Wednesday, January 25, 2012

New Review - Curb Chek by Zach Fortier



This was an entertaining look at the life of a street cop.  Nothing is sugarcoated.  Instead, the author allows the readers to see all the nuts and bolts of working the beat.  Zach Fortier pulls no punches as he exposed the daily life of a police officer.  You can't help but laugh at some parts but there were also brutal and heartbreaking scenes that brought on the tears.  This book was a brutally honest and refreshing look into a world that is often hidden from ordinary citizens

Zach Fortier not only deals with the crime faced on the streets but also to in-fighting and jealousy that exists within the police department.  Fortier also exposes the gritty politics that permeates every level of law enforcement.  It was eyeopening and, at times, infuriating.

This book is a highly recommended read not only for someone who is contemplating the law enforcement field but also for anyone who wants to read a REAL portrayal of law enforcement.

"Last Way Station" Mega Virtual Book Tour and Giveway- Featured Authors, Melissa Smith and Lynn Hubbard


 
  Two Romance Authors Dish ... on Romance Writing



What's this "romance" thing about, anyway? Sex or love? Vampires or Six-shooters? Busty heroines or lusty heroes? What drives authors to write romance novels? What's the difference between a "good" romance novel a "great" one?

Join romance writers Lynn Hubbard and Melissa Smith, featured authors in "The Last Way Station" Mega Book Tour, as they discuss and explore these topics and more, shedding light on the story behind their romance novels.

Then, visit our tour site and enter your name in our Mega Book Tour Sweepstakes. Grand prize: a Kindle Fire!

Release Notes is thrilled to feature The Mega Virtual Book Tour.  Today features an interview with Romance authors Melissa  Smith and Lynn Hubbard.  Melissa's novel "Cloud Nine" is availalbe at smashwords.  Along with her interview, Melissa has been thoughtful enough to offer a FREE copy of her novel!  Lynn's novel "Run Into The Wind" is also available.  Take time to read the interview then make sure to visit the website to see other stops and make sure to visit those blogs to earn chances to win great prizes and purchase new reads!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Blog Tour De Force: Get Loaded January 23 - January 27

Our latest Blog Tour De Force is starting up on Monday! The theme is going to be a Scavenger Hunt and the clues will be on the main IBC blog page each day. Just stop by http://ow.ly/8BwGR to find out the day's author and clues and use the clues to win prizes!

Who are the authors?

Jan 23-Chelsea Fine - ANEW - http://www.chelseafine.com

Jan 24- AK Taylor - Neiko's Five Land Adventure - http://www.backwoodsauthor.wordpress.com...

Jan 25- Jackie Chanel - A Hustler's Promise - http://www.jackie-chanel.com

Jan 26- Sherry Roberts - Book of Mercy - http://www.sherryroberts.com

Jan 27 - Liz Schulte - Secrets (Guardian Trilogy: Book 1) - http://LizSchulte.com

Here is a great opportunity to stock up on some fantastic reads and have a great time hunting for clues! Look forward to seeing you there!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Reading Romances Challenge 2012

Reading Romances Challenge 2012
Release Notes is thrilled to be taking part of Reading Romances Challenge 2012.  What is it exactly?  Well, read below:


The Reading Romances Challenge is not about the amount of books you read, but the variety of titles you’ll have read when the challenge is over! Our goal is to read a bit of everything related to romance and open our minds to new genres we wouldn’t usually read.

For this month, here are the challenges:

- Read a book that is first of a series, by an author that is “new” to you or a debut novel by an author.
OR
- Read a romance that has a teen as the protagonist.
OR
- Read an Erotic Romance or Erotica.

Reviews will be posted monthly here at Release Notes.  If you are interested in joining the fun, click the badge and sign up! 

CBLS Virtual Book Tour - Fate's Second Chance by AJ Jarrett - Review and Excerpt

Release Notes is thrilled to feature Fate's Second Chance by AJ Jarrett as a stop on the CBLS Promotions Virtual Tour.  Below is a review of the novel along with an excerpt of the novel.  ENJOY! 

