Review: Embracing Death by D.T. Dyllin
Embracing Death
(Death Trilogy, #2)
By: D.T. Dyllin
Publisher: Dragonfairy Press
Release Date: Dec. 12, 2013
Genre: Erotic Romance
Rating:
Samantha’s memories have returned to her. But instead of bringing her peace, they’ve brought her only more turmoil. She now recalls the dark addiction to feeling other people’s deaths, and every day is a struggle to control her urges.
At least she has Austin to help her…or does she?
Even with her memories, Samantha doesn’t know the truth of her past. And her secrets may prove detrimental to everyone she loves. Can she unravel the mystery of who’s been pulling her strings before it’s too late? Or will Austin be the one to suffer from her mistakes?
Review: Everlasting Enchantment by Kathryne Kennedy
Everlasting Enchantment
(Relics of Merlin, #4)
By: Kathryne Kennedy
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: Dec. 3, 2013
Genre: Paranormal Historical Romance
Rating:
Sir Gareth Solimere, knight of King Arthur’s Round Table, has been trapped inside Merlin’s relic for centuries, cursed until he finds his one true love. When he finally finds her in the unexpected form of a beautiful were-panther named Millicent Pantere, he has to use all of his charms to try to make her love him in return. But if he manages this feat, will he finally be free to live a normal life?
Guest Post with Ana Blaze
Ana lives just outside Washington DC with her very supportive husband and three rather demanding cats. She loves the ocean, Indian food, Ikea, and cooking. Ana admits to watching too much television and she swears that someday she’s going to learn how to play the guitar resting on the bookshelf in her office.
Ana is a member of Romance Writers of America.
Oh the internet, it’s like every writer’s favorite frenemy. On the one hand, we do legitimately need to research and study whilst writing and then promote once we’ve published. On the other hand, we can easily lose entire days to clever gifs from the Hunger Games movies, Wikipedia articles on pagan holidays and tumblr posts pointing out the parallels between various couples on Once Upon a Time and other famous couples.
If we want to complete any projects, writers do need to learn how to balance their internet use. We need to figure out which sites are really worthy of our time. Because, as we all know, time could always be used to write instead.
I’m going to make the case for Pinterest. Writers should hang out on Pinterest more often. Seriously.
So you most likely already know about Pinterest. It’s awesome. Pinterest is essentially a virtual corkboard, or more precisely a site to create dozens of virtual corkboards. You can collect links to recipes or cute pictures of Benedict Cumberbatch. It’s a great place for readers to build a To Read list. They can link back to the actual review that made them want to read the book or sort the titles into mood categories. The possibilities are nearly endless.
Pinterest has great potential to help writers too.
First off, it’s a lovely place to create inspiration boards that help you picture your characters and the setting of your tale. I create boards for individual works in progress and then also have boards for quotes and images that may inspire a future project.
Next, Pinterest is a great place to keep track of your interviews and visits to book blogs and reader sites. I like having all the links in one convenient spot, and, as a bonus, those pins often draw additional traffic to those blogs.
It’s also a great way to cut down on time wasting. I know, you’re skeptical, but hear me out. We’ve all tried to look up just one quick thing, only to be distracted by six other things before we realize that time is escaping us. I’m suggesting that when you see that article with a quirky title that is pulling your attention away from whatever you ought to be working on, you pin it for reading later. You can make a secret board of all the silly or not so silly links that could be keeping you from writing and save them for when you’re sitting in the doctor’s office or waiting for your kid to be finished with her karate lesson and have three minutes and a smart phone.
I have several boards that are not directly writing related, but I’d argue that they are also helping me with promotion. I think there is certainly a chance that someone who follows me based on our mutual interest in veggie gardening also likes sexy books. And, even if that is rare, I think it is a really fun way for readers to get to know writers they enjoy. I’m sure my boards are a lot more interesting and telling than the little bio that appears at the bottom of my blog. A quick look at my boards will tell you that I like the color turquoise, recipes with mushrooms, actors with British accents and …well, I don’t know. Why don’t you take a peek and tell me?
A Late Thaw
By: Ana Blaze
Publisher: Entranced Publishing
Published: Oct. 28, 2013
Genre: Contemporary RomanceThe town’s too small for Kiley St. Claire’s reappearance to be a surprise, still seeing her hits Cole Thomas like a punch to the gut. She ripped his heart apart when she turned to ice and ran away all those years ago. Now that she’s back, Cole’s going to say his piece and move on.
Even if she does look damn good in that uniform.
Kiley St. Claire is back in the small town of Barrett, Vermont, for one reason and one reason only: to earn some cash so she can survive her final semester of grad school. She’s not there for the sexy Christmas tree farmers.
