Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Happy New Year...2014 in Review.


Happy New Year!!

In 2014 I.....

Read 269 books

First book of the year I read was Deadshifted by Cassie Alexander
Last book of the year I read was Her Sexy Sentinel by Jenn Burke

Posted a total of 464 blog posts
with
174 of those being reviews

First review of the year was The Grendel Affair by Lisa Shearin
Last review of the year was Storm Fall by Tracy Banghart 

Was there anything about UFI in 2014 that sticks out as your favorite? How many books did you read in 2014?

Here's to another excellent year to come!



Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Guest Blog & Giveaway: Dark Awakened by H.D. Smith

UFI welcomes H.D. Smith. Thanks for Joining us!!

Introducing Ronin … with an excerpt from Dark Awakened, book 2 in the Devil’s Assistant series by HD Smith.

 

Ronin is a new character in book 2. Claire eventually discovers he’s Mab’s bounty hunter, but she has no clue why he was sent to deliver her to the Countess of East Hareington—or how exactly Mab wouldn’t be involved (as he claims). Below is how he’s introduced in the book.


Without warning the sensations caused by his presence blinked from existence and he appeared in front of me. Startled by the sudden movement, I jumped back, only to be stopped by his strong grip on my arm.

“Hello, lass,” he said, “that’s a neat trick you’ve got there.”

Okay, so maybe it was the accent—vaguely Scottish—or it was the ruggedly handsome god of a man that stood in front of me, but I was momentarily speechless.

Dressed in army-green cargo pants and a skin tight black t-shirt that molded around every well-defined muscle of his chest perfectly, he was simply gorgeous. His tousled blue-black hair was short, but needed a trim. His piercing cobalt eyes sparkled more than shined in the light, and his sun-kissed skin was somewhere between warm honey and a golden bronze. He sported a large don’t-fuck-with-me knife strapped to his thigh, and an angry-looking bullwhip hooked to his belt.
And I still couldn’t sense what he was. I mean, Highlander came to mind, but nothing that told me which of the realms he belonged to. It wasn’t a universal rule that pagans were the blond-haired blue-eyed among us, or that druids tended to have brown hair and brown eyes, and I’d met more than one demon that didn’t fit the black hair, red eye combination, but nothing about this stranger was leaning in any direction.

He was unique. No question about that.

The rough feel of the fingerless gloves that clamped around my biceps snapped me out of my trance. Blinking, I shook my head. Who is this guy?

He was big, maybe not as big as Quaid, but close—easily six-eight. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, but considering he had the power to make himself invisible, I was sure that meant nothing.

He studied me with his cool, fathomless eyes. I swallowed. I wasn’t sure if it was the dust in the air or the fact that this big guy was towering over me, but my chest tightened and it felt hard to breath. I tried to raise my hand to his face. I could compel him to let me go. The touch magic was a side benefit of having Mab’s mark. I was fairly sure she could compel from a distance, but I had to be in physical contact to make it work. He tightened his grip, pinning my arms, which prevented me from touching him.

“I haven’t broken any of the rules.”


Find out more about what’s in store for the bounty hunter in Dark Awakened, book 2 in the Devil’s Assistant series by HD Smith.
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HD Smith has been writing for over ten years. She is a software developer by day, working for an awesome cruise line in Celebration, FL.

HD grew up in South Carolina, but has called the Sunshine State home since 1997.

She has Computer Science degrees from Clemson University (BS) and Florida Institute of Technology (MS). Her other hobbies include painting and screen printing. She enjoys creating t- shirts inspired by the places in her books. For more information, visit HD’s website at http://www.hdsmithauthor.com/

Find H.D. Smith and her books
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Dark Awakened
The Devil's Assistant #2
Amazon BN Kobo Amazon Print
 Last spring Claire’s seemingly normal—if not totally screwed up—life was tossed on its head. For five years she’d been one of the damned—a human that knows the truth about the otherworldly among us. She’d worked for The Boss—the Demon King himself—as his administrative assistant, handling everything from early retirements, to Maintenance’s incessant requests for dental.

No one gets dental.

Then she walked into Purgatory—totally not her fault—went back in time, and awakened powers she never knew existed. Now Claire has a prophecy hanging over her head, a diamond ring hidden in her sock drawer, and the blood of a long dead royal running through her veins.

And it’s only going to get worse.

Her vow to live free or die takes a serious hit when she’s forced back under The Boss’s protection. Of course, there’s no protection from fate, or the Bounty Hunter sent to deliver her to Purgatory. And as if being “the girl” in the prophecy wasn’t enough, Claire soon discovers there are three other contenders for her role—two of whom want her dead.

Follow more of Claire’s adventures in Dark Awakened, the second installment of the Devil’s Assistant Series, to find out if she’s lucky enough to escape with her life, or if she’s just the first notch on the next contender’s belt.
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Tour Wide

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Releases: 12/28-1/3


Tue. Dec 30th


Happy Reading!

