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Monday, February 29, 2016

Book Review: By the Rules by Elisabeth Staab

By the Rules 
(Evergreen Grove Series Series, #3)
by Elisabeth Staab

Blurb: 
He thinks I want him because of the rumors around town. Because I think he’s easy. I want AJ, because he’s AJ.

No liars. No suits. Absolutely no straight guys…

AJ Fabin’s list of rules keeps him safe. Since getting kicked out of his parents’ home and a vicious attack by a former escorting client, his rules and his life in the tiny town of Evergreen Grove provide a quiet haven. He may be lonely, and he may stick out like a sore thumb, but the folks like him well enough. When he’s not dodging his old pimp, things are peaceful.

Hayden Price is having a quarter-life crisis. Engaged to a woman he can’t connect to and working a job he secretly hates, he comes to Evergreen Grove to help his mother through a health scare. Returning to his childhood home makes Hayden re-evaluate a lot of things, including himself. When he meets AJ and finds he can’t stand the mouthy jerk—almost as much as he can’t stop thinking about him—he has a lot more to change than his career.

To be together, they’ll both have to break all of their rules.


Available for purchase at 

   

Viviana's Review:
I've been eagerly awaiting "By The Rules" and while this is the third book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

I love Elisabeth's writing style. It comes across as simple, however, it immerse the reader in the world she created. The style is easy to follow and allows the emotions of the character to flow though the words and onto the readers. You, as the reader, connect with the characters and fall for them. When they are happy, your heart smiles and when one is going through something difficult, you cry along with them. She truly has a gift of making her readers feel.

From the moment AJ Fabinfirst appeared in At the Stars (Evergreen Grove, #1) and became a favorite secondary character in the first and second book of the series, I wanted him to have his own story and his own HEA. AJ is the BFF, the guy who is always there and the defender of those who can't defend themselves. Yet, he keeps people at a distant. Never really letting them see him deep inside.

Hayden was breathe of fresh air that he didn't seem angry or upset at the feelings he was having towards another man. I'm happy Elisabeth didn't go down that road. He was willing to explore the emotions and not concerned with labels.

I loved that this story wasn't about labels. There wasn't a need to have Hayden identify as gay vs. the fact that the was attractive and wanted to be with AJ. It was a story of not only self discovery but allowing oneself to be true and accept who we are and be happy with it.

The story was great to read because it really was a story about two individuals accepting the fact that they deserve to be loved and could be loved for being themselves.

There were a few tropes that brought a few twists and an "OMG" moment to the story. however, Elisabeth's story telling abilities are shown here were these tropes don't make the reader role their eyes but rather go "awwww".

Overall, a great addition to the series and I'm extremely happy how things played out. Can't wait to the next installment!


Rating: 4 Stars - LOVED IT




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

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Release Week Blitz: Fighting Dirty by Lori Foster


Fighting Dirty - RDL banner



We are so excited to bring you the Release Week Blitz for FIGHTING DIRTY by Lori Foster! FIGHTING DIRTY is a Contemporary Romance and is the final installment in Lori Foster’s Ultimate Series. Grab your copy of the conclusion to this sexy series today!


  Fighting Dirty - cover

Fighting Dirty
(Ultimate Series, #4)
By Lori Foster

Blurb: 

He's the hottest MMA fighter in the game, but one woman is ready to try out a few steamy moves of her own in an unforgettable new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster...

With the life he's led and the muscles he's gained, Armie Jacobson isn't afraid of anything. Except maybe Merissa Colter's effect on him. It's not just that she's his best friend's little sister. Fact is, she deserves better. Women pursue him for one night of pleasure, and that's all he wants to offer. Until rescuing Merissa from a robbery leads to the most erotic encounter of his life. 

