Ego Maniac by Vi Keeland…Review Tour Stop

 

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The night I met Drew Jagger, he’d just broken into my new Park Avenue office.
I dialed 9-1-1 before proceeding to attack him with my fancy new Krav Maga skills.
He quickly restrained me, then chuckled, finding my attempted assault amusing.

Of course, my intruder had to be arrogant.
Only, turned out, he wasn’t an intruder at all.

Drew was the rightful occupant of my new office. He’d been on vacation while his posh space was renovated.
Which was how a scammer got away with leasing me office space that wasn’t really available for rent.
I was swindled out of ten grand.

The next day, after hours at the police station, Drew took pity on me and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. In exchange for answering his phones while his secretary was out, he’d let me stay until I found a new place.
I probably should have acted grateful and kept my mouth shut when I overheard the advice he was spewing to his clients. But I couldn’t help giving him a piece of my mind.
I never expected my body to react every time we argued. Especially when that was all we seemed to be able to do.

The two of us were complete opposites. Drew was a bitter, angry, gorgeous-as-all-hell, destroyer of relationships. And my job was to help people save their marriages.
The only thing the two of us had in common was the space we were sharing.
And an attraction that was getting harder to deny by the day.

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My Review:

Ego Maniac is the newest work from author Vi Keeland and proves once again that she is one helluva talented writer.

I loved every second of this book.  From start to finish this story was just fantastic.  From the cute and chance way in which Drew and Emerie met to the delicious sexual tension bubbling just beneath the surface and all the fabulous banter on between, it was all simply sublime.  I don’t think I will ever get enough of the way Ms. Keeland writes her characters and their story.  Drew and Emerie are two more shining examples of the wonderfully developed and multi faceted characters Ms. Keelend writes.  You’ll finish this book feeling like these are real people and you’ve just had the chance of peeking in on their day-to-day life.

Drew is sexy sweet with a past that absolutely broke my heart.  He’s got a dirty mouth with a big heart and a ton of loyalty to those he loves all wrapped up in a sexy as sin package.  Emerie is a down to earth gal with a dynamic personality and takes her recent string of bad luck all in stride.  I loved them together.  Opposites in many ways, but very similar in others, they were just a stellar couple to read.  Oh, and the secondary characters in this story? Man, you’re going to love to hate them.

Ego Maniac is another one of my Laughing Cow Cheese books.  In case you have no idea what I mean with that reference, I’ll fill you in…

Have you seen the Laughing Cow commercial about snacking?  The one where the cartoon cow asks what happened to the art of snacking? (I’ll put a link below in case you haven’t) She shows you that there’s other snacking options that eating a bag of chips, like little fun crackers and cheese.  Ego Maniac was the Laughing Cow snack. It was the snack that you finished and thought how nice it was to break away from the chips and enjoy your snacking moment in a different way.

Thank you, Ms. Keeland, for Drew and Emerie, and thank you for giving us such amazingly fabulous stories!

Five Loves


Available  on iBooks, B&N, Google Play, and Kobo now!

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Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author. With more than a million books sold, her titles have appeared in over fifty Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twelve languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

 

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Lucian Devine by Renée Carlino….Blog Tour & Review

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luciandivine_03-1-1-1“My guardian angel is a drunk.”

Evelyn Casey’s life is at a standstill. She’s in her mid-twenties, struggling with the dating scene in San Francisco. Nothing seems to be working out, and she’s starting to think that she’ll live out her days in her crummy apartment with her overbearing roommate, Brooklyn. It’s absurd, but sometimes Evey longs for a guardian angel to show up and save the day.

And then he does. Seriously. His name is Lucian and he’s a guardian angel, been on the job for two thousand years. His sudden presence in her life is both good—he’s brilliant, witty, and warm—and bad—he’s brilliant, witty, warm, and hot as —-. But as perfect as Lucian seems, he’s got problems of his own. He’s taken up drinking and he’s brazenly inserted himself into Evey’s life, going against the greatest cosmic law ever created.

For Evey, the rules are simple: You are not allowed to hook up with your guardian angel. But sometimes fulfilling your destiny requires a leap of faith, a confrontation with God.

Yes, God as in God.

 

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I enjoy Renee Carlino and her writing.  However, this book didn’t feel that it had the depth of her other books.
What I did love about this book was the different aspects it brought.  Yes, it’s about angels but the way Renee tells the story is quite interesting.  She has a unique take on guardian angels and God and the unknown.  I truly loved the added humor in this book. It helped give the story that quirky view and that what’s kept me interested.
Renee tells this story from Lucian and Evelyn’s POV.   Lucian definitely made this book for me.  I enjoyed his view on things and the way he challenged everything.  His love for Evelyn was astounding.  Evelyn was just ok for me.  I couldn’t really connect with her but that sometimes happens.
Overall, it’s how this story played out that entertained me.  While I had figured out how things were going to happen, it’s the characters reactions that made the book interesting.  These angels do things I don’t expect most angels to do.  And the unexpected in always enjoyable to read.

 

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EARLY REVIEWS

“I was utterly and completely swept away by Lucian Divine. This story is sweet, swoony, so funny and unique and just downright magical. It’s pure delight.”
-Mia Sheridan
New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author

“Lucian delivers all the feels and heart in a beautifully clever, blissfully winged package. This story was the absolute best way to start my New Year.”
-Staci Hart
Bestselling Author

“A love story like we’ve never seen…witty and so utterly charming, Carlino’s humor shines thought in Lucian Divine. I have been swept away.”
-R.S. Grey
USA Today Bestselling Author

“Lucian Divine has redefined and set a new standard of what a must-read book is for me.”
-Carey Heywood
New York Times Bestselling Author

“Carlino pulls all the stops and gives us not only something emotional that will touch your heart and soul, but will also give readers something to think about long after reading the very last page.”
-Christina Shh Moms Reading

“This author has ASTOUNDING talent and every romance reader out there needs to experience at least one of her incredible stories. Unique, addictive, beautiful, and faultlessly written, LUCIAN DIVINE by Renée Carlino was an incredible DELIGHT to read!”
-Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reads

“A love so deep, so strong, one that will melt your heart and have you devouring word after word. Lucian Divine consumed me and I have to say that I am in awe of Renee Carlino’s talent and her ability to create a tale that brings this story and these characters to life.”
-Jen Shmexy Girl Book Blog

“This book delivers on so many levels. It questions but also reaffirms faiths. It makes you love harder and sends a hopeful message.”
-AC Book Blog

“I adored the neurotic but lovable Lucian. Everything about this book was perfect for me.”
-A Literary Perusal

 

Renee-121Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of contemporary women’s novels and new adult fiction. Her books have been featured in national publications, including USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Latina magazine, and Publisher’s Weekly. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog June. When she’s not at the beach with her boys or working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate. Learn more at www.reneecarlino.com

Dear Life by Meghan Quinn…..Review Tour



We’re celebrating the release of DEAR LIFE by Meghan Quinn! Available on Amazon and #Free on Kindle Unlimited!

 

 

 

DEAR LIFE
NA Contemporary Romance
Designed by: Meghan Quinn
Photographer: Lauren Perry

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AMAZON: http://amzn.to/2iBjcT9

Four lives. Four stories. Four sets of letters. Four brave souls in need of guidance while facing life’s greatest challenges.
The anonymously published Dear Life program is designed to help them step outside of their comfort zones, face their obstacles, and relinquish their demons…and prove their existence.
With their lives teetering between wanting more and losing it all, all four souls dive into the program as a New Year’s resolution, sending them on a crazy, life-altering journey.
Dear Life,
Please be kind.

