4 Star – Page 98 – Books-n-Kisses

June 10, 2014June 9, 2014

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Scene of the Climb by Kate Dyer-Seeley

I’m excited to have Kate Dyer-Seeley here today to talk about her new book, Scene of the Climb. The book takes place in the Pacific Northwest and I loved reading all the places that Meg visited because I’m quite familiar with them myself. 🙂

1. Tell me about your new release.

SCENE OF THE CLIMB is set in the ruggedly beautiful Pacific Northwest and features Meg Reed, a young journalist who bills herself as an intrepid adventure in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme Magazine. In reality, she’s a total klutz and terrified of heights. The magazine sends her out to Angel’s Rest trail (a steep climb up to a breathtaking view of the Columbia River) to cover an adventure race filming on location. Meg prefers vintage fashion and artisan coffee to scaling cliffs, but she’s desperate for a job and to prove herself. So she laces up her kicks and hits the trail. Once she finally huffs her way to the top, she sees a body sail off the summit and from there things just get worse.

2. Where did you come up with the idea for this story?

One of my all-time favorite holiday movies is Christmas in Connecticut. I have clarify that I mean the original with Barbara Stanwyck, not the 1992 remake with Kris Kristofferson. The premise of the movie is that Elizabeth Lane is a food writer for a major magazine in the 1940s, with a country home in Connecticut and a family. Of course she has none of these things–she can’t cook, lives in a small apartment and is single. I love the idea of trying to be something you’re not, and how quickly things can unravel when you’re not being authentic. I think we’ve all had experiences like that, and it provides a great opportunity to watch Meg grow in the series.

I live in the Pacific Northwest and do a lot of hiking with my family. Angel’s Rest is one of my favorite hikes. It’s a relatively easy climb and the payoff at the top is truly stunning. However it seems like every year someone falls up there. I guess it’s sort of a case of life imitating art. I spent a semester in college on an eco-tourism trip in New Zealand and Australia which I used as inspiration for the storyline too.

3. What was the most interesting thing that you had to research as a writer?

I feel like writing this was kind of like cheating because most of my “research” entailed me going out to hike the trails featured in the book. My dad, who’s a retired English teacher, was my hiking partner on many of the climbs and a great sounding board for plotting and structure. I interviewed the Crag Rats, who are the first-ever mountain rescue team in the United States. It was really interesting to learn about the kind of work they do. They’re all volunteers who literally put their lives at risk to rescue others. Very impressive.

4. Which authors do you feel have influenced you to become a writer?

How much time do you have? I was so lucky to have parents who were readers and ignited that passion for me at an early age. As a kid, I loved Maud Lovelace, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, Willa Cather. In terms of cozies, Jacqueline Winspear, Rhys Bowen, Cleo Coyle, Michelle Scott, Louise Penny. I could keep going…

5. What are you working on now?

I just finished the second book in the series which is set up at Timberline Lodge during opening weekend of the ski season. I had so much fun researching Timberline’s rich history, getting up to speed on snowboarding lingo and thinking about putting Meg out in the cold. I’m getting ready to start work on book three which will take Meg out to Hood River, Oregon for a windsurfing competition. Poor Meg. She can’t catch a break.

6. Favorite TV guilty pleasure? Favorite Food? Favorite book that you’ve read recently?

Great question. I love Castle. I mean, Nathan Fillion–he’s such a dream. I could watch him all day. Food…hmm. I love anything with cilantro. It’s so versatile–Thai, Mexican. I’m itching to plant a new vegetable and herb garden. It’s the best when you can pop out to the backyard to pick dinner. In terms of books, I read pretty much everything I can get my hands on. When I’m working on a new manuscript it’s hard to read the genre, which is a bummer because I LOVE cozies. Beautiful Ruins is probably my top pick. I read it a little while ago, but it’s one of those books that has stayed with me.

About the Author:

Kate Dyer-Seeley’s work has been featured in a variety of regional, national and international publications. She writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Books. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, was released June 3, 2014 and is now available at bookstores and online.

Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.

Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.

She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.

– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.6fAz8TSu.dpuf

Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.

Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.

She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.

– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.6fAz8TSu.dpuf

Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.

Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe. She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

But a girl needs a job, so Meg bluffs her way into writing for Northwest Extreme magazine, passing herself off to editor-in-chief Greg Dixon as an outdoor adventure enthusiast. Never mind that Meg’s idea of sport is climbing onto the couch without spilling her latte. So when she finds herself clawing to the top of Angel’s Rest – a two-thousand-foot peak – to cover the latest challenge in a reality TV adventure show, she can’t imagine feeling more terrified. Until she witnesses a body plummet off the side of the cliff. Now Meg has a murder to investigate. And if the climbing doesn’t kill her, a murderer just might…It includes Adventure Guides.

