Journey with Books

Dec 20, 2011

Book Review: Pulled by Amy Lichtenhan

Unknown December 20, 2011 7 Comments

Author: Amy Lichtenhan

Category: Romance

Publication date: Feb 24, 2011

Pages: 388

ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-016-3

ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-017-0

Book Blurb:
For nine years, they drift through life, unable to forget the one who holds the strings to their hearts. In an attempt to escape the pain of her past, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side.

Now, when their lives intersect, neither can deny the connection they felt so long ago.

But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and do they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart?
Pulled is a story of attraction and separation, of destiny and duty, of a love so strong it refuses to give up even when all others have.

My Thoughts:

Pulled by Amy Lichtenhan will surely make you feel different intense emotions from the beginning till the very last page! It would be one hell of a roller coaster ride that would bring you down low and will toss you up high.

This book is probably one of the most emotional and heart wrenching book I've ever read. Pulled is a very different read in which you can't help but feel the intense emotions that the characters inside the book feels. It's the kind of book you wouldn't want to miss reading.

Of course, those who goes and reads my blog regularly, knows I'm such a sucker for intense dramas and that is why I knew that this book is something I would love. This is not a simple romance that we all read. It has depth and intensity that will surely captivate you., it will imprison you until you've read the last word.

The characters are complex. Melanie and Daniel are very complex characters that are not perfect. And I liked them that way because it makes them more real and because of it, the emotions that the author tried to convey went straight to my heart as a reader. What they went through together and apart made them grow into someone a reader can relate to. Although, I must say that there were times that their actions frustrates me and I'm shouting inside my head to them to just get back together already! And I guess it's one of the reasons why I think this book is great because I think if a book didn't frustrate you (in a good way) somehow then the author of that book failed because the book didn't made you feel but this book "Pulled" succeeded in making me feel and that is good!

I love how Ms. Amy Lichtenhan shifts the timeline and points of view in this book. The shifts/flashbacks helped in maintaining the mystery of the plot. It holds the curiosity of the reader. You'd keep reading it, wanting to know what happened between Melanie and Daniel and how they end up to where they were in the present. The different points of view also helped in making this book interesting because Melanie and Daniel have these contradicting points of view and you'd confused and curious and yet you'd really empathize with what they are going through and what they feel.

Do I have to say more about Melanie and Daniel's chemistry? Well, all I can say is that you will really feel the 'PULL' they feel for each other.

I want to say Congratulations to Ms. Amy Lichtenhan for having the guts to stray from the usual romance and offer her readers something more than what the usual romance do.

Buying Links:

More about the Author:

Amy Lichtenhan first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she'd been working on with her two closest friends, and with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel, Pulled.

Amy resides in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three beautiful children, where she enjoys the freedom of working from home. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.

Dec 19, 2011

Cover Reveal: Sleepers by Megg Jensen

Unknown December 19, 2011 0 Comments

Hi my loves! How are you guys doing?! We have something new on my blog today!

This blog is a part of the revealing of the new cover for Sleepers by Megg Jensen.

To celebrate the re-launch of SLEEPERS in January of 2012, Megg is giving it a new cover with artwork from the incredible PhatPuppy.

And here's the amazing new cover of Sleepers!

Synopsis:

An adoptee raised in a foreign land, sixteen-year-old Lianne was content with her life as handmaiden to the queen, until a spell cast on her at birth activated. Now she's filled with uncontrollable rage and access to magic she thought had been bled from her people years ago. Even her years of secret training in elite hand-to-hand combat and meditation can’t calm the fires raging inside her.

Her heart is torn between two boys, the one she’s always loved and the one who always ignored her. But when the kingdom threatens to tear itself apart due to rumors surrounding the queen’s alleged affair, who will Lianne protect and who will she destroy?

Buying Link:

More About the Author:

Megg Jensen has been a freelance parenting journalist since 2003 and began writing YA novels in 2009. She co-runs DarkSide Publishing, is a member of SCBWI, and blogs about writing while juggling freelancing, volunteering, and family life. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two kids, and their miniature schnauzer, Ace.

Dec 15, 2011

Author Interview and Giveaway: Crossroads by Mary Ting

Unknown December 15, 2011 20 Comments

Hi my loves! How are you doing? Guess what??? We have a very special guest on my blog today! A very talented author who I personally admire. Well, can you guess? It's the very talented author of Crossroads, Ms. Mary Ting! She agreed to be interviewed by me! We're very lucky today! So let' not prolong the wait!

Here's the interview now!

· Tell us something about yourself. Something most of the readers don't know yet about you.

Besides being an author, I teach kindergarten. I took several years of piano and flute lessons. I also teach a dance routine every year for my daughter and her friends at their school talent show. I was also one of the five foundering members in a sorority called Kappa Zeta Phi at UC Irvine. For two years, I was PTA president (Parent Teacher Association).

· How and when did you start writing?