Yours truly, Hollyn, Jace, Daisy, and Carter.

 

 

 

Meghan Quinn – you have done me in with this book.

This book is an emotional tidal wave.  It will crush you but the end will leave you feeling new and fresh again.  It’s an emotional and cathartic story, one that I will forever remember.

“Prove your existence.”

I don’t even know where to start with this book.  It gutted me.  It shook me to my core.  These characters, OMG, these characters.  Hollyn, Daisy, Jace and Carter.  They’ve rooted themselves deep inside me.  They come from all different backgrounds and yet one common thing – to live and love life again.  And Meghan does one hell of an amazing job writing this book from each one of their POV’s.

“Life is work.  Life is a journey of triumphs and sorrows.  Of successes and failures.  Of learning experiences and growing opportunities.”

I want to say so much about this book but can’t and won’t.  You need to read their stories. You MUST read them.  You would think having 4 different main characters in a book would make you go bonkers and have you confused, but that won’t happen.  Not one time.  Even if you don’t see who the chapter or section is about, you immediately know who it is. 

“It’s funny that as a collective whole we ask for compassion and understanding but have a hard time handing it out when the time comes.”

You will feel as though you have walked in these characters shoes and lived their lives.  Meghan takes you right there and never brings you back. This book is very raw and makes every damn emotion alive in you; from feelings of fear, anger, hatred, scared, shy, devastation to hopeful, lively, happy, appreciated and wanted.  Meghan will make you come full circle with these characters stories. 

“Failure is a part of life. Without failure you never learn, and without trying, you’re never given the chance to fail.”

You have to read this book.  I am telling everyone that if you read one book this year, it’s this one.  Meghan will floor with her flawless writing and her amazing ability to put you right there in the thick of plot.  This is my book for 2017 and I so damn glad that I didn’t have to wait all year to finally read it. 

“This right here, this is what experiencing life is all about: living, learning and loving each moment.”

This is writing.   It’s a whole other side of Meghan than what we’re used to.  This book is what it means to take your readers on a journey and make them feel the words an author writes. 

 

 

 

About the Author:

Born in New York and raised in Southern California, Meghan has grown into a sassy, peanut butter eating, blonde haired swearing, animal hoarding lady. She is known to bust out and dance if “It’s Raining Men” starts beating through the air and heaven forbid you get a margarita in her, protect your legs because they may be humped.
Once she started commuting for an hour and twenty minutes every day to work for three years, she began to have conversations play in her head, real life, deep male voices and dainty lady coos kind of conversations. Perturbed and confused, she decided to either see a therapist about the hot and steamy voices running through her head or start writing them down. She decided to go with the cheaper option and started writing… enter her first novel, Caught Looking.
Now you can find the spicy, most definitely on the border of lunacy, kind of crazy lady residing in Colorado with the love of her life and her five, furry four legged children, hiking a trail or hiding behind shelves at grocery stores, wondering what kind of lube the nervous stranger will bring home to his wife. Oh and she loves a good boob squeeze!
Find me on Goodreads:

Finding Kyler by Siobhan Davis….Book Tour & Review

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 This book blitz is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. You can view the tour schedule here.

Special release week pricing!
Finding Kyler is only 0.99$ during the release week! Buy a copy from Amazon now before the price increases to $2.99. Finding Kyler is available to read in Kindle Unlimited.

Read an exclusive sample of Finding Kyler here.

Finding Kyler

Finding Kyler (The Kennedy Boys #1)
by Siobhan Davis
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Upper Young Adult
Release Date: January 9, 2017

Blurb:

Two fractured hearts and a forbidden love they can’t deny.

You shouldn’t want what you can’t have…

Faye Donovan has lost everything. After her parent’s tragic death, she’s whisked away from her home in Ireland when an unknown uncle surfaces as her new guardian.

Dropped smack-dab into the All-American dream, Faye should feel grateful. Except living with her wealthy uncle, his fashion-empire-owning wife, and their seven screwed-up sons is quickly turning into a nightmare—especially when certain inappropriate feelings arise.

Kyler Kennedy makes her head hurt and her heart race, but he’s her cousin.

He’s off limits.

And he’s not exactly welcoming—Kyler is ignorant, moody, and downright cruel—but Faye sees behind the mask he wears, recognizing a kindred spirit.

Kyler has sworn off girls, yet Faye gets under his skin. The more he pushes her away, the more he’s drawn to her, but acting on those feelings risks a crap-ton of prejudice, and any whiff of scandal could damage the precious Kennedy brand.

Concealing their feelings seems like the only choice.

But when everyone has something to hide, a secret is a very dangerous thing.

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Siobhan Davis is a new author to me.  And I am not sure why I am just now hearing about her.  Her assistant contacted me asking if I’d review an early copy of her next release, Finding Kyler, in a new series she was debuting.  I was immediately interested after reading the blurb and was truly excited to read a new author (new to me).
I can’t sing enough high praises about Finding Kyler.  Yes, some people will find the plot line to be taboo, but that’s what drew me in.  I love the taboo and shocking story lines.  I love it when a plot goes against the norm and pushes boundaries.  I feel that the stories are more unique and authors are able to open up more in their creativity.  And I just flat out love how Siobhan writes this story.  She starts this series off beautifully and hits the ground running.
” ‘My family is gone.  They’re never coming back.  And I’m trying to find a way of existing when sometimes I feel as dead as them on the inside.’ “
In Finding Kyler, we get to meet all the Kennedy boys plus their parents.  We get a glimpse into each of the boys, and there are ALOT of them.  And let me tell you, their gene pool came from the Gods because they are equally hot in their own way.  Bu in Finding Kyler, we dig deeper into Kyler and Faye’s lives.  Faye is thrust into a new world when she is forced to move in with her uncle and aunt whom she never knew existed.  Kyler is being a typical brooding teenage male and going through his first heartbreak. Sounds like typical, normal teenage garbage, right?   That’s where you’d be wrong.  Let’s just Finding Kyler is Gossip Girl meets O.C.  And I FUCKING LOVE IT!!  It’s my guilty pleasure in a book!!!
“The truth always finds a way to out itself.”
What I absolutely love in this book, is how Siobhan writes these characters.  You get an understanding that there is alot more going on underneath the smoke and mirrors that the Kennedy’s show everyone.  Each of them is battling their own demons and issues, including the mom and dad.   And appereances are everything to the Kennedy’s.  Faye is slowly developing her own relationships with each of her cousins and relating to them in different ways.  Faye is trying to find her place in this new world, without losing who she is.  And in this high society, when you are already a target before you’ve even be able to make move, defending yourself becomes a whole new battle.
“Alone, we both suffer in this world.  Together, we can conquer it.”
All I can say is, Siobhan has me completely hooked on this series.  I am curious as to what her other books and series are about.  Siobhan is very talented and keeps her readers in the story, never wanting to stop.  I can’t wait til the next book comes out.  She through us one hell of a doozy at the end of this book, so I really hope we aren’t kept waiting too long.
Finding Kyler is a phenomenal start to what I know will be one hell of a great series!!

 

 

 

About the Author:

Siobhan

Siobhan Davis writes emotionally intense young adult fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She is the author of the Amazon bestselling True Calling and Saven series.

Siobhan’s family will tell you she’s a little bit obsessive when it comes to reading and writing, and they aren’t wrong. She can rarely be found without her trusty Kindle, a paperback book, or her laptop somewhere close at hand.

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.

She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.

