Gretel and The Dark Review

Gretel and the Dark by Eliza Granville



Gretel and the Dark is Eliza Granville's dazzling novel of darkness, evil - and hope.Vienna, 1899.

Josef Breuer - celebrated psychoanalyst - is about to encounter his strangest case yet. Found by the lunatic asylum, thin, head shaved, she claims to have no name, no feelings - to be, in fact, not even human. Intrigued, Breuer determines to fathom the roots of her disturbance.

Years later, in Germany, we meet Krysta. Krysta's Papa is busy working in the infirmary with the 'animal people', so little Krysta plays alone, lost in the stories of Hansel and Gretel, the Pied Piper, and more. And when everything changes and the real world around her becomes as frightening as any fairy tale, Krysta finds that her imagination holds powers beyond what she could have ever guessed . . .

Eliza Granville was born in Worcestershire and currently lives in Bath. She has had a life-long fascination with the enduring quality of fairytales and their symbolism, and the idea for Gretel and the Dark was sparked when she became interested in the emphasis placed on these stories during the Third Reich. Gretel and the Dark is her first novel to be published by a major publisher.


Claires Review 3 of 5 Stars

I found Gretel and the Dark a very hard book to read. The language used was very hard for me and I found myself confused with what was happening a lot of the time. The book was extreme dark and I found some of the parts difficult to read because of the nature of them as well as the language. That said I pushed on hoping that things would get better, and at the end all the pieces of the puzzle seemed to fall into place more which did improve the story slightly for me. 

This is not a bad read at all but I think it just wasn't one for me, although I can see why some would find it enjoyable, I just seemed to struggle with it. This is definitely a book that you need to read yourself to make a judgement rather than going on the opinions on others.

Thank you to Penguin, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Professor Review

The Professor by Robert Bailey



Synopsis

Thomas Jackson McMurtrie is a living legend scorned. Forty years ago, he gave up a promising career as a trial lawyer to become a law professor at the University of Alabama at the request of his mentor. Alabama football Coach, Paul "Bear" Bryant. Now Tom is forced into retirement, betrayed by both a powerful colleague and his own failing health.

Meanwhile, the young family of one of his oldest friends is killed in a tragic road collision. Believing his career is over, Tom refers the case to a brilliant, yet beleaguered, former student, who begins to uncover the truth behind the tragedy, buried in a tangled web of arson, bribery and greed.

But as the eve of trial approaches, the young attorney's case begins to unravel. In over his head and at the end of his rope, he realizes there's only one man who can help...

Lisa's Review - 5 out of 5 stars

First I want to thank Angry Robot for the ARC of this book via NetGalley. The book is due for publication January 28th 2014.

The Professor is promised to be a 'legal thriller', and it doesn't hold back in living up to that tag line.
Tom McMurtrie used to be a trial lawyer, but gave it up to become The Professor, and becoming the best in his field, and quite literally, writing the book on Evidence. When the times change, and The Professor refuses to change with them, he is wrongfully forced out of the job he loves and is excellent at. His health also takes a knock, so after righting some wrongs and referring a huge case to an ex student, The Professor goes into hiding. But can his ex student, Rick Drake, win the case without The Professor?

I never expected that I would pick up a legal thriller and be quite as engrossed in it as I was with this book. I have read books before that included court cases, and along the way have managed to get completely lost with the terminology, but with The Professor, even though there was a lot of legal style wording used, it is done in a way that even if you have no knowledge of the setting, it is understandable.

From the beginning, I was hooked into this book. From the first page, we get hooked into the story, starting with the accident that causes the trial in the first place, which was really well written, and even though it was only a few pages in I found the scene heart wrenching.

From then on the rest of the book is full on, with larger than life characters, a fast paced court case with twists and turns left, right and centre, and a plot that leaves you wondering if they will or wont win the case.

I really enjoyed The Professor, and I loved the story. It was filled with moments that made me smile, laugh, gasp in horror, cringe and cry. It is a real page turner, and I think everyone will enjoy it whether they understand the legal aspects of the book or not.

Links

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17737082-the-professor

http://exhibitabooks.com/books/the-professor-by-robert-bailey/

Purchase Links

Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Professor-McMurtie-Drake-Robert-Bailey/dp/1909223573/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389103162&sr=8-1&keywords=professor+robert+bailey

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/The-Professor-Robert-Bailey/dp/1909223581/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389103276&sr=8-1&keywords=professor+robert+bailey

B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-professor-robert-bailey/1115072547?ean=9781909223585

The Eslites: The Arrival by CM Doporto

The Eslites: The Arrival.

Book 1 from the Eslite Chronicles
by CM Doporto
Genre: Young Adult Sci-Fi/Dystopian (ages 12 and up)

ISBN: 978-0-9888299-6-1
Number of pages: 209 pages
Word Count: 57,703
Cover Artist: Cora Graphics

Book Description:

When sixteen-year-old Miranda Mays, superior donor destined to save the alien race known as the Eslites, learns the human race is in danger along with the donors at Nidus, she decides it’s time to take a stance. Against the odds, she sets out on a quest to convince government officials that what the Eslites are doing to them is violating the current order in place. Will she succeed or will the Eslites continue to test human females in hopes of producing offspring to save their race?

