Posts

Posted on

Giveaway & my ARC Review of How to Ravish a Rake by Vicky Dreiling

How to Ravish a Rake
Book 3 in the ‘How to’ Series
By Vicky Dreiling
March 27, 2012
SCANDALOUS DESIRES . . .
Amy Hardwick has one last Season to shake off her wallflower image and make a love match. If she can’t, she’ll set aside her dreams of romance and return home to a suitor who can provide security—if little else. What she doesn’t count on is the inappropriate—and irresistible—attention lavished on her in a darkened library by rake extraordinaire Will “The Devil” Darcett . . .
DEVILISH DELIGHT
When Will is caught in a tryst with the ton’s shyest miss, he knows he must offer for her hand. Yet Amy is not the shrinking violet she seems to be. Passion lies beneath her prim exterior and Will is eager to release it. But winning Amy isn’t simply a matter of seduction; first, Will must convince her that he’s mended his wicked ways . . .
                
Amazon.com | Amazon.com.uk | Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million | The Book Depository | Purchasing information at Hachette Books
Find and Support Your Local Independent Bookstore: http://www.indiebound.org/spread-word
My Thoughts:
This was a great book.  I loved that Amy got her own book.  In the past two books Amy was the wallflower of the group.  But in How to Ravish a Rake Amy knows that this may be her last season, so she tries to transform herself.  Amy learns so much about herself in this book.  It was great fun to watch her grow.
Will is the bad boy of the ton.   The one all the women swoon over.  But when Will finds himself trapped with the beautiful red head he loves to tease, he doesn’t know the full extent of the consequent of his actions.
I really enjoyed How to Ravish a Rake.  Amy & Will are a great, fun, feisty couple to read about.  While their wedding may not have come from love, they learn how to make the best of their situation. 
If you have enjoyed Vicky’s first two books you will love book 3 How to Ravish a Rake. 

Want a chance to win one of three copies of How to Ravish a Rake?  Please fill out the Rafflecopter from below.  


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted on

Spotlight Feature of Crossfire of Love by Ella Jade

Crossfire Of Love
Can an arranged marriage lead to love?
Recent college graduate Gabriella has finally married the man of her dreams, the older, charismatic attorney Lorenzo Martinez. She’s had a crush on him for as long as she can remember and always imagined they’d one day find their happily ever after. Unfortunately, they enter into a union arranged by their fathers.
Lorenzo is charming, protective, and loyal to his crime lord father Carlo. When Carlo asks Lorenzo to marry Gabriella he jumps at the opportunity. He’s been drawn to her for many years and knows by marrying her he’s helping to protect her father.
Gabby is resentful and won’t be Lorenzo’s charity case. But sparks fly and the couple soon gives into their desire, realizing they were meant to be together.
What happens when Carlo’s enemies threaten their future? Will someone get caught in the crossfire?
Content Warning: graphic sex, some violence

Excerpt
Lorenzo walked up the porch steps, turning to stare at her. “Are you coming, Gabriella?” No one but Lorenzo and his father called her by her full name. She liked when Lorenzo said it. He’d always made it sound so formal and sexy.
These were the first words he had spoken to her since they left the courthouse. They were married in the chambers of the prestigious Judge John Cartwright. He’d been a family friend of the Martinezes for many years. He was their go-to man whenever they needed something done fast and legally. Well, legal in her new father-in-law’s eyes anyway.
She hurried up the steps and followed Lorenzo inside their new home. It was built within a matter of months after she’d agreed to marry him. Carlo wanted them to have their privacy, but he also wanted to keep them close. He didn’t trust she’d hold up her end of the bargain, and keeping her on the property was the best way to ensure she wouldn’t run.
It was silly, really. How could she run from a family like this? They had ties all over the world. There wasn’t any place she could escape to that they wouldn’t know about. She was a woman of her word. She said she would marry Lorenzo and she did. She’d find a way to cope. She always had.
Lorenzo pulled his jacket off, poured himself a scotch, and then loosened his tie. “Would you like a drink?”
“No, thank you,” she said.
Most brides would be dancing the night away and drinking champagne by this point in their wedding night. She didn’t think that was part of Lorenzo’s plan.
“I didn’t think you’d go through with it.” He sipped the amber colored liquid as he looked her over.
“I said I would.”
“I know, but when push actually came to shove, I thought you’d run.”
“You don’t know me that well,” she said. “I don’t run.”
“Good.” He smirked as he put the glass to his lips.
Gabby couldn’t take her eyes away from those lips. She’d never had the pleasure of having them on her own. Judge Cartwright hadn’t asked him to kiss his bride. She hated herself for thinking about him that way.
“You could’ve stopped this. Why didn’t you?” she asked.
As they stood in front of the judge, she kept hoping he’d put an end to the charade and stop the wedding. It didn’t make sense to her why he had agreed to marry her. She didn’t have a choice. Her father’s gambling debts made sure of that. But she didn’t understand why he’d allowed things to get as far as they had.
“I was just as trapped as you were.” He downed the rest of his scotch.
She didn’t believe that. She knew he respected his dad, but she didn’t get why he wouldn’t have put his foot down and said no to such a life-altering decision.
“You could’ve told your father no from the beginning. Why would you agree to marry someone if you didn’t have to?”
“Look.” He shook his head. “It’s done now. We’re going to have to make the best of it.”
“Make the best of it?” She plopped down on the leather sofa. “I’m twenty-two years old. I just graduated from college, and you want me to make the best of it?”
“I know this isn’t what you might have wanted, but it is what it is. You agreed, and now it’s done. You can’t go back on it now. My father won’t forgive that.”


