Sunday, December 31, 2017

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 174 - Black Star Renegades by Michael Moreci, A Soupçon of Poison by Jennifer Ashley

Black Star RenegadesBlack Star Renegades by Michael Moreci
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cade has always been a shadow behind his bother. Now he has to be something else. He has the ultimate weapon but after using it once he does not want to use it again. Cade and friends are in a fight to the death and the enemy seems to be winning. This has danger, betrayal, new friends, old friends and scenes full of tension. As a group they find a plan and go on the offensive. There is a conclusion to the story but while one thing has been accomplished there is much more that needs to be done. Book one in a new series Black Star Renegades has all the makings of a fun new space opera series.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

A Soupçon of Poison (Kat Holloway Mysteries, #0.5)A Soupçon of Poison by Jennifer Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this after reading the first book in the Kat Holloway Mysteries. I wish I had read this first as there were hints about Kat and Daniel's relationship in Death Below Stairs, the first book in the series. I would have enjoyed that book more if I had had the background laid in this novella. I do love Kat and the mystery about Daniel's background begins in this novella. The mystery is interesting and has quite a few twists and turns. Kat is very strong and Daniel is interesting. A good introduction to the new series.

View all my reviews

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 173 - A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Rayburn, Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krantz

A Perilous Undertaking (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery #2)A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Veronica and Stoker are in over their heads again. They need to solve a murder and save a innocent man from hanging. That kept my interest but that is not the main mystery in the series. Veronica's parents were revealed in the first book and one of Stoker's secrets comes out in this book. However, both seem to have many more secrets that are part of the story line. In addition to the two main characters there are some very interesting side characters who are part of the story line. A interesting historical mystery series with a lot more to reveal about the characters and their past.


Promise Not to Tell (Cutler, Sutter & Salinas #2)Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Virginia Troy and Cabot Sutter are typical of Krantz's main characters. Both are flawed and have trouble relating to others. Their dating lives are a disaster so when they come together of course they are a very good fit. The mystery here is interesting. There are red herrings, tension filled moments and a lot of blowback from the past. The back story is very well spelled out adding additional feeling to the plot. A nice interesting read with good characters, a well plotted story line and of course a romance.

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 172 - Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs, Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley

Burn Bright (Alpha & Omega, #5; Mercy Thompson World - Complete, #15)Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Charles and Anna are two of my favorite characters. The story of how they met is on my favorites shelf and a novella I read when I want a comfort book. When I received Burn Bright from Netgalley I waited one week before I read it and then I read it in one sitting. I loved the story line and how the two had to face some very hard decisions while in charge of the pack. No spoilers as the book does not come out until March (my bad that I could not wait to read). Just a recommendation that you pick this one up when it comes out if you are a fan of the series and that if you have never read the series that you start now so you will be ready when Burn Bright comes out.


Death Below Stairs (Kat Holloway Mysteries, #1)Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is a prequel novella that features the characters in Death Below Stairs and I recommend you read it first. I did not. As a result I found the hints to the backstory frustrating. They did not tell me all I wanted to know. Other than that I loved the book and the characters. Kat Holloway is a gem. She is strong and has managed to support herself in spite of her past. Daniel McAdam is a bit of a mystery. How and what he is changes throughout the story. The mystery was two fold and well developed. The characters are interesting and the look into the past feels very authentic. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Short and Sweet Book Reviews #171 - Still Life by Dani Pettrey, Dark Deeds by Mike Brooks

Still Life (Chesapeake Valor, #2)Still Life by Dani Pettrey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What this did not say anywhere was that this is a Christian Fiction Mystery/Romance. If it had I probably would not have picked it up and I would have missed a good story.  I listened to this on CD and really liked the story line. The plot was interesting and full of twists and turns. The side trips into religion stopped the action briefly but not enough to change the tension in the story. The characters had interesting backgrounds. One of the main characters came from a very dysfunctional background and credited Jesus with her change in behavior. The story line held up with or without religion. Part of a series this can be read as a standalone.


Dark Deeds (Keiko, #3)Dark Deeds by Mike Brooks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Dark part of the title is very true in this third book in the Keiko series. Events just seem to go against the crew and as a result the action is non-stop and the tension just keeps ramping up. The story follows two tracks as the crew separates and it is touch and go as to how everything will end. Another hard to put down book by Brooks.

