WWW Wednesdays December 12

WWW Wednesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Clicking on the book covers will take you to Goodreads
for more information about the books listed below.

What are you currently reading?

Know Thy Neighbor by Shawn Kirsten Maravel 
I just started this one but I can already tell I am going to love it. 

What did you recently finish reading?

Unmasking Maya by Libby Mercer

My review and guest post will be up this weekend.


 A Desire Path by Jan Shapin
for TLC Book Tours
My thoughts and giveaway are here

What do you think you will read next? 

I am not really sure what I am going to read next. The holidays are right around the corner and I do not have any books with a deadline for a while. I think I will just stand by my bookshelf and see what book appeals to me ~ something that I have been dying to read, but just haven't gotten around to yet. 

Got any good recommendations? 

What's on your WWW this week?

Leave me a comment and

I'll stop by to check out your reads.

And be sure to check out the sidebar 
for my current giveaways! 

On Tour and a Giveaway: A Desire Path by Jan Shapin

What makes women fall for men who are tied to political causes? “It’s called a desire path,” she said, indicating a trace of beaten earth that disappeared into the woods. “A landscaping term my mother used. Not ‘shortcut’ — that implies convenience. Desire is rarely a convenience.”

Set in the Depression and WWIIs aftermath, A Desire Path traces a love affair between Ilse, a New England housewife, and Andy, an itinerant union organizer who has grown disillusioned by the infighting in the nation’s capital. Ilse’s husband, Leo, a powerful Washington lawyer, retaliates by destroying Andy’s livelihood. Still in love with him, Anna Mae, a journalist friend of Andy’s, returns from Moscow to tend an increasingly senile father only to confront the horrific past that first prompted her escape to the Soviet Union.

Over the years Ilse witnesses Anna Mae’s flailing adherence to Communist doctrine, even as she comes to see her own marriage as so much empty dogma. She rediscovers her love for Andy and the tension builds as she attempts to break free of Leo’s domination. ~~ synopsis from Goodreads

My thoughts about A Desire Path ~~

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I guess it wasn't what I was expecting but once I wrapped my head around that, I was able to get into the story.

The story basically takes place in the 30's and 40's, the Depression era and WWII times. There are three main characters, Anna Mae, Ilse, and Andy with Ilse's husband Leo thrown in there a bit too. The story is broken up into 3 sections and each section is told from the point of view of one of the main characters. I loved the way the author wrote the story that way. It was interesting getting different perspectives on the same situations that they each lived through. So we first get to know Andy, then Anna Mae, and then Ilse and learn each one's take on what was happening.

I would have to say that Anna Mae evoked the strongest emotion from me - could not stand that woman! Very self-centered and conniving. I really liked Ilse but wished she could have been a little bit stronger so that she could have gotten what she wanted out of life, instead of always living in Leo's shadow.

The parts of the story that were hard for me were the sections written about the history of Unions in the United States and the Communist doctrine, here in the US and in the Soviet Union. This is not a negative reflection on the author or the story. I just sort of glossed over history in school, it was not one of my favorite subjects. I do have to say that I did learn quite a bit, it's just that I enjoyed the more personal story lines better.

Jan is a very good writer and wrote a interesting story. I think anyone who knows anything about what was going on in the early days of union organizing and the McCarthy era will enjoy this story. It puts a personal spin on that part of history.

About the author

Jan Shapin has been writing plays and screenplays for over twenty years. More recently she has turned her attention to fiction. She has studied playwriting at Catholic University in Washington, DC, screenwriting at the Film and Television Workshop and University of Southern California, and fiction writing at a variety of locations including Brown University, Barnard's Writers on Writing seminar, Sewanee Writers' Conference and Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. She has two grown children and lives in Newport, RI with her husband, a photographer.

Connect with Jan

Website | E-mail |

Check out other stops on the tour here!

And enter the Rafflecopter below
for a chance to win this book!

Then check out the sidebar for my other giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vision by Snowden & Newcomb and a Giveaway!

Madi sees demons, the very embodiment of the vices that stalk humanity. Gift or curse, it has never done anything good for her—only shown her how ugly the world truly is.

Her visions might have helped the night of Cassi’s accident—maybe she could have seen something, stopped it. But she ran—like always.

