Book Lovin' Bitches Book Tour Book Review: Embody

Author: Jamie Magee
Title: Embody
Publisher: Alvasia Publishing
Publish Date: July 2011
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Book Lovin' Bitches Ebook Tours and the author
Blurb: Not many Scorpio’s are known for their patience, and Willow Haywood is no different. Her only desire is to love Landen Chambers and redeem the lost souls of Esterious, but the path to that desire is long, dark and dangerous...
Before Willow’s life had a chance to balance the sudden revelations and grief she had to endure to get to Chara a disturbing discovery is made. A photo, one that shows Willow blissfully embracing the flawless image of Drake Blakeshire; giving her not only proof that she had lived before, but that she had loved him.
Running away from the memory of Drake’s hypnotizing touch, and the prophecy set before her seemed like the logical thing to do. That is, until a dark dream reignites her passion to save the hopeless dimension of Esterious. Willow struggles to find patience – to learn everything she needs to know before she faces Drake again, but her eagerness is dangerous and one step in the wrong direction takes everything and everyone away from her – the only way to survive this trial is for Willow to remember who she is and what she really wants out of this life. The question is….can she do that?

Review: Embody jumps in right where Insight leaves off, or at least close to it. I would have to say that this is a series you should read in order.  I know I had to skim back through Insight a little bit to remind myself of what had happened previously.

In this book we get to see the characters develop more as well as the building relationship between Willow and Landen. One thing that strikes me as odd about this couple is how very tame the romance is. I'm pretty sure Willow was 18 so the fact that their relationship is so tame strikes me as a bit odd.

The surprise in this story was how much more interesting Drake was. It definitely made for a great story. I definitely plan on seeing the rest of this series through as it comes out.

Rating:  4 stars

Book Review: Eternal Seduction

Author: Jennifer Turner
Title: Eternal Seduction (A Darkness Within Novel)
Publisher: Dark Dreams Press
Publish Date: Oct 31, 2008
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Bewitching Book Tours and the author
Book Blurb: After living on the streets of New York City for over a decade, Logan Ellis admits her perceptions might be a little skewed. But twisted or not, there's a satisfying irony in watching a well dressed vampire stand in the middle of a ghetto alley, windblown trash scraping small circles near his feet. What she finds even more intriguing, is waiting for him to decide whether or not he's going to kill her.

Kerestyan Nelek hasn't quite made up his mind. As the Lord of New York, he can't allow a homeless drug addict, whose memories are packed with knowledge of vampiric existence, to run free in his city. It's not the first time he's been in this situation with a human, it's just the first time in thousands of years he's come face to face with one who doesn't seem to care. And that's what makes the decision so damn difficult.

What horrors would you have to witness before you went numb? How many years would it take for you to feel that way? What would it take to make you care again?

Logan's answers are simple: the worst humanity has to offer, almost thirty...and something she never expected.

Review: This book wasn't anything that I expected. It isn't often that the heroine of the story is a drug addict and a snarky one at that. She also isn't one that is spouting off words of love to Kerestyan, the vamp she has some pretty hot sex with in the book.

After my initial confusion, I have to say, this is a great vampire story. The character's were unique and definitely memorable. The vampires didn't want to become human again, and that was a plus for me. I hate wishy washy vamps. Jennifer Turners vamps are fun, fiesty and they don't take much BS from anyone. The other thing I liked was the "Creation" story of the vamps that Trinity tells Logan.

The hero, Kerestyan, is the kind of guy/vamp we'd all like to have on our side. He's gorgeous, tough and yet really gentle and sweet all at the same time. One thing I really loved about him, was how he was the one expressing his feelings. Logan was totally against that.

The secondary characters in this book rock too. You want to get to know each and every one of them, but most especially Odin "The God Of War", yeah he is! Syn, the...erm...dog and Stefan aka Dad. Stefan is probably the most intriguing. There are some things about him that I'm desperate for answers for. Oh and the Odin/Logan banter makes for some funny reading.

In a book world that has way too many vampire stories, Jennifer Turner delivers a story that is different from all the rest and that is definitely refreshing. Eternal Seduction is book 1 in the Darkness Within series. I look forward to more books from this series.

If you are a person that loves paranormal romance or just paranormal fiction, but are really looking for something different, this is definitely the book for you.

Rating: 5 stars

Bewitching Book Tours Author Interview: Jennifer Turner

Can you tell us a bit about the Darkness Within Series?

Below is the series blurb my agent made me write last year, and it’s also what editors first see when my series goes on submission to traditional publishers. I love sharing it because it’s not something readers would usually get to see. :)

The Darkness Within series is more than just a place where immortal things go bump in the night. It’s a world darker and sexier than anything you know, filled with more mystery and intrigue than you’ve ever dreamed of. Why should a Fledgling vampire sit in the dark, brooding over his cursed condition, when he can live in the lap of luxury by manipulating the humans around him? Why should an Ancient vampiress settle for influencing a few mundane humans, when she can raise an army of Fledglings to carry out her darkest whims?

The denizens of this world don’t want your pity – they want your blood.

