Monday, January 31, 2011

2011 Romantic Suspense Reading Challege


Jamie from Nitty Gritty - Romance and Erotic Reviews is hosting the 2011 Romantic Suspense Reading Challenge here:

http://nittygrittydownanddirty.blogspot.com/2010/11/2011-romantic-suspense-reading.html

RULES:

1. Create a post for the challenge using the image above and link back to this post.

Non-Bloggers: You are welcome to join too. Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post.

2. Sign up with the Mr. Linky.

Link to your challenge post when you sign up please.

3. The goal of this challenge is to read AT LEAST 12 novels that are Romantic Suspense between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. Books read before January 1, 2011 do NOT count towards the challenge.

4. Audio, eBooks, paper all count. Re-reads are ok but try to keep them to a minimum. Cross overs from other challenges are ok.

5. There is no need to create your list now. Please feel free to use your challenge post to keep track of your titles if you so desire.

Here is my list:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Jan 31)


Post the books you read last week, book currently being read and books you plan on finishing this week.

Last week I read:

1. Deadly Heat - Cynthia Eden
2. Port Mortuary - Patricia Cornwell
3. Dead Run - Erica Spindler
4. Black Bird Vol. 6 - Kanoko Sakurakoji

I’m currently reading:

1. Worth Dying For - Lee Child

Books I’m planning on reading this week:

1. Red Demon - Deidre Knight
2. Everyone Loves a Hero ARC - Marie Force
3. The Grand Delusion - Heath Sommer
4. Black Bird Vol. 7 - Kanoko Sakurakoji

Here's the link:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2011/01/30/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-73/

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Black Dagger Brotherhood Challenge


This is a challenge to read, re-read or any Black Dagger Brotherhood you have in your TBR pile books between Feb 1st through Dec 31st, 2011. Any books read before Feb will not count.

You can pick any *old or new release it doesn't matter. But remember this is only for Black Dagger Brotherhood series. If you have any questions please email me or leave a comment, thanks.

If you are participating in the Black Dagger Brotherhood Challenge, please leave a comment, thanks!

Library Haul 2011 (Jan 20 - Feb 5)

Here's the list of books I picked up from the library this week:

Hardcover:

1. Worth Dying For - Lee Child

What books/manga did you pick up from the library this week?

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Compiling a Blog Followers List

Hi Blog Followers,

I'm trying to compile a list of my Blog Followers so I could check out your blogs and comment!

If you would like me to add your Blog Name to my List of Blogs please leave a comment, thanks!

Deadly Heat [Mass Market Paperback]


I've finished "Deadly Heat" the 2nd book in her Deadly series by Cynthia Eden.

Product Description

She wants revenge . . .

Six months after her lover died in an arsonist's blaze, firefighter Lora Spade calls in the FBI's elite Serial Services Division to track the elusive killer. When Special Agent Kenton Lake is lured into a violent inferno, Lora pulls him to safety and is stunned - not by the fire, but by her own searing attraction to Kent. For the first time in months, she longs for something other than vengeance.

He wants her . . .

Kenton's interest in Lora should be purely professional. But one fleeting kiss and he can't get her out of his mind. Her combination of strength and vulnerability makes him want to protect her, and that means solving this case - and fast. For even the passion igniting between them can't hide a terrifying truth: Lora is the next target in a murderer's sadistic, fiery game.

A vicious killer wants only . . .


DEADLY HEAT

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Forever (January 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446559261
ISBN-13: 978-0446559263

My Review:

Storyline:   Lora Spade calls in the special elite unit of the FBI Serial Services Division to help catch the serial arsonist.  She doesn't let anyone mess around with her people because she lost one she loves to the arsonist.  She pulls FBI Kenton Lake from a fire and she tangles with him even though she feels an undeniable attraction to him.  She fights it and Kenton doesn't let anyone near him either ever since he lost his mom at an early age.

Characters:  All the characters were well written so it feels like you know them in real life.  Lora is such a great character because she very kick-ass and knows how to fight and spar with anyone.  She doesn't need a man to complete her and take care of her.  Kenton is such a great hero because he's a ladies man but he falls for Lora which is a complete surprise to him (very protective and possessive).  He sees a vunerability in her which makes him want to take care of her.

Romance:  Wow the romance between Lora and Kenton were hot and steamy!  You can feel the heat from the very first moment that she pulls him from the fire.  I believe their verbal confrontations are foreplay and you can feel the heat coming off of the pages.

Killer:  Wow the killer is quite brutal in his killings and definately has no remorse at all.  Has a fascination with fires ever since childhood.  He killed his parents!

5/5

Friday, January 28, 2011

New How to Marry a Duke Giveaway Winner

I have picked a new winner (one previous didn't get back to me) of my How to Marry a Duke Giveaway and they are:














































































































































































CONGRATULATIONS:















































































1. Beverly Sharp

Please fill out this form with your contact information, so I can send the info. to the publisher thanks!
http://www.emailmeform.com/fid.php?formid=640430

Please comment on this post if you have won this book on another blog, so I can pick a new winner(s), thanks!

Follow My Blog Friday #33



This Meme is hosted by Rachel from Parajunkee's View on Fridays.

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host {Parajunkee.com} and any one else you want to follow on the list.

2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://missiontoread.blogspot.com

3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.

4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments

5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can

6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers

7. If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

The Friday Follow Feature is...




I started my blog in December of 2010 after finding that I could never keep track of what I read and whether I liked it or not. I have been in the reading/writing community for years though as I am aspiring writer. I've had to let writing take a back-burner while I'm attending college, but I still find time to read. Priorities, I suppose. I was also struggling to find anything to read. As crazy as that seems now. My must read list is overflowing with things I want to read and my bedside is a jungle of books that I must get through to get to bed. Did I mention I'm just a bit messy? Clutter is good.