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Scene of the Climb

Review (4.5. Stars): I was so excited to have the opportunity to read this book because it takes place in the Pacific Northwest which I’m quite familiar with since I live here in Portland. Meg Reed is down on her luck, living on her best friend’s couch, trying to find any job that will utilize her Journalism degree. A chance meeting with the editor-in-chief of Northwest Extreme gives Meg the opportunity that she has been hoping for. An actual job that will pay her to write for a magazine but the kicker is that Meg must be an outdoor enthusiast and Meg is the exact opposite. On her first exclusive assignment, Meg finds herself climbing cliffs to cover the final leg of the popular reality show, Race the States. What she doesn’t expect is to witness a contestant flying over the side of the cliff to their death and now she has to investigate a murder before the killer claims another victim.

I really enjoyed Scene of the Climb and I was amazed at how quickly I got involved with the story. Meg was a great character and I enjoyed following her through the course of this book. I think that we’ve all done something to help us get a job when we are just starting out and there were times that I was laughing out loud by some of the things that she did. Scene of the Climb was a delightful start to what will be a great mystery series. I loved having the Pacific Northwest as the backdrop to the novel and I knew exactly where each location was that Meg was visiting as part of her new job. I’m looking forward to reading more from Ms. Dyer-Seeley and reading the next book in the series.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Scene of the Climb. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 15th, answer me this question in the comments:

What is your favorite place to hike/camp or just visit?

Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.

Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.

She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.

– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.NSHO2GJN.dpuf

Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.

Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.

She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.

– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.6fAz8TSu.dpuf

June 10, 2014June 7, 2014

Kelly reviews The Given by Vicki Pettersson

TITLE: The Given
SERIES #: Celestial Blues #3
CHARACTERS: Griffin Shaw & Katherine “Kit” Craig
AUTHOR: Vicki Pettersson
PUBLICATION DATE: May 27, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestselling author Vicki Pettersson continues her breakout new supernatural noir mystery series as a fallen angel and a reporter team up to stop a drug cartel

After learning his wife survived the attack that killed him fifty years earlier, angel/PI Griffin Shaw is determined to find Evelyn Shaw, no matter the cost. Yet his obsession comes at a price. Grif has had to give up his burgeoning love for reporter Katherine “Kit” Craig, the woman who made life worth living again, and dedicate himself to finding one he no longer knows.

Yet when Grif is attacked again, it becomes clear that there are forces in both the mortal and heavenly realm who’d rather see him dead than unearth the well-buried secrets of his past. If he’s to survive his second go-round on the Surface, Grif will have to convince Kit to reunite with him professionally, and help uncover decades of police corruption, risking both their lives… and testing the limits to what one angel is really willing to give for love

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts By far my favorite book of this trilogy! Honestly I was not sure what to expect in this book. I have liked Grif & Kit in the first two but was still on the fence about them. But was in love with them after this book. The world that Vicki has created was very different and interesting. It makes me wonder if we will see any more trilogy’s set in this world (I think Dennis needs a book or two). The twists and turns in this trilogy were great. Vicki kept me wondering the whole time. And yes The Given is highly emotional, I did cry.

This was my first set of books by Vicki Pettersson and I am so glad that I pick up this trilogy. I do plan on checking out more of Vicki’s books in the near future. If you are looking for a really good trilogy I would suggest picking up this series and find out for yourself “Who Killed Griffin Shaw”.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Edelweiss & Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

June 7, 2014June 6, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: A Sense of Entitlement by Anna Loan-Wilsey

Romance Newport Style

When I saw that one of the stops on my blog tour for A Sense of Entitlement, book three in my Hattie Davish Mystery series from Kensington Publishing was Books-n-Kisses (Thank you for hosting!), the first idea for my guest post that popped into my head was of course romance! I could tell the story of Miss Hattie Davish and Dr. Walter Grice. I could give details about how the two met in Eureka Springs, AR in book one in the series and how Hattie at first resists Walter’s charms. As a practical woman, Hattie knows it is uncommon and unlikely for a woman with no family, who must work to support herself, to be loved by a rich, gentleman doctor who does what he loves, not what he has to. And of course, there is also Hattie’s severe phobia of doctors to consider. But luckily Walter is used to getting what he wants, doesn’t take no for an answer and is smitten enough to pursue Hattie until she realizes he is worth the risk of a heartbreak.

But then the idea I had of writing about romance took a dark turn as I remembered what I had uncovered during my research for A Sense of Entitlement. For just as Hattie is getting comfortable with the idea of an orphaned hat maker’s daughter having a rich beau in her life, she goes to Newport, RI, where the gap between the social classes is too wide to navigate and heartbreak is pervasive. While tackling her new responsibilities as social secretary to the wealthiest woman in America and tracking down the killer of an eminent banker, Hattie must face challenges of the heart as well. But Hattie is not exceptional. Even for its historical residents, spending “the Season” in Newport was not for the faint or fair of heart.

I discovered adultery was, as Deborah Davis says in her book, Gilded: How Newport Became America’s Richest Resort, “so widespread in Newport circles that there was a sliding scale of misbehavior.” As long as it wasn’t serious or threatened the status quo, it was tolerated. However, there were some affairs that made headlines. When Alva Vanderbilt announced her intention to divorce her husband William K. Vanderbilt, on the basis of adultery, she shocked all of Newport society. Yet his infidelities were know to all to have occurred throughout the marriage. But when a rumor surfaced that Oliver Belmont had been found hiding in Alva’s bedroom, it sparked public ridicule and threatened her position in society.

