Monday, July 30, 2012

Cover Reveal - Power by Kristie Cook


Excerpt:

I never heard the rest of Tristan's sentence—what he didn’t want me to think. The handsome guy thought I’d nodded to him and had me by the hand, stumbling over his own feet as he dragged me to the dance area. As soon as we stepped onto the sunken floor, his hands were on my hips, pulling me close to him. For a brief moment, I forgot about all the mind signatures, the twirling lights and pounding music and could only think about how strange it was to be that close to a man other than Tristan.

But only for a brief moment. Before I could even do anything, a growl ripped through the music—or maybe just through my head—and Tristan was suddenly between the guy and me, his back to me and his arms out protectively. The drunk guy swung without even looking, and Tristan caught his wrist in mid-air. With the pain of the grip, the guy finally looked up intoTristan’s face. His eyes grew wide and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped. He gave me an apologetic frown as he carefully stepped away from the dance floor.

Tristan turned back to me and wrapped his hands around my waist, pulling me to him as he swayed to the music. I looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

“You can talk to girls all night but I can’t dance once?”

His nostrils flared. “There’s a difference. His hands were all over you.”

“I had things under control.”

He leaned closer to me and growled in my ear. “I didn’t like it!”


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Links:

www.KristieCook.com
www.SoulSaversSeries.com


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Not only is today a great cover reveal. It is also Kristie's birthday! What a great why to celebrate with her sharing this fantastic cover.

Happy Birthday Kristie!

Review - A Wolf's Song

Book Description:

Hamish hasn't been interested in love since his beloved wife died four hundred years ago. He knows that it's impossible for her to reincarnate, but he hasn't been able to let her go. Until now.

When he meets Desiree in Colorado, Hamish can't resist her. When she moves to Vermont to work, she's right in his back yard. He sets about winning her, ready for a future with her.

Yet his past won't let that happen. The mother of his children wants the contract they signed three hundred years before to be fulfilled. Hamish must mate with her and she must bear a werewolf son. Until the contract is fulfilled, Hamish must commit himself entirely to the raising of their child--twenty years without any romantic entanglements.

To make matters worse, she intends to use Desiree to make him even more miserable. She demands that Desiree be the one to sentence him to a fate that will tear Hamish away from her forever.

Even while they face this dramatic mess, Deathwalkers are converging on them for an unknown purpose. Evil, malignant monsters, the Deathwalkers will stop at nothing to get their hands on Desiree. Desiree must confront her own past as well as Hamish's, escape the Deathwalkers, and find peace with herself. Hamish must realize his love for Desiree before he pushes her away forever.

Can Desiree defeat Hamish's past and bring hope to an entire race?

*-*-*-*-*
My review:

This was a great story. Once I started it I was hooked until the end. The author has created a great world much like ours, where vampires, werewolves, and other races exist alongside humans. Some races are known to the human population and the rest are in hiding.

Desiree is living a solitary life in Colorado when she meets Hamish. There is instant attraction and chemistry. But neither do much about it. Not too long after Hamish goes home to Vermont, there is a job opening perfect for Desiree from the same organization he works for. Once she moves there he is hoping to get to know her better.

This is when the story really starts moving. We find out more about the vampires in the world. And we find out more about Hamish's backstory and who and what Desiree really is. We meet other fascinating and interesting characters and start to learn more about the world and things going on in this supernatural environment.

My only problem was near the end. After Desiree completes the near impossible task set before her. Throughout the whole story we see things from both Hamish and Desiree's side. Then we get towards the end and we get Hamish but not Desiree. I am not sure how she came to be and make her decision. It just seemed like right there, there was a scene, even a short one, missing.

I am most definitely looking forward to more from the author and hope that future stories let us find out more as well from some of these great secondary characters while letting us know how Hamish and Desiree are doing.

Exerpt - A Wolf's Song


Short Excerpt A Wolf’s Song:

The wolf shimmered and distorted obscenely as bright sparks flickered around him. She closed her eyes to clear them, and opened them again just as the wolf vanished to leave a man in his place. A very, very handsome bear of a man, at that. She blinked and stared.

He was very tall, well over six feet, probably close to six and a half feet. His broad, powerful body was corded with muscle definition, his belly not flat so much as ridged with blatant muscle definition. His hair was the color of wheat, ripe for harvest in the Autumn sunshine. His eyes were golden in his slightly rugged, slightly surfer-boy face, matching the pale hair. More blond hair tracked down that powerful stomach to where... To where she really wasn't going to look, no matter how much she might want to.

“Death is a werewolf?” she asked, realizing belatedly how nonsensical she sounded.

