Thursday, April 30, 2015

Review: The Shattered Court by M.J. Scott

The Shattered Court
Author: M.J. Scott
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Roc
The Four Arts Book #1
ISBN:  0451465393
ISBN13: 9780451465399
Genre: Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
First in a new fantasy series from the author of the Novels of the Half-Light City.

Entangled in a court ruled by tradition and intrigue, a young witch must come to terms with newfound power and desire—and a choice between loyalty and survival.…

The royal witches of Anglion have bowed to tradition for centuries. If a woman of royal blood manifests powers, she is immediately bound by rites of marriage. She will serve her lord by practicing the tamer magics of the earth—ensuring good harvests and predicting the weather. Any magic more dangerous is forbidden.

Lady Sophia Kendall, thirty-second in line to the throne, is only days away from finding out if she will be blessed—or perhaps cursed—with magic. When a vicious attack by Anglion’s ancient enemies leaves the kingdom in chaos, Sophia is forced to flee the court. Her protector by happenstance is Lieutenant Cameron Mackenzie, a member of the royal guard, raised all his life to be fiercely loyal to the Crown.

Then Sophia’s powers manifest stronger than she ever imagined they would, and Cameron and she are inextricably linked in the process. As a witch unbound by marriage rites, Sophia is not only a threat to the established order of her country, but is also a weapon for those who seek to destroy it. Faced with old secrets and new truths, she must decide if she will fight for her country or succumb to the delicious temptation of power.…

I was pleasantly surprised by THE SHATTERED COURT. I am pretty picky with my high fantasy reads and after reading the blurb I wasn't blown away, but when I started reading, I quickly realized that this was a book I was going to enjoy reading.

Sophia is a royal witch who's waiting for her birthday to find out if she will manifest magic. She is pretty sheltered and protected in the castle and wants nothing more than to be like the other kids her age. I actually liked Sophia quite a bit. She comes off as meek, but you learn that she has bite. She is also really curious and questions things, especially when they don't make sense. This happens to get her in trouble and the fact that she ends up being really powerful makes her a target.

I will admit I was kinda put off by Cameron at first. He had a relationship (sexual) with the princess and I hate to admit it, but I judged him badly for that. He quickly grew on me as he stepped up to protect Sophia and also stepped up when they got back to the palace. He genuinely liked her and wanted to be with her. Their relationship was sweet and their feelings grew pretty strong in a world that people are usually thrown together for political gain. They got lucky, but it sure wasn't easy.

There is a lot of politics involved in THE SHATTERED COURT. The world building was well done and it was easy to follow along with everything that was going on. The struggles that Sophia and Cameron faced were real and I had no problem rooting for them. The ending wasn't a surprise to me, but I was really intrigued watching it unfold and it left me excited to see what will happen next.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Interview: Shadow's Pleasure by Molle McGregor

UFI welcomes Author Molle McGregor. 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? 

Here’s something not many people know – I’ve recently gotten back into gaming. For years – before I had kids – I used to game with my husband and out friends. Then we had our boys and my husband kept gaming, but I never seemed to have time. Our oldest son just started playing with his Dad and I was so jealous I ended up getting the game Witcher for my laptop. So while the boys are hogging the Playstation, I’m sneaking in my own game time. My son likes my game so much, he’ll put down his own controller to watch me play. The only hard thing is staying away from the game when I’m supposed to be working

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

Reading is my number one favorite pastime. These days, when I’m not reading, I’m usually getting in some gaming time, or playing with my two boys. And now that it’s spring, I’ll be outside a lot more enjoying the mountains.

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

I love all of it (except line editing) but there’s usually a point when the story comes together. It takes off on it’s own and I’m just trying to keep up. That’s the most fun. I’m just about at that point with the next book in the series, Shadow’s Discovery.

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

I’ve been trying a lot of different things lately. Another writer suggested trying the Pomodoro technique – working with complete focus for a period of time, then taking a short break. I thought I’d hate it, but doing this has enabled me to get a lot more done. I’ve found that using the Pomodoro technique, I’m less picky on the other aspects of my writing environment. A key for me is turning off the internet. I use an app called Freedom to lock out the internet when I’m writing. My husband teases me that we pay for internet and then I paid for an app to turn it off. But it works for me Also, coffee!

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

That’s a tough question to answer because there are so many. In my genre Nalini Singh, Kresley Cole, JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Alexandra Ivy are my biggest inspirations. Other authors who get me excited about writing include Kristen Ashley, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Stephen King, Jim Butcher, Kit Rocha/Moira Rogers, Patricia Briggs and Courtney Milan. I recently discovered Rose Lerner and Daisy Prescott, who I love. I know I’m missing more than a few….

How would you pitch Shadow’s Pleasure to someone who has not heard of it before? 

