Undead Ultra by Camille Picott Blog Tour with Review and Giveaway :)

Welcome to my tour stop for Undead Ultra (A Zombie Novel) by Camille Picott! This is an adult post apocalyptic horror novel and the tour runs June 20 through July 1st with reviews, interviews and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule!

About the Book:

Undead: a reanimated corpse with a craving for human flesh.
Ultramarathon: any footrace longer than a traditional marathon (26.2 miles).

For ultrarunners Kate and Frederico, a typical Saturday morning is spent pounding out a twenty- to thirty-mile “fun run.” It’s during one of their runs that an insidious illness descends upon northern California, turning humans into flesh-shredding zombies. When Kate receives a desperate call from her son, Carter, she and Frederico flee their hometown and set out to help him. The only problem? Carter attends college over two hundred miles away and the freeways—clogged with car wrecks, zombies, and government blockades—are impassable. Running back roads and railroad tracks becomes their only means of travel, but neither of them has ever run so far before. As pain, injuries, hunger, and fatigue plague them, getting to Carter and staying alive seem impossible. It’s either outrun the undead or become one of them, and for Kate, death is not an option.

Goodreads | Amazon

***My Personal Review***

I loved this book!  I started off not knowing what "Ultra" meant but quickly learned that it is about people who run what are called "Ultramarathons" which can be 35 miles or hundreds of miles.  Something I had not heard of.  So we meet Kate and Frederico, 2 running friends who both have older children.  Kate's spouse Kyle has passed away and she is a single mom and her son Carter is now in college.  Frederico's daughter Aleisha is working in a restaurant/bar.  Upon a normal days run Kate begins to get a lot of texts and voice mails from Carter telling her to stay inside, bar the doors and take all precautions.  She cannot figure out why he is saying this, but as she and Frederico are making their way back to the city they begin to notice very strange things happening, like everyone is on drugs.  Soon they realize though that they aren't on drugs - they see a man bite a woman - and although are hesitant to say the "z word", they finally admit what they are dealing with are zombies.  Both worried about their children, they decide to make the 200 mile run to save their children.  Neither have the supplies to do it.  Being told by her son to stay away from cars and that the zombies are blind, they do their best to run quietly and make sure they make as little noise as possible.  

Because there were only really 2 main characters in this book it was a series of what was happening to them now and a series of flashbacks that Kate would have about her, her late husband and her friend.  The flashbacks give the reader a lot of great memories and views into Kate's mind and introduce us to her late husband and son.  Frederico and Kate are both very complex characters and very well-written.  It was very realistic even being in a surreal environment because it showed the reality of ultramarathons and the courage to go on even when you don't think you can.  I read this book in one night it was so good I could not put it down!  Definitely one to check out if you love zombie novels :)

I also received a copy of the audiobook which was just as awesome - the narrator did a super job of capturing the feelings and complexity of the characters with her reading :)

*********************

About the Author:

Camille Picott has been writing novels since she was twelve. When she’s not working on a book, spending time with family, or whipping up a new vegetarian meal, you can find her trail running in Sonoma County, California.

Website | Twitter | Facebook 

 

GIVEAWAY:

Two (2) $5 Amazon gift cards (INT)

Ends July 6th

Prizing is provided by the author, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 18. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions

Office Fun Frame 8" X 10" For Office Accessories

Link to my review on Amazon:

OFFICE FUN FRAME

#FunMark

***My Personal Review***

I have a home office and so I thought this would be a very cute addition to my wall space.  I love the whimsical look of it and that it would hold cards, pictures and more.  It is basically a metal frame that is made to look vintage and it has interlooping elastic cords so that you can hold whatever you want front or back.  Very cute item and definitely great for holding important cards or small pictures :)

Maestro of Comfort ★Eco-friendly Fruit & Vegetable Tools Set Stainless Steel★Watermelon Slicer Corer & Dual-Purpose Melon Baller + Bonus E-Book Vith Recipes★Dishwasher Safe Kitchen Tool

Link to my review on Amazon:

FRUIT AND VEGGIE TOOL SET

#MaestroofComfort

***My Personal Review***

I have wanted one of these watermelon slicers since I first saw them so I was thrilled to get one with this set!  It works like a charm to easily and quickly slice watermelon without getting the rind.  My daughter loves melons so I am always buying her small melons to use and this works even with the smaller ones :)  The melon baller is also awesome for making little balls of anything including vegetables and the other end has the cutter which is useful for coring apples.  The melon baller is great for making like a sangria punch for parties and easily makes pretty little balls for any purpose!

Caught Bread Handed by Ellie Alexander Release Event :)

Welcome to the release event for Caught Bread Handed by Ellie Alexander! This is the fourth book in the Bakeshop Mystery series and releases June 28th by St. Martin's Press. You can buy it from your local bookshop or order a signed copy from the authors local bookshop.

