Monday, 6 May 2019

Review: Traitor's Blade

Traitor's Blade Traitor's Blade by Sebastien de Castell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sebastien de Castell’s Spellslinger series has caught my attention on a handful of occasions, yet I decided I would read the Greatcoats series before diving in. I confess, the Greatcoats never quite caught my attention in the same way, but I was curious. Plus, I like to try and read things in order – thus, Greatcoats first then Spellslinger.

I think what prevented me from being crazy about diving into the Greatcoats series was the references I have seen people make to Scott Lynch’s work. I’m a huge fan of Locke, and the way people were comparing the group in the Greatcoats series to Locke’s crew had me worried. I was scared it would be a pale imitation, thus I was avoiding it.

After reading, I can see why people make the comparison. The Greatcoats crew has a similar kind of comradery, although I never did come to love them in the same way I loved Locke’s crew. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the way they interacted.

In fact, I enjoyed the entire book. Despite enjoying it, however, I was never completely won over by it. It was fun, yes. It was addictive, yes. It has me wanting to read the rest of the series, yes. However, I was never completely lost to the story. I found myself wanting something more, something more explosive, meaning this one was just fun instead of being a fantasy series I’m going to be forcing upon everyone.

My fingers are crossed I’ll enjoy book two more, as I can see so much potential with this one and am hoping it will live up to it.

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Release Blitz: HeartBreaker.




Title: HeartBreaker
Series: Heart Duet #2
Author: Magan Vernon
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: May 6, 2019



Blurb

I’ve broken my fair share of hearts.
They don’t call me a former teen heartthrob for nothing.

Now, I’m a single dad and things are finally looking up for me in life and love for that matter.

But then the ghost of Hollywood past showed up at my doorstep. Now I have to decide if it’s time to go back to my old life, for her, or if I keep it all in the past...for her.

***

HeartBreaker is told from the Male POV







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Playlist

Playlist for HeartThrob and HeartBreaker
(Don’t judge. You know you love some 90s Teen HeartThrobs)

·         I Want It That Way by Backstreet Boys
·         Wonderwall by Oasis
·         Iris by Goo Goo Dolls
·         Livin La Vida Loca by Ricky Martin
·         MMMBop by Hanson
·         Give It To You by Jordan Knight
·         It’s Gonna Be May by NSync
·         All or Nothing by O-Town
·         Every Other Time by LFO
·         The Hardest Thing by 98 Degrees
·         What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction
·         On The Way Down by Ryan Cabrera
·         Crazy For This Girl by Evan and Jaron
·         One Time by Justin Bieber
·         What A Girl Wants by Christina Aguilera
·         IDOL by BTS
·         Back Here by BB Mak
·         Stitches by Shawn Mendes
·         Sucker by Jonas Brothers
·         Boys In The Band by New Kids on The Block





Excerpt

As soon as I opened the front door, Juniper and the dog ran to each other like they were lifelong friends who hadn’t seen the other in years.
“Princess Cupcake, you’re here!” Juniper cooed, taking the little eight-pound spiky brown-haired dog in her arms. She petted her behind her perky little ears, the dog closing her eyes and panting in response.
“Princess Cupcake?” Roo asked.
I shrugged, looking up to see her and her sister both standing in the doorway.
I was afraid after our talk this afternoon that Rachel wouldn’t come. But seeing her there had me smiling even wider.
“I guess Juniper and I may have to discuss a name change,” I said, stepping aside and letting everyone into the foyer.
“Come on, Princess Cupcake, come see my room.” Juniper and Ariana charged up the stairs.
“Hey, be careful. A dog is a live animal, not a toy,” I yelled on deaf ears since the girls had already ascended the stairs and rounded the corner in a flurry of giggles.
“I’d better check to make sure Squeaky, err, Princess Cupcake is okay,” Roo said before bounding up the stairs after the girls.
I waited a full five seconds before I wrapped my arms around Rachel, crushing my lips to hers.
She stilled as her first reaction then slowly her body melted against mine. Her mouth parting as our tongues met.
Her kisses were sweet like her vanilla lip gloss and strawberry bubblegum. I wanted to stay in that moment with her. To get lost in those lips.
But reality slapped me back when she put her hands on my chest, gently pushing against me until she broke our kiss.
“As much as I enjoy that, I have a feeling there’s something else going on in that pretty blond head of yours. Like maybe you’re still thinking about L.A.?” She raised her eyebrows.
I swallowed hard. “Maybe.”
She blinked. “So, is getting the dog a deciding factor and we’re just here for moral support?” Her words trailed as she caught her swollen lip between her teeth.
Letting out a deep breath, I leaned back, dropping my hands from her waist. “I don’t know, Rach. I’ll be honest. I’m still twisted about the whole thing. I guess I figured the dog would help make this decision.”
“Seriously? After everything earlier today and you still don’t know what you want.” She shook her head, muttering under her breath. 
I winced as if her words verbally slapped me. “I know. It’s hard to say no to Trish. It’s a great opportunity in L.A. for Juni and me.”



