Natasha reviews Peanut Goes To School by Thea Harrison

Peanut Goes to SchoolTITLE: Peanut Goes to School
SERIES #: Elder Races #6.7 A Shorty Story
CHARACTERS: Liam (Peanut), Dragos & Pia
AUTHOR: Thea Harrison
PUBLICATION DATE: 7/14/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Dragos Cuelebre is no longer the only dragon.
Dragos’s son Liam Cuelebre (a.k.a. Peanut) is springing into existence, reminiscent of the first of the Elder Races who were born at the beginning of the world. At just six months of age, he has already grown to the size of a large five-year-old boy. He can read, write in complete sentences, and his math skills are off the chart.
A white dragon in his Wyr form, Liam also holds more Power than almost anyone else. In an effort to give him a taste of normality, no matter how fleeting, his parents Pia and Dragos enroll him in first grade.
They hope school will help teach Liam how to relate to others, a vital skill that will help him control his growing Power. But school has a surprising number of pitfalls, and relating to others can be a tricky business.
When a classmate is threatened, Liam must quickly learn self-control, how to rein in his instincts, and govern his temper, because there’s no doubt about it—he is fast becoming one of the most dangerous creatures in all of the Elder Races

REVIEW: I am admittedly a huge Elder Races fan. I’ve read every book and every novella. That said, I haven’t always had a real strong interest in Liam aka Peanut – Dragos and Pia’s son. I felt like the series was starting to center around him and that wasn’t fair to the rest of the characters in this amazing world Thea had built. I was intrigued by Peanut though, and wanted to see why Thea had decided to invest so much into this one particular character. So I read Peanut Goes to School. This is a very short story and I read it in about an hour. I have to say, I loved it! I now understand what is so important and special about Liam. It was so nice to read the story from his point of view, and see this world through the eyes of what should be a child, but somehow is so much more. Liam has an amazing mind, and a need to relate to those around him, just like any child. He, however, is very different than any other child. My favorite line of the story, and when I knew that I had just completely fell in love with Liam was when he said, “I’m not going to be a kid for very long, so I can’t make any long-term commitments.” I was cracking up! He’s so matter of fact, but sweet all at the same time. I loved it. I’m happy that Thea decided to give us this glimpse into Liam’s character. Though I don’t want the entire series to center so much around the Cuelebre’s as it has recently, I’m really excited about how he’ll grow up, and the things we’ll see change in the Elder Races series because of him.

Disclaimer:
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

5hearts-68-77

Masters of Seduction Release Day Spotlight + Giveaway

Books-n-Kisses is super excited to have four of our favorite authors on the blog today to help promote their new release of  Masters of Seduction: Books 1-4: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set.  I, for one can’t wait to jump into this box  set and learn all about these Masters.   So what do you say we take a little look into the world of the Masters of Seduction.

MOS

Amazon| B&N | Kobo | iTunes

In the realm of the Incubi Masters, pleasure is to die for and love is the deadliest game of all . . .

Surrender to sinful pleasures and forbidden passions with Masters of Seduction, the sizzling new paranormal romance novella series from New York Times and internationally bestselling authors Lara Adrian, Donna Grant, Laura Wright and Alexandra Ivy.

This all-new, never-before-published boxed set contains the first four novellas in the Masters of Seduction series. Each book in the collection is approximately 20-25,000 words.

For more information on the series, visit www.MastersOfSeductionAuthors.com

 *****

Are you interested yet?

Lara, Donna, Laura & Alexandra were nice enough to not only share their new box set but they are giving us a closer look into each story.

So here is a look at each of the stories.

Enjoy!!

*****

Merciless: House of Gravori 

by Lara Adrian 

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Seeking vengeance for the murder of his brother, Incubus Master Devlin Gravori demands justice from the high court of the Nephilim. But fury and retribution are no match for the consuming desire he feels for Nahiri, the beautiful Nephilim warrior he claims as his hostage.

Merciless Excerpt (Used with permission by Lara Adrian © Lara Adrian 2014): 

Nahiri awoke in the middle of a large bed in a strange room.

She shot upright the instant consciousness dawned, her hands reaching automatically for her weapons.

They were gone.

The leather sheaths that crossed her torso were empty.

No. That meant her nightmare hadn’t been just a dream. It was reality.

The Incubus in the temple…Devlin Gravori.

He really had taken her.

Nahiri’s eyelids snapped open in panic. Sunlight poured in from an open window across the room, blasting her vision.

Momentarily blinded, she squinted through her lashes, struggling to take quick stock of her new surroundings.

Creamy stucco walls. Dark hardwood floors and masculine-looking furnishings. Thick timber beams high above her head.

And beneath her, a massive bed. The mattress was as cushiony as a cloud, the cotton sheets and silken coverlet calling to mind all manner of sins.

All around her was the scent of intriguingly exotic spices and something even more enticing.

Him.

She sensed his presence even before she swung her head in his direction and found him seated in an upholstered chair beside the bed. No, not seated in it, exactly. Dominating it. The same way he seemed to dominate every space he occupied.

His big body lounged negligently where he sat, his powerful thighs spread, one arm draped over the side of the chair, the other propping his head up, fist curled loosely under the square line of his jaw.

He’d shed his suit jacket at some point, and now wore just his gray tailored pants and white business shirt. The collar was opened even farther than she recalled, just one more button loosened, but exposing enough of his tawny skin to make her mouth water with a sudden, unholy urge to taste him.

