Review: more Rayne Hall e-books

I received these items in exchange for an honest review. Blurb and image sources Tomoson.com, Amazon.com.

I have a mess of stuff to review today for you all, with limited computer time so I decided to just go ahead and post these 3 reviews all in one post and I'll update them on my phone as time allows. Sorry about that. :/ I know it's not very professional. My health has been suffering and I've kind of gotten things out of hand around here but hopefully things will be back to normal before long, although I will definitely be cutting back on the reviews. Anyway, I have 3 ebooks to share with you today, edited and or written by Rayne Hall. First up is Twitter for Writers. Speaking of which, I created a new Twitter account as an author account, woohoo! Give me a follow if you'd like, I'd appreciate it. I'm @Pazwraithia: https://twitter.com/Pazwraithia

Blurb:
Use Twitter to improve your writing, network with other authors, meet fans, build a platform, gain exposure, find reviewers and sell books.

Rayne Hall has one of the best platforms any writer has on Twitter – with over 50,000 genuine, engaged followers who enjoy her tweets and buy her books. Here she shares practical advice, fun ideas, step-by-step strategies for success – and even the embarrassing mistakes she made.

This book is a great help to any writer who wants to use Twitter as a professional tool without wasting precious writing time. Suitable for newbies as well as Twitter veterans, it shows you how to spot fake followers, guides you past the dreaded 2,000-follower hurdle, helps you throw a Twitter party and reveals the most powerful ways to promote a book.

Review:
While I'm no twitter newbie, I'm also not an expert. Even with my schooling in Web Development, I found a lot of really helpful and useful tips in this book. It encouraged me to take the first step by making a new twitter account as an author page, and I've been following along the steps as I go while reading. So far I've been fairly happy with my new account. There are definitely a lot of tips in this book which would be helpful for just about anyone looking to create a business twitter account, not just writers. I greatly appreciate how Hall has included many of her mistakes in this book so others can learn from them. For me, it's given me a different perspective as to how to approach using Twitter as well, and hopefully my new interaction level will pay off. This is a great guide for anyone looking to create a business account on Twitter or looking to improve their existing fan base. I definitely recommend it.

For 99 cents on Amazon, you definitely get your money's worth.

Blurb:
Do you like the traditional, blood-sucking, dangerous type of vampire? Then this story collection is for you.

Ten authors have created creepy, chilling, funny, thought-provoking and scary stories about dark suckers.

Are vampires to be pitied for their vulnerabilities, or envied for their powers? How do we know who is a vampire? How do we know what vampires want from us? What if they are expressions of our own forbidden desires?

What if the victims give their blood willingly, in return for a boon? What if they drain from their victims not blood, but something more precious - their courage, their faith, their ability to love?

Is what they offer a fair exchange for what they take? Do you yearn for thrills, for immortality, for everlasting youth? Would you be willing to pay for this with your blood, your life, your soul?

Ten authors probe these questions in their tales. Each story in this book explores a different concept of vampires, a different question, a different danger. To reflect the authors' individual voices, you will find both American and British words and spellings in this book.

See which story resonates most with you. Enjoy the tales - but be warned: these vampires are dangerous.

1. TANGLED DREAMS by Liv Rancourt
Sometimes it's safer to leave history's secrets alone.
2. REALITY BITES! by Jim Bernheimer
Vampires have problems just like the rest of us.
3. NIGHT TRAIN by Rayne Hall
The train is about to enter a tunnel - and vampires are on board.
4. WINTER FLOWER by Jonathan Broughton
Dark desires unfurl where shadows thrive.
5. IT'S IN YOUR BLOOD by Pamela Turner
Be careful when accepting an invitation.
6. THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN by Debbie Christiana
When you help someone, it may come back to bite you.
7. THE FLEDGLING DOUBT by Lana Bange
What if you're one moment too late to protect a victim?
8. THE DHAMPIR'S KISS by Carole Ann Moleti
Can any vow survive immortal life?
9. EXILE by April Grey
Death could be just the beginning.
10. WHY I WON'T READ SONG OF SOLOMON by Douglas Kolacki
A vampire may feed off a victim without leaving bite marks on the neck.

