Review of Heartstrings by Heather Gunter – Giveaway

Aug 31, 2013

Giveaway

There will be a tour wide giveaway that you can include in your post, with 17 winners in total.  Prizes are:

1 x $50 Amazon Gift Card (international)

4 x signed paperbacks of Heartstrings (international)

2 x huge swag packs (US only) that will include $5 Amazon Gift Card, temporary tattoos, bookmark, guitar pic, signed postcard, bottlecap and a signed paperback.

10 x e-books of Heartstrings (international)

Rafflecopter Link is at the bottom of the post.  Good luck!

Synopsis:

Everyone thinks of me as this happy and upbeat person. What they don’t know is that I carry a deep, dark secret. Something horrible happened to me a year ago, and I have kept it quiet all this time. I was fine for a while, but somehow it’s chosen this time to come back, and it’s eating at me–like a cancer.

I need to tell someone about it, I just don’t know how. I’m pushing everyone I love away, including my mom and my best friend Charlie.

Then there is Will. Handsome, sweet Will. We went out on a date a while back, but then the incident happened leaving me crushed and him confused.

How do you tell someone you care about all of your secrets, and will they still want you when the truth comes out?

Goodreads link:   http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17840836-heartstrings

Review:

*sniffs*  *wipes nose and eyes*  I’m emotionally drained from reading this book.  I felt like I was reliving a moment from my past that I thought I had gotten over.  Let me know explain a bit further.  My big sister went through this experience when she was in her earlier 20’s.  I wasn’t supposed to know about it but Harlie told me about it when I got older.  I always felt like Harlie was holding something back from me but when she finally told me about it, I could see the strain of keeping this horrible secret slide from her face.  Her shoulders loosened up and she finally cried about it.  It brought us closer as sisters and eventually friends.  Harlie dealt with it the best she could then (25 years ago).  In fact, if you notice what she reads and reviews, the subject of this book is NEVER on her reading list.  She calls it a trigger for her.

Anyway, I can not thank Ms. Gunter for writing this book.  I think it should be a must read for every young woman who has gone through this experience.  There is nothing to be ashamed of and with Tori living with this secret, it tears her relationships to shreds.  Not to mention her new boyfriend Will.  Tori has kept this secret for over a year and it has damaged her emotionally and physically. As a teenager, Tori feels like she is can’t tell anyone about it because of the shame.  When she finally tells her story, this book really takes off.

Will and his buddy Mac try to find the person that did this to Tori.  Tori was so afraid that when Will found out that he wouldn’t want to be with her anymore.  Silly, girl!  It only made Will more determined to prove to Tori that she was not damaged and perfect for him.  More girls/women need to realize that they are not damaged and that the people around them will support them and help them heal.  It just took Tori awhile to realize that.

It’s my wish that women, young and old, will pick up this book and realize that they are NOT alone and that they need to talk about what happened to them. There is no shame, no guilt.  Talk about it, seek help and above realize that you are a beautiful woman and are worthy of love.

If you noticed I did not spoil it for you in my review.  Tori came out of the experience a much stronger person than she ever thought.  Ms. Hunter wrote a beautifully lyrical book about an experience that should never happen to a woman but sadly it does.  She doesn’t sugar coat it but writes her characters with depth, warmth and humility.  Again, pick up this book.  You won’t be sorry.  🙂 

 

Author bio and social networking links:

 

                       

 

Heather is a devoted mother of three gorgeous boys.  She balances spending as much time with them as possible with writing, updating her Into the Night Reviews book blog and her day job.  Her love of animals sees her home in Canton, GA bursting with numerous dogs and ferrets.

Heather campaigns passionately for anti-bullying initiatives and has a strong conviction to reduce peoples suffering at the hands of bullies.

A talented singer, who once dreamed of pursuing a career in that field, she has put that goal aside in exchange for her writing.  A self proclaimed geek, whatever spare time she has is spent curled on the couch reading and listening to music.

Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/Author.HeatherGunter

Twitter:         https://twitter.com/HeatherGunter5

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6923563.Heather_Gunter

Blog:               http://authorheathergunter.blogspot.com

Purchase Links:

Amazon:        http://www.amazon.com/Heartstrings-Love-Notes-ebook/dp/B00EA70E3C

Smashwords:                        https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/343646

Paperback copies available from Createspace:   https://www.createspace.com/4387074

 

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Review of Wanted by Annika James – Giveaway

Aug 30, 2013

Wanted

Annika James

“When you’re a powerful witch, every guy in school wants to bite you.”

 Blurb:

“Attacked as a young witch and left for dead, Ashlinn is deathly afraid of being bitten again. Having survived until she’s almost eighteen without donating blood to any of her vamp friends, Ashlinn figures she’ll continue to live bite-free. After her crush reveals how powerful she is, however, the Vampire Council declares she be claimed as a familiar, which requires biting. Ashlinn doesn’t want to be owned, even by hot vamp, Conor. Luckily, her best friend, Matt, volunteers for the job. She is given one week to choose her protector, and the list of willing biters keeps growing. Will she go with best friend Matt, hot vamp Conor, or someone else to protect her? Will she be able to get her power under control by then? Will she overcome her phobia of being bitten? And who says she needs to be protected, anyhow?”

Excerpt:

I could tell he was still looking down at me. His hand rested on the shelf next to my head and his other hand came up on the other side, trapping me between his arms. I looked up shyly. How many times had I pictured being alone with Conor? It was like a dream, and I was frozen, unsure of what to do, unsure of what he wanted from me. What was he playing at?

He leaned toward me, holding my gaze with his. I forgot how to breathe, how to think. Then his lips touched mine, electricity exploding up and down my body.  Soft and gentle, they probed, tasting, testing. I didn’t move to touch him, just remained frozen. There was only the kiss. His mouth moved to my jaw, kissing his way down to my neck. His teeth grazed my skin.

I unfroze and found my voice. “No!” I felt a surge of power push through me.  Conor flew backward across the room. He crashed into a bookcase, sending an avalanche of books over him as he fell to the floor. He slumped there, holding his head, dazed. He looked up in confusion, mouth opened ready to speak. At that moment, my muscles remembered how to move and I ran for the door. It opened in front of me, not of my power, and Matt appeared. He’d probably felt my surge of power. I hadn’t meant to throw Conor.   Panic had overtaken me and I had lost control for an instant.

I flew into Matt’s arms and he embraced me. Matt was my rock. His presence calmed me, it always did. He was like a protective big brother. I knew he understood the whole scene in the seconds before I’d found his arms. I buried my face in the T-shirt pulled tight across his strong chest, and breathed in his scent, a mix of fabric softener and cologne. It was familiarity, it was home, and it helped to center me. I peeked out at Conor.   He stepped out of the pile of books and straightened his clothing.

Review:

OMG!  OMG!  This book rocked!  Hooked from the blurb and never let me go!  A story about a witch, vampires, blood bonding and it wasn’t too icky.  Plus, the characters weren’t boring, bland, or sparkling.  They had different personalities and they each served a purpose in Ashlinn’s story and how it concludes.  Ms. James has written an intelligent YA paranormal without all the usual angst and flip flopping back and forth between the two heroes.

Yes, there are two heroes in the book.  And no there is no so-called love triangle with kissing and stuff, so don’t be grossed out.  But there is a definite triangle with Matt, Conor and Ashlinn.  Its original and interesting how it all plays out in the end.  And no, I will not tell what happens.  You will need to read the book.  The ending was shocking but for me, it was the only way it could be resolved.  😉  Go Annika!

I know that some peeps will find the ending sorta like a cliffhanger and in a way it is but it satisfied me.  Yes, would I like to revisit these characters?  You bet because I connect with them as a group and individually.  I’ve really grown rather fond of the YA paranormal genre lately.  It’s not Twilight (Thank God) and again, Ms. James didn’t disappoint me in her debut.  From the stuff that happens at school, to the heartbreaking back story between Matt and Ashlinn, it flowed well, too.  I didn’t feel lost or had any head scratching moments.  Plus, you don’t have to worry about a roadmap to the world building.  It’s easy, breezy and fun.  Again, those last two chapters.  🙂

There are plenty of twists and turns, so pay attention.  😉  Again, the final two chapters were written brilliantly.  I honestly didn’t know how it was going to work out for Ashlinn, Matt and Conor so when I finished reading it, I did a fist pump!  I have found a brand new author to stalk.