Fender Bender Blues blog tour

Presented by:

Book Info-

Title: Fender Bender Blues

Author: Niecey Roy

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Romantic Comedy

Audience: Adult

Formats: eBook / print

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Cover By: Debbie Taylor

Editor: DJ Hendrickson

Pages: 358

ISBN Print: 978-1-61217-741-0

ISBN Digital: 978-1-61217-742-7

ASIN: B00B5L71YQ

Date Published: January 24, 2013 Amazon

     

          

The Fiery Heart Review

The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead
Book Synopsis

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .
But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.
Pulses will race throughout this thrilling fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

The Hunger Games Review by Chloe

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins



Synopsis

Winning will make you famous.
Losing means certain death.

In a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place. Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed.

When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

Daylighters review

Daylighters by Rachel Caine
While Morganville, Texas, is often a troubled town, Claire Danvers and her friends are looking forward to coming home. But the Morganville they return to isn’t the one they know; it’s become a different place—a deadly one…  Something drastic has happened in Morganville while Claire and her friends were away. The town looks cleaner and happier than they’ve ever seen it before, but when their incoming group is arrested and separated—vampires from humans—they realize that the changes definitely aren’t for the better.
It seems that an organization called the Daylight Foundation has offered the population of Morganville something they’ve never had: hope of a vampire-free future. And while it sounds like salvation—even for the vampires themselves—the truth is far more sinister and deadly.
Now, Claire, Shane and Eve need to find a way to break their friends out of Daylighter custody, before the vampires of Morganville meet their untimely end…

Cover Reveal: Dissension by K.A. Salidas

The great cataclysm wiped almost all life from the face of planet Earth, but tiny pockets of survivors crawled from the ashes, with only one thought: survival, at any cost.
But not all survivors were human.
In the dark, militant society that has risen in the aftermath, vampires, once thought to be mythical, have been assimilated and enslaved. Used for blood sport their lives are allowed to continue only for the entertainment of the masses. Reviled as savages, they are destined to serve out their immortal lives in the arena, as gladiators.
And there is no greater gladiator than Mira: undefeated, uncompromising...and seemingly unbreakable. When an escape attempt leads Mira into the path of Lucian Stavros, the city’s Regent, her destiny is changed forever.
Lucian, raised in a culture which both reviles and celebrates the savagery and inhumanity of vampires, finds Mira as intriguing as she is brash. An impulsive decision - to become Mira’s patron – changes more than just Lucian’s perception about vampire kind. The course of his life is altered in ways he could never have predicted – a life that is suddenly as expendable as hers.
Can Mira prove to Lucian that all is not as it seems? Can Lucian escape centuries of lies, bloodshed, and propaganda to see the truth? Or will the supreme power of the human overlords destroy them both?

Excerpt

The hair on the back of Mira's neck prickled. An uncomfortable weight of unseen eyes settled on her. Dread sank to the pit of her stomach. Busted...and so close to escaping. Someone else was there, watching her. She felt it, but what was more unsettling was the fact they had yet to announce themselves. Guards would shoot first and ask questions later. Someone lurking in the shadows… there was no telling what game they’d be playing.

Mira turned around and stood next to the guard she had just felled. It didn’t take much for her to find the source of her unease. A pair of mossy green eyes scrutinized her from the opposite end of the hall.

Heart pounding, she stared back at the man attached to those quizzical eyes. Human, no doubt. But he didn’t carry a weapon. Nor was there any fear in those green eyes of his. On the contrary, alone in a dark corridor, he stood his ground, lifting his head, and stared Mira down like an alpha from some long lost wolf pack.

The strangeness of his manner caught Mira by surprise. For a few moments too long, she stood dumbfounded, trying to process who he was and what her next move should be. His face seemed oddly familiar, though at the moment she couldn’t place where she’d seen him before.

The strange man was tall and well built, but that really didn’t matter much. Mira could take down vampires larger than she with no problem. But that wasn’t the thing stopping her from making a move. Judging by the deep plum of his suit, he was a man of some power. Only the Elite – those in the ruling class – were ever permitted to wear such an audacious color. As desperate as Mira was at that moment, she needed to tread carefully. Being caught escaping—again—would earn her more time in the light box, but injuring an Elite could have her staked out in the middle of town square awaiting the dawn.

“Aren't you going to finish him?” the man asked, his tone calm, soothing, as if he genuinely wanted to know the answer.

“Why don’t I finish you instead?” She hoped the warning in her voice would be enough to deter him, but still the man remained unfazed, like some stoic statue across the hallway. What was he playing at? And why was he just standing there, calmly, giving her every opportunity to strike? Did he really place so little value on his life?

“You could kill me, sure, but ask yourself how that is going to help your situation.” Spoken like a true Elite. He had to be up to something.

She didn’t like the smugness in tone, but felt at a loss as to how to continue. She could be on him in a fraction of a second. Crush his windpipe, and maybe buy herself a few more minutes to find the exit, but she was lost and had already wasted too much time. However, her inaction was almost certain to earn her some additional reprisal as well.

The corner of his lip quirked up. “I take it by your lack of response, that you’ve decided against harming me?”

Damn him! He knew she couldn’t take the risk. “For the moment, I guess.” Mira did not let her own uncertainty leach out into her voice. She attempted to sound self-assured, as if she were the one in charge at that moment.