Some of these stories have been previously published in magazines and e-zines.

This story collection is part of the 'Ten Tales' series of anthologies, edited by Rayne Hall.
Review:
I absolutely love some of the stories in Bites, and I'll be looking for more work from some of the authors once my reading list is shorter. There are a few stories here which I absolutely love. This is definitely a fantastic collection of stories for the avid vampire fanatic such as myself. 

Tangled dreams - enjoyed this one very much. Kept me on the edge of my seat, didn't want to stop reading. Excellent.

Reality Bites - funny, unexpected twist and absolutely perfect last line.

Night Train - very good, seemingly predictable but with a nicely twisted end.

Winter Flower - excellent story although I felt it ended too abruptly. I definitely wanted to keep reading more! Lovers of vampire romance must read this story.

It's in Your Blood - unexpected, quite good

The Land of the Rising Sun- okay, seemed to be lacking something, but well written.

The Fledgling Doubt and The Dhampir's Kiss were not my favorite. They both were well written but just ok, didn't really hold my interest.

Exile I really enjoyed up until the end, which I felt was kind of dumb. It was a well written, good story but it just fell flat for me.

Why I Won't Read Song of Solomon- I'm guessing this would mean more if I had ever read Song of Solomon but I haven't, so let us continue, shall we? I found this story to be somewhat interesting, and I did enjoy the different perspective of the idea of a vampire, appreciating the cynicism.

Bites is available on Amazon for 99 cents or for free with Kindle Unlimited.

Blurb:
 Exciting, spooky and scary stories for everyone, edited by Rayne Hall.

Ten authors spin creepy yarns, each with a different writing style and a different way of telling a story. Allow these fantasy and horror stories to haunt you, and see which story resonates most with you.

1. GHOSTS CAN BLEED by Tracie McBride
Ghosts can bleed. Maurice knows, because he is one.
2. DANCERS by William Meikle
A country graveyard in winter can be made warm.
3. BREAKWATER BEACH by Carole Ann Moleti
Ever felt that you've been somewhere before? Perhaps you have.
4. THE PIANO MAN by Kiersten Hartrim
No one has played the old upright piano in the bar since the Lady Pianist died.
5. TAKE ME TO ST ROCH'S by Rayne Hall
Never pick up hitchhikers.
6. THE EXPLANATION FOR GHOSTS by Douglas Kolacki
Forget everything you've ever heard about what they are.
7. MOTHER MINE by April Grey
A mother's love never dies.
8. THE MINE SHAFT by Sera Hayes
Curiosity leading superstition digs an early grave.
9. DARK REUNION by Jonathan Broughton
Love sours when you commit murder.
10. A PUDDLE OF DEAD by Grayson Bray Morris
Her long-lost love is back... or is he?

To preserve the authors' individual voices, the stories preserve the British, American and Australian spellings, grammar and punctuation. Some stories have been previously published in magazines, e-zines, story collections and anthologies.

Review:
coming up!

You can purchase Haunted on Amazon.com for 99 cents. 

My thanks to Tomoson.com and Rayne Hall for the chance to review these e-books.

Beginning Salsa Dance 3 Pack - 3 DVD Beginning Salsa Dance System Review

I received this item in exchange for an honest review. Image source Tomoson.com, blurb source Amazon.com

Today I have one last set of Salsa Crazy DVDs to share with you, and surprise! This time it's actually Salsa I'm reviewing.

