Wednesday 31 December 2014

Q & A with Author Danube Adele + Giveaway





Dreams of a Wild Heart (The Dreamwalkers #3)
by Danube Adele  

Dr. Cecilia—Ceci— Bradford at your service.  

I dance, rock climb, and have mastered MMA, because just being a twenty-six-year-old doctor isn’t enough. It doesn’t keep me from remembering the terrifying night my life changed, the night my true love died. I was nearly seventeen.  

Life goes on, but the secret I keep is that I still talk to him in my dreams. That was getting me by until Tabron showed up—or, more specifically, until the six-foot-two brute of a Viking whisked me off to another planet because his leader is dying. And the joy didn’t end there. I’m being forced to choose a mate. The Brausa are facing extinction.  

Tabron has no need for a mate, himself, and he’s told me as much. Multiple times. What he does have are hands and wicked lips that stir feelings I thought lost forever. Choosing him (just to play along until I can find a way home) seems to irk him and I find this surprisingly fun. But surviving a hidden conspiracy and the dangers of this alien place might be more difficult than I could ever imagine…

Available at 
 Amazon     BN     Kobo     ebooks.com
Fantastic Fiction Amazon UK



Danube Adele wrote her first romance at the age of seven when she penned the story of her dogs falling in love and having puppies. She’s been dreaming up romantic tales ever since. A lifetime resident of southern California, she spends time playing at the beach, camping in Joshua Tree National Park, and hiking Mammoth Mountain.

Always a lover of adventure, she and her husband took their sons on a cross country road trip to Florida and back in an old VW Westfalia, that had no A/C, in the month of July, and still, it continues to be the best trip they ever took.

Extensive travel and trying new things has kept the creative spark alive. Danube lives in Claremont with her biggest fans, her loving husband, amazing and wonderful identical twin sons, and a teddy bear of a Rottweiler.

Her debut novel, Quicksilver Dreams, Book 1 of the Dreamwalker series, was released January 6, 2014, and Dreams of a Dark Summer, Book 2 of the Dreamwalker series, is set for release June 9, 2014. The next book in the Dreamwalker series is set to come out in December, 2014.

www.facebook.com/Writer.D.Adele



Q & A with Author Danube Adele

Q.  Tell us a little bit about your main characters.
A:  Tabron: He’s dark and brooding, a Viking-like warrior from another planet with shadows from his past that keep him from being able to trust anyone. He’s on a mission to save his leader at any cost, and he needs a doctor.

Ceci: She’s a trauma surgeon, a young woman trying to outrun her tragic memories of a single night gone horribly wrong by doing anything and everything to stay busy, like mixed martial arts and rock climbing, so she won’t have to think or remember.

From the moment they meet, sparks fly. They’ve both met their match.

Q:  Describe your ideal writing spot.
A:  I love writing in the front room of our home where the window gives a lovely view of the mountains just a short distance away. I’ve even created what appears to be a permanent divot in the couch where I sit with my feet up on the coffee table, my sweet male Rottweiler under my legs, and my computer in my lap. Even more importantly, though, I do my best work when I am completely alone. I have a wonderful husband and amazing identical twin boys who are now twelve and a crack up. When they are home, it is very, very, very hard to concentrate. I want to go play with everyone instead.

Q:  Who designed the covers for your book and what was that process like for you as the author?

A:  Carina Press has their own art department. After getting a description of characters, plot, key themes and settings from me, a cover is developed. Once it’s been put together, it’s sent to me for viewing. I can then provide my feedback. It’s a collaborative process.

Q:  What is the best advice you have been given?
A:  Sit your butt down and write. That is the very best advice I’ve heard over and over from multiple people who are productive and successful. Writing is work, and it only gets done if you actually sit and do it. Limit your time on FB, Twitter, Google +, email, etc., because it can eat up your time and creative energy and allows you to procrastinate effectively for hours if you let it.