Even the one who once held her heart.
Review & Excerpt: Asking For Trouble by Tessa Bailey
Asking For Trouble
(Line of Duty, #4)
By: Tessa Bailey
Publisher: Brazen
Published: Nov. 25, 2013
Genre: Erotic Romance
Rating:
Brent Mason and Hayden Winstead can’t stand each other. She plans exclusive parties for her rich familys charities. He’s a rough and tumble cop who rigs explosives for a living. Could two people be any less suited for conversation? They think not and prefer to keep it that way.
Unfortunately, their two best friends are deeply, disgustingly in love. Forced together, the mutual attraction simmering beneath the surface of Brent and Hayden’s non-relationship grows with every argument until it explodes into a scintillating night of mind-blowing sex. And it wont be the last, as far as Brent’s concerned.
Hayden has a secret, though. Her father’s company is relying on a merger to save them from financial ruin, and only Hayden’s marriage to the CEOs wealthy son can secure the deal. If she’s to protect her family, she’ll have to forget Brent. And he has no intention of being forgotten.
He leaned forward and spoke right against her ear. “Come for me right now and I’ll let you ride me as hard as you want later. I know what gets you off. I saw it in your eyes last night. You want to throw me down and fuck me, duchess? Good. I’m in the mood to let you.”
We met Hayden and Brent in Officer Off Limits. They were the friends of each of the main characters. Brent thinks that Hayden was a pampered princess and Hayden thinks that Brent is a crude player. So suffice to say that the two do not get along well at all. They constantly bicker and pass jabs when forced to hang out. However, under all that arguing is one steamy relationship just waiting to happen.
Hayden may not want for nothing but she doesn’t take her fortune for granted. She knows that life could have dealt her a totally different hand. She runs charity events for kids under the name of her father’s company and she works hard at not only making sure the kids get out and have fun, but that they have the funds to do events for the kids in the first place.
Brent is a man who may appear to be only out for a good time but he’s really all about family. He works hard to bring in enough money to not only pay his sister’s college tuition but he’s also taken in his deployed brother’s wife and kids. He takes great pride in being able to provide for his family and he isn’t above working day and night in order to accomplish that.
I’m a huge fan of Tessa’s Line of Duty men. Not only are they noble characters who help protect society but they have such filthy mouths. The things they say behind closed doors is panty dropping stuff. They are tough when it comes to the general public but around their woman, they are huge softies. I usually find myself bored with a series after a couple of books but Tessa just keeps writing amazing characters, that I can’t help but coming back for more. The pacing was smooth and I found myself engulfed in the story to the point that I didn’t want to do anything but continue reading. I definitely plan to keep up with Tessa’s Line of Duty series.
“I guess you haven’t figured it out yet, huh? This week alone, I let you cuff me, stuff me into a suit, and inflict me with Blue-Ball Syndrome.”
Her lips quirked up. “Is that an actual medical diagnosis?”
“Yeah. It is now,” he growled. “They’re naming it after me, too. ‘I got a case of the Brents.’ People will be saying that for centuries to come.”
Tessa lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.
Previous reviews from Line of Duty
Protecting What’s His
His Risk to Take
Officer Off Limits
Review: Tear by Rachel Van Dyken
Tear
(Seaside, #1)
By: Rachel Van Dyken
Publisher: Self-Published
Published: Nov. 23, 2012
Genre: New Adult Romance
Rating:
Life as a teenager is never easy. But for Natalee Murray, things have just gotten way more difficult. Bored with life, she can’t wait to graduate high school and get out of town, especially considering the famous band members from AD2 suddenly start attending her school, making her once boring life, absolutely insane.
It starts with a pen. A single brush of fingers, and she is captivated.
But Alec and Demetri have a dark secret, one that could shatter their reputations and Natalee’s heart. What do you do when one guy paints your life with color while the other infuses your soul with passion? How do you choose when your heart is divided?
Tear is a story about a girl who falls in love with two rock stars. Two rock stars who just so happen to be brothers. Two rock stars who are hiding out at Seaside while guarding a huge secret.
I’m a sucker for celebrity stories and this is no exception. The brothers are very different on their approach of life. Demetri is a live on the edge kind of guy. He parties, drinks and likes to live life to the fullest. Whereas Alec is more quiet and reserved. He’s really protective of Demetri and Nat and he is always looking out for them. Even when it comes to watching his brother go off with the girl he loves and helping him patch things up when he screws up. The brothers are very different and it was interesting seeing them interact so differently with Nat.
