Dark Moon by Maggie Tideswell

Blurb:
A spellbinding novel of love, murder, and the supernatural. Chance meetings can have far-reaching effects. Loved ones may not be who they seem. The line between comprehension and confusion is thin ~ particularly when one's thoughts are being manipulated by another. In Dark Moon, the eternal triangle takes an innovative twist into the occult as dark magic fights against those who serve the Light. The prize? A woman's soul.

Review:
Before I begin this review, I must say that being from South Africa myself, I enjoyed the small nuances throughout the book pertaining to South African culture. A word here or phrase there made this a must read book for me. I found this to be a refreshing change from any other author I have read.

Now let's get on to the review shall we? Although I found the story a little bit confusing at first, there does come an "ah ha" moment. The moment when everything comes together to make up a thrilling read of suspense, murder, angst and love. With characters I loved to hate and one I even hated to love, I found Dark Moon to be a full-bodied novel of intrigue and passion.

Never before have I read anything by Maggie Tideswell and now that I have, I have another author to add to my "favorites" list. Even if you are not a fan of paranormal, you will find yourself sitting down with a page turner that is a pulse-pounding read. I strongly recommend Dark Moon.

You can buy Dark Moon here

Linda Lael Miller - Big Sky Mountain - Blog Tour

Welcome to the next stop on the Linda Lael Miller's blockbuster summer hit series, this time featuring Big Sky Mountain. Towards the end of June, I was privileged enough to host a tour stop with the first book in the series, Big Sky Country. Now, it's time to take a look at Big Sky Mountain, the second book in the series. So let's check this book out shall we?

Blurb:
With his rugged good looks, vast wealth and family name, hell-raiser Hutch Carmody is still the golden boy of Parable, Montana. But he's done some growing up—making peace with his illegitimate half brother and inheriting half of Whisper Creek Ranch, which should have been all his. These days, Hutch knows there are some things money can't buy: like the heart of loving, ladylike divorcée Kendra Shepherd.

Kendra's quiet mansion reminds her of what she wants most—a devoted husband and the pitter-patter of little feet. She can't get Hutch Carmody out of her mind. But a rough-and-tumble cowboy like Hutch, coming home for family dinner? Seems crazy! Then again, crazier dreams have become reality under the vast Montana sky.

Excerpt:
He held up both hands, like a referee about to call a foul in some fast-paced game. “Stop.”
Everything halted—with a sickening lurch.
The music died.
The bride and her brother seemed frozen in midstride.
Hutch would have sworn the universe itself has stopped expanding.

“This is all wrong,” he went on miserably, but with his back straight and his head up. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t broached the subject with Brylee before—he’d been trying to get out of this fix for weeks. Just the night before, in fact, he’d sat Brylee down in a vinyl upholstered booth at the Silver Lanes snack bar and told her straight out that he had serious misgivings about getting married and needed some breathing space.

Brylee had cried, her mascara smudging, her nose reddening at the tip.
“You don’t mean it,” she’d said, which was her standard response to any attempt he made to put on the brakes before they both plummeted over a matrimonial cliff.

I absolutely fell in love with the video that goes along with the series. Now these cowboys are swoon worthy.



What did I tell you? I think it got a little hot in here. I have the pleasure of posting a little Q&A session with Linda. I enjoyed the responses and know you will too.

1. Your book covers are known to feature very good-looking men. Do the models always reflect how you envision the characters?

My book covers are fantastic, aren’t they? They’re done by the magnificent Margie Miller, at Harlequin/Toronto, and she and her talented and seemingly tireless team always go all out to match the models to the stories. As for whether the models actually look like the men my mind as I’m writing their stories—yes. To a remarkable degree.

2. What is your guilty pleasure?

I have several guilty pleasures. (That I’ll admit to, anyway.) I love to play slot machines, and also Slingo and Solitaire on my iPhone. My idea of luxury is a long bubble bath, with candlelight and a good book.


3. Where do you like to travel?

I’ve basically been all over the world, and I especially enjoy visiting places that a) I’ve never seen or b) return to perennial favorites, like London and Florence. I always have a good time in New York, and I love being in Las Vegas early each December, for the National Finals Rodeo.


4. If you were not a writer, what would be your career?

I think I would be a starving artist—I’m not very good, but I passionately love mixed media painting, working with polymer clay and making artist trading cards, which are the 2 ½ by 3 ½ size, like a sports card. If not an artist, I would most likely be a motivational speaker. I like encouraging people.


5. Describe your favorite meal.

This is not going to be healthy. My favorite meal is fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans boiled up Southern style, with bacon and onions. Maybe I love this dish because my mom and both grandmothers made it often, and it was always special.

I'd like to thank Linda Lael Miller and BookTrib for giving me the opportunity to blog about both Big Sky Country and Big Sky Mountain. It's been a lot of fun. Now before I leave you, just click here to continue onto the blog tour. I can't wait to read tomorrow's yummy excerpt. Until then, follow my blog if you will. I hope you all have a wonderful day.