Cursed to forever war against each other, vampires now stalk the night beside their prey, hidden behind a veil of deceit and manipulation. And while the Fledglings scramble to earn power and prestige by secretly influencing select humans, it’s the Ancients who move the Fledglings as pawns, building empires, deepening age old rivalries, and crushing opponents with moves centuries in the making. However, in the eternal shadow war that is supernatural society, even the Ancients dance under the twisted strings of a bitter feud that began well before their time.

But Fledgling to Ancient, only one thing lightens the darkness and calms the beast that rages within. Even more for the damned – love – is the highest prize. With it, anything is possible and even the darkest of monsters can be redeemed. Without it, their connection to humanity severs and even trusted friends become expendable once they’ve outlived their usefulness.

Everything is sacred and nothing is forgotten when immortality lies at your feet…


What author has had the biggest influence on your writing?

If I had to choose one author who’s influenced my writing more than another, I’d have to go with Sherrilyn Kenyon. I absolutely love the first seven books in the Dark Hunter series, and had I not read them…I probably wouldn’t be writing now. :)

Was there a particular book you read that made you realize that you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t think there was a single book, but more series of them. When I first began reading the paranormal romance genre, I was amazed by all the different worlds so many authors had created. And I think, as I read more and more books, the allure and challenge of creating my own world was just too much to ignore. ;)

What was the inspiration for the series? When you started writing the series did you have a plan for how many books it would be?

The inspiration for the series as a whole was my husband. He’d created an entire family of vampire characters (The Nelek Family) about ten years ago…and I just knew they’d be perfect to fuel a dark paranormal romance series.

When I started writing the series I figured ten books would probably be about right. However, I’ve upped that total to 15 now, and have even left a little room here and there in case my readers fall for a character I haven’t planned to write a book for. :)

Who is your favorite vampire in books and in films?

My favorite vampire from books is Cyrus from Jennifer Armintrout’s Blood Ties series. He’s easily a bad boy…and I’ve always had a thing for the dark and questionably evil / mentally unstable characters. ;)

In films I’d have to go with…Blade. I know he’s not a full vampire, but the story behind how he became a vampire has a realism I can get behind.

What is your favorite character from your series?

If I had to pick a favorite right now, I’d have to go with Oktober. There’s just something so jaded and unapologetic about him that I can’t help but to love him. I don’t want to give any spoilers or too much info away about him, especially since his book in next…but I’ve never written a character that blatantly refuses to change the way he does. He is who he is at all times, and makes no excuses for the way he sees the world. I just love everything about him…even his frequent need to eat people…and not in a good way. :D

What’s coming next in the Darkness Within series?

Right now, I’m working on the final revision of Eternal Embrace (book #3). This book is, without a doubt, one of the darkest of the series and is also one of my personal favorites! Here’s the back cover blurb:

Lydia Vincent finds little worth in anyone or anything, save herself and her ability to see the truth in everything. At least, what she perceives to be true. She's not looking for love, not looking for acceptance, and she certainly doesn't need some man messing up her life.
Forced to endure a malevolent ritual thousands of years ago, Oktober sees the world through the jaded eyes of a predator. He's a cold-blooded killer, whose only use for humans is food. But he’s about to get the shock of his immortal life – because the one human who won't fall to the curse of his blood – is the one woman who doesn't want a damn thing to do with him.
When the rise of an Ancient enemy lures Oktober and Lydia together, can Oktober ignore the dark instincts urging him to kill her? Can Lydia put her past behind her and find a way to accept Oktober as he is? Can destiny withstand two people who'll fight it to the bitter end...even if it means dying?


Author Bio:
Jennifer Turner lives in Bowling Green, Ohio, with her husband, twelve year old daughter and two cats. She regularly claims one of the aforementioned takes far more work than the others to maintain – but she won’t share which one. She’s the middle child between two brothers, and the favorite child of her parents. Of course, that’s always subject to opinion. Jennifer began her writing career as a self-published romance author, but is now represented by Robert Gottlieb, Chairman of Trident Media Group.



http://www.darknesswithinnovels.com/
www.twitter.com/darknesswithin
www.facebook.com/DarknessWithinJen
www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferTurner
http://www.jen-turner.blogspot.com/

Giveaway:

Today Jennifer is offering one lucky reader an ebook copy of Eternal Hearts

If you'd like a chance to win a copy, leave a comment on this post.

Don't forget to include your email addy so I can get in touch with you if you are selected.

Rex Robot Reviews Book Review: The Restorer

Author: Amanda Stevens
Title: The Restorer (The Graveyard Queen)
Publisher: Mira
Publish Date: April 19, 2011
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Rex Robot Reviews and the publisher
Book Blurb: My name is Amelia Gray. I'm a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I've always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.
It started with the discovery of a young woman's brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I've been hired to restore. The clues to the killer—and to his other victims—lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I've vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

Review: Read my review here

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: Growing Up Amish

Author: Ira Wagler
Title: Growing Up Amish
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Publish Date: June 28, 2011
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: One fateful starless night, 17-year-old Ira Wagler got up at 2 AM, left a scribbled note under his pillow, packed all of his earthly belongings into in a little black duffel bag, and walked away from his home in the Amish settlement of Bloomfield, Iowa. Now, in this heartwarming memoir, Ira paints a vivid portrait of Amish life—from his childhood days on the family farm, his Rumspringa rite of passage at age 16, to his ultimate decision to leave the Amish Church for good at age 26. Growing Up Amish is the true story of one man’s quest to discover who he is and where he belongs. Readers will laugh, cry, and be inspired by this charming yet poignant coming of age story set amidst the backdrop of one of the most enigmatic cultures in America today—the Old Order Amish.

