October 26, 2013 by Caroline Barker

‘Unscathed’ by Tim O’Rourke and C.J. Pinard release!!!

Today is the release of UNSCATHED, written by my favourite two authors, Tim O’Rourke and C.J. Pinard.

I am planning to review Unscathed very soon! In the meantime, check out the synopsis:

“Mina Porter’s mother sent her away because of a terrible secret. When Mina meets tattooed bad boy Jax McElvoy, she’s immediately drawn to him, but not for the reasons he might think.

Jax falls for Mina too, but quickly figures out she’s hiding something. He’s determined to break down her walls and find out her secret. But Jax soon realizes he should have just let hidden secrets stay buried, because this one will cost him his dearly.

Unscathed is a contemporary romance with a deadly twist by bestselling author Tim O’Rourke and author C.J. Pinard. ”

Unscathed is available at both Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com!!! Add it to your reading list, guys!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Caroline 🙂

October 23, 2013 by Tina Williams

Another free promo!

Erica Dakin’s first novel, The Ritual, is FREE for Kindle for the next day ot two. For adults only it is a mixture of romance, fantasy and adventure. Why not grab yourself a copy? Tina 🙂

Theft and Sorcery

Yes, your eyes do not deceive you! My first novel, The Ritual, will be absolutely FREE for Kindle today and tomorrow. It is an equal blend of romance, fantasy and adventure, with a good dollop of spice to keep your blood up. To grab yourself a copy, follow your country-appropriate link below. Adults only! Re-blogging much appreciated.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AYYVT1G/ (United States)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AYYVT1G/ (Great Britain)

http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00AYYVT1G/ (Canada)

It will be free on most other Amazon sites as well, but I didn’t want to overload everyone with twenty-five links.

Need an incentive? Here are some excerpts from the various reviews I’ve had on both Goodreads and Amazon:

“The build-up of the relationship between Rin and Zash is tangible, palpable, to the point that I held my breath when they were on that knife-edge point of succumbing to desire.”

“I read the book in two sittings – I just had to know what happened.”

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October 22, 2013 by Tina Williams

K-Girls, #1 in the Kylemore Abbey Series, by Lydia Little

A Spirited Tale of Irish Boarding School Escapades

Pre-Teen to Adult Readers

Readers of all ages who relish tales of high jinks and adventure with a paranormal twist will enjoy K-Girls. The read will be particularly nostalgic for those such as me who spent their youth in the 1980’s and enjoyed reading Enid Blyton’s St Clare’s and Malory Towers series. It is many a girls dream to attend boarding school away from the confines of home life, forging new friendships and experiencing exciting escapades and this book does not disappoint in bringing these dreams alive.

K-Girls is the first book in the Kylemore Abbey Series, by author Lydia Little, who was herself once a pupil of the school (scroll down for her bio). It has been released in both digital format and paperback. In K-Girls Alice Stone persuades her parents to send her to boarding school, wanting to have the adventures she always dreamed about and at the same time reinvent herself. She is drawn to the beauty and splendour of Kylemore Abbey, Connemara, a convent school for girls, housed in a former castle. Alice enters the school as a somewhat nervous first year, nevertheless determined to make her mark and enjoy her life there to the full.

Soon after she arrives she encounters Ruth, the ghost of a former pupil, who died at the school in the 1920’s and whose body resides in the cemetery. Alice has never seen a ghost before, let alone held a conversation with one! For her part Ruth has had a lonely existence since becoming a ghost, being able to observe the comings and goings at Kylemore, to which she is tied, but never having communicated with a soul, living or dead. Alice keeps Ruth and her ability to see and communicate with her a secret from her new friends, Gale and Bessie, and others at Kylemore, lest they think she is losing her mind.

As a first year Alice and her friends are viewed as the newbies by the other girls, especially the seniors and Alice cannot resist embroiling herself in some daring escapades as she strives to prove her worth in challenges set by the older girls. Her success in these ventures is threatened by some enemies she inadvertently makes and she has to rely on Ruth’s assistance and her own cunning and tenacity to succeed, often against all odds.

I enjoyed the two main characters of Ruth and Alice and the friendship and mysrerious bond they formed. Alice is a spunky, confident and likeable heroine, wanting to make her mark and do right by others. She is desperate to prove that she can succeed in the tasks she is set and at the same time not wanting to offend Dame Mary, who runs the school, with her exploits. Ruth is desperate for a friend, having been on her own for so long and sometimes Alice, who doesn’t want her ability to communicate with Ruth to jeopardise her budding friendships with other girls, is a little unfeeling with some of the things she says to her, although she does feel guilty afterwards. I really felt for Ruth as she cannot recall the circumstances around her death and cannot comprehend why she has not passed over. I was interested to learn about her story as her memories start to resurface. Ruth has a strong sense of what is right and wrong, sometimes at odds with more modern sensibilities.

The novel is set in the 1980’s and there are many references to the popular culture of the time. It is clear that the author is familiar with this time period as well as the minutiae of school life at the school she attended and its history. I enjoyed the descriptions of the school and its grounds and the escapades of the girls! There are many humorous scenes, such as Alice talking to Ruth and being overheard talking to herself by others and other scenes where certain characters get their comeuppance.

There are many other characters in the novel, comprising Alice’s friends, Gale and Bessie and other characters comprising older girls and teachers, some of whom do not have Alice’s interests at heart. The novel also deals sensitively with the usual issues of the making and breaking of friendships and making up, their emotions being perhaps more acute than normal as the girls are away from home and in a secluded environment. Some of the characters are not all what they first seem and there are a number of plot twists, including a major one at the end, which I did not expect. I will be very interested to find out where the author takes the tale in the next instalment!

