Bookshelf Symphony Orchestra

I've never made it a secret that my love of books is only matched by my love of music. So today I am very happy to bring you the best of both things. Welcome, to the Bookshelf Symphony Orchestra!

Blog Tour Book Review: Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis

Author: Jill Shalvis

Series: Wildstone #4

Audience: Over 18

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Release Date: January 21st 2020

My Rating: 4.5 Cups

Source: HarperCollins

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Piper Manning’s about as tough as they come, she’s had to be. She raised her siblings and they’ve thankfully flown the coop. All she has to do is finish fixing up the lake house her grandparents left her, sell it, and then she’s free.

When a massive storm hits, she runs into a tall, dark and brooding stranger, Camden Reid. There’s a spark there, one that shocks her. Surprising her further, her sister and brother return, each of them holding their own secrets. The smart move would be for Piper to ignore them all but Cam unleashes emotions deep inside of her that she can’t deny, making her yearn for something she doesn’t understand. And her siblings…well, they need each other.

Only when the secrets come out, it changes everything Piper thinks she knows about her family, herself…and Cam. Can she find a way to outrun the demons? The answer is closer than she thinks—just as the new life she craves may have already begun.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of his book from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

With each book I read by Jill Shalvis I fall a little bit more in love with the worlds she creates, and her Wildstone series is no exception. I always know I'm going to get a story far more complex than boy meets girl, with a bit of heartbreak, and a lot of life lessons on the side. Which is always something I adore.

Blog Tour Book Review: Repeat by Kylie Scott

 

From New York Times bestselling author Kylie Scott comes REPEAT, a sexy, standalone contemporary romance! REPEAT is now available! Grab your copy today!

Author: Kylie Scott
Series: N/A
Audience: Adults
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 7th 2019
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

From New York Times bestselling author Kylie Scott comes an irresistible new romance.

When a vicious attack leaves 25-year-old Clementine Johns with no memory, she's forced to start over. Now she has to figure out who she was and why she made the choices she did - which includes leaving the supposed love of her life, tattoo artist Ed Larsen, only a month before.

Ed can hardly believe it when his ex shows up at his tattoo parlor with no memory of their past, asking about the breakup that nearly destroyed him. The last thing he needs is more heartache, but he can't seem to let her go again. Should they walk away for good, or does their love deserve a repeat performance?

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As such, my review may contain references to content intended for a mature audience only.

Do your memories make you who you are? Does losing your memories make you a different person? Are we our memories, or are we the same person even without them? These are things Clem has to find out for herself when she wakes up in the hospital after being attacked. While her sister tries to take care of her and protect her from bad memories and heartbreak, Clem ends up meeting someone she should know, and sparks fly.

Blog Tour Book Review: Pure Bliss by Lexi Blake

Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Nights in Bliss, Colorado #6
Audience: Over 18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: DLZ Entertainment, LLC
Release Date: March 5th 2019
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Re-released in a second edition with new content.

The town of Bliss, Colorado, offered Hope McLean a second chance at life, a gift she cherishes every day. Her past was dominated by dark secrets and regret, most of which centered on a man named Christian Grady. All of that was behind her now, years of horror distilled down into the occasional nightmare or a random feeling of being watched. Surrounded by new friends, she tried hard to leave the past where it belonged—in the rearview mirror.

Raised together, James Glen and Noah Bennett were the best of friends. They dreamed of growing up in Bliss, finding love, and settling down to share their lives on the Circle G ranch. James would manage the day-to-day operations of the ranch while Noah served the town as the resident veterinarian. Everything was perfectly planned out, until a woman came between them and their future shattered. Noah left Bliss for New York City and James was left to struggle to keep the Circle G alive on his own.

Noah returns to Bliss on a mission to rebuild his life. When he sees Hope, he knows his return home was meant to be. Hope’s kindness shines like a beacon calling him to her. Unfortunately, he isn’t the only man interested in Hope. James is also interested in the beautiful girl with a mysterious past. He can’t be forced to choose between the woman of his dreams and his best friend again.

As romance begins to bloom, a dark specter from Hope’s past returns to claim her. To save Hope, and themselves, James and Noah will have to rebuild the relationship they lost and fight for their future with Hope together.

Every new story that takes me back to the town of Bliss makes me a very, very happy reader. I always expect the craziest of stories, the most intense and heartbreaking backstories, as well as very hot sex scenes. I expect it all, and Lexi Blake delivers each and every time.

Blog Tour Book Review: The Darkest Warrior by Gena Showalter

   

The Queen of Paranormal Romance, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gena Showalter, returns with THE DARKEST WARRIOR, a searing Lords of the Underworld tale featuring a beastly prince and the wife he will wage war to keep. THE DARKEST WARRIOR is now available where all fine books are sold. Grab your copy today!

Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Lords of the Underworld #14
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Release Date: June 26th 2018
My Rating:4.5 Cups
Source:InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

He is ice…

Puck the Undefeated, host of the demon of Indifference, cannot experience emotion without punishment, so he allows himself to feel nothing. Until her. According to ancient prophecy, she is the key to avenging his past, saving his realm and ruling as king. All he must do? Steal her from the man she loves—and marry her.

She is fire…

Gillian Shaw has suffered many tragedies in her too-short life, but nothing could have prepared the fragile human for her transition into immortality. To survive, she must wed a horned monster who both intrigues and frightens her…and become the warrior queen she was born to be.

Together they burn.

As a rising sense of possession and obsession overtake Puck, so does insatiable lust. The more he learns about his clever, resourceful wife, the more he craves her. And the more time Gillian spends with her protective husband, the more she aches for him. But the prophecy also predicts an unhappily-ever-after. Can Puck defeat fate itself to keep the woman who brought his deadened heart back to life? Or will they succumb to destiny, losing each other…and everything they’ve been fighting for?

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

Blog Tour Book Review & Playlist: The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik by David Arnold

Author: David Arnold
Series: N/A
Audience: +16
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 22nd 2018
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):

“An epic wonder”* from the bestselling author of Mosquitoland

This is Noah Oakman → sixteen, Bowie believer, concise historian, disillusioned swimmer, son, brother, friend.

