Book Tour: The Ocean at The End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


How does one review a piece of literature that grabs on to you can connects with you with out spoiling the experience for others?

Neil Gaiman is nothing but a pure brilliance each time I read something he has written or hear of some thing he has said I am nothing but drawn and in awe. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is just another example of how amazing this mans mind is.

The story takes places mainly as a string of memory, the point of view of a man who needing sometime for himself after a funeral. He finds himself back to his childhood neighborhood to where is old house used to be then finds himself at old farmhouse down the lane which transports him back in his mind to the seven year old version of himself and the flood of memories and events come crashing back like waves has these times roll in as if they had never been lost or forgotten. The girl, the cat, the strange and magical events, the deaths, the fear, Letties pond, her friendship and courage, they all trickle back and he is once again that seven year old boy who had no friends just his books and batman figure...and the little girl who held his hand.

In the end after the memories have played there visit, was it worth it? Was he worth it? This little boy now a middle aged man was his life worth the sacrifices? Who knows...

*I was sent a copy for review*




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Inside the Book:

Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane 

Author: Neil Gaiman 

Release Date: June 28, 2016 

Publisher: William Morrow 

Genre: Coming of Age 

Format: Ebook/Paperback/Hardcover/Audio

 UK National Book Awards 2013 "Book of the Year"

 “Fantasy of the very best.” Wall Street Journal

 A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn’t thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she’d claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse where she once lived, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy. A groundbreaking work as delicate as a butterfly’s wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out.

“[Gaiman’s] mind is a dark fathomless ocean, and every time I sink into it, this world fades, replaced by one far more terrible and beautiful in which I will happily drown.” New York Times Book Review  

Meet the Author:

 Neil Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, Anansi Boys, The Graveyard Book, Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett), The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains; the Sandman series of graphic novels; and the story collections Smoke and Mirrors, Fragile Things, and Trigger Warning. He is the winner of numerous literary honors, including the Hugo, Bram Stoker, and World Fantasy awards, and the Newbery and Carnegie Medals. Originally from England, he now lives in the United States. He is Professor in the Arts at Bard College.

 Visit his website at http://www.neilgaiman.com  

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Tour Schedule

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 Tuesday, June 21 - Book reviewed at Stormy Nights Reviewing and Bloggin'

Book reviewed at Mina's Bookshelf

Book reviewed at Leigh Anderson Romance

Wednesday, June 22 - Book reviewed at The Mystery Tavern

Thursday, June 23 - Book reviewed at Books for Books

Friday, June 24 - Book reviewed at AMD on Software

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Monday, June 27 - Book reviewed at The Reading Queen

Tuesday, June 28 - Book reviewed at Doing Some Reading

Thursday, June 30 - Book reviewed at Comfy Reading

Friday, July 1 - Book reviewed at Shannon's Book Blog

Book reviewed at Her Book Thoughts

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Monday, July 4 - Book reviewed at I'm Shelf-ish

Tuesday, July 5 - Book reviewed at Chapter by Chapter

Wednesday, July 6 - Book reviewed at Reading Reality

Thursday, July 7 - Book reviewed at Latte Night Reviews

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Monday, July 11 - Book reviewed at Torre de Babel

Tuesday, July 12 - Book reviewed at I Can Has Books

Book reviewed at The Book Bag

Book reviewed at Whispering Stories

Wednesday, July 13 - Book reviewed at Queen of All She Reads

Thursday, July 14 - Book reviewed at Rhi Reading

Friday, July 15 - Book reviewed at Blooming With Books

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Monday, July 18 - Book reviewed at Southeast by Midwest

Tuesday, July 19 - Book reviewed at Svetlana Reads

Wednesday, July 20 - Book reviewed at Bound 4 Escape

Thursday, July 21 - Book reviewed at 100 Pages a Day

Friday, July 22 - Book reviewed at Natural Bri

Book reviewed at Bound 4 Escape

Saturday, July 23 - Book reviewed at Becky on Books

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Monday, July 25 - Book reviewed at Book Bite Reviews