I started writing about 3 years ago when my grandmother passed away. It was a way for me to heal. After I started writing, I stopped crying. There is a character named after her in my book. I had so much fun writing Crossroads that I couldn’t stop. I’ve been teaching kindergarten for almost 20 years and never planned or dreamt about being an author. I guess it was meant to be.

· Can you tell us how you published your book?

I first self published. Then I signed with a traditional publisher, World Castle. Publishing a book is a lot of work, but it’s very rewarding.

· How did you make the world of Crossroads as accurate as it is now?

Crossroads was written based on a dream I had in high school. Chapter one and two are based on my dreams. I just added the characters.

What was the hardest part in writing an awesome story like Crossroads?

First of all, thank you for thinking Crossroads is awesome. The hardest part was writing the parts of Gamma, especially the funeral part. The character Gamma is based on my grandmother.

How did you come up with the characters? And tell us how you made the chemistry between Michael and Claudia so captivating? Was it hard to make them as real as possible?

Many of my characters are based on my friends…hehe! Though I don’t like to admit it, Claudia is based off of me. Michael is based off my husband. Claudia’s friend who passes away in a car accident is a true story. My friend had the same first and last name as me and she passed away as I describe it in the book. Patty is also a friend of mine; she’s a social butterfly. Davin’s character is based on my friend who passed away as well. He was loved by many of his friends. I can go on with the other characters. As far as Michael and Claudia’s chemistry, I just had to think about mine…hehe!!!

· Michael and Claudia's relationship is forbidden. Have you ever experience a forbidden love?

I guess you I can say my relationship with my husband when we were dating in college…lol!!! I hid my relationship from my parents because they wanted me to date someone from the same race.

If Crossroads will ever be made into a movie, who would you choose as lead characters?

If Crossroads was made into a movie, I would want new faces; however, here are my dream cast:

Claudia-Nina Debrov

Michael-Ben Barnes

Davin-Channing Tatum

Vivian-Megan Fox

Caleb-Chase Crawford

Patty-Amanda Seyfried

Austin-

Philip-Orlando Bloom

Agnes-Courtney Cox

Margaret-Angelina Jolie

Gamma-Susan Sarandon

Aden-Huge Jackman

And the Fun Part:

Favorite part of the body?

The eyes. I believe the eyes are the window to a person’s soul.

When the word "HOT" is uttered, who is the first person that comes in to your mind?

Besides my husband…right…lol!!! Channing Tatum

If you ever get to heaven and you only have one person to be with, who would you choose?

This is too hard and if my kids ever find out they would be hurt so I would have to say my family. My husband and my two children. I’m not following the rules here am I? lol!!!

If you're going to hell who would you bring with you? (^_~)

Hmmm… how about if I bring a thing. I would bring my laptop. I could write a great hell of a story…lol!!!

And the last question is:What can we expect on the second book of Crossroads? More Action? Romance? (yup I'm fishing for spoilers, LOL)

Lol!!! No problem. More angels on Earth. This group of angels have to work together with the alkins to keep Claudia safe. You’ll get to read multiple point of views. And of course, more romance and action.

Thanks for letting me interview you!

Thanks for having me. I took on a journey not knowing how rewarding it would be for me. I’ve meet so many wonderful people from all over the world through facebook, twitter, goodreads and blog sites. I’ve made everlasting friendship where friendship knows no boundaries. And I have to thank my grandmother who continues to watch over me from Heaven. Thank you for loving Crossroads where love and friendship know no boundaries!!!

Well, there you have it! If you wanna know more about Crossroads just see my review here:

http://journeywithbooks.blogspot.com/2011/12/book-review-crossroads-by-mary-ting.html

Book Blurb:

There, Claudia meets Michael, a nephilim, a half angel, half human, whom she often meets in her dreams. It turns out that this isn’t her first visit to Crossroads, which is an enigma for no human can ever travel there until Claudia. Now the fallen and demons are after her, suspecting she must be special and it is up to Michael and the other nephilims to protect her.

Can Michael fight his growing feelings for Claudia and protect her as a guardian angel should? The answer awaits you! Follow the exciting path to Crossroads!

Buying Links:

Blog Tour: Pyxis: The Discovery (Pyxis Book 1) by KC Neal Review and $45 Gift Card Giveaway

Unknown December 14, 2011 2 Comments

Hi my loves! Another blog tour and giveaway for you!

I am now presenting you the Pyxis by KC Neal.

I'm supposed to do an interview but I didn't have much time to send in the questions to the author because real life decided to interfere! Oh well, maybe some other time. But just because we don't have an interview doesn't mean we'll forget the book review. So let's see how awesome this book is...

Book Blurb:

Corinne lives an average teenage life working at her dad’s cafe, hanging out with her best friend, and trying to forget a falling-out with her almost-boyfriend Mason.

Things take a strange turn when she uses her late grandmother’s food dyes for a bake sale, and her customers suddenly find her irresistibly alluring. Then she discovers she and Mason are haunted by the same dreams of a dark force that consumes everything in its path.

