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This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

The Great Christmas Knit-Off by Alexandra Brown

Heartbroken after being jilted at the altar, Sybil has been saved from despair by her knitting obsession and now her home is filled to bursting with tea cosies, bobble hats, and jumpers. But, after discovering that she may have perpetrated the cock-up of the century at work, Sybil decides to make a hasty exit and, just weeks before Christmas, runs away to the picturesque village of Tindledale.

There, Sybil discovers Hettie’s House of Haberdashery, an emporium dedicated to the world of knitting and needle craft. But Hettie, the outspoken octogenarian owner, is struggling and now the shop is due for closure. And when Hettie decides that Sybil’s wonderfully wacky Christmas jumpers are just the thing to add a bit of excitement to her window display, something miraculous starts to happen… 

Goodreads Summary

If I had a twin sister who stole my husband and left me at the altar...unspeakable things would happen and I would run the risk of being arrested.  I felt terrible for Sybil in the beginning of the book.  She has to drastically alter her life's plan.  She finds Tindledale, a beautiful little village, where her dream job may exist and she immediately feels at home.  

I loved the antique feel of Tindledale.  It feels more like a village belonging in the history books.  The people are kind and helpful and the shops are specific and mom and pop run.  I really liked Sybil's character.  She's hard-working and gentle, determined and has a good sense of humor.  Hettie was a cute older woman who Sybil helped out; her character helped round out Sybil's.  I liked getting to know the other secondary characters.  The author has a refreshing writing style.  This book is recommended to adult readers.

4 Stars



This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

Pathfinder: Beyond the Pool of Stars by Howard Andrew Jones: Guest Post and Giveaway!

Pathfinder is the most popular roleplaying game in the world, outselling the classic game, Dungeons and Dragons, since 2011. Now you can join the thousands of players who have already discovered the lands of The Inner Sea with the latest novel to be jointly published by Paizo Inc. and Tor Books,PATHFINDER TALES: BEYOND THE POOL OF STARS (A Tor Trade Paperback; October 6, 2015; $14.99) by Howard Andrew Jones.

Mirian Raas comes from a long line of salvagers—adventurers who use magic to dive for sunken ships off the coast of tropical Sargava. When her father dies, Mirian has to take over his last job: a dangerous expedition into deep jungle pools, helping a tribe of lizardfolk reclaim the lost treasures of their people. Yet this isn’t any ordinary job, as the same colonial government that looks down on Mirian for her half-native heritage has an interest in the treasure, and the survival of the entire nation may depend on the outcome.

Tabletop gamers as well as fans of adventure fantasy will be swept up in this brand new installment set in the highly acclaimed and legendary world of the Pathfinder roleplaying game.

When not writing novels, HOWARD ANDREW JONES is the managing editor of Black Gate, a quarterly fantasy lit magazine. He’s worked variously as a TV cameraman, a book editor, a recycling consultant, and most recently, as a writing instructor at a mid-western college.

It wasn’t so long ago that my daughter got old enough to read the grand fantasy adventures I have on my shelves. Like a lot of readers, I have a great book collection. It’s chock full of adventure classics, some of which are widely known and some of which are sadly obscure. I have historical fiction, space opera, fantasy – particularly sword-and-sorcery -- even some westerns and mysteries.

I grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and, as I stood looking over my treasures and thinking about what I could pull down for her to enjoy it was brought home to me just how few of the books written then and in decades prior had female main characters.

Today you can find them, thank heaven, but when I was a young man there weren’t too many women characters who were something apart from rewards. Even the capable ones usually weren’t much more than glorified sidekicks.

I scratched my head for only a while, then decided I’d write some stories with female leads so my daughter would have some heroes to identify with. And so I have. This book marks the third of my Pathfinder Tales novels, and while it may have a whole new batch of characters from the first two, I hope it’s clear from the cover there’s some butt-kicking ladies involved in the tale. Not that I have anything against men – I happen to be one, and if you want to read about some as lead characters you can go check out my Arabian fantasy series, starting with The Desert of Souls.  But Beyond the Pool of Stars has a leading lady: Mirian Raas, explorer, adventurer, diver and sea captain.

