{Review} Shadows of Fate (Shadow Born #1) by Angela Dennis

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: April 8th, 2014
Finished Date: August 7th, 2014

Publishers: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source: For Review
Format: eBook

Pages: 305

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Shadow Born, Book 1

Redemption lies beyond the veil between truth and lies.

After witnessing her husband’s brutal murder, Brenna Baudouin lost control of her Shadow Bearer powers and wreaked havoc on her home world. Her penance: one hundred years policing hordes of supernatural misfits that spilled onto the Earthly plane after a cataclysmic war.

She’s on a routine exorcism run when she learns she’s been assigned a new partner. But there’s something about this Shadow Bearer that sparks her suspicions. Particularly when people closest to her start turning up as piles of ash.

Gray Warlow holds tight to the glamour that allows him to get close to the woman on whom he plans to wreak vengeance for betraying his people. Yet as he skillfully manipulates his way past her distrust, he begins to see her not as the heartless monster he was led to believe, but a strong, vulnerable woman.

As they work to put together the pieces of a killer’s macabre puzzle, an attraction deeper than blood and bone flares between them. And they must reveal their deepest secrets to avoid becoming the final targets,

Product Warnings
A thrill ride of supernatural proportions. Contains violent battle scenes, nail-biting suspense, crazy hot sexual tension, and enough twists and turns to make your head spin.

The Review: Loved, loved, loved this book! It had everything I could wish for in an Urban Fantasy novel and it hit the spot time and time again.
To start we get a kickass female lead with a bad history and a lot of power – nice combo! We meet Brenna Baudouin a Shadow Bearer that has been banished from her home world after she  wiped out an army of men following her husbands’ death at the hands of the very people she should have been able to trust with her life. Not only dealing with that betrayal, she is used as a scapegoat and made to pay penance in the form of policing supernatural criminals on Earth for 100 years. She has lost everything and has nothing left to lose even 90 years down the line.
Enter love interest –Gray Warlow- who Brenna is forced to take on as a partner. Gray is another Shadow Bearer and immediately gets Brenna’s back up because there is no reason for him to be there unless a) he was banished himself or b) he was sent to kill Brenna on behalf of the people who believe she is a traitor and with her penance nearly up, she believes it’s the latter. Gray is keeping secrets, Brenna knows this, he wears an impenetrable glamour that she can’t get around and that does not instil trust between them.
They form a tentative alliance however when a serial killer starts striking a little too close to home for Brenna and her friends start turning up dead. With the mystery of Grey, his powers, his agenda and the fact that he’s the first man Brenna has been attracted to since her husband and the strange happenings surrounding the quest for the killer…… Brenna has more than enough on her hands to keep her busy.
As I said, I loved this book, it was so good. I easily connected to the characters and Brenna was so admirable, here we have a woman who has a horrific history and is still paying the cost of putting her faith in the wrong people, she still mourns her husband but carries on doing her penance. Her powers are awesome, they show just how capable she is and she is more than capable of doing her job so isn’t very happy when a ‘partner’ is forced upon her. Gray was a great character too, I liked what he brought to the story, he was a good love interest and I liked how he challenged Brenna in both work and emotionally. He has a secret and it is awesome!! That’s all I’m saying but I greatly enjoyed reading how that played out throughout the book and couldn’t wait for the reveal and it ties in well with the story so well.
The actual story was great and a lot of it has to do with Brenna’s previous life and it coming back to haunt her. Someone is using demons to possess humans and they notice it’s not just the humans at risk forcing many of the supernaturals to band together to protect their own. I love these set ups where the main character takes the lead in an investigation and we watch her hunt down the perpetrator using clues, forcing information – any means necessary really and when it has a supernatural element….. I’m always interested. There was tons of action as they fight off anything that is thrown at them and a liberal amount of magic being flung around too, giving us a good idea of what the supernatural are capable of. It was such an easy, consuming read that I could not put down, with perfect pacing for me too and I was engrossed from beginning to end. It was an awesome start to the series and I’ll definitely be reading more. 5*s 

Thank you to Angela Dennis & Samhain Publishing for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

{UK Giveaway} Black Lace Books Giveaway

We're here today with a fantastic giveaway from Black Lace Books. 

If you've not heard of Black Lace Books are a UK publishers are apart of Ebury Publishing and they have been publishing erotic fiction written by women since 1993 and have sold more than 4 million books!  