Pursued by shadowy figures and a crazy woman with secrets from the past, Corinne must find out who her grandmother really was.

In her quest to unravel her family’s history, she learns she is destined to protect this world--and the dark world of her dreams. She races to find the answers she seeks before her nightmares break free.

My Thoughts:

Pyxis is very different from the usual YA Paranormal reads that I've read, different but definitely good!

It's a shorter read than what I usually read but it's fine because I enjoyed it. I finished it in one seating. I love the characters. They are interesting and fun to get to know. Watching Corrine's growth in the book is exciting.

Mason and Corrine's chemistry is also nice. I loved reading their interactions although sometimes their awkward situation annoys me but their sweetness and closeness despite everything that is between them, makes me root for them. I'm very excited to see their relationship develop into something more than what it was on this book.

But what I liked the most about this book is how the author maintained the air of mystery without making it boring. Ms. KC Neal knows how to hold the attention of her readers. As I said before Pyxis is very different from the usual Paranormal books. It has a very different plot and I must say that I really love its uniqueness. The flow of the story is good. It was natural and easy to follow through.

Overall, I can say that Pyxis is very nice read for me. If you want to read something different that's full of mystery and magic then you should definitely try Pyxis!

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Pyxis-Discovery-ebook/dp/B0061UAWQ0/

Blog Tour: Dating 911 (Dating Series Book 1) by Kathleen Grieve Giveaway

Unknown December 13, 2011 3 Comments

Hi my loves! I'm back with another blog tour! We're all gonna see what Dating 911 by Kathleen Grieve is all about. All of you will get a glimpse of it through the Book Excerpt! Plus, you're favorite part... the giveaway! So let's start now!

BLURB:

Emergency room nurse, Roxanne Carter is a loser-magnet wishing she could enjoy her single life. Commiserating with girlfriends over butterscotch martinis creates the idea of The Dating Manifesto--a not so scientific research project which promises to point the way to dating success. While gathering data to find the most suitable single men available, she wades through a series of unsavory, stale dates, which literally places her back at ground zero. Just when she is ready to give up, sin personified in the form of sexy firefighter Jett Avery, arrives tainting all of her previous data.

A traumatic warehouse fire, in which firefighter Jett Avery's closest friend dies, has him suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Attempting to stave off the worst of his depression, he decides to use his brand of therapy...Sex. The remedy has lost luster until he encounters ER nurse Roxanne Carter.

The pursuit of Roxanne by Jett's twin brother, Doctor Cruz Avery, complicates her research and interferes with Jett's therapy. Does Roxanne choose the brother who by analysis is the perfect match? Or the broken, dark and irresistible one?

EXCERPT:

She held up her hands, palms facing toward him. “Stop. This is a hospital. Not some stupid television show where the medical staff is always making out in a closet. I work here. Don’t even think about it!”Jett closed the distance between them until her hands pressed against his chest, searing their imprint through the thin cotton of his T-shirt. He grasped her fingers and lifted them to his mouth, licking the sensitive tips with his tongue one by one. Heat filled her eyes and she trembled.
“You feel the pull, too. Don’t you?” he asked, dropping her hand.
Jett slid his hands to her waist, and molded her against his erection. A perfect fit. Her sharp intake of breath as she shook her head told him all he needed to know. He smiled. Satisfaction filled him.
“Liar. Shake your head in denial all you want, but I can see the reflection mirrored in your eyes, and feel the powerful draw when I touch you,” he said in a husky tone. He rubbed his stiff cock against her stomach. The intensity of his desire eliminated all reason.
Jett buried his face in her neck and breathed in her sweetness. “Hmm. Today you smell like chocolate.” His tongue traced the delicate shell of her ear as his hands stroked her bare arms. “But you taste like honey.”Her knees bent and he placed his leg between hers to support her. On the brink of total insanity, he continued his light exploration. His hand skimmed her torso, and skirted the side of her breast. With slow, deliberate care, he let his fingertips graze her collarbone on the way to grasp the back of her neck. Another tremor rippled through her.God, she felt so damn good.She tilted her chin and her head rested in his open palm. “Jett,” her sultry voice caused his penis to throb. “This is not a good idea. Anyone could come in here and….”
He pushed his thigh against her crotch. She inhaled sharply, desire deepening the blue of her eyes. “You were saying?”Her brow furrowed. “And…”
“Intoxicating being a little naughty, isn’t it?” he rasped. He gently tugged her face closer to his. “Hmm. I believe you mentioned the other night that your most recent sexual exploits have been lacking. Let’s add something of interest for your science venture.”

BUY LINKS:

Evernight Publishing

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dating-911-by-kathleen-grieve/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A graduate of University of Nebraska Medical Center, Kathleen Grieve earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Science and Nursing in 1994. She has been a dedicated nurse for the past seventeen years, serving most of those years in intensive care. Always writing, Kathleen chose to pursue yet another career- that of a writer. An avid romance reader of all genres since age 13, she decided to try a hand at writing her own novel in the summer of 2006.

