Reviews

Books I’ve read and reviewed

She got FRENCHED!–Review and Giveaway!

Frenched-Tour-BannerHi there, and welcome to my stop on the FRENCHED blog tour. For other stops on the tour, click here. This smoking hot contemporary romance, newly released by Melanie Harlow, is guaranteed to satisfy…

frenchedcover3About FRENCHED:

Mia Devine plans over-the-top weddings for a living. So when it comes to her own nuptials, she spares no expense—hand engraved invitations, Vera Wang gown, luxury honeymoon in France. And since her fiancé is Tucker Branch, playboy heir and notorious flirt, local media is obsessed with every little detail.

Which is why it really sucks when he jilts her a week before the wedding.

Mortified, Mia wants nothing more than to crawl under her newly monogrammed sheets and plan a funeral for her dignity, right after blabbing to the world how fitting it is that Tucker will inherit a bolt and screw company, because that’s all he wants to do—screw, and bolt. And he doesn’t do either with much finesse.

When her friends convince her that bitter tastes better when it’s drowned in Bordeaux, she grits her teeth and packs her bags, determined to make the best of a week in Paris alone.

She never planned on meeting Lucas Fournier.

The free-spirited musician’s scruffy good looks and less-than-sympathetic ear annoy her at first, but when she takes him up on his offer to show her around the city, she discovers that the romance of Paris isn’t just a myth.

Nor is the simultaneous O.

The last thing Mia needs is another doomed love affair, but since she only has a week, she figures she might as well enjoy La Vie en O with Lucas while she can. But each day—and night—with him is better than the last, and suddenly her heart is telling her this is more than a rebound fling.

Is it just the seduction of Paris…or could this be the real thing?

My Review:
Hot! Uber-hot! Melt your eReader hot! All when I hadn’t expected it! Kinda like Mia…

Wedding planner extraordinaire Mia has been jilted, poorly, by text message no less, and she’s wallowing. Her friends convince her to take the honeymoon trip to Paris, regardless. She puts up a fight, then settles for anger–vowing to enjoy the trip in a way she never would have with her ex, Tucker.

See, Tucker is one Grade A Jackass. In truth, I almost suspected he was a closet gay, the way he was so controlling about their sex life, and all. (That notion didn’t bear fruit, but it kept me guessing…)

Alone in Paris, Mia tries to find her groove. She visits some of her checklist of sights, but she’s overwhelmed with lovers. And, furiously jealous of them. She has decided Tucker was probably right about calling off the wedding–not that she excuses his manner of doing so–but it’s still hard to take all the romance when she feels so scorned. Deciding to return home early, Mia pops into a ‘Canadian-themed sports bar’ and attempts to drown her loneliness in a deep glass of Red on her first, and final night, in Paris.

The sexy bartender, Lucas, makes more than small talk, he cuts straight to the quick. She can’t possibly leave Paris after only one day! No! She must stay at least one more day and visit the attractions with a helpful guide–himself.

A bit tipsy, she agrees.

Their day on the town proves to be a whole different kind of experience for Mia. Not likely to find lovers smooching in a graveyard, is she? And, Lucas is delicious. He’s half-American/half-French, so they converse easily. He’s also smart–his career is in teaching, in New York. He’s on summer holiday and he was working the bar to assist his brother.

Did I perhaps mention the hotness of this book? Mia and Lucas do hop in the sack. And the shower. And the kitchen counter, floor, couch, vineyard, picnic blanket, tubs. For crying out loud, a wall, or three, may have been molested in the scripting of their smexytimes! What happens in Paris, folks, changes Mia. Opens her in a way that releases her inner sex demon (Er, figuratively. This isn’t paranormal…). Mia does stay on the duration of her trip, finding that Lucas is absolutely perfect in every way, save one. He never wants to marry.

Is that a deal-breaker for our jilted wedding-planner? Perhaps. Especially when Tucker tries to reconnect, promising Mia the happy marriage she had dreamed of, from half the world away.

FRENCHED is a fantastic, fun, sexy read. Mia, angry and dejected at first, grows into the sexy confident woman she never was with Tucker. Lucas is a total dreamboat. Both have real, honest, reservations against turning this fling into something…more. Problem is, they fit so well, it’s hard to abandon this new and thrilling connection. The writing style is playful and interesting. I flew through the book.

And then I went back for seconds… 😉

Interested? You can find FRENCHED at Goodreads and Amazon.

About the Author

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her lipstick red, and her history with the naughty bits left in. I write New Adult historical and contemporary stories.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
One signed paperback and a bookmark OR
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Get Caught in THE DARKNESS SERIES–Review and Giveaway

Hi there! Celebrating the new release of BRAVING THE ELEMENTS and the upcoming release of ON A RAZOR’S EDGE, K.F. Breene is sharing an excerpt from the Darkness Novella Series, has a Kindle Fire HDX up for grabs, and INTO THE DARKNESS (Book #1) is FREE!

Into the Darkness coverINTO THE DARKNESS (Darkness #1)
I’d always been different. I saw objects in the night where others saw emptiness. Large, human shaped shadows, fierce yet beautiful, melting into the darkness. I collected secrets like other women collected bells; afraid to fully trust lest my oddities be exposed.

Until I saw him. He’d been gliding down the street, unshakable confidence in every step. It wasn’t just that he was breathtakingly handsome with perfect features. Something about him drew me. Sucked my focus to him and then tugged at my body. As his eyes met mine, I was entrapped.

