Monday, November 30, 2015

Weekly Book Reads (Nov 30)




 Weekly Book Reads


Weekly Book Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books read last week and books you plan on finishing this week.

Read Last Week:

1.  The End Game - Catherine Coulter
2.  Dragon Storm - Katie MacAlister
3.  Devoted in Death - J.D. Robb

Weekly Book Reading:

1.  Pretty Girls - Karin Slaughter
2.  Wildest Dreams - Robyn Carr
3.  Obsession Falls - Christina Dodd
4.  First Love Monster Vol. 2 - Akira Hiyoshimaru

Anne Elizabeth’s A Seal Forever Blog Tour with a Spotlight, Excerpt and Giveaway

 


I am so excited to have Anne Elizabeth here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight, Excerpt and Giveaway.

Thanks Anne and Sourcebooks for allowing me to join the your A Seal Forever Blog Tour!

Please take it away, Anne!






A SEAL Forever by Anne Elizabeth
West Coast Navy SEALs, Book 3
ISBN: 9781402268960
Release date: December 1, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca


Summary

Even a hero needs someone to believe in him


Parkour instructor Maura Maxwell has always denied her attraction for her bachelor neighbor because she’s seen his revolving door of women and doesn’t want to become another notch on his belt. But the man who rescues her from a sudden storm isn’t the one she thinks she knows — he’s Master Chief Declan Swifton of SEAL Team Five, and he literally sweeps Maura off her feet.

Just as his teasing and tenderness start to work their way into Maura’s heart, Declan and his team are called in for a dangerous op in the Middle East. The man who returns is facing the toughest fight of his life, and he needs Maura by his side more than ever.

Buy Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1MAFrDB
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1O3JffD
Apple: http://apple.co/1M6H7Dj
Books a Million: http://bit.ly/1M6Hrlt
Indie Bound: http://bit.ly/1O3JEPe
 




Author Bio

New York Times bestselling author Anne Elizabeth is an award-winning romance author and comic creator. With a BS in business and MS in communications from Boston University, she is a regular presenter at conventions as well as a member of The Author’s Guild and Romance Writers of America. Anne lives with her husband, a retired Navy SEAL, in the mountains above San Diego.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://www.anneelizabeth.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aeauthorfanpage/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aeanneelizabeth
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/732316.Anne_Elizabeth

A Navy SEALs Fun Fact from Anne Elizabeth

Anger is just another emotion that can be turned into something else. Mastering your emotions is a must.

Excerpt

Master Chief Declan Swifton of SEAL Team Five rolled over the side of the Rigid-hulled Inflatable Boat and slid soundlessly into the Pacific Ocean. The RIB took off without even a comment from the operator, leaving Declan to sink farther into the drink.

The temperature cooled as he swam away from the surface. Fish skirted the edges of his thighs, small shimmers of movement against his skin. He scissor-kicked his way forward. The ocean currents caught him, dragging him in the direction they wanted to go, toward shore. He lay with his arms at his sides, frog-kicking only. Above him, he could see the afternoon sunlight glistening and frothy foam chasing away the glassy surface. Down here things were different…calmer. Peaceful, in a way few souls would understand, and yet he knew that even he would have to surface soon.

His lungs would start to ache and burn, his gut would begin to feel as if it would cave in, and that would force him to either head topside or drink in the salt water. But there was still time. This was the water in front of Imperial Beach and the apartment he lived in. He knew it very well.

Scanning the ocean floor, he gauged it would be about thirty seconds until he reached one of the many rocky sandbars out here. He’d have to pull up before then, or the force of the current would smack him against the side.

As his body began to complain, he used both arms and legs to draw himself upward. Breaking the surface, he opened his mouth and drew in air like a thirsty man would gulp water.

The waves bounced him like a buoy. The tide was coming in and the wind was picking up momentum. Looking at the sky to the east, he could see that there would most likely be a storm today. Over his should, to the west, he spied a wave coming his way large enough to take him to shore. It would reach him in about thirty seconds.

Dec took a long, slow breath and appreciated the sun dropping into the horizon. The colors were extraordinary; orange and gold dappled the horizon as the blazing ball of light attempted to sink before the moon lifted higher in the sky.

His hands flexed, cupping the water. It had been a hot day, and the sun’s rays had heated the top of the ocean, making the surface feel like a warm bath, loosening his muscles. Three months ago, he’d been in waters so frigid, with actual ice caps — the memory still made him cold. But here, the Pacific Ocean off California’s Imperial Beach, was a slice of heaven.

Coming in from the east were some nasty-looking cumulonimbus clouds. Seeing the lightning arc way off toward the distant desert, he decided it was time to go in, and right on cue, here came a perfect wave.

Swimming at top speed, Declan pushed his way through another changing current, one that sought to drag him into faster-moving waters. He went over a higher sandbar, having no intention of going to Mexico today, and increased the reach of his stroke. With single-mindedness he worked his way into the more placid surf as he homed in on a large stretch of beach.

The SEAL felt a few sea lions swimming around him, and one nosed him in the gut and another in his back a few times, assessing whether or not he’d play. Not this time, my friends. He continued swimming without engaging. If he stopped to play, he’d be out there for hours.

Switching to the breaststroke, his arms protested. His platoon had switched their training this month to desert-warfare techniques, and he’d been sweating his balls off in the heat. He managed to learn a thing or two, even now, after all of his years in the Teams. But it felt good to be back in the ocean, his element. He’d live in the deep blue like a Jules Verne character if he could.