I got married a little more than a year ago and we have a precious if a bit mischievous pup, Chloe. There's already quite a few pics of her on my blog as I'm sorta in love with her. I'm a pre-law student that is double majoring in Psych/History. I adore history, although I read Paranormal/UF more than anything else. So that about wraps me up? I'd love to learn more about you, so please come by and say hello.

What is/was your favorite subject in school?

My favorite subjects in school were History and Law.

18 and Over Book Blogger Tag Along Friday Hop #19

Photobucket

Laurie from Bitten by Paranormal has created a 18 and Over Book Blogger Tag Along Friday Hop where you can find adult bloggers. Thank you for this was looking for more adult blogs.

Rules

*Place your blogs name in the first box of the Linky

*Then add your post for the tag along in the second box linky

*When you find a blog that you like to follow please leave comment, so they can tag along to your blog.

*There is a code on my left sidebar, so you can place the pic. on your post.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Cynthia Eden Deadly Heat and Deadly Lies Blog Tour with Giveaway



DEADLY HEAT
Pub. Feb. 1, 2011

Six months after her lover died in an arsonist's blaze, firefighter Lora Spade calls in the FBI's elite Serial Services Division to track the elusive killer. When Special Agent Kenton Lake is lured into a violent inferno, Lora pulls him to safety and is stunned - not by the fire, but by her own searing attraction to Kent. For the first time in months, she longs for something other than vengeance.

Kenton's interest in Lora should be purely professional. But one fleeting kiss and he can't get her out of his mind. Her combination of strength and vulnerability makes him want to protect her, and that means solving this case - and fast. For even the passion igniting between them can't hide a terrifying truth: Lora is the next target in a murderer's sadistic, fiery game.


DEADLY LIES

Pub. Mar. 1, 2011

FBI Special Agent Samantha Kennedy is haunted by memories of the serial killer who abducted her. To keep the darkness at bay, she pretends to be a different, more confident woman. This Samantha doesn't fear every unknown face. So she throws caution to the wind and shares a night of unbridled passion with a handsome stranger.

One night isn't enough for successful entrepreneur Max Ridgeway. He wants more of the sexy, smart, mysterious woman who slipped away before dawn. When they meet again, their attraction is undeniable-until his stepbrother goes missing, and Max realizes that Samantha isn't who she seems. But they must trust each other to trap a ring of bloodthirsty kidnappers before the nightmares that terrorize Sam become irrevocably real.

Giveaway Rules

Thanks to the great people at Forever Romance I am thrilled to be able to offer 3 sets of Deadly Heat and Deadly Lies by Cynthia Eden.

This giveaway is open to the US and Canada only and No P.O. BOXES please!

If you’d like to enter this giveaway please fill out this form thanks
http://www.emailmeform.com/fid.php?formid=483516

Must be a follower!

The contest runs till Feb 10th and closes at 11:59 PM PST!

** I want all my blog followers to know that I'm receiving your entry forms!


** Please don't pay attention when the forms says "ERROR MESSAGE", thanks!

Please come back later to read my review of "Deadly Heat", thanks!

Cynthia Eden Q/A






About Cynthia

Award-winning author Cynthia Eden writes paranormal romances and romantic suspense novels. She is currently very busy writing her stories for Grand Central Publishing and Kensington Brava.

She has always wanted to write (don’t most authors say that?), and particularly enjoys creating stories about monsters – vampires, werewolves, and even the real-life monsters that populate her romantic suspense stories.

(Back in the day…) Cynthia graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama where she studied Sociology (because people interest her) and Communication (because she likes to write about said people). Cynthia has worked as a college admissions counselor, a teacher, and as an editor. But now, Cynthia is thrilled to be spending her days making up stories.

Some Random Facts About Cynthia…

(For those who are curious or just bored!)

Favorite Fictional Characters:

Dracula, Lois Lane, Buffy, and Wolverine

Favorite Films:

The Princess Bride, Romancing the Stone, Friday the 13th, Underworld Evolution, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Hellboy

Memberships/Affiliations:

Romance Writers of America, Mensa, (PAN) Published Authors Network, FF&P, PASIC (Published Authors Special Interest Chapter), Gulf Coast Chapter of the RWA, Sisters In Crime, and the Kiss of Death RWA Chapter

Astrological Sign:

Gemini…ah, she of the twin faces…

Addictions:

Chocoloate and Romance Novels

Literary Agent:

Laura Bradford of the Bradford Literary Agency

Family life:

Cynthia lives with her husband, Nicholas, and her son, Jack. For more information about Cynthia and her writing, please visit her blog.

Professional inquiries about Cynthia’s work should be directed to her Literary Agent:

Laura Bradford
Bradford Literary Agency
5694 Mission Center Road # 347
San Diego, CA 92108

I am so excited to have Cynthia Eden here to answer my Q/A in am interview here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

Cynthia is currrently touring to promote her newest releases Deadly Heat and Deadly Lies.

For more information about each book, please visit http://www.cynthiaeden.com/

Please take it away Cynthia!

1. What's your typical day like?

When I’m writing a book, I generally write from 8 until 11:30 a.m., working on a page count goal. Because I can’t work straight through that time block without little breaks, I also try to respond to emails and check up on Twitter during that time. It’s nice to chat with the outside world (or the Internet world) through Twitter.