Today they have kindly offered ONE lucky winner a book bundle of their erotic titles as pictured on the left. One lucky winner will win a copy of 

Wicked by Syliva Day, 

The Devil Inside by Portia De Costa, 

Personal Assets by Emma Holly, 

Entertaining Mr Stone by Portia De Costa, 

Undone by Kristina Lloyd, 

Diamond by Justine Elyot.

So fancy your chances at winning? All you need to do is fill out the rafflecopter details. There are loads of chances for extra entries and please remember UK ONLY! Sorry international peeps, but we do have an International giveaway going on the blog, so check that out. 

Good luck!

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{Review} Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes #1) by Sara Raasch

Posted by Donna
Release Date: October 14th, 2014
Finished Date: August 16th, 2014

Publishers: Balzer + Bray
Genre: YA Fantasy
Source: For Review
Format: eARC

Pages: 432

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

Sara Raasch’s debut fantasy is a lightning-fast tale of loyalty, love, and finding one’s destiny.

The Review: Remarkably well written, unique and amazing, Snow Like Ashes is a fantastic debut novel and a YA fantasy story that you can’t miss. 

Meira has lived her whole life knowing that the Kingdom she belongs to – Kingdom of Winter was defeated and leaving the remaining survivors enslaved in work camp run by the Kingdom of Spring. Meira and the remaining eight survivors that weren’t captured have been on a mission for the past sixteen years to try and take back what they’ve lost and help their King back into his rightful place. But without their magic – which was lost during the battle, their journey won’t be easy. 

When Meira is finally given the chance to show what she is capable of, she’s finally doing something she loves – helping her cause, but the mission doesn’t go to plan and soon Meira’s life has changed for the worst. Can Meira sacrifice her own happiness in the name of her Kingdom and give up the one boy that means the world to her in the process?

This was just the type of read I was looking for!  It had been a long while since I’d read another fantasy wise and it just reminds me that I really need to read more of it. Snow Like Ashes is simply stunning read. What stood out for me was how original it is. I don’t recall every reading a story quite the same and for that reason I loved it. It was so exciting to unravel this imaginative world. The magic was unique and very interesting. And it had a fantastic plot that kept my attention all the way through. Fantastic characters that was easy to fall in love with. But more so, so many twist and turns that I didn’t expect. And when they were revealed, talk about mind-blown. I finished this story needing more – it’s that good. 

As I mentioned, Snow Like Ashes has a fantastic set of characters. Meira is amazing, she’s strong, determined and she’s more than happy to bend a few rules to get what she wants. She could be quite rash sometimes but I loved that she wasn’t one of these characters that lets herself be walked all over. It’s good to have a strong heroine and Meira was that. I loved Mather, Theron, Sir; all of the secondary characters were second to none.  

Now Meira’s relationship with Mather is very touching, I loved them together and I could see why she liked him so much. I was definitely rooting for them two to start with, but here’s where things get interesting. Yes, there is a tiny and I mean tiny love triangle. It’s not one that consumes that whole story. It’s the right added touch and gives you some fantastic romance moments. Prince Theron was impossible not to love. He and Meira don’t have the best set up but for then it seems to work and they find they have more common than they though. I’ve got to say, I don’t know who I’m rooting for. Apart of me wants to say Mather’s so Meira can have the relationship she’s always wanted. But then I want to say Prince Theron for the fact that it’s something new and surprising and the way she feels about him is something different. Either way, I can’t wait to see how this plays out and I hope I have front row seats to it. 

In all, Snow Like Ashes is a gripping read – one full of magic, suspense and loyalty. I am so pleased with this book – so go read it!  

Favourite Quotes: "Just keep breathing. No matter what happens, no matter who turns on me, no matter what pompous swine thinks he has power over me, I am still me. I will always be me."

Thank you to  Balzer + Bray for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

{Review} The 100 (The Hundred #1) by Kass Morgan

Posted by Donna
Release Date: September 3rd 2013
Finished Date: August 17th, 2014

Publishers: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 
Genre: YA Sci-fi
Source: For Review
Format: eGalley

Pages: 352

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

No one has set foot on Earth in centuries -- until now.

Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth's radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents -- considered expendable by society -- are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life...or it could be a suicide mission.

CLARKE was arrested for treason, though she's haunted by the memory of what she really did. WELLS, the chancellor's son, came to Earth for the girl he loves -- but will she ever forgive him? Reckless BELLAMY fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only pair of siblings in the universe. And GLASS managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.

Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind's last hope.

The Review: After becoming a huge fan of the TV series and eagerly awaiting the second season, I decided I wanted to find out a little more about where it all started. I was already pre-warned that the book and TV show has many differences but still, I wanted to try it and I was pleasantly surprised with how enjoyable the book is.

