Saturday, August 31, 2013

Review: The Garnet Dagger by Andrea R. Cooper

Title: The Garnet Dagger
Author: Andrea R. Cooper
Genre: New Adult Fantasy
Source: Author Request
Release Date: March 25, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Forbidden to cross the Elvin barrier into human lands, Brock cannot sate his curiosity. Cursed by a vampyre bite that forces him to feed on the life-essence of others, he is unable to touch another without taking their life. Chained by prophesy, he must find a witch, pierce her heart, and draw her blood for his cure. 

Celeste must escape the monks who have held her prisoner for years. Her magic has been kept dormant by her captors. An ancient powerful Warloc craves her powers. If he succeeds in devouring her magic, she and the world will die.

When Brock falls in love with Celeste before realizing her demise is his cure, will love triumph over his desire to be healed? Will he risk everything to save her from a Warloc, an oath breaker, who also wants her dead?



What happens when you turn an elf into a vampire?  You get the fulfillment of a centuries old prophecy.  One that tells how to save the land from a horrible blight.  But to do so, this elf must pierce the heart of a very specific witch.  Brock is devastated when he is bitten and turned by a vampire.  As punishment, he is cast out of the Elvish lands until he can redeem himself by fulfilling the prophecy.

Celeste is a witch.  She has been held captive for years by a group of monks that want her for some unknown purpose that can't be good.  When Brock realizes this just may be the witch he is looking for, his prayers are answered.  At least until he falls in love with her.

This book tried very hard to combine fantasy and romance, but the romance just didn't flow very well for me.  It was almost overly sweet.  On the other hand, I loved the very unique aspects of the the fantasy.  With a unique twist on the elves and vampire lore, along with a few new magical creatures - creativity always keeps me interested.

The storyline flowed nicely and kept the action moving in the right direction.  With a great twist at the end when some history is revealed, and of course the prophecy itself comes into play full force, the characters are forced to make some tough decisions that will effect all of their lands.



Barnes & Noble: The Garnet Dagger

Cover Reveal: Darkness Watching by Emma L. Adams


Designed and published by Curiosity Quills Press
Darkness Watching by Emma L. Adams
(Darkworld #1)
Publication date: September 30th 2013
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy


Seventeen-year-old Ashlyn is one interview away from her future when she first sees the demons. She thinks she’s losing her mind, but the truth is far more frightening: she can see into the Darkworld, the home of spirits– and the darkness is staring back.

Desperate to escape the demons, Ash accepts a place at a university in the small town of Blackstone, in the middle of nowhere – little knowing that it isn’t coincidence that led her there but the pull of the Venantium, the sorcerers who maintain the barrier keeping demons from crossing from the Darkworld into our own world.

All-night parties, new friendships and a life without rules or limits are all part of the package of student life – but demons still stalk Ash, and their interest in her has attracted the attention of every sorcerer in the area. Ash is soon caught between her new life and a group of other students with a connection to the Darkworld, who could offer the answers she’s looking for. The demons want something from her,  and someone is determined to kill her before she can find out what it is.


In a world where darkness lurks beneath the surface, not everyone is what they appear to be..



AUTHOR BIO
Emma spent her childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing fantasy and paranormal for young adults. She was born in Birmingham, UK, which she fled at the first opportunity to study English Literature at Lancaster University. In her three years at Lancaster, she hiked up mountains, skydived in Australia, and endured a traumatic episode involving a swarm of bees in the Costa Rican jungle. She also wrote various novels and short stories. These included her first publication, a rather bleak dystopian piece, and a disturbing story about a homicidal duck (which she hopes will never see the light of day).

Now a reluctant graduate, she can usually be found in front of her writing desk, creating weird and wonderful alternative worlds. Her debut novel The Puppet Spell, published in 2013 by Rowanvale Books, is a fantasy tale for young adults and the young at heart, inspired by her lifelong love of the fantastical, mythology, and video games. Emma also writes supernatural fantasy novels for older teens and adults. Her next book,Darkness Watching, is the first in the upper-YA/New Adult Darkworld series, and will be published in September 2013 by Curiosity Quills Press.