At 11:30, it’s writing break time as I head out to pick up my son from Pre-K. I spend the next 6 hours doing family activities. Feeding ducks at the park. Partying like mad at Chuck E. Cheese. Sneaking away to the beach. Then, after I get my son to sleep — or my hubby gets him to sleep, it’s back to writing and PR. I respond to any emails I haven’t answered. I update my web pages and chat on Facebook with writers and readers. I also write — I write until I meet my page count goal (usually 15 pages a day), and I don’t sleep until I meet that goal. So somewhere between 11 p.m. and 1:00 a.m, I head to bed.

I try to balance my writing and family life. Like most working moms will say—it’s rather like juggling.

2. What is it like being a multi-published author?

It’s a dream for me. Since I was a child, I’ve wanted to write. And now, I’m getting to spend hours each day doing exactly what I love to do! I can write about vampires, werewolves, FBI agents — it’s awesome.

3. Who are your favorite authors or genres?

I love Jayne Ann Krentz. She actually hooked me on the genre with her book, The Pirate, years ago. Other favorite authors include Christine Feehan, Lora Leigh, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, Angela Knight, and Larissa Ione. I enjoy reading paranormals, romantic suspenses, and historicals. Sometimes, I want books with humor and other times, well, I want dark, edgy reads.

4. What are your favorite(s) book(s) of yours that you have written?

Tricky question! Okay, this is how it works for me…when I’m writing a book, *that* book is my favorite. I am so into the characters and the plot and I am loving that story. As I write it, that book is my favorite. And then I go to the next book, and then that book becomes my favorite. So at some point in time, each book has a shot at being my favorite. 

5. Who are your have a favorite character(s)?

I have a few characters that have really stayed with me long after the books ended. I enjoyed writing about Monica Davenport (FBI Agent in DEADLY FEAR). Monica was one of the darkest heroines that I’d ever written. Broken, hurting, but still incredibly strong, I loved sharing her story. I also very much enjoyed the character of Sandra “Dee” Daniels in I’LL BE SLAYING YOU (paranormal). Dee was a tough chick who wasn’t afraid of any monster hiding in the dark. I have a soft spot for the kick-ass heroine type.

6. How did you first become interested in writing romantic suspense?

Initially, I published paranormal romances with Kensington Brava, but I began to notice … suspense kept creeping into my stories. I was actually writing paranormal romantic suspense (thanks to Megan Records and Kate Duffy for letting me know that! I was too close to the work to even realize that when I first submitted HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT to them). Since suspense kept sneaking into my tales, I decided to try and write a book that only had suspense—no vampires, no demons; instead, the book would have the real-life monster of a serial killer. The book I wrote was DEADLY FEAR, the first book in my Deadly series.

7. Are you planning on writing anymore romantic suspense series?

I would love to write more romantic suspense. It’s a sub-genre that I very much enjoy, and there are lots of stories that I’d like to explore.

8. What's on your next to do list?

Right now I am working on a Fallen Angel series for Kensington Brava. ANGEL OF DARKNESS, the first Fallen Angel book, is set to be released in December. I’ve written two Fallen Angel tales so far, with two more in the works. These books are very dark and sexy, and my angels are definitely not all about white light and goodness. They are angels of death, and they don’t stop until they find their prey.

Thanks so much for taking the time to interview me. It’s been a pleasure.

Thanks so much Anna from Hachette Book Group for connecting us on this blog tour!

Thank you Cynthia for being here today answer my Q/A, I greatly appreciate it!

*  Please come back later to enter a my giveaway to win both Deadly Heat and Deadly Lies, thanks!

Feature: Cynthia Eden's Deadly Trilogy

Deadly Fear [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

TWO BRILLIANT AGENTS

FBI Special Agent Monica Davenport has made a career out of profiling serial killers. But getting inside the twisted minds of the cruel and the sadistic has taken its toll: She's walled herself off from the world. Yet Monica can't ignore fellow agent Luke Dante, the only man who ever broke through her defenses.

ONE DREAM TEAM

Luke has the unique ability to put victims at ease...professionally, he and Monica made a perfect team. Now they're reunited to catch a murderer who uses his victims' deepest, darkest fears for sport - but their investigative skills aren't enough. Luke and Monica will have to face the secrets from their past, the ones that terrify them the most, if they are to have a future together.

But can they catch a killer whose weapon is ... DEADLY FEAR

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Forever (August 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446559245
ISBN-13: 978-0446559249


Deadly Heat [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

She wants revenge . . .

Six months after her lover died in an arsonist's blaze, firefighter Lora Spade calls in the FBI's elite Serial Services Division to track the elusive killer. When Special Agent Kenton Lake is lured into a violent inferno, Lora pulls him to safety and is stunned - not by the fire, but by her own searing attraction to Kent. For the first time in months, she longs for something other than vengeance.

He wants her . . .

Kenton's interest in Lora should be purely professional. But one fleeting kiss and he can't get her out of his mind. Her combination of strength and vulnerability makes him want to protect her, and that means solving this case - and fast. For even the passion igniting between them can't hide a terrifying truth: Lora is the next target in a murderer's sadistic, fiery game.

A vicious killer wants only . . .


DEADLY HEAT

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Forever (January 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446559261
ISBN-13: 978-0446559263


Deadly Lies [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

She wants to hide the past

FBI Special Agent Samantha Kennedy is haunted by memories of the serial killer who abducted her. To keep the darkness at bay, she pretends to be a different, more confident woman. This Samantha doesn't fear every unknown face. So she throws caution to the wind and shares a night of unbridled passion with a handsome stranger.

He needs to uncover the truth

One night isn't enough for successful entrepreneur Max Ridgeway. He wants more of the sexy, smart, mysterious woman who slipped away before dawn. When they meet again, their attraction is undeniable-until his stepbrother goes missing, and Max realizes that Samantha isn't who she seems. But they must trust each other to trap a ring of bloodthirsty kidnappers before the nightmares that terrorize Sam become irrevocably real.

