Sunday 28 September 2014

Audio/Book Review of The Boots My Mother Gave Me by Brooklyn James



Book Title: The Boots My Mother Gave Me 
Genre: YA/Coming Of Age/Romance
Pages: 280
Audio Book Run Time: 9 Hrs 57 Mins
Author: Brooklyn James
Date Published: 9 August 2010 (Kindle) 20 August 2014 (Audio)

Synopsis:

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk through life in someone else's shoes?

Strong-willed tomboy Harley LeBeau puts you in the boots her mother gave her, as she takes you along her journey of escape from an abusive childhood and the desire to find herself as she comes of age. Made to feel a burden to her father simply by her gender, Harley is determined to prove her worth and independence, leaving the small town she grew up in and the one boy who gave her a soft place to fall, Jeremiah Johnson. Torn between saving herself and abandoning her mother and younger sister, Harley chooses her own life in hopes they will choose theirs, too.

A mature, candid read for everyone. A must for women. The Boots My Mother Gave Me explores the dynamics of abuse and dysfunction, the courage to overcome, the strength in sisterhood, and the ongoing conflict and unconditional love between mothers and daughters.

Climb into Charlene the Chevelle for a fast-paced story about a girl who is tough enough to survive and tender enough to learn to trust in love.




  Review:


The Boots My Mother Gave MeThe Boots My Mother Gave Me by Brooklyn James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Updated Review:

Review 6******

I was given a copy of this book in audio format by the author in return for an honest review.

This is a very emotionally charged story that touched me deeply, and had me hooked from the first page.

Harley Le Beau is a very strong character. She has had to be, to cope with the verbal and physical abuse perpetrated by her father.
The one constant in her life is her mother, sister and her next door neighbour, Jeremiah Johnson.

Jeremiah (or as Harley calls him, Miah) Johnson is a wonderful character. He hasn't had a wonderful childhood either, but he is kind, honourable and gentle. I fell in love with him a little bit too.

Having previously read and reviewed this book in 2012, I was eager to listen to this story in audio format narrated by the author. I loved Brooklyn James's narration of the story and found her voice extremely pleasant to listen to. I also loved the songs and music, sung and played by her interspersed through the story, which brought Harley's character more to life. Reading lyrics to songs is a completely different experience to listening to them and how they are meant to be sung. They brought out a plethora of emotions in me, much more than just reading a story could ever do. I do love listening to country music with a catchy tune and great lyrics, so I wouldn't mind getting a CD or MP3 download of these songs to listen to on their own.

This older YA story is like a biography of Harley's life. It follows about 10 years or so of her life, after being thrown out by her abusive father. It is a very poignant tale. I loved the interaction between Harley and Jeremiah. It shows that love can bloom even in the most damaged of hearts. This is a very difficult book to read, especially if you have gone through something similar. However, this book deserves to be read, as Harley's voice needs to be heard. Harley's journey is full of ups and downs, love and hate, anger and forgiveness. The reader is swept up in the emotional roller coaster that is Harley's life. There are some really humourous scenes that made me giggle, but there are also some scenes that had me bawling my eyes out. Though there is mention of sex in this book, it is tastefully done and is not explicit or erotic in any way. Some of the subjects in this book are very difficult to listen to, never mind read, but Harley's journey in trying to find herself and what she wants with her life, combined with the love/hate relationship with her father, makes this book a MUST READ.

Brooklyn James has written a story that has stayed with me for two years, but listening to it reminded me how powerfully this book affected me. I love her fast paced writing style, and the flow was wonderful. I am now looking forward to reading her other books as soon as I can.

Due to the mention of alcohol abuse, as well as physical abuse, I do not recommend this book to younger readers, or those of a sensitive nature. However, I highly recommend this book if you love older YA, Coming of Age and Romance genres. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


            

Blog Tour: Promo & Giveaway - Unclaimed by Laurie Wetzel

Untitled.jpg


Today, I am pleased to be part of the blog tour for Laurie Wetzel's newest book, Unclaimed. Please check it out and enter the giveaway below:



unclaimed cover1.jpg


Book name- Unclaimed by Laurie Wetzel
 Genre- YA Paranormal Romance
Release date-8/11/2014

Synopsis

Abandoned by her birth parents and ignored by her adoptive family, Maddy Page believes she is unlovable. She only allows herself to dream of falling in love. That changes when she meets MJ; handsome and kind, MJ penetrates Maddy's defenses. Maddy soon finds herself confiding in MJ like she has with no one else, revealing secrets even her closest friends don't know. He makes her feel safe--a feeling she's never experienced except in her dreams. When Maddy witnesses MJ disappear and reappear in thin air, she realizes she might have been wrong about him. He could be dangerous--maybe even a killer. Determined to uncover the truth of who--or what--MJ is, Maddy ignores her instinct to run. But she soon realizes that getting close to MJ could cost more than a broken heart--it could cost Maddy her soul.

