October 28, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW Claimed (True Alpha #6 series finale) short story by Alisa Woods

Hot! Hot! Hot!

I have been completely absorbed with this series. Each short story has been completely full of action, passion and emotion! Below is my review of this fantastic series. And what’s more – as from TODAY the True Alpha BOX SET is available at Amazon (links below), so you can enjoy reading the whole series back-to-back!! Go grab it!!

New Adult Paranormal Romance serial – LAST IN SERIES

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 has found her way free of the dark wolves, but what price will her friends pay? And will she finally be able to find a place among their packs?

Claimed (True Alpha 6) is 65 pages or 16,000 words. It’s the final of six episodes in the True Alpha serial.

Adult content. Ages 18+.

REVIEW

Claimed was already going to be a brilliant read in my eyes, judging from the suspense and build-up of the first five short stories of the series, and Alisa Woods’ fantastic writing style. This is a series finale that was so much more than I expected and one that will be remembered and re-read. The reader won’t want to put this one down at all!

Now that Mia has been saved from the Red Pack her thoughts have been filled with how much she wants to belong and be a part of the Sparks’ pack. They have cared for her as if she was one of them already, she has become fond of many of them and felt the attraction of some of them. No matter what happens romantically this is where she belongs. But she does want to be mated so badly. Her inner wolf has strong feelings about this.

Lucas is always at her core and in her thoughts. He is the one that she is in love with. And, although he clearly cares for her a great deal and there is a deep, sensual attraction between them, he hasn’t been ready to mate again due to his heartache and pain following the death of his first mate, Tila. He just can’t go down that road again, especially if anything ever happened to Mia.

Over the last few stories, Colin, a strong wolf with alpha qualities from the Sparks’ pack, has been quite attracted to Mia. And he hasn’t tried to hide it! This has got Lucas’ back up on a few occasions. But Colin is HOT and so protective. Alisa Woods has written moments with Colin which shows he is such a powerful wolf but with caring and affectionate qualities. Especially towards Mia. The audience needs to know just how close he feels he is to Mia and how Mia has seriously thought about becoming his mate. To love him, and belong to the pack. Oh, I am a fan of Colin!

Although Mia is seriously considering to submit herself, she still has apprehensions since she was compelled to submit to Mace, leader of the Red pack, when she was kidnapped by them. Her whole experience of this has left her worried and concerned. She had no choice but to submit to Mace, despite her human state wanting nothing to do with him. It was a wolf thing that held her, like she was spellbound regardless of what she wanted. She now fears that whenever she does submit to someone in the future that these bad and negative feelings will return. She lives in hope that the next experience of submission will not be the same!

All short stories are available at Amazon UK and Amazon US individually. BUT, as from TODAY the TRUE ALPHA FULL SEASON is available to order!!

AMAZON UK link to TRUE ALPHA BOX SET

AMAZON US link to TRUE ALPHA BOX SET

You can check out my reviews for the first five books of the series below.

Desired (True Alpha #1) – short story

Guarded (True Alpha #2) – short story

Hunted (True Alpha #3) – short story

Captured (True Alpha #4) – short story

Sacrificed (True Alpha #5) – short story

Claimed (True Alpha #6) by Alisa Woods was received gratefully in return for an honest and fair review.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 27, 2014 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Your Cottage Awaits, by Derek A Barrass

Mirth, Magic and Menace!

A cracking read for Halloween or whenever you want to reconnect with a little magic ……….

Book Blurb

A couple in their late fifties planning to retire to the countryside discover what they believe to be their dream cottage. They return to finalise the details and to arrange to purchase the property, only to find all was not as they’d imagined. The property has completely changed, from being a rustic, rose covered pretty little cottage, to a tumbledown wreck of a building. Thinking it was just their imagination playing tricks on them they go ahead, despite their reservations when a number of strange and frightening experiences occur. A local witch is behind what is going on and she has plans for them within her coven.

My Review

Quirky and Original Modern Day Fairy Tale

Many of us dream of finding that ideal retirement home, often a charming cottage in the countryside, away from the stresses of modern life. Keith and Julie, the couple in this novel by Derek A Barrass, share this dream and are delighted when they find the perfect property in England’s green and pleasant land. Yet their ideas of rural bliss are anything but, as a series of strange events and mishaps start to befall them and their visiting family. They also begin to notice some bizarre and menacing goings on in and around their cottage and the village, not to mention some strange characters, not least their neighbour and local matriarch, Elfreda and her family……

Author Derek A Barrass weaves a quirky and original spellbinding tale, where magic collides with twenty first century ideas of reality. The reader, along with Keith and Julie and their visitors to the cottage, their son and daughter-in-law and their two grandsons, Tim and Luke, slowly become party to the strange happenings.