She doesn’t head off into adventure by herself, of course. With her is a trio of lizardfolk, among them the grim warrior Jekka and the curious huntress, Kalina, but the most important secondary character is the young would-be playwrite, Ivrian Galanor. He’s dragged into the expedition on a lark, but keeps rising to the challenge and thrusting himself into danger to aid his friends. He’s brave, loyal, intelligent, and he happens to be gay.

I don’t want to sound like I’ve created a new character to be politically correct for the sake of correctness (the new Star Trek officer, Commander Gaybob). I strove instead to create a hero, a fully-fledged person with all sorts of attributes, only one of which is his sexuality. His sexual preference is far from the central focus of his story arc though it’s a source of contention between him and his mother, just as the prejudice against Mirian’s mixed race heritage is a recurring challenge without being a plot point.

I’ve always contended that heroes – people who stand up to do the right thing against all odds even when no one is watching – can be found in any culture. I intend to write about them no matter gender, sexual orientation, race, creed, or color.

I don’t write message fiction, where I hit my readers over the head with the point I want them to get, because I aim to tell a grand adventure, not stand on a soapbox. But I don’t see any reason why tales of adventure can only feature white, heterosexual males.


Howard Andrew Jones is the critically acclaimed author of The Desert of Souls, The Bones of the Old Ones, and Pathfinder novels Plague of Shadows, Stalking the Beast and the hot off the presses Beyond the Pool of Stars. A former Black Gate Editor, he also assembled and edited 8 collections of historical fiction writer Harold Lamb’s work for the University of Nebraska Press. He can be found lurking at www.howardandrewjones.com. Follow him on Twitter @howardandrewjon

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This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ

North for Christmas: Cover Reveal and Giveaway!

North for Christmas by Christina Dymock

Ruby Jeavon takes a position as a Christmas elf in order to evaluate the Nashville North Pole Program from the inside. For years, the program has been losing money and investors want a reason to pull out. Ratting out a Santa isn’t Ruby’s style, but someone has to do it. She’s mortified by the striped tights and elf shoes, but she has a goal and nothing, not even the handsome Nashville native, North Foxwell, will stand in her way.

North’s dad was diagnosed with cancer. The news brings North home to Nashville for the holidays where he’ll have to face his past, his grudge, and his bossy sister. North gets more than he bargained for when Ruby steps into Santa’s workshop. He’ll do everything he can to save the North Pole Program, but in the end, it’s North that needs saving – and Ruby’s just the girl to take on the task.