She draws a lot from the real-life medical drama she experiences as a RN for her novels. Writing romance is a creative outlet where she can effectively deal with the daily stress and sorrow, adding levity and humor to situations that provide a happily ever after when there isn't one.

To find out more about Kathleen Grieve and her books, you can stop

by her blog, Keeping A Pulse On Life & Romance at: http://kathleengrieve.blogspot.com

Her website: www.kathleengrieve.com

Follow her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kathleen-GrieveAuthor/251669291518939

Follow her on Twitter: @KathleenGrieve

Book Review: Crossroads by Mary Ting

Unknown December 04, 2011 0 Comments

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Author: Mary Ting

Pages: 315 pages
ISBN 13 (TP): 978-1-937085-75-9
ISBN 13 (eBook): 978-1-937085-76-6

Book Blurb:

Claudia Emerson has a good friend who shares the same first name and last name. That friend unfortunately dies in a tragic accident during homecoming dance. Claudia is distraught at the loss of her friend, but is even more disturbed by her dreams, which seem to take her to another place called Crossroads. Unknown to her, Crossroads is like a second heaven, a place between heaven and earth. It is where the souls of humans in comas or near death experiences may wander. Where, Claudia meets Michael, a nephilim, a half angel, half human, whom she often meets in her dreams. It turns out that this isn’t her first visit to Crossroads, which is an enigma for no human can ever travel there until Claudia.

Now the fallen and demons are after her, suspecting she must be special and it is up to Michael and the other nephilims to protect her. Her dream becomes a nightmare as more secrets are revealed, about who she really is, and the true identities of the people she loves most. Can Michael fight his growing feelings for Claudia and protect her as a guardian angel should?

My Thoughts:

Have you ever read a book that makes you unaware of your surrounding while reading it? A book that completely sucks you in that if bomb explodes, you wouldn't even hear it? I can tell you with so much honesty that I did! "Crossroads" by Mary Ting did it to me.

I had so much fun reading this book. It had me hooked just by reading the Prologue! I always say that YA books seldom do this to me. From those people who had been reading my blog from the start knows that there are very few YA books that I've loved and I'm very much happy to inform everyone that I've just added Crossroads on the list of those YA books that made me happy!

The characters are very much lovable. Claudia and Michael's chemistry is very much undeniable because you would feel the sparks from their interactions. I absolutely love every minute of reading how their relationship grew. And the other characters are likable too, I really want to know more about them in the next one.

The pacing of the story is nice. It's not overly fast and it's not dragging which makes it much nicer to read. The world that Ms. Mary Ting built in this book is very fascinating to explore. It's not like the other Paranormal Romances that is so confusing and so hard to understand that you'd lose interest in finishing it.

This book is a very good read for me. Mary Ting is a very talented author who knows how to keep her readers satisfied and happy! I really want to read the next book of this series!

More about the Author:

Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing Crossroads was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother. It was inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl.

Author's Blog: www.marytingbooks.blogspot.com/

You may contact the author for comments / feedback at : maryting.crossroads@gmail.com

Buying Links:

www.amazon.com

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.worldcastlepublishing.com

Dec 1, 2011

Blog Tour: Foxworth Coven by Kayden McLeod Guest Post and Giveaway

Unknown December 01, 2011 2 Comments

Hey my loves! I'm back! After a dreadful silence, I'm here again! And I'm so happy to have the author of Foxworth Coven Series, Ms. Kayden McLeod in my blog today. So I'm not making this any longer, let's see what she have to share for us today..

It’s All About The Sound Of Music

Dear Reader,

As many authors, I listen to a variety of music while writing. The type of music depends heavily on the mood I’m going for to inspire which direction my mind will go.

I can’t say a precise artist inspires something specific. It’s the song itself: the lyrics and the tone of voice used throughout it. For example, for those of you who are familiar with Sara Cornwall, from the Cornwall Coven Series and Sara’s Story—the last WIP I worked on for her is Darker Indulgences.
Sara is a complicated, conflicted character born of violence. She is bitter and hateful to outsiders, yet full of loving, protective emotion for those she trusts. While writing about her I listened to Eminem and Rihanna’s Love The Way You Lie, over and over again for days. I barely processed the lyrics or beat while I wrote, yet my subconscious, or muse if you will, absorbed the sentiment. Something about it screamed SARA to me.

There never has been any rhythm or reason, no pun intended, to what I listen to. All genres, all flavors, all artists. Some stuff gets added, and I never listen to it again. Others are once in a blue moon, then there is the selections that are the bread and butter for a specific piece, where I listen to the same 2-10 over and over again, until anyone around me knows each word-by-word. Fortunately, I live with people who never say anything about it, lol.

This is a very eclectic chunk of music from my playlist. These random selections have been listed in order from my Facebook playlist that is added to when I hear a song on the radio, or find myself humming something while writing.

Thank you so much for coming by today! Please feel free to come by and visit me. Leave a comment for a chance to win a Foxworth Coven E-Book!