Good girl meets bad boy. It's a story that rarely ends well. But Merissa is taking matters into her own hands. No matter how he views himself, the Armie she knows is brave, honorable and completely loyal. And as past demons and present-day danger collide, they're both about to learn what's truly worth fighting for…



Available for purchase at 

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo ** GooglePlay ** Books-A-Million


Excerpt 



Merissa loved her brother. She’d always seen him as Superman, larger than life, a rock whenever she’d needed one. He was only a couple of years older than her, but for as long as she could remember he’d seemed grown-up.
Right now, Superman was in her kitchen, insisting on getting her a drink when all she really wanted was the time alone to let go. She knew if she fell apart in front of him, Cannon would never leave her.
He didn’t need to be a savior, not right now.
“Here.” He returned with a cola over ice, urging her to the couch. He smoothed back her hair, his gaze drawn to the bruise. Yes, it hurt. But the physical discomfort was nothing compared to the fear.
And here she’d promised herself, long ago, that she’d never again let herself be that type of victim.
But this fear—it was more about Armie standing in front of her, using himself as a shield. Risking his own life.
Willing to die.
“Take these.” Cannon handed her two aspirin.
She tried a teasing smile. “This feels so familiar.”
He stalled, then shook his head. “Don’t think about that.”
She couldn’t help herself. They’d lost their dad when she was only sixteen. As the owner of a neighborhood bar he’d resisted the extortion of local thugs, refusing to pay their demanded fees for “protection.” Late one night when he’d been closing, men had come in and beaten him to death.
Devastated but determined, their mom had nearly worked herself into her own grave trying to keep them afloat. Merissa could remember it all like yesterday. The goons wanted her mother to sell but she’d refused.
Until some of those goons had cornered Merissa on her way home from school.
“It’s all the same. You coddling me, being the strong one for both of us.”
“You were a kid then.”
“You’re only two years older than me,” she reminded him with a shoulder bump. “You were a kid then, too.”
“Maybe. I remember feeling so damned helpless.”
“Like you feel now?” She knew her brother, knew he wanted to make things right for her when that wasn’t his responsibility. “I’m not a kid anymore, Cannon. I can handle it.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yes, I do,” she told him gently. “Because I don’t want my big brother stuck taking care of me again.”
He folded her hand into his own. “You know I enjoy it, right?”
Her laugh sounded pitiful. But she still remembered how her mother had given in because of her. Cannon had found those men, and even at eighteen he’d made them pay with his fists—because of her.
She’d influenced him into becoming a fighter.
And it was because of her that he’d formed the neigh­
borhood watch. Everyone loved Cannon, but no one could love him more than she did.
“Superman,” she teased. “This time, I promise I can take care of myself.”
A slight knock on the door made her jump.
“It’s just Armie,” Cannon said with a squeeze to her shoulder. “I’ll let him in.”
Nodding, she again thought of the way Armie had stood in front of her, willing to block bullets if neces­sary.
Emotion welled up, choking her, killing her.
She quickly took the aspirin and tried to get herself together.
Armie peeked in cautiously, saw her on the couch and came in farther. “She okay?”
“Yes,” Merissa and Cannon said at the same time.
Armie gave a slight, tilted smile. “Hey, Stretch.” He came over to her, laid her keys on the coffee table, then winced at the darkening discoloration on her jaw.
“I bruise easily,” she explained. “By tomorrow it’s going to look worse, believe me. But it was just a slap. I doubt you guys would have even noticed.”
Armie crouched down in front of her. “Hey, you’re not a fighter, hon.”
She liked it when he called her something other than Stretch. Something affectionate. “No kidding.” She hadn’t fought at all; fear and the furious beating of her heart had kept her malleable and weak. It infu­riated her. “I may be big, but I lack muscle.” And guts.
“Tall,” Armie corrected. “You’re tall, but far from big. More like…”
“What?”
He thought about it. “Delicate.”
A genuine smile took her by surprise. So Armie Ja­cobson saw her as delicate? Huh.
Knowing she needed to get this over with, Merissa took another drink, then set her glass aside and stood.
Armie slowly did the same, his cautious gaze never leaving her. Cannon stood near him, strangely quiet. They both watched her as if expecting her to lose it at any second.
And maybe she would—if she didn’t have an audi­ence.



Book Trailer






Fighting Dirty - Blog Tour Cover

And don’t miss the previous books in the Ultimate Series!

Ultimate Series Covers Banner- Lori Foster

HARD KNOCKS

NO LIMITS

HOLDING STRONG

TOUGH LOVE


About The Author



Lori Foster - Author photoSince first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN. Visit her online at LoriFoster.com.