No one had noticed him. He’d been right there, just beyond the light, but only I had perceived.

I had to know if he was real. Or maybe I really was crazy. And even when my secret box was blasted wide open, dangers hurled at me like throwing knives, I couldn’t stop until I unraveled his true identity.

I just had to know.

New Adult (18 +) due to sexual content and not for the faint of heart.

You can get INTO THE DARKNESS free on Amazon or Barnes and Noble so go on and clickity-click. What are you waiting for?

Oh, you’d like a little taste?

He stepped closer, not hearing me, or not caring that I spoke. His eyes looked at me like I was a life-sized riddle. They delved, searching. He took another step, forcing me to retreat two steps to keep distance between our bodies. Another step back had my back to the wall. 

A small smile curved his lips. “I exude pleasure, you run. I exude fear, you come calling. You want me, I can smell it. I can feel it, almost like a palpable thing. Give in to it. Yield to me.”

Oh God I wanted to. His body was mere inches from mine, his intense eyes looking down into my soul from a face out of a Renaissance painting. The power of him, the sheer strength, had strange, primal fantasies running amok through my head. My core tingled, my chest surged, and my nipples were so hard they could cut this stone wall. 

Why had I come here, again?

My Review:

Sasha has always seen figures in the shadows. One night she and her boyfriend, Jared, have a car wreck and are accosted by two of these shadow men. All of the shadow people are sexy to the nth degree. I’m not exactly sure what they ARE exactly, but their mind controlling pheromones generally have the humans tearing their clothes off. Exhibit A: Jared…a little startling for Sasha to observe two men sex up her boyfriend in the alley.

Sasha, however, is immune.

Sasha wakes up the next morning–fully-clothed–in bed with a naked, sexually-ravenous Jared. She knows something is very wrong, but her memories of the previous night are spotty and she doesn’t remember their actual encounter until the next day. At this point Sasha is on a mission to find the shadow people and figure out why she sees them.

The leader of these shadow people, Stephan, is a temptation Sasha can barely resist. Of course, the shadow people are embroiled in a war with Mage, and Sasha seems to have some magical ability to repel the forces attacking Stephan’s people.

Now, she’s an asset–and under the protection of Stephen’s minions, like Charles, one of the Jared-Bangers. Charles is a playful, amorous, dim-witted body-guard whom Sasha seems to have no trouble eluding. He provides some real humor into the dark mystery of the Shadow people.

Of course there’s a few harrowing twists that leave Sasha nearly dead–if only someone super strong and sexy had the cure? *narrows eyes on Stephen*

It’s an interesting, sensual start to a series and super quick read. Not for the prudish. Contains copious copulation, consensual, or not.

Braving the Elements coverBRAVING THE ELEMENTS (Darkness #2)
Sasha has always known she was different, but now she also knows that the shadow men she’s seen all her life, are real. With a life goal of fitting in, Sasha hopes her strange abilities will finally make true friendship a possibility. Unfortunately, her magic doesn’t function like everyone else’s. What she thought would make her belong, sets her apart now more than ever.

Stefan, all but promised to a different woman, has tried to keep his mind on his duties instead of the irresistible and free-spirited human. But when she is threatened, he can’t keep his distance anymore. He realizes he’ll stop at nothing to keep her safe, and more importantly, make her his.

Just when one thing clicks into place, another spirals out of control. Stefan’s clan isn’t the only group that would benefit from an extremely rare type of magic. And their enemies will stop at nothing to get what they want.

Braving the Elements is the second novella in K.F.Breene’s long awaited Darkness series. Sasha’s story is one of discovery, awareness, and understanding, and is jam packed with action, humor, sexual tension, and an overwhelming desire for final acceptance.

You can find this newly released sequel on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000032_00011]ON A RAZOR’S EDGE (Darkness #3) Releasing April 22, 2014

Life for Sasha isn’t getting easier. She has survived run-in’s with monstrous Dulcha, lived through an abduction, and even made it passed Charles’ constant badgering for sex. But if she thought the hurdles of this new life would simmer down, she was dead wrong.

When the Regional comes to visit Stefan’s clan, the pressure increases. Sasha finds herself on a giant scale, assessed for her magic and held in the balance. If she doesn’t have the magic Stefan hopes, she could find herself on the street while still in grave danger. Even with a favorable outcome, however, her inability to use her magic presents a road block not easily crossed.

No, life is not getting easier.

Stefan feels the heat, too. He must finally declare a mate, and admitting to desiring a human is the worst form of taboo. He could jeopardize not only his place as leader, but his and Sasha’s life. His decision is like walking on a razor’s edge.

About the Author

A wine country native, she moved to San Francisco for college just shy of a decade ago to pursue a lifelong interest in film. As she settled into the vibrant city, it quickly became apparent that, while she thought making films was great fun, she lacked cinematic genius. For that reason, her career path quickly changed direction. Her next goal was a strange childhood interest, conjured at the dining room table while filling out a form. For some reason, her young self wanted to be an accountant. Thinking on it now, she wonders how she had any friends. Regardless, it was the direction she finally took.

While she could wrangle numbers with the best of ’em, and even though she wore the crown as the most outspoken, belligerent accountant in the world, her mind got as stuffy as her daily routine. It was here that she dusted off her creative hat and began writing. Now she makes movies in her head, and then writes them down. Way easier than dealing with actors–she should know, she’s been one!

