Bran New Death Blog Tour & Giveaway with Victoria Hamilton

I’m so glad to have Victoria Hamilton here today to talk about her new book, Bran New Death, which is the first in her new series. Victoria writes the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, which is one of my favorite mystery series at the moment. I hope everyone will check out this new book.

Merry’s Romance

By: Victoria Hamilton

As a mystery writer I often wonder whether readers really want to see romance in a mystery. The answer appears to be mixed, but I’ve always wanted my books to reflect real life, and a significant part of life is relationships. So my protagonist should have friends, enemies and…well, lovers.

In the case of Merry Wynter, I started with the premise that she was a widow of seven years, and still in love with her late husband. But when I wrote the first chapter, it turned out that there was (surprise, surprise!) a hunky sheriff in Autumn Vale, New York. I know, as most writers do, that it is a bit of a cliche’ to have a handsome and available cop in a mystery. However….why not indulge Merry a little and give her a romance to bring her out of her seven year funk.

Or will that happen? A lot of the fun – and agony! – of romance is the unknown stage, where it’s uncertain how the other person feels and so the dance of flirtation and doubt takes place. In my Vintage Kitchen Mystery series my heroine has a geeky millionaire after her, but she, too, is drawn to the good-looking cop. Even I’m not sure how that one is going to turn out!

But I’ll let you in on a not-so-secret secret of mystery writing. I don’t know about other writers, but I put a cop in there as a romantic lead (sometimes) because….it makes it so much easier to have him involved with the heroine, and have her bounce her mystery-solving ideas off of him! Also, it adds tension to the relationship, and makes her wary of telling him too much…or too little.

And I’ll say it right up front, I’ll never let the romance overtake the mystery. So, readers, what do you say? Do you enjoy a little romance in your mystery, or does it put you off?

Merry Muffin Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/MerrysMuffinsMysterySeries

About the Author:

Victoria Hamilton, nationally bestselling author of the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series, is the pseudonym of Donna Lea Simpson, bestselling author of romance and historical mystery novels.

Victoria started reading mystery novels at the age of 12 and devoured Agatha Christie mysteries, as well as those of Dorothy L. Sayers and Ngaio Marsh. She still adores mysteries, especially the cozy mysteries of Janet Bolin, Krista Davis, and others.

She loves to cook, and collects teapots and teacups, as well as vintage kitchen utensils and bowls. She also enjoys crafts, especially cross-stitching and crocheting, and spends summer days in the garden, drinking tea or wine. Besides the Merry Muffin Mystery series (Bran New Death – September 3rd). Victoria writes two other mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, the Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series (Book 3, Freezer I’ll shoot debuts November 5th) and the Teapot Collector Mystery series which debuts with Tempest in a Teapot, out June 3rd, 2014.

Website /Facebook / Twitter

Jennifer’s Review of Bran New Death

TITLE: Bran New Death

SERIES #: Merry Muffin Mystery Series #1

CHARACTERS: Merry Wynter, Virgil Grace

AUTHOR: Victoria Hamilton

PUBLICATION DATE: 09/03/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: When Merry Wynter discovered that she inherited a genuine American Castle in the “wilds” of upstate New York, her first reaction was to contact a real estate agent to sell it, sight unseen. Things were a little complicated, what with a lunatic employer making her life miserable. But after losing her job and with the castle not sold, Merry decides to trek to Wynter Castle to see what the problem is.

One barrier to selling is immediately evident; someone is digging giant holes on the property! Merry accuses local Tom Turner of being her late night gopher and warns him to stay off her property, or else, but it happens again. Merry storms out to confront whomever is doing the damage, but doesn’t count on finding a dead man at the bottom of the hole.

What is going on at Wynter Castle and in Autumn Vale? How can Merry convince hunky sheriff Virgil Grace that she is not the one who bashed the victim over the head?

