Tag Archives: high school

Giveaway – Shadowed Seats by Marguerite Ashton @XpressoTours @msashton_writer

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Shadowed Seats
Marguerite Ashton
(Oliana Mercer, #1)
Publication date: August 21st 2017
Genres: Mystery, Young Adult

Oliana knows that every family has a secret, but she never expected hers to come from the grave.

High school senior Oliana Mercer dreams of attending the prestigious Reyersen Drama Academy and pursuing her acting career. But when tragedy strikes, Oliana discovers secrets hidden from her by her adopted parents, dimming the lights on her perfect world. As the sins of the past surface, Oliana finds herself caught up in a tug-of-war between two families while the love for her boyfriend is tested. Determined to find some form of happiness in life, Oliana becomes student director in the high school’s senior play. When her best friend, Devin Worthy, dies during dress rehearsal, Oliana is re-cast as the lead. Everyone thinks the death was a suicide, except Oliana, whose search for clues may be enough motive for the killer to murder again.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT

“Numbness held me in place as I closed the notebook and tucked it inside the wig. What did this mean? Is the Oliana mentioned in the notebook me? It had to be. But what was this about being set free? My bio parents died in a car accident.

      For a second, I felt like I was standing next to a furnace, smoldering in its waves of heat. I hurried out of the attic and stood outside, trying to catch my breath.

      Rain pelted my face as I glanced up at my parents’ window on the second floor, then at the driveway where Mom’s minivan and Dad’s pickup were parked. Inside the house, the lights were on in the kitchen. Probably doing what they always do together, cooking dinner.

      Grief hollowed my insides. Now was not the time to confront them about what I found. Besides what was I going to do? Tell Mom, I was snooping and found something that freaked me out?  The problem was I wanted to go in there and disturb their happiness, so I could get answers about what I’d read. Answers about the handwritten note to Mom by the woman I believed was my birth mother.”

Excerpt From

Shadowed Seats: Oliana Mercer Series

Marguerite Ashton


Author Bio:

When Marguerite Ashton was in her twenties, she took up acting but realized she preferred to work behind the camera, writing crime fiction. A few years later, she married an IT Geek and settled down with her role as wife, mom, and writer!

Her blog, Criminal Lines: Settled Writer Past 40 is her outlet while building dollhouses and plotting out her next book.

Marguerite lives in Wisconsin and enjoys RVing.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter


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Work of Art II: A Reflection of Masks by Ken La Salle @KenLaSalle

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I love the cover for Work of Art by Ken La Salle. It fits the story to a T.

A Reflection of Masks (Work of Art, #2)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“Art can be many things, a flower, a stage, and even a mask. We all wear masks. It takes an artist to see a reflection.”

Think about it…are you one person when at home alone, another when with a spouse or child, another at work…

Andy wondered, “Had I done it? Had I really taught kids something?” He hadn’t believed in art, but he is learning as much…or maybe even more…than the kids in his class.

It had all started with Joseph and one flower, blooming into a garden, gathering an unlikely cast of characters. It transcends the art. It was mutually beneficial as they all learn some of life’s lessons.

“…when has life ever been fair…?” Has it treated you fairly?

How do you teach, inspire, create without killing a child’s dreams? And what about the parents. Granted, this is not the best neighborhood, or the best school, but who’s raising the children? Even more important, who is feeding the children? My heart breaks for Joseph…and the others.

I have gotten to know the characters better in this second book and am more invested in their lives, their futures. These kids are labeled and I am sure some of them are considered ‘throwaway’ kids. What I loved the most about them, was how they came together, doing what they felt needed to be done, and figured it out on their own. Andy is drug along for the ride.

“Don’t ever say I don’t help. Do I back into it most of the time with no idea how I got there? Sure. But I do help.” And that describes Andy Hollis. He has his own struggles, has been to jail, been homeless…

I have so many notes for Work of Art by Ken La Salle. This is a difficult book for me to review. I am having a hard time expressing my feelings. I feel it is an indepth glimpse into humanity, showing the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I hope there are a lot more of these kids out there, refusing to acknowledge that ‘you can’t do that.’

