Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan

Description:

Once blissfully in love . . .

Poppy Lane is keeping secrets. Her powerful gift has earned her membership in the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals, but she must keep both her ability and her alliance with the Society from her husband, Winston. Yet when Winston is brutally attacked by a werewolf, Poppy's secrets are revealed, leaving Winston's trust in her as broken as his body. Now Poppy will do anything to win back his affections . . . 

Their relationship is now put to the ultimate test.

Winston Lane soon regains his physical strength but his face and heart still bear the scars of the vicious attack. Drawn into the darkest depths of London, Winston must fight an evil demon that wants to take away the last hope of reconciliation with his wife. As a former police inspector, Winston has intelligence and logic on his side. But it will take the strength of Poppy's love for him to defeat the forces that threaten to tear them apart.

Review:

Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan

2 out of 5

So, I’ll be honest, I did not enjoy this book… I did not enjoy this book so much that I didn’t even finish reading it.  I stopped reading when the zombies entered the story.  “Why?” you may ask.  Well, the zombies made this story all the more preposterous and annoying.  I know, I know.  It is a paranormal historical romance; it is suppose to be preposterous.  But even though there are all the paranormal creatures in this book, the zombies were a bit of an overkill. 

Also, I didn’t like Win that much.  Win can really hold a grudge!  But in a lot of ways, he also holds a lot of guilt inside of himself.  He also seems very whiney… not the strong inspector he was in the previous book.  That makes me sad L.

Now that I got out of the way what I didn’t really like, here is what I did like about what I did read:

So we have a lot of movement in time in this book.  There are flashbacks to the past when Win & Poppy met, along with the present (which has the most action and the primary dilemma for the current story).  I’m not a big fan of flashbacks, but this definitely added to the story, rather than detracting from it.

Poppy always seemed like a proper Brit in the other books.  You know a stiff upper lip, handling anything that might come her way with determination and very little emotion.  Thankfully this book shows something different.  She is very emotional, but has hidden it for so long that she doesn’t know what to do with it.

Overall, what I read was okay, but it didn’t make me want to fight through the zombies to see the happily-ever-after at the end of the book.  I personally can’t recommend this book, but if you think it sounds like something you might like from the description, give it a go.

Happy Reading!

Cana

Immortal Ever After by Lynsay Sands

Description:

A kiss doesn’t mean eternity . . .

Valerie Moyer doesn’t believe in vampires—until she is kidnapped by a fanged psychopath! After escaping her bloodthirsty captor, she’s through with creatures of the night. Until she finds herself under the protection of the darkly handsome Anders. Not only is she expected to accept that Anders is immortal, but also that she is the woman destined to be his life mate!

. . . Or does it?

Anders felt a connection to Valerie from the moment he cradled her bruised body in his arms. But before he claims her, he must destroy the vampire who almost stole her from him forever. His job would be easier if Valerie didn’t fight him every step of the way. Still, Anders loves a challenge, and the green-eyed beauty is worth fighting for!

Review:

Immortal Ever After by Lynsay Sands

4 out of 5

Ah… This book reminds me of Bite Me If You Can, which is one of my favorites of this series.  Now has that book been replaced with this most recent romantic entanglement between mortal and immortal?  Not really… this gorgeous and hilarious tale is now my 2^nd favorite of this series. 

Anders has always seemed like a walking mystery in the other books… But no longer!  I loved getting to know him and watching him flounder his way through finding and wooing his life mate.

Valerie seems really cool, and very similar to Leigh.  I think that definitely helped to make the similarities between BMIYC and this book very smooth. 

We of course get to see other characters from the previous books.  I really enjoyed getting to catch up with Leigh and Lucian.  They are such great characters, and I think that it really great when we can see those characters again and see that they are still just as great as we thought to begin with. 

There are several humorous scenes that help to keep things moving, while the hot & steamy scenes are delicious moments of chocolate covered lust… Loved it!

Overall, this is a cute and quick read.  Definitely recommend, especially for those who have read the rest of the series.

Happy Reading!

Cana

Bewitching Book Tour: Influential Magic by Deanna Chase

Influential Magic by Deanna Chase

Description:

It’s tough being a faery in New Orleans, a city fraught with vampires… especially when their very existence drains your life-force.

Willow Rhoswen, owner of The Fated Cupcake and part-time vampire hunter for the Void is having a rough week. Four years after her twin brother’s mysterious death, Willow’s life is threatened and the director saddles her with a new partner—her ex-boyfriend, David. To her horror, he’s turned vamp, which causes her physical pain whenever she touches him… and any other specimen of the undead.