Buy Links-


Teasers







 Excerpts

 Excerpt 1

My entire body pulses in the wake of his touch. His words “if you were mine” keep circling around in my head, and with each rotation, something inside me grows. He makes me feel happy and less broken. I feel I could take on the world as long as he’s beside me. Whatever he is, I don’t care. I’ve never felt anything like this, and I’ll go to Hell and back to keep it. Regardless of what happens to me, I have to protect him. I have to keep him safe, always. He grins and squeezes my hand again. My body responds with such intensity, I almost feel as if I were floating. I don’t want it to ever stop. I want to stay strong. I want to be brave. I want to feel safe. He gives me all of that. I want to hold him forever, even if it’s only his hand. “Tomorrow,” he says, pulling me from my thoughts. “I’ll find a way to see you.” “Promise?”

 Excerpt 2

All I want now is to be near her—but that could be the very thing that kills her. “If you care for her, you’ll leave this house and never see her again. If she dies and she’s unknown to Heaven, that’s it. This otherworldly girl will either be sentenced to Hell or cease to exist. Can you face eternity knowing you brought that fate to her?” All the air rushes out of my body as the weight of her life once again rests on my soul. I turn back to her, memorizing as much as I can about her—the way her soft arms wrap around her torso, the color of her eyes that match the emerald gemstone still in my pocket, and soft pink lips I never got to touch. Goodbye, my Maddy. I stand and find the strength to walk out the door and leave the best thing that has ever happened to me.

 Excerpt 3

 My heart flutters. I really do like MJ. I blush and pop a few grapes into my mouth. As ecstatic as that makes me feel, I still don’t know, fully, if I can trust him—not until I know what he is. “So … you still haven’t answered my original question. Government experiment, superhero, or something else. Which is it?” He sighs, shaking his head. “I wasn’t created in a lab somewhere.” “What about an alien?” “No.” “Mutant?” “No.” “Warlock?” “Wouldn’t that fall under the category of magician?” “Magicians are usually fake. Warlocks and witches could be real. So are you one?” “No.” Stumped, I rest my chin on my hand and huff in exasperation. “Give up?” he asks. “No. But I’ve made some good progress on my list.” “You have a list?” “Uh huh.” I toss a few more grapes into my mouth. “Of what you think I might be?” I nod. “I don’t suppose you could just let it go?” I narrow my eyes at him. “If I did a bunch of crazy things that you couldn’t explain, would you let it go?” He smirks and shakes his head. “You win.

Author bio

Laurie Wetzel has always had a passion for writing, but it wasn’t until a New Years Resolution in 2011 that she finally shared her lifelong dream of being an author with her husband. He read the very first draft of Unclaimed and gave her the words she needed to hear, “This is what you need to be doing.” Three years later the first book in the Unclaimed series was published with the second book expected to be out in 2015. Laurie lives in Mankato, MN, with her husband and two young sons. When she’s not writing, working, or spending time with her family, she’s either reading, running, or catching up on her favorite shows on Netflix. For updates on the Unclaimed series as well as other works in progress, feel free to check her out online!




GIVEAWAY!!

There is a huge giveaway happening with the blog tour for signed paperback of Unclaimed, Pens, Bookmarks and Posters! Enter below:

Wednesday 24 September 2014

Book Review of A Diary's House: Where True Love Endures by C. David Murphy



Book Title: A Diary's House: Where True Love Endures 
Genre: YA/Coming Of Age/Historical Romance
Pages: 478
Author: C. David Murphy
Date Published: 1 August 2012

Synopsis:

A Diary's House is about adventure, lost love, and the hope that dreams, even those in the final years of life, can at last prevail. It is of a young boy’s attempt to become a man, the once-lost secrets of a diary, a sweeping romance which transcends time and place. It is more than a boy’s journey into manhood, but the mysteries of so many lives unknowingly intertwined, now brought together in a climatic ending; all from the engrossing world embedded in a forgotten diary; a diary of a woman.

Born in the vast and looming mountains of North Carolina during the 1870’s, Landon Hampshire always remembered the folklore and legendary tales his father told him during his early childhood; about the people of the Kituhwa (Cherokee) and the birth of this tribal nation – an enchanting story he could never forget. Incorporating the aid of an eccentric old French trapper (old man Montague), Landon and his friends set out on an adventure, their initial intention is to discover treasure and become men. But what Landon will eventually come to discover is more than he ever bargained for.

Landon didn't realize his boyhood adventure would yield the incredible journey he ultimately experiences - going down the mysterious and mystical Randola River. At the base of the river is an island even more mysterious than the Randola itself.

The island releases many of its mysterious, yet even many more are created when Landon discovers, on the island, a diary of a young woman who lived forty years prior during the 1830’s (Trail of Tears). The diary entries are hopeful, though haunting. It reveals, in intimate detail, the life and dreams of this very special young girl who is turning into a woman of beauty and adventure, her love for a Cherokee boy, and the trials she will ultimately face. Her story unfolds through the reading of her diary, and Landon suddenly finds himself caught up in a sweeping, empowering world of re-invention and ultimate redemption.


Review:


A Diary's HouseA Diary's House by C. David Murphy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

This is an interesting coming of age story. I really enjoyed it.

Landon Hampshire is a very interesting character. He is a thirteen year old son of a well respected family living in Windrow Heights in North Carolina. I really liked this young lad. He is a curious and sensitive boy, but in a hurry to grow up. In the process, he ends up in the biggest adventure of his life.