As a merciless criminal spins a web of . . .

DEADLY LIES


Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Forever (February 22, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446559253
ISBN-13: 978-0446559256

Please come back later because I will be posting my Q/A with Cynthia Eden, thanks!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

In the Mail 2011 (Jan 25)


I received this in the mail yesterday for review (sent by Sourcebooks), thanks Danielle!

Rock Hard (Sinners on Tour) [Paperback]

Product Description

Erotic romance is one of the bestselling subgenres in the romance category. Olivia Cunning delivers the perfect blend of steamy sex, heartwarming romance, and a wicked sense of humor.

This second in the Sinners on Tour series features lead singer Sedric Lionheart who became a playboy after his fiancee, Jessica, broke his heart. Forced on a summer tour together for two entire months, but stubbornly desperate to stay apart, they find a million steamy reasons why they had that lovin' feeling in the first place.

Product Details
Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (April 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402245777
ISBN-13: 978-1402245770

How To Marry a Duke Giveaway Winners

I have picked the 3 winners of my How To Marry A Duke giveaway and they are:
























































CONGRATULATIONS:











































1. Vonda M. Reid (confirmed)
2. Tabby Lewis (confirmed)
3. Deb Pelletier

Please fill out this form with your contact information, so I can send the info. to the publisher thanks!

http://www.emailmeform.com/fid.php?formid=640430

Please comment on this post if you have won this book on another blog, so I can pick a new winner(s), thanks!

You will have 2 days to get back to me or else I will have to pick new winner(s), thanks!

** I just wanted to let my Giveaway Winners know that I'm receiving your forms, thanks!  Please don't pay attention to what the form says!

Waiting on Wednesday Meme


Wating On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection are:



The Sookie Stackhouse Companion (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood) [Hardcover]

Product Description

The #1 New York Times bestselling author presents the definitive guide to the world of Sookie Stackhouse.

Charlaine Harris has topped the bestseller charts and has become a nationwide phenomenon, thanks to the unconventional-and otherworldly- life of Sookie Stackhouse. Now, in her own words, Sookie gives readers a look at her family, friends, enemies, adventures, and-of course-the lovers who set her world on fire...

Readers will:

• Tour Bon Temps, the small Louisiana town that Sookie calls home, and visit the houses of her Gran and her sometime vampire lover, Bill

• Prowl around the werewolf and were-panther communities

• Browse through her best friend Tara's dress shop

• Belly up to the bar in Merlotte's, where Sookie works

• Get must-have Bon Temps recipes-including Caroline Bellfleur's famous chocolate cheesecake

• Test themselves with trivia questions from the series
 
Product Details
Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Ace Hardcover; 1st edition (August 30, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0441019714
ISBN-13: 978-0441019717


Blood Stains (Searchers) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

At the reading of her father's will, Maria Slade receives shocking news — as a four-year-old, she'd witnessed her prostitute mother's murder and been taken into hiding by the well-meaning preacher who'd raised her as his own.

Maria remembers none of that. But now she's determined to flush her mother's killer out of hiding and discover the identity of her birth father. She heads to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she meets Detective Bodie Scott.

Empathizing with this beautiful woman looking to find out who she really is, he opens the decades-old case file. Their investigation leads them down a dangerous path, where no one is what they seem. Where a father does not want to be found. And a murderer has "like mother, like daughter" in mind for Maria.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Mira (January 18, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778329410
ISBN-13: 978-0778329411


On the Hunt [Paperback]

Product Description

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter, Shannon K. Butcher, Jessica Anderson, and Deidre Knight present a steamy collection of all-new novellas featuring sexy paranormal hunters.

With shadowy creatures, intoxicating magic, vivdly imagined worlds, and sizzling passion, this is an anthology no fan of paranormal romance will want to miss.

Product Details
Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Signet (February 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451232437
ISBN-13: 978-0451232434


The Red Heart of Jade: A Dirk & Steele Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

Beneath passion and purifying fire is . . . The Red Heart of Jade

Dean Campbell can see and sense things that others cannot — an extraordinary ability that drew the ex-cop to the Dirk & Steele Detective Agency, a global association of more-than-human men and women. Dean and his peers — shapeshifters, psychics, and other paranormals—are dedicated to protecting life. But there are those who live for destruction.

Now Dean's investigation into a series of unthinkable killings is calling him to Taipei, where a pattern is emerging that is more deadly than anything he could have foreseen. At the center is a power that could change the world . . . and the woman who can truly complete him: Mirabelle Lee, the girl Dean loved in his youth, the childhood sweetheart he once believed dead. Now that his heart has been reawakened, he will not lose her again — even as the forces of an immortal evil gather to destroy them and everything they love.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon; Reissue edition (February 22, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062019880
ISBN-13: 978-0062019882

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

In the Mail 2011 (Jan 24)


I received this in the mail yesterday for review (sent by Joan Schulhafer Publishing and Media Consulting), thanks Joy!

Merciless [Paperback]

Product Description

Each skeleton is flawless - gleaming white and perfectly preserved, a testament to his skill. Every scrap of flesh has been removed to reveal the glistening bone beneath. And the collection is growing. When bleached human bones are identified as belonging to a former patient of Dr. Dillon Dixon, Detective Malcolm Kier suspects the worst. Dixon was recently acquitted of attempted murder, thanks to defence attorney Angie Carlson. But as the body count rises, Kier is convinced that Angie is now the target of a brutal, brilliant psychopath. Angie is no stranger to the dark side of human nature. But nothing has prepared her for the decades-long legacy of madness and murder about to be revealed - or a killer ready to claim her as his ultimate trophy.