But Newport society could have an even uglier side when it came to romance. In an era where rich American’s sought legitimacy through European nobility titles, daughters of Newport’s richest families where vulnerable to marriages that were more business transactions than love matches. Again the examples that comes right to mind involves Alva Vanderbilt, who after her scandalous divorce would do anything to secure her place in society. She decided that her teenage daughter, Consuelo, would marry Edwin William Spencer-Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough. She didn’t give any thought to the fact that Consuelo was already very much in love with someone else, Winthrop Rutherford, a rich, handsome lawyer from an exceptionally good family. Most mothers would be thrilled to have the descendant of the first governor of Massachusetts as a son-in-law but not Alva. When Alva discovered the couple’s plan to elope, Alva literally imprisoned Consuelo in her room which was guarded twenty-four hours a day. When Consuelo still refused to marry the Duke, Alva threatened to murder Winthrop Rutherford. When that threat didn’t work, Alva feigned a mortal illness and begged Consuelo to grant her dying wish. Of course the daughter conceded and married Spencer-Churchill, though she was heard to be sobbing beneath her veil throughout the ceremony, which a miraculously recovered Alva Vanderbilt attended.

To be fair, not all Newport society romances end in heartbreak. Again using Alva Vanderbilt as an example, she ultimately married Oliver Belmont, the man found hiding in her closet years before, for love and not position, power or money, and lived with him happily, quietly and without controversy until his death. And she eventually made peace with her daughter who divorced the Duke and married again for love. So if Alva Vanderbilt could find peace and love in Newport, I have high hopes for Hattie.

About the Author:

Hardin-Baylor, Texas A&M University-Commerce and most recently, Iowa State University, publishing in several scientific peer-reviewed journals. A Lack of Temperance, her first novel and first in the Hattie Davish Mysteries series, was the #1 bestselling historical mystery on Amazon.com. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. A Sense of Entitlement, the third in the series, is due out in June. Anna lives in a Victorian farmhouse near Ames, Iowa with her inquisitive four year old, her old yellow dog and her very funny, very patient husband, where she is happily working on Hattie’s next adventure.

Website/Facebook

Traveling secretary and dilettante detective Hattie Davish is bringing her talents to a small New England town whose wealthy residents have more secrets than they do money. . .

When Hattie Davish’s job takes her to Newport, Rhode Island, she welcomes the opportunity for a semi-vacation, and perhaps even a summer romance. But her hopes for relaxation are dashed when she learns that members of the local labor unions are at odds with Newport’s gentry. Amidst flaring tensions, an explosion rocks the wharf. In the ensuing turmoil, Mr. Harland Whitwell, one of Newport’s most eminent citizens, is found stabbed to death, his hands clutching a strike pamphlet. All signs point to a vengeful union member bent on taking down the aristocracy, but Hattie starts digging and finds a few skeletons in the closets of the impeccable Whitwell mansion. As she strikes down the whispers spilling out of Newport’s rumor mill, she’ll uncover a truth more scandalous than anyone imagined–and a killer with a rapacious sense of entitlement. . .

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of A Sense of Entitlement

Review (4.25 Stars): This is the first book that I’ve read in the Hattie Davis series and I’m happy to say that I was captivated by the engaging characters of this mystery series. Hattie is sent to work as the social secretary for the wealthiest woman in America while she is on hiatus from Sir Arthur while he is out of town on business. She quickly finds herself embroiled in a mystery when she discovers the body of a wealthy banker and has to investigate to save an innocent man from being blamed for the crime.

I really liked A Sense of Entitlement and the character of Hattie Davis. She was very smart, articulate, and resourceful in a time where women were judged mainly by their social status. I was amazed at how Hattie could live in this time period where she was treated so horribly by people because she was a secretary and still be gracious through it all. I enjoyed the murder mystery in A Sense of Entitlement and will be getting the first two in the series this weekend to further acquaint myself with the delightful Hattie Davis.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of A Sense of Entitlement. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 14th, answer me this question in the comments:

What is your favorite time period to read about?

June 6, 2014May 25, 2014

Kelly reviews Gimme Some Sugar by Kimberly Kincaid

TITLE: Gimme Some Sugar
SERIES #: Pine Mountain #2
CHARACTERS: Jackson Carter & Carly di Matisse
AUTHOR: Kimberly Kincaid
PUBLICATION DATE: June 3, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Out of the frying pan. . .and into the fire!

Desperate to escape the spotlight of her failed marriage to a fellow celebrity-chef, Carly di Matisse left New York City for a tiny town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The restaurant she’s running these days may not be chic, but in Pine Mountain she can pretend to be the tough cookie everybody knows and loves. Until she finds herself spending too much time with a way-too-hot contractor whose rugged good looks melt her like butter…

Jackson Carter wasn’t looking for love. But he’s not the kind of man to walk away from a worksite—or from a fiery beauty whose passionate nature provides some irresistible on-the-job benefits…

It’s the perfect temporary arrangement for two ravenous commitment-phobes, except that Jackson and Carly keep coming back for seconds… and thirds… and fourths..

