The Book Vixen

Guest Post & Giveaway: Author Cynthia Justlin

2012-05-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today, I have author Cynthia Justlin here with us talking about reluctant heroes.

Welcome Cynthia!

There are two kinds of heroes in the world: the ones who love going around and saving it and the ones who don't (but do it anyway). In books, and even movies, I tend to gravitate to the reluctant heroes, those that refuse the initial call. They like life the way it is, thank you very much. At first, they may even seem extremely selfish and unlikeable, and yet, readers/movie watchers know a true hero lurks at their core—they just need a little nudge to get there.

My hero in EDGE OF LIGHT is just such a reluctant hero. CIA agent Oliver Shaw has been in captivity for over two years. He's watched his friends and team-mates die, brutally murdered by The Trinity (a ruthless group of anarchists holding him captive). He's tried to escape with disastrous results. He's been beaten and broken too many times to count. He no longer cares about his own survival, no longer dreams of escaping. And then, a woman is placed in the cell next to him. She's everything good and heroic, everything Oliver once stood for. With her soft voice and boundless optimism, she challenges him to find his humanity again.

Does he? You'll have to read the book to find out!

But while you're here, I thought it would be fun to talk about some of your favorite reluctant heroes. Here's my top choices:

Han Solo – Star Wars, my favorite reluctant hero ever!
David Banner (The Incredible Hulk) – Avengers, just because this one's fresh in my mind, and I loved how they gave the Hulk a little bit deeper internal conflict than in some of the other Hulk movies.
Bret Maverick – From the Maverick movie with Mel Gibson, I love the fact that Maverick would much rather con people than fight, but he'll step in and do the right thing when push comes to shove.
Rambo – An oldie but a goody because it demonstrates the reluctant hero phenomenon so perfectly. Rambo is always unwilling to get involved, but eventually, doing the right thing wins out, and he does it well, with lots of action and plenty of explosives.

Leave me a comment and let me know yours—either from books or movies—and you'll be entered to win a digital copy of EDGE OF LIGHT!

Also, stop by my website and enter my special giveaway to win Oliver's journal, pendants made from Cambodian money and copies of my books. Contest runs through May 24th.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cynthia is a former Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Finalist in Romantic Suspense. She started out writing contemporary romance, but when all her plots began to turn dastardly, she decided to stop fighting the urge to throw explosions, dead bodies, and evil villains into her books.

With her B.S. in the chemical sciences and her love of the periodic table (yes, she’s a geek and proud of it!) she finally found the perfect potent mix of love and danger to put into her stories.

Cynthia lives in Arizona with her real life hero husband and their two sons.

Find the author online: website | twitter | facebook

ABOUT THE BOOK

Taken prisoner by a ruthless group of anarchists deep in the Cambodian jungle, anthropologist Jocelyn Hewitt is isolated in a dark prison cell. Without chance of rescue. Or hope. Until the man in the next cell reaches out to let her know she’s not as alone as she thinks.
CIA agent Oliver Shaw has been held prisoner for over two years. Forced to witness the brutal torture and slow murder of his entire team, his spirit is not just broken, it’s crushed. He no longer believes in hope. Until he hears Jocelyn through the wall, and suddenly feels like a glimpse of light is trying to reach in…
Jocelyn’s heart aches for the tortured man whose presence and voice give her the courage to risk their escape. But first she’ll have to remind Oliver who he once was, what he once loved, and bring him back to life. Only then will they have a chance for freedom—and the kind of love neither ever thought possible.

Buy the book: Amazon | BN

Thanks to Cynthia Justlin, TWO lucky winners will receive an ebook copy of Edge of Light!!

Giveaway open Internationally.

You must leave a question answering Cynthia Justlin’s question and fill out the Rafflecopter form in order to enter this giveaway.

Please read our UPDATED Giveaway Policy before entering.

Giveaway ends 12:01 am (EST) on 6/6/2012.

Good luck to all who enter!

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My Bookish Wants & Gots (4)

2012-05-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

My Bookish Wants & Gots is weekly Saturday feature here on The Book Vixen. I list the books I want - which can be old, new, or upcoming releases - and the books I recently got.

The Hunt (The Hunt #1) by Andrew Fukuda

Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.
Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

All These Things I've Done (Birthright #1) by Gabrielle Zevin

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.
Engrossing and suspenseful, All These Things I've Done is an utterly unique, unputdownable read that blends both the familiar and the fantastic.

Blood Red Road (Dust Lands #1) by Moira Young

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.
Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.
Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.

Stunning (Pretty Little Liars #11) by Sara Shepard

Full of darker secrets, juicier scandals, and deadlier plot twists, the latest arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling series continues to deliver fast-paced, tension-ridden drama.
After Alison DiLaurentis tried to kill them, Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna tried to get their lives back on track. But these girls just can’t stay out of trouble. First there was their disastrous trip to Jamaica, and their summer breaks were no less eventful. Now a new A is stalking them, taunting them with the very secrets these pretty little liars have been trying to forget. But this A doesn’t just want to blackmail the girls—this A is out for blood.

Sara Shepard’s fan base only gets bigger as the hit ABC Family Pretty Little Liars TV show continues to draw new readers to the bestselling series. Everyone will be dying to find out what A does next....

Darkness Before Dawn (Darkness Before Dawn #1) by J.A. London

This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won.
Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters....

Darkness Before Dawn is a fresh new story with captivating characters, unexpected plot twists, a fascinating setting, and a compelling voice. Written under the name J. A. London by a talented mother-son team, the trilogy is perfect for fans of True Blood and the House of Night and Morganville Vampires series.

Cold Fury (Cold Fury #1) by T.M. Goeglein

Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure
Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).

Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It's a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies--a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense--hidden in its pages the secret to "ultimate power." It's why she's being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.

Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.

Already Home (Sons of Chance #6.6) by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Daredevil videographer Langford "Hutch" Hutchinson has put his career on hold to help his widowed father run their family store in Wyoming. He doesn't mean to stay in town for long—though it's long enough to rekindle his lust for Trina Bledstone. Hutch always had a thing for Trina, but she's his best friend's sister—and that meant hands off!
But Trina still has the power to set his pulse racing—and her brother isn't around to stop them from exploring their sizzling chemistry this time….

A Sons of Chance series novella.

Bloodstorm (Heart of a Vampire #1) by Amber Kallyn

When duty forces a shaman to stop a vampire from her revenge, love doesn’t just burn... it bites.
For two hundred years, Niki DeVeraux has been tracking the monster who murdered her family and made her a vampire. She finally catches up to him in a small Arizona town, only to face more than she bargained for. Amid an imperious vampire King, a shaky truce between the local clan and shifter pack, and a too-sexy sheriff who makes her remember she’s still a woman, Niki’s single-minded purpose is threatened for the first time since her turning.

Between his duties as Keeper of the peace for the Magic Council and heir to his tribe’s shamanistic magic, Sheriff Shane Spencer’s job is to protect humanity and stop the friction between the local Arcaine races before it turns into an all out blood war. To make matters worse, there’s an irresistible rouge vampire in town enflaming his senses.

When wolves start turning up dead, the tension between the paranormal races grows and suspicion falls on Niki. Shane knows she’s not to blame, and it has nothing to do with the primal urges she stirs within him. Working together, they must find a way to stop the hostilities from going over the edge. Trouble is, the desires raging between Niki and Shane might prove more dangerous than the surrounding threats

The Morning After by Sally Clements

One photo changes everything...
A mortifying incident in her youth has shaken sense into Cara Byrne. No more bad-boys. No more getting arrested. Instead, hard work and good behaviour has earned her a job teaching at the local Boys Secondary School, and a proposal from a worthy man. So what if he doesn't exactly light her fire - surely passion is overrated?

When her friend since childhood, Ethan Quinn, storms back into the small Irish village he left to pursue a career as a Hollywood action hero, she's stunned to discover she's as susceptible to his lethal charm as every woman in the world. And when a compromising photograph floods the media of them in a clinch, her almost fiancé reveals his true colours, CarEthan starts trending on twitter, and she loses her job, could anyone blame her if she accepts his invitation to hide out at his Malibu beach house?

Ethan loves women, but never lets his girlfriends into his heart. He's failed at being there in the past, and won't put his heart on the line for anyone, ever again. But Cara's a different matter - and when passionate attraction is added to his friendship with the one person he's always confided in, he's thrown for a loop. Cara's lost everything, and like it or not, he's responsible. There's no fighting the attraction that blazes between them - but when the month long affair is over, will he ever be able to let her go?

A Dragon's Seduction by Tamelia Tumlin

Firefighter and Gatekeeper Brayden St. John guards the Northern portal to Jarithia the same way he fights fires: with honor, bravery and his own set of rules. But when the dragonshifter meets a certain lovely sorceress, he soon learns that rules are meant to be broken. Even his rules.
Sorceress Callie Gautreaux, owner of Ribbons and Roses Flower Shop, walked away from her powerful family and her Magik years ago. Now, as a malevolent wizard invokes a rogue Chaos dragon to terrorize the streets of New Orleans, she must join forces with her sworn enemy – an ultra-sexy dragonshifter – and face her past in order to save the humans. But can she save her heart from the dragon's charm?

Catering to the Italian Playboy by Tamelia Tumlin

It was humiliating! How could caterer Sophie Westbrook ever face the sexy Italian hotel tycoon again after the way she’d practically thrown herself at him six years earlier…and ended up in his bed? Yet here she was back in his hotel wearing only a G-string and a smile.
Maximus Rinaldi is not pleased to find a half-naked exotic dancer in the middle of his business meeting…until he discovers she’s the mystery woman he shared one unbelievable night with years ago. Max is determined to win her back into his bed, but Sophie has a secret that might just turn the sexy Italian playboy’s life upside down!

What are your bookish wants and gots this week?

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Book Review: Wolf Signs by Vivian Arend

2012-05-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Wolf Signs (Amazon)
Series: Granite Lake Wolves, #1
Author: Vivian Arend
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Sensuality Rating: steamy
Source: free Kindle book
Published: March 2009

Talk about getting your signals crossed…
Robyn Maxwell doesn’t care that her brother has to cancel out on their backcountry ski trip. She can do it alone. The fact she’s deaf doesn’t make her survival skills any weaker. The chance to get away from it all and relax in the Yukon wilderness is just what she’s been craving. Meeting wilderness guide Keil at the cabin starts cravings of another kind. Keil’s one hot hunk of ripped, tasty male. Now she has to deal with raging hormones as well as strange questions about wolves and mates and challenges to the death.

Keil was trying for a nice reflective retreat before challenging for the Alpha position of his Alaskan pack. He wasn’t planning on meeting the woman destined to be his mate, or finding out she’s not aware she has the genes of a wolf. Between dealing with his accident-prone younger brother, a deaf mate with an attitude and an impending duel to the death, his week—and his bed—is suddenly full. Far from the relaxing getaway any of them had in mind…

Warning: Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “talking with your hands”. Includes dangerous use of sarcasm and hot nookie in a remote wilderness sauna.

Why I Read this Book: I hadn’t read anything by this author before but I recognized her name when I saw Wolf Signs as a free Kindle book. I grabbed it without reading the blurb and dove right in the story blind. And it was a blast!

What I Liked: The chemistry between Keil and Robyn was hot. Keil was so protective of her and so passionate. Very swoon-worthy. I also liked the banter and sarcasm between TJ, Keil, and Robyn. Seriously, I’m sitting here writing out this review and thinking about some of the hilarious parts in this book and I’m LOLing all over again.