Author’s Bio:

Annika James lives in small-town Wisconsin with her husband and two beautiful kiddos. She spends her days working to pay the bills and her nights dreaming of more fun ways to do so. Her passions include writing, reading, music and traveling with her family. She dreams of a world where vampires and powerful witches really exist, because life would be so much more interesting.

Website Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, MuseItUp, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Tourwide Giveaway

Win one of three copies of Wanted by Annika James

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Review of Cobweb Bride (Book #1 of Cobweb Bride Trilogy) by Vera Nazarian

Aug 29, 2013

COBWEB BRIDE

(Cobweb Bride Trilogy, Book One)

 

by Vera Nazarian

 

                       

 

Release Date: July 15, 2013

 

Publisher: Norilana Books

 

Imprint: Leda

Trade Hardcover
(First Edition)
ISBN-13: 978-1-60762-112-6
ISBN-10: 1-60762-112-6

$24.95 US / 20.00 UK

Trade Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1-60762-113-3
ISBN-10: 1-60762-113-4

$14.95 US / 12.00 UK

Ebook (multi-format)
ISBN-13: 978-1-60762-114-0
ISBN-10: 1-60762-114-2

$5.99

Many are called… She alone can save the world and become Death’s bride.

COBWEB BRIDE (Cobweb Bride Trilogy, Book One) is a history-flavored fantasy novel with romantic elements of the Persephone myth, about Death’s ultimatum to the world.

 

What if you killed someone and then fell in love with them?

In an alternate Renaissance world, somewhere in an imaginary “pocket” of Europe called the Kingdom of Lethe, Death comes, in the form of a grim Spaniard, to claim his Bride. Until she is found, in a single time-stopping moment all dying stops. There is no relief for the mortally wounded and the terminally ill….

 

Covered in white cobwebs of a thousand snow spiders she lies in the darkness… Her skin is cold as snow… Her eyes frozen… Her gaze, fiercely alive…

While kings and emperors send expeditions to search for a suitable Bride for Death, armies of the undead wage an endless war… A black knight roams the forest at the command of his undead father… Spies and political treacheries abound at the imperial Silver Court…. Murdered lovers find themselves locked in the realm of the living…

 

Look closer — through the cobweb filaments of her hair and along each strand shine stars…

And one small village girl, Percy—an unwanted, ungainly middle daughter—is faced with the responsibility of granting her dying grandmother the desperate release she needs.

As a result, Percy joins the crowds of other young women of the land in a desperate quest to Death’s own mysterious holding in the deepest forests of the North…

And everyone is trying to stop her.

Review:

I have to admit that this book was a bit weird for Pink.  I didn’t get in to it at first and since I don’t read fantasy, I was a little lost in the world building, too.  I know what you are thinking? Did you even read the book?  Yes, I did and once I finally wrapped my head around the fantasy element and remembered that this story is based on Hades (Death) and Perisphone from mythology, I really got into it.

Imagine a world where no one and everything around you can’t die?  All because Death needs his bride and until he gets her, death stops.  Again, weird but this is where the book gets really interesting for me.  Why?  Because it gets scary.  Yes, scary, frightening, haunting, beautiful and mysterious all at the same time.  With legions of girls on the quest to become Death’s bride, Percy stands out from all others.  Mocked by her mother, she is her father’s right hand and has an older and younger sister that are more beautiful than she.  What different about Percy is that even though she is young (16), she is a very strong female character.  Compassionate but no pushover, smart, brave and above all genuine.  I fell in love with her instantly.

There are plenty of twists and turns in the book and the opening sequence is gory and bloody, so be warned.  This isn’t your childhood fairytale and its told in a beautifully, lyrical style that flowed.  Ms. Nazarian can write a book that no matter what you think at first, she just grabs a hold of you and doesn’t let go of you until the last page.  Only then, can you breath.  I’m still trying to process it and form an intelligent review for you.  Again, the book was a completely different book than I’ve ever read but in the end, I rather enjoyed.  The characterizations alone will have you begging for more and while the setting is fantasy, it is richly described.