You can find and contact Siobhan here:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Google +
Goodreads
Amazon
Kennedy Boys Newsletter

Giveaway

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Finding Kyler. This giveaway is open international. These are the prizes you can win:
– One paperback of Finding Kyler by Siobhan Davis
– One paperback of Fallen Crest High by Tijan
– One paperback of Paper Princess by Erin Watt
– a $5 Amazon gift card

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Hate Story by Nicole Williams….Blog Tour & Review

 

 

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Nina can’t let herself fall in love with the man she’s going to marry. Both of them have experienced the sting and sham of love and have no intentions of falling victim to it twice. Love is expensive—hate is free.

Three years. A million dollars. A solution to both of their problems. They planned it all, from the story of their first meeting to the date of their divorce. Nothing could go wrong.

But what they didn’t consider was chemistry, and Nina and Max have no shortage of it. After too many near-kisses, Nina convinces herself that hating Max is better than loving him, and the more she gets to know this soon-to-be-husband of hers, the more she discovers just how very much she truly, madly, and deeply . . . hates him.

This isn’t a love story. This is the other kind.
He hadn’t stopped smiling at me, and it wasn’t the friendly kind of smile. It was the kind that made it seem like he was in on some secret I wasn’t privy to. The kind of smile that made me feel like I was being trifled with and made the punch line of a hundred jokes I had yet to hear.
I wanted to wipe the cocky smile off his face, but that would have required touching him and even I wasn’t gutsy enough for that. A woman did not touch a guy like him unless she wanted him to be her undoing. Nope. You didn’t play with fire. You didn’t touch it. You didn’t even come close.
Fire. That was all I saw when I looked at him. I was playing with it by agreeing to this kind of arrangement with him.
Even the way he lounged in the chair was smug. Like it was his throne and he was just waiting for minions to come bow before him.
“You’re younger than I thought you’d be.” He broke the silence first.
Though it was faint, I could just make out an accent. It was European, but I couldn’t nail down the country. To look at the bastard, you’d think he was Scandinavian—blond hair, blue eyes, commanding frame—but his accent was too sharp to hail from the land of Vikings.
I was tempted to glare at the tipped smile aimed at me, but I didn’t want to lead him to the impression I cared. I gave him my version of the same smile, abandoning my “no expectations” policy for the prospect of pissing him off. “You’re older than I thought you’d be.”
His smile shifted into the realm of a smirk, like he knew I was lying. So yeah, maybe I was lying about thinking he was older, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of confirming his silent accusation. He was older than me, but not by much. He might have been closing in on thirty, but he wasn’t past it.
He leaned forward in the chair. When his gaze circled my face to my fiery red hair, his brow elevated. Yes, I am the stereotype. Be warned.
“Prettier too.”
I stiffened. He was fucking with me now. I’d already agreed to marry him. How much more did he think he could screw me over?
I gave him a cursory glance and kept the unaffected look on my face. “Uglier.”
He cocked a brow like he knew better. “And the personality of ten women rolled into one.”
“Intimidated?”
His head shook once. “Intrigued.”
“Irritated?”
His eyes investigated me again. It felt intrusive, definitely not cursory. “Impressed.”
“As impressed by me as the woman in heat who was just mauling you over by the bar?”
“You mean the woman who gave me this?” He pulled something out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket and set it on the small table between us.
It was a hotel card key. With a lipstick kiss pressed into it.
“Classy place, this five-star hotel.” I glanced back at the woman at the bar. She was still there, watching him as though he was the height of the male species. “Did you tell her the reason you were here?”
His attention stayed on me. “Yes, I told her I was here to meet the woman I was going to marry.”
My stomach wrung. This was the man I was going to marry.
Holy shit.
“And she didn’t ask for her room key back?” I asked.
“She didn’t give it to me until right after I mentioned that.” His stare was intense. Too intense. I felt like every secret—every piece of who I was—was strewn out on that table for him to see. “Women love a man who isn’t afraid of commitment. It’s like an aphrodisiac.”
“You know what else women like?” I didn’t pause for an answer because I guessed he didn’t have a clue. “A man who’s humble.”
He fought a smile and leaned back in his chair when a server approached with a couple of drinks on a tray. “No, they like to think they do, but they don’t.” His head shook authoritatively. “They like the cocky bastard who goes after what he wants and doesn’t take no for an answer.”
Because the server was shielding some of me from his view, I allowed myself to shift. I was getting fired up, and if he kept saying the same kinds of things with the same kinds of looks on his face, that drink was going to wind up in his face.
That was when I noticed what the server had set in front of me. A tumbler with something amber in color. The same thing she was setting in front of him. Although from the curve of her smile, she was offering to give him a blow job on the side, compliments of the house.
“What is this?” I asked. Him. Her. Whoever wanted to answer.
“Scotch,” he answered, ignoring the server lingering between us.
My nose curled at the drink.
“Expensive scotch.”
“I don’t care if it came from the fountain of youth. I won’t drink it.”
His forehead creased with what appeared to be irritation, but I couldn’t be sure. Maybe it was confusion, like he couldn’t decide what to make of me. “You would have me believe you wouldn’t take a sip of that if you knew it would give you eternal life?” When I shook my head, his head tipped. “Why?”
“Because I value my free will far more than long life.” I pushed the drink away until it clinked against his. “I’d rather live one day free than an eternity in a cage.”
He was quiet for a moment. The server stayed between us, staring at him, waiting.
“Then why are you here?” he asked me finally.
I leaned forward and hoped my stare was as powerful as his. “Because free will is expensive.”

 

Hate Story is most definitely not your typical love-hate story.  It’s Nina and Max’s story of Hate.
Nina and Max – I loved these two.  And not just together, but they are absolutely amazing by themselves.  And that’s what makes Hate Story so damn believable.
Nina is a very independent and strong woman.  She knows she’s in a bind and has no problem going to whatever depths it takes to get her out of it.  Including marrying a man she’s never met before.
Max has been biten in the ass by falling in love once before.  And he refuses to go down that rabbit hole again.  But he himself needs the help of a woman, one he will never have the chance of falling in love with.  Enter Nina.
These two are complete opposites for one another. And they definitely have no shortage of hate for the other.  They push each other’s buttons and truly just want to get through the next 3 years.  But sometimes life throws you a curve ball and everything that is so meticulously planned, goes down the drain.  And these find themselves in a predicament they never expected.
Nicole really knows how to write characters that you will find yourself connecting to so easily and quickly.  And you will find yourself so immersed into their story.  Nicole has a very unique way with writing her stories that you sometimes forget that you are just reading a book.
Another amazing hit for Nicole!!

 

 

 

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Nicole Williams is the New York Times and USATODAY bestselling author of contemporary and young adult romance, including the Crash and Lost & Found series. Her books have been published by HarperTeen and Simon & Schuster in both domestic and foreign markets, while she continues to self-publish additional titles. She is working on a new YA series with Crown Books (a division of Random House) as well. She loves romance, from the sweet to the steamy, and writes stories about characters in search of their happily even after. She grew up surrounded by books and plans on writing until the day she dies, even if it’s just for her own personal enjoyment. She still buys paperbacks because she’s all nostalgic like that, but her kindle never goes neglected for too long. When not writing, she spends her time with her husband and daughter, and whatever time’s left over she’s forced to fit too many hobbies into too little time.
Nicole is represented by Jane Dystel, of Dystel and Goderich Literary Agency.

 

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Freeks by Amanda Hocking…Blog Tour & Review

 

 

 

Buy Links:

Macmillan

Books-A-Million

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

 

 

 

EXCERPT

5. carnival

Unlike many of the other members of the sideshow, I didn’t have a specific job. My mom was a fortune- teller, Gideon did a magic show, Zeke had his tigers, Brendon and his family did acrobatics, Seth was a strongman. My best friend Roxie Smith was in two acts— she helped out Zeke, and did a peepshow revue with two other girls.

