February 17, 2014 by Tina Williams

Love in the Time of the Dead, by Tera Shanley

Zombruary Tour Special!!!

Love in the Time of the Dead

By: Tera Shanley

Genre: Zombie/Dystopian Romance

Available in paperback and e-book from Omnific Publishing.

Be afraid, be VERY afraid! We at A Reader’s Review Blog have put our big girl pants on and invited Tera Shanley to share details of her awesome novel, Love in the Time of the Dead. Tera is running a Zombruary Tour this month, where you can check out the blurb for her book, admire her unforgettable cover (the image has been ricocheting around inside my head since I saw it) and find out more about and connect with the author. You can also enter the Rafflecopter in which prizes of 2 ebooks of the novel are up for grabs! Link at the end of this post. We hope that you enjoy the sound of this book as much as we do!

Tina 🙂

Blurb

Laney Landry has been fighting Deads alongside her brother and friends for three years. But she has a secret. She’s immune to Dead bites and has to find the right people to trust with the information. Her team rallies around her to find a doctor who can extract a vaccine from Laney which could fight the virus that ended the world.

Sean Daniels leads a colony that provides her team with much needed shelter and supplies. He is obviously interested in Laney. The question is whether he’s only intrigued by her as a source for the possible vaccine, or for something more. Tests for the cure might push her body beyond what it can endure, and just as she faces a ghost from her past, her longtime teammate Derek Mitchell hints at an interest in more than just her Dead slaying abilities.

Two honorable and alluring men – one colossal decision to make. Despite historically bad taste in men, can she rise above the chaos of the apocalypse and choose the one who deserves her heart? The right choice could mean the difference between surviving…and living.

Author Bio

Tera Shanley writes in sub-genres that stretch from Paranormal Romance, to Historic Western Romance, to Apocalyptic (zombie) Romance. The common theme? She loves love! A self-proclaimed bookworm, she was raised in small town Texas and could often be found decorating a table at the local library. She currently lives in Dallas with her husband and two young children and when she isn’t busy running around after her family, she’s writing a new story or devouring a good book. Any spare time is dedicated to chocolate licking, rifle slinging, friend hugging, and the great outdoors. For more information about Tera and her work, visit www.terashanley.com.

Author Links

Website: http://www.terashanley.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/terashanley

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terashanley.author?ref=hl

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7212904.Tera_Shanley

Blog: http://www.terashanley.blogspot.com/

Buy Links

Kindle:http://www.amazon.com/Love-Time-Dead-Tera-Shanley-ebook/dp/B00G2KFKMU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1382382615

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Time-Dead-Tera-Shanley-ebook/dp/B00G2KFKMU

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-in-the-time-of-the-dead-tera-shanley/1117193723?ean=9781623420581

Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Time-Dead-Tera-Shanley/dp/162342058X/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1382382615&sr=8-1

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Win 2 ebooks of Love in the Time of the Dead and some Zombie themed swag by entering the Rafflecopter!

Just click on the link. Good luck! Tina 🙂

Rafflecopter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YTFkNGRjYjNhYjg3OGQ0NjkyZjRkZTRjMGM1ZGE1OjE=/

February 14, 2014 by Tina Williams

Spotlight on Forever Doomed, by Mary Ann Kempher

Today’s Book Spotlight is on Mary Ann Kempher’s Romantic Suspense FOREVER DOOMED!

Scroll down to peek at the book blurb and cover, read an excerpt, check out the purchase links and find out about the author and her previous work.

book blurb

It’s not wise to wander the cruise ship Forever alone at night. You might not live to see daylight.

Detective Jack Harney agrees to do an old Army buddy a favor. Curt Noble had some personal business to attend to, he didn’t say what. What he did say was he needed someone to temporarily take over his duties as head of security on the struggling cruise ship Forever. Jack hesitates, but he owes Curt his life so agrees. He’s told the worst mischief he can expect to encounter will be the occasional shoplifter, or drunk. Instead, one week into the cruise, a beautiful red head and a member of the crew are ruthlessly murdered. Are the two murders connected? It’s up to Jack to find out. He must find the killer before the ship returns to Tampa’s port, or worse, before another dead body is found. This won’t be easy. The ship is old, it’s security systems outdated, and clues are few, or so it seems at first

It’s not just a sense of obligation that motivates Jack to agree to Curt’s request;

Jack moved thousands of miles, started over, and still can’t get Amy O’Brian out of his heart or mind. When she shows up on the ship, as part of a large wedding party, Jack must fight to stay focused. To make matters worse, Amy isn’t his only distraction; a sexy and mysterious woman has made it her mission to seduce Jack.

As the body count rises, and time slips away, Jack has to ask himself, “Did someone commit the perfect crime?”

forever doomed

maryann kempher

goodreads

purchase links

amazon us | amazon uk | barnes & noble | kobo

excerpt

Jack watched Marni leave, torn. Did he think she’d killed Pam? No, but she was keeping something from him, something to do with Pam’s murder. He looked down at his arm, seeing her small hand. His heart was still beating hard. It had taken real effort to hide his feelings when she’d touched him. After a few minutes, he started walking, and was soon standing outside Marni’s cabin door. He hesitated. He told himself he was just going there to talk to her, to try to make her tell him what he sensed she was holding back. But that was a lie. He reached up and knocked. She opened the door wearing a towel.

“I was about to take a shower,” she said.

Jack didn’t respond. He walked into her room, shoving the door shut behind him. He took hold of her towel and pulled her tightly against his body, his mouth covering hers, his tongue searching for hers, his hands yanking the towel off and tossing it to the floor. He easily picked up Marni and carried her to the bed. She pulled his shirt up over his head, her hands running themselves through his thick chest hair. She reached for his belt buckle, undoing it slowly, her eyes watching his. Then she pulled his pants down and gasped.