Review: Any person that is curious about the Amish culture will want to pick up this story. Ira has a wonderfully candid way of telling the story of his growing up years in the Amish settlements in Canada, Iowa and later Indiana. He shares openly the ways of a culture that most "English" folk don't understand.  However, it is obvious that though he's made his peace with his past, he doesn't seem to care for the culture/religion that he was raised in.

Ira leaves the community several times but the reader is never sure why, except that he wants his freedom. It is during his rumspringa (running around years) that I found it a bit difficult to like him. The first few times he leaves, he seems like spoiled child running off to party in the big new world outside his Amish community. Where that is understandable he also shows little common sense.

I found myself wanting to know more about his reasons for leaving. What was it about the church that kept pushing him away? What about his relationship with his family? I felt a great deal of sympathy for his parents. Several of the children left the church and in the community, it reflected badly on them as parents.

Ira writes of his struggles to stay Amish, how he finds peace and eventually why he finally leaves for good. What he doesn't give his readers is a clear reason why he kept coming back. Was it totally homesickness? A real fear of eternal damnation. Gotta love the Amish, they believe if you leave the church that you have no chance of redemption...straight to hell you go.

He certainly paints a different picture of the Amish that what most of us "English" get when read the novels of Beverly Lewis and Wanda E. Brunstetter. Ira's writing is very engaging, and though there were many times when I wanted to take him aside and give him a little what for, for his behavior, I really enjoyed reading his story. I do still wish he had opened up more about his relationships with his family. Still this is a great read and it does offer some insight on this rather unusual religious community.

Rating:  3 flowers

The Bookish Snob Promotions Guest Post: Keira Lea Author Of Replay

Why I Love Hairless Cats


Kelsee Lewis, the main character of Replay, has a writing partner named Z. Braff. Before you run off to Google to see where you've heard that name before, let me tell you he has a small but puzzling role in the story. He's also a hairless cat.

Have you ever seen a hairless cat? My husband thinks they look like wrinkly, bald rats. I think they resemble Yoda's rosy niece. Their lack of a full coat gives them a unique standing in a feline world dominated by fur. When I started writing Replay, I knew one of these peach-fuzz wonders would be part of the story.

Kelsee feels like an outsider, someone who stands out because she is the new girl at school. She watches vintage Saturday Night Live episodes and calls on Gilda Radner's spirit to help her through the weirdness in her life. Not even her best friend Miranda helps Kelsee feel like part of the "regular" people in her world who don't have panic attacks with time-warp special effects.

I love the outsider. My novel is not autobiographical, but I identify with Kelsee. I would have been friends with her in high school. We would have put Z. Braff on a leash and walked through the neighborhood together. We would have shared our pride in being hairless cats in a world covered in fur.
 
 
Author Info:

Keira Lea released her debut novel in April 2011. She is a devoted fan of the TV show FRINGE, a card-carrying member of the Apple cult, and a mother to two human children and three feline ones. She is working on a sequel to Replay.

Next Tour Stop: June 27 – We Fancy Books

Buy Replay: Amazon/Barnes and Noble

The Bookish Snob Promotions Book Excerpt: Save My Soul

 Zoe Winter's has kindly shared a excerpt of Save My Soul with A Chick Who Reads.

Excerpt

He leaned in. Anna leaned back. A grotesque dance of unrequited love.

“What? Don’t I get a little goodnight kiss?”

“I don’t kiss on the first date. It keeps the pressure off.” That wasn’t strictly true, but what Marsh didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

“We’ve known each other for years. You can’t make an exception?” He was easing in again, going for his second attempt.

“No, not really.” Anna was becoming irritated. He’d gone from annoying bad date to general all around clueless ass.

Marshal tried to look past her into the house. “All right. Can I have the ten-cent tour at least? I’ve always wanted to see the inside of this place.”

“I’m sorry, but the ten cent tour only covers the outside of the house.” When he smiled that goofy shaggy dog grin like he thought he was flirting, she decided to play it straight. “I’ve really got stuff to do.”

She was caught off guard when he pushed his way past her, causing the wildflowers she’d carried all day to scatter in all directions. The warning bells that had been gently tingling all afternoon, started to sound more like a loud cymbal.

The door clicked ominously behind him, causing Anna’s anxiety to climb higher. You’re being silly. This isn’t a Lifetime movie. He doesn’t realize he’s coming off this way. Despite her inner monologue, her hand itched for something heavy to beat him unconscious. Forcing his way into her home was crossing the line. Actually it crossed federal lines, being a felony and all.

