Day 29

Well, we have reached the end. The last day in the Astraea Press month long celebration and while we hit a couple of snags along the way, we had a smashing good time and hope that you did too :)

Since today is the last day we have something special for you :) A wonderful book that is currently in the running for the iBuzz Next Book award where public voting is now open.

For his sixteenth birthday, all Jon wanted were the keys to the family car. Instead, he got a lousy magic ring…

Artistic prodigy Jon Hansen yearns to fit in, but when he stumbles onto a supernatural kidnapping, his life changes forever. Unfortunately, his search for answers uncovers a magical secret—one that makes Jon a danger to everyone around him.

The Wolf Clan wizard Efysian has been draining the magic from Yden. On a quest for eternal power, he’s willing to kill to feed his addiction. To harness the ultimate source of energy, he travels to Earth. This time, however, he has a persistent witness to his crime.

Can Jon survive long enough to outwit the most evil wizard the magical world has ever known? Or will Efysian add the young wizard to his gruesome collection of trophies?

To get your free copy of The Last Great Wizard of Yden by S.G. Rogers please go HERE and enter code ZL36H during checkout.

Now you have to see what just a few reviewers are saying about this wonderful story!

The Last Great Wizard of Yden was the last bedtime story my 13 year old son let me read to him. There were so many components of Jon Hansen and Yden that made us look forward to bedtime. It was exciting, compelling, and believable. We were hooked from the first chapter. Fans of fantasy and adventure stories, we are anxiously awaiting the sequel! Perhaps he'll let me read it to him. 

 ****

 Anyone from tweens to adults will enjoy this "coming of age" adventure infused with magic, wizards, creatures and a hero who finds himself in a mysterious alternative reality. When Jon Hansen's father mysteriously disappears, he must figure out how and why -- with the help of an heirloom ring, cuff and some loyal friends. Ms. Rogers' imagination gives all the elements a freshness, especially in Jon's talent for drawing, and provides some great twists in the story. A definite *MUST* for any YA reader. Enjoy! 

****

 The Last Great Wizard of Yden is a really fun, really well constructed YA fantasy. I loved the characters in this story---Jon is a very believable hero and the rest of his unlikely crew of "Marines" are both hilarious and real. I am especially fond of Fred, the bully turned sidekick. Rogers has done a great job of creating a magical world that is believable and fresh.

If you are looking for an adventuresome read in the Harry Potter vein, stop here and read The Last Great Wizard of Yden. I am really looking forward to the sequel! Gotta see what little sister Sela might be up to!

Day 28

As we near the end of February and the end of the Astraea Press celebration we want to give you the chance to get Spartan Heart by Kristine Cheney for free :)

Sent away to college in America, Evangeline swore she would never return to England. Anger loses its value when tragedy forces her home to assume ownership of the family's beloved Greco-Roman museum.

Placing a foolish, drunken kiss on a Greek statue in the museum's basement, Evangeline unknowingly frees a Spartan prince from an evil oracle's curse. Suddenly, her lonely life is invaded by the rakish man with knowing emerald green eyes who never eats or sleeps, and seems to know her every thought and feeling.

Falling in love is dangerous, especially when it's with a man who has already been claimed by the bitter oracle Demona. From the moment of her kiss, Evangeline is swept into Dorien's world of mystery, danger, and passion. The Oracle's fury only mounts as they unravel Demona's darkest secrets, but not before Demona finds out about their unborn half-breed immortal twins. 

Demona uses her knowledge of the future to manipulate, but sometimes love has a will, and a heart...of its own.

To get your free copy please go HERE and enter code  BN77M during checkout :)

Day 27

Day 27 of the month long celebration brings you yet another book for free. This one is April Gardners Lizzie and the Geurnsey Gang

 Lizzie Browning loves nothing more than her tiny, island-home of Guernsey, but when German bombs drop on her crystal beach, her peaceful world explodes. For months, the big war in Europe has been nothing more than stories in the paper, but as the enemy takes over Guernsey, the war rushes to her doorstep. For Lizzie, younger brother Andre, and cousin James, the time to escape is now, and they know just how to do it.

Phillip Seifert, the odd boy from down the street, has all the markings of a genuine Nazi-lover. Lizzie knows better than to trust him, but he somehow manages to weasel his way into James’ good graces. Phillip joins the gang in their audacious escape plan, and Lizzie can do little more than pray he doesn’t get them all shot. But Lizzie soon learns that God doesn’t always answer prayers in the way she expects. He might actually plan for them to live under Nazi rule…forever. 

For your free copy, please go HERE and enter code  JF67J during checkout.