Shadow’s Pleasure picks up right where the previous book in the series, Shadow’s Awakening, left off, though some of the readers say it works as a stand alone book as well. It’s the story of Sorcha, a Shadow empath, and Kiernan, a Warder soldier, and their quest to rescue three missing Shadows. Sorcha and Kiernan are both passionate and stubborn. The sparks between them are intense and I had so much fun watching them fall in love and fight their way through the obstacles in their path. In Shadow’s Pleasure, readers don’t just get Sorcha and Kiernan’s story, they meet some new players in the Shadow Warder world and get to see a little more of the larger story emerge.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that Shadow’s Pleasure is set in? 

The main characters in the Shadow Warder world are the Warders and the Shadows, ancient warriors created to protect humanity from the Vorati demons. Over fifteen hundred years ago, the Shadows and Warders were driven apart by betrayal. Since then, they have worked apart, all contact between them forbidden. But the Vorati demons are gaining in strength and they aren’t strong enough on their own to keep their human charges safe. As their world changes, they’ll have to decide if they want to hold on to the past, or look to their future.
 
Do you have a favorite scene in Shadow’s Pleasure? 

My favorite scene is Kiernan and Sorcha’s trip to the club. They’d been flirting, but this is the first time they do something about it. The atmosphere is so sensual, and the scene also introduces a new type of character to the Shadow Warder world. Since there are some spoilers, I don’t want to give too much away, but here’s a little teaser from this part:

“I plan to,” he whispered against her lips.
“Plan to what?” Sorcha whispered back. Kiernan’s lips, warm and soft as silk, slid over hers. A whimper caught at the back of her throat.
“Plan to take care,” Kiernan said, lips brushing hers as he spoke. “You belong to me.” 

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

This changes depending on what I’m working on. Right now, Keeley is my favorite. She’s Sorcha’s best friend and the heroine of Shadow’s Discovery. She’s a determined optimist who’s open personality hides her vulnerabilities. I love the contrasts in her, as well as her loyalty to her friends
and her courage.

And Eric, Keeley’s hero, is one of the hardest. He’s an intelligent soldier in a very difficult situation. Some of his decisions are frustrating to me, but make complete sense to him. As the author, that’s hard. I know characters, just like real people, have to learn their lessons through experience, but sometimes I want to tell Eric what’s coming so he can stop himself before it’s too late. On the other hand, watching him take this ride of love and adventure is too much fun. If Eric knew what was coming for him, the book would be much shorter and a lot less interesting

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

Right now I’m finishing up Shadow’s Discovery, Book Three in the Shadow Warder series and Keeley and Eric’s story. After that I already have the next few Shadow Warder book planned out. Amelia and Caleb are next, and readers will get to catch up with Gabe and Celeste from the prequel novella. After that will be Kate and Ben’s story. I’m also working on a second series based in the Shadow Warder world, though that won’t be out for a while – at the moment I’m too caught up in the Shadow Warder series to branch out!
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Molle’s writing career started when she was seven and suffered terrible insomnia. Night after night she couldn’t sleep until long after mid-night, only to wake a few hours later. Frustrated with her inability to just go to bed, (and her penchant for sneaking a book and a flashlight under the covers) her grandmother said, “You like to read so much, why don’t you tell yourself a story until you fall asleep.” With this brilliant advice, Molle’s overactive brain was off and running. Now, years later, she’s finally taught herself to sleep, but she’s never stopped telling stories.

When she’s not reading, writing, or staring into space making things up, Molle is getting into trouble with her husband, two sons, two dogs and vicious attack cat in the mountains of North Carolina. She likes to hike, cook, listen to music way too loud, and hang out with her boys. She does not like dusting or emptying the dishwasher.

Find Molle and her books
__________________________________

Shadow's Pleasure
Shadow Warder #2
 Brought together by circumstance. Bound together by chance. Despite the danger, passions ignite...

Sequestered for over ten years and manipulated by those that were supposed to love and protect her, Sorcha wants nothing more than her freedom. When her childhood friend and two other Shadows are kidnapped and held by a sadistic Director hell-bent on changing the very nature of their existence, Sorcha knows it’s past time to escape. With the help of the sinfully sexy Kiernan Black, she finally gains her independence, but the depths of her passion for the Warder may be more dangerous than the mission to save her friends.

As a Warder, Kiernan Black has never turned his back on an innocent. So when one of his own is working with a demon to brutalize innocent Shadows, he knows he must save them. With the beautiful, brave, and infuriatingly stubborn Sorcha Davis as his partner, he embarks on what might be the most dangerous mission of his life. But if he can find a way to make the fiery Shadow his along the way, the rewards could outweigh the risks.
Excerpt
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TOUR SCHEDULE

Crazy Four Books http://crazyfourbooks.blogspot.com 4/10/2015
Katie's Corner http://crasyabout.blogspot.com 4/14/2015
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Angel's Guilty Pleasures http://angelsguiltypleasures.com 4/17/2015
Urban Fantasy Investigations http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/ 4/29/2015
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T's Stuff http://teresanoel.blogspot.com/ 4/7/2015
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Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Interview, Review & Giveaway: Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep

UFI welcomes Author Jeniffer Estep. Thanks for Joining us!!