Author Links:
Website: http://emmaladams.weebly.com/
Blog: http://throughthegateway.blogspot.co.uk/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ELAdams12?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ELAdams12
Goodreads profile: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6563991.Emma_L_Adams

Friday, August 30, 2013

Review: Heaven and Hellsbane by Paige Cuccaro

Title: Heaven and Hellsbane (Hellsbane #2)
Author: Paige Cuccaro
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source: Publisher Request - Entangled Publishing
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Someone’s killing angels and turning the half human, half angel illorum warriors against their angelic supporters. If the supernatural baddy behind the attacks isn’t stopped soon, Heaven itself could fall victim. The Council of Seven has called in the best they’ve got to find the killers, and no one’s more surprised than Emma Jane Hellsbane when it’s her phone that rings.

But when her own angelic mentor—and off-limits hottie—Eli is targeted, Emma takes it personally. With Emma hot on the trail of the growing army of assassins, though, hackles start to raise around her. Everyone wants to know if she’s in it to protect all angels or just one in particular. The Council has their suspicions…and so does Emma’s boyfriend.

Now Emma isn’t just fighting off demons, rogue nephilim, and Fallen angels, but she’s defending her honor as well. The problem is even Emma Jane isn’t sure of her motives. One thing she does know: if she doesn’t figure out the killers’ identities soon, she may not live long enough to know what, or who, she really wants.

It’s all in a day’s work as Heaven’s ultimate bounty hunter.




Emma Jane's life is not going as she planned.  As a half angel - half human warrior fighting against the Fallen Angels and their demons she's used to surprises and sudden excitement.  But this time when her angel, Eli, pops in with a report, even she is blown away.  Someone has killed and angel and saying heaven is pissed off would be the understatement of the year.

A lot happens in this book and sometimes it was a bit difficult to keep it all straight.  I felt exhausted on Emma's behalf with all the running around and fighting.  Of course she's not only fighting against the Fallen, but against her own forbidden urges to fall for her angel, Eli.  Tons and tons of twists and turns throughout kept the book interesting and I was never sure what was going to happen next.

While it would have been nice to slow things down just a tiny bit, I still enjoyed the wild and crazy ride this book takes.  Just be prepared to find a hard time finding a place to stop if you're reading past your bedtime.


Cover Reveal: Reckless Longing by Gina Robinson


Designed by The Killion Group
Reckless Longing by Gina Robinson
(Reckless #1)
Publication date: September 23rd 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult


Ellie Martin hates her beautiful, man-crazy mother. Her mother’s wild and wanton behavior has left Ellie with a deep longing. To escape. To belong. To know who her real dad is. To really be loved. Her mother finally crosses a line thatsends Ellie running, escaping to college with one, focused goal–to find and confront her bio dad, who doesn’t even know she exists. Then she meets Logan. Hot, charming, and troubled. He turns her world upside down and puts all her plans in jeopardy.

Logan Walker is hiding a shameful and painful secret. One that nearly cost him everything. When he meets the beautiful and mysterious Ellie at a Week of Welcome event, something inside him awakens and he finds himself drawn to her.

But the attraction they both feel for each other is as delicate as the web of secrets they each hide behind. And as the truths are revealed,  their reckless longing may not survive the fallout.



AUTHOR BIO
Gina Robinson loves humor, romance, suspense, and spies. Not necessarily in that order. Her latest toy is a video spy pen. She plans on putting her engineering degree to good use by building a tasar out of a disposable camera using the instructions and schematics from The Evil Genius series. Fair warning--she hasn't held a soldering iron in quite a few years.

She writes contemporary romance featuring sexy spies and plenty of adventure and humor. The Spy Who Left Me, the first book in her new Agent Ex series, published by St. Martin's Press, is available now. Diamonds Are Truly Forever, the next book in the series, will be released on May 22, 2012.
Her first two novels are published by Zebra Books, Kensington Publishing.

