Monday, August 31, 2015

ARC Review: BONDED by Laura Wright

Bonded 
by Laura Wright

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Ranch hand Blue Perez’s once simple life is spinning out of control. He’s discovered he has three half-brothers, and they’re not ready to accept his claim on the ranch. Also, Blue’s girlfriend may have betrayed him in the worst way possible. And after one evening of drowning his sorrows at the bar, there’s someone he can’t get out of his mind, a woman who says she’s carrying his child.

Following a night of breathtaking passion in the arms of the man she’s longed for all her life, waitress Emily Shiver is contemplating her next step. With everything that’s going on in Blue’s life, she doesn’t want to force him into fatherhood. Yet as hard hearted as he may seem, Blue can’t turn his back on her, particularly when she becomes the target of someone’s dark obsession.... 

Bonded presents the conclusion to a 4 book mystery on who killed Cassie Cavanaugh.  This last book is a little light on the mystery.  The evidence to the conclusion has already been introduced in book 3.  Bonded largely focuses on the last and illegitimate brother, Blue Perez Cavanaugh.  After growing up on the ranch under the tutelage of Everett Cavanaugh, Blue’s life is turned off his rocker when he learns that he is the bastard son of the late patriarch of the Cavanaugh family.  He is angry and hurt.  Moreover, he obstinately holds on to his feeling of betrayal.  Although I can understand his upset, his life has been up ended.  However, his grudge is overlong and I am especially disappointed on how he treats his mother. 

Emily is a waitress at a local bar.  She is saving her money to purchase her first business, a floral shop.  Emily is a self-made woman.  Grown and cultivated in a nurturing home supported by love.  One night changes their lives and puts them on a course of discovery and connection. 

In the end, it is easy to believe that Blue is willing to pull himself out of self-pity and do what is right.  This situation gives him the opportunity to go beyond himself and climb out of his self-pity.  I like the chemistry between the two characters.  They are both strong-willed and stubborn. They both have a tremendous moral compass and are willing to pay to the price to live up to their values. 

The author also introduces us to strong secondary characters, Emily’s brothers Steven and Jeremy Shiver.  Steven is a deputy for the local sheriff’s department and plays a crucial role, and has a noted presence.  He has enough stature to be featured in future stories.  I’ll be curious to see of Laura Wright will continue in the Cavanaugh world.

IN A NUTSHELL

Laura Wright began this series with a curious mystery that brings together a fractured family. Each book contributed a new angle, a new edge to the overall story arc.  This book is an exclamation point in conclusion.   

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Friday, August 28, 2015

Release Blitz: RULE by CD Reiss




Rule
by CD Reiss
Book Three in The Corruption Series. 
You must read SPIN and RUIN before reading RULE! 

Theresa and Antonio.

They've been through hell. Antonio has a price on his head for turning his back on a marriage deal, and Theresa has no intention of turning her back on him. They're devoted and strong, ready for anything.... 

A Love Tested To The Limit 

And then, someone from Antonio's past reappears. Someone who can give him everything he ever wanted, and who can shake them to their very core. In this stunning conclusion to the USA Today Bestselling series, Antonio and Theresa will have their passion, their devotion and their very will to live tested.

NOW AVAILABLE!

Series Reading Order

Spin (Book One) 
Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | Nook | Kobo

Ruin (Book Two)
Amazon US | Amazon UK | |iBooks | Nook | Kobo

Rule (Book Three)
Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | Nook 

#livetogether
#dietogether

Antonio and Theresa live or die together in this epic, full-length conclusion 
to the Songs of Corruption series! 


Rule Book Trailer


CD Reiss is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up, she’s at the well, hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere, but it did embed TV story structure in her head well enough for her to take a big risk on a TV series structured erotic series called Songs of Submission. It’s about a kinky billionaire hung up on his ex-wife, an ingenue singer with a wisecracking mouth; art, music and sin in the city of Los Angeles.

