Greetings, everyone, and welcome to our first Book of the
Month selections of 2015. It’s hard to believe we’ve already sped our way
through the first month of the new year, but I suppose that’s what happens when
you spend all your time with your nose in a book. :)
As in previous months, we at The Novel Approach would like
to give you the opportunity to read a couple of this month’s recommendations,
on us, so leave a comment right here,
and you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win an e-copy of any two of
the books we’ve selected as this month’s top reads.
Comments must be
received by Midnight Pacific time on Thursday, February 5, 2015. One winner
will be selected at random on Friday, the 6th, notified by email for
prize delivery, so be sure to leave a valid address in your comment.
Good luck!
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Jackie – Poz by Christopher Koehler – “As a parent,
this book makes me realize that even as open and honest as I am with my kids, I
could be inadvertently hurting more than helping at times. It seems at times
that no matter how much we love and accept our children, we can do harm even
while trying to protect them. Remy and his family both learned a hard lesson in
this book, but I feel this is a topic that has to be covered with our youth.
I would highly recommend this book for any kid who feels
like their parents just don’t understand them. I would hope they would get the
message that when life pushes us, we don’t always have to push back harder.
Sometimes we just bend so we can snap back and be stronger.”
You can find buy links for Poz HERE
Lynn – Return to Me
by James Oliver French – “Wow, this
story was an amazing read. I had expectations when I started the book but set
them aside, one by one, the deeper I read. The complex inner workings of Todd,
the main character, is the true focus of the story and kept me fascinated. We
see him meet a man while they are both in college, and their relationship
blossoms quickly. Still, this is not your typical romance. The author goes
places I did not expect, which I appreciate. And there is neither a HEA, nor
does it have a HFN. Just putting that out there. You’ve been warned.”
You can find buy links for Return to Me HERE
Lana – Takedown
and Tap Out by Cat Grant – “Takedown and Tap Out are character driven,
emotional stories. They also give an insight into the world of MMA and what
kind of mental and physical resolve is needed to get to the top. I had a
love/hate relationship with these characters because I was totally drawn into
their lives, and some of their actions made me smile while others pissed me
off! LOL. I love complicated characters because just like in real like, nothing
is black and white; there’s a lot of gray.
Takedown and Tap Out score a KO and are well
worth reading. They will not disappoint!”
You can find buy links for Takedown and Tap Out HERE
Sammy – The Two
Gentlemen of Altona by Lisa Henry
and J.A. Rock – “Lisa Henry and J.A.
Rock create amazing characters. Mac and Henry are real, flesh and blood type
guys whose dance is captivating and deliciously fun. The foil, which Mac’s
solid, curmudgeonly personality creates for the whirling dervish that is Henry
Page, is just genius. Quick and witty interchanges keep this novel alive,
making its pacing near breathless and the sexual tension between the two men
almost palpable. However, the real stroke of genius here is Henry’s shady past.
The mysterious Viola and the cadre of “friends” or fellow con artists he hangs
out with when in town all lurk in the shadows where Henry religiously keeps
them protected, even from Mac.
The Two Gentlemen of
Altona is the first in a three part series called Playing the Fool. If
this first installment is any indication of the ride we are set to take with
this collection of novels, sign me up for the next one in the queue because
this one was simply fantastic!”
You can find buy links for The Two Gentlemen of Altona HERE
Jules – Gives Light
by Rose Christo – “It’s going to be
difficult to sum up my feelings on these books. Part of me wants to be all
fangirly and crazy…GIVES LIGHT IS
AMAAAAAAAAAZING!!! And part of me wants to be more serious…Gives Light is an important piece of literature that is at
once a beautiful coming-of-age love story, and also an extremely thoughtful
book dealing with several pressing Native American issues. Hopefully I’ll be
able to find a balance between the two.