“Desiree!” he said, his voice familiar and rich, harmony flowing through it like an old fashioned acapella group. Then he chuckled. “I'm not death. I think he has a scythe and a robe or something. And I'm naked.”

Death apparently had a sense of humor, as well.

“Yes,” she said. “I noticed.” She reached for his mind to see what was so funny, but found only quiet. “So are you going to get it over with?”

“Get what over with?”

“You killed them. So kill me, too.”

His eyebrows nearly crawled up onto his scalp. “They were monsters. Why would I kill you? Are you a monster, too?”

“No,” she said. Then quietly, “I just want to die.”

He chuckled again.

“Are you laughing at me?” She crossed her arms over her chest. This was serious business and she didn't appreciate his attitude. It wasn't bad enough that he was a werewolf—which should be myth just like vampires... and he was here to kill her. She didn't need for him to be a smart-ass about it.

He made an obvious attempt to rein in his mirth. “No, ma'am. I'm standing on your stairs butt-ass naked. I hardly think I'm in the position to laugh at you, now am I?” His lip quirked again in contrast with his words.


Promo - A Wolf's Song

A Wolf's Song
Shannon Phoenix
Supernaturals Now; Book 1
Genre: Paranormal/ Shifter Romance, contemporary
ASIN: B007WA33AK
Number of pages: 254
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007WA33AK

Book Description:

Hamish hasn't been interested in love since his beloved wife died four hundred years ago. He knows that it's impossible for her to reincarnate, but he hasn't been able to let her go. Until now.

When he meets Desiree in Colorado, Hamish can't resist her. When she moves to Vermont to work, she's right in his back yard. He sets about winning her, ready for a future with her.

Yet his past won't let that happen. The mother of his children wants the contract they signed three hundred years before to be fulfilled. Hamish must mate with her and she must bear a werewolf son. Until the contract is fulfilled, Hamish must commit himself entirely to the raising of their child--twenty years without any romantic entanglements.

To make matters worse, she intends to use Desiree to make him even more miserable. She demands that Desiree be the one to sentence him to a fate that will tear Hamish away from her forever.

Even while they face this dramatic mess, Deathwalkers are converging on them for an unknown purpose. Evil, malignant monsters, the Deathwalkers will stop at nothing to get their hands on Desiree. Desiree must confront her own past as well as Hamish's, escape the Deathwalkers, and find peace with herself. Hamish must realize his love for Desiree before he pushes her away forever.

Can Desiree defeat Hamish's past and bring hope to an entire race?


Warning: Contains intense open door love scenes between a woman and her sexy werewolf lover. This book is not erotica with a plot, it is a full length novel that includes sexual encounters. It's primarily a love story.


Author Bio:
Shannon Phoenix always wrote stories. She watched the characters take on their lives within her mind, and began to write down what they were doing. She would write the stories and then let them go. But a few years ago, she got caught writing those stories. You know... those stories.
To her surprise, the person who found her stories loved her characters as much as Shannon did. She tentatively allowed others to read the stories, as well, and it was from that first foray into the scary world of letting others read her 'little tales' that Shannon Phoenix Books was born.
Shannon lives in New Hampshire with her husband, her daughter, and their family cat. Her full time job is parenting, her part time job is as a mother's helper to a family friend, and her passion is letting the characters in her mind out on paper--or keyboard, as the case may be.
Welcome to Shannon Phoenix's Books. May you find the magic in your own life.
http://www.shannonphoenix.com

http://www.facebook.com/shannon.phoenix.714

http://shannonphoenix.wordpress.com/

http://asupernaturaldiary.wordpress.com/ (Rated Adult)

https://twitter.com/#!/ShannonPhoenix


http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5829040.Shannon_Phoenix

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Fiction Freak: Breathless Reads Week Wrap Up! + Giveaway!

Fiction Freak: Breathless Reads Week Wrap Up! + Giveaway!: So here's the overview of BR Week... Interview with Lili Peloquin Interview with Morgan Rhodes Interview with Jessica Khoury Intervie...


500 Giveaway

Friday, July 27, 2012

Spotlight - If I Were You


Fifty Shades of Grey meets Basic Instinct

Book 1: If I Were You
Book 2: Being Me
Book 3: Revealing Us

About IF I WERE YOU…

How it began…

One day I was a high school teacher on summer break, leading a relatively uneventful but happy life. Or so I told myself. Later, I’d question that, as I would question pretty much everything I knew about me, my relationships, and my desires. It all began when my neighbor thrust a key to a storage unit at me. She’d bought it to make extra money after watching some storage auction show. Now she was on her way to the airport to elope with a man she barely knew, and she needed me to clear out the unit before the lease expires.

