, here's a couple of links for you:
Day One
Day Two
Day Three

I'll recap them all tomorrow, when I roll out the last prize.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Prize List!

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm giving you all a prize list for next week's fun! Strap in and let's GO!

One lucky indie author will win a purchase and review from me.

One reader will win:
The first four books of the Mystic series, in print. Bronya, Lily, and Shelia will ship as soon as the contest ends, and Melody will be sent at the end of August (book releases to the public in September.








One reader will win:
A printed copy of The Bird.










One reader will win:
A printed copy of Chasing Memories, and a printed copy of The Disappearing Girl.




















One reader will win:
A digital copy of each of my books that are published at this time AND a digital copy of any others that are due to publish this year - in advance. Winner will receive the books no less than one week before they're published to the market. What's coming? Well, the next two books in the Mystic series for sure, and possibly my urban fiction novel, M. So, this winner will get more than eleven books from me.

Of course, every winner will receive a couple of bookmarks:
So come on back and let's have some fun!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Book Review - The Disappearing Girl

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, a treat for you all. I'm participating in the Indie Fever 2013 reading challenge and have committed to read and review no less than eight Indie books this year. So far, I've done about four. But that's not all the books I've read, just the ones I've written reviews on up to this point. My plan for the next few days is to rectify that situation. For the first book, I bring you The Disappearing Girl by Heather Topham Wood. Enjoy!

Synopsis:

Kayla Marlowe is slowly vanishing…

Last year, Kayla’s world imploded. Her beloved father died, leaving her alone with a narcissistic mother who is quick to criticize her daughter’s appearance. During her winter break from college, Kayla’s dangerous obsession with losing weight begins.

Kayla feels like her world changes for the better overnight. Being skinny seems to be the key to the happiness she has desperately been seeking. Her mother and friends shower her with compliments, telling her how fantastic she looks. Kayla is starving, but no one knows it.

Cameron Bennett explodes into Kayla’s life. He’s sexy and kind—he has every quality she has been looking for in a guy. As Cameron grows closer to Kayla and learns of how far she’s willing to go to stay thin, he becomes desperate to save her.

Kayla’s struggles with anorexia and bulimia reach a breaking point and she is forced to confront her body image issues in order to survive. She wonders if Cameron could be the one to help heal her from the pain of her past.

New Adult Contemporary-Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.

You can pick up a copy today for free; but after that it goes to $2.99. Grab it on Amazon!

Now, for my review:
Author Heather Topham Wood has done a great job of bringing attention to something so many people struggle with in life. It's a difficult thing to live with and a terrifying disease to read about. Let's get to the meat and potatoes.
From a reader's perspective:
I found myself drawn in and feeling what Kayla was going through as she struggled with her life and the disease that threatens to ruin her. Being able to identify with a character is something every reader strives for. I not only identified with Kayla, I was cheering for her recovery, angry with her mother, and cried when the ball finally dropped on the whole situation. Not to be left out, the secondary characters like Cameron, Kayla's best friend, Brittany, and Kayla's sister, Lila, were all well developed. Brittany being in the picture helped show how your best friend can disappear before your very eyes and you never know how bad it really is. This story is captivating and will leave you emotionally wrought.
From an editor's perspective:
I'm always rough on the books I read because I'm an editor. I find things most wouldn't. This book is very well written. There are no plot holes, scene jumps, or inconsistencies. There were a couple of places where a pronoun or two would've behooved the flow, but that's minor.
Rating:
+1 Star for making me cringe and allowing me to feel the character
+1 Star for excellent character development (even the secondary ones)
+1 Star for bridging such a taboo subject in such a way that it made sense
+1 Star for being a great story I could really sink my teeth into
+.5 Star for really great editing

Overall, 4.5 out of 5 stars. Since there are no half stars, I round up when posting to review sites. This is a highly recommended read.

Pick up your copy on Amazon today! Come on back tomorrow for my review of Chasing Memories.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

First Visions Second Sight Book One Sale

Happy Hump-day, good people of the blogosphere! WOOOOOWEEEE do I have a deal for you today. If you remember my post from a while back, I listed my favorite reads of 2012. In it were two books by author Heather Topham Wood. Well, it's been about a year since I read First Visions (where does the time go?) and, as a birthday present, Heather has put the book on sale for the week. This offer is good until May 26th. I never posted my review of the first book on my blog, so I'll give you that to go along with the links and information. HAPPY READING!

Title: First Visions Second Sight Book One
Genre: New Adult Paranormal
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Page count: 231 printed pages
Price: $0.99

Description from Amazon:
Two years ago, 21-year-old Kate Edwards became deathly ill and slipped into a coma. While unconscious, she crept into the mind of a missing boy and awoke with the knowledge of his location. Friends and family were skeptical and wary of her new ability to see into the minds of others. Their fears prompted Kate to keep her psychic powers a secret. Feeling alienated, she dropped out of college and spent most of her days holed up at her mother's home.