“Well.” He let out a little sigh. “I’m pleased to hear that.” The strange man smiled congenially. “But, we will have to sort out what to do with you. It appears you’re out of bounds here.”

Author Bio

Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, She can get the munchkins 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.

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Unraveled by Jen Frederick Blog Tour

Unraveled (Book Three) 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18500128-unraveled 

Release date: January 20th 

Twenty-five-year-old Sgt. Gray Phillips is at a crossroads in his life: stay in the Marine Corps or get out and learn to be a civilian? He’s got forty-five days of leave to make up his mind but the people in his life aren’t making the decision any easier. His dad wants him to get out; his grandfather wants him to stay in. And his growing feelings for Sam Anderson are wreaking havoc with his heart…and his mind. He believes relationships get ruined when a Marine goes on deployment. So now he’s got an even harder decision to make: take a chance on Sam or leave love behind and give his all to the Marines. Twenty-two year old Samantha Anderson lost her husband to an IED in Afghanistan just two months after their vows. Two years later, Sam is full of regrets—that she didn't move with her husband to Alaska; that she allowed her friends to drift away; that she hasn't taken many chances in life. Now, she's met Gray and taking a risk on this Marine could be her one opportunity to feel alive and in love again. But how can she risk her heart on another military man who could share the same tragic fate as her husband?

Note: Although these books are part of a series, they do not need to be read in order 

Excerpt

“I’ve been watching you all night.” His mouth was right above the tip of my ear and I felt something crack inside me, a fissure was forming in the mask I’d donned earlier today or perhaps his breath, his touch, his words were simply hastening the demise of the barriers I’d held between myself and everyone else for two years. Because inside my body, it felt like there was an awakening and every fiber of my being reached toward him, upward and outward as if I was a flower on the first day of a spring rain. I lifted my head to gaze up, wide-eyed and anxious with anticipation.
Some part of my brain was telling me that the storage closet was just two steps to my right at the end of the hallway and the exit door was just beyond that. My Rover was outside and all three were safer than standing here almost in his embrace but I couldn’t hear the warning over the pounding of my heartbeat. He bent toward me, his face serious and even in the low light of the corner I could see the gold flecks feathering out from the center of his eyes.
“I'm going to kiss you now.” His voice was deep, rough and matched the rest of his thoroughly masculine body.
“I know,” I whispered back. And I wanted that kiss from Gray who ordinarily wouldn't be my type at all. I wanted it more than I wanted to breath. When his mouth molded against mine, it felt like bliss as if my whole cold body had been submerged into a warm bath. If I thought I was engulfed before it was nothing like I felt at that moment. My entire world—my thoughts, my feelings, my senses—were full of him. I tasted the mint and hops on his tongue. I inhaled the cinnamon, bergamot, ocean of his faint cologne into my airways. I felt the calloused palm on my waist and then lower against the exposed skin of my thigh. His dense muscles were drawn tight under his skin and the fabric of his t-shirt and he felt as strong as a citadel. The moan that had been building since he first backed me into the wall escaped. It had been so long since I’d had the touch of a man’s hand on any part of me and I nearly wept at the pleasure of it.

Author Bio

Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She's been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jen@jenfrederick.com.

Author Links

Website: https://twitter.com/jensfred
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenFrederick
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jensfred
Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/p3ptasx

Giveaway

$200 GC to retailer of your choice Full set of Woodlands print books (5) with dog tags.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Luckbane Review

Luckbane (Otherworld #1) by Tony Breeden



Synopsis

In a dystopian future, online gaming is the ultimate escape… until one corporation gives a few lucky players the chance to play their favorite sword and sorcery game live and in person on a distant planet. In the inaugural Øtherworld campaign, the winners will face monsters, magic, warriors, dragons, and betrayal as they quest to find a weapon capable of stopping the dreaded Firelord and his armies.

For one lowly janitor-turned-alchemical adventurer, the stakes are much higher. Someone wants him very, very dead. And in a world where no one is who they seem to be, Jarrod Luckbane has no idea who he can trust.

PJ Stone Gates Trilogy Sale

Got Dragon?

Get the entire P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy in a boxed set on sale from Jan. 22 through Jan. 29th

You may just find you like to get burned.

 

The P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy (#1-3)
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Tik Tok Press
Cover Artist: Lindsay Tiry
Interior Book Design: The Eyes For Editing
Trilogy Logo Designer: Eye Of The River Media Design
Buy on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1fda5Eb

The P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy anthology contains the following books:

~Hidden Gates (Book 1)~

For P.J. Stone, being a “Seer” who has never seen anything is less than fun. And P.J. isn’t known for her patience.

To make matters worse, she must choose a suitable mate to continue the Seer bloodline. Duty always comes before her heart…at least that’s what her parents taught her. When she finds herself wanting someone who is considered off-limits, P.J. is forced to question everything she believes.

As if navigating her love life isn’t complicated enough, P.J. finally receives a vision—of a threat to her world that only she can perceive. But no one will believe a fledgling Seer’s warnings. With nowhere else to turn, she may decide to trust a stranger with her life, her world, and maybe even her heart.

~Broken Gates (Book 2)~

P.J. Stone is a Seer who saw too little, too late.

In the past, her biggest worries were boys and school—but war has a way of changing things. Now, the alien Riders are trying to overrun the world. As the last of their kind, P.J. and her friends must find a way to save humanity before there’s nothing left to save.