A couple of other things that I though of:

1.  The violence is rated PG13 but its still there.  Someone IS trying to stop Percy from meeting Hades.

2.  There is very little romance in the book but the element is woven in.  I heard that the romance is heavier in the next two books.

3.  The villain is OMG…and that’s all I’m going to say…  🙂

4.  Even if you don’t like fantasy, take a day or two and read Ms. Nazarian.  With her lyrical writing style, you will get lost in the fantasy.

5.  Also, Ms. Nazarian talks about death, life and the beyond so watch for it.  It will make you think about it.  🙂

I truly hope that you pick up this book and read it.  It can be read by anyone over the age of 13 and be enjoyed.  I look forward to the next book and seeing how it all plays out.  😉

 

About the Author:

Vera Nazarian is a two-time Nebula Award® Finalist and a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. She immigrated to the USA from the former USSR as a kid, sold her first story at 17, and has been published in numerous anthologies and magazines, honorably mentioned in Year’s Best volumes, and translated into eight languages.

Vera made her novelist debut with the critically acclaimed Dreams of the Compass Rose, followed by Lords of Rainbow. Her novella The Clock King and the Queen of the Hourglass with an introduction by Charles de Lint made the 2005 Locus Recommended Reading List. Her debut collection Salt of the Air with an introduction by Gene Wolfe contains the 2007 Nebula Award-nominated “The Story of Love.”

Other work includes the 2008 Nebula Finalist novella The Duke in His Castle, science fiction collection After the Sundial (2010), The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration (2010), and four Jane Austen parodies, Mansfield Park and Mummies (2009), Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons (2010), Pride and Platypus: Mr. Darcy’s Dreadful Secret (2012), and Pagan Persuasion: All Olympus Descends on Regency (forthcoming), all part of her Supernatural Jane Austen Series.

After many years in Los Angeles, Vera now lives in a small town in Vermont. She uses her Armenian sense of humor and her Russian sense of suffering to bake conflicted pirozhki and make art. In addition to being a writer, philosopher, and award-winning artist, she is also the publisher of Norilana Books.

Vera’s links:

Official website:

http://www.veranazarian.com/

Norilana Books:

http://www.norilana.com/

Cobweb Bride Mailing List:

http://eepurl.com/vodcT

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/Norilana

Facebook (author page):

http://www.facebook.com/VeraNazarian

Facebook (personal)

http://www.facebook.com/Nazarian

Pinterest

http://pinterest.com/veranazarian/

Blogs:

http://www.inspiredus.com/

http://urbangirlvermont.blogspot.com/

http://norilana.livejournal.com/

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/186145.Vera_Nazarian

LibraryThing:

http://www.librarything.com/author/nazarianvera

Shelfari:

http://www.shelfari.com/authors/a1628414/Vera-Nazarian/

Red Room:

http://www.redroom.com/author/vera-nazarian

SFF Net Newsgroup:

http://webnews.sff.net/read?cmd=xover&group=sff.people.vera-nazarian

Austen Authors:

http://austenauthors.net/

Vera Nazarian’s Amazon Author Central page

http://www.amazon.com/author/nazarian

The Official Book Website:

http://www.norilana.com/cobweb.htm

Kickstarter page:

 

Praise for Other Vera Nazarian Books:

 

Trade References:

“…a clever concoction of vignettes and short stories knitted into a morality tale about the temptation of illusion and the price of truth…. an exotic setting reminiscent of Tanith Lee’s Flat Earth series…. The author’s sumptuous language will resonate with Lord Dunsany and Clark Ashton Smith fans…. Nazarian’s vital themes and engaging characters are sure to entertain.”

— Publishers Weekly on Dreams of the Compass Rose

“Nazarian’s story cycle treads the borderline between the episodic novel and the short-story collection, recalling the work of contemporary fantasist Charles de Lint, early-twentieth-century fantasist Lord Dunsany, and even, reaching way back, The Thousand and One Nights….her imagery is rich, vivid, and memorable, not to mention being remarkable because she realizes it not in her native language, Russian, but in English…. Indeed, this is a singularly appealing book by a new voice in fantasy.”

