You Will Love Following "The Rules" With This Out of This World Read

The Rules (Project Paper Doll, #1) Title:  The Rules
(Project Paper Doll #1)
Author:  Stacey Kade
Format:  E-galley
Length:  416 pages
Publisher:  Disney Hyperion
Rating:  5 Stars


1. Never trust anyone.

2. Remember they are always searching.

3. Don’t get involved.

4. Keep your head down.

5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules…
-Goodreads

My Thoughts
This is a book that will catch readers by surprise.  The fact that Ariane has been told that she must "fly under the radar" at all costs; makes her a very unlikely heroine.  She has so much to lose when standing up for her friend in the "mean girl" scenario of this read, that she immediately becomes an emotional draw for readers.

Zane
The fact that readers are given a glimpse under his popularity mask soon after meeting him, makes Zane a character that readers will pull for.  His back story also provides alot of the emotional depth that this story lacks in other areas.

The Adults
The adults in this book provide most of the intrigue.  They always seem to have some ulterior motive or objective for their actions,and it is quite a challenge trying to figure out who poses the greatest threat to Ariane, and who, if anyone, is on her side.
It is quite refreshing to read a YA story that not only allows adults to fully interact with the teens; but also features them in well developed roles as "wolves at the door."

The Romance
The romance in this book was one that developed slowly.  A byproduct of Zane and Ariane's unification against their "mean girl" nemesis; their romance allows readers a deeper look into Ariane's insecurities about fitting in and her fear that her secret may be discovered.

This is a story with so many layers that halve the fun for readers is the process of peeling them back.
1.  There is the mystery of Ariane

2.  Her stand against a powerful bully.
3.  Her unlikely romance.
4.  The plot to capture and control her by adults.
5.  Adult secret agendas and lies.
6.  Her struggle for freedom and normalcy.

The only minus of this read is the fact that Ariane's past is not explored to a greater degree. This could be remedied in future books.
This reviewer can't wait for the story to continue.



The Fight for Loves Rages on In "Silent Warrior"

Silent Warrior (Dragon Kings, #0.5)Title:  Silent Warrior
(The Dragon Kings 0.5)
Author:  Lindsey Piper
Format:  E-galley
Length:  80 pages
Publisher:  Pocket Star
Rating:  4 stars

An exciting, emotionally charged prequel to "The Dragon Kings" trilogy, featuring warriors fighting for their lives in violent Cage matches to guarantee their clans' survival.

A silent woman ashamed of her criminal background becomes a Cage warrior to seek redemption. An unrepentant fortune hunter chooses combat over death to appease a mafia family. Although rivals in battle, they find common ground when seeking their clan's stolen idol, but for vastly different reasons. Neither one suspects that love will begin when he becomes the first man in five years to hear her speak.  -Goodreads




My Thoughts
"Silent Warrior" is a very fast paced, action packed, Romantic Fantasy that pulls no punches when it comes to "in your face" eroticism or raw sensuality.

This story, and it is a full story... is about two warriors of the dragon clan Sath, who meet while fighting against each other for sport.  She a captive assassin.  He a rogue thief.
After finding themselves an unlikely pair in fights for survival against all manner of thugs and other would-be assassins; the two find that while their bodies have joined in battle, their hearts have done the same in love.

Hark comes off as a bit of a joker and is full of annoying banter and bravado.  Readers will quickly come to realize is just what the closed "Silence" needs to coax her out of her self imposed shell.

"Silence" is just the challenge that Hark is looking for.  He knows that she is a strong, smart, and very resourceful woman.  He wants to know her insecurities and vulnerabilities as well.

These characters have the fastest and strongest case of insta-love ever.  Given the fact that they are dragons, on the run, and could die at any moment; this can be chalked up to "carpe diem".
The fight scenes can get a little confusing.  There are so many different fighters that it is easy to lose track. Readers can sort that out easy enough between all the "smoking hot" love scenes.

With a start like this, it's a sure thing that "Caged Warrior" is going to have readers fighting for the chance to crack it's cover.


#PlayerTour Player



Join us March 18-22 as we tour Player by author Laura DeLuca!
 Make sure to enter the yummy giveaway! 

