Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Review: Proxy by Alex London

2013-06-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

Proxy
by Alex London
Series: Proxy #1
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: June 18, 2013
Genre: YA Science Fiction Dystopian
Source: Publisher in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases made through buy links support this blog

Knox was born into one of the City’s wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death. Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own. Then again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.

Alex London presents us with a futuristic world where everything is digital. Proxy, his debut novel is the first book in a promising new series. I found both the characters and world-building to be captivating as I read this action-packed tale. Three world review: thriller, captivating, page-turner.

The tale is presented to us from two points of view. First we have Knox, a Patron and son to one of the wealthiest men in the city. Next we meet Syd an orphan who lives in the valve. The world is completely digital and everyone is linked to the data but their worlds are completely different. Every Patron is matched to a Proxy. In order to settle his debts for housing, school, food, and medical attention the government made Syd a Proxy. Since he was a small boy he has received a punishment for Knox's mistakes. The two have never met, but Knox has had to witness Syd taking his punishment. When Knox crashes his car and kills his friend Syd is branded and sentence to a life that will surely mean death. When Syd escapes the only person who might be able to help him escape is his Patron and the tale that unfolds is fast-paced, action packed and suspenseful.

The characters in London’s tale are fascinating and complex. Each carries their own emotional burden. Syd is smart, level headed and determined to be free of debt. He works on gadgets fixing and repairing them off the grid. He is comfortable with his homosexuality even when others become aware of it and I loved the way the author portrayed him. Knox is your typical spoiled rich kid, who cares more about his next hook up then the consequences of the world around him. As we peel back his layers we see anger, loss and growth. Marie is another Patron and doesn’t like the social system. She is strong and ready to fight for the causes she believes in. While at times I wanted to see a little more depth from the characters and glimpse more into their psyche I ended up liking them. Knox is driven by his hatred of his father, Syd by fear and Marie by the cause. There is no romance although we do get to laugh at a few kisses. The banter and tension between the characters was hilarious one moment and sad the next but it helped us gain insight.

London spun science-fiction twists into this dystopian world making it a fast paced and compelling read. I thought the world building was well done, especially the picture he painted of the valve and Upper city. As they traveled away from the city the tale almost had a western feel to it. The gadgets, technology and science fiction aspects were fascinating from the Guardians (guards, government police) to what makes Syd special. The tale at times was dark and intense as we faced both death and spine-tingling chases. The points of view goes back and forth between Syd and Knox and I thought it was well done. The interaction between Knox and Syd are my favorite as we witness growth, trust and reflection. The author effortlessly weaves a few social issues into the tale and allows us to both see the absurdity in them and the consequences. My only real complaint was that I wanted more depth both in the characters and the world but of course I am greedy! The ending was climatic and I am anxious to see what book two has in store for us.

Fans of fast paced dystopians with science fiction elements will want to read the Proxy. Guardian the second book is due out in 2014 and I am anxious to visit the world and it’s characters again.

Three cups of coffee out of five

Release Day Review: Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood

2013-06-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

Star Cursed
by Jessica Spotswood
Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles #2
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: June 18, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Publisher in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases made through buy links support this blog
My review of book one: Born Wicked

With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves. Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war. In the highly anticipated sequel to Born Wicked, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England.

After reading Born Wicked the first book in the Cahill Witch Chronicles I was anxious to dive back into this world. I never imagined that Spotswood could make the world anymore sinister but in Star Cursed she did just that! I slipped right back into this world and once again found myself captivated by the prophecy, characters and dark oppressive world. I literally consumed this and didn't want the tale to end. Three word review: captivating, suspenseful, emotional.

The tale picks up a few weeks after Cate declared herself to the Sisterhood. She is now in New London and living with the sisters. She doesn't know who to trust, longs for Finn and misses her sisters. She quickly realizes there is a divide within the Sisterhood on how to deal with the controlling and ever violent Brotherhood. The climate is volatile as more girls are accused and tortured. Tragic events and dark times have Maura and Tess joining the Sisterhood. Finn is in town with the Brotherhood and he and Cate risk seeing each other. Everything is unraveling and Cate must decide once and for all how she will stand. The tale that unfolds is a mix of dark and light and kept me completely enthralled in its captivating web.

I liked Cate in Born Wicked despite a few issues with her handling of her suitors, but I feel in love with her in Star Cursed. Cate has begun to accept who she is and the responsibilities that come as a consequence She has always been selfless and despite wanting to have it all, she sees the whole picture and thinks with her head not her heart. I really struggled with Maura in book one and loathed her in book two. Forget the middle-child syndrome the more page time she got the more I wanted to slap her. From her jealousy to her obsession with being the chosen one she is going to see them all killed! This added a level of fear to the tale because honestly despite her protest I believe she is capable of true evil. Tess is still her adorable self and we see changes in her throughout the novel. She and Cate confide in each other as the rift between Maura and Cate grows wider. Finn is back and I was so glad to see he will play a major role. I enjoyed their sweet interactions, but found myself terrified they would be discovered. We learn more about the Sisterhood and a few key sisters. Others characters and the Brotherhood add to the suspense, and flesh out the world and characters.

Sometimes second books suffer and aren't as captivating as their predecessor but Spotswood raised the bar. She gave us a deeper understanding of the world and the characters. She makes you feel the oppressive world around you as she paints a clear picture from struggling hungry families, to the fear that quells in their bellies as the Brotherhood approaches. The Brotherhood is an oppressive, controlling government ruled under the guise of religion and obsessed with the prophecy. They seek to destroy the witches and keep woman from having any power. The people are becoming restless and the witches are demanding war as more restrictive laws pass. The tension and suspense was delicious as we all began to fear the second Terror. Spotswood slowly increased the tension as the tale progressed keeping me on the edge of my seat. I loved her descriptions of the town as well as Harwood and the conditions there. She gives us a panoramic view and I felt like I was a sister walking along side Cate. We see death, betrayal, and love. All of these played on my emotions and kept me vested. The ending was both exciting and mind-blowing. We are left with a heart-wrenching honest to goodness, stop your heart, mother of all cliffhangers. The air turned blue at my house as I vented my frustration. Book one ended in a cliffhanger but it looks like a speed bump compared to the cliff we fall of here. If cliffhangers do you in, hold off reading this till closer to the next release date.

Fans of Born Wicked will find themselves delighted with Star Cursed. If you enjoy witch themed books, dark dystopians and fleshed out characters the Cahill Sister Chronicles are worth the read. The next book is still untitled and has no scheduled release date. *faints*

Four and half cups of coffee out of five

Review: A Penny Saved A Murder Earned by S.G. Lee

2013-06-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

A Penny Saved A Murder Earned
by S.G. Lee
Series: Kelly Clan #1
Publication date: January 3, 2013
Genre: Murder Mystery
Source: Author in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon
*purchases made through buy links support this blog

The Kelly’s (Lily. Rose (Lily’s daughter), Great Grandma Katha and Amelia (Lily’s cousin)) all feel like they are under a curse; but it appears it’s the work of a serial killer that people around them having been falling like dominos. Now as someone is killed at Amelia’s store and others known to them perish, Lily and Amelia become under suspicion by the investigating officer Emmett Rogers. They must fight the impulse to blame the curse and get to the bottom of who caused all their woes, before the killer targets them.

I was in the mood for a little suspense, murder and mystery so I decided to review A Penny Saved A Murder Earned. Lee takes us into the lives and minds of the Kelly girls and those of the serial killer. While not without flaws this character driven novel kept me in suspense as the characters pieced together the clues that will lead them to the killer. Three word review: mysterious, suspenseful with a dark killer.

We meet Lily, her adopted daughter Rose, Amelia Lily’s cousin and their beloved Great Grandma Katha in this tale of murder and suspense. Amelia would tell you they are cursed as those around them have a habit of ending up dead. Someone has killed an employee at Amelia’s new shop and she is a suspect, but before it all ends more bodies will appear pushing the Kelly girls to their limit.

The character’s in Lee’s novel are colorful. The women are strong and family is important to them. Lily is the Crown Attorney and quite successful in her career, she is married to Horace the city mayor and has adopted his daughter, Rose. Amelia is on the road to recovery after tragic events caused her to have a breakdown. Rose is adorable, smart, and witty. In a lot of ways she is a typical know it all teen. Grandma Katha is the glue that holds them all together and I quite liked her. Emmett Rogers is the investigating officer and is surprised by his attraction to Lily, but solving the case is his first order of business, even if it means asking the tough questions. The serial killer is slowly revealed to us, and getting inside his mind was quite freaky.

A Murder Saved A Penny Earned is very character driven in fact, I could not really give you any details about the home they live in and aside from crime scenes not much detail is giving. While I enjoy character driven novels, I would have enjoyed more details. The tale takes place in Happy Valley in the United Kingdom and I assume its present day. We visited the courthouse, but aside from the cobblestone walk I know nothing more. The characters were funny, and we saw plenty of drama, suspense and action. I think the flow and connection would have been better for me with more details and another method for delivering back-story information. Much of the background on the characters was told through their retelling. Kind of like a trip down memory lane at a family gathering, but it often felt awkward. A lot of the dialogue felt forced, or was too wordy as the author used them to move the tale. Now if Emmett had been sharing their background with his partner it may have flowed better. The killer was well fleshed out and his behavior and actions felt plausible although I had a hard time accepting his current career. Sociopaths often fit in making them creepy so maybe he could have pulled it off. His character flowed better, and had more depth and natural ease to it. I loved Rose and her role in things; she was like a little Nancy Drew but even her conversations felt unnatural at times. Aside from the awkward conversations, I did enjoy myself and you can definitely see Lee has a great plot line, talent and wonderful ideas, I just felt the execution was flawed.

I easily consumed A Penny Saved A Penny Earned, and despite issues I did enjoy the mystery/murder. A Diller A Dollar A Real Dead Scholar will be released later this year.

Two and half cups of coffee out of five

The Sunday Post #60 ~sharing blog news and book haul

2013-06-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Sunday Post ~ 60th Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there who support us! This has been a seriously crazy week and I am delighted to see it come to an end. I am working on some upcoming events for the blog which include Fraterfest#2 read-a-thon in October (10th-15th) and Things That Go Bump In the Night #2 coming in October. I am also planning our two year Blogoversary for August, so stay tuned for more news. Have a wonderful week!

