WINNERS!!!

Wow! What a turn out we had for the contests! I had three contests that closed last night, so that means three winners to announce! Here we go!

For the 3 pack of Juliana Stone books:

Naiche Parker

For the 3 pack of Sandra Hill books:

*yadkny* 

For the copy of Carpe Corpus and signed Black Dawn Bookmark:

soulunsung

CONGRATS to the winners and thank you to everyone who entered! 

Don't forget about the contest for the Jennifer Bernard novel that is still going on as well!

Winners are being emailed now and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen!

Sunday Steals on Ebooks!

Below are this weeks E-Book Deals on Amazon!

Prices are subject to change at any time so grab them while you can!

FREE:
LOVE ME by Bella Andre
PULL THE TRIGGER by Melissa Ecker
BLOODY LITTLE SECRETS by Karly Kirkpatrick

$0.99
PROMISE by Kristie Cook
ANGEL STAR by Jennifer Murgia
NO DRESS REQUIRED by Cari Quinn
THE GOVERNESS AFFAIR by Courtney Milan
LORD OF VENGEANCE by Lara Adrian
THE VINCENT BOYS by Abbi Glines
SMOKELESS FIRE by Samantha Young (FREE for Prime)
VERITY by Claire Farrell
MADLY by M. Leighton
BITTER FROST by Kailin Gow
AFTER EDEN by Katherine Pine
BLOOD LIKE POISON by M. Leighton

$1.99
HAUNTING VIOLET by Alyxandra Harvey
UNDONE by Brooke Taylor
HALFLINGS by Heather Burch
DREAMING by Jill Barnett
ONCE BITTEN by Stephen Leather (FREE for Prime members)
DEVIL'S KISS by Zoe Archer
HEART OF DARKNESS by Laura Kaye ($2.25)
CRAZY ON YOU by Rachel Gibson (PREORDER)

$2.99
TORN by Erica O'Rourke
FORGED IN FIRE by Trish McCallan (FREE for Prime)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS by Nora Roberts
HOW TO DISTRACT A DUKE by Mia Marlowe (FREE for Prime)
THE MIND THIEVES by Lori Brighton
GOING UNDER by Georgia Cates
ANEW by Chelsea Fine
GRAVITY by M. Leighton
BARED TO YOU by Sylvia Day ($3.82)

Angel's Choice by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

ANGEL'S CHOICE
Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Source: Author Submission
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon Pulse (December 26, 2006)
ISBN-13: 978-1416925248

SUMMARY:

All I remember is the sensation of things slipping away from me....


In one night Angel Hansen's life changes forever: She has sex for the first time. Not that she remembers the act itself -- not the pain or the pleasure. But she is left with something that will never let her forget it: an unplanned pregnancy. Angel must make a choice. Abortion? Adoption? Keep it? None of these choices are easy and none of them are perfect. But there is one thing Angel is sure of. Whatever choice she makes, it must be the right one for her. Braced with that knowledge, Angel faces the toughest decision of her life.

MY THOUGHTS:

Author Lauren Baratz-Logsted has a writing voice that captures young adult angst with ease.  I am a huge fan of her writing and she always amazes me with her stories.  With Angel's Choice, I again fell into the trap of reading straight through the book with no breaks.  I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put it down.

This book touches on the subject of teen pregnancy and the decisions teens face when presented with it.  Do they tell anyone?  Do they keep the baby or not? Do they get picked on at school and tormented daily for their choices?  What would you do if put in the same situation? Would you turn your back on a friend just because she doesn't agree with your choice?  All these questions are touched upon in Angel's Choice and the author handled them beautifully.  I cried with Angel when she felt fear and confusion.  I felt her anguish and torment when others criticized  her for the choices she was making.  I loved the relationship that evolved with Danny and the downfall she was experiencing in with her best friend.  I just felt for the whole situation and wanted Angel to be okay.

This book touched on a topic that many parents hope their child doesn't experience, but it also gives you the perspective of what that teen could go through as well.  A book that teens can gain knowledge from and parents can gain perspective from as well.  Another beautifully written novel by a wonderful author.

