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Thursday, December 31, 2015

Spotlight: Mastered (The Enforcers #1) by Maya Banks


Mastered
(The Enforcers Series, #1)
by Maya Banks

Blurb: 

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Surrender Trilogy and the Breathless Trilogy knows what makes readers hot. Now she turns it up in Mastered, the explosive first book in a new series of a desire too dangerous to resist.

What he wants, he takes with no remorse or guilt.

She stood out in his club like a gem, unspoiled and untouched. A lamb among wolves, she clearly didn’t belong. Drawn to her innocence he watched as she was surrounded by men who saw what he did—but no one but him could touch her. He summoned her to his private quarters. He sensed her fear. He also recognized the desire in her eyes. And he knew she wouldn’t leave before he possessed her. She had no need to know his secrets. Not until he had her under his complete and utter control.

What he wants, she isn’t sure she can give him.

The moment he told her want he wanted, she couldn’t resist. Instinct told her to run, but her heart said stay and walk the fine line between pleasure and pain. Though she wasn’t sure she could ever completely surrender, the primal part of her wanted to try, even knowing this man could break her in ways she never imagined. Because once he possessed her, he owned her and it would be too late to turn back. She can only pray that he doesn’t destroy her in the end.



Available for purchase at 

            


Excerpt


Drake stared at the trembling young woman—Evangeline, Maddox had said her name was, and it suited her—from his position across the room in the shadows, knowing because of the glare from the surveillance monitors that she couldn’t see him but that he could see her. Oh yes, he could see every delectable, naïve inch of her body and he cursed again that Anthony had allowed an innocent with big blue eyes into a veritable pit of vipers. She looked like an angel. Evangeline. Angel. Yes, her name suited her well.

He had no illusions about the customers he catered to. Wealthy, hedonistic. People who paid a lot of money to have a safe, anonymous place to act out their fantasies or indulge in activities frowned upon by the law. He provided all manner of things. For a price. And it wasn’t cheap. But he was also extremely selective about who got in and every single person was vetted and monitored. Newcomers were on probation, meaning they were watched more closely than most. And there were no second chances. They fucked up, they were out. Period.

His regulars were no less scrutinized because his club wouldn’t be the success it was if he allowed shit like went down tonight to happen. The fact that it had happened, that things had damn near gone too far—hell, they had gone too far—was a black mark on his reputation and he didn’t take kindly to that whatsoever. If word got out that the patrons of his businesses weren’t safe or were at risk, especially of having the police involved, they’d never set foot inside his doorway again. Utter discretion and anonymity were huge selling points with his “clients” and one of the many reasons he was so successful.

After the fucker who’d put his hands on this woman had been taught a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget, it wouldn’t end there. Not only would he be barred from any of Drake’s businesses, but Drake would get the word out to others as well. The man would be a pariah. Which also meant he’d be an angry, pissed off coward looking for revenge and the woman was the most likely target. And the easiest since he didn’t stand a chance against someone his own size.

Whether she—or Drake—liked it or not, she was going to be put under his protection.

“Uhm, Mr. Donovan?”

Her voice was shaky and hesitant, even as her gaze nervously searched the room for his whereabouts. She’d heard his command to Maddox to leave them, so she’d zeroed in on where he was, but she still couldn’t see him and that scared her.

Usually he didn’t mind others being afraid of him at all. It was something he actively cultivated. It was a necessary evil in his line of work. But for some reason, he didn’t want this woman afraid. She’d already been scared out of her mind. He’d seen her reaction. Had seen at first the upset and humiliation then hurt, and finally resignation as the fuckhead had filled her head with God only knew what kind of bullshit. And then he’d seen her abject terror when she knew he was going to hit her and there was nothing she could do to protect herself.

He cursed Anthony all over again and cursed himself for not acting faster. For allowing himself to observe the goings on, even for the few seconds he had, instead of instantly ordering Maddox to put a halt to it and throw the asshole out. Before that fucker ever got his hand wrapped around her arm.

Suddenly realizing just how hard the man had gripped her, he strode from the darkness, ignoring her sudden look of fright as he loomed over her. He fingered the remote in his pocket and suddenly the room was lit, though not overly bright because he didn’t want to blind her.

She blinked, her vivid blue eyes wide and round with shock as he gently took her arm and lifted, turning so he could inspect the bruises already forming on her delicate, pale skin.