You can find Lori at         

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | PINTEREST | YOUTUBE

   










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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Gift Ideas for the Book Lover #72




Hi Everyone!! Welcome to this week's "Gift Idea For The Book Lover"!  Today we have something for the home, something yummy and two things that are fashionable! 
Let me know which one you like! 



Large subway wood sign fairy tale sign board
$20.00 (plus S&H)

Once In Awhile,
Right In The Middle
Of An Ordinary Life,
Love,
Gives Us A Fairy Tale

Each of my signs are hand painted and created
at the time an order is placed. I take care to ensure
a quality piece for your home. 

Each sign is slightly distressed, antiqued through a 
special staining process and then sealed for years
of beautiful display in your home.
Each piece is unique as each piece of wood is unique on its own.

This sign measures 12 X 12.
I have painted it in black with antique cream lettering.





Storybook Decorated Sugar Cookies - Fairy Tales, Princess Theme, Birthday Party Favors, Wedding, Shower, Personalized, Story Book Cookies
$33.00+ (plus S&H)

Cookies are baked in a facility that also makes use of known allergens! Please read my Policies page for additional information, and note that by placing your order you represent that you have read, understood and agree to the stated Policies!







Alice In Wonderland Heels Wedding Heels Wedding Shoes Classic Literature Heels Literature Shoes Something Blue John Tenniel Lewis Carroll
$90.00 (plus S&H)

Alice In Wonderland Heels Wedding Heels Wedding Shoes Classic Literature Heels Literature Shoes Something Blue John Tenniel Lewis Carroll

Made-To-Order: Alice In Wonderland Black-And-White Heels. The heels are artfully covered with an arrangement of classic Tenniel illustrations. They are trimmed with a light blue ruched ribbon, which is then overlaid with a second narrow black ribbon. The ribbon meets with an offset, small black bow. Peeping from the bow on each shoe is a silver-toned Wonderland themed charm. The charm on each shoe is different, and will be unique to each pair of shoes. Brides, if you are looking for the perfect "something blue" ~ these shoes would be a lovely finishing touch for your special day. (If you would like your names and wedding date scripted on the sole, I'll be happy to provide that service for no additional charge.) Due to the hand-made nature of my items, irregularities do occur at times and can be welcomed as part of the creative process. Purchase of this item constitutes your agreement to abide by my shop policies.

***IMPORTANT NOTICE: The blue velvety ribbon pictured is discontinued. All further orders will be made with a more translucent light blue ribbon as per the 2nd listing photo. Please ask any questions concerning this before purchase. No refunds or remakes will be offered for failure to read the listing details and view the photographs. 





Heidi Secret Book Safe and Flask
$40.00 (plus S&H)

Decorative classic novel with unique cover art "Heidi" by Johanna Spyri as a homemade book safe as seen in spy movies. Book comes lined with matching flask. *Buyers should know that book is not laser cut. Everything is cut by hand and has homemade, quirky imperfections. If you would like a different pattern on flask and/or lining, message me with your order number.













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, February 23, 2016

Release Day Launch: Dance of Desire by Christopher Rice

Dance of Desire - RDL banner

 

We are thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for DANCE OF DESIRE by Christopher Rice! DANCE OF DESIRE is a novella brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights. DANCE OF DESIRE is the first contemporary romance told with the author's trademark humor and heart. It also introduces readers to a quirky and beautiful town in the Texas Hill Country called Chapel Springs. Grab your copy of this sexy novella today!

DANCE OF DESIRE - Cover

Blurb:

When Amber Watson walks in on her husband in the throes of extramarital passion with one of his employees, her comfortable, passion-free life is shattered in an instant. Worse, the fate of the successful country music bar that bears her family's name suddenly hangs in the balance. Her soon to be ex-husband is one of the bar's official owners; his mistress, one of its employees. Will her divorce destroy her late father's legacy? Not if Amber's adopted brother Caleb has anything to do with it. The wandering cowboy has picked the perfect time for a homecoming. Better yet, he's determined to use his brains and his fists to put Amber's ex in his place and keep the family business intact. But Caleb's long absence has done nothing to dim the forbidden desire between him and the woman the State of Texas considers to be his sister. Years ago, when they were just teenagers, Caleb and Amber shared a passionate first kiss beside a moonlit lake. But that same night, tragedy claimed the life of Caleb's parents and the handsome young man went from being a family friend to Amber's adopted brother. Has enough time passed for the two of them to throw off the roles Amber's father picked for them all those years ago? Will their desire for each other save the family business or put it in greater danger? 