Giveaway


Sunday, November 29, 2015

Library Haul 2015 (Nov 29 - Dec 5)



Library Haul

Here's the list of books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga I picked up this week at the library:

Hardcover:

1.  Pretty Girls - Karin Slaughter
2.  Wildest Dreams - Robyn Carr

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Bunny Express Saturday 2015 (Nov 28)


Bunny Express Saturday is hosted every Saturday at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received these in the mail this week.


For Review:






A rollicking start to a new cozy series from USA Today bestselling author Diana Orgain, featuring a loveable heroine and a colorful band of dog lovers who gather regularly with their pets at their local watering hole.


With side-splitting humor, an irresistible cast of characters - both human and canine - and an intimate small town setting, Yappy Hour is sure to delight fans of Rita Mae Brown and Diane Kelly. Every Friday night in the idyllic seaside town of Pacific Cove, CA, the Roundup Crew, a group of dog-loving friends, meet at a neighborhood wine bar for Yappy Hour. When Rachel, the owner, mysteriously leaves town and asks her sister, Maggie (who is neither pet friendly nor business savvy), to run the bar in her absence, things get complicated fast. Maggie arrives to open up and finds a body sprawled on the floor, and even worse, an incriminating letter with Rachel's name on it nearby. On impulse, she hides the letter from the hunky detective, Officer Brad Brooks, who's dispatched to the scene.

When Rachel is declared the top suspect by the police, Maggie decides to investigate on her own. She reopens the bar and gets to know the members of the Roundup Crew, including chief organizer Yolanda, who never goes anywhere without her signature strappy stilettos or her Yorkie Beepo. Maggie juggles searching for clues, trying to locate Rachel, and serving up Doggie Daiquiris, Muttguaritas and homemade Arf D'Oeuvres - until another body turns up. The Roundup Crew must step in and save the bar, and it seems the only way to do that will be to solve the mystery and turn Maggie into a dog-lover in this charming, light-hearted cozy.






Bennie Rosato the founder of the Rosato and DiNuzio law firm hides her big heart beneath her tough-as-nails exterior and she doesn't like to fail. Now, a case from her past shows her how differently things might have turned out. Thirteen years ago, Bennie Rosato took on Jason Lefkavick, a twelve-year-old boy who was sent to a juvenile detention center after fighting a class bully. Bennie couldn't free Jason, and to this day it's the case that haunts her. Jason has grown up in and out of juvenile prison, and his adulthood hasn't been any easier. Bennie no longer represents those accused of murder, but when Jason is indicted for killing the same bully he fought with as a kid, she sees no choice but to represent him. She doesn't know whether or not to believe his claims of innocence, but she knows she owes him for past failures - of the law, of the juvenile justice system, and of herself.

Forced to relive the darkest period of her life, Bennie will do everything in her power to get the truth, and justice.

Thanks Minotaur Books and St. Martin's Press!

Katie MacAlister's Dragon Storm Blog Tour with a Spotlight, Excerpt, Giveaway, Q/A and Review


 


I am so excited to have Katie MacAlister here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight, Excerpt, Giveaway, Q/A and Review.

Thanks Katie and Hachette Book Group/Forever for allowing me to join your Dragon Storm Blog Tour!

Please take it away, Katie!

1. ­ What would readers be surprised to find out about you?

Goodness. So many things, I would expect. Perhaps the fact that I never went to high school (but did go to college). Or that I wanted to be an astrophysicist. Or maybe that I have a bunch of very slight touches of facial blindness, dyslexia, and synesthesia. All of which makes it an adventure when writing out a check that has amounts using 4 or S (both of which are red).

2. Tell us about your writing process. Do you start with an idea or a character? Do you know what’s going to happen from the beginning or do you figure it out as you write?

It really depends on the story in question. Some I go into with a very clear picture of who the characters are, what they want, where they’ve been, and so on. Other books I have an idea for a story and work that out a bit before figuring out what sort of character would have the most issues with the plot. And some books, like Dragon Storm, have recurring characters, so I know what they’ll do in any given situation, although Constantine manages to throw me every now and then by doing something surprising.

3. Who gave you the one piece of writing advice that sticks with you to this day?

Surprisingly, no one. I think the reason I write is because I’m a lifelong reader, and have been from a very early age. Reading so many good books gave me the desire to write and tell my own stories, and more or less served as an example of what to do and what not to do.

4. Is there one thing you have to have when writing?

I’ve always wanted to be one of those fancy people who had a lovely writing nook, with soft lights, an ergonomich chair perfectly molded to the body, soft music playing, and candles burning to provide just the right ambiance needed to put words on paper. The sad reality is that I have to write with dogs running around crashing into each other and furniture while flinging various toys and bones onto my lap to entice me to play, my cat trying to sit on my knees in her daily attempt to crush my kneecaps, the phone ringing at the most inopportune moments, and all the other chaos that life throws at us just when we want to be left alone. So no, I don’t have any writing rituals, but I dearly yearn for the day when I can have some.

5. How did you choose the names of your characters?

I love historical names, so I tend to hang out on census sites, looking up naming patterns for whatever era is pertinent. I also love ethnic names, so I maintain a list of names that I like and want to use one day. Also, I have a great book that lists every character in Shakespearean works, and pull from there a lot, too.

6. How has music played a role in your life and in your writing?

I love music, but don’t need it to write — however, I often have Pandora on simply to drown out some of the sounds of animals playing, other people doing things in my house, etc. Sometimes I set up soundtracks to go with a book, but other times I just pick a channel on Pandora and let it go. One of my go-to channels is House of the Rising Sun, which has all the old 1970s music on that I that I remember from my childhood.