Last week on the blog we brought you

Immortal Eclipse by Sherry Soule (review)
Linked by Imogen Howson (review)
The Look of Love by Bella Andrea (review-giveaway)
The Forever of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen (review)
Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards (review)
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (review)
Updates/Results for Wicked Fire read-a-thon (see how I did)

This week on the blog look for

A Penny Saved A Murder Earned by S.G. Lee (review)
Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood (review)
Proxy by Alex London (review)
Shudder by Samantha Durante (review)
Rise of the Magi by Jocelyn Adams (guest post/giveaway)
Less Than A Gentleman by Kerrylyn Sparks (review)
Caffeinated Confessions -The Art of Letting Go and DNF

Around the Blogosphere

Bradi @Blkosiner's Book Blog is hosting a fabulous Giveaway for a Kindle Fire and has sign-ups for the next giveaway event if you want to participate. Both authors and bloggers are welcome.
Candace @ Candace's Book Blog is celebrating her favorite things all month long. Every day she has a different giveaway, go check it out!
Lark@ The Bookwyrm's Hoard shares News & Notes each Saturday that always contains interesting information pertaining to the bookish world.
Getty @Teenage Book Critic discovered my blog and I am so glad. His reviews are delightful and impressive. He shared part of his own story this week and I must say I was intrigued. Stop by and read, "The Hunter". While you are there check out this awesome blog.

New arrivals to the Caffeinated Cafe

For Review

Baking Love by Lauren Boyd
thanks to the author

Hereafter by Kate Brian
thanks to Hyperion

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken
thanks to Hyperion

Elysian Fields by Suzanne Johnson
thanks to Tor Books

The Lemon Orchard by Luanne Rice
thanks to Penguin

Days of Rakes and Roses by Anna Campbell
thanks to Grand Central Publishing

Shudder by Samantha Durante
thank to author

The Night is Alive by Heather Graham
thanks to Harlequin Mira

Won/Gifted or for Review Consideration

Night's Mistress by Amanda Ashley
The Silent Rose by Kat Martin
thanks to Kensington books

Unbreak Me by Lexi Ryan

won from the blog tour and Lily @Lily Pond Reads

Purchased

That's my news what's happening in your world?
*leave a comment and I will stop by*

Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

2013-06-15T00:00:00.001-05:00

Born Wicked
by Jessica Spotswood
Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: February 7, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source : Purchase
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchase made through by links support this blog

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave. Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Born Wicked with its beautiful cover sat in my TBR pile for way too long but I am glad that I finally immersed myself into the dark world of the Cahill Witch series. Jessica Spotswood created a dangerous world for witches and woman. She introduces us to three eccentric sisters who are all witches. I quickly consumed this tale in a single day and cannot wait to continue the story. Three word review: suspenseful, dark and captivating.

The tale is set in the late 1900’s in a dark, deeply religious period about two days travel from New London at the home of the Cahill sisters. Cate Cahill is the oldest and approaching her seventeenth year. When she will have to do one of the following: accept a marriage proposal, join the sisterhood or allow the priests of the Brotherhood to select a husband for her. Cate lives with her two sisters and absentee father. The girls are getting a reputation as bluestockings but the truth is they are witches. This is a dark period where woman are regularly accused of witchcraft. The judgment is swift, often unfounded and they are shipped to the asylum, a prison camp or mysteriously disappear. Some suspect they are dead. The girl’s mother died and upon her death bed made Cate promise to keep their secret and protect her sisters. A mysterious note, a lost diary and a newly arrived governess are about to set Cate’s world upside down and the tale that unfolds held me spellbound as Spotswood took me into this world.

The Cahill girls were all interesting. Cate doesn't embrace her magic and is very over-protective of her sisters. She fears their discovery. She is dealing with uncertainty and doesn't know who to trust. Clues left by her mother, and threats all have her confused. I admired her, wanted to hug her and found her to be level headed and intelligent. Tess is the youngest and the magic flows from her. She is sweet and eternally optimistic. Maura is the middle child and desperate to be noticed. She loves to read romances and wants to escape the small-town doldrums. She is constantly at war with Cate and sees her as overbearing. While I didn't like her I certainly understood her. The relationship between Tess and Cate was more mother/daughter and sweet. We see typical sister dynamics and as the oldest of four children, the first three being girls all eighteen months apart I understood the bickering, and shenanigans. The father is absent for most of the story immersing himself in business after the loss of his beloved wife. He does share forbidden books with his girls and has educated them despite the unpopularity of it with the Brotherhood. We have a little love triangle, but the heroine doesn't lose her head over it and instead loses her heart. While it’s a big part of the story it really reflects more on the many obstacles effecting Cate’s decisions. What occurred felt genuine and my heart broke a little. Ooo the villains of this tale the Brotherhood and Sisterhood added to the dark, ominous suspense and gave me the willies!

Spotswood’s world building was fabulous and I really got a sense of the dark period the girl’s lives in. Through Cate’s discoveries we learn about the dynamics of this world, its history and about a prophecy that has all parties involved. The author intertwines the daughters of Persephone into the tale and it was cleverly done and set the tone. We are slowly given details and ultimately they affect every decision Cate must make. The tale was well paced, with a mix of light and dark scenes that offset each other giving me as a reader a chance to breathe against the dark world and events. The last part of the book flew at a dizzying pace, had my heart racing and ended with a cliffhanger that made me oh so glad I waited till closer to the release of book two to read this.

Fans of witchy tales will enjoy the dark, suspenseful tale Spotswood delivers in Born Wicked. Star Cursed the next book in the Cahill Witch Chronicles releases on June 18, 2013. Be sure and look for my release day review.

Four and half cups of coffee out of five

Review: Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards

2013-06-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

Phoenix
by Elizabeth Richards
Series: Black City #2
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: June 4, 2013
Genre: YA Dystopian Romance
Source: Publisher in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*:Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases through buy links support this blog
My review of book one: Black City

Weeks after his crucifixion and rebirth as Phoenix, Ash Fisher believes his troubles are far behind him. He and Natalie are engaged and life seems good. But his happiness is short-lived when he receives a threatening visit from Purian Rose, who gives Ash an ultimatum: vote in favor of Rose’s Law permanently relegating Darklings to the wrong side of the wall or Natalie will be killed. The decision seems obvious to Ash; he must save Natalie. But when Ash learns about The Tenth, a new and deadly concentration camp where the Darklings would be sent, the choice doesn’t seem so simple. Unable to ignore his conscience, Ash votes against Rose’s Law, signing Natalie’s death warrant and putting a troubled nation back into the throes of bloody battle.

I enjoyed Black City and Elizabeth’s Romeo and Juliet romance set against the backdrop of a dark and gritty dystopian world, so I was anxious to slip back into the series. Richards amped up the suspense, drama and delivered action-packed scenes in Phoenix the second novel. I consumed this in a single afternoon and my three world review would be: intense, dramatic, heart-stopping.

We pick up a few months after Black City ended and Purian Rose is getting ready to hold the vote for Rose’s Law. He is determined to win. He threatens Natalie’s life if Ash doesn't vote in favor of the law. Ash has become a symbol for the movement against Rose’s Law and is referred to as the “Phoenix”. When Ash chooses to do the right thing all hell breaks loose and the tale that unfolds is fast pace, action packed and filled with romantic angst.

I struggled with Natalie and Ash a little in this book, not that they didn't feel genuine but rather their behavior. While I understood Natalie’s behavior it still made me want to scream. She thinks she is doing the right thing but I felt she was wrong, selfish and totally wanted to rip my hair out. Ash is brave, confused, hurt, and I wanted him to just confront the issues head on. Elijah Theroux, the Bastet boy Natalie saved in her mom’s lab comes to her asking for help and offers a weapon to defeat Rose and his regime. He is an interesting character who aided them, added drama and at one point shook me to my core. Friends of Ash and Natalie are back and they make new friends as well. Each added to the overall tale. Sebastian makes appearances and ooh I loathe him. If Purian Rose doesn't make your blood run cold I don’t think anything ever will.

The suspenseful war between the people, darklings and government was thrilling and had me turning the pages as our heroes fought against unspeakable odds. There are dark moments, sacrifices and betrayals that had my heart racing. Total five star and exceeds the story of book one, however and this is a big however the character's romance made me totally crazy. They love each other; it’s clear to everyone and they have declared it to each other. Something happens, and it’s a tearjerker, an earth-shattering thing but secrets, whispers, jealousy and lies blow it up and there are misunderstandings, pain, sorrow and …ugh! It was frustrating and heartbreaking and eek gads people! Thankfully we get closure by the end of the book and I guess one could say the author had me full vested, rooting for them even as I wanted to slap them silly. The ending had my hear racing and loathing the idea of waiting a year for the final book.

Phoenix was emotional charged, intense tale that kept me immersed in its world. Despite my issues with the characters, Richards held me captive and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book which due out in 2014.

Four cups of coffee out of five from Mirror City

Review: The Forever of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen

2013-06-13T00:00:00.001-05:00

The Forever of Ella and Micha
by Jessica Sorensen
Series: The Secrets #2
Publisher: Grand Central
Publication date: May 28, 2013
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases through buy links support this blog

Ella and Micha have survived tragedy and heartbreak. When they're together, anything seems possible. But now they are thousands of miles apart, and managing their long distance relationship will put their love to the test. Ella is back at school, trying hard not worry so much about her future. But with her father in and out of rehab, she's having a hard time making it through the days. All she wants is Micha by her side, but she refuses to let her problems get in the way of his dreams. Micha spends his days touring the country with his band, but deep down he knows something is missing. Being away from Ella is harder than he thought it would be. He wants her closer to him-needs her with him. But he won't ask her to leave college, just to be with him. The few moments they do spend together are intense and passionate, but it only makes it more difficult when they have to part. They know they want to be together, but is wanting something enough to get them to their forever?

I adored The Secret of Ella and Micha, book one of the Secret series and was excited to delve into The Forever of Ella and Micha. While I felt the tale could have ended with book one, Sorensen provided a heartwarming, gut wrenching sequel and once again had me swept up in the story of Ella and Micha. Three word review: breathtaking, bittersweet, intense.

The tale picks up with Ella in college and Micha miles away touring with his band. Managing the long distance relationship, her father’s rehab and her own fragile emotional state have Ella confused, and fearful of dragging Micha down with her messed up psyche. The tale that unfolds is intense, heartbreaking, beautiful and raw.

