Thursday, September 19, 2013

Review: Bloodlines Series books #1 & #2 by J.D. Thompson

Silver and Stone
Release Date: August 3, 2011
Publisher: Self-Published
Bloodlines Book #1
ISBN13: 9780987717009
Genre: Young Adult
Review Copy Source: Author 


Welcome to high school high society hell, where last season’s slingbacks can warrant a lunch table demotion, the wrong date will knock you off the it-list and behind every pair of oversized Chanel sunglasses lies a secret people are dying to keep.

As if senior year at Weatherford Preparatory School wasn’t hard enough, sixteen year old Alexis Bardolph had to add school outcast to the curriculum.

A new found notoriety following a family scandal, her lacrosse star boy-friend dumping her for a former BFF and a string of perpetually bad hair days were among the many things going wrong in her already turbulent teenage life.

But when the haunting nightmares that have plagued her since childhood begin to take an eerily tangible form and several Holler Creek residents are reported missing, Alexis can’t help but wonder if there isn’t more to her hellish dreams than meets the eye.

The unexpected arrival of a mysterious and dangerously handsome new student ultimately leads Alexis to troubling truths that not even her wildest imagination could have conjured.

I had no issues getting into SILVER AND STONE. I liked the characters, I liked the storyline, I liked the setting and I liked the mystery surrounding everything. Alexis does NOT have it easy. I can not go into why because you don't find out until you get a good bit into the book and I do not want to spoil it but lets just say she is alone and outcast because of a tragedy that is not her fault at all. When Lucas shows up she starts to live again. She regains her confidence and her will to enjoy life. There is a small little problem though. Her nightmares are coming true, her life is about to be turned upside down again and Lucas is not who she thinks he is. Did I leave you hanging? That was my plan *evil grin*

I gave it 4/5 stars

*EARLY REVIEW*

Blood and Champagne
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Bloodlines Book #2
ISBN13: 9780987717016
Genre: Young Adult
Review Copy Source: Author

Who needs hell when you have high school?
In the second installment of the Bloodlines Series, Alexis is forced to come to terms with the truth behind her existence. As her troubling past comes back to haunt her, Alexis struggles between what she wants and what is right.
However, being a hellhound is only part of the problem; with dead students popping up around every street corner and increasing gaps in her memory, Alexis begins to put her own innocence into question.
A rift with Lucas only complicates matters further and Alexis finds herself forging new alliances that could change her destiny in more ways than one.

Alright, so I was lucky enough to be able to jump right into BLOOD AND CHAMPAGNE immediately after reading book 1. It starts right where SILVER AND STONE left off so I felt like I was just continuing the story. The flow was fantastic. The release of information was easy to follow and the characters were just as good as they were from the beginning. Alexis struggles to find out who she truly is and she is scared of what she is doing to Lucas so she ends up pushing him away to protect him which only makes things worse. There are some neat twists thrown in to further keep your heart pounding and then here comes the ending.
 
sigh 

I so want to tell you to JUMP and start reading but then I also want to tell you to STOP and wait. Why you might be asking?!?! Well the cliffhanger SUCKS. I mean REALLY SUCKS. Like O.M.G. the author did NOT just do that. Even worse? There is no sign of when book 3 might be out and you are left very very hyped up wanting to know what the heck is happening and what will happen next. SO you will love this but you will hate this and there is no getting around it. 

I gave it 4/5 stars

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Guest Blog & Giveaway: Sins of the Lost by Linda Poitevin

UFI welcomes Linda Poitevin Author of the Grigori Legacy series. Thanks for Joining us!!

My Top Ten Favorite TV Shows

I am a television addict. I totally, completely love the medium. I love the continuation of a storyline over the span of a series, I love the cliffhangers, and I love sharp, punchy writing. And when I sat down to make this list, it became apparent to me that I have a thing for dark, edgy stories and heroes—and for the less than natural. Given what I write, I suppose that shouldn’t come as a surprise to me...and it almost certainly won’t to you!