Critics have dubbed the books “poetic,” “literary,” and “hauntingly atmospheric,” which is flattering enough for her to put it in a bio, but embarrassing enough for her not to tell her husband, or he might think she’s some sort of braggart who’s too good to give the toilets a once-over every couple of weeks or chop a cord of wood.
If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Find Her: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram




Thursday, August 27, 2015

Release Week Blitz, Review, Excerpt and Giveaway: BREAKOUT by Ann Aguirre


Welcome to the Release Week Blitz for Ann Aguirre's Breakout, Book 3 in the Dred Chronicles. We are excited to share with you an excerpt, review and giveaway to celebrate this release.  Breakout is an Adult Romantic Science Fiction novel set in the Jax Universe.  If you are a fan of highly suspenseful, action-packed stories, you do not want to miss this series. 


Breakout
by Ann Aguirre
Book 3, Dred Chronicles

SUMMARY:
All hell is breaking loose in the edge-of-your-seat follow-up to Havoc and Perdition fromNew York Times bestselling author Ann Aguirre…

The prison ship Perdition has become a post-battle charnel house with only a handful of Dred’s soldiers still standing and now being hunted by Silence’s trained tongueless assassins. Forging an uneasy alliance with mercenary commander Vost—who is their only chance at escape—the Dread Queen will do whatever it takes to end her life sentence on Perdition and keep the survivors alive long enough to cobble together a transport capable of getting them off station.

If Dred and her crew can win the deadly game of cat and mouse, the payoff is not only life but freedom—a prize sweeter than their wildest dreams. Yet the sadistic Silence would rather destroy Perdition than let a single soul slip from her grasp…


Buy Links:



The Sirantha Jax series by Ann Aguirre is one of my favorite odysseys of all time.  It left an indelible imprint on my reading life.  So when the author started the Dred Chronicles, I was beyond excited. I’ve tore through the first two books, savoring the stories and waited with great anticipation for the final book in the trilogy.  This book is everything I wanted it to be and then some. 

We return to Perdition, a prison outpost located in the outer edges of the galaxy. Perdition houses the worst of the worst criminals.  The prisoners are beyond warehousing, they are incarcerated and then forgotten.  They have created factions along with social and political norms.  As in most prisons, there is a informal hierarchy and each inmate must choose a faction for protection and survival.  The conglomerate has sent a troop of mercenaries to "clean up" the prison by any means necessary.  Now the prisoners are not only fighting each other but are now facing a single-minded, deadly special ops force. Situations change and alliances are re-formed. At the end of Havoc, there only a few people left and it is race to get off the outpost.   

The action and suspense is wound very tightly.  In the confines of the prison, there is a sense of claustrophobia.  There is no place to escape to.  As a reader, you can feel the walls closing in.  Tension spikes as survivors are running out of time.  Silence’s deadly crew stalks them.  This is an exciting page-turner with finger-nail biting stress. 

I had a certain amount of dread (no pun intended) when reading this book.  Ann Aguirre can be unpredictable.  She is not shy about unexpectedly killing off her characters.  I’m the kind of reader that gets emotionally invested and thus, fear for their lives.  You can always expect the unexpected.  It is what makes Ann Aguirre such a great storyteller and this story so compelling.  (On a side note, there is a happy ending.) 

The Epilogue is my favorite part.  Throughout the Dred Chronicles, the narrative is told mainly from Dresdemona’s point-of-view. Her strong character  - her struggles, her justifications, her redemption - is a highlight of the series.  However, for Sirantha Jax fans, the epilogue is about Jael.  It brings his story full circle to a very satisfying end.  And here’s a shout out to my friends at Girls, Guns & Grimoires on Goodreads.  There is a game changer for Team March and Team Vel.  Make sure to read this series!

IN A NUTSHELL:
Breakout is another successful and satisfying ending to a highly suspenseful science fiction trilogy. Consider it a cross between the movies, The Longest Yard and Aliens, with a large dose of romance.  Could it be any better?  I don’t think so!


They didn’t speak until they had put a fair amount of distance behind them, then Dred signaled her desire to pause by tapping his ankle. He couldn’t turn fully because the ducts had narrowed, but he glanced over his shoulder.

“You all right?”

“Just . . . spooked.” The somber tone told him he hadn’t been alone in what he felt, watching those crazy, tongue-less bastards.

“It’s different now,” he said.

“With what she did to Queensland . . . she seems larger than life. I’ve been afraid before, but . . . not quite like this.”

The words were barely a whisper, and they roused an answering prickle of gooseflesh on his arms.

“I know. There’s run-of-the-mill evil, like Priest and Mungo. And then there’s Silence.”