She wanted to dismiss the impulse as one he planted in her mind, but she could tell from the casual way he regarded her that any curiosity she felt in that moment was hers alone.

Nahiri scrambled off the bed. She backed into the farthest corner of the room, eyeing him warily. “Where am I? Where have you taken me?”

“You’re at Gravori House.” He cast a nonchalant look around the room. “More specifically, you’re in my bedroom.”

Even though she could have guessed as much, her heart still climbed into her throat. Since she’d gone to the temple to train at eighteen years old, she hadn’t left the sanctuary grounds even once. Let alone spent so much as a minute in a man’s bedroom.

She might be a virgin, but she had never been a wilting little girl. She was a grown woman. A skilled warrior. She refused to let him intimidate her.

“It was a bad idea to abduct me from the temple,” she informed him. “The Three will see you punished for this, Incubus, regardless of what you mean to do to me. And with or without my weapons, I am still a Blade. I will fight you every step of the way.”

“The same way you did in the High Chamber?”

Her cheeks flamed with heat at the reminder. With humiliation. Her weakness had shamed her in front of the other Blades, in front of the three priestesses who’d entrusted her with their lives. With their faith that she was the best, the strongest, of her peers.

And this demon had disproved all of that in a moment.

He would do it again if he wanted to. He could do anything he wanted to her. Nahiri could see it in the hard glint of his golden eyes.

No, for all her skill—for all her dedication to the teachings and training of the temple—Devlin Gravori could destroy her at his whim.

“I’m not interested in fighting you,” he murmured, as if he could read the troubled direction of her thoughts.

She swallowed, watching the way he stared at her from across the room. He didn’t move, and yet her body trembled as though his hands were already on her, as hot and roaming as his gaze. All the wicked, deviant things she’d ever heard about Incubi appetites poured over her in a rush of dread and terrible anticipation.

“In case you’re worried about it, I’m not interested in raping you either,” he drawled, the corner of his mouth curling around the sensual growl of his deep, rumbling voice. “Forcing a woman isn’t the Incubus way. Never been my way, at any rate.”

Nahiri hiked up her chin. “No, you’ll just bend my will until I submit. Or make me your Thrall so you can siphon my life’s energy for your own. Maybe you’ll manipulate my mind until I beg you to drain me completely. I suppose that would be more your way.”

He grunted, dark amusement in his tone. “I have plenty of women more than happy to slake my needs—all of my needs.”

As reassurances went, his did little to relieve her. He steepled his hands beneath his chin, his citrine gaze locked on her. Nahiri could hardly breathe. His dark energy was gathered about him, pulsating and vivid, but not the way she’d felt it in the temple.

He was holding his demonic allure in check now, despite the heat she felt licking along her limbs and putting a flame to her blood. He intrigued her as much as he unsettled her.

Heaven save her, but he tempted her.

Even as he terrified her, infuriated her…he stirred a dangerous longing in her.

And he knew.

The way he studied her, he knew she was struggling against an attraction she wanted desperately to deny.

One raven brow quirked nearly imperceptibly. “If I wanted to take you as my lover, Nahiri, or feed from you as my Thrall, I wouldn’t need force or Incubus magic to do it.”

The combination of her name on his lips and the terrible truth he spoke made her heart stumble in her chest. It beat shallowly, accelerating in time with her breathing.

And she tried not to notice how his gaze tracked every inch of her body, settling on her breasts as they rose and fell with each rapid squeeze of her lungs.

He got out of the chair and stood in place for a long moment. When he finally moved, his steps were measured, unrushed. So confident, as if doubt was something he never had to trifle with when it came to women.

Of course, he’d told her as much, so his arrogance shouldn’t surprise her now.

Nahiri stood, frozen, as he approached, his thick-muscled thighs carrying him in a slow prowl across the room. He paused an arm’s length away from her.

“Why did you bring me here?” she asked, grateful that the tremors of her body hadn’t found their way into her voice. She could not forget for an instant that she was dealing with a demon. “What do you want from me?”

His sensual mouth twisted in contemplation. “I haven’t decided yet. But let me be clear about one thing, little Blade. You may be pledged to the Three and their precious temple, but in this House, I am Master. So long as I have you under this roof, you will obey me. As of now, your well-being, your life—everything—belongs to me.”

She bristled, outrage shooting through her like fire. She welcomed the anger. It helped eclipse the desire that was still simmering inside her, unwanted and never to be admitted—especially to this overbearing heathen of a man.

Devlin Gravori was mad if he expected her to think of him as anything but her captor.

Her enemy.

And he might as well realize that now.

Nahiri peeled her lips back from her teeth in a furious smile. She squared off against him, ready to do battle even without the benefit of her weapons. “I would rather die before I give anything to you. Willingly or by force. I would see you dead before that day.”

He scowled as she hissed the words into his face. When he raised his hand, she thought for certain he would strike her.

Instead, his broad, warm palm came around the back of her neck. He held her in a firm grip, and brought his face terrifyingly close to hers.

When he spoke his voice was raw, as rough as gravel in his throat. “Be careful with your threats, Nahiri. Those are dangerous words. Particularly when my kin are already grieving the loss of one brother to your kind today.”

