Saturday, April 29, 2017

Keeping Claudia by Suzanne McKenna Link ~ Cover Reveal


Keeping Claudia
Suzanne McKenna Link
(Toby & Claudia #2)
Publication date: May 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Back home in a town she once fled, headstrong Claudia Chiametti returns to the arms of the only guy ever to awaken her heart. Everything about Toby Faye contradicts her family’s traditions and values, but she’s ready to take a chance on love. 
Toby finally has the girl he’s long dreamed of within his reach. But, it’s only a matter of time before light will be cast on the dark corners of a secreted past. 
Can Claudia love him unconditionally …or will the truth cost Toby what he wants most? 
Falling in love is easy. Staying in love is hard.



Author Bio:
Suzanne McKenna Link works for a family of newspapers that cover events in and around the South Shore of Long Island, New York. She lives in the town of Sayville with her husband and two children. 
SAVING TOBY is her debut novel. The literary love story follows the moving journey of a damaged young man and his love for a girl who might just save him. An avid interest in psychology has Suzanne digging deep into the reasons for her characters' behaviors. The native Long Islander is fascinated by the how and why of people's actions. As a result, her characters come to life on the pages. 

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Friday, April 28, 2017

Anna's Way by D.F. Jones ~ Review

Title: Anna's Way (Ditch Lane Diaries #2)
Author: D.F. Jones
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Length: 296 pages
Publisher: Indie
Release Date: May 3, 2016
Source: Review Request
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

The Ditch Lane Diaries continues with Anna's Way. 

Anna the healer, Ruby the dreamer, and Sandy the soul reader are The Wards of Campbell Ridge. 

Anna discovers that she has a guardian angel named Ralph. He is a part of the elite warrior angels that has been sent to train The Wards of Campbell Ridge against the forces of darkness. Ralph teaches Anna how to use her divine healing power while she learns as much as she can about modern medicine. As Anna’s power grows stronger so does her drive to become a doctor. Anna receives a full ride out of state scholarship for medical school, but she is in love with Jerry. 

Will Anna pursue her divine calling at the risk of losing true love? 


**********
Book two of the Ditch Lane Diaries moves on to Anna's story. Anna is a healer and had lots of big dreams. But her dreams may cause her to lose the love of her life, Jerry. As she prepares to move away for college to become a doctor, Jerry begins to pull away from her and move on with his life.

But there's an influence at play here that no no on notices at first. But she is set on the path of quite a knock down drag out fight to get her man back. I really loved seeing more of the paranormal aspects at play here and getting to know more about the warrior angles.

The angels are getting ready for a war. We see in bits and pieces that something big is coming to a head in the war of good versus evil, and the Wards of Campbell Ridge are going to be right in the middle of it all.

*I voluntarily received a review copy of this book*


Ditch Lane Diaries
Ruby's Choice #1

Karma by Cynthia Vespia ~ Cover Reveal


Karma
Cynthia Vespia
(Silke Butters, #1)
Publication date: June 21st 2017
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
A mask, a makeup brush, and amazing powers. It’s all in a days work when supermodel turned superhero, Karma, faces off against criminal masterminds, The Sin Squad, who are endowed with their own special powers. 
Silke Butters is the face of the fashion world. Her Indian heritage and long, silky black hair have made her an international icon. Silke is also one of the most powerful superheroes in the world…she just doesn’t know it yet. 
When her father, Sgt. Duke Butters, dies suddenly, the block he’s had on Silke’s powers breaks causing them to come to the surface out of Silke’s control. Through the help of Joe Riggs, her father’s second in command and Silke’s former crush, she discovers that there are other superhumans like her in the world including Joe himself. As Silke’s powers begin to grow she finds herself caught in the middle of a tug-of-war between both a subdivision of the U.S. government known as Shadow Company, and a ruthless terrorist organization known as The Sin Squad. Both entities want the “enhanced” for their respective teams with Silke as the main prize. 
To disguise her famous face, Silke invents an alter ego. Karma is born of necessity to decide the fate of those who are ill-intentioned and empower others with hope. Alongside Joe, and her computer hacker friend Maki, Silke develops a heroes call-to-action to battle the dark force that threatens to annihilate humanity.
KARMA is the first in a series of 5 novels. It will appeal to fans of superheroes like Wonder Woman and Supergirl, as well as novels by Patricia Briggs, Cassandra Clare, and Sherrilyn Kenyon.