You can find find Ms. Breene in the usual places:  Website | Facebook | Twitter

***GIVEAWAY***
KF Breene is offering up a KINDLE FIRE HDX (US only) in her super raffle. Click on the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck and keep reading my friends!
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Thrilled by EASTLAND–Review and Giveaway

Eastland bannerHi there! And welcome to my stop on the EASTLAND Blog Tour hosted by YA Bound Book Tours. For other stops on the tour, click here. Today’s book is a Historical YA Romance, a fantastic read from my good friend, and fellow SCBWI critique partner, Marian Cheatam.

eastlandBook Summary:
WOULD YOU RISK YOUR LIFE FOR JUST ONE DAY OF FREEDOM?

For hardworking teen, Dee Pageau, the annual employee picnic will let her escape the drudgery of work and possibly find love with her best friend Mae’s older brother, Karel. But in 1915 Chicago, girls don’t go on picnics without their mother’s approval. 

Unfortunately for Dee, Mama has had a premonition of disaster and forbids Dee from going. Forced to watch as Mae and Karel leave without her, Dee defies Mama and rushes off to join her friends.

But Dee’s joy soon turns to terror when the ship ferrying them to the picnic capsizes. Rescued not once but twice-by Karel and a mysterious sailor-Dee finds herself tested in unimaginable ways. What happens next turns out to be worse … and better … than anything Dee ever expected.

My Review:
The SS Eastland capsized in the Chicago River at 7:30am on July 24, 1915 killing 844 passengers. This novel follows the horror of the event and its gruesome aftermath through the eyes of Dee Pageau, a seventeen year-old employee of the Western Electric Company who had hired the steamer to transport workers and their families to Michigan City, Indiana for the company’s annual picnic.

While many stories take the reader to new and exotic worlds, this captivating historical novel recounts the tragedy of the SS Eastland in a way that transports the reader to a world before house phones, a time when ice boxes, streetcars, and milk delivery was the norm.

Dee is aboard the Hurricane (top) Deck of the Eastland, chatting with her best friend Mae’s brother, Karel, when the ship lists, and then capsizes. Mae was trapped belowdecks, and Karel—after ensuring Dee is safely settled on the ship’s hull–dives into the putrid water to find his younger sister.

Hours later, having witnessed more dead bodies than survivors recovered, shock has set in for Dee. Desperate without her childhood friend, she nearly topples into the murky depths, but is rescued (again) by a crewman—Lars.

Dee is whisked off the boat and driven back to the grief-ravaged streets of suburban Cicero—home to Western Electric’s headquarters and many of its employees. Anxious families descend on Dee and her overwrought mother, fearing the worst. Throughout the day the bleak news pours in, household by household. When Karel returns alone, the long hunt begins to track down the missing Mae.

This meticulously researched work provides a rare glimpse into a tragedy that consumed Chicago. Dee and Karol search hospital after hospital only to be ushered ever closer to the makeshift morgue. Days of mourning and wakes, enormous funeral masses presided over by the Bishop soon follow. Through this melancholy, Dee realizes that she must remain strong. Stronger than she ever had to be, before. At times, she is bolstered by Karol and Lars—both men who survived the harrowing ordeal and recognize the need for moving on with life.

In the week following the tragedy, Dee returns to work—finding that only one other woman in her 30-person division had survived. The loss of so many workers propels Dee into a managerial position—but she struggles to get over the loss of so many of her friends.

The development of not one, but two, potential romantic entanglements allows Dee to grow further out of her meek shell. Being a survivor will do that, too.

Dee learns, like Karol and Lars, to appreciate the best things in life. Despite the gruesome event and realistic setting, the hopeful ending and clear promise of love will resonate for young and old alike. I loved this book and recommend it to all fans of romance, historical fiction and YA romance. It gave me chills, and I gasped aloud so many times I lost count. Throughout the read I was simply captivated.

Interested? You can find EASTLAND on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

b59e6About the Author:
Marian Cheatham lives in a suburb of Chicago with her family and their menagerie of pets. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Marian taught Special Education for many years before becoming a full-time writer.

You can find her on her webpage, Goodreads, and Facebook.

On a personal note I have known Marian for four years–she’s a fellow member of my SCBWI Illinois chapter, a good friend, and a writing critique partner. I just love her historical YA. EASTLAND is a fantastic novelization of Chicago’s biggest loss-of-life tragedies.

****GIVEAWAY****
Click the Raffecopter link below for your chance to win

one of 5 eBook copies of EASTLAND

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

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Living in THE HERE AND NOW Isn’t Easy–A Review

If you could change the future, would you?

The Here and NowThat’s the premise behind Best-Selling Ann Brashare’s up-coming contemporary YA release: THE HERE AND NOW.

Prenna James is a high school student in New York in 2014, but she was born in 2078. In her time, the Earth has suffered extreme shifts in climate due to global warming and melted polar ice. There are shortages of food and raw materials, and a mosquito-borne blood plague has devastated the world population. Prenna has traveled back in time with her mother and nearly 1000 other futurists in the hope of altering some aspects of the present to fix the future.

At least those were the initial goals. Now, Prenna is sure that the powers above aren’t doing anything but controlling the time travelers and murdering any of the group who don’t conform. See, all the travelers must adhere to a set of twelve rules to ensure that they do not alter time too much, or infect the ‘time natives’ with strange and foreign microbes that could trigger plagues in this time.