7. When was the moment that you knew you had to be a writer?

When I turned in a non-fiction manuscript. I turned to a friend who was visiting at the time, and told her, “Now I’m going to write a novel.” Non-fiction was just so dull and limited, that I wanted to have some fun with a book, and write characters, and dialogue, and make people suffer. In a literary sense, that is.

8. What can you tell us about your couple, that we won't find in the book?

Constantine has deep, deep emotions that he’s hidden for a very long time due to a variety of horrific experiences. Bee is the only person he’s felt comfortable with enough to let her have a peep at those emotions, and to tell her the truth that he’s hidden for so many centuries. Bee, on the other hand, is pretty much an open book, but she’s more than a little surprised by the depth of emotion she feels for a man who she’s always considered was if not the enemy, then someone she needed to avoid.






About Dragon Storm

TURN ON THE CHARM

According to some (including himself), Constantine is one of the greatest heroes of dragonkin who ever lived. Too bad he's now lonelier than ever and his biggest adventure involves a blow-up sheep - until he has an opportunity to save his kind once again. All Constantine has to do is break into a demon's dungeon, steal an ancient artifact, and reverse a deadly curse. The plan certainly does not involve rescuing a woman.

TURN UP THE HEAT

Bee isn't sure whether to be infuriated or relieved when Constantine pops up in her prison. The broody, brawny shifter lights her fire in a way no one ever has before, yet how far can she really trust him? Their chemistry may be off the charts, but when push comes to shove, Constantine will have to make a crucial choice: to save the dragons or the woman he's grown to love with fierce intensity.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1hQ84jD

B and N: http://bit.ly/1OFgvN4

iBooks: http://apple.co/1jQSK7v

GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/1MAdTdq

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1QNqSft

BAM: http://bit.ly/1OPgyo0

Excerpt

I assumed that even a spirit dragon would be familiar with the most famous nightclub in all of Europe — at least so far as denizens of the Otherworld went—but I was sadly mistaken.

“What are we doing here?” Constantine silently read the curved text over the door. “Goety and Theurgy.”

“G&T is a club, yes. It’s the club for the Otherworld, and is the home ground of the Venediger — the woman who more or less polices all immortal activity in this area of the world — and is the most neutral meeting place in Europe. All of that is why we are here.”

Constantine glanced around, sending piercing looks up and down the street. It seemed that he didn’t like what he saw because he left me to stroll a few yards down the road to where he subjected an intersection to further scrutiny. This section of Paris had few mortal visitors, despite it appearing to be nothing more than a slightly eccentric neighborhood.

I tried not to notice how the slight breeze rippled Constantine’s shirt against his chest, or how the little hairs on his arms gleamed golden in the late afternoon sun, and how the same gold threads glittered in his shoulder-length mane of hair.

Worse yet, I could still remember the feel of that kiss he had planted on me in Seville. I badly wanted to believe that he had taken me by surprise, and that’s why I’d allowed it to go on as long as it had, but my father had made sure that both Aoife and I knew how to protect ourselves from unwanted advances, and unfortunately, the thought of self-protection hadn’t even entered my mind when Constantine had kissed me.

All I could think about was how hot his mouth was, and how much hotter I wanted him to make me feel. I shook that thought away, and tried to focus on the here and now.








About Katie MacAlister

For as long as she can remember Katie MacAlister has loved reading, and grew up with her nose buried in a book. It wasn't until many years later that she thought about writing her own books, but once she had a taste of the fun to be had building worlds, tormenting characters, and falling madly in love with all her heroes, she was hooked.

With more than fifty books under her belt, Katie's novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and are regulars on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. A self-proclaimed gamer girl, she lives in the Pacific Northwest with her dogs, and frequently can be found hanging around online.

http://katiemacalister.com
https://twitter.com/katiemacalister
https://www.facebook.com/katie.mac.minions

Giveaway


http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2274/?

My Review:

Gary was such a hoot and he really brought the comic relief (I thought he had the best lines)!

I really loved the bantering between Constantine and Bee though I thought they rushed and fell into bed too fast!

It's always a joy to see the old gang Aisling, Drake and Jim!

Friday, November 27, 2015

Follow My Blog Friday #229


If you are new to the FF fun, Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. Feature & Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, myself of course and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

Now to make this FF interesting we do a FEATURE blogger. If you are interested in becoming a Feature click on the drop down link above FEATURES and Features and Follow Friday and get on the waiting list!  It is also required, that if you participate you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee and Alison Can Read) and the two Feature blogs.

This Meme is hosted by Rachel from Parajunkee Review and Alison from Alison Can Read on Fridays.

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

1.  (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee and Alison Can Read}

2.  (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers

3.  Put your Blog name and URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.

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 and that they are now following you.

5.  If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed

6.  Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”.

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

8.  If you’re new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Our Weekly Feature is This Girl Reads A Lot

When did you start blogging?

I started blogging around June of 2012, with nothing but time and the passion and desire to turn my passion of reading into something, something tangible–something I could see and share.

What is your favorite part of book blogging?
Book blogging allows me to escape the monotony of everyday life–in the same way that books do. Except I’m around a bunch of people that feel the same way I do. There’s no better feeling.

What type of books do you mainly blog about?

I definitely think my blog is a mish mosh of Romance and YA.

What are your favorite books?

