Guest Post & Giveaway: Immortal Surrender by Claire Ashgrove

UFI welcomes Claire Ashgrove Author of The Curse of the Templars series. Thanks for Joining us!!

Top Ten Things A Templar Knight Holds Dear

As Composed by Farran de Clare, Knight Templar

10.  Faith – ‘Tis the only thing that keeps many going.  Faith in the design we serve, faith in the promised salvation.  And faith that when Gabriel intervenes the ensuing chaos shall be of extreme merit.

9.  Honor – Our lives our vows and sacred promises.  Dishonor those within, dishonor ourselves, dishonor those we love, and you shall know the swiftness of our swords.

8.  Armor – Chain is not so much protection for the body; naught but the seraphs can stop the destruction of our souls.  A knight’s armor is a thing of pride, and one of the few such objects we are allowed to be prideful of.

7. Sustenance – No knight can fight any battle, be that of blade or heart on empty bellies.  Lack of sustenance also contributes to the general demeanor of men.  Hungry bellies lead to belligerence.  Saints toes, ‘twas a true blessing when Anne confiscated the temple menus

6.  Down Pillows – I have never known such exquisiteness as these modern pillows of down.  ‘Tis indeed shameful.  An object designed to make a knight lazy.  Mayhap ‘tis why they are only given with seraphs.

5.  Lint Brush – Mayhap all do not suffer the need as I, but it has become a most valuable possession with the addition of Noelle’s Scat-cat.

4.  Loyalty – True loyalty is not oft come by.  For a knight, ‘tis detrimental.  Once found, cherish it.

3.  Jacuzzi – Shh, do not repeat this to the unoathed knights.  But the tub for two will sate even the most ravenous of appetites.

2.  The Sword – ‘Tis naught more valuable nor necessary than the sword.  Without it, we are helpless.  ‘Tis our defense, our strength, our very life.

1.  A Woman’s Heart – ‘Tis not oft I confess knights possess weakness.  But ‘tis true, though many shall not ever admit such.  I was one as well.  A woman’s heart, when given freely, strikes within a man the desire to be greater than himself, and it can heal the deepest of scars.

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Award-Winning Author Claire Ashgrove has been writing since her early teens and maintained the hobby for twenty years before deciding to leap into the professional world. Her first contemporary novel, Seduction's Stakes, sold to The Wild Rose Press in 2008, where she continues to write steamy, sexy stories for the Champagne and Black Rose lines. Adding to these critically acclaimed romances, Claire’s paranormal romance series, The Curse of the Templars debuted with Tor in January 2012. For those who prefer the more erotic side of romance, she also writes for Berkley Heat as the National Bestselling Author Tori St. Claire. 

She is an active member of Romance Writers of America, and her local RWA chapters, Heartland Romance Authors, Midwest Romance Writers, and North Texas Romance Writers of America. 

Claire lives in Missouri with her two sons and too-many horses, cats, and dogs. In her “free” time, she enjoys cooking, winning at Rummy, studying Ancient Civilizations, and spending quiet moments with her family, including the critters. 

To learn more about Claire, visit her on the web at www.claireashgrove.com, or www.toristclaire.com.  You can also connect with her via Facebook, and Twitter.
 

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Immortal Surrender
The Curse of the Templars #2

Farran de Clare, loyal member of the cursed Knights Templar, wants nothing to do with predestined mates. Even the Almighty won’t turn him into a fool again—he’d rather sacrifice his soul. Yet in the scientist Noelle Keane, a devout atheist, Farran meets the seraph designed for him.

Ordered by the archangel Gabriel to protect Noelle, the possessor of a sacred relic that could give Azazel incredible power, Farran swears to do his duty—but in name only. Fighting an attraction that grows with each day, he’s determined that he’ll never pledge himself to her.

As they war over her future, their mutual passion ignites a conflict far more damning. But before Noelle will agree to eternity with him, she demands the ultimate sacrifice – his heart.

IndieBound / Amazon / B&N / BooksAMillion / Powells / Overstock
 
 



Immortal Hope
The Curse of the Templars #1

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Interview & Review: Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy

UFI welcomes Alyssa Rose Ivy Author of Flight. 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?

Right now my favorite TV show is The Voice, but with two little kids at home I seem to end up watching Sesame Street or Yo Gabba Gabba more.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

I love spending time with my family, reading and enjoying being outside as much as possible.

