Chosen by Fate- Virna DePaul (book 2)

Although he keeps company with a vampire and a were, human Shaman Caleb O'Flare can definitely hold his own. But neither his psychic ability nor his healing powers can help his sexy-as-hell teammate, Wraith-a ghost with no memory of her human existence, who cannot experience touch without pain. No wraith has managed to exist past its tenth year, so her time is about to run out. She wants only two things before accepting her fate: to learn her human identity, and experience one night with Caleb.

Okay this is about Wraith and Caleb. I have been wanting to read this book because of the short novella on how Wraith was awakened. It starts off with Mahone recruiting Caleb for the team. Caleb is feeling bad for himself due to him blaming himself for killing his friend. Then it goes to present at Knox and Felicia's wedding. Wraith finally decides to give in and sleep with Caleb. Then she runs into Mahone who tells them about another mission involving the Felines. So Wraith sees a mark on Caleb's chest and knows it is a death mark. So she feels she is responsible for his death mark and she tells Mahone and Caleb she is leaving the team. Of course Caleb goes after her but Mahone promises to give him the name of the person involved in his friend's death. There are very interesting developments in this book. I am enjoying the ongoing story and I can not wait to find out what happens with it all. Will Wraith figure out who she is and will Caleb ever get over his obsession of hurting Wraith ever time he touches her to be together.
My rating is a 4 ...Sandy

Congrats & Thank you to everyone for participating

Congrats to Barbara!

New York Times bestselling author, Jennifer Estep, is here to be with us today. Jennifer has worked as a feature writer and page designer for a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper and has more than 10 years of journalism experience. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism, she went on to acquire a master’s degree in professional communications. A true Southern gal through and through, she is known as sassy, sarcastic, and just a tad crazy.

1. Let’s start off with you telling our followers about your great series, The Ele­men­tal Assas­sin. 

JE: I write the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series for Pocket Books. The books focus on Gin Blanco, an assassin codenamed the Spider who can control the elements of Ice and Stone. When she’s not busy killing people and righting wrongs, Gin runs a barbecue restaurant called the Pork Pit in the fictional Southern metropolis of Ashland. The city is also home to giants, dwarves, vampires, and elementals – Air, Fire, Ice, and Stone.

Books in the series are Spider’s Bite, Web of Lies, Venom, Tangled Threads, and Spider’s Revenge. Thread of Death, an e-novella, is also available. 

2. How did the series and Gin develop in your head?

JE: I’ve just always liked reading about assassin characters, especially in fantasy literature, because it seems like assassin characters can be everything from crazy to calculating to ice-cold. One day, I thought it would be cool to write my own assassin character with my own magic and world building. So that’s what I did. 

3. Gin is a strong assassin heroine, do you feel some of her characteristics are drawn from your own personality? 

JE: I think Gin is much, much stronger than I could ever be. We have a few things in common in that we both like to read and cook, but Gin is definitely tougher than I am. 

4. So far, what is your favorite and least favorite scene in this series and why?

JE: I don’t know that I have a favorite and a least favorite scene. In general, I really like writing fight scenes and figuring out how Gin can use her wits and magic to defeat the bad guys. So I always enjoy writing the big fight scene with Gin and the main villain at the end of the book, like the one with Elektra LaFleur at the end of Tangled Threads and of course the one with Mab Monroe at the end of Spider’s Revenge.

I would say that a scene that was tough for me to write was when Gin and Donovan break up at the end of Web of Lies, just because Donovan says so many unkind things to Gin. 

5. Is there something in the series that you wish you could now change the outcome of, if you had the chance? 

JE: Sometimes, I wish that I hadn’t killed off Fletcher Lane, Gin’s assassin mentor, in Spider’s Bite, the first book in the series. He was such a big part of Gin’s life, and it’s kind of a shame that he’s not around to guide her through the books. However, I have included him in some flashback scenes, and I’ve had a lot of fun writing those. 

6. Do you think your fans influence some aspects of your story? 

JE: Well, you always want folks to enjoy your books, and I’ll occasionally look at reviews and things like that and see what folks are saying about the books. And of course, I read the e-mail that folks send me and respond to it, along with comments and questions on my social media sites. 