Ughh, the dreaded favorites. Don’t make me. I have to? Okay.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer because Noah. The Law of Moses because beautiful, and Wallbanger because it’s just hilarious.

What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of book blogging?

Meeting other book lovers. I don’t know about anybody else but I don’t know a lot of people that read so being around so many is amazing–and the books. Of course, I love getting free books, who wouldn’t?!
If you could write a book what genre would it be? -Suggested by – The Realm of Books

Zombie Romance!!!!


My Answer:  Romantic Suspense with a paranormal twist!











Thursday, November 26, 2015

MT Review: The End Game: Brit in the FBI Novel (A Brit in the FBI)

 

I've finished "The End Game" the 3rd book in her Brit in the FBI series by Catherine Coulter.

Product Description

From #1 New York Times–bestselling author Catherine Coulter, the explosive new addition to the remarkable thriller series featuring Nicholas Drummond and Mike Caine.


FBI agent Nicholas Drummond and his partner, Mike Caine, are deep into an investigation of COE — Celebrants of the Earth — a violent group known for widespread bombings of power grids and oil refineries across the country. While investigating a tip from a civilian who’s overheard about a possible bombing plot, the Bayway Refinery in New Jersey explodes. Nicholas and Mike race to the scene and barely escape being killed by a secondary device.

Returning to the civilian’s home to continue their interrogation, they discover the tipster — and the FBI team left to guard him — dead. While Nicholas calls in the assassinations, COE strikes again, this time launching a cyber-attack on several major oil companies and draining their financial and intellectual assets.

But COE has been infiltrated by a deep-cover counterterrorism agent named Vanessa Grace. A bomb-making expert, Vanessa must leave COE and join forces with Nicholas and Mike to stop the organization’s devious plan to assassinate the President. But there’s an assassin on the loose who could tip the scales in COE’s favor, and no one knows his ultimate target, or who has contracted his services.

Working with the CIA, the Secret Service, Mossad, MI-5, and even Savich and Sherlock, Nicholas and his team put their lives on the line to prevent another conflagration — and save the President.

About the Author

Catherine Coulter is the author of the New York Times–bestselling FBI thrillers The Cove, The Maze, The Target, The Edge, Riptide, Hemlock Bay, Eleventh Hour, Blindside, Blowout, Point Blank, Double Take, TailSpin, KnockOut, Whiplash, Split Second, Backfire, Bombshell, and Power Play. She is also the author, with J. T. Ellison, of the New York Times–bestselling The Final Cut and The Lost Key, international thrillers featuring Nicholas Drummond. Coulter lives in Sausalito, California.

J. T. Ellison is the bestselling author of twelve critically acclaimed novels, including What Lies Behind and When Shadows Fall, and her work has been published in more than twenty countries. Her novel The Cold Room won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Paperback Original and Where All the Dead Lie was a RITA® Nominee for Best Romantic Suspense. She is also the coauthor of the New York Times bestsellers The Final Cut and The Lost Key. Ellison lives in Nashville with her husband.

Product Details
Series: A Brit in the FBI (Book 3)
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons; First Edition first Printing edition (September 15, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399173803
ISBN-13: 978-0399173806

My Review:


I find it hilarious that Nicholas seems to be a jack of all trades and the reputation that he has.  It's also so hilarious when Nicholas seems to be running away from Mike after a couple of hot make out sessions and he thinks they need to talk.

Mike is kick ass as always and she doesn't think Nicholas and her need to talk.  Their bantering is cool as ever!

The villains are very nasty, cruel, sadistic and kill unnecessarily in my opinion!

4/5

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Wednesday Wish List


Please list the books/manga/manhwa/yaoi manga from your wishlist that you are hoping to add to your shelves in a comment, thanks.









Valerius isn't a popular Dark-Hunter - he's a Roman, which means that the largely Greek Hunters have a major grudge against him and his civilization for superseding them. To make things worse, he's very conscious of his aristocratic background and breeding. So it serves him right when he runs into Tabitha Devereaux. She's sassy, sexy, and completely unwilling to take him seriously. (Not to mention that she's the twin sister of the wife of former Dark-Hunter Kyrian - Val's mortal enemy.)

What Tabitha does take seriously is hunting and killing vampires - and soon she and Val have to grapple with the deadliest of all Daimons - one who's managed to come back from the dead, and holds a serious grudge against both of them. To win against evil, Val will have to loosen up, learn to trust, and put everything on the line to protect a man he hates and a woman who drives him nuts, in Seize the Night by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon.





The legacy of the Black Dagger Brotherhood continues in a spin-off series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

Paradise, blooded daughter of the king’s First Advisor, is ready to break free from the restrictive life of an aristocratic female. Her strategy? Join the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s training center program and learn to fight for herself, think for herself - be herself. It’s a good plan, until everything goes wrong. The schooling is unfathomably difficult, the other recruits feel more like enemies than allies, and it’s very clear that the Brother in charge, Butch O’Neal, a.k.a. the Dhestroyer, is having serious problems in his own life.

And that’s before she falls in love with a fellow classmate. Craeg, a common civilian, is nothing her father would ever want for her, but everything she could ask for in a male. As an act of violence threatens to tear apart the entire program, and the erotic pull between them grows irresistible, Paradise is tested in ways she never anticipated -- and left wondering whether she’s strong enough to claim her own power on the field, and off.






An immortal assassin is caught between desire and duty in this sizzling new novel from Kresley Cole’s #1 New York Times bestselling Immortals After Dark series.

