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My Book and My Coffee


Dystopian Giveaway Hop
November 1st to 7th
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & My Shelf Confessions

Welcome! Personally, I am new to this genre. But I am definitely lovin' it! 

Don't you just love giveaways? I love them, too!
So, please enter this giveaway for a chance to win one of the following books*: 



eBook choices:
Divergent by Veronica Roth
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
Defiance by C. J. Redwine
The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna
Gravity by Melissa West

*Note: There will be one (1) winner. The winner gets to choose 1 eBook from the choices above. The giveaway here is INTERNATIONAL. Just as long as you can receive a Kindle eBook directly from Amazon as a gift :). 
Fill out the Rafflecopter below and HAVE FUN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Other participating blogs in this giveaway hop:



Ara of My Book and My Coffee
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Title: Unauthorized Access
Author: Andrew McAllister
Genre: Thriller
Form: Kindle edition

Book Description ~ Unauthorized Access

Book Review: Unauthorized Access by Andrew McAllister

Amazon: Unauthorized Access Kindle edition
Amazon: Unauthorized Access Paperback

Young computer programmer Rob Donovan receives an emergency call from his boss at the First Malden Bank in Boston after the first successful cyberattack in American banking history scrambles thousands of account records. First Malden’s survival is on the line as furious customers and voracious reporters descend on the bank. Rob is part of the team trying to fix the damage, until the FBI charges him with the crime and brings his world crashing down. Facing prison time and the loss of his fiancée Lesley, Rob’s only chance of reclaiming his life lies in cutting through a web of mistrust and betrayal to uncover the startling truth behind the attack.

Unauthorized Access Book Review

“Thrill. Excitement. Agony. Three words I will use to describe how I felt while reading Unauthorized Access. Agony: because I can feel how hard it must be for the characters involved. Thrill: because, oh good heavens, this book is just full of it. Excitement: well, I was really excited to know how the main characters will deal with the situation. I loved it! I recommend this book." – Ara of My Book and My Coffee

I’m fully aware that this is fiction because I kept reminding myself that it is. Otherwise, it will be totally unfair and disturbing. But of course, I’m also aware that this is the kind of story that is not at all impossible to happen in real life. And that, ladies and gentlemen, frightens me a lot. Anyway, let’s discuss, shall we? :)

So, about the whole story – I am very impressed. The story is really complicated; I mean, while reading, I was like “Oh no… That’s not good. Someone has to know…”. As a reader, I was really looking forward to read more. It’s really convincing and as I’ve mentioned above, I felt the agony some of the characters must have gone through. If this was a real story, I would have believed the obvious things, too. Shame on me, right? But who knows, if it’s too obvious, then I’ll probably think otherwise.

The real deal here is not a secret. As a reader, you’ll know what’s going on. You know who did it. You know who’s who. You know why he or she did it. That’s why I can’t help but keep on reading to see how it will all pan out. Based on the description, Rob is charged with ‘the crime’. The question will be – Did he really do it? Is it foul play? Who could it be, right? And how will he try to defend himself? How will the story end? Will there be a happy ever after for Rob and Lesley? You can find out as well when you read it :) Don’t want to give any spoilers! :D

Again, with the story line, I have no problem with it. The ending was unexpected but I think it’s just practical. There were unfinished bits, I feel. But I think it’s really alright. I would think that all of those unfinished bits can be resolved in the next book – if there is. :)

Sadly, the main character, Rob Donovan, is not my absolute favorite. Don’t get me wrong; he is an interesting character but I thought that he could have done more. I needed more from him. From my point of view, as a reader, I would really need to be captivated with Rob’s character – but that was not the case here. He’s alright; but wasn’t able to invest in this character. I liked Lesley's, Rob’s fiancée, character. There’s a part in the book where I got really annoyed at her, as in ‘rolling-my-eyes’ moment. But she redeemed herself. And I was really glad that she did.

