Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Review: In the Company of Wolves by Paige Tyler

In the Company of Wolves
Author: Paige Tyler
Release Date: December 1, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN:  149260853X
ISBN13: 9781492608530
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
He opened his mouth to order her to drop the MP5 she had aimed at him, but nothing would come out. It was like she’d robbed him of the ability to speak. Shooting her wasn’t an option, though. And the idea of arresting her didn’t make him feel any better.

There's a new gang of criminals in town who are organized and ruthless in the extreme. When Eric Becker, along with the rest of the Dallas SWAT team, ends up in the middle of a shootout, he immediately senses werewolves-a lot of them. Turns out, the new bad guys are a pack of wolf shifters.

In a spray of gunfire, Becker comes face-to-face with the most gorgeous woman he's ever seen. Becker does the logical thing. He hides her and leaves the scene with the rest of his team.

Jayna Winston has no idea why that SWAT guy helped her, but she's glad he did. Ever since she and her pack mates got mixed up with those Eastern European mobsters, everything had pretty much fallen apart.

So what's a street-savvy thief like Jayna going to do with a hot alpha-male wolf who's a police officer?

IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES was fast-paced, packed with action, full of danger and had plenty of romance to round it all out.

Jayna's pack has been roped into their alpha's debt and to pay it off they have to become criminals and they don't see a way out. I found Jayna to be extremely loyal and protective to her pack, pretty strong in her beliefs and able to hold her own in the face of danger. Eric and the rest of the SWAT team are there to catch the new gang of criminals in action, but he can't make himself bust the beautiful woman that's in front of him, so instead he hides her. He can't get her out of his mind and he is positive she can't be the criminal he things she is. I loved how loyal he was to her and her pack, but I think he should have asked for more help from the rest of HIS pack.

Jayna and Eric ended up making it to the top of my SWAT couple list by the end of IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES. They both complimented each other really well and although they had an instant connection, I felt that they did a really good job of building off of it and getting to know each other before they fell into bed together. All the danger involved in them sneaking around was super fun too.

I enjoyed learning about the new werewolves in IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES. The new shifter ranks (is that he right word?) really helped to build the world better. I really enjoyed the plot, but I do have one complaint. I really miss having the rest of the SWAT team present. Watching them work together is one of the great things about this series. Hopefully book four will have them all back together for a good chunk of the book to make up for it. Which sexy alpha will be featured next?

I gave it 4/5 stars

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

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Release Day Blitz: Charming by Dannika Dark


Charming 
(Seven Series,  #6.5)
by Dannika Dark 

Blurb: 

After seven hundred years, Prince has acquired everything a Packmaster could desire. But when he meets the enchanting Nadia Kozlov, he realizes there’s one thing he doesn’t have: answers. Prince owes his life to a man he hasn’t seen in centuries, and Nadia holds the key to his whereabouts, because that man is her father.

Destinies collide when Nadia’s sister shows up unexpectedly. Katarina is a skilled bounty hunter, hot on the trail of a nefarious outlaw who turns out to be Prince’s old nemesis. Prince teams up with Nadia’s sister to track down the Mage, but the real game of cat and mouse is already underway as sparks fly between Prince and the cunning bounty hunter.

The only trouble? Nadia wants him too.


In the Seven series timeline, this full-length novel is 6.5. 
However, Charming can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone.


Available for purchase at 

  

For all buy links please visit 
Dannika Dark's Website




The SEVEN SERIES



About the Author



Dannika Dark was born on a military base in the U.S. and spent her youth traveling abroad. She developed an interest writing poetry and song lyrics early on, eventually gravitating toward a job that involved writing procedural training documentation. In her spare time, she wrote novels before she decided to pursue a career in publishing.

In addition to writing about supernatural worlds, Dannika is passionate about graphic design and creates all her own covers and series art. When not writing, she enjoys indie music, movies, reading, Tex-Mex, strawberry daiquiris, heaps of chocolate, and unleashing her dark side. 