I recommend this novel to readers of all ages who like tales of adventure and mystery with paranormal elements, but which also explore the trials and tribulations of pre-teen and teenage girls in their formative years.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

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

https://www.facebook.com/LydiaLittleKGirl

http://www.kylemoreabbeytourism.ie/

Author Bio: Lydia Little grew up in Kinsale, Co. Cork. Convincing her parents to send her to boarding school, Lydia attended secondary school in Kylemore Abbey School for girls in Connemara from the ages of 12 to 18. Having kept diaries throughout, she still enjoys putting pen to paper, only now her journals are full of plots, scribbles, quotes and new characters, all shouting for inclusion in her new books.

After a stint of sailing, living in the UK and a short life as a hotelier, Lydia has returned to West Cork, where she now lives with her husband, 3 children, 3 dogs and a mad eyed cat named Bowie.

K-Girls is her first novel.

Here are the links to the book on Amazon UK Amazon US

October 21, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Dead Water (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 6) by Tim O’Rourke

Dead Water (Kiera Hudson Series Two, #6) It is such a treat to read a Tim O’Rourke story. As it has been a few months since I have read Dead Wolf (Keira Hudson Series 2 Book 5), I was beginning to think I’d forget where I left off! Oh no, not with Tim. His writing allows for the reader to easily carry on the Keira journey, with reminders throughout where the story has been to. Therefore also allowing a fresh reader to the series to settle into the story. With Vampyrus, Lycanthrope, Skin-Walkers and more, this paranormal series will grip you like no other!

Dead Water largely follows half-breed Keira and Vampyrus Potter and Murphy travel to the Dead Water, in search of their friends, Kayla and Sam. During their journey, in the ‘pushed’ world they have found themselves in, they are gradually turning into statues, cracking and slowly turning to dust. However, during moments of ingesting a little blood they are able to keep going until they reach their destination. Upon finding it a little too easy to have reached their destination, Keira fears that not all is as it seems!

After reading the subsequent novel, fans of the series are absolutely desperate to know how Keira and Potter’s relationship will fare. In Dead Water we follow the story from Keira’s and Potter’s points of view. It is more than fair to say that at the beginning of Dead Water Keira is quite hurt and upset. After finding out who she really is, and that her lover and friend, Potter and Murphy, have been lying to her she doesn’t really have much to say to them. Potter, in particular, has a hard time from Keira especially as Keira feels betrayed by him in more ways than one. Unfortunately for Potter, Keira doesn’t want to hear that he was only trying to protect her and spare her feelings. She can’t possibly give in to him as she knows she would only get hurt again.

Poor Potter was actually betrayed himself, with the idea of upsetting and manipulating Keira. It is so clear why fans of this series love Potter. His feelings are so strong but not always transparent to Keira. However, reading his point of view the reader does understand him and the reader wants to pull Keira aside to explain this to her. There have been moments when Potter has been a little too trusting of others, especially of the female kind, and has ended up in some messy situations!

Even though there are some pretty intense moments between Potter and Keira, on the other hand there are some really great scenes with Potter and Murphy. In regards to Keira, Murphy is a little overbearing in an observant and protective manner. However, some of Murphy’s remarks to Potter about her are obvious, annoying or over the top. It’s almost like Murphy is trying to get a rise out of Potter. To which Potter replies brilliantly in his sarcastic manner which made me laugh out loud at times. This provided a great relief in between the overall tense feeling.

I also thought it was fantastic to read about Keira using her investigative skills, trying to find Kayla and Sam, as she returns to the snow-covered field where they had been involved with a wolf attack with Potter and Murphy in Chapter 4. (This is where many of Potter’s sarcasm comes to the fore with Murphy!) This scene, as well as how Keira carefully works out what has happened as she illuminates certain possibilities, really took me down memory lane to the first instalment of Keira when she first visited the Ragged Cove and met Potter and Murphy in Vampire Shift! Here Keira was taken to her first scene where a body was found just within the tree-line of a field and Keira used her ‘seeing’ abilities to spot the smallest of details! This scene is very fresh in my mind, especially after having read the Graphic Novel of Vampire Shift a few weeks ago.

The excitement grows with each chapter. There is a great use of dialogue, as in many of Tim’s books. This makes it a fun and quick read, even though the plot itself is very rich in intensity and depth. The scenery changes so much, along with the weather conditions, as the story moves on. This again is typical of Tim O’Rourke, especially in the Keira Hudson series. We begin with snow, fields, the blood red Dead Water, the upward current of the Fountain of Souls, forestry and the town of Wasp Water. You can also gauge from some of these names that Tim’s imagination takes you to a completely different ‘pushed’ world of your own as the stories remain alive and strangely real. It is also regular for Tim to introduce new characters and in this instance it comes in the form of statues, which have strangely been following Keira and her friends to the Dead Water.

The ending of this one will certainly shock many fans. On the one hand I am thinking, ‘Tim, what have you done!?’, and on the other I am quite excited of the possibilities that it could bring. I do have my own theories so I hope I am right. I personally believe that if an author does surprise you, even in a negative manner, that it is a work of brilliance. These days I don’t think it takes much to shock people, especially open-minded people. And I also like an author that isn’t too predictable!