Soon, I was standing inside a small room that held the intimate details of another woman’s life, feeling uncomfortable, as if I was invading her privacy. Why had she let these items so neatly packed, possessions that she clearly cared about deeply, be lost at an auction? Driven to find out by some unnamed force, I began to dig, to discover this woman’s life, and yes, read her journals—-dark, erotic journals that I had no business reading. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I read on obsessively, living out fantasies through her words that I’d never dare experience on my own, compelled by the three men in her life, none of whom had names. I read onward until the last terrifying dark entry left me certain that something had happened to this woman. I had to find her and be sure she was okay.

Before long, I was taking her job for the summer at the art gallery, living her life, and she was nowhere to be found. I was becoming someone I didn’t know. I was becoming her.

The dark, passion it becomes…

Now, I am working at a prestigious gallery, where I have always dreamed of being, and I’ve been delivered to the doorstep of several men, all of which I envision as one I’ve read about in the journal. But there is one man that will call to me, that will awaken me in ways I never believed possible. That man is the ruggedly sexy artist, Chris Merit, who wants to paint me. He is rich and famous, and dark in ways I shouldn’t find intriguing, but I do. I so do. I don’t understand why his dark side appeals to me, but the attraction between us is rich with velvety promises of satisfaction. Chris is dark, and so are his desires, but I cannot turn away. He is damaged beneath his confident good looks and need for control, and in some way, I feel he needs me. I need him.

All I know for certain is that he knows me like I don’t even know me, and he says I know him. Still, I keep asking myself — do I know him? Did he know her, the journal writer, and where is she? And why doesn’t it seem to matter anymore? There is just him and me, and the burn for more.

Release Date: 8/24/12

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Read-A-holicZ: My 450 Followers + 6 months blogging GIVEAWAY! (IN...

Read-A-holicZ: My 450 Followers + 6 months blogging GIVEAWAY! (IN...: Okay I can not say how MUCH I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Read-A-holicZ has EXPANDED beyond my wildest dreams! I thought i would just have like 50 peo...

Giveaway: Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews | All Things Urban Fantasy - Where Para is Normal

Giveaway: Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews | All Things Urban Fantasy - Where Para is Normal

July BTS Emag

Sara McClung: Book Rec! THE ARCHIVED by Victoria Schwab (ARC Giv...

Sara McClung: Book Rec! THE ARCHIVED by Victoria Schwab (ARC Giv...: Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in...

Excerpt - The Secret Brokers





Dallas rubbed his hand over the
back of his neck and silently cursed. If Carl Bordonaro had ventured outside
the safety of his New Orleans lair, then something big had to be up. His
thoughts quickly turned to Nicci. Perhaps something had happened to her. He
then shook off his apprehension. He knew she was safe with her husband, David
Alexander. David would have contacted him before now if there had been a
problem. He and David had been in touch constantly ever since he had returned
to New York to take over Simon La Roy’s network of specialists. Burying himself
in Simon’s business of buying and selling secrets had kept Dallas going over
the last several months. It was only at night, alone in Simon’s king-sized bed,
when the past caught up with him. His thoughts would always stray back to Nicci
in the darkness. He missed reaching for her, touching her skin, and holding her
slender body against his. That was the hardest part of loving someone—letting
go. He sighed once more into the silence of his office, then squared his
shoulders and headed for the door. Time to get back to work.
    
When Dallas walked into the drawing room, he saw a short, round man in
his early sixties, with a bald head and a pasty face, admiring Simon’s
collection of ancient Greek vases. He was dressed in a tailored gray suit, wore
thick, black-rimmed glasses, and seemed to sport a five o’clock shadow despite
the early morning hour.
      Loutrophoroi?” the man queried in a
deep voice as he turned from the mahogony
display cabinet.
    
Dallas eyed the black and red vase the man had been admiring. “They
belonged to Simon. I have no idea what it’s called.”
    
“Used for weddin’s and funerals in ancient Greece, I believe,
” he
said in his thick New Orleans accent. The man lifted his big brown eyes to
Dallas. “Quite a collection the little guy had,” he added, seemingly amused.
    
“He was an avid collector of art and antiques.” Dallas placed his hands
behind his back and stepped into the room. “Lance gave me the impression that
you never left New Orleans, Mr. Bordonaro.”
    
“Oh, I leave all the time,” Carl Bordonaro acknowledged as he surveyed
the room. “The feds try to keep an eye on me, but there are ways to get around
their tails. Lots of ways.”  He held his
hand out to Dallas. “And you can call me Carl.”
    