I was not sure, when I was approached to read this book, whether or not to read it, as this type of story is not my normal genre. I decided to give it a try however, and I was pleasantly surprised because I really did enjoy it. I did find the story a bit slow and laborious, especially at the beginning and I nearly gave up on it, but I kept going. The second half of the story gathers pace and gets quite exciting! I know that people, way back in time, had a totally different attitude and even a more formal speech pattern to today, but I found Landon's "voice" seemed older than it should have been. Granted, this may have been because he was an older man recounting this tale. However, the formal speech did help me get into the time frame better, even though sometimes I felt like I was wading in treacle and feeling a bit lost. The scenes were written with a wonderful descriptiveness that brought it to life. I really loved the Randola raft scene; it was exciting and nerve wracking. The only problem I had was trying to decide if this story was an adventure, horror, ghost story or romance, as there were all of these elements mixed in it, which took me on a roller coaster ride of emotion. This book also has a lot of myths and history of the Cherokee people who lived in the region 50 years previously. Landon, during one of his adventures, finds a diary of a young woman. This diary is, in it's own way, a historical account of what happened to the Cherokee nation in what would be later known as the "Trail of Tears", though it is first and foremost a memoir of a young girl growing up and falling in love. However, the diary is much more than that and, as I read the entries, together with Landon, I finally understood the significance of it and Landon's relationship to it, as well as his destiny. I did find myself in tears on more than one occasion, so I recommend having a tissue handy. There are several twists and turns in this tale that surprised me and, by the end of the book, I was an emotional wreck.

C. David Murphy has written a coming of age story that touched me deeply. I didn't really care for the rather slow start to the story, but the second half's exciting pace made up for it. This difference in pace also slightly affected the flow, but once the author gained confidence in his writing, the flow evened out beautifully. I would definitely consider reading another one of this author's books in the future.

I recommend this book if you love YA/coming of age, adventure, romance or historical fiction genres. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


              

Tuesday 23 September 2014

Book Blitz & Giveaway: The Boy I Love by Nina de Gramont

The Boy I Love Blitz Banner


The Boy I Love by Nina de Gramont
Publication Date: September 2, 2014 

Purchase from AmazonPurchase from B&NPurchase from Kobo  


Synopsis

When the boy you love asks you to keep his greatest secret, do you? A thought-provoking, achingly complex novel about prejudice and the many meanings of love from Nina de Gramont, author of Meet Me at the River, which Kirkus Reviews called a “must-read.” Sixteen-year-old Wren has been content to stay in her best friend Allie’s shadow. It doesn’t bother her that Ally gets the cutest guys, the cutest clothes, and even a modeling gig—Wren is happy hanging with the horses on her family’s farm and avoiding the jealousy of other girls. But when Tim, the most intriguing guy in school, starts hanging out with Ally and Wren, jealousy is unavoidable, but not the kind Wren expects. Because even though Ally is way into him and Wren hasn’t flirted, not one little bit, it becomes increasingly clear that Tim prefers Wren’s company above anyone else’s. Tim’s unexpected devotion comes at the exact time Wren’s home life is about to be turned upside down. But at least there is Tim...always a gentleman and ever dependable. But as his own seemingly perfect world comes spiraling down around him and he tells Wren his biggest secret, Wren must decide what she’ll really do for love.
Add to Goodreads


EXCERPT #1

The next morning, sure enough, Dad and I took his Jeep down to meet the bus. He let me drive. I kind of hoped he’d let me drive all the way to school. Even though I’d turned sixteen last week, I still only had a learner’s per- mit, so I needed a licensed driver in the car with me. But when I suggested this to Dad, he said, “You made a deal, Wren.”

I tried not to snort at this. The deal: I’d promised that if they let me switch schools, I would take the bus every day. Dad thought it would be good for me to have to get to the end of the road on time, because in his opinion I had problems with punctuality. He also said that even after I got my license, it would be a good while before they would be comfortable with me driving into Williamsport on my own. Overprotective, like I said. Still, even if I did have my license, we didn’t exactly have money lying around for an extra car, so there hardly seemed a point in hurrying down to the DMV.

While we waited for the bus, Dad told me that the biologists and forest service people needed to decide whether they should move the alligator or let the species expand its territory. No matter what they decided, I wasn’t sure if I would ever walk down the road by myself again. And thanks to Mr. Alligator, I knew my days of swimming in the Cutty River were over for good, even if the mercury rose to two hundred degrees.

But guess what? When I got on the bus, it turned out I’d become a celebrity! It seemed everyone on the bus had heard about our alligator. Who knew so many kids watched the news? Even the people who hadn’t seen me on TV knew about it. Practically everyone leaned out the open windows, trying to look down the river and spot the gator. When I sat down and the bus pulled away, about ten kids—most of them juniors and seniors—crowded around, asking me questions. I told them about how that loquat fell off the tree and then I saw the alligator floating in the water. I held my hands out wide to show them how big it was, wiggling my fingers to show it was even longer than my arms would go.

“God,” one girl said. “I would’ve run so fast!”

“That’s what I did,” I told her. “My dad said I looked like the Bionic Woman coming up the driveway.” I didn’t mention that I’d screamed for my mom the whole way.

