Who Wants to Win an Audible?????

The lovely, talented and peppermint smelling Sarah Dosher wants to give away a copy of her audio book, "Haven From the Storm".  And one of you lucky people is going to be the recipient! Isn't she fabulous?!?!

Here's all you've gotta do:

1)  "Like" my Facebook page here.
2)  "Like" her Facebook page here.
3)  Leave a comment when you are done.

Simple as that.

"Haven From the Storm" was a fantastic audio book.  So you don't want to miss out!

Good luck!

((Winner will be chosen on Friday, October 10, 2014 by Random.org.  Winner has 7 days to claim their prize.))

Don't Be Confused By the Title of this Great Book

With as many indie authors as there are, it stands to reason that sometimes there will be more than one book with the same name.  There are only 26 letters in the alphabet.  Granted, that translates to bazillions of possible titles.  But overlap is inevitable at some point.

My newest Diamond, Bayli Lane, titled her masterpiece "What If".  This "What If" should not be confused with Rebecca Donovan's book by the same name.  (Which, by the way, is supposedly a fabulous read.  You can get it by clicking here.)

Bayli Lane's "What If" is a beautiful work that holds it's own.  It is a bittersweet story that spans over a decade in time and shows how assumptions and lack of communication can impact life in a negative way.

Throughout the book, I wanted to jump into the pages, shake everyone's shoulders and scream, "You love her!  And you love him!  Tell each other and go for it!!"  But sadly, my powers to become a book character weren't working that day, so I was left to suffer in the most wonderful way. 

The truth of this difficult situation is that when you are 15 years old, you're too afraid to say what you really feel.  You are too busy worrying about what others think about you to see the truth of the situations around you.  By the time you are old enough to recognize what's real, decisions have already been made that impact everyone you know.  Once those events are set in motion, it's almost impossible to set out on a different path.

I made one vital mistake while reading this book.  My heart ached so much that about halfway through I couldn't take it any more...and I snuck a peek at the end of the book.  I know, I know!  I felt guilty about it as soon as I flipped the pages back, so you can stop waggling your finger at me! My  mistake didn't ruin the read for me at all.  But I guarantee the impact of the final events were not nearly as strong because I already knew.  Don't make the same mistake I did, no matter how much your heart hurts.  Tough it out.  It'll be worth it.

For me, Ms. Lane did a remarkable job of showing what happens when you let fear keep you from pursuing what you really want, and always living with the knowledge that "If I had only......." Don't make that same mistake with this book.  Get it by clicking here.

Bayli Lane and "What If" don't need to question why I give it

When I Bet on Mara Jacobs, I Always Win

I cannot tell you how many times I have recommending Mara Jacobs' "The Worth" Series to fellow readers.  It is one of my favorites.

So when I picked up a book from one of her other series', I was expecting a lot.  And once again, Ms. Jacobs delivered.  Her writing is just....

Spotless.

All of her characters have depth and none of them even remotely resemble any other character. Even from book to book.  Her story lines are fun and interesting.  But they are written in such a way that they aren't far fetched.  Everything that happens probably does happen in real life.  Not that other books aren't written about real life.  But not every author can pull it off EVERY SINGLE TIME.

Mara Jacobs can.

This time, I read "Against the Odds".  Check out the Amazon synopsis:

"My name is Anna Dawson, and I'm a professional poker player.  And I'm good.  Very good.

But, I also have a little bit of a problem with placing bets on a sporting events.  Not so good.

Sometimes my little problem becomes a whole lot of trouble and I need to resort to some, shall we say, less than stellar actions to get out of debt.  So, I become my alter ego, JoJo, and fix college basketball games.  Hey, a victimless crime, no one's the wiser, and it's better than the alternative, which is a drive into the desert with my loan shark and a shovel in the trunk.  Although, it has to be said, my loan shark is pretty good looking.

I love Vegas, and I love the life I've built, but when one of my friends is murdered, and another one shot at, I know I need to take a serious look at myself.  And I need to call in the big guns. Even if that means teaming up with detective Jack Schiller, a man who's dealing with his own problems.  But dang, he sure is sexy.

Right now I'm just trying to juggle protecting my friends, helping sexy detective Jack while not letting him get to close, and finding a murderer.  And, oh yeah, no one can learn about JoJo, or this will be the last hand I'm dealt."

Normally I'm not one to pick up a mystery book of any sort.  And certainly not a mystery with a romantic thread running through it.  But since it was Mara Jacobs, I figured I'd give it a shot.

True to form, this one had me hooked from the beginning.  Not only did I adore the characters, but learning some of the ins and outs of high-stakes gambling was really interesting to me.  For a "who done it" book with some romance involved, it was really good!

Be forewarned, it's not a cliffhanger, per se, but you will definitely know there is more to discover by the time you're done.  And at that point, you'll be hooked.  You can start your obsession with Anna Dawson and her friends by clicking here.