Blurb:
Salsa Dancing Lessons, Step by Step
Why learn to Salsa Dance? It's fun, social, and a passion that will last you a lifetime! The benefits to health, fitness, coordination, and lifestyle will be far beyond what you can imagine now! Anyone can, and should, learn to Salsa Dance. Give it a try, with the finest beginners dance DVD on the market.
It's finally here - your definitive guide to learn to salsa dance. Don't miss this fantastic DVD that really walks you, step-by-step, through all the fundamentals of Salsa Dancing in a fun, social and energetic way. WHAT IS ON THESE 3 VIDEOS: Join SalsaCrazy as we help you to understand the important basic concepts that will enable you to become a great social salsa dancer. If you've been wanting to learn to salsa dance, but thought that it would be too complicated - have no fear - this method is fast and best of all EASY!
You'll Start with the basic concepts revealed, explained and practiced. You will understand the simple concepts of timing and footwork - today! Get into the basic step and learn a few fun salsa patterns. Learn what to do, and what will look good out in the real world. DVD menus let you go back and review! LADIES WILL LEARN: How to follow, basic turns and dance frame, and of course, styling and how to create the cuban motion - or those sexy salsa hips you've always wanted. Step by step instruction on how to get the movement going - use it in your basic from the start. In addition, an interview on Salsa History, and Dance Club etiquette is also covered. 

Review:

This set of DVDs is older than the other dance DVDs I've reviewed from them. In a way, that makes it more fun.

The Beginner's DVD includes a very detailed scene selection, dance and club etiquette, history of salsa and outtakes as bonus material. One of the things I like about this set is the tips are placed on the screen, and that is very helpful. Knowing Zumba definitely came in handy when trying out this DVD, as some of the dance moves are a bit faster pace but easy to learn if you've done Zumba as I have. 

Thanks to SalsaCrazy for providing me with this product for review.

Gold and Silver Flash Tattoos by Voodoo Tattoo Review + Giveaway

I received this item in exchange for an honest review. Sponsored giveaway.

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll already know that today I'm reviewing some pretty cool temporary tattoos from Voodoo Tattoo. I've been wasting way too much time lately playing an app war game so my inner warrior kind of came out to play for this review. I gave some of my game friends a sneak peek and they approved of my war paint. Let me know what you think :)

I was provided with this set of tats called Petra, and I felt it was a pretty nice collection of designs. I was definitely happy with my options here. I haven't used them all yet, so I'll probably be playing around with them some more and when I do I'll post the pictures on Instagram to follow up.

I started with a test piece just to see how easily these apply. These honestly are as simple as you can get. You just lift the transparent film, cut out the piece you want and place it on your skin, then press a wet wash cloth to it for about 15 seconds. Done. You seriously cannot get any simpler than that.

For my showcase pictures, as I said, I went all out and applied the tattoos to my face - which has produced some interesting comments so far. My boyfriend: I don't think you're supposed to use them like that. Another friend: Why'd you do that?, when I told him I applied them to my face. Uuummmm.. why not????????? I'm a homemaker / blogger, not a banker.

I was really happy with how these turned out. Besides being so easy to use, they just look fantastic. I definitely prefer the black. The silver and gold pieces are nice but they just don't stand out as well as the black and of course they have a more wrinkled, crackled appearance. That's just my preference, however.

These are meant to last 3 days, which I just applied them yesterday so I'll have to keep you updated. The band on my forehead did rub off a little bit in my sleep, but then I applied it over top makeup so that might be why. But, good to know you can use these over makeup, right?  As for removal, I haven't tried too hard to remove them. I did use my makeup wipe on them last night and nothing came off immediately (might be why it came off in my sleep.) I also tried using some rubbing alcohol on the piece on my hand and it didn't lift at all. So... I guess these are great if you're looking for something to wear for a couple of days, probably not so good if you want a quick fun look that's easy to remove.

There is a warning that these should not be used on sensitive skin, but I did not have any problems.

You can pick these and other flash tattoos from Voodoo Tattoo on Amazon. This set is $14.99 with free shipping. They provide a 100% satisfaction guarantee as well, so that's pretty cool.

edit: so it turns out these came off pretty easily due to the makeup. just wiped away with emu oil of all things. the one on my hand is still there, hasn't faded off yet.