Thursday, July 28 - Book reviewed at Deal Sharing Aunt

Friday, July 29 - Book reviewed at I'd Rather Be at the Beach

Book reviewed at WTF Are You Reading

Saturday, July 30 - Book reviewed at Worth Getting in Bed For

Book reviewed at Chicks with Books

Book reviewed at Live Love Books Blog

Sunday, July 31 - Book reviewed at Cover 2 Cover

Book reviewed at Reads and Reviews

Book reviewed at Toot's Book Reviews

Book reviewed at Books Are Love

Book reviewed at Chosen By You Book Club

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Miss Ridley & the Warlock by Diana Green

4 out of 5 stars!!

I have always been a fan of governess in novels, now toss in the other elements of mystery, fantasy and romance and I will be happy.Which is what the reader will come to find in Diana Greens novel Miss Ridley & The Warlock.

 The characters keep you interested in the comings and goings,  all while set in this wonderful period. As a huge fan of Jane Eyre the tension and romance were just right to keep me happy. 4 Stars! I look forward to the continuing on with this series in the future. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel. 

Gemma Ridley’s first encounter with Squire Kenrik proves nothing short of alarming. So much so, she considers fleeing back to the city, despite the fact only poverty and scandal await her there. Could those challenges be worse than staying as governess on a haunted estate and working for a dangerously handsome eccentric?


Little does Gemma realize what dark secrets and wondrous enchantments will transform her life at Rook Hall. Squire Kenrik is more than he seems—more than any man she has known. He may be the source of her undoing, or he may hold the key to her deepest desires. Only time and the guidance of her heart will tell.

***Stories from the Secret Realms are historically-inspired fantasy romance. They share a setting reminiscent of England in the mid-19th century, but their world is rich with magic. 

Each book stands alone, and they can be read in any order.

Available to buy from....
Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble    Paperback

Read the First Chapter HERE

Coming later this year.....

About the author
Since her childhood, growing up in New Zealand, Diana has been an avid storyteller. For years she enjoyed teaching art and special education, while writing as a hobby. After she developed an autoimmune disorder, a career change was necessary, but happily this led her to become an award winning, Amazon bestselling author.

Diana’s books are mostly fantasy, with strong elements of romance. She placed first in the 2016 EPIC Awards – Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Category, first in the 2015 Paranormal Awards – Romance Category, second in the Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Awards, and fourth in the International Digital Awards. She has also been a finalist for the CRW Award of Excellence, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the Chatelaine Awards, and the Aspen Gold Published Novel Contest.

For more information, excerpts, trailers, and reviews visit DIANAGREENBOOKS.COM

Find the author on the following sites...

Website   Newsletter   Facebook   Goodreads   Amazon author page

"Everyone on my Newsletter mailing list is entered monthly for free e-book drawings. The winners can choose from any of my titles.  If you want to be included in a quarterly mailing list, just let me know in your message using the Newsletter link above. Your contact information will not be shared with anyone."

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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

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Blitz This is What Goodbye Looks Like by Olivia Rivers

This is What Goodbye Looks Like
Olivia Rivers
Publication date: June 17th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Lea Holder watched a boy die in the same DUI accident that ruined Lea’s legs and threw her little sister into a coma. As the only eye-witness to the accident, if she tells the truth in court, the drunk driver will go to prison and the dead boy’s family will have justice.
But Lea lies.
If she had told the truth, Lea would have put her own mom in prison for causing the accident. With the trial over and her mom set free, Lea attempts to rebuild her shattered life as she waits for her little sister to wake from her coma.
When Lea transfers schools, she finds herself in the same senior class as Seth Ashbury, the brother of the boy her mom killed. As Lea gets to know the person buried underneath Seth’s grief, she quickly falls for his quick wit and passionate soul. But Seth remains completely oblivious that Lea is the same girl who robbed his family of justice.
As their relationship deepens, Lea finally gets a taste of the love that’s been missing from her life since the accident. But soon she’s faced with a choice: she can continue her lies and accept the comfort it gives them both. Or she can tell Seth the truth about everything, and risk destroying both her family and her newfound love.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Every reasonable thought in my head disappears at the sound of his voice. It’s slightly different now—deep and strong, instead of choked with grief and dread. But the smooth tone is mostly the same as I remember it, and my gut twists painfully as a new set of footsteps approaches.