“Marshal, I would like you to leave now. You’re pissing me off.”

He smiled. His voice came out a smooth purr as if he were seducing her instead of planning an attack. “No, I’m scaring you. You know, you always were such a tease, Anna. I would have asked you out when we were kids, but I thought surely Quinton Worthington’s daughter wouldn’t give me the time of day. It wasn’t until much later I heard you had a crush on me.”

“Get out.” The words were said between clenched teeth. She’d started to back away from him.

The smile didn’t leave his face; he only moved closer. Shy guy had left the building. “It’s pretty ironic. I’ll bet there were nights we both touched ourselves thinking of the other, and yet we never got together. Let’s find out if our reality lives up to our fantasies.”

Anna reached for a lead candlestick off the mantel, only to have it batted away as Marshal pressed her against the wall. He trailed a finger down her cheek, then dipped to capture her mouth in a kiss.

“All you had to do was give me one little kiss. You didn’t have to be so uptight.”

Anna leaned forward as if to kiss him back. Instead, she bit his lip and kneed him in the groin. His eyes widened as he reflexively doubled over, cupping the family jewels too late.

“Ow, you stupid bitch!” His tongue crept out to lick away the thin trickle of blood. His eyes filled with renewed purpose as his face rose to meet hers.

She knew she should have run for the door, but panic can make you retarded. Now she was the dumb horror movie chick running up the staircase. If she got out of this alive she’d never mock dumb horror movie chick again.

Author Bio: Zoe Winters writes quirky and sometimes dark paranormal romance. She lives with her husband and two cats, and her favorite colors are rainbow and clear. For more information visit http://www.zoewinters.org or her blog at: http://zoewinters.wordpress.com

Buy: Amazon/Smashwords/Barnes and Noble 

Next Tour Stop: June 26 – Steampunkery And Book Reviews

Read My Review: Here
 

Bewitching Book Tours Guest Post and Book Excerpt By Gabrielle Bisset

Dreams

People are always curious where writers get their ideas from. Particularly with romance and erotic romance, I get the question about if my writing is from real life. I wish. No, my ideas come from my imagination. They often come while I’m sleeping. I’ve had a number of stories pop into my head while I was asleep, and when I wake up, there they are, waiting for me to do something with them.

One Tuesday morning last summer I woke up and an entire book concept had played out in my head while I was in dreamland. The first book of what’s become a series from that one dream comes out later this month. I had the same thing for Vampire Dreams earlier this year. I went to sleep without thinking of anything concerning vampires or Victorian England, the setting of the novella, and I woke up with almost the entire first chapter in my mind. Something in my unconscious mind was obviously thinking of those things, and I had a beginning to a novella.


I remember most of my dreams, I think, but can we ever be sure if we remember what was going on while we slept? The human mind is an incredible machine, capable of incredible feats of intelligence. But when the lights go out and our bodies go to sleep, our minds don’t. They continue to mull over the day we’ve just experienced, good or bad, often working through the problems under cover of darkness that our conscious minds couldn’t.


I’ve been curious about dreams since I was a teenager. There’s an entire field of study that approaches dreams through symbols. I wonder what my mind was trying to tell me when it created the beginning of Vampire Dreams, a scene in which a young woman, homeless and with no family to care for her, is chased by a would-be attacker and rescued by a man later found out to be a vampire. It’s a curious question.



Whatever my mind was trying to tell me, I took that dream and made a novella out of it. Here’s the scene that played out in my dream that night in February:



Excerpt


The dark streets of the city lay sprawled out in front of her, filled with both possible danger and salvation. As she ran, her feet pounding against the stones beneath them, her breathing came in pants that stole the moisture from her mouth. Her eyes frantically scanned for someplace to hide as she pushed her legs to run faster.

She could hear his feet as each one solidly hit the ground behind her. His stride much longer than hers, he was coming closer with each step.

If he caught her...

The pounding of her heart hammered in her ears as the blood pushed faster and faster through her body. Up ahead, she saw a door ajar in a rundown building. If it was empty, she might be able to find a place to hide and hopefully escape from the pain of what awaited her if he captured her.

She slipped through the doorway, but her cape caught on the doorknob, costing her precious moments. As she worked to free herself, she heard his footsteps slow down to a walk, a sign he was as sure as she that he’d won.

Finally, in desperation, she tore the fabric from the knob, and free to run once more, she turned and ran headlong into the chest of a man who stood silently watching her.

“Please save me! He’s coming for me!”

Without a word, the stranger took her by the arm and led her to a table near the far wall. With his hands on her shoulders, he hesitated a moment and then spun her around.

His voice deep, he commanded, “Place your hands on the table and bend over.”

Unsure if she’d chosen a fate as horrific as the one she’d fled from, she did as she’d been told and waited in terror for what was to come.

The noise of her stalker entering the building caused her to turn her head, but the voice behind her sternly warned, “Face forward.”

She felt hands lift her cloak and dress, allowing the cool night air to hit the bare skin of her thighs. The feeling at once thrilled and shocked her, and she instinctively stood up to cover herself.

