Friday 29 April 2016

True Blood - DNF Book Review


True Blood
by Patricia Waddell


What is it about:
She's a diplomat…
Danna MacFadyen of the League of Planets is assigned to investigate the explosion of a space freighter. She must use her psychometric skills to determine whether this was an accident or terrorism -- but for Danna, the hardest part of this assignment is working with Korcian Enforcer Cullon Gavriel.

He's a warrior…
Fighting isn't just in a Korcian's blood -- it's in his very soul. Cullon Gavriel already knows the freighter explosion was terrorism -- targeted at the Korcian prince traveling incognito aboard the ship. Cullon's single goal: to discover who is killing Korcian True Bloods. He never expects to become enchanted with a beautiful Terran female who has the ability to step into the past.

As the pieces of an explosive puzzle fall into place...
Danna and Cullon realize they have uncovered a conspiracy that stretches across the galaxy. The trail leads to the capitol city of the Korcian Empire, where shocking secrets lie hidden-- and where the lines between politics and love cross unexpectedly.


What did I think of it:
Another SF where all the aliens are basically humans (well, ok: there are dwarves as well), but I'm used to that by now, so I went along with that.

I had a hard time getting to like any of the characters. Danna is a bit bland and easily impressed by looks, while Cullon is an alpha asshole. The only character I even liked a bit was the dwarf, but he was friends with the alpha asshole, so I didn't really trust him because of that.

The story felt a bit static and didn't really draw me in. The interaction between Danna and Cullon felt stilted as well. When for the gazillionth time Cullon was being a jerk again, and Danna was still swooning over his feline/viking good looks, I threw the book across the room and decided it wasn't for me. I just couldn't stand either of them any longer.

I do have the second book in this series (True Deception) in my TBR pile. I understand it's about two different people, so if I ever feel in the mood for SF and have nothing else on hand, I might give it a try to see if its as infuriating as this book or not.

Why should you read it:
Maybe you like über alphas being jerks.


Thursday 28 April 2016

On McPig's Wishlist - The Blast

This sounds like it might be a cool read.


The Blast
by Sarah Perlmutter


After a series of blasts force Beatrice Hicks and her family into their prepper bunker, they emerge to discover they are among the survivors of a nuclear apocalypse. Fighting against rogue groups and coping with deaths are just some of the adjustments Beatrice must make to survive, but how will she maintain her humanity after the blast?


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Wednesday 27 April 2016

Teaser Tuesdays on a Wednesday - Wicked After Midnight


I rolled my eyes and held up my hands, curling them into faux claws inside their gloves. "No. I'm totally going to kill everybody. Roar. Rawr."

(page 75, Wicked After Midnight by Delilah S. Dawson)


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

===

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Tuesday 26 April 2016

The Devil's Doorbell - Book Review by Voodoo Bride + Giveaway


The Devil's Doorbell
by Anne Calhoun, Megan Hart, Christine d'Abo, Jeffe Kennedy, Megan Mulry, Delphine Dryden and M. O'Keefe


What is it about:
A woman’s pleasure is a dangerous thing. A primal appetite that, once awakened, can never be sated. A secret that gives power to those who know it. A magic that, once unleashed, can never be contained.

Some say the clitoris is the devil’s doorbell, set to summon him forth at the merest touch…

It’s time to ring the bell.

Here are seven tales of sexual empowerment and erotic defiance, featuring the hottest storytellers of erotic fiction.

In the Garden, by Anne Calhoun
Forbidden fruit is the most delicious...
A wedding in the bucolic English countryside offers Kelsey ripe temptation in the form of a hot groomsman, Julian. Will the illicit attraction satisfy an old craving or stoke a new desire?

Exact Warm Unholy, by Jeffe Kennedy
Tonight my name is Mary...

Or is it? Sometimes she’s Tiffany or Syd or Bobbi. But whatever face she wears, she returns to the same bar, to find a new man and seduce him, safe in the knowledge that no one will recognize her. Until one man does.

Red Leather, by Delphine Dryden
Some activities are definitely not safe for work.
Maggie's sadness over being dumped quickly turns to relief and excitement when she discovers a new freedom...a new Maggie she could have never been with her ex. Combine New Maggie with Tim the Hot Mailroom Guy and an unexpected vibrator...and the office supply room door becomes the portal to a world of devilish fun.