She's also published a humorous women's fiction novel, Pink Slipper. If you like Sophie Kinsella, you'll enjoy Pink Slipper.

Author Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ginamrobinson

Book Blitz: Ruin by C. J. Scott

Ruin by C.J. Scott
(A Summer in Winter Novel 1)
Publication date: August 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Kate Bell isn’t perfect. Not even close. The things she got up to in college would cause her parents to fall off their pedestals in shock. Home for the summer vacation, Kate settles in for a long, boring break in the tiny backwater of Winter with folks who still treat her like she’s twelve.

Then Ben Parker arrives and suddenly Winter gets interesting. He’s hot, mysterious and good with his hands. Kate falls for him instantly, but her cop father warns her to stay away. But how can she stay away from someone as compelling as Ben? Someone who thinks she’s perfect just the way she is?

When Ben’s secrets catch up to him, not only is Kate’s heart in danger of being broken, but Ben’s entire future could be ruined.


Purchase: 


Author Bio:
C.J. loves reading stories that take her away to another world. If she’s in the middle of an amazing book, she’ll keep reading while cooking or cleaning (when she can be bothered doing either).

She likes interesting artwork but can’t paint, sketch or make anything more complicated than a snowman from plasticine. She enjoys beautiful gardens but hates gardening. She also hates housework, cooking (see above) and writing about herself.

C.J. loves connecting with readers. The best place to interact with her and other fans is via her Facebook page. That’s where she posts teasers and other stuff from her books.

Author links:


Book Beginnings on Friday (11)

Book Beginnings on Friday at Rose City Reader is the place to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the book.

I just started Heavy Metal (A Goddesses Rising Novel) by Natalie J. Damschroder about 20 minutes ago.  So far it's got a bit of action and a hot bartender - pretty good start if you ask me.

"Riley's sneakers crunched on gravel as she crossed the pitted lot in front of the squat, rundown bar just off a quiet road in Bridgeport, Connecticut.  There was no sign over the door to tell her she was in the right place.  Even if she was, her information wasn't necessarily reliable."



Book Blurb:
The world is not what Riley Kordek imagined. On the run from those who’ve targeted her, all Riley wants is a chance to figure out her new ability to bend metal's energy. When a hot guy who knows more than he should helps her escape her attackers, she thinks she might’ve found someone who can lead her to the answers she needs.
 
Three years ago, Sam Remington walked away from his employer and the woman he loved, and now, all he’s looking to do is fill the gaping hole left behind. Except, when Sam takes Riley to the Society for Goddess Education and Defense, the stakes rise beyond what either of them could have imagined.
 
After being alone for so long, falling for Sam would be far too easy—and far too painful, once his old flame calls needing his help. Worse, Riley uncovers a plot with disastrous ramifications not only for herself, but for Sam and the people he loves—and potentially every goddess in the country.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Book Tour: Review and Giveaway: Wings of Nestor by Devri Wells

Title: Wings of Nestor (Solus #3)
Author: Devri Wells
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Published: June 24, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Kiora needs answers. Who is the Shadow? Who is Jasmine? Are they connected? And even more pressing: how can she stop Shadow from using Kiora’s dreams as a map to find them? They have escaped three times, but are living on borrowed time—and everybody knows it.

Her search for help will push her closer to Alcander, send her to the dragon mountain of Toopai, and straight back to Meros—where magic will finally return to the land of no magic. Answers will be uncovered and plans unearthed that have been waiting for thousands of years.

But with the Shadow’s forces gathering, it looks like the land’s path is hurtling towards one outcome: war with the Shadow and death to all rebels. Armed with knowledge and hope, Kiora is determined to change that path. But will fate allow it? Or will it deal her a hard lesson about following ones own destiny?


Purchase:


Author Bio:
Devri Walls lives in Kuna Idaho with her husband and two kids. She has worked as a music teacher and currently, a preschool teacher. She majored in theater and her love of a story still drives her today. Thankfully, she has finally found an outlet for all the voices in her head. Her first novel, Wings of Arian, is available on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and Apple. The second book in the Solus trilogy, Wings of Tavea is scheduled for release Nov 2012.