I loved the unpredictable nature of the tale – the author has a devilish mind and I particularly liked the way that the adults, Julie and Keith, for the most part remain clueless. It is the boys, Tim and Luke, who together with their new friends, Woodruff and Jill, from Elfreda’s household, who soon appreciate much of what is really going on. They do battle with Wellesley, Elfreda’s favourite, to counter his and Elfreda’s plans for Keith and Julie. There are some highly amusing scenes as the boys strive to keep Keith and Julie ignorant of what they know of the magic around them. The protagonist Wellesley has his own self-serving agenda as do others in the village. Indeed, all is not straightforward in this tale which contains mirth, magic and menace in equal measure.

I recommend this novel to those who, like me, suspect that the English countryside still has its secrets and believe that magic is still alive and kicking if we only open our eyes and look for it.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK Amazon US

Connect with the Author Derek A Barrass

https://www.facebook.com/dereka.barrass

October 26, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Recommended Halloween Horrors for New Adults and Mature Readers (17yrs+)

To celebrate the month of Halloween this year we thought we would share with you a selection of books suited to the Halloween theme. Yesterday we posted our Recommended Halloween Horrors for Young Readers, Teens and Young Adults (11yrs+), and today we are recommending reads for the more adult reader. The books that have been selected are some that we have reviewed or are hoping to review in the not too distant future!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Caroline and Tina 🙂

Demonica by Will Davis (reviewed by Caroline)

Dark, psychological, modern day fairy tale and horror

When spoilt eighteen year old Miranda suffers a terrible accident she survives, but her face is hideously scarred.

Unable to bear what has happened to her, she locks herself away. Her only companions are Veronica, her cruel and beautiful mother, and Nelly, the sympathetic housekeeper.

As time passes Veronica inflicts cruelty after cruelty on her disfigured daughter. Lonely and filled with despair, Miranda is astonished when Bernard, Veronica’s handsome younger boyfriend, takes an interest in her circumstances.

For Bernard believes there is an operation that can restore Miranda’s face. But it will involve committing an unspeakable crime. A decision that will haunt her for the rest of her life…

In the tradition of Angela Carter and Daphne du Maurier, Demonica is a terrifying modern fairy tale.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Tatterdemon by Steve Vernon (reviewed by Caroline)

Terrifying tension, horrific, violent and gory, with some humour

In 1691 the town of Crossfall taught the witch Thessaly how to die. They beat her, they shot her, they hung her – but nothing worked. When they finally tried to bury her alive Thessaly set the field against them. The first man died as a gust of wind harrowed the meat from his bones. A root,flung like a dirty javelin, cut a second man down. Many more deaths followed. The Preacher Fell impaled the witch upon her very own broom but she dragged him down into the field to wait for three more centuries.

Three hundred years later Maddy Harker will murder her bullying husband Vic. She will bury him in the field as she buried her abusive father years before that. The very same field where the revenant spirit of Thessaly Cross lies waiting.

In three days Vic will rise again – a thing of dirt, bone and hatred.

Men will call him the Tatterdemon.

And hell – and Thessaly – will follow.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

On the Lips of Children by Mark Matthews (reviewed by Caroline)

A Marathon like no other

Meet Macon. Tattoo artist. Athlete. Family man.

He’s planning to run a marathon, but the event becomes something terrible.

During a warm-up run, Macon falls prey to a bizarre man and his wife who dwell in an underground drug-smuggling tunnel. They raise their twin children in a way Macon couldn’t imagine: skinning unexpecting victims for food and money.

And Macon, and his family, are next.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Control (The Soul of Voodoo, #1) Control (The Soul of Voodoo #1) by M.C. Lavocat (reviewed by Caroline)

Dark paranormal horror with romance and comedy

‘Control’ is a paranormal romance, about three lives that are thrown together in a desperate battle where love and lust are the catalysts that release a blood voodoo curse so dark that it could alter their destiny, as well as time itself.

******************

After spending three stale, miserable years in a neuroscience doctoral program, Cecelia Milonas throws caution to the wind and walks out; right into the arms of the man who has had the starring role in her panty-melting fantasies for over three years.

Andre St. Clair had never shown any romantic interest in Cecelia or anyone else, so she had resigned herself to the role of fangirl and very willing employee, since moving to New Orleans and into the apartment above his restaurant. Cecelia thinks that their relationship is a fantasy come true, but neither are prepared for a desire that burns hot enough to ignite a hatred, long thought dead.

