Friday, February 27, 2015

CBB Promotions Blog Tour, Review, & Giveaway: Just Pru (Anne Pfeffer)

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Welcome to my tour stop for Just Pru by Anne Pfeffer. This is a review tour and runs February 16-27th.  Just Pru releases March 2, 2015. Check out the tour page for more information.
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When twenty-five-year-old Pru Anderson—braless, pajama-clad, and clutching her cat, Chuck—is rescued from her burning Los Angeles apartment, the thing that scares her most is meeting the neighbors. New people make her hide in the bathroom, counting by sevens, but when her home is destroyed, she must turn strangers into friends …  or crawl back to the controlling parents she only recently escaped.
What would her idol, Pepper Hathaway, do? That’s a no brainer: the detective-slash-supermodel heroine from Pru's favorite TV series would take no prisoners while looking fierce in a tankini and stilettos. So when the chance comes up to live with playwright Ellen, Pru sets aside her fears and goes for it.
Thus begin the adventures of a girl who's never had a job, a friend, or a first kiss. Swept into Ellen's whirlwind life, Pru begins to build her own, as director's assistant for a new play, muse to brooding actor Blake, and possible love interest to adorably neurotic neighbor, Adam.
Only one thing can derail Pru's exhilarating journey. Well, actually, it's two things—and they're in a car headed straight for LA to torpedo her life. When the past that nearly destroyed her comes calling, who will she be: a Prudence or a Pepper?

Goodreads 

 Preorder Just Pru from Amazon for only $2.99!

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Anne Pfeffer worked in finance and was a children's rights attorney before she decided to follow her respective dreams of writing books and working in her pajamas. Since then, she has self-published the novels Any Other Night, The Wedding Cake Girl, and Girls Love Travis Walker, which was named one of IndieReader.com's Best Indie Books of 2013.
Anne loves her family, cool breezes, carbohydrates, and elastic waistbands. She lives in Santa Monica, California, with her dachshund, Taco. Learn about her latest projects at http://www.annepfeffer.com



I found this book very inspiring! Pru is an amazing character! Pru is a 25 year old girl living on her own for the first time in her life. What makes this story different from anything I have ever read?

 Pru is not your average girl, she struggles with anxiety and depression. Her parents had tired to help her but really they had been holding her back her entire life. They sheltered her and didn't let her live her life. Pru finds herself with no other options but to branch out and make friends when her apartment complex has a fire and her apartment is ruined. Pru moves in with another girl in the building and beings to flourish!!! 

 I loved being able to read about her fears and the way her over came them. Great read! I give it 4 stars.




Two (2) winners get a paperback set of Anne Pfeffer's books, Any Other Night, Girls Love Travis Walker, The Wedding Cake Girl and Just Pru.
Open to US only
Ends March 4, 2015


Blurbs for the books in the giveaway:
Just Pru
When shy, anxious Pru loses her apartment in a building fire, she learns how to make friends and find love.

“….a laugh out loud, heartwarming story…. The eccentric characters are easy to fall in love with and to cheer for…” The Self Publishing Review

Girls Love Travis Walker
Despite his sexy charm and good looks, Travis must struggle to get the job and girl that he wants.

"This novel deserves every award it got... an incredible redemption story that's both lighthearted and sincere..." http://www.talksupeblog.com



The Wedding Cake Girl

When expert scuba diver Alexandra wants to leave her island home for college, she must stand up to her difficult, demanding mother.

“A well written emotional plot with a lot of twists and turns that will keep you hooked from the beginning. Highly recommended for all YA genre fans…” http://www.coziecorner.blogspot.com

Any Other Night
After Ryan’s friend Michael dies with a secret, Ryan must take over Michael’s unfinished business.

“.... beautifully realized characters in a gripping, page-turning plot....This lively, fresh young-adult romance is Say Anything for a new generation...”
Reviewed as Loving Emily. www.kirkusreviews.com

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.


Thursday, February 26, 2015

Rockstar Book Tours, Review, & Giveaway: Salt & Stone (Victoria Scott)



Title: SALT & STONE
Author: Victoria Scott
Pub: Date: February 24, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 320Formats: Hardcover, eBook


What would you do to save someone you love?
In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.
But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?
The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.
Purchase Links:


Victoria Scott is a teen fiction writer represented by Sara Crowe of the Harvey-Klinger Literary Agency. She’s the author of the FIRE & FLOOD series published by Scholastic, and the DANTE WALKER trilogy published by Entangled Teen. Her books have been bought and translated in eleven foreign markets including the UK, Turkey, China, Poland, Israel, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Taiwan, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.
Victoria lives in Dallas with her husband and hearts cotton candy something fierce.