I like the way Robyn’s schooling on werewolves went down. I’m a firm believer of ‘seeing is believing’ and that’s exactly how it went down. Instead of Keil and TJ telling Robyn about how werewolves exist, they showed her.

I tend to look for blunders when it comes to deaf or blind characters so I was pleased with the attention to detail the author put into Robyn’s character and interactions.

And there was a little action at the end that keep things exciting.

What I Didn’t Like: The intimate trust and bonding between Keil and Robyn happened a bit too fast for my liking. And Keil knowing Tad (Robyn’s brother) was a little too convenient.

Memorable Moments:

“I don’t have a penis so I can’t go backcountry alone?”

“Robyn, there’s something…” Tad hesitated, looking everywhere around the room except at her. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before shaking his head. “Never mind.”
Robyn gave a heavy sigh. “Not again, tad. You do this at least once a year. Whatever deep, dark secret you have I wish you’d spit it out. Or drop it and not get me curious. Are you gay?”

“What? You still having problems with that boner?”

Overall Impression: Wolf Signs was a fun, intense, steamy, and funny read. Glad I grabbed this one because I just found me a new author to read. Economically speaking, my only wish is that, being that all the books in this series are all novellas, the entire series be available for purchase in one book.

Brianna’s Rating:

Guest Post & Giveaway: Author Stephanie Guerra

2012-05-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today, I have author Stephanie Guerra here with us talking about the revision process. Welcome Stephanie!

Revision: Slogging Uphill with an Ax

Much has been written about revision, and the only thing I know for sure is that it’s necessary, and that it looks different for each writer. Scholar Robert L. Kelley said that “Writing is rewriting,” and I want to tattoo that on my fist so I can bop myself in the nose with it when I’m being lazy. Approaches to revision are numerous, and range from the uber-organized (wall-length plot maps) to the haphazard (scraps of paper floating around) to the violent (delete, start over). It’s a multi-layered process for which different strategies may work at different times. I’m happy to toss my plug nickel into the vat of revision advice, but I’ll stick to global observations, because I don’t have a new way of using Post-Its, or any trick that hasn’t been written about many times before. What I do is write each chapter over and over and over and over, and ask the same poor set of friends to look at it each time. Here’s what I’ve gleaned from my experiences.

Time is the golden ingredient and the key to revision success. Our brains like to form neural pathways; it’s what they do. So when we read the same manuscript repeatedly, the pathways get deeper, grow privacy hedges, and practically develop white painted footprints for us to follow. The trick is hiding the manuscript for a long time—months, if possible. Even a year. I know, I know; nobody feels like they have that kind of time. But if you’re serious about writing, you can cycle projects and build a system where there’s always something to pull out that’s been marinating for at least a few months. And believe me, all the problems and mistakes leap out like thugs with bats: right there! So obvious! How come you didn’t see/hear/feel them before!

Flexibility is the second key to revising. My best revisions come when I force myself to imagine other possibilities for my characters, even when I’m perfectly happy with the plot as I’ve written it. What would be funnier? More interesting? Raise the stakes? I never keep a scene just as I put it down the first or second or fifth time. Those are placeholders. The real scene (maybe version twenty or thirty) develops over months of experimenting. For instance, right now I’m revising a middle-grade novel that will come out in 2013. I’ve written five different versions of the ending, and even though I’ve got a good one that will work, I know I have more tries to go. It’s not wasted time. I’m testing until something rings so perfect that I can’t bear to touch it anymore.

Then I’ll show it my friends and they’ll tell me why it doesn’t work after all, and I’ll have to go back and rewrite it again. Which brings me to another main ingredient for revision: honest readers. They fall into two categories, the fellow writers/teachers and the friends/family. The fellow writers and teachers are usually honest right off the bat. The friends and family I have to beg for real criticism. I tell them that my feelings won’t be hurt, that I need criticism to get better, and that the greatest gift they can give me is the blunt truth—and they still say, “It’s nice.” Then I beg some more and they find something wrong with it, and I thank them profusely. Their insights are even more important than time in terms of making the piece better.

Effective revision also requires ruthlessness. I love the guy (Arthur Quiller-Couch) who said, “Murder your darlings.” I have whole closets of dead darlings. Because the truth is, I’m not as profound or funny as I think I am in the heat of the forge, banging away on my project. There’s a joy of creation that robs me of all perspective—which is fine, and as it needs to be, otherwise I’d never find the drive to write. But once the “darlings” cool off, sometimes I see that although clever or nicely worded, they just don’t fit. Or worse, they seem pretentious. Or maybe the whole chapter is a darling that meanders away from the plot in a slinky dress. Which is when the ax comes out.

Finally, as a subset of dead darlings, I want to talk about paring extra words, because that has helped me a lot with the final tweaking stages of revision. There are so many great quotes on this topic that I’m going to let others say it for me. However, if you are the next William Faulkner, by all means ignore these party-poopers.

“Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very’; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” —Mark Twain

“Four basic premises of writing: clarity, brevity, simplicity, and humanity.” —William Zinsser

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” —Thomas Jefferson

“Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.”
—C.S. Lewis

I’ll close by saying that the lens you use to view revision can impact the outcome. A horrible chore? Boring, painful, stab-me-in-the-eye-with-a-red-pen? I’m guessing that’s got to affect the quality of the work on some level. I’ve grown to love revision, because I know I have the stinky first draft behind me, the place holders are standing, and now I’m free to play with ideas, characters, and language to my heart’s content.

For some concrete revision tips, please see this excellent post.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Guerra has an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Notre Dame. She teaches children’s literature and a seminar in writing instruction at Seattle University. She also teaches creative writing at King County Jail, and researches and speaks about literacy instruction for at-risk and incarcerated young adults. She would like to encourage her readers to donate used books to juvenile correctional facilities. Stephanie lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband and children. TORN is her first novel.

Find the author online: website

ABOUT THE BOOK

Stella Chavez is your classic good girl: straight As, clean-cut boyfriends, and soccer trophies . You’d never guess that Stella’s dad was a drug addict who walked out when she was a kid. Or that inside, Stella wishes for something more.
New girl Ruby Caroline seems like Stella’s polar opposite: cursing, smoking, and teetering in sky-high heels . But with Ruby, Stella gets a taste of another world—a world in which parents act like roommates, college men are way more interesting than high school boys, and there is nothing that shouldn’t be tried once.

It’s not long before Stella finds herself torn: between the best friend she’s ever had and the friends she’s known forever, between her family and her own independence, between who she was and who she wants to be.

But Ruby has a darker side, a side she doesn’t show anyone—not even Stella. As Stella watches her friend slowly unravel, she will have to search deep inside herself for the strength to be a true friend, even if it means committing the ultimate betrayal.

Torn by Stephanie Guerra from S. Guerra on Vimeo.

**GIVEAWAY**

Thanks to Stephanie Guerra, one lucky winner will receive a print copy of Torn!!

Giveaway open to US residents.
Comments are appreciated, however, you must fill out the Rafflecopter form in order to enter this giveaway.
Please read the Giveaway Policy before entering.
You have until midnight (EST) on 6/1/2012 to enter.

Good luck to all who enter!

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Book Review: Danger Zone by Dee J. Adams

2012-05-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Danger Zone (Amazon)
Series: Adrenaline Highs, #2
Author: Dee J. Adams
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: NetGalley
Published: February 2012 by Carina Press

In her ten-year career as a stuntwoman, Ellie Morgan has experienced her share of thrills. None compares to the rush of being behind the wheel of a race car for her latest movie shoot. Certain she was born to race, Ellie's ready to shift gears—but a secret from her past holds her back.
Quinn Reynolds is tired of being in the driver's seat of his family's company, Formula Racing Design. He's ready to sell—if he can get his co-owner and brother, Mac, to agree. Quinn's not sure what he wants to do with his future, but almost as soon as he meets Ellie, he knows he wants her to be part of it.

Though Ellie tries to resist her attraction to the charming businessman, she's quickly in danger of losing her heart. But after narrowly escaping "accidents" both on and off the set, it becomes clear that getting involved with Quinn could be downright deadly...

Why I Read this Book: After reading Dangerous Race (my review), the first book in this series, I knew I wanted more. I love romantic suspense and I enjoyed the author’s writing style so I’m keeping an eye open for more books by Dee J. Adams. And I love reading about women dominating in ‘man’s world’ industry, like race car driving.

What I Liked: The hero and heroine. I liked both of these characters and I liked them for each other. I couldn’t help but appreciate Quinn’s reliability and nobility because he was stuck running the family business when he had no desire to do so. He was never really given the choice; it was just given to him. But he put in his all and made the company successful because his livelihood wasn’t the only one on the line.

I loved Ellie and Ashley’s bond. When Ellie’s own family wasn’t there for her, she found a great support system in Ashley and her mom. Speaking of Ashley, that girl made me laugh. I would love to see Ashley get her own book. After what she went through in Danger Zone, she deserves a HEA of her own.

And can I hear it for the heroine who doesn’t drink? Yay! Okay, okay, this may sound crazy to most but being a non-drinker myself (never have, never will – and no, it’s not a religious thing) I can appreciate this quality in a character.

I got to ‘catch up’ a bit with Trace and Mac (the heroine and hero from the first book) without them hogging up too much page time.

What I Didn’t Like: I didn’t understand the reasoning behind Ellie’s decision during the vehicle accident on the way to Barstow. The accelerator in the vehicle she was driving got stuck. Quinn told her to down shift (car has a manual transmission) but she said “it doesn’t feel right”. When I was reading this part, I was screaming in my head F*CK THE TRANNY, GRIND THE GEARS! and then PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND HIT THE BRAKES! But Ellie doesn’t do either of those things. She does something so overly dramatic, so over-the-top. (I don’t want to spoil this part so I won’t say what actually happens.) I get that Ellie’s a stuntwoman by occupation, but stunt people take calculated risks and this was out of character for Ellie. It was a minor glitch and I bet most readers will probably overlook this. But for someone like me, who worked in the automotive industry for over a decade, I can’t help but notice these types of things. The scene was intense enough as it was; this extra unnecessary risk wasn’t needed in my opinion. (I had similar beef with the heroine from the first novel for taking an unnecessary risk as well.)

Another thing that bugged me was that the reasoning for Ellie’s handicap was not provided until almost the very end of the book. The handicap itself was revealed pretty early on so every time the handicap was mentioned, I couldn’t understand why or how she had the handicap in the first place and it distracted me.

Memorable Moments: I loved Ellie’s and Ashley’s conversations:

“Oh! My! God!” Ashley’s frantic words brought Ellie out of her date-daze.
“What? What’s wrong?”

“That kiss,” she finally blurted. “Oh my, God, did you see that kiss?”

Ellie exhaled with a smile. “See it? I was in on it.”

Quinn checking out Ellie’s classic Mustang while Ellie was checking out Quinn’s rear end:

“Looks like you’ve done some work to the interior.” he said.
She removed her gaze from his posterior. “A little….”

Overall Impression: Danger Zone held my attention from page one. I was hooked into the plot, the characters, and the outcome. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

Brianna’s Rating:

Guest Post: Author Mary Ellenton

2012-05-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today, I have author Mary Ellenton here with us talking about getting back to writing after the kids have flown the nest.

Welcome Mary!