Author Bio:
Cynthia Vespia "The Original Cyn" writes speculative fiction that encompasses fantasy, the paranormal, and magic realism. Her characters are rich with detail and fabulously flawed which breathes life into them with a realism readers can identify with. Cynthia's creative worlds are an amalgamation of many different genres which offers a cross-over appeal. Her novels are emotionally engaging, leaving hearts pounding and pages turning. She has been nominated for a "Best in Series" award for her fantasy trilogy Demon Hunter.

She has also turned her creative energy into Original Cyn Creative Services, an award-winning copy, design, and video source for the development of promotional content. With over a decade of experience her background has included feature writing for a variety of publications; web design; national marketing and promotional campaigns via print and copy; script writing; video trailers and montages for authors and entrepreneurs. Her creative work has won awards for "Most Artistic Trailer" Demon Hunter 2: Seek & Destroy; "Best Video" Bloodlines; "Honorable Mention" for Anti-Bullying Campaign, and a nomination for "Best Cover Design" Demon Huntress: Destiny Unleashed.

During her downtime she enjoys getting lost in a good book or movie, and keeping active through martial arts and weight training.

Cynthia is available for freelance work, conventions, and workshops. 

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Thursday, April 27, 2017

Blood Vowed by Traci Douglass ~ Excerpt and Giveaway


Title: Blood Vowed (Blood Ravagers #3)
Author: Traci Douglass
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Length: 172 pages
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Release Date: April 13, 2017

Reverend “Rev” Walker, expected some backlash after he foiled The Council’s attempts to overthrow the Blood Ravager Biker Gang. What he hadn’t expected was to wake up in the last place he ever wanted to see again—a dank cell of The Council’s Siberian dungeon. Drained and chained, he faces certain death if he can’t escape from the hellish prison. Now, his only means of escape depends on him accepting help from a fellow prisoner, a woman whose very existence is a lie and the only one capable of awakening Rev’s long-dormant heart.

Claire Deveraux is Dygarian, a race of shadow-shifters who have been slandered and hunted to extinction by The Council. But Claire has used her years of enslavement well, reading her captors’ secret texts and hearing their whispered secrets. Now, after being locked up for a crime she didn’t commit, she plans to use her knowledge of the dungeon’s maze-like interior to gain her freedom, or die trying. Then a new prisoner arrives, a man Claire has dreamed of and knows in her heart is her destined mate, if only she can break through his walls.

On the run and threatened from all sides, will Rev and Claire learn to trust each other and their growing feelings for one another before it’s too late?

Excerpt from Blood Vowed

“Deal’s off.” He stepped around her and crouched behind a mound of snow near the small Nenets outpost. “Goodbye.”
“Hello.” She knelt beside him. Her cold arm nudged his and explosions of awareness rocked his system. Her scent—cloves and vanilla—drifted to him, teasing his senses with each breath. This was getting way out of hand and annoying as hell. “So, we kill them and rob them?”
“No.” Rev gave a long-suffering sigh and pointed. “We aren’t doing anything. I will steal what we need from those supply huts over there.”
Claire gave him some serious side-eye. “What do I do?”
Fuck off? “Stay put.”
He growled then disappeared in a flash. Moving faster than human eyes—and most immortals—could see, Rev zipped to the supply huts and peered inside. Nabbed two thick, fur-lined parkas, boots, rough woolen underclothes, gloves, and hats, then zoomed back to the snow mound. Arms laden with stuff, he dropped it all on the ground, then quickly pulled on his new duds. Not exactly his usual Deadwood meets Dead Zone attire, but it would do for now.
Claire sorted through the things then turned away from him to dress.
Seriously? He shook his head. She was going to be modest now after she’d damned near drawn and quartered him back in the passageway?
“Don’t look,” she said over her shoulder before letting her tattered gown fall to the snow.
Too late.
As she tugged on a pair of wool leggings, Rev couldn’t stop staring at the smooth stretch of her spine, the soft curves of her hips, the globes of her buttocks. Throat dry, he blinked, catching himself just before he reached out to touch what his body so desired.
“You’re peeking, aren’t you?” Claire said, her tone laced with accusation.
“No.” Rev coughed, still staring. The lie had creaked out like a noisy old floorboard. He swallowed hard to clear the constriction of lust from his vocal cords and looked away. “No.”
Torn and twisted, he pulled on his heavy fur parka then wrinkled his nose. The thing smelled like dead caribou with the carcass still stuck inside, but at least it was warm. As he flipped the fur-lined hood over his head, he once again mourned the loss of his cowboy hat.
The Council would pay for that, and so many other crimes.
At last, Claire turned back around to face him. “How do I look?”
Rev opened his mouth, but his sarcastic remark died on his lips.
With her pink cheeks and glittering eyes, she looked…
He frowned. She looked…
Well, she looked like his every female fantasy come to life.
Fuck it all to hell and back.
Cursing his fate, he stalked off toward what he hoped was civilization.
“Wait!” Claire caught up with him and blocked his path yet again. “Here.”
Before Rev could stop her, she reached up and adjusted his hood, her gloved hands cupping his cheeks as she pushed his hair behind his ears then scooted the thing this way and that, nose scrunched. Unfortunately, her touch only notched the heat in his blood higher, making his cock harder than diamond.
He caught her wrists and stared down at her, his icy gaze meant to intimidate. “Stop.”
The answering flicker of want in her eyes, mixed with equal parts fury, only served to enflame him more.
“No,” Claire said.
**********
Other Books in the Blood Ravagers Series

