Monday 26 June 2017

Book Review of Throb by Vi Keeland



Book Title: Throb
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Pages: 281
Author: Vi Keeland
Date Published: 25 January 2015

Synopsis:

The rules:

No dating.
No sex outside of the game.
No disclosing the terms of the contract.

Rules were made to be broken, right?

Eight weeks ago I signed a contract. One that seemed like a good idea at the time. A handsome bachelor, luxury accommodations, and a chance to win a prize my family desperately needed. There were some rules though. Lots of them actually. Follow the script, no dating, sex, or disclosing the terms of the deal. After my self-imposed moratorium on men the last year, it wouldn’t be hard to live up to my end of the bargain…so I thought. Until I realized the deal I’d made was with the devil…and I was in love with his dirty-talking brother.

Author's note – Throb is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Review:


Throb (Life on Stage, #1)Throb by Vi Keeland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Review 4.5 rounded up to 5*

This is a stand-alone contemporary romance. I really enjoyed it.

Cooper Montgomery is a wonderful character and I liked him a lot. He is the CEO of a film production company that his father had started. His brother, Miles, has his own company that produces reality TV programmes. When Cooper meets Kate at a poker game, he's immediately attracted to her.

Kate Monroe is also a wonderful character and I liked her too. Her father was a well known poker player. However, due to her father's debts, she signs up for a reality TV show called Throb. When she meets Cooper she is attracted to him, but because of the rules of the show and the contract she signed, she finds herself torn between following the rules or breaking them.

I love reading Vi Keeland's books. I have been a huge fan of this author's ever since I was first introduced to her books in 2013 and I read Belong To You. I downloaded a copy of this book in 2015. Unfortunately, due to my large reading list, I was unable to read it until recently.

I started to read and was quickly hooked. I didn't put this book down until I had finished it.

This book is told through the eyes of both Cooper and Kate, which gives the reader the opportunity to see their thoughts and feelings. The chemistry between Cooper and Kate is extremely explosive from the start and hot enough to scorch the pages. I also loved meeting a few of the other characters who were likeable and lifelike. In fact all the characters were lifelike, with flaws and insecurities which made them more real. Miles came across as a spoilt brat, though he didn't have a lot of page time. I must admit that I liked Flynn Beckham, the bachelor from the TV show. He seemed a really nice guy and I could fall for him myself.

I am not a huge fan of reality TV and I cannot see the appeal of putting on a fake show and calling it "reality". It is not natural or real. Real life is doing household chores, working, raising a family and earning a living the hard way. Not parading around a jungle doing tasks to earn food or sitting in a house full of strangers and again doing tasks to earn specified outcomes, just to earn lots of money and fifteen minutes of fame. Luckily, this book doesn't focus on this aspect, but the relationship between characters who live their lives off camera. The story took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride from beginning to end. I loved the dialogue and the way the characters all interacted; I could picture everything in my mind's eye with ease. As this book is a stand-alone, this book doesn't end in a cliffhanger. Having said that, I am now looking forward to reading Beat when I get the chance.

Vi Keeland has written another exciting erotic romance. I love her writing style, which is fast paced and exciting. The story flowed wonderfully too. I love reading this author's work. She is one of my favourite contemporary romance writers, and I will continue to follow her career with interest.

As this is an erotic romance, there are several scenes of a sexual nature that are rather hot and explicit, as well as some strong language. Therefore, I do not recommend this book for readers younger than 18. However, if you love hot, steamy erotic romances, this book is for you! - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

Purchase Links:


                

About The Author:

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author. With more than a million books sold, her titles have appeared in over fifty Bestseller lists and are currently translated in eight languages. She lives in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

Author Links:


Join Vi's mailing list and read the first chapter of her next book now! ➜ bit.ly/1ykgbwp
Visit her website here ➜ vikeeland.com
Follow her on Twitter here ➜ @vikeeland twitter.com/ViKeeland
Follow her on Instagram ➜ @Vi_Keeland instagram.com/Vi_Keeland/

Wednesday 21 June 2017

Cover Reveal: Turned by a Tiger (Eternal Mates Paranormal Romance Series Book 12) by Felicity Heaton @FelicityHeaton



Turned by a Tiger (Eternal Mates Paranormal Romance Series Book 12) by Felicity Heaton – Cover Reveal





Turned by a Tiger (Eternal Mates Romance Series Book 12)
Felicity Heaton


On the verge of bleeding out and hunted by his merciless torturers, Talon has no choice but to seek sanctuary at Underworld, a nightclub run by a jaguar shifter liable to kill him on sight for being a tiger shifter male. What he finds in the old warehouse isn’t the grim shadow of Death though but an angel of mercy, one who offers him salvation and revenge—one who happens to be his fated mate.

Tending bar at Underworld is never dull when you’re a mortal surrounded by immortals, but when a gorgeous tiger shifter covered in blood stumbles into the club, and set’s fire to her boss’s temper, Sherry’s entire world is in danger of being turned on its head. Something about the mysterious warrior has her stepping in to save him, something that ignites her heart and stirs her soul, and no matter how fiercely she fights it, she can’t hold herself back.