Now, with Cassi clinging to life, Madi struggles to keep herself and Vision Records from falling apart. The demons, however, have plans of their own. ~~ synopsis from Goodreads

My thoughts about Vision ~~ 

My daughter and I were at the South Dakota Festival of the Book in September, walking around the author area. There were all these tables set up with authors promoting their books. I hate to admit it but I walked by most of them. But then I saw a table poster of the book, Vision, and I was immediately drawn to it. I love this cover! (and you all know how much I am a sucker for a gorgeous cover) We ended up talking to Cathy, one of the author's of this book and she contacted me later to ask if I would be interested in reading her book. Of course I said yes! And she graciously send me 2 copies - one for me and one for one of you!!  

So anyway - the book. Three words - I loved it! Okay, seriously, I never, never would have thought I would say that about a book about demons. There are just some parts of the whole YA, paranormal genres that I will not read ~ zombies, vampires, werewolves. I probably would have lumped demons in there with them too. But, like I said, the cover grabbed me and the author was so nice - I had to give it a shot.   

I immediately loved Madi and admired how devoted she was to her best friend, Cassi, who was in a coma in the hospital. Madi works really hard to keep Cassi's dream business going until Cassi gets week and can come home. And the demons weren't real creepy and gross, they basically were just there hanging out around the people that Madi had to deal with, sort of their evil alter-egos.  

As Madi tries to keep the business going for Cassi, she has to learn to lean on and trust the people in her life. That doesn't come easy for her. She grows a lot as she learns to rely on others and to reach out to those around her. She starts to see past the demons and to see the good in people.  

Visions really made me stop and think about good vs. evil and how evil is all around us, all the time. What matters is how we live our lives and what we do with what we've got. This is really an awesome book, especially for the YA audience, the age group that can be so easily swayed to bad. This book shows us the importance of good. 

I am so very glad that this cover caught my eye and that I was able to read this amazing book. I wish all the best for these two authors, Cathy Newcomb and Galen Snowden. I really hope they write more books in the future and that I get a chance to read whatever's next.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my review

Connect with the authors 

Goodreads | Vision Website | Facebook 

Purchase Vision 

CreateSpace | Amazon

Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance
to win this awesome book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Timeless Blog Tour and Giveaway ~ Michelle talks about her voices!

Timeless is on tour all this month and you are not going to want to miss it! Today I am so excited that Michelle is stopping by The Book Bag. Be sure to check out all the other stops on the tour for more insight about Michelle and to learn more about Timeless and the other two books in the Transcend Time Saga. It is such a wonderful series!

And ..... Michelle is also hosting a super, fabulous giveaway! 

So be sure to enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post. 

Michelle, I have heard other authors say that they 'hear voices in their head' and that is how they write their books: the characters are telling their stories. Not being a writer myself, that concept has always intrigued me.

When some people hear voices, we get them medical attention, others end up becoming writers. Does this happen to you? How do you come up with your stories?

Thank you, Susan, for asking this question! Like most authors, I am constantly coming up with story ideas and hearing conversations in my head that the characters in those stories will have. The main difference between people who need medical attention and writers is this: Writers know that those voices and characters are in their imagination. People who need medical attention cannot distinguish between their imagination and reality; they believe that those voices are real people speaking to them. Clearly, that would be a serious problem!

Of course, we only know how our minds work—it’s impossible to get into someone else’s mind and know how they think. (Although authors always try to do that with our characters as realistically as possible!) Until I was 21 years old, I never realized that other people weren't constantly coming up with story ideas and creating conversations between characters in their minds. I believed EVERYONE thought that way! I had no idea that what I was doing was a special skill, and because of that, I had never tried to write a book.

Then, after handing in the first chapter of REMEMBRANCE as homework for the Intro to Creative Writing class I was taking in my junior year of college, I was shocked at the positive responses I received from my classmates and teacher. I talked with my mom later that day, and said something to the extent of, “I never thought people would be interested in the stories I create more than the ones that they and everyone else in the world creates.”

She responded by saying, “Most people in the world aren't always creating stories.”

That came as a major shock to me. It’s so natural for my mind to wander, to literally SEE stories and conversations playing out like I’m watching a movie, that I couldn't imagine living any other way.

Realizing that what I could do was unique was the push I needed to take the stories in my mind and write them down so I could share them with the world. Now that the entire Transcend Time Saga is published, I've discovered that having others read and enjoy the stories in my mind is the most rewarding experience I could imagine. It’s so neat to share that part of myself with others—to make my thoughts and ideas tangible for others to experience. I love knowing that for the few hours a person spends reading one of my books, they are living in something I created, and that the characters and situations I imagined can be as real to them as they are to me.