My Facebook Group
Website

Kayden McLeod

Thank You Ms. Kayden McLeod for sharing this to us and for letting me be a part of your tour. And for the record, I love your taste in music!

I've read the first book of your series and all I can say is WOW! I'll be posting my review of that book in the coming days. When my (crazy) College life stop interfering with my blogging life!

Death of Innocence

Book One of the Foxworth Coven Series

By Kayden McLeod

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance (Vampires, Deities, M/F)

Hate Rating: Three

Warning: Some violence, off-scene rape

Publisher: Solstice Publishing (Solstice at Night)

Price: $4.99

Summary:

Even unconditional love cannot always banish an eternal nightmare

The Foxworth family has blazed a trail through human and vampire history alike, changing the ways of both races in Canada for all time. The Council has demanded a full report for the long and twisted tale of how the Surrey Coven had come to be the most powerful and feared; an assemblage that anyone would question before coming up against.

The Leader of the Surrey Coven, Canya recalls how her family came to be. A story filled with pain and heartache, until she meets Gregory Foxworth: a debonair CEO to the family shipping company. Gregory remembers taking her away from a life that shocks him, hoping to shelter and love her. But little does he know all he has done, was make her a target for a sadistically warped man. One who will have her and his own personal brand of vengeance. Sometimes, a grudge is forever.

Natural Urges

Book Two of the Foxworth Coven Series

By Kayden McLeod

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance

(Vampires, Shifters, Deities)

Word Count: 76,561

Hate Rating: Three

Warning: Some violence off-scene rape

Summary:

Love conquers all...and evil seeks to destroy it.

Arcadia Foxworth has no idea what destiny has in store for him. He thought his life as an elite Council Hunter of Rogues was his perfect career choice. But little does he know his fate truly lies in one little powder keg, Korbin Callows. She’s beautiful, graceful—and a stripper. After having woken up, remembering nothing about her old life, Korbin had to pull herself together and make tough decisions to survive a harsh world. And now people she doesn’t even know are out to kill her. She finds herself relying on Arcadia to maneuver the new dangers presented to her, as she starts to recall who she really is. A powerful being that could make every vampire in British Columbia fall to their knees, including Arcadia.

More About the Author:

Kayden McLeod lives in beautiful British Columbia, and is the author of the M/F Paranormal Romance and erotica series, The Coven Series, which consists of three Covens; The Foxworths, The Cornwalls and The Jerichos. She also dabbles in a multitude of other genres that are in the works, like BDSM, Ménage, M/M and Horror. As well, Kayden is a freelance Graphic and Cover artist, a Cover Artist for XOXO Publishing, and an owner of Otherworlds Publicity and Siren Book Reviews.

Connect with Kayden online:

Website: http://kaydenmcleod.com/

Blog: http://kaydenmcleod.blogspot.com/

Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1848048830

Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kayden-McLeod-Author-of-the-Coven-Series/181298315224950

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/KaydenMcLeod

Deviant Art: http://kaydenmcleod.deviantart.com/

GIVEAWAY:

And for all of you my loves, as Ms. Kayden McLeod said she is offering a copy of her book! So what are you waiting for? Hit the comment section now!

Worry not! This giveaway is open to everyone! To make it clearer, this is open INTERNATIONALLY! Everyone is welcome!

And this giveaway will last till December 5 of 2011.

There is absolutely no need to follow my blog although it would be much appreciated!

TO MAKE THIS GIVEAWAY MORE FUN JUST ANSWER THIS QUESTION:

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SONGS AS OF NOW AND WHY?

This lovely tour was organized by:

Nov 11, 2011

Book Review: Slave (Finding Ana #1) by Sherri Hayes

Unknown November 11, 2011 4 Comments

Author: Sherri Hayes
Category: Erotica
Publication date: Jul 28, 2011
Pages: 275
ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-048-4
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-049-1

Summary:

Stephan has lived the lifestyle of a Dominant for five years. After several rebellious teenage years, it gave him the stability and control he had been seeking after his parent’s death.

As president of a not-for-profit foundation, he knows what his future holds and what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend and Mentor, Daren, leads him to buying a slave.

Thrust into a situation he never thought he’d be in, Stephan can’t walk away. He is compelled to help this girl in the only way he knows how.

Brianna knows only one thing, she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing.

Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a Slave?

My Thoughts:

Slave is the first installment in Finding Ana series and this is also the first book I've read from Ms. Sherri Hayes. I can say that I'm definitely happy to read an emotional and well written fiction.

Before I accepted this book, I've read the other reviews on Goodreads first. I read a lot and I became intrigued and fascinated by this book because of the reviews.

This is not your typical BDSM themed romance because it's a lot deeper than that and frankly, in this book, there is no racy sex scenes. Ms. Sherri Hayes also covered, human trafficking, she wrote a very vivid example of human trafficking. She showed through this book that there are women out there who are abused and kept against their wills.

