The Write to Make a Living

Debt Collector by Susan Kaye Quinn

2013-05-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

What's your life worth on the open market?
A debt collector can tell you precisely.

Lirium plays the part of the grim reaper well, with his dark trench coat, jackboots, and the black marks on his soul that every debt collector carries. He's just in it for his cut, the ten percent of the life energy he collects before he transfers it on to the high potentials, the people who will make the world a better place with their brains, their work, and their lives. That hit of life energy, a bottle of vodka, and a visit from one of Madam Anastazja's sex workers keep him alive, stable, and mostly sane... until he collects again. But when his recovery ritual is disrupted by a sex worker who isn't what she seems, he has to choose between doing an illegal hit for a girl whose story has more holes than his soul or facing the bottle alone--a dark pit he's not sure he'll be able to climb out of again.

The first three episodes of the Debt Collector serial are collectively the length of a short novel, or 152 pages. These are the first three of nine episodes in the first season of The Debt Collector serial. This dark and gritty future-noir is about a world where your life-worth is tabulated on the open market and going into debt risks a lot more than your credit rating. Episode 4, Broken, was released on 4/17/13. Fore more about the Debt Collector serial go to DebtCollectorSeries.com

The first three episodes can be purchased as a set for less than $3 bucks on Barnes and Noble and Amazon. You can't beat that for a good read!

My review of the first episode will be posted in the coming days.

About the author:

Susan Kaye Quinn grew up in California, where she wrote snippets of stories and passed them to her friends during class. Her teachers pretended not to notice and only confiscated her stories a couple of times.

Susan left writing behind to pursue a bunch of engineering degrees, but she was drawn back to writing by an irresistible urge to share her stories with her niece, her kids, and all the wonderful friends she's met along the way.

She doesn't have to sneak her notes anymore, which is too bad.

Susan writes from the Chicago suburbs with her three boys, two cats, and one husband. Which, it turns out is exactly as much as she can handle.

Visit the Susan's official website, fan her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter and Goodreads.

Exotic Music of the Belly Dancer - by Brian Sweany

2013-04-23T00:05:00.002-07:00

Exotic Music of the Belly Dancer
by Brian Sweany

From the Writer's Coffe Shop:

Hank Fitzpatrick's life is what you might expect from a man-child stumbling his way through and beyond adolescence in the late 1980's in small town Indiana: hypersexual, drunk, stoned, prone to fits of spontaneous masturbation, occasionally Catholic, and accidentally well-intentioned. His life is in perpetual conflict as he confuses sex for love, heartache for passion, desperation for honesty, and abuse for affection.

Caught in a crossfire of raging hormones, bad decisions and family tragedy, Hank is just a boy not yet ready to be a man. And like many boys growing up, Hank is desperate to impress his father. The impossibly perfect patriarch of the family, John Fitzpatrick decides at age forty-two he wants to have a vasectomy reversal. Is Hank ready to be a brother again at age seventeen? What about his mother's narcotics and gimlet-soaked uterus? A child will come of this, but not without consequences.

Laura is Hank's first true love. From their stolen nights together as high-school sweethearts to their final encounter as twentysomething adults, they never figure out how to stop hurting one another. Beth, the girl who loves Hank unconditionally, can only wait for so long before longing turns to regret. But everything will be okay as long as Hank's best friend Hatch is there to help him exorcise his demons with a half-gallon of bourbon and a bottle of cough syrup.

Exotic Music of the Belly Dancer is more than just a tribute to the last uninhibited pre-9/11, pre-Facebook generation. It's a comedy. It's a tragedy. It's a love story. It's a subversive yet empathetic, wart-and-all portrait rooted in real-life that kids will read behind their parents' backs. And if somewhere along the way we can all share in the redemptive power of a belly dancer's love... well, that's okay too.

Review:

Hank Fitzpatrick is a typical male teen: confused, selfish, and horny. He's annoyed by the fact that his parents are trying desperately to have another child, at the same time he's completely preoccupied with his own sexuality. He's kinda Catholic, even thought it's mostly his parents idea. But mostly Hank is just trying to get the hang of this whole life thing.

Hank is an extremely likable character, a really good guy. He loves with his whole heart. He's suffered and triumphed, fallen down and gotten back up. He's the underdog, but not a victim.

Exotic Music of the Belly Dancer is entertaining. The story flows like an 80's flick. I could totally see this on the silver screen, starring none other than Anthony Michael Hall as Hank (of course). Brian Sweany did a great job of making the story true to its era.

I give this book:

Exotic Music of the Belly Dancer can be purchased at the Writer's Coffee Shop.

Be sure to visit Brian Sweany's official website for news on the upcoming sequel, Making out with Blowfish.

Visit the other stops on the tour:

April 24 - Sandi Layne
April 25 - Outnumbered 3-1
April 26 - My Reading Lounge
April 27 - Fantasy-link
April 28 - Writer on the Verge
April 29 - Fresh Fiction
April 30 - NK Smith Writes
May 1 - Sherri Hays
May 2 - Michelle Birbeck
May 3 - Sydney Logan

I received a free eBook copy of this book in exchange for this review. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

Guest Post by Author Brian Sweany

2013-04-22T23:55:00.001-07:00

Without giving away too much, what is your favorite part of the novel and why?

The prologue of Exotic Music of the Belly Dancer is one of my favorite parts, which is why I choose it the most for public readings.

The core theme of the book is how a boy learns to define himself as a man. Chapter after chapter, I consciously challenge, exaggerate, skewer, and deconstruct male stereotypes. Not so coincidentally, I was pretty much raised in this exact type of atmosphere: I was a cradle Catholic who wrestled with the Church's misogyny and moral inflexibility, plus I was raised by parents who wrestled with these very same things. The prologue is based on my true story: My Dad got a vasectomy after the third Sweany child was born, but then about 10 years later pretty much guilted himself into un-vasectomized. Given the nature of my story, I felt like a father and son arguing about reversing a vasectomy was a perfect way to foreshadow everything to come in the novel. I set the table for the major players, while having a father expound on the literal loss and reclamation of his manhood.

About the author:

Since 2000, Brian Sweany has been the Director of Acquisitions for Recorded Books, one of the world's largest audiobook publishers. Prior to that he edited cookbooks and computer manuals and claims to have saved a major pharmaceutical company from being crippled by the Y2K bug. Brian has a BS in English from Easter Michigan University, from which he graduated magna cum laude in 1995. He's a retired semi-professional student, with stopovers at Wabash College - the all-male school that reputedly fired Ezra Pound from its faculty for having sex with a prostitute, Marian University - the former all-female school founded by Franciscan nuns that, if you don't count Brian's expulsion, has fired no one of consequence and is relatively prostitute-free, and Indiana University via a high school honors course he has no recollection of ever attending.

Brian has spent most of his life in the Midwest and now lives near Indianapolis with his wife, three children, and a neurotic Husky/Border mix named Hank. He's currently working on his next project, Making Out with a Blowfish, which is the sequel to Exotic Music of the Belly Dancer and the second book in a planned trilogy. For future details, check out the authors website at www.briansweany.com

Click here to read my review of Exotic Music of the Belly Dancer.