Then Noah → gets hypnotized.

Now Noah → sees changes: his mother has a scar on her face that wasn’t there before; his old dog, who once walked with a limp, is suddenly lithe; his best friend, a lifelong DC Comics disciple, now rotates in the Marvel universe. Subtle behaviors, bits of history, plans for the future—everything in Noah’s world has been rewritten. Everything except his Strange Fascinations . . .

A stunning surrealist portrait, The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik is a story about all the ways we hurt our friends without knowing it, and all the ways they stick around to save us.

*Adam Silvera, bestselling author of More Happy Than Not and They Both Die at the End

*Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

Blog Tour Book Review: Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis

Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Heartbreaker Bay #4
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: September 26th 2017
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Avon
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Meet cute...

Run for the hills—temporarily. That's Colbie Albright's plan when she flees New York for San Francisco. Wrangling her crazy family by day and writing a bestselling YA fantasy series by night has taken its toll. In short, Colbie's so over it that she's under it. She's also under the waters of a historic San Francisco fountain within an hour of arrival. Fortunately, the guy who fishes Colbie out has her looking forward to Christmas among strangers. But she's pretty sure Spencer Baldwin won't be a stranger for long.

Make merry...

Spence's commitment to hiding from the Ghosts of Relationships Past means he doesn't have to worry about the powerful—okay, crazy hot chemistry—he's got with Colbie. Just because she can laugh at anything, especially herself... just because she's gorgeous and a great listener just because she gets Spence immediately doesn't mean he won't be able to let Colbie go. Does it?

and hope for a miracle.

Now the clock's ticking for Colbie and Spence: Two weeks to cut loose. Two weeks to fall hard. Two weeks to figure out how to make this Christmas last a lifetime.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Avon in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

I've been slowly but surely getting in the mood for seasonal books lately, and Chasing Christmas Eve fits the description perfectly. This was my very first Jill Shalvis book, and let me tell you, I really really liked it.

I really loved the characters in this book, not just the main ones, but all of them. Colbie is such a kind woman, a talented one, but one that doesn't really know how much power she has inside of her. I oftentimes felt as if she didn't really appreciate how strong she was, and how much she really deserved happiness, and I thought that taking a little vacation, a break from her day to day life is the first thing she ever truly did for herself, aside from writing. She slowly opens up to Spence, and once she does, it was easy to understand why she's not aware of herself as much as she should be. I was sad for her, especially towards the end of the book, when her mom dropped a pretty big shocking truth in her lap. And throughout the book I realized that while she's not so different from Spencer, she's seen by the people in her life as weak or someone who needs to be taken advantage of, which made me super mad for her.

Spencer is the hot nerd type, which is probably one of my favorite types of heroes. He's letting his family history rule how he lives his life, and unfortunately he doesn't know how to stop doing it. That is until he meets Colbie. As I said before, he's really similar with Colbie in how focused he can get, and how willing he is to help people, but unlike her, most people around him protect him instead of take advantage of him. And the people who do use him aren't don't pretend to care for him. It was interesting to see this play out throughout the book. I liked the relationship he has with Eddie, and I love to see how the history of that relationship unfolds as the story goes on. Spence is a guy that really doesn't give himself much credit, and I liked seeing how his friends stood up for him. He's a pretty loyal friend, and I liked him.

As I said, I enjoyed reading about the other characters as well, and it wasn't until I got to the end of the book that I figured out that this book was part of a series, which made me insanely happy.

The book is fast paced, and I managed to read this book pretty fast. As I said before, the fact that it's the 4th installment in a series wasn't an issue, because I was able to read it without having any previous knowledge of the other characters and their stories. There were tons of funny moments, let me tell you! There were a few big, climactic moments in this book that made me realize that sometimes people can be truly generous with others without realizing what drives them to do that. And I thought that was a really interesting thing.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book, and since it is part of a series, I'll definitely check the other books out. Also, for my first Jill Shalvis book, I'm in love and kind of kicking myself for not trying out her books earlier. Definitely check this book out, whether it's for the Christmas spirit, the romance, the humor, or the life lessons you'll find in it.

BUY LINKS for CHASING CHRISTMAS EVE:

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million | iBooks | GooglePlay

ABOUT JILL SHALVIS 

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Connect with Jill

Website | Facebook| Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr | Goodreads 

Blog Tour Book Review: Perfectly Paired by Lexi Blake

Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Topped #3, Masters and Mercenaries #12.5
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance, BDSM
Publisher: DLZ Entertainment, LLC
Release Date: November 29th 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A table for two

Waitress Tiffany Hayes knows what she wants and she wants Sebastian. Top’s grumpy sommelier calls to her in a way no man has before. She simply needs to show him that they belong together. Finding an opportunity to spend some quality time with him turns out to be the easy part. Convincing Sebastian to look beyond his damaged heart and soul is far more difficult.

A thirst he can’t deny

After losing everything he held dear, Sebastian Lowe has finally rebuilt his life and the walls around his heart. Tiffany is a sweet temptation he struggles to resist. She’s bright and complex, but he’s sure she can’t handle his dark desires. When they’re thrown together on an assignment, he can’t help himself.

A perfect pairing

As passion builds, the new lovers are both forced to face their pasts. To have a future, they must find a way to heal the wounds they thought would haunt them forever.

Amazon | iTunes | Barnes & Noble

  *Disclaimer: I received an eARC from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of the book in any way.

I've come to expect great things from Lexi Blake, and this book is no different. Blake has managed once again to make me fall in love with two wonderful characters, make me cry, smile and laugh, all while reading the same book.

The thing that I love most about this book is that this isn't just a romantic, sexy story, but a true story of healing. Sebastian is a truly wounded man, and I don't mean physically. While the loss of his legs is something really hard to go through, his wounds go soul deep. I really ached for him in the beginning of this story. While he may appear to be selfish, we learn why he is cold and why he tries really hard to keep people at arm's length. It was truly a lovely story, and a wonderful journey, seeing Sebastian going from hesitant, guarded and lonely, to a man ready to accept help when he needed it, a man that accepted friendship and a man that accepted himself, a man that allowed himself to be loved. I think that's what made my heart break for him most, the fact that he didn't think he was worthy of love. So I was really glad to see him become the man that I think, in some way, he wanted himself to become.

