Author Archives

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**REVIEW** By the Sea (novelette) by Katherine McIntyre

By the Sea

A short, light and refreshing romance with fantasy and paranormal elements!

Most kids had imaginary friends, but most weren’t like Megan’s friend Niall. There were rules: only at night and only by the sea. She could’ve sworn he was real, but when someone vanishes without a trace, what else can you believe?

All that was seven years ago, buried in the past until Niall shows up in town with his tight swimmer’s body and easy smile. For Megan, just the sight of him is enough to tear open a scar that never fully healed. However, their reunion only elicits more questions. Niall’s keeping secrets, unbelievable ones, and as Megan delves into the supernatural depths of who he really is, she’s sure he’ll vanish again.

Megan’s not stupid—she knows how bad it’ll hurt if she gets involved. The first time Niall disappeared, she never thought she’d recover. But the moment they lock eyes, it’s too late—because Megan will go to any length to see that boy smile.

REVIEW

By the Sea is a great novelette that reads as a short, fun, contemporary romance from the onset. However, as it opens up and the reader begins to settle into the story, the fantasy paranormal elements emerge.

Megan had been through so much to be rid of the delusions of her imaginary friend, Niall. And yet here is the new boy in town, Mason, with so many likenesses to her long gone friend. Megan wants to lead a normal life and decides not to let Mason in too much. She cannot go down that path and be left hurt and confused again. And yet despite this, her feelings of the past have not disappeared and have re-ignited with Mason.

As well as the romance current running gently throughout the story, later we realise that Niall is also on a mission to seek something that has been taken from him. Not only that but it could also bring a little paranormal trouble to Megan. These scenes I found exciting and left wanting more.

Being a short story doesn’t always allow much build up to prepare the reader, and I found this to be the case, only ever so slightly, with the supernatural element of the story. Once I had accepted the idea of what Niall was I was able to delve further and empathise with Megan’s character – the confusion and re-surfacing of her past feelings.

By the Sea is a nice story with something to offer the contemporary romance reader and the fantasy paranormal fans. I would recommend that it is suitable for Young Adults and over, and there is a coming-of-age feel in regards to the young characters of the book.

A copy of By the Sea was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

By the Sea by Katherine McIntyre is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

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**REVIEW** Hunted (True Alpha #3) by Alisa Woods

Hunted (True Alpha 3)THIS IS THE THIRD EPISODE OF SIX in the True Alpha serial.

Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

Now that Mia understands what happened to Lucas’s dead mate, she questions whether he’s truly the mate for her. Meanwhile, Lucas wrestles between keeping her close and letting her go… but he can’t resist when she asks him to teach her more about being a wolf.

Hunted (True Alpha 3) is 75 pages or 18,000 words. It’s the third of six episodes in the True Alpha serial.

REVIEW

This short story series keeps on getting better! With Mia relenting to the fact that she will not be Lucas’ mate, she decides to help him as much as possible to come to terms with the death of Tila. She wants to be his friend at least, at the same time as his professional assistant in helping him analyse the LoopSource app statistics in the decision of whether Lucas’ father’s company should take on the software before their rivals, The Red Pack, make an offer.

The reader is constantly guessing whether Mia will tip Lucas over the edge and he just simply won’t be able to resist her. On the other hand, he tries his hardest not to give in and decides to sort out the LoopSource deal as soon as possible so that he can leave Mia with a bodyguard and create some distance between them. Lucas is in fear of his feelings for Mia and the reader can really sense this throughout the opening chapters.

However, in return for her kindness he does agree to help her discover more of the wolf within herself. This opens up a fast-paced, adventurous and dangerous storyline, which completely thrills the reader and creates moments for the reader to fear for Mia’s safety. There are also some moments of romance and the reader feels Mia’s heightened feelings for Lucas.

Hunted is a truly exciting read that will leave you on an edgy cliffhanger, ready for the following episode. And book 4 of the series, Captured, is out now, making it very easy for the reader to keep on reading! As I have said in previous reviews for the True Alpha series, this is a must-read for shifter and werewolf fans, and paranormal romance fans!

Hunted (True Alpha #3) was provided by the author, Alisa Woods, in return for an honest and fair review.

Check out my previous reviews for Desired (True Alpha #1) and Guarded (True Alpha #2)!

Hunted (True Alpha #3) is available on Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

 

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An introduction to local Tamworth horror author, SIMON GOODWIN

Hello readers, we are excited to be sharing an introduction with you of a local Tamworth horror author, Simon Goodwin, and a collection of his four novels released so far. Due to the genre of his books and the atmospheric artwork and blurbs, this collection would certainly be one to consider for the Halloween season! We hope that you enjoy an insight into Simon’s personal life with his author bio and taking a peek at his first four fab books.

Simon is attending the KWP Pre-Launch Event Urban Coffee Co in Birmingham city centre today, reading from his soon-to-be released Haunted Myths: Plenilunium!

Simon is also keeping himself busy trying to arrange a LitFest in Tamworth for 2015! We wish Simon all the best for his reading today, the success of his novels and bringing together the Tamworth community, authors and readers next year!

Image of Simon GoodwinAUTHOR BIO

Okay, what to say? Let’s start with the boring details before we get to the juicy bits! I am Simon Goodwin I am 46 years old and have been writing since I was at school, but this is my first foray into publishing of any description (I have sent manuscripts to publishers and Agents only to receive the standard ‘Thanks but no thank’ reply, or more likely no reply at all). I am what is commonly known as a geek. I love Science Fiction (Especially Star Wars- I can quote all 6 films word for word), the supernatural, paranormal, fantasy etc etc. I love anything remotely in the genre.