REVIEW:

The idea of death being the  greatest opportunity to come your way is mind blowing but that is exactly what happens to Marie Carter.  Marie dies and discovers she is given a  second chance to fix things for her sister and her best friend since childhood and the love of her life, Shawn.  The twist?  Marie is now Marc!  Failure means Sabrina will have a miserable life, Shawn will die of his broken heart and Ross, Marie's guardian angel, will lose his wings.  What's a girl (or guy) to do?

This story was a humorous and a wonderfully written supernatural tale.  The wit of AJ Jarrett shines through the characters and each one is enjoyable to read about.  The novel contained romance, a touch of sadness and humor throughout.  Getting a chance to finally set things right could be any one's wish and reading Marc's attempts to fix things is great.

This novel is M/M but don't let that distract you from an incredible story!  Love and strong friendships can conquer any obstacle but having hot sex helps too! Make sure you scoop this one up!

Make sure you stop by other tour stops (Links below) for a chance to win this great debut novel!


12/21: An Open Book (Giveaway)
12/22: Sash's Secrets (Promo Only)
12/23: House Millar (Review/Interview)
12/26: Fictional Candy (Giveaway/Guest Post)
12/27: Reviews By Molly (Giveaway)
12/28: Close Encounters with the Night Kind (Giveaway/Guest Post)
12/29: From the TBR Pile (Review)
12/30: Dawn's Reading Nook (Review/Guest Post)
12/31: Practical Frugality  (Giveaway/Guest Post)
1/1: Release Notes (Review)
1/3: Mommies Point of View (Giveaway/Review)