After choosing a mate, P.J. hoped she'd have time to enjoy her love life. But with everything changing so quickly and major secrets revealed, who knows what the future will bring?

~Open Gates (Book 3)~

Bryn is gone. Jenna isn’t herself. And the world has been taken over by the alien Riders. The only constant in P.J.’s life is Khol. But even he might not be able to help her pick up the shattered pieces of her existence.

 P.J. finally gets the answers to all her questions, but will she be able to handle the truth? And will she be strong enough to face her own destiny when the time comes?


About the Author

D.T. Dyllin is a Bestselling Romance Author who writes in both New Adult and Adult genres. She is a member of the RWA (Romance Writers of America) and also her local chapter, the MCRW (Music City Romance Writers).

D.T. was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Black & Gold for life, baby!) She now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and two spoiled GSDs.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

 

Book Blitz: Taut by JA Huss

TAUT: The Ford Book by JA Huss 

(Rook and Ronin Spin-off) 

Published January 20, 2014 

Contemporary, Erotic Romance, New-ish Adult 

TAUT IS A STANDALONE NOVEL - you do NOT have to read any of the Rook and Ronin books first. Ford Aston is known for many things. Being an emotionless, messed up bastard, a freakishly smart social outcast, and a cold, domineering master who keeps "pets" instead of girlfriends.
And after Rook broke his heart, he plans to keep it that way.
Ashleigh is known for nothing, and that's exactly what she's got going for her. She's broke, stranded in the mountains with a three month old baby, and Ford Aston is screwing with her head.
Big. Time.
And she plans to mess with his right back. It's a coy game at first, filled with flirting, and innuendo--but Ford soon realizes something is not quite right with Ashleigh. In fact, something is seriously, seriously wrong and the closer they get to their final destination, the closer Ford gets to the truth.
One night of devastation, self-loathing, and emptiness turns into the best thing that ever happened to Ford Aston. But one day of in-your-face reality threatens Ashleigh's whole existence. 

Matter of Choice release day blitz

Title: Matter of Choice

Author: RM Alexander

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: January 21, 2014

Tour Host: Dreams Come True Promotions

Book Blitz: Weak for Him by Lyra Parish

Weak for Him by Lyra Parish

(Weakness #1)

Publication date: January 15th 2014

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Weak for him is a New Adult read with sexual content.
“Have you heard the saying, ‘sex sells’? Well, I’m the supplier.”
Finnley Felton sells sex.
Jennifer Downs is a virgin.
With the help of lady luck, the two meet.
Money. Bright lights. Sex.
Jennifer is made an offer: sell her virginity to the highest bidder and transform into one of Finnley’s girls. But she finds herself weak for him, and doesn’t fully realize what she’s agreed to until it’s too late.
Will she rise to the challenge and play by the rules in a land where money is king and love is prohibited? Or will she lose herself and values in the attempt?

Cambion series by Shannon Dermott

I made some room in my reading schedule to get caught up on some of the series that I had started a while ago but hadn't gotten round to and I decided that rather than just post a review for the last few books in the series I would post all my reviews from the series so far. While Beg for Mercy was provided for free in exchange for an honest review, I enjoyed it so much I purchased the rest of the series myself.
The Cambion series is Young Adult Paranormal... with the exception of the novella No Mercy, which the author has labelled intended for mature audience only.

Beg for Mercy #1

Everyone dreams of that first kiss. Of that magic moment when your lips finally meet those of that special person you’ve waited your whole life for. A little awkward, a little scary, a little hot and every bit amazing. We speculate that the whole world will shake and time will just stop. No one, however, ever imagines that kiss to bring Death himself knocking.

Sixteen year old Mercy Moore's life just got more complicated. The kiss that originally could have meant she would finally have a boyfriend now was the kiss that could have very nearly ended his life. A small detail her mother conveniently never told her will take her life for an abrupt u-turn. Dating, no love, was now completely and utterly impossible. And the boy well, that boy would never be the same.
But life, however cruel, goes on. Far too soon for her taste, Mercy finds herself at a senior party with the elite students of her school and her best friend. And of all things, playing a stupid game that could very well mean the death of someone in that small room. If it were not for her best friend, the hottest guys in school, and a small need to fit in, she may have been able to escape the disaster that was to come. Her worst nightmare, her personal curse, her very life, only gets dangerously worse.

Shona's review 5 of 5 stars (review from April 2013)
When I agreed to read and review this for author Shannon Dermott I figured I would enjoy it, I mean I read the synopsis and I was like “yeah, this is a book I want to read.” What I wasn’t expecting was a book that I couldn’t put down. Do not read this if you are surrounding by small people who rely on you to cook and care for them because one of two things will happen, either your small people will eat all the fruit because you haven’t made lunch or dinner yet or you will be incredibly frustrated that you can’t finish reading that chapter just yet. Yes both things happened to me, when there was no fruit left to tide them over til the end of ‘just one more chapter’ I had no choice but to step away and cook for them. This book had me up late at night reading until I physically couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer, and then it had me up mega early so that I could carry on reading.
This isn’t my first Succubus book, but it is the first time I have read a book about a teenage succubus and I think Dermott has struck gold. The PNR genre is literally riddled with vampire romance books, so to come across Beg for Mercy is like a breath of fresh air. There are several relationship arcs in this book and I think Dermott has worked them perfectly. Mercy is by no means a slut, but she really does have a hard time keeping her lust in check but when you’re an untrained succubus that’s par for the course. Right? Exactly, especially when you have several hot guys thrusting themselves upon you, guys who are fully aware of your nature and inability to control it.