During this conversation, I noticed one guy hanging over the seat a couple of rows closer to the driver, watching me. It kinda seemed like he was more interested in me than what I said about the alligator. Not knowing I would be getting so much attention today, I hadn’t put much effort into what I was wearing. I had on a sleeveless Fresh Produce sundress that essentially looked like an oversize T-shirt, and my hair was in a sloppy ponytail. It took a full minute for me to realize that it was Tim Greenlaw looking at me. Not only that, but Allie had been right: He was much taller and even cuter than he’d been at the Cutty River School. Tim Greenlaw looked like he’d spent the whole summer surfing at Wilbur Beach, with this super- blond hair that flopped across his forehead, and the perfect number of freckles. And he had a very smiley way about him, even when he wasn’t smiling. That might not make any sense, but I think it had something to do with his eyes. For some reason he always just looked like a happy person, thinking secret happy thoughts.

Tim saw me staring back at him and waved.

“Hey, Wren,” he said.

Because I am an idiot who never thinks before she speaks, I blurted out, “You remember me?” He smiled, a slow and self-aware smile like he was used to turning girls into morons.

“Well, sure,” he said. “I didn’t get amnesia after Cutty River.” I think he felt bad for me when my face turned red, because he added, “Also, I saw you on the news last night.”

It was nice of him to try, but that didn’t help. My cheeks burned all the way into Williamsport.

About the Author

Nina de Gramont

Nina de Gramont is the novel of two previous novels for teens, Every Little Thing in the World and Meet Me at the River, as well as two books for adults, Of Cats and Men and Gossip of the Starlings. She lives with her husband and daughter in coastal North Carolina.


IndieSage PR

Audio/Book Review of Beautiful Redemption: Caster Chronicles, Book 4



Book Title: Beautiful Redemption (Beautiful Creatures #4)
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Pages: 479
Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Date Published: 23 October 2012

Synopsis:

Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?
Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.
Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.

Review:


Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles, #4)Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the fourth and final book in the Beautiful Creatures saga. I loved it!

I downloaded this book in audio format, as I wanted to read it, but didn't have time to. Having this book in audio format allowed me to listen to it whilst doing household chores, or before bedtime.
The story is again narrated by Kevin T. Collins, but this time he is joined by Khristine Hvam. Both narrators do a fantastic job bringing the characters alive by giving them their own accents and voices.

Ethan Wate is an extremely interesting character. I liked him very much. He is a sweet, loving young man, who happens to be a human in love with a Caster. This, it turns out, can be extremely dangerous.

Lena Duchannes is a character I didn't really like in the first book. She had a "woe is me" attitude that really grated on my nerves. However, as this series has progressed, she has grown on me and it has been interesting to see her transformation from an emo-girl to a confident Caster.

This story continues from the rather shocking cliffhanger at the end of the third book, and is now told from two points of view - Ethan's and Lena's. This is an exciting conclusion to this series. I was hooked from the first few minutes into the audio book.

Lena, Link, Liv and Amma are all trying to come to terms with Ethan's sacrifice to repair the order of things on the Eighteenth Moon, whilst hiding the fact that he's dead from Ethan's father. Meanwhile, Ethan finds himself in the Other World, with his mother and Aunt Prue. Ethan finds out that his page in the Caster Chronicles had been tampered with, and sets out on a quest to reclaim it.

This story is even more exciting than the previous one, and I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat on occasion. There was, however, a character I didn't expect to find in the Other World, Seraphine. She may have been a dark Caster, and made some bad decisions in her life, but I felt that she redeemed herself in the end. There are also some new characters brought into the story, such as Amma's family - the Greats - Uncle Abner, Aunt Ivy, Aunt Delilah, Twila and not forgetting Grandmama Sulla, the great prophet. It was nice to finally meet them. But, I think that my favourite character in this book was Xavier. He is a character that I really liked, but felt sorry for. He has not had an easy life, thanks to Angelus, one of the Keepers of the Caster Chronicles. I did have an unanswered question or two about Xavier, but that was my only bugbear with the story. Angelus was introduced briefly in Beautiful Chaos. As I found out more about Angelus I decided that he was definitely not someone I would like to meet.

As the story unfolded, I was cheering for not only Ethan, but for Lena and the gang as they set off on a quest of their own. The story was fast paced and exciting most of the time, but it also tended to slow down in places. However, this didn't totally stop my enjoyment of the book. It was a roller coaster ride of adventure and emotion from beginning to end. When I did finally reach the end, I found it to be bittersweet; I was happy with the ending, but sad that it had finished. I will miss these characters, mostly Link and Ethan I have to say, but I could always visit them again by re-listening or re-reading the books.

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl make a great writing team. Their writing style has improved a lot since the first book, and it is more fast paced. The story also flows a lot better. I would definitely read more of their books in the future.

I highly recommend this book if you love YA or Paranormal Romances. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


               

Friday 19 September 2014

Book Review of The Cost of Crude by Inge-Lise Goss



Book Title: The Cost of Crude
Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Suspense
Pages: 290
Author: Inge-Lise Goss
Date Published: 8 May 2014

Synopsis:

Gwynn Reznick's life is shattered when her best friend and co-worker at Wilton Oil & Gas Company dies in a car crash. She doubts it was an accident. Her suspicion is confirmed when a private investigator, Ruben Dordi, shows up at her door. His team has discovered a trail of unusual deaths and disappearances among Wilton employees. To make matters worse, Gwynn is under constant surveillance by those responsible for her friend's death. But that doesn't deter her from getting involved in the investigation. Danger lurks in every corner of the Wilton Tower. One false move could turn a risky situation into a death trap. As the investigation team digs deeper, they begin to unravel a sinister plot that threatens a catastrophic pipeline disaster. Will they solve the crime before it is too late?