What is your Favorite part of writing?

I love creating characters. It’s so exciting to watch them “come to life.”

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

I don’t have any set routines per se, but I love to write with coffee and music.

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

I have too many to name just a few favorites, but one of my favorite YA paranormal series is J.A. Templeton’s The MacKinnon Curse series. My favorite adult paranormal series is Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire/Sookie Stackhouse series.

How would you explain Flight to someone who has never heard of it before??

Flight is a Mature YA/New Adult paranormal book that follows Allie as she moves to New Orleans the summer before her first year of college. Planning to stay away from guys, she is unable to resist the sexy yet infuriating Levi and is pulled into his supernatural world.

How did you come up with Crescent Chronicles as the name for the series?

My husband actually thought of it. New Orleans is the Crescent City, and the setting plays a huge part in the books so it really fit.

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

I loved writing about Allie. She is such a strong and genuine person, and I loved describing her experiences. The hardest character to write about was Jess. It was challenging to make someone a real character when they are somewhat ditsy and boy crazy.

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

I just released my first New Adult contemporary romance, Derailed. It’s the first book in a series of companion novels called Clayton Falls. The book is about a broken girl who returns to her hometown to rediscover herself. Veer, book two will be out late in 2012. Focus (Crescent Chronicles, #2) will be out in January, and the final book in my YA fantasy Afterglow Trilogy will be out this spring.

 

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Alyssa Rose Ivy lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. 

 

Find Alyssa and her books

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Flight
The Crescent Chronicles #1

 Sometimes you just have to take flight.

A summer in New Orleans is exactly what Allie needs before starting college. Accepting her dad’s invitation to work at his hotel offers an escape from her ex-boyfriend and the chance to spend the summer with her best friend. Meeting a guy is the last thing on her mind—until she sees Levi.

Unable to resist the infuriating yet alluring Levi, Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

 FLIGHT is another self published book I'm glad I read.  Allie sets off with her best friend for New Orleans to work in one of her Dads hotels for the summer before she goes off to college. Little did she know she once she set foot in New Orleans she wouldn't be leaving. 

Allie knows what she wants to do with her life, she has plans and she doesn't think twice about following them. Allie has absolutely zero plans to date anyone or look for men while in the city but Levi refuses to leave her alone and she ends up being to intrigued to stay away from him. Jess, Allie's friend didn't last very long in the story, she was definitely only thinking of herself for most of her part in it and I wouldn't be sad if she wasn't in the next story.  Levi drove me nuts. I do LIKE him and his character fits in really well but I cant help but want to punch him in places that will make him stop breathing sometimes. Of course the story wouldn't be good without him in it so I am kinda hoping things change between Allie and Levi in book 2. 

New Orleans was a great setting for the story, for some reason I always find the Crescent city beyond fascinating and eat up every scrap of information thrown at me when reading about it. The paranormal parts of the book were great. I never guessed what types of paranormal's were in play until they were revealed and I had never heard of the Pterons before so I liked getting to know them. The plot was fun and flowed at a great pace and I enjoyed the action scenes. There was a great amount of suspense and mystery throughout the entire story.

I really enjoyed FLIGHT and I'm excited to see what comes next. Hopefully I will have a chance to snag a review copy of FOCUS before its released in January of 2013 so I don't have to wait that long.

I gave it 4/5 stars

Kindle    Nook   Smashwords

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Review: The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle

The Hallowed Ones
Author: Laura Bickle
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN:   0547859260
ISBN13:  9780547859262
Genre: Young Adult/ Dystopian
Review Copy Source: Netgalley

If your home was the last safe place on earth, would you let a stranger in?

In this captivating thriller, an Amish settlement is the last safe haven in a world plagued by an unspeakable horror…

Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers are free to experience non-Amish culture before officially joining the church. But before Rumspringa arrives, Katie’s safe world starts to crumble. It begins with a fiery helicopter crash in the cornfields, followed by rumors of massive unrest and the disappearance of huge numbers of people all over the world. Something is out there...and it is making a killing.

Unsure why they haven’t yet been attacked, the Amish Elders make a decree: No one goes outside their community, and no one is allowed in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man lying just outside the boundary of their land, she can’t leave him to die. She refuses to submit to the Elder’s rule and secretly brings the stranger into her community—but what else is she bringing in with him?