The man behind her forcibly pushed her back toward the table and leaned over her to whisper low in her ear, “Trust me,” as he pushed his body firmly against her backside.

“Hey you! Where’s the girl who came in here?”

With his hands on her hips, the man who gave her no choice but to trust him pushed his hips toward hers and thrust toward her still clothed body to simulate sex, complete with throaty groans.

“Hey! I asked you about the girl who came in here!”

Never looking back, Arden squeezed her eyes closed, shutting out the moonlight that streamed in through the window above, and waited for the attack she feared. Instead, she heard the man whose body continued to meet hers bark, “Go away! This whore’s mine!”

Indignant at the use of the word whore to describe her, she started to push herself up but his hand held her by the neck and forced her to remain still on the table. A sound like a hiss came from her protector and the other man hurriedly ran out of the building.

Vampire Dreams can be found at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. Readers can contact Gabrielle at gabriellebisset@gmail.com and visit her blog at http://gbisset.blogspot.com/

Bio:


College history professor by day, Gabrielle Bisset spends her nights and weekends writing erotic romance. An avid reader since childhood, she read her first romance novel before she'd entered high school and was hooked. Every step of the way since, through college and grad school, moving to Europe, marrying and having children, romance novels were with her. In addition to a love of reading, Gabrielle loved writing. After a humble start with her high school newspaper, she continued to write in college and grad school, enjoying the erotic romances she wrote far more than the research papers she was assigned. A desire to eat and have a roof over her head led to a teaching job, but the desire to write never went away.



Her first novel, Stolen Destiny, will be released by Siren Publishing on June 29, 2011. In addition, her trilogy of erotic novellas set in Victorian England will be released summer 2011. The first novella, Vampire Dreams, will be published on June 10, with the second novella, Love's Master, and the third novella, Masquerade, out in July and August.

You can read my review of Vampire Dreams here

Giveaway!

Gabrielle is offering one ebook copy of Vampire Dreams.

How do you win?

Just leave a comment with your email and on June 27th I'll choose a winner.

The Bookish Snob Promotions Book Review: Replay

Author: Keira Lea
Title: Replay
Publish Date: April 12, 2011
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: The Bookish Snob Promotions and the author
Book Blurb: Kelsee Lewis has a new school, a prima donna best friend, and one week to write a hit play. Throw in a self-obsessed mom and an absent executive dad, and it’s no wonder she has panic attacks—complete with time-warp special effects. When Kelsee meets comic book maven Quinn, she realizes the attacks give her the ability to rewind time.

Replaying life seems like the best way to erase mistakes. But will second chances leave Kelsee flailing in the orchestra pit alone?

Review: Who wouldn't want to rewind time? I know I would, but as Kelsee learns using her powers has consequences.

There is much to love about this fast fun YA read. Kelsee is pretty much your average teenager. She has a crush on a cute guy but is scared to do anything about it. She has family troubles. She has a unique BFF.

She doesn't discover that she's able to manipulate time until midway through the story. The super power if you want to call it that, is more a secodary thing. The imporant things are the real girl things; trying to get her play written, trying to get the cute guy to like her, figuring out why here parents are crazy.

The story starts out slowly, focusing more on Kelsee's normal life, her school, her mom, the trips to the shrink. It is through that that we start to get a clue about her. Her panic attacks are more than just that. When she meets Quinn she starts to realize she's different.

Once she realizes what she can do, she uses it to fix things, however that's when things start to backfire.  Kelsee needs to learn that you can't mess with the time line.

I really liked Kelsee and Quinn, from the get go, I knew they would be a better couple than Kelsee and Patrick. The popular hot guy is never quite as good as you think he's going to be.

The best part of the story is the dialogue. I loved Kelsee's witty, sarcastic/snarky dialogue. She just really comes across as a typical teenager. Her thoughts and words were laugh out loud funny most of the time. She's got good reason to be sarcastic too. Her mom is too clingy, her dad has a new girlfriend, her best friend isn't acting the way a best friend should...and there is the time manipulation thing...oh and a play that is make it or break it for her school's creative writing program

It is no wonder this girl is stressed, and when she gets stressed time does funny things. As the story goes one, when Kelsee tries to fix things...she breaks them even more.

Keira Lea really pulls everything together in the end too. It is hard to explain all the things going on in Kelsee's life without giving away the plot, and really, this is a great book, so I don't want to spoil it. Just grab this book and a nice comfy chair and read away! This book is fab and fun! The perfect summer read!

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: Vampire Dreams

Author: Gabrielle Bisset
Title: Vampire Dreams
Publish Date: May 28, 2011
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By:  Bewitching Book Tours and the author
Book Blurb: Homeless and without any family, Arden Stephens must live on the streets of mid 19th century London, never a safe place for a young woman. One night, as she is running for her life from an attacker, she is rescued by Brandon Ridley and offered a place in his home as his maid. Brandon is enchanted by Arden from the moment they meet, but just as she has secrets, so too does he. A vampire hundreds of years old, he yearns for the companionship she can give him. But for that he must make her one of his kind.