This or That with Jennifer Estep

Fantasy or Reality
JE: Fantasy

Left or Right
JE: Left

Cable or Internet
JE: Cable – I still like watching stuff on a TV screen rather than my computer.

Cake or Pie
JE: I’ll be a rebel and say cookies. ☺

Coffee or Tea
JE: Tea

Movies or Reading
JE: Both!

YA or Adult
JE: Both!

Morning or Night
JE: Night

Facebook or Twitter
JE: Facebook

Lover or Fighter
JE: My characters are fighters, so I’ll go with that.
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Jennifer Estep is a New York Times bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer writes the Black Blade young adult urban fantasy series for Kensington. Cold Burn of Magic, the first book in the series, was released today, April 28.

Cold Burn of Magic focuses on Lila Merriweather, a 17-year-old thief who lives in Cloudburst Falls, West Virginia, a town dubbed “the most magical place in America.” Tourists come from around the world to tour all the magic-themed shops and attractions, as well as see monsters like tree trolls, copper crushers, and more in their natural habitats.

Lila does her best to stay off the grid and avoid the Families — mobs — who control the town. But when she saves a member of the Sinclair Family during an attack, Lila finds herself caught in the middle of a brewing war between the Sinclairs and the Draconis, the two most powerful Families in town.

Find Jennifer and her books
__________________________________

Cold Burn of Magic
Black Blade #1
Kindle  Amazon  BN   Books-A-Million  iBooks  Google Play  Kobo   IndieBound
There Be Monsters Here. . .

It's not as great as you'd think, living in a tourist town that's known as "the most magical place in America." Same boring high school, just twice as many monsters under the bridges and rival Families killing each other for power.

I try to keep out of it. I've got my mom's bloodiron sword and my slightly illegal home in the basement of the municipal library. And a couple of Talents I try to keep quiet, including very light fingers and a way with a lock pick.

But then some nasty characters bring their Family feud into my friend's pawn shop, and I have to make a call--get involved, or watch a cute guy die because I didn't. I guess I made the wrong choice, because now I'm stuck putting everything on the line for Devon Sinclair. My mom was murdered because of the Families, and it looks like I'm going to end up just like her. . .

Cloudburst Falls, West Virginia is a magical place filled with talent, magic, monsters and more importantly, Lila Merriweather.

I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know Lila. She is is loyal, a bit reckless and knows her way around a sword fight. I really liked that we get to know her past pretty quickly, it definitely helped me connect to her. 

The whole book had a really good pace. I enjoyed learning about the various monsters in Cloudburst Falls and Lila's familiarity with them helped her out of a life and death situation. The different talents that the characters inherit keep the mob families on top and I loved that Lila possesses some that can put some of her enemies to shame.

If you're not familiar with Jennifer Estep, you should know that she has a thing for food and every single book in every series will make you salivate at the detail she puts into the cuisine. Make sure you have some yummy snacks available because you WILL be hungry.

Jennifer Estep has no problem bringing a brand new world to life in COLD BURN OF MAGIC. The action is plentiful, the characters are interesting and the writing is just as phenomenal as her past books.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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New Releases: 4/26-5/2


Tue. Apr. 28th

 In a World Just Right by Jen Brooks
 The Replaced (The Taking #2) by Kimberly Derting
 Rogue (Talon #2) by Julie Kagawa
 Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley
 Rook by Sharon Cameron
 Valiant by Sarah McGuire

Happy Reading!!

Monday, April 27, 2015

Interview & Giveaway: Ashes by Sophie H. Morgan

 UFI welcomes Author Sophie H. Morgan. 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 terrible impulses that I'm helpless against. Like last year, for example, I decided I really wanted to go to Ireland. So I booked tickets for a flight and a hotel in Dublin to go in 6 weeks. I justified it as a research trip. =)

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

Obviously reading, which is a pleasure as well as part of work. I have a love/hate relationship with walks in the countryside, but my spaniels insist on it. I've also got a terrible weakness for shopping, and when I want something, I work hard until I justify how I can have it.

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

When it's going well, there's no other high that compares. I love writing dialogue that banters back and forth, that you can practically hear in your ear and sizzles off the page.

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

I find I write consistently better when I write at least 1000 words per day, though that can climb to 4 or 5000 when I have the day off from my day job. I always have to read back through what I wrote the day before as well, slip back into the story so to speak.

While I wish I was a thorough plotter, I find I straddle the line between plotter and pantser. Even so I need to have at least the next few scenes outlined or the story drifts aimlessly!

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

I have so many, but to pick the absolute instant buys I'd have to say Nalini Singh, who is a beautiful, strong-with-images writer, Larissa Ione, a new favourite but I devoured her books and always fall in love with her heroes, and Gena Showalter and Kresley Cole, who I find equally hilarious and steamy.