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

REVIEW: Merry moved to upstate New York to make a fresh start after the death of her husband and the loss of her career as a plus-size model/assistant. When she moves into Wynter Castle, she finds that the property is in desperate need of a renovation and has large-sized gopher holes in the front yard. She also finds that the townspeople are avoiding her and one of the locals, Tom Turner, believes that her deceased uncle killed his father and buried the body in the front yard of Wynter Castle. Merry catches Tom in the act of digging up holes in her yard and threatens him in front of a crowd of people. The next night, Tom, is found dead in Merry’s front yard and everyone believes that she is the culprit. Now, Merry has to find the real killer and convince the town that she isn’t to blame or her vision for Wynter Castle will go up in smoke.

This book was very cute and charming and a great start to a new series. I liked Merry instantly because she was the type of person that didn’t let anything stand in her way and was determined to make a new start in Autumn Vale with her inheritance from her estranged uncle. The mystery kept me guessing and there were so many suspects that wanted Tom dead. Shilo was great as Merry’s best friend and held many secrets of her own. The townspeople of Autumn Vale were a very quirky cast of characters and it will be fun learning more about them in future books. I thought that Bran New Death was an enjoyable mystery and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Giveaway

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September 4, 2013September 1, 2013

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews The Memory Tree by Joseph Pittman

TITLE: The Memory Tree
SERIES #: Linden Corners #4
CHARACTERS: Janey & Brian
AUTHOR: Joseph Pittman
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Can they look to the future—and still celebrate the past…?

As the holidays descend upon Linden Corners, life becomes a flurry of cooking, shopping, and visiting friends and family—and young Janey Sullivan is worried her Christmas traditions may get lost in the mix. Though she loves her adoptive father, Brian Duncan, she longs for her birth parents and questions her past. But an unexpected yuletide visitor may have just the answers she needs.

Haunted by the loss of his soul mate, Brian is reluctant to test the waters of the dating pool. With his family all coming to visit for Christmas, he hardly has time to think about it anyway—until newcomer Trina Winter arrives in town. Now, as life moves on for everyone around him, Brian begins to wonder if he can do the same.

As they grapple with the pain of the past, Janey, Brian, and Trina will each learn to make the changes that could lead to a bright new future—and perhaps the family they’ve always dreamed of.

REVIEW:
This is a very sweet holiday story. Having read only the third in the series and now the fourth some of the history of this series is lost but it still makes for a wonderful tale. The third in the series (A Christmas Hope) had me bawling my eyes out (honestly) but while this one is sweet with a touch of sad it did not have the impact that the last one did. But that does not mean it is not good because it is. The other was just incredible.

The author is very…um…wordy. He likes to ramble a bit but his ramblings bring you into the picture of this quaint little town. I am sad at some of the turns this story took because the characters have already been through so much especially Janey but it did open up a new direction for the next story.

Someday I hope to read the first and second one in the series because I think the reader misses out on a big dynamic if the series is not read from the beginning.

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

September 3, 2013September 3, 2013

Interview & Giveaway with Elizabeth Chadwick

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome 1st time guest Elizabeth Chadwick to the blog

Elizabeth, can you please share with us a little about yourself

I was born in the north of England in the county of Lancashire. The family moved to Scotland when I was 3 years old and I lived there until I was 11, when we returned to England, to Nottinghamshire. I now live with my husband and three fun-loving terriers in a lovely beamed cottage in the country. On a clear day, we can just about see the turrets of Belvoir Castle (pronounced Beevor) from the landing window!

Have you always wanted to be an author?

From the age of 15, yes. As a very small child I wanted to be a farmer, or marry one – neither of which happened, although my husband does grown all our own fruit and vegetables! Serious careers I hadn’t thought about and then when I wrote my first novel as a teen, I realised that this was the job I wanted to do. I worked in shops to earn money, but it was always a job and just a way of supporting myself until eventually I was published.

Who are some of your favorite writers?

Historically speaking they would be Sharon Penman, Dorothy Dunnett, C.J. Sansom and Diana Gabaldon. I always enjoy Peter James for his modern police procedural novels. I love Nora Roberts’ romantic suspense novels. Charlaine Harris is a favourite. Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman. I tend to like books that take me somewhere different than my own doorstep.

Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

My inspirations and influences before I was published include Mary Stewart (I wanted to write as well as she did in The Crystal Cave – no chance!), Roberta Gellis, Sharon Kay Penman and the late, great Dorothy Dunnett. I loved their writing and just reading it taught me a lot.