Ella struggles and finds growth in this novel. I am so glad that the author chose to have Ella seek professional help, and appreciate its focus in this novel. So often the characters are left to their own devices and this more realistic approach may one day impact a reader. Despite her issues and her struggles I connected and wanted her to be happy. She is so much stronger than she gives herself credit for. Micha is smexy, and just oozes with swoon-worthy goodness. He has his own issues, and sometimes I think his happiness centers on Ella too much. I do respect that he accepts her; mood swings and all. He has patience with her, and makes career decisions with her in mind. He doesn't push her, even when it hurts him not to. Family is present in this novel but this time we see some growth and healing. Both Ella and Micha have great best friends. I really like how supportive Lila and Ethan are. True friends indeed, they aren't enablers and speak out when necessary. The two work in tandem to help the couple and I cannot help but hope a little something is brewing between them.

Sorensen has this way of wrapping you up in her characters so that you feel their emotions. Despite how impossible the relationship seemed, you couldn't help but root for them. When they are together the world seems brighter. They are the couple you notice in a crowded room from the sexual tension to the devotion you see as they gaze at it each other. There were painful moments, romantic moments and hot sexual moments that melted the words as I read them. Sorensen touches on depression, anxiety, dysfunctional families and alcoholism. She doesn't gloss over them, or try to magically fix them; instead she weaves a realistic and educated thread into her tale. I devoured this in one sitting with its dual POV’s and closed the book with a sigh and a smile.

I recommend reading The Secret of Ella and Micha before reading The Forever of Ella and Micha, although this would work as a standalone. Fans of Beautiful Disaster will love the series. The Temptation of Lila and Ethan is the next book in the series due out in October 2013 and I am excited to read their story.

Four cups of coffee out of five

Tour Review: The Look of Love by Bella Andre

2013-06-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

As part of the Summer of Love tour with BookTrib and Media Muscle each month we will be sharing a new review of Bella Andre's Sullivan series. Today I am sharing book one The Look of Love. This was hot, funny, sweet and filled with delightful characters. Did I mention it's hot? Enjoy my review and be sure and enter to win a copy from me.

The Look of Love
by Bella Andre
Series: The Sullivans #1
Publisher: Harlequin/Mira
Publication date: May 28, 2013
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Copy received in exchange for my unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases through buy links help support this blog

Sometimes one look is all it takes- Chloe Peterson has vowed never to make the mistake of trusting a man again. Her reasons are as vivid as the bruises on her cheek. So when her car skids off a wet country road straight into a ditch, she's convinced the gorgeous guy who rescues her must be too good to be true. As a successful international photographer, Chase Sullivan has his pick of beautiful women. He's satisfied with his life—until he finds Chloe and her totaled car on the side of the road in Napa Valley. With every loving look—and every sinfully sweet caress—the attraction between them sizzles, and Chloe can't help but wonder if she's met the man who may be the exception to her rule. (Expanded Edition! More Story! More Sullivans!Fans of Bella Andre's Sullivan Series will love this long-awaited print edition of THE LOOK OF LOVE. It features a longer, more-detailed story with all the emotion and sensuality that readers love. Not to be missed!)

Have you ever opened a book and slipped into the story letting the author’s voice and characters transport you only to discover you've spent hours lost within its pages? The Look of Love by Bella Andre did this to me. I consumed this in a single afternoon and cannot wait for the next book. If I had to summarize the book in three words: sexy, sweet and hot!

The tale begins at the seventieth birthday for the Sullivan mother. The siblings have all gathered to celebrate and it offers us an intro to this tight-knit family. We see the family through the eyes of Chase Sullivan and I enjoyed the telling. Chase leaves early for a photo shoot scheduled at his brother’s winery in Napa Valley. The weather has turned bad making navigation difficult and right before reaching his brother’s ranch he discovers a car stuck in an embankment and a woman walking in the hail and rain. Chloe Peterson has a nasty bruise on her check and Chase is pretty sure the accident didn’t cause it. The tale that unfolds was sweet, filled with discovery, character growth and a romance that set the pages on fire.

Chase is a successful photographer, drop dead, and six-foot of well toned, take your breath away muscle. He has a smile that will turn your legs to jelly. One of the good guys whose mama raised him right I immediately fell in love. He’s played the field and enjoyed the perks of his profession but Chloe hits him like a semi. Chloe has tried to pick up the pieces of soul and the events leading up to the accident have left her shaken. She is fearful of Chase and has vowed to never trust a man again. I really connected with Chloe she was complicated and genuine. She is brave, scared, confident, and insecure. She is also bright, sweet and funny. I enjoyed watching her reassess, deal with Chase and face her own demons. We get to know a little more about Chase’s older brother Marcus and I am anxious for his story. Secondary characters including Chase’s photography staff had me giggling and enjoying the tale.

The Look of Love was delightful and the tale flowed wonderfully with just the right amount of twists. The physical attraction was hot and you could feel the heat coming off the pages. I loved the slow build of tension and finally the release. The romance felt genuine and despite the short time period Andre made me believe. Chloe is complex and slowly reveals her inner self as Chase carefully peels back her layers allowing her to make decisions and feel confident and in control. There are steamy scenes folks and Andre gave us a delightful mix of sweet, hot and naughty. The Sullivan family consists of eight children and their widowed mother. All of them single. There are six smexy, successful brothers and then the babies (at 24) twin girls. Both are gorgeous and totally different in personality. I am looking forward to reading all of their stories.

I recommend The Look of Love to fans of the Kowalski Family by Shannon Stacey who are looking for more heat. This was the perfect afternoon escape and I have found another author to love. From this Moment On is the next book in the series. Look for my review in July.

Four cups of coffee from the Napa Valley out of five

First Three Sullivan Books Now Available in Paperback

US/CAN Rafflecopter Giveaway

I have a copy of The Look of Love to offer one of my followers

*not a sponsored giveaway*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Review: Linked by Imogen Howson

2013-06-11T00:00:00.001-05:00

Linked
by Imogen Howson
Series: Linked #1
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: June 11, 2013
Genre: YA Science-Fiction
Source: publisher for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases through buy links support this blog

Elissa used to have it all: looks, popularity, and a bright future. But for the last three years, she’s been struggling with terrifying visions, phantom pains, and mysterious bruises that appear out of nowhere. Finally, she’s promised a cure: minor surgery to burn out the overactive area of her brain. But on the eve of the procedure, she discovers the shocking truth behind her hallucinations: she’s been seeing the world through another girl’s eyes. Elissa follows her visions, and finds a battered, broken girl on the run. A girl—Lin—who looks exactly like Elissa, down to the matching bruises. The twin sister she never knew existed. Now, Elissa and Lin are on the run from a government who will stop at nothing to reclaim Lin and protect the dangerous secrets she could expose—secrets that would shake the very foundation of their world.

I was drawn to Linked by the cover and the concept of twins being connected enough that when one is harmed the other suffers too. Usually I have a good idea going into a novel what the story is about, and Linked surprised me. Yes, it’s about twins but its futuristic, we are talking Firefly here peeps! Despite a few issues, I enjoyed this original tale and the creative world-building. Three word review: interesting, original and entertaining.

We meet Elissa at the hospital and are quickly given her back history. She has been suffering from phantom pains, unexplained bruises and horrifying visions or hallucinations. Medication and therapy have failed and doctors want to take the next step and remove part of her brain. The weekend before her procedure she discovers her visions are true and the tale that unfolds has Elissa on the run to save herself and the twin she never knew existed.

I had a hard time connecting to Elissa and Lin her twin. While the author shares Elissa’s fears and thoughts something about her just kept me from truly connecting. Lin was the same way, while I knew when she was afraid; I never truly connected with her. This isn’t to say that the girls aren’t likeable, I just felt they weren’t fleshed out enough. They bicker amongst themselves, struggle with who to trust and even doubt each other. Elissa’s parents made the events that unfold seem real and genuine. The captain and his crew added to the tale and helped raise questions. There is a romance and throughout the novel we get subtle hints about the attraction. Then suddenly near the end bam it’s in your face. While, I believed aspects of it the sudden leap from A to C made it feel seriously cheesy. I would have preferred a slower build or none at all.

While I struggled with the characters and the underdeveloped side dish of romance, what kept me reading was the world Howson created. She really gave me a panoramic view of Elissa’s home planet and an epic adventure in space. From the homes to identity cards I found the world fascinating. The thread on twins and the revelations that unfolded about the government and their use for them was disturbing and original. The author made them feel plausible, sick but possible. She also makes you think about cloning, twins, and scientific advancements in an unbiased way. I though the pacing was ok, we spend a lot of time running and in-between we have these intense, made for movie action scenes. I am a huge Firefly fan and the scenes in space reminded me of some of my favorite attack scenes. I honestly think this tale would translate better on the big screen as far as the characters. The ending was good, and I was glad to see we avoided the dreaded cliffhanger. Instead the author gave us an expectation of what’s to come. While not without disappointed, I do think this was an interesting beginning.

Fans of science fiction and world-building will find Linked interesting. Shattered the next book in the series releases in July of 2014. I am hoping that the characters are further developed.

Two and half cups of coffee out of five

Review: Immortal Eclipse by Sherry Soule

2013-06-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

Immortal Eclipse
by Sherry Soule
Publisher: Disenchanted Publishing
Publication date: April 30, 2013
Genre: Adult Paranormal
Source: Author in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon
*purchases through buy links support this blog

Mystery, Murder, Manolo Blahnik… A devoted fashionata and practical New Yorker, Skylar Blackwell doesn’t believe in the supernatural—until she inherits Summerwind Mansion. . . . When her uncle is brutally murdered, and the cops seem uninterested in following up the case, Skylar journeys to California to seek answers. Her search for clues is soon overshadowed by haunting nightmares of a young woman also murdered in the house. Now the inhabitants of Summerwind are mysteriously dying, leaving no evidence as to how or why, and Skylar finds herself in a deadly race against time to expose the killer—before they strike again. The problem is . . . whoever it is may not be human. Armed with only wit and Pradas, Skylar begins questioning the servants, but the growing list of suspects includes the sexy and brooding caretaker, Dorian, a man desperately trying to forget his tragic past. And a major distraction for Skylar. Determined to play detective—instead of the fashion police—and unravel the dark history of the mansion, Skylar is plunged into an otherworldly mystery that not even she can explain away. As the boundaries between reality and dreams blur, Skylar’s greatest challenge is to stay alive long enough to learn the truth.

Immortal Eclipse by Sherry Soule offers paranormal elements, and a suspenseful murder mystery complete with ghosts, the occult and a side dish of romance. I found it to be a suspenseful, dark and haunting tale that I easily consumed. Three word review: suspenseful, eerie and strange.