MY RATING:

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

My Book Haul (1)

From now on I will be posting My Book Haul on Saturdays.

Feel free to link up in the comments if you would like to share your mailbox post with me (and others) to check out.  

I had a pretty good week this time around.  I got a few books for review and received a big box from Anna @ Anna's Book Blog for my daughter and myself.  She is thrilled with the books Anna sent and wanted me to tell Anna that she has excellent taste in manga! So, onto the pics!

Trouble Twisters: Book Two -The Monster by Nix and Williams

--Thanks to Scholastic--

This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers

--Thanks to McMillan and Amazon Vine--

Grim by Anna Waggener

--Thanks to Scholastic--

Devine Intervention by Martha Brokenbrough

--Thanks to Scholastic--

Murder on Vinson Massif by Charles Irion & Ronald Watkins

--Thanks to Charles Irion--

Murder on Everest by Charles Irion & Ronald Watkins

--Thanks to Charles Irion--

Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb

(audio)

Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon

(audio)

Not Your Ordinary Faerie Tale by Christine Warren

Viper Moon by Lee Roland

Phases by Various authors

Geared For Pleasure by Rachel Grace

The Renfield Syndrome by J.A.Saare

Vampire Knight 2, 3, 8, 10 by Matsuri Hino

(Manga)

Maximum Ride 2 and 3 by James Patterson and NaRae Lee

(Manga)

A HUGE thank you to Anna for all of the above books!

So what did everyone else get this week?

Guest Post & Contest with Jennifer Bernard

Today on My Overstuffed Bookshelf, I have the great pleasure of introducing you to author Jennifer Bernard!

Jennifer is the author of The Bachelor Fireman of San Gabriel series.  Who can go wrong with a sexy and oh so hot fireman.  Especially when they are as sexy as the author describes in her books!  So lets sit back and enjoy talking with Jennifer!

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7 Unintended Consequences of Writing About Fireman

When I started to write my first series, The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel, I had no idea what I was getting into. Well, I knew I’d get to create brave, smoking hot heroes. I knew my heroines would be in for a treat. But I didn’t know how those firemen were going to affect my life. So here are Seven Unintended Consequences of Writing about Firemen.

1. People send me the BEST links, photos and videos about firemen. Since I like to share the love, here’s an example.Fireman Pole Dance And another one. Make it with a Fireman. Before I wrote these books, I might never have been lucky enough to see a fireman interacting with a pole in quite that way.
2. I’ve become familiar with terms such as 4-inch supply lines, aerials, and nozzlemen. I now know what an apparatus operator and a Halligan tool are. I try not to be too technical in my books, since they’re light-hearted romances, but I don’t want to be inaccurate either. Which leads me to …
3. I’ve met some of the coolest guys in the course of my research. My go-to fire consultant, a Fire Captain in California, answers my most trivial questions with the utmost graciousness. I’ve gotten to eat at firehouses, tour firehouses, and try on firefighter’s gear. I’m all about the research!
4. Friday has become even more fun than it used to be, thanks to Fireman Friday. If you need a little fix of firefighter smexiness, you can find it on Twitter (#FiremanFriday) or the Fireman Friday facebook page. I pitch in on my Facebook page too. Here’s a recent example. 

5.       People send me inspiring stories about firemen around the world. In Guatemala, firemen dress as Santa Claus and rappel down a bridge to reach kids living underneath it. A group of firemen in Albuquerque won the lottery and donated most of their winnings to a fellow firefighter fighting cancer. I love hearing these stories, which are more moving than anything I could make up. 

6.      People also tell me unflattering anecdotes about firemen. The Chief who was secretly seeing three women at a time, for instance. Okay, so I never said they were all perfect.

7.    Do you wish you had your own fireman? Turns out, you can Grow Your Own Fireman. Who knew? I certainly didn’t.

So there you have it, seven ways writing about firemen has changed my life. Of course, the biggest and most amazing of all is the fact that my Bachelor Firemen have leaped out of my imagination and landed in bookstores and ereaders. 

