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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Guest Post/Giveaway - The Light And The Fallen by Anna White




The Light and The Fallen
Anna White

Lucian isn't sure what to expect when he steps over the banister separating Heaven from Earth. He opens his eyes in a new body, one with no wings, no knowledge of the future, and no special powers. All he remembers is his mission: to find a mysterious key. When he meets a human girl that he can't ignore he is forced, for the first time in eternity, to choose between duty and the pull of his heart. The future hangs on his decision, but he's fallen into a world where nothing is just what it seems.






*100% of the proceeds of this novel will be donated to The Water Project.

Thank you to Anna, for this wonderful guest post and giveaway today!  So please be sure to enter in the Rafflecopter below.  And later this summer be sure to check back for my review of The Light and The Fallen!


Hi everyone, and a big thanks to Liz for letting me talk about my book here on Fictional Candy. Today I want to share a little bit about the main men in my book The Light and Fallen.

First is Lucian. He’s a Dominion angel that has fallen for the first time. He’s got a lot of knowledge about the universe, but he isn’t so good at getting along with other people. His dark floppy hair and mesmerizing blue eyes catch the attention of a lot of girls, but he tries to ignore them and focus on his mission, a task that would be a lot less frustrating if he could figure out what his mission is. He feels very deeply and shoots straight from the heart. He was created to be a protector. His human emotions are raw and passionate, and although the love he feels for humans is new, he’s willing to give everything to save them.

Then there’s Jack. I’ll be honest and admit that I’ve got a thing for bad boys, and Jack is the quintessential rebel. He has classic clean cut looks-short blonde hair, smoky gray eyes, and the cut body of an athlete. He’s been on Earth for thousands of years and lives for the few physical pleasures he can get from his human body. He’s an expert tracker and fighter, and he’s used to getting whatever he wants, either by seduction or force. Although his dangerous reputation is no secret, he still manages to charm his way into the hearts of almost everyone that crosses his path. He loves a challenge, and when Lucian gets in his way, deadly sparks start flying.

I love both of these characters, as different as they are. They were both so fun to write about, especially Jack, who my husband says is my dark and dangerous alter ego. Can’t argue with that! You can learn more about me and how I got the idea for the book at my blog http://annawhitewrites.blogspot.com. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter under AnnaWhiteWrites. The Light and Fallen is available on Amazon.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Review, Trust In Me by Skye Warren

Title: Trust In Me
Author: Skye Warren
Published: February 2012
Genres: Dark Erotica, Erotica, Suspense, Romance
Format: Ebook provided by author for review

Mia longs for the daily torture to end, but one last task keeps her holding on. In a betrayal of the crime lord who pulled her from the gutter, she’ll free the shipment of human cargo, and if she’s lucky, die in the process. The alternative is unfathomable, even to a woman well-versed in erotic torture. But luck abandons her yet again when she meets the security expert in charge of the shipment and finds herself face to face with her childhood crush. The man she once begged for help. The man who failed her.

Tyler Martinez is an undercover FBI agent with one chance to right the wrongs of his past. Thrust deep into the seedy world of human trafficking, he must put aside his guilt over abandoning Mia all those years ago in order to save her now.

Someone’s pulling the strings in this sadistic play on trust, but Tyler and Mia may not live long enough to see the curtain fall. Trust in Me is a story of erotic pain and incipient romance, spiraling ever faster toward betrayal or redemption.

WARNING:This book contains explicit scenes of dubious consent, graphic violence and sex. It also depicts abuse and captivity situations. Not appropriate for anyone uncomfortable with these situations or anyone under the age of eighteen. This is a work of fiction.

Trust In Me… this is a fabulous story.  I’m not even sure how to classify this book.  Erotica, Dark Erotica, Suspense, Romance… all of the above?  This story is so multifaceted that I’m still thinking about it a week later.  It is beautifully written, and you find yourself really attaching to the main character, Mia, and her struggle within and to save other girls who are about to be in her same situation.  But before I go on, let me say that the Warning is correct; this book is not for everyone.  There are some really deep issues involving sex slavery inside, and it’s a no-holds-barred type of thing. 

Mia works for Carlos as his whore.  Well, no, working would imply that she gets paid.  There I’m wrong again; she gets food, shelter, and clothing.  But she also gets shared, beaten, and abused in every way imaginable.  He took her in when she was younger, took care of her, and after many years their “relationship” is anything but a relationship.  He beckons, she comes.  Time, place, nothing else is a factor other than what he wants and when he wants it.  And he has a bit of a sadistic side, so when she struggles, he is even more excited about it.  And if she is disobedient there is a definite price to pay.