Drowning on Dry Land, by Megan Hart
Some doors stay open until you close them.
Moving on from a past love, Bette Douglas has discovered a whole new world of satisfaction and contentment with her boy Damian...but when the past comes knocking, Bette's decision to answer it could change everything.

Devil in the Dark, by Christine d’Abo
When developer Shona needs to beta test her new app - The Devil's Doorbell - she goes out on the prowl for a man who will fulfil her wildest fantasies - oral sex in public. What could possibly go wrong when she finds her devil in the dark?

London Calling, by Megan Mulry
"Face-sitter wanted, in exchange for free accommodation in Mayfair." -Craigslist
She hadn't planned on being quite so adventurous when she decided to spend the year in London, but when she read the ad, she couldn't resist.

We Are All Found Things, by M. O'Keefe
Rennie's trying to forget her past; her mysterious new tenant is trying to keep his past a secret. But when Rennie finds out the truth about Luka she discovers as much about herself as she does her innocent lover.


What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
This is a seriously hot anthology. I will give you my thoughts about each one of the stories.

In the Garden, by Anne Calhoun
This is a well written story, but didn't work for me. It's about a woman who sees a man who reminds her of an ex and that's why she feels an attraction. I have to confess that all my exes are exes for a reason, and when I break up with someone it's a clean break, so I just don't understand how someone would feel sexually nostalgic about an ex. So that I didn't connect with this story, is all on me, I'm afraid.

Exact Warm Unholy, by Jeffe Kennedy
This story is the reason I wanted to read this anthology, as you might have guessed.
And it's another winner. The heroine in this story has her reasons to hide behind different personas, and it was a delight to slowly discover more about her. The hero is wonderful as well. There are some hot scenes, but the scenes where the two of them connect were the best, in my opinion. The ending was very touching and sweet.

Red Leather, by Delphine Dryden
This was a really fun story.
It's about leaving past hurts behind and trying to open yourself up for someone new.
I loved the sweet awkwardness of the encounter between Maggie and Tim. It made it both hot and touching. I will have to check out other works by this author.

Drowning on Dry Land, by Megan Hart
Another story with someone pining after an ex. I felt sorry for the new guy, who was sweeter than the heroine deserved, in my opinion.

Devil in the Dark, by Christine d’Abo
This is a fun and super hot story.
Shona is testing her new app, which should help women find a partner to satisfy their desires. She hits a delicious jackpot I can tell you. Another author to investigate.

London Calling, by Megan Mulry
This story felt more like the beginning of a story than a complete story. It ended just as I was wondering how things would develop. Still I liked it. It's not my normal sort of story as it has a pairing I usually don't particularly like, but here it worked.

We Are All Found Things, by M. O'Keefe
This is a really touching and sweet story. Both Rennie and Luka are scarred by things that happened to them, but they slowly connect and help each other cope. I loved reading how these two learn to trust again. Not so much a hot story, as one filled with hope and warmth. I'll have to see what other stories O'Keefe has written.


So all in all this is a wonderful anthology with stories that are hot, delicious, and touching. It gave me a wonderful story by one of my favorite authors, and introduced me to three authors I will have to investigate further.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and steamy anthology


Buy from
Amazon - Kobo


Giveaway:

A digital copy (mobi or epub) was kindly provided for giveaway to one reader of my blog.
Use the Rafflecopter to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Monday 25 April 2016

Plush Life - Book Review


Plush Life
by Gini Koch


What is it about:
Tom and Meggie have been best friends forever. They’ve been in love with each other for almost as long, but neither one has ever admitted it to the other. Now they work together at the Plush Life Toys, the company Tom started where Meggie is the head of sales.

Meggie’s engaged to Mark, a successful doctor, but she’s having serious second thoughts. However, before she and Tom can talk about it, they get a strange offer from their make-or-break client – go to New Orleans and convince the head of the powerful Family Mart megastore chain that Plush Life is the right kind of company to be one of their vendors. The only catch? Family Mart is the poster company for family values, and Tom and Meggie have to be married or they won’t be approved.

Meggie can’t tell Mark why she has to cancel their weekend plans because Mark doesn’t like that she and Tom are friends. What Meggie and Tom don’t know, though, is that Mark is aware of a secret that affects Meggie’s life – and he and his friends will do anything they have to in order to ensure Mark gets to marry her.