The following instalment, ‘Dead Push’ is available now and I will hopefully be reviewing it very soon. In the meantime, come and check it out on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Please check out all of our Tim O’Rourke reviews (below).

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

Vampire Shift (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 1)

Vampire Wake (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 2)

Vampire Hunt (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 3)

Vampire Breed (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 4)

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

Vampire Hollows (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 5)

Dead Flesh (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 1)

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

Dead Angels (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 2)

Dead Statues (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 3)

Dead Seth (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 4)

Dead Wolf (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 5)

Moonlight (The Moon Trilogy #1)

Moonbeam (The Moon Trilogy #2)

Vampire Seeker (Samantha Carter #1)

Witch (Sydney Hart #1)

Vampire Shift – The Graphic Novel (Volume One) (Keira Hudson Series One) – illustrated by Craig Twyman

October 17, 2013 by Caroline Barker

BSI: Bureau of Supernatural Investigation (An Enchanted Immortals novella) by C.J. Pinard

Whether you’re a fan of C.J. Pinard’s paranormal/urban fantasy series, Enchanted Immortals, or being introduced to it now BSI: Bureau of Supernatural Investigation is a fantastic novella to read at any point in the series. It provides backgrounds to already known characters as well as introduce fresh characters from different cities and era’s. It comes complete with imagination, action, fun and drama. Not to mention the various fae, including vampires, shifters, succubae and sylph.

This Enchanted Immortals novella takes the reader into the very beginning of the BSI; who set it up, how it was set up, agents that were assigned to the BSI and unexplained/unsolved investigations that had been re-opened. You may find some similarities to the tv series, The X-Files, in that the investigations are of a supernatural kind and some of the agents are more open-minded and knowledgable of the paranormal than others. The difference being that the BSI concentrates on the shifters and vampires mostly.

The prologue explains the setting up of the Bureau of Supernatural Investigation. After the FBI’s Assistant Director Jim Blackwell’s son, Paul, is murdered in Washington, 1945 it becomes more evident over time that this killing was possibly of a supernatural kind. As all lines of inquiry begin to dry up, Jim still remains determined to find the killer of his son. When approached by General Frost, Jim’s mind opens up to the possibilites of paranormal behaviour.

BSI is separated into three main sections (excluding the prologue and epilogue). Each section focuses on a different city and era, i.e. San Francisco (1946), Chicago (1963) and New Orleans (1989). (This reminded me a little of the CSI’s on tv as there are different series based in different cities.) Each of these sections have their own case to follow, with different BSI agents in each section.

The epilogue then takes us back to Washington as the reader discovers the outcome of the case of the BSI Founder’s son! Will the killer be caught? Does Jim have all the answers in the end? One of my favourite aspects of this novella is the way in which C.J. begins with the prologue, the beginning of the set up of the BSI, and then leaves it open until the epilogue where one way or another ends this novella brilliantly.

In this novella the reader will be informed that some Immortals become BSI agents as they need to discover how much the human agents know about them. The agents are selected by excelling at their job and are able to close most cases, apart from the ones that are unexplained and are left unsolved. In some instances, once the agent begins working for the BSI they are then able to try and crack their unsolved case with a more open mind as they are made aware of the existence of vamps, shifters and succubae.

In some instances the Immortal agents open up to their human partner, especially if suspicions have risen with their supernatural powers and their knowledge of the Fae, and make them aware of what they are – although this usually comes with a price itself and the human then must become an Immortal. During the times when the Immortals reveal their true selves they also explain their age and lack of aging, the elixir and their healing abilities. This is a fantastic way to introduce these qualities into the novella as it supports the main books of the series.

There’s a little action in each story, with some stories focussing on shifters more and others on vampires and succubae. During some of these action scenes, in particular the vampires, there are instances where heads are completely cleared from their bodies and heads popping or bursting. Even though these are serious moments of action and gore, and are in context and necessary for the story, I cannot help but smile as the terminology makes reading these scenes fun instead of being too horrific.

I cannot help but personally hope for more stories from C.J. Pinard in the Enchanted Immortals series. The BSI novella has familiar characters in Agents Swift and Bianchi, and yet have introduced some fresh characters that could easily be written into new work, therefore opening up the possibility for some fresh Immortals in the main series. The characters are likeable, special even, with their powers and relationships with each other. I would also like to read more about the succubae, a form of vampire that takes the whole soul of a human, rather than their blood.

So, if you fancy a new urban fantasy/paranormal to sink your fangs into, or you are a fan of the Enchanted Immortals series, please check out C.J. Pinard’s BSI: Bureau of Supernatural Investigation on Smashwords for FREE!!!! This fantastic novella can also be purchased for a tiny fee via Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

If you would like to contact C.J. Pinard you can reach her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CJPinardAuthor or you can e-mail her at cjpinardauthor@gmail.com.

Below you will find links to my reviews for C.J. Pinard’s urban fantasy/paranormal Enchanted Immortals series, books 1-4, as well as a recent contemporary romance, Patriotic Duty (When Riley Met Cara, Book 1.

