Week in Review: 11/23 -11/29

Books I've Bought/received

-Mind Tamer by Moria Densley- eARC- Publisher

- Dragon Her Back by Susannah Scott- eARC- Publisher

- Christmas with a Bite by Patricia A. Wolf - eARC- Publisher

- Blood Moon by Lisa Kessler - eARC- Publisher

- Time of Death: Asylum by Shana Festa- eARC- Author

Books I've Read

Wickedly Wonderful by Deborah Blake
Breaking Sky by Cori McCarthy
The Witches of Echo Park by Amber Benson

Reviews Posted

Anomaly by Tonya Kuper
Worlds Collide by S.M. McEachern
Quick Thought Reviews
Trace of Magic by Diana Pharaoh Francis
Her Lone Wolf by Paige Tyler
Sunset Rising by S.M. McEachern
Night Sky by Suzanne Brockman and Melanie Brockman
Braving Fate by Linsey Hall

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Tuesday- Interview for The Blue Effect by Rose Shababy

* Wednesday- Interview for Witness Protection by Carolyn LaRoche

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

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 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Review: Anomaly by Tonya Kuper

Anomaly

Author: Tonya Kuper

Release Date: November 25, 2014

Publisher: Entangled: Teen

Schrodingers Consortium Book #1

ISBN:   1622664051

ISBN13: 9781622664054

Genre: Young Adult

Review Copy Source: Publisher

Reality is only an illusion.
Except for those who can control it…
Worst. Birthday. Ever.

My first boyfriend dumped me—happy birthday, Josie!—my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening…

Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it.

When hottily-hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he’s the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead…

ANOMALY was a neat story. It starts off with a nice pace and keeps up the momentum until the end with action, a bit of romance, family dysfunction and a bit of deception to round it all out.

Josie is a bit on the geeky side, but she makes it look super cool. Her parents kept her in the dark about who they really were and what she can do, so when Reid shows up she doesn't know if he's crazy or if she is.  She jumps into training with Reid pretty quickly and starts playing with her 'powers'. You can tell right away that both have a spark that pulls them together and further in the book you find out that they have a past together that draws them even closer to each other.

I enjoyed ANOMALY. The world building was great, the characters were well developed, and the storyline was unique. A great debut for Tonya Kuper and I will be on the look-out for book 2.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Worlds Collide by S.M. McEachern

Worlds Collide

Author: S.M. McEachern

Release Date: March 3, 2014

Publisher: Clownfish Publishing

Sunset Rising Book #2

ISBN13: 9780991733040

Genre: Dystopian, YA

Review Copy Source:Author

In a desperate attempt to escape execution, Sunny O’Donnell and Jack Kenner find a way out of the Pit and into a world still believed to be toxic with radiation. Under the brilliant sun for the first time in their lives, they not only discover that the earth has healed from nuclear war, but there are people outside the Dome.

In Worlds Collide, the second book of the Sunset Rising trilogy, Sunny and Jack must continue a life of subterfuge in order to stay alive and find a way to free the Pit. But in their attempt to save the urchins, they uncover the horrifying truth about President Holt and the evil he could unleash on the world.

I enjoyed SUNSET RISING so much that I immediately emailed the author to see if she was looking for reviewers for book 2 and when that arrived in my inbox I jumped right into it.

Jack and Sunny have escaped the Dome, but what finds them on the outside has them right back in the thick of the politics they just escaped. They have to play roles to stay alive and with their new relationship it does put a bit of strain on the couple. Thankfully they always find their way back to each other. I think both Jack and Sunny did a great job of adapting to their new environment and continuing to work towards their goal of liberating the pit. 

A lot ends up happening in WORLDS COLLIDE. There are a ton of new characters introduced and plenty of action throughout. It's really crazy to find out how close the pit was to freedom all along and never knew it. I really enjoyed the twists that the book throws out and was never bored with any situation that popped up.

I can't say enough good things about this series. WORLDS COLLIDE had a few slow parts but it trapped me in the story just about as much as SUNSET RISING. My only real complaint is that book two ends on as big a cliffhanger as book 1. Kinda frustrating to not have book 3 right now, but I will be reading it when it comes out.