Now Tom and Meggie have to figure out their feelings for each other while trying to keep the eccentric head of Family Mart believing that they’re happy newlyweds. But when Mark and his friends get involved they put Meggie’s life and sanity in jeopardy, and only Tom, a street thief, and the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans are going to be able to save Meggie from the devil himself.


What did I think of it:
This is such a fun read.

I can especially recommend this book to people who secretly ship Kitty and Chuckie in Koch's Katherine “Kitty” Katt series. Tom is a lot like Chuckie (although luckily for me more likeable).

The whole set-up of the story is a little bit out there, but that's a Koch trademark in my opinion, and I'm always willing to go with the crazy if it's not too unbelievable, and leads to a cool and exciting adventure.

And this is quite the adventure. Usually I'm no fan of contemporary stories, but this one grabbed my attention and kept it until the end. Mark and his friends are creepy bastards, and the people at Family Mart are seriously weird as well. Meggie and Tom have a hard time trusting anyone. They do manage to figure out their feelings for each other, but everything that's happening might prevent them from having a Happily Ever After.

All in all this is an action-packed story, with plenty of steamy scenes as well, that will delight fans of Koch, and serves as a great way to introduce you to Koch's writing and humor if you're unfamiliar with her work.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun, action-packed Gini Koch style adventure.


Buy from amazon

Friday 22 April 2016

Hit - Book Review


Hit (Hit #1)
by Delilah S. Dawson


What is it about:
NO ONE READS THE FINE PRINT.

The good news is that the USA is finally out of debt. The bad news is that we were bought out by Valor National Bank, and debtors are the new big game, thanks to a tricky little clause hidden deep in the fine print of a credit card application. Now, after a swift and silent takeover that leaves 9-1-1 calls going through to Valor voicemail, they’re unleashing a wave of anarchy across the country.

Patsy didn’t have much of a choice. When the suits showed up at her house threatening to kill her mother then and there for outstanding debt unless Patsy agreed to be an indentured assassin, what was she supposed to do? Let her own mother die?

Patsy is forced to take on a five-day mission to complete a hit list of ten names. Each name on Patsy's list has only three choices: pay the debt on the spot, agree to work as a bounty hunter, or die. And Patsy has to kill them personally, or else her mom takes a bullet of her own.

Since yarn bombing is the only rebellion in Patsy's past, she’s horrified and overwhelmed, especially as she realizes that most of the ten people on her list aren't strangers. Things get even more complicated when a moment of mercy lands her with a sidekick: a hot rich kid named Wyatt whose brother is the last name on Patsy's list. The two share an intense chemistry even as every tick of the clock draws them closer to an impossible choice.

Delilah S. Dawson offers an absorbing, frightening glimpse at a reality just steps away from ours—a taut, suspenseful thriller that absolutely mesmerizes from start to finish.


What did I think of it:
I've wanted to read this book from the moment I heard of it, but there's only so much hardbacks this piggy can afford, so I waited on the paperback before getting my trotters on it.

And this is such an awesome read!

Patsy is set an impossible choice: kill ten people or she and her mother will be killed themselves. Patsy decides to chose life even though the things she has to do will change her forever.

I rooted for Patsy to survive her ordeal, and to find a way to cope with what she has to do. This book doesn't pull any punches, and the things Patsy has to do impact both her and the people she encounters.

Just a few chapters in I was totally hooked and couldn't put the book down. I had to find out if Patsy would go through with her assignment, or if she would find a way out. Slowly she begins to notice a pattern and she has to figure out what's going on.

The book ends in a way that has me eager for more without being frustrated by the ending. Luckily the next book is already out, and will be making its way to me soon, because I need more!

Why should you read it:
It's a gritty YA read.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Thursday 21 April 2016

Camp Alien - Early Book Review


Camp Alien (Katherine "Kitty" Katt #13)
by Gini Koch


What is it about:
The President and First Lady, aka Jeff and Kitty Katt-Martini, don’t get any downtime once the Mastermind has been revealed to the world. Not only do they have myriad high-level government positions to fill, but the scrutiny and pressure on this Administration has gone into overdrive. The sudden reappearance of a long-forgotten adversary turns out to be the tip of the iceberg. New robots and androids attacking, old enemies making new alliances, and new aliens with interesting abilities almost overshadow the fact that the U.S. still has to host a peace summit at Camp David between Israel and Iraq.