What would you do to save someone you love? 
What about risking....
EVERYTHING?

Fire & Flood was one of my favorite books of 2014. I had been looking for another good YA survival novel and wanted something that grabbed my attention like Hunger Games did. So when I picked up Fire & Flood and started reading it....I was totally OBSESSED!!!! (and how about that cover?? Is that not a beautiful, gorgeous cover..AHH!!!!)

Where do I start?.....When you begin a second book you always wonder if its going to be as good as the first or if it is just going to connect the first and prepare you for the 3rd?? Well i got my answer....Salt & Stone is in a whole league of its own...It is just as good as the first...maybe even better. It explores the deeper emotional aspects of the characters while adding even more intense action scenes. Fire & Flood was all about the contenders surviving in the desert and the jungle and Salt & Stone puts the contenders in the ocean and an arctic climate.  I thought for sure that the jungle climate would be the most cruel and dire of all the climates they would face....but I was so wrong.....

"The Brimstone Bleed covers four eco-systems: jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain. Or mountain, then ocean. Two we've completed; two remain. We're halfway. Hoorah! Victory dance."

The main character Tella is a phenomenal, intense, and strong character. She is competing in the Brimstone Bleed to get the cure for her dying brother. She is a heroine that everyone will love. She is strong, passionate, and determined. My favorite aspect of her character is how she treats the Pandora's with so much care and respect. She treats them as though they are humans and have all the same emotions and struggles that the contenders do. 

I am a huge lover of animals so for Victoria Scott to introduce the "Pandora" aspect into her story and make each of them so unique and unforgettable is what makes this series so special and phenomenal. Tella's Pandora, Madox, had my heart from the beginning. Each of the pandora's have a special ability and I love how Victoria Scott introduces those abilities. Each time a new Pandora is introduced the reader is immediately wondering what their ability is....and only when you least expect it....is when their ability will be revealed. I love that about Victoria's writing....The reader will just be so engrossed in the story and then WHAM she hits you with a twist that will make your jaw drop.....

This series is unlike any other I have ever read. Salt & Stone is not only full of non-stop action and incredible suspense but breath-taking emotions that will take hold of your heart and never let go. The way Victoria writes each character makes them each one unique and special. Even when a character is introduced that at first you feel like you can't stand....by the next chapter you will feel totally different....

"Mostly, I remember the way I was before I became a Contender. Competing in this race is like becoming a drug addict. One small slip leads to another, and before you know it, you find yourself in an impossible situation and can't fathom how your life has spiraled so far from what it was."

There is just so much I want to say about this phenomenal incredible book and  so many twists that are introduced into this story. Salt and Storm is an survival story full of gripping adventure, breath-taking romance, and non-stop action....readers will be turning pages deep into the night just to see what will happen next. 

"I fall asleep this way, entangled in his embrace, entranced by this person I have no future with. It's then, as I drift into oblivion, that I realize--the Brimstone Bleed breaks much more than our spirits."

I don't want to give away anything that may spoil this book for the readers but just know that "if" you have read Fire & Flood.....forget everything you know...because Salt & Storm is going to take you for a wild, emotion-filled, intense ride unlike anything you have read before!!!!!!!!!!!!! Usually sequels are not better than their predecessor.....this one is!!!!!! Victoria Scott....i am in awe of you and your amazing writing skills....I literally cannot wait to read the conclusion to my most favorite series ever....








Tour Schedule

Week One:

2/16/2015-Mary Had a Little Book Blog-Review

2/17/2015-a GREAT read-Review

2/18/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Interview 

2/19/2015- Falling For YA- Review

2/20/2015- Fiction Fare- Review 

Week Two:

2/23/2015- StuckInBooks- Review

2/24/2015- MEREADALOT- Review

2/25/2015- Reading YA Rocks- Interview 

2/26/2015- Curling Up With A Good Book- Review

2/27/2015- Mundie Moms- Review



Blog Tour, Excerpt, & Giveaway: Magical Love (Gail Hamilton)