DANCE OF DESIRE is the first contemporary romance from award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice, told with the author's trademark humor and heart. It also introduces readers to a quirky and beautiful town in the Texas Hill Country called Chapel Springs. 

READER ADVISORY. DANCE OF DESIRE contains fantasies of dubious consent, acted on by consenting adults. Readers with sensitivities to those issues should be advised.   


Available for purchase at 

Dance of Desire - RWB Teaser 2


EXCERPT: 

“What time was it last night when you saw the moon?” she’d asked him.

“Past midnight.”

“But you only went to bed at eleven.”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

They both knew what thoughts were keeping him awake, thoughts of his father’s drinking and of how crazy his mother was going trying to rein it all in.

“Wake me up next time,” she’d told him. “I’ll keep you company.”

Such simple words, but she’d felt like she was jumping off the edge of a cliff when she’d said them. Instead of answering, Caleb gave her a long look as he fiddled with the leg of his shorts. She’d silently cursed herself, called herself an idiot and worse.

Caleb was just a friend. Honestly, he wasn’t even that, was he? Circumstances had thrown them together, that was all. He was the son of her father’s best friend, so they were basically like distant cousins, only with no shared blood in their veins. Crazy of her to think there might be more there.

If her friends could see her now, they’d probably laugh at her; the same friends who’d swooned that day her father had picked her up from school with Caleb in the passenger seat of his truck, and Caleb, wearing a Stetson that was about a half-size too big for his head, had given them a cocky grin, looked right into her eyes and said, Afternoon, pretty lady. Not afternoon pretty ladies, even though she’d had about four other girls standing on the curb next to her when he’d said it.

Clearly she’d made way too much of that moment. Sometimes afternoon just meant, afternoon and pretty lady was what a guy called you when he was trying to look cool.

Or so she’d thought earlier that day. Before he took her up on her offer and woke her up in the middle of the night so they could look at the moon together.

Which they do.

Because it’s beautiful.

When he lowers his right hand, the same hand with which he was just pointing to the night sky, her breath catches. Every muscle in her body tenses in anticipation.

Where will it land?


Dance of Desire - RWB Teaser 1
    




About The Author



Christopher Rice - author photoAfter publishing four New York Times bestselling thrillers by the age of 30 and being declared one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive, award-winning writer Christopher Rice became the first author to make his erotic romance debut part of the 1,001 DARK NIGHTS series. THE FLAME: A Desire Exchange Novella kicked off a steamy new series set in New Orleans, featuring magical candles and a sexy new breed of supernatural beings, The Radiants, who are devoted to helping heroes and heroines realize their heart’s desire. THE FLAME earned accolades from some of the biggest names in erotic romance and was quickly followed up by THE SURRENDER GATE: A Desire Exchange Novel, available from Evil Eye Concepts as a Blue Box Special. Aside from authoring eight works of dark suspense, Christopher is also the co-host and executive producer of THE DINNER PARTY SHOW WITH CHRISTOPHER RICE & ERIC SHAW QUINN, all the episodes of which can be downloaded at TheDinnerPartyShow.com and from iTunes. Make sure you’re subscribed to The Dinner Party Show’s You Tube channel to receive their newest content in 2016.  

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Dance of Desire - Now Available  
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Tempt Me Tuesday with Mad Hatter Reads 2/23/2016

Tempt Me Tuesday



Happy Release Day or as we like to call it Temp Me Tuesday!!! 
Check out the other goodies Mad Hatter Read has for you this week!!!

 
Why yes my pretty, you can come home with me today. Why don’t we bring all of your friends too? After all, I would hate for you to be lonely! Have you been looking forward to any of these temptations this week? Leave me a comment and let me know.
 

The Winter King (The Kings, #8) by Heather Killough-Walden

“If you believe anything I tell you, believe this. You are my queen, therefore, you are my world. You are the most important piece on the chessboard. Everything I do from here on out will be about you. I will eat, sleep, and drink you. I will breathe you. And I will stop breathing without you… If you go, the game is lost.”