“It’s like she can do worse than kill me. Rationally, I know that’s not true—”

“But it’s uncanny the way she’s last one still standing, moving through the carnage.” He didn’t say it out loud, but he thought, Like Death itself.

Dred nodded. “I’m still here, too, but I’m not the Dread Queen anymore.”

“If it’s any consolation, I don’t miss her.”

“Me either,” she whispered.

There was no space to touch her as he wanted to, and it wasn’t the time anyway, so Jael continued on. They slid out of the ducts near the closet, but when he opened it, there were no droids plugged in. He choked out a curse. It was impossible to predict when a bot would come back, and it was dangerous to wait out in the open. They desperately needed some intel about how many men Silence had left, how often they patrolled, and where, but with manpower as scarce as it had become on their end, recon had to wait.

“Back up?” Dred whispered.

He nodded. This time, they found a way in that gave them vantage over their target, so they’d know when a bot returned. He’d just finished fitting the vent panel in place behind them when he heard the familiar, shuffling sound of Silence’s men. From her expression, Dred registered it, too, and she practically stopped breathing. The fact that her killers were roving freely must signify that she believed herself the undisputed ruler of Perdition.

When they rounded the corner and came into sight, he stifled a surprised sound. This group was huge, compared to the usual numbers, ten this time, and horror jolted through him like lightning when he realized they were carried a human-sized bundle. They’d wrapped their captive in dark fabric, so he couldn’t tell anything about the person, but the worst part was, he or she was still moving, thrashing against his bonds.

Who is that? And why the hell would Silence want someone taken alive?


Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. Ann likes books, emo music, action movies, and she writes all kinds of genre fiction for adults and teens, published with Harlequin, Macmillan, and Penguin, among others.



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Sunday, August 16, 2015

Cover Reveal: HARD TO FORGET by Bella Jewel

Since enjoying Hard to Fight, we are looking forward to the next books in the series. Join us for the cover reveal for book 3, Hard to Forget.  


HARD TO FORGET
An Alpha’s Heart Novel
By Bella Jewel
St. Martin’s Press Paperbacks
On Sale: December 15, 2015
eBook: $3.99

ABOUT THE BOOK
The third book in the sexy Alpha's Heart series by USA Today bestseller Bella Jewel.

Delaney, a professional bodyguard, has spent years trying to prove herself in a male dominated industry.  Now she's facing her greatest challenge yet. 

Bad boy billionaire Jax Shields has made plenty of enemies on his climb to the top, but being in the wrong place at the wrong time has put his life at risk. Now he's putting his life in the hands of Delaney and her team. He demands the best in everything, and he doesn't think she has what it takes to protect him. He's also made it clear he'd rather have her on her back then covering his. Will Delaney be able to prove herself to the most arrogant-and devastatingly handsome-man she's ever met?


PRE-ORDER the BOOK:
HARD TO FORGET - $3.99 – Available December 15th
Amazon | B&N | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bella Jewel is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in North Queensland where she's working on her next novel.

Website: http://bellajewelbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBellaJewel

ON SALE NOW!

HARD TO FIGHT - $3.99
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1OOLpzr






PREORDER YOUR COPY NOW!

HARD TO BREAK - $3.99 – Available October 13th
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1MURkBP




ARC Review: HARD TO FIGHT by Bella Jewel


HARD TO FIGHT
by Bella Jewel
Alpha's Heart, Book 1

Grace is a bounty hunter who wants to be taken seriously, but her boss refuses to believe that a woman can bring down a dangerous criminal. She finally gets a chance to prove herself when she's given the case of a lifetime: capture Raide Knox and bring him to justice.

Raide is a dangerous fugitive on the run...and the sexiest man Grace has ever met. Catching Raide won't be easy. He's not the kind of man to go down without a fight. Raide is more intense and frustrating than any man she's ever had to deal with, and the instantaneous attraction that sparks between them is undeniable. One thing is for sure...it's going to be a case they will never forget.


Hard to Fight is an entertaining read with a sassy heroine and an alpha hero.  It starts off like gangbusters and keeps up its fast pace.  Grace is in the untraditional field of bounty hunting and struggles to establish her role in that profession.  She gets an opportunity to bring in a prominent bail jumper and seeks to use untraditional means to bring him.  Raide has skipped bail, but he is wrongly accused and seeks to find the real perpetrator of his sister’s murder.  Along the way, he meets a super sassy “waitress” with a sarcastic tongue and kick ass moves.  