Born and raised in the tough Irish Channel of New Orleans, Carl
Bordonaro had learned from an early age to embrace a life of crime in order to
get ahead in the world. His underworld dealings had landed him on every FBI
Most Wanted List for the past fifteen years. But like many Louisiana
politicians, Carl Bordonaro seemed immune to federal indictment, having
survived five arrests with no criminal convictions.   

                 Dallas took Carl’s hand. “How is Lance?”
    
Carl Bordonaro gave Dallas a firm handshake. “Waitin’ anxiously to
become a great uncle.”
    
Dallas let go of the man’s hand. “From what David tells me, she doesn’t
have long to go.”
    
“Yeah, Lance told me Nicci is due in another few weeks.” Carl dipped his
head. “I mean Jenny, of course. Still haven’t quite gotten used to her new
identity yet. I guess she’ll always be Nicci to me.” He paused and stared into
Dallas’s eyes for a moment. “And to you too, I think,” he suggested with a
grin.             
    
“So what have I done to garner this unexpected visit?” Dallas asked,
desperate to change the topic of conversation.
    
“It’s not what you have done, my friend. It’s what you’re about to
do.”   
    
Dallas raised one eyebrow. “About to do? I’m not sure if I like the
sound of that.”
    
Carl moved toward a mahogany chair not far from the display case. The
chair was upholstered in the same blue and cream fabric that covered the walls.
He looked from the chair to the walls and shook his head.
    
“Simon La Roy always was a flamboyant little guy.”
    
Dallas eased his way across the room to a chair close to Carl’s. “He
tried not to let his sexuality influence his business, but his restraint did
not seem to undermine his decorating skills. All in all, he was a very private
man.”
    
“Yeah, well.” Carl sighed as he took his chair. “Now he’s a very dead
private man. Lucky for you the world wasn’t too upset to hear of his passin’.”
He looked about the room once more. “Seems you have worked yourself right in
here. Lance told me you have had very little opposition to your takin’ over his
business.”

            “Once it was finally leaked
to the press that Simon was dead, there was little to no resistance
encountered. Many of Simon’s past associates were more than pleased to hear of
his death. Seems the man had only enemies—myself included.”  
    
Carl Bordonaro sat back in his chair and folded his hands over his
protruding belly. “Glad to hear that I was of some help to you and David last
summer.”
    
“Which is, I am sure, why you are here, Carl,” Dallas replied with a
slight grin.
    
“I figured cleanin’ up that mess at David’s place entitled me to ask for
a favor.”
      Dallas leaned back in his chair,
scowling. “A favor?”
    
Carl ran his hand over his bald head. “I want you to do a job for me, a
job you and your organization are well suited for. Now, I’m a man of
considerable influence, and could entrust this job to any one of my associates,
but none of them are as skilled as you in gatherin’ exactly the kind of information
I need.”
    
“What kind of information are we talking about?”

            “Secrets,” Carl answered.
“Simon La Roy was known around the world as the man to go to when one needed
secrets uncovered. As his successor, you’re the man to see. And with our past
dealin’s together, I figured you were a man to be trusted.”
    
“Who’s the target?”
    
“Target? Odd chose of words.” Carl raised his dark eyebrows worriedly.
“I don’t want her killed, Dallas.”

            “Target is the person who we
are sent to investigate. My people don’t eliminate.”
    
Carl smiled. “Of course.” He nodded his head as he looked down at his
stubby hands. “There was a former associate who knew a great deal about my
business ventures. His name was Earl Yeager. Three years ago, Earl was
diagnosed with cancer and spent his last days in a hospital bed. He was given
the best of care, and I paid to have private nurses see to his comfort. One
nurse became very close to Earl—so close, in fact, that I think he may have
told her a few secrets about me. If these secrets were released to certain
federal agencies, it could cause problems for me and several other men
throughout the country.” He looked up at Dallas. “Some of these other business
men want this young woman killed, just to make sure she doesn’t talk, but I
can’t do that.”
    
“Because you want to find out what she knows first?” Dallas inquired.
    
Carl shook his head and sighed. “Her father and I are…old friends. He
was a liquor distributor in New Orleans. For forty years he supplied my house
and businesses with liquor. Ed Pioth was good to me, and I’ve known his
daughter, Gwen, since she was born. I attended her christenin’ and her first
communion, so you can understand my dilemma.”
    
“You want me to send out a specialist to find out what she knows. See if
this Earl Yeager said anything that the feds could use against you and
your…friends?” 
    
Carl stared into Dallas’s eyes. “I can’t afford for anyone else to be
involved at this point.” He pointed at Dallas. “I want you to go and find out
what the girl knows.”
    