View all my reviews

Monday, December 25, 2017

Merry Christmas


We Almost had a White Christmas this year.  This was Dec. 23rd and our first snow in a very long time.

Friday, December 22, 2017

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 170 - Vanguard by Jack Campbell, Aydarr by Veronica Scott

Vanguard (The Genesis Fleet, #1)Vanguard by Jack Campbell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I didn't think I would like this series so it took me awhile to give it a try. Turns out I was wrong, I do like the series. I thought it would be close in time to the Lost Fleet series but it is not. It is set many years before that series and it gives it a fresh feeling. I love the three main characters. Robert Geary, a young former junior fleet officer, Ninja, a computer hacker and Mele Darcy, a onetime enlisted Marine are on a planet that has just recently been colonized. When danger comes the three rise to the occasion. The back story is very well developed, the plot is not new but is very well done and the character development fits the story line. Several other characters are important at first but play a small part in the whole. They seem to be in line to play a more important role in future stories. I listed to this as a audio book and the reader did a great job on timing and voices.

Aydarr (Sectors New Allies #1)Aydarr by Veronica Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was disappointed when I started Aydarr. I though Oh No another alien abduction story. It is that but it had some interesting twists that kept it from being run of the mill. For one thing the main female character was a Sector solider at one time and she can take care of herself. Of course there is that alien she bonds with. She was abducted from the Sector and that is the tie in to the previous series set in the Sector. The abductors are another tie in as they are the same enemies from the sector series. There are some very interesting characters, a well developed plot and a very predictable romance.

View all my reviews

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 169 - Rescuing Prince Charming by Edward Hoornaert, For the Greater Good by Greta van der Rol

Rescuing Prince CharmingRescuing Prince Charming by Edward Hoornaert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This has one of the best opening scenes every. What a way for two people to meet. The rest of the book had to work very hard to live up to the opening. Prince Charming has not been successful in life, in fact he just kept messing up. This time he wants to succeed but events and things are working against him. Dusty Johnson just wants to be left alone to work on humans first space ship. She does not trust and he is afraid he will mess up again. The two are on an interesting course that kept the story line moving. A unexpected plot and an interesting romance. All in all a fun book.


For the Greater Good: Puss in Space (Dryden Universe)For the Greater Good: Puss in Space by Greta van der Rol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Imperial agents Tian Axmar and Brent Walker are back in a new story. Brent is getting used to his new status. Tian has a new pet. Both are causing problems. This time we get a nice visit with the Admiral and his wife, main characters in a previous story. This problem is series and brings Brent back in contact with the past he had to leave behind. The focus of the story is two fold. First is the danger from the Human's First group and second with Brent coming to grips with leaving the past in the past. The best thing is the new pet. That is the Puss in space part of the title. Puss in a really great character. She is much more than just a cat. Great story for cat fans.

View all my reviews

Monday, December 18, 2017

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 168 - If Ever I Should Love You by Cathy Maxwell, A Cowboy's Christmas by Vicki Lewis Thompson

If Ever I Should Love You (Spinster Heiresses, #1)If Ever I Should Love You by Cathy Maxwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Leonie Charnock and the Earl of Rochdale have a history. That history destroyed Rochdale's military career while leaving Leonie unable to trust any man. Getting them together should be impossible. I really liked the fact that Leonie seemed very strong even as she battled with THE EVENT in her past. I liked how Rochdale could dream and then work to make it a fact not just a dream. The story of the two followed a familiar path but seemed fresh and new. Maxwell treats a serious subject while telling a interesting story.


A Cowboy's Christmas (The McGavin Brothers Book 6)A Cowboy's Christmas by Vicki Lewis Thompson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hayley Bennett has her life in order but really does hate how her Mother keeps trying to fix her up every time she comes home for a visit. Badger Calhoun is just visiting his friend for Christmas. The two come up with a plan and of course it backfires. Badger is such a interesting character. He comes from wealth and does not need to work but is looking for a focus in his life. He is very contained and does not let many people in. Hayley is more open and shares her past, present and future while Badger does not. Makes for some tension as feeling develop between the two. A very good addition to the McGavin Brothers series.