She stared up into his fierce golden eyes, transfixed by the power she saw there. By the pain and fury that hardened his handsome features and tightened the lush line of his mouth.

“On the other side of this bedroom door, I have a dozen Incubi brothers and cousins who might be tempted to take your threats against me to heart. They might be tempted toward other things too. But not so long as you’re under my watch. No one takes what belongs to me.”

As he spoke, his gaze drifted to her mouth. It lingered there, and suddenly Nahiri could hardly swallow for the lack of moisture in her throat. Her lips tingled under his gaze, aching for contact. Her temples pounded with her heartbeat, a rising, steady thrum that seemed to echo in the small space between her body and his.

Everything female in her was fixed on this man—this dark, deadly demon—and the unholy need he aroused in her.

“You will obey me,” he muttered, the command like velvet on her senses when it should grate like sharp stones. “As of right now, Nahiri the Blade, you belong to me.”

A little about Lara Adrian: Adrian_L

Lara Adrian is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of the Midnight Breed vampire romance series and numerous other titles published independently. With nearly 4 million books in print and digital worldwide, and translations licensed in more than 20 countries, Lara’s books have been called “addictively readable” (Chicago Tribune), “strikingly original” (Booklist) and “a must-read” (Fresh Fiction). She lives in New England with her husband, where she is currently at work on her next novel. To learn more about Lara’s books and to sign up for her email newsletter, visit her here  Website| Facebook | Twitter @lara_adrian | Goodreads

*****

Soulless: House of Romerac 

by Donna Grant

Soulless_600x900Incubus Master Canaan Romerac is focused solely on revenge against those who betrayed him and put him in the Oubliette for five hundred years. That is until he sets eyes on Rayna. Can the beautiful Nephilim heal Canaan’s wounded soul before it’s too late.  

Soulless excerpt (Used with permission by Donna Grant © Donna Grant 2014):

There was a pause. “Your skin is flushed, but not from illness.”

Conceited prick. Of course a sex demon would know when she was aroused. “I know you won’t force me, and I’m not interested. So go away.”

She waited for his response, waited to hear the charm and seduction she knew was coming. Except there was nothing. Rayna counted to fifty before she opened her eyes.

And promptly gasped when she found herself staring into eyes of blue-green as fathomless as the sea.

Rayna tried to look away, but only managed to move her eyes to his chiseled chin and jaw that sported a shadow of a beard, making him even sexier. If that was possible.

She caught a glimpse of coal black hair against his shoulder and saw it hung loose, the waves begging her to slide her fingers into the thickness. A lock of that hair fell over his wide forehead to fall against the corner of his eye.

Once more she was caught in his gaze. A woman could drown in such brilliance. Between the brightness of his eyes, the long black lashes, his midnight hair, and his olive skin, he wasn’t just handsome. He was striking, breathtaking.

Magnificent.

“Not interested?” he said, a hint of a smile upon wide, full lips. Lips that no doubt kissed as heavenly as he looked.

Rayna had to try twice to get enough wetness in her mouth to swallow. Even then her voice wouldn’t work so she shook her head.

He leaned forward and ran his index finger softly down the side of her face before pushing her hair over her shoulder. “Say it again.”

Was he insane? Didn’t he realize she was barely holding it together? Or perhaps that was the point. He did realize exactly what kind of precarious situation she was in.

It wasn’t as if she hadn’t known pleasure. She’d had her share of lovers, but not a single one of them had heated her blood like the Incubi before her. And he hadn’t even kissed her.

Victory shone in the Incubus’s beautiful eyes, and the resulting anger was enough that she could remember just why she didn’t want him. She refused to be a pawn in the game played between the Nephilim and the Incubi.

“I don’t want you,” she said. It might be a hoarse whisper, but the words had come.

To make her point even more clear, she shoved past him. It was a mistake as soon as her hand landed on his chest. The resulting heat, the primal need that thrummed through her veins, halted her.

He moved behind her, his warm breath fanning her neck. Unable to stop herself, her eyes closed and her head fell to the side. Soft lips touched the place where her neck met her shoulders. It barely registered before his hot, wet tongue flicked over her skin.

“You’re correct, Nephilim. I won’t force you,” he whispered into her ear. “Your kind is normally so willing to couple with us. What makes you so different?”

Rayna turned to face him, wondering if she was a masochist. Why else would she willingly face someone so damned gorgeous again?

“I walked away from that world. I want nothing to do with it.”

Before she could get in another word, his lips were on hers. There was nothing soft or romantic about the kiss. It was all heat and desire, need and passion.

Lust and longing.

It sent her world spinning. Her body was scorched from the intensity of the kiss.

As suddenly as it began, the kiss ended. Rayna blinked up at him, unsure why he stopped. She licked her lips, liking the taste of him altogether too much.

“Farewell,” he said and disappeared into the night before she could utter a single syllable in response.

A little about Donna Grant: donna_grant_new

Donna Grant has been praised for her “totally addictive” and “unique and sensual” stories.  She’s the author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance—Scottish Medieval, dark fantasy, time travel, paranormal, and erotic.  Her latest acclaimed series, Dark Sword, features a thrilling combination of Druids, primeval gods, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her husband, two children, a dog, and three cats in Texas.

