Author Archives: Kristin

Review: Severane by Shawn Kirsten Maravel

Severance
(Volition, #2)
By: Shawn Kirsten Maravel
Publisher: Self-published
Published: June 28, 2011
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating:
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Severance is the bone-chilling, adrenaline-filled sequel to Volition. Charlotte finds herself hoping against reason that her life couldn’t really have taken the devastating turn that it has. With Joel still dangerously out of the picture, and no signs that he may ever come back, she finds herself up against an even more dangerous threat. A sexy and cunning threat that is bound to tear what she has always known to be her reality down for good.

When things finally start to look up, another curve-ball is thrown her way, promising to give her what she’d hoped for since meeting Joel, an answer it seems that came a little too late. What Charlotte thought she’d once known to be the truth filters through her fingers, leaving her to believe that her world and the afterworld are much more tangled than she’d originally expected. She comes to find that love and lust are no longer the sole deciders of her fate, but revenge. A lifetime of secrets unfold and Charlotte discovers that Joel hasn’t been the only one watching over her all of these years.

 

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Sunday Wrap-Up #9

 

Sunday Wrap-Up is all about sharing the books and book related items that I’ve picked up recently. I also recap what went on last week and let you in on what’s coming up. I link up my post to Sunday Post, Bought, Borrowed & Bagged and Stacking the Shelves. I will post Sunday Wrap-up every other week.

Last week on the blog:
The End of a Great Year 2012 (A roundup of books I’ve read this year)
Naughty New Years Blog Hop (Giveaway)
Raksha by Frankie Rose (Cover reveal)
Grave Intentions by Lori Sjoberg (Review)
Edgewood by Karen McQuestion (Interview & Giveaway)

This week on the blog:
Severance by Shawn Kirsten Maravel (Review)
The Goddaughter by Melodie Campbell (Guest Post)
Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday (Meme)
Flawed by Kate Avelynn (Review)
Fall Into You by Roni Loren (Review)

 

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Interview: Karen McQuestion author of Edgewood

Today we have author Karen McQuestion dropping by to do an interview with us. Her latest book, Edgewood came out in September and she’s giving one very lucky reader the chance to take home a signed copy!

Karen McQuestion is the author of books for teens, kids, and adults, and is published by Amazon Publishing and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. She lives with her family in Hartland, Wisconsin.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

 

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Review: Grave Intentions by Lori Sjoberg

Grave Intentions

By: Lori Sjoberg
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: Jan. 3, 2013
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating:
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He’s handsome, reliable, and punctual—the perfect gentleman when you want him to be. But this dream man is Death’s best agent—and now he’s got more than his soul to lose…

One act of mercy before dying was all it took to turn soldier David Anderson into a reaper—an immortal who guides souls-of-untimely-death into the afterlife. But the closer he gets to atoning for his mortal sin and finally escaping merciless Fate, the more he feels his own humanity slipping away for good. Until he encounters Sarah Griffith. This skeptical scientist can’t be influenced by his powers—even though she has an unsuspected talent for sensing the dead. And her honesty and irreverent sense of humor reignite his reason for living—and a passion he can’t afford to feel. Now Fate has summoned David to make a devastating last harvest. And he’ll break every hellishly-strict netherworld rule to save Sarah…and gamble on a choice even an immortal can’t win.

 

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The End of a Great Year *2012*

Since 2012 is coming to a close, I would like the opportunity to thank all of our readers both old and new who’ve kept tabs on us throughout the year. I’ve met a lot of awesome people this year (you know who you are) and I look forward to creating more bonds in 2013 (gosh that’s weird to type). I know a lot of blogs are going over their favorite books and what they are excited to read in the year to come but I’d like to do a montage of all the books that I’ve had the pleasure of reading this year.

This year had a lot of changes. I lost a reviewer for a while there, then gained a new one. The site not only got a new look but a custom logo with lime green in it. Oh and the most exciting part, I had bags and shirts made!

This year I set out to read 200 books in the year and surprisingly I exceeded that goal by 12! I’ve managed to not only read 212 books but I reviewed 113 of them on BSA!

I hope that everyone has a safe New Year’s Eve and a very happy New Year! Without further ado, here’s a list of all the books, both good and bad, that I’ve read this year.

Review: Die Run Hide by P.M. Kavanaugh

Die Run Hide
By: P.M. Kavanaugh
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Published: Sept. 3, 2012
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating:
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Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Follow orders or die.

Anika Washington knows the rules laid down by the counterterrorist agency that owns her. When she aborts a mission in order to spare a young girl, she’s given an ultimatum: take on a new mission that requires betraying her fellow operative, and lover, or forfeit her own life.

After discovering that her lover, Gianni, has chosen another, Anika accepts the mission. In the aftermath, she learns that Gianni was faithful to her and she’d been tricked into thinking otherwise. The knowledge comes too late and she’s almost killed in an agency double-cross.

Now she must run—battling time, former enemies and the agency itself to stay alive and save the man she loves.