When Talon reveals the name of his captors, and his plan to head back in to save his friends, will Sherry be brave enough to embrace the feelings he stirs in her and step deeper into the world of immortals? And will Talon be strong enough to resist the lure of Sherry to protect his family’s secret or will he risk everything to claim his eternal mate?








The special sneak preview for Turned by a Tiger begins on June 25th, exclusive to Felicity’s mailing list. Every subscriber is entered into the giveaway to win a signed personalised paperback copy of Turned by a Tiger, with a chance to win a copy in each of the three exclusive sneak peek chapters being sent out on the 25th, 27th and 29th.

Not only will joining her mailing list ensure you’re in with a chance of winning one of the signed copies of Turned by a Tiger, it means you’ll start receiving her newsletters, where she gives away 2 x $25 Amazon Gift Cards in each issue, and rewards subscribers with exclusive excerpts, teasers, flash fiction and cover reveals, and plenty of fun! Plus, you’ll receive FOUR FREE EBOOKS in her Series Starter Library just for signing up!

Join her newsletter at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/newsletter.php




Sherry knew the appeal of the no-strings-attached style of relationship, normally went in for that herself.

So why did the thought of a roll in the hay with Talon followed by a kiss goodbye leave her cold?

She busied herself with the coffee maker while Talon prowled around the small kitchen, taking up far too much space and making it impossible for her to pretend he wasn’t there and get her head straight.

And her heart.

She blamed it for her sudden desire to have more than a one night stand with a hot guy.

“Milk, Tony?” She poured two mugs of coffee.

He froze with his head in the refrigerator, withdrew and slowly turned towards her, the scowl back in place.

His deep voice rolled through the room, curled around her and did wicked things to her body.

“Talon,” he said with determination, with a hard edge that was both a demand and a command, one that thrilled her as she imagined him ordering her around in the bedroom in that same voice. “Talon. Say it.”

A sudden onset of nerves swept through her as she looked into his hard amber eyes, looked at him for all that he was, and realised that if she said his name, the flimsy barrier she had tried to construct between them by avoiding using it would fall.

Leaving her exposed.

He straightened to his full height, towering over her, at least the same height as Kyter’s six-five. Talon was broader though, heavy with muscle, cutting an imposing figure as he stared her down, silently demanding she do as he wanted.

“Tiger,” she blurted and went to face the coffee mugs again.

Talon moved in a blur of speed, suddenly pressed right against her, and had her cheek in his palm again, bringing her head back around to face his.

“Talon.” His tone could have made diamonds it was so hard, so sharp and pressing.

She swallowed hard, trembling from head to toe as she drowned in his amber eyes, watching the gold shimmering among the amber.

Her mouth turned dry.

She swept her tongue across her lips to wet them.

His gaze fell there, grew hungry and heated, and turned the fire up inside her.

“Talon,” she whispered.

His eyes shot to hers.

His throat worked on a hard swallow.

“Dear gods,” he muttered and just as quickly as he had closed the distance between them, he opened it up again, disappearing into the living room.

She stared at where he had been, reeling from the suddenness of his disappearance, and how shocked he had sounded. How pained.

What the ever living fuck?









Book 1: Kissed by a Dark Prince (Only 99c at all retailers!)





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:


Book Review of Veiled Eyes (Lake People Book 1) by C.L. Bevill



Book Title: Veiled Eyes (Lake People Book 1)
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy/Thriller
Pages: 265
Author: C.L. Bevill
Date Published: 11 September 2010

Synopsis:

A vivid waking dream of giant cypress trees dripping with Spanish moss haunts Anna St. Thais. The trees sit on a black lake that resembles a dark Louisiana bayou with an evocative aura. The dream includes the presence of a man who seems to know Anna all too well and a group of people with strange telepathic powers, sometimes called veiled eyes. An orphan from Texas, she is on her way east to help out a friend when she encounters two terrifying things. Psychically, she begins to see and hear things through the eyes of an unknown individual, a man who knows more about her than she ever would have imagined. The second thing is that she has been kidnapped by a sociopathic trucker intent on making her his latest victim. When she is rescued by Gabriel Bergeron, a member of the elusive Lake People in Northwestern Louisiana, Anna doesn’t realize that he is her psychic counterpart and she has been inexplicably pulled to the area. She shares their strange colored gold eyes and their distinctive mental powers. They are a reclusive lot and know that Anna is one of them, but has been isolated by unknown circumstances. She is drawn into their incomparable world, something between that of the Creoles and Cajuns, and much in addition to those. There Anna finds a romantic link with Gabriel and the spine-tingling fear of not knowing who to trust. Her return has disturbed the inner workings of the group and threatens to expose secrets long concealed in the murky Louisiana bayous. There are secrets to be divulged about her past and why she was spirited away as an infant. Anna isn’t safe until she discovers the answers she so desperately requires.