I am married (maybe I should’ve put that first- might still do if the wife sees this), to a beautiful woman(there, that’s a few brownie points), and am a carer for my father. My wife and I have 5 dogs, four cats, two budgies, goldfish(indoor and out) and a tortoise called Yoda (see Geek!), and a bearded dragon called Loki My dream is to walk into a bookshop (or look on Amazon of course) and see my book for sale(Amazon I Love You). I have worked in numerous fields, including in a cinema, in a Disney Store and in numerous warehouses. So that’s me.

If you like what you read then let me know, if you don’t let me know. If you want to chat, let me know. I’m here to stay now…..

Child of Woe, Dark Hunter (Children of Woe, Dark Hunters Book 1)CHILD OF WOE, DARK HUNTER (CHILDREN OF WOE, DARK HUNTERS #1)  

The reports were growing in number: the Dead rising, zombies attacking people, others being found across the world drained of blood, and still others being torn apart by supposed wild animals in the middle of big cities. Zombies, Vampires, Werewolves and they are just the beginning.

The Walls between myth and reality are faltering and soon those walls will be gone and the Earth will become a battleground of chaos. As governments falter and civilisation tips ever closer to the abyss, one man and his dog find themselves on a journey home. It is a journey that will take them through hell and back.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

The Dark Ire: Children of Woe, Dark Hunters Book 2THE DARK IRE (CHILDREN OF WOE, DARK HUNTERS #2) Dragons, Zombies, Werewolves, Vampires, Centaurs, Trolls, and a world in chaos. This sequel to Child of Woe, Dark Hunters.The Dark One’s are returned. They have come back now as civilisation collapses. Mankind, once the prime predator has found itself hunted by creatures out of myth and legend, and as old alliances and governments fall so new ones are born. Amid the chaos, some will band together to fight the coming darkness, whilst others will use this new beginning to their own advantage.

Brent Havin and his newly formed group of Dark Hunters are determined to fight back against those they know to be responsible. Yet they will be forced to make a deal with the devil in order to gain a foothold in a world that is slowly spiralling towards the abyss. Along the way, new alliances will be forged, and old enemies returned, but they will also see that the concerns for the fate of the Earth stretches beyond its orbit into myriad worlds beyond.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

The Forgotten Graveyard: Book I of the Four and the SevenTHE FORGOTTEN GRAVEYARD (FOUR AND SEVEN #1)

There is a graveyard, a lonely place that has ancient stones of long dead are left to erode with time. There are no visitors here anymore, only memories of what was lost by those who remain.

John Eagan is new to the area, and he finds the graveyard only because it is part of the grounds of the ancient church that has been left to him as part of legacy from an unknown Great Aunt, she also left him a cottage called Ballengah. He finds himself involved in something that will set him as a guardian against a wave of darkness that could not only envelope the small village of Lowfields, but the world itself.

Evil lies dormant once forgotten, but once remembered it can only grow and evolve.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Playground of the Gods (Apocalypse Nexus)PLAYGROUND OF THE GODS (APOCALYPSE NEXUS)

As Hell spills open and humanity teeters on the edge of a biblical apocalypse, a select group of people will come together to stand against the Dark Angels themselves. Vampires, zombies and demons will stand in their way. Amos Grosvenor is a 500 year old Sentinel, created by the Angelic Host to maintain the balance between Heaven and Hell whilst also protecting the Royal bloodline. He will lead a small group of humans, animals, Gnomes and Imps, as well as a solitary dragon to a final showdown with the Fallen. B

ut the path will be a long and winding one and along the way an age old prophecy will unfold and a country will fall.

So begins the Oldest story of all, of Good versus the Ultimate Evil.

And should the Seventh Seal break, then Hell will unleash the Lord of Darkness himself.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

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*Recent Release* The Golden City of Doubloon by Richard Natale (with author bio and excerpt)

The Golden City of Doubloon-510 (2)We are excited to introduce a recently released (on 26th September 2014), a Young Adult, fantasy novel, The Golden City of Doubloon by Richard Natale. It is  published by Double Dragon Publishing and is available both as an e-book and paperback. (Please scroll down for author bio and exerpt.)

BLURB: The Golden City of Doubloon is an adventure novel with a strong moral and spiritual underpinning. Set in the Great Depression, the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery includes a massive flood, a tornado, a terrifying massacre at a tent revival meeting and a climactic battle aboard a zeppelin. Our hero, Japeth Finian, 20, the devout, orphaned son of missionary parents, embarks on a time-constrained journey to Doubloon, the “oasis of the Midwest,” to find a serum that will save the inhabitants of his small town from a blood disease that robs them of their immortal souls in return for the promise of eternal life. When they arrive in Doubloon they are confronted by all the wonders, and terrors, of modern life. Joining Japeth in his adventures are his friends, the brave and noble Crowell, the loyal but scatterbrained Lon, Crowell’s sister Lucinda, with whom Japeth is not so secretly in love, and Abra, Japeth’s mute younger sister who may possess secret powers.

Author Bio

Richard Natale is a writer and editor living in Los Angeles whose work has appeared in such publications as the The New York Times, the L.A. Times, The Washington Post, W and Time Magazine among others. He is also a past winner of the National Playwright’s Competition. The Golden City of Doubloon is his third published novel.