Redecorating My Empty Nest With A Passion For Writing

At age forty-seven, the stillness that had settled over my life was unsettling. I found myself ailing from a lingering case of Empty Nest Syndrome and spending many afternoons just waiting around for my husband to return home from work. I was feeling unfulfilled and knew I had to take on something, but what? I needed a project that would not only occupy my spare time but also be an outlet for the surplus of emotional energy that no longer was being drained by my children. For several months I floundered, and then… It appeared before me like so many times before-the option to write. Its arms were folded across its chest, a bit annoyed with me for waiting so long, but it had returned to save me, yet again. And it turns out- I was finally ready and began.

I have regret over disregarding my persistent inclinations to write earlier in my life. Throughout the years there were signs; some that practically waved arms overhead trying to cue me in that this pastime that brought deep satisfaction held options for me.

Being among the youngest of seven children I can recall attempting to share my early literary creations with my older siblings who usually walked away from me before I could finish the first sentence. Family visitors were far kinder but were soon rescued from me by my parents. In high school my knack for stringing together thoughts on paper was received with a bit more appreciation. My best friend was very enthusiastic over my ability to sashay into our tenth grade English class twenty minutes late and finish, not just mine, but her essay assignment as well, while most of the other students still hunched over their papers with frustration. In retrospect, I wonder how differently my life would have been lived had my teacher or parents thought to encouraged my undeveloped propensity for working with words.

Just eighteen months apart, my daughter and son were born when I was in my early twenties. As soon as they were in school full-time, I found myself on the train, traveling into Manhattan to take writing courses over the years. The lessons fortified my passion, spurring my first attempt at a novel. I penned a young adult work, inspired by my children’s descriptions of some of the zany antics on their school bus. Had I taken the next step and seeked out an editor to work with me, who knows-– but I must not have believed enough and abandoned the project, side tracking myself with something I knew I could make money at. Always goal oriented, I capitalized on another of my hobbies. I began to give racquetball lessons and developed a fitness business. I happily began to work full time enjoying the satisfaction of my growing my clientele.

In my early forties my recurring connection to writing surfaced for me again when I wanted to increase business and was able to secure a weekly fitness column in a local newspaper by pitching the editor with a few sample columns that I had written the night before. Immersed in my personal training business, while simultaneously managing the quiet panic of weathering my children’s teen age years; there was no time for writing in those busy days except for my fitness articles. By the time my children had finished college, my business had settled into a comfortable schedule and before I was ready, my children we out, living on their own. It did not take long for me to tire of going to lunch with the girls or aimlessly prowling around Bloomingdales with my new found spare time. As most serendipitous events in life, my decision to begin writing again was not planned; it was something that found its way to me.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary A. Ellenton returned her focus to a life long passion for writing after motherhood and a successful career in her own fitness business. Flipping is her debut novel. Mary is a native New Yorker and resides on Long Island with her husband.

Find the author online: website | facebook

ABOUT THE BOOK

The catastrophic and now, historical, real life drama of the real estate market boom and subsequent stock market crash of 2008 has inspired many authors to write on the subject.
Author, Mary Ellenton is one of the first to portray the spectacular events in fiction form as they still create headlines across the globe. In addition to offering an eye opening, behind the scenes view of the predatory lenders of the mortgage industry, FLIPPING exposes the invisible minefield that lies between ambition and success for females in the business world that todays women are all too accustom with navigating through.

Fay Famaghetti is ready for a change. She realizes that she is meant for something beyond the drudgery of working in her family's Italian restaurant business. When she moves from her hometown of Brooklyn, New York to suburban Long Island a unique opportunity in a traditionally male dominated profession presents itself and self-assured Fay decides to go for it.

Fay’s new career catapults her into an exciting world where she earns more money than she ever dreamed possible, reinvents herself and attracts the attention of fast track, veteran co-workers who enthusiastically welcome her into their circle. Not bad for a thirty-three-year-old out of Bay Ridge with not much more than a supercharged ambition and an accounting degree.

Willfully seduced by the greed of the era and prospering in the murky waters of a corrupted industry, Fay quickly gets in over her head.

FLIPPING is a lusty joyride that readers can take with its modern day antihero as she succumbs to the temptation of mixing business with pleasure within the treacherous industry that helped tumble the worlds greatest economy.

Buy the book: Amazon | BN

Flipping is out today!

Book Review: Supernaturally Kissed by Stacey Kennedy

2012-05-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Supernaturally Kissed (Amazon)
Series: Frostbite, #1
Author: Stacey Kennedy
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy from author
Published: December 2011 by Ellora’s Cave

Ghosts harass and annoy Tess to save their souls. Sometimes she helps them. Other times she ignores them. But one ghost will give her no choice.
Kipp, a former cop with the Memphis Police Department, will stop at nothing to gain her help, including using his ghostly charms to seduce her.

Tess must help solve the five-year-old cold case of Hannah Reid's disappearance, because solving the case will save Kipp. But a bigger problem presents itself. Tess is falling in love with a ghost. Now she must decide. Keep Kipp forever, or find the killer.

Blush sensuality level: This is a sensual romance (may have explicit love scenes, but not erotic in frequency or type).

Why I Read this Book: To be completely honest, I’m not sure why I chose to read Supernaturally Kissed. I don’t read romance stories involving ghosts; I don’t like the intangible factor when it comes to ghosts. (I still have a bone to pick with J.R. Ward for what she did to Jane’s character.) But there was something about this book that grabbed me; I don’t know what exactly, but it was something. Maybe it was that the hero was a cop (I do have a thing for men in uniform). In any event, I went out on a limb with this one and it turned out to be a good call because I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

What I Liked: The author took an element that I was cringing about and made it work. She made it work! I have a hard time feeling a connection with characters that are ghosts, and their interactions with the living, but the author did a great job at setting me at ease.

When I first started reading this book, I was conflicted. I kept thinking how is this going to work? She can’t get intimate with a ghost! But the author did it. The story made sense and the author gives the reader some really steamy moments. Fans of the infamous Chapter 32 will fall in love with Stacey Kennedy’s Chapter 7. Trust me.

I also enjoyed the case solving. There’s a mystery surrounding Hannah’s death and it was suspenseful. I could tell that Kipp and Zach made a great team on the force. They’re both dedicated cops who want to see justice served. I’d like to read more about this cold case solving team (including Tess of course).

What I Didn’t Like: Since Tess is the only one who can see and hear Kipp, she served as a medium for the guys in the police department. It drove me crazy that Tess didn’t relay Kipp’s messages more precisely. I wasn’t expecting her to quote him verbatim but at least pass as much of Kipp’s words along as possible. She chopped his words to bits at times.

Memorable Moment:

“And one thing I know for sure is you’re exactly the type of woman I’d spend the rest of my life trying to make happy.”

Overall Impression: Supernaturally Kissed was an emotionally touching, bittersweet story. I may or may not have gotten a little teary-eyed at the end. It was an addicting, well-done ghost romance written to my liking. I’m definitely reading the next book in this series.

Brianna’s Rating:

My Bookish Wants & Gots (3)

2012-05-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

My Bookish Wants & Gots is weekly Saturday feature here on The Book Vixen. I list the books I want - which can be old, new, or upcoming releases - and the books I recently got.

Born to Darkness (Fighting Destiny #1) by Suzanne Brockmann

Dishonorably discharged, former Navy SEAL Shane Laughlin is down to his last ten bucks when he finally finds work as a test subject at the Obermeyer Institute, a little-known and believed-to-be-fringe scientific research facility. When he enters the OI compound, he is plunged into a strange world where seemingly mild-mannered scientists—including women half his size—can kick his highly skilled ass.
Shane soon discovers that there are certain individuals who possess the unique ability to access untapped regions of the brain with extraordinary results—including telekinesis, super strength, and reversal of the aging process. Known as “Greater-Thans,” this rare breed is recruited by OI, where they are rigorously trained using ancient techniques to cultivate their powers and wield them responsibly.

But in the depths of America’s second Great Depression, where the divide between the haves and the have-nots has grown even wider, those who are rich—and reckless—enough have a quick, seductive alternative: Destiny, a highly addictive designer drug that can make anyone a Greater-Than, with the power of eternal youth. The sinister cartel known as The Organization has begun mass-producing Destiny, and the demand is epidemic. But few realize the drug’s true danger, and fewer still know the dirty secret of Destiny’s crucial ingredient.

Michelle “Mac” Mackenzie knows the ugly truth. And as one of the Obermeyer Institute’s crack team of operatives, she’s determined to end the scourge of Destiny. But her kick-ass attitude gets knocked for a loop when she finds that one of the new test subjects is none other than Shane, the same smoldering stranger who just rocked her world in a one-night stand. Although Shane isn’t a Greater-Than like Mac, as an ex-SEAL, he’s got talents of his own. But Mac’s got powerful reasons to keep her distance from him—and reasons that are just as strong to want him close. She’s used to risking her life, but now, in the midst of the ultimate war on drugs, she must face sacrificing her heart.

Starstruck (Hollywood Heat #3) by Ashleigh Raine

Jenna Byers approaches her first day as a background actor on "Sexy M.D. " with one goal in mind-impress the right people with her acting, make connections, and prove she's a hard worker. Things go sideways when an up-close-and-personal encounter with the uber-sexy lead ends with Jenna flat on her butt, and she's noticed for all the "wrong" reasons.
In all his years of acting, there's only one thing Micah Watley hasn't done: accidentally punch an extra in the face. Going against protocol, he hunts her down to apologize and discovers a rare phenomenon in the entertainment industry. A sweet, uncorrupted-by-Hollywood woman, whose smile grabs him by the heart-and other not-so-innocent body parts-and won't let go.
Their attraction is instant and intense, and Micah finds himself desperate to believe the woman with the beautiful smile, hot body and naughty mind wants him, not the doors he could open for her. When the press catches on, twisting Jenna and Micah's love story into a Hollywood scandal, they're forced to fight for their happy ending-both on "and" off camera.
Warning: This book contains a hero and a heroine who don't know a household surface they won't get horizontal on. Sometimes vertical too. Counters, sinks, showers, sofas, washing machines, beds, walls...they've got all the angles covered.

Secrets of Bella Terra (Bella Terra Deception #1) by Christina Dodd

Three powerful brothers tormented by their pasts, a priceless bottle of wine, and a precious pink diamond lost for generations collide in this suspenseful new contemporary series from New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd!
The Story Begins...

Brooding and sexy Rafe Di Luca has returned to his family's luxurious vineyard resort and discovers that a long-ago quarrel has ignited once more, forcing him to work with Brooke Petersson, the woman he seduced...and betrayed.

As the danger escalates and their passion threatens to rage out of control, Brooke fights her treacherous longing for a man who will never truly share his life with any woman. Remembering the anguish of the love they shared, she vows that Rafe may possess her body, but never again will he reach her fiercely guarded heart.

The peril they face will either bring them together, or destroy them both...unless they uncover the secret that will change everything.

Last Stop This Town by David H. Steinberg

The debut novel from "American Pie" series screenwriter David H. Steinberg. It's the last weekend before high school graduation, and as they prepare to go their separate ways, four life-long friends spend a wild and raucous night in New York City that forces them to face their fear of growing up... and growing apart.
West Hartford, Connecticut. Growing up in the suburbs is a mind-numbingly boring experience for most teenagers, and high school seniors Dylan, Noah, Pike, and Walker are no exception. They spend their days testing how fast they can drive on the local residential streets, bribing homeless dudes to buy them beer, and attending crappy house parties. So when Dylan proposes that they spend their last weekend of high school in New York City attending an underground rave, the guys are ready to make some serious memories.