     


About Traci Douglass:
Traci is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Contemporary and Paranormal Romance. Her stories feature sizzling heroes full of dark humor, quick wits and major attitudes and heroines who are smart, tenacious, and always give as good as they get. She holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University and she loves animals, chocolate, coffee, hot British actors, and sarcasm—not necessarily in that order.

Connect with Traci at her Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Google Plus | Book Bub


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Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Ruby's Choice by D.F. Jones ~ Review

Title: Ruby's Choice (Ditch Lane Diaries #1)
Author: D.F. Jones
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Length: 184 pages
Publisher: Indie
Release Date: July 23, 2015
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Ditch Lane Diaries: Ruby’s Choice is the debut novel by D.F. Jones and book one of the Ditch Lane Diaries. Ruby’s Choice is a coming of age story set in the late 1970’s in Middle Tennessee with a splash of paranormal which will blossom in the second and third books of the series. Ruby’s Choice-Everglade, Tennessee, 1977 Stuck in the Middle with Two Ever since Ruby discovered an amber-encased spider web in the Campbell Ridge Cave, she has had dreams of births, deaths and glimpses into the future. Ruby’s dreams have foretold the daughter of her high school friend, Cathy, the death of her beloved Aunt Sammie, and the coming of a new love in her life. Ruby’s shift is coming to a close at Everglade General Store. As she stacks the last row of bath soap, Ruby recalls the delicious dream she had the night before. In the dream, a gorgeous guy is kissing a tickle spot, just behind her left earlobe, sending shivers up her spine. If only that dream could come true, instead of the one where a state trooper gives her a seventy-five dollar speeding ticket! Ruby snaps back to reality when she hears the store’s front door bells chime. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say the frickin’ Adonis from her sexy dream just walked through the door. Reed Jackson and Brent Brown introduce themselves to Ruby as members of the local baseball team her brother, George, manages. Brent mentions they specifically came out to the store to meet George’s hot, little sister. Ruby is slightly confused when she hears Reed murmur Tap It under his breath, but then she remembers the rumor going around campus about Reed and Brent’s dating game, where the two best friends compete to have a girl profess undying love to one of them. And Tap It is a winner takes all—all of what, though, Ruby has no clue. Ruby decides that she’ll play along, but according to her rules. She’ll suss out if either of these players is worthy of her love and respect. One thing is for sure, Ruby is no pawn. Who will be Ruby’s Choice? 


**********

On the surface, Ruby's Choice doesn't read like much of a paranormal romance. Many of the struggles Ruby fights against are ones that any young woman could encounter. But if you look a little deeper, you'll see the supernatural forces at work in her life. Not just in her life, but in the lives of her closest friends as well. This supernatural force becomes more and more prevalent as the story continues through Ruby's younger life. I enjoyed the nice, gradual introduction to the supernatural aspects of this world.