Monday, December 29, 2014

Review: Storm Fall by Tracy Banghart

Storm Fall
Release Date: December 16, 2014
Publisher: Alloy Entertainment
Rebel Wing Book #2
ASIN:   B00PBGZZA8
Genre: YA Dystopian
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
In the action-packed sequel to Rebel Wing, Aris battles for life and love . . . and not everyone will survive.

Aris Haan gave up everything to join the Atalantan Military: her family, her boyfriend, even her identity. In the end, though, it didn’t matter that she was a war hero. When the all-male Military discovered that she was actually a woman, she was sent home and erased from history.

Now she has a chance to go back to the battlefield—as herself. But as hard as it was to be a soldier in disguise, it’s even more difficult now. The men in her unit undermine her at every turn. The Safaran army has spies everywhere, perhaps even on Aris’s stationpoint. And she’s falling for her mysterious superior officer, Milek. But their relationship is forbidden, just stolen moments between training sessions and missions. There’s no room for love in war.

Then Aris discovers that Safara’s leaders have set their sights on her, Atalanta’s hero. And she must find them before they find her . .

I am really glad that I didn't have to wait very long after I read REBEL WING to get my hands on STORM FALL. There isn't a giant cliff hanger or anything, but things weren't left where I wanted them to be and I NEEDED to know what happened next. I now do and it was great to be able to read about it while events from book one were still somewhat fresh in my head.

STORM FALL starts a few months after the ending of REBEL WING. Aris no longer feels at home in her town and shes struggling with her fears of flying again and what she should do with the life she finds herself now leading. A couple things happen and she decides she does want to be in the Atalantan military again, so she heads back in. She knew there would be struggles but things are even harder than she thought they would be. I think she was able to handle things pretty well considering and I enjoyed watching her navigate her new role as herself. The relationship between Milek and her is slow but strong. They do try to fight their feelings, but as we know love doesn't just turn off. I enjoyed watching them realize that. We actually get to see a lot of Calix. It was nice seeing Aris come to the conclusions she did and watch them navigate their new realities. There was a lot of action and plenty of iffy moments throughout STORM FALL.

I'm not even going to pretend, I can't WAIT to see how everything ends in book 3. I have enjoyed getting to know Aris throughout her journey and struggles. I think her and Milek fit together perfectly and really hope the author doesn't do anything crazy to them. I really enjoy the world and the changing politics involved in it. I'm very excited to see where the author will leave everything.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Week In Review: 12/21-12/27


***  I'm home, YAY! Things will return to normal now.  ***

Books I've Bought/received

- New World Order by S.M. McEachern - eARC- Author

- Her Sexy Sentinel by Jenn Burke - eARC- Publisher

- Edged Blade by J.C. Daniels - eARC- Netgalley

- The Cage by Megan Shepherd- eARC- Netgalley

- The Leveller by Julia Durango - eARC- Netgalley

- The Choosing by Rachele Dekker - eARC- Edelweiss

- White Knight by Kelly Meade - eARC- Netgalley

- Black Wolf's Revenge by Tera Shanley- eARC- Netgalley

Books I've Read

A Curse Unbroken by Cecy Robson
New World Order by S.M. McEachern

Reviews Posted

Black Widow by Jennifer Estep
The Stag Lord by Darby Kaye
Mind Tamer by Moriah Densley

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Interview & Giveaway for Banewolf by Eden Ashley

* Tuesday- Promo for Waterfall by Lacy Danes

* Friday- Interview for When You Believe by Mia Epsilon

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
 
 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Interview: When You Believe by Mia Epsilon

UFI welcomes Mia Epsilon. Thanks for Joining us!!

  This or That
Character:  Monica, heroine of When You Believe 

Angels or Demons  Angels. I think I may have met a few.

Vampires or Shifters  Vampires who look like Brad Pitt and Tom Hiddleston and who don't sparkle

Left or Right I'm right handed.

Up or Down  Always go up. You fall down soon enough.

Pizza or Pasta Pizza with extra cheese, mushrooms and a ton of bacon

Coffee or Tea Both, but coffee always in the morning

Coke or Pepsi Pepsi, it was "born in the Carolinas" just like me

YA or Adult Adult, thought there's some great YA out there, too.

Knives or Guns Neither, though I do have a gun in my bedside drawer and I know how to use it.

Reading or Writing  Reading everything and anything,. I'm not much of a writer at all.

Facebook or Twitter: Face book. You aren't limited to 140 characters.

Daniel or Michael: Two gorgeous sexy mysterious men. Read our story to see who I choose.
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Mia Epsilon lives with her ever patient and tolerant soul mate hubby in the gorgeous Blue Ridge Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, USA. She's an avid reader of almost anything but particularly romance, with too many favorite authors to name. Mia is a huge Doctor Who fan, isn't so certain about the writing in the new series yet absolutely adores the new Doctor and his Scottish accent. She also happily suffers a chocolate addiction which causes her to visit her favorite chocolate store, The Chocolate Fetish an abnormally high number of times.