As if one gorgeous man and deathly struggle aren’t enough, in walks Lance Bradley, with whom she has some kind of freaky-deaky, psychic-hotline connection that is determined to pull them together no matter who gets torn apart in the process.

So, nothing is easy in The Big Easy, where the past and the present are caught up in a struggle so dangerous and deadly that it’s changing destiny, and possibly time itself.

Author post by M.C. Lavocat

The Moon Trilogy by Tim O’Rourke (reviewed by Caroline)

Paranormal horror adventure

When eighteen-year-old Winter McCall is offered a chance to leave her life of poverty behind on the streets of London, she reluctantly accepts, and moves to a remote part of the south west of England.

Here she takes up the job as housekeeper to the young and handsome, yet mysterious, Thaddeus Blake.

Warned that he has some curious habits, Winter soon realises that not all is as it firsts appears at the remote mansion where she now lives and works.
Blind to the real danger that she is in, Winter finds herself becoming attracted to Thaddeus.

With nowhere to run and no one to turn to, she slowly succumbs to his strange requests. But none of them are as strange as his requests for her to stand each night in the moonlight.

Moonlight (The Moon Trilogy #1)

Moonbeam (The Moon Trilogy #2)

Moonshine (The Moon Trilogy #3)

Author post/bio by Tim O’Rourke

Moonlight (The Moon Trilogy, #1) is available at Amazon for £0.77/$1.24 at the time of writing. (Please be aware prices are subject to change.) Check it out at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

The latest release, Moonshine (The Moon Trilogy #3) is also now available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

The Purple Haze (short story)/After the Haze (sequel/full novel) by Gary Richardson (reviewed/to be reviewed by Caroline)

Crime thriller to action-packed horror

In the small town of Leyland, a group of thieves plan to pull off their final job and steal three million pounds from a bank. The job seems to be a success, until the alarm is tripped and the police surround the building. A standoff ensues, and the police try to negotiate a resolution before the thieves begin to kill their hostages.

Things take a strange turn, however, when an eerie purple mist renders everyone unconscious. When people begin to wake up, they find that they are among only a small few who haven’t been killed and mutilated by the mist. Then, the dead return to feed on the living, forcing the surviving police, thieves and hostages to band together in a bitter struggle for survival.

The Purple Haze is available at Amazon for £0.99/$1.69 at the time of writing. (Please be aware prices are subject to change.) Check it out at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

The sequel, After the Haze, is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Cursed: A Werewolf’s Tale (Cheyenne Clark, Werewolf #1) (otherwise known as ‘Frostbite’ in the US) by David Wellington (reviewed by Caroline)

Urban fantasy with panic and horror

For Cheyenne Clark, there’s a bad moon on the rise . . .

There’s one sound a woman doesn’t want to hear when she’s lost and alone in the Arctic wilderness: a howl.

When a strange wolf’s teeth slash Cheyenne’s ankle to the bone, her old life ends, and she becomes the very monster that has haunted her nightmares for years. Worse, the only one who can understand what Chey has become is the man–or wolf–who’s doomed her to this fate. He also wants to chop her head off with an axe.

Yet as the line between human and beast blurs, so too does the distinction between hunter and hunted . . . for Chey is more than just the victim she appears to be. But once she’s within killing range, she may find that–even for a werewolf–it’s not always easy to go for the jugular.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

That Risen Snow: A Scary Tale of Snow White and Zombies (The Scary Tales #1) by Rob E. Boley (to be reviewed by Caroline)

Zombie horror with a twist to the Snow White fairytale

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.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Stilts (Tessa Dark Trilogy #1) by Tim O’Rourke (reviewed by Caroline)

Edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting, excruciating excitement

‘Stilts’ is the first book in a new dystopian trilogy by #1 bestselling author Tim O’Rourke.

While eighteen-year-old, Tessa Dark was serving her prison sentence for murder, the world beyond her cell walls changed forever. The thunder came and destroyed the world she had once known.

Trapped inside the prison and faced with no future, Tessa’s only glimmer of hope is her friendship with fellow inmate Joe McBride.

Despite Tessa’s fear, Joe decides to go beyond the prison walls to seek help. But when he fails to return, Tessa is determined to go and search for him.

To gain her freedom, Tessa must first learn to walk, run, and fight on stilts if she is to survive the new and terrifying world on the other side of the prison walls.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Child of Woe, Dark Hunter (Children of Woe, Dark Hunters #1) by Simon Goodwin (to be reviewed by Caroline)

A horror journey through hell

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.