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

In the broken human territory, Ana, a runaway phoenix princess, leads a fight against the corrupt human ruler with her gang of misfits under the name of Liberty. The fly in the ointment is her ex-bodyguard, Cade, who's been hired by the ruler to track Liberty down. The flames he denied so long ago fan to life again as both try to figure out truth versus lie in a city on the verge of rebellion.

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

Picture a world torn apart by supernatural wars that has been divided into different territories and assigned to the strongest races. In the very North is the phoenix territory, named The High Lands, where Ana is originally from. It's fragrant, open, lush. Starkly opposite of where she now hides in plain sight - the human territory, The Southlands. Broken and corrupt like its famed human high ruler, the infamous neighbourhood she and her gang inhabit is called the Maze for its manmade traps that try to snatch innocent life. This world is brutal and the meek do not inherit this earth. Only a few, like Ana and her gang, put their lives on the line to protect them.

Do you have a favorite scene in Ashes

This is a hard question because a lot of my favourite scenes are tangled up with the plot, so to avoid spoilers, I'll say a scene with Trick - Ana's co-leader - and Ana near the beginning. Ana has just escaped Cade's clutches, unfortunately with a pair of handcuffs attached. She has to begrudgingly ask Trick for his help - to his vast amusement. This scene goes from high amused banter to infuriated accusations. I always smile when I read it.

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

I loved writing Ana's character. She's so spunky and volatile, prickly on the outside while protecting a vulnerable centre bruised by her parents, Cade's rejection of her love, and a vow never to let herself be hurt like that again. She's earthy, crude, confrontational yet you can't help but root for her to open herself up again.

The hardest was the villain, Edward the Bloody. Trying to convey his desire to advance the human race through his experiments while balancing his outer image so you could believe he fools the majority was really tricky. I didn't want a cookie cutter villain. Ana and Cade deserved a proper villain, but I also wanted to have a villain you could almost see his point and then you'd start to understand why he'd taken in so many.

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

Well, I'm delighted to say that Samhain Publishing has bought the second in the Divided Kingdom series, which focuses on the other female in Ana's gang, Sapphy. She hides a secret too which she'll have to face along with the reluctant help of the gorgeous Fae Enforcer/ Ambassador, Nathe Amergin. He's as proper as she is loose so watch for the sparks!

Aside from that, I'm busy writing the third book in the DK series, which features the Demon member of Ana's gang, and flirting with an idea for a new paranormal romance series =)
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Sophie H. Morgan is a paranormal romance author with a love for hot guys, sassy heroines and HEAs that seem impossible. Currently residing in England, Sophie divides her time between her two crazy spaniels and plotting how best to drive her characters into each other’s arms. Ashes is her first book.



Find Sophie and her books
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Ashes
The Divided Kingdom #1
Samhain Amazon Amazon UK
 Secrets can burn. 

Reared from birth to rule the Phoenix territory, Ana fled her future and her past when her parents were murdered. Now she secretly leads a rebellion to stop the human ruler, Edward, from experimenting on supernaturals.

When she finds herself cornered by an assassin, she knows just what to do: Roast him and toast him. Then recognition sends blue-tipped flames licking through her veins. It’s Cade, the royal bodyguard who once rejected her youthful confession of love.

When Cade regains consciousness from the force of Ana’s punch, he’s still reeling from shock—and fury. He’d loved the princess, and for ten years he thought her dead. Though his inner jackal growls with desire for her, she is the key to completing his mission for Edward—hunt down the rebel known as Liberty.

Ana can’t believe Cade doesn’t know the truth about Edward. If she can convince him of it, his blade could turn the tide of the rebellion. But first they must get beyond their past, or the whole kingdom could go up in smoke.
Product Warnings 

Contains incendiary sex between a phoenix princess with a secret identity, and a jackal shifter who can take a lot of heat. Boys from the “hood”, a king jacked up on enhanced DNA, and killer heels. Anybody got a match?

Excerpt: 

A smile played over his lips, a knowing one. “You were mine, once.”

When his thumb brushed her cheekbone, dipping down to rub her bottom lip, it was all she could do not to purr. For whatever reasons, this man could get beneath her barriers. He could make her lose control.

But he made her remember the past, something that threatened the foundation of the life she’d built for herself.

The door swinging into darkness. Cold, oozing puddles that cling stickily to bare feet. A young voice, wavering as she called out for her parents. Her locket a dull gold, mottled with red where it lay.

With effort, Ana jerked her chin away from his touch. “Get your hands off me, Cade.” With a thin smile, she added, “Only the vampire has those rights.”

That flash of anger. For some reason, the man in front still viewed her as partly his—the jackal, maybe, claiming her. Except jackals were solitary animals.

A growl rumbled through his chest. Keeping eye contact, he stood. When he leaned forward, she flinched, unable to help herself. Whether she was afraid of being touched or tortured, she didn’t know.

His arms flexed with muscle as he worked at something about her head. Something clunked, and the chains fell away from her with a heavy jangle. They lay on the bedspread, innocent and coiled like a false snake.