He cursed viciously, startling her again. She jumped and would have stepped back but he held her firmly enough that she didn’t get away, but not enough to mark her skin. That was not the way he liked to mark a woman’s flesh. Through callous brutality. Abuse. It sickened him. It sickened him that she’d come to harm in his club and that his doorman hadn’t had the goddamn sense to deny her entry when he knew the rules.

“What the hell were you thinking coming into a place like this?” he demanded, fury lacing his every word. He vibrated with anger. Anger at Anthony. Anger at the fucker who’d put his hands on her. And anger at himself for not preventing the bruises that darkened her silky skin.

And it was soft. Infinitely so. And Jesus. Her hair. It was up. Mostly. But some of the strands had worked their way free and slipped sensuously down her neck. He burned to run his fingers through it and see if it was as soft and as silky as it looked. If it was as satiny as her skin felt.

Her gaze lowered but not before he saw her embarrassment and shame. She flinched at his question, but then he’d practically roared it at her. But he could see her draw in on herself, make herself as small as possible and she vibrated with humiliation. What the fuck?

“I know I don’t belong,” she said in barely above a whisper. “I know I’m not good enough to be in a place like this. Where only beautiful and rich people come.” Her voice only grew more resigned and subdued and it only served to piss him off even more as he processed her words. “I’ll just go now. I’m sorry I was a bother. I caused a…scene. I won’t be back. I promise. You won’t ever have to worry about me showing up here—or anywhere—again.”

She tensed in his hold, fully expecting him to let go and let her walk out. She’d stiffened, but he’d seen her back go up as she gathered her tattered pride around her like a shield. Holy fucking hell.

He looked incredulously at her, like she was a simpleton, and it only served to make her flush more when she peeked at him from beneath her lashes and saw his expression. And obviously she’d drawn the conclusion that she was right. That all the shit she’d just spouted was true and his scrutiny had found her lacking, thus proving her point.

“Then why did you come?” he asked bluntly, not immediately dismissing the crap that had just come out of her mouth. He wanted to find out why she would subject herself to this kind of humiliation if she were already so certain of the outcome.

Because this was a woman convinced of her worth. Or rather lack of worth. She was convinced she didn’t belong here. So why the hell had she come? And before he could call bullshit on all the fucked up things in her head, he had to know why she would brave coming to a place she clearly thought she didn’t belong in. For fuck’s sake, that she didn’t think she was good enough for.

She closed her eyes as mortification swept across her features. To his surprise, she was honest. She didn’t make up some ridiculous lie to save face. He stood there as she opened her mouth and spilled the entire ridiculous story.

“The man who assaulted me is my ex…boyfriend. Lover. Whatever. Though I’d hardly consider us lovers,” she said bitterly. “I was a challenge to him. Was being the key word. He knew I was a virgin and so he coaxed me and wined and dined me, pretending interest because he wanted to be m-my f-first,” she stammered out, color suffusing every part of her face.

Drake cursed savagely, silently, wishing now he’d gone out personally to deal with the asshole who’d assaulted her. In more ways than one.

“As soon as I finally gave in, stupidly thinking that he was someone special, he dumped me on the spot. He said I was a terrible lay. I overheard him complaining to his friends, people. I don’t know who they were,” she said painfully. “He said that sticking his dick in my c-cunt—” She broke off, mortified over her use of the offensive word. Then she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “He said it was like fucking a snowdrift. And it definitely wasn’t worth the three months he had to wait for me to give it up. He repeated the sentiment tonight to my face.”

“So you came tonight to see him?” Drake asked incredulously. “Why the hell would you want to do that? For fuck’s sake, did you want him back?”

Her head snapped up, her eyes flashing angrily. “No,” she hissed. “Not now. Not ever. My girlfriends talked me into coming. Said I needed to get back some of my own. Steph had a VIP pass and they spent an hour making me up. Shoes, killer heels, hair, make-up the works.”

Well that solved the question as to how she’d gotten in and why Anthony had allowed it. Anyone possessing a VIP pass was cleared, no questions asked. It was a policy he was going to have to revisit at the first opportunity.