Bellmere Common: There’s Nothing Common About Bellmere by Mark Steen (to be reviewed by Caroline)

Supernatural horror

Patrick never knew he had an aunt until he was told she was dead. No one had ever mentioned her. He organises a family trip to sort out the house she has left him. Everything starts off well, but it isn’t long before an old sinister family secret rears its demonic head, and his wife’s recurring nightmares turn out to be visions. There is death and destruction all around them. Who can they trust? Will they survive?

Review Excerpt’s

E. Kerry (Amazon.co.uk) – “I really enjoyed this book.
I read a lot and enjoy thriller and horror novels, this was a really good example of the genre. Plenty of bits that made me nervous to be alone in the dark, some really good twists (which I love trying to see coming nice and early to ‘beat’ the author to it when I can – I failed here!) and a shocking and dramatic ending.
Great debut novel and an author I will be watching out for in future!”

S. Pearson (Amazon.com) – “I enjoyed this story very much and found it to be engrossing and exciting.”

Violence and explicit scenes.

75,000 word length

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

For more great reads and best sellers in the horror genre for adults please visit Amazon UK or Amazon US.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

October 25, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Sacrificed (True Alpha #5) (short story) by Alisa Woods REVIEW

For fans of paranormal, shifters and plenty of action!

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.
Sacrificed (True Alpha 5) – New Adult Paranormal Romance

Even with Jak’s help, Mia finds escaping Mace’s grasp isn’t easy… in fact, it may require a sacrifice neither she nor Lucas want her to make.

Sacrificed (True Alpha 5) is 50 pages or 12,000 words. It’s the fifth of six episodes in the True Alpha serial.

REVIEW

Sacrificed is the shortest of the True Alpha series, focusing on the escape of Mia and her friend, Jupiter, from the Red pack. And the story picks up just where we left off in Captured, book 4. It appears that Jak, a shifter and member of the pack that is holding her, is trying to help her and Jupiter escape.

Mia is struggling with her thoughts. There is the question of why Jak would be interested in going against his pack and helping them. But worse still is the strong hold that her submission to Mace has over her, making it almost impossible to go against the wishes of her captor. In her human self she knows that she doesn’t belong here, with the Red pack, but her wolf has little control now that she has submitted. She must obey his wishes. Mia needs to find the strength to do the right thing, if not for her then for Jupiter.

Meanwhile, Lucas and his father’s pack have their own rescue plan to save Mia. Without spoiling too much, I can sat that there is plenty of action and it doesn’t go as smoothly as one would like. However, it is exciting to read and the fear for both Mia and Lucas’ pack reaches a high.

Mace was not so easy to escape from, and now the reader does not know what Mace will have in store for Mia. Lucas is only too aware of the situation and is helpless, regardless of his growling and snarling inner wolf. He knows that Mace will claim Mia for his own unless they can come up with something…………….. and quickly!

Sacrificed, as well as the previous books of the True Alpha series, create a fantastic build-up of tension and excitement for the final instalment, Claimed. I loved the ending of Sacrificed, especially with a nice surprise that no reader would guess. I am certain that Claimed will be as thrilling, if not moreso, than the first five!

Sacrificed (True Alpha #5) 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), Guarded (True Alpha #2), Hunted (True Alpha #3) and Captured (True Alpha #4)!

Sacrificed (True Alpha #5) is available on Amazon UK and Amazon US. (Currently individual books 1-6 can all be bought from Amazon for a small price. However, if you would like all books together in one set – this will be released on Tuesday 28th October, again for a small price. Book 6 and the boxset are available to pre-order in the time being.)

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 22, 2014 by Tina Williams

BLOG TOUR ~ Cafe in the Park, by Elodie Parkes (includes 18+ excerpt and giveaway)

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Café in the Park
AUTHOR – Elodie Parkes
GENRE – Contemporary Erotic Paranormal romance
PUBLICATION DATE – September 9, 2014
PUBLISHER – Siren Publishing
COVER ARTIST – Elodie Parkes

BOOK SYNOPSIS

When Emily joins a dating agency, she never expects to meet someone like Chris. Everything she ever hoped for in a man, he’s special in more ways than one. Their intense attraction to each other is fueled by their shared loneliness. Will Emily find out his shocking secret when someone from his past comes back to haunt him?

How can love blossom, when someone is trying to tear them apart?