The tale begins in New York City where we meet our protagonist Skylar Blackwell. She is a successful fashion photographer whose Uncle has recently died leaving her the Summerwind Mansion on the California coast. When she is laid-off from her job, she packs up and heads out West, to settle the estate and discover how her Uncle died. The tale that unfolds is filled with malevolent entities, an unusual staff and a series of unexplained murders. While not perfect, this tale entertained me as we unearthed the secrets of Summerwind.

Skylar Blackwell is a self proclaimed fashionista and romance book lover. She has grown up around a family that believes in the supernatural but claims she does not. I found her to be a contradiction. On one hand she believes runes protected her and then despite what she witnesses she declares there is no such thing as ghosts as she clutches a protective amulet. She believes she has a sixth sense, and thinks the amulet warns her, all while she tries to dismiss or explain what occurred. She was kind, thoughtful, snarky, confident and unsure. Sadly, I never completely connected with her. Dorian is the properties caretaker. He is mysterious and gorgeous. His interaction with Skylar goes from hot to cold One minute he is warning her away and the next he is asking her to go riding. There was definitely a physical attraction and interests but for most of the novel they behaved liked strangers. While everything is explained, I never quite bought into the romance. Other characters added to the mystery and kept me in suspense.

Summerwind Mansion was almost like a character itself and I loved the creep factor it provided. Everything about it from the paintings to the weird noises made me shiver. Soule spun a clever paranormal mystery. For me, this was the best aspect of the novel. I loved everything from the wind to the paranormal warnings. The sense of foreboding the author provided with subtle clues and changes thrilled me. Skylar has bizarre dreams and in them, we learn about events in the past and I enjoyed the way it was told. The ghost was dark, violent and believable. The occult, historical events and current danger all felt genuine. This would make a cool haunting movie.

Those who enjoy haunts and paranormal mysteries will enjoy Immortal Eclipse. Despite the disconnect I felt with the characters, I was thoroughly entertained.

Three cups of coffee out of five

The Sunday Post #59 ~sharing blog news and book haul

2013-06-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Sunday Post ~ 59th Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

Crazy Book Week here at the Caffeinated Cafe I received everything from Vampires to Hot and Yummy Dukes! This week I received some exciting news. I am both proud and honored to share that I am an Avon Addict! Of course this means exciting things for you as a follower. I will have some awesome reviews, posts, giveaways and lots of swag each month to share with you! Avon books is a division of HarperCollins and it offers everything romance from historical to paranormal in both YA and Adult genres Here is my official letter and yes I did a happy dance!

June 4, 2013

Hi Kimberly,

Let us FORMALLY CONGRATULATE YOU because you are officially an…
AVON addict

There were hundreds of applicants – it was so hard to pick 25 addicts!

Last week on the blog we brought you

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (giveaway) -still open
What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries (review)
Down London Road by Samantha Young (review)
Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay (review)
Big Summer Sky by Linda Lael Miller (review)
Bad Boys of Romance Hop (giveaway)- still open!
Wicked Read-a-thon Goal/Update/Results Post
The Registry by Shannon Stoker (review)
Coffee Pot Reviews: The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst & The Weekend Arrangement by Barbara Wallace

This week on the blog look for

Immortal Eclipse by Sherry Soule (review)
Linked by Imogen Howson (review)
The Look of Love by Bella Andrea (review blog tour stop)
The Forever of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen (review)
Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards (review)
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (review)

Around the Blogosphere

Stitch by Samantha Durante is FREE on Amazon until June 11th. This is a fantastic dystopian you can my review here.
Author Ann Aguirre shared her personal experience with sexism in the Science Fiction writer community. This made me sad and very angry. Read Ann's story: HERE
Apocalypse! An eight day blog hop hosted by Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings, Maja@ The Nocturnal Library and Christy@ Love of Books. Starting July 13th they will kick off the event with a eight day blog hop giveaway! Join in Here
Candace @ Candace's Book Blog is a host for the Once Upon A Time Read-a-Thon July 8th to the 10th, stop by and sign up!
It's not to late to join the Wicked Wildfire Read-a-Thon hosted by April & Pabs @ MyShelfConfessions

New arrivals to the Caffeinated Cafe

For Review

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)
by Sarah J. Maas thanks to Bloomsbury USA

Along Came A Spider by Kate Serine

thanks to Kensington Books

If the Shoe Fits by Megan Mulry

thanks to Sourcebooks

Fair Play by Tracy A. Ward

thanks to Entangled Publishing

Bad Nights by Rebecca York

thanks to Sourcebooks

It Takes Two to Tangle by Theresa Romain

thanks to Sourcebooks

The Hero by Robyn Carr

thanks to Harlequin Mira

Won/Gifted or for Review Consideration

Earth Bound by Aprilynne Pike

thanks to Penguin/RazorBill

The First Lie by Diana Chamberlain

thanks to St. Martin Press

The Trouble with Goodbye by Sarra Cannon

gifted to me from my good friend Ali!!!!

The 6 books above were sent in a Virtual Care Pkg. from HarperCollins

to welcome me as an Avon Addict

Days Gone Bad by Eric R. Asher

won from Toni @ Book Addict

Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel

Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross

Golden Girl by Sarah Zettel

Purchased

That's my news what's happening in your world?
*leave a comment and I will stop by*

Coffee Pot Reviews: The Marriage Bargain & Weekend Agreement

2013-06-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Coffee Pot Reviews! These are short and sweet reviews done in the length of time it takes my coffee pot to brew! I have two romances from Entangled Publishing to share with you today about arrangements and deals. Adult books contain mature content and are not intended for readers under 18 years of age. Grab a cup of coffee and a scone!

The Marriage Bargain
by Jennifer Probst
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Publication date: February 14, 2012
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
Source: won
*purchase supports this blog

A marriage in name only... To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend's older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart. Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he offers Alexa a bold proposition. A marriage in name only with certain rules: avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right? Except fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans…

I love arranged marriages and contract troupes ..they always end up with delicious results. The Marriage Bargain while completely predictable was a fun fast read and one I thoroughly enjoyed. All the ingredients were there; sexual attraction, fear of commitment, tension and bittersweet moments. Alexa was a strong, caring, romantic character and I just clicked with her. Nicholas is our damaged, pretty boy who needs Alexa more then even he can imagine. The chemistry felt genuine and there was a nice mix of tender and funny moments.

Three and half cups of coffee from the corner cafe

Weekend Agreement
by Barbara Wallace
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Publication date: March 15, 2012
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon
Source: won
*purchase supports this blog

Some deals were meant to be broken… Cynical billionaire Daniel Martinetti works hard; plays harder and has one ironclad rule. Never trust a woman. Bad news for historian Charlotte Doherty who shows up at exactly the wrong time. Like every other woman in Daniel’s life, Charlotte wants something from him–the deed to her family farm. Daniel agrees, but only if he gets something in return: Charlotte’s company for the weekend! The property is Charlotte’s only link to the mother she never knew. Desperate to keep her history alive, she’ll accept Daniel’s indecent proposal, but not without a few terms of her own. Namely, a propriety clause. No flirting. No kissing. No sex. Daniel has no intention of honoring her conditions, but after one weekend with Charlotte leaves him hungering for more, he can’t help wondering if she could be the exception to his unbreakable rule…

Weekend Agreement was a short, touching, and sweet read. I easily consumed this in a single sitting. I connected with both characters and felt for smexy Daniel. The characters were fleshed out enough that I felt I understood them and despite a little insta-attraction it felt genuine. While the tale was fairly predictable, it had some cute moments and a little drama to spice things up. I found myself, giggling, and rooting for this pair. Purely entertaining this makes a perfect late night read that is low on heat, but heartwarming.

There and half vanilla lattes out of five

Review: The Registry by Shannon Stoker

2013-06-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

The Registry
by Shannon Stoker
Series: Yes
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: June 11, 2013
Genre: NA Dystopian
Source: ARC from publisher for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases from buy links help support this blog

The Registry saved the country from collapse. But stability has come at a price. In this patriotic new America, girls are raised to be brides, sold at auction to the highest bidder. Boys are raised to be soldiers, trained by the state to fight to their death. Nearly eighteen, beautiful Mia Morrissey excitedly awaits the beginning of her auction year. But a warning from her married older sister raises dangerous thoughts. Now, instead of going up on the block, Mia is going to escape to Mexico—and the promise of freedom. All Mia wants is to control her own destiny—a brave and daring choice that will transform her into an enemy of the state, pursued by powerful government agents, ruthless bounty hunters, and a cunning man determined to own her . . . a man who will stop at nothing to get her back.

Touted as New Adult the Registry is a fresh new dystopian by Shannon Stoker takes us to a dark and scary America. In my opinion there was nothing setting this apart from the YA genre, and while it’s dark at times it shouldn't hinder young readers from its pages. This was an easy read for me and despite questions, and a few issues I was thoroughly entertained. Three word review: suspenseful, unique, dark.

Mia Morrissey is almost eighteen and excited to finally be registered. In Stoker’s world girls grow up to be brides and sold to the highest bidder and sons are sent off to be raised as soldiers. When Mia gets a warning from her sister and her parents are eager to rush her contract, Mia decides to escape to Mexico. The tale that unfolds is filled with danger, a psychopath and a shocking glimpse at this ruthless new world.

When we first meet Mia she is obsessed with marriage, her hair, her drop dead good looks and I quite frankly didn’t like her, but we quickly realize this is how she was raised. She is intelligent, but her education beyond sewing, clothes and cooking are severely lacking. I enjoyed watching her transform, and while some of her behavior was expected it still made me cringe. She flipped a switch back and forth between whiny brat and brave kick-ass heroine. Whitney her friend isn't as pretty as Mia and only has a month left on the registry before she will become a ward of the state. She is strong, passionate about learning and her knowledge is broader than Mia’s. She struggles to accept the reality around her and plays a pivotal part in the plot. Andrew is almost nineteen and works on Mia’s father’s farm. With only three weeks left before he reports for his four years of military service he decides to travel. I liked Andrew, and watching him struggle with his upbringing and reality was fascinating. His feelings evolve for Mia but he doesn't know how to handle it. Grant is in my opinion a deranged psychopath who intends to have Mia for his bride and will go to any lengths to have her. The romance thankfully did not take center stage as I had some issues with it. Strangers along the way and government soldiers all add to the tale's suspense.

Stoker has created a dark world especially for woman. She does a good job of slowly filling in the details of what and how this Registry and US came to be. It’s been a hundred years or more since the Registry began, and I understand why it was started, but why we would allow it to continue is beyond me. She touches on both feminism and sexism. The propaganda at the beginning of each chapter shows you the depth of this governments brainwashing. The tale can be dark and at times scary, but there is no real gore, and the freaky hair-raising parts are mostly implied. There is death it’s ugly but we are spared any details, making this read more like a young YA novel rather than for its intended target. Like in the big action movies we love, there were a few miracle escapes that made my eyes roll. I didn't really feel the romance. No I take that back, I started too but then Mia’s behavior was completely juvenile in this department and I dismissed it. The ending gives us some closure, and I was surprised to learn this is the first in a series or trilogy. I would have liked this tale to be grittier, and wish it had given us a more detailed glance at the world itself. It teased me with its dark side and I wanted more. Despite some issues, the tale flowed well and I found myself caught up in their escape.

Fans of dystopian novels will find The Registry interesting. This was an easy, gripping read that I enjoyed but don't know if I will continue.

Two and half cups of coffee out of five

Goals/Updates for Wicked Wildfire Read-a-thon

2013-06-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

I am joining in the Wicked Wildfire Read-a-Thon
hosted by April @ My Shelf Confessions.
I've joined her events before and it's always Wicked Fun!

The Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon is a time when we all get together to dedicate the days of June 7-14 to as much reading as possible. They will be hosting book-related challenges where you can win some awesome prizes and have a Twitter party at the hashtag #WWReadathon! You can posts updates on your blog, Twitter, Goodreads or Facebook — as long as the profile is public and we all can enjoy your reading progress!

Sign up now!

Here are my goals:

I decided to do a mix of ARC's and my TBR pile.

I probably won't read all of them, but this is the list I will be working from.

Bronze Gods

~~From This Moment On~~

The Mystery Woman

~~Frost Burned~~

~~Altered Frequency~~

~~Proxy~~

~~Shudder~~

~~Star Cursed~~

Progress:
Friday 6/7 read Altered Frequency
Saturday 6/8 read Frost Burned
Sunday 6/9 read From This Moment On and Star Crossed 50%
Monday 6/10 Shudder 10% Wanted: Wife 50% finished Star Crossed
Tuesday 6/11 finished Wife: Wanted read 50% of Proxy
Wednesday 6/12 finished Proxy read 50% of Less Than A Gentleman
Thursday 6/13 finished Less Than A Gentleman read 100 pages of Shudder
Friday 6/14 finished Shudder

Results
read 6 of the books listed in my goals plus 2 more= 8 books read!!!

Are you participating? Let me know
in the comment section and I will stop by and check out your goals/results!

Looking for a good read? Free on Amazon!

Stitch by Samantha Durante
FREE ON AMAZON June 7th to 11th!!

I love a good dystopian and when you mix in a little science fiction and paranormal woo-woo you have the ingredients for a spectacular new trilogy. Stitch delivered a fast paced, original tale with characters I immediately identified with. What started out as an intriguing ghost story quickly morphed into a gripping dystopian and I cannot wait for the next installment. (see the rest of my review here.)

Enter the $25 Amazon GC Giveaway HERE!!!

Giveaway: Bad Boys of Romance Giveaway Hop

2013-06-06T15:00:00.000-05:00

I am taking part in the
Bad Boys of Romance Giveaway Hop!

Oh you know you love them. Those "bad boys" of romance.

And now we're celebrating them and all their naughty deliciousness.

Giveaway Hop hosted by Anna @ herding cats & burning soup,

Tanya@Rantings of a Reading Addict and author Blue Remy!

Since I read books from the YA, NA and Adult Genres

I decided to show off a few of my favorite bad boys:

Noah, Lucus, Travis, Rowdy, Bourne, Cash, Bones, Jean Lafitte, Reyes,
Branden, Jack, Simon, Warner, Radison *swoons*

All of these books have a yummy bad-boy who made me swoon!

Which "bad boy" revs your motor?

Is he a hero? Villain? A secondary character?

International Rafflecopter Giveaway

*B&N or Book Depository must ship to your address to enter*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grand Prize Rafflecopter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep Hopping and Enjoy those Bad Boys!
See complete list of participating blogs: HERE

Review: Big Sky Summer by Linda Lael Miller

2013-06-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

Big Sky Summer
by Linda Lael Miller
Series: Swoon-Worthy Cowboys #4
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication date: May 28, 2013
Genre: Adult Small-town Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases through buy links help support this blog

The "First Lady of the West," #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller, welcomes you home to Parable, Montana-where love awaits.

With his father's rodeo legacy to continue and a prosperous spread to run, Walker Parrish has no time to dwell on wrecked relationships. But country-western sweetheart Casey Elder is out of the spotlight and back in Parable, Montana. And Walker can't ignore that his "act now, think later" passion for Casey has had consequences. Two teenage consequences! Keeping her children's paternity under wraps has always been part of Casey's plan to give them normal, uncomplicated lives. Now the best way to hold her family together seems to be to let Walker be a part of it-as her husband of convenience. Or will some secrets-like Casey's desire to be the rancher's wife in every way-unravel, with unforeseen results?

I love small-town series and when you add in swoon-worthy cowboys it easily becomes one of my favorite new series. Big Sky Summer is the fourth book in the Swoon-Worthy Cowboy series and we finally get Walker and Casey’s story. From the moment I stepped back into Parable, Montana I was captivated and consumed this in one sitting. While they can each be read as a standalone I think you’d miss getting to know the folks of this small Montana town. Three word review: Fun, sweet and enjoyable.

With Casey Elder back in town, Walker cannot help but question his decisions regarding their past relationship and the two children they produced. It is complicated, and there were a lot of hurt feelings, but the kids only know him as Uncle Walker. Casey’s plan was to always keep her kids paternity a secret, but she realizes it might have been a mistake just like she should have told Walker she wanted to be a rancher’s wife. The tale that unfolded was sweet, filled with a little heat and kept me entertained.

I have always liked Walker; he is an honorable man, great with kids and respects the ladies. He is also a dolt and I wanted him to just take command of Casey. *wipes brow* Ok, I got that out of my system. Casey is a successful country-singer but has decided the kids are growing too fast and stops touring for awhile. She is also slowly admitting she wants Walker and always has. At times I wanted to scream, because she seems like an intelligent woman and I wanted her to realize you can have it all! Not one or the other. It was fun watching these to tango. I loved the respect they had for one another and giggled over some heated moments. Their kids reacted to the situation differently and it added to the tale. Opal was back, but her role was much smaller. Hints about townsfolk have me curious, and I am worried about one particular lady. Brylee Walker’s sister was present and I am really hoping we get her story soon.

Despite my issues with the characters’ behavior, I quickly became caught up in the tale. Miller brings heart to her characters. I love the sense of community this small town has and the way they all step up and look out for each other. The romance was sweet, with a few hot but relatively clean moments. The tale flows wonderfully, and had some interesting thread. Miller gets you tied up in the characters and I love that I actually talked aloud to them when they annoyed me! We know we are going to get our HEA, and I enjoyed the ride. We see lots of small town life; horses, rodeos and even get a cute animal story. Overall, this was a great escape and I look forward to the next book.

Fans of cowboys and small-town series will enjoy Big Sky Summer and the town of Parable, Montana. Big Sky Wedding is the next book due out in August 2013 and features a character whose story I have been waiting for!

Three and half cups of coffee out of five

Review: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

2013-06-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Sea of Tranquility
by Katja Millay
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/ Atria
Publication date: June 20, 2013 (paperback)
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases through buy links support this blog

Full of rage and without a purpose, former pianist Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone discovering her past and to make the boy who took everything from her pay. All 17 year-old Josh Bennett wants is to build furniture and be left alone, and everyone allows it because it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t exist. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space. Everyone except Nastya, a hot mess of a girl who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. The more he gets to know her, the more of a mystery she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he may ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding or if he even wants to. The Sea of Tranquility is a slow-building, character-driven romance about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

Please Note: This book contains mature content including profanity, drug/alcohol use, and sexual situations/language.

Katja Millay blew me away with her gritty, breathtaking, and intense story. Sea of Tranquility brought us the story of two characters that will steal your heart. It’s a story of love, heartbreak, forgiveness and hope. As much as I wanted to savor this I quickly became immersed and consumed it. Three word review: beautiful, breathtaking and memorable.

The tale begins when we meet Nastya Kashnikov as she enrolls for her senior year of high school. Dressed in black and living away from her parents, we know something tragic has happen. She is medicated, in counseling and has created this wall around herself and her emotions. We then meet Josh Bennett, a high school senior carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Josh moves through life wanting to be left alone and loses himself in building furniture with his hands. Chance encounters have the two meeting and the tale that unfolds will have you catching your breath one moment and wiping a tear the next.

Imagine a girl walking down the hall as she passes you, she is staring straight ahead with dyed black hair, black eye make-up, cherry red lipstick, sporting a tight black t-shirt and tiny skirt with a pair of stilettos. She never speaks or makes eye contact but you will have walked right past Nastya. She is complex, beautiful, gifted and so messed up inside. She reveals her tragic story to us slowly and her voice is beautiful and captivating. You feel so many emotions towards Nastya from wanting to cocoon her and protect her to wondering what nightmare things she is capable of. Josh has a voice in this novel too and it’s equally touching. He has suffered more loss in his life then any one person should have to bear and yet there is such sweetness to him. The voice Katja gave him as he shared his story touched me so deeply as a mother and wife. Have you ever had the type of cry, where the tears fall silently down your face and you can barely see the pages anymore? That is Josh’s story. Together they create this strange exotic dance. As they unraveled they build a friendship, learned to trust, opened up and ultimately experienced love. It’s raw, emotional, awkward, silly, and tender. It is so unbelievably real that you become completely invested in them. I found myself rooting for them and hoping against hope that they find a happy place. Drew, family and friends all helped reveal them to us and where equally interesting characters.

Sea of Tranquility is so much more than a romance; it’s a character driven journey that involves friends, family and heart. As the reader the author weaves you into the tale as you feel and experience every emotion through the characters. Her writing style and ability to give voice to the characters was breathtaking. This is the type of book that is meant to be read slowly and savored. Granted, I got swept up in the tale and consumed it in less than two days, but I have already gone back just to read some of the paragraph’s again. It is the type of book you can reread again and again. Here is a quote that I love:

"I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk."~ Nastya; Sea of Tranquility

Seriously?!? Can't you just feel her emotions! Katja and her characters captured my heart as they shared this story of loss, forgiveness and healing. The author's grasp of our ability to endure and overcome was so powerfully portrayed. You know that book high I am always chasing? This book delivered that and more. Yes its full of angst, but its beautiful, emotionally draining, hopeful and cleansing. It is a book I will recommend to my daughter, my best friend, my mother and my grandmother. It is timeless, poignant and breathtaking beautiful.

Break out the tissues, grab the chocolate or wine and a copy of Sea of Tranquility. Put on your favorite comfy outfit,(you know exactly what one I am talking about), grab a cuddly blanket, turn of the phone and surrender your heart. You won’t regret it. Honestly, I would buy this author’s next book sight unseen.

Five cups of perfectly brewed coffee out of five

Review: Down London Road by Samantha Young

2013-06-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

Down London Road
by Samantha Young
Series: On Dublin Street #2
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
Source: purchase
*purchases through buy links support this blog
My review of book one: On Dublin Street

Johanna Walker is used to taking charge. But she’s about to meet someone who will make her lose control....It has always been up to Johanna to care for her family, particularly her younger brother, Cole. With an absent father and a useless mother, she’s been making decisions based on what’s best for Cole for as long as she can remember. She even determines what men to date by how much they can provide for her brother and her, not on whatever sparks may—or may not—fly. But with Cameron MacCabe, the attraction is undeniable. The sexy new bartender at work gives her butterflies every time she looks at him. And for once, Jo is tempted to put her needs first. Cam is just as obsessed with getting to know Jo, but her walls are too solid to let him get close enough to even try. Then Cam moves into the flat below Jo’s, and their blistering connection becomes impossible to ignore. Especially since Cam is determined to uncover all of Jo’s secrets even if it means taking apart her defenses piece by piece.

I really enjoyed On Dublin Street and immediately pre-ordered Down London Road by Samantha Young. Ignoring my tight reading schedule I decided to jump right in and read it. Once again Young gave me fleshed out, complicated characters that I found myself rooting for. I quickly consumed this in a single evening and cannot wait to go back. Three word review: heart-warming, sizzling and captivating.

We met Johanna Walker in On Dublin Street and I was apprehensive about reading her story. On the surface she is a Paraná looking for a sugar daddy, but Johanna;s life is complicated. Her father is MIA and she has been left to taking care of her younger brother Cole and her sorry excuse for a mother. She does not let many people into her inner circle, especially the men she dates. In fact, you might even say Johanna is completely two different people. One works at a bar and cares for the family the other molds herself into the perfect girlfriend. When Cameron MacCabe walks in he completely upends Johanna’s world and the tale that unfolded had me giggling, sighing and shedding a tear.

Once you get pass Jo’s outward persona and see the real Jo you cannot help but admire how strong and courageous she is. She has managed to make a home for her brother, work two jobs to make ends meet and is looking for a way to better both of their lives. She has some self-esteem issues and I think Young does a wonderful job of showing how this affects a person’s self-worth. She likes the men she dates and sex is ok, but she’s never really felt an intense physical or emotional attachment. Cameron MacCabe is a tattooed, dark haired, abs of steel, Irish god. *swoons* Cameron had me uneasy after the first encounter but I quickly came to adore him. The chemistry between these two was smokin’ hot and watching them interact and keep boundaries was hilarious and had me on pins and needles waiting for the inevitable. Jocelyn and Braden had some scene time as well as his family. Jocelyn has really grown and become more confident. We saw growth in her and it was fun to see her blossom.

Young really gets me with her characters. They are complex, a little flawed and at their core good people struggling to make it in this crazy world. Dublin is the backdrop to this story and I now fantasies about moving there. Both Jo and Cam are in relationships at the onset and while no lines were crossed, I imagine if you were in a room with them the sexual tension would be electrifying. I so enjoyed their pre-tango dance and the buildup was delicious. The romance felt genuine and the chemistry curled my toes. Young creates steamy scenes that sizzle with just the right amount of details. She managed to give this series a small-town feel and I like how old characters and new interact and form bigger circles. The tale flowed wonderfully, with the right amount of tension, heat and drama to keep me turning the pages. I consumed this in one sitting and cannot wait for book three.

If you like character driven romance in small-town settings check out Down London Road and its predecessor On Dublin Street. The third book will publish in 2014.

Four and half cups of Irish coffee out of five

Early Review: What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries

2013-06-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

What the Duke Desires
by Sabrina Jeffries
Series: The Duke's Men #1
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: June 18, 2013
Genre: Adult Historical Romance
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
Source: ARC provided for unbiased review
*purchase supports this blog

Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons, accepted long ago that his kidnapped brother was dead. When a cryptic note from investigator Tristan Bonnaud claims otherwise, Max seeks out Tristan’s sister, Lisette—and is infuriated to learn that Tristan has also mysteriously vanished. Have the siblings perpetrated an elaborate hoax? Or is the fiercely protective beauty as innocent as she claims them to be? Fearful that the powerful Duke will destroy Tristan’s career in his zeal for the truth, the clever Lisette convinces Max to accompany her to Paris in a joint search for their loved ones. But their journey takes a seductive twist when they pose as an ordinary husband and wife—not an English Duke with a tarnished family name and the illegitimate daughter of a viscount—and discover an exhilarating passion free from the damning secrets of the past. With the line between danger and desire enticingly blurred, they discover that some mysteries, like those of the heart, are answered tenfold in the bliss of a true and trusting love.

Sabrina Jeffries knows how to weave a tale filled with swoon-worthy men, strong-willed woman and suspense. Her new series The Duke’s Men starts of strong with What the Duke Desires the first book in the series. Her tale captured me in the first few pages and kept me enthralled till the end. A tormented Duke, a lost brother, a bastard daughter and a pretend marriage all created a suspenseful, romantic tale as we traipsed around Europe. Three word review: romantic, suspenseful and hot.

A knock at the door arouses Lisette Bonnaud from her sleep, as she and her butler find Maximilian Cale, Duke of Lyons at the door demanding to see her brother Tristan. He claims Tristan is in London and has sent him a cryptic note about his dead brother. Max fears that the siblings have created some sort of hoax, but Lisette knows Tristan would never return to London; the risk is too great. However, Tristan hasn't sent a letter in ages and she fears something has happen. To protect her brother, Lisette convinces the Duke to travel with her disguised as siblings to find her brother and seek answers. Thinks quickly go amuck when a local woman spots Lisette, alone and unchaperoned with Max. The quick thinking Duke announces they are newlyweds. The tale that unfolds is action packed, romantic, suspenseful and funny as they travel incognito.

The players in this new series are quite delicious, flawed and yummy! First we have Max Cale, the handsome and intimidating Duke of Lyons. His childhood has left him with serious trust issues and a real fear concerning his future. Traveling in disguise with the outspoken Lisette shows him an entirely new world. He finds himself intrigued and drawn to Lisette. She awakens new fears in him and astounds him as she treats him as an equal. I loved how he was undone by her and how she made him review his fears and ideas. We see both the ducal side of him and the tender. Lisette has always been aware of exactly who she is and her opinion of Dukes and the ton aren't very high. She loves her brothers and will stop at nothing to protect them. Her reactions to Max were fun to watch and I enjoyed this strong, stubborn woman. The romance developed slowly and the chemistry felt genuine. Tristan fled London after the death of his father and works for the Paris police. While we didn't get much time with him I am looking forward to hearing his story. Dom is their half-brother and owns his own private investigative service. His interaction with Lisette was delightful and I am already in love. Secondary characters were memorable, and helped propel the tale forward.

I have always loved arranged and pretend marriages within a plot as it makes for delicious situations. Jeffries has this remarkable gift for taking a story line and crafting her own unique take on it. The Duke’s Men is the perfect title for this series and I giggled when it clicked in the story. The character's banter felt genuine and each was well-developed. The romance was fun with some hot moments that sizzled the pages. The tale is fast-paced and filled with danger as they search for Tristan. I found this thread of the tale intriguing and while the tale focuses on the couple the other threads do not suffer. This is one of the things I most admire about the author. She can skillful weave a mystery and romance together giving me that book high I chase. I read this in one sitting as I giggled, cheered and sighed for the characters. If you are a fan of The Hellion of Hallstead series you will find a connection and I thought it was cool how she linked the worlds.

For fans of Jeffries What a Duke Desires will delight you and for those who haven’t tried her books this is the perfect introduction. I will be putting this series on my auto-buy list and look forward to the next adventure.

Four and half cups of coffee out of five

Giveaway: Celebrate the paperback release of Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

2013-06-02T15:00:00.000-05:00

Today we are celebrating the paperback release of Shadow of Night with a paperback giveaway and a set of exclusive buttons thanks to Penguin/Viking Publishing. I love this series, so be sure and check out my reviews and enter to win a copy!

Shadow of Night
by Deborah Harkness
Series: All Souls Trilogy #2
Publisher: Penguin/Viking
Publication date: July 10, 2012
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*buy links support this blog

Now, picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies, subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the mysterious School of Night that includes Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Here, Diana must locate a witch to tutor her in magic, Matthew is forced to confront a past he thought he had put to rest, and the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens.

Deborah Harkness has crafted a gripping journey through a world of alchemy, time travel, and magical discoveries, delivering one of the most hotly anticipated novels of the season.

I am a huge fan of this series and love the blend of history, supernatural creatures, suspense and of course the epic romance of Matthew and Diana! Is this series new to you? Check out my reviews, Discovery of Witches: Here and book two Shadow of Night: Here

A CONVERSATION WITH DEBORAH HARKNESS

Q: A Discovery of Witches debuted at # 2 on the New York Times bestseller list with publications following in 37 countries. What has been your reaction to the outpouring of love for A Discovery of Witches? Was it surprising how taken fans were with Diana and Matthew’s story?

A. It has been amazing—and a bit overwhelming. I was surprised by how quickly readers embraced two central characters who challenge our typical notion of what a heroine or hero should be. And I continue to be amazed whenever a new reader pops up, whether one in the US or somewhere like Finland or Japan—to tell me how much they enjoyed being caught up in Diana’s world.

Q: Last summer, Warner Brothers acquired screen rights to the trilogy, and David Auburn, the Pulitzer-Prize-winning writer of Proof, has been tapped to pen the screenplay. Are you looking forward to your novels being portrayed on the big screen? What are your favorite casting ideas that you’ve heard from friends and readers?

A. I was thrilled when Warner Brothers wanted to translate the All Souls trilogy from book to screen. At first I was reluctant about the whole idea of a movie, and it actually took me nearly two years to agree to let someone try. The team at Warner Brothers impressed me with their seriousness about the project and their commitment to the characters and story I was trying to tell. Their decision to go with David Auburn confirmed that my faith in them was not misplaced. As for the casting, I deliberately don’t say anything about that! I would hate for any actor or actress to be cast in one of these roles and feel that they didn’t have my total support. I will say, however, that many of my readers’ ideas involve actors who have already played a vampire and I would be very surprised if one of them were asked to be Matthew!

Q: SHADOW OF NIGHT opens on a scene in 1590s Elizabethan England featuring the famous School of Night, a group of historical figures believed to be friends, including Sir Walter Raleigh and playwright Christopher Marlowe. Why did you choose to feature these individuals, and can we expect Diana and Matthew to meet other famous figures from the past?

A. I wrote my master’s thesis on the imagery surrounding Elizabeth I during the last two decades of her reign. One of my main sources was the poem The Shadow of Night by George Chapman—a member of this circle of fascinating men—and that work is dedicated to a mysterious poet named Matthew Roydon about whom we know very little. When I was first thinking about how vampires moved in the world (and this was way back in the autumn of 2008 when I was just beginning A Discovery of Witches) I remembered Roydon and thought “that is the kind of identity a vampire would have, surrounded by interesting people but not the center of the action.” From that moment on I knew the second part of Diana and Matthew’s story would take place among the School of Night. And from a character standpoint, Walter Raleigh, Christopher Marlowe, George Chapman, and the other men associated with the group are irresistible. They were such significant, colorful presences in Elizabethan England.

Q: In SHADOW OF NIGHT, we learn more about the alchemical bonds between Diana and Matthew. In your day job, you are a professor of history and science at the University of Southern California and have focused on alchemy in your research. What aspects of this intersection between science and magic do you hope readers will pick up on while reading SHADOW OF NIGHT?

A. Whereas A Discovery of Witches focused on the literature and symbolism of alchemy, in Shadow of Night I’m able to explore some of the hands-on aspects of this ancient tradition. There is still plenty of symbolism for Diana to think about, but in this volume we go from abstractions and ideals to real transformation and change—which was always my intention with the series. Just as we get to know more about how Elizabethan men and women undertook alchemical experiments, we also get to see Matthew and Diana’s relationship undergo the metamorphosis from new love to something more.

Q: SHADOW OF NIGHT spans the globe, with London, France, and Prague as some of the locales. Did you travel to these destinations for your research?

A. I did. My historical research has been based in London for some time now, so I’ve spent long stretches of time living in the City of London—the oldest part of the metropolis—but I had never been to the Auvergne or Prague. I visited both places while writing the book, and in both cases it was a bit like traveling in time to walk village lanes, old pilgrim roads, and twisting city streets while imagining Diana and Matthew at my side.

Q: Did you have an idea or an outline for SHADOW OF NIGHT when you were writing A Discovery of Witches? Did the direction change once you sat down to write it?

A. I didn’t outline either book in the traditional sense. In both cases I knew what some of the high points were and how the plot moved towards the conclusion, but there were some significant changes during the revision process. This was especially true for SHADOW OF NIGHT, although most of those changes involved moving specific pieces of the plot forward or back to improve the momentum and flow.

Q: A Discovery of Witches begins with Diana Bishop stumbling across a lost, enchanted manuscript called Ashmole 782 in Oxford’s Bodleian Library, whose secrets Diana and Matthew are still trying to uncover in SHADOW OF NIGHT. You had a similar experience while you were completing your dissertation. What was the story behind your discovery? And how did it inspire the creation of these novels?

A. I did discover a manuscript—not an enchanted one, alas—in the Bodleian Library. It was a manuscript owned by Queen Elizabeth’s astrologer, the mathematician and alchemist John Dee. In the 1570s and 1580s he became interested in using a crystal ball to talk to angels. The angels gave him all kinds of instructions on how to manage his life at home, his work—they even told him to pack up his family and belongings and go to far-away Poland and Prague. In the conversations, Dee asked the angels about a mysterious book in his library called “the Book of Soyga” or “Aldaraia.” No one had ever been able to find it, even though many of Dee’s other books survive in libraries throughout the world. In the summer of 1994 I was spending time in Oxford between finishing my doctorate and starting my first job. It was a wonderfully creative time, since I had no deadlines to worry about and my dissertation on Dee’s angel conversations was complete. As with most discoveries, this discovery of a “lost” manuscript was entirely accidental. I was looking for something else in the Bodleian’s catalogue and in the upper corner of the page was a reference to a book called “Aldaraia.” I knew it couldn’t be Dee’s book, but I called it up anyway. And it turned out it WAS the book (or at least a copy of it). With the help of the Bodleian’s Keeper of Rare Books, I located another copy in the British Library.

Q: Are there other lost books like this in the world?

A. Absolutely! Entire books have been written about famous lost volumes—including works by Plato, Aristotle, and Shakespeare to name just a few. Libraries are full of such treasures, some of them unrecognized and others simply misfiled or mislabeled. And we find lost books outside of libraries, too. In January 2006, a completely unknown manuscript belonging to one of the 17^th century’s most prominent scientists, Robert Hooke, was discovered when someone was having the contents of their house valued for auction. The manuscript included minutes of early Royal Society meetings that we presumed were lost forever.

Q: Unlike Twilight’s Bella and Edward—hormonal teenagers who meet in the halls of a high school—your leading characters Matthew and Diana are established academics who meet in the library of one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. This is a world where vampires and witches drink wine together, practice yoga and discuss philosophy. Are these characters based on something you found missing in the fantasy genre?

A. There are a lot of adults reading young adult books, and for good reason. Authors who specialize in the young adult market are writing original, compelling stories that can make even the most cynical grownups believe in magic. In writing A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, I wanted to give adult readers a world no less magical, no less surprising and delightful, but one that included grown-up concerns and activities. These are not your children’s vampires and witches.

US Rafflecopter Giveaway

One US winner will receive a paperback copy of Shadow of Night
and these cute buttons!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Virtual Event with Harkness

I’d also like to invite you to join Harkness and her editor Carole DeSanti, the author of The Unruly Passions of Eugénie R, for a virtual book event on BookTalk Nation on June 4^th at 2pm EST. Fans can join by phone and buy personalized copies of the book by ordering online here.

Books in the All Souls Trilogy

The Sunday Post #58 ~sharing blog news and book haul

2013-06-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Sunday Post ~ 58th Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

For the month of May I read 25 books, 24 of which were ARCs. Thanks to everyone who participated in the Clean Sweep ARC Challenge and to all the lovely hosts. This was a good week, and on Friday I got an ARC of Parasite by Mira Grant and have been deliriously happy ever since. I am reading it, but cannot post anything until at least 2 weeks before its release in October..eep.

Last week on the blog we brought you

Surprising Lord Jack by Sally MacKenzie (review)
Dare You To by Katie McGarry (review)
Waiting on Wednesday
I Do..or Die by Donna Cummings (review)
5th Wave by Rick Yancey (review)
The Night is Watching by Heather Graham (review)
Clean Sweep Wrap Up Post

This week on the blog look for

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (giveaway)
What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries (review)
Down London Road by Samantha Young (review)
Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay (review)
Big Summer Sky by Linda Lael Miller (review)
Bad Boys of Romance Hop (giveaway)
The Registry by Shannon Stoker (review)
Coffee Pot Reviews: The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst & The Weekend Arrangement by Barbara Wallace

Around the Blogosphere

Apocalypse! An eight day blog hop hosted by Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings, Maja@ The Nocturnal Library and Christy@ Love of Books. Starting July 13th they will kick off the event with a eight day blog hop giveaway! Join in Here
Candace @ Candace's Book Blog is a host for the Once Upon A Time Read-a-Thon July 8th to the 10th, stop by and sign up!
Whitney @ She Is Too Fond of Books, needs guest bloggers for August since her brother is getting married. Can you help her?
Ashley @ The Bookish Brunette is kicking of Zombie Craze 2013 don't miss it! Great books and tons of giveaways!
Jodie @Uniquely Moi Books is looking to trade books, go see what she has and check out her wishlist.

New arrivals to the Caffeinated Cafe

For Review

Parasite by Mira Grant
thanks to Orbit /Hachette

A Clockwork Heart by Liesel Schwarz
thanks to Random House

What the Bride Wore by Jade Lee
thanks to Sourcebooks

The Farm by Emily McKay thanks to
my friend Bea @ Bea's Book Nook

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
thanks to Bloomsbury USA

Won/Gifted or for Review Consideration

Won Dragon Necklace and signed swag

from author Cindy Mercury

Burning by Elana K. Arnold

thanks to Random House

Demanding Ransom

gifted from author Megan Squires

Purchased

That's my news what's happening in your world?
*leave a comment and I will stop by*

Release Day Review: The Night Is Watching by Heather Graham

2013-06-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

The Night Watching
by Heather Graham
Series: Krewe of Hunters # 9
Publisher: Harlequin Mira
Publication date: June 1, 2013
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Source: ARC in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases through buy links support this blog

The dead of night. The Old West town of Lily, Arizona, is home to the Gilded Lily, a former theater...and bawdy house. These days, it offers theatrical productions geared to tourists, but the recent discovery of a skull, a real skull, among the props and costumes shakes everyone up. So, who do you call? The Krewe of Hunters, a special FBI unit of paranormal investigators. In this case, it's agent Jane Everett. Jane's also a talented artist who creates images of the dead as they once were. But the Krewe always works with local law enforcement, and here that means Sloan Trent, former Houston cop and now sheriff. His great-great-grandmother was an actress at the Gilded Lily...and she's not resting in peace. Then more remains appear in the nearby desert. As they search for answers, using all the skills at their disposal, Jane and Sloan find themselves falling into danger--and into love.

The Night is Watching is the ninth book in the Krewe of Hunters, but each of them can be read as a standalone. Each book in the series deals with a new case for the special paranormal unit of the FBI and focuses on one of member of their unit and their romance. In this tale the past and present intertwine as dead bodies from the past and present begin to appear. I quickly became swept up in the mystery. Three word review: ghost-town, suspense, legends.

