Guest Post, Review & Kindle Giveaway: Stephanie Nelson

UFI welcomes Stephanie Nelson Author of Craved. Thanks for Joining us!!

I’ve always had a fascination with witches. Maybe because with magic life would be a lot simpler, not to mention more interesting. Over the years there has been a handful of silver screen witches that I’ve absolutely loved and will forever be a fan of.

Glinda the Good Witch

Glinda stands out in my mind as my first encounter with the magical species. Me and my sister used to fight over who would be Glinda or the Wicked Witch. Of course we both wanted to be Glinda, she was the one with pretty dress. Often, because I was the youngest, I’d end up being cast as the Wicked Witch. That was okay though because I threatened my sister with flying monkeys.

The Witches

The Witches is a book wrote by Roald Dahl that was published in 1983 and then turned into a movie in 1990. I love this movie simply because the witches are unlike every other witch I’ve seen. While in public they look human, with the help of masks that help hide their hideous faces and gloves that hide their clawed fingers. But as they gather at a meeting in England they lose the disguises and show their true appearance. They absolutely hate children, trapping some in paintings, turning them into mice, and even stone statues. This movie made me afraid of witches and showed me a different side to the magical creatures I had fallen in love with.

The Owen Sisters

One reason I love this movie is the bond between the sisters. I’m very close to my sister. (Even though she wouldn’t let me be Glinda the Good Witch) The other reason is the quirky aunts. And the fact that Sally Owen is powerful yet doesn’t embrace her magic, yet her sister uses magic for everything. In Craved, I intertwined this with Gwen and Fiona. Gwen is hesitant to use her magic for every little thing, while Fiona couldn’t live without it.

The Sanderson Sisters

I loved Hocus Pocus and still do actually. I watch it every October. I love their quirkiness and cool rhyming spells. (Twist the bone and bend the back. Trim him of his baby fat. Give him fur black as black. Just….Like….Thissssss) Their evil yet comical and I love that!

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Find Stephanie and her books

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Craved
Author:Stephanie Nelson
Release Date: July 25, 2011
Gwen Sparks Book #1
ISBN: 9781466287
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Review Copy Source: Bewitching Book Tours

Gwen Sparks just wants to live a peaceful life in the supernatural town of Flora, but from the moment she read about the first murdered witch, all hope of peace was abandoned. Possessing the rare ability to read the memories of dead, she volunteers to help catch the culprit behind the string of drained witches. Gwen has to team up with the one man who broke her heart, deal with a ghost who pulls her into the deathly realm at will, and a fight off the advances of sexy but frustrating vampire who not only craves what runs through her veins;he wants her heart.

This is a full length novel and contains adult content, not recommended for readers under 18 years old.

Another pleasantly surprising book. I never know what I'm going to get when I pick up a new book and it is always nice to get more then you were hoping for. Gwen is a down to earth gal who turns out to be a very powerful and rear kind of witch. She runs her very own magic store, shares her apartment with her best friend, is still getting over he ex werewolf boyfriend and even though she likes him keeps telling the sexy vampire determined to have her as his no. She offers to help solve the murders of witches and ends up becoming a target herself. There is a bit of a love triangle between Gwen, the ex boyfriend and the Vampire. There are some great and steamy romance scenes. The character development was great and I enjoyed getting to know the different characters. The plot was easy to follow and flowed at a nice pace. The ending UGGH cliffhanger...so painful to have to wait for more. Stephanie really put together a great read and Im glad I got my hands on a copy. Excited to see what comes next.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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Craved Tour- Kindle Giveaway

Winner will be chosen Nov 1

Receive bonus entries for:

-leaving a comment on the blog where the giveaway is posted

-following Stephanie on Twitter and Facebook

 RULES
1) This giveaway is open to US residents only
2) MUST ENTER USING FORM HERE

Review: The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams

The Shadow Reader
Author:Sandy Williams
Release Date: October 25, 2011
Publisher: Ace
McKenzie Lewis Book #1
ISBN:  1937007014
ISBN13: 9781937007010
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Publisher

There can only be one allegiance.
It’s her time to choose.

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.

But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.

