Sunday Review: HEA Book Tours Presents: Self Destruct (Book 1) & Destroy Me (book 2) by KD Carrillo

Title Self Destruct (Destroy #1)
Author K. D. Carrillo
Source Received from the author in exchange for an honest review
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Blurb

At twenty-years-old, Becca Scott thought she finally had her life under control. With the help of the people around her, she was able to deal with her traumatic childhood and let go of the pain that haunted her every day. But one unexpected encounter at a lake house would stir up every dark emotion she worked so hard to forget.

There wasn’t anyone Aiden Ryan hated more than himself. Plagued with a life filled with manipulation and regret, he will try anything to ignore the guilt that eats him alive, even if it means more pain for him in the long run. It’s not until he meets Becca that things start to change. There’s only one problem - he’s stuck in a relationship he can’t get out of with a woman he doesn’t care about.

Love is complicated, but when two people have demons they refuse to face, love could destroy them. Together, Becca and Aiden try and let go of their painful pasts to be together, but will their pasts let go of them?

Review

As odd as this is going to sound, this was probably the hardest review I have ever had to write. And its because I am so insanely torn on this book. I want to start this review out by saying I read this in probably 2 days. It was extremely easy to read. Nothing complicated at all about the book. Simple isn't even the right adjective to describe it.

So you would almost think it bored me.

But it didn't. I kept reading, and reading and reading and then before I knew it I was getting up late for work because I was stuck reading about Becca and Aiden.

I didn't really like them. A lot of that is probably because it was a New Adult book and I kept thinking to myself over and over - "Damn these kids are nauseating and ridiculously out there."

But I kept reading and reading ... The plot was decent. Aside from the "i love you" being thrown around over and over and over it wasn't very repetitive.

These kids were very nauseating, but when I think back on my life at 21 in college, i was pretty nauseating too.

And that makes me think these two kids were probably spot on to kids now a days in college.

All in all I give this 3.5 stars. I think if you like New Adult books then this is probably right up your ally.

Title Destroy Me (Book 2)
Author KD Carrillo
Source Received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Purchase Link AMAZON

Blurb

Some pasts linger long after the wounds have healed.

Kate guards her secret from all that know her. Independent and cunning, she traverses through her life one day at a time. Keeping to herself and living her life on her own, just the way she likes it.

However, one man is intrigued by her mysterious ways, despite her attempts to keep everyone at arm’s length.

Reed struggles with the circumstance of his past on a daily basis. His nights are full of terror and haunting memories. He’s a man looking for his purpose outside of the tragedy that curses his mind, and he thinks he may have found it in a reserved and mysterious blonde.

Demons can only hide for so long.

Review

This was another hard one. So while I think the same things applied in the first book, i.e. insane amounts of 'i love you' and very annoying behavior by college aged adults, this was a better book.

I think the authors writing has improved from book one to book two. I felt there was less repeating, although it did still happen. But it flowed much better.

The plot in book two was a bit more complex which I liked, and again I read this book in twenty four hours. So while on the surface I would say this book isn't for me, apparently there was something there to make me keep reading it.

Ultimately I think I am going to avoid "New Age' category books because I think that's my real issue. When I think back to how I was in college it pairs up with these characters so I don't think it is that the author isn't on point.

Because I think K.D. is.

I think I just don't like young twenty something year olds who think they know everything and can rule the world.

All in all I'd say this is a 3.5 star book. And if I was asked to read the next ones in this series I would because for reasons I can't understand, these characters draw me in.

Fire & Ice Book Tour Presents: Giveaway: Velicious by Shelique Lize

Blurb:

Justice Morel always had her life perfectly planned. Her goals were to graduate from the University with exceptional grades and get into the best law school Canada has to offer.

Then one day, Justice tried to kill herself. Well, not her technically. It may have been Justice Morel’s body, but those actions weren’t intentional and the suicidal thoughts were not hers. Or, so she keeps telling her therapist and family.

Justice is afraid she’s losing her mind and just wants to forget everything. But when her best friend is murdered, another one is being mind-screwed by a Vampyre, and her ex is back in town, looking as scrumptious as ever and very suspicious, maybe she isn’t all that crazy!

Just when she thinks that life couldn’t throw her anymore curve balls, Justice figures out that she is Vampyre Doll and there’s a vampyre who seems very familiar to her, but she can’t figure out from where.

Justice is suffocating and drowning in a dark world she’s been tossed into, forced to survive. It’s a world she never wanted to know about and would love to ignore, like it doesn’t exist. But, with every passing day, she’s pulled deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole, wishing for everything to go back to the way it was.