 -----------------------------------------

THE FIREMAN WHO LOVED ME

The Bachelor Fireman of San Gabriel #1

Author: Jennifer Bernard

Publisher: HarperCollins/ AVON

Release Date: April 24th, 2012

SUMMARY:

Captain Brody has been badly burned by his ex-wife. When he orders Ryan, his star fireman, to participate in a bachelor auction, little does he know he’s the one who will lose his heart. 

Melissa McGuire is a brainy local news producer trying to get her career back on track. She can’t believe she’s being set up by her grandmother, who bid on a date with a fireman at the auction. She prefers the artsy type, not the tough, commanding , though clearly attractive, fire chief. 

And yet, they can’t resist each other, especially once her ambitious news anchor assigns her the “Thanksgiving with the Firefighters” news special. Add in her grandmother’s matchmaking and the combined efforts of Captain Brody’s crew…can Brody help being the first bachelor to succumb to love, and the crazy rollercoaster ride of the Curse?

AUTHOR WEBSITE

TWITTER

FACEBOOK

BUY AT AMAZON

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Thanks to HarperCollins/AVON I have one copy of The Fireman Who Loved Me to giveaway to one lucky person!

Contest will end on Wed, May 2, 2012.

One entry per person!

Contest is for the USA only

Must be 13 years of age or older

Leave a comment with an email address for your entry!

Good Luck!!!

Sweet Evil Blog Tour with Wendy Higgins

Welcome to the Sweet Evil Blog Tour!!!

Today, author Wendy Higgins has stopped in to tell us how sweet evil can really be.  Can evil really be sweet at times? Let us find out! Introducing the talented, Wendy Higgins!

And the answer is…not sweet at all.  I think that’s the allure of the title.  It’s a contradiction.  An oxymoron.  And yet, the two words are sort of drawn to one another, as if they need each other, like yin and yang.  Like Anna and Kaidan…

I believe we cannot have one without the other. Love and hate, hope and fear, they coexist, side-by-side, enriching our lives by filling us with joy and strength. As terrible as tragedy and hatred are, I believe they serve as a means to contrast the positive things that happen in our lives. The more darkness we’ve seen and lived through, the brighter our sweet moments will be. Just as experiencing and witnessing acts of kindness and love make us more aware and able to spot injustices when they happen.

We cannot stop evil from existing, but we can use those moments to strengthen our own hearts and minds--to fight against it. And the only thing that can conquer the darkness is light. The only thing that can beat hate is love. It’s the circle of life, and if we let ourselves learn, keeping open minds as we go, embracing the positive, it can be an incredibly sweet journey.

I’ll leave you with this song about Love and Hate…Sweet and Evil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Pre7bINBps

Thank you so much Wendy for sharing and stopping by my blog to speak with us!

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SWEET EVIL

Author: Wendy Higgins

Release Date: May 1, 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

BUY ON AMAZON

SUMMARY:

What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

AUTHOR WEBSITE

TWITTER

FACEBOOK

GOODREADS

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FOLLOW THE BLOG TOUR:

4/23 http://www.supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com/ 

4/24 http://imlovingbooks.com/ 

4/25 http://livetoread-krystal.blogspot.com/ 

4/26 http://livredeamour-booksoflove.blogspot.com/ 

4/27 http://myoverstuffedbookshelf.blogspot.com/ 

4/28 http://www.twochicksonbooks.com/

4/29 http://www.magicalurbanfantasyreads.com/ 

4/30 http://uniquelymoibooks.blogspot.com/ 

5/1 http://www.bookswithbite.net/ 

5/2 http://www.hookedtobooks.com/ 

5/3 http://www.latebloomeronline.com/ 

5/4 http://www.fiktshun.com/fiktshun/ 

Blog Tour: A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

A Perfect Storm

Author: Lori Foster

Publisher: Harlequin

SUMMARY:

He never saw her coming…

Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring—and continue avenging his own tragic past—the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him.

Arizona wants to reclaim her life, which means acting as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. Sure it's dangerous, especially with a partner as distractingly appealing as Spencer. But as their plan—and their chemistry—shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there's an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero….

