Blogiversary – Giveaway – Bound by Wish and Mistletoe – Signed Paperback by Kat Bastion @KatBastion

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Enter to win a signed paperback copy of this 5 star holiday novella. It is perfect for this Christmas Season!

Thank you Kat for being part of my blogiversary celebration.  ~Susi

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1.  Leave a comment on this post. What’s your favorite holiday read? Share this post too.

2.  One winner will win a signed paperback of  Bound by Wish and Mistletoe. The winner will be selected via random.org on Tuesday 12/16 at noon and will be notified via email.

3. Good luck!  Thanks for entering!

 

bound by wish and mistletoe

The holiday novella, Book 1.5, following the award-winning debut of Forged in Dreams and Magick in the Highland Legends Series:

Desperate to honor a life-long promise, Susanna MacEalan escapes her abusive clan with the fierce determination of never falling under the power of a man. Ever.

Aggravated by shallow-hearted pursuing lasses, Robert Brodie, commander of his clan’s elite guard, has foresworn scheming women. Forever.

When magick transforms Brodie Castle into a Christmas wonderland, the two despondent souls find solace in a most unexpected place . . . each other’s arms.

Amid a whirlwind of escalating events, Susanna’s traumatic past threatens Robert’s ability to protect the one woman meant for him. In a harrowing moment, as her fears and demons coalesce, will hope, faith, and love be enough to save them?


 

Follow Kat Bastion

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Read Kat’s official website:  www.katbastion.com

Read Kat’s blog page: www.talktotheshoe.com

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Latest project: No Weddings Series

I’m thrilled to be co-authoring with Stone Bastion, my husband, in a contemporary romance series!

No Weddings (9/8/14)
One Funeral (9/29/14)
Two Bar Mitzvahs (10/20/14)
Three Christmases (11/17/14)
…plus a steamy nightcap novella
For Valentine’s (1/5/14)

I’m fortunate to have won several awards for my paranormal romance writing in the first novel of the Highland Legends Series. The first two books are now available on Amazon:

Forged in Dreams and Magick
Bound by Wish and Mistletoe (a novella)

Slated for release in Winter 2014/2015:
~ Born of Mist and Legend
~ Found in Flame and Moonlight

Please also visit the Charity Support and Awareness page on both my blog and website, outlining how a portion of the proceeds of all of my books will go to charities that fight against human trafficking.

KAT AND STONE SHOE PIC

Best closing lines – What are your favorites?

As a teacher, I am always looking for ways to keep my students motivated.  I recently had my students find their favorite closing lines from books they read.  They actually loved this activity and it got some of my reluctant readers to read and participate.  While they compiled their lines, I did too.

Here are some of my favorite closing lines from books. I have decided to mix it up since that is exactly what my library looks like, a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I love all genres.  **Note, if you haven’t read some of the books listed, these closing lines may be spoilers.

mine

I used to dream of medals and championships, and now I dream of a blue-eyed fighter who one day changed my life when he put his lips on mine.

Mine, Katy Evans

100x100_wild

Max stepped into his private boat and waved goodbye and sailed back over a year and in and out of weeks and through a day and into the night of his very own room where he found his supper waiting for him—and it was still hot.

Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak

a beautiful wedding

I looked into his eyes, as full of love and hope as they were the year before, “One down, forever to go,” I whispered back.

A Beautiful Wedding, Jamie McGuire

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In the meantime, she would just live.

P.S. I Love You, Cecelia Ahern

bound by wish and mistletoe

You are loved.

Bound by Wish and Mistletoe, Kat Bastion

unbeautifully

For a moment, neither of them spoke, and he found himself holding his breath just so he could hear hers.  “I love you, too, ” she whispered.  “Babe,” he said softly. “Yeah.”

Unbeautifully, Madeline Sheehan

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So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

The Great Gatsby, F.Scott Fitzgerald

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Oh, my girls, however long you may live, I never can wish you a greater happiness than this.

Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

esperanza rising
It is no wonder that in Spanish, esperanza means “hope.”

Esperanza Rising, Pam Munoz Ryan

saviour

Lauren Marie Day, you have come into my life like a whirlwind, you have flipped my world, my thoughts and my heart upside down, you have woken something in me that I thought was long dead, you have brought me back to life, I love you more with every beat of my heart and I cannot and do not want to imagine my life without you in it.  I want to be with you forever, please would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?