A foundling raised in a world of humans


Growing up, orphaned Josephine didn’t know who or what she was — just that she was “bad,” an outcast with strange powers. Protecting her baby brother Thaddeus became her entire life. The day he was taken away began Jo’s transition from angry girl to would-be superhero to enchanting villain.

A lethally sensual enforcer on a mission

Whether by bow or in bed, archer Rune the Baneblood never fails to eliminate his target. In his sights: the oldest living Valkyrie. Yet before he can strike, he encounters a vampiric creature whose beauty mesmerizes him. With one bite, she pierces him with aching pleasure, stealing his forbidden blood — and jeopardizing the secrets of his brethren.

A boundless passion that will lead to sweet ruin

Could this exquisite female be a spy sent by the very Valkyrie he hunts? Rune knows he must not trust Josephine, yet he’s unable to turn her away. When Jo betrays the identity of the one man she will die to protect, she and Rune become locked in a treacherous battle of wills that pits ultimate loyalty against unbridled lust.

Manga:





“Bloody” Mary, a vampire with a death wish, has spent the past 400 years chasing down a modern-day exorcist named Maria who is thought to have inherited “The Blood of Maria” and is the only one who can kill Mary. To Mary’s dismay, Maria doesn’t know how to kill vampires. Desperate to die, Mary agrees to become Maria’s bodyguard until Maria can find a way to kill him.

“Bloody” Mary is not your typical vampire. He can withstand sunlight, holds a reflection in mirrors, refuses to drink blood — and wants 17-year-old student and priest Maria to kill him. But to Mary’s dismay, Maria doesn’t know how to kill vampires. Desperate to die, Mary agrees to become Maria’s bodyguard until Maria can find a way to kill him at last.







As a little girl, Komomo Ninomiya delighted in picking on Natsu Azumi, the son of her family’s pastry chef. Ten years later, when the family fortune is lost and she has no place to live, Komomo encounters Natsu again in her hour of need. Now that Natsu is a master pastry chef in his own right, he’ll help Komomo — but only if she works for him at his new confiserie!

Now that Komomo’s family is bankrupt, the arranged marriage her father had planned for her is most likely void. With her future now open, Komomo decides to look for love and start dating. Natsu offers himself up to be her suitor, but will Komomo accept him?






The Kobayashi twins, Mego and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Mego has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Megumu’s life has gone from weird to wonderful — she no longer has to cross dress as her brother, and her true love, Aoi, has asked her out on a date! It’s the beginning of a beautiful relationship, even if they have to stay two feet apart at all times or risk Aoi going into anaphylactic girl shock.

Meanwhile, Mitsuru is back in his own clothes too, but he’s making war, not love! Can he defeat the school bully and win the hand of his sweetheart, Shino?!

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

New Releases 2015 (Nov 24)






 


New Releases








You can't go too far when you're fighting for love

Tamra Day swore off men a long time ago. Her art, her friends, and her garden have always been enough until now. Suddenly, Tamra is aching for a connection. Unfortunately, Coral Cove's most eligible bachelor is the troublemaker who's building the mini-golf course she's designing. Brusque and sarcastic, he's made a habit of annoying Tamra. But more infuriating is the fact that Tamra can't help noticing how sexy he is.

They call him a war hero, but Jeremy Sheridan knows better. Still haunted by painful memories from Afghanistan, he's just hoping for a fresh start. So far, the only problem is his new boss, Tamra, a control freak who's easy on the eyes — and way too fun to tease.

Despite their differences, Tamra and Jeremy aren't as alone as they think they are. And together, with a little Coral Cove magic, they'll discover how good it feels to embrace a bright new future.






From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes another scorching Original Heartbreakers tale featuring an aloof bad boy and the rowdy Southern belle who rocks his world.

Millionaire video-game creator Lincoln West has a dark and tragic past. The sought-after bachelor lives by a rigid schedule and a single rule — one relationship per year, lasting no more than two months. No exceptions. When he gave up the big city for a small town, he hoped to escape the worst of his memories—until a brash beauty dredges up long-buried emotions.

A reformed party girl, Jessie Kay Dillon is determined to walk the straight and narrow. But her love-hate sizzle with West is just too irresistible. They can't be near each other without tearing off their clothes, but the last thing she needs is to be his next two-month dump. Will she become the one exception? Because as any former girl-gone-wild knows: rules are made to be broken.

Anna Harrington's Dukes Are Forever Blog Tour with a Spotlight

 


I am so excited to have Anna Harrington here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight.

Thanks Anna and Hachette Book Group/Forever for allowing me to join the your Dukes Are Forever Blog Tour!

Please take it away, Anna!

1. ­ What would readers be surprised to find out about you?

I have a pilot’s license. I took flying lessons at Chicago Midway and eventually earned both my private license and instrument rating in Chicago Center and my complex/high-performance sign-off at Gary Regional Airport. (And I deeply apologize to Southwest Airlines and to the tower controllers for any problems I might have caused.)

2. Tell us about your writing process. Do you start with an idea or a character? Do you know what’s going to happen from the beginning or do you figure it out as you write?

I usually start with a problem and work out from there, creating the characters, places, and conflicts that radiate from that central problem. For DUKES ARE FOREVER, the problem was simple: what if a new duke was forced to take a ward who wasn’t a child but a full-grown woman? Then, the ideas just ripple out from that like circles in a pond. The first thing I do is sketch out the external and internal conflicts, then I write out the basic plot and backgrounds for the two main characters, which is usually about 2 – 3 pages long. I then start filling in details. When I’m finished, I’ll have what I consider the “outline draft” — about 20 single-spaced pages. Then, I start writing. And 95K words later, I’m finished and dive into a big bowl of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream!

