Monday, June 22, 2015

Review: Shades of Loss + Shades of Vengeance by L.M. Pruitt




Shades of Loss
Author: L.M. Pruitt
Release Date: February 18, 2014
Publisher: SP Press
Jude Magdalyn Book #4
ASIN:   B00IICVD44
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Bewitching Book Tours

We have to distrust each other. It is our only defense against betrayal. Tennessee Williams

Fact--Hart is back from the not-quite-dead.
Fact--His ultimate goal is my death.
Fact--He'll use anything--and anyone--to help him reach that goal.

The only way to save myself--my family--the entire Covenant--is to find the answer to one simple question.

Who is the traitor?


Jude is super pregnant in the beginning of SHADES OF LOSS and can't relax for a second without another problem surfacing. Hart is making a lot of trouble for the entire Covenant and they all want Jude to make it stop.

I loved that we finally get to meet the babies, but that is overshadowed by the danger and the hard decisions the new parents have to make to keep the babies safe.

The ending was pretty suckish on the I need to read more front, so I am glad that I had SHADES OF VENGEANCE already loaded and ready to go after I was done reading.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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


Shades of Vengeance
Author: L.M. Pruitt
Release Date: April 30, 2015
Publisher: SP Press
Jude Magdalyn Book #5
ASIN:  B00U1I18CA
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Bewitching Book Tours


In moments of pain, we seek revenge.--Ami Ayalon

My home is compromised.

My children are gone.

My husband is dead

Every inch of my life is in ruins.

The only thing I have left is vengeance.

And no matter what it takes--no matter what took must be used--no matter the cost--I will have it.

SHADES OF VENGEANCE is SUPER short. Even shorter than SHADES OF LOSS and that says its a novella.

If you have not yet read SHADES OF LOSS, the blurb for book 5 is super scary to read. I don't want to spoil anything though so I will not tell you why. I found SHADES OF VENGEANCE to be pretty fast paced, but more of a filler type book. I think book 4 and 5 should have probably been combined to make a large book. The flow would have been nicer and my review stars would have been higher. I enjoyed SHADES OF VENGEANCE, just wished it was longer.

I was a bit disappointing to see that SHADES OF VENGEANCE was the last novel Pruitt is publishing through a publisher. She is continuing the series but she is doing so through a spot on her website and releasing segments in small bits. I don't really read like that so I will most likely never know what happens to the characters of the Jude Magdalyn series, which is a bummer seeing as nothing is ended yet and there are so many things up in the air. After following the series for so many years, it would be nice to gets some finality without having to read a serial to get there. *Sad Face*

I gave it 3/5 stars

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


Sunday, June 21, 2015

Week in Review: 6/14-6/20



Books Received for Review

- Illicit by Madeline Pryce- eCopy- Publisher

Books I've Read

Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh
The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent
Dying to Date by Victoria Davies

Reviews Posted

Pure Blooded by Amanda Carlson
Endgame by C.J. Daugherty

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

* Monday-  Guest Blog + Giveaway for Hunting for Witches by Lana Pecherczyk

* Tuesday- Guest Blog  for Jude Magdalyn Series by L.M. Pruitt

* Thursday- Promo + Giveaway for Dark and Damaged Blog Barrage

* Saturday- Promo + Giveaway for The Six by Mark Alpert

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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, June 20, 2015

Promo & Giveaway: The Six by Mark Alpert

The Six
Sourcebooks Fire  
July 7, 2015
Adam’s muscular dystrophy has taken his motility, his friends, and in a few short years, it will take his life. He takes solace in playing video games he’s programmed to reflect the life that he used to have. Virtual reality is the one realm where he can be the hero, and it’s where he chooses to spend his time, until an entity called Sigma tries to kill him.

A dangerously advanced artificial intelligence program created by Adam’s computer-genius father, Sigma has escaped its cyber prison and is threatening global destruction and domination. But Adam’s father has a plan. He will stop Sigma by using the technology he developed to digitally preserve the mind of his dying son.

Adam’s consciousness is uploaded into the body of a weaponized robot, along with a group of five other gifted teens who are terminally ill. Together, they must learn how to manipulate their new mechanical forms and prepare for combat before Sigma destroys humanity. Adam can finally play the hero for real, but will his new body be worth the sacrifice of his human existence?

This innovative and thought-provoking young adult debut, from the critically acclaimed author of adult thrillers Final Theory and The Omega Theory, questions what it means to be human and whether we are destined to be defined by our physical bodies or our intellect.   