Ethan Jarvis is a math/physics whiz in Prenna’s classes. He’s also a time native, and with whom Prenna is forbidden to have any ‘physical or emotional intimacy’–according to the rules. She, and all her fellow travelers, are under surveillance by concealed devices, and when she steps out of line, Prenna is reprimanded by her ‘counselors’.

Prenna tries to adhere to the rules, but she desires Ethan. And, he is quite the dashing rescuer. Especially when Prenna is taken away for speaking to a homeless man who turns out to be a fellow traveler, an undocumented one, who has learned when the fork in time was created that brought about her dire future. Ethan saves Prenna from captivity and they follow the clues from the homeless man to discover the root cause of her future was the murder of a promising green energy scientist.

Now, Ethan and Prenna must stop the scientist from being killed–while also fighting the attraction between them. But, when Prenna finds evidence that Ethan is going to die in the process of saving the scientist she needs to choose between telling him his fate, and risking the fate of perhaps…the world.

No, it’s not as dire as all that, silly! But it is rather harrowing.

I enjoyed the writing. I enjoyed the story. I liked Ethan, (perhaps too much)…but Prenna makes some dumb choices that irked me. In the end, she makes the right choice, and as much as it broke my heart, I’m glad she did the right thing.

Note:  heart only broken because I wanted to see Ethan happy, and he wasn’t. But I expect he’ll get over it.

It’s an innocent tale suitable for YA readers. If nothing else, I hope it helps young readers to envision a hot climate future we can do more now to avoid…but I’m not gonna get all preachy ’bout it. There are some plot issues, but in all, it’s an enjoyable read. I think fans of YA romance will enjoy this one. It has an engaging plot and the pacing is pretty good. I received an advanced review copy via NetGalley.

Interested? THE HERE AND NOW releases April 8, but you can pre-order it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Ann BrasharesABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ann Brashares grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with three brothers and attended a Quaker school in the D.C. area called Sidwell Friends. She studied Philosophy at Barnard College, part of Columbia University in New York City. Expecting to continue studying philosophy in graduate school, Ann took a year off after college to work as an editor, hoping to save money for school. Loving her job, she never went to graduate school, and instead, remained in New York City and worked as an editor for many years. Ann made the transition from editor to full-time writer with her first novel, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Ann and her husband live with their three children in New York.
Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Happy Release Day to MY LIFE FROM HELL–A Review

BannerSophie has seven days to live. Unfortunately she spends most of them in Hell…

Hi there! I jumped at the chance for a sneak peek at the final installment of Tellulah Darling’s Blooming Goddess trilogy–MY LIFE FROM HELL. This imaginative, innocent, urban fantasy is a solid end to one of the funniest YA series’ I have read.

My Life From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #3)

Sophie Bloom is a survivor. She has to be, she’s the reincarnation of Persephone, the Greek goddess of spring. She and her boyfriend Kyrillos—Hades’ son—had a big plan to defeat both Zeus and Hades and claim Olympus for themselves—oh and for Demeter, Persephone’s mother. But Persephone truly planned to double-cross them all and claim Olympus for herself. That’s why Demeter stabbed her.

Fast forward seventeen years.

The titan Prometheus has sacrificed his powers to transfer Persephone’s memories and goddess essence into a child, Sophie Bloom, who is celebrating her seventeenth birthday. She knows all about Persephone’s schemes and is struggling to connect to Kai—Kyrillos—being her boyfriend. Even more so since he knows Persephone planned to kill him all those years ago. But, in order to stop the destruction of humanity by Zeus and Hades, Sophie and Kai need to perform a ritual on the first day of spring that requires their complete love for each other in order to work.

Too bad the Equinox is seven days away.

Sophie has trained hard to master her goddess powers, but she can’t escape the disturbing visions she’s having of a world filled with destruction—and herself being the center of the maelstrom. Then she goes and mouths off to Demeter again. Same old, same old—even if it’s Sophie, not Persephone, butting heads. Demeter has her BFF Hecate, goddess of witchcraft, curse Sophie right back into Hades.

Yeah. But this time it’s Sophie trapped in Persephone’s form in the days just prior to her inglorious demise.

Now Sophie must get Kyrillos to see through the magic to fall in love with herself, not Persephone. Oh, and to win over Prometheus as an ally. Oh, and to convince Hephaestus to help them all escape Hades before Demeter gets stabby.

It’s a tough challenge, but meet it Sophie will—or else humanity is doomed. If only Sophie could find the strength within herself to accept her fate, and love herself. Because, really, what greater power than love could a goddess have?

Like the first two books in the series, this one rockets forward into the action. There are many characters that play an important role, but Sophie is the heroine front-and-center. She saves herself, Persephone, humanity and her BFF’s in the process. Her sharp wit keeps the tone engaging.

At times, I wanted to pull a Cher in “Moonstruck”


just to get her to see that LOVE was the answer she couldn’t seem to find. In all, the series is fun, innocent and creative. If nothing else, reading these books will get you ready for Greek Mythology category on JEOPARDY…but that’s only one small reason to read them.

I received an advanced reviewer’s copy of this book via NetGalley.

Because this is the third book–make sure to check out the first two in the series:

my ex from hellMyDateFromHellCoverMY EX FROM HELL and MY DATE FROM HELL. There’s even a cute little 2.5 novelette about Theo and Festos’ second date that’s an entertaining read and FREE on Kobo.

Interested? You can find MY LIFE FROM HELL on Goodreads, and Amazon.