Is There a Formula for True Love?
When two people fall in love it’s magical…but sometimes the magic needs a little nudging… Or so biochemist, Jason Lucas, thought when he developed a formula to help love-challenged people like himself find true love. Ironically, in "Will He Be Mine," the millionaire scientist unwittingly begins a searing relationship with one of his test subjects and comes to question the feasibility of any love-enhancer formula.
Determined to stop all testing on his love enhancer, Jason elicits the help of his assistant, Lydia, to collect the last samples from nerdish test subject, Damone Reid. This quest propels the curvaceous, African-American woman into a wild adventure in "Man on The Run," fueled by a rejuvenated, romantic Damone, who sweeps her away and off her feet.
Unfortunately, Damone’s samples go astray, and end up in Penny Clark’s perfume. In "Animal Magnetism," Penny is thrilled to find she has unusual skills around wild animals. Intrigued by her abilities, rugged veterinarian, Garth Snowdon, soon falls under her spell. But after one night of explosive passion their love is put to the test when Garth discovers Penny’s heartbreaking secret.
"Magical Love" tells the stories of three couples whose lives change drastically after using the love enhancer formula. Yet despite the heated romances, the emotional intimacies, doubt creeps into the relationships—is it true love or is it the formula?





The door sported a sign that said "Danger. Do Not Enter" in big red letters
Smoothing her hair, straightening her clothes, determined to put her best foot forward, Penny grasped the door handle.  Pulling it open, she stepped decisively inside.
And froze!
She was in a bare concrete corridor with barred cage doors on one side.  All were closed except the one opposite Penny, which stood wide open.  Only feet away, a man was backed up against the wall. 
 Backed up for good reason.
An enormous Siberian tiger, loose in the corridor, was fixed on him, lips pulled back in an ominous snarl.
Without moving a muscle, the man hissed urgently at her out of the side of his mouth.
"Whoever you are, get out before the tiger sees you!"
No part of Penny's body would move.  No part of her brain was able to give a command.
Not when the great cat's head swiveled around and fixed Penny with its terrible yellow eyes.
Slowly, it lifted its head, cocked it to one side, and then took a step in Penny's direction.  
Penny found out what it meant to die a thousand deaths inside of an eye blink.  She actually felt her heart slow down, beating in huge, lolloping thuds as though struggling in heavy molasses.  The tiger took a second step toward her.  Then another, until it was near enough for her to feel the heat of its breath as it sniffed at her harshly.  Its fierce yellow gaze burned into her.  The striped head, up close, was massive.
"N-n-n-nice k-kitty," she heard herself croaking out idiotically.  "Why don’t you go back into your c-c-c-cage?"
The huge cat’s lips quivered, again revealing a terrifying flash of fangs.   But the tiger’s tail, which had been lashing the whole time, suddenly slowed. The menace seemed to die quietly away.  With a final, assessing stare at Penny, the animal turned away and padded through the open cage door into the dimness inside.
Instantly, the man sprang away from the wall and clanged the cage door shut.   Next, he clamped an arm around Penny’s waist and swept her out through the metal door into the sunshine and the normal world where loose tigers did not roam.
It was a good thing the man’s arm was strong.  Once outside, Penny’s knees gave way.  She would have sunk to the ground had not the fellow held her upright. Instead, she collapsed against him.
For an endless moment, they stood leaning together.  Penny could feel the man’s heart thumping like a steam hammer. When her own heart started to remember how to beat like it wasn’t going to explode any time soon, Penny came to herself enough to stand on her own and peel herself off the man’s chest.
“I…oh goodness…I’m s-sorry s-so s-sorry—tiger big—s-sorry—”
She was incoherent.  And felt as though the man’s shirt buttons were imprinted on her flesh.  
“You should be,” the tall, broad-shouldered man suddenly roared in her ear.  “Don’t you know not to walk through a door that says, ‘Danger. Do Not Enter?’  What part of that don’t you understand?”
Penny jumped and stared.  The face next her was volcanic.  Two pale blue eyes blazed out at her. Muscles stood out in ridges all along the man’s jaw.
“You could have been killed!” he sputtered.  “Killed with one swipe of that cat’s claws.”
“I thought you saw me on a camera and were asking me to come in,” Penny cried.
That, at least, stopped the next hot burst.  The angry mouth opened and then shut again.  The jaw muscles smoothed down a bit.  The man ran rigid fingers through a wavy, dark windblown hair and struggled visibly to get a hold of himself.
“The…the tiger didn’t hurt me.  It went back inside the cage.”
Two male brows slid together thoughtfully.  A great deal of the volcanic heat in his face subsided.  The man began to look Penny over closely.
“No,” he said with a tone of incredulity, “she didn’t.  That tiger was badly abused and came to us pregnant.  She’s usually ready to maul anything within reach.  But when you…well, I’ve never seen her calm down so quickly. Who are you anyway?"
“Penny Clark.  Here about the job.  I came through the fence looking for Dr. Snowdon.”
“That’s me.” The man seemed to shake himself. “Sorry about the yelling but you gave me one helluva scare.  With the animals we keep, we can’t afford a single security breach.”
Yeah, right.  So just how had Dr.  Snowdon himself managed to get cornered in there with no means of escape in sight? 
As the man motioned for her to follow and set out toward the house, Penny knew this wasn’t the time to ask.  Inwardly she debated just making a dash for her car.  How badly did she need a job that involved near death by tiger?
“Call me Garth,” the fellow said over his shoulder. 
As they approached the house, Garth’s hand slipped lightly to Penny’s waist to guide her into the rear garden.  Just as he was thinking the waist was nicely trim and supple, he got a full whiff of her perfume, Lucky Love. He had to stop himself from wheezing.
Migawd, what is that perfume!  It could knock over a horse!
Quickly, he stepped out of range, and seated Penny on a stone bench. This woman had recklessly walked straight through an off-limits door and almost into a tiger’s jaws.  He couldn’t afford anybody careless enough to make a possibly fatal mistake. 