The build up of the romance between Brianna and Stephan is a little slow but it was written in an understandable and acceptable way because you cannot just magically heal a very broken woman and just pair her up. Honestly, I liked it that way because the author didn't force a romance into happening, she let it fall naturally. It is more realistic that way.

I loved how Ms. Sherri Hayes wrote the character of Brianna. I felt for her. It's very seldom when you read a book that could affect you and I could tell you with all honestly that this book did. The feelings of Brianna are very realistic and I really really liked getting into her head and into her heart. I felt her fear and her desperation to be saved. I also felt her confusion in how Stephan treated her.

And Stephan is the type of man you'd want for yourself. He never gave up on Brianna no matter how difficult their situation is. He loved her the best way he could even though he's hurting too. He made her feel safe with him. His patience on her and his perseverance to make her feel comfortable and safe with him made me love him even more.

This book is definitely a good read for me. Ms Sherri Hayes is a writer who has the talent in making her readers feel. She has the right instinct in affecting her readers. I feel that Slave is just an introduction of a great story and I am so excited to read the next book in this series!

About the Author:

Sherri Hayes is a country girl at heart. She lives outside a small town in Ohio with her husband and four cats. Her mother encouraged her love of books and fondly remembers childhood story times. Sherri satisfied her need to be creative through singing and performance throughout her high school years.

About three years ago, the urge to write started and she has not stopped since. It has become an outlet for her and is excited to be able to share the characters and stories that constantly float in her head.

Contact the Author:
Goodreads

Twitter

Website

Buying Links:

http://www.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/publishinghouse/books/detail/30

Nov 10, 2011

Blog Tour: Legacy:The Niteclif Evolutions by Denise Tompkins (Book Review and Giveaway)

Unknown November 10, 2011 7 Comments

Hey my sweet readers! I've been MIA for the past few days but I am back! I'm back with a new blog tour. I'm featuring Legacy:The Niteclif Evolutions by Denise Tompkins. And now let's see what's this book is all about.

Legacy: The Niteclif Evolutions, Book 1 by Denise Tompkins

Book Blurb:

When Fate makes you her bitch, accept it and adapt. Or die.

Looking back on the wish she made on Midsummer’s Eve, Maddy Niteclif should have been more specific. She only wanted to escape the shadowy nightmares that plagued her nights, not to be thrust into a completely altered reality.

If a strangely familiar, sexy dragon-shifter named Bahlin, who causes a never-to-be-mentioned-again fainting spell, isn’t enough to make her question her sanity, his insistence she’s the Niteclif ought to do the job. Prophesied super-sleuth of the supernatural world—a world that desperately needs her help—isn’t a job she’s remotely qualified for no matter what her family tree says.

Catapulted into a very different London ruled by dark mythology, mystery and murder, Maddy makes a few startling discoveries. Paranormal creatures exist. Getting shot really sucks. And her body responds remarkably well to dragon magic—in more ways than simple wound healing.

But in this kill-or-be-killed world, reality bites. And Maddy must choose to go back to what she knows…or stay and fight for the man she knows she can’t live without.

Warning: This book contains a shape-shifting dragon with a Scottish accent, modern and archaic weapons, global inter-species politics that make democracy seem mild, some very steamy sex underground, a severed head, murder, and…oh yeah…a woman caught in the middle of it all.

Time becomes irrelevant to the immortal.

But to one human woman, every second counts.

My Thoughts:

This is going to be a short review. I would like to keep this review short and direct to the point. I'm not going to discuss more about the plot just to keep all of you in suspense which I think is good.

All I will say is, I like the book. It's a good read. The characters are interesting. They are lovely to read and their complexity is so charming.

Maddy, the heroine of the story is nice but other times, she just frustrate me so much! Sometimes, her decisions annoys me but I guess it is a part of her character growth in the book.

Bahlin... I love Bahlin! I loved him the first time I read him in the book. He's the reason why I love this book... need I say more? The instant chemistry between Maddy and Bahlin is great! I loved reading their conversations and banters. It made me laugh out loud!

Although, I liked reading this book, there's just a tiny, little, small part it of I didn't enjoy, there's too much info that at times it gets confusing. I understand that those info are needed because the book is a Paranormal romance and some information needed to be explained but I just thought the author could impart those info in a way that the simple readers could understand without making it drag.

To sum it all up, I enjoyed reading this book despite that tiny glitch. The author's witty way of writing this book is awesome and uber entertaining! I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series! Ms. Denise Tompkins is definitely an author to watch out for.

More about the Author:

Author Website
Author Blog
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook Page

Denise Tompkins lives in the heart of the South where the neighbors still know your name, all food forms are considered fry-able and bugs die only to be reincarnated in aggressive, blood-craving triplicate. Thrilled to finally live somewhere that can boast 3 ½ seasons (winter’s only noticeable because the trees are naked), her favorite season is definitely fall. It’s the time of year when the gardens are just about to pass into winter’s brief silence, and the leaves are out to prove that nature is the most brilliant artist of all.