In order to save Willow’s life, David agrees to turn double agent against the most powerful vampire organization in New Orleans. Or so he says. And she’s convinced they know something about her brother’s death. Unsure where David’s loyalties lie, she turns to Talisen, her childhood crush, to help her solve the mystery.

Caught between two gorgeous men and a director who’ll stop at nothing to control Willow’s gifts, she’ll have to follow her instincts and learn who to trust.

Otherwise, she risks losing more than just her life. 

Excerpt:

A low chuckle rumbled from the branch.

“Wil, I think our friend finds us amusing.” Phoebe gripped her black agate crystal.

“Just you,” the vamp replied, his voice as deep and gritty as a thirty-year chain-smoker. “She’s interesting, as well as that dog of hers, but I’ve been looking forward to this matchup for some time.”

A grin broke on Phoebe’s profile and her eyes glittered. “Oh, good. A challenge.”

The hooded figure leapt from the branch a second before Phoebe blasted the spot with her sunlight-infused agate. The branch sizzled and, with a deafening crack, landed inches from where Phoebe had been standing.

 “Holy fae,” I breathed and took off after Phoebe, who was now sprinting to catch the vampire. She sped up, periodically flashing her agate, trying to stun him. His reflexes proved to be far superior to the average vampire’s, and I suspected this one had been around much longer than most. He alternated back and forth from the tree limbs to the cemetery wall in smooth, graceful movements, deliberately waiting for Phoebe to make a move before leaping.

He was playing with her.

At the end of the cemetery, the vampire turned and looked Phoebe in the eye. “What else you got, witch?”

 Phoebe stopped yards ahead of me, her tiny, lithe body seeming to grow a few inches. She lifted her left hand straight out, palm up and shouted, “Siste!”

Her long, glossy black hair fell from its bun, whipping straight back in the windless night.

The power behind the spell rooted me to the path, frozen in a running pose. Link was a few yards ahead of her, suspended in midair, his face scrunched up in a snarl. The vampire’s laughter rang clear as he bounded onto a nearby rooftop and disappeared.

“Fuck!” Phoebe shouted as the power dissipated.

With the spell broken, I lost my balance and fell face-first on the hard brick sidewalk.

Link shot ahead, his little legs never breaking the run. His body shimmered gold before his limbs gave way, expanding until he’d grown to ten times his normal size. Once again in wolf form, he shot out of sight, sprinting after the vampire.

I groaned and rolled over, staring into Phoebe’s exhausted face. “You all right?”

She offered me a hand. “Yeah, but shit. I lost him.”

“How’d he do that?” I’d never seen a vampire manipulate her magic before. “It’s like he blocked it.”

“He deflected the spell, and it hit you and Link instead.” She rubbed her temple. “I don’t know how. I’ll need to do some research.”

I nodded. “I can’t sense him anymore, he must be long gone. We better go find Link before animal control gets him again.” The last time they’d picked him up as a wolf, he’d turned back into a Shih Tzu before I could claim him. The paperwork confusion had been a nightmare.

“You go ahead. I’ll grab the car and catch up.”

“Okay. Be safe. I’ll keep an eye out for you.” Smiling, I flew to the nearest rooftop.

I spotted Link within moments. He was racing around the corner at the end of the street, his white coat gleaming in the moonlight. Had he picked up the vamp’s trail or had Phoebe’s magic sent him into a frenzy? I couldn’t feel the vampire, so it must have been the magic.

Or could I? My limbs were weighted as if the air was heavy, and my lungs had to work harder for oxygen. Something was off, though. It didn’t feel the same as the sticky, swimming death I’d experienced earlier. The sensation pressed lightly and then all at once clung to me.

A vampire was close. Really, really close. But why did it feel so different?

My heart picked up as panic set in. Link was blocks away. Phoebe was in the car somewhere, and I was alone on a roof.

Why had I taken off by myself? Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I glanced around at the half-deserted neighborhood. A stone settled in my gut as recognition dawned. I was on vampire property. In the years after hurricane Katrina, the city had swelled with vampires. Drawn to the despair and lawlessness, the vampire population had more than tripled.

At first, they helped the struggling economy by buying up blocks of decimated homes. Unfortunately, they only rebuilt the one they lived in and left the others to rot. The perfect way to discourage neighbors. Vamps had been known to do a lot worse for privacy.

I scanned the streets for Phoebe’s car or a glimpse of Link. If I could find either of them I’d be fine. The silence grated. Alone on a roof with no cell phone and a vampire lying in wait. Now what?