Excerpt

A few minutes later, they pulled up to the shelter and pounded their fists on the metal doors, shouting “Open up, Reverend, open up,” until they were hoarse. But the howling wind drowned out their efforts.
“We’re too late,” Lon screamed. “Now we’re gonna die.”
They looked up in horror as one of the twisters touched down on the far end of Main Street, wrapping itself around the new fire house and spitting loose bricks like they were bits of confetti. One by one, the swirling, dark eddy ripped its way down the street, dismantling the post office, the general store, and the schoolhouse.
Abra pulled on Japeth’s arm and drew him down the hill toward the church. One of the chapel doors was open, flapping aimlessly in the wind like an invitation.
“But there ain’t even so much as a basement in there,” Lon cried.
“Don’t matter. It’s our only hope,” Japeth said.
Crowell climbed into the truck and rolled it downhill. Japeth and Abra jumped onto the running board and held on. Lon brought up the rear, riding Becka up the steps and inside the church.
“I don’t care if it is the Lord’s house, I ain’t leaving her out there,” he said before anyone could protest.
“All creatures great and small,” Japeth reassured him.
After parking the truck behind the church, Crowell helped Japeth secure the doors and bolt them, while Lon rode Becka around to shut all the windows and attach the shutters. They scanned the dimly lit room for a suitable place to take cover and nearly jumped out of their skins when the wind blew through the organ pipes, producing a blaring, discordant tune.
“That’s it,” Japaeth shouted. “We get behind the organ. Thing weighs a ton. Not even a twister could lift it.” He crouched down and peered behind the organ. It was a tight fit, but it would have to do. “Get in,” Japeth commanded Abra, who got down on all fours and crept into the darkness.
Japeth was about to follow when there was a sudden roar. The twister, now just outside, was rattling the front door like an determined burglar.
Lon got down from his horse and tried to find someplace to tether her. Frightened, Becka bolted and ran straight toward Japeth. He jumped out of her path and spun around. One of the window shutters exploded and slammed against the back of his head, throwing him across the room.
The gyrating wind howled through the insides of the church picking up any loose object it could find. Crowell and Lon flattened against the floor and crawled over to Japeth, who was unconscious. They dragged him toward the narrow opening behind the organ. Lon went in first, grabbing Japeth’s wrists. Crowell clamped his hands tightly around Japeth’s ankles to keep from being swept away.
“I can’t do it. I can’t,” Lon said in a panic. But slowly, he inched Japeth in. The last thing Crowell saw as he folded his body under the organ was poor Ol’ Becka being lifted into the vortex.
The wind tapped out a deafening dirge on the organ as it devoured the chapel. Abra had to press an ear against her brother’s heart to be certain it was still beating.
A few minutes later, as impulsively as it had descended, the twister relinquished its hold on the church and raced away. But the group remained huddled behind the organ taking no chances. The two tornadoes flirted with each other on the outskirts of town for most of the day. They finally gave in to their attraction and, just after nightfall, returned to visit their combined wrath on the graveyard. The giant twister skipped lightly over the old cemetery and concentrated its fury on the annex, churning the dead from their eternal rest. Tombstones were overturned, coffins lifted out of the ground and corpses were carelessly tossed about.
Sated, the tornado then trailed off in search of fresh prey.

PURCHASE LINKS

The e-book is available from Double Dragon, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and Ibook among others.

AMAZON US (e-book)

AMAZON UK (ebook)

LULU (paperback)

 

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All’s Fair in Love and Weddings by Christine S. Feldman **SPOTLIGHT with excerpt**

AllsFairinLoveandWeddings 500x750-3We are delighted to bring to your attention the latest release by Christine S. Feldman, ‘All’s Fair in Love and Weddings’! This contemporary romance focuses on an opposites attract romance and the blurb alone makes out for a fun read! But you can also take a sneaky peak at more with an excerpt (below), which will leave you feeling curious after an awkward and tense, but playful, moment. I will be looking forward to reviewing this one in the New Year! Don’t miss your chance – go grab a copy tomorrow on the release day – 30th September 2014 (or pre-order available)!!! (Purchase links below.)

BLURB: Prudence Collier spent the better part of her reckless youth proving that she was not aptly named, and unfortunately she burned a few bridges in the process, including where her family is concerned. So when her long-estranged sister invites her to her destination wedding in the Virgin Islands, Prue leaps at the chance to mend at least one broken family relationship and prove that she’s a changed person. 

Tucker Davies, on the other hand, has come to the islands for a very different reason: to stop the wedding. As a childhood friend of the groom, he has reason to believe that his friend is about to make a huge mistake and is intent on not letting that happen. One thing he didn’t count on, though, was going up against Prue. 

Determined to make up for the past, Prue resolves to keep Tucker from interfering with her sister’s happiness in the present and is willing to go to any lengths necessary to do so. Any. And if that requires a few tiny deceptions here and there, the occasional brush with the local authorities, and perhaps even instigating a barroom brawl, so be it. A sister has to do what a sister has to do. 

But so does a friend, and Tucker has no intention of backing down, no matter how aggravating or even—to his surprise—appealing Prudence Collier can be. 

The war is on, and neither side believes they can afford to surrender. 

Which is a shame, because they’re both beginning to suspect surrendering would be a lot of fun…

EXCERPT

She froze in front of him like a deer caught in the headlights, and despite the fact that she had some serious explaining to do, the first thought that went through Tucker’s mind when her eyes widened was that they certainly were a remarkable shade of green, weren’t they?

“Good morning,” she returned warily, and then those green eyes of hers narrowed.

Well, that seemed like an odd reaction. If either of them ought to be upset, he was fairly certain it should be him, not her. And had he not been so intensely curious as to why she had sent him on a wild goose chase yesterday, he might have been more upset than he already was.