Nightly, he visits her in her sleep, preparing her for the night he will finally make her his own. For Arden, the wanton dreams she has about her handsome employer seduce her and each day when she wakes up, she finds herself more drawn to him. But love and desire aren't enough for Brandon to sire her. He must first obtain the approval of his maker, an ancient vampire named Vasilije who has thwarted his chance for happiness before.

But if Brandon can convince him, he may finally find the love he's been without for centuries.

Review: This was a short (72 pages) story, but it was also a pretty steamy story. I'm really starting to like vampire erotica. I'm also really beginning to like some of the twists on the vampire legend that I've been reading. I particularly liked Gabrielle's version here. My favorite twist is that the vampire has to seek permission from his sire before creating another vampire.

Gabrielle makes her version of the vampire legend more believable to her readers. I also liked the humanity Brandon displayed. He wasn't quite wishy washy, but there was still part of him that didn't like creature that he was. Just as Vasilije was the epitome of evil. The relationship between these two reminding me of Nick and Lucien from the TV show Forever Knight.

Arden was a good female lead. Her confusion at what was happening to her and her love for Brandon was very real.

At times I thought the story was too short, but it wasn't because of any problem with the story, it was just that I would have enjoyed getting to know both Brandon and Arden better, particularly Arden's backstory.

Anyone that loves vampires and erotica will love this story

Rating:  4 flowers

Author Info:

Bio:


College history professor by day, Gabrielle Bisset spends her nights and weekends writing erotic romance. An avid reader since childhood, she read her first romance novel before she'd entered high school and was hooked. Every step of the way since, through college and grad school, moving to Europe, marrying and having children, romance novels were with her. In addition to a love of reading, Gabrielle loved writing. After a humble start with her high school newspaper, she continued to write in college and grad school, enjoying the erotic romances she wrote far more than the research papers she was assigned. A desire to eat and have a roof over her head led to a teaching job, but the desire to write never went away.



Her first novel, Stolen Destiny, will be released by Siren Publishing on June 29, 2011. In addition, her trilogy of erotic novellas set in Victorian England will be released summer 2011. The first novella, Vampire Dreams, will be published on June 10, with the second novella, Love's Master, and the third novella, Masquerade, out in July and August.

Website: Gabrielle Bisset

Blog: Gabrielle Bisset: A Writer's Blog

Bewitching Book Tours Guest Post: Theresa Meyers w/Giveaway

Today, Theresa Meyers, author of The Vampire Who Loved Me, is here at A Chick Who Reads to talk about Memorable Characters. She's also giving away one signed copy of The Vampire Who Loved Me.

The Power of Memorable Characters

From the moment vampire Achilles Stefanos slipped into the pages of my story, wrapped his arms around my waist and whispered in my ear, “You know you want to write about me.” I was hooked.

Sure he was a secondary character in my story, but wanted his own book, he was sexy as hell and had magnetism that was off the charts. I had to promise it to him in order to shut him up long enough to finish writing the first book in my Sons of Midnight mini-series for Nocturne. But now Achilles is very happy, especially since his story, The Vampire Who Loved Me is now out in the world.

Memorable characters are those who not only intrigue us, but teach us something about ourselves and our world. Achilles is a Spartan warrior, an ancient Greek who was turned into a vampire by choice through the ancient rites of the original worshipers of the ancient gods. He did it for a priestess, who eventually became both his maker/mentor and his imprinted love. But when she dies during the Inquisition, Achilles is left a Halfling – a vampire who has lost the ability to feel true emotion because of the imprint that allowed him to share both the powers and the pain of the vampire who shares his imprint. The whole time I was writing Achilles the song “Wake Me Up Inside” by Evanescence played over and over again on the soundtrack I created for the book. (side note: I make a new one for every book – it helps me get into the story faster as part of my process.)

And the song was so true for him, and as it turns out, by the end of the story I realized it was equally true for my heroine Dr. Rebecca Chamberlin (Beck to her friends). They’re broken for different reasons, but truly each of them has been living dead emotionally for way too long. I also adore the heroine in this book. She was also a walk on secondary character with a smart mouth and a ginormous brain. Beck is just one of those fun brainy heroines who thinks she knows everything but is really utterly clueless when it comes to navigating a relationship. She and Achilles together were just very fun to write and both of them taught me something vital.

You have to accept what you are given to be able to move on. Sometimes life isn’t a choice. Sometimes, it’s just handed to you as a lemon and you get to decide are you going to suck on the lemon as it is, or are you going to squeeze it out, add some sugar and water and drink it. The lemon is still just a lemon. Not bad, not good. It’s what you do with that lemon that creates your experience. Here’s the problem. You have to accept that the lemon is not an apple or a peach or grapes or anything you wish it could be. It’ll be a lemon until you accept that. Once you get past that point, you can actually decide what to do.

But more than that really intrigued me about The Vampire Who Loved Me as a story because it really explores our own cultural biased towards those who have a disease we don’t know how to control. There’s an innate fear and kind of mob mentality there that makes for great fiction. Because my vampires are created by a virus, there are people willing to do anything, including creating a vampire pesticide, to protect themselves. But at what point do we stop seeing people as “them” and realize we’re all “us”?