— Roland Green, ALA Booklist on Dreams of the Compass Rose

“In a world devoid of color, the woman warrior Rahne swears herself to a mysterious nobleman traveling to the exotic city of Tronaelend-Lis, the City of Dreams, where a decadent brother and sister rule as co-regents in the absence of the land’s true ruler. When an evil being representing true Darkness threatens the safety of the colorless world, Rahne is drawn into a spiritual journey in search of a legendary phenomenon known as Rainbow in an attempt to find a way to defeat the dark. The author of Dreams of the Compass Rose brings to life a unique fantasy world in which lost colors hold the key to salvation. Nazarian’s fluid storytelling and vividly drawn characters make this unusual fantasy a good choice for most libraries.”

— Library Journal on Lords of Rainbow

“Nazarian creates a unique civilization and populates it with heroic archetypes who stand on their own. Extravagant language reminiscent of Dunsany and even Tolkien adds to the legendary feel…. an innovative premise, consistent world-building, and appealing heroes mark this as the work of an emerging talent… readers may find themselves heralding a new star of fantasy fiction.”

— Romantic Times Book Club on Lords of Rainbow

“Sixteen cautionary, sensual stories of love, reversal and revenge upend fairy tale conventions in Nazarian’s lush collection (after 2003’s Lords of Rainbow). Some pieces retell classic stories: “Absolute Receptiveness, the Princess, and the Pea” compellingly subverts the cliché of the tender princess into a disturbing rape fantasy. “Beauty and His Beast” recasts the beast as an ugly but perceptive princess. Other stories approach myth. In “Sun, in Its Copper Season,” the avatar of the sun falls in love with the man who brings the four seasons, and in “Lore of Rainbow,” a wife seeks her missing husband, only to discover that he is the personification of a color. Adventure stories skirt the edges of the expected: in “The Slaying of Winter,” a woman seeks revenge on a god for her family’s destruction, only to find forgiveness; and in the near-future “Rossia Moya,” a woman and Russia itself both rediscover their heritage. Sumptuous detail, twisty plots and surprising endings lift these extravagant tales.”

— Publishers Weekly on Salt of the Air

Blog Tour for Watch Me Walk Away by Jill Prand – Excerpt/Giveaway

Aug 28, 2013

Amazon Buy Link

Blurb:

 

At the age of seventeen, Lisa was broken when Bobby left. He was suppose to be her first. First Love. First Time. First Everything. No word for six long years. She moved away from the painful reminders sacrificing her relationship with her best friend Brad. She struggled to rebuild her life.

Now six years later she returns as a strong, successful woman grabbing a job at one of New York’s hottest marketing agencies. She is dating a gorgeous guy with his eyes on a corner office. But it all changes when she sees Bobby again.

Can she risk another heartbreak from Bobby? Will she be able to repair her friendship with Brad? Lisa will have to decide between the man she’s with, and the two men that want her.

Who will she be with, and who will she tell to “Watch Me Walk Away?”

Lisa & Brad #1

“Wait,” I look up at him. “We need to get some things straight between us. I’m sorry that I screwed us up. I never should have asked you to be with me just because Bobby rejected me. I was angry and hurt but that did not give me the right to use you. It was not my intention to change our relationship and if I could go back to that night I would do it because I lost my best friend that night and I want him back.”

“You didn’t lose me Lisa. You could never lose me. Do I want more than friendship with you? Yes but I wanted that before we slept together. If all I can have of you is friendship I’ll take it. Do I fantasize about you waking up one morning and seeing that Bobby is not worthy of your love? Hell yes because I don’t want to have to pick up pieces of your heart again. And I owe you an apology too. After that night you needed me to be your friend and all I wanted was to be with you again. I couldn’t see that by not letting you heal first I was pushing you away. I wonder all the time if I had just stopped and not pushed you to give me what I wanted if somehow we could have eventually come together. So now I will be your friend because not having you in my life at all is worse than having to be just a friend.”