I had no talent. No special ability, making me essentially a roadie. I did what was needed of me, which usually involved helping set up and take down, and various menial tasks. I cleaned the tiger cages and emptied out latrines when I had to. It wasn’t a glamorous job, but it was crucial to our way of life.

Since Roxie worked with the tigers, Mahilā actually tolerated her. Roxie was helping me clean out the tiger cage they traveled in. The cage was open to a fenced-in enclosure Seth had built, so the tigers could roam as they pleased.

Safēda lounged in the grass, the sun shining brightly on her white fur. Whenever we stopped, Safēda seemed content to just lay in the sun, sleeping the entire time, but as the older tiger, it made sense.

Mahilā paced along the fence, occasionally emitting an irritated guttural noise in between casting furtive glances back toward Roxie and me. Her golden fur was mottled with scars from her past life in the abusive circus, including a nasty one that ran across her nose.

“So where did you go last night?” Roxie asked, her voice lilting in a sing song playful way. She was out in the run, using a hose to fill up a blue plastic kiddie pool so the tigers could play in it, while I was on my hands and knees scrubbing dung off the cage floor.

Her bleached blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and the sleeves of her white T- shirt were rolled up, revealing her well-toned arms. The cut- off jean shorts she wore barely covered her bum, and her old cowboy boots went up to her knees— her chosen footwear anytime she was at risk of stepping in tiger poop.

With fair skin, full lips, large blue eyes, and a dainty nose, Roxie was pretty and deceptively tough. Being a beautiful carnie was not an easy job, and dancing in the revue under the stage name “Foxy Roxie” didn’t help that. But she made decent money doing it, and Roxie never put up with anybody’s crap. I’d seen her deck guys much bigger than her and lay them out flat on their backs.

“I was just at a party,” I said as I rinsed the brush off in a bucket of bleach and warm water.

“A party?” Roxie looked over at me with a hand on her hip.

“How’d you get invited to a party so fast?”

I shrugged. “I was just exploring town, and I saw some people hanging outside of this big house party, and they invited me in.”

“So what are the people like here? Are they nice?”

Safēda had gotten up and climbed into the pool, and then she flopped down in it, splashing Roxie as she did. Roxie took a step back, but kept looking at me.

“I don’t know. The people I met last night seemed nice, and they were superrich, so that bodes well for the town, I guess.”

“Like how rich?” Roxie asked.

“Like their house is practically a mansion.” I dropped the brush in the water and sat back on my knees, taking a break to talk to her. “It was the nicest house I’ve ever been in, hands down.”

“Is that why you spent the night there?”

Roxie understood my fascination with houses. Well, “understood” wasn’t the right word. It was more like she knew of it, but didn’t understand it all. She’d grown up in an upper- middleclass family, in nice houses with basements, and thought they were about as boring and lame as she could imagine.

“Partly.” I nodded. “It was a really amazing house. There were pillars out front, and the front hall was bigger than my trailer.”

“It’s just a house, Mara.” Roxie shook her head.

“I know but . . .” I trailed off, trying to think of how to explain it to her. “You know how you felt when you first joined the sideshow two years ago? How everything seemed so exciting and fun, and I was like, ‘We live in cramped trailers. It kinda sucks.’”

Roxie nodded. “Yeah. But I still think this life is a million times better than my old life. I get to see everything. I get to decide things for myself. I can leave whenever I want. There’s nothing to hold me back or tie me down.”

She’d finished filling up the pool, so she twisted the nozzle on the hose to shut it off. Stepping carefully over an old tire and a large branch that the tigers used as toys, she went to the edge of the run and tossed the hose over the fence, before Mahilā

decided to play with it and tore it up.

She walked over to the cage and scraped her boots on the edge, to be sure she didn’t track any poop inside, before climbing up inside it.

“So what was the other reason?” Roxie asked.

I kept scrubbing for a moment and didn’t look up at her when I said, “Gabe.”

Gabe?” Roxie asked. “That sounds like a boy’s name.”

“That’s because it is.”

“Did you have sex with him?”

“No.” I shot her a look. “We just made out a little.”

“What what what?” Luka Zajiček happened to be walking by just in time to hear that, and he changed his course to walk over to the tiger cage. “Is that what you were up to last night?”

“That’s what sucks about living in a community so small. Whenever anything happens, everybody knows about it right away,” I muttered.

Luka put his arms through the cage bars and leaned against it, in the area I’d cleaned already. Since he was rather short, the floor came up to his chest, and his black hair fell into his eyes.

His eyes were the same shade of gray as mine, but his olive skin was slightly lighter than mine. We first met him when he joined the carnival four years ago, and the first thing my mom said was that she was certain that we were related somehow.

Unfortunately, Mom knew next to nothing about our family tree to be able to prove it. All she could really tell me was that we were a mixture of Egyptian, Turkish, and Filipino, with a bit of German thrown in for good measure.

Luka had been born in Czechoslovakia, but he’d moved here with his family when he was young, so he’d lost his accent.

He had recently roped me into helping him with a trick. He’d stand with his back against a wall, while I fi red a crossbow around him. Originally, Blossom had been the one to help him, but she kept missing and shooting him in the leg or arm, so he’d asked me to do it because I had a steadier hand.

“So you made out with some local guy last night?” Luka asked, smirking at me. “Are you gonna see him again?”

“He’s a local guy. What do you think?” I asked, and gave him a hard look.

Luka shrugged. “Sometimes you bump into them again.”

“And that goes so well when they find out that I work and live with a traveling sideshow,” I said.

The floor was spotless, or at least as spotless as tiger cages can get, and I tossed my brush in the bucket and took off my yellow rubber gloves.

“We can’t all meet our boyfriends in the sideshow,” I reminded Luka as I stood up, and it only made him grin wider. He’d been dating Tim— one of the Flying Phoenixes— for the past three months.

“But you didn’t see Blossom anywhere in town last night?” Roxie asked, and Luka’s smile instantly fell away.

A sour feeling stirred in my stomach, and I looked out around camp through the bars of the cage, as if Blossom would suddenly appear standing beside a trailer. As I’d been doing my chores all morning, I kept scanning the campsite for her, expecting her to return at any moment with a funny story about how she’d gotten lost in town.

But so far, she hadn’t. And the longer she went without coming back, the worse the feeling in my stomach got. I shook my head. “No. I didn’t see her at all last night.”

“She’s gotta turn up, though, right?” Luka asked. “I mean, it’s not like there are really that many places she could’ve gone considering she has no money or car and she’s in a small town.”

The tigers were still down in the run, so I opened the side gate and hopped down out of the cage. Roxie got out behind me, then we closed the door.

“I should talk to Gideon,” I decided as Roxie locked the cage up behind me. “It’s not like Blossom to do this.”

“It’s not totally unlike her, though,” Roxie pointed out.

“When we were in Toledo six months ago, she dis appeared for a few days with that weird commune, and came back just before we were leaving, totally baked out of her mind.”

Blossom had grown up with parents who pretended to be hippies but were really just a couple of drug addicts. That— along with her unexplainable telekinesis— led to her dabbling with drugs and alcohol at a young age, before the state intervened and shipped her off to a group home.

My mom tried to keep her clean of her bad habits, but sometimes Blossom just liked to run off and do her own thing. That wasn’t that unusual for people who lived in the carnival.

“But if you’re worried, you should talk to Gideon,” Roxie suggested. “Luka’s right in that Blossom really couldn’t have gone far. Maybe you can scope out Caudry.”