Bio: Ella Jade has been writing for as long as she can remember. As a child, she often had a notebook and pen with her and now as an adult, the laptop is never far. The plots and dialogue have always played out in her head, but she never knew what to do with them. That all changed when she discovered the eBooks industry. She started penning novels at a rapid pace and now she can’t be stopped.
Ella resides in New Jersey with her husband and two young boys. When she’s not chasing after her kids, she’s busy writing, attending PTO meetings, kickboxing and scrapbooking. She hope’s you’ll get lost in her words.
Website / Facebook/ Twitter

Posted on

Guest Blogger: Jim Bronyaur

Since I’ve been out promoting and talking about my new series, the Minivan Mom Mystery Series, I’ve been asked about being a man and writing mystery for women.
There was a saying I’ve heard dozens of times about how behind every great man is a greater woman.  Well, I’m the proof in that one, especially in this series.  Without my wife, this series would not have seen the light of day.  In fact, my wife is actually getting interview requests of her own.  I guess my job is to just write and hush up. 
When my wife was pregnant with our kids, I often read What to Expect When You’re Expecting.  It’s a great, big book of the worst case scenarios of what could happen when having a child.  In fact, by the time you’re done reading it, you’re terrified.
I’m going to write today about what to expect when you expecting the second book in the Minivan Mom Mystery Series.
In the first book, we introduced Eve Bailey and her family. 
Ben, her husband.
Delaney, her oldest daughter.
Cody, her only son.
Penny, her youngest daughter.
Then, of course, is the cast of characters from Eve’s enemy, Karen Corothers, to the gossip queen of Marysville, Charlotte Williams.
When I started writing this story, I told myself and my wife that when we got to the second book and there on, I refuse to rewrite the same story.
I wanted each one to be new, different, and fresh.
So, what to expect in the second book (which is titled A Mess to Die For) –
There will be murder.  This is a give in.  It’s a mystery book.  I need to kill someone.  The fun part in the second book is that it’s an interesting murder…
Eve will be involved.  Without Eve getting involved, there’s no story!  In the first book, Eve doesn’t believe what the police are saying.  In the second book, it’s Eve’s memory that keeps her involved.  She just can’t let it go.  She feels tied to the murder and her mind won’t let her rest.
There will be suspense.  In the first book, the suspense came directly to Eve, pulling her along within the story.  In the second book, the suspense is layered throughout the book in small sets.  The suspense hooks all the characters, and the readers.
Kids will be kids.  One of my favorite parts of writing this series is writing about the kids.  In the first book, Delaney prepared for her big soccer game while Penny learned to speak goldfish, and Cody learned that skipping school isn’t such a good idea.  In the second book, the kids are always there, keeping Eve on her toes.  Delaney has some troubles with her favorite soccer medal, Penny has a boy picking on her, and Cody just can’t stop fighting with his enemy, Max Corothers.
Messes all around!  The title was created from the story.  When writing the first book, we had the title from day one.  With the second, we were without title until a quarter way through the book when I realized all Eve is doing is cleaning up messes.  The messes could be a spilled glass of orange juice all the way to a murder.  It’s the true cycle of Eve Bailey and how strong she is as a stay-at-home and how big her heart can be… even though it gets a little dangerous sometimes.
The good news is that A Mess to Die For is slated for a Mother’s Day release.  The even better news is that the first book, If Errands Could Kill, is out now and is sitting exclusively on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback form. 
Thanks for stopping by and if you enjoy a fast paced mystery, then check out the Minivan Mom Mystery Series.
If Errands Could Kill
by Jim Bronyaur
Amazon 
Up at sunrise to enjoy the quiet of a sleeping household, Eve Bailey gets her coffee, prepares breakfast for her three children, and has a spare tie ready knowing that her husband, Ben, will definitely spill something on the one he is wearing. Their oldest daughter, Delaney, is one game away from moving onto the soccer championships, their son, Cody, skipped school yesterday, and innocent 7 year old Penny is trying to communicate with her goldfish. Eve’s days are that of a typical stay at home mom.

Her typical day changes drastically after she drives Cody to school as part of his punishment for skipping school. Cody’s creepy science teacher, Mr. Jackson, approaches Eve to let her know that her check for Cody’s field trip had bounced. Knowing it had to be an error, Eve heads to the bank to figure it out. While in line, she chats with her mother in law who works at the bank. Then she notices Janet, another bank employee and self-made town outcast, acting very strange at the back counter.