There are so many fabulous moments in these books, too many
to count. I definitely got good use out of my Kindle’s highlighter! I can’t
recommend this series enough. Some of the best YA I’ve read in the genre. These
books, and these characters, are going to stay with me for a long time.”
You can find buy links for Gives Light HERE
Kathie – The Fight
Within (Audio) by Andrew Grey – “Andrew
McFerrin again does a great job narrating this story. His gift is that he has
the ability to develop each characters’ personality with his voice. Paytah’s
life has been filled with disappointments; you can hear it in his voice, not
just his words. Bryce has also withdrawn from the world, trying to cope with
the loss of his partner. Bryce’s voice grows stronger as he learns to trust and
fall in love again. The sadness is there in the beginning, and the happiness is
there in the end. And let’s not forget Mr. Grantham. You can hear the sneer in
his voice, the snake in the grass whine. Oh, I wanted to stomp on that man’s
foot.
Andrew Grey writes romance, and does a great job, but
sometimes he plants a seed in his books, a seed of awareness.”
You can find buy links for The Fight Within HERE
Rena – Lessons for
Survivors by Charlie Cochrane – “As
with the previous books in this series, this book’s perfectly balanced in tone,
with darker elements involving murder, an abusive father and husband, and a
rejected child are woven neatly together with the lighthearted, witty banter
fans of this series have long grown to love and expect. Jonty and Orlando might
be fourteen years older from the time they first met, but they still behave
like lovesick twenty-somethings, and they still kick each other’s shins in
warning or as punishment, if not call each other names, with a great deal of
affection. They throw euphemisms around when it comes to sex, but with their
maturity comes a good dose of self-awareness that sometimes borders on rueful
whenever they try to talk about not just their still-outlawed relationship, but
the act of lovemaking. I tend to interpret those euphemisms – and the manner
with which they’re used – as something more along the lines of nostalgia, like
a keen awareness of their younger, more frightened versions as a kind of a
reference point for their current selves. While the act itself has never diminished
in passion, there’s a deeper understanding of its significance, considering how
far they’ve gone and how the laws have yet to change. While still eager and
passionate, their intimacy is also edged with – and enriched by – a certain
level of pragmatism.”
You can find buy links for Lessons for Survivors HERE
Chris – Down and Dirty
by Rhys Ford – “What drew me into
this story are the characters. Rhys Ford has major skills developing her
characters and the right story to fit them. I can’t tell you how she does it; I
just know that her characters rock, the story flows perfectly, and the end result
is a book that I wanted to re-read the moment I finish it.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough because for
me, all the elements worked perfectly. If you like the Cole McGinnis series,
you must read this book because it’s Bobby and Ichi, after all. Otherwise, grab
this entire series because you’ll be missing out on a fantastic group of
characters and one hell of a storyline.”
You can find buy links for Down and Dirty HERE
Jennifer – Dreamlands
by Felicitas Ivey – “Oh my God, this
book. I stayed up way too late reading it when I had to work the next morning,
and after I had been sick for days, but it doesn’t matter; it was so worth it.
Felicitas Ivey has created an imaginative, beautiful world
where mythology lives on, and an alternate, urban fantasy world for us where
sometimes those demons from the Dreamlands cross over into ours. The creatures
are fantastic and vivid, the characters are engaging, and the situations are
explosive.”
You can find buy links for Dreamlands HERE
Janet – Black John
by Amy Lane – “Redemption is a
recurring theme in Amy Lane’s books, and it is a nearly overwhelming battle for
John, but he earns it. He does good long enough and strongly enough for it to
stick. John’s return to Sacramento to make amends and to continue shoring up
the walls of his life are a pleasure for the reader, as we visit with our
favorite guys again. When John and Galen bring their best to each other, the
absolute best part is that it’s not the end of their story. We are already
looking forward to Reg and Bobbie’s turn, and we want to see how Jerzy’s video
turns out. There is no need to say goodbye. We can soak in the feels for a
while longer. This book is a fabulous addition to the Johnnies universe. I will
re-read it often and cannot recommend it strongly enough to anyone who enjoys reveling
in a love story that is so much more!”