I enjoyed this so much that when I finished the last page in the story and turned the page I actually squealed with delight to realise this is just the first book in the series. So now I’m really looking forward to reading the next instalment.

Waiting for Mercy #2

What do you do when you’ve been to hell and back, literally? For Mercy, it meant the beginning of the end for everything. Love, Happiness, Life.

When the people important to her are thrown into danger and she is forced to choose who to save, what will Mercy do? When the demon within her has its own agenda, going to new lengths to fulfill it, how will she cope? And when a new nemesis arrives, with a sole focus to take what belongs to her, how will she survive?
Some situations make you stronger, some make you weak. She used to run from confrontation but the need to uncover secrets will harden her resolve to make new choices.

In the end, someone else will suffer the consequences. Who will be burned by her very existence? And what will become of everything she holds dear?
Mercy’s life wasn’t easy before and things aren’t getting easier now.

Shona's review 4 of 5 stars.
It has been quite a while since I stepped into Mercy's world, but Dermott has written a world so easy to step into and provides us with little reminders of where we left Mercy that the return to this series is almost flawless.
As I found with Beg for Mercy I was so wrapped up in Mercy's story that I found it difficult to step away from it, this was another book that had me sitting up into the wee small hours (never before have I been so glad for the backlit screen of my kindle paperwhite).
Sometimes I felt there was too much stuff going on at one time and it felt like we were being rushed from one action scene to another without room to process each of them individually.. and at other times I felt that certain things were left a little too late.. but overall the story moves at a great pace.

So lets talk about the elephant in the room.... I'm talking about the love triangle.. although we definitely need a bigger shape with more sides because triangle doesn't quite cut it. On the surface it would be easy to brand Mercy a slut, but I personally think she is doing an amazing job of keeping her admirers at arms length and her slutty demon half under control. I know, I know that's not fair on her demon half.. it's what she does, it's who she is.. And considering that ALL of the guys who are lusting after Mercy (ok so for some lusting isn't an accurate term for their feelings for her) know about her demon side you would think they would give her a little more space and stop harassing her the way they do. And while I can understand Luke would want his girlfriend to be faithful it kind of pisses me off when he doesn't immediately understand that it is the demon side taking control.

No Mercy #2.5

This is a novella in the Cambions series. Even though it is set before Beg for Mercy it should be read after Waiting for Mercy.

Warning - this book is intended for mature audience. Excessive language and sexual situations may not be suitable for younger teens.
Best Friends until the end huh?
Flynn McAllister, bad to the bone, at least that’s what the girls say about him, is heading out of town for the weekend. He’s meeting up with a girl he met last summer. She and her sister will keep him and his best friend busy for the weekend. At least that’s what he thought, until a girl and other things get out of hand.
Luke Bishop isn’t an angel like everyone thinks. Okay, technically, maybe. But when it comes down to it, actions speak louder than words. And his shout that he’s more than what meets the eye. Getting out of town is a welcome idea. He just didn’t plan on meeting her and all the hell came with her.

Shona's review 4 of 5 stars
I love Flynn and (to a lesser extent) Luke.. so to get this novella, which is told from both boys POV is awesome. This book is set before Beg for Mercy, but it does contain spoilers so do NOT read it if you haven't read the first two in the series.

Being a novella it is of course short in pages and is a really quick read, but this is novella is packed. We get rather a lot of back story which takes place over the course of a weekend. Which gives us a great insight into the boys friendship before Mercy came into their lives.

Angel of Mercy #3

Mercy struggles to put the broken pieces of her life back together, including her relationship. With loss that cuts deep, she’s on a mission to make right all the things that have gone wrong. But nothing is ever that easy. And she’s determined not to stay in the dark any longer.
With someone hell bent on coming between her and her heart, her perilous adventures run light speed ahead. She’s forced her to face her own limitations and need to be able to protect herself. But it’s not only her life in jeopardy. Who will ultimately determine her fate and that of her friends?

Shona's review 5 of 5 stars
This has been without a doubt my most favourite book in the series so far. Perhaps it's no coincidence that it was also the most emotionally charged of the series so far. When the book started I had no idea if the events at the end of Waiting for Mercy had fatal consequences or not and so I spent the very first few pages swamped with grief and holding my breath.

As this book progresses we get some answers to the questions we had in previous books... and we find some new questions that need answering. We also find out who was behind the demon attacks on Mercy and why. I'd love to say that Mercy got a better grip on her demon and her feelings for Luke and Flynn straightened out but that would be stretching the truth. She does reach an understanding of sorts with McKayla near the end of the book but her feelings for Luke and Flynn are just as confusing as they ever have been.

Angel of Mercy had everything for me... we get bittersweet romantic moments, OMG fighting moments, stolen moments, break your heart moments and OMFG moments. Then at the end we had an almighty ripped my heart out, chewed it up and spat it all over the battleground moment where I, without word of a lie, totally broke down and sobbed.