Far beyond the easy reaches of the mortal world lies a kingdom of ice and snow. Its glacier mountains reach the horizons of eons, and its cold, hard oceans paint the vastness of its world. It is terribly harsh, and terribly beautiful, and there is only one man capable of ruling from its frozen throne. He has ruled there alone for more than a thousand years.

But the Thirteen Kings are finding their fated queens, and though he’d all but lost hope he would count himself amongst their lucky numbers, the moment she walks into view, his frozen heart and soul are rekindled with by a fire that will melt through anything, even him.

Persephone Glacia Nix – “Poppy” – is a human warlock who has forced herself to fit in with the mortals around her, despite her inherent differences, despite her secret longings, and regardless of the very different way in which she sees the world. Her empathetic nature makes life better for others, but difficult for her. She’s come to accept this as the curse that accompanies the gift of understanding. However, when Kristopher Scaul approaches her on a dark street in a dark city on a cold night and introduces her to a world she at last feels “at home” in, Poppy must finally decide whether to continue faking it in the mortal world – or take her place on a second frozen throne, in the lonely but beautiful Kingdom of Winter.


A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic, 2) by V.E. Schwab

A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic, #2)Four months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift, and into Black London.
In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games—an extravagant international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries—a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.
But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again—meaning that another London must fall.
 

Alliance (Linesman, #2) by S.K. Dunstall

Alliance (Linesman #2)As the Linesman series continues, linesman Ean Lambert finds himself facing an alien ship he doesn’t understand—and a terrifying political threat he cannot fight…
The lines. The soul of every ship. It was once thought there were only ten, but that was before an alien vessel appeared at the edge of space—before Ean Lambert heard more lines singing. Ean’s ways of communicating with lines is strange. But his abilities make him a valuable tool—or weapon—to command.
Captain Selma Kari Wang has lost everything—her ship, her crew, her legs. But the New Alliance of Worlds is not done with her yet. After they rebuild her broken body, they send her to captain one of the new alien ships, teaming her up with Ean, the only one who can understand the alien lines.
Kari Wang and Ean are poised on the threshold of discoveries that could change the world. But not everyone wants the New Alliance to control the secrets they uncover—and those who oppose won’t hesitate to do whatever it takes to stop them.
 

Behold the Bones (Beware the Wild, #2) by Natalie C. Parker

Behold the Bones (Beware the Wild, #2)Candace “Candy” Pickens has been obsessed with the swamp lore of her tiny Louisiana town for . . . forever. Name any ghostly swamp figure and Candy will recite the entire tale in a way that will curl your toes and send chills up your spine.
That doesn’t mean Candy’s a believer, however. Even though she and her friends entered the swamp at the start of summer and left it changed, Candy’s the only one who can’t see or feel the magical swamp Shine. She’s also the only one who can’t see the ghosts that have been showing up and spooking everyone in town ever since. So Candy concentrates on other things—real things. Like fighting with her mother and plotting her escape from her crazy town.
But ghosts aren’t the only newcomers in Sticks, Louisiana. The King family arrives like a hurricane: in a blur and unwanted—at least by Candy. Mr. King is intent on filming the rumored ghostly activity for his hit TV show, Local Haunts. And while Candy can’t ignore how attracted she is to eighteen-year-old Gage King and how much his sister, Nova, wants to be friends, she’s still suspicious of the King family.
As Candy tries to figure out why the Kings are really in town and why the swamp that had previously cast her aside now seems to be invading every crack in her logical, cynical mind, she stumbles across the one piece of swamp lore she didn’t know. It’s a tale that’s more truth than myth, and may have all the answers . . . and its roots are in Candy’s own family tree.
 