Product Details
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Zebra (January 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420110209
ISBN-13: 978-1420110203

My Immortal Assassin [Mass Market Paperback]


I've finished "My Immortal Assassin" the 3rd book in her paranormal series by Carolyn Jewel.

Product Description
TEMPTED BY REVENGE...

Grayson Spencer is hellbent on killing the dark mage who destroyed her life. But when her attempt fails, she is forced to turn to Durian, a feared demon and expert assassin. Newly armed with powerful magic she's barely able to control, she'll do whatever it takes to complete her mission--even surrender to a dangerous fiend whose eyes promise unimaginable pleasure.

BOUND BY DESIRE...

Sworn to protect all mages, Durian can't let Gray threaten the uneasy peace among demons, humans, and mages. So he proposes a deal: He'll train Gray to master her gift if she'll bind herself magically to him, submitting to his control. As Gray's powers intensify, so too does Durian's hunger for this fierce, irresistible woman. When the dark mage makes a final play for Gray, will the passion she and Durian share be the key to their survival or the seed of their destruction?

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever; Original edition (January 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446563862
ISBN-13: 978-0446563864

My Review:
Gray has escaped from Christophe dit Menart with the help of fiend Tigran and is seeking Nikodemus, the Demon Warlord of the free fiends. She wants vengeance against the magekind Christophe who killed her lover Tigran and murdered her sister. Unfortunately, she knows nothing of the gifts Titgran gave her and knows she needs help, to learn how to use them to get her revenge on Christophe.

Durian a demon assassin agrees to teach her how to manage Tigran's magic but she must pledge her loyalty to him.  He considers her a loose canon but doesn't want to kill her.

I highly recommend this series if you like fast paced well written story with great characterization.

Durian is one sexy assassin who never loses his cool and Gray is someone I could relate too (I would of taken my chance of killing Christophe in the same places she tried).

4/5

Thanks Anna from Hachette Book Group for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

Carolyn Jewel My Immortal Assassin Blog Tour with Giveaway



AUTHOR BIO

When not writing, Carolyn Jewel is a Database Administrator. She lives in northern California with her son, three cats, a border collie, several chickens, and some sheep.

You can reach Carolyn on her website, facebook, twitter and myspace.

http://www.carolynjewel.com/
http://www.facebook.com/CarolynJewelAuthor
http://twitter.com/cjewel
http://www.myspace.com/jewelwriter



MY IMMORTAL ASSASSIN

By Carolyn Jewel

TEMPTED BY REVENGE...

Grayson Spencer is hellbent on killing the dark mage who destroyed her life. But when her attempt fails, she is forced to turn to Durian, a feared demon and expert assassin. Newly armed with powerful magic she's barely able to control, she'll do whatever it takes to complete her mission--even surrender to a dangerous fiend whose eyes promise unimaginable pleasure.

BOUND BY DESIRE...

Sworn to protect all mages, Durian can't let Gray threaten the uneasy peace among demons, humans, and mages. So he proposes a deal: He'll train Gray to master her gift if she'll bind herself magically to him, submitting to his control. As Gray's powers intensify, so too does Durian's hunger for this fierce, irresistible woman. When the dark mage makes a final play for Gray, will the passion she and Durian share be the key to their survival or the seed of their destruction?

Giveaway Rules

Thanks to the great people at Forever Romance I am thrilled to be able to offer 3 copies of My Immortal Assassin by Carolyn Jewel.

This giveaway is open to the US and Canada only and No P.O. BOXES please!

If you’d like to enter this giveaway please fill out this form thanks
http://www.emailmeform.com/fid.php?formid=483516

Must be a follower!

The contest runs till Feb 8th and closes at 11:59 PM PST!

** I want all my blog followers to know that I'm receiving your entry forms! 

** Please don't pay attention when the forms says "ERROR MESSAGE", thanks!

Please come back later to read my review of "My Immortal Assassin", thanks!

Feature: Carolyn Jewel's Paranormal Books

My Wicked Enemy [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description


A desire that can't be controlled...Carson Philips is a witch on the run. For years, the notorious mage, Alvaro Magellan, has held her as his psychological prisoner. But once Carson gets a glimpse of the true extent of his evil, she flees Magellan's mansion--stealing a stone talisman of unimaginable power on the way. Her only hope for survival is a demon who ignites a voracious hunger in her she can't deny, a longing she can't resist...

A hunger that can't be sated...Nikodemus is a warlord with a mission: Kill Magellan and his green-eyed witch at any cost. But when he meets the desperate Carson, the pull of her magic takes his breathe away. He's not sure he can trust this tantalizing woman -- she is his enemy -- and less sure he can keep his hands off her. But Magellan will stop at nothing to reclaim what belongs to him. Can Nikodemus stop him before his desire for Carson destroys them both?


Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Forever (August 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446178233
ISBN-13: 978-0446178235



Forbidden Desire [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description



TORN BETWEEN...

Alexandrine Marit is a witch in mortal danger. An evil mage craves the powerful, mysterious talisman that supplies her magic, and the only person who can keep her safe is a dark and dangerous fiend called Xia. With his fierce animosity toward witches, he's hardly the ideal bodyguard. Yet as days turn into nights, she can't deny the white-hot passion between them.

DESIRE AND TEMPTATION

Xia hates witches. They enslave and mercilessly kill his kind. But he's been ordered to protect Alexandrine, who, to his surprise, has a spirit he admires and a body he longs to possess. With the mage and his henchmen closing in, Alexandrine and her protector must trust the passion that can unite them...or risk losing everything to the enemies who can destroy them both.
 
Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever (June 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446178241
ISBN-13: 978-0446178242


My Immortal Assassin [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description


TEMPTED BY REVENGE...