I was so happy to get this in the mail and jumped into it right away. McKenzie is human but she is one of the very few people who can see the Fae and read the shadows.  She has been working for years for the King and is very loyal to the Fae Court. She is kidnapped by the rebels and they start telling her things that contradicts everything she thinks she knows about the battles between both sides. If that isn't confusing enough for her she is spending a lot of time with the rebel leader Aren and is starting to realize her love for Kyol the Kings sword master that she can never be with just might not be what she wants anymore.

I cant even begin to tell you what I loved most about the book because it was all fantastic to read. I enjoyed the world that Sandy Williams has created.It was filled with creative places and the background and history wasn't overly complex. The plot was easy to follow and I honestly didn't want to stop reading. McKenzie was just a girl (besides her abilities that is) that just wants to have a normal life. She was easy to like and follow. She went from someone who always follows orders to someone who gave her opinion and fought for herself.  I went back and forth between Kyol and Aren. I really liked them both and at times I wanted one over the other to win McKenzie's heart but honestly would have been happy to see either of them with her. THE SHADOW READER was filled with action and suspense.  I was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next and which side would take the lead. The book ended in a way that provided a bit of closure yet began a new starting point for the next book and I will be among the first in line to snag a copy of book 2 which I  hope doesn't take to long to come out.

I gave it 5/5 stars

New Releases Oct 23-29

Tue Oct 25

Adam (Nightwalkers, #6) by Jacquelyn Frank

Angel Town (Jill Kismet, #6) by Lilith Saintcrow

Beauty Dates the Beast (Midnight Liasons, #1) by Jessica Sims

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

Claimed (Dark Protectors #2) by Rebecca Zanetti

Crave (The Clann, #1) by Melissa Darnell

Darkness Rising (Dark Angels, #2) by Keri Arthur

Dead of Night: A Zombie Novel by Jonathan Maberry

Destined (House of Night Series #9) by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast

Ecstasy Untamed (Feral Warriors, #6) by Pamela Palmer

Extinction Agenda (Skinners, #6) by Marcus Pelegrimas

Flesh and Blood (House of Comarré, #2) by Kristen Painter

The Hollows Insider by Kim Harrison

The Iron Knight (Iron Fey, #4) by Julie Kagawa

Phantom (The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters, #1) by L.J. Smith

The Shadow Reader (McKenzie Lewis #1) by Sandy Williams

Trance (MetaWars, #1) by Kelly Meding

Please let me know if you see a mistake or see something missing. Happy Reading!!

Guest Post & Giveaway: Ink by SJ Davis

UFI welcomes SJ Davis Author of Ink. Thanks for Joining us!!

Writing INK and writing YA

When I started INK, I wanted to tell a story from the perspective of a Native American girl. As I started thinking about Sparrow (and I thought about her everywhere), her voice became very clear. I knew she felt awkward and less worthy. I knew she listened to alternative music and what type of clothes she wore. I knew how she walked and how she hung her head when she studied.  But I didn’t want to tell a story than imitated a young adult, I simply wanted to tell Sparrow’s story and express her pain and her strength, exactly how it floated in my brain.

Sparrow is tough. She’s broken in the beginning, she has lost her mother and she suddenly hears strange voices. The narrative also unfolds in a choppy way because that experience mirrors her life. I wanted the reader to figure out the story alongside Sparrow. I think as the reader progresses, it becomes apparent that the scariest voices in life are the voices created in our own minds.

    One of the reasons that I enjoy young adult novels is because they portray the “firsts” of many significant events. First loves, first loss, independence, and so on. There is just something about the firsts in life that amaze and enthrall me. It’s a period where we discover the cripplingly beautiful experience of love, sex, and the give-and-take of different kinds of partnerships. It’s a great time of experimentation and contact. Did I say contact? Never, ever underestimate the power of human physical contact. Because while you can talk and flirt and discuss things of importance with someone, that first touch of skin--a finger grazing a hand, a hand caressing the length of a neck--there is this feeling of experiencing that person in a completely different way. And that is something you never forget and never stop wanting.

    Is YA easier to write than “adult” fiction? Not really. In order to be any good at it, you have to be prepared to return to your early adult years and that is not for the faint of heart. You must move back, convincingly, to a time when your feelings were so exposed, raw, and easily crushed. You have to write with an open heart, ready to give and receive, because that is how teens are – full of expectation and hope. And that is a beautiful thing.