Q:  How do you keep busy when you're not writing?
A:  I’m married with two children and have a day job besides. When I’m not at work or writing, I am chauffeuring my kids to soccer, helping them with their homework or piano, doing chores/improvement projects around the house, cooking dinner or working out at the gym. Sitting for such long periods of time is not good for my behind, if you know what I mean, so I need to run it off.

Q:  If you could have any superhuman ability, what would you choose and why?
A:  I would love to be able to read minds, much like the characters in my Dreamwalkers series who live on the planet Te`re. There would be so many benefits to this gift. First, it would be hilarious to walk into a bar on a Friday or Saturday night and be able to know what people are actually thinking beneath the social façade of flirtation. Also, wouldn’t it be helpful in deterring dangerous, potentially violent situations? If someone was thinking evil thoughts, you could warn people and get yourself gone instantly.

Q:  Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?
A:  I love ebooks because of their efficiency and easy accessibility. I can go on a long road trip or just to the doctor and bring a hundred books along with one small device. The store to buy something new is at my fingertips. However, I do have some older books that are paperback that I love, have read and reread, and wouldn’t want them in any other format. There’s still a wonderful charm to feeling the weight of the book, flipping through the pages and actually appreciating the story as a whole all at once. I do not like hardbacks. I love to recline while reading and hardcover books are usually uncomfortable to my hand, too heavy and cumbersome.

Q:  What book are you reading now?
A:  I’m about to try an author who is new to me. The Lycan Hunter by Kelsey Jordan, seemed to have an interesting plot, so I’m excited to give it a try. I’m literally, at this moment, in between books. I hope it’s all I’m looking for so I can have a new author to start following.









Monday 29 December 2014

Beverly Hills Demon SlayerBeverly Hills Demon Slayer by Angie Fox

Beverly Hills Demon SlayerBeverly Hills Demon Slayer by Angie Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you want fun, witty banter mixed with gritty action and garnished with a pinch of steamy romance, then Beverly Hills Demon Slayer is the book for you. I was so happy to be back in this world.

After her wedding to Dimitri, Lizzie was looking forward to a normal life, enjoying marital bliss. Is that too much to ask for? Evidently, it is when you are a demon slayer. It is back to business when Lizzie senses a strong demonic presence coming from Beverly Hills. She tracks it to a new church that has sprouted up claiming youth, peace and vitality to its members, but at what cost? With the help of her sexy shape-shifter husband and the biker witches, Lizzie will have her hands full trying to bring this demon under control. Is she up to the task, or will this one be too much for her?

Angie Fox does a great job creating characters that are enjoyable and entertaining but also complex and diverse. She is able to balance light, fun moments with dark and action-packed segments smoothly into an interesting read. Lizzie is one kick-ass demon slayer. Lizzie, Dimitri and the biker witches make a great team. Got to love those grandma biker witches! No nursing home for them!! I recommend this book along with the rest of the Demon Slayer series.

View all my reviews


Buy Links
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Thursday 27 November 2014

Mortal Gods (Forgotten Pantheon #1) by Alex Manea: Giveaway + Review

 


Mortal Gods (Forgotten Pantheon #1)
by Alex Manea

Genre: Urban Fantasy 

Number of pages: 183
Cover Artist: Ovidiu Stanciu


Heather, a young American girl, is visiting her college roommate, who now lives in Rome. While partying in a local nightclub, she's picked up by a man who looks like he was created in the image of a Greek god. Her initial impression is correct.

He’s one of the last surviving members of the Greek pantheon. After hooking up with him, Heather is forced to join the culmination of a two-millennium-long war between that pantheon and a clandestine sect of monks within the Catholic Church, itself led by perhaps the most infamous figure in Christian history.