Voodoo Tattoo is sponsoring a giveaway, which I will have the full details shortly.

USA only, ends February 27.

My thanks to Tomoson.com and Voodoo Tattoo for providing me with this sample.

Six Quirky Tales and Beltane: Ten Tales of Witchcraft - 2 ebook Reviews

I received this item in exchange for an honest review. Image and blurb source Tomoson.com

Someone hasn't been sleeping well, so today I'm playing catch up and reviewing two ebooks in one post. The first is a fun book by Rayne Hall, the second is edited by Hall.

Blurb:
Six entertaining, twisted fantasy stories by Rayne Hall.  Stories are suitable for grownups and older children (with parental guidance). Most of the stories are short - this book is a quick read.

The book contains these stories:

Gunda's Garden Gnomes
How the Toilet-Maker's Daughter Became Queen
Scylla and the Pepper Pirates
The Prince Who Came Out of the Plaice
The Water of Truth
The Devil Eats Here. 

Review:
Six Quirky Tales is a fun filled, short collection of stories which will provide much entertainment for those with a slightly twisted sense of humor. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the stories, with the minor exception of Scylla and the Pepper Pirates. It was interesting and at times humorous, but apparently reading about pirates isn't quite my cup of tea. This story in particular makes me think of The Princess Bride, if Buttercup had run off to find Wesley and things had worked out differently. Gunda's Garden Gnomes, How the Toilet-Maker's Daughter Became Queen and The Prince Who Came out of the Plaice were my favorites in this volume. I absolutely adore Hall's humor and I was not disappointed in the least with these stories. The Devil Eats Here I had read before in her anthology of the same name. Despite a few predictable twists and turns in these stories, I did enjoy it very much and would recommend it to my readers.

Six Quirky Tales Volume 1 is available on Amazon for 99 cents or free for Kindle Unlimited.

  
Blurb:
Ten exciting, entertaining, thought-proviking witchcraft stories by ten authors.

If you meet a witch, will you know if they're the kind or the evil sort? If you hear about someone practising witchcraft, how do you judge if their magic is real? If rumours spread through your neighbourhood or mass hysteria sweeps through your community, will you be able to keep a clear head? If the only way to solve your problem is by resorting to witchcraft, will you desist or give it a try?

In this book, all the witches are real. They practice different kinds of witchcraft: Traditional, Stregheria, Santeria, Wicca and more. Some are good, some are evil, and others are in between, so beware of jumping to early conclusions.  Ten authors share their visions of witches and witchcraft, and each tells their story in a different writing style.  

The stories are meant for grown-ups and teenagers (PG13). With parental guidance, some may be suitable for younger readers. 

Review:

I really enjoyed An Accidental Witch, finding it humorous, with a good touch of romance and also somewhat thought provoking. Alba I found to be long yet interesting, definitely a thought provoking and entertaining piece all on its own. The pricking of My Thumbs is a strange, twisted Shakespearean tale, not exactly my kind of story but well written. The Cat Maiden is a comical, entertaining and fun read with a nice twist.

// something came up and I ran out of time to review the rest of this book. my apologies, will complete it as I can.

Beltane is available on Amazon for 99 cents or for free with Kindle Unlimited.

My thanks to Tomoson.com and Rayne Hall for providing me with these books in exchange for an honest review.