Oh my.

about the author

MaryAnn Kempher loves to write mystery with a dash of romance. She spent her teen years spent living in Reno NV where her first book, Mocha, Moonlight, and Murder is set. The setting for her second book, Forever Doomed, was inspired by her love of the ocean. Her writing influences include favorite authors Agatha Christie, Jane Austen and Janet Evanovich. Her guilty pleasures include any and all sweets, including a good cup of Mocha. She is married with two children.

contact maryann

facebook | website | twitter | goodreads

previous books

goodreads

Instead of feeding her late-night appetite, a midnight food run nearly gets 28-year-old Katherine O’Brian killed. She’s the only person to see the man who brutally murdered a local woman, and the killer is hell-bent on making sure she doesn’t talk.

Scott Mitchell left a broken engagement behind when he moved to Reno, and the last thing he needs is more melodrama. But when he and Katherine are paired for a college project, that’s what he gets. It can be very distracting when someone is out to kill your lab partner. Together, they try to figure out what the police haven’t been able to—the identity of the murderer. Passion flares, but with Katherine’s life in danger, romance seems like more than a bad idea.

Scott and Katherine will face jealousy, misunderstandings, lust, and rivals, not to mention attempted murder—and all before their first real date

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February 13, 2014 by Tina Williams

The Father, Joshua Tree Trilogy Book 2, by N. W. Harris

The Rip-Roaring Adventure Continues!

Young Adult Sci-Fi Fantasy

Please note this review contains spoilers for book #1 in the series. Joshua’s Tree.

The Father follows on seamlessly after the first book in the trilogy, Joshua’s Tree (click title for our review), which tells of how the hero Joshua finds himself unexpectedly transported to a future dystopian Earth, which bears little resemblance to the world as he knows it. The planet is populated by warrior like people and strange creatures, including the terrifying and cannibalistic Sweepers. There Joshua meets a kick-ass, sword wielding female warrior, Nadia, who views him as the saviour, destined to save her world by destroying The Father, the creator of the Sweepers who threaten to annihilate all others.

During their quest to fulfill Joshua’s destiny, Joshua and Nadia form a mutual attraction and Joshua in particular learns a great deal about personal growth and self-sacrifice as he approaches his goal of destroying The Father. The big reveal at the end of this book is that Joshua discovers that The Father is his future self, the man responsible for the creation of the Sweepers and also the other races on Earth, including Nadia’s warrior tribe and the ocean based Atlanteans.

Book Blurb for The Father, Book 2: After discovering he’s destined to annihilate nearly all life, Joshua must take charge of a cannibalistic army of mutants with hopes of starting a civil war that will end the reign of evil—or bear the responsibility for destroying the few good people who remain on the planet. Captured by the leader of the sweepers, Josh learns he will grow up to be a genetic engineer responsible for creating the monsters. The Father recruits him to lead an army of sweepers against the evil generals who resist the termination of the sweeper experiment originally designed to bring an end to a global war that threatened to render the planet uninhabitable. At first repulsed by his telepathic ability to control the sweepers, Josh becomes addicted to the power to control thousands of the creatures at once. Believing him dead, Nadia rejoins her people, where she struggles to gain respect while leading them to safety. Inadvertently pursuing her across the land, Josh may not be able to stop his sweepers from destroying Nadia and her dwindling tribe when they collide in battle.

This series is just brimming with originality and adventure and it is crafted in such a way as I cannot guess where it is leading, my head is just full of so many possible scenarios! I loved how the author describes Joshua’s initial fear and utter disgust at fighting alongside the despised Sweepers and how he feels when he enters their minds to control them and strives to take on the mantle of a warrior. I admired how Joshua does all that is in his power to protect Nadia and her people from being destroyed. His relationship with The Father, his future self, is complex, as expected. Whilst Joshua has no affection for him he has no choice but to follow his advice if the Sweepers are to be prevented from destroying all others and if he is to have any chance of returning to his own time.

Can Joshua cope with leading the Sweepers, whom he fears and despises? Can he trust his future self? Will his actions inadvertently lead to the demise of Nadia and her people? Will he be able to bring himself to leave Nadia when and if he returns to his own place and time? As Joshua becomes addicted to his psychic control of the Sweepers the situation becomes more and more perilous and his sanity is on the line.

The warrior Nadia is just as kick-ass as ever in this book, but she feels that she has failed to protect Josh and returns to her people accompanied by a band of Atlanteans, headed by Hydromidus, whom we met in the previous book. Hydromidus has formed an attraction to Nadia, an attraction which Nadia is aware of and which she also feels towards him. However, she has given her heart to Josh. I really liked the character of Hydromidus as he is himself is honourable and respects Nadia’s own prowess as a warrior, Events in the book are not always easy for Nadia and she has her own challenges to contend with as well as the worry of what has happened to Josh.

I enjoyed the The Father every bit as much as Joshua’s Tree! We find out much more about the history of the Earth and why the Sweepers were created and how they operate. Once again there are vivid and detailed descriptions of the strange landscape of this future Earth, the Sweepers and the frequent battle scenes, which contain much blood and gore. The book is full of excitement, adventure and suspense from start to finish and the author carries the reader along accompanying Josh and then Nadia on their respective adventures. I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment.

I highly recommend this book to young adult readers and above, who are fans of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Futuristic reads, especially where the reader likes their reads to contain adventure, suspense, self-sacrifice and romance.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

A copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/young-adult/ya-action-adventure/the-father-joshua-s-tree-book-ii-detail

http://nwharrisbooks.wordpress.com/

Cover art by Marion Sipe www.marionsipe.blogspot.com

To Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK

February 11, 2014 by Tina Williams

GRINGA, by Eve Rabi – BOOK BLITZ!