Terminus by Joshua Graham

2013-04-15T21:30:00.001-07:00

Terminus
by Joshua Graham

About the book:

How far must an angel fall to find his destiny?

Having witnessed one too many senseless deaths, Nikolai, a disillusioned Reaper 3^rd Class, resigns his commission with the Angel Forces after a tedious century of gathering souls.

Immediately, another division recruits him with the promise of a more rewarding career, and issues his initial assignments: To bring down a few very dangerous threats to the human race. In the process, Nikolai falls in love with one of his targets—Hope Matheson, a woman who will lead thousands astray.

Caught between conflicting agendas, Nikolai chooses to “fall” from his celestial state and become mortal in order to circumvent angel law and be with her. But for angels and humans alike, things are not always as they appear. Still a target, the threat against Hope’s life intensifies.

Now, in order to save her, Nikolai must rally the last remnants of his failing supernatural abilities to prevent her assassination, as well as the destruction of an entire city by a nuclear terrorist strike.

But his time and power are running out…

Terminus is a perspective-altering saga that delves into ageless themes of redemption, destiny, and the eternal power of love.

Click here to read chapter one.

About the author:

Joshua Graham grew up in Brooklyn, NY where he lived for the better part of 30 years. He holds a Bachelor and Master’s Degree and went on to earn his doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. During his time in Maryland, he taught as a professor at Shepherd College (WV), Western Maryland College, and Columbia Union College (MD).

Today he lives with his beautiful wife and children in Southern California. Several of Graham’s short fiction works have been published by Pocket Books and Dawn Treader Press.

Writing under the pen name Ian Alexander, Graham debuted with his first Epic Fantasy novel ONCE WE WERE KINGS, an Amazon #1 Bestseller in multiple categories and Award-Winning Finalist in the SciFi/Fantasy category of The USA “Best Books 2011″ Awards, as well as an Award-Winning Finalist in the Young Adult Fiction category of The USA “Best Books 2011″ Awards, and an Award Winner in the 2011 Forward National Literature Awards in the Teen/Young Adult category. ONCE WE WERE KINGS is available in ebook and hardcover editions.

Be sure to check out the other stops on the Terminus tour!

You can also visit Joshua's official website, follow him on Twitter, and friend/follow him on Facebook.

The Unfinished Life of Elizabeth D.

2013-03-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

The Unfinished Life of Elizabeth D.
by Nicole Bernier

Goodreads:

Before there were blogs, there were journals. And in them we'd write as we really were, not as we wanted to appear. But there comes a day when journals outlive us. And with them, our secrets.

Summer vacation on Great Rock Island was supposed to be a restorative time for Kate, who'd lost her close friend Elizabeth in a sudden accident. But when she inherits a trunk of Elizabeth's journals, they reveal a woman far different than the cheerful wife and mother Kate thought she knew.

The complicated portrait of Elizabeth makes Kate question not just their friendship, but her own deepest beliefs about loyalty and honesty at a period of uncertainty in her own marriage - as well as her own choices as a wife, mother, and professional, and the legacy she herself would want to leave behind.

When an unfamiliar man's name appears in the pages, Kate realizes the extent of what she didn't know about her friend, including where she was really going on the day she died.

Review:

Kate is a worrywart, but who isn't in post 911 America? Losing her close friend, Elizabeth, in a sudden accident just added to the list of things for Kate to fret about. To make matters worse, Kate has been bequeathed Elizabeth's trunk of journals. Why would Elizabeth want her to read them? What did she want her to know? Kate has a million questions and Elizabeth isn't there to answer them. She has no choice but to read.

Kate soon discovers that she didn't really know Elizabeth at all. There was another part of her that she kept hidden from the world all those years. Can you ever really know someone? Or only what they want you to see? The person in the journals is a complete stranger to Kate in so many ways. Will she meet her friend for the very first time? Or are the journals meant to introduce her to herself?

It took me months to finish this book. It pulled at my heartstrings on so many levels that I had to digest it in chunks. It's brilliant! I couldn't help but think about all the pages of my own journals that expose the deepest parts of myself. What will happen to them when I die? Who will read them? What will they think about me?

When I connect with a book on an emotional level, that's when I know that it's good. When I have to close it up just so that I can contemplate the characters thoughts and ideas and how they relate to mine, that's when you know it's more than good. The Unfinished Life of Elizabeth D. is more than good!

Thought provoking.
Emotional.
Real.

This is a MUST read!

I give this book:

The Unfinished Life of Elizabeth D. was released in paperback on March 12th, pick up a copy online where books are sold!

Visit Nicole Bernier's official website, follow her tweets, become a fan on Facebook.

I received a free copy of this book. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

Just One Night Part 1: The Stranger by Kyra Davis

2013-02-24T08:16:00.000-08:00

Just One Night, Part 1: The Stranger
by Kyra Davis

Goodreads:

You should sleep with a stranger, her best friend whispers in her ear as they take to Vegas for one last pre-wedding fling. Despite her best intentions, when Kate Fitzgerald enters the casino and sees him, a man whose tailored clothes belied a powerful, even dangerous, presence, she loses herself to the moment. Maybe it's the dress, much shorter than she'd ever normally wear, or the Scotch, but something makes her give herself over to him more completely than she's ever done with a man before.

It was supposed to be just one night. But right as she's thinking she wants more, he shows up in her office with an agenda. As the billionaire CEO of a company that's engaged her PR firm, his demands just became her reality... and he desires so much more than just some attention in the boardroom.

Review:

Kasie has played it safe, even when it's uncomfortable. When she goes to Vegas for the weekend with her best friend, she could never have imagined how much her life would change. She happens upon a man, who she may have never noticed before, and she gives herself permission to be free.

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," except when it doesn't. To Kasie's dismay, her one-night-stand, Robert Dade, is the CEO of a company who just became her client. This venture is no accident, he wants more than one night, much more.

I enjoyed Just One Night, all the way until it left me hanging at the end (part 2 coming soon). One of the things I appreciated most was Kasie's struggle. The battle between what felt good to her and what made sense, was real. We all face that sort of struggle over and over again in our lives. Most of the time we do what makes sense, but who said that everything is supposed to make sense?

I won't tell you what Kasie decided. In fact, I couldn't if I tried because the answer will be uncovered in Part 2! I will tell you this, Just One Night is a great read. I enjoyed the story very much (which also included several tasteful, yet sex-filled, scenes).

I give this book:

Just One Night Part 1: The Stranger is available for purchase on Amazon and Simon & Schuster for $1.99. Just One Night, Part 2: Exposed will be released on March 18, 2013.

Visit the Kyra Davis official website. You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley. No compensation was received. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

2013-01-28T14:14:00.002-08:00

Beautiful Bastard
by Christina Lauren

Goodreads:

An ambitious intern. A perfectionist executive. And a whole lot of name calling. Discover the story that garnered more than two million reads online.

Whip-smart, hardworking, and on her way to an MBA, Chloe Mills has only one problem: her boss, Bennett Ryan. He’s exacting, blunt, inconsiderate—and completely irresistible. A Beautiful Bastard.

