Category Archives: Discussion

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Beware the Lure of the Fairy Ring on Halloween & some Spine Chilling Book Recommendations

Summer 2013 169Be Very Careful where you Tread!

I have always been fascinated by toadstools and fungi, finding the sight of them particularly magical due to their connection with fairies, whether they occur singly or in a what I was told as a child is a fairy ring. I thought that I would look into the folklore and legends surrounding them in the run up to Halloween and reflect on their appearance in a book that I have read recently, Elena Han’s Hunter on a Moonless Night, click for my review. Although not set at Halloween, it is nevertheless a short, entertaining and tasty erotic dark fantasy read for this time of the year and which fits in well with the images that writing this post conjure up for me. The novella has a scene with a fairy ring that has magical qualities and plays a key role in the fate of the heroine. For some spine chilling book recommendations that we’ve reviewed which would make suitable Halloween reads scroll down.

hunterWhilst we are not lucky enough to have a fairy ring in our garden, we do have a number of toadstools in our lawn, hence the pic. According to what I have learned from Wikipedia, one of the largest fairy rings ever found is near Belfort in France, thought to be about 600m in diameter and over 700 years old – how hufungus is that (apologies for the terrible pun)!

There are a host of traditions and folklore surrounding fairy rings, cited on Wikipedia and sites such as Envirinmentalgraffitti.com, (scroll down for the links). They are known as ronds de sorciers  ‘sorcerers’ rings’) in France and Hexenringe (‘witches’ rings’) in Germany. European superstitions tend to warn against entering a fairy ring or dire consequences will follow, from curses to loss or an eye or worse…..

In English, Scandanavian and Celtic mythology, fairy rings are said to be the result of elves or fairies dancing. British folklorist Thomas Keightley noted that in Scandanavia in the early Twentieth Century it was believed that fairy rings (elfdans) arose from the dancing of elves and whilst entering an elfdans would permit one to see the elves it could put the person in thrall to them and their illusions. In the British Isles fairy rings are regarded as dangerous and best avoided, lest the fairies become angry and curse the interloper, who may be unable to leave the circle or be forced to dance to the point of exhaustion, death or madness. Entering the fairy ring on May Eve or Halloween night is also thought to be particularly dangerous.

Fairy rings also feature in literature: Shakespeare mentions them in A  Midsummer Nights Dream and The Tempest and Thomas Hardy uses a a fairy ring as a symbol of lost love in the Mayor of Casterbridge, the character of Michael Henshaw passes a fairy ring and remembers that he last saw his wife Susan there when he sold her to a sailor in a drunken rage.

In some parts fairy rings are regarded as omens of good luck – the Welsh believe that mountain sheep eating fairy ring grass flourish and so do nearby crops. What do you think? Will you be avoiding fairy rings on Halloween or will you be celebrating their mystical qualities?

Spine Chilling Book Recommendations (click titles for our reviews)

Bloodroom, by Naima Haviland

The Bad Death, by Naima Haviland

The Wolfstone Curse, by Justin Richards

Ways to see a Ghost, by Emily Diamand

Welcome to Skullcrusher Mountain, by Christine Pope

Hunter on a Moonless Night, by Elena Han

On the Lips of Children by Mark Matthews

Happy Halloween to all our readers. Tina and Caroline 🙂

Sources consulted for information on the mythology and folklore surrounding toadstools, fungi and fairy rings:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_ring

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/plants/news-fantastic-folklore-surrounding-fairy-rings

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Confessions of a Bookaholic

TinaDo You Recognise Yourself? – Take our Fun Quiz and Find Out!

During my recent vacation I had some time to ponder my reading addiction, book buying and hoarding habits. I came to the conclusion that I am a serious bibliophile, nay, bookaholic!

Why not take this fun quiz to discover whether you too have any of the characteristics/habits that I have unscientifically identified to see if you are too? Feel free to share your score with those also afflicted via this blog’s comments section and any additional habits not identified in this post.

1. Is your e-reader/bookshelf full to bursting with books that you have purchased, got hold of for free or downloaded as a sample?

2. When friends/relatives ask you what you have been up to recently do your thoughts immediately go to the adventures of the heroes and heroines in your most recent reads?

3. Are you unaware of the names of popular celebrities or TV programmes but can easily list authors’ book series and the various heroes and heroines?

4. If given £100 to spend in a town you have not visited before would you prefer to spend the time and money checking out book bargains or rare book finds in the bookshops or shopping in boutiques?

5. Have you ever listed the names and addresses of a town’s charity shops , with the sole purpose of visiting them to investigate their collection of second hand books?

6. Have you ever hidden books that you have purchased from your parents/partner?

7. Do you usually prefer the book to the film?

8. Do you borrow from a lending library? Do staff there know you on sight and/or by name? Do you order books from other libraries as you have exhausted all but new acquisitions in your preferred genres?

9.  Are your computer favourites festooned with the blog sites of your favourite authors or review sites?

10. Are you a member of sites such as Goodreads or Smashwords?

11. If given an Amazon gift card do you only think of spending it on books?

12. Do you read reviews or post reviews?

13. Do you have a huge wish list of books that you have yet to purchase but want to read?

14. Did you play at libraries as a child?

15. As a child did you ever read a book under the cover of darkness as it was time for lights out?

Count up the number of the above questions that you answered YES to and read on for the diagnosis………………

1-4 – Your reading is not excessive and you have a healthy, well balanced life. But think how much more exciting it could be if you read more!

5-9 – You are on a slippery slope. It could go either way!

10 and above – You have a serious book addiction! Seek help, take up physical exercise or origami  or put up and shut up and become a book blogger.