Saviour, Lesley Jones

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The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds, and the tranquil waterway leading to the utmost ends of the earth flowed sombre under an overcast sky — seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness.

Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad

What are some of your favorite closing lines?  Leave a comment.  I’d love to know.

~Susi

Susi Reviews – Bound by Wish and Mistletoe by Kat Bastion

My first review is a 5 star holiday novella perfect for this Christmas Season!

bound by wish and mistletoe

The holiday novella, Book 1.5, following the award-winning debut of Forged in Dreams and Magick in the Highland Legends Series:

Desperate to honor a life-long promise, Susanna MacEalan escapes her abusive clan with the fierce determination of never falling under the power of a man. Ever.

Aggravated by shallow-hearted pursuing lasses, Robert Brodie, commander of his clan’s elite guard, has foresworn scheming women. Forever.

When magick transforms Brodie Castle into a Christmas wonderland, the two despondent souls find solace in a most unexpected place . . . each other’s arms.

Amid a whirlwind of escalating events, Susanna’s traumatic past threatens Robert’s ability to protect the one woman meant for him. In a harrowing moment, as her fears and demons coalesce, will hope, faith, and love be enough to save them?

Susi’s Review

I’d like to start my review by saying that I read Bound by Wish and Mistletoe by Kat Bastion when it first released and I loved it. Real life has been quite busy for me lately so I felt that I had to reread this book in order to write my personal review. Now, rereading a book is like watching a movie for the second time. You always catch things you may have missed the first time. I can honestly say that I am really glad that I reread it because my journey into the Highlands was so much better the second time around.

First of all,  I am a Susanna and have my very own Robert. Just like the characters in the book, I too ran into my Robert during a tough time in my life. While my Robert may not be a Scottish Highlander, he is quite similar to this warrior in the book. So yes, you could say he saved me too. Susanna and I share certain traits as well. I am strong willed and like to get my way.

I most enjoyed how the love story of these two characters unfolded and carried out throughout the book. Of course I cannot forget to mention my other favorites, Isobel, Iain, Brigid and Skorpius. Their presence in this book made the story complete. Besides the love story, the new found friendship between the ladies brought a smile to my face.

Christmas is a magical time of the year and the perfect setting for this magical story set in an enchanting place. The symbolism of Christmas, of hope, completes the story of Robert and Susanna. It also brings hope to the other characters that I cannot wait to read more of in the next book.

This review would not be complete if I didn’t mention that Kat’s writing is so eloquent.  I was most impressed with the love scenes in this story. Wow, Kat, I am visual and your scenes do stimulate the senses as they are beautifully and tastefully written.

There is a beautiful message embedded in this story. I hope everyone that reads it discovers it. For me, the personal connection completed and made this story so perfect.

I enjoyed this book immensely and highly recommend it!
I gave this book 5 brilliant stars!
Thank you Kat for writing such a beautiful story.

My favorite quotes 

“You needn’t be afraid of me, Susanna,” he murmered. “I give you my word, every action I make around you will be for your protection…or pleasure.”

“Anythin’ you want me to have, you’ll offer. If I have my way, you will beg me to take it.”

“On a occasion, a person comes into your life and you doona know how or why, but you know them. You feel connected in ways you canna explain. I never question the uncommon gifts of friendship and love—I embrace them.”

“Susanna, please. If you keep shakin’ your ass against me like that, I might die right here in this chair.”

“Tonight is one of countless nights in many years to come where we will celebrate hope, faith, and love at Christmastime.”

“I dinna know people could be so happy,” she confessed, her voice soft to her own ears.

”I had no idea happiness was possible for me, before you.”

“No woman ever gained my interest, because none of them were you.”

“Everything is possible. When we least expect it and have given up all hope of findin’ what we want, suddenly it appears in the most unlikely of places.”

“Lass, I’ve gone easy on you tonight. I’ll tease and worship your body ‘til you shake with need, then I’ll give you the pleasure you crave, over and over…and over again.”

“You are the wish I made. The verra thing I’d prayed for.”

“Wherever you are… I am found. You’re the one I wished for. I prayed for you long before I met you.”

“Susanna, I wished for us under that mistletoe.”

Follow Kat Bastion on Twitter.

Read Kat’s official website:  www.katbastion.com

Read Kat’s blog page: www.talktotheshoe.com