I stretched my wings, fluttering a few feet off the rooftop. Flying always gave me a sense of control. I couldn’t cover a lot of ground, but I could move pretty quickly if I needed to. Faster than sprinting, anyway.

The sticky sensation stayed with me, but as I flew, the intensity lessened. Maybe he was in the building.

The thought didn’t put me at ease one little bit. Vamps were impossibly fast. If one had spotted me… Link reappeared at the end of the block.

“Finally.” I flexed my wings and shot toward the edge of the building.

“Willow?”

I spun. My wings stilled mid-flutter as pleasure heated my insides. I knew that voice and missed it more than I cared to admit. Managing to land gracefully on shaky legs, I peered through the moonlight. “David?”

He nodded.

Relief washed through my body at the sight of him, uncurling the knot I’d forgotten existed in my stomach. I took a step closer and froze.

Thick honey vampire energy clung to me and it was coming from my ex.

Author :

Deanna is a native Californian, transplanted to the slower paced lifestyle of southeastern Louisiana.

When she isn't writing, she is often goofing off with her husband in New Orleans, playing with her two shih tzu dogs, making glass beads, or out hocking her wares at various bead shows across the country.

For more information and updates on newest releases visit her website at www.deannachase.com

http://www.facebook.com/DeannaChaseAuthor

https://twitter.com/writerdeanna

http://deannachase.com/

Newsletter: http://ymlp.com/xgmsbhuygmgb

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Happy Reading!

Cana

Audio Book: Dark Desire After Dusk by Kresley Cole

Description:

A seductive beauty he can never have, yet can't resist...
Cadeon Woede will stop at nothing to atone for the one wrong that will haunt him forever. But once he secures the key to his redemption, the halfling Holly Ashwin, Cade finds that the woman he thought he could use for his own ends and then forget haunts him as much as his past.

A tormented warrior she should fear, but can't deny... 
Raised as a human, Holly never knew that some frightening legends are real until she encounters a brutal demon who inexplicably guards her like a treasure. Thrust into a sensual new world of myth and power, with him as her protector, she begins to crave the demon's wicked touch.

Surrender to dark desires...
Yet just when he earns Holly's trust, will Cade be forced to betray the only woman who can sate his wildest needs -- and claim his heart?

Review:

Dark Desire After Dusk by Kresley Cole

5 out of 5

What do you get when you mix a demon mercenary & a half-Valkyrie mathematician?  One hot story that adds up… I know, I know, puns are not sexy, but this book definitely is!

The Characters:

Holly

Holly is definitely a character I can relate to. Her need for order and control over everything made her very real.  Plus, her constant avoidance of anything that would make her lose control was definitely relatable on so many levels. 

I can’t imagine the shock of living almost 2.5 decades only to discover that who you are and what you are is not what you thought.  And even with all of that, I think she still handled it pretty well.

I thought Holly getting drunk was just too funny!  Anyone’s first time of being drunk (as long as it isn’t you) is generally pretty funny, but her circumstances just made it funnier.

I loved the changes for Holly.  She went from being an OCD human mathematician who was scared of everything to an OCD Valkyrie who was strong and capable of taking care of herself.  I loved that.

Cade

He seems like such an ass, but he really is a good guy trying to hide his hurt from his past.  Kind of want to comfort the big demon lug… Right after I take advantage of him.  ;P

I have always thought that pay back is a bitch, and there is no better way to show that then when Cade got drunk.  I think Cade’s drunken interrogation was better than Holly’s.

It did bother me how he kept thinking he could give her up.  But when he did, he went almost kind of crazy.  Stupid man.

Overall:

So… A vessel, huh?  Thought the whole conversation was hilarious. 

I liked how we got a better introduction to the world of demons.  I made for a very interesting and entertaining book.

I love Nucking Futs Nix.  She is definitely one of my favorite characters from this entire series.

Yes, there are some definite cliché moments, but they were delicious clichés that made the story fun. 

Overall, I loved this book, and I highly recommend it.

Happy Reading!

Cana

Waiting on Wednesday: A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 

Description:

Nola Leary would have been content to stay in Kilcairy, Ireland, healing villagers at her family’s clinic with a mix of magic and modern medicine. But a series of ill-timed omens and a deathbed promise to her grandmother have sent her on a quest to Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky, to secure her family’s magical potency for the next generation. Her supernatural task? To unearth four artifacts hidden by her grandfather before a rival magical family beats her to it.