Today we are thrilled to be participating in My Family’s Heart Book Reviews and Tours Book Blitz for Eve Rabi’s super duper and unforgettable modern romance GRINGA!

Scroll down to find out more about the book and the author and to read an excerpt and purchase links. It’s a wild, wild ride that you will never forget. Enjoy – I know that I did when I read it!
Tina 🙂

Please note the excerpt contains strong language and is only suitable for those aged 18+. By scrolling down and reading it you understand this and confirm that you are aged over 18.

TITLE – Gringa
AUTHOR – Eve Rabi
GENRE – Modern Romance
PUBLICATION DATE – December 9, 2013
PUBLISHER – Eve Rabi
COVER ARTIST – Eve Rabi

I was twenty-one, a sassy college student who took crap from no one. While holidaying in Mexico, I was accosted by The Devil of Mexico called Diablo and shot, because the s.o.b. mistook me for a spy.

I survived, only to encounter him again months later. How’s that for luck?

Furious and sick of all that I’d been through because of him, I slapped him, told him to go to hell and braced myself for the bullet. He could shoot me – I no longer cared.

But, to my surprise, he became fascinated with me and blackmailed me into becoming his woman. He’d slay the entire village that sheltered me, if I rejected his proposal.

He was Kong, hairy, tattooed from fingertips to face, with scary ass piercings, blood-shot snake eyes, a ruthless killer and above all, he was my murderer – how could anyone expect me to say yes?

To save the village I had to.

He took me by force, terrorized me into submission and made me his. To make matters worse, I had to put up with his ruthless, backstabbing family who hated me and wanted to kill me.

I despised the bastard and I told him that. Spark flew. Fists too.

But, the more I rejected Diablo, the more he wanted me.

At times he wanted to kill me because of my insolence, but other times he just wanted me to love him.

I was his Gringa and in an attempt to get my love, he began to change for me. Drastic changes that made me laugh at him at first, then made me curious.

As the days went by, I found myself drawn to him and I began seeing him differently. When I found out about his past, everything changed.

AMAZON (KINDLE)

(Please Note This Excerpt Is For 18+ And Contains Some Strong Language)

