April 10, 2013 by Tina Williams

Borderland Bride (The Borderland Legacy # 1), by Samantha Holt

Medieval Romance Borderlands Style

Samantha Holt has written yet another winner with this stirring medieval romance in Borderland Bride, set in the wilds of Northumbria. Secrets and intrigue abound in this tale of love, which features not just one, but two gorgeous men, a strong heroine and a villain out for revenge. I have in the past by-passed the Borderlands, but after reading this novel and finding out how chivalrous the men can be, I feel I need to visit and do a little exploration of my own…

In the tale Lady Isabel, who has been set on by outlaws, is rescued by Jake, a brooding knight and taken back to the home of his enigmatic brother Dominic, where she slowly recovers from her injuries. There is an instant connection forged between Isabel and Jake, despite the fact that her injuries mean that she has lost her hearing and her ability to speak. Jake takes a strong interest in Isabel’s recovery. He is very protective and the passages where the couple succeed in communicating, despite her injuries, are both romantic and touching.

Jake’s younger half-brother, Dominic, is lord of Thornewall Keep, but Jake often resides there to assist with his affairs and protect the keep and the local people from border reivers, the criminals who prey on the Borderlands. Dominic is a consummate flirt. He quickly notices Jake’s attachment to Isabel and takes every opportunity to tease and torment him as only a brother can. Jake is a widower, scarred physically and emotionally from the relationship with his wife, who died in tragic circumstances. Usually uncomfortable around women, he feels a growing attachment towards Isabel. However, he is tortured by his past and his emotions are conflicted, for whilst he does not feel worthy of Isabel, at the same time he finds it hard to trust another woman and has no wish to marry. He also has a strong temper, which he finds difficult to control.

Isabel has her own secrets. Despite her noble bearing, the brothers do not recognise her as belonging to one of the local families and she refuses to reveal to them her true identity or why she was alone in the Northumbrian countryside. Isabel is a strong and feisty woman, who is sometimes wilful, but is very grateful for her rescue and the protection offered to her by Dominic and Jake. She is attracted to Jake and their relationship becomes very physical. However, before matters progress further and Isabel can reveal her secrets, people from her past appear and Jake feels betrayed. Isabel is forced into making a life changing decision to protect the two brothers she cares about, but which does not reflect her heart’s desire. There is also a villain waiting in the wings to complicate the plot further before a HEA can be found.

This is the third book that I have read by Samantha Holt and I love the way that she writes her romances. Much of the focus is on the interaction between the hero and the heroine and how their relationship develops and this is how I feel it should be in a romance novel. The sensual scenes in the novel are beautifully written and paced to reflect the growing attraction and passion between the main couple. Isabel is certainly no shrinking violet and I loved her passionate character and the way she often took control, as her confidence grows. I also liked how the author did not immediately reveal Isabel’s past and why she was alone in the wilderness, keeping the reader, as well as the brothers, guessing. This created a strong element of intrigue, which not only acted as a good counterpoint to the developing romance, but drove the plot forward.

The interaction between Jake and Dominic when faced with Isabel in their midst was fascinating, as were the differences in their characters. Jake being more serious and brooding, with a quick temper and Dominic, the flirt, who is more even tempered but whose facade hides a complex character. There was often a great deal of humour in their banter, which I enjoyed.

I recommend this book to all lovers of romance, especially those who enjoy reading sensuous medieval romance. I am looking forward to reading more instalments of The Borderland Legacy and other books by Samantha Holt. If you’d like to read an interview with Samantha, please scroll up to the post above this one.

Find Borderland Bride at Jupiter Gardens Press

Cover art by Valerie Tibbs

Samantha Holt’s website

Please click on the link for A Reader’s Review Blog’s review of Samantha Holt’s The Angel’s Assassin.

April 9, 2013 by Caroline Barker

AUTHOR POST – M.C. Lavocat, author of ‘Control (The Soul of Voodoo #1)’

If you’ve read my Author’s Bio, you are well aware of my stubborn refusal to be normal. Don’t get me wrong, normal has its place…I have to be mostly normal when I attend school activities and functions with my little ones, although we frequently get odd looks from other parents. It might have something to do with the fact that you can hear the bass thumping as we jam to old-school rap in the Pimpin’ Mini. Wait…I’m getting ahead of myself. I’m trying to keep a tight rein on my normal, albeit generally, abnormal thought process.