Book Description

January 1, 2013
Joshua Hanover had it all. He was handsome, rich, athletic, and had always been popular with the ladies. Yet, until he gets paired up with his beautiful but shy lab partner, Rosa, he never allowed himself to fall in love. As the chemistry between them grows, Josh realizes that his player days have come to end. But it seems his change of heart has come too late. Not only is Rosa leery of his bad boy reputation, he has four vindictive ex-girlfriends who are on a rampage. At first he doesn't take their threats seriously, but then his tires are slashed, someone tries to poison him, and one of the girls turns up dead. Josh doesn't know who to trust, but one thing is certain. It definitely isn't worth the price he's paying to be a player.
Buy the Book
Amazon | Smashwords | BN | BAM | Goodreads

Author Bio


Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the sole author of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years. Her current works include Destiny, Destiny Unveiled, Phantom, Morrigan, Player, and Demon.
Find the Author
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Publishers
Pagan Writers Press |  Bumble Book Press





March 18
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ohh...Cover Love: Along Came a Spider

Title:  Along Came a Spider
(Transplanted Tales #3)
Author:  Kate Serine
Publisher:  Kensington Books
Expected Publication Date:  August 1, 2013

Along came a spider...

When Trish Muffet is attacked at a grisly crime scene, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is Nicky “Little Boy” Blue. But since walking away from everything two years before, Nicky’s been doling out vigilante justice as “The Spider,” taking on the vicious predators of the night in hopes it’ll lead him to his ultimate target – Vlad Dracula. And he needs Trish’s help.
Although Nicky’s renegade style goes against everything Trish stands for, she’ll do what she must to bring Dracula down. With danger stalking her, Trish knows the only person she can count on is the one man who has the power to leave her breathless. There’s no way she’s letting this spider frighten her away…


A Little About Kate

 
 

Kate SeRine (pronounced "serene") faithfully watched weekend monster movie marathons while growing up, each week hoping that maybe this time the creature du jour would get the girl. But every week she was disappointed. So when she began writing her own stories, Kate vowed that her characters would always have a happily ever after. And, thus, her love for paranormal romance was born.
Kate lives in a smallish, quintessentially Midwestern town with her husband and two sons, who share her love of storytelling. She never tires of creating new worlds to share and is even now working on her next project.

Find Kate's Books



Reviews



And Now...

A Giveaway!!!

 

Book Blast: Ixeos

Ixeos by Jennings Wright - Tour & Blast

Ixeos

The McClellands are enjoying a lazy summer vacation at the beach when they are lured from our world into Ixeos, an alternate Earth. Finding themselves lost in a maze of tunnels under Paris and surrounded by strangers, they discover that they have been brought to Ixeos for one purpose:  to take the planet back from humanoid aliens who have claimed it. With the aid of the tunnels and a mysterious man named Landon, the teens travel the world seeking the key that will allow them to free Darian, the long-imprisoned rebel leader. But the aliens aren't the only problem on Ixeos -- the McClellands have to deal with brutal gangs, desperate junkies, and a world without power, where all the technology is owned by the aliens, and where most of the population has been killed or enslaved. The worst part? There's no way home.





Author Jennings Wright


Born and raised in Florida, Jennings spent her early years reading anything she could get her hands on, when she wasn't spending time in and on the water. She won a prize in the 6th grade for her science fiction stories.

Jennings attended the University of Tampa, graduating with a B.A. in Political Science, and almost enough credits for B.A.s in both English and History. She attended graduate school at the University of West Florida, studying Psychology. She spent time over the years doing various kinds of business writing, editing, and teaching writing, but mostly having and raising her family, homeschooling her children, owning and running a business with her husband, and starting a non-profit.

Thanks to a crazy idea called NaNoWriMo Jennings got back into creative writing in 2011 and hasn't stopped since. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband, also a business owner and writer, and two children, and travels extensively with her family, and her non-profit in Uganda.



Tour Schedule





Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/7/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Open "Hidden Gates" To a World of Awesome New Adult Fantasy

Hidden Gates (The P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy #1)Title:  Hidden Gates
(The P.J. Stone Gates #1)
Author:  D.T. Dyllin
Format:  E-galley
Length:  299 pages
Publisher:  Dragonfairy Press
Rating:  5 stars
 
For P.J. Stone, being a “Seer” who has never seen anything is less than fun. And P.J. isn’t known for her patience.