Buy it now at Amazon

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EXCERPT:

He’d try. “So why are you here?” Remembering how she’d gotten in, he turned to look at the door. “You didn’t damage my lock, did you?”

“Your lock is fine—shitty, but fine.” She propped her feet on the table in front of the couch. “I’m good at picking locks.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

She stared down the length of her legs and wiggled her toes. Nonchalantly, she said, “I need some help.”

Apprehension shot through him. “With what?” Had she gotten herself into trouble somehow? Was someone after her again?

“Promise me that you won’t tell Jackson about this, either, and then I’ll tell you.”

Fearful for her, he said, “Sure, whatever. I won’t tell Jackson.”

----------------------------------------------

GUEST POST FROM LORI FOSTER

Tackling Darker Themes in a Love Story

Life is a mixture of moments so wonderful, we cry happy tears, and times so trying, we cry in emotional pain. I love it that people are so resilient, that we are strong enough to persevere, and I especially appreciate how love makes celebrating the good times, and getting through the bad times, easier.

For me, that’s what the romance genre is all about. If character A met character B and immediately fell in love to live happily ever after, if they had nothing to overcome, nothing to work through, it’d be so boring. Showing *life,* the trials and the perks, is the best part of creating a story. No one has lived without experiencing both, so I hope I write my stories in a way that feels real. I want my characters to be stronger together, and I want readers to see that it’s believable.  It’s one of the most wonderful compliments I get, when readers tell me that they can “relate” to a story, that they find a small piece of themselves in the characters and the situations.

No matter how dark the plot, the characters should be people you know, and people you like. The more reason you have for cheering them on, the more invested you get in the story, the better!

AUTHOR WEBSITE

AUTHOR TWITTER

BLOG TOUR SITE

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Next stop on the tour:

http://darkfaerietales.com/

Click the suitcase for more info about the blog tour!

Blog Tour: 12 Days of Morganville Madness

Welcome fellow Morganville fans!  Don't worry!  You are not being sought out by Ada the computer for leaving the lovely town of Morganville.   You are however invited to join in the fun for the blog tour featuring Rachel Caine and the wonderful town history.  Each stop is featuring one of the books in the series with a review and a contest that will lead up to the main attraction of Black Dawn.  We ask that you keep all pulse points inside the tour bus or Oliver will think you are volunteering to donate blood for his own nourishment.

So let's get this show on the road!

My part of the tour features Carpe Corpus , Book #6

SUMMARY:

In the small college town of Morganville, vampires and humans lived in (relative) peace-until all the rules got rewritten when the evil vampire Bishop arrived, looking for the lost book of vampire secrets. He's kept a death grip on the town ever since. Now an underground resistance is brewing, and in order to contain it, Bishop must go to even greater lengths. He vows to obliterate the town and all its inhabitants-the living and the undead. Claire Danvers and her friends are the only ones who stand in his way. But even if they defeat Bishop, will the vampires ever be content to go back to the old rules, after having such a taste of power?

Since I am a loyal follower of the town, I have read and reviewed this story in the past.  You can find my review HERE

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Now I would like to introduce you to Ms. Rachel Caine as she explains more about the book!

1. What kicked off the concept for this book?

In my original story arc for Morganville, this was the BIG BOOK. The one where everything came together, where the war with Bishop got real and visceral, where everyone and everything we loved was thrown into chaos and danger. And also, I felt that I needed to really move Claire and Shane's simmering relationship forward.

2. Which character do I think stood out in this book, and why?

Sam. Michael's grandfather's character arc still echoes through the rest of the books, so I think I have to say he was the most important even if he didn't have the most screen time.

3. Five things I loved about writing this book

    A. Shane stuck in a cage is fun to write, but Shane stuck in a cage and having to make nice with his father for months? That's a high wire act for both him *and* me.

    B. Michael's struggle to resist Bishop's control of him.

    C. Claire's tattoo, magically applied. (It also ties into a short story I did called DEAD MAN STALKING, in which Shane's father is the first one to make use of those magical tats.)

    D. I quite liked the pact between Amelie, Oliver, Myrnin and Sam to take Bishop down; we don't see it from Claire's POV, but it's a pretty important step for them to take to each have an equal risk of death in order to save the town.