Grayson Spencer is hellbent on killing the dark mage who destroyed her life. But when her attempt fails, she is forced to turn to Durian, a feared demon and expert assassin. Newly armed with powerful magic she's barely able to control, she'll do whatever it takes to complete her mission--even surrender to a dangerous fiend whose eyes promise unimaginable pleasure.

BOUND BY DESIRE...

Sworn to protect all mages, Durian can't let Gray threaten the uneasy peace among demons, humans, and mages. So he proposes a deal: He'll train Gray to master her gift if she'll bind herself magically to him, submitting to his control. As Gray's powers intensify, so too does Durian's hunger for this fierce, irresistible woman. When the dark mage makes a final play for Gray, will the passion she and Durian share be the key to their survival or the seed of their destruction?

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever; Original edition (January 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446563862
ISBN-13: 978-0446563864

Please come back later when i will post my review and a giveaway, thanks!

New Anime Release 2011 (Jan 25)


Vampire Knight: Complete Series

Product Details
Format: Animated, Color, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English, Japanese
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Viz Media
DVD Release Date: January 25, 2011
Run Time: 312 minutes

New Releases 2011 (Jan 25)

Against the Fire (Raines of Wind Canyon) [Mass Market Paperback]


Product Description

You can't fight what you can't see. And Gabriel Raines can't be sure just who's setting the fires in his new real-estate development. When two fires hit back-to-back, he knows it's personal, but any number of competitors or ex-employees could be the arsonist.

The police suspect Angel Ramirez, a local teen who's been in trouble before. But Mattie Baker, a volunteer at the Family Abuse center, just can't believe the kid she's been working with would go back to his delinquent ways.

Determined to convince Gabe that she's right, Mattie must get close to him and find out who's putting their neighborhood in jeopardy. And just as the arsonist's flames continue to burn, they find a heat developing between them. It might just turn into a full-fledged fire…if they can survive long enough.

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Mira (January 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778329305
ISBN-13: 978-0778329305


Kiss the Moon [Mass Market Paperback]


Product Description

Lost in the frozen woods of New Hampshire, Penelope Chestnut discovers the wreckage of a small plane. An aviator herself, she sees clues to a conspiracy in the rusted-out remains.

Rumors of her discovery bring Wyatt Sinclair to Cold Spring, determined to put to rest a family scandal and learn what really happened to his legendary uncle, who had disappeared with his adventuress lover years earlier.

As Wyatt and Penelope investigate, old motives are uncovered and new ones created, including a growing attraction between the pair. But when an unknown enemy emerges with a violence rooted in desperation, uncovering the truth will be far less problematic than surviving it.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Mira (January 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778329267
ISBN-13: 978-0778329268


Wild Man Creek (Virgin River Novel) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

Colin Riordan came to Virgin River to recuperate from a horrific helicopter crash, the scars of which he bears inside and out. His family is wonderfully supportive, but it's his art that truly soothes his troubled soul.

Stung personally and professionally by an ill-advised affair, PR guru Jillian Matlock has rented an old Victorian with a promising garden in Virgin River. She's looking forward to cultivating something other than a corporate brand.

Both are looking to simplify, not complicate, their lives, but when Jillian finds Colin at his easel in her yard, there's an instant connection. And in Virgin River, sometimes love is the simplest choice of all….

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Mira (January 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778329313
ISBN-13: 978-0778329312

Manga:


Black Butler, Vol. 4 [Paperback]

Product Description

London - the capital of the Great Empire - is once again under siege, as a string of bizarre attacks on British citizens returned from India sends rumours flying and casts a pall upon Queen Victoria's rule. Sent in by Her Majesty, young Earl Phantomhive and his most capable butler, Sebastian, follow a trail that collides head-on with an Indian youth who claims to be a prince. And this prince possesses an extraordinary butler of his own! As an intense rivalry between the two butlers begins to form, will the kitchen be the dueling duo's final battleground?!

Product Details
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Yen Press (January 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 031608428X
ISBN-13: 978-0316084284

Monday, January 24, 2011

Scared to Death [Mass Market Paperback]


I've finished "Scared to Death" the 2nd in her trilogy series by Wendy Corsi Staub.

Product Description

Elsa Cavalon — petrified that the nightmare from fifteen years earlier is beginning all over again .
Marin Quinn — hiding with her daughters in their concrete fortress, her storybook marriage over .

Perfect strangers whose once-perfect lives were cruelly shattered, they're bound by a long-lost child, a fragile strand of newfound maternal hope — and mutual loneliness. Yet Elsa and Marin are never truly alone. Someone is always nearby, watching them and their children. Someone driven by vengeance and the simple poetry of nursery rhymes . . . Someone who must satisfy a dark need with innocent blood. And now time is running out for two mothers stalked by a cunning mastermind who wants to leave them . . .

Scared to death

About the Author

New York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than seventy novels. She lives in the New York City suburbs with her husband of seventeen years and their two children.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon; Original edition (December 28, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061895075
ISBN-13: 978-0061895074

My Review:

I highly recommend reading "Live to Tell" the 1st in the series so you know who the main players are!

Storyline:   15 yrs ago Elsa's adopted 7 yr. old son Jeremy was kidnapped in broad daylight.  20 yrs. ago Marin gave up her son Jeremy for adoption.  Elsa is in the process of adopted 7 yr. old Renny who is scared of enclosed spaces.  What she didn't expect was her nightmares to come back to haunt her which leaves her no choice but to run with Renny and her life.  She never believed that Jeremy was dead but still alive somewhere!

Marin is dealing with the betrayal and lies of her disgraced Congressman husband and being there for her daughters.  It was her husband who was behind the kidnapping and murder of Jeremy.  When a threat is directed towards her daughter Caroline she has to decide if she is just seeking attention or not.  Lauren from "Live to Tell" is the one she runs to and seeks advice.