Enchanted Immortals (Enchanted Immortals Book 1)

Enchanted Immortals: The Vortex (Enchanted Immortals Book 2)

Enchanted Immortals: The Vampyre (Enchanted Immortals Book 3)

Enchanted Immortals: The Vixen (Enchanted Immortals Book 4)

Patriotic Duty (When Riley Met Cara, Book 1)

October 16, 2013 by Tina Williams

Gem of Gravane, #1 in The Northern Knights Series, by Amber Dane

Love and Passion amidst Treachery and Betrayal

Sensual Medieval Romance

I have been planning to read an Amber Dane novel for some time now and sincerely wish that I had not waited quite so long! I adore historical romances, especially those set in the medieval period and I am pleased to say that I have now found another great author to fulfil my fantasies of alpha knights in shining (or even tarnished) armour and sensual tales of how they find their heart’s desire in the midst of such violent and turbulent times. This book is the first in her Northern Knights series, of which book 2, Conquering the Dark Axe and book 3, The Beast of Renald, have already been published as well as other works.

In Gem of Gravane, Knight Aric Claydon is honoured by William the Conqueror, his King and lord, who gifts him, amongst other demesnes, Gravane and the hand in marriage of its lady Danielle, a conquered Saxon. However, this fierce and battle hardened warrior, whose heart pays homage to no woman, delays claiming this particular prize and its lady for a year.

Lady Danielle welcomes her new lord and husband to her home with mixed feelings. Held in contempt by the men in her life – first her father and then her odious cousin Thomas, her guardian, she lacks confidence and is highly conscious of a slight affliction she has. She is disappointed when Aric’s initial reaction to her is less than enthusiastic, confirming her fears that he has avoided the union as he has been made aware of her lack of worth. She still harbours a secret hope however, that although Aric is not happy to take her as his bride, his overlordship of Gravane will put many wrongs to right that have been inflicted on her people.

Aric is far from immediately enamoured with Danielle, but will do his duty and will endeavour to beget an heir. He knows that something is badly wrong at Gravane and is determined to bring the perpetrators to justice. As soon as the marriage takes place, Aric finds that he is more and more drawn to Danielle, attracted to her soft curves, her kindness to others and even her quirks and he seeks to protect her from any perceived dangers. It also becomes clear that his bride is stronger than he thinks and that she harbours secrets. The more he finds out about her, the more he realises that there is more to her than he first thought. Unused to and uncomfortable with such feelings Aric strives to keep his distance, except in the bedroom, where he is gentle and attentive.

The presence of Thomas and his sister Rose and the appearance of characters from Aric’s past do little to alleviate Danielle’s fears and she despairs that Alric will ever return her growing love for him. At the same time danger threatens both Aric and his lady. As we find out if Danielle will succeed in persuading this powerful warrior to take a chance on love, the unfolding tale is laid out like a sumptuous medieval feast. It is brimming with treachery and violence, as well as humour, passion and numerous sensual scenes. I found it a compulsive read!

I loved the character of Aric, a proud and powerful warrior. He is protective of Danielle from the off and against his better judgement he cannot keep his emotional distance from her. I also revelled in how Danielle grew in confidence and stature as she was able to assume her rightful role as lady under Aric’s protection, even as she struggled with what she believes is unrequited love.

The author’s portrayal of supporting characters were a delight to behold. Aric’s second-in-command Balwain and Danielle’s maid Edie deserve special mention as do the not so savoury characters of Thomas and Rose. We are also introduced to the knight Rourke, the Dark Axe, the hero of the next novel in the series, Conquering the Dark Axe.

I recommend Gem of Gravane to readers of historical romance, especially medieval romance, who enjoy a romantic and sensual tale, with engaging characters, which does not shy away from depicting the violence and the treachery that was commonplace at the time.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Cover art: LDF Design

Author Amber Dane’s Blog

Gem of Gravane on Goodreads

October 8, 2013 by Tina Williams

Still Time to Enter Our Giveaway of My Brother, My Rival!

Enter before midnight GMT 9th October 2013 for a chance to win digital books of Eve Rabi’s Amazon bestseller My Brother, My Rival. Contest is open internationally and the books have kindly been made available by the author. The tale, which I reviewed a few days ago, is a super hot read when two brothers fall for the same woman. There are FIVE copies of book 1, All Out of Love and FIVE copies of book 2, How Can I Not Love You? up for grabs. A digital copy of each book will go to the first 5 lucky readers, picked at random, who leave their name in the comments section of this post by midnight GMT, 9th October 2013.

Good luck to all entrants in the forthcoming draw!

The giveaway is now closed and the winners were Jenny Jerman and Bev Walkling. Many thanks to those who entered and to the author Eve Rabi for donating the e-books for the giveaway.

Tina 🙂

October 8, 2013 by Tina Williams

Bella’s Betrothal, by Anne Stenhouse

Delightfully Engaging Sweet Regency Romance

Fans of Regency Romance are well advised to grab hold of Anne Stenhouse’s recent release, Bella’s Betrothal, an exciting and engrossing read, which gripped me from the first page. It contains murder, attempted kidnap and evil intent, family secrets, malicious gossip and mayhem, plus much wit and humour and engaging characters, not least the hero and heroine, whose sweet romance is at the heart of the plot.

In Regency Britain reputation is everything, no more so than amongst the Ton. So when Lady Isabella Wormsley, finds herself in a situation where she is the focus of gossip and innuendo most foul she is sent in disgrace to her aunt and uncle’s house in Edinburgh. En route her room at an inn is invaded by handsome Scottish Laird, Charles Lindsay, in a deliciously action packed and sexually charged scene. Charles has uncovered a plot to kidnap her by a rogue called Direlton, but Bella starts to wonders if Charles may be a more dangerous threat, at least to her heart.