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Work of Art by Ken La Salle.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Joseph has painted his flowers.
A masterpiece sits in concrete.
Andy Hollis, ersatz instructor of art at Santa Ana High School, has won… if slightly.
He has inspired a classroom of artists, leaving him to decide who will be chosen for the next work of art. Can one high school art club keep shaking the world with its creations or will the art destroy the club? Every brush stroke is crucial and Andy doesn’t know how to paint.
Meanwhile, in a certain parking lot, Joseph’s flowers have taken on a life of their own, garnering unexpected interest with unbelievable results. Andy is faced with a restless artist with a surprising, new following and a work of art that refuses to stay put.
And what about the mysterious artist, Tom? Where has he disappeared to? How can he keep all of his promises? Or does he have something else in mind for the artists? For Andy? Something dark and devastating?
Andy Hollis is no artist but he may need to become one in ways he could never expect. Art can be many things, a flower, a stage, and even a mask.
We all wear masks.
It takes an artist to see their reflection.

ABOUT KEN LA SALLE

Ken La Salle

Born on an 18th century mining ship, Ken La Salle is not his name. He just likes it. He writes about whatever he damn well pleases, hoping to build more of a cult following than a readership just for a cut on the robes. Looking for the mainstream but sticking to the shore, you can find out more about Ken La Salle at the imaginatively named www.kenlasalle.com.

MY KEN LA SALLE REVIEWS

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Giveaway – Wallflower by Cookie O’Gorman @CookieOwrites @YABoundToursPR

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Book Tour! 
Wallflower
by: Cookie O’Gorman

Wallflower 
by: Cookie O’Gorman
YA Romance 
Release Date: March 25, 2021



Summary: 
Wallflower (wohl-flou-erh): Identifier for someone who is shy and/or awkward. For reference, see Viola Kent.

Seventeen-year-old Viola Kent likes being invisible. Well, not literally, but she’s content being a loner, reading her books, and hanging out with the animals at the shelter. She just wants to keep her head down and get through her senior year at Durham High.

Driving Dare Frost to school every day wasn’t part of the plan.

And when Viola finds out her dad recruited Dare, his number one player, to be her friend?

Her inner Slytherin demands revenge.

The solution: Get Dare to be her fake boyfriend.

Convincing the star athlete to pretend is easier than she’d thought it would be. The hard part is protecting her heart. With every word, touch, and kiss, Viola’s feelings become more real.

The problem: Viola knows she’s falling for Dare—but he doesn’t believe in love.

This book features two sets of soulmates, one happy pooch named Hermione, so many sizzling kisses and answers the question:

Can a dork and a jock fake their way to true love?


Buy Link:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Z7BNLQB?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420 




Giveaway! 

$25 Amazon Gift Card 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt:

“Come on, Dare.  Show me your moves.  Or did you run out already?”

Dare walked toward me until the top of my thighs hit the couch cushion.  “I’ve got a ton of moves, flower.  We haven’t even tried half of them.”

I blinked.  “Really?”

He nodded.  “I’m just trying to ease you into this, make sure you’re comfortable.  I don’t want to move too fast.”

Please, do, I thought.

The words that came out of my mouth were, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

It had sounded good, quippy and totally aloof in my head.

But Dare took it as a challenge.

“I’m going to enjoy this,” Dare said.

Before I could respond, he gripped the backs of my legs and lifted slightly, making me gasp and throw my arms about his neck.  In the next instant, I was balanced on the couch back, my legs on either side of his hips as he took a step forward.  There hadn’t been that much space between us to begin with.  So, the next thing I knew his body was mere inches away from mine.

My cheeks flamed, and he drank in my reaction.






Author Bio:

Cookie O’Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad  and WALLFLOWER are out now!  She is also the author of NA sports romance, The Best Mistake.







  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!