And yet she has this sort of Stockholm type of regard for him.  It was pretty fascinating to just follow her mind through the way she processes and rationalizes things.  It’s ok that he is abusive to her, because that means someone else is being spared.  She continually berates herself when she feels she is being disloyal, but at the same time her brain also knows that everything happening is very wrong.  It’s really quite a look at the psyche of someone who is thrust into this situation at a young age, and this is all they know.

                “He could never have been a bad guy; the lighting was all wrong.”

And then Carlos offers her to share her for a moment with a new business associate.  Only one problem, she knows him. Tyler, her childhood neighbor and big-time crush.  This really throws a wrench in anything.  Why is he there?  And then she panics for a moment about him seeing her like this.  He didn’t save her when she was younger and needed his help, so what is he doing here now?  Personally, I really liked Tyler.  There were times when I didn’t know if he was a good guy or a bad guy, I couldn’t discern where he was coming from.  But he just seemed like he would be the guy to trust, out of all the people involved.  Lesser of all evils, perhaps? I was really pulling for him to be a good guy, to be the knight in shining armor. 

The whole story is a whirlwind of events taking place over a rather short period of time.  Mia learns that she is stronger than she thought she was, and her will to live was greater than she thought, also.  Tyler is a man on a mission, but there is definitely doubt cast against him as some things are brought to light.  Carlos is…well, Carlos is a bad guy.  And he is written so well that I hope I never meet him because he is quite scary.  

If you like things that make you a bit uncomfortable, yet so fascinated that you can’t let go, then you will like this.  There are some touching moments too; it’s not all just horror after horror.  But it is definitely interesting and unlike anything I’ve ever read.

*******

Find Skye Online

Goodreads

*******

The sequel, Hear Me, comes out this July - don't miss it!


 She doesn’t remember her past, only her training. She can’t talk, not that a good slave should speak out of turn. None of that matters when she wakes up in the warm, rustic room. Her new master is distant, but kind. There’s only one problem: he doesn’t want her.


Longing for the shackles of safety, she pulls from the last dregs of her will to prove her worth as a slave. It seems to be working. He responds first to her body and next to her submission. The secrets of his past haunt the cabin, fraying the tightening bond between Master and slave, but it is her own memories that may finally unravel it.

And don't forget to watch the trailer for Trust In Me!


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Review, Pride Unleashed by Cat Kalen


Title: Pride Unleashed (A Wolf's Pride #2)
Author: Cat Kalen
Published: February 2012
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, YA
Format: Ebook provided by author for review

Seeking revenge, Pride is headed back to the compound where she was once nearly broken to the will of an evil master. She’ll stop at nothing to free the enslaved wolves still caged in the estate’s underground prison. Knowing there is only one way back inside the fortified mansion, Pride allows herself to be captured.


Armed with a plan, she finds herself back in her cage but when things begin to unravel, she once again finds herself at the mercy of her former master. This time, however, she knows she has two wolves on her side, Logan and Stone—powerful alphas who will both fight to the death to free her.


Except the compound hides secrets that threaten both her heart and her identity and when bonds are tested and bloodlines are revealed, Pride realizes if she completes her mission she’ll be releasing her pack into a world where no one, least of all Pride, is safe.

Pride's Run - Review
Cat Kalen - Interview 

Wow, I am really loving this trilogy.  Pride Unleashed is book two in the A Wolf’s Pride series.   In the first book we saw Pride escape her Master’s clutches and the compound and go on the run with Logan, the rogue wolf she was tracking.  Pride Unleashed takes place three weeks later, with Pride and Logan, and some of his pack back at the compound with a plan for rescue and release of the other wolves.

Oh, Pride, if only it were that easy. *sigh*.  Ok, I love Pride.  She is such a good role model for teen girls…heck, for everyone.  She has flaws, she has doubts, and she has very real fears.  But she presses on because she knows what’s right is right, and the things that are wrong she tries to make right.  Pride had freedom in her paws; she was out and in Canada with her mate.  She could have lived her life out and had some beautiful little puppies and no one could really fault her.  But she knew The Master was still abusing and neglecting wolves at the compound.  She had to go back.

For those who may not have yet picked up on Cat Kalen’s wolves, they are very much more wolf than human.  When they are in their human form they are constantly in touch with their wolf, and the wolf inevitably wants to show themselves and take control of every and all situations.  When you read her books you don’t feel like this is the story of a hot girl and a hot guy who happen to change in to wolves.  Nope, you really feel these are wolves that happen to change into human form.  I really love that.  There’s a very natural and real feel to all of the wolves in this series.