No-one has stepped on Earth since the nuclear war that wiped everything out. The remaining humans have lived on a spaceship living their lives under rules and regulations, until the startling discovering comes that they are running out of Oxygen and if they don’t act fast and try to reduce the population, their live in space will come much sooner than any of them ever hoped.

In a bid to save everyone, one hundred children who have been locked away for breaking all kinds of rules are now being sent on a dangerous mission back to earth against their will. Their job will be to find out if Earth is liveable for the remaining society to join them. But once they reach Earth, they find that things aren’t what they’ve been lead to believe and soon they’re fighting for their survival. Can one hundred keep themselves safe while in the worse conditions?

I really enjoyed The 100. I didn’t think it was the most exciting book out there but it was certainly one I enjoyed reading. I think it definitely helped that I already felt like I knew the characters because of watching the TV show – yes, there are many differences but I enjoyed discovering the changes that were made from the book to the show.

Being narrated by four different points of view could put some people off however, I found I enjoyed it. Clarke, Wells, Bellamy and Glass were all great to get to know and reading their stories and how they grew up and about the relationships they had with others was interesting. The love connection between Bellamy and Clarke was a little strange at first, but found by the end I quite liked it. I also kind of picture Glass as Raven from the show. She was the only one I didn’t know anything about before starting but I actually really enjoyed her character. With her being on the ship, I thought we’d get more inside information to what is happening with the ship, however even though I enjoyed her story, I kind of felt it wasn’t really needed because she’s just a passenger – she doesn’t have any inside knowledge which was pretty disappointing. I’m kind of hoping that changes with the next book especially with how things were left.

I think the biggest thing from the book which ultimately stops me from being able to rate it top marks is that no a lot happens story wise until the last couple of chapter and even then it lacked the excitement that usually comes from the ending of a story. It was a little rushed if anything and I felt that it the danger was added a little earlier it would have been a little better.

In all, The 100 was an enjoyable read and I think it’s perfect for fans of the TV show as long as you’re prepared from the differences. 

3.5 flowers! 

Thank you to Little, Brown Books for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

{Blog Tour} 12 Days of Lucky Harbor UK Giveaway

Welcome to the 12 Days of Lucky Harbor Tour by Jill Shalvis! 

We're hear today to show you a sneak peak at He's So Fine and we have an awesome giveaway for you too. 

So, looking forward to He's So Fine and One In a Million by Jill Shalvis? 

If so, here's your chance at a sneak peek at He’s So Fine......

Chapter 1

For a guy balancing his weight between the fly bridge of his boat and the dock, thinking about sex instead of what he was doing was a real bonehead move. Cole Donovan was precariously perched on the balls of his feet above some seriously choppy, icy water. So concentrating would’ve been the smart move.

But he had no smarts left, which was what happened when you hadn’t had a good night sleep in far too long — your brain wandered into areas it shouldn’t.

Sex being one of those areas.

He shook his head to clear it. It was way too early for those kind of thoughts. Not quite dawn, the sky was a brilliant kaleidoscope of purples and blues and reds. Cole worked with a flashlight between his teeth, his fingers threading new electrical wire through the running lights on the stern. He only had a couple hours before a group of eight was coming through for a tour of the area.

That’s what he and his two partners and best friends did — they hired out themselves and their fifty foot Wright Sport boat, chartering deep sea fishing, whale watching, scuba diving … if it could be done, they did it. Sam was their financial guy and boat builder. Tanner was their scuba diving instructor and communications expert. Cole was the captain, chief navigator, mechanic, and – lucky him — the face of Lucky Harbor Charters, mostly because neither Sam nor Tanner were exactly service-oriented people.

They’d had a warm Indian summer here in the Pacific Northwest, but October had just recently roared in like Mother Nature was pissed off at the world, and maybe in need of a Xanax to boot. But business was still good. Or it had been, until last night. He and Tanner had taken a group of frat boys out, and one of the idiots had managed to kick in the lights running along the stern, destroying not only the casing but also the electrical.

Cole could fix it. There was little he couldn’t fix, but as he got down to it, a harsh wind slapped him in the face, threatening his balance. He kicked off the dock so that he was balanced entirely on the edge of the stern. Still not for the faint of heart, but after seven years on an oil rig and two more running Lucky Harbor Charters, Cole felt more at ease on the water than just about anywhere else.

He could smell the salt on the air and hear the swells smacking up against the dock moorings. The wind hit him again, and he shivered to the bone. Last week, he’d been out here working in board shorts and nothing else, the sun warming his back. Today he was in a knit cap, thick sweatshirt, cargo pants, and boots, and he was wishing for gloves like a little girl. He shoved his flashlight into his pocket, brought his hands to his mouth, and blew on his fingers a moment before reaching for the wires again.