It’s clear that while the Mastermind may be down, there are plenty of others ready to take his place —and all that stands between them and success are Kitty and Company. Kidnappings, rescues, creepy hideouts, a hidden black site, and a domestic dispute that could end Jeff and Kitty’s marriage are nothing compared to finding not one but two hidden labs where dangerous and deadly things are brewing.

But when the President and his entourage finally get to the peace talks, things are no better. Mossad rightly suspects something’s wrong with both their Prime Minister and the President of Iraq. A hidden in-control superbeing, an android replacement, and an army of Fem-Bots turn the peace talks into a Battle Royale that the team might not actually survive. And if they don’t make it, Earth won’t make it, either. But no pressure.


What did I think of it:
This is yet another awesome addition to the series.

Just when you think that things will get easier to follow, now that the Mastermind is finally known, lots of new baddies turn up with evil plans of their own.

I was at the edge of my seat, wanting to know if Kitty would find her missing friends and survive being First Lady.

The events in this book take Kitty to new and cool locations. There's lots of action, conspiracies, and misunderstandings. As always you have to keep paying attention so you don't miss the clues to figure out what's going on and why. New characters are introduced, and old favorites keep being awesome. All in all a roller coast ride as only Koch can deliver.

So once again: if you still haven't started on this series, what are you waiting for?! And if you are reading this series: Go get your hands on this as soon as it releases!

Why should you read it:
It's an awesome SF read.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Wednesday 20 April 2016

The Grind - Cover Reveal

GrindBanner




The Grind (Book #2 in the Vert series)
By Kristen Kehoe
COVER REVEAL
4/20/16
Book Two - High Resolution

Hunter Jackson was on top of the world when that phone call came.
His third X Games title still fresh, a female in his lap, and sponsors ready to offer him any deal he wanted--the kid from California had made it big. And then his phone rang. And it kept ringing. And that news that no one wants was waiting for him on the other line. "It's Mom," his sister said. And like that, his world changed. Months later, Hunter isn't skating--he's at home, taking care of his mom, and keeping the rest of his family together, flipping houses to pay for the medical bills that just keep piling up. In need of a new foreman, Hunter gets a shock when Isabel Rojas shows up to his job site, more gorgeous than any woman he can ever remember, and a mouth that whips of Spanish insults with deadly precision.

Isa comes from a house full of dominant men ready to tell her what to do—she loves them, but she refuses to be the woman who takes orders from a man for the rest of her life. She’s determined to be independent: her own apartment, her own job, her own person. In a family as large and committed to each other as hers, this is not an easy task. Two years of community college, an AA in construction management, and halfway through her apprenticeship as an electrician, Isa knows what she wants, and she’s on a mission to claim it.

When she shows up on Hunter Jackson’s job site, she has a chip on her shoulder, and an already formed opinion about the kind of man he is: rich, entitled, careless. The kind who broke her sister’s heart years ago—the kind Isa swore she would never let into her own life.

But plans don’t always work the way we want.

Assumptions can be wrong, people can change, and hearts don’t always listen to logic.

~*~ABOUT KRISTEN~*~

Kristen

I am the youngest of three daughters and I think this is the reason I enjoy writing about love so much.
I come from a family of high school sweethearts, save myself (thank God), and I have watched how finding love, the real kind, can make a person stronger. My parents have inspired me every day because they found each other at eighteen, got married at nineteen, and never looked back. Now, 35 years later they are still going strong and it makes me realize that love really does aide us in all things.
I write young and new adult books because I think it's the time period in our lives that is the most difficult and I enjoy love stories because we all need hope. Reading about love gives me hope, so I hope my writings about love do the same for any reader who happens to glance at the pages.
I have a daughter, a Great Dane, and a beautiful husband. I love books, coffee, and my family...and shoes. Just saying.

Tuesday 19 April 2016

Escapee - Release Day Alert


Escapee
Science fiction romance by
Edward Hoornaert


The African Queen in outer space

Catt Sayer just wants to survive. The working-class fugitive delivers military supplies on her decrepit airship, but her hard-won livelihood vanishes when invaders overrun her harsh moon. Now an idealistic, upper-class officer wants her to risk her life on a hopeless voyage to attack enemy headquarters – manned by 10,000 soldiers.

Edward Hoornaert’s romantic space opera, Escapee, continues the saga of the Dukelsky family (begun in The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station). If you like The African Queen and the thrill of underdogs finding love while battling a hostile environment, you’ll love Escapee.