Happy reading!

Tina 🙂

Post image by Catherine Williams

 

 

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A Novel Idea from Author Mary Raimes Curtis – Read Candle Without a Flame

candlewithoutaflame333x500-001Read this Exciting Tale FREE on Mary’s New Blog and Read on for an Excerpt from Chapter 2!

I’ve reviewed one of author Mary Raimes Curtis’ books, Luscious and Lethal (The Gilded River Chronicles), a Romantic Suspense, on this blog and have also read her novel Taming the Hawk, a historical romance novel set in Victorian England, which were both fantastic reads, with memorable characters and plots.

Mary is now serializing one of her novels entitled Candle Without A Flame online on her new blog, entitled A Writer’s Journey, in which, amongst other endeavours, she  says that she is able,

“to do something I had long wanted to try, serialize one of my stories. Just as Dickens and others writers did in the Victorian era………………. Candle Without A Flame, a story about a child musical prodigy who faces the loss of her beloved parents. A misstep by her guardian leaves her in the hands of an unscrupulous manager. I do hope you come along as we follow Erin on her rocky journey from despair to the creation of a new life”.

I thought that I would share this with you as it gives readers a great opportunity to check out her writing style and read one of her stories over the coming months. Read on if you would like to read an excerpt from Chapter 2 of the book, which Mary has kindly permitted us to share with our readers, and would like to find out the links to read more.

Excerpt from Candle Without A Flame: Chapter Two

‘Erin watched Zach turn away. His harsh words made her want to run, from him, from herself, from the past. Long-rejected memories spilled through dark cracks and swamped her. Still she floundered forward, wanting to outrun the veracity of what had been. She could hardly breathe as sorrow wound tight around her chest and blocked her throat. Then, suddenly, she stumbled and fell, cracking her knees on the cabin’s granite step and sprawled forward. Her head thudded on damp mossy ground, as the past she had denied for seven years, escaped and wouldn’t be denied.

Vaguely, she heard Zack call her name and felt the thud of his footsteps hurrying towards her. He was too late. Memory dragged her back to a place she didn’t want to be. She was twelve years old again and drained as she always was after a performance. Her mom and dad should have been back from their dig and sitting in the reserved seats at the Albert Hall. She had watched for them from the wings before stepping on stage. Her dad always sat in the aisle seat so he could stretch out his long legs. Adam, her parent’s friend, sat there now. A sense of tragedy made her feel ill. Still, the audience waited to hear her play so she tried to concentrate on giving the performance expected of a professional. Later, Adam took charge, cleaving through the well-wishers and autograph seekers and handed her into the waiting limo. The London townhouse was silent. The dining table set with glinting crystal and fine china, ready for the special late dinner planned for her mom and dad’s homecoming. Then Adam told her things she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge, then or now.’

Candle Without A Flame is serialized in A Writer’s Journey blog at: http://maryraimescurtis.blogspot.com/

You can read chapter 1 on Mary’s site, and chapter 2 in its entirety, by clicking on the link below. I am already hooked and can’t wait for the next instalment!

http://maryraimescurtis.blogspot.co.uk/p/candle-without-flame.html

You can also subscribe to the site so that you get regular updates delivered straight to your in box. Mary’s blog also showcases authors that she admires and has a special section for cat lovers, entitled CATAMANIA, which focuses on rescued feral cats in Nova Scotia. You can also read more about her other novels, Taming the Hawk and Luscious and Lethal on her blog. The fabulous cover art for  Candle Without a Flame and Mary’s other novels was carried out by Marion Sipe.

Tina 🙂

Mary’s other novels:

lusciouslethal200x300[1]-001taming200x300[1]-001

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Guest Blogger – Sabrina, ‘The Urban Book Thief’ – Deconstructing the Alpha Hero

shutterstock_118713643-001Today we are thrilled to welcome Sabrina, aka ‘The Urban Book Thief,’ to our blog to give us an insight into the alpha heroes we love. In doing so she also shares some awesome book recommendations. Sabrina’s blog is bursting with fun and fantastic news and reviews of kick ass romance, urban fantasy and paranormal books. If this sounds like your thing (and it’s definitely mine), check it out, you won’t be disappointed! Over to you Sabrina and many many thanks! Tina 🙂

Deconstructing the Alpha Hero

Heroes. Male protagonists. The Alpha. The hottie with a body. Whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em – there’s just no avoiding them. For me, I just can’t seem to get enough. Unfortunately, this sentiment isn’t shared quite so much by my hubbie, who has to live in a house with hundreds of books featuring half-naked men on their covers. Meh.

So I was going about my day last week when I ran into a rather awesome website called All About Romance. The content is stupendous; please do check them out if you have the time. The authors have one or two very insightful things to say about romance heroes, and I read an interesting post about how they tried to determine how many different types of ‘Alpha’ hero there are out there in big bad world of fiction. According to them there are eight heroic archetypes. It’s totally legit. They even had focus groups where they ogled different men and everything.

I was so extra-ordinar-ily fascinated with this idea that I created my own (rather less insightful) response.

1. The Chief

This is the guy you want to stick around when the world is about to blow. He is uber powerful, doesn’t take no for an answer and can kill a man by just jauntily raising his eyebrow in mock humour (just kidding – actually no… I think some of these heroes actually could).

Think Roarke from Nora Robert’s In Death series, Hawke from Kiss of Snow or Jericho Barrons from the Fever series.