Complication One: Her grandfather was Mr. Wainwright and the artifacts are lost somewhere in what is now Jane Jameson's book shop. 

Complication Two: her new neighbor, Jed Trudeau, who keeps turning up half naked at the strangest times, a distraction Nola doesn't need. And teaming up with a real-life Adonis is as dangerous as it sounds, especially when he’s got the face of an angel and the abs of a washboard—can Nola complete her mission before falling completely under his spell?

Coming out on May 28, 2013


Why?

1. I love Molly Harper's writing!  It always has me rolling on the floor laughing.
2. Let's be honest, the book sounds pretty interesting... I mean, it sounds like it might be a vampire/witch thing, but what if it is something else?  hmmm... Could be opening up a whole can of supernatural worms here!
3. Though the cover does look a bit like a penny bodice ripper, it does have something to it... kind of mysterious and knowing at the same time.  I like it!

So what are you waiting for?


Happy Reading!

Cana

Bewitching Book Tour Release Day Blitz: A Matter of Fate by Ellie Heller

A Matter of Fate by Ellie Heller

Description:

Someone is setting death-spells targeting mortals and elf blood alike. With her mentor out of commission, it’s up to half-trained Warder Mona Lisa Kubrek to stop the magic. Despite being told repeatedly her job is to nullify spells and not go after the source, too many people are at risk for her to not track the spell-caster down. Even meeting a sexy half-elf shifter won’t distract her from her goal.

Except Cart Dupree is fully trained and has the team to search for the evildoer, so she’d be stupid to not use his expertise. Stupid is something she can’t afford to be, not with her enemy’s henchmen after her. Later she’ll deal with Cart and his questions about her special abilities and the non-standard training her mentor has given her. Right now, they need to unravel where the magician is, and who he is, before he builds enough power to decimate them all.

First, though, they need to stay alive.

Excerpt:

Her head bowed to the winter wind, Mona strode across the parking lot to the mall, her concern and curiosity about Raine now verging on dread. Since the frantic call from her normally unflappable friend, the scenarios flitting through her mind kept getting worse. Had she been mugged? Detained by mall security? Why? Raine had given no explanation, only saying she needed Mona's help now. Even if they didn't see each other much these days, their best friend bond was unshakeable.

The wind slid under her collar and raised goose bumps along her back. Fuck-a-duck, it was cold! As soon as she finished her training she planned to move someplace warm and get out of Buffalo. Not somewhere too far south though—her light skin sunburned far too easily to be out in the sun all the time.

Avoiding the revolving door out of habit—she felt trapped when she was neither in nor out—she yanked open the side door, thankful to be out of the frigid temperatures. All elves had their quirks, but she knew she had a few more than most. Growing up outside the Folk enclaves, where she might have learned about magic a lot earlier, hadn’t helped.

Mona looked around, expecting to see the management office since she’d been directed to use this entrance. Instead she spotted Raine on a bench at the far end of the hall. Mona was relieved for a split second—until she took in her usually tidy friend’s unkempt appearance. Poorly dressed for the winter, she had no coat and wore open toed shoes and a loose, cap-sleeved sweater over a lightweight dress. Huddled over, legs and arms crossed, the thin sweater tented her body. If Mona hadn’t known the woman, she would have avoided her, and not just because she could see the glow of evil intent surrounding her, but because Raine looked as if she’d been living in her clothes.

As she came closer, Mona concentrated on reading the magic, a bit difficult in the florescent lights. Definitely a spell had been placed on Raine. And in her. Twisted, violent sigils, showing the intent of the spellcaster, controlled the power runes at the base of the working. Mona would have cringed if she hadn’t been stuck dumb by shock.

Oh no, oh no, this was all so wrong. Raine was mortal—aware there were Folk, but mortal. And mortal or not, no one should have a working like this on them, complicated with many intricate mini-spells encapsulated in the larger one. Mona was very, very thankful that Raine had called her. If anyone who created spells, and not just saw them, like she did, had touched the working it would have been a disaster. Even now she worried that Raine’s actions may have triggered the warning beacon placed at critical junctures of the spell.

The magic in Raine would slowly kill her, Mona could see that much. Mona sucked in her breath at the shock. A world without Raine, no matter how infrequently they saw each other, was unthinkable. But what, if anything, Mona could do about it was unclear. She had to be able to do something. She was in training to be a Warder, to protect Folk and humans from misused magic. Even before her training a spell like the one Raine displayed would have drawn her to attempt to fix it; the need was part of why she'd been called to train. Mona took a deep breath; she needed to be calm. The working would shift, speed up, if Raine got overly upset.