Weird thing? My absolute favorite is Rob’s ex-girlfriend, Kirsten. I love her in so many ways. She has very little part in this book but she’s cool and speaks her mind. I think she still likes Rob and she’s there when Rob needed him (when he needed her the most, actually). :D

To sum it all up, I did love this book. I really did. It was an awesome experience, reading this book. And I would really recommend it to everyone who loves to read thriller / crime books. Please know that there are violent ‘scenes’ but I think they are rather tolerable. 


About the Author: 


Andrew McAllister ~ Author of Unauthorized Access

Andrew McAllister, Ph.D. writes both fiction and non-fiction, including the relationship advice blog To Love, Honor, and Dismay. He has a psychology degree and over twenty-five years of experience in the IT industry as a professor, consultant, and software company executive. In other words he can fix your computer software ... but only if it really wants to change. He lives with his family in New Brunswick, Canada, where he is busy working on his next book. You can email him at AndrewMcAllisterAuthor@yahoo.com.
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Hello lovelies! I have a very special post for this special day! Special day, you ask? Yes, it's my Birthday today... How young? Never ask. :D I stopped counting, actually. :)

Special post? Yes, indeed! As you probably know, I've featured HEADACHE a few weeks ago. But guess what?! It's FREE again today and for the next couple of days (October 14 to 16). After that, if you weren't able to take advantage of HEADACHE's free days - DON'T WORRY - from October 17 to 23, you can purchase it for only $0.99. Great deal, right? :D 

As I've mentioned, this post is REALLY super special. In this post, I'll be featuring the following: 

HEADACHE: FREE on Amazon from October 14 to 16
HEADACHE: Special Pricing Days $0.99 October 17 to 23
Short chat with Crystal Marcos, author of BELLYACHE and HEADACHE
AWESOME GIVEAWAY
Crystal is giving away 3 eBook copies of her first book, BELLYACHE!

So, be sure to enter the giveaway after downloading HEADCHE! ;)

Free Kindle eBook: HEADACHE: The Hair-Raising Sequel to BELLYACHE
Author: Crystal Marcos
Publisher: Cat Marcs Publishing
Price: $0.99 (October 17 to 23 only)


Free eBook Feature: HEADACHE: The Hair-Raising Sequel to BELLYACHE


HEADACHE Kindle edition

HEADACHE Book Description

The magical adventure continues in the spine-tingling fantasy-adventure, HEADACHE: The Hair-Raising Sequel to BELLYACHE! Crystal Marcos delivers another whimsically entertaining escapade for ages seven and up. Readers will delight in more sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat, non-stop action adventures of Peter and his best friend, Lina. 

When Peter Fisher sets out for school one morning, he has no idea that trouble is stirring in his hometown. With the unexpected arrival of his new Candonite friends from Maple Town, Peter and Lina have extra help saving their beloved town and loved ones from the clutches of the one villain they had hoped they would never see again. Humorous and thought provoking, this unforgettably entertaining story teaches a valuable lesson about standing up and facing one's fears.
HEADACHE Book Trailer


Here's a short chat with the author of HEADACHE: Crystal Marcos

Hi Crystal! First of all, I want to sincerely thank you for taking the time to chat with me. It’s an honor to have you here @ My Book and My Coffee. I have 6 questions to ask you and hope you can answer all of them. :) 

Can you tell us a little about yourself? 
Thank you so much for having me! I am excited to be chatting with you. I am a Pacific Northwest resident, mom to a 3 year old little girl, and a wife to a loving man. I am the oldest of 5 children. I value family time and love game nights. I enjoy reading and sharing my love of reading with my little girl. I love cooking, baking, and party planning. I am also an award winning children's author.

Did you always want to be a children’s author or a writer for that matter? 
I have. My mother saved books and stories from when I was younger. I had a good chuckle reading some of them. I always saw myself writing for children. Recently, I decided to write for young adults. I am currently working on my first YA novel.