To learn more about Donna and her books, please visit her here: Website | Facebook | Twitter @donna_grant | Goodreads

 

*****

Shameless: House of Vipera

by Laura Wright  

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Sexy Incubus Master Scarus Vipera has grown weak, and the only thing that will strengthen him again is Rosamund, the power-rich female of the Harem. But the mysterious Nephilim is determined to leave the harem untouched, her heart intact.

Shameless Excerpt (Used with permission by Laura Wright © Laura Wright 2014): 

Rosamund gasped as the man ran his nose along the seam of her sex. Why couldn’t they go away? These stupid, silly Nephilim? Their opinions meant nothing to her. All she wanted was this male. His mouth on her. His tongue inside her.

“Rosamund, you must wake!” called the second female, more urgently this time. “Constance is on her way. There is to be an announcement.”

Rosamund drove her fingers into thick, soft hair in response. Yes! Yes! Right there, male, she urged, squeezing his scalp. He groaned, the sound vibrating against her heat as he nuzzled his way to her swelling clitoris.

The sound of a doorknob rattling entered her consciousness, but she pushed it away. It was the click of a lock being breached that truly yanked her from the rising pleasure, cutting into her dream like a guillotine to the neck. She came awake with a start, eyes flying open, body jackknifing upward into a sitting position. Breathing heavy, she glanced around, blinked. It was pitch black in her little anteroom—the space she’d claimed when she arrived in the Harem nearly one year ago. The space that was all hers. Every other Nephilim in residence lived in shared accommodations—very gratefully and happily. But Rosamund had wanted to be alone.

No. She’d needed to be alone.

“Rosamund, Constance will give you a week in the kitchens if you’re not in attendance,” Eva persisted, inching the door open.

Panic seized Rosamund. She couldn’t have them see her. Not like this. “I’m up,” she called, scrambling off her pallet and rushing to the door. She pressed herself against it, blocking their entrance. “I’m up. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

There was a momentary pause, then a sigh. “All right,” Eva said. “We will see you in the courtyard. And Rosamund?”

“Yes?” she said with a touch of irritation she wasn’t quite awake enough to hide. Sleep still clung to her mind. Wet heat still claimed everything south of her navel.

“Good morning to you,” the female called.

Oh great Goddess, it had been, Rosamund thought with a groan as she listened to the females’ retreating footsteps. Or could have been. She heaved a sigh and let her head fall back against the wood. She was truly dying to know how her dream ended. She’d been having it nearly every night of her three hundred and sixty one nights in the Harem. And each time, the intensity grew, the need intensified. Granted, she could never see the male’s face clearly, but she knew it was Roger. The human man she’d met and fallen for three months before she’d been called to the Harem. The human man who believed she was away on a yearlong animal research trip in the Australian bush.

The human man who had held her in his arms the night before she left and sworn that he would wait for her forever. But Rosamund knew forever was a relative term—and that waiting wasn’t easy for anyone. Normally a letter from him came once a week, forwarded from a post office box in Sydney. But in the past couple of months she’d received nothing at all.

Her heart squeezed as she pushed away from the door. Just four more days, she reminded herself, setting about lighting the three lamps that lined her tiny bookcase and clothing rack. Four more days until she was back in San Francisco, back to Roger—back to creating the life, the home, the family, she’d always dreamt of having.

With quick, seasoned hands, she performed her daily routine. Tying down her breasts and padding her middle. Applying powders to her face to make her appear sallow and tired, and oils to her long, pale blond hair to make it appear unwashed. And the one last accompaniment that was a guarantee to her continued success—the one she’d had made before leaving San Francisco nearly a year ago—a dental prosthetic that made her teeth look almost rotten.

After slipping on the large pumpkin-colored day robe, she made a quick inventory of her appearance in the cracked half mirror. She looked as she did every day. A younger version of the witch who’d sold Snow White her poisoned apple. She heaved a great sigh of relief. Perfect. No male on Earth would choose her over the stunning Nephilim females of the Harem.

A little about Laura Wright: LauraWrightPic

Author of the Bestselling Mark of the Vampire series, Laura Wright spent the early years of her life immersed in the worlds of singing, acting and competitive ballroom dancing. But when she started writing, she knew she’d found her true calling. Laura lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband, two children, three dogs, two frogs and two fish. She’s been thrice nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, and loves hearing from her readers.  To learn more about Laura and her books, please visit her here: Website| Facebook | Twitter @LauraWriteRom | Goodreads

*****

Ruthless: House of Xanthe

 by Alexandra Ivy

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Jian, Master of the House Xanthe, has devoted his life to returning his family to their former prominence.  When he’s offered a contract to hunt down the missing Sovereign, he’s eager to accept. The last thing he expects is to encounter a stunningly beautiful angel who stirs more than his lust

Ruthless Excerpt (Used with permission by Alexandra Ivy © Alexandra Ivy 2014)

Jian, the Master of the House of Xanthe, stood at the edge of the barren, uninhabited island in the middle of the Arctic Ocean.  He grimaced as he studied the jagged mountain of blue ice that soared toward the sky.

Despite the weak sunlight, the breeze was edged with a lethal chill and beneath his feet the ground trembled as the ice abruptly split open.  Only his swift leap to the side prevented him from tumbling into the deep fissure that formed.

Not the first place anyone would willingly choose to spend the night.

Not even a demon.

Thankfully, Jian wasn’t just any demon.