REVIEW:
The second book in Kimberly’s Pine Mountain series was just as good as the first book. I love how Jackson & Carly meet. It is pretty darn funny. I really liked Jackson. He seems like such a good guy. Carly on the other hand is a little stand offish about both people and relationships. Both have been hurt by their past relationships and that really scues their outlook on future relationships. And sadly when reality finally hits it might be too late.

I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Gimme Some Sugar can be read as a stand alone, but since it is only book 2 in the series. You should just start with book one and go from there.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

June 6, 2014May 25, 2014

Kimberly reviews Heated by J. Kenner

TITLE: Heated
SERIES #: Most Wanted #2
CHARACTERS: Sloane & Tyler
AUTHOR: J. Kenner
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/03/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
I knew better than to risk my heart.
But fierce passion comes at a high price.

I grew up believing in right and wrong, good and evil, black and white. I knew better than to trust. And then I met Tyler Sharp.

Bold, charming, and dangerously sexy, Tyler always gets what he wants. But his smile can be deceiving, his dealings sordid, his ambitions ruthless. I thought I was the one woman strong enough to resist him, but our need for each other was too urgent to deny.

One look and I was in trouble. One touch and I was hooked. One night and I became his.

And now that I’ve fallen, there’s no going back.

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts I will be honest and say it took me a little bit to get into this book. I could tell something was up between Sloane and Tyler and I do not mean the heat. So I wasn’t sure at first to let myself relax into their relationship but then about a quarter of the way through the book everything changed. They changed. Tyler who had been a hard character became soft to Sloane and I enjoyed watching that change in him. Sloane was interesting too. I appreciated that she was written to stick to her guns. She didn’t just think “oh I am in love and will change everything I am to be with this guy” and that worked well. Towards the end I was totally on Tyler’s side and I think that says a lot.

J. Kenner has a way of writing that I really enjoy. First while I guess this falls under erotica the main characters of this series are not into BDSM they just have control issues. There is nothing over the top sexual in these books just fun. Second Kenner has a way that makes you somehow fall for these bad boys even though they really are “bad”. I truly look forward to Ignited (the last in the series) and Cole’s story. Something is up with that guy and I can’t wait to see what it is and what woman could possibly turn him around.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

June 5, 2014May 25, 2014

Kelly reviews Jaguar Hunt by Terry Spears

TITLE: Jaguar Hunt
SERIES #: Heart of the Jaguar #3
CHARACTERS: David Patterson & Tammy Anderson
AUTHOR: Terry Spears
PUBLICATION DATE: June 3, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
An agent and a jaguar-shifter chase trouble, and each other, through the jungles of Belize…

Agent Tammy Anderson has a reputation: she prefers to work alone. So when she’s paired up on a mission with jaguar-shifter David Patterson—who’s only recently been released from jail—to say she’s less than thrilled is a understatement. Until she realizes that this sexy agent has what it takes…

Soon, what started as an “easy” mission to locate a missing jaguar takes the pair to Belize, where they’re chasing down two renegade teen shifters who know more than they’re telling. As the action heats up, can they keep their minds on the job and off of each other?

REVIEW:
Tammy doesn’t work well with others. Well she works just fine with them as long as they are not her partner and not getting in her way. But on her latest mission Tammy has finally met her match in partners.

David is a man on a mission and nothing is going to stop him. David’s first hurdle is getting Tammy to actually work with him.

This was a great read. I loved David and Tammy. I loved the twins!! They are so sneaky and awesome. I enjoyed the mission that Tammy and David were on. It kept me guessing as to the who’s and the why’s.

This was my first book in this series. I was happy that Jaguar Hunt easily read as a stand alone book. I do plan on going back and reading the first two books in this series. I am already looking forward to who and what is next in this series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

June 5, 2014June 5, 2014

Book Spotlight & Review: The Willing by Suzanne Young

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Program comes a thrilling new novel about the lust and lure of darkness.

Amelia Cardone has spent her entire life under the guardianship of the Building, a cult of believers who made a pact with her father–the Devil. In exchange for protecting Satan’s child, the Building’s leader was promised untold power after Amelia completes the ceremony on her twenty-third birthday. A ceremony that will permanently raise the Devil from the depths of Hell.

But the half-bred child of Satan has power of her own…and a secret that threatens to destroy them all. Betrothed since birth, Amelia defied the Building’s prophecy by marking another as her mate when she was a child. The boy–long-thought dead–has grown in captivity, and has now returned to kill the girl who cursed him. But, bearing her mark, Jonas Wells finds himself unable to harm her.

The passion that ignites between them will bring forth the wrath of everyone in Amelia’s life, including her soulless half-brother (the only person she’s ever truly trusted), and a demon who is determined to make Amelia his own. Amelia knows that to survive she’ll either have to kill Jonas or go against the Building, her father’s pact, and everything she was brought up to believe.

In the end, her only way out might be to embrace the demon she was meant to become–and face the Devil’s consequences.

Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

Originally from New York, Suzanne Young moved to Arizona to pursue her dream of not freezing to death. She currently resides in Tempe, where she teaches high school English. When not writing obsessively, Suzanne can be found searching her own tragic memories for inspiration.