Grasping she was free, Ana slid from the bed. “Son of a bitch,” she spat, putting out a hand to help steady her. “Iron?”

She lunged at him, confused when her body refused to cooperate. Her biker boots hit the floor as she landed, tottering, two feet away from her intended target.

Focusing inward, she registered how cold her embers were. They barely glittered, a few halfhearted sparks at her prompting. A breath hissed from her.

Phoenixes radiated at around one hundred and twenty degrees; she’d wager she was operating on about human temperature. The lack of heat in the room and lack of food and water equaled her core running on empty. Even as she thought it, the sparks began to disintegrate, sucking inward to preserve the embers at her core.

Determined, she fought through the weakness, charging Cade.

He allowed himself to be thrust backward. “You’re too cold,” he commented. “Hungry. You can’t hurt me.”

“You wanna bet?”

Her knee jerked upward, narrowly blocked by Cade’s hand.

“Don’t even try it.” He pushed her away, making her stagger from weak knees. “You’ll be on your back quicker than an eager whore. Then again,” he continued, the jackal’s obvious pleasure at the verbal sparring spinning through his wicked smile, “maybe you’d enjoy that.”

With a vengeful shriek, Ana went for him. She jabbed with her fists, using her elbows when that didn’t work. He avoided all her blows, laughing with a gut-deep amusement.

When she used her scissor-kick, she saw her mistake too late as he caught her legs and flipped her to the dirty gray carpet. He was on top of her before she could curse, lazy amusement swirling like phoenix smoke.

His arms caged her as an old dimple flashed. “What did I say?”

His weight suddenly pressed down on her abdomen slashes. A wince tugged at her face before she could stop it, a hiss pouring from between her teeth.

His face changed immediately. “Fires above, Alana, you should have said something.”

“I thought you’d hurt me if it was necessary.” She shoved him off her. He let her, a hunter tracking her as she stumbled away. She dropped into the chair he’d claimed earlier, unwilling to admit her jelly limbs. “You’re all mouth.”

A slow smile spread over his face while his eyes altered to a dark velvet. Damn. She’d always been a sucker for the shadow-drenched eyes.

He stalked nearer, the jackal’s satisfied rumble curling out of his mouth as strong hands came down over hers on the chair’s arms.

She couldn’t dislodge him. Curses spilled from her as panic, not for her life but for something more prized, surged up her throat. “Don’t you come near me, Cade Lorin.”

“All mouth?” he repeated, his voice that dark drawl he’d once whispered her name with. “I’ll show you all mouth.”
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Sunday, April 26, 2015

Week in Review: 4/19-4/25



Books Received for Review

-Spider's Trap by Jennifer Estep- eARC- Edelweiss

Books I've Read

Desiring a Demon by Missy Jane
Spider's Trap by Jennifer Estep
The In-Betweener by Ann Christy

Reviews Posted

Desiring a Demon by Missy Jane
The Werewolf Wears Prada by Kristin Miller
Sealed in Sin by Juliette Cross

  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

* Monday- Guest Blog & Giveaway for Piercing the Darkness by Angela Dennis

* Wednesday- Promo for Sealed in Sin by Juliette Cross

* Thursday- Giveaway for The Werewolf Wears Prada by Kristin Miller

* Friday- Cover Reveal & Giveaway for Eternal Sacrifice by Stacey O'Neale

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

* 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, April 25, 2015

Early Review: Desiring a Demon by Missy Jane

Desiring a Demon
Author: Missy Jane
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Covet
Archangels Book #2
ISBN13:  9781633752634
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Publisher
Raphael is the Archangel of Justice, a champion of humans and a warrior who has kept demons from the human realm. Having a half-demon hiding in his home is strictly verboten. And the fact that he can't keep his hands off her? Well, sometimes the war between good and evil is best fought between the sheets...

Astaroth Sinclair's demon side is taking over, staining her entire body red and raising her body temperature hot enough to incinerate her clothes. Even more complicated is the fact that she is helplessly and hopelessly in love with Raphael—even if they have nothing in common other than explosive chemistry.

But when Asta starts digging for answers, she sets off a chain of events that no one could have foreseen. Now her love for Raphael will either save the world...or destroy it.

I am going to start this review off with some of the things I really enjoyed about DESIRING A DEMON. I loved the conflict part of the storyline. It was believable and the danger felt real. I really liked getting to meet Gabriel. It was just a tiny glimpse, but I can't WAIT to read his story when it comes to be his turn. I enjoyed the update on Zerach and Isadora's relationship and their happy news. The secondary characters are all there and like book one, they are a great addition to the story.

Unfortunately I didn't feel like DESIRING A DEMON was as involved as book one was. I know we learned a little bit about both Raphael and Astaroth in TRUSTING AN ANGEL, but I still didn't feel like I really got to know them as well as I knew Zerach and Isadora by the end of the book, especially Asta. There is SO much to her character and I really wanted to learn more about her past. The relationship was of course hot between the couple during their sex scenes, but I didn't feel the heat outside the bedroom. I know they had a love connection, but I didn't feel it as strongly as I did with the other couple.