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US – AMAZON KINDLE UK – GOODREADS

EXCERPT

18+ erotic excerpt – only suitable for mature readers

Desire flared low in his stomach. He let it take him over. He knew his next kiss was searching, needy, hard. He grasped one of her breasts and kneaded, the softness drove him crazy. His cock, fully erect now, pushed at his pants. He sighed into her mouth. “I want you so much.” He relished the hard peak of her nipple through her T-shirt. He bent his head and sucked.
When she ran her fingers into his hair, he felt the pressure in them, and moved away. He could see her nipple now through the soft white fabric in the wet patch he made. He looked into her eyes. “I said I wouldn’t rush you next time, but it’s killing me already.”
Emily stood. She pulled her T-shirt off, followed by the skirt.
Chris reached out and grasped her hips, pulling her to his mouth as he leaned forward. He kissed her stomach, and slid his palms over her ass to cup her there with his fingertips pushed inside the lace of her panties.
She held his head as he kissed across her stomach to each hipbone where he nibbled.
Chris heard her sighs grow ragged. He liked her pretty panties, but he wanted them off her. He yanked them down her thighs, and calves, bending to thrust his tongue into the cleft of her pussy. It delighted him that she was shaved there.
Emily arched to his face.
The scent of her creaming pussy called to him. He let her go. The need to pull her down and fuck her hard was scary. It tore right into his wish not to rush her. His thoughts filled with pictures of holding her thighs apart and pounding his erection into her pussy. His cock leaked and his balls ached.
She stood before him naked.
He gazed up into her eyes.
“Take your pants off. If I don’t have you inside me soon…” The need in her voice soothed his fear.
Chris took his pants off. His cock bumped on his stomach muscles sending hot pre-cum streaking across them.
He stood to pull Emily into his arms and kiss her lips. He plunged a hand between her thighs. The wet welcome there sent spears of sensation right through his body. He was on fire with the need to bury his cock in her, but he pushed his fingers into her pussy to make sure he wouldn’t hurt her when he fucked her. Her folds swollen, her cream flowed on his fingers. The air was laden with the erotic perfume of sex. His urgency brought his kisses down her neck along the soft place in her shoulder and he sucked.

©Elodie Parkes 2014 Siren Publishing All Rights Reserved

AUTHOR BIO

Elodie Parkes is a British author writing romance, erotic, contemporary, and often with a twist of mystery, paranormal or suspense. Her books are always steamy — cool stories and hot love scenes.

Elodie lives in Canterbury with her two dogs. She works in an antique emporium by day and writes at night, loving the cloak of silent darkness that descends on the rural countryside around her home.

Elodie writes for, Hot Ink Press, Moon Rose Publishing, Eternal Press, Secret Cravings, Evernight, and Siren Publishing.

She has also released titles as an individual indie author.

FOLLOW LINKS

BLOG – TUMBLR – FACEBOOK – TWITTER – GOOGLE+ –
PINTEREST – YOUTUBE – AMAZON – AMAZON UK –
SMASHWORDS – BARNES & NOBLES – ALL ROMANCE –
BOOK STRAND – EVERYNIGHT PUBLISHING –
ROMANCE REVIEWS – MANIC READERS

GIVEAWAY PRIZES

One $10 or £10 Amazon Gift card

Five eCopies of Elodie’s latest release from Hot Ink Press, Love at First Sigh, for kindle and gifted from Amazon a duo of contemporary erotic romance for 18+ readers

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Hosted & Organized by:

October 21, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Review Tim O’Rourke’s Moonshine (The Moon Trilogy, #3)

A Paranormal Horror Adventure Filled with Action, Adventure, Surprises and Heart-warming Moments! A great trilogy for Halloween!!

Weak and still not yet a true vampire, Winnie McCall heads north toward Scotland in the company of the last of the werewolves, Thaddeus Blake. Hunted relentlessly by two police officers, Thaddeus and Winnie must find the Moonshine, a prism that when matched with the Moonbeam, will destroy the vampires.

When two ancient enemies go head to head, the body count soon starts to rise, but who is it leaving a trail of dead bodies along the path that Thaddeus and Winnie are taking? And what is the terrible secret from Winnie’s past that is preventing her friend Ruby Little from staying dead?

With terrifying consequences, Winnie discovers how far she and the man she loves, Thaddeus Blake, will go to survive and remain the last of their species.

A shock ending that will leave you stunned, ‘Moonshine’ is the final book in ‘The Moon Trilogy’ by bestselling author, Tim O’Rourke.

REVIEW

Another action-packed adventure of paranormal horror and drama from Tim O’Rourke, with many twists and turns, especially as the ending nears. You will be blown away with this ending and the many surprises that the author reveals. Two questions many of you will be asking are, ‘Can there ever be a truce between vampires and werewolves?’ and ‘Will Thad and Winnie’s love be enough to hold everything together?’