To make matters worse, she must choose a suitable mate to continue the Seer bloodline. Duty always comes before her heart…at least that’s what her parents taught her. When she finds herself wanting someone who is considered off-limits, P.J. is forced to question everything she believes.

As if navigating her love life isn’t complicated enough, P.J. finally receives a vision—of a threat to her world that only she can perceive. But no one will believe a fledgling Seer’s warnings. With nowhere else to turn, she may decide to trust a stranger with her life, her world, and maybe even her heart.  -Goodreads


My Thoughts
 P.J. is a girl straddling  two realities.  The first being that of an eighteen year old high school senior, complete with crushes, parties, and pecking orders.  
The second...
Well, that's just a little more complicated.

In her second reality, P.J. is a "seer".  Able to see portals that lead to and from Earth from other dimensions, P.J. is part of an elite group of people charged to keep the planet safe from all manner of invasion.
Because said is passed through females within the "seer" line and those lines can only thrive through mating with male "Gatekeepers"; her newly discovered and searingly intense love for a certain beautiful and darkly gallant "Guardian"  is strictly forbidden.
  
As if that isn't bad enough.  Her vision gifts are late in coming, and when they do, she finds herself seeing things too horrifying to believe.
And...
The emergence of her gifts awakens  a mysterious stranger named Khol; who claims that she is destined to be his mate and that he alone can help her defeat the threat shown to her by her visions.

This book is all about the layers
First, the Romeo and Juliet that is the first story of the read.
Couple this with the introduction of the mysterious and very powerful Khol, the emergence of P.J's powers, and the looming threat posed by the breaches at the gate and voila...Great book.
Aside from all of the afore mentioned reasons that this book stands out, there is the unexpected and very well done sexual aspect of this read.
The fact that P.J. and her Romeo "make love" early in the story sets the stage for very important and life changing discoveries for them both later.
This book is one that one you start...you MUST finish.
Can't wait for book 2!!!




Unearth The Dark Treasure That Is "Strands of Bronze and Gold"

Strands of Bronze and Gold (Strands of Bronze and Gold, #1)Title:  Strands of Bronze and Gold
(Bronze and Gold #1)
Author:  Jane Nickerson
Format:  E-galley
Length:  352 pages
Publisher:  Random House Children's Books
Rating:  5 stars
 
The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.  -Goodreads


My Thoughts
This masterpiece of a retelling has breathed fascinating new life into the legendary tale that is "Bluebeard".
Set in the oppressive period of Southern slavery; this tale of calculated psychological abuse, mystery, and murder captures the reader in it's darkly intriguing web and refuses to let go.

Sophia is a girl with few options.  faced with the prospect of abject poverty with the death of her father; the letter from her rich "godfather", offering her a home in his luxurious estate seems quite the godsend.
But looks can be deceiving... 

M. Bernard de Cressac is the perfect example of sociopathic narcissism.
He holds all the cards in the little game that he plays with his unsuspecting innocent of a "goddaughter".

Grooming
1.  Sweet letters and promises of "a life of leisure".
2.  Expensive gifts

Alienation
1.  Not allowing Sophia to leave the confines of Wyndriven Abbey
2.  Not allowing contact with the slaves or anyone from the outside.
3.  Allowing only limited and tightly monitored contact with her family.
4.  Not allowing pets.

Lies....Lies....Lies!!!!!

The thing that makes this book is that Sophia proves not to be the simpering innocent that her benefactor turned captor takes her for.  On the contrary, she shows herself to be quiet, observant, quick witted, and thoughtful.
She proves a foil for every trap in which her twisted "godfather" attempts to ensnare her.
She receives help in this from a variety of sources, both human and otherworldly.
 
As captivating as it is however, Sophia's story is not the only one told in this read.  There is the also the very poignant subplot of slavery and the freedom movement. 

This is a truly wonderful book, cleverly managing to covey the story of "Bluebeard", while telling enough of a new story so spur readers on to book 2.