I haven’t read Bellyache and Headache yet but I will be reading them soon. From the book descriptions and reviews I found, they both sound so magical and full of lessons that I feel even an adult would love to be reminded of every now and then. What inspired you to create these books? 
When I set out to write my first book, I wanted it to be something I would want my own child to read someday. I wanted it to be a book my readers would never forget. A story they would want to tell their friends about. I also kept in mind that many adults, including myself, read children's books. I wanted it to be a magical book everyone would enjoy at any age.

If you have to choose one book to be your favorite, which book will it be? You must be thinking, “Just one?” It’s a tough question, I know. But if you have to and you just have to, which book would you choose as your absolute favorite? 
Since we are talking children's books, I would have to say my favorite children's book is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I love the tales of Roald Dahl!

Coffee, hot cocoa or sweet tea?  
Hot cocoa, hot cocoa, hot cocoa! If you haven't already noticed with the books I wrote, my favorite children's book choice, and the hot cocoa, I have a soft spot for sweets! I just made Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate. Here is the recipe for anyone else with a sweet tooth! 
http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2010/10/pumpkin-white-hot-chocolate.html

I know you like to cook and bake… What’s your favorite thing to bake or cook? And are you willing to share the recipe? Ehem ehem :) 
Oh goodness, there are so many things I like to make. I absolutely love trying new recipes and new things. Honestly, I usually find a recipe I like and put my own spin on things. In the kitchen I live by the motto, "A recipe is just a guide." I'll share one of the big winners. They have no idea I didn't slave in the kitchen to make it. It is fairly simple and a recipe for the busy mom. I use reduced fat cream cheese, no one can tell the difference. Also I have used chocolate cake mix and took out the lemon juice and it tastes like Oreo cookie bars!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/lynnes-lemon-bars-recipe/index.html

... and now, for the awesome GIVEAWAY!

There will be 3 winners.
The prize will be sent via Amazon, Nook or Smashwords

BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale
Amazon: Paperback
Amazon: Kindle edition

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Ara of My Book and My Coffee
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I am so happy to have Jessica Lavé, author of A 21st Century Fairy Tale, today here @ My Book and My Coffee. She is going to talk about a very interesting topic for authors and book bloggers (like me) out there. Check it out!

Welcome @ My Book and My Coffee, Jessica Lavé!

Collaboration, Cooperation, Community: The 3 C’s of the Author-Blogger Relationship


Self-publishing used to be held in low respect, like a grown-up with a lemonade stand. A writer was not really successful unless the book was published in a major brick-and-mortar publishing house. Today, there are more options. Self-publishing is becoming more respectable and legitimate as a way for writers to make their creative voices heard.
That is actually the easy part. Someone who has already written a book, had it edited, and has a cover design is ahead of the game. The hard part is getting people to notice and, hopefully, read that book. That is where the author-blogger relationship comes into play.

1. Collaboration
For bookworms everywhere, one of the great things the Internet brought about is the book blogger. Readers no longer have to rely on word of mouth or reviews by well-known authors, editors, or critics to find out if a book they are interested in is worth reading. Book bloggers can appeal to a much broader audience than traditional reviewers and critics because their audience is not limited to a particular circulation base or region. Book blogs are worldwide, as in World Wide Web.

Not only that, bloggers can also home in on a like-minded audience; for example, they can connect with other readers who like pulp fantasy stories or chick lit—genres that do not always get much attention from the “professional” literary critics.

Before the Internet went mainstream, publishers usually took care of distributing and marketing a book: getting it reviewed, stocking it in bookstores and libraries, etc. Since the advent of self-publishing through online publishing platforms, a lot of authors, even those with publishing contracts, get to wear the hats of writer, publicist, blogger, and marketer.

Because of these changes, authors and bloggers often join forces. They collaborate on a book’s promotion and release, to their mutual benefit. Whether the blogger offers to review books, host a blog tour, publish a guest post (like this one!) or do an interview, the author can benefit from their book being seen and written about on the blog.

Likewise, authors will promote the book blogger’s site to their audience, online and off, through social media, their own website, and word of mouth, meaning that the blogger will receive new readers and visitors to their site in return. This reciprocity makes the author-blogger collaboration worthwhile and legitimizes the efforts of both.