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Excerpt:

Awakening hot, sweaty and trembling, I sat up erect, utterly distracted by my surroundings, and engrossed with feeling antsy for no particular reason. There was a giddiness building inside of me but yet a darkness loitering.

My fingers mauled over the dewy, bleak cement beneath them and, gaping in confusion, I stared off into the rouge lit darkness to find a dozen thick rusting iron bars standing in front of me, as if condemning me to this small confinement.

Behind me, I knew there were iron shackles built into the stone wall to hold prisoners. To the left and right of where I sat was another set of stone barriers growing muck that I could not see but the musty, tangy odour has not gone unnoticed. I sneezed, realizing that I could sensibly taste the fungus growing and that was new to me; but there was also another scent, so heavenly and sapid that I wanted to bathe myself in the fragrance.

Peering off into the opening, beyond the iron doors was where the rouge lighting was coming from, an opening from high up in the ceiling to allow some light in for the captives and/or a torturing device—however you want to look at it.

These dingy cells had no windows but the red glow outside reminded me of blood, mostly because of the essence that enraptured my physical, and for a short while I entertained my exhilarated self with the thought that the red glow was a pool of blood. How delightful that would be.

Nevertheless, rouge lighting? Isn’t that quaint? I wondered, feeling my hair rising on my nape, arms, legs, everywhere in which hair resides pulsing through vivacity, so intense and pure, my fingers curled into fists giving it no outlet.

My vision began to darken; I felt myself slipping and I stood up hastily which made it worse because I fell right into the hands of wooziness, stumbling into the sleety iron bars, cursing.

The cursing was followed promptly by bitter laughter as I mulled over my own situation, grasping the irony of where I was and knowing that I was most likely being punished because of her. My thoughts lingered on her swarthy pale brown face, her soft, supple lips and defiant dark brown eyes.

Zachariah will kill her for sure for my one slip, my one weakness, and gripping the bars tightly I laughed aloud with lucidity clinging to my harmony… And that’s when I heard her—Amelia.

“Who’s there?” her voice so shaken and quiet. I felt the need to go to her, and figure out why she sounded so distressed. However the main question at hand was why is Amelia down here?

Slowly, against the implacable force of zeal pulsing through every vein, muscle and artery, the essence of what works in-sync to keep a being like me going was all elevated and the ethereal smell still idled. My fangs extended then, automatically, like her voice were a fang charmer, and I followed impulsively, thinking about blood.

Blood, blood and more blood. I thought of biting Amelia, monstrously, tearing through her flesh and veins, reaping blood. All that was running through my mind was the red substance, it was taking over and, for the first time in a long time, I was scared.

Amelia repeated her question as I walked past the iron bars, narrowing my sudden burst of hunger on her gaunt face, under the red moonlight from above. Amelia’s curly hair swallowed her petite face as she took a step back; her dress wrapped around her legs sparingly, moving closer to the shade of obscurity.

“Dante…” Amelia said my name, quivering as her brown eyes studied who was before her in fear and confusion. Her thoughts tried to make sense of the monster before her and questions populated her mind.

Amelia’s heartbeats increased, breaths shortened and her eyes widened with definite fear as her brows pulled tightly together; she shook her head nimbly. She whispered, “So the rumours are true…” Her scent engulfed me like a tornado and I knew I didn’t want the darkness to take over, so I fought and another flash of dizziness came at me, my vision blurring, and I knew it wanted Amelia.

 

Buy Links:

Amazon

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About the Author:

I’m just a stay at home mother, who has finally found the courage to share her crazy paranormal universe with the world. I enjoy reading, obviously writing. Proud Canadian. Inspirational quotes keeps me positive. I’m an amateur photographer. Movie holic. Lactose intolerant but loves cheese pizza. Vampires and things of a sort I adore. Shopping is my therapy and I’m an Aries.

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Giveaway:

Enter to win one of three $20 Amazon gift cards on the Velicious tour and giveaway! Open worldwide, this giveaway will run 12/29/14 – 1/26/15. Enter through Rafflecopter.

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HEA Book Tours Presents: Another Mazzy Monday by Savannah Young & Sierra Avalon

ANOTHER MAZZY MONDAY

Authors: Savannah Young & Sierra Avalon

Series: Tawnee Mountain #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

~ SYNOPSIS ~

When the wealthy and charming Drew Graham walks into the Tawnee Mountain Resort where I work and offers me a lucrative part-time job it sounds too good to be true. I just have to pretend to be his fiancée until he wins the election for governor and then we can go our separate ways. It seems like an easy way to make a hundred thousand dollars…until his younger brother, Austin, returns from Europe and moves in with us. And I’m completely overwhelmed by my attraction to him.