“I’m not the hero, Mac. Never have been. Never will be. Let us be perfectly clear: I’m not the antihero, either, so quit waiting to discover my hidden potential. There’s nothing to redeem me.” (Shadowfever by K.M Moning)

Chiefs will never admit to being the hero. They are THAT inflexible. Though it is probably because they had to leave a lot of casualties behind on their way to the top…

2. The Bad Boy

This is the guy you don’t want your parents to meet: he’s the one with the leather jacket, a confident swagger (like Jagger yo) and a past he wants to bury. Tut-tut. He’ll usually say the wrong thing and will likely flick the Chief the bird when asked to do something. Even when it’s polite.

Think Tack from Kristen Ashley’s Motorcycle Man, Wraith from the Demonica series or Gabriel from the Dark Magic series.

“His voice was low and rough … “What about you? Do you like bad boys?” “There’s definitely appeal,” she breathed. “Good,” He bent and clipped her earlobe with his teeth … “Because they don’t come badder than me.” (Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione).

Ooooh! Count me in for a side serving of rebel with lashings of extra sarcasm. The bad boy is good for making with the funny and delivering the ultimate wise-crack put downs. Slam!

3. The Best Friend

This guy is known by many different names – my cuddly snookums, the one guy everyone gets along with, the sweetheart or the hero who declares his love within the space of almost three chapters. He remembers your birthday and will surprise you with flowers when it isn’t even Valentine’s Day. He’ll rock your little socks off.

Think Drew Kinkaid in Nalini Singh’s Play of Passion, Packard from the Disillusionists series or Jack from the Travis Family series by Lisa Kleypas.

“I respect you,” he murmured. “And your views. I think of you as an equal. I respect your brains, and all those big words you like to use. But I also want to rip your clothes off and have sex with you until you scream and cry and see God.” (Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas).

In paranormal romance, this type of hero is usually referred to as a Beta – and you know what ladies? Beta’s tend to be practical, they’ll pick their clothes off the floor without any prompting and will even cook dinner for you if you ask nicely… I’m sold. Where can I find one? My house needs cleaning…

4. The Charmer

This guy will sweep you off your feet with sweet, sweet words and a devilish smile. He’s fun, he’s sm-oo-th and usually has the gift of the gab which almost always get him into – and also out of – trouble. Think Bones from the Night Huntress series, Reseph from Rogue Rider or Gwenvael the Handsome from the Dragon Kin series.

“Wrong way, Bones. The men’s showers are in the opposite direction.” “I’ll file that away with all the other information that doesn’t pertain to me” was Bones’ mocking reply. (One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost)

He’s a playboy with a heart of gold… well, most of the time anyway. A word of warning, he’s not always the responsible type so don’t pen his name down for babysitting duty – not until he has been trained.

5. The Lost Soul

This guy is the one you want to take home and put your arms around cause life has just pure sucked for him in the past. Big brooders the lot of ‘em. Think Demetrius from the Night Prowler Series, Kere from Born of Silence or Dageus from Dark Highlander.

Also like honor and courage and love, sometimes the truth can be lost, and you have to find your way back to it, crawling over fields of broken glass and dead bodies, your knees and hands bloody and raw, until you get to it and it’s even sweeter than before because of what you suffered on the way. (Rapture’s Edge by J.T. Geissinger).

The Lost Soul is usually no stranger to torture, suffering or pain. In fact, if he wasn’t so god damn sexy we would probably have to put him out of his misery. Poor thing. Nice abs though.

6. The Professor

No, he hasn’t always got his nose in a book – but this guy does have book smarts, and lots of them too. This is a hero who is logical, practical and one to stick to the facts. Plus, I reckon he would definitely be able to complete The Times crossword puzzle. In an hour.

Think Ian from the Highland Pleasures series, Gabriel from Gabriel’s Inferno or Lock from the Pride Series.

When she knew she had her voice back, she asked, “So I’m your girlfriend now?”

“Yup. We’re going to attempt what’s known in the nonintellectual world as a rel-a-tionship.” He sounded the word out and Gwen struggled not to laugh. (The Mane Squeeze by Shelly Laurenston).

Cool as a cucumber and smart as a badger (badgers are dead smart. This I know because I’ve never actually seen one. In fact, I do not know anyone who has seen a real life badger. So unless they have all mystically met their maker, I have deduced that they are cunningly clever ninja spies). This guy can also count without having to use his fingers too. This will definitely help when he goes grocery shopping. Definitely.

7. The Swashbuckler

Step back Indiana, these guys have it covered. Fearlessly brilliant, this is a group of gainly gentlemen know how to dodge a deadly viper while simultaneously bouncing on a space hopper and eating a Big Mac. The Swashbuckler is not afraid to get dirty. In fact – he loves it. Oooh soldier!

Think Strider from Lords of the Underworld, Archimedes Fox from the Steampunk series Iron Seas or Garreth MacRieve from the Immortals after Dark series.

“At fifty times the distance, you dispatched that ko-bold with three arrows to the neck. I’ve earned a trio to the chest. Seems you slapped him while you’re tickling me. You doona want to kill me, which is a good sign. Maybe this is your way of flirting?” (Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole).

These thrills – they be multiplying. And boy do these guys love their thrills. Though just check yourself before you wreck yourself because this man likes to invite chaos and havoc along his merry way.

8. The Warrior

This is the guy you want with you when battling the demons lurking under your bed. These heroes are men’s men. Intensely masculine, hard as nails and potential knights in shining armour – although they may grumble about it and say things like ‘it was my duty’ or ‘I protect all my peoples, even lovely wenches such as yourself’.

Think Curran from Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series, Rain from the Tairen Soul series or Sin from the Dark-Hunter series.