Just as they connected, there was a sizzle and a flash, and he jerked, losing his footing. The next thing he knew, he was airborne, weightless for a single heartbeat…

And then he hit the icy cold water, plunging deep, the contact stealing the air from his lungs. Stunned, he fought the swells, his heavy clothes, himself, eyes open as he searched for the flames that surely went along with the explosion.

Jesus, not another fire. That was his only thought as panic gripped him hard. He opened his mouth and—

Swallowed a lungful of sea water.

This cleared his head. He wasn’t on the oil rig in the gulf. He wasn’t in the explosion that had killed Gil, and nearly Tanner as well. He was in Lucky Harbor.

He kicked hard, breaking the surface, gasping as he searched for the boat, a part of him still not wholly convinced. But there. She was there, only a few feet away.

No flames, not a single lick. Just the cold-ass swells of the Pacific Northwest.

Treading water, Cole shook his head. A damn flashback, which he hadn’t had in over a year—

“Ohmigod, I see you!” a female voice called out. “Just hang on, I’m coming!” This was accompanied by hurried footsteps clapping on the dock. “Help!” she yelled as she ran. “Help, there’s a man in the water! Sir, sir, can you hear me? I’m coming. Sir?”

If she called him “sir” one more time, he was going to drown himself. His dad had been a sir. The old guy who ran the gas pumps on the corner of Main and First was a sir. Cole wasn’t a damn sir. He opened his mouth to tell her so, and also that he was fine, not in any danger at all, when she took a flying leap off the dock.

And landed right on top of him.

The icy water closed over both their heads, and as another swell hit, they became a tangle of limbs and water-laden clothing. He fought free and once again broke the surface, whipping his head around for the woman.

No sign of her.

Shit. Gasping in a deep breath, he dove back down and found her doing what he’d been doing only a moment before — fighting the water and her clothes, and herself. Her own worst enemy, she was losing the battle and sinking fast. Grasping the back of her sweater, Cole hauled her up, kicking hard to get them both to the surface.

She sucked in some air and immediately started coughing, reaching out blindly for him and managing to get a handful of his junk.

“Maybe we could get to shore first,” he said wryly.

Holding onto him with both arms and legs like a monkey, she squeezed him tight. “I’ve g-g-got y-y-you,” she stuttered through already chattering teeth, and climbed on top of his head, sending him under again.

Jesus. He managed to yank her off of him and get her head above water. “Hey—“

“D-don’t panic,” she told him earnestly. “It’s g-g-gonna be o-o-okay.”

She actually thought she was trying to save him. If the situation wasn’t so deadly, Cole might have thought some of this was funny. But she was turning into a popsicle before his very eyes, and so was he. “Listen, just relax—“

“H-hang onto m-me,” she said, and … dunked him again.

For the love of God. “Stop trying to save me,” he told her. “I’m begging you.”

Her hair was in her face, and behind the strands plastered to her skin, her eyes widened. “Oh my God. You’re trying to commit suicide.”

“What? No.” The situation was ridiculous, and he was frustrated and effing cold, but damn, it was hard not to be charmed by the fact that she was trying to save him, even as she was going down for the count herself. “I’m trying to keep you from killing me.”

The flashback of the rig fire long gone, Cole tread water to keep them afloat as he assessed their options. There were two.

Shore. Or boat.

They were at the stern of the boat, much closer to the swimming platform than to the shore. And in any case, there was no way his “rescuer” could swim the distance. Though Cole was a world class swimmer himself, he was already frozen to the bone, and so was she. They needed out of the water … fast.

With a few strokes, he got them to the stern of the boat, where he hoisted his so-called rescuer up to the platform, pulling himself up after her.

She lay right where he’d dumped her, gulping in air, that long, dark hair everywhere. Leaning over her, he shoved the wet strands from her face to better see her and realized with a jolt that he recognized her. She lived in one of the warehouse apartments across from Lucky Harbor Charters.

Her name was Olivia Something-Or-Another.

All he knew about her was that she hung out with Sam’s fiancé Becca, ran some sort of shop downtown, dressed in a way that said both “hands off” and “hot mama,” and he’d caught her watching him and the guys surfing on more than one occasion.

“Y-y-you’re bleeding,” she said from flat on her back, staring up at him.

