Posts Categorized: Uncategorized

We’ve Made The Switch

22 Nov, 2013 by in Uncategorized 3 comments

Hi readers! After much deliberation, I decided to leave Blogger behind and move both this site and our Children’s site, Little Red Reads over to their own URLs and web space. As of today Fire and Ice has a brand new self-hosted WordPress site.

You should be able to see FireandIceReads.com live now!  Our MG &  Children’s site, LittleRedReads.com is also up and running with a new design coming soon.

Please let me know if you have any trouble viewing, commenting, loading on mobile, etc.  Thanks to Ashley at Creative Whim for helping us make the switch.

What do you think of our new look?

I will be working on getting things ship shape over the next few weeks with re-formatting posts, but any input is welcome.

Why the switch you ask? Several reasons:

  • Blogger was going wonky, auto formatting my posts,  and it was driving me nuts
  • I want to own my content
  • I’m excited to use WordPress Plug Ins
  • It was time

Thanks to all of our loyal and long standing readers at Fire and Ice!

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Free Read Friday ~ Eternal Starling by Angela Corbett

22 Nov, 2013 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

Free Read Friday ~ Eternal Starling by Angela Corbett

Eternal Starling

by angela corbett
Series: Emblem of Eternity #1
Published by Pendrell on December 6, 2011
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Goodreads
A love so strong, even eternity can't separate them. Evie Starling has lived a relatively uneventful life hanging out with friends, gossiping about boys, and driving her 1966 Mustang.

All of that changes when she moves to Gunnison, Colorado, to start college and meets two mysterious men. For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie but they each have their own reasons for wanting to be with her. When both men claim to be her soul mate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she s not the person she thought she was. Soon, Evie finds herself in the middle of an age-old battle between the Amaranthine Society the soul protectors, and the Daevos Resistance the soul destroyers. With a past she doesn t understand, and a future rife with danger, Evie has to decide who she can trust. But Alex and Emil aren t the only ones who want Evie, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug-of-war.

Read our archived review…

There are so many things I love about Eternal Starling…where to start? The cover, the author, the writing. Evie Starling is about to start her freshman year of college in Gunnison, Colorado when she becomes lost hiking in the mountains. As independent and head strong as she is she does not want to admit she needs help getting back to her car when Alex Knight finds her and volunteers to help. But Alex is arrogant and won’t take no for an answer, matching her stubbornness. Thus starts the vortex of attraction and pull between the two of them. Ales is everything she could ever dream of, independently wealthy, graduated early and working as a volunteer for charity. He’s romantic and sparks fly fast , but then Alex puts the breaks on it all claiming Evie is in danger and pretty much disappears from the scene.

Just as Evie is getting used to the idea of their strange break up, she’s siting in the student center one day and an equally gorgeous and mysterious man comes up and kisses her out of the blue. Could life get any weirder? Emil Stone makes no apologies for his forward public move and Evie finds that he’s a welcome diversion from her broken heart. Things get complicated when Alex returns and the of them are are caught in a battle of wills that spans centuries. Evie is just beginning to learn that no one is quite what they seem and her heart is pulled in two directions.

With a protagonist who can stand up for herself and two men that both have ultimate potential, I found myself eating up every second of Eternal Starling. I love that the author Angela Corbett put so much of her self into the book with little details like a 1966 purple Mustang GT and 4 wheeling on sand dunes. Evie has a strong relationship with her parents who are invested in making sure she’s safe and taken care of. Things get particularly interesting when both Emil and Alex unexpectedly turn up at her family camping trip. I’m so glad this is a trilogy!! Can not wait to see what happens and I guarantee I will be reading book two. At this point in the game I can see her reasoning for wanting to be with both Mr. Knight and Mr. Stone. Angela rocked this as her debut novel. I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

 

photo copyright Heather Zahn Gardner

 

About the Author: Angela graduated from
Westminster College with a double major in communication and
sociology. She started working as a reporter for her
local newspaper when she was sixteen and won
awards for feature, news, and editorial writing. She
has also done freelance writing. In addition to
writing, she works as a director of communications
and marketing. She lives in Utah with her extremely
supportive husband and their five-pound
Pomeranian, Pippin, whose following of fangirls
could rival Justin Bieber’s.

