Saturday, January 24, 2015

Did You Hear?! Did You Hear?! Did You Hear?!

Shannon Guymon's newest book, My One and Only was released yesterday!! Yes... I said YESTERDAY!! What?! You haven't picked it up yet?! Are you crazy?! You seriously need to go and grab it!! I'm currently reading it and I LOVE it so far!! Just as soon as I finish it you will see my review... I promise!! I even have the casting all ready to go so that there is NO delay!! ;) Hehe.  

So... why am I posting BEFORE I've finished it?! Well... since Shannon completely made my day yesterday I thought I would spread the love and see if I can make someone else's day just like she did mine! It's not as amazing as a book BUT it's extremely yummy!! ;) Hehe. Any guesses on what it is?! What?! Did you guess the recipe for Fircrest's Sweet Temptations?! You did?! FANTABULOUS!! Because guess what?! You would be RIGHT!! 

So... without further adieu... I present to you... 

Fircrest's Sweet Temptations


1 cup real butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking sode
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup coconut
1 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar together. Mix in eggs. Mix in baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Mix in vanilla pudding. Mix in flour. Mix in coconut and oats. Mix in chocolate and butterscoth chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes.. no longer. Let sit on baking sheet for about 5 minutes and then move to cooling rack. Store in container.


And there you have it folks!! My creation to honor Shannon and all the Fircrest characters that I love so very much!! If you decide to make these, please let me know what you think! I hear they are extremely delicious and I, myself, love them... but we may just be kinda bias here... ;) Hehe.
Friday, January 23, 2015

**COVER REVEAL** Burnt Devotion by Rebecca Ethington - I LOVE IT!!






Title:  Burnt Devotion
Series: Imdalind Series
Author: Rebecca Ethington
Release Date: March 22, 2015


Burnt Devotion, Book 5 in the Imdalind Series. Dawn of Ash - the previously announced book five has now been moved to book 6. Yes! An extra book. If you have been waiting for the next installment of The Imdalind Series this is the book you have been waiting for!

--

It was supposed to be the final battle, the one to end Edmund’s line, his life, and free the magic Edmund had taken from the world. That was how it was foreseen. The end of the battle that has raged for centuries, unbeknownst to the mortals around them, the battle that would end with Joclyn’s death.

But it did neither.

The battle still reigns, Joclyn still lives, and the sight that was given eight hundred years ago is broken.

And it’s not the only one.

Sights that were once thought infallible have become nothing more than scattered glass, with broken pieces shattering into incorrect visages. Sain clings to the magic that he knows to be true, but there is something else, something that he is not saying. And what he does say is no longer adding up.

Something is wrong.

Ilyan and his people move through the caves, following a sight they hope to be correct, fleeing a battle that should have been the end while the battle within each of them grows with each step.

Ryland fights the monsters his father has infected him with.

Wynifred fights the confusion of who she is.

Dramin fights to live.

Prague may not survive this battle, it may be ripped to shreds… or burned to ashes.

Burnt Devotion is a Clean Young-Adult Paranormal Romance
Language: Mild to Moderate
Violence: Moderate
Sexual Content: Low to None

Barnes & Nobles: http://bit.ly/157aTGB
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1KZoDV6



Rebecca Ethington is a story teller and author from Salt Lake City, Utah. She has been telling stories since she was small. First, with writing crude scripts, and then in stage with years of theatrical performances. Rebecca’s first stint into the world of literary writing, The Imdalind Series, was released in October 2012 and since its release each book has been found in several top 100 lists on Amazon. Rebecca is a mother to two, and wife to her best friend of 14 years. Her days are spent writing, running, and enjoying life with her crazy family.


Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/rebeccaethington.author
Website - www.rebeccaethington.com
Twitter - @RebEthington



The International best selling Imdalind Series continues in the highly anticipated fifth installment, Burnt Devotion. Discover the series that USA Today’s Happily Ever After blog called “interesting and intense.”

Branded at a young age by a mysterious mark on her skin, Joclyn’s life has been shrouded with mystery and lies. Abandoned by her father, and forced to keep her deformity a secret. Joclyn lives with a haunting secret that she can’t share with anyone… not even her best friend, Ryland.