He grabs me by the scruff of my neck and drags me out of the room to the lunch table.
‘Leave me the fuck alone!’
He shoves me into the dining room. It’s Saturday so that entire gang is there, in the mood to party and to be entertained. Watching Diablo drag me to the table gets them excited.
Humiliated and seething, I sit down and drum my nails on the table. I don’t eat or look at him.
‘Eat!’ he orders.
I ignore him and drum louder, furiously.
A man named Norman, seated next to me, leans over and says, ‘Señorita gringa want Whiskey?
‘Yes please, Norman.’
Norman pours the whiskey and places the glass in front of me.
‘Thank you Norman,’ I say, bypassing the glass and reaching for the bottle.
Norman’s eyes grow huge when he sees me taking giant swigs from the bottle.
It’s awful. I hate whiskey. Tastes like gasoline to me.
‘Damn!’ I say, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. ‘This sure is mighty fine whiskey, Norman.’
‘Eh, Señorita gringa, my name …’
‘Lemme pour you one, Norman.’ I top his glass to the brim and hand it to him. ‘Knock yourself out,’ I chuckle.
Diablo’s not smiling.
Yeah, I’m supposed to be nice to him now that the FBI is involved. Well, fuck the FBI and Fuck him.
As lunch progresses, I’m feeling a little more relaxed now. Warm in my toes and even a little confident. Well, they’re eating lunch and I’m drinking mine – whiskey, Tequila and some other shit on the table.
After a few more swigs from the bottles, I cross my arms over my head and whistle Hit me Baby One More Time by Brittany bitch. Totally out of tune, but hey, who gives a fuck right now.
Diablo’s hairy face reveals little, but somehow I don’t think he’s comfortable with my drinking. Hell, I’m not comfortable with my drinking, but screw him.
They’re passing around pictures. Pornographic pictures and the conversation becomes steamy.
Usually, I pass on the pictures, but today, I snatch them out of Norman’s hand. ‘Lemme see that!’
I peer at the picture then burst out laughing. ‘That’s the fugliest flower I have ever come across,’ I say.
‘Eh, Señorita gringa, iiis not a flower, iiis a, how you say it…?’ He snaps his fingers.
‘Vagina,’ some other fucker calls out.
I peer at him. ‘What?!’ I snatch it out of his hands again. ‘Gimmee that.’ I stare at the picture. ‘Mm. Can’t be a woman’s vagina. It’s too fugly. Has to be a man’s.’ I hand him back the picture and go back to my neglected bottle.
‘So many Gringas,’ Antonio says, perving over the pictures. At the mention of the word ‘Gringa’, all eyes zero in on me.
Am I embarrassed? Hell no!
‘Hey, don’t look at me,’ I say and down another Tequila, whiskey – whatever – I’ve lost track of what I’m drinking. ‘I don’t roll that way. Why don’t you ask the fugly asshole at the end of the table?’
There is a collective gasp in the room and all eyes dart towards Diablo, including mine. Now he’s gonna be really pissed. Great.
But his amused response in Spanish brings on some guffawing.
‘What? What did he say, Norman?’
Norman is pissed enough to explain. ‘Diablo say, is like a fucking a Colchón sometimes. He say, is a big let down. And, Señorita Gringa, and my name is not …’
‘Colchón … mattress? He said that, did he?’ I let out a long, low whistle. ‘Well Norm, what the hell does he know, huh?’
I smile at Norman. ‘Can I call you “Norm?” I don’t wait for him to answer. ‘He don’t know jack. Foreplay – hell, he probably thinks it’s some kind of sugar-free chewing gum or something to do with his car’s steering wheel. Huh, Norm?’
‘But Señorita gringa, my name is not Norm, it is not Norman, it is Lucas.’
I stare at him for so long, he starts to flinch. ‘Lucas?’
He nods.
‘Why didn’t you say something, Norm? Okay, I’ll call you Lucas from now on, Norm.’
‘Eh …’
Santana almost falls off her chair laughing.
I look at Norm. ‘Now Norm,’ I point to Santana, ‘she’s probably laughing at what I said. Or she’s laughing at what the fuckwit at the end of the table said about me – the mattress – whatever shit …but, you ever seen a donkey laugh, Norm?
‘No, Señorita gringa. But my name …’
‘Never? Well, it’s your lucky day, Norm, cos you’ve seen it now.’ I jerk my head towards Santana.
Well, that magically erases the smile of donkey’s face.
‘You biiitch!’ Santana screeches. ‘I fargin’ kiiill you!’
I smile and raise my bottle at her. ‘Take a “fargin” number and get in “fargin” line.’
Troy comes up to me. ‘Gringa,’ he whispers, ‘come, let me take you to bed so you can sleep it … ’
My eyebrows shoot up. ‘Take me to bed? Are you better in bed than your brother? Christ, I hope so, Troy!’
Troy turns scarlet and shrinks back, all the while glancing nervously at Diablo.
Diablo looks at everyone around him falling out of their chairs with laughter and his breathing becomes like that of an emphysema patient – raspy and labored.
‘He really is lousy in bed Troy. And you know what? I don’t like him. He’s hairy and yuuuuck! He won’t let me visit my … ’
Diablo slams his fist onto the table, rattling the table and animating plates, cutlery, glasses.
‘Fuck! Look what you did Satan – you nearly made me spill my …’ I jerk back and peer at the label on the bottle in my hand. ‘What the fuck is this shit? Anyhoo, you’ve made me lose count of how many drinks I had. Have to start all over again. In case I have to drive.’
Diablo suddenly whips out his knife and flings it ninja-style at me. I duck and it hits the wooden beam behind me.
‘Ooooh!’ I cry shaking both my hands mockingly. ‘I’m in trooouble now! Biiiiga trooouble.’
‘Go gringa, go!’ some of the men cheer.
‘Whoookay!’ I say.
Diago stands up.
I stand up too and look him in the eye, my eyebrows disappearing behind my spiky fringe.
Breathing heavily, he creeps slowly to me, but I’m ready for him. I kick back my chair and sidle around, using the table as a barrier between us.
‘Watch him move, like a … eh, what you say for walrus in Spanish?’
The men laugh harder. Even Christa laughs.
‘You will farkin’ die!’ Diablo roars.
‘And who’s gonna farkin kill me, huh?’ I ask, dancing on the spot. ‘You?’ I throw my head back and laugh.
More laughter around me.
Diablo runs to his knife, grabs it off the beam and runs towards me.
But I’m already out of the villa and racing towards the cliff.
‘I’m going to kiiiill you!’ he yells as he chases me.
‘Fuck you, motherfucker!’ I scream over my shoulder and sprint ahead. I don’t care if he kills me, I just don’t want to be assaulted by him. He’s super strong and I stand no chance against him if he does. I’ve never seen him run before and I’m hoping he’s out of shape and slow. Well, the big lunch should make him sluggish.
But to my dismay, I can actually hear his breathing. I’m surprised at my slowness. Must be something to do with the booze. I have to admit, I didn’t realize how drunk I was until I started running. Too late now.
I run up the hill and through the dense foliage, passing startled villagers tending the cannabis crops. They stop and stare when they see Diablo chasing a gringa with a knife in his hand. Behind Diablo are his men, some on horseback and some on foot, not wanting to miss the moment Diablo finally kills the insolent Gringa.
‘Go, gringa go!’ I hear.
I run faster than I ever did in my life.
‘You will die!’ Diablo threatens behind me, still brandishing the knife. His breathing is getting louder and I know I have to do something.
The rock pool! I know for sure that Diablo is no match for me in the water. Very few people are. I head for the pool.
Changing route confuses Diablo and for a few moments, the gap between us increases, allowing me some respite.
I’m desperate to reach the rock pool so that I can shake the enraged animal behind me.
But to my dismay and my surprise, he catches me.
‘Let go of me, you fucking freak!’

AUTHOR BIO
Eve Rabi lives in Australia, but she was born in South Africa.
She is the author of 20 books and is known for her kick-ass leading ladies, alpha males and no holes-barred love stories.
Oh, and let’s not forget about humour, it’s a must in her books.
To quote a smashwords.com reviewer: “When you pick up an Eve Rabi book, forget sleep. She writes gripping page turners that will keep you reading till the very end.”

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | SMASHWORDS | TWITTER

LOVE STORIES BY EVE RABI
Deception – A Palace Full of Liars – Book 1
Deception – A Palace Full of Liars – Book 2

Burn’s World – Book 1
Burn’s World – Book 2
Burn’s World – Book 3
Burn’s World – Book 4

CAPTURED – My Sworn Enemy, My Secret Lover – Book 1
CAPTURED – My Sworn Enemy, My Secret Lover – Book 2

Gringa – A Love Story Book 1
Gringa – A Love Story Book 2
Gringa – A Love Story Book 3
Gringa – A Love Story Book 4

THE CHEAT – A Tale of Lies and Infidelity – Book 1
THE CHEAT – A Tale of Lies and Infidelity – Book 2

You Will Pay – For Leaving Me (This book is free to Eve Rabi Fans)

Obsessed with me –Book 1
Obsessed with me –Book 2

Betrayed – He’d get his Girl at Any Cost

My Brother, My Rival (Book 1)
My Brother, My Rival (Book 2)

February 5, 2014 by Tina Williams

Dark Indiscretions, by Shakuita Johnson – Book Blast!!!