Eve’s concern grows when she is leaving the bank and sees Janet open the gas tank door and then drives away. Against her better judgment, Eve follows Janet. What happens next is something unheard of in quiet Marysville, Pennsylvania.
Janet is murdered in front of Eve’s eyes, and the police find drugs in her car.

Murder and drugs? It doesn’t make sense. Eve is now a witness and determined to disprove the “drug deal gone wrong” theory.

Can she convince the police that she knows who the killer is, save her family, and make it to Delaney’s big soccer game in time?


Posted on

ARC review of Alien Diplomacy

TITLE: Alien Diplomacy
AUTHOR: Gini Koch
PUBLICATION DATE:   04/03/2012
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N


BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Being newlyweds and new parents is challenging enough. But Jeff and Kitty Martini are also giving up their roles as super-being exterminators and Commanders in Centaurion Division while mastering the political landscape as the new heads of Centaurion’s Diplomatic Corps. Enter a shadowy assassination plot and a new set of anti-alien conspirators, and nothing will ever be the same…

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kelly            NUMBER OF STARS: 4 Stars

REVIEW:
First I have to say a HUGE thank you to Gini Koch for hosting the giveaway that allowed me to win an ARC of Alien Diplomacy.  It was great fun and I enjoyed everyone that played.  

Now, back to the review….
It is up to Kitty, Jeff and the whole Centaurion Division to again save the world.  But this time the threat comes at them from all sides and no one know who is the true target is this time.

I have to say that I LOVE Gini’s Alien Series, but sadly Alien Diplomacy has been my least favorite so far in this series.  I enjoyed this story, but was not in love with it.   The book felt a little slow to me.  Maybe it was just me.  Maybe I should not start a book when I am sick.  I am not sure, but for me it was not up to the high standard of a story I have come to expect from Gini.  
I still did enjoy getting back into the head of Kitty Martini.

Now don’t get me wrong I still love Kitty, Jeff, Christopher (the most), Chuckie, Reader and the rest of the crew and I am truly looking forward to their next big adventure.

Posted on

Kimberly’s Review of Truly, Madly, Deeply, You by Cecilia Roberts

TITLE: Truly, Madly, Deeply, You
AUTHOR: Cecilia Roberts
PUBLICATION DATE:   03/21/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Four days before Valentine’s Day, Liese Hansfeld is determined to shut the door to her house, as well as her heart, for her annual four days of mourning her one true love. Little does she know her best friend Freytag Meier is just as determined to keep her from her ritual. He’s ready to pick the lock to her apartment door and camp in her living room if that’s what it takes.

What Freytag isn’t prepared for is the surge of deep-rooted emotions he feels for Liese, but two things stand in his way: the grief and guilt she still clutches close to her heart, and a man who threatens to snatch Liese from under Frey’s watchful eye. Frey is determined to distract her into forgetting her pain. But is that enough to ease her grief, or help her see he can be more than her best friend?


REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kimberly            NUMBER OF STARS: 2 Stars

REVIEW:
Liese has been morning her lost love for 2 years. Every year before Valentine’s Day she locks herself away to wallow in self-pity. But this year will be different. Frey feels like Liese has felt guilty for long enough and this year he is going to keep her busy for the 4 days around Valentine’s Day. Frey has been her best friend for what seems like forever and loved Liese for almost as long. Can he wake her from her heartbreaking nightmare? Can she see that it is time to move on?
Honestly, I could never get into these characters. Frey seems desperate and the is just too sweet to be the real at least when it comes to Liese. Liese just seems like a lost cause and you spend the whole story thinking “Why does Frey even bother? What does he see in her?” Frey’s desperation is palpable. Liese, it seems ,is suffering from a major depression and as a reader it just makes her hard to connect with. Both characters are sadly pathetic in their longing for love and it makes the reader feel dispirited as well.
However the book is well written. I didn’t feel that the story or the writing could be better in and of itself, it is just not a feel good, love the characters, wished it could have gone on for longer kind of book. But hey give it a try… Different opinions is what makes the world go round and you could enjoy it more than I did.

Posted on

Flying Frog Fairy’s review of Jealous & Freakin by Eve Langais

TITLE: Jelaous & Freakin
AUTHOR: Eve Langlais
PUBLICATION DATE:   11/18/2011
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:

What will it take for him to stop thinking of her as a freakn’ sister?
Francine’s loved Mitchell, a wolf like herself, since she first set eyes on him back when they were just kids. However, Mitchell’s never seen her as more than another annoying sister. Determined to make him realize she’s all grown up, she enlists the aide of Alejandro, a gorgeous cat shifter. She never counted on wanting them both.
Alejandro knows Francine is special from the first moment he meets the fiery plump wolf, which is why he suggests she use him to make Mitchell jealous. A great plan, especially if it means he gets to kiss those luscious lips. One taste, though, and he’s addicted, but how does he make her see past the man she loves to realize she’s also meant to be his mate?
For a long time now, Mitchell’s been avoiding Francine, his bratty sister’s friend. However, the little girl he remembers is all grown up, and when he sees her in the arms of another, a need to claim her overrides all his common sense. But, he’s waited too long and fate has decided that he’s going to have to share. Can he bend enough to accept Francine with her other man, or will his freakn’ jealousy send him running?
Warning: Excessive amounts of heat may be generated when reading this story. Do not sit or stand near flammable objects unless they happen to be your partner. Please note, that while the heroes sustained injuries during the course of the story, Francine did eventually kiss them all better, naked of course. This is a ménage romance, with heavy emphasis on the romance. It does contain multi partner, sexual situations that some people may find titillating. Reader discretion is advised.



REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Flying Frog Fairy            

REVIEW:
Jealous and Freakn’ is the sequel to Delicate Freakn’ Flower and book Two in the Freakn’ Shifters series.  I was excited at the chance to review this book because I enjoyed book One so much and was curious to see if my interest could be held for another book. Eve definitely succeeded.
In this book we get the chance to revisit Naomi’s family as the book focuses on her brother Mitchell and her best friend Francine. Francine has loved Mitchell as long as she can remember but can’t seem to convince him that they are meant to be mated.  Enter Alejandro, who is Javier’s brother.  The sparks fly immediately but Francine is determined that Mitchell see her for a woman once and for all. Alejandro convinces her that they should pretend to be a couple to make him jealous.  The joke is on them. Alejandro is also Francine’s mate and this opens up a whole new scenario that none of them considered.

I love the ever popular “using another guy to make the one you love jealous” trope.  It makes for some good comedy and interesting reading.  Add in a jealous ex-girlfriend and an overzealous hunter and you get enough action to make this book a rollicking ride.  Meanwhile we get to catch up with our favorite characters from the first book and in the very end we get a sneak peak into who the third book will feature.  Of course it will be about another one of Naomi’s brothers.

I really enjoyed this book! It has equal parts comedy, romance, action and of course the hot and heavy sex we have come to love and expect from Eve Langlais. Each of these books is a stand alone, but more enjoyable if you read them as a series.  I look forward to the next book in this series!

Posted on

Kimberly’s review of In Session by M.J. Rose

TITLE: In Session
AUTHOR: M.J. Rose
PUBLICATION DATE:   09/20/11
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
As a therapist specializing in sexual issues, psychiatrist Dr. Morgan Snow isn’t easily shocked, or shaken, as readers of the popular “Butterfield Institute” novels know. There are times, however, when the need for her services leads her out of the office… and into unfamiliar worlds.

In these stories the therapist matches her wits -and her training – against three men of mystery: Jack Reacher, John Rain, and Cotton Malone.

Those characters are, of course, familiar to readers as the creations, respectively, of NYT bestselling authors Lee Child, Barry Eisler and Steve Berry. All 3 swore that their characters would never agree to therapy – unless Rose found a way to get them there. And she did.

In EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES with Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone, a woman seeks help for her lover, and sends Dr. Snow overseas on a most unusual house call….

DECISIONS, DECISIONS where Barry Eisler’s John Rain forces Dr. Snow out of her own comfort zone, and into the world of a former patient’s worst nightmare…

And KNOWING YOU’RE ALIVE with Lee Child’s Jack Reacher results in revelations for both the injured Dr. Snow, and her unexpected savior/patient…
REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kimberly           NUMBER OF STARS: 3 Stars

REVIEW:
Are you a fan of M.J. Rose?  Haven’t heard of her yet?  Me either until I ran across this book and as a fan of Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher (Who’s character will soon be a big screen movie starring Tom Cruise if I am not mistaken) I had to read this book. And while I had not read Barry Eisler’s John Rain yet I will be soon. Malone and Reacher are such dynamic characters in their own right (their books are something you should certainly read if you have not already) but to have them in the same book is a gift from the world of publishing. Even better the sale of this book helps the Wish You Well Foundation from yet another author David Baldacci.  Dr. Snow is a character not to be missed on her own. It is amazing how much the characters continue to sound like themselves even though Rose is the author. If you are a fan of M.J. Rose and have not heard of the other characters this is a great introduction to them.  
Posted on

Adrian Phoenix’s The Maker’s Song Series

A Rush of Wings (The Maker’s Song #1)

by Adrian Phoenix

HIS NAME IS DANTE.
Dark. Talented. Beautiful. Star of the rock band Inferno. Rumored owner of the hot New Orleans nightspot Club Hell. Born of the Blood, then broken by an evil beyond imagination.HIS PAST IS A MYSTERY.
F.B.I. Special Agent Heather Wallace has been tracking a sadistic serial murderer known as the Cross Country Killer, and the trail has led her to New Orleans, Club Hell, and Dante. But the dangerously attractive musician not only resists her investigation, he claims to be “nightkind”: in other words, a vampire. Digging into his past for answers reveals little. A juvenile record a mile long. No social security number. No known birth date. In and out of foster homes for most of his life before being taken in by a man named Lucien DeNoir, who appears to guard mysteries of his own.HIS FUTURE IS CHAOS.
What Heather does know about Dante is that “something” links him to the killer — and she’s pretty sure that link makes him the CCK’s next target. Heather must unravel the truth about this sensual, complicated, vulnerable young man — who, she begins to believe, may indeed be a vampire — in order to finally bring a killer to justice. But Dante’s past holds a shocking, dangerous secret, and once it is revealed not even Heather will be able to protect him from his destiny….