There is a ton of manipulation and game-playing between Ruby and her two love interests. At first, it was a little funny - typical college dating games - but after taking up most of the story, it did get a little tiresome. I was ready for everyone to grow up and move on, but it took too long to happen.

Once it did happen, things really took a great turn. Facing past mistakes, growing into a better person. and learning to live with loss. But that ending....

Overall, this was a fun read from a debut author. The ending was not my style - but for personal storyline preferences, not for any concrete wrongness about it. I just felt like I had read the whole story and it hadn't really mattered in the long run after all. The ending fit the story well, it just wasn't quite a fit for me.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Wounds to Bear by Terra Wolf ~ Review

Title: Wounds to Bear (Heart of the Bear #1)
Author: Terra Wolf, Lily Marie
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Lilyhart Pub
Release Date: August 18, 2015
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

An old enemy… 

Roman Black’s past has finally caught up with him – and he isn’t the only one paying for his mistakes. 

A beautiful, curvy woman… 

Dr. Jenna Morgan is running from her own past – and hopes to find her place in the small town of Pine Heart. 

When a wounded bear shows up at her door, she discovers that the rumors about this small town are true, and that one of those shifters is bleeding all over her front porch. She treats him, and learns that he was shot protecting a group of shifter and human kids who are now being held by an old enemy bent on revenge. 

Two hearts, one goal. 

Roman’s family joins together to find them – but it will be Roman who has to end this, redeem himself to his family, and to the woman who has stolen the heart of the bear. 

This is a standalone story, with an HEA. 


**********
This book starts out with quite an unusual introduction into the world of shifters. I had to assume that the new vet, Jenna, knew all about them or she would have had a heart attack when a bear showed up on her porch. 

I was a little surprised to see that Jenna was allowed to go into the woods to help track down the children. As a human, she was vulnerable and just slowed them down. It was hard to accept that they couldn't have convinced or made her stay behind somehow.

Roman's story is a bit of a mystery. He's the mysterious alpha hiding his past from her. But since his past is the whole reason the kids were taken, he's going to have to confront it sooner than he wanted to. It felt a little staged though. Parts of the history just seemed a little too much. 

As with many shifter stories, Jenna nad Roman fall in love quickly. I really wish there was more to their story together, more time for them to really bond, and more time for them to really fall in love. 

Monday, April 24, 2017

A Harvest of Thorns by Corban Addison ~ Review

Title: A Harvest of Thorns
Author: Corban Addison
Genre: Adult, Suspense
Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: January 24, 2017
Source: Amazon Vine
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

A beloved American corporation with an explosive secret. A disgraced former journalist looking for redemption. A corporate executive with nothing left to lose.

In Dhaka, Bangladesh, a garment factory burns to the ground, claiming the lives of hundreds of workers, mostly young women. Amid the rubble, a bystander captures a heart-stopping photograph—a teenage girl lying in the dirt, her body broken by a multi-story fall, and over her mouth a mask of fabric bearing the label of one of America’s largest retailers, Presto Omnishops Corporation.

Eight thousand miles away, at Presto’s headquarters in Virginia, Cameron Alexander, the company’s long-time general counsel, watches the media coverage of the fire in horror, wondering if the damage can be contained. When the photo goes viral, fanning the flames of a decades old controversy about sweatshops, labor rights, and the ethics of globalization, he launches an investigation into the disaster that will reach farther than he could ever imagine - and threaten everything he has left in the world.

A year later, in Washington, D.C., Joshua Griswold, a disgraced former journalist from the Washington Post, receives an anonymous summons from a corporate whistleblower who offers him confidential information about Presto and the fire. For Griswold, the challenge of exposing Presto’s culpability is irresistible, as is the chance, however slight, at redemption. Deploying his old journalistic skills, he builds a historic case against Presto, setting the stage for a war in the courtroom and in the media that Griswold is determined to win—both to salvage his reputation and to provoke a revolution of conscience in Presto’s boardroom that could transform the fashion industry across the globe.


**********
This was quite the exciting story. Corporate intrigue, jornalistic investigations, greed, redemption, death, justice, and so many other things all wrapped up into a very nice package. Based loosely on a true court case, we start at the beginning, with a horrible 'accident' that should have never happened. 