3. Who gave you the one piece of writing advice that sticks with you to this day?

Dr. John Stratton, my college writing instructor, who told us repeatedly, “Writing isn’t about you. You’re just the author. What matters is the reader. If you’re not giving the reader what he or she wants, then you’re not writing.”

4. Is there one thing you have to have when writing?

COFFEE!!! And during the season, I keep a vase of cut flowers from my garden on the table where I write. It’s in my sunroom, so I have wonderful views of the yard, the wooded hill behind the house, and the creek.

5. How did you choose the names of your characters?


For DUKES ARE FOREVER, I picked Katherine because I’ve always loved that name. It’s feminine and classic but also strong, and the nicknames for it are perfect for reflecting different parts of her personality: the nickname Kate sounds so fiery and no-nonsense, but when the servants call her Katie, there’s affection and love in it. As for Edward…well, when I pictured him in my mind, he just LOOKED like an Edward. Aunt Augusta because she could ONLY be an Augusta. Edward’s brother Stephen was named after King Stephen.

6. How has music played a role in your life and in your writing?

I love all kinds of jazz and symphonic music, and I always have music playing in the background while I’m writing. What I listen when I write, however, depends on the type of writing task I’m working on that day…music to set the mood. 

7. When was the moment that you knew you had to be a writer?

I was in third grade, and we were supposed to write a paragraph about an everyday. I don’t know why, but I wrote about a hammer owned by President Jimmy Carter and the story of that hammer’s life…from the hammer’s first-person POV! My teacher read it to the entire class and gave it a place of honor on the board for the upcoming parent-teacher conferences. At that point, I was hooked. I had a talent for writing, and the praise was addictive. I started writing then, filling spiral Mead notebooks by the dozen, and in my early teens I had my first publications, contest wins, and two one-act plays staged by a local drama club. I was hooked. I haven’t stopped writing since, although the genres have certainly changed over the years.

8. Do you have any favorite book boyfriends of your own?

Well, of course Mr. Knightly from Emma! But other favorites include Sullivan Waring from Suzanne Enoch’s After the Kiss and Sebastian Carlisle from the book I’m currently writing (and brother of Josie Carlisle in HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS). And although he’s a based-on-a-book-TV boyfriend, I’m desperately in love with Ross Poldark from Masterpiece’s Poldark series.

9. What are five books on your night stand/bookshelf?

Georgette Heyer’s Regency World by Jennifer Kloester, The Groucho Letters by Groucho Marx, Cottage Living, Catch-22, and a book by whatever Regency romance writer I’m currently reading.

10. What’s your favorite quote or scene from your book?

My favorite bit occurs when Kate tries to explain to Edward why he’s the type of man not used to being told No, only to dig herself deeper into embarrassment. The attraction between them sizzles, so do the back-and-forth barbs and Edward’s cool as he rakishly lets out just enough rope for to hang herself. (But I also like the running joke about the boy’s breeches she wears.)

11. If your couple’s relationship had a theme song, what would it be?

“Good Things” by the Bodeans

12. Tell us about the cover process. Is this what you had in mind?

I love that she’s holding a rose in her hand! I have a rose bush in my garden that exact same shade. It’s a David Austin rose called Grace, and it’s the pride of my garden.

13. If your book was being made into a movie, who would you include in your dream cast?

For Kate, I’d pick Amy Adams — she has the red hair and the feistiness but can still portray a feminine vulnerability that Kate has. For Edward, Aidan Turner. For Aunt Augusta I always picture the stepmother from Walt Disney’s Cinderella — Augusta isn’t evil, of course, but she had that same regal, imperial bearing as the stepmother but I’d settle for Dame Judi Dench. J

14. Where do you find inspiration for you writing? Do you use real people/places as a foundation?

Creating atmosphere is important, so I try to I use real places where I’ve been for the settings. Because my novels are set in Regency England, and I lived in London during college, I’m fortunate to have first-hand experience with the atmosphere of the city, the look of the countryside, and the wonderful people who live there. I’ll often find a house or building which strikes me, and then the story might take off from there. I don’t use real people as models for the characters, but the characters seen to evolve organically from the places.

15. Do you have any hobbies or activities that you enjoy outside of writing?

During the past two years, since I’ve moved into my new house, I’ve taken up gardening, and I love working outside in the beds, especially with the roses. I’ve planted all kinds of trees, azaleas, hydrangeas, roses, and even blueberries and strawberries. I also love to travel and visit every museum and tourist trap I can, and I like dreaming that someday I might also take a photography class or two so I can take better pictures. I also love to hike and go trekking by all kinds of means — I’ve been pony trekking in Wales and elephant trekking in Thailand, and I’ve love to go camel trekking in Morocco. I love history and archeology, and I love visiting ancient ruins and new cultures all over the world.

16. Would the 10 year-old version of yourself kick your butt or praise you for what you've accomplished in life?

The 10 year-old version of me would say, “Well, this life is exactly what we planned, teaching and writing and experiencing adventures all over the world minus the pony.”








About DUKES ARE FOREVER 

ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE


Battlefields and barrooms hold much more interest for Edward Westover, Duke of Strathmore, than a little girl's fondness for dolls and lace. When he takes possession of his enemy's estate, everything that villain held dear-including his daughter - belongs to Edward. Hire a governess, arrange a dowry, give a few reassurances, and be off on his way - that's Edward's plan. But he's in for the shock of his life. For his new ward is a beautiful, impetuous, and utterly irresistible woman.