Don’t let this rousing tale escape you.



=====================

Excerpt

The entire moon had fallen into enemy hands and this man wrote reports? Her opinion must’ve shown on her face, because his flinty expression slipped, revealing exhaustion, despair, and a plea for understanding.
“I know I’ll never be able to send them, but…” He ran a hand over his eyes, and the unfeeling martinet was back. “The reports are letters to my men’s families, explaining how they died at their posts, defending New Ontario’s interests.”
Catt opened her mouth. Closed it. Felt her face flame. The kitten meowed. The skoot flicked its tongue, spattering Catt with drool. Facing Dukelsky was like staring into a furnace. She lowered her gaze. “I didn’t know…”
“Yet you assumed the worst of me.”
Without thinking, she had assumed the submissive, hunched posture of a peasant being scolded by a patroon. Now, though, she straightened. Embarrassment warred with anger, yet she wouldn’t let him or any other patroon humble her, ever again. “Turnabout’s a bitch, eh?”
She expected him to ask what she meant. He didn’t, yet a narrowing of his eyes told her he’d made the connection to his cheap prostitute comment. Their eyes locked. She refused to back down first.

=====================

About Edward Hoornaert
What kind of guy writes romance? A guy who married his high school sweetheart a week after graduation and still lives the HEA decades later. A guy who’s a certifiable Harlequin hero—he inspired Vicki Lewis Thompson’s Rita Award finalist Mr. Valentine, which is dedicated to him.

Ed started out writing contemporary romances for Silhouette Books, but these days he concentrates on science fiction romance. He’s been a teacher, principal, technical writer, salesman, janitor, and symphonic oboist. He and wife Judi live in Tucson, Arizona. They have three sons, a daughter, a mutt, and the galaxy’s most adorable grandson. Visit him at http://eahoornaert.com.

=====================

Buy links
Amazon - Amazon Canada - Amazon UK - Amazon Australia
MuseItUp Publishing - Apple iBooks - Barnes and Noble
Kobo Books




Monday 18 April 2016

Wicked as She Wants - Book Review


Wicked as She Wants (Blud #2)
by Delilah S. Dawson


What is it about:
The second book in the darkly tempting Blud series, featuring a vampire princess who embarks upon a dangerous journey to claim what is rightfully hers.

When Blud princess Ahnastasia wakes up, drained and starving in a suitcase, she’s not sure which calls to her more: the sound of music or the scent of blood. The source of both sensations is a handsome and mysterious man named Casper Sterling. Once the most celebrated musician in London, Sangland, he’s fallen on hard times. Now, much to Ahna’s frustration, the debauched and reckless human is her only ticket back home to the snow-rimmed and magical land of Freesia.

Together with Casper’s prickly charge, a scrappy orphan named Keen, they seek passage to Ahna’s homeland, where a power-hungry sorceress named Ravenna holds the royal family in thrall. Traveling from the back alleys of London to the sparkling minarets of Muscovy, Ahna discovers that Freesia holds new perils and dangerous foes. Back in her country, she is forced to choose between the heart she never knew she had and the land that she was born to rule. But with Casper’s help, Ahna may find a way to have it all...


What did I think of it:
I will confess: It took me almost three years to pick this book up. This has nothing to do with the writing or the story, but everything with my dislike of Casper in the first book. I also read a short story where he plays a part, and I didn't like him in that one either.

But as I love all the other books and short stories I've read by Delilah S. Dawson I decided to pick this book up as my April TBR Orphan. (Good thing I already had it in my TBR pile, because the current paperback price is pretty high.)

And I'm still not a fan of Casper. He's not very likeable in my opinion. Neither is Ahna, so they do make a good pair.

But the story!

I love Dawson's writing style and her world building. In this story she uses the historical events of the downfall of the last Tsar of Russia and makes them her own. The setting is just as in the first book really cool. It starts out in a dark, steampunky London and then they start on the journey to Muscovy.

Let me tell you (and I'm saying this as someone who's a bit tired of all the Steampunk cliches): Dawson makes airships fun!

Because I didn't connect with Casper and Ahna I didn't love this book as much as I did the first, but all in all this is a great steampunk read, with lots of adventure, pirates, evil magic, and vampires. I'm looking forward to reading the third book.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Steampunk adventure/romance.


