Sneak Peek Wednesday: Shadow of Death by Diane E. Samson (Giveaway)

9 November, 2022 8:18 am , 1 Comment ,

Shadow of Death
(Gems of Fire Book 4)
by Diane E. Samson
Publisher: Self-Pubilshed
Publication date: Oct. 27, 2022
Genre: Fantasy

A homeless prince, a grueling mission, an unlikely hope

When unspeakable tragedy strikes Prince Jack’s family, he’s left with one desire: vengeance. Now living in exile and serving a foreign king, Jack perfects his talent with the sword. He’s sent to the desert for spy and assassin training, dreaming of the day he’ll use these skills to drive a dagger into Ingvar’s heart.

Jack plunges into his training and finds a new family of sorts, whose morally gray members rid the city of vile criminals. But as the desert Lord Anwar readies for battle, allegiances shatter, blood runs in the streets, and the shadow of death looms near. During a last effort to complete his seemingly impossible mission, Jack chances upon a slave girl with a Northern accent and eyes so familiar that he makes a hasty vow.

He always thought he’d defeat his nightmares by becoming one. Could that nightmare fade into a new dream? And could that strange slave girl be at the heart of it all?

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Posted in: Excerpt

Review: The Deal by Elle Kennedy

4 November, 2022 4:52 pm , 1 Comment ,

The Deal
(Off-Campus #1)
by Elle Kennedy
Publisher:Self-published
Publication date: Feb. 24, 2015
Genre: New Adult Romance
Rating:

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice… even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

…and it’s going to be oh so good.

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

 

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Posted in: NA Romance , Tagged:

Review: The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

31 October, 2022 10:53 am , 1 Comment ,

The Rules of Magic
(Practical Magic #0.2)
by Alice Hoffman
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: Oct 10, 2017
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:

Find your magic

For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.

Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.

From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Back in New York City each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse.

The Owens children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the revered, and sometimes feared, aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.

 

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Posted in: Fantasy

Sneak Peek Wednesday: Moon Tamed by Audrey Greene

19 October, 2022 4:43 pm , 2 Comments ,

Moon Tamed
by Audrey Greene
Publisher: Pen & Page Publishing
Publication date: Dec. 6, 2022
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Coraline Patten enjoys nothing more than facing new challenges, but when she’s asked to evaluate Moonriver’s ruling faction, she worries she’s bitten off more than she can chew.

Allasandro Stephans has reigned since she’d been a child, unwavering in his dedication to Moonriver. His heir, Calden, has supported him every step of the way. Together, the shapeshifting widower and his son appear to be the perfect men for the job of preserving and protecting their home.

When Moonriver’s heir asks her to free his father from the burden of leadership, Coraline is determined to do what is best for her people, even if it costs her the love of her life.

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Posted in: Excerpt

Review: Taken by the Dragon Prince by Kiersten Fay

14 October, 2022 4:35 pm , 1 Comment ,

Taken by the Dragon Prince
Dragon Lords #4
By: Kiersten Fay
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: Aug. 31, 2022
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Rating:

Prince Khalstorm Belmont lost everything the day his kingdom was destroyed. Imprisoned for a crime he never committed, he dreams of exacting his revenge against the witch responsible, a treacherous beauty who once tempted him beyond reason, only to betray him in the end. When Khalstorm captures her, he discovers his feelings for her are as strong as ever, leading him torn between his hunger for vengeance and his hunger for her.

Celeste Songbird both feared and longed for the day Khalstorm found her. No longer resembling the man she once loved, he is filled with rage and regret…and on a mission for her blood. Temporarily stripped of her powers, her life is at his mercy. Can she break through his ice-cold heart before all is lost?

 

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Posted in: Paranormal Romance , Tagged:

Review: Mr. Bride: Vol 2 by Natsumi Shiba

11 October, 2022 12:07 pm , Leave a Comment ,

Mr. Bride
Vol. 2
By: Natsumi Shiba
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Publication date: Aug. 31, 2021
Genre: Romance Manga
Rating:

At 26 years old, Hayami is four years into her career as a saleswoman. She’s an ace when it comes to her work, but at home she becomes a massive slob. It just so happens that Yamamoto-kun, her junior who carries a bit of a torch for her, is a pro at housework! As he starts to look after her, she makes a proposal: “Will you be my wife?” Thus begins their life together as housemates. As Yamamoto-kun puts on the pressure, Hayami is completely oblivious to her feelings. Will they end up nothing more than ships passing in the night…?! Keep an eye out for a new character appearing in this volume!

