Monday, April 16, 2018

Obsessed With Covers #47: Dark Secrets, The Bird and the Blade, The Spell Speakers

Y'all know how much I love a pretty cover. I think about...40% of the books that end up on my shelves (be they physical or digital) do so because of the covers. Call me shallow but you have to admit that a pretty, shiny cover will catch your eye faster than a dull, boring one. Two, simple rules that I'll follow:


  • 1, 2 or 3 (no more than 3, though) covers per week;
  • books should be new-ish; no more than 2 years old.
Oh, before I share the covers that made me drool or want to stare at them for hours and hours, I have to say something. This is a semi-original idea. Why semi? Because almost every book blogger has something similar. The only thing I came up with was the title. If by any chance there's another blogger with a similar feature with the same title, I assure you I'm not stealing your idea. I'm just THAT bad with titles. Believe me, I'd love to be smarter and have a witty name for this feature, but I don't. So, no copyright infringement/theft/steal or anything of the sort was desired. All I can say is sorry :P


So, here are the prettiest covers I've seen this week.

There are so many gorgeous details in this cover, I have a hard time choosing where to start. I've always been really obsessed with lanterns, especially those vintage looking ones, so the one in this book is absolutely gorgeous. I also love how it seems to be that the lantern and the butterflies inside it are the focus of this photo. I also love the multitude of small lights, which I want to think of as fireflies, that surround the lantern. There's something mystical about this cover, and the only thing that makes it even a little bit scary is the association between the cover and the title. When adding the title, the cover becomes less "fairy tale"-like, and more mysterious and scary. Because I realize that those butterflies are trapped inside the lantern, at night, with nothing to defend them. I'm super curious about the story right now, to be honest.

Dark Secrets by Angela M. Hudson




This cover art is as pretty as it is simple. When I think about it, the thing that caught my eye in this cover art is the way the bloodied feathers are arranged. Because it seems as if the most blood is underneath, on the feathers of which we only manage to see the tips. The top feathers have little to no blood on them. That's intriguing, because it makes me think as if the wound that caused so much bleeding is a deep, but a hidden one, something that it's not easy to see. I also like the font used for the title. "Bird" is less shinier than "Blade", and there are flecks of light coming from the lower side of the cover, that don't reach the top part of the title. I find that really, really interesting. This is definitely a book I'll read.





I saw this book on Netgalley and I fell in love with the cover. I've talked about my love of cartoonish and illustrated covers before, but this cover art is among the best illustrated ones I've seen so far. I love the warm tones, the pinks, browns and reds mixed up with some yellows and with the occasional green elements. I love the look on the character's face. That is one mischievous look, y'all. I love how the character has a hand held out, kind of like reaching out for the reader. I wonder how much trouble this character might get into, as well as how the story will play with readers' hearts.



The Spell Speakers by Day Leitao

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Book Review: Tess Of The Road by Rachel Hartman

Author: Rachel Hartman
Series: Tess of the Road #1
Audience: 16
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: February 27th 2018
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):
In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can't make a scene at your sister's wedding and break a relative's nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences. As her family plans to send her to a nunnery, Tess yanks on her boots and sets out on a journey across the Southlands, alone and pretending to be a boy.

Where Tess is headed is a mystery, even to her. So when she runs into an old friend, it's a stroke of luck. This friend is a quigutl--a subspecies of dragon--who gives her both a purpose and protection on the road. But Tess is guarding a troubling secret. Her tumultuous past is a heavy burden to carry, and the memories she's tried to forget threaten to expose her to the world in more ways than one.
*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.

Release Day Promo: Lexi Blake Crossover Collection

Crossover2  

Discover the Lexi Blake Crossover Collection Release Date: April 10, 2018

   

Crossover_Lexi Blake_300dpi_newCLOSE COVER by Lexi Blake

Remy Guidry doesn’t do relationships. He tried the marriage thing once, back in Louisiana, and learned the hard way that all he really needs in life is a cold beer, some good friends, and the occasional hookup. His job as a bodyguard with McKay-Taggart gives him purpose and lovely perks, like access to Sanctum. The last thing he needs in his life is a woman with stars in her eyes and babies in her future.