Tiffany was a wonderful heroine. Stubborn and brave, she's the perfect match to Sebastian. I love how she doesn't get sad and how she doesn't retreat when Sebastian tells her to. She's the type of woman that uses the hurt to try and change the situation into a better one, and I loved that about her. I also loved how in tune she was with what she needed, and what Sebastian needed as well.

I feel like Lexi Blake wrote a story about a very different aspect of BDSM than what I've read before, because I feel like this story truly talked about the power a submissive has when it comes to this type of relationship. While we mostly see BDSM stories show the sub being dominated by a Dom/Domme, here we get a sub servicing her Dom, and it's such a powerful experience. The power of the sub is something a lot of books mention, but that very few truly explore in such a deep way, and I am so happy that Blake went there with this book. Yes, there are sexy times in this book, but I feel like they're not the focus of the story, and that's quite a great change.

I cannot wait to read the next book by Lexi Blake, and I hope that one of the couple that appeared at some point in this book will get their own story.

EXCERPT

Damn but she was a beautiful woman. She was also something he needed to keep his hands off of. No matter what Big Tag said, he did not date women he worked with.
He didn’t really date anyone. He played with subs. When the need got too great, he found a partner for a brief time. He didn’t sleep with anyone. He fucked, and that was starting to get very old. Empty.
“So you said something about house rules?” Tiffany leaned forward, her elbows on the bar. “Are these housekeeping rules or like big bad Dom rules?”
“I don’t suppose I differentiate.” He couldn’t let those big eyes of hers soften him up. It had almost happened at her apartment. When she’d stood up after he’d spanked her and there had been tears running down her face, his impulse had been to reach for her. He’d wanted to draw her in the way he had that night when she was drunk and she’d cried on his shoulder. He’d wanted to smooth back her hair and promise her everything was going to be all right, that he could fix things for her. It was a path that was sure to lead to discomfort for her and humiliation for him. “I prefer a clean living space. I don’t like for things to be messy. I expect that you will keep your things in their proper place.”
Because no matter how hard he tried, he could still trip. The legs he now walked on were only a year old. He’d spent the first two years in a wheelchair.
The Garden’s Wheelchair Dom.
He still wasn’t completely comfortable in the prosthetics.
“I can try,” she said with a frown. “I’ll be honest, I’m not the world’s biggest neat freak.”
He’d been able to tell that from the state of her apartment. It had been cluttered, a bit dusty. With the exception of her easel. That had been perfectly taken care of. He rather wished he’d taken the time to ask to see her art.
He’d seen one painting that night he’d taken her home. It had been a painting of three laughing girls, the swirling colors so vibrant he could hear them giggling as they splashed in a puddle on a rainy day. The figures had been more impressions than photographic reality, but he’d known what she was trying to convey.
“If you cook I’ll clean, and the other way around.” He’d started a list in his head on the long drive. The drive that would have been considerably shorter had they left at the proper time. As she’d sung along to sugary pop songs after she’d changed his radio, he’d sat and considered how to proceed.
With caution. Lots and lots of caution.
“I’m not the best cook in the world,” he continued, “but I can manage. Most nights, of course, we’ll be eating at Top as our training sessions for the new restaurant will last long hours, but I would prefer to eat breakfast here rather than skipping the meal or picking up fast food. Eric made sure the fridge was stocked with a few items I requested.”
“Breakfast.” She gave him a little salute with her free hand. “I can manage that.”
“In addition to our duties at Top, we will now be taking on the additional task of appearing to be a long-term D/s couple, and we need to talk about what that should look like.” Another thing he’d been thinking about ever since that moment the trap had closed around him. “You know you probably could have gotten us out of this assignment. It’s much more difficult for the Dom to say no. The sub always holds the power. Is there a reason you didn’t use yours today?”
“I didn’t want to,” she replied simply. “I don’t have a full-time Dom and I thought it would be interesting to see what that’s like.”
Was she thinking at all? “You know nothing about how I function as a dominant partner.”
“And now I do,” she replied. “You like rules and schedules and you tend to be very fair.”
“I can be quite exacting in my standards.”
“I can be quite flexible,” she shot back as the sexiest smile crossed her face. “I’m serious about that. I can still do the splits and everything.”
“You’re far too reckless, Tiffany.” He didn’t appreciate recklessness so why was she like a siren calling to him? If he listened, he would end up wrecked.
“You’re far too uptight, Sebastian.”

About The Author
 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Blog Tour Book Review: The Darkest Torment by Gena Showalter

   

Gena Showalter’s THE DARKEST TORMENT is coming in paperback! The Queen of Paranormal Romance, USA TODAY bestselling author Gena Showalter, returns with THE DARKEST TORMENT, the eagerly anticipated twelfth novel in her Lords of the Underworld series! Order your copy today!

 
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Lords of the Underworld #12
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Release Date: 31 May 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Can Beauty tame her Beast?

Driven to his death by the demon of Distrust, Baden spent centuries in purgatory. Now he's back, but at what cost? Bound to the king of the underworld, an even darker force, he's unable to withstand the touch of another and he's quickly devolving into a heartless assassin with an uncontrollable temper. Things only get worse when a mission goes awry and he finds himself saddled with a bride just not his own.

Famed dog trainer Katarina Joelle is forced to marry a monster to protect her loved ones. When she's taken hostage by the ruthless, beautiful Baden immediately after the ceremony, she's plunged into a war between two evils with a protector more dangerous than the monsters he hunts. They are meant to be enemies, but neither can resist the passion burning between them and all too soon the biggest threat is to her heart.

But as Baden slips deeper into the abyss, she'll have to teach him to love or lose him forever.

Includes Q&A featuring J. R. Ward, Jeaniene Frost, Nalini Singh and more!

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from InkSlinger PR and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or rating of the book in any way.