How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

I wasn’t interested in historical things as a child beyond a general interest that any curious person has. That changed when I saw a TV programme called Desert Crusader. It was a costume drama about a gorgeous knight having adventures in the Holy Land. I fell for him and started writing what I guess was a fan fiction piece, but it gradually changed into a work of fiction of its own kind. It ended up a full 500 page novel, and I realized that this was what I wanted to do for a living. I had to research the Middle Ages because I didn’t know anything about them, and the more I researched the more interested I became, and the more I wanted to write stories set in that era. And here I am! If I wrote in a different genre, it would probably be either fantasy or horror.

What are some of your writing rituals?

Before I begin writing I always pop into my Facebook page and update that for my readers; the same with Twitter. I will usually have a mug of tea or coffee at my side and a tub of spearmint chewing gum. I tend to write better in the evening and at night than first thing in the morning, so you’ll quite often find me at my desk after midnight. It’s getting on that way now. Other than that I don’t really have any rituals.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

THE OUTLAW KNIGHT is the story of an English knight called Fulke FitzWarin, who lived on the Welsh borders in the 12^th century, and who quarrelled with King John who declared him an outlaw with a price on his head. It’s also the story of his turbulent marriage to Maud Walter, whom King John wanted to make his mistress (against her wishes). Much of the story is true. Indeed, some historians think that the origins of the famous Robin Hood legends began with Fulke FitzWarin.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

THE OUTLAW KNIGHT grew out of my research. I was looking up something in a book for an earlier work in progress when I came across a 13^th century chronicle detailing Fulke’s life story. It was so fascinating and exciting that I knew it would make a great subject for a future novel.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

THE SUMMER QUEEN has recently been published in the UK and will be coming to the USA next year – it’s the first part of a trilogy about Eleanor of Aquitaine. (Called Alienor in my novels because it’s the original medieval spelling). I am currently writing the middle book in the trilogy, titled THE WINTER CROWN, and that too will be coming Stateside in due course.

Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.

Since I don’t yet have my USA copies of THE OUTLAW KNIGHT, I’ll do it in the UK paperback version. Page 218.

Fulke has just been warned that his lands have been given away to someone else in the King’s court, and Fulke is preparing to go and have it out with the King.

What would you be if you were not an author?

I’ve always rather fancied being an archaeologist!

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I’m very eager to read King’s Ransom by Sharon Kay Penman. I’m also looking forward to Knights of the Hawk, the new release from James Aitcheson. I would have said Dead Man’s Time by Peter James, but I’ve just read and loved it!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for inviting me onto your blog of course! I would also like to add just in case anyone becomes confused, that THE OUTLAW KNIGHT appears in the UK as LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE. The reason for the change of title is a cultural one. I understand that The White Castle is a hamburger chain in the USA and my publisher felt that THE OUTLAW KNIGHT was a more appropriate title and fitted the bill perfectly.

Learn more about Elizabeth and her books here

Email: elizabethchadwick@live.co.uk

Twitter: twitter.com/ChadwickAuthor

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elizabeth.chadwick.90

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ECAPBCJFM

Blogger: http://livingthehistoryelizabethchadwick.blogspot.com

He should have known better than to fight with the future King John. Ruthless and feared, John is not one to forget or forgive. But Fulke FitzWarin couldn’t help himself, and now the vindictive John has insured that Fulke will never become lord of the castle he loves. Instead of accepting his fate, Fulke rebels. He begins an affair with Maude Walter, the wealthy widow desired by John himself. Negotiating a maze of deceit, treachery, and shifting alliances, Fulke’s route to success is blocked at every turn. And when the turmoil of the Magna Carta rebellion combines with a shocking tragedy, everything Fulke has fought for is thrown into the path of destruction.

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September 3, 2013September 3, 2013

Release Day Madness 9.3.13

Happy Release Day!!!!

What are you getting this week?

Did I miss your favorite?

Send me an email at kelly(at)books-n-kisses.com and let me know of any upcoming releases you want featured on Tuesday’s Release Day Madness.