“Since that sounds like a mission that may take a bit of time, can you help me and Hutch with the museum before you talk to Gideon?” Luka asked. “The exit door is jammed, and we can’t get it open, and Seth is busy helping set up the tents.”

“Sure. Between me and Mara, I’m sure the two of us can get the door unstuck,” Roxie said.

I dropped off the bucket with the other tiger supplies, and then followed Roxie and Luka away from our campsite to the fairgrounds on the other side of a chain- link fence. We always stayed close to the rides, the midway, and the circus tent, but we didn’t actually sleep there. It was much better for every one if we kept our private lives separate from the crowds.

Many of the games were already set up, and the Ferris wheel was in the process of being erected as we passed. Near the end of the midway was a long black trailer painted with all kinds of frightening images of werewolves and specters, along with happier pictures of mermaids and unicorns, and the sign was written in bloodred:

Beneath that were several smaller signs warning “Enter at your own risk. The creatures inside can be DISTURBING and cause NIGHTMARES.”

The entrance to the left was open, but the exit door at the other end was still shut. Wearing a pair of workman’s gloves, Hutch was pulling at the door with all his might. His neon green tank showed that his muscles were flexed and straining in effort. The bandana kept his dark brown hair off his face, but sweat was dripping down his brow.

“Let me have a try, Hutch,” Roxie said.

“What?” He turned to look back at her. “Door’s stuck.”

“I can see that. That’s why I said let me have a try.”

“Okay.” Hutch shrugged and stepped back.

Hutch’s real name was Donald Hutchence, but nobody ever called him anything but Hutch. He didn’t have any special powers, unless you considered being really agreeable and easygoing a super power, so, like me, he was left doing whatever else needed to be done.

Roxie grabbed the door and started pulling on it, and when it didn’t budge, I joined her.

“Luka, go and push from the inside,” Roxie commanded through gritted teeth.

Both Luka and Hutch went inside, pushing as Roxie and I pulled. And then all at once, the door gave way, and we all fell back on the gravel. I landed on my back, scraping my elbow on the rocks.

Roxie made it out unscathed, and Hutch fell painfully on top of me, so he’d avoided injury. Luka crashed right on the gravel, though, and the rocks tore through his jeans and ripped up his knees and the palms of his hands pretty badly.

“Do you need me to get a Band- Aid or anything?” Hutch asked as he helped me to my feet.

“No, I’ll be okay.” I glanced over at Luka and the blood dripping down his knees. “What about you? Do you want anything?”

“Nah. Just give it a few minutes.” Luka waved it off and sat down on the steps leading up to the museum door.

No matter how many times I saw it, I couldn’t help but watch. His knee was shredded, with bits of gravel sticking in the skin. Right before my eyes, the bleeding stopped, and the rocks started falling out, as if pushed by his flesh, and the skin grew back, reattaching itself where it had been little mangled flaps.

Within a few minutes, Luka’s knee was healed completely.

Copyright © 2017 by Amanda Hocking and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Griffin.

 

 

I loved Amanda Hocking and her books.  And when I read the blurb to this book, I was immediately hooked.  However, I did not enjoy it as much as I was expecting.

The overall story of this book was great.  That’s what kept me glued to the pages.  I love the idea of the sideshow and all the characters involved.  They were very interesting and I wish we could have gotten to know more about them.  But I get that this book revolved around Mara and her family in the carnival.

While I enjoyed the characters and their abilities, I had a hard time connecting to any of them.  And it’s not that because this is a YA book, but I just don’t think any of them were as well developed as her other books.  And the whole insta-love thing between Gabe and Mara just seemed to far fetched for me.  I understand they have unique gifts and that’s the underlying part of how they connect so quickly, but without feeling any connection to them, everything just felt off and hard to believe.

Overall, the book is a good read.  There wasn’t a point that I wanted to walk away.  As I said, the overall story kept me glued and had me wanting to know what was going on.  Just don’t expect to get too attached to any characters or anything along those lines.

AMANDA HOCKING Q&A

 Your characters are sent into the Hunger Games. Who wins?

If it’s just the characters from FREEKS, and only one could win, I would put my money on Luka or maybe Roxie. Luka because he can heal from injuries, which gives him a crazy advantage, but Roxie is smart and she’s a survivor. Plus, she has the power of pyrokinesis, which I think I would come in handy in a battle to the death.

  What do you listen to while you write? Or do you prefer silence?

I almost always listen to music when I write, unless I’m writing a really difficult scene. Sometimes the silence helps me focus, but most of the time, I prefer music. For FREEKS, I got to make a really fun 80s playlist, so I especially enjoyed working to that.

  What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve looked up in the name of research – or what do you think the government has maybe flagged you for?

There are sooo many things. For FREEKS, I had to do fun stuff like, “What does a dead body smell like?” and “How much blood can a human lose?” And then after those macabre questions, I did a bunch of googling on fireflies and tarot cards. My search history when I’m working can be pretty exciting like that.

  What was your favorite part of writing FREEKS?

I love Southern Gothics and I love pulpy 80s horror movies, so I was excited to be able incorporate those things in FREEKS. But my favorite part was actually Mara and Gabe. I think they complement each other well, and it was fun writing their banter and flirtations.

  Which actor/actress would you like to see playing your main characters from FREEKS?

For Mara, I envisioned Cassie Steele from the start. I used to be a hardcore Degrassi fan, and I loved Cassie Steele on that. For Gabe, I like Ryan Guzman. I saw him in a Jennifer Lopez movie, and I was like, “Yep. That could be Gabe.”

  Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?

I usually write between 11 am and 7 pm. I’ve tried to write earlier in the day and have more of a 8-5 type schedule, but I am not a morning person. My brain just doesn’t want to work much before noon.

  Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

I usually have a goal in mind before I start writing, but it varies. Some days, it’s slow going and I hope to get at least 500 words out. Other days, I fly through with thousands of words. So it depends on where I’m at in the book, when it’s due, and how I’m feeling about the whole thing.

  When you develop your characters, do you already have an idea of who they are before you write or do you let them develop as you go?

With all my main characters, I have a really good idea of who they are, and it’s just a matter of showing that to the readers. With the side characters, they tend to be rather one-dimensional, and they grow into the story as they’re needed.

  How did writing Freeks differ from your writing your previous novels?

FREEKS was the first thing I had written in awhile that was started out just for me. For most of the past ten years, I have been writing my books with the intention of publishing them, with the audience and readers and trends in mind. I think I had gotten a little burnt out on trying to make everyone happy (mostly because it is impossible to please all readers all the time), and I just wanted to write something that for the sake of writing it.

And that turned out to be a gothic love story about a teenage girl travelling with a band of misfits in the 1980s. It was a very cathartic writing experience for me, and it reminded me of exactly why I loved writing in the first place – I love getting lost in the world, with the characters.

  If Freeks had a theme song what would it be?

Either “Hush” by Limousines or “Head Over Heels” by Tears For Fears.

 Can you please tell us a little bit about Freeks and where you got the inspiration to write it?

I was going through a rough patch, creatively speaking, and so I just sat back and tried to think of my favorite and what I loved most that I would want to write about.

When I was a kid, I used to get old books at garage sales all the time, and I distinctly remember getting Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King and a few old V. C. Andrews novels, which are pulpy Southern Gothic-esque novels. I also watched The Lost Boys and Pretty in Pink over and over again (I think I literally ruined the old VHS of The Lost Boys from watching it too much).

So I basically threw all those things together in a soup, and I picked apart the things I liked and wanted to explore more. That became a travelling sideshow in the 80s stopping Louisiana, where a supernatural monster is afoot, and a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who is smith with a local boy with secrets of his own.

  Freeks is full of many amazingly talented characters and I imagine it was really fun to create some of them, but which one was your favorite and why?