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~ EXCERPT ~

My brother hasn’t changed very much since I left for Europe. He’s just a little more of everything. Cocky, charismatic, and quite charming. Give him an audience, no matter how small, and he’ll captivate them within minutes.

Not that I haven’t been accused of being cocky myself. Okay, maybe I’ve been called an asshole on more than a few occasions. But charming I am not. My brother is great at telling people exactly what they want to hear. It’s a skill that will serve him very well in politics. I’m more of a say-what’s-on-my-mind kind of guy. I’m always straightforward and honest. I tell people what I think they need to hear even if they don’t want to hear it.

“Austin Graham,” my big brother says when he finally spots me. He excuses himself from the small group of would-be campaign donors and heads in my direction. “The rebel without a cause returns to the roost.”

To my surprise my brother grabs me into a hug. I reflexively look around the ballroom to see if there are any photographers snapping shots of us. That’s the only reason I could see Drew giving me such a warm greeting. We didn’t exactly part on the friendliest of terms when I left the country.

“I take it Dad summoned you back to the States to help with the campaign.”

“Help is really a strong word. I get the impression I’m needed for publicity photos. He says he wants to show the press that our family is strong and united. You are running a family values campaign, aren’t you?”

My brother glares at me. Then after a few moments of being at the center of his arctic stare he says, “Nice suit.”

“It should be. You probably paid top dollar for it.”

“I thought it looked familiar.”

“Suits and I don’t really get along.”

“I guess that means Dad hasn’t talked you into getting a real job yet.”

“I’ve had plenty of real jobs all over Europe. Everything from milking cows to fixing motorcycles. Whatever odd jobs people had in exchange for a hot meal and a warm bed.”

Drew shakes his head. “Sometimes it’s difficult for me to believe we’re products of the same two parents.”

“You were there when I was born,” I remind him.

“And you were stubborn and willful from the moment you took your first breath. Some things never change.”

“I need a drink,” I announce. Drew, always being the perfect politician and everything his constituents want him to be wrapped in a picture-perfect package, rarely drinks anything but water and orange juice. I, on the other hand, imbibe on a regular basis.

“Maybe stick with one,” he suggests. “Nurse it for a while.”

“Yes, Sir,” I give him a cheesy little fake salute.

As I approach the bar I see a gorgeous little blonde serving small cups of wine to several middle-aged women wearing matching conservative navy blue suits and single strands of white pearls around their necks. They all have their hair cut short and look like they’ll be absolutely no fun even with a little wine in them.

Once the women of the blue suit brigade have cups of wine in their hands they make their way over to my brother. As I wait for the bartender to acknowledge me I’m a little hurt that she doesn’t even glance up at me when she asks me what I want. Then I remember I’m wearing one of my brother’s stuffy suits and that I probably look just like another one of the conservative jackasses at the fundraising event.

This girl looks like someone who prefers a more down-to-Earth kind of guy. If I had on my everyday attire: leather jacket, well-worn jeans and black biker boots, I think I’d get her attention in a heartbeat.

“Beer,” I say, trying to will the blonde to at least glance at me once. But to no avail. She’s all business, serving drinks then taking the next person’s order.

“We’ve got Miller, Bud, and Coors.”

“Miller.”

She nods and fills up one of the small cups with beer. It’s not even the size of a Dixie cup. Maybe half as large. “Got anything bigger than that?”

She shakes her head. “Sorry. It’s complimentary. You can have as many as you like.”

I hold up the ridiculously small cup. It would probably take about ten of these before I even felt a buzz. “Thanks.”

She nods, but she’s only half paying attention to me. When I glance down at her name tag I see her name is Mazzy. Unusual name. I’m completely intrigued. Not just because she’s beautiful with a smoking hot body to match, but there’s something about her that’s different.

Most girls fall all over themselves to get my attention when they figure out who my family is. Being from a wealthy and well-connected family is like an aphrodisiac for most women. I look down to make sure I’m still wearing my name tag and it’s definitely there. This girl just hasn’t even bothered to take a look at it. 

Two guys are now standing behind me so I know I have to let her serve them, but I don’t want to move from this spot. I just want to look at her for a few seconds more. I like watching the way she moves. She seems so carefree and comfortable in her body. As carefree as I like to pretend to be I know I’m really just a mass of insecurities and compensative tactics.

“Anything else?” she asks.

Your number, I want to say, but what’s the point. I don’t plan on being in New Jersey any longer than I have to. I promised my dad I’d stay through the election and that’s it. Then my backpack and I are off to Asia.