Mia can most often be found at her computer spinning new tales or in a quiet padded nook (a nook, she swears, not a padded room) with her e reader happily engrossed in a new story. She's currently hard at work on her series 'Weddings by C & C' and trying to build its reputation from 'just another wedding story' to 'OMG you have GOT to read this book!' She appreciates all reader input and comments on her Face Book, Twitter, Amazon and Good Reads pages. Her released titles include: 'Wedding Belle Blues', 'Take a Chance on Me', 'When You Believe', and 'That Night' along with a short story in The Wonderland Tales 'Leave Your Hat On'.

Find Mia and her books
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When You Believe
Weddings by C & C #3
Buy Link
 Dan and Monica's relationship gets a push from a handsome stranger, but will their love survive the test?

Monica has deep roots in the small town of Abbeville and manages the local coffee shop, which serves as the hub of town news. Deeply in love with Daniel, she still can't help but notice the gorgeous stranger, Michael, who seemingly appears out of nowhere. When Dan begins to pull away from her, what's a girl to do? Tempted to sit home and cry, Monica is determined to push through the uncertainty. Does that mean exploring new options?

Daniel carries secrets he can't share with anyone, even Monica. He's a man with no past and no relatives, so he doesn't believe he deserves a bright future. He is certain pulling away from Monica, his love and the closest thing he has to a family, is the only way she can truly find happiness. But when tragedy strikes Abbeville, will the man with no roots become its savior? Or will he discover Michael's true reason for appearing among them?
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Excerpt:

"Am I interrupting something?" Dan came in the door and stood just inside, his expression confused. "Is everything okay?"

"No. Amber is convinced Michael is some assassin here to kill someone for Jamie Manning who's part of the Irish mafia." She pointed at Dan as he burst into laughter and glared at Amber. "There. See how ridiculous you're being?"

"Oh, that's too funny. Adam and Emily would get such a kick out of that. I bet Chief Owens would, too." Dan bent over as he continued to laugh. "Come on, that's too silly to be real."

"Well, okay, so maybe it is." Amber conceded with a hard note in her tone. "But you have to admit the guy is weird and freaky things happen around him."

Dan straightened and walked over to put an arm around Monica's shoulders. "He is, I agree. But he's no killer. He grabbed the Marley kid out of the street a few weeks back. And Monica told me how he saved Anna from falling right before she gave birth to the twins. No assassin does nice things like that."

"So what's his last name? And where is he staying?" Amber demanded. "I'm going to find out before something really bad happens. Then you two will have to eat your words." She stomped off to the back room, shoulders and spine stiff straight.
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Thursday, December 25, 2014

Happy Holidays


Holidays are the perfect time to send a heartfelt THANK YOU and warmest wishes for the season and the coming year.      
 
I hope this holiday finds you in the presence of your loved ones. Happy Holidays!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Quick Thought Reviews

Sometimes I read a book where I just don't have a lot to say about it. Hence the name quick thought reviews. These will be short and sweet.
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Black Widow
Release Date: November 25, 2014
Publisher: Pocket Books
Elemental Asassin Book #12
ISBN:   1476774544
ISBN13: 9781476774541
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
There’s nothing worse than a cruel, cunning enemy with time to kill—and my murder to plan.

With wicked Fire elemental Mab Monroe long gone, you’d think I could finally catch a break. But someone’s always trying to take me down, either as Gin Blanco or my assassin alter-ago. Now along comes the Spider’s new arch-nemesis, the mysteriously named M. M. Monroe, who is gleefully working overtime to trap me in a sticky web of deceit.

The thing is, I’m not the only target. I can see through the tangled threads enough to know that every bit of bad luck my friends have been having lately is no accident—and that each unfortunate “coincidence” is just one more arrow drawing ever closer to hitting the real bulls-eye. Though new to Ashland, this M. M. Monroe is no stranger to irony, trying to get me, an assassin, framed for murder. Yet, as my enemy’s master plan is slowly revealed, I have a sinking feeling that it will take more than my powerful Ice and Stone magic to stop my whole life from going up in flames.

This is one of my favorite series, so I kinda feel bad that the last couple books ave made the Quick Thought Review list. It's not for lack of loving them, it's just the fact that by book 12 I have already said it all about the characters and the world I could possibly say unless something went totally wrong. Which thankfully it hasn't.

Gin has been through a LOT in the past, but I think the events of book 12 are right up there with the top 3 deadly situation she has ever been in. We all know Gin kicks butt, but I was worried for her at many points throughout the book. If she didn't have people to live for I don't think she would have made it out of BLACK WIDOW. She so deserves a long break. I can't possibly imagine who will be thrown up against Gin next, but I don't think I have to tell you that I will be front and center for the show.

I gave it 5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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The Stag Lord
Author: Darby Kaye
Release Date: December 2, 2014
Publisher: Spence City
ISBN:   1939392411
ISBN13: 9781939392411
Genre: Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
On the run across America from a vengeful shape-shifter, Bannerman “Bann” Boru has only one thing on his mind: keeping himself and his young son, Cor, alive.

At any cost.

Until he meets Shay Doyle, healer and member of a secret group of immortal Celtic warriors, the Tuatha De Danaan, living in modern-day Colorado. When Cor is injured, Bannerman is forced to accept her help. He quickly realizes that the golden-haired healer is shield-maiden tough and can hold her own on the field of battle with the big boys. And Shay soon discovers that there is more to Bann than meets the eye.