TD photoAbout the author:  Tellulah Darling (noun)
1. YA romantic comedy author because her first kiss sucked and she’s compensating.
2. Alter ego of former screenwriter.
3. Sassy minx.

Writes about: where love meets comedy. Awkwardness ensues.
Sassy girls. Swoony boys. What could go wrong?

Tellulah Darling is a firm believer that some of the best stories happen when love meets comedy. Which is why she has so much fun writing young adult romantic comedy novels. Her tales span contemporary, teen fantasy romance, and YA Greek mythology, and range from stand alone books to series. For Tellulah, teen romance is the most passionate, intense, and awkward there is – a comedy goldmine. Plus smart, mouthy, teen girls rock.

Website |  Twitter  |  GoodReads

Thanks for stopping by, and keep reading my friends!

THE GIRL AND THE RAVEN–A Review

Being sixteen just got tougher…

In THE GIRL AND THE RAVEN, a newly released YA paranormal romance by Pauline Gruber, we got a whole lotta supernatural going on.

The Girl and the RavenSoon-to-be-sixteen year old Lucy Walker is an orphan. Her mother just OD’ed on heroin and she never knew her daddy. Lucy also harbors a strange power–the ability to shoot fire from her hands when she gets angry. Now she’s leaving the trailer park in Tennessee to live with her uncles in Chicago.

She is befriended by the neighbors, a broody yet handsome boy named Marcus and her late grandmother’s BFF Persephone. Learning that her grandmother had been a witch and Lucy is supposed to inherit her powers is quite the curveball. And, what is up with Marcus? Boys never gave her the time of day back in Tennessee, yet he seems almost fixated on Lucy, and her safety.

It soon becomes clear that Lucy’s father isn’t as anonymous as she had believed. In fact, her father has known about her from the start, but he walked away from her pregnant mother and Lucy paid the price of her scorned heart. Of course, that’s probably standard operating procedure when you are a demon… Lucy’s frustrated that she was abandoned to a nightmare life due to his callousness, and refuses all Daddy’s overtures to make amends.

Demons seem to be in abundance in the big city, because there are two who regularly invade Lucy’s room, seeking what? She has no idea. But it can’t be good, right?

As the new girl in town, Lucy expects to struggle. But, not this much. She strives to make choices that will keep her safe and help her to feel normal–so she takes on a summer job babysitting the younger half-brother and sister of her school’s most eligible football player, Dylan. He’s the typical rich kid girls fall all over, and her friends are no exception. Except Dylan starts having crazed dreams and visions–just like Lucy’s mother had–followed by seizures.

Lucy’s sure her demon dad is behind the whole mess, so she takes him head-on, offering to accept his persistent attempts at a relationship, if he’ll release his destructive influence on Dylan. Naturally, Demon Dad has seven aces up his sleeve and Lucy’s so outmatched she can’t see the danger until it’s in her face. Good thing Marcus is more than just a friend–or a boy. His own supernatural powers come in handy when Lucy’s poisoned. And flung off a roof and nearly killed. Twice.

Man, that Marcus has his work cut out for him, keeping Lucy from a pine box fate!

The action in this story is pretty intense. There are so many characters–and the point-of-view switches between characters in several chapters–I had the teeniest trouble keeping up. Particularly with all the shapeshifting. Lucy is a strong character. Almost too strong. She’s so determined to take care of herself, that she jumps into problems she would have avoided–by simply asking for help. I wished she would have been less stubborn, though she takes her bizarre heritage in without even a qualm, which surprised me. I’d have been more than freaked learning that I was half-witch, half-demon. For all the witchiness in her lineage, Lucy doesn’t actually learn any witchcraft, or practice it, in this book. We do see a good deal of her demon-side however. I suppose the rest waits for Book Two. The story ends in a quiet place–no cliffhanger–but sets the stage for further books.

Interested? You can find the THE GIRL AND THE RAVEN at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

If you happen to pick it up, come back and tell me what you thought!

And, remember to keep reading my friends.

He Sacrificed for TRAINING SEASON–A Review

How much must an athlete sacrifice for Olympic glory?

Training SeasonLeta Blake‘s TRAINING SEASON is just the thing to get you out of your post-Olympics slump. This contemporary, M/M romance follows the Olympic dreams of figure skater Matty Marcus as he rebuilds his mind, body, and career. Too bad he didn’t workout his heart…

Matty Marcus is a World Champion figure skater recovering from a back in jury and a disappointing showing at the Olympics. He is on the verge of bankruptcy and needs money to begin training for the next Olympics two years away. One of his fans offers him a lot of money to house-sit for her Montana ranch and horses while on a six-month trip to Australia/Asia. Having no better prospects, Matty agrees.

Problem is, Matty’s flamboyantly gay. He, perhaps, never says this explicitly in his interviews, but he wears women’s clothes and shoes and makeup, so…it’s pretty obvious. He can’t really un-gay himself, even if the judges don’t favor it.

Matty’s a bit afraid that he’ll run up against some gay bashing in his new remote locale, but, what he finds is his new neighbor–the man who owns the next ranch over, is himself gay. Rob is much more the burly, athletic, male specimen, but he’s drawn to Matty and they engage in a passionate affair. This passion is tinged with frustration, however, knowing that Matty’s time is fixed. Still, Matty bonds with Rob’s son, Ben–a pre-teen boy interested in figure skating. Matty relates well with Ben, recognizing the boy has size and power that Matty lacks. Masculinity is now being highly regarded in the figure skating world, and though Matty has talent, he can’t change his stature.