    1. Fringe: Olivia is hands down one of my favorite TV heroines. Intelligent, reasoning, and very, very capable.
    2. Supernatural: I really don’t think I need to explain... ;-)
    3. Life: A cop show with nothing paranormal, but the detective does have an edge to him. Cancelled way too soon for my taste.
    4. Dr. Who: I started watching this year with the ninth doctor and was instantly hooked. We’re just about finished with the eleventh doctor now. David Tennant remains my firm favorite so far.
    5. Torchwood: A spin-off from Dr. Who with a wildly wacky array of adventures and characters.
    6. Firefly: I remain in awe of the writing on this show...and live in hope that somehow, someday, it will be resurrected... :-)
    7. Big Bang Theory: Neither dark nor paranormal, but funny. You know how some shows get old and lose their sparkle? This one doesn’t.
    8. Law & Order SVU: I’ve stopped watching since Olivia and Elliot left, but this was one of the few cop shows I could watch without having my husband comment on all the things they were doing wrong...because they actually get much of it right!
    9. Sherlock: it’s British, it’s brilliant, and it has Benedict Cumberbatch. ‘Nuff said. ;-)
    10. Downton Abbey: Again, neither dark nor edgy, but what can I say? It’s just plain addictive! 

So...are there any of your favorites on this list? Do you love something not on here that you think I should be watching? Tell me—because I’m always open to feeding my addiction!
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Linda Poitevin was born and raised in B.C., Canada's westernmost province. Growing up in an era when writing was "a nice hobby, dear, but what are you going to do for a living?", Linda worked at a variety of secretarial jobs before applying to be a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Due to an error in measurement, however, she was turned down when she didn't meet the height requirement of that time. Undeterred, Linda became a civilian member in the force and was a dispatcher for two and a half years, during which time she met her husband, a police officer. 

Following their transfer to Ottawa, Linda went on to become a real estate agent and then a human resources consultant before starting a family. She remained a stay-at-home mom, homeschooled her youngest daughter for nine years and, now that she has realized writing can be more than a nice hobby, she continues to live her dream of being a cop vicariously through her characters.

 Linda currently lives near Ottawa with her husband, youngest of three daughters, one very large husky/shepherd/Great Dane-cross dog, a cat, two rabbits, and a bearded dragon lizard. When she isn't writing, she can usually be found in her garden or walking her dog along the river or through the woods. In addition to her books, Linda also does freelance writing and editing. Information about her services can be found at www.lindapoitevin.ca. Linda is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Quebec Writers' Federation, Romance Writers of America, RWA Futuristic Fantasy Paranormal Chapter, and Ottawa Romance Writers' Association.

Find Linda and her books
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Sins of the Lost 
Grigori Legacy #3


Heaven and Hell are on the brink of war as Lucifer builds his Nephilim army and waits for his new agenda to become a reality — that of having a Nephilimchild of his own bloodline to lead his forces to cataclysmic victory.

With rumors of the pending war rampant on Earth, Alex fights to save humanity from its own panic –­ leaving little time for her fledgling
relationship with Seth, the man with heavenly origins who has captured her heart. But when Nephilim children begin to disappear, along with Alex’s own vulnerable niece, the inevitable war between Heaven and Hell becomes as personal as sin.

Heaven has its own plans to fight the coming apocalypse, but first it needs Seth back. Asked to betray the man she loves, Alex must turn for help to the soulmate she thought she’d given up — the Archangel Aramael, who may be her last chance to save her family and humanity from the ashes of Lucifer’s Armageddon.
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 Tour Wide
There are two awesome giveaways included on the tour -
1 - GRAND PRIZE Giveaway (US & Canada ONLY) for a surprise prize package from Penguin - ONE Winner
5 - GRIGORI LEGACY Swag Packs (International) - tote bag, pen, fridge magnet, sticky notes & bookmarks - FIVE Winners
- The Grand Prize Giveaway is open to US/Canada.
- The Grigori Legacy Swag Pack Giveaways are open Internationally.
- Giveaways end on November 10th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.
- Giveaways are open to anyone 18 and older.
Tweet daily for additional chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Week One

Sept. 16th - Parajunkee - Guest Post
Sept. 18th - Urban Fantasy Investigations - Guest Post
Sept. 20th - Books4Tomorrow - Interview

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Promo: Covet One Day Sale!!!!

Announcing the Covet One Day Sale!!!!

All of the Covet books are on sale TODAY ONLY for just $0.99 each. That means you can grab all of these great stories for less than $15!!

Covets have all the sexiness, emotion, and happily ever after that readers have come to expect and love from Entangled. They are firmly grounded in the contemporary world, but each novel brings in supernatural twists, breaking the contemporary and paranormal rules, alike. To find out more about our titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books you’ll be coveting next, visit the Entangled website, follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and join our Book Club!!


Click on the covers for the links to Amazon!!



P.S. The fabulous Covet Authors have put together a scavenger hunt with a Kindle Fire as the prize. Hop on over to the event page to join in the fun!!

New Releases: 9/15-9/21


Tue Sept 17

 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil 
 Delia's Shadow by Jaime Lee Moyer
 Frozen (Heart of Dread #1) by Melissa de la Cruz
 Help for the Haunted by John Searles

Happy Reading!!

Monday, September 16, 2013

Winners: Chosen by Benedict Jacka

Thank you to everyone who entered!!

The Winner chosen by Rafflecopter is.....
Congrats!! I have emailed winner who has 48 hours to respond with mailing address or I will pick another.

Review: Requiem For the Dead by Kelly Meding

Requiem For the Dead
Release Date: September 16, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Dreg City Book #5
N/AGenre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Author

She's died twice while protecting her city…and she'd do it again to save the people she loves.

After a deadly, artificial infection forces the vampire Families into a self-imposed isolation, the city's protective Watchtower forces are depleted by one third, leaving humans and shifters to shoulder the burden. Human enforcer Evangeline Stone is determined to find a way to help her vampire allies, but she already has her hands full—investigating an escalating series of goblin attacks, dealing with her half-werewolf lover, locating three missing werewolf teenagers, and learning to trust her non-human coworkers.

When a potential cure for the vampires' infection is given to her by an unlikely source, it's just as quickly stolen—collateral damage in a power play within the were-cat Clan that leaves one human ally dead and another horribly injured. With Wyatt Truman still adjusting to his new life as a half-werewolf, Phineas missing in action, and her shifter allies crippled by internal anarchy, Evy has to rely on her own strength and instincts to steal back the cure, stop a murderer, and to save the Watchtower before it's destroyed from the inside out.

This is one of those series that you can not help but want to read more of after you have started it. Make sure to start from book 1. There is way to much back story that you would miss starting anywhere else. Some of the books have been better than others but put them all together and they all make for a great read. REQUIEM FOR THE DEAD will be the first in the series to be self-published by Kelly Meding.

It is hard to imagine the Evy that woke from the dead in book 1. She has changed and grown so much since then. The events that have made her who she is are pretty gruesome and so unfair but she is still fighting strong for herself and those she cares about. Wyatt and Evy continue to grow in their ever-changing relationship. They always seem to have something on one of their ends that makes them pause but they managed to push through everything and arrive at the same place during book 5. This series always brings death, I was saddened by those we lost. Some members were hit harder than others with lost loved ones but everyone grieved just the same. Phineas is still gone searching for others of his kind. I miss him, he is needed and I hope he comes back soon.
I have lots of questions that I need answered after reading REQUIEM FOR THE DEAD. I am glad that Kelly has decided to keep the series going by self-publishing and I look forwards to reading what comes next because this series is far from done in my mind.

I gave it 4/5 stars

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Week in Review: 9/8-9/14


Books Ive Bought/received

* Immortal Revenge by Mary Abshire- eARC - Tour Provider

* Realm Walker by Kathleen Collins- eARC- Author

* Wicked Misery by Tracey Martin- eARC- Author

Books I Read

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh
Seven Years by Dannika Dark
Immortal Revenge by Mary Abshire
Realm Walker by Kathleen Collins
Wicked Misery by Tracey Martin

Reviews Posted

The Outside by Laura Bickle
Blood Bond by Jeanne C. Stein

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

* Monday- Guest Blog & Giveaway for Deamhan by Isaiyan Morrison

* Thursday- Promo & Giveaway for Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick

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