We follow the investigation of journalist Joshua Griswold as he learns to navigate the tricky waters of several foreign countries. With rules drastically different than the US - bribes, favors, and flat out lies are the best way for him to get information. As Joshua uncovers more and more of what really goes on in the garment factories, a sad story of greed unfolds.

I found this story to be incredibly fascinating. The cultured and people shown were brought to life on every page, and there was just enough revealed at every turn to keep me wanting to know more. There were some personal moments woven into the story, and I'm not sure if they were my favorites. While they gave opportunities to learn more about Joshua and the others, they probably my least favorite parts of the story.

With an interesting resolution, one that I didn't quite see coming, and an unexpected hero, A Harvest of Thorns was a great story.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book**

Friday, April 21, 2017

Tiger Time by Marissa Dobson ~ Review

Title: Tiger Time (Alaskan Tigers #1)
Author: Marissa Dobson
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Length: 225 pages
Publisher: Sunshine Press
Release Date: November 21, 2012
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Tabitha Leigh has no idea her life is about to change. Until now, she’s been living a quiet life, unaware danger stalks her.

Ty Reynolds has been watching Tabitha from a distance to see if she would go through “the change.” When she finally does, he sees more in her than just the future of their kind. Now that she is embracing her were-tiger, he must tell her she is the Queen of the Tiger . . . with a bounty on her head.

Tabitha must be protected at all cost. She has to embrace her future and her mate or it will be the end of everything she’s just come to know and hadn’t realized she needed.


**********
I have a love for all types of cat shifters, so tigers seemed right up my alley. Tabitha was a fun character, but she suffered from the same lack of disbelief that I find quite often in paranormal stories. She was just too accepting of the fact that everything was changing. Perehaps shock plays into this a little bit, but I don't know if I would be inviting a person that claims he turns into a tiger into my home after knowing them for such a short period of time.

Ty, as an alpha male, was strong, demanding, and always in charge. But he was just too much. I wanted to see more of his softer side, of his nurturing side. It seemed like too much time was taken showing that he was a tough as nails leader that got stuff done. While Tabitha did stand up to his take charge nature (which was a relief), I wanted to see him take advice, be wrong, or work with more of a team to round his character out a little more.

The suspense and danger in Tiger Time seemed a little forced. There was no way to keep Tabitha safe, the bad guys knew what was going on (until the breaking moment) and were always one step ahead. It just didnt' seem too believable. I also didn't fully understand why they wanted her dead. The reason was given, it just didn't seem like a reasonable one - but we are dealing with crazy people, so maybe I shouldn't have been surprised.

As a series, I had expected to have some more resolution to the story than I did. While some things are wrapped up, there's a lot left hanging to pull you into the next book.

Forever Him by Jeanne St. James ~ Cover Reveal


Forever Him (An Obsessed Novella)
Jeanne St. James
Publication date: May 7th 2017
Genres: Erotica, Romance
This is not just a love story, it’s an obsession…
I can’t keep my eyes off the tall, dark, and confident man who stops in the coffee shop every morning. I want this stranger more than I’ve ever wanted anyone before, even though I only know his first name. As an author, my imagination is my ultimate writing tool, men like Kane my muse. And the minute he leaves, I’m overcome with fantasies I can’t control and my fingers fly across the keyboard, … until one day, I almost snap. My embarrassing outburst has me running out the door when he catches me and takes me to his home.
Though it’s risky, I can’t resist him. And with one kiss, he now owns me. This man will capture my sanity and trap it forever. He’ll steal me one piece at a time until he possesses me completely. He’ll ruin me for any other man. But I don’t want anyone else, for it’ll always be forever him.
Note: All books in the Obsessed series are stand-alone novellas. It is intended for audiences over 18 years of age since it includes explicit sexual situations, including BDSM.