In New York, though, the guys have run-ins with a drug dealer with a penchant for fire extinguishers, a Chinese restaurant owner with a score to settle, an Albanian street gang, con men, hookers, performance artists, and a gaggle of hot, degenerate, rich girls. Over the course of one incredible night, their outrageous journey gives the guys a bonding experience they'll never forget, as they learn that part of growing up means they're going to have to face their futures on their own.

(Parental advisory: Contains strong language, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations, all involving teens.)

Crimson Rogue (Crimson City #6) by Liz Maverick

From the four strata of Crimson City rogues: vampire, werewolf, human, demon. These rebels, rakes and unsung heroes have turned their backs on the extravagant vampire skyway, the gritty werewolf underground, the iron-fisted human stronghold and the fiery power of the demon underworld. Walking a thin line between heaven and hell, they make their own rules and follow their own destinies. Ironically, they will be the ones to determine if the City flourishes or fails.
Cydney Brighton knows them well, for she too is now rogue. Having escaped hell, she's discovered that the City is not what it once was--and neither is she. Only one man understands her, understands what it means to be someone or SOMETHING beyond control. He's ready to come out of the darkness, and part-man, part-machine, he's willing to sacrifice almost anything to make himself whole. The future is theirs.

Love Me (Take Me #2) by Bella Andre

It's been five years since Lily and Travis fell in love in TAKE ME....now it's finally time for Janica and Luke to get their very own happy ending.
If there's one thing that Janica Ellis is absolutely certain of, it's that she and Luke Carson are totally wrong for each other. She's a wild, artistic and outspoken fashion designer. He's a type A, workaholic trauma surgeon (who just happens to be sizzling hot and her brother-in-law!). But Janica is about to be proven wrong when opposites attract...in the sexiest possible way.

After a life-changing night in the ER, Luke is desperate for escape - and relief from his personal demons. For five years he has fought his attraction to his sister-in-law, but when he's pushed too far, he can't fight it another second. He needs her. Desperately. He's spent his whole life doing the right thing. For one night, he's going to follow desire instead. Straight into Janica's arms.

Janica can't believe Luke is finally at her front door...and that he's kissing her like he's been waiting his whole life for her. But even as their sensual connection deepens with every touch of skin on skin - and the man she always thought was such a good boy turns out to be sinfully, toe-curlingly bad between the sheets - Janica soon realizes she wants more than Luke's body. She wants his heart too. But what will Luke do when one night of extreme passion turns into an all or nothing proposition?

Pull the Trigger (Seduction in Memory Grove #1) by Melissa Ecker

Rebecca Harper is making a clean break. The ink is dry on her divorce decree and her dream job has finally come to fruition. In two weeks, she will be on a plane to St. Louis. All her plans are set until sexy cop Justin Cain, her former high school crush, asks her to dinner. This one night out instigates a roller coaster ride of hot sex, serious soul searching and heart breaking decisions. Will Rebecca leave Justin behind to follow her dreams? Or will his love be enough to keep her in Memory Grove?

By Leaps and Bounds by Jacqueline Diamond

She used to be a ballerina…
At the height of her success, Kerry Guthrie’s career was cut short by an accident. Now she’s on her feet again, teaching young dancers and hoping for a comeback…until she butts heads with the father of her 15-year-old star student, and feels a new kind of spark

A police officer, Chris Layne comes from a different world. Can they work together to make his daughter’s dreams come true, especially since he and his daughter are increasingly at odds? Along the way, Kerry must find her balance through an evolving emotional landscape.

Moon Spell (The Tale of Lunarmorte #1) by Samantha Young

Enter a world of fierce wolves, stunning magic and romance...
Moon Spell. A YA Paranormal Romance recommended for ages 16 and up.
It’s bad enough feeling different among the human crowd, but feeling different among wolves?

No one said returning to her pack would be easy, especially after ten years without them, but seventeen year old Caia Ribeiro is unprepared for the realities of the transition. Raised in a world where kids aren’t scared by bedtime tales of the bogeyman but by the real life threat of enemy supernaturals who might come creeping into their community to kill them in their sleep, Caia is used to the darkness; she’s used to the mystery and the intrigue of the ancient underworld war she’s bound to by chance of birth. What she’s having trouble with are pack members treating her with wary suspicion, the Elders tucking secrets behind their backs out of her sightline, and her young Alpha, Lucien, distracting her, with a dangerous attraction, from her decision to uncover the truth.

But as the saying goes ‘the truth will out’ and when it does, Caia will only have so long to prepare herself before the war comes pounding on their door threatening to destroy the safe, secret lives of the wolves… and the girl they protect.

Trust in Me by Beth Cornelison

A hero for the rest of us?
Escaping the cheating fiancé and sheltered life her father has arranged for her, Claire Albritton wants nothing more than to take control of her life and learn to fight her own battles.

Kevin Fuller believes he must rescue damsels in distress and Claire is decidedly out of her element in small town South Carolina. When trouble inevitably finds Claire, Kevin's white knight protection and heroics are exactly what Claire doesn't want. But his kisses...that's another matter.

What are your bookish wants and gots this week?

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Book Review: A Wild Night’s Bride by Victoria Vane

2012-05-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Title: A Wild Night’s Bride (Amazon)
Series: The Devil DeVere, #1
Author: Victoria Vane
Genre: Historical Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy from author
Published: April 2012 by Breathless Press

WITH THE DEVIL IN CHARGE...THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY...
What happens when a struggling actress and a grieving widower come together in a night of unbridled debauchery orchestrated by a bored and machinating rake?
She’s a lonely lady down on her luck...
Phoebe Scott, alias Kitty Willis, is a struggling Covent Garden actress with a bruised heart and a closely guarded secret.

He’s steadfast and eminently respectable
Sir Edward Chambers, Ned to his intimates, is guilt-ridden over his beloved wife’s death and avowed to live out a rustic and mundane life … of celibacy.

With the devil in charge — there will surely be hell to pay.
Devil in disguise, Viscount Ludovic DeVere, is determined to return his best friend, Ned, to the land of the living. His meddling machinations result in a night of mind blowing passion after which “dull dog Ned” awakes to find himself in the King of England’s bed!

A WILD NIGHT’S BRIDE, a sexy, rollicking Georgian romp!

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: This novella is a sexy but light-hearted romp through one night’s adventures. Given the sexual nature of this novella the sudden epiphany of the leads proclaiming love rang false but that was a minor quibble.

The Set Up: Ned’s wife died three years ago and he’s just returned to London and his rakehell best friend, Lord DeVere. Phoebe is trying to make her way as a London actress. Phoebe’s career depends upon who her first protector is so she attends a wicked party thinking to ask DeVere but finds the lonely Ned instead. When DeVere accepts a crazy wager including Ned and Phoebe their night suddenly gets dangerous.

Why I Read this Book: The synopsis sounded good and I like reading novellas as I typically have time to complete them in one sitting.

What I Liked: This novella doesn’t take itself too seriously. The purpose of this novella is to provide a sexy adventure and it does that. The entire novella takes place in one night so there isn’t much character development, other than making lonely Ned a sympathetic character who needed to get laid and end his celibacy.

What I Didn’t Like: The focus of this novella is clearly sexual and the sudden epiphany of life-altering love felt forced to me. Of course, this is classified as a romance so I guess that’s to be expected but it did seem silly that a country gentleman like Ned would marry an actress after knowing her for one day. But suspending reality is part of some romance novels so I won’t harp on it too much.

IMO: A Wild Night’s Bride is a good erotic-romance but an average romance-romance. The emotional intimacy was non-existent but given the light-hearted sexual nature of the novella, it worked. This is the first of six erotic romance stories but given that I like more emotional intimacy between my leads I doubt I’ll pick up the subsequent stories.

J9’s Rating:

Kindle Deals: Epic Deals from HarperTeen, Kindle Deals & Some Kindle Freebies

2012-05-10T11:15:00.001-07:00

HarperTeen is having another Epic Reads Epic Deals promotion going on. They’ve got EIGHT ebooks for $2.99 each. Promo ends June 2, 2012.

This one is $1.99 from now until 5/21/2012.

This one is $2.99 from now until 5/21/2012.

Some free Samplers to download and try out.

Here are some other Kindle deals I spied. These were $5 or less when I checked.

And last, but certainly not least, some Kindle freebies.

And don’t forget – you can buy a Kindle book now and give it away at a later date (i.e. a future giveaway, holiday, birthday, or any other special occasion).

A small percentage of commission is received for purchases using these links. Commission earned will help maintain the site (domain name, blog design, postage, giveaways, etc.).

Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Possibilities of Amy by Jaye Frances

2012-05-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today, I have author Jaye Frances here with us talking about her new romance novella. She is also sharing an excerpt and giving away a copy of The Possibilities of Amy. Welcome Jaye!

Thank you, Brianna, for hosting me today on The Book Vixen. I really appreciate the opportunity to share a sneak peek at my new romance novella, The Possibilities of Amy.

I’d like to start with a personal insight—the motivation behind the story and why it affected me, perhaps more so than anything I’ve written in a long time. While organizing an overstuffed closet one afternoon, I ran across a heavy, unmarked box. Committed to discarding any form of clutter I couldn’t immediately use, I took a quick look inside. I found the typical, and almost-forgotten treasures of high school—old volleyball tournament trophies, gold-framed prom pictures, and my senior yearbook. I made myself a cup of coffee, sat back on the couch, and spent the next two hours reliving that poignant and often bittersweet phase of my adolescence.

As I flipped through the student photos, I tried to imagine how the progression of time might have changed the faces that smiled back at me. I skimmed a few of the “lasting words” of my then-optimistic peers, wondering if the realities of experience and responsibility had extinguished their playful curiosity and hopeful expectations. And it brought back that nagging uncertainty that has surely haunted every adult that takes a moment to look back at life from the perspective of hindsight—what would I have done differently if I knew then what I know now?

In The Possibilities of Amy, the main character, David, is infatuated with the new and beautiful transfer student, Amy. But rather than declare his feelings, he does his best to keep his fantasy romance a secret from his pals. Not an easy task when you spend your days circling the fishbowl of high school, never knowing when your best friends are going to turn into predators with their sights squarely fixed on the girl of your dreams.

In the following excerpt, David finally overcomes his shyness. Shoring up his confidence with nervous energy, he joins in a classroom discussion, hoping to open a conversation with Amy.

EXCERPT

The girl on my right began flipping through her paperback study guide as if it were a deck of playing cards. “Well, most of us think The Merchant of Venice is a porno script. On a more personal note, I’ve decided on pizza for dinner.” She hesitated for a moment, and then added, “Oh, and Amy’s not sure about anything.”

Her unexpected jab at Amy caught me off-guard, and without thinking, I nervously repeated it. “Not sure?” I froze as I heard the challenge in my voice. I had to say something else, something that would soften my unintended but apparent arrogance. With as much concern and sincerity as I could muster, I turned to Amy. “Why is that?”

The group fell quiet. In the wake of what should have been tremendous pressure, I was surprised how calm and unaffected I felt.

Amy looked up, as if suddenly aware that the group’s attentive silence was focused on her. She brought a hand to her face, allowing her fingers to hover over soft, flawless lips. As they lightly settled against her cheek, her pastel blue eyes seemed to gaze directly into mine, and then deeper, as if making sure I was really there, ready and listening.

To look at her—just to look—gave me such a sense of quiet fulfillment. Even if I never touched her, or sat this close to her again, I would always remember her face, poised to speak, to answer my question.