Suzanne is the author of several books for teens, including THE PROGRAM, A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL, and A WANT SO WICKED.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of The Willing

Review (4 Stars): Wow, what a book! I was hooked from the very first page and I stayed up all night reading it. Amelia is the daughter of the devil and she is destined to be with Bastian, the leader of the building. On her twenty-third birthday, she will take part in a ceremony that will not only join her to Bastain, but help to bring her father into this world for good. Amelia had other plans for her future because she chose another boy as her mate when she was a young child and marked him as her soulmate. Jonas always felt a connection with Amelia but wasn’t sure what to think when Amelia bit him and left him with a permanent mark. For years, everyone believed that he died in a fire and now he is back to make everyone pay for his suffering, starting with the person he believed caused it all. Amelia.

I felt sorry for Amelia most of this book because she was stuck in a life that she wanted no part of. She couldn’t help that she was the daughter of the devil and her brother was a half-demon. She wanted to have choice in her destiny and she felt that Jonas was her soulmate and she didn’t care what the prohecy said. She was in love with Jonas and was heartbroken when she thought that he was dead.

Vincent, her half-brother and chosen protector, was a very interesting character. A half-demon who was a psychopath with the face of an angel, who loved causing other people pain. He would do anything to protect Amelia and punished anyone that hurt her in any way. He was torn for most of the book by trying to do what was right for his sister even if it meant those actions ended up hurting her after all.

The Willing was an imaginative paranormal tale that left me speechless. I was impressed with Ms. Young’s style of writing and how this story captivated me from the very first page. I will definitely check out Suzanne Young’s other books because I’m sure they will be just as enjoyable as The Willing.

June 4, 2014June 3, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Independence Slay by Shelley Freydont

The Unexpected Character

by Shelley Freydont

Writers go to great lengths to “know” their characters. Some make collages, some interview the prospective character, or make lists of hair color, height, favorite food, etc. An author lives with her characters. Your protagonist rides shotgun while you drive to the store. The sidekick climbs into the shower with you, the villain knocks at your subconscious while you’re watching your favorite television show.

You pretty much have a full house twenty four/seven while you’re writing a book, and if you write a series…well talk about your extended family.

Knowing and loving your character will make writing the story that much more organic.

But what if a character crashes your story, like that uninvited guest who shows up at the door when the party is already in full swing? It happens. It can be fun or annoying, sometimes both.

This happened to me on my latest series the Celebration Bay Mysteries. My heroine, Liv, is an Manhattan event planner hired by a small upstate destination town to be its event coordinator.

She has a dog, two retired schoolteacher landladies, an assistant, friends and colleagues, even a nemesis. But she didn’t have a love interest. A lot of amateur sleuths take up with policeman because…well they’re cool and they know how to investigate and also can take care of those pesky things like getting DNA samples and ballistic reports that the amateur doesn’t have access to.

I started the first book, Foul Play at the Fair, with no boyfriend for Liv, fingers crossed and hoping for the best. Around chapter three, she has to visit the local newspaper office to complain about her festival ad being dumped for a Boy Scout article.

The Celebration Bay Clarion is a family paper, owned for generations by the Bristow family, and a one man operation. Liv has heard old man Bristow, the current editor, is more interested in fishing than reporting the news. And that’s just not acceptable. She goes to talk to the editor in person. She knocks on the door and when no one answers, she walks in. The place is dark and a mess, and someone is snoring in the back room.

Liv stumbles through the dusky rooms to a back room filled with printers and laptops. The editor is asleep on the couch, snoring away and ruffling the newspaper that’s covering his face. I should have seen it coming, but I wasn’t thinking ahead. She clears her throat; when he doesn’t wake up, she jostles his shoe. There’s much grumbling and slapping at papers and he finally sits up.

I knew by then what was going to happen.

Old man Bristow isn’t an old man at all. But thirty-ish, with a shock of dirty-blond hair. A surfer dude wearing jeans and a flannel shirt with a hole in the elbow. Handsome and out of place–And cranky…And the beginning of a ridiculous relationship.

Charles “Chaz” Bristow was an investigative reporter for the L.A. Times until he quit suddenly and came home to fish and run his family’s local paper. As far as Liv can tell, he’s lazy and uncouth and totally apathetic. He also has a really dry sense of humor and doesn’t mind throwing sarcasm around a bit.

He’s not what I expected, not consciously anyway. I didn’t construct him, didn’t think about what color eyes he would have, or if he’d be a hunk or a sensitive Beta guy. I didn’t know anything about him until he pulled off that newspaper and sat up, scratching. At that moment, Chaz popped full blown onto the page and trying to finagle his way into Liv’s heart.

Sometimes characters are just lying in ambush waiting for you to discover them. Maybe they’ve been sitting on the back burner of your imagination waiting for a lapse in concentration. I feel like that about Chaz. Really, he’s so annoying. Sometimes Liv just wants to smack him, and actually so do I.

But we’re stuck with him. And he’s turning out pretty okay. Both Liv and I have great hopes for him in the future.