View all my reviews

Saturday, December 16, 2017

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 167 - The Pines of Winder Ranch by RaeAnne Thane, A Cowboy's Courage by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Year One by Nora Roberts

The Pines of Winder Ranch: A Cold Creek Homecoming\A Cold Creek ReunionThe Pines of Winder Ranch: A Cold Creek Homecoming\A Cold Creek Reunion by RaeAnne Thayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review. My copy only contained A Cold Creek Reunion. I though it was a nice story but I kept wondering why the two really broke up ten years ago. The reason seemed a little contrived. Other than that there were cute kids, a nice dog and two people who belonged together but were having trouble trusting because of the past. I did like that one of the kids was special needs and this showed how loving she was.


A Cowboy's Courage (The McGavin Brothers Book 5)A Cowboy's Courage by Vicki Lewis Thompson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Trevor McGavin and Olivia Shaw have a lot to overcome. Olivia is still loves her husband who died three years ago. She finds Trevor very attractive but does not see how she can love another. Trevor is the last McGavin to find his HEA. I loved how patient Trevor was giving Olivia space to decide if she could give in to her attraction. There was an event that helped Olivia see that she could love her late husband and love Trevor. I thought it was a nice way to open her eyes.


Year One (Chronicles of The One, #1)Year One by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What happens when most of the people in the world die and some who live are changed. That is what Nora Roberts addresses in Year One. The book follows several different groups as the Doom changes the world. Each has to follow a different path but they do finally meet. Then after being invested in some very interesting characters something happens and the book follows only one character. There is a lot of foreshadowing in the story line. The world Roberts builds is pretty grim. While some people just want to build a new life others turn to evil. It was interesting enough that I want to see what happens in the next book. I got this as an audio book.

View all my reviews

Friday, December 15, 2017

The One Apart by Justine Avery - Virtual Tour and Giveaway



The One Apart
by Justine Avery

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Paranormal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Only one obstacle stands in his way of enjoying a normal life. He remembers—every life he's lived before.

Tres is about to be born... with the biggest burden any has ever had to bear. He is beginning again—as an ageless adult trapped in an infant body.

He and his teenage mother face life filled with extraordinary challenges as they strive to protect, nurture, and hide how truly different he is. But Tres alone must solve the greatest mystery of all: who is he? The answer is linked to the one question he's too afraid to ask: why am I?

In his quest, Tres discovers that all is considerably more interconnected and dynamic than he could ever imagine—and fraught with far more danger. He cannot hide from the unseen threat stalking him since his birth.

Life as he knows it—as all know it—is in peril. And Tres is the only one aware.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

A casual knock pre-empted the arrival of an attending nurse. Sancha heard the sounds of a metal cart rolled in, its wheels locked in place at her bedside. She took a quick puff of air and released it as the knuckles of her fists began to turn white.

She heard a rustling of linens, then Maria leaning toward her from her chair on the opposite side of the bed.

Something heavy and warm was laid against Sancha’s arm.

“Sancha...” Maria pleaded this time. “Please.”

Sancha squirmed against the uncomfortable pressure on her arm.

“I can’t let you live the rest of your life,” Maria whispered, “knowing you never even saw him.”

Sancha swallowed. Her breathing quickened. She rolled her lips between her teeth. And she opened her eyes—as slowly as humanly possible.

The brightest pair of crystalline blue eyes stared back at her.

They blinked tenderly, giving away how new to blinking they actually were. Their steady gaze pierced straight through to something rooted within Sancha.

The eyes blinked again, temporarily cutting off the intense connection before opening again to resume it. Sancha rested on her bed in silence, mesmerized by the novice rhythm of blinking resembling Morse code.

Every muscle in her body relaxed. Her mouth began to form an unthinkable smile. She couldn’t help herself.

The baby—her baby—beamed at her with his big, round eyes and flooded her with the total contentment and perfect peace that wafts only from brand-new life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I asked Justine:  How do you do your world building?  Here is her answer:

My process is very simple: start with a tiny story idea, the simpler and less-detailed, the better.  Then, I start writing the story from the beginning. I never know how my stories are going to end up—and for me, that's the whole fun of it. That's why I write! Every story's an adventure, a mystery, an experience waiting to unfold. That's the whole appeal for me.