Now, with the shape-shifter Cernunnos teaming up with the local pack of Fir Bolgs (Bronze Age creatures with a nasty taste for children), Bannerman, Shay, her wolf-dog, Max, and the rest of the Doyle clan must figure out how to battle one insane god.

THE STAG LORD was SO long, GOOD, but SO long. Therefore if you're looking for a quick read this book is not for you.

The world building is super thorough and I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters involved. I am thinking that future books might feel a little shorter now that we have all the back story out of the way and character development started. The father-son bond between Bann and Cor was strong and I could feel the love through the pages. The slow romance between Shay and Bann was well done and they have a strong start to their future. I enjoyed the author's take on the Tuatha De Danaan. There is a lot involved, but I was never bored. I enjoyed my introduction to the author and look forward to where she takes her characters next.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 
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Mind Tamer
Release Date: December 15, 2014
Publisher: Entangled: Select Otherworld
Network One Book #1
ISBN:  1633751465
ISBN13: 9781633751460
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Publisher
He's different. And he's definitely trouble...
Lyssa Logan has an uncanny ability to know exactly what you're thinking, and she can solve crimes before they actually happen. Lately, however, she's been having a few issues. Brutal headaches, power fluctuations, possibly losing her grip on reality. Oh, and she appears to have stopped aging... The moment Kyros Vassalos sees Lyssa, he knows she’s one of his kind. No hocus-pocus, no voodoo. They're just very rare "extra-sentient" beings with the extraordinary ability to unlock the full potential of the mind. Now he must teach Lyssa to control her power...before it overwhelms and destroys her. Lyssa is pretty sure Kyros is trouble. Hot, leather-pants-wearing trouble. But she's running out of time. And once she steps into Kyros's world, there's no going back...

I just couldn't get into the story or the characters in MIND TAMER. I am not a huge music lover so the heavy talk of music theory didn't really do anything for me. If you are a music lover that part might interest you more. As for the world building, after reading this I still can't tell you much about the world. The information dump made it hard to hold onto the information that was given.

Thankfully I read this on my e-reader, I was feeling pretty dumb for having to look up a lot of the words used, but I probably would have given up if it wasn't an easy look-up. I finished the book but, I am not interested in continuing the series.

I gave it 2/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Promo: Waterfall by Lacy Danes


Excerpt: 
Carefully stepping around scattered, fractured boards, trunks and lengths of tangled rope, Jordan and Ferrous neared the last grouping of rocks at the trees’ edge. Jordan sighed. About time.

A faint heartbeat crawled out of the obscure shadows, stalked up his spine. Something lived from this bloody mess. Though barely.

Jordan stilled.

Ferrous turned to the left. “I feel it too.”

Jordan followed.

On the opposite side of the rocks, jagged boards bumped, clattering against a boulder. A mass of tangled human remains bobbed and swayed with each lap of water against the shore.

From this mess, a heartbeat cried. Jordan closed his eyes and sighed as his stomach flipped. He would find it. He stepped into the water amid the carnage and shuddered. I must move as hastily as possible. I can do this. The sound of life grasped him as if a hand itself clasped his flesh. He flinched, then turned to the left.

An arm’s length away, half in the water, lay a woman. Her limbs were twisted and broken, as if made of nothing more than weeds. A man’s head, severed from the body it had once belonged to, floated close to her hand. Jordan’s heart pinched, and the scales on his elbows prickled anew.

No one deserved to be half alive after experiencing a tragedy such as this. He stepped up next to her, knocking the human debris away with his boot. He leaned down and wrapped one hand about her slim, bare shoulders. The other he slid beneath her knees, fisting up a handful of her full skirts. She should have drowned in such a garment. He lifted her, pulling her body up against his.

She hung like a sack of barley in his grasp. Her long, wet skirts and hair trailed cold water in a stream, trickling over the rocks and babbling down into his boots. He turned and stumbled along the slag toward the trees.

Ferrous turned after him. “She won’t live, Jordan.” He strode behind him. “Leave her.”

Her clothing, laden with seawater, soaked his coat in blood. Was it hers or the rotting blood of the pool in which she had lain? He shook his head. Don’t think about the stench. He grimaced. Think about her.

Ferrous was right. She would never live.

He fell to his knees and laid her on the high grass that bordered the trees. Her dress was that of an aristocrat, finely tailored with small pearls and embroidery now torn open down to her flesh in several places. Her hair had been swept up with the sun, golden rays that now hid beneath a cloud of red death. “I will end her suffering.” Yes, that was the correct thing to do.

“For bloody sake, Jordan. You are not to indulge unless you have an inkling she may be the one. There are no exceptions to our rules. Look what happens to Ilmir when he breaks one. Who knows what calamity awaits us in London.”

Jordan’s jaw clenched, and he narrowed his eyes, refusing to look at Ferrous, who stood behind him. “This is different, and you damn well know it. I am not Ilmir, and she is not a woman I am courting. She is dying.”