“I turned to leave and paused before the gap in the ruined wall. “One last thing, Your Majesty. I’d like a name I can put into my report, something shorter than typing out ‘The Leader of the Southern Shapechanger Faction.’ What should I call you?” “Lord.” I rolled my eyes. He shrugged. “It’s short.” (Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews).

When the warrior comes out to play it’s time for the bad guys to git cause this guy leaves no stone unturned – so be sure to leave plenty lying around in your back garden in case he comes over for a cup of tea.

Thank you for visiting us from ‘Down Under’ Sabrina. I love all of the alpha archetypes identified, although I’ve currently got a major thing for The Warrior – hence the post image, which I could not resist! I  also admit to adoring Barrons (The Chief), Bones (The Charmer) and  Wraith (The Bad Boy), from the alpha heroes that you identified. I think that all of our readers will have their favourites. Once again thank you for sharing your insights with us. Tina 🙂

The Urban Book Thief blog

All About Romance

Post image: CURAphotography/Shutterstock.com

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One Lovely Blog Award

one-lovely-blog-award[1]Many many thanks to Sarah Colliver, author, blogger and keen photographer for our nomination for the super ONE LOVELY BLOG AWARD which we are both delighted to accept. You can find Sarah’s blog, where you can read about her inspirational Peggy Rodman Series and her poetry and look  at her beautiful photographs of the Forest of Dean at:

http://sarahcolliver.wordpress.com/

Without further ado here are our 7 nominees for the ONE LOVELY BLOG AWARD:

http://cherylmoore.wordpress.com

http://countingducks.wordpress.com

http://freakyfolktales.wordpress.com

http://www.samanthaholtauthor.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.maryraimescurtis.blogspot.co.uk/

http://sophiebowns.wordpress.com

http://urbanbookthief.wordpress.com/

7 RANDOM FACTS about Tina and Caroline who blog on areadersreviewblog:

TinaEaster 2013 017-002

1) Although currently mistress of all I survey at home – the cooker, the vacuum, the refrigerator, the ironing and the cleaning and not forgetting the children, in the dim and distant past I played at other things. These included working in the NHS, local government and the Fire Service. My favourite jobs were those where I worked in area regeneration and produced policies to combat poverty and social exclusion.

2) I have been friends with Caroline since I worked alongside her in the Fire Service.

3) I prefer tea to coffee and I am a very tactile person (see Caroline’s Random Fact no 3).

4) I adore reading, especially romance books, from sweet to erotic, in every sub genre imaginable. I sometimes read erotica.

5) Guests at my wedding were encouraged to be ‘hands on’ and to participate in the entertainment. We had two musicians who played medieval music, were attired in medieval costumes and who compelled guests to throw themselves fully into the dance of the ‘Amorous Pea’, which they claimed was all the rage at the French court. It was only later when we looked at the wedding video that we realised that some guests were less than enthusiastic!

6) I prefer white wine to red, as if I drink red wine I peak too early and am prone to falling over or revealing mine and everyone else’s darkest secrets.

7) I am scared of heights.

Caroline319607_2093943793106_1277644539_n[1]

1) I was named after a Status Quo song.

2) I absolutely love the sitcom ‘Scrubs’ – so much so that I had pink pyjamas  similar to the scrubs that they wear on the show (just by chance) and I really wanted a real stethoscope to go with them so I could pretend to be Sarah Chalke’s character, ‘Elliot’!

3) Have known Tina for 13 years, worked with her, rented a home from her, had children at similar times as her, created this blog with her – all after Tina recommending to our boss to take me on for a job after an interview in which she found out I had sold some fluffy diaries!!!

4)  I loved writing as a teenager, I made up lyrics in the styles that I thought were similar to Celine Dion and Blur. My favourite piece of writing is an intro I wrote for a biography on the music band Oasis. I thought of a great title too. Now I just need to write the remainder of the book!!!

5) I used to want to knit. However, I couldn’t place the stitches over the needle to begin with and once I got going my knitting always ended up with holes throughout!

6) When I was about 9 or 10 I broke a pane of glass from my school’s greenhouse thinking that the door opened outwards (when actually it slid across). I pushed the glass and it fell and smashed. Oooops!

7) At the turn of my 18th birthday I met my amazing guy, began a new job within the Fire Service, embarking on a lifelong friendship with Tina, and I went on my first weeks holiday! Great times!

Thank you to everyone for reading this and we look forward to continuing to have fun and meeting others through the awesome world of blogging!

If you would like to accept this award, post about it and pass it on to others, here are the rules: 1. Add the ONE LOVELY BLOG AWARD image to your post. 2. Share seven things about you. 3. Pass the award on to seven nominees. 4. Thank the person who nominated you. 5. Inform the nominees by posting on their blogs.

Tina and Caroline 🙂

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Caroline’s favourite authors/books

319607_2093943793106_1277644539_n[1]Although, always a keen reader it wasn’t until 2010 that I begun to read novels continuously. Since then there have been certain novels, series and short stories that have really stood out for me – some dating back before A Reader’s Review Blog was created. I thought I would take a moment to reflect on some of my favourites, in the hope that some of you will be intrigued to try them out or offer any thoughts you may have on them. Below you will find the 5 authors (Tim O’Rourke, C.J. Pinard, J.R. Ward, Jonathan Hayes and Gary Richardson) and their books/series that have definitely had an impact, along with links to any reviews I have written and some extra pieces of trivia.

Vampire Shift (Kiera Hudson, #1)TIM O’ROURKE!