Testing

I thought I'd try using the blogger app now that I have a new phone, so this is just a test post 😀

I cut my hair the other day- about 8 inches gone! Pardon my picture- no makeup other than Zoya Hot Lips - and almost no sleep last week so I look a little rough. Planning on dyeing my hair tomorrow so I'll post updated pictures. I've got something different planned 😉

Spells: Ten Tales of Magic (ebook) review

I received this item in exchange for an honest review. Image and blurb source Tomoson.com

Good day my faithful readers! I'll apologize for what seems like the millionth time as of late for the lack of blog posts. This past week has been quite the learning experience for me, as I've made many new friends so that's been taking up quite a lot of my time. What's more, I am barely sleeping these days. But apparently that agrees with me because I've also lost a ton of weight this week. The no sleep, new friends weight loss diet? Seems to be working wonderfully for me. I also feel as though a piece of myself has returned to me, and some of the long ago brain injuries are being undone. Thank God. So anyway, I just have a lot going on right now. Hope to be back soon with some more manicures, but for now I have another book review for you from the wonderful editor, Rayne Hall.

Blurb: 

 The authors of these ten tales have spun yarns based on the premise that magic is real, but it requires skill to harness its force, and abuse brings danger. Suspend your disbelief, and find out what happens when people use magic to gain power, healing, wisdom or love.

Some stories take place in fantasy lands, others in the world you know. Some are short, others long; some are funny, others poignant; some aim to entertain, others to make you think. Each author has a different vision of magic, a different way of telling a story, and a different writing style. See which of them resonate with you.

Read about wizardry, witchcraft and sorcery. Let the stories guide you into worlds where magic is real, and enjoy the enchantment.

1. SYSTEM, MAGIC, SPIRIT by T.D. Edge
Will Ambrose betray his magic system just to save an idiot prince?

2. OBSESSION by Pamela Turner
Some questions are best left unasked.

3. LADY BARD by Cherie Reich
A love song may be the only cure for a cursed prince.

4. THE FINAL SPARK by CJ Burright
She couldn't afford to fail again.

5. ST JAKE OF THE FUNHOUSE by Douglas Kolacki
For Edward, the 'saint' part was the scariest.

6. BARNABAS by Jeff Hargett
Sixty years, Barnabas has searched for his magic. Will he finally find it in Matilda’s Magic Shop?

7. BY YOUR OWN FREE WILL by Rayne Hall
What price would you pay to get your heart's desire?

8. A MAGICAL MELODY by Ciara Ballintyne
In a world where magic is in the music, Avram must settle the score before it's too late.

9. BRAINS, SEX OR MONEY? by Tara Maya
What would you choose?

10. THE WHITE RAVEN'S FEATHER by David D. Levine
Ibude is a warm-weather wizard held hostage in a frozen land, but his troubles can still get worse. 

Review:

I've read quite a few of Hall's collections by now. This wasn't my favorite, but it definitely has it's share of funny and interesting stories. I found System, Magic, Spirit to be quite witty and humorous and the story itself different and interesting. I think this was one of my favorites in the collection. Continuing on, Obsession was amusing and entertaining but yes - my OCD would like to point out that October 13th does not a Scorpio make, but a Libra. Lady Bard I found to be sappy, but the romantic in me enjoyed it. The Final Spark seemed a little long to me, though good nevertheless. St. Jake of the Funhouse was not one of my favorites, but it was kind of an interesting idea. I didn't think it was great but it wasn't terrible, either. Barnabas I really enjoyed, and found it to be pretty funny. Those who enjoy comic fantasy I think would enjoy Barnabas especially. Rayne's work does tend to be a little bit predictable at times, and By Your Own Free Will was no exception. However, I really enjoy Hall's sense of humor and this story did not disappoint. A Magical Melody wasn't my favorite in this work, but I can appreciate the idea as being somewhat unique and interesting. Upon reflection, I'm reminded of some of the music fighters in various RPGs when I think of this story. Brains, Sex or Money is very short (2 pages in my Kindle), straight to the point and a great example of cynical comedy. Lastly is the White Raven's Feather, which I just didn't seem to be able to get interested in.

Overall, I enjoyed this collection although a few of the stories felt a bit lacking. For the 99 cent price tag on Amazon, it's a decent purchase.

My thanks again to Rayne Hall and Tomoson.com for providing me with this e-book for review.