Maybe I should just start from the beginning:

Me, looking properly wistful and sincere…

I am the youngest of three children and the only girl. Oh, please don’t get the impression that I was coddled, I don’t think my brothers ever realized I was a girl until a few of their friends did. Naturally…just as things started to get fun. I have an incredibly large and close-knit extended family (Seriously large…I’m talking around fifty first cousins, here), and I’m pretty sure my sense of humor is genetic.

So, that’s me…it might look as if the photographer caught me at a particularly pensive moment, maybe you are wondering what I was thinking. Well, the photographer was me, this was my first self-portrait as a matter of fact. As to what I was thinking; I was hoping that I nailed the focus (I did), and I was thinking how much I hate the feel of makeup.

Yes, I really hate makeup. However, I just celebrated my fortieth birthday and I would rather suffer through a bit of war-paint than look like an old hag. Pfft…old hag, my ass! I look damn good, although I can’t take all of the credit, the photographer is very talented. Do you see what I did there? Heeheehee.

Alright, now you know I’m a photographer as well as a writer! This is starting to get a little easier as I go along. Who knows, by the end of this post, I might be telling you what size bra I wear, or where my husband and I went on our first date. Hey, maybe we can all be total BFFs, we can have sleepovers and braid each other’s hair. Probably not, but if you like to cook , I can give you some pretty amazing recipes. What, don’t you believe me? Well, try this on for size:

Chicken Enchilada Cupcake

Not too shabby, huh? I am sad to say that I haven’t added any new recipes in almost a year, but in my defense, I have been a little busy. After all, I did write a book, take a few photos here and there, and I am married with four children.

Oh, have I not mentioned that? You want to know why? I saved the best for last, of course!

I have been married for twelve years to the man who made me think of forever. He is my best friend, my biggest cheerleader, and he has the uncanny ability to make me laugh even when I want to pinch his head off! It’s all good though, because I make him laugh too. When we first met, we hung out as friends for several months. Then, one golden morning, as we sat on a New Orleans balcony nursing a hangover with a steaming hot cup of coffee; we fell in love.

Ironically, we weren’t sure if we wanted kids, but fate intervened. Obviously, since we now have four! After our oldest was born, it took us about three months to realize that we wanted a few more and we have been blessed with three precious boys and one beautiful girl.

Whew! That was cathartic!

You now know a little about me, how about I tell you a little about Control, the first book in The Soul of Voodoo Series.

I don’t know if other writers have had the same amount of trouble describing their book as I have, but I’ll be honest, the synopsis totally sucks! The thing about this series, is that even though the story is dramatic, the telling is comedic. If you’re confused upon reading that, then just imagine how I feel trying to explain it to potential readers! After struggling to make it fit in with other Paranormal Romance books, I threw in the metaphorical towel and created a brand spankin’ new genre for it: Paranormal Romantic Comedy.

Pretty soon, PRC books are going to be the hottest thing…you heard it here first!

The fact that it has a comedic component, however, isn’t the only thing that makes it difficult to summarize for potential readers. The plot is subtly woven through the book in such a way that the reader may not be completely aware of what happened until it is revealed. I’m tricky like that. 🙂 Therefore, I can’t go into too much detail about the story without giving away spoilers. I worked way too hard on that plot to spoil it with a careless sentence or two!

You know what? You just need to read it for yourself…then maybe you can help me come up with a good way to summarize it for everyone else! Oh yeah, the second book is starting off with a bang and it is going to be loaded with more fun, action, and hot monkey sex…never forget about the hot monkey sex.

M.C. Lavocat

A Reader’s Review Blog would like to thank M.C. Lavocat for taking the time and effort for writing an author post for us.

Please scroll down or click here for Caroline Barker’s review of ‘Control (The Soul of Voodoo #1)’

April 9, 2013 by Caroline Barker

‘Control (The Soul of Voodoo #1)’ by M.C. Lavocat

Control (The Soul of Voodoo, #1) If you like to be up close and personal to the characters in a saucy sort of way, as well as have the added bonus of some fun, quirky comedy and dark paranormal goings on, then this is definitely a great book for you! Things are not always as they seem at the beginning of ‘Control’, as the reader and the characters become more and more drawn to darker sides – leaving us baffled, scared and tense. ‘Control’ is packed with romance, fun and horror as it opens up to reveal a deep, dark paranormal entity. Due to the passion and horror I would recommend this novel as a more adult read, possibly 16 years+.