Rob gets Matty. He sees how he struggles–to maintain his weight, his focus, with his fear of failure and his self-loathing for previous failures–and through some Dom/sub interactions Matty experiences an emotional purging. They are deeply connected with one another, more so than either had been with another man before.

Still their time comes to an end and Matty asks for a clean break–knowing he will devote himself 24/7 for the next two years to his dream of Olympic gold. Because of this, Matty is, in part, better able to focus on skating as a means to bury his grief over letting Rob go.

Matty trains relentlessly and achieves his Olympic dream…sort of. Even years later, he struggles with the loss of Rob, and contemplates giving up his competitive career. While recuperating from yet another sidelining injury, Matty discovers Ben in training for junior figure skating competitions. Matty connects with Rob again, but Rob is unwilling to pick up Matty’s pieces. Again. Rob can’t bear any more diet management and ten hour training days, seeing the love of his life sacrifice everything for figure skating, when the rewards are so slim.

About 3/4 of the way through this book I just started crying.

See, I’ve been around elite athletes–people training for the Olympics/World Championships. Not figure skaters, but intense, driven individuals who will sacrifice everything to attain their goals of competing/winning at that level. Moving across country to train with an esteemed coach. Families investing their entire financial resources behind the training of a promising athlete. The sacrifices Matty makes seem very much in line with those people. The constant training, the constant diet management, forgoing relationships in order to “stay focused”; this is the hallmark of many an elite athlete. It was so hard to read Matty’s struggle for that reason–because I know this is happening right now with talented athletes who are great, and perhaps–like Matty–amazing, and yet, who will not see the top of the podium, nonetheless.

This book, by the way, is not an indictment of elite sports. It is a realistic portrayal of the sacrifices some athletes will make to achieve. I was satisfied that Matty really learns what is most important in his world; what he is willing to settle for, and that which will bring him the most happiness.

It is a solid contemporary story, a come-back story, a romance with scorching love scenes and some BDSM. Rob and Matty are blistering together, and their short Montana love affair changes each of them in unexpected ways.

Interested? You can find TRAINING SEASON at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I received a free copy of this book with the Don’t Buy My Love program at Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. Reading this story I had the image of Johnny Weir in my head the whole time. So will you…

Thanks for stopping by! And, keep reading my friends!

Get To Know Bella Andre! Free Paperback Giveaway!

Hi there! For many readers it’s tough to find new authors. Anytime I talk about my blog I’m asked for recommendations. I have some stand-by’s for people who only read print–and I couldn’t recommend Best Selling Author of contemporary romance, Bella Andre, to them–because her work was all eBook–until this year.

Yes, now you can find Bella Andre’s Sullivan Series in paperback, and to start any new reader off right, I have print ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU. Read on to find out how it can be yours…(US/Canada only–I’m shipping mine to you!)

I Only Have Eyes for You (The Sullivans, #4)Sophie Sullivan is a librarian. She’s college-educated and lovely, and head-over-heels crushing on Jake McCann, BFF to one of her six older brothers. She’s loved Jake since she was a child, but he’s just as interested in the full-grown “Nice” Sullivan twin sister as he was for her childhood self. Not at all, in fact. Or, so Sophie believes…

Jake McCann has always been captivated by the quiet, studious, nice Sophie Sullivan. Not that he can do anything about it–her brothers are nothing less than formidable, and Jake knows he won’t measure up to their ideal brother-in-law. He’s just a barman–sure he owns a chain of successful pubs, but he’s still the barely literate son of a bartender he was when he met the Sullivan’s–at least in his own eyes.

Jake and Sophie work together to plan the wedding of Sophie’s brother Chase–and that’s where she springs her trap. All dressed up with love on her mind, Sophie makes no excuses for her seductive pursuit of the man she’s always desired. Sophie gets what she wants–briefly, but waking alone was never part of the plan. Nor was the morning sickness…

Determined to never be hurt by Jake again, Sophie begins a new phase of life, not expecting that Jake would do anything in his power to win Sophie’s heart–for her own sake. Of course, Jake must get over his own inferiority issues, and that’s not helped when Sophie’s angry brothers come aknockin’.

It’s a solid romance with a strong ensemble cast that forms the backbone for the now twelve books in the Sullivans series. This is book four, but it’s as good a place to start as any. You catch up quickly on the family antics, and the story is very much centered on Sophie and Jake, with their alternating points of view.

For those who prefer digital, or live outside the US/Canada, or want this book–regardless of the contest–they can find it on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

To enter the contest, be sure to “Like” my V’s Reads page–this will give you access to outside-the-blog reviews and my semi-daily FREEBIE postings you can download. Be sure to come back here to comment that you entered, and what your FB name is, to complete your entry.

I’ll choose a winner On Friday March 21st. Best of luck, and keep reading my friends!

Is He READY TO FALL? Review and Giveaway!

Ready to Fall Banner

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the READY TO FALL blog tour, sponsored by The Novel Tease! Today’s book is a Contemporary Romance by Daisy Prescott and it’s filled with a sexy lumberjack…er, I mean, sexy silvaculturalist.

Ready to Fall CoverAbout the book:
When you fall, you fall hard…

Readers first fell in love with John Day as the hot next-door neighbor in Romantic Comedy Best Seller Geoducks Are for Lovers. Tall, dark, and handsome is an understatement. With the beard, a dog named Babe, and his ever present plaid shirt, John is a modern lumberjack in more ways than one.