Broken Gates (P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy #2)

Broken Gates (P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy #2) By D.T.Dyllin

***Genre - New Adult Paranormal Romance. 

P.J. Stone is a Seer who saw too little, too late.
In the past, her biggest worries were boys and school—but war has a way of changing things. Now, the alien Riders are trying to overrun the world. As the last of their kind, P.J. and her friends must find a way to save humanity before there’s nothing left to save. 
After choosing a mate, P.J. hoped she'd have time to enjoy her love life. But with everything changing so quickly and major secrets revealed, who knows what the future will bring?

Cover reveal: Picture Perfect by Elizabeth Grace

Picture Perfect by Elisabeth Grace 

(Limelight #2) 

Publication date: March 2014

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Book Blitz: Layers Peeled by Lacey Silks

Layers Peeled by Lacey Silks

(Layers Trilogy #2)

Publication date: January 13th 2014

Genres: Contemporary, Erotica, Romance

Allie is about to knock the wind out of Tristan with the biggest news of her life.
Tristan has a few surprises for Allie as well.
While the couple tries to deal with their predicament, ghosts from Allie’s past haunt her, slowly calculating the timing of their return.
Can Allie and Tristan peel away their protective layers? Fate has stacked a threat against them and if they don’t work together, trusting and sharing information, it may be too late.
Layers Peeled is Book 2 in the Layers Trilogy and should be only read after Layers Deep. Contains adult content and graphic language suitable for mature audience.

Rue Volley Take Over

Welcome to hell! Well, to hell as it exists in the mind of Rue. January 4th saw the release of the second book in the Hellhound Series. Here, with an introduction to the series, is Amazon International Bestselling Erotica author Rue Volley.

The inspiration for HELLHOUND was simple. It is a culmination of all of my favorite things wrapped up into one. I have a deep love for history so adding in Vikings and Romans was so much fun to do. I am also fascinated with Heaven and Hell, and what true dynamic there is between the two of them, so in this story I explore that as well. I also love vampires and anything paranormal in nature. Taking something like the idea of a HELLHOUND and making it my own was a pleasure to do and the best part about being a writer of fiction. I also LOVE writing EROTICA, mainly because there is no box you have to stay in and I can play as hard as I like to. No pun intended. *Wink*

Cover Reveal: Lover, Divine by A.Star

Lover, Divine by A. Star 

(Mythos: Gods & Lovers #1) 

Publication date: February 25th 2014

Genres: Adult, Mythology, Romance

Born into one of the wealthiest families in Ireland, Siobhan Law has status, privilege, and a secret: The Greek gods of Olympus and their kingdom in the clouds are real, and her family acts as one of their agents on Earth.
When the beautiful immortal celeste Liam Argyros shows up claiming to have come to Earth to deal in the affairs of the divine, Siobhan finds herself unable to resist his charms. New to the game of passion and seduction, she quickly ends up in over her head, sinking deeper with every attempt Liam makes to win her over.
But Liam’s divine mission is far more complex than she ever imagined and nothing is truly as it seems. Because Liam has a secret of his own: He is Apollo, Olympian god of the Sun, and his mission will never be complete until he has claimed Siobhan’s heart forever.

Here's Looking At You Review

Here's Looking At You by Mhairi McFarlane
Synopsis

The new novel from the bestselling author of You Had Me At Hello. What if the last person you wanted to see was the person you needed? After the runaway success of You Had Me At Hello, Mhairi McFarlane is back with a new cast of characters in her second book, Here's Looking At You. In essence it's an ugly duckling tale. Our heroine Aureliana returns to school after fifteen years for a reunion. School doesn't hold happy memories for her, as being a roly poly Italian (known as the Italian Galleon), and always armed with a Tupperware full of pungent Mediterranean food, she was bullied incessantly throughout her years there. Now in her 30s, Aureliana wants to put the past behind her once and for all and face up to the bullies who made her life hell. But she is much-changed from the girl she once was - all curves and because I'm worth it hair - and no one recognises her when she arrives. Losing her bottle, she backs out on her plan for revenge and slinks off, hoping never to be reminded of her years at school again. But fate gets in the way, and after the reunion her path keeps crossing with James - major hunk and Aureliana's major crush back at school. But alas, as a cronie to the bullies, Aureliana to this day believes that his beautiful exterior hides an ugly interior. As they continue to cross paths a love/hate relationship ensues until eventually something shifts, and they both start to discover what the person underneath is really like...Full of Mhairi's trademark laugh out loud humour, Here's Looking At You is a novel about facing your demons and being happy with who you really are.

Where Life Takes You book blitz

Where Life Takes You by Claudia Y. Burgoa 

Publication date: July 31st 2013

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Becca Trent lived her childhood next to a cruel woman — her mom— who lived to torment and neglect her. During her high school years, her mother married; bringing home not only a new husband, but a step sister her same age. The latter took over her Mom’s role—making Becca’s life miserable. Including stealing Ian—Becca’s best friend and boyfriend—Lisa treated her worse than her mother had for the previous fifteen years. A couple of years later, things ended up in tragedy.
Becca buried that part of her life in the deep corners of her psyche, but that only work during the days when the nightmares didn’t come back to haunt her. Her best friend, Dan gives her that family love she always lacked. Everything was close to perfect, until everything and everyone from her past came back. Now, she’s trying to figure out how to survive and keep that bond which seems now to be held together by a thread.
Note: This is the first part of a two book novel.