Charles is a friend and neighbour of her Aunt Hatty Menzies and a regular visitor. Exiled by her unfeeling mama, Bella hopes the delivery of her young cousin’s baby will prove her own innocence. However, Bella’s presence disrupts the lives of everyone connected to her. Direlton makes another kidnap attempt and Charles comes to her rescue and is compromised. Only a betrothal will save his business and Bella’s reputation. Will the growing but unacknowledged love between Bella and her Scottish architect survive the evil machinations of Direlton and the scandal mongers?

I found the characters of Bella and Charles to be believable. Not only are they were well matched as a couple, but they are also interesting characters in their own right. Although Charles is a Laird, he is no lazy aristocrat. His work as an architect, gives him an outlet for his creativity. Bella is outspoken and headstrong, yet responsible and keen to protect those around her from damaging their own reputation by associating with her. Charles, recognising how his own reputation could be harmed initially resolves to have little to do with her. However, his conviction does not last long as he is wildly attracted to her and he cannot stop thinking about her. Moreover his strong sense of fair play and honour, not to mention his friendship with the Menzies, leaves him honour bound to help ease Bella into Edinburgh society. This of course means more contact with Bella, which only feeds their mutual attraction.

I liked the fact that Charles was very willing to protect Bella’s honour at all costs, not just against the gossips but also against those who wish her physical harm. There are many touching scenes between the couple as they grapple with their own feelings, whilst at the same time hiding their growing love from each other. Although a sweet romance the reader can certainly sense the passion the couple have for each other simmering below the surface in a number of heated scenes! Bella fears that Charles has only agreed to marry her to protect his business and Charles has his own insecurities to contend with, not least a meddling mama and a past in which he was betrayed by a woman. The villain Direlton and his cronies are ever present throughout the tale, adding considerable tension and danger to the plot.

The supporting characters were delightfully well drawn. I particularly liked how the author portrayed many of the women in the novel, especially Bella’s aunt and Charles’ mama and how Bella’s appearance and subsequent betrothal affected their friendship. Lackie, Charles’ man, helps keep Charles’ temper in check on numerous occasions and provided additional humour. The villain Direlton was credible and well motivated in his evil intent.

The author’s knowledge of the history, geography and architecture of the city of Edinburgh shines through in this novel. I found myself easily transported Regency Edinburgh and into the scenes that she painted with her words. The dialogue too was well crafted and sparkled throughout and this undoubtedly reflects the author’s experience as a playwright.

I recommend this novel to lovers of historical romance, especially Regency Romance. I enjoyed this book, which was a fast paced, entertaining and often humorous read, with characters I very quickly came to care about. I would definitely read more by this author and have put her previous novel, Mariah’s Marriage, on my reading list.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

A copy of Bella’s Betrothal was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

Released on September 20, 2013

Cover designer Charlotte Volnek

Publisher, MuseItUp Publishing website

Click here for Anne Stenhouse’s Author Blog

Click for Anne’s Facebook page

About the Author

ANNE STENHOUSE has always loved words. Reading them and using them greedily, she can’t truly remember a time when she couldn’t escape into the pages of a book and certainly can’t remember when she couldn’t talk and ask questions. Anne is a published and performed playwright. She studied both English and History at University in Edinburgh, and finds it a great joy to combine these two disciplines in her first novel, Mariah’s Marriage. Being a playwright means Anne loves dialogue and knows a piece is going well when she ‘begins to hear the characters talking to each other’. She has been a civil servant, full-time Mum and, for a while, a worker in an Addictions’ rehabilitation unit. Anne lives in Scotland with her husband and dancing partner of over thirty years. Their children and a grandchild are close by.

Author’s Other Works:

Love to Death, a one act play, New Theatre Publications

Mariah’s Marriage

October 7, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Update by Caroline

Hi readers, I hope you are all well. Tina and myself would like to thank you all for following A Reader’s Review Blog and we welcome our latest followers. We hope that you enjoy our posts as much as we love writing them. Feel free to comment on our posts and we’ll be sure to get back to you. You can also check us out on Facebook and Twitter at @areadersreviewb. If you are an avid reader and/or know anyone who is we would welcome a ‘like’, share or follow!

So guys, it feels like we have reviewed a great deal since or last update. My recent reviews (scroll down for Tina’s) have been:-

The One Percenters

The One Percenters, a psychological, adult horror by John Podgursky. Following Edward Caine, The One Percenters is a disturbing story of ill mental health and the notion to aid ‘natural selection’ for the human race after the brutal rape and murder of his wife. Although beginning in a retaliating state of mind, Edward becomes more complex in his thinking by believing those not completely healthy, physically or mentally, should not have the chance to breed and begins to victimise innocent people he deems are not fit to carry on the human race.

Flick by Keira des Anges, is a beautifully written contemporary, coming-of-age paranormal work of fiction. Following Leanna Matthews, a telekinetic whose ability it is to astral travel, Flick is full of great friendships and romance, and yet it subtley builds up to the horror and action that is to befall upon young Leanna. (Alongside our review you will also find an author bio for Keira des Anges and her book tour info.)

On the Lips of Children by Mark Matthews is another disturbing, adult horror. Tattooist, Macon and his family travel to San Diego ready for a marathon. During a training run, Macon and his family are captured by underground scavengers for money and food. Yes, they are to be the food! An absolutely chilling-to-the-bone read. If this doesn’t scare you enough to hide under your bed covers then I don’t know what will. On the Lips of Children is certainly a marathon like no other!