All of her published books to date are written in the same universe and contain material suitable for adults only.

"For me, writing is all about blending genres to break out of the confines of predictability, but it's what I love to do."

Danni



You can find Dannika at 

              

To receive exclusive content and be the first to know about upcoming releases, please sign up to receive her newsletter. 

Presented by



New Releases: 12/6-12/12


Mon. Dec. 7th
 
 Atrophy by Jess Anastasi
 
Tue. Dec. 8th

 Passion Bites (Biting Love) by Mary Hughes
 Wandering Star (Zodiac #2) by Romina Russell

Happy Reading!

Monday, December 7, 2015

Interview + Giveaway: Forbidden Forest by Tenaya Jayne

UFI welcomes Author Tenaya Jayne. 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 am a private person because I’m fairly shy. New places and crowds make me nervous. I guess both Forest and I are socially awkward.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

As a mom of two boys and an independent author, I have little downtime. But writing is my passion so it does relax and energize me. In my other free moments, I enjoy reading, gardening, road trips and talking too long on the phone with my BFF who now lives far away from me.

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

When inspiration strikes. That “lightbulb” moment when the scene or character falls into your head…. In that moment, I see how the scene unfolds and the characters reveal themselves to me—those moments are why I’m a writer. Sometimes I’m as surprised as the readers where the characters take me.

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

I’m really laid back. I almost have reversed OCD. But I do need music. Every book has an original playlist. That is a must for me. Each character and couple has a “sound” that suits them.

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

Shana Abe, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Shelley Martin, and Dawn Metcalf.

How would you pitch Forbidden Forest to someone who has not heard of it before? 

It’s a story about overcoming pain and prejudice with love. Forbidden Forest has real heart and it’s a lot of fun. If you like the works of Joss Whedon, you’ll like Forbidden Forest.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that Forbidden Forest is set in?

The world of Regia is filled with elves, vampires, werewolves, ogres, shapeshifters, wizards, and dryads. Each race has its own culture. Portals connect Regia to other worlds, like Earth, where my main character, Forest, works. A world of magic, Regia is uniquely beautiful and dangerous, especially for cross-breeds like Forest..

Do you have a favorite scene in Forbidden Forest ?

My favorite scene is when Forest and Syrus spar in the rain and end up having their first kiss. It describes their relationship, perfectly. It’s the turning point where it doesn’t matter what they thought they felt and the reasons why they cannot be together, they are meant and it is bigger than either of them.

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

Forest is my favorite. She always comes easily to me
when I’m writing. Her grit and spunk …she’s rough around the edges but her heart is true and soft under all of her pain. As for the hardest, writing Leith was strident for me. I’ve known real abusers in my life. Loved one. I understood Leith, though I wish I didn’t. He came out of me from a very real and genuine place. As I move ahead in the series though I know the very hardest is yet to come. I can’t say much, because it would contain spoilers. But I already know my hardest character will be in the final book of the series.

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

The Legend of Regia will come to an end in 2016 when I release the last two books. I have worked on this world for more than three years and will be sad to see it end. At the same time other storylines vie for attention in my mind. I’m not sure which will be next after I complete the series.
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Nationally Bestselling author Tenaya Jayne has always walked a shaky line between reality and fantasy. A nomad by nature, she's lived all over the US, and now resides happily in the Midwest, with her husband and sons. She's an advocate for Autism awareness and women trapped in abusive relationships, and feels everyone has too much pain to not enjoy an escape into a fictional fantasy world. Her passions include reading, independent and foreign films, cooking, and moody music. For more about Tenaya and her books, visit www.tenayajayne.com

Find Tenaya and her books
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Forbidden Forest 
The Legends of Regia #1
Amazon BN Smashwords
Born in shame. Cast from society. Shape Shifter/Elf hybrid, Forest must fight for any respect she can get. Targeted in her youth by a vampire noble who placed an illegal slave mark on her, she is forced to obey him, no matter what.