Winnie is slowly turning into a vampire, whilst Thad is the last of the werewolves. Being hunted down by his last love’s vampire father, Thad has to keep going to prevent the end for all werewolves. After Winnie has been bitten by a vampire, and turning into one herself, these two are very unlikely characters to unite and work together. Yet Winnie’s love for Thad keeps her doing just that! For the very first time in Winnie’s life she feels the love and the freedom she thought she would never have. Thad has given her so much, despite his early intentions. The bond they have is strong and the reader feels that anything is possible as long as these characters are together.

Not only do they share their love for each other, but they both need each other to survive. During full moons, Thad needs Winnie to ensure he doesn’t harm anyone in his wolf form. He needs to be caged somewhere and watched until he returns to his more human state. Meanwhile, as Winnie is becoming more vampire-like, she also has the need and thirst for blood. She needs Thad to help her through her thirsts. They need to ensure their safety from each other as well as the safety for humans to prevent either of them being harmed and to prevent the truth from coming out.

“She would have to look after him as much as he would have to take care of her. They needed each other. Thaddeus, therefore, knew in his heart that he couldn’t leave Winnie behind, even if he wanted to – because without her at his side, he risked dying as much as she. Whether she held him back or not, they were now forever linked – held together that shrouded the world he lived in.”

The plan for Thaddeus is to travel to Scotland where he can threaten to destroy all vampires if he connects the Moonbeam with the Moonshine. As a result of this connection, all vampires will cease to exist. With Winnie turning, Thaddeus is hoping that the vampires are willing to see reason and once they are aware of the true love that exists between Thad and Winnie then perhaps a truce can be made. To make matters worse, there is a trail of dead bodies that are following Thad and Winnie and the local police are following them. The police are not all they seem to be as readers may be aware from Moonbeam (The Moon Trilogy, #2), and with vampires hunting them down Thad and Winnie do not have a great chance.

As well as the action, the chase, the attacks and the sheer desperation that Thad has, another element of Moonshine is the more spooky and eerie side, where the reader is given a much more detailed account of Ruby Little. Ruby Little was Winnie’s best friend from when they were younger and then living on the streets together. After Ruby’s death, Winnie began hearing her voice and seeing her. She has provided Winnie with advice and warnings. Still looking out for her friend from the other side. Some of these scenes are spooky and become more gory and horrific, especially as the trilogy has come on and the reader can envisage a Little Red Riding Hood character, back from the dead, but with maggots where her face should be. It is sad, especially for Winnie, and it is also horrifying and scary.

Moonshine is broken down into three sections: Thad and Winnie; Winnie and Ruby; and Winnie. Although I loved all three sections, I thought the flashbacks of Winnie’s history with her friend, Ruby Little, really stood out. This is partly due to the tragedy of Ruby’s life, the horrors that she endured. The whole atmosphere of this section is both dark and light as the reader begins to understand exactly what Ruby has gone through and her strength to cope with it and yet she also forms a special bond with Winnie that perhaps would never have been created if it wasn’t for the dark occurences. I feel that this type of scene is a new avenue for Tim O’Rourke and he has captured the hearts and minds of the reader magically. It is also extremely heart-warming when we discover how Ruby is protective of Winnie and she goes to great lengths, without really explaining an awful lot to Winnie to begin with. This is a friendship like no other and even after death, Ruby still looks out for her friend.

During the last chapters the tempo builds up again as the ending comes to a close. The rollercoaster of the series is set to turbo boost as the reader is thrown from one possible ending to another. The reader feels as desperate as Thad and Winnie as the heartbeat quickens from fight scenes to chases, from the uncertainty and the horror. This finale will leave the readers a little gobsmacked and torn between what has happened and maybe what they thought would happen. I love it when an author can completely baffle the reader and that’s what Tim O’Rourke has done.

The Moon Trilogy would be fantastic to read one book after the other, as one complete novel, as the reader is left on tenterhooks with the first two books. The pace is also very fast and full of action that you simply don’t want to stop reading. I would certainly love to see this series in a box set, but for now all three books are available for very affordable prices. (Currently Moonlight, The Moon Trilogy #1, is available for £0.77 at Amazon UK and $1.24 Amazon US. Please note that prices are subject to change.)

A copy of Moonshine (The Moon Trilogy #3) was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

You can purchase Moonshine (The Moon Trilogy #3) at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Review for Moonlight (The Moon Trilogy #1)

Review for Moonbeam (The Moon Trilogy #2)

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 17, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW Captured (True Alpha #4) by Alisa Woods

Strong, dark, scary and intense!