At the end of Pride’s Run, Stone lead the Paranormal Task Force away from Pride so that she can escape.  In book two she is ecstatic to find out he is alive – and saddened to see he is in the compound.  I totally understand this.  I flip flop between Logan and Stone, I want her to clone herself so each version of her can have each of these guys.  I did see another review that said something about wanting to see more history on Stone.  I totally agree!  He is such an awesome character, there is such a story behind all of his actions, and we are just not getting it in the Pride series.  Cat – when you see this, let me tell you the people are asking for a spin off series!  Ha-ha J  Nothing like pressure, right?

So Pride is back at the compound and just nothing is going the way it was planned.  And there is an addition of a new type of shifter that I find incredibly interesting, and I would love a second spin off series about them.  But I am not telling you who they are, that would be a spoiler (wink).  Cat, I think you are going to be very busy!!

The first book was about freedom and realizing her true potential.  This book is more about her history, and what has been kept and hidden from her.  There are some huge secrets in this book that come out, some things I totally did not see coming.  And I also loved the edge-of-your-seat moments.  There were definitely moments where I was ready to curse the written word if this or that happened ha-ha.  The bottom line is this book has several really great characters that are rich with personality and history, and you can’t help but want to get to know them all.  May I also suggest a third spin-off series of Logan’s pack here?  I can’t help it! I want to know more!  Cat Kalen’s style of writing really clicks with me, and I love the flow.  There was no point where I got bored or felt like skimming pages. I was interested and invested in this story right from the first page.

So if my gushing hasn’t convinced you yet, let me be blunt – start reading this series.  It’s a great blend of Paranormal and YA, on top of a great mystery and just a lot of fun to read. 

***Stalk Cat***


Also, Pride’s Run just got 4.5 stars TOP PICK from Romantic Times Magazine!!

Pride's Pursuit comes out later this summer - so make sure you add it to your TBR!

Monday, May 28, 2012

Review, Pretty In Black by Rae Hachton


Title: Pretty In Black (Pretty In Black #1)
Author: Rae Hachton
Published: October 2011, Teen Pulse
Genre: PNR, Fantasy, Gothic Romance
Format: Ebook provided by Supagurl Tours

Some Things are Pretty. Some Things are Black. Love is both.


[Ellie Piper]


She wanted to die. He arose from the grave. He was sent to kill her. She was trained to kill those of his kind. But fate had other plans. He searched for 119 years to find her. There's no way in hell he's letting her go. Dead or Alive. They're fated


[Marcus Marble]


How far would you go to be with the one you love? Would you die for her? Would you kill for her? What if the only reason you're still alive is because of her? What if the reason you came back from the dead, was to be with her? But what if your job was to kill her, but you fell in love instead? And now you're being hunted by your own kind?&


Destroy? Or be Destroyed?

              “I never really wanted to die.  But I followed through anyway.  The pain in my heart was excruciating, and death was beautiful.”

I started this book knowing next to nothing about it.  The cover is what drew me in, I couldn’t have not  read it.  And then I signed up for the Black Satin tour with Supagurl Tours, which I have a stop in June.  So then I had to read this book, to prepare for that one.  That all worked out quite well!

This felt like it was a relatively short story, overall.  But it is over 300 pages.  I guess I enjoyed it so much that I just flew through it.  Ellie Piper is a teenage girl whose sister has died.  She is depressed and suicidal.  Life has flipped since her sister’s death, and nothing quite seems worth it.  So she decides suicide is the answer.  And on that fateful night she meets Marcus.

Marcus has long black hair and brooding eyes.  He is quiet and mysterious.  He has secrets, big secrets.  He stops Ellie from killing herself, now only if she knew!

                “So I stayed.  I kind of adored his smile.  And I really loved his eyes.”

Sometimes it just takes a word to describe someone.  Depressed.  Cutter.  Suicidal.  And of course, you can’t encompass someone in that one word, but when you are the person in that spot… well, that’s all you see in yourself.  You don’t see the vibrancy you once had, you don’t see the smile that people miss.  All you really can see is the end, and you wonder how in the hell you can get there because you are just…done. 

That was Ellie.  I found her to be quite compelling.  This was a girl who was vivacious and cheerful, in fact she was a cheerleader.  Then her sister dies and life as she knows it ceases.  I really liked her.  And then she met Marcus and I thought, whoa, this guy is special.  Seemingly the epitome of a vampire, except he’s not a vampire, he’s an Evermore.  They are slightly different, but the story will explain that to you better than I could.  But the two of them, to me, was like picturing the gothic prince and princess come to life.  I just liked them.

There were a few things that rubbed me the wrong way about this story.  Things that I felt have been done before.  But those instances were short, and didn't really detract from the story. 