“They thought I should let him see what he’d shit on,” she said dully. “I told them it was stupid. This place is for beautiful people. Even the people who work here are gorgeous. Everyone is freaking perfect. And then there was me, sticking out like a sore thumb. The people in line outside knew I didn’t belong. The people inside knew I didn’t belong. And you obviously knew I didn’t belong because you sent your goon to get rid of me. So if you’ll just let me be on my way, I’d appreciate it. I’ve already promised I’ll never darken the door of your club again. This has been a humiliating enough night as it is and I can only take so much.”

The last was said with such despair and resignation that it gutted Drake. But all he could was stare at her in absolute befuddlement. And the more he stared at her, the more he took in the absolute conviction in which she’d stated her faults, the more pissed off he became.

“You don’t think you fucking outshine every bitch out there and that they don’t know that?” he clipped out angrily. “You didn’t see that the skank with your ex was ready to rip your hair out by the roots because she isn’t as gorgeous as you and never will be? That there isn’t a bottle made that can duplicate the kind of beauty you have. And those bitches in there don’t hold a candle to your kind of shine and they hate you for it.”

She looked at him absolutely stunned, her eyes wide with shock.

He swore viciously, causing her to flinch again.

“No, it’s obvious you don’t see it,” he said in a grim voice. “You don’t see your own goddamn appeal and that makes you even more attractive to men.”

His protective instincts had come roaring to the surface the moment he’d seen her in the monitor when she’d walked into the club shy and uncertain. When he’d seen the bastard hurt her, with words and with physical force. And now, standing in his office staring at him like he’d lost his mind because he called her beautiful.

No, she truly didn’t see her beauty. Didn’t recognize her appeal. And it was true that it made her even more attractive to men. Her fuck of an ex had thought he’d achieved an ultimate victory because he was the first man in her bed, but it was also obvious that he hadn’t been able to get her off, because if he had, he’d still be in that bed and she wouldn’t be here, giving him a taste of what he couldn’t satisfy and never had a prayer of holding on to.

He’d lashed out at her and made her feel less because of his failure as a man to satisfy his woman and put her pleasure before his. It made him want to go hunt the bastard down and kill him. Tear him apart with his bare hands. Because he had very much made Evangeline believe all the poison he’d fed her. And it was likely she already had deep seeded insecurities that had only been confirmed by her asshole ex.

“You don’t have to say that to make me feel better,” she said softly. “It’s kind of you, but the truth is always better. I prefer to keep it real. I know what I am and what I’m not. I accept that.”
Knowing he’d never convince her with mere words, he did what he had been dying to do since the moment he laid eyes on her. He pulled her roughly into his arms so she landed with a soft thud against his chest. He tilted her small chin up with his hand and crushed his mouth to hers, devouring her sweetness like a man starving.

About The Author

Maya Banks is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 50 novels. A wife and mother of three, she lives in Texas.



To learn more about Maya and her books, please visit her website



Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Gift Ideas for the Book Lover #64





Hope everyone had a great Christmas/Holiday season! I'm sure many of you got gift cards and/or some cash... wouldn't you love to spend it on something that is just 'you'? Check out this week's "Gift Idea For The Book Lover" or visit the main page to look through past weeks for some awesome items!!  I love to hear what you think, let me know which is your favorite? 





Cats Books Tea Heart Pendant, Book Lover Gift, Book Quote Necklace, Librarian, Book Addict, Book Worm, Librarian Quote, Teacher Gift
$14.95 (plus S&H)

Cats Books Tea Heart Pendant

This hand crafted pendant was made with beautifully printed artwork which has been seated in a solid metal plate and covered with a crystal clear glass dome. The glass dome has a slight magnifying effect and gives the image real depth.

Dimensions: 1" x 1" (2,5cm x 2,5cm)






I'll Take Books Shirt. Book Lover Graphic Tee. Love? No Thanks, I'll Take Books. Unisex Sizing Adult Shirt.
By GoodWitchBoutique
$18.00 (plus S&H)
Books never let you down, so it shouldn't be surprising you prefer a good book over everything else. That's why you need this Love? No Thanks, I'll Take Books tee.

Unisex sizes Small- XL. Choose your size and color from the menu.







Set of 7 Book Lovers Pencil Set — Pastel Colors, Imprinted Pencils, Engraved Pencils, Booknerd Gift, Bookish Gift
$13.95 (plus S&H)

We picked out the finest pencils, our favorite quotes, and imprinted them by hand right here at home. The shimmery, midnight-blue foil on gorgeous pastel shades—what's not to love? The pencils are hex, which won't roll of your desk and really lend to that rich, nostalgic, cozy home feel, something round pencils can never achieve.