Wings of Nestor, the third book the Solus series, is another absolutely amazing installment.  We travel all over the world and see so much I sometimes feel as if I've read more than one book.  Don't get me wrong, it's not so packed that it's too much - it's just the right amount.  Things move at the perfect pace to make the book fly by and still allow so much to happen that I don't even know where to begin.

Alcander and Emane change by leaps and bounds and really start to emerge as main characters in the own right.  It's rumored they may not even hate each other anymore.  Both will do anything they can to support Kiora, but hey wonder what will happen if she doesn't follow her destined path.

Kiora is continuing to grow in her powers and winning over new allies in her battle against the Shadow, but she beginning to fight her destiny.  She wants to find a way to defeat the Shadow without a battle that would cost thousands of lives.  This changes her course and she discovers new places long thought destroyed by time and returns to her home of Meros to bring a small part of the story full circle (it was a major Ohhhhh so that's what that was for moment - I love those).  She discovers that every action has a consequence.  Some absolutely horrible (I cried - really - I cried) and some so amazing I wanted to jump up and down (I restrained from scaring my family).

Any series that can bring such a emotional reaction to its characters is one that is sure to be a great series.  One that can pull this off three books in a row, well that's one that will never leave my bookshelf because I know I will want to read it again and again.


I need to come up with a rating for more than five stars - off the chart good stories.  Any ideas???



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Cover Reveal: Wings of Memory by Anna Kyss


Designed by Renu Sharma
Wings of Memory by Anna Kyss
(The Underground Trilogy #2) 
Publication date: September 2013
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult


Kiernan leaves his homeland, hoping to unlock the secrets that could save his people from extinction. But the path to answers is fraught with danger. He never imagines what lay hidden in the Costa Rican rainforest.

Shortly after arriving, Kiernan encounters the human girl that he spent months yearning for. Kiernan must decide between his love for Meghan and his budding loyalty to his brother, Avery. He tries to place his brother first, until faced with an impossible decision.

Kiernan must tap into magic to save his people. The only problem: unleashing his magic involves breaking his vow to his brother. What if the only way to help Avery is to choose Meghan?

Wings of Memory is a young adult, urban fantasy that weaves together supernatural lore, romance, magic, and an interesting take on Mesoamerican history. It is the second novel in The Underground Trilogy.


Book Blitz: Fable by Chanda Hahn

Fable by Chanda Hahn
(An Unfortunate Fairy Tale #3)
Publication date: August 27th, 2013
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult

Book 3 in the UnEnchanted Series.

All that glitters is not gold.

When something precious is stolen from sixteen-year-old Mina Grime, she will do anything in her power to get it back, even if it means traveling to the dangerous Fae plane and battling one of the strongest fairy-tale villains yet.

However, nothing can prepare Mina for the dangerous obstacles she will face in the Fae world, or the choices she must make when love and life are on the line.


(If you wanted to add details of the previous books you can grab the info and covers from Goodreads here.)

Purchase: 
Direct purchase link on Amazon will not be available before release day but will be found here: 




Purchase links book 1:

Purchase links book 2:


----

AUTHOR BIO
Pronunciation: Sh-and-uh   H-ah-n

Chanda is the  author of the popular YA Unfortunate Fairy Tale Series which includes UnEnchanted and Fairest.  Both books have topped the ebook charts in 5 countries. She also pens YA epic Fantasy.

She was born in Seattle, Washington, raised in Nebraska, has lived in MN, IL and currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and twin children. She's a former children's librarian and children's pastor. Currently she spends her free time penning new novels and a daytime taxi driver for her kids.


Author links:
Website: http://www.chandahahn.com/


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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Hot Reads from Entangled Covet



Covets have all the sexiness, emotion, and happily ever after that readers have come to expect and love from Entangled. They are firmly grounded in the contemporary world, but each novel brings in supernatural twists, breaking the contemporary and paranormal rules, alike. To find out more about their titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books you’ll be coveting next, visit the Entangled website, follow them on Twitter, and LIKE their Facebook page.