Amazon | Apple| B&N | BAM | !ndigoIndieBound | KindleNook



Advance Praise for Mark Alpert
 
“Adam is an unusual hero—and he faces a frightening question: Computers can’t kill—CAN they? I’m still shaken by the answer. Will the near-future really be this terrifying?” —R.L. Stine, bestselling author of the Goosebumps and Fear Street series
 
“An exciting action story chock-full of characters you’ll love. The Six is full of big ideas, big questions, real science, and things that will make you think and wonder and lie awake late at night.” —Michael Grant, New York Times bestselling author of the Gone series 
 
“The Six are introduced as terminally-ill teens, but there’s plenty of high-speed action in which they engage. Their physical disabilities and limitations through disease are forgotten as the teens’ hearts, minds, and personalities shine through...questions of principle, power, and possibility keep this look at our modern, hardwired existence fresh and fascinating.” STARRED Booklist
 
“Alpert's exploration of neuromorphic electronics raises interesting questions about ethics, technology, and human nature…a haunting ending scene will leave readers pondering the line between progress and loss. A thought-provoking clash between humanity and machinery.”- Kirkus Reviews
 
“A well-researched, hardcore science-fiction joyride, great for fans of first-person shooter video games like Halo and Destiny. Highly recommended” –School Library Journal
 
“Do not just read The Six; make your friends read it too.” –VOYA Magazine

Excerpt:


Shannon rears back in her seat as if she’s been slapped. “And where are you going to store the copies of our brains?” Her voice is furious. “In a supercomputer? A big electronic prison?”
Dad doesn’t take offense. He answers her calmly. “The scanning process converts human intelligence to a digital form, allowing it to run on any neuromorphic computer that has enough memory and processing power. But in the initial stage right after the transfer, we believe it’s important to connect the intelligence to a machine that can move around and sense the outside world. A human intelligence is accustomed to controlling a body, so if we want to preserve its sanity, we’d better give it something to control. Here, let me show you.”
He puts the vial of nanoprobes back in his pocket and pulls out something else, a small remote--control device. He points it at the doorway beside the stage, and a moment later I hear a loud clanking. The noise startles the soldiers standing by the doorway. They step backward, flattening themselves against the wall. Then a seven--foot--tall robot emerges from the doorway and brushes past them.
The robot strides across the stage. It has two arms and two legs, but otherwise it isn’t very humanlike. It has no head or neck. Its torso is shaped like a giant bullet, with the rounded end on top. Its legs angle downward from the base of its torso and rest on oval steel--plate footpads that clang against the floor.
The machine marches briskly past the podium and stops in front of my dad, who presses a button on his remote control. This command extends the robot’s arms, which telescope to a full length of six feet. They look like multi--jointed tentacles. The machine’s hands, though, resemble human hands, with dexterous mechanical fingers and thumbs.
Dad presses another button, and the robot’s rounded top starts to turn like a turret. “The cameras and acoustic sensors are up here,” Dad says, pointing at the top end. “But the neuromorphic electronics are deep inside the torso, encased in armor plating. These robots were originally designed for the war in Afghanistan, so they’re pretty sturdy.” He raps his knuckles against the torso. “All in all, it’s an excellent platform for a newly transferred intelligence, but really it’s just the beginning. The whole point of the Pioneer Project is to bridge the gap between man and machine, and that means the human intelligences must explore their new environment. The Pioneers will have to learn how to use their new capabilities, and that includes transferring their intelligences from one machine to another.”
His voice grows louder again, full of enthusiasm. “Once the Pioneers have mastered these tasks, our hope is that they’ll be able to establish a connection with Sigma. If all goes well, they’ll start communicating with the AI before it launches any of the Russian missiles. And then the toughest challenge will begin. At the same time that the humans are learning how to be machines, they’ll have to teach Sigma how to be human.”

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Mark Alpert is a former editor at Scientific American, and the author of several adult thrillers. He’s been praised by Douglas Preston as the “heir to Michael Crichton.” Visit Mark online at markalpert.com.

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__________________________________
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Friday, June 19, 2015

Review: Pure Blooded by Amanda Carlson

Pure Blooded
Release Date: June 16, 2015
Publisher: Orbit
ISBN:  0316404357
ISBN13: 9780316404358
Genre: Urban Fanasy
Review Copy Source: Publisher/NetGalley
Jessica arrives back from the Underworld to find her father embroiled in a battle against the Made wolves. She and her crew drop everything to join them.

Once she arrives, the threat is after her. Jessica is lured into danger when her adversary takes something precious from her. With help from an unlikely source, Jessica goes up against her creator in a battle that will decide the path of everyone involved. She must war against a new set of foes, ones who could not only steal her power, but could take her soul as well.

I was VERY hesitant to read PURE BLOODED because RED BLOODED really threw me off the Jessica McClain train.

I can not begin to tell you how happy I am that PURE BLOODED took place outside of the Underworld. I truly never want to have to read about that place again. I loved the twists and turns involving Jessica's neighbor. Who would have thought? I am glad she has another powerful person in her corner. There was a great deal of action in PURE BLOODED, but I don't feel that any of the Jessica McClain series books ever lacked that. There wasn't a whole lot of romance between Jessica and Rourke going on, but he is right along with her for most of the book. I was happy that the whole group was back together as well, it's weird when they are all separated.