We all have to live in the same place. We all have to co-exist, even if we don’t agree. We can’t see others who have a disease as different than us, because the reality is one day they could be us. In the story Beck is so bent on seeing vampires as the “other” that her efforts to get rid of them by creating a vaccine almost results in her losing the one man she loves. It’s not until she accepts that vampires are really human, just humans manipulated by a virus into a different kind of being, that she can make things right.

So for me the characters in The Vampire Who Loved Me, were memorable in many ways. I learned a lot from them. I had fun hanging out with them.

But what I’d really like to know is, what makes a memorable character for you?

 

Author Info:

Raised by a bibliophile who made the dining room into a library, Theresa has always been a lover of books and stories. First a writer for newspapers, then for national magazines, she started her first novel in high school, eventually enrolling in a Writer's Digest course and putting the book under the bed until she joined Romance Writers of America in 1993. In 2005 she was selected as one of eleven finalists for the American Title II contest, the American Idol of books. She is married to the first man she ever went on a real date with (to their high school prom), who she knew was hero material when he suffered through having to let her parents drive, and her brother sit between them in the backseat of the car. They currently live in a Victorian house on a mini farm in the Pacific Northwest with their two children, three cats, an old chestnut Arabian gelding, an energetic mini-Aussie shepherd puppy, several rabbits, a dozen chickens and an out-of-control herb garden. You can find her online on Twitter, Facebook, at her Web site or blogging with the other Lolitas of STEAMED!

http://www.theresameyers.com/ 

http://www.theresameyers.com/blog/

http://twitter.com/Theresa_Meyers

http://www.facebook.com/TheresaMeyersAuthor

http://www.ageofsteam.wordpress.com/

 

You can read my review of The Vampire Who Loves me here 

Giveaway!!

 

One random commenter that answers what makes a memorable character will win a signed copy of 

The Vampire Who Loved Me!

Entries will be accepted until 6/24/2011

Please include your email address with your comment, so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

The Bookish Snob Promotions Guest Post: Toni LoTempio

Crafting a Heroine

Hi, I’m Toni LoTempio, a

uthor of the paranormal romantic suspense novels NO REST FOR THE WICCA and RAVEN’S KISS.

Today I thought I’d speak about crafting a heroine.  What goes into that, some of you might wonder?

Well, I’m not particularly fond of the old Harlequin stereotype, the maiden in distress rescued by the handsome hunk hero.  Probably because I like mysteries and grew up weaned on Nancy Drew, I likemy heroines to have a bit of spunk (no, can that – a LOT of spunk) and a backbone – although they do get a bit mushy when their Prince comes along LOL

In No Rest for the Wicca, Morgan Hawkes is a “ghost whisperer” meaning she can talk to spirits who haven’t yet departed this plane. She also has a lot of voodoo knowledge thanks to her father, some of which didn’t serve her in good stead when she was a Homicide detective – so now she’ a bit leery of trusting her abilities.  Her guilt over her partner’s death has also made her a bit –crotchety, shall we say?

And then enter Cole St. John.  This Inheritor Vampire knows just what buttons to push on her to get a response,and to let her open up and expose her feelings.  Yes, by the end of the book they’re madly in love (of course) but it was a journey for them to get to that point.

Ditto Raven Grace, the heroine of RAVEN’S KISS.  A college senior, she had high expectations of a career in law enforcement, until a demon’s bite turned her into a Shapeshifter.  Now a member of the Recovery – an organization who keeps the peace between humanity and errant Others – Raven’s motivated by a need for revenge on the demon who turned her. However, unknown to her, the demon had a hidden agenda, which she finds out when she makes the leap into parallel time – and meets up with a fiery, redheaded Scotsman who’s just as stubborn and opinionated as she is.

Instant love?  Hardly.  But eventually the two of them get together – because in the end, they’re good for each other – and isn’t that what it’s all about, really?

When I wrote the outline for these two strong women , I confess, I put a bit of myself into them – after all, they are my creations, how could I not?  Although I would hope I might not be as snarky or defensive as Raven or Morgan seem to appear sometimes, they both do have one thing in common: underneath their gruff exteriors beats a heart of gold – someone who would go that extra mile for someone they truly loved.

I hope you enjoyed this little insight into my characters, and I hope you’ll read Raven and Wicca and also feel free to stop by my website: www.tonilotempio.webs.com or my (andRocco’s) blog: www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com  to find out more about coming events!

All About….TONI LOTEMPIO

Hello!  I’m Toni LoTempio, author of Paranormal Romance/Romantic Suspense/YA Fantasy!  I’ve been writing ever since I was old enough to read, when I didn’t like the endings of the stories my mother read me I simply rewrote them J  Even though I write mainly in the paranormal genre, I have also written straight horror, as well as contemporary romance/suspense.