“I didn’t say I wasn’t sure, and I’m not disagreeing,” she began. “I just thought it was interesting how Bassanio offered his wife to Antonio—not as payment, but as a gesture of gratitude, of friendship. Know what I mean?”

Her voice was soft, compelling, and she had returned my question with another. Our dialogue had begun. So simple, so easy. I felt a sudden rush of excitement.

Then it struck me. What the hell was she talking about? I hadn’t read the assignment.

“Do you think that was common practice?” I tried to sound interested, hiding my confusion. “I mean, do you think a friend might have been obligated to make that kind of offer?”

Amy’s expression turned thoughtful. “Oh, I see. Because a real friend would also have been obligated to decline. I didn’t think of that. What else?”

What else? What do you mean, what else? That’s it. That’s all I’ve got.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jaye Frances is the author of the new romance novella, The Possibilities of Amy, and the paranormal-occult romance book The Kure, the first novel in The Kure series. She is also a featured columnist for the NUSA SUN magazine. Born in the Midwest, Jaye readily admits that her life’s destination has been the result of an open mind and a curiosity about all things irreverent. When she’s not consumed by her writing, Jaye enjoys cooking, traveling to all places tropical and “beachy” and taking pictures—lots of pictures—many of which find their way to her website. Her upcoming books include The Cruise - All That Glitters, a humorous take on a shipboard romance, scheduled for a May 2012 release, and Journeys From Above and Below the Belt, a collection of adult fiction novellas and short stories, scheduled for a Summer 2012 release. Jaye lives on the central gulf coast of Florida, sharing her home with one husband, six computers, four cameras, and several hundred pairs of shoes.

Find the author online: website | blog | facebook

ABOUT THE BOOK

Amy is the ultimate trophy girl—gorgeous face, killer body, and a vivacious personality. But there’s something else about her, something that makes her even more special. Amy is new. A transfer student from out of state, she’s starting her senior year without knowing a soul. And that means she’s up for grabs, available.
Infatuated from the moment he sees her, David is determined to meet Amy, and if the fates are willing, to spend the rest of his life with her. But his shyness prevents him from approaching her—until his friends devise a contest to determine who will be the first to prove their manhood by seducing her.

Buy the book: Amazon

Thanks to Jaye Frances, one lucky winner will receive a Kindle edition of The Possibilities of Amy!!

Giveaway open Internationally.

Comments are appreciated, however, you must fill out the Rafflecopter form in order to enter this giveaway.

Please read our UPDATED Giveaway Policy before entering.

Giveaway ends 12:01 am (EST) on 5/25/2012.

Good luck to all who enter!

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Book Review: Hellbound by Berinn Rae

2012-05-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Hellbound (Amazon)
Series: Guardians of the Seven Seals, #2
Author: Berinn Rae
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy from author
Published: March 2012 by Crescent Moon Press

Everyone has monsters under the bed...
The Seven Seals are said to be all that stands between humanity’s survival and the end of days. Led by a reclusive angel, the Seven are immortals, enhanced by the marks they bear. After centuries of bloodshed, the Seven and their Guardians have brought down the nefarious Dominion. But the world isn’t safe yet. Now, a rogue hellhound is building an army to claim the Seven Seals for himself.

But what if you're one of them?

In one night, Lana Wolfe’s life was destroyed and she was reborn a walking nightmare. A year later, she dedicates her life to destroying others like her. That is, until she discovers Orion Benandanti, the Alpha of all hellhounds and host to the Third Seal. But when the hunter becomes the hunted and Orion’s Seal is put at risk, the only way to survive is for Lana to trust the man who very well may destroy her soul. Will she let him claim her—for the Seal’s protection and for a passion forged in hell’s hottest fires?

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: This is an excellent paranormal romance set in a well-imagined world. Any paranormal reader looking for a new series should check this out; I’m glad I did!

The Set Up: Lana’s psychotic ex-boyfriend attacked her when she broke up with him and turned her into something from nightmares. Now forced into life as a werewolf, Lana searches for mutant werewolves to destroy and in her hunt she meets Orion, a man unlike any other she’s met. Orion isn’t just a werewolf but is a guardian of the paranormal society worldwide. But while Orion and his pack struggle to keep evil at bay, Lana and Orion begin a tentative relationship.

Why I Read this Book: Paranormal romance is the toast and peanut butter of my reading life and I’m always looking for new series.

What I Liked: This paranormal world is so well imagined! The werewolf and pack aspects are similar to other paranormal worlds but the Seven Seals concept is a stellar addition. I don’t want to spoil it, but the Seven are powerful immortals who are merged with their unique seals and these Seven keep the paranormals hidden from the humans who would destroy them. This Seven Seals is just unique enough to add depth and interest to the story without confusing it or overtaking the story. Any sci-fi fan like me will adore this world.

What I Also Like: The romance was tender and sexy both and the secondary characters outstanding. Orion and Lana have an attraction that is both emotional and physical and it was a mature romance without either of them acting the fool. They compromise and really work together to make their romance work. I truly liked both characters and wanted them to find their HEA. And the secondary characters were also great! Orion’s pack is full of unique characters and the fact that Orion’s past is linked to these men makes it so readers become invested in them too. Orion’s second MUST have his own story or I swear I’ll stake out the author’s house (hear that, Ms. Rae!).

What I Didn’t Like: A packmate dies. WHY?! There better be a series reason he had to die and not just to manipulate my emotions (ahem, I mean readers’ emotions). Also, I feel I should mention the high level of violence in this book. I’m used to this as violence is stock in paranormal books but some readers may be troubled by the amount of blood and fighting here. Again, I wasn’t bothered in the slightest but just want to mention it for readers who may be uncomfortable.

IMO: I was so surprised at how very much I enjoyed this well-written paranormal romance. I’d never heard of the author, the publisher, or the series but I’m extremely glad I took a risk and read this outstanding book. Any fan of paranormal romance would do well to read this great book.

J9’s Rating:

Book Review: The Fireman Who Loved Me by Jennifer Bernard

2012-05-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

Title: The Fireman Who Loved Me (Amazon)
Series: The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel, #1
Author: Jennifer Bernard
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: Edelweiss
Published: April 24, 2012 by Avon

Captain Brody has been badly burned by his ex-wife. When he orders Ryan, his star fireman, to participate in a bachelor auction, little does he know he’s the one who will lose his heart.
Melissa McGuire is a brainy local news producer trying to get her career back on track. She can’t believe she’s being set up by her grandmother, who bid on a date with a fireman at the auction. She prefers the artsy type, not the tough, commanding , though clearly attractive, fire chief.

And yet, they can’t resist each other, especially once her ambitious news anchor assigns her the “Thanksgiving with the Firefighters” news special. Add in her grandmother’s matchmaking and the combined efforts of Captain Brody’s crew…can Brody help being the first bachelor to succumb to love, and the crazy rollercoaster ride of the Curse?

Why I Read this Book: The last firemen series I read, The Firemen of Station Five series by Jo Davis, I thoroughly enjoyed. That series was hot and steamy plus there was a little suspense added into the mix. Ever since, I’ve been on the lookout for more romance novels featuring a fireman hero. So when I came across The Fireman Who Loved Me, I had to read it. Who can resist a firefighter? *points to self* Not this vixen.

What I Liked: The main story arc struck gold with me. Nelly, Melissa’s grandmother, bids on a firefighter at the bachelor auction. (Hello? How did I not know about these auctions when I was a single lady?) Nelly then sets up Melissa on a date with the hunk she won. Nelly, bless her heart, was trying to ‘help’ her granddaughter in finding ‘the one’ before she (Nelly) kicked the bucket. And time was running out. Nelly was hoot!

The Brody/Melissa match up might have been a little too much of a coincidence but I liked it. Brody was a good man and a good Captain.

One character I loved to hate was Ella Joy. Damn, she was annoying. But she was well-written so I have to give kudos for that. Speaking of secondary characters, I spy with my little eye some great potential future heros and heroines for this series. In fact, I really hope that One and Two (the firewomen at the station) get their own books.

What I Didn’t Like: One of my reading pet peeves, especially in romance novels, is the lack of protection during intercourse. The first couple of times the hero and heroine do the horizontal mambo, they used a condom. After that, nothing. Zip. Zilch. And there was no talk about it either - no mention of Melissa being on the pill, no mention of the forgotten step of protection, nada. Heros – put a raincoat on it!

While I did end up liking Melissa’s character, it took me a while for her to grow on me. She was no fun in the beginning. If my grandmother presented me with a firefighter, who am I to decline? You jump on that opportunity like white on rice.

The Rebecca/Thorval story arc was too over the top. I get that there needed to be a pebble in Melissa and Brody’s shoe but the drama was too much and so out there. And speaking of story arcs, there seemed to have been quite a few of them going on in this book.

Deep fried turkey, at a fire station? I thought firefighters frowned upon this particular cooking method…?

And what was with Brody getting his panties all twisted over the news report on the fire at City Hall? I get that the news can stretch the truth a bit but he got all worked up about it.

Memorable Moment:

Grandmother Nelly giving it to Melissa straight:

“Oh, that fancy career of yours. You think your career is going to take care of you when you’re my age?
“As a matter of fact, yes. My IRA-“

“I don’t want to hear about your IRA. It’s not going to drive you to the pharmacy, it’s not going to rub your feet, or change your colostomy bag.”

Melissa’s reaction when her grandmother tells her that the date with the fireman is for her (Melissa):

“Don’t you think he might be disappointed when I show up, instead of the sweet charming old hag he’s expecting?"

Overall Impression: The Fireman Who Loved Me was an enjoyable read. I didn’t take it too seriously so it was fun. I’m anxious to read the next book in this series and I hope it carries me away. I think this series has promise if the drama element is toned down a notch. Each book in the series will feature a different fireman and I’m ready for them!

Brianna’s Rating:

Book Review: Rogues by Ava March

2012-05-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Rogues (Amazon)
Series: Brook Street, #3
Author: Ava March
Genre: Regency-Set M/M Erotic Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: NetGalley
Published: May 7, 2012 by Carina Press

London, 1822
Two of London's most notorious rakehells, Linus Radcliffe and Robert Anderson, are the best of friends. They share almost everything-clothes, servants, their homes, and even each other's bed on occasion. The one thing they don't share: lovers. For while Linus prefers men, Robert prefers women...except when it comes to Linus.

As another Season nears its end, Robert can't ignore his growing jealousy. He hates watching Linus disappear from balls to dally with other men. Women are lovely, but Linus rouses feelings he's never felt with another. Unwilling to share his gorgeous friend another night, Robert has a proposition for Linus.

A proposition Linus flatly refuses-but not for the reasons Robert thinks. Still, Robert won't take no for an answer. He sets out to prove a thing or two to his best friend-yet will learn something about the heart himself.

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: Woo-wee! This is some sexy, sexy times with lots of heart and friendship. This is why I read MM romance!

The Set Up: Linus and Robert are best friends and two of London’s most notorious badboys. Linus prefers men and Robert prefers women, except when he shares Linus’ bed. But this Season is proving different because Robert can’t ignore his jealousy when Linus dallies with other men. Can Robert convince Linus they’re more than best friends with benefits?

Why I Read this Book: Historical MM romance is rare and I read it every chance I can get.