Day 26

Do to a tiny error, today's book will be available on the 29th :) Tomorrow we will be back with another free title and two more after that to wrap up the month long party :)

Day 25

Day 25 in the celebration brings you A New Dream by Elanie Cantrell

After an auto accident destroys his pro-football career, Matt McCallum struggles to find a new dream for his life, but nothing engages him the way football did. After a stint in rehab, he takes a job managing a grocery store where he meets Violet Emerson.

Violet works in the bakery department, but her dreams carry her far beyond the doors of Chef’s Pantry. As soon as she can save the money, she plans to open a catering business. And she thinks the new manager’s broad shoulders and blue eyes are simply divine.

Thrown together at work, Matt and Violet find a common dream for their lives, but a loose end from Matt’s past returns to jeopardize their future. Will love be enough to save their new dream before it turns into a nightmare? 

To get your free copy please go HERE and enter code LE52D during checkout :)

Day 24

Day 24 of this month long celebration bring you Shawnee's Creek by Stephy Smith

Shawnee Turner left her home, family and friends to start a new life on a Colorado ranch. When the ranch sold she was forced to return to her Texas hometown and the job she left behind.
Emory Creek owned the sale barn. Anxious for his one true love to return he had to come up with a plan to convince her he was the man for her. 

For your free copy please go HERE and enter code GU65P  during checkout.

Day 23

As the month is winding down, we find ourselves at day 23 of this month long celebration

Today you can get Through the Rabbit Hole by Lisa Kumar

Social worker Natalie Danvers never thought she would fall head first into her very own dimensional tear — straight into a fey lord’s lap. The handsome but infuriatingly vague Lorh insists she’s stuck in his land for three weeks and that only she can discover the reasons behind her appearance in TirAnn. Natalie’s convinced this is all nonsense until forgotten memories of Lorh and his siblings resurface and collide with reason. Just who and what is she to Lorh and his family? 

To get your free copy please go HERE and enter code QZ23V during checkout.

Day 22

Day 22 in the AP birthday celebration brings you Blackbird Flies by Chynna Laird

Fifteen year-old Payton MacGregor is a musical prodigy. To him, though, his music is merely a way for him to escape from the chaos that surrounds him. All of his life, he’s had to care for his mother, who copes with her bipolar disorder with booze instead of turning to her own musical talents. He refuses to become a statistic. Then he’s thrown a curve ball.

His mother suddenly dies, leaving him to be cared for by his aging grandparents. As much as they love him, they decide to send him halfway across Canada to live with his father, Liam—the man Payton always believed abandoned him and his mother. Payton isn’t making the relocation easy on anyone until he finds out he's going to attend the prestigious School of the Arts for musically gifted youth. Any second thoughts he has about his new life are erased when he meets Lily Joplin. Their connection is instantaneous.

Lily is a talented singer, but her struggles with drugs and bipolar disorder hit too close to home for Payton’s comfort. And when her issues become all-consuming, he wonders if his music will be enough to carry him through.

To get your free copy please go HERE and enter code ZF25P during checkout.

Day 21

Welcome to day 21 :) 

Today's book is Royal Opposites by Lori Crawford

What can a coupon queen possibly have in common with a Crown Prince? Everything.

After being accused of attempting to rob a bank that was actually trying to rob them – legally – a coupon queen goes on the run with a Crown Prince who’d been living in the U.S. anonymously for the past year. Armed with only her coupon binder, the two flee the area in an effort to meet up with his royal head of security for protection. But first, they must elude the two very determined bank guards who will let nothing stop them from retrieving the damning video of the bank incident from the couple. 

To get your free copy please go HERE and enter code EU39S during checkout.

Day 20

Welcome to day 20 :) Today, Astraea Press is making Cue Me In by Nell Dixon available for you :)

Fae Heath wants to be on TV, but not just any show. She wants to be on Ghost UK. She intends to win the contest to find the next presenter. Tall, slim and blonde and access to a haunted Welsh Castle on Halloween – how can she fail?

 To get your free copy of Cue Me In go HERE and enter code YG95L during checkout :)

Want to know what reviewers are saying about this title?

 Nell Dixon's novellas are usually contemporary romance or romantic suspense, so this somewhat paranormal Halloween romance is a bit of a change for her. At the same time, it's not your typical Halloween paranormal or paranormal romance, either. Although all of these elements--romance, paranormal, and suspense--are present in the story, the central element here is a moral decision the main character must make, and Dixon handles the suspense so cleverly, the reader is uncertain which way the character will jump until the moment the decision's made.