“Being chivalrous?” Ferrous threw up his hands, grumbled and walked through the trees back toward the shore. “Make haste. I wish to make this hellish scene vanish this hellish scene and be to London to deal with Ilmir.”

Did Ferrous truly think he wanted to do this? To kill another woman was the last thing he wished. Twenty years had passed… Jordan inhaled a deep breath and blew it out between tense lips. He ran his fingers down her pale cheek and around her chin, tilting her face toward his. A slender nose, full, angelic lips, and noble cheekbones. A beauty. “To a better afterlife, dear.”

He raised her chin, exposing her long, graceful neck and faintly beating pulse. Another death…

Dash it. He stared unblinking at the slight flutter of her blood beneath her skin. Relax, Jordan. He closed his eyes and exhaled. All will be well.

Prickling pain clawed through the roof of his mouth as his two pointed teeth extended into thin slivers of bone. He stared down at her neck. She had been floating in blood and seawater. He spit on her neck, twice. His saliva glimmered as it slid down her throat to the grass below. There, that should wash away the dirt she had stewed in. Or would it? His throat tightened. Don’t lick her. Be done with it.

He leaned in and pressed his teeth to her vein. His mouth opened, saliva pooled heavily, and his tongue thickened. The pouches by his back teeth filled with poisonous blood, forcing his jaw still wider. He inhaled a jagged breath. His heart leapt and pounded, vibrating through his entire being…

Bite her, Jordan. Be done with it. Bite her.

Her faint pulse bumped against his teeth, willing him to take her as his mate. Mate? Well, that urge was pointless. She would pass just as swiftly as the others. He rolled his lip back and hissed, then pressed, slicing through her soft, salty outer skin and into her tepid blood flowing below.

She didn’t flinch.

This was the first time he had taken a woman when he was not passionately joined with her. Odder yet not to have her scream. To have her do nothing but lie on the wilted grass.

He swallowed. Dirt be damned, he needed to taste her and know that one essence of the life he now took. He fluttered his tongue on her smooth skin. Warm, salty blood slid thickly down his tongue.
Damn. His muscles quivered as his poisonous blood streamed from his pouches and down his teeth, twisting into her veins. His cock pressed painfully hard against his thigh.

The task was done. There would be no more. He would not take his pleasure in her. He would not know the feel of her flesh against his. He would never know her favorite color. This woman, like all the others who had come before, was not meant to be his. Enough!

He growledand opened his mouth wide. Her soft flesh slipped from his fangs. He pulled his head back, and their mixed blood trailed in streams down her neck and dress. His vision shifted and popped. Adrenaline mixed with power bubbled through his veins. This…this, he had missed.

This was what he was meant to be. His full elemental power at a glimpse. He tossed his hair back and then growled a dragon’s cry up to where the moon should hang in a radiant, colored vision. Yet only the ebony fog resided tonight. There was no moon to lighten this scene. His vision rippled with detailed clarity. Ah. Indeed. This was the power that years of existence without his mate had diminished. He wanted this power back. It had been too long. In a burst of speckled light, everything changed back to somber mist. Bloody hell. His throat closed off, and his eyes burned. No! He swallowed hard, and his shoulders sagged. This was a tease. A temptation.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. He would never know more of what the Zir were than this… Death and a glimpse of the exhilarating power they were destined to have.

He inhaled and smelled her metallic, sweet blood on his lips. His tongue traced his teeth and upper lip, gathering up the enslaving essence. Sweet orange blossoms and candied cherries. His made-up version of what she should taste like. Remember her. His jaw trembled as hot blood pounded through him to his groin. His soul wanted more of her. To mate. To love. To live a lifetime of companionship.
He clenched his teeth, and his fangs pierced his lower lip. You have done enough to end her suffering. Quite enough. Let her be. He opened his eyes once more.

A shadow shaped as Ferrous stood head down and arms straight out in the air at the rocks’ edge. “Make haste. I wait no more.”

Jordan placed her head softly back on the grass. “Will scant be a moment more of pain, beauty.” He trailed his hand down her broken arm to a heavy, thick bracelet looping her wrist. He unclasped the chain and slowly rubbed the metal between his fingers. His token of her death. He tucked the jewelry in his inner coat pocket, then rose to his full height. Turning to his left, he skulked into the inky woods.
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Lacy Danes made a New Year's resolution to write a hot, historical romance.

A year and a half later, she achieved her goal. She lives in Portland, Oregon, where besides writing she enjoys playing cards, chasing her kids around, and savoring a great martini with the man of her dreams all while watching the world go by.

Visit Lacy at her web site.

Find Lacy and her books
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Waterfall
Dragon's Fate #1 
Samhain BN Amazon iTunes Google Books
Curses are designed to be cruel, but the one afflicting Jordan and his brothers is almost beyond bearing. A dragon born by blood magic, he is an immortal trapped in human form, with only one hope of finding his eternal mate. He must bite her—and pray she lives.