DESIRING A DEMON felt more like a filler book than a full on love story. I wasn't totally sold on it, but I'm still interested in the series and I will still read book three.

I gave it 3/5 stars

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

Friday, April 24, 2015

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Eternal Sacrifice by Stacey O'Neale

If you're new to the series, this is the BEST TIME to check it out!!!

THE SHADOW PRINCE & MORTAL ENCHANTMENT are currently available for FREE on Amazon from April 24th through April 28th. I promise, this the ONE AND ONLY TIME I will do this, so pick up your copies NOW!!!

And now, here is the cover of the last book in the series, ETERNAL SACRIFICE!!!
Drum roll, please...

EternalSacrifice.v2-Final.v2



As promised, here is the Gift Card CONTEST!!!
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Thursday, April 23, 2015

Early Review & Giveaway: The Werewolf Wears Prada by Kristin Miller

The Werewolf Wears Prada
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Covet
ASIN:   B00VQ1HJS8
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Publisher
Melina Rosenthal worships at the altar of all things fashion. Her dream is to work for the crème de la crème fashion magazine, Eclipse, and she'll do much anything to get there. Even fixing up the image of a gorgeous, sexy public figure who's all playboy, all the time. Even if he's the guy who broke her heart a year ago...

Even if Hayden Dean is a werewolf.

Since his father's death, Hayden's the heir apparent to the San Francisco Wolf Pack—well, once he settles down. Hayden isn't interested in giving up his partying ways, except he's pretty sure he's found his fated mate, and the fact that she's a non-shifter is bad news. Now he must find a compromise between the traditions of his wolf world and his certainty that Melina is his...before fate (or another werewolf) bites them both in the butt.

Set in the same world as Miller's Seattle Wolf Pack Series, The San Francisco Wolf Pack series starts off great with THE WEREWOLF WEARS PRADA.

Melina wants nothing more than to work for Eclipse and the man that stood her up a year earlier is the only way to get the job. Boy does she have her work cut out for her. You would think that she would be a huge snob with her addiction to fashion, but I found her to be pretty down to earth. She is a pretty strong woman and it shines in quite a few parts of the book. Hayden is known as a rich playboy, but to finally become Alpha he needs to change his image so the pack will accept him. We learn that his playboy image is just a cover and that there is way more to Hayden than the front he puts on. There were a few points where his personality kinda repelled me, but you quickly get to know him better and want him to win Melina's heart. Melina and Hayden have a love hate relationship for most of the book. They are very drawn to each other but both push back for different reasons. When they are together they are seriously hot.

If you have enjoyed reading the Seattle Wolf pack series, you will enjoy The San Francisco Wolf Pack. If you have not read the Seattle Wolf Pack series, don't worry, you won't be lost. I'm hoping book two features Hayden's second, I really want to know more about him.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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


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Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Promo & Review: Sealed in Sin by Juliette Cross



Sealed in Sin
Release Date: April 21, 2015
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
ISBN13:  9781619224964
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Author
Amazon  BN  Kobo  Samhain


Sometimes sin looks an awful lot like heaven.

One demon prince may be festering in the bowels of the soul eater Cocytus, but Genevieve’s troubles are far from over. Prince Bamal, demon lord of New York City, still wants her. But this time, he wants her alive, to control her inherent power as a Vessel of Light.

With Jude Delacroix off searching for the prophecy, Thomas—a guardian angel with sea-green eyes and an aura of winter woods—steps into the gap, offering her the power to protect herself.

Yet she hesitates, for the transfer of that power comes through a kiss. While Gen’s love for Jude is true, Thomas stirs a desire where there should be none. Thomas also knows Jude’s darkest secret and plans to use it, if necessary, to win Gen for his own.

While her Vessel power grows and more demon spawn creep from every dark corner of the world, one thing is certain—the Great War between the angels and demons is quickly approaching. And Gen is in a race against time to awaken her full power before the storm breaks.


Warning: Contains a demon hunter with dark secrets, a sexy angel with ulterior motives, and demonic creatures running amok.


SEALED IN SIN ended up being so much better than the blurb. I was thinking Jude would be gone for the whole book and this Thomas person would swoop in and steal Gen's heart, which I would be so mad at and would have to boycott the book in the name of Jude, so good thing that didn't happen. Although there are some crazy love triangle like things happening, you will be happy to know there isn't really a love triangle. WOOHOO!

Now that I put that out there, you are probably like "phew, I can breath." So glad I could help. Gen has learned a lot in a very short time. She has also been through a lot. I think she is handling everything very well considering and her strength definitely makes it easy to root for her. She is very devoted to learning how to fight and protect herself and her skills shine through multiple times in SEALED IN SIN. Jude, what can I say about Jude. He still has a lot of mystery surrounding him, but we get to learn quite a bit more about him throughout the book. I really loved the way Juliette advanced their relationship in SEALED IN SIN as well as the way everything played out.