    E. Okay, I loved writing the fragile, tentative scene of Claire and Shane's first time together. I was really, really concerned about doing it justice.

4. Five things I didn't love about writing this book

    A. The last one above is also one of the things I *didn't* love about this book; writing that first really intimate encounter between my characters felt right and organic for the story and how far they'd come together, but it was also highly nerve-wracking. I had to get it right, and I had to make it feel real and imperfect. I also was taking a pretty big risk of losing readership by going there, and I knew it.

    B. Sam. Sam, Sam, Sam. That was hard.

    C. By the time I was done with this book, I *really* hated Bishop. And normally I don't feel that way about a character, but was really despicable. And he really would have killed everybody, all the time, forever, if I'd let him.

    D. This was also a tough book to write for personal reasons, because of things that were happening in my personal work life. Lots of stress. I can see it in the story when I read it again, even though I don't think anyone else could decipher the code.

    E. I wanted to do more with Claire's parents, but I never could find a way to work it in. 

5. If I could do this book over, what would I do differently, and why?

I keep thinking I'd save Sam. But I don't know. If the great Joss Whedon taught me anything, it's that to make danger real, you sometimes have to be willing to let go of a character to prove the point. So I'd probably keep it in, and still regret it at the same time.

6. Favorite quoted passage from the book

"What was the use of being a main evil minion if you couldn't even enjoy it -- or save your own friends?" That pretty much sums up Claire's existence in this book.

7. What I learned from this book

Incredibly, when I showed the Claire/Shane intimate scene to 10 self-selected conservative parents to determine what they thought, I got 8 out of ten absolute ok votes, 1 that felt a bit uncomfortable but was willing to discuss it with their teen, and 1 who flat-out vetoed it. I thought that considering the charged nature of the material, that was a pretty decent up vote -- and it's also really critical to me as a writer to validate some of these things with outside sources so I know what kind of hot water I'm jumping into.

8. Fun research moment

Ada. I'd known all along that I was going to create a vampire-computer who ran many of the less normal functions of Morganville, and I knew that it was run essentially by a brain in a jar, but in deciding to flesh out her character, I got to research the amazing Ada Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron and widely acknowledged as one of the key figures in early computing. I loved working her into the story. Even though she was a little bit dangerous. (Okay, more than a little bit.)

------------------------------------------------------

Now for your lovely parting gifts if you were lucky to have survived the tour with your blood still.

Thanks to the lovely people of  NAL, I have one copy of Carpe Corpus and a signed bookmark for Black Dawn for one lucky entrant!

Follow the rules or Myrnin might decide to use you for his next experiment!

Contest will end on Sunday, April 29th, 2012.
One entry per person!
Contest is for the USA only
Must be 13 years of age or older
Leave a comment with an email address for your entry!

Giveaway! Sandra Hill 3 pack!

Thanks to HarperCollins, I have the 3 book Viking I series by Sandra Hill for one lucky reader!

Each title below is linked to the GoodReads pages so you can view the summary of each book.

One winner will receive all three books shown above!!

Viking in Love

The Viking Takes A Knight

The Norse King's Daughter

Contest will end on Sunday, April 29th, 2012.

One entry per person!

Contest is for the USA only

Must be 13 years of age or older

Leave a comment with an email address for your entry!

Good Luck!!!

AUTHORS WEBSITE:

http://www.sandrahill.net/

Strip Search by Shayla Black

Strip Search
Sexy Capers #2
Author: Shayla Black
Source: Personal Purchase
Genre: Adult Suspense/Erotica

SUMMARY:

To nail a Mafia kingpin, Mark Sullivan goes undercover as a male stripper in the mobster's Vegas club. He's got the body to pull it off--and to stir the wildest g-string fantasies of the club's beautiful owner.

MY THOUGHTS:

I am a huge fan of the works by Shayla Black.  Her books can be quite addictive when you are looking for an erotica to read with lots of sex and suspense.  I read the first book in this series over a year ago and finally got my hands on a copy of this one.  I don't know why it took me so long to buy it, but I decided to finally sit down and read it.