What I did love about this story, and it made me jump to read Black Satin (the next book in the series) was this beautiful imagery and language that the author used.  She was able to set up a scene with such dark beauty, you definitely felt like you were there.  You could feel the desolation, the sadness… and then you could feel the hope and what could only certainly be young love.  Some of the imagery was very dark, but it was beautiful.  The beginning dealt with the issue of suicide, which can be a very touchy subject for some.  But in this story it was handled beautifully.

You get a little bit of history on Marcus, and what is going on with him.  There is a lot that is explained even more in book 2.  All I can say is that this is shaping up to be a wonderful series, and I can’t wait to get on to book 3!

Come back and see me on June 28 when I have my stop on the Black Satin tour and a review of book 2!

Find Rae Online

****
****


Sunday, May 27, 2012

Review, Darkness Becomes Her by Jaime Rush


Title: Darkness Becomes Her (Offspring #6)
Author: Jaime Rush
Publisher: Harper Collins, May 29, 2012
Genre: UF, Sci-fi, Romance (these are what I'd say!)
Format: Egalley provided by Edelweiss

They live ordinary lives, but they are extraordinary.


They are the Offspring, children of a mysterious experiment gone awry—and they are in terrible danger.


Power Junkie: Lachlan McLeod spent wild years astrally projecting himself into other times and places. But he doesn't get out much anymore—not after the fatal mistake that cost him a precious loved one.


Pixie Fugitive: Jessie isn't having a bad day. She's having a bad lifetime. After the terrifying act of supernatural violence that destroyed her family, she's been on the run for years. But now her ruthless enemy is drawing closer . . . and her own powers have finally awakened.


They're two people who don't play well with others. But they're going to have to learn to, and quickly. Because they're the only two people in the world who can save each other — and their passion is the only thing that can save the world.

This is a new to me author, and I picked this book up as a galley on Edelweiss.  This book is #6 in the series, but I didn’t really feel lost without having read the others.  With that being said, I liked this one so much that I will seek out the previous books and catch up on them.

This story starts out with what I thought was a horrifying prologue.  It really set the story up well, to get to know some of the characters.  Present day brings us to Jessie.  She’s always on the run, ready to move at a moment’s notice.  It comes to light that she is running from her uncle, Russell.  But now she is in a small town, and she meets a guy she just may like, Magnus.

Magnus is a playboy after being very sheltered for most of his life.  And now that he has freedom, he is taking advantage of it.  But then he meets Jessie, and whoa, she could be someone he could settle down with for a bit.  At least, that’s what he tells his brother Lachlan. 

Lachlan and Magnus are very different as far as brothers.  Where Magnus is a playboy sowing his wild oats, Lachlan has pretty much made himself a monk, punishing himself for a mistake he’d give anything to take back.  But no matter what powers you have, some things you just can’t undo.


Edit:5-29-12 (Had to reformat this paragraph after realizing I said the exact same thing in every sentence...do'h!)
That’s right, these people have powers.  They are all very different and pretty neat if I do say so myself.  And even more on top of that, they are different from the usual powers we see, which I liked.  But hey, I am a sucker for super powers!

Then Lachlan astral projects to the future, and he sees Jessie standing over Magnus’ dead body, and now he wants answers.  But fate is not on their side that day, and Magnus ends up in a coma of sorts and Lachlan has charged himself with protecting Jessie.  Whoooaaa, flip!

                “She smelled good, the clean scent of her sweat and the sweetness of shampoo.  She hadn’t almost gotten him killed, but she was killing him now.”

Lachlan and Jessie soon realize there are sparks between them.  But they both have good reasons to douse those flames.  This was constantly leaving me in a sense of frustration, good frustration, but still frustration nonetheless.  I thought their pairing was so perfect, these two belonged together, and I wanted it to happen now now now!   Lachlan was constantly making me swoon with his behavior.  I mean, hermit tendencies and alleged psychosis aside, the man sounded pretty damn perfect to me.  He is caring, strong, tough and best of all – honorable.  But his personal code of honor was really becoming a road block.

            “I didn’t want to kill you, but I would have, to save Magnus.  Now I’ll kill to save you.”

Seriously?  Lachlan, I’m already falling for you, you don’t need to seal the deal – I’m yours!! 

What? He wasn’t talking to me?  Dang!  Not again!

Ok, funniness aside.  There is definitely so much more to Lachlan than meets the eye.  Don’t get me wrong, I really liked Jessie too, but at times she became a bit too much for me.  She was a runner, running her whole life.  And now here was her chance to stay and fight, and I just wanted to get on with it already.