As a powerful Incubus, he could not only compel others with the force of his sexual enchantment, but he was physically impervious to the brutal elements.  He also possessed the unique ability to see through magical illusions.

Which was why he was the current Master of House Xanthe.

Unlike other Incubi Houses, Xanthe didn’t accumulate their wealth through vineyards, or sprawling hotel chains, or sex clubs.

No, their profitable spice trade had been destroyed, and worse, their lands stripped away, after Jian’s grandfather had stood against the House of Marakel and been labeled a traitor by the Council.  Now Xanthe depended on their own skills to rebuild their empire.

Two of Jian’s younger brothers were expert assassins who offered death for an obscene price.  And a handful of cousins sold themselves as mercenaries for other Incubi.

But it was Jian’s ability to gather and collect information that was slowly returning Xanthe to its position among the most respected Houses.

There was nothing in this world, or any other, that paid quite so well as secrets.

A wry smile twisted his lips as he recalled the extremely large fortune that had just been transferred into his account from a human politician who preferred to keep his habit of siphoning funds from his elderly donors from hitting the front page.

“This is a bad idea,” Taka growled.

Jian turned his head to study the large Incubus standing next to him.

The captain of Xanthe’s Watchmen, Taka looked exactly like what he was—a ruthless killer.  Dressed in leather pants and a T-shirt despite the frigid air, he was as large as an ox, with bluntly carved features and a smoothly shaved skull.  His skin was tanned to a rich mahogany, and his arms, which bulged with muscle, were tattooed with the Xanthe House emblem of a warrior.

Jian, on the other hand, was built along leaner lines, with the sleek muscles of a trained swordsman.

His skin was a smooth, unblemished honey and his straight blue-black hair was cut short on the sides, with the top long enough to fall over his wide forehead.  He had a thin blade of a nose and high, narrow cheekbones that whispered of his Far Eastern heritage.  His face was lean, with eyes that were faintly tilted and glowed like melted gold in the sunlight.

 

Alexandra IvyA little about Alexandra Ivy: 

Alexandra Ivy is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Guardians of Eternity series, as well as the Sentinels and Bayou Heat that she writes with Laura Wright.  After majoring in theatre she decided she prefers to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage.  She lives in Missouri with her family.

Learn more about Alexandra and her books, please visit her here:  WebsiteFacebookTwitter @AlexandraIvyGoodreads

 

 

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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

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Kelly reviews Better Home and Hauntings by Molly Harper

better homesTITLE: Better Homes & Hauntings
SERIES #: (I hope this ends up being a part of a series :D)
CHARACTERS: Deacon, Nina, Jake, Cindy, Dotty and some creepy shadowy things.
AUTHOR: Molly Harper
NARRATOR: Amanda Ronconi
PUBLICATION DATE: June 24, 2014
AUDIBLE RUN TIME: 8 Hours & 52 Minutes
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N | Audible

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When Nina Linden is hired to landscape a private island off the New England coast, she sees it as her chance to rebuild her failing business after being cheated by her unscrupulous ex. She never expects that her new client, software mogul Deacon Whitney, would see more in her than just a talented gardener. Deacon has paid top dollar to the crews he’s hired to renovate the desolate Whitney estate—he had to, because the bumps, thumps, and unexplained sightings of ghostly figures in nineteenth-century dress are driving workers away faster than he can say “Boo.”

But Nina shows no signs of being scared away, even as she experiences some unnerving apparitions herself. And as the two of them work closely together to restore the mansion’s faded glory, Deacon realizes that he’s found someone who doesn’t seem to like his fortune more than himself—while Nina may have finally found the one man she can trust with her bruised and battered heart.

But something on the island doesn’t believe in true love…and if Nina and Deacon can’t figure out how to put these angry spirits to rest, their own love doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance.

REVIEW:
4.75 Hearts What is one to do when they are part of a family that has a curse looming over them? And said person is the first successful person in the family in generations? And said person owns the family’s haunted island? Well if you are Deacon Whitney, you hire a group of the best of the best and clean and revamp that house. All while ignoring the things you don’t want to see.
Deacon may have everyone’s best interest at heart in this new project but it becomes clear that they are not the only ones on the island. The biggest question is who is going to win?
Love love love this book!! But then again I have not picked up (or in this case listened to) a Molly Harper book that I have not loved. I just love her snarky characters that always have a way of getting into a lot of trouble with minimal damage inflicted on others. I really hope that this will not be the end of the Whitney Island gang (as I would like to call them). I have already submitted my request for a novella for Jack & Cindy and a book for Dotty. Why you ask. Well you will just need to pick up a copy of Better Homes & Hauntings and find out 😉

Amanda does a great job as always bring the character to life for me. I just love a narrator that is great at her job. 🙂

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews Shifter’s Claim Part 1 by A.C. Arthur

Shifters Claim 1TITLE: Shifter’s Claim Part 1
SERIES: The Shadow Shifters #4
CHARACTERS: Priya & Sebastian
AUTHOR: A.C. Arthur
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/08/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sebastian “Bas” Perry acknowledges there is something physical drawing him to Priya Drake, the inquisitive reporter. She is strong and tenacious and unpredictable, as he soon learns when she follows him to his resort in Sedona. Priya Drake knows what her assignment is, all she has to do is pull it off without getting caught. Desperation pushes her further than she ever imagined and suddenly she realizes she just might be in over her head when she comes face to face with the alluring shapeshifter Sebastian “Bas” Perry once again, in Shifter’s Claim Part I, from The Shadow Shifters series by A.C. Arthur.

