Book Lovers Inc.

Review: Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton

Draconismoi — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:00:37 +0000

Format Read: eARC from Netgalley.
Genre: YA, Magical Realism.
Release Date: June 1, 2013.
Number of pages: 350 pages.
Publisher: Flux.
Formats Available: ebook, paperback.
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Powells, Book Depository, Amazon, Author.
Book Blurb:

I can’t weep. I can’t fear. I’ve grown talented at pretending.

Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them. Longing, Shame, and Courage materialize around her classmates. Fury and Resentment appear in her dysfunctional home. They’ve all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn’t succumb to their touch. All, that is, save one—Fear. He’s intrigued by her, as desperate to understand the accident that changed Elizabeth’s life as she is herself.

Elizabeth and Fear both sense that the key to her past is hidden in the dream paintings she hides in the family barn. But a shadowy menace has begun to stalk her, and try as she might, Elizabeth can barely avoid the brutality of her life long enough to uncover the truth about herself. When it matters most, will she be able to rely on Fear to save her?

My Thoughts:

Fuck this book. No seriously, FUCK this book.

Did you know that exposure to violence in early childhood negatively impacts brain development? I spend so much of my time working with victims and trying to legally extricate families from lethal situations, that I often forget the science behind abuse, domestic violence, and trauma is not widely understood.

Some Quiet Place opens with scenes of domestic violence – and I was instantly intrigued. This surrealist portrayal of emotive synesthesia as a reaction to dealing with a hellish homelife could provide a unique perspective on issues of child abuse and domestic violence. If this had been handled with any kind of skill or sensitivity, I’d have gotten copies for my office to give to teenage survivors. Because sometimes it is easier to accept guidance from fictional worlds than this one.

However, it became almost instantly clear to me that the only experience this author has had with abuse is perpetuating it. She basically just tossed the child abuse in for shits and giggles. To underscore her point. (Oh look how emotionless she is, just sitting there while her mother is beaten up, and not panicking when being stabbed by her drunken piece of shit father.) A shortcut for character development that spits on actual survivors of domestic violence, and will only serve further damage the precarious mental state of actual teenage victims. Here are the highlights:

Elizabeth’s lack of a fear response to her father’s rages infuriates him. He decides that his inability to control her through violence means she is not actually his child. (Abusers commonly react lethally to delusions of infidelity. Every time he expresses this belief, and the rest of the family supports it, the chance of Elizabeth surviving the book decreases.)
Elizabeth’s mother blames Elizabeth for the lethality risk in the home. She agrees that Elizabeth cannot actually be her child, because her child would be more emotive. (PTSD? Autism? What’re those? Clearly I have an alien changeling that is responsible for all the problems in my life.)
Elizabeth’s older brother buys into the belief that Elizabeth isn’t really “family,” thus excusing himself from any obligation to protect her. (Because when you move out and your baby sister is getting the shit beaten out of her on a daily basis, you don’t have her move in with you. Or give her a lift to the doctor. Or talk to her teachers. Or call the police. Or ask neighbors/acquaintances to keep an eye on her.)
No one in Tiny Farm Town, USA is aware of the blatantly lethal violence in the home. Elizabeth is stabbed by her father – and the police do nothing. She is abducted, tortured, and nearly killed by her sociopathic classmates because they find her lack of affect as amusing as her father does infuriating – and the school blows it off. Because her obvious injuries? Her fault. She’s “clumsy” and “outdoorsy” and “in a gang.” (Blow me. In a small town, everyone knows who is beating on whom. If a girl was regularly going to school with signs of strangulation, children’s services would have her ass in foster care before you can say “termination of parental rights.”)

I canot fathom the insipid cruelty of a writer who basically penned a novel using magic to justify beating, torturing, and attempting to murder a teenage girl. Throughout the damn book, you expect/hope someone will absolve Elizabeth of the “responsibility” for the violence, or stand up to defend her right to not, you know, be murdered.

Never happens. Rather, it’s the opposite. The further you get into the book, the more woo-woo magic justification is granted to the entire goddamn town for passively or actively participating in the torture of a neurologically atypical child.

As I said, fuck this book. No one should read it. Ever.

I give Some Quiet Place 1 star. Only because the writing itself was largely competent. Even if the story it self was utterly repugnant.

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

New Releases: June 17-23, 2013

Alisha — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:00:44 +0000

Title: The Heist
Author: Janet Evanovich
Series: O’Hare and Fox, #1
Genre: mystery
Release date: June 18, 2013 by Bantam

Description:

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years, the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.

Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: he convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.

Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.

…

Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend (Confessions, #2) by Louise Rozett (YA)
Dirty Distractions (Afternoon Delight, #1) by Cari Quinn
Fatal Mistake (Fatal, #6) by Marie Force

Lexicon by Max Barry
On Pins and Needles (Sierra Fox, #3) by Yolanda Sfetsos
Poison in the Blood (The Emily Chronicles, #2) by Robyn Bachar

Proxy (Proxy, #1) by Alex London (YA)
Rapture’s Edge (Night Prowler, #3) by J.T. Geissinger
Redneck Romeo (Rough Riders, #15) by Lorelei James

Rogue Touch by Christine Woodward (YA)
Solstice by P.J. Hoover (YA)
Star Cursed (The Cahill Witch Chronicles, #2) by Jessica Spotswood (YA)

Storm Force (Omega Force #1) by Susannah Sandlin
Tarnish (The Royal Circle, #2) by Katherine Longshore (YA)
The Eye of God (Sigma Force, #9) by James Rollins

The Long War (The Long Earth, #2) by Terry Pratchett, Stephen Baxter
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
The Perks of Being a Beauty (Ugly Ducklings, #3.5) by Manda Collins

The Reluctant Reaper (The Reluctant Reaper, #1) by Gina X. Grant
Twice the Bang (Delta Heat, #4) by Delilah Devlin
Twisted (Dark Protectors, #5.5) by Rebecca Zanetti

Until Fountain Bridge (On Dublin Street, #1.6) by Samantha Young
What the Duke Desires (The Duke’s Men, #1) by Sabrina Jeffries
Winter Queen (Fairy Queens, #1) by Amber Argyle (YA)

. . .

…some pretty big names (Evanovich; Pratchett; Gaiman) and awesome-looking debuts. Any of them catching your eye in this turn?

Interview with Lori Austin + Giveaway

Stella — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:00:12 +0000

Please give a warm welcome to Lori Austin, who stops by Book Lovers Inc. to celebrate the release of An Outlaw in Wonderland, the second book in her Once Upon a Time in the West historical romance series! Please give a warm welcome to Lori and read on to learn more about this new story and its characters, and you could even win yourself a copy of An Outlaw in Wonderland!

Stella: Hi Lori, having LOVED Beauty and the Bounty Hunter (folks, it was one of my favourite reads of 2012!), it is a great pleasure welcoming you to Book Lovers Inc and sitting down to grill you with all my noisy questions! Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Lori: Thanks, Stella. BEAUTY is one of my favorite novels in a career (so far) of over 50 books. I’m very excited that Romance Writers of America has nominated it for a RITA award in the historical category.
I also write under the name Lori Handeland.

Stella: Are you a planner or pantser? Can you tell us a bit about your writing process? How do your novels come to life?

Lori: I’m a pantser. I’ve found that if I plot too much the story is told and I’m bored. I prefer seeing what my characters have in store for all of us as they come alive on the page.

Stella: What do you think is the difference between a reader and a real Book Lover?

Lori: Probably volume. Book lovers can’t get enough–they read all the time, many books a week and their TBR piles are stacks upon tumbling over stacks of precious volumes.

Stella: Your Once Upon a Time in the West series is a pretty unique and original series: a historical romance series set in the Wild West! Why, how did you think of setting a historical romance in the Wild West? What was your inspiration? Would you care to introduce the series to those readers who haven’t had the pleasure of discovering it yet? (Readers, trust me, you MUST start this series, you’ll thank me later!

Lori: My very first published novel was a western. I love the genre and have been trying to write more of them for a long time now.

BEAUTY began as an idea that I thought of as Stephanie Plum goes to the West. However, when I started writing I realized that as much as I love Janet Evanovich’s books, I don’t write funny like she does. My humor is more sarcastic, my characters are much darker. I can’t help it. The book also didn’t work with two heroes. From the beginning, Alexi and Cat were meant for each other, so I rewrote what I had as a historical romance.

The Once Upon a Time in the West series begins with the story of Cat O’Banyon, a bounty hunter who will do anything to get her man, and Alexi Romanov, a mysterious con man who teaches her all that she knows. In this book, the beauty is the hero and the bounty hunter the heroine.

Stella: An Outlaw in Wonderland, the second book in your Once Upon a Time in the West series just got release on June 4th, congratulations! With such a title the fairy tale association is pretty obvious but I am curious to know how did you think of pairing up Alice and her Wonderland with bandits and the Wild West?

Lori: The titles are more of a theme than a plot device in these books. For instance, Wonderland is the outlaw hideout and the outlaw is the heroine, Annabeth.

Stella: Can you tell our readers what they can expect of An Outlaw in Wonderland? (if you’d like you could even include a teaser or a titillating few lines)

Lori: The timeline of these books was interesting. OUTLAW actually starts before BEAUTY, during the Civil War, and tells some of the back story of Alexi. In BEAUTY readers met Dr. Ethan Walsh. In OUTLAW they hear all about him. Ethan is a spy, but then so is the heroine, Annabeth. Too bad they aren’t on the same side.

Stella: Could you introduce the hero and heroine of An Outlaw in Wonderland to us?

Lori: Saving soldiers’ lives at the Confederate army hospital Chimborazo, Annabeth Phelan is no ordinary Southern belle. She’s never known work more exhausting or rewarding. And she’s never known a man like Dr. Ethan Walsh, with his disarming gray eyes and peculiar ways. But now the Confederacy is charging her with another service: find the Union spy at Chimborazo.   Ethan’s one passion is saving lives, and if he can do that by helping to end the war, he will—even if it means spying for the North. He’s gotten used to fooling Confederates, but he can’t bear lying to Annabeth. And together, they are about to discover a new passion—one that could even transcend the chaos of war.

Stella: Your heroines, both Cat and Annabeth are kickass, gun-wielding brave and strong heroines. How did you dream them up?

Lori: My books usually start with characters. People come to me and we begin. For me, the West is a time when men were men, and so were the women. Frail flowers did not survive. Kickass women did.

Stella: Now can you tell us 3 reasons why people should read your Once Upon a Time in the West series?

Lori: If you enjoy strong women, deep emotion, fast moving plots with a twist, this series is for you.

Stella: Could you please summarize An Outlaw in Wonderland for us Twitter-style (in 140 characters or less)?

Lori: Dr. Ethan Walsh is a spy; so his nurse, Annabeth. Too bad they aren’t on the same side. Who will win-Yankee, Reb, or true love?

Stella: Could you tell us any “behind the scenes secret” related to the writing of An Outlaw in Wonderland (a real life moment/person inspiring a scene, something that didn’t make the final edits, a character who went through)?

Lori: I did a ton of research on the Battle of Gettysburg, so that I could place Ethan right in the battle, in an actual hospital, with real people all around him. The same goes for Chimborazo Hospital in Richmond and Castle Thunder Prison. These places existed, as did many of the characters that walk through the book and interact with Annabeth and Ethan. I love doing that!

Stella: What is next on your schedule? Any future plans you’d like to share with us?

Lori: The third book in the Once Upon a Time in the West series is THE LONE WARRIOR and it tells the story of Annabeth’s missing brother Luke Phelan. It will be available in January 2014.

Right now I am writing the first book in a trilogy of witch books, returning to paranormal for the first time in quite a while. These books should be available in 2015.

Stella: Could you share with us something, a trivia that not many people know about you?

Lori: I spent 8 years waitressing in a coffee shop. Loved that job. I met so many great characters.

An Outlaw in Wonderland by Lori Austin

In a time of war, love has its own rewards…

Saving soldiers’ lives at the Confederate army hospital Chimborazo, Annabeth Phelan is no ordinary Southern belle. She’s never known work more exhausting or rewarding. And she’s never known a man like Dr. Ethan Walsh, with his disarming gray eyes and peculiar ways. But now the Confederacy is charging her with another service: find the Union spy at Chimborazo.

Ethan’s one passion is saving lives, and if he can do that by helping to end the war, he will—even if it means spying for the North. He’s gotten used to fooling Confederates, but he can’t bear lying to Annabeth. And together, they are about to discover a new passion—one that could even transcend the chaos of war.

Buy at Amazon - B&N - Book Depository - Goodreads

Lori Austin is the pseudonym for two time RITA award winning author Lori Handeland. Under the Austin name, Lori writes sexy, adventurous western historical romance. The first book in her “Once Upon a Time in the West” series, BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER is nominated for a RITA and the second book in the series, AN OUTLAW IN WONDERLAND was named by Publishers’ Weekly as one of the Best Romances of Summer.

Lori lives in Wisconsin with her husband, enjoying occasional visits from her grown sons. She can be contacted through her websites:

Connect with Lori at:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~Giveaway~~

Lori has generously offered an ebook copy of An Outlaw in Wonderland to a lucky commenter!

All you have to do is leave a comment and tell us: Which fairy tale would you like to see next in the Once Upon a Time in the West series?

(You can read our full giveaway policy here)

Please be sure to include a valid email address in the comment form (need not be in the actual body of the comment).

This giveaway is open to all!

Giveaway ends on Saturday 29 June 2013, and we will announce the winner on Sunday.

Good luck!

Book Lovers Book Club: Discussion Questions – Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Amanda — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:00:50 +0000

Good afternoon everyone,

As you may have seen my Once Burned review went up this morning, so I thought that with that review going up I’d pose some discussion questions for anyone who has already read/is reading Once Burned and would like to discuss it:

Do you think that Leila’s “innocence” was handled appropriately? It wasn’t really the first time cliche we’re used to in romance.

Are you a classic Dracula fan? Do you like how Frost portrayed the character?

What did you think of the explanation for Leila’s powers? Was it adequate enough for you?

Naturally if you have any discussion questions feel free to post them in the comments for everyone to have a go at answering and lets see if we can get a big discussion going.

Also make sure to vote for next months Book in the poll on the sidebar.

Happy Reading!

Review: Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Amanda — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:00:28 +0000

Format read: paperback
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 26 July 2012
Length: 346
Publisher: Avon
Formats available: audio book paperback, ebook
Purchasing Info: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Book Depository US | Book Depository (UK)

Book Blurb:

SHE’S A MORTAL WITH DARK POWERS…

After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person’s darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude…until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world’s most infamous vampire…

HE’S THE PRINCE OF NIGHT…

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all—but whatever you do, don’t call him Dracula. Vlad’s ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him—a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.

My Thoughts:

I will admit that I set my standards unfairly high when it came to Once Burned, but I am pleased to announce that Frost did not disappoint and has once again blown me away.

After a childhood near death experience, Leila has been left with some odd side effects, the downed power line that killed her mother has left Leila with abilities that render her unable to touch anyone without seeing their past, present and future and electrocuting them. These powers garner her unwanted attention, which leads to her kidnap by vampires who want to use her to find one of the most powerful vampires in existence. Vlad Tepesh.

Leila was an amazing character, not only is she strong and smart but despite everyone else’s fear of him she is willing to stand up to Vlad. Her powers, though lacking full explanation as to why they are possible, are so unique and one of my favourite aspects of this story. Being able to electrocute anyone she touches and pick up memories and impressions from the people and objects around her – even bones – was intriguing.

Vlad as usual was amazing. Smouldering, intense and completely arrogant coupled with a painful history isn’t a mixture modern day vampires can usually pull off – or modern day authors – but Vlad leapt off the page as usual and is still stuck in my mind days after finishing Once Burned.

Frost’s Night Huntress series is the be all and end all of urban fantasy for me, everything I read and rate is scaled against them, and I was honestly scared that the Night Prince series wouldn’t live up to the pure uninhibited awesome that is Cat and Bones, considering Vlad is my favourite character in the Night Huntress world I also didn’t want him tarnished in my mind in any way. So to have it sitting on my shelf for this long and be scared to read it was truly an error on my part.

Cat and Bones naturally made an appearance in Once Burned, and it was quite odd to be reading them through another’s eyes, especially Leila’s, who referred to them as vampire Barbie and Ken and actually thought Bones was too pretty. In a way I’m glad they were only in it for a few pages though because this was truly Vlad and Leila’s story.

The writing as usual complete perfection, timing was wonderful, character’s voices were clear and individual, nothing was too convenient which is hard considering how rich everyone is. The premise was absolutely fantastic, and Once Burned had my attention from the first page.

Frost has definitely lived up to the standards set in her previous series, the action, romance, gritty characters and quality writing, not to mention the slight cliff-hanger mystery at the end has left me salivating for more.

I give Once Burned5 Stars

Sunday Cravings

Anna — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:00:52 +0000

Hello my fellow Book Lovers everywhere in the world! How are you this weekend? Had an interesting week? The week here in Greece as I’m sure everyone by now will now was really interesting and quite frightening in some aspects. For one more time Greek people find ourselves in the midst of some unprecedented events and if I wasn’t part of the book blogging community and this one not a post about books I may never made a mention on those events, but I think that for all of us who share publicly their opinion whether it is on books or anything else, freedom of speech is crucial. Whether it is spoken or written. A freedom that is seriously jeopardized here in Greece from the recent events and the suspension of our public TV. Since for personal reasons I need to prepare this post in advance I don’t know the latest developments in the matter but suffice it to say that I’m deeply troubled by the whole way everything happened. Anyway, let’s get back on track.

Next week is pretty interesting book wise. There are many interesting releases that we can’t wait to share with you! So, let’s start

Stella: The Perks of Being a Beauty by Manda Collins

The beautiful Miss Amelia Snow is not accustomed to being snubbed by the gentlemen of the ton. But when her mother dies unexpectedly, forcing Amelia to take employment as companion to a wealthy cit’s daughter, she quickly learns to play down her looks or risk losing her position. When her employers, the Smithsons, decide to throw a country house party, she is determined to fade into the background. But how can she when the Smithson’s guest of honor is Lord Quentin Fortescue, the childhood friend who stole her heart?

Younger son, Lord Quentin Fortescue, is far more interested in his host’s cotton mills in the north than he is in courting the man’s dim-witted daughter. But it’s the girl’s companion who makes him look twice. Years ago, Miss Amelia Snowe rejected his proposal without a backward glance. Quentin has molded himself into just the sort of man she’d have wanted back then, but is Amelia still the smug beauty who broke his heart? And can either of them risk their newfound positions to indulge the fiery attraction that burns between them?

After the recent contemporary binge I have been on I’m craving some historical romance and this one sounds delightful. I haven’t read anything by this author, but I like the idea of a beautiful heroine having to play the wallflower companion

Caro: What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries

Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons, long ago buried his grief for his missing elder brother, Peter, who was presumed dead after being kidnapped. When a mysterious note arrives from Tristan Bonnaud asserting that the Duke’s brother is alive, it leads Max straight to the winsome Lisette Bonnaud, illegitimate daughter of a viscount and Tristan’s sister. Soon he and Lisette are traveling to Paris posing as husband and wife, in search of Tristan, who has disappeared. And the longer he spends with Lisette, the easier it is for Max to see that the line between dukedom and desire is easier to cross than heimagined . . .

I had to try this new series by Sabrina Jeffries, her books are always entertaining and cute. I just love them. This new series has a lot of potential. I’ll be waiting for the next release impatiently!

Cass: Poison in the Blood by Robyn Bachar

She is honey to his throat…but one sweet taste could part them forever…

Bad Witch: The Emily Chronicles, Book 2

Banished from home while her husband adjusts to life as an immortal, blood-drinking chronicler, Emily Black is homesick, heartsick and struggling under the constant sensory barrage of a city drenched in ancient magic. When an old friend asks for her aid in solving a string of murders, she welcomes the distraction, despite the danger.

Justine Dubois is grateful for a seer’s help, and more understanding than anyone of Emily’s plight. As a guardian, Justine commands respect; as a woman, her magic is considered inferior. Together, they are determined to prove their worth to London’s magicians, starting with solving these murders—with maybe a bit of matchmaking on the side.

Long before he met his soul mate, Michael Black made a commitment to join the Order of St. Jerome. He will live forever, forced to watch the woman he loves age and die. As Emily hunts the murderer, Michael struggles to protect her. But if he loses control of his hunger, the greatest threat to her safety could be Michael himself.

Warning: Contains tortured soul mates, scheming faeries, vampire debauchery, deadly parasols, illicit blood-drinker relations, and adorable plot moppets.

I’m a sucker for ass kicking ladies setting fire to the sexist societal conventions, and dancing in the embers. This is what I expect from the team-up of Justine and Emily. Two women with magical powers only men are “supposed” to have. Suck it snobby British gentry!

Marlene: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE is a fable that reshapes modern fantasy: moving, terrifying and elegiac – as pure as a dream, as delicate as a butterfly’s wing, as dangerous as a knife in the dark, from storytelling genius Neil Gaiman.

It began for our narrator forty years ago when the family lodger stole their car and committed suicide in it, stirring up ancient powers best left undisturbed. Dark creatures from beyond the world are on the loose, and it will take everything our narrator has just to stay alive: there is primal horror here, and menace unleashed – within his family and from the forces that have gathered to destroy it.

His only defense is three women, on a farm at the end of the lane. The youngest of them claims that her duckpond is an ocean. The oldest can remember the Big Bang.

Neil Gaiman writing adult fantasy again. Does anything else need to be said? We (Gaiman is a household favorite) have a copy of this on order in hardcover, and that’s not a claim I make very often.

Amanda: Winter Queen by Amber Argyle

~Becoming a winter queen will make Ilyenna as cold and cruel and deadly as winter itself, but it might be the only way to save her people from a war they have no hope of winning.~

Mortally wounded during a raid, seventeen-year-old Ilyenna is healed by winter fairies who present her with a seductive offer: become one of them and share their power over winter. But that power comes with a price. If she accepts, she will become a force of nature, lose her humanity, and abandon her family.

Unwilling to pay such a high price, Ilyenna is enslaved by one of the invaders, Darrien. While in captivity, she learns the attack wasn’t just a simple raid but part of a larger plot to overthrow her entire nation.

With the enemy stealing over the mountains and Darrien coming to take her to his bed, Ilyenna must decide whether to resurrect the power the fairies left behind. Doing so will allow her to defeat Darrien and the other invaders, but if she embraces winter, she will lose herself to that destroying power—forever.

Winter Queen sounds pretty cool and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. I’ve had my eye on this one because I really need to add some good fairy books to my shelves

Cass: Proxy by Alex London

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.

Jesus, no wonder the 1% are so entitled. They quite literally slough off any possible negative repercussions of their actions to an underclass equivalent. Boys, I expect you to run off together, fall in love, then come back and smash the oppressive system that screwed you both up (in very different ways).

What about your Sunday Cravings?

The Almost Forgotten Winner Post

Stella — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:00:44 +0000

Hey Everyone!

Lately things have been kind of slow on the blog giveaway-wise as well (and I almost forgot we had a giveaway ending today, hence the title of today’s post), but today I’m back to announce the the lucky winners, who won each a copy of Generation V by M.L. Brennan, who are… *drumroll please*

Susan

Akanksha Saha

Congratulations winners, you have been sent an e-mail notifying you of your win. You have 72 hours to get back to us, or we’ll have to draw a new winner.

Hope you all had a nice weekend!

The International Giveaways Café (96)

Jackie — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:25:31 +0000

Welcome back to another Saturday morning filled with awesome bookish giveaways available worldwide. Here’s hoping that the weather is beautiful in your part of the world today too and you’re all able to find a bit of time to head outdoors and read. That’s where I’m headed

And, remember to let us know if you’ve won anything recently; the Book Lovers would love to hear! As book lovers, we’re happy to spread the word…and the love Good luck to everyone and hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Here’s the fine print for entering your link:
Guidelines:
If you have a giveaway you would like to share with our other readers, the rules are simple:
1. The giveaway MUST be available to international addresses (Book Depository does count)
2. Add your link below, in the format shown. (Please use the URL for the contest post, not a general blog URL; you don’t want to make it tricky for others trying to enter)
3. Expired contests will be removed during my weekly cleaning, but remember to come back with any new entries
4. Add our blog button to share the love even more! (Not required but we’d sure appreciate sharing the word even more )

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In the spirit of global participation, we hope you’ll join in and show those limited giveaways that there are definitely benefits to opening up to the whole world!
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Around The Bookish World: Week-In-Review

Has — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:00:45 +0000

Welcome to this week’s news post – In this edition we have news on the sad passing of author, Iain M. Banks, a very cute story of a pig in a wheelchair and his book deal plus more!

This week started off with the sad announcement of Sci Fi novelist, Iain M. Banks who died of cancer. He announced he had the disease earlier this year and stated he wouldn’t live out the rest of the year. His last book - The Quarry is slated for release in a few weeks time and which also has a character having cancer. Friends and fans can leave a message of condolences at his website.

Apple has announced ibooks for the Mac. I am surprised this wasn’t available before or for apps for other platforms like Android or Windows which Amazon and Kobo have on offer for their customers. This is part of the new IOS which Apple launched this week with a new interface and look.
However, on the flipside of this and a strange development - Barnes and Noble will be pulling their apps for Android/Windows and Apple which is part of a new strategy. Frankly in this day and age where people have different devices and like to access or buy their content from a variety of places, I find this decision silly.

This news item made my heart melt although I am so side-eyeing the name of the pig. But internet sensation pig in a wheelchair has oinked a three book deal. (I could not resist the pun!) – The books will follow the cute pig, Chris P. Bacon journey when he was rescued and given a wheelchair due to his congenital condition of shortened back legs. I think this is a great idea and fun story and I can see a new Babe in the works!

Rachel Caine along with the producer of Continuum, Blake Calhoun have teamed up for a Kickstarter project to produce a web series based on Caine’s Morganville Vampire YA series. They need to aim for $75,000 to raise enough capital to fund for actors, props and studio to produce the series. Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Amber Benson is on board to play the mysterious Amelie. So far Caine and Calhoun have raised over $14,000 but if you are interested in wanting to see this to fruition click here to be part of the campaign!

News in Brief:

According to the Hollywood Reporter- Fox is very close to acquiring ‘Choose Your Own Adventures’ book by Davis Entertainment. These books gave the reader multiple choices to the ending of the book. Its going to be interesting to see how this will pan out.

I think this lawsuit is crazy – but Scarlett Johannson is suing a French publisher due to the fact that one of their books has a character who assumes that the woman he encounters is the actress but she just looks like her.

And now books to watch out for!

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill has an interesting premise and I love the cover for it.

“You have to kill him.” Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

This has pinged my book radar hard - The Falconer by Elizabeth May looks fantastic!

Heiress. Debutant. Murderer. A new generation of heroines has arrived.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844

18-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined to a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s social events – right up until a faery kills her mother.

Now it’s the 1844 winter season. Between a seeming endless number of parties, Aileana slaughters faeries in secret. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, every night she sheds her aristocratic facade and goes hunting. She’s determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city’s many dark alleyways.

But she never even considered that she might become attracted to one. To the magnetic Kiaran MacKay, the faery who trained her to kill his own kind. Nor is she at all prepared for the revelation he’s going to bring. Because Midwinter is approaching, and with it an eclipse that has the ability to unlock a Fae prison and begin the Wild Hunt.

A battle looms, and Aileana is going to have to decide how much she’s willing to lose – and just how far she’ll go to avenge her mother’s murder.

And finally this caught my eye! The Thinking Woman’s Guide To Real Magic sounds insanely cute and fun!

An imaginative story of a woman caught in an alternate world—where she will need to learn the skills of magic to survive

Nora Fischer’s dissertation is stalled and her boyfriend is about to marry another woman. During a miserable weekend at a friend’s wedding, Nora wanders off and walks through a portal into a different world where she’s transformed from a drab grad student into a stunning beauty. Before long, she has a set of glamorous new friends and her romance with gorgeous, masterful Raclin is heating up. It’s almost too good to be true.

Then the elegant veneer shatters. Nora’s new fantasy world turns darker, a fairy tale gone incredibly wrong. Making it here will take skills Nora never learned in graduate school. Her only real ally—and a reluctant one at that—is the magician Aruendiel, a grim, reclusive figure with a biting tongue and a shrouded past. And it will take her becoming Aruendiel’s student—and learning magic herself—to survive. When a passage home finally opens, Nora must weigh her “real life” against the dangerous power of love and magic.

So what do you think about any of the news items I highlighted this week? And what kind of Kickstarter book project would you like to be a part of?

Interview with Carmen Falcone + Giveaway

Stella — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:00:52 +0000

Please give a warm welcome to the lovely Carmen Falcone, who stops by Book Lovers Inc. to celebrate the release of Heating Up Hawaii, her brand new romantic suspense novel! You might remember how much I loved Carmen’s debut novel, so you can bet I have Heating Up Hawaii on my TBR list! So join us as I interviewed Carmen about this new novel of hers, how she realized her dream of becoming a published author and what she originally wanted to be when she grew up! And she comes bearing gifts, so don’t forget to enter the giveaway to win a $15 USD Amazon gift card!

Stella: Hi Carmen. Both Marlene and I loved your Entangled release, A Vengeful Affair, so it is our great pleasure to welcome you to Book Lovers Inc.! Could you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Carmen: Hi Stella! Hi Marlene Thank you very much! How nice of you to think of me. Hhhmm… Where do I start talking about myself and what should I leave out? Lol. I was born in Brazil and moved to the US ten years ago after graduating from college. I’m an English-to-Portuguese translator by day and steamy romance writer by night. Growing up, I always loved reading romance, and I am just so lucky to be paid to do it now. I’m married, have a spunky four-year-old and another baby on the way. Given that, along with our three high-energy dogs, there’s never a dull moment at our house

Stella: Are you a planner or pantser? Could you tell us a bit about your writing process? How do your novels come to life?

Carmen: I’m a pantser. I was raised Catholic, so like everything else, I feel guilty about that, lol. I’ve tried to become a plotter, though, which I think would make my life easier in the end, but it’s just not me. I struggle a lot. I need that adrenaline rush and I need to get to know the characters as I go! To be able to surprise the reader, I need to let the characters surprise me first.

Stella: What do you think is the difference between a reader and a real book lover?

Carmen: A reader will read a chapter or two every night before going to bed. A book lover still has the bedside lamp on at 2:00 a.m. because she wants—no, needs—to finish that book before she goes to sleep. If she goes to sleep.

Stella: With the Entangled Publishing release of A Vengeful Affair in July 2012, you have become a published author. Could you tell us how your dream came true?

Carmen: Sure! I always enjoyed writing, but after a writing contest in 2011 I realized I should be more aggressive if I wanted to make my dream come true one day. So, I honed my craft, networked with fellow aspiring authors and hired a freelance editor to point out my weaknesses. Entangled was accepting submissions, and in January 2012 they offered me a contract after reading the full. It all happened very fast, and I can’t tell you how excited I was.

Stella: On your website you say you write “sexy contemporary romances.” For you, what are the crucial and indispensable ingredients of such stories?

Carmen: Oh, a lot of ingredients! We need to care about the characters, to want to be around them and to feel that sexual tension lurking. The stakes need to be high, and I love it when sex rather complicates things for them—but they just can’t not do it.

Stella: Your latest novel, Heating Up Hawaii, got released recently—congratulations! Could you tell our readers what they can expect of it?

Carmen: Thanks! Heating Up Hawaii is a sexy contemporary novella about two reunited lovers who are working together but are at different moments in their lives.

Stella: Could you introduce the hero and heroine of Heating Up Hawaii to us?

Carmen: Luc Leoni is hotness on a stick! Tall, dark and handsome, he’s been branded with duality all his life: He’s half French and half Italian (the perfect combo!), he’s got mismatched eyes (“one lighter than a clear blue sky, and the other reminiscent of murky seas”), and he’s conflicted between the troubled history he shares with Penny and the sizzling pull drawing him to her again, eight years after their original romance ended.