Lisa Daley’s life is finally going in the right direction. She has finally graduated from college after years of putting herself through school. She’s got a new job at an accounting firm and she’s finished her Sanctum training. Finally on her own and having fun, her life seems pretty perfect. Except she’s lonely and the one man she wants won’t give her a second look.

There is one other little glitch. Apparently, her new firm is really a front for the mob and now they want her dead. Assassins can really ruin a fun girls’ night out. Suddenly strapped to the very same six-foot-five-inch hunk of a bodyguard who makes her heart pound, Lisa can’t decide if this situation is a blessing or a curse.

As the mob closes in, Remy takes his tempting new charge back to the safest place he knows—his home in the bayou. Surrounded by his past, he can’t help wondering if Lisa is his future. To answer that question, he just has to keep her alive.


 

Crossover_Larissa_300dpi_newHER GUARDIAN ANGEL by Larissa Ione

After a difficult childhood and a turbulent stint in the military, Declan Burke finally got his act together. Now he’s a battle-hardened professional bodyguard who takes his job at McKay-Taggart seriously and his playtime – and his playmates – just as seriously. One thing he never does, however, is mix business with pleasure. But when the mysterious, gorgeous Suzanne D’Angelo needs his protection from a stalker, his desire for her burns out of control, tempting him to break all the rules…even as he’s drawn into a dark, dangerous world he didn’t know existed.

Suzanne is an earthbound angel on her critical first mission: protecting Declan from an emerging supernatural threat at all costs. To keep him close, she hires him as her bodyguard. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that she’s in over her head, defenseless against this devastatingly sexy human who makes her crave his forbidden touch.

Together they’ll have to draw on every ounce of their collective training to resist each other as the enemy closes in, but soon it becomes apparent that nothing could have prepared them for the menace to their lives…or their hearts.



 

Crossover_J Kenner_300dpiJUSTIFY ME by J. Kenner

McKay-Taggart operative Riley Blade has no intention of returning to Los Angeles after his brief stint as a consultant on mega-star Lyle Tarpin’s latest action flick. Not even for Natasha Black, Tarpin’s sexy personal assistant who’d gotten under his skin. Why would he, when Tasha made it absolutely clear that—attraction or not—she wasn’t interested in a fling, much less a relationship.

But when Riley learns that someone is stalking her, he races to her side. Determined to not only protect her, but to convince her that—no matter what has hurt her in the past—he’s not only going to fight for her, he’s going to win her heart. Forever.




Crossover_Corinne_300dpi

SAY YOU WON'T LET GO by Corinne Michaels

I’ve had two goals my entire life:
1. Make it big in country music.
2. Get the hell out of Bell Buckle.

I was doing it. I was on my way, until Cooper Townsend landed backstage at my show in Dallas.

This gorgeous, rugged, man of few words was one cowboy I couldn’t afford to let distract me. But with his slow smile and rough hands, I just couldn’t keep away.

Now, there are outside forces conspiring against us. Maybe we should’ve known better? Maybe not. Even with the protection from Wade Rycroft, bodyguard for McKay-Taggart, I still don’t feel safe. I won’t let him get hurt because of me. All I know is that I want to hold on, but know the right thing to do is to let go…


 

Crossover_Carly_300dpiHIS TO PROTECT by Carly Phillips

Talia Shaw has spent her adult life working as a scientist for a big pharmaceutical company. She’s focused on saving lives, not living life. When her lab is broken into and it's clear someone is after the top secret formula she’s working on, she turns to the one man she can trust. The same irresistible man she turned away years earlier because she was too young and naive to believe a sexy guy like Shane Landon could want her.

Shane Landon’s bodyguard work for McKay-Taggart is the one thing that brings him satisfaction in his life. Relationships come in second to the job. Always. Then little brainiac Talia Shaw shows up in his backyard, frightened and on the run, and his world is turned upside down. And not just because she’s found him naked in his outdoor shower, either.

With Talia's life in danger, Shane has to get her out of town and to her eccentric, hermit mentor who has the final piece of the formula she’s been working on, while keeping her safe from the men who are after her. Guarding Talia's body certainly isn't any hardship, but he never expects to fall hard and fast for his best friend’s little sister and the only woman who’s ever really gotten under his skin.

 


Crossover_Susan_300dpiRESCUING SADIE: A Delta Force Heroes/Masters and Mercenaries Novella by Susan Stoker

Sadie Jennings was used to being protected. As the niece of Sean Taggart, and the receptionist at McKay-Taggart Group, she was constantly surrounded by Alpha men more than capable, and willing, to lay down their life for her. But when she visits her friend in San Antonio, and acts on suspicious activity at Milena’s workplace, Sadie puts both of them in the crosshairs of a madman. After several harrowing weeks, her friend is now safe, but for Sadie, the repercussions of her rash act linger on.

Chase Jackson, no stranger to dangerous situations as a captain in the US Army, has volunteered himself as Sadie's bodyguard. He fell head over heels for the beautiful woman the first time he laid eyes on her. With a Delta Force team at his back, he reassures the Taggart's that Sadie will be safe. But when the situation in San Antonio catches up with her, Chase has to use everything he's learned over his career to keep his promise...and to keep Sadie alive long enough to officially make her his.


  Close Cover Lexi teaser 3 (1)

EXCERPT

Close Cover by Lexi Blake
“Lisa? Are you listening to me?”

Nope. “Yes, of course.”

He stared at her like he knew she wasn’t listening. “I was saying you need to take this seriously. You’re in a dangerous position.”

“Jimmy isn’t violent. He’s a jerk but he’s not violent.” Suddenly she wasn’t hungry. The whole day had been one long mistake. Did she need to cap it off by making one more?

“You know what? I’m really tired. I think I’m going to go to bed.”

His stare pinned her. “So I hit on a touchy subject and you punish me by sending me away?”

“No, I’m tired and I had a shitty day and I want to go to bed.”

“I want to go to bed, too,” he said, his voice low.

The moment seemed to stop, his words right out there in the open, his eyes intent on her. There was heat in those eyes.

“Ask me again, Lisa. Give me another chance.”

All the reasons she shouldn’t fell away because damn it, she was an optimist and at some point in time her luck had to change. She didn’t want to miss that because she was too scared to try. “Would you like to go to bed with me, Sir?”

“Tell me why you left the club.”

Damn it. That wasn’t an answer. “Because I gave up my car and I didn’t want to admit it to my family because they’re nosy as hell. Because I’ve been too depressed to play. Because I couldn’t play with the man I wanted to play with.”

His hand came out and he tugged her up, maneuvering her until she was sitting on his lap.

And what a comfy lap it was. She fit easily, her butt on his big thigh, his muscular arm around her waist making her feel dainty and feminine.

“I’m going home soon and I probably won’t be back,” he explained.

She nodded. “It’s okay. I wasn’t looking to get married. I’ll be honest. When I asked you six months ago, I was looking for a Dom, but not now. Now I just want someone to help me get through the night.”

  Crossover1    

About the Authors


lexi-blake
About Lexi Blake: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. She began writing at a young age concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.

  Facebook | Twitter | Website | Amazon  






About Larissa Ione: Larissa Ione is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. An Air Force veteran, she traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion of writing. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her U.S. Coast Guard husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.

  Website | Facebook | Twitter  







Julie-Kenner
About J. Kenner: Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures.

Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries.

J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats.

  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Amazon


Corinne-Close-Medium-200x300About Corinne Michaels: New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Corinne Michaels is the author of nine romance novels. She’s an emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun loving mom of two beautiful children. Corinne is happily married to the man of her dreams and is a former Navy wife.

After spending months away from her husband while he was deployed, reading and writing was her escape from the loneliness. She enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak and finding a way to heal them through their struggles. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love.

Newsletter | Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest Amazon | Facebook Group



About Carly Phillips: Carly Phillips is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 50 sexy contemporary romance novels, including the Indie published, Dare to Love Series. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, the mother of two nearly adult daughters and three crazy dogs. Carly loves social media and is always around to interact with her readers.

  Newsletter | Facebook | Carly's Corner | Instagram | Twitter | Website      








About Susan Stoker: New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Texas where she lives, but this all American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, and Indiana. She's married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.

She debuted her first series in 2014 and quickly followed that up with the SEAL of Protection Series, which solidified her love of writing and creating stories readers can get lost in.

  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Cover Reveal: The Dating Experiment by Emma Hart


    

1.Get over my best friend’s brother.

2.Remember that I’m over him.

3.Prove I can date other people.

It should be easy.

It’s not.

  Setting up a dating website with the guy I’ve been in love with since I was five wasn’t my smartest idea.

Especially since he’s my best friend’s brother—thankfully, she’s okay with the fact I’m pulling a Sandy and I’m hopelessly devoted to him.

Which is why it’s time to get over him.

So I do something crazy and ask Dominic Austin to find me a date. He does—if I find him one, too.

Since we own Stupid Cupid, it should be easy, right? And it is.

My date is perfect. His date is perfect. Everything is perfect.

Until he kisses me…

  Three dates.

One kiss.

And a big-ass mess…
  

PREORDER NOW

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Nook | iBooks | Kobo

         
“The fuck are you doing here?”

“Elliott said you needed help. Here is your help.” Peyton gestured extravagantly to herself before she shut the door behind her. “And I know it’s about Chloe and her date, so cut to the chase.”

Girl-talk. Of course she already knew.

“I need to fill out her application,” I told her. “But I’m stuck.”

She rolled her eyes. “And you can’t ask her to do it?”

I stared at her flatly.

“Right, no, of course,” she drawled, a tiny hint of her New Orleans drawl twanging at every word. “Why would you ask the woman you’re in love with to fill out her own dating record?”

“Can you shut the fuck up and help me?” I threw my hands out to the sides.  “I found her a match. Help me out here, Peyt.”

My sister stilled. “You found her a match?”

“Of course I did. I said I would, so I did.”

“Wow. You’re actually going through with it. Kudos, bro.” She rounded my desk and perched on the arm of my chair.

I glanced at her. “Can you put your chest away?”

She tugged at the neckline of her shirt and pulled it right up. “Put away. Let me see what you’ve written so far.” She snatched the mouse out of my hand and scrolled. “Jesus, Dom,” she said after a minute. “This is basic. This won’t get her laid.”

I didn’t want to get her laid. I wanted to get her a good date, not a fucking orgasm.

“Whatever. Can you make her attractive to a random stranger?”

“You can’t?” Peyton quirked an eyebrow and looked at me. “You’ve been attracted to her for at least ten years. Surely you can do better than this.”

“Peyton. I want your help, not your bullshit.”

“Good luck with that,” she muttered. “All right, move your ass. Let me do this for you.”

“Don’t make her sound too attractive.” My voice was no louder than hers had been as I stood and made way for her to take my seat.

She snorted, deleting everything I’d written except the first couple of questions. “I’m gonna make her so attractive that she has every eligible bachelor in New Orleans clambering for her attention.”

     
By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies—usually wine—and writes books.

Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.

She likes to be busy—unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.



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Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Cover Reveal: Carousel of Faults by Mark C. King

Today I’m helping unveil the cover for Carousel Of Faulta, the second installment of Mark C. King's series The Book Reapers, designed by Key of Heart Designs. Without further ado, here is the cover:


Are we defined by our faults?