But the girl has some baggage.  I can’t give it away, but you’ll see.  And her whole life has been based on half truths and lies, and things are about to get very bad for her.  And there were times I really felt for her.  But here she was in Sanctuary (Lachlan’s home) and she was protected.  Pretty good deal, if you ask me.  I mean, the guy fought with a giant sword for Pete’s sake!

And Lachlan says, “Protect what’s ours”.  There is something to basic and attractive about that.  To know, actually know, you are safe – and loved.  Lachlan, whether he can admit it or not, is a man to be admired.

Ok, I suppose that is enough about Lachlan.  Who’d have guessed this review would turn into an episode of “I love Locky”  Oh yeah, that’s his nickname.  Does it get any better??  Read this book, but maybe start at the beginning.  I don’t think its really required, but with any series, its always best to start at the beginning.  But hurry up and get to this book because there are some definitely some things in here you do not want to miss!  Oh, plus there are a lot of sci-fi type elements to this book (and I imagine the series) that will really appeal to lovers of sci-fi.  We’re talking portals to other dimensions, other worlds, all of it!

Find Jaime Rush

Review, Take Me At The Ballgame - Cassandra Carr





Title: Take Me At The Ballgame
Author: Cassandra Carr
Publisher: Ellora's Cave (For Men)
Length: 30+ pages
Genre(s): Novella, Erotica
Format: Ebook provided by author for review




Sports writer JT Lovejoy has a chance that’s too good for a middle-aged, divorced guy to pass up—bedding a hot young intern. Of course, there might never be a bed involved, since all the steamy action goes down in the press box. Not that JT’s complaining. How can he, when a beautiful woman offers herself with no commitment? If he’s smart, he won’t question his luck. And JT is a smart man.



Weighing in at roughly 30 pages this was a fun and relatively short time at the ballgame.  In honor of springtime and the baseball games going on all across the country, here is Take Me At The Ballgame!

JT is a sports writer, and he has been eyeing the new intern, Sydney.  She’s easily half his age, but she turns him on in a way that he just can’t deny.  Little does he know, Sydney has been eyeing him up too.  The store really takes off once JT takes the plunge and decides to go for it.  It is a fast paced romp, and it delivers exactly on some erotic semi-public antics.  JT gets exactly what he wants, and don’t worry – so does Sydney.  It’s a perfect little story to read when you don’t have much time but you want to get a big reward for the time spent.

The author, Cassandra Carr, is really among the finest in the genre.  She writes a story so thrilling and titillating that you can’t stand to put it down until you are finished.  And that goes for a shorter story like Take Me At The Ballgame just as it does for some of her longer books, like Impact.  In this story she has managed to inject all the elements of a full length novel without compromising anything.  This one has the intimacy, the drama, the smoking hot sex… you can’t go wrong.  I definitely recommend this story, go out and read it right away.  You won’t be disappointed!


Follow Cassandra

Previous Reviews on Cassandra's Books








Saturday, May 26, 2012

Excerpt/Giveaway - The Realm Between Heaven and Hell by JS Turner



JS Turner
*************


On earth, life for Dawn Chitoe had been cruel. Although she was strong in her faith, her future looked grim. She found her blessings to be painfully short and too few in between. Until one day, a beautiful baby boy, Josiah, miraculously came into her world.

Just when Dawn felt her troubles had vanished, she found herself the victim of a brutal murder. With Josiah cradled in her arms, she embarked on an adventure through the realm between Heaven and Hell. Along the way she finds friends, love, and the truth about religion and faith.


Excerpt
Pregnancy was fun for Dawn.  She transformed her extra bedroom into a nursery.  She painted the walls bright yellow and the borders light green.  Her mother bought her a mahogany crib and a jungle-themed crib set.  When money allowed, Dawn bought stuffed baby animals and soft, plush, pastel blankets.  What she enjoyed most about the pregnancy was that it was Tucker-free.  After a few weeks in prison and finding out about the pregnancy, he wanted nothing more to do with Dawn.


            She turned around, smiling after hanging a cloud, sun, and moon mobile on the side of the crib.  She happily wiped her hands on her yellow sundress with satisfaction on finishing another project.  Her calico cat meowed by her bare feet; she carefully bent over and picked him up.


            “I feel like my life is finally turning around, Jimmy Bean,” she whispered into the scruff of the cat’s neck.  He pawed playfully at her banana-shaped earrings before she bent over to put him back on the nursery floor.


“Ughh,” she grunted as she tried to push herself back to her feet.  Ughh,” she said as she collapsed onto her knees.  It felt as though someone had punched her in the stomach, and in an instant, a stomach cramp brought her down onto the floor.  She felt the inside of her thighs grow warm.  She brought her shaking hands to her face and screamed when she saw they were covered in blood.  She knew she was going to lose the baby.