I gave it 4.5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Entangled Black Friday Sale!

Interview: Witness Protection by Carolyn LaRoche

UFI welcomes Carolyn LaRoche. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview? 

I love goldfish. I have one that is nine years old and she is huge- nearly six inches long. Her name is Goldie and she is a bully to her tank mates. My students love watching her chase the other fish around.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

With two sons who baseball, I don’t have a ton of downtime and what little I have is usually spent writing. I dabble a little in crochet but I am not good at it, it mostly just gives my hands something to do when I am sitting at the fields watching a double header. I also love to read and try new recipes. Not very exciting I guess but it appeals to my creative side.

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

The escape it provides. When I write I totally lose myself in the action of the story and I forget for a while about all the things that are usually on my mind.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write? 

Before I can sit down and be productive, I must procrastinate in every way possible. From doing laundry to checking my email, I can never just sit down and write something without first making sure everything else I can possibly do first is done. Once I do that, I am good to go and can easily turn out several thousand words.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres? 

I absolutely loved Gena Showalter’s Atlantis Series. I read all the books in a week I think. I am also a big fan of Kerrelyn Sparks’ Love At Series. She has a great sense of humor and her brand of storytelling almost has me convinced that kind vampires live among us!

How would you pitch Witness Protection to someone who has not heard of it before? 

If you love a sexy cop with a big gun who knows how to use it…

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that Witness Protection is set in? 

Witness Protection is a contemporary story set in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Western Virginia.

Do you have a favorite scene in Witness Protection? 

The scene I love most is when Logan takes Angelina to meet his Aunt Clara, the woman who raised him after his mother died. She is a speak her mind, take no prisoners kind of woman who thinks the world is going to hell in a hand basket. When Logan and Angelina pull up in front of her hidden mountain home, Clara greets them waving a shotgun and threatening to blow them away. Angelina, a former NYPD cop, hits the ground to avoid being killed but Logan just starts laughing. Apparently Clara forgot to put her glasses on that morning and she is as good as blind without them.

Which character was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about? 

Aunt Clara was my favorite because writing her gave me license to “say” the things most people only think. The things that come out of her mouth make me laugh out loud. I think I struggled most with Angelina because she doesn’t necessarily think like I do.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you? 

I am currently working on the second book to Witness Protection that centers around Logan’s cousin Kaiden.  I also have a book that is due out from Breathless Press sometime in the spring. It’s the first in a new series about women married to cops who dabble in extracurricular activities that border on illegal and wind up getting involved in things like murders and kidnappings.

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Carolyn LaRoche grew up in snow country but fled the cold and ice several years ago. She now lives near the beach with her husband, their two boys, two finicky cats, and one old dog. When she is not at the baseball field cheering on big hits and home runs, she is busy teaching science to unwilling teenagers. She is co-author of the book The Crazy Lives of Police Wives and hangs out online at both Carolyn La Roche - Author and The Crazy Lives of Police Wives.

She also writes a blog titled Boys, Badges and Writers Block about the joys and challenges of raising boys and living the law enforcement wife life found at http://boysbadgeswritersblock.blogspot.com/

Find Carolyn and her books

Website / Facebook

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 Witness Protection
Defenders of Love #1
Buy Link

Someone wants Angelina dead...again. Will following her heart put her in danger, or in the arms of the man she's meant to be with?
As far as the world knows, NYPD detective Angelina Ferrara died in a violent firefight on Chelsea Piers over a year ago. Living in the witness protection program as history teacher Lucy Taylor was supposed to save her life, but being alive and living were two very different things. Until she meets Detective Logan James when he goes undercover in the same private school where she works. Something about the handsome man with the gorgeous blue eyes piques her interest. There's no doubt he has secrets...but then so does she. When the Ricci crime family discovers she's still alive, she finds herself on the run with Logan. Her heart led her astray before. Can she trust it to let Logan help her survive?