Also Available


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Author Bio


Magan Vernon has been living off of reader tears since she wrote her first short story in 2004. She now spends her time killing off fictional characters, pretending to plot while she really just watches Netflix, and she tries to do this all while her two young children run amok around her Texas ranch. Find her online at www.maganvernon.com


Author Links


Saturday, 4 May 2019

Release Blitz: Fall.




Title: Fall
Series: Fate #2
Author: Paige Hill
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: May 4, 2019



Blurb

Celeste-
Love? Been there, done that, spent the night in jail. So yeah, love can bite me.

I fell, but I picked myself up and moved on. Now, I’m exactly where I want to be—living a perfectly, uncomplicated life… until my little brother gets mixed up with the cartel and I'm forced to do the unimaginable to protect my family.

I’m about to sell my soul and Aiden Briggs, the callous, hot as hell DEA agent, might be the only man willing to take down the devil.

Aiden-
Life and heartbreak taught me women are just as deadly as they are beautiful. I never lie to get what I want, and no woman warms my bed more than once.

So, when I find myself wrapped up in the hot mess known as Celeste Martinez, I keep my emotions locked down like Fort Knox. Or so I thought.


She has this innate ability to get under my skin, igniting something I wasn’t sure existed.
Taking down the cartel was part of the plan... falling for her wasn't.







Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited






Also Available


AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited






Author Bio

Paige typically spends her days surviving on copious amounts of coffee and fantasizing about the day she becomes a full-time writer. Because even Batman needs a day job, her morning hours are spent buying drugs (the legal kind), as a pharmacy purchasing coordinator for a growing health system. When she isn't buying drugs, she's dreaming up hot alphas and the strong women that test them.

Fun Fact: She is the pickiest eater you will ever meet, and a firm believer that the real food groups are coffee, wine, and Mexican food.

Paige lives in eastern Oklahoma with her husband, daughter, and two furry body pillows known as "dogs".



Author Links



Giveaway

Release Blitz: Suppression.




Title: Suppression
Series: Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team #2
Author: Laramie Briscoe
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 4, 2019



Blurb

From USA Today Bestselling author, the second book in the Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team Series

If you don't love, you can't get hurt...

Nick Kepler

One thing my childhood taught me was never show my emotions. Don’t make memories. Don’t count on other people. Don’t hope for the best.

All that changed when I was adopted by Ryan and Whitney Kepler.

Begrudgingly I let them into my life, along with my new sister and a best friend I would lay down my life for. But giving up my heart and accepting love in return from Kelsea Harrison? It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to do.

And the truth is? I’m not sure if I’m that strong.

Kelsea Harrison

From the very moment I met Nick Kepler I knew he would be the love of my life. Problem is I haven’t been able to convince him of that yet.

When our best friends get married, Nick and I spend a drunken night letting our walls down and losing all our inhibitions. In one moment I’m given everything I ever wanted. Then, in the blink of an eye it’s taken away from me.

The question is, can I be strong for the both of us?

The answer? I have to be.







Purchase Links

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Also Available


Only 99c for a very limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU






Author Bio


Laramie Briscoe is the best-selling author of the Heaven Hill Series & the Rockin' Country Series.