Quotes included in this set:
♠ I Heart Books
♠ I Read YA
♠ Book Nerd
♠ Coffee & Books
♠ Once Upon A Time
♠ Books are My Happy Place (find a matching print and journal here: http://etsy.me/1HLFMfv)
♠ Certified Book Addict

The set of seven pencils comes ready for gift-giving in a clear cello bag.
♠ Ready for gift-giving
♠ #2 lead with latex-free erasers

♠ Made in the USA





Book Lover's Hand Towel Set - Literary Bath Decor - Book Nerd Towels - Book Bath Decor - Reader's Bath Gift - Book Nerd Towel - Blue Towel
By outofmyhead
$24.00 (plus S&H)

An embroidered book lover's hand towel set featuring the phrases 'Book Nerd' and 'Readers Gonna Read' with coordinating embellished ribbon detail. What a lovely, literary detail to add to any bath decor!

These thick, white cotton, terry cloth hand towels feature my machine embroidered 'Book Nerd' and 'Readers Gonna Read' in a variety of blue toned threads. I have also embellished the towel's edge with a coordinating blue and white patterned ribbon. Gorgeous colors and one-of-a-kind! Perfect for the Book Nerd in your life!

As with all my embroidery designs, I am happy to work with you to create a custom garment using any of my designs (or finding a new one for you!) and sewing it onto a custom shirt, bag, blanket, hat, towel, bib, etc. Please convo. me with your ideas!




If items are no longer available, please contact the seller to request further information. 


Click here to see more gift ideas!!

Visit us every Wednesdays for more awesome gift/present ideas for you or the 
Book Lover in your life!!! 

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Release Day Blitz: Smoldering Hunger by Donna Grant


Smoldering Hunger 
(Dark Kings Series, #8)
by Donna Grant

Blurb: 

His kisses were soul stirring, leaving her gasping and hungry for more. They pulled her from the wasteland of her life viciously and ruthlessly. With just one kiss she was clinging to him, silently begging him to show her all that one brush of his lips had promised.

TEMPTING FATE
Darius is back. Edinburgh thought it had seen the last of this seductive Dragon King, but that was before Darius found something worthwhile. He just can’t stay away from the impossibly beautiful Dr. Sophie Martin—even though he knows that a passion this strong could prove detrimental…for them both.

CRAVING DESIRE
Sophie tried to forget her encounter with smoking-hot Darius to no avail. He’s in her dreams, tempting her. But her association with Darius catches the attention of another, putting her in mortal danger. . .and Darius, who has vowed to protect her, is her only hope. But can she trust the notorious dragon shapeshifter? The only thing she knows for sure is that she cannot resist him…





Available for purchase at 

                     