In the Blood (The Maker’s Song #2)

by Adrian Phoenix
DANTE LIVES
Vampire. Rock star. Begotten son of the fallen angel Lucien. Dante Baptiste still struggles with nightmares and seizures, searching for the truth about his past. It is a quest as seductive as his kiss, as uncontrollable as his thirst, and as unforgiving as his determination to protect one mortal woman at any cost.
KNOWLEDGE KILLS
FBI Special Agent Heather Wallace now knows the extent of the Bureau corruption that surrounds her, but worries that she is losing the battle. And when Dante and his band Inferno come to Seattle on tour, Heather can’t help but be drawn back to the beautiful, dangerous nightkind. But what Heather and Dante don’t know is that new enemies lurk in the shadows, closer than they think . . . and even deadlier than they fear.
DESTINY UNFOLDS
Shadowy government forces have pledged to eliminate all loose ends from Project Bad Seed–and Heather and Dante are at the top of the list. Elsewhere, the Fallen gather in Gehenna, intent on finding their long-awaited savior, the True Blood nightkind whom Lucien De Noir would die to protect. And a damaged and desperate adversary, with powers as strange and perilous as Dante’s own, plots to use Dante as a pawn in a violent scheme for revenge. But only one of these lethal forces holds the key to Dante’s past–a key that could finally unlock the secret of his birth and the truth of his existence . . . or destroy him completely.



Beneath the Skin (The Maker’s Song #3)

by Adrian Phoenix

CHAOS CONTROLS HIS FUTURE. ONE MORTAL WOMAN COULD BE HIS SALVATION. THE COUNTDOWN TO ANNIHILATION WILL BEGIN WITH DANTE’S CHOICE….
THE FATE OF THREE WORLDS…
The dark pieces of vampire rock star Dante Baptiste’s past are violently emerging, and it is only a matter of time before the Fallen discover he is the creawdwr they have sought for thousands of years. The destruction he left behind in Oregon threatens to reveal his identity as Fallen Maker and True Blood, exposing the young nightkind to shadowy predators — mortal and supernatural — who will do whatever it takes to win his favor…or destroy him.
RESTS IN DANTE’S HANDS.
When beautiful FBI special agent Heather Wallace went AWOL on assignment, she chose irresistible Dante over the shady government forces that now stalk them both. Heather has her own secrets of the past to uncover, but she is also the only one who can hold her nightkind lover together when his dangerous quest for the truth threatens to send him over the edge. And as she and Dante fi ght for their survival, she realizes they must work together to protect their future — before his mysterious destiny tears them apart….

Etched in Bone (The Maker’s Song #4)

by Adrian Phoenix

SON OF A FALLEN ANGEL. FORGED IN VAMPIRE’S BLOOD. SWORN TO A MORTAL WOMAN. IF DANTE FALLS, THE WORLD FALLS WITH HIM. . . . THREE LEGACIES ETCHED IN BONE More beautiful and powerful than any creature the world has ever seen, Dante Baptiste has become the supreme target of the three worlds that spawned him. The mortal agents of the Shadow Branch have tried to control his mind through psychological torture. The vampire elders who guide nightkind society have plotted to use him in their bloodthirsty bid for power. And the Fallen have waited for millennia for Dante to claim his birthright as their Maker. But Dante belongs to no one—except the woman he loves. . . . ONE PASSION SWORN IN BLOOD Determined to face the Fallen and the world on his own terms, Dante hopes to piece together his shattered past and claim his future, with FBI agent Heather Wallace at his side. But in Heather’s human family awaits an unexpected enemy. One who could rip Heather from Dante’s heart and fill the holes with bullets. One who could force Dante to choose his darkest destiny—as the Great Destroyer. . .

On Midnight Wings (The Maker’s Song #5)

by Adrian Phoenix

A DESPERATE SEARCH. A DARK AND DANGEROUS JOURNEY. AND EVERY STEP COULD DESTROY EVERYONE DANTE LOVES.

ONLY ONE MORTAL WOMAN CAN SAVE HIM . . .

As Dante Baptiste’s true identity as both True Blood and Fallen ripples throughout New Orleans, he and Heather struggle for their lives against different foes, fighting their way back to each other. To free herself from her father’s treachery, Heather accepts help from an ally–and steps into even greater danger. Dante, lost to his brutal past, wavers between his own sense of self and the Bad Seed-programmed S that lurks within, between the never-ending Road and the Great Destroyer. And the danger of becoming both.

. . . UNLESS THE FALLEN REACH HIM FIRST.