I take my ridiculous little cup of beer and head off in search of someone I might find even remotely interesting to talk to.

As luck would have it I run into my mother and her league of women voters. They’re all wearing the same conservative blue suits as the blue suit brigade who were ordering wine in front of me at the bar and they each have a tiny American flag displayed prominently on their lapels. As soon as my mother spots me a look of disgust overtakes her face. She can’t seem to control it whenever she sees me and I’m not sure she wants to. She’s even less thrilled with me than my father and she usually has no trouble expressing that displeasure to me. My only saving grace is that I know she won’t rail at me in front of her supporters. She’s much too shrewd for that. She’ll do her best to pretend I’m the perfect son in front of potential donors and wait to condemn me in private.

I’m so glad I’ll be staying at the lake house. My mother won’t consider venturing out to Northern New Jersey this late in the season. When it’s less than seventy degrees she has no interest in the lake house.

“Austin,” my mother says as she approaches and places a quick peck on my cheek. “So glad you could make it.”

The other women in her small group are all smiling and eyeballing me, even though they’re all my mother’s age or older.

I down the rest of my beer and stare into the empty cup. “I think I need a refill.”

My mother expresses her displeasure with a harrumph, but then quickly replaces her grimace with a broad smile. Hers isn’t as rehearsed as my father’s or brother’s, but it’s equally phony.

“When you come back, Mrs. Lexington has an opening in her firm that might be of interest to you and she’s already said she’d love to talk to you about it.”

“Great,” I lie as I loosen my tie. I’m already feeling trapped and the stupid material around my neck isn’t helping matters any. I can’t even remember the last time I wore a tie.

As I hurry back towards the bar I’m glad to see that Mazzy doesn’t have any other customers. She’s all mine, at least for a few minutes.

I order two beers and down them both double-fisted. When I look up I imagine that Mazzy will have a look of horror on her face, but all I see is puzzlement. As if she’s looking at a creature from a brand new species.

By the time I order my fourth miniature beer I have just enough liquid courage to actually start a conversation with her. It’s not that I generally have a hard time conversing with women. On the contrary, I’m generally quite smooth with the opposite sex. But I feel different in this monkey suit and a political fundraiser is definitely not my native habitat. I’m used to picking up women at dive bars or neighborhood pubs. The more relaxed and casual the atmosphere the better.

There’s absolutely nothing relaxed or casual about my present circumstances. But at least the beers have taken the edge off. 

“Mazzy is an unusual name,” I say as she hands me my beer.

She just gives me a polite nod in return.

“Do you live around here?” As soon as the words leave my lips I realize it’s a ridiculous question. I’m sure she doesn’t commute very far for a job as a bartender.

“I’ve lived in Old Town my whole life.” Her clipped tone leads me to believe that she has little interest in talking to me. Not that I blame her. If I ran into me in this setting wearing this suit I wouldn’t want to talk to me either.

“Know of any good bars around here.” I hold up the small cup. “These tiny cups aren’t really doing it for me.”

That remark elicits the tiniest of smiles. At least it’s a start.

“Try Haymakers. It’s the only bar in Old Town. Do you like country music?”

I shrug. “I’m more of a rock-and-roll kind of guy.”

“Haymakers is definitely a country bar. I used to work there.”

“Maybe I’ll check it out.” I’ll be staying at my family’s lake house, which isn’t too far from Old Town. I’m sure I’ll go stir crazy after a while and will need some kind of escape. “Thanks for the recommendation.”

“If you tell them that Mazzy sent you they might even give you a free beer.”

“Free is good.” I give her my sexiest smile, but it doesn’t seem to make much of an impact. I realize that maybe she’s just being nice so I’ll give her a good tip. I reach into my pocket, pull out a five dollar bill and add it to the mostly singles lining the tip jar.</

Fire & Ice Book Tours Presents: Giveaway: Remote by Lisa Acerbo

Blurb:

When technology fulfills every dream, reality becomes a nightmare.

Below the streets of New State, the undergrounders fight to remain free of the technological control of the world above. Every night, Yara risks her life fighting New State’s deadliest weapons, the drones. Half human and half machine, their living half tortured until everything human is gone, the drones have only one objective. Kill. And they do it with exacting precision.

Yara is good at her job and committed to her raids on New State. Until one of those raids brings her face-to-face with Joshua, a New State citizen who doesn’t quite fit her preconceived expectations. After a couple of awkward encounters, he shows her the meaning of hooking up—a computer simulation that allows people to live out their fantasies—without the complication of emotional entanglements or physical reality. But what Yara feels for Joshua is very real. And it’s punishable by law.