AND WAR

Kate Benton is stunned. Who is this arrogant, infuriating man who's invited himself into her home and taken over her life? Her vow: to do everything in her power to convince him to leave her - and Brambly House - alone. Yet as chilly days melt into sultry nights, Kate sees glimpses of kindness underneath Edward's cool façade and a passionate nature that takes her breath away. There's so much she doesn't know about this man. But does she dare trust this devilish duke with her heart?

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1SATdWP
B and N: http://bit.ly/1l3udg0
iBooks: http://apple.co/1LHiLRu
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1OPglBp
BAM!: http://bit.ly/1QKyNMT

Excerpt


“If she isn’t downstairs in five minutes,” Edward warned Mrs. Elston through gritted teeth, “I will go up to her room and drag her down myself!”

The old governess bristled. “As I told you, Miss Kate is feeling unwell — ”

A sharp curse exploded from him, telling her exactly what he thought of Miss Kate’s sudden illness.

“Your Grace,” her brows shot up, offended, “with all due respect — ”

He rolled his eyes, knowing that whatever she was about to say would lack all respect.

“—you have swept into our home without warning, upset both my little Katie and the entire household, and are now making demands as if you own the place.”

“I do own it,” he drawled.

“Brambly House is entailed,” she informed him pointedly. “It is owned solely by Miss Kate to be relinquished only to the gentleman she marries.” Her emphasis clearly implied that despite his title, she found him to be no gentleman. “If she wishes to forgo your company, you should have the decency to give her peace!”

She stood squarely in front of him and blocked the stairs like a bulldog guarding its dinner. While ordinarily he would have found that loyalty admirable, tonight he was ready to throttle her for it.

“Mrs. Elston,” he growled, tired from a long day of traveling and now hungry since dinner was an hour late, “if Miss Benton doesn’t come downstairs, I swear I’ll — ”

“You will do what, your Grace?” a soft voice challenged from the landing.

He glanced up, and when he saw her, the rest of the threat vanished from his lips. Sweet Lucifer, she was a vision. Although a decade out of fashion, the ice-blue silk gown she wore was cut just carefully enough to tantalize without being improper, with its fitted bodice accentuating her slender waist and its neckline revealing a hint of firm breasts beneath. As she descended toward him, her upswept red hair shining like fire, the dress shimmered enticingly over her curves with each move.

She stopped two steps from the bottom, her eyes level with his and just the hint of a self-assured smile at her lips. The sweet scent of honeysuckle wafted down to him like a cloud, and his gut clenched with unbidden arousal.

The disheveled woman who greeted him earlier had transformed into a beautiful woman, like a caterpillar into a butterfly. She left him speechless.

“You’ll do what?” she pressed.

His lips twisted impishly at his now-empty threat. “Throw you over my knee and spank you.”

“Your Grace!” Mrs. Elston swung her gaze at him, appalled that he would even suggest such a thing.

Kate raised her head defiantly, her green eyes blazing. “I’d like to see you try.”

Good God. His cock twitched at the temptation.

“Miss Kate!” Mrs. Elston blurted out, aghast at her charge’s scandalous behavior.

Ignoring the old governess and fighting back an amused chuckle, Edward held out his hand. “Truce?”

She hesitated.

“Until dessert at least?”

She placed her gloved hand into his and allowed him to help her down the last two steps and toward the dining room as she conceded, “Until dessert, your Grace.”

“Edward, please,” he corrected.

“Then you must call me Kate,” she insisted, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “All my guardians do.”

“You have a lot of guardians, do you?” he asked dryly.

“Oh, yes.” She gave a flippant wave of her hand, the mocking gesture indicating how ludicrous she found their situation and her desire to be free of it. “Lately, it seems there’s a new one dropping by every day.”

He paused in mid-step, then slid her an irritated sideways glance as she continued walking, slipping her hand away from his arm to proceed him into the room. As his gaze roamed down her backside, the curves beneath the gown and the soft sashay of her hips once again reminded him that this was no child in need of a guardian. This was a woman.

Worse, he thought grimly as the man now responsible for guarding her reputation, she was beautiful. The moment she debuted, every man would set his sights on her. And it wouldn’t be with the intention of marrying her.

Heaven help him, he was in serious trouble.







About Anna Harrington

Anna is an English professor in Chattanooga Tennessee and a lover of all things chocolate and coffee. She's a member of RWA and when she's not hard at work writing her next book or planning her next series, she's watching BBC and piloting her own aircrafts.
http://www.annaharringtonbooks.com/
https://www.facebook.com/annaharrington.regencywriter
https://twitter.com/AHarrington2875

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Paige Tyler's In The Company Of Wolves Blog Tour with a Spotlight, Excerpt and Giveaway

 


I am so excited to have Paige Tyler here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight, Excerpt and Giveaway.

Thanks Paige and Sourcebooks for allowing me to join the In the Company of Wolves Blog Tour!

Please take it away, Paige!





Title: In the Company of Wolves
Series: SWAT, #3
Author: Paige Tyler
Pubdate: December 1st, 2015
ISBN: 9781492608530


He opened his mouth to order her to drop the MP5 she had aimed at him, but nothing would come out. It was like she’d robbed him of the ability to speak. Shooting her wasn’t an option, though. And the idea of arresting her didn’t make him feel any better.