Lucien searches frantically for the lovers, all too aware that time is running out. Dark forces continue to gather, eager to possess and manipulate the young vampire for their own ends. The fate of mortals, nightkind, and the Fallen pivots around Dante as he struggles to piece together his shattered psyche and gain control of his power before he rips all three worlds asunder

Posted on

Spotlight Feature of Hunter’s Rise by Shiloh Walker

Hunter’s Rise
The Hunters #14
By Shiloh Walker
Release date: 4/3/12
Order here:
B & N | Amazon | Indiebound | Book Depository | BAMM 
His past is a mystery, even to him-a werewolf with memories so lost in a fog that even the Hunter’s healers cannot help him. More than a century ago, Toronto awakened on an unfamiliar street, naked and alone- and dogged by the unanswered questions of his enigmatic existence.
The vampire Sylvia is no Hunter. She’s a mercenary who just barely skates this side of what the Hunters consider acceptable. All she wants is to hunt her quarry, and make a lot of money. Her newest prey is a devious killer. But her newest complication is of a more intimate sort: a blonde, blue-eyed werewolf who interferes with her plans in so many exquisite ways.
Excerpt
Snippet (warning… Toronto is something of a smart-ass)
Not the ideal place for a fight. He’d done it before and managed to avoid human casualties, but he suspected that Sylvia James was a different breed from what he was used to. Ferals fought to live, so they could kill—by nature, most of them weren’t always clearheaded. Sylvia, like him, was a trained killer. She would be clearheaded. It would make a difference.
He hunted the ferals.
She hunted for money.
In the end, he’d win, because he was stronger.
But he didn’t want to have to fight her. He wanted to have sex with her—down and dirty sex, maybe up against a wall, in the light so he could watch her. Then on a bed, her body under his, or over . . . his hands tangled in that dark, silken hair.
“You know, most men would at least bother to introduce themselves before the guy starts picturing the woman naked,” she drawled, coming to a stop eighteen inches away.
Toronto smirked. “That’s bullshit. We see a woman, we frequently picture them naked. We mess with the names when we want to actually think about getting them in bed. Some of us, at least.” He skimmed a look over her body, taking in the sleek muscles, the powerhouse curves. Then he focused on her face again, smiled slowly. “So. What’s your name?”
Posted on

Guest Blogger: Jessica Subject


Interview with Bryce from The Zurian Child
Jessica: Thank you so much for having me today, Kelly. I’ve brought along Bryce Beuermann, from The Zurian Child, for an interview.
[Bryce enters the room behind Jessica, his presence filling the room. The man is a solid wall of muscle, with short brown hair that contains the slightest wave, and deep brown eyes. He nods, raising one eyebrow, a brief smile on his lips, then shakes Kelly’s hand before sitting down.]: Yes, thank you, Kelly.
[Jessica sits across from him]: Now, Bryce, can you tell us who and what you are?
[Bryce leans back in his chair, spreading his thick, long legs out in front of him.]: Well, you already know my name, and I’m an RCMP officer in the drug section of the “O” division based in London, Ontario.
Jessica: I think I’m going to have to pry here. [Turning to Bryce] And what about being Hemera?
[Bryce sits up and glances around the room.] You do realize that’s not something I generally tell others about, right?
Jessica: Yes, but it’s okay to talk about it here.
Bryce: I’m not sure sure, but if I don’t say anything, you’re going to tell her, right?
[Jessica nods.]
Bryce: Fine, I’m Hemera, an alien species from the planet Alectrona, located twenty light years from Earth. I left there when I was only a baby, and have lived the rest of my life here.
Jessica: Can you tell us why you were brought to Earth?
Bryce: Alectrona was under attack by a species call the Erebus. They wanted our land and slowly gained ground. Because they choked out our food and water supply, we could do nothing but flee and search for a new planet to call home.
Jessica: How many Hemera live on this planet?
[All expression disappears from Bryce’s face]: I cannot say.
Jessica: Can you tell us the difference between the Hemera, and people from Earth?
[Bryce’s posture relaxes and he smiles]: Yes. [He removes his shoes and socks.] I have webbed feet. And I have gills on my neck, but they’re not really noticeable until I’m in water.
Jessica: Now, who is Quinn?
[Bryce slips his socks and shoes back on, and leans back, relaxed once again.]: He’s my best friend. We also work together. And he’s half-Hemera, his mother coming to Earth on the same ship as myself.
Jessica: How does Lindsay fit into the picture?
[The corner of Bryce’s mouth twitches, as if he’s unsure how to react.]: She’s Quinn’s wife, and the mother of his child. Half-Hemera as well.
Jessica: But what is she to you?
[Bryce clasps his hands together and glances to the floor.]: She’s my soul mate.
Jessica: Can you define soul mate for us?
[He looks up, his gaze distant.]: It means I’m supposed to be a part of her life. But, if we were on Alectrona, she would be my wife. I would have found her before Quinn. [He stands up.] I’m sorry, but this is still too hard for me to talk about. Plus, I have to figure out how to tell them they’re both half-alien, and that a prophecy made many years ago relates to the child Lindsay now carries. Thank you, again, Kelly, but I’ve got to go.
Jessica: Well, I guess the interview is over. Thanks so much, Kelly. J