Cole brought his fingers to the sting on his temple and, perfect, his fingers indeed came away red with his own blood. Just a cut, no less than he deserved after that stupid stunt of shocking the shit out of himself with the wiring and then tumbling into the water. “I’m fine.” It was her he was worried about. Her jeans and sweater were plastered to her. She was missing a boot. And she was shivering violently enough to rattle the teeth right out of her head. “You’re not fine,” he said.

“Just c-c—cold.”

No shit. “What the hell were you thinking?” he asked, “Jumping in after me like that?”

Her eyes flashed open, and he discovered they were the exact same color as her hair — deep, dark chocolate.

“I th-th-ought you were d-d-drowning!” she said through chattering teeth.

Cole shook his head. “I didn’t almost drown until you jumped on top of me.”

“What h-h-happened?”

“I was working on the electrical wiring and got shocked and fell in.”

“S-s-see? You needed help!”

He absolutely did not. But arguing with her would get them nowhere, and maybe dead. “Come on, the plan is to get you home and warmed up.” Rising to his feet, he reached down and pulled her up with him, holding onto her when she wobbled. “Are you—“

“I’m f-f-fine,” she said, and stepped back to look down at herself. “I l-l-lost my favorite b-b-boot rescuing y-y-you.”

She called that a rescue? “Can you even swim?”
 “Y-y-yes!” She crossed her arms over herself. “A l-l-little bit.”

He stared at her in disbelief. “A little bit? Seriously? You risked your life on that?”

“You were in t-t-trouble!”

Right. They could argue that later. “Time to get you home, Super Girl.”

“B-b-but my b-b-boot.”

“We’ll rescue the boot later.”

“We w-w-will?”

No. Her boot was DOA – dead on arrival. “Later,” he said again and grabbing her hand, pulled her across the platform, through the stern. He needed to get her off the boat.

She dug her heels in, one in just a sock, one booted.

“What?” he asked.

Still shivering wildly, she looked at him with misery. “I d-d-dropped my ph-ph-phone on the dock.”

“Okay, we’ll grab it.”

“Y-y—yes, but I d-d-didn’t drop my keys.”

“That’s good,” he said, wondering if she’d hit her head.

‘Y-y-you don’t get it. I t-t-think I lost my k-k-keys in the w-w-water.”

Well shit. No keys, no getting her inside her place. This wasn’t good. Nor was her color. She was waxen, pale. They couldn’t delay getting her out of the elements and warm. “Okay, Plan B,” he said. “We warm you here on the boat.” Again he started to tug her along, needing to get her inside and below deck, but she stumbled against him like her limbs weren’t working.

Plan C, he thought grimly, and swung her up into his arms.

She clutched at him. “N-n-not necessary—”

Ignoring her, he got them both into the small galley, where he set her down on the bench at the table. Keeping his hands on her arms, he crouched in front of her to look into her eyes. “You still with me? You okay?”

“Y-y-y—” Giving up, she dropped her head to his chest.

“Not okay,” he muttered, and stroked a hand down the back of her head and along her trembling frame.

Truth was, he wasn’t much better off. His head was still bleeding, and his shoulder was throbbing. He had nothing on her though. She was violently trembling against him. Easing her back, he got busy. First he cranked the heater, then he opened their linens storage box, pulling out towels and blankets, which he tossed to a stack at her side. “Okay,” he said. “Strip.”

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New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental.                                                       

Look for Jill's latest, THEN CAME YOU, on shelves and ereaders now, and get all her bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold. Also, visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.                                             Connect with Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/JillShalvis

{Release Day Blitz + Review} Tested (New World #3) by Janelle Stalder

Posted by Melanie 
Release Date: August 26th, 2014
Finished Date: August 20th, 2014

Publishers: Self Published  
Genre: YA Dystopia, 
Source: For Review
Format: eARC

Pages: Unknown

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.

Faced with the scariest decision of her life, Missy is going behind enemy lines to save the rebel that seems to haunt her every dream. Finding courage is one of the hardest things she’s ever done, especially when she comes face-to-face with a terrifying reality. The green eyes that have fascinated her, no longer gleam with recognition. Now Missy must find a way to not only get them out alive, but to save the mind of the man who is quickly capturing her heart. And she must do it all without getting caught. Put to the test, will Missy be able to rise above her fears and find love, or watch it all blow up in smoke?