Clearly, due to the enormous size of her picture, you can tell Denise isn’t as technologically savvy as she’d like to be. (Seriously. She’s not vain. She just couldn’t figure out how to shrink the picture any smaller.)

Denise is married to the love of her life. Both she and her husband are owned by two dogs and three opinionated parrots who keep her in stitches — literally and figuratively. One bird hates broccoli, one scared the pizza man to death upon delivery, and one bird loves to call out and invite stranger to “Come on in!” The birds thoroughly enjoy scolding the dogs. One dog, the mutt, has turned a deaf ear. The Bullmastiff, however, probably needs emotionally reconstructive therapy.

A life-long voracious reader, Denise has three favorite authors. Why three? Because favorite authors are like chips: a person can’t have just one. Her little house was so overrun with books last year that her darling husband bought her an e-reader out of self-preservation. He was (legitimately) afraid she might begin throwing out pots and pans to make room for more books, and he didn’t want to starve.

Along with reading, Denise loves travel, is obsessed with the British Isles, practices photography, enjoys cooking and looks forward to Christmas as an excuse to bake.

Her debut novel, Legacy, is the first book in The Niteclif Evolutions and will be available in both e-book and print from Samhain Publishing.

Buying Links:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Barnes & Noble

Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

All Romance

Giveaway:

Nov 4, 2011

Blog Tour:Awakening by Scarlett Valentine Guest Post and $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Unknown November 04, 2011 23 Comments

Hey my adorable readers! I am here for another blog tour! Today we have the author of the book 'Awakening', she's no other than Ms. Scarlett Valentine. She's here to tell us more about herself and her journey to becoming a great author. So let's give her the space to say what she wants to share with us..

Krishna from Journey with Books

Meeting Scarlett Valentine

Thanks for having me here today. I’ve really been looking forward to this. And thanks for letting me talk about my favorite subject— me!

I’m just kidding! I *really* don’t like talking about myself, but as an author, it’s part of introducing ourselves and our books to potential readers.

I’m Scarlett Valentine and I’m originally from Northern California. I don’t know at what point Ireland entered my mind. I just remember talking to my grandfather one day, telling him I wanted to learn Irish because I was going to Ireland one day and wanted to speak the language. I was heartbroken when he told me Irish was an extinct language, but something in the back of my mind said I was going to marry an Irishman and the only way that was going to happen was to go to Ireland.

So here I am, living in Ireland for nearly fifteen years, married to an Irishman, and while I discovered that the Irish language is not extinct, I still have only learned a cupla focal . . . a few words. I think I know naughty words in about five languages now!

I’ve been asked at what point did I knew I wanted to be a writer. Honestly, I don’t know. I think being a writer is as much part of a person as wanting to be a fireman, painter or stock car driver. Yes, there are skills one must learn for all those jobs, but the desire is inside us. It’s in our blood.

One of my earliest writing memories was getting picture books from the library. I’d bring them home and write stories to go with the pictures. By the fifth grade, I was writing little stories for extra credit. And sometime in junior high school I heard the Beatles song Paperback Writer and thought, ‘Yeah, that’s what I’m going to do.’ I remember writing a high school romance not long after. Years later I reread it and wondered just what the heck I’d been thinking LOL

I’ve read romance novels since I was about twelve. I thought they were adventure stories! And who wouldn’t with swashbuckling tales of the high sea and swarthy heroes? But it wasn’t until I was in my early twenties that I finally said, ‘Right! I’m going to try it.’ I bought a yellow legal pad, a box of pencils and a sharpener, and wrote the bones of my first book in longhand. I borrowed mom’s electric typewriter about midway through, typed up what I’d handwritten, and continued to finish the story. I was quite proud of myself. I still have that book, though it’s been retyped and saved on disc to follow me from one computer to the next. It was a great story, one I’d like to break out again someday and rewrite with all of the knowledge and skill I’ve learned over the years.

Once I’d typed THE END on my first book, I couldn’t wait to start the next, and so it went for a few years until I got up the nerve to share some of my writing. Encouraged, I started submitting.

Meanwhile, my ‘day jobs’ have been varied over my life. I’ve done a little of everything, or so it seems: I pumped gasoline in my family’s service station and rebuilt a car motor or two; I received a diploma in pet nutrition, worked in the pet business and ran a canine obedience business; I worked in specialty hotels; and I even worked for Clint Eastwood (true story!). While I loved all the jobs I’ve had in my life, none of them led to a writing career until I moved to Ireland.

I’m a bit trigger happy with a camera and I’m an avid castle huntress, and I love research. Put those things together and I started publishing articles for a travel site. I’ve learned so much about Irish history since I moved here, but writing those articles taught me even more. There’s something satisfying about being on a historical site, knowing what happened there, knowing about the people and walking in the same places they did, or being in the same rooms where they lived, or died. And one of the best things that came out of writing those articles, aside from honing my writing skills, was seeing a story develop in my head with every new fact I gleaned from the internet and text books. Fun stuff.