In her own words:


I was 25 years old before I figured out what I wanted to be when I grow up. I am not sure why it took me so long to take my love for writing seriously. After all, I have been at it for as long as I can remember. I remember the day I received my first journal and how great it felt to have someone finally understand me! I have a desk full of binders and folders packed with the beginnings of stories, ideas and tidbits. Writing is who I am. I guess the idea of doing what you love was a foreign concept

to me, but not anymore! ~Jessi








Giveaway Rules:

There will be an overall blog tour giveaway. To enter the giveaway all you have to do 3 simple things:

1) go “Like” the book’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/therealmbetween,

2) Leave a comment on this blog post. The more blogs you visit and comment on the more entries you get.

3) Share the giveaway by posting “ Check out the blog tour going on for The Realm Between Heaven & Hell http://www.facebook.com/therealmbetween and enter to win a Signed Copy.”


One winner will get a SIGNED COPY of “The Realm Between Heaven & Hell”. Good Luck and Thank you for participating.



Please note that Fictional Candy is not responsible for notifying winner or delivery of prize for this giveaway. 

Friday, May 25, 2012

Review, Making It Real by Victoria Blisse


Title: Making It Real
Author: Victoria Blisse
Publisher: House Of Erotica, 2011
Format: Ebook provided for review
Genre: Erotica, Erotic Romance

He's her secret fantasy, but can she turn her dreams into reality? Mary loves the internet but is surprised to find herself falling in love over it. Will is a mysterious, sexy American she meets on a forum and soon it becomes apparent they have Chemistry. Part time waitress and full time author Mary is thrilled to find out her online crush is visiting England on business and plans to seduce him but will the heat that freely flows from monitor to monitor be present in the cold reality of Manchester in winter?

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

I wanted to read this book because of the internet factor.  I’ve been around for a while, and I’ve made a few friends online.  Some I’ve met in person, some I’ve not.  Some I wanted to, and never got the chance.  So this story really kind of held the hope of “maybe they will meet and everything will be perfect!”

Mary is a single woman in her 30s, and she’s not exactly Barbie material.  She’s a real woman with curves.  But her curves have brought her a bit of insecurity and self-consciousness.  Before long she is passing her free time on some message boards, never getting too deeply involved but having fun.  Wow, this felt like my own story at this point, and Ms. Blisse did a wonderful job of making everything feel real.

But then she sees an avatar in the threads, and it just reaches out and grabs her.  She has to know him.  And so she sets off on a plan to get to know him, and his name is Will.  Will is a bit of a firestarter, getting involved in heated debates.  He’s exciting to her, and she’s enjoying getting to know him.  The only problem is that he lives in the US, and she is in England.  Ok, that’s not the only problem.  He likes women who look like models.  And he has a very demanding job on top of all of that.

I had a love/hate relationship in the beginning with Will.  When he was around he seemed perfect.  But then he would just disappear.  And its not like she could just run over to his house and say “hey, jerk, what the heck??” Then he’d come back and expect everything to be a-ok.  That really bugged me!! But Will also had some very redeeming qualities and my final vote is “Team Will” all the way!

But then she gets a call.  He’s coming to Manchester!!  Butterflies in the stomach, I think I was as nervous for Mary as she was!

I just loved Mary.  Sure, she wasn’t perfect.  But she faced her fears head-on, and she met Will in person.  And there was some very definite chemistry there that could not be ignored!  In terms of my own classification, I’d classify this story as an erotic romance.  And I loved it.  And yep, there was even a moment where I shed a tear, and another where I was downright angry with an “oh no he didn’t!!”  The author does a fantastic job of relating Mary’s hopes, fears, and emotions.  I read this in one sitting and I found it to be exciting and fast paced, and yes, quite a bit steamy.  I really think this book has a lot to offer a wide range of romance enthusiasts.  I hope you get a chance to read it!  As for me, I’m definitely looking forward to my next Victoria Blisse book…

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Release Day! Blood Betrayed by Gabrielle Bisset

Blood Betrayed

A Sons of Navarus Novel


Gabrielle Bisset


Release Day:  Today!

Buy it on:

I am everything forbidden. I am a haunted creature.

I am darkness and shadow.

I am vampire.

I am everything forbidden. I am vampire.

Haunted by betrayal, Saint hides in the human world, giving his heart to no one and finding the only solace from his past in the arms of human women. Now as the Archons begin their takeover of the vampire world, this Son of Navarus has been marked for death. Summoned to defeat the Archons by the world that shunned him, Saint must face his past and Solenne, the woman he loved and lost a century ago, for only in accepting her will his body and soul finally find salvation

Excerpt

"Solenne, can you find a woman who doesn't smell like she's been deep fried in animal fat tonight?"