Guest Post: Baking Behind the Scenes

Welcome to Torte, where the bread is always served warm with a pat of hand-churned butter, and a side of love. Torte, the artisan family bakeshop in my culinary mystery series, is a gathering place for the community. Locals and tourists stop in for fresh raspberry scones, slices of decadent double chocolate cake, and to talk about all the gossip and news around town. I love getting to create a comforting and welcoming bakeshop and writing about food. However, I’m not a trained pastry chef which means that I spend a lot of time visiting real bakeries and interviewing professional chefs. It’s a rough job, I know.

I thought it would be fun to give you a taste (pun intended) of the research that goes into learning the inner workings of the culinary world.

For starters I think about the actual space. Because Torte is located in Ashland, Oregon, home of the world famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival, it has to have a touch of Shakespeare and whimsy. It’s painted cheery red and teal blue with corrugated metal siding, bistro tables, and a chalkboard menu. One of my bakery inspirations is a place called Cake Happy in Camas, Washington. It’s a family run shop with gorgeous window displays, a rustic elegant vibe, and plenty of cozy couches to curl up with a red velvet cupcake and steaming hot latte.

Another thing that I do when I’m working on a book is interview pastry chefs. I’ve learned so many tricks of the trade, quick tips for baking, and even gotten a few new ideas on how to bump someone off in a bakeshop from chatting with chefs. I’ve been so impressed to watch how they orchestrate a blur of staff, a frenzy of chopping knives, and plate after plate of styled food. One of the most amazing experiences that I’ve had behind the scenes in a professional kitchen was at the NW Culinary Institute where I spent an evening watching chefs-in-training at work as they prepared a six course meal that almost too pretty to eat and tasted even better.

Speaking of taste, I can’t even begin to count how many pastries and baked goods I’ve sampled in the last few years. Don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining, but my waistline might be in trouble. Whenever I travel I ask for recommendations on the best places to score a sweet eat in town. I’ve never been disappointed in my search and I try to find unusual flavor combinations and exotic delicacies when I’m exploring a new place, some of which have even found their way into the pages of the books. One standout tasting memory was at the dessert buffet in Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I still dream of the miles of cakes, macaroons, chocolate dipped strawberries, and petit fours. Yum!

Lastly, one of the most rewarding and humbling things about writing the series has been connecting with local bakers. They have welcomed me into their kitchens, championed the books, and created stunning masterpieces like this cakescape from the book release party for the third book in the series, On Thin Icing. My local pastry muse is Kristina with Tier Catering who treated the audience to a hands-on icing demonstration and a tutorial on the best way to cut a cake. Seriously, I think I have the best job ever!

Here’s to all the bakers—whether in your home kitchen or in a 5-star restaurant—I hope you enjoy my fictional bakeshop in Caught Bread Handed.

Happy Baking!

~Ellie

About the Book:
Welcome to Torte—a friendly, small-town family bakeshop where the oven is heating up as high as the body count… Jules Capshaw is still chewing over her husband Carlos’s return to Ashland, Oregon. Could there be too many cooks in the kitchen? Whatever is stirring between those two will have to wait. Despite the Oregon Shakespeare Festival being dark for the winter, the bakeshop is bustling, the dough is rolling, and there’s no rest for the weary… especially when murder is thrown into the mix. When Mindy Nolan, the owner of a new restaurant in town, turns up dead, the batter at hand thickens. Jules knows that there was bad blood between Mindy and others in town, and tracking the killer could prove to be an unwelcome treat. And to top it all off, there’s Carlos, who is pleading—with those delicious dark eyes and sexy Spanish accent—for Jules to take him back. Is home where the heart is or will she make a fresh start… and risk getting burned?

Goodreads | Amazon | Vintage Books 

About the Author:
Ellie Alexander is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter to learn more.

Website | Twitter | Facebook 

GIVEAWAY:

Signed copies of all 4 books in the Bakeshop Mysteries, Cupcake tea towel and pot holder, Love cake topper, Bakeshop page flags, Assortment of gourmet lemonade and Triple Chocolate Chunk cookie mix. 

US only.

Ends July 20th

Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 18. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for This Is Me by C.E. Wilson!

 

Hello everyone!  Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

This Is Me by C.E. Wilson!