But authors work so far in advance that there’s not much you can do to change a story arc or a character that folks don’t like. For example, even though BY A THREAD is coming out in a few days, I actually wrote the book back in 2011, and it’s been going through the production process ever since.

Basically, my goal as an author is to just grow as a writer, entertain readers, and try to make every book better than the one before it. 

7. How do you decide what powers your characters have? 

JE: I decided to use elemental magic in the series – Air, Fire, Ice, and Stone and some offshoots of those areas – because I thought those would be interesting powers to write about. Also, having several different magical areas to choose from lets me give the villains different abilities and helps me think of ways for Gin’s magic to grow as she faces down the latest bad guy. So far, I’m having a lot of fun writing about these kinds of powers. 

8. What can you tell us about, By a Thread, the sixth installment to The Elemental Assassin series (out February 28th)? 

JE: I’ve been referring to this one as my “Gin on vacation” book. Basically, Gin decides to get out of Ashland for a few days so she can rest, relax, and recharge after everything that happened in Spider’s Revenge. But, of course, Gin’s vacation ends up being anything but relaxing. One of Bria’s friends is being threatened by a nasty vampire, and Gin decides to come to the rescue – and finds herself in just as much trouble as ever. Someone from Gin’s past is also in the mix in this book, which further complicates things. 

9. Are there any future projects you are working on and would like to tell us about? 

JE: Widow’s Web, the seventh Elemental Assassin book, will be out on Aug. 21, and there will be at least three more books in the series after that. 

Dark Frost, the third book in my Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series, will be out on May 29, and there will be at least three more books in that series as well.

Jennifer is giving away a copy of BY A THREAD to one lucky person today. To enter, be a follower of this blog, and leave a comment with your email address. (U.S. residents only). The winner will be annouced tomorrow morning by a random drawing.. 

Folks can find out more about my books and read excerpts at my website, www.jenniferestep.com. Happy reading, everyone!

** Signed Shadowfever book giveaway**

 WANT TO WIN A SIGNED COPY OF SHADOWFEVER??

1. BECOME A FOLLOWER OF THIS BLOG

(Network & regular follower please)

2. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE FULL DAY ALONE WITH JERICHO BARRONS,  WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN THAT 24 HOUR PERIOD??

TELL US ABOUT YOUR DAY

One Winner will be picked with Random.org, sorry U.S. residents only



                   

To celebrate the release of ETERNAL CAPTIVE, Laura Wright’s latest installment from the series MARK OF THE VAMPIRE, we have ten awesome bookmarks to give away. If you would like one, be a follower of the blog and email me at shonnakay7@yahoo.com with your name and address.

Chosen By Blood- Virna DePaul (book 1)

Leader of an Otherborn clan, half-breed vampire Knox Devereaux would do anything to find a cure for the anti-vamp vaccine slowly starving his people into extinction. When the FBI contacts him about leading a team of hand-selected Others on a mission to reclaim the stolen antidote, Knox accepts. His new assignment places him in direct contact with Special Agent Felicia Locke, the beautiful human he’s craved since their very first meeting.



Five years after the Second Civil War ends, humans and Otherborn—humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA—still struggle for peace. To ensure the continued rights of both, the FBI forms a Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills.

This book starts off with FBI agent Mchone wanting to start up a special group called Para-Ops. This team will have human and otherborn. He has asked a Wraith, Hunt-were, Lucy-mage, Knox-dhampire, Felicia-human, and Caleb-human/medic. They have all agreed to do it for a price. Knox is doing it to get the antidote to help his vampire clan. The antidote will reverse the effects of the shot that the humans were given to keep the vampires from getting the nutrients from human blood to survive. Of course taking this mission puts him with Felicia who is his soul mate. Felicia has stayed away from Knox because she doesn't want to be his woman on side while he marries a vampire bride.The story is interesting and I like to see the characters interact. Will Knox throw away his love for Felicia for his duty and his clan? Or will he forget his duty and be with Felicia? My Rating 3-4    Sandy



Authors website: http://virnadepaul.com/index.shtml
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Chosen-Blood-Para-Ops-Novel-DePaul

WINNER !!!