Review:


Veiled Eyes (Lake People, #1)Veiled Eyes by C.L. Bevill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the Lake People series. I really enjoyed it.

Anna St. Thais is a character I wanted to like. Unfortunately, I found her to be rather naive and annoying at times. She does some really idiotic things. She is an orphan living in Texas and working as a mechanic, but has had visions of a strange place and a young man she has never met with similar coloured eyes as herself. Drawn by the pull of the visions, she finds herself travelling across the country in an attempt to locate him.

Gabriel Bergeron is an interesting character and I liked him a lot more than Anna. He works as a fishing guide on the bayous near to the town of Unknown that houses the clan of Lake People. Psychically linked to Anna since her puberty, he is intrigued by her life in a land completely different to his own. As their link draws her closer to him, he is horrified when she is kidnapped by a psychotic truck driver.

Amazon actually recommended this book to me way back in 2012. I downloaded it, but didn't read it until recently due to my large reading list.

I started to read it and was quickly hooked. However, as I said above about Anna's character, I found myself wanting to either shake her or smack her for being so idiotic. Okay, I get she didn't have much money, but hitch-hiking is risky, especially for a lone woman. What I don't get is that she has a psychic link to Gabriel, but not any type of clairvoyance? What about woman's intuition? However, I think you don't have to be psychic to know that hitch-hiking across the country is a bad idea. Having said that, this part of the story was well written and I connected to Anna emotionally as she faced the harsh reality of her situation.

This story takes the reader on a huge emotional roller coaster ride. There is mystery, danger and romance aplenty. There are several twists to keep a reader guessing and the story had a dark feel to it at times, which had shivers creeping over my skin. There is a thrilling mystery surrounding the Bayou, the citizens and Anna's mother's past. The citizens of Unknown are wary of strangers, even one that looks much like them. I must admit that I did like Camille, Gabriel's sister, and her family. As the story reached its climax, I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to see more of Goujon, the giant catfish that haunts the lake and protects the Lake People. However, he may appear later on in the series. I did feel that the story plot near the end was not as strong as it should have been, though other readers may disagree. I reached the end of the book with mixed feelings. I enjoyed the story, but am not sure if I will continue with the series.

C.L. Bevill has written an intriguing start to the series. I loved her writing style, which is not particularly fast paced, but it still had me turning the pages to find out what happened next. The flow felt a little jerky at times as scenes transitioned, but for the most part it flowed well.

Due to mention of some violence (although not graphic), I do not recommend this book to young readers. I do, however, recommend this book if you love reading supernatural/paranormal thrillers/romances. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

Purchase Links:


              

About The Author:



C.L. Bevill has been in the U.S. Army, cleaned floors, a graphic illustrator, a therapist, and a stay at home mother. She lives in the Alabama area with her husband and daughter and keeps plugging away at the next great American novel.
Bio and photo from Goodreads.

Author Links:

Friday 16 June 2017

#FREE Book Promotion: Survivor (A Soul Mates Novel Book 1) by Victoria Johns @victoriajohns75 @BarnardLaura









FREEBIE!! Grab Survivor, book one in the Soul Mates series, for FREE before the second book, DESERVED, comes out in August 

getBook.at/vjsurvivor

Synopsis

When you're a woman on the run the last thing you need is a complication.
A complication that can unravel and expose your secrets, one that can undo the new life you're trying to build.
A complication in the form of an irresistible, tattooed guy, that brings out feelings and emotions that are as frightening as the things you're running from.

When you're a guy with a deadly job the last you thing you need is danger landing at your doorstep. Especially when that danger is a beautiful, sexy woman, begging to be protected, with a sack full of troubles hot on her heels.

He felt duty bound to protect her.
She felt obliged to resist.
Together they feel compelled to survive, but can they put it all on the line and expose themselves to have the one thing they want more than anything?
Each other.

Pre-order the next book, Deserved, now - myBook.to/DeservedVJ

Thursday 15 June 2017

Book Review of Stone Guardian: Gargoyle Urban Fantasy Romance (Entwined Realms Book 1) by Danielle Monsch



Book Title: Stone Guardian (Entwined Realms Book 1)
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Pages: 382
Author: Danielle Monsch
Date Published: 26 June 2013

Synopsis:

Gryphons flying past skyscrapers? Wizards battling it out in coffeehouses? Women riding motorcycles with large swords strapped to their backs? All normal sights since the Great Collision happened twenty-six years ago.

Well, not normal for everyone. Larissa Miller may have been born after the Great Collision, but as a history teacher who lives in the human-only city, she has never come into contact with any other race or species, nor has she wanted to. Her life is as ordinary as it gets - that is, until one day she walks out of her apartment and is attacked by a mob of Zombies, only to be saved by a Gargoyle.