Last, but certainly not least, is Patriotic Duty (When Riley Met Cara, Book 1) by C.J. Pinard. This short, adult contemporary romance is fun, cheeky, sexy and saucy but not without the drama of a beautiful romance. If you’re looking for a hot, cute soldier who’s looking for more than somewhere to spend the night, then Riley is your man and Patriotic Duty is your kind of book!

My following reviews will be:-

C.J. Pinard’s Enchanted Immortals novella, BSI: Bureau of Supernatural Investigation. This novella does not have to be read in any order to the main series. In this urban fantasy/X-file-ish novella, the reader discovers how the BSI came about and the history of some of its Immortal Agents in different areas of the USA. BSI also explains how the Immortals come about (as does the series itself) and provides some great examples into the lives of shifters, vampires and succubae.

Tim O’Rourke’s Dead Water (Keira Hudson Series Two, Book 6) has definitely been a story I’ve been meaning to read for months. Following Keira and her vampire friends’ adventures, they must now search for Sam and Kayla in this ‘pushed world’ that they are all in. However, as they travel onwards, will there be more trouble ahead? Will they meet their end at the Dead Waters?

And then for a Halloween special horror, Tatterdemon by Steve Vernon! For the synopsis and my full current reading list with all of the book blurbs please click here.

Since the last update Tina has reviewed the following:

My Brother, My Rival: All out of love, book 1 and How can I not love you? book 2, by Eve Rabi (click title for review). What can I say? Yet another addictive read from this author. In this tale, which will have you laughing one minute and crying the next, a young woman is torn between two brothers as the author explores the pull of both romantic and familial love. We have ten copies of My Brother, My Rival to give away on this blog. To enter just click on the following link and leave your name in the comments section by midnight GMT, 9th October 2013. Five lucky winners will be chosen at random to receive books 1 and 2.

http://areadersreviewblog.com/2013/10/01/international-giveaway-of-my-brother-my-rival-by-eve-rabi/

To Steal A Highlander’s Heart (click title for review) by Samantha Holt, a sensual medieval paranormal romance set in the Highlands with a spirited heroine and a gorgeous Scot, not to mention a meddling faerie whose mission is to bring them ever closer together. The novel has a friends to lovers theme and also a captor/captive romance theme, which I find hard to resist!

Tina hopes to have her reviews of Amber Dane’s Gem of Gravane and Anne Stenhouse’s Bella’s Betrothal up soon this week.

Tina’s Next Reads

Tina’s next reads include a K-Girls, author Lydia Little’s first novel, which she describes as ‘an Irish boarding school adventure with a spirited twist. It is her first novel which draws on her own experiences as a boarder of the real Kylemore Abbey, Connemara Ireland.’ I’m also looking forward to reading Samantha Holt’s One Knight Collection of sensual tales and A Handful of Blossoms, by Lara Biyuts, an historical novel with a paranormal twist. Here’s some more info on the books.

K-Girls (Kylemore Abbey School series #1), Lydia Little

Alice Stone, an adventure-seeking twelve year old, convinces her parents to let her go, to Kylemore Abbey Boarding School for Girls in Connemara. Alice gets more than she bargained for when she stumbles upon Ruth, who is delighted to meet Alice. But Ruth isn’t any ordinary student . So begins the mysterious bond between Ruth and Alice, as Alice settles in to boarding school in the bleak yet beautiful heart of Connemara. Alice soon discovers that becoming a true K-Girl is not so easy, even if you have a ghost for a friend.

One Knight Collection (Medieval Romance), Samantha Holt

A collection of sensual medieval short stories – comprises One Knight, Black Knight, White Knight and Highland Knight. If you had one night to prove your love…could you?

A Handful of Blossoms, Lara Biyuts, Historical/Paranormal

This is written in form of a diary, a genre popular in the 18th century and which resonates in our time of blogging, webdiaries and webjournals. The book, set in 1764, a year after the Seven Years War in Europe, tells the story of a young damsel and her weird and unconventional marriage. It also includes some paranormal elements.

That’s all for now, guys, but be sure to keep checking in. Thanks again for all of your support and lovely feedback we have received. We’d also like to thank the authors that have provided us with a copy of their work for the purpose of a review. You have opened our eyes to some amazing books, and in some cases, encouraged us to take a risk with genres that otherwise we may not have explored. Until next time, take care.

Caroline and Tina 🙂

October 6, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Caroline’s current reading list

Hi readers, I have been settling back into the routine since the summer hols. I hope you all had a fantastic summer and settled back into your routines too :). Autumn and Winter are my favourite times of year as we watch the temperature begin to drop, leaves falling from the trees, with Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas and New Year still to come. It’s that time to snuggle up on the sofa in the evening, with a warm cup of cocoa and escape to wherever you’d like with a brilliant book!

And so, what are my new adventures going to be? Well, we have had a great response from new authors to review their work and you will also find some of my favourites on the list too. It really is a mixed bag from paranormal, fantasy to crime, romance and even some comedy! (Please note that all title links will take you to their Goodreads page.) So without further ado, over the next quarter or so I will be reviewing the following titles:-

BSI: Bureau of Supernatural Investigation (An Enchanted Immortals novella) – C.J. Pinard (paranormal, urban fantasy)

Supernatural creatures have roamed the Earth since the beginning of time. There was a time when humans would not tolerate having vampires and other creatures in their midst, stealing their young and killing their fellow human beings. These humans took care of business with pitchforks, sharpened stakes, and fires. As the centuries passed, the supernatural creatures learned that they needed to hide in order to survive. As they did, humans evolved, and after a few decades, humans no longer believed the tales from mythology and folklore. Then the creatures became more bold again, showing themselves when they should have stayed hidden.