Good Morning everyone!! Laura Bickle is here to tell us about some of her awesome books and the characters she has in them. While living in the Midwest she has worked in library science, criminology, and technology. Oh yes,.... and she is an avid cat lover. LOL!! Laura is also sponsoring a giveaway today, a copy of ROGUE ORACLE. Just be a follower of this blog and leave a comment or questions with your email address. A random winner will be drawn from the comments. Now let’s talk with Laura!!!!

1. First let’s talk about the two series you have. First is the DELPHIC ORACLE series written under Alayna Williams. The other under Laura Bickle, is the ANYA KALINCZYK novels. Tell us about these books and why you decided to use different names with each series.

Thanks very much for chatting with me today!

Writing as Alayna Williams, I'm the author of DARK ORACLE and ROGUE ORACLE for Pocket Books. The ORACLE books are about a criminal profiler, Tara Sheridan, who uses Tarot cards to solve crimes. Her foil and sometime-lover is skeptical federal agent Harry Li. Tara is a member of a secret order of oracles who trace their lineage back to the Oracle of Delphi. The series mixes magic and science in a way that appeals to fans of The X-Files and Fringe. I get to do a lot of exciting stuff with artificial black holes, pyromancy, the legacy of Chernobyl, and conspiracies.

My Laura Bickle books, EMBERS and SPARKS, are probably best described as "Ghostbusters in Detroit with arson and dragons." The Lantern series follows the adventures of Anya Kalinczyk. By day, Anya investigates suspicious fires as a Detroit arson investigator. By night, she works as part of an eccentric group of ghost hunters. Anya's the rarest type of spiritual medium - a Lantern, who incinerates malicious ghosts. With the help of her cranky fire salamander familiar, Sparky, Anya chases supernatural and human threats to her city.

My editor recommended that I use a pseudonym for the ORACLE books. My first book, EMBERS, came out in April, 2010. DARK ORACLE was scheduled for June of that year. We thought it would be confusing for readers to have two UF series going on under the same name, with alternating release dates. For that purpose, it made sense to create "Alayna." 

2. In the future do you intend (and want) to continue with two pen names or identities?

Having a not-so-secret identity is a lot of fun, but it's also a lot to keep track of. For the foreseeable future, I think I'm going to stick with "Laura Bickle."

3. Anya Kalinczyk has a charming invisible fire salamander familiar named Sparky. How did this inspiration develop and become a creation on the page?

Sparky, Anya Kalinczyk's fire salamander in EMBERS and SPARKS, is a lot of fun to write. Sparky is a composite of all the pets I've had. He's snuggly, petulant, protective, and snarky. As a fire salamander, he can affect electrical fields and fire...he's been known to chew on cell phones, blow up microwaves, and set of sprinkler systems in the crime lab. He doesn't speak, but he gets to unleash all of his destructive urges and snack on ghosts. 

He has a favorite toy that he cuddles with at night...a Glow-Worm. I had a Glow-Worm toy as a child. I was terribly afraid of the dark, and it really helped. I still give them as gifts for baby showers.

4. There is still a lot about Sparky that hasn’t been told yet. Could you share something that isn’t in your books about this special creature? We promise not to tell **wink, wink**.

LOL. Well, Sparky's had quite a long life. He spent some time gadding about Europe with Van Helsing. He was Joan of Arc's familiar, and also had his sticky fingers involved in the Hindenburg disaster. He's a bit sensitive about the Hindenburg issue.

5. In the ORACLE series, Tara Sheridan looks to Tarot cards reading for some of her guidance. Do tarot cards play a role in your personal or working life?

I've been puttering around with Tarot cards since I was a teenager. I've never read cards professionally, but they make wonderful story prompts. I wrote the ORACLE books with a deck of cards at hand. Whenever I got stuck on a plot point or character, I'd draw a card at random. Many of the spreads I came up with actually appear in the book.

6. When Anya 'devours' the spirits ( or ghosts ) where do they go? What exactly takes place?

Ah, this is a price of power question. I think that human protagonists must  make a trade-off for using magic; there’s no free lunch in the universe. Even if a magical heritage is forced on them, and not something sought out willingly.