Today I'm happy to be featuring Covet's August releases!!





The Awakening: Liam by Abby Niles
The Awakening #2



Shifter, Liam Doyle knows Hell. At least he believed he did. The night he feels his mate die, he learns how very wrong he was. Nothing he’d struggled with since Ava’s rejection compares to the emptiness that fills his soul by her death. Lost in his grief, he’s taken by surprise and drugged. When he wakes, everything changes. Nothing is what it seems, and someone is dead set on making him pay.



When Ava Michaels is taken captive, she’s thrust into a dark and terrifying world along with the man she was forced to leave behind. While being near Liam again is heartbreaking, the motive behind her kidnapping is gradually revealed. The more she learns, the more she worries Liam isn’t the man she believed him to be. He has enemies willing to do anything to extract their revenge. Can their love survive a crazy man’s vengeance?



Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Itunes * Goodreads


The Demon's Desire by Kendra Leigh Castle
Hearts of the Fallen #2


He’s as dark and dangerous as the storms he once commanded…and she can’t get him out of her heart.



Dru has spent two thousand years fighting to keep the people of Terra Noctem safe. In all that time, she's only opened her heart to one man, with disastrous results. But when her city takes in a group of renegade Fallen, she finds herself drawn to the brooding and tormented Meresin, despite the fact that he seems to be the least redeemable of them all. When his instability hits a breaking point, Meresin’s only chance at survival is a perilous journey into a place from which few ever return. What he never expected was that confronting his demons would mean risking not only his future, but Dru's as well...and that one stubborn vampire might give him back not just hope…but his heart.






About Abby:

Ever since Abby Niles picked up her first Sweet Valley High book in sixth grade and fell in love with Elizabeth and Todd, she’s been hooked on romance. By the time she reached high school, she was devouring meatier romances with pirates, cowboys and knights. She never imagined that those years of reading would one day lead to her becoming a published author.




In her late twenties, after having twins and becoming a stay-at-home mom, she started doodling stories to keep her sanity. Next thing she knew, she was actually submitting to publishing houses. And was immediately rejected. That didn’t stop her though. She found herself some kickass critique partners, honed her craft, and continued submitting.




And eventually sold a short story, then a novella, then a novel, and now a series.




Today, she juggles work, home life, and writing. It’s not always easy, but hey, who said life was easy?




In her downtime, which isn’t often, you can find her playing ‘Just Dance’ with her kids or trying to catch up on her never-ending to-be-read list. She also loves Zumba, and refuses to admit she looks more like Animal doing his Muppet flail than a sensual Latin dancer.






Find Abby online:


About Kendra:


Kendra Leigh Castle was born and raised in the far and frozen reaches of Northern New York, where there was plenty of time to cultivate her love of reading thanks to the six-month-long winters. Sneaking off with selections from her mother’s vast collection of romance novels came naturally and fairly early, and a lifelong love of the Happily Ever After was born. After graduating from SUNY Oswego (where it also snowed a lot) with a teaching degree, Kendra ran off with a handsome young Navy fighter pilot and has somehow accumulated three children, three dogs, and one enormous cat during their many moves.




While stationed in a remote corner of the Nevada desert, Kendra penned her first romance, and a career often spent working in fuzzy slippers and pajamas was born. Her work has garnered both critical praise and award nominations, but the best part has been connecting with readers who share her love of dark romance (not to mention heroes with sharp, pointed teeth). Kendra currently lives in Maryland, and can usually be found curled up with her laptop and yet another cup of coffee working on her next book. She loves to hear from her readers, and can be contacted via email or her Facebook page.