Bennett has returned to Chicago from France to take a vital role in his family’s massive media business. He never expected that the assistant who’d been helping him from abroad was the gorgeous, innocently provocative—completely infuriating—creature he now has to see every day. Despite the rumors, he’s never been one for a workplace hookup. But Chloe’s so tempting he’s willing to bend the rules—or outright smash them—if it means he can have her. All over the office.

As their appetites for one another increase to a breaking point, Bennett and Chloe must decide exactly what they’re willing to lose in order to win each other.

Review:

Chloe Mills is ambitious. She works full time, while working hard on her MBA. Her job would be perfect, she loves the company, except for one major detail - her boss. Bennett Ryan is gorgeous, smart, and world traveled; but for Chloe he's the boss from hell.

Bennette never expected to be attracted to Chloe, but he finds her irresistable. Chloe thought Bennette was hot, but completely unbearable. Neither of them thought they could stand eachother long enough to "get it on."

Beautiful Bastard is a beautiful read. I was completely engrossed in this novel. I stayed up until 3am reading it and was completely annoyed with my body for needing sleep! I enjoyed the characters equally, but I loved the fact that Chloe stood up for herself. All too often women are portrayed as victims to powerful men, but Chloe was anything but a victim. She was determined and strong, sexy and passionate, and very intelligent. This girl could hold her own with no problem.

Beautiful Bastard was originally a fan fic... more like a fan favorite, read over 2 million times online. I know I'm a fan! I expect to see more from Christina and Lauren (yes they are two).

I give this book:

Beautiful Bastard will drop on February 12, 2013... just in time for Lovers Day. You can pre-order your copy today on Amazon and other fine retailers.

Check out the website, folow Christina on Twitter, follow Lauren on Twitter, and like Beautiful Bastard on Facebook!

This is not a paid post. A free ebook copy was received through Netgalley. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

The Cartel Series - Guest Review by Chris Telesford

2013-01-15T20:31:00.000-08:00

The Cartel
by Ashley and JaQuavis

Barnes and Noble:

The Cartel dominates the Miami drug trade. When its leader dies, he leaves behind a family—and a secret: an illegitimate son. When a contract killer is hired to take down the Cartel, she unwittingly falls for the son. When she finds out, she is torn between love and revenge.

Review:

The Cartel series by Ashley and JaQuavis is an great series of books. This book is highly influenced by the lifestyle of New York, Los Angeles and Florida’s drugs, sex, money, Gang wars and family ties. The main character Young Carter in this book does a good job of maintaining composure and always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

The author does a great job of bringing out each character and their identity throughout the book. The journey of the Diamond Family was great! There is a lot of interesting drama between the family that keeps you on your toes! Especially with the Diamond Twins Mecca and Money. Their harsh and immature acts in this book made you really think if you were in their brother’s shoes and how would you react to their naive behaviors. I also enjoyed the two main female characters in this book Miamor and Breeze Diamond get themselves caught up in heart wrenching moments that really get you feeling for them! The urban colloquial literature was definitely on target compared to the real jargon of the streets!

I honestly think that this book could have been condensed a little bit. There is an interesting twist in the series but I still think the book could have been condensed into two or three books total! The lesson learned in this book is that when you let your guard down you will become vulnerable to your environment especially if you’re a drug dealer or hitman. I also enjoyed how the book illustrated the use and sex and drugs and its effect and those who are deeply involved in it or around it. For Instance Young Carter is the main drug dealer who has an innocent sister that is not in the game selling drugs but she gets kidnap and end up abusing the same drugs that her brother is selling in the streets. That’s what happens in real life too, as we know today! So its fascinating to see each characters life perspectives throughout this book.

So take an excursion with the Cartel as it exposes the good, the bad and the ugly!

Chris Teleford is from the Caribbean and moved to the United States as a teen. He graduated from Cal State and LA, works in the healthcare industry, and lives in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife. Chris has recently become an avid audiobook listener. He enjoys thrillers and just about anything with a little action. This is his first book review.

The entire Cartel series is available wherever books are sold. Visit the Ashley and JaQuavis official website to see their library of work.

This is not a paid post. These books were borrowed from the Los Angeles library. All views expressed are the original opinion of the reviewer.

Release Me by J. Kenner

2012-12-23T17:07:00.000-08:00

Release Me
by J. Kenner

Goodreads:

He was the one man I couldn't avoid. And the one man I couldn't resist.

Damien Stark could have his way with any woman. He was sexy, confident, and commanding: Anything he wanted, he got. And what he wanted was me.

Our attraction was unmistakable, almost beyond control, but as much as I ached to be his, I feared the pressures of his demands. Submitting to Damien meant I had to bare the darkest truth about my past - risk breaking us apart.

But Damien was haunted, too. And as our passion came to obsess us both, his secrets threatened to destroy him-and us-forever.

Review:

Nikki has just landed a new job in So. Cal. Her first task is to charm Damien Stark, the star client her boss is trying to woo. This is not Nikki's first encounter with Damien Stark, the first time they met she was really young, but even then the attraction was electrifying. Young Nikki could never have predicted the intensity that adult Nikki would feel when she connected with Damien Stark for real.

Damien Stark is used to getting what he wants. Women fall all over themselves just to be in the same room with him, but he has never been taken by a woman the way he is with Nikki Fairchild.

Neither of them expects to fall, but it was inevitable. The question is... will their pasts get in the way? She's got a secret that prevents her from being vulnerable and so does he.

To say I enjoyed Release Me would be a complete understatement. I read the majority of the book in one night, reading into the wee hours of the morning (5:30 am to be exact). I didn't want to stop until I knew what happened. I love when a book captures my attention like that.

This is an erotic novel, but it's written in very good taste. The intense connection of the characters is palpable, I could feel the steam coming right off the pages. J. Kenner is a wonderful storyteller, capturing the readers attention and drawing them right into the folds.

I give this book:

Release Me goes on sale on January 1, 2013 (on Amazon, B&N, Random House and more) . J. Kenner is currently on a virtual Book Tour, check out this schedule for reviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Visit J. Kenner's official website, follow her on Twitter and Pinterest, you can also become her fan on Facebook!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed are my honest opinion.

Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon

2012-11-20T18:26:00.001-08:00

Wife 22
by Melanie Gideon

Goodreads:

Maybe it was those extra five pounds I'd gained. Maybe it was because I was about to turn the same age my mother was when I lost her. Maybe it was because after almost twenty years of marriage my husband and I seemed to be running out of things to say to each other.

But when the anonymous online study called "Marriage in the 21st Century" showed up in my inbox, I had no idea how profoundly it would change my life. It wasn't long before I was assigned both a pseudonym (Wife 22) and a caseworker (Researcher 101).

And, just like that, I found myself answering questions.

7. Sometimes I tell him he's snoring when he's not snoring so he'll sleep in the guest room and I can have the bed all to myself.
61. Chet Baker on the tape player. He was cutting peppers for the salad. I looked at those hands and thought, I am going to have this man's children.
67. To not want what you don't have. What you can't have. What you shouldn't have.
32. That if we weren't careful, it was possible to forget one another.

Before the study, my life was an endless blur of school lunches and doctor's appointments, family dinners, budgets, and trying to discern the fastest-moving line at the grocery store. I was Alice Buckle: spouse of William and mother to Zoe and Peter, drama teacher and Facebook chatter, downloader of memories and Googler of solutions.