Characters: All of the characters were well written and you got to know them.  I really connected with Elsa and Marin!

Killer: The killer was one sick person and had no remorse or feelings about killing their victims.  You learn the early history of the killer and what happened to them to make them this way!

4/5

Thanks Shannon from HarperCollins Canada for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!


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CymLowell

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Jan 24)


Post the books you read last week, book currently being read and books you plan on finishing this week.

Last week I read:

1. Yours For the Taking - Robin Kaye
2. I Dream of Genies - Judy Fennell
3. In Silence - Erica Spindler
4. Senseless - Mary Burton
5. My Immortal Assassin - Carolyn Jewel
6. Black Bird Vol. 5 - Kanoko Sakurakoji

I’m currently reading:

1. Deadly Heat - Cynthia Eden

Books I’m planning on reading this week:

1. Port Mortuary - Patricia Cornwell
2. Dead Run - Erica Spindler
3. Black Bird Vol. 6 - Kanoko Sakurakoji

Here's the link:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-72

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Library Haul 2011 (Jan 23 - 29)


Here's the list of books I picked up from the library this week:

Hardcover:

1. Port Mortuary - Patricia Cornwell
2. Dead Run - Erica Spindler

Softcover:

1. Red Demon - Deidre Knight

Manga:

1.  Vampire Knight Vols. 1, 4 - 7

What books/manga did you pick up from the library this week?

Night of the Vampires (Hqn) [Mass Market Paperback]


I've finished "Night of the Vampires" the 2nd book in her vampire series by Heather Graham.

Product Description

As a soldier, Cole Granger fights to restore peace to a world divided by war and evil. His extraordinary talents are enlisted to prevent the president's horrific premonition from becoming reality. Nothing — and no one — will stop him from fulfilling his duty. Especially the mysterious young woman who claims to be his comrade's sister. Enemy or ally, he can't yet determine. But one thing he knows for certain is that he must keep her close. Very close.

Megan Fox's quest to uncover a family secret leads her to the center of vampire riots in West Virginia. To find the answers she needs — and clear herself of suspicion — she must join forces with Cole. They work undercover to bring justice, but they can't disguise the potent attraction and need that draw them together. Yet trust doesn't come easily for Cole … and when Megan unearths the grim, dark truth, can she trust him to believe her?

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: HQN Books; Original edition (November 23, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0373774869
ISBN-13: 978-0373774869

My Review: 

I highly recommend reading "Night of the Wolves" first before reading this one so you know who some  of the key players are.

Megan is a vampire hunter from the south who is in search of her step-brother Cody and to find her father.  Cole is a Texas sheriff who has put down a previous vampire infestation with some other vampire hunters from the South.  He's best friends with Cody who is Megan's half-brother who he didn't know exsisted.  Cole and Megan collide in a Virginia prision during another vampire infestation and she must prove she's not a spy for the South, a good vampire and she's actually the sister of Cody.

I really enjoyed the romance aspect of Cole and Megan's because it was slowly developed and he really did trust her when they finally got together.  I'm really surprised that he fought his attraction to her for that long!

I really enjoyed how the historical aspects of the War was incorporated into the story and how much I learned!

4/5

Saturday, January 22, 2011

In Silence [Hardcover]



I've finished "In Silence" by Erica Spindler.

Product Description

A peaceful southern town. A terrible evil. The power of silence.Journalist Avery Chauvin is devastated when she receives word of her father's suicide. How could her father, a dedicated physician, have taken his own life?

Returning to her hometown of Cypress Springs, Louisiana, Avery desperately searches for answers. Instead she hears whispered rumors of strange happenings, of neighbors who go missing in the night. She discovers a box of fifteen-year-old newspaper articles in her father's house, all covering the same event -- the brutal murder of a local woman. Why had her father kept them?

Then the past and present collide. A woman is found savagely murdered. An outsider passing through town vanishes. And Avery begins to wonder, could her father have been murdered?

About the Author

Erica Spindler's bestselling novels include Dead Run, Bone Cold, All Fall Down and Cause for Alarm. She lives in the New Orleans area with her husband, an advertising executive, and their two sons.

Product Details
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Mira; 1ST edition (June 1, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1551666995
ISBN-13: 978-1551666990

My Review:

Storyline:  Avery comes home to settle her dad's estate and to find out why he committed suicide.  Once she gets there she runs into her former beau Matt Stevens the country sheriff and discovers his twin Hunter has returned too.  The Stevens family hopes she gets back with Matt but Hunter is the one who intrigues her.  He gave up a law career in New Orleans to return to the town and family that deserted him.  The two of them join forces to investigate her father's past and find out a rape and murder that happened a long time ago that resulted in the wrong people being convicted.  The town isn't so perfect and they also find out about a Group calling themselves the Secret Seven who punishes any they believe who dare defy with their interests with death.

Characters:  All of the characters were well written and I really liked Hunter because he knew something was wrong with his family and he left them.

Romance:  I really enjoyed the romance between Hunter and Avery because he has always wanted her. 

Also I believe that she wanted him too but was scared that he took her out of her element.  She thought Matt was safer!  I'm really glad they got together and you can feel the heat between them especially when they were fighting their attraction to each other.

Killer:  The killer was really deranged in his beliefs but could act normal in society!

4.5/5

Friday, January 21, 2011

ARC Review: I Dream of Genies [Mass Market Paperback]




I've finished reading "I Dream of Genies" by Judy Fennell.

Product Description

He needs to change his luck, and fast!

Matt Ewing would gladly hunt down a fortune in lucky pennies if he thought it would help save his business. But for all his hoping, Matt's clueless when his long-awaited lucky charm falls in his lap in the form of a beguiling genie. He just can't believe that this beautiful woman could be the answer to his prayers...