September 3, 2013September 3, 2013

Kimberly reviews Blue By You by Rachel Gibson

TITLE: Blue By You
CHARACTERS: Blue & Kasper
AUTHOR: Rachel Gibson
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/03/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
They say you never forget your first time, but there’s nothing Blue Butler and Kasper Pennington would rather forget than their brief but fiery teenage love affair. Yeah, it was hot while it lasted, but then he went off to join the Marines, leaving Blue in New Orleans. She’s tried to block him from her mind for good, but nothing can really erase the feeling she had when she was with him.

And now he’s got the nerve to return—leaner, meaner, and strong enough to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless. Blue’s a successful businesswoman now, with no time to figure out what went wrong all those years ago. But Kasper knows she’s the one woman for him … and now he’s got to prove it to her all over again.

REVIEW:
What an adorable short romance. With it being only 50 reading pages I was disappointed that it was not a full length novel or at least a full size novella. I loved the characters and the background of the characters. I would have loved to have seen more scenes played out in their southern mansions. I would have liked more of Kasper’s Grandmother too (I think she would have been a hoot of a character). But even with all of that not there I enjoyed this story. Made for a great quick read between books.

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

September 2, 2013September 1, 2013

Introducing… Winter Romance Wednesday!

September 2, 2013September 2, 2013

Interview with Cassie Alexander

I have been a big fan of Cassie Alexander for a while because her books are great supernatural thrillers that are set in an environment that I know all too well. Her new release, Shapeshifted, is out and is one of my favorite books at the moment. I’m very glad that she took time out of her busy schedule to be with us here today.

1. Tell me about your new release Shapeshifted.

Shapeshifted is Edie Spence’s third adventure. Edie’s a nurse for the supernatural community in her home town, on a secret floor at the county hospital. At the end of Moonshifted she was shunned by the supernatural community, which she thought was a good thing–she’s human, and hanging out with vampires and werewolves wasn’t very safe for her. But in hanging out with vampires and werewolves wasn’t very safe for her. But in Shapeshifted she discovers that her mother’s ill. The only thing that can save her is vampire blood, and so Edie finds herself desperate to get back in with old “friends.”

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

The idea for Nightshifted came to me in my first few months working as a new nurse on nightshift. Work was terrifying, I spent a lot of my time freaking out that I was going to kill someone on accident or piss of an important coworker or doctor. Nightshifted was born out of my efforts to stay sane during the transition, from panicked newbie to, well, whatever it is that I am now, five years in.

3. What kind of research did you have to do for this series?

Not much, really! All the hospital/medical stuff is kinda-sorta pulled from my own life (waves HIPPA invisibility wand, although it’s not like I’ve ever treated vampire servants anyhow…that I know of! ;)) and everything else flows from there.

4. Do you still work the night shift and how do you find time to write with such a busy schedule?

I do still work nights, but I’m only part-time, so it’s only three nights a week–there’s no way I could work full-time nights and write two books a year. It’s hard though, there’s still a lot of juggling to make everything work out.

5. What are you working on now?

Right now I’m working on a proposal for books 6 & 7, and also unpacking, since I just moved 😉

6. Which authors have inspired you?

Argh, all my books are in boxes right now, so I can’t cheat and look at a bookshelf! Early inspirations were Frank Herbert and Alfred Bester. More recent ones are Seanan McGuire and Diana Rowland and Kat Richardson 😀

7. Any advice for aspiring writers?

Keep at it! Nightshifted was the tenth book that I’d written, it took a long time (longer than I’d have liked! ;)) to get good. Try to find what works for you, writing-schedule-wise, and do what you can do but don’t beat yourself up – if you have a bad day, or a no word day, keep pressing on and don’t look back.

About the Author:

Cassie Alexander is a registered nurse and the author of the Edie Spence urban fantasy series. Nightshifted, Moonshifted, Shapeshifted — out now! — and Deadshifted, and Bloodshifted are forthcoming.

