Beautiful Asian Motif Silk Tote + eBook Giveaway
June 20, 2023 07:34 PM Posted by juliannadouglas
This month, for my second giveaway, I’m offering a beautiful blue silk tote bag, accented with a red, green, purple, and gold, Asian-inspired, floral motif. The bag has a zippered top and measures 15” x 12” x 4”. In addition, the winner will also receive an eBook copy of any one of my books, winner’s choice.
Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for your chance to win. Good luck!
International Entrants: You are welcome to enter my contest, but due to the high cost of shipping overseas, if the winner chosen is outside the US, they will receive the eBook prize, along with a $10 Amazon gift card instead of the tote bag. Please note that the gift card will be issued from Amazon.com (the US site), as I am unable to purchase one on any international Amazon sites. It’s my understanding, however, that the card can only be used to purchase items on Amazon.com, and not any other Amazon sites. So please be aware of this limitation before entering.
Categories: Giveaways
Tags: Butterfly Serenade, Heart of the Season, Hearts Ignite in the Desert, His Heart's Desire, The Key to Her Heart
May 2023 Book of the Month Giveaway
June 20, 2023 04:44 PM Posted by juliannadouglas
During the month of May, I read three full-length novels, a novella, two short stories, and a children’s middle-grade novel. All but one of the short stories were good reads, but there was only one full-length novel that received five stars from me. It’s the second in an epic fantasy romance series that thus far has been incredibly impressive. For simple woodcarver’s daughter Ellysetta Baristani, it was like something out of a fairy tale when Rainier vel'En Daris, the Feyreisen, King of the Fading Lands, and the one and only Tairen Soul swooped down from the skies and claimed her as his truemate. Their courtship has been a whirlwind of activities as they prepare for their upcoming wedding, and during this time, Ellie has also been coming into a greater knowledge of her magical powers. Up until now, they’ve been something she’s feared because of her mother’s belief that all magic is evil, but Rain has been encouraging her to embrace them as a part of herself. Unfortunately she has little control over them, and at a royal banquet, she unintentionally sent everyone into paroxysms of lusty desire. While some attendees were merely amused, others were embarrassed, and still others are now using it as a pretext for no longer trusting the Fey. This presents a problem for Rain who is trying to court the votes of the Celierian nobles who will decide whether the borders will be opened between Celieria and Eld. Knowing that the Elden Mages have once again arisen and present a very real danger to them all, this is something that Rain cannot allow to happen. As Rain and Ellie continue their courtship and a political battle of wills plays out in the halls of Celieria’s government, the High Mage of Eld has been channeling his apprentice who has mage-marked several Celierians to use for his nefarious purposes. Meanwhile as Ellie’s magical powers seem to grow, there are those who begin to question the source of those powers, and when her origins are finally revealed it may drive a wedge between her and Rain just as an Elden plot to abduct Ellie on her wedding day begins to unfold.
Categories: Book of the Month, Giveaways
Tags: C. L. Wilson
Angel Wing Earrings + eBook Giveaway
May 20, 2023 04:03 PM Posted by juliannadouglas
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This month, for my second giveaway, I’m offering a pair of faux gold earrings, accented with touches of turquoise, that look like angel wings. These lovely earrings would be a nice fashion accessory for any wardrobe. In addition, the winner will also receive an eBook copy of any one of my books, winner’s choice. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for your chance to win. Good luck! |
Categories: Giveaways
Tags: Butterfly Serenade, Heart of the Season, Hearts Ignite in the Desert, His Heart's Desire, The Key to Her Heart
April 2023 Book of the Month Giveaway
May 20, 2023 03:52 PM Posted by juliannadouglas
During the month of April, I read three full-length novels, two novellas, a short story and a children’s book. Nearly all of them were good, but there was only one that received five stars from me and it happened to be the children’s books. It’s a non-fiction picture book that teaches kids all about sea horses. They’ll learn things like where sea horses live and how they can hide in the coral by camouflaging themselves to their surroundings, what they eat, who their predators are, and how they swim. It also discusses how these tiny sea creatures mate for life and how they reproduce. After seeing this book pop up a number of times on recent lists of books being banned in schools and libraries, I had to find out what all the fuss was about. IMHO, it’s nothing but that: just a manufactured fuss over nothing. Sure the book talks about how sea horses mate and reproduce, but it’s done so in a gentle, completely age-appropriate and non-offensive way. There’s nothing explicit. It just relates factual information about these wondrous creatures. I thought the book was adorable and the gently flowing narrative soothing. It’s sweet that sea horses mate for life and their courtship dance is cute. I had no idea that it’s the males who gestate and give birth to their young. The illustrations are a lovely compliment to the text, done in shades of bluish-green, to mimic the ocean, with splashes of browns and reds to give it some extra color. I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet book that definitely doesn’t deserve the bad rap that some people are trying to give it. I highly recommended it for early elementary age kids who are interested in animals or sea life. That’s why I’m naming Chris Butterworth’s Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea as my April Book of the Month. If you enjoy books that teach little ones about nature, then you should definitely give this book a try.