Who would have thought an Amish story that involves vampires would be so fun to read. Katie and her very best friend Elijah (who she expects to marry one day) are on the verge of experiencing Rumspringa. She has been saving her money and listing all the things she has wanted to do for as long as she can remember. Unfortunately that all gets put on hold when a helicopter crashes in her cornfield and people start disappearing and people she knows start getting murdered.

I found Katie's character to be extremely well developed. She is naive to the outside world yet very old for her age. She has respect for her elders but doesn't blindly follow with things she does not believe in. She willingly put herself in danger to save others. She was very easy to like and enjoy. I liked her best friend Elijah in the beginning but that quickly started to fade. There is a bit of romance in THE HALLOWED ONE, Alex the love interest plays a big part in showing Katie that she can have what she wants out of life. The world that THE HALLOWED ONES is set in is amazingly detailed. Are we sure Laura Bickle isn't Amish herself? I never would have imagined some of the the things I learned about the Amish in THE HALLOWED ONES, Laura had to have done an amazing amount of research to be able to write such a believing book set in an Amish world.

THE HALLOWED ONES really had everything I look for in a book, Amazing characters, easy to fall into world, quick pace with a nice flow and a super plot filled with action, suspense and mystery. I have not seen anything that suggests their will be another book to follow but I really hope there is another book in the mix because I am dying to know what happens after the ending.

I gave it 4/5 stars

Review: Primal Possession by Katie Reus

Primal Possession
Author: Katie Reus
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Moon Shifter Book #2
ISBN:   0451237781
ISBN13: 9780451237781
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Netgalley

To protect her, he will unleash the beast within...

As his pack’s second-in-command, lupine shifter Liam Armstrong gives orders and takes what he wants—until he meets red-headed, blue-eyed December McIntyre. Liam knows the human beauty is his intended mate the moment he sees her, but December is far too strong-willed to accept his protection.

December, whose brother is the town sheriff, has every reason to mistrust shifters after one killed her youngest sibling. But the forceful and handsome Liam has gotten under her skin in a way she hadn’t thought possible, and the desire she feels for him is almost too much to bear.

When a radical hate group targets all humans known to sympathize with paranormal beings, December is attacked in her bookstore. Reluctantly, she turns to the only one who can help her: Liam. And he is going to take her to places within herself she never knew existed.

You could tell the next story in the Moon Shifter series was going to be about December and Liam while reading ALPHA INSTINCT. We get the start of their story and  PRIMAL POSSESSION continues their romance. 

Like the first book their is plenty of action, danger and romance. December is extremely reluctant to start any sort of relationship with Liam but thankfully Liam doesn't give up on what he wants. The woman in the series have been extremely strong willed so far and December is no exception. The guys of the series always do things like cavemen but come around and prove their worth in the end. Even when December is being difficult she still feels a huge pull towards Liam and her and Liam's chemistry is electric.  I enjoyed how the secondary characters are in the forefront of the book as well and its not ALL about the romance between the main characters. Besides being a bit slow on the start the plot moved and a quick pace with little downtime. I have a feeling that Kat and Jayce will be the main love interests of the next novel.

Loved the ending, couldn't have asked for a better conclusion and I'm excited to see who's story is next and get an update on December and Liam. 

I gave it 4/5 stars

New Releases: 9/23-9/29

Tue Sept 25

A Fractured Light (A Beautiful Dark #2) by Jocelyn Davies
Alchemy (Mercian Trilogy, #2) by K.J. Wignall
Alchemystic (The Spellmason Chronicles, #1) by Anton Strout
Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles, #1) by Gena Showalter
Blaze (Phoenix Rising, #2) by Joan Swan
The Blessed (The Blessed, #1) by Tonya Hurley
Boyfriend From Hell (Saturn’s Daughter, #1) by Jamie Quaid
Covet (The Clann, #2) by Melissa Darnell
Dark Light of Day by Jill Archer
Dearly, Beloved (Gone With the Respiration #2) by Lia Habel
Flock (Stork, #3) by Wendy Delsol
How to Marry a Warlock in 10 Days (10 Days, #2) by Saranna DeWylde
Immortal Surrender (The Curse of the Templars, #2) by Claire Ashgrove
The Mephisto Kiss (The Mephisto Covenant, #2) by Trinity Faegen
The Moonstone and Miss Jones (Paranormal Investigator, #2) by Jillian Stone
The Other Normals by Ned Vizzini
Personal Demon (Laws of the Blood, #6) by Susan Sizemore
Rapture (The Fallen Angels, #4) by J. R. Ward
Sacrifice the Wicked (Dark Mission, #4) by Karina Cooper
Scorch (Croak #2) by Gina Damico
Seduction's Shift (The Shadow Shifters, #2) by A. C. Arthur
Shadows (Ashes Trilogy, #2) by Ilsa J. Bick
Something Witchy This Way (Jolie Wilkins, #5) by H. P.. Mallory