Cover Reveal: Lost in Us by Layla Hagen

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Release date: 17th February 

Title: Lost in Us

Author: Layla Hagen

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19317460-lost-in-us?from_search=true

City of Bones: The Mortal Instruments #1

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Book Synopsis

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Shona's review 4 of 5 stars
I was so looking forward to reading this book but then I heard they were making a movie of the book and I made the decision to read the book after watching the movie.
I can hear you all asking "why would you do that?" well i'll tell you. I recently rushed through a series of books before watching the movie release and while i enjoyed the books I didn't enjoy the movie... I've heard such great things about this series and I wanted to fully enjoy the experience. SO I figured I would watch the movie and then read the book and then both would feel pretty special.
Now I really enjoyed the movie and I was super excited to read the book.

Clare has done a wonderful job of creating this whole other world that blends seamlessly into our own. The plot is well written and the action is almost never ending. This should have been a hands down 5 stars, but honestly I found myself putting this down and not picking it up for days. There was no real pull for me. Don't get me wrong I was enjoying it I just didn't get that 'need to read' feeling.

The characters all feel a little 'unfinished' but I'm hoping that was because Clare was trying to fit so much in and has left room for growth. I will be giving the rest of the books in the series a a fair try, and this time I promise I wont wait until after the movie releases to read them.






View all my reviews

The Almost Girl Review

The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard


Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Riven is as tough as they come. Coming from a world ravaged by a devastating android war, she has to be. There’s no room for softness, no room for emotion, no room for mistakes. A Legion General, she is the right hand of the young Prince of Neospes, a parallel universe to Earth. In Neospes, she has everything: rank, responsibility and respect. But when Prince Cale sends her away to find his long-lost brother, Caden, who has been spirited back to modern day Earth, Riven finds herself in uncharted territory.

Thrown out of her comfort zone but with the mindset of a soldier, Riven has to learn how to be a girl in a realm that is the opposite of what she knows. Riven isn’t prepared for the beauty of a world that is unlike her own in so many ways. Nor is she prepared to feel something more than indifference for the very target she seeks. Caden is nothing like Cale, but he makes something in her come alive, igniting a spark deep down that goes against every cell in her body. For the first time in her life, Riven isn’t sure about her purpose, about her calling. Torn between duty and desire, she must decide whether Caden is simply a target or whether he is something more.

Faced with hideous reanimated Vector soldiers from her own world with agendas of their own, as well as an unexpected reunion with a sister who despises her, it is a race against time to bring Caden back to Neospes. But things aren’t always as they seem, and Riven will have to search for truth. Family betrayals and royal coups are only the tip of the iceberg. Will Riven be able to find the strength to defy her very nature? Or will she become the monstrous soldier she was designed to be?

The Edge of Always review

The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski
He was taking the long road. She was taking the road to nowhere. It just so happened that they led to the same place…
When everything falls apart, love remains . . .
THE EDGE OF ALWAYS
Camryn Bennett has never been happier. Five months after meeting on a Greyhound bus, she and her soul mate Andrew Parrish are engaged—and a wedding isn’t the only special event in their future. Nervous but excited, Camryn can’t wait to begin the rest of her life with Andrew – a man she knows in her heart will love her always. They have so much to look forward to—until tragedy blindsides them.
Andrew doesn’t understand how this could happen to them. He’s trying to move on, and thought Camryn was doing the same. But when Andrew discovers Camryn is secretly harboring a mountain of pain and attempting to numb it in damaging ways, there is nothing he won’t do to bring her back to life. Determined to prove that their love can survive anything, Andrew decides to take Camryn on a new journey filled with hope and passion. If only he can convince her to come along for the ride…

The Seers review

The Seers by Julianna Scott
After nearly being drained of her ability and betrayed by a man her father trusted, Becca Ingle was left with one clue — Ciaran Shea. He holds the key to the downfall of the power-mad Holder, Darragh, and can ensure the safety of both Holder and Human kind alike... but is he willing to help?

Becca, Alex, Jocelyn, and Cormac set out for Adare Manor to meet with the Bhunaidh, an aristocratic group of pure blooded Holders of whom Ciaran is a rumored member. However, when Becca discovers that they might not be the only ones after the information Ciaran has, everyone begins to wonder if Bhunaidh might not be as uninvolved with Darragh as they claim.

A race to uncover Ciaran’s secrets begins, where the line between friend and foe is blurred, and everyone seems to have their own agenda. Becca will have to call on every ability at her disposal to uncover the truth, all the while knowing that sometimes the answer is more dangerous than the question.

The Edge of Never Review

The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski
--The New York Times, USA Today, and Wallstreet Journal bestselling blockbuster--

Sometimes life takes you off course . . .

THE EDGE OF NEVER
Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett thought she knew exactly where her life was going. But after a wild night at the hottest club in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, she shocks everyone-including herself-when she decides to leave the only life she's ever known and set out on her own. Grabbing her purse and her cell phone, Camryn boards a Greyhound bus ready to find herself. Instead, she finds Andrew Parrish.

Sexy and exciting, Andrew lives life like there is no tomorrow. He persuades Camryn to do things she never thought she would and shows her how to give in to her deepest, most forbidden desires. Soon he becomes the center of her daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But there is more to Andrew than Camryn realizes. Will his secret push them inseparably together-or destroy them forever?