Author Bio:
JEANNE ST. JAMES is an erotic romance author who loves an Alpha male (or two). She was only thirteen when she started writing since it gave her an escape from teenage angst! Her first paid published piece was an erotic story in Playgirl magazine. Her first erotic romance novel, Banged Up, was published in 2009. She is happily owned by farting French bulldogs. She writes M/F, M/M, and M/M/F ménages.
She has a few new releases coming up in 2017. So keep an eye on her website at www.jeannestjames.com or sign up for her newsletter: http://www.jeannestjames.com/newslettersignup

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Thursday, April 20, 2017

Divine by Blood by P.C. Cast ~ Review

Title: Divine by Blood (Partholon #3)
Author: P.C. Cast
Genre: Adult, Fantasy
Length: 443 pages
Publisher: Luna Books
Release Date: September 1, 2007
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Morrigan Christine Parker finds that turning 18 carries a heavy weight when you're the only daughter of Rhiannon MacCallan, disgraced high priestess to the goddess Epona, in Cast's down-home follow-up to 2006's Divine by Choice. After Rhiannon betrayed Epona, the goddess bestowed her favor on Rhiannon's look-alike, Shannon Parker. Rhiannon promised her allegiance to the evil god Pryderi, but recanted after Morrigan's birth, giving the child over to Epona's protection and the care of Shannon's parents. Now Morrigan comes of age and learns more about her heritage from her adoptive grandparents and the wind-borne whispers of Pryderi and Epona. While visiting the Alabaster Caverns State Park and exploring her power over rocks and crystals, Morrigan is unexpectedly transported to the mystical realm of Partholon, where she must find Shannon and fulfill her destiny.


**********
We're jumping forward to the next generation of Partholon. With both Rhiannon and Shannon having daughters, the stage is set for the next generation to take center stage. But it all happens in a bit of an upexpected way. Again, the parallels between the two worlds are quite striking and seem to be aligning for some big new event to take place.

This big event is the birth of two girls - and sets off a struggle for both to find themselves. Even though they are worlds apart, their lives seem to mirror each other's in many ways. But there are some unexpected twists. The bad guys show regret and repentance, and the good guys doubt. The daughters both struggle to find where they might belong in their world, and then those worlds collide once again, then the struggle must begin all over again.

Pryderi, the dark god, is making a big grab for power. It's quite sneaky and I think I enjoy his inventive and manipulative techniques. They fit his shadow god personna quite well, and really add that perfect dark and hidden element to the story and the characters' lives.

We are also introduced to a new realm within Partholon that I found fascinating. We meet new divine characters and explore new cultures. This was my favorite part. I hope it carries on through future books in the series.


Partholon

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Her True Match by Paige Tyler ~ Review

Title: Her True Match (X-Ops #6)
Author: Paige Tyler
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: March 7, 2017
Source: NetGalley
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

After a long game of cat-and-mouse

Feline shifter Dreya Clark picks the wrong penthouse to rob and ends up arrested by sexy detective Braden Hayes. But Braden isn’t the only one who’s been watching the cat burglar. Agents from the Department of Covert Operations swoop in to offer her a deal. If she wants to stay out of jail, she’ll have to work with them—and pair up with the hot cop. Great.

Danger throws this unlikely pair together

Braden isn’t thrilled about the DCO meddling in his investigation. He’s been chasing Dreya for years. Thrown together on a dangerous covert mission, fur flies and temperatures flare. But when danger closes in on them, their game of cat and mouse turns deadly-serious, and they’ll have to rely on each other to make it out alive.


**********
We meet Dreya, the master theif, in a previous book. She's quite impressive - able to get into just about anywhere using a mix of her incredible intelligence and her shifter abilities. But she may have taken a mis-step and landed herself in jail. Braden, a police detective, has been tracking her and finally catches to her.

This one seemed to have a lot of downtime. When the DCO sweeps in and offers to keep Dreya out of jail, she goes into some intensive training and testing. While I thought it was interesting to see their set-up and recruiting/training methonds - it never seemed to end. I wanted more in the mission and with Dreya and Braden out in the field. The time they did spend in the field, seemed a little forced and overdone.

I did get to see some of my favorite characters from series, and I do feel like the series storyline was moved forward - but just a bit. I've gotten used to some seriously action-packed stories and this one just let down my expectation a little in that regard. I highly recommend reading this series in order. While each book has a stand-along romance, there is a lot going on in the X-Ops world that really builds from one book to the next.