The tears are running down my cheek and he pulls me into his arms. He doesn’t say anything else just rubs the back of my neck. Why can’t I love this guy? How can my heart want anyone else? I put my arms around his waist and hold tight which is a good thing because just then we run aground. The boat stops suddenly and we are pitched forward. Brad puts the engine in reverse but all that happens is brown silt is churned up by the outboard motor. Brad cuts the engine so we don’t burn it out.

“Looks like we’re stuck here for a while,” he says as he puts his arms back around me. “High tide is in about an hour so we shouldn’t have to wait too long to get free.”

I can’t help but laugh. It starts out as a chuckle but starts to build. I feel his responding laugh starting as I pull away and look up at him, “Well this is a familiar dilemma. But I am not jumping in the water to get us unstuck. If we need to lighten up you are going in.”

“It’s my boat and I have to drive it,” he is still laughing.

“Yes but you weigh almost two of me so we will rise twice as far. And you’re stronger than me, you can push us off. And I have driven this boat before.” I point out.

“Like seven or eight years ago,” he says. “It’s a moot point anyway, I don’t mind waiting on the tide.”

I walk to the bow and sit on one of the benches there, “Fine we will wait for the tide.”

He comes and sits opposite of me, “Well then finish telling me about Bobby and Stuart.”

And just like that I have my friend back. I tell him everything, all my feelings and fears. The fact that my body still reacts to Bobby when he touches me or even looks at me. That I’m scared he’ll break me apart but more scared that if I don’t give it a chance I will regret it for the rest of my life. I tell him about my night with Stuart and that I can’t see myself with him this time next month.

Then he asks me a question that floors me, “Out of all the men in your life, who can you see still being there with you in five years?”

My only answer, “You.”

 

 

Author Links

Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Pinterest * Website

 

Bio:

I live in Northern New Jersey. I am a wife and mother of two girls. I have been an avid reader my whole life, I cannot remember a Sunday afternoon that did not include my parents reading. We had a huge bookshelf in our den with a diverse set of  authors like Ayn Rand, Stephen King, Mario Puzo & Danielle Steele.

I have always had ideas and characters running  around my head but it took a few good friends to push me to start putting them down on paper.

I hope you enjoy my musings. Please feel free to contact me I would love to hear from you.

 

 

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Book Blast for Two Roads by L.M. Augustine – Giveaway

Aug 26, 2013

TITLE: Two Roads

AUTHOR: L.M. Augustine

GENRE: Young Adult

GOODREADS: http://tiny.cc/vksd2w

BARNES & NOBLE:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/two-roads-lm-augustine/1116739648?ean=2940148579007

SYNOPSIS:

The only person poetry-loving Cali Monroe hates more than herself is Logan Waters, the geeky kid who lives in the dorm building next to hers.

Ever since Cali’s parents told her she would amount to nothing, she has felt entirely inadequate. Friendless and alone, she takes on the mean girl role in hopes it will make her feel better–and Logan serves as the perfect target. He infuriates her with his obnoxiously long lashes, his all too perfect dimpled smile, and his complete lack of personality outside of his intelligence. It doesn’t hurt that he’s part of the reason her brother is dead, either. So Cali hates him, and he returns the favor. Thus, their prank-filled, insult-driven rivalry is born, and torturing Logan quickly becomes the highlight of her life.

 But when Cali’s parents set them up on a blind date, she begins to realize Logan might not be as boring as she always thought. He shares her love of poetry, takes a sadistic pleasure in making fun of crepes, and he makes her blush when he calls her smile pretty.

And hey, maybe those long lashes of his aren’t that obnoxious after all…

Two Roads is New Adult Romance about finding love, standing out, and learning to embrace who you are. It contains some language and mild sexual content.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR –

L.M. Augustine is a YA romance author who is obsessed with writing about dorky teenagers, love, and happy endings. He currently lives in New England, where he spends far too much time reading books and screaming at his computer, and he believes that the solution to the world’s problems can be found in chocolate cake.

AUTHOR LINKS –

Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAugustineYA

Twitter – https://twitter.com/AuthorAugustine

Goodreads author page – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6906110.L_M_Augustine

Website – http://authoraugustine.blogspot.com/2013/07/cover-reveal-two-roads-by-me.html

GIVEAWAY – The included giveaway is for 10 signed bookmarks.

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