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SJ Davis is the daughter of an ex-patriate British mother and a Southern Baptist ex- CIA father. As a child, she spoke in silly accents and recounted outlandish tales of fantasy over afternoon tea and to this day it remains her favorite activity. Born in Long Island, NY, she was raised in the suburbs of Washington DC and went to school for a very long time (University of Virginia and George Mason University), married an all-around wonderful man, had two kids (smart, funny, full of opinions), moved from Virginia to New Jersey to Philadelphia to Chicago, and began her writing career. She is a believer in fate, an avid tea drinker, a stiletto aficionado, Doc Marten worshipper, punk rock listener, and lover of flip flops and cardigans. She has a terrible sense of direction, loves gummy bears, and is a Johnny Depp fangirl.

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Find Sarah and her books

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Ink
September 1, 2011

“It’s a good day to die.”
My mother holds my arm fiercely.
“But as you grieve for me, listen for
the voices.
Then, you must get the ink.”

Sparrow stumbles between two worlds,  light and dark, love and hate, what is real and what is in her mind.

When her mother dies on the Reservation,  Sparrow’s world is shadowed with anger  and narrowed by pain. The voices arrive,  but are they real? And how can a tattoo  make her stronger?

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Week in Review 10/16-10/22

Books Ive Bought/received

* Tempest by Julie Cross- Arc- Win from Librarything early reviewers.

* Who Do, Voodoo? by Rochelle Staab- From Publisher


Books I read


The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams
Magic on the Line by Devon Monk
In the Forest of the Knight by Kersten Hamilton
Flesh and Blood by Kristin Painter
Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Reviews posted
 
Mind Over Monster by Jennifer Harlow
Blood on Silk by Marie Treanor
Blood Sin by Marie Treanor
Blood Eternal by Marie Treanor
Trance by Kelly Meding

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


* Monday Jennifer Harlow was here. She is offering up a few copies of MIND OVER MONSTER at the bottom of her guest post. 


* Wednesday Author of TYGER TYGER Kersten Hamilton was here and is offering up a copy to a lucky winner.

* Thursday Marie Treanor stopped in. Her newest release BLOOD ETERNAL is up for grabs

*If you see something on my books Ive read list that you are dying to know about let me know I'm back logged on reviews and can move it up on the list if I know people are wanting one.

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

Early Review: Trance by Kelly Meding

Trance
Author:Kelly Meding
Release Date: October 25, 2011
Publisher: Pocket
MetaWars Book #1
ISBN:  1451620926
ISBN13: 9781451620924
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: S&S Galley Grab

Kelly Meding’s war-ravaged Los Angeles is ground zero for the ultimate Meta human showdown in this sexy, action-packed new series. 

Fifteen years ago, Teresa “Trance” West was a skilled telepath and a proud member of the Ranger Corps. But ever since the Rangers were inexplicably rendered powerless at the climax of the devastating Meta War, she’s bounced from one dead-end job to another. Now her powers have reappeared just as mysteriously as they vanished— only they’re completely transformed and more potent than ever. And they’re threatening to destroy her. 

Trance heads to Los Angeles to track down the surviving Rangers and discover who restored her powers—and why—but a phantom enemy is determined to kill them before they can reassemble. As they dodge his deadly attacks and come to terms with their new role as heroes, Trance and the rest of the team set out to annihilate the sinister madman . . . only to discover their own powers are his greatest weapons.

Superheros in a modern society. What a great world Kelly has built with her new MetaWars series. Teresa is the daughter of two superheros. When she was little something ripped away her and every other superheros powers and she grew up in foster system until they kicked her out at 18. She spent her younger adult years as pretty much a failure. One day after a horrible day of work her powers suddenly reappear and sends her life onto a new path.

I found Teresa easy to empathize with. She was a great blend of real life and fantasy. She ended up finding her niche in a group she always thought she was to weak for. Gage spent a lot of his time in the system while growing up and losing people. He felt like he was always letting people down and was also in a pretty bad spot in his life when his powers came rushing back. He saw it as a new beginning and I felt that him and Teresa fit together really well. I liked the different powers everyone seemed to have and they way they were used. The storyline was fresh and engaging. I had NO clue who the villain really was. It was a total shock to me and I was glad I was able to get the the reveal without a clue as it made it so much better. The ending was pretty much left wide open for book 2. Their will be a whole new storyline thrown in and I'm excited to see what happens for the remaining Ranger Corp members now that they have a bit of a fresh start. TRANCE was definitely a great opening to a new UF series.