About the Author:

Shelley Freydont is the author of the Liv Montgomery, Celebration Bay Festival Mysteries (Berkeley Prime Crime). She also writes the Katie McDonald Sudoku murder series and Lindy Haggerty Dance Company mystery series. She has written several romance novels under the pseudonym Gemma Bruce. Her books have been translated into seven languages.

Her first women’s fiction novel, Beach Colors, written as Shelley Noble, was published by William Morrow June 2012. Stargazey Point will be available July 2013.
A former professional dancer and choreographer, she most recently worked on the films, Mona Lisa Smile and The Game Plan. Shelley is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and Liberty States Fiction Writers.

For more about Shelley, please visit her website www.shelleyfreydont.com.

On the Fourth of July, Old Glory is flying high in Celebration Bay—until someone raises a red flag…

With Independence Day fast approaching, Liv Montgomery is swamped coordinating one of the town’s biggest festivals. In addition to the traditional July fourth events, the town stages a spooky Revolutionary War reenactment that can’t be missed. Every year, the ghost of local war hero Henry Gallantine—played by his eccentric descendant of the same name—appears at the top of the family mansion, kicking off the night’s revelries.

But Henry’s annual cameo goes awry after the ghost signals SOS instead of his traditional cue. When Liv rushes to the rescue, she finds Henry missing and a real dead body instead of a fake haunt. Now she will have to hunt down both a murderer and a missing person quickly before unwanted political fireworks ignite and someone else winds up as local history…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Independence Slay

Review (4.5 Stars): This is the third book in the Celebration Bay mystery series and I’m really enjoying this series. Everyone is preparing for the Fourth of July events where the town stages a Revolutionary War reenactment and tempers are running high. Things start to go haywire when a dead body is found among the activities and Liz has to help investigate another murder before the killer takes another victim.

I think that Liv is a great character and I love the little town of Celebration Bay. The characters are entertaining and this is definitely a series that you will want to visit over and over again. The mystery was well-written with quite a few twists and I’m happy to say I didn’t figure it out until the very end. Independence Slay was a fun, entertaining mystery that will have you wanting to visit the town of Celebration Bay for many years to come.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Independence Slay. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 10th, answer me this question in the comments:

What is your favorite holiday?

June 4, 2014May 25, 2014

Kimberly reviews Heat by Jamie K. Schmidt

TITLE: Heat
SERIES #: Club Inferno #1
CHARACTERS: Mallory & Max
AUTHOR: Jamie K. Schmidt
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/03/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
On the run from her abusive fiancé, ER doctor Mallory Bryant arrives at her sister’s Connecticut resort desperate for a place to restore balance to her life. But Couture is more than a haven for the rich and fashionable. Beneath its elegant facade is an erotic playground where dominants and submissives play out their fantasies. At first, Mallory is wary of Max Spencer, the martial arts trainer acting as her bodyguard—until he introduces her to passion so intense she wants nothing more than to surrender to his touch.

As one of Couture’s most skilled doms, Max enjoys taking Mallory to the limits of pleasure. It’s a dangerous proposition, and as their sensual games draw them into a relationship beyond the boundaries of pupil and master, Max starts spiraling out of control. But when Mallory’s violent past catches up with her, Max knows what he must do: draw her closer than ever before, even if it means risking a surrender of his own.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Everyone seems to have jumped on the “If you liked Fifty Shades you will love this book” bandwagon and most times I end up not liking them much or they are just ok but this book was different. I really enjoyed this story. I liked how the characters had an instant connection, but Max was not willing to rush Mallory. So many times I call the men in these stories “diamonds in the rough” but Max is just a diamond. He is beyond sweet and understand. He has a heart that women would love. I think I might have even fallen a little in love with him.

Mallory is strong in her own way too. At first I wasn’t sure if she would play the victim the whole time but she didn’t. Yes she had some times that she broke down but they were times you can imagine a real woman would fall apart. She is certainly the type of woman I would want to be friends with.

There were a couple of minor things like I got a little tired of Mallory comparing David to Max “David and I would have kissed and gone to bed but Max had something else in mind” type thinking. And the ending seemed a little abrupt. Yes there was a epilogue but it still seemed to just end. I would have liked a little more. But I guess we will catch up with Mallory and Max in the next in the series and I can’t wait.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

June 3, 2014June 2, 2014

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Tempest in a Teapot by Amanda Cooper

Why Teapots?

By Amanda Cooper (aka Victoria Hamilton)

How many people will wonder why I am writing a series centered around teapot collecting? I thought I would have a go at answering the question before I am asked.

First…about tea and me. I can only speak for myself, but drinking tea is about much more than just enjoying hot beverage. There are emotions and feelings tangled up with the ritual that have never, for me, been a part of my enjoyment of coffee. Coffee is for rushed mornings, a get-down-to-work straightforward brew. Tea is for afternoon; work is almost done and I need something to usher me gently from work to enjoyment.