“Me?” Dallas balked. “I’m right in the middle of taking things over
here. Simon’s death was only leaked to the press a few weeks ago. I can’t just
hop on a plane and—“
    
“I would consider it a personal favor,” Carl interrupted.
      Dallas warily eyed the man and then shook
his head. “And being a personal favor to you would mean what for me exactly?”
   
“That whatever you need from now on, I will do everythin’ in my power to
accomplish.”
    
Dallas took a deep breath and mulled over the man’s words. Carl
Bordonaro was a powerful friend to have, and considering the instability of the
business he was trying to operate, a man with such connections could only prove
to be an asset in the long run. Dallas leaned forward in his chair and rubbed
his face in his hands.
    
“Tell me about the girl,” he finally said.
    
“Do you like animals?”
    
Dallas sat back in his chair, shaking his head. “Animals? What is she, a
vet? I thought you said she was a nurse?”
   
 “Yes, Gwen is a nurse, but she is
also an animal lover. She lives on a farm outside of New Orleans where she
keeps her rescued race horses.”
    
Dallas fidgeted slightly in his chair. “I live in New York City, Carl. I
don’t know anything about horses.” He gave the man an impatient glance. “Tell
me more.”
   
Carl nodded his bald head. “All right. Gwen is thirty-four, divorced,
with no children. Her husband was a physician from a very wealthy family in
Houston. Needless to say, her divorce settlement left her more than well off.
She bought a fifteen-acre farm in a place called Folsom, on the north shore of
Lake Pontchartrain. She retired from nursin’ after the divorce, but she took
the private duty job as a favor to me.”
    
“Which would explain why you are here,” Dallas clarified. “But if you’re
such an old family friend, why don’t you just talk to the girl yourself?”
    
“I already have. But that ain’t enough…you and I both know that. The
people I’m lookin’ to appease wouldn’t take my word that the girl knows
nothin’, but they will take yours. And there is another reason I want you with
her.” Carl paused and turned his eyes down to the cream-colored Oriental rug
beneath his feet. “Until other interested parties can be—let us say,
distracted—away from the girl, I need to know she’s safe. And with you she will
be,” he asserted in his deep voice.
    
“Then let’s pull her out of there and put her somewhere I can keep an
eye on her.”
    
Carl’s brown eyes returned to Dallas. “Then she would look guilty and I
would be caught in a finger pointin’ game with those other interested parties.
No, the girl must stay put on her farm for now and not be seen as changin’ her
routine in any way. Let’s just say there is someone already watchin’ her and if
she were to be moved, a lot of problems would suddenly develop for me.”
    
“Who’s watching her?” Dallas questioned.
      “Some former associates of yours at the
FBI. Seems they’re also pretty interested in what the girl knows.”
    
“And another reason why you can’t just sweep in there and take her
away,” Dallas pointed out.
    
“So you see my dilemma. I need someone on the inside close to the girl,
makin’ sure she doesn’t talk to the feds, and also makin’ sure she stays alive
until I can learn what she knows. I have assurances from the individuals who
want the girl eliminated that a certain amount of time will be allotted for you
to learn her secrets, but I will need you to move as quickly as possible.”
    
“How long do I have?”
    
“Two weeks,” Carl declared.
    
“Damn it.” Dallas jumped up from his chair. “Do you know how hard it is
to set up a target and then gain their confidence? What you are asking takes
months, not weeks. How can I get this woman to confide in me in two weeks
time?”
    
Carl stood from his chair. “In my experience, there are only two methods
that can get a woman to talk quickly; torture and sex. I leave the choice up to
you.”        
    
“I don’t torture people, Carl.”
     He gave Dallas a
mischievous grin. “I know.”

Gust Post - Alexandrea Weis





Alexandrea Weis stopped in for a guest post. Here's a little about this amazing woman. 

Alexandrea
Weis is a registered nurse from New Orleans who has been published in
several nursing journals and textbooks. She has been writing novels and
screenplays for over twenty years. Her first novel, To My Senses, was a
finalist for commercial fiction in Eric Hofer Book Awards, a finalist
for romance in the Foreword Magazine book of the Year awards, and a
finalist for romance in the USA Book Awards. Her second novel, Recovery,
won the Gold Medal for best romantic suspense from The Reader's
Favorite Book Awards and was named best Romantic Suspense by the NABE
Pinnacle Book Awards in 2011. Her third book, Sacrifice, closes out the
Nicci Beauvoir Series. Her fourth book, highlighting her love of
rehabbing wildlife, called Broken Wings, is now out in paperback and
ebook.

Ms. Weis is also a permitted wildlife rehabber with the
Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and when she is not writing, Ms. Weis
is rescuing orphaned and injured wildlife. She lives outside of New
Orleans with her husband and a menagerie of pets.