Website /Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Shapeshifted

TITLE: Shapeshifted

SERIES #: Edie Spence #3

CHARACTERS: Edie Spence

AUTHOR: Cassie Alexander

PUBLICATION DATE: 06/04/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: Nurse Edie Spence is once again called upon to save a life…and this time, it’s personal. Can her new community of zombies, vampires, and shapeshifters come to her rescue when she needs them most?

When Edie was fired from her paranormal nursing job at County Hospital, her whole world came crashing down. Now she’s once again shaken to her core. Her mother is deathly ill and there’s only one thing that will save her: vampire’s blood. But with the paranormal community shunning Edie, where can she obtain it…without losing her own life in the process?

Edie hopes to procure it at her new job at the clinic across town, where the forces of evil loom large. Vampire gang wars are rampant. Old underground enemies are rising to the surface. And Edie’s zombie ex-boyfriend has arrived at the scene–but is he the same man he used to be? And what should she make of the enigmatic doctor with whom she shares an unexpected connection? She’ll have to figure it out soon, because all hell is about to break loose–literally–and time is running out…..

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

REVIEW: This is the third novel in the Edie Spence series and I liked how Edie was struggling to find her identity since she was no longer employed by the Shadows and was shunned by the paranormal community. Edie finds that being “normal” wasn’t exactly what she was hoping for and takes a job at a health clinic in the seedy part of town. With gang members threatening the clinic at every turn and her own desperate search for vampire’s blood to save her mother looking dismal, Edie doesn’t know where to go. But Edie soon learns that being shunned doesn’t protect her from old enemies and her new position has put her in more danger than she bargained for.

After reading Moonshifted, I wasn’t sure what was next for Edie and I’m glad to see that she had decided to change a few things since we last saw her. She has a brand new job and a new apartment that was far away from the paranormal community but instead of feeling safe, Edie was just feeling that her life was boring since leaving the hospital. She soon finds out that her mother is sick with cancer and Edie has no way to help since she isn’t working for the Shadows anymore. I liked seeing this side of Edie where she was vulnerable with no one to really fall back on. She seemed to grow more as a character in this one and I was very impressed. The story was well-written with a dark sense of humor that is a great addition to the series. I liked learning more about past characters that made a guest appearance in Shapeshifted and can’t wait to read more about Edie in the next book, Deadshifted.

September 2, 2013September 2, 2013

Guest blog & giveaway with Ashlyn Chase

Top Mistake You Can Make When Dating a Dragon

In her journal, Bliss Russo should have written: Note to self…Next time you’re carried out of a burning building by a hot fire fighter, remember to grab your laptop with your whole life on it!

Instead, what she really wrote (and what her horrified roommate later read) was this:

A dragon? Seriously? A dragon. I think I’ve finally met a guy who might be worth a shot, and he turns out to be some kind of circus freak.

I’d never have believed him if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Transform? Yeah, right… Then he did it! Ack!

I keep waiting to wake up and find out this is just a crazy nightmare. Nope. I’ve pinched myself and then slapped myself for pinching myself. Still not popping out of any coma.

I’ve even wondered if I was drugged. Drake never slipped me any pills. He didn’t even bring me a beer. Nope. Nothing went into my mouth except, well…him. Heh-heh.

Hey, I wonder if dragon penis can cause hallucinations? Naw. That doesn’t make sense. Because if it does, that means he’s a dragon and I didn’t hallucinate anything but the truth.

And while we’re at it…, no wonder he said he can’t get me pregnant. We’re not even the same species! Oh, man. If we ever got married, my mother would be in seventh heaven until she learned that little fun fact. Then she’d descend to the seventh circle of hell and never be seen again.

Why do I care what my mother thinks? Haven’t I always known she means well, but…

Yeah, there are no words following that “but.” Never have been. Never will be. Some things are better left alone.

So, back to Drake. What am I supposed to do with this information? He seemed relieved after he told me, but now I’m the one who’s all jiggy. I don’t know how I’ll feel next time I look at him…if there is a next time. Didn’t he say that biker chick was probably setting the fires and he had to stop her?

I may not have known him long, but one thing I’m certain of—he won’t hit a girl. I doubt he’d even fight back unless his life depended on it, and it well might. She must be some kind of psycho to beat him up and then set fires all over the place. All because he brought me flowers? I swear, if he lives through this, I’ll ask him never to bring me flowers again.