Once again, Mara Jacobs proves to me why I love her writing.  I took a chance on this book and won.  Ms. Jacobs solidifies her role as one of my favorite authors with an easily earned

Take a Ride with Selene Chardou's Fascinating Series

Any time you read a book based on the lives of people in a Motorcycle Club, there are some things you should expect.

1)  Lots of infidelity.
2)  Lots of language.
3)  Lots of violence.
4)  All the wives are called "old ladies".

It all is really fascinating to me.  But let's face it...I'm a wienie, so I'm not heading out to the local biker bar any time soon.  I get to learn what actually goes on inside an MC without leaving the comfort of my middle class, drug and violence free home.

What I really like about my new Diamond, Selene Chardou's take on Motorcycle Clubs in her "Rough Riders MC" series, is that she goes beyond just the intriguing stories of day to day life.  She really digs into the emotions behind those who live it.

What if someone who was born into this life, didn't really want it?  How can someone forgive himself for things he's done, when there is no way to not do them again?  Will he end up ruining his own life over it?  Or will he inadvertently take down everyone around him as well?

Throughout the series, Ms. Chardou tackles the inner demons the characters face on a daily basis.  We really get to feel what it must be like to live a life that will most likely lead to an early grave.  It's sad and scary and exhilarating, all at the same time.

I read the first two in the series, "Ride to Temptation" and "Ride to Chaos" in a 36 hour stretch.  I just couldn't put them down!  The third installment, "Ride to Vengeance" is scheduled to release on Wednesday.  According to Ms. Chardou, it's a bit darker than the first two.  But she has lofty plans for this series, including introducing us to the inner workings of rival MC's.  So she has lots of times to play with the dark side of an illegal lifestyle.

You can start on the series and check out how intriguing it is for yourself by clicking here.

Selene Chardou and her cast of Motorcycle Club characters pull in an exhilarating 

Make Sarah Dosher's Books Next in Line on Your TBR!

Writing a novel is hard.  REALLY hard.  I know, because I tried once.  60 thousand-ish words and I was pooped!

My mother said it was a brilliant work of art.  But frankly, I doubt it was all that good.  Because, let's face it...it was my mother reading it.  And of course, because debut novels many times, are an author's very first attempt writing a book.  There's lots of room for error.

But Sarah Dosher's debut novel, "Haven from the Storm" is the exception to the rule.  From the wonderfully written story to some surprisingly interesting supporting characters, this book was really well done.   Before I go on, here's the synopsis as posted on Amazon:

"'If you're going to make me cry, at least be there to wipe away the tears...'

Most were asleep in their beds the night Lily Grace's entire world was ripped apart leaving only darkness and torment in its place.  The only remaining person she depended on abandoned her without a second thought...or so that's what Lily's believed for the last four years.

Dean Haven has returned for one reason, to win Lily's love again.  He broke her heart once because of the demons that haunt him, can his desire for Lily keep him from succumbing to those demons again?

Dean has no idea what awaits him when he tries to fight his way back into Lily's life.  Everything he remembers has changed, including Lily.

Is love enough when you're forced to weather the storms life has blown your way?"

I actually listed to this book on Audible and really thought it was fantastic.  Not just because of the story, but because the narrator did a wonderful job!  She was the only voice, so she read for ALL the characters.  Including the male voices.  And she nailed it.  If you're looking for a really good audiobook, I highly recommend getting it by clicking here.

As I said, "Haven From the Storm" was Ms. Dosher's debut novel.  The second one in the series, "Before the Storm" is actually a prequel.  So it really is your choice which one you read first.  They can each be read as stand alone novels.  Be prepared, you probably aren't going to like how "Before the Storm" ends.  But it will give you lots of insight and history for "Haven".

There is a bit of room for growth in "Haven from the Storm".  But Ms. Dosher's writing level in her first book is where most authors are finally at when they publish their second or third.  So she can only get better from here and I can't wait to see it happen.  You can see what I mean by clicking here.

Sarah Dosher and "Haven From the Storm" blew right into my heart for a solid

We Have A Winner!!

Congratulations!!  

The winner of a FREE copy of "Working Girl" by A.E. Woodward, as chosen by Random.org, is.....

Anna Bowie!!

Email me at chelleauthorstalker@gmail.com with your preference of Kindle or Nook and the email address you want it gifted to.

If you didn't win, you can still pick up a copy by clicking here.

HAPPY READING!

Who Doesn't Love Winning a Free Book? Enter Here!

Yesterday I reviewed "Working Girl" by A.E. Woodward.  It's her newest release and really cements herself in the indie world as a very solid author.  She really is one to watch.

So in honor of the new release, let's giveaway a free ebook, shall we?  And in honor of release day being yesterday, here's the book we're giving away.

There are just three small things you have to do to enter to win:

1)  "Like" the Diamonds in the Rough Facebook page so you can keep up with the latest reviews by clicking here.
2)  "Like" AE Woodward's author page so you can keep up with all her latest releases, giveaways and, dare I say, special deleted scenes by clicking here.
3)  Come back here and comment that you liked both pages.

That's it!

Winner will be chosen tomorrow by Random.org.

Good luck!