We are introduced to Mark -- who happened to be the heroine's brother from the first book -- when Rafe comes to him with info on how to take down a mafia ring.  He is sent to investigate a strip club owner and work undercover as a stripper to find the info the FEDs are needing.  The FEDs are not sure if the club owner named Nicki is involved in the money laundering or if she is innocent, but Mark needs to figure it out fast.  When he auditions for Nicki as a stripper,  the attraction is instant for both of them.  They are attracted to each other and have a hard time fighting it.  While Mark tries to gain her trust, he quickly realizes that he is falling in love with her.

I will say one thing --- the author brought the sexy for this book.  We get read about some sexy romance, but I wasn't as thrilled with the plot or characters.  I was so disappointed with this one and that is hard for me to admit since I love this authors writing.  For one, Mark is suppose to be able to figure this stuff out faster but he couldn't even figure out the small clues that are left for him.  I for one, started figuring out who the bad guy was early on, while this so called detective was clueless.  Nicki was hot one minute, then cold the next and made her personality seem off.  I wanted to like her at times, but then I also wanted her to bring out that backbone she kept referring to.  Honestly, the characters of Rafe and Kerry reappearing in this book were more delightful than the reading of this book.  The story was choppy and at times when you would think the plot was going to heat up, it would turn to the couple having sex instead of some suspense that you are craving.

While I am glad that I finally sat down and read this book in the series,  I will say that this book is one of my least favorite by Shayla Black.  I am curious to know though if Nicki's sister will have a book in the series though, especially since the author leads us to believe that there might be more by the ending we are left with.

MY RATING:

If the library doesn't have it, don't worry about reading it!

(Promo) Kiss of Pride by Sandra Hill

KISS OF PRIDE

Deadly Angels #1

Author: Sandra Hill

Publisher: HarperCollins/AVON

Release Date: April 24, 2012

SUMMARY:

SOME MEN ARE TOO BAD TO BE TRUE...

Is he really a Viking with a vampire’s bit? An angel with the body of a thunder god? A lone wolf with love on his mind? Alexandra Kelly, his prey, thinks Vikar Sigurdsson is either flat-out crazy or he’s trying to maneuver her into his bed--which is hardly where a professional reporter should conduct an interview, tempting as that prospect might be.

SOME MEN ARE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE...

Until Vikar does something a teensy bit unexpected, and Alex begins to wonder whether her mystery man could really be everything he says he is: a Viking Vampire Angel on a thousand-year-long mission with his pack of sinful brothers—and a man who’s finally found the woman of his dreams. By then, Vikar is already wrapping his chiseled arms around Alex’s body...and sinking his wicked fangs right into her neck. If this is sin, why does it feel so good?

PURCHASE YOURS NOW

@Amazon

Author Website: http://www.sandrahill.net/KissOfPride.html

Giveaway! Juliana Stone 3 pack!

Thanks to HarperCollins, I have the 3 book Jaguar Series by Juliana Stone for one lucky reader!

Each title below is linked to the GoodReads pages so you can view the summary of each book.

One winner will receive all three books in the series!!

His Darkest Hunger

His Darkest Embrace

His Darkest Salvation

Contest will end on Sunday, April 29th, 2012.

One entry per person!

Contest is for the USA only

Must be 13 years of age or older

Leave a comment with an email address for your entry!

Good Luck!!!

(Promo) Wicked Road to Hell by Juliana Stone

WICKED ROAD TO HELL

League of Guardians #1

Author: Juliana Stone

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release Date: April 24th, 2012

SUMMARY:

With the legions of the underworld gathering and chaos close at hand, Sorcerer Declan O’Hara’s deadly skills will be tested. But nothing will sway him from his duty, not even her…

Rescued from eternal darkness, vampire Ana DeLacrux owes her life to a mysterious stranger who asks for only one thing—her absolute allegiance. She serves this master without question until Declan, the one man who can make her forget her vow, returns. His magic is stronger, darker…more compelling than ever. His blood awakens a hunger she must resist, or risk deadly consequences.