 

 

A-SIST Anthropomorphic Sentient Individualized Servile uniT

Rogan is a robot. More specifically, he is an Asist – a personalized humanoid servant that provides protection, assistance, and companionship for a lonely young woman living on her own in the city. Chloe is trying to get her big break, singing at bars and clubs all over the city at night while she pays the bills as a substitute teacher during the day. Ever since she activated him many months ago, Rogan has been her beautiful, dependable, obedient, dead-eyed security blanket. One morning she is shocked when he disobeys a direct command in an attempt to please her and his dull artificial eyes flash a hint of something new. Is this the result of the adaptive Asist servility programming or is Rogan actually thinking? Can a robot think? Can a robot feel? As Chloe struggles with these thoughts she is blindsided by the singular Niven Adams, a handsome, confident man with the voice of an angel who is everything she’s ever wanted in a boyfriend. He’s the perfect guy for her, except for one problem. Niven doesn’t approve of Asists and takes an immediate dislike to Rogan. As Niven charms his way deeper and deeper into Chloe’s heart, Rogan tries to convince her that he is more than a mass-produced disposable servant. With Rogan doing everything in his power to prove that his thoughts and feelings are real and Niven trying to persuade her to abandon her robot and have a normal human relationship, Chloe is trapped between the two things that mean the most to her. Does she embrace her relationship with the blond newcomer, or face that her Asist’s feelings may be more than features of his programming? What really makes a person a person? Is it a ticking muscle inside their chest, or is it something more?

This Is Me by C.E. Wilson August 11, 2016 Live and Love the Fantasy Publications

 

 

C.E. Wilson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, grew up in Millersville, Pennsylvania, and has been living in Pittsburgh since 2009. For the first few years living in Pittsburgh, she was an English teacher. Her first book, "Oath of Servitude," was published in 2012. In 2013, she quit teaching to be a full time author and hasn't looked back since. She loves spending time with her daughter and husband.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads 

 

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

 

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Sound Intone Foldable HD850 Headphones Kids or Adults With Share Function and Microphone

#headphones

***My Personal Review***

These are really nice because they are foldable which means they can be fit into small areas that normal headphones cannot, they are great for travelling and they are super comfortable with the silicone headband on the top and the soft ear coverings.  And the BEST part?  This specific set of headphones has a detachable cord - meaning if you break the cord you can replace it easily and not lose the headphones!  For me that is a HUGE bonus on these :)

I love these headphones!  I know nowdays most people use earbuds but for some reason they don't work well for me.  Plus I like to have the noise cancelled out when I am watching shows on my laptop and these fit the bill perfectly.  I use headphones so much (at least 4 hours a day) that I end up buying new ones about every 3-4 months.  They are shiny and pretty and the blue is awesome but they also have about 10-12 other colors!  So you can match these to your devices if you want :)  These would make a great gift for anyone who still wears regular headphones as they are much better than the old styles!

Chasing Truth by Julie Cross Cover Reveal and Giveaway :)

 

A story of a girl who's in a family of con artists?  Sign me up!

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for 

Chasing Truth by Julie Cross

presented by Entanged Teen!

Read on for a special message from Julie!!

 

Special Note from the Author, Julie Cross:

 

I’m so excited to reveal this cover! I saw it months ago and not only loved it, but felt like I finally had something tangible to show the vibe of this story. Chasing Truth began as a teen romance featuring a girl with a unique past–she’s from a family of con-artists. Until recently, Ellie spent her entire life living under multiple identities, being everyone and anyone. So falling for new neighbor, Miles, as herself is brand new territory and that definitely creates a bit of a rocky relationship for my two leads. While the story is still built on all of that, it also evolved into a slightly different recipe as I wrote.

Chasing Truth is 1 part mystery/thriller, 1 part high school drama, 1 part family story, and 2 parts (maybe 3…) romance. If you’re a fan of the TV series Veronica Mars, you’ll find that Chasing Truth has a similar feel. I can’t wait for all of you to have a chance to the read the book in September, but for now, I’ll have to settle for showing off this beautiful cover!

 

 

At Holden Prep, the rich and powerful rule the school—and they’ll do just about anything to keep their dirty little secrets hidden.

When former con artist Eleanor Ames’s homecoming date commits suicide, she’s positive there’s something more going on. The more questions she asks, though, the more she crosses paths with Miles Beckett. He’s sexy, mysterious, arrogant…and he’s asking all the same questions.

Eleanor might not trust him—she doesn’t even like him—but they can’t keep their hands off of each other. Fighting the infuriating attraction is almost as hard as ignoring the fact that Miles isn’t telling her the truth…and that there’s a good chance he thinks she’s the killer.

Book Title: Chasing Truth (The Eleanor Ames Series, #1) Author: Julie Cross Release Date: Sept. 6, 2016 Genre: YA Thriller/Mystery

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca | IndieBound | Books a Million | Book Depository 

 

Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin’s Press).

She’s also the author of the Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!

Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.

Outside of her reading and writing cred, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 

 

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win a very limited, digital ARC of Chasing Truth, once it comes available (INT)

 

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