Gargoyles trust no one outside their Clan, but due to a cryptic prophecy, Terak, Leader of the Gargoyles, has been watching over the human woman for months. While he can find no reason why the woman has been singled out, something about her stirs every protective instinct within him. When the attack confirms that the threats against her exist and are real, he convinces Larissa that though their races have never been allies, the best chance of discovering why she has been brought into his world is by working together.

In the course of their investigation Terak becomes entranced by his little human. But when he discovers why Necromancers want her and the great reward that awaits him if he betrays her, he must choose between the welfare of his Clan and not only Larissa’s life, but the fate of this New Realm as well.

Review:


Stone Guardian (Entwined Realms, #1)Stone Guardian by Danielle Monsch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the Entwined Realms Urban Fantasy/Romance series. I really enjoyed the story.

Larissa Miller is an interesting character. I liked her a lot. She is a normal human living in a world that changed twenty-six years ago when the Great Collision (a merging of the human and supernatural world) happened. She is the only daughter of an overprotective policeman father, and sister to four overprotective policemen brothers. When she is attacked by a group of zombies on the way to a poker game hosted by her father, she finds herself thrust into a world she knows nothing about when she is rescued by a gargoyle sent to protect her.

Terak is the leader of his clan of gargoyles. I really liked this character a lot. He is an impressive warrior and fiercely protective of his clan. When a prophecy is disclosed to him, he finds himself guarding a human woman who intrigues him. As he and Larissa work together to uncover the mystery surrounding the prophecy, their undeniable attraction sparks.

I purchased this book last year due to my interest in urban fantasy romance. Unfortunately, due to my large reading list, I have not able to read it sooner.

I started to read this book and was instantly hooked. I loved the way the characters came to life. However, I felt, even though the world building was good, it was far too 'human' at times. I would have liked to have known more about the world of the Gargoyles and more of the inner workings of their society, as well as the other supernatural beings. Perhaps this will be revealed as the series progresses.

There are some interesting characters introduced that I liked. They are: Fallon (she's a type of warrior called a Dragon Slayer), Laire (she's a mage), Aislynn (she's an elf) and Wulver (he's a werewolf leader). They are members of the Guild and act as protectors to the humans from supernatural beings (like police but more mercenary).

The story is a little formulaic when it comes to the romance, but the plot is interesting. The story is told through the eyes of Terak and Larissa, though Fallon has a few scenes from her point of view too. There is action, danger and mystery mixed in such a way that I found myself becoming emersed in the tale. Unfortunately, as I got closer to the end I felt the story began to fizzle slightly. The energy and excitement I felt in the beginning began to wane about two-thirds into the story, and this made me feel sad. The ending was also not to my liking. I'm all for setting the scene for the next book in the series but, I have a love/hate relationship with cliffhangers and this felt a little anti-climatic and boring. It didn't end in a bang, but a whimper and didn't grab me enough to want to keep reading the series. Other readers may have a different reading experience to me, so I will urge you to make up your own minds.

Danielle Monsch has written a fantastic start to a unique urban fantasy romance series. I enjoyed her fast paced writing style and the flow was good. This is the first book I have read written by this author. At this moment in time, I am not sure if I will read more of her books, but I am not ruling it out as it depends on my mood and I may give her books another try in the future.

Due to explicit scenes of a sexual nature, I do not recommend this book to readers under the age of 18. However, I do recommend this book if you love hot erotic paranormal romances full of gargoyles, werewolves, vampires, fae, druids etc. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

Purchase Links:


          

About The Author:



Born to the pothole-ridden streets of Pittsburgh, PA, USA Today Bestselling Author Danielle Monsch started writing in a time long ago, a time when there were not enough vampire stories to read and she had to write her own to fill the void. Yes, such a time of darkness did indeed exist.

Danielle still writes on the fantastical side of the aisle, filled with gargoyles, dragons, vampires, werewolves, elves, dwarves, zombies, magic, mayhem, swords, sorcery, humor, a possible decapitation or two, expectations of bloodshed and violence, and underscoring it all - love and all the happy reasons to keep fighting that good fight.

Author Links:

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/MonschNewsletter
Website: http://bit.ly/MonschWebsite
Facebook: http://bit.ly/FBMonsch
Twitter: http://bit.ly/MonschTwitter
Instagram: http://bit.ly/InstagramMonsch
Tumblr: http://bit.ly/TumblrMonsch

Just want to send Danielle a quick email? Easy enough, that's Dani@DanielleMonsch.com.

Tuesday 13 June 2017

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Path of Thieves by Sunniva Dee @SunnivaD


Path of Thieves 
Sunniva Dee
Publication date: June 27th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Football hero by day and thief by night, Charles “Cugs” McConnely leads a double life in the small town of Newbark, Florida. At sundown, the seventeen-year-old turns burglar, forced into the business by the man who should be teaching him the difference between right and wrong: his father.
Cugs is a pro at both games, but only one can secure him a college scholarship. It should be an easy decision, a no-brainer—if Newbark hadn’t proffered the only life he knows.
After run-ins with Nadine Paganelli, his accidental victim and the sole person to have caught him in the act, Cugs starts to realize that hearts can be stolen too.
When his long-lost sister makes contact, lies are uncovered and truths revealed. Suddenly, Cugs finds himself questioning both plans and loyalties. Because sometimes the only way to move forward is by pulling the bottom out of the past.