In 1945, the assistant director of the FBI suffered a horrible tragedy, which he learned later was supernaturally related. He created a small branch of the Department of Justice called the Bureau of Supernatural Investigation – the BSI. Little did he know that there were already men and women policing the world of the supernatural – or the “Fae.” The only difference was that this other group had a huge advantage over the humans running the BSI; they were also immortal, just like the creatures they policed. Should the BSI and the Immortals work together to keep the peace?

Follow agents and Immortals from the four supernaturally busiest places in the country – San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, and Washington D.C. and watch the BSI evolve.

Vampires, shapeshifters, succubae, and Immortals. What is the Justice Department hiding?

BSI: Bureau of Supernatural Investigation is an Enchanted Immortals novella, approximately 36,000 words, with an excerpt of Enchanted Immortals at the end. This novella may be read in any order in the series.

Dead Water (Keira Hudson, Series 2 Book 6) – Tim O’Rourke (paranormal, urban fantasy)

With Sam and Kayla missing, Kiera, Potter and Murphy head for the Dead Waters. Here they hope to find their missing friends and the answers to why their flesh keeps cracking like that of a statue. Knowing Potter has lied to her, Kiera is struggling with her feelings for him. Therefore, Kiera tries to keep Potter at a distance, scared that she might get hurt again.

With Skin-walkers and statues close behind them as they make their journey to the Dead Waters, Kiera can’t help but fear she is being led straight into a dead end.

Tatterdemon – Steve Vernon – HALLOWEEN FUN!!! (horror)

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.

When It Happens to You – Molly Ringwald (contemporary, chick-lit)

When it happens to you, you will be surprised. That thing they say about how you knew all the time, but just weren’t facing it? That might be the case, but nevertheless, there you will be.

Molly Ringwald mines the complexities of modern relationships in this gripping and nuanced collection of interlinked stories. Writing with a deep compassion for human imperfection, Ringwald follows a Los Angeles family and their friends and neighbors while they negotiate the hazardous terrain of everyday life—revealing the deceptions, heartbreak, and vulnerability familiar to us all.

In “The Harvest Moon,” a stay-at-home mom grapples with age, infertility, and an increasingly distant husband. In “Ursa Minor,” a former children’s television star tries to rebuild his life after being hospitalized for “exhaustion.” An elderly woman mourns the loss of her husband and her estranged relationship with her daughter in “The Little One.” In “My Olivia,” a single mother finds untapped reserves of strength to protect her flamboyant six-year-old son who wishes only to wear dresses and be addressed as Olivia. And in the devastating title story, a betrayed wife chronicles her pain and alienation, leading to an eviscerating denouement.

As the lives of these characters converge and diverge in unexpected ways, Ringwald reveals a startling eye for the universality of loss, love, and the search for connection. An unflinching yet poignant examination of the intricacies of the human heart, When It Happens to You is an auspicious literary debut.

The Debt & The Doormat – Laura Barnard (chick-lit, comedy)

Poppy and Jazz have been best friends from the first week of university. Whenever these two get together trouble isn’t far away and things haven’t changed much. When Jazz gets herself into financial trouble Poppy, being a good friend, offers to help. She instead ends up being talked into swapping lives, with Jazz insisting it will be good and help her get over her broken heart.

Poppy is thrown into a new life, full of crazy housemates. There’s fitness freak Izzy, horrendously beautiful bitch Grace and the slightly gorgeous, if not incredibly grumpy Ryan.

Quickly, with the help of Jazz, her life is thrown upside down. Madness ensues and her need to please everyone gets her in more trouble than she could ever imagine.

Before she knows it she’s got a fake boyfriend and is hiding so many secrets she’s scared they’ll spill out any minute. With a bullying boss, a sex crazed colleague, a mental mother and three brothers each with their own dramas, life has gotten pretty difficult for Poppy. And all of this would be much easier, if she could just stop falling over.

Will she get her life back to normal before her brother’s upcoming wedding? And will she want to?

Roping Love – Tamarra Hoffa (contemporary romance)

Ten Years ago love slipped through Chance’s lasso. This time “He was going after her and she didn’t stand a chance, just like a calf in a chute, he was going to rope her with his love and ride back into her life.”

Carrie Stewart is a dedicated horsewoman. She runs a successful breeding and training program. She is a good friend, a good sister and a favorite aunt, but she has been burned by love. Carrie has never gotten over her first love, Chance Ryan. After ten years of absence Chance shows back up in her life. Should she risk her heart again, with the man who left it broken at her feet in the past? Chance has some serious work ahead of him to win back the one woman he could never forget.

Lightpoints – Peter Kassan (science fiction, paranormal)

What if you suddenly discovered you had a sense-and powers-that almost no one else in the world did? When Amanda Lindner Nichols, a 24-year-old graphic artist living with her husband in Queens, New York, is revived from a near-death experience, she discovers she perceives everyone around her as points of light-but not with her eyes. She soon learns she can not only perceive the life energy of others, but she can give and take it. With the help of others like her, she brings her husband Chris to the brink of death and back to bestow on him the same remarkable faculty, and they’re the happiest they’ve been. But not for long. All over the world, people who’ve been revived from their own near-death experience at just the right moment discover themselves with these same unusual powers. They find ways to use them-some for good and some for evil. When Amanda and Chris encounter a ruthless group of gangsters with the same faculty, tragedy follows-and Amanda faces the greatest challenge of her life.