One dark night, he senses the wounded heartbeat of a woman in the shadows, begging him to end her life. Ever the gentleman, he chivalrously obliges her wish. Only to discover three days later that she lives. And has married another.

Celeste always dreamed of marrying for love, but the nightmare of living in her father’s home drives her to wed the Duke of Hudson. Yet on her wedding eve, she is compelled to follow a mysterious man who professes to know her secret. A man with curious blue scales on his muscular arms—whose shadowed eyes reflect a dangerous mix of destiny and desire… 
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New Releases: 12/21-12/27


Mon. Dec. 22nd

 Marked (Dark Protectors #7) by Rebecca Zanetti

Tue. Dec. 23rd

 This Shattered World (Starbound #2) by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
 Transcendent (Starling #3) by Lesley Livingston

Happy Reading!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Interview & Giveaway: Banewolf by Eden Ashley

UFI welcomes Eden Ashley. Thanks for Joining us!!
 
What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?

 I have really big feet for a girl. Size 10. That’s a 41 stomper in European sizes.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

I’m a bit of a television addict. Seriously. I can spend an entire weekend shuffling from my couch to the bathroom, binge watching whatever syfy/paranormal series that has grabbed my attention. Last month, it was Haven. Lately, it’s been Bitten and True Blood.

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

I love it when characters come to life in my mind to such an extent that I can make them feel just as real to readers.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write? 

Not really. I only need coffee! Oh and I can’t write in the morning or during midday. Apparently my muse doesn’t wake up until nightfall.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres? 

The Anita Blake series got me started in my love of paranormal. Chronicles of the Warland is probably my favorite series to date. It’s more of a fantasy read with light paranormal elements.

How would you pitch Banewolf to someone who has not heard of it before? 

Banewolf continues the story of Kali and Rhane, young and ancient lovers who are embattled in the struggle of their lives to preserve their love and freedom. Both are threatened due to sins past and enemies who crave the powers possessed between them. If Kali and Rhane are to survive, their bond must be unbreakable.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that Banewolf is set in? 

It’s a juxtaposition of the real world and fantasy. Kali goes to a normal high school like a normal teenager and works at an archaeology firm part-time. The fantasy/paranormal elements are introduced via the characters themselves and the unique mythology that explains their origins and history. Kali and Rhane are neither nor human, nor vampire, nor werewolf, fairy, nor witch. They are something completely different.

Do you have a favorite scene in Banewolf

Banewolf is full of so many great scenes I loved writing that it’s hard to pick a favorite. If forced to choose, I would have to say the end scene where *spoilers*spoilers*spoilers.

Which one character out of all your books was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about? 

I love writing York’s scenes. With his character, I can just let go and let loose all the snarky humor, sexism, and dark humor to my heart’s content! He’s so bad, but for some reason, readers still love him.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?

The fourth and final book of the series, Primed Son, has a late 2015 release planned. I’ve also got another fantasy/paranormal novel not at all related to the Dark Siren series in the works. It will be a standalone novel, should be finished and hopefully published in 2015. Fingers crossed! 
 
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Cynic, realist, and hopeless romantic all rolled into one, Eden was born and raised in a small, sunny town in South Carolina, but thunderstorms have inspired her best ideas. There are few things she loves more than curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee on a rainy day, (except maybe chocolate cake. She loves cake.) often reading into the wee hours of morning when something really grabs her attention. She pretty much loves anything with supernatural elements, so writing paranormal romance and fantasy romance seems to be a natural fit.

Find Eden and her books
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Banewolf
Dark Siren #2
BN Amazon Print Amazon Kindle
New enemies are made.

New allies must be forged.

Kali is beginning to regain her memories. In doing so, she discovers old secrets and betrayals that threaten to unravel her present and shake the foundation for Rhane’s belief in her innocence. While her maturing abilities present unique challenges, a bigger problem arises when Kali learns her ex-boyfriend has made a misguided deal with the enemy in order to win her back—a decision that may ultimately cost him his humanity.

Keeping Kali safe has become a full time job for Rhane. And struggling to gain control of the immortal Banewolf isn’t making that task any easier. The power to eliminate the growing threat against Kali lies at Rhane’s fingertips, but using it means risking his friends to the insatiable blood lust of a monster. So Rhane is forced to forge a shaky alliance with creatures he has sworn to destroy. Despite these new allies, the danger pressing on their borders intensifies, culminating in a heartbreaking and shocking finale.

The strength of the bond between young and ancient lovers will be tested…and if Kali and Rhane are to survive, they must find a way to be unbreakable.
 
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Excerpt:

I Want You to Remember…

After seeing the Cal who wasn’t Cal, Kali’s mind was far too harried to focus on class. Skipping the last block of the day, she went to the swimming pool and sat at the bottom for a long time. Her eyes were closed. Her body was motionless. The pressure of the water became a loving caress, helping to relax everything except her mind. Those anxious thoughts just wouldn’t let go. Even with all Rhane had revealed, the past remained hidden like it had never existed.

But you didn’t forget.