EXCERPT:
“Seriously, man. Freddie’s parents are gone the entire weekend, and we’re partying it up. You’ve got to come.” Bear rocks in the passenger seat, trying to get comfortable. We both know the wreck and he are an uneven match.
“I’ll try.”
“Right, your father.” He huffs a frustrated breath. “Never, I swear. Like, ever. I’ve seen you drink freaking twice.”
Florida rain hammers on the roof of the car and hauls ass over my windshield. We’re outside Grocery-Pete’s, waiting for the floodgates to shut so we can get inside.
“Hey, I drink sometimes. With my father.” Dad celebrates good heists with a drink or five. If it’s hard liquor, he’ll loosen tight lips and talk about Mom.
“Come on, Cugs.” Bear tries to arch his back for a better position, but his head hits the ceiling. “Tell me you see how lame that is. ‘I can’t party with y’all, ’cause Imma drink with my daddy.’”
I snort out a laugh. “Whatever, fool.”
My eyes are drawn to Grocery-Pete’s gutter. It’s overflowing. The water takes the fast route over the edge, omitting the drain. I’ve stood under gutters like that, or more like penguin-danced under them in Rigita. Paislee dressed me in thick sweaters and rubber boots and topped it off with full raingear. Then we snuck out the backdoor and ran down the street before we got caught.
“Fascinated, much?” Bear grins.




Author Bio:
Between studies, teaching, and advising, Sunniva has spent her entire adult life in a college environment. Most of her novels are new adult romance geared toward smart, passionate readers with a love for eclectic language and engaging their brain as well as their heart while reading.
Born in the Land of the Midnight Sun, the author spent her early twenties making the world her playground. Southern Europe: Spain, Italy, Greece--Argentina: Buenos Aires, in particular. The United States finally kept her interest, and after half a decade in Los Angeles, she now lounges in the beautiful city of Savannah.
Sometimes, Sunniva writes with a paranormal twist (Shattering Halos, Stargazer, and Cat Love). At other times, it's contemporary (Pandora Wild Child, Leon's Way, Adrenaline Crush, Walking Heartbreak, and Dodging Trains, coming in late March 2016).
This author is the happiest when her characters let their emotions run off with them, shaping her stories in ways she never foresaw. She loves bad-boys and good-boys run amok, and like in real life, her goal is to keep the reader on her toes until the end of each story.


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Wednesday 7 June 2017

Book Review of Nolan (Leech Book 3) by james crawford @jamescrawford_7



Book Title: Nolan (Leech Book 3)
Genre: YA LGBT Science Fiction/Fantasy
Pages: 256
Author: james crawford
Date Published: 19 July 2015

Synopsis:

Every High school has its rock star. Maybe it's the quarterback, head cheerleader, or the valedictorian--the one student who outshines the rest. The one everyone knows will be successful in the years to come. For Nolan that was a lifetime ago, before he lost his sight, before he even knew what a Leech was.

Now, all Nolan wants is to see Caleo survive to fulfill his destiny. A task that is becoming increasingly difficult as the government wades into the war, new enemies appear and the number of people trying to kill them skyrockets.

Review:


Nolan (Leech Book 3)Nolan by James Crawford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the Leech series. I really enjoyed it.

Jack Barely is a fantastic character. I loved him from when I met him in the first book, Caleo. He is a very confident young man, who usually has a great sense of humour. However, he has one regret: that he didn't tell Caleo how he felt about him.

Caleo Anima is a wonderful character. I really liked him. He is a warm and loving young man, but because of his pale skin and snow white hair, he is seen as an oddity and is shunned by most of his peers. He is a Leech, someone with an extraordinary power. He can manipulate temperatures and can freeze people and things with only a touch. He also has a destiny as the one true Angel.

Unfortunately, due to my rather large reading list, I've not been able to read this book as quickly as I would have liked. In fact, it's taken me two years to get to read it since I purchased it and I apologise to the author for the delay.

This book continues on from the end of Jack (Book 2) and follows on with the view points of Caleo and Jack. The war between the two camps of Leeches is still raging. Caleo is still struggling with his growing feelings for Nolan, and Jack is determined to find both Caleo and Nolan and escape the clutches of Steve.

Although this book is named Nolan, I found myself slightly disappointed that there were no scenes in Nolan's POV to match the other books. I loved the first two books, but this one seemed to have lost something in its telling and it didn't give me that same excited feeling when reading. This made me feel a little sad.

As the story progressed, I realised how much I had missed the characters. They are likeable (apart from Alix and Steve) and lifelike. There are a lot of new characters introduced, but they never really made a huge impression on me and I can't even recall their names. I was glad, however, to get to know Mickey a lot more.