Find Kendra online:




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Review: Wings of Tavea by Devri Wells

Title: Wings of Tavea (Solus #2)
Author: Devri Wells
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Kiora is rapidly learning that evil and lies come in shades of black and white and swirling greys, but nothing could have prepared her for the shock of leaving Meros.
Kiora and her protector Emane step through the pass into a world they never knew existed but were always meant to save, only to find it far worse than they could have ever imagined. Good has been forced into hiding for its own survival, while the rest of the land bows to the Shadow, a force that pushes any remaining thoughts of Dralazar from Kiora’s mind. This land is full of new creatures, each more dangerous than the last. Her visions have taken on a deadly twist, and magic, or what comes of it, was never so real. And then there is Alcander: a Tavean, their guide, and an entirely different kind of trouble.



This is the second book in the Solus series.  There may be minor spoilers if you have not read book 1, but nothing that should ruin your experience.  You will definitely want to read book one before beginning book 2.

We've all hear of the sophomore slump for series, well this book breaks the rules and a just barely takes a little dip.  With a very full 4 star rating it was a great continuation to Wings of Arian.  Picking up very quickly after book one ends, Kiora and Emane venture through the newly opened gate into a vast world they never imagined existed - a world Meros had been locked away from for ages.  Kiora thought the creatures she had already met to be new and strange - well she hasn't seen anything yet.

But this world is far from a new paradise.  A strange evil has covered the land and driven the good deep into hiding.  This evil seems so powerful that even Kiora's old enemy, Dralazar, fades into the background - at least for a bit.  Kiora's guide to this new world is a Tavean named Alcander.  He's seems decent enough if you can get past the arrogant, selfish, egotistic, self-righteous, and know it all attitude - a little bit too much like Emane's beginnings for my taste.

As Kiora learns to harness new powers and learns of new prophecies and destinies all piled one on top of the other, it's amazing she doesn't break down completely.  Another book full of action and wonder.  I loved some of the new creatures and the way Wells took traditional ideas and tweaked them into something new and exciting.  Even the creatures we were familiar with from book one take on a new twist in the lands outside of Meros - having evolved into totally different cultures.

This book only confirmed my belief that this will be a great new fantasy series and I dug into book three the next day.  And on a side note - I really love these covers - book three is amazing!




Barnes & Noble: Wings of Tavea

Cover Reveal: Finding Forever by Melisa M. Hamling


Finding Forever by Melisa M. Hamling
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult


Through the splinters of glass, I see his face, the one who has this hold on me, on my soul, and I know he holds the key to something I have yet to learn.

Be careful what you wish for, you may just get it. Morgan Master’s is about to find out that what you wish for doesn’t come in a perfect little package.

Plummeting off the side of the mountain wasn’t the escape Morgan had planned. Or was it? Disconnected from who she was, where she came from, Morgan knows she’s in a hot mess when the lines blur between two worlds. What is real and what is imagined? Her inner struggle to find herself and to learn the truth, leads her into the arms of Ben, the perfect little package she once wished for, but doesn’t remember it.

Ben is Morgan’s solace, her guide through her state of confusion, offering comfort and love to degrees she is certain she has never known before. Longing to stay in the heavenly bliss, something keeps pulling her back, a little at a time.

When Morgan’s world crumbles, she endures weeks of heartbreak. She must decide between this life, or go in search of the unknown, in search of reestablishing the love she had for the man who helped her survive. What must she sacrifice to find him? Does he really exist? What will she uncover when she goes in search of Finding Forever?


AUTHOR BIO
I grew up in Colorado and moved to Nebraska in the latter half of my teen years, where I've remained. I have a great family and my father is James Dean. Yep! The James Dean. Okay in name only, but I still love to say it. I have the best husband ever! He's not afraid to do the laundry, or the dishes, and dang. He's had to survive four females and a whole lot of hormones. Poor guy! We have three beautiful daughters, and our only sons, Robby and Bentley, are of course, cats. They refuse to acknowledge their furry background, and so continue to live as humanly as possible.

Most of my work experience has been in healthcare giving me the opportunity to work with a variety of people, ranging from newborn to elderly. My true passion is writing. I'm captivated by stories that delve into facets of the human behavior: affliction, fidelity, passion, betrayal, and redemption. I prefer to take my characters through a physical journey where they learn something about themselves or take them to new and exciting places, but there is always romance involved.

Author Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/melisamhamling