Mara and Gabe are my obvious favorites, since they’re the main characters because I was drawn to them and their story the most. Both of them of them have complex feelings about family and personal identity, and their instant chemistry was fun to write.

But I think Gideon – the namesake and head of sideshow – was actually the biggest surprise, which made him fun in a different way. In the original outlines of the story, he was much a different character – very one-note and cruel – but he completely changed and evolved as I was writing.

  The book is based off of a type of traveling circus that is full of many mysterious acts. If you were to attend a Freekshow, which act would you want to see most?

My favorites are usually the acrobatics, but I think if I attended Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Sideshow, I would be most excited to see Gideon’s magic act. With his skills and knowledge, I think it would be a really amazing show.

  What do you hope readers will take away from FREEKS after reading it? 

With some of my other novels, I deal with heavy themes like life and death, identity, honor, mortality, classism, and family. And while I do definitely touch on those themes in FREEKS, I mostly wrote it as an escape for myself, and that’s what I hope it is for other readers. Life can be hard and frustrating, and I just wanted to write a fun book that readers could get lost in for awhile.

  What is something people would be surprised to know about you? 

Probably how chronically shy I am. Writing is a weird profession, because a good 90% of it is perfect for introverts – you sit alone by yourself and make up imaginary friends to go on adventures. But the last 10% – which involves introducing the whole word to your imaginary friends – is the most exciting and rewarding part, but it’s also the most difficult when you’re as shy as I am.

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Empire by Lili St Germain….Book Tour Stop

 

The breathtaking finale to the Cartel Trilogy by Lili St Germain

Is FINALLY HERE!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2gukCjI

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2gPC68p

iBooks: http://apple.co/2guo5Py

Nook: http://bit.ly/2gUfSRz

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2gPJ0KQ

Series link:  www.lilisaintgermain.com/the-cartel-trilogy

Blurb

 

People aren’t born monsters.

They’re created.

I’d been with Dornan Ross for the better part of a decade. Slept in his bed, sewn up his wounds, tasted his blood, seen inside his soul.

But even I wasn’t prepared for what he did.

I should have known it would always come down to this, from the very moment I laid eyes on him in that motel.

I should have known his salvation was too good to be true.

Because it’s all gone now, the impossible love I had for him bleeding away in the darkness that came afterward.

Now there’s only hate.

Now I just want to escape.

Even if it means I have to kill him to be free.

 

ABOUT THE CARTEL TRILOGY

How much is a life worth?

Mariana Rodriguez is the eldest daughter of a Colombian drug lord. Growing up in Villanueva, Colombia, she has never wanted for anything. Private schools, a lavish lifestyle, and the safety of the Cartel that her father works for.

At nineteen, she’s got her entire life mapped out, and what a good life it’s going to be: graduate from college, move to America, and finally be free from the stifling grip of the Cartel.

Only, her father messes up. A shipment of cocaine – a very large, very valuable shipment – is seized by the authorities whilst under his care and he becomes liable for the debt. Half a million dollars’ worth of cocaine.

Half a million dollars he does not have.

But he has a daughter, a very smart one, a daughter who would give up her very existence and offer herself as payment for her father’s sins, to ensure her family survives.

But falling in love with the man who owns her isn’t part of the plan…

EXCERPT

John paid the waitress and she took my waffles to box up. I’d barely touched them, too busy talking, but I might want them after a couple of hours’ sleep.

‘You got a bathroom?’ John asked her. The woman looked at him like he was an idiot. She didn’t even respond with words, just pointed to a door in the back.

‘I’m gonna go get this cleaned up,’ he said.

I held up my purse. ‘I’ll come with you. I brought extra gauze. Since you insist on not getting stitches.’

Luckily there was a staff bathroom and changeroom that nobody seemed to be using. John held the door open for me and then locked it, testing it to make sure it couldn’t open. We were good. He leaned down while I took off the old gauze and tried my best to clean the wound again. It was deep, and looked nasty.

‘Does it hurt?’ I asked him.
He shrugged. ‘I’ve had things hurt a lot more.’
‘Like what?’
He licked his lips, put his hands on my waist. ‘Like my cock right now.’
Lust dragged through my belly like wildfire and I swear, I felt my pupils dilate.
‘Oh, yeah? Your cock needs medical attention, too?’

He smirked, pulling me close with a forceful jerk. I could feel his hardness against my belly, and I wanted it all to myself. An empty ache throbbed between my thighs, demanding to be filled.

He brought a finger to my chin, tilting my face up to his. One kiss. That was all it took for my lamb to become a lion.

‘Take your fucking panties off before I rip them off.’ His eyes burned with desire and I felt my heart skip a beat.

Shit. I was about ready to come just from his words.

I hitched my skirt up, making it a show for him as I hooked my thumbs into the edges of my panties and slid them down my thighs. I was wearing white panties, and there was a clear wet patch on the inside. John saw it as I stepped out of the panties and he made a growling noise in the back of his throat, snatching them from me.

He fell to his knees before me, prising my thighs apart. I had to shuffle my feet wider apart to accommodate him. His tongue touched me, ever so gently, and it took everything inside me not to scream.

‘John,’ I begged. I wasn’t even sure what I was begging for. I just knew that I needed him, desperately. He slid a finger inside me and I tightened around it, involuntary, pulsing with need. A finger wasn’t going to be enough. I needed him. Inside me. Now. I squeezed his head, my hands fisted in his hair. Every time his tongue touched me, it was like a fucking inferno lit up inside me. Every time he pulled away, I pressed my hips forward, seeking that wet caress that was threatening to bring me undone in a Denny’s bathroom stall. Of all places. Guess I’d been wrong. Seemed we really were going to fuck in a restaurant bathroom.

When he pulled his face away, I just about crumpled over on myself. I caught a look at myself in the mirror – clumped mascara from the nap I’d taken on the kitchen counter earlier; my cheeks flushed.

‘Somebody might catch us,’ John said, that teasing glint in his eye.

I held onto his arms, my legs still shaking from the way he’d cruelly taunted me until I was almost coming. ‘Let’s shoot everyone on that bridge when we come to it,’ I said, pulling my tank top down to expose a nipple. I pulled his hair, and he went with it, bringing his mouth to my pebbled nipple and sucking hard enough that pleasure hummed dangerously close to pain.

He pulled his mouth away and picked me up effortlessly, his hands cupping my ass cheeks. ‘Wrap your legs around me,’ he murmured. I did, breathless with anticipation as he walked me backward to the sink. He dropped me onto the edge, and luckily the thing was built solid enough, because he hitched my skirt up and slammed into me so hard, my head went back into the mirror and left a little crack in the glass. Not enough to draw blood. Not even enough to see stars. But enough that I hoped I’d be driving past this Denny’s with Dornan one time, and have to stop off, and come in here to relive this moment, one crack in the mirror and John’s hand over my mouth as he made me come so hard, I drew blood along his arm with my fingernails. Especially when he pulled back and with every insistent thrust inside me, he told me he loved me. I love you. Fuck. I love you. Fuck! At one point, I thought his love was going to send me through the wall and into the next room. With my free hand I gripped the edge of the basin, as hot, wet kisses trailed up my neck, one thumb on my clit, making me come so hard I bit down on his shoulder without thinking, and John shuddered forcefully as he came inside me.

I felt bruised inside. I’d be sore for days after that. Some very sick part of me wondered if I’d still feel like this, raw and tender, the next time Dornan put his hands or his mouth or his cock near me.

I hoped so.