I was completely entertained by the fast paced storyline. This kept me turning the pages to find out what was happening. There are a few battles, as well as a few touching scenes that had me riding on a roller coaster ride of emotion. There are also a couple of surprising twists that I never saw coming. I love the way Caleo's and Jack's relationship has grown throughout the series. I think Nolan being thrown into the mix may not have done the storyline any favours as I am not a fan of love triangles at the best of times. However, other readers may have a differing opinion on this point. I will leave it up to you to decide for yourselves.

The story ended in such a way that I was satisfied with it; it does not end on a cliffhanger in case you were wondering.

james crawford has written another fast paced novel that kept me hooked from the first page! I love his writing style, it's easy to get lost in the world he has created. I look forward to reading more of his work in future.

This is a fantastic book in an amazing series. I highly recommend this book if you love LGBT, YA/Paranormal/Science Fiction genres. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

Purchase Links:


                  

About The Author:



Hello I am james crawford. I know this is the part where I should mention all the fabulous awards I have won, and all the amazing adventures I have gone on, but that's not me. I’m not important or special. I'm just a man who lives in his dreams and writes them down for others to enjoy. One of those dreams turned into my Young adult book series Leech. As a boy growing up I realized there were too few Lgbt heroes for kids to look up to and even fewer that weren’t over sexed stereotypes. I didn't see anything that really represented me and those like me. This is why I decided to start writing Caleo- to give young adults a homosexual hero who is not defined by his sexual orientation.

Author Links:

Saturday 3 June 2017

Book Promo & Excerpt: Rarity from the Hollow by Robert Eggleton @roberteggleton1


Book Title: Rarity from the Hollow (A Children's Story for Adults)
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 284
Author: Robert Eggleton
Date Re-published: 5 December 2016


Blurb:

Lacy Dawn's father relives the Gulf War, her mother's teeth are rotting out, and her best friend is murdered by the meanest daddy on Earth. Life in the hollow is hard. She has one advantage -- an android was inserted into her life and is working with her to cure her parents. But, he wants something in exchange. It's up to her to save the Universe. Lacy Dawn doesn't mind saving the universe, but her family and friends come first.


Rarity from the Hollow is adult literary science fiction filled with tragedy, comedy and satire. 


Excerpt:

Excerpt from Chapter 10, “One Moment, Please”

Scene Prologue: In this scene, Lacy Dawn stands up to her abusive father for the first time. Dwayne is a disabled Gulf War Vet who suffers from PTSD, night terrors and anger outbursts. Her mother, Jenny, is downtrodden and weak-willed. Lacy Dawn has just returned home from the android’s spaceship. At this point, her powers were evident but not fully matured. She had been negotiating extraterrestrial assistance to cure her parents of their mental disorders, but rushed home after sensing an emergency there…:  

