What I read in 2016 . . .

/

Here we are at the end of another year! Can you believe it? Let's look back at my year in books, shall we?

I started out my year with a challenge to read the physical books on my bookshelves. You know, those books I bought because they were so, so pretty, but had yet to crack them because my Kindle is filled with more amazing stories.
 
How did I do? Well, I was supposed to read one book from each letter of the alphabet. I failed at that pretty quickly, BUT I did read from my shelves. Here's the list:

Everneath — After the Rain — The F it List — The Loose Ends List
We were Liars — White Trash Beautiful — Cinderella Screwed Me Over
The Shadow Society — Bright Side — Queen of Bright and Shiny Things
Zero Day — Afterparty — Just Listen — Of Poseidon — November 9 —
And I Darken — Never Always Sometimes — The Here and Now — An Ember in the Ashes

I also re-read the Throne of Glass series (all from my shelves) before book 5 released. AND bought A Torch Against the Night in hardback after finishing book 1

So those were my on my shelves, already owned/or recently bought books read.

In addition, I read a variety of other fantasy, romance, smut, and thrillers. I read a lot of authors for the first time. I LOVE doing that. I found gems and some 'not for me' books, but all in all I am happy with my reading tally for the year - 57

That is the official tally including my re-reads and books I wrote, which obviously means I read them ;) 

https://www.pinterest.com/chelemybelles/2016-reading-challenge/

Prologue to Tyalbrook

/

I am slowly working on Never Without You the third, and presumably final, book in the Tyalbrook series. 
The story has morphed through the years. Originally it was a bit of a dare—Hey, Michele! I dare you to finally write that book you've always planned on writing.
So, write a book I did. Then a funny thing happened. I wrote another and another. Now I'm planning release #11 for February and I'm still trying to finish that first series up. 

I didn't plan for a trilogy when I started Tyalbrook. I planned on a standalone story. My husband's excitement as I plotted, is what turned it into something more. My love of good stories and other fantasies is what has made it difficult to finish. I'm not the same writer I was when I wrote Never Let You Fall. I've grown. I took a small idea and published it not realizing people would actually read it! So here I sit trying to craft a story that will make both you—the reader—and me—the creator—happy.  

Here is a little something I wrote a while back that is no longer going into the 3rd book. It's a prologue between Skye and Xander's mom's pre-attack on Castle Montibello. Not edited and very rough ... just something for fun :)

“Look at them,” I smiled. “So beautiful, so peaceful. No idea of what is to come.” 

“Kerra . . .” 

“Perhaps we should rethink this plan, Delia. Perhaps I should bring her to Griffin.”

“Kerra?”

“He could bring her to Hivernia, protect her there—”

“Kerra! That will not work. We have discussed this.” Delia reminded me.

Smoothing a dark curl from Arabella’s forehead I stood and wandered to the window. The sky was dark this morning. Heavy, foreboding clouds blotted what little light the sun provided. The dreary weather caused chills on my arms as below my chamber window, a band of men rushed across the bailey. 

I spoke my thoughts. “I do not know if I can let her go.”

A hand settled on my shoulder. “Maybe it will not come to that.”

“It will. I can feel it. Here—” I pressed a palm to my chest, trying in vain to hold the pain at bay. 

“You must keep hope alive,” Delia coaxed as her hand squeezed my shoulder affectionately. “If we have to run I will protect her with my life, you know I will. We will. Until then let us enjoy them.”

She perched on the edge of the bed, where I’d been but a moment before, and smiled. Arabella and Xander lay sleeping side by side. Their dark heads tipped toward each other. Xander’s fingers touched the white sleeping gown Arabella wore. Only toddlers and yet their connection was already more powerful than anyone had ever seen.

Skye and Xander

(Source: fyelenandamon, via 7rf-9amet)

#NewRelease High Sided by LP Dover

/


Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2dGdTnc

Wild, reckless, and fast. 

That’s how I raced until a fatal accident on the track ruined my riding career. I had no choice but to leave that life behind; at least, until now. My name is Logan Chandler, one of the best FBI agents in the country. When an old friend calls for help and winds up dead, I take matters into my own hands. In order to do that, I have to go back to my past, back to the racetrack and to the one girl I never thought I’d see again . . . Kassidy Bennett. 

She’s the key to solving it all, but bringing her in could put her in grave danger. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize she was already there. To save her, I have to put everything on the line. It’s a race against time, a race to the death, and only one will make it to the end.



New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author
International Bestselling author
You can find me here:
Amazon  Facebook  Twitter  Pinterest  Website   

NYT and USA Today Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is a southern belle residing in North Carolina along with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she even began her literary journey she worked in Periodontics enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries. Not only does she love to write, but she loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes, white water rafting, and you can’t forget the passion for singing. Her two number one fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime and those songs usually consist of Christmas carols. Aside from being a wife and mother, L.P. Dover has written over nine novels including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, and her standalone novel, Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read is romantic suspense and she also loves writing it. However, if she had to choose a setting to live in it would have to be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.   



Presented by:
Red Coat PR


#NEWRELEASE Christmas at the Castle by Melissa McClone

/

Title:Christmas at the Castle
Author: Melissa McClone


BUY THE BOOK

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2e7cgzx 
iBooks: http://apple.co/2e9is4O
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2etU1Dh
BN: http://bit.ly/2dMgl8V

ABOUT THE BOOK

A royal wedding. A meddlesome mother. An unexpected union.

A European getaway during the Christmas holiday is exactly what veterinarian Katrina “Kat” Parsons needs. She can’t wait to be a bridesmaid in her childhood friend’s royal wedding, but she hopes to steer clear of the bride’s arrogant older brother.

Crown Prince Guillaume wants his younger sister’s wedding day to be perfect, but he’s suspicious of Kat. He and his mother on are on high alert, afraid Kat is not just there for the wedding, but also to find a prince of her own.

But when Kat’s kindness and generosity prove them wrong, the prince realizes there’s more to her than he ever imagined. Can he trust his heart or will he lose the one woman he can’t live without?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

WEBSITE ~ FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER ~ PINTEREST 

USA Today bestselling author, Melissa McClone writes sweet contemporary romance. She has published over thirty-five novels with Harlequin and Tule Publishing Group and been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award. In her free time, she enjoys reading, napping, and playing board games with her family. Melissa lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three school-aged children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds and cats who think they rule the house. They do!


 Presented by:

#NewRelease After The Fall

/

Another Rutledge boy finally gets to tell his story...

It's LIVE!!

Austin and Cassie's story is finally HERE for all readers!! Remember their story is a bit edgier than the other From The Wreckage novels. This is solidly in the New Adult Romantic Suspense genre. You CAN read After The Fall as a standalone if you haven't read the first three From The Wreckage books. 

iBooks: https://itun.es/us/9fnzbb.l
Amazon US: https://amzn.com/B01MAZFAL0
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MAZFAL0

I'll have links for B&N and Kobo soon. Check my Facebook page for those.

AUSTIN

She’s this enigma. 
A beautiful mess. 
A brilliant mind with a sharp tongue.
Our first meeting, she stopped me in my tracks.
But she wants nothing to do with me. 

CASSIE

He’s only a guy. 
Gorgeous with a million-dollar smile . . . 
But still, a guy.
I can ignore the unfamiliar softness of his brown eyes. 
I can ignore the way he walks, stops, and stares as though he’s waiting for something. 
He’ll lose interest. They always do once they know they’ll get nothing from me . . .

HAPPY READING!!