Naomi Gladwyn’s life went from abominable to amazing. Narrowly avoiding life in a dismal London workhouse, she ended up with an adopted family and dear friends. This new life, however, is not without its thorns.

Much of her time revolves around Dark Books – books that are so emotional, so influential, that a reader cannot help but carry out what is written, often with deadly results. She now hunts these dangerous tomes with her adopted father, Mr. Stafford.

But a past mistake, a torturous secret, haunts her and – when revealed – puts everything she has and everything she ever wanted in jeopardy.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38313224-carousel-of-faults

Title: Carousel of Faults (The Book Reapers, Book 2)
Author: Mark C. King
Release Date: July 10
Author Website: www.markcking.com
Twitter: @markckingauthor
Instagram: @mark_c_king

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Wednesday Chatter: Ratings and Why I Take Them With A Grain Of Salt


Wednesday Chatter is a weekly feature at Ruby's Books where we'll be talking about anything and everything related to books and reading. Click here if you want to see what we talked about in the previous weeks

WARNING: Some bad words might be used in the following post. Don't say I didn't warn you!



Hello dear book lovers! Today I want to talk to you about ratings. I was inspired by a discussion I had with Lia over on Twitter, and by one of the interview questions Fanna had for me in her Interview Of The International guest post series.

I've always been a firm believer that while it's good to have rated reviews, because they give some sort of guideline for when you're checking out a book you are curious about, at the end of the day, those ratings are subjective. What I consider a 5 star book some other reader might view as a 3 star book or lower.

At the same time, my 5 star rating and another reader's 5 star rating, ultimately, don't mean the same thing. For example, for one reader it might mean the book had no issues, no little detail that may be seen as problematic. For me, however, a 5 star rating refers to a book that, despite those issues, of which sometimes I'm aware of and sometimes I'm not, has the elements of a great read: good plot, good pacing, great characters, great conflict, AND not a lot of inconsistencies. I accept that in long series there may be some inconsistencies, but not the kind that make me think a character has blue eyes in chapter 3 and then two chapters later that same character has red eyes with black dots. Unless it's some type of shifter and then it's something that makes sense.

Besides the regular rating, I also am a firm believer in half stars, if you use the 5 star rating system. For me, there's a big difference between a 4 star rating and a 5 star rating. Besides the quality aspects in the story and characters, a 5 star book means I'll definitely be rereading it at some point, a 4 star read I might reread, and anything under doesn't usually end up in my reread pile. However, there are subtle details, small things that will make a book better than a 4 star read, but not quite a 5 star read. It's difficult to explain, and it's usually little things that make me go for that extra half star.

Does that mean ratings don't count? No. Ratings definitely count. BUT. I like to take into account what that reader or that reviewer considers a 5 star review and then go from there when trying to decide if the book in question might be something I'd enjoy, based on a reader's rating.

That being said, I am rarely shocked by a book getting certain ratings, be they high or low. Each and every one of us is a single individual with things we like and things we don't like, things we have in common with others and things we don't. It's only natural that a book will find its perfect reader. This is why I have so many erotic novels in my Read shelf on Goodreads. At the same time, we also evolve as readers. For example, if anyone had told me, 10-12 years go, that I would enjoy reading anything other than erotic romance books, I would have laughed in their faces. And yet here I am, reading mysteries, thrillers and YA books and loving them.

While I do believe that ratings are a great way to categorize books and to make you figure out what is popular and what isn't, I think it's important to remember that ratings have always been and will always be subjective, and each and every one of us has different ways to interpret them. It's why we might love an "underappreciated" book or series (take my deep love for Beautiful Creatures) and why we might be the black sheep and dislike "hyped" books (me and ACOMAF).

Let's discuss. Do you think ratings have a universal meaning or do you focus on a combo of rating and review when trying to decide what to read next?

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