As Ana and Declan join forces, the streets of New Orleans become a dangerous place for both humans and the otherworld. And the most dangerous place of all is a road Declan’s traveled before…the wicked road to hell.

PURCHASE YOURS NOW!
@ AMAZON

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE

WOW: Waiting on Wednesday

*For some reason, Blogger ate this post yesterday and it never published*

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights forthcoming titles that we absolutely can't wait to read.

BEFORE I WAKE by Rachel Vincent

Soul Screamers #6

Estimated Release Date: June 26th, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

SUMMARY:

I died on a Thursday-killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it. The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school...  Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend. But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life...

GOODREADS LINK

PREORDER ON AMAZON

(ARC Review) Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Once Burned
A Night Prince Novel #1
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Source: Publisher
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Avon
 (June 26, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0061783203

SUMMARY:

She’s a mortal with dark powers...


After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person’s darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude... until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world’s most infamous vampire...


He’s the Prince of Night...


Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all — but whatever you do, don’t call him Dracula. Vlad’s ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him – a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.

MY THOUGHTS:

OH. MY. GOD!!!!  It is finally here! The book we have all been waiting for in the great world that author Jeaniene Frost has created.  We finally get Vlad in all of his sexy glory.  I admit that when this book arrived for me to review, I almost fell over from excitement.  I screamed in joy, overheated at the sexy cover, and even told my family to get the heck out of the way while I ran for my favorite reading chair.  The family went without dinner.  They were not allowed to bother me.  All regular chores ceased as Vlad arrived in my mailbox.

We start off in the story reading about Leila and her life.  She is disfigured due to a freak accident long ago by   touching a downed power line and has joined the carnival as an entertainer.  She is aware of vampires in the world because her partner for her act is a midget vamp.  Don't let Marty's small stature make you think he is a puny vamp though.  He is like a Father figure to Leila and he has a heart bigger than most regular sized people.

When Leila is kidnapped by other vampires, she is forced to use some of her other 'gifts' that came about after the energy absorbed from the power line.  She can touch things with her right hand and send out electrical shocks.  She can also see glimpse's of the past, present and future with a small touch.  She pulls these glimpse's from leftover essence that a person leaves behind on things.  The vampires that have kidnapped her are working for a stronger vamp who is searching for Vlad.  He wants revenge on Vlad and will use any means necessary to get him.  When Leila is forced to use her gifts, she is surprised to learn that Vlad can hear her spying on his present.  She figures he is the less of the two evils and asks for his help.  Vlad comes to the rescue and sweeps Leila away to his castle in Romania so they can work together in finding the bad guy.

As they try to work together, Leila finds herself attracted to the mysterious and ruthless Vlad.  He has the sex appeal and strength she craves.  Leila has never been in a relationship before due to her 'shocking gifts' and is venturing down a new path with Vlad.  Her gifts have no real effect on Vlad and she can't believe how wonderful it feels to touch someone without hurting him.  Vlad is his typical confident and arrogant self knowing how he is having an effect on her since he can read her mind.  What ensue's is heated glances, confident flirting and a bunch of sexy time!

Two Leilas seemed to be battling it out inside me.  The first was outraged that he still considered it a fait accompli that I'd give in to him, and the second...that slutty bitch was wondering what Vlad looked like naked.

Oh yes, by this time in the book you are wondering the same thing.  Trust me in saying that the author does not disappoint in describing in glorious detail the image of Vlad's body.  Before you even ask, yes there is even another hot and steamy shower scene that involves a very excited Vlad. *swoon*

As things get even more dangerous for Vlad and Leila, Vlad brings her family to his castle as well for protection.  We get to meet her father and Leila's sister, Gretchen.  To see Leila so close to a man is shocking to say the least for them.  Especially when they notice Vlad is able to hold her hand with no show of pain.

I seized on the change of topic.  "These gloves are specialized rubber.  They block the current."
Gretchen's gaze traveled over Vlad, disbelief still stamped on her features.  "Yeah, but how do you two do anything else, unless he has a special, current-repelling glove for his ---"
"Gretchen!" my father cut her off.
My cheeks felt hot.  Don't say a word, I thought to Vlad, seeing his chest tremble with suppressed laughter.