The Night is Watching takes us to the Old West and a town called Lily in Arizona. The town’s claim to glory is the Gilded Lily a former theater and bawdy house. The main street of town has been preserved in its former glory and rumor has it ghosts haunt the buildings. The old jail is now a hotel where you can stay in famous cells and the Gilded Lily has rooms for you to stay in, a fine restaurant and puts on nightly theatrical shows. Sloan Trent is a former Houston cop, who left when his uncle became ill and accepted a job as the local Sheriff. He stayed on since the quiet life suits him just fine. When an old skull wearing a wig shows up in the theater he calls his old friend and former partner Logan. Logan is now working for the FBI and Sloan asks him for the name of a respectable forensic anthropologist. Logan sends a team member, Agent Jane Everett to reconstruct the skull. Ghosts, murder and mayhem ensue as Jane and Sloan must piece together the mysteries of the past to solve a present day case involving murder.

Sloan is an interesting character and we learn his ancestors go back to the town’s origins. While he misses the action of the big city, he is comfortable in his ancestral home with his horses and the spirit of his uncle. He is level headed, smexy and respected. Jane Everett an artist and trained FBI agent who loves her job. She is cautious, clever and confident. The chemistry between the two of them was interesting. While they both found each other attractive, things started off a little icy, but as the ice melted the tale began to burn. Graham provided a delicious cast of characters with the townsfolk of Lily. It was fun trying to decide whodunit. The ghosts and their stories were fascinating and was one of my favorite parts of the tale.

I loved the setting; it was like an episode on one of those haunted places TV shows. Lily, Arizona lives for its tourist and the colorful past Graham gave it was interesting. I thought she did a clever job of weaving past legends and unsolved mysteries into the present murders. While I had an idea of whodunit, I must admit I was a little shocked when the players were revealed. The romance was sweet, but sometimes I wanted to shoot Sloan for forgetting Jane is a trained professional and not a damsel in distress. When they connected it felt genuine. As always her tale was paced well and I quickly became caught up, I loved piecing things together and watching it all unfold.

Fans of romantic suspense mixed with a little paranormal woo-woo will enjoy The Night is Watching and the Krewe of Hunter series.

Three and half cups of coffee from the Gilded Lily out of five

Clean Sweep Wrap of Post

2013-06-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

The Clean Sweep ARC Challenge has ended, and I hope you freed up some space on your bookshelf. Remember you have until June 4 to submit final ARCs, follow peeps and enter link to your Wrap-up Post.

I want to thank Kimberly @ The Windy Pages for co-hosting
this event. It was a lot of fun, and so many of you did awesome!

A special thank you to our awesome challenge hosts:

Barbara @ Basia's BookShelf
Thuy @ Nite Lite
Kristen @ My ParaHangover
Crystal @ Elegantly Bound Reviews
Ali @ My Guilty Obsession
Nicole @ The Reader's Antidote
Lola @ Lola's Review
Jenn & Mary @ YA Book Twins

You ladies rocked it and we so appreciate you!!

So how did I do?

My reading list for the challenge
~~The Seduction~~
~~Dare to You~~
~~Girl with the Iron Touch~~
~~Billion Dollar Cowboy~~
~~Day After~~
~~All That Is Necessary~~
~~Surprising Lord Jack~~
~~I Do or Die~~
~~The Night is Watching~~
~~What the Duke Desires~~
~~Sea of Tranquility~~
~~Big Summer Sky~~
~~The Best Man~~
The Testing
~~The Newcomer~~
~~The Best Man~~
~~The Registry~~
~~The Look of Love~~
~~As She Left~~ (DNF)
~~Linked~~
~~Phoenix~~
Proxy
A Human Element
~~Immortal Eclipse~~
~~A Penny Saved A Murder Earned~~
~~Imaginable~~
~~5th Wave~~
~~The Forever of Ella and Micha~~

I read 24 and had 1 DNF ( @101 pages)
out of the 27+ books I set out to read.

Clean Sweep ARC Rafflecopter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let me know how you did!

Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

2013-05-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

The 5th Wave
by Rick Yancey
Series: The Fifth Wave #1
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: May 7, 2013
Genre: YA Post Apocalyptic
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
Source: ARC provided in exchange for unbiased review
*purchases made through buy links support this blog

The Passage meets Ender’s Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey. After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

When I read the synopsis and saw “The Passage meets Ender’s Game” I knew I had to read Rick Yancey’s The 5^th Wave. I am not familiar with Ender’s Game but I am a huge fan of Cronin’s epic novel The Passage. This was an outstanding dystopian that gave me chills with characters I couldn't help but root for. At almost five hundred pages I quickly consumed this as I slipped into Yancey’s world. Three word review: epic, believable, genius.

The prologue set in 1995, gave me chills and immediately drew me into the story. Fast forward to present day when the planet is attacked. Through Cassie we get an account of the events that occurred leading up to the 5^th Wave and here our journey with Cassie begins. When her little brother is separated from her she vows to find him. To survive she trust no one that is until she meets Evan Walker. To fulfill her promise, she may just need to take a chance and the tale that unfolds left me breathless.

I love mankind's ability to lift ourselves up and survive when all seems lost. Granted not everyone does that. Some close their doors and wait for the end, others end it themselves. Then there are those who find a purpose and continue despite the odds and these are the characters that Yancey brings to life. Cassie is a strong character and her voice rang true throughout the novel. She is a fighter, even when she wants to crumble and hide. She isn't a skilled survivalist, and heck she can't even shoot, but she promised her brother she would come and with a little luck and kick-ass persistence she sets out to find him. Along the way she faces conflict and characters who make her question her own rules. We see growth in her throughout the novel and I would be honored to call Cassie my friend. From the squad team at Camp Haven to the boy at the first base camp Cassie encounters the other characters and perspectives are fleshed–out. Even the briefest of characters has their own distinct voices. There is a romance and the possibility of a triangle but these do not take center stage and only deepen our understanding of the characters.

Told from multiple perspectives with outstanding, original world building I could not put this novel down. Yancey is an impressive storyteller and his weaving of events seemed so plausible it gave me chills. It blurred the line between fiction and reality. The pacing was perfect and the author gave me a panoramic view of the world through his characters. I didn't feel rushed nor did I feel we straggled. The details and world description flowed effortlessly from his pen to the pages and allowed me to completely immerse myself. His characters are strong, complex and believable. I found myself rooting for each of them. Yancey brings this tale alive on so many levels from the intense understanding and powerful emotions we feel for Cassie and her family to the horror of what is happening to our world. The waves that occurred are brilliant and the perfect road map for anyone looking to destroy Earth’s inhabitants. Trust, being alone, survival and humanity are all questions raised throughout the novel. Yancey even forces us to see the alien’s position. The tale can be dark and depressing at times but humanities will to survive uplifts you and compels you to read on. This novel positively blew me away. I could not put it down nor could I stop thinking about it and talking about it. It’s a book whose details you will remember a year from now. It’s one that will pop up every time you recommend a book. I lived it, consumed it and still I want more.

The 5^th Wave is an outstanding dystopian tales that will quickly distinguish itself from this flooded genre. Yancey has created a world and characters that I will want to visit again and again. This tale can be enjoyed by everyone from teens to adults and has excellent cross-over appeal for science-fiction lovers.

Five cups of coffee before the first wave out of five

Review: I Do ... or Die by Donna Cummings

2013-05-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

I Do or Die
by Donna Cummings
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Publication date: December 10, 2012
Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense
Source: Author in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchases through links support this blog

“Always a bridesmaid, never a bride” is Shelby Atwood's personal credo. She’s managed to avoid commitment all her life – no pets, no plants, not even a long-term lease. Heck, she’s had colds last longer than her romantic relationships. How could she be any other way when she has a gigolo for a father? But then gunfire erupts at the latest wedding she’s agreed to be in, and it ends up being the best thing to happen to Shelby’s love life. Detective Ryan Nichols is assigned to the case, and when the shootings don’t stop, he becomes her 24-hour bodyguard. Shelby wouldn’t mind except Ryan is too appealing, too sexy, and too happy to remind her of the raucous bachelorette party when she mistook him for a stripper. Shelby’s plan is simple: find the shooter, have a fling with Ryan, and return to her non-committal life. Unfortunately, the shooter is very elusive. Shelby’s feelings for Ryan are way more than adrenaline-fueled lust. And returning to her normal life is now impossible since, despite her lifelong resistance, she’s managed to put her heart smack dab in the line of fire.

I agreed to read I Do..or Die after reading the synopsis. I love romantic suspense and I sensed a little snark and humor. Cummings delighted me with an over the top witty, and snarky heroine. Then she added a smexy Detective and a cat whose facial expressions made me giggle. Three word review: humorous, romantic, steamy.

We meet Shelby Atwood dressed as a bridesmaid for her best friends, forth wedding! *yikes* While she thinks her friend is crazy to try again she stands by her and suffers through all her duties. At the wedding the bride is shot at and Shelby quickly moves to her side as she is whisked to the hospital. Here she meets Detective Ryan Nichols and she cannot help but notice he is all kinds of yummy. She is covered in blood, and tries to looks casual as she spews one-liners that have the groom frustrated and the officer smirking. He offers her a ride home and the tale that unfolds is funny, romantic, and steamy. Despite a few issues I enjoyed the ride and found the romance sweet.

Shelby’s life is upside down at the moment and you kind of have to laugh at the cards fate has dealt her, and admire her for laughing it off. She is snarky, and both her inner thoughts and spoken thoughts had me giggling. The more nervous she got the more snarky she became and sometimes it got a little annoying. I wanted to shake her and say be serious. Ryan finds Shelby refreshing, funny, and sexy. When he realizes she is in trouble he helps and I liked the kind of stand-up guy he is. There is sexual tension from the onset but the relationship unfolds slowly. Other characters round out the story and add insight, humor and suspects.

The mystery aspect of this tale is served as a side dish to the romance although it is always present. Instead of working the case with Shelby in tow, Ryan’s partner works it, leaving us feel a little left out. I would have liked to be more involved but the climatic ending for the mystery itself was very believable. But then the author threw in a twist and while I loved the intense scene it felt over the top. I would have preferred the first ending with the climactic scene and throw out that last bit. The romance wrapped up nicely and I liked how it ended. Overall this was an entertaining read and I will certainly try this author again.

Fans of romance with a side dish of suspense, and a whole lot of humor will enjoy I Do…or Die. It offers up a nice light weekend read.

Three cups of coffee out of five