“Raine?” she said once she was sure she could keep her anxiety out of her voice.

Raine jumped up. Standing, the heavily pregnant bulge of her belly became apparent. But last time Mona saw Raine, six months ago before her training had become so hectic, Raine was just starting to date someone and had reiterated she was not doing the baby thing until she had a ring on her finger. What had happened? Now that Mona saw the growing baby, the spell was even more sinister, tied up in the tiny person inside her friend. Whoever set the spell either hadn’t known about the pregnancy or, worse yet, did.

“Mona!” Raine slapped her hand to her chest, hysteria lacing her voice. “You scared the crap out of me!”

“Raine, you okay?” Because, shit, this looked bad. Really bad. She couldn’t believe it, but she actually wished her mentor, Smythe, was here to help her figure out how to deal with a spell of this complexity and magnitude. The old coot’s pedantic lecturing when they were working was beyond annoying, but she’d put it up with it in a heartbeat if he could help.

“Yeah,” Raine said. She took several deep breaths. “I will be. Shit, no one’s snuck up on me that bad in ages.”

“Let’s go in,” Mona said. “Can I get you something to eat?” Cracked acorns that spell was convoluted! Nothing like the clear, linear ones with simple branches she’d seen before, this one looped and twisted like a tangle of yarn.

“I—” Raine jumped at the noise of the revolving door screeching.

They turned as a man in tan slacks and an unbuttoned blue blazer headed their way. In Mona’s eyes he glowed with the same tainted residual as Raine. His spell was new and strong enough that she could almost make out the working despite the distance. Mona's read of his Folk abilities made clear he was a shifter, although he wasn't what the Weres called “strong,” and didn't have the balance of elf and human blood needed to shift at any time. Which was good, because the last thing they needed was for him to transform in the middle of the mall. And he definitely had weak magical resistance given the spell compelling him to act looked to be lightly set. Lightly set or not, the compulsion rune on the top layer honed in on them.

Author:

After living in several cities east of the Mississippi, but never quite out of the snow belt, I've settled down in SW Ohio with my three kids, two dogs (one of whom thinks he's a cat) and one cat (who thinks he's a dog).

I write paranormal romance and contemporary fantasy, all with a suspenseful edge. A MATTER OF FATE, a 'traditional' paranormal romance, will be available this spring from Crimson Romance. My first published short (GLBT sensual), "Ginny's Capture" is available now.

I'm also an acquisitions editor (i.e. slush reader :-) ) for Curiosity Quills Press using my full first name, Alison.

www.elliewrites2.com

@EllieWrites2

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ellie-Heller-Author/279665692092672

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5762572.Ellie_Heller

http://pinterest.com/ellieheller/a-matter-of-fate/

Release Day Blitz Giveaway!

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Happy Reading!
Cana

The Vampire’s Release by S. J. Wright

Description:

Her hair smelled like ripe oranges. It teased and beckoned me forward. I came to stand beside her and took one of the gently waving amber locks into my fist. Her head turned towards me, but she closed her brilliant eyes and let her lashes sweep over whatever emotion that might have been blooming inside her head. Without real intent, my fingers left her hair and touched her chin.

“Why do you close your eyes?”

“You frighten the hell out of me, Michael.”

Sarah and Michael have faced deadly challenges. He gave himself over to his worst enemy to save her life. When an old friend comes to his rescue, her methods may bring an end to the Michael that Sarah Wood has come to love. The secret to his release may give rise to a lethal monster who poses the greatest threat that Sarah has ever faced. 

Review:

The Vampire’s Release by S. J. Wright

0 out of 5

So, I buy this book with some of my Christmas money, because I liked the other 3 novellas, and thought that this one would be good.  It has been about a year since I read the first 3 novellas in this series, and I didn’t think that this would be a problem.  I reviewed my reviews and decided to plunge on into novella # 4. 

BIG MISTAKE!  I read up to chapter 4 and had to put it down… I feel like I’m totally missing something and the only thing I can think to do is to re-read the prior 3 books.  Damn it! 

Unfortunately, at this time, I can’t give any review, good or bad, at this time.  Except to say that you definitely need to have the first 3 books before starting in on book 4. 

Happy Reading!

Cana

Lycan Unleashed by Tiffany Allee

Description:

Detective Astrid Holmes is a sensitive, a human capable of feeling the energy of otherworlders. When she is dispatched to the horrific murder scene of a local vampire, she expects it to be just another day on the job. But when evidence is stolen on her watch, she is removed—not only from the investigation, but from her job as a member of the Chicago police department’s paranormal unit.