Slipping the grip of her master and abandoning the prejudice of Regia, her native world, Forest takes a job on Earth, guarding the portal, using her skills as a warrior to enforce Regia's laws. Now, called home for a black ops mission, Forest must put aside her own prejudice to transport the vampire prince, Syrus, through enemy territory in a time of war.

Prince Syrus, mage and master of the Blood Kata, wants Forest more than he's ever wanted anything. In spite of their mutual mistrust, their attraction cannot be denied. Through the danger of their mission, and the secrets they both keep, it doesn't matter what they feel. Forest is forbidden.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/Y2FtqAk64VA

Excerpt:

Forest pressed her back against the cool concrete wall, wanting to remain aloof from the entity of the crowd. She chose her position in the shadows, out of the paths of the roving, multi-colored spotlights. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the undulating human pheromones flying around on the air. At the beginning of every shift, she allowed herself a few minutes of this alien/human experience, though she didn't fully comprehend the combination of dancing, drinking, and ear-breaking sound waves. They loved it, however, and never seemed to deviate from the recipe.
These were the people she was sworn to protect. She had developed a light affection for the human race and considered them a benign, if not slightly silly, bunch of creatures. Her religious passion for her job was rooted in hatred of that which harmed the humans, not a superhero tendency to protect the weak.
Forest opened her eyes and focused all her senses to sniff out the illegal suckers that tried to sneak through the portal. She was in the zone tonight, and not for the first time did she feel that hers was the best job in existence. It was a shame she couldn’t legally kill suckers in her native world.
Over the next two hours, Forest didn’t move from the wall. She monitored the light traffic through the portal: two shifters and one elf, each of which nodded to her respectfully as they passed. Yawn. The shifters left the club to enjoy the delights of Austin’s nightlife elsewhere.
The elf would have been breaking Regia’s law had he left the club, but he dutifully seated himself at the bar and ordered a fuzzy navel. He wore a plaid, porkpie hat, pulled down over the tops of his pointed ears. Forest didn’t know him personally, but she had seen him in here before. The bartender surveyed him with narrowed eyes as the elf nervously tugged his hat down further and ordered a few more girly cocktails.
Intent on making sure that not one sucker was able to sneak past her, Forest was blindsided by the drunk bubba who had been trying to catch her eye for the last twenty minutes. He had finally decided to stagger over to hit on her.
“Hey babe, you’re too beautiful to look so lonely. How’s ‘bout I buy you a drink?”
“How’s ‘bout I call you a cab instead?” Forest mimicked his drawl.
“Only if you share it with me, Darlin.” He leaned in closer, and Forest’s throat began to sting from the noxious fume of booze mixed with his natural musk.
“While I appreciate the offer, Jethro, it seems only right to inform you that I’m not actually attractive at all. If you leaned in a little closer, you’d see that you’ve fallen victim to the effect of beer goggles. A hag like me can’t take advantage of a stud like you.”
As he leaned in, Forest instantly enlarged her nose, pockmarked her skin, evaporated her front teeth, and added a large black mole with a long hair sprouting from it for good measure.
“You’re no hag, baby! You’re the sexiest little thing in…I…uh…" He stumbled backward. “Good grief! Sorry, sorry…” he stammered, retreating. “I’ve gotta quit drinking,” he mumbled as he turned away.
Forest chuckled to herself once he absorbed back into the crowd. Being a shape shifter sometimes had unusual perks.




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Sunday, December 6, 2015

Week in Review: 11/29-12/5



Books Received for Review


Altered by Marnee Blake 
Mercy Striking by Rebecca Zanetti
Beyond the Red by Ava Jae
Wickedly Powerful by Deborah Blake

Books I've Read

A Bewitching Christmas by Amanda J. Greene
City of Light by Keri Arthur
Altered by Manee Blake
House of Royals by Keary Taylor
Chosen by K.F. Breene

Reviews Posted

Tarnished by Kate Jarvik Birch
Nexis by A.L. Davroe
Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn

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

* Monday- Guest Blog + Giveaway for Wildfire by J.D. Wright

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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.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Review: Tarnished by Kate Jarvik Birch

Tarnished
Release Date: December 1, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Perfected Book #2
ISBN:   1633751279
ISBN13: 9781633751279)
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian
Review Copy Source:

Freedom comes at a cost...