A sharp noise breaks through the sudden quiet, and I flinch, thinking for a split second that it’s the sound of tearing metal. But then I realize it’s the bark of a dog, and I squeeze my eyes shut.
I can’t do this. I have to do this, but I can’t do this.
“Seth!” Brie calls out. “Dude, you’re totally late. Again.”
He makes a low, disbelieving noise, something between a scoff and a chuckle. Now he sounds even closer. I take a deep breath and clench my hand tighter around my cane. If I don’t turn around and greet him, it’ll be obvious that I have an issue with him, but I can’t get my body to move.
“I’m fashionably late,” Seth tells Brie. “There’s a difference.”
“Yeah, there is,” Hannah says. “One is on time, and one isn’t. And only one is annoying, too.”
“Agreed,” he says. “You punctual people get so irritating.”
Hannah tosses a curse at him, but laughs to soften the impact. Then the footsteps stop, and something cold and wet nudges my wrist, right where my mitten ends. At first, I think someone’s pressing snow there, but then I feel a warm tongue lick the same spot.
I jerk back just as I hear Seth say, “Koda! You know I can hear that, you bad girl. No licking.” Then he says to the others, “Who’s she licking? She never does that to you guys.”
“That’s Lea,” Brie says. “She’s the new senior we got. Lea, this is Seth Ashbury. Seth, this is Lea Holder.”
My heart pounds a million beats per minute, and the adrenaline makes me strong enough to peel my eyes open. Looking down, I find myself staring right at Seth’s seeing eye dog. She looks just like she did at the trial, a regal German Shepherd mix with a glossy coat and wagging tail.
The dog nudges at me again with her nose, clearly expecting me to pet her. But instead I focus on the light-weight vest strapped to her back, letting my eyes follow the slim handle attached to it until I find myself staring at the guy gripping it.
Seth Ashbury stands right there, right in front of me. He also looks the same as he did during the trial—tall with lithe muscle, shaggy blond hair, and tan skin. He’s the spitting image of his older brother, right down to the sharp jawline and the way one side of his mouth lifts slightly higher than the other as he smiles.
A slim pair of sunglasses hides his blind eyes, but I’m betting they’re the same color as his brother’s. Parker’s eyes were shockingly blue, like a tropical sea, and their bright color contrasted sickeningly against the blood that dripped down his forehead after the accident.
I’m frozen. Maddie and Hannah giggle, probably thinking I’ve been stunned by Seth’s good looks. I’m sure any normal girl would consider him gorgeous, but I haven’t been normal in months, and nothing about Seth is beautiful to me. He’s just a reminder of crunching metal and squealing tires and my sister’s scream, her scream that seemed to echo and never, never, never end…
“Hey,” Seth says, holding out a hand in my general direction. “Nice to meet you.”
This is the part where I need to slap on a smile, recover from my brief awkwardness, and let myself go into robot mode. Shut down my emotions, boot up automatic functions. I reach my hand forward a little, and for a single moment, I think I’m going to pull this off.
But then I notice the slim chain around his neck, the one that has a small, silver medallion dangling from the end. The same medallion his brother was wearing when he died just feet away from me.
My gut twists, and my hand falls away, and I vomit all over his shoes.