First in a New Paranormal Romance Series

Check out the cover (which is pretty A-M-A-Z-I-N-G), the book blurb and the trailer and meet and connect with the author, Shakuita Johnson. Also enter her super GIVEAWAY to win a grand prize of a Samsung Galaxy Tab, signed paperback copy of Dark Indiscretions, an ebook and more!!!

Book Blurb:

What happens when your whole family is scarier than any nightmare and you have no desire to be anything like them? Do you stay and go along with the family plans or do you rebel and have them possibly turn their viciousness on you?

Jennifer Johnston experiences first hand why whispers are spoken in the dark about her species’ being evil when she was just a century old. What should have been another family dinner spent arguing over why she didn’t want to keep the bloodlines “pure” by being married off to her older brother turned into a nightmare and left her with more than tortured memories.

Jackson Dawls and Taylor Durham had been pack mates, best friends, and the other’s mate for as long as they could remember. They were a deadly species all their own but even they feared the Mystics and their overly cruel and barbaric ways, but unforeseen circumstances bring them face to face with not one but a few. Will there lives be in danger or is something great and unexpected awaiting them?rebel and have them possibly turn their viciousness on you?

They also have to stay under the radar of the human society that is set out to destroy those they believe to be “Tarnished” and a danger to mankind.

When the three meet long ago secrets are brought to the light. Secrets no one but Jennifer knew. Not only do they have to learn to get along with each other because they are fated, someone is also stalking Jennifer and preforming sinister acts without her being any the wiser.

Jennifer must seek guidance from old acquaintances and form alliances with those she never thought she would. She is met with riddles and startling revelations that she never would have imagined possible.

Will they accept their fates and work together or will old fears destroy their lives? Will Jennifer be able to reclaim what was taken from her right from under her nose?

Meet the Author Shakuita Johnson:

Author Bio:

Shakuita Johnson is a 29-year-old Psychology major. When she isn’t going to school or working, she is doing what she loves most – writing.

She started writing in middle school. She would write poetry in her room or the middle of the night. Then she was introduced to short stories in a creative writing course her senior year.

Her love for paranormal and supernatural started with R.L. Stine Goosebumps books and TV shows, Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles, and Christopher Pike books. She is an avid reader with over 100 books on her bookshelf and 1000 plus on her iPad. She also loved to watch Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer with her mom. Dark Indiscretions is her first novel.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Indiscretions-Shakuita-Johnson-ebook/dp/B00H5DODE4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386381480&sr=8-1&keywords=dark+indiscretions

Connect with this Author:

Blog: http://www.dark-indiscretions.com

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/b3arcat26/

Facebook Book Series page: http://www.facebook.com/darkindiscretions

Enter the Super Giveaway!

Win a grand prize of a Samsung Galaxy Tab, signed paperback copy of Dark Indiscretions, an ebook and more! list Just click on the Rafflecopter link below:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/88b6442/

Check out the Book Trailer:

February 4, 2014 by Caroline Barker

The Silk Romance by Helena Fairfax

An unforgettable, powerfully intense and beautifully written contemporary romance!

I downloaded The Silk Romance after hearing how great it was from Tina. And so, as I came across it again a couple of weeks ago I just had to have a read. It is an amazing read that I am sure many will find difficult to put down. Yes, The Silk Romance will be forever in your memory as a great, sweet contemporary romance.

Blurb: Sophie Challoner is sensible and hard-working, and a devoted carer of her father. One night her grandmother throws a ball for her in Paris…and Sophie does something reckless that she can never forget.
Jean-Luc Olivier is not a man to treat lightly. And so when fate takes a hand years after the ball, and reunites him with Sophie in Lyon, he is determined not to let her go a second time.
But it seems the fates are conspiring against their happiness. Jean-Luc has secrets of his own. And when disaster strikes at home in London, Sophie is faced with a choice—stay in this glamorous world with the man she loves, or return to her family to keep a sacred promise she made her mother.

Caroline’s Review: (Please see Tina’s review, posted May 2013, and an author post and bio by Helena Fairfax, also posted May 2013)

The Silk Romance is powerfully intense throughout. Every sentence reads like it was well thought out and Helena Fairfax has a great use of language in this beautifully written novel.

Although mostly told from Sophie’s point of view, the reader also has an insight into Jean-Luc’s mind as he regularly ponders over the delicate situation of Sophie. Many of the characters’ thoughts are highly emotive and the reader finds it incredibly difficult to pull themselves away. At times when I wasn’t reading, I couldn’t help but think of these characters and the predicament they are both in.

Sophie is old before her time in many respects. After the passing of her mother and the promise she made to take care of her father and brother, she works from a young age and makes no time for social activities. Sophie and her family reside on a poor estate in London, and she spends most of her money on debts that her father had accrued. It is only through a studying course that the opportunity opens up for her to gain some work experience, ending her back in Lyon with Jean-Luc. Although it is not a choice she is entirely happy with, it is one she needs to help her through and become successful, in order for her to support her family more.

An ex-racing driver and now owner of a successful silk factory, Jean-Luc has it all. He is a wealthy, handsome man, with his fair share of women and living-it-up lifestyle. However, he is also a dark horse with secrets of his own. Jean-Luc is controlling and manipulative, and yet he enchants the reader as well as Sophie! Helena’s description of his icy cold stares, for example, captivate the reader as if his eyes were aimed directly at them. His determination to get what he wants is matched by no other. And what he wants……………is Sophie.