The main focus is on Cecelia Milonas. Studying neuroscience for her doctoral program, Cecilia also revelled in a social life and yet was still able to maintain good grades. Many were jealous of her and she had just about had enough of studying and dealing with her fellow students and so decided to leave. However, there is more to Cecilia as she is a ‘Foxy Lady’ as Jimi Hendrix would say. She has curves in all the right places that any woman would be jealous of and any man would admire.

It isn’t too long after leaving her doctoral program that Cecilia begins a hot and saucy, lustful relationship with her landlord, boss and panty-melter, Andre St. Clair. This is a guy she has yearned for but has never thought that anything would become of her feelings for him. Andre was her friend but he didn’t date anyone. His mind was in his business. As their relationship grows it becomes more and more intense and passionate and Andre in particular is becoming addicted and obsessed with Cecilia – he is burning for her. It is the intensity and passion here that reminded me a little of Fifty Shades of Grey! Hot! Hot! Hot!

And then there is Lance Bradley. Aside from Cecilia, Lance is my favourite character. Whether it be destiny or a curse, Lance is drawn to Cecilia in ways that he cannot explain. His first introduction with her was so slight and yet he couldn’t remove her from his mind and had to follow his instinct to find a way to be with her. He would not force the issue but he was around enough to remind her of him to the point that at times she could not forget about him. (Whereas Andre is the tall, dark handsome type, who appears quite slick and smooth, Lance is very masculine and rugged with an athletic/muscular body.)

James is Cecilia’s best friend and in many ways he reminds me of the character Lafayette in True Blood. His character provides a great deal of the comedy, especially when mixed with Cecilia and/or Lance. James could quite easily be your best friend as he is very jovial. He knows how to lighten the mood and creates a good vibe. His friendship with Cecilia is so close that he is aware of her emotions and can sense the atmosphere/mood she is in and when something is up with her. However, these senses become a much deeper aspect the further the story goes on.

The story is written from Cecilia’s point of view and from Lance’s. I love this as the reader can connect to both characters from early on and understand their feelings and decisions. The relationship of Cecilia and Lance is magnetic and whether they want to or not it is almost inevitable that something could possibly happen between them. However, Cecilia is with Andre and even though their relationship can be tense at times she still wants to make it work with him, after all he is the panty-melter and the guy she has been wanting for three whole years.

In many ways the first part of ‘Control’ can appear to be a romantic love triangle situation but as the reader gets sucked in too, by the spell, we realise that it is so much more; where lives are at stake, time is not as it seems and people’s destiny’s are affected! There is nothing we can do to prevent it – or so it seems – but we have to find a way! A curse, a spell, voodoo even is considered when darker events take place and the ‘control’ or lack of it goes to a complete extreme. This is a must-read for those that love dark, paranormal horror, mixed with comedy and romance!

The second novel of the series, ‘Power’ will be released in the near future and as ‘Control’ has left me on tenterhooks at the edge of my seat, I simply need to know how the story can move forward.

For more information on M.C. Lavocat and/or ‘The Soul of Voodoo series please visit www.soulofvoodoo.wordpress.com

Cover artwork by Sugar Magnolia Photography

‘Control (The Soul of Voodoo #1)’ was received by myself gratefully, from M.C. Lavocat, in return for an honest and fair review.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

April 6, 2013 by Tina Williams

Update from Tina

It has been a strange week – the coldest March in fifty years, followed by an April which so far is not shaping up much better. We still have a huge block of ice in our back garden, all that is left of a snowman we built two weeks ago, which has yet to melt! With the Easter break and children in full swing I am a little behind with my reading. However, I have a cunning plan to find a suitable spot to hide in and settle down with my Kindle!

This coming week I plan to travel back in time to the wilds of Medieval Northumbria with Samantha Holt’s latest release, Borderland Bride (The Borderland Legacy Book 1). The book tells the tale of Lady Isabel, who after a brutal attack, which results in her losing her voice and hearing, is rescued by Jake, a brooding knight and taken back to the home of his charismatic brother Dominic. With secrets and intrigue afoot, it promises to be a sensuous tale that I am looking forward to reading.