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Or buy the ebook from Amazon

Friday 15 April 2016

Shiver - Book Review (repost)


Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1)
by Maggie Stiefvater


What is it about:
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without.

Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.


What did I think of it:
This one of those books that has been on my wishlist for ages, but that somehow kept being ignored in favor of other books when it came to buying it. It took getting this book as a present to finally pick it up and read it.

And it's a great read!

It has a very slow, but pleasant pacing and I loved Stiefvater's writing style.

Grace and Sam are a cute couple, their relationship feels natural and had me invested from the start. I did think Grace's relationship with her friends was a bit off though. There was a lot going on for her and for one of her friends, but they didn't connect with each other like I would have expected friends to do.

I loved Stiefvater's world building and her use of the werewolf myth. It's original and fitted the story really well.

And extra bonus points go to this Young Adult Paranormal story for having no love triangle!!!

All in all this is a very enjoyable read and you can bet I won't be waiting with reading the next book until someone is kind enough to give it to me.

Why should you read it:
It's a well written YA with werewolves


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Thursday 14 April 2016

THe Crown of the Queen - Cover Reveal

Today I get to share the cover of Jeffe Kennedy's upcoming story The Crown of the Queen with you.

Isn't it beautiful?


The Crown of the Queen
By Jeffe Kennedy


Dafne Mailloux, librarian and temporary babysitter to the heirs to the High Throne of the Twelve – now Thirteen – Kingdoms, finds it difficult to leave the paradise of Annfwn behind. Particularly that trove of rare books in temptingly unfamiliar languages. But duty calls, and hers is to the crown. It’s not like her heart belongs elsewhere. But how can she crown a queen who hesitates to take the throne?

---------


This novella will be part of a duology called For Crown and Kingdom, which will also contain a novella by Grace Draven.

For Crown and Kingdom/The Crown of the Queen will release on May 24, 2016 and will be available in digital format and print.

Buy links will be added to the bookpage on Jeffe's website once available:
http://www.jeffekennedy.com/for-crown-and-kingdom/

The gorgeous cover art is created by Louisa Gallie, and you can buy swag with her beautiful artwork here


---------


Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include non-fiction, poetry, short fiction, and novels. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including Redbook.

Her most recent works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion, and an erotic contemporary serial novel, Master of the Opera. A fourth series, the fantasy trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms, hit the shelves starting in May 2014 and book 1, The Mark of the Tala, received a starred Library Journal review was nominated for the RT Book of the Year while the sequel, The Tears of the Rose was nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2014 and the third book, The Talon of the Hawk, won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2015. Two more books will follow in this world, beginning with The Pages of the Mind May 2016. A fifth series, the erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, started with Going Under, and was followed by Under His Touch and Under Contract.

She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular Word Whores blog, on Facebook, on Goodreads and pretty much constantly on Twitter @jeffekennedy. She is represented by Connor Goldsmith of Fuse Literary.


Wednesday 13 April 2016

Uglies - Book Review (repost)


Uglies (Uglies #1)
by Scott Westerfeld


What is it about:
In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.


What did I think of it:
Yet another book with world building that had me frowning a bit.

Don't get me wrong: the whole 'Uglies turn Pretty at 16 and then get to party all the time' was an intriguing idea, but I would have wanted to learn a bit more. Who's doing all the work when all those Pretties are partying? Where does the city get its resources? Stuff like that. It felt incomplete and that made it hard for me to believe in the world Westerfeld created. (Later on in the book you learn a little bit more, but still not enough.)

Luckily the story was really suspenseful and full of action, so I quickly was able to forget about the inconsistencies and concentrate on the story.

And the story is really cool!

Tally is a total brat, but still likeable enough that you want to root for her. She might not always make the smartest choice, but the way Westerfeld wrote her made me able to go along with it and understand why she made certain choices.

Tally's choices lead her outside of the city (eventually) and I must confess I was very happy about that. The world outside is much more intriguing than the city and felt more real to me. I wouldn't mind learning even more about the outside in future books.

In the end I enjoyed this book much more than I had expected after reading the first few chapters and I will certainly try to get hold of the next book to see how this story continues.

Why should you read it:
It's a suspenseful and intriguing YA Dystopian read.