As she and Joshua grow closer, she convinces him to leave New State for her underground cause. But as the unrest between New State and the underground escalates, and the drones move in to destroy her world, nothing goes as planned. Families are arrested, loyalties are strained, and Yara’s forced to choose between her people and her feelings. The wrong choice could mean the end of her people, and reality could slip away—forever…

 

Excerpt:

“Hi,” he called out.

Yara’s heart hammered, and adrenaline coursed through her limbs. She turned to run.

“Wait,” the stranger whispered. “I won’t turn you in. I’m out here too.” He obviously didn’t realize that Yara was a rebel. He might not know it yet, but he would soon. Still, he didn’t sound dangerous. Maybe Yara could take care of him. She had never had to kill anyone totally human, but she had trained to do so. At this point, she didn’t think she would need to. The skinny boy didn’t look like a real threat, either.

She turned back toward him and attempted what she hoped was a look of death and destruction.

Instead of being scared, he smiled at her and brushed the hair out of his eyes. Even in the shadowy street, Yara could see the color was a beautiful emerald green. She had a hard time looking away, until his voice jarred her back to reality.

“I’m Joshua15111,” he said robotically. “What are you doing out here?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“Enjoying the night sky,” he replied, each word clipped and succinct. Unable to make prolonged eye contact, he looked toward the stars.

“Aren’t you supposed to be hooked up to an alternate universe, enjoying battle, boobs, or whatever perverted fantasy you want to conquer tonight?” Yara asked, and then instantly regretted her words.

“Hey, it’s not like that. You know how it is.” For the first time, his voice took on a more humanistic quality. He sounded peeved.

She grunted in response. She didn’t know anything of the sort.

Joshua15111 looked at her briefly, quizzically. “Wait, do you know that? Are you one of them? The rebels?”

Oh no. “What rebels?”

“Are you for real? Everyone knows about the rebels. You must be one. Are you a rebel? That’s so cool.”

Me and my big mouth. Fear finally overtook her. Vague ideas about running away from or fighting the stranger flitted by, but Yara’s feet felt like concrete blocks. She wasn’t even sure she’d be able to form a coherent sentence if he asked her something about the underground.

Buy Links:

Etopia Press
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Lisa Acerbo is a high school teacher and holds an EdD in Educational Leadership. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, daughters, three cats, and horse. She is the author of Apocalipstick and has contributed to local newspapers, news and travel blogs including The Patch and Hollywood Scriptwriter.

Connect With The Author:

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Giveaway:

Win a $25 Amazon GC on the Remote by Lisa Acerbo Book Tour & Giveaway! This giveaway will run 12/29/14 – 1/26/15. Open WW. Enter through Rafflecopter.

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Sunday Review: The Writers Coffee Shop: Bloodlines by Vanessa Skye

Bloodlines

Book 3 of Edge of Darkness Series

by Vanessa Skye

Release Date: January 22 , 2015

Published by The Writers Coffee Shop

Genre: FICTION / Suspense / Dark

ISBN e-book: 978-1-61213-366-9

Available from: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, iTunes and TWCS PH

~~SUMMARY~~

Following the acclaimed debut of The Enemy Inside and its sequel, Broken, comes the stunning conclusion to the ‘Edge of Darkness’ series by investigative journalist Vanessa Skye, Blood Lines. Detective Alicia “Berg” Raymond is lying. She’s lying to the Chicago Police Department, to her boyfriend, Captain Jay O’Loughlin, but most of all, she’s lying to herself—about her past, her future, and her ongoing addiction. As Berg investigates a series of brutal rapes and sinks under an ever-increasing caseload, she finds herself juggling every aspect of her life—finding justice for victims of crime, keeping her own sordid past buried from her colleagues, struggling with blackmail that threatens to push her over the edge, and protecting her lover from the details of all of it. Wrapping her damaged head around living in a state of domestic bliss she’s certain she doesn’t deserve, Berg is driven by the need for justice and a determination to stop a rapist before any more innocent lives are ravaged. But when enemies from the past threaten her present, she is once again vulnerable to the demons that have plagued her every day of her life. It’s only a matter of time before her lies unravel and the fairy tale she’s finally started believing implodes . . . but the biggest threat of all, as it turns out, is her very own bloodline. Can she save herself, and the casualties of crime, from the lurking darkness waiting to strike, or will her own mistakes drag her under—this time for good?  

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~~Review~~

This is the first novel I have read by this author. What I really liked was the heroine in this story was flawed. She wasn't this perfect individual. But a woman who broke the law and made her choices that were best for her and her loved ones, even though she was a cop. Not that I am going to suggest that everyone needs to out there and break the law. But people need to stop doing what everyone thinks they should do and start doing what makes them happy. 