I like Grace’s character.  She is funny, ambitious and very focused.  Some of the best lines in the book come from her character.  Lines like, “Are you going to attack me with your sword. . . . Or better yet, keep your sword sheathed and be a decent human being” has me laughing out loud.  At the start, the book reminds me of the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones without the paranormal elements.  They have the same irreverent tone that I enjoy.  As I continued reading I found other similarities:

1. Both work at the periphery of law enforcement. Grace is a bounty hunter.  Charley is a private investigator. 
2. Both are very close to their dads while estranged from their mother figures.  
3. Both have strife with their sisters. 
4. Both have men who are attracted to them but whose affections are unrequited.  Grace has Vance.  Charley has Garrett Swopes. 
5. Both heroes are a little dark and edgy.  Both Raide and Reyes have been accused of a crime they didn’t commit. (Reyes did get convicted but the judgment is later overturned.)

With so many similarities, it is easy to invite comparisons.  Darynda Jones is an expert at balancing humor with heart and suspense.   You can find a lot of those same elements in this book too.  However, there are times when it feels like the author might trying too hard. Grace is a sympathetic character, but there are times when she is incredibly emotional and whiney. 

There is also an odd voice change in Chapter 31.  A third person, who has just recently been introduced, takes over the narrative.  It is a jarring switch and I had to wonder if the author could’ve presented the same information through another character.  

IN A NUTSHELL:
Entertaining and fun, this is like a good “B” movie.  

Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Friday, August 14, 2015

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: AMERICA'S FIRST DAUGHTER by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie


America's First Daughter 

by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie
Releasing March 1st, 2016
William Morrow, Historical Fiction

In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph—a woman who kept the secrets of our most enigmatic founding father and shaped an American legacy.

From her earliest days, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson knows that though her father loves his family dearly, his devotion to his country runs deeper still. As Thomas Jefferson’s oldest daughter, she becomes his helpmate in the wake of her mother’s death, traveling with him when he becomes American minister to France. And it is in Paris, at the glittering court and among the first tumultuous days of revolution, that she learns of her father’s liaison with Sally Hemings, a slave girl her own age.

Patsy too has fallen in love—with her father’s protégé, William Short, a staunch abolitionist intent on a career in Europe. Heartbroken at having to decide between being William’s wife or a devoted daughter, she returns to Virginia with her father and marries a man of his choosing, raising eleven children of her own.

Yet as family secrets come to light during her father’s presidency, Patsy must again decide how much she will sacrifice to protect his reputation, in the process defining not just Jefferson’s political legacy, but that of the nation he founded.


Pre-Order Now
Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo




LAURA CROGHAN KAMOIE is a historian specializing in colonial and revolutionary America, Virginia history, and the history of slavery. She holds a M.A. and Ph.D. in American history from The College of William and Mary and has published two historical monographs, including Irons in the Fire: The Business History of the Tayloe Family and the Virginia Gentry, 1700-1865 (University Press of Virginia, 2007). Laura is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy. In her fourteen years of college teaching, she has taught numerous graduate and undergraduate courses on colonial America, revolutionary America, African-American Slavery, as well as seminars on Thomas Jefferson.

As LAURA KAYE, she is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen titles in contemporary and paranormal romance. Her books have won numerous industry awards, including the EPIC eBook Award, the Golden Leaf award, the PRISM award, and the HOLT Medallion Award of Merit. She is a frequent panelist at national writing conferences and a frequent instructor of craft and social media workshops. Laura lives just outside the nation’s capital with her husband and two young daughters.

Find Laura Here


STEPHANIE DRAY is a bestselling and award-nominated author of historical women’s fiction. Her series about Cleopatra’s daughter has been translated into six different languages, was nominated for a RITA Award and won the Golden Leaf. As STEPHANIE DRAVEN, she is a national bestselling author of paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and American-set historical women’s fiction. She is a frequent panelist and presenter at national writing conventions and lives near the nation’s capital. Before she became a novelist, she was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the stories of women in history to inspire the young women of today.

Find Stephanie Here