 Excerpt


Alone. It was such an insignificant word. Or it had been for centuries. He’d sought out the solitude, had slept away centuries in his cave without hesitation.
And now? Now he hated the quiet.
He detested being alone.
It wasn’t that he missed the other Dragon Kings. He could communicate with them via their mental link at any time. It was something much deeper, much stronger that twisted his gut.
He’d told the other Kings he wanted to end the war with the Dark Fae so he could return to his mountain and the dragon sleep. It had been the truth. For a bit. Now, he found himself searching for something he didn’t understand or know.
No matter how many times he walked the streets of the city, no matter how many times he killed the evil Dark Fae who sought to slaughter the innocent humans, Darius was never satisfied.
It was as if he were missing something. That only made him hunt longer and harder. He’d tracked the last remaining Dark Fae who hadn’t been smart enough to leave the city, running the bastards to ground.
Since the Dark fed off the souls of the humans, Darius took great pleasure in killing them. But not even that helped to ease the tension within him.
But it did help him remember that he was a lethal warrior. He did what he did not just for himself, but for his brethren at Dreagan who hid amongst the humans distilling world-famous whisky. And he did it for the humans.
The realm might’ve been the dragons first and foremost, but the humans were part of that world as well. The Dragon Kings fought for themselves and the mortals who once tried to kill them.
Darius removed his shirt and folded it before neatly stacking it on the table on the other side of the warehouse. After removing his boots and setting them tidily together, he unfastened his jeans and stepped out of them. Folding them, he set the jeans beside his shirt and turned to face the dead Fae.
With just a thought, he shifted, his body transforming from that of a human into a dragon. He shook his great head and blinked his eyes as he fastened them onto the Dark.
The greed and extravagance of the Dark Fae had caused the city to erupt in chaos. Edinburgh hadn’t been the only place bombarded with the Dark, however. Every major city in Scotland and England had been attacked.
It caused the Dragon Kings to take drastic action against the Fae. In doing so, the Kings played right into the Dark’s hands’.
The Dark Fae filmed the Kings on Dreagan flying, fighting, and shifting. That video had been released onto the Internet, and a fury storm of questions fell upon Dreagan.
Their leader, Constantine, King of Kings, ordered that no Dragon King could shift out of human form. Darius was doing what his brethren hadn’t been able to do in weeks.
He wasted no time in breathing fire upon the Dark. There was nothing on any realm as hot as dragon fire, and it scorched the bodies into ash almost instantly.
Darius immediately returned to human form and dressed. He wouldn’t stay in his true appearance when the others couldn’t. It wasn’t fair. And it only made him hate the Dark Fae even more.
Once, long ago, there was a war on Earth between the Fae and the Kings. The Fae Wars had lasted for decades with hundreds dying.
The Kings eventually won. It was supposed to have been a war that would never be repeated. It would’ve remained that way if the Kings hadn’t had to hide their true selves. There was only one race to blame for that: the humans.
Darius dressed and left the warehouse. It was just after five in the morning. There was still time to do some hunting. Perhaps he’d get lucky and see who was killing the Dark.
He hadn’t gone more than five blocks when he found himself turning to the left. Darius walked another two before he realized he was on his way to the Royal Victoria Hospital.
His feet halted instantly.
Every time Sophie entered his thoughts, he hastily squished it. She was a distraction he didn’t need - and couldn’t afford. Yet, when he walked the streets, every time he saw a flash of red hair, he hoped it was her.
There was only one time in the two weeks since he’d made love to her on the street, shrouded by shadows with a hunger for her riding him hard, had he allowed himself to see her.
A day after their encounter he’d remained hidden atop a roof watching as she left the hospital. She hadn’t even looked in the direction where they’d had sex against the building.
Did she remember how her nails bit into his flesh? Did she recall how her body shuddered with the force of her climax? Did she forget how he had to swallow her screams of pleasure with a kiss?
He had no trouble recollecting all of that and more. So much more. For days after he had the taste of her on his tongue. Even now he recalled the feel of her soft, warm skin beneath his hands. He knew the weight of her breasts and how sensitive her nipples were.
If he allowed himself, he could get drunk off her kisses alone.
It was that reason alone that he hadn’t returned to the hospital or anywhere near Sophie’s home. She was much too alluring and entirely too much of a temptation to put himself in close proximity to her.
So why was he now heading toward the very place he shied away from? His thoughts had been on the Dark and eradicating them forever from this realm. He hadn’t even been thinking of Sophie.

Darius turned on his heel and retraced his steps. He had to get far from Sophie. Nothing good could come of him seeing her again.



The Dark Kings Series



About the Author



Donna Grant is the New York Timesand USA Today bestselling author of the sizzling Dark King series featuring dragons, immortal Highlanders, and the Fae.

She was born and raised in Texas but loves to travel. Her adventures have taken her throughout the United States as well as to Jamaica, Mexico, and Scotland. Growing up on the Texas/Louisiana border, Donna’s Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin’ and bareback riding.

Despite deadlines and voracious reading, Donna still manages to keep up with her two children, four cats, and one long haired Chihuahua.





You can find Donna at 

               

   









Presented By

Tempt Me Tuesday with Mad Hatter Reads 12/29/2015

Tempt Me Tuesday  

Happy Release Day or as we like to call it Temp Me Tuesday!!! I'm currently listening to Donna Grant's Smoldering Hunger (Dark Kings, #8) which is is one of the goodies included below! OMG it's narrated by Antony Ferguson (he's narrated the whole DARK KINGS SERIES, highly recommended!)!  Check out the other goodies Mad Hatter Read has for you this week!!! 

Did you get any books over Christmas? Hopefully you did…or at least got whatever you really wanted! Even though Christmas is behind us, I still found some temptations for us this week. We do need something to read to pass the hours on New Years right? Let me know if you’ve been looking forward to anything this week.
 