Sophie is strong and has a great deal of willpower but there are moments when she just can’t help herself. His very presence is one that cannot be ignored. But how is she supposed to live up to the women that Jean-Luc is used to? What will happen when she returns to her father and brother? Her situation is impossible. If only Jean-Luc would leave her be, to finish off her work experience and to return to London.

And yet, despite opposing backgrounds, they do share a subtle common ground – tragedy. Even though tragic, the loss of their mothers has a profound impact on both of them. Sophie made the promise to her mother to always look after her father and brother. This is her number one priority. She simply cannot let her family down as the promise she made is the only connection she has left to her mother. And, it was Jean-Luc’s mother that makes him the man he is.

Although linked to the likes of Cinderella (within the story and in independent reviews), I would also like to mention that, for me, there were elements of Pretty Woman, Love Actually, Fifty Shades of Grey and, one scene in particular reminded me of Dirty Dancing.

I’m not sure if I have ever read a novel as intense as The Silk Romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would love to read more of Helena Fairfax’s work. The Silk Romance surely does embed itself in the reader’s mind. Unforgettable. In summary, if you love a great romance, with great intensity and powerful emotions, you will be head over heels for The Silk Romance!

I was provided with a free copy from A Story Cartel in return for my honest and fair review.

You can also find The Silk Romance on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

You can check out Helena Fairfax’s blog here.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

February 3, 2014 by Tina Williams

Sins of the Reaper, #10 in the WesternWind series, by Charlotte Boyett-Compo

Epic and Erotic Dark Fantasy Adventure!!!

Erotic Post Apocalyptic/Sci-Fi/Dark Fantasy Romance – Graphic Sexual content/language 18+/Adult Read

Charlotte Boyett-Compo pulls no punches in this tale which oozes big time with adventure, suspense and passion in an elemental battle between good and evil. I am still reeling after the read, which continues her WesternWind series and contains her signature Reapers, handsome and deadly Alpha Werewolf shape shifters, whose bloodlust can only be controlled by withholding or providing sustenance, and who can only be tamed and saved from themselves by the female destined to be their mate. Sins of the Reaper follows on seamlessly from the last instalment, Dark Reaper, but it can be read as a standalone.

Book Blurb (scroll down for review)

Brothers reunited. Lovers claimed. Warriors from all over the mega-verse coming together in pursuit of a single goal—to combat an evil that would enslave and destroy them all. Amazeen warrioress Penthe will allow no man to best her in battle. She slakes her lust with a succession of lovers, but has vowed she will never mate. Yet when she meets the Panthera cat shifter Bane, she may have met her match between the sheets. Bane is riddled with scars, of both the body and the soul, but Penthe vows that her warrior spirit and womanly body will help to make him whole again.

Inside Scoop: This book contains graphic scenes of sexual torture, references to child abuse and the extensive violence that is part and parcel of the Reapers’ harsh world, as well as erotic male/male flirtation.

My Review

This is a dark and stirring tale, at the heart of which is the romance between Amazeen warrioress Penthe and the Panthera cat shifter leader Bane, a man with a tortured past and who has experienced the evil of the enemy first hand. Others too find their fated mates and brothers are reunited, as the Reapers and their allies strive to destroy the Ceannus base on Terra. However, not all reunions are welcomed and one in particular causes tension in the warrior ranks and another threatens the life and sanity of Bane himself in some harrowing scenes.

The story follows on from the events which occurred at the end of the previous novel, where a band of Panthera warriors appear, sent by the Father God to help the Reapers based on Terra to destroy the Ceannus. The Panthera are also Reapers but are cat shifters and differ in some fundamental ways not least the fact that it was the Father God who created them not the Triune Goddess. The inevitable tension between two groups of male warriors is both amusing and eventful! Although, the warriors know that they have to join together to accomplish their task and there is many a strained and humorous moment as they learn to work together as a credible fighting unit. The homoerotic scenes as one of the Reapers meets his Panthera mate are particularly entertaining.

I liked the instant attraction between Penthe and Bane, who waste no time in becoming intimately acquainted – cue for the first of many hot scenes! Bane, a fearsome warrior, has had a past more tortured than most and bears scars inside and out and is a fascinating character as he is both strong but vulnerable. The heroine Penthe brings the term kick-ass heroine to a new level – at times even some of the Reapers are in awe of her actions! Bane is just the mate she needs to complement her strong nature yet at the same time make her feel more womanly than any other man has done in the past. There are some scorching and inventive love-making scenes between the couple and some touching moments.

In terms of its content, the novel is a dark read at times, reflecting the nature of the evil that the Reapers and their allies are out to destroy. The battle scenes are bloody, visceral and heart stopping as one would expect and I loved them! This is balanced with plenty of romance, humour, hot erotic love making scenes and adventure that kept me glued to my Kindle. The bad guys and gals in this novel, the Ceannus, are truly evil, with a grotesque appearance, a sadistic nature and an evil agenda to subjugate other life forms throughout the mega-verse and bend them to their will. Tears came to my eyes towards the end as I felt so connected to the emotions of the characters.

There are many characters and sub plots in this novel, picking up on past events and they are cleverly woven into the narrative. I particularly liked the one concerning the Reaper Cynyr Cree, his Lady Aingeal and Lord Kheelan, with whom I am developing a major crush on!!!