Although I am not totally back on the Jessica McClain train, I need another good read in the series to put me back there, I am more excited to read book 6 than I was to read PURE BLOODED so that's a positive check in the series corner.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

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

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Promo & Giveaway: Dark and Damaged Blog Barrage

Dark and Damaged: Eight Tortured Heroes of Paranormal Romance Boxed Set is now available worldwide for a special introductory price of only $0.99!

This ebook boxed set features all-new, never-before-published hot paranormal romances by eight New York Times and USA Today best-selling romance authors. Tortured alpha-male bad boys will ignite your darkest, most secret desires in these stories about vampires, shifters, dragons, fallen angels, werewolves, demons, psychic warriors and ghosts.

Here’s more about this fantastic eight book boxed set, including an excerpt from one of the stories.

Dark and Damaged: Eight Tortured Heroes of Paranormal Romance is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Find the links to your preferred retailer at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/dark-and-damaged/

Dark and Dangerous
GoodReads
Dark and Damaged: Eight Tortured Heroes of Paranormal Romance By Jennifer Ashley, Caris Roane, Erin Kellison, Felicity Heaton, Erin Quinn, Laurie London, Bonnie Vanak and Colleen Gleason

LION EYES by Jennifer Ashley
Bree has just decided to give up trying to be a Shifter groupie when a lion Shifter slams into her truck and tells her to drive. Seamus is on the run from hunters, other Shifters, and who knows who else. All Bree knows is that he’s compelling, needs her help, and most intriguing of all, wears no Collar...

BLOOD FLAME by Caris Roane
Vampire Officer Connor of the Crescent Border Patrol tries to suppress his desire for the powerful witch, Iris Meldeere. Because the woman possesses the ability to kill him with the tips of her fingers, how can he possibly fall in love with her? When a double homicide throws them together, he soon finds his deepest fantasies fulfilled as Iris succumbs to his seductions. But as they battle together to stay alive, and love begins to consume them both, will the witch be able to forgive the dark secrets of his past …

HER SINFUL ANGEL by Felicity Heaton
Cast out of Heaven and now the king of Hell, Lucifer is a powerful fallen angel warrior with a heart as cold as ice and soul as black as the bottomless pit. For millennia, he has ruled his realm with an iron fist as he plots the demise of his ancient enemies. When one of those enemies dumps an unconscious mortal female in the courtyard of his fortress and leaves her there, Lucifer finds himself entranced by the beguiling beauty and tempted beyond all reason. But is the enchanting Nina an innocent pawn in the eternal game or part of a plot against him?

TEMPTED BY FIRE by Erin Kellison
A powerful dragon shifter has waited six hundred years to avenge the loss of his family, but the beautiful mediator sent to prevent violence among the Bloodkin doesn’t want to be his key to discovering the murderer—in fact, she wants nothing to do with dragons at all...

REBEL’S DESIRE by Laurie London
A jaded Iron Guild warrior cares about nothing except battling a ruthless enemy, but when a beautiful woman literally runs into his arms, he realizes she holds the key to his success. As passion ignites, he must decide whether to sacrifice the woman he’s falling for or dare to trust his heart again.

THE RESURRECTION OF SAM SLOAN by Erin Quinn
Trapped in the body of a human, the Reaper is about to fall in love with a woman he was never meant to have… When a reaper is trapped in Maggie’s estranged husband’s body, she knows only that the man with her husband’s eyes feels like a stranger… a compelling, seductive stranger who touches her in ways her treacherous husband never could. She wants to trust him, but what about the ghost who haunts their home, implicating him in a gruesome murder…

REDEMPTION by Bonnie Vanak
A cursed alpha wolf promises to free an enslaved Mage if she mates with him so he can sire an heir, not realizing she can destroy the dark secret keeping his pack alive.

RAGING DAWN by Colleen Gleason
After the vampires Max Denton hunts brutally murder his wife, he is nearly destroyed himself and spends the next ten years living a life of violence and revenge. But when sensitive information about his young daughter falls into the hands of the vampires, Max is forced to team up with the woman whose father ultimately caused the death of his wife. Savina Eleaisa has secrets of her own, and she’s determined to do whatever it takes to clear her father’s name: even if it involves seducing the most dangerous of vampires--with or without the help of the arrogant, brooding Max Denton.