Author Bio:
Olivia Rivers is a hybrid author of Young Adult fiction. Her works include the independently published novels “This is What Goodbye Looks Like” and “In the Hope of Memories,” along with the traditionally published novel “Tone Deaf” (Skyhorse 2016.) As a certified geek, she enjoys experimenting with new publishing technologies, and her online serials have received over 1,000,000 hits on Wattpad.com. When Olivia isn’t working as a writer, she’s a typical teen attending college in Northern California. Olivia is represented by Laurie McLean of Fuse Literary, and nothing thrills her more than hearing from readers.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Newsletter / Tumblr

GIVEAWAY!
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Rot & Ruin (Rot & Ruin, #1) by Jonathan Maberry

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


So I don't tend to read much zombie fiction, that is mainly because the few I have attempted were less then amazing, or heck less less then amazing. Zombies per-say was never an area of the supernatural I was ever drawn towards. I was more of a vampire kinda gal, but this zombie book is unlike any I have actually read.

There was more then just killing zombies in this novel. It wasn't just about a fight for survival it's about relationships, relationships between family, friends. Right and wrong. The gray area between black and white. Hope for a better tomorrow. Trust, truth, tears.

It was fantastic.





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Glitch (Glitch, #1) by Heather Anastasiu

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


In Glitch you are not free to have your own thoughts or emotions. You are what is called linked, it is a form of control. You eat, sleep, go about your day to day as mindless creatures controlled by the uppers. Humans have been living this way for about 200 years, connected and underground. Told that the surface is toxic and a wasteland after all the bombings on D-Day. Those showing signs of glitching will be deactivated if this occurs often enough. There are those working on the outside and in, who are determined to bring the Uppers down and free humanity once again.

Very enjoyable read. For a book about humans not having emotions, it sure brought one out a lot in me. Anger, Max, my goodness that boy, I do not like that boy.



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Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock, #1) by Faith Hunter

Skinwalker by Faith Hunter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jane Yellowrock, is a skinwalker and the only one of her kind that she knows of. No one other then her best friend Molly and, an earth witch, and Molly's family know what she is.

She is a rogue vampire hunter by trade and in this first novel of the series she has been hired by one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans to hunt down a vamp (offensive to term btw) who has been killing other vampires and cops.

Skinwalker had moments where I found myself, skimming the page because it wasn't holding my attention then having to go back and re-read the skimmed words. This happened at times when Jane was in her beast form (Beast what Jane calls it when she's in shifted into her cat form). It was the short clipped sentences of Jane's thoughts when in her "beast" form that made me feel sluggish when reading. I like the authors way of make the beast think in non human way but those moments dragged on and made my mind wander. Never fun to have to re-read sections because you get distracted each time the main character is in her other form.

That being said I did enjoy the story over all, and I am interested in continuing on with the series. Who knows perhaps as I read more I'll adjust to the beast and her thoughts.



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Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Reading this book was like stepping back into high school for me. The girl who was looked at as the freak, the girl who was told she was no fun and was told she was depressed, and depressing and that she needed help. I could have wrote this book, I lived so much of it, except I never took art class, I had creative writing, poetry was my drug of choice when it came to outlets.

When you have been in abused/raped/hurt in anyway physical or mental, the hardest thing to do is speak up. Silence at first becomes your friend, your only friend but in the end that same silence can turn in to your enemy, because in the end you only get hurt more with the thoughts you have tormenting you. Wanting to scream but drowning in your words that won't come out.

I think everyone should read this novel...no mater what stereotypical roll you fell into in high school.

I think everyone should read this book...no mater what your experiences with rape or abuse.

I think everyone should read this book...





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Onyx (Lux, #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Hello Daemon, I forgot how much I enjoyed you. XD

To some this could be spoilerish?

Ok so it had been a few years since I read the first book in this series, so I had to back track a little just to refresh my memory. But after a little Lux 101 I was on the path to enjoyment and mixture of other emotions. Swooning, and smiling. Rage and eye-rolling. I knew there was something fishy going on with certain characters, it was to obvious for them (Will and Blake). Not to go into to detail but they came across as too perfect if you know what I mean.

I am sooo grateful I'm not reading this when the books were originally released as I'd be on edge waiting for the next book. But lucky for me book 3 is awaiting me. :)







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