Sins of the Reaper is a must read for fans of Charlotte Boyett-Compo and highly recommended to lovers of Dark Fantasy and Science Fiction who like tortured alpha warriors, erotic love making scenes and the elemental battle between good and evil.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

A copy of this novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Publisher Ellora’s Cave http://www.ellorascave.com/sins-of-the-reaper.html

Purchase Links Amazon US Amazon UK

About the Author

Charlotte Boyett-Compo is the author of over 80 books. She writes novels that encompass science-fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Supernatural, Romantica, Horror, Mystery, Thriler and Post –Apocalyptic Western novels. She is the creator of the Reaper, handome and deadly Alpha male shapeshifters with tortured souls that can only be tamed by the female destined to be their mate.

http://www.windlegends.com

February 3, 2014 by Caroline Barker

The Lakeside Legacy (a South Carolina Romantic Suspence, Book 1) by Jean Jennett

Mystery, action and a HOT romance! (Warning: recommended for 18yrs+)

Book blurb (please scroll down for the review): What Krista Lucas finds when she arrives in picturesque Camden, South Carolina, is beyond all expectations. Her biological father, a man she never knew, has left her a large house in town and beautiful lakeside wooded acreage. How he came to own the property is a mystery Krista needs to solve for her own peace of mind.

Jake Thornton maintains that his family owns the house and land, and he can prove it with a document his own father left.

… Or can he?

Jake isn’t the only one with an interest in the property. His three brothers are ready and eager to develop the land, and nothing is going to stop them.

Including Krista Lucas.

With Krista’s life in danger, whose side will Jake take? His family … or Krista? Will the truth be discovered in time?

Early readers have said that The Lakeside Legacy has it all: suspense, danger, mystery, romance … and love.

The Lakeside Legacy is the first book in the South Carolina Romantic Suspense series.

WARNING: This book contains graphic sexual descriptions.

Review:

I LOVED The Lakeside Legacy. It is more than a love story. It has everything: romance, mystery, action, suspense and sensual scenes. Not only is there a great romance blossoming between Krista and Jake, it is like a Romeo and Juliet scenario. These two strong characters are from opposing families where the house and land surrounding the lake are concerned. Both believe that they are the proprietor, and both believe they have the proof.

Initially, Krista is oblivious to another claim for the ownership of the land, believing it to be her inheritance. And so, after moving to South Carolina to her new home and being befriended by Jake she feels that she is moving forward with her life. Her feelings for Jake become apparent and the possibility of romance is close.

I love the way in which Jean Jennett builds up the love scenes. This really takes the intensity to an almost unbearable pleasure as it is so good. And at a moment when Krista feels comfortable to love again, after what happened to her in Manhattan, Jake’s family and the developers have other plans, making any chance of a romance impossible.

Jake’s family and developers are quite relentless and will do all they can to get Krista out of the picture. But what is Jake to do? Does he stand by his family, to claim the house that he was once raised in, the land that could be developed, or does he choose to protect Krista?

There are some dark, fearsome moments with threats and attacks towards Krista that really put the reader on edge. The suspense is quite intense and the reader has no clue as to what will happen next. The following excerpt is written in context of when Krista is alone on a dark evening. Most of the townspeople are being entertained at a festival and she decides to walk on into the town alone.

“She didn’t notice a pickup truck parked a block up the street, didn’t see it roll forward with its lights off, and didn’t see a man jump out of the passenger side at the end of her driveway.”

The Lakeside Legacy provides a great deal of mystery: who does the house/land really belong to? What will become of Krista? What happened all those years ago between their fathers? Who will the property be left to and how will this affect Krista and Jake’s feelings for each other?

This novel also holds a smaller mystery as to what happened in Manhattan with Krista. As the novel continues and unfolds the reader is given an insight every now and again into what happened. This makes the reader understand why Krista does not run from this threatening situation. In some way she is facing her own demons. After what happened in Manhattan, she is not going to let this one ride. She is defiant and will fight for her rightful inheritance until the bitter end.

One of my favourite aspects of this book is that, although the reader is provided with Krista’s point of view, we also have an insight into Jake’s. This allows the reader to connect strongly to both of them and understand both claims. The reader sympathises at times with Jake’s predicament, whilst still annoyed that he befriended Krista in the beginning.

I love reading about significant background characters, even if they only show a brief appearance. And Frank Arcola is a great character who I would have liked reading more about. It would be a shame to elaborate much more without spoiling the story but he is a very strong and meaningful part of the story. I also liked reading about Jake’s brother, Nick, who was someone to confide in, someone to talk to, and someone who could try to put the other brothers straight. I was hoping to read a little more of him towards the end.

I clearly enjoyed this book very much. Whereas most authors tend to concentrate on the one genre in particular, I found that there was always an element of meaningful action and love in The Lakeside Legacy. There is never a dull moment. And the sexy scenes in The Lakeside legacy are fantastic. It is a great suspense. I’ll look forward to reading the next book in the South Carolina series.

I would like to thank the author, Jean Jennett, for providing a copy of The Lakeside Legacy in return for an honest and fair review.

You can find The Lakeside Legacy on Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

January 29, 2014 by Tina Williams

By Force, Forever Fae # 1, by Sara Hubbard

Captor/Captive Romance – Super Start to a New Adult Fantasy Series

By Force is the first book in Sara Hubbard’s new series, Forever Fae. In it the heroine is taken as captive by not one but five hunky male warriors!!! This has got to be one of my top fantasies – assuming there is plenty of romance to compensate for the drama and the angst of being kidnapped. In this Sara Hubbard does not disappoint! There is also non-stop action, adventure and suspense and an introduction to a fascinating medieval type world, which contains magic and strange creatures…….

So here’s the Book Blurb………

Kidnapping Isame would set them free…

Isame wanted freedom: the freedom to travel, the freedom to explore, but most of all, the freedom to choose the life she wanted over the life—and the husband—her parents had chosen for her. But when Isame leaves home to accept another man’s proposal, she happens across five fierce, handsome warriors. She wonders why they’ve travelled so far from home, but she never imagines their purpose might have something to do with her. Not even after they kidnap her.