Dark and Damaged: Eight Tortured Heroes of Paranormal Romance is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Find the links to your preferred retailer at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/dark-and-damaged/

EXCERPT FROM THE RESURRECTION OF SAM SLOAN BY ERIN QUINN

“It’s not a game, Maggie.”
She shook her head, but her gaze had fixed on his mouth and the Reaper took the chance before she changed her mind. Her lips were soft and silky. Against his, they felt like nothing he’d imagined and everything he’d imagined. There were no memories of this in Sam’s banks and he was glad for that. He wanted this experience for his own. Sensations shot through him in sharp, hot waves, a torrent of passion and lightning.
She made a soft sound of surrender in her throat, murmured something that sounds like, I’m a fool, and then her arms twined around his neck and she kissed him back.
The feel of her; the smell of her, the sweet intoxicating scent . . . All of it filled him, pushed out the vestiges of the man Sam had been, overwhelmed the foundation of the Reaper inside, and forced them both into the moment that was now. Here. Her. Him.
Maggie tugged at his shirt, pulling it free of his jeans, then took his hand, leading him up the stairs and into the bedroom she’d banned him from. The door closed behind them. She locked it.
“I want you so much that that I can hardly breathe,” he said, that hint of accent that only appeared at rare times adding a husky rasp to his voice. “I’ve been thinking about this since I opened my eyes. Since I came to life.”
There were more words he should say, feelings begging for a voice, but the swamp of emotion made speaking an impossible feat.
He took her face in his hands, kissing her like this life that he’d never expected to have depended on the breath he stole from her. She tugged at his shirt once more and he stepped back only long enough to strip it off.
Her eyes molten, her pulse beating away at her throat, she stared at his bare chest with a hunger that threatened to consume him. His hands were big and clumsy as he gently pulled her shirt over her head when he wanted to rip it off. He dropped it on the floor and simply stared at the perfection he’d unveiled. Her skin was as smooth as alabaster, flawlessly beautiful. A bra the same shade as her skin held her breasts in an embrace of lace and satin. He touched one gently, groaning at the weight, the softness. He bent his head and covered it with his mouth, sucking the hard nipple, letting the lace rasp against his tongue, acting on instinct he didn’t question.
“Take it off,” he asked, his voice so deep it throbbed against the quiet.
She arched back, hands meeting between her shoulder blades as she unfastened the bra and shrugged it off. The stretchy pants came next without him even asking. She stood before him in dainty pearlescent panties and his body went up in flames.
He’d never imagined that just looking at someone could make him feel so many things. He wanted to take; he wanted to give. He wanted to stroke, to bite, to kiss, to lick . . . to worship.
He lifted her up and turned her, laying her out on the bed so he could follow her down to the soft mattress. Her body yielded to his and the perfection in the feeling wrenched another groan from him. She was beautiful, inside and out. He kissed her deeply, trying to slow his racing his heart. Trying to experience each second, but everything came at him at once. The sensations, the passion, the desire to please her.
He had her in bed, where he’d wanted her from the start, and he needed her like he’d never needed anything before. She was gloriously naked and in his arms, where he felt she’d always belonged. But fear suddenly crept in. He’d never done this before and though he’d managed to toe the line between human and Reaper, he knew in a deep place that had been growing since the moment he’d opened his eyes, the time had come.
Reaper or human? He couldn’t be both.
One came without the heavy burden of emotion, of mortality, of humanity.
The other came with Maggie.

Grab the boxed set for just $0.99 to read this story and seven others…

Dark and Damaged: Eight Tortured Heroes of Paranormal Romance is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Find the links to your preferred retailer at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/dark-and-damaged/


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Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Review: Endgame by C.J. Daugherty

Endgame
Release Date: June 4, 2015
Publisher: Bookouture
Night School Book #5
ISBN13: 9781910751060
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
Broken. Scattered. But not defeated.

The spy is gone but the cost has been high - the rebels at Cimmeria Academy have lost their leader and Carter West is missing. Nathaniel can taste victory. But Allie and the other survivors aren't done yet. First they have to get Carter back. Then they plan to make Nathaniel pay.

One way or another - the game must end.

Endgame is the thrilling fifth and final book in the internationally bestselling Night School series.

RESISTANCE ended on a killer cliffhanger, so jumping into ENDGAME as soon as I received it was a given. I try not to write too much in my reviews of last books in a series because everything seems to be a spoiler so this will be short.

The Night School series has been a fun series to follow. There was lots of action, suspense, and danger. There were interesting characters that continued to grow with each book. A conflict that kept you engaged from the start and plenty of situations that made you want to jump in-between the pages and help Allie, Carter, Sylvain and friends fight the good fight.

ENDGAME had pretty much everything you have come to expect from the series from previous books. The situations were dangerous, the characters were fierce and the ending was bittersweet.

I think ENDGAME ended the series on a nice note. The major storyline was resolved and I felt that it was resolved in a way that made sense and made the good guys come out ahead in the end. I wish we could have gotten a few years down the road epilogue, but that is just something I like to see at the end of a series. If you are looking for a great new young adult series to read, you should run out and pick up this series for yourself.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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