I also plan to read Eve Rabi’s Gringa – In the Clutches of a Ruthless Drug Lord, which was an Amazon bestseller last year. The tale, comprising books 1-4, tells of Peyton, a young American, who is blackmailed into becoming the woman of a Mexican drug lord Diablo, and is compelled to go and live with him and his madcap family. This is a book for mature readers only and the book blurb implies that is not a sweet romance. The excerpt that I have read also contained a great deal of humour and I am intrigued as to how the tale will pan out. I like an alpha hero and I sometimes like my heroes to be a little bit mean, or maybe even anti-heroes, so I am drawn to this book, which I think will take me on a wild ride!

We are always very interested in what our readers are reading too. If you want to tell us of any good books you have read recently or ones that you are looking forward to we’d really welcome your thoughts.

Happy reading!

Tina 🙂

April 5, 2013 by Caroline Barker

C.J. Pinard – Author Post

My name is Carolyn, but I’ve often been called C.J. throughout my life so I answer to that, too. I was born and raised in Northern California, but moved to Colorado as a young adult and spent about ten years there. About three years ago, I moved to Northwest Florida, so I kind of feel like I’ve lived everywhere! I’ll always be a West Coast gal at heart.

I am the granddaughter of a published writer, and my great-grandfather was the chief editor for the San Francisco Chronicle for many years. My mother also writes, but is yet to publish anything – but she will be soon, since I keep pushing her : ) My 9-year-old daughter also shows promise, and has written several very short stories. So you could say writing is in our blood.

I got my first (and only – ha!) Kindle for Mother’s Day in 2011 and began to see a huge trend in typos in self-published books. I decided to start my own editing business and quickly landed a little author named Tim O’Rourke. I’m still his editor, but more than that, we have become great friends, and I hope to skip across the pond to the UK one day to meet him and his family. I’ve edited several other self-published books and they’ve all been great fun. I have never edited a book I hated, or found boring. It’s truly a blessing to get paid to read!

Believe it or not, I still hold-down a fulltime job (in Corrections), that I probably won’t leave until retirement. My husband also works at the same place. I love telling people we met in prison and seeing their face.

My first book, Enchanted Immortals, was born in early 2012. It took me six months to write it, because I kept getting angry at the book and would slam the laptop closed and not look at the document for several weeks. Then one day while sitting in church (oops!) I had an epiphany of sorts and the rest of the book wrote itself in a couple of weeks’ time. I released the book around Halloween 2012. Since then, I have written two sequels, and am working on the 4th and final book in the series. I wrote a short story for St. Patrick’s Day in 2013 with two other awesome authors, LR Potter and Kristen Middleton, and had such a good time, we have something planned for the July 4th holiday, but I am bound to secrecy on that!

I’m open to emails, I love to hear from people and what they think. I know my type of writing isn’t for everyone, and you know what? That’s okay. To each his own. I just hope my stories help people escape reality for just a little while, the way they do for me when I’m writing them.

A little fun trivia fact about me: I’ve never been to Portland, or even the state of Oregon. I’m saving for a trip to Oregon so I can visit the Oregon Vortex. Yes, it’s a real place!

To e-mail C.J. Pinard, you can reach her at: cjpinardauthor@gmail.com

Please check out A Readers’ Review Blog’s review on ‘Enchanted Immortals 3: The Vampyre’ below! A Reader’s Review Blog would also like to take this opportunity to thank C.J. for her time and effort into writing her author post and for her support. Thank you, C.J. 🙂

April 5, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Enchanted Immortals 3: The Vampyre by C.J. Pinard

Enchanted Immortals 3: The Vampyre

For those of you that love a great fantasy/paranormal novel to read, ‘Enchanted Immortals 3: The Vampyre’ is a must-read! It is absolutely full, from beginning to end, of great characters with meaningful stories, action and adventure, romance, horror and flashbacks. I love the different types of species here; the Immortals, the vampires, the shapeshifters, the sylphs and the humans. The chemistry between the Immortals and the sylphs is beautiful, whilst the vampires and the shapeshifters are troublesome and dark.

In the first book of the series, ‘Enchanted Immortals’, we are introduced to Thomas O’Malley – a human until turned into an Immortal. In the sequel, ‘Enchanted Immortals 2: The Vortex’, we follow the story of Jonathan Murphy, also an Immortal, partner and close friend to Thomas. In book 3, ‘The Vampyre’, we follow the history of vampire Pascal Theroux, how he was as a human, how he became a vampire and his life since. The reader also has little insights into Angel’s mind – Angel being Pascal’s mate for the past thirty years.

I was amazed at how I found Pascal’s story to be quite touching in parts and there were times when I really liked him. C.J. Pinard has a way of allowing the reader to take in all aspects of the character and the reader can connect to Pascal as we follow him from his human form right through to when he becomes a vampire. However, there was a turning point in which the reader meets a different side to Pascal – the cold, evil side. I felt that it was a shame for someone likeable to have such a bad streak in him.

Throughout his vampire life, Pascal has tried to find a mate. He is charming and generous and over time he does turn several women into a vampire, thinking they could be his long term mate. However, these women soon realised the other side to Pascal and left. Until Angel came along, he probably felt that no woman would be the one.

Pascal also wanted to find a way to walk in the sun and over time he found a way to make sun-resistant vampires. He would then use these as his ‘foot-soldiers’ during the day to carry out the tasks that he wanted doing. But with Pascal’s attention focusing on his bigger plans, does he lose touch with his new vampires and his mate, Angel?

I feel for Angel in many ways. She has had quite a lonely life as a human, with little family, and Pascal did change that. He provides for her, he is her mate and the one she has belonged to for so long. She remains by his side after all this time, however there are moments, quite understandably when Pascal’s cold side is showing, when she needs out. I am looking forward to reading more on Angel as the series progresses.

Meanwhile, romance is in the air with Thomas and Malina about to marry and some lust (or is it love?) igniting again between Jonathan and Kathryn. There are some really nice sexy and romantic scenes in this novel and we realise how deeply these characters really care about each other. I find it fascinating as regardless of their physical relationship they are always so close in all other aspects of their life.

Shapeshifters, Seth and Malachi, are still imprisoned on The Island, awaiting trial for the crimes they committed in abducting the sylph, Serina, and extortion. And although they are not the focus of this novel they do bring up a shocking and powerful revelation!

Also, the BSI are back. Jason Swift from the Bureau of Supernatural Investigations turns up to speak to Jonathan and Thomas with some news and throughout the novel they work very closely together. I absolutely love the BSI, as you may know from reading my previous reviews of the series. They are like the X-File section of the FBI in ‘The X-Files’ and there is even a reference to this in ‘Enchanted Immortals 3: The Vampire’. This is excellent stuff!

I am a big fan of supporting characters and this novel does not disappoint. I love the character of Aiden, a boss and friend to Sebastian. Without revealing too much, he cares for Sebastian, taking him in and providing for him, with his lovely wife, Elaine. In my minds eye, I imagine Aiden to be a larger than life character, burly and funny with plenty of charisma but also a heart of gold. I really have no idea where C.J. finds all of these great characters.

All characters have been cleverly incorporated into this series in such a way that they all have their own tale to tell – linked to the past as well as the present day. (This is when the flashbacks take place. It is a fun read and quick-paced as it never loses momentum. The series weaves through the different characters’ past and present and yet it is written in such a way that it is easy to follow the story. Each book is a great stand-alone read, however for the details of each characters’ story I would read the series as a whole, beginning with ‘Enchanted Immortals‘ which is now available at Amazon UK for 77p or Amazon US for $1.15.

Enchanted Immortals 4: The Vixen‘ is due out in May 2013 so not too long to wait for another enchanting read!!!

Please note that ‘Enchanted Immortals 3: The Vampyre’ was received gratefully from the author, C.J. Pinard, in return for an honest and fair review.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

April 3, 2013 by Tina Williams

The Truth about Genies, by Kellyann Zuzulo

Today we welcome author Kellyann Zuzulo to share with us the truth about genies….. Over to you Kellyann!

The allure of the desert, whether it’s Vegas or the Sahara, taps some primitive heat in all of us. I know it does for me. The jinn, or genies, have been around for thousands of years. The Thousand and One Nights (also known as The Arabian Nights) brought these entities out of oral myth and into literature. Eventually, Western society got wind of these freeflying phantoms. Unfortunately, we turned them into bluish cartoons when all the research (yes, there is research on genies) says they are very similar to humans.

What a perfect antagonist for a romance! A guy who’s smart, powerful, alluring, and magical. That’s the basis for a heartthrob if ever there was one. In my novel The Genie Ignites, Zubis is that hero. Did you know that there are three types of genies? 1) Hunky. 2) Hunkier. 3) Hunkiest. (just kidding). Zubis is an Ifrit jinni. According to scholars, the Ifrit jinn are the more powerful of the three types. The other two types are Marid and Ghul.

§ Ifrit are strong and powerful spirits that are not necessarily evil. They are the reference for the description in the Koran of genies as behaving, living, and looking very similar to humans.
§ Marid are wicked and malicious spirits, more like devils and demons as described in Western literature and religious lore. Marid function in The Zubis Chronicles as soldiers who do the bidding of Iblis. (Iblis is the oldest and most evil of all jinn and happens to be an Ifrit. Also known as Shaitan, he is the basis for the Satan legend.)
§ Ghuls are lesser phantoms who mostly cause mischief and don’t appear to humans, like ghosts and ghouls. The image of Middle Eastern ghuls is probably where the Western idea of ghouls came from.

Genies are both male and female…remember Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie. Not a bad depiction except for the harem pants…although I hear they’re coming back in style. In The Genie Smolders, which is the next novel in The Zubis Chronicles coming out this Spring, a female genie named Imitiri tries to come between Zubis and his one true love, Bethany O’Brien. Imtiri is a stunningly wicked and vengeful vamp who would do well in the Real Housewives of Jinnistan. And speaking of Real Housewives, I have another series called 101 Nights, which features a noble, beautiful, smart, and sometimes hot-tempered female genie named Amani. Girl power! Click on the image to find out more.

Are genies real? I think they are. But I also think that despite the definitions and the literature, we don’t fully understand what they are. They could be organisms on a molecular level that haven’t been defined by science yet. That’s when folklore steps in to describe things. In the meantime, I’ll keep describing the jinn as I think they exist.

Thanks to Tina Williams and A Reader’s Review for this chance to share the world of the jinn!

~Best Wishes,

Kellyann Zuzulo

http://kfzuzulo.com

April 3, 2013 by Tina Williams

The Genie Ignites, Book One of the Zubis Chronicles, by Kellyann Zuzulo

Passionate and Magical Romance

After reading this tale I will never look at copper lamps or think of genies in the same way again! The Genie Ignites is a passionate and magical romance with an intricate plot. In it, a young American woman is recruited by a secret society to help it eradicate all genies. In doing so she is reunited with her lover, a three thousand year old genie she betrayed in a past incarnation she is unaware of.

American editor, Bethany O’Brien, has been beset by disconcerting dreams of a dark and handsome man. Whilst attending a reception at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, she is stunned to meet the very man she has dreamt about, a man she has never met, but whom she finds strangely familiar. The man is Zubis, counsellor to the Saudi Arabian king.

Later that evening, Seth Nasser, her liaison at the embassy, reveals to her the existence of the Jinn and the Veil of Thoth, an ancient order committed to controling the Jinn and keeping them from overrunning the world. Seth informs Bethany that she is the reincarnation of the high priestess Lina, murdered by one of the three genies who served King Solomon, the high priest she was apprenticed to.

As a malachi, a human killed by a genie in a previous incarnation, Bethany cannot be harmed by that genie and is the only person who can destroy it. She is therefore valuable to the Veil of Thoth and Seth wants her to travel to the Middle East to help the society. Although sceptical, some of the things Bethany hears sound strangely familiar, and as a committed journalist, she resolves to go to the Middle East to investigate a strange copper vessel that has been discovered and also Seth’s story.

There are many other players in this game however and Bethany finds that she has to flee the US and travel across Europe to the Middle East with Derek Martin, a photojournalist, with others in hot pursuit, including a second genie called Borzal. There is also Prince Faisal, who covets the throne, who only has his own interests at heart, which involve Zubis. Neither the reader nor Bethany know who to trust and the remainder of the plot involves murder, betrayal, deceit and some hot lovemaking scenes, which incorporate a little genie magic!

Zubis, the handsome genie, should despise Bethany for her betrayal in her previous life, but he cannot as he is deeply in love with her. Advisor to the royal family, he has already granted two of the three wishes due. On the granting of the third he will be free and this, combined with the power of his connection to Bethany, will enable him to open the gates to Jinnistan, where he wants her to return with him. He knows that once Bethany regains her memories it will be her decisions which govern whether he lives or remains free. King Jul is adamant that it will not be him who unleashes the power of the Jinn and will not make the third wish. Instead he keeps Zubis trapped in his palace.