Remmie is a man of honor and fierce loyalty. So when his king commands him to find a specific young woman on the island of Copaxa, he’s prepared to obey. But he’s not prepared for the woman to change everything. Isame is special. He can see it from the start. But how can one puny woman make him question everything he’s always known, including the rightness of doing what he’s promised?

My Review

By Force is a well written and entertaining fantasy romance, full of believable characters, many of whom I quickly grew to love! It is set in a fascinating world full of surprises and plenty of action as Isame and her captors travel across land, mountains and sea. Her kidnappers, five hunky warriors from Optavia, called ‘Savages’ by her people, due to their size and appearance, not to mention their behaviour, are out to do a job, kidnap Isame and deliver her to their king.

The heroine’s relationship with the warriors is a complex one. At first they want little to do with their captive and her with them and they do treat her rather poorly. However, slowly they begin to interact and get to know, like and respect each other and there is much humour in the banter between Isame and her captors and the other characters they meet on their journey. One of the warriors, James however, is an outsider and has an agenda of his own which becomes clearer as the plot develops. Isame is particularly drawn to Remmie, one of the warriors, who treats her more kindly than the others and their budding and touching romance is central to this novel.

I particularly liked the heroine, Isame and her transformation from a young woman about to acquiesce to an arranged marriage to one who is thrust into the adventure she has always craved, finding that she prefers this life to the one that was mapped out for her in her village. Although at first she vows to escape her captors, she starts to befriend them and falls hard for the warrior Remmie, who in turn is attracted to her. Their sweet romance is a delight to read and the scenes between them are full of sexual tension and hidden desire. However, there are many obstacles in the way of a happy future, not least the oath of Remmie and the other warriors to their king to deliver Isame to him and the fact that Remmie is a Savage, a race feared and held in contempt by her own people. He has also been responsible for abducting her and along with the other warriors represents a threat to her family should she try to escape. Remmie, despite his fearsome appearance and initial behaviour, is a sweetie at heart however and I could not stop myself rooting for their HEA!

Also what does the king want with her? There is also the prophecy of a mysterious gypsy, linking Isame, who has always believed herself to be a regular girl with Faemell, the Fairy Isle. Isame begins to question this and wants to find out the truth.

By Force is a super, well-paced, romantic read, full of sexy warrior types (what more can a girl want?), containing action and adventure, mystery and suspense. It is a great start to a new series and the next instalment, By Choice, is in the pipeline. I recommend it to those who enjoy fantasy romance with a feisty heroine and an alpha male with a heart.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

A copy of this novel was given to me free by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

RAIN, BY NICOLE HURLEY-MOORE – Synopsis, Trailer, Review, Author Bio and Giveaway

RAIN BLOG TOUR

Title – Rain
Author – Nicole Hurley-Moore
Genre – Fantasy (medieval fairytale)
Publication Date – 20th November 2013
Length (Pages/# Words) – 169 pages
Publisher – Jupiter Gardens Press
Cover Artist – Tibbs Design

BOOK SYNOPSIS
1216 AD
On the mountain, high above the village of Farran – Nuri is caught between heaven and hell. Two men fight for her love and her soul. The first is Maras, an elemental being who follows the storms. Nuri knows that he is not human, he’s something more. She believes he is her beautiful fallen angel. Yet he is transient and is bound to the elements and their love may be as fleeting as the storm itself. The second is Brother Erebus, a pious monk whose tortured soul is twisted by his desire for her.

But Nuri may sacrifice more than her heart when the Church brands her angel a demon. As Brother Erebus will do anything to protect her soul from the silver haired devil, even if he has to crush her body to do it.

BUY & TBR LINKS
Amazon Kindle Link | Barnes & Nobles Nook Link | Smashwords Link

iTunes Link | Goodreads Link

MY REVIEW

A Magical Fairy Tale – Sensual Fantasy/Paranormal/Medieval Romance

This novel is pure magic – a beautiful and sensual romance that has all the elements of a fairy tale for adults. It has well defined and believable characters and a strong plot set in a world akin to that of European folk lore and fairy tales of old.

The love story at the centre of the novel is pure delight to read. I loved how Nuri and Maras meet and how her love rescues the tortured and lonely water elemental from his self-imposed exile from the human world, due to his misplaced guilt about past events. There are many romantic moments and sensual love making scenes as the novel progresses and the couple find that they cannot ignore their mutual attraction. Nuri herself represents all that is good and selfless, but she also has a strong personality and is prepared to give her all to protect Maras her Angel. Erebus by contrast is truly a troubled soul, who is twisted by jealousy and lust and has lost his grip on reality. There is a great cast of supporting characters who also play a key role in the tale.

The author paints a vivid picture of the village of Farran and its inhabitants and I was immediately drawn into the plot and identified with the emotions of the characters. The tenor of the novel oscillates between darkness and light – the beauty and goodness of Nuri’s and Maras’ romance and the malevolence of Erebus’ twisted and unrequited love for Nuri and his belief that Maras is a demon that he must destroy regardless of the damage to Nuri. The descriptions of the storms, when they appear in the tale, I found particularly poetic.

Like all good tales it has many layers of meaning that as a reader I related to. Whilst it is first and foremost a love story of two people finding their soul mate it also explores the themes of jealousy and lust and reminds us that the demons which exist are those that reside within individuals. It also examines the prejudice and fear that some have towards others that appear to be different to us. The writing is sublime and reminded me of some of the fantasy novels of Linda Mooney and Christine Pope. I will definitely be checking out other books from this author. Recommended for readers of historical novels with a paranormal twist and lovers of fantasy romance.