 

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Posted in: Manga , Tagged:

Review: Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner

3 October, 2022 1:01 am , 1 Comment ,

Mistakes Were Made
by Meryl Wilsner
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Publication date: Oct. 11, 2022
Genre: F/F Romance
Rating:

When Cassie Klein goes to an off-campus bar to escape her school’s Family Weekend, she isn’t looking for a hookup—it just happens. Buying a drink for a stranger turns into what should be an uncomplicated, amazing one-night stand. But then the next morning rolls around and her friend drags her along to meet her mom—the hot, older woman Cassie slept with.

Erin Bennett came to Family Weekend to get closer to her daughter, not have a one-night stand with a college senior. In her defense, she hadn’t known Cassie was a student when they’d met. To make things worse, Erin’s daughter brings Cassie to breakfast the next morning. And despite Erin’s better judgement—how could sleeping with your daughter’s friend be anything but bad?—she and Cassie get along in the day just as well as they did last night.

What should have been a one-time fling quickly proves impossible to ignore, and soon Cassie and Erin are sneaking around. Worst of all, they start to realize they have something real. But is being honest about the love between them worth the cost?

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Posted in: Romance , Tagged:

Review: Shadow Mate by Alexis Calder (Giveaway)

23 September, 2022 8:52 pm , 1 Comment ,

Shadow Mate
Shadow Wolves #1
by: Alexis Calder
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: Sept. 20, 2022
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating:

My father traded his life for mine. And now I’m bound to an enemy.

I finally carved out a life for myself with minimal interaction with my abusive father. He might be the alpha, but he hates me enough to leave me alone as long as I don’t make him look bad.

Until he decides to challenge another alpha and offer my life in exchange for his. Now, I’m life bound to an enemy and I’m trapped in a strange pack.

Despite my attempts to keep my distance from my captor, I find myself drawn to him. But as we get closer, things get more dangerous.

There’s so much more to this than it seems and I’ve ended up right in the middle. One wrong step and it’s my life on the line. If I can’t get free of this, I’m going to end up dead and I’ll be taking my captor with me.
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Posted in: Paranormal Romance

Spotlight: Human Remains by Peter Milligan (Giveaway)

21 September, 2022 2:07 am , 1 Comment ,

Human Remains
Vol #1
by Peter Milligan (Author), Adrian F. Wassel (Editor), Sally Cantirino (Illustrator), Dearbhla Kelly (Colorist), Andworld Design (Letterer)
Publisher: Vault Comics
Publication: Sept. 27, 2022
Genre: Horror Comic

Alien meets A Quiet Place in this science fiction tale of terror for fans of Josh Malerman’s Bird Box and Tim Lebbon’s The Silence about a post-apocalyptic world in which monsters hunt the things that make us human – where feeling is a dangerous thing.

Live. Laugh. Love. Scream.

DIE.

Dax and Bisa love each other. But in this new and terrifying world, love is dangerous. Feeling anything is dangerous. Love. Hate. Joy. Fear. Any of these in strong doses will bring a swift death. Earth has a new and terrible invader—monsters that smell the scent of emotion, salivate over the prey, and hunt the very feelings that make us human. A shocking tale of pent-up emotions and forced composure in the face of unspeakable horror…from one of the most celebrated writers in comics, Peter Milligan (X-Force, Enigma, Shade the Changing Man, Hellblazer) and breakout horror artist Sally Cantirino (I Walk With Monsters, The Final Girls).

Collects the entire eight-issue series.

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Posted in: Uncategorized

Review: With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

16 September, 2022 3:22 pm , 1 Comment ,

With the Fire on High
Elizabeth Acevedo
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Publication date: May 7, 2019
Genre: Young Adult
Rating:

With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. The one place she can let her responsibilities go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness.

Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain—and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life—and all the rules everyone expects her to play by—once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free.

 

 

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Posted in: YA Contemporary