…Three minutes later, Lacy Dawn stood on the back porch. She was keen to hear a whisper. The yells could be heard half-way Roundabend. She peeked through the kitchen window.  Her mother was on the floor with her back propped against the gasoline can that hid her GED study guide.  Jenny’s nose bled. 
            “WHAT THE HELL ………GIVES YOU THE RIGHT ………………TO THINK ……….…………….that you can THROW AWAY …something that is MINE?” her father screamed.
            Jenny adjusted her position. So did Lacy Dawn to get a better view through the window.
            “Where’s my SWITCH?”  Dwayne left the kitchen. 
            Lacy Dawn felt for her knife. 
            I hope Mommy runs for it.
            Jenny moved the gasoline can to cover a corner of her study guide that stuck up. Dwayne had put the can in the kitchen two winters ago after he cut firewood.  At the time, snow on the path to the shed had been deep. Jenny didn't complain about the can in the kitchen because it turned into her best place to hide her GED book. It was convenient and the mice stayed away because of the smell. When her GED book was hid behind the refrigerator, it lost a corner to the nibbles. She repositioned her bra so that everything was contained.
            If it's okay with him, I'll take it right here with my arms over my faceGod, I wish I’d worn long pants today. If he finds that book he might kill me. Maybe that'd be better.  I can’t handle anymore anyway. Welfare would take Lacy Dawn and put her in a group home. She’d have friends and stuff to do and decent clothes. That’s more than she’s got now. Who am I kidding? I’ll never get my GED or learn to drive. I’d be better off dead. She'd be better off. I ain’t no kind of decent mom anyway
            Jenny pulled out her GED study guide. Lacy Dawn burst into the kitchen and, at the same time, Dwayne appeared in the opposite doorway from the living room. Lacy Dawn and Dwayne stood face to face.
            “She didn’t throw away those magazines, Dwayne. I burnt them all!” Lacy Dawn looked him in the eyes. 
            I’ve never called him Dwayne before.    
            “Well, here’s my switch, little girl, and you can kiss your white ass goodbye because it’s gonna be red in a minute.”
            “I told Grandma that you had pictures of naked little girls my age kissing old men like you.”
            “Well, your grandma’s dead and gone now and it don’t make no difference.”
            Dwayne grinned at Jenny and resumed eye contact with Lacy Dawn. Jenny did not move. The GED study guide was in the open. Lacy Dawn straightened her posture. 
            “Not that grandma -- the other one -- your mom. I tore out a page and showed her. She said the Devil must’ve made you have those pictures with naked girls way too young for you to look at. She told me to burn them to help save your soul before it was too late and you ended up in Hell.”
            Dwayne raised the switch to waist level. Lacy Dawn took a step forward. 
            “I was sick of them being in the trunk under my bed anyway. I did what Grandma told me to and now they're gone.”
            “That was my Playboy collection from high school. I bought them when I used to work at the Amoco station before I joined the Army.”
            Dwayne lowered the switch and leaned against the door frame. Jenny sat up straighter and slid her GED study guide back behind the gas can. Lacy Dawn maintained eye contact.    
            He's starting to lose it. Where’s my new butcher knife?
            Dwayne looked to the side and muttered something that she did not understand. He raised the switch and then lowered it.   
            “But, Mom knew I had them when I was in high school and never said nothing. Hell, those girls were older than me back then. I bet they’re all wrinkled now -- with tits pointing straight to the ground, false teeth, and fat asses.” 
            Dwayne muttered again. Lacy Dawn maintained eye contact. 
            I must have hit a nerve. He always mutters when he's thinking too hard.  
            “Anyway, you’re both still getting switched even if Mom told you to do it. But, I won’t make it too bad. She wouldn’t like it.”
            He paused.  The point of the switch lowered to the floor.
            Damn.  I can't think of a new name
            "Tammy, bammy, bo mammy…" Dwayne sang. (Dwayne named all of the switched that he used on Lacy Dawn and Jenny to discipline them.)
            “If you even touch me or Mommy with that thing, I’ll tell everybody about Tom’s garden. (Tom is a neighbor who grows marijuana.) I’ll tell Grandma, the mailman, my teacher after school starts, and the food stamp woman when she comes next week for our home visit. I’ll tell Tom that I’m gonna tell the men working on the road at the top of the hill. I’ll tell all your friends when they come by after the harvest. And, I’ll call that judge who put you in jail for a day for drunk driving if Grandpa will let me use the phone. I swear I’ll tell everybody.”
            “Oh shit," Dwayne said.
            I knew this day would come -- ever since she brought me those DARE to Keep Kids off Drugs stickers to cover up the rust holes on my truck….
            “Lacy Dawn, drugs are bad. I don’t take drugs and hope you never will either.”
            “Cut the crap, Dwayne. This ain't about drugs. The only thing this is about is if you even think about switching me or Mommy, that garden has had it -- period.”
            “But smoking pot is not the same as taking drugs,” he let go of the switch. Thirty seconds later, Lacy Dawn picked it up and hung it in its proper place on her parents’ bedroom wall.
            “I love you, Daddy,” she said on the way back to the kitchen.
            Dwayne went out the back door and walked to his pick-up. The truck door slammed. It started, gravel crushed, and the muffler rumbled. He floored it up the hollow road.
            Things will be forever different
            Lacy Dawn sat down on a kitchen chair, did her deep breathing exercise, smelled an underarm and said, "Yuck."
            Things will be forever the same unless DotCom can help me change them. (DotCom is the name of the android, a recurring pun in the story.)
            Jenny got off the floor, sat on the other chair, scooted it closer beside her daughter, put an arm around her, and kissed the side of Lacy Dawn's head.
            The muffler rumbled to nonexistence.
            “Asshole,” they screamed out the open kitchen window at the exact same time without cue.
            “He used to be a good man,” Jenny giggled and hugged…. (This phrase is an intergenerational familial saying that Lacy Dawn turned into a chant and used to magically elevate above the ground, and to travel back and forth between her home and the spaceship without getting her tennis shoes muddy.)                                                            

Excerpts of Two Book Reviews – Gold Medal Awards

Awesome Indies:
“…a hillbilly version of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, only instead of the earth being destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass, Lacy Dawn must…The author has managed to do what I would have thought impossible; taken serious subjects like poverty, ignorance, abuse, and written about them with tongue-in-cheek humor without trivializing them…Eggleton sucks you into the Hollow, dunks you in the creek, rolls you in the mud, and splays you in the sun to dry off. Tucked between the folds of humor are some profound observations on human nature and modern society that you have to read to appreciate…it’s a funny book that most sci-fi fans will thoroughly enjoy.





Readers’ Favorite:

“…Full of cranky characters and crazy situations, Rarity From the Hollow sneaks up you and, before you know it, you are either laughing like crazy or crying in despair, but the one thing you won’t be is unmoved… Robert Eggleton is a brilliant writer whose work is better read on several levels. I appreciated this story on all of them.”