With that in mind, I created my heroines with an ambivalent relationship toward their magical powers. In EMBERS, Anya Kalinczyk is the rarest kind of psychic medium, a Lantern. Where other mediums allow spirits to use their hands and voices to communicate, Anya devours ghosts. It’s a talent she had no choice in - she’s always been a Lantern. And it comes in handy in her nocturnal work as a ghost hunter. But she wrestles with the costs.

The first cost is physical. Devouring a spirit leaves a burn, a scar, on her body. The second is psychological - Anya feels apart from ordinary humans, and can’t make a connection with her fellow ghost hunters. And the last one is spiritual. Anya wrestles with the idea of what happens to a ghost after she incinerates it. Does it go forward into an Afterworld? Or has she killed it entirely?

These are questions that Anya hasn't yet answered, but they keep her awake at night.

7. Intertwining realm's (reality and fantasy) is a strong point that seems to flow and come alive in your writing. Is this something that you have to work at or does it come easily?

One of the tricky issues in writing urban fantasy is finding the appropriate balance between fantasy and reality. Urban fantasy, by definition, includes fantastical elements (including paranormal ideas or magic) in a mundane setting. Fantastic elements make a story interesting, and realistic elements make a story believable. Too much fantasy makes the magic less special, drowns it in a sea of fantastic characters and places. Too much realism makes the world too gritty or dull. 

The solution to that balance for me is research, whether I'm researching particle accelerators, arson investigation, astrology, or spontaneous human combustion. I think that the devil's in the details, and it's important to get those correct.
 

8. Do you find that any one of your characters reflects characteristics that you find in yourself?

I think that all of my characters have some element of myself in them. The character who's most like me is probably Tara Sheridan. She's not a character who kicks in doors with guns blazing - she tends to be more self-contained and cerebral. She's more of a strategist - she tries to plan several steps ahead of her opponents. Tara was inspired by the Queen of Swords Tarot card, which is one that I used to represent myself in many card readings over the years

9. Is writing something that keeps you busy full-time or do you still juggle your writing time with another day job?

Like many writers, I do have a day job. I worked in and around criminal justice for more than ten years, and now have the pleasure of working in a library. It's wonderful imagination food, being surrounded by all those research materials!

10. Sitting in your work area, with all possibilities in front of you, what  direction would you like to explore for a future project?

Ah, I have far too many ideas and not enough time for them. But my newest project is called THE HALLOWED ONES, which will be coming out in September from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Graphia line. It's YA thriller about an Amish girl who must confront not only a massive disaster unfolding in the world outside her community, but also the threat of darkness in her own increasingly fragile society.

The latest info on THE HALLOWED ONES and my other books can be found on my website, at www.salamanderstales.com
 

Thanks so much for chatting with me today!

Wraith's Awakening- Virna DePaul

Five years after the Second Civil War ends, humans and otherborn— humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA—still struggle for peace. To ensure the continued rights of both, the FBI forms a Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills.

This is a short novella to the Para-Ops series. In this short story you find a woman who was in the garbage in an alley. She has no idea who she is but she remembers about movies and some things about herself. She meets up with a vampire and then learns about the civil war coming between the humans and the outlanders. She then discovers that she is a wraith and is dead. Then she meets briefly a man called C and then can’t remember why he is familiar. So of course now I am curious about her and what will happen to Colt and who this man she thinks she knows.

I would give 3.5
Sandy

Eternal Captive- Laura Wright (book 3)

Since feeding her his blood, Lucian Roman has struggled with his obsession with Bronwyn Kettler-fighting an uncontrollable desire to kill her, if he has to, and the vampire she has sworn to wed. But when a dangerous enemy threatens Bronwyn, only Lucian can save her life. Even if it means sacrificing his own...

Oh, where to begin??  Well this is the third book in a row that has made me cry, a good cry though. The emotions that you go through while reading this book is what makes this a fantastic read. Lucian knows in his unbeating heart who and what he truly is but he wants more, even if he can not admit it to anyone. Bron gets his attention from the moment he meets her but when she drinks from him he knows that she is the be all and end all for him. Bron does nothing but think about him but she still goes through with mating another man, who she tells everyone is her True Mate and she has the mark to prove it. The energy coming out of my Kindle while reading this book was like magic, they are pulled towards each other but at the same time know it's not what is best for either of them. Until they come together in a steamy, hot, sexy, smoking sexfest do they actually realize what they have between the two of them. He is pulled into a life that he never wanted and she is willing to do anything to stay with him. For a Roman brother that never thought he deserved the love from one women it was great to read that he opened his eyes and his unbeating heart to one that loves him for HIM (smart-ass mouth and all).
My Rating: 5  Wendy

There's nothing like a book that can keep you up all night, one that you can't wait to turn the page to find out what is going to happen next and to top it off a book that makes you cry and say "Aaaahhh that is so awesome"- This was that book for me.  


Authors website: http://www.laurawright.com/index.php

Buy at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Captive-Vampire-Laura-Wright/dp/0451235878/

Buy at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eternal-captive-laura-wright/1101077569

Night Reigns- Dianne Duvall (book 2)

Ami isn't much for trusting strangers. She has a hard time trusting anyone. But she's no coward, and she's no pushover in the protection department either. So when she comes across a mysterious warrior taking on eight deranged vampires on his own, she doesn't hesitate to save his bacon. Of course, that was before she realized what one little rescue would get her into . . .

Marcus Grayden has been an immortal protector of humanity for eight hundred years, and at the moment he's not interested in backup. From the moment Ami arrives in his life, he can't deny that she's strong, smart, and extremely skilled at watching his back. But she's also destroying his protective solitude and stirring desires he can't bear to awaken. After all, whatever her secrets — how can she defeat death itself?

The book starts out with Ami hearing Marcus fighting against a bunch of vampires and she helps him to defeat them. Seth the Immortal Guardian's leader decides Ami is to be Marcus's second. Because of the grieving and risk taking Marcus is doing over losing Bethany the woman he cared for a lot but she was in love with his best friend Robert. So Marcus does his best to stay away from Ami and Ami tries to keep Marcus from knowing her secret. There is good story and you see the characters throughout the book. Bastien has become on of my favorite characters and I can not wait for his. But Marcus and Ami are great. I love the way they both connect with each other. Will Ami reveal her secret to Marcus? Will Marcus open up about his past? Who is this mysterious commander after Ami and the Immortals?
My Rating: 5    Sandy

Authors website: http://www.dianneduvall.com/index.html
ISBN-10: 1-4201-1862-9

ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-1862-5
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1420118625/

WINNERS!!!!!!!

Congratulations to Niki and Denise Z.

You are the winners drawn for yesterday's post with

STEPHANIE BECK

Thanks to everyone for stopping by.

Mark your calendar

 Feb. 17th

Laura Bickle will be visiting with us

 

Today the Three Crazy Chicks are smiling from ear to ear. Stephanie Beck is here and giving us her view on things warm and fuzzy. And no, we’re not talking about that robe you wrap around yourself as you stumble to the coffeepot in the morning. Stephanie is a full time mom, and author. Writing since she was fifteen, Stephanie loves romance and all things romantic, heart warming and usually funny, though a more serious piece will find its way in occasionally. With books in several genres like erotic, suspense, and paranormal romance, Stephanie balances a life between writing and family.So take a few minutes, and get to know Stephanie and her thoughts today.

Something furry (and I don’t mean my legs)
By Stephanie Beck

Why is body hair a turn off in romance? Anything beyond light stubble on a hero’s dashing face seems to be off taste at the moment, but seriously, I don’t see it!

Maybe I’m partial to the fuzzy guys because I married a man with a perma-sweater and the kind of really great beard that has people asking if he’s Amish. He had to shave it nearly off once for work and I missed his beard. Without it, his face looked…naked…and not the good kind.

The real irony I see in this is the werewolf trend. By definition werewolves are furry! (All those movies with the smooth chested, smooth faced werewolf males are WRONG). I think women with a thing for furry guys started making werewolves sexy. Howling at the moon? Oh no, it’s the luxurious hair and fur a woman wants to sink her fingers in.

I don’t think werewolves need to be comically hairy. Having a werewolf shave six times a day would be ridiculous, but what’s wrong with a hairy chest or a little back fuzz? There is a reason the ‘treasure trail’ on a man is called the ‘treasure trail’…it must lead to good things and if it’s left off in favor of glossy rock hard abs, well, it’s the leading lady’s loss. On the other side of that argument, I find bald or shaved-headed werewolves to be tickle my irony funny bone, (Scott, in Unraveling Midnight, has a shaved head—it goes along with the badass).

Attention to body hair says a lot about a character, werewolf or not. If an adult man doesn’t have a fair amount of hair, or is baby’s butt smooth…well, he most likely had to have focused time, attention and possibly money on that vanity. What does that say about a character? I’ll say it, when a big, strong, badass alpha male has baby smooth anything it makes me picture him painstakingly shaving and then lotioning (you know, like a woman) or I get a mental image of him sitting at a salon waiting for his waxing appointment.

Long story short: I need more fuzzy guys in my romance. They need to be clean and neat and sweet and strong…and furry.

Share your ideal fuzz level. One lucky (US only, sorry) winner will receive a Goody Bag full of my favorite things. Another lucky (open to international readers) will receive an ebook of Unraveling Midnight.
Be sure and be a follower to the blog and leave your email address after your comment.

Blurb for Unraveling Midnight: Book 2 in the Creating Home Series

An entanglement with a werewolf brings unexpected turns.

Scott, a lone werewolf expelled from his pack, bends over backward to give his kids everything he can - including knitting lessons for his daughter. Learning to knit becomes much more appealing with Lucy Jamieson as the teacher. His heightened senses tell him the compassionate and beautiful human might be what he and his little band need, yet getting involved with Lucy means exposing her to his paranormal reality.

Although Lucy's childhood skewed her expectations of family, she recognizes and respects Scott's desire to protect and provide for his kids. When Scott is hit by a truck, Lucy offers to help with the kids--and gets more than she bargained for after learning Scott's true nature...

Stephanie Beck....Even before she understood what all the thrusting meant, Stephanie Beck loved reading romance. When the stories didn’t end the way she wanted, writing her own was the perfect solution. From ridiculous humor to erotica, Stephanie loves being transported within a story. When she’s not elbow deep in words, her husband and two daughters command her attention. After they are sleeping she knits or bakes cookies...or squeezes in more writing.


Visit Stephanie Beck at http://www.stephaniebeck.net/

and on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/StephanieBeckAuthor

Darkness Dawns- Dianne Duvall (book 1)

In this dazzling, sensual novel, Dianne Duvall beckons readers into a world of vampires, immortals, and humans with extraordinary gifts . . . where passion can last forever, if you're willing to pay the price . . .

Once, Sarah Bingham’s biggest challenge was making her students pay attention in class. Now, after rescuing a wounded stranger, she’s landed in the middle of a battle between corrupt vampires and powerful immortals who also need blood to survive. Roland Warbrook is the most compelling man Sarah has ever laid hands on. But his desire for her is mingled with a hunger he can barely control . . .
In his nine centuries of immortal existence, no woman has tempted Roland as much as Sarah. But asking her to love him is impossible -- when it mean forfeiting the world she’s always known, and the life he would do anything to protect.


Well this book starts right off with some action. Roland has been attacked and left to die out in the sun but Sarah helps him escape. We find out that the vampire Bastian is after Roland. You can feel the connection between Sarah and Roland. You also meet other immortals in this book. The oldest immortal Seth is hearing the cries of a female and is determined to find her. The story is great and the characters are very interesting. Will Bastian get rid of Roland? Will Sarah and Roland be able to be together even though Sarah is a human? And who is this mystery woman?
My rating is a 4... Sandy (Guest Blogger)

Authors website: http://dianneduvall.com/index.html

ISBN-10: 1-4201-1861-7
ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-1861-2
Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1420118617
B&N- at the time of this post, the B&N page would not load
Indie Bookstores- http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781420118612

Flashfire- Deborah Cooke (book 8)

Master illusionist Lorenzo's dragon nature is his biggest secret. It's also another detail to juggle, like ensuring each of his Las Vegas magic shows is a true spectacle. That is until he feels the burn of his firestorm and his whole world shifts.

Cassie Redmond is tired of photographing celebrities. She wants to pursue her dream of serious photography—despite the lucrative offer for a shot of a dragon shifter. Las Vegas is the last place she wants to be, but Lorenzo arouses more than her curiosity when he shifts shape as the finale of his show. Instead of forcing him to reveal his secrets, Cassie gets swept away by this illusionist’s masterful touch.

Lorenzo wants to satisfy the firestorm and put it behind him. But photographer Cassie Redmond is hard to forget. And when Slayers target the mate he didn't believe he wanted, Lorenzo realizes he'll do anything to keep Cassie safe..

Lorenzo doesn't want to be a part of the Pry or the slayers, he hasn't even shapeshifted into a dragon for too many years to count now. All he wants to do is finish his last Illusion so he can start a new life. But all of that is put in jeopardy when his Firestorm hits.. A firestorm is when a Pry finds his descent mate and she and only she can give birth to his sons. Slayers are not allowed to have firestorms because they have chosen not to take care of the world and its treasures which are humans. That's the job of the Pry. Lorenzo has been making plans to cuts ties with all dragon Pry's and Slayers. Cassie is a paparazzi and she hates it, she loves taking pictures but the emotional turmoil is making her want or need to take a vacation. Which lands her in Las Vegas and in the arms and then bed of one of the most famous Illusionist in Vegas. She thinks she will have one of the most wonderful one night stands of her life and believed it to be to true when she woke up the next morning alone intending never to see Lorenzo again. Until a stranger tells her that Lorenzo knocked her up!



My Rating: 4--  LaTonia

Darker After Midnight- Lara Adrian (book 10)

In the dark of night, a blood war escalates within the hidden world of the Breed. After existing in secret for many long centuries, maintaining a fragile peace with the humans who walk beside them unaware, a single act of retaliation has put the entire vampire nation at risk of discovery. It falls to the Order--a cadre of Breed warriors pledged to protect their own and humankind alike--to stop Dragos, the power-mad vampire at the center of the conflict, before his push for domination can explode into catastrophe.     

At the center of the Order’s quest is Sterling Chase, once a morally rigid enforcer of Breed law, now a warrior fallen from grace, whose biggest battle is the one he wages against his own savage nature. With addiction beckoning him toward eternal darkness, Chase’s path to redemption has never seemed more out of reach--until he finds himself drawn to a beautiful young woman who may be something much more than she seems . . .
Oh, how I love this series, I mean come on 10 books into the series and still it is going strong. The story never gets old or repetitive and her writing is absolutely awesome. This book continues with Sterling Chase, who we met several books back. He is an ex-agent but now is part of the Order. Chase has been on the verge of Bloodlust for over six years and he is at the end of his rope, barely hanging on. With Dragos getting bolder with each day that passes the Order has to step up their pace on catching him. In the last book Chase tried to kill Dragos who is pretending to be human and when that goes wrong he is taken into police custody. Dragos is right on top of the Order's home so they have to find somewhere new to live. Tavia, who is a Senator's assistant, the senator who Dragos has in his pocket is called to the police station to pick Chase out of a line-up. He goes crazy and escapes police custody, once free he kidnaps Tavia so he can explain everything to her. Boy is he in for a surprise when he finds out what Tavia really is.
The book is fast paced, action filled, romantic and heartbreaking all at the same time. I cried at the end and can't wait for the next book.
My Rating: 5+   Wendy

Fifty Shades of Darker - E. L. James

Daunted by the singular sexual tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house. But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades. While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her, and make the most important decision of her life.

The book begins with the couple apart and broken. With her best friend on vacation and her heart in pieces, Ana is alone. She feels she can’t be the women Christian needs even though she can’t stop thinking about him and how much she wants him. It doesn’t take long for Christian to admit he wants Anastasia and he misses her deeply. Their relationship grows and they both have to learn how to find a loving balance. The story remains romantic, witty, playful and a thrill ride with new characters and wild turns. I really enjoyed Ana’s inner goddess and all the flirty e-mails.

I cried when Christian lets down his walls and lets Ana touch him. You can feel his pain as he struggles to let her in and tries to find real love the “Vanilla” way. I feel his character is softer and sweeter in this book.

As for Mrs. Robinson..... Don’t worry, she gets a good slap and is exposed for what she is.

This books ends with real hearts and flowers.

My Rating - 5

April  - Guest Blogger