Bitter Bite (Elemental Assassin, #14) by Jennifer Estep

Bitter Bite (Elemental Assassin, #14)Which is stronger: blood ties or a battle-tested friendship?
It’s not easy being queen bee of an underworld abuzz with crooks and killers. Wielding my potent Ice and Stone elemental magic will only get me so far—my real secret is my tight-knit makeshift family, a motley crew of cops and criminals, dwarves and playboys. My foster brother Finnegan Lane is my right-hand man, but when his suddenly not-dead relative comes back into the picture, I’m the one on the outside looking in.
It’s funny how life works: one minute your best friend is rock-steady, and the next he’s doe-eyed and buying into this whole loving-relative routine to the point of ignoring you. I’d like to be happy for Finn, I really would. But all of my instincts are telling me that beneath the syrupy sweet demeanor and old-fashioned charm, this sudden interloper is planning something. The whole shtick leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. This person might have avoided the grave once, but I’ll put anyone who hurts Finn in the ground—for good.
 

Born To Be Wilde (Immortal Vegas, #3) by Jenn Stark

Born To Be Wilde (Immortal Vegas, #3)The past has a way of catching up with you.
If there's one thing that Tarot-reading magical artifacts hunter Sara Wilde has never been able to track down, it's the truth about her own past. But now a powerful new threat to the psychic community will take Sara back to where it all began: the last job she worked with Officer Brody Rooks as "Psychic Teen Sariah," the job that destroyed her life and sent her on the run. Because the enemy she fled all those years ago has returned... with a posse of demons as his personal entourage.
Worse, Sara's infuriating mentor, the dangerously seductive Magician, is pushing her to stretch her abilities and explore the very deepest reaches of her magic. But every demand draws her further into the spell he's weaving around her. And every challenge tests her vow to keep him at arm's length.
From the glittering chaos of Las Vegas to the Lost City of Atlantis, Sara must risk everything in a quest for vengeance that grows darker and more twisted with every step. To succeed she'll have to face the truth about her past, her abilities...and the impossible, unstoppable attraction she has to the Magician. A truth that will reveal her ultimate role in the war on magic.
Life is full of surprises when you are Born to Be Wilde.
 

Dreamfever (Dreamfire, #2) by Kit Alloway

Dreamfever (Dreamfire, #2)Finding out that she is the True Dream Walker hasn't gone at all the Joshlyn Weaver would have expected it to. The only special gift she seems to have is an ability to create archways, which really isn't that special. In addition to her inability to connect with the Dream, she has also started having nightmares that are so terrible she can't tell anyone about them. Not even Will.
Just when Josh thought her life couldn't get any more complicated, the lost dream walker princess returns to claim her parents' right to the throne, right as the Lodestone party threatens to take control of the government during the upcoming Accordance Conclave.
With the clock running down, Josh must rely on not only her friends, but also her enemies, to stop the radicals from taking power and controlling the Dream. But how can she expect to save everyone else when she's struggling to pick up the pieces of her own shattered life?
 

Firstlife (Everlife, #1) by Gena Showalter

Firstlife (Everlife, #1)ONE CHOICE.
TWO REALMS.
NO SECOND CHANCE.
Tenley “Ten” Lockwood is an average seventeen-year-old girl…who has spent the past thirteen months locked inside the Prynne Asylum. The reason? Not her obsession with numbers, but her refusal to let her parents choose where she’ll live—after she dies.
There is an eternal truth most of the world has come to accept: Firstlife is merely a dress rehearsal, and real life begins after death.
In the Everlife, two realms are in power: Troika and Myriad, longtime enemies and deadly rivals. Both will do anything to recruit Ten, including sending their top Laborers to lure her to their side. Soon, Ten finds herself on the run, caught in a wild tug-of-war between the two realms who will do anything to win the right to her soul. Who can she trust? And what if the realm she’s drawn to isn’t home to the boy she’s falling for? She just has to stay alive long enough to make a decision.
 

Runaway Vampire (Argeneau, #23) by Lynsay Sands

Runaway Vampire (Argeneau, #23)The latest entry in the sizzling paranormal vampire series featuring the Argeneau family - no one does wickedly funny and irresistibly steamy like Lynsay Sands!
Dante Notte has heard it said that love hurts. He just wasn't expecting it to run him over in an RV. Still, a punctured lung and broken ribs are nothing compared to the full-body shock he feels whenever he's near the vehicle's driver, Mary Winslow. He needs to keep her safe from their pursuers while he rescues his brother. Most challenging of all, he needs to claim this smart, stubborn woman as his life mate.
The naked, injured, insanely gorgeous younger man who clambered into her RV insists they belong together. If Mary wasn't feeling their incredible connection in every inch of her being, she wouldn't believe it. But now that the men who took Dante's twin are after her too, trusting her gut means risking her life for an immortal who's the very definition of a perfect stranger.
 