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.

Lucas and Mia’s story continues as she tries to free Jupiter from the Red pack and he tries to save them both.

Captured (True Alpha 4) is 70 pages or 17,000 words. It’s the fourth of six episodes in the True Alpha serial.

Adult content. Ages 18+.

Review

This series keeps on growing stronger and stronger. You can see from the recommended reading age, 18ys+, that this episode, Captured, is going to be darker than the previous, scarier than the previous and so intense! Mia really is in trouble now as she is being held by the Red pack and it doesn’t seem like there is much she or Lucas can do to save both herself and her friend, Jupiter.

With every passing moment the reader fears for her safety just as much as Lucas does. Not only has she been captured and held against her will, but an alpha from the Red pack, Mace, is quite keen to do more to her than simply hold her hostage. He wants Mia for himself, wants her submission – but just how far will he take his threat?

Lucas, meanwhile, is no fool. He is aware of the tendencies that members of the Red pack will have for Mia. Especially Mace’s! Lucas’ rage really comes to the fore, especially when he is willing to fight with his own pack members for Mia. He knows he can’t rush in and do anything stupid, putting Mia’s safety at greater risk (if that’s possible). But he wants his father’s and pack’s support and be able to go in strong to rescue her.

Another battle they both have in their minds is that they both blame themselves for what has happened. Lucas should never have gave in to his feelings and brought them to the fore, just to shut her out immediately after. And if Mia is truly what his inner self/wolf wants then maybe he should have given himself whole heartedly without messing her around. On the other hand, was Mia being too childish when she drove away in his car and left him naked in the woods?!

Alisa Woods has created brilliant suspense throughout and Captured really tops it for me. I simply can’t wait to read the final two episodes, Sacrificed and Claimed. Paranormal and shifter fans will love this series. The heat is turned up a little higher as each one is read. Now for Sacrificed……

Captured (True Alpha #4) 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), Guarded (True Alpha #2) and Hunted (True Alpha #3)!

Captured (True Alpha #4) is available on Amazon UK and Amazon US. (Currently books 1-5 can all be bought from Amazon for a small price. Book 6, Claimed, will be released on Tuesday 21st October 2014. However, if you would like all books together in one set – this will be released on Tuesday 28th October, again for a small price. Book 6 and the boxset are available to pre-order in the time being.)

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 17, 2014 by Tina Williams

BLOG TOUR ~ Dimitri (Immortals of New Orleans #6), by Kym Grosso ~ includes excerpt

Welcome to the blog tour for Kym Grosso’s new release Dimitri, an erotic paranormal romance. To check out the blurb and the super 18+ excerpt read on! You can also enter the rafflecoper giveaway for a chance of winning a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Tina ❤

Dmitri Banner

Dimitri
by Kym Grosso
Immortals of New Orleans #6
Publication Date: September 30, 2014
Genres: Erotica, Paranormal, Romance

Tour: Dimitri by Kym Grosso

Synopsis

An erotic paranormal romance…

Dimitri LeBlanc, sexy and charismatic beta of Acadian Wolves, survives a brutal attack after his wolf succumbs to a dark force, threatening his very existence. Waking up, tied to a bed, his amusement transforms into lust as a beautiful stranger heals his beast. Intrigued by his mysterious savior, the tables quickly turn, when in the heat of a dark desert night, he rescues her from a barbaric Alpha. Dimitri is inexplicably drawn to the alluring woman, and the discovery that she’s his mate rouses his hunger to claim her as his own.

Gillian Michel, a New York City photographer, conceals a secret hybrid past and mystical abilities. An entire lifetime, she’s deliberately avoided wolves, but a seductive encounter with an irresistible beta leaves her craving his touch, his lips on hers. Passion ignites her desire, leaving her yearning to submit to the powerful wolf who tests her sexual limits.

Deep in the heart of New Orleans, Dimitri and Gillian seek a cure to the parasite maligning his mighty beast. Still on the run from a malevolent force, they lure their enemy into the bayou. Will Gillian sacrifice her gifts to save the man she loves, destroying her own immortality? And will Dimitri eradicate the evil that has invaded his soul while protecting his mate from an adversary who threatens to kill them both?

Warning: This book contains several erotic love scenes and is intended for adult readers only.

Excerpt

Dimitri yanked on the restraints, his wrists firmly secured at his sides. The sweet scent of a woman danced through his mind and he swore he felt the warmth of a smooth hand on his thigh. A moan alerted him to the fact that he wasn’t alone, and his cock hardened in response. If it weren’t for the caustic pain tearing through his muscles, he’d have thought he was having a wet dream. But as he attempted to open his eyes, memories of his last thoughts slammed into him.