Astrid’s only hope of reinstatement lies with her ex co-worker and almost-lover, Lycan Mason Sanderson. But convincing the OWEA agent to let her assist with the investigation isn’t nearly as difficult as staying alive when the murderer realizes that Astrid may hold the key to unlocking his identity.

Fighting to take down a killer could have deadly consequences for Astrid and Mason, but working together puts their already fragile relationship in jeopardy.

Review:

Lycan Unleashed by Tiffany Allee

4 out of 5

So this delicious 3^rd installment to this series was amazing!  I can’t help but gush about it, it was sooooooo good!

Characters

Astrid has some family secrets that have shaped her life to something of a loner.  With abandonment issues, plus her fear of rejection, in some ways Astrid over-questions and over-analyses people’s actions.  Plus, it seems that she always feels that she has something to prove.

Mason is a dark, brooding, and wounded lycan that you can’t help but want to figure out what is going on in his head.  Though, I will admit that his “big secret” wasn’t as major as I was thinking it was, I did see how he was someone who takes protecting his love ones pretty seriously. 

The Rest of the Book:

The mystery of who was killing supernaturals (specifically the vamp and succubi) was definitely interesting.  Also, Ms. Allee did a great job of showing how the minute details can make or break a case.

I think it was pretty cool how his transformation was described, plus how he was able to stay sane during his transformation and after in his Lycan body. 

I kind of wish that he had gotten more than a passing glance at previous characters.  They were the first characters that  I fell in love with in this series, and I wish I could have gotten a to do a little more catching up with them.

There are definitely several yummy hot scenes, and they make me smile, giggle and be happy.

I thinkthat Ms. Allee did an amazing job making this a standalone book.  You really don’t need to read the other books to read this one (but you had better do it!  Just because of how amazing you think I am.  :P).

Overall, this is a great book, and I loved it soo much that I’m sitting on pins and needles waiting on the next book.

Happy Reading!

Cana

A Vampire’s Salvation by Virna De Paul

Description:

Jacob La Costa Rios is the head of the California governor’s security team; he’s also a vampire who wants the governor, a presidential hopeful, to support the peaceful integration of vampires into human society. Unfortunately, there are others who oppose Jake’s plan. Plus, Jake’s a little distracted by discovering his one true mate, the human female who can give him everything he’s always wanted: love, children, and continuing immortality. Francesca Marie Stewart is the governor’s “go-green” political consultant.

Although she’s been attracted to Jake from day one, her priority is her career and protecting her heart. But then Jake blatantly propositions her and Frankie, who hasn’t experienced sexual intimacy since she was seventeen-years-old, decides it’s time to take what she wants—within reason. No matter—once Jake makes love to Frankie, he knows reason will be the farthest thing from her mind. Then he just has to eliminate the person threatening her, reveal the fact he’s a vampire, and convince her that trusting him will bring both of them eternal happiness. 

Review:

A Vampire’s Salvation by Virna De Paul

3.5 out of 5

In this steamy novella, we are introduced into a world where vampires are still considered myth and soul mates can give you strength and immortality. 

There are some definitely hot (as in scalding, steaming hot) scenes.  It is amazing that the plane windows didn’t fog up as I was reading it!

There is a definite mystery in this book.  But we get no final conclusion to it.  Rather, we are having to wait in suspense for the next novella to come out for the answers that I’m hoping to understand. 

Overall, it was a decent, yummy, quick read.  Looking forward to reading more by this author. 

Happy Reading!

Cana

Waiting on Wednesday: Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 

Description:

Inspired by the childhood classic Alice in Wonderland, this harrowing and romantic story features teen zombie slayer Alice Bell who has lost so much—family, friends, her home. After a strange new zombie attack, Alice fears she may be losing her mind as well. A terrible darkness blooms inside her, urging her to do wicked things. The whispers of the dead assault her ears and mirrors seem to come frighteningly to life. She’s never needed her team of zombie slayers more—including her boyfriend, Cole—than she does now. But as Cole strangely withdraws and the zombies gain new strength, Ali knows one false step may doom them all.

Coming out on September 2013

Why?

1. I loved the first book!  It was a unique spin of Alice in Wonderland and zombies. I expect nothing less for this book.
2. The new things that are suggested in this synopsis make me wonder what is going to happen to all the zombie slayers.  Will they win?  Or will the time come that they will fight their final battle? 
3. I loved Cole as a character: a good guy in the guise of a bad boy, he is awesome.  Can’t wait to see what happens between Ali and Cole
4. What a freaking gorgeous cover!  I love it! 