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Excerpt
“Are you Mr. Foxwell?”
”Yes, sir.”
“I’m Mitch.” He tucked the clipboard back under his arm. “We’re waitin’ for one more passenger.”
“Will it be long?” North’s stomach rumbled.
“Her flight just landed, so it should only be a few minutes.”
They made small talk as they watched the people gather around the baggage claim.
“I’ll bet that’s her,” said Mitch.
North followed his gaze. Walking toward them was none other than Ruby Jeavon in a pair of designer black boots, tight jeans, and an oversized, but somehow still flattering, sweater. She expertly maneuvered two large bags, a carry on, and her purse in their direction.
Maybe it was Karma that brought her here. Or maybe it was an angel with an overactive funny bone. Either way, North was not at all surprised to see the one woman who could make his trip home more awkward. He’d gathered from Ruby’s inclusion in the charity review meeting that she was on some sort of training schedule with Kathleen, and being here was probably a step up the ladder for the spoiled daughter of a powerful executive.
He still hadn’t figured out a way to explain his behavior yesterday. He hadn’t meant to embarrass Ruby more than she embarrassed herself, but his laughter in the elevator had done just that. She needn’t worry about him or Fredrick saying anything that would tarnish her reputation or the reputation of the company, but Ruby didn’t know him from Adam and had little reason to trust him at this time. Not only did North need Ruby as a future client, he couldn’t shake that moment when their eyes met over the conference table. He’d found himself thinking about it at random times throughout the day. He decided she may have a hard candy shell, but what he’d seen in those eyes was sweet and kind, even if he only caught a glimpse before she turned into Bumble the Abominable Snowwoman.
He’d put it off sending an email or flowers or a bouquet of candy canes to smooth things over so that the next time they met they could both just ignore it and move on. Deciding that was the best course of action, he put a welcoming smile on his face and stepped forward. “Can I help you with your bags, Miss Jeavon?”
Ruby blanched and an awkward silence formed between them faster than ice on a Memphis highway.
“Miss Ruby Jeavon?” asked Mitch.
Ruby ignored North. “Yes, that’s me.”
“I’m with the North Pole Express Shuttle Service. Can I help you with those bags?”
Ruby gave Mitch a genuine smile and allowed him to take the larger of the two bags and her carry-on. “Thank you.”
She took quick, long strides to keep up with Mitch as he led them toward the waiting van. North, who was used to being the tallest in the group, had to stretch his legs to keep up. He found Ruby’s hurried pace comical. It reminded him of the way he could get under his sister’s skin without trying.
Ruby glared over her shoulder. “Are you following me?”
North laughed. “Technically, yes and no. I think we’re riding together, so I’m not following you just to follow you. But you’re walking in front of me, so I’m following you.”
“Accountants,” Ruby muttered. She pulled up short and fixed him in place with a look that could make Jell-O hold still. “Wait, we’re riding together? As in, we’re going to the same place?”
“I guess so,” he replied with a cautious note.
She took off again, her shoes ticking against the concrete like a timer on a bomb. Tick. Tick. Tick.
“What exactly are you doing here?” she threw the question over her shoulder.
The airport doors slid open and an icy blast of air bit North’s cheeks. He braced himself for more than the cold weather as he contemplated his answer. His reasons were personal, and he had no intention of sharing them with a near stranger no matter how pretty she was with her cheeks pinked by the cold December air. Ruby shimmied into her coat and efficiently buttoned it up as she walked, never letting go of her roller. It was a feat worth admiring, and North found that he enjoyed admiring Ruby despite her obvious dislike for accountants.
His constant awareness of her beauty surprised North. Ruby, and her international Christmas travels, were the exact opposite of what North valued in a woman. He wanted to share his life with someone who was as dedicated to sharing as he was. A woman who wanted a family, a home, perhaps a dog…
Before he could come up with something to say, she demanded, “Did my mother send you?”
“Did your mother send you?” North fired back. He groaned in frustration as Ruby whipped around and climbed into the waiting van without another word. He wasn’t doing a very good job of making amends. Feeling a little like a lump of coal, North settled into his seat in the van.

Praise for North for Christmas

“There was so much heart and depth packed into this romantic and fun Christmas story, I loved every page of it. Ruby and North each have issues and pasts, making it that much sweeter when they can help each other through the hurt to find the joy.”  ~Cami Checketts, author of Christmas Makeover, An Echo Ridge Romance

Author Christina Dymock

Christina Dymock graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications. She currently resides in Central Utah with her husband and four children. Along with writing romances, Christina loves to spend time in the kitchen and has written several cookbooks. Among other things, she enjoys cycling, skiing, wakeboarding, sewing, reading, and baking.

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Book Giveaway
To celebrate the release of North for Christmas Christina is giving away a copy of her cookbook The Healthy Family Slow Cooker Cookbook.
Open to US Only
Ends 11/4/15

The Healthy Family Slow Cooker Cookbook

Feed your family the foods they love—with a healthy twist.

Everyone knows slow cookers are a busy mom’s best friend, but it can be a struggle to find healthy Crock Pot recipes your kids will actually eat. Not anymore.

These delicious family-sized meals are perfect for parents and kids alike.

Chicken and Artichoke Fettucini
Teriyaki Pulled Pork
Cajun Rice with Shrimp
Butternut Squash Soup
Chicken Quesadillas
You’ll even find some tasty ideas for sugar-free desserts, like the Blueberry Pudding Cake. And every single recipe can be made in the morning and ready to eat by dinnertime. With a little prep and planning, you’ll soon be enjoying nutritious, healthy, home-cooked meals every night of the week!

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This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LIVE TO READ