Teeth. Claws. Blood. Submission. As his chest heaved for breath, his hands curled into the bed and saliva dripped from his mouth as he recalled being attacked on the beach. A pack of feral wolves had torn into him. Helplessly, he’d fought them, unable to shift. At some point the slashing agony of the attack had ceased; the smooth sound of a woman’s voice curled around him in comfort as he surrendered to unconsciousness.

“Shh…you’re okay. Stay still.”

Not his Alpha’s command, yet Dimitri’s mind quieted. His dried, cracked lips parted. But before he had a chance to utter a word, the seal between where her skin met his began to heat. His eyes flew open and rolled back into his head as tendrils of healing seeped into his skin. Instinctively, he thrashed against the bindings. His hands fisted the leather, and he shook the bed’s metal frame until it rattled uncontrollably. As the tingling spread throughout his body, overwhelming relief from the pain swept through him and he gasped. By the time it was over, tears ran down his face. Not only had the crushing misery disappeared; for the first time in weeks, his wolf howled in celebration.

“My wolf,” he cried. “You healed me? How? What are you?”

“You should be okay once you shift…for a few days, anyway,” the female responded breathlessly, her lips accidentally brushing his chest. “Can’t promise you any longer. You need to see a witch. A shaman may be able to help.”

“But how did you know? My wolf…” Dimitri’s words trailed off as his vision slowly came into focus. He glanced down to the silky raven hair that brushed over his abdomen.

“Your wolf…he recovers.”

“Jesus Christ, the pack. They tried to kill me. How did I get here?”

“You’ve got an awful lot of questions for an almost dead man,” she responded.

“What can I say? Near death does that to a guy. Last thing I remember, those dogs were takin’ a bite outta my neck. As much as I wish I had nine lives, I ain’t no cat, if you noticed.”

“Oh I noticed.” She laughed, concealing her face. “Seems to me, you should be doing a little more thanking and a little less asking.”

“Now don’t take it the wrong way, cher. It’s not that I don’t appreciate ya healin’ me with whatever voodoo you do, but you’ve gotta see this from my perspective.” He gave a small chuckle as his wrists tugged the straps taut. He glanced at his makeshift handcuffs, noticing she’d used belts to restrain him. “So ya want to tell me why I’m tied to the bed? Believe me, I’m down with the kink as much as the next wolf. But call me crazy, this doesn’t really seem on the up and up.”

“Sorry, lover boy, but I did it for my own safety. You were a bit wild when I brought you here. You know what they say when a dog gets hit by a car…it can bite out of fear and pain.”

“Hey now, no need for name calling. There’s no dog here. You got yourself a wolf, darlin’.”

“I know what you are. Doesn’t matter. I take my life pretty seriously. I admit I’m not in the business of tying up men, but I can assure you that I trussed you up for self-preservation purposes only.”

Dimitri felt the lilt of her smile curl against his skin and silently cursed as his dick twitched in response. He laughed inwardly at his predicament, as he jerked at his bindings. Sure, he was tied up good. On the up side, he’d survived the attack and had woken up with a beautiful woman next to him. Not the optimal situation, but it could be worse. He was alive and damn, if it didn’t turn him on to feel the top of her thigh brush against his own. ‘Bondage anytime anywhere’ just might become his new motto. He knew it was wrong to be thinking about sex, given the seriousness of the situation, but hey, when in Rome…

About Kym Grosso

Kym Grosso is the award-winning author of the bestselling erotic paranormal romance series, The Immortals of New Orleans. The series currently includes Kade’s Dark Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 1), Luca’s Magic Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 2), Tristan’s Lyceum Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 3) , Logan’s Acadian Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 4), Léopold’s Wicked Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 5) and Dimitri (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 6).

In addition to romance, Kym has written and published several articles about autism, and is passionate about autism advocacy. She writes autism articles on PsychologyToday.com and AutismInRealLife.com. She also is a contributing essay author in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum.

Kym lives with her husband, two children, dog and cat. Her hobbies include autism advocacy, reading, tennis, zumba, traveling and spending time with her husband and children. New Orleans, with its rich culture, history and unique cuisine, is one of her favorite places to visit. Also, she loves traveling just about anywhere that has a beach or snow-covered mountains. On any given night, when not writing her own books, Kym can be found reading her Kindle, which is filled with hundreds of romances.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

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October 14, 2014 by Caroline Barker

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