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Excerpt:

Her little car had an engine about as powerful as a hamster wheel. There was no way she was going to outrun the truck that was accelerating with lightning speed. On one side of her was a deep ravine, the other the steep slope of a mountain towered high and tree covered. The steering wheel vibrated as she pushed her little car to its limits, sheer adrenaline keeping her focused on the winding road. As she rounded a sharp curve, the back tires spun and fishtailed out from behind her. The tiny car shook violently as Lucy struggled to maintain control. The SUV caught up with her then, ramming into her rear bumper. The car groaned but held on. Lucy spun the wheel to make the next sharp curve, all the while her eyes searched for a way off the dangerous mountain highway. Another crash from behind jolted her car forward with such force Lucy lost her grip on the steering wheel. The car veered right but she managed to straighten it out before hitting the tree line.

"What the hell do you want with me?" she screamed at the truck in her rearview mirror.
The driver responded by slamming into the back of her car again. Metal ground against metal, gravel flew everywhere, and the car careened toward a thick bank of trees to her left. Straightening the car once more, Lucy crushed the gas pedal to the floor and watched as the speedometer climbed quickly. Lucy felt the little rush of excitement she always got in a good pursuit despite the fact that she was the one being pursued.

She whipped around yet another curve, and the SUV caught up with her. Just as she managed to get her little car under control again, the SUV crashed into her back end again with such force Lucy thought her car might shatter there in the middle of the road. The little car veered to the right, aiming straight for the side of the road and the ravine beyond. Lucy tried to regain control but the effort was in vain. She braced herself as the car plowed through thick vegetation, hit something, and started to slide down the steep embankment.

She heard the growl of the SUV's engine roaring away over the revving of her own engine as the tiny car crashed through the underbrush. The car flew over a log and landed on the slick vegetation covering the incline. The car lost its hold on the ground and rolled its way down the slope, finally landing up against the trunk of a large pine tree where the engine died. Lucy's head smacked against the steering wheel knocking her near to senseless. Everything fell deathly silent as she fought to remain conscious.

A loud crack broke the silence. As she watched through the broken windshield, the tree in front of her began to wobble. Blood trailed from her forehead into her left eye, blurring her already shaky vision. Rubbing at it with the back of her arm, she used her other hand to desperately claw at the seat belt release.

If she didn't get out of the car, the tree was going to fall right on top of her.

The giant pine swayed once and then began its descent toward Lucy and her crumpled car. Yanking hard at the jammed seat belt, her head swimming and her stomach churning, Lucy finally freed herself. Just as the tree crushed the roof of her car, like it were nothing more than a tin can, Lucy pulled her body through the opening that used to be the driver's side window.

Cracking wood and crunching metal stirred up a cacophony of birds and small animals protesting the intrusion in their habitat. Lucy lay on the damp moss and rotting leaves, her heart banging against her chest wall. The sound of her pulse racing in her ears muted the sound of the creaks and groans as the tree settled against what was left of her car. Every inch of her body hurt, but her head ached most of all.

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Interview: The Blue Effect by Rose Shababy

UFI welcomes Auhor Rose Shababy. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?

 I’d like to say that I’m as mysterious as the deep blue sea, but the truth is, I’m kind of an open book. For the most part, what you see is what you get, although I have a lot of social anxieties that make being an author a natural fit for me. One thing I can say is that I have a tendency to write about loners and orphans. Some of my characters aren’t true orphans, but very close to it. I seem to have a certain fascination with the individual, why they choose the loner status, the evolution of their social circle.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

Reading, of course!

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

So far, it’s been the satisfaction in not only putting my stories down on paper, but finishing a major project. Non-writers truly don’t understand the scope and breadth of writing a novel. The sense of accomplishment I got from publishing my first book was better than anything I’ve ever felt before. Until I received my first “fan letter.” That just about made me cry!

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write? 

I don’t think I have any hard and fast routines for writing, although I do have mood music I like to listen to as I write. And I always start my day with coffee. That’s sort of a must-have.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres?

Stephen King is an amazing world builder. I know he’s considered horror more than fantasy or paranormal, but he’s definitely at the top of a very short list of my favorite authors. The Stand is one of my all-time favorite books. So many fully-realized characters. Such an amazing story. I highly recommend it to anyone!

How would you pitch The Blue Effect to someone who has not heard of it before? 

The Blue Effect is a story about ordinary people with extraordinary abilities who show us that we are all capable of great things. We are all capable of being heroes.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that The Blue Effect is set in?

This book is set in the real world. Granted, the characters all have amazing powers, but I wanted to address some of the little things that sometimes get missed. For instance, not everyone is born into lavish wealth like Professor X or Bruce Wayne. My characters have to worry about how they’re going to pay the bills.

Do you have a favorite scene in The Blue Effect ?

I think the last three chapters are soooo good! They have all the aspects I was hoping it would. Action and fighting, epiphanies and revelations, romance, someone dies, a cliffhanger. I know that’s not just one scene, but they all go hand in hand. Everything builds until you reach those last 22 pages, and then it’s go go go! I can’t help but feel a little proud knowing I wrote that!

Which one character out of all your books was your favorite to write about? 

The heroine of The Blue Effect, Blue Brennan. She’s smart, sassy, a little wild, and seriously flawed. There is so much of me in her, it was really cathartic to write her and realize that I love those parts of me (albeit, exaggerated parts!).  

What about the hardest to write about?

I had a little bit of a hard time writing some of the male characters. I don’t want them to come off like it’s obvious a girl wrote them, although I still wanted them to have certain traits. The main love interest is not your typical romance novel hero. I really, really wanted the geek to get the girl.


What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?

I’m working on the second book in my Renegade Heroes series. It’s a whole new world of superheroes, and kicks ass. It’s got a little bit of everything. Action, intrigue, romance, mystery, humor. What else could you ask for? This is a follow up to The Blue Effect, a continuing story arc that will reach into a third book as well. Yep. It’s a trilogy!

I’m also working on a series of short stories, within the same world, that will be going up on my website very soon. They’re little bonuses for the fans. If I have any. I hope I do!
Finally, I have a standalone book coming out December 7th called Shadows of Night. It’s a horror/ghost story about a man who loses everything and has to fight his inner demons to stay alive.

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Rose Shababy and her family reside in eastern Washington State. Rose grew up in the Northwest but swears she’s going to move to warmer climates someday. She’s claimed this for over 20 years, however, and has yet to move more than 75 miles away from her mother.

Rose has a deep love of all things Star Trek and yearns to travel the heavens, as well as an intense desire to be bitten by a radioactive spider.

Unfortunately she sucks at science and math so she hasn’t been able bring her dreams to life, instead living vicariously through books, comics, television and film. She hopes to someday make a million dollars so she can afford to buy her way to the international space station, but she’d settle for being able to fly around the world and leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Rose also loves to cook and worked for years in a gourmet Italian grocery and deli where she learned to hone her skills. She prepares culinary masterpieces for her family, but fervently wishes the dishes would wash themselves. Especially now that her dishwashers/children are nearly grown and only one still lives at home.

Rose likes to use her free time wisely. For instance, she likes to daydream, will often read for hours until she falls asleep on the couch with an electric blanket and a warm tabby cat curled up on her hip, as well as spending cozy weekend days watching Syfy movies like Sharknado and Mega Piranha with her husband.

If Rose were a cartoon animal, she’d prefer to be a wise old owl or a sleek and sexy jaguar, but in reality she’d probably be a myopic mole with coke-bottle glasses.

Find Rose and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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The Blue Effect
Renegade Heroes #1
Amazon BN iTunes

Blue Brennan is jaded and bitter despite her pinup girl looks and quick wit. Night after night, she scours the Seattle club scene looking for someone or something to fill the emptiness inside.
When she meets the mysterious Kasey, her world stops… literally. He claims she has the ability to control time and stuns her even further when he reveals his own gifts.

Blue is inexplicably drawn to Kasey and reluctantly enters his world filled with a new breed of humanity. They’re misfits like her, blessed or cursed with powerful abilities, struggling to hide their differences from the rest of society.

Then the group discovers a nameless, faceless sociopath with nightmarish powers; and he’s coming for Blue. She’s left reeling when they discover her gifts are the key to defeating his terrible evil and saving them all.

Now she must race against the clock to harness her own powers and save her new friends. Can she be more than a renegade? Can she be a hero too?

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Excerpt

As I scanned the crowd my eyes fell on one person out of sync with the rest. Close to my age, maybe a little older, he obviously didn’t belong in the club. His clothes, messy looking slacks and a gray t-shirt, hung on his lean frame. He finished his look with a tartan scarf and brown fedora that seemed more at home on an old man than one in his twenties. 

He pulled his hat off and shaggy brown hair fell across his eyes as he danced. Well, he didn’t dance so much as sway to the music, his eyes closed while a hint of a smile graced his lips. As he danced, he bobbed his head back and forth and his hands moved like graceful waves. His shadow grin seemed to infuse his entire body. He danced by himself as if he didn’t care what anyone around him thought, as if he danced for himself and no one else. He looked completely out of place, yet he appealed to me and I felt myself wanting to go to him. 

I was shocked by the surge of jealousy that rushed through me as I stared at him. His face broke through my drunken haze and I realized this man was no paper doll. His face belonged to a truly happy man. Hell, he looked fucking ecstatic.   

He had the face of an angel.

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New Releases: 11/23-11/29

Tue. Nov 25th

 Abracadaver (Esther Diamond #7) by Laura Resnick

 Anomaly (Schrodinger's Consortium #1) by Tonya Kuper

 Black Widow (Elemental Assassin #12) by Jennifer Estep

 Captive (The Blackcoat Rebellion #2) by Aimee Carter 

 The Darkest Touch (Lords of the Underworld #11) by Gena Showalter 

 Jinn and Juice by Nicole Peeler

 Symbiont (Parasitology #2) by Mira Grant

 Vampire in Paradise (Deadly Angels #5) by Sandra Hill

Happy Reading!

Quick Thought Reviews

Sometimes I read a book where I just don't have a lot to say about it. Hence the name quick thought reviews. These will be short and sweet.

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Trace of Magic

Author: Diana Pharaoh Francis

Release Date: September 30, 2014

Publisher: Bell Bridge Books

ASIN:   B00M4NSPRG

Diamond City Magic Book #1

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Even the most powerful tracers can’t track you if the magical trace you leave behind is too old. But I can track almost anything, even dead trace. That makes me a unicorn, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Lock Ness Monster all rolled into one. In a word, I am unique. A very special snowflake. And if anyone ever finds out, I’ll be dead or a slave to one of the Tyet criminal factions.

Riley Hollis has quietly traced kidnapped children and quietly tipped the cops to their whereabouts one too many times. Now she’s on the radar of Detective Clay Price, a cop in the pocket of a powerful magic Tyet faction. When he blackmails her into doing a dangerous trace for him, Riley will have to break every rule that keeps her safe. Or become a Tyet pawn in a deadly, magical war.

Riley has been hiding her skills forever and it was really easy to see why as TRACE OF MAGIC played out. It was hard to know what to think about Clay. He was a huge mystery and every time you think you know him another wrench is thrown out there. I really enjoyed their tension and slow romance. The flow of the story was great and it was easy to fall into it.

I hate to say it, but I hated the ending. It was a huge bummer after all that the characters went through and sacrificed to stay alive and solve the mystery that was thrown out there. I will be reading book 2 JUST to make sure things get back on track and throw the book across the room if it doesn't.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Her Lone Wolf

Author: Paige Tyler

Release Date: November 4, 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

X- Ops Book #2

ISBN:   1402292120

ISBN13: 9781402292125

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Leaving him was Impossible…

It took everything she had for FBI Special Agent Danica Beckett to walk away from the man she loved. But if she wants to save his life, she has to keep her distance. Now, with a killer on the loose and the stakes higher than ever before, the Department of Covert Ops is forcing these former lovers into an uneasy alliance…whether they like it or not.

Seeing her again is even worse

The last thing Clayne Buchanan wants is to be shackled to the woman who broke his heart. She gets under his skin in a way no one ever has and makes him want things he has no right to anymore. All he has to do is suffer through this case and he can be free of her for good. But when Clayne finds out why Danica left in the first place, everything he’s tried to bury comes roaring back—and there’s no way this wolf shifter is going to take no for an answer this time.

HER LONE WOLF had a great flow to it. There was plenty of action and danger and a great amount of tension and romance between Clayne and Danica. It was nice to see some more of the world of X-Ops and the corruption  that was starting to show in HER PERFECT MATE.

I enjoyed getting to know Clayne a little more and meeting Danica, It was also great to see a little bit of Ivy and Landon while they all worked together towards the end. I am beyond excited for book 3, which will feature Kendra and Declan.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 
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Sunset Rising

Author: S.M. McEachern

Release Date: November 12, 2013

Publisher: Clownfish Publishing

ISBN:   0991733037

ISBN13: 9780991733033

Sunset Rising Book #1

Genre: Dystopian

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

February 2024: Desperate to find refuge from the nuclear storm, a group of civilians discover a secret government bio-dome. Greeted by a hail of bullets and told to turn back, the frantic refugees stand their ground and are grudgingly permitted entry. But the price of admission is high.

283 years later…

Sunny O'Donnell is a seventeen-year-old slave who has never seen the sun. She was born in the Pit, a subterranean extension of the bio-dome. Though life had never been easy, lately it had become a nightmare. Her mom was killed in the annual Cull, and her dad thought it was a good time to give up on life. Reyes Crowe, her long-time boyfriend, was pressuring her to get married, even though it would mean abandoning her father.

She didn't think things could get any worse until she was forced upstairs to the Dome to be a servant-girl at a bachelor party. That's where she met Leisel Holt, the president's daughter, and her fiancé, Jack Kenner.

Now Sunny is wanted for treason. If they catch her, she'll be executed. She thought Leisel's betrayal was the end. But it was just the beginning.

I was completely entranced by SUNSET RISING from the first chapter.  Sunny was so easy to like and relate to. There were a ton of twists and turns and although I had my favorite love interest, it was hard not to be heartbroken for the other.

Great world, great characters, great story, just all around great! When I got to the end, I really, really wanted more. In fact, I emailed the author right away for a review copy of WORLDS COLLIDE.

I gave it 5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 
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Night Sky
Author: Suzanne Brockmann, Melanie Brockmann

Release Date: October 7, 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Night Sky Book #1

ISBN:   1492601446

ISBN13: 9781492601449

Genre: Paranormal YA

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

SHE’S THE ULTIMATE WEAPON IN FIGHTING DESTINY.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann and her daughter Melanie Brockmann have written a pulse-pounding novel of paranormal suspense set in a near future both fantastic and frightening. “Original and exciting, NIGHT SKY propels readers into a dangerous future. Loved it.” —Melissa Marr, New York Times bestselling author of Made For You and the Wicked Lovely series
Skylar Reid is shaken when Sasha, the little girl she babysits, is kidnapped. Scared that the weird dreams she’s been having about Sasha are real—and even more afraid that Sasha is already dead. When a mysterious girl with extreme butt-kicking abilities roars into town on a motorcycle and, well, stalks Skylar things get even weirder. Supergirl Dana tells Sky that she also has abilities – that a hormone in their blood makes them stronger, faster, smarter. A hormone that the makers of a new drug called Destiny will murder to get their hands on.
Dana and Milo, her dangerously hot yet oh-so-forbidden partner in crime, want Sky to join them in their mission – to mold Sky into the ultimate weapon. She can sense there’s something about her abilities they’re not telling her. But the only way to save Sasha and stop other girls from being taken is to embrace the weird…and fight Destiny.

I enjoyed the story that NIGHT SKY told, but here were also a LOT of slow points, lot of drawn out build-up  and for the length of the book, I wish I would have remembered more of what happened.

There seemed to be a LOT of world building missing from NIGHT SKY, I would say that's because that information is in the prequel DANGEROUS DESTINY, but it wasn't there either. It would have saved me from being completely confused in the beginning of the book. I probably won't continue with book 2.

I gave it 2.5/5 stars 

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 
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Braving Fate

Author: Linsey Hall

Release Date: November 10, 2014

Publisher: Bonnie Doon Press

The Mythean Arcana Book #1

ISBN13:  9781942085010

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Review Copy Source: NetGalley
 

As chaos looms, a warrior queen is reborn
Bookish academic Diana Laughton has been having terrible dreams. Dreams of battle, dreams of blood... dreams so vivid she's living them day and night. When demons invade her quiet life, she wonders if she's going mad. Or if perhaps she's remembering a past life she had no idea existed...

In the midst of betrayal, he must protect her
Mythean Guardian Cadan Trinovante loved and betrayed Britain's warrior queen Boudica two millennia ago. Now he's tasked with protecting mortals whose lives affect the fate of humanity. His latest assignment is Boudica herself, reincarnated as a woman with no idea of her past or her fated future. Though in the irresistible form of Diana Laughton, it's possible Cadan has once again met his match...

To succumb to seduction could prove fatal
Thrown together in a shadowy world that exists alongside our own, Diana and Cadan must fight not only the demonic forces that want Diana dead, but a past and a passion that have lasted centuries. Their desire could be deadly. But as evil from the underworld unites against them, their only hope could be each other.

There was a nice flow, the characters were nice and although the storyline was interesting I had a hard time staying in it. I can't even really pin down why as I didn't really see any 'faults' it just didn't draw me in and hold me hostage.

I really liked one of the supporting characters and wish we would have learned a bit more about her. I AM thinking of reading the next book as it has her as one of the main characters so that is good!

I gave it 3/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 
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Week in Review: 1/16-11/22

Books I've Bought/received

-Hunter Reborn by Katie Reus - eARC- Publisher via NetGalley

- Misery Loves Company by Tracey Martin - eARC- NetGalley

- Storm Fall by Tracy Banghart- eARC- NetGalley

Books I've Read

Storm Fall by Tracy Banghart
Under My Skin by Shawntelle Madison
The Stag Lord by Darby Kaye

Reviews Posted

A Cursed Bloodline by Cecy Robson
Temporal Shift by Nina Croft
Destiny by Celia Breslin

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Guest Blog & Giveaway for Destiny by Celia Breslin

* Tuesday- Guest Blog & Giveaway for The Necromancer's Betrayal by Mimi Sebastian

* Friday- Interview for In His Sights by D.D. Symms

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Interview: In His Sights by D.D. Symms

UFI welcomes author D.D. Symms. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview? 

I read a variety of genres and I write non-fiction entrepreneur bios as well as fiction. Some authors delve into one specific genre and never look back. On one hand, I wish that was me. I don't think it ever will be and that matches the varied interests I have.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

Being outside. Preferably hiking, running or reffing soccer.

What is your Favorite part of writing?

Having a solid draft and going back to rewrite segments that you know already work. You're tightening them up and improving them by finding just the right phrase or making an awkward sentence easier to read. That's satisfying.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write? 

Hmm, I like having a cup of coffee near me. It can be stale. It takes me about a half hour to get into writing and unwinding from whatever activity I was doing.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres? 

You know, I just haven't familiarized myself with these genres yet. It's on my list for 2015. I feel like I haven't mastered the various styles of romance.

How would you pitch In His Sights to someone who has not heard of it before?

Our inner wounds hurt the most and a loving partner can lead to healing.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that In His Sights is set in? 

A military base in Southern California's Mojave Desert. It's desolate and yet the desert has an odd warmth that I find attractive, almost comforting.

Do you have a favorite scene in In His Sights?

Yep. A bar scene where Dalton Blake storms out. It's a turning point. I feel I captured the ambiance and the inner conflict.

Which character was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about?

I enjoyed creating the bartender, an outgoing female. A minor character. The hardest part about the two men was getting the ending just right so it wasn't gratuitous but had meaning and kept the tension going until the end.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you? 

I've got thoughts of a male-male through the eyes of the character in my novel Boarding. Really, a series of stories and life through his eyes.

I'm also at work on a novel Arrival, a look at the fashion industry and how we define success.

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DD Symms wanted to capture the emotional struggle that loss and new love bring with In His Sights, his fifth book with Breathless Press.

Fiction writing in university was his original calling, but it took a detour of many years as he focused on journalism. The joy of writing fiction is when characters seep into his imagination and take on a life of their own with a story that must be told.

He lives in southern California and hikes in the mountains with his wife, wishes his dog would stop sleeping on his side of the bed, and would like to take more walks along the beaches north of Malibu.

Find D.D. Symms and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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In His Sights
Buy Link

Wounds on the inside can be the hardest to heal. Dalton Blake takes responsibility for the death of his comrade and lover when a roadside bomb explodes in Afghanistan.

Back in the states, and preparing to end his military service, Dalton withdraws from society and is prepared to face a new life alone. A perceptive captain on the base notices the pain and tries to find a way to Dalton's heart and soul

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Excerpt:

Afghanistan fascinated him. He saw beauty in what many deemed a desolate landscape. A flower blooming among rocky crags was like an act of defiance interrupting the bleakness. He had gained confidence and felt like his leadership abilities were growing rapidly on the day a colonel, a senior engineer from the States, and a camera crew from a television network were among the audience members.

The last questions finished and he gathered his materials. He headed to the coffee shop on base to revel in his success but soldiers were scrambling amid confused shouts.

"Hey, what's happening?" Dalton tried to get someone's attention.
"An attack. There was an attack just down the road."

The news screamed back to base. An IED had exploded in the field, ripped through a convoy, and killed several soldiers. Jerry was among them.


Dalton froze. A volley of commands were unleashed in his mind to run here or there, but he was helpless. He shook free from the initial shock and ran to his barracks, buried his face in his pillow, and fought to suppress his rage. He wanted to scream, grab a weapon, and head off on his own personal assault and find the son of a bitch responsible. A debriefing revealed a connection failure in the jamming device and the feeling of failure Dalton experienced was like water bursting through the walls of a reservoir and flooding everything in its path.

Review: A Cursed Bloodline by Cecy Robson

A Cursed Bloodline

Author: Cecy Robson

Release Date: November 18, 2014

Publisher: Loveswept

Weird Girls Book #4

ISBN:  0553394584

ISBN13: 9780553394580

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Just when Celia thinks the supernatural world can’t turn deadlier, a new rival emerges, proving just how dangerous a power-hungry were can be.

Since being cursed with unique abilities, Celia Wird and her three sisters have fought the most bloodthirsty preternaturals in the Lake Tahoe region. But Celia’s greatest threat is someone she would have never suspected: Anara, a werewolf Elder who has allowed his hatred for Celia to spiral out of control. In a play for dominance, Anara tortures Celia and gives her an ultimatum: sever her mate bond with pureblood were Aric — or Anara will kill everyone she loves.

From the instant they met, Celia and Aric have shared an attraction that cannot be tamed. So keeping Aric away is impossible, and Aric would sooner die than allow anyone to hurt the woman he loves. Misha, master vampire and Celia’s sworn protector, also finds his way into the chaos, seeking blood from those who have harmed her.

Now Celia and her sisters are caught in the middle of a war driven by lust, fueled by hatred, and destined to end in tragedy. For Anara is a force to be reckoned with, and he will not succumb without robbing Celia of those who hold her heart.

A CURSED BLOODLINE was a depressing, torturous, and heart wrenching addition to the Weird Girls series.  Come to think of it. The last few books have been like that as well, but book 4 is a little more of all of those. Celia and Aric are finally back together in book 3 and then the battle at the end of CURSED BY DESTINY happens and things once again change. On top of that. A familiar enemy shows up in the beginning of A CURSED BLOODLINE and puts another obstacle in Celia and Aric's path to happiness.

I REALLLY wanted something to go right for Celia in book 4, but every time that happens something rips it apart. It DOES get tiring and it DOES make me want to throw my book against the nearest wall, but I still couldn't put the darn book down. I don't think it's too much to ask that ONE of these books doesn't feature Celia being torn to pieces in some way. Hopefully we will get that at some point sooner rather than later.

The secondary characters of this series play a big part in every book and it is great to see connections grow and strain with each installment. The pace of A CURSED BLOODLINE flows nicely and the plot is anything but boring. I am absolutely heartbroken for Celia after reading A CURSED BLOODLINE, but I'm also hopeful for her too. I have a lot of mixed feelings and until I read book 5 I'm not sure if that will change. Even if I wanted to stop reading the Weird Girls series, which I don't, I would have a very hard time not picking up and reading more after the events of A CURSED BLOODLINE.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.