Review: Minty by Christina Banach

Synopsis
Fourteen-year-old twins Minty and Jess are inseparable. Maybe they bicker now and then, even crave a bit of space once in a while. But they have a connection. Unbreakable. Steadfast. Nothing can tear them apart. Until a family trip to the coast puts their bond in jeopardy. As Minty tries to rescue her dog from drowning she ends up fighting for her life. Will Minty survive? If she doesn’t, how will Jess cope without her? Only the stormy sea has the answer.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

My Review
I completely and utterly fell in love with this book. It was read in a matter of hours as I just couldn't put it down. Both heartfelt and humorous, this is one of those stories that will stay with me for, well probably for years! Minty is such a loveable character, as is her dear sister and their bond is typical of twins (or so I understand). Nothing can pull these girls apart and there lies the problem.
Gosh it's so difficult to write a review of this book without giving the game away!
Let's just say that if you love stories with depth, humour and real life relationships, then you'll love this. It has it all and I really hope that Christina writes more soon because she has become my 'One to Watch' this year.

About the author
Christina Banach is a former head teacher who lives in Scotland, UK, with her husband and their two rescue dogs. She loves walking; delicious food and wine; evenings at the theatre; exploring new places; surfing the Net; listening to music; and anything that makes her laugh. Plus she has a bit of a thing about shoes and handbags. She loves reading, and is especially keen on young adult and children's fiction (all those years buying for school libraries!).
She is currently working on her next novel.

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GIVEAWAY
--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

Winner will receive a Paperback Copy of Minty by Christina Banach.
Winner will receive a $20.00 Amazon Gift Card.
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The Pirate Curse by E.J Stevens & Giveaway!

Title: The Pirate Curse
Series: Spirit Guide #5
Author: E.J. Stevens
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Paranormal Mystery

Synopsis:
When Yuki starts smelling salt brine and seaweed, she finds her summer vacation hijacked by pirates...the DEAD kind.
Will the ghost of Black Sam Bellamy, Prince of Pirates, lead Yuki and her friends to treasure or terror?
A new Spirit Guide adventure you won't want to miss!
Release Date: October 8, 2013
One lucky winner will receive a $15 Amazon Gift Card and a The Pirate Curse Ebook.a Rafflecopter giveaway

Daisy Madigan's Paradise is now FREE on Amazon!

Finally, I can announce that Daisy Madigan's Paradise is FREE on Amazon!

Daisy Madigan's Paradise is a Morgan Sisters novella
When tragedy falls upon 15 year old Daisy Madigan, she escapes to the only place she feels safe, the cemetery of Abney Park. There, in the company of the dearly departed, she realizes she is changing, growing stronger and faster by the day. But in the darkness lurks a terror even she can't imagine facing.

Excerpt
She could feel it in the air, the sensation that she wasn't alone in the cemetery. And it wasn't the ghosts or the animals in the undergrowth. This was different. Her senses on full alert, Daisy was cautious to make little noise as she walked slowly and carefully through the gravestones, past the sleeping lion and beyond the numerous headless statues of angels that were scattered among the trees.
When she heard a howl, she stopped dead in her tracks and listened intently, her eyes skimming the area all around. The howl was followed by laughter, and not the fun kind. She knew immediately that she was dealing with a group.
Her first instinct was to run but, not knowing which direction they were coming from, she climbed the nearest tree. Seconds later, she sat on a heavy branch, barely breathing.
She'd never even realised she was capable of climbing trees and to do so at such speed shocked her. But she didn't have time to think about that, she knew those people in the park were bad news and she didn't want them to catch her.
Silently waiting, she barely took a breath as she watched the group grow nearer. There were four men, three women and two incredibly large dogs. As they approached, Daisy bit her lip. They weren't dogs. They were wolves and they were on to her scent, sniffing all around the area.
Fortunately, they seemed to lose interest and neither of them looked upwards.
Daisy Madigan's Paradise is a FREE Morgan Sisters novella. Get your Amazon copy here:
AMAZON US
AMAZON UK

Check out the book trailer

The first full length novel in the series is entitled The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw and is available for just $2.99

How Powell River changed my life

The exact spot in Powell River that changed my life 

Have you ever visited a place and just been blown away by it? I mean, totally and utterly awe-struck by its beauty? That happened to me a couple of years ago when my husband and I first visited Canada. We were immediately struck by how friendly the people were... genuinely friendly, you know? It wasn't just that of course, it was the natural surroundings that just took my breath away.
One particular spot had such a profound effect on me, in fact, that it inspired me to begin writing a whole series of books. That spot was located in Powell River, British Columbia.
We'd driven all the way across from Banff (not all in one go, mind you!) so we'd seen our share of gorgeous locations, but when we stopped and got out of the car, we decided we'd have a picnic. So we carried our food down to the shore and sat on these massive pieces of driftwood that were scattered all over the beach. I'm pretty sure I barely ate anything because I was too busy falling in love.
It was breathtaking... but it was also so inspirational. There was an air of mystery to it too which made me imagine all kinds of weird and wonderful possibilities. After reading, watching and falling in love with the Twilight series, I could imagine supernatural events happening right there in Powell River.
I wanted changelings, witches, vampires, werewolves, ghosts and more, all to have a place in what would later be known as The Raven Saga. It would centre around a young girl who moves to Powell River after her parents disappear and discovers she is part of a supernatural world. The first book, Raven, is out now. You can buy it here, and the second, December Moon will be out in September.
It was that little beach in Powell River that inspired me to write The Raven Saga. In fact, it changed my life. It made me realise my dream. The dream that I can write books that excite people, books that people want to read. I've already had messages from readers desperate to read the sequel! I'd like to thank Powell River for that.