Review:


The Cost of CrudeThe Cost of Crude by Inge-Lise Goss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was recommended this book by a friend. I read the blurb and, having read another book by this author, decided to give it a try. I am glad I did, because I loved it!

Gwynn Reznick is a character I really liked. She is a strong, determined and courageous lady. I would love to have her as a best friend.

Oil is a commodity that has revolutionized our modern society. We use it on a daily basis in several products made from it, we heat our houses with it and use it to fuel cars, aeroplanes and factories. It is a fossil fuel that has taken millions of years to make in the Earth's womb. Because we are using this precious resource faster than the Earth can make it, greed and the lust for power over it has driven men into desperate acts, including fighting wars, for possession it.

This story is an exciting, fast paced thriller that caught and held my attention from the first page. The story is told through various characters' points of view, which I found very interesting. Each character came alive on the page. I liked meeting Ruben Dordi, who is very good at his job as a private investigator. He is a very complex character, who takes his job very seriously. He is a great team leader and a fair man. I would have loved to see a bit more of the story through his eyes, but as Gwynn is the main character in the story, it wasn't to be. Nevertheless, I was a little surprised that Gwynn was allowed to sit through the team briefings; this wouldn't be normal business practice for a private investigator to do. That being said, the story was full of twists and turns that were masterfully woven into a thrilling tale of greed and corruption. There were a few places in the book where I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat! I don't think I would have been as brave as Julie, who knew that her actions could get her killed, but she still did it anyway. And I know that I wouldn't have been able to do what Gwynn did by helping with the investigation. I'm not sure I'm that brave!
There is one scene in the book where my heart felt like it had stopped, because it completely took me by surprise; just like Gwynn, I didn't see it coming! The ending was bittersweet for me, because I was happy that the case was solved, but sad to say goodbye to Gwynn and Ruben. This story would look great on the big screen or on TV, because I could picture it with ease.

Inge-Lise Goss has written an intriguing thriller full of danger, mystery and suspense. As mentioned above, this is the second story I have read by this author, and I find her writing greatly improved compared to the first book. I love her fast paced writing style and the flow of the story was wonderful. I am now looking forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Due to some violence, although not too graphic, I do not recommend this book to younger readers. However, I highly recommend this book if you love thrillers full of mystery, suspense, danger, action, adventure and romance. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


               

Monday 15 September 2014

Cover Reveal: Her Avenging Angel (Her Angel Romance Series Book 7) by Felicity Heaton

Today, I am pleased to be part of the cover reveal for Felicity Heaton's seventh book in the Her Angel Series, Her Avenging Angel. I think this cover is fantastic! Not only that, I am looking forward to reading this! The excerpt enclosed is mouthwatering!

 Without further ado, here it is:





Her Avenging Angel (Her Angel Romance Series Book 7)
Felicity Heaton

Once a proud angel of Heaven, Nevar is now a servant of Hell, bound to a new master—the King of Demons. Consumed by darkness and driven to seek revenge, he set in motion a series of events that awakened the Great Destroyer, a force that will bring about the apocalypse. Now, he is the creature’s master and the fate of our world rests in the hands of an angel with only darkness in his heart.

Lost in the mortal realm without any recollection of how she came to be there, Lysia is only aware that she has survived a great battle. When she stumbles into a demon bar, she finds more than a chance to discover what happened to her—she finds a dark and deadly angel warrior who stirs fire in her veins and awakens soul-searing passion she cannot deny.

With the mounting threat of the Great Destroyer, the forces of Heaven and Hell against him, and a band of dangerous angels intent on capturing Lysia on his heels, can Nevar protect the beautiful woman who is light to his darkness and find the strength to save the world?

Read on for a sneak preview of Her Avenging Angel!

Her Avenging Angel is due for release in ebook and paperback on October 11th 2014 and will be available from all major online book retailers. Pre-order links available soon at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/her-avenging-angel-romance-book.php

Join Felicity’s mailing list to receive a notification when Her Avenging Angel is released, PLUS a sneak preview of the first 6 chapters of the book and chances to WIN a signed paperback copy: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/newsletter.php

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf at: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20940849-her-avenging-angel

Books in the Her Angel paranormal romance series:
Book 1: Her Dark Angel – FREE in ebook at selected retailers


EXCERPT

Lysia hovered by the entrance of the inn, unsure whether to enter or leave. Her stomach gurgled again, making her decision for her. She had to stay. There were colourful glass bottles lining the wall to her right and demons there were serving drinks to people who lined a long black bar. If they had mead and other liquids then perhaps they had food for her.

She moved deeper into the room and everyone turned to stare at her, their eyes wide. She frowned at them all. Why did they stare? She thought them all strange but she wasn’t being rude by staring at them. If she hadn’t been so hungry, she would have asked them, or forced them to tell her the reason.

She pushed through a group of male demons, all of which were wearing their human forms, and they turned on her. Their growls died as their eyes fell on her and they parted, staring as she passed.