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Tuesday 12 April 2016

Resthaven - Release Day Alert


Resthaven
by Erik Therme


The last thing Kaylee wants to do is participate in a childish scavenger hunt--especially inside the abandoned retirement home on the edge of town. When she finds a bruised, deaf boy hiding inside one of the rooms, she vows to lead him to safety... only to discover the front doors are now padlocked, and her friends are nowhere to be found. Kaylee is about to learn that not everything that goes 'bump in the night' is imaginary, and sometimes there are worse things to fear than ghosts.

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Monday 11 April 2016

Wicked as They Come - Book Review (repost)

I haven't done much reading, so I'll be reposting some reviews this week.


Wicked as They Come (Blud #1)
by Delilah S. Dawson


What is it about:
When Tish Everett forces open the ruby locket she finds at an estate sale, she has no idea that a deliciously rakish Bludman has cast a spell just for her. She wakes up in a surreal world, where Criminy Stain, the dashing proprietor of a magical traveling circus, curiously awaits. At Criminy’s electric touch, Tish glimpses a tantalizing future, but she also foresees her ultimate doom. Before she can decide whether to risk her fate with the charming daredevil, the locket disappears, and with it, her only chance to return home. Tish and Criminy battle roaring sea monsters and thundering bludmares, vengeful ghosts and crooked Coppers in a treacherous race to recover the necklace from the evil Blud-hating Magistrate. But if they succeed, will Tish forsake her fanged suitor and return to her normal life, or will she take a chance on an unpredictable but dangerous destiny with the Bludman she’s coming to love?

What did I think of it:
When I read the blurb of this book and it mentioned a magical traveling circus I knew I had to read it.

And it doesn't disappoint.

Dawson's writing style is pleasant and I loved the world she created. It was both scary and wonderful with all the blood drinking creatures, the steampunk elements, the travelling circus and the dark depressing cities.

I fell in love with Tish from the start, she's a likeable person who has had some blows dealt to her, but didn't let that get her down. And then there's Criminy! When he stepped into the story, wearing a ridiculous waistcoat and a cocky grin I knew I was going to love this book if only for him.

Luckily enough Criminy isn't the only thing this book has going for it. It's a beautiful, dark Victorian fairy tale full of action, conspiracies, romance and bludbunnies. (Yes: vampire bunnies!!! Isn't that cool!?)

All in all I very much enjoyed this book and i'll keep an eye out for the next book in this series.

Why should you read this:
Vampire bunnies!!!


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Friday 8 April 2016

Flying Blind - Book Review


Flying Blind (The Dragon Diaries Trilogy #1)
by Deborah Cooke


What is it about:
Zoë Sorensson is perfectly normal, except she's been told she's destined for great things. Zoë's the one female dragon shapeshifter of her kind. But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to being Pyr and her powers are AWOL, so she's sent to a Pyr boot camp.

Zoë quickly realizes that she has to master her powers yesterday, because the Pyr are in danger and boot camp is a trap. The Mages want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line-unless Zoë and her friends can work together and save their own kind.


What did I think of it:
This is a nice read.

It's high on teenage drama, jealousy, and of course our leading lady is unsure which boy she likes the most. Still it's entertaining enough that I managed to take all those things for granted and not let it annoy me too much. It's also a quick read so I was already past the 25% point at which I usually decide to DNF a book, and almost halfway before feeling the urge to kick sense into the lot of them :-p

I liked the world building and this book made me curious about Cooke's adult series of which this series is a spin-off as far as I understand.

All in all this is an enjoyable enough read, but if I didn't already have the second book (I bought both at the same time at a bargain) I most probably wouldn't continue the series. As it is now I'll probably read the second book when I'm in the mood for some easy Paranormal YA.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice Paranormal YA read

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Thursday 7 April 2016

On McPig's Wishlist - Kushiel's Dart

Many people have recommended this series to me over the years. I think I'll finally start listening and see if I can get hold of the first book one of these days.


Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel's Universe #1)
by Jacqueline Carey


The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good... and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.

Phèdre nó Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission... and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.

Phèdre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair... and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Phèdre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear.

Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel's Dart-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age, and the birth of a new.



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Wednesday 6 April 2016

Wild Man's Curse - Book Review


Wild Man's Curse (Wilds of the Bayou #1)
by Susannah Sandlin


What is it about:
The bones said death was comin’, and the bones never lied.