But these days, I'm also Wife 22. And somehow, my anonymous correspondence with Researcher 101 has taken an unexpectedly personal turn. Soon, I have to make a decision - one that will affect my family, my marriage, my whole life. But at the moment, I'm too busy answering questions.

As it turns out, confession can be a very powerful aphrodisiac.

Review:

Alice Buckle's life didn't quite turn out the way she planned. She has a handsome husband, two beautiful children, and a dog. That's what every woman wants right? Except her husband's charm has lost its shine, her daughter is annoyed at the very thought of her, and she is 99% sure that her son is gay (but she's totally cool with that). When Alice receives an email invitation to take part in a marriage study, she all but jumps at the chance, getting way more than she could have ever bargained for.

Wife 22 snuck up on me. Don't get me wrong, I was intrigued from the beginning, but it was much more layered than I expected, as an added bonus it had a twist! I found Alice Buckle downright annoying. I was constantly talking to her out loud (since this was an audiobook there was a part of me that half expected her to respond, didn't happen). Even though she got on my very last nerve, I found her completely relatable. It is so very easy to get lost in your own life, tied up in responsibility, and simply become complacent, happens all the time. By the time you realize where you've landed, you're in the middle of your life. That's exactly what happened to dear Alice.

Whether you are married, thinking about it, or perpetually single, you will relate to Wife 22. There is a little Alice Buckle in all of us.

I give this book:

Wife 22 is available on Amazon in hardback, audio, and Kindle editions. You can also find it at Barnes and Noble and other fine book sellers.

I borrowed the audio version of this book from the County of Los Angeles Public Library. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

Sneak Peek: Release Me by J. Kenner

2012-11-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

Release Me
by J. Kenner

From Random House:

He was the one man I couldn't avoid. And the one man I couldn't resist.

Damien Stark could have his way with any woman. He was sexy, confident, and commanding: Anything he wanted, he go. And what he wanted was me.

Our attraction was unmistakable, almost beyond control, but as much as I ached to be his, I feared the pressures of his demands. Submitting to Damien meant I had to bare the darkest truth about my past - and risk breaking us apart.

But Damien was haunted, too. And as our passion came to obsess us both, his secrets threatened to destroy him - and us - forever.

Release Me is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.

Release Me by J. Kenner (an excerpt)

At First Sight by Stephen J. Cannell

2012-09-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

At First Sight
by Stephen J. Cannell

Goodreads:

Meet Chick Best—a middle-aged, selfabsorbed, disaffected, California dot.com millionaire. Other than his house and high-priced foreign cars, Chick’s most expensive possession is his trophy wife, Evelyn. Evelyn is good at spending Chick’ money, money that has pretty much run out. Another problem is his drug-addled sixteen-year-old daughter, Melissa. Though concerned about his life and family, Chick has resigned himself to a miserable state of acceptance. That is, until he, Evelyn, and Melissa take a Christmas vacation in Maui. With this, Chick’s life changes…

Chick experiences unrequited love at first sight when he observes Paige Ellis emerging from the hotel swimming pool. His obsession, exceeded only by his need to possess her, isn’t diminished when he learns that she is happily married. Instead, he befriends Paige and her near-perfect husband, Chandler. A short time later, back from Hawaii, Chick’s obsession compels him to drive to Paige’s house, where he runs down and kills Chandler in a drugstore parking lot. But this is just the beginning of Chick’s nightmare as his life spirals homicidally out of control, resulting in the destruction of everything he holds dear. Will Paige learn the truth about Chick before it’s too late?

Review:

Chick Best is a loser, even though he tries very hard not to look or act like one. He became a millionaire during the dot.com boom and he has a trophy wife, fast car, and mini-mansion to prove it. What he doesn't have is the respect of his family or of himself for that matter, which makes him certifiable.

While on their annual family vacation in Maui, Chick falls instantly in love with Paige Ellis. He has never felt this way before and he'll do anything for five minutes of her time, including but not limited to making a complete fool of himself (in front of her Ken-doll husband). When business takes him cross country, Chick finds himself parked in front of Paige's home. After running Chandler (the husband) down in a parking lot, Chick decides he might have a chance with the woman of his dreams after all.

At First Site is a riot! Chick Best is by far one of the most annoying characters I've ever read, but that's precisely why I loved him! His personality was absolutely wretched, but it was so well written that I couldn't stop listening (audio book). I imagine that we have all felt inadequate in our lives at some time or another, so I guess I felt sorry for Chick. He's such a kook that you can't help but feel for him.

Great story! I give it:

I was saddened when I discovered that Stephen J. Connell passed away a few years ago. I regret that I didn't discover his awesome-ness sooner.

Check out his website for more info about his life and his impressive library of work.

I borrowed this audiobook from the Los Angeles County Library. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

Labor Day Blog Hop

2012-08-31T17:37:00.002-07:00

Romance at Random and all the participating blogs listed below is giving you a chance to win free books!

Entering is easy with Rafflecopter and here's what you can win:

10 winners will receive a free romance novel
5 winners will receive a prize pack from Elizabeth Barrett (author of Blaze of Winter)
1 winner will receive the Grand Prize - $25 Gift Card

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Prophet by Amanda Stevens

2012-08-29T22:29:00.001-07:00

The Prophet (The Graveyard Queen)
by Amanda Stevens

Barnes and Noble:
My name is Amelia Gray.

I am the Graveyard Queen, a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. My father passed down four rules to keep me safe and I've broken every last one. A door has opened and evil wants me back.
In order to protect myself, I've vowed to return to those rules. But the ghost of a murdered cop needs my help to find his killer. The clues lead me to the dark side of Charleston—where witchcraft, root doctors and black magic still flourish—and back to John Devlin, a haunted police detective I should only love from afar.

Now I'm faced with a terrible choice: follow the rules or follow my heart.

Review:

Amelia Gray can see dead people. While living by the rules established by her father, she'd been able to create a pretty normal life, considering. After allowing detective John Devlin into her heart, the rules no longer protected her from the things that go "bump in the night."

When the ghost of a murdered cop solicits her help, Amelia has no choice but to delve deeper into the world that she has silently feared her entire life. She soon discovers that danger lurks all around her, she isn't safe anywhere, even hallowed ground cannot protect her.

The Prophet is the third book in The Graveyard Queen series and my absolute favorite! While I enjoyed the first two books (and the prequel), there was something especially juicy about this one. I felt like Amelia's eyes were finally open in this one, there was revelation after revelation, but most importantly she really uncovered her true self. Amelia is feminine, but not hyper-feminine, she struggles with vulnerability, but she doesn't allow fear to paralyze her. I really appreciate the fact that she wasn't a chronic victim (that can really annoy me about some female characters).

I can't praise Amanda Stevens enough for her writing style. The characters are multi-faceted, the story is complex and interesting, and there was just enough romance and edge-of-your-seat suspense.

I give this book:

Be sure to read my reviews of The Abandoned, The Restorer, and The Kingdom.

I encourage you to read all four books in The Graveyard Queen series:

Follow Amanda Stevens on Twitter, become her newest fan on Facebook, and you won't be disappointed when you read her blog either. Amanda Stevens is AWESOME!

