New Year! Welcome 2017!

First off, happy 2017! Wahoo! It's a new year, a new perspective, a new beginning.

I had this whole blog post I typed up about me and mine and what we went through last year and the positive that came out of the negative and the goals I didn't achieve last year and the one's I want to check off this year.
But then I saw watched this TED talk with Brené Brown and she says so many things of what I was thinking for myself this year. I want to be kinder to myself. Forgive myself more; say no more; open my heart more.

Here are a few WOW moments from the talk for me:

• We make what is uncertain, certain. For instance, politics and religion. We tend to say, "I'm right, you're wrong. Shut up." There's no discourse or conversation anymore, just blame.
• What is blame? Blame is a way to discharge our pain and discomfort. (WOW)
• We are hardwired to struggle. We are not perfect. But we ARE worthy of love and belonging!

The takeaways:

• Let ourselves be seen, deeply seen
• Love with out hearts, even though there is no guarantee
• Practice gratitude and joy in those moments of terror
• I am enough. We are kinder and gentler to the people around us and ourselves when we know we are enough

So I'm going share it with you. It's about 20 minutes long but thought provoking.

My top fifteen favorite reads from 2016

I read so many amazing books in 2016! I wanted to put them all on this list. I tried to narrow it down to ten but I gave in to fifteen.
I can't wait to find my 2017 favorites!

What were your favorite reads last year?

(There is no particular order to these books.)

EVER THE HUNTED (Clash of Kingdoms #1) by Erin Summerill
Loved this book. Love the author.

SIX OF CROWS and CROOKED KINGDOM  (Six of Crows #1 & #2) by Leigh Bardugo
Her characters are so well developed that I mourned with them, wanted to slap them silly and loved them.

TRUTH OF EMBERS (Dragonsword #3) by Catilyn McFarland
Do you like dragons? Read this series! Do you like romance AND dragons? Read this series!

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STARS by Katherine King
I love Ms. King's writing style!

AS YOU ARE (The Jonquil Brothers #3) by Sarah M. Eden
Anything by Sarah Eden is worth your time. Especially ones about the Jonquil brothers.

DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING by Tricia Levenseller
Pirates! Romance! Yes, please!

GILDED CAGE (Dark Gifts #1) by Vic Smith
Aristocrats, magic and the dark side of both.

THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN ME IS YOU by Lily Anderson
Taming of the Shrew meets modern day high school. Totally cute!

THE WRATH & THE DAWN (The Wrath and the Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdieh
Beautiful story inspired by A Thousand and One nights.

THE READER (Sea of Ink and Gold #1) by Traci Chee
A book that tells the future as you read it?

HAG-SEED: THE TEMPEST RETOLD by Margaret Atwood
A retelling of tempest in a prison. It's awesome.

 SLAVE QUEEN (An Omar Zagouri Thriller #3) By H.B. Moore
I love this series. The author goes back and forth between our time and the time of Ottoman empire. And there's lots of romance.

WILLOWKEEP by Julie Daines
Ghostly letters and love among the willows.

BEAUTY AND THE CLOCKWORK BEAST by Nancy Allen Campbell
The title sums up the story nicely.

THE KINGMAKER by Gemma Perfect SPOTLIGHT!

Books:

The Kingmaker

“I am sixteen years old and I will die on the morning of my seventeenth birthday. As tradition dictates, I will be sacrificed and my life’s blood will determine which one of my two brothers will be King. My blood will kill one and crown one. My name is Everleigh and I am the Kingmaker.”

The legend of the Kingmaker goes back millions of years. Their magic chooses the rightful King of the Realm and they all die on their seventeenth birthday.

Except this one.

Everleigh is special.

She is the Kingmaker who will live, the Kingmaker who will rule, the Kingmaker who will be Queen.

But not everyone agrees with an age old prophecy that says that a girl will rule the Realm and soon Everleigh is locked in a deadly battle for the throne.

Genre: Young adult historical fantasy

Release: January 1s t 2017

Buy links: books2read.com/u/3RBY5p

Seize the Crown

The legend of the Kingmaker goes back millions of years. Their magic chooses the rightful King of the Realm and they all die on their seventeenth birthday.

Except Everleigh. A prophecy said she would live and rule, but her brother’s deadly ambition saw him take the crown that should rightfully be on her head.

Everleigh is determined to avenge her loved ones and seize the crown at the same time.

If a fight is what it takes to rule, she will fight or die trying, in this fantastic follow up to The Kingmaker.

Genre: Young adult historical fantasy

Release: January 1s t 2017

Buy links: books2read.com/u/3neMvR

Born to Rule

The legend of the Kingmaker goes back millions of years. Their magic chooses the rightful King of the Realm and they all die on their seventeenth birthday.

Except Everleigh. A prophecy said she would live and rule, and she finally holds all of the power in the Realm. With her brother missing in action, the crown is almost on her head and she is ready to rule.

But with Millard on the run and attacks being made ‘in the name of the King’, Everleigh must put a stop to her brother before her Kingdom is in ruins and if, as Queen, she must kill her own blood, she will gladly do it, in this incredible conclusion to The Kingmaker Trilogy.

Genre: Young adult historical fantasy

Release: January 1s t 2017

Buy links: books2read.com/u/bOrEdN

Gemma Perfect loves to write. She’s been doing it since she was nine. After a few false starts – self publishing children’s books, and being traditionally published with her romance novella, she has finally found her feet writing young adult historical fantasy books. She is currently writing The Cursed Princess, set five years after The Kingmaker Trilogy finishes, following the adventures of Everleigh's sister, Addyson.

Gemma lives in Wales with her husband Craig and their three boys, Sam, Corey and Oliver. She is happiest when writing, day dreaming and eating smelly blue cheese.

Author links:

Website:

www.gemmaperfect.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16149572.Gemma_Perfect

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/GemmaLPerfect

Twitter:

www.twitter.com/gemmaperfect

Teasers and pictures for promos: