The Book Vixen

On My Wishlist (102)

2012-01-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. If you want to know more click here.

Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1) by Tahereh Mafi (Amazon)

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Second Chances by Lauren Dane (Amazon)

Ten years ago, Rori Simon left town shy, unattractive and with zero self-esteem. Now she’s back, older, stronger and finally loving herself—and it shows. Hot men are soon knocking at her door, including Jude Callahan, the bad boy who starred in her teenage daydreams…and her adult fantasies.
Jude can’t believe the sexy, confident woman before him is actually Rori! She’s gotten under his skin like no other woman has…and brings out secret desires he can’t resist. He wants to dominate Rori with every fiber of his being. Wants to own her and pleasure her. To cherish her as he makes her his.

Rori discovers she likes being controlled. She also knows Jude is not a one-woman man. Everything changes when she meets Zach Helm. Edgy, sensual Zach knows just what she needs, and before long, she’s in love. Jude watches them together and wonders if he’s lost his chance forever…

Shaken by Dee Tenorio (Amazon)

Thirteen stories up. Two broken hearts. One last chance…
Surgeon Grant Sullivan’s once-perfect life lies in ruins. His daughter is gone—lost in a tragic accident he dare not allow himself to remember—and his beautiful wife now stares at him from across a legal table, insisting she wants nothing from him.

Julia Sullivan lost everything, especially her illusions about her marriage, after the accident. Her grief only seemed to drive Grant further into his emotional shell—except for the nights he turned to her in silent, furious passion. Unable to live like a ghost in her old life, she’s packed up what’s left of her broken heart and is ready to move on. Alone.

Determined to break their stalemate, Grant follows Julia onto the elevator just in time for an earthquake. Trapped for hours in a building pressure cooker of unspoken pain, he’ll do anything to remind her what she’s leaving behind, as deliciously as he can. But giving her what she needs to save their marriage is the one thing that could destroy his soul.

Warning: Heartbreak and passion ahead—desperate doctor determined to save his marriage at any cost…except for the one secret his wife will do anything to uncover.

What’s on your wishlist?

AUTHOR GUEST POST: Shiloh Walker

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

So...I have an addiction to this site called Pinterest. You pin things. To a virtual corkboard. But you can use it for helpful stuff! Really! Like, I'm going to use it to tell you about my book. First... the heroine...

She looks like this.

Source: kaganga.com via shiloh on Pinterest

And the hero looks like this.

Source: imdb.com via shiloh on Pinterest

And there things like smoochies, and sighs, and sexin...

Source: Uploaded by user via shiloh on Pinterest

And bad stuff happens...there is, after all, a killer.

Source: flickr.com via shiloh on Pinterest

There's also some shopping, though. Not while the killer is chasing her, though. Hope is too smart for that. And cautious. She learned her lesson the hard way.

Source: polyvore.com via shiloh on Pinterest

Speaking of shopping, Remy would LOVE to buy her this...

Source: google.com via shiloh on Pinterest

But first they have to deal with the crazy...

Source: pimpmyspace.org via shiloh on Pinterest

No. Not crazy, gun-toting cats. Just the crazy. There's a lot of crazy going on and they gotta work their way through it. And if all of that happens, you'll end up with maybe one of these...

Source: presentdreams.co.uk via shiloh on Pinterest

And it happens here.

You can read about it here... www.shilohwalker.com/website

And you can check out my obsession on Pinterest here... *G* My boards

Kindle Books: Buy Now, Gift Later

2012-01-26T10:14:00.001-08:00

An interesting question came to mind today; Can I buy a Kindle book now and gift it later? Let me explain. I’m currently reading a book I requested from NetGalley. So obviously the book was free to me. But the authors of this book (it’s an anthology) are so awesome that they are donating ALL OF THE PROCEEDS to a worthy cause. So I want to do my part by purchasing the book and give it away. You know, spread the cheer and all that.

I first asked about this on Twitter because let’s face it, Twitter is the go-to place for questions. Someone is bound to know the answer. Except the answer I kept getting was ‘no’ and I didn’t like that answer. I wanted that answer to be a ‘yes’! (I’m a perseverant vixen like that.) So I did the not-so-fun thing to do – I contacted Amazon. At least I would get the ‘official’ answer, whether is be a no or a yes. But this time, instead of contacting Amazon via email, I did the Chat thing. I totally recommend the Chat way of contacting Amazon! It was easy, painless, and I got my answer pretty fast. And I got the answer I wanted. So bonus brownie points to Matt (the Amazon Customer Service representative who assisted me).

Here’s part of the Chat convo between me and Matt, in case you’re interested:

Me: 'Gifting' a Kindle Book - I have a book blog and I would like to give away a Kindle book. However, I would like to buy the Kindle book today to lock in the price but I won't announce the giveaway for probably a few more weeks. Is there a way I can do this? Can I 'gift' the Kindle book to myself and forward the email I get from Amazon to the winner to redeem the 'gifted' Kindle book?

Matt: The timeframe is not a problem. You can order a book as a gift and send it to your email, and then forward the email to the winner as long as it hasn't been redeemed, it can be opened on another account
I believe you can even re-send the email from your "digital orders" under Your Account settings

customer service can re-send it for sure

and you should be able to simply forward the email

So the moral of this story post is this: You can buy a Kindle book now to lock in on the price and giveaway the book at a later date. So next time you see a great deal on Kindle (you know those 99¢ – $2.99 deals I’m also tweeting about) and you think gee, that would be a great book to give away on my blog! – know that you can buy the Kindle book now to lock-in on that great deal and gift the book later.

GIVEAWAY: Beyond and Serenity by T.P. Boje

2012-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

T. P. Boje is a mother of two, a stepmother of another two and a hardcore cartoon lover, Tim Burton enthusiast, and enjoys any movie the Coen Brothers have made (with the big Lebowski being her favorite strongly followed by Burn after Reading). She is also a writer of Y/A Paranormal Romance, fantasy and mystery. She is originally from Denmark but currently living in Florida, USA. Her books are translated into several languages.

To learn more follow her on Twitter, visit her fan site on Facebook or check out her web-page: http://www.tpboje.blogspot.com/

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Have you ever wondered where you go when you die?
Meghan is 16 when it happens to her. She wakes up on a flying steamboat on her way to a school run by Angels in a white marble castle. She meets Mick who helps her through a difficult time in a different world filled with heavenly magic. One day she finds a mirror in the cellar of the school and goes through it. She ends up back on earth where she meets Jason. But Jason is in danger and Meghan knows something important.

Soon she will have to choose between the two worlds.

The one she belongs to now, and the one she left.

Beyond is a Y/A paranormal romance and the first book in T. P. Boje’s Afterlife-series.

It is Meghan’s second year at The Academy. While trying to help and care for Jason on earth she is struggling to keep up in school, where they this year will learn both to ride Pegasus’ and fly through severe storms. Meanwhile Mick is becoming more than a friend to her and soon she finds herself facing the unavoidable choice.
But something evil is threatening the students at the Academy and Meghan is no longer safe within the walls of the castle. Something causes several of the students to be caught in the middle of a nightmare, that they can’t wake up from.

Soon they suspect that there might be a traitor in their midst.

Serenity is a Y/A paranormal romance. It is the second book in the Afterlife-series.

Meghan’s training at the Academy is coming to an end. Everything is going great for her as she comes closer to the graduation. She is engaged to be married and the wedding is very near when she hears some disturbing news that makes her rethink all of her coming life.
In class they are taught to catch dreams and fly with the speed of light. Meghan soon discovers that she has a lot of special talents and that she is much stronger than she thought. But unfortunately that doesn’t help her as she faces the truth about her own death which will be revealed to her at the end of the year.

Endurance is the third book in T. P. Boje’s Afterlife-series about a young girl’s life after death.

**GIVEAWAY**

Thanks to T.P. Boje, one lucky winner will receive ebook copies of Beyond and Serenity and one lucky winner will receive print copies of Beyond and Serenity!! Giveaway open Internationally. Fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter. Giveaway ends February 9th, 2012. Please read Terms & Conditions at the bottom of the Rafflecopter form before entering. Good luck to all who enter!

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REVIEW: In Close by Brenda Novak

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

Title: In Close (Amazon)
Series: Bulletproof, #3
Author: Brenda Novak
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: NetGalley
Published: October 2011 by Mira

Claire O'Toole's mother, Alana, went missing fifteen years ago. That was big news in Pineview, Montana, the kind of town where nothing much ever happens. Then, last year, Claire's husband, David, died in a freak accident—after launching his own investigation into Alana's disappearance.
Is Alana dead? Or did she simply abandon her husband and daughters? Claire is determined to find out—and her former boyfriend, Isaac Morgan, wants to help. Although their relationship didn't end well, he still has feelings for her. And yet it isn't until he starts to suspect David's death wasn't an accident that he's drawn back into her life.

Together, Claire and Isaac search for answers to the questions that have haunted Pineview all this time. But as they soon discover, someone's prepared to kill so those answers won't be found….

Why I Read this Book: Inside (my review) and In Seconds (my review) were such good suspenseful reads that I just had to read In Close.

What I Liked: I had a feeling to as whom the villain was but the why was not at all what I was expecting. There are a lot of factors that come into play. A lot of secrets unfold. I wasn’t sure where the author was going with the mystery but once everything was solved I had an oooooh moment.

What I Didn’t Like: You know that game one of these things is not like the others? That’s how I felt about this book being part of the Bulletproof series. The first two books in the series shared a connection. In Close didn’t. The only connection this book had was Laurel’s character (the main character in the second book) but she only played a very small role in this book. Other than that, In Close had nothing to do with the first two books. That being said, this book could definitely be read as a stand alone. (And I feel that the series should have ended with the second book.)

I was really disappointed that Rex (a character from the first two books) didn’t get his own HEA. Hell, he wasn’t even mentioned in In Close. Not once! So there’s a piece of me that doesn’t feel closure, even though this book is the final book in this series.

There were some things that didn’t make sense to me. Claire’s stepfather moves on and remarries 6 months after Alana’s (Claire’s mother) disappearance. Six months! That just looks bad on the stepfather’s part. Fingers start pointing in his direction because of how quickly he moved on. Speaking of moving on, Claire herself moves on pretty fast as well. A year after her husband’s death and she’s dancing in the sheets with Isaac. It’s actually a little more complicated than that – Claire and Isaac have a history together - but their relationship (Claire’s and Isaac’s) left me wondering. Was Claire ever really over Isaac? Did she really love David enough to marry him? Was there any regret? Thus, I had a hard time rooting for Claire and Isaac.

Overall Impression: Unfortunately, In Close didn’t live up to its predecessors for me. Whereas the first and second book in this series kept me on the edge of my seat, In Close was more of a mystery than a suspenseful thrill ride. In Close had more of a creep factor going on. This book makes the 4th novel I’ve read by Brenda Novak so far; two were hits and two were misses. I’m not yet ready to give up on this author but I will be a little more selective when it comes to picking up another one of her novels to read.

The Book Vixen’s Rating:

AUTHOR GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: Aida Brassington

2012-01-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Endings make or break a book. Not just knowing when to end a story, but how you end it. The cardinal rule for writers is to give your reader a satisfactory ending, but how do you do that? It’s nearly impossible to ensure every reader loves your ending because taste is subjective. Some readers want every detail tied up in a pretty bow. Others want to something left to the imagination.

My novel, Between Seasons, has an ending most people (so far!) don’t see coming. Reviewers have said they were on the edge of their seats up right to the end – there are clues throughout the book about what might happen, but they’re pretty subtle and purposefully confusing. The main character is a ghost who falls in love with the woman who buys his house forty years after his death, so logical rules don’t necessarily apply. And really, what’s a happy ending when it comes to a dead man and a live woman? Does the woman lobby her Congressman to make it legal to wed a ghost? Plus, since there’s a sequel (North of Frost, due out in spring 2012), how do you balance giving enough information for a good ending without wrapping up every detail?

It’s a fine balancing act.

In the technical sense, a novel ends after the climax. After this climax occurs, you have rapidly falling action that leads to the resolution and the end of the novel. Writers often struggle with an appropriate ending because so much focus is given to novel openings. After all, it’s the thing that hooks you as a reader, right?

The natural inclination of a writer is to err on the side of too much in the end. If your pre-readers have loved the story, why not continue it? More is . . . well, better, right? And if you’re telling a love story, why shouldn’t you give the reader more? The marriage, the babies, the anniversaries? Some readers prefer the never ending story, and sometimes this is accomplished through the use of sequels. I’m not a fan of never providing a solid ending, though, and I’ll tell you why: there’s no real closure, and that doesn’t feel good. People get bored.

Let’s look at two examples of endings, starting with the Harry Potter series. The epilogue at the end of the final novel in the series is a pretty big point of contention among fans. I personally hate that epilogue with a fiery, burning passion because I would rather have the opportunity to wonder what happened to the characters as adults than be told. My guess, though, is that many of you enjoyed it. My example of what might be one of the best endings of all time is S.E. Hinton’s The Outsider’s. Sure, it’s sad, but it’s also hopeful . . . and it gives you enough to be satisfying while still leaving open a world of possibilities of what might come next. And my guess is some of you hated it. See, hard to please everyone!

Keys to a great (and satisfying) book ending:

The reader feels that there is no other possible ending
Every action the main character makes in the novel leads to the ending
If the novel is a stand-alone, the ending doesn’t drag beyond the appropriate resolution point. If the novel is part of a series, something must end or be resolved.

What are best and worst endings you’ve encountered? And why? What do you like in an ending?

Participate in the conversation, and you can win a copy of Between Seasons. Leave a comment and fill out the Rafflecopter form by February 14th, and two lucky people will be randomly chosen to receive the novel in either Kindle, Nook, or PDF format. The giveaway is open to readers worldwide (the file will be delivered via email). Read it and let me know if you’re satisfied with the ending!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aida Brassington lives in a haunted house in the suburbs of Pennsylvania with her husband of five years and a Great Dane named Patrick. She loves all things related to Halloween and spooky movies, but not because she shares her house with a ghost (and it should be noted her ghost does nothing more than occasionally appear in the second floor hallway and hide her keys) — she just likes being scared. She is a former political junkie with a deep interest in artisan food, reading, and scuba diving.

Find the author online: website | twitter | goodreads

ABOUT THE BOOK

There are things Patrick Boyle will never forget: the sound of his own neck breaking at the moment of his death in the fall of 1970, the sweet taste of his mother’s chocolate cake, and the awful day his parents abandoned him in his childhood house-turned prison.
Nineteen-year-old Patrick wonders for decades if God has forgotten all about him or if he’s being punished for some terrible crime or sin over a lovely forty years trapped in an empty home. But when Sara Oswald, a strange woman with a mysterious past, buys his house, old feeling reawakens, and a new optimism convinces him that she’s the answer to his prayers.

Things are never simple, though, especially when she begins channeling the memories of his life and death in her writing.

Excerpt from Between Seasons:

Her fingers arced through the air between them. “Yeah,” she answered, her voice halfway between wonder and excitement. Her hand jutted forward, touching his arm. They both gasped and sprang apart.

“Whoa!” Her fingers hadn’t actually passed through him, although it didn’t feel the same as a regular touch. It was lighter, more delicate, like the flutter of eyelashes against his cheek. And he could feel the warmth of her skin even though his shirt. “That’s…”

“… different,” she finished, taking a step forward and touching his hair. “You know you’re in style again.”

“Huh?” he asked, staring, his jaw hanging open. He could barely think of anything except for the feel of her hands stroking his hair. It felt… freaking amazing.

“Your, uh… your hair. It’s… well, you look like every emo boy in the world.” Her grin stretched across her face.

“What’s an emo boy?”

“Oh, just… it’s a hipster.”

“Hipster?”

“Never mind.”

“Sara, what is going on? Why are you being so… and why can I feel you?” Patrick’s mind was blown, shattered into a million pieces, and each piece seemed to be shouting a different question. Maybe he was still dreaming? He’d had fantasies about Sara like this, but he had never been a ghost when she ran her fingers over the planes of his face, like she did now. He’d been a man, flesh and blood.

“Beats the Hell out of me. Are you afraid of me? You look… like you’re going to shit your pants.”

“My pants?”

“Yeah, you know, those things covering your legs?” She smirked and ran her hand over his shoulders. “And yeah, I’m convinced I’m full-on, loony bin, butterfly net nuts, but it doesn’t matter. I’m just going to ride it until someone figures it out and has me committed. I seem to be functioning fine on every other level.”

“Can I… ?” Patrick’s own hands shook as he reached for her, ignoring her confession because he had no idea what to say to that, and Sara watched in fascination as his palm drifted across the space between them.

Buy the book: Amazon | BN | Smashwords

**GIVEAWAY**

Thanks to Aida Brassington, two lucky winners will receive a ebook copy of Between Seasons!! Please read Terms & Conditions at the bottom of the Rafflecopter form before entering. Good luck to all who enter!

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REVIEW: If You See Her by Shiloh Walker

2012-01-23T08:13:00.001-08:00

Title: If You See Her (Amazon)
Series: The Ash Trilogy, #2
Author: Shiloh Walker
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: review copy from author
Published: January 31, 2012 by Ballantine Books

A FACE IN THE MIRROR
Hope Carson may not look like a survivor, but she has escaped an abusive ex-husband and recovered from a vicious assault. Now she endures the painful memories and suspicious rumors surrounding her involvement in the attack. Her ex is a cop, so the last people she trusts are law enforcement officials—and she certainly doesn’t trust how the local DA makes her feel inside.

Remy Jennings should know better. He has no business falling for a woman who he suspects may have a deeply troubled mind. And even if he did make a move, she’d bolt like a frightened rabbit. But how can he deny a burning desire that threatens to consume him? As Hope’s past catches up with her in the worst way, Remy is determined to break through her defenses, earn her trust, and keep her safe in his arms—before it’s too late.

Why I Read this Book: I needed to know if my suspicions as to whom the killer is were right.

What I Liked: Ever since reading If You Hear Her (my review), I had a theory on who the killer is. And I was so convinced that I had it figured out. Until page 300-something (I’m not going to give you an exact page because you’ll either jump straight to the page or it’ll preoccupy your mind when you should be paying attention to the story), I knew it was [insert character who I thought was the killer]. But then [insert event that happens that squashes my theory] occurs. The choices for the killer are somewhat limited; there’s one detail regarding the killer that’s given away in the first book (no, I’m not going to say what that detail is but it’s an important one) and most characters don’t fit the profile because of that small detail. In fact, I do not even know who fit’s the killer’s profile now. *scratches head*

I love how Remy challenged Hope, in more ways than one. Remy would ask Hope how she was feeling and she would reply I’m fine or I’m okay and he’d rebut her by calling her out as a liar. It made me chuckle but I’m glad he didn’t let her get away from addressing her feelings. I think an important thing with someone who’s as broken as Hope is to get them to express their feelings instead of keeping it all bottled up inside. And Remy did a fine job at coaxing it out of her.

I had the notion that the author was so wickedly forthcoming with some details (like internal dialogue). A new detail came to light regarding the person I *thought* was the killer and yet, I was still in denial. I was ready to go back and skim through the entire book to prove to myself that my theory could still hold weight. But I decided to keep reading and another new detail came to light and completely derailed my suspicions. I now have absolutely NO IDEA who the killer is. And I like it! Otherwise it would have felt too predictable. And if’s there’s one thing If You See Her is NOT, it’s predictable.

What I Didn’t Like: There was a time or two when Remy just needed to be a little more cautious with his physical movements around Hope. He knew better.

There were a few times when the descriptive narration felt repetitious. I’d read a sentence and think I just read that.

Overall Impression: By the end of If You See Her, my theory on who the killer is was completely debunked. I am now stumped and thoroughly confused. I have been completely and utterly invested in figuring out who the killer is and I can’t wait to read If You Know Her.

The Book Vixen’s Rating:

Tour Schedule:

1/23 - The Book Vixen
1/24 - Urban Girl Reader
1/25 - Lynette's Two Cents
1/26 - Under the Covers
1/27 - I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!

On My Wishlist (101)

2012-01-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

One Moment by Kristina McBride (Amazon)

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it's the one she'd do anything to forget.
Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below – dead?

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1) by Darynda Jones (Amazon)

Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life…and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

Shaedes of Gray (Shaede Assassin, #1) by Amanda Bonilla (Amazon)

In the shadows of the night, Darian has lived alone for almost a century. Made and abandoned by her former love, Darian is the last of her kind—an immortal Shaede who can slip into darkness as easily as breathing. With no one else to rely on, she has taught herself how to survive, using her unique skills to become a deadly assassin.
When Darian's next mark turns out to be Xander Peck, King of the Shaede Nation, her whole worldview is thrown into question. Darian begins to wonder if she's taken on more than her conscience will allow. But a good assassin never leaves a job unfinished...

What’s on your wishlist?

REVIEW: Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Bring Me Home for Christmas (Amazon)
Series: Virgin River, #16
Author: Robyn Carr
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: review copy
Published: October 2011 by Mira

This year, Becca Timm knows the number one item on her Christmas wish list—getting over Denny Cutler. Three years ago, Denny broke her heart before heading off to war. It's time she got over her silly high-school relationship and moved on.
So she takes matters into her own hands and heads up to Virgin River, the rugged little mountain town that Denny calls home, as an uninvited guest on her brother's men-only hunting weekend. But when an accident turns her impromptu visit into an extended stay, Becca finds herself stranded in Virgin River. With Denny. In very close quarters.

As the power of Christmas envelops the little town, Becca discovers that the boy she once loved has become a strong and confident man. And the most delicious Christmas present she can imagine.

Why I Read this Book: I had not read a single book in the Virgin River series nor had I read anything else by this author. But when I came across Bring Me Home for Christmas, I was in the mood for a light contemporary romance and I couldn’t pass this one up.

What I Liked: Becca’s on the verge of getting engaged but there’s a speck of doubt floating around in the back of her mind. She can’t stop thinking about her ex so she decides to see him to find out if she’s ready to completely move on. She wants to marry someone because she is absolutely, unequivocally in love with him, not because he looks good on paper.

Virgin River seems to be the place where people come to escape but ending up staying and setting up house. The people of Virgin River are like an extended family; everyone looks out for each other. It feels like a nice and welcoming place.

It was refreshing to have a female character brought in to the story and befriend Becca instead of her being Becca’s competition. No crazy drama in Bring Me Home for Christmas.

What I Didn’t Like: Some aspects of the story were predictable. I pretty much knew who Becca was going to end up with but I was interested to find out the how.

I don’t like to mix children with my romance novels. I’ve got 3 kids of my own so it’s not much of an escape if there are kids in the books I read.

Memorable Moment:

“The safest place for a family is under the umbrella of a happy marriage.”

Love this quote. It gave me the warm and fuzzies.

Overall Impression: Bring Me Home for Christmas was a lovely story and can definitely be read as a stand alone. I fell in love with not only the hero and heroine but the people of Virgin River as well. I will be checking out the rest of this series. If you’re one of those Lifetime/Hallmark movie channel junkies (like I am) you’ll enjoy reading this book. It’s one of those feel good stories.

The Book Vixen’s Rating:

BLOG TOUR: Kiss of Death Romantic Suspense Rocks

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

Why I Like Romantic Suspense
By Rebecca York

I think we tend to read what our parents read. My mom was deep into mystery, thrillers, science fiction and fantasy, and I happily followed her lead. I loved those genres. In fact I didn’t even know there was a genre called “romance” until a friend asked me if I wanted to try and write one with her. When I said I’d never read a romance, she brought me shopping bags full of them. What I discovered were books where the man/woman sub-plots I loved in the books I’d been reading turned into the whole story, which focused on a developing romantic relationship. We did write and sell several romances. But after my initial excitement in discovering the genre, I started slipping in the danger, suspense, and paranormal elements I’d loved as a kid. And gradually I morphed into a writer of “romantic suspense,” the perfect genre for me, where a man and a woman fall in love against a dark and dangerous background. I love researching the action sequences in my stories. I love plotting books where the hero and heroine are on a knife edge of tension as they battle to save their lives. But their love for each other grows and develops throughout the story, and their reward for defeating the bad guys is always a happily ever after.

And one of the satisfactions of my career is that after I started giving Mom my books, I turned her into a die-hard romantic suspense reader.

Rebecca has written more than 100 books, and she has authored or co-authored more than 60 romantic suspense novels. She is a New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling and award-winning author.

She is one of the many talented authors who belong to the Romance Writers of America’s Kiss of Death chapter. At Kiss of Death we believe that every great romance should include suspense. Whether a spy thriller in Regency times, a paranormal romance with a revenge-seeking zombie, or a traditional serial killer after the heroine, romance relies on suspense, leading the reader through the trials of the heroine and hero to see if they will get their happily ever after ending. If you can call your writing suspenseful, then the Kiss of Death has something for you! Find out more and join at http://www.rwamysterysuspense.org and follow us on Twitter at @RWAKissofDeath.

Find out more about Rebecca York at her website http://www.rebeccayork.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Brady Lockwood had no choice but to rescue the woman who'd witnessed his brother's murder. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Grace Cunningham had become a target, and only he could keep her alive. But Brady was convinced she knew more than she was telling.
More than what she'd seen, Grace was haunted by what she kept secret. Things she couldn't tell anyone, especially Brady. Things that went beyond his brother's murder. Her brooding bodyguard had given her not only protection but passion and pleasure. And now Grace feared losing Brady to the killers at their heels--and to a secret that could rip him away.

**GIVEAWAY**

Thanks to Rebecca York, one lucky winner will receive a print copy of Guarding Grace!! Please read Terms & Conditions at the bottom of the Rafflecopter form before entering. Good luck to all who enter!

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REVIEW: The Heart of a Killer by Jaci Burton

2012-01-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

Title: The Heart of a Killer (Amazon)
Series: The Killer, #1
Author: Jaci Burton
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: NetGalley
Published: October 18, 2011 by Mira

Before the Special Forces hero has even unpacked his bags from twelve years of active duty, he's embroiled in murder—corpses bearing the brutal trademark he's seen only once before—on the worst night of his life.
The last time Detective Anna Pallino saw Dante Renaldi, they were in love. Now, he's part of the connection to a string of fresh homicides and a horrible assault Anna only survived thanks to him.

More than anything, Anna wants to trust Dante. But as the bodies and the coincidences stack up, Anna will have to decide, and fast: Is the man she owes her life to the very same one who wants her dead?

Why I Read this Book: I’ve been wanting to read a book by this author for some time now. Her name is all over the book blogging community thanks to her infamous Play by Play series and I wanted in on the action. When I saw that she had a new romantic suspense novel, I jumped all over that!

What I Liked: The Heart of a Killer starts off with an intense prologue that had quite a numbing effect. It gives you the background story upfront. As a reader, you experience everything that sets the foundation for the rest of the story.

Things are not as they seem in The Heart of a Killer. I had a suspicion as to whom the killer was at about 46% of the way into the book. That is not to say that this book was overly predictable, because it wasn’t. I just had an inkling (which proved to be correct) but I didn’t know, or I should say understand, the motive at that point. I second guessed myself numerous times as I continued reading because I just didn’t see reasonable cause to support my assumption at that point.

There is a bit of romance in The Heart of a Killer (including a few steamy love scenes), however the mystery/suspense element was more at the forefront in this story.

The author wasn’t afraid to bring the reader to tears by killing off a character they’d grown to like. Jaci Burton made me cry!!

What I Didn’t Like: What happened to Dante during those 12 years he was away from his hometown? The reader isn’t given much to go on (just that he was in the Special Forces), which made it difficult for me to understand how he has so many convenient resources and credentials. I didn’t get a complete sense of who he is, the man that is Dante. I kept waiting for a glimpse into his past – memories or flashbacks – but unfortunately that didn’t happen.

Overall Impression: Thank goodness The Heart of a Killer is just the beginning of a series. I don’t know when the next book will come out but I sure do hope it’s Gabe’s story. That man has secrets and I want to know all about them. I have my own theories about his ‘profession’ and can’t wait to see if I’m right. I’m eager to read more from this author. Perhaps I shall read her Play by Play series to tide me over - you know, the series with the hot males bodies on the cover.

The Book Vixen’s Rating:

GIVEAWAY: Amaranth by Rachael Wade

2012-01-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

ABOUT THE BOOK

Knowledge changes everything…
Hoodoo-influenced Southern Louisiana seems like the perfect place for Camille to escape her abusive past and dysfunctional family. She doesn’t expect to fall in love with the handsome Gavin Devereaux and plummet into the world of Amaranth, a place of exile for reformed vampires.

Wrestling to escape a deadly ex-boyfriend while giving Gavin a chance, Camille is confronted with decisions that threaten not only her life, but the lives of her inhuman friends she has come to love. Entangled in her friends’ quest for freedom, she dives into their realm and faces the threats of Amaranth’s ruler—the mother of all vampires—and her own inner demons.

Now Camille must decide whether she will derail her life and make the ultimate sacrifice for the monsters that interrupted her bumpy path back to sanity—what she still wants so desperately—or escape with Gavin before it’s too late for both of them.

Buy links: Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Residing in Orlando, Florida, Rachael Wade is the author of Amaranth, the first installment of the epic fantasy romance series, The Resistance Trilogy. She is a member of the FF&P (Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal) Special Interest Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, and her work has been published in The Storyteller magazine and A Hudson View International Poetry Digest. When she’s not writing, she’s busy learning French, watching too many movies, and learning how to help end animal cruelty.

Find the author online: website | twitter | facebook

**GIVEAWAY**

Thanks to Rachel Wade, two lucky winners will receive an eBook copy of Amaranth!!

Good luck to all who enter!

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REVIEW: Hot Zone by Catherine Mann

2012-01-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Hot Zone (Amazon)
Series: Elite Force, #2
Author: Catherine Mann
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: NetGalley
Published: December 1, 2011 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Master sergeant Hugh Franco lives only to save others, until he plucks beautiful attorney Amelia Bailey from the wreckage of an earthquake and finds himself embroiled in ways he never expected. On the run from kidnappers, Hugh must call on all his training to protect them. But Amelia's fiery touch threatens to crack his world—and his heart—wide open.

Why I Read this Book: After reading the first chapter of Hot Zone at the end of Cover Me (my review), I knew I had to read this book. That first chapter is so intense!

What I Liked: The book started off with a bang. I was thrown in under the rubble right along side Amelia and Hugh. It was refreshing to have a calm, albeit shocked, heroine. She didn’t go insanely crazy during the disaster. She was as under control and level-headed as possible, considering the situation and circumstances.

Hugh’s past broke my heart and made me cry. Because of the great loss he suffered, he throws himself into danger’s arms during every rescue mission. He literally lives by the mantra “That others may live”.

Not only is there the main love interest between Hugh and Amelia going on but there’s a budding romance between Hugh’s boss, Liam, and another rescuer, Rachel. I really enjoyed their funny and flirtatious banter.

What I Didn’t Like: There were some inconsistencies in a couple of scenes. One was where:

Amelia slumped down with her back against a tree, drawing in shaky breaths one after the other. She hugged her knees to her chest.

Then:

She turned toward him, burying her face in his chest.

Wait a minute, she was just hugging her knees – when did she stand up to bury her face in Hugh’s chest?

This may seem like a minute detail but it put a kink in my reading momentum. When I read, I’m visualizing what’s going on in my head - like a movie playing. (Who doesn’t, right?) When an inconsistency occurs such as this, it stops me in my tracks and I’ve got to backtrack. I read and re-read this part a few times trying to figure out how it went from her being on the ground to being in his arms.

Here’s another inconsistency – When Liam and Rachel are searching for Hugh, they let Disco (Rachel’s search dog) sniff a shirt recently worn by Hugh so as to pick up Hugh’s sent. Rachel commanded Disco to “go find” Hugh and then she announced that “he’s locked in on the scent”. The book shifts to a different story arc. Then 35 pages later we return to Liam and Rachel, only now they’re at a collapsed apartment complex searching for survivors. What happened about searching for Hugh? When we return to Liam and Rachel they’re somewhere completely differently than where they last left off. That kink in the continuity of their story line threw me off.

Memorable Moments: Hugh does the “Vulcan nerve pinch” on a villain. I seriously had no idea what this is; I had to Google it. A fun Twitter conversation ensued after.

“Believe it or not, [condoms] are part of the gear in a survival vest – the most efficient way to carry water.”

You learn something new everyday folks!

Survival was paramount right now, right along with making sure [Amelia] didn’t fall on her face.

Keeping it real! LOL (That’s totally me right there – making sure not to fall flat on my face in the utmost important of times).

Overall Impression: Hot Zone is about finding love when all in the world seems bleak. The limelight was stolen away from the hero and heroine from time to time because of too many story arcs going on in the same book. But the author carried an intensity that never floundered. It pleases me to know that the next book in the Elite Force series, Under Fire, will be Liam and Rachel’s story.

The Book Vixen’s Rating:

On My Wishlist (100)

2012-01-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick (Amazon)

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."
The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen year old Samantha wishes she was one of them… until the day Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything.

Jase can sense that his beautiful neighbor is missing something in her sterile home, and as the two fall fiercely in love, his family makes her one of their own.

But when the bottom drops out of Sam's world, which perfect family will save her–and will her perfect love survive?

Set among the haves and have-nots of a coastal New England town, My LIFE NEXT DOOR captures the angst, the heartache, and the raw-nerve emotions of first time love—and biting loss.

Because of You (Coming Home, #1) by Jessica Scott (Amazon)

Keeping his men alive is all that matters to Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison. But meeting Jen St. James the night before his latest deployment makes Shane wonder if there’s more to life than war. He leaves for Iraq remembering a single kiss with a woman he’ll never see again—until a near fatal attack lands him back at home and in her care.
Jen has survived her own brush with death and endured its scars. And yet there’s a fire in Shane that makes Jen forget all about her past. He may be her patient, but when this warrior looks her in the eyes, she feels—for the first time in a long time—like a woman. Shane is too proud to ask for help, but for Jen, caring for him is more than a duty—it’s a need. And as Jen guides Shane through the fires of healing, she finds something she never expected—her deepest desire.

Once (Eve, #2) by Anna Carey (Amazon)

Sixteen years have passed since a deadly virus wiped out most of the Earth’s population. After learning of the terrifying part she and her classmates were fated to play in the rebuilding of New America, eighteen-year-old Eve fled to the wilds and Califia, a haven for women determined to live outside the oppressive rule of the king of New America. However, her freedom came at a price: she was forced to leave Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. Eve quickly learns that Califia may not be as safe as it seems and soon finds herself in the City of Sand and the palace of the king. There she uncovers the real reason he was so intent on her capture, and the unbelievable role he intends her to fill. When she is finally reunited with Caleb, they will enact a plan as daring as it is dangerous. But will Eve once again risk everything—her freedom, her life—for love?
Brimming with danger and star-crossed romance, and featuring a vivid dystopian landscape, this electrifying follow-up to Eve, which bestselling author Lauren Kate called “a gripping, unforgettable adventure—and a fresh look at what it means to love” is sure to appeal to fans who crave the high-stakes adventure of The Hunger Games and the irresistible love story of Romeo and Juliet.

What’s on your wishlist?

AUTHOR GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: Jaye Frances

2012-01-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you, Brianna, for hosting me on The Book Vixen today. I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about The Kure, and to let your readers know about my Resolve To Read promotion going on through the month of January.

When I began writing The Kure, I had no idea the initial meeting between the main characters, John Tyler and Sarah Sheridan, would result in such a strong and shared attraction, suggestive of the classic “love at first sight.” But when it happened, I knew it was right. Using the element of surprise to reveal their mutual interest as a happy accident provided the characters—and the reader—with all the nuances of possibility.

One of the more interesting challenges in creating the initial interchange between John and Sarah was describing what goes through a man’s mind when he first lays his eyes on the woman who will change his life forever.

In this excerpt from The Kure, John gets his first glimpse of Sarah, and wonders why their paths haven’t crossed until now. As he fumbles with the requisite courtesies and tries to maintain his composure, Sarah teases him, enchanting him with her playful charm and unpretentious nature.

Here is an excerpt:

Her eyes were the first of her features he would later recall with absolute clarity—wide, bright and clear, and so blue they reminded him of an azure field of forget-me-nots. Her lips were slightly parted, easily ripening into a full smile. As John nodded in acknowledgement, Sarah responded with a tilt of her head, sending a shimmering curtain of sun yellow hair rippling across her shoulders.

She was more than pretty, and with the soft, seductive curves of a woman, she radiated the raw promise of opportunity, the kind that could easily inspire a man to offer everything he owned in exchange for a place in her future.

John tried to imagine how circumstances, or perhaps fate, had kept her hidden for so long. They lived only a couple of miles apart, using the same roads, shopping at the same stores, even attending the same church—at least the five or six times a year John occupied the back pew for services. Yet their paths had remained separate. Until today.

He tried to remember when he’d seen her last. It might have been five, maybe six years ago, when she would have passed him on the street as a quiet and unremarkable child, with no indication of the flawless beauty she would become.

John’s father had once told him that a man’s first glimpse of a woman determines the destiny of both. For an instant, he wondered.

Without hesitating, Sarah stepped into the room, her light blue cotton skirt flowing easily over her legs, the material caressing her thighs as she moved. Her fitted white blouse clung glove-tight around her small waist, the loosely laced bodice revealing the rounded shape of her full breasts.

John expected her to walk toward her father, and perhaps sit in the vacant chair next to him. Instead, she stopped in front of the loveseat, standing so close that if John straightened his fingers, he could easily touch the fabric covering her legs. The possibility made his lower lip begin to quiver, and he pulled it between his teeth and bit hard.

Forced to concede to Sarah’s presence, Sheridan paused. Unwilling to lose the opportunity to control his daughter’s introduction, he quickly spoke again, his manner brusque and determined. “Sarah, this young man, John Tyler, is here to speak with you. About some business with the pastor.”

John realized he was still sitting. Nerves shot him forward. Raw pain pulled him back. Determined to hide the tormenting ache, he leaned on the arm of the loveseat, steadying himself. Readjusting his handhold, he pushed himself off the seat and slowly made it to his feet.

Sarah’s eyes seemed to grow larger as she spoke. “Oh? I hope I’m not in trouble for missing services last Sunday.” Her smile widened in a playful challenge.

John tried to return her lighthearted greeting, but his efforts appeared forced and twisted, far from the sincere interest he wanted to convey. “No . . . no, I’m sure that’s not the case,” he stammered.

“Well, your message must be very important, especially if Pastor Fielding asked you to ride all the way out here.” Her voice was as welcome as a warm spring day, with enough invitation to disarm a wild stallion.

John started to shrug, then stopped himself. “I’m not sure. It’s hard to tell with the pastor.”

Sarah nodded as if she knew exactly what he was talking about, and then turning slightly, she gave John a tiny wink, letting him interpret it for himself.

For a moment, he forgot the pain.

Here is a brief synopsis:

John Tyler, a young man in his early twenties, discovers he has contracted a ghastly affliction affecting a most sensitive part of his body. When the village doctor offers the conventional, and potentially disfiguring, treatment as the only cure, John tenaciously convinces the doctor to reveal an alternative remedy—a forbidden ritual contained within an ancient manuscript called the Kure.

Although initially rejecting the vile and unholy rite, John realizes, too late, that the ritual is more than a faded promise scrawled on a page of crumbling paper. And as cure quickly becomes curse, the unholy text unleashes a dark power that drives him to consider the unthinkable—a depraved and wicked act requiring the corruption of an innocent soul.

Ultimately, John must choose between his desperate need to arrest the plague that is destroying his body, and the virtue of the woman he loves, knowing the wrong decision could cost him his life.

For a limited time, read The Kure for only $0.99 (Kindle version)

I always spend the last few days of December reviewing my writing plan for the coming year—to determine what’s going to receive priority and how I will budget my time to make sure I get it done. During one of those planning sessions, I noticed my husband was also putting a few goals together for the new year. When I asked him to tell me about his “resolutions,” he said that one of them was to read more, especially books that fall outside his favorite genres, “just to see what else is out there.” We began to talk about how many more people are now reading books of all kinds, primarily due to increased availability and choice of low-cost eBooks for the kindle and nook. I’m constantly reading comments from readers who decided to try a particular author’s work because it was ninety-nine cents, or in some cases, free. Then my husband asked an interesting question: “Why don’t you offer some kind of promotion to encourage more people to read The Kure, with the idea that they’ll be more inclined to read the book if you temporarily lower the price?” I really had to think about this one, but after realizing it might motivate a few more folks who are not familiar with The Kure to take a look, I decided to do it. I’m calling it “Resolve To Read”, and it’s going on right now. Effective for the month of January, the kindle version of The Kure can be purchased for ninety-nine cents on Amazon. So if you were planning on buying a kindle version anyway, why not take advantage of the “Resolve To Read” promotion and save two bucks?

Hopefully, I’ve piqued your interest sufficiently to visit my website (www.jayefrances.com) to learn more about The Kure series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I was born in the Midwest and grew up surrounded by traditional values and conservative attitudes (which I quickly discarded). I’ll readily admit that my life’s destination has been the result of an open mind and a curiosity about all things irreverent, and I invite visitors to my website with a friendly caveat: “Be forewarned, my life has not followed the traditional path of homemaker, wife, and mother.” When I’m not consumed by my writing, I enjoy cooking, traveling to all places tropical and beachy, and taking pictures—lots of pictures—many of which wind up on my website. I live on the central gulf coast of Florida, sharing my home with one husband, six computers, four cameras, and several hundred pairs of shoes.

Find the author online: website | blog | facebook | goodreads

ABOUT THE BOOK

Forbidden by law and denounced as an abomination by the church, the Kure has been hidden for centuries...
John Tyler has never met Sarah Sheridan, but he knows he must find her, and somehow convince her that she is the key to unlocking the power of an ancient ritual that will rid his body of a rare and ravaging disease.

But as cure quickly becomes curse, John realizes the ritual is more than a faded promise scrawled on a page of crumbling paper, and he discovers, too late, that the unholy text has unleashed a dark power that is driving him to consider the unthinkable.

Ultimately, John must choose between his desperate need to arrest the plague that is destroying his body, and the virtue of the woman he loves, knowing the wrong decision could cost him his life.

Buy the book: Amazon | BN

**GIVEAWAY**

Thanks to Jaye Frances, one lucky winner will receive a Kindle copy of The Kure!! Giveaway open to wherever Kindle books are obtainable. Fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter. Giveaway ends January 26th, 2012. Please read Terms & Conditions at the bottom of the Rafflecopter form before entering. Good luck to all who enter!

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BLOG TOUR: The Guys' Guy's Guide to Love by Robert Manni

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

HOW TO JUMPSTART YOUR DATING LIFE IN 2012:

As the new year rears its head it is easy to kick back over and grouse about all the things that sucked in 2011. Don’t do that. A new beginning follows the year-end and it is up to you to take charge of the results. And the best time to get started is by having a plan, so here are some Guy’s Guy resolutions for sparking up your dating life and igniting a new year for love.

1. LEAVE THE PAST WHERE IT BELONGS…IN THE PAST- It’s easy to get all mopey if your love life did not shine as brightly as you wanted during this crazy past year. There was so much toxic news spewed out by the media- an endless financial crisis, corrupt politicians, a man dying after his penis is injected with silicon cement, and another season of those dreadful housewife shows. What to do? Start by breathing and letting go of good old 2011. You made it through the haze, kiddo, so give yourself a pat on the back and remind yourself of all of the good things you accomplished like not saying anything when that big, smelly guy squeezed into the middle seat next to you on the C train last August and would not stop moaning and slurping as he stared at that toe cleavage in your Jimmy Choos the entire ride to 96^th Street or when….oh, you know what I mean. It doesn’t matter because that was last year and it’s over. Let the damn thing go.

2. LIVE IN THE NOW- There is a new year ahead and with it comes the possibility of great beginnings and change. After all, it really only takes one connection between two people to forge the bond that makes a great couple. Decide what you want in your partner and why. Then ask yourself if you are being realistic and fair to your potential partners. Don’t ask for the moon if all you have to offer is green cheese.

3. CHUCK THE LIST- That’s right. Take that mental checklist – you know the one that starts with his being a six foot three investment banker with smoldering eyes and twenty million in an offshore account just waiting to be spent on you. Yeah, that one. Toss it before it imprisons you. When you’re open, life brings surprises. When you get too controlling, you usually get frown lines and crows feet, and thems for birds, not for chicks like you. If you got everything you wanted whenever you wanted it, either your name is Beyoncé or you’re an heiress. For the rest of us, and no one is suggesting that you sell yourself short, but if you are encumbered by too many rules, you’ll probably suffocate your sparkling energy, which is what attracts potential suitors. Now, does that make sense?

4. SMILE- Nothing generates a better reaction that a smile or laughter. When you lose your sense of humor, things can get dreary pretty quickly. Don’t be concerned if every date doesn’t turn out perfectly. Move on, keep your head up and smile. There are a lot more where he came from. Believe me.

5. GET OUT- Unless you want to lose your social skills by spending your weekends uploading your baby pictures on FB, get up, get out, and get into something new. Action creates more action and it’s all connected. Decide what turns you on, and then take a class, run around the park, shoot photos, learn a language, or just have lunch with an old friend. Staying at home and curling up on the couch to watch Cupcake Wars with your sweet lovable Fluffy will not bring you any closer to meeting The One. He’s probably out doing something, and he’s probably looking for someone just like you.

Okay, I know a lot of this is easier said than done, but you can do it. Remember, no one has a better future than you.

ARE YOU READY FOR A NEW YEAR OR ARE YOU GOING TO DROP THE BALL AFTER NEW YEARS EVE?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Manni is President of advertising agency Agent16 in midtown Manhattan. For the past two decades he has watched, played and succeeded in Madison Avenue's relentlessly changing game. A true devotee of New York City, Robert is inspired by and remains in awe of its people, energy, attitude, and romantic backdrop. He is a world traveler, Reiki Master and teacher, certified advanced clinical Master Hypnotist, graduate of the Jose Silva Method/Life System, NYC Marathoner, and a bona fide 'Guy's Guy' who somehow survived twenty years of single life in the big city.

THE GUYS' GUY'S GUIDE TO LOVE is Robert's debut novel. He is currently working on his second book. Visit his website at for up-to-date news, to read his blog and check out his videos. You can also become a fan on Facebook, or follow Robert on Twitter.

You can also find Robert on Goodreads and Youtube.

Find the author online: website | blog | twitter | facebook

ABOUT THE BOOK

A SEXY ROMP THROUGH THE FAST-MOVING, HIGH STAKES WORLD OF MADISON AVENUE
When Max Hallyday, a rising New York adman, joins a glitzy Midtown agency, he knows the game is winner-takes-all. But when his best friend Roger, a serial womanizer, seduces Max's billionaire client and puts his career in jeopardy, Max strikes back. He pens a column exposing the ‘Rogers’ prowling the city: The Guys' Guy's Guide to Love. Championed by magazine publisher and former flame, Cassidy Goodson, Max becomes famous… or is it notorious? With the women of New York clamoring for more, sparks begin to fly with Cassidy. Can Max survive his instant celebrity and cutthroat rivals to discover where his heart really belongs?

THE GUYS' GUY'S GUIDE TO LOVE is a fast-paced tale of flawed men and savvy women competing for love, sex, power, and money in the city where they play for keeps.

-Read an Excerpt
-Watch the Book Trailer
-Buy the book: Amazon | BN (You can also purchase The Guys’ Guy’s Guide to Love on Apple iBooks, Google, Kobo, Sony, and Overdrive.)

**GIVEAWAY**

Thanks to Robert Manni, one lucky winner will receive a print copy of The Guys’ Guy’s Guide to Love!! Open to US residents. Fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter. Giveaway ends January 24, 2012. Good luck to all who enter!

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GUEST REVIEW: Ruthless by Sara Shepard

2012-01-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Ruthless
Series: Pretty Little Liars, #10
Author: Sara Shepard
Genre: Young Adult
Source: review copy from publisher
Published: December 2011 by HarperTeen

For years scandal has rocked Rosewood, Pennsylvania—and high school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have always been at the center of the drama. They’ve lost friends, been targeted by a ruthless stalker named A, and narrowly escaped death. And it’s not over yet.
Aria’s love life is on the fritz. Emily’s exploring her wild side. Hanna’s kissing the enemy. And someone from Spencer’s past—someone she never thought she’d see again—is back to haunt her.

But none of that compares to what happened last spring break. It’s their darkest secret yet and guess who found out? Now A is determined to make them pay for their crime, and the only thing scarier than A is the fear that maybe, just maybe, they deserve what’s coming to them.

Reviewed by Terra:

First of all I am so glad to be here at The Book Vixen. I've been following this blog for some time now, and it is a privilege to be here doing a guest review! So thank you!

I must say, this is one of the best PPL books I've read. When I first started the books, I was a little weary because I thought they were a little too childish for me. Since reading all of them they have become my guilty pleasure reads. Like chocolate for me. I love the way Sara writes, how she describes every detail. She brings you into the story and makes you feel like you are there, trying to solve the mystery of A with the rest of the Rosewood girls.

With what happened last Spring Break in Jamaica with the fab 4; Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily, they thought their troubles were over and left in a different country. Out of sight out of mind right? WRONG! Since their return to Rosewood things have gotten worse and the girls have gone on a downward spiral. Emily has a little surprise of her own, Spencer tries anything to get into Princeton which does a number on her mental state and friendship. Aria deals with the blackmail of the new exchange student and losing her boyfriend. She also has to deal with the return of Ezra. Hanna gets stuck in the middle of something terrible trying to help out Spencer as well as another heartbreak while helping her dad with his election.

*Sigh* So much drama and so little time! Tailing the major problems with the girls, up pops another A! That's right! But you already knew that. This time A hits below the belt and she knows things that no one should know about like the incident in Jamaica. The 4 girls were there with themselves, Noel and Mike. That's it! Along the way they did meet a girl named Tabitha but what happened there was supposed to be secret. With Tabitha supposedly dead, the girls are racking their brains on who could possibly be sending them the anonymous texts. Unless...Tabitha never really died that day Aria pushed her off the cliff.

In comes a new friend, Kelsey. Spencer has every right to keep her distance from Kelsey since she is the reason that Kelsey was locked up in Juvie. Keeping her secret, as all the girls have with their time apart. But when Kelsey gets out and ends up meeting Em at a party with her older sister Beth, she brings out the "bad" side of Emily. Emily had a much needed release at the party after her big "secret" and became friends with Kelsey. Spencer learns about their new friendship and tell Em that she is bad news, and ends up telling her that she had Hanna help her with getting Kelsey put away. Well wouldn't ya know it, the fab 4 gals from Rosewood are getting more and more violent texts from A and whenever they see Kelsey it's right when they happen to get a text. Let's pin it on her right? One thing, when they get the texts, they all hear a faint giggle and see the flash of blonde hair and that yellow sundress. The yellow sundress they last saw in Jamaica.

The story kept me guessing, is it Kelsey, is Tabitha back, is it Noel or Mike? Who the heck is A?! Right when you think you know for sure, you never do. Towards the end of the story the girls find themselves back at the looney bin where the REAL Ali was, and where Hanna had bet who she thought was A, Iris. Quite a bit of twists and turns, and I don't want to ruin the whole story for you, but like I said, it was one of the best for me. I love the books that make me comment out loud while I am reading. I can't tell you how many times I said "Ohhhhhhhh snap!" or "Ohhhhhhhmygosh!" This 10th installment of the PPL series was a fantastic, fun, thrilling, read that kept me on the edge of my seat. Loved it, and I loved seeing the girls go through some more REAL LIFE problems instead of just getting in trouble with their parents.

If you are one of the few that haven't read the PPL series, get out there and get it! It's a fun mystery read! (Not to mention a fashion dictionary. I can't tell you how many times I googled a brand, LOL) Happy Reading all, and thank you again to The Book Vixen for inviting me over!

Terra’s Rating:

On My Wishlist (99)

2012-01-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

Fever by Joan Swan (Amazon)

When Dr. Alyssa Foster is taken hostage by a prison inmate, she knows she's in deep trouble. Not just because Teague Creek is desperate for freedom, but because the moment his fingers brush against her skin, Alyssa feels a razor-sharp pang of need...
A man with a life sentence has nothing to lose. At least Teague doesn't, until his escape plan develops a fatal flaw: Alyssa. On the run from both the law and deadly undercover operatives, he can only give her lies, but every heated kiss tells him the fire between them could be just as devastating as the flames that changed him forever...

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins (Amazon)

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.
Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

What’s on your wishlist?

AUTHOR GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: Nadia Lee

2012-01-05T04:00:00.000-08:00

What's In a Name...Err...Title

There are writers who simply must have a suitable title before they can start working on a project. I count myself fortunate that I'm not like that at all. Titles rarely come to me until much later, sometimes never, and I just work on my stories without them.

So how do I keep track of untitled projects? Easy. I use the heroine names. So for example, I initially called Carnal Secrets "Natalie" and The Last Slayer "Ashera".

As nice and convenient as that is, when you're about to pitch a book you have to have a title for it. Calling it "some untitled manuscript" doesn't really work, since it might create the impression that you care so little about your own writing that you couldn't be bothered to come up with a decent name for the book.

The crappy thing is... I'm terrible when it comes to titles!

With The Last Slayer, thinking about it for a while I came up with a bunch of stuff like, "A Girl Who Liked to Kill Things", "All Incubi Are Bad", "Why You Shouldn't Kill Dragons" and so on for days. Finally I decided that Ashera's transformation was the most important aspect of the story, so I should call it "The Metamorphosis".

And I was so happy and relieved that I had a title that I kept patting myself on the back...

...until I submitted a draft query to Evil Editor, who made horrible fun of the title.

Apparently, The Metamorphosis is one of Kafka's novels... one in which the hero transforms into a giant bug! So Evil Editor said something that suggested that perhaps my book would feature the following plot line: "a giant cockroach wakes up after a lost weekend to discover it has been transformed into the Roman poet Ovid."

Ewww!

Anyway, I had to rethink the title, lest agents believe I was trying to single-handedly pioneer a new subgenre with were-roaches.

(Please don't worry! There are no were-roaches in The Last Slayer!)

So after much much much angst and brainstorming, I managed to come up with the title The Last Slayer. Carina's marketing department didn't suggest any changes, so I guess I did okay. :-)

If you could retitle The Last Slayer after having read the blurb, what would it be?

Fill out the Rafflecopter and leave a comment with your new title for a chance to win an e-copy of The Last Slayer (mobi, epub, pdf; open international).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bilingual former management consultant Nadia Lee has lived in four different countries and enjoyed many adventures and excellent food around the globe. In the last eight years, she has kissed stingrays, been bitten by a shark, ridden an elephant and petted tigers.

She shares an apartment overlooking a river and palm trees in Japan with her husband, baby boy, winter white hamsters and an ever-widening pile of books. When she's not writing, she can be found digging through old Asian historical texts or planning another trip.

Find the author online: website | blog

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ashera del Cid is a talented demon hunter, but when she kills a demigod's pet dragon, the hunter becomes the hunted. Her only potential ally is Ramiel, a sexy-as-hell demon. Now the two must work together to battle dragons and demigods...and the chemistry crackling between them.
Ramiel has his own reasons for offering Ashera his protection. He knows her true identity and the real reason the demigods want her dead. What he can't predict is how she'll react when she discovers he knew who she was all along...

Ashera is shocked to discover that she is the only daughter of the last slayer. To claim her destiny, she and Ramiel must join forces to face down danger and outwit their enemies. Only then will she be able to truly accept her legacy...

**GIVEAWAY**

Thanks to Nadia Lee, one lucky winner will receive an ebook copy of The Last Slayer!! Giveaway open Internationally. Fill out the Rafflecopter form AND answer Nadia’s question to enter. Giveaway ends January 18th, 2012. Please read Terms & Conditions at the bottom of the Rafflecopter form before entering. Good luck to all who enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2011 Year in Review

2012-01-04T22:35:00.001-08:00

[ STATS ]

Books read: 100
Pages read: 28,319
Books re-read: 1
Books DNF’d: 13
Books reviewed: 84

You can see a list of my Top Reads of 2011 HERE and my most anticipated 2012 book releases HERE.

[ READING CHALLENGES ]

Reading Challenges completed:

Men in Uniform Reading Challenge – read 26 books
eBook Reading Challenge – read 44 books
Romantic Suspense Reading Challenge – read 18 books
100+ Reading Challenge – read 100 books
YA Reading Challenge – read 28 books
Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge – read 34 books

Reading Challenges not completed:

YA of the 80s and 90s Reading Challenge – read 0 books
Nicholas Sparks Reading Challenge – read 1 books
Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge – read 100 books
Off the Shelf Reading Challenge – read 18 books
Stephen King Reading Challenge – read 0 books
Show Me the Free Reading Challenge – read 7 books
Book Blogger Recommendation Reading Challenge – read 5 books
Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge – read 16 books

I went overboard with the reading challenges last year. This year I’m only participating in five:

100+ Books in a Year Reading Challenge – hopefully 101 this year.
eBook Reading Challenge – starting off with 5 ebooks but I’m sure I’ll read way more.
Men in Uniform Reading Challenge – starting off with 5 books.
Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge – gotta read at least 101 books this year.
TBR Pile Reading Challenge – starting off with 10 books but my ultimate goal will be at least 25 books.

*Links go to my specific reading challenge page

[ GOALS ]

Goals for 2012:

Keep it simple. 2012 is the year all about simplifying.
Read 100+ books.
Read books from my TBR Pile. 2012 is year of ‘tackle my TBR pile’ (on the shelf and on the Kindle).
Better organize my Goodreads shelves.
Don’t get behind on writing reviews. Write review soon after finish reading the book.
Take a break from review requests. I may browse NetGalley once in a while but I plan to mainly read books I already own.
Comment more. On my blog (interact) and other blogs.
~~Limit time spent on Twitter~~. Oh, who am I kidding! Like that’s ever going to happen.
Spruce up the blog a bit. Nothing major but I would like to make some aesthetic changes.
Get my bounce rate down.
Answer emails regularly and keep the inbox clean.

[ MISC ]

I’ve put some ‘quick links’ on the top middle section of my blog (under “Looking for Something?”). I’ve been putting links for winners, eBook deal posts, Reading Challenge sign-up posts and current month review link up posts. What do you think? Like?

I got rid of the @TBVKindleDeals Twitter account. (See goal #1 above.) I will tweet Kindle deals and freebies from my main (and only) Twitter account (@TheBookVixen).

What are your reading goals for 2012? If you did a 2011 wrap up post, link it in the comments so I can check it out.

Month in Review: December 2011

2012-01-04T16:23:00.001-08:00

Boy, am I glad the holidays are over! I have A LOT of catching up to do, with writing reviews and other blog stuff, but there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. I need a personal assistant. Any volunteers?

Books Read/Reviewed:

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler – 4 1/2 frogs
Hot Zone by Catherine Mann – (review to come)
Open Me by Reina Stowe – (review to come)
In Close by Brenda Novak – (review to come)
All I Want for Christmas by Liliana Hart – (review to come)
A Present for Christmas by Shiloh Walker – (review to come)
Four Kisses by Bonnie Dee – (review to come)
Make Mine Midnight by Annmarie McKenna – (review to come)
Baby, I’m Yours by Stephanie Bond – (review to come)
Only Us: A Fool’s Gold Holiday by Susan Mallery – (review to come)

*It may look as if I read a lot of books but most of them were novellas.

Posts:

Sourcebooks is having an ebook sale going on through January 8th.
HaperCollins has 10 ebooks on sale for only $0.99 each (ends January 31st).
An amazing guest post from Debra Anastasia PLUS giveaway (ends January 5th – tomorrow!)
On My Wishlist (97)
Excerpt from Maid for Me by Kat Lieu PLUS giveaway (ends January 10th)
Robin Kaye talks about what she needs when writing, research, and her Christmas list.
TBV’s Top Reads of 2011
On My Wishlist (98)
Review link up posts for the month of January are up for the challenges I am hosting
     ♦ Outdo Yourself
     ♦ Men in Uniform

2011 Reading Challenges Status Report:

~~YA of the 80s & 90s~~ ~~– 0/12 books~~ FAILED
~~Nicholas Sparks~~ ~~– 1/10 books~~ FAILED
~~Outdo Yourself~~ ~~– 100/102 books~~ FAILED
Men in Uniform – 22/6 books – COMPLETED
eBook Challenge – 44/20 books – COMPLETED
Romantic Suspense – 18/12 books – COMPLETED
~~Off the Shelf~~ ~~– 18/30 books~~ FAILED
~~Stephen King Challenge~~ ~~– 0/6 books~~ FAILED
~~Show Me the Free~~ ~~– 7/12 books~~ FAILED
~~Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge~~ ~~– 5/15 books~~ – FAILED
~~Support Your Local Library~~ ~~– 16/30 books~~ FAILED
100+ Challenge – 100/100 books – COMPLETED
YA Challenge – 28/20 books – COMPLETED
Contemporary Romance – 34/10 books – COMPLETED

How was your December? Leave a comment with the link to your wrap up post and I’ll stop by

January Review Link Up: Men in Uniform Reading Challenge

2012-01-04T06:08:00.001-08:00

To sign up for this reading challenge, CLICK HERE.

January Review Link Up: Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

2012-01-04T06:03:00.001-08:00

To sign up for this reading challenge, CLICK HERE.

AUTHOR GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: Jodie Becker and Sidney Bristol

2012-01-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

Fiction Vixens: Not Just A Pretty Face

SIDNEY BRISTOL: I am Sidney. Today Jodie and I are going to talk about our heroines. I like a variety, as far as body types go. For Cody-Lynn it made sense that she'd be an athletic, average size as far as body type. In a lot of ways I picture her as having my mother's figure. I'm a little jealous of her, shhhhhhh. Cody started out barrel racing out of high school, going to jack pots and hitting up rodeos to win cash to feed herself and her horse. Along the way she did a string of random jobs, but after a few years she realized she needed to grow up and decided to study to be a vet. She likes animals, and enjoys hard work.

JODIE BECKER: I haven’t seen a rodeo heroine. Usually the guy is one and the heroine is all over that. I would be all over that! What’s not to like with the hat, boot, chaps… *ahem* Sorry. I dug your heroine, Sid. She’s so independent and “I can do it all” type of gal. And her sister! LOL I can’t wait to see what you do with that kooky family in Flirting with Rescue. My heroine is a primary school teacher. Although it doesn’t play as a main feature in the book, it flows over in how soft spoken she is. Erica is a full bodied woman with curves and I like that about her. Plus, she has a love for food and isn’t going to let magazines decide she can’t have that brownie late at night. To be honest, I like my heroines to feel real. I don’t want them to be able to leap over buildings in one bound or have this amazingly proportionate body with boobs that can put her back out. I like them to have flaws that I feel soften them.

SB: This is going to get me on a soap box! Somewhere along the way we've allowed ourselves, even as writers, to think we have to obey this preconceived idea of what a woman is supposed to be like if she'll attract a man. It's bogus! The truth is that men like a variety of women, and I think we should write them. Jodie's right, Cody isn't a "typical" romance heroine. While she does do some dumb stuff, like run head first into danger, it's out of her confidence that she can handle the situation. As the middle child of five, she's had to fend for herself, and I believe that shows in her personality and the way she handles things. Jodie's heroine in Dirty Beautiful is Cody's opposite! They're as different as night and day, and I like that. Erica is a type of every woman character, and I love that about her. It challenges us to realize that you don't necessarily have to be body image perfect to live with romance. It's a choice Erica made.

JB: *Nods* And the art of creating a heroine isn’t simply, giving her a name and occupation, it’s about giving her layers. Cody has a deep abiding love for family and a dry sense of humour. Whereas Erica has insecurities but is also very giving. I think long and hard when developing a heroine and I worry about getting the dreaded TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) tag attached to the woman many other readers are trying to connect with. We as writers want our readers to feel like this woman is a person they know. Someone they’d want to hang out with. Or think “Hey, this is me”. It’s important to have something invested in the characters, and by humanizing them, we do that and hopefully the reader wants to see their HEA (Happily Ever After).

SB: Exactly! As a writer, my goal is to make my heroine's relatable. I want for a reader to look at Cody, for example, and think, "I want to be in her shoes!" I like to think that my heroines and their story challenge readers to reach for what they want. Sure, its fantasy in part, but it’s rooted in real life. It's one of the reasons I like contemporary romance, there are so many elements that we write that can happen. We live in an imperfect world. For a little while, I’d love to give someone a dream of what life can be like.

JB: So both Sidney and I love our heroine. We wrote them with layers, flaws and hearts of gold. We hope you like them too. You can check them out below.

Jodie Becker: website
Sidney Bristol: website

ABOUT THE BOOK

FLIRTING WITH RESCUE:

Scott Carrillo has sworn off women after being burned so he can focus on his animal shelter. Used to handling cats and dogs, he’s out of his element when horses are brought to him for rehabilitation. He needs help, in more ways than one.
Veterinarian Cody-Lynn Parker has always had a soft spot for horses. Rodeo and racing are part of her bloodlines. When an equine emergency brings her into the city to retrieve two abused thoroughbreds, it’s not all she ends up rescuing.

From the moment Scott meets Cody sparks fly. Working side by side they don’t waste any downtime getting to know each other. Not that Cody minds having a sexy Cuban’s magic hands on her. What starts out as a steamy fling turns into an affair of the heart, where everyone is tied in knots. Cody’s southern drawl does things to Scott that can’t be undone. But first he has to keep her safe from the dangerous men who want their property back, and that’s a tall order with a woman as alluring and independent as Cody.

DIRTY BEAUTIFUL:

Disillusioned by love, Erica has tasted the bitter pill of betrayal and wonders if she’s enough for one man. When a hot guy moves in next door, Erica decides to settle for good old-fashioned lust. What starts out as a simple seduction quickly evolves, and Erica is fast finding out Dylan is dangerous not only to her libido, but her heart as well.
Recently retired from the adult-film industry, Dylan hopes for a fresh start in Templeton where his porn persona, Drake Van Wulf, is unknown. His new neighbor is unlike the women he’s accustomed to, but she stirs his blood nonetheless. His rule not to get involved is quickly tested by Erica and her lush curves. Unable to withstand her allure, Dylan finds himself wanting more from Erica than just her body. He wants her heart also.

With the secret of his past hanging in the shadows, Dylan’s about to find out if love truly conquers all.

**GIVEAWAY**

Thanks to Jodie Becker and Sidney Bristol, one lucky winner will receive a bohemian heart necklace! Please read Terms & Conditions at the bottom of the Rafflecopter form before entering. Good luck to all who enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On My Wishlist (98)

2011-12-31T03:00:00.000-08:00

Flashpoint (American Heroes, #1) by Jill Shalvis

Zach Thomas risks his life battling flames every day. But since sexy EMT Brooke O'Brian joined the crew, he can't resist playing with fire. Brooke is feisty, a little uptight...and sexy as hell. And as Zach soon discovers, she's definitely hot stuff between the sheets. Still, every firefighter knows that the hotter the blaze, the faster the action's over....
After the whirlwind ride Zach's been taking her on, Brooke is ready to do anything for this man--in and out of bed! But she knows footloose and fancy-free Zach doesn't do commitment. So she plans to build up a five-alarm fire between them. The kind he won't ever want to put out...

Flashback (American Heroes, #2) by Jill Shalvis

Firefighter Aidan Donnelly has always battled the flames with trademark icy calm. That is, until a blazing old flame returns--in the shape of sizzling soap star Mackenzie Stafford! Aidan wants to pour water over the unquenchable heat between them. But that just creates more steam....
Kenzie is not the delicate, fragile female she looks like. She has one clear objective, and nothing will stand in the way of her goal--well, nothing but the red-hot touch of a certain dangerously sexy fireman, that is!

Burning Up by Susan Andersen

Though it's been years since the infamous Macy O'James stepped foot in Sugarville, Washington, everyone remembers what she supposedly did. The tiny town is still buzzing about her crime and lack of punishment.
Now back to lend her family a hand, Macy vows to hold her head high—especially at her high school reunion. But forget about the hottest man in Sugarville escorting her. Though she and fire chief Gabriel Donovan generate enough sparks to burn down the town, he's a law-abiding, line-toeing straight arrow. So not her type.

But maybe—just maybe—he can change her mind about that.

What’s on your wishlist?