Baby, You’re as Sweet as 3.14159265 (101 Funny Love Advice Answers, 20 Sexy Stories, & Lots of Jokes)- Hog Wild (ADULT comedy)

WARNING: Content may not be suitable for people offended by naughty words, honest thoughts about love, and sexual thoughts of sextastic sex with sexy people.

(Edited synopsis due to rude words that may not be suitable for all) From the book…

A lot of girls like a guy who is a bad-ass. That’s why my conversations with women go like this:

GIRL: I like a man of danger.

ME: Come back to my place and we’ll open the .exe attachments in my email!

—

Dear Shirtless Guy in his Profile Picture, you REALLY want to impress girls? Get a job and pose in front of your cubicle.

—

They say you can get a girl to like you, if you can make her jealous. So I make sure the girl sees me with a pretty expensive handbag!

—

Girls like when you tell them about the adorable things that children do. For instance, like when my little nephew asked me, “When babies are in the tummy do they use mommy’s belly button as a window?”

Cute!

Thank God he didn’t ask what they use as a door!

Pastels & Jingle Bells (Heavenly Bites Novella 1) – Christine Feldman – SEASONAL FUN!!! (contemporary romance, seasonal)

Pastels and Jingle Bells (Heavenly Bites Novellas, #1) (Set for publication for November 1st, 2013)

Trish Ackerly never expected to cross paths with Ian Rafferty again, but when she spots the former bully of her childhood years through her bakery window, she thinks she may just have been given the best Christmas gift ever: the opportunity to finally give Ian the comeuppance he deserves.

But clearly she does not have a knack for this whole revenge thing, because before she can make good on her plans, Trish gets inadvertently drawn into Ian’s life in an unexpected way that lets her see just how different the man is from the boy he used to be. In fact, much to her astonishment, she actually starts to like the guy.

A lot.

Trouble is, Ian doesn’t know who she really is, and explaining it to him is going to be a little difficult now—which is bad news, because Trish is starting to realize that all she really wants for Christmas this year…is Ian.

Portrait of Woman in Ink: A Tattoo Storybook – Kelly I. Hitchcock (contemporary)

Twelve women, twelve tattoos, and a narrative thread that weaves them all together, Portrait of Woman in Ink: A Tattoo Storybook is a collection of stories that answers that lingering question in the back of your mind when you see an inked woman: what does your tattoo mean (or perhaps – what were you thinking)? From a parent’s suicide to the birth of an unlikely child, the stories behind why women tattoo themselves are literally worn on (and sometimes under) their sleeves, and retold on these pages.

Complete with artwork from the original tattoo artists and a foreword by Dr. Marta Vicente, one of academia’s foremost voices in Women’s Studies, this series of literary vignettes celebrates real, everyday women and their tattoos that, while they may seem insignificant at the time, are a symbol of the larger struggles and triumphs that make them who they are. These stories explore the idea of tattoos bringing together women from different worlds, and teaching them how these worlds might not be as far apart as they think.

The Drake Equation – Heather Walsh (contemporary romance)

She’s a Democrat, he’s a Republican. She spends her days fighting global warming at an environmental non-profit, he makes his living doing PR for Bell Motors and their fleet of SUVs. But as soon as they meet, Emily Crossley and Robert Drake realize they have encountered their intellectual match. You’re never challenged, he tells her. You’ve surrounded yourself in a cocoon of people who think exactly the same way you do. She hurls the same accusation back at him, and the fiery debates begin. Despite both of their attempts to derail it, there is no denying that they are falling in love. But their relationship is threatened by political differences, Robert’s excessive work hours, and Emily’s fear of losing her identity as she falls deeper in love. Can their love survive? The Drake Equation is a tale of modern love and all its complexities.

Animus – Thomas Evans (crime)

A family is torn in half when a careless killer evades justice. Jason McDowell’s bad choice to drive to work drunk one morning leaves a father dead, a daughter in a coma and her twin sister and mother to try and pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Three years later, while Jason has gone on with his life, ignorant of the struggles of his victims, someone has decided it is time for him to face justice.

Bounty Hunter – S.J. Hollis (fantasy)

What do you do when your magic makes you a target? Run. Fight. Die.

14-year-old Kai Koson had nothing to do with the apocalypse, thank you very much. He was just a baby the day a coven of blood witches ripped a hole in the universe and the demons fell screaming from the sky. Earth and its magic perished. Witchkind was hunted and annihilated.

Now, because he was born a witch, Kai must spend his life running and fighting for survival. Even his own uncle seems determined to abandon him.

With nothing left to lose, Kai runs away and joins a team of galactic bounty hunters. But instead of providing an escape, it sets Kai on a path that will destroy everything he believes about himself and the apocalypse, transforming him into the most wanted teenager in the galaxy.

Written with humour, imagination and darkness, Bounty Hunter and its protagonist Kai Koson stand confidently beside Percy Jackson, Artemis Fowl, Alex Rider, Young Bond, Mortal Engines and Harry Potter.

I also wish to read The Keeping (Law of the Lycans, Book 2) (sequel to The Mating) by Nicky Charles, Dead Push (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 7) by Tim O’Rourke, plus many, many more.

I hope you have enjoyed looking through my mixed bag! Happy reading, guys 🙂

Caroline Barker