Now another child has been abducted. Police detective Jared Corbett seeks out Kate for her help in solving the case. Reluctantly, Kate agrees and they must work together to bring 8-year-old Cori Preston home to her family. Although attracted to one another, Jared has a girlfriend with ties to the abduction case and Kate is sarcastic and guarded since her coma. With visions she can't control and an uncontrollable attraction to the detective, she wonders if she can leave the past behind and finally stop hiding from the world. Otherwise, Cori may be lost forever.

My review (copied from Goodreads):
Rating is 4.5 stars but I round up.

I loved the protagonist, Kate, in First Visions. She is a typical girl who never really got the chance to grow up due to her extraordinary ability and the reclusive life she decided to lead after the media circus surrounding it. Her reactions to situations are perfectly human. There were parts that had me laughing out loud, worrying, and hoping that Kate and Jared ended up together somehow.

I adored the fact that Kate experienced change from page 1 to page 250. I felt like I could really identify with her (even though I'm not psychic). Those are qualities of a great story. I read this book over the course of a week and am looking forward to the next installment of the series.

The only issue I had, and this may be no big deal for most readers, was that pronouns were oftentimes used incorrectly and the book could use a proofreader for tiny errors here and there (as most could). These did not hinder the reading experience to a point that I wanted to drop the book in a puddle, but they did throw me off the story now and again. All in all, a very excellent read that I would highly recommend.

The Second Sight series:
First Visions (book 1): Amazon and Barnes & Noble
New Revelations (book 2): Amazon
Dark Premonitions (book 3): Amazon and read the review here on my blog.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Book Review: Dark Premonitions by Heather Topham Wood

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm writing up a review for my Indie Fever Reading Challenge! This makes the third book I've written a review for so far (I'm behind schedule) but oh, what a glorious read it is! So, strap in and let me take you on a little journey!



Title: Dark Premonitions - Second Sight Book Three
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: Paranormal
Length (paperback): 272 pages
Amazon links: Paperback $9.99 Kindle $3.49

Synopsis: Psychic Kate Edwards had her first premonition—a vision of her own murder by a faceless attacker. With very few clues to go on, she has to use her psychic gifts to uncover who wants her dead. Paranoia sets in and Kate wonders if there’s anybody she can trust. As Kate fears her impending death, she’s desperate to seek comfort with her ex-boyfriend Jared Corbett. As she tries to win him over once again, she worries that he’ll never forgive her for the mistakes she has made in the past. Kate questions whether fate will give her a chance to be with Jared again before her existence is ended. Meanwhile, a sixteen-year-old girl has gone missing. The police and her family insist the girl is a troubled runaway, but Kate suspects there’s more to the story. Kate is frantic to locate the girl before her own time runs out. Dark Premonitions is the third book in the Second Sight series.

Not to appear in my review elsewhere: I love this book's cover. The author let the readers vote in a poll on her website and this one caught my eye nicely. It fits well with the first two books and gives off a slightly creepy vibe; perfect for this installment.

If you're a regular follower of my reviews, you know I read, enjoyed, and reviewed the first two books in the Second Sight series. Dark Premonitions was very different. It was won by me in a giveaway held by the author, Ms. Heather Topham Wood. Without any more babbling, I give you my review:

From a reader's perspective: Kate, the main character, is still rash and young. She has a tendency to act before she thinks and those characteristics fit someone who's gone through what she has. I was glad to see her relationship with Declan, the bad boy psychic, come down from its high in the last book. Kate using her psychic powers again was something I was happy to see. What I loved most about this installment is the way I couldn't tell who was coming to kill Kate or when it would happen. I adored the ending as well, it left me wanting the next book right now instead of waiting for it to be published sometime later this year. What was really different about this installment was the constant wondering about when Kate would be offed. This vision is the opener of the book and leaves you hunting for the incident while reading. I laughed, gasped, and was pulled to the edge of my seat, chewing my nails, while reading this one.

From an editor's perspective: Pronouns still needed some work. An example: Kate turned her attention back to Julie as her best friend emerged from the dressing room. Should read: Kate turned her attention back to Julie as she emerged from the dressing room. I caught a number of these throughout the book, but they weren't so bad as to pull me out of the story. There were also a few common phrases that were misused and some places where things were described  that the person narrating couldn't have seen yet. But, all in all, the story flowed well and had a captivating line; keeping me engaged.

My rating:
1 star for giving me more of Kate and Jared and showing me more of her personality.
1 star for making me laugh out loud a number of times.
1 star for making me cringe.
1 star for an excellent storyline.
-1 star for the need for an editor.
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars and a highly recommended read for anyone who loves delving into the paranormal.

I do hope you'll consider giving this book a read. It was wonderful. Beware the cliffhanger at the end; it's a doozy.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo