Monday, April 6, 2015

Promo: Three Hours by Dannika Dark


Three Hours
(Seven Series, Bk # 5)
By Dannika Dark

Blurb: 

Destiny will find you

Naya James is a confident woman who also happens to be an exotic dancer. She doesn’t care if people judge her, just so long as they don’t disrespect her. Life has been good, but when two dancers from her club are kidnapped, Naya puts her life on the line to uncover the truth.

Wheeler is the black sheep of the family, evident from his extensive tattoo collection to his dark personality. Nothing like his twin brother, Ben, who can do no wrong. Wheeler’s pack loyalty is put to the test when Austin orders him to act as a bodyguard for a woman he’s despised for years—one who presses his buttons every chance she gets.

A dark secret unravels, uniting two enemies and threatening to fracture the brotherhood of the pack. A tortured soul, a violent past, a fiery romance, and a shocking twist that will leave you breathless.



Available for purchase at 

               




Excerpt


I leaned forward and gripped the top of the chair on either side of his head. “I don’t like this situation any more than you do, but I’ve never had anyone speak to me this way. I don’t form unhealthy friendships with people, but this isn’t exactly a friendship. I need a bodyguard, and neither of us seems to have any choice in the matter. So let’s just play nice, okay?”

His eyes glided down my neck and settled between my breasts. Wheeler’s pupils widened and, my God, I needed to get away from him. The closer I got, the more I picked up his heady scent. Wheeler was the opposite of the refined men in my life—powerful men with expensive clothes and imported cologne. Most were shorter or had a leaner frame than his medium build. Something began to culminate between us that I knew he must have felt, because he didn’t have a comeback. I wondered how it would feel to have those inked arms wrapped around my body, for the bristles on his face to scratch against my stomach as he laved my breast with his tongue. Would his hands feel as rough as they looked? Was he a gentle lover or animalistic?

The ropes of muscle in his arms were taut from the tight grip he had on the armrests of the chair.
Oh, no. This couldn’t be happening.

My cell phone rang and snapped me out of my fantasies. I stood up and put my hands on my hips. “I have a feeling that before this is all over, we’re going to end up killing each other.”


A sardonic smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Now that sounds like fun.”


The Seven Series


About the Author


This is the segment where you learn a little more about who I am, so here's what I can tell you:  I drink copious amounts of vitamin water placed precariously close to my laptop while writing. These are two healthy habits I have no intention of breaking. I'm a transplant living in the south, but I was born in the 70's to a military dad who moved us around the world.

When I'm not writing (which is all the time), I'm hunting down Indie music, watching movies, reading, eating Tex-Mex, discovering new ways to humiliate myself bowling, and burning up my laptop battery on the Internet. I have a relaxed, easy-going personality and don't like drama. I live with a cat who thinks she is a dog, or a goat (she eats plastic, so I'm not sure which).

Throughout my life, I've had insomnia. Counting sheep never worked and eventually I would imagine those sheep were the sole source of food after an apocalyptic battle where only thousands survived. I made up stories in a futile attempt to bore myself to sleep. The problem was, I got so wrapped up in my "head stories" that I would continue them through the following nights, changing it up each time to make it more exciting. Eventually, I started writing my ideas down - creating short stories, and then I discovered my love for poetry.

It's almost embarrassing how many spiral notebooks and stacks of paper I have of poetry and lyrics.

Another passion: digital art. I design all my book covers, marketing, and series art. I'm a very visual person and pursued photography as an avid hobby for many years.

I am not a YA author (I feel like I have to state this only because I've had a few people ask), but I think it's wonderful there are so many books available to teens in Urban Fantasy and Paranormal.

I am finally doing what I have always wanted to do: giving my characters a pulse through writing full time. I focus on adult urban fantasy romance, but I don't like labels and I enjoy blending genres to break out of the confines of predictability.

But it's what I love to do.

Danni

You can stalk, I mean find Dannika here: 

            


Presented by 



Sunday, April 5, 2015

Week in Review: 3/29-4/4



Books Received for Review

- Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell - eARC- Edelweiss

- Lie Down With Dogs by Hailey Edwards - eARC- NetGalley

- Trailer Park Fae by Lilith Saintcrow -ARC- Publisher

- The Edge of Forever by Melissa E. Hurst - eARC- Edelweiss

Books I've Read

Yield the Night by Annette Marie
Keeper vs. Reaper by Jennifer Malone Wright
Keeper of the Peace by Jennifer Malone Wright
Lie Down with Dogs by Hailey Edwards
Trailer Park Fae by Lilith Saintcrow
Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell
Sealed in Sin by Juliette Cross

Reviews Posted

Forged in Fire by Juliette Cross
The Apollo Academy by Kimberly P. Chase
Winterborne by Augusta Blythe
The Unleashing by Shelly Laurenston
Dark Heir by Faith Hunter

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

* Monday- Promo for Being Emerald by Sylvia Ryan

* Tuesday- Promo & Giveaway for The Shattered Court by M.J. Scott

* Thursday- Guest Post for Dark Heir by Faith Hunter

* Friday- Interview & Giveaway for Storm Warned by Dani Harper

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

You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
 
 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

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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Forged in Fire
Release Date: January 27, 2015
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
The Vessel Trilogy Book #1
ISBN:   1619227819
ISBN13: 9781619227811
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
She never knew this demon world existed. Now she just wants to survive it.

Genevieve Drake never needed a man to come to her rescue. Not until the night of her twentieth birthday, when some dude nearly chokes her to death in an alley behind a New Orleans Goth club. And a hot stranger splits the guy in half, rips a monster from inside, and incinerates it into ash.

The hunky rescuer? Jude Delacroix—Dominus Daemonum, Master of Demons, now her guardian, whether she likes it or not. But she’s seriously beginning to like it.

Her would-be murderer turns out to be only the first of many minions of the demon prince, Danté, who has all kinds of lascivious and sadistic plans. Which means when the formidably beautiful Jude offers his protection, Genevieve has no problem accepting it.

For Jude and his fellow demon hunters tell her she is a Vessel, one who is born to serve the Light, but can be corrupted into a weapon of darkness. And to survive, she must trust a man whose unearthly eyes promise heaven…but whose powers unleash hell.
.

I have found that you can't go wrong with anything from Juliette Cross. I have enjoyed her characters, her writing and the great worlds that she has created for her stories.

I really liked Gen. She had a great personality, is easy to like and really stepped into her new life. Jude is a bad boy and very protective of his new charge. You can definitely feel the romantic connection between the two.

The secondary characters are just as important to the story. There is a great pace set from beginning to end. Book two has a lot to live up to!

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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The Apollo Academy
Release Date: February 22, 2015
Publisher: Escape Publishing
ASIN:  B00S493CRC
Genre: New Adult Science Fiction
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
Take off with this dynamic, thrill-seeking, sexy New Adult Science Fiction series debut. Welcome to the exclusive Apollo Academy, where Aurora is about to discover that achieving her dream is only the first step towards her future.

As the heiress to Titon Technologies, eighteen-year-old Aurora Titon can have whatever she wants—clothes, expensive gadgets, anything money can buy. But all she really wants is to escape her pampered, paparazzi-infested life for the stars. Becoming the first female pilot to train as an astronaut for the exclusive Apollo Academy is exactly the chance for which she has been waiting.
Flying is everything she ever dreamed, her best friend also got into the Academy, and the paparazzi is banned from campus. Everything would be perfect, but for her unreciprocated crush on a fellow student, the sexy astronaut bent on making her life hell, and the fact that someone keeps trying to kill her.

The most important education doesn’t happen in the classroom…

As an heiress Aurora has grown up in the spotlight, but all she wants is to be left alone while she pursues her dreams of flying. THE APOLLO ACADEMY reminded me a little bit of BREAKING SKY. They both have flying female teens and I found that I really enjoy that type of storyline.

 I wasn't crazy about the multiple POVs, but THE APOLLO ACADEMY had great characters, a suspenseful and mystery filled storyline, a little bit of romance and nice world building. Great start to a series that I can't wait to read more of.

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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Winterborne
Release Date: April 24, 2011
Publisher: Self-Published
Universe Unbound Book #1
ISBN13: 9780983531913
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
Sixteen-year old Mia Winterborne is destined to be special. Details are sketchy, though, as her dad disappeared with all the answers when she was five. Mia only knows that she will inherit her kickass superpowers on her seventeenth birthday. Helping Mia prepare for her anticipated ascendancy is Loie Bryce, her best friend and eternal sidekick extraordinaire. The girls' intense friendship has never wavered until now, when Andreas arrives in Salcey Ridge. They both fall hard for the British hottie, who quickly becomes a fixture in their lives. When they discover that Andreas is not who he appears to be, the frightening reality of Mia's powers finally hits home. The nearer Mia's birthday draws, the more the danger escalates and long-buried lies are exposed, putting the girls on a path that they never expected.

WINTERBORNE made my quick thought review segment because I enjoyed it so much that I immediately jumped on Amazon and bought book 2 and 3 to continue the story and now they are all in my head which makes it hard to just review book 1.

So, why did I love WINTERBORNE.. The connection between Mia and Loie. They come from different worlds, but grew up together and have a sisterly connection you can't help but be jealous of. There is a lot of different paranormal creatures introduced and you are left wondering what could come next. There's a hot and mysterious boy next door. There is plenty of action and secrets. Finally you can't help but want to go out and buy the rest of the series so you don't have to stop reading. 

I gave it 4/5 stars

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

Friday, April 3, 2015

Interview & Giveaway: Storm Warned by Dani Harper

UFI welcomes Author Dani Harper. 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 have a secret obsessive passion for Maneki Neko figurines (Japanese Lucky Cats), vintage troll
dolls (I have a large collection), and rocks. Yup, rocks. I always have a little stack of them on my desk in front of my PC. Right now there’s a slab of fluorite, a palm-sized piece of labradorite, a couple of clear quartz crystals, and a sample of golden quartzite. In a parallel universe, I think there’s a Dani Harper who is a geologist!

What do you enjoy doing during your down time? 

Down time is pretty darn rare these days, but my hubs and I are both history fanatics and we enjoy visiting museums and historical sites of any kind. We need a bumper sticker that says, “We Brake For Museums!”

If we’re at home, then you’ll find us in the yard. Hubs has staked out his territory in the vegetable garden, but I’m in charge of flowers and trees. Been drooling over bedding plants at the local nurseries already!

 At night, when I really need to veg out (because my eyes won’t take another minute of computer work), I have a number of favorite DVDs - The Avengers (plus all Thor, Ironman, and Captain America flicks), Batman movies with Christian Bale, Odd Thomas, The Lost Boys, Van Helsing, The Wolfman, Serenity, and Hellboy. In my non-movie collection, I have all the Buffy the Vampire DVDs, plus the many Supernatural seasons, Sleepy Hollow, Lost Girl, True Blood, Firefly, and more. Right now hubs and I are rewatching our Game of Thrones episodes!

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

As far as actual writing is concerned, I love the exhilarating sprint down the home stretch to the end!  It becomes more and more exciting as loose ends get tied together and everything gets resolved. And there’s a real high in typing that final “THE END”! (Of course, then I have to go right back to the beginning to start editing and revising, but it doesn’t seem to diminish that ecstatic feeling of having brought the story to completion….)

One of the nicest things about being a writer, however, is interacting with readers. I’ve met so many wonderful people online and in person! I appreciate their comments and ideas, and I learn a lot when we talk about their responses to my characters. Plus I LOVE my street team, who are also readers – it’s so much fun to chat with them every day. I’m grateful for their enthusiasm and support. I don’t know what I’d do without them.

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

The only thing I MUST have is coffee. If I have that and my laptop, then I can write anytime, anywhere. Interestingly, it’s far more efficient for me to write at a coffee shop or even a McDonalds, than it is to write at home. Last week I spent much of the afternoon writing in my car in a Home Depot parking lot under a tree! No matter how much noise goes on around me in a public place, it has nothing to do with me. I don’t have to respond to it, so I’m not distracted at all. At home, the dogs want in and out, the phone rings, the laundry and the housework call out for attention – you know how it is!


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

At present my favorite authors (the ones on my “must buy no matter what” list) are Jeaniene Frost, Faith Hunter, JR Ward, Jim Butcher, Karen Chance, Patricia Briggs, Melissa Marr, and Kevin Hearne.

How would you pitch STORM WARNED to someone who has not heard of it before? 

With my new GRIM SERIES, I’m bringing ancient faery legends into modern-day America! Storm Warned is Book 3 in the series. All the stories have their beginning in the faery kingdom beneath the country of Wales. But past and present, fae and human, good and evil, collide on this side of the Wide Waters!

Do you have a favorite scene in STORM WARNED? 

Several! The heroine, Caris, is such a strong and self-aware character. I enjoy it when she tells the hero, Liam, what’s what! But some of my favorite scenes occurred between Queen Gwenhidw and Lurien, Lord of the Wild Hunt. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more than that without spoiling it!

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

I have a lot of favorites, but tops would have to be Ranyon, the little ellyll. He’s not exactly a fae creature, but an ancient elemental, and tremendously powerful in spite of his small size. I love his delight in what the human world has to offer (like baseball!). Plus he’s so outspoken and provides a lot of humor! Ranyon has become close friends with the humans in my stories, since he has ample reason to hate the ruling class of the Fae.

Most of my characters are very chatty, so I have no trouble writing about them – it’s keeping up that’s the problem! The characters are always in charge of the story and many times I feel that I’m running after them, yelling “Wait, I thought we were going to do (fill in the blank)” or sometimes “Hey, you can’t do that!” Often they take the story to places I hadn’t even imagined. And sometimes I end up written into a corner and they won’t tell me how to get out!
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Dani Harper is a former newspaper editor whose passion for all things supernatural led her to a second career writing paranormal fantasy. There isn’t anything she likes better than exploring myths and legends from many cultures, which serve to inspire her sizzling and suspenseful stories.

A longtime resident of the Canadian north and southeastern Alaska, Dani now lives in rural Washington with her retired mountain-man husband. Together they do battle with runaway gardens, rampant fruit trees, and a roving herd of chickens, with the assistance of three dogs and several grandchildren.

Dani is the author of Changeling Moon (2012 RITA finalist), Changeling Dream, and Changeling Dawn; plus First Bite, a Dark Wolf story. Recent works include the Grim Series (Storm Warrior, Storm Bound, and the newly released Storm Warned).

Find Dani and her books
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Storm Warned
Grim #3
buy links
 When Caris’s unearthly musical talent attracts the attention of the Wild Hunt, the Welsh farm girl is stolen away to serve as a faery grim, a herald of death. Two centuries later, she’s finally escaped back to the human world—and into the present-day life of a reclusive and heartbroken American musician.

Music was Liam’s whole life—until a crushing betrayal left him desperate to flee the public eye. Yet long-dormant passions awaken after a powerful storm strands a beautiful, strong-willed woman on his isolated farm. When a Fae prince bent on ruling both human and Faery realms threatens Caris’s life, Liam must decide if he can finally believe in love again, not just for her sake—but for the sake of two worlds.

From the best-selling author of Changeling Moon, this sweeping and passionate story of paranormal romance follows two souls from centuries apart who lost everything . . . and found that only love can save them.
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Open to USA, UK and Canada

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Thursday, April 2, 2015

Guest Post & Early Review: Dark Heir by Faith Hunter


UFI welcomes Author Faith Hunter. Thanks for Joining us!!

A Day in the Week of Faith Hunter: Wednesday
 
Today is … take a family member to the doctor day, clean the bathrooms day, and weight-training day.

If you were paying close attention to the other days in this blog list, none of the above have been capitalized, as I did for the previous ones. This is for a lot of reasons and possibilities. If the doctor’s appointment finds something odd or different, then we might have a trip to another doctor, the ER, or some other medical type place. If that happens, then everything else, including writing, might get cancelled. Which is never fun. Hence the no-caps.

But today we are lucky. The doctor appointment is only a half hour late getting started, only takes a half longer to do the testing than we had budgeted, and we are back home in a little over three hours. Not bad for a doctor appointment for one of the elders or one of elder-dogs. Between the Hubs and me, we have five—count ‘em, five—elder humans to share the responsibility of, and two (at this point) elder rescue dogs to take care of. That is a lot of meds, a lot of appointments, a lot of testing, and a lot of driving.

I am home by noon-ish, and I eat lunch, brew a pot of spice tea—because of that cold front blowing in—and do the usual business-related stuff. Yes. While I eat. No real rest for the wicked. Today, business-related stuff means a phone call with a writer friend. We have been tossing around the idea of doing a crossover novelette or novella, and he’s ready to dive in. I have a book and a novella of my own to write, so time is tight and short for me. But we figure out a way to make it work and he’s happy and I’m happy. I finish emails and make some phone calls. Good grief. The life of a writer should be chocolate bon-bons and picking out diamond rings. Not that I wear rings. But you get the idea. And no, my life is work and work and responsibility just like all the other working Joes.

I clean the kitchen and then sit down for a good five hours of steady writing, interspersed with short breaks to clean the bathrooms and a longer break to work out. I am a member of the Y, but the weather has turned off nasty and so I opt to stay in and use the machines upstairs and the eight-pound hand weights. Not having kids has meant the Hubs and I have an empty room that we have managed not to turn into a junk room. Instead we have a room lined with shelves with writing memorabilia and books, and space in the center to work out.

When I start a day’s writing, I actually work on the previous day’s work first, revising, adding content, and moving things around. It gets me back into the rhythm of Jane’s voice and Beast’s snarky inner comments. Today I only turn out five pages, but it’s enough, and it leaves me at a good place to start tomorrow.

Tonight I’ll make six pairs of earrings for PR for the Jane Yellowrock series novel, DARK HEIR. I also make a necklace for my assistant. It’s an easy piece, mostly copper and steel chain in five-inch lengths with two amethyst pieces wired to form links. She already bought the focal stone, a lovely silver and copper wrapped amethyst in a natural teardrop shape. It’s really pretty! So are the earrings that will used as prizes in a contest.

That’s All Folks! Nite!
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New York Times Bestselling author Faith Hunter writes fantasy in several subgenres: the urban fantasy Skinwalker series, featuring Jane Yellowrock, a Cherokee skinwalker; the post-apocalyptic Rogue Mage series and RPG, featuring Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage; and the upcoming SoulWood trilogy featuring Nell Nicholson Ingram, a woman who can siphon off the magic of others and is drawn into solving paranormal crimes. Faith writes mystery and thrillers under the name Gwen Hunter. When she isn’t writing, Faith likes to make jewelry, run whitewater rivers (Class II and III), and RV with her hubby and their rescued dogs.

Find Faith and her books
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Dark Heir
Jane Yellowrock #9
Amazon | B&N | IndieBound | iBooks | Kobo
Shapeshifting skinwalker Jane Yellowrock is the best in the business when it comes to slaying vampires. But her latest fanged foe may be above her pay grade…

For centuries, the extremely powerful and ruthless vampire witches of the European Council have wandered the Earth, controlling governments, fostering war, creating political conflict, and often leaving absolute destruction in their wake. One of the strongest of them is set to create some havoc in the city of New Orleans, and it’s definitely personal.

Jane is tasked with tracking him down. With the help of a tech wiz and an ex-Army ranger, her partners in Yellowrock Securities, she’ll have to put everything on the line, and hope it’s enough. Things are about to get real hard in the Big Easy.
Faith Hunter does it again. Lots of action, a dangerous dilemma, friends, family and a bit of love round out DARK HEIR.

If you have been reading the Jane Yellowrock series this long, you already know Jane is badass. You know the main secondary characters and you know that no matter what the situation, Jane is always in the thick of it. DARK HEIR is no different. The story unfolded at a great pace. The fight scenes were packed with danger and the characters as always shined.

Leo really surprised me. I'm not sure if he is just tired, but I think we got to see a different more vulnerable and human side to him in DARK HEIR. I was really disappointed with Molly in DARK HEIR. I of course can't go into the reason why, but their friendship has definitely changed since the beginning of the series and it's really a shame. Jane and George's relationship continues to grow stronger. I *think* her feelings for Rick are finally on the outs and that makes me so excited. I didn't feel like we got as much Beast time as we usually do. I will have to pay attention as the series continues to see if it will be a trend.

As always I enjoyed following Jane around New Orleans as she fought off bad guys and investigated the events of DARK HEIR. The problems are far from over and the European Council still hasn't visited so I am excited to see what will happen next.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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

Dark Heir excerpt #8
 
“Yesss.” Leo’s voice sounded ticked off again, that slithery dangerous tone vamps used when they wanted to remind you they were killers, at the top of the food chain. “You, my Enforcer, were supposed to keep my headquarters safe. You were supposed to keep my people safe. You were sup—”

“Stuff it, Leo. You were supposed to tell me when anything changed. Like Adrianna coming back. When did she show? Last night? Right. You didn’t call. So don’t blame me when you’re playing vampire games and it comes back and bites you in the butt.” I angled my body so he could see the gun, just in case my attitude was more than he wanted to put up with. Or maybe I should just throw up on him. That might keep him from attacking me. Toeing the female vamp, I said, “I’m taking her head this time. Gratis, since you already paid me. But you wanna tell me why she’s still alive? Or was? And why you let her back in here?”

Leo looked around the room slowly, and though his shoulders didn’t droop, it was obvious that he knew he’d screwed the pooch on this one. He frowned, a totally human frown, and said, “Rumors have persisted for many years that Adrianna had possession of objects of value to me—les objets de puissance, les objets de magie. I allowed her back, assured her of my good graces, and kept her under surveillance, with the intent to take les objets de magie from her.”

Objects of power. Magical objects. Well. That was honest. For once. “She was Joses Bar-Judas’s what? Sweetheart? Honeybunch? Snack-cake?”
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Tour stops:

3/23: Theresa M. Cole (Q&A & excerpt #1)
3/24: I Smell Sheep (excerpt #2), Literal Addiction (guest post #1 & review)
3/25: Enchanted Alley (review & excerpt #3)
3/26: Mad Hatter Reads (review & excerpt #4)
3/27: Paranormal Cravings (review & excerpt #5), Paranormal Haven (guest post #2)
3/28: The Urban Paranormal Book Blog (review & Q&A)
3/30: Team Tynga’s Reviews (guest post #3 & review), Vampire Book Club (excerpt #6)
3/31: Bad Bird Reads (review & Q&A)
4/1: Fiona Skye (review & excerpt #7)
4/2: Urban Fantasy Investigations (guest post #4, review, excerpt #8)
4/3: The Qwillery (review & excerpt #9)
4/5: In the Pages of a Good Book (guest post #5 & excerpt #10)
4/6: drey’s library (guest post #6 & review)
4/7: The Book Nympho (review & excerpt #11), Under the Covers Book Blog (guest post #7)
4/8: That’s What I’m Talking About (review & excerpt #12)
4/9: Bea’s Book Nook (review & excerpt #13)
4/10: Gizmo’s Reviews (review & excerpt #14)

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Review: The Unleashing by Shelly Laurenston

The Unleashing
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Kensington
Call of Crows Book #1
ISBN:   1617735051
ISBN13: 9781617735059
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
WINGING IT

Kera Watson never expected to face death behind a Los Angeles coffee shop. Not after surviving two tours lugging an M16 around the Middle East. If it wasn’t for her hot Viking customer showing up too late to help, nobody would even see her die.