So what are you waiting for?

Happy Reading!

Cana

Bewitching Book Tour: A Guest Post by Ellie Heller

Place of Reads is proud to have Ellie Heller today.  

Matter of Fate & Mona's Story

Here's the truth about Matter of Fate, coming out from Crimson Romance next week: it's not the original story idea I had for Mona. Actually, she showed up as a secondary character in another, earlier, novel I wrote featuring her brother Nic. So why then, is a Matter of Fate the first story being published? Well the earlier story… let's just say although it is complete it's not ready for prime time and may never be.

Why? Because while I wrote it I was developing the world, working out the magic and social systems, and a lot of that backstory was included. I have innumerable paragraphs (pages!) on magic and the relationship between elves, Folk and shifters. And naming customs, well there's a good half chapter on that alone. While the first draft has a definite character and plot arc, it needs serious editing and possible restructuring. So I decided to let it sit so I could gain the distance I'd need to go at it with a red pen and pare it down.

In the mean time I began the next story (about Averill), worked on a couple of other projects. When I came back I realized I still wasn't quite ready to do the edits. I also realized through writing the next part that Mona needed her story told. So I checked the 'original story' and started writing. I worked with a couple of different starting places and the flow wasn't there. Only after entering several contests I realized I needed to rearrange some of the timeline. Now, if I go back and edit the original story, it needs to be reworked to match what happens in A Matter of Fate's story.

Mona's very happy to have her own book. She's not happy to be distracted from her goals by the half-elf shifter she meets and far, far less by what happens to her friend Raine, but overall she's glad her side of the tale got told.

Averill's story, featuring hard-hearted shifters, too many encounters with the Puck and the elf who calls her his 'Buffalo Gal', is calling to me to finish it next. Nic's story looks like it might sit in the drawer a while longer. So he doesn't feel neglected, here's his introduction in A Matter of Fate:

Nic answered on the third ring, annoyingly alert. “Mona?”

“There’s a problem at my unit and I can’t sleep there. Can I come crash back at the house tonight?” Luckily she always kept a gym bag with a change of clothes in the car; Smythe had a habit of calling her at all hours of the day and night.

"You need me to come over? What broke?"

Mona frantically thought of a safer reason she'd need to head over. Nic was an elf, like herself. Unlike her, he had a potentially strong ability to work magic, but after their mother left he'd suppressed it and ignored his heritage. He'd be less than thrilled to learn she'd come to embrace hers. "Nothing at my place, a plow hit the fire hydrant and the road's blocked."

Creating a world is challenging and fun. Is there a unique or quirky twist in a paranormal or urban fantasy world that's stuck with you?

A Matter of Fate will be released on April 22. Preorder your copy today!

A Matter of Fate by Ellie Heller

Description:

Someone is setting death-spells targeting mortals and elf blood alike. With her mentor out of commission, it’s up to half-trained Warder Mona Lisa Kubrek to stop the magic. Despite being told repeatedly her job is to nullify spells and not go after the source, too many people are at risk for her to not track the spell-caster down. Even meeting a sexy half-elf shifter won’t distract her from her goal.

Except Cart Dupree is fully trained and has the team to search for the evildoer, so she’d be stupid to not use his expertise. Stupid is something she can’t afford to be, not with her enemy’s henchmen after her. Later she’ll deal with Cart and his questions about her special abilities and the non-standard training her mentor has given her. Right now, they need to unravel where the magician is, and who he is, before he builds enough power to decimate them all.

First, though, they need to stay alive.

Excerpt:

Her head bowed to the winter wind, Mona strode across the parking lot to the mall, her concern and curiosity about Raine now verging on dread. Since the frantic call from her normally unflappable friend, the scenarios flitting through her mind kept getting worse. Had she been mugged? Detained by mall security? Why? Raine had given no explanation, only saying she needed Mona's help now. Even if they didn't see each other much these days, their best friend bond was unshakeable.

The wind slid under her collar and raised goose bumps along her back. Fuck-a-duck, it was cold! As soon as she finished her training she planned to move someplace warm and get out of Buffalo. Not somewhere too far south though—her light skin sunburned far too easily to be out in the sun all the time.

Avoiding the revolving door out of habit—she felt trapped when she was neither in nor out—she yanked open the side door, thankful to be out of the frigid temperatures. All elves had their quirks, but she knew she had a few more than most. Growing up outside the Folk enclaves, where she might have learned about magic a lot earlier, hadn’t helped.