On the other hand, she hadn’t screamed or done anything stupid when Sabir approached her. Also, his chest still throbbed with the memory of her body collapsing against him.  She had made an impression on him.  A very strong impression.



Gail Hamilton has been creating novels since the great romance boom of the eighties, writing for Harlequin and other publishers. She has been a farm hand, English teacher, ad copywriter, and once rode a British Bedford truck across the Sahara and back to see Timbuctu. All of it is fodder for her fiction. She is drawn to action, romance, adventure and characters with a distinctly odd twist. These show up in her many romance novels and her fast-moving historical novel, The Tomorrow Country.After trying urban life in Europe and Toronto, Gail returned to live on the family farm where she grew up. In this rural corner hugging the north shore of Lake Ontario, Gail digs into the rich, raucous local history. She cherishes a secret passion for animated movies and loves snapping photos of nature all around her, reading the constant changes like a newspaper every morning. What better place to hatch brand new tales for everyone’s enjoymentVisit Gail’s website at www.gailhamiltonwriter.com.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Harper Teen ARC Review: Solitaire (Alice Oseman)

Solitaire
Paperback 368 pages
Published: March 30,2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Author: Alice Oseman


My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year – before all that stuff with Charlie and before I had to face the harsh realities of A-Levels and university applications and the fact that one day I really will have to start talking to people – I had friends. Things were very different, I guess, but that’s all over now.
Now there’s Solitaire. And Michael Holden.
I don’t know what Solitaire are trying to do, and I don’t care about Michael Holden.
I really don’t.
This incredible debut novel by outstanding young author Alice Oseman is perfect for fans of John Green, Rainbow Rowell and all unflinchingly honest writers. 

Pre-Order Links:


Alice Oseman
Alice Oseman was born in 1994 in Kent, England. She is studying English at Durham University, probably due to the expectation of society, but mostly spends her time obsessing over fictional characters, drawing really dumb comics, and complaining about things on her Tumblr, chronicintrovert.tumblr.com. Hopefully, she’ll avoid having to get a real job for the rest of her life.
Alice wrote a book when she was seventeen. That book, SOLITAIRE, was published by HarperCollins in July 2014.






This is the story of.....
Tori, Michael, Becky, Lucas, Charlie...
and the year that changed everything.

The cover of Solitaire fits the book perfect. The cover is dark and yet it is also colorful and grabs your attention. Solitaire is a YA contemporary realistic fiction that is written by a teenager so the teenage views and aspects that are described in the book are brutally honest and feel so real. 

The main character Tori is a loner who has friends but doesn't really care if she ever sees or talks to them...she would rather be alone. Tori's favorite things to do are sleep and blog. The only time she ever seems to be at peace is when she is blogging so this becomes her favorite hobby. Tori tends to push people away and is basically anti-social...until Michael begins to attend her school. Michael brings out the good in Tori and she begins to attempt to be social. 

"So I open my eyes and wander around the Internet to take my mind off it all, and, once I feel relatively okay again, I fall asleep with the glare of my blog home page warming my face and the hum of my laptop soothing my mind like crickets at a campsite."

While Tori and Michael are beginning their friendship...something else is also beginning. A new anonymous blog named Solitaire is created and its purpose is to play pranks on the students at Tori's school. The pranks all seem to be related to Tori and so Tori begins to investigate and try to determine who is behind Solitaire. Tori begins to realize that she doesn't have to be alone and that the people around her care about her and are willing to help her. 

Tori's character is so flawed and yet at the same time so fascinating. She is sarcastic, pessimistic,  and also honest. Teenage readers of YA will easily be able to connect to her character. Her story is so real and genuine and Alice Oseman portrays the character perfectly for this genre. 