“Coffee smells good,” Tucker said conversationally with a nod toward her cup. “Is there more where that came from?”

“Depends,” Prue returned, eyeing him as if she expected him to make a sudden move at any time. “Are you a guest of the resort?”

“Are you kidding? At their prices? No.”

“Then I think you’re out of luck.” And she drained the rest of her drink in front of him.

He watched her, unfazed. “Yeah, my luck has been pretty poor the past twenty-four hours.”

“Has it?”

She seemed to be avoiding his gaze. Under the circumstances, he was not surprised. “But it’s taking a turn for the better now, because I was hoping to run into you again.”

“I’ll bet,” she muttered, so much under her breath that he almost missed it.

“Mainly because I was hoping you could explain something to me. Like why you sent me racing after the wrong ferry?”

After a moment’s pause, she turned to look directly at him and widened her eyes again with what – in any other situation – he might have interpreted as innocence. It was almost, but not quite, convincing. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I think you do know what I mean. You sent me to the Water Island ferry.”

One of her eyes twitched before both of them grew even wider. Too wide. “That’s the one you wanted, wasn’t it?”

He looked at her evenly, wondering what kind of game she was playing at here. “No. It wasn’t.”

“Well, that’s what I heard you say. You specifically said Water Island, I’m sure of it.”

“I said St. John.”

She shook her head. “I think you must be confused.”

Understatement of the year, he thought. “Very, yes, but not about the islands. And neither are you, are you?”

“I think you must be remembering wrong.”

“I fell for that line once already, remember? What else have you got?”

Instead of answering, she played with the empty coffee cup in her hands.

“Look, sweetheart, I don’t know if you just like to do this kind of thing to other people for kicks, but I’m really not in the mood for it today. I had a very long night, and it would be hard to say if the crowning moment was when one of the tires on my car blew up or when the tow truck guy discovered he was lactose intolerant while I was still riding beside him in his truck, but—” He caught another twitch around her eyes then, one that almost looked like guilt taking its toll. And then another thought occurred to him for the first time, and he stared at her, incredulous. “Wait—did you have something to do with that?”

“A lactose-intolerant truck driver? Not likely.”

“I meant my tire.”

She played with her cup some more without looking up, and he realized he had his answer.

“Are you kidding me?” He was almost too bewildered to be angry. Almost. “Do you usually screw over the people who do you favors, lady, or am I just special?”

Her head shot up then, and she had the nerve to look indignant. “Screw people over? You’re one to talk!”

“Huh?” Tourists all over these islands, and he had to cross paths with the one who appeared to be an escaped mental patient. A very attractive mental patient, he thought as a distracting curl escaped from the band she’d used to pull her hair back into a loose ponytail, but a mental patient nevertheless. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about that wedding you’re so anxious to stomp all over, that’s what.”

His irritation grew. “I don’t want to ‘stomp’ on anything. I just want to—”

“Ruin the bride’s special day. I know.”

“The bride—”

“Is my sister.”

He blinked and then stared at her, and she nodded back, her displeasure with him written all over her face. “No…” he breathed in disbelief.

“Guess again.”

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

　

 

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Review Round Up – September 2014

Hi readers, since the summer holidays Tina and myself have been burying our head in books, catching up with our blog posts and planning ahead for Halloween!

Yes, I said “Halloween”!! I cannot believe it has come around so quickly again!

But while you wait for some super cool reviews over the oncoming scary period here are thirteen fab stories that we have reviewed over the past few weeks! As usual there is a great range of genres, from contemporary romance to erotic romance, historicals to sci-fi’s and dystopians!! (To see our review please click on the book title).

Happy Reading 🙂

Caroline and Tina xx

22038123Back to Storafalt (Finally Ever After) by Holley Trent, contemporary romance (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: He stood her up. Now she’s standing out.

The last time Justine Eklund had heard from Gray Voss was when he’d agreed to take her to her sister’s wedding. He stood her up. Twelve years later, he’s back in Wyoming as the new owner of Storafalt’s only pharmacy. He didn’t come alone, though. He brought along the small cowboy town’s best-kept secret—his preteen son, Danny.

Gray wants to pick up where he left off. He never stopped loving the beautiful rabble-rouser, and thinks she’ll fit seamlessly into his little family. Justine yearns to reignite that old torch, but she’s wary. She’s not convinced her high school sweetheart will stick around.

Storafalt’s only school is on a rapid decline, so Gray may have no choice but to return Danny to the life they built in Austin. If he goes, there’s no way Justine can go with them. Unlike Gray, she’s rooted too deeply to leave.

20800676Unlovable (The Case Files of Dr. Matilda Schmidt, Paranormal Psychologist) by Cynthia St. Aubin, paranormal, romance, fantasy, humour (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: It isn’t every day a sexy demigod throws a pissed-off Cupid onto psychologist Matilda Schmidt’s couch and informs her the fate of the world depends on her ability to get him off his diapered ass and back to helping people fall in love. Just when Matilda convinces herself she’s not hallucinating, in walks a Vegas hit man with a big gun and a bigger threat: pay back the million dollars she owes a notorious casino mogul, or wind up as fish food in Lake Mead.Rocketing across country with a gun to her head, Matilda has a dysfunctional love-god in her laptop bag, a million dollar debt she has no knowledge of, and must convince the seductive hit man he’s snatched the wrong woman before he convinces her he might be the right man—for a night. Can Matilda stay alive long enough to keep love from becoming history?

The Medea ComplexThe Medea Complex by Rachel Florence Roberts, historical, psychological thriller, mystery (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

****BASED ON A TRUE STORY***

1885. Anne Stanbury – Committed to a lunatic asylum, having been deemed insane and therefore unfit to stand trial for the crime of which she is indicted. But is all as it seems?

Edgar Stanbury – the grieving husband and father who is torn between helping his confined wife recover her sanity, and seeking revenge on the woman who ruined his life.

Dr George Savage – the well respected psychiatrist, and chief medical officer of Bethlem Royal Hospital. Ultimately, he holds Anne’s future wholly in his hands.

The Medea Complex tells the story of a misunderstood woman suffering from insanity in an era when mental illnesses’ were all too often misdiagnosed and mistreated. A deep and riveting psychological thriller set within an historical context, packed full of twists and turns, The Medea Complex explores the nature of the human psyche: what possesses us, drives us, and how love, passion, and hope for the future can drive us to insanity.

21400356Debt Inheritance (Indebted #1) by Pepper Winters, dark erotic romance (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: “I own you. I have the piece of paper to prove it. It’s undeniable and unbreakable. You belong to me until you’ve paid off your debts.” 

Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Being the first born daughter, her life is forfeit to the first born son of the Hawks to pay for sins of ancestors past. The dark ages might have come and gone, but debts never leave. She has no choice in the matter.

She is no longer free.

Jethro Hawk receives Nila as an inheritance present on his twenty-ninth birthday. Her life is his until she’s paid off a debt that’s centuries old. He can do what he likes with her—nothing is out of bounds—she has to obey.

There are no rules. Only payments. 

After WimbledonAfter Wimbledon by Jennifer Gilby Roberts, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, chick-lit (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

Blurb: A British chick lit / romantic comedy novel about tennis, romance, family and having the guts to move on to a new phase of your life.

After 12 years on the pro. tennis tour and four years with her sort-of boyfriend, Lucy Bennett has had enough. She wants real life… and real love.

Her life, her decision. Right? Well, no one else seems to think so. With opinions on all sides, Lucy’s head is spinning. And she’s stumbling right into the arms of long-term crush and fellow player Sam. Shame her boyfriend – his arch-rival – would sooner smash a racquet over their heads than agree to a simple change of partners.

As the Wimbledon Championships play out, Lucy fights for her life on and off the courts. The question is: what will she be left with after Wimbledon?

PP Cover.3838236-Primary Fault CVR UBC-ps4NEWBCT-FIN-12X18-06141Primary Fault (The Schattenreich Series #1) by Sharon Kae Reamer, fantasy romance (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: Caitlin Schwarzbach has left home. For good.

Separated from her beloved brother Gus at age seven, Caitlin exchanges small-town Texas for Cologne, Germany to be with him. But upon her arrival, a man resembling her brother attempts to kidnap her.

At a university reception, Caitlin feels intimidated by one of her brother’s former colleagues, only to have the conversation interrupted by a dangerously attractive man, Hagen von der Lahn. She learns her seismologist brother Gus has included her in a research project with the amateur archeologist and stylish aristocrat. When Gus is called away to his institute by an earthquake, the deranged Gus doppelgänger again tries to drag her away. Hagen rescues Caitlin and secures her in his castle near the Rhine.

Gus vanishes, sought by the Cologne police for multiple sexual assaults. As Hagen and Caitlin begin the investigation into her brother’s disappearance, her feelings for Hagen grow. But before she can follow up on a promising lead, a blow to the head lands Caitlin in the hospital. An unwanted visitor appears by her bed; someone she feared since childhood, the being she thinks of as Death. His appearance can only mean one thing: her brother is in mortal danger.

A novel of supernatural suspense, Primary Fault is a delightful mixture of science meets magic set amidst a backdrop of Celto-Germanic Otherworld.

Desired (True Alpha 1)Desired (True Alpha #1) (short story) by Alisa Woods, paranormal romance (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

Blurb: Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

Mia is just a college girl trying to earn her business degree and dig out of the poverty she was born into—being a shifter is something she hides, hoping her secret won’t sabotage her dreams.

Lucas is a broken alpha, a wolf who lost his mate, his pack, and almost himself—he wasn’t looking to rescue a girl or start a pack war. But now he has to keep her safe or it won’t just be her life, but his whole family at risk… only his inner wolf can’t seem to keep its paws off a girl who has secrets of her own.

Guarded (True Alpha 2)Guarded (True Alpha #2) (short story) by Alisa Woods, paranormal romance (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

THIS IS THE SECOND EPISODE OF SIX in the True Alpha serial.

Blurb: Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

As Lucas fights his instinctual attraction to Mia, focusing instead on guarding her and keeping her safe from the Red pack, Mia tries to discover the truth about Lucas’s dead mate.

Guarded (True Alpha 2) is 70 pages or 17,000 words. It’s the second of six episodes in the True Alpha serial. 

HunterBetrayed 200x300 - CopyHunter Betrayed (Wild Hunt #1) by Nancy Corrigan, erotic fantasy, paranormal romance (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: Tainted from birth, Harley lives a life cloaked in darkness and temptation. She resists the lure of her evil legacy by holding the memory of her ghostly savior close. Every night without him is agony. She fantasizes about him and yearns for his body, but he’s not the protector or lover she’s envisioned. He’s a Hunter bred to eliminate her kind. He’s also her only hope of salvation.

Calan, the leader of the Wild Hunt, was created to protect mankind from the Unseelie Court. For a millennium, he’s sacrificed to ensure the horrid creatures remain in the Underworld, but his strength wanes. He must rely on his enemy’s daughter to save him, but he doesn’t expect the intensity of their lust or love. Her touch calms his wild nature and ignites his carnal desires. He’ll risk all to save her, but doing so forces him to make the ultimate sacrifice, one that’ll damn him to suffer forever in his own living hell.