 

Find Angela Corbett on Facebook / Twitter/ Goodreads/ BlogPurchase Free Today

Now Also Available- Book 2- Eternal Echoes

ARC Review ~ The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

21 Nov, 2013 by in review, Uncategorized Leave a comment

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

ARC Review ~ The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse

by Marie Rutkoski
Published by Macmillan on March 4, 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Goodreads
Seventeen-year-old Kestrel is an aristocratic citizen of Valoria, a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers. Here, a girl like Kestrel has two choices: join the military or get married. Despite her skills in military strategy, Kestrel’s real passion is music.Which is why she feels compelled to buy Arin, a slave with a talent for singing, at auction. It’s not long before she finds herself falling in love with Arin, and he seems to feel the same for her. But Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for Arin is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a new world, The Winner’s Curse is a story of wicked rumors, dirty secrets, and games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart

Review: I got this book from MacMillan as an e- ARC, and when I saw the cover image, must say I swooned. It’s gorgeous! After reading, The Winner’s Curse, I love it even more. It fits the book,  not just a pretty girl in a dress, it looks like Kestrel. 

Kestrel who is General Trajan’s daughter, a motherless pianist who doesn’t want to bend to the confines of her father’s decision, the girl that does not want her to join the ranks of his army. She trains half heartedly and longs for freedom outside the doldrums rules of society. As she and best friend Jess wander the marketplace in search of distraction they are pushed by the mob like crowd to the bidding arena where a slave is being auctioned off. Without knowing why, Kestrel feels compelled to bid on the young man, Arin, who is defiant and unruly. She pays a much higher price than the norm for slave and falls for “the winner’s curse,” in more ways than one.

There is a pull toward him that is unexplainable. He is more than he appears on the surface, more than a blacksmith pounding out horse shoes. Arin has a will, and hidden underneath is the story of how he became a slave and what he’s endured. Meanwhile, Kestrel begins to make waves with her opponents of bite and sting, a tile game with betting. She angers some and charms others. She turns heads for many reasons and gets the whispers of society to spread.

The Winner’s Curse was an interesting high fantasy diversion. I wish we knew a bit more about the characters. I wanted more depth–more about what they looked like, what they wore and their inner thoughts. I wasn’t as attached or invested to Kestrel, Ronan and Arin as I would like to have been. The world was fascinating–one country dominating another and taking the inhabitants as slaves. I loved the dynamic of slave and owner, the thought that the slave may even be serving in the household he once owned. Still, there was a hope to understand the custom, the culture, the view, the games and the rules just a titch better. The end notes added a lot, the author knows her stuff. I hope she incorporates even more of what she highlighted about the period & civilizations into the rest of the series.

Here’s the magical part–by the end, I was swept away, fully escaped reality, and was lured into Marie Rutkoski’s story. Something happened that I can’t quite explain. I felt more tied to Kestrel and Arin, the lulls in pace no longer bothered me, and I wanted to dive into book two. So would I recommend The Winner’s Curse... yes!  I love it when a book casts its spell on me and I can’t quite explain why. There was something poetic and musical about The Winner’s Curse that drew me in.  

Thanks to Macmillan for the sneak peek!

Content (highlight to reveal): threat of sexual assault, moderate-heavy war related violence and death, no sex or swearing, some sensuality from kissing. Older teens 16+

4
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About the Author: Marie Rutkoski is the author of the YA novel The Shadow Society and the children’s fantasy series The Kronos Chronicles, including The Cabinet of

Marie grew up in Bolingbrook, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), as the oldest of four children. She holds a BA from the University of Iowa and a PhD from Harvard Universit

y. Marie is currently a professor at Brooklyn College, where she teaches Renaissance Drama, children’s literature and fiction writing. She usually lives in New York City with her husband and two sons, but she and her family are living in Paris for the 2012-2013 academic year. Wonders, The Celestial Globe and The Jewel of the Kalderash. Her next project is a YA trilogy that begins with The Winner’s Curse, which is scheduled to be published in March 2014.

Find out more on:  author website/ twitter

Pre-Order:

Featured #Free Fiction ~ Content Breviews

05 Nov, 2013 by in Uncategorized 8 comments

by 
E book, 332 pages
Published February 1st 2005 
by Fleming H. Revell Company 
Adult 
Christian fiction?, romance
Source: bought
3 stars

In the harsh Scottish highlands of 1565, superstition and treachery threaten a truce between rival clans. It’s a weak truce at first, bound only by an arranged engagement between Anne MacGregor and Niall Campbell-the heirs of the feuding families.

While Niall wrestles with his suspicions about a traitor in his clan, Anne’s actions do not go unnoticed. And as accusations of witchcraft abound, the strong and sometimes callous Campbell heir must fight for Anne’s safety among disconcerted clan members. Meanwhile his own safety in threatened with the ever-present threat of someone who wants him dead.