She's been bottled up for far too long!

Spending 2,000 years in a bottle would make any woman a little stir-crazy. So when Matt releases Eden from her luxurious captivity, she's thrilled to repay him by giving him the magical boost he needs ...

But for all her good intentions, Eden's magical prowess is a little rusty and her magical mistakes become more than embarrassing. And though Eden knows falling in love will end her magic and immortality, she can't help but be drawn to the one man who wants her just for herself ...

About the Author

Judi Fennell is an award-winning author. Her romance novels have been finalists in Gather.com's First Chapters and First Chapters Romance contests as well as the third American Title contest. She spends vacations at the Jersey Shore, the setting for some of her paranormal romance series. She lives in suburban Philadelphia, PA.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca; Original edition (January 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402241895
ISBN-13: 978-1402241895
 
My Review:
 
I really enjoyed the humorous and quirky dialogues between Eden, Matt and Obo!
 
Eden has had a crush on Matt ever since seeing him from her bottle which she has been trapped for 2,000 years.  So when he releases her from her bottle she is thrilled to help him in anyway she can but her magic is a bit rusty.
 
Matt is good-hearted and just wants to save his business from bankruptcy and doesn't know that Eden is a genie who has crushed on him.
 
I really liked Humphrey the baby dragon and Obo the talking cat.  I found it was a delight when we found out who Humphrey really was!
 
3.5/5
 
Thanks Danielle from Sourcebooks for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

Follow My Blog Friday #32



This Meme is hosted by Rachel from Parajunkee's View on Fridays.

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host {Parajunkee.com} and any one else you want to follow on the list.

2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://www.loganeturner.com/

3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.

4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments

5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can

6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers

7. If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

The Friday Follow Feature is...


 
 
Hello lovelies! My name is Logan (really? I know, quelle surprise!) and I started my book blog in December 2010. I'm working on a YA manuscript, but haven't read nearly enough YA books. I love challenges and starting a blog gave me a great excuse to join tons of reading challenges and expand my horizons a bit. I blog to share part of myself and connect with the rest of you awesome book bloggers, writers and authors. So far, I have not been disappointed. In the short time I've been blogging, I have met some truly amazing people, and I'm astonished by the amount of kindness and support shown to me on a near daily basis. I am so thankful to be featured this week and owe a huge debt of gratitude to Parajunkee, who runs one of the best blogs around.

But enough sappy stuff. Who am I? Why should you care about my blog? I'm married and work as a legal assistant for a non-profit organization. I grew up in Nebraska and now live in Chicago, which means that I'm a huge football fan (Go Huskers! Go Bears!). When I'm not watching football, I'm rooting for the Cubs. It's a lost cause, but someone's got to do it. I love the color purple, movies, and Shakespeare. I hate ketchup, bad manners, and most children. As for my blog, I mostly review YA paranormal novels, but some steamy romance, urban fantasy and steampunk books will slip in there from time to time. I post every day except Saturday, and I have two features each week: Writing Wednesday, where I post about, well, writing; and Silly Sunday, which usually involves a goofy YouTube clip. I hope you will stop by and say hello!

The question this week is:

Who do you cheer for?
 
I don't watch sports so I'm not cheering for anyone!

18 and Over Book Blogger Tag Along Friday Hop #18

Photobucket

Laurie from Bitten by Paranormal has created a 18 and Over Book Blogger Tag Along Friday Hop where you can find adult bloggers. Thank you for this was looking for more adult blogs.

Rules

*Place your blogs name in the first box of the Linky

*Then add your post for the tag along in the second box linky

*When you find a blog that you like to follow please leave comment, so they can tag along to your blog.

*There is a code on my left sidebar, so you can place the pic. on your post.

This weeks question:

No Question this week!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

In the Mail 2011 (Jan 20)

I received these in the mail today for review (sent by Hachette Book Group), thanks Anna!


Deadly Heat [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

She wants revenge . . .

Six months after her lover died in an arsonist's blaze, firefighter Lora Spade calls in the FBI's elite Serial Services Division to track the elusive killer. When Special Agent Kenton Lake is lured into a violent inferno, Lora pulls him to safety and is stunned - not by the fire, but by her own searing attraction to Kent. For the first time in months, she longs for something other than vengeance.

He wants her . . .

Kenton's interest in Lora should be purely professional. But one fleeting kiss and he can't get her out of his mind. Her combination of strength and vulnerability makes him want to protect her, and that means solving this case - and fast. For even the passion igniting between them can't hide a terrifying truth: Lora is the next target in a murderer's sadistic, fiery game.

A vicious killer wants only . . .
DEADLY HEAT
 
Product Details

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Forever (January 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446559261
ISBN-13: 978-0446559263


Deadly Lies [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

She wants to hide the past

FBI Special Agent Samantha Kennedy is haunted by memories of the serial killer who abducted her. To keep the darkness at bay, she pretends to be a different, more confident woman. This Samantha doesn't fear every unknown face. So she throws caution to the wind and shares a night of unbridled passion with a handsome stranger.

He needs to uncover the truth

One night isn't enough for successful entrepreneur Max Ridgeway. He wants more of the sexy, smart, mysterious woman who slipped away before dawn. When they meet again, their attraction is undeniable-until his stepbrother goes missing, and Max realizes that Samantha isn't who she seems. But they must trust each other to trap a ring of bloodthirsty kidnappers before the nightmares that terrorize Sam become irrevocably real.

As a merciless criminal spins a web of . . .
DEADLY LIES

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Forever (February 22, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446559253
ISBN-13: 978-0446559256
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