However, there were some issues I had with the story. One of which being the love triangle. I’m okay with a little angst but the love triangle was so huge that cheating got involved and I’m never a fan of cheating. And it wasn’t just there and done with, it loomed over the readers head the entire time. Even though Nat was dating one of them, she constantly went after the other one and was upset when he’d turn her down. Maybe because you’re dating his brother? The cheating kind of left a sour taste in my mouth. I also felt like this book could use a good polishing by an editor. I found problems where words were missing or jumbled a bit and even though I knew what the author meant, it would have gone smoother without those hiccups in the way. Plus, there was a bit of choppiness when it came to the story. I think with a good polishing, this book would be amazing… minus the cheating. Sorry I just can’t do it.
Regardless on the hangups that I had, I did enjoy this story. I found myself enveloped in their story. I wanted to know what would happen next. Would the brothers reveal their secret? Is it really as bad as they think it is? Will Nat finally get caught cheating and end up depressed and alone thinking maybe she should have just chose one brother instead of both of them? I read the story until the very last page and I enjoyed every second of it.
“I guess that’s what makes life special. It’s unexpected. Scary as hell. But in the end, totally worth it.”
Review: Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill
Twice Bitten
(Chicagoland Vampires, #3)
By: Chloe Neill
Publisher: NAL Trade
Published: July 6, 2010
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating:
Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene—and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.
Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she’ll probably regret it. And she’s not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals—not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries old master vampire.
Color of Love Blog Hop
Color of Love celebrates romance books featuring characters of color either in multicultural or interracial settings/relationships.
I’ve read Milly’s book, Wolf Protector, and really enjoyed it. So I decided to give away a book of hers that I’m really excited to read.
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Wolf Fever
(Alpha Project, #1)
By: Milly Taiden
Published: May 27, 2013
Genre: PNR Romance
Goodreads | Amazon | B&NChanges she can’t understand…
When Raine Bowe volunteers for a sleep study for the extra cash, she didn’t expect to wake in a lab or to be victimized by a mad scientist. She escapes with one objective–to find someone strong enough to wage war with the evil growing inside her.A job he won’t accept…
Ryder Storm is a man with a reputation–the bad boy of his own universe. He doesn’t take prisoners, won’t give into a sweet smile, and doesn’t cut his pack an inch of slack. He knows the desperate woman in his bar is his the moment he lays eyes on her. He’ll give her anything she wants, except the one thing she’s begging for. Death.Passion neither can fight…
Raine enlists Ryder’s help to unravel the mystery surrounding the hours she lost in the lab and to help tame the beast inside her. In their search for answers, the road will lead them to a twisted experiment involving shifters, humans, and the creation of the ultimate Alpha. He’s ready for the adventure and she’s ready for her answers. Neither are ready for the lust that calls down from the mating moon. But a wolf knows its mate, and an alpha will not stop until he or she gets what they want.
Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally Pre-order Event
Racing Savannah
(Hundred Oaks, #4)
By: Miranda Kenneally
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Release Date: Dec. 3, 2013
Genre: YA
They’re from two different worlds, but Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules. . . get the next contemporary novel from blockbuster YA novelist Miranda Kenneally: RACING SAVANNAH!
Right before her senior year, Savannah’s father whisks the family off to Tennessee to work as head groom at fancy Cedar Hill Farms. Savannah finally sees it as the perfect opportunity to earn extra money as an exercise rider—no matter how many others don’t want a girl around the barn. But she’s also caught the eye of Jack Goodwin, the owner’s son. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries. With her dream of becoming a jockey, Savannah is not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack.
Sourcebooks has a special offer for U.S. and Canada YA fans for the release of RACING SAVANNAH by Miranda Kenneally in stores in a little over three weeks! If you pre-order the book, they will send you an exclusive horseshoe key chain—perfect for any busy teen on the go! You have until December 2 or until quantities run out.
Here’s how to get your charm:
1. Pre-order the book (print or eBook) through any retailer (Barnes & Noble, Amazon, your local independent bookseller/Indiebound, Books-A-Million, Hastings, etc.)
2. Email your proof of purchase (receipt or picture of the receipt) to teenfire@sourcebooks.com. Put “Racing Savannah Pre-Order” in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your home address (US & Canada only please) so we can send you the horseshoe key chain! If you’ve already pre-ordered this book—not a problem! Send us your receipt!
3. You will get an email back confirming when the items have been sent out.
4. Enjoy Racing Savannah when it comes out in December!
Optional: take a pic of you and your horseshoe key chain and share it with Miranda Kenneally or Sourcebooks Fire on Twitter! You can find Miranda @mirandakennealy and Sourcebooks Fire @sourcebooksfire.