Dead Eye (Tiger’s Eye Mystery, #1) by Alyssa Day

Dead Eye (Tiger's Eye Mystery #1)For Jack Shepherd, tiger shape-shifter and former soldier, life is heading for a dead end. Dead End, Florida, to be exact. When he learns that he inherited a combination pawn shop/private investigation agency from his favorite uncle, Jack’s first job is to solve his uncle’s murder. Because sometimes it takes a tiger’s eye to see the truth.
     





Endure (Defy, #3) by Sara B. Larson

Endure (Defy, #3)The remarkable third novel in Sara B. Larson's bestselling Defy series!
At last, Alexa and King Damian are engaged to be married. But their lives are far from safe. The kingdom of Antion is under siege, and Rylan is a prisoner of the enemy. Even worse, Alexa remains at the mercy of the evil Dansiian Rafe, who controls her mind and can force Alexa to kill or harm Damian at any moment. Despite this, Alexa is determined to rescue Rylan, which soon leads her far from Damian and deep into enemy territory.
When she arrives, what awaits her is deadlier than anything she could have ever imagined: an army of black sorcerers, and a horrifying plot to destroy the world as Alexa knows it. Will she be able to gather the strength to free herself, protect the love of her life, and save the land? Will there ever be true peace?
Acclaimed author Sara B. Larson has woven a stunning, romantic, and evocative finale to the Defy trilogy, that is sure to leave readers breathless until the very last page.
 

Hunter Deceived (Wild Hunt, #1) by Nancy Corrigan

Hunter Deceived (Wild Hunt #1)Note: Originally published as Hunter Betrayed by Ellora's Cave. It has been re-edited, expanded and re-titled as Hunter Deceived.
He was born to kill her...but he'll risk all to save her.
Every day, Harley fights the urge to embrace the dark heritage that could turn her Unseelie. Evil. "Bad." A nightmarish monster like the ones that wiped out her family. The only thing keeping her on this side of Seelie is a promise made to the ghostly man who saved her that terrible night.
Whenever she's tempted, she calls up a vision of his eyes. Hears his voice calling her back from the brink of madness. Years later, when she returns to the scene of her living hell, he's her only hope for salvation.
Calan, the leader of the Wild Hunt, was created to protect mankind from the Unseelie Court, not love one of them. He never expected the rightness he felt with her all those years ago would explode into desire.
But saving her from a fate she can't escape could damn them both...and leave the world open for destruction.
Warning: Contains a half-fae woman who could really use a Seelie version of AA to stay clean and monster-free. And a rider of the Wild Hunt who'll take any risk to keep her safe from her enemies. Including himself.
 

Smoldering Hunger (Dark Kings, #8) by Donna Grant

Smoldering Hunger (Dark Kings, #8)TEMPTING FATE 
Darius is back. Edinburg thought it had seen the last of this seductive Dragon King, but that was before Darius found something worthwhile. He just can't stay away from the impossibly beautiful Dr. Sophie Martin-even though he knows that a passion this strong could prove detrimental...for them both.

CRAVING DESIRE
 Sophie tried to forget her encounter with smoking-hot Darius to no avail. He's in her dreams, tempting her. But her association with Darius catches the attention of another, putting her in mortal danger. . .and Darius, who has vowed to protect her, is her only hope. But can she trust the notorious dragon shapeshifter? The only thing she knows for sure is that she cannot resist him.
 

Untouchable Darkness (The Dark Ones Saga, #2) by Rachel Van Dyken

Untouchable Darkness (The Dark Ones Saga, #2)To love a Dark One is to invite death...
It is wrong to love her. It is worse to want her. It is sin to consume her. I desire all three.
I've been given thirty days to prove my love to another immortal--as a human. Cursed to use nothing but the side of myself I've always despised to win her affection. I am Cassius, the King of the immortals, A Dark One. And today I tasted fear for the first time. How can I win her when my human emotions over take every ounce of logic I possess? A darkness is brewing. One I cannot stop as a human. One that Stephanie, my loves visions, have shown, will be my end. Thirty days ago I was King of the immortals. Today I know fear. Today I know how I will die. By her hand. The woman I love.


  Traci

Friday, December 25, 2015

Audio Book Review: Dance With Me by Heidi Cullinan

Dance With Me 
by Heidi Cullinan
Narrator: Iggy Toma

Blurb: 

Sometimes life requires a partner.