Ella was genetically engineered to be the perfect pet—graceful, demure...and kept. In a daring move, she escaped her captivity and took refuge in Canada. But while she can think and act as she pleases, the life of a liberated pet is just as confining as the Congressman’s gilded cage. Her escape triggered a backlash, and now no one's safe, least of all the other pets. But she's trapped, unable to get back to Penn—the boy she loves—or help the girls who need her.

Back in the United States, pets are turning up dead. With help from a very unexpected source, Ella slips deep into the dangerous black market, posing as a tarnished pet available to buy or sell. If she's lucky, she'll be able to rescue Penn and expose the truth about the breeding program. If she fails, Ella will pay not only with her life, but the lives
of everyone she's tried to save...

PERFECTED was an interesting book, but TARNISHED definitely stepped the series up another level.

Ella tended to annoy me in PERFECTED, but TARNISHED brought her out of her 'pet' shell. She goes from meek to fierce and her loyalty to those she cares about shines through in just about every situation. She still has a few sheltered girl moments, but when she catches up to the game, she totally redeems herself in my eyes.

The romance between Ella and Penn. It's missing the spark I would expect to feel and they don't really have time to grow a relationship in TARNISHED. You can tell they feel things for eachother, but it isn't quite there for me yet. Maybe book three will bring their relationship into another level that will make me feel like they are a couple.

TARNISHED really surprised me. I was hesitant to pick up a review copy and when I had it it took me a while to read it. Thankfully when I started reading it, I had no problem staying engaged and it made me want to continue the series. Not sure when book 3 will be out, but I will make sure to keep an eye out for it. 

I gave it 4/5 stars


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

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Review: Nexis by A.L. Davroe

Nexis
Author: A.L. Davroe
Release Date: December 1, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Tricksters Book #1
ISBN:  1633750175
ISBN13: 9781633750173
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian
Review Copy Source: Publisher
In the domed city of Evanescence, appearance is everything. A Natural Born amongst genetically-altered Aristocrats, all Ella ever wanted was to be like everyone else. Augmented, sparkling, and perfect. Then…the crash. Devastated by her father’s death and struggling with her new physical limitations, Ella is terrified to learn she is not just alone, but little more than a prisoner.

Her only escape is to lose herself in Nexis, the hugely popular virtual reality game her father created. In Nexis she meets Guster, a senior player who guides Ella through the strange and compelling new world she now inhabits. He offers Ella guidance, friendship…and something more. Something that allows her to forget about the “real” world, and makes her feel whole again.

But Nexis isn’t quite the game everyone thinks it is.

And it’s been waiting for Ella.


I'm not a video gamer, but if I was, Nexis would be the game I would want to play.

NEXIS was such a unique book and I enjoyed uncovering all of its mysteries. Ella is a Natural born in a city filled with genetically-altered to be flawless Aristocrats and all she wants is to fit in. After a tragic accident—or not so accident as it's revealed—Ella escapes her new reality in her fathers game world for the very first time and finds out that the game isn't as it seems. In fact, the game was made for her and a very important mission she must complete.

It was very easy to fall into caring about Ella. She is dealt some crappy cards and doesn't have anyone to turn to. The world building was pretty fantastic and it was neat that we got to experience two very different worlds. There were some great twists and turns thrown in in both the game and in Ella's real world. There is some romance which was nice. I liked Guster from the beginning and the connection that Ella and him have seemed real and strong. There is a big Guster mystery revealed at the end of NEXIS and it has me giddy with the possibilities. Unless you read the book you will have no clue what I am talking about, but I have my fingers crossed that her connection is with the new possibility.

The ending of NEXIS leaves a lot of new questions and possibilities for the future. I fully plan on continuing this series and I look forward to the release of book 2.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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