And that is how each unique world for each unique story is created.  My story idea may start in a place, and I see it, all around me, perfectly vividly, like viewing your surroundings in a dream.  Or, I might begin with a character or a situation and similarly, the world appears around them, in as much detail as the story requires.  It’s as simple as “seeing” it.  I guess I can thank a very vivid imagination… probably built, itself, upon decades of global travel, adventures, and reading!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Justine Avery is an award-winning author of stories large and small for all. Born in the American Midwest and raised all over the world, she is inherently an explorer, duly fascinated by everything around her and excitedly noting the stories that abound all around. As an avid reader of all genres, she weaves her own stories among them all. She has a predilection for writing speculative fiction and story twists and surprises she can’t even predict herself.

Avery has either lived in or explored all 50 states of the union, over 36 countries, and all but one continent; she lost count after moving 30-some times before the age of 20. She’s intentionally jumped out of airplanes and off the highest bungee jump in New Zealand, scuba dived unintentionally with sharks, designed websites, intranets, and technical manuals, bartered with indigenous Panamanians, welded automobile frames, observed at the Bujinkan Hombu Dojo in Noba, Japan, and masterminded prosperous internet businesses—to name a few adventures. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree that life has never required, and at age 28, she sold everything she owned and quit corporate life—and her final “job”—to freelance and travel the world as she always dreamed of. And she’s never looked back.

 Aside from her native English, Avery speaks a bit of Japanese and a bit more Spanish, her accent is an ever-evolving mixture of Midwestern American with notes of the Deep South and indiscriminate British vocabulary and rhythm, and she says “eh”—like the Kiwis, not the Canadians. She currently lives near Los Angeles with her husband, British film director Devon Avery, and their three adopted children: Becks, Sam, and Lia. She writes from wherever her curiosity takes her.

Avery loves to connect with fellow readers and creatives, explorers and imaginers, and cordially invites you to say “hello”—or konnichiwa.

Twitter: @Justine_Avery

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

Justine Avery will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 166 - Mesmerized by Candace Camp, Wolf Hunger by Paige Tyler, All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Mesmerized (The Mad Morelands, #1)Mesmerized by Candace Camp
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Paranormal is all the rage today and Mesmerized is a mix of historical romance and the paranormal. Olivia Moreland thinks of herself as a small brown wren who is set to discredit the current rage of mediums. Lord Stephen St. Leger needs her help. Both are interesting characters who share a link with the past. It was fun watching the two come to terms with both a medium who is a fake and the very real ghosts who are visiting both their dreams and theirs waking hours. I loved the ending to the ghost story and of course seeing Stephen and Olivia get their HEA.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.


Wolf Hunger (SWAT, #7)Wolf Hunger by Paige Tyler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is book seven in the SWAT series but it read fine as a standalone. Lana Mason is an interesting character. She knows that she is attracted to SWAT Officer Max Lowry but does not realize that he is THE ONE. Max does know that Lana is his ONE but he realizes that Lana does not know she is a werewolf and does not really understand why her attraction to Max is so strong. That keeps the plot in the first part of the book moving. The danger Lana is in fuels the second part. This is another interesting take on what a werewolf is and how a werwolf is made.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.


All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1)All Systems Red by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have had this since it came out in May and just got around to reading it. Murderbot is the name the that a security android or a self-aware SecUnit has given to itself. This is told in the first person by Murderbot. All Systems Red is a novella that introduces both the SecUnit and the world where he functions. The reason for his name and for his actions after getting the name are at the heart of the story. What happens when he is assigned to a group of scientists on a planet where things start to go wrong fuels the action and the conquests for Murderbot. I loved the world building, the back story and how Murderbot choices his own fate. Great set up for future stories.

View all my reviews

Monday, December 11, 2017

You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine by Kimberly Love




You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine
by Kimberly Love

I asked Kimberly where she went to find inspiration.  Be sure to read her answer below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:   Non-Fiction/Memoir

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:

There's an evil queen, a demented father, some amateur boxing and a trailer park story. Even a silver fox makes an appearance. Why wouldn't that entice you?