Blog site: http://alexandreaweiscom.blogspot.com/
website: http://alexandreaweis.com
   
 GUEST POST

 The rhythm of the
resurrecting city of New Orleans is reflected everyday in the unified heartbeat
of its determined residents. And no matter the devastation, New Orleanians will
continually fight to hold on to their beloved little bastion eight feet below
sea level. Like the memory of a first kiss, the warmth of New Orleans pervades
your soul and forever becomes a part of you. To travel among the wide oaks and
antebellum homes of the Garden District makes for beautiful postcard pictures,
but it does not give you a true indication of what it means to be a New
Orleanian. You have to immerse yourself in the old world atmosphere and varied
traditions of the people of this town in order to understand them, and,
hopefully, become one of them.
     You need to dine
in the myriad of exceptional restaurants and take part in a heated discussion
about where to find the best bowl of gumbo. Spend a Monday morning drinking
coffee and chicory in an old uptown kitchen while learning how to cook the
perfect pot of red beans and rice. Experience the wrong way to eat a muffaletta
sandwich, the right way to shuck an oyster, and the only way to eat a beignet.
And you will always have to remember that if your food isn’t boiled, blackened
or fried, it just ain’t cooked.   
          You will want to traverse the different
sections of the old city divided not by points on a compass, but by proximity
to the Mississippi River or Lake Pontchartrain. Because no one in the Crescent
City could ever tell you where to find the south end of town, but they could
recite by heart the neighborhoods along the bend in the river. From the
Bywaters to the Irish Chanel, from Lakeview to the infamous Ninth Ward, so many
smaller sections alive with their own unique histories make up this city. Each
part of New Orleans has a rich heritage based on the struggles of its French,
Spanish, Irish, African, or Italian founders.
     Then head over to
Canal Street, where the local term “neutral ground” was created in the early
1800’s. In those days, the wide thoroughfare was first used as a common market
area between the feuding French and Spanish occupants of the city. Take a
streetcar ride down legendary St. Charles Avenue to see the world renowned
Audubon Zoo. Along the way, soak up the different styles of Victorian, Greek
Revival, and Colonial architecture represented by some of the city’s finest
homes. Let the soothing rocking motion of the streetcar ease your cares, as the
sweet scent of magnolias streams in from the open window beside you. At the end
of your streetcar ride, walk the broken cobblestones of the French Quarter, and
take in the alluring sights of the tightly packed Creole cottages. Listen for
the seductive sounds of Jazz music resonating around you, the smell of great
food hovering in the air about you, and let your imagination linger on the
romantic wrought iron balconies above you. Make your way to Jackson Square and
take in the tall spires of St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest Catholic cathedral
in the continental Untied States. Walk through the adjoining Cabildo Museum,
where the Louisiana Purchase was signed in 1803. Stroll on over to the
Moonwalk, by the edge of the Mississippi River, and enjoy the calliope music
coming from the Delta Queen Riverboat. After you have learned to bargain like a
pro with the vendors at the French Market, then saunter down the shady
sidewalks of Esplanade Avenue. The street made famous by Tennessee Williams and
his tale of hidden desire. Finally, let yourself wander the narrow alleys of
St. Louis Cemetery Number One, where you can visit the above ground tombs of
famous former residents Marie Laveau, the voodoo queen, and Paul Morphy, the
chess phenomenon.
     But there is
another, more important, criteria for being an ingrained member of this
eclectic southern city. You have to learn to appreciate life. Not the
day-to-day hurried existence that shortens the lives of stockbrokers and
businessmen, but the easy lust for the fulfillment of the senses. For
everything about New Orleans is tailored to the forgotten art of
self-gratification. In these days of such soulless existence, it is a
heartwarming relief to find a place unashamed of its abundant way of life. No
one in New Orleans regrets the way they live, they only regret when they have
to leave it.
     So the next time
you think about my hometown, don’t linger on the unforgettable disasters of our
past. Instead, revel in what makes our city unique, shamelessly flamboyant, and
stoically unapologetic for its transgressions. New Orleanians have moved on
from Katrina. Despite the numerous media attempts to bury the residents under
clouds of negative press and dim outlooks, the people remain resilient. Because
they know that when Mardi Gras is over, crawfish season is right around the
corner. We may have paid a heavy price for our time in paradise, but we know
that somewhere up in the heavens, someone is answering our prayers. After all,
the Saints did finally win the Super Bowl.       