Happy Reading!!!

Review: Framed by Amber Lynn Natusch

Framed
Author: Amber Lynn Natusch
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Self Published
Caged Book #3
ISBN:  0765328089
ISBN13: 9780765328083
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Author

He left without pause – without looking back. The single connection to normality I had was driving back to Boston, to a life interrupted by the knowledge that legends and lore may not be just that, and left to contemplate what other monsters may be in existence beyond what he’d witnessed that night. I was left to acknowledge that my friend was gone, my partner was lost, and yet another person’s life was damaged because of knowing me.

Maybe a cage was exactly where I belonged.

The deaths of three PC brothers have yet to be solved, and Ruby once again finds her head sitting squarely on the chopping block. To make matters worse, a revenge-crazed werewolf keeps hijacking her mind, replaying all the details of his gruesome attacks.

As she struggles to navigate her way through this life of supernatural violence, Ruby realizes that the dreams of normal women her age may never become her reality. No white dress. No family of her own. She fears that everything and everyone she knows is in danger — and it’s all because of her. When she finally accepts those fears as fact, Ruby takes drastic measures to ensure the safety of those she loves most…

Even if it means forfeiting her own.

 FRAMED brought out a lot of emotions and development of pretty much every character in the series. Ruby and Scarlet are at the most connected they have been and it makes for some very interesting inner conversations. The love triangle that I have felt was going to develop has finally come into play and I could not be happier with where it is going.  I'm going to do something a bit different then usual as there is a high risk of giving away spoilers. So instead of my normal reviews I will leave you with some of my thoughts while going through FRAMED

Wow that was rough....Hallway Scene, HOT Enough said......AWWW MAN......Ohh Cooper how I love you....I think we need to have someone shoot Ronnie in the ass...Sophie must die!!!......DO IT ALREADY!!....*cry*........Oh Matty how could you? I thought better of you. .....Cooper Swoooooon....Wow I did not see that coming...Sean, was that really necessary? Could you be more of an ass?...........That wont end well.........Rev dude, you are beyond creepy.........Death to Sophie!!.........Your finally alone with him and your going to LEAVE? Yeah that's probably for the best.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series so far, the world building and storyline have a way with drawing you in and holding you hostage. I read books 1 through 3 back to back and the series ruined me for any other books for 24 hours!! Bring on SCARRED.

I gave it 4/5 stars

Week in Review: 9/16-9/22

Books Ive Bought/received

* Death is  Bitch by Cate Masters- eCopy- Bewitching Book Tours

* Provoked by Rebecca Zanetti-eArc- Netgalley

* Black Lament by Christina Henry-eARC-Netgalley/Publisher

* The Shattered Dark by Sandy Williams-eARC-Netgalley/publisher

* Scarred by Amber Lynn Natusch-eARC-Author

* Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter - eArc- Netgalley/Publisher

* Twice Shy by Patrick Freivald- Arc- Librarything early reviewers win

Books I Read

Death is a Bitch by Cate Masters
Death's Rival by Faith Hunter
Scarred by Amber Lynn Natusch

Reviews Posted

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Cast in Peril by Michelle Sagara West
Haunted by Amber Lynn Natusch

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

* Monday a promo and giveaway went up for Death is a Bitch by Cate Masters.

* Tuesday I participated in Jennifer L. Armentrout's Release day Blitz for Cursed. Good luck to anyone who entered the giveaway.

* Thursday and Interview with Sarah Beth Durst went live to promote her new release Vessel.

* Saturday Jane Kindred answered my interview questions and is also offering up a giveaway for the second book in her The House of Arkhangel’sk series The Midnight Court.

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*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.