*I voluntarily read a review copy of this book*


X-Ops

Seduction in Scarlet by Christina Quinn ~ Playlist and Giveaway

Title: Seduction in Scarlet (A Little Red Book #2)
Author: Christina Quinn
Genre: New Adult, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Lomond & Green
Release Date: April 15, 2017

Sadie graduates in a handful of days, and when most of the people around her in class are worrying about finals, she's more focused on if she'll survive to walk across the stage. Byron, her vampire lover, brings Sadie to a medieval style tournament thrown by the region's Master. His hope is to take her mind off the stresses of the tests and essays--not to mention the vampire who wants them both dead. However, while taking in the festivities Byron discovers that Sadie has some dark secrets of her own. 




**********
Playlist for Seduction in Scarlet


1 Move Your Body – Sia
2 Enjoy the Silence – Denmark + Winter
3 Salty Sweet – MS MR
4 I Write Sins Not Tragedies – Vitamin String Quartet
5 Tomorrow Never Knows – Our Lady Peace
6 Love Is A Suicide – Natalia Kills
7 Who Are You, Really? – Mikky Ekko
8 Coupure Electrique – Britney Spears
9 Wildfire – Demi Lovato
10 I Walk The Line – Halsey
11 A War – Bird
12 Dance, Dance – Vitamin String Quartet
13 You Really Got Me – Denmark + Winter
14 Dangerous Woman – Ariana Grande
15 Smells Like Teen Spirit – Sofia Karlberg
16 Not Afraid Anymore – Halsey
17 Take Me – Korn
18 The Power of Love – Gabrielle Aplin
19 Get Lucky – Vitamin String Quartet
20 Sexy Sadie – The Beatles (Covered by Alice Green)

AUTHOR BIO:
An avid reader and lover of literature, Christina Quinn, has always wanted to be an author for as long as she can remember. She spends most of her days with a coffee cup or wine glass within arm’s reach as she labors at her laptop weaving incredible stories.




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Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Morgawr by Terry Brooks - Review

Title: Morgawr (Voyage of the Jerle Shannara #3)
Author: Terry Brooks
Genre: Adult, Fantasy
Length: 415 Pages
Publisher: Del Ray
Release Date: August 26, 2003
Source: Library
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Harrowing confrontations with the merciless Ilse Witch and the monstrous Antrax have taken their toll on the intrepid heroes aboard the airship “Jerle Shannara”. But their darkest adversary now snaps at their heels, in the form of the Morgawr - feeder upon the souls of his enemies and centuries-old sorcerer of unimaginable might with a fleet of airships and a crew of walking dead men at his command. The Morgawr's goal is twofold: find and control the fabled ancient books of magic and destroy the dark disciple who betrayed him - the Ilse Witch. Now at the mercy of those who seek vengeance against her, the use Witch's only protector is her long-lost brother, Bek Ohmsford, who is determined to redeem his beloved sister . . . and to fulfill her destiny. 


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An interesting ending to the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, Morgawr is full of some unusual twists and turns. While the actual journey seems to have been gotten them nowhere, there are some good things to come about from the voyage. But it isn't over yet. The crew still needs to find their way back home.

Bek really comes into his own in the book. He has learned to stand his ground for what he believes in and fully commits to "fixing" his sister. I found the Ohmsford siblings to be a great pair. Many times they resembled yin and yang. As one was thriving, the other was not. As one did good, the other supported evil. Finally, they both seem to be on the same page and I was very excited to see what they would be able to accomplish together.

The voyage home seems to have a couple different meanings in Morgawr. While the crew of the Jerle Shannara struggle to stay ahead of their pursuers and return to more familiar land, the Ilse Witch is also experiencing the same journey and running from the same pursuer - but for different reasons. When the time comes and everyone is forced to face the Morgawr, the battle is epic in meaning, but not necessarily in scale.

The Morwawr is one of the few books that has left me with the feeling of reading more than one story at once. The themes and journeys were overlaid in such a great way that they all flowed naturally together and the symbolism and metaphor, while very apparent, didn't get in the way. It was a great ending to a series, but there's still some work for the characters to do. I hope to see them again as I continue the overall series of Shannara books.