I received a free eBook version of this book through NetGalley. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

Excerpt: The Last Victim by Karen Robards

2012-08-14T11:27:00.004-07:00

The Last Victim
by Karen Robards

From Random House:

Electrifying suspense, cutting-edge psychological insight, and an unforgettably sensuous love story—these are the trademarks of Karen Robards’s sizzling novels. Now the New York Times bestselling author launches a red-hot new paranormal romantic thriller series featuring the fascinating Dr. Charlotte Stone, a serial killer expert whose extraordinary powers lead her from ecstasy to terror.

The Last Victim by Karen Robards (Preview)

The Last Victim is on sale now! Pick up your copy from Random House, Amazon, B&N or wherever books are sold.

This is not a paid post. Excerpt provided by Random House.

Book Spotlight: The Accidental Siren by Jake Vander Ark

2012-08-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

The Accidental Siren
by Jake Vander Ark

Mara Lynn is the most beautiful girl in the world. James Parker is the ordinary boy who discovers her power.
The year is 1994. James, a pudgy twelve-year-old, responds to an ad for a used camcorder at a mysterious suburban home. Before he can knock on the door, he notices boys–a dozen at least–frozen amongst the trees behind the house. Their faces are blank. One boy presses “record” on a walkman and holds it above his head… and then james hears it, the voice of a little girl. Sweet; high like a songbird without the shrill. It was a church song. It came from inside the house. James doesn’t know it yet, but the girl he is about to meet is a modern-day siren.

The Accidental Siren depicts the joys and consequences of young love as Mara and James meet, shoot a movie, fend off bullies, and explore the potential of infinite beauty.

The Accidental Siren is available in paperback on Amazon, Lulu, and B&N. You can also purchase the eBook version at Amazon, Lulu, B&N, and iTunes.

Check out Jake Vander Ark's website for information about The Accidental Siren and his other projects. You can also folllow James on Facebook, Twitter, and Watt Pad.

This is not a paid post. Book synopsis obtained from the author's official website.

The Innocent by Taylor Stevens

2012-07-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Innocent: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel
by Taylor Stevens

Goodreads:
With The Innocent, Taylor Stevens, the bestselling author of The Informationist, returns with another blockbuster thriller featuring the fearless Vanessa Michael Munroe.

Eight years ago, a man walked five-year-old Hannah out the front doors of her school and spirited her over the Mexican border, taking her into the world of a cult known as The Chosen. For eight years, followers of The Prophet have hidden the child, moving her from country to country, shielding the man who stole her. Now, those who’ve searched the longest know where to find her. They are childhood survivors of The Chosen, thirty-somethings born and raised inside the cult who’ve managed to make lives for themselves on the outside. They understand the mindset, the culture within that world, and turn to Vanessa Michael Munroe for help, knowing that the only possibility of stealing Hannah back and getting her safely out of Argentina is to trust someone who doesn’t trust them, and get Munroe on the inside.

Review:

Vanessa Michael Munroe can track down anything, from information to people; if it's missing she will find it. When her best friend comes to her with a job that only she can do, she accepts the challenge (albeit with understandable reservation).

A little girl named Hannah disappeared into a cult called The Chosen, eight years ago. It's Michael's job to infiltrate the cult and get Hannah back. There are plenty of obstacles in the way, both inside and outside of The Chosen, but the word failure is not in Michael's vocabulary.

After reading The Informationist (click here for my review) I was rather excited to read The Innocent. I was even more thrilled when I discovered that I could check out the audio version from my local library! The story was just as intense as the first. Vanessa Michael Munroe is incredibly intense, she operates from a very dark place, often finding herself conflicted by her own abilities. She's unsuspecting, often misjudged by the people around her. A chameleon who can blend into the background or hide in plain sight. In other words she's bad ass!

If you like strong female characters that are feminine but can kick butt too, Vanessa Michael Munroe is someone you should get to know!

I give this book:

I've heard that the third installment of the Vanessa Michael Munroe series, The Doll, is slated for release in 2013. That means that there is plenty of time for you to read the first two books (The Informationist and The Innocent). Pick up your copies today!

Visit Taylor Stevens official website, she's a very fascinating author! You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

I borrowed this audiobook from the County of Los Angeles Public Library. I was not required to write a positive review. The views and opinions expressed are my own.

Interview with author Sherri Hayes + Need book review

2012-07-22T06:55:00.002-07:00

Author Sheri Hayes joins us today to talk about her upcoming release, Need: Finding Anna Book 2.

Welcome Sherri!

In your writing, do the characters appear before the story or vice versa?

It depends. Sometimes, like in my Finding Anna Series, I get the story idea first, and then the characters and plot develop from there. Other times, like with my next book, Red Zone, everything started with the hero, Gage, and went from there.

Need is book two of the Finding Anna Series, how did the story come about?

I’d been reading some D/s stories online about the time the Jaycee Dugard story hit the news. Following that, there were several stories on human trafficking in general, and I began to wonder what would happen if I mixed the two.

Did you find it difficult to create a character that had been enslaved mentally and physically?

Brianna is more difficult to write from an emotional standpoint because she is so draining. When I was writing her, especially at the beginning in Slave, I had to put myself in the mentality of being completely helpless and alone.

Do you think that Dominants often take pleasure to this extreme?

I’m assuming you’re talking about Ian, and no, I don’t think Dominants, in general, take pleasure to the extreme he did. Does it happen? Sure. There are also plenty of males and females out there who have nothing to do with BDSM who abuse their spouses and significant others.

Of all the relationships in Need, I found the relationship between Logan and Lily the most fascinating. At times, I thought this lifestyle was uncharacteristic of Lily, were you ever conflicted about her as well?

No. Not at all. There are some very strong, independent submissives out there. I’ve met a few of them. These are people you’d never think of as wanting to submit to a Dominant. Being submissive has nothing to do with being dependent on someone else. It is all about relinquishing control willingly to another.

What message do you hope people will take away from the Finding Anna Series?

I hope this series opens people’s eyes to the reality of human trafficking. It’s not only a problem in third world countries. It happens all over the world in almost every country, including the US. I also hope people understand that what works for one person may not work for another. We all have to find our path in life, and there isn’t only one way to get to the end.

What’s next for Sherri Hayes?

Right now, I’m working on edits for my next book, Red Zone. It is the second novel in my Daniels Brother’s series. The first book in the series, Behind Closed Doors, released February 2012. I’ve also just started writing book three of Stephan and Brianna’s story

I can't thank you enough for stopping by today Sherri. I can't wait to see what happens next for Stephan and Brianna!

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Need
By Sherri Hayes

The Writers Coffee Shop

As Brianna comes to terms with the realization that she is no longer a slave, she must figure out what she wants for her life. Forgetting her past isn’t an option. It is an integral part of who she is now, and it will forever shape her view of life. The one thing she knows is that she cannot imagine her life without the man who saved her, but can she be what he needs?

Stephan never imagined falling in love with the woman he rescued, but the thought of her no longer being part of his life is physically painful. The scars from her past continue to haunt her, and he is helpless to stop them. All he can do is try to help her work through the traumas of her past. Can he be everything she needs and help her move on?

The two must figure out how to navigate not only their relationship with each other, but also the outside world. A friend from Brianna’s past shows up where she least expects them, and Uncle Richard continues to enforce his well-meaning agenda to get Brianna more traditional help. As forces, both friend and foe, threaten to tear them apart, Stephan and Brianna have to navigate the turbulent waters and find what they need in each other.

Review:

Brianna has come a very long way since Stephan first acquired her, but she still hasn't figured out what she is supposed to do or who she's supposed to be now that she is no longer a slave. She has grown more than attached to Stephan, but she's not the only one, Stephan has grown very attached to her as well.

Stephan has ventured into uncharted territory, falling in love was never part of the plan, but neither was buying the freedom of a girl he didn't even know. Just as Brianna must come to terms with her new identity, he's learning how to express love in a way that he never has before. While the two of them figure out how to experience life together, Brianna's past is slowly merging into the present.

Need picks up where Slave left off (click here to read my review of Slave). Brianna is slowing growing into herself as Stephan explores true love for the very first time. My heart melted because he was so gentle with her timid and often fragile state. His methods were unconventional, but I believe that there was no other way to reacquaint someone like Brianna into the world. He not only provided her with shelter, but he also gave her a safe space to be vulnerable.

It is easy to believe that human trafficking is something that only happens some place else, but Sherri Hayes exposes this cruel world right here in the United States. It's painful to know that we've entered a new millennium and there are still people who do not have the inalienable right to be free.

Need is subtly erotic, but stylishly written, a one-of-a-kind page turner. I give this book:

Need will be released on July 26, 2012, but you can pre-order your copy today!

Be sure to stop by Sherri's blog and follow her on Twitter and like her on Facebook too.

I received a free eBook copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All views expressed are my own.

Visit the other stops on the Need Blog Tour:

7/18 – ALI’S BOOKSHELF - review, interview and eBook giveaway
7/19: – CLOSE ENCOUNTERS -review, Q&A with Sherri Hayes and eBook giveaway
7/20: – KINKY BOOK REVIEWS/HOTLY EVER AFTER - review and interview with Stephen and Brianna (Don’t miss this one..)
7/21: – TATTOOED BOOK REVIEW - review
7/23: - DAILY MOMMY SURVIVAL - review and eBook giveaway
7/24: – LORI’S BOOK BLOG – review, interview, and 2 e-book sets (Slave and Need) for giveaway
7/25: – RUBY’S BOOK BLOG – review and guest post
7/26: – MUSINGS OF A BOOKWORM – review
7/27:– UNDER THE COVERS BOOK BLOG - review, interview, and e-book sets giveaway
7/28:– MEEN READING JOURNAL- review and eBook giveaway
7/30: – GIN SPEAKS - review
7/31: – NIGHTLY READING – review and guest post
8/1: - READ TO REAL - review and interview

Slave by Sherri Hayes

2012-07-21T19:16:00.002-07:00

Slave (Finding Anna)
by Sherri Hayes

The Writer's Coffee Shop:

Stephan has lived the lifestyle of a Dominant for five years. After several rebellious teenage years, it gave him the stability and control he had been seeking after his parent’s death.
As president of a not-for-profit foundation, he knows what his future holds and what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend and Mentor, Daren, leads him to buying a slave.
Thrust into a situation he never thought he’d be in, Stephan can’t walk away. He is compelled to help this girl in the only way he knows how.
Brianna knows only one thing, she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing.
Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a Slave?

Review:

A child's greatest nightmare is the loss of a parent, Stephan faced worse, the loss of both parents. Despite growing up in the loving home of his Aunt and Uncle, he didn't find peace until many years later, when he became a Dominant.

While in between Submissive's, a meeting with his friend Daren (who also introduced him to the lifestyle) results in the purchase of a slave. Stephan had no interested in "owning" anyone, but because he believes that she is being kept against her will, he feels compelled to help. Brianna has no identity, she only does as she is told, even if it hurts. Both of their lives are forever changed.

Before reading this book I didn't know much about "slaves." I knew that the world of BDSM had many levels, but this was a completely new concept for me. I genuinely felt for Brianna, her innocence had been stripped away and her self-worth was completely stolen. Stephan was her savior, on so many levels, but their relationship often left me perplexed.

Sherri Hayes did a wonderful job of creating multi-dimensional characters. Because of the subject matter the book is considered Erotica, but I assure you it's not only tastefully written, but there is actually very little sex in the book. The story pulled me in immediately and left me reading into the wee hours of the night. I was all too relieved when I discovered that book two was set to release!

I give this book:

Slave is available in paperback and eBook versions at TWCS and Amazon.

Check back tomorrow for an interview with author, Sherri Hayes, and a review of Need (book two of the Finding Anna Series).

I received a free copy of Slave through NetGalley; however, I was not required to write a positive review. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

Guest Post - Monique Domovitch

2012-06-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

Today we have Monique Domovitch as a guest blogger to our site. She is having an exciting 99cent promotion for her books, Scorpio Rising and The Sting of the Scorpio and is also doing a mega giveaway on her Official Blog. Go check it out to win gift certificates to Amazon and free books!
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Deciding to become a writer was a natural extension of falling in love. People often ask me what attracted me to the life of a writer, and I have to say it was a natural extension of falling in love…with books, which I have been for as long as I can remember.

I remember my mother taking me to the public library when I was as young as four years old. That was when she introduced me to Madeline, the little schoolgirl. As teenager, I discovered Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames, and then Harlequin books. And then I really fell in love for the first time. I was in England where my friends introduced me to a book by Wilbur Smith.
I think I hadn't read ten pages of his book--can't remember the title anymore--when I knew this was it. I could spend the rest of my life in bed with this writer's books. Over the next few years, Wilbur Smith’s books made me discover Africa, where I met animals I'd never heard of, and villains the likes of which I hope to never meet. I was swept into his stories of love and passion and greed; stories from which I never wanted to walk away. I devoured book after book of his, until, of course, the inevitable happened. I caught up with every last one of his books and was facing a long void until his next book hit the stands. And I, fickle reader that I am, had an affair with a few other authors, and then it happened again. I read Dominic Dunne. And wham. I was in love again.

With Dominic Dunne’s books, I spent time with the truly rich and the truly manipulative. How can anyone forget books like The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, or An Inconvenient Woman, or A Season in Purgatory? Once I discovered them, I was hooked. Forgive me Dominic, for I betrayed you too when I discovered my next big love, Nelson
De Mille.

De Mille is a master of sharp, snappy talk, and he makes all those words come out of the mouth of a sexy good cop with a bad attitude--John Corey. Now here's the funny part. I don't really know what John Corey looks like, except that he has scars on his chest from some bullet wounds. I also know that John Corey is almost as fickle when it comes to love as I am when it comes to favorite authors. He seems to fall in love with a different woman in almost every one of his adventures. That is, until he met and married Kate. But who knows, so far she's only been around for a couple of novels. For all I know she'll be dropped off, maybe even killed in the next book, and then sexy John will be available again and I can go on dreaming.