That was right. An entire lifetime…taken. And it wasn’t just her life with Rhane. Kali had lived well over a dozen lives in stolen human bodies. Yet she couldn’t remember a single one of them. Each of those little girls had been stripped from the arms of a family who loved them, only to be replaced by a soul-sucking, fire-setting siren. And for what reason? If Rhane knew, he wasn’t telling. Why won’t he talk to me? I’ve proven my trust.

Well, she amended the thought. I did push him away at first, but only for like fifteen minutes. Then Gabriel showed up and started ripping more of my life to pieces.

Kali took a breath and then another, but not with her lungs. Her skin absorbed oxygen from the water and exchanged it for carbon dioxide waste in her blood. The process didn’t come automatically. It took a lot of focus to make underwater breathing happen. In her two weeks on the lam, she’d discovered this new talent. And it had proven very useful, practically allowing her to live in the water. Holding her breath was certainly easier, but that came with time limits. After twenty minutes, she had to surface.

She was determined to master underwater breathing. Concentrating on the task left her brain severely limited in the number of other things it could worry about. And that was a plus.

Feeling the faintest tremble in the water, she opened her eyes. The lights were flickering. After a few cycles of an ebbing and surging glow, they went out completely. She tried not to panic in the darkness, expecting the underwater lighting to illuminate soon. But instead, there came a muted thud. All of the lights suddenly flooded the pool arena. And Kali screamed.

Bodies were everywhere. Hundreds of them littered the swimming pool floor. Parts of their skin were burned. Charred chunks broke apart from decaying flesh. Tentacles of black liquid snaked into the water. The body of a child rose up, a bloated mass set adrift in a nonexistent current. Kali stared into the film of the corpse’s dead eyes with absolute horror. Black hair floated around his head in a dark halo of death. Even with blanched, greying and puckered skin, Kali saw in the child a startling resemblance to Rhane. Bubbles spurted from her mouth as she screamed again.

She kicked hard, trying to get as far away from the corpse as fast as she could. When her back slammed into solid concrete, she turned to scramble up the pool wall. Fingers slipping on the wet ledge, she finally managed to pull herself out and flop onto her stomach. Trembling with a dozen more screams welled up inside, Kali shook with the effort of not releasing them.

Pushing to her feet, she looked down into the water, needing desperately to believe she was not going crazy. There were no dead people. There was no dead boy. The pool was empty.

#

Icy water pounded from the showerhead, streaming into her eyes as it washed the chlorine from her body. All Kali could see was the boy. His lifeless face floating before hers, dark and grey and distorted in death. It took both hands to smother her sobs. She couldn’t understand what was happening. Was it possible that the vision was a real memory like the nightmares of the horseman had been real memories?

The lights in the shower room flickered and went out just as they had in the pool auditorium. Her breath caught in her chest as she waited for what would happen next. She didn’t have to wait long.
“Kalista,” a male voice sighed into the darkness.

She backed away. She was naked and blind. And in the shower was a stranger who probably meant her harm. The vulnerable state made Kali’s movements very clumsy.

“Darkesong.”

This time the voice was closer. So close, she could feel the whisper against her skin. She knew it was the thing pretending to be Cal. Kali bit her lip. She was too frightened to scream. But screaming wouldn’t have helped anyway.

At first, his touch was light. Kali reacted, flinching away violently. Then “Cal” grabbed her. He was an irresistible force shoving her against the wet shower wall. His hard body pressed against hers. The heat from him completely dispelled the cold that fell around them.

Kali felt his face against her skin. His hot breath steamed next to her cheek.

“Don’t,” she whispered.

Strong fingers slipped around her throat, but their hold was gentle. The lights partially returned, and she could see him. Physically, everything was the same…except for the eyes. Gone was the shocking blue of Cal’s stormy stare. In its place were two red orbs that reflected abnormally in the dim light. She would have recognized those eyes anywhere.

“Gabriel.”

He nodded. His body still had her pinned. His right hand grasped her throat, while the other rested idly against the wall. She waited for him to say or do something, but he didn’t. Nothing happened. Open malice and rage emanated from Gabriel’s still form, but Kali wasn’t entirely sure those emotions were aimed at her.

She inhaled a shaky breath. The action squashed her breasts against his chest. “What did you do to Cal?”

Another unnerving smile slashed his face. “He’s still here.”
 
“What do you want?”

Pressing his nose into the curve of her neck, Gabriel inhaled a dramatic whiff of her scent. Trembling, Kali tried to push away, wedging her body painfully into the wall. When Gabriel’s left hand moved, she went rigid. But the hand never touched her. It hovered next to her head, holding a tiny yellow stone.
 
“I want to help you remember.”