Will Niall discover the traitor’s identity in time? Can Anne find a way to fit into her new surroundings? Will the two learn to love each other despite the conflict? With a perfect mix of a burgeoning romance and thrilling suspense, this book is historical fiction at its best

Breview: This was my first experience with Christian Scottish Fiction and I enjoyed the historical elements of the harsh conditions of women being accused of witchcraft for wanting to use herbs in their healing, or assisting in resuscitation of an infant. The arranged marriage and clan clashes also rang true to the period as well as the Scottish language which takes some getting used to. The writing was well paced and very interesting, characters defined in a way that I can still remember them after having read the book a month ago.

What I didn’t like: it feels like a romance that tried to convert itself to Christian and left some tidbits of content I hated along the way. The relationship between Niall and Anne is abusive at times and he has a tryst with a servant which should have been completely omitted in order for it to be a Christian title, in my opinion. It also has a darker element as there is someone who seeks Anne’s life, which adds suspense but at times it seems her pull to do dangerous things repeats itself.

Overall, to be honest, it was memorable. I loved the setting and imagery as well as the flow of the story, but the content was disappointing.

 Content: (highlight to reveal) Domestic violence, sensuality, moderate violence, heavy petting. For adults.


by Claire Robyns
Kindle Edition, 159 pages
Published October 23rd 2012
ASINB009W7XYVY
Book Source: Bought
Adult
Contemporary Romance
4 stars
Love exploded into the sheltered life of Princess Catherine de’Ariggo when she met Nicolas Vecca. But duty calls Catherine to sacrifice that love. Now, years later, she must be strong once more. Can she ignore the whisperings of her heart and stand firm in her convictions? Trusting in Nicolas, loving him, is a risk she dare not take.

When Nicolas sees Catherine again, he thinks he’s looking at a ghost. Either that, or he has been cruelly deceived. Haunted love turns to hate. But even as he determines to remain unforgiving, his heart refuses to forget.

Breview: This one didn’t start out strong for me and I think the first chapter’s relationship encounter between the two main characters could have been left out until almost the very end. It didn’t sync with what we learn about them later on. 

But, things got much better and overall I truly enjoyed this freebie. It’s almost like The Princess Diaries meets Shannon Hale for adults. While it’s contemporary, the setting feels more traditional–like a castle tucked away in space and time. I loved the main male character Nicolas. At times the female love interest’s pride and stubborn nature and bizarre philosophy of marriage got in the way of me truly binding to her. He’s a good one…pick him already!!

I really enjoyed the lesson of tenacity, loyalty and sticking by the side of the one you love. The mystery wrapped up a little too neatly and I wish we would have gotten to know the villain a little bit better, but I would definitely read another one from this author.
Content:  (highlight to reveal) premarital sex on two occasions, mild violence. For Adults.

Both of these reviewed books are still free in the Kindle store, click title or book cover to purchase!


DNF- Did Not Finish The Following E books Due To Content: 

Free Read Friday- Kindle E Books for #Free

25 Oct, 2013 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

The Captain of Her Heart
Buchanan Saga, Volume I
Kindle Edition
by Anita Stansfield
The year is 1777. As the brooding mists of war settle over a stark American battlefield, Captain Ritcherd Buchanan yearns for his native England—and for Kyrah Payne, the woman he loves. Wounded and disheartened, he eventually returns home, only to have Kyrah torn cruelly away from him and deported for a crime she didn’t commit. Desperate to bring her home, he joins a band of privateers and finds himself embracing the American patriot cause—a cause he’d once sworn to defeat.

All alone in a country at war, Kyrah becomes a victim of the breach between her own impoverished circumstances and the aristocratic upbringing of the man she loves. They had been best friends and confidants for more than half her life, but now she wonders if Ritcherd will ever be able to find her—or if he’ll even try. And she fears that the chasm between their worlds can never be bridged.

A powerful and deeply moving saga, its intricate plot expertly woven and guaranteed to keep any reader turning its pages. The only disappointment is that the book ends!

The Captain of Her Heart may be the finest novel yet by best-selling author Anita Stansfield.

The Busy Mom’s Guide To Speed Cleaning And Organizing: How To Organize, Clean, And Keep Your Home Spotless
Kindle Edition
by BJ Knights
Being a busy mom and handling a large family can be a full-time job by itself, let alone trying to keep your home clean and organized as well. This book will help you save time and money and keep your house clean and organized while balancing life’s other challenges. We will show you numerous cleaning tips, tricks, and techniques to help you clean your house more quickly and efficiently. We will also show you how to get your entire family involved in the cleaning process and how to start developing strong cleaning and organizational habits in your young children.
 