By now, I've noticed that Dixon's novellas, while not part of an actual series, tend to share characters as well as the location of New Bay, Cornwall. (Not certain if this is a real location or her own invention.) Cue Me In, however, takes place at a modern-day castle in Wales and it opens the possibility of a paranormal series. I for one would enjoy reading of Fae's and John's adventures once she lands the role of presenter on Ghost UK. Dare I hope?

Day 19

Thank you for joining Astraea Press for Day 19 in the birthday celebration.

Today you can get The Picture by Stephanie Taylor free

Sophie lives her life as a hospice nurse running from her past and over-compensating for her sins. She wants nothing more than to help others the way someone once helped her. But she never expected to get so attached to one of her patients.

Nicholas is suddenly looking for more meaning in his life than money, fast women and flashing lights. Life as a rocker has left him empty. Only Emily filled the gaping hole in his heart and with her death, his soul is broken into pieces.

When two lives collide, Sophie and Nicholas know they'll never be the same. Together, they try to figure out a message Emily has left behind. Can they succeed before the realities of life tear them apart?

To get your free copy please go HERE and enter WW63W  during checkout :)

Day 18

Welcome to day 18 :)

The book of the day is The Parting Gift by Rachel Van Dyken and Leah Sanders

Blaine Graham lost his mother at the tender age of eleven. Grief over the loss drove a wedge between him and his father, and soon proved too difficult for him to deal with. At the age of sixteen, he falsified his papers and made the trip across the border into Canada with his best friend to join the Royal Canadian Air Force and enter the war in Europe as a pilot. Ten years later Captain Graham finds himself flying commercial jets in Boston – his estranged father and his past life all but forgotten, until the day he receives a telegram from his dying father asking him to come home.

The persistent Mara Crawford, a live-in nurse, has experienced her fair share of loss as well. Her attachment to Blaine’s father drives her desire to bring reconciliation between the two men before time runs out for her patient. But her best laid plans didn’t include falling in love again. 

To get this one for free please go HERE and enter PX95C during checkout :)

Day 17

Today is Day 17 in the Astraea Press Birthday Celebration.

The book of the day is Wayward Soul by Kim Bowman

 When Zanna Seoul accidentally causes the death of a fellow spirit guide’s charge while trying to save the life of the man she loves, she is stripped of her position and banished to Earth to die. In the spirit world, one doesn’t mess with what’s written. With Zanna no longer guiding him and his memory of her erased, Owen Nash is left wide open as the target of the vengeful spirit guide who feels he’s been wronged. A guide who also happens to be a werewolf. Once on Earth, Zanna refuses to stand by and watch Owen die, so she intervenes again, setting off a chain of events that could mean death for all of them if she doesn’t go back and undo the mess she’s made. Can Zanna succeed before the werewolf does?

For your free copy please go HERE and enter YN68E  during checkout. 

Day 16

Hello all :) It is the 16th and today's book is Lifeline Echos by Kay Springsteen 

Voices form a powerful connection. The day the earth rocked LA, Sandy Wheaton became a voice lifeline over the radio for trapped firefighter, "Mick." Less than twenty four hours later, she had fallen in love with him. Shattered when she learned that rescue came too late, she sought solace Wyoming, the home state he had loved. Now, seven years later, she's made a life there as the owner of a popular local bar. But her wounds are still fresh, and she longs to let go of the past and her lost love so she can begin living again. That opportunity presents itself when the local prodigal son returns home. The attraction between them is instant. It feels like she's known him far longer than just a few days.

Sixteen years ago, Ryan McGee left home in the midst of controversy. After living through a harrowing trauma, he finally returns home when his family needs his help through some troubling times. All he wants to do is make amends with those he hurt most and to get back to the life he'd never wanted to leave in the first place. When he meets the sexy bartender, he starts thinking in terms of forever. But there's still someone out there he wants to find, someone who once believed in him and gave him hope.

Do you want your free copy? It's easy to get :) Simply go HERE and enter  GH79N at checkout.


Wanna know what they are saying about this novel on Amazon?


Sandy, mourning the loss of a man she fell in love with and agreed to marry in just under 24 hours seven years ago, remembers the anniversary of his death, before she ever got to meet him in person, by taking a brisk ride on her horse into the mountains. Ryan McGee, remembering a lost love of his own, is finally coming home to Wyoming, to the life he loved and left 16 years ago, due to circumstances beyond his control. On a mountain road, he is awestruck by the apparition of a huge roan stallion rearing in the middle of the road, and his rider with the most amazing "Chicory" blue eyes he has ever seen. Sparks fly from that moment on, but both are hindered by pasts they can't seem to let go of. Not only that, but Ryan's return reignites a long-standing family feud between the McGees and McKays and trouble seems to follow Ryan everywhere he goes. The last thing he wants is for this trouble to touch Sandy, and he knows that associating with him would be the equivalent of painting a huge target on her back. 