 

 

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Guest Post: Hope Tarr, author of A Cinderella Christmas Carol

Today we have Hope Tarr, author of A Cinderella Christmas Carol stopping by to talk a little bit about the Cinderella’s in her stories.

Hope Tarr is the author of twenty historical and contemporary romance novels including Operation Cinderella and A Cinderella Christmas Carol, both in her “Suddenly Cinderella” Series of contemporary fairytale-themed romances. She is also a co-founder and current principal of Lady Jane’s Salon™, New York City’s first—and only—monthly romance fiction reading series, now in its fourth year with four satellite salons nationwide.
 

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Review: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

The Calling
(The Darkest Rising, #2)
By: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: April 10, 2012
Genre: YA
Rating:
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Maya Delaney’s paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is -a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they’re kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

 

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Review: Game Plan by Karla Doyle

Game Plan
By: Karla Doyle
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Published: Feb. 15, 2012
Genre : Erotica
Rating:
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Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Recently divorced from seventeen years with a snooty, uptight, controlling man, forty-year-old Andie is definitely ready for some casual, sexy fun when a hot younger man “accidentally” hits her with a baseball. Mason’s interest is clear and he looks like a lot more fun than her overworked vibrator collection, so she goes for it, despite the obvious age gap. The young veterinarian is as easy to be with as he is on the eyes, making him an ideal summer diversion and the perfect man to help her make up for lost time and missed orgasms.

Mason had to meet the sexy woman at the ball diamond. The chemistry between them is instant and completely addictive. Andie is more than beautiful, she’s uninhibited and independent—totally unlike the needy twenty-somethings he’s been dating since his ex-fiancée deceived him five years ago. And yeah, Andie is ten years older than him, big deal. The more they’re together, the more his heart wants her as badly as his cock. Too bad Andie isn’t playing for keeps.

 

1thoughts 
When I read the synopsis I automatically think novella. For some reason, I just didn’t see how the book could have that much interesting story to it… but I was wrong. I was entertained the entire time, flipping as fast as I could to try and finish the book before bed.

Andie has been divorced for 2 years and is looking to get back into the dating world. She isn’t looking for anything too serious since she just came out of a marriage from hell but she is looking to have a little fun. What she isn’t expecting is to find a young man who is as interested in her as she is in him. However, when they start seeing each other more and more, she starts to become incredibly self conscious of her age. Mason refuses to tell her his age, saying that it doesn’t matter but she can’t help to think how odd of a pair they make.

Mason was a fun character to read. When he sets his mind to something, he gets it. Like meeting Andie for instance. When he is warming up for a baseball game he notices her cheering for a team on one of the other diamonds. So what does he do? He tosses a ball at her which was supposed to only roll up to her, not whack her in the ankle. Even though his move wasn’t smooth, he got what he wanted, a date with Andie.

I liked the connection between these two characters and the way the author wrote them. At no point did I feel like things were rushed. I thought it was perfectly normal for a woman to question a relationship with a younger man. After all she was married and had a kid when he was in high school. However, I did agree with Mason, that even though there was a decent age gap, they were old enough that it wasn’t creepy. Now if she were 60 and he 25… then I’d be a little creeped out. The only thing I wasn’t on board with was the ending. I felt like the obsessive controlling ex-husband gave up way too easily. He had been holding out hope that Andie would come back for 2 years… 2 years! He called her his wife when addressing Mason but he all of a sudden see’s how wrong he was and apologizes for his ways and backs off. I just felt like maybe the author started to run out of time in her story and quickly threw that in at the end. Especially considering all the fuss he created over Andie. Regardless of that little bit, I really enjoyed this story. If you are looking a good smutty book with a good story to boot, than you’ve got to pick up Game Plan. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

 

1favepart
“Do you think your friends and family will judge me because of my age?”
“It’s not the same Mason.”
“Sure it is. They might think I’m taking advantage of you… given you’re so old and feeble.” 

 

Sunday Wrap-Up #8

Sunday Wrap-Up is all about sharing the books and book related items that I’ve picked up recently. I also recap what went on last week and let you in on what’s coming up. I link up my post to Sunday Post, Bought, Borrowed & Bagged and Stacking the Shelves. I will post Sunday Wrap-up every other week.

 

I had bags made! My mom works at a printing company back home in Syracuse called Papa’s Sports and I decided to take the leap and get some cool stuff made. I actually received the bags a couple of weeks ago but because I decided to give one to Marissa as a surprise Christmas gift, I had to wait until she had hers before I posted them on here.

I absolutely love them!

 

Last week on the blog:
Ask Her at Christmas by Christi Barth (Review)
The Laird’s Choice by Amanda Scott (Review)
25 Days of Authors with Nikki Duncan (Interview & Giveaway)
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong (Review)
Between by Cyndi Tefft (Review)
Proximity by M.A. George (Excerpt)

Next week on the blog:
Game Plan by Karla Doyle (Review)
The Calling by Kelley Armstrong (Review)
A Cinderella Christmas Carol by Hope Tarr (Guest Post)
Die Run Hide by P.M. Kavanaugh (Review)

 

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