In uncountable years of service to the Allfather Odin, Ludvig “Vig” Rundstrom has never seen anyone kick ass with quite as much style as Kera. He knows one way to save her life—but she might not like it. Signing up with the Crows will get Kera a new set of battle buddies: cackling, gossiping, squabbling, party-hearty women. With wings. So not the Marines.

But Vig can’t give up on someone as special as Kera. With a storm of oh-crap magic speeding straight for L.A., survival will depend on combining their strengths: Kera’s discipline, Vig’s loyalty… and the Crows’ sheer love of battle. Boy, are they in trouble.

Kera Watson saves a girl, but ends up being murdered in the process. She takes an offer and ends up as a Crow. Along with her dog, Brodie, she begins a new life. I have to say that Brodie was probably one of my favorite parts of THE UNLEASHING, darn cool dog. Kera doesn't sit by and take ANYTHING. She is snarky, independent, and set in her military ways. She has a really hard time fitting in with her fellow crows, but does find her niche eventually.

Kera and Vig fit together well. Their romance is pretty fast, but not unbelievable. I do wish we would have started off the book getting to know Vig before Kera died and became a Crow. I felt like I was missing something at some points in the book.

Although THE UNLEASHING was enjoyable, I had a few issues that made it hard to fully get into the story. First off, there is a LOT of information to be learned. Tons of mythology, roles of different groups, people (OMG are there a lot of people).... It was a lot and I seriously couldn't recall half of it by the time I finished the book. Another issue I had was that I didn't fully understand the 'evil people' of the book. There wasn't a lot of information about them and the resolution was fast so I was just left thinking "huh?".

If you're into mythology I think you will enjoy THE UNLEASHING. If not, I would pass because it's a huge part of the book. It can be confusing at times, but if you stick with it, it will get clearer. Laurenston created a neat world and although there were a LOT of characters to meet I am hoping that now that we have met them, that part will calm down in future books.

I gave it 3/5 stars

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

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Promo & Giveaway: The Shattered Court by M.J. Scott

The Shattered Court
A Novel of the Four Arts #1
First in a new fantasy series from the author of the Novels of the Half-Light City.

Entangled in a court ruled by tradition and intrigue, a young witch must come to terms with newfound power and desire—and a choice between loyalty and survival.…

The royal witches of Anglion have bowed to tradition for centuries. If a woman of royal blood manifests powers, she is immediately bound by rites of marriage. She will serve her lord by practicing the tamer magics of the earth—ensuring good harvests and predicting the weather. Any magic more dangerous is forbidden.

Lady Sophia Kendall, thirty-second in line to the throne, is only days away from finding out if she will be blessed—or perhaps cursed—with magic. When a vicious attack by Anglion’s ancient enemies leaves the kingdom in chaos, Sophia is forced to flee the court. Her protector by happenstance is Lieutenant Cameron Mackenzie, a member of the royal guard, raised all his life to be fiercely loyal to the Crown.

Then Sophia’s powers manifest stronger than she ever imagined they would, and Cameron and she are inextricably linked in the process. As a witch unbound by marriage rites, Sophia is not only a threat to the established order of her country, but is also a weapon for those who seek to destroy it. Faced with old secrets and new truths, she must decide if she will fight for her country or succumb to the delicious temptation of power.…
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M.J. Scott is an unrepentant bookworm. Luckily, she grew up in a family that fed her a properly varied diet of books and these days is surrounded by people who are understanding of her story addiction. When not wrestling one of her own stories to the ground, she can generally be found reading someone else’s. Her other distractions include yarn, cat butlering, dark chocolate, and fabric


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