Heather and Apollo embark on a world-spanning effort to collect what remains of the gods to engage in the final battle with the monks opposing them. But the fate of the battle is changed by the intervention of a mysterious military organization…


Book Links

Goodreads  
Amazon     B&N     Kobo


About the Author
Alex Manea is a Romanian journalist and writer, author of the Urban Fantasy novel Mortal Gods, the first book of the Forgotten Pantheon series. Alex is a big mythology buff, especially Greek, this being the source of inspiration behind the novel. Alex is currently working on the second novel of the series.

Web: http://forgottenpantheon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alex-Manea/712543075478967
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authormanea



4 out of 5 stars
Mortal Gods is the story of Heather, a young woman who is thrown into the world of the Greek gods and is inadvertently caught in the middle of an age-old war.


I'm a sucker for any story that is based on mythology. My favorite stories, however, are ones that blend the old with the new. In Mortal Gods, I felt the author did an excellent job of incorporating the old gods we know and love into the present day. From their descriptions to their personalities, all of the characters were great. Heather herself was a good female lead, something I was worried about, I admit, with the author being male.

The storyline was creative, the story itself fast-paced and full of action, and the author's writing descriptive and clear. My only wish is that it had been longer. At novella length, I wanted more to the story, which is a good thing! This is definitely a promising start to a new series.




November 3 Interview
Pembroke Sinclair
www.pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com

November 4 Spotlight
Cassandra M's Place
www.cassandramsplace.com

November 5 Top Ten List
Darkest Cravings
www.darkestcravings.blogspot.com

November 6 Guest blog
Roxanne's Realm
www.roxannerhoads.com

November 7 Review
Booker Like a Hooker
http://bookerlikeahooker.blogspot.com

November 10 Spotlight
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
www.creativelygreen.blogspot.com

November 11 Spotlight
Aly's Miscellany
http://alysmiscellany.blogspot.com/

November 13 Guest blog
Fang-tastic Books
www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com

November 13 Guest blog
Boundless Daydreamer
www.b-daydreamer.blogspot.com

November 14 Spotlight
Share My Destiny
http://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com

November 17 Spotlight and review
Fang Freakin Tastic Reviews 
http://fangfreakintasticreviews.com

November 18 Interview
Diane's Book Blog
http://dianes-book.blogspot.com

November 19 Interview
Eclipse Reviews
www.totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com

November 20 Spotlight and review
Coffee Addicts Books 
http://www.selenityjadebooks.blogspot.com/

November 21 Character Interview
Author Karen Swart
www.authorkarenswart.blogspot.com

November 24 Spotlight
Lisa's World of Books
www.lisasworldofbooks.net

November 25 Interview
Deal Sharing Aunt
www.dealshringaunt.blogspot.com

November 26 Spotlight
3 Partners in Shopping
http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com/

November 27 Review
Natural Bri - Pursuits of Life
http://www.naturalbri-pursuitsoflife.blogspot.co.uk

November 28 Review
Shut Up & Read
http://shutupandreadgroup.blogspot.com/

December 1 Review
The Word at My Fingertips
http://ashjellison.blogspot.com

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Once Upon an Ever After by Angela N. Blount

Once Upon an Ever After
(Once Upon a Road Trip #2)
by Angela N. Blount


YA Contemporary Romance
Paperback, 198 pages
Published 2014 by Artifice Press


Set after the events of Blount's debut memoir, Once Upon A Road Trip, this short story anthology focuses on the unusual courtship of Angeli and Vincent.

When Angeli left Minnesota on a post-high school road trip, all she wanted was to see the East Coast and finally meet some of her online friends. She didn't expect to end up in a long-distance relationship with a computer-savvy Southern boy. Yet Vincent seems determined to defy the odds. To prove his intentions, he sets off on his own quest to visit Angeli and win her family's approval. But along the way he’ll have to contend with her offbeat friends, trigger-happy father, and a few questionable run-ins with Northern hospitality.

South meets North this time around, and "normal" isn't anywhere on the map.With a thousand miles and radically different upbringings between them, can Angeli and Vincent forge a forever-worthy bond? Or are the roadblocks they face too much for either of them to overcome?