I enjoyed the twist that popped up in the middle of the drama with Berg and Jay. 

With each page I passed by I really wanted to see what was going to happen with the story line and the main characters.

I think this is a solid 4 star book. The only reason this isn't a 5 star is because I felt like some of the dialog and writing was a bit repetitive. But that didn't take me away totally from enjoying the story.

 

~~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~~

Vanessa Skye has always had a love of words and spent her school years writing poetry, speeches, and fictional essays. After completing a Bachelor of Arts in print journalism and studying psychology at Charles Sturt University, Vanessa got a job at Australia's largest publisher of regional and agricultural news and information, Rural Press, where she worked as a journalist in the central west of New South Wales for four years. Thousands of stories later, Vanessa decided to move back to Sydney and try her hand at public relations while studying for a master’s degree in communication. Skip forward a few years and Vanessa was once again joyfully studying various psychology subjects while managing a Sydney public relations firm. Enthralled with examining the motivations behind people’s actions, Vanessa realized what she really wanted to do in life was combine her love of words with her fascination for human behavior. So Vanessa quit public relations to begin the significantly more impoverished life of a professional writer. Inspired by a recurring dream, Vanessa wrote her crime fiction debut, The Enemy Inside, which challenges the concept of justice, asks if the need for vengeance sometimes justifies murder, and explores whether you can ever heal from childhood abuse. Broken is her second book in this series. In her spare time, Vanessa wrote a short story, The Piece, which was published in February 2012, by Dark Prints Press as a part of the 'One That Got Away' dark fiction anthology. Vanessa now works as a freelance writer, lives in Sydney’s northern beaches, and tries to immerse herself in salt water at least once a day.  

Be sure to look for Book One-The Enemy Inside and Book Two-Broken well!

 

 

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~~CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR~~

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Website

 

Praise for Bloodlines

"So good! As with the previous two books in this series, I absolutely loved it. The pacing was great, there was nice dry humour to lighten the very dark tone, and all the characters completed a satisfying arc from books one and two. Berg in particular is fantastic – I loved that she didn’t completely go back to her old ways when she was at her lowest, and the ending leaves us with hope for her future. " - Andrea

 Goodreads Review

Sage Tours Presents: Lightning's Child

Lightning’s Child
By Michael A. Smith
Genre: Suspense/Romance

SYNOPSIS:
During an artillery barrage at the Civil War battle of Antietam in 1862, a young colonel lost his leg. More than 150 years later, he lost the same leg in a traffic accident on the Washington, D.C. Beltway!
Diane Kowalski, a research scientist, examines tissue from the anonymous victim’s severed leg. She discovers a genetic mutation that could make regeneration possible — and increase longevity.
Diane and Jack O’Sullivan, a private investigator, follow clues that lead them to Thomas Winthrop, founder of a leading genetics research laboratory. They learn that Winthrop has developed a gene therapy to extend his natural “gifts” to humanity. However, Winthrop’s “family” opposes his plan, arguing that it would lead to overpopulation, economic chaos, famine and war.
Lightning’s Child is a novel about the latest advances in biotechnology that one day may allow the human species to control its evolutionary destiny. It’s also a lighthearted and entertaining story about its colorful characters, as they struggle to achieve purpose, fulfillment and love in their lives.

AUTHOR BIO
Michael A. Smith is the author of six published novels, all described on his Website, www.goodnovels.org.  He began his career as a newspaper reporter, and was editor of the Golden, Colorado Daily Transcript.  He also was Associate Director, Illinois Board of Higher Education, and Press Secretary, Congressman Richard Durbin.  He is a member of the Authors Guild.
www.goodnovels.org

Lightning’s Child is available on Amazon



EXCERPT:
“So I gather there’s no Mister or boyfriend?” Jack asked.
“No.”
He smiled and leaned forward in a gesture of anticipation of a fuller
explanation.
“I’m too ambitious,” Diane answered, truthfully.  “I’ve spent my life trying
to prove that I’m something more than a pretty face.  Besides, I love
science.  My career is my life.  It’s a bit like private investigation, I imagine.
If you just keep looking for clues and follow them, you sometimes find the
answer.  There’s always a new mystery to be investigated.”
“Great analogy, although, in my business, investigation doesn’t always
lead to a wonderful discovery.  Too often, I uncover the dark and brutal side
of human nature.  I’ve met a whole lot of people who don’t deserve to live a
day longer, let alone live forever like Meigs, if that’s the case.”