2. Cooperation
While book bloggers and authors have developed a co-dependent relationship—authors relying on bloggers as a big part of their audience and bloggers relying on authors to supply the creative indulgences we call books—part of the reason the relationship works is because both sides work together to achieve similar goals.

Many bloggers are particular about the types of books that interest them, and authors who are truly interested in building a relationship with a particular blogger must respect that person’s policies and goals. For example, a writer trying to drum up publicity for the release of a new science fiction novel should not force it down a romance book blogger’s throat.

Keeping one’s audience in mind is key for both blogger and author. If an author targets the wrong audience with their book or a blogger tries to work with a writer whose genre they are unfamiliar with, the cooperation aspect fails. Neither person is going to benefit very much because it will not appeal to their audience’s interests.

Understanding and respecting each other’s goals is important to the relationship between authors and bloggers. Their mutual interests help propel the book and publishing world forward. They cannot achieve their ends if their objectives are not related or similar to one another.

3. Community
Ebooks and online book purchasing is still a relatively new concept in the history of publishing, and the publishing and literary communities are still adjusting to the change. With some online publishing platforms, there are templates for cover art and no restrictions on the quality of the book’s content. People can write a book, or even just a few pages, and publish it on the web within a few hours, resulting in many books and ebooks produced only to make a quick buck.

Though some individuals might be concerned and overwhelmed by the sheer number of books that are created through this process, others are grateful for the opportunity online publishing has created for them. For the writers and other artists out there who believe in their work and have dedicated themselves to their craft, these new avenues provide an outlet for them to share their passion with the rest of the world. 

The upside to this is that new relationships and connections have been established. The digital age of publishing has created digital booklovers and writers communities as well. They are each other’s audience. Authors write for the people who have interest in their subject matter, and book bloggers often provide feedback that an author cannot always get from a traditional literary critic. Bloggers will answer emails, reply to comments, and so will their readers. That type of communication and interaction is something the publishing community and writers from a previous era were unable to experience.

The publishing world is in a period of transition, and authors—especially indie authors—and book bloggers are the major players in it. If they can sustain and nurture the relationships they form today through collaboration, cooperation, and community with each other, it will be easier for them to adapt to the changes that come as the industry continues to shift.

About the Author:


Author: Jessica Lavé

Jessica Lavé is a freelance writer, and has experience writing everything from sales copy to novels. When she isn’t working on her writing projects, she enjoys yoga, going to the movies, and reading crime and horror novels. Her new book, A 21st Century Fairy Tale, is a fantasy mystery novella available through Amazon. 

Jessica Lavé's book, "A 21st Century Fairy Tale"


A 21st Century Fairy Tale Kindle eBook
Amazon: Kindle edition
Amazon: Paperback

Book Description ~ A 21st Century Fairy Tale:
WELCOME TO LAMONT, COLORADO: a quiet little town nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. It's the type of town where people know each other by name and see each other every day. It's the type of town where things like murder, fire, and anything supernatural just don't happen. But Lamont is about to get a new resident--a resident who carries these things wherever he goes, and leaves the land scorched in his wake. When the disappearances begin and things start going bump in the night, there are only a few of the local townspeople who notice and decide to act. For them, protecting their town from this new evil is the only thing that matters. These lonely crusaders will have to confront their own disbelief and doubts--as well as those of their friends and neighbors--to face a foe unlike any they could ever have imagined.
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Welcome to the Books & Bytes blog hop hosted by Oh, Chrys! This blog hop has been organized so that some awesome bloggers can give away e-books to lucky entrants worldwide! We anticipate your entries, and hope you enjoy hopping away to the participating blogs!



So, welcome to my first blog hop ever! I am so grateful that Christine (Oh, Chrys!) invited me to join. I am very much honored to join. And this will be really fun! ;) 

Books & Bytes Blog Hop will run from October 1 to 6, 2012!