Book Links
Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Kobo     Smashwords
 

About the Author
Award-winning author Angela N. Blount is a Minnesota native, transplanted to the deep South--where she currently resides with her understanding husband, their two children, and a set of identity-confused cats. A Registered Nurse by trade, she is also a freelance content editor, former book reviewer for RT Book Reviews, a memoirist (though, not much a fan of referring to herself in first-person *cough*), craft blogger, sporadic poet, and webcomic artist.

Angela is a PRO member of the Romance Writers of America, and was named a finalist in the 2012 Sheila, Laurie, and Orange Rose contests. She also took first place in the 2012 OKRWA Finally A Bride contest. In 2014 her debut memoir, Once Upon a Road Trip, was an NIEA finalist, a Chanticleer Journey Award finalist, and winner of the silver metal in the Literary Classics International Book Awards.

In her spare time, Angela enjoys reading, coffee shop loitering, and all things geeky. Her latest project is a YA sci-fi series.

Goodreads     Website     Twitter     Facebook 



Excerpt

“So, then what did you used to do for fun around here?” Vince asked. He turned his gaze back to me, seeming to pick up on my reminiscence-induced melancholy. “I mean, besides building wigwams in the woods and getting run over by heavy machinery.”

“Smart-aleck,” I accused, cutting him a narrowed glance. He cracked a rascally grin and waited, his lean face smoothing into a look of expectation.

I gestured further down the country highway, pointing out the glint of a roadside stream as I turned into my neighborhood. “I spent most of my time following that creek to the river with an ice-cream bucket and a butterfly net, catching crayfish and tadpoles. They weren’t much for conversation, but they were more pleasant company than the kids around here."
He peered at me as the car bumped and jostled along the gravel, heading through the elevated left side of the valley. “And…what did you do with these buckets full of water creatures?”

“I kept them in a kiddie pool under our deck,” I answered, matter-of-factly.

He nodded, making no attempt to mask his perplexed expression. “Oh, of course you did.”

A small smirk leaked through, tugging at the side of my mouth he couldn’t see. “Some girls took dance or played with dolls… I created an aquatic ecosystem in my backyard.”

“Well,” He cleared his throat, playing up a tone of confused acquiescence. “Everybody needs a hobby.”

I turned left into a small cul-de-sac and eased into park in front of my parent’s house. Painted dark blue and set on a small plateau, it would have blended into the darkened woods behind it if not for the motion-sensing floodlights and glaring-white garage doors. I switched off the engine and turned to look Vince full in the face.

“Last chance to back out,” I offered with forced cheer, taking in a steadying breath as he leaned toward me. “There’s probably a lot more weirdness from here on out—”

Vince bent forward the rest of the way and captured my lips in a sweet, lingering kiss. His hand cupped my jaw, giving gentle guidance as I mirrored his movements without thought. He pulled back first, lips curving into a smile of challenge.

“Bring on the weird.”


Monday 24 November 2014

Made for You by Lauren Layne

Made for You (The Best Mistake, #2)Made for You by Lauren Layne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Made for You is book two in The Best Mistake series. What a follow up to Only with You! Lauren Layne continues to deliver with a fun, heart-warming romance.

Brynn prides herself on being the perfect daughter, sister and career woman. Her to-do-lists have made her what she is today so why isn't Brynn happy. Maybe her perfectly planned life isn't what she needs? Will Thatcher has been part of Brynn's family since their high school years as her sister's best friend, but he has always been a thorn in her side. He has made it his mission to chip at the walls Byrnn has built up. Can Brynn throw aside her lists and need for perfection to give spontaneity and Will a chance?

The chemistry between Byrnn and Will sizzles through the pages of this book. The sexual tension is a slow burn that comes to a blazing fire only to be doused with a cold wet blanket. Why? Evidently it is to torment me! The ups and downs of their relationship had me laughing, screaming and crying. I enjoyed the wild ride and look forward to the next adventure.

View all my reviews


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