Closing the door to the refrigerator, Solenne turned to see Saint standing at the kitchen's center island. Shirtless. Again.

"Saint, do you own any shirts or do you need me to pick some up for you?"

Smirking, he raised his eyebrows in amusement. "Have we become a prude?"

Pushing past him, she sat down at the table and popped a grape into her mouth. "Don't you concern yourself with me, but dial back the Cro-Magnon act, can you?"

Leaning against the counter, Saint propped himself up on his elbows and rolled his eyes. "And the girl from last night?"

Solenne secretly enjoyed the thought of him repelled by Marie for any reason. Maybe he didn't drink from her. That would explain why he was being such an ass. Maybe he didn't sleep with her either.

"Marie seemed perfectly fine to me," she said casually as she picked grapes off the vine. "Maybe you just weren't her type. Maybe she has more refined tastes in men."

"Yeah, that sounds right. A woman who smells like a French fry has refined tastes. Just find me a woman who smells like a woman should."

You'll be lucky if I bring you one at all.Saint strolled past her after issuing his order as if he were the king of the castle. God, he was infuriating!  If she'd ever met a man who could push her buttons more than Saint, she couldn't remember him. Wouldn't have wanted to remember him, at any rate.

It still amazed her how different he and his brother were. Teagan was smooth and so much fun to be around. And Saint? Always the darker, more sullen brother, he'd transformed into a shell of the man she'd met a hundred years ago, more detached and alone than anything else now.

But behind his gruff exterior—behind the defensiveness—that vulnerable soul she'd known then must still exist. At least she hoped it did.

It did no good to think about that now, though. She had a job to do, and at the moment that meant finding a human female to provide him with what he needed.

Even if it felt like she was betraying everything she held dear in her heart the whole time she was doing it. 

Have you started reading the Sons of Navarus series by Gabrielle Bisset yet?  I just read Vasilije's book not too long ago, and I was positively enthralled.  These are some vampires I definitely want to get to know more!  I positively can't wait to read Saint's story!  How fantastic does that sound?  Check out the buy links above, and you can stalk Gabrielle (one of the nicest people on the planet, by the way!)  with the links just below here.  Thank you so much for stopping by!



Website       Blog         Facebook        Twitter        Amazon Author Page

In Gabrielle's Own Words...
An avid reader of all types of books, I read my first romance even before I was a teenager.
I must have been a very precocious young lady! I still remember the book, if not the title.
It was about a Southern man during the years before the Civil War and his illicit affair with one of the slaves of a woman he "frequented". I remember vividly reading the word "manhood" often in the book, and the slave's name was Sukie. Isn't it amazing what the mind can remember? 

Fast forward a couple dozen years and I'm a college history instructor. I still love history as much as that romantic young woman did, so I teach it to college students, and the romantic streak has never gone away. Now I get to do things that have to do with my other favorite
love: romance novels. 



Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Guest Post/Giveaway - Katie Salidas - Soulstone - Bewitching Book Tours



It’s a desperate time for rookie vampire Alyssa, and her sanity is hanging by a slender thread. Her clan is still reeling from the monumental battle with Aniketos; a battle that claimed the body of Lysander, her sire and lover, and trapped his spirit in a mysterious crystal. A Soulstone.


Unfortunately, no amount of magic has been able to release Lysander’s spirit, and the stone is starting to fade. Weeks of effort have proved futile. Her clan, the Peregrinus, have all but given up hope. Only Alyssa still believes her lover can be released. In despair, Alyssa begs the help of the local witch coven, and unwittingly exposes the supernaturals of Boston to unwanted attention from the Acta Sanctorum.


The Saints converge on the city and begin their cleansing crusade to rid the world of all things “Unnatural.” In the middle of an all-out war, but no closer to a solution to the dying stone, Alyssa is left with an unenviable choice: save her mate, or save her clan.


Book 4 Immortalis Series


Why I write about Vampires


By Katie Salidas
 We all have our niche. Our thing we really like to write about. It may be broad and encompass an entire genre. Some people like to explore the depths of high fantasy and create whole new worlds. Others may take a different approach and focus on a specific type of creature. I fall into the latter group. I find vampires fascinating. In fact every story I’ve written has included those creatures of the night in one way or another.


Vampires are the most chameleonic of all the supernatural creatures. They can be anything from the dangerous predator stalking you in the night to the sexy bad boy you wish would take a nibble at your neck, and everything in between.


In the Immortalis series, I took the vampire and gave them back some of their humanity. In fact you might find them to be the most human of all the supernatural creatures, often having the capability of being caring and compassionate than the humans you’ll meet in this series.