REVIEW:
This is part 1 of the story (about 60 pages). Because it is the beginning there is a lot of information so we understand who everyone is and while usually that means the reader doesn’t get a lot of action or romance. Well this story is different. There is a lot of action and suspense. There is a bit of sexual connection though no sex yet. Where there isn’t is any shape shifting (yet).

Because it is the first part of the story so there is time. However this is the 4th in a series. I have not read the others in the series yet.

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Kelly reviews Heart Of Obsidian by Nalini Singh

heart of obsidianTITLE: Heart of Obsidian
SERIES #: Psy-Changeling #12
CHARACTERS: Kaleb Krychek & Sahara Nightstar
AUTHOR: Nalini Singh
NARRATOR: Angela Dawe
PUBLICATION DATE: June 4, 2013
RUN TIME: 13 Hours & 8 Minutes
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N | Audible

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Step into New York Times bestseller Nalini Singh’s explosive and shockingly passionate Psy-Changeling world…

A dangerous, volatile rebel, hands stained bloodred.
A woman whose very existence has been erased.
A love story so dark, it may shatter the world itself.
A deadly price that must be paid.
The day of reckoning is here.

From “the alpha author of paranormal romance” (Booklist) comes the most highly anticipated novel of her career—one that blurs the line between madness and genius, between subjugation and liberation, between the living and the dead

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts How do I begin a review on such a heart wrenching emotional story? I am not even sure. Kaleb & Sahara’s story has been building for years & years. Books & books. We have know for a long time that Kaleb has been searching for someone. But it was not until Hawke’s book Kiss of Snow that we learned who. But even then we didn’t know who Sahara was to Kaleb. But once Kaleb finds her he will never let her go again. No one in the world will take Sahara away from him again, not even Sahara herself will keep them apart.
*Possible Spoiler*
Thankfully Sahara has no desire to leave Kaleb ever. Even if she can’t truly remember who and what he is to her.
Heart of Obsidian was a very emotional story as I said above. But I think that it was so much more emotional not necessarily for the love story (which was very emotional) but for the simple fact of watching Kaleb grow and learn what love truly is. I am very much looking forward to the next book which is Vasic’s story (this arrow needs a whole lot of love), but also to see what the future has in store for Kaleb & Sahara.
As always Angela does an amazing job of bring Nalini’s world alive for me. I love how she is able to make each character so different from the next and so real. So thank you to Ms. Singh for another amazing story and thank you to Ms. Dawe for reading this story for me.
On to Vasic.
Disclaimer:
I purchased this book from Audible and this review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Kelly reviews Fireborn by Keri Arthur

firebornTITLE: Fireborn
SERIES #: Souls of Fire #1
CHARACTERS: Emberly Pearson
AUTHOR: Keri Arthur
PUBLICATION DATE: July 1, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From New York Times bestselling author Keri Arthur comes a brand new series featuring heroine Emberly Pearson—a phoenix capable of taking on human form, and cursed with the ability to foresee death…

Emberly has spent a good number of her many lives trying to save humans. So when her prophetic dreams reveal the death of Sam, a man she once loved, she does everything in her power to prevent that from happening. But in saving his life, she gets more than she bargained for.

Sam is working undercover for the Paranormal Investigations Team, and those who are trying to murder him are actually humans infected by a plague-like virus, the Crimson Death—a by-product of a failed government experiment that attempted to identify the enzymes that make vampires immortal. Now, all those infected must be eliminated.

But when Emberly’s boss is murdered and his irreplaceable research stolen, she needs to find the guilty party before she goes down in flames

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This was a good first book in Keri’s new Souls of Fire series. I really liked Emberly. Who could not like a Phoenix? But Emberly has a very complicated life that just keeps getting more and more complicated by the page. I won’t tell you a lot because you need to read for yourself but let’s say Emberly has a soul mate that she is not in love with. And like any good Keri Arthur book Emberly has a very interesting sex life.

There is a lot going on in this first book. I am not totally wild about the Urban Fantasy genre mostly because I really like my HEA at the end of each book. But Fireborn was still a good read and I am looking forward to where Keri is going to take this cast of characters.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

3hearts-68-77

Kelly reviews Azagoth by Larissa Ione

azagothTITLE: Azagoth A Demonica Novella (1001 Dark Nights)
SERIES #: Demonica series #10
CHARACTERS: Azagoth & Lilliana
AUTHOR: Larissa Ione
PUBLICATION DATE: June 11, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N {coming soon}

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Even in the fathomless depths of the underworld and the bleak chambers of a damaged heart, the bonds of love can heal…or destroy.

He holds the ability to annihilate souls in the palm of his hand. He commands the respect of the most dangerous of demons and the most powerful of angels. He can seduce and dominate any female he wants with a mere look. But for all Azagoth’s power, he’s bound by shackles of his own making, and only an angel with a secret holds the key to his release.