Ed Maurer has bounced back, more or less, from the neck injury that permanently benched his semipro football career. He hates his soul-killing office job, but he loves volunteering at a local community center. The only fly in his ointment is the dance instructor, Laurie Parker, who can’t seem to stay out of his way.

Laurie was once one of the most celebrated ballet dancers in the world, but now he volunteers at Halcyon Center to avoid his society mother’s machinations. It would be a perfect escape, except for the oaf of a football player cutting him glares from across the room.

When Laurie has a ballroom dancing emergency and Ed stands in as his partner, their perceptions of each other turn upside down. Dancing leads to friendship, being friends leads to becoming lovers, but most important of all, their partnership shows them how to heal the pain of their pasts. Because with every turn across the floor, Ed and Laurie realize the only escape from their personal demons is to keep dancing—together.


Available for purchase at 

      

Viviana's Review:
I really enjoyed this standalone story about two individuals who are on their own journey of figuring out who they want to be and not who everyone else wants them to be.

Both Ed and Laurie are great characters on their own.  They each have found something they love; Ed volunteering at the local community center and Laurie also enjoys working at that same center. However, it’s when they are together dancing they truly find love and together they learn and find out that with each other’s help they can truly be happy.

I loved that both characters were independent yet could rely on each other for additional strength. There wasn’t the traditional/norm angst or “couple” problem of “another person” or “jealous” that could cause them to part.  One of the things I love about Heidi’s books is she brings “real life” into her stories and characters’ lives.  She gives them “in-depth” issues and provides them scenarios we can all relate to even if we are not in that particular situation.

I must say that the ending did feel a tad bit rushed.  However, that could also be me wanting more. Though I’m glad things worked out for the characters, I would have wanted to see more of the “end”.

Overall, a great story that if you never read a Heidi Cullinan book before, I’d say start here - great example of writing style, character development, story arc and yummy, steamy scenes.

Narrator's Review: Sigh… Iggy Toma does a fantastic job of providing each character with their own unique voice and tone.  His performance adds to the already good story.  He is definitely a narrator that I follow!  I love his interpretations of characters and his performance overall.



Rating: 4 Stars - LOVED IT

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, Heidi Cullinan via Audible in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.



Thursday, December 24, 2015

Audio Book Review: Charming by Dannik Dark

Charming
(Seven Series, #6.5)
by Dannika Dark

Blurb:


After seven hundred years, Prince has acquired everything a Packmaster could desire. But when he meets the enchanting Nadia Kozlov, he realizes there’s one thing he doesn’t have: answers. Prince owes his life to a man he hasn’t seen in centuries, and Nadia holds the key to his whereabouts, because that man is her father.

Destinies collide when Nadia’s sister shows up unexpectedly. Katarina is a skilled bounty hunter, hot on the trail of a nefarious outlaw who turns out to be Prince’s old nemesis. Prince teams up with Nadia’s sister to track down the Mage, but the real game of cat and mouse is already underway as sparks fly between Prince and the cunning bounty hunter.

The only trouble? Nadia wants him too.

In the Seven series timeline, this full-length novel is 6.5.
However, Charming can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone.




Available for purchase at 


           


Viviana's Review: 
Perfection.  I’m serious!  There was the awesome mix of drama, great characters, humor, and story.  I loved Kat and her overall way of being.  Her personality is one that I would gravitate to. Would totally be friends with Kat! 

I already loved Dannika’s style of writing and her way of developing not only the story but the characters themselves.  This just cements it!

This book can be read as a standalone though the hero was originally introduced in the Seven Series.  I always enjoy the character of Prince and while some may say he needed to be “redeemed” I thought there had to be a reason and/or that because we were seeing the story from everyone else’s perspective, we were getting their thoughts and view of what they thought of Prince vs. the “man” himself.  In reading “Charming” this is proven true.  Also that there is always more to someone than what people believe or what at times people themselves wish to have others believe.

Overall, a great addition to this series! As with all great stories, you wanted more yet felt satisfied with the story you were told! 

Narrator Review: Nicole rocks it!  Easily Nicole has become one of my favorite narrators.  She does a fantastic job with Dannika’s stories.  Match made in heaven.




Rating: 5 Stars - Perfection




Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, Dannika Dark in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.