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About The Author:



I recently retired after 52 years of contributions into the U.S. Social Security fund so that I could write and promote my fiction. I’m a former mental health psychotherapist in West Virginia. But, after coming home drained from working with child abuse victims, I didn't have the energy left to begin its self-promotion. Author proceeds have been donated to a child abuse prevention program in my home state. http://www.childhswv.org/ A listing of services that are supported can be found here: http://mountainrhinestones.blogspot.com/2015/06/review-giveaway-rarity-from-hollow-by.html.  



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The Press: Dog Horn Publishing is a traditional small press located in Leeds. Adam Lowe is the owner. http://www.doghornpublishing.com/wordpress/books/rarity-from-the-hollow  The press also showcases other semi avant garde titles and publishes a popular magazine for the GLBTQ community (Vada).  

Friday 2 June 2017

Book Review of Sleepwalker (Branches of Emrys Book 1) by Brandy L Rivers @BrandyLRivers



Book Title: Sleepwalker (Branches of Emrys Book 1)
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Pages: 346
Author: Brandy L. Rivers
Date Published: 16 May 2017

Synopsis:

He haunted her dreams.

Savon Roantree loved and lost the man she planned to marry. Nathan Taggert disappeared, taking her heart with him and her world fell apart. His father refused to tell her what happened to Nate. Broken-hearted she left, planning to never return to Silvertail Ridge and tried to move on.

After a bad break-up, she finally gives in to her brother’s pleas to move back home. She never expected Nate was living next door once more.

Nothing changed for Nate, not when it came to Savon.

A tragic accident tore them apart. By the time he recovered, she was gone. When his father threatened to kill Savon if he ever went to her, he did the only thing he could—followed in her dreams. No matter how hard he tried to reach her, she always ran. She even ignored his best friend, her own brother.

Twelve years later, he finally has a chance to right all the wrongs—if she’ll listen.

Silvertail Ridge has changed since they were kids. Both families have been pulled into an ancient battle.

Together they may stand a chance.

Review:


SleepwalkerSleepwalker by Brandy L. Rivers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book in a new series, Branches of Emrys. I loved it!

Savon Roantree is a wonderful character. I liked her a lot. She is an artist who also happens to be part Sylvan Fae and Sorceress. She is able to control wild animals, as well as other sorcerers' familiars. She can also speak to the spirits of the dead. Twelve years ago, she fell in love with Nathan Taggart, but he broke her heart and she left home. After her brother convinces her to return home, she finds herself facing her past once more when she comes face to face with the man who claimed her heart.

Nathan (Nate) Taggart is also a wonderful character. I liked him a lot too. He is a dreamwalker and werewolf, and also happens to be a surgeon. Twelve years ago his life changed when a terrible accident ripped him from the love of his life. With his father's threat hanging over his head, Nate let Savon go, but now she's back and he's determined to convince her to give them another chance. However, danger is not very far away and ancient family secrets could tear them apart for good.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author with no expectation of a positive review.

I was eager to begin reading this book as I love the Others of Edenton and Others of Seattle series of books. This new series is an off-shoot of the Edenton series (though not sure if it also includes the Seattle side as I haven't had a chance to read all of the books in that series yet) and contains some old faces, as well as the new ones. Liz, Tremaine, Robert and Preston all make a welcome return. I must admit that I also liked meeting Savon's brother, Bran. He is also a wonderful character. He has his mother's Sylvan magic, but was turned into a werewolf after being shot.

The story is a mix of romance, magic and danger, and takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride from start to finish. I must admit that I raced through the pages as I was completely gripped by the story. The story is told through the eyes of both Savon and Nate, so the reader gets to see their thoughts and feelings. Although this is the first book in the series, I felt like I was meeting up with friends. This is because I have grown to love the world in which these characters live. This book has all the hallmarks of being another fantastic series. Savon and Nate have to overcome a heartbreaking past, but it's the future and what the secret group, Branches of Emrys, face that intrigues me now. I'm looking forward to finding out how the story arc develops and how the sub-plots fit in.

The story doesn't end in a cliffhanger, though it left me wanting to read the next book in the series as soon as I can.

Brandy L. Rivers has written an intriguing start to a new series. I love her fast paced writing style, and the flow is wonderful. Her characters are lifelike and likeable. With her ability to write in both the paranormal and contemporary romance genres, she is one of my go to authors when I'm in the mood for a sexy read.

Due to explicit scenes of a sexual nature, I do not recommend this book to readers under the age of 18. However, I do recommend this book if you love hot erotic paranormal romances full of werewolves, vampires, fae, druids etc. - Lynn Worton

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About The Author:





Brandy L Rivers is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She is kept busy writing the Others of Seattle, Others of Edenton, Combustible, and the Pine Barrens Pack series.
An avid reader, Brandy has always loved writing. She became serious about it as a stay-at-home-mother. With every story her world of characters expands, pulling her new directions.
Living in rainy Western Washington with her husband and three kids, Brandy is already working on future stories in each of the series, and several other projects.

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