And then there’s my heroine. Don’t let Penny Asbrook’s adorable hazel eyes and petite frame fool you. She’s all strength and pragmatism—unless, of course, her newly re-stirred feelings for Luc are involved. A PR consultant on the rise, she’s had to make sacrifices to be true to herself. But is being with Luc again a bad decision or a sacrifice she can’t go without?

Stella: If Heating Up Hawaii were to be made into a movie, who would be your perfect cast?

Carmen: Gilles Marini would make a great Luc. And Kadee Strickland could play Penny.

Stella: Now, could you tell us three reasons why people should read Heating Up Hawaii?

Carmen: Fabulous setting, strong emotions, compelling characters.

Stella: Could you please summarize Heating Up Hawaii for us Twitter-style (in 140 characters or less)?

Carmen: After a long separation, will Penny and Luc’s sizzling attraction be enough to surpass their startling secrets?

KaDee Strickland as Penny

Stella: Could you tell us any “behind-the-scenes secret” related to the writing of Heating Up Hawaii? I’m talking about a real-life moment/person inspiring a scene, something that didn’t make the final edits, a character who went through…

Carmen: In my early draft, Penny was still engaged to Darren (now her ex, the jilted fiancé) when she accepted the assignment to work for Luc. I tried to make it work, but while I enjoyed the conflict, I realized it’d be hard for the reader to cheer for a heroine who’s engaged to one person and all hot for another. Plus, I kind of like how the current Penny called off her wedding simply because she discovered that wasn’t what she wanted to do—a decision she made herself. It takes a lot of guts to do that.

Stella: What is your favorite part of a romance novel to read or write? The beginning, the first meeting, first kiss, getting to know each other, first love scene, big fight, happily ever after or something else?

Carmen: My favorite scene to read and write is the first thing that happens after the first love scene. A lot of times, if the first love scene happens too soon or doesn’t have a lot of conflict right after, I’ll lose interest. So I’m always curious to see what the author will do to keep the conflict going.

Stella: What is next on your schedule? Any future plans you’d like to share with us?

Carmen: I’ve just finished Heating Up Las Vegas, the sequel to Heating Up Hawaii that tells Darren’s story. My editor at Breathless suggested he needed his own. Since Darren’s so complex, I gave him a damaged heroine that was just a joy to write. Also, I have an Entangled Indulgence releasing in December tentatively called Kidnapping the Brazilian Tycoon. On top of that, I have a couple of other projects in the works and hopefully will share good news soon.

Stella: Could you share with us something that not many people know about you?

Carmen: Growing up, I wanted to be an archaeologist. No princess or ballerina for me. I was obsessed with Indiana Jones movies and thought his was the kind of adventure the occupation entailed. Lol.

Heating Up Hawaii by Carmen Falcone

There is just one person standing between Penny Ashbrook’s dream of opening her own PR business or being stuck at her job–the formidable Luc Leoni–her first lover, and the man who lets nothing and no-one get in his way. Seeing him after so long brings all the hidden emotions after a life altering break-up to surface. Pain, denial and…lust.

Luc has made many sacrifices for his career, including Penny Ashbrook, the woman who set his aspirations back a year, but now she has returned and is more alluring than ever. After all these years, he thought a self-made billionaire as himself could master everything, but to resist the strong pull toward the one woman he can’t have is an impossible task.

When this unlikely pair is reunited they will have to face the many challenges set in their way, especially an attraction that has only heightened with time and a deadline quickly approaching. Can their new bond surpass old—and new—fears?

Buy at: Amazon - Breathless Press - Goodreads

Carmen Falcone learned at an early age that fantasizing about fictional characters and places beat doing Math homework any day. She traveled the world, achieved a B.A. in Tourism in her hometown in Brazil and was soon invited to work in the USA, where she met her Swiss husband. She’d always dreamed of becoming a published writer, and after her daughter was born, she revisited that dream of writing – this time, unwilling to give it up. Her debut romance A Vengeful Affair released in July 2012 from Entangled Publishing. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her family and three high energy pugs.

Connect with Carmen at:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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~*~*Giveaway*~*~

Carmen has generously offered a $15 USD Amazon gift card to a lucky commenter!

All you have to do is leave a comment and tell us: What exotic location would you like to set a romantic suspense story?

(You can read our full giveaway policy here)

Please be sure to include a valid email address in the comment form (need not be in the actual body of the comment).

This giveaway is open to all!

Giveaway ends on Saturday 29 June 2013, and we will announce the winner on Sunday.

Good luck!

Book Lovers Inc.

Review: Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton

New Releases: June 17-23, 2013

Interview with Lori Austin + Giveaway

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Book Lovers Book Club: Discussion Questions – Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Review: Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Sunday Cravings

The Almost Forgotten Winner Post

The International Giveaways Café (96)

Around The Bookish World: Week-In-Review

Interview with Carmen Falcone + Giveaway

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