"Art Girls Are Easy"...A Hard Pill to Swallow

Art Girls Are Easy Title:  Art Girls Are Easy
Author:  Julie Klausner
Format:  E-galley
Length:  240 pages
Publisher:  Little Brown and Co.
Rating:  2 stars

Forget everything you think you know about summer camp, and step into the exclusive world of Silver Springs Fine & Performing Arts Camp for Girls. These young women have big aspirations: Broadway. SoHo Galleries. Julliard. They've got more to do with their precious time than worry about hanging your panties on the flagpole, and their idea of "roughing it" is setting the AC in their cabins to "low."
Fifteen-year-old Indigo Hamlisch is a teenage art prodigy looking forward to her last summer at Silver Springs. But her model/actress BFF, Lucy Serrano, is a CIT this year, and that means everything's different. Lucy can hang out with the counselors now-including Indigo's crush, paint-splattered art instructor Marc Estep. But it's not like anything is going to happen between them. Lucy would never do that to her best friend... right? Bright, bold, and seriously funny, Art Girls Are Easy is a scathing comedy of errors filtered through the eyes of Indigo: a girl who's been there, done that, and looking for a little inspiration. 

-Goodreads

My Thoughts
This book was just another case of "rich kid" writing.  This is a phenomenon found a lot in Contemporary YA, where stories of rich kids with nothing to do but start petty fights that get blown out of proportion abound.
This was unfortunately one such read.

Indigo is a very sweet and naive girl as a character and given the way that the art teacher flirted and...
It is no wonder that she mooned over him.
Hello!!!!!
She's impressionable and 15!!!!!
 Having said that however, this was a story that got really predictable really fast, and whose only true redeeming quality was Indigo's quest for her voice as an artist.
  

Adult Paranormal Romance Review: Don't Be Afraid to Give Your Heart to a "Rebel"

Rebel (The Fallen, #4)Title:  Rebel
(The Fallen #4)
Author: Kristina Douglas
Format:  Print
Length:  374 pages
Publisher:  Pocket Books
 Rating:  5 stars

New York Times bestselling author Anne Stuart, writing as Kristina Douglas, delivers the fourth novel in the Fallen series—in a realm of fallen angels and ruthless demons, an eternal rebellion is brewing…

A rebel angel who lives outside the world of the Fallen, Cain makes his own rules. Now he’s returned to make trouble, and he sets his sights on the unreliably psychic Martha. She has no interest in getting romantically involved with Cain, especially when she can tell he has ulterior motives. But when a mysterious figure tries to kill Martha, she and Cain must work together to uncover the villain. The heat between Martha and Cain grows undeniable, even as chaos and disaster threaten the very existence of the Fallen.  -Goodreads


My Thoughts
"Rebel" may be the fourth offering in the Fallen series, but the story found between it's pages needs no help standing alone.  This story of beautiful bodies, secret agendas, meetings of the mind, hearts redeemed, and sinfully sensual sex, is heaven sent to say the least.
Martha is a strong but scarred powerful psychic, whose powerful gift to 'read the future' has help to save the lives of the fallen angels and their mates, who inhabit the secret world of Shoel.
When her visions warn her of the coming of Cain, a powerful angel returning to Shoel after fleeing the blame for the death of one of his fellow fallen.  She knows that she must warn Fallen leader, Raziel.
What she can not tell Raziel however, is that she has been having hot, passionate, and all too real dreams involving herself and the Dark Angel.

Martha is a very likable character who is going through quite a rough time.  She is alone in the world of Shoel, surrounded by bonded pairs of angel and humans, constantly reminded that her mate Thomas is dead.
The only reason that she has to has to go on is her job as 'seer' for the Fallen...and lets just say that her belief in what she sees has been a bit less than complete.

Cain is the disgraced 'bad boy' returned home.  Marked as trouble and trusted by no one, Cain is the ultimate bad boy and perfect for Martha in more ways than one.
The chemistry between these two is evident from the start, though it is never forced to the forefront of the story.  There is a fully fleshed plot involving a murder and making way for a coupe by Uriel, enemy of the Fallen.
The passion is always the star of this read however, and sure to keep pages turning.  
This is s book that takes it's reader by surprise.  Just when you think that you have all the answers, there is yet another twist that makes you have to start at square one.