But Ryland knows something she doesn’t, and when he finds the mark all of the secrets become dangers that threaten to destroy not only Joclyn’s life, but the fragile thread of a world that she didn’t even know existed.

With over 200,000 copies sold, THE IMDALIND SERIES is a riveting drama that will quench your thirst for the final saga.


Kiss of Fire (Imdalind #1)


Eyes of Ember (Imdalind #2)



Scorched Treachery (Imdalind #3)




Soul of Flame (Imdalind #4)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1sXigMq
B&N: http://bit.ly/1JEg4OS
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1ALeOmR
iBooks: http://bit.ly/1Cpqtch

Thursday, January 22, 2015

When Embers Ignite by Sharon Landis is ON SALE NOW!!


That's right ladies and gentlemen! When Embers Ignite is on sale on Amazon for only $.99 until January 26th!!

Why should you pick it up?! Well... #1 because my amazing aunt wrote it!! #2 She wrote it for ME!! And #3 well... because it's AMAZING and I LOVE IT!!

So if you've been wanting to pick it up then I say head on over and grab it while it's on sale!! You can check out my review if you need a little push... ;)

Happy reading!! :)



Saturday, January 17, 2015

And We Have A Winner!!

First I would like to thank those who helped name these scrumdiddleyumptious cookies! I couldn't have done it without you! Why?! Well... because if you haven't already guessed... I hate making decisions! It's seriously too hard at times! And this was definitely one of those times! Lol.

After tallying the votes between my blog, Facebook and private messages we have a winner! And it was SUPER close! It won by ONE vote! Crazy, right?! So... without any further adieu... let me introduce to you...

Fircrest's Sweet Temptations!!



I think that it fits perfectly.. don't you?! ;) I seriously can't tell you how happy I am that they now have a name! Eeeeek! Love it! Thank you guys again! 

And... as promised... this recipe will be available during Shannon's Swoon Fest so make sure you stay tuned for details! Or if it just might randomly show up here one day on my blog.. you'll just have to check back to find out... ;) Hehe. 
Monday, January 12, 2015

Calling All Shannon Guymon Fans! I Need Your Help!

For those of you who haven't guessed already... I am a HUGE Shannon Guymon fan! Her books are definitely my go to's and have helped keep me sane through some tough times. While reading her Love and Dessert trilogy I decided that I was going to create my own cookie recipe... and I did! Over the last few months, I have been trying to perfect it. I told myself that once I perfected it THEN I'll come up with a name! Well.. as of yesterday it has been perfected! And yeppers... you guessed it! I need a name! 

And this is where you guys come in! I am wanting to come up with a name that pays tribute to Shannon and ALL of her Fircrest series! I've been trying to decide if I should come up with a couple of names and have you guys vote OR if I should let you guys come up with a name and then I'd pick a winner! So I decided why not try BOTH! ;) 

How is that going to work? Well... I have 3 names that I came up with on my own (and no making fun of them.. I am so NOT creative!) Lol. You can leave a comment with A, B or C OR you can post a comment with your own creative name and if others like yours they can comment with your idea. Does that make sense?! I hope so because it took me forever to word it! Lol. 

Now... with all of that being said if someone comes up with a name and I absolutely LOVE it and think it's absolutely PERFECT then I reserve the right to chose that name automatically and call a quits to the cookie naming! That's fair right?! ;) 

Oh and I guess I should mention that if you come up with the winning name then you will receive a $10 gift card to Amazon! See... it's a win/win all the way around! ;)

So... what kind of yummy goodness is in these cookies?! Well... to name a few... chocolate chips... butterscotch chips... coconut... oats. Mmmm... mmmm... mmmm! They are just SO yummy! You can find a picture of them at the bottom of this post! ;) 

But before I post it... here are the choices that I came up with... 

A. Fircrest Love Bug Bites
B. Chocolate-Scotchie Dreams
C. Sweet Temptations


And don't worry... the recipe with be given away during Shannon's Swoon Fest! AND I'm also hoping to have my take on those famous Matafeo Cupcakes to share with you as well! So you'll just have to stay tuned for more news on when that will be! ;) 

So... now that you have all the information... what are you waiting for?! Start getting those creative juices flowing or vote for one of mine! I will announce the official name on Saturday! Unless, of course, someone comes up with the absolute perfect name! ;) Hehe.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

2014 Swoony Award WINNERS!!!


We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2014 Swoony Awards! The Swoony Awards were created to recognize excellence in clean fiction. We wanted a reference for all those out there looking for a swoony romance without the steam. We also wanted to recognize and show our appreciation to all these great authors who write the kinds of books we love. We couldn't be more pleased with all the participation and great book nominations we received. I know I've found a lot of great books on this list and even found some new authors to try!