How did I start drinking tea, you ask? At the modest home of my very English paternal grandmother there was always a Brown Betty of very strong tea on the hob, which in modern parlance is the stovetop. The tea stayed on all day long and became as dark as pitch. Conversations took place at the kitchen table over endless cups of that incredibly strong brew; as a small child I suppose that seemed a very ‘adult’ thing to do.

My first cups of tea were mostly milk and sugar warmed with a few tablespoons of hot tea from the pot, but it was tea, and I felt so grown up! My maternal grandparents gave me a milk glass teacup just fitted to small hands, and some English neighbors down the road brought back a very special tea mug from England for me; I was never actually allowed to use it, but it was mine! It has the Pied Piper on it, is English china, and I still have it in my china cabinet, a treasured piece.

But the beginning of the ritual was the teapot and ever since, I’ve loved them. For a collector there is a world of fascination in the teapot realm. You can go from rare antiques to kitschy figurals in the blink of an eye. There are teapots for animal lovers in the shapes of elephants, cats, birds, and more. Consider the delicate beauties adorned with different chintz patterns, or admire silver teapots with Bakelite handles for the china or silver connoisseur. In fact there are so many types of teapots that collectors build museums to display them and folks travel for miles to marvel. Usually the museum aspect starts with a personal collection and ends with overabundance and the need for more space.

But why so many kinds of teapots? You don’t see figural coffee pots. For me the answer lies in the drink itself. Coffee is a ‘hurry up and consume’ potion; get some energy quick, drink it down! Tea is a ‘sit down and visit’ tonic. Tea encourages long gossip sessions with intimate friends, or dreamy afternoons with a book. Coffee is a fuel; tea is pleasure.

Coffee mugs have witty sayings or company logos and coffee pots are strictly utilitarian, for the most part. You can get coffee pots in china patterns to fit your set, but the coffee pot is a skinny long necked afterthought addition to the elegant set consisting of teapot, sugar bowl and creamer.

All in all, teapots blend a piquant measure of tradition, custom, memory and joy into a fragrant and bracing brew. I don’t have room to collect as I would wish, but the teapots I do have are displayed with pride.

I hope readers enjoy the Teapot Collector Mystery series just as much as I am enjoying writing them, and that they will read with a hot cup of tea at the ready, to sip and savor.

About the Author:

Amanda Cooper is the pseudonym for bestselling mystery author Victoria Hamilton. She writes the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries and the Merry Muffin Mysteries as Hamilton, in addition to the Teapot Collector Mysteries as Amanda Cooper. Cooper’s long time love of mystery novels started at age twelve when her mom handed her an Agatha Christie book and said ‘Read!’. Thousands of novels later Cooper is still reading. And writing.

But besides those two favorite pastimes, Cooper also enjoys collecting vintage kitchenalia, old books, teacups, teapots and other ephemera. Perfume is her secret addiction. She likes to cook, hates to clean, and enjoys time spent with friends chatting over wine or tea. She loves crafts, loathes boredom, and her guilty pleasure is ‘reality’ TV, which she knows is largely fake but enjoys anyway.

Cooper thinks that people are the most interesting study of all, and more than anything, she loves to hear from readers, not just about her books but about anything and everything.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Tucked away in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York is the charming town of Gracious Grove, where time moves slowly, gossip spreads quickly, and the scones are to die for…

When her fashionable Manhattan restaurant goes under, Sophie Taylor retreats to her grandmother’s cozy shop, Auntie Rose’s Victorian Teahouse, where serenity is steeped to perfection in one of her many antique teapots. The last thing Sophie expects is a bustling calendar of teahouse events, like her old friend Cissy Peterson’s upcoming bridal shower.

Not everyone is pleased with the bride-to-be’s choice of venue—like Cissy’s grandmother, who owns a competing establishment, La Belle Epoque, and has held a long-simmering grudge against Rose for stealing her beau sixty years ago. Tensions reach a boiling point when Cissy’s fiancé’s mother dies while sampling scones at La Belle Epoque. Now, to help her friend, Sophie will have to bag a killer before more of the guest list becomes a hit list…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Tempest in a Teapot

Review (4 Stars): Tempest in a Teapot is a great start to this new mystery series. Sophie Taylor has come home to Gracious Grove to spend time with her loving grandmother and decide what to do next with her life after her restaurant failed. Being back in Gracious Grove has brought back a lot of great memories for Sophie and she made it back in time to help celebrate her old friend’s upcoming nuptials. But when the bride’s future mother-in-law ends up dead at a family gathering, Sophie finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. She must find the killer soon before her friend’s wedding is derailed permanently.

I liked Sophie and I thought that she was a very interesting character that was trying to pick up the pieces after her restaurant failed. I loved her interactions with her grandmother and learning all about her grandmother’s teahouse. The mystery was interesting yet slow in parts but still very enjoyable. This is the first book in the series and I’m sure everything will pick up in the second installment. Can’t wait to read what is next for Sophie and her grandmother in Gracious Grove.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Tempest in a Teapot. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 10th, answer me this question in the comments:

What is your favorite tea or coffee drink?