Sensual and sexy without being erotic (no actual sex scenes), the sensual and emotional tension builds to almost excruciating levels. Kay Springsteen most definitely has a talent for letting her readers know what her characters are thinking and feeling, without having to be raunchy about it. You have to love the hero and heroine, and love to hate the villains. The characters and personalities of the secondary characters are no less well thought out and written than the main characters. Many of these characters deserve stories of their own, and I, for one, would be the first to welcome such stories.

****

 After I read this book I honestly just sat there with a smile on my face. This is an incredible love story with a fairytale ending. Exciting, sexy, and just AMAZING! This is a story that I'm having trouble writing a review for because I want to tell everything about it. The details of the story make me long for a life on a ranch in beautiful Wyoming...with lots of sexy ranchers around ( hehe). That's another great thing about this story...its very passionate and sexy without a lot of erotic detail. Lifeline Echoes was so creatively written. I've read a lot of romance and this storyline surprised me...in a good way of course :) I was never bored and was always excited to get to the next chapter. I fell in love with Ryan and his need to come back home to his family even though he knew it would be hard. I loved that he was such a strong, protective character who would do anything to help out those he cared about. Sandy was just as great of a character. She was brave, independent, and fearless in the face of danger. A woman I could see myself looking up to. Both Ryan and Sandy are fighting the emotions of letting go of the past. Its great to watch them let their guards down when they are around each other. Then there are characters like Justin, Sean, and Melanie who help bring the story to life. Lifeline echoes is such an brilliant story that will leave your heart full of love and happiness. Everyone should take time to sit and read this book!

****

 This was an amazing story! Heartwarming and gut wrenching at times. I have to admit, I cried a lot, but such a wonderful book! Don't miss out on this one!!!

Day 15

Today is February 15 and the free book of the day is From Now Until Forever by Sherry Gloag

For Prince Liam, families meant bad news, unwanted commitments, and the loss of his personal freedom. Love spawned white picket fences, slippers at the hearth with a wife and kids making demands, so why did those images disappear when he met Melanie Babcot?

Melanie Babcot fought hard to escape the horrors of her youth and vowed to remain single and free, so when paid to protect Prince Liam from insurgents why did her personal pledge fly out the window?

 Smashwords is now working again :) To download your free copy of From Now Until Forever please go HERE and enter  CJ99B at checkout.

Here is what they are saying about FNUF on Amazon :

 This is a taut romantic suspense thriller, well written and edited. If you enjoy a fast-paced, sweet suspense story, then I strongly recommend it. Note this is a novella, not a novel.

[SPOILERS THIS PARAGRAPH] Husband and wife Liam and Melanie are not what they seem. He's a prince under cover, pretending to be a commoner while he sorts out his life and his relationship with the royal family; she's part of the king's security service, assigned to protect him. Neither has been honest with the other. They're madly in love and deeply committed, but when an assassin's bullets start to fly, can their love survive their lies?

Author Sherry Gloag allows no fluff in this novella, nor does she pander to lazy readers: if you want to keep up with her fast pace, then pay attention and keep up. The romance is sweet, the language clean and clever, the characters and plotline well developed. I had to "back and fill" a couple times while reading to follow the story, but that's my fault, not hers--I blinked while reading.

****

 Ms. Gloag knows how to pack a punch. This sweet romance will keep you on your the edge of your seat. A romance filled with action and adventure while trying to stay alive. Be sure to pay attention so you don't miss a single detail. I was intrigued by the characters and the plot. Is Liam and Melanie's marriage based on lies or is it based on love? You will have to read it to find out. Great work Ms. Gloag. I will be look for more from you.
This story is clean but does have some mild violence and some kissing! 

****

 Prince Liam has been on he run for three years--ever since he walked out on his family and his title. Now he's been found by rebel forces who are determined to eliminate the wayward prince. What Liam doesn't know is that Melanie, the woman he married six months ago, is part of his security team.

I enjoyed the creative ways that Prince Liam and Melanie escaped from the rebels. I was surprised by the acceptance of the king and queen until I realized that Liam's departure had less to do with them, and more to do with Liam. This was a short read, but it was very fact paced. Ms. Gloag had great descriptions, and interesting characters. All in all, I recommend it, especially if you're looking for some fast paced intrigue.