Sunday Review: Black and White Desires by Alexandra Webb

Title BLACK AND WHITE DESIRES
Author ALEXANDRA WEBB
Source Received a free copy in exchange for an honest review
Purchase Link: AMAZON 

Blurb

Erika’s world is turned upside down when she agrees to a photography job for Landon, a sexy archeologist with a passion for control. When he hires her for a shoot of a different nature, a BDSM demonstration on submission, Landon takes her into a lifestyle that has only been a curiosity for her. She must learn to let go of her control to follow her desire to submit. Can Erika come to terms with what she needs from Landon and learn to give up the control she clings to? 

****Warning: Contains BDSM Elements*****

Review

This book was very powerful to me. It pulled out a LOT of emotion that I never would have thought I would feel just from reading a book. And it wasn't the kind of emotion you would really expect. It's hard to explain so bare with me.

 The plot was solid for the most part. I sort of felt like Landon pushed himself on Erika a bit too quickly but that was his personality so it was forgivable for the story. Erika ... I just ... am not sure about her. When I read I always try and put myself in the main character's point of view to help me feel their emotions. I just couldn't with Erika. And not because the story was bad or anything but because I learned that this lifestyle is no way in any shape or form for me.

I think that's what my review of this is going to be about. How this book made me feel.

I am trying to remember the last true BDSM book that I have read. Not one with half-assing life style's like the 50 shades crap. Or just kinky sex, which with the BDSM is part of it. But a book with the true mental thoughts and actions of a submissive. And I can't remember any being like this.

This book won't be on my list of "favorites" because I am very much not okay with the "submissive" mind set and it really angered me a lot of the ways throughout the book how Landon and Erika were. But that being said ... all of the emotions that continued to come out inside me kept me wanting to read the book. Each page flew by.

If I take out  my lack of enjoyment for the submissive lifestyle and look at this book for what it is, a first person novel about a woman and a man learning to love each other, then I have to say it was a very good book. It just taught me that BDSM is more than kinky sex. It's a way of life. It's a mindset. It's not for me. But that doesn't mean it isn't for you...if this book had been in Landon's point of view maybe I would feel differently. Actually I am sure I would.

Overall I'm giving this 4.5 Stars. I really REALLY think everyone who is curious about BDSM should read it. It will show you that this '50 Shades of Grey' series isn't anything like what the reality of this lifestyle can be. That was child's play, this is reality.

HEA Book Tours Presents: CHAPERONING PARIS by Victoria Pinder

CHAPERONING PARIS

Author: Victoria Pinder

Series: The Collins Brothers Book 1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

~ SYNOPSIS ~

Gigi Dumont never forgot how she walked away from the only man she ever loved.

She’s a teacher who has led her students to the finals of an international French competition to be help in Paris. The night before the trip, the Principal tries to cancel the trip before he, in turn, loses his job to her high school boyfriend, Sean Collins.

Sean Collins has survived cancer, a divorce, and Gigi having aborted their child back in high school. He assumed he’d hate her, if they ever crossed paths again. But he discovers she’s exactly what he wants.

When Gigi and Sean are stuck together for a week in Paris, Gigi feels she has lost all her control. How can she survive her attraction to Sean? The man’s sexier now than he was back in the day, and once upon a time, he’d had her heart. She finds herself falling for him, even knowing forever is impossible.

~ PURCHASE ~ 

Amazon

~ BOOK TRAILER ~

Youtube 

~ EXCERPT ~

Payback time. Standing in his mother’s kitchen, Sean Collins smiled as he hung up the phone.

He hovered at the phone for a moment, then charged along the carpeted hallway to his bedroom. In a flash, he changed from his T-shirt and jeans into his black pin stripe king-of-the-business-world suit complete with black tie and shiny black shoes.

Finished dressing, Sean jittered at the door and listened to his son talking nonstop to his mother upstairs. His skin tingled and he closed his eyes. At least moving to his parents’ country estate where he had grown up on Cape Cod had been good for everyone.

Breakfast could wait. He grabbed the keys on the counter downstairs, and he called upstairs, “I’m leaving. I won’t be gone long.”

Last year, the school principal had fired him with bogus charges. Sean had sworn on every holy book that he’d been fired because his doctors had discovered cancer in a routine physical exam.

The sickness sucked. But he’d survived. And now he used his vast wealth to get what he wanted. No teacher should be treated so callously. He had taken the job at the time to prove to himself he had more choices than being the chief financial officer of his father’s corporation.

He set his jaw and walked outside to his car, where the smell of freshly cut grass hit his senses.