Lysia leaned against the tacky black bar top.

A man walked over to her, tossed a rag over his shoulder, and smiled.

“What’ll it be?”

“I require sustenance.”

He frowned, a puzzled edge to his dark eyes, and shook his head.

Lysia tried again. “I must eat.”

He waved his right hand and another man joined him, a blond with pale eyes.

“Problem?” the blond said.

“Not getting this one,” the brunet responded.

The blond raked his eyes over her, his right brow quirking. “Taking things a bit far, aren’t we? You want something?”

She nodded. “I need sustenance.”

He looked at his friend and shrugged. “I don’t understand her.”

What was there to understand? She only wanted food.

Blood.

The two men walked away, serving others who seemed to have no problem ordering what they desired and receiving it. She cursed them and everyone who communicated with them with ease. While she could understand many languages, she could write and speak only one. Without being able to speak to the serving staff, she had no chance of getting blood.

A woman beside her cast a glance her way, looked down at herself, and slipped off her seat and walked away, disappearing into the heavy crowd.

Lysia sighed, perched herself on the seat, and leaned on the bar with her forehead resting on her arms. She was warmer inside this noisy inn but still hungry, and still tired. She needed to feed. How?

A male stopped to her left.

She turned her head towards him and ran her eyes up from the waist of his impeccable crisp black suit to his shoulders and then his face. Vampire. She knew his kind and could see through his façade to the wretched monster beneath. He smiled, his fangs on show to her and his pale blue eyes swirling with ill intentions.

“Having trouble?” The dark-haired vampire leaned his left elbow on the bar beside her and she sat up.

She nodded. “I need to order blood.”

He frowned at her and her heart sank. He didn’t understand her either.

“What language is that? I’m afraid I’m not familiar with it. Can you mime what you want?” He shifted closer and she focused hard on every word he said, listening closely so she could grasp the words he used and use them too.

He smiled a little wider, and shifted a little closer. His gaze drifted down to her chest and back up again.

“Mime?” He made a show of using his hands to make shapes.

She was about to do as he asked when he danced his fingers over her left shoulder.

A cold shiver ran over her flesh and skated down her spine.

Lysia flicked her right wrist and hurled him across the room, scattering the crowd and ripping a few shocked gasps from them.

A male further along the bar looked her way.

She froze as her eyes met his, heat pulsing through her, a visceral throb that reached right down to her bones.

The male was handsome, but darkness clung to him, danger that called to her and lured her to him. There was evil in him.

He would know her tongue.

He raised a glass filled with green liquid and tipped his head, causing threads of his silver-white hair to fall and brush his brow. He swept them back and she caught a brief glimpse of tiny horns above his ears. Her belly flipped and heated.

“Kudos for giving Villandry hell,” he said above the thumping music, his deep rumbling voice doing funny things to her insides and turning her knees to rubber.

She presumed Villandry was the name of the vampire now picking himself up off the floor across the busy room. She wasn’t sure what kudos meant though.

Lysia swallowed her trembling heart, slipped off her seat and approached the pale-haired male with all the confidence she could muster when he was staring at her, his jade eyes burning into her body and setting her aflame.

Rousing strange feelings within her.

She halted beside him.

He swivelled to face her, set his drink down on the bar but kept his left hand on the stem of the elegant glass, and raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you naked?”

He held his right hand out and black material appeared in it. He offered it to her.

Lysia took it and stared at it, unsure what to do with it.

The male huffed, released his drink and stood, managing to tower over her despite the fact she was taller than the other females present. He moved closer to her and took the material back, but she didn’t notice it leaving her hands. The heat radiating from his big body washed over her, cocooning her in warmth and strengthening the feelings stirring in the pit of her belly.

She stared down at the strip of cut, hard muscles visible between the armoured plates around his hips and his breastplate. A warrior. Her heart accelerated. Her breathing quickened. She dragged her eyes back up to his face and found he wasn’t looking at her. He busied himself with slipping her arms into the garment he had made for her and she busied herself with memorising every sculpted plane of his face, from his straight nose and strong jaw, to his firm lips as they compressed into a mulish line.

She inched her gaze up higher, to the stunning jade eyes that were focused on their work with an intensity that made her ache inside with a desire to have them locked on hers with the same ferocity.

They shifted to meet hers and then dropped, a fascinating glimmer of shyness in them that lasted only a heartbeat before coldness swept in to wash it away.

He tugged the material closed over her front and tied a belt around her waist, fastening the garment in place.

“There,” he murmured, “now people will stop looking at you funnily, and you can stop looking at me funnily.”

He stepped back, a scowl darkening his striking eyes. She hadn’t been looking at him strangely. She was merely fascinated by him. Now that she was close to him, she could sense the depth of the darkness within him but something else countered it, something she could only describe as good. There was more to the male before her than she had anticipated, and it made the pull she felt towards him grow stronger.

She looked herself over. The sleeves were too long, concealing her hands, and the material reached her ankles. The garment covered all of her, leaving nothing on show. Had that been his intention?

“What do you want?” he said, bringing her focus back to him.

She lifted her eyes to meet his. “Blood.”

He back peddled, almost falling over his seat, a flicker of something dark crossing his handsome face. His eyes shone pure violet.

He had eyes like hers.

And he understood her.