While on an early morning patrol in the swamps of Whiskey Bayou, Louisiana wildlife agent Gentry Broussard spots a man leaving the home of voodoo priestess Eva Savoie—a man who bears a startling resemblance to his brother, whom Gentry thought he had killed during a drug raid three years earlier. Shaken, the agent enters Eva’s cabin and makes a bloody discovery: the old woman has been brutally murdered.

With no jurisdiction over the case, he’s forced to leave the investigation to the local sheriff, until Eva’s beautiful heir, Celestine, receives a series of gruesome threats. As Gentry’s involvement deepens and more victims turn up, can he untangle the secrets behind Eva’s murder and protect Celestine from the same fate? Or will an old family curse finally have its way?


What did I think of it:
I love the Penton books by Sandlin and all her other books as well, so I had to get my trotters on this book.

And it is so good!

Sandlin has a very engaging writing style that draws you in from the start. I love how she sets the mood for this story in her descriptions, and I could almost feel the swampy heat. Whiskey Bayou sounds like a beautiful, but harsh place to live.

Both Gentry and Ceelie are easy to like and root for. I also fell in love with Jena and Paul, two of the other characters. I'm really hoping both will get their own book in this series.

The story is very suspenseful and full of mystery. What's the curse resting on Ceelie's family? Why was Eva killed? It didn't take me long to be totally engrossed in the story and to root for Gentry and Ceelie to figure out what was going on and why.

All in all this is a gripping read both because of the story and the setting. I will most certainly get my trotters on any other books in this series.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful and atmospheric Romantic Suspense read.


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Tuesday 5 April 2016

Teaser Tuesdays - Camp Alien

This piggy is lucky enough to have gotten an early review copy of Camp Alien!


"You seeing what I'm seeing?" I asked Mom as I rummaged around in my purse.
"I am. You know, I'd forgotten about this, don't ask me why."

(Page 51, Camp Alien by Gini Koch)


preorder:
buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Monday 4 April 2016

Trial by Fire - Release Day Blitz


Trial By Fire by Chris Cannon
RELEASE DAY BLITZ
April 4, 2016


Bryn’s hopes for a peaceful new semester at school go up in smoke when someone tries to kill her—again. She’s not sure which is scarier, facing the radicals who want to sacrifice her for their cause, or her impending nightmare of a Directorate-arranged marriage to her nemesis, Jaxon.
The one bright spot in her life is Valmont, her smoking-hot knight who is assigned to watch over her twenty-four hours a day. Is what she feels for him real or just a side effect of the dragon-knight bond? At this point, stopping the impending civil war might be easier than figuring out her love life.
She may have to live in their world, but she doesn’t have to play by their rules.

~*~ABOUT CHRIS~*~

Award winning author Chris Cannon lives in Southern Illinois with her husband and her three dogs, Pete the shih tzu who sleeps on her desk while she writes, Molly the ever-shedding yellow lab, and Tyson the sandwich-stealing German Shepherd Beagle. She believes coffee is the Elixir of Life. Most evenings after work, you can find her sucking down caffeine and writing fire-breathing paranormal adventures and snarky contemporary romance.




Friday 1 April 2016

Plush Life - Release Day Alert

Today a new book by Gini Koch releases!

You can bet I'll be reading it once I have my TBR mountain under control again.


Plush Life
by Gini Koch


Tom and Meggie have been best friends forever. They’ve been in love with each other for almost as long, but neither one has ever admitted it to the other. Now they work together at the Plush Life Toys, the company Tom started where Meggie is the head of sales.

Meggie’s engaged to Mark, a successful doctor, but she’s having serious second thoughts. However, before she and Tom can talk about it, they get a strange offer from their make-or-break client – go to New Orleans and convince the head of the powerful Family Mart megastore chain that Plush Life is the right kind of company to be one of their vendors. The only catch? Family Mart is the poster company for family values, and Tom and Meggie have to be married or they won’t be approved.

Meggie can’t tell Mark why she has to cancel their weekend plans because Mark doesn’t like that she and Tom are friends. What Meggie and Tom don’t know, though, is that Mark is aware of a secret that affects Meggie’s life – and he and his friends will do anything they have to in order to ensure Mark gets to marry her.

Now Tom and Meggie have to figure out their feelings for each other while trying to keep the eccentric head of Family Mart believing that they’re happy newlyweds. But when Mark and his friends get involved they put Meggie’s life and sanity in jeopardy, and only Tom, a street thief, and the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans are going to be able to save Meggie from the devil himself.



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