The Zurian Child Blurb
Lindsay Beckett longed to be reunited with her first love, Quinn Montgomery, until she learns the secret that sent him fleeing from her in the first place. He’s an alien, a Hemera, and she’s half-Hemera herself. As if that wasn’t enough to ruin her dreams of a perfect life, when their child is born, they discover she fulfills a prophecy told twenty light years away and many years ago. Lindsay wants to ignore it, until her husband is murdered and suddenly believing becomes a matter of survival.
Lindsay and her young daughter are forced to rely on another Hemera, her husband’s partner and best friend, Bryce Beuermann as more and more of the Hemera are slaughtered. Bryce will do anything to help his best friend’s widow—including suppressing his own deep feelings for her. But he must prove they can trust him, even pretending he doesn’t want her with all his heart.
Available from Silver Publishing (https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/the-zurian-child-ebook-p-786) and other ebook retailers.
More information here: http://www.markofthestars.com/wp/?page_id=7702
Book Trailer:http://youtu.be/-Nfy6AAoee8
Bio:
Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories.
Website/Blog: http://www.markofthestars.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jsubject
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-E-Subject-author/205759796126370
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4959083.Jessica_E_Subject
Google +: https://plus.google.com/100079570422204018357/posts

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jessica-E.-Subject/e/B007BG6E10

Posted on

Spotlight Feature of Obsession by Tamaria Soana



Obsession
Is there anywhere safe when you’re the object of someone’s obsession?

Alexandria Stevens is a New York Times best-selling romance novelist. After she makes a guest appearance on a popular TV talk show, she creates a Twitter account. Within a few short weeks she meets a fan, and they become fast friends…or that’s what Alex thinks. When Alex finds herself being stalked, the person she least suspects is her new friend Jillian. What she doesn’t know is that Jillian has been obsessed with her for years. She wants everything Alex has, even her husband.
Content Warning: sexual situations, adult language, violence



Excerpt
Alex went into her study to answer some emails and go over the script for her movie again when the doorbell rang. Knowing Hudson was on a conference call, she went to answer it. She looked out the window to find a deliveryman with a long, white box. Her heart melted, Hudson had flowers delivered for her. He was always so romantic and thoughtful. God, she loved him.

Alex opened the door and signed for the flowers. As she took them to the kitchen to place them in a vase, her mind wandered to all the ways she could thank Hudson properly after his conference call was over. Her favorite one involved her being down on her knees. Alex couldn’t wait to see and smell the beautiful flowers. Giggling, she untied the ribbon and anxiously lifted the lid.
She screamed and dropped the box. It was filled with a dozen black roses, a purple plastic butterfly attached to one stem. Fear rocked through her body as she remembered the note left on her car. Like a butterfly, a wild butterfly. I will collect you and capture you.Alex fell to the floor and wrapped her arms around herself.
“Alex, oh my God. Are you okay? What happened?” Hudson asked as he placed his arms around her trembling body.
She pointed to the black roses. “I thought you sent me flowers,” she stuttered in between her sobs.
Hudson looked at the roses with confusion, then Alex pointed to the butterfly and told him about the note she’d found on her car and how Colleen said it was nothing, probably a sick prank.
“You should’ve told me, baby. I’m calling your father, this isn’t just a prank.” Hudson dialed Anthony, Alex’s father and a police detective. Hudson held her tight and assured her that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her and they would find out what was going on.
Anthony was at his daughter’s side within fifteen minutes with two policemen in tow. He asked a few questions and took the flowers for evidence. Alex just clung to Hudson as her father lectured her for not telling anyone about the note that had been left on her car. He was upset that the note had been destroyed, because there could’ve been forensic evidence on it that would help them figure out who was doing this.
Alex looked into her father’s eyes, he looked both angry and conflicted. She knew this had to be hard on him. He had to be both her father and the detective on the case. He assured them he would try and keep a lid on it for as long as possible. Alex let out a moan knowing what would happen if the media found out about it.
Hudson asked Anthony about the possibility of the police providing some sort of security for Alex. She objected, saying she didn’t want to be babysat. Her father quickly dismissed her objection, stating it was a good idea and he would arrange regular patrols of the street. He swore to her that he would catch the psycho who was stalking her. He hugged her before he left, which took Alex by surprise because he never showed emotion.
When everyone was finally gone, Hudson got Alex some water and two sleeping pills. Soon she was in bed wrapped in Hudson’s arms. Although she was both emotionally and physically exhausted, she felt safe next to him. She sighed and snuggled as close to his warm body as she could as she wiped away a tear and drifted off to sleep.
Alex woke to her cellphone ringing over and over again. Who the hell keeps calling? She moaned as she grabbed her phone from the bedside table. When she looked at the screen and saw who the caller was, she rolled her eyes.
“Mom?”
“Oh my God, Alexandria, are you okay? Why do I have to find out from the media that someone is stalking my daughter?”
Alex just let her mother rant—no good would come out of trying to stop her and explain things until she had it all out of her system.
“And a movie deal? Why am I the last to know everything? Well, I’m waiting.”
“I’m sorry, Mom. I was going to call you today. Things have been a bit crazy. What do you mean you heard it from the media?”
“It’s all over the entertainment news.”
“Christ!” Alex took a deep breath. She needed to focus and find out what was being said. “Mom, I have to go. I promise I’ll call you later and fill you in on everything. I need to find out exactly what has been leaked.”