If you are looking for something different from the rest of the books out there, something that might make you question your sanity then you will love this book.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPTS 

Mom? Are you reading this? Maybe you should have a drink first. Can we get a rum and coke over here? She’s gonna need it...

A lot of people have asked me throughout this process, why I would want to write this book. There are a few reasons why I decided to completely expose myself for the world to see, but certainly one particular moment comes to mind. During a heated argument with my ex-husband, post-divorce, he blurted out that he thought I was incapable of loving another human being. It’s one of those things you hear that is so shocking to you that the argument just ceases. I was speechless, I didn’t know what to say. Normally I would have chalked it up to the fact that he was in fact a disgruntled ex because it wouldn’t be the first time we got down and dirty in an argument, but this time I didn’t. I never forgot that comment, mainly because I wondered for years if it was true. There was just something about the way he said it that made me wonder if I was really that irrevocably screwed up. So, I decided to delve into my past, for my sake as well as my daughters, to find out why I walked out on a relationship that everyone thought was perfect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Perfect Places That I Find Inspiration

Inspiration is a funny thing and sometimes the places where you find inspiration are unusual as well. I do a lot of writing at home so it’s probably the last place that I find inspiration but there are times where even home will spark something inside. If I were to pick four places that I could visit to find some inspiration, they would be:

My Daughter’s Room

This is probably the only place in my home where inspiration lies. I spend so much time writing, editing and researching at home that I have to leave it sometimes or I will go crazy. However, there are times if I’m having a hard day that I can walk into my daughter room crawl into bed with her and read a book and that’s inspiring. Currently, we are reading Charlie and the Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl and there is nothing like stepping into a world where there are vermicious Knids chasing Mr. Wonka to inspire me to create my own unusual worlds.

Paris
I have always dreamed of traveling to Paris and writing my next novel in a café in the city. Paris to me is a romantic dream and I would love to create something magical there.

The Beach

Basically, anywhere that there is sand and water, I would be in heaven. There is just something about being by the water that I find very inspiring and my creative juices just flow so easily there. I think there is a part of me that becomes very in tuned with myself when I’m by the water so it’s only natural that I would find creativity there.

A Champagne Bar

No, seriously, you have to try it out. Go to a champagne bar, saddle up to the bar, order some champagne and then just sit there and watch. People watching is one of my favorite things to do and after one night of drinking champagne and feeling glamorous you will have so much to write about.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kimberly spend her days writing about serial killers and playing on her blog while trying not to get sucked in by her Facebook notifications or get into the whiskey decanter (just kidding...kinda). Check out her blog www.kimmilove.com
Book Description:
WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK AWESOME?
There's an evil queen, a demented father, some amateur boxing and a trailer park story. Even a silver fox makes an appearance. Why wouldn't that entice you?
If you are looking for something different from the rest of the books out there, something that might make you question your sanity then you will love this book.
Seriously! The comedic and sassy perspective will make you see things differently, and you may even find yourself laughing out loud. It's a good story and one that I truly believe needs to be told. Period.
It’s dark, raw and takes you to a door that keeps all my innermost secrets. I hope that the book makes you laugh, makes you cry, and inspires you to be the best version of yourself.
Website/Blog: www.kimmilove.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

Kimberly Love will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to visit the other blogs on the tour!

November 20Edgar's Books
November 21Rogue's Angels 
November 22Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
November 22Sharing Links and Wisdom
November 24This and That Book Blog
November 27It's Raining Books
November 28The Avid Reader
November 29Mello and June, It's a Book Thang! 
November 30BooksChatter
December 1Fabulous and Brunette
December 4Books Direct - review
December 5Readeropolis
December 6Deal Sharing Aunt
December 7Independent Authors
December 8The Reading Addict
December 11Mixed Book Bag
December 12Books, Dreams,Life
December 13Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer
December 14T's Stuff
December 15Straight From the Library

Friday, December 8, 2017

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 165 - Not HIs Vampire by Annie Nicholas, A Cowboy's Heart by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Not His Vampire (Not This, #3)Not His Vampire by Annie Nicholas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Things that you think cannot exist do and Trixie Russell has just found out that vampires do exist. Soon after she is in an accident about to die when Victor Petrov, an ancient vampire, changes her. Victor has problems and now Trixie is added to the mix. This starts a fun romp as Victor tries to provide the guidance that Trixie needs to adjust to her new status. I loved how Victor is trying very hard to be a good sire to Trixie and how Trixie seems to bring the best out in Victor. Then those nasty werewolves interfere. That leads to tension and danger for both Victor and Trixie. A fun romp in this interesting world where the Not This series takes place.