*This book is for mature audiences due to sexual situations, violence and strong language

The Review: Tested is another awesome instalment in the New World series but this time it took on a different feel.
This book had its set up at the end of book 2 when Tyler is snatched off the street and bundled into a van with Missy looking on. They already shared a connection but Missy is very timid and terrified of men – with good reason- and Tyler is ALL man which scares her. Two weeks go by and no one can find him, he hasn’t been seen or heard from since but then they get a tip that a van has been seen taking people from the streets and transporting them to a facility and it looks like this is the break they need but there is one problem – whoever has him, knows everyone in their group….. except Missy. So Missy is Tylers only hope, this shy, timid girl who couldn’t hurt a fly must put herself on the line and go undercover to see if they have Tyler and what is going on.
When she gets there she does indeed find Tyler, but he’s not the Tyler they all know anymore, he has no recognition of who she is but he knows one thing when he sees her…..MINE. Now Missy must race against time to get them both out of there because something is about to happen and none of it is good.
Sounds great right? Well it was and as I mentioned- it took on a different feel this time around but I thought the tone of the book fit perfectly with Missy, it was a more sedate feel, yes there was violence but it was controlled violence and it proved to Missy that the one person she found herself having feelings for could indeed protect her and that even wrapped up in all of that masculinity and power – that she had nothing to fear from Tyler – which was quite healing for her. I was so pleased to see her face her fears, come to terms with her situation and not fall apart, reading of this girl trying to save a man who you would never have thought needed saving was so heart-warming, she is the hero, she saves the day and I love! that this character got to do this. The relationship that developed was sweet, obviously we know that Missy wouldn’t just jump Tyler and vice versa and we know that it would be slow going but that didn’t mean that we don’t get those steamy moments, we do but as I say, it’s all about the tone of the situation that builds steadily to its crescendo.
The storyline wasn’t as action packed as the previous two until towards the end, it was about the set up and what seems to be looming on the horizon. We are seeing preparations being made on all sides with our favourite characters seemingly stuck in the middle and you can feel the change in tactics. We still get a good few points of view from all sides that balances out the story well and you know where everyone's mindset is but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be a few surprises because there are definitely some big ones and I mean huge! Both sides of the war – NWO/Rebels - seem to have gotten ‘a desperation’ about them and maybe aren’t making rational thought out decisions which can only mean one thing – devastation! We also have new threats looming on the horizon and Trent & Phoenix’s story is definitely set up throughout this so I’m really excited to see where book four will go and it can’t come soon enough! 

Thank you to Janelle Stalder for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

About the Author:
Janelle Stalder was born and raised in Brampton, Ontario. At an early age she developed a love for literature. Her debut novel, Eden, was the first book in a series of four, released in September of 2011. The second book, Eden-West, was released in July of 2012, and the third book, Eden-South was released in March of 2013. The fourth book of the Eden Series, Eden-East, will be release at the end of 2013. She is a strong supporter of other independent authors, and loves to interact with her readers. When she's not writing, Janelle is at home with her husband, two children, Aiden and Elora, and her two furry children, Alice and Lily. She now resides in the small town in Ontario in her old, possibly haunted, century home.

Author Contact Information:

Facebook: Janelle Stalder / Twitter: @jmstalder / Website: www.janellestalder.com

Email: jmstalder@gmail.com 

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{Release Day Tour Blast + Giveaway} Be My Hero by Linda Kage and Surviving Love by Ada Frost

Be My Hero (Forbidden Men #3) 
by Linda Kage
Publication date: July 27th 2014 
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Buy: Amazon US / B&N / Amazon UK

The Perfect Boyfriend picks up right where we left Reagan and Ian in The Boyfriend List.

As their friendship blossoms quickly into a steamy romance, Reagan and Ian have to learn to navigate their shifting relationship…and everything that entails. But their newfound bliss doesn’t come without a few unexpected challenges.

In the midst of realizing just how sweet the romance can be between them, and all the benefits of their new dynamic, Reagan is informed that her ideal situation has changed. Not only will she need to begin taking on more classes to speed up her graduation date, but she’ll also have to start looking for a job to supplement her fading income. Meanwhile, Ian has chosen to pull out of school once his father is diagnosed with a terminal illness in order to help manage the family business and spend time with him while he still can. But he wrestles with the guilt of leaving Reagan behind, and the pressure of his new responsibilities.

As the two meet their new challenges head-on, they’ll be forced to discover whether or not they’re as compatible as lovers as they were as friends. With their focus pulled in so many directions, will they have what it takes to keep a long distance relationship alive? Can Ian prove that he’s still be the perfect boyfriend, or will they fold to statistics under the growing tensions of their lives? Throw in some manipulative exes, a new boss with an inflated ego, and a co-worker from hell and the two have a recipe for either a fairy tale ending, or a complete disaster.

The Perfect Boyfriend is a New Adult Romance about trust, love, and discovering the true depths of personal strength.