EXCERPT:
I always assumed when I died my life would flash before my eyes, but that was so not the case. Sitting on an airplane with complete strangers as the massive piece of machinery plummeted to the ground, all I could think was why the fuck did I take the earlier flight.
I was being a little dramatic I know, but I was about to die and leave my sister and my best friend. The only people I loved in the world, plus the only family I had. I was more than likely leaving them due to faulty equipment or engine malfunction. What a lousy way to go.
My poor sister Serena, what would she do? Our parents died when I was fifteen and she twenty-two. We were all we had in the world, and now I would be bailing on her too. Of course, this entire situation wasn't my fault but it didn't make it any easier. She'd been my friend and parent for the past ten years. I loved Serena, she was truly the best sister slash parent a girl could ever have.
Then there was Shawn, my best friend since kindergarten. The only man I ever truly loved. He was there when my parents died, there when Serena caught me having my first beer, and there when my first boyfriend broke my heart. Whenever I needed someone, he was there to pick up the pieces no matter how big or how small. I couldn't have picked a better friend.
The only thing bad about being in love with Shawn was that he's gay. I'm a girl so a romantic relationship would never happen. Now I wouldn't even get the chance to say I love you in more than a friend kind of way. Maybe going down was for the best. Telling Shawn my true feelings would ruin our friendship.
These were the things going through my mind minutes before the plane crashed and I'd die. To have just one more chance to tell Shawn and Serena I loved them, I would have given anything.
The swift drop in altitude told me the engines had stalled. I heard other passengers screaming, crying, and praying, but I sat there with my eyes clenched tight. Behind my eyelids, all I saw were Shawn and Serena. Then nothing.
* * * *
Sometime later I woke up. I took in my surroundings--white walls, white bed linens, and I was wearing a white gown. My nose twitched at the sterile clean smell of the room. I had to be in a hospital.
How could I have survived a plane crash? Maybe I had dreamed the whole thing. I sat up and looked around me. I took notice of the large white room with fluffy white fog floating around the floor.
Okay, that was weird. I had to be dreaming.
"You're not dreaming, sweetheart. You're dead as a doornail."
What the fuck? I spun around and clutched my blanket to my chest. There was a man leaning against the wall. I could tell even in a relaxed state he would tower over my short stature. He had a golden complexion, platinum blond hair that came to his shoulders, and a smile on his face that lit up the room. Definitely gorgeous in a preppy guy way, as if he just stepped out of a J Crew ad. He wore all white as well.
What was up with all the white? Okay, this wasn't the time for stupid questions. I needed to focus.
"Yes, please focus since we don't have a lot of time here, sweetheart, but thanks for the compliment."
Okay, is he reading my freaking mind? I tilted my head to the side to study this apparent psychic medium.
"Yes, I can read your thoughts, but can you start using your mouth? It would make this less awkward," the man said as he pushed away from the wall. 
I tried to swallow but my mouth was too dry. I wasn't sure if it was the rising fear or shock that had me unable to move or react. "Where am I?" Start slow, Marie, you can do this.
"Okay, once again, speak words to me. Reading your mind is giving me a headache and that's just poor manners." The man came and sat down at the end of the bed I was lying on. "To answer your question, you're in what we like to call limbo. There has been a mistake, or actually," the man let out a small chuckle, "a few mistakes but who's counting. My name is Ross and I'm your guardian angel."
The angel named Ross held out his hand for me to shake. So I did. After all, I was completely crazy. The dude just said I was in limbo. Crazy Town, population me.
"Girl, seriously, snap out of it. My name is Ross, your guardian angel. Let us speed this up, shall we? You remember the plane crash?"
Plane crash, plane crash, plane crash. Fuck! Ross nodded up and down. "I'm really dead. My whole life seems like a dream and I'm just now waking up." I looked around me to get a better look. "Is this the waiting room for Heaven?" I whispered as I leaned toward him.
Ross shook his head at me. Sue me; I was new to all this dying business.
"L-I-M-B-O. Did you get that? Jeez, you're slow," Ross said as he relaxed back on his elbows.
"Dude, you don't need to shout at me or spell shit. I hear perfectly fine and speak English. You're just a lousy explainer," I said as I pointed my finger at him. Okay, maybe yelling at the crazy man claiming to be my guardian angel wasn't the smartest thing for me to do.
"I'm trying to explain but you're not listening." I watched as Ross ran his hands through his white blond hair as he mumbled something I couldn't make out. "Okay, let's try this again. My name is Ross, you died in the plane crash, and you're sitting in limbo. Long story short, there's been a mistake and like I said this dying business isn't the first mistake to happen to you."
I chewed on my lower lip as I tried to digest all the info. All I heard was mistake, dying, and wasn't the first mistake. Where does a person begin?
"What do you mean mistake? To me someone dying is a huge thing to fuck up on. Don't you think?" I shouted.
"Okay, first off, you can't yell at me if I can't yell at you, and second you cuss way too much. I've always thought that, you know," Ross said as he flipped his hair back in a very feminine manner.
Was this guy serious? "Listen here, grandma, if you don't explain yourself I'm going to want to speak to your boss or manager or some shit like that." There, that didn't sound completely absurd or anything.
Breathe, Marie, everything is all right, you're not crazy. My breaths started rushing in and out of my chest with so much force I thought I might hyperventilate.
"Take deep breaths and calm down. Can't have you dying on me again." Ross started to laugh and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Too soon for death jokes?"
"You think?"
"Sorry, you need to lighten up and laugh, because you're going to be laughing after I explain this whole mix up." Ross sat up a little straighter and crossed his legs at the knee.
"Okay." What else could I say? I didn't know how to get out of this place so listening to Ross was my only option.
"Twenty-five years ago I became a guardian angel. The night I got my wings, I went and celebrated with some other angels. That ceremonial wine has a kick like you wouldn't believe." Ross started to laugh but at my lack of amusement, he went on with his story. "Anyway, I overslept my first assignment. See, when we get our wings, we're given charges to follow from birth to death and you are mine. Actually you're my only one."
"You sound bothered by that. Why am I your only one? Are you supposed to have more than one?" This dude sure wasn't gaining my confidence.
"Well, I made a mistake and until I fix this debacle, I'm stuck with just you. And let's just say you're not the most exciting person in the world."
"Hey! We are talking about your fuck–up, not my boring life. And for the record, my life is so not boring." I stuck my tongue out at him. Childish? Yes, but I didn't care.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
AJ Jarrett currently lives in the Midwest with her husband and four children. A lover of M/M romances she has started writing her own stories for others to enjoy. She is currently published through Silver Publishing and her first release Fate’s Second Chance is the first in the Twist of Fates series. When she is not chasing around her kids she can be found sitting on the couch with her trusted laptop giving life to the voices in her head.