So…as you can see, there are loads of mistakes you can make when dating a dragon. The question to ask yourself is: “Is it worth it?”

If your dragon is as hot and heroic as Drake Cameron, you may be willing to make a few mistakes.

Here is my website where you’ll find all the major buy links, reviews, blog schedule, etc.

http://www.ashlynchase.com

So…what else would you like to know? Okay, there are a couple of important things. This is book 2 in the Flirting with Fangs series from Sourcebooks. Book 1 Flirting Under a Full Moon was released in April. And there will be a third book in March of 2014 called Kissing with Fangs. All take place in my beloved Boston in the Beacon Hill area.

Series arc: Anthony Cross is a vampire who believes that the different paranormal factions would get along if they simply got to know each other. So he opens a bar in Boston’s classy Beacon Hill area as a safe place for paranormals to congregate and socialize. Since immortals don’t seem to need or want wait-staff jobs, Anthony has to hire humans. The #1 rule for all paranormals is to keep humans ignorant of their existence.

But when some of the humans fall for their regulars, they could be in for the shock of their mortal lives!

HOW TO DATE A DRAGON

by ASHLYN CHASE

IN STORES SEPTEMBER 2013

Let the Sparks Fly…

Bliss Russo thought nothing exciting ever happened in her life. Until her building caught on fire and she had to be carried out of the flames in the arms of a gorgeous fireman. Sure, her apartment is now in shambles and she’ll have to start her huge work project completely from scratch. But at least her love life is finally looking up…if only she can find her red-hot rescuer again.

Dragon shapeshifter Drake Cameron is the last of his clan, and the loneliness is starting to claw at him. He’s met only one woman who might be able to stand the shock of his true nature. After all, she barely batted an eyelash when her home burned down. And feeling her curves against him was just as hot as the inferno. Just when he thinks he’ll never track her down, she walks into his firehouse—with no idea what she’s about to get herself into…

“[Ashlyn Chase] entertains with a voice that makes reading her stories pure pleasure. It’s like spending time with your favorite friends. Reviewer Top Pick” —Night Owl Reviews on How to Date a Dragon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author Ashlyn Chase specializes in characters who reinvent themselves, having reinvented herself numerous times. She has a degree in behavioral sciences, and has worked as a psychiatric nurse and Red Cross nurse for several years. She lives with her true-life hero husband in New Hampshire. For more information, please visit www.ashlynchase.com.

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September 2, 2013September 1, 2013

Jennifer reviews Asylum by Madeleine Roux

TITLE: Asylum
CHARACTERS: Dan Crawford, Abby and Jordan
AUTHOR: Madeleine Roux
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/20/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: Once you get in, there’s no getting out….For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, a summer program for gifted students is the chance of a lifetime. No one else at his high school gets his weird fascinations with history and science, but at the New Hampshire College Prep program, such quirks are all but required.

Dan arrives to find that the usual summer housing has been closed forcing students to stay in the crumbling Brookline dorm–formerly a psychiatric hospital. As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, start exploring Brookline’s twisty halls and hidden basement, they uncover disturbing secrets about what really went on here…..secrets that link Dan and his friends to the asylum’s dark past. Because it turns out Brookline was no ordinary psych ward. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

REVIEW: I had heard wonderful things about this book and I was very impressed with Asylum from the very beginning. It is a dark, creepy and dramatic book about a young man who lives in a renovated mental hospital and finds that after mysterious circumstances that his dorm has developed a life of its own. Dan Crawford is a typical teenager who spends too much time involved in his studies of science and history but jumps at the opportunity to experience college life at the prestigious New Hampshire College prep program for the summer. He finds that the school was just what he was looking for and immediately starts to make friends with fellow students, Abby and Jordan. One night, they decide to investigate the abandoned basement of their dorm that used to be Brookline’s main office and holds case files of the asylum’s infamous residents. After their midnight excursion, strange things start to happen with no logical explanation and Dan finds that some secrets should have stayed locked away in Brookline’s abandoned rooms.