The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire, #1) by C.J. Redwine

The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire, #1)Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.
In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.
But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose.



  Traci

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Book Review: Break My Fall by Jessica Scott

Break My Fall 
(Falling Series, #2)
by Jessica Scott

Blurb:
Violence. I’m addicted to it. It’s how I feel alive. It’s the only thing that’s real any more.

And now I have to sit around and discuss it like it’s physics or calculus.

I can’t do it. I can’t pretend that it’s some sterile academic topic.

Violence isn’t sterile. It isn’t calm. It’s pulsing. It’s alive.
It’s my drug.

Until I met Abby, I never wanted anything beyond the next fight.

Never considered that I might finally find a way back to the land of the living.

Now? Now I find myself dreaming of a woman with golden eyes.

But I can never be with her. Because I am not whole. And I never will be again.

But I cannot stay away. And loving her might finally be what breaks me.



Available for purchase at 

         

Viviana's Review:

I've typed up this review a few times, trying to figure out how to word my thoughts and where to start..... This is a standalone, so if you're like me, and haven't read the previous book, you won't be lost. I've read Jessica's, the author, Coming Home Series and love them. Military heroes, each living with a struggle and trying to survive! Jessica's writing style is strong, yet simple. She writes emotional characters that readers are drawn to and can connect with.

Due to the fact that I've read Jessica's books in the past, I was intrigued that she had a new series titled Falling Series, and that it was going to be a New Adult..... though not a huge fan of that genre. I've learned that the author could make that genre awesome!

Both the author and the early review clips/teasers have all been saying how "dark" and "intense" and "emotional" this read is... stating how the hero is "damaged" and "unfixable" and when I was reading this.... I kept waiting to get to the real 'dark' parts. The truth? Jessica does an amazing job in telling and sharing the story of veterans, and Josh's is no different in that he is a a veteran who is trying his best to return to a 'normal' life has decided to go to collage. Yet, something was a bit flat for me. Maybe it was the first person or I had a hard time believing that a Vet would take the class Josh is taking considering his struggles.

Then there's Abby, the heroine. She also has a difficult past that she is a survival of and will not allow it to dictate her future. In Josh she sees the potential for some of her past to repeat itself, yet she believes the circumstances are different. However, in many of the pages, she goes back and forth in her head on how "this" possible attraction isn't a good idea one minute, then the next, she's instigating a conversation. Side note, I LOVED that there is diversity in this book! While it's not addressed in the blurb nor in the teasers or anywhere else actually, Abby is bi-racial. She also has a gay best friend. I like that it's not made into a big deal. Even within the story, there are times where Abby address this and anticipates Josh making it into a big deal and he doesn't... because it isn't. It shouldn't be.

I did have an issue with the 'insta-love' which is so the 'norm' in NA. Sigh.... I get that there is attraction, but there was this, well, instant love/'I have to be with you' and no real reason as to why. I understand that for Josh, this may be the first time there is a connection or something different, but take a minute and breathe dude. And for Abby.... same thing. If there was more of time period where they were getting to know each other and there was a solid foundation to showcase why she felt safe and why he felt that connection then okay. Again, this is the issue I have with NAs.

Going back to the "unfixable" and the "dark" and "intense" of the story and of Josh as a character. YES, Josh has issues like PTSD and as the blurb states, he believes he's addicted to violence, however, as you're reading the book, what you're getting from Josh is the opposite of that addiction. He is struggling from PTSD, and as with other Jessica Scott books, you get insight as to what Vets have to deal with from lack of support from the government to what other people think and how they are treated. However, there was ONE moment in the book, towards the end, that I could see where it would have been that really "oh... here's that DARK and INTENSE part people have been talking about" and it came.... and you're going "oh... let's see how it's handled" and sure enough.... Like in most NAs... it was easily solved with NO DARK or INTENSE....Don't get me wrong... Josh still has PTSD and as a couple, both Abby and Josh will have to learn how to communicate and deal with their stuff and each other's but that "Big Bad" ... yeah... taken care of. I sort of feel like that part was glossed over. Maybe because it is a NA?