I know, it’s not right. I never said I was a good person, did I? Part of me was already looking forward to the bruised places Dornan would touch inside me, the map John had made when he’d fucked me, and that Dornan would never know I was feeling John’s touch when he was inside me.

About the Author:

Lili writes dark romance, suspense and paranormal stories. Her serial novel, Seven Sons, was released in early 2014, with the following books in the series to be released in quick succession. Lili quit corporate life to focus on writing and so far is loving every minute of it. Her other loves in life include her gorgeous husband and beautiful daughter, good coffee, Tarantino movies and spending hours on Pinterest.

 

She loves to read almost as much as she loves to write.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

The Pawn by Skye Warren….Blog Tour & Review

The Pawn

by Skye Warren
Publication Date: December 6, 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play

The price of survival…

Gabriel Miller swept into my life like a storm. He tore down my father with cold retribution, leaving him penniless in a hospital bed. I quit my private all-girl’s college to take care of the only family I have left.

There’s one way to save our house, one thing I have left of value.

My virginity.

A forbidden auction…

Gabriel appears at every turn. He seems to take pleasure in watching me fall. Other times he’s the only kindness in a brutal underworld.

Except he’s playing a deeper game than I know. Every move brings us together, every secret rips us apart. And when the final piece is played, only one of us can be left standing.

THE PAWN is a full-length contemporary novel from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren about revenge and seduction in the game of love.

 

 

 

 

Five Loves!!! Five hot, intense, painful, heart-shattering loves!!!
Skye Warren has an amazing talent and I am so glad she shares it with the world! She never fails to deliver an amazing plot (or leave me hot and bothered). In her newest installment of mind-blowing-fuckery, The Pawn, she introduces us to a new favorite couple of mine, Avery and Gabriel. I started this book before bed one night thinking that I would read a few chapters before falling asleep… I should have known better! Four hours of missed sleep later, checkmate. It was 100% worth being dog-tired at work the next day!
Avery’s father was convicted of fraud and shortly thereafter, beaten to a pulp and left to dead. Since then, it’s been up to Avery to take care of him and the bills. Unfortunately, even after selling off all of her family’s belongings, she has no money left and is facing eviction. In an effort to get money to help her stay afloat, she ends up at The Den, where the high-class, powerful men of Tanglewood come to play.
“Officially the Den is a gentlemen’s club, the old-world kind with cigars and private invitations. Unofficially it’s a collection of the most powerful men in Tanglewood. Dangerous men. Criminals, even if they wear a suit while breaking the law.”
When the front door to The Den opens, Avery is met by Gabriel Miller. As soon as she lays eyes on him, she is struck by both his beauty as well as the power that emanates from his body. He is a dangerous, cunning man that once you cross, you may pay for it with your life. She was about to find out just how true that was.
“I’m struck by his eyes, a deep amber color like expensive brandy and almost translucent. My breath catches in my throat, lips frozen against words like please and help. Instinctively I know they won’t work; this isn’t a man given to mercy. The tailored cut of his shirt, its sleeves carelessly rolled up, tells me he’ll extract a price. One I can’t afford to pay.”
Once inside The Den, Avery meets Damon Scott, the notorious loan shark. She pleads with him to give her a loan, but he insists that he can’t help her. Until Gabriel reminds him that there is one way he can help…
“They’re talking about selling my body for sex. My virginity.
‘No, I whisper. I won’t do it.’  
‘You see,’ Damon Scott says. ‘She won’t do it.’
Gabriel’s gaze sweeps over my body. He meets my eyes, his expression intent. She doesn’t have a choice. It’s the most valuable thing she owns.”
Avery might have been a meek, little virgin at the beginning of this book but oh, the sizzling, sinful things that Gabriel does to Avery’s body…  she finds out very quickly how amazing letting herself go, letting herself feel, can be. Gabriel takes her to places that she was previously too scared and ashamed to go before.
“Then his lips are on mine, hot and soft and persistent. I’m helpless to his demands, opening to him, a sigh of acceptance drifting from my mouth to his. I know that everything happening here is inevitable, almost fated, but this part doesn’t hurt. It feels almost like pleasure, his tongue swiping across mine, his teeth grasping my lower lip in carnal warning.”
It doesn’t take long for Avery to believe that Gabriel sees more in her than a prize won at an auction, but a part of her had forgotten who he really is, what he is capable of. For as much as he is helping her, she doesn’t realize that he has her entire life by a string. Until one day, everything that she sold her soul to save comes crashing down around her. Gabriel is there to remind her that she is just pawn in his game and he has checkmate.
I don’t know what I’m going to do until January when the next installment, The Knight, comes out, but I can tell you that I will be counting down the days until then.

 

 

 

 

 

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About Skye Warren

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dark romance such as Wanderlust and Prisoner. Praised as a “true mistress of dark erotica”, her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, four dogs, and one evil cat.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Pinterest | Instagram

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Whispers and the Roars by K. Webster….Blog Tour & Review

Whispers and the Roars

by K. Webster
Publication Date: December 6, 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Dark Romance

new-front-only

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | Amazon AUS | iBooks | Kobo

When my eyes are closed, the monster can’t ever see me.
When I sing a song in my head, the monster can’t ever hear me.
When I pretend my bedroom is a playground where I play hide and seek, the monster can’t ever find me.

The darkness should frighten me.
I should worry I’ll find more monsters…monsters scarier than him.
But I’m not afraid.

It’s safe here.
When I’m inside of my head…

He. Can’t. Ever. Touch. Me.

Warning:
Whispers and the Roars is a dark romance. Strong sexual themes and violence, which could trigger emotional distress are found in this story. The abuse written in this story is graphic and not glossed over which could be upsetting to some. Proceed with caution. This story is NOT for everyone.

 

 

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First and Foremost, this review will not talk about any details at all of the book.  This book MUST be read blindly.  The only absolute way to get the true purpose and full understanding of this book is to know nothing but what the blurb gives you.  Nothing else.
So with that being said, Mrs. Webster does a superb job of writing this book.  While, I did figure out a thing or two on my own, I did not expect the twists she threw in.  I was truly blown away by this book.   Going in blind had me gasping, feeling shocked and surprised.  If I had known even one small, minute detail of this book, it would ruin everything.
You will feel everything these characters go through.  You will empathize with them.  I have no doubt that Mrs. Webster lost herself in these characters as she wrote.  These characters will haunt you.  They will grab on to your psyche and not let go.  I wish I could say so much more.
I couldn’t put this book down once I started.  I was hooked from the beginning and completely invested the whole way.  This book will probably push boundaries for alot of people.   Mrs. Webster does not sugar coat anything.  She does writes everything in color – there are no shaded areas.  But I urge anyone to give this book a chance.  You will not regret it.  I can promise you that.  This book will truly make you view things in a different light.
I can say no more other than, PLEASE read this book.

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About K. WebsterK Webster2

K Webster is the author of dozens romance books in many different genres including contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, and erotic romance. When not spending time with her husband of twelve years and two adorable children, she’s active on social media connecting with her readers.

Her other passions besides writing include reading and graphic design. K can always be found in front of her computer chasing her next idea and taking action. She looks forward to the day when she will see one of her titles on the big screen.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Lost in Shadows by Anita DeVito…Blog Tour Stop & Excerpt

Meet the Author:

Anita’s rapid paced storytelling style pulls readers into a parallel universe where mystery, mayhem, murder are the order of the day. Her stories are an addictive diversion, trading the heavy, gray world of real life for a fantastically colorful world where bad is good, and cool is smoking hot.