The first book I read of Tim’s was a young adult paranormal novel, Vampire Shift (Keira Hudson Series One, Book One). I hadn’t long bought my Kindle and I purchased ‘Vampire Shift’ as it was on offer at the time. I absolutely loved the novel and began to download the rest of the Keira Hudson series. If you love vampires, lycanthrope, dramatic horror, with profound characters and amazing storylines you will love this series. It was reading Tim’s books that inspired me to write lengthier reviews as his book were so exciting, so full of life and made me feel like I was living in the story. In a big way, I have Tim to thank for suggesting that I write a blog!Vampire Hollows (Kiera Hudson, #5) So far, I have only read up to Dead Wolf (Keira Hudson Series Two, Book Five), however my personal favourites thus far have been Vampire Breed (Keira Hudson Series One, Book Four) and Vampire Hollows (Keira Hudson, Series One Book Five). Absolutely amazing work – Tim has also been busy working on a Graphic Novel for Vampire Shift, which I have just recently won a signed cover for, and he has also released podcasts of Vampire Shift which can be downloaded FREE from iTunes!

Vampire Seeker (Samantha Carter Series, #1)Not only has Tim blew my mind with his Keira Hudson series, I then began to read Witch (Sydney Hart Book One), Moonlight (Book 1 of the Moon Trilogy) and Vampire Seeker (Samantha Carter Book One), and I have to say I have loved every one. My all time favourite has been Vampire Seeker (Samantha Carter Book One). I have many more of Tim’s books to read. Below is a list of Tim’s books that I have read – click to see my reviews! Aside from the books below, Tim has also written the Black Hill Farm series, Doorways series, plus additional books to the Keira Hudson series, Sydney Hart series and soon to be released the second book of The Moon Trilogy, Moonbeam!!!

Vampire Shift (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 1)

Vampire Wake (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 2)

Vampire Hunt (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 3)

Vampire Breed (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 4)

Wolf House (Potter’s Story) (Kiera Hudson Series 1 Book 4.5) – novella

Vampire Hollows (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 5)

Dead Flesh (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 1)

Dead Night – Potter’s Secrets (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 1.5) – novella

Dead Angels (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 2)

Dead Statues (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 3)

Dead Seth (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 4)

Dead Wolf (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 5)

Moonlight (The Moon Trilogy #1)

Vampire Seeker (Samantha Carter #1)

Witch (Sydney Hart #1)

C.J. PINARD!

Enchanted Immortals (Enchanted Immortals, #1)As well as a fantastic editor, C.J. Pinard is also an amazing author. Enchanted Immortals is a paranormal fantasy that follows a group of immortals whose job it is to protect the sylph and humans from the vampires and shifters. To become and remain immortal they need an elixir ‘Enchantment’, provided by the sylph, at regular intervals. Enchanted Immortals has the darkness and direction of J.R. Ward’s style with the great imaginative and fantasy style of Laurell K. Hamilton! There are four books in the series and so far I love Enchanted Immortals (Book One) and Enchanted Immortals 3: The Vampyre. I love how these novels travel back and forth from the present to the past – into the lives of the Immortals before and after they became immortal!

Enchanted Immortals 4: The Vixen (Enchanted Immortals, #4)Book 4, Enchanted Immortals 4: The Vixen has recently been released and I am hoping to review this very soon! It will be a shame that this series has ended but I am aware that C.J. has more work in the pipeline! I cannot wait to read more of her work. C.J. was very kind and had written an author post for A Readers Review Blog to coincide with our review on Enchanted Immortals 3: The Vampyre. I would also like to thank C.J. for her kindness and support. I have reviewed the first three books of the Enchanted Immortals novels, which you can find below by clicking on the links!

Enchanted Immortals (Enchanted Immortals Book 1)

Enchanted Immortals: The Vortex (Enchanted Immortals Book 2)

Enchanted Immortals: The Vampyre (Enchanted Immortals Book 3)

J.R. WARD!

Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #1)Before Tina and myself begun A Reader’s Review Blog, we were both completely hooked on J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. It is a dark paranormal/urban fantasy series about a band of 6 vampire warriors who live mostly apart from the main population and are defending their race against the slayers. Each novel focuses on a different brother, however there is a whole story flowing throughout the series. It is very action-packed and violent with scenes of passion, drama and an extremely in-depth story. Tina and myself couldn’t get enough of this series and we were meeting up weekly spending most of our time talking about the characters, who we loved, what we wanted to happen, etc. It is disappointing that we have not reviewed any books from this series, however I am positive that we will return to this series at some point to write reviews. I did write some very basic reviews on Goodreads, but as they were prior to the blog they are quite brief.

JONATHAN HAYES!

Jonathan Hayes made an impact on me way before the blog began. I read his debut, Precious Blood and the sequel A Hard Death. Both books are crime thrillers following a medical examiner, Edward Jenner, who is forced out of retirement after a horrific murder has occurred and then the victim is found to be that of a serial killer. I loved these books as Jonathan Hayes actually is a forensic pathologist and therefore, has firsthand knowledge and I think he illustrates this beautifully in his books. I also liked the character’s name – being a fan of history at school Edward Jenner is also the name of an English physician and scientist who discovered the vaccination for smallpox! Again, my reviews on these novels are very basic as they were written before I considered a blog but they can be found on Goodreads and below:-

Precious Blood. Jonathan HayesMy review on Precious Blood :- A very fast-paced and chilling thriller. This was an excellent debut for Jonathan Hayes. Before I had even read the book I was aware that the author was a forensic pathologist. The detail of the investigation is profound and obviously from a man with common knowledge of this expertise, however the way in which the novel is written enables many readers to take it all in and become understanding and captivated by it all. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope to find that the author has written again. I’ll definitely be looking up more of his books in the future!!!

A Hard DeathA Hard Death:- After reading the first instalment of Jonathan Hayes’ Edward Jenner character in Precious Blood I was very excited to read the sequel. At first, I must admit I found it more difficult to really get into this one. However, I do think that it was largely due to the setting. New York (setting of Precious Blood) does appear to be more of a dangerous, dark setting than sunny, holiday-like Miami. Therefore, there seemed to be more crime, terror and other happenings in Precious Blood. But A Hard Death is a good novel and as it goes on it does get better and better and better. The story goes deeper, with references to the last book, and there are twists in the last half of the book.  It was well worth a read and I will definitely be interested in reading more of Jonathan Hayes’ novels. Hopefully, there will be more Edward Jenner to come!

GARY RICHARDSON!

The Purple HazeGary Richardson wrote a short story, The Purple Haze. It has been a story that I have never forgotten, starting off as a bank job going wrong and being caught by the police to an action-packed horror with zombies pursuing the survivors of what appeared to be a gas attack! Over a year has passed and yet the story is still quite vivid. I love the way how it is written, like The Sweeney (tv series) turns into The Walking Dead (tv series) or even similar to that of ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’ (movie) as it begins quite realistic and turns all of a sudden. I’d love Gary Richardson to write more on this subject and similar subjects.

The Purple Haze

I hope that you have enjoyed reading about my favourite books. If you are interested in crime thrillers I could also add Val McDermid (author of The Wire in the Blood series – also a tv drama). I find that Val McDermid does a great deal of research when writing her novels and although I read them prior to the blog they are very powerful and unforgettable – as is LR Potter’s The Hourglass Killer trilogy! If you would like to offer your thoughts on any of the above we would love to hear your comments.

Caroline Barker

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Nomination for the Liebster Award

lieber-awardAs mentioned in our update, A Reader’s Review Blog has been nominated by Sabrina at The Urban Book Thief for the Liebster Award! Thank you, Sabrina! Bloggers pass on this award to new bloggers if they feel that their blog is worth viewing, but have fewer than 200 followers! This allows bloggers to promote each other in a fun way, which I think is quite cool! To accept the award we must list 11 facts about ourselves, answer 11 questions from the blogger that nominated us and also nominate 11 other new blogs for this amazing award! Hehe! As a little bit of fun, Tina and myself have decided we would both post 11 facts about ourselves and answer the questions from Sabrina! So, without further ado, below you will find the 11 facts about ourselves, answers to The Urban Book Thief’s questions and a list of the 11 blogs that Tina and myself have nominated for the award.

11 Facts about Caroline319607_2093943793106_1277644539_n[1]

  1. I never wanted to read a paranormal novel, thinking they were unbelievable. How wrong was I?!
  2. My favourite subject at school was history.
  3. I have never had a filling.
  4. I got my partner into running when we first met, deciding to start jogging. I stopped after a few runs and yet my partner runs 2-3 times a week, runs fun runs and has taken part in marathons, including the London Marathon! Twice!!! He has been doing this for 12 years!
  5. My favourite colour is blue.
  6. I enjoy watching the Snooker World Championships and love watching Ronnie O’Sullivan play. He has won the title 4 times now, 3 of which were the years my children were born!
  7. I used to be an avid music fan of most rock/pop acts and my knowledge was fairly good. I was called a ‘walking encyclopaedia’ at school! These days I am heavily into tv programmes, such as The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, Justified, Hell on Wheels, Breaking Bad, Lie To Me, Scrubs, True Blood, The Walking Dead, Boomtown, Southland and more recently Elementary and Chicago Fire! (To name but a few – there are many, many more!!!)
  8. For the last 3 years, until very recently, I was attending my friends Zumba classes 2-3 times a week. During some of these classes when I was needed I would take to the stage myself and help guide the class with some of the moves through the tracks! Very embarrassing and nerve-racking but great fun!!!
  9. At my first high school Sports Day I won the 400m race for my team, competing against some really great cross country runners! I am not a sporty person and so I am quite proud of that one! Couldn’t do it again though! Hehe!!
  10. After being the second from last out of my class to learn how to swim, I am determined to encourage my kids to learn, or to take part in other sports of their choice, to help with their confidence, self-esteem and socialising just as much as the physical exercise and well-being! I am very proud to say my 8 yr old daughter has achieved her 1km in swimming and practising for her lifesaver badge!
  11. My favourite actor has got to be Clint Eastwood. As well as his westerns, such as A Fistful of Dollars, and his action cop thrillers, such as Dirty Harry, I was brought up watching him in Every Which Way But Loose and Any Which Way You Can! From High Plains Drifter to Gran Torino, from Play Misty For Me to The Rookie he’s just fantastic!

Easter 2013 017-00211 Facts about Tina

  1. I like watching historical re-enactments, knights in shining (or tarnished) armour being my favourite.
  2. In researching my family history I have found many surprising facts, such as some Irish ancestry, criminal ancestors and an MP.
  3. I proposed to my husband in a leap year, after making sure that he had drunk enough El Presidente cocktail to sink a ship. I am normally quite shy and retiring, but I wanted to be sure of success!
  4. I am a liberal minded parent – my two girls rule the roost. I am banking on the fact that they will keep me in luxury in my retirement, as some research has found that this is the best way to foster genius. My excuse for lack of discipline!
  5. My fave holiday destination ever was my visit the US touring the San Francisco and then going inland to take in the many national parks.
  6. My star sign is Sagittarius. I was once heavily into astrology and cast my own natal chart.
  7. I nearly always prefer the book to the film.
  8. I believe in a superior being, but I think that it is more likely to be female than male.
  9. I believe that there are other sentient beings out there in space watching us and I have a secret wish to be abducted by a handsome alien and whisked off to the stars.
  10. I will often annoy my family by singing very loudly to the original soundtrack of War of the Worlds.
  11. I am not a feminist and prefer to celebrate the differences between the sexes.

Below are mine and Tina’s answers to The Urban Book Thief’s questions:-

Qu 1. Chicken or the egg – choose!

Tina: The egg – if only because it has got to hatch out of something!

Caroline: The egg definitely, as the chicken could possibly be a cross-breed.

Qu 2. How did you come up with the name of your blog?

Tina: I can’t claim any credit for this one – it was Caroline’s excellent idea!

Caroline: I thought it was simple, to the point and I always like onomatopoeia!!

Qu 3. Which one of your posts/book reviews was the most fun to write?

Tina: Evi Rabi’s Gringa: In the Clutches of a Ruthless Drug Lord.

Caroline: Vampire Seeker by Tim O’Rourke. I wrote it with a great deal of passion as I loved the book. It is one of my favourites!

Qu 4. What did you eat for breakfast today?

Tina: Chopped apple and natural yoghurt.

Caroline: Coco Pops

Qu 5. Where are all the baby pigeons?

Tina: I think they must hatch fully grown as I’ve never seen a baby one, although we get lots of adult pigeons in our garden. Perhaps they have been abducted by aliens and returned to Earth fully grown to spy on us?

Caroline: Maybe the baby pigeons age quickly so we never get to see them as babies. Or maybe they are invisible and can only appear when fully grown. This needs to be investigated!!!

Qu 6. What are you reading right now?

Tina: Borderland Beauty, a medieval romance, by Samantha Holt.

Caroline: Charades by Ann Logan.

Qu 7. Which book character do you simply love the most?

Tina: Barrons from Karen Marie Moning’s Fever Series. If you have read it you will know why!

Caroline: I quite like Harry from Vampire Seeker right now!

Qu 8. Which is your favourite book series?

Tina: JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood. The series just gets better and better and her vamps are HOT.

Caroline: Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward. This dark series focuses on all characters, each with their own characteristics, and the whole plot is packed with everything you could wish for.

Qu 9. Ninjas or Pirates – Choose!

Tina: Ninjas – I have always wanted the ability to dodge the raindrops as I hate the rain.

Caroline: Pirates for me as they seem to be naughty, crafty, cheeky and great characters. When I think of the word ‘pirate’ it reminds me of Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow. Ninja reminds me of the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ with theit great big rubber outfits! Hehe!

Qu 10. If you could have a supernatural power what would it be?

Tina: To shapeshift so that I could take on the appearance of someone else – just think of the fun getting access to places usually verboten and seeing or hearing what goes on! Either that or an invisibility cloak!

Caroline: I was going to say to read minds but I’m not sure. I would love to be a vampire for a while though!!

Qu 11. What’s black and white and red all over?

Tina: A newspaper with the measles.

Caroline: A zebra with a suntan.

Now for our 11 nominees for the Leibster Award:-

Helena Fairfax

Eve Rabi

Portal to the Pages

Dear Babies

M.C. Lavocat

The Book Trail

Cammminbookland

T. R.’s Musings

Raspo Review

Books in Transit Blog

Candy Coated Book Blog

If the nominees above would like to take part, they too would need to list 11 facts about themselves, answer our 11 questions from below and nominate 11 other new blogs (with fewer than 200 followers) as well as ask them 11 questions. Our 11 questions for the nominees above are as follows:-

  1. What inspired you to begin a blog?
  2. What is your favourite book genre?
  3. Where is your favourite place in the world?
  4. If you could be an animal, which animal would you be?
  5. Which animal scares you the most?
  6. Which musical instrument would you love to play?
  7. Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings?
  8. Who is your most favourite author?
  9. What is  your favourite meal?
  10. If you could be a tv/film comedy character of your choice, who would you be?
  11. If you were to write a book, which genre would best describe it?
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Recommended Paranormal Romance Books featuring Werewolves

shutterstock Werewolf1_89654491-001Our werewolf themed ‘Lycanthrope Love-In’ gave us an excuse to read some more books featuring a host of yummy wolf shapeshifters. We’ve put together a list of some paranormal romance books featuring werewolves, which we recommend. The list includes those we have read and enjoyed during the ‘Love-In’ and others we have read in the past. Click on the links to take you to the relevant Goodreads page  or the link to a review on ARR Blog if you want to find out more.

A Hunger Like No Other, Kresley Cole – This novel was the first that Tina read in Kresley Cole’s iconic Immortals After Dark series and after reading it she was so hooked that she swiftly devoured as many books in the series that she could get her hands on. This story pairs a dominant werewolf Lachlain MacReive with timid half vampire/half valkyrie Emmaline Troy, who find out that they are predestined life mates. This sounds fine perhaps until we find out that Laichlain hates vampires with every fibre of his being and for good reasons. Cue a great sexy story, full of passion and humour!

Books in the Psy/Changeling series, Nalini Singh – Some of these books feature wolf shifters as the hero/heroine. Kiss of Snow,  which pairs the young, but dangerously powerful, Psy Sienna Lauren with Hawke, the alpha of the Snowdancer pack is one of my favourite (Tina). Hawke lost the woman destined to be his mate a long time ago, but is drawn to Sienna, whose volatile  powers threaten to destroy her and those around her.

From Out of the Shadows,  Linda Mooney – Tina loves this book! In it the heroine Tora is thrown into a dungeon by the henchmen of an evil baron. Not long after the henchmen return and badly beat up what appears to be a man. Tora is a sensitive (empath) and uses her powers to heal what she discovers is a half man half wolf, a Lupan named Croat. She is shocked to learn that he has been put in the dungeon to break him so that he will acquiesce to the baron’s evil requests. Tora has been put there to tempt him, for if Croat is not fed, his Lupan side will come to the fore and he will be compelled to kill and devour her to survive. It is a dark and erotic fairytale and for adults only. Click her for Tina’s review.

The Mating (Law of the Lycans #1), Nicky Charles – This pairs wolf shifter Elise with a complete stranger, an alpha, to forge an alliance between packs. Marriage of convenience wolf- shifter style and the start of a great series.

Blood Moon Rising Trilogy (erotic), Karin Tabke – Blood Law #1 and Bloodright #2 – A sexy and erotic love triangle between a girl on the run, who has abilities she does not understand and two alpha wolf shifters, Raphael and Lucien. Falon’s life is initially on the line as she is a pawn in a blood feud between the brothers. She finds herself attracted to both of them and a key player in the survival of the wolves against their arch enemy the Slayers. Tina has yet to read Blood Vow #3, but her reviews of Blood Law and Bloodright can be found by clicking on the links.

The Heat (The Big Bad Wolf Series #1), Heather Killough-Walden – Wow a great book and there is still the rest of the series to read! Lily St Claire moves back to her hometown in Louisiana and finds herself being fought over by two very different alpha werewolves who both want her as their mate. Lily did not even know such a race existed. Oh, and there is also the small matter of a serial killer who has his sights on her too! Click here for our review.

And last but not least, we have a short story by Caroline Hanson, Bewitching the Werewolf, if you are looking for a short and fun werewolf paranormal romance! We hope you enjoy!

Tina and Caroline 🙂

Post image: Minerva Studio/Shutterstock.com

 

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Tina’s Random Thoughts – Book Covers

Catherine and Lucy's party 2012, Xmas 2012, snow,eton Lake Middl 097I am often astounded by some of the beautiful images on many of the book covers of the novels that I read. I do not have an artistic bone in my body when it comes to drawing or painting. My stick-men and women have not progressed much beyond the level my 4 year old currently exhibits!

We have all heard the old adage, ‘never judge a book by its cover,’ and although I try not to fall into this trap, even in this increasingly digital age, book covers still catch my eye. Their images stay with me alongside the pictures painted by the words of the author. To me a good book cover can not only be an item of great beauty, but it, alongside the title, represents the start of a journey the author is taking me on, even before I have read the first word of the novel.

I’d be very interested in what others think of book covers. Has their role has diminished in the era of e- publishing or do you think that book covers are more important than ever to help readers choose from what can be a bewildering mass of new publications? Also how has the increase in e-books impacted on the artistic community who produce them?

I’d also like to learn more about the processes involved in commissioning, selecting and producing a book cover and how authors, artists and publishers work together to do so. What brief is given to the artist and what other factors provide inspiration? I may try to use these thoughts to create a future post in collaboration with a book cover artist, publisher and author if I can track some suitable volunteers down!

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My Favourite Books of 2012 – Tina

Tina

I have lost count of how many books that I have read in 2012! Most were purchased and read on my Kindle, Amazon being the usual vendor, although I do purchase and download from other online sites such as the excellent Smashwords, Ellora’s Cave and Whiskey Creek Press. I was lucky enough to download some books for free due to various promotions on offer at the time. Others were purchased as paperbacks, both new and pre-loved, either over the internet or from local charity shops or a local market stall dealing in used books. A significant number were loaned from my local library. Some books were newly released in 2012, whilst others were published earlier, but had only come to my attention this year.

As my list is long I have split it into genres. Those in italics have content which is considered adult (i.e. erotic, BDSM, ménage, master/slave etc.) and should only be read by individuals considered an adult within the country where they live. I am very broadminded in what I read and do not wish to offend anyone. Please let me know if you share any of my favourites.

Paranormal Romance

Captive (the Captive Series Book 1) – Erica Stevens
The Heat (the Big Bad Wolf Series) – Heather Killough-Walden
Lover Reborn – J.R. Ward
From out of the Shadows – Linda Mooney
BAIT (The Angler) – Annie Nichols
Darkfever – Karen Marie Moning
Bloodfever – Karen Marie Moning
Faefever – Karen Marie Moning
Dreamfever – Karen Marie Moning
Deadly Captive – Bianca Sommerland
Deadly Captive (Collateral Damage)- Bianca Sommerland
Awaken My Love – Robin Schone

Science Fiction Romance

Eden – Louise Wise
No Words Alone – Autumn Dawn
Deep Penetration (Alien Breeders) – Kaitlyn O’Connor
Dark Solstice – Kaitlyn O’Connor
Cyberevolution (The Awakening) – Kaitlyn O’Connor

Fantasy Romance

Warprize – Elizabeth Vaughan

Post Apocalyptic/Futuristic Romance

Surviving Passion (The Shattered World Book 1) – Maia Underwood
Surviving Seduction (The Shattered World Book 2) – Maia Underwood
Tsunami Blue – Gayle Ann Williams

Historical Romance

Unraveled – Courtney Milan
Lord of a Thousand Nights (Medieval London)- Madeline Hunter
To Burn – Claudia Dain
Thief of Shadows – Elizabeth Hoyt

Western Historical Romance

The Surrender of Lacy Morgan – Suzanne Ferrell
Eyes of Silver Eyes of Gold – Ellen O’Connell

Contemporary

Mercy – Annabel Joseph
Captive in the Dark – C.J. Roberts
Big Sky – Kitty Thomas