She’s an angel with the extraordinary ability to travel through time and space. An angel with a tormented past she can’t escape. And when Lilliana is sent to Azagoth’s underworld realm, she finds that her past isn’t all she can’t escape. For the irresistibly sexy fallen angel known as Azagoth is also known as the Grim Reaper, and when he claims a soul, it’s forever

REVIEW:
As always Larissa writes a story the makes you remember why I love the Demonica world so much. Azagoth maybe a total bad ass Grim Reaper but there is so much more to him than just his status as the Grim Reaper and the baby sitter of souls. Azagoth has finally had enough and puts his foot down, no more doing Heaven’s dirty work. Oh and he wants a willing Mate.

This was a great read not as short as a novella and not a full length novel it feel somewhere in between them. Azagoth and Lilliana both have so much pain in their pasts that it makes them perfect for each other. That is after they get past all the misunderstandings. 🙂 If you are a fan of the Demonica series you will love Azagoth and Lilliana. If you are new? I would say WHAT??? You have not read Larissa’s Demonica Series yet? Then I would tell you to start from the beginning.

Disclaimer:
I purchased this book and this review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Yasmine Galenron’s Night’s End Release Day Blast

NightsEndReleaseDayBlastButton

Welcome to the Release Day Celebration for the finale of Yasmine Galenorn’s Indigo Court series!! NIGHT’S END releases TODAY, and will conclude our journey with Cicely, Grieve, Rhiannon, and the rest of their friends as they battle to end Myst and defeat her army of vampiric fae.

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Eons ago, vampires tried to turn the dark Fae in order to harness their magic, only to create a demonic enemy more powerful than they could have imagined. Now, in a final push, Myst returns with a vengeance to bring the Golden Wood forever under the rule of the Indigo Court.

Newly crowned Fae Queens Cicely and Rhiannon have embraced their destinies and claimed their thrones. But Myst is rising once more, and now, at the helm of her armies, she begins her final assault on the Golden Wood. As Fae, vampires, and magic-born alike fall under the tide of blood, Cicely and her friends must discover a way to destroy the spidery queen before they—and their people—face total annihilation.

Preorder Night's End from  Amazon Order Night's End Order Night's End Order Night's End Order Night's End Order Night's End Order Night's End Order Night's End Order Night's End

Check out the playlist and read the first chapter of NIGHT’S END here!

For a chance to win a prize basket including a KINDLE PAPERWHITE and other goodies from Yasmine Galenorn, follow the NIGHT’S END blog tour this week and enter at each tour stop!

Sunday, June 29th

Post: The Qwillery

Review: Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews

Monday, June 30th

Post: Books Make Me Happy

Review: Saints & Sinners Books

Tuesday, July 1stNightsEndBlogTourButton

Post: Vampire Book Club

Review: Coffee, Books, Life Blog

Live Chat: Coffee Time Romance

Wednesday, July 2nd

Post: Paranormal Book Club

Review: Little Read Riding Hood

Thursday, July 3rd

Post: Literary Escapism

Review: Books That Hook

Friday, July 4th

Post: Herding Cats & Burning Soup

Review: Kelly Smith Reviews

Saturday, July 5th

Post: Reading Between The Wines Book Club

Review: Indy Book Fairy

Appearance / Booksigning: Seattle Mystery Bookshop 12pm – 1:30pm

IndigoCourtSeriesGraphic

If you’re new to the Indigo Court, you can check out some info about the series at these links:

Indigo Court overview
NIGHT MYST blurb, playlist, 1st chapter
NIGHT VEIL blurb, playlist, 1st chapter
NIGHT SEEKER blurb, playlist, 1st chapter
NIGHT VISION blurb, playlist, 1st chapter

 

 

Kelly reviews Fire Rising by Donna Grant

fire risingTITLE: Fire Rising
SERIES #: Dark Kings #2
CHARACTERS: Tristan & Samantha “Sammi” Miller
AUTHOR: Donna Grant
PUBLICATION DATE: June 3, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Tristan, the newest Dragon King, is having a tough time fitting in. Despite his ability to transform into a proud, strong dragon at will, no one knows where he came from or how he became a Dragon King, including himself. When trouble arises in the form of the mob, Tristan is going to have to put aside his questions and band with the other Dragon Kings to protect Dreagan. As if things weren’t complicated enough, he is about to find something worth fighting for more important than the Dragon Kings…

Sammie Miller, pub owner in Oban, has been scorned by her business partner—and former lover. Used as a front for money laundering with the mob, Sammie is in great danger once she realizes what has happened. Barely escaping, she plans to rest at Dreagan for only a day before going back on the run. When Tristan swears to protect her, Sammie thinks his efforts will be in vain—the mob is too powerful, and it will take more than the average man’s devotion to keep her safe. But the closer she gets to Tristan, and the more he learns his secrets, Sammie can’t deny that having a Dragon King who worships you, body and soul, isn’t such a bad thing…

REVIEW:
Is it wrong for me to want all the Dark Fae to die horrible slow deaths? I get a huge case of anxiety whenever I read about them. Fire Rising kinds followed a very similar plot line as Darkest Flame yet it was still a good story. I loved Tristan, yet at the same time I want to slap him upside the head. Boy, you need to learn about your past and deal with it in order to have a future. Geesh. Sammi is tough yet at the same time she is not. She has lived through a lot and that has made her harden her heart. Of course it takes a life and death matter to make her open her eyes. Silly girl.

All and all this was a good book. I love all the character that were involved in this mission. And I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series. I believe Kiril’s books is going to be a wild ride.