The moment he stepped outside and headed toward the garage, Sean stared at the vast forested area on the property for a moment and pressed his lips together. Trees made sense. Women never had. His luck with women had been bad from the start. His first girlfriend, Gigi Dumont, had left him for parts unknown, and then later his wife, now his ex, Jennifer, had also left. She’d played with a whole set of loose scruples. But Jennifer hadn’t hurt him, not like Gigi had. Sean rolled his shoulders. Why did everything in his life always seem to go back to Gigi leaving?

He fished out his keys from his pocket. And now Gigi had moved back into the house next door.

Sean opened the garage door. A quick click of a button and the gate lifted.

Last night he hadn’t slept. Today his shoulders were straight. This moment had nothing to do with women and everything to do with justice. His fingers traced the shiny finish of his brother Gerard’s Aston Martin. Without blinking, he opted to borrow the car. He’d be early and outshine everyone else. Gerard had offered to loan it to him specifically for today. Sean licked his lips and turned the key, igniting the engine, and took off.

A daydream flashed in his eyes. Principal Murray’s jaw dropped to the ground in shock the second Sean stepped inside the office with the papers.

Sean clutched the wheel. He intended to twist the knife even further. People like Mr. Murray gave businessmen around the world the reputation of cold, heartless automatons, especially when he claimed the firing had been over “job performance.” Every one of Sean’s students had passed the state assessments.

Now, Sean ran the finances for his parents, his father’s company, and his brothers. The support of his family to get him through cancer treatments had been phenomenal, but what if he hadn’t had that support? What if he’d had no money to pay for treatments? He’d be dead because the principal had fired him due to the insurance increases. Well, now Sean had a better solution.

He sped down the country road for the half-hour trip. During his horrible marriage to Jennifer, he’d worked as a teacher, and his students had achieved both academic and social successes. Jennifer had been the nightmare that drove Sean away from Collins Industries, Collins Enterprises, Collins Investments, and Collins Mutual, to list a few of his father’s multiple companies. Post divorce and cancer, Sean had made the decision to offer employees packages in cases of sickness. Anyone who worked for him would now receive a payoff equal to the job performance done over the years as part of a settlement. Money paid hospital bills.

Sean’s stomach clenched as he gazed at the sign for the Barnstable Charter High School parking lot. Sean parked Gerard’s fancy lawyer wheels that screamed “out to impress” right next to the about-to-be-sacked principal’s BMW sedan. The Aston Martin made the perfect goodbye gesture. Murray had been outclassed.

Sean leaned forward in his seat, refusing to feel guilty. He waited for the school bell to ring and watched students bounding outside.

Unlike most people, his family had money, and normally he wouldn’t like flaunting wealth. His Jeep Wrangler suited him just fine, but today he needed to look like the elite businessman he was. He stepped out a minute later, and in a fast walk, he strode down the halls. Sean winked the second he saw the school guard’s shocked face.

“You had cancer?” asked the older African American lady who coached the wrestling team.

“Yes, I did. I’m better now,” Sean said, smiling.

He inclined his head and passed the security desk then Sean turned right toward the principal’s office.

In his briefcase he carried the school board’s ruling and the proof of sale of the school to Collins Enterprises. Barnstable was a private school that followed school board law. The sale to his company had been finalized, but Sean had insisted on telling Murray in person. The minutes of the meeting would be posted at one that day. Victory waited for him, and justice tasted better than homemade chocolate chip cookies.

In the office, the overqualified secretary, Mattie, dropped her pencil on the floor. Sean made eye contact with her and the older woman smiled back. Then he picked up the pencil in stride, and handed it back to her. She opened her mouth to speak, and he shook his head, placing his finger over his lips to silently request her silence.

She smiled her response and swiveled her chair back to her computer.

He had seen Mattie in action and understood the older woman had known how to treat people more than anyone else in the office.

Outside the principal’s door, Sean straightened his tie into perfect alignment. His heart rate sped up and his entire body became alert then he heard her voice.

Gigi, or should he say, Giovanna Dumont. Her quiet, sweet voice unmanned him, making his palms sweat. Why would she be here? And how could she still steal his breath away?

~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~

Victoria Pinder

Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston then moved to Miami. Eventually, found that writing is her passion.

She always wrote stories to entertain herself. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, but when she sat down to see what she enjoyed doing, writing became obvious.

The Zoastra Affair, Chaperoning Paris, Borrowing the Doctor, and Electing Love, Mything the Throne and Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush will be published in 2014.

Now she is represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency.

Also she’s the Vice President for the Florida Romance Writers. Her website is www.victoriapinder.com.

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