                                                                 

Notable Novellas #5

 
Hi...Thursday seems to be the hardest day of the week to fill content-wise for my blog. So I came up with a cute little meme called Notable Novellas This is the place to let the world know about those great "short reads". Please feel free to grab my Notable Novellas header or make one of your own and link back to me here. WTF Are You Reading? 
The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance (Blud, #1.6)

Title:  The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance
Author:  Delilah S. Dawson
Format:  Egalley
Length:  100 pages
Publisher:  Pocket Star Books
Rating:  5 Stars

This e-novella follows Casper to London as he begins to rise to stardom. When lonely pet shop owner Frannie Pleasance takes in a new lodger, odd things begin to happen. Fire fighter Thom Maccallan might be the only one who can keep her safe.  

My Thoughts
Frannie Pleasance's heart for all things stray has her caring for more than just the birds, kittens,  and puppies that she takes into her shop.  When she finds Casper, sick and alone in the road, and wearing a face so such like that of her dead brother Bertrem.  She knows that she must do her best to help him...but at what price?
Readers will be taken with this story from the start.  Frannie is a delightful character with a sweet heart and a quiet life in her pet shop.
That quiet is quickly shattered however, after her home is firebombed shortly after she takes the mysterious Casper London as a lodger.
Enter Thom MacCallan...
It seems that the strong and handy firefighter wants to "protect and serve" Frannie in more ways than one.  It is wonderful to see their relationship bloom and quickly mature to something deep, honest, and lasting.
Under normal circumstances their whirlwind romance would be considered insta love; but given the fact that Frannie's life is in constant danger throughout the course of this story, and she and Thom fit so well together, it translates to "great reading".
Casper keeps readers guessing with his unexplained, but much alluded to "ailment".  With the happenings between Thom and Frannie, it is sometimes easy to forget that this story is about Casper.
Until we learn that it is his secrets that cost Frannie her life.
This book is the perfect segue into Casper's story featured in "As Wicked As She Wants"  Blud #3.



Seventh Star Press Presents: Between Light and Dark





Between Dark and LightTitle: Between Dark and Light
Author: D.A. Adams
Publisher: Seventh Star Press
Format: Ebook
ASIN #: B00AQR4RLU
The stakes are higher than ever in the fourth installment of the popular dwarven saga... The Great Empire has surrounded the Kiredurks and are preparing to conquer the kingdom. Unknown to them, Kwarck, the mysterious hermit of the plains, has his own plan in action. To the east, he has summoned an elven army and charged Crushaw with leading them into battle. To the south, Roskin will gather an army from the fractured Ghaldeon lands. But to the west, an ancient and powerful evil stirs. The Great War is about to erupt, if Roskin can overcome the Dark One...  -Goodreads
My Thoughts
In this, the fourth book in what is shaping up to be a truly epic series on par with The Hobbit.  D. A. Adams plunges readers into the action packed battle scarred kingdom of Dorkun.
This is the book where you get to see the different dwarven kingdoms try to come together for the good of all against a greater foe.
There is no one person standing out in this tale as the "savoir" for the people.  Instead readers get to see people coming together, forming new friendships, alliances, mending past hurts, and fighting together for freedom.
There is a great deal of growth seen in the character of Roskin.  He has become a seasoned warrior, possessing a level of self control and surety that he didn't have before.
Crushaw, though human and aging is still able to hold his own, and doesn't disappoint in his role as the toughest general around.
This book is a wonderful true high fantasy unseen since the likes of Paliolini.
This was a joy to read and I can't wait for the next bool 


 About The Author


Image of D. A. AdamsAdams is a novelist, a farmer, a professor of English, and in my estimation, a true gentleman. His breakout fantasy series, The Brotherhood of Dwarves, transcends genre and illuminates the human soul in all its flashes of glory and innumerable failings.

He is active on the Con circuit and has contributed writing to literary as well as fine art publications, and maintains his active blog, "The Ramblings of D. A. Adams". He lives and works in East Tennessee, and is the proud father of two boys, Collin and Finn.

His ability as a storyteller breathes life into every character, and his craftsmanship as a writer makes these stories about relationships; human or otherwise.


 Find D. A. Adams