Categories: Book of the Month, Giveaways
Tags: Chris Butterworth
Delicate Austrian Crystal Pendant + eBook Giveaway
April 18, 2023 04:58 PM Posted by juliannadouglas
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This month, for my second giveaway, I’m offering a delicate Austrian crystal pendant. It measures approximately nine inches long and has a spring clasp on a faux gold chain with a single crystal stone pendant. This delicate necklace would be a lovely fashion accessory for any wardrobe. In addition, the winner will also receive an eBook copy of any one of my books, winner’s choice. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for your chance to win. Good luck! |
Categories: Giveaways
Tags: Butterfly Serenade, Heart of the Season, Hearts Ignite in the Desert, His Heart's Desire, The Key to Her Heart
March 2023 Book of the Month Giveaway
April 18, 2023 12:42 PM Posted by juliannadouglas
During the month of March, I read four full-length books, a children’s book, and a short story. All but two of them received four stars and above from me, but there was only one full-length romance that received the necessary five stars from me to become my Book of the Month. It’s the second book in a very popular romantic suspense series by an author that I’ve never featured before. John “Nils” Nilsson and Meg Moore met three years earlier when John was on a mission with his SEAL team to rescue a CIA operative inside Kazbekistan. The team took refuge in the American embassy, and during those days, a friendship formed between John and Meg who was there with her husband, the ambassador, working as a translator. Meg’s marriage was on the rocks due to her husband’s infidelity, and in a moment of weakness before he left, John stole a kiss that neither has forgotten. The two met up again about six months later, when John was in Washington, D.C. to testify at a hearing about the operation and Meg, now separated from her husband, had moved there. The two spent several magical days together deepening their friendship and almost taking it further, but ultimately Meg decided to try to save her marriage. Now Meg is widowed, and her grandmother and ten-year-old daughter have been kidnapped by Kazbekistani terrorists who’ve threatened to kill them if she doesn’t either abduct or kill a Kazbekistani from a rival terrorist group for them. At a party at the Kazbekistani embassy, Meg takes the man hostage and barricades herself inside the men’s room, telling the hostage negotiator that the only person she’ll deal with is John Nilsson. John and his SEAL team rush to D.C. to help, but once they successfully extract Meg and her hostage from the embassy, she tricks them and goes on the run with the man, thinking that the only chance she has to save her daughter and grandmother is to follow the terrorists’ demands precisely. However, she didn’t count on John following her or his stubborn insistence upon helping her. Along the way, the couple reignite their feelings for one another, but will they be able to save Meg’s loved ones without losing their own lives in the process?