I gave it 4/5 stars

Series Review: Blood on Silk, Blood Sin, Blood Eternal by Marie Treanor

**Since this is a full series to date review their may be spoilers although I will try to keep them to a minimum**

Blood On Silk
Author:Marie Treanor
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Publisher: NAL
Awakened by Blood Book #1
ISBN: 0451231562
ISBN13: 9780451231567
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Publisher

While in Romania researching historical superstitions, Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk comes upon the folk tale of Saloman, a seductive prince staked centuries ago, legend's most powerful vampire. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers supernatural legends that have come alive. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger, and it's going to unite them in ways neither could have imagined.

I wasn't sure how I would feel about BLOOD ON SILK and it took me a really long time to even pick it up and read it. The book ended up being one of those OMG why did it take me so long to read you books. I enjoyed Elizabeth's character. She has a strong knowledge of the things she enjoys and has no troubles staying on course. When Soloman drops into her life she is torn between duty and desire. I wasn't sure about Soloman at the beginning but he slowly grew on me and became a favorite character of mine. The plot was well spaced out and played out in a way that kept me interested. I felt BLOOD ON SILK was a great start to the series.

I gave it 4/5 stars

Blood Sin
Author:Marie Treanor
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: NAL
Awakened by Blood Book #2
ISBN:  0451232313
ISBN13: 9780451232311
Genre:Paranormal Romance

Review Copy Source:Publisher

Months after her dangerous encounter with the vampire overlord Saloman, Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is still trying to cope with both the demands of her vampire-hunting bloodline-and the desire she feels for Saloman, the immortal she brought back from the grave. But when Saloman's ancient sword becomes the object of a ruthless race between humans and vampires, Elizabeth must decide between unwanted loyalty, or unholy love.

I was pretty sad with how things ended in BLOOD ON SILK. They have so much chemistry together and it was hard to see them put that aside instead of finding a way to work together. Elizabeth has started tracking down her fellow descendants of Tsigana which leads her to find Josh a movie star that happens to be a far off relation to her. Josh became another great supporting character to the series while also bring Elizabeth into a situation where she runs into Soloman again. The pace was on the same level as book 1. The romance was just as high and the situations were just as pleasantly intense. I m excited to see what will happen in BLOOD AWAKENING to bring Soloman and Elizabeth even closer.  BLOOD SIN was another great book in the Awakened by Blood series.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

Blood Eternal
Author:Marie Treanor
Release Date: October 4, 2011
Publisher: NAL
Awakened by Blood Book #3
ISBN:  0451234723
ISBN13: 9780451234728
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Publisher

Despite the growing passion that unites them, all is not well between Elizabeth and Saloman. She refuses to follow him as he builds his influence among the human population and consolidates his rule over the vampire world. A shocking revolt is just the latest crisis that's call him away.

But under Saloman's regime, vampires have become less concerned with secrecy. And after he joins forces with vampire hunters, Elizabeth begins to understand the inevitable collision of the two worlds. She could be a conduit between humanity and the undead-is she can manage to play both sides and stay alive...

Even after everything that has happened Elizabeth is still a bit torn between duty and love. Her and Soloman are made for each other and that has been apparent since book one. Elizabeth has always held herself a bit back and talked her self out of taking the needed steps to make the relationship work. BLOOD ETERNAL turns all that around and brings them together much more closely then they have beem. There is some fantastic action and suspense in BLOOD ETERNAL. Friends need to make final choices as to who they will support and stand behind. Elizabeth comes into her talents more then she has in past books. The romance between Soloman and Elizabeth continues to be steamy. I really felt that Elizabeth did a great job with staying true to herself and her beliefs while working with everyone's best intentions in mind. BLOOD ETERNAL ends on an exciting note and I really want to know what happens next but it looks like the series is over :( I definitely think there is a lot of story left and hope it continues some time.

I gave it 4/5 stars
 
I have really enjoyed the series as a whole and had no issues reading all 3 books back to back.