I also started reviewing books around 1995. It, too, helped me develop as a writer. Writing the dreaded synopsis is a lot like writing a review. A review includes a very succinct breakdown of the book—the hero and heroine, their conflict and hint of the resolution. That’s basically what a synopsis is, and when I get frustrated trying to write one, I always make myself sit back and remember what I learned reviewing. I don’t review as much as I used to, but occasionally if I find an exceptional read, I’ll write up a review and put it on my blog. It helps me stay in practice for both reviewing and the dreaded synopsis.

My personal path to publishing seems to have been fraught with inexperience, timing and, Okay, I’ll admit it . . . laziness. (I really dislike the submission process—I just want to write!) Even though I was publishing travel articles, I was still unsuccessful in fiction.

Then a friend asked me to contribute a couple romantic short stories to a new publisher who was compiling an anthology for charity. I’d never written short stories before and gave it a go. The publisher loved them. I ended up writing a handful of short stories for a few romance anthologies, and because they were so well received with readers, my publisher then asked to submit a novel length romance, which I did. It was published the following year. It also received great feedback.

I’ve attempted writing erotica before, but the story always got in the way. But as I read more erotica I realized the story didn’t have to suffer just because there was more sex than in a romance novel. So I did some research and wrote Awakening. To my surprise, when it was completed, I was invited to submit to another publisher who accepted it right away. Normally, a book goes from acceptance to publication in twelve to eighteen months so I was very surprised when Awakening was slated for publication within three months! I shouldn’t have been surprised though. Tirgearr Publishing published one of my romance short stories last year and they turned it around quickly. I just didn’t expect this soon.

I’m very grateful to have had so many great writing experiences in my life. My ‘voice’ has grown with each new lesson I’ve learned along the way. I’ve met some wonderful people on my writing journey and made some lifelong friends. And I’m hoping I’ve met a few more of them here today.

Thanks for letting me prattle along!

~ Scarlett

“What’s a little bondage between friends?”

www.scarlett-valentine.com

Available now – Awakening, book one of The ABCs of S-E-X: Love by the Letter series

Krishna says:

Thanks Ms. Scarlett for being here today. Thank you for sharing your journey to being the author that you are right now. I don't know about the readers of my blog, but I really enjoyed reading your post. It's fascinating and amazing how your hard work and love for writing paid off in the end. And now, you're full fledged author! And not just an author but a great one! I hope your post inspired a lot of writers/authors who wants their books to be published.

BOOK BLURB:

Ysbail of Ellesmere is a pawn in her guardian's war. For decades there has been unrest between the marcher lords and Owain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd, King of Gwynedd. The most recent war had been the bloodiest she could remember in her eighteen years. Madog ap Maredudd, Prince of Powys, and his allies lost untold numbers of men at the hands of Owain's soldiers. When a settlement of truce is presented to Madog, it's at Ysbail's expense. She is to marry Bedwyr ap Owain, one of King Owain’s bastard sons, and his most notorious henchman. If all the rumors and stories she's heard are true, she knows her marriage will be rife with horror and fear.

Since proving himself worthy with his sword, Bedwyr fights at his king's side. He's shed oceans of blood and sent untold numbers of men to their graves. He's become what his name foretold—the grave-knower. He's afraid of nothing, least of all death. All men fear him, including those who fight at his side, and sometimes even his own king. Terror of him lives within women's hearts; only the bravest of whores accept him into their beds. And children weave their own tales of the monster they hear him to be, embellishing the details to their own gruesome degrees.

When King Owain informs Bedwyr that he's to marry Ysbail of Ellesmere as part of a peace settlement with Madog, Bedwyr is furious. A man such as Bedwyr can only survive on the battlefield. For without love, hatred will send a man like him to the edge of insanity. Then push him over. But when Bedwyr sees Ysbail for the first time, blood-thirst turns to blood-lust, and he vows to show her that she should have no fear of him.

More About the Author:

Scarlett Valentine is the alter ego of award-winning romance author, Kemberlee Shortland. Together they write Erotomance -- Erotic Romance.

Originally from Northern California, Scarlett has spent the last fourteen years living in Ireland. She's traveled extensively through Ireland and Wales. When she's not writing, she can often be found castle hunting.

Scarlett's stories cross subgenres to explore hetero, gay and bisexual relationships in a series of stories that include time periods from historicals and contemporaries, futuristics and science fiction, paranormal and suspense, and more.

Awakening is the first book in The ABCs of S-E-X: Love by the Letter series and is available 2 November 2011 though Highland Press.

www.scarlett-valentine.com

www.theabcsofsex.com

www.facebook.com/ScarlettValentine

www.twitter.com/theabcsofsex

GIVEAWAY:

Good News my loves.. Ms. Scarlett Valentine is giving away $25 Amazon Gift Card and plus she will occasionally give surprise prizes to other lucky commenters on the tour! For more chances of winning just follow this tour. The more you comment, the more chances you'll have. You can check out more about this in here.

Follow the tour in here: