Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Cover Reveal: Tone Deaf by Olivia Rivers

Title: Tone Deaf
Genre: New Adult Romance
Age Group: 16+
Release Date: November 4th, 2013


His world is music…
Her world is silent.
Ali Blinde was a prodigy destined to become one of the greatest musicians of the 21st century.
Until the brain tumor struck.
Now seventeen, Ali lives in a soundless world where she gets by with ASL and lip-reading. So when she meets Jace Beckett, she thinks he’s her worst nightmare come true. Jace is the lead singer in the wildly-popular band, Tone Deaf, and he’s exactly the kind of success-story Ali hates and resents.
Nineteen-year-old Jace has it all: fame, money, and any girl he wants. Every night on tour brings a new performance and a new girl, which is just what he needs to avoid the pain of relationships.
But when Jace learns Ali is being abused, he reluctantly proposes a solution: Run away with him and his band as they tour the country. With freedom in sight, Ali takes the offer. Immediately, she’s swept into a world filled with wild punk music, wilder musicians, and maybe—just maybe—love. 


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 About the author:

Olivia Rivers is the author of six novels, ranging in genres from Epic Fantasy to Contemporary Romance. Along with being a writer, she’s a freelance digital artist, a literary agent assistant, and a high school student. She’s a nerd at heart, and is a hopeless fan-girl for Doctor Who and Arrested Development. Olivia lives in California with a dog who thinks he’s a cat, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and a kitten who is just generally confused.



Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Free eBooks!!


**Note - I have no idea how long these will remain free**

Title: The Scarlet Dagger (The Red Sector Chronicles #1)
Author: Krystle Jones

The strength of Sloane’s heart is about to be put to the ultimate test.

After the Eclipse – the night vampires began openly slaughtering human victims – everything changed. Out of fear, the government salvaged what remained of the human population and enclosed them in massive, security-laden cities called White Sectors, while marking the vampire infested territory as Red Sectors.

When seventeen-year-old Sloane McAllister’s twin brother disappears, she seems to be the only one who thinks he isn’t dead, and vows to stop at nothing to find him. Gathering her courage, she braves the Red Sector to search for clues to his whereabouts. By chance, she encounters Aden, a handsome, charismatic vampire with a hidden agenda. He turns Sloane against her will, and whisks her away to his underground city. Enemies quickly become friends as Sloane struggles against her attraction to Aden, and resists her growing loyalties to the creatures that ruined her life. But the vampires themselves are the least of her problems. The city is harboring a devastating secret, one that could change the tide of the war and threaten to destroy everything Sloane has come to believe in.




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Title: Deep Blue Secret (The Water Keepers #1)
Author: Christie Anderson


California teen Sadie James thinks her life couldn't get any better. She has great friends, an energetic mother she adores, and the beach practically in her own backyard. But her carefree life is turned upside down when she's rescued by a mysterious and strangely familiar boy who won't even tell her his name. Each time the boy appears, Sadie's unexplainable attraction to him deepens along with her need to unravel his secrets. The boy is there to protect her, but as wonderful and exciting as it might be to have an irresistible boy with crystal green eyes protecting her every move, every minute of the day...why does Sadie need one? As Sadie finds answers, she realizes her life isn't as perfect as she thought. Not only is she caught in a world of dangerous secret agents she never knew existed, but it turns out her true identity may be the greatest secret of all.




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 Title: Dark Promise (Between Worlds #1)
Authors: Julia Crane & Talia Jager

Rylie has it all - great friends, dream boy, loving family. But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, her perfect little world shatters. A stranger claiming to be her real mother appears with a secret: Rylie is a faery whose powers will be unleashed on her birthday. Captured and forced into a new life, Rylie struggles to keep everything she loves and discovers a terrifying truth: some promises cannot be broken. 




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Title: Blood Like Poison: The Trilogy (Blood Like Poison #1-3)
Author: M. Leighton

Follow Bo and Ridley in their battle to save a love that transcends time, humanity, and the bounds of both heaven and hell.

Book 1: For the Love of a Vampire


Like most seventeen year olds, Ridley Heller thought she had her future all planned out. What she wanted most in life was to get out of small town Harker. Her only goal was to keep her mouth shut and her grades high so she could win a cheerleading scholarship to Stanford. But that was before she met Bo.

In Ridley’s wildest dreams, she could never have planned for someone like Bo, for a love so intense it left her breathless. No human girl could.

A haunting stranger that watched her from afar, Bo stole Ridley’s heart from the moment she laid eyes on him. But he has secrets. Bo’s a vampire. Both his past and his present are a danger to Ridley, but the biggest threat is not her blood; it’s her heart. He’s feeding a thirst for revenge that will cost him his life, and it may already be too late.

The more darkness Ridley uncovers, the more she realizes that her life will never be the same—with or without Bo. Can she sacrifice her future and her heart for someone who has a death wish?


Book 2: Destined for a Vampire

Ridley Heller thought that all her problems would be over if she could have Bo back—back from the dead. But what Ridley didn’t know was that her wish would come at a price.

Bo survived a condition that would have killed a lesser vampire, or any vampire for that matter. The only reason he didn’t die is because of who he is, someone Ridley doesn’t know at all. Someone Bo himself doesn’t know at all.

As Ridley gets closer to finding out Bo’s true identity, she discovers that loving him could also come at a price, a price much higher than she ever could have imagined. The question is: is there any such thing as a price too high to pay for Bo? For his love, for his safety, for eternity in his arms?


Book 3: To Kill an Angel

Ridley Heller thought her life would be perfect and trouble-free once she had Bo back. Unfortunately, she couldn’t have been more wrong. Learning Bo’s true identity has left them with their most difficult decision yet. They have two options. One, they can run away together and spend eternity looking over their shoulder, hiding from both God and Sebastian. Or, two, they can find a way to kill Sebastian. Ridley feels like there’s really only one choice, but killing Sebastian has a major down side for her—it will leave Bo mortal and her a vampire. She’ll be doomed to walk the earth alone for all eternity.

What will they choose? And who will have to die in order to see their goal accomplished? Find out in the exciting conclusion of the Blood Like Poison series, To Kill an Angel.




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 Title: Eternal Breath of Darkness (Breath of Darkness #1)
Author: Candice Stauffer

Will Caylee’s salvation come from the solitude of the cold, dark grave or from the the sinful delights of surrendering her body and soul to the seduction of a wickedly sexy, dark and dangerous powerful immortal?

From the beginning of time, Haden’s kind has to stop the deadliest forces of darkness from destroying mankind. He has never feared defeat until now. He would sacrifice anyting, even his life to protect Caylee. But despite possessing the dragon’s fierce nature and power, there’s little hope he’ll save her from a lust-crazed vampire that a rogue demon is aiding. Instead of completing the ancient ritual that’ll give his eternal breath to her and bind their souls together for eternity, will Haden be forced to kill Caylee to prevent her from suffering a never-ending thirst for blood?
 


Free on Amazon and B&N


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  Title: Dagger Heart
Author: Ronnell D. Porter

 “Erica was a good girl – most of the time – and didn’t step on anyone’s toes – for the most part. But sometimes a girl like her just couldn’t help getting into trouble.”

Norway, 704 A.D.

The valiant King Ulfur defeated the evil that swept the seaside village of Nornör into despair; Morgan, the demon witch, has been dead for nearly twenty years. The truce between King Úlfur and the Queen of the Fae has remained intact since the day that Morgan’s dark curses vanished. It seemed that peace had finally come to the wounded souls of the village.

But this peace is shaken when three curses that Morgan promised with her dying breath are placed upon the Norwegian village: who among them has cast the spell?

Seventeen-year-old Erica finds herself trapped in the middle of a witch’s deadly revenge scheme with no way out but to fight for survival. On top of trying to end the curses devouring her village like a savage beast she finds herself at the center of attention when it comes to Viking King Úlfur’s three sons: Kriger, Paul, and Finn.

Three of them will fight alongside her.
Two of them want to marry her.
One of them could be the son of King Úlfur… and Morgan.


Free on Amazon and B&N


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Title: Strictly Business
Author: Aubrianna Hunter

She is an architect; successful, professional. So when she meets Jake Morgenstern she refuses to let the stubborn, sexist, obnoxious pig of a man disrupt her calm demeanor. No matter how strong, gorgeous and ridiculously appealing he is.
He is expecting a man. So when Jess Wythe turns out to be Jessica, he is thrown off. When he finds that the somewhat frumpy architect is hiding a beautiful woman behind those boxy suits he is even more surprised. Imagine his utter shock when he finds that not only is she gorgeous, but he is drawn to her on an almost visceral level.
The attraction between these two explodes in more ways than one. You're never quite sure if they are going to make love or war. Will they ever find a way to make the fireworks work for them?


Free on Amazon and B&N


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  Title: Love Is Darkness (Valerie Dearborn #1)
Author: Caroline Hanson

Valerie Dearborn wants a cotton candy life, but it’s more like a puffer fish: pointy, unusual, and—if not prepared exactly right—deadly.

In London for graduate school, Val knows she's finally free. Her father and ex-almost-boyfriend are back in California and she's out of the Vampire hunting biz for good. Or is she?

She draws the attention of Lucas, a 1600 year old Vampire, and King to his kind. He’s also wicked hot. As golden as Lucifer, and just as tempting, he makes Valerie an offer she can't refuse— help him find out if the Others (Empaths, Fey and Werewolves) still exist or he'll stop protecting those she loves.

Lucas tells her that Empaths were a Vampire’s biggest weakness before going extinct hundreds of years ago. While the Fey or a Werewolf might kill a Vampire, an Empath could enslave them, seducing or harming with emotions at will. The one detail he leaves out? Valerie is an Empath.

And after 1600 years of an emotionless existence, Lucas wants Valerie like a recovering alcoholic wants a wine cooler.

Can she keep those she loves alive, stop Lucas from munching on her, survive a fanged revolution and still find a way to have that boring, normal life she’s always wanted? Probably not, but boy is she gonna try!

This is a full length novel and contains adult content.
 




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  Title: Tempest Rise (Treborel Saga #1)
Author: Alaina Stanford

Lysette could not ignore the intense attraction she felt for Katar, the mountain Prince of Treborel. The very moment their eyes met a sharp grip of excitement and anticipation ran through Lysette's entire being.

Katar felt the same sting of emotion despite the knee Lysette shoved into his groin in an attempt to be free of his iron grasp. Attracted by her beauty and stubborn intellect Katar couldn't help but pursue her. Yet he knew there was no chance for a future with Lysette.

She was a surgeon from the modern world. Katar's people relied strictly on the ancient art of the Empathic Healing. They had no need for modern medicine. Yet he could not deny his desire for Lysette. His only hope was to find some common ground the two could share. As their romance blooms an assassination attempt on Bantors pregnant Queen Elsebeth sparks a chain of events that lead to continental war.

The war escalates as Lysette befriends several of Treborels Empaths, determined to learn more about their mysterious healing techniques. Lysette accompanies the Empaths to a medical unit near the front lines where they are captured by Bantor's Elite Guard. Lysette's worse fears are realized as the psychotic Commander Connor, bent on vengeance against Katar tortures and kills Lysette's transport crew right before her eyes. While in captivity, Lysette struggles to save Queen Elsebeths newborn twins.

As Katar races against time to rescue Lysette. She is told he has married another and begins to lose hope. Lysette allows herself to grow closer to the last remaining prisioner, an Empath named Andru. Will Katar reach her before her usefulness as a doctor is no longer needed and her torturous death begins? If Katar is able to save her, will he find she has given her heart to another before she discovers the truth about him?
 




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  Title: Released (Agents of Evil #1)
Author: Megan Duncan

After a demon apocalypse kills their parents and everyone they know, 17-year old Abby Phillips, her brother, Carter, and friend, Max flee their home to travel through what has become the wastelands of America. When radio transmissions of a resistance offering shelter and safety cease, Abby is tempted to give up. Struggling to overcome life-threatening obstacles in their dangerous journey, Abby and her companions quickly discover there are much worse things lurking in the dark than they could have ever imagined. 


Free on Amazon and B&N 

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Review: Touching Melody by RaShelle Workman

 Title: Touching Melody (Forever First #1)
Author: RaShelle Workman
Source: Received through blog tour in exchange for an honest review


Synopsis:

Sometimes life isn't pretty, but you have to close your eyes and let go...

Maddie Martin's first weekend at college is nothing like she's used to. It's wild, like the wilderness on which the University of Bellam Springs sits. Roped into going to a fraternity party, she literally runs into Kyle Hadley. The boy she's loved since she was nine. The boy she promised all of her firsts to. But that was before his father killed her parents.

Determined to stay away from him, she throws herself into her music. Practicing piano eases her heavy heart, calms the sadness, and pushes away images of Kyle's face.

Until it doesn't.

Her music professor asks her to play a duet for their annual Winter Gala. Doing so means she'll be assured another full ride scholarship. It's an opportunity she can't pass up.

But Kyle is the other half of the duet. And that means hours and hours of practicing.

Weeks of seclusion - just the two of them. And it's more than just music. It's passion like Maddie never believed was possible.

The inevitable happens. She falls in love with him all over again.

But, will loving him be enough to erase all the hate in her heart for his father? Can she look at him, and not see the evil in his family tree?

And maybe it's all a set up. Maybe Kyle is only pretending to care so he can finish what his father started, and kill her too.




Review:



 
Touching Melody is the first book in the Forever First series by RaShelle Workman. I really didn't know what to expect first going in. On Goodreads, the book seemed controversial but the synopsis sounded really good. Maddie is starting her first week in college, and runs into Kyle – the boy she has loved since she was a kid. They were separated when his dad murdered her parents. Maddie was sent to live with her aunt and uncle and hasn't talked to Kyle since the incident.

Maddie tries to stay away from Kyle, but they end up being paired for a duet for their piano recital. Kyle acts strange in the beginning by acting like he doesn't remember her. Considering they were best friends, this makes no sense. Maddie doesn't even know if Kyle knows that his father is a murderer. His father was never convicted, she was told not to tell anyone what she saw as a child. Nevertheless, she feels uncomfortable around Kyle. It feels wrong for her to get close to the son of her parent's murderer.

I really liked Maddie. She was very innocent and naïve – for good reason. She was home schooled after her parents died and missed out on a normal teenage life. Kyle was the opposite of innocent when it comes to the bedroom. There were things about Kyle that I didn't really like – like the fact that he pretended not to know Maddie, he was arrogant, he was basically a man slut, etc...

There were a lot of touchy subjects for some people in this book – like certain characters doing drugs, rape, getting wasted, sleeping around, etc... I definitely don't condone any of these, but these are typical things that happen in the college world. I think the author just made college life seem more realistic. It's not all bunnies and rainbows.

My main issue with the book was the fact that Maddie and Kyle promised their virginity to each other when they were 10 or 11 years old. I think it's a bit odd for children of this age to be talking to each other in this way. Kids this age shouldn't even be thinking about sex.

I liked how the story was told in alternating points of view, but I think we needed to see more of what was going on in Kyle's head. It was mostly told from Maddie's perspective. Unfortunately, I didn't really feel the chemistry between these two. Their relationship seemed a little forced. These two characters could have used a lot more communication between each other.


Find the author here:

Purchase at Amazon (the ebook is currently only .99 cents)

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Blog Tour: Touching Melody by RaShelle Workman


**Note - my review will be posted tomorrow!! I've been late on reviews because of my dysfunctional kindle, but I'm almost caught up!

Touching Melody by RaShelle Workman
Series: Forever First #1
Publication date:  June 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Synopsis:
Maddie Martin's first weekend at college is nothing like she's used to. It's wild, like the wilderness on which the University of Bellam Springs sits. Roped into going to a frat party, she literally runs into Kyle Hadley. The boy she's loved since she was nine. The boy she promised all of her firsts to. But that was before his father killed her parents.

Determined to stay away from him, she throws herself into her music. Practicing piano eases her heavy heart, calms the sadness, and pushes away images of Kyle's face.

Until it doesn't.

Her music professor asks her to play a duet for their annual Graduation Gala. Doing so means she'll be assured another full ride scholarship. It's an opportunity she can't pass up.

But Kyle is the other half of the duet. And that means hours and hours of practicing.

Days and months of seclusion - just the two of them. And it's more than just music. It's passion like Maddie never believed was possible.

The inevitable happens. She falls in love with him all over again.

But, will loving him be enough to erase all the hate in her heart for his father? Can she look at him, and not see the evil in his family tree?

And maybe it's all a set up. Maybe Kyle is only pretending to care so he can finish what his father started, and kill her too.




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 About the author:
RaShelle Workman is the bestselling author of the Dead Roses series ("Sleeping Roses" is being translated into Turkish, and will be available in print wherever Turkish books are sold in 2014), the Immortal Essence series, and the Blood and Snow series. She's sold over two hundred thousand copies of her novels worldwide in the past year, including Japan, Canada, and Europe. You can find RaShelle all over the web, but the best place to start is on her blog: www.rashelleworkman.com.

Author links:


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Giveaway!

Enter to win a $75 Amazon gift card


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 
 
Click below to visit the other blogs on this tour:

 
 

Review: Shadow Hunter by Kait Ballenger

 Title: After Dark: The Darkest Angel/Shadow Hunter
Authors: Gena Showalter and Kait Ballenger
Source: Received a portion of this from Kait Ballenger for review

Synopsis:

A timeless seduction A unique temptation And a whole world of dark desires...

From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter

The Darkest Angel

Winged warrior Lysander has been alive for centuries, and yet he's never known desire-until he meets Bianka. Spawned from the bloodline of his enemy, the beautiful but deadly Harpy is determined to lead the untouched Lysander into temptation. He may try to evade her attempts, but even the most iron-willed demon assassin can resist for only so long....

And from debut author Kait Ballenger

Shadow Hunter

Vampire hunter Damon Brock's first assignment with the Execution Underground is Rochester, New York, a city crawling with the undead. But he isn't the only hunter in town gunning for vamp blood. Tiffany Solow is fierce and ruthless when it comes to slaying the monsters that destroyed her family-and she works solo. But being alone is no longer so desirable when she meets the mysterious hunter who wants more than just her turf. As they work to massacre the local covens, the line between good and evil blurs when they are forced to decide between their lifelong beliefs... and their newfound hearts.




Review:



 
I'm reviewing Shadow Hunter by Kait Ballenger, which is part of the After Dark anthology. Unfortunately, I don't have Gena Showalter's portion as well to give this book a more accurate rating.
Shadow Hunter is about a guy named Damon who is a vampire hunter. He ends up hunting vampires in Rochester, which just happens to be the city that Tiffany lives in – a woman from his past that he cares deeply about.

Damon is a tortured guy – he feels responsible for the death of his friend and partner, Mark. Running into Mark's little sister Tiffany makes the situation a little messy. They are both attracted to each other, but he feels guilty taking things to the next level. Damon is keeping so many secrets from her. Despite that, he's a likable character. He's a heroic guy and is out to avenge the death of Mark by killing the powerful vampire that is responsible.

Tiffany is in Rochester for the same reason. She is a brave, sassy character that hunts vampires as well. All she cares about it avenging her brother's death. Damon and Tiffany work well as a team, although Damon doesn't want Tiffany risking her life by hunting vampires. These two have some really steamy moments that adult paranormal romance fans will enjoy.

Shadow Hunter is actually a prequel to the Execution Underground series. In Shadow Hunter, Damon is choosing members to be part of his team in Rochester – which is a good way to set up the series. Sounds like each team member will get a book of their own. I love series that have each book featuring a different character in a group. It sounds like it will be a great series. The one thing that I'm frustrated with in this story is the ending. We don't get a happily ever after ending. What we get is a HUGE cliffhanger. Since the next book doesn't feature Damon and Tiffany as the main characters, I'm not sure how this will play out.


Available at the following places:
Amazon (kindle)
Amazon (paperback)
BAM

Friday, July 12, 2013

Blog Tour: The Cat's Meow by Stacey Kennedy


Title: The Cat's Meow (Witch's Brew #1)
Author: Stacey Kennedy

When a magical presence is detected around a recent string of feline slayings, Libby, an enchantress, is determined to discover who is behind the odd deaths. But being a witch gifted by the Goddess won’t protect her from the talented warlock the Coven sends to assist her. Kale weaves a spell more powerful than any she’s ever seen–and he’s sexy as sin. But why he’s even needed for such a simple mission is beyond her.

While having some muscle around can’t hurt her investigation, fighting her growing attraction for Kale is worse than a hex, especially considering she knows he—and their Coven—are hiding something from her. When she turns up clues that point to something far more sinister than slaughtered cats, though, the elusive warlock isn’t the her only concern. She now has a political rebellion on her hands, too. And when the truth about who she really is begins to surface, the only person Libby can trust is herself.


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Read the first chapter!

Chapter 1:


Fur. Guts. Blood.

I scrunched my nose as my spaghetti dinner threatened to make an appearance at the sight of the slaughtered black cat on the forest floor. The kitty’s stomach gaped open and its intestines spilled out along the ground, as well as other grossness I’d rather avoid.

Not how I intended to spend my night, or any night for that matter. I turned to my fellow witch, Peyton. “Of all the hobbies to take up, taxidermy isn’t something I’d peg you as interested in.”

Flicking her blond bouncy curls over her shoulders, her baby-blue eyes narrowed on me. “This isn’t a time for jokes, Libby.”

Not as if her wrath had the desired effect; an angry Peyton looked as deadly as a growling puppy. She placed her hands on her tiny waist, pursing her lips. Too bad, I only paid attention to her cute knee-length black baby-doll dress, a tad jealous I didn’t own it. “Look at the poor kitty. Its guts are hanging out.”

“Yes, I see that.” Even if I wanted to pretend I didn’t. In fact, I would have preferred to enjoy the dark night surrounded by the rich earthy scents of the large trees hugging the trail. Sadly, that wasn’t an option. Once again, I glanced down at the disgustingness at my feet.

From all viewpoints, this appeared to be an open-and- shut case. “Looks like a wild animal wanted a snack.” Evil warlocks, I’m there. A dead cat was not a priority. “You better have a good reason for bringing me here.”

“An animal didn’t do this. There’s magic present.” She fiddled with the hem of her incredibly cute dress. “Besides, it’s the fourth gutted cat in three days.”

I paused at that bit of weirdness. I had dealt with at least a hundred cases in the five years I’d worked for Charleston’s coven, and out of all of those cases, none had ever involved animal murders. Four cats in three days was staggering.

I sighed, beginning to understand my presence there. “Four, really?”

Worry darkened Peyton’s eyes. “Each death the coven has sent me to, there has been this weird magical presence.” She rubbed her arms, shaking her head at the dead cat. “It’s peculiar.”

The leaves beneath the cat’s body were soaked in enough blood that I assumed it had been killed at this location. To my disappointment, even with that knowledge no answers materialized, and actually more questions were raised. “If this is the fourth cat, why is this only coming up now?”

“At first, it didn’t seem malicious and no human deaths resulted from the dead cats.” She shrugged. “Now, with this many felines dead, it could be an animal ritual.”

“Possibly,” I agreed. Charleston’s last case of a warlock tapping into dark magic happened only a week ago, but it got cleaned up quickly enough and the warlock received his death sentence. Compared to that, a few dead cats wouldn’t concern the coven, but then why did it now?

Furthermore, why hadn’t the coven contacted me? Peyton held the ability to sense magic’s presence. I am an Enchantress, a witch gifted to work spells. We both held an important role in the coven, as did every witch and warlock who worked for them. Peyton located the scenes tainted with magic, I found the offenders, other witches assisted with different gifts, and warlocks killed the guilty.

If the coven had been as concerned as Peyton seemed now, I would’ve been brought into this a lot sooner. They would’ve requested I take on the case to search around and see if I discovered a reason behind it. That I knew with total certainty. The coven didn’t take chances on these things. The longer we waited to act on someone who harbored evil, the higher the chance they would succeed.

“The coven clearly wasn’t worried about the past deaths, so what’s happened to change their opinion?”

Peyton nibbled her lip. “They didn’t think much of it before because the level of magic isn’t dangerous. Strong, yes, but not dark.” She continued to rub her arms, shifting uneasily on her feet. “I’ve been watching over the matter to see if things worsened, but the only change has been more deaths.” She tilted her head. “One cat can be shoved aside as maybe someone who practiced their magic. This many deaths can’t be overlooked.”

The coven obviously requested that she see if the levels of magic had increased. Yet, why did Peyton call me and not the coven? An order had never come to me in this manner before and it made me curious. “Who told you to ask me to come here?”

“Glenda.” Peyton grimaced at Fluffy. “There’s a reason behind this. The Goddess is warning me.”

I refused to look at the mangy beast and attempted not to inhale the odor of decomposed flesh beneath me. Instead, I scanned the area. Within the dark night the old trees around me created shadows. The stars above twinkled in the sky and the damp grass below my boots glistened with dew. A typical night for me—I hadn’t seen a sunny day in the five years I’d been employed by the coven.

Danger happened during the witching hours of midnight to three in the morning because magic held the most strength then, so the coven stuck to the night shift. I’d become so accustomed to it I never missed the days I had lounged in the sun anymore.

On a sigh, I continued to ponder the fluff ball at my feet. If magic were present, clearly someone had either spilled its blood as an offering to dark magic, or simply practiced a spell to kill. Either one sucked, at best. Resolved I’d get nowhere in discovering the truth right now, I moved along. “What does the coven expect me to do about this?”

Peyton rolled her eyes, giving her customary flippant look. “Find who’s responsible.”

I snorted. “What am I, a pet detective?”

“Yes, Lib, that’s exactly what you are.” She frowned. “Must you be a smart-ass all the time?”

I grinned. “I must.”

She ignored my dig—as usual—and carried on in a hurried tone. “Stop stalling, conjure a spell, and fix it.”

“You know I can’t—it’s dead.” I glanced at the cat and groaned. Yes, still very dead. “The coven would wring my neck if I brought it back to life.”

The role as Enchantress with the coven came with one rule—never step out of white magic boundaries. Resurrecting a dead cat hit the no-no list. My job within the coven: stop those who went against the coven rules to protect human lives, since the last thing we needed was the human population going out on a witch hunt. The coven existed to keep witches in Charleston safe. That one law ruled my life.

Peyton’s shoulders slumped and her eyes saddened. “Okay, okay. I know we can’t, but it’s so sad, the poor little kitty.”

My best friend at her finest: her soft heart in this cold magical world had never changed over the years. Yet Peyton’s innocence had once been damaged by loss and pain over the death of her mother, and ever since she’d been emotionally fragile. Three years ago, I’d seen her go into a deep depression at the death of a teenager, and it took her a good month to recover. I would give my life to ensure she stayed away from anything that could damage her again.

Especially now, seeing the vulnerability in her eyes, confirming that any death still rattled her. “Who’d do this?”

“Someone after a higher power.”

At the low velvety voice, I glanced over my shoulder, scowling at the approaching warlock. The coven’s muscle came after I found the offenders. I preferred no help, so his presence at my scene awakened my inner bitch.

Not to say I didn’t realize their worth to the coven. I might be brave, but I couldn’t kill, and warlocks held that desire in spades. However, his presence this early in an investigation meant this matter leaned to the serious side. The coven wouldn’t have called him in if something wasn’t up. More to the point, called in a warlock I’d never seen before. Two strikes against my coven on the “what the hell are they doing” meter.

“Go away.” I pushed the bitch to the forefront of my voice and snapped, “I’ll call the coven when I’m done.”

“I’m looking for Libby Jenkins.” The warlock stopped a foot away by a fallen tree, ignoring my demand, and in the same low voice with a slight Southern accent said, “Would that be you?”

I grunted, not at all impressed with the confidence he exuded, either in his voice or his powerful posture. Doubly annoyed, in fact. “I’m Libby. You are?”

As he took a step into the moonlight, the shadows of the night left his face. He appeared relaxed, shoulders back in his black T-shirt, chest out, and chin lifted. Typical I am a fine specimen of man.

His eyes were a shadowy gray and his face was defined by hard angles, from his high cheekbones and sculpted jaw to lips that seemed carved out for a serious smooch. His chocolate- brown hair reached the bottom of his ears, all scruffy and sexy-like, and he filled out his pair of faded blue jeans well enough.

Not like that impressed me either. Warlocks tended to be pretty. Maybe to some I’d be easy on the eyes with my small frame, longish light-brown hair with honey and auburn highlights, and my dark-blue eyes. But it came from the magic, not a natural gift. Besides, witches aged the same as the humans we lived among. We just tended to do it a little more gracefully, and typically lived to be over a hundred.

The warlock’s focus swept over Peyton as if he took a measure of her before his firm gaze returned to me. “I’m Kale Griffin. The coven requested I join you on this case.”

Great. What serious danger had I landed myself in? “They what?”

Sure, Kale looked nice, but I didn’t want—or need—his help. The idea of being teamed up with a warlock interested me about as much as if someone pulled out my hair strand by strand. Besides, never in all the years I had worked for the coven did they team me up with a warlock, which only made me wonder why they’d done it. I thought back over the past cases I’d worked. Perhaps some cases took longer to solve than others, but why in the hell had they sent me a babysitter now?

With more confidence than I felt, I returned his look of challenge, and had the urge to take my clenched fist and send it into his flat stomach. “Go tell the coven I refuse your help.”

His eyebrow arched, an emotion close to amusement crossing his face. “The choice isn’t yours. I’ve been instructed to take over this investigation.”

My already hot blood took a nosedive. I might abide by the coven’s orders, even if I had no idea what they were up to now, but it didn’t mean I had to like it. This brute needed to get one thing straight. “We are taking over the investigation.”

He smirked. “Is that so?”

Damn the warlock for making the smile look sexy and damn me for noticing it. “Yes, that’s so.” Warlocks could kick some serious ass, and the coven needed them, but they were so haughty and always the ones to grab the glory.

Of course, I might be—scratch that, was—the only witch in Charleston to dislike warlocks, since most swooned over them. Well, the witches did. Non-magical folk lusted after their hot butts, never knowing what they were up against.

After the Salem incident, we magical folk kept our powers to ourselves and hid from the humans for good reason; a repeat in history wasn’t on anyone’s to-do list. Especially not mine.

Inhaling to shed my frustrations, I fought my gag reflex as I drew in the cat’s putrid scent. “Know this, if you get in my way I’ll hex you.” I poked his chest and met taut muscle.

With indifference, Kale watched my finger hit his hard, delicious pectorals. Seeing that my action unsettled me more than him, I withdrew my finger and shoved my hands into the pockets of my skinny jeans. His head slowly lifted, and when his eyes settled on me, they had darkened. “Warning noted.”

The weight of his smooth voice melted across me like a warm bath. I bit my lip and refocused my thoughts to my angry position. “Good.” My voice sounded harsh, pleasing me since on the inside I’d become gooey. “As long as we understand each other we won’t have a problem.”

Peyton stifled a laugh by coughing. No doubt she’d taken notice of Kale’s attributes too. “I guess I should be…uh… going home to Jace. Call me…ah…” Her eyes twinkled as she fought her smile and turned. “Just call me later, Lib.”

I snorted softly, only imagining what she’d go home and tell her boyfriend, Jace, about this moment. I could do without him having the knowledge that I tried to dominate a warlock and failed miserably, even if Jace was the only warlock in existence I tolerated. “Let me know if the coven contacts you again,” I called after her.

“Will do.” She waved a good-bye, striding down the trail, and her laughter followed her out of the forest.

I watched Peyton until she faded into the shadows before I finally looked at Kale. He regarded me with such a probing look it became all the more irritating. “Before we start, I need to give the cat a proper burial. Which I’m sure you won’t understand since you’re a big ol’ bad warlock.”

His gray eyes sharpened, voice equally so. “You appear to have misconceived notions about warlocks.”

“Sure I do,” I muttered, grabbing the cat by the tail and ignoring the guts flapping in the wind. Without a glance back, I headed out of the forest.

The trees passed by in a blur as I hightailed it out of there. The sooner I got to my SUV, the sooner I could stop pretending I wasn’t holding a dead cat. Thoughts of Kale’s arrival worried me and I didn’t like it. Had the coven hired a new warlock without my hearing of it? While that wouldn’t surprise me, since I tended to stay away from the coven unless I had to be there, it did shock me they didn’t throw a welcoming party for him. Moreover, why would they send a new warlock to me, and not one experienced in Charleston?

If the matter were serious, which I suspected it was if he was there, then why were they taking chances? It didn’t add up. This, I’d get to the bottom of. For now, I focused on getting rid of the stinky cat.

Kale followed behind me for only a moment before he easily caught up with his lengthy strides. When he settled in next to me, he slowed down since my five-foot-five frame couldn’t match his six-foot-three, and he stayed silent.

Fine by me.

At the edge of the forest, I spotted my black Benz parked on the grass near the entrance. My SUV wasn’t anything sporty like I’d prefer, but my M-Class sport utility vehicle made sense. The SUV was safe, big, and powerful. All good things to have in my line of work. Besides, it also had a big-ass hatchback to put things like dead cats in.

I grabbed the keys from my pocket and clicked the button to open the back. Scanning the area, a missing object grated my last nerve. I glanced sideways at Kale. “You didn’t drive here?”

He shook his head.

Terrific! The bitch of it, he had to come with me. “How’d you get here, then?”

“Walked.”

The silence continued.

Once at my SUV, I reached into the side compartment of my hatchback and drew out a garbage bag.

“I’ve got that.” Kale stepped next to me and took the bag, holding it open while I dumped the cat in. The kitty plopped into the bag and Kale tied the red string to close it, then he threw the bag into the back. It landed with a heavy thud.

I glared at him, even if his helping me came as a shock since no warlock had ever offered to help me before. “Couldn’t you have been a bit gentler?”

“It’s dead.” His eyebrow lifted. “I doubt it noticed.”

A sassy retort hung on my tongue, but I ignored my impulse to rise to the bait. “Warlocks.”

I left said warlock behind, making my way over to the driver’s side of my SUV while Kale got into the passenger seat. Careful not to touch anything with my dirty hands, I settled into my leather seat and grabbed my hand sanitizer from the cup holder, drenching my hands with it.

I could only imagine what I would have seen on the cat’s tail if I had looked hard enough, but I shoved the images of maggots from my mind to settle my woozy stomach. I dropped the sanitizer in the holder, then I started the SUV and headed off in a hurry.

On the outskirts of town, leading back into Charleston, the streets were relatively quiet. For the most part, if any people were out and about they would be downtown to enjoy Charleston’s nightlife. Most around here, including warlocks and witches, lived a relatively normal life. Sadly, I wasn’t among them, and my “normal” involved a hunt for evil before it became danger.

In my hopes of keeping conversation to a minimum, I cranked the radio station, drumming my fingers on my thigh to the alternative song blasting through the speakers.

Kale didn’t appear to have the same wish. “Do you plan to tell me where we’re going?” I turned the music down and he continued, “With a gutted cat, no less.”

Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I noticed how his body filled my seat quite nicely. Too bad warlocks were men I avoided—I found getting with a warlock always led to disaster—because this warlock would be one to have some fun with.

While his looks might tempt me, the decision came years ago when I’d had enough of their egos, their need to be the tough guy, and their tendency to have their own agenda. My last attempt to respect warlocks ended at the age of twenty when one broke my heart. Since then, the only warlock I could stand was Peyton’s boyfriend, and even he walked a fine line of always needing to prove himself to me.

Lately, I’d stuck to the non-magical man, but those relationships hadn’t led to anything serious, nor did they belong on my fantastic memories list. Where warlocks had too much stuff, non-magical folk didn’t have enough. Needless to say, it’d been months since I heard the word date and my regions south had declared death a while ago.

I cleared my mind of unimportant things and set to answering him. “We’re going to Magnolia Cemetery.”

“I see.” He turned in his seat and set his hard stare onto me. “You’re an Enchantress?”

The rich nature of his voice made funny things awaken in my dead regions. Perhaps my libido wanted to be reincarnated. I quashed the thought with a fierce no. “Mm-hmm.” Two could play at the game he presented—if he wanted to assign labels, so could I. “You’re a Ward?”

“Correct.”

Not like I needed the confirmation. Any warlock who worked for the coven received the title. “What’s your talent?”

“Runes.”

I jerked my head to look at him and the car swerved before I straightened the wheel. “You draw runes?”

A hint of a smile turned up the corners of his mouth. “You look surprised.”

“I am,” I admitted with no shame. “I haven’t met a Ward who holds the talent of rune magic.” Glancing back at the road to avoid a crash, I shrugged to downplay my awe. “At least, not any from Charleston.”

“We are few and far between,” he replied, cool and collected.

My breath seemed lost in the state between shock and bewilderment. He appeared to hold back on the interesting talent. Intriguing, considering most warlocks I’d met would gush at the opportunity to prove their abilities over mine. My curiosity about the warlock next to me rose, especially since I needed to discover the reason he’d been assigned to the case. “How long have you lived in Charleston?”

“Not long.”

Oh, this made no sense at all. We had our own Wards, who were talented in their own right, so we didn’t need Kale. I waited two breaths for him to answer, but he didn’t oblige me. “Where are you from?”

“Down south.”

I blinked at his indifferent voice, keeping the wheel tight in my hands to ensure the SUV went straight, but looked at him. “Do you plan on telling me anything about you?”

“I just did.” He gave a halfhearted shrug. “I’m a Ward, who draws runes, and I live down south.”

I snorted loud enough to ensure he heard it. Elusive might be an understatement when it came to Kale Griffin. I almost laughed at the situation; I wanted warlocks to shut the hell up, and now one did and I’d rather he talked.

Figures!

I had to wonder if he did it to get a rise out of me, since warlocks tended to do that, too, which is why I bit back the rest of my questions. He might want to play that game, but by the Goddess I wouldn’t feed into it. I slammed the accelerator down, ignoring the sexy warlock next to me. We had bigger problems.

The dead cat stinkin’ up my SUV reminded me of that.



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My Review:




 
The Cat's Meow is the first book in the Witch's Brew series by Stacey Kennedy. It's a fast paced, Urban Fantasy story about an enchantress named Libby. She's a mouthy witch who works for the Coven to investigate deaths. Because of past issues, she doesn't trust warlocks and isn't happy to find out that a new warlock in town has been assigned to work on a case with her.

Libby doesn't want Kale in her business, but she has trouble fighting her attraction to him. Suddenly, the case they are working on becomes extremely dangerous and their lives are in danger. If that isn't enough, Libby realizes that not only Kale, but her Coven, are hiding things from her.