Madeleine Roux’s Asylum is a haunting novel that provides a thrilling mystery and creepy locales that will keep you up at night. The pictures that are laced throughout the novel are a perfect addition to the story and will make the reader feel as though they are there with Dan and had me jumping at every noise that I heard. Asylum is a well-written novel that I know people will enjoy and is now one of my top books for 2013. I’m looking forward to reading more from Ms. Roux but it will be awhile before I sleep without the light on.

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

September 1, 2013

BnK Wants To Know… Who would be your fictional BFF?

September 1, 2013August 30, 2013

Kissin’ the week of Aug 26th-31st Goodbye

8.26.13

Spotlight & Exceprt of Joan Swan’s Rush

Guest blogger: Tawny Weber

Kimberly review The Next Big Thing by Kristan Higgans

8.27.13

Release Day Madness

Interview with JL Vallance

Kimberly reviews The Hero by Robyn Carr

8.28.13

Entangled Teen Launch Party

Kimberly review Slow Summer Burn by Elisabeth Barrett

8.29.13

Interview with Elise Sax

Kelly reviews Burn by Maya Banks

Thursday’s Thought…

8.30.13

Personal Assets by Kelsey Browning Blog Tour

Kelly review First Temptation by Joan Swan

8.31.13

SINsational Saturday Series

Cherry Adair’s Cutter Cay Series

August 30, 2013August 30, 2013

Cherry Adair’s Cutter Cay series

Undertow

Cutter Cay #1

SHE TAKES THE PLUNGE.

Teal Williams is content with her career as a ship’s master mechanic—until Zane Cutter, the “Casanova of the Caribbean,” makes her an offer she can’t refuse: to climb on board with him for a real-life treasure hunt. Teal must help him dredge up a shipwrecked vessel containing an abundance of gold, silver, and emeralds—and she’ll claim part of the prize.

HE’S BLOWN OFF COURSE.

Zane needs a mechanic—not a lover—and Teal, who can also dive, is perfect for the job. So it suits him just fine that Teal is completely immune to his charms…or so he tells himself. But with a deadly enemy in their midst—one who’s silently edging closer—Zane and Teal sink into troubled waters. Trapped in the middle of a perilous sea, they have no one to turn to but each other as they face down a danger that runs unfathomably deep—and a passion that runs even deeper

*****

Riptide

Cutter Cay #2

Princess Bria Visconti demands the return of the money her brother rashly invested in Cutter Salvage. Treasure hunter Nick Cutter is too reckless, too arrogant—and far too handsome—for his own good. But he can’t charm his way out of this one. Bria plans to make Nick pay up even if she has to board his boat, don a wet suit, and dive for the treasure herself…

Nick sees Bria as a beautiful but spoiled princess who’s never done a day’s work in her pampered life. But once they set sail for the dive site, and the legendary fortune in gold the wreck carries, Nick begins to see Bria in a new light. This princess may be out of her depth, but she’s ready to take on the hidden danger and excitement a treasure hunt stirs to the surface. Together they must fight unexpected enemies—and reveal their darkest secrets—before they’re pulled into a rip current of danger.

*****

Vortex

Cutter Cay #3

Cherry Adair plunges into a world of high-sea adventure and romance, where a long-lost treasure is a deadly lure—and love is the most dangerous current of all…

SWEPT AWAY
Searching for a sunken ship off the coast of Peru, treasure hunter Logan Cutter manages to pull a very different kind of prize from the sea — beautiful mystery woman Daniela Rosada. Dani claims she has no memory of how she ended up lost at sea. But with millions of dollars in treasure at stake, Logan suspects she’s not telling him the truth…and he’s right.

IN TOO DEEP
Dani has good cause to hide the facts from Logan. If he knew her real reason for being onboard his ship, he’d throw her back overboard in a heartbeat. But the closer they get, the deeper she falls for him – and the more he lowers his own powerful defenses. Little do they both know that by falling in love, they’ve set a course for disaster.

*****

Stormchaser

Cutter Cay #4

As per Ms Adair’s website (March 26th 2013)….Publication expected spring 2014! http://cherryadair.com/upcoming