There's a new gang of criminals in town who are organized and ruthless in the extreme. When Eric Becker, along with the rest of the Dallas SWAT team, ends up in the middle of a shootout, he immediately senses werewolves-a lot of them. Turns out, the new bad guys are a pack of wolf shifters.

In a spray of gunfire, Becker comes face-to-face with the most gorgeous woman he's ever seen. Becker does the logical thing. He hides her and leaves the scene with the rest of his team.

Jayna Winston has no idea why that SWAT guy helped her, but she's glad he did. Ever since she and her pack mates got mixed up with those Eastern European mobsters, everything had pretty much fallen apart.

So what's a street-savvy thief like Jayna going to do with a hot alpha-male wolf who's a police officer?

SWAT (Special Wolf Alpha Team) Series
Hungry Like the Wolf
Wolf Trouble
In the Company of Wolves


Amazon: http://amzn.to/1N9s7aS
Apple: http://apple.co/1jDW2eF
BAM: http://bit.ly/1Wgsjd3
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1L25iPs
Chapters: http://bit.ly/1jPkNEZ

This December, Paige Tyler releases the third in her action-packed SWAT series, IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES. To celebrate the release of IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES, Paige Tyler stopped by to tell us about one of her favorite fun loving heroes in pop culture and to share an excerpt showcasing her own hero’s fun loving side!

Paige Tyler: Everyone loves reading about alpha males, right? But of course, you can’t have a single dimensional character that’s just hardcore alpha all the time. It comes off as flat or just plain irritating. Most of the time you want to let your alpha have a lighter side, just to keep things interesting. One of my favorite fun loving heroes from popular culture is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard!

This one will take you back a few years (can I just say I’m still annoyed they took this show off the air?) with Joe Flanigan playing Air Force pilot and all around I-don’t-follow-the-rule hero on the Scify television series — and another favorite — Stargate Atlantis. Like a lot of alphas, John has a checkered past and broke some rules doing the right thing, so it got him put on somebody’s bad side. Of course, when things go wrong and everyone needs help, John is the guy they turn to. He’s quick to risk his life for a friend — or even someone he barely knows — cracking completely inappropriate jokes the whole time and making women everywhere swoon.

Excerpt

One of the Albanians shouted something from the front of the store in his own language, following it up with an order to the omegas to stop wasting time and get the damn safe open. Becker ground his teeth. He should have simply kidnapped Jayna and her entire pack. Then he could have just walked into the loft and shot every one of these idiots — twice.

“Watch them,” he told Jayna, motioning to the security guard and two women. Turning, he left the break room and jogged down the hallway toward the back of the building.

“Get them back on the safe!” the Albanian driver shouted at him from the front room.

Oh yeah, sure. Stop two morons from raping a woman and get them back on task. What the hell was he — a daycare worker for omega werewolves?

Shit. If this was how criminals behaved, it was no wonder he and his SWAT teammates took so many of them down. They were too stupid to live. Then again, maybe this was how Gage felt some days. The SWAT pack could occasionally be a little stupid too. Becker’s current predicament was a shining example of that.

The omega standing guard in the hallway outside the manager’s office glared at him. “We got this. Go back and babysit the old folks.”

What a complete ass, Becker thought as he walked up and punched the guy in the face. The werewolf flew backward and bounced off the wall, bleeding like crazy from a broken nose as he fell to the floor in a dazed heap. He was still moving around though, reminding Becker that it was as hard to knock out an omega as it was to knock out an alpha. He’d have to remember that.

Becker strode into the office to find the store manager on the floor beside her desk, the other omega—the one who liked to play with his platinum medallion — leaning over her menacingly. He’d torn her blouse and was telling her all the horrible things he planned to do to her if she didn’t open the safe. The idiot was so intent on threatening her that he didn’t realize Becker was there until he yanked the guy to his feet and spun him around, then smashed the back of his head into the nearest hard object he could find — the safe panel. Becker pounded his head into the safe a few times before letting him fall to the floor. The asshole was definitely out cold.

Becker turned and looked at the shop manager. She cringed away from him, terror in her eyes as she tried to hold the tatters of her blouse together. He really wished he could pull up his ski mask. Seeing him like this definitely wasn’t helping.

Do you have an alarm button in this room?” he asked in his softest, least intimidating voice.

The woman stared at him for a moment like he was insane, then motioned under the desk with a shaking hand.

“Would you mind pushing it for me?” he asked.

Now she looked really confused. But she slowly reached under the desk and poked around until a loud alarm started ringing.

“Thanks.” Becker bent down to take the platinum medallion out of the omega’s vest and slip it into his pocket. “By the way, that diamond merchant you bought from in New York sold you out to a really bad guy. You probably don’t want to buy from him anymore.” Turning, he jogged out of the room and down the hallway to the front of the store. “Time to leave. Moron hit the alarm.”

Jayna was heading his way in a flash, the two Albanians right behind her.

“What about the safe?” the driver asked.

Becker shook his head. “It’s a no-go. Our guy smashed the keypad.”

The Albanians muttered something in their native language and shook their heads, as if they’d seen this coming. They stepped over the omega who was still rolling around in a daze on the floor in the hallway and raced out the back door. In the distance, sirens echoed in the air. About damn time. Becker motioned Jayna out.

“What about him?” she asked, jerking her head at the werewolf still trying to get to his knees.

Becker nudged the omega with his boot, pushing him back down. The guy looked like he really didn’t want to bother getting up this time.

“What about him?” Becker said, holding the door open for her.

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