Tamaria Soana is middle aged, but just feels like her life has begun. She resides in Western New York. Cuddling up with a good book under an electric throw has always been her way to escape the cold Buffalo nights. Growing up she always loved to write, mainly short stories and poetry. She’s married with two beautiful young girls and one very spoiled lab mix.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Beachwalk Press

Posted on

Spotlight Feature of Rock Killer by Evan Townsend

Rock Killer
by Evan Townsend
Space Resources, Inc. (SRI) mines asteroids for the riches a populated Earth needs without degrading the planet.  Yet there are those opposed to progress in whatever its form such as the Gaia Alliance, a front group for eco-terrorists.  During a violent attack on the Moon, the terrorists steal an exploration ship, arm it, and rename it the Rock Killer.
Charlene “Charlie” Jones of SRI security is trying to infiltrate the Gaia Alliance’s cabal to find evidence linking them to the murder of her fiancé.  But a run-in with the law threatens to reveal her identity to the dangerous men of the Alliance.
Simultaneously, SRI Director Alexander Chun is traveling to the asteroid belt to bring a kilometer-long nickel-iron rock back to Earth orbit to mine for its valuable metals.  Following him and his multi-national team is the Rock Killer.  Without armaments, millions of miles from help, Chun must stop those who threaten him and the lives of his crew.

S. Evan Townsend is a writer living in central Washington State. After spending four years in the U.S. Army in the Military Intelligence branch, he returned to civilian life and college to earn a B.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Washington. In his spare time he enjoys reading, driving (sometimes on a racetrack), meeting people, and talking with friends. He is in a 12-step program for Starbucks addiction. Evan lives with his wife and two sons, aged 17 and 20, and has a 22-year old son attending the University of Washington in biology. He enjoys science fiction, fantasy, history, politics, cars, and travel.
Website/ Facebook / Twitter / Trailer

Excerpt:
DeWite moved into the observation room and Prince followed.
The room looked almost exactly like a bar since it was a VIP lounge for watching ships land and take off. A large window looked over the shipyard, where various types of spacecraft were resting on the lunar dust. The window, made of Crysteel, invented by SRI’s orbital laboratories, began about half a meter from the floor and extended to the ceiling and was about five meters wide. Crysteel, made in a factory in Earth orbit one atom at a time, was almost as strong as aluminum. Its one weakness was a very high index of refraction due to tightly packed oxygen atoms. It made great lenses but was not good for use where a clear view was needed such as spaceship windows and pressure suit helmets. But the picture window in the lounge would have been impractical without the Crysteel.
Four pressure-suited figures were moving across the plain. The suits were not SRI issue and they were carrying submachine guns. DeWite recognized them as a South African made 9 millimeter caseless that were favored by criminals who bought them on the black market.
One, carrying a 40-millimeter recoilless rifle, knelt just a few meters from the window and aimed. Fire shot out of the rear of the weapon, dying almost immediately in the airless environment. A flame licked a small intra-lunar shuttle followed by an explosion. The ship’s skin crumpled and it folded in on itself in a slow, macabre death dance. An explosion marked the rupture of the fuel tanks. Fire burned until the oxygen ran out.
“Goddamnit!” DeWite exploded. “We need to get to the airlock.”
Just then one of the four figures outside noticed the two Security guards. He tapped the others on their shoulders and pointed. The other three turned and again the recoilless rifle spat a fleeting flame. DeWite dived behind the bar—an easy task in the low gravity. The window exploded inward. Prince was thrown against the rear wall, his body shattered by the impact. Then the window exploded outward as the room decompressed. Prince’s body was slammed against the bottom of the window and sucked out into the harsh sunlight.
DeWite heard the emergency door slam shut locking him in the room. He knew it would never open until the pressure in the room equalized with the pressure in the hall.
He stood, aimed his shotgun, braced his leg behind to compensate for the low gravity, and fired. He was surprised he heard it at all. Must still be a little air in the room, some part of him thought.
The figure with the recoilless rifle was thrown back and blood ejaculated from its torn body. It was freeze-dried before it hit the lunar plain. The remaining figures turned with their weapons firing. DeWite barely heard the bullets hitting the wall behind him. His ears felt as if they were going to explode. He screamed, not in fear, but to empty his lungs to prolong his already forfeit life a few more seconds.
Pump, FIRE, Pump, FIRE, Pump was DeWite’s whole existence. Another figure crumpled, spouting blood. Then the bullets ripped into DeWite. Blood flowed like a fire hose. FIRE—DeWite could no longer stand, even in one-sixth gravity. He sank to the floor and died in a puddle of his blood that was boiling and freezing simultaneously.