The author does not disappoint with her flair of hilarity whenever Vlad is around.  He is even hilarious when Bones and Cat decide to make a brief appearance in the book.  Again, Bones loves to tease Vlad and he grabs the chance to tease at him when he teaches Leila how to block Vlad from reading her mind.

If I had one complaint about this book, it would only be the ending.  I can't even really call it a complaint though.  The way it ends, you are left hanging with the knowledge that their story is far from over.  Since this is going to be at least a two book series, we have to wait until the next book to have some things resolved.  This was very frustrating only because we have waited so long as it is for Vlad to have his own book.  Now the reader has to wait again!

Overall the story sucked me in, chewed me up then spit me out. It left me wanting to read the story all over again.  I wanted Vlad before, but now I need more Vlad.  To say it is going to be a long and torturing wait is an understatement.  If you haven't read about Vlad before, you are missing out on one of the sexiest alpha vamp's in the paranormal genre!

MY RATING:

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

*I received this ARC free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Embrace
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Amazon Vine
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
 (March 6, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-1402268403

SUMMARY:

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…” 


Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before. 


Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her. 


A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

MY THOUGHTS:

This is a perfect example of a gorgeous cover sucking you in!  I absolutely fell in love with this cover -- especially since its purple! -- and you can't help but to pick it up off the shelf in the store.  You read the back blurb and you decide to purchase it.  You get it home and settle in for a great new read.  Then you wait for the story to unfold in your mind with the words on the page.

I was a little disappointed in the book though as I read it.  It was good and the writing was great but the characters were off for me.  I kept waiting for things to happen in a good direction -- and you will understand this sentence when you read it -- but it doesn't.  Now I don't know if the writer did this on purpose since it is a series or just to torture the reader, but it didn't sit well with me.  I wanted something at least a little satisfying by the last page.  You also learn about the angel world with the different levels it has.  There are many ranks of angels and different jobs each one can do.

Again, it was a good book, but not what I was really expecting.  Will I continue the series? Yes.  I think this is one of those series that might just get better as it progresses.  If you are a fan of the angel books, and like the tortured romance, then this series can give you both.

MY RATING:

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

(ARC Review) Silver by Rhiannon Held

Silver
Author: Rhiannon Held
Genre: Fantasy / Paranormal Romance
Source: Amazon Vine
Publisher: Tor Books
 (June 5, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0765330376

SUMMARY:

Andrew Dare is a werewolf. He’s the enforcer for the Roanoke pack, and responsible for capturing or killing any Were intruders in Roanoke’s territory. But the lone Were he’s tracking doesn’t smell or act like anyone he’s ever encountered. And when he catches her, it doesn’t get any better. She’s beautiful, she’s crazy, and someone has tortured her by injecting silver into her veins. She says her name is Silver, and that she’s lost her wild self and can’t shift any more.


The packs in North America have a live-and-let-live attitude, and try not to overlap with each other. But Silver represents a terrible threat to every Were on the continent. 


Andrew and Silver will join forces to track down this menace while discovering their own power and their passion for each other.

MY THOUGHTS:

First off, I don't know why this is classified as a Fantasy.  I felt it fit better in the Paranormal Romance or even Urban Fantasy, but definitely not quite as Fantasy only.  What made me want to read this book was the werewolf characters.  It had been awhile since I stepped into the werewolf world and decided to read about them again.

When Andrew comes across Silver during a run for the pack, he is held responsible in finding out where she has come from and where she is suppose to belong.  Sounds good right? You would think this would create some drama or at the very least some suspense.  Well, it could have but never did for me.  This book was choppy, not paced well and all around boring.  I hate to use those words because I know this is an author's hard work, but it is what it is for this reader.  I had to struggle just to finish this book and reading should never be a struggle.

If you want a good werewolf read, look elsewhere.  If you want a Fantasy, look elsewhere.  If you just want something to pass the time, then pick it up.  Don't expect much though from the story though.

MY RATING:

       

I did not like this book at all!

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*