Lurking beneath the flannel and beard could be the heart of a romantic. Or is John a wolf in flannel clothing?

After his favorite neighbor rents out her cabin for the winter, John finds himself playing fireman and tour guide to Diane Watson, a beautiful brunette with her own messy past and recent battle scars. When an ex shows up unexpectedly, their lives will be changed forever.

Will he be ready to fall in love? Or will he fall back into his old, flirty ways?

Hold onto your heart… and get ready to fall with John Day as he tells his story in this contemporary romance/romantic comedy told in male POV.

How about a little taste?

I pulled the bike off the road and we ran for the overhang of the store. Standing in the shadows next to the bagged ice freezer on the side of the building, I took off my helmet and brushed the rain from the back of my neck. Diane was dry on her front, but the back of her jacket appeared nearly soaked.

After she took off her helmet and set it on the ground, I gave her a stern look. “See what I mean about not talking about the weather? Around here it can rain when the sun’s out.”

Brushing the water off her jacket, she peered up at me with a sheepish smile. “Sorry. How long do you think we’ll have to wait it out?”

I left the dry safety of the overhang to stare up at the fast moving clouds swirling above us. “Hard to say. Might turn back to being a mist. Might not.”

“Can we ride home in the rain?” she asked, leaning against the wall. Her wet jeans clung to her legs and I found myself staring while she lifted one leg to brace it on the wall.

“Sure. Do we want to? Not really.”

“What should we do?”

I lifted my eyes to her face. Her eyes sparkled same as they did back in the bar. I swept my thumb across my lower lip and then ran it across my chin.

Since our hike at Deception Pass, I couldn’t stop thinking about kissing her. The day she received a letter from the asshole wasn’t the right time. Normally, I didn’t give this much thought to making a move. If I wanted to kiss a woman, I did. As long as she gave me the right signals. Maybe that was part of the problem with Diane. I didn’t know her signals. We flirted, we teased. I caught her staring, but it never moved from thoughts to action. My hand was getting tired of all the time I spent thinking.

There was a time and place for action.

That time and place was now.

“Store’s closed. Nothing to do but stand here and watch the rain fall.” I moved closer to her along the wall, my shoulder brushing hers when I mirrored her posture. My hand dropped between us and brushed against her leg, but I faced the line of water dripping from the roof gutter.

“Nothing?” she asked, her voice more of a whisper.

“Can’t think of anything,” I whispered back while I turned to gaze down at her. “You?”

I could see everything in her eyes. I wasn’t the only one thinking about kissing. When I entwined our fingers, her breath hitched. I broke eye contact and stared down at her mouth. Her lips parted and her tongue peeked out to wet the bottom one.

“John …” Her words faded away when I leaned down.

My review:

First, let me say, I love reading a male POV in romance. It’s so fun to pretend I’m inside a guy’s head.

John Day is a man’s man. He’s big, burly and built. He fishes, and hunts, but prefers fishing. He lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest. He’s rugged. But, he’s kind, and broken-hearted that his mom died years before when she got caught in a snowstorm after visiting him at school. And, he hates that his dad was a cheating husband. Currently, John’s dating Kelly–sister to his high school BFF–but it’s casual because she’s getting a divorce…sort of.

Diane is subletting John’s neighbor’s home on Whidbey Island. This city gal is out of her element, completely, and John steps in to help her out. They decide to build a friendship–neither is emotionally available anyhow–John’s dealing with Kelly’s messy life and Diane’s pretty shattered after discovering her soon-to-be ex’s infidelity. Hence, her cross country escape from NYC.

Diane and John build a cozy friendship–he helps her find a good vehicle and they share some small adventures–then John decides Kelly’s simply using him and cuts her loose. This opens a path to romance between him and Diane, but neither of them will take it–at first. See, John’s convinced that everyone he loves leaves him–and Diane’s lease is up in May.

What would happen if he gave in an actually loved her, then she left? City girls don’t change, and couldn’t be happy with 24/7 island life, right?

Man, does John do a mental number on himself. I was so happy to see him break out of this funk, and give his heart a chance…especially since Diane is a great gal.

These two broken souls do find happiness in each other eventually–and life plans are much less fixed than John had first thought. It’s a solid romance with a compelling lead man and a strong female lead. We don’t get any of her voice, but her spirit is indomitable, nonetheless. It’s a fun read, and I loved the setting. Might need to consider another trip out west, soon… 🙂

Interested? You can fine READY TO FALL on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Daisy PrescottAbout Daisy Prescott:
Before writing funny contemporary romances about adults, I dreamed of being an author while doing a lot of other things. Antiques dealer, baker, blue ribbon pie-maker, fangirl, freelance writer, gardener, pet mom and wife are a few of the titles I’ve acquired along the way.
Born and raised in San Diego, my husband and I currently live in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with our dog, Hubbell, and an imaginary house goat who remains nameless.
Ready to Fall, my second novel, features John Day, the hot, sexy neighbor in my debut novel Geoducks Are for Lovers. Both can be read as stand-alones. I’m busy writing my next novel, which will not feature any bivalves.

Connect with Daisy Prescott on her website, Goodreads, Facebook, or Twitter.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below to be one of THREE lucky winners in the Ready to Fall Blog Tour Giveaway!