Summary of Timeless 

IT'S A RACE AGAINST TIME.

In Remembrance, Lizzie and Drew changed the course of fate so they could be together.

In Vengeance, Chelsea set fate back on its original, deadly path.

Now, strange things keep happening to Lizzie. Things that are omens of darkness to come. A curse has doomed her to die an early death, just as she did in her past life. To make matters worse, even if she can figure out who cast the curse, it's irreversible. There's only one option left for her to save herself. It's crazier than anything she's heard yet, and to do it, she'll need Drew and Chelsea's help.

Because to make things right, they must go back to when it all began … and Lizzie discovers that the final events in her past life were more sinister than she ever imagined. 

Timeless is the final part of the Transcend Time Saga.

The Transcend Time Saga is a Clean Romance suitable for anyone age 12 and up!

Quotes from Reviewers 

"The combination of time travel, magic, and love makes Timeless an unforgettable page turner!"
-For Those About to Read

"Timeless had great twists, particularly towards the end. For something inspired by a Taylor Swift song, Michelle has come up with a great series!"
-Addiction to Words Reviews

"The Transcend Time Saga is a worthy rival of modern fairy tales. It has an essence of magic and spark that captivates you!"
-Becky's Barmy Book Blog

I loved this series and you can find 

my thoughts about each book 
by clicking on the links below.

Remembrance ~~ Vengeance ~~ Timeless

About the author

Michelle Madow was inspired to write Remembrance after seeing Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video while a junior at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. The song and video gave her the story idea about a high school girl reincarnated from Regency Era, England. She handed in the first chapter as a homework assignment for class, and when her teacher and classmates wanted her to continue writing, she decided to go for it. By the end of the school year, her first novel was completed!

Michelle graduated from the Park School of Baltimore in 2005, where she always took two English classes each semester. She graduated from Rollins College in 2010, cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English. At Rollins she was a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and a member of the International English Honor Society Sigma Tau Delta.

She received the Charles Hyde Pratt Award for Excellence in Creative Writing in 2010.

Michelle lives in Florida, where she is hard at work writing more novels for young adults.

Connect with Michelle

Website | Blog | Goodreads

Facebook | Facebook Fan Page | Twitter

Giveaway 

In celebration of the Timeless Blog Tour, Michelle is giving away a Deluxe Transcend Time Prize Pack!

This includes:

· A signed paperback of Remembrance

· A signed paperback of Vengeance

· A signed paperback of Timeless

· A gold Venetian mask

This giveaway is International!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purchase Remembrance

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | iBookstore | Kobo

Purchase Vengeance

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | iBookstore | Kobo

Purchase Timeless

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | iBookstore | Kobo

And be sure to check out the sidebar 
for my current giveaways! 

The Cracked Slipper by Stephanie Alexander / Free this weekend

When Eleanor Brice unexpectedly wins the heart of Gregory Desmarais, Crown Prince of Cartheigh, she's sure she's found her happily-ever-after. Unfortunately, Prince Charming has a loose grip on his temper, a looser grip on his marriage vows, and a tight grip on the bottle.

Eight years of mistreatment, isolation and clandestine book learning hardly prepare Eleanor for life at Eclatant Palace, where women are seen, not heard. According to Eleanor’s eavesdropping parrot, no one at court appreciates her unladylike tendency to voice her opinion. To make matter worse, her royal fiancé spends his last night of bachelorhood on a drunken whoring spree. Before the ink dries on her marriage proclamation Eleanor realizes that she loves her husband's best friend, former soldier Dorian Finley.

Eleanor can't resist Dorian’s honesty, or his unusual admiration for her intelligence, and soon both are caught in a dangerous obsession. She drowns her confusion in charitable endeavors, but the people’s love can't protect her from her feelings. When a magical crime endangers the bond between unicorns, dragons, and the royal family, a falsely accused Eleanor must clear her own name to save her life. The road toward vindication will force a choice between hard-won security and an impossible love.

The Cracked Slipper is a book club friendly fairytale retelling in the vein of Gregory Maguire, with a dash of romance. Set in a pseudo-renaissance, corset-and-petticoats enchanted kingdom, The Cracked Slipper brings a magical twist to women’s fiction.

Doesn't this sound like a great book?

The Cracked Slipper will be available free on Amazon December 7th thru the 9th

Stephanie visited The Book Bag in November
to talk about her voices.

You can read her comments here

Connect with Stephanie

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Be sure to check out the sidebar

for my current giveaways!