What I Liked: The friendship between Robert and Linus was emotionally satisfying for me and when combined with the eroticism, made this an excellent read. Linus’ fear of losing Robert is so poignant and this emotionally vulnerability was beautifully written and had wonderful resolution with Robert. The characters were so well developed, which is amazing given this story is only eighty pages long. I like the realistic exploration on Robert’s part about his sexual attraction to both genders. This story didn’t rush the men but allowed them both time and self-examination to be sure they wanted this new change in their relationship. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this emotionally charged erotic romance.

What I Didn’t Like: I loved this short novella and it was a perfect hour’s read: full of heart, heat and compelling characters.

IMO: This is a must read for fans of MM erotic romance. This is third in the Brook Street series (Thief and Fortune Hunter being the first and second installments) and I’m excited to go back and catch up on this great series!

J9’s Rating:

My Bookish Wants & Gots (2)

2012-05-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

My Bookish Wants & Gots is weekly Saturday feature here on The Book Vixen. I list the books I want - which can be old, new, or upcoming releases - and the books I recently got.

Stolen by Shiloh Walker

Shay Morgan has stayed hidden for a long time. Living a reclusive life in Earth’s End, Alaska, she’s as far away as she can get from the trauma of her childhood and the man who hurt her long ago. But terror takes over Shay’s life yet again when an unknown stalker steals away the fragile peace she’s built for herself—targeting not only her but the one man who’s ever managed to get past the walls she’s built around herself.
Elliot Winter has lived through being falsely accused before—it ruined his military career. Now it’s happening all over again. And this time, his accuser is a twisted impostor who’s targeting his ex-girlfriend, Shay. Despite a fierce mutual attraction, Shay and Elliot broke up because Shay couldn’t let her guard down, couldn’t let Elliot in. But now they both need to trust each other to confront a psycho who seems to know all their secrets.

Assassins in Love (Assassins Guild #1) by Kris DeLake

When one killer falls for another
Agent: Misha
Profile: Highly trained in every method the assassins guild has to offer. Always goes by the book.

Agent: Rikki
Profile: Rogue assassin who kills only to rid the world of hardened criminals. Hates organizations. Always does it her way.

Love becomes a matter of life and death

Misha's mission is to get Rikki to join the guild or give up her guns. He completely underestimated the effect she would have on him...and what heat and chaos they could bring to each other...

The Secrets of the FBI by Ronald Kessler

The Secrets of the FBI by New York Times bestselling author Ronald Kessler reveals the FBI’s most closely guarded secrets and the secrets of celebrities, politicians, and movie stars uncovered by agents during their investigations.
Based on inside access, the book presents revelations about the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound, the recent Russian spy swap, Marilyn Monroe's death, Vince Foster’s suicide, and J. Edgar Hoover’s sexual orientation. For the first time, it tells how the FBI caught spy Robert Hanssen in its midst and how the FBI breaks into homes, offices, and embassies to plant bugging devices without getting caught.

From Watergate to Waco, from congressional scandals to the killing of bin Laden, The Secrets of the FBI presents headline-making disclosures about the most important figures and events of our time.

Dirty Blood (Dirty Blood #1) by Heather Hildenbrand

I killed a girl last night. I did it with my bare hands and an old piece of pipe I found lying next to the dumpster. But that’s not the part that got me. The part that scared me, the part I can’t seem to wrap my head around and still has me reeling, was that when she charged me, her body shifted – and then she was a wolf. All snapping teeth and extended claws. But by the time I stood over her lifeless body, she was a girl again. That’s about the time I went into shock… And that was the moment he showed up.
Now, all I can do is accept the truths that are staring me in the face. One, Werewolves do exist. And Two, I was born to kill them.

Pyxis: The Discovery (Pyxis #1) by K.C. Neal

Corinne lives an average teenage life working at her dad’s cafe, hanging out with her best friend, and trying to forget a falling-out with her almost-boyfriend Mason. Things take a strange turn when she uses her late grandmother’s food dyes for a bake sale, and her customers suddenly find her irresistibly alluring. Then she discovers she and Mason are haunted by the same dreams of a dark force that consumes everything in its path.
Pursued by shadowy figures and a crazy woman with secrets from the past, Corinne must find out who her grandmother really was. In her quest to unravel her family’s history, she learns she is destined to protect this world--and the dark world of her dreams. She races to find the answers she seeks before her nightmares break free.

What are your bookish wants and gots this week?

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Book Review: Last Stop This Town by David H. Steinberg

2012-05-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Last Stop This Town (Amazon)
Author: David H. Steinberg
Genre: Young Adult
Sensuality Rating: mild
Source: review copy from author
Published: March 2012 by Monkey Business Press

The debut novel from "American Pie" series screenwriter David H. Steinberg. It's the last weekend before high school graduation, and as they prepare to go their separate ways, four life-long friends spend a wild and raucous night in New York City that forces them to face their fear of growing up... and growing apart.
West Hartford, Connecticut. Growing up in the suburbs is a mind-numbingly boring experience for most teenagers, and high school seniors Dylan, Noah, Pike, and Walker are no exception. They spend their days testing how fast they can drive on the local residential streets, bribing homeless dudes to buy them beer, and attending crappy house parties. So when Dylan proposes that they spend their last weekend of high school in New York City attending an underground rave, the guys are ready to make some serious memories.

In New York, though, the guys have run-ins with a drug dealer with a penchant for fire extinguishers, a Chinese restaurant owner with a score to settle, an Albanian street gang, con men, hookers, performance artists, and a gaggle of hot, degenerate, rich girls. Over the course of one incredible night, their outrageous journey gives the guys a bonding experience they'll never forget, as they learn that part of growing up means they're going to have to face their futures on their own.

(Parental advisory: Contains strong language, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations, all involving teens.)

Reviewed by Knitz with Catz

Why I Read this Book: Brianna thought I would enjoy reading Last Stop This Town so I looked it up to see what it was about. I enjoyed the American Pie movies so that was a plus. Then I saw Samm Levine was quoted as liking it and I was sold. I absolutely loved the TV show Freaks and Geeks and tend to like almost everything that involves people from that show. So a thumbs up from Samm was a green light to me to read this book.

What I Liked: Last Stop This Town had a very cinematic feel to it; it was very easy to see the storyline. The story moved along fluidly and I wanted to stay with it to see how it played out. This book was easy to read and visualize. In the very beginning I had to write down the names of the main characters, with brief descriptions, but by the 10% mark I knew who they all were.

What I Didn’t Like: I didn't like how some coincidences happened. I find it hard to believe that in a city of millions, the boys would stumble upon some people from school - especially since the big party wasn't near their hometown. And at a big party, it would be next to impossible to find someone in the crowd or even get their attention. But I know it's a novel, not real life, so I allowed those moments to happen without it bothering me too much.

Memorable Moments: Here were a few highlights I enjoyed:

Trying to get the bum to buy liquor for them
Problem with the car being impounded
The cell phone that was left behind at the restaurant that ended up missing (karma!)
The scene involving the under-aged party girls a couple of guys meet up with

Overall Impression: Last Stop This Town was a good story - one I could easily imagine being turned into a movie. It could even work as a TV show, with the show starting when the guys start high school then work up to these adventures as a finale. I'm glad I read this book and look forward to reading more by this author. I would definitely recommend this book to American Pie fans. I think people of all ages – from high schoolers to their parents (and the older crowd) will enjoy this fun tale. I'm 54 and found it a pleasant way to spend a few hours!

Knitz with Catz’s Rating:

Be sure to check out David H. Steinberg’s guest post on adapting novels for film!

Blog Tour: A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

2012-05-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Stop #39 on A Perfect Storm Blog Tour. This wildly popular first chapter scavenger hunt is brought to BookTrib by the Media Muscle team and a plethora of amazing book bloggers. Beginning March 26, a section of chapter 1 will be featured each day by a book blogger until the entire first chapter has been provided to you.

It’s easy – Listed in the guide on BookTrib’s site, according to the date the chapter excerpt is revealed, it easy to click on the link to continue reading each day. In addition to the scavenger hunt, you’ll find reviews, author Q&A sessions, guest blog posts, and giveaways throughout the blog tour. Books featured in the hunt are on the edge of their official release date – so you get to start reading it first!

EXCERPT

“No?”

Her teeth clenched; she spoke through stiff lips. “A guy who’s paying for his time doesn’t want to waste it on that.” In defiance, she added, “Thank God.”

Her words felt like a kick in the guts. “Arizona—”

“They saw me as unclean.” Her chin jutted forward. “And I’m glad!”

Had she ever been given a sincere, caring, affectionate kiss? He just didn’t know. But they had to start somewhere, or she’d never be free of her past.

He sat forward. “Given your expression, the idea of kissing me would be insufferable, so I’m guessing it should be incentive enough to clean up your language. Right?”

Be sure to check out the next stop on this Blog Tour: Debbie’s World of Books!

ABOUT THE BOOK

He never saw her coming...
Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring—and continue avenging his own tragic past—the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him.
Arizona wants to reclaim her life, which means acting as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. Sure it's dangerous, especially with a partner as distractingly appealing as Spencer. But as their plan—and their chemistry—shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there's an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero...

Buy the book: Amazon | BN

Thanks to Meryl Moss Media Relations, one lucky winner will receive a print copy of A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster!!

Giveaway open to US and Canada residents.

Comments are appreciated, however, you must fill out the Rafflecopter form in order to enter this giveaway.

Please read the Giveaway Policy before entering.

Giveaway ends 12:01 am (EST) on 5/18/2012.

Good luck to all who enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Month in Review: April 2012

2012-05-01T08:02:00.001-07:00

April was a slow reading month for me; I only read 2 books. I started Fracture by Megan Miranda and got 52% into the book but ended up not finishing it. The pacing was too slow for me and not much was happening by the half-way mark. So I threw in the towel. I’m currently reading Danger Zone by Dee J. Adams, which is much more my speed. It’s the second book in a romantic suspense series featuring race car drivers.

June is only a month away which means my annual Birthday Extravaganza is almost here! I’ve got some great giveaways lined up so you won’t want to miss it. I’m still looking for a few more sponsors so if you’re interested, contact me.

Books Brianna Read:

The Fireman Who Love Me by Jennifer Bernard

Hot for Fireman by Jennifer Bernard

Books Reviewed on TBV:

Natural Evil by Thea Harrison – 2 frogs

Tempest by Julie Cross – 3 frogs

Inherit the Sky by Ariel Tachna – 3.5 frogs

Wrath by Laurann Dohner – 4.5 frogs

Open Me by Reina Stowe – 4 frogs

Savage Awakening by J.D. Tyler – 4 frogs

Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James – 2 frogs

All I Want for Christmas by Liliana Hart – 4 frogs

The Claimed by Caridad Piñeiro – 3.5 frogs

Posts:

I participated in Bloggiesta. Here’s my starting line post and finish line post. Even though Bloggiesta is over and done with, I still have a growing to-do list for the blog.

Screenwriter and author David H. Steinberg talked about adapting novels for film. He wrote the screenplay for the America Pie movie.

Magic Mike. Channing Tatum. Joe Manganiello(!!). Matthew McConaughey. Need I say more? For those who know what I’m referring to, you can click on the link and get your daily fix. (Srsly, I just watched it myself. Again.) For those who haven’t heard of Magic Mike, you NEED to click on the link. Probably NSFW. Joe Manganiello’s name in the film is ‘Big Dick Richie’. *giggles*

Author Nancy Scrofano talks about how it all started with Sweet Valley High. Plus she’s giving away a copy of her book!