 Awakening 
Book One of The Geis
Kindle Edition
by Christy Dorrity
“AWAKENING is a wonder and a delight. Christy Dorrity is a talent to watch!”- DAVID FARLAND, New York Times bestselling author of Nightingale
“Dorrity invites her readers to a céilí that will quicken the pulse of anyone with Ireland in their blood! AWAKENING will draw you deep into the mysteries of the Celtic worldview—and leave you wanting more of McKayla and her fascinating Aunt Avril!”- KERSTEN HAMILTON, author of Tyger Tyger and the Goblin Wars books
“I thoroughly enjoyed AWAKENING, a captivating and unique debut novel that creatively integrates Irish dance.”- CHRIS NAISH, Riverdance member and Creative Director of Fusion Fighters Irish dancers.
Because some Celtic stories won’t be contained in myth . . .

A little magic has always run in sixteen-year-old McKayla McCleery’s family—at least that’s what she’s been told. McKayla’s eccentric Aunt Avril travels the world as a clairvoyant for the FBI, and her mother can make amazing delicacies out of the most basic of ingredients. But McKayla doesn’t think for a second that the magic is real—it’s just good storytelling. Besides, McKayla doesn’t need magic. She recently moved to beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming, and already she has an amazing best friend, a solo in her upcoming ballet recital, and the gorgeous guy in her physics class keeps looking her way.

When an unexpected fascination with Irish dance leads McKayla to seek instruction from the mute, crippled, janitor at her high school, she learns that her family is not the only one with unexplained abilities.

After Aunt Avril comes to Star Valley in pursuit of a supernatural killer, people begin disappearing, and the lives of those McKayla holds most dear are threatened. When the janitor reveals that an ancient curse, known as a geis, has awakened powers that defy explanation, McKayla is forced to come to terms with what is real and what is fantasy.

A thrilling first novel, Awakening is a gripping contemporary fantasy, based in Celtic mythology, that is rife with magic, romance, and mystery.
Awakening is a clean young adult fantasy
Language: None
Violence: Moderate
Sexual Content: Low to None


 The Legacy
Kindle Edition
by J. Adams

North Carolina native, Cisely Matthews has seen and suffered much in her twenty-two years of life, and she has the scars to prove it. When amazing blessings come to her, she wonders if she will ever feel worthy enough to deserve them.

Australian-born Ingo Kelly is thrown for an emotional loop when he visits his aunt in Utah and meets Cisely for the first time. He falls for her hard and fast. But getting her to accept his love is a challenge he is more than willing to take on.

Adagio St. John is Ingo’s best friend and the two are as close as brothers. When Adagio travels to Utah from his home in Italy to attend Ingo and Cisely’s wedding, he is overjoyed that his friend has found happiness with such an amazing woman. He hopes he can find the same happiness one day and end the loneliness he struggles with on a daily basis. There are prospects aplenty, but none of the shallow beauties can capture his heart.

When love does finally come to Adagio, will he allow himself to embrace it or continue to go it alone?

ENJOY these Free Friday Reads found at Fire and Ice. 
Click book image to download and be sure to double check prices.
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Lost in London by Cindy Callaghan Blog Tour and Review

23 Oct, 2013 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

Lost in London
by Cindy Callaghan
Paperback
240 pages
Published October 125, 2013
by Aladdin
ISBN 1442466537
Middle Grade
Contemporary Fiction
Book Source: Sparkspoint PR
4 stars

 A tween’s foreign exchange experience lands her in London luxury—and some hot water as well! Twelve-year-old Jordan isn’t unhappy, but she’s definitely bored. So when she gets the chance to take part in a London exchange program, she’s thrilled to ditch her small town in Delaware and see the world across the pond. 

Unfortunately, Jordan’s host sister in London, Caroline, isn’t exactly enthusiastic about entertaining an American girl. Despite the chilly welcome, Jordan finds herself loving the city and Caroline’s group of friends, who are much nicer than Caroline herself. 

And then a major misstep leaves Jordan and Caroline trapped together overnight—inside Daphne’s, the world’s largest department store. Given they have complete access to all the fancy shoes, designer dresses, and coolest makeup around, there are worse places to be stuck. But when the girls’ fun has not-so-fun consequences, Jordan’s wish for excitement abroad turns into a lot more than she ever bargained for…

Review: I typically do not read a lot of middle grade books (I pass them on to my kiddos), but this one caught my eye as it is set in London and the premise sounded really promising. And right-O, was not disappointed! I was quickly and easily engaged in the story line and the cast of 13-15 year old characters.