One of the urban fantasy series that everyone seems to be talking about is Lords of the Underworld, and I finally decided to pick this series up. I have to say, it's a bit scary going into a series that you've heard great things about, but haven't read the previous books, however I'm very pleased with what I discovered.

As you probably know, I'm a huge lover of all things regarding ancient mythology, so this take on the myth of Pandora's Box is quite interesting and unique. I loved reading about the Lords and how each had to live with a demon inside, and I was quite intrigued with how this was portrayed and with how each character had to deal with that. 

Baden was an interesting male. He's kind of a reluctant hero, he seems like one of those guys that has a mission and just wants to do his job. I felt quite sorry for him, to be honest, because he went through a lot of bad stuff. Sure, when you think about it, a bit of karma was in there somewhere, but he certainly didn't deserve centuries of torment. At some point during the story though, I started to understand him better, and to actually get it, why he did certain things, why he took certain decisions that affected everyone, not just him, why he was so closed off. I think the thing that most made me want to give this guy a hug was how lonely he is. It's so heartbreaking to see him crave something that he once had, that he had to give up on, and that he might never have again. That was so painful.

Katarina was a great heroine. Her story is quite sad, as well. I love how she managed to not let that story break her spirit though, and how she managed to find the good in any situation, and how she keeps fighting. Katarina is a fighter, she's a badass woman, and that is awesome. I love how brave she is. There's a scene at the end of the book where she shows exactly how brave and how totally badass she is, involving herself and a very scary god, and I wanted to high-five her afterwards.

There are a few characters that intrigued me in this book, some that I hope will get their stories told, some that already have their happy ending, I just need to read those books. I love how there are things revealed in this book that makes me wonder what that means for the rest of the series, and I am dying to see if it also helps explain some of the events from the past.

It takes a lot of time for me to read a book in a series, without having read the previous books, and it just goes to show how great a storyteller Showalter is, that I didn't feel lost or confused, or worse, like I'm missing something. Sure, I know that I'm missing parts of the story, but that didn't keep me from totally enjoy this book. In case you're like me, and have had this series for a long time on your TBR, trust me, you won't be sorry for starting to read this series. 

Order THE DARKEST TORMENT here!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * GooglePlay *iBooks * BAM * Kobo * IndieBound

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

     
“—friends are looking for you,” an unfamiliar voice said, breaking into her awareness. It belonged to a male. Was deep and raspy, with the same cocky and perpetually amused timbre as William. “I think they want your head on a platter.”
“Thanks to you, Baden brought trouble to Buda,” William replied, utterly unconcerned by the threat. “Gillian needs peace and quiet right now.”
“I told you not to befriend her. She’s human.”
“And I told you to go fuck yourself. More than once!”
“Is that any way to speak to your dear father?”
“Adopted father,” William grumbled. “And I’m tempted to say worse. Let’s take this conversation outside.”
So. He was speaking with Hades, she realized, sweat beading on her brow. The bad boy of the underworld. And that was saying something!
William didn’t know it, but Hades had appeared to her one night. He’d warned her: Stay away from my son. You aren’t the one for him. Don’t make me prove it.
He’d scared her, but she hadn’t heeded him. William was too important to her.
“Not being blood related to me is an embarrassing secret you’d do well to hide,” Hades remarked now.
Gillian cracked open her eyes…caught sight of two towering shadows on the balcony.
“She’s deathly ill. She’s going to die if you fail to make her immortal,” William snapped. “So, make her immortal.”
“I have the power to change her, yes. But in her condition, she’ll die before she’s turned.”
“Then you’re useless to me. Leave.”
“Tsk-tsk. So rude. You might want to be nice to me, my son. I’m the only thing standing between you and scores of angry husbands you’ve cuckolded over the centuries.”
“As if a legion of them would be any match for me.”
“True. I trained you well. But the girl…they’d hurt her without a qualm.”
William unleashed a storm of curses. “Anyone touches her, and I’ll spend the rest of eternity ensuring they and everyone they love suffer unending torments.”
“What’s so special about her?” Hades asked.
Yes, Liam. What’s so special about me? She’d always wondered.
“I’m not discussing her with you.”
“I’m discussing her with you, then. You can’t be with her. You can’t be with anyone.
You know as well as I that your happiness walks hand-in-hand with your doom.” Gillian had heard a little about William’s doom. Aka, his curse. The woman he loved was destined to destroy him.
Did Gillian believe in curses? Yes and no. She’d lived with demon-possessed immortals for three years now. She’d seen things. Supernatural things. Wild things. Impossible things. But curses…good luck versus bad luck? No. Bad things happened because bad decisions were made. End of story.
“I’m searching for a way to break—” William began.
“You’ve been searching,” Hades interjected. “For centuries.”
“My book—”
“Is nonsense. A trick to make you hope for what can never be so that your demise will be that much sweeter. If the book could be decoded, it would have been decoded by now.”
Another tense pause. Then William spat, “Did you come here to piss me off?”
“Pissing you off is a bonus. I came to warn you.”
“Well, you’ve done both.”
“No, son, I haven’t.” Hades’s voice hardened. “The warning is this: if I think you’re falling for the girl, I’ll kill her myself.”

   

And don’t miss the previous titles in the Lords of the Underworld Series!

THE DARKEST NIGHT

THE DARKEST KISS

THE DARKEST PLEASURE

THE DARKEST WHISPER

THE DARKEST PASSION

THE DARKEST LIE

THE DARKEST SECRET

THE DARKEST SURRENDER

THE DARKEST SEDUCTION

THE DARKEST CRAVING

THE DARKEST TOUCH

       

Don’t Miss each stop on THE DARKEST TORMENT Review & Excerpt Tour!

November 7

Ashleyz Wonderland – Excerpt

Books Make You Happy – Excerpt

 November 8

danielriding.com –Excerpt

 November 9

Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog – Excerpt

 November 10

Reading in Pajamas – Review & Excerpt

 November 11

The Book Beacon – Review & Excerpt

Enjoying life a day at a time – Review

The Bookery Review – Excerpt

 November 12

Barbara's Book Reviews – Excerpt

 November 13

Brittany's Book Blog – Excerpt

Reese's Reviews – Review & Excerpt

 November 14

EskieMama Reads – Excerpt

Those Crazy Book Chicks – Excerpt

 November 15

New Adult Addiction – Review & Excerpt

November 16

WTF ARE YOU READING? – Review & Excerpt

 November 17

Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt

Canadian Book Addict – Review & Excerpt

 November 18

Grownup Fangirl – Excerpt

Ruby's Books – Review & Excerpt

 November 19

Nicole's Book Musings – Excerpt

Quesarasera Book Blog – Excerpt

 November 20

Natalie TheBiblioholic – Review & Excerpt

Sweet and Spicy Reads – Review

 November 21

Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt

PBC – Excerpt

The Eater of Books! – Review & Excerpt

 November 22

I Smell Sheep – Review & Excerpt

Bound by Books Book Review – Review & Excerpt

 November 23

evocative book reviews – Review & Excerpt

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Sassy Moms Say Read Romance – Review & Excerpt

 November 24

The Opening Hook – Review & Excerpt

Books n Wine – Excerpt

Once Upon a Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

 November 25

Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews – Excerpt

Jax's Book Magic – Excerpt

Limelight's Books Blog – Review

Pardon My Blurb – Review & Excerpt

      About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over fifty books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, and the White Rabbit Chronicles. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs. Visit her at genashowalter.com.        

Website | Twitter- @genashowalter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

 

Blog Tour Book Review: Playing It Cool by Amy Andrews

Author: Amy Andrews
Series: Sydney Smoke Rugby #2
Audience: +18
Genre: Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: September 12th 2016
My Rating: 4.5 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Harper Nugent might have a little extra junk in her trunk, but her stepbrother calling her out on it is the last straw… When rugby hottie, Dexter Blake, witnesses the insult, he surprises Harper by asking her out. In front of her dumbass brother. Score! Of course, she knows it’s not for reals, but Dex won’t take no for an answer.

Dexter Blake’s life revolves around rugby with one hard and fast rule: no women. Sure, his left hand is getting a workout, but he's focused on his career for now. Then he overhears an asshat reporter belittle the curvy chick he'd been secretly ogling. What's a guy to do but ask her out? It’s just a little revenge against a poser, and then he'll get his head back in the game.

But the date is better than either expected. So is the next one. And the next. And the heat between them…sizzles their clothes right off.

Suddenly, this fake relationship is feeling all too real…

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from InkSlinger PR and Entangled Publishing, Incorporated in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of this book.

I was super excited when I saw that the second book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series was going to be published so soon after the first one. I was even more excited about it since Harper, the heroine, sounded so cool, so I jumped at the chance to read this book.

I am so happy that Harper turned out to be exactly what I hoped she would be. She seems a bit like a modern version of Cinderella. She's a very loyal person, both to her friends, and family, even though that family doesn't really deserve it. She puts up a really good act, but years of being told that she's not pretty, that she's fat, has made her not trust her own sex appeal, as well as be suspicious of any guy that seems even a tiny little bit interested in her. I wanted to punch her stepbrother and her stepmom so bad, because Harper is a really amazing woman. Also, she's a gamer. So if I didn't love her before, I loved her once I realized she is. She's also really talented, and I'd love to see the team use her artistry in later books, not only because she deserves it, but also because someone needs to tell her family to shove it.

Dexter is the classic example of someone too focused on their career to be able to focus on anything else. And yet, at the same time, he's also probably the sweetest hero I've read about in a while. I liked that he's trying to help Harper with basically no hidden agenda. Sure, they end up having sex, but that was so not his goal. He saw someone who needed help and decided he could help her. I would've fallen for him just because of that. I can't really say I blame him for being career-oriented. Yes, he acted a bit harsh when things got tough, but I understand his motivation. I would have wanted more insight into his childhood than what we got, but other than that the guy is pretty perfect.

The pacing of the book is really good, and the sex is hot. There's also funny moments, some sad moments, so there's a little bit of everything for everyone. I really enjoyed this book and I am excited to see which player gets his book out next.

Book Review Tour + Excerpt: Servicing The Target by Cherise Sinclair (+18)

 

Author: Cherise Sinclair

Series: Masters of the Shadowlands #10
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: July 28th 2015
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: InkSlingerPR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A discharged Army Ranger, Ben considers his job as a BDSM club security guard to be an excellent hobby. He’s never been tempted to join in. But everything changes when the notorious Mistress Anne inadvertently reveals the caring heart concealed beneath her Domme armor.

Now, he’s set his sights on the beautiful Shadowlands Mistress. Maybe he’d considered himself vanilla, but she can put her stiletto on his chest any day, any time. He’ll trust her delicate hands to hold his heart. And if she wants to whip his ass on the way to an outstanding climax, he’s just fine with that too.

Sure, he knows she likes “pretty boy” slaves. And he’s older. Craggy and rough. And six-five. Minor hindrances. The mission is a go.

Buy Links:  Amazon ** iTunes ** GooglePlay ** Barnes & Noble ** Kobo ** ARe


*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If there's one author not afraid of taking her readers into a new world with each book and making sure that they not only are going to learn something new about the world she's creating and about themselves,but also have a great time reading the story, that author is Cherise Sinclair. With each book of hers that I read I am in awe of how many new things and situations and relationships she's introduced me to and how she makes sure that even though the reader might be new and scared, they will at least get a new perspective on the BDSM lifestyle and culture.

Mistress Anne went from being the scary, sadist Domme everyone feared to being someone that I'd truly love to have a conversation with and maybe even be her friend. She's a really interesting character and seeing her both as a woman and as a domme was really interesting. The two roles fit her so well and made her character seem so real and complete. And I liked her artistic side. It made her look even more different than what I first thought of her.

Ben was a surprise. I did not see that one coming. When the news that Ben was going to be Anne's partner hit I didn't see it. I couldn't. I was so used to him being the quiet guy at the entrance, I never for a minute imagined he was going to be the man he turned out to be. Hearing both of their stories made me fall in love with these characters, because it was easy to see why they fit together so well. Not just because of their pasts, but also because they work so well together.

Old characters also appear in this book and it was nice to get updates on them. I can't wait to see who's next to find his/her match.

When I first heard that Mistress Anne was getting her own book I was a bit scared, to be honest. But after having read her and Ben's story  I have the confirmation yet again of why I love Sinclair's books so much.

EXCERPT

     Lifting her sax, she wetted the reed and tested a wandering set of notes. With one hip on the railing, she let her internal playlist scroll and found herself playing “As Time Goes By.” Like a soft rain, the notes spilled over her deck and joined with the evening. A slow song, but not sad. It reminded her that the fundamentals of life, living and loving and dying, held the same from generation to generation.
That life could change for the better.
     She was changing, as was her world. Or maybe she should call it growing, rather than changing.
     As the tune went into the chorus, she heard Ben say something to Bronx in the kitchen. The dog whined an answer, and Ben’s big laugh rumbled out.
     He was quite a guy. He’d been so careful with her this afternoon. Not pushing, but not stopping before he’d made his point.
     Sometimes his internal strength was a bit disconcerting. All her slaves had wanted her in charge, wanted her to take control of everything. But Ben didn’t need her guidance.
     At the same time, he wouldn’t fall apart if she showed any weakness, and because of that, she could relax around him.
     But his obstinate need to be tough—to hide any weakness—was a problem. She should have noticed he was having flashbacks. But now she knew, and she could lead him to talk about his past. She’d pamper him up, keep him close, and ensure he got his sleep. He said he slept better at her house. With her.
     He liked being with her. The realization was…amazing. Overwhelming.
     She felt the same and more. He’d filled her life. Warmed it.
     With a slow flourish, she ended the song and started another. One that had been growing in her heart over the past week, with the knowledge, the worry, the awe.“When I Fall in Love.” The music flowed, the ache of her soul merging with the notes.
     She’d wanted to run. To push him away. And she hadn’t.
     Ben, I love you.
     The knowledge was terrifying and wonderful. For a little while yet, she’d savor the gift, and then she’d share.
     Light washed out over the deck, and he stood there, filling the doorway as completely as he did her heart. “I was listening to you play.”
     His golden-brown eyes held hers as he slowly smiled. “Mistress, may this submissive haul you off to bed?”

ABOUT CHERISE SINCLAIR:

Having to wear glasses in elementary school can scar a person for life.


Dubbed a nerd at an early age, Cherise Sinclair has been trying to live up to the stereotype ever since. And what better way than being an author?

Known for writing deeply emotional stories, the USA Today Bestselling Author has penned sixteen erotic romance novels, most with a BDSM theme. (Please do not mention the phrase mommy porn in her presence.) Her awards range from a National Leather Award to a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice nomination to a GoodReads BDSM group award for best author of the year.

Cherise lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband. Their two fledglings have left the nest recently to try their wings and hopefully will fly high and strong. The “ascendant erotica queen” (Rolling Stone Magazine) now spends her days writing with occasional supervision from a sadistic calico cat.

Website**Facebook**Twitter**Author Goodreads**Novel Goodreads**1001 Dark Nights

Blog Tour Book Review & Guest Post: Identity Break by Stifyn Emrys

Author: Stifyn Emrys

Series: Identity Break #1
Publisher: Createspace
Release Date: February 1st 2013
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: review copy offered by author in exchange for an honest review
Blurb (from Goodreads):

How far would you go to find yourself?

Imagine everything you thought you knew about yourself turned out to be a lie, and you didn’t know who was telling the truth. Imagine you possessed a secret so dangerous that, if it were exposed, it would reshape the entire world. What would you do if that secret were your very identity?

In almost every way, Palo Vista seems like a typical California city, with office buildings, schools, and homes sprawled out across suburbia, filled with families making a life for themselves at the dawn of the new millennium.

But two seniors at Mt. MacMurray High are about to find out that nothing is as it seems. Jason Nix is a star athlete and honors student who can’t seem to remember anything about his childhood. Elyse Van Auten is a budding artist from a broken home whose father left her mother two years ago - or so she’s been led to believe.

Like most teens entering adulthood, Elyse and Jason just want to find out who they really are. For them, however, the stakes go far beyond their own personal quest. Join them on a journey of self-discovery that becomes a desperate fight for survival against enemies determined to conceal the truth … and find out what happens when that fight becomes personal.

The first installment of a new science fiction/adventure series for young adult, adult and new adult readers. Full of action, twists and surprises.

Breathtaking, fast, on edge. That's what comes to my mind right now when I think about this book. I think it really is amazing when a book can be like that. 

I loved the idea of this book, not knowing what the truth really is, always wondering if something is real or not. That idea is both thrilling and terrifying, but it's such a great combination within Identity Break. Then there's the fact that I could never really grasp what was going to happen next. From the first page of the book, I couldn't quite manage to say "ok, this is what will go on next" and be right. I loved that, constantly being surprised.

The book has many POV. Even though at times it was a little confusing, I thought it was a great way to show the full story, not just a side of it. It felt really good. But, like I said earlier, don't think that it can help you anticipate things. At least it didn't help me. One other thing that I loved about the multiple POV. Even though, like I said, I was a little confused, the thing that I noticed is that the POVs don't "bleed" into each other. You know how sometimes you think "wait, I was in X's head, now I'm back to C's POV or is this B's POV??". It didn't happen with Identity Break. I had a very clear image of when I was in each character's head. That was very, very good.

The characters are also very good, they sort of jump out the page, they're so vivid and at times they almost seem real. I really couldn't put this book down. And I cannot wait for the next installment in this series.

GUEST POST:

I just started publishing books last year, so people may ask, “What the heck does he know about it? He’s a noob!”
I admit, it did take me three decades to get around to publishing my first novel, Identity Break . But I’ve spent my entire career writing and editing for newspapers, blogs and so forth.
Still, you might feel more comfortable taking advice from someone who’s been involved in fiction his entire life, so I’ll turn this over to Jason Nix, the protagonist of Identity Break. Here are his ten commandments of successful writing, in his own words:
1) Use active sentences. I’m on the football team, so I like action.
2) Write punchy. Get to the point, please. An action-adventure novel should have lots of action and adventure. Don’t make sentences so long I lose my way. I get lost in Identity Break a couple of times as it is, and believe me, it’s no fun.
3) Don't bore me with elaborate description. I just want enough info to make me feel at home. I can figure out the rest on my own. I’m not stupid, and if I wanted to look at pictures, I’d be watching TV. My girlfriend (well, I wish she were my girlfriend), Elyse, is an artist and knows how to draw pictures in her head. As for me, I don’t need a description of every flower petal or bird’s wing. Why would I? I have a photographic memory!
4) Keep the action coming. Like most good protagonists, I like a challenge. If you keep me sitting on my butt all day, I get restless. I am still a teenager, after all.
5) Make your characters (heroes and villains alike) charming. My nemesis, Pamela Throckmartin, is too charming for her own good. I could actually do without her charm, but I’m sure it’s fun to read about it. Just be glad you don’t have to deal with her personally.
6) Create characters your readers will relate to. Like me. I’m a star athlete with a genius-level I.Q. But underneath it all, I’m just like everyone else. Honest. (Wink, wink.)
7) Shun multisyllabic pomposity. Like that sentence. Just because you have a great vocabulary doesn’t mean you should flaunt it all the time. And yeah, I meant to say “flaunt,” not “flout.” I know the difference.
8) Have fun. But not at the expense of your favorite characters. Please! We have feelings, too (or at least we’re written that way).
9) Surprise the reader. Repeatedly. Make your readers say, "I should have seen that coming." Believe me, I didn’t see the twists in Identity Break coming. From my perspective, it would have been a lot easier if I had.
10) Don't write a dissertation, business proposal, résumé, abstract or legal brief. Write something you'd want to read! I’m graduating from high school soon enough. I don’t want to deal with that garbage until it’s absolutely necessary.

Stifyn Emrys is a journalist and educator who has written on subjects as diverse as history, religion, politics and language. He has served as an editor for fiction and non-fiction projects, and his first book, “The Gospel of the Phoenix,” was published in the summer of 2012. He has published four other books, including three non-fiction works and the children's fairy tale “Feathercap.” “Identity Break” is his first novel. He lives on California’s Central Coast with his wife (also an author), stepson, cat and dog.

 Connect with Stifyn!
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/semrys
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Stifyn-Emrys/e/B008LHKFM2/
Twitter: @stifynemrys.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/stifyn-emrys/58/b73/36b
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/6453846.Stifyn_Emrys
Blog: http://semrys.blogspot.com/
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/stifyn-emrys?dref=2207

Blog Tour: Unbeautifully Loved by Emma Grayson & Giveaway

Unbeautifully Loved (Unbeautiful Life # 1) Blurb:
On the run from her dark and painful past, Lexie Todd is finally forced by her best friend Mollie into settling into a new place for the first time in months. Having been hurt in more ways than one in the past, the last thing Lexie is expecting or wanting is to meet someone as persistent and annoying but incredibly gorgeous as Lukas Gunn.
When an incident leaves Lexie banged up and rattled, Lukas knows there’s more to her than meets the eye as something is haunting her to the core making him nothing but determined to make her his and protect her from whatever it is that casts the dark painful shadow behind her eyes.
But when her past shows up and pulls Lexie back into the nightmare she already once escaped while leaving her closest loved ones in danger it’s up to Lukas to save her from her darkest nightmare relived.
Will Lukas be able to save Lexie? Or will Lexie succumb only having known what it’s like to be Unbeautifully Loved?

EXCERPT:

Prologue

Meeting him changed my life. I never thought I’d meet someone who’d finally complete me like he did. Someone who finally made me feel whole and loved as much as he did. There’s always been a void in my heart, a void I thought I’d never have. I was in love, deeply in love, the kind of love that only comes around once in a life time, the kind you don’t want to live without and he didn’t even know how I felt. I’d waited too long and I didn’t know if I’d ever get to tell him.

The thought of him fizzled from my mind as my body shook from the cold under the thin sheet of a blanket that was wrapped around me. I was in shock, I could tell. I knew the signs. I winced as I moved; shooting pain licked my body in every direction. I knew a couple of my ribs along with my wrist were broken, and possibly something on my face, as pain swept over it and into my head. I raised my free arm up slowly, painfully, feeling my damp face as my hand found its way to the laceration on the side of my head, the source of only some of the pain. Unable to hold my arm up for much longer, it fell to the side throbbing and dangling off the edge of the bed. My body, it was beaten and bruised possibly more than ever before and I could feel myself slipping away, wanting nothing but to close my eyes and sleep, but it was the last thing I’d allow myself to do.

My mind was disoriented; I had no idea what day it was or how long I had been locked in this cold, dark place. Time was frozen, becoming nonexistent, and I was sure the days were just bleeding together. I thought about Finn and Mollie, hoping and praying they were safe because I didn’t know if I was going to see them again. The thought of that was unbearable. My eyes watered, nose burned and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

Pull it together.

Think.

I didn’t know where I was, why I was even here or what caused him to do what he did to me. I felt like my life, my being, was being sucked right out of me. The abuse had taken its toll on my body and I had no fight left in me. All hope that I had earlier was beginning to fade away.

The door creaking open brought me back from my thoughts, my eyes snapped closed at the light that followed him in. I wanted to pull my blanket up to hide myself and hope it would make me disappear but I couldn’t and there was no point in trying. Looking at him you wouldn’t think any kind of malicious evil would consume him, but it did. It was written all over his face, in the grin he wore and the burning in his cold, dead blue eyes. A shiver ran through me as I thought of his eyes looking back at me, blank, filled with nothing but coldness and the brightness of those eyes forever gone. I’d never seen a pair of eyes so cold, or so hollow and dark, not even the pair I looked into years before compared to what I was seeing now.

He walked over to the side of the bed, no words said. His rough cold hands roamed over my hair down the side of my face and my body stilled as I wished him away. My eyes snapped shut not knowing what was about to come.

His hand slipped under the covers, gliding over my naked arm, stopping above my elbow, lingering there a moment before moving away and then my cuffed hand was free. His hand went back, gripping my arm tightly as he pulled me to a sitting position. Pain radiated through me as I let out a whimper. He pulled me to my frozen feet, my knees shook, feeling like they were going to give out, unable to support me. I felt myself sway to the side but his grip held me upright, tightly; his fingers dug into my arm, pinching my skin.

What’s one more bruise?

He started to pull me towards the open door, my eyes squinting, trying to adjust to the light. I didn’t know where we were going and I was sure it wasn’t going to be good and for the first time I was wishing to stay in the hole. I didn’t have any strength to fight him so I let him pull me, taking me wherever he was going.

Maybe I had it all wrong. Maybe it was meant to end here and meeting him, falling in love, having this emptiness I carried around finally filled, maybe it was only supposed to be... temporary.

Life had a way of playing cruel tricks on you.

This I knew.

Boy did I know.

I no longer saw the future with him as bright, happy and full of love; it was suddenly now empty, numb and full of complete and utter darkness.

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Tour Schedule
5/5/2013 Guilty Pleasures
Read Our Lips

5/6/2013
Italian Brat's Obsessions
Ruby's Books
Scandalicious Book Reviews
Feeling Fictional

5/7/2013
Busy Moms Book Reviews
Lori's Book Blog
Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews
The Readers Roundtable by Candlelight
First Class Books

5/8/2013
A Crazy Vermonter's Book Reviews
Jessy's Book Club
Read Your Writes Book Reviews
From the TBR Pile
Romantic Reading Escapes

5/9/2013
Bookworm Brandee
Day Dreaming Book Reviews
Under the Covers
Flirting With Romance
Mrs Condit & Friends Read Books

5/10/2013
Cocktails and Books
Devoured Words
The Little Black Book Blog
Tina's Book Reviews

5/13/2013
Book Bitches Blog
Tattooed Book Review
Tiffany Talks Books
Three Chicks and Their Books

5/14/2013
Sugar and Spice Book Reviews
For The Love Of Film And Novels
Jelena's Book Blog
My Fiction Nook

5/15/2013
Bookittyblog
Queen of the Night Reviews
Simply Ali
Smardy Pants Book Blog

5/16/2013
Full Moon Bites
Hesperia Loves Books
Red Headed Bookworm
Sunset Reader Reviews

5/17/2013
The BookWhisperer
Shh Moms Reading
THESUBCLUBbooks

Blog Tour Book Review: A Cast of Shadows by Hailey Edwards & Giveaway

Author: Hailey Edwards
Series: Araneae Nation #2.5
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Release Date: February 12th 2013
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: copy offered in exchange for an honest review
Blurb (from Goodreads):

"The strongest net is no match for destiny. "

An "Araneae Nation" Story

Daraja has grown up watching her brothers journey down the river on the traditional Deinopidae rite of passage. Each returned with riches from their travels, and lovers with whom to share their lives.

Now she has reached the age where she would strike out on her own to seek her fortune-if she were male. Instead, she is expected to sit patiently, weave her nets and wait for the river to bring a husband to her.

Patience, however, has never been her strong suit.

Brynmor haunts the forest surrounding the city of Cathis, his disembodied spirit inextricably bound to the wild canis roaming his lands. Until the day he stumbles across a brazen trespasser in his woods.

Compelled to step in when the canis suspect her of poaching one of their own, Brynmor fears he has lost a piece of his ragged soul to the feisty, adventure-seeking female. And when the canis confront the real poachers, he is forced to choose which life to sacrifice. Hers...or his own.

Warning: This book contains one heroine with a knack for weaving nets and one hero who relishes getting caught. Expect singing, some howling, ghostly shenanigans, and the start of a love that transcends death.

Ever since A Feast of Souls I've been hoping Brynmor will get some sort of happy ending. He wasn't exactly the easiest guy to be around in Vaughn's story and we already knew some bad stuff about him from the previous book and what he did to his mate and all that. But I have to be honest and say that somewhere along the way, during A Feast of Souls, he sort of charmed me. Yes, I know, I'm a sucker for a tortured hero, especially when he's trying so hard to help the people around him, even though he did things in the past that hurt those same people.

Anyway, I was very excited when I heard that he got a story. And it proved me that I was correct on two things: Vaughn did get his charms from Brynmor and there was a reason other than cruelness for Brynmor to do what he did.

Daraja was a very good heroine. I feel like she was the perfect match for our tortured hero. And I liked her. I am hoping we get to see this couple more in the upcoming books.

One thing that I was curious about was how the author would make their love story happen. I loved that we don't get the usual story with these two. I can't say more, for fear of giving something away, but it's nice to see fresh, new takes on a subject and this is one of them.

Of course, me being me, I wish we'll see more of the wild canis pack. Or maybe a story with them? Wouldn't that be great? *grins*

Now to wait impatiently for the next book in this series. Do read the series people, as it is very, very good.

Purchase Links: 

Samhain: http://bit.ly/13Mn06o 

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/Vbt8oG 

Barnes & Noble.com: http://bit.ly/VOzLvB 

Author Bio: Born in the Deep South, Hailey is a lifelong resident of Alabama. Her husband works for the local sheriff’s department and her daughter is counting down the days until she’s old enough to audition for American Idol. Her doxie, Black Ilex, helps Hailey write by snoozing in his recliner in her office.

Her desire to explore without leaving the comforts of home fueled her love of reading and writing. Whenever the itch for adventure strikes, Hailey can be found with her nose glued to her Kindle’s screen or squinting at her monitor as she writes her next happily-ever-after.

Website: http://haileyedwards.net/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3345773.Hailey_Edwards
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HaileyEdwards
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorhaileyedwards
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/haileyredwards/

GIVEAWAY!!!

Giveaway Guidelines:

 Hailey is gifting a digital book from a select list of her backlist titles to a commenter per number of tour stops. The contest is open internationally to anyone 18 years or older, or the age of majority, and will run from 12:01am EST 2/11/13 – 11:59pm EST 2/18/13. No purchase is necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The winners will be randomly selected via the widget and notified via Lit Connect (http://litconnect.com) within five days close of the tour. Please follow the Rafflecopter directions for ways to enter.

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