“Leave me alone,” he barked and snatched up his drink with a shaky hand. He downed it, slammed the glass back onto the bar top, and shoved it forwards, away from him. “I’m not interested.”

Lysia frowned and shrank back. Why was he rejecting her company? He had given her something to wear, had seemed concerned about her, and now he was pushing her away. She clutched the robe over her chest in both hands and risked a step closer to him instead.

“I only desire blood… but I cannot order it.”

His violet gaze darted to her and away again. A shadow settled on his troubled features, turning them grim. He looked down into her eyes for long seconds, stealing all of her attention, sucking it away from the room and her surroundings.

He raised his hand and she flinched away, anticipating the strike.

It didn’t happen.

She squinted, remaining held away from him, and looked up into his eyes.

He cocked a single pale eyebrow and waved his left hand. The brunet male behind the bar came to them. He had been signalling the serving staff.

Lysia grimaced.

She had much to learn about this realm.

“Blood, straight up,” the white-haired male said.

The servant’s expression turned wary and he shifted foot to foot. “I’m not allowed to serve you blood, remember? You made me promise.”

He had? She canted her head, studying both men. Why had the man asked the servant not to give him blood? Did he drink it as she did?

The pale-haired warrior scrubbed a hand down his face and sighed. He pressed both hands into the bar, digging his black claws into the wood, and leaned forwards, closer to the man.

“It is not for me. It is for the woman.”

The brunet shrugged. “She has to order it then.”

The warrior tipped his head back, screwed his eyes shut and sighed, and she felt he was searching for calm. He drew several slow deep breaths before opening his eyes again and fixing them back on the barman.

“I do not think she knows how,” he said.

“I tried, but the man didn’t understand me.” That brought his gaze back to her and she shivered under the intensity of it.

“That would be because you are speaking a language this man doesn’t know… one I don’t have a fucking clue about either but for some godforsaken reason I can understand you.” He shoved his fingers through his hair, clawing it back until it tugged at his forehead, smoothing the skin, and ground his teeth. He released his head, dropped his hands to his sides, and huffed as he leaned over, bringing his face close to hers. “Repeat after me if you desire… blood.”

She nodded, noting that it had taken a lot of effort for him to speak that final word. Why?

She leaned closer to him, trying to shut out the noise of the room so she could hear every syllable that left his lips.

She watched how they moved as he spoke. How his tongue moved. How his teeth moved.

Her focus shattered.

He had fangs.

Made for drinking blood.

Yet he had asked the man not to serve it to him.

And she had asked him to speak of it, something which had evidently pained him.

She stepped back and his pale eyebrows dipped low above his now-green eyes.

“I’m sorry. I have troubled you with my request.” She went to turn away but he caught her arm in a vice-like grip, holding her firm. She looked down at his black fingers around her and the claws that blended into the robe he had given her, and then up into his eyes.

He shook his head and spoke again, slower this time. “A glass of blood, please.”

Lysia swallowed to wet her parched throat and spoke the sounds he had made, repeating them several times over and growing in confidence when he smiled, making her heart flutter in her chest. He nodded and jerked his head towards the brunet behind the bar.

She turned to face him. “A glass of blood, puh-leeese.”

“We’ll work on that last bit,” the warrior muttered beside her, a touch of warmth in his deep voice.

The man nodded. “That’s ten quid.”

Ten quid?

What was a quid and where did she find ten of them?

“Money,” the brunet said.

She looked down at herself. As the warrior had clearly mentioned, and this man knew, she had come here naked. She had no coin.

The warrior huffed and slammed two pieces of reddish paper down on the bar top. “It’s on me. Plus my usual.”

The bartender looked displeased and Lysia feared he wouldn’t give her the blood because the warrior was paying for it, and had requested this man not serve him blood.

She bared her fangs and growled at the brunet, preparing to attack.

“Down girl.” The white-haired warrior caught hold of her arm again, wrapping long fingers around it, and heat blazed through her.

She looked across at him, her eyes wide. He glared at the bartender.

The man heaved a sigh, swiped the money off the bar, and walked away. A sharp spear shot through her heart and she tried to pull away from the warrior to follow the man, afraid he wouldn’t return.

The warrior’s grip on her arm tightened and he pulled her closer, until her backside bumped against his thighs. An achy shiver bolted through her and she spun to face him, catching the shock in his eyes before he covered it. He had felt it too.

“He will be back with your drink and then you can leave me alone,” he said in a gruff tone, released her and sat back on his seat, turning his profile to her.

Lysia’s heartbeat began to climb, awareness of the people around her creeping back in. The vampire was on his feet again and glaring at her. Others stared her way too. Some of them not mortal. She didn’t like how they watched her, not when she was weak.

Only the warrior felt as if he wasn’t a threat to her and that he would protect her rather than seek to harm her.

She didn’t want to leave his side.

The brunet returned as the warrior had said, bringing an elegant glass of green liquid for him and one filled with dark liquid. He set that one down in front of her and moved off to serve another patron.

The warrior eyed her expectantly.

He wanted her to leave.

Lysia sucked down a breath for courage and reminded herself that she was a warrior too and as powerful as any of these beings on her best day. Today was not her best day though and it was wreaking havoc on her courage, leaving her feeling vulnerable. She was injured, starving, and everything around her felt so alien and unfamiliar.