I could totally feel Libby's frustrations over secrets being kept from her. She feels like she can't trust anyone, and she has good reason to. What really upsets her, is getting closer to Kale but having him continue to not be honest with her. However, even though this story is just told from Libby's point of view – you can tell that it kills Kale to not be honest with her.

Kale is probably my favorite character in this book. He is completely different than other warlocks that Libby knows. He is tough and cocky, but he has this really sweet side to him. He's a good guy and had good reasons for his mysteriousness. I liked Libby too, but she was just a tad too mouthy for my taste. Fortunately, she finally let her guard down toward the end of the book and showed more of a tender side. Libby's attitude was a perfect match for Kale. There was a lot of sexual tension in this book, and not much happening in that department until the end. It was so frustrating! These two characters clearly wanted each other, but NOTHING kept happening!

However, there was never a dull moment. There was a lot of action and mystery involved. And of course, some steamy adult action at the end. I always enjoy Stacey Kennedy's books and will be looking forward to the next one in this series.
 

Find this book at the following places:
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
iTunes


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 About the author:

Stacey Kennedy is an urban fantasy lover at heart, but she also enjoys losing herself in dark and sensual worlds. She lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, who gave her a happily-ever-after. Together, they have two small children who can always make her smile, and who will never be allowed to read Mommy’s books. If she’s not plugging away at a new story, you’ll find her camping, curling up with the latest flick, or obsessing over Sons of Anarchy and Game of Thrones.
 
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Cover Reveal: No One's Angel by Kelly Walker

No One's Angel by Kelly Walker
Publication date: September 17th 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance


Tess used to spend more hours than she’d care to admit playing her favorite computer game, using the nickname Angel. She could pretend her life was different, and she could pretend Arion was just a friend. But a girl needs more to keep her warm at night than pixels and she traded her virtual heaven for a real life hell. Now she’s on the run from a past she won’t talk about, and the only place she has to go is the doorstep of the friend she’s never actually met.

When Angel disappeared from their nightly games, it nearly destroyed Arion. He threw himself into work and women, but he can’t help knowing the one night stands will never compare to the angel who haunts his dreams. At first, when she shows up soaking wet and scared-shitless on his doorstep, he thinks his prayers have been answered.

But the more Arion tries to keep Angel close, the more her fear drives her away. If they are ever going to have a chance for a future, they’ll first have to deal with the past that hasn’t forgotten her any more than she’s forgotten it, and Arion will have to learn how to let her go.

No One's Angel is a New Adult(NA) Contemporary Romance and is recommended for mature audiences only due to language and sexual content.
 
 


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About the author:

Kelly Walker was born in Trappe, MD but she now calls Fredericksburg Virginia home. She has an unhealthy appreciation for chocolate, and a soft spot for rescued animals. Her best lessons on writing came from a lifetime of reading. She loves the fantastical, and the magical, and believes a captivating romance can be the most realistic magic of all. Kelly, her husband and her two children share their home with three dogs who walk her, and two cats who permit her to occasionally share their couch.

Author links:

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Review: Love Me For Me by Kate Laurens

 Title: Love Me For Me (Safe Haven #1)
Author: Kate Laurens
Source: Received through blog tour in exchange for an honest review


Synopsis:

A fresh start...

It’s been three years since Serena King learned to say no—no to the boys that were a desperate cry for help, no to the extra weight she put on in self defense, and most of all no to the abuse that has haunted her since she was fifteen. Now a sophomore in college, all she wants is to be normal. The last thing she expects is a guy who can make her want... make her want everything.

A new guy...

Alex Blackthorn is a bundle of contradictions, a sexy dark haired badness who goes slow... deliciously slow. And despite the iron will that has gotten her through the last few years, Serena finds herself unable to ignore the heat that sizzles between them whenever they’re together.

A dark past...

Serena never thought she could be involved in a relationship, but Alex makes her long for things she thought were out of her reach forever. When he finds out her secret... when he finds out what she did to keep herself sane... will he still want her, or he will treat her just like everyone else?

And Alex has a secret of his own.

Recommended for mature readers aged 17+ due to language and sexual content.



Review:



 

Love Me For Me is the first book in the Safe Haven series by Kate Laurens. It's a New Adult romance about a college girl named Serena. She has moved away from home to get away from the painful memories of her past. She's trying to make a fresh start and become the kind of person she wants to be. The abuse she endured as a teenager caused her to act out and do things she normally wouldn't do.

Serena is scared to get emotionally involved with men. She's afraid that they won't want her after finding out about her past. She meets a new guy though that she can't resist. Alex comes loaded with baggage like her. Serena has horrible self esteem, and just doesn't understand why Alex would be interested in her. There's a great connection between them though, and slowly they become close.

Both of these characters have gone through heart breaking scenarios, so there's a lot of emotion in this book. I will say now, if you can't handle reading about sexual abuse – then don't read this book. I liked how this wasn't just a light-hearted book. Not only do the characters deal with abuse, but Alex has diabetes that is an important issue in his life. It's not often that characters in books have illnesses that they have to deal with. It makes them seem more real to me.

The romance was good. Alex looks like a bad boy since he is covered in tattoos, but he's the complete opposite. He has such a kind heart and is so perfect for Serena. They have some great chemistry with some steamy moments.

Even though you find out about Alex's secrets, you still almost feel like you don't know him that well. The author didn't really give any other information about him. I think that having part of this book in his point of view would have helped this situation.

My only real gripe about this book is the ending. I'm trying not to give away any major spoilers, but it didn't make any sense to me that Serena would push Alex away. At that point, he knew everything there was to know and he was there for her. She finally felt whole with him in her life. Their reconciliation at the very end was very abrupt. I mean, it was a happily-ever-after but I was left wanting more. It seemed too rushed. 

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The ebook is currently only .99 cents on Amazon!