Soul RebelSoul Rebel by C.J. Pinard, paranormal romance suspense (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

Blurb: When 21-year-old Nolan Bishop meets a seductive woman named Eva at a dark club in downtown Shreveport, Louisiana, little does he know his soul will be gone as soon as she is. Realizing she’s taken something from him, he finds out he has a very limited time to destroy her before he turns into something sinister and inhuman. In a race against all that is holy, Nolan has to find Eva and get his soul back while trying not to fall in love with Charity, the twin sister of the succubus who took his soul – all in 7 days.

22589639Her Vengeful Scot (Highland Chronicles #2) by Christina Phillips, historical romance, erotic, slight paranormal (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: Ordered to remain in Pictland, Cameron MacNeil fights the lust that consumes him whenever he encounters the aloof princess, Elise. Not only is she a cursed Pict, she’s married to the man responsible for his sister’s death. In order to avenge his sister, he must destroy the woman he wants most.

Despite her reputation, Elise has no interest in men until she meets Cameron. Lacking the famed Scots charm, his blunt ways enchant her and he ignites a passion in her she thought long dead. When she is freed from her difficult marriage, Elise places her trust in the tough warrior who stole her heart.

Bound by blood oaths, the only way Cam can protect Elise from political schemes is to make her his bride. When Elise discovers the truth of her husband’s death, she wonders if everything she knew about Cam was a lie. All she can do is trust that her goddess was right and Cameron is her true love.

Sexy young couple playing in love games in a bedroom.Too Much to Lose (Dirty Little Secrets) by Samantha Holt, contemporary romance (reviewed by Tina Williams)

Blurb: Have you ever been so desperate you made a decision that would haunt you forever?

Jess has.

She became a porn star.

Jess is on the run from her past. She has no friends, no life. She tries to forget everything that happened to her all those years ago. After changing her image, leaving her home and getting a new job, she’s determined it won’t happen again. If that means never being close to anyone ever again, then so be it.

If only Hunter O’Reilly didn’t make her wish things could be different.

Hunter needs this job. After being screwed over by his partner—make that ex-partner—his investigation business is on the line. Already in debt, he eagerly takes on the job of finding some stolen money at triple his going rate and all leads point in Jess’s direction. He expects problems at that price. But he doesn’t expect to fall for her.

However, no job is ever that simple. When he’s forced to spend more time with her, the lines between business and pleasure are blurred. And once Jess’s life comes under threat, they have to make a decision, can they both overcome Jess’s past?

Here Lies LoveHere Lies Love by Dan Thompson, dystopian, romance, New Adult (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

Blurb: Would death be less painful than life?

When she is sold by her father, Abbey discovers that nightmares can occur when you’re awake. Trapped inside a wooden cage, Abbey is forced to listen to the horrors and atrocities above; time ticking down until it is her turn. But Abbey isn’t prepared to become a victim; she will escape.

Although, what Abbey isn’t prepared for, is how harsh and unfair the world can be. With the sun turning its back on humanity long ago, life gives no opportunity. The only thing Abbey can do is learn to survive. To exist. And that means stealing any opportunity that comes her way. Haunted by the unpleasant memories bestowed upon her only nurtures Abbey’s paranoia, until she realises that to truly live in the world, she must confront the person who was responsible for her misfortune – her father.

Here Lies Love is a New Adult tale of actuality, of facing up to the fact that love comes in many guises. Can Abbey find the one glimmer of hope or will she be overcome with the darkness of revenge?

 

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**REVIEW & Kindle e-book GIVEAWAY** Here Lies Love by Dan Thompson

Here Lies Love

A Reader’s Review Blog are excited to host our review and fantastic giveaway of Dan Thompson’s New Adult Dystopian ‘Here Lies Love’! Be warned – there are some dark and adult topics and therefore, it is not one for the faint-hearted!! (Please scroll down for details of the e-book giveaway!)

Blurb: Would death be less painful than life?

When she is sold by her father, Abbey discovers that nightmares can occur when you’re awake. Trapped inside a wooden cage, Abbey is forced to listen to the horrors and atrocities above; time ticking down until it is her turn. But Abbey isn’t prepared to become a victim; she will escape.

Although, what Abbey isn’t prepared for, is how harsh and unfair the world can be. With the sun turning its back on humanity long ago, life gives no opportunity. The only thing Abbey can do is learn to survive. To exist. And that means stealing any opportunity that comes her way. Haunted by the unpleasant memories bestowed upon her only nurtures Abbey’s paranoia, until she realises that to truly live in the world, she must confront the person who was responsible for her misfortune – her father.

Here Lies Love is a New Adult tale of actuality, of facing up to the fact that love comes in many guises. Can Abbey find the one glimmer of hope or will she be overcome with the darkness of revenge?

REVIEW

Wow! There are some very dark topics in this New Adult dystopian, Here Lies Love, and it is definitely not for the faint hearted! Not only is it one of the darkest novels I have read for some time, being set in an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it survival narrative but it also deals with captivity, violence and sexual abuse, where the victim considers suicide as it may be preferable to carrying on. There is also the presence of betrayal and loneliness surrounding the main character, Abbey. Be prepared for an intense, emotive adventure, where the reader truly cannot predict what will happen on the following page, let alone at the end of the story!!!

The reader is introduced to Abbey at a time when the sun hasn’t shone in the sky for many years. The human race is barely surviving and Abbey has been sent away by her father to live with Stefan, a man who offered Abbey a chance of minor housework to earn her keep and food. Little did Abbey know that she would be under lock and key and only taken out when Stefan, the monster, wanted to play. Abbey not only has to live with the fear of what this guy will do to her, but she can hear the screams of other girls. She cannot let him carry on doing this to her.

The reader feels every sense of terror, anxiety and tension, longing for Abbey and the others to escape. This story takes you places that you would not really want to venture to from the beginning. However, by doing this the reader is hooked on hoping for Abbey to make it out. For a New Adult novel, Dan Thompson writes so carefully, explaining the depths of desperation that Abbey is at, allowing every moment to be clear to the reader without being completely graphic as a more mature read could be. This shows a level of sensitivity and the author helps create the horrific scene with atmospheric descriptions just as much as the abusive situation in which Abbey is in.

Abbey’s emotions towards her father are mixed. She was close to him and her gran when she was younger but she cannot understand how her father could just give her away to a monster like Stefan. Abbey feels angry and betrayed by her father. She wants answers and he is the only one that holds them. Her father and her home at the lighthouse are all she knows and so her objective is to face her father to find his truth and possibly seek revenge.

Here Lies Love also keeps the reader on their toes just as much as Abbey is. I find dystopians in general are dark reads and concentrate on surviving, and this is no different in many ways. There is a lack of trust in people, the need for food and warmth, etc, but Abbey is also struggling with the coming of age at the same time as having her innocence robbed and then to top it all off she falls for another survivor of the apocalypse in Tristan.

Meeting Tristan, although careful and cautious of him at first, provides Abbey with a certain feeling of affection that she has long forgotten. She has only had to think and care for herself, and now meeting Tristan and his best friend, Ryan, she begins to feel connected with people again, if just a little. However, due to her young age and trying to deal with what has happened to her makes it very easy for Abbey to become paranoid and concerned about the true intentions of Tristan and Ryan. The reader does question, ‘Is there hope for Abbey’s future?’

Towards the end of the novel the answer to that question is still one for the reader to possibly judge for themselves. And where does it leave Tristan? I want to know so much more about these characters and, although the story is pretty well wrapped, I would still like to follow these characters into a sequel to find out exactly what becomes of both of them and whether or not they are together? Despite the seriousness, darkness and sheer desperation that Abbey felt, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. If you are a dystopian fan and enjoy a dark read this is definitely one for you!!

A copy of Here Lies Love was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

GIVEAWAY

For a chance to win an e-book (mobi version for Amazon Kindle) of Here Lies Love all we ask is for you to leave your name and/or a comment in the comments box below before Monday 29th September 2014.

Alternatively, you can leave a comment on our Facebook page post at www.facebook.com/AReadersReview before the closing date, Monday 29th September 2014!

The winner will be randomly selected and notified as soon as they are selected.

Good luck to all those who enter. We wish you every success!!

Caroline & Tina 🙂

And if you are unlucky, or simply cannot wait then here are the purchase links:-

Here Lies Love is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

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Guarded (True Alpha #2) (short story) by Alisa Woods **REVIEW**

Guarded (True Alpha 2)New Adult Paranormal Romance serial

THIS IS THE SECOND EPISODE OF SIX in the True Alpha serial.

Blurb: Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

As Lucas fights his instinctual attraction to Mia, focusing instead on guarding her and keeping her safe from the Red pack, Mia tries to discover the truth about Lucas’s dead mate.

Guarded (True Alpha 2) is 70 pages or 17,000 words. It’s the second of six episodes in the True Alpha serial. 

REVIEW

Whereas book one was a very intense and hot read, Guarded (True Alpha #2) focuses on the emotional tension between Mia and Lucas. After a passionate night with Lucas, Mia’s inner wolf knows that he is right for her and that she belongs with him but Lucas is still in a great deal of heartache and pain from the death of his mate. The reader remains gripped to these characters and will question whether Mia will ever be able to help him come to terms with his deceased mate and allow her to belong with him.

Lucas battles his feelings for Mia, knowing that he can’t go there again. He can never be as close to anyone as he was with his mate. And, as much as he will protect and guard Mia from the Red Pack, he will not take her again or even come close. Guarded actually breaks down these two great characters where the reader will see Lucas’ more darker, serious side, his sorrow and pain, as well as his desire to keep Mia from this.

As a result he puts his defences up and distances himself. This makes him a little cold and impersonal with her at times, although it is also clear that he doesn’t want her to think bad of him. This in turn makes it more difficult for Mia to be with him and know how to respond. Book 2 certainly holds more emotional tension as opposed to sexual tension.

The reader can certainly empathise with both characters, making it unpredictable on the outcome of these two. There are twists and turns, a strong attraction, and danger from the Red Pack, as they will do anything to keep business going their way. (The Red Pack own a rival company to that of Lucas’, and threatening Mia may seem like a good idea to them – especially as they sense the connection between Mia and Lucas and his need to protect her.)

Mia’s character is strong as she feels that if she can help Lucas to open up and face what happened then she is in with a chance. She has much to understand about packs, mates as she has never been raised by one. At times this can make her seem a little naïve to Lucas. This makes the reader just long for Lucas to take Mia under his wing and teach her all he knows, guard her, protect her and love her! But will it all be too much for Lucas to bear?

Lucas’ dad has a strong impact on Mia as he is accepting, gentle and protective – all the things that a father should be that she has missed out on not having her own around. This scene was relatively small and yet had such a deep meaning, especially for Mia. I would like to read a little more about these two in the subsequent books.

The reader doesn’t miss a thing as Guarded (True Alpha #2) picks up where we left off in Desired (True Alpha #1). There are reminders of what happened previously, allowing the reader to easily remember and continue the story without having to keep checking back to the last episode. I cannot wait for the third instalment, Hunted. This series is a strong one for many a paranormal fan to follow. You will not be disappointed with the power and depth that these short stories provide!

Guarded (True Alpha #2) was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

Guarded (True Alpha #2) is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

You can also check out our review of Desired (True Alpha #1) (short story) by Alisa Woods here.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

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That Risen Snow: A Scary Tale of Snow White and Zombies by Rob Boley **SPOTLIGHT**

That Risen Snow: A Scary Tale of Snow White & Zombies (Scary Tales, #1)We simply cannot wait to read That Risen Snow: A Scary Tale of Snow White and Zombies! This horror has a twist on the Snow White fairytale and is to be read as a sequel to the original, tying in nicely for a Halloween review!! This is, author, Rob Boley’s debut novel, published earlier in 2014 by StoneGate Ink.

BLURB: The zombie sequel to Snow White begins where the classic fairy tale ends, with the Prince’s kiss waking Snow from her cursed slumber. Snow wakes up, but she doesn’t wake up right.

Now a deranged zombie, Snow infects both the Prince and the seven dwarfs’ leader. That leaves the young dwarf Grouchy, who is secretly in love with Snow, to find a cure for her malicious curse. So begins an epic journey that pits the lovesick Grouchy against dwarf-hating human soldiers, Snow’s ever-growing zombie horde, and his own bad temper. But when Grouchy and his motley crew of survivors escape Snow’s clutches and seek refuge in a nearby human village, he soon finds that her affliction has spread faster and further then he ever could have imagined. Snow is hell-bent on spreading her horrid curse across the land, and it’s up to Grouchy to stop her before it’s too late.

So begins THE SCARY TALES, a dark fantasy series featuring mash-ups of traditional fairy tale characters and classic horror monsters.

THAT RISEN SNOW trailer (please click to visit the YouTube trailer)

Author Bio:
Rob E. Boley is author of THAT RISEN SNOW: A SCARY TALE OF SNOW WHITE & ZOMBIES, the first in THE SCARY TALES series of dark fantasy novels published by StoneGate Ink. He grew up in Enon, Ohio, a little town with a big Indian mound. He later earned a B.A. and M.A. in English from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. His fiction has appeared in several markets, including A cappella Zoo, Pseudopod, Necrotic Tissue, and Best New Werewolf Tales, and his stories have won Best in Show in the Sinclair Community College Creative Writing Contest (2013) and the Dayton Daily News/Antioch Writers’ Workshop Short Story Contest (2012). He lives with his daughter in Dayton, Ohio, where he works for his alma mater. You can get to know him better online at http://www.robboley.com.

Advance Praise:
“Part delicious dream, part nightmare, That Risen Snow is an aberrant fairytale that is just as much a horror story. Boley has a knack for dark comedy and witty prose, and he blends it with a nearly-hardboiled voice uncharacteristic of (and therefore pleasantly unique in) dark fantasy fiction. It’s a story you’ll want to tear ass through but will equally want to slow down for, so you can savor the prose.”
—Brady Allen, author of Back Roads & Frontal Lobes

“In 1912, the Brothers Grimm published an old German fairy tale they titled Snow White. Little did they know that a guy named Rob Boley would come along a hundred years later to reveal the ‘true’ and adult story of Ms. White, or ‘Snow’ as she was known in real life… No one could have possibly foreseen what would become of Snow in the hands of a diabolical, maniacal imagination like Boley’s… Such a nice boy… with such a fevered mind. Read this with the lights on and a baseball bat or shotgun handy… you’re gonna be glad you did. This is a Snow White you ain’t gonna find in the middle school library… Get it, read it, and try to keep the screaming down.”
—Les Edgerton, author of Hooked, Just Like That, and The Bitch

“That Risen Snow and That Wicked Apple make a deliciously diabolical tale—part Walking Dead, part turned-on-its-ear fairy tale. Rob Boley strikes the perfect balance of depth, drama, and dark humor to keep readers devouring the pages and leave them hungering for more.”
—Linda Gerber, author of the Death by Bikini Mysteries

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To Hear the Rest More Clearly by Anne V. Pyterek **SPOTLIGHT**

Check out our Anne V. Pyterek SPOTLIGHT update of To Hear the Rest More Clearly. With a fantastic additional author post, I’m sure many of our readers will find this intriguing! It’s always lovely to hear from the author themselves as they open up to what really brings them to write the way they do! Enjoy! – Caroline & Tina

Caroline Barker's avatarareadersreviewblog

To Hear the Rest More Clearly banner

Genre: Literary Fiction, Magical Realism

To Hear the Rest More Clearly CoverSynopsis: Calliope Braintree has a lot working against her, but the forces of Nature and Love conspire to make her an instrument in the liberation of her fellow humans and the Wildness they have suppressed and perverted.

Aided by the Muse of Epic Poetry, an urban coyote, and the Chicago River, Calliope saves herself from the ravages of abuse, self-loathing and sexual humiliation. It’s not easy for her to remember the plan she and Muse had made for this life, but memories do come, in confusing fits and starts. A homeless orphan, sure of nothing but her urge to write, she ignores the mind-numbing conventions of civilized society, preferring to listen to her Muse. She follows Coyote, who leads her away from the degrading and harsh brutality of her life, into a haven of safety. Calliope goes to live in a hidden pocket of Wildness…

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