This series has a lot going for it. A great setting, fantastic characters, action, romance and danger all wrapped up in to make a great overall story. As I already told Juliette, #INeedBoundInBlack. I can't wait to see how it all ends.

I gave it 5/5 stars

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



 

EXCERPT: 

“Hiiii, Juuude.” Mindy actually cooed his name as she crossed into the living room right before the man himself waltzed into my kitchen.

“Hello, Mindy.” As always, he sounded dark and rough, which did strange things to my insides.

Apparently, Dave let him in. Not that a door could or would stop Jude Delacroix from going wherever he damn well pleased. Still, it was nice when he pretended to be human, knocking and stuff, rather than appearing out of nowhere and scaring the bejeezus out of me. He had to put on the whole I’m-normal-and-walk-through-doors routine at my apartment when Mindy was home.

The moment he entered the room, all my senses rose to full alert. The man packed enough heat and power in his aura to melt a girl into jelly. A mere glance from his dark eyes or slight touch from rough hands, and I was lost.

I focused on flipping the pancakes on the stove, still trying to figure out how to tell him about our trip to the House of Hades, the near-miss with Gorham, and the brief and strange meeting with my guardian angel. Kat preferred asking forgiveness rather than permission, or just omitting the admission of any sins altogether. But I had trouble lying, though I seemed to do it often as of late. I especially had trouble lying to Jude.

“Want some brinner?” I asked, plopping another dollop of butter in the pan.

“Brinner? What might that be?” He leaned with his back against the counter next to the stove, splaying one huge hand on the countertop, watching me pour the batter into the pan. How did this man make watching me cook a sexy thing?

“You’ve never heard of brinner?” I glanced at the door to make sure Mindy was out of earshot. “For someone who’s been alive nearly two thousand years, you don’t know a whole lot.”

He slid a finger down my forearm. I nearly dropped the spatula. He leaned closer, his chest brushing my shoulder, voice dropping several decibels. “Educate me.” And just like that, my heart slammed into my rib cage, my thoughts scattering to the wind. I stared at him, knowing my eyes were no longer hungry for pancakes. He pressed warm lips, a feather-soft kiss, to the slope between my neck and shoulder. “Genevieve?” Another press of lips higher up my neck, melting me into goo.

“Hm?” Eyes closed, I welcomed a third kiss just under my jaw.

“Your brinner is burning.”

“Oh, dammit!”

I snapped open my eyes, grabbed the smoking pan and thrust it under the water faucet in the sink. A hissing crackle spit up more smoke.

“There goes brinner.”

“You’ve made more than enough already.”

He motioned to the ten-high stack with a smirk. I couldn’t even think about eating now. Not after that kiss. And not with this guilt weighing me down.

Something registered in his gaze. He reached out his hand.

“Come here.”

From his expression, I wasn’t sure if he planned to give me a hug or a spanking. I wouldn’t mind either. Taking his hand, I let him pull me into his arms.
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Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories. She has a B.A. in creative writing from Louisiana State University, a M.Ed. in gifted education, and was privileged to study under the award-winning author Ernest J. Gaines in grad school. Her love of mythology, legends, and art serve as constant inspiration for her works. From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance--brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.

Find Juliette and her books
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Monday, April 20, 2015

Guest Blog & Giveaway: Piercing the Darkness by Angela Dennis

UFI welcomes Author Angela Dennis. Thanks for Joining us!!

Music and Writing: An Intricate Connection

I’m so excited to have the opportunity to be here.  Thank you much for the invite!   

I’m a fairly passionate person, so there are numerous things that catch my fancy. However, my creative pursuits have always centered around two things, music and writing. This may simply be because I can’t sketch worth a darn, or because I don’t have the patience for intricate arts like glass-blowing or creating stain glass that require a lot of sitting and waiting. But mostly, I think it is because music and writing are intricately connected.

Thanks to my mom, to whom I will be forever grateful, I started playing the piano when I was very young, close to time I started walking. I was blessed with a teacher who believed not just in the strict discipline of learning an instrument, but also in the creative endeavor of writing music. So, from the beginning, I began to write songs. Mainly they were about my dog, or how much I liked to play outside…things I loved at the time. But it taught me that music was a fantastic outlet for my emotions. It was a way to express my dreams and desires.  

Now jump forward several years to when I first discovered books. I love books. The smell of them. The feel of them.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my Kindle as well. But there is something extremely satisfying about sitting down with a cup of coffee and a brand new paperback. That feeling is somewhat irreplaceable.

I was in grade school when I first put pen to paper. It was a dark story about ghosts and witches, which, I’m sure, gave my teacher pause. But I loved it. I loved having an outlet for my raging, overactive imagination.  I never stopped writing. And, clearly, I never stop writing about ghosts, witches, and other things that go bump in the night.  But now when I sit down to write, I always have a playlist ready to go. Music evokes such strong emotions in me, I do my best writing when it’s blasting in my ear buds.