The Review: Be My Hero is the third book in the Forbidden Men series by author Linda Kage and gosh, I thought To Professor, With Love was fantastic but Be My Hero, with its sweet and lovable story has definitely become my favourite of the series so far! 

I very much devoured Be My Hero. Once I started it was impossible to put down. Linda Kage’s writing had me hooked from the start and even with all the drama that Pick and Eva’s lives brought I just didn’t want it to end. 

Pick and Eva’s story was simply amazing! After meeting both Pick and Eva earlier on in the series, I just knew together they would be great – and they are! What I didn’t expect was for their story to blow me away as much as it did. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story where the main character was pregnant with another man’s child, so this was a first for me. But that’s not all, Pick has a child too. He takes care of his best friend’s son who he sees as his own son, so together Pick and Eva’s story was very similar but, each had its own twist. Each of them had difficult pasts which you find out at the very start with the prologue. It’s something they don’t dwell on. I loved that. I loved that they were strong characters. But I think what stood out for me the most was I don’t EVER recall coming across a couple who were both so caring, loving and who have such big hearts like Pick and Eva. I found their story very touching and full of hope, so just simply beautiful. 

In all, Linda Kage has raised the bar! Her work is beautifully written and very detailed. I really feel like she’s found her groove writing these new adult stories especially this series, and I’m just left wanting more. I want more Quinn, I want more Oren, I want more Brandt, I want more from everyone in the series and I can’t wait, and I’ll be definitely checking out some of her other new adult titles while I wait for Quinn’s book! 

Thank you to Linda Kage for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

About Author: 

I grew up on a dairy farm in the Midwest as the youngest of eight children. Now I live in Kansas with my husband, daughter, and our nine cuckoo clocks. My life's been blessed with lots of people to learn from and love. Writing's always been a major part my world, and I'm so happy to finally share some of my stories with other romance lovers.

WEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  

Surviving Love 
by Ada Frost
Publication date: July 27th 2014 
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Buy: Amazon US / Amazon UK

What do you do when you find out you’re pregnant, your boyfriend rejects you, your sister is beaten half to death and the most annoyingly gorgeous man takes up residence in your house? Well ladies, there is only one thing to do, pull up your big girl knickers and show the world your middle finger.

Louise Beaumont is renowned for her sharp wit, smart mouth and sassy personality. She comes out swinging in an argument, even when she’s wrong. But even some events in life can knock her on her arse. And fighting through the sludge of emotional pressure she’s had poured over her is taking its toll.

Johan Senior is broken. A man with a deeply traumatic past, shadows and monsters haunt his every waking hour. That is until a heavenly angel is sent in the form of a loud mouthed chestnut haired vixen, who threatens his manhood countless times. But his heart grabs onto her and refuses to let her go. The only problem is, his mind needs to allow him the pleasure of human touch, and to take that terrifying step of allowing someone into his heart.

Part of the Surviving series but can be read as a standalone novel.

Ada Frost: 

Hi! What to say about myself...I don't really have anything interesting to offer other than I love to read, and create stories for others to enjoy. I've always been told I have a vivid imagination, I just lacked the confidence to pursue putting it onto the the written page. But finally I embarked on making a single dream come true.

I love to read, and write. I only read romance, any genre really, but it has to have a beautiful romance. I also demand a HEA, even if it takes two or three books to get there. Reality is too broken and jaded without having to live through the trauma and angst in a book for it to end unhappily.

FACEBOOK  |  GOODREADS

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{Review} Little Puppy Lost by Holly Webb & Rebecca Harry

Posted by Donna
Release Date: August 4th, 2014
Finished Date: August, 1st 2014

Publishers: Little Tiger Press 
Genre: Children's picture book 
Ages: 3-6 years
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback

Pages: 32

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

One little dog gets very lost in this debut picture book from the hugely popular author, Holly Webb (My Naughty Little Puppy, Magic Molly). Harry the puppy is out on his first walk with his owner, Evie, when a bright red ball whizzes past his nose. Off Harry races after it, but when he catches the ball he realises he's lost his lead - and Evie! Will he find his way home? The perfect picture book for all little animal lovers - and those pestering their parents for a pet! With beautiful illustrations from Rebecca Harry, this story is a wonderful way of introducing very young readers to the special world of Holly Webb.

The Review: Little Puppy Lost is a short story about a little puppy called Harry being taken for his very first walk by his owner Evie. But while walking, a red ball captures Harry’s attention and he runs off and can’t find his way back to Evie. On his journey to trying to get home he meets a friendly ginger cat called Ginger who tries to help Harry but will they ever find Harry’s home?