One of my favorite parts about this book is the references that are made about Harry Potter, Twilight, and several other books. The references make the reader feel as though the story is so real and currently happening. 

"Your hand is so cold," he says. "You're such a vampire. Do you have any blood?" And then he steps right up to me and says, Kristen Stewart-esque:
"I know what you are."

Solitaire is full of creative and emotional characters and also has a great mystery intertwined in the story. I enjoyed trying to figure out who was behind the pranks and the blog as well.  Solitaire is a book about the real life issues and the complexity of teenage life. It is a dark ya contemporary that is full of emotion and yet at the same time humorous and truthful. Fans of YA contemporary books will really enjoy this book....






**The quotes from this book have been taken from an Advanced Reading Copy and are subject to change when the final book is printed. Please refer to the final, finished copy for exact quotes!**


**I want to say Thank You to Harper Teen for the opportunity to review this book!!**

Waiting On Wednesday: The White Rose (Amy Ewing)




Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at 
and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The White Rose (The Lone City, #2)
Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication: October 6th 2015 by Harper Teen


Violet is on the run. After the Duchess of the Lake catches Violet with Ash, the hired companion at the Palace of the Lake, Violet has no choice but to escape the Jewel or face certain death. So along with Ash and her best friend, Raven, Violet runs away from her unbearable life of servitude.
But no one said leaving the Jewel would be easy. As they make their way through the circles of the Lone City, Regimentals track their every move, and the trio barely manages to make it out unscathed and into the safe haven they were promised—a mysterious house in the Farm.
But there’s a rebellion brewing, and Violet has found herself in the middle of it. Alongside a new ally, Violet discovers her Auguries are much more powerful than she ever imagined. But is she strong enough to rise up against the Jewel and everything she has ever known?
The White Rose is a raw, captivating sequel to The Jewel that fans won’t be able to put down until the final shocking moments.



The Jewel

I Am A Reader Blog Tour, Spotlight, & Giveaway: The Wife Maker (Kaley White)

Wife Maker (1)



Wife Maker
The Wife Maker by Karey White Charlotte has spent years as the husband maker, sending every guy she dates off to enjoy marital bliss with the next girl he dates. But things have now changed, and she's determined to use her husband-maker abilities one last time--on herself. And she finally knows exactly who she wants. Angus has loved Charlotte since they were teenagers, but he's tired of waiting for her to realize how good they could be. She's broken his heart one too many times, and it's time to move on with his life. Maybe a position halfway across the country will be just what he needs to get over her. But when Charlotte won't let him go without a fight, Angus has to decide if he's willing to let her in again or if she's too late.






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Karey White
Author Karey White Karey White grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist. She loves to travel, read, bake treats, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four great children. She teaches summer creative writing courses to young people and is currently working on her next book.










  25_Amazon_Paypal 

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 3/22/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

I Am A Reader Blog Tour, Spotlight, & Giveaway: Jeremy's Promise (A.R. Talley)

Jeremy's Promise (1)


Jeremy's Promise
Jeremy's Promise by A.R. Talley The trip that was meant to save Annie and Jeremy’s marriage brought it to near ruin. Now Annie has returned home, frightened and confused. Jeremy, too, is frightened—and angry. What will it take to save their marriage? It’s clear. Jeremy needs to forgive—Annie needs to forget. A promise is made. A tragedy occurs. A second honeymoon is disrupted. A chance encounter brings David Andrews back into Annie’s life. Annie is determined to remain faithful. She’s made a promise she intends to keep—Jeremy’s Promise.












Praise for Jeremy's Promise 
 A.R. Talley, gives you a believable look at the struggle of one couple to reconnect and heal their marriage, with dialog which sweeps you into the moment as if you were there with them, experiencing both their pain and recovery. Kudos to the author who has once again produced a book I couldn't put down, as well as one I felt compelled to read multiple times. ~Donna Dech Jeremy's Promise second book in a trilogy by A.R. Talley is an awesome, emotional, romantic, highly recommended, well written story with captivating and engaging characters. ~Debbie Ballard This is not a book I would have picked by myself! I loved it from start to finish! Eagerly waiting for the third book in the trilogy to come out!! I highly recommend this book! ~Goodreads
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AprilAuthor A.R. Talley A. R. Talley lives in Ohio with her husband Doug and the last of her seven children (the rest have flown the coup.) She loves to cook, read, write, watch movies, play piano, and laugh. Her second favorite vacation involves the British Isles and a small café in Scotland.















    25_Amazon_Paypal 

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 3/19/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.