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Natasha reviews Pia Saves The Day by Thea Harrison

Pia Saves the DayTITLE: Pia Saves the Day
SERIES #: The Elder Races Series
CHARACTERS: Pia & Dragos
AUTHOR: Thea Harrison
PUBLICATION DATE: 6/23/14
ORDER LINKS:Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In the latest story of the Elder Races, two mates face their deadliest challenge yet—each other…
Pia and Dragos’s magical young son Liam (the Peanut), is growing at an unprecedented rate, and if that isn’t enough, he is also exhibiting new, and unpredictable, magical gifts. To protect him, the concerned parents decide to move to upstate New York.
Both Dragos and Pia relish the idea of leaving behind the city. They finally have the space to indulge their Wyr side, and Liam can grow in safety. It’s a breath of fresh air—literally—but their idyllic situation is shattered when Dragos is injured in a freak accident.
Stripped of his memory and bereft of Pia’s taming influence, there’s nothing holding back Dragos’s darkest side. And in order to restore her family and save her mate, Pia must confront the most powerful menace in Elder Races history.
It’s going to take more than a penny to fix this…

REVIEW: Another great novella in the Elder Races Series. Dragos and Pia pretty much have their own mini series inside of this series, and that’s just fine with me. I enjoy them together so much and I was excited that Thea took this story in a new direction to spice things up a bit. It’s a new level drama in the lives of all of our favorite characters, and I can’t wait to see what else is in store for this series!

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

5hearts-68-77

Kimberly reviews Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper

better homesTITLE: Better Homes and Hauntings
CHARACTERS: Nina & Deacon
AUTHOR: Molly Harper
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/24/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When Nina Linden is hired to landscape a private island off the New England coast, she sees it as her chance to rebuild her failing business after being cheated by her unscrupulous ex. She never expects that her new client, software mogul Deacon Whitney, would see more in her than just a talented gardener. Deacon has paid top dollar to the crews he’s hired to renovate the desolate Whitney estate—he had to, because the bumps, thumps, and unexplained sightings of ghostly figures in nineteenth-century dress are driving workers away faster than he can say “Boo.”

But Nina shows no signs of being scared away, even as she experiences some unnerving apparitions herself. And as the two of them work closely together to restore the mansion’s faded glory, Deacon realizes that he’s found someone who doesn’t seem to like his fortune more than himself—while Nina may have finally found the one man she can trust with her bruised and battered heart.

But something on the island doesn’t believe in true love…and if Nina and Deacon can’t figure out how to put these angry spirits to rest, their own love doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance.

REVIEW:

3.25 Hearts I am a little on the fence about this story. It seemed like the characters connected at some points and didn’t at others. Sometimes the characters acted so cute you couldn’t help but smile then there was nothing. I gave it a little over 3 hearts/stars because for the most part I enjoyed it.

Having just been to the Baltimore I could picture the estate and loved having the Whitney’s compared to the Vanderbilts. I think this is the type of place (if it was real) that would have paranormal investigators there all the time and how fun that it was set on its own island. Unfortunately there wasn’t enough with the ghosts.

It is hard for me to say anything that was great or horrible because it just fit right in the middle the whole way.

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

Natasha reviews Fuse by Julianna Baggott

FuseTITLE: Fuse
SERIES #: The Pure Trilogy #2
CHARACTERS: Pressia, Partridge, Bradwell, Lyda, El Capitan
AUTHOR: Julianna Baggott
PUBLICATION DATE: 2/19/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
We want our son returned. This girl is proof that we can save you all. If you ignore our plea, we will kill our hostages one at a time.

To be a Pure is to be perfect, untouched by Detonations that scarred the earth, and sheltered inside the paradise that is the Dome. But Partridge escaped to the outside world, where Wretches struggle to survive amid smoke and ash. Now, at the command of Partridge’s father, the Dome is unleashing nightmare after nightmare upon the Wretches in an effort to get him back.

At Partridge’s side is a small band of those united against the Dome: Lyda, the warrior; Bradwell, the revolutionary; El Capitan, the guard; and Pressia, the young woman whose mysterious past ties her to Partridge in ways she never could have imagined. Long ago a plan was hatched that could mean the earth’s ultimate doom. Now only Partridge and Pressia can set things right.

To save millions of innocent lives, Partridge must risk his own by returning to the Dome and facing his most terrifying challenge. And Pressia, armed only with a mysterious Black Box containing a set of cryptic clues, must travel to the very ends of the earth, to a place where no map can guide her. If they succeed, the world will be saved. But should they fail, humankind will pay a terrible price . .

REVIEW: The first book in this series – Pure – was so good that I had really high expectations for the next book in this series. Unfortunately it wasn’t as good as I’d hoped it would be. There was a lot going on in this installment, but it seemed to be drawn out for longer than necessary. The characters were harder to like in this book based on decisions and lack of decisions made throughout. I listened to this book on audio, and the narrator for Lyda makes her sound like a robot which is hard to ignore. It alters the way I think of Lyda and her demeanor. As with book one there is a lot of the story that is hard to believe if you think about the science involved with bombings and the world after, but once you give yourself over to the fiction aspect of it all you forget about believability and just enjoy this authors version of events. The ending was shocking and intense. I’ll continue on to book three to see how the story resolves. Hopefully it will offer a little more than this section of the story.

Disclaimer:
I purchased a copy of this book. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

3hearts-68-77