Overall, I love that Jessica continues to address topics that need to be discussed and does it in a manner that are honest and readers can have ongoing conversations about. Though I was hesitant at first to pick this book up because it was labeled as an emotional, dark and intense read, I want to say her adult series is WAY more emotional and intense. Even the topics are darker, I'd say. Perhaps, some may consider this a 'darker' subject matter because the characters are 'younger' but the truth is they are adults. This are things adults of various ages have dealt with in the past and many are dealing with now. While a NA, I think it's okay to step away from that "insta-love" troop. I'm struggling between a 2.5 Star rating which is a "It was Really Okay" and a 3 Star rating of "I liked it". I did like it, but it was more like a 2.5 because of just can't get over the feeling that some of the intensity was glossed over due to the character's age.....  But then.... 3 because again the diversity and the fact that topics are address that should be discussed!



 Rating: 3 Stars- I Liked It



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

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Dark Alpha's Embrace by Donna Grant


OMG OMG, I'm super excited to have Death with us today! Okay, that sounds all sorts of weird, but it's true, I'm honored to have her here with us! 


I’ve always found the term “Death by Chocolate” somewhat funny and interesting. I’ve never eliminated anyone using chocolate as a weapon. I should know, since I am Death. I find that to be wasteful. When I think of chocolate, I automatically think of sweetness, and maybe a smidgen of bitter sweet if we’re discussing dark chocolate. For some humans, every day candies like M&Ms can bring fond childhood memories to the forefront.  A decadent, smooth and elegant slice of cake can be part of romantic proposal and the start of new journey in life. 

Seeing that I AM Death, this term of “Death by Chocolate” makes me wonder… exactly what is “Death by Chocolate”? Upon researching, it’s basically a term used for any dessert that features chocolate (especially dark chocolate or cocoa) as the main ingredient. I mentioned cake because there are several different types of chocolate cake that go by the name of “Death by Chocolate”, the phrase has even been trademarked.  

So with all this talk about “Death by Chocolate”… I found this recipe for the “Best Death by Chocolate Cupcakes”. 

Link to Recipe:
http://americanheritagecooking.com/2015/01/best-death-by-chocolate-cupcakes/ 

I have a feeling a few of my Reapers could get creative with the usage of some of those chocolate morsels if … Yeah… I don’t want to think about it.

Tell us what your favorite “Death by Chocolate” dessert would be!



Dark Alpha's Embrace
(Reaper Series, #2)
by Donna Grant

Blurb:

An exclusive new series from New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant!

There's no escaping a Reaper. I'm an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I'm coming for you...

I'm a warrior. My unbreakable determination, my backbone of steel define me. As a Reaper who does Death's bidding, weakness is a word I don't understand. Until a stunning librarian stirs emotions deep within me I've never felt before. Her soft curves blunt the sharp edges of my soul, crushing my defenses - yet make me stronger. But underneath those wide eyes and fierce femininity, she has a weapon, one she won't hesitate to use. And when the Dark begin their deadly descent, we'll need each other's love and protection...or risk fracturing apart.





Available for purchase at 


            


 Excerpt


Kyran stretched his legs out and crossed them at the ankles. “You’re needed, River. It’s not by accident that you know what you do about the Fae and were put in our path. You’re destined to aid us in this.”

When she didn’t respond, he tried again. “Think of all the innocents, like your family and Jordyn’s, who were killed. You have a chance to help us put an end to such things for everyone. The half-Fae will no longer need to fear for their lives. And I promise you I’ll figure out who has hunted your family and end it.”

Her resigned look cut through him. “You can’t do that. You work for Death. I doubt you’ll be given leave to help me.”

“Let me deal with that. Whether you help me or not, I’m going to find out why the Dark are hunting your family. And then I’m going to make sure it never happens again.”

River swung her gaze to him. She tucked a long length of hair behind her ear. “Do I have your word you’ll stop whoever is after me?”

“Aye.” Kyran held out his hand.


River stared at it a moment before she leaned up and took it. They shook, her small hand in his. “Then I’ll help you.”





The Reapers Series





Reaper #1



Available for purchase at 

          


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

               

   


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