Except for him.

He made her feel safe.

She made sure she had all of his attention before she whispered, “Allow me to stay. The men here mean me harm.”

His face darkened, his jade eyes swirling into blazing violet, and he slid his deadly gaze towards those staring at her.

She felt their eyes leave her.

“Sit,” he growled, more a command than a request, and she obeyed.

She took the stool beside him, swivelled to face the bar and picked up her glass. She sipped the blood, her gums itching and fangs aching to descend. She wanted to gulp it down but it was such a small quantity and she didn’t think the warrior would buy her more.

It wasn’t enough to appease her hunger. It would only take the edge off it.

She would need more and her heart said she knew where she wanted her next meal to come from.

Her gaze slid to the warrior, settling on his strong neck and the pulse hammering there, powerful and steady, a beat that called to her.

She wanted to bite him.


Her Avenging Angel is due for release in ebook and paperback on October 11th 2014 and will be available from all major online book retailers. Pre-order links available soon at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/her-avenging-angel-romance-book.php

Join Felicity’s mailing list to receive a notification when Her Avenging Angel is released, PLUS a sneak preview of the first 6 chapters of the book and chances to WIN a signed paperback copy: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/newsletter.php

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf at: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20940849-her-avenging-angel

Books in the Her Angel paranormal romance series:
Book 1: Her Dark Angel – FREE in ebook at selected retailers


About Felicity Heaton:



Felicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.

If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places:



Audio/Book Review of Beautiful Chaos (Beautiful Creatures #3) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl



Book Title: Beautiful Chaos (Beautiful Creatures #3)
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Pages: 523
Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Date Published: 18 October 2011

Synopsis:

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home from the Great Barrier, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected -- and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What -- or who -- will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it's not Lena -- and the mysterious figure is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself -- forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and he's afraid to ask.

Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

Review:


Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles, #3)Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the Beautiful Creatures saga. I loved it!

I downloaded this book in audio format, as I wanted to read it, but didn't have time to. Having this book in audio format allowed me to listen to it whilst doing household chores, or before bedtime.
The story is again narrated by Kevin T. Collins, who does another fantastic job in bringing the characters alive. He gives each character their own personality and voice.

Ethan Wate is an extremely interesting character. I liked him very much. He is a sweet, loving young man, who happens to be a human in love with a Caster.

Lena Duchannes is a character I didn't really like in the first book. She had a "woe is me" attitude that really grated on my nerves. However, as this series has progressed, she has grown on me. Maybe it has something to do with her attitude change now she has claimed herself.

This story continues from the end of the second book. I liked the fact that this story was again told from Ethan's point of view. I was hooked from the first few minutes of the chapter.

Lena has claimed herself, but in the process "the order of things" has been broken. This means that Gatlin is suffering through a heat wave and an infestation of lubbers (a type of grasshopper similar to a locust). However, this is the least of Ethan's problems. He is still hearing music and finds out that it's a shadowing song (a message from his mother in the Other World). Meanwhile, Link has a problem of his own. After the fight with Abraham Ravenwood and then being bitten by John Breed, Link finds out that he is now an Incubus (he is now calling himself a Linkubus!). I loved this character's attitude to finding out that he is now supernatural. If I was him I would have freaked out a bit more, but I loved his cheerful acceptance; he is one cool dude! I also loved getting to know the Great Aunts better! Their constant bickering made me laugh, but you could feel the love behind their comments and complaints. There are several twists and turns in this story, which kept me enthralled, but there is one HUGE twist that I did, unfortunately, see coming near the end of the book. However, this twist is still shocking in it's finality and left me in tears. I am now looking forward to reading/listening to Beautiful Redemption as soon as possible, to find out what happens next!

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl make a great writing team. Their writing style has improved a lot since the first book, and it is more fast paced. The story also flows better and is much smoother. I would definitely read more of their books in the future.

I highly recommend this book if you love YA or Paranormal Romances. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


              

Sunday 14 September 2014

Mine For Christmas by J.S. Scott (all proceeds made between 14th and 21st September will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)

Simon and Kara are back!

Kara Hudson has been married to her billionaire husband, Simon, for over two years, and she loves him even more desperately than she did when they first married. Unfortunately, there was a distance growing between the two of them, and the passion between them wasn’t flaring as red-hot as it used to burn.  Was it possible that Simon wasn’t as crazy in love with her as he used to be, or did their problems go much deeper than that? 
Simon Hudson loves his wife and his infant daughter so much it hurts.  And he was getting tired of holding back his emotions from his worn-out, exhausted wife who had seen their baby girl through her first year and a half of life without complaint.
Will their differences and emotional distance tear the two of them apart?  Or will a precious gift from Santa help them heal their misunderstandings and have the merriest Christmas they’ve ever had?

Teasers 



From 14th - 21st September 100% proceeds made from this book will be donated to the
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation



J.S. Scott is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of steamy romance. She's an avid reader of all types of books and literature. Writing what she loves to read, J.S. Scott writes both contemporary erotic romance stories and paranormal romance erotics. They almost always feature an Alpha Male and have a happily ever after because she just can't seem to write them any other way!

Please visit me at:  Facebook  Amazon 

Please sign up to Jan's newsletter 
http://eepurl.com/KhsSD