Since self-publishing her first book in May of 2013, Laramie Briscoe has published over 10 books. She's appeared on the Top 100 Bestselling E-books Lists on iBooks, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. She's been called "a very young Maya Banks" (Amazon reviewer) and her books have been accused of being "sexy, family-oriented, romances with heart".

When she's not writing alpha males who seriously love their women, she loves spending time with friends, reading, and marathoning shows on her DVR. Married to her high school sweetheart, Laramie lives in Bowling Green, KY with her husband (the Travel Coordinator) and a sometimes crazy cat named Beau.


Author Links

Friday, 3 May 2019

Review: The View from Alameda Island

The View from Alameda Island The View from Alameda Island by Robyn Carr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’ve read a few Robyn Carr books and find I always enjoy them. Some I enjoy a bit more than others, but I’m always wiling to come back for more. The View from Alameda Island is another enjoyable read, but it does not make it into my top Robyn Carr reads. In fact, I’ve come to the conclusion all my favourite Robyn Carr reads are part of a series, with the standalones not quite wowing me in the same way. That being said, it’s still worth the read and I’d certainly recommend it to fans of the author.

One thing I always enjoy about Robyn Carr’s work is that the author does not shy away from dealing with topics outside the norm, providing us with very real reads. It’s not one of those dark romances, or one of those angst filled romances, but a very true to life story. You get to look at things from many perspectives, you get a story that mirrors life, and things are very real throughout. As much as I love a good dark romance or an angst filled romance, there’s something about the true to life stories that have me sucked in throughout.

The View from Alameda Island certainly sucked me in. It had me turning the pages at a rapid pace, curious to see how all the elements came together. It was more than just a single element that had me sucked in, more than wanting to know more about a couple of the characters, as all the different aspects had me wanting to find out more.

Although The View from Alameda Island is not my favourite Robyn Carr read, it was an enjoyable read and worth it for fans of the author.

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Review: Slayer

Slayer Slayer by Kiersten White
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Buffy was a big part of my life growing up, an addiction I was happy to feed. Therefore, it should come as no surprise to find out I had a fangirl moment when I heard about Slayer. I was all for a story set in the world I loved so much, and was eager to dive right in. Add in the fact I’ve been meaning to try Kiersten White for a while, and I was doubly happy to jump in.

In truth, my feelings towards Slayer are rather mixed. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was an easy quick read. It was addictive, I was happy to keep turning the pages, but I was never in love with it. My big problem was that the book felt rather juvenile. I know it’s a young adult book, but this was more on the young-young end than I’d expected, especially when considering the ages of the characters.

I liked some aspects more than others, some aspects really bugged me, but it made for an entertaining way to pass a wee bit of time. I may give the second book a read, but I’m not entirely sure. It depends on if I’ve managed to get over the errors that were made with British/Irish culture/speech/and so on by the time book two comes out.

Although not what I expected, an easy read.

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Review: The Crooked Staircase

The Crooked Staircase The Crooked Staircase by Dean Koontz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Crooked Staircase is the third book in Dean Koontz’s Jane Hawk series, and it gets things back on track after my disappointment with book two.

With The Silent Corner, the first book in the series, I was curious about all that was to come. It was not my favourite Dean Koontz book, but it had me eager for more. With The Whispering Room, the second book in the series, I found myself unable to get into the story. In fact, it was my lowest rating for a Dean Koontz book and I questioned whether I would read book three. As I’d already borrowed it from the library, I decided to give The Crooked Staircase a try. Although it is not my favourite Dean Koontz novel, it was a big improvement on The Whispering Room.

With The Crooked Staircase, a lot happens to the overall storyline. There were plenty of things throughout to keep you turning the pages, and I found myself working through this one at a rapid pace. By the time we reached the end, I was desperate for book four. A lot happens towards the end that leaves you desperate for book four, with questions needing answers and events needing to come together. It’s quite the cliff-hanger, so I suggest you have book four ready to dive into.

Overall, The Crooked Staircase was another fun Dean Koontz read. It’s certainly worth it if you’re enjoying Jane Hawk.

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