 Jordan is an American student taking a trip to London for a school report. Caroline, her English counterpart is less than thrilled with the prospect of being a tour guide. Caroline comes equipped with her own posse of awesome friends: Sam, Gordo and Ellie who keep the balance between a tourist who want sot see the famous London sights, and a spoiled local who wants to shop and hit a movie. 

I truly enjoyed London through the eyes of a middle school girl and guy. Sam can’t get enough of the sweets–the cafe and the goodies from the bakery owned by their nemesis. While the girls can’t get enough of the famous 18 floor department store named Daphne’s. 

The only sometimes annoying part was the personality of host sister Caroline. Grrrr. That girl. Her personality grated on me. But Cindy Callaghan’s writing was delightful. I even downloaded one of her other books after finishing Lost in London. I love the covers, the idea of introducing my girls to new sights and countries. At ten, my daughter still thinks boys are gross, so I will probably hold on to this series for a couple of years before passing it on. But, I’m so happy to have found a new fun middle grade author that I can also read along and enjoy as an adult.

Thanks so much to SparkPoint Studio for inviting Fire and Ice to be a part of the blog tour and furnishing a free book for review.

Content: Cheating on school work, stealing, sneaking into an older rated movie. No bad language or sexual innuendo. Recommend for ages 12-15.



About the author: Cindy grew up in New Jersey and attended college at the University of Southern California before earning her BA in English and French, and MBA from the University of Delaware. She recently exited corporate America after nearly twenty years, and is now fully entrenched in business consulting, writing, and family.  She is very involved with her children’s activities, including coaching the occasional soccer team. Cindy lives, works and writes in Wilmington, Delaware with her family and numerous rescued pets.

Learn more on her website/ twitter / facebook/ instagram/ goodreads


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Cedar Fort Blog Tour- Carla Kelly’s Christmas Collection

22 Oct, 2013 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

Carla Kelly’s Christmas Collection
by Carla Kelly
Paperback, 288 pages
Published October 8th 2013
by Sweetwater Books
Adult
Historical Fiction, Romance
Source of Book: Publisher
4 stars

Come explore Regency London with Carla Kelly! This collection features four stories that will warm your heart with Christmas cheer: “The Christmas Ornament,” “Make a Joyful Noise,” “An Object of Charity,” and “The Three Kings.” Filled with romance and a touch of humor, these stories are sure to find a place in your heart and remind you that Christmas is a time for love.

Review: I’ve long been a fan of Carla Kelly’s historical romances because of all the details she puts in that make them feel authentic. These four Christmas novellas all take place in time of war, but offer a wide variety of nationalities and circumstances. From Scottish to Spanish, Navy to the English countryside, Carla takes each of her characters and weaves small tales of unconventional love. Romance that blossoms in the least likely of circumstances between those form different walks of life.

It;s a book you can easily read all in one day. I have to admit I think I like her full length novels a little better because these wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly for my taste. I also wish they were cleaned up just a little bit more from the previous main market release. The oft mention so often of brothels and of women seeking out employment in unsavory places isn’t something I like to read about– though I’m sure it was reality at times. Other than that, I can never find much to complain about with Carla Kelly. She is a wonderful storyteller and historian who find a way to add hope to bleak surroundings. I love how she makes her men real gentlemen, those who ease the suffering of women and are chivalrous, yet down to earth.

This is sure to put you in the mood for Christmas!

Recommended for adults. Thanks so much to Cedar Fort for inviting us to be a part of the blog tour. I was offered a free copy of the book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Content: drinking, mention of prostitution, sensuality, quick marriages.

About the author: Award-winning author Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America.  

Recently, she’s been writing Regency romances (think Pride and Prejudice) set in the Royal Navy’s Channel Fleet during the Napoleonic Wars between England and France. She comes by her love of the ocean from her childhood as a Navy brat.                                                                          

Carla’s history background makes her no stranger to footnote work, either. During her National Park Service days at the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Carla edited Friedrich Kurz’s fur trade journal. She recently completed a short history of Fort Buford, where Sitting Bull surrendered in 1881.
Following the “dumb luck” principle that has guided their lives, the Kellys recently moved to Wellington, Utah, from North Dakota and couldn’t be happier in their new location. In her spare time, Carla volunteers at the Railroad and Mining Museum in Helper, Utah. She likes to visit her five children, who live here and there around the United States. Her favorite place in Utah is Manti, located after a drive on the scenic byway through Huntington Canyon.
And why is she so happy these days? Carla is enjoying writing for an LDS audience now, where she feels most at home.
Find out more about author Carla Kelly: Goodreads/ Website/ Blog

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