.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Review - The Demon Side

When worlds collide… Every kid has problems. Every kid has even more problems when they move to a new home. But when a kid with problems moves to a new home that has a Demon living inside it—look out! Etta’s world is about to spin out of control when she encounters her new roommate—and Rahovart, that ancient trickster, is in for a few surprises too. So don’t mind all the crashing and rumbling; that’s just the normal noise Angels and Demons make when they’re fighting an epic war in the attic. One thing’s for sure: Etta and Rahovart will have to go through Hell to Heaven and back again before that old Victorian home in Quantico Town finally quiets down…

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My review:

This is not your average demon tale. And I am not sorry about that at all. From the little I knew about this book starting it I wasnt sure what to expect. I was happily surprised by what I found. This is a great story from a new author that I cant wait to read more from.

This is a story about demons, angels and a girl who can see them. We have mystery, action, paranormal and a touch of romance. Ra who is our main character is not your typical demon. Yes he works for the evil side and is supposed to encourage people to be bad so they end up in Hell. But you really get a feeling he just doesnt care. His origins as a demon as mysterious as well. He has this history that he doesnt quite remember. And we get to discover this history with him. We also get to see him interact with another demon, angels and the humans that have moved into his house.

The story moves at a quick pace and you dont want to put it down once you start. It is completely unexpected and the ending was fantastic and completely surprising. I seriously can not wait to see what we get next from the author.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Erin Kellison Contest at Bitten by Books

Bitten by books is have a great contest with Erin Kellison.

Go here for the post and details. And the Rafflecopter is below as well. Please remember to leave all you comments on the BBB post to count.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Alluring Reads: The Cover Madness Giveaway!

Alluring Reads: The Cover Madness Giveaway!:  In celebration of the epic amount of cover reveals we have been treated to this past week, Giselle from Xpresso Reads and I have decided t...

Alluring Reads

Monday, July 9, 2012

Trailer - In The Midnight Hour

Review - The Kraken's Mirror

Captain Alan Silvestri is a man haunted by a strange curse. Good luck is his to command, but it comes at the cost of any place to call home or people to reckon as family. Resigned to die and shunned by all, he is forced to sail every three days, until he begins to dream of a special woman. Treated by our youth-oriented society as invisible and sexless, Emily Pawes is ready to move on with life. She attends a pirate festival, hoping to recapture the make-believe magic she knew as a young woman. Lucky to win an interesting bit of booty at a brick-a-brac stand, she finds herself transported by the Krakens mirror through a magical portal to a land of Hollywood piratitude, where swashbuckling heroes own iPods. With little choice, Emily embraces the madness. Playing pirate has to be safer than falling into the arms of handsome Captain Silvestri, right? When they meet, sparks fly, passion flares. He needs her to be free, but more than that, he needs her to be whole. Setting sail and uncertain of who actually controls the wheel, they seek ways to defeat his curse of good luck and discover the Krakens mirror has plans for them. Will Emily stay in this pirate haven to fight alongside him or will he lose her because of his curse?

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My review:

This was a fun book that I am glad I got the chance to read. I really enjoyed the characters and the world that has been created here.

As you can see from the description it is set in a mixture of times and worlds. You have the modern period where Emily is from. And you have the world she is transported too which is similar in concept to the idea of the Bermuda Triangle. Things enter the world but they rarely find their way back to where they came from. But everything is accepted and incorporated into use.

The characters were fascinating and very well done. They have their own complexities and backgrounds that make them interesting and you want to find out more. Although thing I liked about the characters is that neither Alan nor Emily are younger like we usually see. They both have lived and experienced parts of life before they meet.

The characters are also fun, because as the world is a bit of a mix match between past, present and future. They each have characteristics and language that comes from their time. Alan really speaks a lot like you would expect a pirate from the past too, while Emily responds back with modern terms.

All the secondary characters are just as great as the 2 mains. And there is even paranormal creatures that exist. So far we have been introduced to the vampires in passing. And I am hoping we learn more about these characters in the future as well since they seem to have quite a history behind them and the deal they have to live in peace with the town.

I am looking forward to the next book and hope to see this world continue on for a while. If you are looking for a fun read with time travel, romance and a touch of the paranormal pick this one up.


YA Bound: Breathless Reads Fall 2012 Epic Giveaway + Author ...

YA Bound: Breathless Reads Fall 2012 Epic Giveaway + Author ...: The awesome Morgan Rhodes (hmm, she looks familiar), author of the upcoming Falling Kingdoms has generously offered a box of ARC’s of some ...

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Review - Blood Guilt

The first of a new vampire romance series, a sequel to the Awakened by Blood trilogy.