Bethany is sassy, confident and self-assured, more than a match for an autocratic genie. When she meets Zubis and recognises him as the man from her dreams, she senses that she knows him. As she approaches the palace, her bond strengthens and her memories of him and the ancient betrayal slowly resurface, as Zubis visits her in a series of dreams and visions. One particular lovemaking scene where Zubis uses his ability of transmorphic migration is extremely memorable! I shall now be forever rubbing copper lamps to conjure up my very own genie!

The author weaves a complex plot whilst developing and maintaining a hot romance. She has clearly done a great deal of research into the mythology of the Jinn and the customs, history and politics of the Middle East. I liked the way she spins her tale and her world building is excellent. We feel for the heroine throughout and swiftly come to adore Zubis and hope that the couple will find their HEA this time round. I recommend this book to readers of paranormal romance and also those who enjoy romantic suspense with a paranormal twist. The romance between Bethany and Zubis is continued in The Genie Smolders, which is due for release this spring.

This book was given to me by the author, for the purpose of an honest review.

Boroughs Publishing Group Website

Kellyann Zuzulo Website

April 1, 2013 by Tina Williams

Drummer Girl by Bridget Tyler

Fast and Frenetic Coming of Age Story for Ages 14+

A Reader’s Review was lucky to be sent two proof copies of this forthcoming release, to provide an honest review. The book is scheduled for publication this coming May. Both Caroline and I have reviewed the book, outlining our different opinions and perspectives on the story for our readers to compare.

Tina’s Review (scroll down for Caroline’s review which follows on from this).

Drummer Girl by Bridget Tyler is a fast and frenetic coming of age novel that will appeal to many readers. It centres on a girl band Crush, who wins a competition to go to Los Angeles, with the opportunity to make it big on the music scene.

The book opens with a bang, on the aftermath of a shocking murder. It then rewinds to eight months earlier, to St Gabriel’s Sixth Form, London, where we witness a disparate group of girls come together, at the suggestion of fellow pupil, Harper McKenzie, to form a band. Their aim, in which they are successful, is to win Project Next, a television talent show with the dream prize of going to LA to win the final heat of the competition at the end of the summer and secure their rock and roll future.

It soon becomes clear however, that Harper’s main motivation for creating the band and winning Project Next, is the desire to be reunited with bad boy Rafe Jackson, who lives in LA and whose father Peter is involved in the competition. This creates a fair amount of friction from the start and plays a key role in the development of the plot. The girls face a world of limousines, designer clothes, personal stylists, parties and temptations they have never experienced before. They must also strive to ensure that their ability to make music remains at the forefront of their minds, when struggling with a host of competing issues, including drug addiction, body image, alcohol, sex and the trials of young love. There are also a number of secrets kept by some of the characters, which combine with a series of events which lead to the dire consequences at the conclusion of the book.

Lucy, the drummer in the band, is the central character, although we also get to know the trials, hopes and dreams of her four friends, Harper, the lead singer, Toni, the bass player, Robyn on guitar and Iza on piano. The personalities of the girls vary, but all have their own personal demons to battle with whilst they are on the cusp of adulthood. Lucy, the most grounded of them all, strives to keep the band together and prevent it from self-destructing in the face of the mounting pressures of making it big in Hollywood. The friendship between Lucy and Harper, which has its ups and downs, is one of the main themes of the plot.

There are a number of supporting characters, such as Rafe, Harper’s love interest, and others, including Jason, the band’s manager, Alexander, the band’s music producer and Tomas, who deals drugs. A romance between one of the secondary characters, Skye and the minor character Cesar pulled at my heartstrings a great deal.

When I picked up this novel I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did, simply because I am not a big fan of celebrity culture and TV talent shows. However, the focus is very much on the characterisations and the evolving plot; the trappings of wealth and celebrity culture serve to bring the issues facing the central characters into sharper focus. Also Bridget Tyler writes in such a way that I was quickly drawn into the world she creates. I developed a great deal of empathy for the young women and the other characters she portrays, in what I found to be an emotional and entertaining read.

The author is a screenwriter and I think this comes across in her writing in a positive way as it swiftly draws you into key scenes which highlight the world the girls find themselves in and the group dynamics at play. Every scene counts and the novel could quite easily be made into a film or TV series. Such is the richness of the tale, there is plenty of scope for the author to pen further novels, based on the characters in Drummer Girl. I do hope that she writes a follow up, if only to expand on a burgeoning romance for Lucy, which is introduced at the conclusion. Whilst I would recommend this novel primarily for teenagers or young adults, I feel that adults too would also enjoy it as it deals with universal issues that affect people of all ages in an exciting and engaging plot that keeps you guessing.

Reviewed by Tina Williams, A Reader’s Review Blog

Review below by Caroline Barker, A Reader’s Review Blog

Teenage girls, music, competitions, friendships, romances, alcohol, drugs and a whole load of other trouble is what ‘Drummer Girl’ is from beginning to end. I can see this being a really popular novel, especially for those between the ages of 14 and 18. It is a coming of age story where the characters want popularity, success and romance. However, they all soon discover that life has its fair share of danger and there are some adult themes covered, such as drugs, alcohol and young girls being taken advantage of.

Lucy, Harper, Toni, Robyn and Iza are Crush. The band enters a contest, Project Next, similar to that as The X Factor, and after winning the semi-finals in London they are given the chance to go to Hollywood for the summer to compete in the final. This alone causes family rifts and after reaching L.A. there is a great deal of pressure for the girls to not only work hard, but to party hard too.

Lucy Gosling, the ‘Drummer Girl’, is a nice character. At the age of 17 she is doing well at school with ambition to go further at Oxford. However, joining Crush and entering Project Next with her school friends is a dream come true. She is a clever, sensible teenager that craves fun and excitement with the hope of fame and success. Her only real problem is her best friend, Harper McKenzie.

Harper is an American girl – the other members of Crush are from London – and she can think very highly of herself and will do almost anything to get what she wants. She is the lead singer of the band. There is some history between Lucy and Harper as Harper and her ex-boyfriend, Rafe, caused a great deal of trouble for Lucy. Trouble that Lucy’s parents could not forgive Harper for. I found Harper to be a very irritating character and I could not warm to her at all.

Lucy begins to get suspicious of Harper’s reasons for forming a band and competing as when they arrive in Hollywood they soon meet up with Rafe and his new girlfriend, Skye. Is Harper still in love with Rafe? Is this the only reason why Harper set up Crush? Will more trouble lie ahead?

The introduction of the story begins with Harper’s body floating in a swimming pool surrounded by her blood. We then go back to the previous eight months that lead up to her death and begin with the band forming and competing in Project Next.

During the beginning chapters of ‘Drummer Girl’ I found the story to be unfolding quite slowly, and with Harper being so annoying I found it difficult to carry on reading. However, I did persevere and once the band reached L.A. I found that the story quickened it’s pace and the reader was introduced to more characters and a darker plot. I then needed to carry on reading to find out what had happened to Harper and to follow the girls’ adventure throughout the Project Next contest.

I have mixed emotions about this novel. On the one hand, if reading this book as a young teenager I think this book is a good read with friendship troubles, romance and the dream of becoming a rock star. You are just beginning to understand the dangers in life and this book is an introduction to some of them.

However on the other hand, from an adults point of view, there are moments when I feel that some issues are too adult for it’s audience but written in an almost nonchalant way. For example, when Harper’s body is dead in the swimming pool, at the beginning of the novel, Lucy is looking at the colour of her blood and thinking that Harper would have liked that colour nail varnish! I thought a teenage girl would freak at the image of her best friend’s body, lying lifeless in front of her. I also feel that more thought has gone into keeping the atmosphere of this book light. If this is the case, then maybe the drugs, alcohol and other adult themes shouldn’t be mentioned.

On the whole, ‘Drummer Girl’ is a good Hollywood Dream story, aimed mostly at teenage girls, with some fun characters and is a light-hearted read with some darker topics woven in. It can be likened to High School Musical, mixed with The X-Factor with the added bonus of real adventure and great ordeals. For fans of the novel, it would definitely be interesting to follow Lucy to the next stage of her life as she is a great role model and character.

Thanks to Templar Publishing for providing A Reader’s Review with Bridget Tyler’s novel, ‘Drummer Girl’ in return for an honest and fair review.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

Cover art by Will Steele

Templar Publishing Website