The events that followed would remain a blur of varying shades of grey darkness for some time. When Kali came to, she was standing in the rain, completely drenched. Rhane stood in front of her, lips moving soundlessly as he shouted, the words swept away by an unforgiving wind. She had never seen his eyes so black or so deadly focused as he leveled a gun directly over her heart.
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Sunday, December 21, 2014

Week in Review: 12/14-12/20


*Please Note* I will be traveling from 12/20-12/27 and will have sporadic access to the internet. Enjoy the Holidays!*

Books I've Bought/received

- Deadly Spells by Jaye Wells- eARC- Publisher via Netgalley

- A Curse Unbroken by Cecy Robson- eARC- NetGalley

Books I've Read

Dragon Her Back by Susannah Scott
Stayed by Amber Lynn Natusch
Blood Moon by Lisa Kessler
Time of Death: Asylum by  Shana Festa

Reviews Posted

Blood Moon by Lisa Kessler
Strayed by Amber Lynn Natusch
Christmas with a Bite by Patricia A. Wolf
Dragon Her Back by Susannah Scott

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Guest Blog for The Witch Within by Jacqueline Paige, Release Day Blitz for  Debt Collector by Susan Kaye Quinn

* Tuesday- Guest Blog & Giveaway for Stolen Fate by Linsey Hall

* Wednesday- Interview for Revelations by Pam Daniell

* Thursday- Interview for No Angel by Pippa Jay

* Friday- First Twelve Chapters of Cori McCarthy's Breaking Sky FREE

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
 
 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

First Twelve Chapters of Cori McCarthy's Breaking Sky FREE

Breaking Sky  
Sourcebooks Fire  
ISBN 9781492601418  
March 2015


In this high-flying, adrenaline-fueled thriller, America’s best hope is the elite teen fighter pilots of the United Star Academy. 
 
“The author's storytelling is incredibly cinematic, equally adept at capturing extended flight sequences and Chase's interpersonal struggles. Emotions run high toward the novel's end, and the author isn't afraid to play a bit rough, making this feel less like a novel capitalizing on current trends and more like a great story being told in a very cool way. Smart, exciting, confident—and quite possibly the next Big Thing.” – Kirkus Reviews
 
Fly to the last drop of fuel. Fight to the last drop of blood.
 
Showoff. Reckless. Maverick. Chase Harcourt, call sign “Nyx”, isn’t one to play it safe. In the year 2048, America is locked in a cold war – and the country’s best hope is the elite teen fighter pilots of the United Star Academy. Chase is one of only two daredevil pilots chosen to fly an experimental “Streaker” jet. But few know the pain and loneliness of her past. All anyone cares about is that Chase aces the upcoming Streaker trials, proving the prototype jet can knock the enemy out of the sky.
But as the world tilts toward war, Chase cracks open a military secret. There’s a third Streaker, whose young hotshot pilot, Tristan, can match her on the ground and in the clouds. And Chase doesn’t play well with others. But to save her country, she may just have to put her life in the hands of the competition.

Cori McCarthy’s taut, romantic, action adventure will shoot your pulse straight into overdrive with her brilliantly imagined and frighteningly possible future.
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Enjoy your free preview of Breaking Sky by Cori McCarthy.



Friday, December 19, 2014

Review: Dragon Her Back by Susannah Scott

Dragon Her Back
Release Date: December 15, 2014
Publisher: Entangled: Covet
ISBN:   1633751570
ISBN13: 9781633751576
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Author and Publisher

How To Claim Your Dragon...

As the head of security of Vegas's Crown Jewel casino―and its hidden dragonshifter sanctuary―ice dragon Darius Dachien commands respect. Unfortunately, that respect isn't always reciprocated. In fact, when it comes to the stunning Mei Chen, hostility might be a better word. Which makes things even harder for Darius, since Mei is his dragon mate. Without her, his dragon form is fading fast...and once lost, will be gone forever.
Mei can't deny the fierce chemistry that simmers between them. If Darius were ever to discover who―or rather, what―she really is, she wouldn't just lose him, but her place with the dragonshifters. The moment Mei's past comes crashing into her present, she realizes her time for secrets has ended. Now she must reveal her true self...and risk both her life and her heart with the one man who could destroy her.

We FINALLY get Mei and Darius's story in DRAGON HER BACK. It was nice to finally understand why Mei was pushing Darius away and get to know them both better.

Mei was never my favorite secondary character. She comes off pretty hard and cold and I really didn't like how she was pushing Darius away even though his dragon was fading. I was relieved when I realized that she didn't KNOW that his dragon was fading and she in fact cared a lot about that fact. I am not sure if I just assumed before or if that is a spoiler so I apologize now if no one else knew that either. I didn't really have an opinion of Darius before DRAGON HER BACK. I felt sorry for him for having a mate that didn't seem to want him, but that was about all. I was really surprised at how vulnerable Mei was throughout most of the book. She ended up confiding in Darius pretty quickly and didn't drag it out until it was too late, which was nice. It was great to watch them finally come together as a team (although it wasn't always smooth).

There were a few things I didn't understand and they're bugging the heck out of me. Why did the woman in the casino smell like Darius? Doesn't something like that only happen if they have sex? If so, wtf? Don't get it. Also Lana. She was awful and refused to help Mei when she was was obviously in trouble. Why wasn't this brought up again? Both situations really left a bad taste in my mouth and it would have been nice if we got more answers and closure from them.

One of the things I have enjoyed about all of the books in this series is that they are all shorter, fast paced, and still manage to convey a complete story. Whose love story will be next? Could it be Jane?

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.