June 3, 2014June 3, 2014

Book Spotlight & Review: A Shiver of Light by Laurell K. Hamilton

I am Princess Meredith NicEssus. Legal name Meredith Gentry, because “Princess” looks so pretentious on a driver’s license. I was the first faerie princess born on American soil, but I wouldn’t be the only one for much longer…

Merry Gentry, exprivate detective, now full-time princess, knew she was descended from fertility goddesses, but when she learned she was about to have triplets, she began to understand what that might mean. Infertility has plagued the high ranks of faerie for centuries. Now nobles of both courts of faerie are coming to court Merry and her men, at their home in exile in the Western Lands of Los Angeles, because they will do anything to have babies of their own.

Taranis, King of Light and Illusion, is a more dangerous problem. He tried to seduce Merry and, failing that, raped her. He’s using the human courts to sue for visitation rights, claiming that one of the babies is his. And though Merry knows she was already pregnant when he took her, she can’t prove it.

To save herself and her babies from Taranis she will use the most dangerous powers in all of faerie: a god of death, a warrior known as the Darkness, the Killing Frost, and a king of nightmares. They are her lovers, and her dearest loves, and they will face down the might of the high courts of faerie—while trying to keep the war from spreading to innocent humans in Los Angeles, who are in danger of becoming collateral damage.

Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

Laurell K. Hamilton’s is a paranormal thriller writer and is a regular on the New York Times Bestseller List through titles in her two series Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter and Meredith Gentry: Fairy Princess/Private Eye. The Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series, published by Penguin Group under the Berkley Books imprint, spans 17 novels, including Skin Trade, released earlier this year. With over 6 million copies in print worldwide and available in over 16 languages, there is no end in sight for Anita, the professional necromancer and licensed vampire executioner.

Marvel Comics has worked closely with Hamilton to adapt her books in the Anita Blake series into comic book medium with a stunning amount of success. The first installment of the graphic novel, Guilty Pleasures, was released in July 2007 and was the number one best selling graphic novel for that month.

The Meredith Gentry series published by Ballantine Books features Meredith Gentry as a part-human, part-fey private investigator. Under orders from her aunt Andias, Queen of the Unseelie Court, Meredith is in a race to become pregnant and ascend the throne before her cousin Cel does. The cost of failure will be her own life and that of those who follow her. The next Merry book, Divine Misdemeanors, will debut December 8th, 2009.

Laurell Hamilton resides in St. Louis County, Missouri, with her husband and partner Jonathon Green, her daughter, and their pug. Her education includes degrees in English and biology from Marion (now Indiana Wesleyan University.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of A Shiver of Light

Review (4.5 Stars): Laurell K. Hamilton is one of my absolute favorite authors and I have always been a huge fan of her Anita Blake/Merry Gentry series. Most of us thought that Merry’s series ended with Divine Misdemeanors because Ms. Hamilton hasn’t written anything about these characters since 2009. When I heard that she was coming out with A Shiver of Light, I was so excited to see what was in store next for Meredith and the men in her life.

At the beginning of A Shiver of Light, Merry is at the end of her pregnancy and we discover that she will be delivering triplets instead of twins as we first believed. I liked seeing this different side to Merry’s character due to motherhood and how the birth of these babies changes her relationship with the men in her life. Having children changes everything and Merry isn’t the only affected by these little ones.

While Merry and her clan are adjusting to the new additions in their family, Merry is hit with the information that her Uncle Taranis wants visitation rights for the children because he believes that one of the babies is his. Merry was already pregnant when Taranis assaulted her but now has to prove through genetic testing that Taranis isn’t the father of one of her children. Taranis is a dangerous man and if he can’t prove that one of the children are his, he is capable of losing everything. Now, it is up to Meredith and the men in her life to protect their own from the people that are out to destroy them.

I think that A Shiver of Light was definitely worth the wait and this book made me happy and heart-broken all at the same time. I won’t give too much away but I have to say this was a great addition to the series and the ending definitely left me speechless.

June 3, 2014May 25, 2014

Kimberly reviews Gimme Some Sugar by Kimberly Kincaid

TITLE: Gimme Some Sugar
SERIES #: Pine Mountain #2
CHARACTERS: Carly & Jackson
AUTHOR: Kimberly Kincaid
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/03/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Out of the frying pan. . .and into the fire!

It’s the perfect temporary arrangement for two ravenous commitment-phobes, except that Jackson and Carly keep coming back for seconds… and thirds… and fourths..

REVIEW:
This is the second in the series but it can be read as a stand alone if you have not read the first one. It took a little while to get into this book for me. I had a hard time connecting to Carly for some reason. She was a little off putting in the first book and isn’t in this one so I am not sure why I had the problem but I did. Once I reconciled who she was I was able to enjoy her. Now Jackson I liked right away. He is a sweet guy and his friendship with Shane is adorable. And how could it be more perfect than a man who loves to eat hooking up with a chef? But there is more to them.

I enjoyed the story even if it was a bit cliche’ but then again it is a romance so it is not like I expected something different. It just seems like the whole “he can’t love because his dad was a jerk” is overdone sometimes. Luckily while that is the case in this story it is not the main thing.

This is a great summer read. Sitting on the beach needing an enjoyable read that doesn’t tax the brain but is still fun is perfect for this story.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.