In the two months the awards have been up, we received almost 1700 voters and over 500 book nominations! The readers have spoken and chosen their favorite books of 2014! So, without further ado, here are the winners...


Best Novel of the Year
As You Are by Sarah M Eden
Best Contemporary Romance Novel
When I Fall in Love by Susan May Warren
Best YA Contemporary Romance
Just One Wish by Janette Rallison
Best New Adult Contemporary Romance
Dreaming of Ivy by Shannon Guymon
Best Paranormal Romance
Spirit of the Knight by Debbie Peterson
Best YA Paranormal Romance
Discern by Andrea Pearson
Best Historical Fiction
Hope Springs by Sarah M Eden
Best Regency Romance
As You Are by Sarah M Eden
Best Western Romance
Tried and True by Mary Connealy
Best Medieval Romance
Lady at Arms by Tamara Leigh
Best High Fantasy Romance
Missing Lily by Annette K Larsen
Best Mystery/Suspense Romance
Silenced by Dani Pettrey
Best Science Fiction Romance
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Best Urban Fantasy Romance
Hunted by Katie Lee O'Guinn

Best Christmas Romance
A Cliché Christmas by Nicole Deese
Best Anthology
The Fortune Café by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson & Heather B Moore
Best Novella
A Cowboy Unmatched by Karen Witemeyer
Best Short Story
The Nativity Bride by Miralee Ferrell

Now, we wanted to share with you our personal favorites:
Kathy's Choice
Lady at Arms by Tamara Leigh
I have a soft spot for Medieval stories, but clean ones can be hard to find. When a good friend recommended Tamara Leigh's books I thought I'd give them a try. I chose Lady at Arms because I loved the story, the characters and the swoony romance. As I read I was quickly sucked into the story and the atmosphere of the book. I couldn't put it down. When I finished I had to go on a Leigh-Binge and read all of her medieval books. I loved this book for a lot of reasons, but one of the reasons I chose it as my top pick was because it introduced me to a new author to follow!  
Katie's Choice
Under a Georgia Moon by Cindy Roland Anderson
I chose Under a Georgia Moon as my favorite of 2014 because it has all the elements that I love. I love a meeting that is full of humor. I also love it when two people meet years later, after knowing each other when they were younger, and find that their views of one another have changed. In a way, that's similar to my relationship with my husband. It basically comes down to a clean romantic comedy that totally draws me in and has me smiling, sighing, and swooning throughout the whole book. I really didn't want it to end!
Kathy Jo's Choice
Dreaming of Ivy by Shannon Guymon
Picking KJ's Choice Award has been extremely hard for me because there were just SO many amazing books to choose from!! However, I had to go with the one that had the biggest impact on my life. Very few people know how extremely hard this past year has been for me. Reading was one of the things that helped me get through some of the toughest times. I was at a point where I had lost hope and was just feeling extremely low. And then I picked up a book that just spoke to me... that brightened my life... that gave me hope that things WOULD get better!! And that book is Dreaming of Ivy by Shannon Guymon.
Heidi's Choice
As You Are by Sarah M Eden
My favorite  book of 2014 looks to be the favorite of many others, and for good reason. As You Are, by Sarah M Eden, was a beautiful escape that had me never wanting the book to come to an end. Ms. Eden has a way of weaving such heartwarming tales that I always want to pick the book up and start right over again after I have finished. I fell in love with the characters in this particular story and adored being reintroduced to characters I already loved. I thoroughly enjoyed it and fell it deserved every swoony award it received.
We are looking forward to the 2015 Swoony Awards and hope that you will be joining us again this year! Please feel free to join our groups (Goodreads and Facebook) and follow us on Twitter (@swoonyawards)! Help us spread the word about good, clean, swoony romance books!

Happy New Year and Happy Reading!