ONE WINNER = ONE eBOOK
There will be only ONE WINNER. The lucky one gets to choose his / her prize (ONE eBook) out of the choices below. The Kindle eBook will be eGifted directly from Amazon to the winner's email address. Giveaway is international just as long as you can receive the eBook from Amazon. 

Here are the choices. 

Note: I highly recommend these books - I've already read and reviewed them. If you want to check the review, click the link below the book's description.



In Need of Therapy by Tracie Banister
Book Description:
Lending a sympathetic ear and dispensing sage words of advice is all part of the job for psychologist Pilar Alvarez, and she’s everything a good therapist should be: warm, compassionate, supportive. She listens, she cares, and she has all the answers, but how’s the woman everyone turns to in their hour of need supposed to cope when her own life starts to fall apart?

While working hard to make a success of her recently-opened practice in trendy South Beach, Pilar must also find time to cater to the demands of her boisterous Cuban family, which includes younger sister Izzy, an unemployed, navel-pierced wild child who can't stay out of trouble, and their mother, a beauty queen turned drama queen who’s equally obsessed with her fading looks and getting Pilar married before it’s “too late.” Although she’d like to oblige her mother and make a permanent love connection, Pilar’s romantic prospects look grim. Her cheating ex, who swears that he’s reformed, is stalking her. A hunky, but strictly off-limits, patient with bad-boy appeal and intimacy issues is making passes. And the sexy shrink in the suite across the hall has a gold band on his left ring finger.

When a series of personal and professional disasters lead Pilar into the arms of one of her unsuitable suitors, she's left shaken, confused, and full of self-doubt. With time running out, she must make sense of her feelings and learn to trust herself again so that she can save her business, her family, and most importantly, her heart.

See my review here: Book Review: In Need of Therapy by Tracie Banister


--------




The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap by Paulette Mahurin
Book Description:
A women's Brokeback Mountain. The year was filled with memorable historical events: the Dreyfus Affair divided France; Booker T. Washington gave his Atlanta address; the United States expanded the effects of the Monroe Doctrine in South America; and Oscar Wilde was tried and convicted for gross indecency under Britain's recently passed law that made sex between males a criminal offense. When news of Wilde's conviction went out over telegraphs worldwide, it threw a small Nevada town into chaos. This is the story of what happened when the lives of its citizens were impacted the Wilde news. It is a chronicle of hatred and prejudice with all its unintended and devastating consequences, and how love and friendship bring strength and healing.

See my review here: Book Review: The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap by Paulette Mahurin


------
Murder & Mayhem In Goose Pimple Junction by Amy Metz
Book Description:
When Tess Tremaine starts a new life in the colorful town of Goose Pimple Junction, curiosity leads her to look into a seventy-five-year-old murder. Suddenly she’s learning the foreign language of southern speak, resisting her attraction to local celebrity Jackson Wright, and dealing with more mayhem than she can handle.

A bank robbery, murder, and family tragedy from the 1930s are pieces of the mystery that Tess attempts to solve. As she gets close to the truth, she encounters danger, mystery, a lot of southern charm, and a new temptation for which she’s not sure she’s ready.

See my review here: Book Review ~ Murder & Mayhem In Goose Pimple Junction by Amy Metz


ENTER THE INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY HERE ;)
To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter. One mandatory task to enter the giveaway. Other tasks are optional. But remember: More tasks = more chances of winning :D 

Here's the Rafflecopter (first time using it as well). Enjoy! :D 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


So, this is a blog hop.. Go and hop on to the other blogs below :D 

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Ara of My Book and My Coffee
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Hello! Hallo! Aloha!

Welcome to My Book and My Coffee blog. I'm ARA, the owner of this blog.
I'm a book blogger and reviewer.

Learn more here: About Ara

I am NOT accepting review requests at the moment. I still have too many books in my queue. Sorry. ~ Check out my Review Policy here.

For advertising inquiries, please email me at ara@mybookandmycoffee.com.

Thank you! Enjoy the blog! ;)

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