Categories: Book of the Month, Giveaways
Tags: Suzanne Brockmann
Stylish Herringbone Bracelet + eBook Giveaway
March 27, 2023 04:55 PM Posted by juliannadouglas
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This month, for my second giveaway, I’m offering an stylish faux gold, herringbone bracelet. It measures approximately seven inches around and has a spring clasp. This delicate bracelet will be a lovely fashion accessory for any wardrobe. In addition, the winner will also receive an eBook copy of any one of my books, winner’s choice. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for your chance to win. Good luck! International Entrants: You are welcome to enter my contest, but due to the high cost of shipping overseas, if the winner chosen is outside the US, they will receive the eBook prize, along with a $5 Amazon gift card instead of the bracelet. Please note that the gift card will be issued from Amazon.com (the US site), as I am unable to purchase one on any international Amazon sites. It’s my understanding, however, that the card can only be used to purchase items on Amazon.com, and not any other Amazon sites. So please be aware of this limitation before entering. |
Categories: Giveaways
Tags: Butterfly Serenade, Heart of the Season, Hearts Ignite in the Desert, His Heart's Desire, The Key to Her Heart
February 2023 Book of the Month Giveaway
March 27, 2023 04:48 PM Posted by juliannadouglas
During the month of February, I read four full-length books, a novella, and two short stories. All but two of them received four stars and above from me, but there was one romance that stood out above all the others. It’s the third book in a relatively new favorite series of mine that I’ve featured before. In this one, we have Cameron, the second-oldest Mackenzie brother. Just like his siblings, Cam is a tortured hero. Years ago, his wife went mad and attempted to kill their infant son, Daniel. When he tried to stop her, she slashed his face with a knife and then took her own life. Since they were alone in the room together, rumors have abounded ever since that he killed her. Cam has been living a colorless life ever since, with one of his few pleasures being the training of horses, something he’s extremely good at. One night, while in attendance at his brother’s house party, he discovers Ainsley hiding in his bedroom. She’d been there searching for a letter that another woman is using to blackmail the queen, and as one of the queen’s trusted ladies-in-waiting, Ainsley was tasked with recovering it. Cam recalls another occasion six years earlier, when he found Ainsley in his room and very nearly had his way with her until she backed out of their passionate encounter. He’s never really stopped thinking of her since, so he offers to help her recover the missives. As they work together, passion flares between them again, but after his disastrous marriage, he thinks that all he can offer Ainsley is a position as his mistress. Ainsley is sorely tempted by his offer, and eventually accepts, only to find Cam offering marriage after all to protect her from scandal. But even though they share a sensual fire, Ainsley will have her work cut out for her, convincing Cam to fully trust her with his heart.
Categories: Book of the Month, Giveaways
Tags: Jennifer Ashley
2022 Best of the Year & Choose Your Own Giveaway
February 21, 2023 11:39 AM Posted by juliannadouglas
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Sorry it’s late this year, but I always say better late than never. It’s time once again for my annual Best of the Year giveaway. Ever since I started my review site, The Hope Chest Reviews, in 2008, I’ve been posting a Best of the Year list to highlight all the very best books I read the previous year. As always, I have an eclectic group of books on it from a wide variety of genres. Since I’m a romance writer and nearly life-long romance reader, my focus is mostly on romance, but I also have a nice selection of other books, including historical fiction, fantasy, YA, children’s, biography/memoirs, and non-fiction. I'm a pretty slow reader, so I rarely have time to read books when they're released, although sometimes I do. That being the case, I compile the list from the books I read during the previous year. This makes for a well-rounded list of brand new books, mixed with older ones, and a little bit of everything in between. |
I read just over seventy books and novellas in 2021, and a little over half of them made it to my keeper shelf, meaning that they earned 4.5 to 5 stars from me. These are the books that make my “Best of …” lists in the individual genres. I've also nominated books (though never any that I rated less than four stars) in a wide variety of other categories, including best characters, best quotes, and best covers. I hope you'll check out my full list and perhaps find your next great read.
Categories: Giveaways
Tags: Best of the Year, Larissa Ione, Nalini Singh
January 2023 Book of the Month Giveaway
February 19, 2023 04:21 PM Posted by juliannadouglas
During the month of January, I read four full-length books, and two children’s book. A couple of them didn’t pass muster, but the majority I very much enjoyed. However, there was only one romance that came out with five stars. It’s a book by a favorite author in a favorite series of mine that I’ve featured before and the author has done it again, giving me a book I loved. It pairs SnowDancer alpha Hawke with powerful X-Psy Sienna. Hawke gave refuge to Sienna and her family a few years earlier when they defected from the PsyNet, and in the time since, they’ve all become valued members of the wolf pack. There’s been an attraction between Hawke and Sienna almost from the beginning, but because of her youth, Hawke has put a strict lid on any feelings he might be having for her. He also lost his mate years ago, and doesn’t believe he has anything to offer her beyond a physical relationship. Lucky for him, Sienna is mature beyond her years and just as stubborn as he is, challenging him in ways no one else would dare stand up to the alpha of their pack, which intrigues both man and wolf. But despite her managing to get under his skin, Sienna’s time on Earth may be limited. No X-Psy has ever been known to live to full adulthood, and she’s already nineteen. Her power is building at an exponential rate, and she’s having an increasingly difficult time controlling it. If she reaches the critical point, she could set off the equivalent of a nuclear blast that would obliterate everyone and everything she loves for miles around. Hawke is determined not to let that happen, but he may not have a say if they can’t find the information they need to stop it. Elsewhere, the Pure Psy faction is prepping for all-out war and have, not only the SnowDancer den, but also DarkRiver and San Francisco in their sights, leaving the lives of all their citizens hanging in the balance.
Categories: Book of the Month, Giveaways
Tags: Nalini Singh