Day 14

Happy Valentines Day
(SMASHWORDS IS WORKING AGAIN)

Today there are two books being given away, 

Blackbird Flies by Chynna Laird and Perfect Rose by Felicia Rogers

Abandoned by his wife and left to raise a child alone, Caleb Reed falls short of the ideal work-from-home dad. He needs a woman to help him, in every sense of the word. At the suggestion of a friend, Caleb agrees to hire Ariel Lauren on a trial basis.

As an orphan, Ariel has more issues than just how to make it on her own. Yes, she needs the money that Caleb offers her, but more than anything she finds she desires his love. One calamity after another befalls her and jeopardizes her new job and her chance at having a family. But through it all, Caleb is by her side, his gruff exterior threatening to melt in the face of their shared attraction. Will they decide to continue life alone or will the magic of Valentine's Day bring them together?

 

Fifteen year-old Payton MacGregor is a musical prodigy. To him, though, his music is merely a way for him to escape from the chaos that surrounds him. All of his life, he’s had to care for his mother, who copes with her bipolar disorder with booze instead of turning to her own musical talents. He refuses to become a statistic. Then he’s thrown a curve ball.

His mother suddenly dies, leaving him to be cared for by his aging grandparents.  As much as they love him, they decide to send him halfway across Canada to live with his father, Liam—the man Payton always believed abandoned him and his mother. Payton isn’t making the relocation easy on anyone until he finds out he's going to attend the prestigious School of the Arts for musically gifted youth. Any second thoughts he has about his new life are erased when he meets Lily Joplin. Their connection is instantaneous.

Lily is a talented singer, but her struggles with drugs and bipolar disorder hit too close to home for Payton’s comfort. And when her issues become all-consuming, he wonders if his music will be enough to carry him through.

Smashwords is working again :) 

To download Blackbird Flies Please go HERE and use this code TN96Q at checkout.

To download The Perfect Rose please enter ZV22J at checkout.

Day 13

Day13-Emily Dahill by Lindsay Downs

Final Mission

After being seriously wounded in a copter crash in Iraq Sgt. Emily Dahill meets her new partner as she embarks on her new Army career as a CID agent. Who could this new partner be?

A Body in the Snow

Emily and her partner, Dakota, cross bullets with their most determined foe. Who will survive?

Right Place, Wrong Day

 On leave to hang with friends Emily gets the surprise of her life.

Dog on Fishing

When it comes to knowing how to fish, and catch the big ones, never underestimate your partner. He might surprise you.

Mystery

10,659 words

Today, February 13th, you can get Emily Dahill for FREE. Go HERE and enter XG88Z during checkout to get your free book! 

Here’s what people are saying on Amazon:

 Emily Dahill CID Part One is a great introduction to the series. We first meet Sgt. Dahill . a strong protagonist, as she embarks on a mission with two newbie soldiers in tow. The mission goes south and Sgt. Dahill is left with not only physical, but mental scars from a copter crash. During her recovery she takes on a new partner, Dakota, who is not only a great protector, but also a therapeutic friend.

Emily Dahill CID Part One is written with a fresh voice and storyline. This is the first story I've ever read with a Collie POV which gave it an original spin, something that is difficult to pull off with the mass amount of stories being published today. At first, I was concerned that this read wasn't for me due to the army terminology, but Lindsay Downs did a great job weaving in those terms for a civilian.

I can't wait to read more about the mysterious man with the brown hair and how Dakota, the collie, will save the day. Truly a great story to be enjoyed by all! 


****


Emily Dahill is a strong female protagonist in this series of tales from Lindsay Downs. Introduced in the first story as a sergeant in Iraq, Emily shows her skill while training two newbies just before returning home. But her return is delayed and her confidence shaken in a helicopter crash. Pleasingly, as Emily embarks on a new army career as CID, she finds a partner who will help restore her strength.

Iraq's scares and the details of a soldier's care are described with the same convincing skill as a peaceful riverbank in this short collection. A Body in the Snow tells of a snowy meeting with Emily's fugitive nemesis. Then there's the sudden shock of Wrong Place, Wrong Day, when a gun is pointed into Emily's tent. Finally, Dog on Fishing reveals the delight of leave with friends. Emily's world includes generous family and friendships and a wonderful dog, pleasing humor and just the right touch of fear. The stories together might leave readers wondering what happened in between. But the series is off to an intriguing start--great characters to follow, a dog (what more could I ask?), a long-term foe and lots of long-term friends, plus the well-fulfilled promise of short-term action.