You can find buy links for Black John HERE
Lisa – Restless Spirits
by Jordan L. Hawk – “With a
brilliance I’ve come to rely upon with each new submission, Jordan L. Hawk has
delivered another winning novel and has made me an immediate fan of her new
Spirits series. Restless Spirits is
a Gothic Horror novel in which the setting is as alive and integral to the plot
as are the characters, their relationship to one another, and a malevolent
spirit that imprisons them within its own hell.
One of the things that stood out for me as I started this
book is that it wasn’t until a fair ways into it that the time in which the
story takes place is firmly established. This is a Gaslight novel, but I’ll
just throw out there for those readers who don’t usually gravitate toward
Historical fiction: though Restless
Spirits is set in the past, there is nothing within its pages that
should dissuade you from reading it.”
You can find buy links for Restless Spirits HERE
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And that does it for
this month. Until next time, happy reading!
Amazing selection of favorites! So many are on my wish list. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteWaxapplelover (at) gmail (dot) com
Hmmm Dreamlands looks intriguing ☺️& of course AMY! Looking forward to reading Black John...Down & Dirty yep another great selection of books.
ReplyDelete*mutters about red text*
DeleteDevony31 @ gmail.com
Thank you so much for this great chance, Mary:) Great list!!
ReplyDeletedreamerbookslover@gmail.com
Cool books. Ty!
ReplyDeletebabybarlow78@gmail.com
Read some of the fantastic books you've selected. I would love to read Black John, Down and Dirty or The Two Gentleman of Altona! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteJennifer.avidan@gmail.com
Great list! There are several I want to read and a few that I have and thought were wonderful. Thanks for the chance to win! amaquilante(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteInteresting selections and several series I am not familiar with and will have to check out.
ReplyDeleteMadspinner1066(at)gmail(dot)com
Interesting selections and several series I am not familiar with and will have to check out.
ReplyDeleteMadspinner1066(at)gmail(dot)com
I've just read Black John but I see a few on the list that are on my TBR.
ReplyDeletedebdeege (at) optonline (dot) net
So many excellent books! Have read a few of these and others are on my wishlist :)
ReplyDeletesxswann(at)gmail(dot)com
Thank you for the amazing giveaway chance! I have mist of these on my wishlist.
ReplyDeleteJczlapin@gmail.com
So many good books! I've read The Fight Within (both ebook and audiobook), Restless Spirits and Gives Light -- all because of your reviews. I just loved Gives Light and am reading the next book in the series now. I want to read some of the others (Amy Lane!). Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDelete7crows.a.journey@gmail.com
I'm so glad you loved Gives Light, Debra!! I was just thinking about the books again today. *sigh* I meant it when I said they were gonna stay with me for a long time! ;) <3
DeleteSo many good books! Thank you for this lovely chance <3
ReplyDeleteteacontu@gmail.com
Cheers, Tea Con, I've just sent you an email. You were selected as this month's BotM winner. :)
DeleteI look forward to hearing from you!
Lisa
I've read and admired Jordan Hawk's books before and the one from Ivey seems tantalizing
ReplyDeletezaou(dot)zt@gmail
Giveaway! Yippee! Count me in, though it'll be tough choosing two if I won. . . .
ReplyDeletebibliophiloscifi(at)gmail(dot)com
Several of these sound really good. I have read Down and Dirty and The Fight Within, which are both excellent books. Love the chance to read more. kjpattersonrn@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteLooks like my TBR list just got bigger. Love reading Amy's, Mary's and Rhys' books. Now I need to look at Jordan Hawke's
ReplyDeletetszymanski07@yahoo.com
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSo many good books...Love Rhys books...my TBR list is growing each month....LOL....ttthao at hotmail dot com
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