Grand Prize – Signed Ready to Fall Paperback, button, & magnet
Runner Up – Ready to Fall & Geoducks Are for Lovers E-books
Second Runner Up – Ready to Fall E-book
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Ever Have One of Those Days? FAERY SWAP–A Review and Giveaway!

For those who’ve never experienced the disorientation of Spring Forward…I dislike you, greatly.

See, in the US we decide to “jump” the clocks forward by an hour every Spring and the body clock takes about a week to fully adjust to the dark mornings and odd eating times. [Just one more reason to despise Ben Franklin, LOL.] Truly, today I’ll eat lunch at probably 10 am and dinner at 8pm because my stomach can’t figure out what the heck the solar visual cues mean. Don’t think I’m the only kook out there; today is notoriously bad for traffic accidents with sleepy drivers causing more morning crashes…

With my body being so out-of-kilter I thought I’d feature a book I recently read by a dear writing friend, Susan Kaye Quinn. Not that it’s odd for me to recommend her work–but I don’t usually review Middle Grade books. I read them, of course–I have an 11 year old child–yet, the story’s sense of being out of both place and time fit beautifully with my Spring Forward disorientation.

Faery SwapTHE FAERY SWAP features two young(ish) boys–Finn, a human, and Zaneyr, a faery–who trade souls on the summer solstice in Amesbury, England–a stone’s throw from, you guessed it, Stone Henge.

Finn’s whole life is devoted to keeping his sister, Erin, safe and out of foster care. See, they aren’t orphans but their mom died a few years ago and their dad, a mathematics professor, is parentally MIA. On the way to school one morning, Finn is tricked into helping a strange boy with the smallest of tasks–picking up a dropped coin–and plummets into a realm of magic and fantasy the likes he never could have imagined.

Zaneyr is determined to thwart his father, King Dageyr, from sealing the Rift–the magical space erected between the human and faery world 4000 years ago. In this breach of space-time, Zaneyr’s mother was lost, locked into the mortal human world, while those in the faery Otherworld lived on, never aging. Each summer solstice, emissaries of the faery world are sent to Earth to learn of any advancements in math or science that might lead humans to Otherworld. Due to the time distortions of the Rift, a year in Otherworld equals a century of Earth years, so the advancements move quickly, compared to Otherworld time.

Knowing that sealing the Rift will lead to many mortal lives lost, Zaneyr risks shifting with Finn–even if it means sending Finn’s soul to Otherworld forever. One life must be worth more than the thousands that will be lost if King Dageyr’s plan is complete, right?

Of course, Finn is unwilling to go without a fight. He is assisted in his effort to return to the human realm by a rock sprite named Pyx and Zaneyr’s BFF Liranna, a tough faery who harbors a crush on the impetuous prince. They have less than a day to reverse the swap–by sunset on the solstice the realms will be too far apart for souls to return to their previous realms–so it’s handy that Finn develops some magical skills while trudging through the Otherworld.

Just when Zaneyr is getting settled in Finn’s life, the unimaginable happens–he meets a fellow faery, one who is desperate to return to Otherworld. And, of course, Finn manages to weave a bit of magic that interfere with Zaneyr’s changeling plan.

In the end, it is guidance from Finn’s genius father that stops the realms from merging.

This book is a real treat. Complete, interesting plot arcs call into question some very serious moral issues in a subtle way. For example, is it okay to sacrifice some to save many? And, what is the value of life? Most compelling for me was: is it fair to risk the happiness of everyone to fix an act long regretted?

Most importantly, it is the teen characters who save the day–thwarting the mis-guided plots of King Dageyr to correct past mistakes. The HEA occurs two-fold, with both Zaneyr and Finn having a better place in their realms when the sun finally sets. It’s written with boys in mind–but I believe girls and fantasy lovers of both sexes will enjoy this wholesome tale.

Interested? You can find THE FAERY SWAP on Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.

About Susan Kaye Quinn:

She’s the author of the bestselling young adult SF Mindjack Trilogy. The Dharian Affairs trilogy is her excuse to dress up in corsets and fight with swords. She also has a dark-and-gritty SF serial for ages 17+ called The Debt Collector and a middle grade fantasy called Faery Swap.

It’s possible she’s easily distracted.

Susan grew up in California, got a bunch of engineering degrees (B.S. Aerospace Engineering, M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering) and worked everywhere from NASA to NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research). She designed aircraft engines, studied global warming, and held elected office (as a school board member). Now that she writes novels, her business card says “Author and Rocket Scientist,” but she mostly sits around in her pajamas in awe that she gets paid to make stuff up.

All her engineering skills come in handy when dreaming up dangerous mindpowers, future dystopic worlds, and slightly plausible steampunk inventions. For her stories, of course. Just ignore that stuff in the basement.

Susan writes from the Chicago suburbs with her three boys, two cats, and one husband. Which, it turns out, is exactly as much as she can handle. You can find her on Facebook way too often. Or you can reach her the old-fashioned way: susankayequinn (at) comcast (dot) net

She also does Virtual Author Visits for schools and you can learn about those in this Handy-Dandy YouTube movie…


She’s a dynamic speaker and really inspires people, as you may agree! If you are, or know, a teacher or a librarian, get in touch with Susan about getting in class projects and swag to foster the growth of young minds in both science and writing!

***Blog Tour Giveaway***

Click on the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
a $25 Amazon Gift Card
a Signed Paperback of Faery Swap
and Two Faery Wands
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best of luck, and keep reading my friends!