In 1995, I joined the staff of SUSABELLA PASSENGERS AND FRIENDS, a pulp magazine for collectors of antique children’s literature (Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, etc.)  Currently I’ve written over 300 articles for that magazine, and I was the first recipient of their Margaret Sutton Award for Distinguished Writing in 1998.  I joined the staff of NIGHT OWL REVIEWS IN January 2011 as the suspense reviewer/columnist.  My column, DARK STREETS, which features articles on suspense authors and their novels, is featured on a monthly basis. I love to spotlight new talent, so if you’re a suspense author, please contact me!

In 2007, Whiskey Creek Press published BOUND BY BLOOD, a tale of possession, and EBONY, which deals with zombies and the dark side of man. EBONY was #2 on the Fictionwise bestseller list for e-books for the month of July 2007, beating out Stephen King’s Lisey’s Story. (and no one was more shocked than I, LOL) In 2010, after countless attempts to land another agent, I took the advice of a fellow author HP Mallory, and self published NO REST FOR THE WICCA, which has been on Amazon’s list of top one hundred in Occult since March 2011.  My short story, THE SACRIFICE, appears in the e-published anthology KISS ME KILL ME, and I also have a YA fantasy, MY SUPERHERO SISTER on B&N and Amazon.  A complete listing of my books appears at the end of this bio.

Currently single, I work full time and live in Clifton, NJ, with  my muses:  Rocco, Maxx, Gata and Trixie.  (Rocco is also known as Rocco the SciFi Blogging Cat and has appeared on the SciFi Saturday Night website and radio show, and also on the Kids Need To Read website where he holds the distinction of being the first (and possibly only!) blogging cat to support this charity!)

I love hearing from fans, so please feel free to friend me on FACEBOOK, and visit my website, www.tonilotempio.webs.com  Rocco and I post daily M-F on his blog, www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com

Toni LoTempio Books:

Bound by Blood – Whiskey Creek Press, trade paperback & e-book, Feb. 2007 (paranormal suspense)

Ebony – Whiskey Creek Press, trade paperback & e-book, July 2007 (paranormal suspense)

Witch’s Pawn – Echelon Press, trade paperback & e-book, December 2008 (horror)

Nom de Plume – Whiskey Creek Press, trade paperback & e-book, November 2008 (contemporary romance)

It’s in the Cards – Whiskey Creek Press, e-book, February 2010 – (paranormal romance)

Out of the Ashes – Whiskey Creek Press, e-book, May 2010 – Fantasy

No Rest for the Wicca – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book, September 2010 – paranormal suspense

My Superhero Sister – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book, Trade Paperback - January 2011 – YA Fantasy

Kiss Me, Kill Me – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book anthology –February 2011 – Short Story, “The Sacrifice”

Raven’s Kiss – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book, & Trade Paperback April, 2011 – Paranormal Romance

Next stop on the tour: June 22 - Faerotic Prose

 

Book Review: Save My Soul

Author: Zoe Winters
Title: Save My Soul
Publisher: Incubooks
Publish Date: Jan 31, 2011
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: The Bookish Snob Promotions and the author.
Book Blurb: All he’s asking for is her soul.
After buying the antebellum home she’s fantasized about since childhood, Anna Worthington discovers Luc, a dangerously seductive incubus who has been trapped in the house by a fifty-year-old curse. To rid herself of her problem house guest she’ll call on a priest, gypsies, ghost hunters, and the coven of witches from lust bunny hell. All she has to do is resist him long enough to break the spell so they can go their separate ways. If she doesn’t, she could die. And that would be the best case scenario.

Review:  Save My Soul is the second book in the Preternaturals series, but if you haven't read book one, don't let that put you off. This book stands alone quite well.

The part of me that loves a good paranormal romance loved this story. Anna and Tam and Luc and the whole cast of characters really made for an enjoyable story. It was also great to read about a different kind of creature, vampires, werewolves and angels are all over the place in fiction right now. There aren't many stories with an incubus in them.

Who couldn't like a demon that feeds off sexual energy.

There was a part of me that held back on the fangirling I wanted to do. That part of me is the good Catholic girl that didn't really care for the way my faith was portrayed. The negative undertones directed towards that Catholic faith put me off more than a little, and it kept me from enjoying the story.

However, I didn't let that keep me from enjoying what was a really unique, fun and funny story. Zoe has a great voice as an author, balancing out a story with humor and just enough sex to keep it interesting. And hey, you can't have a story about an incubus without some spicy sex.

What I really liked about this story, besides the snarky banter between Anna and Luc were the friendships in the story. Anna and Tam were a great set of BFFs, but I loved the addition of the harem of hookers, Anna bought for Luc to feed from. By the end of the story everyone was banding together.

If you are a fan of paranormal romance you definitely want to check this book out.

Rating: 4 flowers

Stop back on the 25th to read an excerpt from Save My Soul.

Summer Reading

Everyone has been talking about summer reading lists. I'm a little bit overwhelmed right now because I'm taking part in quite a few blog tours and I've got so many books on my TBR piles, both on my physical shelves and my Nook shelves.

I really don't know where to start, on the days when I don't have books for a tour to read.

There's just so much out there I want to read, and not enough time in the day to read it all.

Here are some of the books I hope to get to this summer.