Mona looked around, expecting to see the management office since she’d been directed to use this entrance. Instead she spotted Raine on a bench at the far end of the hall. Mona was relieved for a split second—until she took in her usually tidy friend’s unkempt appearance. Poorly dressed for the winter, she had no coat and wore open toed shoes and a loose, cap-sleeved sweater over a lightweight dress. Huddled over, legs and arms crossed, the thin sweater tented her body. If Mona hadn’t known the woman, she would have avoided her, and not just because she could see the glow of evil intent surrounding her, but because Raine looked as if she’d been living in her clothes.

As she came closer, Mona concentrated on reading the magic, a bit difficult in the florescent lights. Definitely a spell had been placed on Raine. And in her. Twisted, violent sigils, showing the intent of the spellcaster, controlled the power runes at the base of the working. Mona would have cringed if she hadn’t been stuck dumb by shock.

Oh no, oh no, this was all so wrong. Raine was mortal—aware there were Folk, but mortal. And mortal or not, no one should have a working like this on them, complicated with many intricate mini-spells encapsulated in the larger one. Mona was very, very thankful that Raine had called her. If anyone who created spells, and not just saw them, like she did, had touched the working it would have been a disaster. Even now she worried that Raine’s actions may have triggered the warning beacon placed at critical junctures of the spell.

The magic in Raine would slowly kill her, Mona could see that much. Mona sucked in her breath at the shock. A world without Raine, no matter how infrequently they saw each other, was unthinkable. But what, if anything, Mona could do about it was unclear. She had to be able to do something. She was in training to be a Warder, to protect Folk and humans from misused magic. Even before her training a spell like the one Raine displayed would have drawn her to attempt to fix it; the need was part of why she'd been called to train. Mona took a deep breath; she needed to be calm. The working would shift, speed up, if Raine got overly upset.

“Raine?” she said once she was sure she could keep her anxiety out of her voice.

Raine jumped up. Standing, the heavily pregnant bulge of her belly became apparent. But last time Mona saw Raine, six months ago before her training had become so hectic, Raine was just starting to date someone and had reiterated she was not doing the baby thing until she had a ring on her finger. What had happened? Now that Mona saw the growing baby, the spell was even more sinister, tied up in the tiny person inside her friend. Whoever set the spell either hadn’t known about the pregnancy or, worse yet, did.

“Mona!” Raine slapped her hand to her chest, hysteria lacing her voice. “You scared the crap out of me!”

“Raine, you okay?” Because, shit, this looked bad. Really bad. She couldn’t believe it, but she actually wished her mentor, Smythe, was here to help her figure out how to deal with a spell of this complexity and magnitude. The old coot’s pedantic lecturing when they were working was beyond annoying, but she’d put it up with it in a heartbeat if he could help.

“Yeah,” Raine said. She took several deep breaths. “I will be. Shit, no one’s snuck up on me that bad in ages.”

“Let’s go in,” Mona said. “Can I get you something to eat?” Cracked acorns that spell was convoluted! Nothing like the clear, linear ones with simple branches she’d seen before, this one looped and twisted like a tangle of yarn.

“I—” Raine jumped at the noise of the revolving door screeching.

They turned as a man in tan slacks and an unbuttoned blue blazer headed their way. In Mona’s eyes he glowed with the same tainted residual as Raine. His spell was new and strong enough that she could almost make out the working despite the distance. Mona's read of his Folk abilities made clear he was a shifter, although he wasn't what the Weres called “strong,” and didn't have the balance of elf and human blood needed to shift at any time. Which was good, because the last thing they needed was for him to transform in the middle of the mall. And he definitely had weak magical resistance given the spell compelling him to act looked to be lightly set. Lightly set or not, the compulsion rune on the top layer honed in on them.

Author:

After living in several cities east of the Mississippi, but never quite out of the snow belt, I've settled down in SW Ohio with my three kids, two dogs (one of whom thinks he's a cat) and one cat (who thinks he's a dog).

I write paranormal romance and contemporary fantasy, all with a suspenseful edge. A MATTER OF FATE, a 'traditional' paranormal romance, will be available this spring from Crimson Romance. My first published short (GLBT sensual), "Ginny's Capture" is available now.

I'm also an acquisitions editor (i.e. slush reader :-) ) for Curiosity Quills Press using my full first name, Alison.

www.elliewrites2.com

@EllieWrites2

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ellie-Heller-Author/279665692092672

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5762572.Ellie_Heller

http://pinterest.com/ellieheller/a-matter-of-fate/

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