Raised on America’s Rock Coast in Cleveland, Ohio, Anita was born while the river burned. Music, food and family shaped Anita’s life and provide much of the fodder for her stories. Her love of mysteries and puzzle solving came from her Grandpa John, who introduced Anita to her first detective hero – Nero Wolfe. Food was as central a character in Anita’s life as it was in Nero’s, where Sunday dinner at Nonna’s table was a command performance.

Anita has been writing scorching mysteries and suspense since 2006 with stories ranging on the heat index from a “nice spicy little pepper” to “pass a mop for my forehead, please.” Check out tastes of Anita’s stories and like her on Facebook. Anita is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.

Connect with Anita: Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

About the Book:

 

Private security entrepreneur Jeb McCormick is in over his head with his latest client. Not only is the painfully shy woman he’s meant to be protecting a total knock-out, she’s also his former Army buddy’s sister. Helping her find the reason why anyone would ransack her house is demanding enough, but keeping his hands off her is proving to be the real challenge.

Carolina Walker wants a quiet life, thank you very much. She left intrigue and deception behind in Washington D.C., never expecting it to follow her home to Bowling Green, Kentucky. When events happen that can’t be explained away, help arrives in the form of the very attractive and muscular Jebediah McCormick. But as the tension escalates between Jeb and Carolina, so does the danger facing them…

Each book in the Lost series is a standalone, full-length story that can be enjoyed out of order.

Purchase:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

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Excerpt:

Less than an hour later, Carolina practically skipped through the large department store, laughing as she held Jeb’s hand. True to his word, he wore his game face, and what crowds there were parted to let them pass. No one paid attention to her. One look at his hard face and eyes stayed riveted there until he had passed. For the first time in her life, she made it through the cosmetic area without being mobbed by pushy saleswomen.

Being burdened with packages like a pack mule didn’t lessen the effect of his game face. Although she noticed he earned more than a few sympathetic looks from husbands and boyfriends who were themselves weighted down by frilly bags. She grinned at him, carefree and happy.

“Enjoying yourself?” he growled.

“Immensely. I never understood why people enjoyed going to the mall. This is totally surreal.” She laughed softly. “You know, all these people think you are my boyfriend and that I have you…what’s the expression?”

“Pussy-whipped. And you knew the expression. I’m sure you read it in a book. I thought you said you were just picking up a few things. Why did we have to go to that store twice?”

“I wasn’t sure the dress was the right one the first time. I had to be sure, didn’t I?”

“No,” he muttered.

She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “I’ll order the rest online, but shipping takes a few days. I need enough to get by.”

“How much more could you need? A guy would buy five pairs of underwear, two pair of jeans and three shirts. Good for a month.”

She stopped outside a store selling bras and panties. “I, uh, think I’ll go in this one alone.”

He raised an eyebrow and looked in the window. “I don’t know. I do have some expertise in this area.”

She blushed and pointed to a set of metal benches guaranteed to be as uncomfortable as they were ugly. “Go.”

“Fine. But in case you were wondering, I’m partial to push-up bras, thongs, and that little thing in the corner of the window over there.”

She waited until he sat on the bench with the armload of bags spread out next to him. He gave her a wink and resumed intimidating the world.

 

Check out the other books in the Lost series:

Giveaway:

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Riddick by Kathy Coopmans…Blog Tour & Review

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Riddick by Kathy Coopmans is NOW LIVE!

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Are you ready?

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2fXUcIp

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2gEsBuI

iBooks: http://apple.co/2fXXOFn

Nook: http://bit.ly/2glkIar

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2gSfeHY

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Blurb

She told me Heaven would knock on my door one day.

That I would be swept away from the hell I lived in.

She was right about one thing and so wrong about the other.

Heaven came in the form of an angel just like she said.

Beautiful.

Perfect.

An angel.

And then.

My life became hell.

She disappeared. Vanished.

I left. Went to war. Killed. All for her.

Every face was the man who took her.

Every dream filled with her.

For twelve years I existed in hell. Breathed in the fires from down below.

Until her, the woman on the beach outside of my home.

Captivating.

Enchanting.

Mesmerizing.

It couldn’t be my Cora, my angel, my heaven on earth.

She was dead.

Wasn’t she?

Passionate couple having hot sex in bedroom

Excerpt

Jesse’s threats should make me want to shut my mouth; they don’t. I’ll make all the noise in the world to find out why I feel like I’m being dragged to my death. Oh God, please tell me they do not know!

Without warning, Cutter grips me by my hair, yanking me out of my spot in the corner. My backside is landing on the rough gravel with a solid thud. The sharp stones are penetrating through the flesh on my back. I scream out in agony as this man bores his fingers into my cheeks, digging into my skin enough to draw blood with his fingernails penetrating through my flesh. They’re going to kill me.

“You’re finally getting a chance to get out of here. If you fuck this up, I’ll kill him. Do you get me?” What? I ignore his comment about leaving here. That rolling in my stomach starts to turn, spinning out of control until it crashes into my chest, making it hard for me to breathe. I know exactly whom he’s referring to, and the thought makes me want him to stick his dick in my mouth so I can bite the repulsive little thing off. He’s talking about Riddick. Cutter nods my head for me using his greased, stained hands, his fingernails so dirty I gag at the sight. Those hands that make me cringe every time they touch me leave my face and go right back to my hair, where he pulls me behind him across the lot while I stifle my cries of pain. Not from the gravel clawing and embedding into my skin. From the words he spits out like it’s an everyday occurrence to threaten me with the only thing that can plunder my soul. This is the first time he’s physically hurt me, which makes me realize that whatever I’m here for is the worst kind of bad.

My life is not my own anymore. It belongs to my brother, and I’m a nut job because of it. I live inside my own head, talk to myself, pretend like I’m carrying on a conversation with the one person I want with me all the time. Riddick. I stare at walls for hours upon hours of the day and night, daydreaming of a better life on the ocean, where I can roam freely. Feel the wind swaying in with the tide, my hair blowing back away from my face as I breathe in the salty air. These conscious fantasies are a young woman’s fairy tale we all wish to come true. Riddick knows how much living on the ocean means to me. He is going to kill them for thinking they can put their slimy hands on me. This will be the end to the street fighting gang war my brother seems to think he’s the king of. People stay clear of Jesse Barrick for a reason. He’s maniacal crazy. Certifiably teetering on the edge of insanity. And whatever his reasons are for mistreating me have crazed him out to the point where I’m tumbling over the edge first.

Passionate couple having hot sex in bedroom

 

my-review

 

Riddick is the first book in Kathy’s next series.  And she starts the series off very well.

This story is told from both Cora and Riddick’s POV.  Cora was forced to leave Riddick behind because she feared her brother’s threat of death.   Then 12 years later, Riddick and Cora find each other again.  And all those feelings from 12 years ago come to the surface. 

Kathy does a great job of playing this out.  Riddick is ex-military and now works in law enforcement.  Cora goes through ALOT just to stay alive. I want to say more, but to get a true sense of what they both endure, you need to read it for yourself.

And their reunion was amazing.   Riddick wasn’t about to let go what he lost 12 years ago.  And even though that threat remained, Cora was giving Riddick up again.  These two go through a lot.  Kathy gives us a perfect balance of the romance and the suspense.  Neither portion was lacking and everything was weaved together very well.

Kathy has set us up for another great series from her.  I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

 

4LovesRLB

 

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Book Trailer 

About the Author:

Kathy Coopmans

Amazon Best Selling Author Kathy Coopmans, lives in Michigan with her husband Tony where they have two grown sons.

After raising her children she decided to publish her first book and retiring from being a hairstylist.

She now writes full time.

She’s a huge sports fan with her favorite being Football and Tennis.

She’s a giver and will do anything she can to help another person succeed!

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | WebsiteGoodreads | Newsletter signup

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