Rather than make them simple bloodthirsty monsters, I wanted them to rise above it. I wanted them to deal with their very real need for blood (yes they do have to kill to survive), but not let it make them a slave to their cravings. Alyssa, the main character for example chooses to hunt criminals (rapists being her favorite midnight snack). While she feeds as often as she needs, she still manages to maintain a real friendship with her human friend Fallon. Beyond the blood lust, my vampires are capable of very strong emotions. Love being quite intense. It’s that intense love and connection that Alyssa (the main character) feels for her mate that is central to the plot of Soulstone.


In Soulstone, Alyssa must fight her clan, and the Acta Sanctorum to save her mate’s immortal soul. It’s a battle that begins at page one and doesn’t end until the last page. All the while, you’ll be taken on an adventure with the wolves and witches of Boston, break into an old church to steal an ancient magical tome, and fight alongside the Olde Town Pack to take back their territory from the Acta Sanctorum.


As you can see, writing about vampires and making them my own is both fun and fulfilling. I can live the fantasy as well as shape it. It’s the best of both worlds. The biggest payoff though, is seeing others fall in love with my vampires as much as I have. 


 About KATIE SALIDAS

Katie Salidas is a Super Woman!

Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, She can get the munchkin off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons.  She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, She still finds the time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this and still have time to write.
 And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale…

Katie Salidas resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mother, wife, and author, she does try to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Writing books is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.









Next, be sure you enter both giveaways!  The first is from Fictional Candy.  It's International for 18+ and for an ebook of Soulstone! That one ends 5-27-12.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
The second is TOUR-WIDE!  Fictional Candy will not notify the winner, so don't wait for me to tell you!  Fictional Candy is not responsible for delivery of prize. That prize is: Print set of Omnibus edition of Immortalis Series books 1-3 and a print copy of Soulstone


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

(Erotic) Tales from the Coffin, JoAnne Kenrick

Tales From The Coffin







Estella, Vampire Queen of the Rejected,
royally invites you to join herself and her zombie lover for a fix of dark erotic tales sure to tickle your fancy and give you the shivers. But mind your manners, because she bites.









ABOUT:
Estella  is better known as the Vampire  Queen of the Rejected due to her major Haversham complex; dumped at the altar, she's Dracula's rejected bride. And boy does she harp on it--still wears her Victorian wedding dress, moth holes and all.
Lucy Rot  was a  sweet girl who had a rather bad experience with magic. Now she's a zombie and Estella's lover and lacky.
Together, they lure the unsuspecting into their dark basement for a fix of darkly erotic twisted tales...and dinner!

Think story within a story. Great expectations mashed with Tales from the Crypt and Red Shoe Diaries.

TALES FRO THE  COFFIN BOOK ONE,  STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL, RELEASES 22nd MAY 2012 . Book two, All the Pretty Faces releases June/July 2012

EXCERPT
 (c) JoAnne Kenrick, Decadent Publishing. All rights reserved.
“Fancy bursting into my boudoir and expecting me to entertain on demand. The cheek of it. You people have no manners.” Estella puffed her raspberry-red hair into something that resembled an up-do and readjusted her breasts, shovingher plump flesh back into her once-upon-a-time-white corset. “I know. The wordis out. I give great story. I do understand. You’re excited, who wouldn’t be? I amrather marvelous, if I do say so myself.“In my day, though, the men held doors open for ladies, and the ladies tiltedtheir necks to offer supper. Oh, no need to wrap that sweater farther up yourjugular, dear, I’ve already eaten, so I’m not hungry…at the moment.” Estellastretched her arms out, licked her canines, and hoisted her moth-hole-riddenskirt to expose her alabaster thighs decorated with stockings laddered at theknees and splattered with fresh blood. “I can’t vouch for Lucy, though. She’salways hungry, aren’t you my little Deady Bear.”
BLURB:
Estella, Vampire Queen of the Rejected, is sick of men. Or so she would have you think. Ditched at the altar by Dracula himself, she'd rather spend her days with what she now believes to be the more faithful gender. Plagued by a Haversham complex, she gets her kicks by luring prey into her decrepit house with promises of erotic tales...but mind your manners, and fingers, because she bites.
 Lucy Rotterdayne—a zombie better known as Lucy Rot—is Estella's sometimes-faithful subject and lover. Although why she hangs around to be ridiculed and taunted by a bitter vampire, she has no idea. Perhaps the answer is rooted the story of how she was zombified by a doctor who is simply masterful with his hands?
WARNING.  For adult audiences only.


BUY LINKS


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Also by JoAnne Kenrick

www.joannekenrick.com