I started a new weekly feature here on TBV called My Bookish Wants & Gots. It’s where I list the books I want - which can be old, new, or upcoming releases - and the books I recently got. Look for it on Saturdays.

Current Giveaways:

(2) ebook copies of True Love Way by Nancy Scrofano – ENDS 5/8/2012 (INT)

2012 Reading Challenges Status Report:

Outdo Yourself (Sign-up | May Review Link Up) – 14/101books

Men in Uniform (Sign-up | May Review Link Up) – 2/5 books

eBook Challenge – 13/5 books

TBR Pile Challenge – 3/10 books

100+ Books in a Year – 14/100 books

Are you looking for a reading challenge? You can check out A Novel Challenge for all things reading challenge and reading event related. I’m personally hosting two this year (in case you weren’t aware) – Outdo Yourself and Men in Uniform. Both are still accepting sign-ups so if you’re interested feel free to join us. And if you need help with those reading challenge progress bars you see on blogs, check out my step-by-step tutorial.

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

May Review Link Up: Men in Uniform Reading Challenge

2012-05-01T01:02:00.000-07:00

To sign up for this reading challenge, CLICK HERE.

May Review Link Up: Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

2012-05-01T01:01:00.000-07:00

To sign up for this reading challenge, CLICK HERE.

Book Review: The Claimed by Caridad Piñeiro

2012-04-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Title: The Claimed (Amazon)
Series: Sin Hunters, #2
Author: Caridad Piñeiro
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: NetGalley
Published: May 1, 2012 by Grand Central Publishing

Victoria Johnson loves her life. She's her own boss in a quaint beachside town, and has great friends who keep her grounded. If only they knew who she really is: an heiress to an ancient race who possesses astonishing superhuman powers. It's Victoria's duty to restore her clan of Light Hunters to their former glory by choosing the perfect mate. In Christopher Sombrosa, she just may have found him. Strong, smart, and successful, Christopher exudes a powerful energy. Their connection is sensual, irresistible-and forbidden.
A member of the Shadow Hunter clan, Christopher has defied his own father to lead his people away from affliction and violence. Yet he cannot ignore his duty to carry on his ancient bloodline. Stunningly beautiful and brimming with an erotic life force, Victoria is everything Christopher ever hoped for in a mate . . . but as a Light Hunter, she's his mortal enemy. Together, they could unite their warring tribes. But murderous factions on both sides don't want peace-and they'll stop at nothing to keep light and darkness apart forever . . .

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: The paranormal world of energy “hunters” is unique and well developed but the romance is just average.

The Set Up: Victoria is an heiress to an ancient race who co-exist with humans but use energy from nature to live. Victoria must secure her clans’ future by mating with another Light Hunter but she meets a mysterious man, Christopher who draws her. Christopher led a revolt of his fellow Shadow Hunters to leave their violent clan to gather energy from nature like the Light Hunters instead of hurting each other and humans. But Victoria and Christopher’s clans are enemies and don’t want the peace that Victoria and Christopher’s mating would bring.

Why I Read this Book: I love paranormal romance and am constantly looking for new series. Plus, the cover was lovely.

What I Liked: This paranormal world is utterly fascinating. The two Hunter factions, Light and Shadow, are distinct and make good enemies who keep the plot moving. The mythos of energy hunters is imaginative and held me captive. For instance, Hunters can take a small amount of energy from a fish and use that to transform themselves so they can breathe under water. This energy manipulation plays heavily into the mystery plot as well and I really liked that. Any fan of sci-fi world building will like this as much as I did.

What I Also Liked: The plot of Victoria and Christopher’s clans trying to keep them apart kept my attention and was very well paced. I had to keep turning the pages to figure out how the clans’ civil war plays out. Additionally, Victoria has a mysterious friend who is very interesting and I hope she’s the heroine of a subsequent book in the series.

What I Didn’t Like: I wouldn’t say I disliked the romance but I didn’t love the romance either. I think what I missed was the emotional connection between Victoria and Christopher. The author continued the energy theme so their energies matched and ignited them sexually but it skipped the emotional bonding. As a traditional romance fans, I wanted to see these two people develop feelings for each other and I just didn’t see it. Even still, this didn’t ruin the story for me, it just didn’t elevate it either.

IMO: Paranormal fans looking for a new series will like this book as I did. I will go back to read book one in the series and look for future installments, though hoping the author makes future couples have a more emotional connection as well.

J9’s Rating:

My Bookish Wants & Gots (1)

2012-04-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

My Bookish Wants & Gots is weekly Saturday feature here on The Book Vixen. I list the books I want - which can be old, new, or upcoming releases - and the books I recently got.

Summer Days (Fool's Gold #7) by Susan Mallery

Locked in an unexpected land dispute, Rafe Stryker is trapped in the one place he vowed never to return to – the Castle Ranch in Fool’s Gold, California. He made millions facing ruthless adversaries in the boardroom, but nothing could’ve prepared him to go head-to-head against stubborn, beautiful Heidi Simpson. No one is more surprised than Rafe to discover that he’s finding Heidi – and life as a cowboy – much more compelling than he wants to admit. For Heidi, the Castle Ranch is the home she’s always wanted. After a life on the road, the vivacious blonde has finally put down roots. She won’t give that up without a fight, not even for a man whose late-night kisses make her yearn to be a little less…wholesome. As the two turn from passionate adversaries to passionate, period, they’ll discover that summer love can last a lifetime.

S ummer Nights (Fool's Gold #8) by Susan Mallery

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's newest Fool's Gold story proves that wild hearts cannot be tamed... Horse whisperer Shane Stryker is done with passion. This time around, he's determined to meet someone who will be content with the quiet life of a rancher's wife. And the fiery, pint-size redhead who dazzles him at the local bar definitely does not fit the bill. Small-town librarian Annabelle Weiss has always seen herself as more of a sweetheart than a siren, so she can't understand why Shane keeps pushing her away. Shane has formed the totally wrong impression of her but only he can help her with a special event for the next Fool's Gold festival. And maybe while he's at it, she can convince him to teach her a few things about kissing on hot summer nights, too-some lessons, a girl shouldn't learn from reading a book!

All Summer Long (Fool's Gold #9) by Susan Mallery

Can a summer fling turn into love that lasts a lifetime? Former underwear model turned entrepreneur Clay Stryker has loved, tragically lost and vowed that he'll never risk his heart again. After making his fortune, the youngest of the rugged Stryker brothers returns to Fool's Gold, California, to put down roots on a ranch of his own. But he's frustrated to discover that even in his hometown, people see him only for his world-famous...assets. Firefighter Chantal (Charlie) Dixon grew up an ugly duckling beside her delicately beautiful mother, a feeling reinforced long ago by a man who left soul-deep scars. Now she has good friends, a solid job and the itch to start a family-yet she can't move toward the future while she's haunted by painful memories. Clay finds an unexpected ally, and unexpected temptation, in tomboyish Charlie, the only person who sees beyond his dazzling good looks to the real man beneath. But when Charlie comes to him with an indecent proposal, will they be able to overcome their pasts and find a love that lasts beyond one incredible summer?

Bloody Little Secrets by Karly Kirkpatrick

17-year-old Vicky Hernandez has a big problem. She's dead. Or not quite. After discovering she's been turned into a vampire, she tries to settle into a quiet suburb of Chicago and return to a normal life.
If only she could stop wanting to bite her boyfriend. Not to mention she is dying to find out who turned her, and why. She doesn't have to wait long before they come to her.

Wolf Signs (Granite Lake Wolves #1) by Vivian Arend

Robyn Maxwell doesn't care that her brother has to cancel out on their backcountry ski trip. She can do it alone. The fact she's deaf doesn't make her survival skills any weaker. The chance to get away from it all and relax in the Yukon wilderness is just what she's been craving. Meeting wilderness guide Keil at the cabin starts cravings of another kind. Keil's one hot hunk of ripped, tasty male. Now she has to deal with raging hormones as well as strange questions about wolves and mates and challenges to the death. Keil was trying for a nice reflective retreat before challenging for the Alpha position of his Alaskan pack. He wasn't planning on meeting the woman destined to be his mate, or finding out she's not aware she has the genes of a wolf. Between dealing with his accident-prone younger brother, a deaf mate with an attitude and an impending duel to the death, his week--and his bed--is suddenly full. Far from the relaxing getaway any of them had in mind....

Deadly Expectations (The Chronicles of Anna) by Elizabeth Munro

Anna Creed was all about the redline. From jacking cars as a teen to screaming her sport bike blind in the rain no one saw nothing but a red taillight streaking through time.
Except an American special forces officer she couldn’t shake or scare. The head of a family centuries old and her lover through those centuries.

But he’s not the only man with an interest in her. Insanity has gripped another and he to slaughter them both. He’s done it before.

Anna must fight through time to eliminate him and save her small growing family. Along the way she finds help from a demented uncle, a dead soldier and her bitter doppelganger.

Anna walks the fine line of insanity from Northern California to the rain forest of British Columbia ready for her deadly dance into chaos to save her soul, her child, her love

What are your bookish wants and gots this week?

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Book Review: All I Want for Christmas by Liliana Hart

2012-04-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

Title: All I Want for Christmas (Amazon)
Author: Liliana Hart
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: free Kindle book
Published: October 2011

Two New Christmas Stories by Liliana Hart
Naughty or Nice

A blizzard leaves Kate Carson stranded in Chicago on Christmas Eve. When she finds she’s without a place to stay for the night, billionaire Derek Worth tempts her with an offer she can’t refuse, and she finds out it’s a lot easier to stay warm being naughty instead of nice.

A MacKenzie Christmas

Grant MacKenzie is ready to settle down and start a family. The only problem is the one woman he’s interested in doesn’t seem to be ready for the long haul. But fate lends Grant a helping hand in getting exactly what he wants under his Christmas tree.

Why I Read this Book: I usually don’t read Christmas themed novels (or novellas for that matter) but last Christmas (2011) I was in the mood for them. I also needed help reaching my goal of reading 100 books last year so I read a few novellas to help reach that goal. (That’s not cheating, right?) I hadn’t been able to write my review until now but I wanted to share this book with you all because I love, love, LOVED the first story in this novella. Now, on to the review!

What I Liked: In Naughty or Nice, there were two things that happened in the storyline that I didn’t approve of but once the ‘revelation’ came, it all made sense and it turned out to be a brilliant story. Clever twist that was well executed.

The author did a great job setting up the foundation for both stories. It was just enough information to set the tone for the characters; it didn’t feel like anything was missing. The author’s writing reeled me in and I was so absorbed that I couldn’t put my Kindle down.

What I Didn’t Like: I didn’t like A MacKenzie Christmas as much as the first story. I’m not into the virgin having sex for the first time trope. The heroine was a virgin and played the ‘my virginity is my Christmas gift to you’ card. It felt corny. I did, however, find the MacKenzie family to be an interesting bunch so I may just have to check out the The MacKenzie Brothers Quartet.

Overall Impression: All I Want for Christmas was a fun, quick read. I give the first story, Naughty or Nice, a 5-frog rating and the second story, A MacKenzie Christmas, a 3-frog rating. If you’re looking for a smexy Christmas themed story, you should pick up this novella. If you’d like to borrow this Kindle book from me (via the Amazon Kindle Lending feature), let me know in the comments (first come, first served). I got this novella back when it was a free Kindle book. The best thing about free Kindle reads for me is finding new authors to read. And I just found me a new one.

Brianna’s Rating:

UPDATED: Disabling Right-Click Was a Bust

2012-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

I scrapped this post. As Beautifully Invisible pointed out, even though you can’t right-click on your site, you can still copy the content with a simple Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V.

Bummer.

Instead of deleting this post entirely (because I didn’t want to delete people’s comments), I’ll ask this question instead:

What steps do you take to find out if someone has stolen your reviews?

There used to be a great service called FairShare that is unfortunately no longer around. Google Alerts really don’t work for me; I hardly get any alerts. Copying and Pasting snippets of my review and doing an online search is tedious.

Is there a better way?

Joint Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

2012-04-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Fifty Shades of Grey (Amazon)
Series: Fifty Shades, #1
Author: E.L. James
Genre: Erotic Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: bought
Published: May 2011 by The Writers Shop Publishing House

When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.
The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

Brianna: I read Fifty Shades of Grey right before the book made the morning news shows circuit. There was quite a bit of buzz surrounding this BDSM novel on Twitter, which piqued my curiosity. I think the thing I was most curious about was the Twilight fan-fiction aspect.

J9: I skimmed it last summer when a friend, who likes BDSM erotica, recommended it. I detest first-person narration so when I say skim, I mean skim. But I re-read it this week and found it impossible to not think, “geesh, what’s the big deal with this book?”

Brianna: I thought the same exact thing. From what I saw on Twitter, most people either loved this book or they hated it. And which ever way they gravitated, they felt pretty passionately about their verdict. Me on the other hand, I’m in the middle.

J9: I’m actually with you, I didn’t hate or love it. But mostly I don’t see what the whole erotica hoopla is--this book is no different than many erotic romance novels out there; this one just went mainstream quickly.

Brianna: I don’t get what the hoopla is over this book either. I don’t read a lot of BDSM (I’m actually very new to the genre) but I can’t imagine why THIS book is all the rage. There surely has to be better BDSM books out there, right?

J9: I am in NO way into the BDSM lifestyle so I’m no authority but I’ve read more than a few BDSM books for review and this one seemed to use the same parts the same ways. I do wonder though, if people (women) may like the uber-sexualization of the Christian/Ana relationship which was a YA romance in the Twilight books.

Brianna: Did you go into Fifty Shades of Grey knowing it was Twilight fan-fiction? And if so, did it scream TWILIGHT to you? I knew before hand but to be honest, I didn’t think of Twilight a single time when I read Fifty. Yes, I realize (now) that there are similarities (a lot of them actually) but when I was reading this book, I wasn’t thinking about it.

J9: It was common knowledge back last year when I read it that this was an erotic retelling of the Twilight romance so I also knew going in but I’m a totally weirdo and haven’t even read the Twilight books (don’t hunt me down!).

To me the best part of this book was the non-sexual emails between Christian (ahem, Mr. Grey) and Ana. The email back-and-forth had real humor and heart, IMO.

Brianna: Yes!! That was probably my favorite part of the book. There lie the true feelings and words between these two characters. It was a shame they weren’t that true and honest with each other face to face.

J9: I agree. But I have to give props to the author for introducing the BDSM lifestyle in such a simplistic, straightforward manner. The author has Christian create a contract for Ana which introduces her to the boundaries (or lack thereof) in the BDSM relationship and this enables the author to make the BDSM lifestyle easily accessible to readers like me who are unfamiliar with it (and may find it creepy.)

Brianna: I understand the need for a contract but that contract became too much of a focal point. It was like every conversation between Christian and Ana mentioned that damn contract. It was like Christian was shoving it under Ana’s nose every chance he got.

J9: Oh yes! This contract leeches the emotional connection out of this romance and makes it much more of a business agreement, so much so that Ana wonders if this makes her a whore. I think the author included this fear of Ana’s suspecting that readers may feel the same way!

Brianna: I don’t know if this would be considered a ‘like’ or a ‘didn’t like’ but I give the author some kudos on creating such a sick f*ck of a character. The man himself said it best: Christian Grey is fifty shades of fucked up. That guy is seriously damaged. The whole Ms. Robinson thing was quite disturbing but what made it even more so was that Christian was okay with what went down and how it went down. He doesn’t see what was wrong with that whole relationship.

J9: I agree, the author made Christian a totally messed up character but what disappointed me most in his characterization was that THAT messed up sexuality was all the readers know about him. He’s so two-dimensional in his BDSM lifestyle. I suppose this may be due in part to the first-person narration by Ana so she can only tell readers what she knows about Christian but his refusal to examine his unhealthy introduction to the lifestyle was a real miss in my opinion.

Brianna: You’re right, I think we did miss out on quite a bit about/from Christian’s character because the story is told from Ana’s POV. There’s so much more to Christian and his ways. I’m wondering if the reader gets more from Christian’s past in the next two books...?

J9: There may be; I haven’t read them and I’m not going to. I’m a little squeamish about the BDSM sex as it mixes with power so much and that’s slightly uncomfortable for me to read. I think this kind of BDSM pushes the envelope on what romance is versus erotica. In fact, I’d argue that since there is no HEA (happy ever after) that Fifty Shades isn’t even romance. I also think this book is a classic example of people wanting to say it’s a romance since few people admit to reading erotica.

Brianna: I don’t know how I would classify this book. Erotica seems to be fitting. Speaking of ‘pushing the envelope’, there’s a scene at the end of the book (97% into the Kindle edition) that just felt so wrong (read: belt). It was demoralizing and very disturbing. I don’t understand why Ana let herself be degraded and hurt for as long as she did. Why didn’t she say one of the safe words?!! That was the million dollar question that was screaming in my mind when I was reading that scene.

J9: I was totally wigged out by that scene too. And I felt the scene was made worse because Christian seemed so emotionally disconnected from Ana’s pain. I also have to talk about this other scene where Ana’s biology becomes sexualized with Christian. I can’t say too much without giving everything away but it icked me out because it was a bodily integrity issue for me (think shaving rules, clothing rules, birth control rules!) and Ana gave this away to Christian so easily. Plus, as a woman I can’t imagine this-thing-I-can’t-say being sexualized in ANY way!

Brianna: I know exactly which part you’re referring to. This scene, too, stood out for me (and not in a good way). I’ll say it - one word: tampon. Those who have read Fifty Shades of Grey will know exactly what what we’re referring to. And for those who haven’t, let’s just say that tampons and love scenes do not make for smexy times. Do I even need to explain why? And what happens with said tampon is just disgusting. It completely ruined the scene for me.

Another problem for me was the lack of editing. In the beginning of the book especially, there was an abundance of facial expressions used. It’s like the author went through every single type of smile imaginable: wryly (twice), pleasantly, kindly (twice), a ghost of a smile (twice), suppresses a smile, rueful, humorous, a hint of a smile, small, widens, all within the first 10 pages. I think we get the gist; there’s a lot of smiling going on. I did a search on my Kindle for this book and, I kid you not, there were 286 results for ‘smile’ in this 380-page book. Smile much? And don’t get me started on the blushing! I searched this too and there were 119 ‘flush’es plus 39 ‘blushes’.

And who the heck whispers that much? Christian and Ana whisper when there’s no need. Okay, maybe I’m being nit picky but it was annoying.

J9: Ah! I agree, the editing was laughable in the original e-book (before Random House bought the rights) And the “blushes” and “flushes” were S.I.L.L.Y. mostly because this was used to illustrate Ana’s innocence and that’s lazy writing in my opinion in “telling” and not “showing”.

Brianna: While I didn’t love Fifty Shades of Grey, I didn’t hate it either. But I will admit that it’s book crack; I simply could not put it down until I had finished reading it. I give Fifty Shades of Grey 2 frogs. Will I read the next 2 books? It’s hard to say. I can’t justify paying 10 bones for each ebook. I *might* read the next two for sheer curiosity, if nothing else.

J9: Curiosity killed The Book Vixen? LOL Post your reviews here since I’m not reading the next two! I didn’t love or hate the book. But I would have been upset to have wasted ten bucks on the book, so I guess that means I recommend borrowing it from the public library--even if the wait is 6 months, as I hear it is for most public libraries! And nope, I’m not spending any money on the next two books. In fact, since I have no emotional investment in Christian and Ana, I’m not going to borrow the next books from my library either. I'd rate it 2 frogs.

Brianna’s and J9’s Rating:

Our question for you - Now that we’ve read the uber-popular Fifty Shades of Grey (and you know what we liked and didn’t like), what BDSM book(s) do you recommend we give a try?

The Book Vixen

Guest Post & Giveaway: Author Cynthia Justlin

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE BOOK

My Bookish Wants & Gots (4)

The Hunt (The Hunt #1) by Andrew Fukuda

All These Things I've Done (Birthright #1) by Gabrielle Zevin

Blood Red Road (Dust Lands #1) by Moira Young

Stunning (Pretty Little Liars #11) by Sara Shepard

Darkness Before Dawn (Darkness Before Dawn #1) by J.A. London

Cold Fury (Cold Fury #1) by T.M. Goeglein

Already Home (Sons of Chance #6.6) by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Bloodstorm (Heart of a Vampire #1) by Amber Kallyn

The Morning After by Sally Clements

A Dragon's Seduction by Tamelia Tumlin

Catering to the Italian Playboy by Tamelia Tumlin

What are your bookish wants and gots this week?

Book Review: Wolf Signs by Vivian Arend

Guest Post & Giveaway: Author Stephanie Guerra

Book Review: Danger Zone by Dee J. Adams

Guest Post: Author Mary Ellenton

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE BOOK

Book Review: Supernaturally Kissed by Stacey Kennedy

My Bookish Wants & Gots (3)

Born to Darkness (Fighting Destiny #1) by Suzanne Brockmann

Starstruck (Hollywood Heat #3) by Ashleigh Raine

Secrets of Bella Terra (Bella Terra Deception #1) by Christina Dodd

Last Stop This Town by David H. Steinberg

Love Me (Take Me #2) by Bella Andre

Pull the Trigger (Seduction in Memory Grove #1) by Melissa Ecker

By Leaps and Bounds by Jacqueline Diamond

Moon Spell (The Tale of Lunarmorte #1) by Samantha Young

Trust in Me by Beth Cornelison

Book Review: A Wild Night’s Bride by Victoria Vane

Kindle Deals: Epic Deals from HarperTeen, Kindle Deals & Some Kindle Freebies

Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Possibilities of Amy by Jaye Frances

EXCERPT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE BOOK

Book Review: Hellbound by Berinn Rae

Book Review: The Fireman Who Loved Me by Jennifer Bernard

Book Review: Rogues by Ava March

My Bookish Wants & Gots (2)

Stolen by Shiloh Walker

Assassins in Love (Assassins Guild #1) by Kris DeLake

The Secrets of the FBI by Ronald Kessler

Dirty Blood (Dirty Blood #1) by Heather Hildenbrand

Pyxis: The Discovery (Pyxis #1) by K.C. Neal

Book Review: Last Stop This Town by David H. Steinberg

Blog Tour: A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

EXCERPT

ABOUT THE BOOK

Month in Review: April 2012

Books Brianna Read:

Books Reviewed on TBV:

Posts:

Current Giveaways:

2012 Reading Challenges Status Report:

May Review Link Up: Men in Uniform Reading Challenge

May Review Link Up: Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Book Review: The Claimed by Caridad Piñeiro

My Bookish Wants & Gots (1)

Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8) by Susan Mallery

Book Review: All I Want for Christmas by Liliana Hart

UPDATED: Disabling Right-Click Was a Bust

Joint Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

S ummer Nights (Fool's Gold #8) by Susan Mallery