Now here's something you might not know about me. I'm married, and—get this—my husband doesn't mind my little dalliances with all these authors...as long as I don't meet them in person that is.
And why am I blabbing about all these loves of mine? Because, every time I start a new project, I hope with all my heart, that I infuse my novel with enough passion and ambition and greed that when you, dear reader, read my work, you will fall—perhaps just a little bit—in love with my characters. And I promise to love you right back, even knowing that I will never be able to write fast enough to keep your from someday leaving me for some other writer.

C’est la vie!

Monique

Monique Domovitch lives with her physician husband and their three dogs. They divide their time between their homes in Canada and La Jolla. Find her at http://moniquedomovitch.com/

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About the books:

Scorpio Rising
(The Scorpio Series, #1)

Set in New York and Paris amid the glamorous and competitive worlds of art and real estate, Scorpio Rising takes the reader from the late 1940s to the 1960s through the tumultuous lives of its heroes.

There is Alex Ivanov, the son of a Russian immigrant and part-time prostitute. He yearns to escape his sordid life and achieve fame and fortune. His dreams of becoming a world-class builder are met with countless obstacles, yet he perseveres in the hope of someday receiving the recognition he craves.

Half a world away, Brigitte Dartois is an abused teenager who runs into the arms of a benefactor with an agenda all his own. When she finds out that her boss has an ulterior motive, she flees again, determined to earn her living through her art. This career brings her fame, but also the unwanted attention of her early abuser.

Monique Domovitch’s debut novel, Scorpio Rising, is a compelling tale filled with finely etched characters and a superb understanding of the power of ambition. Scorpio Rising promises to resonate with all who once had a dream.

The Sting of the Scorpio
(The Scorpio Series, #2)

In Scorpio Rising, Monique Domovitch presented a compelling tale filled with colorful characters and the manipulation of power, ambition, and greed. Now she gives us its spellbinding sequel, The Sting of the Scorpio, where Alexander Ivanov returns to New York with his new bride, Brigitte.

The real estate industry is ripe with opportunity. Blessed with irresistible charm, ambition, and the single-minded obsession to succeed, Alex plots and manipulates his way to almost mystical success. Everything he touches turns to gold, but it’s never enough. When a hostile takeover bid leaves him struggling to save his beloved company, he suspects those closest to him of plotting his downfall.

Brigitte, the beautiful redhead who abandoned her country and her career to become his wife, feels alone. In return, Alex has betrayed her time and again, each indiscretion cutting deeper into her soul.

Brigitte’s son, David yearns to be an artist, but Alex’s plans leave no room for such frivolous goals. He grooms a reluctant David to become the heir apparent until a devastating tragedy attracts the attention of another young man.

The Sting of the Scorpio is a rich tale of a man at the mercy of his own greed and a woman bound by her need for love.
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Thank you so much for stopping by Monique, I am sure that the Scorpio Series will draw readers in droves!

The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens

2012-06-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

The Kingdom (Graveyard Queen)
by Amanda Stevens

Goodreads:
Deep in the shadowy foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains lies a dying townMy name is Amelia Gray. They call me The Graveyard Queen. I've been commissioned to restore an old cemetery in Asher Falls, South Carolina, but I'm coming to think I have another purpose here.Why is there a cemetery at the bottom of Bell Lake? Why am I drawn time and again to a hidden grave I've discovered in the woods? Something is eating away at the soul of this town—this withering kingdom—and it will only be restored if I can uncover the truth.

Review:

Amelia Gray has an unusual career, she's a Graveyard Restorer, not exactly a popular job. When she's commissioned to restore a cemetery in Asher Falls, she starts to get that old feeling again. See Amelia can see ghosts. She learned a long time ago not to acknowledge them, but they will stop at nothing to get her attention.

Over the years, Amelia has gotten as comfortable with the presence of the dead as one possibly could, but it was different in Asher Falls. Everything about the place gave her the willy's, the cemetery, the old buildings, and especially the people. The secrets of Asher Falls ran deep. Amelia soon discovers that sleeping dogs will only lie for so long before they begin to howl.

The Kingdom picks up right where The Restorer left off (click here for my review). Amanda Stevens is one hell of a writer! Her books make the little hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention! Amelia is a very strong character, full of emotion and depth. The storyline is a web of complex history and intrigue. I absolutely loved this book and you will too!

I give it:

I can hardly wait to read The Prophet , the final book in the trilogy. Visit Amanda Stevens website for more information about her and the fabulous books she writes!

I received a free ebook copy of The Kingdom through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

Sneak Peek: The Dark Garden by Eden Bradley

2012-05-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

Okay Fifty Shades fans, rumor has it that The Dark Garden by Eden Bradley will be right up your alley. Here's a sneak peek, you can decide for yourself:

The Dark Garden is available in paperback and ebook format where books are sold.

London Bridges by James Patterson

2012-05-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

London Bridges
by James Patterson

Goodreads:
Minutes after soldiers evacuate a Nevada town, a bomb completely destroys it. On vacation, FBI agent Alex Cross gets the call: the blast was perpetrated by the Wolf. A supercriminal and Cross's deadliest nemesis, the Wolf threatens to obliterate major cities, including London, Paris, and New York. Then evidence reveals the involvement of a ruthless assassin known as the Weasel. Could these two dark geniuses be working together? Now with just four days to prevent an unimaginable cataclysm, Cross is catapulted into an international chase of astonishing danger --- and toward the explosive truth about the Wolf's identity, a revelation that Cross may not survive.

Review:
Alex Cross is a father, son, psychologist, and a bad-ass detective. Over the years he has danced with the devil many times, but he ain't seen nothing yet. When The Wolf, a Russian criminal who's as illusive as a shadow, decides that he's going to blackmail the most powerful nations on the planet, Alex feels like the world is coming to an end, literally. Before long, bridges are exploding, people are dying, and time is running out. Every strategy is unsuccessful. The Wolf is thorough, covering all bases, and remaining ten steps ahead at all times. Can Alex Cross save the world, again?

I am a longtime fan of James Patterson and Alex Cross is in my top five favorite characters. So you won't be surprised to hear that I loved this book. I have read nearly all of the Alex Cross novels, mostly out of order, and I am still in awe of this amazing character. Alex Cross is likable, complex, super intelligent, and he's an awesome father!

Boy can James Patterson create a villain! He loads them up with the abominable personalities, psychopathic tendencies, and then lets us in on the one thing in their past that made them so effed up. He's a genius and I worship him.

Since this was an audiobook it gave the story another dimension. The tension building music made my heart race on cue and the narrators accents were on point. By far one of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to.

I give this book:

London Bridges is available in all formats wherever books are sold. Visit James Patterson on his website, you can also like him on facebook.

I borrowed this book from the Los Angeles County Library. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

About Last Night by Ruthie Knox

2012-04-30T14:00:00.001-07:00

About Last Night
by Ruthie Knox

Random House/Loveswept:
Sure, opposites attract, but in this sexy, smart eBook original romance from Ruthie Knox, they positively combust! When a buttoned-up banker falls for a bad girl, “about last night” is just the beginning.

Cath Talarico knows a mistake when she makes it, and God knows she’s made her share. So many, in fact, that this Chicago girl knows London is her last, best shot at starting over. But bad habits are hard to break, and soon Cath finds herself back where she has vowed never to go . . . in the bed of a man who is all kinds of wrong: too rich, too classy, too uptight for a free-spirited troublemaker like her.

Nev Chamberlain feels trapped and miserable in his family’s banking empire. But beneath his pinstripes is an artist and bohemian struggling to break free and lose control. Mary Catherine — even her name turns him on — with her tattoos, her secrets, and her gamine, sex-starved body, unleashes all kinds of fantasies.

When blue blood mixes with bad blood, can a couple that is definitely wrong for each other ever be perfectly right? And with a little luck and a lot of love, can they make last night last a lifetime?

Review:

Cath Talarico is a Chi-town girl who's in London-town looking for a new beginning. The new and improved version of herself has sworn off sex, drugs, and rock n' roll, but fate has another plan. When she stumbles into the bed of Nev Chamberlain, her world is turned topsy-turvy all over again.

Nev Chamberlain may have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he would just as well eat off plastic. He works at a job that he loathes, simply because that's what's expected. He's spent most of his life living his nightmare instead of his dream. He had no clue what was missing from his life until Cath Talarico stumbled into him (literally).

About Last Night is a bad-girl-meets-good-boy masterpiece! I fell completely in love with Nev, but I also found Cath completely relatable. We all have a ton of things in our past that we would do over in a heartbeat if given the chance. Closet skeletons, wads of dough, and on-fire chemistry is just the tip of the iceberg in this contemporary romance!

Ruthie Knox snagged me with Ride with Me (to read my review click here), but she had me powering up my reader in the wee hours with About Last Night! Ruthie is the queen of romantic tension, her characters are well-rounded, complicated, and believable.

I give this book:

About Last Night will be available on June 11, 2012, but you can pre-order your copy today on Amazon, B&N, and other online eBook retailers.

If you're still not convinced read this:
ABOUT LAST NIGHT by Ruthie Knox, Excerpt

I received a free copy of About Last Night from Romance at Random. I was not required to write a positive review. All views expressed are my own.

Guest Post by Christine Hughes

2012-04-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to have author Christine Hughes as my guest today. For all you readers and aspiring writers out there....you're in for a treat!

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So……Tense

Hello everyone! Thank you for having me on the blog today. I’m wrapping up my blog tour and am very excited to meet everyone on here. When I was first given this blog as a tour stop, I emailed Stacey and asked if there was anything she’d like to see. Apparently, Stacey took a quick stop over at my very neglected blog and saw a post I wrote about editing TORN, my YA being released by Black Opal Books in June. In that post I discussed the terms of my contract. Basically – “we love it BUT could you revise it into past tense?” That was the only real condition. They loved it, wanted to represent it but present tense wasn’t doing it for them. What was I gonna say? No? Hardly. I was being given the opportunity to have my book published, by a real publisher and I sure as hell wasn’t going to let a little thing like tense get in the way of my dreams!

Now, I must admit, for a split second a “what the hell?” voice popped into my head. Again with the whole I-wrote-it-so-I-know-best mantra that all of us have dealt with. But my commonsense quickly overshadowed the nay saying devil on my shoulder and I realized a few things: 1. They weren’t asking me to change the premise of the story. 2. They weren’t asking me to change the plot. And 3. They weren’t asking me to compromise my characters. So, obviously, changing the tense was a no-brainer for me. After all, they liked it but they just wanted to story to have happened before – not to be happening right now. Follow?

As a former English teacher, I know all about tense and keeping it consistent. So as I revised TORN into past tense a funny little thing dawned on me – I was line editing as I went. Ooh that sneaky editor! Not only was I revising the thing but also I had to do it line by line, which opened up my eyes to other inconsistent issues within the manuscript. Now, I thought that I had checked that manuscript cold. I thought I had fixed anything and everything wrong with it. Wrong. Line editing yourself is way harder than line editing someone else. I found that I would almost gloss over key points because I knew what I was trying to say. But just because I know what’s happening doesn’t mean the reader will know. Just because I know Sebastian’s physical characteristics doesn’t mean I’ve described him well for the reader. But I digress…this is about tense.

Here is a snippet of TORN in present tense, before revisions so bear with me:

“Run, Samantha. Don’t look back. Just run.

With the focus of a predator, I run. Like my life depends on it and I know one day it will. Through the damp woods, hurdling over logs, through branches that tear at my skin, I run. My breath mingles with the crisp fall air though I feel no chill. I feel nothing but the pure and relentless adrenaline that pumps through my veins. With the sun rising and casting its beams in broken shafts through the trees, I run. With one single thought: I have to get there.”

Now here is the revised portion of that story:

“Run, Samantha. Don’t look back. Just run.

I repeated this mantra over and over again as I sprinted through the trees. Focused, like my life depended on it and knowing that one day it would, I ran. Through the damp woods, past branches that tore at my skin, and hurdling over logs, I ran. My breath mingled with the crisp fall air but I didn’t feel the cold. I felt nothing but the pure and relentless adrenaline that pumped through my veins. As the sun rose and cast its broken beams through the trees, I ran. With only a single thought: I have to get there.”

Now, I can see the difference. The flow is much better and with the story in past tense, I get a much better feel for what’s happening in the story. Tense can be a tricky friend. We, as writers, have in our heads what’s happening and when it’s happening. Unfortunately, especially in YA novels, past tense is what sells. This is obviously not a hard and fast rule but in general, past tense is where it’s at. But regardless of what you’re writing, the time frame you place your story (past, present or future), please comb through and keep your manuscript consistent. And for goodness sake, if you’re offered a contract and you’re asked to revise the MS first – just do it. Sure it may be time consuming - it took 2 weeks to change the tense in TORN – but trust your editors. I’m through first round edits right now and I can’t ell you how much better TORN has become. You’re just gonna have to read it for yourself!

TORN

When Samantha's father dies and she finds out he was an angel because of what he was protecting, she must join the fight between two groups of fallen angels, the Faithful and the Exiled, in a race to save humanity. In spite of the unforgivable betrayal of her best friend, the newly acknowledged love for her guardian angel, the face to face confrontation of the dark angel who killed her father and the growing need to allow darkness to take over her being, Samantha has been charged making the choice between fighting alongside the Faithful or succumbing to the darkness of the Exiled.

Author Bio:

A former Army brat, Christine Hughes moved quite often. She spent much of her time losing herself in books and creating stories about many of the people she'd met. Falling in love with literature was easy for her and she majored in English while attending college in New Jersey.
Not sure where her love of reading and writing fit, she became a middle school English teacher. After nine years of teaching others to appreciate literature, she decided to take the plunge and write her first novel. Now at home focusing on making writing her new career, she spends her time creating characters and plot points instead of grading papers.
Music has become an integral part of her writing process and without the proper play list, Hughes finds the words don't flow. At least a few times a week she can be found at the local Barnes & Noble with her Mac and headphones working on her next novel. Her YA novel Torn will be released by Black Opal Books in June 2012.

3 Interesting Facts:

1.    I attended 13 different schools, including college, due to my family’s military relocations.
2.    I met my husband when I was 14.
3.    My favorite book of all time is Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451.
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I hope you all enjoyed Christine as much as I did! Be sure to visit Christine's website, follow her on Twitter, and like her on Facebook too!