What a delightful story! Little Puppy Lost is a perfect bedtime that keeps your thoroughly entertained. My daughter and I have read this twice now because we enjoyed it so much and we fell in love with the plot of the story. Harry and Ginger make a great duo and really teaches your little ones that you can make friends anywhere. My daughter especially loved that Ginger the cat reminded her of a ginger cat that visits her Nannie’s house and she really enjoyed the illustrations by Rebecca Harry too, which she kept pointing out. But what we enjoyed the most was Harry and Ginger’s adventure in finding home and the heart-warming ending that the story finished with. 

Thank you to Little Tiger Press for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.

{Book Blitz} Come Back to Texas by K.K. Hendin

Come Back To Texas (Twelve Beats In A Bar #1) 
by K.K. Hendin 
Publication date: August 18th 2014 
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Buy: Amazon US 

Everyone thought we’d be the ones who made it through high school. The ones who’d get married and stay married forever. The example of how young love can work.

We thought so, too.

Too bad life had other plans.

It’s been three years since Hayley and Nate broke each other’s hearts. Three years, and a lot has changed. Hayley’s a freshman in Bushwick University, and the only things keeping her sane are stress baking, and her a cappella group, Twelve Beats in a Bar.

Nate’s a Marine, stationed in Afghanistan. The only thing that’s keeping him sane is the last picture he has of him and Hayley, and the hope that maybe when the hell of deployment is over, he can find her again and apologize.

One explosion will change everything.

When a bomb kills all of Nate’s unit, leaving him missing a leg and eyesight in one eye, he’s sent back home to Texas. Texas, where he loved Hayley more than he could possibly imagine ever loving anyone else.

With seemingly endless amounts of free time and needing something to distract himself, Nate starts making YouTube videos, imploring Hayley to come back to him, and come back to Texas.

Hayley’s life is wrapped around the Beats, making sure she doesn’t flunk out of biology class, and babysitting Ohio’s smallest monster, Brandon. She doesn’t want to admit it, but she misses Nate more than anything.

It’s too bad she doesn’t know just how much he misses her, too…

COME BACK TO TEXAS EXCERPT ONE: 

Transcript, YouTube video uploaded by user ILoveHayley, entitled ‘Intro’.
-camera, probably a webcam, turns on to show a 20-something year old guy sitting on a hospital bed. His face looks like he’s been through hell, his hair sticking up and a bandage covering part of his forehead and one eye. There is a faint sound of beeping, probably from various machines.
ILH: Hi, Hayley. This is kinda weird, but this is the only thing I can think of. I don’t think if I sent a letter home anyone would send it to you. Can’t blame them for it, but still. So, hi. I’m just going to babble into this webcam, lookin’ like shit and hoping that maybe you’ll see this. So, I kind of got myself into a little trouble while I was… away, which kinda explains the shitty makeup I’m wearing. 
ILH *laughs*.
ILH: I miss you, and I’m sorry I fucked up. 
ILH *sighs*.
ILH: This video is depressing and fucking morbid. I know you’re not in Texas anymore, but I think you ought to come back and visit. And not just visit Austin like you’re just here for South by Southwest, but actually visit. Here’s one reason why you should come back to Texas: Noreen just told me that at the last county fair she was at, they were selling deep fried ham crackles, which I’m sure they’re not selling wherever you are. Although you probably wouldn’t actually eat them… remember when I dared you to try deep fried butter and you ate nothing but vegetables for a week after? But I can’t dare you to eat deep fried anything if you’re that far away. When Noreen finally lets me out of here, we’re going to find ourselves a county fair and we’ll clog our arteries with deep fried shit. And then figure out how to make deep fried sweet tea, because I’m sure nobody’s done that yet. 
ILH *pauses* *makes a face at the screen*
ILH: I’m gonna end this now because I feel like an idiot as is. I miss you, Hayley May. Please come back to Texas.
The screen goes dark.
-End of transcript.

AUTHOR BIO
KK Hendin's real life ambition is to become a pink fluffy unicorn who dances with rainbows. But the schooling for that is all sorts of complicated, so until that gets sorted out, she'll just write. Preferably things with angst and love. And things that require chocolate.
She spends way too much time on Twitter (@kkhendin), and rambles on occasion over at www.kkhendinwrites.blogspot.com.
Author links:
https://twitter.com/kkhendin
http://www.kkhendinwrites.blogspot.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/KK-Hendin/425268687590642?ref=tn_tnmn

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7231267.K_K_Hendin

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