Crowned by Christina Bauer ~ Cover Reveal and Giveaway


Crowned
Christina Bauer
(Beholder, Book 4)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: November 28th 2017
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
Beauty. Romance. Power. It’s all in the eye of the BEHOLDER. 
At last, Elea has found the love of her life. Unfortunately, the evil Tsar Viktor is about to unleash an army of twisted mages bent on killing everyone Elea cares about… including the man who’s stolen her heart.
So what’s a powerful witch to do? Why, organize a league of magical warriors, of course. 
Elea recruits and trains a fighting force to take down the Tsar. That’s challenge enough, but on the eve of battle, Elea realizes that her true enemies may be far more powerful than even Viktor: The deities Oni and Yuri could be out to destroy her as well. With major battles brewing on two fronts, Elea’s not sure that she’ll win, but with true love to inspire her, she’s certainly ready to fight.

Previous books in the series:

Author Bio:
Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers. It is now available as an audiobook on Audible and iTunes.
Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press. 

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. 
Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates 

Monday, April 17, 2017

Antrax by Terry Brook ~ Review

Title: Antrax (Voyage of the Jerle Shannara #2)
Author: Terry Brooks
Genre: Adult, Fantasy
Length: 405 pages
Publisher: Del Ray
Release Date: September 18, 2001
Source: Library Book
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

A new novel by Terry Brooks is always a cause for celebration. For more than twenty years, the New York Times bestselling author of the classic Shannara epic has proven himself one of the modern masters of fantasy, winning the hearts and minds of devoted readers around the world. In his last acclaimed novel, Ilse Witch, a brave company of explorers led by the last Druid, Walker Boh, traveled across unknown seas in search of an elusive magic. Yet perhaps Boh and his team were lured there for sinister, unforeseen purposes . . .

Now in Antrax, as the crew aboard the airship Jerle Shannara is attacked by evil forces, the Druid’s protégé Bek Rowe and his companions are pursued by the mysterious Ilse Witch. Meanwhile, Boh is alone, caught in a dark maze beneath the ruined city of Castledown, stalked by a hungry, unseen enemy. 

For there is something alive in Castledown. Something not human. Something old beyond reckoning that covets the magic of Druids, elves, even the Ilse Witch. Something that hunts men for its own designs: Antrax. It is a spirit that commands ancient technologies and mechanical monsters, feeds off enchantment, and traps the souls of men.

With the Jerle Shannara under siege and Antrax threatening the bold and unwary, the Ilse Witch finds herself face-to-face with a boy who claims to be the brother she last saw as an infant. Now a young man, Bek wields the magic of the wishsong and carries the Sword of Shannara upon his back. Unsure whether to trust Bek or to slay him, the Ilse Witch takes him prisoner. One has come pursuing truth, the other revenge. Yet both seek Walker Boh–with the fate of the Four Lands hanging in the balance. 

Return to the world of beloved novelist Terry Brooks, where creatures drift up from the earth like mist, a hypnotic song can kill, a sword can cut through a veil of lies–and one man, the true heir of an ancient magic, must choose between betrayal and redemption.


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Antrax is an amazing mix of fantasy and technology. As the crew of the Jerle Shannara explores Castledown, things come crawling out of the woodwork. Castledown is nothing like what they expected and the prize they seek is even further out of reach than even the Druid anticipated. Castledown is heavily protected, and by a type of entity that none have seen before. As the entity searches for those he wants to keep and eliminate the ones he doesn't...well...a whole lot of things happen.

There are lots of traditional fantasy elements, a bit of sci-fi, and lots of action. Tons of characters, so be sure to read this when you won't be easily distracted or you may lose track of who is doing what and where everyone is. As with most of Terry Brooks' series, you need to read this one in order, and while it isn't necessary to read the previous series in the world of Shannara, it would definitely help.

There's a lot of big reveals in Antrax, but there are even more questions that are brought up or left un-answered. Even though there was so much going on, I had a hard time staying engaged with all the moving pieces. While Terry Brooks' books always have a lot going on, this one seemed to be a little more choppy as it jumped around from place to place and group to group.

There were some characters that I really loved, and I was excited to see how the grew and developed through the pages. The Ilse Witch's story in Antrax was quite interesting. She had some pretty big surprises up her sleeve, and the seer shocked me several times. When the story all ends, we don't really have an ending. While some storylines may have seen some version of resolution, there are many threads left hanging for the next story. This world has such a rich history, and I'm really enjoying see how the story continues.