M-Day Beta review

 Before the day… before M-day… people used to read books and watch movies about zombies. They used to dress up as zombies; pretend to kill zombies… Basically, zombies had become a part of popular culture in a very unexpected way.
The highly anticipated zombie apocalypse never came.
What did come was much worse than any city over run with shambling corpses after brains and flesh. A virus… a virus that only affected men. Nobody knew what caused it, or where it had come from, not that it really mattered. It's here and there’s no going back.
Maxine was one of the lucky ones--she got out alive. She and her friends banded together to survive the new desolate conditions left behind by the virus. When a supply gathering mission goes awry, Max and company are left with no better choice than to trust a group of uninfected military men. No longer on the run from her infected husband, Max discovers there could be worse dangers for her on the horizon… Like losing her heart to her mysterious savior everyone calls Zee.

Cover Reveal: Guns by J.A. Huss

GUNS: The Spencer Book (Rook and Ronin Spinoff) by J.A. Huss
To be Publsihed: March 31, 2014

Synopsis
The Team is growing. It’s no longer just Ford, Spencer, and Ronin and the three new additions have Spencer Shrike off his booze, off his bikes, and paranoid to the extreme. Every Team member has a job, and every job is important—but only Spencer’s job keeps everyone alive.

Lover Avenged ( Black Dagger Brotherhood #7) Review

J. R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood novels have introduced readers to a "different, creative, dark, violent, and flat-out amazing" (All About Romance)world. Now, as the vampire warriors defend their race against their slayers, one male's loyalty to the Brotherhood will be tested-and his dangerous mixed blood revealed...

Caldwell, New York, has long been the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It's also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and owner of a notorious night club that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he's approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King and leader of the Brotherhood.

Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood-even though his sister is married to a member, for he harbors a deadly secret that could make him a huge liability in their war against the lessers. As plots within and outside of the Brotherhood threaten to reveal the truth about Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in his darkening world, Ehlena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him-and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.

Hidden Gates (P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy #1)

Hidden Gates (P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy #1) By D.T. Dyllin

***Genre - New Adult Paranormal Romance

For P.J. Stone, being a “Seer” who has never seen anything is less than fun. And P.J. isn’t known for her patience.
To make matters worse, she must choose a suitable mate to continue the Seer bloodline. Duty always comes before her heart…at least that’s what her parents taught her. When she finds herself wanting someone who is considered off-limits, P.J. is forced to question everything she believes.
As if navigating her love life isn’t complicated enough, P.J. finally receives a vision—of a threat to her world that only she can perceive. But no one will believe a fledgling Seer’s warnings. With nowhere else to turn, she may decide to trust a stranger with her life, her world, and maybe even her heart.

Roomies Review

Roomies by Sara Zarr & Tara Altebrando

It's time to meet your new roomie.
When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.
As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.
National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.

Lisa's Review - 4.5 out of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to snag a copy of Roomies when NetGalley sent out an email saying there were just 500 limited copies to grab.

Roomies is set out similar to diary entries, with each chapter switching between the two main characters, Lauren who lives in San Francisco, and Elizabet, or E.B, who lives in New Jersey. Both girls are in their last few months at home before heading off to College at Berkeley, and receive an email to inform one another of their roommate assignments. E.B sends Lauren an email to attempt to co-ordinate items they will need for their rooms, and this results in a summer of the girls swapping emails, going from the basics to sharing their deepest secrets.

I really enjoyed this book, it was so easy to read that I finished it in one day. The lives of the two girls are so different, Lauren is the eldest child with a barrage of much younger siblings, while E.B lives alone with a mum having an affair with a married man, and a dad who ran off when she was 5, having come out as gay, and now runs an art gallery in San Francisco and has no desire to be in her life. But at the same time, they are very similar. I like the fact they had similar opinions, both struggling when they get new relationships while worrying about where they will go when College starts, both have difficult relationships with old friends they need to try patch up before leaving, but at the same time they have their own morals too and still manage to be two totally different characters.

I really enjoyed reading about their blossoming relationships, both with each other, but also with new boyfriends, and with parents. It was nice to read that not every day was perfect, and there were ups and downs to get through, without being too over the top dramatic.

The fact that two authors wrote this book together is something I quite liked. Their writing styles obviously fit well together and I would love to hear how they jointly wrote this book. I have a nice vision that each author had a 'character' and they wrote a side of the story each.

I thought having to read two different characters stories might be tiresome, but after a few chapters I got into a flow, and the fact that they were responding to one anothers emails in every chapter worked really well.

Release Date - 2nd January 2014

Links

Goodreads

Sara Zarr website

Tara Altebrando website

Buy on Amazon

Kiss of a Demon King review

From New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole comes this spellbinding story of a demon king trapped by an enchantress for her wanton purposes -- and the scorching aftermath that follows when he turns the tables and claims her as his captive.
HIS OBSESSION...Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions: the evil beauty who surrenders her body, but not her heart.
HER DOWNFALL... Rydstrom Woede: the ruthless warrior who vows to keep her at all costs.
THEY WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO WANT EACH OTHER THIS MUCH... With each smoldering encounter, their shared hunger only increases. If they can defeat the sinister enemy that stands between them, will Sabine make the ultimate sacrifice for her demon? Or will the proud king lay down his crown and arms to save his sorceress?