Piercing the Darkness was the first book I’ve ever completely written to music. The writing stage, editing stage…all set to a soundtrack.  And I’d love to share that soundtrack with you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. But I should warn you…I discovered Imagine Dragons while writing this book, as you can probably tell.On Top of the World – Imagine Dragon.
  • Pompeii – Bastille
  • Radioactive – Imagine Dragons
  • It’s Time – Imagine Dragons
  • Something I Need – One Republic
  • Let Her Go – Passenger
  • Tiptoe – Imagine Dragons
  • Monster – Imagine Dragons
  • Amsterdam – Imagine Dragons
  • Bleeding Out – Imagine Dragons
  • RipTide – Vance Joy
  • What You Wanted – One Republic
  • All the Way – Timeflies
  • Say Something – A Great Big World
  • Demons – Imagine Dragons
  • For the First Time – The Script
  • Closer to Love – Matt Kearney
  • Oblivion -- Bastille
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Angela Dennis lives outside Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband, son and a sheltie with a hero complex. When she is not at her computer crafting stories, she can be found feeding her coffee addiction, playing peek-a-boo, or teaching her son about the great adventures found only in books.

You can visit Angela at her blog www.angeladennisauthor.blogspot.com.

She loves to hear from her readers, so don’t forget to find her on Twitter to chat.

Find Angela and her books
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The Piercing Darkness
Shadow Born #2.5
Amazon BN Samhain iTunes Kobo
 Love knows no bounds.

Cursed by the dark mage who killed her, Hilda Janssen has wandered the Earthly plane as a ghost for fifty years, finally finding her place as an IRT hunter, policing supernatural misfits trapped on Earth after a brutal war.

When a demon attacks, putting her team in mortal danger, Hilda sacrifices herself to save her friends. She’s already died once; what difference will doing it again make? But instead of meeting a final death, Hilda is cast into the Void, a magical prison from which there is no escape.

Her only hope is Cade Kerrigan, the lover she left behind after her first death. Their bond and his magic are the only things strong enough to pull her through the Veil. But Cade has no idea his soulmate came back as a ghost, and he isn’t too happy to have been left in the dark.

They must put aside the baggage of the past to save Hilda from a fate worse than death.

Warning: Contains star-crossed lovers destined for a second chance, a whirlwind of powerful magic, and a love so strong it defies even death.
Excerpt:

Everything hurt, even her teeth. Hilda eased to her hands and knees, spitting dirt from her mouth. She had no idea how much time had passed, and she didn’t really care. All she wanted to know was where the hell she was.

She tried to stand, but pain brought her back to her knees on the damp ground. Rubbing at her burning eyes, she shook her head. Her vision was blurry at best, and all she could see for miles was dirt and darkness. The air was thick with humidity and stank of wood smoke, burning her lungs each time she inhaled.

Wait. She was breathing. Ghosts didn’t breathe. And they didn’t hurt.

Her legs gave out and she collapsed onto the ground. She ran her fingers through the soggy earth at her side, realizing she could feel it. Fighting back her growing alarm, she brushed her fingertips across her face. She could feel that too, and it felt solid.

Holy shit, she still had a body. She had no idea how that was possible, but she was going with it. This time when she stood, she was prepared for the instant pain and weakness, so she managed to stay on her feet. She spun around, searching for something, anything, other than the endless darkness.

She definitely was not still on the Earthly plane. This place felt different. The air was gritty, felt dirty against her skin. And something about it seemed…wrong.

As her eyes adjusted, she realized there were globe-like fixtures scattered beneath the ground. They shimmered with pale blue light that barely penetrated the dense atmosphere.

But it was bright enough she could make out the outline of a hillside in the distance. Maybe if she climbed to the top she could get a better look around.

She wrapped her arms around her chest to try and get warm, realizing she was naked.

How she had missed that was anyone’s guess, but it was irrelevant. It wasn’t as if she could pull a pair of pants and a sweater out of thin air. She’d figure it out later, once she got her bearings.

Bare feet dancing across the rough, pebbled landscape, she kept her eyes focused on the hill in front of her, confident her salvation lay on the other side. The farther she walked, the more confused she became. This plane didn’t fit the description of any plane she’d heard of, and the education Brenna had given her had been fairly extensive. There was a tingle of doubt in the back of her mind, a part of her that was convinced she was finally completely dead and this was her afterlife. But she refused to believe that.

So she moved forward, step by painful step, against the wind’s resistance, through the thick layers of fog, until she was only a few yards from the hillside. Now that she was close, she realized the hill was made of a series of jagged stones, jutting out at various dangerous looking angles. It would take a miracle for her to reach the top, but she was known for beating the odds. She’d never know if she didn’t try.

Her hand was clutching the first notch in the rock when she heard it. A mix between a growl and a hiss echoed through the night. It was so loud, she unconsciously released the rock, pressing both palms over her ears to block it out. The ground shook with the force of whatever was coming and the wind stopped abruptly as if it too was running away.
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