Mihaela, a fearless vampire hunter secretly haunted by loneliness and childhood tragedy, finds it difficult to adjust to the new world order where vampires are not always the bad guys. She's taking a much needed vacation in Scotland when she sees a little boy being chased through the streets of Edinburgh. Rescuing him brings bigger problems - two vampires from her past: Gavril, who killed her family; and the reclusive and troubled Maximilian, gifted Renaissance artist and one-time overlord of the most powerful undead community in the world. Maximilian once saved her life and now needs that favor returned.

The earth moves for Mihaela in more ways than one. From Scotland to Budapest and Malta, she races against time to prevent a disastrous, vampire-induced earthquake and save an innocent yet powerful child – all while fighting a dreadful attraction to Maximilian, her only ally, whom she can’t afford to trust. For Maximilian, the hunter becomes a symbol of renewed existence, as he struggles to accept his past and rediscovers his appetite for blood and sex - and maybe even happiness.

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My review:

I loved the Awakened by Blood trilogy when I read it last year. And I was excited when I when I found out about this sequel. And I was not disappointed. This is a great new story with an interesting new plot line and twists.

Blood Guilt takes off after the events of the last book in the trilogy but can be read as a standalone easily. You would miss out on some of the history and previous events but they only background to the story here.

Mihaela was an interesting secondary character in the first series. So I really enjoyed seeing her get her own story and finding out more about her character. Maximilian was also introduced in the last series. Here we get to find out more about him as well.

The setting is well done and the story is interesting and action packed. It really keeps you moving and you feel like you are on the same race against time as the characters.

I really enjoyed this new book in the world previously created and liked getting to know more about this previously introduced characters. It was also fun to get to see other characters from the previous series and see what they are up to now. It helps to satisfy my curiosity because I always want to know what happens to them next.

If you like paranormal stories, that include romance, action and adventure. Then this is one you want to pick up and read. You wont be disappointed. And you will join the rest of us in anxiously awaiting the next book.





The Qwillery: Guest Blog By Hanna Martine - The Dreams You Keep...

The Qwillery: Guest Blog By Hanna Martine - The Dreams You Keep...: Please welcome Hanna Martine to The Qwillery as part of the 2012 Debut Author Challenge Guest Blogs. Hanna's debut, Liquid Lies (The Elemen...

The Qwillery: Guest Blog by Kira Brady - Hearts of Darkness: Cha...

The Qwillery: Guest Blog by Kira Brady - Hearts of Darkness: Cha...: Please welcome Kira Brady to The Qwillery as part of the 2012 Debut Author Challenge Guest Blogs. Hearts of Darkness , Kira's debut novel, ...

Trailer - Diabolical

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Review - Sanctus

An explosive apocalyptic conspiracy thriller from a major new British talent that will set the world alight…

REVELATION OR DEVASTATION?

The certainties of the modern world are about to be blown apart by a three thousand year-old conspiracy nurtured by blood and lies …

A man throws himself to his death from the oldest inhabited place on the face of the earth, a mountainous citadel in the historic Turkish city of Ruin. This is no ordinary suicide but a symbolic act. And thanks to the media, it is witnessed by the entire world.
But few understand it. For charity worker Kathryn Mann and a handful of others in the know, it is what they have been waiting for. The cowled and secretive fanatics that live in the Citadel suspect it could mean the end of everything they have built – and they will kill, torture and break every law to stop that. For Liv Adamsen, New York crime reporter, it begins the next stage of a journey into the heart of her own identity.
And at that journey's end lies a discovery that will change EVERYTHING …
SANCTUS is an apocalyptic conspiracy thriller like no other – it re-sets the bar for excitement and fascination, and marks the debut of a major talent in Simon Toyne.

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My review:

This is my favorite suspense of the year. It has everything from suspense, to action, mystery and conspiracies that stretch back to the beginning of the human race.

The author creates a mysterious sect that is hiding an ancient artifact that no one except the highest ranking in the group know what it really is. They have a very detailed history that you discover over the course of the story and that keep you figuring things out until the end of the story.

The setting as well is fictional but is so detailed that as you read you are wondering does it indeed exist. And if so where exactly in Turkey will you find it. You can easily picture it and imagine what it would look like should you be able to visit. From the streets to the buildings to the security.

At the same time you are getting these great character and setting details. You are on a roller coaster ride with the story. Once you get going it is almost non-stop until the end.

I thought this was an excellent debut for this author and I was completely surprised by the ending. It was not at all what I was expecting and it threw in one final twist to the story. While this is the start of a trilogy it is a complete stand alone that concludes the main story at the end. I am however really looking forward to the next in the series to see what happens next as a result of what happened here.

If you are looking for a great suspense. Pick this one up immediately. It is reminiscent of other religious thrillers. But as it is completely fictional and not based on any one "real" religious sect it can easily be classified in a standard thriller category.