A Cowboy's Heart (McGavin Brothers Book 4)A Cowboy's Heart by Vicki Lewis Thompson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The latest McGavin Brothers is about to bite the dust. After being left at the alter Bryce McGavin gave up his music. That is about to change. Nicole Williams comes to his bar with her fiancee and ends hes engagement while there. Seems she loves to play and sing and asks to perform two nights a week. Both are recovering from past relationships. Neither think they are ready for a new romance but music brings the two together and romance blooms. I loved how the two supported each other. That support helped replace old tapes that were holding both back from doing what they loved. Great story and a change to visit with the couples from the previous three stories.


Thursday, December 7, 2017

Man and Horse by John Egenes - Blurb Blitz and Giveaway





Man & Horse: The Long Ride Across America
by John Egenes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:   Memoir

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

In 1974 a disenfranchised young man from a broken home set out to do the impossible. With a hundred dollars in his pocket, a beat up cavalry saddle, and a faraway look in his eye, John Egenes saddled his horse Gizmo and started down the trail on an adventure across the North American continent. Their seven month journey took them across 11 states from California to Virginia, ocean to ocean.. As they left the pressing confinement of the city behind them, the pair experienced the isolation and loneliness of the southwestern deserts, the vastness of the prairie, and the great landscapes that make up America. Across hundreds of miles of empty land they slept with coyotes and wild horses under the stars, and in urban areas they camped alone in graveyards and abandoned shacks. Along the way John and Gizmo were transformed from inexperienced horse and rider to veterans of the trail. With his young horse as his spiritual guide John slowly began to comprehend his own place in the world and to find peace within himself. Full of heart and humor, Egenes serves up a tale that's as big as the America he witnessed, an America that no longer exists. It was a journey that could only have been experienced step by step, mile by mile, from the view between a horse's ears.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

The young horse stands in the pale light of a gibbous moon, his hindquarters positioned so they block the cold northwest wind. Spring has remained cool and dry here in the high desert of the southwest, and the nightly winds have steadily robbed the place of its water. A heavy toll has been taken this year on the plants and animals who live here, and the horse can sense the corpse of one of his kind close by, though the man who travels with him is unaware of it.

The moon is bright, but not quite bright enough, and the man labors to read a beat-up paperback novel. He wishes the moon was full, and as it moves lower across the sky, the man finally gives up his struggle and stuffs the book into his saddlebags. He gets to his feet, walks over to the horse, and scratches the animal's ears, one by one. The horse enjoys this. The man says goodnight and retires to his sleeping bag, leaving the horse to gaze at the night sky.

Coyotes bark their high, shrill cries as the moon begins to set behind the mountains to the west. Finally, the horse turns into the wind and walks the short distance to where the man is sleeping. The horse allows his legs to buckle and slowly settles to the ground next to the man. He tucks his legs beneath him and closes his eyes to dream the dreams that horses dream.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:

John Egenes has been a musician, a saddlemaker, a dog catcher, and a hobo, among other things. He only learns by making mistakes and he views his life through a windshield full of squashed bugs. He makes his home in New Zealand.


Online Sites for “Man & Horse”

Amazon:


Barnes & Noble:

AbeBooks:

Book Depository:

Alibris:

John Egenes Blog: http://www.johnegenes.com/wp

John & Gizmo Blog: http://www.johnandgizmo.com/wp




Twitter: @jegenes

The book will be on sale for only $0.99.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

John Egenes will be awarding 4 digital copies of the book to 4 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to visit the other blogs on the tour:


November 27This and That Book Blog
November 28Sea's Nod
November 29Rogue's Angels 
November 30Books, Dreams,Life
December 1Sharing Links and Wisdom
December 4Regan Black
December 5Queen of All She Reads
December 6Straight From the Library
December 7Mixed Book Bag
December 8Jennifer Macaire, Tell me a Story